Complete Works of Theocritus
Page 54
IDYLL V. THE GOATHERD AND THE SHEPHERD
The scene of this shepherd-mime is laid in the wooded pastures near the mouth of the river Crathis in the district of Sybaris and Thurii in Southern Italy. The foreground is the shore of a lagoon near which stand effigies of the Nymphs who preside over it, and there is close by a rustic statue of Pan of the seaside. The characters are a goatherd named Comatas and a young shepherd named Lacon who are watching their flocks. Having seated themselves some little distance apart, they proceed to converse in no very friendly spirit, and the talk gradually leads to a contest of song with a woodcutter named Maroson for the judge and a lamb and a goat for the stakes. The contest is spirits, not to say a bitter, one, and consists of a series of alternate couplets, the elder man first singing his couplet and the younger then trying to better him at the same theme. The themes Comatas chooses are various, but the dominant note, as often in Theocritus, is love. In some of the lines there is more meaning than appears on the surface. After fourteen pairs of couplets, Morson breaks in before Lacon has replied and wards his lamb to Comatas.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
αἶγες ἐμαί, τῆνον τὸν ποιμένα τόνδε Σιβύρτα
φεύγετε τὸν Λάκωνα: τό μευ νάκος ἐχθὲς ἔκλεψεν.
Λάκων
οὐκ ἀπὸ τᾶς κράνας; σίττ᾽ ἀμνίδες. οὐκ ἐσορῆτε
[1] Beware, good my goats, of yonder shepherd from Sybaris, beware of Lacon; he stole my skin-coat yesterday.
LACON
τόν μευ τὰν σύριγγα πρόαν κλέψαντα Κομάταν;
Κομάτας
τὰν ποίαν σύριγγα; τὺ γάρ ποκα δῶλε Σιβύρτα 5
[4] Hey up! my pretty lambkins; away from the spring. See you not Comatas that stole my pipe two days agone?
COMATAS
ἐκτάσα σύριγγα; τί δ᾽ οὐκέτι σὺν Κορύδωνι
ἀρκεῖ τοι καλάμας αὐλὸν ποππύσδεν ἔχοντι;
[6] Pipe? Sibyrtas’ bondman possessed of a pipe? he that was content to sit with Corydon and too t upon a parcel o’ straws?
LACON
Λάκων
τάν μοι ἔδωκε Λύκων ὦλεύθερε. τὶν δὲ τὸ ποῖον
Λάκων ἀγκλέψας πόκ᾽ ἔβα νάκος; εἰπὲ Κομάτα:
οὐδὲ γὰρ Εὐμάρᾳ τῷ δεσπότᾳ ἦς τι ἐνεύδειν. 10
[8] Yes, master freeman, the pipe Lycon gave me. And as for your skin-coat, what skin-coat and when has ever Lacon carried off o’ yours? Tell me that, Comatas; why, your lord Eumaras, let alone his bondman, never had one even to sleep in.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
τὸ Κροκύλος μοι ἔδωκε, τὸ ποικίλον, ἁνίκ᾽ ἔθυσε
ταῖς Νύμφαις τὰν αἶγα: τὺ δ᾽ ὦ κακὲ καὶ τόκ᾽ ἐτάκευ
βασκαίνων, καὶ νῦν με τὰ λοίσθια γυμνὸν ἔθηκας.
[11] ’Tis that Crocylus gave me, the dapple skin, after that he sacrificed that she-goat to the Nymphs. And as your foul envious eyes watered for it then, so your foul envious hands have bid me go henceforth naked now.
LACON
Λάκων
οὐκ αὐτὸν τὸν Πᾶνα τὸν ἄκτιον, οὐ τέ γε Λάκων
τὰν βαίταν ἀπέδυσ᾽ ὁ Καλαιθίδος, ἢ κατὰ τήνας 15
τᾶς πέτρας ὤνθρωπε μανεὶς ἐς Κρᾶθιν ἁλοίμαν.
