Delphi Complete Works of Longus

by Longus

  Τοῦτο αὐτοῖς γίνεται νυκτερινὸν παιδευτήριον. Καὶ ἀγαγόντες τῆς ἐπιούσης ἡμέρας τὰς ἀγέλας ἐς νομήν, ἐφίλησαν ἀλλήλους ἰδόντες καὶ ῾ὃ μήπω πρότερον ἐποίησαν̓ περιέβαλον τὰς χεῖρας ἐπαλλάξαντες: τὸ δὲ τρίτον ὤκνουν φάρμακον ἀποδυθέντες κατακλιθῆναι: θρασύτερον γὰρ οὐ μόνον παρθένῳ ἀλλὰ καὶ νέῳ αἰπόλῳ. Πάλιν οὖν νὺξ ἀγρυπνίαν ἔχουσα καὶ ἔννοιαν τῶν γεγενημένων καὶ κατάμεμψιν τῶν παραλελειμμένων. ‘Ἐφιλήσαμεν, καὶ οὐδὲν ὄφελος: περιεβάλομεν, καὶ οὐδὲν πλέον ἔσχομεν: τὸ οὖν συγκατακλινῆναι μόνον φάρμακον ἔρωτος. Πειρατέον καὶ τούτου: πάντως ἐν αὐτῷ τι κρεῖττόν ἐστι φιλήματος.’

  2.9 This was their nightly lesson. At daybreak they drove out their flocks, kissed each other as soon as they met, which they had never done before, and embraced: but they were afraid to try the third remedy, to undress and lie down together: for it would have been too bold an act for a young shepherdess, even for a goatherd. Then again they passed sleepless nights, thinking of what they had done, and regretting what they had left undone. “We have kissed each other,” they complained, “but it has profited us nothing. We have embraced, but nothing has come of it. The only remaining remedy is to lie down together: let us try it: surely there must be something in it more efficacious than in a kiss.”

  Ἐπὶ τούτοις τοῖς λογισμοῖς οἷον εἰκὸς καὶ ὀνείρατα ἑώρων ἐρωτικά, τὰ φιλήματα, τὰς περιβολάς: καὶ ὅσα μεθ̓ ἡμέραν οὐκ ἔπραξαν, ταῦτα ὄναρ ἔπραξαν: γυμνοὶ μετ̓ ἀλλήλων ἔκειντο. Ἐνθεώτεροι δὴ κατὰ τὴν ἐπιοῦσαν ἡμέραν ἀνέστησαν καὶ ῥοίζῳ τὰς ἀγέλας κατήλαυνον ἐπειγόμενοι πρὸς τὰ φιλήματα: καὶ ἰδόντες ἀλλήλους ἅμα μειδιάματι προσέδραμον. Τὰ μὲν οὖν φιλήματα ἐγένετο καὶ ἡ περιβολὴ τῶν χειρῶν ἠκολούθησε, τὸ δὲ τρίτον φάρμακον ἐβράδυνε, μήτε τοῦ Δάφνιδος τολμῶντος εἰπεῖν, μήτε τῆς Χλόης βουλομένης κατάρχεσθαι, ἔστε τύχῃ καὶ τοῦτο ἔπραξαν.

  2.10 With such thoughts as these their dreams were naturally of love and kisses and embraces: what they had not done in the day, they did in a dream: they lay naked together. The next morning, they got up more inflamed with love than ever, and drove their flocks to pasture, whistling loudly, and hurried to embrace each other: and, when they saw each other from a distance, they ran up with a smile, kissed, and embraced: but the third remedy was slow to come: for Daphnis did not venture to speak of it, and Chloe was unwilling to lead the way, until chance brought them to it.

