Complete Works of Theocritus

by Theocritus

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  καί μ᾽ ἁ Θευχαρίδα Θρᾷσσα τροφὸς ἁ μακαρῖτις 70

  ἀγχίθυρος ναίοισα κατεύξατο καὶ λιτάνευσε

  τὰν πομπὰν θάσασθαι: ἐγὼ δέ οἱ ἁ μεγάλοιτος

  ὡμάρτευν βύσσοιο καλὸν σύροισα χιτῶνα,

  κἀμφιστειλαμένα τὰν ξυστίδα τὰν Κλεαρίστας.

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα. 75

  [70] Now Theumaridas’ Thracian nurse that dwelt next door, gone ere this to her rest, had begged and prayed me to gout and see the pageant, and so – ill was my luck – I followed her, in a long gown of fine silk, with Clearista’s cloak over it.

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  ἤδη δ᾽ εὖσα μέσον κατ᾽ ἀμαξιτόν, ᾇ τὰ Λύκωνος,

  εἶδον ὁμοῦ Δέλφιν τε καὶ Εὐδάμιππον ἰόντας.

  τοῖς δ᾽ ἦν ξανθοτέρα μὲν ἑλιχρύσοιο γενειάς,

  στήθεα δὲ στίλβοντα πολὺ πλέον ἢ τὺ Σελάνα,

  ὡς ἀπὸ γυμνασίοιο καλὸν πόνον ἄρτι λιπόντων. 80

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.

  [76] I was halfway o’ the road, beside Lycon’s, when lo! I espied walking together Delphis and Eudamippus, the hair o’ their chins as golden as cassidony, and the breasts of them, for they were on their way from their pretty labour at the school, shone full as fair as thou, great Moon.

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  χὡς ἴδον, ὡς ἐμάνην, ὥς μευ πέρι θυμὸς ἰάφθη

  δειλαίας: τὸ δὲ κάλλος ἐτάκετο, κοὔτέ τι πομπᾶς

  τήνας ἐφρασάμαν, οὐδ᾽ ὡς πάλιν οἴκαδ᾽ ἀπῆνθον

  ἔγνων: ἀλλά μέ τις καπυρὰ νόσος ἐξεσάλαξε, 85

  κείμαν δ᾽ ἐν κλιντῆρι δέκ᾽ ἄματα καὶ δέκα νύκτας.

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.

  [82] And O the pity of it! in a moment I looked and was lost, lost and smit i’ the heart; the colour went from my cheek; of that brave pageant I bethought me no more. How I got me home I know not; but this I know, a parching fever laid me waste and I was ten days and ten nights abed.

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  καί μευ χρὼς μὲν ὁμοῖος ἐγίνετο πολλάκι θάψῳ,

  ἔρρευν δ᾽ ἐκ κεφαλᾶς πᾶσαι τρίχες, αὐτὰ δὲ λοιπὰ

  ὀστί᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἦς καὶ δέρμα. καὶ ἐς τίνος οὐκ ἐπέρασα 90

  ἢ ποίας ἔλιπον γραίας δόμον, ἅτις ἐπᾷδεν;

  ἀλλ᾽ ἦς οὐδὲν ἐλαφρόν: ὁ δέ χρόνος ἄνυτο φεύγων.

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.

  [88] And I would go as wan and pale as any dyer’s boxwood; the hairs o’ my head began to fall; I was nought but skin and bone. There’s not a charmer in the town to whom I resorted not, nor witch’s hovel whither I went not for a spell. But ’twas no easy thing to cure a malady like that, and time sped on apace.

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  χοὕτω τᾷ δούλᾳ τὸν ἀλαθέα μῦθον ἔλεξα:

  ‘εἰ δ᾽ ἄγε Θεστυλί μοι χαλεπᾶς νόσω εὑρέ τι μῆχος. 95

  πᾶσαν ἔχει με τάλαιναν ὁ Μύνδιος: ἀλλὰ μολοῖσα

  τήρησον ποτὶ τὰν Τιμαγήτοιο παλαίστραν:

  τηνεῖ γὰρ φοιτῇ, τηνεῖ δέ οἱ ἁδὺ καθῆσθαι.’

