TRANSLATION PAGE

THYRSIS: Something pleasant is the whispering of the pines, goatherd, that one
by the running water making sweet music, and sweet is your
playing of the pipes. After Pan, you will take second prize.
If he would get a horned billy-goat, you would get a goat:
if he gets an old goat, the child would flow over to you:
the flesh of the child is good before it is milked.

GOATHERD: Sweeter, shepherd, is your song than the water
pouring down on the rocks from above.
If the muses take the sheep to their home,
you will get the stall-fed lamb as a gift: if it pleases
them to take the lamb, you will take the sheep after.

THYRSIS: Are you willing, goatherd, are you willing, by the nymph, to take your seat,
Where the hill slopes downward and the tamarix grows,
to play your pipe? I will tend to your goats.

GOATHERD: It is not customary, o shepherd, it is not custom for us
to play the pipes at noontide. We fear Pan: for at that time
he is weary from the hunt and stops to rest.
He is sharp and his sharp bitter anger always is ready to burst.
But since you, Thyrsis, were singing about how Daphnis suffered,
and you have attained a distinction in pastoral songs,
come and sit by the elm, opposite to Priapus
and the springs, where the shepherd's seat is,
and the trees. If you sing
like when you sang in Libya in competition with Chromis,
I will give to you to milk a goat that has borne twins,
who has two kids and is milked into two pails,
and a deep cup having been washed with sweet beeswax,
two-handled, newly-made, still smelling of the chiseling knife.
[...]

Θύρσις

῾Αδύ τι τὸ ψιθύρισμα καὶ ἁ πίτυς αἰπόλε τήνα,
ἃ ποτὶ ταῖς παγαῖσι μελίσδεται, ἁδὺ δὲ καὶ τὺ
συρίσδες: μετὰ Πᾶνα τὸ δεύτερον ἆθλον ἀποισῇ.
αἴκα τῆνος ἕλῃ κεραὸν τράγον, αἶγα τὺ λαψῇ.
αἴκα δ᾽ αἶγα λάβῃ τῆνος γέρας, ἐς τὲ καταρρεῖ
ἁ χίμαρος: χιμάρῳ δὲ καλὸν κρέας, ἕστέ κ᾽ ἀμέλξῃς.

Αἴπολος

῞Αδιον ὦ ποιμὴν τὸ τεὸν μέλος ἢ τὸ καταχὲς
τῆν᾽ ἀπὸ τᾶς πέτρας καταλείβεται ὑψόθεν ὕδωρ.
αἴκα ταὶ Μοῖσαι τὰν οἰίδα δῶρον ἄγωνται,
ἄρνα τὺ σακίταν λαψῇ γέρας: αἰ δέ κ᾽ ἀρέσκῃ
τήναις ἄρνα λαβεῖν, τὺ δὲ τὰν ὄιν ὕστερον ἀξῇ.

Θύρσις

λῇς ποτὶ τᾶν Νυμφᾶν, λῇς αἰπόλε τεῖδε καθίξας,
ὡς τὸ κάταντες τοῦτο γεώλοφον αἵ τε μυρῖκαι,
συρίσδεν; τὰς δ᾽ αἶγας ἐγὼν ἐν τῷδε νομευσῶ.

