A Classical Storybook 9781501741289

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A CLASSICAL STORYBOOK

A CLASSICAL STORYBOO SELECTED

AND

EDITED BY MORRIS BISHOP

DRAWINGS BY ALISON MASON KINGSBURY

CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS ITHACA AND LONDON

Copyright

©

1970

by Cornell University

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this

book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information address Cornell University Press, 124 Roberts Place, Ithaca, New York 14850. First published i^-jo

International Standard

Book Number q-8o 14-05 77-7

Library of Congress Catalog Card

Number

76-121099

Printed in the United States of America by Kingsport Press, Inc.

PREFACE

MOST OF our

literatures,

even those of primitives

like

North American Indians, began with songby bards to their own music. The song-story fission; the song part became poetry; the story part

the

stories, recited

suffered

A

"mere

sometimes discountenanced by poets,

critics,

descended to a lower, often subliterary story"

is still

level.

and even fiction-writers. Everyone loves a story, but not everyone respects

The Greeks

it.

invented a whole world of story, a country

above and below the earth, peopled by gods and demigods,

own

each with

his

and heroes

their imaginations

defined character. In this land of gods

could not overlook their

roved

own

Yet the Greeks

at will.

familiar

background of

mountains and rocky shores and storms

at

sea.

They

brought the gods to earth and with splendid realism told of legendary

Greek

men and women.

literature begins

with Homer,

who wrote

the

first

and perhaps the greatest of song-stories, or epic poems. have chosen the episode of Ulysses and Nausicaa

example of Homer's romantic realism, and it

in

I

as

Nearly

a

I

think,

millennium

novelists, so called

is

an

have presented

Samuel Butler's prose version. The song therein

muted, but the story,

I

is

enhanced.

later there

appeared the Milesian

because their headquarters was the city

vi

I

Preface

of Miletus, in Asia Minor. Their

beginning in western culture of

mark the

tales

realistic

imaginative prose.

Their creators discovered the great formula of meets a

boy and

girl;

girl are parted;

boy

myriad misadventures; boy recovers

happily ever

effective

fiction:

boy

seeks girl through girl,

and both

live

after.

Fortunately the Milesian Tales were read, preserved, and

copied in the Greek-speaking Eastern Empire. Since the

language did not change much, they were immediately accessible to readers.

They

are too

little

known

in

our times,

and are unduly disesteemed by contrast with the

poets,

philosophers, dramatists, and historians of the classical age

of Greece.

The Romans,

like the

Greeks, possessed an ample fund

of story material, in the form of national legends and herotales.

less it

But the story seems to have enjoyed

was couched

persistence.

I

in the poetic

little

prestige un-

form which has assured

its

have ventured to render Virgil and Ovid in

modern prose; the poetic loss may be somewhat compensated by prosaic gain. Very little Latin prose fiction remains indeed, only

—

Petronius and Apuleius.

The

reasons are not far to seek.

Popular, or Vulgar, Latin died, taking with

it

the ephemera

of literature. Latin became a learned language, with a need to support

its

dignity.

The

writers have disappeared.

fragile

papyrus leaves of the

The monkish

first

copyists preserved

on parchment the works of the great poets and especially Church Fathers; they could hardly be expected to spend months setting down pagan bawdry and scurrilous tales on costly parchment.

the theological disquisitions of the

Thus only fragments

of Petronius' Satyricon are extant; and

thus Apuleius' Golden Ass survives in a single eleventh-

century manuscript.

Who

could have been the scribe

who

Preface stole time

from

his

vii

J

proper duties and parchment from the

monastery stocks to rewrite the racy story?

The mere competence dence of

a

existence of Petronius and Apuleius, their in narrative

background of

submerged Uterature. lost; let

It is

and character-drawing, are a

Roman

evi-

art of fiction, of a vast

sad to think of

all

that has been

us at least be grateful that something remains.

Morris Bishop Ithaca,

May

New

ip-jo

York

J

CONTENTS

I

THE GREEKS Ulysses and Nausicaa, by

Homer

3

Rhampsinitus and the Robbers, by Herodotus

21

The Ring

25

of Poly crates, by Herodotus

Zopyrus, the Double Agent, by Herodotus

28

The Wooing of Agarista, by Herodotus The Euboean Hunter, by Dio Chrysostom

36

Chaereas and Callirhoe, by Chariton

57

True History, by Lucian Daphnis and Chloe, by Longus

83

An Ethiopian Story, by

99

Heliodorus

Alexander, the Brahmins, and

1

16

Queen Candace,

by Pseudo-Callisthenes II

33

141

THE ROMANS The Tragedy

Dido and Aeneas, by Pyramus and Thisbe, by Ovid Philemon and Baucis, by Ovid Pygmalion, by Ovid Trimalchio's Dinner, by Petronius of

Virgil

159 189 193

197

201

Thelyphron's Story, by Apideius

217

The Story

226

of the

Gentlewoman, by Apideius

Androclus and the Lion, by Aulus Gellius

243

)''

I

THE GREEKS

n

iiMiMiMtimii^iii^iiiiiii^n

AND NAUSICAA

ULYSSES

HOMER

BY Of Homer

the poet

we know

nothing, not his time and place,

not even his gender and number. has not prevented scholars

Our ignorance

of the author

from writing many great books

about him, her, or them. All that seems secure or they lived in the eighth century

is

that he, she,

and composed the

B.C.

Iliad

and the Odyssey, epic poems dealing with the Trojan

War

and

Our

its

sequels in the

selection

is

Mycenaean

age.

an episode from the

the Odyssey. Ulysses, trying to find

fifth

his

and

sixth

way home

books of

to Ithaca,

by the goddess Calypso from him by mutual consent.

has been entertained for eight years

on her

island of Ogygia. Parting

Calypso aids Ulysses to build a navigable

raft.

by Samuel Butler, author of The Way of All Flesh and Ereivhon. It was published by A. C. Fifield, in

The

translation

London,

is

in 1900.

WHEN THE

child of

moming, rosy-fingered dawn, ap-

peared, Ulysses put

on

and cloak, while the

his shirt

goddess wore a dress of a light gossamer fabric, very fine

and graceful, with and

a veil to

how she

a beautiful

golden girdle about her waist

cover her head. She

could speed Ulysses on

once

at

his

great bronze axe that suited his hands;

both

sides,

firmly on to the

way

grew

—

set herself to

it

was sharpened on

and had a beautiful olive-wood handle it.

She

to the far

also

gave him

alder, poplar,

when

largest trees

and pine, that reached the sky

she had

as to

fitted

sharp adze, and then led

end of the island where the

dry and well seasoned, so water. Then,

a

think

way. So she gave him a

sail

light for

shown him where

him

— very in the

the best trees

grew, Calypso went home, leaving him to cut them, which

4

The Greeks

I

he soon finished doing.

He

down twenty trees in

cut

adzed them smooth, squaring them by rule

all

and

good workmanlike fashion. Meanwhile Calypso came back with some augers, so he bored holes with them and fitted the timbers

He made

together with bolts and rivets. a skilled

He

also

steer with.

on top of the

made

He

a

and ran

ribs,

mast with

a

fenced the raft

a quantity of

gunwale

round

all

round with wicker hur-

all

and then he threw on

wood. By and by Calypso brought him some

make

making them

a

yard arm, and a rudder to

dles as a protection against the waves,

linen to

the raft as broad as

shipwright makes the beam of a large vessel, and he

fixed a deck it.

in

the fast

and he made these

sails,

with braces and

the help of levers, he

drew the

raft

too, excellently,

sheets. Last of

down

all,

with

into the water.

In four days he had completed the whole work, and on

the fifth Calypso sent him from the island after washing

him and giving him some clean

clothes.

She gave him a goat

skin full of black wine, and another larger one of water; she also

gave him a wallet

full

of provisions, and found him in

much good meat. Moreover, warm for him, and gladly did it,

while he

rudder.

He

sat

and guided the

never closed

she

made

the

wind

Ulysses spread his raft skilfully

his eyes,

fair

sail

and

before

by means of

the

but kept them fixed on

—

and on the Bear which which Wain, and turns round and round men the where it is, facing Orion, and alone never dipping into the stream of Oceanus, for Calypso had told him to keep this to the Pleiads,

on

late-setting Bootes,

also call

Days seven and the eighteenth the dim his left.

sea,

and on

outlines of the mountains

on the

ten did he

sail

over the

nearest part of the Phaeacian coast appeared, rising like a

on the horizon. But King Neptune, who was returning from the Ethiopians, caught sight of Ulysses a long way off, from the

shield

Ulysses and Nausicaa

He

mountains of the Solymi. sea,

and

wagged

so he

"Good

muttered to himself, saying,

his

head and

heavens, so the gods

have been changing their minds about Ulysses while

away

Phaeacians,

where

now

and

in Ethiopia,

he

calamities that have befallen him.

Thereon he gathered it

round

every wind that blows

Still,

he shall have plenty

in cloud,

from

it."

clouds together, grasped his

his

in the sea,

till

escape from the

shall

of hardship yet before he has done with

trident, stirred

was

I

close to the land of the

is

decreed that he

it is

5

could see him sailing upon the

made him very angry,

it

J

and roused the rage of

earth, sea,

and sky were hidden

and night sprang forth out of the heavens. Winds

East, South,

North, and West

fell

upon him

all at

the

same time, and a tremendous sea got up, so that Ulysses' heart began to

him. "Alas," he said to himself in his

fail

dismay, "what ever will

was I

right

when

she said

got back home.

become of me? I

am

afraid Calypso

should have trouble by sea before

It is all

making heaven with

I

coming

his clouds,

true.

How

and what

black

a sea the

is

Jove

winds

am now safe to perish. Blest and thrice blest were those Danaans who fell before Troy in the cause of the sons of Atreus. Would that I had been killed on the day when the Trojans were pressing me so sorely about the dead body of Achilles, for then I are raising

from every quarter

at once. I

should have had due burial and the Achaeans would have

honoured most

my name;

but

now

As he spoke

a sea

seems that

I

shall

broke over him with such

that the raft reeled again,

long

it

come

to a

pitiable end."

way

off.

He

let

sail

fury

go the helm, and the force of the

hurricane was so great that

and both

terrific

and he was carried overboard a

it

broke the mast half

and yard went over into the

time Ulysses was under water, and

it

was

all

sea.

way

For

up,

a long

he could do to

6

The Greeks

I

rise to

the surface again, for the clothes Calypso had given

him weighed him down; but water and spat out the

he got

at last

bitter brine that

it,

got hold of

it,

but

swam

was running down

however, he did not

his face in streams. In spite of all this,

lose sight of his raft,

head above

his

as fast as

he could towards

and climbed on board again so

drowning. The sea took the

and tossed

raft

escape

as to it

about

as

autumn winds whirl thistledown round and round upon a road. It was as though the South, North, East, and West winds were all playing battledore and shuttlecock with it at once.

When he was in this plight, Ino daughter of Cadmus, also called Leucothea,

saw him. She had formerly been

mere

a

mortal, but had been since raised to the rank of a marine

goddess. Seeing in

what great

distress

had compassion upon him, and, the waves, took her seat

upon

"Aly poor good man," furiously angry with you? trouble, but for

seem to be

your

leave

all

now was,

my

said she, is

his bluster

"why

is

Neptune

and put

it

so

giving you a great deal of

he will not

do then

raft to drive before the

veil

from

rising like a sea-gull

kill

as I bid

you.

you;

You strip,

wind, and swim to the

Phaeacian coast where better luck awaits you. take

she

the raft.

He

a sensible person,

Ulysses

round your

chest;

and you can come to no harm so long

as

it is

And

here,

enchanted,

you wear

it.

As

as you touch land take it off, throw it back as far as you can into the sea, and then go away again." W^ith these words she took off her veil and gave it him. Then she dived

soon

down

again like a sea-gull and vanished beneath the dark

blue waters.

But Ulysses did not

know what

to himself in his dismay, "this

the gods

who

is

luring

me

is

to think. "Alas," he said

only some one or other of

to ruin

by

advising

me

to quit

Ulysses and Nausicaa

my raft. At any rate I will not where she be

still

a

said

long

do so

should be quit of

all

at present, for the

land

my troubles seemed to

—

good way off. I know what I will do I am sure it no matter what happens I will stick to the raft

will be best as

I

7

J

—

her timbers hold together, but

as

breaks her up

I

any better than

will

swim

for

it; I

do not see

when

how

the sea I

can do

this."

While he was thus in two minds, Neptune sent a terrible wave that seemed to rear itself above his head till it broke right over the raft, which then went to pieces as though it were a heap of dry chaff tossed about by a whirlwind. Ulysses got astride of one plank and rode upon it as if he were on horseback; he then took off the clothes Calypso had given him, bound Ino's veil under his arms, and plunged into the sea meaning to swim on shore. King Neptune watched him as he did so, and wagged his head, muttering to himself and saying, "There now, swim up and down as you best can till you fall in with well-to-do people. I do not think you will be able to say that I have let you off too lightly." On this he lashed his horses and drove to Mg2e, where his palace is. great

—

But Minerva resolved to help Ulysses, so she bound the

ways of still;

all

but she roused a good

should lay the waters Phaeacians

made them lie quite breeze from the North that

the winds except one, and

till

stiff

Ulysses reached the land of the

where he would be

Thereon he

safe.

floated about for

two

nights and

two days

in

the water, with a heavy swell on the sea and death staring

him

in the face;

but

when

the third day broke, the

and there was a dead calm without so air stirring.

As he

rose

as a

wind

fell

breath of

on the swell he looked eagerly ahead,

and could see land quite near. Then,

when

much as

children rejoice

their dear father bcc^ins to c^ct better after havinir for

8

The Greeks

I

a long time

affliction sent

but the gods deliver him from

spirit,

when

thankful

with

borne sore

him by some angry evil,

he again saw land and

strength that he might once

all his

was Ulysses

so

and swam on

trees,

more

set foot

upon

dry ground. When, however, he got within earshot, he be-

gan to hear the surf thundering up against the rocks, for the swell

still

broke against them with

a terrific roar.

Every-

thing was enveloped in spray; there were no harbours

where

a ship

might

ride,

nor shelter of anv kind, but only

headlands, low lying rocks, and mountain tops.

now began to

Ulysses' heart

fail

him, and he said despair-

ingly to himself, "Alas, Jove has

let

swimming

so far that

all

no landing

place, for the coast

I

rocks are smooth and

had given up

I

see land after I

can find

rocky and surf-beaten, the

sheer

rise

water close under them so that

from the

sea,

with deep

cannot climb out for w^ant

am afraid some great wave will lift me off me against the rocks as I leave the water which would give me a sorry landing. If, on the other

of foot hold.

my legs

—

is

me

hope, but

hand,

I

I

and dash

swim

further in search of

harbour, a hurricane against

my will,

may

carry

or heaven

some shelving beach or

me

out to sea again sorely

may send some

great monster of

the deep to attack me; for Amphitrite breeds

know

many

such,

Neptune is very angry with me." While he was thus in two minds a wave caught him and took him with such force against the rocks that he would and

I

that

have been smashed and torn to pieces

shewn him what

to do.

both hands and clung to

He it

if

Alinerva had not

caught hold of the rock with

groaning with pain

till

the

wave wave

was saved that time; but presently the came on again and carried him back with it far into the retired, so he

— tearing

his

hands

as the

sea

suckers of a polypus are torn

Ulysses and Nausicaa

when some one

plucks

up along with

—even

his

it

from

it

its

bed, and the stones

J

9

come

from wave drew him deep down

so did the rocks tear the skin

strong hands, and then the

under the water.

Here poor Ulysses would have certainly perished even in spite of his own destiny, if Minerva had not helped him to keep his wits about him. He swam seaward again, beyond reach of the surf that was beating against the land, and at the same time he kept looking towards the shore to see

could find some haven, or aslant.

By and

a river,

there

He

swam

if

he

should take the waves

came

on, he

to the

mouth of

and here he thought would be the best place, for

were no rocks, and there

felt that

said:

by, as he

a spit that

—

O

"Hear me,

was

it

afforded shelter from the wind.

a current, so he

prayed inwardly and

whoever you may

king,

be,

from the anger of the sea-god Neptune, for prayerfully.

claim even

Any one who

has lost his

upon the gods, wherefore

way in

I

and save

has at

my

me

approach you all

times a

distress I

draw

near to your stream, and cling to the knees of your river-

hood.

Have mercy upon me

O

king, for

I

declare myself

your suppliant."

Then making the

the all

god

staid his

stream and

stilled

calm before him, and bringing him

mouth of

the river.

Here

at last Ulysses'

the waves, safely, into

knees and

strong hands failed him, for the sea had completely broken him. His ran

body was

down

all

like a river

swollen, and his

neither breathe nor speak, and lay

exhaustion; presently,

mouth and

nostrils

with sea-water, so that he could

when

swooning from sheer

he had got

his

breath and

came

to himself again, he took off the scarf that Ino had given

him and threw

it

back into the

salt

stream of the river,

lo

The Greeks

I

whereon Ino received bore

it

towards

down among

into her hands

it

Then

her.

he

left

from the wave that

the river, laid himself

the rushes, and kissed the bounteous earth.

"Alas," he cried to himself in his dismay, "what ever will

become of me, and how

is it all

to end? If

I

stay here

the river bed through the long watches of the night,

exhausted that the bitter cold and

me

of

— for

hill side,

thicket,

I

am

so

damp may make an end

towards sunrise there will be a keen wind

blowing from off the the

I

upon

river. If,

on the other hand,

I

find shelter in the woods, and sleep in

may

climb

some

escape the cold and have a good night's

but some savage

beast

may

take advantage of

rest,

me and

de-

vour me." In the end he

deemed

it

best to take to the

found one upon some high ground not

There he crept beneath two shoots of a single stock

—the

far

woods, and he

from the water.

olive that

grew from

one an ungrafted sucker, while the

other had been grafted.

No

wind, however squally, could

break through the cover they afforded, nor could the sun's rays pierce them, nor the rain get through them, so closely

grow into one another. Ulysses crept under these and began to make himself a bed to lie on, for there was a enough to make a great litter of dead leaves lying about covering for two or three men even in hard winter did they

—

weather.

He was glad

enough

to see this, so he laid himself

down and heaped the leaves all round him. Then, as one who lives alone in the country, far from any neighbour, hides a brand as fire-seed in the ashes to save himself

from

having to get a light elsewhere, even so did Ulysses cover himself

upon

up with

leaves;

and Minerva shed

his eyes, closed his eyelids,

memory

a

sweet sleep

and made him

lose

all

of his sorrows.

So here Ulysses

slept,

overcome by

sleep

and

toil;

but

1

Ulysses and Nausicaa

Minerva went

—

a

people

near

the

off to the

who

used to

lawless

country and city of the Phaeacians

town

live in the fair

Cyclopes.

Now

the

of Hypereia,

were

Cyclopes

stronger than they and plundered them, so their king sithous

from

moved them thence and other people.

all

built houses

He

settled

them

Nau-

in Scheria, far

surrounded the city with a wall,

and temples, and divided the lands among

was dead and gone

people; but he

1

J

his

to the house of Hades,

and King Alcinous, whose counsels were inspired of heaven,

was now

reigning.

To

his house, then, did

Minerva

hie in furtherance of the return of Ulysses.

She went straight to the beautifully decorated bedroom in

which there

slept a girl

who was

as lovely as a goddess,

Two

Nausicaa, daughter to

King Alcinous.

were sleeping near

both very pretty, one on either side

her,

maid servants

which was closed with well made folding doors. iMinerva took the form of the famous sea captain Dymas' daughter, who was a bosom friend of Nausicaa and of the doorway,

just her

own

a breath of

age; then,

coming up

to the girl's bedside like

wind, she hovered over her head and

—

said:

"Nausicaa, what can your mother have been about, to

have such

a lazy

in disorder, yet diately,

daughter? Here are your clothes

you

are going to be married almost

way

lying

imme-

and should not only be well dressed yourself, but

should find good clothes for those the

all

to get yourself a

father and

who

attend you. This

good name, and

to

is

make your

mother proud of you. Suppose, then, that

we

make tomorrow a washing day, and start at daybreak. I will come and help you so that you may have everything ready as soon as possible, for all the best young men among your own people are courting you, and you are not going to remain a maid much longer. Ask your father, therefore, to have a waggon and mules ready for us at daybreak, to take

1

2

The Greeks

I

you can ride, too, which you than walking, for the washing cisterns are some way from the town." When she had said this Minerva went away to Olympus, which they say is the everlasting home of the gods. Here no wind beats roughly, and neither rain nor snow can fall; but the rugs, robes, and girdles, and

will be

it

much

pleasanter for

abides in everlasting sunshine and in a great peacefulness

of light, wherein the blessed gods are illumined for ever and

when

This was the place to which the goddess went

ever.

she had given instructions to the

girl.

By and by morning came and woke

Nausicaa,

who

began wondering about her dream; she therefore went to the other end of the house to

about

was

it,

and found them in

sitting

by

tell

her father and mother

their

own

all

room. Her mother

the fireside spinning her purple yarn with

her maids around her, and she happened to catch her father

was going out

just as he

town

to attend a meeting of the

which the Phaeacian aldermen had convened. She stopped him and said: "Papa dear, could you manage to let me have a good big waggon? I want to take all our dirty clothes to the river council,

—

and wash them. You are the chief man here, so right that

you should have

a clean shirt

it is

when you

only

attend

meetings of the council. A4oreover, you have fivt sons at

home, two of them married, while the other three are good looking bachelors; you linen

about

when they go all

know they

always

to a dance, and

I

like to

have clean

have been thinking

this."

She did not say

a

word about her own wedding, for she knew and said, "You shall

did not like to, but her father

have the mules,

mind

for.

Be

my

love,

off with you,

and whatever and the men

you have a get you a good

else

shall

3

Ulysses and Nausicaa

strong

waggon with

a

body

to

it

that will hold

1

J

all

your

clothes."

On

this

waggon

he gave

his orders to the servants,

and put them

out, harnessed the mules,

the girl brought the clothes

down from

placed them on the waggon.

who

the linen

Her mother prepared good

skin full of wine; the girl

now got into the waggon,

also a

sorts of

golden cruse of

anoint themselves.

things,

oil,

Then

that she

and her

she took the

They

goat

whip

set off,

pulled without

and carried not only Nausicaa and her wash of

flagging,

clothes, but the

When

maids

also

who were with

her.

they reached the water side they went to the

washing

cisterns,

enough pure water

how

a

and her

and reins and lashed the mules on, whereon they

and their hoofs clattered on the road.

her a

and

all

women might

while

to,

room and

basket of provisions with

mother gave her

got the

through which there ran to

wash any quantity of

at

linen,

all

times

no matter

Here they unharnessed the mules and turned on the sweet juicy herbage that grew by the water side. They took the clothes out of the waggon, put them in the water, and vied with one another in treading them in the pits to get the dirt out. After they had washed them and got them quite clean, they laid them out by the sea side, where the waves had raised a high beach of dirty.

them out

shingle,

to feed

and

set

about washing themselves and anointing

themselves with olive side of the stream,

the clothes. veils that

oil.

Then they got

and waited for the sun to

When they had done

finish

by the drying

dinner they threw off the

covered their heads and began to play

while Nausicaa sang for them. forth

their dinner

As

at ball,

the huntress Diana goes

upon the mountains of Taygetus or Erymanthus

hunt wild boars or deer, and the

wood nymphs,

to

daughters

14

I

The Greeks

of i^gis-bearing Jove, take their sport along with her (then is

Leto proud

at seeing her

daughter stand

a full

head

taller

than the others, and eclipse the loveliest amid a whole bevy of beauties), even so did the girl outshine her handmaids.

When

it

was time for them

to start

home, and they were

folding the clothes and putting them into the waggon,

how Ulysses should wake up who was to conduct him to the The girl, therefore, threw a ball at

Minerva began to consider and

see the

handsome

city of the Phaeacians.

girl

one of the maids, which missed her and

On

this

Ulysses,

they

all

who

wonder what

sat it

fell

into deep water.

shouted, and the noise they

up

might

in his all

made woke

bed of leaves and began to

be.

"Alas," said he to himself,

come amongst? Are they

"what kind of people have

cruel, savage,

I

and uncivilized, or

humane? I seem to hear the voices of young women, and they sound like those of the nymphs that haunt mountain tops, or springs of rivers and meadows of green grass. At any rate I am among a race of men and women. Let me try if I cannot manage to get a look at hospitable and

them."

As he off a

said this he crept

from under

his bush,

bough covered with thick leaves to hide

his

and broke nakedness.

He looked like some lion of the wilderness that stalks exulting in his strength and defying both

wind and

about

rain; his

eyes glare as he prowls in quest of oxen, sheep, or deer, for

he

is

famished, and will dare break even into a

homestead,

trying to

get at the sheep

w ell fenced

—even

such did

young women, as he drew near to them he was, for he was in great want. On seeing one

Ulysses seem to the all

naked

so

unkempt and

as

scampered

so

begrimed with

salt

water, the others

off along the spits that jutted out into the sea,

but the daughter of Alcinous stood firm, for Minerva put

5

Ulysses and Nausicaa

away all

^

1

from her. She stood right in front of Ulysses, and he doubted whether he should go up to her, throw himself at her feet, and embrace courage into her heart and took

fear

her knees as a suppliant, or stay where he was and entreat

show him

her to give him some clothes and

town. In the end he deemed

the

way

best to entreat her

it

distance in case the girl should take offence at his

to the

from a coming

near enough to clasp her knees, so he addressed her in

honeyed and persuasive language.

"Oh are

queen," he

you

said, "I

implore your aid

goddess and dwell in heaven,

you

woman?

goddess or are you a mortal

a

I

if

If

tell

you

me,

are a

can only conjecture that

are Jove's daughter Diana, for

resemble none but hers;

—but

your face and figure

on the other hand you

are a

mortal and live on earth, thrice happy are your father and

—

mother

thrice happy, too, are

how proud and fair a

your brothers and

delighted they must feel

when they

scion as yourself going out to a dance;

sisters;

see so

most happy,

whose wedding gifts have been you to his own home. I never yet saw any one so beautiful, neither man nor woman, and am lost in admiration as I behold you. I can only compare you to a young palm tree which I saw when I was at Delos growing near the altar of Apollo for I was there, too, with much people after me, when I was on that journey which has been the source of all my troubles. Never yet did such a young plant shoot out of the ground as that was, and I admired and wondered at it exactly as I now admire and wonder at yourself. I dare not clasp your knees, but I am in great distress; yesterday made the twentieth day that I have been tossing about upon the sea. The winds and waves have taken me all the way from the Ogygian island, and now fate has flung mc upon this coast that I may endure still however, of

all

the richest, and

will he be

who

takes

—

1

6

The Greeks

I

further suffering; for the end of

it,

I

do not think that

have yet come to

I

but rather that heaven has

much

still

evil in

store for me.

"And now, oh person

first

I

I know no one else in this way to your town, and let me have you may have brought hither to wrap your

have met, and

Show me

country.

anything that clothes

queen, have pity upon me, for you are the

May

in.

the

heaven grant you in

desire

— husband,

there

is

all

nothing better in

To

know more this

heart's

world than that man and wife

this

It

makes the hearts of their friends

selves

your

house, and a happy, peaceful home; for

should be of one mind in a house. mies,

things

about

it

discomfits their eneglad,

and they them-

than any one."

Nausicaa answered, "Stranger, you appear to be

a sensible well-disposed person.

There

is

no accounting for

luck; Jove gives prosperity to rich and poor just as he

you must take what he

chooses, so

and make

the best of

to this our country,

anything look

you

am

Now,

you

shall

show you

name of our

the

people;

daughter to Alcinous, in

state

is

has seen

fit

to send you,

however, that you have come not want for clothes nor for

may reasonably way to the town, and will tell we are called Phaeacians, and I

else that a foreigner in distress

for. I will

the

it.

whom

the

whole power of the

vested."

Then

where you are, Can you not see a man without running away from him? Do you take him for a robber or a murderer? Neither he nor any one else can come here to do us Phaea-

you

cians

on

she called her maids and said, "Stay

girls.

any harm, for we are dear

a land's

end that

to the gods,

and

live apart

sounding

sea,

and have

juts into the

nothing to do with any other people. This

poor man

who

has lost his way, and

is

only some

we must

be kind to

him, for strangers and foreigners in distress are under Jove's

Ulysses and Nausicaa

what they can get and be thank-

protection, and will take

give the poor fellow something to eat and

ful; so, girls,

drink,

and wash him

from the wind."

On

maids

this the

left off

and cloak.

I

They

"Young women,

may wash

of

brought him the

also

and told him to go and wash

oil,

oil

Ulysses

sit

down

is

call-

in the

Nausicaa had told them, and brought him a shirt

shelter as

with

that

running away and began

They made

ing one another back.

oil,

some place

in the stream at

sheltered

said,

17

j

upon

it is

standing there.

I

little

But Ulysses

on one

side that

my shoulders and anoint myself my skin has had a drop

long enough since

cannot wash

I

it.

golden cruse of

in the stream.

please to stand a

the brine from

for

Httle

am ashamed

as

you all keep before a number of

long

to strip

as

good looking young women."

Then they stood on one

side

and went to

tell

the

girl,

while Ulysses washed himself in the stream and scrubbed the brine from his back and

When

from

broad shoulders.

his

he had thoroughly washed himself, and had got the

brine out of his hair, he anointed himself with

on the clothes which the

girl

and put

oil,

had given him; Minerva then

made him look taller and stronger than before, she also made the hair grow thick on the top of his head, and flow

down

in curls like

hyacinth blossoms; she glorified him

about the head and shoulders studied art of

all

a piece of silver plate

beauty.

Then

as a skilful

workman who

has

kinds under Vulcan and Minerva enriches

by

gilding

he went and

the beach, looking quite

sat

it

—and

down

his

a little

work

way

is

full

off

young and handsome, and

upon

the girl

gazed on him with admiration; then she said to her maids:

"Hush, the gods

my dears,

for

who

in

Phaeacians.

live

When

I

want

to say something.

heaven have sent

I first

saw him

I

this

of

—

I

believe

man

to the

thought him

plain,

but

1

8

The Greeks

I

now

his

appearance

heaven.

I

another

as

he

is,

if

my

dwell in

future husband to be just such

he would only stay here and not want to

go away. However, givx him something to

They

who

of the gods

like that

is

should like

and drink."

eat

did as they were told, and set food before Ulysses,

who ate and

drank ravenously, for

it

was long

since he had

had food of any kind. Meanwhile, Nausicaa bethought her of another matter. She got the linen folded and placed in the waggon, she then seat,

yoked the mules, and,

"Stranger," said she, "rise and

town;

I

father,

where

people

among

will introduce

can

I

tell

you you

let

us be going back to the

at the house of

that

you

will

my

meet

going past the

the best

the Phaeacians. But be sure and do as

fields

the maids and

myself. Presently, however,

we

will find a high wall

good harbour on

as

I

we

bid are

and farm lands, follow briskly behind

waggon along with

where you

excellent

all

you, for you seem to be a sensible person. As long

the

took her

as she

she called Ulysses:

either side

shall

I

will lead the w^ay

come

running

all

to the

round

town,

and

it,

a

with a narrow entrance into

drawn up by the road side, for every one has a place where his own ship can lie. You will see the market place with a temple of Neptune in the the city, and the ships will be

middle of

it,

and paved with large stones bedded

earth.

Here people

cables

and

sails,

deal in ship's gear of

and here,

too, are the places

made, for the Phaeacians are not

know folk,

and pride themselves on

am

far

where

foot against ill-natured,

me

oars are

a nation of archers;

they

a sea-faring

their masts, oars,

over the

afraid of the gossip

in the

kinds, such as

nothing about bows and arrows, but are

with which they travel "I

all

and

ships,

sea.

and scandal that

may

be

set

on

later on; for the people here are very

and some low fellow,

if

he met

us,

might say,

Ulysses and Nausicaa

*Who

is

Where

Nausicaa? to

looking stranger that

this fine

did she find him?

marry him. Perhaps he

is

a

some god has

to her prayers,

at last

and she

going about with

suppose she

I

vagabond

taken from some foreign vessel, for or

is

we

sailor

going to

live

going

is

whom

she has

have no neighbours;

come down from heaven is

19

J

with him

answer

in all

the rest

good thing if she would take herself off and find a husband somewhere else, for she will not look at one of the many excellent young Phaeacians of her

who

would be

life. It

with

are in love

a

This

her.'

is

the kind of disparaging

remark that would be made about me, and complain, for

I

should myself be scandalised

other girl do the

at seeing

and go about wdth men

like,

could not

I

any

in spite of

everybody, while her father and mother were

still

and without having been married in the face of

alive,

the

all

world. "If, therefore,

my

you want

and to help you home, do

by

beautiful grove of poplars

Minerva;

Here far

my

it

has a well in

father to give

as I bid

it

you an

escort

you; you will see a

the road side dedicated to

and

a

meadow

all

round

it.

father has a field of rich garden ground, about as

from the town

as a

man's voice will carry.

there and wait for a while

till

Sit

down

the rest of us can get into the

my father's house. Then, when you think we must have done this, come into the town and ask the way to the house of my father Alcinous. You will have no town and reach

difficulty in finding

for

no one

fine

house

it;

else in the

as he has.

any child

will point

it

out to you,

whole town has anything

When

like

such a

you have got past the gates and

through the outer court, go right across the inner court

you come fire

to

my

mother.

You

will find her sitting

and spinning her purple wool by fircHght.

sight to see her as she leans

till

by the

It is a

fine

back against one of the bear-

20

The Greeks

I

ing-posts with her maids

my

all

ranged behind

on which he

her. Close to her

and topes

like

an immortal god. Never mind him, but go up to

my

seat stands that of

father,

sits

mother, and lay your hands upon her knees get

home

to see

may

quickly. If

your

own

you can gain her

over,

country again, no matter

you would you may hope if

how

distant

it

be."

So saying she lashed the mules with her whip and they left the river.

The mules drew

up and down upon fast for

well,

the road. She

Ulysses and the maids

was

and

their hoofs

careful not to

who were

went

go too

following on foot

along with the waggon, so she plied her whip with judge-

ment. As the sun was going

down

they came to the sacred

grove of Minerva, and there Ulysses

sat

down and prayed

mighty daughter of Jove. "Hear me," he cried, "daughter of ^^gis-bearing Jove, unweariable, hear me now, for you gave no heed to my prayers when Neptune was wrecking me. Now, therefore,

to the

have pity upon

me and

grant that

I

may find

friends and be

by the Phaeacians." Thus did he pray, and Minerva heard his prayer, but she would not show herself to him openly, for she was afraid of hospitably received

her uncle Neptune, to prevent Ulysses

who was

still

furious in his endeavours

from getting home.

RHAMPSINITUS AND THE ROBBERS BY HERODOTUS Herodotus was born 485

and

B.C.,

in Halicarnassus, in Asia

died in 425 or thereabouts.

Minor, about

His great book, The

Histories, records the long hostility of Persia

and the Greeks,

culminating with Xerxes' unsuccessful invasion of Greece in 480. In his efforts to obtain eye-witness reports

Herodotus

Egypt, Mesopotamia, Palestine,

honest historian and a scrupulous reporter; his

regarded as journalism of the highest order.

good

resist a

and

local color

which he wrote, including and the Ukraine. He was an

visited the countries of

story,

though he might

retell

work may be

He it

could never

with a gently

skeptical smile.

These first is

translations of four stories are

from Book

II,

WHEN KING PROTEUS I

was

told,

possessed a great

by Morris

Bishop.

The

sections 121-122.

of

Egypt died he was succeeded,

by Rhampsinitus. The story goes that he quantity of bullion, so much, in fact, that

hardly any of the succeeding Pharaohs surpassed or even

approached

his

wealth.

To keep

his treasure

secure he had a

great stone stronghold built within his palace, against an exterior wall.

But the builder,

who

clearly had nefarious

designs, so disposed things that he left

one of the stones

unmortared, easily removable by two men, or even by one alone.

The strongroom was

completed, and the king stored

there his wealth.

Well, time marched on; the builder proaching.

He summoned

to provide for

had made

felt

two sons, and them and enable them to live

his little

his

end apthem that

his

told

in affluence he

contrivance in the king's treasure-room.

22

The Greeks

I

He

cxpliiined everything clearly, the

cating the stone and the

how,

if

mode

Comptrollers of the Treasury.

lost

no time

out,

in setting to

found the stone

and purloined

The

had sunk.

seals

He

a

work.

then died. His sons

They went

by worked it

to the palace

in the outer wall, readily

good load of

silver.

that the level of

money

could not imagine

it

He

some contain-

in

whom

appeared that more

(for in fact the thieves kept right

set

He

and locks of the strongroom were

three later visits

tions).

lo-

and told

next time the king inspected the quarters, he was

amazed to observe ers

it,

they followed directions, they would be the effec-

tive

night,

measurements for

of removing

to accuse.

On two

intact.

money was

on with

The or

missing

their depreda-

decided then to have some man-traps made, and

them near the

vessels containing his stores of

This done, in due course the burglars paid their

money.

One

visit.

of them, making straight for the money-jars, was caught

and held

fast.

Well aware of

predicament, he imme-

his

diately called to his brother, told

him what had happened,

and bade the brother enter with

all

head, so that

when

his

speed and cut off

body was discovered

it

would not be

recognized, to the destruction of both of them. realized that this course

was the only

followed instructions, and, carrying placed the stone and

made

off for

his

The

other

sensible one.

He

his brother's head, re-

home.

Early next morning the king entered the strongroom and

was astounded on finding the body of the thief in the trap, lacking a head, while the room was intact, showing no signs of

human entry or exit. After reflection, he gave orders that body should be hung on the outer wall, and that

the thief's

guards should be detailed to watch

it,

and

if

any persons

should be observed lamenting there they should be seized

and brought to the king's presence.

When the youths'

mother heard the

terrible

news of her

'

Rhampsinitus and the Robbers son's death

and of the exposure of

how his

23

she upbraided

his corpse,

commanded him

her surviving son, and

J

to recover some-

brother's body. She threatened that

if

he should

fail

would go to the king and denounce him as the She reviled him with many bitter words; he protested

to do so she thief.

but could not change her mind. Finally he settled

on

scheme: he

this

filled

some

skins

with wine, loaded them on donkeys' backs, and drove the steeds before him.

When

they passed before the guards of

body he untied the

the dead

lashings of

The wine

two

or three spouts

down; he beat his head and shouted, as if too dazed to decide which of the skins to tend to first. When the guards saw the wine flowing free they were delighted by the bit of luck; they of the dependent wine-skins.

dribbled

grabbed receptacles and ran out into the road to catch the bounty.

The

driver yelled at

guards tried to console him.

He

them

in

pretended anger; the

He appeared to calm down

make

the best of things.

set to

repacking them. There was

drove

his asses off the

and

road and

much joking and

joshing;

one of the soldiers made the driver laugh, whereupon he

Then they down where they were and make a binge of

presented them with one of his wine-skins.

decided to it,

sit

and they urged

their

kind friend to join

himself be persuaded, and joined the party.

and drank and became the driver presented

fastest

in.

let

As they drank

of friends, the donkey-

them with another wine-skin. At

overcome with drink, the guards

He

all

length,

collapsed and ere long

bound in drunken slumber. The thief waited till was well advanced, then took down his brother's body. Then, in derision, he clipped off the right side of all

were

fast

night

the soldiers' beards, and so left them.

on the back of one of

his asses

He

placed the corpse

and brought

it

back to

his

mother, as he had promised.

When

the theft of the dead thief

was reported

to the

24

The Greeks

I

king, he

was furious indeed. Wishing

any

ter at

personally find hard to credit). ter in a

He

installed

own (which I his own daugh-

bawdy-house, ordering her to welcome

ers alike,

I

custom-

all

but before proceeding to business to require of

each one to

her

tell

what were

cleverest things he had

should

to capture the tricks-

cost, he contrived a trick of his

tell

done

the wickedest and the

x\nd

in his life.

if

anyone

her the story of the stolen thief, she was to seize

him and not let him go. The daughter obeyed her father's commands. But the thief, divining the king's purpose, wished to outdo him in cleverness. He got possession of a corpse freshly dead, cut off the arm at the shoulder, hid the

arm under

his cloak,

When she

put the usual question to him, he replied that the

and paid a

visit

to the king's daughter.

wickedest thing he had ever done was to cut off the head of his brother,

who was

caught

and the cleverest thing dow^n

his brother's

in a trap in the king's treasury;

w^as to get the guards

drunk and cut

When the girl

gibbeted body.

heard

this

she grabbed at him; but, in the dark, the thief held out to

her the dead man's arm. She seized

own. The

thief left

it

it,

thinking

it

to be his

with her and escaped through the

door.

When word

of this was brought to the king, he was

astonished at the man's smartness and boldness. Finally he

had announcements made

in all his cities of a free

for the culprit and a great reward,

himself

known. The

Rhampsinitus.

if

thief confidently

The king marvelled

at

pardon

he should

make

appeared before

him, regarding him as

the most brilliant of men, and thus gave him his daughter's

hand

in marriage.

erest

men

in the

"The Egyptians," he world, and

this

said, "are the clev-

fellow

is

the cleverest of

the Egyptians."

I

THE RING OF POLYCRATES BY HERODOTUS This

translation,

39-43, of

The

by Morris Bishop,

is

from Book

III,

sections

Histories.

POLYCRATES, son

of Acaccs, gained mastery of the island

of Samos in a revolution.

At

first

he divided the

with

state into three parts, sharing the rule

little

his brothers

Pantagnotus and Syloson. Later, however, he put the elder, Pantagnotus, to death and banished Syloson. the whole

island of Samos.

Then

he

made

Thus he

held

a pact of friend-

ship with Amasis, king of Egypt, with an exchange of gifts.

power increased so far that all Ionia and it. Wherever he made war success awaited him. He had a hundred penteconters, fifty-oared

Before long

his

Greece were aware of

ships,

and

a force of a

thousand archers.

He

fought every-

one indiscriminately, for he maintained that he got more gratitude for returning something to a defeated for sparing

him

in the first place.

and

also

many

islands,

cities

He

prisoners, they

many

of the

on the Asian mainland.

conquered the Lesbians, among others,

They had come

took

enemy than

He

in a great sea-battle.

in full strength to the aid of Miletus.

dug the moat around the Samos

As

citadel.

King Amasis was well informed of Polycrates' remarkagood fortune and was much concerned by it. And as

ble

success followed success, Amasis addressed the following letter to is

him

in

Samos: "Amasis to Polycrates, greetings.

a great pleasure to learn that a friend

But

I

am

It

and guest prospers.

not entirely happy about your triumphs; for the

26

The Greeks

I

gods,

know,

I

myself and for those

and

losses,

love

I

is

a

constant winner

So

listen to

who

most wish for

I

proper alternation of gains

compounded

a life

rather than unbroken success.

ruin.

What

are jealous gods.

of

good fortune and

ill,

never yet heard of any

I

and

didn't finally land in calamity

me: break the run of good luck. Consider

which of your possessions is most dear to you, which one you would be most sorry to lose. And throw it away, so that no man may ever see it again. And if after this you don't have process,

some bad luck along with the good, repeat the

and thus disarm

fate."

pondered the

Polycrates

and recognized that

letter

He

Amasis' advice was sound.

considered which of his

stored-up treasures he would be most afflicted to after

and

lose,

to a decision. He wore a seal ring, made by Theodorus, son of Telecles

much thought came

an emerald of Samos.

set in gold,

He

decided to throw

this

He ordered out a When he was far

away.

penteconter and put forth to the open

sea.

removed the ring, and, in the view of the whole crew, threw it into the sea. He then returned home, from the

in a

island he

very sad

Five or

very

state of

mind.

days later

six

big, fine fish,

So he carried

it

fit,

it

chanced that

and

said:

"My

decided not to take fisherman.

and so

by I

I

I

thought

bring

it

to

whereupon he presented

when

caught

I

to market, although

it

you

was

fit

only for

as a present."

these words; he replied:

"You

a

will return

I

am

the

this fish

just a

king in

The

his

I

poor

glory;

king was pleased

did very well,

thank you for your words and for your

you

table.

door and asked to see the king.

lord the king, it

fisherman caught a

he thought, only for the royal

to the palace

Polycrates had him admitted; fish,

a

gift;

my

friend;

and

I

hope

and dine with me." Mightily proud, the

fisherman went off to

his

home.

And

the servants, cutting

The Ring of Poly crates up the

fish,

plucked

him

told

it

found Polycrates' signet ring

out and brought

how

they had found

ings of fate; he

own

actions,

When

it,

wrote

and sent

in

its

belly.

it.

He

off to

and

recognized the work-

King Amasis

Amasis read Polycrates'

27

They

rejoicing, to Polycrates,

a letter describing the event it

J

letter,

in

and

his

Egypt.

he realized that

no one man can save another from the destiny decreed for him, and that as Polycrates' luck held so far that he even

found what he threw away, he was bound to come to end.

a

bad

He therefore sent an envoy to Samos to break off their

friendly alliance, so that,

when

the inevitable calamity

should arrive, he would not be bound to painful sympathy. [Polycrates

was

was

slain "in a

was

crucified.]

in fact lured to his death

mode which

is

not

fit

by an enemy, and body

to be described." His

ZOPYRUS, THE

DOUBLE AGENT BY HERODOTUS This translation, by Morris Bishop, 150-160, of

A

The

FTER THE Persian

J\

is

from Book

lonians revolted.

Samos, the Baby-

They had made

long and careful

had

or other they had kept their arrangements secret.

time came for the outbreak,

away

all

sections

sailed for

fleet

preparations while the city was in upheaval; and

sent

III,

Histories.

this

was

somehow W^hen

their procedure:

the mothers, then each

the

they

man picked one

woman from his household, anyone he pleased, to be the breadmaker. The other women were all gathered together and strangled, so that they would not waste the food supplies.

When

news reached King Darius, he assembled all marched to Babylon and besieged it. But little

the

his forces,

the Babylonians cared.

They manned

the battlements of

One man cried: "What are you sitting there for, Persians? You might as well go away. Sure you will take our city when their walls

and shouted abuse

at

Darius and

his

army.

—

mules bear foals!" This Babylonian presumed that never

would

a

mule bear

offspring.

A year and seven months went by. army were defense.

Darius and

furious, being forever balked

He

by

his

whole

the Babylonian

tried every trick in the book, including the

by which Cyrus had taken the city, long before. It was no use. The Babylonians were always on the watch, device

and Darius could find no way to take them.

At

last,

in the twentieth

month,

a

remarkable thing hap-

I

Zopyrus, the Double Agent

who was one of One of his

pened to Zopyrus, son of that Megabyzus the seven

men who overthrew

pack-mules dropped

ordered those

the Magus.

Zopyrus refused to believe the

a foal!

when he saw

report; but

29

J

own eyes he He recollected

the foal with his

who had seen it to keep

quiet.

the jeer of the Babylonian at the beginning of the siege:

"You

will take

our city

when mules

bear foals! " Reflecting

on these words, he thought that Babylon might

now

be

taken, for he thought he recognized divine intention in the

man's words and the foaling of

own

his

mule.

Being then convinced that Babylon was doomed, he

upon Darius and asked whether he

called

really regarded

On

the capture of the city as all-important.

the king's

assurance that indeed he did so, Zopyrus meditated on

he might compass the city's

(Among

fall

and gain

full credit for

it.

the Persians spectacular deeds are highly honored

and well rewarded.)

He

reduce the city than to mutilate himself and in

He

doing himself permanent injury.

and

his ears,

and

in this guise

shaved

his

way

could think of no better

go over, apparently, to the enemy. sity of

how

head

close,

to

this state to

accepted the neces-

He

cut off his nose

and lashed

his

own

back;

he presented himself before Darius.

The king was shocked

at the sight of a

high noble so

He sprang up from his throne with a cry and demanded to know who had thus mistreated Zopyrus and why. Said Zopyrus: "You, O king, are the only man on

maimed.

earth

who

could bring

me

to this pass.

No

myself alone has thus disfigured me; for that Assyrians should

"My

your deed

ing yourself

were mad I

one other than could not bear

at Persians."

poor friend," said Darius, "your purpose

noble, but

"If

mock

I

is

folly, if

you can hasten

you think

I

by

had

in

be

mutilat-

the enemy's surrender!

to inflict this horrid injury

had told you what

that

may

You

on yourself!" mind," said Zopyrus,

30

The Greeks

I

"you would have forbidden it; so I took my own counsel and acted upon it. Now then, if you do your part properly, Babylon will be ours. I will desert into the city, all bloody as I

I

am; and

am

sure

high

army

after

I

I

will assert that

me.

this to

convince them, and they will give

will

I

you have done

And you do

post.

wait

this:

till

And me a

the tenth day

get into the city, and then post a thousand of the

most expendable men

your army before what

in

is

called

Then on the seventh day after that, two thousand men before the Nineveh Gate. Wait

the Semiramis Gate.

put

another twenty days, and then station four thousand before the Chaldean Gate, as they call

— or those of the their daggers;

first

you can

leave

—with any weapons but

them

When

these.

the twenty

days are over, have the rest of the army deliver assault

on the whole

men

Don't equip these

it.

detachment

circuit of the walls,

mass

a

and assign the

Persian troops to the Belian and the Cissian gates. For sure that

I

shall so

commend myself to

elite I

am

the Babylonians that

they will entrust everything to me, even the keys of their gates.

Then

do the

it

will be

up

to

me and to

the Persian soldiers to

rest."

After leaving these instructions, Zopyrus stole toward the city gate, glancing fearfully back like a genuine deserter.

When

the sentinels on the towers

down, opened the gate

a crack,

and what he was doing

there.

saw him they ran

and asked him

who

He

that he

told

them

Zopyrus and that he was defecting to them. The

on hearing

this,

nian council. In

he was

was

sentinels,

brought him forthwith before the Babyloits

presence he indicated his wretched

blaming Darius for

his

state,

mistreatment, only because he had

advised the king to raise the siege, since there appeared to

be no hope of taking the

city.

He

said:

"Now,

O

Babylo-

1

Zopyrus, the Double Agent nians,

I

bring to you the greatest of

army

his Persian

the greatest

and to Darius and

gifts,

He

evil.

shall

scot-free for his outrageous treatment of me. his

3

J

not escape

For

I

know

all

purposes and plans."