[14] Nay, nay by Pan o’ the Shore; Lacon son of Calaethis never filched coat of thine, fellow, may I run raving mad else and leap into the Crathis from yonder rock.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
οὐ μὰν οὐκ αὐτὰς τὰς λιμνάδας ὦγαθὲ Νύμφας,
αἵτέ μοι ἵλαοί τε καὶ εὐμενέες τελέθοιεν,
οὔ τευ τὰν σύριγγα λαθὼν ἔκλεψε Κομάτας.
[17] No, no, by these Nymphs o’ the lake, man; so surely as I wish ’em kind and propitious, Comatas never laid sneaking hand on pipe o’ thine.
LACON
Λάκων
αἴ τοι πιστεύσαιμι, τὰ Δάφνιδος ἄλγε᾽ ἀροίμαν. 20
ἀλλ᾽ ὦν αἴκα λῇς ἔριφον θέμεν — ἔστι μὲν οὐδὲν
ἱερόν — ἀλλά γε τοι διαείσομαι, ἕστέ κ᾽ ἀπείπῃς.
[20] Heaven send me the affliction of Daphnis if e’er I believe that tale. But enough of this; if thou’lt wage me a kid – ’tis not worth the candle, but nevertheless come on; I’ll have a contention o’ song with thee till thou cry hold.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
ὗς ποτ᾽ ᾿Αθαναίαν ἔριν ἤρισεν. ἠνίδε κεῖται
ὥριφος: ἀλλά γε καὶ τὺ τὸν εὔβοτον ἀμνὸν ἔρισδε.
[23] ’Tis the old story – teach thy grandam. There; my wage is laid. And thou, for thine, lay me thy fine fat lamb against it.
LACON
Λάκων
καὶ πῶς ὦ κίναδος τὺ τάδ᾽ ἔσσεται ἐξ ἴσω ἁμίν; 25
τίς τρίχας ἀντ᾽ ἐρίων ἐποκίξατο; τίς δὲ παρεύσας
αἰγὸς πρατοτόκοιο κακὰν κύνα δήλετ᾽ ἀμέλγειν;
[25] Thou fox! prithee how shall such laying fadge? As well might one shear himself hair when a’ might have wool, as well choose to milk a foul bitch before a young milch-goat.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
ὅστις νικασεῖν τὸν πλατίον ὡς τὺ πεποίθεις,
σφὰξ βομβέων τέττιγος ἐναντίον. ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὔ τοι
ὥριφος ἰσοπαλής, τυῖδ᾽ ὁ τράγος οὗτος. ἔρισδε. 30
[28] He that’s as sure as thou that he’ll vanquish his neighbour is like the wasp buzzing against the cricket’s song. But ’tis all one; my kid it seems is no fair stake. So look, I lay thee this full-grown he-goat; and now begin.
LACON
Λάκων
μὴ σπεῦδ᾽: οὐ γάρ τοι πυρὶ θάλπεαι. ἅδιον ᾀσῇ
τεῖδ᾽ ὑπὸ τὰν κότινον καὶ τἄλσεα ταῦτα καθίξας.
ψυχρὸν ὕδωρ τουτεῖ καταλείβεται: ὧδε πεφύκει
ποία χἁ στιβὰς ἅδε, καὶ ἀκρίδες ὧδε λαλεῦντι.
[31] Soft, soft; no fire’s burning thee. You’ll sing better sitting under the wild olive and this coppice. There’s cool water falling yonder, and here’s grass and a greenbed, and the locusts at their prattling.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
ἀλλ᾽ οὔ τι σπεύδω: μέγα δ᾽ ἄχθομαι, εἰ τύ με τολμῇς
ὄμμασι τοῖς ὀρθοῖσι ποτιβλέπεν, ὅν ποκ᾽ ἐόντα
παῖδ᾽ ἔτ᾽ ἐγὼν ἐδίδασκον. ἴδ᾽ ἁ χάρις ἐς τί ποθ᾽ ἕρπει.