Αἴπολος

οὐ θέμις ὦ ποιμὴν τὸ μεσαμβρινόν, οὐ θέμις ἄμμιν
συρίσδεν. τὸν Πᾶνα δεδοίκαμες: ἦ γὰρ ἀπ᾽ ἄγρας
τανίκα κεκμακὼς ἀμπαύεται: ἔστι δὲ πικρός,
καί οἱ ἀεὶ δριμεῖα χολὰ ποτὶ ῥινὶ κάθηται.
ἀλλὰ τὺ γὰρ δὴ Θύρσι τὰ Δάφνιδος ἄλγε᾽ ἀείδες
καὶ τᾶς βουκολικᾶς ἐπὶ τὸ πλέον ἵκεο μοίσας,
δεῦρ᾽ ὑπὸ τὰν πτελέαν ἑσδώμεθα, τῶ τε Πριήπω
καὶ τᾶν Κραναιᾶν κατεναντίον, ᾇπερ ὁ θῶκος
τῆνος ὁ ποιμενικὸς καὶ ταὶ δρύες. αἰ δέ κ᾽ ἀείσῃς
ὡς ὅκα τὸν Λιβύαθε ποτὶ Χρόμιν ᾆσας ἐρίσδων,
αἶγα δέ τοι δωσῶ διδυματόκον ἐς τρὶς ἀμέλξαι,
ἃ δύ᾽ ἔχοισ᾽ ἐρίφως ποταμέλγεται ἐς δύο πέλλας,
καὶ βαθὺ κισσύβιον κεκλυσμένον ἁδέι κηρῷ,
ἀμφῶες, νεοτευχές, ἔτι γλυφάνοιο ποτόσδον.

πᾷ μοι ταὶ δάφναι; φέρε Θεστυλί· πᾷ δὲ τὰ φίλτρα;
στέψον τὰν κελέβαν φοινικέῳ οἰὸς ἀώτῳ,
ὡς τὸν ἐμὸν βαρὺν εὖντα φίλον καταθύσομαι ἄνδρα,
ὅς μοι δωδεκαταῖος ἀφʼ ὧ τάλας οὐδέποθʼ ἵκει,
οὐδʼ ἔγνω πότερον τεθνάκαμες ἢ ζοοὶ εἰμές.
οὐδὲ θύρας ἄραξεν ἀνάρσιος. ἦ ῥά οἱ ἀλλᾷ
ᾤχετʼ ἔχων ὅ τʼ Ἔρως ταχινὰς φρένας ἅ τʼ Ἀφροδίτα;

βασεῦμαι ποτὶ τὰν Τιμαγήτοιο παλαίστραν
αὔριον, ὥς νιν ἴδω, καὶ μέμψομαι οἷά με ποιεῖ.
νῦν δέ νιν ἐκ θυέων καταθύσομαι. ἀλλὰ Σελάνα,
φαῖνε καλόν· τὶν γὰρ ποταείσομαι ἅσυχα, δαῖμον,
τᾷ χθονίᾳ θʼ Ἑκάτα, τὰν καὶ σκύλακες τρομέοντι
ἐρχομέναν νεκύων ἀνά τʼ ἠρία καὶ μέλαν αἷμα.
χαῖρʼ Ἑκάτα δασπλῆτι, καὶ ἐς τέλος ἄμμιν ὀπάδει.
φάρμακα ταῦτʼ ἔρδοισα χερείονα μήτέ τι Κίρκης
μήτέ τι Μηδείας μήτε ξανθᾶς Περιμήδας.

Ἶυγξ, ἕλκε τὺ τῆνον ἐμὸν ποτὶ δῶμα τὸν ἄνδρα.
ἄλφιτά τοι πρᾶτον πυρὶ τάκεται· ἀλλʼ ἐπίπασσε
Θεστυλί. δειλαία, πᾷ τὰς φρένας ἐκπεπότασαι;
ἦ ῥά γε τρισμυσαρὰ καὶ τὶν ἐπίχαρμα τέτυγμαι;
πάσσʼ ἅμα καὶ λέγε ταῦτα· τὰ Δέλφιδος ὀστία πάσσω.

[...]

ἶυγξ, ἕλκε τὺ τῆνον ἐμὸν ποτὶ δῶμα τὸν ἄνδρα.
νῦν δὴ μώνα ἐοῖσα πόθεν τὸν ἔρωτα δακρύσω;
ἐκ τίνος ἄρξωμαι; τίς μοι κακὸν ἄγαγε τοῦτο;
ἦνθʼ ἁ τῶὐβούλοιο κανηφόρος ἄμμιν Ἀναξὼ
ἄλσος ἐς Ἀρτέμιδος, τᾷ δὴ τόκα πολλὰ μὲν ἄλλα
θηρία πομπεύεσκε περισταδόν, ἐν δὲ λέαινα.

