Crambe Repetita

This is part 3 of 3. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here.

Ὄρθρου δὲ βαθέος πλῆρες ἦν τό θέατρον. ῥηθέντων δὲ πάντων τῶν κατὰ μέρος ἔδοξεν πρῶτον εἰσελθεῖν ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον ἡμᾶς καί ἀνοίξαντας εἰδῆσαι, πότερον εἴη τό σῶμα ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης ἢ κενόν <τον> τόπον εὑρήσομεν· οὑδὲ γὰρ ἑξάμηνος ἐπεγεγόνει τῷ θανάτῳ τῆς ἀνθρώπου. ἀνοιχθείσης δὲ ὑφ’ ἡμῶν τῆς καμάρας, εἰς ἣν πάντες οἰ οἰκεῖοι μεταλλάσσοντες ἐτίθεντο, ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων κλινῶν ἐφάνη τά σώματα κείμενα, τῶν δὲ παλαίτερον τετελευτηκότων τὰ ὁστᾶ, ἐπὶ μόνης δὲ ἧς ἡ Φιλίννιον ἐτέθη καί συνέβη ταφῆναι εὕρομεν ἐπικείμενον τὸν δακτύλιον τὸν σιδηροῦν, ὃς ἦν τοῦ ξένου, καὶ τό χρυσόκλυστον ποτήριον, ὅπερ ἔλαβε παρὰ τοῦ Μαχάτου τῇ πρώτῃ τῶν ἡμερῶν. θαυμάσαντες δὲ καὶ ἐκπλαγέντες εὐθέως παρεγενόμεθα πρὸς τὸν Δημόστρατον εἰς τὸν ξενῶνα ὀψόμενοι τὴν νεκράν, εἰ κατ’ ἀλήθειαν ἐμφανής ἐστιν. ἰδόντες δὲ χαμαὶ κειμένην εἰς τήν ἐκκλησίαν ἠθροιζόμεθα· τὰ γὰρ γεγονότα μεγάλα τε ἦν καί ἄπιστα. θορύβου δέ ὄντος νεανικοῦ κατὰ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ σχεδὸν οὐδενὸς δυναμένου κρῖναι τὰ πράγματα, πρῶτος Ὕλλος, ὁ νομιζόμενος παρ’ ἡμῖν οὑ μόνον μάντις ἄριστος, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἰωνοσκόπος κομψὸς εἶναι, τά τε ἄλλα συνεωρακὼς ἐν τῇ τέχνῃ περιττῶς, ἀναστὰς ἐκέλευεν τὴν μὲν ἄνθρωπον κατακλείειν ἐκτὸς ὁρίων—οὐ γὰρ συμφέρειν ἔτι ταύτην ἐντὸς ὁρίων τεθῆναι εἰς γῆν—ἀποτροπιάσασθαι δὲ Ἑρμῆν Χθόνιον καὶ Εὐμενίδας, εἶτα οὕτω περικαθαίρεσθαι πάντας, ἁγνίσαι δὲ καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ καὶ ὄσα θεοῖς χθονίοις νομίζεται ποιῆσαι συνέτασσεν. ἐμοί τε ἰδίᾳ εἶπεν περὶ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων θύειν τε Ἐρμῇ Διί τε Ξενίῳ καὶ Ἄρει, καὶ συντελεῖν ταῦτα μὴ παρέργως. ταῦτα δὲ ἀποφηναμένου τούτου τὸ μὲν συνταχθὲν ἡμεῖς ἐπράττομεν, ὁ δὲ ξένος ὁ Μαχάτης, πρὸς ὃν παρεγίνετο τὸ φάσμα, ὑπ’ ἀθυμίας ἑαυτὸν ἐξήγαγεν τοῦ ζῆν. ἐάν οὖν σοι φαίνηται περὶ τούτων γράφειν τῷ βασιλεῖ, ἐπίστειλον κἀμοί, ἵνα καὶ τῶν σωμάτων τινὰ τῶν ἱστορούντων τὰ κατὰ μέρος ἐξαποστείλω σοι. ἔρρωσο.
(Phlegon, Peri thaumasiōn 1.14-18)

