Complete Works of Achilles Tatius

by Achilles Tatius

  13. On the following day the whole population of the town was present, and at their head was Thersander, with a smiling and confident face, and he kept looking at us and laughing. Leucippe had been clad in a sacred robe, which was a long tunic of linen, with a girdle about her waist, a scarlet fillet on her head, and bare feet. She thus entered the cave with calm and orderly bearing; but I stood and trembled as I saw her go, saying to myself: “That Leucippe is a virgin, I am sure enough; but it is Pan, my darling, of whom I am afraid. He is a god too fond of virgins, and my fear is that you should be the second to be metamorphosed into a pan-pipes. The former heroine was able to escape him because he pursued her on a plain, and her chase was in broad, open country: but you we have shut up within gates, like a besieged city, so that you will have no chance of flight if he comes after you. My lord Pan, be kindly, and break not the law and custom of the spot, which we, for our part, have kept. Let Leucippe come back to us a virgin; this was thy compact with Artemis, so defraud thou not the virgin goddess. (These last few words might also be taken to mean “so corrupt not the virgin (Leucippe).”)”

  14. I was still murmuring thus to myself, when a strain of music sounded, and it was said that never had sweeter notes than those been heard from the grotto: and then we saw the doors open. Out sprang Leucippe, and all the people shouted for joy and began to revile Thersander, while I cannot express the state of delight in which I found myself.

  We therefore retired, having won one magnificent victory; and we then went on to the second ordeal, that of the Styx. The people also came thither from the cave in order to witness the spectacle; and there too the whole process was gone through. Melitte put on the tablet round her neck, the water was clear and shallow; she descended into it and stood there with a smiling and cheerful face. The water remained at exactly its previous depth, rising not even an inch above its accustomed level. When the time had passed during which she had to stand in the spring, the presiding judge took her by the hand and led her out of the water; and so Thersander was defeated in two trials of strength. Guessing that he would be beaten in the third too, he slipped away and hurried to his house, fearing that he would be stoned by the populace: for at that moment came four youths, dragging with them Sosthenes — two of them Melitte’s kinsmen, and two of them her servants — whom she had sent to look for him. But Thersander had observed what was happening from afar, and knowing that if Sosthenes were put to the torture he would reveal the whole plot, determined to flee before this could happen, and so privately left the city when night fell. After Thersander had left the scene, the magistrates ordered Sosthenes to be put in ward; and we then departed, having thus won the mastery over our enemies, and having blessings called down upon our heads by all the people.

  15. On the following day those appointed for the purpose brought Sosthenes before the magistrates. Immediately that he realised that he was being brought out to be put to the question, he told the whole story without concealment, both Thersander’s attempts and his own contributions towards the success of the plot: and he did not even leave out the conversation which they had had with one another before the doors of the hut where Leucippe was confined. He was therefore thrust back into prison to await his sentence, while against Thersander in absence a decree of banishment was passed. As for us, the bishop entertained us once more in his usual hospitable fashion, and during dinner we conversed on the same subjects as on the previous occasion, making particular mention of any details of our adventures which were then omitted. Leucippe especially, being now no longer shy in her father’s company, as her virginity was clearly proved, related her story with the greatest pleasure. When she came to the part connected with the island of Pharos and the pirates: “Tell us,” said I to her, “of the stratagem which the Pharian pirates devised and explain the riddle of the decapitated woman for your father too to hear; for that is the only point still lacking to the complete understanding of the whole romance.”