When with

his

the Babylonians

saw

this

most eminent Persian

nose and ears cut off and with his body covered

with bloody welts they had no doubt that he was telling the truth and that he had

granted this

request for the

his

was entrusted

Darius.

come over

On

to

They

readily

of an army.

When

to their side.

command

him he acted

as

he had planned with

the tenth day after his flight he led out his

Babylonian army and surrounded and annihilated the thousand Persians ficed.

whom

first

Darius had sent out to be sacri-

Seeing that his actions matched his words, the Baby-

were mightily

lonians

pleased,

and were ready to do

anything he might ask.

When

had passed he led out

picked body of Babylonian troops

a

the agreed

and utterly destroyed the two thousand army. At

Zopyrus

this

as a

number of days

men

of Darius'

second triumph the Babylonians treated

popular hero. Then, the stipulated time having

arrived, he issued forth to the place agreed upon,

sur-

rounded there the four thousand, and slaughtered them After

this feat

commanding

Then attack

Zopyrus was the

city's darling;

Cissian

made

general and custodian of the defenses.

Darius, according to the plan, delivered a general

on the whole

circuit of the walls.

revealed himself in his true colors.

manned

he was

all.

And then Zopyrus

While

the Babvlonians

the walls to resist the assault, he threw

open the

and Belian gates and admitted the Persian

Those Babylonians who saw

his action

took refuge

host. in the

temple of Jupiter Belus, but most, unaware, remained at

32

The Greeks

^

their posts until they learned too late that they

had been

betrayed.

Thus was Babylon taken victor,

for the second time. Darius, the

breached the walls and removed the

had neglected to do so

at his

conquest.)

about three thousand of the prominent allowed to remain in the nians' stock

strangled most of their

(for, as

women

he drafted a fixed proportion of ing nations. collected.

No

less

to

I

(Cyrus

then impaled

citizens; the rest

city. Further, to

from dying out

He

gates.

he

keep the Babylo-

said before,

they had

economize provisions),

women from the neighborwomen were thus

than fifty thousand

These were the mothers of the present Babylo-

nians.

In Darius' opinion Zopyrus was the greatest servant of the Persian state

with

whom

who had

ever lived, excepting only Cyrus,

no Persian would venture

It is said that

to

compare anyone.

Darius often declared that he would rather

have had Zopyrus whole and intact than twenty Babylons.

He

showered Zopyrus with honors, annually presenting

him with

gifts

such

as are

most prized among the

Also he made Zopyrus governor for

exemption from

taxes;

life

and he did much

Persians.

of Babylon, with

else besides.

THE WOOING OF AGARISTA BY HERODOTUS This translation, bv Morris Bishop, 125-129, of

The

is

from Book VI,

sections

Histories.

THE ALCMAEONiDAE wcfc

a

very distinguished family in

Athens from the earliest times, and later during the life Alcmaeon and iMegacles after him they became very prominent. W^hen Croesus sent his Lydians from Sardis to consult the Delphic oracle, Alcmaeon gave the envoys every assistance. Croesus, hearing from his messengers of Alcmaeon's kindnesses, invited him to Sardis, and on his arrival offered him as much gold as he could carry on his person. Alcmaeon made due preparations; he put on a flowing tunic, which he could hold out in front like an apron, and a pair of enormous open-top boots; and thus he folof

lowed

his

mound

of gold-dust, he packed into his top-boots as

as

guides into the treasure-house.

they would hold; then he

with gold, powdered

good mouthful of

it.

filled

his hair

Attacking a

much

the concavity of his tunic

with gold-dust, and took a

Then, barely able to walk, he tottered

mouth and body Croesus saw him he roared

out like something hardly human, with his all

puffed out with gold.

When

with laughter, and told him to keep to double

it.

all his

cargo and indeed

Thus Alcmaeon's family became very

rich,

and he was able to support four-horsed chariots, with

which he won the races

at

Olympia.

In the next generation Clcisthcnes,

made

his

despot of Sicyon,

family even more eminent than before, so that

it

34

The Greeks

I

was renowned throughout Greece. He had named Agarista; he wanted to marry her to the all

Greece. Therefore, after he had

Olympia, he made

Greek

may

won

a

daughter

best

man

in

the chariot-race at

a public

announcement: "Whatever

worthy

to be Cleisthenes' son-in-law

thinks himself

present himself within sixty days in Sicyon; and in a

year from that time Cleisthenes will choose a mate for his daughter."

who

All the Greeks

of their

had

a high opinion of themselves or

flocked to Sicyon to enter the

cities

lists.

Cleis-

thenes had a running-track and a wrestling-floor specially

made

From

came Smindyrides of Sybaris, son of Hippocrates. (Sybaris was then at the height of its fame.) Smindyrides was famed for the sumptuous elegance of his life. From Siris, also in Italy, came Damasus, son of Amyris called the Wise. From the Ionian Gulf was Amphimnestus of Epidamnus, son of Epistrophus. Males came from AetoHa; he was the brother of that Titormus, for their

the strongest

trials.

man

humanity that he

There

were

Italy

who

in Greece,

took such a

retired to the remotest part of Aetolia.

several

from

Peloponnesus,

the

Leocedes, son of Pheidon, king of Argos,

Greek

— he

notably

introduced

by a Olympic

the most dastardly act ever done

ousted the Elean managers of the

games and ran them ants:

who

and measures to the Peloponnesus, and

a system of weights

who committed

dislike to

himself.

.

.

.

Athens sent two contest-

Megacles, son of the Alcmaeon

who

visited Croesus,

and Hippocleides, son of Tisandrus, the richest and handsomest

man

in Athens.

Such was the

roll

.

.

.

of the suitors.

Cleisthenes examined each of

background.

Then

manly

and temper,

spirit

he

made

On

the appointed day

them on his country and of them all, testing their

trial

their character

and accomplish-

The Wooing

of Agarista

J

35

ments, sometimes in tete-a-tete and sometimes in groups.

He made

the

younger ones work out

But the severest table.

During

in the

was of their behavior whole stay he supplied

their

gymnasium.

at the dinner-

test

all

their

wants

The two candiAthenians, and of the two he

and always entertained them magnificently. dates he liked best

were the

toward Hippocleides, son of Tisandrus, both be-

inclined

manly

cause of his

virtues

and because he was related to the

Cypselid family of Corinth.

At length

the fated day of the betrothal

had to publish

arrived; Cleisthenes sacrificed a

his decision.

hundred oxen, and then offered

to the suitors

and

announcement a

He

first

great banquet

the people of Sicyon. After dinner the

all

candidates displayed their

skill in

music and in improvised

speech-making. As the wine flowed freely Hippocleides

outshone

the rest.

all

music; and as the his

own

at the

called

on the

business.

brought

in;

Then Hippocleides demanded he mounted

conian dances and Attic figures.

on the

table

Now

more

flute-player for

obliged, he danced to the tune, to

great satisfaction. But Cleisthenes began to glower

whole

table be

He

flutist

and waved

at the first

his legs

it

Then

that a

and performed Lahe stood on

his

head

about to music.

and second rounds of dancing

Cleis-

thenes had begun to entertain serious doubts about Hippocleides'

fitness

to

be

son-in-law,

his

but he

contained

However, when he saw the fellow gesticulating with his legs he could restrain himself no more; he cried: "Son of Tisandrus, you have danced away himself, out of decency.

your wife!" "I should

The

worry!" was Hippocleides' only reply.

phrase has

become

a

popular cliche.

THE EUBOEAN HUNTER BY DIO CHRYSOSTOM Dio Cocceianus, his

called

Chrysostom, "golden-mouthed," for

eloquence, was born about

40 in Prusa,

a.d.

now

spoken cynic, he was banished

the im-

A too

portant Turkish city of Bursa, near the Hellespont.

free-

and was obliged to

in a.d. 82

test. Ragged and penniless, supporting by manual labor, but with Plato and Demosthenes always in pocket, he wandered about the Empire. Eventually he gained the favor of the Emperors Nerva and Trajan. He wrote abundantly, on philosophy, politics, and

put his philosophy to the

himself sometimes

literature.

He

died in Prusa, at about eight\^

This translation

is

reprinted

by permission

and THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY from

J.

W.

Dio Chrysostom, Discourses, Volume Harvard University Press, 1932).

SHALL

I

NOW

it is

translator,

(Cambridge, Mass.:

relate a personal experience of mine;

merely something

indeed,

I

of the publishers

Cohoon,

I

not

have heard from others. Perhaps,

quite natural for an old

man

to be garrulous

and

reluctant to drop any subject that occurs to him, and possi-

bly

this

The

is

just as true of the

reason,

I

dare say,

is

wanderer

as of the old

that both have had

many

ences that they find considerable pleasure in recalling.

how

I

It

and manner of

shall describe the character

some people

that

I

chanced that

met

in practically the centre of

at the close

of the

summer

crossing from Chios with some fishermen boat,

when

such

in reaching the *

a

storm arose that

we had

Hollows of Euboea

The dangerous

east coast of the

Any-

life

of

Greece.

season

in a

man.

experi-

I

was

very small

great difficulty

* in safety.

The crew

southern part of Euboea, a

large island off the east coast of mainland Greece.

—Ed. fl

II

The Euboean Hunter

37

J

ran their boat up a rough beach under the cUffs, where

it

was wrecked, and then went off to a company of purplewhose vessel was anchored in the shelter of the spur of rocks near by, and they planned to stay there and

fishers *

work along with them. So I was ing of any town in which to aimlessly along the shore

some boat

chanced upon

still

wash of the

breathing.

seek shelter,

on the chance

I

that

riding at anchor.

a deer that

And

and not know-

I

I

wandered might find

had gone on

when

without seeing anybody

distance

considerable

lay in the

by or

sailing

left alone,

had

just fallen

by

breakers, lapped

soon

I

thought

I

over the

cliif

I

and

the waves and

heard the barking of

dogs above, but not clearly, owing to the roar of the

On

a

sea.

going forward and gaining an elevated position with

great difficulty,

saw the dogs

I

running to and

baffled,

fro,

and inferred that their quarry, being hard pressed by them,

had jumped over the

by

hunter, to judge

beard on his

his

clifi".

his

Then, soon

after, I

saw

a

man, a

appearance and dress; he wore a

healthy face, and not simply hair at the back of

head in mean and base fashion,

as

Homer

says the

Euboeans did when they went against Troy, mocking and ridiculing them,

it

seems to me, because, while the other

Greeks there made a good appearance, they had hair on only half the head.

Now

this

man

hailed me, saying, "Stranger, have

seen a deer running

anywhere hereabouts?" And

I

you

replied,

"Yonder it is this minute, in the surf," and I took him and showed it to him. So he dragged it out of the sea, ripped off the skin with his knife while

could.

Then,

•

Men who

lent a helping

hand

as best I

after cutting off the hind quarters,

about to carry them

in fact

I

away along with

dredged up the

dark red, was made.

shell-fish

the hide,

he was

when

he

from which the purple dye,

38

The Greeks

^

me

invited

come along and

to

dine

upon the venison with

"And

him, adding that his dwelHng was not far away.

morning," he continued, "after you have rested with

in the us,

you

shall

weather for

come back

to the sea, since the present

Yet do not worry about

sailing.

continued, "I should be content to have the after full five days, but that

the see

not likely

is

wind

when

how

I

had landed

there,

no

die

down

the peaks of

and whether the boat had

not been wrecked. "It was a very small one,"

who were

"belonging to some fishermen their

but

is

that," he

Euboean mountains are so capped with clouds as you them now." And at the same time he asked me whence I

came,

I,

then

all

I

replied,

crossing over, and

only passenger, sailed with them on urgent business, the same

it

ran aground and was wrecked." "Well,

could not easily have been otherwise," he replied; "for

how wild and rugged These

sea.

where

are

a ship

is

the part of the island

what they

doomed

sail

in a

very light

that faces the

the Hollows of Euboea,

call

driven ashore, and rarely are

if it is

any of those aboard saved they

is

it

see,

either, unless, of course, like

craft.

But come and have no

you fear.

Today you shall rest after your trying experience, but tomorrow we shall do our best to get you out safely, now that we have come to know you. You look to me like a man from the seem

not a sailor or worker on the land, nay, you

city,

to be suffering

from some grievous infirmity of body,

by your leanness." followed him gladly without

to judge I

since

I

found

had nothing but

is

— and

in reality a

wrongs you;

yes,

I

fear of

shabby cloak.

in other situations like this

roaming about erty

a

—

for

any treachery,

Now I

I

had often

was continually

certainly did in this one, that pov-

sacred and inviolable thing and no one

much

carry the herald's wand.

less

And

than they so

I

wrong

those

who

followed without misgiv-

The Euboean Hunter

And

ing on this occasion.

was about

it

^

39

five miles to his

place.

As we proceeded on our way he

how

stances and

he lived with

"There are two of

us, stranger,"

same place. Each

married to a

is

told

he

me

said,

sister

"who

You it

see,

or get

were

work but

by our own

it

cattle of a

poor

as

we

efforts.

are

we

did not inherit

fathers,

though

sions together with

all

these

droves of horses and too and

hills.

emperor

* for his

cattle,

many other posseswhen he died and

Now

—they say he was put wealth — they once drove

property was confiscated the

free,

wealthy man, one of the residents of the island

man who owned many many flocks, many good fields

by

We live by the

—hired herdsmen tending the

here, a

his

Our

to death

at

off his

own

stock to be butchered, and in addition to his stock our

few

for our wages, no one has ever paid

cattle, and, as

them.

we

a small bit of land.

the place does not belong to us:

just as

live in the

of the other, and

have children by them, sons and daughters. chase for the most part and

of his circum-

wife and children.

his

At that

time, then,

where we happened certain huts

we

stayed of necessity at the place

to have

had our

cattle

and had

and an enclosure of palings for the

very large or strong

—

just

what would do

suppose; for in the winter

we

for the

built

calves,

summer,

grazed our cattle in the

where we had plenty of pasturage and

not I

flat

good deal of hay put up; but in the summer we would drive them into the hills. It was in this place especially that our fathers made their steadings; for the place sloped in from both sides, lands,

forming flowed

a ravine,

a quiet

wade with

deep and shaded; through the centre

stream in which the cows and calves could

perfect ease; the water

bubhHnG^ up from *

Domitian.

a

a

was abundant and pure,

spring near by; and in the

summer

a

40

Tlie Greeks

I

breeze always blew through the ravine.

round about were

soft

Many

or any other cattle pest. stretched beneath

abounded

the glades

in luxuriant vegetation

cattle did

a gadfly

very beautiful meadows

whole

sparse trees, and the

tall

summer, so that the

Then

and moist, breeding never

district

throughout the entire

not range very

far.

For these

reasons they regularly established the herd there.

"Now

our fathers remained in the huts

at

that time,

hoping to hire out or find some work, and they lived on the

produce of

a

very small piece of land which they happened

was was well manured. And having

to have under cultivation near the cattle-yard. This quite

enough for them

as

it

nothing more to do with cattle they turned to hunting,

sometimes going alone and

two of

at

other times with dogs; for

those which had followed the cattle, after going a

long distance and not seeing the herdsmen, had

and returned to the place. These if

at first

left

the herd

merely followed

as

out for some other purpose than hunting, and though,

when they saw

wolves, they would give chase for a dis-

tance, yet to boars or deer they

would pay no

attention

whatever. But whenever they sighted a bear, whether early or

late,

him

they would rally to the attack, barking and fending

off,

as if

they were fighting a man.

tasting the blood of boars flesh,

And

so,

and deer and often eating

they changed their habits

late in life

from their

and learned to

meat instead of barley-bread, gorging themselves with any game was caught and going hungry otherwhenever it wise, till they finally gave more attention to the chase, like

pursued with equal zest every animal they sighted, began to pick up the scent and

trails in

some way or

changed from shepherd dogs into

other, and thus

a sort of late-trained

and

rather slow hunting dogs. on, there was no work in came down to town or the men whether they

"Then when winter came for

sight

to a

The Euboean Hunter

J

41

So after making their huts tighter and the yard

village.

managed

fence closer, they

whole of that

since a high-road, as

clearer, because printed

snow made them

the

distance, so that there

was no need of

a

easier.

on the

visible at a great

troublesome search,

were, led to them, and the quarry

it

was sluggish and waited longer. catch hares and gazelles in their fathers lived

and worked the

and the winter hunting proved

plot,

were naturally

The damp ground, and tracks

to get along

It is possible, besides,

lairs.

to

In this way, then, our

from that time on, no longer having any

desire

And they married us their sons to wives, each giving his own daughter. The two old men died about a year ago, counting the many years they had for a different kind of

lived,

but being

body.

Of

"Now still

a

strong and youthful and vigorous of

still

the mothers mine

is

yet living.

the other one of us has never yet been to town,

though he

was

life.

is

and

fifty years old,

I

only twice

—once when

my father, when we had the cattle;

boy, with

I

and

man came demanding money, under the impreswe had some, and bade us follow him to the city. Now we had no money and swore on oath that we had not, adding that otherwise we would have given it. We entertained him as best we could and gave him two deerskins, later

on

a

sion that

and

I

followed him to the city; * for he said

it

was neces-

sary for one of us to go and explain this matter.

"Now, and

as

on

a strong

my

former

trip, I

saw many

square structures t on the wall and

complete calm nothing is

why

big

many

boats lying in

it were. There is anywhere here where you put in, and that are wrecked. Now that is what I saw, and a

at

anchor

in a lake as

like that

the ships

crowd herded

shouting, so that •

large houses

surrounding wall with a number of lofty

I

in

together and a tremendous uproar and

thought they were

Carystus or Chalcis

is

thought

of.

all

fighting with one

f I-c, towers.

42

The Greeks

^

another. Well, he brought

and

said

with

a laugh, 'This

me is

before certain magistrates

the

man you

me

sent

for.

He

has nothing but his long hair and a hut of very strong

Then the officials went with them. The theatre is hollow

timber.'

it is

into the theatre * and

I

except that

like a ravine,

not long in two directions but semicircular, and not

you

natural but built of stone. But perhaps

are laughing at

you what you know perfectly well. deliberated on other matters for a considerable while, and they kept up a shouting, at one time in gentle fashion and all of them in cheerful mood, as

me

for telling

"Now at first the crowd

they applauded certain speakers, but

vehemence and

in wrath.

other times with

at

This wrath of

theirs w^as

thing terrible, and they at once frightened the

whom

men

someagainst

they raised their voices, so that some of them ran

about begging for mercy, while others threw off their cloaks through fear.

I

over by the shouting,

too myself was once almost knocked as

though

a tidal

storm had suddenly broken over me.

wave

And

or thunder-

other

men would

up where they were, and address the multitude, sometimes using a few words, at other times making long speeches. To some of these they would listen

come forward,

or stand

for quite a long time, but at others they as

they opened

their

were angry

mouths, and they would not

as

let

soon

them

much as cheep. "But when they finally settled down and there was quiet, they brought me forward. And someone cried out, 'This man, sirs, is one of the fellows who have been enjoying the use of our public land for many years, and not only he but his father before him. They graze their cattle on our mountains, farm and hunt, have built many houses, have set out vines, and enjoy many other advantages without paying so

* Theatres were common all over Greece, and public meetings were generally held in them.

The Euboean Hunter rent to

anybody

for the land or ever having received

it

For what, pray, would they ever

from the people

as a gift.

have received

And though

it?

43

J

they occupy what

is

ours and

are wealthy, yet they have never performed any public service,

nor do they pay any tax on what they make, but

live free

from

taxes

and public services

benefactors of the city. Yes, and

I

as

they have never come here before.'

'that

and the crowd laughed

when they saw

enraged the speaker and he abused

me

lose

I

he continued,

shook

it.

my

head,

This laughing

roundly.

ing toward the audience once more, he these doings

though they were

believe,'

Then

turn-

said, 'Well, then, if

meet with your approval, we had

all

better

no time in looting the public property, some of us

taking the city's money, just as certain individuals are even

now

upon the land you are going to let these backwoodsmen hold without payment more than 250 acres of the best land, from which you might get three Attic doing, no doubt, and others squatting

without your consent,

measures

* of grain

"When

I

heard

if

per head.' this, I

laughed as loud

crowd, however, did not laugh

as

as I could.

The

before but became very

grew angry, and giving me a fierce and impudence of the scamp and how insolently he mocks me? I have a mind to have him and his partner dragged off to prison; for I understand that there are two ringleaders of this gang that

noisy, while the fellow

look, said,

'Do you

see the deceitfulness

has seized practically I

all

the land in the mountains. Yes, and

do not believe they keep

are cast

up from time

their

hands off the wrecks that

to time, living as they

do almost

above the rocks off Cape Caphereus.t Where, otherwise, did they get such valuable *

The

T

A

fields,

nay, rather, entire villages,

Attic measure or choimx was nearly a quart. rocky dangerous promontory at the south-cast corner of Euboea.

44

The Creeks

^

and such numbers of Perhaps, too,

he put on to

and draught animals and

cattle

you note how poor come here in order

notion that he

said he,

'when

ened, as

fancy

should be

Caphereus.

I

blouse

slaves?

and the skin

is

you with the

to deceive

evidently a beggar and has nothing. For

is

my part,' I

his

I

I

look if I

him,

at

am

I

almost fright-

saw Nauplius

*

come from

believe he flashes mariners a signal

heights so as to decoy this

and much more

was

sore perplexed

them on

to the rocks.'

besides, the

crowd grew

from the

While he

said

ugly, while

and afraid they might do

I

me some

mischief.

"Then another person came forward,

a

good kindly man,

to judge

from the words he spoke and from

He

asked the people to be

first

silent,

and then

in a quiet tone

the country's idle land and got but,

silent,

his

appearance.

and they became

he said that they it

into shape did

who

no wrong,

on the contrary, deserved commendation. They should

not be angry planted trees

moment,

at those

upon he

sirs,'

it,

who

but

built

at those

said, 'almost

upon public land and

who

injured

it.

'At this

two-thirds of our land

wilderness because of neglect and lack of population.

own many

acres, as I

them,

I

become more

money

besides.

For

it

while waste lands are not only

*

too

if

anybody would

is

plain that they

valuable to me, and at the same time the sight

of land occupied and under cultivation

at

a

should not only give him the chance for nothing

but gladly pay

who

I

is

imagine some others do, not only in

the mountains but also on the plains, and till

tilled

is

a pleasing one,

a useless possession to those

hold them, but very distressing evidence of some mis-

King of Euboea.

Trov through

In revenge for the death of his son Palamedes

the treachery of Odysseus, he lighted beacon fires

on the promontory

as the

their ships to destruction.

Greeks were returning and lured many of

The Euboean Hunter

you rather to some of the those who have some capital

fortune of their owners. Wherefore,

encourage

all

the other citizens

work

public land and

it,

advise

I

you can

your land may be

who ness

may

accept

let

up

land, let

made

them agree

to

a citizen, in

it

is

able

citizens

evils

—

idle-

free for ten years,

pay

a small portion

their cattle. If

any

him likewise pay nothing for the

years, but after that twice as

And let any alien who be

have

each

and the

in use,

produce but nothing from

alien takes first five

men

these

let

and after that period their

as

be free from two very great

and poverty. So

from

to take

much

taking more, and the poorer citizens as to handle, that

45

J

put

shall

much

fifty acres

order to encourage

as the citizens.

under cultivation as

many

as possi-

ble.

" 'At the present

city gates it

were

is

moment even

quite wild

the land just outside the

and terribly unattractive,

in the depths of a wilderness

and not

though

as

in the

suburbs

sown

of a city, while most of the land inside the walls

is

grazed.

trump up

It is

therefore surprising that orators

or

charges against the industrious people of Caphereus in the

remote parts of Euboea, and yet hold that the the

gymnasium and grazing

cattle in the

market-place are

You can

doubtless see for

doing nothing out of the way. yourselves that they have

ploughed

field,

statues are

men farming

made your gymnasium

so that the Heracles

into a

and numerous other

hidden by the corn, some those of heroes and

others those of gods.

belonging to

You

this orator

see too,

day

after day, the sheep

invade the market-place at

dawn

and graze about the council chamber and the executive buildings. Therefore,

they either laugh

at

it

when

strangers

or pity

burst into a rage against that

made

a great uproar.

it.'

first

Now on

first

come

to our city,

hearing this they

speaker in

his

turn and

46

The Greeks

^

*'

'Yet though the accuser does such things, he thinks that

humble and needy

ought to be haled

citizens

off to prison,

may do any work hereafter, but may live by brigandage and those within by thievery. I move,' he continued, *that we leave these men in possession of what they themselves have

so that no one, forsooth,

that those outside the city

pay

created, provided they that

we

cancel

a

moderate tax hereafter, and

arrears to date, since they tilled land that

all

had been wild and valueless and gained possession

way. let

If,

us

however, they wish to pay

sell

to

"When

them

at

in that

a price for their farm,

a cheaper figure than to anybody

he had thus concluded, that

spoke in reply, and the two stormed

long time. But finally

I

speaker again

first

at

was bidden

else.'

each other for a

to say

whatever

I

wished. "

'And what ought

been said

said,' I,

'that there

And

said.

is

I

sirs,'

what has

asked. 'Reply to

word I

'Well then,

declare,'

I

of truth in what he has

continued,

dreaming when he prated about like.

I

his seat.

not one

me,

as for

to say?'

from

cried one

fields

and

'I

thought

villages

and such

We have no village or horses or asses or cattle.

we might

possess

all

the

good things he described,

might not only have given to you but might the wealthy

class ourselves!

sufficient for us,

Even

if

Yet what

we

also

even

was

I

I

wish

that

we

belong to

now

have

and do you take whatever you wish of

you want

all,

we

shall replace

it.'

At

these

is it.

words

they applauded.

"Thereupon the magistrate asked me what wx would be able to give to the people, to which I replied, 'Four deer pelts of excellent quality.' Here the majority laughed and the magistrate

was vexed

skins are rough,'

good

as they.

I

at

me. 'That

is

because the bear

continued, 'and the goat skins are not as

Some

are old

and some are

small.

But take

The Euboean Hunter

J

47

you wish.' Then he was vexed once more and said that I was a downright landloper, and I replied, *Do I again hear mention of lands, and from you? Did I not tell you that we have no lands?' "He asked next whether we would agree each to give an Attic talent,'* and I repUed, 'We do not weigh our meat, but we will give whatever we have. There is a little salted down, but the rest is smoked and not much inferior to the these too, if

There

other.

bacon and venison and other

are sides of

Then they did raise an uproar and called The man also asked me if we had any grain and

excellent meats.'

me

a Har.

how much.

about

I

bushels of wheat,' said

amount of

millet,

were none

but only four quarts of beans, since there

this year.

barley,' said millet, take

it

I,

him the exact amount. 'Three 'six of barley, and the same I,

told

Now

do you take the wheat and the

'and leave us the millet. But

if

you need

too.'

"

'And do you not make any wine?' another asked. 'We make it,' I said, 'so that if any one of you comes, we w^ill hand

it

over, but be sure to bring

with you, since

we

haven't any.'

have you?' 'Two,'

vines

twenty

we set

in the yard, the

out recently.

I

some kind of wineskin

'Now,

just

how many

repHed, 'outside our doors,

same number across the river that

They

are of very fine quality

and yield

when the passers-by leave them alone. But to you the trouble of asking about every detail, I will you what else we have: eight she-goats, a mulley t cow

large clusters

spare tell

with

a

spears,

very pretty

calf,

four sickles, four grub hoes, three

and each of us owns

a

hunting knife. As for the

• The speaker referred to the siher money talent worth somewhat more than /200 (Siooo). The countryman knew the talent only as a weight, about 85 pounds at that time. t That is, hornless or polled.

48

The Greeks

^

crockery too,

we

have

a third

" *Yes

money up,

—why should one mention

that? We have wives We live in two pretty huts, and

and children by them.

by

suspect.' 'Well then,' said

I

fool!

Who

we

money in the ground? It cerThen everybody laughed, and it was

what we have; and now,

if you want everyyou voluntarily. There is you to take it from us by force as though it foreigners or rogues; for, mark you, we are

is

are willing to give

no need for belonged to

with the

your

rest.

as

it

will help

there

is

you

we

if

are raising our children to be

and foreign

ever such a

crisis

pray heaven that the majority be imagine that indeed,

does

foes. Just arise,

you

now

you

will

For do not

like ourselves.

this talker will fight for

then, unless,

be to scold Hke a woman. Besides, whenever

it

we

will give

you

the skins; only send

someone

to get them.

catch any game,

us raze our huts,

we will do

must give us housing here; winter's cold? walls;

money

grant of

a

and should you ever need them, they

against brigands

peace; but

when

just

father say.

happened, and got some too along

Therefore

fellow-citizens;

my

used to hear

I

once he too came here

was being made,

to

it

citizens too of this city, as

And

it

thought.

I

" 'That thing,

you bury your

'come and dig

I,

buries

tainly does not grow.' at him,

pelts are kept.'

heavens,' said the orator, 'where

too,

you

where the grain and the

You

have

so

if

else

we

meat and of

a part of the

Then

if

you bid

they trouble you. But you

how

many empty

one of them will be enough for

shall

we

endure the

houses inside the city us.

Yet

if

we

choose

to live elsewhere than here and thus avoid adding to the

congestion caused by so gether, that surely "

'Then

wrecked

is

as to that

vessels

people being huddled to-

no reason for moving

us.

ghoulish and wicked practice in case of

which the speaker had the hardihood

—and

accuse us of

many

I

almost forgot to speak of

it,

to

although

I

The Euboean Hunter should have done so

very

at the

Not

could possibly believe him?

start

the timber

you can

find there

is

beach in existence.

found

cast ashore

And

—why,

that

grows by the

any

profit like that

sea.

shipwrecked

taken them into

is

the most inaccessi-

them

God

Pray

which

it,

travellers

my

who

hut, given

helped them in any other

way

is

Why,

I

have

the time

I

have

my

have come to

them

that

I

is

there

win

that to

who

could, and accompa-

me now? And

will testify for

a testimonial or gratitude;

where the men came from even.

may ever undergo "While and

I

same

I

I

why,

never

I

for

knew

man

rose in their midst,

thought to myself that perhaps he was another of the sort

now it

who was I

that

I

going to slander me, but he

have been wondering whether

have clearly identified him,

would be

me

express

said: 'Sirs, I

my

tinued,

'a

gratitude in

his

citizen here, as

we happened

lost off

you

me

who

I

I

am,' he con-

and so

thereupon rose

is

this

'Two when it

handful of us were saved

Now some

few had money

man,*

also.

to be sailing in Socles' boat a

can, or

very deed

after having in

are aware,

Caphercus and only

out of a large number. ple-fishers, for a

this

did not.

I

seems to

it

statements as far as

words

pointing to his neighbour, years ago

knew

dreadful, or rather a crime against heaven,

not to corroborate

received the greatest kindness at his hands.

was

of

pray that none of you

man, but nevertheless was inclined to think that that

who

never did

I

such an experience.'

was thus speaking, a

for a long time

But

door,

and to drink,

to eat

nied them until they got out of the wilderness. Yet

them

oak

never get or earn

many

but

once

I

to the sacred

may

I

from human misfortune!

never made anything out of pitied

there. Indeed, all

the oar-blades

nailed

I

all

the spHnters, so very small

are the fragments cast up. Besides, that ble

among you

mention the impiety of

to

impossible to salvage anything at

it, it is

—who

49

J

were sheltered bv purin their wallets;

but

we

50

The Greeks

I

who were

cast ashore destitute

ing to find

some

shelter

tramped along

among shepherds

hop-

a path,

or herdsmen, for

we were in danger of perishing from hunger and thirst. And after much hardship we did finally reach some huts and stopped and hallooed, when this man here came out, brought us

in,

and made

Then he

increased.

a

low

fire

which he

himself rubbed one of us, and his wife

the other, with tallow, for they had no olive

warm

they poured

gradually-

oil.

Finally,

water over us until they brought us

we

around, chilled to the bone as

had been. Then, after

making us recline and throwing about us what they had, they put wheaten loaves before us to eat while they themselves ate millet porridge.

They

also

gave us wine to drink,

they themselves drinking water, and they roasted venison in abundance, while

wanted

some of

they boiled.

it

And though we

go away on the morrow, they held us back for

to

Then they escorted us down to the plains and when we left them, as well as a very handsome pelt for each of us. And when this man here saw that I was still ill from my trying experience, he put on me a three days.

gave us meat

little

tunic

which he took from

his daughter,

a bit of cloth about herself instead. This I

reached the

to this

man

village. So,

I

next to the gods,

and she girded

and cried out, *Hello, Sotades!'

lives

And

I

listened

with

recalled

it all

approached and

him and the other man. However, the people

laughed heartily because that in the cities

"Then that

that kind

we

I

kissed them.

Then

I

understood

people do not kiss one another.

and good

behalf at the beginning sirs,

our

especially.'

"While he was thus speaking, the people pleasure and showed me their approval, and I kissed

when

gave back

we owe

invite this

man who had spoken

came forward and

man

said,

'I

in

my

move,

to dine in the town-hall. If he

had saved one of our townsfolk

in battle

by covering him

1

The Euboean Hunter with

would he not have received many large But now, when he has saved two citizens, and per-

his shield,

gifts?

haps others w^ho are not here,

he entitled to no honour at

is

For the tunic which he stripped from

all?

gave to

him

5

J

fellow-townsman in

his

a tunic

and

a cloak as

his

daughter and

distress, let

the city give

an inducement to others to be

righteous and to help one another. Further,

let it

vote that

they and their children have the use of the farm free from molestation, and that the

man himself

drachmas for equipment; and out of

money,

as for this

my own pocket on behalf of the

"For

The

be given one hundred I

offer

it

city.'

he was applauded and the motion was carried.

this

clothes and the

But

theatre at once.

I

money were also brought into the was loath to accept, whereupon they

said,

'You cannot dine in the

shall

go without dinner to-day.' However, they put the

me and threw the

tunic on

wanted let

me.

to

throw

would not take

who

will take

bury that

it,

my skin

The money

for he

it.

it,'

I

knows

cloak over

on top of

I,

I,

if

you

'give

all,

but they would not

all

are hunting for

it

I

somebody

to that orator that he

about that evidently.'

day nobody has bothered

'I

my shoulders. Then I

absolutely refused and swore that

'But

said

'Well then,' said

skin.'

may

And from

us."

Now he had hardly ended when we were at the huts, and laughing citizens

I

said,

"But you have hidden from your fellow-

one thing, the

fairest of

that?" said he. "This garden,"

deed with

all its

then," he said;

Then we reclining on

your possessions." "What I

replied,

"very pretty

vegetables and trees." "There

"we made

it

is

in-

was not any

afterwards."

entered and feasted the rest of the day,

boughs and skins that made

a

we

high bed and the

wife sitting near beside her husband. But

a

daughter of

marriageable age served the food and poured us

a

sweet

dark wine to drink; and the boys prepared the meat, help-

52

The Greeks

I

ing themselves as they passed

around, so that

it

could not

I

help deeming these people fortunate and thinking that of

all

men that I knew, they lived the happiest lives. And yet knew the homes and tables of rich men, of satraps and

the I

kings as well as of private individuals; but then they seemed to

me

the most wretched of

appeared before, yet

I

all;

and though they had so

felt this

beheld the poverty and free

spirit

the

more strongly

as I

of the humble cottagers

and noted that they lacked naught of the joy of eating and drinking, nay, that even in these things they had, one might

almost say, the better of

it.

We were already well enough supplied when that other man who

by

entered, accompanied carried a hare.

blush; and while his kissed the

The

his son, a prepossessing lad

on entering commenced to father was welcoming us, he himself latter

maiden and gave her the

ceased serving and sat

down

hare.

The

child then

beside her mother while the

boy served in her stead. "Is she the one," I enquired of my host, "whose tunic you took off and gave to the shipwrecked man?" "No," said he with a smile, "that daughter was married long ago and already has grown-up children. Her husband is a rich man living in a village." "And do they help you when you need anything?" I enquired. "We do not need anything," replied the wife, "but they get

we

game from

us whenever

tables, for

they have no garden. Last year

catch any, and fruit and vege-

we

repaid them as soon as

some wheat

just for seed,

harvest time

was come." "Tell me,"

to

marry

but

this girl also to a rich

you wheat?" At

this the

we borrowed

man

said

I,

"do you intend

that she too

two blushed,

may

lend

the girl as well as the

boy.

"She will have father,

a

poor

man

for a husband," said the

"a hunter like ourselves," and with a smile he

The Euboean Hunter glanced

young man. And I said, *'But why do you her away at once? Must her husband come from

at the

not give

some he

is

53

J

village or other?" "I

not far

off;

nay, he

is

have an idea," he replied, "that here in this house, and

we

shall

when we have picked out a good "And how do you determine the good day?" said I. And he replied, "When the moon is not in a quarter; the air celebrate the marriage

day."

must be

and the weather

clear too,

"Tell me,

is

You

"And

did

laughing

shall see

down

catch hare?" —you "with my net during the

Then

moon was

I.

"Why,

a victim, for

this

girl's

my

we must

is

boy,

father but silent. it is

not

I

waiting until he

sacrifice to the gods."

younger brother interrupted, saying,

fellow got a victim long ago.

in there

was

never so big before."

delaying you, but your father

point the

it."

"Yes," he replied,

night, for the sky

the girl's father said, "Well,

can go and buy this

I said,

you wish

two men laughed, not only the girl's As for him, he felt ashamed and became

who am

tened

said

this

if

the

his also.

At

then

deer and face the charge of a

a

to-morrow, stranger,

very beautiful, and the

Then

And

he really a good hunter?" "I am," cried the

youth; "I can run boar.

fine."

behind the hut, and

really so?" they asked him,

and he

a fine

It is

animal

said "Yes."

being it is."

fat-

"Is

it

"And where

did you get it?" they enquired. "When we caught the wild sow that had the young ones, they all escaped but one. They ran more swiftly than the hare," he added. "One,

however,

I

hit

leather jerkin.

with a stone, caught, and covered with I

Then

exchanged

made

pig for

it.

that

the reason

is

I

claimed the father,

it

a sty

in the village

and got

out behind and raised

a

my

young

it."

"So

why

your mother would laugh," ex"when I used to wonder on hearing the

you were using the barley so frcclv." "Well," he replied, "the chestnuts were not enough to

pig grunt, and

54

The Greeks

^

fatten her, supposing she

had been wilHng to eat nuts with-

out anything

else.

you wish

fetch her in."

And

were

But

if

once on the run,

off at

to see her,

they bade him do

so.

I

had risen and brought from another hut some

stains

go and

of glee. Meanwhile the girl

full

sliced sorb-

and swelling clusters of

apples, medlars, winter apples,

grapes, and placed

will

So he and the boys

them on the

table after

wiping

fine

off the

from the meat with leaves and putting some clean

Then

came in laughing and full of fun, leading the pig, and with them followed the young man's mother and two small brothers. They brought white loaves of wheaten bread, boiled eggs in wooden platters, fern beneath.

the boys

and parched chickpeas. After the

woman

had greeted her brother and her niece,

his daughter, she sat

"See, there

is

down

the victim

beside her husband and said,

which

that

boy

has long been

feeding for his wedding day, and everything else

on our

side.

The

we

ready

barley and wheaten flour have been

ground; only perhaps too

is

we

shall

need

a little

can easily get from the village."

more wine. This

And

close beside

her stood her son, glancing at his future father-in-law. smiled at the lad and said, "There things up.

I

is

the one

who

is

He

holding

believe he wants to fatten the pig a bit more."

The young man replied, "Why, she is ready to burst with fat." And wishing to help him, I said, "Take care that your young man doesn't get thin while the pig gets fat." "Our guest speaks well," said the mother, "for he has already

grown

thinner than

I

have ever seen him before; and

I

noticed a short time ago that he was wakeful in the night

and went out of the hut." "The dogs were barking," the

young man

interrupted, "and

did not," said she, "but traught. So don't let us

longer."

And throwing

I

went out

to see."

"No, you

you were walking around dispermit him to be tortured any

her arms about the

girl's

mother she

The Euboean Hunter kissed her;

and the

latter,

turning to her husband,

55

J

"Let

said,

us do as they wish." This they decided to do and said, "Let

us have the invited

me

reflecting

among

wedding the day

to stay over,

and

I

after

to-morrow." They

also

did so gladly, at the same time

on the character of weddings and other things

the rich,

on the matchmakers, the

scrutinies of prop-

erty and birth, the dowries, the gifts from the bridegroom, the promises and deceptions, the contracts and agreements, and, finally, the wranglings and enmities that often occur at

the

wedding

Now

I

itself.

have not told

might perhaps

infer,

this

beginning and of the

drawn from

or, as

some

with the desire to spin a yarn, but to

present an illustration of the at the

long story idly

my own

manner of

life

life

that

—an

of the poor

experience for anyone

I

adopted

illustration

who

wishes to

consider whether in words and deeds and in social inter-

course the poor are at a disadvantage in comparison with the rich on account of their poverty, so far as living a

seemly and natural the advantage.

life is

And

really,

when

words and ask myself whether entertainment of strangers

is

I

as a

without reluctance

have

consider Euripides'

matter of fact the

so difficult for

them

can never welcome or succour anyone in need,

by no means to be true of more promptly than the

way

concerned, or in every

their hospitality.

I

that they

find this

They light a fire on the way

rich and guide one

—indeed,

in

such matters a sense of

—

would compel them and often they share what they have more readily. When will you find a rich

self-respect

man who his

will give the victim of a

daughter's purple

cheaper than

gown

shipwreck

his wife's

or

or any article of clothing far

that: a mantle, for

example, or

a tunic,

though

he has thousands of them, or even a cloak from one of his slaves?

CHAEREAS AND CALLIRHOE BY CHARITON The

adventure-story of Chaereas and Callirhoe, of which the

chapter, out of eight,

first

is

given here,

European novel, the predecessor of

is

A.D.

150, or perhaps

earlier.

manifests considerable narrative

first

Egypt help

scraps of the text recently discovered in

about

the

surviving

a million others.

Some

to date

Primitive as the novel

skill.

Of

it

is, it

the author, Chariton,

we know no more than he tells us in his opening sentence, that he was a clerk or secretary to a lawyer in Aphrodisias, near the present Izmir in Asia Minor.

The

site

of Aphrodisias

is

now

being actively excavated; perhaps our author will be exhumed along with artifacts and inscriptions.

The translation of Chariton's Chaereas and Callirhoe by Warren E. Blake, who also edited and published the Greek text, was published by the University of Michigan Press (Ann Arbor) in 1939; copyright 1939 by the University of Michigan. The selection is used by permission of the publisher.

AM

I

CHARITON OF APHRODisiA, Secretary

Athenagoras, and

affair that

took place

Syracuse, the one

am going

I

to

in Syracuse.

who

tell

to the advocate

you about

Hermocrates, general of

defeated the Athenians,* had a

daughter named Callirhoe, a wonderful sort of admiration of

human;

nymph

it

all Sicily.

was

divine,

Maiden.

girl

and the

Really her loveliness was hardly

—and

it

was not

of the sea or the mountains,

dite the

a love

The fame

that of a

either,

mere

but of Aphro-

of this incredible vision of

beauty spread far and wide and suitors came pouring into Syracuse, potentates and royal Sicily, *

but from

In 414 B.C.

War.—Ed.

The

Italy, Epirus,

story

is

princes,

not only from

and the nations of the Asiatic

thus set at the time of the Pelopponcsian

58

The Greeks

I

continent. But the his

own

god of love wanted

make

to

a

match of

devising.

Now

was

there

a certain

better looking than

young man

who

the rest,

all

called Chaereas,

resembled the statues

and pictures of Achilles and Nireus and Hippolytus and Alcibiades. His father

Hermocrates

was Ariston, second

in Syracuse.

There was

rank only to

a political rivalry

between the two, which would have led

make an

in

either of

them

to

with any family sooner than with that of However, Love thrives on opposition and delights in accomplishing unexpected results, and this was the opportunity for which he was looking. There was a public festival of Aphrodite and almost all alliance

the other.

the

women

had gone off to her temple. Callirhoe

had never appeared

mand

now

until

in public, but at her father's

com-

her mother brought her out to worship the goddess.

Just then Chaereas

was walking home from the gymnasium,

radiant as a

The

star.

glowing face Hke gold on

two came upon each

—

a meeting

bloomed on

flush of exercise

Now as

silver.

it

his

happened, these

other at a narrow corner face to face,

shrewdly contrived by the god to insure

seeing each other. Immediately they

in

fell

love,

their

since

beauty had met with nobility. Like

a

hero mortally

wounded

in battle,

ashamed to

fall,

but unable to stand, Chaereas could barely go off home with his

wound. As

for the girl, she fell at the feet of Aphrodite,

kissed them, and said, "Lady, give

man whom

me

as

my

husband

this

thou hast shown me!"

Night came on, dreadful

to both, for love's fire

kindled. Yet the girl's suffering

was

was more severe because

she had to keep silent in shame of being discovered. But

when Chaereas began of good tell his

disposition

to waste

and proud

away, being

spirit,

a

young man

he had the courage to

parents that he was in love and could not live unless

Chaereas and Callirhoe

he

won

she has

hearing

this, his

59

father

Hermocam sure, would never give you his daughter when so many other suitors of wealth and royal rank. No,

groaned and rates, I

On

Callirhoe as his wife.

J

said,

''My boy, your case

you must not even attempt

it,

or

hopeless.

is

we may

be openly in-

sulted."

His father then tried to comfort the boy, but

his trouble

grew, so that he no longer appeared in public to engage in his usual pursuits.

The gymnasium

felt

the loss of Chaereas

and was practically deserted, for the young people loved

By

him.

persistent inquiry they learned the cause of his

and they

illness,

all

young man who was

felt sincere

in

pity for this

handsome

danger of death from the honest

passion of his heart.

A

formal public assembly was called.

had taken their

seats, their first

"Noble Hermocrates, mighty this

When

the people

and only demand was

this,

general, save Chaereas! Let

be the greatest of your triumphs.

for the marriage today of these

Our

two who

city intercedes

are so

worthy of

each other."

Who

could describe that assembly of which the god of

love was the spokesman? Hermocrates, as a true patriot,

was unable nodded

to refuse the

his assent, all the

from the

theater.

Even

the

officials

women

filled

all

So when he

off after Chaereas

followed along with Her-

of Syracuse were there to con-

duct the bride to her home.

chanted throughout

state.

people leaped to their feet and ran

The young men went

while the senators and mocrates.

demands of the

The

marriage

the city, the

narrow

hymn was lanes

were

with garlands and torches, and the vestibules were

sprinkled with wine and perfumes.

The

Syracusans cele-

brated this day with greater delight than the day of their victory.

Now

the girl

knew nothing

of this and had thrown

6o

The Greeks

I

herself with covered head

upon her couch,

silently

weep-

Her nurse came to her bed and said, "Get up, my child. The day has come which we all have wanted most. The city is celebrating your wedding." "Her knees and heart were unstrung," as Homer says,

ing.

know

whom

was being married. Immediately she became speechless, and a blackness spread over her eyes and she nearly fainted. To those that saw her, for she did not

this

to

she

appeared to be her modesty. But

had dressed

her, the

crowd

at

soon

as

as

her maids

went away, and the

her doors

parents of the bridegroom brought him to the

girl.

And

so

Chaereas ran forward and kissed her, and Callirhoe, recognizing her lover,

she

overcame

stately

all

hunters in lonely places. Indeed,

even

fell

and lovely than ever,

lamp again flares up when oil is poured in. went out to appear in public, astonishment the crowd just as when Artemis appears to

as a flickering

When

became more

down

many

to worship her. All

congratulated Chaereas.

of those present

admired Callirhoe and

The wedding was much

like that

of Thetis, which, as the poets sing, took place in Pelion.

found

here, too, w^as say,

was the goddess of

The

Though

each other, they this

failed to

now came

young man from

stood up and spoke

married her,

to

understanding and in

their leader in their attack

First a

I

as

win the bride

both

an understanding, and

a sense of the insult

common

counsel, and

they

envy

upon Chaereas.

Italy, the prince

follows:

"If

of Rhegium,

any one of us had

should not have been angry,

athletic games,

felt

hitherto they had quarreled with

had received, they joined

was

Yet

of envy just as there, they

strife.

who had

suitors

grief and anger.

through

demon

a

for, just as in the

one man only among the contestants must

Chaereas and Callirhoe

6i

J

be the victor; but since he has surpassed us without working to win his bride,

I

cannot bear the

As

insult.

for us,

we

have wasted away, keeping sleepless nights before the door of her house, flattering nurses and maids, and sending gifts

How

to her attendants.

what

worst of

is

rivals.

But

all,

we

long

we

have been

slaves!

have come to hate each other

for himself without a struggle. Let us see to

for the

his prize,

and

us turn the

let

it

crown

that he does

wedding

all

applauded, and only the ruler of Agrigentum

objected. "It

any good

not," he said, "through

is

ward Chaereas

that

I

am

Remember

but through considerations of greater safety. a man lightly to

Hermocrates

it is

impossible for us to attack is

is

better, for

brute force that

we

not

it is

may

as

her

I

shall

ally,

be despised, so that

him openly.

by unscrupulous

obtain power. Elect

campaign against Chaereas and the marriage.

will to-

holding up your plans against him,

that

Love

into death

groom."

They

proach

as

poverty-stricken and the lowest

this dirty rascal,

of the low, in a contest with kings has borne off the

not enjoy

And

I

crafty ap-

deceit rather than

me

general of this

promise you

arm Jealousy

A

I

will dissolve

against him, and she, with

can accomplish serious damage. Callirhoe

be even-tempered and incapable of low-minded suspi-

cions, but Chaereas, trained as he

inexperienced in youthful cious and thus

fall

is

follies,

in the

gymnasia and not

can easily be made suspi-

into youthful jealousy. Also

it is

easier to

approach him and speak with him."

While he was

still

talking,

they

all

man

of

This then was the scheme on which he

set

plan and intrusted the execution of infinite resource.

to

voted approval of his it

to

him

as a

work. It

was evening, and

a

messenger came reporting that

Ariston, Chaereas' father, had fallen from a ladder

on

his

6i

The Greeks

\

farm and that there was very

little

hope of

his surviving.

Though Chaereas was very fond of his father, he was even more distressed when he heard this, because he had to go alone, since

it

was not

as yet

proper to take

his bride

out

with him.

