Greek Texts & Translations

DAPHNIS
27.34 Thou shalt have all my herd and all the planting and pasture I possess.

ACROTIME
27.35 Swear thou’lt never thereafter leave me all forlorn

DAPHNIS
27.36 Before great Pan I swear it, even if thou choose to send me packing.

ACROTIME
27.37 Buildest me a bower and a house and a farmstead?

DAPHNIS
27.38 Yea, I build thee a house, and the flocks I feed are fine flocks.

ACROTIME
27.39 But then my gray-headed father, O what can I say to him?

DAPHNIS
27.40 He’ll think well o’ thy wedlock when he hears my name.

ACROTIME
27.41 Then tell me that name o’ thine; there’s often joy in a name.

DAPHNIS
27.42 ‘Tis Daphnis, mine, and my father’s Lycidas and my mother’s Nomaeë.

ACROTIME
27.43 Thou com’st of good stock; and yet methinks I am as good as thou.

DAPHNIS
27.44 Aye, I know it; thou art Acrotimè and they father Menalcas.

ACROTIME
27.45 Come, show me thy planting, show me where thy farmstead is.

DAPHNIS
27.46 Lo! this way it is; look how tall and slender my cypress-trees spring!

ACROTIME
27.47 Graze on, my goats; I go to see the neatherd’s labours.

DAPHNIS
27.48 Feed you well, my bulls; I would fain show the maid my planting.

ACROTIME
27.49 What art thou at, satyr-boy? why hast put thy hand inside on my breasts?

DAPHNIS
27.50 I am fain to give thy ripe pippins their first lesson.

ACROTIME
27.51 ‘Fore pan, I shall swoon; take back thy hand.

DAPHNIS
27.52 Never thou mind, sweet; what hadst thou to fear, little coward.

ACROTIME
27.53 Thou thrustest me into the water-conduit and soilest my pretty clothes.

DAPHNIS
27.54 Nay; look ye there! I cast my soft sheepskin under thy cloak.

ACROTIME
27.55 Out, alack! thou hast torn off my girdle, too. Why didst loose that?

DAPHNIS
27.56 This shall be my firstlings to our Lady of Paphos.

ACROTIME
27.57 Hold, ah hold! sure somebody’s e’en coming. There’s a noise.

DAPHNIS
27.58 Aye, the cypress-trees talking together of thy bridal.

ACROTIME
27.59 Thou hast torn my mantle and left me in the nude.

DAPHNIS
27.60 I’ll give thee another mantle, and an ampler.

ACROTIME
27.61 You say you’ll give me anything I may ask, who soon mayhap will deny me salt.

DAPHNIS
27.62 Would I could give thee my very soul to boot!

ACROTIME
27.63 O Artemis, be not wroth with a transgressor of thy word.

DAPHNIS
27.64 Love (Eros) shall have a heifer of me, and great Aphrodite a cow.

ACROTIME
27.65 Lo, I came hither a maid and I go home a woman.

DAPHNIS
27.66 Aye, a mother and a nursing-mother, maiden no more.

27.67 Thus they prattled in the joy of their fresh young limbs. The secret bridal over, she rose and went her ways for to feed her sheep, her look shamefast but her heart glad within her; while as for him, he betook himself to his herds of bulls rejoicing in his wedlock.

THE UMPIRE
27.72 Here, take the pipe, thou happy shepherd; ‘tis thine once more; and so let’s hear and consider another of the tunes of the leaders o’ sheep.