  16. “She was one of those unfortunate women,” said she, who make a traffic of love. The pirates had imposed upon her, on the pretext that she was to become the wife of a skipper who was aboard; and they kept her on the ship, where she did not know the real reason that they desired her presence, but was secretly intimate with one of the pirates, who was supposed to be her lover. Now when they carried me off, as you saw, and put me aboard and went off with all the speed that their oars could effect, they saw that the pursuing vessel was gaining upon them; they therefore stripped the poor woman of her ornaments and clothes, which they put upon me, while they clad her in my garments, and then put her on the prow, where you, the pursuers, could see all that took place, and struck off her head. Her body, as you saw, they threw into the sea, while they picked up her head and kept it for the time on the ship: not long after, when they were no longer being pursued, they made away with her head too and threw it overboard. I do not know whether that was the actual reason that they had arranged to have the woman on the ship, or whether they intended to sell her as a slave, just as they afterwards bartered me away: but at any rate, when they were chased, they killed her in my place to cheat their pursuers, thinking that they would gain a greater profit from my sale than from hers. The result was that I saw Chaereas suffer the fate he deserved — it was he who had advised them to kill the female, and throw her overboard instead of me. The rest of the band of pirates said that they were certainly not going to hand me over to him alone; he had already had his share in the body of one slave, which, if sold, would have afforded them a considerable gain to begin with; and in the place of the dead woman I must be sold and so be a common source of profit to them all rather than to him only. He objected to this, arguing with them and alleging the agreement to which he had come with them; he asserted that he had not carried me off for them to sell, but to be his mistress. He went on to speak in a somewhat violent manner, when one of the pirates, I am thankful to say, crept behind him and struck off his head. He thus received the most providential reward for his violent abduction of me, and was himself thrown into the sea: the pirates sailed on for two days more, carrying me to some county or other, I know not where, and sold me to their regular slave-dealer, and he in turn to Sosthenes.”

  17. Then said Sostratus: “Now that you, my children, have finished your stories, listen to mine: the story of what happened at home with regard to Calligone — your sister, Clitophon; I shall thus not have contributed absolutely nothing to these excellent recitals.” Hearing the name of my sister, I was all attention: “Speak on, father,” said I, “only may your story be of one who is still in the land of the living!” He began by recounting all that I described some time ago (Book II., chs xiii.-xviii.) — about Callisthenes, and the oracle, and the sacred embassy, and the boat, and the abduction.

  He then went on:— “Callisthenes, during the course of the voyage, realised that she was not my daughter, and that his attempt had therefore completely failed of its object: yet all the same he fell in love with Calligone, and that violently. Throwing himself at her feet, ‘Lady’ said he, ‘think not that I am a pirate or common malefactor; well born am I, a Byzantine, second to none, by descent: love made me act a pirate’s part and weave this plot against you. So from this day forward count me your slave. I bring you as a marriage portion, first of all myself, and, secondly, greater wealth than your father would have allotted to you as your dowry: and I will respect your virginity as long as seems good to you!’ By means of these words and others like them he was not unsuccessful in inducing the maiden to look upon him favourably, as he was handsome and both ready and persuasive of speech. On his arrival, too, at Byzantium, he made a marriage settlement of a very large sum of money upon her, and also provided her most handsomely with all else that she could require — clothes, gold, and all the ornaments that wealthy women wear: he treated her with the greatest respect, and, as he had promised, made no attempt on her chastity: with the result that he very soon captured her heart. In the other departments of life too he shewed himself
polite, virtuous, and discreet; a most wonderful change had taken place in him! He would rise from his chair when anyone older than himself entered the room, he would be careful to be the first to salute people whom he met, and his former indiscriminate prodigality turned to prudence, but remained a copious liberality to those who, through their poverty, must needs accept favours. All wondered at this sudden transformation from the bad to the really excellent: I was perhaps of all the most attracted by him, both because I was naturally very fond of him and also because I thought that his former irregularities were more the result of an excess of extravagance, but never of vice.

  “I called to mind the case of Themistocles; how he in his early youth appeared to indulge in the wildest excesses, but later on excelled all the Athenians in wisdom and bravery. And so I began to be sorry that I had contemptuously rejected him when he had broached the subject of an alliance with my daughter — particularly as he always shewed me the greatest attention, calling me ‘Father,’ and escorting me through the open squares. Nor did he neglect the training that is necessary for military glory, but greatly distinguished himself in the cavalry exercises: indeed, even in the time of his dissipation he had been fond of horses and familiar with their use, but only as a distraction or a luxury, and he had thus, without knowing it, encouraged in himself the spirit of bravery and skill in horsemanship. It finally became his object to gain distinction in war by his endurance and his versatility: he gave large contributions towards the public services; and then his fellow-citizens appointed him as an associate-general with me, a position which made him still more deferential and cordial towards me, shewing himself willing to accede to my wishes at every turn.