  Καθεζόμενοι ὑπὸ στελέχει δρυὸς πλησίον ἀλλήλων καὶ γευσάμενοι τῆς ἐν φιλήματι τέρψεως ἀπλήστως ἐνεφοροῦντο τῆς ἡδονῆς. Ἦσαν δὲ καὶ χειρῶν περιβολαὶ θλῖψιν τοῖς σώμασι παρέχουσαι. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν τῶν χειρῶν περιβολὴν βιαιότερόν τι τοῦ Δάφνιδος ἐπισπασαμένου κλίνεταίπως ἐπὶ πλευρὰν ἡ Χλόη: κἀκεῖνος δὲ συγκατακλίνεται τῷ φιλήματι ἀκολουθῶν. Καὶ γνωρίσαντες τῶν ὀνείρων τὴν εἰκόνα κατέκειντο πολὺν χρόνον ὥσπερ συνδεδεμένοι. Εἰδότες δὲ τῶν ἐντεῦθεν οὐδὲν καὶ νομίσαντες τοῦτο εἶναι πέρας ἐρωτικῆς ἀπολαύσεως, μάτην τὸ πλεῖστον τῆς ἡμέρας δαπανήσαντες διελύθησαν καὶ τὰς ἀγέλας ἀπήλαυνον, τὴν νύκτα μισοῦντες. Ἴσως δὲ ἄν τι καὶ τῶν ἀληθῶν ἔπραξαν, εἰ μὴ θόρυβος τοιόσδε πᾶσαν τὴν ἀγροικίαν ἐκείνην κατέλαβε.

  2.11 They were sitting side by side on the trunk of an oak: and, having tasted the delights of kissing, they could not have enough: in their close embrace their lips met closely. While Daphnis pulled Chloe somewhat roughly towards him, she somehow fell on her side, and Daphnis, following up his kiss, fell also on his side: then, recognising the likeness of the dream, they lay for a long time as if they had been bound together. But, not knowing what to do next, and thinking that this was the consummation of love, they spent the greater part of the day in these idle embraces; then, cursing the night when it came on, they separated, and drove their flocks home. Perhaps they would have found out the truth, had not a sudden disturbance occupied the attention of the whole district.

  Νέοι Μηθυμναῖοι πλούσιοι διαθέσθαι τὸν τρυγητὸν ἐν ξενικῇ τέρψει θελήσαντες, ναῦν σμικρὰν καθελκύσαντες καὶ οἰκέτας προσκώπους καθίσαντες, τοὺς Μυτιληναίων ἀγροὺς παρέπλεον, ὅσοι θαλάττης πλησίον. Εὐλίμενός τε γὰρ ἡ παραλία καὶ οἰκήσεσιν ἠσκημένη πολυτελῶς, καὶ λουτρὰ συνεχῆ, παράδεισοί τε καὶ ἄλση: τὰ μὲν φύσεως ἔργα, τὰ δ̓ ἀνθρώπων τέχνη: πάντα ἐνηβῆσαι καλά. Παραπλέοντες δὲ καὶ ἐνορμιζόμενοι κακὸν μὲν ἐποίουν οὐδέν, τέρψεις δὲ ποικίλας ἐτέρποντο, ποτὲ μὲν ἀγκίστροις καλάμων ἀπηρτημένοις ἐκ λίνου λεπτοῦ πετραίους ἰχθῦς ἁλιεύοντες ἐκ πέτρας ἁλιτενοῦς, ποτὲ δὲ κυσὶ καὶ δικτύοις λαγὼς φεύγοντας τὸν ἐν ταῖς ἀμπέλοις θόρυβον λαμβάνοντες: ἤδη δὲ καὶ ὀρνίθων ἄγρας ἐμέλησεν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἔλαβον βρόχοις χῆνας ἀγρίους καὶ νήττας καὶ ὠτίδας, ὥστε ἡ τέρψις αὐτοῖς καὶ τραπέζης ὠφέλειαν παρεῖχεν. Εἰ δέ τινος προσέδει, παρὰ τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἀγροῖς ἐλάμβανον, περιττοτέρους τῆς ἀξίας ὀβολοὺς καταβάλλοντες. Ἔδει δὲ μόνον ἄρτου καὶ οἴνου καὶ στέγης: οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς ἐδόκει μετοπωρινῆς ὥρας ἐνεστώσης ἐνθαλαττεύειν: ὥστε καὶ τὴν ναῦν ἀνεῖλκον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν νύκτα χειμέριον δεδοικότες.

