Works of Nonnus
Page 224
ἤθελον, εἰ γενόμην πτερόεις πόσις, ὄφρα χορεύσω
κουφίζων ἀτίνακτον ὑπὲρ νώτοιο γυναῖκα,
ὡς Κρονίδης Αἴγιναν, ὅπως μετὰ λέκτρα τελέσσω
αἰετὸν ὄρνεον ἄλλο γαμοστόλον ἄστρον Ἐρώτων.
60 οὐ μὲν ἐμῆς ἀλόχοιο βαλὼν γενετῆρα κεραυνῷ
νύμφῃ πατρὸς ὄλεθρον ἀτάσθαλον ἕδνον ὀπάσσω,
μὴ γλυκερὴν Νίκαιαν ἀποφθιμένοιο χαλέψω.
αἴθε πέλον νόθος ὄρνις ἐύπτ̣̣̔̓ρος, ὅττι καὶ αὑτὴ
παρθένος ἡμετέρη φιλέει πτερόεντας ὀιστούς.
65 μᾶλλον ἐγὼ Δανάης ποθέων τύπον ὑγρὸν ἐρώτων
ἤθελον, εἰ χρύσειος ἐγὼ πέλον ὄμβρος ἀκοίτης,
αὐτὸς δῶρα γάμων, αὐτὸς πόσις, ὄφρα χορεύσω
ἀφνειῆς προχέων φιλοτήσιον ὄμβρον ἐέρσης:
ἔπρεπε γὰρ Νίκαιαν ἐμὴν εὐώπιδα κούρην
70 χρύσεον εἶδος ἔχουσαν ἔχειν χρύσειον ἀκοίτην.’
[45] “Forgive me, Cerne: the Astacid has budded as a new rosyfinger Dawn, a new lightbringer has risen: Nicaia is a younger Selene, who keeps her aspect unchanged. In my desire, I should be glad to take on a world of strange aspects, if respect and veneration for my father did not hold me back. I would go through the waters of Tyre a seafaring bull, and swim along carrying my Nicaia unsprinkled by the deep, like Europa’s bridegroom; and I would shake my back as if by accident, that the girl might take fright, and her allwhite right hand might pull at my horn. I would be a winged husband, to dance carrying lightly a wife on my back unshaken, as Cronides did with Aigina; that mated with her I might beget a new eagle, another birdstar to attend on weddings for the Loves. However, I will not strike with a thunderbolt my bedfellow’s begetter, and present a father’s death as an impious brideprice, that I may not vex sweet Nicaia for his taking off. Would I were a bastard bird well fledged, because my virgin herself loves winged arrow s! I would rather be the flowing form of Danae’s loves, a golden shower to lie by her side, myself the marriage gift, myself husband, that I might circle round her and pour forth love’s shower of generous dew; for it would suit well my girl Nicaia with her beautiful eyes, and her golden beauty, to have a golden bedmate.”
τοῖον ἐρωμανέων ἔπος ἴαχε θυιάδι φωνῇ.
καί ποτε κηώεντος ἔσω λειμῶνος ὁδεύων
ἄνθεα πάντα δόκευε τεθηλότα σύγχροα κούρης,
καί τινα μῦθον ἔειπεν ἐς ἠερόεντας ἀήτας:
[71] Such were the words he rang out in love’s madness with passionate voice. And one day, making his way into a fragrant meadow, he observed all the flowers blooming with the colours of the girl, and cried out thus to the airy breezes:
75 ‘ἄρτι μόγις, Νίκαια, τεὴν ἴδον ἐνθάδε μορφήν:
μὴ σέο κάλος ἄμειψας ἐς ἄνθεα; καλλιφυῆ γὰρ
παπταίνων ῥοδεῶνα τεὰς ἐνόησα παρειάς:
ἀλλὰ τεὸν θαλέει ῥόδον ἔμπεδον: ἀμφιέπεις γὰρ
ἔμφυτον οὐ λήγουσαν ἐρευθομένην ἀνεμώνην:
80 εἰς κρίνον ὄμμα φέρων χιονώδεας εἶδον ἀγοστούς,
ἀθρήσας δ᾽ ὑάκινθον ἴδον κυανόχροα χαίτην.
