Acontius and Cydippe

Fr. 67

      Αὐτὸς Ἔρως ἐδίδαξεν Ἀκόντιον, ὁππότε καλῇ

           ᾔθετο Κυδίππῃ παῖς ἐπὶ παρθενικῇ,

      τέχνην – οὐ γὰρ ὅγ' ἔσκε πολύκροτος – ὄφρα λέγο. .

           τοῦτο διὰ ζωῆς οὔνομα κουρίδιον.

5    ἦ γάρ, ἄναξ, ὁ μὲν ἦλθεν Ἰουλίδος ἡ δ' ἀπὸ Νάξου,

           Κύνθιε, τὴν Δήλῳ σὴν ἐπὶ βουφονίην,

      αἷμα τὸ μὲν γενεῆς Εὐξαντίδος, ἡ δὲ Προμήθ[ου,

           καλοὶ νησάων ἀστέρες ἀμφότεροι.

      πολλαὶ Κυδίππην ὀλ[ί]γην ἔτι μητέρες υἱοῖς

10       ἑδνῆστιν κεραῶν ᾔτεον ἀντὶ βοῶν·

      κείνης ο[]χ ἑτέρη γὰρ ἐπὶ λασίοιο γέροντος

           Σιληνοῦ νοτίην ἵκετο πιδυλίδα

      ἠοῖ εἰδομένη μάλιον ῥέθος οὐδ' Ἀριήδης

           ἐς χ]ορὸν εὑδούσης ἁβρὸν ἔθηκε πόδα·

15                             ]ήκησ[.].δ' ἔκστασις, οὔτινος αὐτῆς

                                ].ν κε.[             ]ς ἔχειν ϊ[.].ου·

                                                  ]ασιν ᾠκίσ[σα. .].

                                               ]πειπάμεν

                                                ].[.]ν ἐπιτιμ[       ]α

20                                         μ]οῦνον ἔμεν .α

                                                 ].[.]ν ὄθμασιν[

                                                                ].[  

       

Fr. 68

           μέμβλετο δ' εἰσπνήλαις ὁππότε κοῦρος ἴοι

      φωλεὸν ἠὲ λοετρόν

     

Fr. 69

      πολλοὶ καὶ φιλέοντες Ἀκόντιον ἧκαν ἔραζε

           οἰνοπόται Σικελὰς ἐκ κυλίκων λάταγας

     

Fr. 70

                                                  ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τόξου

           αὐτὸς ὁ τοξευτὴς ἄρδιν ἔχων ἑτέρου

     

Fr. 72

      ἄγραδε τῷ πάσῃσιν ἐπὶ προχάνῃσιν ἐφοίτα

     

Fr. 73

     ἀλλ’ ἐνὶ δὴ φλοιοῖσι κεκομμένα τόσσα φέροιτε

       γράμματα, Κυδίππην ὅσσ’ ἐρέουσι καλήν.

     

Fr. 74

     λιρὸς ἐγώ, τί δέ σοι τόνδ’ ἐπέθηκα φόβον;

     

Fr. 75

       ἤδη καὶ κούρῳ παρθένος εὐνάσατο,

     τέθμιον ὡς ἐκέλευε προνύμφιον ὕπνον ἰαῦσαι

       ἄρσενι τὴν τᾶλιν παιδὶ σὺν ἀμφιθαλεῖ.

    Ἥρην γάρ κοτέ φασι— κύον, κύον, ἴσχεο, λαιδρέ

5     θυμέ, σύ γ’ ἀείσῃ καὶ τά περ οὐχ ὁσίη·

     ὤναο κάρτ’ ἕνεκ’ οὔ τι θεῆς ἴδες ἱερὰ φρικτῆς,

       ἐξ ἂν ἐπεὶ καὶ τῶν ἤρυγες ἱστορίην.

     ἦ πολυιδρείη χαλεπὸν κακόν, ὅστις ἀκαρτεῖ

       γλώσσης· ὡς ἐτεὸν παῖς ὅδε μαῦλιν ἔχει.

10  ἠῷοι μὲν ἔμελλον ἐν ὕδατι θυμὸν ἀμύξειν

       οἱ βόες ὀξεῖαν δερκόμενοι δορίδα·

     δειελινὴν τὴν δ’ εἷλε κακὸς χλόος, ἦλθε δὲ νοῦσος,

       αἶγας ἐς ἀγριάδας τὴν ἀποπεμπόμεθα,

     ψευδόμενοι δ’ ἱερὴν φημίζομεν· ἣ τότ’ ἀνιγρή

15   τὴν κούρην Ἀίδεω μέχρις ἔτηξε δόμων.

     δεύτερον ἐστόρνυντο τὰ κλισμία, δεύτερον ἡ πα[

       ἑπτὰ τεταρταίῳ μῆνας ἔκαμνε πυρί.

     τὸ τρίτον ἐμνήσαντο γάμου κάτα, τὸ τρίτον αὖτ[ις

       Κυδίππην ὀλοὸς κρυμὸς ἐσῳκίσατο.

