Delphi Complete Works of Longus

by Longus

4.30 After taking counsel together, they resolved not to mention their marriage as yet: meanwhile, Daphnis would see Chloe secretly, and only tell her mother of his love. Dryas, however, did not agree with this: he thought it best to tell Daphnis’s father, and himself promised to obtain his consent. At daybreak, he put the tokens which had been found with Chloe into his wallet, and presented himself before Dionysophanes and Clearista, whom he found seated in the garden, together with Astylus and Daphnis. When all were silent, he addressed them as follows: “A necessity, similar to that which forced Lamon to speak, compels me to reveal what has hitherto been kept a secret. Chloe is not my daughter, neither did I rear her. She is the daughter of other parents who exposed her in the grotto of the Nymphs, where she was suckled by an ewe. I saw this with my own eyes, and when I saw it, I wondered, and brought up the child as my own. Her beauty is sufficient proof of this: she in no way resembles us. The tokens also bear witness; for they are too valuable to belong to shepherds. Look at them, try and discover the girl’s parents, and see whether you consider her worthy of marriage with Daphnis.”

  Τοῦτο οὔτε Δρύας ἀσκόπως ἔρριψεν οὔτε Διονυσοφάνης ἀμελῶς ἤκουσεν, ἀλλ̓ ἰδὼν εἰς τὸν Δάφνιν καὶ ὁρῶν αὐτὸν χλωριῶντα καὶ κρύφα δακρύοντα ταχέως ἐφώρασε τὸν ἔρωτα: καὶ ὡς ὑπὲρ παιδὸς ἰδίου μᾶλλον ἢ κόρης ἀλλοτρίας δεδοικὼς διὰ πάσης ἀκριβείας ἤλεγχε τοὺς λόγους τοῦ Δρύαντος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ τὰ γνωρίσματα εἶδε κομισθέντα, τὰ ὑποδήματα τὰ κατάχρυσα, τὰς περισκελίδας, τὴν μίτραν, προσκαλεσάμενος τὴν Χλόην παρεκελεύετο θαρρεῖν, ὡς ἄνδρα μὲν ἔχουσαν ἤδη, ταχέως δὲ εὑρήσουσαν καὶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα. Καὶ τὴν μὲν ἡ Κλεαρίστη παραλαβοῦσα ἐκόσμει λοιπὸν ὡς υἱοῦ γυναῖκα, τὸν δὲ Δάφνιν ὁ Διονυσοφάνης ἀναστήσας μόνον ἀνέκρινεν εἰ παρθένος ἐστί: τοῦ δὲ ὀμόσαντος μηδὲν γεγονέναι φιλήματος καὶ ὅρκων πλέον, ἡσθεὶς ἐπὶ τῷ συνωμοσίῳ κατέκλινεν αὐτούς.

  4.31 Dryas did not say this without a purpose, and it was not lost upon Dionysophanes, who, casting his eyes upon Daphnis, and seeing that he turned pale and was weeping silently, easily discovered the secret of his love. He accordingly took the greatest pains to verify what Dryas had said, being more anxious about his own son than about a young girl who was a stranger to him. When he saw the tokens - the gilt shoes, the anklets, and the head dress - he called Chloe to him, and bade her be of good cheer, since she already had a husband, and would soon find her father and mother. Then Clearista took her and dressed her as became her son’s intended wife: while Dionysophanes took Daphnis aside, and inquired of him whether Chloe was a virgin: and when he swore that nothing more had taken place between them than kisses and vows of fidelity, he expressed himself pleased at the oath they had taken, and made them sit down to table.

