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Theocritus · Idylls §1.76-1.152

The Death of Daphnis and the Reward of Thyrsis

Passage 2 of 44 · Greek

Summary

The dying Daphnis is visited by gods (Hermes, Priapus, and Cypris) and shepherds who question his stubborn silence, but he maintains his defiance against Love until his death. Thyrsis finishes his song and receives the promised cup and goat from the goatherd.

§1.76ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι φίλαι ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
Begin, sweet Muses, begin the pastoral song.
§1.77ἦνθʼ Ἑρμῆς πράτιστος ἀπʼ ὤρεος, εἶπε δέ· Δάφνι, §1.78τίς τυ κατατρύχει;
Hermes came first of all from the mountain, and said: "Daphnis, who is wasting you?
τίνος ὦγαθὲ τόσσον ἐρᾶσαι; §1.79ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι φίλαι ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
For whom, my good friend, are you so much in love?" Begin, sweet Muses, begin the pastoral song.
§1.80ἦνθον τοὶ βοῦται, τοὶ ποιμένες, ᾡπόλοι ἦνθον· §1.81πάντες ἀνηρώτευν, τί πάθοι κακόν.
The cattlemen came, the shepherds, the goatherds came; all asked what evil you had suffered.
ἦνθʼ ὁ Πρίηπος §1.82κἤφα· Δάφνι τάλαν, τί τὺ τάκεαι, ἁ δέ τε κώρα §1.83πάσας ἀνὰ κράνας, πάντʼ ἄλσεα ποσσὶ φορεῖται— §1.84ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι φίλαι ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς— §1.85ζάτεισʼ;
Priapus came and said: "Wretched Daphnis, why are you wasting away, while the maiden through all the springs, through all the groves is carried on her feet—" Begin, sweet Muses, begin the pastoral song— "seeking you?
ἆ δύσερώς τις ἄγαν καὶ ἀμήχανος ἐσσί.
Ah, you are indeed too awkward in love, and helpless.
§1.86βούτας μὰν ἐλέγευ, νῦν δʼ αἰπόλῳ ἀνδρὶ ἔοικας.
You were called a cowherd indeed, but now you are like a goatherd.
§1.87ᾡπόλος ὅκκʼ ἐσορῇ τὰς μηκάδας οἷα βατεῦνται, §1.88τάκεται ὀφθαλμώς, ὅτι οὐ τράγος αὐτὸς ἔγεντο. §1.89ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι φίλαι ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
The goatherd, when he looks upon the she-goats, how they are mounted, wastes his eyes with weeping, because he was not himself born a he-goat." Begin, sweet Muses, begin the pastoral song.
§1.90καὶ τὺ δʼ ἐπεί κʼ ἐσορῇς τὰς παρθένος οἶα γελᾶντι, §1.91τάκεαι ὀφθαλμώς, ὅτι οὐ μετὰ ταῖσι χορεύεις. §1.92τὼς δʼ οὐδὲν ποτελέξαθʼ ὁ βουκόλος, ἀλλὰ τὸν αὐτῶ §1.93ἄνυε πικρὸν ἔρωτα, καὶ ἐς τέλος ἄνυε μοίρας·
"And you too, when you look upon the maidens, how they laugh, waste your eyes with weeping, because you are not dancing with them." But the cowherd answered them nothing at all, but his own bitter love he bore to the end, and to the end he bore his fate.
§1.94ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι πάλιν ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
Begin, sweet Muses, begin again the pastoral song.
§1.95ἦνθέ γε μὰν ἁδεῖα καὶ ἁ Κύπρις γελάοισα, §1.96λάθρια μὲν γελάοισα, βαρὺν δʼ ἀνὰ θυμὸν ἔχοισα, §1.97κεἶπε· τύ θην τὸν Ἔρωτα κατεύχεο Δάφνι λυγιξεῖν· §1.98ἦ ῥʼ οὐκ αὐτὸς Ἔρωτος ὑπʼ ἀργαλέω ἐλυγίχθης; §1.99ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι πάλιν ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
Yet indeed came sweet Cypris also, smiling, smiling inwardly, though holding a heavy wrath in her heart, and said: "You indeed, Daphnis, did boast that you would throw Love; have you not yourself been thrown by painful Love?" Begin, sweet Muses, begin again the pastoral song.
