§3.1ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ
Τί ἂν λέγοιμεν;
APOLLO What should we say, Dionysus?
ὁμομητρίους, ὦ Διόνυσε, ἀδελφοὺς ὄντας Ἔρωτα καὶ Ἑρμαφρόδιτον καὶ Πρίαπον, ἀνομοιοτάτους εἶναι τὰς μορφὰς καὶ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα;
That Eros, Hermaphroditus, and Priapus, who are brothers born of the same mother, are so utterly unlike in their forms and pursuits?
ὁ μὲν γὰρ πάγκαλος καὶ τοξότης καὶ δύναμιν οὐ μικρὰν περιβεβλημένος ἁπάντων ἄρχων, ὁ δὲ θῆλυς καὶ ἡμίανδρος καὶ ἀμφίβολος τὴν ὄψιν· οὐκ ἂν διακρίναις εἴτ' ἔφηβός ἐστιν εἴτε καὶ παρθένος· ὁ δὲ καὶ πέρα τοῦ εὐπρεποῦς ἀνδρικὸς ὁ Πρίαπος.
For the one is all-beautiful, an archer, and endowed with no small power, ruling over all; the second is effeminate, half-man, and ambiguous in appearance, so that you could not distinguish whether he is a youth or a maiden; while the third, Priapus, is masculine beyond the bounds of decency.
ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ
Μηδὲν θαυμάσῃς, ὦ Ἄπολλον· οὐ γὰρ Ἀφροδίτη αἰτία τούτου, ἀλλὰ οἱ πατέρες διάφοροι γεγενημένοι, ὅπου γε καὶ ὁμοπάτριοι πολλάκις ἐκ μιᾶς γαστρός, ὁ μὲν ἄρσην, ἡ δὲ θήλεια, ὥσπερ ὑμεῖς, γίνονται.
DIONYSUS Do not wonder at all, Apollo; for Aphrodite is not the cause of this, but the fathers were different, whereas indeed even those of the same father from a single womb often turn out to be, one male and the other female, just like you two.
ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ
Ναί· ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς ὅμοιοί ἐσμεν καὶ ταὐτὰ ἐπιτηδεύομεν· τοξόται γὰρ ἄμφω.
APOLLO Yes, but we are alike and engage in the same pursuits; for we are both archers.
ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ
Μέχρι μὲν τόξου τὰ αὐτά, ὦ Ἄπολλον, ἐκεῖνα δὲ οὐχ ὅμοια, ὅτι ἡ μὲν Ἄρτεμις ξενοκτονεῖ ἐν Σκύθαις, σὺ δέ μαντεύῃ καὶ ἰᾷ τοὺς κάμνοντας.
DIONYSUS As far as the bow goes, they are the same, Apollo, but those other things are not alike, since Artemis slaughters strangers among the Scythians, while you deliver oracles and heal the sick.
ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ
Οἴει γὰρ τὴν ἀδελφὴν χαίρειν τοῖς Σκύθαις, ἥ γε καὶ παρεσκεύασται, ἤν τις Ἕλλην ἀφίκηταί ποτε εἰς τὴν Ταυρικήν, συνεκπλεῦσαι μετ' αὐτοῦ μυσαττομένη τὰς σφαγάς;
APOLLO Do you think my sister delights in the Scythians? She who has actually prepared herself, if any Greek should ever arrive in Taurica, to sail away with him, detesting the slaughters?
§3.2ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ
Εὖ γε ἐκείνη ποιοῦσα.
DIONYSUS Very well done of her.
ὁ μέντοι Πρίαπος, γελοῖον γάρ τί σοι διηγήσομαι, πρῴην ἐν Λαμψάκῳ γενόμενος, ἐγὼ μὲν παρῄειν τὴν πόλιν, ὁ δὲ ὑποδεξάμενός με καὶ ξενίσας παρ' αὑτῷ, ἐπειδὴ ἀνεπαυσάμεθα ἐν τῷ συμποσίῳ ἱκανῶς ὑποβεβρεγμένοι, κατ' αὐτάς που μέσας νύκτας ἐπαναστὰς ὁ γενναῖος—αἰδοῦμαι δὲ λέγειν.
However, as for Priapus—for I will tell you a ridiculous thing—when he was in Lampsacus the other day, I was passing by the city, and he, welcoming me, entertained me at his home; when we had rested after being sufficiently drunk at the symposium, somewhere about midnight, that noble fellow, getting up—but I am ashamed to speak.
ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ
Ἐπείρα σε, Διόνυσε;
APOLLO Did he make an attempt on you, Dionysus?
ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ
Τοιοῦτόν ἐστι.
DIONYSUS That is indeed the case.
ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ
Σὺ δὲ τί πρὸς ταῦτα;
APOLLO And what did you do in response?
ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ
Τί γὰρ ἄλλο ἢ ἐγέλασα;
DIONYSUS What else but laugh?
ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ
Εὖ γε, τὸ μὴ χαλεπῶς μηδὲ ἀγρίως· συγγνωστὸς γάρ, εἰ καλόν σε οὕτως ὄντα ἐπείρα.
APOLLO Well done, not taking it hard or fiercely; for he is to be forgiven, if he made an attempt on you, who are so beautiful.
ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΣ
Τούτου μὲν ἕνεκα καὶ ἐπὶ σὲ ἄν, ὦ Ἄπολλον, ἀγάγοι τὴν πεῖραν· καλὸς γὰρ σὺ καὶ κομήτης, ὡς καὶ νήφοντα ἄν σοι τὸν Πρίαπον ἐπιχειρῆσαι.
DIONYSUS On that account, Apollo, he might even direct his attempt at you; for you are beautiful and have long hair, so that Priapus might make an attempt on you even when sober.
ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ
Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐπιχειρήσει γε, ὦ Διόνυσε· ἔχω γὰρ μετὰ τῆς κόμης καὶ τόξα.
APOLLO But he will certainly not make the attempt, Dionysus; for I have, along with my hair, bows too.