  18.”After we had brought the war to a successful conclusion, owing to the divine manifestations (That of Artemis is mentioned in VII. xii. § 4.) in our favour, we returned to Byzantium, as we desired to express our gratitude to Hercules and Artemis. It was voted I should be the delegate hither to Artemis and he to Hercules at Tyre. Before our departure, Callisthenes took me by the hand and told me the whole story about Calligone. ‘As for what I did, father,’ said he, ‘it began as a deed of violence in the heat of youth, but it has gone on as a matter of sober inclination. Up to this very moment I have respected her chastity, and that in war-time, when men are generally not accustomed to defer (For reasons given in IV. vii. § 3.) their pleasures. I have therefore now decided to take her back to her father at Tyre, and there to ask him to give her to me in marriage in accordance with the law. (Presumably the law mentioned in II. xiii. § 3. But that was a law at Byzantium, not at Tyre, and Callisthenes may merely mean “in due legal form.”) If he will give her to me, I will take her and rejoice at my good fortune; if he makes objections and refuses, he shall take her back, still a virgin: I have given her a marriage portion which is not to be despised, and I would gladly conclude the marriage.’ I will read you the letter which I wrote before he went to fight, asking Hippias to unite the girl to Callisthenes: in it is recited his good birth and worth, and also his brave deeds in the field (In other minor wars, I suppose.): that is the arrangement that Callisthenes and I made. As for myself, if we are successful in the appeal, (No mention has been made of this appeal. Perhaps it has dropped out in some imperfection of the text, or it may mean little more than the conclusion of the case, which was still technically unfinished.) I have made up my mind to sail first for Byzantium, and after that to proceed to Tyre.” When we had finished all this conversation, we retired to our couches as on the previous occasions.

  19. On the following day Clinias came and told us that Thersander had fled in the night; he had appealed without any intention of appearing, and only wished, under this pretence, to put off the trial at which his plot would have come to light. We therefore stayed three days more, the legal time for renewing proceedings, and then appeared before the Chief Justice, where we had the laws read in accordance with which Thersander could no longer have any cause of action against us. We then took ship and, obtaining a favouring wind, arrived at Byzantium, where we celebrated the marriage for which we had so long prayed, and thence set out for Tyre. We reached it two days after the arrival of Callisthenes, and we there found my father just about to offer the proper sacrifices for my sister’s wedding, which was to take place on the following day. At this we were present to join in the sacrifices and to pray the gods that both my marriage and his might be guarded and secured by the best of fortune; and our intention was to pass the winter at Tyre and afterwards to proceed to Byzantium. (Our author seems to have forgotten that the story began by being Clitophon’s narration to himself. The narration took place at Sidon, and there should have been a few words to round up the book to explain how it came about that Clitophon found himself at Sidon, and for the author to thank him for his interesting narration.)

  The Greek Text

  The fishing harbour of Tyre, a city in the South Governorate of Lebanon — Tyre is the home of Clitophon

  CONTENTS OF THE GREEK TEXT

  In this section of the eBook, readers can view the original Greek text of Leucippe and Clitophon.. You may wish to Bookmark this page for future reference.

  CONTENTS

  BOOK I.

  BOOK II.

  BOOK III.

  BOOK IV.

  BOOK V.

  BOOK VI.

  BOOK VII.

  BOOK VIII.

  Source text: Achilles Tatius. Erotici Scriptores Graeci, Vol 1. Rudolf Hercher. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1858. With thanks to the Pegasus Digital Library.

  BOOK I.