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.
καί μʼ ἁ Θευχαρίδα Θρᾷσσα τροφὸς ἁ μακαρῖτις
ἀγχίθυρος ναίοισα κατεύξατο καὶ λιτάνευσε
τὰν πομπὰν θάσασθαι· ἐγὼ δέ οἱ ἁ μεγάλοιτος
ὡμάρτευν βύσσοιο καλὸν σύροισα χιτῶνα,
κἀμφιστειλαμένα τὰν ξυστίδα τὰν Κλεαρίστας.

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.
ἤδη δʼ εὖσα μέσον κατʼ ἀμαξιτόν, ᾇ τὰ Λύκωνος,
εἶδον ὁμοῦ Δέλφιν τε καὶ Εὐδάμιππον ἰόντας.
τοῖς δʼ ἦν ξανθοτέρα μὲν ἑλιχρύσοιο γενειάς,
στήθεα δὲ στίλβοντα πολὺ πλέον ἢ τὺ Σελάνα,
ὡς ἀπὸ γυμνασίοιο καλὸν πόνον ἄρτι λιπόντων.

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.
χὡς ἴδον, ὡς ἐμάνην, ὥς μευ πέρι θυμὸς ἰάφθη
δειλαίας· τὸ δὲ κάλλος ἐτάκετο, κοὔτέ τι πομπᾶς
τήνας ἐφρασάμαν, οὐδʼ ὡς πάλιν οἴκαδʼ ἀπῆνθον
ἔγνων· ἀλλά μέ τις καπυρὰ νόσος ἐξεσάλαξε,
κείμαν δʼ ἐν κλιντῆρι δέκʼ ἄματα καὶ δέκα νύκτας.

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.
καί μευ χρὼς μὲν ὁμοῖος ἐγίνετο πολλάκι θάψῳ,
ἔρρευν δʼ ἐκ κεφαλᾶς πᾶσαι τρίχες, αὐτὰ δὲ λοιπὰ
ὀστίʼ ἔτʼ ἦς καὶ δέρμα. καὶ ἐς τίνος οὐκ ἐπέρασα
ἢ ποίας ἔλιπον γραίας δόμον, ἅτις ἐπᾷδεν;
ἀλλʼ ἦς οὐδὲν ἐλαφρόν· ὁ δέ χρόνος ἄνυτο φεύγων.

[...]

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα—
πᾶσα μὲν ἐψύχθην χιόνος πλέον, ἐν δὲ μετώπῳ
ἱδρώς μευ κοχύδεσκεν ἴσον νοτίαισιν ἐέρσαις,
οὐδέ τι φωνᾶσαι δυνάμαν, οὐδʼ ὅσσον ἐν ὕπνῳ
κνυζεῦνται φωνεῦντα φίλαν ποτὶ ματέρα τέκνα·
ἀλλʼ ἐπάγην δαγῦδι καλὸν χρόα πάντοθεν ἴσα.

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.
καί μʼ ἐσιδὼν ὥστοργος, ἐπὶ χθονὸς ὄμματα πήξας
ἕξετʼ ἐπὶ κλιντῆρι καὶ ἑζόμενος φάτο μῦθον·
ἦ ῥά με Σιμαίθα τόσον ἔφθασας, ὅσσον ἐγώ θην
πρᾶν ποκα τὸν χαρίεντα τρέχων ἔφθασσα Φιλῖνον,
ἐς τὸ τεὸν καλέσασα τόδε στέγος ἤ με παρῆμεν.

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.
ἦνθον γάρ κεν ἐγώ, ναὶ τὸν γλυκὺν ἦνθον Ἔρωτα,
ἢ τρίτος ἠὲ τέταρτος ἐὼν φίλος αὐτίκα νυκτός,
μᾶλα μὲν ἐν κόλποισι Διωνύσοιο φυλάσσων,
κρατὶ δʼ ἔχων λεύκαν, Ἡρακλέος ἱερὸν ἔρνος,
πάντοθε πορφυρέαισι περὶ ζώστραισιν ἑλικτάν.

