[21] Λυσίας γὰρ ὁ σοφιστὴς Μετανείρας ὢν ἐραστής, ἐβουλήθη πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀναλώμασιν οἷς ἀνήλισκεν εἰς αὐτὴν καὶ μυῆσαι, ἡγούμενος τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ἀναλώματα τὴν κεκτημένην αὐτὴν λαμβάνειν, ἃ δ᾽ ἂν εἰς τὴν ἑορτὴν καὶ τὰ μυστήρια ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἀναλώσῃ, πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν ἄνθρωπον χάριν καταθήσεσθαι. ἐδεήθη οὖν τῆς Νικαρέτης ἐλθεῖν εἰς τὰ μυστήρια ἄγουσαν τὴν Μετάνειραν, ἵνα μυηθῇ, καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπέσχετο μυήσειν.

[22] ἀφικομένας δ᾽ αὐτὰς ὁ Λυσίας εἰς μὲν τὴν αὑτοῦ οἰκίαν οὐκ εἰσάγει, αἰσχυνόμενος τήν τε γυναῖκα ἣν εἶχε, Βραχύλλου μὲν θυγατέρα, ἀδελφιδῆν δὲ αὑτοῦ, καὶ τὴν μητέρα τὴν αὑτοῦ πρεσβυτέραν τε οὖσαν καὶ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ διαιτωμένην· ὡς Φιλόστρατον δὲ τὸν Κολωνῆθεν, ᾔθεον ἔτι ὄντα καὶ φίλον αὐτῷ, καθίστησιν ὁ Λυσίας αὐτάς, τήν τε Μετάνειραν καὶ τὴν Νικαρέτην. συνηκολούθει δὲ καὶ Νέαιρα αὑτηί, ἐργαζομένη μὲν ἤδη τῷ σώματι, νεωτέρα δὲ οὖσα διὰ τὸ μήπω τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτῇ παρεῖναι.

    Lysias the sophist asked Nikarete to bring Metaneira to Athens in order to initiate her into the Eleusinian Mysteries. Neaira came along, too, and all three stayed with a man named Philostratos.

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    Λύσιας...ὁ σοφίστης: this is the famous rhetorician and logographer Lysias. While σοφίστης can be used pejoratively, here it simply refers to his profession as a teacher of oratory.

    μυσαι < μυέω: i.e., to initiate into the Eleusinian Mysteries, held in honor of Demeter and Persephone

    τν κεκτημένην αὐτήν: “her owner,” Nikarete, subject of λαμβάβειν, “was taking,” in indirect statement after ἡγούμενος 

    ναλώσ < ἀναλίσκω, “spend”

    καταθήσεσθαι < κατατίθημι; takes χάριν as its object

    ἐδεήθη < δέομαι, “to beg, ask”

    πέσχετο < ὑπισχνέομαι, “to promise”

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    ασχυνόμενος < αἰσχύνω + acc. person before whom one feels shame

    Βραχύλλου: Brachyllos was the husband of Lysias’ sister.

    ν τῷ ατ: “in the same [house]”

    διαιτωμένην < διαιτάω (mid./pass.), “lead one’s life, live”

    ς Φιλόστρατον: ὡς + acc. personal name = “at the house of”

    Κολωνθεν: from Kolonai, an Attic deme. Here is a map of all Attic demes.

    νεωτέρα: comparative degree (G. 177, S. 313), here with the sense of “too young.” Kapparis suggests that she was around twelve or thirteen (i.e., not yet of marriageable age) (1999: 215).

    διὰ τὸ μήπω τν λικίαν ατ παρεναι: “because the (proper) age was not yet present for her,” i.e., because she was not yet old enough. τό...παρεναι is an articular infinitive. λικίαν serves here as the accusative subject of παρεναι < παρά + εἰμί (+ dat.).

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    Λυσίας: Lysias

    σοφιστής –οῦ : wise man; sophist

    ραστής –οῦ : a lover

    νάλωμα: expenditure, cost

    ναλίσκω ναλώσω νήλωσα νήλωκα νήλωμαι νηλώθην: to use up, to spend, lavish

    μυέω: to initiate into the mysteries

    ορτή –ς : festival

    μυστήριον –ου τό: a secret rite, mystery

    δέομαι δεήσομαι δεησάμην ––– δεδέημαι δεήθην: beg, ask

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    εσάγω εσάξω εσήγαγον εσαγήοχα εσγμαι εσήχθην: to lead in, bring before

    ασχύνω ασχυνῶ σχυνα ––– ––– σχύνθην: to feel shame

    Βράχυλλος: Brachyllοs

    δελφιδ: a brother’s or sister’s daughter, a niece

    διαιτάω διαιτήσω διτησα δεδιτηκα δεδιτημαι διαιτήθην (or διτήθην): (mid.) to live, spend one's time

    Φιλόστρατος: Philostratos

    Κολωνῆθεν: from Kolonai, deme of Attica

    ίθεος –ους τό: (unmarried) youth

    συνακολουθέω: to follow closely, to accompany

    νεώτερος –α –ον: younger

    μήπω: not yet

    λικία –ας : time of life, age; generation

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    Suggested Citation

    Deborah Kamen, Pseudo-Demosthenes: Against Neaira. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2018. ISBN: 978-1-947822-10-8.https://dcc.dickinson.edu/against-neaira/21-22