Greek Texts & Translations

This poem in its complete form was a match between a shepherd and another whom he had challenged, the stake being the shepherd’s pipe. The missing part comprised the lines introducing the match, the whole of the rival’s piece, and the prelude to the shepherd’s piece. What is left is the main part of the shepherd’s piece, its epilogue, and the award of the umpire. The umpire returns the shepherd his pipe, and adds a compliment in the form of a request that now he will play him another of his tunes, as, not having lost his pipe in the match, he will still be able to do. In the dialogue supposed to be recited, or perhaps to be sung, by the shepherd, one speaker answers the other speaker line for line except in two places where the same speaker has two lines. These exceptions necessary in order to shift the rôle of answerer, have brought about a wrong arrangement of lines 9 and 19 in the manuscripts. The poem may have been ascribed to an imitator of Theocritus. Line 4 he has taken bodily from him.

(The Shepherd tells of the conversation between Daphnis and Acrotimè)

ACROTIME
27.1 ‘Twas a neatherd like you carried off the wise Helen.

DAPHNIS
27.2 Helen is more willing now, for she kisses her neatherd.

ACROTIME
27.3 Soft, my satyr-boy, be not so sure; there’s a saying “nought goes to a kiss.”

DAPHNIS
27.4 Even in an empty kiss there’s a sweet delight.

ACROTIME
27.5 Look ye, I wipe my mouth o’ your kiss and spit it from me.

DAPHNIS
27.6 Wipe thy lips, quotha? then give them hither again and have thee another.

ACROTIME
27.7 ‘Twere rather becoming you to kiss your heifers than a maiden woman like me

DAPHNIS
27.8 Soft you, be not so sure; your youth passes you by like a dream.

ACROTIME
27.10 But the grape’s in the raisin, and dry rose-leaves may live.

DAPHNIS (kissing her cheek)
27.9 Shall this be suffered to grow old, that is my milk and honey? Pray you come hither under those wild-olives; I would fain tell you a tale.

ACROTIME
27.12 Nay, I thank you; you beguiled me before with your pretty tales.

DAPHNIS
27.13Then pray you come hither under those elms and let me play you my pipe.

ACROTIME
27.14 Nay; that way you may pleasure yourself; scant joy comes of a sorry ting.

DAPHNIS
27.15 Alackaday! you likewise, honey, must e’en fear the wrath of Dame Phaphian.

ACROTIME
27.16 Dame Paphian may go hang for me; my prayers are to Artemis.

DAPHNIS
27.17 Hist! or she’ll have at thee, and then thou’lt be in the trap.

ACROTIME
27.18 Let her have at me; Artemis will help me out.

DAPHNIS
27.20 No other maiden escapes Love, nor doest thou escape him.

ACROTIME
27.19 ‘Fore Pan, that do I; as for you, I only pray you may ever bear his yoke. (he puts his arm about her and makes to kiss her again) Unhand me, man; I’ll bite thy lip yet.

DAPHNIS
27.22 But I fear if I let thee go a worser man will have thee.

ACROTIME
27.23 Many the wooers have been after me, but never a one have I had to my mind.

DAPHNIS
27.24 Well, here am I come to add one more to those may.

ACROTIME
27.25 O friend, what is to do? marriage is all woe.

DAPHNIS
27.26 Nay; a marriage is a thing neither of pain nor grief but rather of dancing.

ACROTIME
27.27 Aye, but I’m told the wives do fear their bed-fellows.

DAPHNIS
27.28 Nay; rather have they ever the upper hand; what should wives fear?

ACROTIME
27.29 ‘Tis the throes I fear; the stroke of Eileithyia is hard to bear.

DAPHNIS
27.30 But thou hast Artemis to thy queen, and she lightens the labour.

ACROTIME
27.31 Ah! but I fear lest the childbirth lose me my pretty face.

DAPHNIS
27.32 But if thou bear sweet children, thou’lt see a new light in thy sons.

ACROTIME
27.33 And if I say thee yea, what gift bring’st thou with thee worthy the marriage?

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