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.
καί μʼ εἰ μέν κʼ ἐδέχεσθε, τάδʼ ἦς φίλα· καὶ γὰρ ἐλαφρὸς
καὶ καλὸς πάντεσσι μετʼ ἠιθέοισι καλεῦμαι·
εὗδόν τʼ, εἴ κε μόνον τὸ καλὸν στόμα τεῦς ἐφίλασα·
εἰ δʼ ἀλλᾷ μʼ ὠθεῖτε καὶ ἁ θύρα εἴχετο μοχλῷ,
πάντως καὶ πελέκεις καὶ λαμπάδες ἦνθον ἐφʼ ὑμέας.

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.
νῦν δὲ χάριν μὲν ἔφαν τᾷ Κύπριδι πρᾶτον ὀφείλειν,
καὶ μετὰ τὰν Κύπριν τύ με δευτέρα ἐκ πυρὸς εἵλευ
ὦ γύναι ἐσκαλέσασα τεὸν ποτὶ τοῦτο μέλαθρον
αὔτως ἡμίφλεκτον· Ἔρως δʼ ἄρα καὶ Λιπαραίω
πολλάκις Ἡφαίστοιο σέλας φλογερώτερον αἴθει.

φράζεό μευ τὸν ἔρωθʼ ὅθεν ἵκετο, πότνα Σελάνα.
σὺν δὲ κακαῖς μανίαις καὶ παρθένον ἐκ θαλάμοιο
καὶ νύμφαν ἐφόβησʼ ἔτι δέμνια θερμὰ λιποῖσαν
ἀνέρος. ὣς ὁ μὲν εἶπεν· ἐγὼ δέ οἱ ἁ ταχυπειθὴς
χειρὸς ἐφαψαμένα μαλακῶν ἔκλινʼ ἐπὶ λέκτρων.
καὶ ταχὺ χρὼς ἐπὶ χρωτὶ πεπαίνετο, καὶ τὰ πρόσωπα
θερμότερʼ ἦς ἢ πρόσθε, καὶ ἐψιθυρίσδομες ἁδύ·
χὥς κά τοι μὴ μακρὰ φίλα θρυλέοιμι Σελάνα,
ἐπράχθη τὰ μέγιστα, καὶ ἐς πόθον ἤνθομες ἄμφω.
κοὔτέ τι τῆνος ἐμὶν ἐπεμέμψατο μέσφα τό γʼ ἐχθές,
οὔτʼ ἐγὼ αὖ τήνῳ. ἀλλʼ ἦνθέ μοι ἅ τε Φιλίστας
μάτηρ τᾶς ἀλαᾶς αὐλητρίδος ἅ τε Μελιξοῦς
σάμερον, ἁνίκα πέρ τε ποτʼ ὠρανὸν ἔτρεχον ἵπποι
Ἀῶ τὰν ῥοδόπαχυν ἀπʼ Ὠκεανοῖο φέροισαι.
κεἶπέ μοι ἄλλά τε πολλὰ καὶ ὡς ἄρα Δέλφις ἐρᾶται,
κεἴτέ νιν αὖτε γυναικὸς ἔχει πόθος εἴτε καὶ ἀνδρός,
οὐκ ἔφατʼ ἀτρεκὲς ἴδμεν, ἀτὰρ τόσον· αἰὲν Ἔρωτος
ἀκράτω ἐπεχεῖτο καὶ ἐς τέλος ᾤχετο φεύγων,
καὶ φάτο οἱ στεφάνοισι τὰ δώματα τῆνα πυκάσδειν.
ταῦτά μοι ἁ ξείνα μυθήσατο· ἔστι δʼ ἀλαθής·
ἦ γάρ μοι καὶ τρὶς καὶ τετράκις ἄλλοκʼ ἐφοίτη,
καὶ παρʼ ἐμὶν ἐτίθει τὰν Δωρίδα πολλάκις ὄλπαν·
νῦν δέ τε δωδεκαταῖος ἀφʼ ὧτέ νιν οὐδὲ ποτεῖδον.
ἦ ῥʼ οὐκ ἄλλό τι τερπνὸν ἔχει, ἁμῶν δὲ λέλασται;
νῦν μὲν τοῖς φίλτροις καταθύσομαι· αἰ δʼ ἔτι κἠμὲ
λυπῇ, τὰν Ἀίδαο πύλαν ναὶ Μοίρας ἀραξεῖ.
τοῖά οἱ ἐν κίστᾳ κακὰ φάρμακα φαμὶ φυλάσσειν,
Ἀσσυρίω δέσποινα παρὰ ξείνοιο μαθοῖσα.
ἀλλὰ τὺ μὲν χαίροισα ποτʼ Ὠκεανὸν τρέπε πώλους,
πότνιʼ· ἐγὼ δʼ οἰσῶ τὸν ἐμὸν πόνον ὥσπερ ὑπέσταν.
χαῖρε Σελαναία λιπαρόχροε, χαίρετε δʼ ἄλλοι
ἀστέρες, εὐκήλοιο κατʼ ἄντυγα Νυκτὸς ὀπαδοί.