δέξό με θηρεύοντα συνέμπορον: ἣν δ᾽ ἐθελήσῃς,
αὐτὸς ἐγὼ σταλίκων γλυκερὸν βάρος, αὐτὸς ἀείρω
ἐνδρομίδας καὶ τόξα καὶ ἱμερόεντας ὀιστούς,
85 αὐτὸς ἐγώ: Σατύρων οὐ δεύομαι: οὐ παρὰ λόχμῃ
δίκτυα Κυρήνης ἀνεκούφισεν αὐτὸς Ἀπόλλων;
τίς φθόνος, εἰ μεθέπω καὶ ἐγὼ λίνον; οὐ μογέω δὲ
αὐτὸς ἐμοῖς ὤμοισιν ἐμὴν Νίκαιαν ἀείρων.
οὐ μὲν ἐγὼ γενετῆρος ὑπέρτερος: ἐν ῥοθίοις γὰρ
90 Εὐρώπην ἀδίαντον ἐκούφισε ποντοπόρος βοῦς.
[75] “Here at last, Nicaia, I have caught a glimpse of your form! Have you lent your beauty to the flowers? For as I gaze on the fairgrowing rosebed, I recognize your cheeks: but your rose blooms always, for you hold implanted in you the blushing anemone also, that ceases not. When I turn my eye to the lily, I see your snowy arms, when I behold the iris, I see the rich dark colour of your hair. Receive me as comrade in your hunting: and if you wish, I will shoulder myself the sweet burden of your stakes, myself your ankleboots and bow and arrows of Desire, myself I will do it — I need no Satyrs; did not Apollo himself in the woods lift Cyrene’s nets? What harm, if I also manage the meshes? I do not think it hard to lift my Nicaia on my own shoulders. I do not set up to be better than my father; for he bore up Europa in the floods unwetted, a seafaring bull.
παρθενικὴ ῥοδόεσσα, τί σοι τόσον εὔαδεν ὕλη;
δῶν ἐρατῶν μελέων περιφείδεο, μηδ᾽ ἐπὶ πέτραις
ἀστορέες σέο νῶτα κατατρίψωσι χαμεῦναι.
ἔσσομαι, ἢν ἐθέλῃς, θαλαμηπόλος: ὲν δὲ μελάθρῳ
95 αὐτὸς ἐγὼ στορέσω σέο δέμνια, τοῖσι πετάσσω
δέρματα πορδαλίων πολυδαίδαλα, τοῖς ἅμα βάλλω
φρικτὰ λεοντείης πυκινότριχα νῶτα καλύπτρης
γυμνώσας ἐμὰ γυῖα: σὺ δὲ γλυκὺν ὕπνον ἰαύεις
νεβρίσι δαιδαλέῃσι καλυπτομένη Διονύσου:
100 Μυγδονίης δ᾽ ἐλάφου σκέπας ἅρμενον ὑψόθι βάλλω
[91] “Rosy maiden, why do you like the forest so much? Spare your lovely limbs, nor let the rough unstrown pallet upon the rocks chafe your back. If you wish, I will be the attendant of your chamber in the house; I will lay your bed, I will spread on it the many-speckled skins of pards, over which I throw the bristly thick-haired fell of a lion to cover it, stripping it from my own limbs: you shall enjoy sweet sleep covered with the dappled fawnskins of Dionysos. Above you I will throw a tent of the same sort, made of the skins of Mygdonian deer, stript from the Satyrs.
γυμνώσας Σατύρους. σκυλάκων δέ σοι εἰ χρέος εἵη,
σοὶ κύνας εἰν ἑνὶ πάντας ἐμοῦ τάχα Πανὸς ἄπάσσω,
ἄξομαι ἐκ Σπάρτης ἑτέρους κύνας, οὕς ἀτιτάλλει
ἠιθέων ἐς ἔρωτας ἐμὸς Κάρνειος Ἀπόλλων,
105 καὶ κύνας ἀγρευτῆρας Ἀρισταίοιο καλέσσω:
καὶ λίνα σὺν σταλίκεσσι καὶ ἅρμενα δῶρα κομίσσω
ἐνδρομίδας Νομίοιο καὶ Ἀγρέος, ὅς πάρος ἔγνω
καὶ νομὸν εὐλείμωνα καὶ εὐκαμάτου δρόμον ἄγρης.
