by Theocritus
̂̓Ης χρόνος ἁνίκ᾽ ἐγώ τε καὶ Εὔκριτος ἐς τὸν ῞Αλεντα
εἵρπομες ἐκ πόλιος, σὺν καὶ τρίτος ἁμὶν ᾿Αμύντας:
τᾷ Δηοῖ γὰρ ἔτευχε θαλύσια καὶ Φρασίδαμος
κἀντιγένης, δύο τέκνα Λυκωπέος, εἴ τί περ ἐσθλὸν
χᾳῶν τῶν ἐπάνωθεν, ἀπὸ Κλυτίας τε καὶ αὐτῶ 5
Χάλκωνος, Βούριναν ὃς ἐκ ποδὸς ἄνυσε κράναν
εὖ ἐνερεισάμενος πέτρᾳ γόνυ: ταὶ δὲ παρ᾽ αὐτὰν
αἴγειροι πτελέαι τε ἐύσκιον ἄλσος ὕφαινον,
χλωροῖσιν πετάλοισι κατηρεφέες κομόωσαι.
κοὔπω τὰν μεσάταν ὁδὸν ἄνυμες, οὐδὲ τὸ σᾶμα 10
ἁμὶν τὸ Βρασίλα κατεφαίνετο, καὶ τὸν ὁδίταν
ἐσθλὸν σὺν Μοίσαισι Κυδωνικὸν εὕρομες ἄνδρα,
οὔνομα μὲν Λυκίδαν, ἦς δ᾽ αἰπόλος, οὐδέ κέ τίς νιν
ἠγνοίησεν ἰδών, ἐπεὶ αἰπόλῳ ἔξοχ᾽ ἐῴκει.
ἐκ μὲν γὰρ λασίοιο δασύτριχος εἶχε τράγοιο 15
κνακὸν δέρμ᾽ ὤμοισι νέας ταμίσοιο ποτόσδον,
ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ στήθεσσι γέρων ἐσφίγγετο πέπλος
ζωστῆρι πλακερῷ, ῥοικὰν δ᾽ ἔχεν ἀγριελαίω
δεξιτερᾷ κορύναν. καί μ᾽ ἀτρέμας εἶπε σεσαρὼς
ὄμματι μειδιόωντι, γέλως δέ οἱ εἴχετο χείλευς: 20
‘Σιμιχίδα, πᾷ δὴ τὸ μεσαμέριον πόδας ἕλκεις,
ἁνίκα δὴ καὶ σαῦρος ἐν αἱμασιαῖσι καθεύδει,
οὐδ᾽ ἐπιτυμβίδιαι κορυδαλλίδες ἠλαίνοντι;
ἦ μετὰ δαῖτα κλητὸς ἐπείγεαι; ἤ τινος ἀστῶν
λανὸν ἔπι θρώσκεις; ὥς τοι ποσὶ νισσομένοιο 25
πᾶσα λίθος πταίοισα ποτ᾽ ἀρβυλίδεσσιν ἀείδει.’
τὸν δ᾽ ἐγὼ ἀμείφθην: ‘Λυκίδα φίλε, φαντί τυ πάντες
[1] Once upon a time went Eucritus and I, and for a third, Amyntas, from the town of Haleis. ’Twas to a harvest-feast holden that day unto Deo by Phrasidamas and Antigenes the two sons of Lycopeus, sons to wit of a fine piece of the good old stuff that came of Clytia, of Clytia and of that very Chalcon whose sturdy knee planted once against the rock both made Burina fount to gush forth at his feet and caused elm and aspen to weave above it a waving canopy of green leaves and about it a precinct of shade. Ere we were halfway thither, ere we saw the tomb of Brasilas, by grace of the Muses we overtook a fine fellow of Cydonia, by name Lycidas and by profession a goatherd, which indeed any that saw him must have known him for, seeing liker could not be. For upon his shoulders there hung, rank of new rennet, a shag-haired buck-goat’s tawny fleece, across his breast a broad belt did gird an ancient shirt, and in’s hand he held a crook of wild olive. Gently, broadly, and with a twinkling eye he smiled upon me, and with laughter possessing his lip, “What Simichidas,” says he; “whither away this sultry noontide, when e’en the lizard will be sleeping i’ the’ hedge and the created larks go not afield? Is ‘t even a dinner you be bidden to or a fellow-townsman’s vintage-rout that makes you scurry so? for ‘faith, every stone i’ the road strikes stinging against your hastening brogues.”
