2.154
The Sorceress 2.154 · Twelve days2.154Twelve days
Lines 154–158. She believes the visitor, because she knows the signs.
· · ·
ταῦτά1
taûtá
This
ἁ2
ha
the
ξείνα3
xeína
visitorstranger
μυθήσατο4
mythḗsato
toldrelated
μοι5
moi
me
, δʼ6
d’
and
ἔστι7
ésti
she is
ἀλαθής8
alathḗs
truthfultrue
. γάρ9
gár
For
ἦ10
ê
truly
ἐφοίτη11
ephoítē
he used to comehe kept coming
μοι12
moi
to me
καὶ13
kaì
—both
τρὶς14
trìs
three
καὶ15
kaì
and
τετράκις16
tetrákis
four times
ἄλλοκʼ17
állok’
in other daysat other times
, καὶ18
kaì
and
πολλάκις19
pollákis
often
ἐτίθει20
etíthei
used to leaveplaced
τὰν21
tàn
his
Δωρίδα22
Dōrída
Dorian
ὄλπαν23
ólpan
oil flask
παρʼ24
par’
with
ἐμὶν25
emìn
me
. δέ26
dé
But
τε27
te
—
νῦν28
nŷn
now
δωδεκαταῖος29
dōdekataîos
for twelve dayson the twelfth day
ἀφʼ30
aph’
since
ὧτέ31
hôté
thenwhen
οὐδὲ32
oudè
not even
ποτεῖδον33
poteîdon
have I seenlooked at
νιν34
nin
him
. ἦ35
ê
So
ῥʼ36
rh’
then
οὐκ37
ouk
has he not
ἔχει38
échei
foundhas
τι39
ti
some
ἄλλό40
álló
other
τερπνὸν41
terpnòn
delightdelightful
δὲ42
dè
and
λέλασται43
lélastai
forgottenhas forgotten
ἁμῶν44
hamôn
meus
? This is what the visitor told me, and she is truthful. For he used to come to me three and four times in other days, and he often left his Dorian oil flask with me. But now for twelve days now I have not even seen him. Has he not found some other delight and forgotten me?
This is what the visitor told me, and she is truthful. For he used to come to me three and four times in other days, and he often left his Dorian oil flask with me. But now for twelve days now I have not even seen him. Has he not found some other delight and forgotten me?
Interpretation
That is what the visitor told me, and she tells the truth. For he used to come to me three and four times, and he would often leave his Dorian oil flask at my house. But now for twelve days I have not even set eyes on him. Has he not found some other delight, and forgotten me?
She believes the woman, because she knows the signs. Delphis used to come again and again, and he would leave his oil flask at her house, the flask a young man carried to the wrestling school: leaving it meant he was coming back. Now it has been twelve days, the same twelve days she began with in line 4.
Cholmeley hears her lament end here, on the heavy close of ἁμῶν δὲ λέλασται, "and has forgotten me," before a long pause.
2.159
The Sorceress 2.159 · Farewell, Moon2.159Farewell, Moon
Lines 159–166. One more spell, a threat, and the night ends.
· · ·
For now I will spellbind him with these love charms; but if he hurts me still, by the Fates, he will knock at the gate of Hades. Such deadly drugs I keep for him in a box, I tell you, lady, which I learned from an Assyrian stranger. But you, farewell, turn your horses toward Ocean, lady. And I will bear my burden as I have borne it. Farewell, shining Moon, and farewell, you other stars, followers behind the chariot of quiet Night.