20  τέτρατον [ο]ὐκέτ’ ἔμεινε πατὴρ ἐ. . . .φ. .ο. . .[ 

       Φοῖβον· ὁ δ’ ἐννύχιον τοῦτ’ ἔπος ηὐδάσατο·

     ‘Ἀρτέμιδος τῇ παιδὶ γάμον βαρὺς ὅρκος ἐνικλᾷ·

       Λύγδαμιν οὐ γὰρ ἐμὴ τῆμος ἔκηδε κάσις 

     οὐδ’ ἐν Ἀμυκλαίῳ θρύον ἔπλεκεν οὐδ’ ἀπὸ θήρης

25   ἔκλυζεν ποταμῷ λύματα Παρθενίῳ,

     Δήλῳ δ’ ἦν ἐπίδημος, Ἀκόντιον ὁππότε σὴ παῖς

       ὤμοσεν, οὐκ ἄλλον, νυμφίον ἑξέμεναι.

     ὦ Κήυξ, ἀλλ’ ἤν με θέλῃς συμφράδμονα θέσθαι,

       . .]ν. . τελευτήσεις ὅρκια θυγατέρος·

30  ἀργύρῳ οὐ μόλιβον γὰρ Ἀκόντιον, ἀλλὰ φαεινῷ

       ἤλεκτρον χρυσῷ φημί σε μειξέμεναι.

     Κοδρείδης σύ γ’ ἄνωθεν ὁ πενθερός, αὐτὰρ ὁ Κεῖος

       γαμβρὸς Ἀρισταίου [Ζη]νὸς ἀφ’ ἱερέων 

     Ἰκμίου οἷσι μέμ[η]λεν ἐπ’ οὔρεος ἀμβώνεσσιν

35   πρηΰνειν χαλ[ε]πὴν Μαῖραν ἀνερχομένην,

     αἰτεῖσθαι τὸ δ’ ἄημα παραὶ Διὸς ᾧ τε θαμεινοί

       πλήσσονται λινέαις ὄρτυγες ἐν νεφέλαις.’

     ἦ θεός· αὐτὰρ ὁ Νάξον ἔβη πάλιν, εἴρετο δ’ αὐτήν

       κούρην, ἡ δ’ ἀν’ ἐτῶς πᾶν ἐκάλυψεν ἔπος

40  κἦν αὖ σῶς· . . . λοιπόν, Ἀκόντιε, σεῖο μετελθεῖν

       . . . . . .ηνιδιην ἐς Διονυσιάδα. 

     χἠ θεὸς εὐορκεῖτο καὶ ἥλικες αὐτίχ’ ἑταίρης

       ᾖδον ὑμηναίους οὐκ ἀναβαλλομένους.

     οὔ σε δοκέω τημοῦτος, Ἀκόντιε, νυκτὸς ἐκείνης

45   ἀντί κε, τῇ μίτρης ἥψαο παρθενίης,

     οὐ σφυρὸν Ἰφίκλειον ἐπιτρέχον ἀσταχύεσσιν

       οὐδ’ ἃ Κελαινίτης ἐκτεάτιστο Μίδης

     δέξασθαι, ψήφου δ’ ἂν ἐμῆς ἐπιμάρτυρες εἶεν

       οἵτινες οὐ χαλεποῦ νήιδές εἰσι θεοῦ.