συριγκτὰν ἔμεναι μέγ᾽ ὑπείροχον ἔν τε νομεῦσιν
ἔν τ᾽ ἀμητήρεσσι. τὸ δὴ μάλα θυμὸν ἰαίνει
ἁμέτερον: καί τοι κατ᾽ ἐμὸν νόον ἰσοφαρίζειν 30
ἔλπομαι. ἁ δ᾽ ὁδὸς ἅδε θαλυσιάς: ἦ γὰρ ἑταῖροι
ἀνέρες εὐπέπλῳ Δαμάτερι δαῖτα τελεῦντι
ὄλβω ἀπαρχόμενοι: μάλα γάρ σφισι πίονι μέτρῳ
ἁ δαίμων εὔκριθον ἀνεπλήρωσεν ἀλωάν.
ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε δή — ξυνὰ γὰρ ὁδός, ξυνὰ δὲ καὶ ἀώσ — 35
βουκολιασδώμεσθα: τάχ᾽ ὥτερος ἄλλον ὀνασεῖ.
καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ Μοισᾶν καπυρὸν στόμα, κἠμὲ λέγοντι
πάντες ἀοιδὸν ἄριστον: ἐγὼ δέ τις οὐ ταχυπειθής,
οὐ Δᾶν: οὐ γάρ πω κατ᾽ ἐμὸν νόον οὔτε τὸν ἐσθλὸν
Σικελίδαν νίκημι τὸν ἐκ Σάμω οὔτε Φιλητᾶν 40
ἀείδων, βάτραχος δὲ ποτ᾽ ἀκρίδας ὥς τις ἐρίσδω.’
[28] “’Tis said, dear Lycidas,” answered I, “you beat all comers, herdsman or harvester, at the pipe. So ’tis said, and right glad am I it should be said; howbeit to my thinking I’m as good a man as you. This our journey is to a harvest-home; some friends of ours make holyday to the fair-robed Demeter with first-fruits of their increase, because the Goddess hath filled their threshing-floor in measure so full and fat. So come, I pray you, since the way and the day be yours as well as ours, and let you and me make country-music. And each from the other may well take some profit, seeing I, like you, am a clear-voiced mouthpiece of the Muses, and, like you, am accounted best of musicians everywhere, – albeit I am not so quick, Zeus knows, to believe what I’m told, being to my thinking no match in music yet awhile for the excellent Sicelidas of Samos nor again for Philitas, but I am even as a frog that is fain to outvie the pretty crickets.”
ὣς ἐφάμαν ἐπίταδες: ὁ δ᾽ αἰπόλος ἁδὺ γελάσσας,
‘τάν τοι” ἔφα “κορύναν δωρύττομαι, οὕνεκεν ἐσσὶ
πᾶν ἐπ᾽ ἀλαθείᾳ πεπλασμένον ἐκ Διὸς ἔρνος.
ὥς μοι καὶ τέκτων μέγ᾽ ἀπέχθεται, ὅστις ἐρευνῇ 45
ἶσον ὄρευς κορυφᾷ τελέσαι δόμον εὐρυμέδοντος,
καὶ Μοισᾶν ὄρνιχες, ὅσοι ποτὶ Χῖον ἀοιδὸν
ἀντία κοκκύζοντες ἐτώσια μοχθίζοντι.
ἀλλ᾽ ἄγε βουκολικᾶς ταχέως ἀρχώμεθ᾽ ἀοιδᾶς,
Σιμιχίδα: κἠγὼ μέν — ὅρη φίλος, εἴ τοι ἀρέσκει 50
τοῦθ᾽ ὅ τι πρᾶν ἐν ὄρει τὸ μελύδριον ἐξεπόνασα.’