During in

that night, while

and quietly tion. it

no one dared

to visit his house

open revelry, yet men did come secretly and unobserved left

behind them the evidence of

They hung

wild celebra-

a

wreaths upon the vestibule and sprinkled

with perfumes; they soaked the ground with wine and

tossed half-burned torches about.

Day dawned and

every passer-by stopped with the uni-

Now that

his father

was feeling

more comfortable, Chaereas was hurrying back Seeing the crowd before the door, he was at

to his wife.

versal instinct of curiosity.

when

ished, but

first

aston-

he learned the cause, he rushed in as

though possessed. Finding the

chamber

shut,

still

he

knocked vigorously. But when the maid had opened the door and he had stumbled in to Callirhoe's presence, his anger was changed to sorrow and he tore shed

tears.

When she asked

his clothes

him what had happened, he was

speechless, being able neither to disbelieve seen, nor yet to believe

what was

As he stood confused and suspicious of

and

what he had

so contrary to his wishes.

trembling, his wife, quite un-

what had happened, begged him

to

tell

her the

the

With bloodshot eyes and thick voice fact that you have so quickly forgotten

that hurts so

much," and he reproached her for the

reason for his anger.

he

said, "It

me

is

celebration.

But

she,

being the daughter of a general and

grew angry

at the

full

of pride,

un justice of the accusation and

"There has been no celebration to disgrace house. Perhaps your vestibule

may

my

said,

father's

be used to such things,

Chaereas and Callirhoe

and your dear friends Saying

may

63

J

be resenting your marriage."

turned away and covered her head, and

this she

the tears welled forth. Yet reconciliation between lovers

is

easy and they gladly accept any apology from each other.

Thus her,

Chaereas, changing his tone, began to coax and flatter

and

his

wife quickly accepted

his

This increased the ardor of their love

repentance with joy. all

the more, and the

parents of both congratulated themselves the oneness of

mind of

When his first

when they saw

their children.

device had fallen through, the suitor from

Agrigentum then engaged upon another more

effective

was the nature of his contrivance. He had a dependent who was ready of speech and full of every social one, and this

grace.

He

since he

gave orders to him to act the part of a lover,

was trying

rhoe's favorite

maid

servants. After

winning the

to

a friendly accomplice of Calli-

whom she most highly valued

some

girl

make

difficulty this

over with generous

that unless he gained her love he

woman

when

easily taken in

is

of

all

and declaring

gifts,

would hang

himself.

she thinks that she

is

A

loved.

After making these preparations, the director of

drama discovered another

her

person succeeded in

this

actor, not equally attractive, but

and a persuasive talker. When he had given him preliminary instructions as to what he must do and say,

a clever rascal

he sent him secretly to Chaereas

Coming up

to

him

as

as a stranger.

he was wandering about near the

wrestling grounds, he said, "Chaereas, just

your age

was ahve. son,

who

Now

I

you when he consider you as my

that he

is

dead,

I

— indeed, you and your happiness are

ing to

all

Sicily.

too had a son of

greatly admired and loved

Give me

a little of

a

common

bless-

your time and you

hear of important matters which concern your whole

shall life."

64

The Greeks

I

With

words

these

man's heart

suitable

this

abominable rogue

and

filled

young and

fear,

and pretended that the present occasion was not

and that they needed further delay and

a longer

the more, expecting

by now

time. Chaereas insisted

something rather

The

set the

him with hope,

But when he begged him to speak, the other

curiosity.

hesitated

aflutter

all

serious.

other took him

by the

hand and

right

led

him

off to

a quiet spot. Then, contracting his brows, and assuming an

few

expression of sorrow, and shedding a said,

"Chaereas,

not pleasant for

it is

sad business, and though

I

now

have hesitated. But

who

I

you

that

can no longer stand

it

is

tell

this

You must know

I

are being openly dis-

I

I

am

feel especially

a

I

man

kindly

then that your wife

partner in adultery and, to prove this to you,

show you

you of

being discussed every-

to keep quiet.

naturally hates wrong, and

tow^ard you.

to

long have w^anted to speak,

graced and the horrible thing

where,

me

tears besides, he

is

am ready

a to

the adulterer in the very act."

*'Thus spake he, and a black cloud of grief enwrapped

him, and with both hands he took dark dust and poured

over

his

head and defiled

comely

his

face." *

For

a

it

long

time Chaereas remained in a daze, unable to speak or raise his eyes.

When

he had recovered, he said in a voice that

was unnatural and weak,

"It

is

a miserable favor indeed to

make me an eye-witness

ask of you, to

Yet show him

to

me

killing myself, for

so that

I

may

of

my o^^'n troubles.

have greater reason for

even though Callirhoe

is

guilty too,

I

shall spare her."

"Pretend," said the other, "that you are going the country.

Then

house and you *

A

late in

the evening keep

shall sec her lover 2^0 in."

quotation from

Homer.

—Ed.

away

to

watch on the

Chaereas and Callirhoe

So they agreed, and Chaereas sent

6$

J

in a messenger, since

he could not endure even to go in there himself, and said, "I

am going away villain set the

Then

to the country.''

the black-hearted

scene of his drama.

When evening came, Chaereas took his man,

tion while the other

who had

place of observa-

corrupted Callirhoe's

maid, darted up the narrow^ lane, acting as though he preferred to get at his business in secret, but actually it all

so as not to be overlooked.

He

with locks scented with perfume; cosmetics; his cloak

his

eyes were lined with

w^as soft; his shoes

heavy rings gleamed on

his fingers.

managing

had long lustrous hair

were

light

and

fine;

Next, looking carefully

around, he approached the door and knocking lightly, gave

The

the usual sign.

maid, also in great trepidation, softly

opened the door and taking him by the hand, led him Seeing

this,

in.

Chaereas could no longer restrain himself but

rushed in to seize the adulterer on the spot. He, however,

had taken

his

stand beside the door of the courtyard and

quickly ran out. Callirhoe

was

sitting

on her couch longing for Chaereas

lamp because of her sorrow. There came the sound of footsteps and she was first aware and had not even lighted of her husband

by

his

greet him. But he had instead,

a

heavy breathing, and ran with joy to

no voice with which

to reproach her;

overwhelmed with anger, he kicked

at his

wife as

she ran forward, and his foot struck her squarely in the

middle and stopped short her breath. She

and her maidservants picked her up and bed.

And

senting to

Rumor

fell

on the

laid her

floor

upon the

so Callirhoe lay without speech or breath, preall

the appearance of death.

ran throughout the city reporting what had

happened, and aroused cries of grief throughout the nar-

row

streets

down

to the sea.

From every

side lamentations

66

The Greeks

I

resounded, and the Chaercas,

affair

was very

like the capture of a city.

inwardly seething, locked himself

still

room

in a

and throughout the night severely examined the maidservants, first

and

last

CaUirhoe's favorite, and he learned the

truth in the course of torturing them with

Then

his heart

fire

and whips.

was overcome with pity for his dead wife kill himself, but was prevented by Poly-

and he longed to

charmus, a particular friend of Achilles in

When murder

day came, the

trial,

market

Patroclus was to

Homer. officials

empaneled

a

jury for the

hurrying the case out of respect for Hermo-

The whole

crates.

his, just as

place,

populace, too, rapidly assembled in the

with various shouts and exclamations.

The

unsuccessful suitors sought the favor of the crowd, and especially the

man from Agrigentum, with the imposing who has accomplished some

and dignified manner of one utterly unexpected result.

A

strange thing

now

took place, the

like of

which had

never before occurred in a courtroom. After the charge

had been made, the murderer, instead of defending himself

when

time had been allotted him by the water clock,

his

brought

still

more

was the

first

to cast the vote of condemnation.

bitter accusations against himself

and

He

said

nothing that was appropriate to

his defense,

not mentioning

the slanderous attack, nor his jealousy, nor his lack of premeditation, but begged them

pubHc.

I

all,

"Stone

me

have robbed our people of their crown.

to death in It is

an act

you hand me over to the executioner. This my fate if it were only a maidservant of Hermocratcs whom I had killed. Look for some unspeakaof

mercy

if

ought to be

ble kind of punishment.

I

have committed

than temple-robbing or parricide.

Do

a

crime worse

not bury me.

Do

not

Chaereas and Callirhoe pollute the earth but sink

my

sinful

body

67

J

in the depths of

the sea!" x\t these

words

cry of grief broke forth and every one

a

deserted the cause of the dead living

said, "that

first

corpses,

and

daughter. Indeed

I I

They

shall

I

have

my

not enjoy the sight of

memory of my many times that she

not offend the

shall

have heard her say

had rather Chaereas should stop to this useless court

know,"

to counsel Chaereas. "I

what happened was unintended.

eyes on the conspirators.

two

and mourned for the

man.

Hermocrates was the he

woman

live

trial

than herself. Let us put a

and go out to the tomb that

none may escape. Let us not give up her body to the ravages of time nor allow cay. Let us

it

to lose

bury Callirhoe while she

beauty through de-

its

is still

Accordingly the jury cast the vote of

beautiful."

acquittal. Chaereas,

however, would not acquit himself but longed for death

and was arranging every means of accomplishing Polycharmus, seeing that

any other way,

said,

it

was impossible

his end.

to save

him

in

"Traitor to the dead, will you not wait

even to bury Callirhoe? Will you trust her body to the

hands of others?

Now

is

the time for

you

to provide rich

funeral offerings and to prepare a royal funeral procession."

This speech was persuasive, for

feelings of pride

Who

and

it

inspired in

him

responsibility.

could worthily describe that funeral procession?

upon a golden more stately and beautiful than ever, so that they all compared her to the sleeping Ariadne. Ahead of the bier came first the knights of Syracuse, themselves and their horses in full regalia; after them were heavy-armed soldiers Callirhoe, clothed in her bridal garments, lay

bier,

carrying the standards of Hermocrates' triumphs; then the senate;

and

in the center, the assembly, all acting as

body-

68

The Greeks

I

guards to Hermocrates. Ariston, too, was carried along,

was

since he

and

weak, and he called Callirhoe

still

were the

mistress. After these

women

his

daughter

of the citizens

clad in black; next, a royal wealth of funeral offerings,

first

the gold and silver of the dowry, a beautiful array of

much from

clothing (for Hermocrates had contributed spoils of war), and the

gifts of relatives

and

followed the rich possessions of Chaereas, since

all

his wish, if possible, to his wife.

burn

The young men

There was

was

property

it

was

at the burial

of

of Syracuse carried the bier and

the rabble followed behind. the voice of Chaereas

all his

the

friends. Last of

Amid

the lamentations of

all,

distinctly heard.

a magnificent

tomb belonging

to

Hermocrates

near the shore, so as to be visible even to people far out at sea.

This was

treasure-house with the abundant

filled like a

richness of the funeral gifts.

However, what was intended

mark of respect

to the dead, brought about the

to serve as a

beginning of

still

greater happenings.

There was a rascal called Theron who followed a criminal career upon the sea. He was in command of freebooters

who

secretly rode at anchor in the harbors, pretending to

be ferry-men, and thus he organized

He

had happened to be present

and had fixed

down

his business

at the funeral procession

eyes on the gold, and at night

his

of piracy.

when

he lay

to sleep he could not rest.

"Am

I

to risk

my life,"

he said to himself, "battling with

the sea and committing murders for a mere pittance

when

is

a

chance to get rich from one lone corpse? No!

settled.

I

will not pass

there

for this business?

you know

is fit

by Think

this profit.

carefully,

But

whom

Theron.

for the job? Zenophanes, of

shall

Who

I

It is

enlist

of those

Thurium?

He

Chaereas and Callirhoe is

shrewd, but he

is

thoughts, and as

it

early

of Messenia?

Going over each man

He

is

in his

were, testing their metal, he rejected

most of them, but considered

At

Menon

coward.

a

daring enough, but a traitor."

69

^

dawn he

ran

a

few

down

as suitable.

and looked

to the harbor

up each of them. Some he found in the brothels and some in the taverns, a gang well worthy of such a leader. Saying had something of great importance to tell them, he them off back of the harbor and began with these words: "I have found a treasure, and I have chosen you of that he

led

men

all

to share

are

with me. There

but a single night's

is not much work can make

no strangers to business of

condemn, but

no mere one-man

is

and yet there

profit in this, either,

it

sensible

They understood

this sort,

men may turn to

at

effort required

us

all rich.

which

fools

We may

advantage."

once that he was proposing some

piece of piracy or tomb-breaking or temple-robbing and

"Stop trying to persuade us

said,

persuaded. Just lose

tell

us

what the

when we

business

is,

are already

and

let

us not

our time."

*'You have seen the gold and silver with the corpse," said

Theron

in reply.

the living.

to load our boat

take us and

"This should more rightly belong to

propose to open up the tomb

I

sell

and

sail

away wherever

the

us,

and then

wind may

our cargo in a foreign land."

They were delighted. "Now," said he, "go back tions.

at night

again to your usual occupa-

Late in the evening each one of you

come down

to

the boat bringing a builder's tool."

This they

did,

new and more

and Callirhoe and her fortunes met with

dreadful sort of resurrection.

When

a

lack of

yo

The Greeks

I

food had produced

some degree of recovery from

in her

her suspended animation, she slowly and gradually regained

Then

her breath.

she began to

stir,

one limb after another,

and opening her eyes she regained consciousness

waking from

though

as

and called Chaereas, thinking he was

sleep,

sleeping beside her. But

when

neither her husband nor her

servants heard her, and everything remained deserted and

came over the poor

dark, a shudder of horror

she was

by any

girl,

unable

as

exercise of reason to guess the truth.

when her hands touched the wreaths and ribbons. Her movements created a

Scarcely had she awakened, funeral

and

rattling of gold spices.

Then,

and the

fall

silver.

There was

from

odor of

blow she had received

at last, she recalled the

that resulted

a prevalent

and reluctantly and with

it,

anguish she recognized the tomb.

Thereupon she broke the

silence

with a shout,

as

am alive! Save me!" had cried many times and nothing

loud

as

she could utter, crying, "I

But when she

occurred, she gave up

all

further

hope of rescue, and bending her

head on her knees she lamented.

"Oh, dreadful though

I

fate!" she said. "I have

did no wrong, and

They mourn me

as dead,

I

am

though

been buried

I

am

well.

find to send them a message? Cruel Chaereas,

not for causing casting

me

my

out from the house.

You

Whom

can

I

blame you,

I

you were

death, but because

Callirhoe so soon, not even

alive

to die a lingering death.

so hasty in

should not have buried

she were really dead. But

if

perhaps you already have plans for remarriage!"

While she was thus engaged Theron, waiting

until midnight,

in incoherent lamentation,

was

noiselessly approach-

ing the tomb, stroking the water lightly with his oars.

Stepping ashore this

way.

He

first,

he assigned the duties of

dispatched four

men

to

his

keep watch

crew

in

in case

1

Chaereas and Callirhoe

anyone should approach the

them

place, to kill

could, otherwise to give notice of their arrival

He

7

J

they

if

by

signal.

and four others proceeded to the tomb. As for the

(there

were eleven altogether) he told them to wait on

board the boat and to keep the oars poised so that

emergency shore and

When

arose,

sail

and

all at

any

if

they could quickly pick up those on

away.

were

the crowbars

grew louder seized

rest

and the pounding

applied,

they broke into the tomb, Callirhoe was

as

once with

amazement, hope,

fear, joy, grief,

disbelief.

"What does this noise mean? Has some divinity come to seek me in my misery, as is common in the experience of the dying? Or is this not mere noise, but the voice of the gods below who are calling me to them? It is more likely that they are tomb-robbers. So

this, too,

has been added to

my

Wealth is useless to a corpse." While she was still seeking some explanation, the robber bent his head and entered the tomb a little way. Callirhoe fell down before him in her desire to beg mercy, but he misfortunes!

leaped back in terror and with a trembling voice shouted to his

guard

in there

and will not

Theron laughed him more of a corpse than ordered another so,

Some ghost

comrades, "Let us get out of here.

man

to

let us

come

him

a

coward and

woman

herself. Then he one dared to do when no and

the dead in,

on

in."

to scorn, calling

go

is

he entered himself, holding out his sword before him.

At

the gleam of the steel, Callirhoe shrank back into the

extreme corner of the tomb in fear of death, and from there she begged him in a small voice,

mercy on me,

for

I

husband or parents. rescued me."

"Whoever you

are,

have

have obtained no mercy from either

Do

not

kill

me now

that

you have

72

The Greeks

I

Theron gained more courage

He

realized the truth.

planned to

first

stood there in deep thought and at

the

kill

and, being a shrewd man,

thinking she would prove a

girl,

hindrance to the whole undertaking. But with an eye to

changed

possible profit, he quickly

his

mind and

said to

himself,

"She too can be

There

plenty of silver and gold here, but the beauty of

is

the girl

is

a part of the funeral treasure.

more valuable than

all

of this."

So taking her by the hand he led her he

his assistant

you.

A

said,

"Look, here

buccaneer you

fine

is

out.

Then

the ghost that scared

be afraid of a

are, to

calling

woman!

Keep watch of her now, for I intend to give her back to her parents. As for us, let us bring out the stuff that is stored inside,

now

When

that

no longer even the corpse

they had

filled

the boat with the loot,

ordered the guard to stand a

Then he put

guarding

is

to one

little

side

it."

Theron

with the

girl.

before them the question as to what to do with

her.

Various and contradictory opinions were expressed and the

first

speaker

and, as fortune

something

said,

"Comrades,

would have

better.

we came

it

it,

has turned out to be

Let us take advantage of

the business done without

risk. I

for one thing

it.

We

can get

propose to leave the tomb

treasure right here and to give Callirhoe back to her hus-

band and father and say

that

we anchored

near the place in

the course of our regular fishing and that on hearing

a

cry

we opened the tomb out of pity so

as to

rescue her from her

imprisonment. Let us make the

girl

swear to give

full

support to our testimony. She will be glad to do so out of gratitude to the kind friends

who saved

her. Just think

with

what joy we shall fill all Sicily, and the big rewards we shall get! At the same time we shall be doing the honest thing in the sight of

men and

the pious thing in the sight of heaven."

Chaereas and Callirhoe

But before he had

73

J

"Misguided

finished, another objected.

you telling us to play the philosopher at Has robbing a tomb made decent people of us? Shall we show her mercy when her own husband refused to do so and killed her? She has done us no harm, you say. fool," he said, "are

this stage?

do us the greatest possible harm. In the

But she

will

place, if

we give

what

her back to her relatives, there

no teUing

is

and

attitude they will take about the matter,

impossible for

them not

to suspect the reason for our

ing to the tomb. Also, even

any punishment of

us,

the

if

first

it

is

com-

do forego

girl's relatives

the public officials and the

still

who are convicted by the very wares they bring. The life we lead is not without danger in any case. Perhaps someone may say people themselves will not

that

it is

more

tomb-robbers

let off

profitable to sell the girl, since she will fetch

a high price because of her beauty.

But

this, too,

has

its

Gold has no voice and silver will not tell where we got it. About them we can make up any story we want. But who can hide away property which has eyes, ears, and a tongue? And besides, hers is no mere human beauty to dangers.

help us avoid detection. Shall

Who

will believe that,

her right here and

kill

we

say that she

is

a slave?

once he sees her? Therefore,

let

us

us not carry around a living

let

Though many

accusation against ourselves."

agreed with

Theron put neither proposition to the vote. "Your proposal," he said, "is dangerous. You, on the

these words,

other hand, are ruining our profit.

than

kill

through

we

are

her.

fear,

While she

is

and once sold

no longer

there.

on

let

I

will sell the girl rather

sale

she will keep quiet

her bring her charges,

Get on board. Let

us

sail.

when It

is

already near dawn."

The

ship,

when

it

put to

sea,

rode splendidly, for they

74

The Greeks

I

way

did not force their

against

wind and waves, having no Every wind seemed

special course laid out before them.

favorable to them and stood at the stern.

Theron sought

comfort Callirhoe, trying to deceive

to

kinds of notions. But she was aware of her

her with

all

situation,

and knew that she had been rescued

know

pretended, however, not to in fear that after ful. So,

he might

all

her

kill

in vain.

She

but to believe him,

this, if

she seemed resent-

saying that she could not endure the

she cov-

sea,

ered her head and wept.

"In this very

sea, father,"

she said,

"you once defeated

three hundred warships of the Athenians, and small vessel

help me. girl

I

bearing off your daughter and you cannot

is

am

being carried

away

to a strange land

and

I,

a

of noble birth, must be a slave. Perhaps some Athenian

master will buy the daughter of Hermocrates! better

any

now one

it

would be

rate,

now we

for

me

to

lie

How much

dead in the tomb! Then, at

Chaereas would have been buried with me. But

have been parted both in

life

and

in death."

Such were her lamentations. Meantime the robbers past the smaller islands and towns, since their cargo suited for poor

sailed

was not

men, but they were looking for persons of

wealth. Presently they anchored the coast of Attica,

abundant water and

down by

where there was a pleasant

a

mole opposite

a spring of pure,

meadow. Taking

Callirhoe

there from out the boat, they required her to refresh herself

and to get

a little rest

from the

sea,

wishing to preserve her

beauty.

When they were alone, course they should

now

they proceeded to consider what

set,

and one man

nearby, a great and prosperous city. There great

number of

dealers and an

said,

we

"Athens

is

shall find a

abundance of wealthy men.

Chaereas and Callirhoe

You can see as many whole men in a market place." So they

all

thought

it

cities in

best to

sail

Athens

down to

it

possible," he said, "that

as there are

officiousness of

you have not heard

They

of the meddlesome curiosity of the Athenians? talkative people

and fond of lawsuits, and

shysters without

number

and where we got evil

minds.

this cargo.

are sterner than tyrants.

in the

will try to find out

The Areopagus is

Vile suspicions will

may

are a

harbor

who we

are

their

fill

near at hand and their

We

75

Athens.

But Theron did not care for the peculiar that town. "Is

^

officials

well fear the Athenians

more than the Syracusans. The proper place for us is Ionia, where, as you know, there is royal wealth which comes flowing in from mighty Asia, and the people there enjoy luxury and are easy-going. Also I expect to find some acquaintances of mine there." So after drawing a supply of water and taking on provisions from some nearby freighters, they sailed straight for Miletus and on the third day they arrived at an anchorage most suitable to receive them, about ten miles distant from the city.

Theron then gave orders

to take out the oars

from the

boat and to construct a shelter for Callirhoe and to provide

everything for her comfort. This he did not so

compassion

as

from love of

gain,

and more

much from

as a trader

than

a pirate.

He two

himself hastened

down

to the town, taking with

ing a purchaser openly nor of making his business the talk,

him

of his companions. Then, having no intention of seek-

town

he tried to hurry through a private sale with no

bargaining. But

it

proved hard to manage, inasmuch

property was not suited for

many

as

the

people nor for the ordi-

76

The Greeks

I

man

nary

at

but rather for some wealthy and royal

all,

patron, and he

was

afraid to

approach

men

of this sort.

Consequently, after considerable time had been wasted, he no longer dared to put up with the delay, but

when

night came, he was unable to sleep, and said to himself,

"Theron, you are a

and

you were

You have

desert us

and

did not enlist the most honest faith

Then,

also, sail the sea?

own men may

keep

left

behind your gold

days in a deserted place

the only pirate in existence. Don't

other pirates,

our

fool.

silver for all these

too,

I

said,

though

you know

am

that

afraid that

away. Remember, you

sail

men in

the world,

with you, but rather the biggest

knew. Well," he

as

now

"go to sleep

if

who would rascals

you

you must, but

when day comes, hurry down to the boat and throw overboard that misplaced nuisance of

a

woman, and

on any more cargoes so hard to dispose Falling asleep, he

don't take

of."

dreamed of seeing locked doors, and

he determined to hold on for that day. In the course of

wanderings, he took a seat in a certain workshop, in utter confusion.

and

slave,

his

his spirits

crowd of men, both free and in the midst of them a man

Meantime

was passing by,

so

a

of mature age, clothed in black and sad of face.

man

by nature curious) and inquired of one of the attendants, "Who is this man?" The other replied, "I think you must be a stranger or come from a long way off if you do not recognize Diony-

Theron

sius, a

rose to his feet (for

man who

is

far

above

all

is

the rest of the lonians in

wealth, ancestry, and education, and a friend of the Great

King besides." "Then why

is

he wearing black?"

"His dearly beloved wife has died."

Theron sought that he had

to prolong the conversation further,

found

a

man who was

now

rich and romantically

Chaereas and Callirhoe

^

77

him go, and inquired, "What position do you hold with him?" "I am the manager of his whole estate," he replied, ''and I

inclined,

am

and so he refused to

let

taking care of his daughter, too, a mere baby, left an

untimely orphan by the death of her mother."

"And what

is

your name?"

"Leonas."

"How

met you, Leonas," he said. "I am now sailing in from Italy, and that is why

lucky that

trader just

know

nothing of

I

affairs in Ionia.

A

her.

sale,

You can

maid

whom

because she was jealous of her, and

profit

by

nurse for the child (she

this, if is

I

lady of Sybaris, the

wealthiest in the city, had a very beautiful

put up for

a

you want

I

she

bought

to get yourself a

well enough trained for that), or

you should consider it worth while to win the good will of your master. You see, it is more to your advantage for him to have a slave he has bought than for him to bring in a

if

stepmother for the

girl

over your head."

Leonas was delighted to hear

must have sent you to be

me

ing to

Come

my

in daylight the

my

this

and

benefactor.

very things

said,

You I've

"Heaven

are display-

dreamed

of.

now and be my friend and guest. I can about taking this woman when I see whether she is a

to

decide

house

worthy of my master or is merely in our class." they came to the house, Theron was astonished at

possession

When its size

and magnificence, for

ceive the Great

while he

first

King of

it

Persia.

much

like that of a free

re-

Leonas told him to wait

attended to the needs of his master.

took him and brought him up to very

had been prepared to

his

Then he

own room, which was

man, and gave orders to

set

the tabic. Theron, a shrewd person and clever in adapting

himself to every occasion, helped himself to the food and

made

himself agreeable to Leonas

by frequently drinking

78

The Greeks

I

to his health. This

was partly to demonstrate

his

frank good

still more to inspire confidence in their partnerMeantime there was considerable conversation about

nature, hut ship.

the

and Theron kept praising her good character

girl,

knowing

rather than her beauty,

that invisible qualities

require an advocate, whereas appearance

recommends

it-

self.

"Let us go, then," said Leonas. "Show her to me."

"She

not here," he replied.

is

"We avoided

and our boat

city because of the customs officials

hored about ten miles away,"

"You

are anchored

"and that

you

is

so

much the

better.

Fortune

is

anc-

place.

said Leonas,

plainly bringing

go down to the farm, and you

can recover from your voyage. is

estate,"

to the

is

—and he described the

on our own

to Dionysius. So let us

coming

Our country house nearby

luxuriously furnished."

Theron was still more delighted, thinking that the transaction would be easier in a lonely place than in the open market.

"Let us house, and

start I

to

out

at

dawn," he

my ship,

and

I

said,

"you

to the country

will bring the girl

from there

to you."

So they agreed and after shaking hands they parted. night seemed long to both, since one was eager to the other to

On

The

buy and

sell.

the following day Leonas sailed

down

the coast to

some money to establish his prior claim with the dealer. Theron meanwhile arrived at the beach and was warmly welcomed by his confederates. After telling them what he had done,

the country house, at the same time bringing with him

he began to coax Callirhoe.

"My

daughter," said he, "at

back to your people, but when

a

wanted

to take vou wind contrary came up, I

first I

Chaereas and Callirhoe

J

79

was completely prevented by the condition of the sea. I want you to realize what great care I have taken of you.

Most important of all, I have preserved your honor. Chaereas shall get you back unharmed and saved by us, as it were, from the chamber of the tomb. Now we must continue our course to Lycia, but there is no need for you to undergo pointless hardships, especially when you suffer so from seasickness. And so I am going to entrust you to faithful friends here and when I come back I will pick you up and take great pains to bring you back once more to Syracuse. Take any of your things you want. We will keep the rest for you also." At this Callirhoe smiled to herself, greatly troubled though she was, for she realized

knew

that she

was being

sold,

his utter absurdity.

She

but in her desire to be rid of

the pirates she regarded this sale as a greater

good fortune

than her former freedom.

you for your kind consideragrant to all of you the reward you deserve. But I think it is unlucky to make use of the funeral offerings. Take good care of them all for me. That little ring which I wore as a corpse is enough for me." "Father," she said, "I thank

tion

toward me.

Then

May Heaven

covering her head she

wherever you want.

Any

place

said, is

"Theron, take

me

better than the sea and

the tomb."

When

he got near to the country house, Theron ar-

ranged the following device. Uncovering CalHrhoe's head

and loosening her

go

in first.

amazement

hair,

Leonas and at

he opened the door and told her to all

in the

room were struck with

her sudden appearance and some of them

thought they had seen

a

goddess. Tlierc was,

story that in the fields Aphrodite

showed

you

sec, a

herself to mortals.

In the midst of their astonishment, Theron,

who

fol-

8o

The Greeks

I

lowed

approached Leonas and

after her,

and get ready to take the

girl.

She

said,

the one

is

"Stand up

you want

to

buy."

Joy and amazement on the part of words. Sending o Callirhoe off to bed

all

followed upon

in the finest

room

his

in

the house, they allowed her to rest, since she was badly in

need of recovering from her

grief, weariness,

Theron then took Leonas by

and anxiety.

the hand and said,

part of the bargain has been faithfully carried out.

may

now

—

"My You

you are a friend of mine and go to the city and get your title to her registered, and then you can pay me any price you want." But Leonas, wishing to return the compliment, said, take the girl right

—

"Not

at

all.

I

will trust

registering the title,"

after all

you with the money now before

— and he wanted

to establish his prior

claim at once, in fear that the other would change his mind,

because he

knew

there

would be many eager purchasers

in

the city.

So he produced

make Theron

a

thousand pieces of

indifference, accepted them.

detain

want

silver

and

tried to

take them. Theron, with an affectation of

But when Leonas

tried

to

him for dinner (the hour being now late) he said, "I sail up to the city this evening, but we will meet

to

each other tomorrow

With his ship

this

at the

harbor."

agreement they parted, and Theron went to

and gave orders to hoist the anchors and to put out

to sea as quickly as possible before they

Thus while they made breeze, Callirhoe,

now

their escape,

left alone,

was

were found

out.

borne along by the free to bewail her

fate. said, "yet another tomb more lonely than which Theron has enclosed me! There my the father and mother might have come to see me and Chaereas

"Behold," she first,

in

"

1

Chaereas and Callirhoe

might have poured forth I

his tribute of tears.

Even

in death,

should have thrilled to that. But what friend have

struck even a slave, launched a mortal

loved him.

Then thou

me

the sea and didst set over

the very waves.

It

me

didst surrender

me

tomb-robbers and didst bring

was for

blow

here

I

to call on? Cruel Fortune, hast thou not yet had thy

my troubles throughout land and sea? First thou my lover to be my murderer. Chaereas, who

8

j

of

fill

didst

make

never had

at

me,

who

to the hands of

tomb

forth from the

to

more awful than

sea-robbers

was given the beauty Theron, a pirate, might win a this that I

which men acclaim,

that

great price for me!

have been sold in a lonely place and

I

was not even brought be, for

it

was thy

fear,

might judge

me

handed over

like a

slave

might

O Fortune, that if any saw me, they

noble born. That

mere

why

is

chattel to

whether Greeks or barbarians or

As

any other

to the city as

know

I

once

pirates

she beat her breast with her hand, she

the image of Chaereas, and kissing

it,

I

have been not

whom,

again.'*

saw on her ring

she said, "Chaereas,

now truly I am lost to you, parted from you by this mighty deep. You are repenting in grief as you sit by the empty tomb, bearing witness after while

I,

my

death to

the daughter of Hermocrates,

my

innocence,

your wife, today

have been sold to a master!

As

she thus lamented, sleep gradually

[Callirhoe, despairing,

is

came upon

her.

persuaded to marry her master, the

governor of Miletus. Chaereas searches for Callirhoe; he taken prisoner and sold as a slave. lon,

where King Artaxerxes

reas gains his

Artaxerxes.

freedom and

He

love with Callirhoe. Chae-

leads an

finds Callirhoe

umphantly returns with her

The

falls in

is

scene changes to Baby-

Egvptian army against

among

his

to Syracuse.]

captives and

tri-

«:;^^^

^^-^^^a.'--^

TRUE HISTORY BY LUCIAN Lucian, of Samosata on the Euphrates, in northern Syria,

from about a.d. 115 to France, and ended in Egypt,

lived

probably a sinecure. remain.

He was

He

200.

He

traveled far, as far as

in

some

sort of public office,

wrote abundantly; some eighty works

and a mocker, a born debunker,

a wit

in a

disillusioned era congenial to debunking.

His True History adventure-stories

is

on the tall tales and preposterous Greek classics, especially Homer,

a satire

of the

whose Ulysses, says Lucian, evidently thought his hearers would swallow anything. In a Foreword to his story Lucian claims that "every episode is a subtle parody of some fantastic 'historic fact' recorded by an ancient poet, historian, or philosopher." Lucian thus originated a genre, that of the burlesque travel tale, of

vefs Travels.

which the

The True

greatest example

History

is

no doubt Gulli-

is

also the first of

numberless

Trips to the Moon.

The racy

translation,

by Indiana University

by Paul Turner, was published in 1958 is reprinted by permission of

Press and

Indiana University Press and Calder and Boyars Ltd.

ONCE

I

set sail

from Gibraltar with

and steered westward

doing so? Mere curiosity.

wanted

to find out

I

just felt

what happened

I

wind behind

a brisk

into the Atlantic.

My

needed

a

reason for

change, and

the other side of the

Ocean, and what sort of people lived there. With object in view

I

had taken on board an enormous supply of

young men who keep me company. I had also

food and water, and collected felt

the same

provided

all

way

the

as

I

did to

weapons

that

fifty

we

other

could possibly need, hired

the best steersman available (at an exorbitant

had our

ship,

this

which was only

wage) and

a light craft, specially rein-

84

The Greeks

I

forced to withstand the stresses and strains of a long voyage.

After sailing along hours,

we were

still

at a

moderate speed for twenty-four

within sight of land; but

dawn

at

the

following day the wind increased to gale-force, the waves

grew black

rose mountain-high, the sky

became impossible even

we

could do but

let

to take in

sail.

as

night and

it

There was nothing

her run before the wind and hope for

the best.

The storm went on

for seventy-nine days, but

eightieth the sun suddenly shone through island not far off. It w^as hilly

now

and revealed an

and covered with

that the worst of the storm

was

on the

trees,

and

over, the roar of the

waves breaking against the shore had died down

to a soft

murmur. So we landed and threw ourselves down, utterly exhausted, on the sand. After all we had been through, you

how

can imagine

up, and leaving

other twenty

we lay there; but eventually we thirty men to guard the ship, I and long

went

got the

off to explore the island.

We started walking inland through the woods, and when we

had gone about

bronze tablet with

six

a

hundred yards we came across

Greek

inscription

were almost worn away, but we

just

on

it.

managed

The

a

letters

make out

to

the words: "Hercules and Dionysus got this far."

We

also

spotted a couple of footprints on a rock nearby, one about a

hundred

feet long,

and the other,

ninety-nine. Presumably Hercules has

I

should say, about

somewhat

larger feet

that Dionysus.

We sank reverently to our knees and said a prayer. Then we went on which

a bit further

and came to

tasted exactly like Chianti. It

places to float a battleship, and

a river

of wine,

was deep enough

in

any doubts we might have

True History

85

J

had about the authenticity of the inscription were immediately dispelled. I

was curious

Dionysus had been there to

know where

walked up-stream until

I

of a most unusual kind. vines, loaded

all

right!

came from, so I which was consisted of a group of giant the river

arrived at the source, It

with enormous grapes.

From

the root of each

which eventually converged to form the river. There were lots of wine-coloured fish swimming about in it, and they tasted Hke wine too, for we caught and ate some, and they made us extremely drunk. Needless to say, when we cut them open we found they were full of wine-lees. Later, we hit on the plant trickled sparkling drops of wine,

idea of diluting

them with ordinary water-fish and thus

reducing the alcoholic content of our food. After lunch

we waded

across the river at one of the

upon some specimens of a very rare type of vine. They had good thick trunks growing out of the ground in the normal manner, but apart from that they were women, complete in every detail from the waist upwards. In fact they were exactly like those pictures you see of Daphne being turned into a tree just as Apollo is shallower spots, and came

about to catch her.

From

the tips of their fingers sprouted

vine-shoots loaded with grapes, and their hair consisted of vine-leaves and tendrils.

When we

went up

to them, they

shook us warmly by

the hand and said they were delighted to see us,

saying in

it

in

Greek.

man who

Lydian, some in Hindustani, but most of them

Then they wanted put

his lips to theirs

lurching about. fruit,

some

They would

us to kiss them, and every

got very drunk and started

not allow us to pick their

and shrieked with pain when anyone tried to do

but they were more than willing to be deflowered, and

so;

two

86

The Greeks

I

who

of us

possible to

volunteered to oblige them found

withdraw from

They became

it

quite im-

engagements afterwards.

their

rooted to the spot, their fingers

literally

turning into vine-shoots and their hair into tendrils, and little grapes of their own at the moment. we left them to their fate and ran back to the ship, where we told the others what we had seen and described the results of the experiment in cross-fertilisation. Then we

looked like having

So

went

off again

and while

with buckets to replenish our water-supply,

we were about it, to restock our cellar from the we spent the night on the beach beside our

river.

After that

ship,

and next morning put to sea with

behind

a gentle

breeze

us.

About mid-day, when we had already lost sight of the island, we were suddenly hit by a typhoon, which whirled the ship round at an appalling speed and lifted

it

to a height

While we were up powerful wind caught our sails and bellied them

of approximately 1,800,000 feet.

on

instead of falling back

through the looked

and

air

hanging

in mid-air,

we

so

sail

— and, of course, an

eighth day

illuminated,

out, so

continued to

On the

nights.

like a big island

brilliantly

we

for the next seven days

number of

equal

to the sea

there, a

we

what white and round sighted

steered

towards

it,

dropped anchor and disembarked.

A

brief reconnaissance

was enough

to tell us that the

country was inhabited and under cultivation, and so long it

was

tion;

light that

but

as

was

soon

as

all

we

it

got dark

as

could discover about our situa-

we

noticed several other

flame-colored islands of various sizes in the vicinity, and far

below us we could see a place full of towns and rivers and seas and forests and mountains, which we took to be the Earth.

We

decided to so some more exploring, but

we had

not

True History

gone

J

87

we were stopped and arrested by the local They are known in those parts as the Flying Squad,

far before

police.

because they fly about on vultures, which they ride and control like horses.

I

should explain that the vultures in

question are unusually large and generally have three heads.

To give you some

idea of their size, each of their feathers

is

considerably longer and thicker than the mast of a fairly large merchant-ship.

Now, one

of the Flying Squad's duties

country looking for undesirable take

them before the King. So

One

glance at our clothes

aliens,

is

and

to fly about the if it

sees

any to

what they did with us. was enough to tell the King that

is

our nationality.

"Why,

you're Greek, aren't you?" he

said.

we are," I replied. "Then how on earth did you get here?" he asked. "How did you manage to come all that way through the air?" "Certainly

which he told us his. It turned out that he came from Greece too, and was called Endymion. For some reason or other he had been whisked up here in his sleep and made King of the country, which So

I

him the whole

told

story, after

Moon. "But don't you worry," he went on. "I'll see you have everything you need. And if I win this war with Phaethon, you can settle down here quite comfortably for the rest of was, he informed

your

us,

the

lives."

"What's the war about?"

"Oh,

it's

my

I

asked.

been going on for ages," he answered. "Phae-

number on the Sun, you know. It all started Hke this. I thought it would be a good idea to collect some of the poorer members of the community and send them off^ to form a colony on Lucifer, for it's completely thon's

opposite

uninhabited. Phaethon got jealous and despatched a contin-

88

The Greeks

I

gent of airborne troops, mounted on flying cept us

when we were half-way

outnumbered and had another shot

there.

to retreat, but

We were hopelessly

now

founding that colony,

at

ants, to inter-

I'm going to have

time with

this

full

military support. If you'd care to join the expedition, I'd be

only too glad to supply you with vultures from the royal

and

stables,

all

We

other necessary equipment.

tomorrow morning." "Thanks very much," I said. "We'd love

start first

thing

to

come."

So he gave us an excellent meal and put us up for the night,

and early next morning assembled

battle-formation, for the off.

The

his

all

enemy were reported

troops in

to be not far

expeditionary force numbered a hundred thou-

sand, exclusive of transport, engineers, infantry, and for-

eign auxiliaries, eight thousand being

mounted on

and the other twenty on saladfowls. tally, are like

very large

vultures,

Sal adf owls, inciden-

birds, except that

they are fledged

with vegetables instead of feathers and have wings composed of enormous lettuce-leaves.

The main force was supported by ers

and

a

gent of

allies

Flea-shooters are archers

—the

by

a large contin-

from the Great Bear, consisting of

thousand Flea-shooters and

name

a battery of Pea-shoot-

corps of Garlic-gassers, and also

fleas in

fifty

thirty

thousand Wind-jammers.

mounted on

fleas

—hence

their

question being approximately r^velve

Wind-jammers are also airborne troops, but they are not mounted on anything, nor do they have any wings of their own. Their method of propulsion is as follows: they wear extremely long night-shirts, which belly out like sails in the wind and send them scudding

times the size of elephants.

along like miniature ships through the their

equipment

is

usually very light.

air.

Needless to say,

True History In addition to

and

seventy thousand Sparrow-balls

thousand Crane Cavalry were supposed to be

fifty

arriving

these,

all

89

J

from the

stars that shine

over Cappadocia, but

I

did

not see any of them, for they never turned up. In the circumstances

shall

I

—though

not attempt to describe what they

heard some stories about them which

were

like

were

really quite incredible.

I

wore the same type of equipment. Their helmets were made of beans, which grow very large and tough up there, and their bodies were protected by lupine seed-pods, stitched together to form a sort of armour-plate; for on the Moon these pods are composed of a horny substance which is practically impenetrable. As for their shields and swords, they were of the normal Greek All Endymion's troops

pattern.

Our

On

wing were the troops mounted on vultures; among them was the King, surrounded by the pick of his fighting men, which included us. On the left wing were the troops mounted on battle-formation was as follows.

saladfowls, and in the centre

the right

were the various

allied contin-

gents.

The

infantry

special steps

numbered approximately

sixty million,

and

had to be taken before they could be suitably

deployed. There

you must understand, large numbers Moon, each considerably larger than the

are,

of spiders on the

average island in the Archipelago, and their services were requisitioned to construct a continuous

the

Moon

and Lucifer. As soon

as the

cobweb between

job had been done

and the infantry had thus been placed on

a firm footing,

Nyctcrion, the third son of Eudianax, led rhcni out on to the field of battle.

On

the enemy's left

wing was

stationed the

Royal Ant

90

The Greeks

I

Force, with Phaethon himself

looked exactly

enormous

They

size,

carried

like

among them. These

creatures

ordinary flying ants, except for their

being anything up to two hundred feet long.

armed men on

huge antennae they did

their backs, but

much

just as

with their

of the fighting as their

They were

believed to number about fifty thousand. wing were placed an equal number of Gnat-shooters, who were archers mounted on giant gnats. Behind them was a body of mercenaries from outer space. These were only light-armed infantry, but were very effective long-range fighters, for they bombarded us with colossal radishes, which inflicted foul-smelling wounds and caused instantaneous death. The explanation was said to be that the projectiles were smeared with a powerful toxin. Next to the mercenaries were about ten thousand Mushroom Commandos, heavy-armed troops trained for handto-hand fighting who used mushrooms as shields and asparagus stalks as spears; and next to them again were five thousand Bow-wows from Sirius. These were dog-faced human beings mounted on flying chestnuts. It was reported that Phaethon too had been let down by some of his allies, for an army of slingers was supposed to be coming from the Milky Way, and the Cloud-Centaurs riders.

On

had

the right

also

promised their support. But the

late for the battle

may I

(though

far too

latter arrived

soon for

add) and the slingers never turned up

heard, was so

cross about

it

that he

my

at

all.

too

comfort,

I

Phaethon,

went and burnt

their

milk for them shortly afterwards. Eventually the signal-flags went up, there was

braying of donkeys on both sides

ployed

as

enemy's

trumpeters up there

left

— for

—and the

wing immediately turned

a

loud

donkeys are embattle began. tail

and

fled,

The long

1

True History

\

9

before our vulture-riders had got anywhere near them, so

we

set off in pursuit

and

killed as

many

as

we

could. Their

managed to break through our left came pouring through the gap until they were stopped by our infantry, who promptly made a counter-attack and forced them to retreat. Finally, when they realised that their left wing had already been beaten, the retreat became an absolute rout. We took vast numbers of prisoners, and killed so many men that the blood splashed all over the clouds and made them as red as a sunset. Quite a lot of it dripped right down on to the earth, and made me wonder if something of the sort had happened before, which would account for that extraordinary right wing, however,

one, and the Gnat-shooters

Homer that Zeus rained down tears

statement in

of blood at

the thought of Sarpedon's death.

In the end

we

got tired of chasing them, so

we

stopped

in the middle of the cobweb commemorate the prowess of the infantry, and one in the clouds to mark the success of our airborne forces. Just as we were doing so, a report came through that Phaethon's

and erected two trophies, one to

unpunctual proaching.

allies,

When

the Cloud-Centaurs,

they finally appeared they were a most

astonishing sight, for they

horses and

were

lieve

led

me,

by

there

if I

did,

part

between winged

was about

I

had better not

tell

you

were of them, for you would never bebut you may as well know that they were

Sagittarius, the archer in the Zodiac.

Hearing that

their allies

had been defeated, they sent a

message to Phacthon telHng him to rally

make

as big

Rhodes, and the horse-part was roughly

the size of a large merchant-ship.

how many

a cross

human beings. The human

as the Colossus at

were rapidly ap-

a counter-attack. In the

his

meantime they

forces and

set the

exam-

92

The Greeks

I

pie

by promptly spreading out

in line

and charging the

A4oon-people before they had time to organise themselves

—

for they had broken ranks as soon as the rout began, and

now

they were scattered about

result was that our entire army was put to King himself was chased all the way back to his

the

capital,

and most of

his birds lost their lives.

The Cloud-Centaurs astated the

pulled

down

the trophies and dev-

whole cobweb, capturing me and two of

friends in the process.

By

this

which we were

my

time Phaethon had returned

to the scene of action and erected after

over the place in search

The

of loot. flight,

all

carried off

some trophies of his own, to the Sun as prisoners of

war, our hands securely lashed behind our backs with pieces of

The

cobweb.

Endymion's capital, by building a wall in the middle of the air. The wall in question was composed of a double thickness of cloud, and was so effective that the Moon was totally eclipsed and condemned to a permanent state of darkness. Eventually Endymion was reduced to a victors decided not to besiege

but merely to cut off

his light-supply

policy of appeasement, and sent a message to Phaethon,

humbly begging him to take down the them spend the rest of their lives in the pay

to

a

war-indemnity and conclude

wall and not

make

dark, volunteering

a pact of non-aggres-

sion with the Sun, and offering hostages as a guarantee of his

good

faith.

Phaethon's Parliament met twice to consider these proposals.

At

the

first

meeting they passed

a resolution reject-

ing them out of hand; at the second they reversed this decision,

and agreed to make peace on terms which were

ultimately incorporated in the following document:

True History

An Agreement made

J

93

day between the Sun-people and The Victors) of the one part and

this

their allies (hereinafter called

the iMoon-people and their

allies

The Van-

(hereinafter called

quished) of the other part

The

1.

Victors agree to demolish the wall, to refrain in fu-

ture

from invading the Moon, and

war

at a fixed

charge per head.

The Vanquished

2.

of other

but to

stars,

assist

to return their prisoners of

agree not to violate the sovereign rights

and not to make war in future upon the Victors,

them

in case of attack

by

a third party,

such

assist-

ance to be reciprocal.

The Vanquished

3.

in

undertake to pay to the Victors annually

advance ten thousand bottles of dew, and to commit ten

thousand hostages to their keeping.

The colony on

4.

both

parties,

Lucifer shall be established jointly

other stars being free to participate

if

by

they so

wish. 5.

The

terms of

this

agreement

be inscribed on a column

shall

of amber, to be erected in the middle of the

air

on the frontier

between the two kingdoms. Signed for and on behalf of the Sun-people

and their for and

allies

RuFus T. Fireman on behalf of the Moon-people and

their alHes P.

As soon

as

M. Loony

peace was declared, the wall was taken

down

When we got back to

and

we

the

Moon, we were greeted with tears of joy not only by by Endymion himself. He

three prisoners

were

released.

the rest of our party but even

was very anxious

for

me

to stay

colony, and actually offered to

let

and help him with the

me marry

his

son

— for

94

The Greeks

I

there are no such things as

down

intent on getting realised that

had made up

I

we

keep me. So off lasted for a

At

this

things their

I

women on

my

Moon and

—but

as

soon

point

should like to

I

my

dinner which

a farewell

women up

you some of the odd Moon. First of all,

tell

there, the

they have never even

as

men

just

babies.

marry other men,

The system

is

that

up

from then

to the age of twenty-five one acts as a wife, and

husband.

When

a

man

stomach but fat

he

stay on the

methods of reproduction:

as a

was

as

mind, he gave up trying to

went, after

and these other men have the

on

I

week.

noticed during

heard of

the

to the sea again,

is

pregnant, he carries the child not in his

in the calf of his leg,

which grows extremely

on these occasions. In due course they do

and the baby

is

taken out dead; but

by being placed Incidentally,

physiology

it

in a high

seems to

it is

wind with

me

a Caesarean,

then brought to

its

life

mouth wide open.

that these curious facts of lunar

may throw some light on a problem of etymolwe not here the missing link between the two

ogy, for have

apparently unconnected senses of the

Even more are

known

as

surprising

grows that

it

calfF

method of propagating what how it is done: you cut off and plant it in the ground, where it is

the

Tree-men. This

the father's right testicle

word

is

into a large fleshy tree rather like a phallus, except

has leaves and branches and bears fruit in the form of

acorns,

which

fruit

ripe,

is

are about eighteen inches long.

it is

When

the

picked and the babies inside are hatched

out. It is

parts,

not

uncommon up

there to have artificial private

which apparently work quite

you have them made of ivory, but to rub along with wooden ones.

well. If

you

are rich,

the poorer classes have

True History

When

Moon-people grow

old,

must

tell

you about

their

When they feel hungry, they light a fire

for everyone. roast

—for there

some frogs on

it

flying about in the

air.

