Complete Works of Theocritus
Page 73
ὅσσόν περ τοκάδος τελέθει μύκημα λεαίνας:
᾿Ινὼ δ᾽ ἐξέρρηξε σὺν ὠμοπλάτᾳ μέγαν ὦμον
λὰξ ἐπὶ γαστέρα βᾶσα, καὶ Αὐτονόας ῥυθμὸς ωὑτός:
αἱ δ᾽ ἄλλαι τὰ περισσὰ κρεανομέοντο γυναῖκες.
ἐς Θήβας δ᾽ ἀφίκοντο πεφυρμέναι αἵματι πᾶσαι, 25
ἐξ ὄρεος πένθημα καὶ οὐ Πενθῆα φέροισαι.
[1] Three dames led three meinies to the mountain, Ino, Autonoë, and apple-cheeked Agavè, and gathering there wild leaves of the shag-haired oak, and living ivy and groundling asphodel, wrought in a lawn of the forest twelve altars, unto Semelè, three and unto Dionysus nine. Then took they from a box offerings made of their hands and laid them in holy silence upon those altars of their gathering, as was at once the precept and the pleasure of the great Dionysus. Meanwhile Pentheus spied upon all they did from a sleepy crag, being crept into an ancient mastich-tree such as grown in that country. Autonoe saw him first and gave a horrible shriek, and made quick confusion of the sacred things of the madding Bacchus with her feet, for these things are not to be seen by the profane. Mad was she now, and the others were straightway mad also. Pentheus, he fled afraid, and the women, girding their kirtles up about their thighs, they went in hot pursuit. Pentheus, he cried “What would you, ye women?” Autonoe, she cried “That shall you know were you hear it.” Then took off the mother the head of her child and roared even as the roar of a milch lioness, while Ino setting foot upon his belly wrenched shoulder and shoulder-blade from the one side of him, and Autonoe made the other side like unto it; and the other women wrought out the rest of the butchery. And so bedabbled all with blood they carried with them into Thebes in the stead of a kindred wight a kindred woe.
οὐκ ἀλέγω: μηδ᾽ ἄλλος ἀπεχθομένω Διονύσῳ
φροντίζοι, μηδ᾽ εἰ χαλεπώτερα τῶνδ᾽ ἐμόγησεν,
εἴη δ᾽ ἐνναέτης ἢ καὶ δεκάτω ἐπιβαίνοι:
αὐτὸς δ᾽ εὐαγέοιμι καὶ εὐαγέεσσιν ἅδοιμι. 30
ἐκ Διὸς αἰγιόχω τιμὰν ἔχει αἰετὸς οὗτος.
εὐσεβέων παίδεσσι τὰ λώια, δυσσεβέων δ᾽ οὔ.
[27] And I care not if they did, and may I take thought for no other that is hated of Dionysus, nay, not if such an one suffer a worse fate than Pentheus and be but a child nine years old or going ten years. As for me, may I be pure and do the will of them that are pure. Thus hath the eagle honour of the Aegis-Bearer. To the children of pious fathers belong the good things rather than to those that come of impious men.
χαίροι μὲν Διόνυσος, ὃν ἐν Δρακάνῳ νιφόεντι
Ζεὺς ὕπατος μεγάλαν ἐπιγουνίδα κάτθετο λύσας:
χαίροι δ᾽ εὐειδὴς Σεμέλα καὶ ἀδελφεαὶ αὐτᾶς 35
Καδμεῖαι πολλαῖς μεμελημέναι ἡρωίναις,
αἳ τόδε ἔργον ἔρεξαν ὀρίναντος Διονύσου
οὐκ ἐπιμωματόν. μηδεὶς τὰ θεῶν ὀνόσαιτο.
[33] All hail to Dionysus, whom most high Zeus took forth from his mighty thigh and laid down in snowy Dracanus; and all hail to beauteous Semele and her heroine sisters, the far-honoured daughters of Cadmus who did at Dionysus’ bidding this deed that none may blame. Where ’tis a god’s will let no man cavil.
IDYLL XXVII. Οαριστύς
IDYLL XXVII. THE LOVER’S TALK
This poem in its complete form was a match between a shepherd and another whom he had challenged, the stake being the shepherd’s pipe. The missing part comprised the lines introducing the match, the whole of the rival’s piece, and the prelude to the shepherd’s piece. What is left is the main part of the shepherd’s piece, its epilogue, and the award of the umpire. The umpire returns the shepherd his pipe, and adds a compliment in the form of a request that now he will play him another of his tunes, as, not having lost his pipe in the match, he will still be able to do. In the dialogue supposed to be recited, or perhaps to be sung, by the shepherd, one speaker answers the other speaker line for line except in two places where the same speaker has two lines. These exceptions necessary in order to shift the rôle of answerer, have brought about a wrong arrangement of lines 9 and 19 in the manuscripts. The poem may have been ascribed to an imitator of Theocritus. Line 4 he has taken bodily from him.
