Fr. 63
]´δοι σὺν παιδί· θ.[. .]. . . .άει. .[. . . . . .]. .[
π]ολλὸν κῆρι βαρυ[νομέ]νη
]καλέουσα γυνὴ τ.[. . . .]. .[.]υ.άν· . .[. . .].[
].ηι γρηῢς γείτο[ν.].[.]ρχομένη
5 ].' ἰδεῖν οὐ γάρ μιν [. . .]κλήϊσσεν[.]οντα
].ς· ἄφαρ δ' ἀνὰ μὲν θυμὸς [ἔ]γεντο θε[ῆ]ς
].τος· πολλὸν δὲ περὶ φρεσὶν ἀχθήνασα
]θη κούρῃ π[ό]τνα χαλεψαμένη.
τοὔν]εκεν οὔ πως ἔστιν ἐπ' ὄθμασιν ο[ἷ]σιν ἰδέ[σθ]αι
10 παρθενι]καῖς Δηοῦς ὄργια Θεσμοφόρου
]πόσιν ἐλθέμεναι πρὶν νύμφια λέκτρα τελέσσαι
]ες ἐκ κείνου χρήματος Ἀκτιάσιν.
notes
Fr. 63 Harder (= 63 Pf., = 162 Mass.)
1-3 P.Oxy. 2211 fr. 1 verso a-c (in margin) [image],
Trismegistos 59407
4-12 P.Oxy. 2211 fr. 1 verso 1-9 [image], Trismegistos 59407
This is a very mutilated fragment on the Attic Thesmophoria; it ostensibly explains why girls are excluded from the Attic rite. It recalls Demeter’s anger at a young girl, though the reason for the goddess’ anger and its repercussions are uncertain.
Bibliography
Magnelli, Enrico. 2006. ‘Callimaco, fr. 63 Pf.: ambiguità sintattiche e autenticità.’ In Callimaco: cent'anni di papiri. Atti del convegno internazionale di studi, Firenze, 9-10 giugno 2005. Studi e testi di papirologia 8, edited by Guido Bastianini and Angelo Casanova, 47-55. Firenze: Istituto Papirologico G. Vitelli.
vocabulary
Fr. 63
κῆρ, dat. κῆρι, τό: heart
βαρύνω βαρυνῶ ἐβάρῡνα: to weigh down, oppress by weight
γρηῦς γρηός, ἡ: old woman
κληΐς -ῖδος, ἡ: bolt, bar; key (Att. κλείς) 5
ἄφαρ: straightway, forthwith, at once, quickly6
φρήν φρενός, ἡ: the heart, mind
ἀχθαίνω aor. ἤχθηνα: to be grieved, angered, vexed (= ἄχθομαι)
κούρη -ης, ἡ: a young girl, an unmarried woman
πότνα short form of πότνια -ας, ἡ: (as subst.) mistress, queen; (as adj.) revered, august, mighty
χαλέπτω, poet. aor. χάλεψα: provoke, enrage; (mid.) be angry
ὄθμα -ατος, τό: eye (= ὄμμα)
παρθένος -ου, ἡ: a maid, maiden, virgin, girl 10
Δηώ -όος, ἡ: Demeter
ὄργια -ίων, τά: secret rites, mysteries
Θεσμοφόρος, -ον: law-giving, law-brining (epithet of Demeter)
πόσις πόσιος, ὁ: husband
νυμφεῖος -α -ον: bridal, nuptial
λέκτρον -ου, τό: a couch, bed
τελέω, fut. τελέσω, aor. ἐτέλεσσα or τέλεσσα: fulfill, accomplish, perform, finish
Ἀκτιάς -άδος: (fem. adj.) Attic, from Attica
translation
Fr. 63
and at once the goddess's anger rose 6
. . . and much grieved in her heart
. . . the mighty goddess angered with the girl.
On account of this it is not possible for maidens to see with their own eyes
the mysteries of Law-giving Demeter 10
before a husband comes to them and concludes a marriage
because of that affair . . . for Attic girls