  Σιδὼν ἐπὶ θαλάττῃ πόλις, Ἀσσυρίων ἡ θάλασσα, μήτηρ Φοινίκων ἡ πόλις, Θηβαίων ὁ δῆμος πατήρ: δίδυμος λιμὴν ἐν κόλπῳ πλατύς, ἠρέμα κλείων τὸ πέλαγος. Ἧι γὰρ ὁ κόλπος κατὰ πλευρὰν ἐπὶ δεξιὰ κοιλαίνεται, στόμα δεύτερον ὀρώρυκται, καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ αὖθις εἰσρεῖ, καὶ γίνεται τοῦ λιμένος ἄλλος λιμήν, ὡς χειμάζειν μὲν ταύτῃ τὰς ὁλκάδας ἐν γαλήνῃ, θερίζειν δὲ τοῦ λιμένος ἐς τὸ προκόλπιον. [2] Ἐνταῦθα ἥκων ἐκ πολλοῦ χειμῶνος σῶστρα ἔθυον ἐμαυτοῦ τῇ τῶν Φοινίκων θεᾷ: Ἀστάρτην αὐτὴν οἱ Σιδώνιοι καλοῦσι. Περιϊὼν οὖν καὶ τὴν ἄλλην πόλιν καὶ περισκοπῶν τὰ ἀναθήματα, ὁρῶ γραφὴν ἀνακειμένην γῆς ἅμα καὶ θαλάττης. Εὐρώπης ἡ γραφή, Φοινίκων ἡ θάλασσα, Σιδῶνος ἡ γῆ. [3] Ἐν τῇ γῇ λειμὼν καὶ χορὸς παρθένων: ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ ταῦρος ἐνήχετο, καὶ τοῖς νώτοις καλὴ παρθένος ἐπεκάθητο, ἐπὶ Κρήτην τῷ ταύρῳ πλέουσα. Ἐκόμα πολλοῖς ἄνθεσιν ὁ λειμών, δένδρων αὐτοῖς ἀνεμέμικτο φάλαγξ καὶ φυτῶν: συνεχῆ τὰ δένδρα, συνηρεφῆ τὰ πέταλα: συνῆπτον οἱ πτόρθοι τὰ φύλλα, καὶ ἐγίνετο τοῖς ἄνθεσιν ὄροφος ἡ τῶν φύλλων συμπλοκή. [4] Ἔγραψεν ὁ τεχνίτης ὑπὸ τὰ πέταλα καὶ τὴν σκιάν, καὶ ὁ ἥλιος ἠρέμα τοῦ λειμῶνος κάτω σποράδην διέρρει, ὅσον τὸ συνηρεφὲς τῆς τῶν φύλλων κόμης ἀνέῳξεν ὁ γραφεύς. [5] Ὅλον ἐτείχιζε τὸν λειμῶνα περιβολή, εἴσω δὲ τοῦ τῶν ὀρόφων στεφανώματος ὁ λειμὼν ἐκάθητο: αἱ δὲ πρασιαὶ τῶν ἀνθέων ὑπὸ τὰ πέταλα τῶν φυτῶν στοιχηδὸν ἐπεφύκεσαν, νάρκισσος καὶ ῥόδα καὶ μύρριναι: ὕδωρ δὲ κατὰ μέσον ἔρρει τοῦ λειμῶνος, τὸ μὲν ἀναβλύζον κάτωθεν
ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, τὸ δὲ τοῖς ἄνθεσι καὶ τοῖς φυτοῖς περιχεόμενον. [6] Ὀχετηγός τις ἐγέγραπτο δίκελλαν κατέχων καὶ περὶ μίαν ἀμάραν κεκυφὼς καὶ ἀνοίγων τὴν ὁδὸν τῷ ῥεύματι. Ἐν δὲ τῷ τοῦ λειμῶνος τέλει πρὸς ταῖς ἐπὶ θάλατταν τῆς γῆς ἐκβολαῖς τὰς παρθένους ἔταξεν ὁ τεχνίτης. [7] Τὸ σχῆμα ταῖς παρθένοις καὶ χαρᾶς καὶ φόβου: στέφανοι περὶ τοῖς μετώποις δεδεμένοι: κόμαι κατὰ τῶν ὤμων λελυμέναι: τὸ σκέλος πᾶν γεγυμνωμέναι, τὸ μὲν ἄνω τοῦ χιτῶνος, τὸ δὲ κάτω τοῦ πεδίλου, τὸ γὰρ ζῶμα μέχρι γόνατος ἀνεῖλκε τὸν χιτῶνα: τὸ πρόσωπον ὠχραί, σεσηρυῖαι