§7.1Ἦς χρόνος ἁνίκʼ ἐγώ τε καὶ Εὔκριτος ἐς τὸν Ἅλεντα §7.2εἵρπομες ἐκ πόλιος, σὺν καὶ τρίτος ἁμὶν Ἀμύντας·
There was a time when Eucritus and I were walking from the city to the Hales, and Amyntas was with us as a third companion.
§7.3τᾷ Δηοῖ γὰρ ἔτευχε θαλύσια καὶ Φρασίδαμος §7.4κἀντιγένης, δύο τέκνα Λυκωπέος, εἴ τί περ ἐσθλὸν §7.5χᾳῶν τῶν ἐπάνωθεν, ἀπὸ Κλυτίας τε καὶ αὐτῶ §7.6Χάλκωνος, Βούριναν ὃς ἐκ ποδὸς ἄνυσε κράναν §7.7εὖ ἐνερεισάμενος πέτρᾳ γόνυ· ταὶ δὲ παρʼ αὐτὰν §7.8αἴγειροι πτελέαι τε ἐύσκιον ἄλσος ὕφαινον, §7.9χλωροῖσιν πετάλοισι κατηρεφέες κομόωσαι.
For Phrasidamus and Antigenes, the two children of Lycopeus, were celebrating a harvest festival for Deo—if indeed there is any noble blood from the ancient worthy ancestors, descended from Clytia and Chalcon himself, who brought forth the Bourina spring from his foot, pressing his knee firmly against the rock; and beside it, poplars and elms wove a shady grove, arching over and thick with green leaves.
§7.10κοὔπω τὰν μεσάταν ὁδὸν ἄνυμες, οὐδὲ τὸ σᾶμα §7.11ἁμὶν τὸ Βρασίλα κατεφαίνετο, καὶ τὸν ὁδίταν §7.12ἐσθλὸν σὺν Μοίσαισι Κυδωνικὸν εὕρομες ἄνδρα,
And we had not yet reached the midpoint of our journey, nor did the tomb of Brasilas yet appear to us, when we met a traveler, a noble Cydonian man favored by the Muses, by name Lycidas.
§7.13οὔνομα μὲν Λυκίδαν, ἦς δʼ αἰπόλος, οὐδέ κέ τίς νιν §7.14ἠγνοίησεν ἰδών, ἐπεὶ αἰπόλῳ ἔξοχʼ ἐῴκει.
He was a goatherd, nor would anyone have failed to recognize him upon seeing him, since he looked exceedingly like a goatherd.
§7.15ἐκ μὲν γὰρ λασίοιο δασύτριχος εἶχε τράγοιο §7.16κνακὸν δέρμʼ ὤμοισι νέας ταμίσοιο ποτόσδον, §7.17ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ στήθεσσι γέρων ἐσφίγγετο πέπλος §7.18ζωστῆρι πλακερῷ, ῥοικὰν δʼ ἔχεν ἀγριελαίω §7.19δεξιτερᾷ κορύναν.
For on his shoulders he wore the tawny skin of a shaggy, rough-haired goat, smelling of fresh rennet, and about his chest an old cloak was bound with a broad belt, and in his right hand he held a curved staff of wild olive.
καί μʼ ἀτρέμας εἶπε σεσαρὼς §7.20ὄμματι μειδιόωντι, γέλως δέ οἱ εἴχετο χείλευς· §7.21Σιμιχίδα, πᾷ δὴ τὸ μεσαμέριον πόδας ἕλκεις, §7.22ἁνίκα δὴ καὶ σαῦρος ἐν αἱμασιαῖσι καθεύδει, §7.23οὐδʼ ἐπιτυμβίδιαι κορυδαλλίδες ἠλαίνοντι;
And with a grin, he spoke to me gently with a smiling eye, and laughter clung to his lips: "Simichidas, where indeed at midday do you drag your feet, when even the lizard sleeps in the stone walls, and the tomb-frequenting crested larks do not wander?
§7.24ἦ μετὰ δαῖτα κλητὸς ἐπείγεαι;
Are you hurrying as an invited guest to a feast?