  Ἦν οὖν μαθεῖν οἷόν ἐστι τὸ κάλλος, ὅταν κόσμον προσλάβῃ. Ἐνδυθεῖσα γὰρ ἡ Χλόη καὶ ἀναπλεξαμένη τὴν κόμην καὶ ἀπολούσασα τὸ πρόσωπον εὐμορφοτέρα τοσοῦτον ἐφάνη πᾶσιν, ὥστε καὶ Δάφνις αὐτὴν μόλις ἐγνώρισεν. Ὤμοσεν ἄν τις καὶ ἄνευ τῶν γνωρισμάτων ὅτι τοιαύτης κόρης οὐκ ἦν Δρύας πατήρ. Ὅμως μέντοι παρῆν καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ συνειστιᾶτο μετὰ τῆς Νάπης, συμπότας ἔχων ἐπὶ κλίνης ἰδίας τὸν Λάμωνα καὶ τὴν Μυρτάλην. Πάλιν οὖν ταῖς ἑξῆς ἡμέραις ἐθύετο ἱερεῖα καὶ κρατῆρες ἵσταντο καὶ ἀνετίθει καὶ Χλόη τὰ ἑαυτῆς, τὴν σύριγγα, τὴν πήραν, τὸ δέρμα, τοὺς γαυλούς: ἐκέρασε δὲ καὶ τὴν πηγὴν οἴνῳ τὴν ἐν τῷ ἄντρῳ, ὅτι καὶ ἐτράφη παῤ αὐτῇ, καὶ ἐλούσατο πολλάκις ἐν αὐτῇ: ἐστεφάνωσε καὶ τὸν τάφον τῆς οἰός, δείξαντος Δρύαντος, καὶ ἐσύρισέ τι καὶ αὐτὴ τῇ ποίμνῃ, καὶ ταῖς θεαῖς συρίσασα εὔξατο τοὺς ἐκθέντας εὑρεῖν ἀξίους τῶν Δάφνιδος γάμων.

  4.32 Then could be seen the power of beauty, when it is adorned: for Chloe, richly dressed, with her hair plaited and her face washed, appeared far handsomer to all who saw her, so that even Daphnis scarcely recognised her. Leaving the tokens out of consideration, anyone would have been ready to swear that Dryas could not be the father of such a daughter. However, he was present, and sat on the same couch with Nape, Lamon, and Myrtale. On the next and following days, victims were sacrificed, goblets of wine were prepared, and Chloe also consecrated to the Gods everything that belonged to her - her pipe, wallet, goat-skin, and milk pails. She poured some wine into the water of the fountain at the bottom of the grotto, because she had been suckled on its brink, and had often bathed in it: she also crowned with a garland of flowers the tomb of the sheep, which was pointed out to her by Dryas. She also piped to her flocks, and, having sung a hymn to the Nymphs, she prayed to them that the parents who had exposed her might be found worthy to be allied by marriage with Daphnis.

  Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἅλις ἦν τῶν κατ̓ ἀγρὸν ἑορτῶν, ἔδοξε βαδίζειν εἰς τὴν πόλιν καὶ τούς τε τῆς Χλόης πατέρας ἀναζητεῖν καὶ περὶ τὸν γάμον αὐτῶν μηκέτι βραδύνειν. Ἕωθεν οὖν συσκευασάμενοι τῷ Δρύαντι μὲν ἔδωκαν ἄλλας τρισχιλίας, τῷ Λάμωνι δὲ τὴν ἡμίσειαν μοῖραν τῶν ἀγρῶν θερίζειν καὶ τρυγᾶν καὶ τὰς αἶγας ἅμα τοῖς αἰπόλοις καὶ ζεύγη βοῶν τέτταρα καὶ ἐσθῆτας χειμερινὰς καὶ ἐλευθέραν τὴν γυναῖκα: καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο ἤλαυνον ἐπὶ Μυτιλήνην ἵπποις καὶ ζεύγεσι καὶ τρυφῇ πολλῇ. Τότε μὲν οὖν ἔλαθον τοὺς πολίτας, νυκτὸς κατελθόντες: τῆς δὲ ἐπιούσης ὄχλος ἠθροίσθη περὶ τὰς θύρας ἀνδρῶν, γυναικῶν. Οἱ μὲν τῷ Διονυσοφάνει συνήδοντο παῖδα εὑρόντι, καὶ μᾶλλον ὁρῶντες τὸ κάλλος τοῦ Δάφνιδος: αἱ δὲ τῇ Κλεαρίστῃ συνέχαιρον ἅμα κομιζούσῃ καὶ παῖδα καὶ νύμφην. Ἐξέπλησσε γὰρ κἀκείνας ἡ Χλόη κάλλος ἐκφαίνουσα παρευδοκιμηθῆναι μὴ δυνάμενον: ὅλη γὰρ ἐκίττα ἡ πόλις ἐπὶ τῷ μειρακίῳ καὶ τῇ παρθένῳ: καὶ εὐδαιμόνιζον μὲν ἤδη τὸν γάμον, εὔχοντο δὲ καὶ τὸ γένος ἄξιον τῆς μορφῆς εὑρεθῆναι τῆς κόρης: καὶ γυναῖκες πολλαὶ τῶν μέγα πλουσίων ἠράσαντο θεοῖς αὐταὶ πιστευθῆναι μητέρες θυγατρὸς οὕτω καλῆς.