[101] “If you should want dogs, I will straight offer you the whole pack of my friend Pan together; I will bring you other hounds from Sparta, which my friend Carnean Apollo keeps for the love of his gallant lads, and I will su
mmon the hunting-dogs of Aristaios; string and stakes I will fetch you, and those most suitable gifts, the ankleboots of the Grazer and Hunter, who long ago knew both grazing on fine meadows and the happy work of the coursing hunt.
εἰ δὲ θερειγενέος τρομέεις φλόγα διψάδος ὥρης,
110 ἡμερίδων ὄρπηκας ὑπὲρ λέκτροιο φυτεύσω,
καί σε περιπνεύσωσι μέθης εὐώδεες αὖραι
κεκλιμένην κατὰ μέσσα πολυσταφύλοιο καλύπτρης.
παρθενικὴ περίφοιτε, ποθοβλήτοιο προσώπου
βαλλομένας Φαέθοντι τεὰς ἐλέαιρε παρειάς,
115 μὴ σέλας Ἠελίου μελέων ἀκτῖνα μαραίνῃ,
μὴ πλοκάμους μυρόεντας ἀμαλδύνωσιν ἀῆται:
εὗδε ῥόδων ἀνὰ μέσσα καὶ ὲν πετάλοις ὑακίνθου,
γείτονι σεῖο κάρηνον ἐρεισαμένη Διονύσῳ,
ἀθανάτοις πισύρεσσιν ὅπως ἕνα κῶμον ἀνάψῃς,
120 Φοίβῳ καὶ Ζεφύρῳ καὶ Κύπριδι καὶ Διονύσῳ.
[109] “And if you fear the blaze of the thirsty season of harvest, I will plant over your bed shoots of the gardenvine, and the sweet breath of the intoxicating scent shall be wafted over you, lying under the grape-clustered covering. Gadabout maiden, pity the cheeks of your own loveshot countenance beaten by the sun, lest the glare of Helios dim the radiance of your limbs, lest the breeze tumble your anointed curls; sleep among the roses and on iris-petals, rest your head on Dionysos your neighbour, to kindle one revel for immortals four, Phoibos and Zephyros and Cypris and Dionysos.
ληιδίην δ᾽ ὀπάσαιμι γονὴν μελανόχροον Ἰνδῶν
παστάδος ὑμετέρης θαλαμηπόλον: ἀλλὰ τί φύτλην
κυανέην ὀνόμηνα τεῆς νυμφοστόλον εὐνῆς;
νυκτὶ μελαγχλαίνῳ πότε μίσγεται ἀργέτις Ἠώς;
125 Ἀστακὶς ὁπλοτέρη πέλες Ἄρτεμις: ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς
δμωίδας ἑξήκοντα χορίτιδας εἰς σὲ κομίσσω,
ὄφρα χορὸν νήριθμον ὀπάονα σεῖο τελέσσω,
ἀμφιπόλοις ἰσόμετρον ὀρειάδος ἰοχεαίρης,
εἴκελον Ὠκεανοῖο θυγατράσι, μή σοι ἐρίζῃ
130 Ἄρτεμις ἀγρώσσουσα, καὶ εἰ πέλε δεσπότις ἄγρης.
σοὶ Χάριτας ζαθέοιο χαρίζομαι Ὀρχομενοῖο
ἀμφιπόλους, ἐμὰ τέκνα μεταστήσας Ἀφροδίτης.
[121] “Let me offer my spoil, the blackskin brood of India, to attend upon your bower. But why did I name the swarthy tribe to array your bridal bed? Does white Eos ever mingle with black-stoled night? You the Astacid are surely a younger Artemis; but more, I will fetch you myself sixty dancing handmaids, to complete the unnumbered dance that attends you, as many as the servants of the mountain Archeress, as many as the daughters of Oceanos; then Artemis hunting will not rival you, even if she be the mistress of the hunt. I will present you with the Graces of divine Orchomenos for servants, my daughters, whom I will take from Aphrodite.