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.

  [94] At last I told my woman all the truth. “Go to, good Thestylis,” cried I, “go find me some remedy for a sore distemper. The Myndian, alack! he possesseth me altogether. Go thou, pray, and watch for him by Timagetus’ wrestling-place: ’tis thither he resorts, ’tis there he loves well to sit.

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  ‘κἠπεί κά νιν ἐόντα μάθῃς μόνον, ἅσυχα νεῦσον, 100

  κεἴφ᾽ ὅτι Σιμαίθα τυ καλεῖ, καὶ ὑφαγέο τᾷδε.’

  ὣς ἐφάμαν: ἁ δ᾽ ἦνθε καὶ ἄγαγε τὸν λιπαρόχρων

  εἰς ἐμὰ δώματα Δέλφιν: ἐγὼ δέ νιν ὡς ἐνόησα

  ἄρτι θύρας ὑπὲρ οὐδὸν ἀμειβόμενον ποδὶ κούφῳ —

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα —

  [100] “And when so be thou be’st sure he’s alone, give him a gentle nod o’ the head and say Simaetha would see him, and bring him hither.” So bidden she went her ways and brought him that was so sleek and gay to my dwelling. And no sooner was I ware of the light fall o’s foot across my threshold, –

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving –

  πᾶσα μὲν ἐψύχθην χιόνος πλέον, ἐν δὲ μετώπῳ

  ἱδρώς μευ κοχύδεσκεν ἴσον νοτίαισιν ἐέρσαις,

  οὐδέ τι φωνᾶσαι δυνάμαν, οὐδ᾽ ὅσσον ἐν ὕπνῳ

  κνυζεῦνται φωνεῦντα φίλαν ποτὶ ματέρα τέκνα:

  ἀλλ᾽ ἐπάγην δαγῦδι καλὸν χρόα πάντοθεν ἴσα. 110

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.

  [106] than I went cold as ice my body over, and the sweat dripped like dewdrops from my brow; aye, and for speaking I could not so much as the whimper of a child that calls on’s mother in his sleep; for my fair flesh was gone all stiff and stark like a puppet’s.

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  καί μ᾽ ἐσιδὼν ὥστοργος, ἐπὶ χθονὸς ὄμματα πήξας

  ἕξετ᾽ ἐπὶ κλιντῆρι καὶ ἑζόμενος φάτο μῦθον:

  ἦ ῥά με Σιμαίθα τόσον ἔφθασας, ὅσσον ἐγώ θην

  πρᾶν ποκα τὸν χαρίεντα τρέχων ἔφθασσα Φιλῖνον,

  ἐς τὸ τεὸν καλέσασα τόδε στέγος ἤ με παρῆμεν.

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.

  [112] When he beheld me, heartless man! he fixed his gaze on the ground, sat him upon the bed, and sitting thus spake: “Why, Simaetha, when thou bad’st me hither to this thy roof, marry, thou didst no further outrun my own coming than I once outran the pretty young Philinus.

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  ἦνθον γάρ κεν ἐγώ, ναὶ τὸν γλυκὺν ἦνθον ῎Ερωτα,

  ἢ τρίτος ἠὲ τέταρτος ἐὼν φίλος αὐτίκα νυκτός,

  μᾶλα μὲν ἐν κόλποισι Διωνύσοιο φυλάσσων, 120

  κρατὶ δ᾽ ἔχων λεύκαν, ῾Ηρακλέος ἱερὸν ἔρνος,

  πάντοθε πορφυρέαισι περὶ ζώστραισιν ἑλικτάν.

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.