50  ἐκ δὲ γάμου κείνοιο μέγ’ οὔνομα μέλλε νέεσθαι·

       δὴ γὰρ ἔθ’ ὑμέτερον φῦλον Ἀκοντιάδαι

     πουλύ τι καὶ περίτιμον Ἰουλίδι ναιετάουσιν,

       Κεῖε, τεὸν δ’ ἡμεῖς ἵμερον ἐκλύομεν

     τόνδε παρ’ ἀρχαίου Ξενομήδεος, ὅς ποτε πᾶσαν

55   νῆσον ἐνὶ μνήμῃ κάτθετο μυθολόγῳ,

     ἄρχμενος ὡς νύμφῃσι[ν ἐ]ναίετο Κωρυκίῃσιν,

       τὰς ἀπὸ Παρνησσοῦ λῖς ἐδίωξε μέγας,

     (Ὑδροῦσσαν τῷ καί μιν ἐφήμισαν), ὥς τε Κυρή[νης

       . . . .θυσ[.]το. . ᾤκεεν ἐν Καρύαις·

60  ]ς τέ μιν ἐννάσσαντο τέων Ἀλαλάξιος αἰεί 

       Ζεὺς ἐπὶ σαλπίγγων ἱρὰ βοῇ δέχεται

     Κᾶρες ὁμοῦ Λελέγεσσι, μετ’ οὔνομα δ’ ἄλλο βαλέσθ[αι

       Φοίβου καὶ Μελίης ἶνις ἔθηκε Κέως·

     ἐν δ’ ὕβριν θάνατόν τε κεραύνιον, ἐν δὲ γόητας

65   Τελχῖνας μακάρων τ’ οὐκ ἀλέγοντα θεῶν

     ἠλεὰ Δημώνακτα γέρων ἐνεθήκατο δέλτ[οις

       καὶ γρηῢν Μακελώ, μητέρα Δεξιθέης,

     ἃς μούνας, ὅτε νῆσον ἀνέτρεπον εἵνεκ’ ἀλ[ι]τ[ρῆς

       ὕβριος, ἀσκηθεῖς ἔλλιπον ἀθάνατοι·

70 τέσσαρας ὥς τε πόληας ὁ μὲν τείχισσε Μεγακλῆς

       Κάρθαιαν, Χρυσοῦς δ’ Εὔπ[υ]λος ἡμιθέης

     εὔκρηνον πτολίεθρον Ἰουλίδος, αὐτὰρ Ἀκαῖος

       Ποιῆσσαν Χαρίτων ἵδρυμ’ ἐυπλοκάμων,

     ἄστυρον Ἄφραστος δὲ Κορή[σ]ιον, εἶπε δέ, Κεῖε,

75   ξυγκραθέντ’ αὐταῖς ὀξὺν ἔρωτα σέθεν

     πρέσβυς ἐτητυμίῃ μεμελημένος, ἔνθεν ὁ παιδός

       μῦθος ἐς ἡμετέρην ἔδραμε Καλλιόπην.

 

    Fr. 67 Harder (= 67 Pf., = 166 Mass.)
      1-21 P.Oxy. 2211, fr. 1 recto, 10-31 [image]
        Trismegistos 59407

      7 EtGen. B s.v. Εὐξαντίδος
      8 Σ bT Il. 19, 1

    Fr. 68 Harder (= 68 Pf., = 167 Mass.) EtGen. AB s.v. εἰσπνήλης
       ὁ ἐρώμενος

    Fr. 69 Harder (= 69 Pf., = 168 Mass.) Ath. 15. 668b

    Fr. 70 Harder (= 70 Pf., = 169 Mass.) EtGen. AB α 1137 s.v.
       ἄρδις

    Fr. 72 Harder (= 72 Pf., = 171 Mass.) Σ L R and ed.Rom.
       S. Ant. 80

    Fr. 73 Harder (= 73 Pf., 172 Mass.) Σ Ε Γ Ar. Ach. 144

    Fr. 74 Harder (= 74 Pf. + Addenda 1, 501, = 173 Mass.)
      1-4 P.Oxy. 2258 B fr. 1 recto [image], Trismegistos 59424
      3 Hsch. λ 547  s.v. λειριόεντα

    Fr. 75 Harder (= 75 Pf., = 174 Mass.)
      1-41 P.Oxy. 1011, fol. I verso [image], Trismegistos 59415

      3 Σ L M R S.Ant. 629
      11-15 init. P.Oxy. 4427 [image], Trismegistos 59372
      14 Σ AR 1, 1019
      34 EtGen. AB α 613 s.v. ἄμβον
      42-77 P.Oxy. 1011, fol. 1 recto [image], Trismegistos 59415

      46 Σ Lond. D.T. 532, 2sqq
      50-58 P.Oxy. 2213, fr. 11 a-c [image], Trismegistos 59392

    One of the best-preserved fragments (of at least 140 lines), the ostensible purpose of this aition is to explain the peculiar marriage ritual wherein the bride sleeps her prenuptial night with a freeborn youth, both of whose parents were still alive. The bulk of the narrative, though, is a love story. We are indebted to Aristaenetus, a fifth-century AD grammarian, who summarized this tale in one of his so-called erotic epistles (1.10).

    Frr. 67-70 give the background on the two lovers: Acontius from Ceos and Cydippe from Naxos. The two are, predictably, the most beautiful children in their communities: Cydippe is sought as a desirable bride (frr. 67-68), while Acontius attracts many male lovers (frr. 68-69) before he is struck by Eros' arrow.  As a result,  Acontius fell in love with Cydippe after catching sight of her during a Delian festival. He tricked her into pledging herself to him by throwing an apple in her path inscribed with the words "I swear by Artemis to marry Acontius." When she read out the inscription, she was bound by her unwitting oath.

    Frr. 72-73 belong to a narrative about the lovesick Acontius, who apparently frequents the country and carves Cydippe's name in the bark of trees.

    Fr. 75 takes up the story at a time when Cydippe's father, Ceyx, has attempted to arrange a suitable marriage for her, but she became sriously ill with quartan fever before the wedding day. The third time this happened, Ceyx consulted the oracle of Apollo and was advised to marry his daughter to Acontius instead. The story of the tricking of Cydippe is told in Apollo's prophecy (22-37). Their marriage seems to have dynastic implications for the Acontidae.

    Callimachus concludes the story by claiming that his source was the Cean historian Xenomedes, and provides précis of Xenomedes' work. He mentions in passing Cyrene's son (by Apollo), who would be Aristaeus, the  recounted the death of the Telchines and Demonax, who foolishly disregarded the gods. He uses a phrase here—γέρων ἐνεθήκετο δέλτ[οις (fr. 75.66)—that returns us to the Prologue, in which Callimachus as an old man reminisces about first placing the tablets on his knees. 

    Fr. 75.72, 74: Callimachus alludes to contemporary time with the names of Iulis and its harbor, Coresus. These were important to the Ptolemies.

     

    Bibliography

    Cessi, Camillo. 1911. “L'elegia erotica ellenistica,” Acropoli 1:529-41.

    Clayman, D. 2014. "Historical contexts for two Aitia from book III: Acontius & Cydippe (frr. 67-75 Pf.) and Phrygius and Pieria (frr. 80-83 Pf.)." In Hellenistic Poetry in Context. Hellenistica Groningana 20, edited by M. A. Harder, R. F. Regtuit, and G. C. Wakker, 85-102.  Leuven: Peeters.

