Delphi Complete Works of Longus

by Longus

  2.2 As is customary at the festival of Bacchus, on the birthday of the wine, women had been summoned from the neighbouring fields to assist; and they cast amorous eyes on Daphnis, and extolled him as vying with Bacchus in beauty. One of them, bolder than the rest, kissed him, which excited Daphnis, but annoyed Chloe. On the other hand, the men who were treading the wine presses made all kinds of advances to Chloe, and leaped furiously, like Satyrs who had seen some Bacchante, declaring that they wished they were sheep, to be tended by her: this, again, pleased Chloe, while Daphnis felt annoyed. Each wished that the vintage was over, and that they could return to the familiar fields, and, instead of uncouth shouts, hear the sound of the pipe and the bleating of their flocks.

  In a few days the grapes were gathered in, the casks were full of new wine, and there was no need of so many hands: then they again began to drive their flocks down to the plain, and joyfully paid homage to the Nymphs, offering them grapes still hanging on the branches, the first fruits of the vintage. Even before that they had never neglected them as they passed by, but when they drove their flocks to pasture, as well as on their return, they reverently saluted them; never omitting to bring them a flower, some fruit, some green foliage, or a libation of milk. And they afterwards reaped the reward of this piety from the Gods. Then they gambolled like dogs loosed from their bonds, piped, sang to the goats, and wrestled sportively with the sheep.

  Τερπομένοις δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐφίσταται πρεσβύτης σισύραν ἐνδεδυμένος, καρβατίνας ὑποδεδεμένος, πήραν ἐξηρτημένος, καὶ τὴν πήραν παλαιάν. Οὗτος πλησίον καθίσας αὐτῶν ὧδε εἶπε ‘Φιλητᾶς, ὦ παῖδες, ὁ πρεσβύτης ἐγώ, ὃς πολλα μὲν ταῖσδε ταῖς Νύμφαις ᾖσα, πολλὰ δὲ τῷ Πανὶ ἐκείνῳ ἐσύρισα, βοῶν δὲ πολλῆς ἀγέλης ἡγησάμην μόνῃ μουσικῇ. Ἥκω δὲ ὑμῖν ὅσα εἶδον μηνύσων, ὅσα ἤκουσα ἀπαγγελῶν. Κῆπός ἐστί μοι τῶν ἐμῶν χειρῶν, ὃν ἐξ οὗ νέμων διὰ γῆρας ἐπαυσάμην, ἐξεπονησάμην: ὅσα ὧραι φέρουσι, πάντα ἔχων ἐν αὑτῷ καθ̓ ὥραν ἑκάστην. Ἦρος ῥόδα καὶ κρίνα καὶ ὑάκινθος καὶ ἴα ἀμφότερα, θέρους μήκωνες καὶ ἀχράδες καὶ μῆλα πάντα, νῦν ἄμπελοι καὶ συκαῖ καὶ ῥοιαὶ καὶ μύρτα χλωρά. Εἰς τοῦτον τὸν κῆπον ὀρνίθων ἀγέλαι συνέρχονται τὸ ἑωθινόν, τῶν μὲν ἐς τροφήν, τῶν δὲ ἐς ᾠδήν: συνηρεφὴς γὰρ καὶ κατάσκιος καὶ πηγαῖς τρισὶ κατάρρυτος: ἂν περιέλῃ τις τὴν αἱμασιάν, ἄλσος ὁρᾶν οἰήσεται.’

  2.3 While they were thus amusing themselves, an old man appeared before them, clad in a goatskin, with shoes of undressed leather on his feet, and carrying a wallet, a very old one, round his neck. Seating himself close by them, he addressed them as follows: “My children, I am old Philetas: I have sung many songs to these Nymphs, I have often played the pipe to Pan yonder, and guided a whole herd of oxen by my voice alone. I am come to tell you what I have seen, and to declare to you what I have heard.

  “I have a garden, which I have planted and cultivated myself, ever since I became too old to tend my flocks. You will always find there everything that grows, in its proper season: in spring, roses, lilies, hyacinths, single and double violets: in summer, poppies, wild pears, and all kinds of apples: and, in the present autumn season, grapes, figs, pomegranates, and green myrtles. Every morning flocks of birds assemble in the garden, some to seek food, others to sing: for it is thickly shaded by trees, and watered by three fountains. If you were to remove the wall that surrounds it you would think it was a native forest.