(The Shepherd tells of the conversation between Daphnis and Acrotimè)
ACROTIME
Κόρη
τὰν πινυτὰν ῾Ελέναν Πάρις ἥρπασε βουκόλος ἄλλος.
Δάφνις
μᾶλλον ἑκοῖσ᾽ ῾Ελένα τὸν βουκόλον ἔσχε φιλεῦσα.
Κόρη
μὴ καυχῶ σατυρίσκε: κενὸν τὸ φίλαμα λέγουσιν.
Δάφνις
ἔστι καὶ ἐν κενεοῖσι φιλάμασιν ἁδέα τέρψις.
Κόρη
τὸ στόμα μευ πλύνω καὶ ἀποπτύω τὸ φίλαμα. 5
Δάφνις
πλύνεις χείλεα σεῖο; δίδου πάλιν ὄφρα φιλάσω.
Κόρη
καλόν σοι δαμάλας φιλέειν, οὐκ ἄζυγα κώραν.
Δάφνις
μὴ καυχῶ: τάχα γάρ σε παρέρχεται ὡς ὄναρ ἥβη.
Κόρη
ἢν δέ τι γηράσκω, τόδε που μέλι καὶ γάλα πίνω.
Δάφνις
...
Κόρη
ἁ σταφυλὶς σταφίς ἐστι καὶ οὐ ῥόδον αὖον ὀλεῖται.
[1] ’Twas a neatherd like you carried off the wise Helen.
DAPHNIS
Helen is more willing now, for she kisses her neatherd.
ACROTIME
Soft, my satyr-boy, be not so sure; there’s a saying “nought goes to a kiss.”
DAPHNIS
Even in an empty kiss there’s a sweet delight.
ACROTIME
Look ye, I wipe my mouth o’ your kiss and spit it from me.
DAPHNIS
Wipe thy lips, quotha? then give them hither again and have thee another.
ACROTIME
‘Twere rather becoming you to kiss your heifers than a maiden woman like me
DAPHNIS
Soft you, be not so sure; your youth passes you by like a dream.
ACROTIME
Δάφνις
δεῦρ᾽ ὑπὸ τὰς κοτίνους, ἵνα σοί τινα μῦθον ἐνίψω. 10
Κόρη
οὐκ ἐθέλω: καὶ πρίν με παρήπαφες ἁδέι μύθῳ.
Δάφνις
δεῦρ᾽ ὑπὸ τὰς πτελέας, ἵν᾽ ἐμᾶς σύριγγος ἀκούσῃς.
Κόρη
τὴν σαυτοῦ φρένα τέρψον: ὀιζύον οὐδὲν ἀρέσκει.
Δάφνις
[10] But the grape’s in the raisin, and dry rose-leaves may live.
DAPHNIS (kissing her cheek)
Shall this be suffered to grow old, that is my milk and honey? Pray you come hither under those wild-olives; I would fain tell you a tale.
ACROTIME
Nay, I thank you; you beguiled me before with your pretty tales.
DAPHNIS
φεῦ φεῦ τᾶς Παφίας χόλον ἅζεο καὶ σύγε κώρα.
Κόρη
χαιρέτω ἁ Παφία: μόνον ἵλαος ῎Αρτεμις εἴη. 15
Δάφνις
μὴ λέγε, μὴ βάλλῃ σε καὶ ἐς λίνον ἄκριτον ἔνθῃς.
Κόρη
βαλλέτω ὡς ἐθέλει: πάλιν ῎Αρτεμις ἄμμιν ἀρήγει.
μἠπιβάλῃς τὰν χεῖρα, καὶ εἰσέτι χεῖλος ἀμύξω.
Δάφνις
οὐ φεύγεις τὸν ῎Ερωτα, τὸν οὐ φύγε παρθένος ἄλλη.>
Κόρη
φεύγω ναὶ τὸν Πᾶνα: σὺ δὲ ζυγὸν αἰὲν ἀείρεις. 20
Δάφνις
δειμαίνω, μὴ δή σε κακωτέρῳ ἀνέρι δώσει.
Κόρη
πολλοί μ᾽ ἐμνώοντο, νόμον δ᾽ ἐμὸν οὔτις ἀείδει.
Δάφνις
εἶς καὶ ἐγὼ πολλῶν μνηστὴρ τεὸς ἐνθάδ᾽ ἱκάνω.