That

table,

and to quench

eat,

just squeeze

some

produced

rather like dew.

is

were

fire, as if it

roasting, a sort of

and gobble up the smoke.

they ever

is all

and

are lots of these creatures

Then, while the frogs are

they draw up chairs round the

dining-room

They

die.

—

smoke and talking of smoke, diet, which is precisely the same

just vanish into thin air, like I

they do not

95

J

air into a glass

and drink

They

they

their thirst

that: the liquid

never make water in the

other sense, nor do they ever evacuate their bowels, having

no hole

anatomy; and

in that part of their

wonder what they do with

if this

their wives, the

makes you

answer

that

is

they have a hole in the crook of the knee, conveniently situated immediately

Bald

men

stars like the

is

handsome on the Moon,

thought absolutely revolting; but on young

comets, which have not yet lost their hair,

just the other

Comet-dweller

I

calf.

are considered very

and long hair

when I was

above the

—

way round or so who was having

at least I

a holiday

was

by

told

on the

a

Moon

there.

forgot to mention that they wear their beards a

above the knee; and they have not any have got, however, the buttocks like a

broken, even

if

is

a large

tail. It is

they

toes.

cabbage growing

What just

on

is

ex-

when they have been working

hard or taking strenuous exercise, they sweat milk pore. Occasionally they turn

They

above

their backs.

they blow their noses, what comes out

drops of the honey.

they

always in flower, and never gets

fall flat

tremely sour honey, and

little

toe-nails, for the

very good reason that they have not any

When

it is

it

also

into cheese,

make

at

by adding

every a

few

olive-oil out of onions,

96

The Greeks

I

and the resulting

fluid

is

extremely rich and has a very

delicate perfume.

They have any number of vines, which produce not wine but water, for the grapes are made of ice; and there, in

my view, you have the scientific explanation of hail-storms, which occur whenever the wind

strong enough to blow

is

the fruit off those vines.

They around

use their stomachs as handbags for carrying things in,

for they can

look inside one, there

open and shut them

is

digestive organs, but the

that

it

can also be used

at will. If

nothing to be seen in the

whole

interior

is

you

way

of

lined with fur so

as a centrally-heated

pram

for babies

in cold weather.

The upper this material

classes is

wear clothes made of

content with copper

copper in the

flexible glass,

but

rather expensive, so most people have to be

soil,

textiles

—for there

which becomes

is

any amount of

as soft as

wool when

soaked in water. I

hardly like to

should think

I

am

almost incredible.

tell

you about

their eyes, for fear

exaggerating, because Still, I

might

it

really does

well risk

as

their eyes are detachable, so that

it,

you

sound

so here goes:

you can take them out

when you do not want to see anything and put them back when you do. Needless to say, it is not unusual to find someone who has mislaid his own eyes altogether and is always having to borrow someone else's; and those who can afford case.

it

As

keep quite

a

for ears, the

own, and everyone

number of spare pairs by them, just in Tree-men have wooden ones of their

else has to

be

satisfied

with

a

couple of

plane-tree leaves instead. I

must

just

King's palace.

mention one other thing that It

was

a large

I

saw

mirror suspended over

in the a fairly

True History

you got

J

97

you could hear if you looked in the mirror, you could see what was going on anywhere in the world, as clearly as if you were actually

shallow tank.

If

into the tank,

everything that was being said on the Earth, and

there yourself.

I

had

a

look

home, but whether they saw Well, that believe me,

is

what

go and

it

was

people

at all the

me

like

or not,

I

knew

at

really cannot say.

on the iMoon.

see for yourself.

I

If

you do not

I^y^^f^ef^cfpcf^^cf^ef^ef? ef^c^

I

DAPHNIS AND CHLOE BY LONGUS Of Longus we know sure of his

name, which

absolutely nothing.

may

dated about

is

title

of one

least provisionally, the

a.d. 200.

Daphnis and Chloe

awakening love

are not even

be a misreading of the

manuscript of Daphnis and Chloe. At story

We

is

the

first

pastoral romance, an idyll of

in the hearts of simple, instinctive country-folk,

and balmy breezes. Kindly Nature

in a setting of flowers

acts

matchmaker. The story, rediscovered in the sixteenth century, started a centuries-long vogue for fluting love-sick shepas

herds and dainty shepherdesses, preserved

now

only in the

form of Dresden china. The anonymous translation was published bv the Athenian Societ\^ of Athens in 1 896. Here the story is much abridged by the editor.

[On

the

amorous

island of Lesbos, Daphnis, a foundling, aged

company with the thirteenyear-old shepherdess Chloe, also a foundling. They are fated to love; but their beauty and natural nobility are equaled by fifteen,

tends his goats, in constant

their innocence.

A

boorish but well-to-do herdsman, Dorcon,

makes claim for Chloe's hand.]

IT

WAS mer:

fruit,

the end of spring and the all

Nature was

the fields of corn.

sweet to hear, the

fruit

commencement

in full vigour: the trees

The

of sum-

were

full

of

chirp of the grasshopper was

sweet to smell, and the bleating of

the sheep pleasant to the ear.

The

gently flowing rivers

seemed to be singing a song: the winds, blowing softly through the pine-branches, sounded pipe: even the apples

seemed

like the notes

to fall to the

of the

ground smitten

with love, stripped off by the sun that was enamoured of

loo

I

The Greeks by

their beauty. Daphnis, heated

plunged into the

river,

these surroundings,

all

sometimes to bathe,

at

other times to

snare the fish that sported in the eddies of the stream: and

he often drank,

he could thereby quench the

as if

consumed him. Chloe,

fire that

having milked her sheep and was for a long time busied in curdling the milk: for the flics annoyed her terribly and stung her, when she endeavoured to drive them away. After this, she washed her face, and crowned with branches

most of Daphnis's

after

goats,

of pine, and girt with the skin of a fawn,

wine and milk

When ever.

with

filled a pail

to share with Daphnis.

noon came

on, they

were more enamoured than

For Chloe, having seen Daphnis quite naked, was

struck

by

bloom of his beauty, and her heart melted for his whole person was too perfect for criti-

the

with love,

fawn skin and for him to drink,

cism: while Daphnis, seeing Chloe with her

garland of pine, holding out the milkpail

thought that he was gazing upon one of the grotto.

He

and placed

Nymphs

of the

snatched the garland from her head, kissed it

on

his

own: and Chloe took

his clothes

he had stripped to bathe, kissed them, and in

it,

when

manner

like

put them on. Sometimes they pelted each other with apples,

and parted and decked each other's that Daphnis's hair, being dark,

hair.

Chloe declared

like

myrtle berries:

was

while Daphnis compared Chloe's face to an apple, because it

was

fair

pipe: and,

and ruddy.

when

He

also taught her to play

she began to blow, he snatched

and ran over the reeds with

his lips:

it

on the away,

and, while he thus

pretended to show her where she was wrong, he speciously

where her mouth had been. While he was piping in the noonday heat, and the flocks were resting in the shade, Chloe unwittingly fell asleep. kissed the pipe in the places

When

Daphnis perceived

this,

he put

down

his pipe,

and

Daphnis and Chloe

gazed

at

her

loi

J

over with greedy eyes, without any feeling

all

of shame, and at the same time gently whispered to himself:

"How lovely are

her eyes in sleep!

from her mouth, sweeter than thorn! Yet

dare not kiss

I

me

and maddens

it:

how

sweet the perfume

honey. Besides,

like fresh

haw-

that of apples or the

her kiss pricks

me

to the heart,

if I kiss

am

her, I

waking her. O chattering grasshoppers! you will prevent her from sleeping, if you chirp so loudly! And on afraid of

the other side, the he-goats are butting each other with

O wolves, more

their horns:

cowardly than

foxes,

why

do

you not carry them off?" While he was thus talking to himself, a grasshopper, pursued by a swallow, fell into Chloe's bosom: the swallow followed, but could not catch

touched Chloe's cheek with

its flight,

its

her,

start: but,

when

she

and Daphnis laughing

and rubbed her

still

saw the swallow at

drowsy

Not knowand woke up

wing.

ing what was the matter, she cried out loudly,

with a

check

but, being unable to

it:

flying close to

her alarm, she was reassured,

The

eyes.

safety, chirped

grasshopper, as

its

Then Chloe

cried out again, and Daphnis laughed:

seizing the opportunity, thrust his

pulled out the grateful insect,

even while held

a prisoner in his

and having kissed the

insect,

Another time, they were a

meaning of

hand into her

and,

breast,

and

which continued hand. Chloe was delighted, its

took

it

and put

it, still

song,

chirp-

bosom.

ing, into her

cooing of

in

thanks from her bosom.

gratitude for

its

if

wood-pigeon. its

listening

When

with delight to the

Chloe asked what was the

song, Daphnis told her the popular story:

dear maiden, there was a maiden,

"Once upon

a time,

beautiful and

blooming

as yourself.

She tended

cattle

and

sang beautifully: her cows were so enchanted by the music of her voice, that she never needed to strike them with her

I02

The Greeks

I

crook or to touch them with her goad: but, seated beneath a pine tree, her

head crowned with

a garland, she sang of

Pan and Pinus, and the cows stood near, enchanted by her There was a young man who tended his flocks hard

song.

by, beautiful and a

good

singer himself, as she was,

who

entered into a rivalry of song with her: his voice was more

powerful, since he was a man, and yet gentle, since he was

He

but a youth.

sang so sweetly that he charmed eight of

her best cows and enticed them over to his

The maiden,

drove them away.

own

herd, and

grieved at the loss of her

cattle,

and

Gods

to transform her into a bird before she returned

at

having been vanquished in singing, begged the

home. The Gods

listened to her prayer,

and transformed

her into a mountain bird, which loves to sing

Even now and

how

it

tells in

that she

is

as

she did.

plaintive tones of her misadventure, still

seeking the cows that strayed

away."

Such were the enjoyments which the summer afforded them. But, in mid-autumn, when the grapes grew ripe,

some Tyrian vessel, that

pirates,

having embarked on a light Carian

they might not be suspected of being barbarians,

landed on the coast: and, armed with swords and carried off everything that

came

corslets,

into their hands, fragrant

wine, a great quantity of wheat, and honey in the honey-

Dorcon. They

also

he was wandering on the shore:

for

comb, besides some cows belonging seized

Daphnis

as

Chloe, being a simple

girl,

to

for fear of the insolence of the

shepherds, did not drive out the flocks of Dryas so early.

When

the robbers beheld the tall and handsome youth, a more valuable booty than any they could find in the fields,

they paid no heed to the goats or the other

weeping and

carried him

off to their ship,

what

and calling the while for Chloe

to do,

fields,

but

in great distress in a

loud voice.

Daphnis and Chloe

No

103

J

sooner had they loosed the cable, and begun to ply

their oars,

and put out to

flock, bringing

with her

a

down

sea,

than Chloe drove

new

pipe as a present to Daphnis.

her

But, seeing the goats scattered hither and thither, and hear-

ing Daphnis calling to her ever louder and louder, thinking

no more about her sheep, she flung away the to Dorcon, to implore his aid.

pipe,

and ran

She found him lying prostrate on the ground, hacked by the swords of the robbers, and almost dead from loss of blood. But, fire

when he saw

Chloe, revived

by the smouldering

of his former passion, he said: "Chloe, dear,

when I tried to defend my brigands hewed me to pieces like an

point of death:

accursed

you

am

at the

the

cattle,

ox.

But do

save Daphnis for yourself: avenge me, and destroy

them.

I

my

have taught

cows

to follow the

pipe,

and to come when they hear

may

be feeding. Come, take

strain

upon

which

it

I

on yonder

with which

I

it,

sound of the

however

this pipe,

far off

ship. I also

my

pipe and

make you

they

and play the same

once taught Daphnis, and he

taught you. Leave the rest to are

I

my

in turn

cows

that

a present of the pipe,

many herdsmen me once in return, and lament for me and, when you see another tending my

have gained the victory over

and shepherds. Kiss

am

when

I

cattle,

then think of me."

dead:

When Dorcon the

last

had thus spoken, and had kissed her for

time, he breathed his last as he spoke and kissed her.

Chloe took the pipe, put might.

And

the

it

to her

cows heard

began to low, and

all

it,

lips,

and blew with

with a bound sprang into the

they had leaped from the same side of the the sea to part,

closed over

it.

it

all

her

and, recognising the strain,

vessel,

sea.

As

and caused

upset and sank under the waves that

Those on board were flung

into the sea, l)ut

with unequal prospect of safety. For the pirates were en-

I04

The Greeks

I

cumbered with swords, and clad

down

greaves reaching halfway

had been tending

owing

clothed,

swum

a

his flocks,

to the burning heat.

down

dragged them

off the clothes he

who

was unshod, and only

The

had on, yet

threw

easily

cost

him some

effort to

swum

in rivers:

but soon,

it

swim, since he had hitherto only

armour

their

Daphnis

into the depths:

half-

had only

pirates

way, when the weight of

little

and

in scaly coats of mail,

the leg. But Daphnis,

under the impulse of necessity, he reached the cows by an effort, and,

horns, he

while with each hand he grasped one by the

was

carried along

culty or danger, as

swims

that the

The

horn

truth of

fishes.

any man:

An

say

I

is

it is

only inferior to the

ox would never

falls off their

what

diffi-

he had been driving a cart: for an ox

if

far better than

water-fowl and

between them without

hoofs

when

borne out by

it

were

sink,

gets

many

it

not

wet through. places

on the

which are still found bearing the name of "Oxfords." Thus Daphnis, against all expectation, was saved from the double danger of the robbers and shipwreck. AVhen he came to land, and found Chloe weeping and smiling

coast

through her

tears,

he threw himself into her arms, and

asked her what she had meant by playing on the pipe. she told

him everything, how she had run

how

to

And

Dorcon

for

cows had been trained to obey the sound of the pipe, what strain she had been bidden to play, and how Dorcon had died: only, from a feeling of modesty, she said

help,

his

nothing about the

kiss she

solved to honour the

with

his

had given him. Then both

memory

relatives to

heaped earth over him

re-

of their benefactor, and went

bury the unhappy Dorcon. They in

abundance, and planted a number

of cultivated trees round about, and

hung up

as

an offering

to the deceased the first fruits of their labours: they libations of milk over his grave, crushed grapes,

poured

and broke

Daphnis and Chloe several shepherds' pipes.

105

J

His cows lowed piteously, wan-

dering hither and thither the while: and to the herdsmen

and shepherds

seemed that they were mourning for the

it

death of their master.

After the burial of Dorcon, Chloe led Daphnis to the grotto of the

Nymphs, where she washed

herself, for the first time in

him, and then she

Daphnis's presence, also washed

her own fair and beautiful person, which needed no set off its

bath to

beauty: then, plucking the flowers that were in

season, they crowned the statues of the Nymphs, and hung up Dorcon's pipe against the rock as an offering. After this, they went to look after their sheep and goats, which were

lying on the ground, neither feeding nor bleating, but,

all

Daphnis and Chloe. But,

as

and began to shout and pipe

as

believe, pining for the absent

soon

as

usual,

they came in

sight,

I

they jumped up and began to feed: the goats skipped

w^antonly, as

if

delighted at the safe return of their master.

Daphnis however could not bring himself to for, since

he had seen Chloe naked, in

all

feel

happy:

her beauty form-

erly hidden and then revealed, he felt a pain in his heart, as

was consumed by poison. His breath now came rap-

if it

idly, as if as if

someone was pursuing him: and now

failed him,

exhausted in previous attacks. Chloe's bath seemed to

him more

terrible

still

amongst the

and

as

yet

than the

sea.

pirates, since

knew nothing

He

thought that

his soul

was

he was merely a young rustic

of the thievish tricks of Love.

was soon the middle of autumn, and the vintage was close at hand; everyone was in the fields, busily intent upon It

his

work. Some were repairing the wine-presses, others

cleaning out the

jars:

some were weaving baskets of

osier,

and others sharpening short

sickles for cutting the grapes:

some were preparing stones

to crush the juicy grapes, oth-

ers preparing

dry twigs which had been well beaten, to be

io6

The Greeks

}

used

drawing

as torches to light the

off of the

new wine by

Daphnis and Chloe, having abandoned the care of

night.

their flocks, assisted each other in these tasks.

ried bunches of grapes in baskets,

and trod them, and drew

Daphnis car-

threw them into the press

off the juice into jars: while

Chloe

prepared food for the vintagers, and poured some of the older wine for them to drink, while at the same time she

picked some of the lowest branches from the the vines in Lesbos their branches ivy, so that its

grow

For

all

low, and are not trained to trees:

hang down

even

trees.

to the ground, spreading like

a child that

is,

so to speak, only just out of

swaddling clothes, could reach them.

As

is

customary

day of the wine, neighbouring

at the festival of

women

One

had been summoned from the

fields to assist;

Daphnis, and extolled him

as

and they

cited Daphnis, but

cast

amorous eyes on

vying with Bacchus

of them, bolder than the

men who were

Bacchus, on the birth-

rest, kissed

annoyed Chloe.

On

in beauty.

him, which ex-

the other hand, the

treading the wine-presses

advances to Chloe, and leaped furiously,

made

all

kinds of

like Satyrs

who

had seen some Bacchante, declaring that they wished they

were sheep,

to be tended

while Daphnis

was

felt

by

her: this, again, pleased Chloe,

annoyed. Each wished that the vintage

over, and that they could return to the familiar fields,

and, instead of uncouth shouts, hear the sound of the pipe

and the bleating of

their flocks.

few days the grapes were gathered in, the casks were of new wine, and there was no need of so many hands:

In a full

down to the Nymphs, offering

then they again began to drive their flocks plain,

and joyfully paid homage to the

them grapes the vintage.

them

as

still

hanging on the branches, the

Even before

they passed by, but

first fruits

of

that they had never neglected

when they drove

their flocks to

Daphnis and Chloe pasture, as well as

on

their return,

they reverently saluted

them; never omitting to bring them

some green

107

(

a flower,

foliage, or a libation of milk.

And

some

fruit,

they after-

ward reaped the reward of this piety from the Gods. Then they gamboled like dogs loosed from their bonds, piped, sang to the goats, and wrestled sportively with the sheep.

[An

old man, Philetas,

seen the

God

tells

Daphnis and Chloe that he has

He

of Love hovering near.

consecrated to Love,

my

"You are Love watches over

concludes:

children, and

you."]

Daphnis and Chloe were

some

fable,

whether

it

and not

was

delighted as

if

and what

Love is Wherefore he takes

"i\ly children.

beautiful.

they had heard

and asked what Love was;

a bird or a child,

Philetas replied:

young and

as

a true story,

a

it

could do.

winged God,

delight in youth,

pursues beauty, and furnishes the soul with wings:

power

is

elements and over the the other

Gods

The

I

power over

the

work

as if

mate, and following

it

of Love; the

the rivers to run, and the

stung by the gadfly:

bellowed

I

with love, and

have seen

everywhere.

I

a

neither of eating nor drinking, and

I

my

took no

it

he-goat

myself have

been young, and was in love with Amaryllis: then

my

his

the

you have over your

a bull smitten

kissing

its

all

He makes

have seen

has

and has greater control over

flowers are

plants are his creation. to blow.

stars:

that are his equals than

sheep and goats.

winds

He

greater than that of Zeus.

rest.

I

thought

My

soul

body was chilled: I shouted as if I were being beaten, I was as silent as a dead man, I plunged into the rivers as if I were consumed by fire: I called upon Pan, himself enamoured of Pitys, to help me: I thanked Echo, who repeated the name of Amaryllis after mc: I broke my pipes, which, though they charmed

was troubled,

heart beat,

io8

The Greeks

I

my kine, remedy

could not bring Amaryllis to

nic.

For there

no

is

for Love, that can be eaten or drunk, or uttered in

by

song, save kissing and embracing, and lying naked side side." Philetas,

having thus instructed them, departed, taking

away with him goat.

When

some cheeses and

a present of

they were

left alone,

horned

a

having then for the

first

name of Love, they were greatly distressed, and, on their return to their home at night, compared their feelings with what they had heard from the old man:

time heard the

"Lovers

suffer:

so

do we. They neglect

their

we

work:

They cannot sleep: it is the same with we are consumed by fire. They are eager to see each other: it is for this that we wish the day to dawn more quickly. This must be Love, and we are in love have done the same.

They seem on

us.

fire:

with each other without knowing I

am

not beloved,

why

are

we

it.

If this

be not love, and

so distressed?

why

do

eagerly seek each other? All that Philetas has told us It

was

that

boy

in the

garden

who once

catch him? he

is

small and will escape.

Philetas,

Nymphs

when

for help.

This was

We

we

must

But Pan could not help us,

which he told us: let us naked on the ground.

It is

and embrace each other, and

we

can

can

he was in love with Amaryllis. Let

therefore, try the remedies of

cold: but

How

And how

escape him? he has wings and will overtake us. appeal to the

so

true.

appeared to our

parents in a dream, and bade us tend the flocks.

we

we

is

will endure

it,

lie

after the

their nightly lesson.

kiss

example of Philetas."

At daybreak they drove

out their flocks, kissed each other

as

soon

as

they met,

which they had never done before, and embraced: but they were

afraid to try the third

down

together: for

young

it

remedy, to undress and

would have been too bold an

shepherdess, even for a goatherd.

Then

lie

act for a

again they

Daphnis and Chloe

what they had done, and

passed sleepless nights, thinking of regretting

what they had

left

"We

undone.

each other," they complained, "but

We have

to

is

lie

down

surely there must be something in

have kissed

has profited nothing.

it

embraced, but nothing has come of

remaining remedy

109

|

it.

The

only

together: let us try it

more

it:

efficacious than

in a kiss."

With such thoughts

as these their

dreams were naturally

of love and kisses and embraces: what they had not done in the day, they did in a dream: they lay naked together.

next morning, they got up ever,

and drove

more inflamed with

The

love then

their flocks to pasture, whistling loudly,

and hurried to embrace each other: and, when they saw each other from

a distance,

they ran up with

a smile, kissed,

and embraced: but the third remedy was slow to come: for

Daphnis did not venture to speak of

it,

and Chloe was

unwilling to lead the way, until chance brought them to

They were

sitting side

by

it.

on the trunk of an oak:

side

and, having tasted the delights of kissing, they could not

have enough: in their close embrace their

lips

met

closely.

While Daphnis pulled Chloe somewhat roughly towards him, she somehow fell on her side, and Daphnis, following up his kiss, fell also on his side: then, recognising the Hkeness of the dream, they lay for a long time

as if

they had

been bound together. But, not knowing what to do next,

and thinking that

this

was the consummation of

lov^e,

they

spent the greater part of the day in these idle embraces; then, cursing the night

and drove

when

found out the

truth,

the attention of the

whole

came

on, they separated,

district.

[Some wcalthv young men of coast,

it

home. Perhaps they would have had not a sudden disturbance occupied

their flocks

hunting and

fishing.

a

neighboring city cruise the

Their boat

is

carried out to sea;

no

The Greeks

I

Daphnis

The

wrongfully blamed. The incident provokes

is

invaders carry off Chloe. She

is

a war.

miraculously saved by Pan

and the Nymphs. Winter, confining the

parts

flocks,

the

lovers.]

With

the

commencement

melt, the earth again

sprouted. fields,

The

They

mightier shepherd.

Nymphs, then

first

of

ran

first

to the pine tree

after that to the oak,

since they served a

all,

to the grotto of the

and the image of Pan, and

under which they

sat

down, watching

and kissing each other. Then, to weave chaplets

for the Gods, they

were only

to

and the green grass

visible,

shepherds again drove their flocks into the

Daphnis and Chloe

their flocks

snow began

of spring the

became

just

went

some

in search of

flowers,

which

beginning to blossom under the fostering

influence of Zephyr and the

they found some

warmth

violets, hyacinths,

of the sun: however,

pimpernel, and other

flowers of early spring. After they had drunk some

new

milk drawn from the sheep and goats, they crowned the images, and poured libations.

Then they began

to play

upon their pipes, as if challenging to song the nightingales, which were warbling in the thickets and gradually perfecting their lamentation for Itys, as

if

anxious, after long

silence, to recall their strains.

The

sheep began to bleat, the lambs gamboled,

stooped under their mothers'

bellies to

suck their

teats.

or

The

rams chased the sheep w^hich had not yet borne young, and

mounted them. The he-goats

also

chased the she-goats with

even greater heat, leaped amorously upon them, and fought for them.

Each had

his

own

mate, and jealously guarded

her against the attacks of a wanton old

men would

have

felt

rival.

them: the more so Daphnis and Chloe,

and tortured by

desire,

At

this sight

even

the fire of love rekindled within

who were young

and had long been

in quest of the

1

Daphnis and Chloe delights of love. All that they heard inflamed them,

1

J

1

that

all

they saw melted them, and they longed for something more than mere embraces and

in the house

kissed Chloe fiercely, pressed her

showed himself

in

but especially Daphnis,

kisses,

who, having spent the winter

wantonly

doing nothing, in his arms,

and

every respect more curious and auda-

cious.

He

begged her to grant him

all

he desired, and to

with

lie

him naked longer than they had been accustomed to do: "This," said he, that

we

"is

the only one of Philetas's instructions

have not yet followed, the only remedy that can

When

appease Love."

could be besides

kisses,

Chloe asked him what

else there

embraces, and lying together, and

what he meant to do, if they both lay naked together, he "The same as the rams and the he-goats do to their

repHed: mates.

You

see

how,

from

the former: but, gether, as

if

been accomplished, the

after this has

former no longer pursue the that

latter,

nor the

latter flee

moment, they feed

from

quietly to-

they had enjoyed the same pleasure in com-

mon. This pastime, methinks,

is

something sweet, which

can overcome the bitterness of love." "But," answered Chloe, "do

you not

and sheep,

all

see that he-goats

satisfy their

desire standing upright:

who down with you

males leap upon the females,

You how much

backs?

ask

me

to

lie

and she-goats, rams

receive

thicker their fleece

is

Daphnis obeyed, lay down by her

than

side,

them on

the their

naked: but see

my

garments."

and held her for

a

long time clasped in his arms: but, not knowing how to do what he was burning to do, he made her get up, and embraced her behind, in imitation of the he-goats, but with even less success: then, utterly at a loss what to do, he sat

down on

the ground and began to

more ignorant of

weep

at the idea of

the mysteries of love than the rams.

being

112

The Greeks

I

named

In the neighbourhood there dwelt a labourer

Chromis, already advanced

He

estate.

had

a

wife

who farmed

in years,

whom

own

his

he had brought from the city,

young, beautiful, and more refined than the country-

women:

her

name was Lycaenium. Every morning

Daphnis driving

saw

and back again

at

She was seized with a desire of winning him for her

night.

lover

his goats to pasture,

she

by

gave him

Having watched a honeycomb, and

presents. a pipe,

until

he was alone, she

a deer-skin wallet,

but

she was afraid to say anything, suspecting his love for

Chloe. For she had observed that he was devoted to the

although hitherto she had only guessed

his affection

having seen them interchange nods and smiles. the morning,

going to

making the excuse

visit a

neighbour

who

to

One

girl,

from

day, in

Chromis that she was

had been brought to bed,

she followed them, concealed herself in a thicket to avoid

being seen, and heard

all

they

said,

and saw

all

they did.

Even Daphnis's tears did not escape her. Pitying the poor young couple, and thinking that she had a two-fold opportunity

—of getting them

same time,

satisfying her

out of their trouble and,

own

desires, she

at the

had recourse to

the following stratagem.

The

next day, having gone out again on pretence of

visiting her sick neighbour, she

proceeded straight to the

oak under which Daphnis and Chloe were pretending to

Daphnis:

I

be in

great

distress,

am most unhappy. An

the finest of

my

twenty geese:

heavy one, he could not carry

it

cried:

sitting,

and,

"Help me,

eagle has just carried off

but, as the

up

burden was

a

to the top of the rock,

his usual refuge, but has alighted with

his

prey

at the

end of

wood. In the name of the Nymphs and Pan yonder, I beseech you, go with me into the forest, for I am afraid to go alone: save my goose, and do not leave the number of the

Daphnis and Chloe

my

flock imperfect. Perhaps

the eagle, and he will

you

113

J

will also be able to slay

no longer carry

your kids and

off

lambs. Meanwhile, Chloe can look after your goats: they

know

you always tend your

her as well as you: for

flocks

together."

Daphnis, suspecting nothing of what was to come, immediately got up, took his

She took him

crook and followed Lycaenium.

from Chloe

as far

as possible, and,

when they

came

to the thickest part of the forest, she bade

down

near a fountain, and said: "Daphnis,

you

him

sit

are in love

Nymphs revealed this to me last night. me in a dream of the tears you shed yesterday, me relieve you of your trouble by teaching you

with Chloe: the

They

told

and bade

the mysteries of love.

These

consist not in kisses

and em-

braces alone, or the practices of sheep and goats, but in

connexion far more delightful than these: for the pleasure

you wish

from your trou-

lasts

longer. If then

bles

and to try the delights of which you are

come, put yourself gratitude to the

in

my

Nymphs,

to be freed

in search,

hands, a delightful pupil: out of I

will be

your

instructress."

Daphnis, at these words, could no longer contain himself for joy: but, being a simple

countryman and goatherd,

young and amorous, he threw

himself at her feet and

begged her to teach him without delay the enable him to do to Chloe

what he

art

which would

desired: and, as

been some profound and heaven-sent

secret, he

if it

had

promised to

made of new Lycaenium seeing, from Daphnis was more simple than she instruct him in the following man-

give her a kid lately weaned, fresh cheeses milk, and even the his

generous

ofl"er,

mother that

had imagined, began to ner.

She ordered him to

and

to kiss her as he

sit

herself.

down by

her side just as he was,

had been accustomed to

and, while kissing, to embrace her and

lie

kiss

down by

Chloe,

her side.

114

The Greeks

(

When

he had done

Lycaenium, finding that he was

so,

ready for action and inflamed with little,

him up

desire, lifted

a

and, cleverly slipping under him, set him on the road

he had sought so long in vain: and, without more ado.

Nature

herself taught

[After

many

Chloe find

was

it

rest.

adventures and misadventures Daphnis and

their parents,

Their marriage

As

him the

who

are of course rich

and eminent.

at last formally celebrated.]

is

very fine day, Dionysophanes [Daphnis'

a

father] ordered couches of green leaves to be spread in

front of the grotto, invited

and entertained

were of

jests

.

All the amusements

was

natural,

One

sang

a reaper's song,

another

of the vintage season.

close at hand, as

the banquet. This

.

.

and pastoral character,

considering the guests.

were feeding

the villagers to the festivities,

them handsomely.

a rustic

repeated the

all

if

as

.

.

.

The

goats also

they desired to take part in

was not altogether

to the taste of the city

some of them by name, gave eat, took them by the horns and

people: but Daphnis called

them some green

leaves to

kissed them.

And

not only then, but

as

long

as

they

voted most of their time to a pastoral especial reverence to the

Nymphs,

lived,

life.

they de-

Thev

paid

Pan, and Love, acquired

large flocks of goats and sheep, and considered fruit and

milk superior to every other kind of food.

born to them, they put him to suck

was suckled by

a

poemen, and the

latter

age in the

fields,

When

a goat: their

a son

was

daughter

ewe: and they called the former PhiloAgele.

Thus they

decorated the grotto,

lived to a set

up

good old

statues,

and

erected an altar to Shepherd Love, and, in place of the pine, built a temple for

Pan the

Soldier.

Pan

to dwell in,

and dedicated

it

to

Daphnis and Chloe

But

when

this did

not take place until

night came,

all

later.

J

115

After the banquet,

the guests accompanied

nuptial chamber, playing

on the pipe and

ing large blazing torches.

When

them

to the

and carry-

flute,

they were near the door,

they began to sing in a harsh and rough voice,

as if

they

were breaking up the earth with forks, instead of singing hymn. Daphnis and Chloe, lying naked side

the marriage

by

side,

embraced and kissed each

other,

more wakeful

than the owl, the whole night long. Daphnis put into practice the lessons

of Lycaenium, and then for the

Chloe learned that the

all

that had taken place

woods was nothing more than

of shepherds.

first

time

between them

the childish

in

amusement

AN ETHIOPIAN STORY BY HELIODORUS According to Hcliodorus'

own

statement

at the

end of

his

Aethiopica, he was a Phoenician, of the family of hereditary priests of the sun,

Syria, not far

and resided

in

Emesa, the present Horns

in

may

be

from the Mediterranean

dated in the second or third centuries the year 230.

It is

His book

coast. a.d.;

one good guess

an adventure story of lovers at odds with

the efforts of fate and circumstance to part them.

of the reader

is

the local color

The

is

all

interest

engaged by the variety of the incidents and by

more than by

figures even in their

own

the characters,

who were

stock

time.

Most of the first chapter is given here. The translation, anonymous, was published by the Athenian Society of Athens in 1897.

THE LIGHT of day had

just

begun

to smile

and the rays of

the sun to illumine the mountain ridges,

when some

armed men, whose attire proclaimed them brigands, showed themselves on the top of a promontory which overhangs the outlet of the Nile, which is called the Hercules

mouth; there they halted for

a while, carefully

ining the expanse of sea that lay beneath them. cast their eyes over the

open and seeing no

exam-

Having

first

vessel that held

out hopes of plunder, they turned their gaze towards the beach, where they beheld the following sight:

A vessel was lying at anchor; there was no one on board, but

it

carried a heavy cargo, as could be guessed even

those at a distance; for the weight of

it

caused the ship to

sink in the water as hiirh as the third band.

beach was covered with bodies of cred,

some

quivering,

quite dead, others

which proved

still

men

by

The whole

but lately massa-

alive,

their limbs yet

that a fierce struggle had just

An Ethiopian Story

J

117

ended. But the indications were not those of a regular battle;

with the dead and dying were mingled the miserable

remains of an ill-starred

an

as

weapons

others again, to

sudden outburst of the

in the all

fallen

on the ground, some of which

from the hands of the banqueters who had been

slain in the act of lifting

them

had been used

The

invented

used

fray, while

appearance, had been used as hiding-

places; drinking-cups lying

had

who had

clutched in the hands of the dead,

still

them

so disastrous

covered with viands, fragments of oth-

issue; tables still

ers

which had had

feast,

new

as stones.

uses for

to their

mouth, while others

suddenness of the attack had

them and taught the combatants

another with his brains

One

lay

from the beach; one had been battered club, another scorched

had overtaken them

to

wounded by an axe, dashed out by stones picked up

use cups in place of weapons.

by

with a

to pieces

the fire of a blazing torch; death

in various

ways, but most of them had

been pierced with arrows. Fortune had gathered together in a small space a countless variety of objects, polluting

wine with blood, uniting war and

and mingling

festivity,

promiscuously drinking and death, libations and slaughter.

Such was the

sight she set before the eyes of the

Egyptian

brigands.

The

from the top of the mountain, were understand the scene; they beheld numbers over-

latter,

unable to

spectators

thrown, but could not see their conquerors; a brilliant victory,

all

but the spoils untouched;

out a crew, but in other respects uninjured,

the signs of

a vessel as if

it

with-

were

strongly defended or were tossing quietly at anchor. Al-

though they did not

know what had

gain excited them, and, as

if

happened, the greed of

they had been themselves the

conquerors, they proceeded to descend,

in

order to hiy

hands upon the pkmdcr.

When

they were only

a short distance

from the

vessel

iiS

The Greeks

(

and the bodies of the dead and dying, another

which

sight,

perplexed them even more, arrested their attention.

saw

a

whom

young

of

girl,

wondrous beauty,

on

sitting

They

a rock,

they took to be a goddess; though smitten with grief her mien and features displayed a dignified and

at the scene,

crowned with laurel, a quiver was slung over her shoulders, her left arm rested upon her bow, while the hand hung carelessly down; with her right elbow resting upon her thigh, she leaned her cheek upon her hand, with head bent, looking from time to time at a young man lying a little distance from her on the shore. This young man, covered with cruel wounds, with difficulty managed to lift up his head from a deep sleep, that noble

her head was

spirit;

resembled the sleep of death. But, even in

manly beauty shone upon

down

his cheeks,

ion.

But pain and

his

eyelids,

blood, trickling his fair

grief, in spite of all his efforts,

while,

maiden attracted

his face; the

enhanced the charm of

this plight, a

on the other hand, the

his gaze,

look, because they

saw

and

her.

his

At

complex-

drew down

sight of the

eyes were constrained to

last

he recovered himself,

and, heaving a deep sigh, cried in a feeble voice: dearest, are

been

slain

you

really preserved to

amongst the

rest? has

me? or have you too

not even death been able to

separate us, that your shade and spirit

fortunes?"

"My destiny, my life

yours," replied the

showed him

young

girl;

accompany my is bound up with

still

or death,

"you

dagger on her knees);

a

"My

see this if

it

(here she

has hitherto

by the signs of life up from the rock. The spectators on the mountain, smitten with wonder and amazement, as if they had been struck by lightning, ran to

remained in

you."

idle, it

With

has only been held back

these words, she sprang

when she stood and more divine. The arrows in

shelter themselves beneath the bushes; for,

up, she appeared even taller

An Ethiopian Story

119

j

her quiver, which her sudden movements caused to rattle

on her shoulders, the dazzling decked robe which glittered hair

which

floated

brilliancy of her gold-be-

long

in the rays of the sun, her

from beneath her crown

Bacchante, hanging half-way

down

like that of a

her back, and,

more

than what they saw, their ignorance of what had taken place

—

"She

all this is

struck terror into their souls.

a goddess," cried

some, "either Artemis or

Isis,

the divine patroness of Egypt"; while others declared that

was some priestess inspired with divine frenzy, who had wrought such slaughter. Such was their opinion; but as yet

she

they

knew not

the truth.

Meanwhile, the young

girl

hastened to the youth, flung

her arms around him, wept and kissed him, wiped

ofl"

the

blood, uttered loud groans, and, although she held him in

her grasp, seemed scarcely able to believe her eyes. the Egyptians

"can

said they,

embrace

saw

this,

this

When

they altered their opinion. "How,"

be the act of a goddess?

a lifeless corpse so affectionately?"

Would

After

this,

she

they

encouraged one another to take heart, and draw nearer and learn the truth. Their courage revived, they descended,

found the young

girl

standing

they

behind,

still

and seeing

their footsteps

looked up; in no or their arms,

way

tending the other's wounds;

remained

neither to speak nor to act.

and

The their

motionless,

girl,

venturing

hearing the noise of

shadows on the ground,

alarmed by their strange complexion,

which proclaimed them brigands, she low-

ered her eyes again, and devoted her whole attention to the

Thus the keenness of regret and the sincermake us disregard all external objects whether

prostrate youth. ity of love

pleasant or painful, and

compel us to

one beloved object, and to devote to

When

it

see nothing but the

our whole attention.

the brigands stopped in front of her, apparently

1

20

I

The Greeks

intending to lay hands on her, she looked up again, and, seeing their dark complexions and hideous appearance, thus

addressed them:

you are the shades of the dead that are lying here, you do wrong to trouble us; for most of you have died by your own hands; those who were slain by us deserved their "If

fate;

we

only exercised the right of self-defence to protect

our honour.

If

brigands; then

you are living men, you would seem to be you have arrived at a fitting moment to

deliver us

from our present

of horror

by our

Such was the to understand

ship,

and to end

this

scene

death."

tragic plaint she uttered.

what she

weakness a

their

calamities,

said, left

The

others, unable

unhappy

the

pair,

thinking

hurrying to the

sufficient guard; then,

they ransacked the cargo, which was considerable and

consisted of various kinds of wares; to

some they paid no

heed, but carried off gold and silver, precious stones, and silken stuffs, as

much

as

they could carry.

greed was

satisfied,

divided

into equal portions,

it

When

they spread the booty on the shore, and

making the

distribution not

according to the value, but by the weight of each

They had

their

article.

decided to defer the consideration of what they

should do with their prisoners.

Meanwhile, another band of brigands came up, with two

horsemen riding

at their head.

When

ceived them, without venturing to

any portion of the booty, for they fled with those

whom

Thus

the

all

the

show

fear they

first

fight or carry off

might be pursued,

speed, being only ten in number, while

they saw coming were three times

young

band per-

girl

found herself captured

although not actually

a

prisoner.

The new

though intent on plunder, halted for

what they saw and ignorant of the

a

a while,

cause.

as

many.

second time, arrivals,

al-

astounded

at

They imagined

An Ethiopian Story that those

who had

just fled

and seeing that the young nificent attire, paid

ened her,

as if

had perpetrated the massacre, dressed in strange and

girl,

no attention

sufferings as

if

they were her own, they stood

with admiration

at

mag-

to the dangers that threat-

they had no existence, but devoted

young man's wounds, and seemed

care to the

121

\

her beauty and courageous

all

her

to feel his still,

struck

spirit,

while

they were equally astonished at the form and stature of the

wounded young man, who had his features

At

resumed

gradually recovered, while

their ordinary expression.

length the captain of the band

hand upon the young

drew

near, laid his

and commanded her to get up

girl,

and follow him. Guessing what he meant (although she did not understand

man

his

words), she began to drag the young

along with her,

who

himself refused to part from her;

then, pointing the dagger towards her breast, she threat-

ened to

kill

herself, unless

they took him

as well.

gestures, rather than her words, explained her

the Captain,

who, hoping

that the

Her

meaning to

young man,

if

he re-

covered, might be of great service to him, dismounted and

ordered

mount

his esquire to

in their places.

do the same, and bade Bidding

his

men

his prisoners

collect the spoil

and

follow him, he himself walked on foot by the side of the captives, to hold

of falling.

them up

Nor was

in case

their lot

they should be

without

its

in

danger

compensation; the

master seemed to be the slave, and the captor the servant of the captured. So true

is it

that the appearance of nobility

and the sight of beauty are able to subjugate even the hearts of brigands and to conquer the harshest natures.

After the brigands had followed the coast for of about

two

furlongs, they

left the sea

on

a distance

their riglit,

and

turned aside in the direction of a mountain, which they

climbed with

difficulty, and,

descending the other side with

122

The Greeks

I

which

speed, arrived at a lake

all

district

there

which

a valley,

is

and becomes

a lake,

The whole

lay below.

by

called Bucolia (Pasture)

is

the Egyptians. In

it

receives the overflow of the Nile

very deep

while

in the middle,

its

shores are shallow and marshy; for the waters of lakes, like

those of the

of Egypt. rising

diminish in depth the nearer they are to the

sea,

land. This spot

is

as

it

were the republic of

Some dwell

its

ankles and

As soon it is

first

upon

milk, afterwards

dried in the sun. to

for habitation and purposes

brought up on

fish

those

who

caught in the lake and

as a child

allowed to go

are

can crawl, a cord

brigands like themselves, bers.

grow

The water in

serves

abundance,

who

them

it

as a safe

as a palisade.

selves to find

who know

access to others and

Such

is

form

as their

stronghold for

num-

these reeds they

paths, easy for

them, but which are a

it

and the reeds, which

Amongst

have cut several winding and tortuous

tied

as a guide.

flock thither in large

as a wall,

is

edge of the

as far as the

born on the lake look upon

nurse and native land, and regard

moth-

their

boat or the door of the hut, the cord being used

Thus

upon

here that their wives spin, and are brought

it is

to bed. Their children are ers'

built

level of the water, while others live

which they use both

of transport;

the brigands

which they have

in huts

ground above the

in boats,

all

them-

difficult

of

strong defence against invasion.

this little republic,

and such the manners of

its

inhabitants.

The sun was

when the captain and his followers They made the prisoners dismount, and

setting

reached the lake.

put the booty on board the boats. Those part in the expedition issued in large

who had

not taken

numbers from

diff"er-

ent sides of the marsh, and hurried to meet their chief,

whom been

they received with

a king.

At

as

much

reverence

as if

he had

the sight of the rich spoil and the divine

beauty of the maiden, they imagined that some temple or

An Ethiopian Story shrine had been plundered

by

their

123

J

companions, thinking,

they had carried off the

in their rustic simplicity, that

some goddess. Then,

priestess or the breathing image of

with loud praises and congratulations, they escorted their chief in triumph to his abode.

This was a small shared with a small

island, apart

number of

from the

rest,

intimate friends.

which he As soon as

he arrived there, he bade the multitude return home, after

having ordered them

him on the few intimate friends, hasty supper, and then handed over the young

He

following day.

took a

all

to assemble before

himself, with a

couple to a young Greek, w^ho had been taken prisoner by the brigands a short time before, that he might serve as

them

interpreter; he lodged

in part of his

own

hut,

and

charged the Greek to pay careful attention to the young

man, and, above

young

lady.

all,

He

to see that

no

was offered

insult

himself, exhausted

by

journey, and overwhelmed with the anxieties of

soon

command,

fell asleep.

When first

silence reigned

watch of the

solitude

throughout the marsh, about the

night, the

maiden took advantage of the

and the absence of those

her, to give vent to her

who were

likely to disturb

sorrow; the quiet of the night only

was

increased her grief, since nothing

to be seen or heard

that could divert her painful thoughts. Separated rest

by the captain's order, and lying upon

couch, she sighed and shed bitter cruel

is

the punishment

our offences deserve! the misfortunes

you

Is

number on

of brigands

inflict

tears:

upon

by

pirates,

a

from the miserable

how

'*0 Apollo,

us, far greater than

not your vengeance

which we have already

of our parents, captured

out

to the

the fatigues of his

with

satisfied

suffered? Deprived

exposed to

perils

with-

the sea, a second time fallen into the hands

—can worse than

this

await us?

put an end to our miseries? Provided

I

when

will

you

could die pure and

124

The Greeks

I

without reproach, death would be welcome. But

if

anyone

should dare to attempt to obtain by force the favours

which even

my

Theagencs has never obtained,

myself pure and chaste,

as

hour of death, and virtue

No

shroud.

I

would

I

would

strangle myself and forestall the crime; so

I

keep

have hitherto done, even to the

itself

my

should be

judge will ever be more

pitiless

honourable

than you,

O

Apollo!"

She would have proceeded, but Theagenes interrupted

"Hush,

her:

my

life,

my

are just, but they provoke the

You must

god more than you imagine.

not reproach him, but invoke

his aid.

more

likely than accusations to appease the

who

are mightier than ourselves."

me,

replied: "but, tell

I

beg you,

"You

how

"Better, since evening; this

young man's

my

much

"Lwill apply

easier in the a certain

I

apply

health.

Do

lot

this

attention has al-

wounds." "You

I

know

have been

its

I

will find

valuable properties

by

when any of wounded from an expedi-

a prisoner here,

remedy, which soon restores them to

not be surprised

if I

sympathize with you; your

seems to resemble mine; besides, since

Greek,

you yourself?"

morning," rejoined their keeper:

the Captain's followers return tion, I

wrath of those

herb to your wounds, which in

three days will heal them. experience. Since

Prayers are

are right," she

are

layed the inflammation of yourself

your laments

dearest Chariclea!

cannot help pitying you

who

I

are

am a Greeks." "A myself

Greek! Oh, heavens!" exclaimed the youthful pair, transported with joy. "Yes, most assuredly: a Greek both by birth

and language." "Perhaps

we

shall obtain

But by what name are we

some

allevia-

you?" "My name is Cnemon." "From what part of Greece do you come?" "From Athens." "What has been your history?"

tion of our sorrows.

"Forbear," said Cnemon:

"why do you

to call

attempt to revive

An Ethiopian Story

my sorrows? my story would be an

125

J

the recollection of

let

tragedians;

unnecessary aggravation

own

of your

would not need

misfortunes; besides, the rest of the night

[Cnemon nations of a

you must

suffice to tell the tale, especially as

and sleep after

rest

us leave this to the

is

prevailed

all

your

upon

to

fatigues." tell his

story of the machi-

wicked stepmother and her scheming housemaid

which brought him

to disaster.

He

ends

by shedding abundant

tears.]

The

strangers did the same, apparently

of his misfortunes, but really at the

moved by

memory

the tale

of their own.

Their lamentations would never have ceased, had not

induced by the luxury of their

them and dried

their tears.

In the meantime,

name),

who had

Thyamis

grief,

suddenly come upon

Thus, then, they went to (this

sleep,

was the robber

sleep.

chieftain's

rested quietly during the greater part of

was afterwards tormented by wandering visions; and, pondering what could be the meaning of the dream, he lay awake all night, plunged in meditation. It was the hour

the night,

when

the cocks begin to crow, either because a natural

instinct

warns them of the return of the sun to earth and

they are moved to salute the god, or because a feeling of warmth and an eager desire to move and eat inclines them to rouse to work those who Hve in the same house. At this moment the gods sent Thyamis a vision. He thought that he was in Memphis, his native country; he entered the temple of

Isis,

of lamps; the altars were

which seemed

full

of

all

to be

one blaze

kinds of victims, and

dripping with blood; the vestibule of the temple and

open spaces were

filled

by

a noisy

its

and agitated crowd.

After he had entered the sanctuary, the goddess came for-

ward

to

meet him, and presenting Charicica

to him, said:

126

The Greeks

I

''Thyamis,

I

intrust this

maiden to your

possess her without possessing her;

crime,

you

shall

you

care;

shall

you

shall

be guilty of

cover the stranger with blood, but she

a

shall

not die." This vision sorely troubled him: after turning the

words over every way their

meaning, he

in his

at last

mind, in order to discover

gave up the attempt, and inter-

own

"You shall possess her without possessing her," he interpreted to mean that he should have her as a wife, not as a virgin; by the preted them in accordance with his

desires.

words "you shall cover her with blood," he understood the wounds inflicted upon her virginity, wounds which would not prove mortal. In this manner he explained the vision, agreeably to the suggestions of his passion.

was day, he summoned his chief followers, and ordered them to bring the plunder, which he called by the high-sounding name of "spoils," into the midst; he also sent for Cnemon, with instructions to fetch the prisoners who had been intrusted to his care. While they were being

As soon

as

it

conducted to the

they exclaimed,

chief,

served for us?" and begged

Cnemon

"What

to assist

fate

them

is

in

re-

any

he could. He promised to do so, and bade them be of good cheer, assuring them that the chief of the brigands was not an utter barbarian, but was of a kind and gentle

way

disposition; that he

had only adopted

When

belonged to an

his present

they reached

mode

illustrious family,

of

his presence,

had assembled, Thyamis took

his seat

life

from

and

necessity.

and the whole band

upon an eminence

in

the island, the appointed meeting-place, and ordered Cne-

mon

to translate

what he

said to the prisoners; for, while he

had only an imperfect knowledge of Greek, Cnemon had

now

learned to speak Egyptian.