I will seranade Amaryllis, while my goats
are feeding on the mountain, and Tityrus drives them.
Tityrus, dearly beloved by me, tend to the goats
and lead them towards the spring, Tityrus: and watch for
the Libyan he-goat, lest he headbutt you.

Oh graceful Amaryllis, why do you no longer peep out sideways
out of your cave and call me darling? Do you hate me?
Do I appear snub-nosed up cosed to you,
maiden, and long-chinned? You will make me hang myself.
See that I bring you ten apples: I have fetched
that which you caled me to fetch for you, and I will bring more tomorrow.
Just look at my heart-wrenching suffering. Would that I could become
a buzzing bee and could come into your cave,
slipping through the ivy and the ferns which cover you.
Now I have come to know love, the heavy god, surely
suckled on the breasts of lionessess, and his mother raised him in a thicket,
he who burns me slowly with fire, and wounds me to the depth of my bones.
She who looks with something beautiful in her gaze, all stone, dark-browed
nymph, embrace me, the goatherd, that I might kiss you.
There is sweet delight in even an empty kiss.
You will make me pluck my garland into pieces at once,
the ivy wreath which I, dear Amaryllis, keep for you,
entwining and covering it with sweet-smelling celery.

Wretched me, what should I suffer? Why am I ruined? You do not hear me.
Stripping my shepherd's clothes I will leap into the swelling waves,
where Olpis the fisherman looks out for tunny fish:
And if I should die, at least your pleasure is made.
I came to know this when thinking of you, and if you love me,
that not even smacking the love-in-absence made it stick,
but made it shrivel against my arm.
Agroio, the sieve diviner,
who was gathering plants before, said that I am
wholly devoted to you, but you take no word of me.
[...]

BATTUS: Tell me, oh Korydon, whose cows are these? is it Philondas?

KORYDON: No, they are Aigonos's. He gave them to me to feed.

BA: Do you milk them all secretly towards the evening somewhere?

KO: No, the old man brings the calves to suckle them and watches over me.

BA: And the cowherd, he has gone off to some land and vanished?

KO: You didn't hear? Milon has carried him off to ALpheos.

BA: And when has he seen with his own eyes the oil?

KO: They say he rivals Herakles in courage and strength.

BA: And my mother said that I am better than Polydeukes.

KO: And when he went he had with him a spade and twenty sheep.

BA: Milon could persuade even the wolves go mad in a moment.

KO: The heifers bellow, longing for him.

BA: They're wretched; they have such a bad cowherd.

KO: Wretched indeed! And they no longer wish to feed.

BA: That heifer has been left to bones. Is she feeding on dewdrops like a cicada?

KO: By the earth! But sometimes I graze her upon the Aisaros,
and I give her bundles of good, soft food,
or else she frisks about hte dark Latymnos.

BA: And how frail is that red cow! Would that
the people of Lampriadas would draw that one when they sacrifice
to Hera: that is a bad townsman.