  ‘εἰσελθόντι δέ μοι τήμερον ἀμφὶ μέσην ἡμέραν ὑπὸ ταῖς ῥοιαῖς καὶ ταῖς μυρρίναις βλέπεται παῖς, μύρτα καὶ ῥοιὰς ἔχων, λευκὸς ὡς γάλα, ξανθὸς ὡς πῦρ, στιλπνὸς ὡς ἄρτι λελουμένος: γυμνὸς ἦν, μόνος ἦν: ἔπαιζεν ὡς ἴδιον κῆπον τρυγῶν. Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ὥρμησα ἐπ̓ αὐτὸν ὡς συλληψόμενος, δείσας μὴ ὑπ̓ ἀγερωχίας τὰς μυρρίνας καὶ τὰς ῥοιὰς κατακλάσῃ: ὁ δέ με κούφως καὶ ῥᾳδίως ὑπέφευγε, ποτὲ μὲν ταῖς ῥοδωνιαῖς ὑποτρέχων, ποτὲ δὲ ταῖς μήκωσιν ὑποκρυπτόμενος, ὥσπερ πέρδικος νεοττός. Καίτοι πολλάκις μὲν πράγματα ἔσχον ἐρίφους γαλαθηνοὺς διώκων, πολλάκις δὲ ἔκαμον μεταθέων μόσχους ἀρτιγεννήτους: ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ποικίλον τι χρῆμα ἦν καὶ ἀθήρατον. Καμὼν οὖν ὡς γέρων καὶ ἐπερεισάμενος τῇ βακτηρίᾳ καὶ ἅμα φυλάττων μὴ φύγοι, ἐπυνθανόμην τίνος ἐστὶ τῶν γειτόνων, καὶ τί βουλόμενος ἀλλότριον κῆπον τρυγᾷ. Ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο μὲν οὐδέν, στὰς δὲ πλησίον ἐγέλα πάνυ ἁπαλὸν καὶ ἔβαλλέ με τοῖς μύρτοις καὶ οὐκ οἶδ̓ ὅπως ἔθελγε μηκέτι θυμοῦσθαι. Ἐδεόμην οὖν εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν μηδὲν φοβούμενον ἔτι, καὶ ὤμνυον κατὰ τῶν μύρτων ἀφήσειν, ἐπιδοὺς μήλων καὶ ῥοιῶν, παρέξειν τε ἀεὶ τρυγᾶν τὰ φυτὰ καὶ δρέπειν τὰ ἄνθη, τυχὼν παῤ αὐτοῦ φιλήματος ἑνός.’

  2.4 “When I went into my garden yesterday about mid-day, I saw a lad under the myrtles and pomegranate-trees, with some of their produce in his hands: he was white as milk and ruddy as fire, and his body shone as if he had just been bathing. He was naked and alone, and he was amusing himself with plucking the fruit as if the garden had belonged to him. I rushed at him to seize him, being afraid that, in his wantonness, he might break my trees: but he nimbly and easily escaped my hand, now running under the rose-bushes, now hiding himself under the poppies, like a young partridge. I have often had trouble in chasing young kids, and tired myself with running after newly-born calves: but this was a wily creature, and could not be caught. Being an old man, and obliged to support myself with a stick, I soon became tired: and, being afraid that he might escape, I asked him to which of my neighbours he belonged, and what he meant by plucking the fruit in a stranger’s garden. He made no answer, but, coming close to me, laughed quietly, flung some myrtle berries at me, and, somehow or other, appeased my anger. I asked him to come to me without fear, and I swore by my myrtles, and, in addition, by my apples and pomegranates, that I would let him pluck the fruits of my trees and cull my flowers whenever he pleased, if he would only give me one kiss.