§1.100τὰν δʼ ἄρα χὡ Δάφνις ποταμείβετο· Κύπρι βαρεῖα, §1.101Κύπρι νεμεσσατά, Κύπρι θνατοῖσιν ἀπεχθής· §1.102ἤδη γὰρ φράσδῃ πάνθʼ ἅλιον ἄμμι δεδύκειν·
Then indeed Daphnis answered her: "Cruel Cypris, wrathful Cypris, Cypris hated by mortals; for do you think that all our sun has already set?
§1.103Δάφνις κἠν Ἀίδα κακὸν ἔσσεται ἄλγος Ἔρωτι. §1.104ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι πάλιν ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
Daphnis even in Hades shall be a bitter grief to Love." Begin, sweet Muses, begin again the pastoral song.
§1.105ὧ λέγεται τὰν Κύπριν ὁ βουκόλος—ἕρπε ποτʼ Ἴδαν, §1.106ἕρπε ποτʼ Ἀγχίσην.
"Where the cowherd is said to tell Cypris—go to Ida, go to Anchises.
τηνεῖ δρύες, ἔνθα κύπειρος· §1.108ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι φίλαι ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
There are oaks, there galingale grows." Begin, sweet Muses, begin the pastoral song.
§1.109ὡραῖος χὥδωνις, ἐπεὶ καὶ μᾶλα νομεύει. §1.110καὶ πτῶκας βάλλει καὶ θηρία πάντα διώκει. §1.111ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι φίλαι ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
"Beautiful is Adonis too, since he also feeds sheep, and shoots hares, and chases all kinds of wild beasts." Begin, sweet Muses, begin the pastoral song.
§1.112αὖθις ὅπως στασῇ Διομήδεος ἆσσον ἰοῖσα, §1.113καὶ λέγε· τὸν βούταν νικῶ Δάφνιν, ἀλλὰ μάχευ μοι. §1.114ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι πάλιν ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
"Go and stand again close to Diomedes, and say: 'I conquer the cowherd Daphnis, but fight with me.'" Begin, sweet Muses, begin again the pastoral song.
§1.115ὦ λύκοι, ὦ θῶες, ὦ ἀνʼ ὤρεα φωλάδες ἄρκτοι, §1.116χαίρεθʼ.
"O wolves, O jackals, O bears that dwell in caves throughout the mountains, farewell.
ὁ βουκόλος ὔμμιν ἐγὼ Δάφνις οὐκέτʼ ἀνʼ ὕλαν, §1.117οὐκέτʼ ἀνὰ δρυμώς, οὐκ ἄλσεα.
I, the cowherd Daphnis, am no longer in the woods, no longer in the oak thickets, nor in the groves.
χαῖρʼ Ἀρέθοισα, §1.118καὶ ποταμοί, τοὶ χεῖτε καλὸν κατὰ Θύμβριδος ὕδωρ. §1.119ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι πάλιν ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
Farewell, Arethusa, and rivers that pour your beautiful water down Thymbris." Begin, sweet Muses, begin again the pastoral song.
§1.120Δάφνις ἐγὼν ὅδε τῆνος ὁ τὰς βόας ὧδε νομεύων, §1.121Δάφνις ὁ τὼς ταύρως καὶ πόρτιας ὧδε ποτίσδων. §1.122ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι πάλιν ἄρχετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
"I am that Daphnis here, who tended the cattle here, Daphnis who watered the bulls and heifers here." Begin, sweet Muses, begin again the pastoral song.
§1.123ὦ Πὰν Πάν, εἴτʼ ἐσσὶ κατʼ ὤρεα μακρὰ Λυκαίω, §1.124εἴτε τύ γʼ ἀμφιπολεῖς μέγα Μαίναλον, ἔνθʼ ἐπὶ νᾶσον §1.125τὰν Σικελάν, Ἑλίκας δὲ λίπʼ ἠρίον αἰπύ τε σᾶμα §1.126τῆνο Λυκαονίδαο, τὸ καὶ μακάρεσσιν ἀγητόν. §1.127λήγετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι ἴτε λήγετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
"O Pan, Pan, whether you are on the long ridges of Lycaeus, or whether you range over great Maenalus, come to the island of Sicily, and leave the tomb of Helice and that steep monument of Lycaon's son, which is a marvel even to the blessed ones." Cease, Muses, come, cease the pastoral song.
§1.128ἔνθʼ ὦναξ καὶ τάνδε φέρευ πακτοῖο μελίπνουν §1.129ἐκ κηρῶ σύριγγα καλάν, περὶ χεῖλος ἑλικτάν.
"Come, O king, and take this sweet-breathing pipe of compact wax, beautiful, curved about the lip.
