Xenophon of Ephesus, An Ephesian Tale 1.7.4 · 1.7.4
The lovers make light of the prophecy
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Ὁ δὲ Ἁβροκόμης ὡς ἐπύθετο καὶ τὸν χρησμὸν καὶ τὸν γάμον, ἐπὶ μὲν τῷ τὴν Ἄνθειαν ἕξειν μεγάλως ἔχαιρεν· ἐφόβει δὲ αὐτὸν οὐδὲν τὰ μεμαντευμένα, ἀλλ’ ἐδόκει παντὸς εἶναι δεινοῦ τὰ παρόντα ἡδίονα. Κατὰ ταυτὰ δὲ καὶ ἡ Ἄνθεια ἥδετο μὲν ὅτι Ἁβροκόμην ἕξει· τίς δὲ ἡ φυγὴ καὶ τίνες αἱ συμφοραὶ κατεφρόνει, πάντων τῶν ἐσομένων κακῶν Ἁβροκόμην ἔχουσα παραμυθίαν.
When Habrocomes learned of both the oracle and the marriage, he rejoiced greatly that he would have Anthia. The prophecies did not frighten him at all; the present seemed sweeter to him than any danger. In the same way Anthia was glad that she would have Habrocomes. What the flight was, and what the misfortunes, she made light of, since in Habrocomes she had a comfort for all the evils to come.
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The setting
Book 1, chapter 7. How Habrocomes and Anthia take the news.
A note on this passage
κατεφρόνει, "she made light of," is the verb of Habrocomes' contempt in 1.1.4, and he used it of himself once Eros had caught him: ὁ καταφρονῶν Ἔρωτος, "I who scorned Eros" (1.4.1). Anthia now turns the same verb on the oracle's threats. The section ends on παραμυθία, "comfort," the noun of the verb the fathers used in 1.7.2 for "softening" the oracle.
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