ἤ τινος ἀστῶν §7.25λανὸν ἔπι θρώσκεις;
Or are you leaping upon some citizen's wine-press?
ὥς τοι ποσὶ νισσομένοιο §7.26πᾶσα λίθος πταίοισα ποτʼ ἀρβυλίδεσσιν ἀείδει. §7.27τὸν δʼ ἐγὼ ἀμείφθην· Λυκίδα φίλε, φαντί τυ πάντες §7.28συριγκτὰν ἔμεναι μέγʼ ὑπείροχον ἔν τε νομεῦσιν
For as you hasten on, every stone strikes against your boots and rings out." And I answered him: "Dear Lycidas, all men say that you are a piper outstandingly pre-eminent both among herdsmen and among reapers.
§7.29ἔν τʼ ἀμητήρεσσι. τὸ δὴ μάλα θυμὸν ἰαίνει §7.30ἁμέτερον· καί τοι κατʼ ἐμὸν νόον ἰσοφαρίζειν §7.31ἔλπομαι.
This indeed greatly gladdens our heart; and yet in my own mind, I expect to rival you.
ἁ δʼ ὁδὸς ἅδε θαλυσιάς· ἦ γὰρ ἑταῖροι §7.32ἀνέρες εὐπέπλῳ Δαμάτερι δαῖτα τελεῦντι §7.33ὄλβω ἀπαρχόμενοι· μάλα γάρ σφισι πίονι μέτρῳ §7.34ἁ δαίμων εὔκριθον ἀνεπλήρωσεν ἀλωάν.
This journey of ours is for a harvest festival; for our friends are preparing a feast for fair-robed Demeter, offering the first-fruits of their prosperity; for in very rich measure the goddess has filled their threshing floor with fine barley.
But come indeed—since the road is common and the day is common too— let us sing pastoral songs; perhaps one will benefit the other.
§7.37καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ Μοισᾶν καπυρὸν στόμα, κἠμὲ λέγοντι §7.38πάντες ἀοιδὸν ἄριστον· ἐγὼ δέ τις οὐ ταχυπειθής, §7.39οὐ Δᾶν· οὐ γάρ πω κατʼ ἐμὸν νόον οὔτε τὸν ἐσθλὸν §7.40Σικελίδαν νίκημι τὸν ἐκ Σάμω οὔτε Φιλητᾶν §7.41ἀείδων, βάτραχος δὲ ποτʼ ἀκρίδας ὥς τις ἐρίσδω. §7.42ὣς ἐφάμαν ἐπίταδες· ὁ δʼ αἰπόλος ἁδὺ γελάσσας, §7.43τάν τοι" ἔφα "κορύναν δωρύττομαι, οὕνεκεν ἐσσὶ §7.44πᾶν ἐπʼ ἀλαθείᾳ πεπλασμένον ἐκ Διὸς ἔρνος.
For I too am a clear-sounding mouth of the Muses, and all men call me an excellent singer; but I am not one easily persuaded, not by Zeus; for in my own mind I do not yet surpass either the noble Sikelidas from Samos or Philetas in singing, but I contend like a frog against cicadas." Thus I spoke with a purpose; and the goatherd, laughing sweetly, said: "I present you with this staff, because you are a shoot from Zeus fashioned entirely for truth.
§7.45ὥς μοι καὶ τέκτων μέγʼ ἀπέχθεται, ὅστις ἐρευνῇ §7.46ἶσον ὄρευς κορυφᾷ τελέσαι δόμον εὐρυμέδοντος, §7.47καὶ Μοισᾶν ὄρνιχες, ὅσοι ποτὶ Χῖον ἀοιδὸν §7.48ἀντία κοκκύζοντες ἐτώσια μοχθίζοντι.
Just as a builder is highly hateful to me who seeks to rear a house as high as the peak of a wide-ruling mountain, so too are the birds of the Muses who vainly toil by crowing in opposition to the Chian singer.
§7.49ἀλλʼ ἄγε βουκολικᾶς ταχέως ἀρχώμεθʼ ἀοιδᾶς, §7.50Σιμιχίδα· κἠγὼ μέν—ὅρη φίλος, εἴ τοι ἀρέσκει §7.51τοῦθʼ ὅ τι πρᾶν ἐν ὄρει τὸ μελύδριον ἐξεπόνασα.
