3.1017
The Argonautica 3.1017 · Like dew on roses3.1017Like dew on roses
Lines 1017–1021. Love works on her through his looks, and she melts like dew.
· · ·
τοῖος1
toîos
Such
ἡδεῖαν2
hēdeîan
sweet
φλόγα3
phlóga
flame
ἀπὸ4
apò
from
ξανθοῖο5
xanthoîo
goldenyellow, fair
καρήατος6
karḗatos
head
Αἰσονίδαο7
Aisonídao
of Aeson's sonthe son of Aeson
Ἔρως8
Érōs
LoveEros
στράπτεν9
strápten
flashedlightened
ἀπὸ10
apò
forthoff
; δʼ11
d’
and
ἥρπαζεν12
hḗrpazen
it caughtsnatched
ἀμαρυγὰς13
amarygàs
the shiningsparkling
τῆς14
tês
her
ὀφθαλμῶν15
ophthalmôn
of her eyes
, δὲ16
dè
and
φρένας17
phrénas
her heartmind
εἴσω18
eísō
withininside
ἰαίνετο19
iaíneto
was warmedwas cheered
τηκομένη20
tēkoménē
meltingbeing melted
, οἷόν21
hoîón
assuch as
τε22
te
—
ἐέρση23
eérsē
the dew
τήκεται24
tḗketai
meltsis melted
περὶ25
perì
onaround
ῥοδέῃσιν26
rhodéēisin
rosesrose bushes
ἠῴοισιν27
ēṓioisin
the morning'sat break of day
φαέεσσιν28
phaéessin
lightlights
ἰαινομένη29
iainoménē
warmedbeing warmed
. Such a sweet flame from the golden head of Aeson's son did Love flash forth; it caught the shining of her eyes, and her heart within was warmed as she melted, as the dew melts on roses when the morning light warms it.
Such a sweet flame from the golden head of Aeson's son did Love flash forth; it caught the shining of her eyes, and her heart within was warmed as she melted, as the dew melts on roses when the morning light warms it.
Interpretation
Such a sweet flame did Love flash from the golden head of Aeson's son; it caught the shining of her eyes, and her heart was warmed within her as she melted, as the dew on roses melts when the morning light warms it.
The flame comes from Jason's golden head, but Eros is the one who flashes it, and it seizes her eyes. Mooney complained that Liddell and Scott had no entry for the compound ἀποστράπτω, "flash forth," split here into στράπτεν … ἀπό; the 1940 LSJ has one, citing this line. For ἀμαρυγὰς ἥρπαζεν, "captivated her shining eyes," he quotes Ovid: "you too, who lately ravished my eyes" (Amores 2.19.19).
Then she melts, the way dew melts on roses in the morning sun. Mooney sets beside it the Iliad's simile for Menelaus' softened heart, warmed "as the dew around the ears of growing grain" (23.597–599).
3.1022
The Argonautica 3.1022 · Eyes down, eyes up3.1022Eyes down, eyes up
Lines 1022–1025. Neither of them can speak at first, until at last she does.
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Both of them at one moment fixed their eyes on the ground in shame; at another they cast glances at each other, smiling with longing under bright brows. At last, and barely, the girl addressed him thus: