§38Λυκῖνος
καὶ ἅμα εἰσεκεκόμιστο ἡμῖν τὸ ἐντελὲς ὀνομαζόμενον δεῖπνον, μία ὄρνις ἑκάστῳ καὶ κρέας ὑὸς καὶ λαγῶα καὶ ἰχθὺς ἐκ ταγήνου καὶ σησαμοῦντες καὶ ὅσα ἐντραγεῖν, καὶ ἐξῆν ἀποφέρεσθαι ταῦτα.
Lycinus And at the same time, the so-called complete dinner was brought in to us: a bird for each, pork, hare, fish from the frying pan, sesame cakes, and whatever else there was for dessert, and it was allowed to carry these away.
προὔκειτο δὲ οὐχ ἓν ἑκάστῳ πινάκιον, ἀλλʼ Ἀρισταινέτῳ μὲν καὶ Εὐκρίτῳ ἐπὶ μιᾶς τραπέζης κοινόν, καὶ τὰ παρʼ αὑτῷ ἑκάτερον ἐχρῆν λαβεῖν· Ζηνοθέμιδι δὲ τῷ Στωϊκῷ καὶ Ἕρμωνι τῷ Ἐπικουρείῳ ὁμοίως κοινὸν καὶ τούτοις· εἶτα ἑξῆς Κλεοδήμῳ καὶ Ἴωνι, μεθʼ οὓς τῷ νυμφίῳ καὶ ἐμοί, τῷ Διφίλῳ δὲ τὰ ἀμφοῖν, ὁ γὰρ Ζήνων ἀπεληλύθει.
However, not one small plate was set before each individual, but for Aristaenetus and Eucritus, there was a common one on a single table, and each of them had to take what was in front of himself; for Zenothemis the Stoic and Hermon the Epicurean, likewise a common one was set for them as well; then next for Cleodemus and Ion, after them for the bridegroom and me, and for Diphilus the portion of both, since Zeno had departed.
καὶ μέμνησό μοι τούτων, ὦ Φίλων, διότι δή ἐστί τι ἐν αὐτοῖς χρήσιμον ἐς τὸν λόγον.
And remember these things for me, Philon, because indeed there is something useful in them for the story.
Φίλων
μεμνήσομαι δή.
Philon I will certainly remember.
§39Λυκῖνος
ὁ τοίνυν Ἴων,
πρῶτος οὖν ἄρχομαι,
ἔφη,
εἰ δοκεῖ. καὶ μικρὸν ἐπισχών,
ἐχρῆν μὲν ἴσως,
ἔφη,
τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν παρόντων περὶ ἰδεῶν τε καὶ ἀσωμάτων εἰπεῖν καὶ ψυχῆς ἀθανασίας· ἵνα δὲ μὴ ἀντιλέγωσί μοι ὁπόσοι μὴ κατὰ ταὐτὰ φιλοσοφοῦσι, περὶ γάμων ἐρῶ τὰ εἰκότα.
Lycinus So Ion said: "Then I will begin first, if it seems good." And after waiting a moment, he said: "It would have been proper perhaps, in the presence of such men, to speak about ideas and incorporeal things and the immortality of the soul; but in order that those who do not philosophize in the same way may not contradict me, I shall say what is fitting concerning marriage.
τὸ μὲν οὖν ἄριστον ἦν μὴ δεῖσθαι γάμων, ἀλλὰ πειθομένους Πλάτωνι καὶ Σωκράτει παιδεραστεῖν· μόνοι γοῦν οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἀποτελεσθεῖεν ἂν πρὸς ἀρετήν·
Now, the best thing would be not to need marriage, but to practice pederasty, following Plato and Socrates; at any rate, only such men could be perfected toward virtue.
εἰ δὲ δεῖ καὶ γυναικείου γάμου, κατὰ τὰ Πλάτωνι δοκοῦντα κοινὰς εἶναι ἐχρῆν τὰς γυναῖκας, ὡς ἔξω ζήλου εἴημεν. §40Λυκῖνος
γέλως ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐγένετο ὡς οὐκ ἐν καιρῷ λεγομένοις.
But if it is necessary to have a marriage with a woman also, according to the opinions of Plato, women ought to be held in common, so that we might be free from jealousy." Lycinus At this, laughter arose as these things were spoken out of season.
Διονυσόδωρος δέ,
παῦσαι,
ἔφη,
βαρβαρικὰ ἡμῖν ᾄδων, ποῦ γὰρ ἂν εὑρίσκοιμεν τὸν ζῆλον ἐπὶ τούτου καὶ παρὰ τίνι; καὶ σὺ γὰρ φθέγγῃ, κάθαρμα; εἶπεν ὁ Ἴων, καὶ Διονυσόδωρος ἀντελοιδορεῖτο τὰ εἰκότα.
But Dionysodorus said: "Stop singing barbarian songs to us; for where would we find the absence of jealousy in this, and with whom?" "And do you even speak, you piece of filth?" said Ion, and Dionysodorus abused him back in like manner.
ἀλλʼ ὁ γραμματικὸς Ἱστιαῖος ὁ βέλτιστος,
παύσασθε,
ἔφη·
But the excellent grammarian Histiaeus said: "Stop!
ἐγὼ γὰρ ὑμῖν ἐπιθαλάμιον ἀναγνώσομαι. καὶ ἀρξάμενος ἀνεγίνωσκεν.
For I will read a wedding hymn to you." And beginning, he read it.
§41Λυκῖνος
ἦν γὰρ ταῦτα, εἴ γε μέμνημαι, τὰ ἐλεγεῖα· "
ἢ οἵη ποτʼ ἄρʼ ἥγʼ Ἀρισταινέτου ἐν μεγάροισι
δῖα Κλεανθὶς ἄνασσʼ ἐτρέφετʼ ἐνδυκέως,
προὔχουσʼ ἀλλάων πασάων παρθενικάων,
κρέσσων τῆς Κυθέρης ἠδʼ ἅμα τῆς Ἑλένης.
Lycinus For these were, if indeed I remember correctly, the elegiac verses: "Or such as once Cleanthis, the divine mistress, Was tenderly reared in the halls of Aristaenetus, Surpassing all other maidens, Superior to Cytherea and at the same time to Helen.
νυμφίε, καὶ σὺ δὲ χαῖρε, κρατερῶν κράτιστε ἐφήβων,
κρέσσων Νιρῆος καὶ Θέτιδος πάϊδος.
Bridegroom, you too rejoice, most powerful of mighty youths, Superior to Nireus and the child of Thetis.
ἄμμες δʼ αὖθʼ ὑμῖν τοῦτον θαλαμήϊον ὕμνον
ξυνὸν ἐπʼ ἀμφοτέροις πολλάκις ᾀσόμεθα. "
And we, in turn, shall often sing this bridal hymn for you, In common for both of you.
§42Λυκῖνος
γέλωτος οὖν ἐπὶ τούτοις, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, γενομένου ἀνελέσθαι ἤδη τὰ παρακείμενα ἔδει, καὶ ἀνείλοντο οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἀρισταίνετον καὶ Εὔκριτον τὴν πρὸ αὑτοῦ ἑκάτερος κἀγὼ τἀμὰ καὶ ὁ Χαιρέας ὅσα ἐκείνῳ ἔκειτο καὶ Ἴων ὁμοίως καὶ ὁ Κλεόδημος.
"Lycinus So, laughter having naturally arisen at this, it was now necessary to take up the things laid beside us, and those around Aristaenetus and Eucritus took up each what was in front of himself, and I took up mine, and Chaereas what was laid for him, and Ion likewise, and Cleodemus.