KO: And yet I drive him to Stomaliomon, to Physkos,
and towards Neaithos, by which everything grows beautifully,
buckwheat and fleabane and sweet-smelling balm.

BA: Alas, wretched Aigon! Your cattle too will go to Hades,
because even you long to be victorious,
and the pipe you made once is sprinkled with rust.

KO: Not that pipe, not by the nymphs, when he stole away
to Pisa and left it to me as a gift: I am something of a singer myself,
and I strike up the songs of Glaukos and Pyrrhus well,
I speak of Krotona-- "The beautiful city of Zakunthos" --
and of Lakinon to the east, where the boxer
Argon devoured eighty whole barley-cakes.
And there he dragged a bull by the hoof
and gave it to Amyrillis, and the woman
screamed long, and the herdsmen laughed aloud.

BA: Oh beautiful Amaryllis, though you are dead
I will never forget you: as greatly as I love my sheep,so great are you.
Ah, so hard is the god who has given me this lot.

KO: You must have courage, dear Battus: tomorrow things will be better.
There is hope in living, and only the dead are hopeless.
And Zeus comes in one place as light, and in another place as rain.

BA: I have hope. Drive the cattle down,
for they are gnawing on the ruined olive branches--

KO: Sst! Lepargus!

BA: --the wretched things.

KO: Sst! Kymaitha! Up the hill! Aren't you listening to me?
I'll come for you, yes, by Pan, and I will give you a bad end
if you don't get away from there. See, she comes creeping back again--
would that I had my crooked staff so that I might beat you.

BA: By God, Korydon, look here: fo a thorn has just pierced my ankle. How deep
the thorns grow! May something evil destroy your heifer!
It was that was I was yawning at when I was wounded. Do you see it?
[...]

Daimotas and Daphnis, the herdsmen, brought their herds together to the same spot,
Aratus—one was fair-haired, the other half-bearded—
in the summer, in the middle of the day,
both sitting by a spring and singing.
Daphnis began, since he challenged first:

“Galateia pelts your sheep with apples, Polyphemus,
calling you a sick-in-love goatherd,
and you do not look at her, wretched her, but sit
playing the pipes pleasantly. Look, again, how she strikes your dog,
who watches over your rams—she barks,
looking towards the sea, reflected in the waves
gently crashing upon the shore, frothing with foam—
look how she leaps as she comes out of the young waves
and comes to her legs, scratching upon the beautiful skin.
She stands there giving herself airs, like the dried
hairs of thistle-thorns when the beautiful summer sundries them,
and she flees when loved and does not pursue loving,
moving the stone from the starting line: for truly, Polyphemus, through love
things not beautiful often appear beautiful.”

Then Daimotas struck up his song and sang thus:

“I saw, yes, by Pan, how she hit my sheep,
it did not escape my notice, no, by my one precious eye,
I saw her the whole time—but the hated seer Telemon, making
hateful speeches, may take them home and guard them for his children.
I do not take notice, so that I may tear her apart in turn,
and instead I say there are other women to be had—
then I see her crying out for me, zealous, by Paean, coming out of the sea
driven mad, looking towards my cave and my flock.
I hissed at my dog to howl at her, and when I was in love,
she whined and kept her snout on her lap.
Maybe this time, watching me treat her like this, she will send
a messenger: but I will shut the door until she swears
upon this island to lay me down upon this beautiful bed.
For surely I don't have as bad of an appearance as they say I do.
When I recently looked upon the sea, the stillness,
even my beard was beautiful, and my one eye;
that was how I have judged it, it was clear, the sea showed
the shining of my teeth whiter than Parean marble.
And so that I would not be bewitched, I spat upon my chest thrice—
for that old woman Kotytaris taught me well.”

Having said this, Daimotas kissed Daphnis,
and he gave him a pipe, and Daphnis gave him a beautiful flute.
Daimoitas played the flute, the herdsman Daphnis piped,
and at once the calves danced in the soft grass.
Neither one of them was victorious; they were both unconquerable.