§6.1ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Ὦ Κόριννα, ὡς μὲν οὐ πάνυ δεινὸν ἦν, ὃ ἐνόμιζες, τὸ γυναῖκα γενέσθαι ἐκ παρθένου, μεμάθηκας ἤδη, μετὰ μειρακίου μὲν ὡραίου γενομένη, μνᾶν δὲ τὸ πρῶτον μίσθωμα κομισαμένη, ἐξ ἧς ὅρμον αὐτίκα ὠνήσομαί σοι.
CROBYLE Corinna, that it was not such a terrible thing as you thought, to become a woman from a virgin, you have already learned by experience, having been with a handsome youth and having received a mina as your first payment, out of which I shall immediately buy you a necklace.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ
Ναί, μαννάριον.
CORINNA Yes, Mommy.
ἐχέτω δὲ καὶ ψήφους τινὰς πυραυγεῖς οἷος ὁ Φιλαινίδος ἐστίν.
And let it have some fiery-bright stones, like the one Philaenis has.
ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Ἔσται τοιοῦτος.
CROBYLE It shall be like that.
ἄκουε δὲ καὶ τἆλλα παρ' ἐμοῦ ἅ σε χρὴ ποιεῖν καὶ ὅπως προσφέρεσθαι τοῖς ἀνδράσιν· ἄλλη μὲν γὰρ ἡμῖν ἀποστροφὴ τοῦ βίου οὐκ ἔστιν, ὦ θύγατερ, ἀλλὰ δύο ἔτη ταῦτα ἐξ οὗ τέθνηκεν ὁ μακαρίτης σου πατήρ, οὐκ οἶσθα ὅπως ἀπεζήσαμεν;
And listen also to the other things from me which you must do, and how to behave towards men; for we have no other resource for our livelihood, my daughter. Since your blessed father died these two years ago, do you not know how we survived?
ὅτε δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἔζη, πάντα ἦν ἡμῖν ἱκανά· ἐχάλκευε γὰρ καὶ μέγα ἦν ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐν Πειραιεῖ, καὶ πάντων ἐστὶν ἀκοῦσαι διομνυμένων ἦ μὴν μετὰ Φιλῖνον μηκέτι ἔσεσθαι ἄλλον χαλκέα.
While he lived, everything was sufficient for us; for he was a smith and his name was great in Piraeus, and you can hear everyone swearing that indeed after Philinus there will never be another smith.
μετὰ δὲ τὴν τελευτὴν τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀποδομένη τὰς πυράγρας καὶ τὸν ἄκμονα καὶ σφῦραν δύο μνῶν, μῆνας ἀπὸ τούτων ἑπτὰ διετράφημεν· εἶτα νῦν μὲν ὑφαίνουσα, νῦν δὲ κρόκην κατάγουσα ἢ στήμονα κλώθουσα ἐποριζόμην τὰ σιτία μόλις· ἔβοσκον δὲ σέ, ὦ θύγατερ, τὴν ἐλπίδα περιμένουσα.
But after his death, at first by selling his tongs, anvil, and hammer for two minae, we were supported from this for seven months; then, now by weaving, now by drawing down the weft, or spinning the warp, I barely provided our food; and I reared you, my daughter, waiting for my hope.
§6.2ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ
Τὴν μνᾶν λέγεις;
CORINNA Do you mean the mina?
ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ἐλογιζόμην ὡς τηλικαύτη γενομένη θρέψεις μὲν ἐμέ, σεαυτὴν δὲ κατακοσμήσεις ῥᾳδίως καὶ πλουτήσεις καὶ ἐσθῆτας ἕξεις ἁλουργεῖς καὶ θεραπαίνας.
CROBYLE No, but I calculated that when you reached this age you would support me, and easily adorn yourself, and grow rich, and have purple garments and maidservants.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ
Πῶς ἔφης, μῆτερ, ἢ τί λέγεις;
CORINNA How do you mean, Mother, or what are you saying?
ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Συνοῦσα μὲν τοῖς νεανίσκοις καὶ συμπίνουσα μετ' αὐτῶν καὶ συγκαθεύδουσα ἐπὶ μισθῷ.