  ‘ Ἐνταῦθα πάνυ καπυρὸν γελάσας ἀφίησι φωνήν, οἵαν οὔτε χελιδὼν οὔτε ἀηδὼν οὔτε κύκνος, ὁμοίως ἐμοὶ γέρων γενόμενος. ‘Ἐμοὶ μέν, ὦ Φιλητᾶ, φιλῆσαί σε φθόνος οὐδείς: βούλομαι γὰρ φιλεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ σὺ γενέσθαι νέος: ὅρα δὲ εἴ σοι καθ̓ ἡλικίαν τὸ δῶρον: οὐδὲν γάρ σε ὠφελήσει τὸ γῆρας πρὸς τὸ μὴ διώκειν ἐμὲ μετὰ τὸ ἓν φίλημα. Δυσθήρατος ἐγὼ καὶ ἱέρακι καὶ ἀετῷ καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος τούτων ὠκύτερος ὄρνις. Οὔ τοι παῖς ἐγὼ καὶ εἰ δοκῶ παῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ Κρόνου πρεσβύτερος καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ παντός. Καί σε οἶδ
α νέμοντα πρωθήβην ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ ὄρει τὸ πλατὺ βουκόλιον καὶ παρήμην σοι συρίττοντι πρὸς ταῖς φηγοῖς ἐκείναις, ἡνίκα ἤρας Ἀμαρυλλίδος: ἀλλά με οὐχ ἑώρας καίτοι πλησίον μάλα τῇ κόρῃ παρεστῶτα. Σοὶ μὲν οὖν ἐκείνην ἔδωκα: καὶ ἤδη σοι παῖδες, ἀγαθοὶ βουκόλοι καὶ γεωργοί: νῦν δὲ Δάφνιν ποιμαίνω καὶ Χλόην: καὶ ἡνίκα ἂν αὐτοὺς εἰς ἓν συναγάγω τὸ ἑωθινόν, εἰς τὸν σὸν ἔρχομαι κῆπον καὶ τέρπομαι τοῖς ἄνθεσι καὶ τοῖς φυτοῖς κἀν ταῖς πηγαῖς ταύταις λούομαι. Διὰ τοῦτο καλὰ καὶ τὰ ἄνθη καὶ τὰ φυτά, τοῖς ἐμοῖς λουτροῖς ἀρδόμενα. Ὅρα δὲ μή τί σοι τῶν φυτῶν κατακέκλασται, μή τις ὀπώρα τετρύγηται, μή τις ἄνθους ῥίζα πεπάτηται, μή τις πηγὴ τετάρακται, καὶ χαῖρε μόνος ἀνθρώπων ἐν γήρᾳ θεασάμενος τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον.᾿’’

  2.5 “Then, laughing loudly, he began to speak in a voice sweeter than that of a swallow, or nightingale, or swan as old in years as myself: ‘It would be easy for me to kiss you, Philetas: for my wish to be kissed is stronger than your desire to become young again: but look to it whether the gift is suitable to your age. For, when you have once kissed me, your years will not exempt you from a desire to pursue me: but neither the hawk, nor eagle, nor other bird that is swift on the wing can catch me. I am not a child, even though I seem to be: I am older than Kronos, more ancient than all time. I knew you in the bloom of your first youth, when you tended your numerous flock in yonder marsh, and I was by your side when you played upon your pipe under the beech trees, when you were in love with Amaryllis, but you did not see me; and yet I was very close to her. I gave her to you, and the fruit of your union has been stalwart sons, good herdsmen and labourers. But now Daphnis and Chloe are my care: and, when I have brought them together in the morning, I come into your garden, to enjoy the sight of the plants and flowers, and to bathe in this spring. This is why all the produce of your garden is fair to see, since it is watered by my bath. Look whether any branch is broken, whether any fruit is plucked, whether any flower is trodden upon, or your springs disturbed. Think yourself happy that you are the only man who has seen this child in your old age.’

  ‘ταῦτ̓ εἰπὼν ἀνήλατο καθάπερ ἀηδόνος νεοττὸς ἐπὶ τὰς μυρρίνας, καὶ κλάδον ἀμείβων ἐκ κλάδου διὰ τῶν φύλλων ἀνεῖρπεν εἰς ἄκρον. Εἶδον αὐτοῦ καὶ πτέρυγας ἐκ τῶν ὤμων καὶ τοξάρια μεταξὺ τῶν πτερύγων, καὶ οὐκέτι εἶδον οὔτε ταῦτα οὔτε αὐτόν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ μάτην ταύτας τὰς πολιὰς ἔφυσα μηδὲ γηράσας ματαιοτέρας τὰς φρένας ἐκτησάμην, Ἔρωτι, ὦ παῖδες, κατέσπεισθε καὶ Ἔρωτι ὑμῶν μέλει.’

