2.47
The Sorceress 2.47 · Hippomanes, the plant that maddens horses2.47Hippomanes, the plant that maddens horses
Lines 47–51. She names an Arcadian plant that drives horses mad, and wishes Delphis as mad for her.
· · ·
ἶυγξ1
îynx
Magic wheelwryneck
, τὺ2
tỳ
you
ἕλκε3
hélke
drawdrag
τῆνον4
tênon
that
τὸν5
tòn
—
ἄνδρα6
ándra
man
ποτὶ7
potì
to
ἐμὸν8
emòn
my
δῶμα9
dôma
house
. ἐστι10
esti
There is
φυτόν11
phytón
a plant
, ἱππομανὲς12
hippomanès
hippomaneshorse-madness
, παρʼ13
par’
among
Ἀρκάσι14
Arkási
the Arcadians
, δʼ15
d’
and
ἐπὶ16
epì
for
τῷ17
tôi
it
πᾶσαι18
pâsai
all
καὶ19
kaì
—both
πῶλοι20
pôloi
the filliesfoals
καὶ21
kaì
and
θοαὶ22
thoaì
swift
ἵπποι23
híppoi
mares
μαίνονται24
maínontai
go madrage
ἀνʼ25
an’
over
ὤρεα26
ṓrea
the mountains
. ὣς27
hṑs
So
καὶ28
kaì
too
ἴδοιμι29
ídoimi
may I see
Δέλφιν30
Délphin
Delphis
, καὶ31
kaì
and
περάσαι32
perásai
may he crossmay he pass
ἐς33
es
into
τόδε34
tóde
this
δῶμα35
dôma
house
ἴκελος36
íkelos
like
μαινομένῳ37
mainoménōi
a madmanone raving
ἔκτοσθε38
éktosthe
out ofoutside
λιπαρᾶς39
liparâs
the oiledgleaming
παλαίστρας40
palaístras
wrestling school
. Magic wheel, draw that man to my house. There is a plant, hippomanes, among the Arcadians, and for it all the fillies and the swift mares go mad over the mountains. So may I see Delphis too, and may he cross into this house like a madman out of the oiled wrestling school.
Magic wheel, draw that man to my house. There is a plant, hippomanes, among the Arcadians, and for it all the fillies and the swift mares go mad over the mountains. So may I see Delphis too, and may he cross into this house like a madman out of the oiled wrestling school.
Interpretation
Magic wheel, draw that man to my house. Among the Arcadians there is a plant, hippomanes, that makes all the fillies and swift mares run mad over the mountains. So may I see Delphis come out of the gleaming wrestling school and cross into this house like a man gone mad.
ἱππομανές means "horse-madness." Simaetha names it as a plant of Arcadia that sends fillies and mares raving over the mountains. LSJ identifies the plant at this very line as thorn-apple, Datura stramonium, "of which horses are madly fond, or which makes them mad," and records a second hippomanes: a small black growth on the forehead of a newborn foal, "held to be a powerful φίλτρον," a love charm (Aristotle, History of Animals 577a). Cholmeley notes that it is not clear whether she uses the plant here or only names its power.
The wish is plain. The wrestling school is "oiled" because young men rubbed themselves with olive oil to train, and she wants Delphis to come out of it as mad for her as a mare in season.
2.52
The Sorceress 2.52 · The fringe of his cloak2.52The fringe of his cloak
Lines 52–56. She burns a scrap of Delphis' cloak and cries out at Eros.
· · ·
Magic wheel, draw that man to my house. Delphis lost this fringe from his cloak, which I now shred and throw into the savage fire. Ah, cruel Eros, why, clinging like a marsh leech, have you drunk from my body all the dark blood?