§1.130ἦ γὰρ ἐγὼν ὑπʼ ἔρωτος ἐς Ἅιδαν ἕλκομαι ἤδη. §1.131λήγετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι ἴτε λήγετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
For indeed I am already dragged by love to Hades." Cease, Muses, come, cease the pastoral song.
§1.132νῦν δʼ ἴα μὲν φορέοιτε βάτοι, φορέοιτε δʼ ἄκανθαι, §1.133ἁ δὲ καλὰ νάρκισσος ἐπʼ ἀρκεύθοισι κομάσαι· §1.135Δάφνις ἐπεὶ θνάσκει· καὶ τὼς κύνας ὥλαφος ἕλκοι, §1.136κἠξ ὀρέων τοὶ σκῶπες ἀηδόσι γαρύσαιντο. §1.137λήγετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι ἴτε λήγετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
"Now let briars bear violets, and let thorns bear them, and let the beautiful narcissus bloom upon the junipers; since Daphnis is dying; and let the stag drag the hounds, and let the owls from the mountains contend in song with nightingales." Cease, Muses, come, cease the pastoral song.
§1.138χὡ μὲν τόσσʼ εἰπὼν ἀπεπαύσατο· τὸν δʼ Ἀφροδίτα §1.139ἤθελʼ ἀνορθῶσαι· τά γε μὰν λίνα πάντα λελοίπει §1.140ἐκ Μοιρᾶν, χὡ Δάφνις ἔβα ῥόον.
He, having said so much, ceased; and Aphrodite wished to raise him up; but indeed all the threads of life had failed from the Fates, and Daphnis went to the stream.
ἔκλυσε δίνα §1.141τὸν Μοίσαις φίλον ἄνδρα, τὸν οὐ Νύμφαισιν ἀπεχθῆ.
The eddying water washed away the man dear to the Muses, and not unloved by the Nymphs.
§1.142λήγετε βουκολικᾶς Μοῖσαι ἴτε λήγετʼ ἀοιδᾶς.
Cease, Muses, come, cease the pastoral song.
§1.143καὶ τὺ δίδου τὰν αἶγα τό τε σκύφος, ὥς κεν ἀμέλξας §1.144σπείσω ταῖς Μοίσαις.
And you, give me the goat and the cup, so that having milked her I may make a libation to the Muses.
ὦ χαίρετε πολλάκι Μοῖσαι, §1.145χαίρετʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ ὔμμιν καὶ ἐς ὕστερον ἅδιον ᾀσῶ.
O farewell, Muses, many times farewell, farewell; and I will sing a sweeter song for you in the future.
§1.146πλῆρές τοι μέλιτος τὸ καλὸν στόμα Θύρσι γένοιτο, §1.147πλῆρές τοι σχαδόνων, καὶ ἀπʼ Αἰγίλω ἰσχάδα τρώγοις §1.148ἁδεῖαν, τέττιγος ἐπεὶ τύγα φέρτερον ᾁδεις.
May your beautiful mouth, Thyrsis, be filled with honey, filled with honeycombs, and may you eat the sweet dried fig from Aegilus, since you sing sweeter than the cicada.
§1.149ἠνίδε τοι τὸ δέπας· θᾶσαι φίλος, ὡς καλὸν ὄσδει· §1.150Ὡρᾶν πεπλύσθαί νιν ἐπὶ κράναισι δοκησεῖς.
Behold the cup for you; look, my friend, how sweet it smells; you would think it had been washed at the springs of the Hours.
§1.151ὧδʼ ἴθι Κισσαίθα, τὺ δʼ ἄμελγέ νιν. αἱ δὲ χίμαιραι,
Come here, Cissaetha, and you, milk her.
§1.152οὐ μὴ σκιρτασεῖτε, μὴ ὁ τράγος ὔμμιν ἀναστῇ.
And you, kids, do not leap about, lest the he-goat rise up against you.

Notes

  1. 1.81τί πάθοι — Optative of oblique speech in an indirect question. Triggered by the secondary tense of the main verb ἀνηρώτευν (imperfect), representing the indicative aorist τί ἔπαθε of the direct question.
  2. 1.102ἅλιον ἄμμι δεδύκειν — Accusative and infinitive construction with the Doric perfect infinitive δεδύκειν (equivalent to Attic δεδυκέναι). It expresses Cypris's thought (φράσδῃ) that 'our sun has already set completely' (i.e., that Daphnis's life or joy is fully ended).
  3. 1.152οὐ μὴ σκιρτασεῖτε — The combination of the double negative particles οὐ μή with the future indicative (σκιρτασεῖτε) functioning as a strong prohibition ('do not leap about').

Cite this passage

Theocritus, Idylls §1.76-1.152. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0005.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:1.76-1.152

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