    Harder, M. Annette. 1993. ‘Thanks to Aristaenetus…’ In Polyphonia Byzantina: Studies in honour of Willem J. Aerts (Mediaevalia Groningana 13), edited by Hero Hokwerda, Edmé R. Smits and Marinus M. Woesthuis, 3-13. Groningen: Forsten. 

    Lang, Philippa. 2009. 'Goats and the sacred disease in Callimachus' Acontius and Cydippe.' Classical Philology 104:85-90.

    Rynearson, Nicholas. 2009. 'A Callimachean Case of Lovesickness: Magic, Disease and Desire in Aetia frr. 67-75 Pf.' American Journal of Philology 130:341-65.

    Sánchez Ortiz de Landaluce, Manuel. 1996. ‘El aition “Acontio y Cidipa” de Calímaco (frs. 67-75 Pf.): hipótesis de reconstrucción.’ Excerpta Philologica 6:53-67.

    Fr. 67

    Ἔρως, -ωτος, ὁ: love; the god of love

    Ἀκόντιος -ου, ὁ: Acontius, a young man from Ceos

    Κυδίππη -ης, ἡ: Cydippe, a young girl  from Naxos

    παρθενικός -ή -όν: of or for a maiden (παρθένος)

    αἴθω: to light up, kindle, burn; ᾔθετο, imperf ind mid-pass 3rd sg

    πολύκροτος -ον: sly, cunning, wily

    ὄφρα: that, in order that, to the end that

    ζωή -ῆς, ἡ: life

    κουρίδιος -α -ον: wedded, lawful; relating to a bridegroom

    ἄναξ ἄνακτος, ὁ: lord, master; epithet of Apollo

    Ἰουλίς -ίδος, ἡ: Ioulis, a city on the island of Ceos 5

    Νάξος, -ου, ἡ: Naxos, the largest of the Cycladic islands

    Κύνθιος -ου, ὁ: Cynthius, an epithet of Apollo who was aid to be born on Mt. Cynthus on Delos

    Δῆλος -ου, ἡ: Delos, an island of the Cyclades, the mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis 

    βουφονίη -ης, ἡ: sacrifice of oxen

    γενεή Ion. for γενεά -ᾶς, ἡ: race, stock, family, offspring

    Εὐξαντίς -ίδος, η: daughter or descendant of Euxantius

    Πρόμηθος -ου, ὁ: Promethus, son of the Athenian king Codrus.  He fled to Naxos after killing his brother.

    ἀστήρ -έρος, ὁ: star

    ἑδνήστις, ἡ: paid-for-bride, a woman whose suitor pays a bride price for her hand in marriage

    κεραός -ά -όν: horned, having horns 10

    αἰτέω: ask for (+ acc. of person, and acc. of thing or inf.)

    λάσιος -η -ον: hairy, shaggy

    Σῑληνός -ου, ὁ: Silenus, companion of Dionysus, father of the Satyrs

    νότιος -α -ον: wet, damp, moist, watery

    ἱκνέομαι: come

    πιδυλίς -ίδος, ἡ: spring, perhaps a spring which flows from a rock

    ἠώς ἠοῦς, ἡ: dawn, morning, day

    εἴδομαι: appear; look like, resemble (+ dat.)

    μάλιον: Ion. for μᾶλλον

    ῥέθος -εος, τό: face, countenance

    εὕδω: sleep

    ἁβρός -ά -όν: graceful, delicate, pretty, luxurious 

    Fr. 68

    μέλω: (poet.) be a concern to (+ dat. of person); (poet.) take care of, care for (+ gen.); μέμβλετο is Ep. plperf. mid.-pass. 3 sg

    εἰσπνήλας -ου, ὁ: a lover

    κοῦρος -ου, ὁ: boy, young man

    φωλεός -ου, ὁ: den, lair; school

    ἠέ: Ep. for ἤ

    λοετρόν -οῦ, τό: bath

    Fr. 69

    ἔραζε: to the ground

    οἰνοπότης -ου, ὁ: wine-drinkers

    κύλιξ -ικος, ἡ: cup, wine cup

    λάταξ -αγος, ἡ: the drops of wine in the bottom of the cup which were thrown into a basin with a splash; lees, dregs

    Σικελός -ή -όν: of or from Sicily, a Sicilian

    Fr. 70

    τόξον -ου, τό: bow

    τοξευτής -οῦ, ὁ: bowman, archer

    ἄρδις -ιος, ἡ: the point of an arrow

    Fr. 72

    ἄγραδε: (poet. for ἀγρόνδε) to the country

    πάσῃσιν Ep. and Ion. for πάσαις > πᾶς, πᾶσα, πᾶν

    προχάνη -ης, ἡ: pretext

    φοιτάω: go to and fro, up and down, to stalk

    Fr. 73

    φλοιός -ου, ὁ: bark

    κόπτω κόψω ἔκοψα κέκοφα κέκομμαι: cut, strike, chop, beat

    τόσσος -η -ον: Ep. for τόσος: as many; τόσος … ὄσος, as many … as

    Fr. 74

    λιρός -ά -όν: bold, shameless, lewd

    ἐπιτίθημι: lay, put or place upon; add to

    Fr. 75

    εὐνάζω  -άσω ηὔνᾰσα or εὔνασα: put to bed; (mid., of sexual intercourse) lie with (+ dat.)

