2.15

Ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ δείπνῳ μουσικῇ τε καὶ ᾡδαῖς σχολάζουσιν· ᾄδεται δὲ αὐτοῖς τὰ Ὁμήρου ἔπη μάλιστα· καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ πάρεστι καὶ συνευωχεῖται αὐτοῖς ὑπὲρ τὸν Ὀδυσσέα κατακείμενος. οἱ μὲν οὖν χοροὶ ἐκ παίδων εἰσὶν καὶ παρθένων· ἐξάρχουσι δὲ καὶ συνᾴδουσιν Εὔνομός τε ὁ Λοκρὸς καὶ Ἀρίων ὁ Λέσβιος καὶ Ἀνακρέων καὶ Στησίχορος· καὶ γὰρ τοῦτον παρ᾽ αὐτοῖς ἐθεασάμην, ἤδη τῆς Ἑλένης αὐτῷ διηλλαγμένης. ἐπειδὰν δὲ οὗτοι παύσωνται ᾄδοντες, δεύτερος χορὸς παρέρχεται ἐκ κύκνων καὶ χελιδόνων καὶ ἀηδόνων. ἐπειδὰν δὲ καὶ οὗτοι ᾄσωσιν, τότε ἤδη πᾶσα ἡ ὕλη ἐπαυλεῖ τῶν ἀνέμων καταρχόντων.

    ᾄδεται: pr. of ᾄδω, “are recited”

    τὰ Ὁμήρου ἔπη: “the Homeric epics”

    καὶ αὐτὸς: “and he himself” (i.e. Homer)

    συνευωχεῖται: impf. of συν-εὐ-οἴχομαι, “shares the revelry”

    ὑπὲρ...κατακείμενος: “being seated higher than...”

    ἐξάρχουσι δὲ καὶ συνᾴδουσιν: “lead the dancing and singing”

    Εὔνομός ὁ Λοκρὸς: Eunomus of Lokri, in southern Italy, was a renowned harp-player.

    Ἀρίων ὁ Λέσβιος: a poet credited with inventing the dithyramb.  His story is told by Herodotus in Histories 1.23.

    Ἀνακρέων Anacreon of Teos (570 – 488) was a lyric poet known for his drinking songs.

    Στησίχορος:  Stesichorus or Himera (640 - 555) was the first great poet of the Greek west, writing lyrical poems on epic subjects.

    διηλλαγμένης: perf. part. gen. s. of διαλλάσσω, gen. abs, “Helen already having forgiven him.”  Steisichorus lost his sight after lampooning Helen, recovering it only after writing a retraction ("palinode").

    ἐπειδὰν...παύσωνται (ao. subj.): general temporal clause, “whenever they cease”

    ἐπειδὰν...ᾄσωσιν (ao. subj of  ᾄδω): general temporal clause, “whenever they sing”

    ἐπαυλεῖ: “accompanies on the flute”

    τῶν ἀνέμων καταρχόντων: gen. abs. “with the winds leading”

    ἡδόμενοι καὶ γελῶντες: part. nom. pl. complementing διάγουσιν, “they pass time enjoying and laughing”

    δεῖπνον, τό: the principal meal

    μουσικός, -ή, -όν: of or for music, musical

    ᾠδή, ἡ: a song, lay, ode

    σχολάζω: have leisure or spare time, be at leisure

    ᾄδω: sing

    συνευωχέομαι: fare sumptuously or feast together

    κατάκειμαι: lie down, lie outstretched

    χορός, ὁ: a chorus

    παρθένος, ἡ: a maiden, virgin, girl

    ἐξάρχω: begin with, make a beginning of

    συνᾴδω: sing with or together

    θεάομαι: look on, gaze at, view, behold

    διαλλάσσω: forgive

    δεύτερος, -α, -ον: second

    χορός, ὁ: a round dance

    παρέρχομαι: go by, beside or past, pass by, pass

    κύκνος, ὁ: a swan

    χελιδών, -όνος: the swallow

    ἀηδών, -όνος, ὁ: nightingale

    ὕλη, ἡ: a forest

    ἐπαυλέω: accompany on the flute

    ἄνεμος, ὁ: wind

    κατάρχω: make beginning of

    Article Nav
    Previous
    Next

    Suggested Citation