  [118] “For I had come of myself, by sweet Love I had, of myself the very first hour of night, with comrades twain or more, some of Dionysus’ own
apples in my pocket, and about my brow the holy aspen sprig of Heracles with gay purple ribbons wound in and out.

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  καί μ᾽ εἰ μέν κ᾽ ἐδέχεσθε, τάδ᾽ ἦς φίλα: καὶ γὰρ ἐλαφρὸς

  καὶ καλὸς πάντεσσι μετ᾽ ἠιθέοισι καλεῦμαι: 125

  εὗδόν τ᾽, εἴ κε μόνον τὸ καλὸν στόμα τεῦς ἐφίλασα:

  εἰ δ᾽ ἀλλᾷ μ᾽ ὠθεῖτε καὶ ἁ θύρα εἴχετο μοχλῷ,

  πάντως καὶ πελέκεις καὶ λαμπάδες ἦνθον ἐφ᾽ ὑμέας.

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.

  [124] “And had ye received me so, it had been joy; for I have a name as well for beauty of shape as speed of foot with all the bachelry o’ the town, and I had been content so I had only kissed thy pretty lips. But and if ye had sent me packing with bolt and bar, then I warrant ye axes and torches had come against you.

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving.

  νῦν δὲ χάριν μὲν ἔφαν τᾷ Κύπριδι πρᾶτον ὀφείλειν, 130

  καὶ μετὰ τὰν Κύπριν τύ με δευτέρα ἐκ πυρὸς εἵλευ

  ὦ γύναι ἐσκαλέσασα τεὸν ποτὶ τοῦτο μέλαθρον

  αὔτως ἡμίφλεκτον: ῎Ερως δ᾽ ἄρα καὶ Λιπαραίω

  πολλάκις ῾Ηφαίστοιο σέλας φλογερώτερον αἴθει.

  φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθ᾽ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα. 135

  ‘σὺν δὲ κακαῖς μανίαις καὶ παρθένον ἐκ θαλάμοιο

  [130] “But seeing thou hadst sent for me, I vowed my thanks to the Cyprian first – but after the Cyprian ’tis thou, in calling me to this roof, sweet maid, didst snatch the brand from a burning that was all but done; for i’ faith, Cupid’s flare oft will outblaze the God o’ Lipara himself, –

  List, good Moon, where I learnt my loving –

  καὶ νύμφαν ἐφόβησ᾽ ἔτι δέμνια θερμὰ λιποῖσαν

  ἀνέρος.’ ὣς ὁ μὲν εἶπεν: ἐγὼ δέ οἱ ἁ ταχυπειθὴς

  χειρὸς ἐφαψαμένα μαλακῶν ἔκλιν᾽ ἐπὶ λέκτρων.

  καὶ ταχὺ χρὼς ἐπὶ χρωτὶ πεπαίνετο, καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα

  θερμότερ᾽ ἦς ἢ πρόσθε, καὶ ἐψιθυρίσδομες ἁδύ:

  χὥς κά τοι μὴ μακρὰ φίλα θρυλέοιμι Σελάνα,

  ἐπράχθη τὰ μέγιστα, καὶ ἐς πόθον ἤνθομες ἄμφω.

  κοὔτέ τι τῆνος ἐμὶν ἐπεμέμψατο μέσφα τό γ᾽ ἐχθές,

  [137] “And with the dire frenzy of him bride is driven from groom ere his marriage-bed by cold, much more a maid from the bower of her virginity.” So he ended, and I, that was so easy to win, took him by the hand and made him lie along the bed. Soon cheek upon cheek grew ripe, our faces waxed hotter, and lo! sweet whispers went and came. My prating shall not keep thee too long, good Moon: enough that all was done, enough that both desires were sped.

  οὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ αὖ τήνῳ. ἀλλ᾽ ἦνθέ μοι ἅ τε Φιλίστας 145

  μάτηρ τᾶς ἀλαᾶς αὐλητρίδος ἅ τε Μελιξοῦς

  σάμερον, ἁνίκα πέρ τε ποτ᾽ ὠρανὸν ἔτρεχον ἵπποι

  ᾿Αῶ τὰν ῥοδόπαχυν ἀπ᾽ ᾿Ωκεανοῖο φέροισαι.