[42] So said I of set purpose, and master Goatherd with a merry laugh “I offer you this crook,” says he, “as to a sprig of great Zeus that is made to the pattern of truth. Even as I hate your mason who will be striving to rear his house high as the peak of Mount Oromedon, so hate I likewise your strutting cocks o’ the Muses’ yard whose crowing makes so pitiful contention against the Chian nightingale. But enough; let’s begin our country-sons, Simichidas. First will I – pray look if you approve the ditty I made in the hills ‘tother day: (sings)
Λυκίδας
῎Εσσεται ᾿Αγεάνακτι καλὸς πλόος ἐς Μυτιλήναν,
χὥταν ἐφ᾽ ἑσπερίοις ἐρίφοις νότος ὑγρὰ διώκῃ
κύματα, χὡρίων ὅτ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ὠκεανῷ πόδας ἴσχῃ,
αἴκεν τὸν Λυκίδαν ὀπτεύμενον ἐξ ᾿Αφροδίτας 55
ῥύσηται: θερ
μὸς γὰρ ἔρως αὐτῶ με καταίθει.
χἁλκυόνες στορεσεῦντι τὰ κύματα τάν τε θάλασσαν
τόν τε νότον τόν τ᾽ εὖρον, ὃς ἔσχατα φυκία κινεῖ:
ἁλκυόνες, γλαυκαῖς Νηρηίσι ταί τε μάλιστα
ὀρνίχων ἐφίλαθεν, ὅσαις τέ περ ἐξ ἁλὸς ἄγρα. 60
᾿Αγεάνακτι πλόον διζημένῳ ἐς Μυτιλήναν
ὥρια πάντα γένοιτο, καὶ εὔπλοξν ὅρμον ἵκοιτο.
κἠγὼ τῆνο κατ᾽ ἆμαρ ἀνήτινον ἢ ῥοδόεντα
ἢ καὶ λευκοΐων στέφανον περὶ κρατὶ φυλάσσων
τὸν Πτελεατικὸν οἶνον ἀπὸ κρατῆρος ἀφυξῶ 65
πὰρ πυρὶ κεκλιμένος, κύαμον δέ τις ἐν πυρὶ φρυξεῖ.
χἁ στιβὰς ἐσσεῖται πεπυκασμένα ἕστ᾽ ἐπὶ πᾶχυν
κνύζᾳ τ᾽ ἀσφοδέλῳ τε πολυγνάμπτῳ τε σελίνῳ.
καὶ πίομαι μαλακῶς μεμνημένος ᾿Αγεάνακτος
αὐταῖσιν κυλίκεσσι καὶ ἐς τρύγα χεῖλος ἐρείδων. 70
[52] What though the Kids above the flight of wave before the wind
Hang westward, and Orion’s foot is e’en upon the sea?
Fair voyage to Mitylenè town Agéanax shall find,
Once from the furnace of his love his Lycidas be free.
The halcyons – and of all the birds whose living’s of the seas
The sweet green Daughters of the Deep love none so well as these –
O they shall still the Southwind and the tangle-tossing East,
And lay for him wide Ocean and his waves along to rest.
Ageanax late though he be for Mitylene bound
Heav’n bring him blest wi’ the season’s best to haven safe and sound;
And that day I’ll make merry, and bind about my brow
The anise sweet or snowflake neat or rosebuds all a-row,
And there by the hearth I’ll lay me down beside the cheerful cup,
And hot roast the beans shall make my bite and elmy wine my sup;
And soft I’ll lie, for elbow-high my bed strown thick and well
Shall be of crinkled parsley, mullet, and asphodel;
And so t’ Ageanax I’ll drink, drink wi’ my dear in ind,
Drink wine and wine-cup at a draught and leave no lees behind.