Κόρη
καὶ τί φίλος ῥέξαιμι; γάμοι πλήθουσιν ἀνίας.
Δάφνις
οὐκ ὀδύνην, οὐκ ἄλγος ἔχει γάμος, ἀλλὰ χορείην. 25
Κόρη
ναὶ μάν φασι γυναῖκας ἑοὺς τρομέειν παρακοίτας.
Δάφνις
μᾶλλον ἀεὶ κρατέουσι: τίνα τρομέουσι γυναῖκες;
Κόρη
ὠδίνειν τρομέω: χαλεπὸν βέλος Εἰλειθυίης.
Δάφνις
ἀλλὰ τεὴ βασίλεια μογοστόκος ῎Αρτεμίς ἐστιν.
[13]Then pray you come hither under those elms and let me play you my pipe.
ACROTIME
Nay; that way you may pleasure yourself; scant joy comes of a sorry ting.
DAPHNIS
Alackaday! you likewise, honey, must e’en fear the wrath of Dame Phaphian.
ACROTIME
Dame Paphian may go hang for me; my prayers are to Artemis.
DAPHNIS
Hist! or she’ll have at thee, and then thou’lt be in the trap.
ACROTIME
Let her have at me; Artemis will help me out.
DAPHNIS
No other maiden escapes Love, nor doest thou escape him.
ACROTIME
‘Fore Pan, that do I; as for you, I only pray you may ever bear his yoke. (he puts his arm about her and makes to kiss her again) Unhand me, man; I’ll bite thy lip yet.
DAPHNIS
But I fear if I let thee go a worser man will have thee.
ACROTIME
Many the wooers have been after me, but never a one have I had to my mind.
DAPHNIS
Well, here am I come to add one more to those may.
ACROTIME
O friend, what is to do? marriage is all woe.
DAPHNIS
Nay; a marriage is a thing neither of pain nor grief but rather of dancing.
ACROTIME
Aye, but I’m told the wives do fear their bed-fellows.
DAPHNIS
Nay; rather have they ever the upper hand; what should wives fear?
ACROTIME
’Tis the throes I fear; the stroke of Eileithyia is hard to bear.
DAPHNIS
Κόρη
ἀλλὰ τεκεῖν τρομέω, μὴ καὶ χρόα καλὸν ὀλέσσω. 30
Δάφνις
ἢν δὲ τέκῃς φίλα τέκνα, νέον φάος ὄψεαι υἷας.
Κόρη
καὶ τί μοι ἕδνον ἄγεις γάμου ἄξιον, ἢν ἐπινεύσω;
Δάφνις
πᾶσαν τὰν ἀγέλαν, πάντ᾽ ἄλσεα καὶ νομὸν ἕξεις.
Κόρη
ὄμνυε μὴ μετὰ λέκτρα λιπὼν ἀέκουσαν ἀπενθεῖν.
Δάφνις
οὐκ αὐτὸν τὸν Πᾶνα, καὶ ἢν ἐθέλῃς με διῶξαι. 35
Κόρη
τεύχεις μοι θαλάμους, τεύχεις καὶ δῶμα καὶ αὐλάς;
Δάφνις
τεύχω σοι θαλάμους: τὰ δὲ πώεα καλὰ νομεύω.
Κόρη
πατρὶ δὲ γηραλέῳ τίνα μάν, τίνα μῦθον ἐνίψω;
Δάφνις
αἰνήσει σέο λέκτρον, ἐπὴν ἐμὸν οὔνομ᾽ ἀκούσῃ.
[30] But thou hast Artemis to thy queen, and she lightens the labour.
ACROTIME
Ah! but I fear lest the childbirth lose me my pretty face.
DAPHNIS
But if thou bear sweet children, thou’lt see a new light in thy sons.
ACROTIME
And if I say thee yea, what gift bring’st thou with thee worthy the marriage?
DAPHNIS
Thou shalt have all my herd and all the planting and pasture I possess.
ACROTIME
Swear thou’lt never thereafter leave me all forlorn
DAPHNIS
Before great Pan I swear it, even if thou choose to send me packing.
ACROTIME
Buildest me a bower and a house and a farmstead?
DAPHNIS
Yea, I build thee a house, and the flocks I feed are fine flocks.
ACROTIME
But then my gray-headed father, O what can I say to him?
Κόρη
οὔνομα σὸν λέγε τῆνο: καὶ οὔνομα πολλάκι τέρπει. 40
Δάφνις
Δάφνις ἐγώ, Λυκίδας τε πατήρ, μήτηρ δὲ Νομαία.