  κεἶπέ μοι ἄλλά τε πολλὰ καὶ ὡς ἄρα Δέλφις ἐρᾶται,

  κεἴτέ νιν αὖτε γυναικὸς ἔχει πόθος εἴτε καὶ ἀνδρός, 150

  οὐκ ἔφατ᾽ ἀτρεκὲς ἴδμεν, ἀτὰρ τόσον: αἰὲν ῎Ερωτος

  ἀκράτω ἐπεχεῖτο καὶ ἐς τέλος ᾤχετο φεύγων,

  καὶ φάτο οἱ στεφάνοισι τὰ δώματα τῆνα πυκάσδειν.

  ταῦτά μοι ἁ ξείνα μυθήσατο: ἔστι δ᾽ ἀλαθής:

  ἦ γάρ μοι καὶ τρὶς καὶ τετράκις ἄλλοκ᾽ ἐφοίτη, 155

  καὶ παρ᾽ ἐμὶν ἐτίθει τὰν Δωρίδα πολλάκις ὄλπαν:

  νῦν δέ τε δωδεκαταῖος ἀφ᾽ ὧτέ νιν οὐδὲ ποτεῖδον.

  ἦ ῥ᾽ οὐκ ἄλλό τι τερπνὸν ἔχει, ἁμῶν δὲ λέλασται;

  νῦν μὲν τοῖς φίλτροις καταθύσομαι: αἰ δ᾽ ἔτι κἠμὲ

  [145] And till ’twas but yesterday, he found never a fault in me nor I in him. But lo! to-day, when She o’ the Rose-red Arms began her swift charioting from sea to sky, comes me the mother of Melixo and of our once flute-girl Philista, and among divers other talk would have me believe Delphis was in love. And she knew not for sure, so she said, whether this new love were of maid or of man, only “he was ever drinking” quoth she “to the name of Love, and went off in haste at the last saying his love-garlands were for such-and-such a house.” So ran my gossip’s story, and sure ’tis true; tor ah! though time was, i’ faith, when he would come thrice and four times a day, and often left his Dorian flask with me to fetch again, now ’tis twelve days since I so much as set eyes upon him. I am forgot, for sure; his joy doth lie otherways.

  λυπῇ, τὰν ᾿Αίδαο πύλαν ναὶ Μοίρας ἀραξεῖ. 160

  τοῖά οἱ ἐν κίστᾳ κακὰ φάρμακα φαμὶ φυλάσσειν,

  ᾿Ασσυρίω δέσποινα παρὰ ξείνοιο μαθοῖσα.

  ἀλλὰ τὺ μὲν χαίροισα ποτ᾽ ᾿Ωκεανὸν τρέπε πώλους,

  πότνι᾽: ἐγὼ δ᾽ οἰσῶ τὸν ἐμὸν πόνον ὥσπερ ὑπέσταν.

  χαῖρε Σελαναία λιπαρόχροε, χαίρετε δ᾽ ἄλλοι 165

  ἀστέρες, εὐκήλοιο κατ᾽ ἄντυγα Νυκτὸς ὀπαδοί.

  [160] To-night these my fire-philtres shall lay a spell upon him; but if so be they make not an end of my trouble, then, so help me Fate, he shall be found knocking at the gate of Death; for I tell thee, good Mistress, I have in my press medicines evil enough, that one out of Assyria told me of. So fare thee well, great Lady; to Ocean with thy team. And I, I will bear my love as best I may. Farewell sweet Lady o’ the Shining Face, and all ye starry followers in the train of drowsy Night, farewell, farewell.