τὰς παρειάς, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνοίξασαι πρὸς τὴν θάλατταν, μικρὸν ὑποκεχηνυῖαι τὸ στόμα, ὥσπερ ἀφήσειν ὑπὸ φόβου μέλλουσαι καὶ βοήν: [8] τὰς χεῖρας ὡς ἐπὶ τὸν βοῦν ὤρεγον. Ἐπέβαινον ἄκρας τῆς θαλάττης, ὅσον μικρὸν ὑπεράνω τῶν ταρσῶν ὑπερέχειν τὸ κῦμα: ἐῴκεσαν δὲ βούλεσθαι μὲν ὡς ἐπὶ τὸν ταῦρον δραμεῖν, φοβεῖσθαι δὲ τῇ θαλάττῃ προσελθεῖν. Τῆς δὲ θαλάττης ἡ χρόα διπλῆ: τὸ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς τὴν γῆν ὑπέρυθρον, κυάνεον δὲ τὸ πρὸς τὸ πέλαγος. [9] Ἀφρὸς δὲ ἐπεποίητο καὶ πέτραι καὶ κύματα: αἱ πέτραι τῆς γῆς ὑπερβεβλημέναι, ὁ ἀφρὸς περιλευκαίνων τὰς πέτρας, τὸ κῦμα κορυφούμενον καὶ περὶ τὰς πέτρας λυόμενον εἰς τοὺς ἀφρούς. Ὁ ταῦρος ἐν μέσῃ τῇ θαλάττῃ ἐγέγραπτο τοῖς κύμασιν ἐποχούμενος, ὡς ὄρους ἀναβαίνοντος τοῦ κύματος ἔνθα καμπτόμενον τοῦ βοὸς κυρτοῦται τὸ σκέλος. [10] Ἡπαρθένος μέσοις ἐπεκάθητο τοῖς νώτοις τοῦ βοός, οὐ περιβάδην, ἀλλὰ κατὰ πλευράν, ἐπὶ δεξιὰ συμβᾶσα τὼ πόδε, τῇ λαιᾷ τοῦ κέρως ἐχομένη, ὥσπερ ἡνίοχος χαλινοῦ: καὶ γὰρ ὁ βοῦς ἐπέστραπτο ταύτῃ μᾶλλον πρὸς τὸ τῆς χειρὸς ἕλκον ἡνιοχούμενος. Χιτὼν ἀμφὶ τὰ στέρνα τῆς παρθένου μέχρις αἰδοῦς: τοὐντεῦθεν ἐπεκάλυπτε χλαῖνα τὰ κάτω τοῦ σώματος: λευκὸς ὁ χιτών, ἡ χλαῖνα πορφυρᾶ, τὸ δὲ σῶμα διὰ τῆς ἐσθῆτος ὑπεφαίνετο. [11] Βαθὺς ὀμφαλός, γαστὴρ τεταμένη, λαπάρα στενή: τὸ στενὸν εἰς ἰξὺν καταβαῖνον ηὐρύνετο. Μαζοὶ τῶν στέρνων ἠρέμα προκύπτοντες: ἡ συνάγουσα ζώνη τὸν χιτῶνα καὶ τοὺς μαζοὺς ἔκλειε, καὶ ἐγίνετο τοῦ σώματος κάτοπτρον ὁ χιτών. [12] Αἱ χεῖρες ἄμφω διετέταντο, ἡ μὲν ἐπὶ κέρας, ἡ δὲ ἐπ̓ οὐράν: ἤρτητο δὲ ἀμφοῖν ἑκατέρωθεν ὑπὲρ τὴν κεφαλὴν καλύπτρα κύκλῳ τῶν νώτων ἐμπεπετασμένη. Ὁ δὲ κόλπος τοῦ πέπλου πάντοθεν ἐτέτατο κυρτούμενος: καὶ ἦν οὗτος ἄνεμος τοῦ ζωγράφου. Ἡ δὲ ἐπεκάθητο τῷ ταύρῳ δίκην πλεούσης νεώς, ὥσπερ ἱστίῳ τῷ πέπλῳ χρωμένη. [13] Περὶ δὲ τὸν βοῦν ὠρχοῦντο δελφῖνες, ἔπαιζον Ἔρωτες: εἶπες ἂν αὐτῶν γεγράφθαι καὶ τὰ κινήματα. Ἔρως εἷλκε τὸν βοῦν: Ἔρως, μικρὸν παιδίον, ἡπλώκει τὸ πτερόν, ἤρτητο τὴν φαρέτραν, ἐκράτει τὸ πῦρ: ἐπέστραπτο δὲ ὡς ἐπὶ τὸν Δία καὶ ὑπεμειδία, ὥσπερ αὐτοῦ καταγελῶν ὅτι δἰ αὐτὸν γέγονε βοῦς.