Callimachus · Iambs §20.1

Warning Against Ruin Through a Chariot-Racing Metaphor

Passage 21 of 22 · Greek

Summary

After describing the spread of the fire of passion, the speaker warns the addressee to restrain the raging horses and not to turn the second post, using a chariot-racing metaphor to avoid ruin.

§20.1τὸ πῦρ δ’ ὅπερ ἀνέκαυσας ἐς πολλὴν φλόγα πρόσω κεχώρηκε. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ἴσχε δὲ δρόμου μαργῶντας ἵππους μηδὲ δευτέραν κάμψῃς. . . . . . . . . μὴ παραὶ νύσσῃ δίφρον ἄξωσιν, ἐκ δὲ κύμβαχος κυβιστήσῃς.

But the fire which you kindled has gone far forward into a great flame.................. and hold back the raging horses from their course, nor turn the second post.........lest they break the chariot by the turning-post, and you tumble out headlong.

The above restoration mainly follows Schneidewin and Bergk.

Notes

20.1δρόμου — Genitive of separation with the verb ἴσχε (imperative of ἴσχω, "hold back"). It indicates holding back the object, the raging horses (μαργῶντας ἵππους), "from their course" or "from running".
20.1δευτέραν — Feminine accusative singular adjective, with a noun like νύσσα ("turning-post") omitted, referring to "rounding the second turning-post" in a chariot-racing metaphor.
20.1μὴ παραὶ νύσσῃ δίφρον ἄξωσιν — Along with the following κυβιστήσῃς, this forms a negative subjunctive clause (μὴ with subjunctive) expressing apprehension or prevention ("lest they..."). ἄξωσιν is either the aorist active subjunctive 3rd person plural of ἄγνυμι ("break") or a subjunctive form of ἄγω.

Cite this passage

Callimachus, Iambs §20.1. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0533.tlg007.humanitext-grc1:20.1

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