αὐλησεῦντι δέ μοι δύο ποιμένες, εἷς μὲν ᾿Αχαρνεύς,
εἷς δὲ Λυκωπίτας: ὁ δὲ Τίτυρος ἐγγύθεν ᾀσεῖ,
ὥς ποκα τᾶς Ξενέας ἠράσσατο Δάφνις ὁ βούτας,
χὡς ὄρος ἀμφ᾽ ἐπονεῖτο, καὶ ὡς δρύες αὐτὸν ἐθρήνευν,
῾Ιμέρα αἵτε φύοντι παρ᾽ ὄχθῃσιν ποταμοῖο, 75
εὖτε χιὼν ὥς τις κατετάκετο μακρὸν ὑφ᾽ Αἷμον
ἢ ῎Αθω ἢ ῾Ροδόπαν ἢ Καύκασον ἐσχατόωντα.
[71] My pipers shall be two shepherds, a man of Acharnae he,
And he a man of Lycópè; singer shall Tityrus be,
And sing beside me of Xénea and neatherd Daphnis’ love,
How the hills were troubled around him and the oaks sang dirges above,
Sang where they stood by Himeras flood, when he a-wasting lay
Like snow on Haemus or Athos or Caucasus far far away.
ᾀσεῖ δ᾽ ὥς ποκ᾽ ἔδεκτο τὸν αἰπόλον εὐρέα λάρναξ
ζωὸν ἐόντα κακαῖσιν ἀτασθαλίαισιν ἄνακτος,
ὥς τέ νιν αἱ σιμαὶ λειμωνόθε φέρβον ἰοῖσαι 80
κέδρον ἐς ἁδεῖαν μαλακοῖς ἄνθεσσι μέλισσαι,
οὕνεκά οἱ γλυκὺ Μοῖσα κατὰ στόματος χέε νέκταρ.
ὦ μακαριστὲ Κομάτα, τύ θην τάδε τερπνὰ πεπόνθεις,
καὶ τὺ κατεκλᾴσθης ἐς λάρνακα, καὶ τὺ μελισσᾶν
κηρία φερβόμενος ἔτος ὥριον ἐξεπόνασας. 85
αἴθ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἐμεῦ ζωοῖς ἐναρίθμιος ὤφελες εἶμεν,
ὥς τοι ἐγὼν ἐνόμευον ἀν᾽ ὤρεα τὰς καλὰς αἶγας
φωνᾶς εἰσαΐων, τὺ δ᾽ ὑπὸ δρυσὶν ἢ ὑπὸ πεύκαις
ἁδὺ μελισδόμενος κατεκέκλισο θεῖε Κομάτα.
[78] And I’ll have him sing how once a king, of wilful malice bent,
In the great coffer all alive the goatherd-poet pent,
And the snub bees came from the meadow to the coffer of sweet cedar-tree,
And fed him there o’ the flowerets fair, because his lip was free
O’ the Muses’ wine; Comàtas! ’twas joy, all joy to thee;
Though thou wast hid ‘neath cedarn lid, the bees they meat did bring,
Till thou didst thole, right happy soul, thy twelve months’ prisoning.
And O of the quick thou wert this day! How gladly then with mine
I had kept thy pretty goats i’ the hills, the while ‘neath oak or pine
Thou ‘dst lain along and sun me a song, Comatas the divine!”
χὡ μὲν τόσσ᾽ εἰπὼν ἀπεπαύσατο: τὸν δὲ μετ᾽ αὖθις 90
κἠγὼ τοῖ᾽ ἐφάμαν: ‘Λυκίδα φίλε, πολλὰ μὲν ἄλλα
νύμφαι κἠμὲ δίδαξαν ἀν᾽ ὤρεα βουκολέοντα
ἐσθλά, τά που καὶ Ζηνὸς ἐπὶ θρόνον ἄγαγε φάμα:
ἀλλὰ τόγ᾽ ἐκ πάντων μέγ᾽ ὑπείροχον, ᾧ τυ γεραίρειν
ἀρξεῦμ᾽: ἀλλ᾽ ὑπάκουσον, ἐπεὶ φίλος ἔπλεο Μοίσαις.’