Κόρη
ἐξ εὐηγενέων: ἀλλ᾽ οὐ σέθεν εἰμὶ χερείων.
Δάφνις
οἶδ᾽, ἄκρα τιμίη ἐσσί: πατὴρ δέ τοί ἐστι Μενάλκας.
...
[40] DAPHNIS
He’ll think well o’ thy wedlock when he hears my name.
ACROTIME
Then tell me that name o’ thine; there’s often joy in a name.
DAPHNIS
’Tis Daphnis, mine, and my father’s Lycidas and my mother’s Nomaeë.
ACROTIME
Thou com’st of good stock; and yet methinks I am as good as thou.
DAPHNIS
Aye, I know it; thou art Acrotimè and they father Menalcas.
ACROTIME
Come, show me thy planting, show me where thy farmstead is.
DAPHNIS
Lo! this way it is; look how tall and slender my cypress-trees spring!
ACROTIME
Graze on, my goats; I go to see the neatherd’s labours.
DAPHNIS
Feed you well, my bulls; I would fain show the maid my planting.
ACROTIME
What art thou at, satyr-boy? why hast put thy hand inside on my breasts?
DAPHNIS
I am fain to give thy ripe pippins their first lesson.
ACROTIME
‘Fore pan, I shall swoon; take back thy hand.
DAPHNIS
Never thou mind, sweet; what hadst thou to fear, little coward.
ACROTIME
Thou thrustest me into the water-conduit and soilest my pretty clothes.
DAPHNIS
Nay; look ye there! I cast my soft sheepskin under thy cloak.
ACROTIME
Out, alack! thou hast torn off my girdle, too. Why didst loose that?
DAPHNIS
This shall be my firstlings to our Lady of Paphos.
ACROTIME
Hold, ah hold! sure somebody’s e’en coming. There’s a noise.
DAPHNIS
Aye, the cypress-trees talking together of thy bridal.
ACROTIME
Thou hast torn my mantle and left me in
the nude.
DAPHNIS
I’ll give thee another mantle, and an ampler.
ACROTIME
You say you’ll give me anything I may ask, who soon mayhap will deny me salt.
DAPHNIS
Would I could give thee my very soul to boot!
ACROTIME
O Artemis, be not wroth with a transgressor of thy word.
DAPHNIS
Love (Eros) shall have a heifer of me, and great Aphrodite a cow.
ACROTIME
Lo, I came hither a maid and I go home a woman.
DAPHNIS
Aye, a mother and a nursing-mother, maiden no more.
Thus they prattled in the joy of their fresh young limbs. The secret bridal over, she rose and went her ways for to feed her sheep, her look shamefast but her heart glad within her; while as for him, he betook himself to his herds of bulls rejoicing in his wedlock.
THE UMPIRE
Here, take the pipe, thou happy shepherd; ’tis thine once more; and so let’s hear and consider another of the tunes of the leaders o’ sheep.
IDYLL XXVIII. Ἠλακάτη
IDYLL XXVIII. THE DISTAFF
The Distaff is an occasional poem in Aeolic dialect and the Asclepiad metre, and was almost certainly modelled upon Sappho or Alcaeus. It was written by Theocritus before or during a voyage from Syracuse to Miletus, and presented with the gift of a carved ivory distaff to the wife of his friend the poet-physician Nicias.
Γλαύκας ὦ φιλέριθ᾽ ἀλακάτα δῶρον ᾿Αθανάας
γύναιξιν, νόος οἰκωφελίας αἷσιν ἐπάβολος,
θέρσεισ᾽ ἄμμιν ὑμάρτη πόλιν ἐς Νείλεος ἀγλάαν,
ὅπᾳ Κύπριδος ἶρον καλάμω χλῶρον ὑπαπάλω.
τυῖδε γὰρ πλόον εὐάνεμον αἰτήμεθα πὰρ Δίος, 5
ὅπως ξέννον ἔμον τέρψομ᾽ ἴδων κἀντιφιλήσομεν,
Νικίαν, Χαρίτων ἰμεροφώνων ἴερον φύτον,
καὶ σὲ τὰν ἐλέφαντος πολυμόχθω γεγενημέναν
δῶρον Νικιάας εἰς ὀλόχω χέρρας ὀπάσσομεν,
σὺν τᾷ πόλλα μὲν ἔργ᾽ ἐκτελέσεις ἀνδρεΐοις πέπλοις,
πόλλα δ᾽ οἷα γύναικες φορέοισ᾽ ὐδάτινα βράκη.
δὶς γὰρ μάτερες ἄρνων μαλάκοις ἐν βοτάνᾳ πόκοις