θρέψαι καὶ λυκιδεῖς, θρέψαι κύνας, ὥς τυ φάγωντι.
[35] I’m in no haste, not I, but in sorrow rather that you dare look me in the face, I that had the teaching of you when you were but a child. Lord! look where kindness goes. Nurse a wolf-cub, – nay rather nurse a puppy-god – to be eaten for ‘t.
LACON
Λάκων
καὶ πόκ᾽ ἐγὼ παρὰ τεῦς τι μαθὼν καλὸν ἢ καὶ ἀκούσας
μέμναμ᾽; ὦ φθονερὸν τ�
�� καὶ ἀπρεπὲς ἀνδρίον αὔτως. 40
……
[39] And when, pray, do I mind me to have learnt of heard aught of good from thee? Fie upon thee for a mere envious and churlish piece of a man!
COMATAS
ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἕρφ᾽ ὦδ᾽, ἕρπε, καὶ ὕστατα βουκολιαξῇ.
[41] When I was poking you and you were sore; and these she-kids were bleating and the billy-goat bored into them.
LACON
Κομάτας
[43] I hope you won’t be buried, hunchback, deeper that polang! But a truce, man; hither, come thou hither, and thou shalt sing thy country-song for the last time.
COMATAS
οὐχ ἑρψῶ τηνεῖ: τουτεῖ δρύες, ὧδε κύπειρος, 45
ὧδε καλὸν βομβεῦντι ποτὶ σμήνεσσι μέλισσαι:
ἔνθ᾽ ὕδατος ψυχρῶ κρᾶναι δύο: ταὶ δ᾽ ἐπὶ δένδρει
ὄρνιχες λαλαγεῦντι: καὶ ἁ σκιὰ οὐδὲν ὁμοία
τᾷ παρὰ τίν: βάλλει δὲ καὶ ἁ πίτυς ὑψόθε κώνοις.
[45] Thither will I never come. Here I have oaks and cypress, and bees humming bravely at the hives, here’s two springs of cool water to thy one, and birds, not locusts, a-babbling upon the tree, and, for shade, thine’s not half so good; and what’s more the pine overhead is casting her nuts.
LACON
Λάκων
ἦ μὰν ἀρνακίδας τε καὶ εἴρια τεῖδε πατησεῖς, 50
αἴκ᾽ ἔνθῃς, ὕπνω μαλακώτερα: ταὶ δὲ τραγεῖαι
ταὶ παρὰ τὶν ὄσδοντι κακώτερον ἢ τύ περ ὄσδεις.
στασῶ δὲ κρατῆρα μέγαν λευκοῖο γάλακτος
ταῖς Νύμφαις, στασῶ δὲ καὶ ἁδέος ἄλλον ἐλαίω.
[50] An you’ll come here, I’ll lay you shall tread lambskins and sheep’s wool as soft as sleep. Those buckgoat-pelts of thine smell e’en ranker than thou. And I’ll set up a great bowl of whitest milk to the Nymphs, and eke I’ll set up another of sweetest oil.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
αἰ δέ κε καὶ τὺ μόλῃς, ἁπαλὰν πτέριν ὧδε πατησεῖς 55
καὶ γλάχων᾽ ἀνθεῦσαν: ὑπεσσεῖται δὲ χιμαιρᾶν
δέρματα τῶν παρὰ τὶν μαλακώτερα τετράκις ἀρνῶν.
στασῶ δ᾽ ὀκτὼ μὲν γαυλὼς τῷ Πανὶ γάλακτος,
ὀκτὼ δὲ σκαφίδας μέλιτος πλέα κηρί᾽ ἐχοίσας.
[55] If come you do, you shall tread here taper fern and organy all a-blowing, and for your lying down there’s she-goat-skins four times as soft as those lambskins of thine. And I’ll set up to Pan eight pails of milk and eke eight pots of full honey-combs.