Thyamis then addressed you know what my

the meeting as follows: "Comrades, feelings towards

being the son of

you have always been. You are aware that, a priest of Memphis, deprived of my right

An Ethiopian Story

of which

a

had robbed me,

in

of succession to the sacerdotal functions,

younger brother,

after

violation of the laws,

your

to be

I

took refuge amongst you, in order

and recover

to avenge myself

worthy

my father's death,

127

J

my

dignity.

leader; since then,

I

You thought me

have lived with you,

without ever claiming any special privileges for myself.

When

was money to be distributed, I was content with the same share as each of yourselves; when prisoners were sold, I paid what they fetched into the common stock; for

I

there

considered

good leader

the duty of a

it

upon

to take

himself the greatest share of fatigue and to be content with

As

an equal share of the

spoils.

enrolled amongst your

band those who, from

were

strength,

weaker.

have

I

their bodily

and sold the

likely to be useful to us,

have never been guilty of violence towards the

I

women;

to the prisoners,

those of noble birth

I

have released either on

payment of ransom, or out of pure compassion for their lot; those of lower rank, who were condemned to slavery by habit rather than the rights of war,

amongst you

as servants.

nothing from you out of

maiden; although think for

it

it

would be

my

However, I

I

have distributed

the present occasion,

all this

booty, except

foolish to

mind

right,

I

yet

seem to be acting against the

by appropriating a prisoner by force. do not ask even her from you for nothing; in friends

resign

to

ask

from you by common consent;

all

wed

this

order to propagate "I will also tell

The have made up

share in the rest of the booty.

priestly caste despises indiscriminate love;

my

I

this stranger

might have claimed her by

I

better to receive her

wishes of

return,

On

I

maiden, not to satisfy

my

I

my

lust,

but

in

family.

you the reasons which have

led

me

to act

thus. In the first place, she appears to nic to be well born; this

I

money found upon her, and also by no means overwhelmed by her misfor-

conjecture from the

because she

is

128

The Greeks

I

tunes, but

from the

convinced that she if,

is

first

who see

all

her

all

that she seems to

since,

in beauty, she yet

by her modest

An

thinking highly of her? is,

met them boldly. Next,

good and virtuous

of a

while she surpasses

upon

has

me

even

looks,

I

am

disposition; for

imposes respect

how

can

we

help

more weighty reason priestess of some god,

still

to be the

even in her misfortune, she considers

it

an offence

against religion to put off her garlands and sacred vest-

ments. Could any union be more fitting than that of a priest

and priestess?" All applauded his words, and wished him a happy marriage,

tinued:

under favourable auspices. Then Thyamis con*'I

thank you,

my friends;

but

we

shall

now do

well

what the maiden thinks about the matter. If I were disposed to make use of the right of authority, my wish alone would be sufficient; for those who can command obedience have no need to ask. But, in the case of lawful marriage, mutual consent is necessary." Then, addressing himself to Chariclea, he said: "What do you think of the proposal that we should marry? Tell me, who are you two, and who are your parents?" Chariclea remained for a long time with her eyes fixed upon the ground, shaking her head from time to time, as if she were collecting her thoughts to enquire

before answering.

When

at

length she Hfted her eyes to-

wards Thyamis, her beauty dazzled him even more than before; for her cheeks, animated

by her thoughts, were

ruddier than usual, and her kindling eyes were

vehemence. Then,

Cnemon

full

acting as interpreter, she thus

addressed Thyamis: "It would be more seemly that

brother Theagenes should answer; for

becomes

a

woman, and

that

of

it

is

a

I

my

think that silence

man's duty to answer

amongst men. "But, since

us in this the

you have first

invited

me

to speak,

and have given

proof of your humanity, showing that

An Ethiopian Story you wish

to obtain

what you have

persuasion rather than

by force

been said concerns myself),

my

I

a right to

129

j

claim

by

(since everything that has feel

compelled to abandon

my

usual practice and that of

sex,

and even

in the

presence of so large an audience of men, to reply to the question put to

me by him who

is

now my

master. Listen,

then, to the following account of us:

"We are lonians: our family is one of the most illustrious in Ephesus. When we had attained to years of discretion, we were summoned by

the law to undertake priestly func-

was consecrated Apollo. These functions

tions; I

over,

we had

to Artemis, last a year.

to set out for Delos

my brother to When our term was and

on the sacred embassy,

to

arrange the athletic sports and contests of music, and to lay

down our

priestly office in accordance

custom. For silver,

this

purpose, a vessel was loaded with gold,

garments, and

all

was necessary

that

suitable dignity the public feast sail;

with the established to invest with

and entertainments.

We set

our parents, already advanced in years, being afraid of

the sea and the voyage, remained at home; but a large

number of the citizens accompanied us, either on board our upon others which they had fitted out themselves. When the voyage was nearly over, a storm suddenly arose; a violent hurricane, accompanied by thunder and lightning, lifted up the waves, and drove the ship out of its course; the vessel, or

pilot,

obliged to yield to the fury of the storm, abandoned

the helm, and allowed the vessel to drift haphazard. Seven

days and seven nights

we were borne we were

along by the wind

upon the shore where we were found by you, and where you saw the that never ceased, until at last

cast

traces of the great slaughter that had taken place.

how it happened. The sailors we were celebrating a feast in

I

must

explain

conspired against

while

thanksgiving for our

preservation, and resolved to

kill

us,

us and seize our property.

130

A

The Greeks

^

which

terrible struggle ensued, in

our companions

all

were

perished, while the sailors themselves slew and

we

alone survived the diaster

had not!

—we alone remain,

—and would is,

my

marriage, which

The

worthy of

And

idea that

my master's

feared for

I,

certainly

I

a captive,

bed,

do not

desire to

should be considered

indeed too great a happiness!

is

further, that a maiden, consecrated to the service of

God, should be united

to the son of a priest,

with Heaven's approval, be the

who

has

have been granted permission to discuss the ques-

lives,

decline.

Our only

some god

that

brought us into your hands; and that we, tion of

Heaven we

a miserable remnant.

consolation amidst our misfortunes

our

to

slain:

work

ever there aside

my

is

favour: let a

temple or

me

will soon,

a priest himself, this

of divine Providence.

me one

grant

who

I

clearly

only ask you, Thyamis, to

first

altar

is

go to the

city, or

wher-

dedicated to Apollo, to lay

priesthood and deposit there these badges of

my

The best thing would be to wait until you return Memphis, when you receive the dignity of priesthood;

ofSce.

this

manner, our marriage would be more joyful

as

associated with victory and celebrated after success. ever,

I

leave

sooner;

let

it

me

to

you

only

whether

to decide

first

it

to in

being

How-

shall take place

perform the sacred

rites

enjoined

by the custom of my country. know that you will grant my request, since, as you say, you have been devoted to the I

service of the gods

from your infancy, and you are

full

of

respect for everything that concerns them."

With

these

words she

left off

speaking, and began to

weep. All those

do

as she

who were

present approved, and urged her to

proposed, and declared that thcv were ready to

support her. Thyamis also approved, willing and yet unwilling.

His passion for Chariclea caused him to look upon

the delay of a single hour as an eternity. But, on the other

x\n Ethiopian Story

131

J

hand, her words, like some siren's song, charmed him and

compelled him to connection with

assent.

Besides,

he saw in

this

some

dream, and believed that the wedding

his

would be celebrated

at

Memphis. Having

distributed the

booty, he dismissed the assembly; he himself obtained some of the most valuable articles, a voluntary gift from his

comrades.

They were ordered

to hold themselves in readiness to

proceed to Memphis in ten days' time.

He

same tent to the young Greeks

and ordered that

Cnemon

as before,

should attend them, no longer

but as their friend and companion.

assigned the

as their custodian,

He also gave them more

luxurious food than he ate himself, and sometimes invited

Theagenes to

his table,

out of regard for his

sister.

He

had

resolved to see Chariclea only rarely and at intervals, for fear the sight of her

passion and drive

might

him

to

still

more inflame

his violent

do something contrary to the

agreement that had been entered

into.

For these reasons

Thyamis avoided her presence, thinking that, if he saw her, he would find it impossible to restrain himself. As soon as the meeting had broken up, and all had dispersed to their several quarters in the marsh,

Cnemon

went some little distance from the lake, to look for the herb which he had promised Theagenes the day before. Meanwhile Theagenes, taking advantage of the freedom afforded him, began to weep and sob; he did not address a word to Chariclea, but called upon the gods without ceasing. Thereupon the maiden asked him whether he was only

common misfortunes, or whether anything happened. "What fresh misfortune could be

lamenting their fresh had

worse?" replied Theagenes; "what greater infidcHty, what greater violation of

vows and promises could

that Chariclea should forget me,

there be than

and consent to another

union?" "Hush!" said the maiden; "be not more cruel to

mc

132

than

The Greeks

I

my

many

misfortunes; do not, after so

fidcHty in the past, suspect

me

in

proofs of

my

consequence of words

uttered under stress of circumstances, and adapted to the necessities of the

you

are

any change no force

moment. Otherwise, you

me.

in

in the

I

immoderate honourable.

am ready

world

that virtue forbids.

I

that

I

will ever persuade

know

—my passion I

to endure unhappiness; but

had made

a

do anything

to

for you; but this

did not yield to

myself pure from

me

that in one thing alone

you

myself entire to you from the

whom

show

will

changed yourself rather than that you have found

first,

I

abandoned

husband with

as a

solemn compact; hitherto, illegitimate intercourse

all

am

lawful and

is

as a lover;

I

I

have kept

with you;

I

have frequently repelled your advances, waiting for the opportunity of legitimately consecrating that union to

which we have been pledged from the commencement, and which has been confirmed by most solemn oaths. Besides, you could not be so foolish as to think that I should prefer a barbarian to a Greek, a brigand to one

"What,

whom

I

love!"

was the meaning of your fine speech?" asked Theagenes. "Your idea of calling me your brother was a very wise precaution, which prevented Thyamis then,

from being

jealous of our aflrection for each other,

allowed us to associate freely and without stood that

all

you

said

under-

about Ionia and our wanderings in

many

the neighbourhood of Delos were so guise the truth and to mislead

"But,

fear. I

and

when you showed

your

fictions to dis-

hearers.

yourself so ready to agree to the

proposal of Thyamis, definitely promised to marry him,

and even fixed the day, stand what

it

I

neither could nor

meant; rather,

I

opened and swallowed me up before a result of

my

would under-

wished that the earth had I

had lived to see such

hopes and labours on your behalf."

An Ethiopian Story At

these

him with

133

words Chariclea embraced Theagenes, covered

kisses,

delightful to

me

and watered are

your

me

his face

fears

on

with her

your love for

ties.

Be

assured, Theagenes, that

we

should not be conversing together

moment. Resistance,

is

"How

not shaken, in spite of our calami-

you

as

tears.

my account! They prove

that

ise,

J

had

I

not made at

this

prom-

the present

are aware, only aggravates a

violent passion; whereas yielding words, calculated to hu-

mour

the will, soothe

its first

outbursts,

and blunt the edge

by the delights of which they hold out promise in Those who love most fiercely consider a first

of desire

the future.

attempt implies consent, and, thinking that possession will

grow calmer, resting on their hopes. This considermade me yield to Thyamis in words, leaving the

follow, ation

future issue to the gods and the Genius who, from the

beginning, has taken our love under his protection. interval of a

day or two

is

An

often most salutary, and Fortune

which no human wisdom can devise. Wherefore I have deferred the present by my inventiveness, putting off the certainties of the present by the uncerbrings means of safety

tainties of the future.

Wherefore,

this fiction as a wrestler's trick

the rest, but even from

disposed to us, and prisoner,

is

my

dearest,

and conceal

it

we must

not only from

Cnemon. For, although he a

Greek, he

and therefore more

is,

like

likely to try

use

is

kindly

ourselves, a

and gain

his

master's favour, should the opportunity occur. Neither the

time our acquaintance has lasted nor the

ties

of kindred race

are sufficiently sure pledges of his fidelity to us; wherefore^

should he at any time touch upon the truth, you must flatly

deny thy,

it.

For

when

those

who

it

sometimes permissible, even praiseworbenefits those who tell it and docs no harm to

a lie

hear

is

it."

While Chariclea was thus suggesting

to

Theagenes the

1

34

The Greeks

^

best course to take,

Cnemon

entered in great haste, with

agitation depicted in his looks. *'here

is

the herb

which

I

"Oh, Theagenes!"

said he,

promised you; take and apply

it

to

your wounds. But we must be prepared for other wounds, and another massacre such as that you have already wit-

more you now," he answered; "there is reason to fear that words might be anticipated by deeds. But follow me without delay, both you and Chariclea." He then conducted them both to Thyamis, whom they found polishing his helmet and sharpening his spear, and said to him: "Your employment is opportune; gird on your arms and order your comrades to do the like. We nessed." Theagenes begged clearly. "It

is

him

not the time to

are threatened

by

foes

encountered; they are

to explain himself

tell

more numerous than we have yet close upon us; I descried them ad-

vancing over the top of the

hill,

and have hastened with

all

have also warned

all

speed to announce their approach. those

At

whom

I

met

to get

these words,

Chariclea was, as

if

ready for

Thyamis

I

battle."

started up,

and asked where

he feared more for her than for himself.

When Cnemon

showed her trembling at the entrance of Thyamis whispered in his ear: "Take her into the cave where all our treasures are stored; and when you have taken her down, close the entrance in the usual way, and come back to me with all speed; we must make arrangements for the fight." At the same time he ordered his the tent,

armour-bearer to bring him a victim, that he might offer sacrifice to the

gods of the place, before beginning

Obedient to orders,

Cnemon

led

away

battle.

Chariclea,

who

sighed and lamented and kept looking back at Theagenes,

and shut her of nature,

down in many

like

the cave. This cave was not the

work

others that are hollowed out on the

surface and in the interior of the earth.

The

art of the

An Ethiopian Story

J

135

brigands had imitated nature, and had cleverly hollowed

out

it

as a receptacle for their spoils.

It

was constructed

manner:

in the following

Its

entrance

was narrow and dark, made beneath the door of a secret chamber, the threshold of which was another door, which easily shut

and opened upon the entrance, and afforded

a

passage for descent, whenever necessary; within were a

number of winding galleries,

paths, cut at haphazard.

These paths or

sometimes separate and winding alone, sometimes

purposely connected and intertwined like roots of

converged into an open space

at the

trees, all

bottom, which was

dimly lighted through an opening in the lower part of the marsh. Here

by

Cnemon made

Chariclea descend; he led her

the hand to the inmost recesses of the cave, along the

winding passages with which he was

familiar,

encouraging

her in every w^ay he could, and promising to return for her in the evening

with Theagenes,

w hom

he said he would not

permit to take part in the coming engagement, but would

keep him out of the way. Ghariclea did not utter

a

word;

she appeared stricken to death, deprived of Theagenes, her life

and

soul.

He

left

came up from the

her scarcely breathing and

Then

cave.

he shut

down

silent,

and

the door,

shedding tears over her lot and the necessity which compelled

him

to

bury her

alive,

and to deliver over

to darkness

and obscurity the most beautiful of human beings. After he hastened back to Thyamis, whom he found burning

this,

with eagerness for the fray, and splendidly armed, with

Theagenes by

order to arouse to frenzy the

his side. In

warlike spirit of his comrades

who

surrounded him, he

stood up in the midst, and thus addressed them:

"Comrades,

I

know

that

I

need not exhort you

you want no encouragement, upon war as the breath of life.

for

at length;

you have always looked

Besides, the

sudden approach

136

The Greeks

I

enemy cuts short all lengthy discourse. Those who, enemy attacks them, do not promptly prepare to repulse them by the same means, show themselves utterly ignorant of their duty. Know, then, that it is not a question of the

when

the

of defending your wives and children, which alone in the

many would

case of

be sufficient to rouse their

and other

battle; for these

spirits to

advantages to which

like

we

attach less importance, together with those that victory brings, will remain ours if

we overcome

given, a truce

is

unknown

in

the reward of victory, defeat

our

foes.

But

it is

a

life;

no quarter

is

wars between

pirates; life

is

question of our very existence, of our

death. Let us therefore

is

fall

upon our hated foes with fury of mind and body." Having said this, he looked round for his squire, Thermuthis, and called him several times by name. When he did not appear, he burst out into violent threats against him,

and hastened to the

and he was able

boats.

to see

For the

from

battle

had already begun,

a distance the inhabitants of the

extremity and approaches of the marsh in the hands of the

enemy, had

who

fallen or

had

set fire to the boats

sought safety in

the neighbouring morass, and

grew

flight.

and huts of those

The

who

flames spread to

consumed the reeds which

there in great abundance; the conflagration shed

around

mighty and

a

intolerable blaze, that dazzled the

eyes, while the ears were stunned with the sharp crackling

and roaring of the flames.

War,

in

every form and shape, was seen and heard; the

inhabitants sustained the

combat with

and vigour; but the enemy, superior

who

all

possible courage

possessed the advantage of

numbers and the suddenness of

slaughtered some

upon

land,

their

attack,

and overwhelmed others

in

the marsii with their boats and huts. In the midst of the

tumult, a dull and confused sound rose in the

air,

as if

An Ethiopian Story the engagement

137

J

were going on both on land and water; the

combatants slew and were

were were confusedly mingled with fire and water. Thyamis, at this sight and the terrible noise, suddenly remembered the vision, in which he had seen Isis stained with blood, and

the waters of the lake

slain;

all

and her temple, resplendent with lamps and for sacrifice; he

saw

in

it

full

the representation of

of victims

what he now

beheld, and, putting quite a different interpretation

from

possess her,

and yet

would words "you shall

the

shall

it

shall

not possess her" signified that

from him by war, and

be carried off

Chariclea

upon

he thought that the words "you

his earlier one,

slay her

that

and not merely wound her"

referred to the sword, and not to the contest of love.

He

heaped abuse upon the goddess for having deceived him; and, exasperated at the thought that another should possess

Chariclea, he bade his comrades halt, and

obliged to fight, to carry on a

they stood,

and make

secret

He

they were

war of ambuscade where

sallies

into the marshes around

them, although even thus they would find resist

if

it

difficult to

the enemy's superior numbers. himself,

under pretence of going to look for Ther-

muthis, and offering

up prayers

to his household gods, gave

orders that no one should follow him, and returned, almost beside himself, to his tent.

It is in

the nature of barbarians

not to allow themselves to be turned aside

they have in view;

when they

they begin by slaying

all

those

from the object

despair of their

whom

own

safety,

they hold most dear,

either in the false belief that they will be with

them again

after death, or that, in so doing, they are delivering

from the violence and

net,

enemy. Thus Thyamis,

by which he was threatened, at very moment when the enemy surrounded him like a

forgetting the

insults of the

them

all

the dangers

raging with anger, love, and jealousy, hurried with

all

138

The Greeks

^

speed to the cave, and leaped down, crying out with

might

all his

Egyptian language. At the entrance he found

in the

woman who

a

addressed him in Greek; her voice guided him

to her person; he seized her hair with his left hand,

and

sword into her bosom. The unhappy woman uttered a piteous groan, and fell lifeless on the ground. Thyamis hastened up, closed the plunged

his

few handfuls of earth upon it, saying: wedding present!" He then made his way where he found his companions preparing to

entrance, and flung a

"Let

this

my

be

to the boats,

take to flight, since the at the

enemy could be

seen close at hand;

same time, Thermuthis arrived with

sacrifice.

Thyamis

pated him by into a boat,

reviled him, told

off^ering the

him

that he

accompanied by Thermuthis and

hollowed out of the trunk of three.

a tree,

wood and

at first sea;

boats in the

rowed round

a little distance it

rudely

being unable to hold

into another boat, and the rest did the same.

open

antici-

a rower, these

Accordingly, Theagenes and

embarked, they retired to

and

had

most beautiful of victims, and got

boats, consisting of a single piece of

more than

a victim for the

Cnemon

When

all

from the

got

had

island,

instead of going out into the

soon they even ceased rowing, and drew up their

line,

ready to meet the attack of the enemy. But,

mere approach of the

latter, as

soon

as

at

they saw them,

the brigands took to flight, frightened at the violence of the

waves alone and thrown into confusion by the sound of

war cry. Cnemon and Theagenes also retreated, but not from fear. Thyamis alone, either because he thought it would be disgraceful to flee, or because he could not entheir

dure the idea of surviving Chariclea, rushed into the midst of his enemies.

Already he was engaged with them, when some one cried out, "It

is

Thyamis; do not

lose sight of him."

Then

An Ethiopian

Story

immediately the boats surrounded and shut him

He fought stoutly, wounding some

sides.

and

\

1

on

in

39 all

killing others;

but the most astonishing thing was what happened after-

wards; in spite of their numbers, not one of the enemy

up the sword, or hurled

lifted

time Thyamis resisted with of

men rushed upon

He

him; their

a javelin against

only object seemed to be to capture him all his

alive.

might; but

For

a

at last, a

long

body

him, and tore his spear from his hands.

who

also lost his armour-bearer,

had bravely

assisted

him, but at length, believing himself mortally wounded,

and despairing of

his life,

flung himself into the lake,

swam

out of reach, and although with considerable difliculty,

enemy

safely gained the land, since the

worth while

did not think

it

to pursue him; for, as they had already cap-

tured Thyamis, they regarded this as a complete victory.

The

loss

of a great

number of their comrades was more than

compensated by the capture chiefly responsible for

money

dearer than

it.

alive of the

So true

is it

and

life itself,

man who had been

that

and kinship are sacrificed to greed alone. case; for the victors

all

brigands hold

the rights of friendship It

was

so in this

were the very same who had formerly his comrades at the Her-

taken to flight before Thyamis and cules

mouth of the

which was not spoils as if

Nile. Indignant at being deprived of that

really theirs,

and

they had been their

together their comrades

as furious at the loss

own

who

of the

property, they gathered

had remained

at

home and

upon the neighbouring villages for assistance, and, offering them an equal share of any spoils that might be

called

taken, put themselves at the head of the expedition.

The alive.

following was the reason wliy they took Thyamis

He

had

who had by

a

brother

named

Perosiris living at

Memphis,

intrigue dispossessed him of the dignity of

chief priest, contrary to the custom of the country (for

lie

140

The Greeks

^

was the younger brother). This his elder

Petosiris,

having heard that

brother had become the captain of a band of

brigands, and being afraid that,

if

he found an opportunity,

he might return to Memphis, or that time might reveal

his

treachery; and, in addition, seeing that he was suspected of

having made away with

his brother,

who

had disappeared,

he sent messengers into the villages inhabited by the bri-

sum of money and a large number of cattle to any who should capture Thyamis alive and bring him to him. The brigands, seduced by these offers, even in

gands, offering a large

the heat of battle did not forget the hope of gain held out to

them; and,

as

soon

hesitate to sacrifice a

take him alive. in irons

Thyamis was recognised, did not number of their comrades, in order to

as

When they had

and rowed him to

captured him, they put him

land, half of their

number being

deputed to guard him, while he reproached them bitterly for their apparent humanity and expressed greater indignation at his imprisonment than

The

others,

had been death

if it

meanwhile, returned to the

island, in the

itself.

hope

of finding the treasures and booty of which they were in search,

and scoured

it

thoroughly, leaving no part unex-

plored. But, finding nothing of

all

hearts upon, with the exception of value,

that they a

few

which the owners had forgotten

had

set their

articles of trifling

to hide in the un-

derground cave, they set fire to the tents. Then, since night was approaching, being afraid to remain longer in the island, lest they should fall into the hands of those

who

had

escaped from the battle, they returned to their comrades. [For the further adventures of Theagenes and of Chariclea

(who

of course was not the

must read the novel. 1

woman Thyamis

had killed) you

ALEXANDER, THE BRAHMINS,

AND QUEEN CANDACE BY PSEUDO-CALLISTHENES The

Macedon is a vie romancee, a compound of fact and fiction. The facts Alexander's conquering excursion to the east make one of Life of Alexander of

biographical novel, a

of

the great true stories of

time. This Life

all

of Alexander

adorns the frame of old tradition with picturesque inventions,

and presents Alexander

The book was

as the

impeccable knightly hero.

written about

a.d. 300,

perhaps as a develop-

ment of earlier versions, now lost. The author is unknown. He was once conjectured to be CalHsthenes, nephew of Aristotle.

The

conjecture having been overthrown, the author has only

the humiliating

title

of Pseudo-CalUsthenes.

This Life of Alexander had an immense vogue throughout the medieval world. Versions in twent\^-four languages,

from as far away as Malaya, are known. Our own rendering, from The Life of Alexander of Macedon, translated by Elizabeth H. Haight, appeared under the imprint of Longmans, Green, and Company in 1955, and is used by permission of David McKay Company, Inc. [Alexander has reached India on

his great

journey of con-

quest.]

made Now ALEXANDER were because they

a journey to the

gymnosophists,t

who had

wrote

him:

a letter to

"We,

retired to huts

human

being. If

war, you will gain nothing. For •

not

and caves.

They

the Brachmanes, the gymnosophists, have written

to Alexander, a

t

Oxy drakes,*

warriors, but because they were

—

you come

we

to us to

make

have nothing which

Oxydrakes: "Sharp-eyed." Ed. Gymnosophists: "naked philosophers"; Brahmin ascetics.— Ed.

142

The Greeks

I

vou can carry off. But if you wish what we have, there is no need to fight for it. For your occupation is to make war, ours

is

to study philosophy."

Thus informed, Alexander made

a peaceful

approach to

them and saw that all were half-naked. So he asked: "Do you not occupy tombs?" They said: "This is the place where we stay and ours. ..." * And turning to another, he said: "Who are the more numerous, the dead or the living?" They replied: "The dead are the more numerous, but do not count those

who no

more numerous than

longer

"Which

quired of another:

said: "Life, because the sun

when "Which is

but,

it

sets,

"Which

of

For those seen are

is

is

sea

is

he in-

it rises

He

has stronger rays

clearly weaker."

He He

said

again:

said: "The upon the land." He asked: more competent?" And he said:

placed

creatures

all

And

stronger, death or life?"

when

greater, the land, or the sea?"

For the

land.

it

exist.

those no longer visible."

is

He asked: "Who is there whom we cannot deceive, whom we always present the truth?" "God, for we can-

"Man." to

not deceive the all-seeing."

He

"What do you wish

demand of me?" Thev said: "Immortality." Alexander said: "This power I do not have. For I am but a mortal." They said: "Why, then, being a mortal, do you enter upon such great wars? Is it that, having seized all treasures, you may carry them away to some other place? You again will leave them to said to

others."

on

them:

And

Alexander

rule.

For the

sea

is

not

moved

are not shaken unless the air

tion except * The —Ed.

by

ellipses

them: "These matters

said to

the lap of the gods, that

to

we may be unless a

stirs,

the will of god.

I

and

servants of their

wind blows, and

man

lie

is

not set in

trees

mo-

wish to cease from war,

here and elsew here in the storv are in the original.

Queen Candace

Alexander, the Brahmins, and

my

but the tyranny of

were of one mind, the filled,

143

J

mind does not let me. For if we all cosmos would be inactive, sea not be

earth not be cultivated, marriages not consummated,

children not produced.

How many

in the

wars instigated

by me had the misfortune of losing their possessions? How many others made fortunes from the possessions of others? Yes,

who

all

men

seize the possessions of all

way

give

to

and nothing belongs permanently to any man."

others,

Alexander departed.

After

this speech,

[Now

Alexander wrote a

about

letter to Aristotle

his ex-

periences]

"King Alexander sends greeting late

to Aristotle.

I

must

re-

our astonishing experiences in the land of India. For

when we came

to the city of Prasias,

we found

the capital of India,

ontory by the this cliff,

forms of

sea.

When I

barian language.

they pointed out

went with

which

is

apparently

a conspicuous proma

few companions

to

king and in

it

to me,

I

found that they spoke

And when I inquired about the to me an island which we all saw

a bar-

region, far out

was the burial place of an ancient there were many dedications of gold. The

and they

at sea,

it

we learned by inquiry that human beings with the women lived there, who subsisted on fish. When I

some of them

called

near

said

it

barbarians vanished leaving behind their small boats, twelve in

Then Pheidon, my

all.

closest friend,

and Ilephaistion,

and Krateros and my other companions would not allow me to go across, for Pheidon said: 'Permit me to make the

voyage before you there, is

I

not,

perish,

perish,

rather than I

in order that, if there

you

will later send

will

run the

back the

is

any danger

risk of disaster. If there

skiff.

For

if

I,

Pheidon,

you will find other friends. But if you, Alexander, the whole world has suffered loss.' So, persuaded by

144

The Greeks

1

them,

agreed to

I

called island

no

and an hour passed, suddenly

and

*

it

monster which plunged into the

some of among them my

disappeared, but

met a wretched death, was enraged, but, though I hunted for the

ions

not find them.

compan-

best friend. I

barbarians,

did

I

We stayed eight days on the rock and on the

we saw

seventh

my

sea.

the beast and

it

had

tusks.

That was long

we went back to the city of Prasias. "We came upon many remarkable things which I must

enough

to stay, so

you about. For

tell

saw all sorts of wild beasts and marvelnatural phenomena, many kinds of serpents, and, most

lous

wonderful of

an eclipse of the sun and moon.

all,

winter was severe.

and

sians,

region

his

we

I

The

We conquered Darius, king of the Per-

army and

after having

subdued the whole

proceeded on our way, and saw beautiful ob-

jects.

There was

with

precious stones.

lae,t

another eight, and there were

gold.

There were mixing bowls decorated

One

crater held one and a half cotu-

many

other marvellous

objects.

"We there

started our trek

went

on.

from the Caspian Gates and from

Soon the trumpeter announced

it

was the

tenth hour of the day. For at sunrise the trumpet sounded

and

we marched

this

manner: the body of each was protected by shoes,

four hours.

The

soldiers

were equipped

leggings, leather coverings for thighs, cuirasses.

natives had informed us that there

on

these roads. So

fitted

out in

"After

The

I

were dangerous snakes

issued orders that everyone should be

in the

travelled twelve days,

middle of the

river.

about half a

pint.

— Ed.

we came

to a city

Reeds grew about the

angle brackets are the translator's.

t Cotula:

For the

way.

we had

which was *

this

in

—Ed.

I

Alexander, the Brahmins, and city, thirty cubits * long,

and surrounded

have mentioned.

I

it

I

145

J

and the city was

on the ground, but

built out of them. It did not lie

on the reeds

Queen Candace

floated

gave orders to pitch camp

making camp, in the third hour of the day and found the water more bitter than When some men wished to swim into the city,

here. So, after

we went

to the river

hellebore.

hippopotami appeared and seized them. us to do

was

to leave the region.

The

only thing for

So the trumpet sounded

and we marched from the sixth hour until the eleventh and we were so distressed by lack of water that I saw soldiers using their own urine. By good fortune we came to a certain district where there was a fertile swamp with trees and assembling there we found water so sweet that it tasted like honey. So while we were in a very happy mood, we

saw on the hill a words carved on this

it:

with an inscription. These were the

'Sesonchosis, ruler of the world,

watering-place for those

"Then rest

stele

I

whole

sail

the

Red

made

Sea.'

gave order to make a camp and prepare for a

and kindle

About

who

a fire.

There was

a bright

moon and

stars.

the third hour of the night, wild beasts from the forest near the

camp

I

have mentioned came to the

There were scorpions, a cubit long, sand burrowers, some white, some flame colored. And we were not (successful) in fighting them; indeed, some men per-

watering-place.

ished;

you heard loud

cries

and groans of those

who

succumbed. Then four-footed beasts began to arrive at the watering-place. There were lions larger than our bulls and rhinoceroses.

They

all

came out of

wood. There were wild boars

the reeds in the

larger than the lions with

tusks a cubit long, lynxes, leopards, tigers, scorpions, ele-

phants and wild cattle and bull elephants, and

hands and crooked *

legs,

men with

six

and dogbirds and other monsters.

Cubit: one and a half fccr.

— Kd.

146

The Greeks

I

We had to fight them at once and we warded them off with out axes

.

.

and wolves came from the sand, some of them

.

And from

ten cubits, others of eight.

which destroyed our baggage. There were

crocodiles

And

bigger than pigeons, bats with teeth. sat

crows which we hunted. "After

we

natural road

It

was

so that the tents

who wxre standing

.

we came to the And when I

fell

to the ground.

city of Prasias with Poros I

third

a high

were hurled down and those of us .

after thirty days, as the road

which

was the

It

suddenly there was

First

made our way onward and on treasures,

.

to start on, about the sixth hour, there oc-

day of the month Dios.

I

.

leads to the Prasiakan land.

curred a strange phenomenon in the sky.

"Now

bats

swamp

near the

a marvellous sight.

had organized everything,

which

was prepared

wind

wood came

the

.

.

was

and

have described.

his

men.

When

we

It

this

we

passable,

the fifth day

took the

was

full

of

happened and

was organizing everything properly, the Indians assembled

in

numbers and addressed me: *King Alexander, you

take cities and kingdoms and mountains and tribes

no king among the

And some

approached before.'

living ever

men came and

learned

said:

'King,

we

will

which .

.

.

have a

we will And they

marvel to show you worthy of your attention. For

show you inanimate

objects

led us to a certain park,

and the Moon.

.

.

.

And

which

where there

talk like men.'

in the center

was

a

of the Sun and the iMoon. Here stood

have already mentioned. presses.

.

.

.

And

were the

like the fragrant chestnut trees in similar.

They

said that

two

They were about

in a circle

were the Sun

guard for the precinct

trees

trees

I

mentioned, very

Egypt and

their fruit

was

one was male and produced males;

the other female and produced females; and one

the Sun, the other the

which

the size of cy-

Moon. So

was

called

the natives told the story in

Alexander, the Brahmins, and Queen Candace their peculiar language.

The

147

j

had been hung with

trees

various hides of wild beasts, the male with hides of males, the female with females.

bronze, nor

And

was no iron

there

nor clay for the potter's

tin,

art.

near, nor

And when

I

asked what the hides seemed to be, they said hides of lions

and leopards; and

it

w^as not possible to have a burial unless

Sun and the

the priest of the

Moon

presided.

And

the hides

of the wild beasts were used for the cerements.

"Now They

the tree

when

sought to learn the significance of the

I

'When

said:

it is

heard; also

is

early and the sun

when

near setting,

it is

true of the moon.'

came and

said:

yourself.'

I

in

trees.

the speech of

mid heaven, and

And

the same

appeared to be

priests

my

Parmenion,

friends

Krateros,

Machetes, Thrasyleon, (Machaon), Theoall.

The

priest said: 'King,

not fitting that metal should enter the precinct.' So

ordered my

friends to leave their swords outside. From

forces, three

ordered spot.

I

selected

as interpreters. I

of victory,

all

I

my

hundred men came without weapons. And

my army

all

And

is

'Enter with a pure heart and prostrate

dektes, Diiphilos, Neokles, ten in it is

is

the third time.

And men who

took in

(Philip), lollas.

—

the sun

rises,

I

to stand guard in a circle about the

from the Indians with me some

Ammon,

invoked Olympian

to act

Athena, giver

the gods.

"At the rising of the sun, an Indian voice issued from the tree, which was interpreted by the Indians with me. And from fear they did not wish to share with me their interpretation. I became anxious and upbraided them, and the Indians then said: 'Soon you must die by the hands of your friends.' Now I and those standing by me were stricken by the revelation, and I wished again to secure an oracle from the

Moon

the future,

at its rising in the I

evening. So, having foreseen

entered and asked

if

I

should again embrace

14H

my

The Greeks

^

mother Olympias and the friends dear

my

again, while

Moon the

tree

And

me.

to

friends stood near me, at the rising of the

gave the same oracle in the Greek language:

By your own

*King Alexander, you must die in Babylon.

people will you be killed and you will not be able to return to

your mother Olympias.'

"Now

I

and

my

were greatly amazed and

friends

I

wished to hang beautiful garlands upon the gods. But the priest said:

used, do

not permitted to do

'It is

what you wish. For there

is

But

this.

force

if

no law recorded for

is

a

king.'

"Then,

as I lay

very sorrowful and depressed, Parmenion

me

and Philip urged

to get

some

sleep.

got up wide awake and at sunrise with priest,

and the Indians

issuing special orders,

and, stretching out these words:

*If

I

my

I

hand to the

the years of

Macedonia and comfort

Then

have been

my

end

at the

this:

shall

made inquiry

have been

in

fulfilled, I

be carried back to

I

its

light

and then

on the top of

and you will not be carried back to will die in Babylon.

your mother and your wife

will

And

meet

a

hands of their people and your brothers

Make no more

too at the hands of your companions. ries

ten friends, the

my mother and my wife,

your mother Olympias, but you bitter

I

was heard, saying: 'The years of your

fulfilled,

after a little time,

could not.

to the shrine and,

tree, I

life

the sun rose and cast

the tree and a voice life

my

I

entered the precinct with the priest

wish to learn from you

depart?'

went again

But

inqui-

about these matters, for you will not hear more about

what you "So

I

ask.'

departed from there about the

the Prasiakan land

I

proceeded to

the palace of Semiramis.

I

first

Persia,

considered

it

hour.

.

.

.

From

and hastened to

imperative to write

these matters to you. Farewell."

I

Queen Candace

Alexander, the Brahmins, and

After writing

this letter to Aristotle,

149

J

Alexander led

his

kingdom of Semiramis. For he was exceedingly eager to see it, since it was very famous throughout the whole country and Hellas. And a woman ruled the city, a very beautiful woman, who was middle-aged, a widow, mother of three sons. Her name was Candace. She was a descendant of the Queen Semiramis. To her Alexan-

forces to the

.

der sent this

.

.

letter:

"King Alexander sends greetings

Meroe and

to the rulers

under

her.

to

Queen Candace

When

I

was

in

in

Egypt,

I

heard (of you> from the priests there and saw your graves

and dwellings, which showed that you had ruled Egypt. heard) that

Ammon made

own

This

city.

an expedition with you, and

on Ammon's advice you returned

after a short time is

the point of

Bring the shrine and statue of

we may make come with ence. Let

it,

a sacrifice to

let

it.

to

your

my sending a letter to you. Ammon to the frontier that if you do not wish to Meroe and have a confer-

But

us meet soon in

me know your

(I

wish there."

Candace wrote back to him:

"Queen Candace of Meroe and the rulers under her send greetings to King Alexander. Of old, Ammon gave an oracle that we should make an expedition into Egypt, and now he has advised that he should not be moved (by me) and that no one should come to me, and that

we

should

who come to us and treat them as enemies. Do make not a mistake about our race. We are whiter in skin and more shining in soul than the whitest with you. We

repulse those

possess eighty phalanxes ready to attack those entering our land.

You

will

do well by honoring divine

ambassadors carry to you

Ammon.

My

one hundred solid bricks of gold,

hundred young Ethiopians, two hundred parrots, two hundred sphinxes, and for our god Ammon, who presides

five

150

The Greeks

/

over the boundaries of Egypt,

whole

with

pearls, ten chains

a

crown

of emeralds and

seals attached,

.

eighty

.

.

ivory caskets. Also our gifts include different kinds of wild three hundred and fifty elephants, three hundred

beasts:

leopards, eighty rhinoceroses, four thousand panthers, six

man-eating dogs in cages, three hundred huge elephants* tusks, three

hundred ebony

rods.

bulls, six

hundred hides of leopards,

fifteen

whom you

wish to

Send

once those

at

receive these gifts, and write us

when you have conquered

the whole world."

Alexander on receiving and reading the menes, overseer of Egypt, to receive the set off

on the journey

about Alexander,

many

to her.

how many

Now

cities

letter sent

He

gifts.

as if for a

himself

Candace, after hearing

it

to her.

and

artists

conference with him and

surreptitiously to paint a portrait of Alexander and

return to give

how

he had stormed and

kings he had mastered, spoke to one of her

ordered him to travel

Kleo-

On receiving

she put

it,

it

on

his

in a secret

hiding place.

Now

something

else

camp

happened.

king's tent, for Alexander

"Who

are

queen." replied:

He

you?"

was

said:

asleep.

Ptolemy asked him:

"The son

of Candace the

The other asked: "Why then are you here?" He "I was travelling with my wife and a small escort

to celebrate the annual mysteries

ruler of the Bebrycians,

me, came with

my

son of Candace,

few horsemen, rode

of Alexander.

sented him to

of

The

a down to the The guards there took him and prePtolemy Soter who was at the right of the

called Candaules, with

soldiers.

a great

So

I

among

on seeing that

army, carried her

the I

Amazons. The

had

off,

and

turned back to assemble

and destroy the Bebrycians."

On

arose and approaching Alexander

hearing

a

wife with

most

killed

a larger

all this,

awoke him and

force

Ptolemy told

him

I

Alexander, the Brahmins, and

what he had

Queen Candace

heard. Alexander, on hearing the news,

once aroused, and taking up

his

151

\

was

at

diadem he crowned Pto-

lemy and threw his cloak about him and said: "Advance as though you were Alexander and say: 'Call Antigonos, my in arms.' And when I come, tell me what you me and say: 'What shall we decide about the man? " Give me your advice.' Ptolemy went out. The soldiers on seeing him were full

companion said for

of conjectures as to

what the impulsive Alexander was

man

again planning. Candaules, on seeing the dress, feared that

he would order

summon

Antigonos,

my

For he

his execution.

supposed he was Alexander. But Ptolemy one

in the royal

companion

"Let some

said:

in arms." Alexan-

der came. Ptolemy said: "Antigonos, this

is

Candaules, son

of Candace the queen. His wife was stolen from him ruler of the Bebrycians.

And

he

said:

What do you

"Alexander,

I

advise

advise

you

and make war on the Bebrycians, that

to

me

by the

to do?"

arm your men

we may

rescue this

man's wife and return her to him for the honor of

his

mother." Candaules was delighted on hearing these words.

Ptolemy then

As

my

said: "If

companion

you wish

in

this,

Antigonos, also do

it.

arms, order the expedition to be

prepared."

So they made ready for the expedition on the orders of Ptolemy.

And

march

one day.

in

Alexander reached the place by

And

Antigonos

said:

not be seen by the Bebrycians in daylight

somehow

getting information, shall

before the battle. victory

if

And what

Candaules

kill

lest

So

forced let

let

us

the ruler,

the wife of this

sort of glory will

loses his wife?

a

"Alexander,

we

man

have

in

us enter the city

by night and open the houses, and the populace irsclf give back the woman." When Antigonos proposed Candaules embraced him and said: "How wise you

will this,

arc.

152

The Greeks

I

Would

Antigonos!

companion

came

in

that

you were Alexander and not the

arms of Alexander! "

And so

were

to the city and, as the inhabitants

started fires in the suburbs.

And when

the

ened and inquired what the cause of the

in the night

my by

a great

army and

wife before surprise

found the

I

gives

you

set fire to the

and being against

woman

in

this

men were awakwas, Alexander

fire

is

here

command: *Give back city.' "

whole

their ruler,

bed with the

they

asleep,

ordered the soldier to shout: "Candaules the king

with

they

So

taken

all,

opened the

palace,

took her away,

ruler,

gave her back to Candaules, and killed the tyrant.

Then

Candaules,

full

of gratitude for the plan and the

wisdom of Alexander, embracing him said: "Antigonos, entrust yourself to me and come to my mother that I may give you royal gifts." And Alexander joyfully replied: "Ask the king for me. For I desire also to see the city." And Alexander gave the nod to Ptolemy to send him as his messenger. So Ptolemy said to Candaules: "I wish to salute

your mother

in a letter.

So take Antigonos with you

messenger and send him back again safely both yourself and your wife to safety." "King,

I

himself.

take this

And

So setting

I

man with me

will send

out, he

him back

crystals,

trees

at the

And

he

said:

he were Alexander

you with royal

gifts."

And

as

he travelled, he was

mountains of various colors, gleaming with

reaching up to the clouds of heaven, and the lofty

heavy with

fruit,

not like those of the Greeks, but

peculiar marvels. For there

golden

to

my

took a suitable escort and the animals

and wagons for the journey.

amazed

as if

as

just as I restore

fruit

like

the

citrus

were apple fruits

trees laden

of the

with

Greeks, and

bunches of grapes that one hand could not hold, and pomegranates the size of chestnuts, larger than ripe ones. Quantities

of snakes were killed around the trees and lizards larger

Alexander, the Brahmins, and Queen Candace

than rats and apes

as large as the bears in

many

other creatures, thousands, of shapes.

There were some holy

trances. Candaules said:

153

J

Greece, and

many

colors and strange

places and caves with en-

"Antigonos, these are called the

homes of the gods and often in these caves gods reclining on couches are seen by the king when he invokes them. So, if you wish, take a hbation and make a sacrifice in these regions and they will appear to you." So spoke Candaules.

And

they continued their journey and came to the palace,

and Candaules' brothers and

his

mother met them.

life

me

you welcome

before

and the benefactor of

my

"You

are

my

said:

wife, Antigonos, messenger

King Alexander." And they said: "What protection he give you?" Then he related to them the story of of

abduction of

his

as

the savior of

they were about to embrace him, Candaules

not to embrace

And

did the

wife by the Bebrycians and the aid (given

him}. So his brothers

and

his

mother welcomed Alexander.

A splendid and royal banquet was given. On

the next day, Candace appeared wearing her crown.

She was a large

woman

with something divine

in her ap-

pearance so that Alexander seemed to behold

mother, Olympias.

He saw

the palace with

its

gold roof and stone walls, beds with covers of

woven with

gold, couches with supports of

his

own

gleaming silk inter-

onyx and

beryl,

the frames fitted with leather strips fastened together, and tables

with ivory

nails

...

so

many

that they could not be

counted. There were scythe-bearing chariots carved of purple stone with the charioteers and horses so that they

and elephants chiselled from the same stone, trampling on the enemies, or whirHng up their opponents with their trunks. There were complete ships

seemed ready for

with their

sails,

a race,

carved from one small stone. There were

statues of barbarian gods,

which

terrified those

who saw

154

I

them as

The Greeks

beciuise of their

murderous

high as heaven, were as

There was

a

flowing

aspect.

tall as

Their shrines rose

plane trees or cypresses.

bubbling with golden foam,

river,

another kind of Pactolus. There were rows of pepper

hung with

trees,

ripe fruit.

On seeing these, Alexander was filled with amazement. He was the guest of the brothers of Candaules. And Candaules called his mother and asked her to give the messen-

ger gifts worthy of his intelligence and to send him back. x\t

once Candace took Antigonos by the hand and showed

him

a

bed-room gleaming with shining stone

appeared to

rise inside the

marble. x\nd in

so that the sun it

were three

couches of perfect woods which are imperishable and cannot be destroyed by

with

a

fire.

And

the house had been built not

foundation fixed upon the earth, but supported by

four huge square

wooden

wheels by twenty elephants.

(pillars),

And

and was moved on

wherever the king went

make war on a city, he lived in this. And Alexander said Queen Candace: "All these things (would) demand admiration, if they w^ere among the Greeks and not with you,

to to

because they have great mountains of varied colors." Can-

"You have spoken the truth, Alexander." He, struck dumb by his name, turned away. But she said: "Why do you turn away, when addressed as Alexander?" iVnd he said: "Ladv, I am called Antigonos, messenorer of Alexander." "Even if you are called AnticTonos, with me you are Kino^ Alexander. At once I will prove it to you." And, taking him by the hand, she led him to her bed-room and said: "Do you recognize your pordace was enraged and

said:

—

trait?

Why do

you tremble?

Why are

you troubled? You,

the sacker of Persis, the conqueror of the Indians, the

who threw down the trophies of now without wars or army are

man

the Alcdcs and Parthians, in the

power of Queen

Queen Candacc

Alexander, the Brahmins, and

Candace. So learn, Alexander,

supreme

that, if

j

1

55

any man thinks he

is

wisdom above all men, another mortal will wisdom than his." Alexander raged and

in

display greater

gnashed

my

had

Candace

his teeth.

What

your teeth?

sword,

I

"Why

said:

can you do?"

would

.

.

you

first kill

.

And

She answered: "This

start

his

no

is

contest, Alexander.

a noble

For

wife from the Bebrycians,

among

know

the barbarians

you

as

he

gnash "If

said:

in order never to

subject to you, and then myself, because self."

Why

rage?

betrayed

I

I

be

my-

and royal speech. But

my

you saved

son and

too will take care that

I

For

are not Alexander.

if

they

you are Alexander, they will straightway kill you because it was you who killed Poros. For the wife of

my

that

youngest son

Antigonos, for

I

the daughter of Poros. So be called

is

guard your secret."

will

When she finished speaking, she went out with him and "My son, Candaules, and Marpessa, my daughter, if

said:

you had not found opportunely the army of Alexander, I should not have received you back and you would not have found your wife, so let us be worthy of the messenger of Alexander and give him gifts." Her second son, Karagos, said: "I

his wife.

desist.

My wife

by Alexander. So

know

sorrow, and that having

nos, in her

It is

Candaules

his

power, she should

"AVhat good will

it

do you, son,

nothing to Alexander said:

"But

must send him back us fight

a

is

grieved.

Her

father

this

man

messenger,

kill if if

Antigo-

him." Candace said:

you you

saved

this

kill this kill

mc

safe to Alexander."

man

if

it

is

your

will,

in this

him thus." Then

my

and

He

\\ifc

replied:

duel over him." Candaules answered:

not wish that. But

was

she wishes that Alexander should

killed

let

brother and

Let us give what you wish." Then her third son

spoke: "Mother,

way?

my

approve, mother. Alexander saved

you

will

and

I

"Then "I

find

do

mc

156

The Greeks

}

Then Candace was

ready."

would

anguish for fear her sons

in

Alexander by himself, she

fight a duel and, getting

said: *'Since

you

are resourceful

on every occasion, can you

my

not by thinking find a solution so that fight over if

you

kill

you?" Alexander

me

messengers do not thus,

said:

"Karagos and Candaules,

way, Alexander

in this

is

not disturbed. For

So if you kill me many of them. If you your enemy Alexander captive,

honor

afirect his

in war.