  4.33 When they became tired of the rustic festivities, they resolved to return to the city, to try and find out who Chloe’s parents were, and to hasten on the marriage. Accordingly, in the morning, they packed up their things, and made ready for their journey: but, before they started, they gave Dryas another three thousand drachmas, and to Lamon the privilege of gathering the corn and grapes of half the estate, together with the goats and goatherds, four yoke of oxen, some winter garments, and f
reedom for himself and his wife.

  After this, they set out for Mitylene, with a splendid equipage of horses and chariots. As they reached the city at night, the inhabitants were not aware of their arrival: but, on the following day, a crowd of men and women assembled round the house. The former congratulated Dionysophanes on having found a son, and all the more, when they saw how handsome Daphnis was: the latter shared Clearista’s joy at having found, not only a son, but a wife for him. They also were struck with astonishment at Chloe’s incomparable beauty. The whole city was in a state of excitement over the young man and the maiden: their union was already looked upon as a happy one, and hopes were expressed that Chloe’s birth might be found to be worthy of her beauty. More than one wealthy woman prayed to the Gods that she might be credited with being the mother of so beautiful a daughter.

  Ὄναρ δὲ Διονυσοφάνει μετὰ φροντίδα πολλὴν εἰς βαθὺν ὕπνον κατενεχθέντι τοιόνδε γίνεται. Ἐδόκει τὰς Νύμφας δεῖσθαι τοῦ Ἔρωτος ἤδη ποτε αὐτοῖς κατανεῦσαι τὸν γάμον: τὸν δὲ ἐκλύσαντα τὸ τοξάριον καὶ ἀποθέμενον τὴν φαρέτραν κελεῦσαι τῷ Διονυσοφάνει πάντας τοὺς ἀρίστους Μυτιληναίων θέμενον συμπότας, ἡνίκα ἂν τὸν ὕστατον πλήσῃ κρατῆρα, τότε δεικνύειν ἑκάστῳ τὰ γνωρίσματα, τὸ δὲ ἐντεῦθεν ᾄδειν τὸν ὑμέναιον. Ταῦτα ἰδὼν καὶ ἀκούσας ἕωθεν ἀνίσταται καὶ κελεύσας λαμπρὰν ἑστίασιν παρασκευασθῆναι τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς τῶν ἀπὸ θαλάττης καὶ εἴ τι ἐν λίμναις καὶ εἴ τι ἐν ποταμοῖς, πάντας τοὺς ἀρίστους Μυτιληναίων ποιεῖται συμπότας. Ὡς δὲ ἤδη νὺξ ἦν καὶ ἐπέπληστο ὁ κρατὴρ ἐξ οὗ σπένδουσιν Ἑρμῇ, εἰσκομίζει τις ἐπὶ σκεύους ἀργυροῦ θεράπων τὰ γνωρίσματα καὶ περιφέρων ἐνδέξια πᾶσιν ἐδείκνυε.

  4.34 Dionysophanes, weary with constant thought, fell into a deep sleep, and dreamed a dream. It seemed to him that the Nymphs were begging Love to give his consent to the marriage. Then the God unbent his bow, placed it on the ground by the side of his quiver, and ordered Dionysophanes to invite all the nobles of Mitylene to a banquet, and, when the last cup was filled, to show the tokens to each guest, and to sing the song of Hymen. Struck with this vision and the directions given by the God, when he rose in the morning, he ordered a sumptuous banquet to be prepared, furnished with every dainty that the land, the sea, the lakes, and rivers could produce, and invited all the nobles of Mitylene. At evening, after the cup with which libations are offered to Hermes had been filled, one of the attendants brought in the tokens upon a silver vessel, and carried them round and showed them to each of the guests.