    τέθμιος -α -ον: (Dor. and Ep. of θέσμιος) fixed, settled, lawful; law, custom

    προνύμφιος -ον: pre-nuptial

    ὕπνος -ου, ὁ: sleep, slumber

    ἰαύω: sleep, pass the night

    ἄρσην -ενος, ὁ: male

    τᾶλις -ιδος, ἡ: marriageable maiden, bride

    ἀμφιθαλής -ές: blooming on both sides (of children who have both parents alive)

    ἴσχω: to hold, check, restrain

    λαιδρός -ά -όν: bold, impudent

    ἀείδω: to sing 5

    ὅσιος -α -ον: hallowed, sanctioned, permitted by divine law

    ὀνίνημι: profit, benefit, help; (mid.) have profit or advantage; be lucky; ὤναο is imperf ind mid-pass 2nd sg [epic]

    κάρτα: (adv.) very, extremely

    ἱερός -ά -όν: holy, consecrated; (subst.) sacred objects or rites; the mysteries of Demeter

    φρικτός -ή -όν: to be shuddered at, awful, horrible

    ἐξερεύγομαι: belch out, disgorge; blurt out

    ἱστορία -ας, ἡ: story

    πολυϊδρεία -ας, ἡ: much knowledge, wisdom

    ἀκαρτέω: not master, not have control of, + gen. (Ion. for ἀκρατέω)

    ἐτεός -ά -όν: true, genuine; in truth

    μαῦλις -ιδος, ἡ: knife

    ἠῷος -α -ον: (adj.) at break of day, of the dawn (dat. ἠῷοι) 10

    ἀμύσσω: to scratch, tear, wound, lacerate

    δέρκομαι: to see clearly, see

    δορίς -ίδος, ἡ: sacrificial knife

    δειελινός -ή -όν: at evening

    χλόος -η -ον: greenish-yellow color; pallor

    νοῦσος: Ep. and Ion. of νόσος, -ου, ἡ

    αἴξ αἰγός, ὁ/ἡ: goat

    ἀγριάς -άδος: (fem. adj.) wild

    ἀποπέμπω: send off

    φημίζω: utter, call, name

    ψεύδω: lie; (pass.) be deceived or mistaken

    ἀνιγρός -ά -όν: grevious

    μέχρι: as far as, even to15

    τήκω: to melt, melt down; (metaph.) waste away

    δόμος -ου , ὁ: house, part of a house

    Ἅιδης Ἀίδεω, ὁ: Hades, god of the underworld

    στόρνυμι: spread

    κλισμίον -ου, τό: a place for lying down, couch; marriage bed (= κλισία -ας, ἡ)

    τεταρταῖος -α -ον: on the fourth day, quartan; τ. πυρί, = a quartan fever

    μείς μηνός, ὁ: month

    κάμνω: work, toil, be hard-pressed, be sick

    μνάομαι: be mindful of, turn one's mind to

    ὀλοός -ή -όν: destructive, deadly

    κρυμός -οῦ, ὁ: icy cold, frost, chill

    εἰσοικίζω: bring in as a settler; (mid. and pass.) establish oneself or be established in

    Φοῖβος -ου, ὁ: Phoebus (an epithet of Apollo)

    ἐννύχιος -α -ον: in the night, by night, nightly 21

    αὐδάω: utter sounds, speak

    Ἄρτεμις -ιδος, ἡ: Artemis, daughter of Leto and Zeus

    γάμος -ου, ὁ: wedding, wedding feast; marriage

    ὅρκος -ου, ὁ: oath

    ἐνικλάω: break off, frustrate

    Λύγδαμις -μεως, ὁ: Lygdamis, king of the Cimmerians; he burned or threatened to burn Artemis' temple at Ephesus when he invaded Ionia and Lydia in the 7th cent. BCE.

    τῆμος: then, thereupon

    κήδω: trouble, distress, vex

    κάσις -ιος, ὁ/ἡ: brother, sister

    Ἀμυκλαῖον -ου, τό: the temple of Apollo at Amyclae

    θρύον -ου, τό: reed, rush

    πλέκω: to plait, twine, twist, weave, braid

    θήρη -ης, ἡ: a hunt, the chase (Ion. for θήρα -ας, ἡ)

    κλύζω: wash, cleanse 25

    λῦμα -ατος, τό: dirt

    Παρθένιος -ου, ὁ: Parthenius, a river in Paphlagonia

    ἐπίδημος -ον: (adj.) at home

    ὄμνυμι: swear; swear to, swear by; swear that (+ inf.)