By early dawn the theatre was full. After the particulars had been explained, it was decided that we should first go to the tomb, open it, and see whether the body lay on its bier or whether we would find the place empty. A half-year had not yet passed since the death of the girl. When we opened the chamber into which all deceased members of the family were placed, we saw bodies lying on biers, or bones in the case of those who had died long ago, but on the bier onto which Philinnion had been placed we found only the iron ring that belonged to the guest and the gilded wine cup, objects that she had obtained from Machates on the first day. Astonished and frightened, we proceeded immediately to Demostratos’s house to see if the corpse was truly to be seen in the guest room. After we saw the dead girl lying there on the ground, we gathered at the place of assembly, since the events were serious and incredible. There was considerable confusion in the assembly and almost no one was able to form a judgment on the events. The first to stand up was Hyllos, who is considered to be not only the best seer among us but also a fine augur; in general, he has shown remarkable perception in his craft. He said we should burn the girl outside the boundaries of the city since nothing would be gained by burying her in the ground within its boundaries, and perform an apotropaic sacrifice to Hermes Chthonios and the Eumenides. Then he prescribed that everyone purify himself completely, cleanse the temples and perform all the customary rites to the chthonic deities. He spoke to me also in private about the king and the events, telling me to sacrifice to Hermes, Zeus Xenios and Ares, and to perform these rites with care. When he had made this known to us we undertook to do what he had prescribed. Machates, the guest whom the ghost had visited, became despondent and killed himself. If you decide to write about this to the king, send word to me also in order that I may dispatch to you one of the persons who examined the affair in detail. Farewell. (tr. William Hansen)

This is part 2 of 3. Part 1 is here. Part 3 is here.

Ὡς δὲ εἶδεν ἡ Χαριτὼ τηλικαῦτα σημεῖα, ἀναβοᾷ καὶ διαρρήξασα ἑαυτῆς τά τε ἐνδύματα καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον ἀπό τε τῆς κεφαλῆς ῥίψασα τὸν κεκρύφαλον πεσοῦσά τε εἰς τὴν γῆν καὶ περιχυθεῖσα τοῖς γνωρίσμασιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐποίει τὸ πένθος. θεωρῶν δὲ ὁ ξένος τὸ γινόμενον καὶ πάντας ὄντας ὑπερπαθεῖς καὶ θρηνοῦντας, ὡσανεὶ νῦν μέλλοντας κατορύττειν τὴν ἄνθρωπον, συνεχεῖτο καὶ παρεκάλει δεόμενος παύσασθαι, ἐπαγγελλόμενος, ἐὰν παραγένηται, δείξειν αὐτήν. ἡ δὲ πεισθεῖσα καὶ ἐντειλαμένη αὐτῷ φροντίσαι μὴ παρέργως τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀπελύθη πρὸς αὑτήν. νυκτὸς δέ ἐπιγενομένης καὶ τῆς ὥρας οὔσης, καθ’ ἣν ἡ Φιλίννιον εἰώθει παραγίνεσθαι πρός αὑτόν, οἱ μὲν προσετήρουν εἰδῆσαι θέλοντες τήν ἄφιξιν, ἡ δὲ ἧκεν. εἰσελθούσης δέ κατὰ τὸν εἰθισμένον καιρόν καί καθεζομένης ἐπὶ τήν κλίνην, ούδέν προσποιηθεὶς ὁ Μαχάτης, ἐξετάσαι δὲ τὸ πρᾶγμα βουλόμενος, τό πλέον ού πιστεύων, εἰ νεκρᾷ πλησιάζοι, οὕτως ἐπιμελῶς παραγιγνομένης κατὰ τὸν αὑτὸν καιρόν, ἔτι δέ δειπνούσης μετ’ αὑτοῦ καὶ συμπινούσης, ἀπίστως εἶχεν οἷς ἐκεῖνοι προήγγειλαν, ᾤετο δὲ νεκρορύκτας τινάς διωρυχέναι τόν τάφον καί πεπρακέναι τὰ ἱμάτια καί τά χρυσία τῷ πατρὶ τῆς ἀνθρώπου. βουλόμενος οὖν τήν ἀκρίβειαν εἰδῆσαι πέμπει τοὺς παῖδας λάθρᾳ καλοῦντας αὐτούς. ταχέως δέ παραγενομένων τοῦ τε Δημοστράτου καί τῆς Χαριτοῦς ἰδόντων τε αὐτήν καί γενομένων τὸ μέν πρῶτον ἀφώνων τε καὶ ἐκπλαγῶν διὰ τό παράδοξον τῆς ὄψεως, ὕστερον δέ ἀναβοησάντων μέγα καὶ περιπεσόντων τῇ θυγατρί, τότε ἡ Φιλίννιον τοσαῦτ’ εἶπεν αὑτοῖς· “ὧ μῆτερ καί πάτερ, ὡς ἀδίκως ἐφθονήσατέ μοι μετὰ τοῦ ξένου ἐπὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας γενέσθαι ἐν τῇ πατρῴᾳ οἰκίᾳ λυποῦσαν ούδέν. τοιγαροῦν ὑμεῖς μὲν πενθήσετε ἐξ ἀρχῆς διὰ τήν πολυπραγμοσύνην, ἐγὼ δέ ἄπειμι πάλιν εἰς τὸν διατεταγμένον τόπον· ού γάρ ἄνευ θείας βουλήσεως ἦλθον εἰς ταῦτα.” τοσαῦτα εἰποῦσα παραχρῆμα ἐγένετο νεκρά, ἐξετέτατό τε ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης ἐμφανὲς τὸ σῶμα. τῆς δέ μητρὸς περιχυθείσης καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς περὶ αὐτὴν καί θορύβου πολλοῦ καί θρήνου κατὰ τήν οἰκίαν γενομένου διά τό πάθος, ὡς ἀνηκέστου γεγονότος συμπτώματος ἅμα τε ἀπίστου θεάματος, ταχέως ἐγένετο διὰ πόλεως τὸ πρᾶγμα περιβόητον καί μοι προσηγγέλθη. τὴν μέν οὖν νύκτα έκείνην διακατέσχον ἐγὼ τοὺς ὄχλους ἀθροιζομένους ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν, εὑλαβηθεὶς μή τις εἴη νεωτερισμὸς διαδεδομένης τοιαύτης φήμης.
(Phlegon, Peri thaumasiōn 1.8-13)