LACON
Λάκων
αὐτόθε μοι ποτέρισδε καὶ αὐτόθε βουκολιάσδευ: 60
τὰν σαυτῶ πατέων ἔχε τὰς δρύας. ἀλλὰ τίς ἄμμε
τίς κρινεῖ; αἴθ᾽ ἔνθοι πόθ᾽ ὁ βουκόλος ὧδ᾽ ὁ Λυκώπας.
[60] Go to; be where you will for me for the match o’ country-song. Go your own gate; you’re welcome to your oaks. But who’s to be our judge, say who? Would God neatherd Lycopas might come this way along.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
οὐδὲν ἐγὼ τήνω ποτιδεύομαι: ἀλλὰ τὸν ἄνδρα,
αἰ λῇς, τὸν δρυτόμον βωστρήσομες, ὃς τὰς ἐρείκας
τήνας τὰς παρὰ τὶν ξυλοχίζεται: ἔστι δὲ Μόρσων. 65
[63] I suffer no want of him. We’ll holla rather, an’t pleas ye, on yon woodcutter that is after fuel in the heather near where you be. Morson it is.
LACON
Λάκων
βωστρέωμες.
Κομάτας
τὺ κάλει νιν.
Λάκων
ἴθ᾽ ὦ ξένε μικκὸν ἄκουσον
τεῖδ᾽ ἐνθών: ἄμμες γὰρ ἐρίσδομες, ὅστις ἀρείων
βουκολιαστάς ἐστι. τὺ δ᾽ ὦ φίλε μήτ᾽ ἐμὲ Μόρσων
ἐν χάριτι κρίνῃς, μήτ᾽ ὦν τύγα τοῦτον ὀνάσῃς.
[66] We will.
COMATAS
Call him, you.
LACON
Ho, friend! hither and lend us your ears awhile. We two have a match toward, to see who’s the better man at a country-song. (Morson approaches) Be you fair, good Morson; neither judge me out of favour nor yet be too kind to him.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
ναὶ ποτὶ τᾶν Νυμφᾶν Μόρσων φίλε μήτε Κομάτᾳ 70
τὸ πλέον ἰθύνῃς, μήτ᾽ ὦν τύγα τῷδε χαρίξῃ.
ἅδέ τοι ἁ ποίμνα τῶ Θουρίω ἐστὶ Σιβύρτα,
Εὐμάρα δὲ τὰς αἶγας ὁρῇς φίλε τῶ Συβαρίτα.
[70] ‘Fore the Nymphs, sweet Morson, pray you neither rule unto Comatas more than his due nor yet give your favour to Lacon. This flock o’ sheep, look you, is Sibyrtas’ of Thurii.
LACON
Λάκων
μή τύ τις ἠρώτη πὸτ τῶ Διός, αἴτε Σιβύρτα
αἴτ᾽ ἐμόν ἐστι κάκιστε τὸ ποίμνιον; ὡς λάλος ἐσσί.
[74] Zeus! and who asked thee, foul knave, whether the flock was mine or Sibyrtas’? Lord, what a babbler is here!
COMATAS
Κομάτας
βέντισθ᾽ οὗτος, ἐγὼ μὲν ἀλαθέα πάντ᾽ ἀγορεύω
κοὐδὲν καυχέομαι: τὺ δ᾽ ἄγαν φιλοκέρτομος ἐσσί.
[76] Most excellent blockhead, all I say, I, is true, though for my part, I’m no braggart; but Lord! what a railer is here!
LACON
Λάκων
εἶα λέγ᾽ εἴ τι λέγεις, καὶ τὸν ξένον ἐς πόλιν αὖθις
ζῶντ᾽ ἄφες: ὦ Παιάν, ἦ στωμύλος ἦσθα Κομάτα.
[78] Come, come; say thy say and be done, and let’s suffer friend Morson to come off with his life. Apollo save us, Comatas! thou hast the gift o’ the gab.