  IDYLL III. κῶμος

  IDYLL III. THE SERENADE

  The poet appears to personate a young goatherd, who after five lines dedicatory to a friend whom he calls Tityrus, serenades his mistress Amaryllis. The poem is a monologue, but, like II, preserves the dialogue-form of the mime by means of a dumb character. The appeal to Amaryllis may be regarded as consisting of three parts each ending with the offer of a gift – apples, garland, a goat – and a fourth part containing a love-song of four stanzas. The reciter would doubtless make a slight pause to mark the rejection of each gift and the failure of the song before the renewal of the cry of despair.

  Κωμάσδω ποτὶ τὰν ᾿Αμαρυλλίδα, ταὶ δέ μοι αἶγες

  βόσκονται κατ᾽ ὄρος, καὶ ὁ Τίτυρος αὐτὰς ἐλαύνει.

  Τίτυρ᾽ ἐμὶν τὸ καλὸν πεφιλαμένε, βόσκε τὰς αἶγας,

  καὶ ποτὶ τὰν κράναν ἄγε Τίτυρε, καὶ τὸν ἐνόρχαν

  τὸν Λιβυκὸν κνάκωνα φυλάσσεο, μή τι κορύψῃ. 5

  [1] I go a-courting of Amyrallis, and my goats they go browsing on along
the hill with Tityrus to drive them on. My well-beloved Tityrus, pray feed me my goats; pray lead them to watering, good Tityrus, and beware or the buckgoat, the yellow Libyan yonder, will be butting you.

  Ω χαρίεσσ᾽ ᾿Αμαρυλλί, τί μ᾽ οὐκέτι τοῦτο κατ᾽ ἄντρον

  παρκύπτοισα καλεῖς τὸν ἐρωτύλον; ἦ ῥά με μισεῖς;

  ἦ ῥά γέ τοι σιμὸς καταφαίνομαι ἐγγύθεν ἦμεν,

  νύμφα, καὶ προγένειος; ἀπάγξασθαί με ποησεῖς.

  ἠνίδε τοι δέκα μᾶλα φέρω: τηνῶθε καθεῖλον, 10

  ὧ μ᾽ ἐκέλευ καθελεῖν τύ: καὶ αὔριον ἄλλά τοι οἰσῶ.

  [6] Beautiful Amaryllis, why peep you no more from your cave and call me in? Hate you your sweet-heart? Can it be a near view hath shown him snub-nosed, Nymph, and over-bearded? I dare swear you’ll be the death of me. See, here have I brought you half a score of apples plucked yonder where you bade me pluck them, and to-morrow I’ll bring you so many again...

  θᾶσαι μὰν θυμαλγὲς ἐμὸν ἄχος: αἴθε γενοίμαν

  ἁ βομβεῦσα μέλισσα καὶ ἐς τεὸν ἄντρον ἱκοίμαν

  τὸν κισσὸν διαδὺς καὶ τὰν πτέριν, ᾇ τὺ πυκάσδῃ.

  νῦν ἔγνων τὸν ῎Ερωτα: βαρὺς θεός: ἦ ῥα λεαίνας

  μαζὸν ἐθήλαζε, δρυμῷ τέ νιν ἔτρεφε μάτηρ,

  ὅς με κατασμύχων καὶ ἐς ὀστίον ἄχρις ἰάπτει.

  ὦ τὸ καλὸν ποθορεῦσα, τὸ πᾶν λίθος: ὦ κυάνοφρυ

  νύμφα, πρόσπτυξαί με τὸν αἰπόλον, ὥς τυ φιλάσω.

  ἔστι καὶ ἐν κενεοῖσι φιλάμασιν ἁδέα τέρψις. 20

  τὸν στέφανον τῖλαί με κατ᾽ αὐτίκα λεπτὰ ποησεῖς,

  τόν τοι ἐγὼν ᾿Αμαρυλλὶ φίλα κισσοῖο φυλάσσω

  ἀμπλέξας καλύκεσσι καὶ εὐόδμοισι σελίνοις. —