When Charito saw this evidence she uttered a cry, tore her clothes, cast her headdress from her head and fell to the ground, throwing herself upon the tokens and beginning her grief anew. As the guest observed what was happening, how all were grieving and wailing as if they were about to lay the girl into her grave, he became upset and called upon them to stop, promising to show them the girl if she came again. Charito accepted this and bade him carefully keep his promise to her. Night came on and now it was the hour when Philinnion was accustomed to come to him. The household kept watch, wanting to know of her arrival. She entered at the usual time and sat down on the bed. Machates pretended that nothing was wrong, since he wished to investigate the whole incredible matter to find out if the girl he was consorting with, who took care to come to him at the same hour, was actually dead. As she ate and drank with him, he simply could not believe what the others had told him, and he supposed that some grave-robbers had dug into the tomb and sold the clothes and the gold to her father. But in his wish to learn exactly what the case was, he secretly sent his slaves to summon Demostratos and Charito. They came quickly. When they first saw her they were speechless and panic-stricken by the amazing sight, bur after that they cried aloud and embraced their daughter. Then Philinnion said to them: ‘Mother and father, how unfairly you have grudged my being with the guest for three days in my father’s house, since I have caused no one any pain. For this reason, on account of your meddling, you shall grieve all over again, and I shall return ro the place appointed for me. For it was not without divine will that I came here.’ Immediately upon speaking these words she was dead, and her body lay stretched out visibly on the bed. Her father and mother threw themselves upon her, and there was much confusion and wailing in the house because of the calamity. The misfortune was unbearable and the sight incredible. The event was quickly heard through the city and was reported to me. Accordingly during the night I kept in check the crowds that gathered at the house, since, with news like this going from mouth to mouth, I wanted to make sure there would be no trouble. (tr. William Hansen)

This is part 1 of 3. Part 2 is here. Part 3 is here.