Alexander has other messengers,

me

wish through

to take

promise to give

me

condition that

stay with

arrive,

I

gifts

And

agreed.

on this you and so make Alexander you wish to present to him in

a certain share of the gifts

on the ground

person the

that

which you have prepared." The brothers

Candace, marvelling

at the cleverness

ander, said to him in private: "Alexander,

too were nations!

my son and that through you

For you have taken the

great strategy." So he

and Candace kept After

a

few

talents

and

cities

I

would

of Alexthat

were ruling

you

all

the

not by war, but by

was pleased on being saved by them,

his secret.

days,

him with royal

when

a breastplate

him away with

he departed, Candace presented

crown of adamant worth many rich in onyx and green jewels and a

a

gifts:

cloak shining like the sent

sons will not

stars, all

his gifts

purple, shot with gold, and

and her

own

soldiers.

I

II

THE ROMANS

|[a»»^^>^^>»»^o>>^^^

I

THE TRAGEDY OF DIDO AND AENEAS BY VIRGIL Publius Vergilius Italy, in

70

b.c.

embarked on

Maro was born

After writing

his great epic

his

near Mantua,

poem, the Aeneid. With

tended to create a Latin rival to the Greek

Roman supremacy

brate rule.

in

nonhern

Eclogues and Georgics he

epics,

he incele-

and world

in literature as in conquest

After working for eleven years on

this

and to

his Ae?ieid, Virgil died

in 19 B.C.

The Aeneid it

is

is

of course one of the world's great poems, and

perhaps indecent to silence

its

music by rendering

it

in

emphasized by a literal translation, without the artifice imposed by English metre and rhyme. The translation, of Book I, lines 494-756, and of the whole of Book IV, is by Morris Bishop. prose.

But perhaps the story quality of the

[Long before the present Sidon, in Phoenicia,

had

action.

original

Queen Dido

led her people to find a

of

is

Tyre and

new home on

the African coast, and had established the proud Punic in Carthage, close to the present Tunis.

Now

kingdom

Aeneas, son of

Venus and the mortal Anchises, and the survivors of the of Troy have fled westward and have been shipwrecked on Carthaginian coast. Aeneas and faithful Achates have

with the others. Venus has provided the two w invisibility.

Thus they

visit

ith a

the

touch

cloud of

Dido's palace.]

A ENEAS WAS gazing, transfixed,

yV

lost

fall

at

the frescoes of the

Trojan V^ar ornamenting Dido's palace.

Then

the

queen, beautiful of face and figure, appeared, approaching the temple, in the midst of a throng of

As Diana tas

herself leads the dance

or on the Cynthian

hills,

handsome youths.

on the hanks of the luiro-

stepping daintily, quiver on

i6o

The Romans

I

shoulder, in a cluster of a thousand Oreads, queening over

them

all

—so was Dido, smiling upon her

suite

light-heartedly the responsibilities of her

making. Surrounded by her

soldiers, she

and bearing

kingdom

in the

took her seat on a

high throne under the temple porch, and there she laid

down judgments and tice or

throwing dice

laws for men, invoking abstract jus-

knotty

in

Then suddenly Aeneas

cases.

perceived a group advancing:

Antheus, Sergestus, brave Cloanthus, and other Trojans.

The

black storm had scattered their ships and cast them

here and there on the shore. Aeneas and Achates were

dumbstruck

at the sight,

They longed

ing.

strained

and

filled

embrace

to

with joy

—and forebodwere

their friends, but

by apprehension. They kept hidden, wrapped

rein

They pondered on

the fate of their

companions, wondering where they had

left their ships,

their sheltering cloud.

why beg

from

these delegates

a favor, filling the

The

you our

by

lot.

new

realm and

the winds over

we

justice,

many

seas,

luck-

make

to

our god-fearing band; look kindly on our un-

We

do not come to ravage your Libyan home-

land, or to carry loot

down

dwells in our minds, nor

broken men. There peria,

Queen, to

prayer. Forbid your people to burn our stranded

ships; spare

The

"O

measured tones:

proud peoples under the rule of

Trojans, driven

happy

in

Jupiter granted the right to found a

to bring less

were coming to

castaways were granted permission to speak. Thus

began the noble Ilioneus

whom

several vessels

temple with their clamor.

an ancient

is

to our ships.

a land

it;

No

such intention

such impudence the quality of

civilization,

Oenotrians settled

dants have

is

which the Greeks mighty

and now,

call

Hes-

in arms, rich of soil.

it is

said, their

descen-

named it Italia, after their chief. Thither we Then suddenly stormy Orion rose from

took our course.

the waves, drove us onto hidden shoals, and with his fierce

I

1

The Tragedy

of Dido and Aeneas

J

1

6

winds and mighty waves tossed us among beetling rocks.

Thus only

"What

a

handful of us have reached your coasts.

men

sort of

your subjects?

are

They

polity justifies their behavior?

What

barbarous

forbid us refuge on

they threaten war, they warn us off from the

their shores;

your people despise the human race and

least foothold. If

the arms of mortal men, at least expect that the gods will

remember your good deeds and bad. "Our king was Aeneas, unsurpassed

in justice, in great-

ness of spirit, in the arts of war. If the Fates have preserved

him,

if

he

still

common air, if he has not we have nothing to fear, nor you may give us. We can still find

breathes our

descended to the cruel dark,

need you regret any aid

and military

in Sicilian cities refuge,

noble Acestes of Trojan stock. haul

up our storm-battered on our way

denied

may as

if

us, if the

we must

a friend,

We beg your permission to and cut ship-timbers and

vessels

to Italy

and Latium

—

if it

us to recover our comrades and our king. But

and

and

your woods, that we may joyfully con-

shafts for oars in

tinue

stores,

if

that

boon

is

sea possesses you. Father Aeneas,

Libyan

renounce hope

at least return to

be granted to

in

welcoming

your son Ascanius,

Sicily

we

and accept Acestes

our king."

Thus spoke

and

Ilioneus,

the

all

Trojans

together

shouted their approval. her eyes, spoke briefly. "Don't be

Then Dido, dropping

Trojans; stop worrying. Harsh circumstance and the newness of my country force me to plan ahead, to look could be ignorant of on all sides to our security.

afraid,

Who

Aeneas and

his followers,

and the devastation of are our Punic

the sun

yoke

its

of

Troy

great war?

minds, not so far his steeds.

city

from

and

Not this

mighty men

so unenlightened

Tyrian

Whether you head

Saturn's favorite country, or for

its

city docs

for great Italy,

King Acestes

in his Sicil-

1

62

The Romans

^

ian realm,

ample

I

shall

send you safe with an escort and with

Or do you

supplies.

bounds and share

my

wish to

authority?

settle

The

city

here within I

am

my

building

is

yours. Haul your ships ashore. Let there be no distinction

between Trojan and Tyrian.

I

wish only that your great

king Aeneas could appear, driven by the same I

shall

send

men

limits of Libya, if

to scour the beaches

Indeed,

blast!

and search to the

by chance he has been cast into our wilds

or our settlements."

Aeneas and mighty Achates were deeply words.

from

They had been

stirred

their enveloping cloud.

is

as

missing;

is

we saw him drowned.

air.

Aeneas stood forth shining

of beauty, had herself

his eyes, just as the artist's

silver or Parian as

marble

all

was

dissi-

in the bright light,

—

god for his mother, goddess adorned him with rippling hair and a

ruddy sheen of youth, and had put

Then,

Everything

the cloak of cloud parted and

with the face and build of

the

see that

your mother foretold." Hardly had he spoken

when suddenly pated in

You

and our fellows are rescued. Just

that our fleet

one, Orontes, else

these

Achates demanded of Aeneas:

"Goddess-born, what are you thinking now? all is safe,

by

longing for some time to break forth

in

hand gives

a joyful sparkle in

luster to ivory, or sets

yellow gold.

stood amazed, he addressed the queen:

"Here am I whom you seek, Aeneas the Trojan, saved from the Libyan waves. O Queen, you who alone have pitied us, the survivors of Troy, battered by all the calamities of land and sea, destitute of all, you welcome us to your city and homeland. It is not in our power to thank you fittingly, nor in the

power of any remnants of

the Trojans, scattered

throughout the world. iMay the gods properly reward you, if

any

own

divinities

have regard for the good, and

consciousness of right action repay you,

exists.

What happy

age fathered you?

What

if

may your any

justice

noble forbears

I

The Tragedy

of Dido and Aeneas

produced such an offspring? As long long

sea, as

as

long

as

as

heaven feeds

as rivers

down

cloud-shadows run

flow into the

the mountain-side,

flock of stars, so long,

its

163

J

however

wander, will your honor, your name, your glory

far I

remain in remembrance."

So he spoke, and clasped Ilioneus with Serestus with his

Then he took

left.

Gyas, sturdy Cleanthus, and the astonished

by

rest.

his right

hand,

the hands of sturdy

Sidonian Dido,

at first

appearance, and then by the magnitude of

his

"Goddess-born, what

his misfortunes, thus replied:

evil fate

you through danger and disaster? What power you to these savage shores? Are you then that Aeneas whom kindly Venus bore to Trojan Anchises by the waters of Simois? But indeed I remember when Teucer, expelled from his country, came to Sidon, seeking a new kingdom with the aid of Belus, my father. Belus then was

pursues brings

sacking rich Cyprus and held I

it

under

his

sway. Since then

have heard of Troy's downfall, of the Pelasgian kings,

and

I

known your own name. Your

have

Teucer, extolled the Trojans with highest

would have Teucrians. tions.

it

that he

And

My own

through

many

so,

came of

very enemy, praise,

and

the ancient stock of the

brave youths, welcome to our habita-

fate,

not unlike yours, has brought

me

find haven at last in this land.

Ac-

trials to

quainted with misfortune,

I

have learned to succor the

distressed."

Thus

she hinted of her past.

And

immediately she led

Aeneas into her royal palace, and proclaimed

a sacrifice in

the temples of the gods. She took care to send twenty bulls to the

comrades on the seashore,

hundred Iambs with

a

hundred

bristling pigs, a

their ewes, gifts for the day's celebra-

tion.

Now the palace interior a

banquet

set

up

is

furbished with royal splendor,

in the midst.

Embroidered coverlets of

1

64

The Romans

I

royal purple cushion the couches, the tables are set with

massive

silver,

embossed with golden figures portraying the

great deeds of Dido's ancestors, illustrating long tales of

ancient heroes from the beginning of her race.

Now

Aeneas, whose love for

delay, sent Achates

new s

to Ascanius

on the run

and fetch him back to the

The two were commanded from Troy's a veil

son would brook no

his

to his ships, to report the

ruins, a

back

to bring

city's walls.

salvaged

gifts,

robe with gold-inwrought figures and

with a yellow acanthus border. These were the finery

of Greek Helen; she had brought them from

Mycenae

when she had fled to Pergamum and her unlawful mating. They were the miraculous gifts of her mother, Leda. There was

also a scepter,

once borne by

Ilione, eldest of

Priam's daughters, and a necklace with pearl pendants, and a

coronet with

a

Achates took

double circlet of jewels and gold. his orders

and hurried to the

ships.

Meanwhile the Cytherean goddess was meditating trick,

whereby Cupid, changed

come

in place of

frenzy and

in face

a

new

and feature, might

sweet Ascanius, and kindle the queen to

make her

veins run with

In truth

fire.

Venus

feared this house of treachery and the double-tongued

Tyrians. Juno's vindictiveness irritated her; her concern increased with the gathering dark. So she spoke to

Amor

in these

power, you Jupiter,

I

divinity.

words:

who

"My

Well you know how your

Now

my

only

scorn the Titan-killing shafts of Father

hatred of unjust Juno. grief.

strength,

appeal to you, and as suppliant

You

I

entreat

your

half-brother Aeneas

many

has been storm-tossed and cast on

my

my

son,

winged

a

shore through the

have often sympathized with

Phoenician Dido possesses him and detains

him with her blandishments, and hospitality in Juno's country.

her hand in such a

crisis.

And

I

fear the

The

so

I

outcome of such

goddess will not hold

plan to take the queen

by

I

The Tragedy

vene to change her;

through

I

would keep her

a great love for Aeneas.

The

this.

at his father's

princely lad,

summons,

ing gifts saved from the

to

fast

will tell

I

65

inter-

bound to me you how you

my own darling, is preparing,

go to the Sidonian

fire

1

J

may

her heart before some power

craft, to inflame

can do

of Dido and Aeneas

city, carry-

and flood of Troy. But

I

shall

plunge Ascanius in sleep and hide him on the Cytherean

mountains or

may

my

in

holy temple above Idaha, so that he

my schemes, and not blunder into the Now do you, my dear, take on his likeness

learn nothing of

middle of them.

way for not more than a night; assume the boy's well-known face, so that when Dido joyfully takes you on

in

your

sly

her lap at the royal table, while the wine flows free, while she hugs and kisses secret flame

you sweetly, you may kindle

in her a

and plant your poison deep."

Cupid accepted the instructions of

dear mother, laid

his

aside his wings, and delightedly imitated the step of Ascanius.

But Venus drenched the limbs of the

real

Ascanius in

gentle sleep, and, divinely fondling him, bore

him

to the

high groves of Idalia; and there on a bed of sweet marjoram

he

is

cradled in flowers and caressed

Now

docilely

Cupid has

set

by soothing

conductor, and gayly has borne the royal ans.

When

shade.

with Achates for

forth,

gifts to the

Tyri-

he arrives, the queen has already reclined on a

golden couch, under regal hangings.

Now

Father Aeneas

and the young Trojans assemble and dispose themselves on the purple-covered couches. Servants pour water for their

hands, serve bread from baskets, and bring neatly

hemmed

napkins. In the pantry fifty kitchenmaids lay out the dishes in

long rows and feed the hearth-fires.

resses, a

hundred waiters,

to load the tai)Ies with

of Tyrians

crowd

all

food and

set

the festive halls,

embroidered couches.

A

hundred wait-

of the same age, stand ready

They gape

out the cups.

A

throng

bidden to rccHne on the at

Aeneas'

gifts,

they

1

66

The Romans

I

gape

at the

cheeks; they

wonder

at his

the robe and veil with

Dido most of

young

Ascanius, at the

false

its

words, aptly counterfeited,

doomed queen, cannot

She fastens her burning glance on the

satisfy her longing.

boy; he moves her no

less

tion in his supposititious father's all

And

than the costly presents.

Cupid, after warmly embracing Aeneas,

Poor Dido,

at

And

yellow acanthus design.

the unfortunate

all,

god's glowing

stilling the

emo-

bosom, turns to the queen.

unwitting, devours him with her eyes,

brushes him with her bosom, takes him fondly on her knees.

The god

plays

up

to the

wretched woman. Cupid,

faithful to his mother's instructions, begins to erase

Dido's mind recollection of her

lost

from

husband Sychaeus and

attempts to awaken her long-slumbering soul, her dormant heart, to a living love.

When first came

a lull in

the feasting and

when

the tables

had been removed the servants brought out the great wine-jugs and wreathed them with garlands. Clamor rose to the roofs,

many

voices resounded through the wide

Blazing chandeliers hung

torches banished the dark with their flame. called for her gold

ancient Belus and

cup heavy with line

all his

imposed throughout the Jupiter

— for they say —may be

hospitality

hall.

from the gold-fretted ceiling; the queen

from which

jewels,

Now

silence

was

and Dido proclaimed:

"O

had drunk.

hall;

Then

that thou dost appoint the laws of

it

thy will to

bless this

Tyrians and to the refugees of Troy; and

may

day to the our children

May Bacchus, giver of gladness, attend, and good Juno too! And do you, Tyrians, honor the assemlong remember

bly with

it!

a friendly spirit!"

She spoke; and poured upon the table

and afterwards she was the lips.

Then

Bitias.

He

she passed

it

first

a libation

to touch the

of wine;

cup with her

challengingly to the Carthaginian

briskly drained the

brimming golden cup, and

1

The Tragedy of Dido and Aeneas the other chiefs followed

Atlas himself,

made

golden

He

zither.

suit.

|

1

67

Long-haired lopas, pupil of

the hall ring with the chords of his

moon and

sang of the wandering

labors of the sun, of the origin of

men and

the

animals, of the

source of rain and lightning, of Arcturus and the rainy

Hyades and

the Great and Little Bear, and

why

the winter

suns hasten so to plunge in the western ocean, and

makes the long wintry nights bled their

linger.

what

The Tyrians redou-

applause, and the Trojans were not

far

behind

them.

iMeanwhile luckless Dido chattered away to prolong the evening, and drank her

fill

of love. She asked

many

a

question about Priam, about Hector. She would learn what weapons A^emnon, son of Aurora, bore, what was the race of Diomedes' horses, what was the stature of Achilles.

''Come, dear guest," she said to Aeneas,

"tell

us from the

beginning the story of the Greeks' trickeries, of the Trojans'

downfall, of your

own

wanderings; for

summer of your roving over

seventh

this

is

now the

the world's land and

waters."

[Aeneas

tells

the long story of the

fall

of

Troy and

the flight

of the survivors. His narrative occupies the whole of Books

and

III.

Book IV

II

begins.]

Queen Dido, with the pangs of love-longing in her heart, wound. She burns with a hidden fire. She can

cherishes her

think only of the valor of Aeneas, the glory of his stock.

His face,

his

words, are imprinted in her breast; nor can

by taking thought, appease her inward tumult. And when the first dawn, Phoebus' lamp in hand, brought a glimmer of Hght and scattered the dewy dark, she spoke wildly to her sympathetic sister: "Dear Anna, what dreams make me quake with fear! What is this guest who has made

she,

himself at

home with

us?

How

nobly he bears himself!

1

68

The Romans

^

How

broad that chest, battered

in

many

an encounter!

I

—

what they say is true he is of divine origin. He shows no fear the mark of petty souls. Oh dear, how he has been persecuted by fate! What everlasting think, surely, that

—

wars he told us

of! If

it

weren't for

my

and immova-

fixed

ble purpose never to submit to the marriage bond, since

experience was unhappily ended by death,

first

not revolted by the marriage ceremony,

I

yielded to him alone in forbidden union. Anna,

you, since the death of

murdered by

my

senses

down

to

passion. its

my

But rather would

honor and decency.

my love; let him

would

My first

could have

admit to

I'll

—since

I

I

he was

recognize the

yawn for me with a

see earth

Almighty smite

core, or see the

shades of Erebus, than

my

were

—Aeneas alone has roused

intention waver.

thunderbolt, to dwell in dark night

fatal

all

poor Sychaeus

brother-in-law

and made

marks of old me,

his

my

if I

I

among

the pallid

violate the precepts of

husband took away with him

preserve and treasure

in the

it

tomb."

So she spoke, and drenched her bosom with welling tears.

Anna

rejoined: "Sister, dearer to

me

than the light of

you pine away, lonely and sad, all your youth long? Will you not know the gifts of Venus, the delights of motherhood? Do you think that buried ashes or dim ghosts life,

will

still

care?

grief,

Granted that no

whether

in

Libya

suitors so far

jected larbas and the other

African land; but will you love?

Do you

have settled?

have chased your

or before that in

mighty men of

still

this

struggle against a

re-

stormy

welcome you

give no thought to this country where

On

one side

we

have Getulian

people unconquerable in war, bordered by

Numidians and the indomitable

Syrtes;

the waterless desert and the savage

how

You

Tyre.

cities

on the other

nomad

of a

the bridleless

Barcaeans.

side

And

about the looming war with Tyre and the threats of

your brother?

It

was evidently with divine favor and the

The Tragedy

of Dido and Aeneas

way

here

winds. Imagine the city, the kingdom, that

you

consent of Juno that the Trojan ships

with

fair

169

J

made

could build with a spouse like Aeneas!

their

With

the aid of

Trojan arms, to what glory would Carthage attain! implore the gods' favor, make due

Then

sacrifices, offer cordial

welcome, invent pretexts for delay, while winter and watery Orion roughen the seas, the ships

lie

shattered,

and

heaven frowns."

With hope

these

words Anna fanned the queen's

in her dubious

love, roused

mind, and quelled her modest timidity.

two visit the temples and pray for favor at the Duly they sacrifice picked sheep to lawgiving Ceres

First the altars.

and all

to

Phoebus Apollo and to Father Bacchus, and before

to Juno,

who

Lovely Dido,

rules the marriage bonds.

holding the libation-cup in her right hand, empties

tween the horns of before the smeared

a

snow-white

altars,

heifer,

it

be-

and she paces

under the very eyes of the gods.

She solemnizes the day with offerings, poring over the quivering entrails torn from the opened bodies, to learn the future's secrets.

what

O

What vows, woman mad with love! The fire marrow; the wound pulses silent in her ignorant minds of seers!

offerings, avail a

devours her very breast.

She burns, does unhappy Dido; she wanders,

through the whole town,

like a heedless deer

arrow which some shepherd

frantic,

pinned by an

Cretan woods has let fly wound. The stricken crea-

in the

and, unknowing, has left in the

ture flees through the groves and glades; the deadly shaft clings in her side.

Now

she conducts Aeneas through her capital. She dis-

plays to him the rich, well-organized city. She begins to speak, and falters in the midst of a sentence.

As

the day

declines she proposes another banquet; and, in her obsession, she asks to hear again the story of the Trojans' trials.

And

again she hangs on the words of the narrator. Then,

1

70

The Romans

^

when

the guests have departed and the dim

followed the sun to

rest

mourns alone

sleep, she

that he has vacated.

and the descending

in the

empty

Though they

hall

are far parted each

father, she invites the son Ascanius to her

may

The

all

from

love for the

embrace,

if

so be

built; the soldiers lay

harbor defenses are stayed;

pended; and

by

seat

The town is paralyzed; down their arms.

beguile her fatal passion.

towers stand half

has

stars counsel

and takes the

each, she hears him, she sees him. Possessed

she

moon

all

public works are sus-

labor stops on the huge beetling walls,

topped by dizzy cranes.

When

Juno, Jove's dear spouse, saw Dido in the grip of

her passion, deterred by no concern for her reputation, the

goddess accosted Venus with these words: "This tainly a fine trophy, a fine achievement, of yours son's! It

is

a great

and memorable

feat for

is

cer-

and your

two gods

to trick

rising

am by no means blind to the fact that, you have looked balefully on the highhouses of Carthage. But what are you aiming at?

What

will be the

one poor woman! in fear of

my

I

city,

end of our disputes? Shouldn't

we

rather

make an eternal peace by a marriage pact? You have gained what you so earnestly sought; Dido is inwardly consumed with a rage of love. Let us then assume equal authority over

this

people and rule

it

together. Let her submit to a

Phrygian husband and put her Tyrians

in

your hand

as

dowry." Recognizing that these words were insincerely uttered, in the

hope of basing the promised realm of

Venus countered:

"Who

would be

so

mad

Italy

on Africa,

as to reject

such

terms and prefer to war against you, provided only that fortune favor the fulfillment of vour proposal? But because of the Fates

make

I

hesitate, uncertain

whether Jupiter

wills to

one country of the Tyrians and the Trojan refugees,

whether he approves the mingling of races and

a political

\

The Tragedy alliance.

You

purpose.

Go ahead;

replied:

and

you

I'll tell

171

j

to reveal his

will follow you."

Queen Juno listen,

Dido and Aeneas

you can beg him

are his wife; I

of

take that on myself.

"I'll

briefly

how

the present

Now

emergency

can be met. Aeneas and poor Dido are getting ready to go

when Titan Sun

hunting in the woods tomorrow,

emerges and illumines the world with stalkers ride to

coverts

and fro and

I shall assail

and

will scatter, blundering in

and the Trojan and

there;

if

the

a

will find shelter in the

you

agree,

I

Venus nodded

assent,

Now

Aurora

same cave.

them hymen."

shall join

bonds, for good. This will be their

thought of the clever

about the

black cloud heavy with

whole sky with thunder. The huntsheavy darkness; and Dido

hail,

men

I shall fill

While the

his rays.

set a circle of nets

them with

first

I shall

be

in connubial

without objection; she smiled

at

trick.

rises

from Ocean's bed.

And

in the first

young gentlemen leave the gates. They carry nets of varying mesh and broad-tipped spears. Galloping Massilian horsemen follow the keen-scented hounds. At the

dawn

the

palace door the noblest of the Carthaginians await the

who

queen,

has dalhed in bed.

Her

charger, splendid in

purple and gold, paws the ground and impatiently champs the

bit,

flecked with foam. Finally she appears, in a great

cluster of attendants.

She wears

a

Sidonian riding habit

with embroidered border. Her quiver her hair

is

is

of gold, with gold

dressed, a golden clasp fastens her purple dress.

The Phrygian comrades and happy young Ascanius forth.

Most handsome of

all,

he unites his party with hers. his

Aeneas advances to join her;

As when Apollo

leaves Lycia,

winter home, and the waters of Xanthus to

mother's

isle,

step

visit his

Dclos, and renews the dances, while the Cre-

tans and

Dryopcs and the painted Agathyrsi shout and cry;

when

he climbs the Cynthian range and with soft leafage

as

172

The Romans

I

garlands his hair and binds clash

on

his

shoulder

— no

beauty radiating from

it

with gold, while the weapons

less active

than he strode Aeneas,

When

noble face.

his

the expedition

had reached the mountain heights and the pathless haunts of animals, wild goats, startled from their

down

run

mit,

and amid clouds of dust mass

across,

lairs at

the sum-

the slopes. Elsewhere a herd of deer scurry

bands in

their

flight

from the mountain-tops.

Down

the valley

in

spirited horse,

competition.

young Ascanius

and he outdistances one and

He

mountain

his

all

in

his

in friendly

hopes to encounter among the timorous

creatures a froth-dripping boar or a

from

rejoices

tawny

lion dislodged

fastness.

Thereupon the whole sky began

to heave

and rumble

A cloud heavy with hail gathered; and everywhere the Trojan heroes and their Tyrian companions and

mightily.

Ascanius, grandson of Venus, fearfully sought shelter in the open country; and freshets poured heights.

cave.

Dido and

down from

the

the Trojan prince discovered the same

Primal Earth and nuptial Juno gave the signal.

Lightning supplied the marriage torches; Heaven witnessed the bridal; and the

Nymphs

shrieked the wedding

song from the mountain peaks. That was the disaster, the

source of

many

by thought of appearances

woes.

day of

first

And Dido was unmoved

or of reputation; she conceived

of no furtive love. In her eves this was marriage, and under that

name

she covered her fault.

Now Rumor Libya

—Rumor,

takes flight through the great cities of

the world's swiftest traveler. She

com-

pounds speed with speed, acquiring strength

as she goes.

Tiny

to begin with, soon she scampers over the

ground and

raises

her head to touch the clouds. Earth, angered against

the gods, mothered her, and, they say, produced this child, sister to

Titan Coeus and Enceladus. Rumor,

last

fleet

of

The Tragedy foot and wing, feather

of

monster,

a great horrible

is

on her body bears

a

Dido and Aeneas

who

for every

watchful eye below, and a

tongue, and a roaring voice, and an attentive ear. she

173

J

By

night

howling through the dark between earth and sky,

flies

nor does she close her eyes

sweet

in

sleep.

By day

she

perches vigilant on the rooftops or on a high tower, and

much false

does she terrify the

and

foul, yet she seasons

This creature

for while clinging to the

cities,

was now

it

with

pinch of truth.

a

filling the

people's ears with

discordant stories, delightedly mingling fact and falsehood.

She told

how

how

beautiful

and now,

said

Aeneas, born of Trojan stock, had arrived;

Dido thought him worthy

Rumor, the

to be her mate;

pair are spending the livelong

winter in wantonness together! Victims of

lust,

they forget

the welfare of their countries! Such are the tales the foul

goddess poured in men's their

way

The

to larbas' cognizance,

mind with her words and This

ears.

larbas, son of

stirred

stories

and

him

Hammon by

promptly found

Rumor

inflamed his

to fury.

a

Garamantian nymph

he had seized, had erected a hundred temples to Jove

throughout ing

fires,

his vast

realm and had consecrated ever-burn-

eternal sentries of the gods.

The ground

there

was

greasy with the blood of sacrifices; the portals bloomed

with variegated flowers. So larbas, distraught, infuriated by the bitter poisons of altars

Rumor,

knelt, they say, at the holy

amid the divine presences and,

his

hands outstretched,

prayed thus instantly to Jove: ''O Jupiter Almighty,

whom

the Africans have learned to honor with libations

when

they have feasted on embroidered couches, dost thou perceive these things?

Are we

random

no alarm when thou dost Need we be terrified by

to feel

hurl thy jagged thunderbolts?

lightnings in the clouds?

rumbles meaningless?

Are these cracks and came wandering to

A woman who

our shores and bought the right to build

a tiny city, to

174

The Romans

^

whom

my

I

gave plowlands and a

offers of marriage

has repelled

and has welcomed Aeneas

And now

in her dominions.

now

legal lease,

as

master

that Paris with his effeminate

band, with his pomaded hair and Phrygian cap and strap to

hold up

his chin, takes

And

her as his spoil!

I

fear,

The omnipotent and

at the guilty

Father heard these words from the sup-

Trojan prince, dallying

my

is

at the

queen's city

in

"Go,

these orders:

the Zephyrs and glide

the city he

down

He

couple forgetful of their nobler fame.

up Mercury and gave

summon

him

are,

an undeserved reputation!"

pliant gripping the altar; he peered

called

we

here

We are honoring,

bringing useless offerings to thy temples!

my

on your wings down

son,

to that

Tyrian Carthage, unmindful of

destined to found. Speak to him sharply; bring

orders on the swift winds.

lovely mother promise him to

us.

Not

Not

for this did his

for this did she twice

vowed that it w^ould be he who would rule Italy, quaking with war but pregnant with empire, that he would carry on the succes-

rescue him from Grecian attacks. But she

sion of the high Trojan race and subject the to if

its

laws. If the glory of such a destiny does not

he will make no effort for the sake of

he, unnatural father,

Rome? What

of

whole world

is

his

own

stir

him,

fame, does

begrudge to Ascanius the high towers

he up to?

With what

treachery in mind

does he linger amid that people and disregard the future Italian

realm and

its

inhabitants? Tell

my order, in a word. End He

spoke.

him

to set

sail.

That

is

of message."

Mercury made ready to obey the Great winged sandals which

Father. First he binds on the golden fly

him over land and

wand, the caduceus,

sea, swift as the

in hand.

This

from Orcus or consign others sleep or takes

it

wind.

may summon

takes his

pale spirits

to dismal Tartarus;

away, and unseals the eyes

power he commands

He

it

in death.

brings

By

its

the winds and overflies the turbid

The Tragedy clouds.

Now,

flanks of

—

Atlas,

clouds,

who

supports the sky on his head

whose pine-wreathed crest ever beaten with wind and

deep cover

his shoulders;

chin; his bristling beard

down

ever girt with black

is

rain.

with

stiff

is

his

ice.

Here Cyllenian

wings; then he plunged

to the water, like a bird that skims the

surface close to shore, amid the rocks

So Mercury, quitting

gate.

Snows wide and

streams drip from his ancient

Mercury paused, balancing straight

175

J

he sees the summit and the steep

in his flight,

burdened Atlas,

of Dido and Aeneas

where

fish

congre-

ancestor Atlas, clove the

his

winds and flew between earth and heaven to the sandy beaches of Libya. His winged feet touched seaside cottages;

down on

the

and immediately he perceived Aeneas su-

perintending construction work.

studded with yellow

jaspers,

The Trojan

bore a sword

and a mantle gleaming with

murex and interwoven with gold thread

—rich

gifts

of

Dido.

Mercury accosted him

instantly.

"So

now you

are laying

the foundations of high Carthage, and, infatuated,

building your bride a splendid city!

you

that

you

am

who sways

are

sorry to remind

forget your country and your fortunes!

king of the gods himself, his

I

you

The

heaven and earth by

me to you, to bring his orders through What are you building here? To what end are

might, has sent

the swift

air.

you wasting idle hours in Libyan lands? If no concern for your glorious destiny moves you, if you spend your labor on

futile projects,

homeland,

is

his

young Ascanius and the kingdom of Italy, the Roman

think at least of

future of his hopes; for the

due."

After these words. Mercury's voice grew

faint. In

mid-

speech he faded from mortal sight and vanished into thin

air.

was dumbstruck;

his

Aeneas, aghast

at the apparition,

hair bristled with horror,

Ama/cd

at the

momentous

his

voice stuck in his throat.

lesson, at the gods' authority, he

176

The Romans

I

was impelled

What

to flee, to quit the pleasant African land.

How could he queen? How could

should he do?

insulted,

angered

dare approach the

he phrase

his first

mind rapidly shifted to and fro, running through every possibiHty. Out of his vacillation emerged at

words

to her? His

last a decision.

He summoned

stout Cloanthus, and bade his

men

them

Mnestheus, Sergestus, and out the

fit

to the shore, to ready their

fleet

arms and keep hidden

the reason for their action. Meanwhile, since dear in

still

and order

Dido was

ignorance and unable to grasp that their great love

could be undone, he would seek her out and watch for a

good chance

to bring

the mess. Cheerfully

But quis

all

subject and find a

acceded and obeyed

fallere possit amanteiit?

The

in love?

up the

when

out of

his orders.

Who can

queen, fearful even

way

fool a

woman

was

serene,

all

sensed some trickery and caught a hint of the planned action. Evil fleet

Rumor,

again, reported to her, aghast, that the

was being equipped and readied for sea-duty. Dis-

tracted, she rushed raging

Thyiad,

startled

through the whole

by the shaken emblems of

city, like a

the god, when,

hearing the Bacchic cry, the biennial revels inspire her and at night

Aiount Cithaeron summons with

its

din.

Dido perceived Aeneas, and thus charged him: "O faithless, did you hope to commit such a wicked deed and keep it secret? Could you slip away from my land without a word? Will not our love restrain you, nor our pledged word, nor the cruel death which is Dido's doom? Finally

You

brute,

why now

midwinter, to

set

sail

are

you preparing your

under the northern

ships in

blasts?

What

unknown to you? If old Troy still stood, would you set forth for home on such stormy seas? Is it from me you are fleeing? By these tears,

makes you run away

by

to a foreign land

the pledge of your hand-clasp

(all

that

is

left

me,

in

my

The Tragedy misery), by our union,

by

of Dido and Aeneas

the unfinished

J

177

rites, if I

have

you have found any deserved anything at joy in me, take pity on my crumbling home and put away if my prayers are still of any this purpose of yours, I pray your hands, or

if

—

On

avail!

your account the Libyan people and the Nu-

midian tyrants hate me. For you

I

have

my

lost

chaste rep-

was winning my way to heaven. I feel death coming. And what fate are you leaving me to, my guest for what else may I call you

utation and that former fame

by which alone

I

—

now, I

since 'husband'

wait

till

fits

me

a child

totally

face,

and

me

captive?

before your escape,

Aeneas would play in

me your

I

delay? Should

my brother Pygmalion breaks down my walls,

till

larbas the Getulian takes

given

Why do

no more?

I

my

palace halls,

would not seem

At

or

you had if only some little he would recall to least if

so totally possessed, so

abandoned."

She ceased. Aeneas, mindful of Jove's warnings, kept

down and

eyes cast

struggled to

still

his

the pain in his heart.

At last he spoke briefly: "I shall never deny, my queen, that you have deserved of me all that you suggest; nor can any

my memory of Dido, as long as I am conscious as long as my mind controls my body. But I few words in my own defense. I did not plan to

regret cloud

of myself,

must say escape

a

by

stealth

— don't imagine

the bridal torch or

had given soothe all

make

a

family.

did

my own

my own

decisions,

sorrows by

And

Troy and

Priam's high roofs

should have set up with

the conquered. But

broad Italy must love, there stands

my own

now Grynean

fulfill

I

ever brandish

marriage compact. If the Fates

leave to follow

have cherished the city of

my I

my

me

Nor

it.

inclinations, to I

would

hand

should

first

of

the sweet relics of

a

still

remain, and

second Troy for

Apollo has ordered that

There lies our you are enthralled

the Lycian fates.

our destined home.

If

I

lyS

by

the towers of Carthage and the prospect of your Libyan

city, is

The Romans

]

why grudge

the Trojans' settling in Ausonian land?

quite right that

when

night

in

the

wrong done

by

dreams, and

his

fate.

to

Hesperian kingdom and the lands assigned him

And now

swear by your

life

the swift winds. walls.

I

my father Anchises lectures my son Ascanius reproaches me for him, my darling, for I would defraud

troubled ghost of

me

him of

should seek our country afar. Every

the thick dark covers the land and the sparkling

stars rise, the

my

we

drank

I

—

by Jove himself

the gods' agent, sent

—

and mine has brought me my orders on saw the god in bright light, within these

words with

in his

these very ears.

your reproaches.

exciting us both with will that

It

It is

not of

So stop

my own

head for Italy."

I

As he spoke

thus she had turned her head, casting

wan-

him up and down

dering, uncertain glances. She looked

silently; then she burst out in fury. 'Talse, false!

No

god-

dess-mother bore you, no Dardanus fathered your race; some Caucasus gave you birth out of her sharp rocks, and Hyrcanean tigers suckled you! Why should I hide my

Am

feelings?

Look

shed

What

Has he

can

I

at

your hands?

moment

in

my

kind look? Has he yielded so far

one

who

loved him so?

Not great Juno nor Father Jupiter looks Nowhere is anyone I can trust! I took you

say? us.

castaway; in

kingdom.

a

wrongs

joined for a

a tear of pity for the

kindly upon in, a

to wait for greater

Has he given me

grief? as to

I

at the fellow!

my

madness

I

you

settled

When your fleet was wrecked,

in part of

my

saved your party

I

And now I'm burning, I think I'm crazy! You now Apollo the prophet and the Lycian Fates and

from death. say that

the gods' agent bring ders!

Ho, no doubt

you on the winds

this

is

the gods' doing, this

thing that troubles their calm! Well, or arguing with you.

their horrible or-

Head

I

for Italy

am if

is

the sort of

not keeping you

you

like, let

the

"

The Tragedy

of Dido and Aeneas

J

1

79

to your kingdom overseas. I hope only good gods give heed, you will drink down your punishment, wrecked on some mid-sea rocks, and call often on the name of Dido! I'll be far away, but I'll follow you

winds blow you that, if the

when

with the black torches of the Furies, and shall part

my soul

everywhere.

You

your wickedness.

and body are a

my ghost will

accompany you shall pay for will come to me

wicked man, and you

I

shall hear the

in the depths of the

lower world!

Here she broke

cold death

news;

it

off in the midst of speech. Sick at heart,

she dropped her eyes and fled out of the sunshine, leaving

him timidly

hesitating, trying to formulate a reply.

Her

maidservants supported her tottering form, bore her into her marble chamber, and laid her on her bed.

But pious Aeneas, though longing to console the sorrowing queen and argue

many

a sigh

and

away her

many

orders and returned to

pang of

a

his ships.

the

well-calked hulls ride the water; the

woods

make

leafy branches to

timbers, not waiting to shape ness to be gone.

about, hurrying

oars;

down from

come and storing it army marches through

men

in their eagerall

the city, as

when

a

own

it

in

grass.

Some push

bustling

swarm

of

mind of winter

mansions.

the fields, carrying

narrow track through the

bring from

them

in their

ships.

they bring ship-

see

ants attack a great pile of grain, raiding to

Trojans bend to

them properly

There one might

with

obeyed the gods'

love,

Now the

they launch their high

their tasks; all along the shore

The

distress, nonetheless,

its

The

black

booty on

a

the huge grains

of wheat with their shoulders, some close the ranks and

The whole path teems with their Ah, Dido, when you saw all this, what were your

whip up the labors.

feelings?

slackers.

Did you groan,

as

you looked from your high

tower and saw the shores thickly crowded and the with noisy activity?

O

fatal

love, to

sea alive

what do you not

i8o

The Romans

^

condemn

human

the

pectora cogis?

talia

last appeal, to

go

hnprobe Amor, quid

heart?

Once

Dido is impelled sway him, to beg him

again

in tears to

vwr-

iion

to try a

to yield

to love, lest she leave anything untried, and so die needlessly.

"Anna," she alongshore.

"you

said to her sister,

The Trojans

Now the sails are

see the hurlyburly

have assembled from everywhere.

sailors

good wind; the happy have hung farewell garlands on their ships. If I have begging

hoisted,

had strength to foresee

this

strength, sister dear, to bear

your wretched

service for

it

a

great sorrow, to the end.

sister

—for

I

faithless

have

shall

Anna, do

one

this

Aeneas was

always playing up to you; he even confided to you

You

secret thoughts.

when

to approach him.

enemy. Say that

vow

are the only one

I

I

and appeal to our proud

dear,

Trojan race;

my

why then does What is his hurry?

words?

at

Aulis in their

never sent ships against

I

never desecrated the grave of

disturbing his spirit; to

who knows how and

never joined the Greeks

to destroy the

Troy;

Go,

his

Anchises,

his father

he grimly shut

his ears

Will he not do

a last

kindness to his unhappy adorer? Will he not await better

weather and favoring winds? I'm not asking him to renew our

up

alliance, his

which he has betrayed, nor asking that he give his kingdom. I am just

sweet Latium and renounce

looking to

a

period of repose, time for

my

passion to

may teach me how to suffer in humiliagrants me this I shall not charge him with

subside, while fate tion.

And

if

he

my death." So she spoke, and her agonized

sister

her woful words to Aeneas. But tears in

no yielding mood would he

repeatedly carried

moved him

listen to

any

not at

appeals.

all;

The

Fates stood in the way; a god stopped his cars, blocked his natural kindliness. Imagine the north winds out of the Alps assailing a great oak, stout

and long-enduring, and striving

r

1

The Tragedy to break

comes

it

down with

a roar,

blasts

of Dido and Aeneas

sends

soil, it

and the trunk quivers and the topmost leaves

its

air;

8

from every quarter, and then rocky

are shaken to the ground, but the oak clings to the

stands in

1

J

down

roots

so

is

to Tartarus as far as

summit

its

the hero assailed with high reproachful

words on all sides. In his great heart he is deeply distressed. He weeps tears of pity, but his intention remains fixed. Then unhappy Dido, terrified at her doom, prayed for death. She was sick of looking at the sky's dome. That she might the more surely fulfill her purpose and quit the light of day, it was decreed that when the sacrifices were laid on the incense-burning altars she should see the holy water

black

turn

—

horrid

a

change to blood. report

it

to her

sight

—and

the

No one else saw this,

Now within her

sister.

poured-out wine

and she did not even palace

was

a

marble

chapel dedicated to her former husband. This she held in reverence; she decorated

greenery.

When night

it

with snowy fleeces and festive

covered the land she seemed to hear

speech issuing thence, words in her husband's importunate

And solitary on the house-tops the ill-boding owl would often complain, its lingering cry changing to a wail.

voice.

And many their

predictions of ancient seers frightened her with

ominous warnings. Heartless Aeneas haunted her

verish dreams. She

walking solitary in

some

swarm city.

seemed to be forever abandoned,

down

fe-

alone,

an endless road, seeking her Tyrians

desert land. She

was

like

mad Pentheus

seeing the

of the Furies and a double sun and a twin of Thebes

Or

she was like Orestes in the play, son of

Agamem-

non, chased over the stage, fleeing his mother with her torches and black serpents, while the avenging Furies lay in

wait on the doorstep.

So when, racked with anguish, she caught and decided to

die,

this

madness

she settled in secret on the time and

method. Concealing her purpose under

a

cheery face sug-

1

82

I

The Romans

gesting serenity and hope, she addressed her inconsolable sister:

"My

dear, congratulate

bring him back

The

him.

me!

I

have found a

to me, or to break off

my

way

to

infatuation with

farthest settlement of the Ethiopians lies

on the

edge of Ocean, near the place of sunset. There great Atlas turns on his shoulders the heavens set with gleaming

stars.

A priestess of the Massilian race, come from there, has been recommended to me. She is warden of the temple of Hesperides. There she has fed the dragon guarding boughs of the sacred apple

tree

and has sprinkled

his

the the

food

with honey and tranquilizing poppy seeds. She professes to free, at will,

troubled

spirits

with her

spells,

but to

afflict

others with the cruel pangs of love. She can check the flow

of rivers and turn back the stars in their courses. She can call

up ghosts by

You

night.

will see the earth

quake be-

come trotting down the mounfeet, tain. I assure you, dear sister, by the gods, by your own life, that I am reluctant to arm myself with magical arts. But I ask you to build, secretly, a pyre in our inner court, and lay and ash

neath her

on

it

our

faithless hero's arms,

our bedroom, and bed.

trees

The

all his

which he

abandoned

priestess directs that

left

clothes,

we must

hanging up

in

and our nuptial

destroy

all relics

of

the accursed man."

She lapsed into face. Still,

it

silence; a deathly pallor overspread her

did not occur to

Anna

that her sister

masking her suicide under these strange

rites,

was

nor did she

imagine anything more serious than the sequels to the death of Sychaeus.

And

so she did as

But when the pyre was

commanded.

built in the

innermost court, open

to the sky, with pine-faggots piled high and

the queen

hung

sawn ilex-logs, crowned it

the structure with garlands and

with funeral wreaths. Well aware of things to come, she placed on the top Aeneas' arms, the sword he had behind, and in the bed

a figure

left

representing him. Altars

The Tragedy

of

were ranged round about. The wild, repeatedly shouted

and Chaos and

triple

Dido and Aeneas

priestess, her hair flying

summons

to the gods, to Erebus

Hecate, to the three faces of virgin

Diana. She sprinkled water alleged to

come from

milky poison, cut by moonlight with bronze

which appears on

she sought that love-charm

head

at birth, seized

before

dam can

its

snatch

the Aver-

filled

with

sickles.

And

She had collected juicy black plants

nal fount.

183

\

a foal's foreit

away.

Dido, with loosened girdle and one foot unsandalled, stood before the

altars,

holding holy meal in her purified

hands. Determined to die, she invoked the gods and the

know

stars that

men's

fate.

Then

she prayed to whatever

power, righteous and regardful, cares for lovers whose passion

is

unrequited.

So night ing their

rough

fell;

meed

and everywhere tired creatures were

were calmed.

seas

stand in mid-course, and

was the hour when the

It all

the fields are

still,

the

stars

as are

the

and the bright-winged birds that haunt the wide

flocks

and the tangled

lakes

seiz-

woods and

of soothing sleep; and the

thickets. All

drowse

in the silent

Only

night, forgetful of their toils, assuaging their cares.

unhappy Dido keeps vigil, never does she yield to sleep, or welcome the darkness to her eyes and heart. Her cares are redoubled, her fierce love

rises

and rages again,

it

on

a

what am

I

tosses

sea of emotion.

Thus

she continues, searching her heart: "Oh,

to do? Shall

I

make overtures

be disdained? Shall

Numidians, Shall

I

whom

I I

to

my

former

fleet

that they will be grateful for

abound

in

only to

have so often scornfully rejected?

then chase after the

of the Trojans, submit to

them, do whatever they bid me? Should

will

suitors,

go and beg for marriage with the

thankful memories?

welcome mc, even

my If

I

do

so,

hoping

past assistance, that they I

try to follow them,

receive me, on board their

who

proud

184

The Romans

I

ships? Dido,

Shall call

join the

I

out

Well,

you

are

done

I

crews rejoicing

my

all

Don't you know how faithLaomedon? Well then, what?

for!

the perjured race of

less is

Or

in their escape?

shall

I

throng of Tyrians to hunt them down?

was hardly

from Sidon; dare

I

No;

able to pry

my

faithful people loose

order them out to sea again, to confront

you deserve; the sword will end all, even pain. Sister dear, it was your fault. You w^ere moved by my tears, but you brought on the troubles that drive me mad, you exposed me to my enemy. Why could I the tempests?

my

not spend

life

die then, as

untroubled and innocent, unconcerned

for marriage laws, like a

broken

my vow

happy animal? But

as

it is, I

have

of fidehty to Sychaeus on his deathbed."

Thus she racked her bosom with self-reproach. Now^ Aeneas, sure of his departure, with all in

readiness,

was snatching a little sleep on the high poop of his flagship. him came in dream a phantom of the god, looking as he

To

had on

his

Mercury

previous appearance, precisely like

in

voice and complexion, with his yellow hair and beautiful

young body. The

apparition seemed to deliver this mes-

sage: "Goddess-born, can

don't you

see the

you

sleep in this crisis?

dangerous situation you are

hear the rustle of a favoring wind? Dido treachery, a black crime. She has

and she

is

a

prey to every

running for safety, while see the roadstead blazing, the

flight

swarm with

is still

Ho

fool,

Don't you

is

meditating

her

mind

Why

possible?

ships,

whole beach aflame,

dawdling ashore. et

made up

evil impulse.

You

in?

to die,

aren't

Soon

you

you'll

incendiary torches

dawn finds you still it! Remember, varhnn

if

there, snap to

vmtahile semper ^ein'nmP' So he spoke, and vanished into

the dark night.

Then

Aeneas, shuddering

at the

sudden

vision,

roused

himself and began tongue-lashing his comrades. "Rise and shine,

men!

To

your

stations, to the rowers' benches!

Shake

The Tragedy out the

sails,

A

and smartly!

of Dido and Aeneas

185

J

god from on high orders us, haw-

for the second time, to get going, to cut our twisted sers

and be

off

!

O

blessed divinity,

are following you; once

Guide

cheer! stars!"

He

slashed the his

more

is

obey your

pulled his flashing

sword from

mooring rope with the

left

are,

orders, with a

its

scabbard, and

blade. All are filled with

and heave. Soon the

seize, haul,

empty, w^hile the waters are dark with

The men bend

we

serene deity, aid us, give us favoring

us,

contagious ardor; they

beach

w^e

whoever you

to

it,

toss

up the

ships.

spray, skim over the

dark-blue waters.

Now

Aurora, leaving the saffron couch of Tithonus,

began sprinkling the earth with the

light of a

new

day.