  2.6 With these words, he sprang up, like a young nightingale, upon the myrtles, and, mounting from branch to branch, at length reached the top. Then I saw that he had wings on his shoulders, and a bow and arrows between the wings and his shoulders, and after that I saw him no more. But, unless my grey hairs count for nothing, unless I have grown more foolish with age, you are consecrated to Love, my children, and Love watches over you.”

  πάνυ ἐτέρφθησαν ὥσπερ μῦθον οὐ λόγον ἀκούοντες καὶ ἐπυνθάνοντο τί ἐστί ποτε ὁ Ἔρως, πότερα παῖς ἢ ὄρνις, καὶ τί δύναται. Πάλιν οὖν ὁ Φιλητᾶς ἔφη ‘θεός ἐστιν, ὦ παῖδες, ὁ Ἔρως, νέος καὶ καλὸς καὶ πετόμενος: διὰ τοῦτο καὶ νεότητι χαίρει καὶ κάλλος διώκει καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἀναπτεροῖ. Δύναται δὲ τοσοῦτον ὅσον οὐδὲ ὁ Ζεύς. Κρατεῖ μὲν στοιχείων, κρατεῖ δὲ ἄστρων, κρατεῖ δὲ τῶν ὁμοίων θεῶν: οὐδὲ ὑμεῖς τοσοῦτον τῶν αἰγῶν καὶ τῶν προβάτων. Τὰ ἄνθη πάντα Ἔρωτος ἔργα: τὰ φυτὰ πάντα τούτου ποιήματα: διὰ τοῦτον καὶ ποταμοὶ ῥέουσι καὶ ἄνεμοι πνέουσιν. Ἔγνων δὲ ἐγὼ καὶ ταῦρον ἐρασθέντα, καὶ ὡς οἴστρῳ πληγεὶς ἐμυκᾶτο: καὶ τράγον φιλήσαντα αἶγα, καὶ ἠκολούθει πανταχοῦ. Αὐτὸς μὲν γὰρ ἤμην νέος καὶ ἠράσθην Ἀμαρυλλίδος: καὶ οὔτε τροφῆς ἐμεμνήμην οὔτε ποτὸν προσεφερόμην οὔτε ὕπνον ᾑρούμην. Ἤλγουν τὴν ψυχήν, τὴν καρδίαν ἐπαλλόμην, τὸ σῶμα ἐψυχόμην: ἐβόων ὡς παιόμενος, ἐσιώπων ὡς νεκρούμενος, εἰς ποταμοὺς ἐνέβαινον ὡς καόμενος. Ἐκάλουν τὸν Πᾶνα βοηθόν, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸν τῆς Πίτυος ἐρασθέντα: ἐπῄνουν τὴν Ἠχὼ τὸ Ἀμαρυλλίδος ὄνομα μετ̓ ἐμὲ καλοῦσαν: κατέκλων τὰς σύριγγας, ὅτι μοι τὰς μὲν βοῦς ἔθελγον, Ἀμαρυλλίδα δὲ οὐκ ἦγον. Ἔρωτος γὰρ οὐδὲν φάρμακον, οὐ πινόμενον, οὐκ ἐσθιόμενον, οὐκ ἐν ᾠδαῖς λαλούμενον, ὅτι μὴ φίλημα καὶ περιβολὴ καὶ συγκατακλινῆναι γυμνοῖς σώμασι.’

  2.7 Daphnis and Chloe were as delighted as if they had heard some fable, and not a true story, and asked what Love was; whether it was a bird or a child, and what it could do. Philetas replied: “My children, Love is a winged God, young and beautiful. Wherefore he takes delight in youth, pursues beauty, and furnishes the soul with wings: his power is greater than that of Zeus. He has power over the elements and over the stars: and has greater control over the other Gods that are his equals than you have over your sheep and goats. The flowers are all the work of Love; the plants are his creation. He makes the rivers to run, and the winds to blow. I have seen a bull smitten with love, and it bellowed as if stung by a gadfly: I have seen a he-goat kissing its mate, and following it everywhere. I myself have been young, and was in love with Amaryllis: then I thought neither of eating nor drinking, and I took no rest. My soul was troubled, my heart beat, my body was chilled: I shouted as if I were being beaten, I was as silent as a dead man, I plunged into the rivers as if I were consumed by fire: I called upon Pan, himself enamoured of Pitys, to help me: I thanked Echo, who repeated the name of Amaryllis after me: I broke my pipes, which, though they charmed my kine, could not bring Amaryllis to me. For there is no remedy for Love, that can be eaten or drunk, or uttered in song, save kissing and embracing, and lying naked side by side.”

