Τὸ δὲ συμπόσιον ἔξω τῆς πόλεως πεποίηνται ἐν τῷ Ἠλυσίῳ καλουμένῳ πεδίῳ· λειμὼν δέ ἐστιν κάλλιστος καὶ περὶ αὐτὸν ὕλη παντοία πυκνή, ἐπισκιάζουσα τοὺς κατακειμένους. καὶ στρωμνὴν μὲν ἐκ τῶν ἀνθῶν ὑποβέβληνται, διακονοῦνται δὲ καὶ παραφέρουσιν ἕκαστα οἱ ἄνεμοι πλήν γε τοῦ οἰνοχοεῖν· τούτου γὰρ οὐδὲν δέονται, ἀλλ᾽ ἔστι δένδρα περὶ τὸ συμπόσιον ὑάλινα μεγάλα τῆς διαυγεστάτης ὑάλου, καὶ καρπός ἐστι τῶν δένδρων τούτων ποτήρια παντοῖα καὶ τὰς κατασκευὰς καὶ τὰ μεγέθη. ἐπειδὰν οὖν παρίῃ τις ἐς τὸ συμπόσιον, τρυγήσας ἓν ἢ καὶ δύο τῶν ἐκπωμάτων παρατίθεται, τὰ δὲ αὐτίκα οἴνου πλήρη γίνεται. οὕτω μὲν πίνουσιν, ἀντὶ δὲ τῶν στεφάνων αἱ ἀηδόνες καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ μουσικὰ ὄρνεα ἐκ τῶν πλησίον λειμώνων τοῖς στόμασιν ἀνθολογοῦντα κατανίφει αὐτοὺς μετ᾽ ᾡδῆς ὑπερπετόμενα. καὶ μὴν καὶ μυρίζονται ὧδε· νεφέλαι πυκναὶ ἀνασπάσασαι μύρον ἐκ τῶν πηγῶν καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ ἐπιστᾶσαι ὑπὲρ τὸ συμπόσιον ἠρέμα τῶν ἀνέμων ὑποθλιβόντων ὕουσι λεπτὸν ὥσπερ δρόσον.

    τὸ συμπόσιον: acc. of resp., “as for their symposium”

    πεποίηνται: perf. mid./pas. of ποιέω, “they are prepared”

    ἐπισκιάζουσα: pr. part., “casting shade on”

    ὑποβέβληνται: perf. mid. of ὑποβάλλω, “they have laid down under (themselves)”

    πλήν γε τοῦ οἰνοχοεῖν: articular infinitive, “except, of course, for pouring wine”

    καὶ τὰς κατασκευὰς καὶ τὰ μεγέθη: accusatives of respect, “both in style and size” 

    ἐπειδὰν οὖν παρίῃ τις: pr. subj. of παρα-ἔρχομαι, general temporal clause, “whenever someone comes along”

    τρυγήσας: ao, part. nom. s. of τρυγάω, “having plucked”

    ἓν ἢ καὶ δύο: “one or even two”

    παρατίθεται: pr. mid. of παρα-τίθημι, “sets beside him”

    πλήρη γίνεται: “become full”

    ἀνθολογοῦντα: pr. part. nom. pl. n. of ἀνθολογέω, modifying ὄρνεα, “gathering flowers”

    κατανίφει: “let them fall like snow”

    ὑπερπετόμενα: pr. part. nom. pl. n. of ὑπερπέτομαι, modifying ὄρνεα, “flying around”

    καὶ μὴν καὶ: indicating a climax, “moreover”

    ἀνασπάσασαι: ao. part. nom. pl. f. of ἀνασπάω, “having drawn up”

    ἐπιστᾶσαι: ao. part. intrans. nom. pl. f. of ἐφίστημι, “standing over”

    τῶν ἀνέμων ὑποθλιβόντων: gen. abs., “the winds pressing gently”

    ὕουσι: pr. of ὕω, “they rain”

     

    συμπόσιον, τό: a drinking-party, symposium

    Ἠλύσιος, -α, -ον: Elysian

    πεδίον, τό: a plain or flat

    λειμών, -ῶνος, ὁ: a meadow

    ὕλη, ἡ: a forest

    παντοῖος, -α, -ον: of all sorts or kinds, manifold

    πυκνός: close, compact

    ἐπισκιάζω: throw a shade upon

    κατάκειμαι: lie down, lie outstretched

    στρωμνή, ἡ: a bed spread

    ἄνθος, ὁ: a blossom, flower

    ὑποβάλλω: throw, put or lay under

    διακονέω: minister, serve, do service

    παραφέρω: bring to

    ἄνεμος, ὁ: wind

    οἰνοχοέω: pour out wine for drinking

    δέομαι: need

    δένδρον, τό: a tree 

    ὑάλινος, -η, -ον: of crystal or glass

    καρπός, ὁ: fruit

    διαυγής, -ές: transparent

    ὕαλος, ἡ: a clear, transparent stone

    ποτήριον, τό: a drinking-cup, wine-cup

    παντοῖος, -α, -ον: of all sorts or kinds, manifold

    κατασκευή, ἡ: preparation

    τρυγάω: gather in

    ἔκπωμα, -ατος, τό: a drinking-cup, beaker

    παρατίθημι: place beside

    οἶνος, ὁ: wine

    πλήρης, -ες: filled, full of

    στέφανος, ὁ: a garland

    ἀηδών, -όνος, ὁ: nightingale

    μουσικός, -ή, -όν: musical

    ὄρνεον, τό: bird

    λειμών, -ῶνος, ὁ: a meadow, mead, holm

    ἀνθολογέω: gather flowers

    κατανίφω: cover with snow

    ᾠδή, ἡ: a song, lay, ode

    ὑπερπέτομαι: fly over

    μυρίζω: rub with ointment or unguent, anoint

    νεφέλη, ἡ: a cloud

    πυκνός: close, compact

    ἀνασπάω: draw up, pull up

    μύρον, ου, τό: sweet-oil, balsam

    πηγή, ἡ: running waters, streams

    ἐπιστάζω: let fall in drops upon or into, instill

    ἠρέμα: stilly, quietly, gently, softly

    ὑποθλίβω: press under or gently

    ὕω: send rain, to rain

    λεπτός, -ή, -όν: a small amount, lightly

    δρόσος, ἡ: dew

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    Suggested Citation

    Eric Casey, Evan Hayes, and Stephen Nimis, Lucian True History. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2023. ISBN: .
    https://dcc.dickinson.edu/lucian-true/book-2/2-14