  2.12 Some wealthy young Methymnaeans, wishing to amuse themselves away from home during the vintage, launched a small vessel, manned with their servants as oarsmen, and coasted along the shore of Mitylene, which affords good harbourage, and is adorned with splendid houses, baths, parks, and groves, some natural, others artificial, but all pleasant to dwell in. Coasting along and putting in to land from time to time, they did no damage, but amused themselves in various ways. They fastened hooks to the end of a fine line attached to the end of a reed, and caught fish from a rock that jutted out into the sea: or, with dogs and nets, captured the hares which were scared by the noise of the labourers in the vineyard; or again, they set snares for ducks, wild geese, and bustards, which, besides affording them sport, provided them with an addition to their repast. If they wanted anything else, they bought it from the villagers, at a higher price than it was worth. They only needed bread, wine, and lodging, for, as it was late in the autumn, they did not think it was safe to pass the night on the water: they accordingly
drew up the ship on land, being afraid of a storm by night.

  Τῶν δή τις ἀγροίκων ἐς ἀνολκὴν λίθου θλίβοντος τὰ πατηθέντα βοτρύδια χρῄζων σχοίνου, τῆς πρότερον ῥαγείσης, κρύφα ἐπὶ τὴν θάλατταν ἐλθών, ἀφρουρήτῳ τῇ νηὶ προσελθών, τὸ πεῖσμα ἐκλύσας, οἴκαδε κομίσας ἐς ὅ τι ἔχρῃζεν ἐχρήσατο. Ἕωθεν οὖν οἱ Μηθυμναῖοι νεανίσκοι ζήτησιν ἐποιοῦντο τοῦ πείσματος καὶ ῾ὡμολόγει γὰρ οὐδεὶς τὴν κλοπὴν̓ ὀλίγα μεμψάμενοι τοὺς ξενοδόκους παρέπλεον: καὶ σταδίους τριάκοντα παρελάσαντες προσορμίζονται τοῖς ἀγροῖς, ἐν οἷς ᾤκουν ὁ Δάφνις καὶ ἡ Χλόη: ἐδόκει γὰρ αὐτοῖς καλὸν εἶναι τὸ πεδίον ἐς θήραν λαγῶν. Σχοῖνον μὲν οὖν οὐκ εἶχον ὥστε ἐκδήσασθαι πεῖσμα: λύγον δὲ χλωρὰν μακρὰν στρέψαντες ὡς σχοῖνον, ταύτῃ τὴν ναῦν ἐκ τῆς πρύμνης ἄκρας εἰς τὴν γῆν ἔδησαν. Ἔπειτα τοὺς κύνας ἀφέντες ῥινηλατεῖν ἐν ταῖς εὐκαίροις φαινομέναις τῶν ὁδῶν ἐλινοστάτουν. Οἱ μὲν δὴ κύνες ἅμα ὑλακῇ διαθέοντες ἐφόβησαν τὰς αἶγας, αἱ δὲ τὰ ὀρεινὰ καταλιποῦσαι μᾶλλόν τι πρὸς τὴν θάλατταν ὥρμησαν: ἔχουσαι δὲ οὐδὲν ἐν ψάμμῳ τρώξιμον, ἐλθοῦσαι πρὸς τὴν ναῦν αἱ θρασύτεραι αὐτῶν, τὴν λύγον τὴν χλωράν, ᾗ ἐδέδετο ἡ ναῦς, ἀπέφαγον.

