2.99
The Sorceress 2.99 · He comes to her door2.99He comes to her door
Lines 99–104. Her message, and Delphis at the threshold.
· · ·
φράζεό1
phrázeó
Seeconsider
, πότνα2
pótna
ladyqueen
Σελάνα3
Selána
Moon
, ὅθεν4
hóthen
from wherewhence
μευ5
meu
my
τὸν6
tòn
—
ἔρωθʼ7
érōth’
love
ἵκετο8
híketo
camearrived
. κἠπεί9
kēpeí
And when
κά10
ká
—
μάθῃς11
máthēis
you findyou learn
νιν12
nin
him
ἐόντα13
eónta
to bebeing
μόνον14
mónon
alone
, νεῦσον15
neûson
nod
ἅσυχα16
hásycha
quietlysoftly
κεἴφʼ17
keíph’
and say
ὅτι18
hóti
—
Σιμαίθα19
Simaítha
Simaetha
καλεῖ20
kaleî
is callingcalls
τυ21
ty
you
, καὶ22
kaì
and
ὑφαγέο23
hyphagéo
lead the wayguide
τᾷδε24
tâide
herethis way
. ὣς25
hṑs
So
ἐφάμαν26
epháman
I spokeI said
. δʼ27
d’
And
ἁ28
ha
she
ἦνθε29
ênthe
wentcame
καὶ30
kaì
and
ἄγαγε31
ágage
brought
τὸν32
tòn
the
λιπαρόχρων33
liparóchrōn
sleek-skinnedoily-skinned
Δέλφιν34
Délphin
Delphis
εἰς35
eis
to
ἐμὰ36
emà
my
δώματα37
dṓmata
house
. δέ38
dé
And
ἐγὼ39
egṑ
I
, ὡς40
hōs
as soon as
ἐνόησα41
enóēsa
I sawI perceived
νιν42
nin
him
ἄρτι43
árti
just
ἀμειβόμενον44
ameibómenon
steppingcrossing
ὑπὲρ45
hypèr
over
οὐδὸν46
oudòn
the threshold
θύρας47
thýras
of the door
κούφῳ48
koúphōi
with a lightnimble
ποδὶ49
podì
foot
See, lady Moon, where my love came from. And when you find him alone, nod quietly and say: Simaetha is calling you, and lead the way here. So I spoke. And she went and brought sleek-skinned Delphis to my house. And I, as soon as I saw him just stepping over the threshold of the door with a light foot…
See, lady Moon, where my love came from. And when you find him alone, nod quietly and say: Simaetha is calling you, and lead the way here. So I spoke. And she went and brought sleek-skinned Delphis to my house. And I, as soon as I saw him just stepping over the threshold of the door with a light foot…
Interpretation
See, lady Moon, where my love came from. "When you find him alone, nod to him quietly and say, 'Simaetha is calling you,' and bring him here." So I spoke. She went and brought the sleek-skinned Delphis to my house. And I, the moment I saw him stepping lightly over the threshold of my door…
She sends a whispered message, and he comes at once, "sleek-skinned" from the oil of the gymnasium. Cholmeley points out the rhythm: quick lines as he crosses the threshold, then the refrain breaks into the sentence before she can say what happened to her.
Her name, Simaetha, is spoken only twice in the poem: here, in the message she sends, and by Delphis in the next stanza.
2.105
The Sorceress 2.105 · Colder than snow2.105Colder than snow
Lines 105–110. What she felt when he came in.
· · ·
See, lady Moon, where my love came from. I went cold all over, colder than snow, and on my forehead the sweat poured like damp dew, and I could not say a word, not even as much as children whimper in their sleep calling for their dear mother. But I went stiff all over my lovely body, like a doll.