    νυμφίος -ου, ὁ: bridegroom

    ἑξέμεναι: Epic future active infinitive of ἔχω

    συμφράδμων -ονος, ὁ/ἡ: a counselor

    τελευτάω: finish, die, fulfill

    ὅρκιον, -ου, τό: an oath

    ἄργυρος -ου, ὁ: silver 30

    μόλιβος -ου, ὁ: lead

    φᾰεινός -ή -όν: shining, radiant

    ἤλεκτρον -ου, τό: amber; electrum, an alloy of gold and silver

    χρυσός -οῦ, ὁ: gold

    Κοδρείδης -ου, ὁ: son or descendant of Codrus

    ἄνωθεν: from above, from the beginning, by descent

    πενθερός -οῦ, ὁ: father-in-law

    αὐτάρ: but, besides, more over

    Κεῖος -ου, ὁ: a Cean, a person from Ceos; Acontius

    γαμβρός -οῦ, ὁ: any one connected by marriage, son-in-law

    ἱερεύς -έως, ὁ: priest, sacrificer, diviner

    Ἀρισταῖος -ου, ὁ: Aristaeus, an epithet of both Apollo and Zeus

    Ζεύς, gen. Διός or Ζηνός, dat. Διί or Ζηνί, acc. Δία or Ζῆνα: Zeus

    Ἰκμίος -ου: Icmian, an epithet of Zeus

    μέλω μελήσω ἐμέλησα, Ep. and Lyr. pf. μέμηλα: (3 sing. impers. + dat. + infin.) it is an object of care or thought for x to do y

    ἄμβων -ωνος, ὁ: crest

    πρηΰνω: make soft, mild, soothe (= πραύνω) 35

    Μαῖρα -ας, ἡ: Maera, the Dog-Star, i.e., Sirius in the constellation Canis Major; its rising marked the beginning of summer for the Greeks. It was believed to bring fevers and destroy crops.

    ἀνέρχομαι: go up, come up, rise

    Ζεύς, gen. Διός or Ζηνός, dat. Διί or Ζηνί, acc. Δία or Ζῆνα: Zeus

    ἄημα -ατος, τό: blast, wind

    παραί: = παρά

    θαμεινός -ή -όν: crowded, frequent, numerous (= θαμινός, -ά, -όν)

    πλήσσω: strike with terror; drive

    λίνεος -α -ον: of flax or linen

    ὄρτυξ -υγος, ὁ: the quail

    νεφέλη -ης, ἡ: a cloud, mass of clouds; fine bird-net

    ἀνακαλύπτω, aor. ἀνεκάλυψα: uncover; reveal

    ἐτεός -ά -όν: true, genuine; (adv.) ἐτῶς, truly

    κἦν: καὶ ἦν

    σῶς σῶς σῶν: (adj.) safe and sound, alive and well

    μετέρχομαι: come or go among 40

    ηνιδιην probably = τὴν ἰδίην though the noun it is modifying is uncertain.

    Διονυσιάς-άδος: (fem. adj.) of Dionysus, here referring to the island Naxos

    χἠ: καὶ ἡ

    εὐορκέω: swear truly, take a true oath, keep one's oath by

    ἧλιξ -ικος, ὁ/ἡ: companions of the same age

    ἀείδω: to sing; impf. ᾖδον

    ὑμέναιος -ου, ὁ: wedding or bridal song

    ἀναβάλλω: throw up; (mid.) put off, delay

    τημοῦτος: then, thereupon (= τῆμος)

    μίτρη -ης, ἡ: a belt or girdle (Ep. and Ion. of μίτρα -ας, ἡ) 45

    ἅπτω ἅψω ἥψα: fasten; (middle) grasp, touch, take hold of; ἥψαο, aor ind mid 2nd sg [epic]

    σφυρόν -οῦ, τό: the ankle

    Ἰφίκλειος -α -ον: (adj.) of Iphicles, the son of Phylacus, a famous runner mentioned by Homer and Hesiod

    ἐπιτρέχω: run upon

    ἄσταχυς -υος, ὁ: ear of wheat

    κτεατίζω: to get, gain, win; ἐκτεάτιστο is 3rd singular pluperfect indicative middle

    Κελαινίτης -ου, ὁ: from Celaenae, an ancient city in Phrygia

    Μίδης -εω, ὁ: Midas, legendary king of Phrygia who was known for his wealth (Ion. of Μίδας, -ου or -α, ὁ)

    ψῆφος -ου, ἡ: vote, judgement, opnion

    ἐπιμάρτυς -υρος, ὁ: witness (= ἐπιμάρτυρος -ου, ὁ)

    νῆις -ιδος: (adj.) unpracticed, ignorant, unknowing

    νέομαι: go, come, go back 50

    φῦλον -ου, τό: race, tribe, class

    περίτιμος -ον: much honored, much revered (= πολύτιμος)

    ναιετάω: to dwell

    ἵμερος -ου, ὁ: longing, desire, love

    κλύω: hear

    ἀρχαῖος -α -ον: ancient, old

    νῆσος νήσου, ἡ: island 55

    μνήμη -ης, ἡ: a remembrance, memory, record

    κατατίθημι: place, put or lay down

    μυθολόγος -ον: mythological, narrative

    ναίω: to dwell, abide

    Κωρύκιος -α -ον: Corycian, epithet of the nymphs who lived in a cave on Mt. Parnassus

    Παρνησσός -οῦ, ὁ: Mt. Parnassus, a mountain in central Greece near Delphi, sacred to Apollo (Ion. for Παρνασσός)

    λίς, ὁ: lion (mostly used in the nominative; Ep. of λέων, -οντος, ὁ)