ὁ δὲ Δίφιλος ἠξίου καὶ τὰ τῷ Ζήνωνι δὴ ἀπόντι παραδοθέντα φέρεσθαι καὶ ἔλεγε μόνῳ παρατεθῆναί οἱ αὐτὰ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς διακόνους ἐμάχετο, καὶ ἀντέσπων τῆς ὄρνιθος ἐπειλημμένοι ὥσπερ τὸν Πατρόκλου νεκρὸν ἀνθέλκοντες, καὶ τέλος ἐνικήθη καὶ ἀφῆκε πολὺν γέλωτα παρασχὼν τοῖς συμπόταις, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπεὶ ἠγανάκτει μετὰ τοῦτο ὡς ἂν τὰ μέγιστα ἠδικημένος.
But Diphilus demanded that the portions delivered for the absent Zeno should also be carried away by him, and said they had been set aside for him alone, and fought with the attendants; and they pulled the bird back and forth, grabbing hold of it just as if they were dragging away the corpse of Patroclus, and finally he was defeated and let go, affording much laughter to the fellow-guests, and especially since after this he was indignant, as if he had been wronged in the greatest way.
§43Λυκῖνος
οἱ δὲ ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἕρμωνα καὶ Ζηνόθεμιν ἅμα κατέκειντο, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, ὁ μὲν ὑπεράνω ὁ Ζηνόθεμις, ὁ δʼ ὑπʼ αὐτόν· παρέκειτο δʼ αὐτοῖς τὰ μὲν ἄλλα πάντα ἴσα, καὶ ἀνείλοντο εἰρηνικῶς·
Lycinus And those around Hermon and Zenothemis were reclining together, as has been said, Zenothemis above and the other below him; and all other things indeed were laid beside them equally, and they took them up peacefully.
ἡ δὲ ὄρνις ἡ πρὸ τοῦ Ἕρμωνος πιμελεστέρα, οὕτως, οἶμαι, τυχόν.
However, the bird in front of Hermon was fatter, by chance, I suppose.
ἔδει δὲ καὶ ταύτας ἀναιρεῖσθαι τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἑκάτερον.
And it was necessary to take up these as well, each his own.
ἐν τούτῳ τοίνυν ὁ Ζηνόθεμις — καί μοι, ὦ Φίλων, πάνυ πρόσεχε τὸν νοῦν, ὁμοῦ γάρ ἐσμεν ἤδη τῷ κεφαλαίῳ τῶν πραχθέντων — ὁ δὲ Ζηνόθεμις, φημί, τὴν παρʼ αὑτῷ ἀφεὶς τὴν πρὸ τοῦ Ἕρμωνος ἀνείλετο πιοτέραν, ὡς ἔφην, οὖσαν·
At this moment, then, Zenothemis—and Philon, pay very close attention, for we are now near the climax of the events—Zenothemis, I say, leaving his own, took up the fatter one in front of Hermon, which, as I said, was fatter.
ὁ δʼ ἀντεπελάβετο καὶ οὐκ εἴα πλεονεκτεῖν.
But the other grabbed it in turn and would not allow him to take more than his share.
βοὴ τὸ ἐπὶ τούτοις, καὶ συμπεσόντες ἔπαιον ἀλλήλους ταῖς ὄρνισιν αὐταῖς ἐς τὰ πρόσωπα, καὶ τῶν πωγώνων ἐπειλημμένοι ἐπεκαλοῦντο βοηθεῖν, ὁ μὲν τὸν Κλεόδημον ὁ Ἕρμων, ὁ δὲ Ζηνόθεμις Ἀλκιδάμαντα καὶ Δίφιλον, καὶ συνίσταντο οἱ μὲν ὡς τοῦτον, οἱ δʼ ὡς ἐκεῖνον πλὴν μόνου τοῦ Ἴωνος·
A shout arose at this, and falling upon each other, they beat each other's faces with the birds themselves, and grabbing each other by the beard, they called for help: Hermon called Cleodemus, and Zenothemis called Alcidamas and Diphilus. And they lined up, some on this side, some on that, except only for Ion.