Queen Dido from her watch-tower saw the dawn whiten and the ships move with their sails squared away, and she realized that the shores were empty and the harbor cleared of crewmen. She beat her beautiful breast again and again and tore at her golden hair. *'0 Jupiter!" she cried. "Will that interloper insult

my

kingdom? Will not

send an overwhelming force to pursue him?

my

citizens

Won't some-

one launch our ships from the dockyards? Hurry! Bring

Run out the oars! But Where am I? What madness clouds my brain? O unhappy Dido, now are your own misdeeds coming home to you! You should have thought twice when you firebrands, quick! Bring

what am

I

offered him the crown!

him who, they

Could

who I

not have killed

tainly

if it

his

can judge the loyalty of

household gods of

bore away

his

his fathers

ancient father on his

not have seized him and torn him limb

from limb and thrown served the

Now you

say, carries the

with him, of him shoulders!

weapons!

saying?

his

remains to the waves? Could

I

companions, and Ascanius himself, and

boy up in a banquet-dish for his father? Cerhad come to a battle the outcome would have

been uncertain. \^cry well;

whom

had

I

to fear in dying?

I

1

86

The Romans

I

should have fired

burned

camp,

his

alive father

and son and

myself headlong into the blaze! all

his

filled

and thrown

their race,

all

O

with flame,

tents

Sun,

who

dost illumine

things of earth with thy beams, and thou Juno, agent

my

and witness of

sorrows, and Hecate, whose

name

is

shrieked by night at the crossroads, and ye avenging Furies,

and ye patron-gods of dying Dido,

your power stoop,

as

is

prayers. If that villain

bark,

yet

ears, let

and hear

if

he

is

may

own

his

he beg for

my

to reach that goal,

he be harassed by a war against a valiant race;

he be driven from nius;

your

griefs;

must needs come to land and disem-

thus Jove's Fates decree,

if

may

incline

my

proper, to

aid,

lands and separated

and

may

from Asca-

see the cruel massacre of his

when he has surrendered to the terms of a harsh peace, may he never enjov the delights of a ruler's life, but may he fall untimely soon and lie unburied on a people; and

sandy waste! This

my

blood

pursue

still

his

I

flows in

stock and

my

pray; these are

my

all his

lay this funeral gift on

veins.

words, while

O

race to

my

last

ashes.

Tyrians, do you then come with your hatred;

Let there never be any

love or any pact between our peoples! Arise, some avenger,

my

Harry the Trojan colonists with fire and sword, today, hereafter, or whenever strength is given you! Shore against shore, sea against sea, arms against arms I vow! Let there be war to the last man!" After these words she cast about to find how she might at from

bones!

once end her

life.

She spoke briefly to Barce, the old nurse

of Sychaeus (for her

faraway home)

:

own

nurse lay in the grave in their

"Dear nurse,

please fetch sister

Anna

here.

Tell her to hurry, to sprinkle herself with pure river-water, to bring with her sacrificial sheep and the offerings prescribed.

So bid her come.

your brow.

which

I

I

And you

too, bind fillets

intend to complete the

rites

about

of nether Jove,

have already begun, and consign to the flames the

pyre of that Dardanian scoundrel."

The Tragedy So she spoke.

The

of Dido and Aeneas

187

\

nurse bustled off with elderly alacrity.

But Dido, trembling, wild with her dread purpose, with and quivering fever-flushed cheeks,

rolling bloodshot eyes

yet paling at the foretaste of death, rushes into the inner

and unsheaths the

palace, climbs, raging, the high pyre,

Dardanian sword use as

—

had begged, but for no such

a gift she

She stopped and contemplated the Trojan

this.

clothes, the familiar bed. Pausing awhile,

and weeping with

awakened memories, she bent over the nuptial couch and spoke again:

"Dear

relics,

gods favorable,

from

sweet while the Fates were kind and the

now

my sorrows.

take

my

have lived long enough.

I

And now

the course set

me by

famed person

will descend to the

illustrious city;

husband,

happy

I

I

with you,

spirit

Fortune.

my own

saw

at the cost of

I

set

walls

free

have finished

my

the shade of

underworld. rise.

quarreling with

me

I

my

built an

I

my

avenged

brother.

would have been, how more than happy,

How the

if

Dardanian ships had never even touched our shores!"

Then

she

avenged?" she the right

way

kissed cried.

to

end

the

bed.

nuptial

"Very

May

it all.

"Shall

well; at least let

me

I

die.

carry to him the evil

omen

of

my

A

great shout

fills

its

The

And may

fall

upon

the

blade and spatters her hands.

the palace; and

course through the city.

is

on

death!"

After these words the onlookers see her

sword. Blood spurts upon

This

the cruel Trojan, afar

the high seas, drink in this great fire with his eyes! it

un-

die

Rumor

starts

her wild

roofs quake with laments and

moans and the high wailing of women, the air echoes with mourning cries, as if all Carthage or ancient Troy had been overrun by

foes, as if

raging flames were sweeping over the

roofs of houses and temples. terrified, hears the

The

sister,

distracted

news and comes running

in

and

wild haste,

tearing her face with her nails, heating her breast, and calling

on the dying woman:

"Sister dear,

was

this

your

i88

The Romans

^

purpose?

Were you

deceiving me?

flames, these altars, prepared for

how

me;

shall

I

Were

this pyre, these

also?

You abandoned

me

complain of you? Dying, did you spurn

company? You should have called me to the same fate! We should have died by the same blade, at the same moment! I built this pyre, I summoned the ancestral your

gods

sister's

— and only

sister,

you have

to be cruelly absent

me

killed

and the city elders and

when you

so

O

fell!

with yourself, and your people,

all

your country! Quick,

bathe her limbs with water and catch with

my

lips

let

me

her

last

wandering breath!"

While speaking thus

she had climbed the lofty steps of

the pyre. Moaning, she embraced and fondled her dying sister

to

lift

and wiped the dark blood from her her heavy eyes, and again yielded.

dress.

Dido

tried

The deep wound

gurgled in her breast. Three times she struggled to herself

up on her

resting-place,

and three times sank back

on the bed. Her wavering eyes opened, sought the heaven; and greeting

it

she

Then omnipotent Juno,

fell

back with

since

light of

a groan.

taking pity on her long agony,

her difficult departure, despatched release the struggling soul

lift

Iris

from Olympus

from the encumbering

Dido was dying neither

in natural course

limbs.

to

For

nor by an

external agent, Proserpina had not yet clipped the golden sacrificial

lock from her head, nor had she consigned the

victim to Stygian Hades. So

dewy

Iris

saffron wings, reflecting a thousand

descended on her

shimmering colors

woman's "As commanded, I take this lock, sacred to Dis; and I release you from this body." She clipped the lock; and suddenly all warmth departed from the body, and against the sun, and hovered above the dying

head. She

life

said:

vanished into thin

air.

I

—

PYRAMUS AND THISBE BY OVID Naso was born at Sulmo, the present Sulfrom Rome, in 43 B.C. Being possessed of com-

Publius Ovidius

mona, not

far

fortable means, he adopted the literary

life.

He

stood high in

Emperor Augustus. But he was suddenlybanished in A.D. 8 or 9, no one knows just why. He spent his last dismal years at Tomi, on the western shore of the Black favor at the court of

Sea, in

what

now

is

Bulgaria, and died in a.d. 17 or 18.

His best-known work

is

the Metamorphoses, a poetic re-

myths and legends, each involving a comchange of form, as of Chaos to Cosmos, as of Julius

telling of favorite

plete

Caesar to a

work

star.

The

spirited storytelling has

commended the two millennia.

to readers, and to schoolmasters, through

Three of the metamorphoses have been

translated

by Morris

Bishop.

THIS

IS

the story of

handsomest

They

Pyramus and Thisbe.

He was

the

lad, she the loveHest girl, in all the East.

lived in Babylon, that tall city which, so the story

goes, Semiramis ringed with brick walls. Their houses ad-

and guided them to the grew ever stronger with time.

joined; propinquity bred familiarity first

stages of love.

They would

And

love

gladly have united in marriage, but their fa-

thers

were opposed. However, no parental veto could check

their

mutual ardor.

They had no go-between; they could

communicate only with nods and signals. But, they say, the more a fire is confined, the hotter burns

quoqiie 7nagts tegimr, tectus

There was

a tiny

iiiagis aestiiat

it

ignis.

crack in the party-wall of the two houses,

remaining from the original construction. This defect had hardly been noticed for centuries. But love will find

a

way!

190

The Romans

(

You two make

of

lovers

were the

first

a speaking-tube.

it

ported through

when they had

it

to perceive the fissure

Your endearments were

and to trans-

murmurs. Often

securely, in gentlest

taken their stand there, Pyramus on one

Thisbe on the other, alternately receiving the other's

side,

breathed message, they would exclaim: *'0 horrid wall,

what an obstacle you present to lovers! It would be so easy you to permit our embrace! Or at least, to open wide enough for our kisses! We are not ungrateful; we admit our debt to you, that at any rate you convey our words to for

loving ears!" side,

And

speaking so

futilely,

each on

own

his

they bade one another good night, and each implanted

doomed never

kisses

One morning

the

to reach their destination.

dawn had

snuffed the night's starry

candles and the sun's rays had dried the frosty herbage,

when

met at their trysting-place. First they lalot in low whispers. Then they agreed that

the lovers

mented

their

they would try to give their guards the that having once escaped

from

slip at nightfall,

and

would

flee

their houses they

out of the city, and to avoid haphazard wandering in the

wide

fields

they would meet

there in a tree's shadow.

white

(A

at the tall

bust of Ninus and hide

mulberry

tree loaded

with

fruit stood there, beside a cool spring.)

The

lovers applauded the plan. Daylight, seeming to

drag on forever, at last plunged beneath the waves, and from the same waters rose the night. Stealthily turning the door on its hinge, Thisbe escaped, dodging her family.

Muffled

in a

wrap, she reached the tomb of Ninus, and

look! cattle,

A

lioness,

comes

catches

a

sat

Love had made her brave. But her jaws still dripping from a recent kill of

under the appointed

tree.

to slake her thirst at the

nearby spring! Thisbe

glimpse of her in the moonlight, and fearfully

takes refuge in a dark cave; and in her flight she drops her

wrap.

The

fierce lioness,

having abundantly quenched her

Pyramus and Thisbe

was returning

thirst,

to the forest; she

J

191

happened on the

it

with her bloody

He

caught sight of a

dropped gauzy mantle and nuzzled mouth.

A little

late,

Pyramus

slipped out.

wild beast's tracks in the deep dust, and turned deathly

And when he discovered the blood-spattered garment he exclaimed: "A single night will see the end of two lovers! Of us two she best deserved a long life; the guilt lies pale.

upon my soul! I have killed you, my darling! I instructed you to come by night to this dangerous place, and I did not get here tear

my

first.

body

savage fangs!

Now,

lions

to pieces,

But

who

live

devour

how

amid these rocks, come,

my

guilty flesh with

your

cowardly, merely to wish for

death!"

He

picked up Thisbe's mantle and carried

it

to the shade

tears

and

kisses.

He covered the beloved garment with "Now drink my blood too!" he cried. He

drew

the

sword

at his side

of the trysting-tree.

and dying, withdrew

He

it

and plunged

it

into his bowels,

convulsively from the wound.

lay at full length on the ground, his blood spurting

high, as

when, through some flaw

in the lead, a pipe

is

cracked, and the water squirts through the tiny hole, cleaving the

air, a

long hissing stream.

The

tree's fruit,

wet by

the bloody spray, turned dark red; and the roots, watered

with blood, tinged the hanging berries with

Now fright,

a

purple dye.

Thisbe returned, not yet recovered from her but eager not to miss her lover. Impatiently she

looked for him everywhere; she was

full

of the story of her

escape from danger. She recognized the rendezvous and the

shape of the well-known

tree,

gave her pause; she wondered

but the color of the fruit if

this

was the

right place.

While she hesitated, she shuddered at the sight of a quivering body on the bloody soil. She took a step backward; she turned livid Hke boxwood, and trembled like the sea when

192

The Romans

^

ruffled

by the

blows; she tore her she

moment's pause she

breeze. But after a

ognized her lover. She struck her hair.

guiltless

And embracing

wept upon the wounds, mingling

Thisbe

is

arms resounding

the beloved body,

tears

with blood.

And

"Pyramus, what calamity

kissing the cold face she cried:

has taken

rec-

you from me? Answer, Pyramus! Your dear calling you! Listen, and raise your head from the

ground!"

At

name

the

of Thisbe, Pyramus opened his eyes, already

heavy with approaching death, and

after a last look closed

them

own

again.

Thisbe recognized her

empty of

the ivory scabbard

own

you, with your

"My is

hand too

mine.

It

is

its

sword. "Love has killed

my poor sweetheart!" she cried.

strong enough for this one deed; love too

will lend

follow you to

hand,

garment, and saw

me

strength to

extinction;

I

make

shall

the

be

wound!

called

I

shall

both the

wretched cause and the companion of your death. You

me by death alone; but now you cannot be taken from me even by death. O unhappy parents, mine and his, listen to our common prayer! Do not

could be parted from

begrudge

us,

joined

by

our

a great love in

privilege of burial in a single tomb.

And

last

you,

O

hour, the tree,

who

body with your boughs and will now presently cover two, keep this remembrance of our death: protect one poor

forever bear dark fruit

fit

for mourning, the

symbol of our

mingled blood!"

When she

had finished she poised the sword-point below

her breast and dealing.

fell

Her vows touched

parents; for the all

upon the

mulberry

blade,

urn.

warm

with death-

the gods, as they touched the

still

turns black

that remains of the lovers' ashes

mon

still

is

when

ripe.

And

contained in a com-

PHILEMON AND BAUCIS BY OVID This story,

like the

the Metamorphoses

ON

preceding one, has been translated from

by Morris Bishop.

THE Phrygian hills ringed by a low

stands an oak beside a linden wall.

tree,

once habitable land,

lake,

birds, coots

and

divers.

form, accompanied by

without

his

wings.

now

Once his

Not

away

far

is

a

swampy

the haunt only of marsh-

Jupiter

came here

in mortal

kinsman Mercury the herald,

They knocked

thousand doors,

at a

asking a place of repose; a thousand bolts w^ere shot against

them.

One

house alone welcomed them.

was

It

small,

roofed with straw and marsh-reeds; here pious Mother Baucis and Philemon, equally aged, were married in youth,

They made

and here they had grown old together. poverty light by admitting

it

and never grumbling.

their

No

use

looking there for distinction of master and servant; the pair

made up

the whole household, both

commanding and

serv-

ing.

When bowing

their heads

man

out a bench and told them to

set

they entered the low door. sit

Baucis hurried to lay a coarse cloth on the

warm

ashes,

roused the day's

dry bark, brought

added

humble home,

the heavenly visitors reached this

it

and

it.

fed

fire,

finely-split kindling

with leaves and

and dry twigs from the

She took the cabbage her husband had brought well-watered garden and trimmed off a

she stirred

to a blaze with her ancient breath,

broke them up and arranged them under her

Philemon with

old

rest their legs.

Then it

The

forked stick took

its

little kettle.

in

from the

outer leaves.

down

attic,

And

a smoke-black-

194

^^^ Romans

1

ened side of pork which hung from slice

a

beam, cut off a small

from the long-treasured chine, and softened

it

in the

boiling water.

Meanwhile they

pass the time in talk.

mattress of soft river sedge and place

framed of willow wood. They cover only on

festive occasions;

but

it

They it

shake up a

on the couch

with a spread, used

too was poor and old, in

this

keeping with the willow bed. Thereon the gods reclined.

The

woman, nervously tucking up

old

table.

One

of

its

potsherd under

three legs

it.

When

was too

its

colors, Minerva's fruit,

skirts, set

the

wedged

a

was thus corrected she

slope

wiped the surface with green mint. She

two

her

short; she

laid out olives of

and autumnal cornel-berries

preserved in wine-lees, and endives and radishes, and cottage cheese, and eggs, lightly scrambled on a slow

served on rough earthenware.

was

material

set

beechwood, the After a dishes,

little

forth,

fire, all

A wine- jug of the same noble

with wine-cups whittled from

interiors coated

with yellow wax.

delay the hearth contributed the hot main

and wine of no great age was produced. These were

removed, to give place to the second course with wrinkled dates and dried

figs,

—nuts mixed

and plums, and fragrant

apples in wide baskets, and purple grapes fresh plucked

from the

And

vines.

A

white honeycomb stood in the midst.

kindly faces beamed over

all,

nor was hearty, whole-

souled good will lacking.

Suddenly they perceive that

as

soon

tied they are spontaneously refilled

as the jugs are

with wine! Baucis and

shy Philemon are startled and frightened by non.

They

emp-

this

phenome-

take the attitude of prayer with upraised hands;

they ask pardon for the improvised meal.

The the

householders had a single goose, the

little

watchman of

farm-house, which they then proposed to sacrifice

I

Philemon and Baucis for their divine guests. Swift of wing, he soon

aged pursuers.

He

murder.

his

wore out

195 his

eluded them for some time, then took

into his head to take refuge with the gods.

forbade

J

"We

And

it

these deities

are gods," they said.

"Your im-

pious neighbors will pay a well-merited penalty for their

You will be granted exemption from their you must abandon your home, follow in our

inhospitality. fate.

Now

footsteps,

and climb with us to the

hilltop."

The

old couple

obeyed; leaning on their staffs they struggled to negotiate the long, steep slope.

When

they had got to

bowshot's distance from the

a

summit they looked back; they saw everything submerged in a flood, their house alone remaining. While they are and bewailing the

staring

house, small even for a temple.

its

two occupants,

Columns replace crotched

brightens to yellow,

it

is

transformed into

posts; the roof-thatch

seems a golden roof; the doors are

richly embossed; the floor

Then

fate of their friends, their old

is

laid

with marble. "Tell me,

said Saturnian Jove, serene of visage:

good old man, and

my

good woman, worthy of your

honest mate, what you most desire." After a brief consulta-

Philemon voiced to the gods

tion with Baucis,

mon

conclusion.

shrine;

"We

and since

we

pray to be your

comtend your

their

priests, to

have lived so long and happily to-

we beg that the same hour may carry off the two of I may never see my wife's tomb, and that she may never lay me in my grave." gether, us,

and that

Their prayer was

was

theirs, as

long

fulfilled.

Guardianship of the temple

as life lasted.

Enfeebled by the weight of

years, they

happened

last

to be standing^ before the

sacred steps.

While they were

recalling the strange history

at

of the place, Baucis perceived Philemon leaves,

putting forth

while Philemon saw Baucis Hkewisc leafing.

And

as

196

The Romans

I

their faces

were concealed by the gathering frondage they

spoke, while

still

they might, their

"Farewell, dear mate!"

And

last

words

in unison:

the foliage hid both faces to-

gether. Still

today the Bithynians point out the two trees

twined, side by

thy old

men

side.

This story was told

—indeed they had no reason

me by

trustwor-

to deceive me.

noticed votive garlands hanging from the branches.

one there myself, and

I

remarked: "Those

love are sanctified; those

who

inter-

whom

I

I

hung

the gods

have worshipped are wor-

shipped in their turn."

I

PYGMALION BY OVID Like the preceding two,

womcn, dared to disavow goddess Venus. Thus, smitten by her divine anger,

THE PROPETiDEs, thosc the

been translated from

this story has

by Morris Bishop.

the Metamorphoses

they were the

first

name, so

said;

it is

filthy

to prostitute their bodies

and thus they

their sluggish blood

and

their

lost all sense of

would no longer

rise to

good

shame,

make

their

and they were transformed into hard stones,

faces blush,

images of their hearts.

Now Pygmalion had seen these women living their lives in villainy.

He was

revolted

by

the vices

which nature had

planted in the feminine mind, and so he lived long wifeless

and

time he masterfully carved a figure out of

which no with

his

living

woman

could surpass; and he

own handiwork. She had

You would think she was if

she weren't restrained

concealed by his

own

craft,

and

ing hands, to try

hardly admit

it

kiss.

fell in

the face of a real

love

woman.

was about to move, by modesty. Such was his art,

alive, that

she

at her, in amazement at consumed with love for the

Pygmalion gazed

art!

artificial creation.

returns the

At the same snowy ivory,

admitting no partner to his bed.

solitary,

felt

himself

Often he palpated the work with searchif it

were

a real

to be ivory.

He

He

talks to her

body or

ivory; he could

kisses her;

he thinks she

and clasps her

tight.

He

thinks his exploring fingers sink into her flesh; he fears that bruises

may

appear on the clutched limbs.

Now

he over-

whelms her with endearments; now he showers her with

igS

The Romans

I

the gifts girls appreciate: shells and polished stones, birds

and many-colored flowers,

amber

—the

tears of the Heliades

painted

lilies,

gemmed

trees.

He

on her

rings

long necklaces about her neck. Smooth pearls

fingers,

adorn her

ears, chaplets

but her naked body

is

her bosom. All this

no

He

less beautiful.

bed dyed with Sidonian purple.

He calls

is

fine indeed,

lays her

on

a

her his mistress; he

poses her willowy neck on the soft pillows, as feel

and

balls,

dropping from

clothes richly her lovely limbs, puts

little

she could

if

them.

Now had come Venus' festal day, celebrated throughout Cyprus. Heifers, their wide-spreading horns gilded, had

all

bowed

their

white necks to the

sacrificial

The

blows.

reeked with burning incense. Pygmalion brought the shrine. Timidly he prayed: "If prayers, give me,

"my

say

I

beg, for wife"

altars

gifts to

you gods can grant

all

—he did not quite dare

ivory maid," but "one like

my

ivory maid."

Golden Venus, who was present in person at her festival, As an omen of her divine favor, three times the altar-flame flared up and ascended

well understood his meaning.

into

air.

When

his darling;

to

home he

visited the

image of It

seemed

that she was warm! He kissed her again, and caressed bosom with his hands. The ivory softened as he stroked

him

her it;

he returned

he bent over the bed and kissed her.

the hard surface yielded, surrendering to his questing

fingers, as

Hymettian beeswax softens under the sunlight

and under the prodding thumb accepts many forms and

becomes useful by being used. The lover was overwhelmed with amazement, joy, and doubt, and fear that he was duped. Again and again he tested with sponse to

his

throbbed under

prayer. his

The body was

examining

finger.

So

his

hand the

real!

now

The

re-

veins

our Paphian

hero poured out abundant thanks, welcome to Venus. At

I

Pygmalion last

he pressed real living

lips

with

his

199

J

own. The maiden

felt

the imprint of his kisses; she blushed, and opened her timid

eyes to the

light.

Her

first

glance revealed to her her lover

and the sky above.

The goddess nine ter,

attended the bridal she had made; and

moons had

Paphos, for

fully

waxed

whom the

when

the girl gave birth to a daugh-

island

is

named.

TRIMALCHIO'S DINNER BY PETRONIUS The

author of Trimalchio^s Dinner was (probably) Gaius

who throve in the early years who held the responsible post of

Petronius,

and

A.D.,

nia.

He

was more celebrated

of the

first

century

proconsul of Bithy-

as the arbiter elegantice, the arbi-

We

ter of taste, the fashionable dictator, of the court of

Nero.

know more

Expecting

he opened a vein, then rebandaged

arrest,

with

of his death, in a.d. 66, than of his

friends light-heartedly,

his

it,

life.

and conversed

rewarded some

and

slaves

promised beatings to others, penned a denunciation of the

Emperor, reopened the vein and died elegantly,

in the best of

taste.

His book, the Satyricon, of which only fragments remain, is

the

picaresque novel, an episodic,

first

of a society seen enemies.

It is a

by one

of

its

satiric, realistic

rejected members,

its

picture

inward

boheme of a decadent world, and elegances by which Petronius lived. It is

picture of the

a burlesque of the

also a burlesque of literary types: the epic, the tragedy,

the

Greek

novel.

And

it

character, Trimalchio himself.

Dinner

[The

is

and

gave literature one great enduring

The

translation of Tri?nalchio^s

by Morris Bishop.

narrator, Encolpius, his friend Ascyltus, and his

friend Giton, a trio of low-Hfe dead-beats, have

boy-

somehow

wangled an invitation to dinner with the rich profiteer Trimalchio.]

Now THE

third

day had come, bringing the prospect of

a free meal; but we had been so knocked about that we were more inclined to sneak out of it than to wait for it. Thus we were discussing rather sourly how to miss the shindig, when a slave of the rhetorician Agamemnon broke in on us. "What!" he said. "Don't you know who is giving

202

The Romans

^

the parry today?

keeps

It's

hours, so he'll always

So

we

know

hov\^ fast life

is

slipping

away."

immediately forgot our troubles and dressed with

Giton freely offered to act

care.

He

IVimalchio, society's wonder-boy!

clock in his dining-room and a bugler to sound the

a

as

our

slave;

we

him

told

to follow us to the baths.

we

There, keeping our clothes on,

mix-

strolled around,

ing with groups of sportsmen and exchanging wise-cracks.

Then we

noticed an old bald fellow in a red sweat-shirt

playing ball with a bunch of long-haired slave-boys.

not the boys served ball.

it

who

took our eyes

— but the old gentleman

When

—though

It

was

they well de-

in slippers tossing a

green

he dropped a ball he did not bother to pick

it

up; a slave with a sackful of balls threw out a fresh one to

We

the players.

noticed other novelties. Tw^o eunuchs

stood at opposite sides of the ring.

One

held a silver cham-

ber-pot; the other kept track of the balls, not the score of

those that flew to and fro in the game, but those that

the floor.

While we were admiring

laus [assistant of the rhetorician

fell

on

these elegances Alene-

Agamemnon]

ran up, to

man who invited you. What you're seeing is just a warmup for the dinner." A^enelaus had hardly stopped when Trimalchio snapped his fingers. At the signal

say:

"This

is

the

eunuch deftly posed the chamber-pot for the player. Having relieved himself, Trimalchio called for a basin of

a

water, daintily dipped in his fingers, and wiped them on a slave-boy's hair.

Well,

went

would take too long to the bath, and after a good

it

into

tell all

the details.

short sweat

we

We

entered

the cold shower. Trimalchio had been drenched in per-

fume;

now

he was having

a

rubdown, not with ordinary

towels but with cloths of the softest wool. Meanwhile

under

his

very eyes three masseurs were drinking

ernian wine. Fighting over

it,

they spilled most of

his Falit.

Tri-

Trimalchio's Dinner

malchio

and

just laughed,

to his health.

Then

and placed on

a litter.

ades preceded him,

said

a libation

he was wrapped in a scarlet bathrobe

Four

liveried

footmen wearing cock-

also a small cart transporting his favor-

As Trimalchio was

joined him, and played

organ, as

203

old fellow with bleary eyes, even uglier than his

ite, a little

master.

they were pouring

J

carried out his flute-player

the

all

way on

a

pocket mouth-

he was tootling a confidential message in the

if

master's ear. Filled with

we

wonder,

followed along, together with

Agamemnon. We reached Trimalchio's house bore

this notice:

his master's ter's

"Any

slave

who

door,

which

leaves the house without

permission will receive 100 lashes." In the por-

lodge stood the doorman in a green livery with a

cherry-colored sash; he was shelling peas into a silver dish.

Over

hung

the door

golden birdcage, in which was a

a

spotted magpie, saluting the guests.

While started left at

was looking

I

and nearly

fell

at

everything in amazement,

and broke

the entrance, not far

a leg.

from the

On

porter's

huge painted dog, chained up, and over him laughed

room, was a a big sign, in

BEWARE OF THE DOG. My

capitals:

at

me;

I

the whole wall.

collected

The

my wits and

companions

took a good look

at

fresco represented a slave market, the

merchandise Hned up and wearing price-cards.

Rome under

the guidance of Minerva.

had showed

in detail,

Then came

a

wand, entering

The

realistic painter

Trimalchio himself, long-haired, carrying

how

I

the wall on our

and with explanatory

inscriptions,

the slave had learned bookkeeping and had finally

become steward. At

the end of the portico wall

Mercury

by the chin and setting him on the high tribunal. There was Fortune also with her

appeared, lifting him up

bench of

a

horn of plenty, and the three Fates twisting their golden threads.

I

noticed also in the portico a group of runners

204

The Romans

I

practicing with a trainer.

cupboard containing

And

I

observed

with

a small shrine

in a

corner a big

silver statuettes of

the Lares and a marble Venus, and also a good-sized gold

casket preserving, according to report, Trimalchio's beard.

I

first

asked the houseman what the pictures in the middle

"The Iliad and the Odyssey, he replied, "and gladiatorial show put on by Laenas." But we didn't

represented. a big

^^

have time to examine these in

Now we

detail.

had got to the triclinium, or dining-room. At

the entrance the steward

was going over

his accounts.

I

was

by the fasces, rods and axes, affixed to the doorposts. These were supported on what seemed to be a

especially struck

ship's

ram, in brass, with the inscription:

"To Gaius Pom-

peius Trimalchio, Augustal municipal counselor, from his

steward Cinnamus." Under

There was If

a tablet

remember

I

a

double lamp.

like a bulletin board.

correctly, one of the notices read:

30th and 31st of

The

hung

this label

on each doorpost,

December our

"On

the

master, Gaius, dines out.'*

other doorpost bore a chart of the moon's and the

seven planets' courses, with a

set

of knobs indicating the

lucky and unlucky days. Sated with these delights,

dining-room

when one

we were

purpose, shouted: "Right foot short, for fear

first!"

someone would

the rules.

As we

forward,

a

all

about to step into the

of the slaves, posted there for the

Naturally

stopped

cross the threshold against

stepped out together with the right foot

naked slave threw himself

plored us to

we

at

our feet and im-

save him from punishment. The offense which

had brought him into jeopardy was no great matter; he had let

someone

worth ten

at the baths steal the steward's clothes,

sesterces.

begged the steward,

hardly

we drew back our right feet and who was still counting money in the

So

atrium, to remit the slave's punishment.

He

haughtily, and said: "It isn't the loss of the

raised his head

money I mind

so

Trimalchio's Dinner

much

as the carelessness of the

dinner clothes, which one of

He me

worthless slave.

my

clients

gave

205

J

lost

for

my my

birthday. Tyrian dye too, naturally. But they have already

been washed once. Well,

at last

a small matter.

I'll

let

him

we

took our places. Alexandrian slaves poured

who

iced water on our hands. Others followed, specialists,

trimmed our

toenails

very

They

skilfully.

was curious I

to find out

do

didn't

rather disagreeable task in silence; they sang

singers, so

off

you."

as a favor to

So

it's

the time.

all

the whole corps of slaves

if

asked for a drink.

their I

were

A slave popped up and filled

my order with a shrill singsong. All the other requests were honored

in the

theatrical

All had self.

same way.

You would

have thought

a

performance rather than a family dinner.

now

taken their places except Trimalchio him-

(According to the new fashion the highest couch was

reserved for him.) served.

On

The

hors d'oeuvre were very elegantly

the relish tray stood a

donkey of Corinthian

bronze equipped with two baskets, one olives, the

the

it

ass;

other with black.

Two

dishes

filled

were

with white

set

out beside

they were marked with Trimalchio's name and the

weight of the

Metal containers shaped

silver.

like bridges

offered dormice in honey, sprinkled with poppy-seeds.

Sausages were presented hot on a silver

grill, with a bed of damson plums and pomegranates below. While we were sampling these dainties Trimalchio himself was carried in, to music. He was propped up on a pile

sliced

of

little

cushions, and provoked a smile

guests, for his shaven

and he had wrapped a

napkin with

a

head stuck out from

his

from incautious his scarlet robe,

neck, already muffled in scarves, in

broad royal-purple stripe and dangling

fringes.

He

his left

hand, and on the top joint of the next finger a

had

smaller ring;

it

also a large gilt ring

looked to

me

on the

like solid

little

finger of

gold [forbidden to

2o6

I

The Romans

commoners steel stars.

I,

but evidently

And

it

was studded with twinkHng

for fear that he wasn't sufficiently display-

ing his prosperity, he left his right

arm

bare, to

show

off a

gold bracelet and an ivory bangle trimmed with dazzling metal. Picking his teeth with a silver toothpick, he ad-

"My

come you longer of my company, 1 gave up my own pleasure. But certainly you will permit me to finish my game." A slave followed him carrying a checkdressed us:

friends,

I

really wasn't yet ready to

to table, but not to deprive

erboard of juniper

wood with

checkers of crystal.

I

noticed

one very neat refinement: instead of the white and black counters he used silver and gold coins. Incidentally, during

game he descended to all sorts of low expressions. While we were still enjoying the canapes, a tray was brought in bearing a wooden hen spreading her wings the

wide, as

if

she

were

setting.

Two

slaves stepped up,

keeping time to loud music began to poke about

and

in the

They pulled out some peahens' eggs, which they distributed among the guests. Trimalchio watched this per-

straw.

"My

formance and exclaimed:

friends, I ordered peafowls'

eggs to be put under the hen; but by Hercules I'm afraid they've begun to develop. Well,

them anyhow;

try

let's

maybe we can still suck them!" Spoons weighing at least half a pound each were passed around, and we tapped the eggs, which were made of rich pastry. The fact is, I was on the point of throwing

my

share away, for

and already turning into chicken. Then

I

I

thought

heard

it

real

a guest,

an

bet there's something

old hand at these parties, remark:

"I'll

good inside!" So I cracked the found inside a fine fat beccafico, up in peppered egg-yolk.

the fig-eating bird, rolled

Now manded

Trimalchio had his share

of

all

shell

with

at last finished his

my

hand and

game.

He

de-

the dishes served up, and proposed

Trimalchio's Dinner in a loud voice that

anyone

who

207

)

wished could have a

second drink of mead. At a sign from the musicians the hors d'oeuvre were carried out

The

dropped.

by

a

troop of singing wait-

confusion a silver side-dish was carelessly

In the

ers.

slave bent to pick

Trimalchio noticed

it;

it

up from the

boxed and the dish be thrown down

his ears

houseboy rushed

in

with

long-haired Ethiopians entered with

who

little

A

the silver

Then two

leather bottles,

sprinkle the sand in the circus with

They poured wine

perfume.

again.

broom and swept up

a

dish along with the rest of the table scraps.

like the flunkeys

floor.

he ordered that the slave should have

over our hands; no water was

in evidence.

We "Mars

duly applauded our host's magnificent refinements. likes

everything to be

have ordered that everyone

Anyhow,

among

glass

Each had

is

and square," he

said.

"So

I

to have a table to himself.

the filthy slaves won't bother us so

squeezing in

Then

fair

much by

us."

wine- jugs, carefully sealed, were brought

a label about

its

in.

neck, with this legend: "Fal-

ernian of the consulship of Opimius. Guaranteed 100 years old."

While we were perusing the

clapped

his

wretched man! So drink

wine

is life!

inscription Trimalchio

hands and cried: "Alas, wine it

down! Life

lives

is

longer than

wine, or rather,

I'm giving you the real Opimian. Yesterday

didn't bring out such

good wine, although

my

guests

more important." While we were drinking and admiring the various

I

were

far

cles

de luxe

a slave

so that the limbs in its

any

arti-

trundled in a silver skeleton, constructed

and backbone could be twisted and turned

direction. This

was tossed on the

movable jointings permitted

striking poses. Trimalchio

it

chimed

table several times;

to assume a in:

number of

2o8

The Romans

I

What is man? Why, nothing at all! And when we answer the final call We'll be in that same circumstance;

So

We

us live, while

let

we

got the chance!

applauded loudly.

all

The course that followed was rather a let-down, but it was novel enough to capture our attention. A round tray was marked with the twelve signs of the zodiac in a circle; on each of them the chef had placed appropriate titbits.

Upon

the

Ram

he had put ram's-head chickpeas; upon the

upon

Bull a slice of beef;

the

with kidneys; upon the Crab African

fig;

upon

Twins

a pair of lamb's fries

upon

a garland;

the Lion an

upon the

the Virgin a bit of sowbelly;

Scales a balance with a pastry twist

on one

cake on the other; upon the Scorpion a

side, a

cheese-

upon the

seafish;

upon Capricorn a lobster; upon Aquarius a goose; upon the Fish two mullets. In the midst [no doubt Archer

a hare;

representing Earth] a patch of grassy turf supported a

honeycomb. silver

An

Egyptian slave brought around bread

warming-pan,

at

the same time murdering

from the pantomime Asafcetida.

We

ers

"Dig

danced

This

in!

in to

tray, revealing

is

in a

song

set to, rather sulkily,

on the commonplace food. But "Let's chio.

a

eat!" said Trimal-

just the beginning."

Then

four wait-

music and removed the upper layer of the

underneath capons and sowbellies and

in the

middle a hare equipped with wings, to represent Pegasus.

We noticed

also at the corners four statuettes of

with spicy garum-sauce trickling

down from

Marsyas,

their bellies

swimming in a little fishpond. We all joined in applause, initiated by the slaves, and, laughing, we attacked the delicacies. Trimalchio was more pleased than anyone by the success of this conceit. He began to shout: onto the

fish

"Carver!"

A

carver stepped up, and slashed at the dainty

Trimalchio's Dinner

209

J

morsels to music, in ballet style; you would have thought

him

a singing gladiator enacting a fight to the

ment of

a water-organ.

"Carver! Carver!" Suspecting that this repetition

tering:

had something to do with convive. replied:

His

real

*Carve

accompani-

Nonetheless Trimalchio kept mut-

He

ventured to question a

a joke, I

He

had often watched such performances.

"You see the man who is cutting up the victuals? name is Carver; so whenever Trimalchio says:

'er.

Carver!' he's using both the imperative of the

verb and the vocative of the noun." I

couldn't take another

so

bit,

to get filled in on the facts.

I

I

turned to

my companion

gave him a good

about

line

who the woman was who was running all over the place. "Why, she's Trimalchio's wife, Fortunata! And well named; she's loaded. And yesterday what myself; and

was

I

asked

she? If you'll excuse the expression,

you wouldn't have

And now, God

taken a bit of bread from her fingers.

knows how chio's

baby

or

why, she

has landed right and she's Trimal-

doll. If she told

he'd believe her.

He

rolling in the stuff.

him

has no idea

it

was midnight

how much

noon

at

he's got; he's

But that bitch keeps her eye on every-

thing; you'd be surprised. She stays sober and talks sense,

but she can tear you to pieces, and boss. If she likes

you

she'll

she likes you; but

if

show you who's

not, not."

.

.

.

[Trimalchio explains, ridiculously, the symbolism of the astronomical dish.]

While we were acclaiming our

host's learning, servants

appeared and draped the couches with coverlets embroidered with hunting-nets and hunters with spears and

implements of the chase.

We

didn't

all

know what was

the in

preparation, until a great uproar burst forth in the next

room, and suddenly some Spartan hounds erupted and began running around our

tables.

They were followed by

2IO

The Romans

(

men with two

Theban

Around

dates.

of cake-dough, as

teats,

depended

tusks

its

member

the boar

The

were placed tiny pig-

The piglets were who stepped up to diswho had operated on the

a female.

person

was not Carver,

capons, but a big bearded a

it

they were snuggling up to the

if

implying that the boar was

favors to take home.

and

From

a liberty cap.

small baskets of palm-leaves, one filled with Syrian, the

other with lets

on which reposed an enormous

a large salver,

wild boar wearing

man wearing

rough outdoorsman's cape.

hunter's leggings

He drew

hunting-

his

knife and struck the boar a mighty blow, whereat

some

thrushes flew out of the gash. But birdcatchers armed with

They soon

limed sticks had been provided.

captured the

birds fluttering about the room. Trimalchio ordered that

one be given to each guest, remarking: fine acorns that

"Now you

see

what

wild boar fed on." Immediately the slaves

took the baskets hanging from the boar's tusks and divided the dried and fresh dates

Meanwhile wondering exhausting

I

had wondered

why

my

among

off in a train of speculation,

the boar had

fond fancies

I

the guests.

worn

a liberty cap.

After

my

infor-

determined to ask

mative neighbor why. Said he: "Even your could answer that one.

It's

boar was served yesterday as the main guests

were so

comes

to dinner as a freedman."

full

own

slave

obvious enough, no puzzle. This

they couldn't touch I

dish, it;

cursed

but the dinner

and so today he

my

put no more questions, for fear of appearing

stupidity and

a lout

who had

never dined with the upper crust.

While we were

talking a beautiful slave-boy, garlanded

with vine-leaves and ivy, impersonated Bacchus, or Liber, in his various aspects, passing

reciting his master's

turned round

poems

at this

ceive your liberty!"

around grapes

in his

in a

basket and

piping voice. Trimalchio

and exclaimed: "Liber Bacchus,

The boy

pulled the liberty cap

off^

re-

the

Trimalchio's Dinner

boar and clapped

"You won't deny

on

that

own

his

head. Trimalchio added:

Vm the original

Mr. Liberator!"

We

applauded Trimalchio's joke and kissed the boy soundly

all

he

as

it

211

J

made

After toilet.

.

his

this

rounds.

course Trimalchio rose and went off to the

.

.

Trimalchio returned.

.

.

We

.

didn't yet realize that

were only halfway up the Hill of Plenty, For when the

tables

had been cleared, to a musical accom-

paniment, three live white pigs were brought

with muzzles and

The

bells.

years old, one three, one ers

would then

maitre

in,

equipped

one was two

d' said

thought that some perform-

six. I

enter and put the pigs through their tricks,

they do before street crowds. But Trimalchio proved

as

we

as the poets say.

me

wrong. "Which of these pigs do you want for dinner?" he inquired.

"Any farm-cook can whip up

theusburger,* or any such calf

whole

in the

On the spot he ordered up the chef, kill

and without waiting

the biggest one.

"Which

do you belong to?" he asked loudly. "To the "Neither,

often boil a

copper boiler."

for our vote told him to

replied the chef.

"Were you bought

sir," said

the cook. "I

corps

fortieth, sir,"

or born on the estate?"

was

left to

you

in Pansa's

"Well, see you do your job well, otherwise

will."

Pen-

a fowl, or a

my cooks

But

trifle.

I'll

have

you put on the road gang."

The

cook, being thus reminded of his master's power, led

the pig off to the kitchen.

While our host was

still

pig was laid on the table. speed; all

the

boar *

by

we swore more

we had

.

.

.

talking, a dish

We

he couldn't have cooked

as the pig

just had.

with an immense

were amazed a

at the chef's

chicken so

fast,

seemed much bigger than the wild Trimalchio inspected

it

more and

Pentheusburger: Pentheus, king of Thebes, was chopped small the Maenads, or Bacchantes.

2 12

more

closely,

Hasn't

this?

Call

The Romans

^

up

The

and then cried out: "What's

been gutted? No, by God,

this pig

cook

that

What's

this?

has not!

it

away!"

right

chef was summoned; he stood woebegone before

the table and said he had forgotten to clean the beast.

"What! Forgotten!" Trimalchio exclaimed. "You'd think he'd just forgotten to pepper and

Without

salt

Strip him!"

it!

moment's delay the cook was

a

He

stripped.

stood mournfully between two guards, the household torturers.

The

him

off. If

he ever does

for him." Personally, I

good word for him.

guests tried to put in a

"These things do happen,"

I

it

we

"We

said.

again,

beg you, do

none of us

was much more inclined

let

word

will say a

to severity.

couldn't help leaning over and whispering in

Agamem-

non's ear: "This slave must be about as bad as they come.

How look

could anyone forget to gut a pig?

it if

sat there

he failed to clean a

with

a great grin all

over

right here in front of us."

internal pressure,

And

said:

Corinthian."

I

given back his

out of the cuts, thanks to the

The

applauded, shouting: "Hur-

chief

was honored with on

a goblet of drink, presented

Trimalchio

said,

do the gutting

gushed sausages and black puddings.

rah for Trimalchio!"

rinthian bronze.

"Well," he

just

The cook was

this stunt all the slaves

crown and

his face.

and hesitantly cut here and there on

tunic; he took a knife

the porker's belly.

wouldn't over-

But Trimalchio simply

memory's so bad, you can

"since your

After

fish."

I

When Agamemnon

took

"I'm the only one

who

expected that, bragging

a

a silver

tray of Co-

a close

look

at

it,

has the genuine

as usual,

he would

say that he had his bronze ware imported specially from Corinth. But he was one

how

up on me.

"If

you want

to

know

I'm the only one to possess the real Corinthian,

because the craftsman

And what

is

I

Corinthian,

buy if

it

from

is

it's

named Corinthus. made by Corin-

not something

Trimalchio's Dinner

And Fm

thus?

know very well the origin When Troy fell, Hannibal, who was a

not so dumb;

of Corinthian ware.

213

J

smart scalawag, piled up

I

the statues, gold, silver, and

all

bronze, on a great bonfire and melted them down. So they

were

all

fused together in one bronze amalgam.

metal-workers pulled out the material from

made

how

platters

and serving dishes and

this

statuettes of

Then

the

mass and it.

That's

Corinthian ware began, everything mixed up together,

neither this nor that. Pardon

me

any

didn't break so easily, I'd like

it

rate

doesn't smell. If

it

And now glass is

better than gold.

"You know,

it

if I

there

was

I

prefer glass; at

very cheap.

workman once who made an

a

He

say

Emperor Tiberius and presented his gift, and then he asked the Emperor to hand it back, and he threw it on the floor. The Emperor was in a frenzy. But he picked up the bowl; it was just dented like a brass bowl. He pulled a little hammer out of unbreakable glass bowl.

his

got in to see

pocket and calmly tapped

thought he was floating on Caesar said to him: 'Does this

kind of

glass?'

it

a cloud,

anyone

Then he the more so when know how to make

into

else

shape.

Now listen to this. He said there was no

one. *Off with his head!' ordered Caesar, remarking that

the secret

mud."

.

.

was known we'd think no more of

if

glass than of

.

[Various floor shows enliven the eating and drinking.]

A

troupe of choral singers entered, and clashed their

spears against their shields. Trimalchio raised himself his cushion,

Greek,

as

and when these Homerists recited the poetry

they do

bellow out of said:

up on

a

in their

Latin book.

"Do you know what

highflown way, he read

When

they came to

in

in a

a stop

he

the story's about? Well, there

were two brothers, Diomede and Ganymede, and they had a sister

named Helen. And Agamemnon ran away with her

2

14

^^^^

}

Romans

and

left a

tells

of the great

war between the Trojans and

Homer won, and Achilles.

Then Homer

deer in her place, to fool Diana.

married

daughter

his

So naturally Ajax went

insane.

the Grojans.

Iphigenia

But here he

to

is; he'll

explain the plot himself."

At

this the choral speakers raised a shout.

rushed about; and

a calf, boiled

was even wearing

giant presentation tray;

it

then appeared; he drew

his

crazy.

He

He

point and distributed them

slaves

a helmet.

sword, and waved

then cut up the veal,

with a broadside blow.

The

whole, was brought in on a

now

it

Ajax

about

with the edge,

as if

now

speared the chunks with the

among

the marvelling guests.

We didn't have much time to admire these elegant inventions, for

suddenly the roof began to rumble and the whole

dining-room shook.

was

I

terrified;

I

up

started

in fear that

some acrobat would fall through the roof. All the other guests stared upward in amazement, expecting some portent from heaven. But behold! Two panels of the ceiling parted and a big hoop, no doubt off a hogshead, was let down. It was all hung with golden crowns and alabaster perfume-vials. We were told to take these home as favors. I looked back

at the dinner-table.

A tray of cheese-cakes

been deposited there. In the middle stood

Priapus

a

had

made

of

pastry, supporting an apronful of fruits and grapes in his

usual vulgar way.

We

all

reached out our hands eagerly for

the dainties; then suddenly a fresh novelty again. For

if

we

made

us laugh

barely touched the cakes and fruits they

squirted out a saffron scent, the spray unpleasantly spatter-

ing our faces. Naturally saffron indicated feet

some

we

thought that the use of sacred

we

religious rite, so

sprang to our

and shouted: "Hail to the Emperor, Father of

Country!" After

this

the fruit and rolled

it

his

solemn moment some of us snatched

up

in

our napkins.

.

.

.

Trimalchio's Dinner

215

\

Trimalchio gave an imitation of a bugler, and then looked around for sus.

whom

his favorite slave,

he called Croe-

He was

This creature had bleary eyes and rotten teeth.

busy wrapping up a black, disgustingly green cloth, setting

him and trying

who was on

a half loaf of

to stuff

it

into the

fat

lap-dog in a

bread on the couch beside

mouth of the poor

the point of throwing up. Noticing

animal,

this,

Tri-

malchio ordered in Buster, "protector of house and household." Promptly an

enormous beast was led

kick from his handler persuaded him to

me

so

a chain; a

in the

much," he proclaimed. The

slave,

annoyed

floor

and sicked him on to give

at the praise

battle. Buster, in

canine

horrible barks and nearly tore

Croesus' "Little Pearl" to pieces.

enough, in the hurlyburly

whole

favorite

of Buster, set his lap-dog on the

room with

fashion, filled the

on

down. Trimal-

"nobody

chio tossed him a bit of white bread;

house loves

lie

in

a

As

if a

dog-fight weren't

chandeHer on the table was

knocked over, breaking drinking-glasses and spraying the guests with hot

oil.

Trimalchio kissed back.

The are

his favorite

not upset by the

losses,

and told him to climb on

his

slave rode his steed piggyback, slapped his shoul-

ders with his

many

To show he was

open hands, and

up?"

*

cried:

"Buck, buck,

how

Then Trimalchio calmed down and

or-

dered a big bowl of punch mixed and served out to the slaves,

who were

declines

it,

night.".

.

*

pour

sitting at it

on

our

feet.

He

added: "If anyone

his head. Business

by

day, fun

by

.

Biicca, bucca,

quot sunt hie?

A

friend of the editor's, raised in

boyhood game, in which one boy stood behind another and demanded: "Buck, buck, you lousy muck, how many Boston, recalls a

hands have

1

got up, one, two, or none?"

—a

remarkable example

of folkloric and linguistic persistence, through

across half a world.

two

millennia and

2i6

The Romans

I

[The

by

The

feast continues.

the succession

of

pretentious

quarrelsome and fights with

from slavery

overstuffed guests are revolted

to opulence.

He

Trimalchio turns

dishes.

his wife.

He

recounts

his

own

rise

develops a crying jag; and ad-

dresses a slave.]

which

"Stichus, bring out the toga

I

and bring out too the perfume and

in,

out of the big

jar, in

my

which

intend to be buried a taste of the

wine,

bones are to be washed, by

my order." Stichus dashed

an

off.

He

returned with a white sheet and

Trimalchio asked us to

official's toga.

the wool.

Then

don't

any mice or moths get

let

burned

whole

alive. I w^ant to

like the smell as well

He

*'Just

drunk brass

it,

Then

when

I'll

have you

style, so that the

he opened a flask of bit.