  Τῶν μὲν οὖν ἄλλων ἐγνώρισεν οὐδείς, Μεγακλῆς δέ τις διὰ γῆρας ὕστατος κατακείμενος ὡς εἶδε, γνωρίσας πάνυ μέγα καὶ νεανικὸν ἐβόα ‘τίνα ὁρῶ ταῦτα; Τί γέγονάς μοι θυγάτριον; Ἆρα σὺ ζῇς ἢ ταῦτά τις ἐβάστασε μόνα ποιμὴν ἐντυχών; Δέομαι, Διονυσόφανες, εἰπέ μοι: πόθεν ἔχεις ἐμοῦ παιδίου γνωρίσματα; Μὴ φθονήσῃς μετὰ Δάφνιν εὑρεῖν τι κἀμέ.’ Κελεύσαντος δὲ τοῦ Διονυσοφάνους πρότερον ἐκεῖνον λέγειν τὴν ἔκθεσιν, ὁ Μεγακλῆς οὐδὲν ὑφελὼν τοῦ τόνου τῆς φωνῆς ἔφη ‘ἦν ὀλίγος μοι βίος τὸν πρότερον χρόνον: ὃν γὰρ εἶχον εἰς χορηγίας καὶ τριηραρχίας ἐξεδαπάνησα. Ὅτε ταῦτα ἦν, γίνεταί μοι θυγάτριον. Τοῦτο τρέφειν ὀκνήσας ἐν πενίᾳ, τούτοις τοῖς γνωρίσμασι κοσμήσας ἐξέθηκα, εἰδὼς ὅτι πολλοὶ καὶ οὕτω σπουδάζουσι πατέρες γενέσθαι. Καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐξέκειτο ἐν ἄντρῳ Νυμφῶν πιστευθὲν ταῖς θεαῖς, ἐμοὶ δὲ πλοῦτος ἐπέρρει καθ̓ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν κληρονόμον οὐκ ἔχοντι. Οὐκέτι γοῦν οὐδὲ θυγατρίου γενέσθαι πατὴρ εὐτύχησα, ἀλλ̓ οἱ θεοὶ ὥσπερ γέλωτά με ποιούμενοι νύκτωρ ὀνείρους μοι ἐπιπέμπουσι, δηλοῦντες ὅτι με πατέρα ποιήσει ποίμνιον.’

  4.35 All declared that they did not recognise them, with the exception of one Megacles, who, on account of his great age, had been placed at the end of the table. As soon as he beheld them, he shouted out loudly:

  “What is this I see? My daughter, what has become of you? Are you still alive? Or did some shepherd find these tokens and pick them up? Dionysophanes, I beseech you, tell me, where did you get these tokens of my child? Now that you have found Daphnis, do not grudge me the happiness of finding something.”

  Dionysophanes at first desired him to state how she had been exposed: and Megacles, in as firm a tone and voice as before, replied:

  “Formerly I was badly off, for I had spent what I possessed upon the public games and triremes. While I was thus situated, a daughter was born to me. Being afraid to bring her up in poverty, I decked her out with these tokens and exposed her, for I knew that there were many people who are ready to adopt the children of others. She was exposed in the grotto of the Nymphs, and entrusted to the protection of the Goddesses. In the meantime, Fortune favoured me: my wealth increased daily, but I had no heir, for I have not been fortunate to have even another daughter. The Gods also, as if to mock me, send me visions at night, announcing that a ewe shall make me a father.”

  Ἀνεβόησεν ὁ Διονυσοφάνης μεῖζον τοῦ Μεγακλέους καὶ ἀναπηδήσας εἰσάγει Χλόην πάνυ καλῶς κεκοσμημένην καὶ λέγει ‘τοῦτο τὸ παιδίον ἐξέθηκας. Ταύτην σοὶ τὴν παρθένον οἶς προνοίᾳ θεῶν ἐξέθρεψεν, ὡς αἲξ Δάφνιν ἐμοί. Λαβὲ τὰ γνωρίσματα καὶ τὴν θυγατέρα, λαβὼν δὲ ἀπόδος Δάφνιδι νύμφην. Ἀμφοτέρους ἐξεθήκαμεν, ἀμφοτέρους εὑρήκαμεν, ἀμφοτέρων ἐμέλησε Πανὶ καὶ Νύμφαις καὶ Ἔρωτι.’ Ἐπῄνει τὰ λεγόμενα ὁ Μεγακλῆς καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα Ῥόδην μετεπέμπετο καὶ τὴν Χλόην ἐν τοῖς κόλποις εἶχε. Καὶ ὕπνον αὐτοῦ μένοντες εἵλοντο: Δάφνις γὰρ οὐδενὶ διώμνυτο προήσεσθαι τὴν Χλόην, οὐδὲ αὐτῷ τῷ πατρί.

