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

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