(The Singing Match)
COMATAS
Κομάτας
ταὶ Μοῖσαί με φιλεῦντι πολὺ πλέον ἢ τὸν ἀοιδὸν 80
Δάφνιν: ἐγὼ δ᾽ αὐταῖς χιμάρως δύο πρᾶν ποκ᾽ ἔθυσα.
[80] The Muses bear me greater love than Daphnis ere did see;
And well they may, for t’other day they had two goats for me.
LACON
Λάκων
καὶ γὰρ ἔμ᾽ ὡπόλλων φιλέει μέγα, καὶ καλὸν αὐτῷ
κριὸν ἐγὼ βόσκω. τὰ δὲ Κάρνεα καὶ δὴ ἐφέρπει.
[82] But Apollo loves me all as well, and an offering too have I,
A fine fat ram a-batt’ning; for Apollo’s feast draws nigh.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
πλὰν δύο τὰς λοιπὰς διδυματόκος αἶγας ἀμέλγω,
καί μ᾽ ἁ παῖς ποθορεῦσα ‘τάλαν’ λέγει ‘αὐτὸς ἀμέλγεις;’ 85
[84] Night all my goats have twins at teat; there’s only two with one;
And the damsel sees and the damsel says ‘Poor lad, dost milk alone?’
LACON
Λάκων
φεῦ φεῦ Λάκων τοι ταλάρως σχεδὸν εἴκατι πληροῖ
τυρῶ καὶ τὸν ἄναβον ἐν ἄνθεσι παῖδα μολύνει.
[86] O tale of woe! here’s Lacon, though, fills cheese-racks well-nigh twenty
And fouls his dear not a youth but a boy mid flowers that blow so plenty.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
βάλλει καὶ μάλοισι τὸν αἰπόλον ἁ Κλεαρίστα
τὰς αἶγας παρελᾶντα καὶ ἁδύ τι ποππυλιάσδει.
[88] But when her goatherd boy goes by you should see my Cleärist
Fling apples, and her pretty lips call pouting to be kissed.
LACON
Λάκων
κἠμὲ γὰρ ὁ Κρατίδας τὸν ποιμένα λεῖος ὑπαντῶν 90
ἐκμαίνει: λιπαρὰ δὲ παρ᾽ αὐχένα σείετ᾽ ἔθειρα.
[90] But madness ’tis for the shepherd to meet the shepherd’s love,
So brown and bright the tresses light that toss that shoulder above.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
ἀλλ᾽ οὐ σύμβλητ᾽ ἐστὶ κυνόσβατος οὐδ᾽ ἀνεμώνα
πρὸς ῥόδα, τῶν ἄνδηρα παρ᾽ αἱμασιαῖσι πεφύκει.
[92] Ah! but there’s no comparing windflower with rose at all,
Nor wild dog-rose with her that blows beside the trim orchard’s wall.
LACON
Λάκων
οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδ᾽ ἀκύλοις ὁμομαλίδες: αἱ μὲν ἔχοντι
λυπρὸν ἀπὸ πρίνοιο λεπύριον, αἱ δὲ μελιχραί. 95
[94] There’s no better likeness, neither, ‘twixt fruit of pear and holm;
The acorn savours flat and stale, the pear’s like honeycomb.
COMATAS
Κομάτας
κἠγὼ μὲν δωσῶ τᾷ παρθένῳ αὐτίκα φάσσαν
ἐκ τᾶς ἀρκεύθω καθελών: τηνεῖ γὰρ ἐφίσδει.
[96] In yonder juniper-thicket a cushat sits on her nest;
I’ll go this day and fetch her away for the maiden I love best.
LACON
Λάκων
ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ ἐς χλαῖναν μαλακὸν πόκον, ὁππόκα πέξω
τὰν οἶν τὰν πέλλαν, Κρατίδᾳ δωρήσομαι αὐτός.