CROBYLE By consorting with young men, and drinking with them, and sleeping with them for a fee.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ
Καθάπερ ἡ Δαφνίδος θυγάτηρ Λύρα;
CORINNA Just like Lyra, the daughter of Daphnis?
ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Ναί.
CROBYLE Yes.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ
Ἀλλ' ἐκείνη ἑταίρα ἐστίν.
CORINNA But she is an hetaera.
ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Οὐδὲν τοῦτο δεινόν· καὶ σὺ γὰρ πλουτήσεις ὡς ἐκείνη καὶ πολλοὺς ἐραστὰς ἕξεις.
CROBYLE There is nothing terrible in that; for you too will grow rich like her and have many lovers.
τί ἐδάκρυσας, ὦ Κόριννα;
Why did you weep, Corinna?
οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὁπόσαι καὶ ὡς περισπούδαστοί εἰσιν αἱ ἑταῖραι καὶ ὅσα χρήματα λαμβάνουσι;
Do you not see how many and how sought-after the hetaerae are, and how much money they receive?
τὴν Δαφνίδος γοῦν ἐγὼ οἶδα, ὦ φίλη Ἀδράστεια, ῥάκη, πρὶν αὐτὴν ἀκμάσαι τὴν ὥραν, περιβεβλημένην· ἀλλὰ νῦν ὁρᾷς οἵα πρόεισι, χρυσὸς καὶ ἐσθῆτες εὐανθεῖς καὶ θεράπαιναι τέτταρες.
As for the daughter of Daphnis, indeed, O dear Adrasteia, I know that before her bloom of youth she was wrapped in rags; but now you see how she goes forth, with gold, and bright-colored garments, and four maidservants.
§6.3ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ
Πῶς δὲ ταῦτα ἐκτήσατο ἡ Λύρα;
CORINNA And how did Lyra acquire these things?
ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Τὸ μὲν πρῶτον κατακοσμοῦσα ἑαυτὴν εὐπρεπῶς καὶ εὐσταλὴς οὖσα καὶ φαιδρὰ πρὸς ἅπαντας, οὐκ ἄχρι τοῦ καγχαρίζειν ῥᾳδίως καθάπερ σὺ εἴωθας, ἀλλὰ μειδιῶσα ἡδὺ καὶ ἐπαγωγόν, εἶτα προσομιλοῦσα δεξιῶς καὶ μήτε φενακίζουσα, εἴ τις προσέλθοι ἢ προπέμψειε, μήτε αὐτὴ ἐπιλαμβανομένη τῶν ἀνδρῶν.
CROBYLE First of all, by adorning herself decently, being well-dressed and cheerful towards everyone, not to the extent of laughing loudly and easily as you are accustomed to do, but smiling sweetly and alluringly; then, by conversing tactfully, and neither deceiving if anyone should approach or send a gift, nor herself clinging to men.
ἢν δέ ποτε καὶ ἀπέλθῃ ἐπὶ δεῖπνον λαβοῦσα μίσθωμα, οὔτε μεθύσκεται—καταγέλαστον γὰρ καὶ μισοῦσιν οἱ ἄνδρες τὰς τοιαύτας—οὔτε ὑπερεμφορεῖται τοῦ ὄψου ἀπειροκάλως, ἀλλὰ προσάπτεται μὲν ἄκροις τοῖς δακτύλοις, σιωπῇ δὲ τὰς ἐνθέσεις οὐκ ἐπ' ἀμφοτέρας παραβύεται τὰς γνάθους, πίνει δὲ ἠρέμα, οὐ χανδόν, ἀλλ’ ἀναπαυομένη.
And if ever she goes out to a dinner, having received a fee, she neither gets drunk—for it is ridiculous, and men hate such women—nor stuffs herself with food in an ill-bred manner, but touches it with the tips of her fingers, and in silence does not cram her mouthfuls into both cheeks, and drinks gently, not greedily, but taking a pause.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ
Κἂν εἰ διψῶσα, ὦ μῆτερ, τύχῃ;
CORINNA Even if she happens to be thirsty, Mother?
ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Τότε μάλιστα, ὦ Κόριννα.
CROBYLE Then especially, Corinna.
καὶ οὔτε πλέον τοῦ δέοντος φθέγγεται οὔτε ἀποσκώπτει ἔς τινα τῶν παρόντων, ἐς μόνον δὲ τὸν μισθωσάμενον βλέπει· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖνοι φιλοῦσιν αὐτήν.
And she neither speaks more than is necessary, nor mocks any of those present, but looks only at the one who hired her; and because of this, they love her.
καὶ ἐπειδὰν κοιμᾶσθαι δέῃ, ἀσελγὲς οὐδὲν οὐδὲ ἀμελὲς ἐκείνη ἄν τι ἐργάσαιτο, ἀλλὰ ἐξ ἅπαντος ἓν τοῦτο θηρᾶται, ὡς ὑπαγάγοιτο καὶ ἐραστὴν ποιήσειεν ἐκεῖνον· ταῦτα γὰρ αὐτῆς ἅπαντες ἐπαινοῦσιν.
And when it is time to sleep, she would do nothing wanton or careless, but hunts after this one thing above all: how she might win him over and make him her lover; for everyone praises these qualities in her.
εἰ δὴ καὶ σὺ ταῦτα ἐκμάθοις, μακάριαι καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσόμεθα· ἐπεὶ τά γε ἄλλα παρὰ πολὺ αὐτῆς—ἀλλ’ οὐδέν, ὦ φίλη Ἀδράστεια, φημί, ζῴης μόνον.
If indeed you also should learn these things well, we too shall be blessed; since in other things you are far superior to her—but nothing, O dear Adrasteia, I say, only may you live.
§6.4ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ
Εἰπέ μοι, ὦ μῆτερ, οἱ μισθούμενοι πάντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν οἷος ὁ Εὔκριτος, μεθ' οὗ χθὲς ἐκάθευδον;
CORINNA Tell me, Mother, are all those who hire women like Eucritus, with whom I slept yesterday?
ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Οὐ πάντες, ἀλλ’ ἔνιοι μὲν ἀμείνους, οἱ δὲ καὶ ἤδη ἀνδρώδεις, οἱ δὲ καὶ οὐ πάνυ μορφῆς εὐφυῶς ἔχοντες.
CROBYLE Not all, but some are better, while others are already older and manly, and others are not very well-endowed with good looks.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ
Καὶ τοιούτοις συγκαθεύδειν δεήσει;
CORINNA And will I have to sleep with such men too?
ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ
Μάλιστα, ὦ θύγατερ· οὗτοι μέν τοι καὶ πλείονα διδόασιν· οἱ καλοὶ δὲ αὐτὸ μόνον καλοὶ θέλουσιν εἶναι.
CROBYLE Most certainly, my daughter; and indeed, these are the ones who give more; for the handsome ones wish to be handsome and nothing else.
καὶ σοὶ δὲ μελέτω ἀεὶ τοῦ πλείονος, εἰ θέλεις ἐν βραχεῖ λέγειν ἁπάσας ἐνδειξάσας σε τῷ δακτύλῳ, Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὴν Κόρινναν τὴν τῆς Κρωβύλης θυγατέρα ὡς ὑπερπλουτεῖ καὶ τρισευδαίμονα πεποίηκε τὴν μητέρα; τί φῄς;
And let it always be your concern to get more, if you wish in a short time to hear all the women, pointing at you with their finger, say, "Do you not see Corinna, the daughter of Crobyle, how exceedingly rich she is, and how thrice-happy she has made her mother?" What do you say?
ποιήσεις ταῦτα;
Will you do these things?
ποιήσεις, οἶδα ἐγώ, καὶ προέξεις ἁπασῶν ῥᾳδίως.
You will, I know it, and you will easily surpass them all.
νῦν δ’ ἄπιθι λουσομένη, εἰ ἀφίκοιτο καὶ τήμερον τὸ μειράκιον ὁ Εὔκριτος· ὑπισχνεῖτο γάρ.
But now go and wash yourself, in case the youth Eucritus should arrive today as well; for he promised.