    Ὑδροῦσσα -ας, ἡ: Hydroussa, an ancient name for Ceos

    Κυρήνη -ης, ἡ: Cyrene, a Greek city in Libya

    Καρύαι -ῶν, αἱ: Caryae, a place in Laconia with a famous temple of Artemis

    Ἀλαλάξιος -ου, ὁ: Alalaxios, epithet of Zeus as a war god, also used of Ares 60

    σάλπιγξ -ιγγος, ἡ: a war trumpet

    ἱερά -ῶν, τά: sacrificial offerings, victims (Ion. ἱρά)

    βοή -ῆς, ἡ: loud cry, shout; the sound of musical instruments

    Κάρ, gen. Κᾱρός, pl. Κᾶρες: Carian, someone from Caria in Asia Minor

    ὁμοῦ: together; (+ dat.) together with, along with

    Λέλεγες -ων, οἱ: Leleges, a tribe on the southwest coast of Asia Minor

    μεταβάλλω: change, alter

    Μελίη -ης, ἡ: Melia, a common name for tree nymphs (Ep. for Μελία -ας, ἡ)

    ἶνις, ὁ: son (indecl.)

    ὕβρις -εως, ἡ: insolence

    κεραύνιος -α -ον: of or by a thunderbolt

    γόης -ητος, ὁ: one who howls out enchantments, sorcerer

    Τελχίν -ῖνος, ὁ: a Telchine, one of the Telchines; first inhabitants of Crete, first workers of metal 65

    μάκαρ, gen. -αρος: (adj.) blessed, happy

    ἀλέγω: to trouble oneself, have a care for, pay attention to (+ gen.)

    ἠλεός -ή -όν: distraught, crazed; (neuter plural as adv.) foolishly

    Δημώναξ -ακτος, ὁ: Demonax, a king of the Telchines

    ἐντίθημι: to put in

    δέλτος -ου, ἡ: writing tablet

    γρηῦς γρηός, ἡ: οld woman (Ion. for γραῦς γρᾱός, ἡ)

    Μακελώ -ώνης(?), ἡ: Macelo, prob. Demonax's wife

    Δεξιθέη -ης, ἡ: Dexithea (Ep. for Δεξιθέα -ας, ἡ)

    ἀνατρέπω: overturn, upset, overthrow, ruin

    εἵνεκα: Ep., Ion., and poet. of ἕνεκα

    ἀλιτρός -όν: sinful, sinning

    ἀσκηθής -ές: unhurt, unharmed, unscathed

    τειχίζω: to build 70

    Μεγακλῆς -έους, ὁ: Megacles

    Κάρθαια -ᾱς, ἡ: Carthaea, a town on Ceos

    Χρυσώ -οῦς, ἡ: Chryso

    Εὔπυλος -ου, ὁ: Eupylus

    ἡμιθέα -ας, ἡ: demi-goddess

    εὔκρηνος -ον: well-watered, well-supplied with fountains

    πτολίεθρον -ου, τό: town, city, citadel

    Ἀκαῖος -ου(?), ὁ: Acaeus (this name is not attested elsewhere)

    Ποιῆσσα or Ποιήεσσα -ας, ἡ: Poeessa, a town on Ceos

    Χάριτες Χαρίτων, αἱ: the Graces, handmaids of Aphrodite

    ἵδρυμα -ατος, τό: establishment, foundation; temple, shrine

    εὐπλόκαμος -ον: with beautiful tresses, fair-haired

    ἄστυρον -ου, τό: a small town (dim. of ἄστυ)

    Ἄφραστος -ου, ὁ: Aphrastus

    Κορήσιος or Κορησσός -ου, ἡ: Coresus, the harbor of Iulis

    συγκεράννυμι: mix together, comingle 75

    ἔρως ἔρωτος, ὁ: love

    πρέσβυς -εως, ὁ: old man; elder; ambassador

    ἐτητυμία -ας, ἡ: truth

    μέλω: (poet.) be a concern to (+ dat. of person); (poet.) take care of, care for (+ gen. or dat.)

    τρέχω, fut. δραμοῦμαι or θρέξομαι, aor. ἔδραμον or ἔθρεξα: to run; move quickly

    Καλλῐόπη -ης, ἡ: Calliope, the beautiful-voiced, name of the Epic Muse; ἡμετέρη Κ. my Muse, i.e., my poetry

    Fr. 75a Harder (=Diegesis Z 1-7 p.71 Pf.) P.Mil.Vogl. I 18 col. Z 1-7 [image], Trismegistos 59371

        ]ς παρθένου ἐκ

        Κυδί]ππης μήλῳ καλ-

           λίστῳ . . . . . . . . . .‘μὰ τὴ]ν Ἄρτεμιν, Ἀκον-

           τίῳ γαμοῦμαι’ . . . . . . . .].σενηδεηδε

    5                                       ]νετο• ὡς δε.ε

      ]ηθει[. . .]ιν. .ρω

        ].γαμ[

           (about 35 verses missing)

     

    ...I swear to Artemis that I shall marry Acontius...

    Fr. 67

    Eros himself instructed Acontius in the art (of love),  

    when the boy burned for the beautiful maiden Cydippe— 

    for Acontius was not very cunning—so he could (win)

    the title of husband all through his life.