ἀλλὰ πόθῳ φρένα θέλξον ἀθελγέα, καί σε δεχέσθω
θηροσύνης μετὰ μόχθον ἐμὸν λέχος, ὄφρα φανείης
135 Ἄρτεμις ἐν σκοπέλοισι καὶ ἐν θαλάμοις Ἀφροδίτη.
τίς φθόνος, ἀγρώσσειν σε σὺν ἀγρώσσοντι Λυαίῳ;
εἰ δὲ μόθου λάχες οἶστρον, ἅτε κλυτότοξος Ἀμαζών
ἵξεαι Ἰνδῴην ἐπὶ φύλοπιν, ὅφρά κεν εἴης
πειθὼ νόσφι μόθοιο καί, ὁππότε δῆρις, Ἀθήνη.
140 δέξο καί ἣν ἐθέλῃς, ἐλαφηβόλα θύρσα Λυαίου,
νεβροφόνος δὲ γένοιο: καὶ ὑμετέρων ἀπὸ χειρῶν
ὑμετέροις τε πόνοισιν ἐμὴν κόσμησον ἀπήνην
πόρδαλιν ἠὲ λέοντας ὑποζεύξασα χαλινῷ.’
[133] “Nay, charm your uncharmed heart with desire, and let my bed receive you after the labours of hunting the beasts, that you may appear Artemis among the rocks and Aphrodite in the bed-chamber. What harm that you should hunt along with hunting Lyaios? But if you have the itch for struggle, like the bowfamed Amazon, you shall come to the Indian warfare, to be Athena in the battle, and Peitho when fighting is done. Receive also, if it please you, the thyrsus of Lyaios to bring down your game, and become a slayer of fawns; and with your own hands, by your own efforts, adorn my car, by yoking pards or lions under the bridle.”
ὣς εἰπὼν ἐδίωκεν ὀρειάδα γείτονα κούρην,
145 τοῖον ἔπος βοόων: ‘μένε, παρθένε, Βάκχον ἀκοίτην.’
ἡ δὲ χολωομένη βριαρὴν ἀνενείκατο φωνὴν
παρθενική, στόμα λάβρον ἐπαιθύσσουσα Λυαίῳ:
[144] So speaking, he pursued the mountain girl his neighbour, crying aloud as he came near: “Wait, maiden, for Bacchos your bedfellow!” But the maiden was angry and lifted up a strong voice, speeding wild words at Lyaios:
‘ταῦτα μολὼν ἀγόρευε φιλοστόργῳ τινὶ νύμφῃ.
εἰ δύνασαι γλαυκῶπιν ἢ Ἄρτεμιν εἰς γάμον ἕλκειν,
150 καὶ βριαρὴν Νίκαιαν ἔχεις πειθήμονα νύμφην:
εἰμί γὰρ ἀμφοτέρῃσιν ὁμόστολος. εἰ δέ σε φεύγει
ἀπροϊδὴς ὑμέναιος ἀπειρώδινος Ἀθήνης,
καὶ νόον οὐ θέλξειας ἀπειθέος ἰοχεαίρης.
δέμνια Νικαίης μὴ δίζεο: μηδέ σε λεύσσω
155 ἁπτόμενον τόξοιο καὶ ἀμφαφόωντα φαρέτρην.
μὴ μετὰ βουκόλον Ὕμνον ὀλωλότα καὶ σὲ δαμάσσω.
οὐτήσω Διόνυσον ἀνούτατον: εἰ δὲ σιδήρῳ
μυῖα φέρεις ἀχάρακτα καὶ οὐκ εἴκοντα βελέμνῳ.
υἱέας ὑψιλόφους μιμήσομαι Ἰφιμεδείης,
160 καί σε σιδηρείῃσιν ἀλυκτοπέδῃσι πεδήσω
σεῖο κασιγνήτῳ πανομοίιον, ἐνδόμυχον δὲ
χαλκείοις κεράμοισι μετ᾽ Ἄρεα καὶ σὲ φυλάξω,
ἄχρις ἀναπλήσας δυοκαίδεκα κύκλα Σελήνης
ἠερίοις ἐμὸν οἶστρον ἀπορρίψειας ἀήταις.
