Select Epigrams from the Greek Anthology Part 26

IX HEAVEN ON EARTH THEOCRITUS

This is not the common Cyprian; revere the G.o.ddess, and name her the Heavenly, the dedication of holy Chrysogone in the house of Amphicles, with whom she had children and life together; and ever it was better with them year by year, who began with thy wors.h.i.+p, O mistress; for mortals who serve the G.o.ds are the better off themselves.

X WEARY PARTING MELEAGER

Fair-freighted sea-faring s.h.i.+ps that sail the Strait of h.e.l.le, taking the good north wind in your sails, if haply on the island sh.o.r.es of Cos you see Phanion gazing on the sparkling sea, carry this message: Fair bride, thy desire beings me, not a sailor but a wayfarer on my feet. For if you say this, carrying good news, straitway will Zeus of the Fair Weather likewise breathe into your canvas.

XI MOTHERHOOD CALLIMACHUS

Again, O Ilithyia, come thou at Lycaenis' call, Lady of Birth, even thus with happy issue of travail; whose offering now this is for a girl; but afterwards may thy fragrant temple hold another for a boy.

XII PAST PERIL CALLIMACHUS

Thou knowest, Asclepius, that thou hast received payment of the debt that Aceson owed, having vowed it for his wife Demodice; yet if it be forgotten, and thou demand thy wages, this tablet says it will give testimony.

XIII FATHER AND MOTHER PHAEDIMUS

Artemis, to thee the son of Cichesias dedicates his shoes, and Themostodice the strait folds of her gown, because thou didst graciously hold thy two hands over her in childbed, coming, O our Lady, without thy bow. And do thou, O Artemis, grant yet to Leon to see his infant child a st.u.r.dy-limbed boy.

XIV HOUSEHOLD HAPPINESS AGATHIAS

Callirhoe dedicates to the Paphian garlands, to Pallas a tress of hair, to Artemis her girdle; for she found a wooer to her heart, and was given a stainless prime, and bore male children.

XV GRACIOUS CHILDREN THEAETETUS

Be happy, children; whose family are you? and what gracious name is given to so pretty things as you?--I am Nicanor, and my father is Aepioretus, and my mother Hegeso, and I am a Macedonian born.--And I am Phila, and this is my brother; and we both stand here fulfilling a vow of our parents.

XVI THE UNBROKEN HOME AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Androtion built me, a burying-place for himself and his children and wife, but as yet I am the tomb of no one; so likewise may I remain for a long time; and if it must be, let me take to myself the eldest first.

XVII THE BROKEN HOME BIANOR

I wept the doom of my Theionoe, but borne up by hopes of her child I wailed in lighter grief; and now a jealous fate has bereft me of the child also; alas, babe, I am cozened even of thee, all that was left me. Persephone, hear thou this at a father's lamentation; lay the babe on the bosom of its mother who is gone.

XVIII SUNDERING ANTIPATER OF SIDON

Surely, methinks, when thou hadst set thy footprint, Aretemias, from the boat upon Cocytus' sh.o.r.e, carrying in thy young hand thy baby just dead, the fair Dorian women had compa.s.sion in Hades, inquiring of thy fate; and thou, fretting thy cheeks with tears, didst utter that woful word: O friends, having travailed of two children, I left one for my husband Euphron, and the other I bring to the dead.

XIX NUNC DIMITTIS JOANNES BARBUCALLUS

Gazing upon my husband as my last thread was spun, I praised the G.o.ds of death, and I praised the G.o.ds of marriage, those that I left my husband alive, and these that he was even such an one; but may he remain, a father for our children.

XX LEFT ALONE AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Marathonis laid Nicopolis in this stone, wetting the marble coffin with tears, but all to no avail; for what is there more than sorrow for a man alone upon earth when his wife is gone?

XXI EARTH'S FELICITY CARPHYLLIDES

Find no fault as thou pa.s.sest by my monument, O wayfarer; not even in death have I aught worthy of lamentation. I have left children's children; I had joy of one wife, who grew old along with me; I made marriage for three sons whose sons I often lulled asleep on my breast, and never moaned over the sickness or the death of any: who, shedding tears without sorrow over me, sent me to slumber the sweet sleep in the country of the holy.

CHAPTER VIII

BEAUTY

I SUMMER NOON MELEAGER

I saw Alexis at noon walking on the way, when summer was just cutting the tresses of the cornfields; and double rays burned me; these of Love from the boy's eyes, and those from the sun. But those night allayed again, while these in dreams the phantom of a form kindled yet higher; and Sleep, the releaser of toil for others, brought toil upon me, fas.h.i.+oning the image of beauty in my soul, a breathing fire.

II IN THE FIELD-PATH RHIa.n.u.s

Surely, O Cleonicus, the lovely Graces met thee going along the narrow field-path, and clasped thee close with their rose-like hands, O boy, and thou wert made all grace. Hail to thee from afar; but it is not safe, O my dear, for the dry asphodel stalk to move too near the fire.

III THE NEW LOVE MELEAGER

The Cyprian denies that she bore Love, seeing Antiochus among the youths, another Desire; but O you who are young, cherish the new Longing; for a.s.suredly this boy is found a Love stronger than Love.

IV CONTRA MUNDUM CALLIMACHUS

Pour in and say again, "Diocles"; nor does Achelous touch the cups consecrated to him; fair is the boy, O Achelous, exceeding fair; and if any one says no, let me be alone in my judgment of beauty.

V THE FLOWER OF COS MELEAGER

Praxiteles the sculptor made a Parian image of Love, moulding the Cyprian's son; but now Love, the most beautiful of all the G.o.ds, imaging himself, has fas.h.i.+oned a breathing statue, Praxiteles, that the one among mortals and the other in heaven may have all love-charms in control, and at once on earth and among the immortals they may bear the sceptres of Desire. Most happy the sacred city of the Meropes, which nurtured as prince of her youth the G.o.d-born new Love.

VI THE SUN OF TYRE MELEAGER

Delicate, so help me Love, are the fosterlings of Tyre; but Myscus blazes out and quenches them all as the sun the stars.