. . . εἰς τὸν ξενῶνα προσπορεύεται ταῖς θύραις, καὶ καιομένου τοῦ λύχνου καθημένην εἶδεν τὴν ἄνθρωπον παρὰ τῷ Μαχάτῃ. οὐκ ἔτι δὲ καρτερήσασα πλείονα χρόνον διὰ τὸ θαυμαστὸν τῆς φαντασίας τρέχει πρὸς τὴν μητέρα, καὶ βοήσασα μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ “Χαριτοῖ καὶ Δημόστρατε”, ᾤετο δεῖν ἀναστάντας ἐπὶ τὴν θυγατέρα αὐτοὺς μετ’ αὐτῆς πορεύεσθαι· πεφηνέναι γὰρ ζῶσαν εἶναί τε μετά τοῦ ξένου διά τινα θείαν βούλησιν ἐν τῷ ξενῶνι. τῆς δὲ Χαριτοῦς παράδοξον λόγον ἀκουούσης συνέβη τὴν ψυχὴν τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐκπλαγῆ γενομένην ἐκλυθῆναι διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ἀγγελίας καὶ διὰ τὴν ταραχὴν τῆς τροφοῦ, μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ μνησθεῖσαν τῆς θυγατρὸς κλαίειν, τὰ δὲ ἔσχατα καταγνῶναι τῆς πρεσβύτιδος μανίαν κελεύειν τε ἀπαλλάττεσθαι ἀπ’ αὐτῆς ταχέως. ὀνειδιζούσης δὲ τῆς τροφοῦ καὶ λεγούσης μετὰ παρρησίας, ὡς μὴν φρονεῖ τε καὶ ὑγιής ἐστιν, εἰ δὲ δι’ ὄκνον οὐ βούλοιτο τὴν ἰδίαν θυγατέρα ἰδεῖν, μόλις ἡ Χαριτὼ τὰ μὲν βιασθεῖσα ὑπὸ τῆς τροφοῦ, τὰ δὲ εἰδῆσαι βουλομένη τὸ συμβεβηκὸς παραγίνεται πρὸς τὰς θύρας τοῦ ξενῶνος· διὰ <δὲ> τὸ γεγονέναι πλείονα χρόνον, <ἢ> ὡς ἂν δευτέρας ἀγγελίας συν<τε>τελεσμένης, ὀψέ ποτε ἧκεν ἡ Χαριτώ. διὸ συνέβαινεν ἐκείνους μὲν ἤδη ἀναπαύεσθαι. ἀνακύψασα δ’ οὖν ἡ μήτηρ τὰ μὲν ἱμάτια καὶ τὸν τύπον τῆς ὄψεως ἐνόμιζεν ἐπιγινώσκειν, τὴν δὲ ἀλήθειαν ἐξετάσαι κατ’ οὐδένα τρόπον δυναμένη τὴν ἡσυχίαν ᾤετο δεῖν ἔχειν· πρωῒ γὰρ ἤλπιζεν ἀναστᾶσα καταλήψεσθαι τὴν ἄνθρωπον, ἐὰν δὲ ὑστερήσῃ, διερωτήσειν τὸν Μαχάτην περὶ πάντων· οὐ γὰρ ἄν ποτε ψεύσασθαι τηλικαύτην πρᾶξιν ἐρωτώμενον αὐτόν· διόπερ σιωπήσασα ἀπῆλθεν. ὄρθρου δὲ γενομένου τὴν μὲν εἴτε διὰ θείαν βούλησιν εἴτε κατ’ αὐτοματισμὸν λαθοῦσαν ἀπελθεῖν συνέβη, τὴν δὲ παραγινομένην διὰ τὴν ἀπόλυσιν δυσφορεῖν τῷ νεανίσκῳ, καὶ πάντα ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐξηγησαμένην ἀξιοῦν περὶ τὰ γόνατα περιπλεκομένην τοῦ Μαχάτου τὴν ἀλήθειαν εἰπεῖν μηδὲν ἀποκρυψάμενον. ὁ δὲ νεανίσκος ἀγωνιάσας τὴν ἀρχὴν μὲν διεταράχθη, μόλις δέ ποτε τὸ ὄνομα διεσάφησεν, ὅτι Φιλίννιον εἴη· καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν διηγήσατο τῆς εἰσόδου καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτῆς ἐδήλωσεν ὡς ἥκει, ὅτι λάθρᾳ τῶν γεννησάντων ἔφη παραγίνεσθαι πρὸς αὐτόν, τά τε ὑπολελειμμένα ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνθρώπου, βουλόμενος ποιῆσαι τὸ πρᾶγμα πιστόν, ἀνοίξας τὸν ῥίσκον ἐξαιρεῖ τόν τε δακτύλιον τὸν χρυσοῦν, ὃν ἔλαβεν παρ’ αὐτῆς, καὶ τὴν στηθοδεσμίδα, ἣν ἀπολελοίπει τῇ πρότερον νυκτί.
(Phlegon, Peri thaumasiōn 1.1-7)

. . . [the nurse] went to the door of the guest room, and in the light of the burning lamp she saw the girl sitting beside Machates. Because of the extraordinary nature of the sight, she did not wait there any longer bur ran to the girl’s mother screaming, ‘Charito! Demostratos!’ She said they should get up and come with her to their daughter, who was alive and by some divine will was with the guest in the guest room. When Charito heard this astonishing report, the immensity of the message and the nurse’s excitement made her frightened and faint. But after a short time the memory of her daughter came to her, and she began to weep; in the end she accused the old woman of being mad and told her to leave her presence immediately. But the nurse repried boldly and reproachfully that she herself was rational and sound of mind, unlike her mistress, who was reluctant to see her own daughter. With some hesitation Charito went to the door of the guest room, partly coerced by the nurse and partly wanting to know what really had happened. Since considerable time—about two hours—had now passed since the nurse’s original message, it was somewhat late when Charito went to the door and the occupants were already asleep. She peered in and thought she recognized her daughter’s clothes and features, but inasmuch as she could not determine the truth of the matter she decided to do nothing further that night. She planned to get up in the morning and confront the girl, or if she should be too late for that she intended to question Machates thoroughly about everything. He would not, she thought, lie if asked about so important a matter. And so she said nothing and left. At dawn, however, it turned out that by divine will or chance the girl had left unnoticed. When Charito came to the room she was upset with the young man because of the girl’s departure. She asked him to relate everything to her from the beginning, telling the truth and concealing nothing. The youth was anxious and confused at first, but hesitantly revealed that the girl’s name was Philinnion. He told how her visits began, how great her desire for him was, and that she said she came to him without her parents’ knowledge. Wishing to make the matter credible he opened his coffer and took out the items the girl had left behind—the golden ring he had obtained from her and the breast-band she had left the night before. (tr. William Hansen)