But come, let us quickly begin the pastoral song, Simichidas; and I—see, my friend, if it pleases you, this little song which I recently fashioned on the mountain.
§7.52ἔσσεται Ἀγεάνακτι καλὸς πλόος ἐς Μυτιλήναν, §7.53χὥταν ἐφʼ ἑσπερίοις ἐρίφοις νότος ὑγρὰ διώκῃ §7.54κύματα, χὡρίων ὅτʼ ἐπʼ ὠκεανῷ πόδας ἴσχῃ, §7.55αἴκεν τὸν Λυκίδαν ὀπτεύμενον ἐξ Ἀφροδίτας §7.56ῥύσηται· θερμὸς γὰρ ἔρως αὐτῶ με καταίθει.
Ageanax will have a fair voyage to Mytilene, even when the south wind drives the damp waves at the evening Kids, and when Orion holds his feet over the ocean, if only he rescues Lycidas who is burned by Aphrodite; for warm love for him consumes me.
§7.57χἁλκυόνες στορεσεῦντι τὰ κύματα τάν τε θάλασσαν §7.58τόν τε νότον τόν τʼ εὖρον, ὃς ἔσχατα φυκία κινεῖ· §7.59ἁλκυόνες, γλαυκαῖς Νηρηίσι ταί τε μάλιστα §7.60ὀρνίχων ἐφίλαθεν, ὅσαις τέ περ ἐξ ἁλὸς ἄγρα.
And the halcyons will smooth the waves and the sea, both the south wind and the east wind, which stirs the lowest seaweed; the halcyons, which are loved most of all birds by the blue Nereids, of all whose prey is from the sea.
May all things be seasonal for Ageanax as he seeks passage to Mytilene, and may he reach a safe harbor.
§7.63κἠγὼ τῆνο κατʼ ἆμαρ ἀνήτινον ἢ ῥοδόεντα §7.64ἢ καὶ λευκοΐων στέφανον περὶ κρατὶ φυλάσσων §7.65τὸν Πτελεατικὸν οἶνον ἀπὸ κρατῆρος ἀφυξῶ §7.66πὰρ πυρὶ κεκλιμένος, κύαμον δέ τις ἐν πυρὶ φρυξεῖ.
And I, on that day, keeping a crown of anise or roses or white violets around my head, will draw Pteleatic wine from the mixing-bowl, reclining by the fire, and someone will roast beans in the fire.
And my bed will be piled a cubit high with fleabane, asphodel, and curly celery.
And I will drink softly, remembering Ageanax, cup after cup, pressing my lip even to the dregs.
§7.71αὐλησεῦντι δέ μοι δύο ποιμένες, εἷς μὲν Ἀχαρνεύς, §7.72εἷς δὲ Λυκωπίτας· ὁ δὲ Τίτυρος ἐγγύθεν ᾀσεῖ, §7.73ὥς ποκα τᾶς Ξενέας ἠράσσατο Δάφνις ὁ βούτας, §7.74χὡς ὄρος ἀμφʼ ἐπονεῖτο, καὶ ὡς δρύες αὐτὸν ἐθρήνευν, §7.75Ἱμέρα αἵτε φύοντι παρʼ ὄχθῃσιν ποταμοῖο, §7.76εὖτε χιὼν ὥς τις κατετάκετο μακρὸν ὑφʼ Αἷμον §7.77ἢ Ἄθω ἢ Ῥοδόπαν ἢ Καύκασον ἐσχατόωντα.
And two shepherds will pipe for me, one an Acharnian, and one a Lycopite; and Tityrus near at hand will sing how once Daphnis the cowherd loved Xenea, and how the mountain grieved for him, and how the oaks lamented him, which grow by the banks of the river Himera, when he was wasting away like snow under high Haemus, or Athos, or Rhodope, or Caucasus at the world's end.
§7.78ᾀσεῖ δʼ ὥς ποκʼ ἔδεκτο τὸν αἰπόλον εὐρέα λάρναξ
And he will sing how once the wide chest received the goatherd."