  4.36 Then Dionysophanes shouted even louder than Megacles: he started up, brought in Chloe richly attired, and said: “Here is the child you exposed: thanks to the providence of the Nymphs, a ewe nourished this maiden, as a goat suckled Daphnis for me. Take the tokens and your daughter, and give her to Daphnis as his bride. We exposed them both: we have found them both: both have been under the care of Pan, the Nymphs, and the God of Love.” Megacles approved, clasped Chloe in his arms, and sent for his wife Rhode. They slept that night at the house of Dionysophanes: for Daphnis had sworn that he would not entrust Chloe to anyone, not even to her own father.

  Ἡμέρας δὲ γενομένης συνθέμενοι πάλιν εἰς τὸν ἀγρὸν ἤλαυνον: ἐδεήθησαν γὰρ τοῦτο Δάφνις καὶ Χλόη, μὴ φέροντες τὴν ἐν ἄστει διατριβήν. Ἐδόκει δὲ κἀκείνοις ποιμενικούς τινας αὐτοῖς ποιῆσαι τοὺς γ�
�μους. Ἐλθόντες οὖν παρὰ τὸν Λάμωνα τόν τε Δρύαντα τῷ: Μεγακλεῖ προσήγαγον καὶ τῇ Ῥόδῃ τὴν Νάπην συνέστησαν καὶ τὰ πρὸς τὴν ἑορτὴν παρεσκευάζοντο λαμπρῶς. Παρέδωκε μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ ταῖς Νύμφαις τὴν Χλόην ὁ πατὴρ καὶ μετ̓ ἄλλων πολλῶν ἐποίησεν ἀναθήματα τὰ γνωρίσματα καὶ Δρύαντι τὰς λειπούσας εἰς τὰς μυρίας ἐπλήρωσεν.

  4.37 At daybreak they agreed to return to the country, at the earnest request of Daphnis and Chloe, who could not get used to city life: besides, they had decided that the wedding should be a rustic one. They returned to Lamon’s house, where Dryas was presented to Megacles, and Nape to Rhode, and all preparations were made for a brilliant festival. Megacles consecrated Chloe in presence of the Nymphs, and, amongst other offerings, dedicated the tokens to them, and made up to Dryas the sum of ten thousand drachmas.

  Ὁ δὲ Διονυσοφάνης, εὐημερίας οὔσης, αὐτοῦ πρὸ τοῦ ἄντρου στιβάδας ὑπεστόρεσεν ἐκ χλωρᾶς φυλλάδος καὶ πάντας τοὺς κωμήτας κατακλίνας εἱστία πολυτελῶς. Παρῆσαν δὲ Λάμων καὶ Μυρτάλη, Δρύας καὶ Νάπη, οἱ Δόρκωνι προσήκοντες, Φιλητᾶς, οἱ Φιλητᾶ παῖδες, Χρῶμις καὶ Λυκαίνιον: οὐκ ἀπῆν οὐδὲ Λάμπις συγγνώμης ἀξιωθείς. Ἦν οὖν ὡς ἐν τοιοῖσδε συμπόταις πάντα γεωργικὰ καὶ ἄγροικα: ὁ μὲν ᾖδεν οἷα ᾄδουσι θερίζοντες, ὁ δὲ ἔσκωπτε τὰ ἐπὶ ληνοῖς σκώμματα: Φιλητᾶς ἐσύρισε, Λάμπις ηὔλησε, Δρύας καὶ Λάμων ὠρχήσαντο, Χλόη καὶ Δάφνις ἀλλήλους κατεφίλουν. Ἐνέμοντο δὲ καὶ αἱ αἶγες πλησίον, ὥσπερ καὶ αὐταὶ κοινωνοῦσαι τῆς ἑορτῆς. Τοῦτο τοῖς μὲν ἀστικοῖς οὐ πάνυ τερπνὸν ἦν: ὁ δὲ Δάφνις καὶ ἐκάλεσέ τινας αὐτῶν ὀνομαστὶ καὶ φυλλάδα χλωρὰν ἔδωκε καὶ κρατήσας ἐκ τῶν κεράτων κατεφίλησε.