    He came, o lord of Cynthos, from Ioulis and she from Naxos5

    to attend your sacrifice of oxen at Delos,

    he sprung from the family of Euxantius, she of Promethus,

    both of them shining stars among the islanders.

    Many mothers prayed that little Cydippe 

    would a bride for their sons, to be paid for with dowry of horned oxen.10

    For no other girl went to the watery spring of hairy old

    Silenus with a face more like the dawn,

    nor did [another girl] put down her graceful feet

    in the dance for the sleeping Ariadne...


    Fr. 68

    and the boy was noticed by lovers when he would go

    to school or to the bath

     

    Fr. 69

    and of those loving Acontius, many wine-drinkers threw to the ground

    the dregs from their cups in the Sicilian manner.

     

    Fr. 70

    but, from the bow of another,

    the archer himself feeling the arrow's point

     

    Fr. 72

    therefore he went to the countryside on all pretexts

     

    Fr. 73

    but you may bear so many letters, cut into your bark,

    as will tell that Cydippe is beautiful

     

    Fr. 74

    shameless I, why did I place on you this fear?

     

    Fr. 75

    and already the girl had slept with a boy,

    as there was a law that ordered the bride to lie before

    the wedding with a male child who has both parents living.

    For they say that once upon a time Hera—dog, dog, restrain yourself, impudent

    soul. You will sing even what is against divine law to sing; you are5

    very lucky that you did not see the rites of the dread goddess,

    because otherwise you would have blurted out that information too.

    Much knowledge is truly a difficult evil for whoever does not have

    command of his tongue: this man, in truth, is a child with a knife.

    At break of (the next) day the oxen were going to rage 10 

    seeing the sharp sacrificial knife in the water;

    but in the evening an evil pallor seized her, and the illness (epilepsy)

    came which we send off to the wild goats (as a magical treatment)

    and mistakenly call "holy"; that grievous illness wasted

    away the girl even to the doors of the house of Hades.15

    A second time the marriage bed was spread; a second time

    the girl was sick for seven months with a quartan fever.

    A third time they turned their thoughts to marriage; a third

    time again a deadly chill settled on Cydippe.

    Her father did not wait a fourth time...20

    Phoebus; and (Apollo) spoke this word at night;

    "A heavy oath sworn to Artemis frustrates the marriage for your child;

    for my sister was not troubling Lygdamis then,

    nor was she plaiting rushes in the temple at Amyclae,

    nor washing off the dirt after the hunt in the river Parthenius,25

    but she was at home on Delos when your daughter swore

    to have Acontius—no other—as her bridegroom.

    But, Ceyx, if you wish to make me your counsellor

    ... you will fulfill your daughter's oath;

    for I tell you, in the person of Acontius you will not be mixing lead with silver30

    but electrum with shining gold.

    You, the father of the bride, are a descendant of Codrus; he, the Cean

    bridegroom, springs from the priests of Zeus Aristaeus the Icmian,

    whose job it is to placate difficult Maera

    on the mountain tops when she rises35

    and to ask from Zeus the wind by which

    numerous quails are driven into the linen nets."

    So spoke the god. Her father then went back to Naxos and asked

    the girl herself, and she revealed the whole story truthfully

    and was well again. And the rest, Acontius, it was your task40

    ... to go to Dionysus' island [to fetch your wife?].

    And the oath by the goddess was kept, and at once the girl's

    friends of like age sang the wedding songs without delay.

    I do not think, Acontius, that you would have

    traded that night in which you touched her maiden's girdle,45

    not for the ankle of Iphicles who ran on the ears of corn,

    nor for the possessions of Midas of Celaenae.

    Witnesses of my judgement will be 

    all those who are not ignorant of the stern god.

    From this marriage a great name was destined to come,50

    for your tribe, the Acontiads,

    still dwells widely and is much honored in Iulis.

    Cean, we heard about this love of yours

    from ancient Xenomedes, who once set down

    a complete mythological history of the island,55

    beginning with how it was inhabited by the Corycian nymphs,

    whom a big lion chased from Mt. Parnassus

    (and therefore they called it Hydroussa); and how Cyrene's

    ...lived in Caryae;

    and how the people settled on it whose offerings Zeus60

    Alalaxios always accepts at the sound of the trumpets—

    the Carians together with the Leleges; and how Ceos,

    the son of Phoebus and Melia, caused it to change its name.

    In his tablets the old man put hubris and death by thunderbolt— 

    those sorcerers, the Telchines and Demonax, who65

    foolishly did not care about the blessed gods;

    and the old woman Macelo, the mother of Dexithea,

    the only ones whom the gods left unscathed, when they overthrew

    the island because of its sinful hubris. 

    And (he told) how, of the four towns, Megacles built Carthaea,70

    while Eupylus, the son of Chryso the demi-goddess,

    built the well-watered city of Iulis, and Acaeus built

    Poeessa, the shrine of the fairhaired Charites,

    and Aphrastus built the town of Coresus; and he told, Cean,

    amongst these matters, about your passionate love, 75

    the old man dedicated to the truth, and from there the

    story of the boy made its way into our poetry.

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    Suggested Citation

    Susan Stephens, Callimachus: Aetia. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-947822-07-8.https://dcc.dickinson.edu/callimachus-aetia/book-3/acontius-and-cydippe