165 χερσὶ γυναιμανέεσσιν ἐμῆς μὴ ψαῦε φαρέτρης:
τόξον ἔχω, σὺ δὲ θύρσον: ἐν Ἀστακίῃ μὲν ἐρίπνῃ
εἰς σύας ἠὲ λέοντας ἐμὸν βέλος ἐνθάδε πέμπω
Ἀρτέμιδος συνάεθλος, ὑπὲρ Λιβάνοιο δὲ πέτρης
νεβροὺς καὶ σὺ δίωκε συναγρώσσων Ἀφροδίτῃ.
170 οὐ δέχομαι σέο λέκτρα, καὶ εἰ Διὸς αἷμα κομίζεις:
εἰ δὲ θεὸν μενέαινον ἔχειν πόσιν, οὐκ ἄν ἀκοίτην
&n
bsp; ἁβροκόμην ἀσίδηρον ἀνάλκιδα θήλἑ̣̣̓ μορφῇ
εἶχον ἐγὼ Διόνυσον, ἐμῷ δ᾽ ἐφυλάσσετο παστῷ
νυμφίος ἢ κλυτότοξος ἄναξ ἢ χάλκεος Ἄρης,
175 ὃς μὲν τόξον ἔχων, ὁ δὲ φάσγανον ῾̣̣̓δνον Ἐρώτων:
ἀλλ᾽ ἐπεὶ οὐ μακάρων τινὰ δέξομαι, οὐδὲ καὶ αὐτὸν
πενθερὸν οἶστρος ἔχει με τεὸν Κρονίωνα καλέσσαι.
ἄλλην δίζεο, Βάκχε, νέην πειθήμονα νύμφην.
τί σπεύδεις; ἀκίχητον ἔχεις δρόμον, ὥς ποτε Δάφνην
180 Λητοΐδης ἐδίωκε καὶ ὣς Ἥφαιστος Ἀθήνην:
τί σπεύδεις; δρόμος οὗτος ἐτώσιος: ἐν σκοπέλοις γὰρ
ἐνδρομίδες πολὺ μᾶλλον ἀρείονές εἰσι κοθόρνων.’
[148] “Be off! make that speech to some girl who likes lovemaking! If you can draw into marriage the gray-eyed goddess, or Artemis, you shall have hard Nicaia a willing bride; for I am a comrade of both. But if you miss wedlock with Athena, — none ever heard of such a thing, no birth-pangs for her — if you could not charm the wits of the inflexible Archeress, seek not Nicaia’s bed. Let me not see you touching my bow, and handling my quiver, or I may bring you also down to follow Hymnos the shepherd. I will wound Dionysos the unwounded!
If steel will not cut your limbs, if the lance will not pierce them, I will do as the highcrested sons of Iphimedeia; I will bind you with galling iron chains, wholly like your brother, and I will keep you too like Ares hidden in a brazen pot, until you fulfil twelve circuits of Selene, and throw away your passion for me to the winds of the air. Touch not my quiver with womanlickerish hands: I keep the bow, you the thyrsus. On the Astacian crags I send my shot here against boars or lions, and share the toils of Artemis; over the rocks of Libanos go yourself and pursue the fawns, on the hunt with Aphrodite. I refuse your bed, even if you have the blood of Zeus in you. If I had a mind to a god for my lord, I would not have Dionysos for bedfellow, soft-haired, weaponless, spiritless, shaped like a woman; the bridegroom kept for my bower would be my Lord Strongbow or brazen Ares, the one with his bow, the other with sword as a love-gift. But since I will not accept one of the Blessed, since I have no itch to call even your Cronion goodfather, seek another, Bacchos, some new bride not unwilling. Why all this haste? This race is not for you to win; so Latoides once pursued Daphne, so Hephaistos Athena. Why this haste? this race is vain; for among the rocks, buskins are far better than slippers.”