  2.13 It chanced that a peasant, being in need of a rope to lift up the stone that was used for crushing the grapes after they had been trodden (his own [rope] being broken), went secretly down to the sea-shore, and, finding the ship unguarded, unfastened the cable, took it home, and used it for what he wanted. In the morning the young Methymnaeans looked everywhere for the rope, and, as no one admitted the theft, after abusing their hosts, they put out to sea again. Having sailed on about thirty stades, they put in at that part of the coast where was the estate on which Daphnis and Chloe dwelt: since it seemed to them to be a good country for coursing. But, as they had no rope with which to moor their vessel, they twisted some long green osiers into a cable, and with them fastened it to land: then, having let loose their dogs to scent the game in the most likely spots, they spread their nets. The dogs, running in all directions and barking, frightened the goats, which left the hills and fled hastily in the direction of the sea. There, finding nothing to eat in the sand on the shore, some of them, bolder than the rest, went up to the boat, and gnawed off the osiers with which it was fastened.

  Ἦν δέ τι καὶ κλυδώνιον ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ, κινηθέντος ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρῶν πνεύματος. Ταχὺ δὴ μάλα λυθεῖσαν αὐτὴν ὑπήνεγκεν ἡ παλίρροια τοῦ κύματος καὶ ἐς τὸ πέλαγος μετέωρον ἔφερεν. Αἰσθήσεως δὲ τοῖς Μηθυμναίοις γενομένης οἱ μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν θάλατταν ἔθεον, οἱ δὲ τοὺς κύνας συνέλεγον: ἐβόων δὲ πάντες, ὡς πάντας τοὺς ἐκ τῶν πλησίον ἀγρῶν ἀκούσαντας συνελθεῖν. Ἀλλ̓ ἦν οὐδὲν ὄφελος: τοῦ γὰρ πνεύματος ἀκμάζοντος ἀσχέτῳ τάχει κατὰ ῥοῦν ἡ ναῦς ἐφέρετο. Οἱ οὖν Μηθυμναῖοι οὐκ ὀλίγων κτημάτων στερόμενοι ἐζήτουντὸν νέμοντα τὰς αἶγας: καὶ εὑρόντες τὸν Δάφνιν ἔπαιον, ἀπέδυον: εἷς δέ τις καὶ κυνόδεσμον ἀράμενος περιῆγε τὰς χεῖρας ὡς δήσων. Ὁ δὲ ἐβόα τε παιόμενος καὶ ἱκέτευε τοὺς ἀγροίκους καὶ πρώτους τὸν Λάμωνα καὶ τὸν Δρύαντα βοηθοὺς ἐπεκαλεῖτο. Οἱ δὲ ἀντείχοντο σκληροὶ γέροντες καὶ χεῖρας ἐκ γεωργικῶν ἔργων ἰσχυρὰς ἔχοντες, καὶ ἠξίουν δικαιολογήσασθαι περὶ τῶν γεγενημένων.

  2.14 It so happened that the sea was rather rough, as there was a breeze blowing from the mountains: and, as soon as the boat was unfastened, the tide carried it away into the open sea. When the young Methymnaeans saw what had occurred, some of them ran down to the shore, and others called their dogs together: and all raised such a shout that all the labourers hurried up from the neighbouring fields. But it was all in vain: for, as the breeze freshened, it bore away the vessel down the current with irresistible force.

  Then the Methymnaeans, having thus sustained a considerable loss, looked for the keeper of the goats, and, having found Daphnis, flogged him and stripped him of his clothes. One of them, taking up a dog-leash, twisted Daphnis’s hands behind his back, intending to bind him. He shouted loudly as he was being beaten, and implored the countrymen to help him, above all Lamon and Dryas. They, being vigorous old men, whose hands were hardened by their labours in the fields, assisted him stoutly, and demanded that a fair inquiry should be held into what had taken place.