  Φιλητᾶς μὲν τοσαῦτα παιδεύσας αὐτοὺς ἀπαλλάττεται, τυρούς τινας παῤ αὐτῶν καὶ ἔριφον ἤδη κεράστην λαβών: οἱ δὲ μόνοι καταλειφθέντες, καὶ τότε πρῶτον ἀκούσαντες τὸ Ἔρωτος ὄνομα τάς τε ψυχὰς συνεστάλησαν ὑπὸ λύπης, καὶ ἐπανελθόντες νύκτωρ εἰς τὰς ἐπαύλεις παρέβαλλον οἷς ἤκουσαν τὰ αὑτῶν. ‘Ἀλγοῦσιν οἱ ἐρῶντες: καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀλγοῦμεν. Τροφῆς ἀμελοῦσιν: ἠμελήκαμεν ὁμοίως. Καθεύδειν οὐ δύνανται: τοῦτο νῦν πάσχομεν καὶ ἡμεῖς. Κάεσθαι δοκοῦσι: καὶ παῤ ἡμῖν τὸ πῦρ. Ἐπιθυμοῦσιν ἀλλήλους ὁρᾶν: διὰ τοῦ�
�ο θᾶττον εὐχόμεθα γενέσθαι τὴν ἡμέρα. Σχεδὸν τοῦτ̓ ἔστιν ὁ ἔρως, καὶ ἐρῶμεν ἀλλήλων οὐκ εἰδότες. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο μή ἐστιν ὁ ἔρως ἐγὼ δὲ ὁ ἐρώμενος, τί οὖν ταῦτ̓ ἀλγοῦμεν, τί δὲ ἀλλήλους ζητοῦμεν; ἀληθῆ πάντα εἶπεν ὁ Φιλητᾶς. Τὸ ἐκ τοῦ κήπου παιδίον ὤφθη καὶ τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν ὄναρ ἐκεῖνο καὶ νέμειν ἡμᾶς τὰς ἀγέλας ἐκέλευσε. Πῶς ἄν τις αὐτὸ λάβοι; σμικρόν ἐστι καὶ φεύξεται. Καὶ πῶς ἄν τις αὐτὸ φύγοι; πτερὰ ἔχει καὶ καταλήψεται. Ἐπὶ τὰς Νύμφας δεῖ βοηθοὺς καταφεύγειν. Ἀλλ̓ οὐδὲ Φιλητᾶν ὁ Πὰν ὠφέλησεν Ἀμαρυλλίδος ἐρῶντα. Ὅσα εἶπεν ἄρα φάρμακα, ταῦτα ζητητέον, φίλημα καὶ περιβολὴν καὶ κεῖσθαι γυμνοὺς χαμαί. Κρύος μέν, ἀλλὰ καρτερήσομεν δεύτεροι μετὰ Φιλητᾶν.’

  2.8 Philetas, having thus instructed them, departed, taking away with him a present of some cheeses and a horned goat. When they were left alone, having then for the first time heard the name of Love, they were greatly distressed, and, on their return to their home at night, compared their feelings with what they had heard from the old man. “Lovers suffer: so do we. They neglect their work: we have done the same. They cannot sleep: it is the same with us. They seem on fire: we are consumed by fire. They are eager to see each other: it is for this that we wish the day to dawn more quickly. This must be Love, and we are in love with each other without knowing it. If this be not love, and I am not beloved, why are we so distressed? Why do we so eagerly seek each other? All that Philetas has told us is true. It was that boy in the garden who once appeared to our parents in a dream, and bade us tend the flocks. How can we catch him? He is small and will escape. And how can we escape him? He has wings and will overtake us. We must appeal to the Nymphs for help. But Pan could not help Philetas, when he was in love with Amaryllis. Let us, therefore, try the remedies of which he told us: let us kiss and embrace each other, and lie naked on the ground. It is cold: but we will endure it, after the example of Philetas.”