He

said: "I

I'm dead

as I

do when I'm

with a

all

or

hope

ordered some wine poured in the mixing-bowl.

imagine you're

All this

at

be carried off in

city will pray for me."

alive."

of

he said with a smile: "Look here, Stichus,

spikenard and anointed us I'll

feel the quality

all

guests at

my funeral,"

he

said.

now

was getting very unpleasant. Trimalchio,

as a lord,

band sent

thought of

in;

a

new

and, propped

diversion.

up on

He

ordered a

a pile of cushions,

stretched out on the couch. "I'm dead," he said.

"Now

he

say

something nice about me." The bank struck up a funeral march.

A

slave of the undertaker, that

man, blew such neighborhood.

was on

fire,

a

mighty

The

blast that he

very respectable

woke up

the whole

local fire-brigade, thinking the

suddenly crashed

in the

house

door and poured

in,

flourishing their axes and sloshing their fire-buckets in a

general tumult.

We

Agamemnon and

seized the opportunity;

dashed out

as if

we

ditched

escaping from a real

fire.

THELYPHRON'S STORY BY APULEIUS Lucius Apuleius was born about

Madaura,

a

colony of

Roman army

a.d.

125

in the

veterans in

Carthage, Athens, and finally

of

Africa,

He

studied

near the present frontier of Tunisia and Algeria. in

city

North

Rome, before

settling

in

Carthage. There he lectured on philosophy and rhetoric and public offices.

filled

A

The

date of his death

dilettante cosmopolite intellectual, he

Ass for fun.

It is

is

the only surviving example of the Latin novel,

besides Petronius' fragmentary Satyricon. storytelling,

not known.

wrote The Golden

comic

sense,

and command of

gest that Latin prose fiction

His sophisticated

stylistic effects

had already developed

its

sug-

own

forms and devices. Our translations from The Golden Ass are

by Morris Bishop.

[The

own name), is travehng He comes to the town of

narrator, Lucius (Apuleius'

in Thessaly, in northern Greece.

Hypata and

visits a

kinswoman, Byrrhaena. She

invites

him

to

supper.]

FOUND

I

there a

creme of

The

number of

society, as

tables glittered

guests, indeed the crenie de la

Byrrhaena was the town's

first

lady.

with inlaid citron-wood and ivory, the

couches were spread with cloth of gold; the wide cups,

though

all

different,

were

all

equally rich and pretentious.

Here stood

a

less crystal,

and table-settings of bright

goblet daintily engraved, and another of flawsilver

and gold, and

hollowed-out amber, and precious stones cut to make drinking-vessels, possible.

A

and everything you would hardly have believed

number of

waiters in fine liveries deftly served

the bountiful dishes; and curly-headed pages, handsomely

costumed, plied us with old wine

in cups,

each made of

a

2i8

Tlie

^

Romans were brought

single precious stone. Lights

was

hubbub of

a noisy

jokes,

talk,

with shouts of laughter, risque

and familiar mockeries.

Byrrhaena turned to me, saying: "And our town? In

my

how do you

opinion, we're ahead of

them

all

temples, baths, and suchlike, and our table-ware

The

famous.

rentier

in

like

our

quite

is

not troubled; the businessman finds

is

crowds of customers, almost

man

room

the

in;

Rome; and

as in

enjoys rural peace. In fact,

we

the average

are the pleasure-resort

of the whole province." I

"You

replied:

my

self freer in

terrified

by

are quite right.

actions than

the dark, evil dens

I

I

myBut I am

have never found

have been here.

where magic

lurks.

For they

say that not even the tombs of the dead are inviolate, but

ghouls ransack the graves and pyres for scraps and

slices

of

the deceased, to use for malignant spells against the living.

And

as

soon

in a flash to

as the

do

old witches hear of a funeral they

their dirty

work

before the body

is

come

laid in

the grave."

At

this

another guest spoke up: "That

tion his

name

is

quite true.

And

— —who had such an experience and ended up

even the living are not safe.

I

know

a

man

I

won't men-

with a dreadfully mutilated face."

Thereat

They

all

the guests burst into

turned to look

in a corner.

He was

at

an individual

as if

tell

your

my dear Thelyphron, sit still a

story, so that Lucius, dear boy,

have the pleasure of hearing the thrilling

He

replied:

tale."

"You, dear lady, are always kind and gra-

cious; but the insolence of

dured."

sitting alone

determined to walk out. But

Byrrhaena said: "Now, now,

may

who was

laughter.

embarrassed bv the attention paid him;

he muttered angrily

while, be nice and

unmannerly

He was

obviously

some people

much

is

not to be en-

agitated; but

Byrrhaena

Thelyphron's Story persisted,

urged him for

persuaded him, despite

own

mind

219

J

to speak,

and

his reluctance, to tell his story.

He

his

ease of

plucked together the couch-covers, rested

his

elbow on

them, sat up straight, thrust out his right hand, and in

and fourth fingers while

oratorical style curled in the third

extending the others upward, with the

He

ing pose.

thumb

in threaten-

began:

When I was a young man I went from Miletus to see the Olympic games; and saly

I

came

my

traveled in an evil

all

wanted

as I

through

hour to

Larissa.

to see the sights of Thes-

famous province,

this

Now in my peregrinations

funds had run rather low and

my

remedy for the forum a

tall

Then

poverty.

I

old man, standing

ing in a loud voice that

this?

all

Do

noticed in the middle of

on

a stone

and proclaim-

anyone would stand guard over a

if

dead

"Better keep your

green and

was looking for some

I

dead body he would be well paid.

"What's

until I

men

mouth

a stranger here.

fly

I

said to a bystander:

away in

this

town?"

shut!" said he. "You're very

You

don't realize you're in

Thessaly, where the witches bite off the faces of the dead, to use as material for their black arts."

"Tell me,

my friend,"

said

I,

"what

this

corpse-guarding

consists of."

"Well," said he, all

night;

"first

you must hold

you must keep your eyes

a

very sharp watch

fixed

and unwinking,

never looking or even glancing aside; for these horrid witches can turn themselves into whatever animal they choose, so that they can easily cheat the very eye of the sun

or of Justice

or mice, even of sleep with their

these

wicked

They can take the form flics. Then they will put

of birds or dogs

itself.

unholy charms.

women will

No one

the watchers to

can

tell

what

contrive to satisfy their evil

tricks lusts.

2

20

The Romans

I

And

yet the pay offered for this dangerous job

than four to

gold pieces.

six

almost forgotten

—

sound and whole cut

Oh

his

When

in the

own

one thing

I

I

morning, and

if

any

bits

had

body

have been

made

face, to provide replacements."

heard

this

watchman. What do

I

my

plucked up

nerve and went up to

I

I

"I'm your

said.

get?"

thousand sesterces," said he. "You'll get your pay.

But look the

no more

the guard does not turn over the

the crier. "Stop the announcement!"

"A

is

is

he must suffer the same amputations to be

off,

from

if

yes, there

here,

young man, you must very

body from

the evil harpies.

one of our leading

man.

deceased

is

the son of

citizens."

"Stop your nonsense," said original iron

The

carefully protect

I

I.

"Don't you worry. I'm the

never sleep. I'm

all

eyes;

I

can see better

than lynx-eyed Lynceus or hundred-eyed Argus."

Immediately then the crier took

As

me

the main doors were shut he brought

entrance.

Then he summoned me

the shutters closed.

and dressed "This

man

He

in a black

to a certain house.

me

back

to a small

room, with

into a dark

me a matron, in tears, He went up to her and said:

indicated to

gown.

has undertaken to keep faithful vigil over

your

husband." She thrust aside the mass of hair hanging down, revealing a face lovely even in

and down;

all

its

grief.

she said was: "See that

She looked

me up

you do your duty

with the utmost vigilance."

"Put your mind a little

at ease," said

I,

"especially

if

you pay me

extra." She agreed; and then rose and led

another room. There lay the body wrapped in sheets.

Then

ered the

seven witnesses were brought

body and wept some time over

in. it.

me

into

snowy

She uncov-

Then

she

pointed meticulously to the features, and called the seven to attest a

memorandum, which one

down. "Here

is

of them carefully wrote

the nose, entire," she said, "the eves un-

Thelyphron's Story touched, the ears complete, the

Aly good

lips perfect,

citizens, take careful note."

221

^

the chin whole.

This was

all

recorded

and signed by the witnesses. "iMadam," said for

I,

"please order

all

the things necessary

my vigil."

"And what

"A

are they?" said she.

big lamp, and

wine-jugs and

warm

enough

oil

to last

till

morning, and

water, and a cup, and a dish of left-

overs from your dinner."

She shook her head. "Get out, you fool!" she

said.

"You

ask for a dinner, or leftovers, in a house of mourning,

where for many days not even

a fire has

been

Do you

lit!

you have come here for a party? Why don't you weep and wail, suitably to the circumstances?" But while think

saying this she caught the eye of a servant-girl. "iMyrrhine!" she said; "Fetch a lamp and leave the

So

I

room and lock

was

in the

oil

watcher."

alone to bear the corpse

left

right away, then

company.

I

rubbed

my eyes to keep them ready for the watch, and roused up my spirits by singing. Twilight fell, and night grew darker and darker,

till

came pitch-black midnight. Well,

more and more nervous,

I

Then suddenly a me and stared

admit.

crept in and stopped in front of

was

I

got

weasel at

me

by the audacity of such a tiny creature; so finally I said: "Get out, you filthy beast! Go and hide among your fellows, the rats, before you feel the weight of my hand! Get out!" It turned and ran, and left the room empty. And then I was plunged into the deepest abyss of sleep, so that Apollo himself could hardly have told which of the two recumbent bodies was the more dead. I lay unconfixedly.

scious,

I

needing

been there

But

really disturbed

at

at

a

guard myself;

I

might

as

well not have

all.

length the crowing cocks announced the end of

2

22

The Romans

I

night.

lamp

woke, and gripped by terror

I

in hand.

I

pulled back the winding-sheet and exam-

ined the features.

Then

ran to the body,

I

They were

all

intact!

the wretched wife entered, weeping and agitated,

with the witnesses of the previous day. She threw herself

on the corpse and inspected

it

kissed

it

long and ardently.

with the lamp and found

it

Then

she

whole. She turned

back and summoned her steward, Philodespotus; she ordered him to pay the faithful guard

Thereupon she said: "I thank you heartily, young man; and, I swear, you have been so scrupulous that I'll consider you henceforth as one of the family." I was standing there beaming with joy at

my

his fee.

unexpected windfall and caressing the shining gold

pieces incredulously.

Madam, consider ever you desire my

replied: "Indeed,

I

me your most humble servant; and if command me in all confidence."

services,

This was a blunder.

I

had no sooner uttered these equivo-

words than the servant corps, shocked at the suggestion, at me with the weapons nature had given them. One punched my face, another poked my back wdth his elbows,

cal

rushed

others slapped

my

clothes.

my sides, kicked me,

So

I

pulled

was mishandled

Adonis or Orpheus, the Muses' bard, and

my hair and tore haughty young

like I

was driven from

the house in sad disarray. I

fled to a

nearby square to recover

recalled, too late, I

my

my

spirits;

and

I

unconsidered, ill-omened words, and

judged myself worthy of even

a

worse beating than

I

had

received.

Now the dead man, tations, citizens,

was brought

after the proper tributes

As he was one of through the forum

forth.

he was carried

and lamen-

the prominent in a

pompous

funeral procession, according to the local custom.

Then an

old man, dressed in mourning, weeping bitterly

Thelyphron's Story

and tearing

his

venerable gray hair, clasped the coffin in his

arms, and cried in a strangling voice, broken

pray you,

citizens, for the sake

justice, halt the

that

its

by

sobs:

"I

of your honor and civic

interment of our dead companion, and

sternly avenge a horrible crime,

woman,

223

J

by punishing

that

wicked

author! For she alone, and none other, poisoned

wretched young man,

my

sister's son, to facilitate

her

man

cry

adultery and obtain his estate!"

Thus

did the old

his grievous accusations into the ears of each and

all.

roused the anger of the crowd, swayed by the mere

hood of the deed

to believe in the crime.

Men cried

He

likeli-

out that

the wife should be stoned and burned; they urged the street

urchins to begin the massacre. But she, with feigned tears

and great

oaths, called all the

gods to witness that she was

innocent of any such crime.

Then

said the old

man: "Let us entrust the determina-

tion of the truth to divine providence.

the Egyptian,

of soothsayers,

first

Here

who

stands Zatchlas

long since made a

pact with me, for a great fee, to bring back this man's soul briefly from the lower world, and reanimate his body when beyond death's threshold." Thereupon he thrust forth a young man with a shaven head, wearing a linen gown and

palm-leaf sandals.

and embraced

The

old

his knees.

"Have mercy! By

man

kissed his hands fervently

"Have mercy,

O

the stars in heaven,

priest!" he said.

by

the infernal

powers, by the elements of nature, by the night's silence,

by

by the rise and fall of the Nile, by Memphis, by the sacred rattles of Isis, recall

the Coptic temples,

the secrets of

the dead

man

briefly to

broad day, and pour a

little

light

upon his eyes, forever to be closed. We do not defy fate, nor do we deny to earth its due; we beg only a moment of life,

that he

done."

may

have the satisfaction of seeing justice

"

2

24

The Romans

I

The

dead man's to the east

and another on

lips

and made

The crowd,

sun.

placed a certain small herb on the

seer, thus adjured,

Then

his breast.

he turned

prayer to the glorious rising

a silent

spellbound by

his

solemn performance,

awaited the promised miracle. I infiltrated

behind the

The

the throng and, standing

bier,

on

watched everything with eager

I

interest.

corpse's breast heaved, blood began to run in the veins,

and breath

stirred the

"Why

spoke: fleeting

cup and

The dead youth sat up and me back to the duties of this

body.

do you

when

life,

call

have already drunk from the Lethean

I

on the Stygian marsh-waters? Cease,

floated

you; cease; and leave

me

to

"Why

angrily, cried out:

Why

I

beg

my rest!

These were the corpse's words. But the

you

a large stone

do you not

tell

seer,

somewhat

the people

all?

do you not reveal the secret of your death? Don't

realize that I

can

up

call

torture your tired limbs?"

head from the bed, uttered throng: "I perished wife; poisoned

by

by the

her,

I

the Furies

Then a

by

my

spells,

and

the figure again raised

its

deep groan and addressed the

evil arts

surrendered

my newly wedded my bed, still warm, to

of

an adulterer."

Then

this

admirable wife collected her wits and denied

his charges, arguing violently and sacrilegiously.

cited populace

The

ex-

were of two minds; some proposed burying

the wicked

woman

trust in the

presumed

alive lies

with her husband; others put no of the dead man. But the

young

man's next words extinguished doubt. Heaving another

deep groan, he

said:

absolute truth;

shall reveal to

hitherto tinued: close

I

known." He pointed

"When

you evidence of the you what no man has ever

"I shall give

this clever

his finger at

guard of

my

me, and con-

body was keeping

watch over me, the old witches hovered near

to

Thelyphron's Story

They took on

despoil me. baffled

him

by

in a

strange forms, in vain; they were

the sharp watch he kept.

called

Then they wrapped

me by name; and my drugged

members struggled

And when

limbs and

magic command.

to respond to the

he too, though alive and merely dead to the

same name

Thelyphron, the name called—which —he answered unconsciously the sum-

my

world, heard

as his

is

to

mons, and walked obediently

in a trance, like a ghost.

though the door of the room was nose and then

his ears.

tended for me.

And

Thus he

suffered a butchery in-

artificial

wax

that had been cut off,

and

up

reward for

When felt

heard I

they

me, pointing

ears exactly like those

a nose, a perfect

my

I

my

nose;

it

to the ground.

through the crowd and made

my

forced

I

escape.

And

butt of mockery, to at the sides to

my

fathers'

home.

I

a general

my hair grow my ears, and I

I let

hide the stumps of

my shameful nose

my way

afterwards

could not bring myself to return, helpless and

long

tested

came off in my hand. I Everyone was staring me, or nodding *'I told you so!" and

fell

at

froze with horror.

roaring with laughter. In a cold sweat

decently covered

copy of

work."

this I

clutched at

my ears;

built

the poor fellow has only mutilation as

his night's

I

condition.

at

now

first his

to disguise the consequences of their

crime they modelled

own. So

And

carefully locked, the

witches entered through some tiny hole and cut off

his

225

cloud of sleep, making him totally unconscious.

Then they cold

J

with

this

adhesive hnen

patch.

As soon

now

far

as

gone

Thelyphron had in

told his story,

wine, laughed heartily.

.

.

.

all

the party,

THE STORY OF THE GENTLEWOMAN

I

BY APULEIUS This story from The Golden Ass, has been translated

[Lucius, the narrator,

He becomes

preceding one,

is

|

turned by black magic into an

ass.

the burden-bearer of a band of robbers, with their

headquarters in

THE

like the

by Morris Bishop.

a cave.]

THIEVES returned to the cave, downcast and

dis-

They carried no bundles of booty, not even a common cloak. They had taken nothing by the craft and tressed.

violence of the W'hole robber band except one poor

girl,

w^ho seemed by her dress to be a gentlewoman, even of the ruling class of the region. She

was such

could rouse the emotions even of an

her in w^eeping and tearing at her hair the cave, they tried to calm her

and honor are quite take our profit. this business.

It's

safe. Just

a girl,

I

swear, as

The men brought and clothes. Once in

ass.

down, saying: "Your

life

we

can

be patient a while

till

poverty and need that have driven us to

Y'our parents are stingy indeed, but they will

soon loosen their hold on their

piles of

money and pay

a

proper ransom for their dear daughter."

But such cajolements did nothing to banish the

girl's

down and

w^ept

and wept. The robbers summoned the old w^oman,

their

distress.

Far from

it!

She bowed her head

cook, and ordered her to

sit

into sense as far as possible.

The

down by the girl and talk her Then they went off on their

would not be distracted from her grieving by any words of the old woman, but, screaming usual business.

girl

*

The Story

Gentlewoman

of the

and racking her breast with sobs, she made even

"Oh, how unhappy

I

am!" she

cried.

me

"To have

227

J

weep.

lost

my

home, my family, my loving slaves, my pious parents! And now I am the prey of kidnappers, a mere piece of property! And Tm shut in this stone prison like a slave, with none of the comforts I was born and bred to! I don't know what will become of me. Among these bloody butchers, these thieves and horrid assassins, how can I cease to weep, how can

I

hope to live?"

Thus

worn out with

did she lament; and

grief,

with

screaming, and with bodily exhaustion, she closed her

drooping eyes

in sleep.

But

after

suddenly awoke and sprang up

began to

afflict

breast cruelly

pressed her to

She heaved

herself even

more

tell

face.

the reason for this

new

The

is

nothing

Now there

left for

me

old

woman

access of grief.

deep sigh and replied: "Alas,

a

There

woman, and

violently, beating her

and smiting her lovely

certainly and surely destroyed!

for me.

only a brief repose she

like a frantic

is

now

I

am

no more hope

but a rope, or a sword,

or a precipice!"

This

irritated the old

woman, who turned

a scowling

what new misfortune she moment's doze, she had started squalling and bawling again. "No doubt you think you can cheat my boys out of their just fee for your ransom," she said. "If you keep this up, I'll have you face to the girl and bade her

was bewailing, and why,

burned

alive. Little

tell

after a

the robbers care for those tears."

by these words, the girl kissed the old woman's hands. "Pardon me, good mother!" she said. "Wait a little, and show some human pity for my sad case. For surely Terrified

sympathy is not dead in you, with your long experience and your reverend gray hairs. Let me sketch to you my misfortunes. My betrothed is a handsome youth, outstand-

2

28

The Romans

I

among

ing

whole

all

city,

companions.

his

and

my

He

the darling of the

is

cousin, three years older than

We

I.

were brought up together from babyhood, lodged in the same room, even in the same bed, and were pledged to one another by mutual affection. He was destined legally by formal engagement to be

my

husband; the contract was

already recorded with parental consent.

came; the

relatives

The wedding day

and guests crowded the temples and

public buildings and offered sacrifices.

Our house was hung

with laurel and illumined with torches, while the wedding songs were sung. iMy mother took

me

me on

her lap, dressing

decently in nuptial finery, and covered

eyed

kisses as she confided her heartfelt

me

with hon-

hopes for children

to come.

"And

then suddenly a band of savage-looking armed

drawn swords on murder or robbery.

cutthroats burst

not intent

invaded

in,

in hand!

In a

But they were

compact mass they

my bedroom. None of our servants fought back,

or

even made a show of resistance.

was snatched, almost unconscious with

"I

my of

mother's embrace.

Hippodamia and

The wedding was

Protesilaus.

terror,

from

ruined, like that

And now my woes

are

renewed and redoubled by an ugly dream. I seemed to be dragged from my home, my room, my bed. I was violently cast in trackless wastes, where I called on the name of my luckless husband; and he, torn from my arms, robbed of his bride

when he was

still

fresh with ceremonial ointments

and crowned with garlands, followed

my

ravishers.

He

me by

the tracks of

raised a shout that his lovely wife

being stolen

awav and

the robbers,

annoyed

called people to his aid.

at his pursuit,

from the ground and threw

it

at

picked up

my

was

But one of a

big stone

poor husband and

The Story

by

killed him. Terrified

ing from

The

this horrible sight, I

229

J

woke shudder-

my evil sleep." woman

old

"Cheer up,

recital.

Gentlewoman

of the

be frightened

by

sighed sympathetically at the tearful

my

lady," she said. "Don't let yourself

the vain images of dreams. Visions seen in

broad daylight are often to be reckoned

just

false,

as

night's visions very often present the contrary of the truth.

Thus

tears

foretell

ing,

and beatings and even murders

money and good

luck; w^hereas to

in

dreams often

dream of laugh-

guzzling honey-cakes, or enjoying the delights of

Venus often portends

despair of mind, weakness of body,

and other misfortunes. Let

me

distract

you with

a pretty

story, an old wives' tale."

[The old

woman

recounts at length the idyll of Cupid and

Psyche. ]

Now the robbers returned, loaded wdth the spoil of some Some

great foray.

of them, the most enterprising, had been

wounded. These were

The

our cavern-home to recover.

left in

were eager

others

to return to another cave

they had deposited the rest of their hasty meal, then hauled

with

many

me

loot.

out with

my

They

up

hill

and down

arrived, exhausted, at the cave.

They

snatched a

friend the horse,

blows, to carry back the booty.

us ahead and drove us

where

till

They clubbed at nightfall we

loaded us with heavy

packs, giving us no time to rest, and brought us back in a

great hurry, beating

me and

knocked me down on

raising

a stone

redoubled their blows to get right leg to

and

left foot.

go on feeding

now?" And

this

another:

One

said:

crippled

"You

by

me ass,

said

many

a weal;

the wayside. up, w^ounding

"How

they even

Then they me in the

long are

we

going

who has even gone He brought bad

it!

lame luck

230

The Romans

I

We

made a good haul since he arrived; weVe had nothing but wounds and the loss of our best men." Then said a third: "As soon as he gets home with his with him.

haven't

load, if he ever does, I'm

going to pitch him over the

cliff

to

feed the vultures."

While

these sweet fellows

my

ner of

death,

we

were arguing about the man-

reached home; fear had equipped

my

We were quickly unloaded; no attenwas paid to our needs, and even the question of my murder was dropped. They ordered out the wounded who hooves with wings.

tion

had remained behind and went back to fetch the remainder of the spoil, since, they said, the horse and

Now a very considerable question

them.

I

merely delayed

presented

itself to

my mind, in contemplation of my threatened decease, and I said to myself: "Why are you standing there, Lucius? Are you waiting death, it

for something to turn up? Death, a very ugly

nearby

cliff,

jagged

flints,

the robbers' decree.

and the sharp rocks

And

the duties of an

ass,

but not an

man's courage, and look to

Are you

already half dead? kick, even with

Ho!

question!

gladly

So

I

ass's

Why

thick hide

—

just a skin

you summon up a your salvation when you can? don't

have your best chance to escape, while the rob-

bers are absent.

flee to?

with their

will impale

tender as that of a leech.

Now you

at the foot

you when you reach botmarvellous magic has given you the look and

which

tom? For that

as

by

in the offing for you,

is

won't cause them any great trouble. Can't you see that

A

What

You

afraid of

could

your lame silly

your guardian, an old hag

finish her off

leg.

with one good

But what rescuers can you

question indeed, a properly asinine

traveler, seeing

an

ass

running

loose,

won't

mount him?" gave a sudden jerk to

loose; and

I

took off

my

at full speed.

halter rope

But

I

and pulled

it

couldn't dodge the

The Story vigilance of the

Gentlewoman

When

hawk-eyed old woman.

freed she grabbed

upon me

was

I

that

mighty kick with

2 3.1

|

she

saw me

my rope with an energy sm-prising in

of her sex and age. designs

of the

I

my

But although she lay

one

so conscious of the robbers' grim

showed her no pity; I let her have a two hind feet and brought her low.

flat

she clung resolutely to

my

rope

and was dragged along for some distance; and she began to yell for help

from some stronger hands. But she shouted

and screamed in vain; there was no one there

who

come

She ran up

to her aid, excepting only the captive girl.

outcry and saw, by Hercules, a rare dramatic sight

at the

—an

could

aged Dirce dragged not by a bull but by an

ass.

She plucked up her courage and dared a noble deed worthy of a man. She pulled hands, called to

my

my

halter-rope

from the old woman's

me with soothing words, jumped lightly on me again into a run. Impelled by my

back, and urged

own and

eagerness to escape and also influenced

my flanks,

I

by

by

my

attained a speed to

my own

back,

I

I

my

that of a race-horse,

tried to

And sometimes,

bent round

which she belabored

match

hardly touching the ground; and to her sweet words.

zeal to rescue the girl,

the kicks with

bray an answer

under color of nipping

head and kissed her pretty

feet.

Then

"O

tion.

perils;

she heaved a deep sigh and gazed aloft in supplica-

gods above, deliver me,

I

pray, from

my

present

and do thou, cruel Fortune, abate thy rage; surely

my sufferings. And you, dear my liberty and safety, if you bring me my parents and to my beautiful spouse, what

thou hast been appeased by

donkey, guardian of

unharmed

to

thanks will

I

what dinners

give you, with will

I

what honors

bring you! First

properly curried and adorned with

and

I

will

I

will

my

crown you, have your mane

will

I

girlhood necklaces,

have your forelock curled and neatly parted, and

232 I

The Romans

I

wash and comb the

will

and horrid, and

I'll

your

hairs of

kling like stars in the sky, and

you

will

march

I'll

my

feed

and sweeties

And

in

apron;

silk

have honor and glory. For

will

commemoration of of providence.

my

present

my

in

my

well,

pre-

food and no work you

make

a perpetual

good fortune and the favor

home. Everyone

and will hear the story, which

it

you

shall

I

triumph

in

our present

shall dedicate a picture of

I

escape in the atrium of see

I'll

in addition to plenty of

so clotted

balls, spar-

bring you almonds

the great festivals, and every day

server.

now

tail,

bespangle you with golden

may

come

will

be simple, but

to it

of the

by many a learned scholar as 'The Escape Royal Virgin on Ass-Back.' You will be numbered

among

the ancient miracles; your example will attest the

will be recorded

truth of Phrixus' rescue

from drowning by

a ram, of

Arion's ride on a dolphin, of Europa's career on a bull. if it is

true that Jupiter bellowed in bull's form,

And

maybe

in

my donkey is concealed the figure of a man or a god." Thus

the girl

with prayers.

maundered came then

We

my halter

pulled at

and

which was the route

tried

on, mingling sighs and sobs

to a parting of the road. She

hard to guide

to her parents'

that the robbers had

gone

home. But

way

that

remainder of their booty, and

I

mentally protested: "Wretched

girl,

Why

are

me, while

you hurrying I

ance.

me

too!"

at

was aware back the

resisted vigorously

and

You

are going to destroy in opposite direc-

lawyers disputing a property case, or an inherit-

Then suddenly

some

I

to bring

Thus we pointed there before us

loaded with their ill-gotten gains!

with

to the right,

what are you doing? your doom? Why try to force

stand firm and fixed?

yourself, and tions, like

to

me

They

were the

thieves,

caught sight of us

distance in the bright moonlight and greeted us

evil laughter.

"Whither away

in

such a hurry?" one

The Story shouted. "Aren't fly

by

a call

you

of the

Gentlewoman

afraid of the ghosts

233

J

and ghouls that

My virtuous young lady, were you off to pay

night?

on your parents? You need protection, all alone like you an escort and show you the best road

that; we'll give

home!" Another

seized

me by

me

the halter and turned

around, without sparing blows with a knotty stick he was carrying. Thus, heading back toward

my

looming

fate, I

remembered my injured foot and began to limp and bob my head. But the man who held my halter said: **Oho! Now you're stumbling and staggering, are you? Your sore run away

feet could

all

right,

and

now

A

they can't walk!

minute ago you were beating winged Pegasus for speed!"

The

jolly joker thus exercised his wit,

with

his stick.

Thus we

And

there

while pounding

me

arrived at the defenses of the robbers' roost.

from

a

branch of

a tall cypress tree the old

in a noose! They cut her down on the spot, up with the suicidal rope, and tossed her over the cliff. Then they bound the girl fast, and attacked with savage gusto the dinner which the poor old woman had so faithfully prepared for posthumous consumption.

w^oman hung tied her

When

they had greedily devoured

they

all,

set to a

discussion of the proper punishment for our misbehavior.

There

w^ere various opinions, naturally enough, in such a

headstrong company.

One was

mended all

ceeded

on

a gibbet; a fourth

flaying her alive, with special tortures.

agreed unanimously on her death. in

girl

recom-

At

Then one

least

suc-

dominating the discussion, and thus began in

my own

a

would not be

fitting to the

nor to the humanity of us

as individuals,

cool ponderous manner: "It rules of our Order,

nor to

burning the

second proposed throwing her to the wild beasts; a

alive; a

third advocated hanging her

they

in favor of

unworthiness, to impose a penalty dispro-

2

34

The Romans

i

*

portionate to the crime, and to have recourse to

my

counsel:

but only according to her

just de-

abridgment of her punishment. Listen then to girl

her

You have

serts.

cruci-

exposure to wild beasts, or to any indecent

fixion, torture,

grant the

fire,

life,

not forgotten the decree of death you have

already imposed upon this

gluttonous appetite.

He

is

ass,

always a shirker, but of

also an equivocator;

though he

pretends to be lame he has been the agent and accomplice of the his

girl's escape. I

recommend

tomorrow

therefore that

throat be cut, that his vitals be removed, and that to

them the —whom he has preferred —be stripped naked and sewn

replace

pany

girl

to our

com-

into his skin in such

manner that only her head shall emerge, but the rest of her body be contained within the beast. Then let us expose the ass, with his human stuffing, on some jagged rock, and present him to the burning beams of the sun. Thus both of them will suffer all the penal retribution which you have so justly proposed.

The

ass will

cution; the girl will be

undergo

well-merited exe-

his

mangled by wild

and de-

beasts fire,

when

the

sun's heat roasts her in the beast's belly; she will

know

the

voured by worms; she will be tortured by gibbet's punishments,

when dogs and

entrails. Reflect, I beg,

tions.

She will

vultures tear at her

on her other torments and

inhabit, living, the

body of

a

dead

tribula-

beast.

The

heat will torture her with an intolerable stink. She will

waste

away with unappeasable hunger. Nor can

she find

any quicker death by her own agency, for her hands

will

be bound fast."

The

robbers acclaimed these words with whole-hearted

applause and general stamping. great cars, and

I

I

took

it

all

in

bewailed inwardly the corpse

with I

my

would

become next day. [A robber who had been with news of the

city.]

separated from the band returns,

The Story

The newcomer

These, he

his coat-lining.

from the possession of

extricated

Gentlewoman

honesty, as he put

it,

He

treasury.

said,

which he had

and

several travelers,

235

J

pulled out a thousand gold pieces,

he had sewn into

common

of the

in all

he was contributing them to the then inquired solicitously about the

welfare of the company.

He was

informed that a number

of the companions had met their death, though very gallantly, in various valiant enterprises.

He recommended

that

all

forays should be suspended for a time and the highways

be

left in peace,

and that rather

the recruitment of

efforts should

all

new comrades

be bent to

in arms, that

by

the

enlistment of likely youths the martial band might be

brought up to

might be

full strength.

He

terrified into joining

judged that the unwilling

and that the willing might be

profit. A good many, he said, would renounce the humble life of a slave, preferring to join a comity where all were as mighty as kings. He had himself happened to encounter a tall young man, big-bod-

encouraged by the promise of

ied

and ready with

and had

at

had long

his fists.

his

had argued with the youth

length persuaded him to use his strength, which

lain idle, for a better purpose, to enjoy,

he might, the benefits of out

He

hand for

a

his vigor,

while

still

and instead of holding

beggarly pittance, to appropriate gold to

his desire.

All agreed with these proposals.

who had

They

voted that the

man

already been interviewed be recruited and that

others be sounded out, to

fill

out the cadre.

member went out and reappeared promised, with a

tall,

The

e\en enormous young man.

dwarfed the whole band, overtopping them by surpassing

all in

beard covered

returned

shortly after, as he had

a

breadth of shoulder, though only

his checks.

He

head and a

downy

But he was dressed in rags and

patches clumsily sewn together, gaping to reveal his broad breast and hard belly.

236

The Romans

I

"Hail!" said the youth on entering. "Hail, associates of

now my

the mighty god Mars, and

arms! Receive willingly, recruit.

will risk

I

hand; and

I'll

take

my

quality

by

my

body

for

money

in

me

a dead-beat beggar, don't

I

was captain of

I

laid

waste

all

a

my

.Macedonia.

judge

powerful I

am

famous bandit Haemus the Thracian, whose name terror of a

in

chances of death, which others fear

these rags.

company, with which

comrades

pray you, a willing and vigorous

wounds on

so much. Don't think

my

I

faithful

is

whole province. Aly father was Theron,

very eminent brigand.

I

that

the

also a

was suckled on human blood and

educated by the robber bands to be the heir and emulator

my

of

father's merits.

powerful cohort and

But

some two hundred gold ble.

But

let

me

tell

of

my

few brief hours. mounted an attack on a functionary, who had tucked away

all its

rich stores in a

For without the gods' favor captain, an imperial

command

the

lost

I

I

pieces and had then got into trou-

the story

from the beginning.

"In Caesar's court there was a certain distinguished and

honored man, holding many

Emperor

himself.

and respected by the

posts,

But envious

rivals

cunningly fabricated

accusations and brought about his banishment. His wife

was

Plotina, a

who had

woman

of rare fidelity and singular virtue,

contributed ten children to her husband's house-

hold. She scorned and rejected

all

the charms of

Roman

luxury, shared her spouse's exile and disgrace, cut her hair

and put on men's clothes, strapped on

a

money-belt

filled

with gold and her most precious jewels, and thus fearlessly passed through the cordon of guards with their

swords. She shared

all

lantly over his safety,

truly

manly

spirit.

drawn

her husband's dangers, watched vigi-

and endured

many

hardships with a

Now after many long and

derings and terrors and sufferings

by

difficult

wan-

sea he neared the

The Story which an

island of Zacynthus,

of the

Gentlewoman

evil fate

J

237

had designated

as his

temporary sojourn. The party arrived Actium, where

we were

They disembarked

at the seacoast

of

operating after leaving Macedonia. night and took refuge in a tav-

late at

erna near the ship, and there they slept, to escape the sea's tossing.

things;

made

we broke in and made a clean sweep of and really we were in no small danger before we Well,

For the matron heard the

off.

first

squeak of the door;

bedroom and gave a general alarm with her up the armed guards and the servants, each by name, and brought the neighbors in on the

she ran into the

screams. She roused calling

man of us looked to his own welfare and faded away, but it was only by good luck I must give that we all escaped. Then this saintly woman

run. Being outnumbered, every

her her due

—being

—

totally

devoted to her husband and

universally esteemed for her character, divine

power of

to court of her

ment of our

made

Caesar; and she obtained the

appeal to the

prompt return

husband and the assurance of

full

punish-

aggression. In short, Caesar willed that

mus' fraternity should cease to

exist;

and

it

Hae-

very quickly

Such is the power of Great Caesar's nod! My company was hunted down by detachments of the military,

collapsed.

cut up and destroyed. "I alone stole

of

hell,

and

away and barely escaped the yawning jaws manner. I put on a woman's flowered

in this

with a close-woven coif on

my

my feet those white slippers women wear;

and

dress falling in loose folds,

head, and on

thus lightly costumed and hidden under the aspect of the

weaker sex

I

mounted an

passed through

through

a

line

ass

of hostile soldiers; they

me

freely, thinking

cheeks were not disavow

still

my

hairless

loaded with barley-sheaves.

and

father's

just a donkey-girl,

in a

me

for

my

boyish bloom. But

glory or

my own

I

let

I

did

manliness.

238

The Romans

I

though

admit

I

I

was nervous among

my

swords. Protected by

disguise,

houses and fortified manors a little

At

he cut open part of

two thousand gold

And

I

entrance

if

you

me.

will accept

before long to wall this stony

him

my

your corpora-

fee, to

your hon-

offer myself freely as candidate for

orable captaincy,

On

ragged dress and poured

his

pieces. *'Here," he said, "is

my

contribution, or better tion.

and scraped together

alone,

travel-money."

this

forth

all

drawn

those

all

invaded country-

I

home with

And

I

propose

gold."

the spot, with a unanimous vote, the robbers elected

captain.

They draped him

in a magnificent

which had concealed

replace the rags

transmogrified, he saluted each and

robe to

Thus

his wealth.

all

with

a kiss, then

took the high seat

at the

head of the table and commenced

round of

Then

the talk turned on the

healths.

man's escape and

my service as her transport. The new

cap-

tain learned of the horrid death projected for us both.

inquired

where she was

held.

am

not so unreasonable or so rash

decisions; but I

I

would

feel a

should conceal from you

by concern

for

sniff,

and

said:

oppose your

as to

twinge of guilty conscience

my own

your welfare.

if

conviction as to the

best course to follow. Please believe that solely

He

Being led to the spot and

seeing her fast bound, he turned aside with a "I

a

young wo-

If

I

my

am animated proposal does

not meet with your approval, you can always return to the ass-immolation project.

I

judge that thieves,

sensible, should prize profit above

venge, which

is

so likely to misfire

persons. Consider therefore that

ass-implantation, tion of

all,

you

will reap

your own resentment.

her to some city and there

if

no I

if

they are

especially above re-

and injure the wrong

you destroy

this girl

by

profit except the satisfac-

propose therefore to take

sell her.

For

this girl, so

young

I

The Story and tender, would bring

of the

Gentlewoman

a high price. I

239

J

have some very

good friends in the pimping line; one of them, I am sure, will pay very dear for this girl and put her in a high-class brothel; you can be sure she won't run away from him. When she is working in his bawdy-house you will have vengeance aplenty on her.

my

have stated

I

honest and

sincere opinion as to the profitable course; but naturally

you are free to decide about your own property." Thus that excellent robber, pleading the interests of the treasury, pled our own case and loomed as savior to the maiden and her ass. The others deliberated for a long time, keeping

my heart and soul in torture. Finally they rallied to

the opinion of the new-recruited thief, and loosed the

maiden from her youth and heard

But when she looked

shackles.

his talk of brothels

to laugh very gayly; so that alike

with loathing, to see a

and pimps, she began

justly regarded

I

girl, after

at the

all

women

pretending love for a

young suitor and desire for a chaste marriage, suddenly show pleasure at the idea of a foul and filthy brothel! Indeed, the entire female sex and its morals stood condemned in

my —of course

asinine

—view.

The young man made a further suggestion. "Why not supplication to Comrade Mars and at the same time see about selling the girl and recruiting new members? Apparently we have here no proper beasts for sacrifice or make

even

sufficient drinkable wine.

me, enough for

back

a

me

So

detail ten

to take to the next

companions for

town, and

proper feast for priests of A4ars." Thus

tion started off,

and the others

built a great fire

I'll

his

bring

expedi-

and an

altar

of green turfs in honor of Mars.

Not long

after

they returned, carrying wine-skins and

driving a herd of beasts with a big

many

curses.

They

picked out

ram, old and hairy, and sacrificed him to Mars, their

240 aide

The Romans

I

and comrade. They then prepared

The newcomer

declared:

"You ought

a noble banquet.

to consider

me

not

only captain of our expeditions and robberies, but also leader of your diversions."

Taking the

ized everything most efficiently.

meat and served

he organ-

elegantly; but chiefly he kept everyone's

it

the brim.

filled to

some

to fetch girl,

initiative,

swept out the cave, he

he cooked the dinner, he chopped up the

laid the table,

big wine-cup

He

article in

And

sometimes, pretending

demand, he took pains

to visit the

and brought her some dainty abstracted from the

and gayly offered her drink from cups touched.

And

when

made

he

with apparent

table,

had already

his lips

she accepted them readily; and sometimes, a

move

to kiss her, she returned his kisses

alacrity. All this

offended

me

extremely;

I

you have forgotten your bridal and your mutual vows? And you prefer this blood-stained interloper to the husband destined for you by your parents? Doesn't your conscience prick you, when you toss away your great love to play the harlot among all these muttered:

*'So,

virgin maid,

swords and spears?

What if the thieves should

behavior? Wouldn't

you look again

and again bring about

own

learn of

your

to the ass to save

my destruction?

you

You're playing your

game, but you're wagering another creature's skin!"

While

I

was indulging

apostrophes,

torical

I

angry but rather rhe-

in these

began to recognize from certain

exchanges between the two, comprehensible to telligent ass, that the

a really in-

young man was not Haemus

famous brigand but Tlepolemus, the

girl's

he began to speak more openly, paying no more heed to than

if I

"Soon

He

the

bridegroom. For

me

were dead. "Cheer up, my all your enemies under lock and key!" sweet Charite!" he said.

you'll have

kept pouring out the strong wine, undiluted and

slightly

warmed,

till

the brigands

were staggering drunk,

The Story

of the

Gentlewoman

made me

while he took hardly a drop. And, egad, he suspect that he had mixed in Finally

241

J

some potent sleeping-draught.

of them without exception collapsed, overcome

all

as if dead. And with no trouble at all he bound them tightly, and when he judged them helpless he set the girl on my back and set off to his home.

with wine, and lay

When we

arrived there

all

the answer to their prayers.

the citizens turned out to see

The

parents ran up, and the

relatives, friends, fosterlings, slaves, all

was

beaming with

both sexes and

a veritable celebration, of

joy. It ages,

all

gathered to inspect, by Hercules, a novel and ever-memorable sight

—

triumph on an

a virgin riding in

ass.

And

too

I

my most manly manner, and to make no discord celebration pricked up my long ears, blew out my

rejoiced in in the

nostrils,

and brayed a

thundered

terrific blast;

The

a thunderclap.

girl's

room and tended her needs

in her

lemus assembled hastily

or to be exact,

my

And

them

still

bound

fast,

wxre

all

loaded

Tlepo-

and beasts

great pleasure, for

very eager to see the capture of the thieves.

We

I

was

found

but more by wine than by ropes. All

were recovered and brought

their possessions

out-

parents established her

solicitously.

a great posse of citizens

of burden, including me, to

I

down wdth gold and

and some of the robbers,

still

silver

fettered,

forth.

and other

We

prizes;

were thrown over

the nearby precipice onto the rocks of the chasm, while others

were put

sword and

to the

left to rot.

Happy and gay at this vengeance, we returned city. The recovered property was deposited in the treasury,

and the rescued

mus. She made the formal barley,

much

girl

was

of me, calling

and provided .

.

.

a

ration

public

legally united to Tlepole-

wedding day she had

Bactrian camel.

to the

mc

my

of

her savior; and on

manger

hay

filled

sufficient

with for

a

I

ANDROCLUS AND THE LION BY AULUS GELLIUS

Aulus Gellius was born sometime about soon after family.

He

169.

He

had

thorough

a.d.

Att'iCiC,

literary education in

literature,

is

hands of George Bernard Shaw.

his

new birth and Our translation

a

by Morris Bishop.

A PioN, called Plistonices, was a sound literary jCVwith an especially wide knowledge of Greek His books have of

finish-

and law.

His story of Androclus and the lion has had in the deft

Rome,

an assemblage of miscellaneous notes, largely

on points of grammar, life

and died

123,

aristocratic, well-to-do

year or more in Athens. There he began

ing off with a

Noctes

a

was apparently of an

all

a certain standing;

they contain a summary

the remarkable sights and scenes of Egypt.

reports

what he has heard or read he

verbose, being

all

second-hand, but

is

When

is

Egypt and

own

—he has

words. But

the Egyptians,

something he saw with

he

perhaps unduly

too eager to display his learning

the scholar's auto-intoxication with his story, recorded in his

scholar culture.

his

own

is

this

not

eyes in

Rome.

"One day a great Battle of the Beasts was staged Maximus for the popular pleasure. As I happened to be in Rome, I attended. Alany savage animals were shown there, some of them enormous and all unusual Says he:

in the

Circus

either in their character or in their ferocity. all

one of the

huge

size.

lions stood out, to general

This lion drew

all

Among them

wonder, by

his

eyes to him because of his

great agile body, his terrific thunderous roar, his swelling

muscles, and his tossing mane.

— 244

i

The Romans

men

''Then the

designated to fight the wild beasts were

Among them was the slave of a consul; his name was Androclus. And the lion, on perceiving him, stopped as if in surprise. And then he walked up to the man slowly and led in.

quietly, as

if

came up

Then he wagged his tail dog fawning on a friend, and

half-recognizing him.

in a placating

manner,

to the

man

and gently licked

like a

—now nearly

his feet

senseless with fright

and hands. The man Androclus

bore the caresses of the horrid beast, gradually recovered his lost wits,

and ventured to regard him

could witness a scene of mutual recognition, lion joyfully greeting

At

this

Then one with man and

closely.

one another."

extraordinary sight, says Apion, the spectators

burst out in a terrific shout; and Gaius Caesar himself

summoned Androclus and

asked him

why

that

most savage

lion

had spared him alone. Then Androclus told

ble

and amazing

"When my

story. Said he:

appointed proconsul of

his province,

beatings at his hands. I

was driven

order to find safer refuge from

sought out the solitudes of the

my

I

remarka-

sufi^ered unjust daily

to run

away, and

in

master the governor

fields

and

intended to welcome death in some manner,

Then when

a

master was

deserts. if I

I

I

fully

should run

midday sun was blazing fiercely I discovered a secluded, shady cave. There I entered and hid. And shortly afterward this lion came in, limping on a bloody foot, moaning and whimpering, and manifesting the torturing pain of his wound." short of food.

The man lion he

the

said that at his first glimpse of the

approaching

was frightened almost to death. "But," he said, came in to what was apparently his den and

"after the lion

saw me cowering

as far

and seemed to be

away

as

I

could get, he came up

all

paw to show it to mc, begging my help. Then I pulled out a

kindly and gentle and

lifted

up

his

Androclus and the Lion

huge thorn stuck

in his

had accumulated

paw, and

inside the

I

245

J

squeezed out the pus that

wound, and

losing

my

fear

wiped away the blood and cleaned out the injured Relieved by my treatment and cure, he put his paw

I

place.

my

in

hand, lay down, and went to sleep.

*Trom

day on for

that

a

good three years the

lived together in that cave, sharing our food.

made and

a kill

as I

he would bring the best

had no

way

of

making

midday sun before

in the

bits

a fire, I

eating

it.

home

would

lion

was I

off

on

a

hunt

I left

When

I

he

meat

toast the

But eventually

I

got

when my

the cave. After a three days'

was seen and picked up by some

shipped from Africa to

and

to our cave;

bored with that savage existence; and one day

walk

lion

my

was imme-

soldiers. I

master in Rome.

He

me condemned to death by being thrown to the And now I recognize that this lion, who must have captured after we parted, is thanking me for my

diately had beasts.

been

kindness and

my physicking."

Thus Apion

down on

reports Androclus' story.

a tablet,

which was

It

was

all

written

carried about the Circus and

read aloud to the spectators. All petitioned that Androclus

should be released and acquitted, and voted that the lion should be presented to him. "Afterwards," says Apion,

used to see Androclus with

making the rounds of the tions, his lion

met would man, and

his lion

bars.

on

"we

a flimsy leash,

Androclus took up collec-

was crowned with

flowers, and everyone he

declare: 'There goes the lion " there goes the lion's doctor!'

who

took in the

A CLASSICAL STORYBOOK Designed by R. E. Rosenbaum. Composed by Kingsport Press, Inc., in

1 1

point linotype Janson,

with display

lines in

3

points leaded,

Augustea Inline and Palatino.

Printed from letterpress plates by Kingsport Press, Inc.,

on Warren's Olde

Style India, 60

pound

basis,

with the Cornell University Press watermark.

Bound by Kingsport in Interlaken

Arco

3

Press, Inc.,

Linen-smooth

and stamped in imitation gold

foil.

As

in

A

Medieval Storybook, the

drawings by Alison Mason Kings-

bury greatly enhance the charm of her husband's book.

Previously published

A iVIedieval Storybook Selected and edited

by

Morris Bishop

The

thirty-five stories in this

book

vividly demonstrate the high level attained in narrative art in the dle

Ages and the great

gift of

Midmedi-

eval writers for creating lively and

memorable tions

all

merry

characters.

The

selec-

excel as stories, and include

and moral

tales

allegories,

and

fables.

tales,

sagas,

They vary

widely in theme, and their characters represent

every

class of

medi-

eval society.

Some of the translations are newly done by the compiler; others were done

in the

nineteenth and early

twentieth centuries.

368 pages, 7

ukct by

Lin. Ali^

i\.

^shury

liiie

drawings

Mofris Bi^op, Kappa Alpha Professor of Romance Literature,

member of the Cornell University faculty many honorary degrees from universities in

Emeritus, has been a since 1921. this

He

has

country, Canada, and France, and

d'Honneur.

He

is

a

Chevalier de

la

Legion

has been visiting professor at the University of

Athens and Rice University, and served

as president

of the

Mod-

ern Language Association.

Mr. Bishop has published nearly thirty books, including biographical and critical works, poetry, and fiction. In addition to

A

Medieval Story book

Petrarch,

,

his

two Middle Ages, and The

recent books include

Horizon Book of the

collection of short biographies that appeared in

ITHACA AND LONDON

Exotics, a

New

American Heritage, Horizon, and other magazines.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS

studies of

Yorker,