  Ταὐτὰ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀξιούντων δικαστὴν καθίζουσι Φιλητᾶν τὸν βουκόλον: πρεσβύτατός τε γὰρ ἦν τῶν παρόντων καὶ κλέος εἶχεν ἐν τοῖς κωμήταις δικαιοσύνης περιττῆς. Πρῶτοι δὲ κατηγόρουν οἱ Μηθυμναῖοι σαφῆ καὶ σύντομα, ἅτε βουκόλον ἔχοντες δικαστήν. ‘Ἤλθομεν εἰς τούτους τοὺς ἀγροὺς θηρᾶσαι θέλοντες. Τὴν μὲν οὖν ναῦν λύγῳ χλωρᾷ δήσαντες ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκτῆς κατελίπομεν, αὐτοὶ δὲ διὰ τῶν κυνῶν ζήτησιν ἐποιούμεθα θηρίων. Ἐν τούτῳ πρὸς τὴν θάλατταν αἱ αἶγες τούτου κατελθοῦσαι τήν τε λύγον κατεσθίουσι καὶ τὴν ναῦν ἀπολύουσιν. Εἶδες αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ θαλάττῃ φερομένην, πόσων οἴει μεστὴν ἀγαθῶν; Οἵα μὲν ἐσθὴς ἀπόλωλεν, οἷος δὲ κόσμος σκευῶν, ὅσον δὲ ἀργύριον. Τοὺς ἀγροὺς ἄν τις τούτους ἐκεῖνα ἔχων ὠνήσαιτο. Ἀνθ̓ ὧν ἀξιοῦμεν ἄγειν τοῦτον, πονηρὸν ὄντα αἰπόλον, ὃς ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάττης νέμει τὰς αἶγας ὡς ναύτης.’

  2.15 As the others who had come up pressed the same demand, the herdsman Philetas was chosen as umpire: for he was the oldest of those present, and he had the reputation amongst his fellow villagers of being perfectly impartial. First the young Methymnaeans briefly and clearly made their complaint:

  “We came to these fields to hunt. We had fastened our boat to the shore with a green osier withy, and left it there: after which, we set out with our dogs to look for game. Meanwhile, this man’s goats went down to the shore, ate the osiers, and set loose the boat. You yourself saw it being carried away out to sea: what do you think was the value of the property with which it was loaded? of the clothes and dog trappings, besides money enough to purchase this estate? Wherefore, by way of recompense, we claim that we have a right to carry away this rascally goatherd, who pastures his flock at the sea-shore as if he were a sailor.”

  Τοσαῦτα οἱ Μηθυμναῖοι κατηγόρησαν: ὁ δὲ Δάφνις διέκειτο μὲν κακῶς ὑπὸ τῶν πληγῶν, Χλόην δὲ ὁρῶν παροῦσαν πάντων κατεφρόνει καὶ ὧδε εἶπεν ‘Ἐγὼ νέμω
τὰς αἶγας καλῶς. Οὐδέποτε ᾐτιάσατο κωμήτης οὐδὲ εἷς ὡς ἢ κῆπόν τινος αἲξ ἐμὴ κατεβοσκήσατο ἢ ἄμπελον βλαστάνουσαν κατέκλασεν. Οὗτοι δέ εἰσι κυνηγέται πονηροὶ καὶ κύνας ἔχουσι κακῶς πεπαιδευμένους, οἵτινες τρέχοντες πολλὰ καὶ ὑλακτοῦντες σκληρὰ κατεδίωξαν αὐτὰς ἐκ τῶν ὀρῶν καὶ τῶν πεδίων ἐπὶ τὴν θάλατταν, ὥσπερ λύκοι. Ἀλλὰ ἀπέφαγον τὴν λύγον: οὐ γὰρ εἶχον ἐν ψάμμῳ πόαν ἢ κόμαρον ἢ θύμον. Ἀλλὰ ἀπώλετο ἡ ναῦς ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ τῆς θαλάττης: ταῦτα χειμῶνος, οὐκ αἰγῶν ἐστὶν ἔργα. Ἀλλὰ ἐσθὴς ἐνέκειτο καὶ ἄργυρος: καὶ τίς πιστεύσει νοῦν ἔχων ὅτι τοσαῦτα φέρουσα ναῦς πεῖσμα εἶχε λύγον;’