Idyll 1.120–152
Theocritus, Idyll 1.120–152 — Daphnis' last words, his death, and the goatherd's payment; the end of the poem (Doric) · 39 lines
120–121Δάφνις ἐγὼν ὅδε τῆνος ὁ τὰς βόας ὧδε νομεύων, Δάφνις ὁ τὼς ταύρως καὶ πόρτιας ὧδε ποτίσδων.
I am that Daphnis here, the one who pastures his cows in these parts, Daphnis, the one who waters his bulls and calves in these parts.
122ἄρχετε βουκολικᾶς, Μοῖσαι, πάλιν ἄρχετ᾽ ἀοιδᾶς.
Begin, Muses, begin the pastoral song again.
123–124ὦ Πὰν Πάν, εἴτ᾽ ἐσσὶ κατ᾽ ὤρεα μακρὰ Λυκαίω, εἴτε τύγ᾽ ἀμφιπολεῖς μέγα Μαίναλον,
O Pan, Pan, whether you are on the long mountains of Lykaion, or whether you range over great Mainalos,
124–125ἔνθ᾽ ἐπὶ νᾶσον τὰν Σικελάν,
come to the Sicilian island,
125–126Ἑλίκας δὲ λίπε ῥίον αἰπύ τε σᾶμα τῆνο Λυκαονίδαο, τὸ καὶ μακάρεσσιν ἀγητόν.
and leave the peak of Helike and that steep tomb of the son of Lykaon, which even the blessed gods marvel at.
127λήγετε βουκολικᾶς, Μοῖσαι, ἴτε λήγετ᾽ ἀοιδᾶς.
Cease, Muses, come, cease the pastoral song.
128–129ἔνθ᾽, ὦναξ, καὶ τάνδε φέρευ πακτοῖο μελίπνουν ἐκ κηρῶ σύριγγα καλὸν περὶ χεῖλος ἑλικτάν·
Come, lord, and take this honey-breathing pipe of mine, made of fitted wax, finely wound about the lip;
130ἦ γὰρ ἐγὼν ὑπ᾽ Ἔρωτος ἐς Ἅιδαν ἕλκομαι ἤδη.
for truly I am already being dragged down to Hades by Love.
131λήγετε βουκολικᾶς, Μοῖσαι, ἴτε λήγετ᾽ ἀοιδᾶς.
Cease, Muses, come, cease the pastoral song.
132νῦν ἴα μὲν φορέοιτε βάτοι, φορέοιτε δ᾽ ἄκανθαι,
Now, brambles, may you bear violets, and may you, thistles, bear them too,
133ἁ δὲ καλὰ νάρκισσος ἐπ᾽ ἀρκεύθοισι κομάσαι,
and may the fair narcissus bloom on junipers,
134πάντα δ᾽ ἄναλλα γένοιτο, καὶ ἁ πίτυς ὄχνας ἐνείκαι,
and may everything be turned about, and may the pine bear pears,
135Δάφνις ἐπεὶ θνάσκει, καὶ τὰς κύνας ὥλαφος ἕλκοι,
since Daphnis is dying — and may the stag drag the hounds,
136κἠξ ὀρέων τοὶ σκῶπες ἀηδόσι γαρύσαιντο.”
and from the mountains may the scops-owls sing to the nightingales.”
137λήγετε βουκολικᾶς, Μοῖσαι, ἴτε λήγετ᾽ ἀοιδᾶς.
Cease, Muses, come, cease the pastoral song.
138–139χὠ μὲν τόσσ᾽ εἰπὼν ἀπεπαύσατο· τὸν δ᾽ Ἀφροδίτα ἤθελ᾽ ἀνορθῶσαι·
And he, having said so much, stopped; and Aphrodite wanted to set him on his feet again —
139–140τά γε μὰν λίνα πάντα λελοίπει ἐκ Μοιρᾶν, χὠ Δάφνις ἔβα ῥόον.
but all the thread from the Fates had run out, and Daphnis went to the stream.
140–141ἔκλυσε δίνα τὸν Μοίσαις φίλον ἄνδρα, τὸν οὐ Νύμφαισιν ἀπεχθῆ.
The eddy washed over the man dear to the Muses, the man not hated by the Nymphs.
142λήγετε βουκολικᾶς, Μοῖσαι, ἴτε λήγετ᾽ ἀοιδᾶς.
Cease, Muses, come, cease the pastoral song.
143–144καὶ τὺ δίδου τὰν αἶγα τό τε σκύφος, ὥς κεν ἀμέλξας σπείσω ταῖς Μοίσαις.
And you, give me the goat and the cup, so that I may milk her and pour a libation to the Muses.
144–145ὦ χαίρετε πολλάκι, Μοῖσαι, χαίρετ᾽· ἐγὼ δ᾽ ὔμμιν καὶ ἐς ὕστερον ἅδιον ᾀσῶ.
Hail many times over, Muses, hail! And I will sing you something sweeter hereafter.
Αἰπόλος
146–147πλῆρές τοι μέλιτος τὸ καλὸν στόμα, Θύρσι, γένοιτο, πλῆρες δὲ σχαδόνων,
May your lovely mouth be full of honey, Thyrsis, and full of honeycomb,
147–148καὶ ἀπ᾽ Αἰγίλω ἰσχάδα τρώγοις ἁδεῖαν, τέττιγος ἐπεὶ τύγα φέρτερον ᾄδεις.
and may you eat a sweet dried fig from Aigilos, since you sing better than the cicada.
149ἠνίδε τοι τὸ δέπας· θᾶσαι, φίλος, ὡς καλὸν ὄσδει·
Look, here is the cup for you: see, my friend, how sweetly it smells;
150Ὡρᾶν πεπλύσθαι νιν ἐπὶ κράναισι δοκησεῖς.
you will think it has been washed at the spring of the Hours.
151ὧδ᾽ ἴθι, Κισσαίθα· τὺ δ᾽ ἄμελγέ νιν. αἱ δὲ χίμαιραι,
Come here, Kissaitha; and you, milk her. And you she-goats,
152οὐ μὴ σκιρτασεῖτε, μὴ ὁ τράγος ὔμμιν ἀναστῇ.
don't you go frisking about, or the he-goat will be up at you.