[90] So much sang Lycidas and ended; and thereupon “Dear Lycidas” said I, “afield with my herds on the hills I also have learnt of the Nymphs, and there’s many a good song of mine which Rumour may well have carried up to the throne of Zeus. But this of all is far the choicest, this which I will sing now for your delight. Pray give ear, as one should whom the Muses love: (sings)
Σιμιχίδας
Σιμιχίδᾳ μὲν ῎Ερωτες ἐπέπταρον: ἦ γὰρ ὁ δειλὸς
τόσσον ἐρᾷ Μυρτοῦς, ὅσον εἴαρος αἶγες ἐρᾶντι.
ὥρατος δ᾽ ὁ τὰ πάντα φιλαίτατος ἀνέρι τήνῳ
παιδὸς ὑπὸ σπλάγχνοισιν ἔχει πόθον. οἶδεν ῎Αριστις,
ἐσθλὸς ἀνήρ, μέγ᾽ ἄριστος, ὃν οὐδέ κεν αὐτὸς ἀείδειν
Φοῖβος σὺν φόρμιγγι παρὰ τριπόδεσσι μεγαίροι,
ὡς ἐκ παιδὸς ῎Αρατος ὑπ᾽ ὀστέον αἴθετ᾽ ἔρωτι.
τόν μοι Πάν, ῾Ομόλας ἐρατὸν πέδον ὅστε λέλογχας,
ἄκλητον κείνοιο φίλας ἐς χεῖρας ἐρείσαις,
εἴτ᾽ ἐστ᾽ ἆρα Φιλῖνος ὁ μαλθακὸς εἴτέ τις ἄλλος. 105
κἢν μὲν ταῦτ᾽ ἔρδῃς ὦ Πὰν φίλε, μή τί τυ παῖδες
᾿Αρκαδικοὶ σκίλλαισιν ὑπὸ πλευράς τε καὶ ὤμους
τανίκα μαστίσδοιεν, ὅτε κρέα τυτθὰ παρείη:
εἰ δ᾽ ἄλλω�
� νεύσαις, κατὰ μὲν χρόα πάντ᾽ ὀνύχεσσι
δακνόμενος κνάσαιο καὶ ἐν κνίδαισι καθεύδοις, 110
εἴης δ᾽ ᾿Ηδωνῶν μὲν ἐν ὤρεσι χείματι μέσσῳ
῞Εβρον πὰρ ποταμὸν τετραμμένος ἐγγύθεν ἄρκτω,
ἐν δὲ θέρει πυμάτοισι παρ᾽ Αἰθιόπεσσι νομεύοις
πέτρᾳ ὕπο Βλεμύων, ὅθεν οὐκέτι Νεῖλος ὁρατός.
[96] The Loves have sneezed, for sure they have, on poor Simichidas:
For he loves maid Myrto as goats the spring: but where he loves a lass
His dear’st Aratus sighs for a lad. Aristis, dear good man –
And best in fame as best in name, the Lord o’ the Lyre on high
Beside his holy tripod would let him make melody 0
Aristis knows Aratus’ woes. O bring the lad, sweet Pan,
Sweet Lord of lovely Homolè, bring him unbid to ‘s fere,
Whether Philínus, sooth to say, or other be his dear.
This do, sweet Pan, and never, when slices be too few,
May the leeks o’ the lads of Arcady beat thee back black and blue;
But O if othergates thou go, may nettles make thy bed
And set thee scratching tooth and nail, scratching from heel to head,
And be thy winter-lodging nigh the Bear up Hebrus way
I’ the hills of Thrace; when summer’s in, mid furthest Africa
Mayst feed thy flock by the Blemyan rock beyond Nile’s earliest spring.
ὔμμες δ᾽ ῾Υετίδος καὶ Βυβλίδος ἁδὺ λιπόντες 115
νᾶμα καὶ Οἰκεῦντα, ξανθᾶς ἕδος αἰπὺ Διώνας,