Apoptusai

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Δοκιμαζομένου μάλιστα παρ’ αὐτοῖς τοῦ μέλανος λεγομένου ζωμοῦ, ὥστε μὴ κρεαδίου δεῖσθαι τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους, παραχωρεῖν δὲ τοῖς νεανίσκοις, λέγεται Διονύσιος ὁ τῆς Σικελίας τύραννος τούτου χάριν Λακωνικὸν μάγειρον πρίασθαι καὶ προστάξαι σκευάσαι αὐτῷ μηδενὸς φειδόμενον ἀναλώματος· ἔπειτα γευσάμενον καὶ δυσχεράναντα ἀποπτύσαι· καὶ τὸν μάγειρον εἰπεῖν, “ὦ βασιλεῦ, τοῦτον δεῖ τὸν ζωμὸν γυμνασάμενον Λακωνικῶς καὶ τῷ Εὐρώτᾳ λελουμένον ἐποψᾶσθαι.”
(Plutarch, Ta Palaia Tōn Lakedaimoniōn Epitēdeumata 2)

A thing that met with especial approval among them was their so-called black broth, so much so that the older men did not require a bit of meat, but gave up all of it to the young men. It is said that Dionysius, the despot of Sicily, for the sake of this bought a slave who had been a Spartan cook, and ordered him to prepare the broth for him, sparing no expense; but when the king tasted it he spat it out in disgust; whereupon the cook said, “Your Majesty, it is necessary to have exercised in the Spartan manner, and to have bathed in the Eurotas, in order to relish this broth.” (tr. Frank Cole Babbitt)

Deipnon

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Ἑξῆς δὲ λεκτέον καὶ περὶ τῶν Λακωνικῶν συμποσίων. Ἡρόδοτος μὲν οὖν ἐν τῇ ἐνάτῃ τῶν ἱστοριῶν περὶ τῆς Μαρδονίου παρασκευῆς λέγων καὶ μνημονεύσας Λακωνικῶν συμποσίων φησί· Ξέρξης φεύγων ἐκ τῆς Ἑλλάδος Μαρδονίῳ τὴν παρασκευὴν κατέλιπε τὴν αὑτοῦ. Παυσανίαν οὖν ἰδόντα τὴν τοῦ Μαρδονίου παρασκευὴν χρυσῷ καὶ ἀργύρῳ καὶ παραπετάσμασι ποικίλοις κατεσκευασμένην κελεῦσαι τοὺς ἀρτοποιοὺς καὶ ὀψοποιοὺς κατὰ ταὐτὰ καθὼς Μαρδονίῳ δεῖπνον παρασκευάσαι. ποιησάντων δὲ τούτων τὰ κελευσθέντα τὸν Παυσανίαν ἰδόντα κλίνας χρυσᾶς καὶ ἀργυρᾶς ἐστρωμένας καὶ τραπέζας ἀργυρᾶς καὶ παρασκευὴν μεγαλοπρεπῆ δείπνου ἐκπλαγέντα τὰ προκείμενα κελεῦσαι ἐπὶ γέλωτι τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ διακόνοις παρασκευάσαι Λακωνικὸν δεῖπνον. καὶ παρασκευασθέντος γελάσας ὁ Παυσανίας μετεπέμψατο τῶν Ἑλλήνων τοὺς στρατηγοὺς καὶ ἐλθόντων ἐπιδείξας ἑκατέρου τῶν δείπνων τὴν παρασκευὴν εἶπεν· “ἄνδρες Ἕλληνες, συνήγαγον ὑμᾶς βουλόμενος ἐπιδεῖξαι τοῦ Μήδων ἡγεμόνος τὴν ἀφροσύνην, ὃς τοιαύτην δίαιταν ἔχων ἦλθεν ὡς ἡμᾶς οὕτω ταλαίπωρον ἔχοντας.” φασὶ δέ τινες καὶ ἄνδρα Συβαρίτην ἐπιδημήσαντα τῇ Σπάρτῃ καὶ συνεστιαθέντα ἐν τοῖς φιδιτίοις εἰπεῖν: “εἰκότως ἀνδρειότατοι ἁπάντων εἰσὶ Λακεδαιμόνιοι· ἕλοιτο γὰρ ἄν τις εὖ φρονῶν μυριάκις ἀποθανεῖν ἢ οὕτως εὐτελοῦς διαίτης μεταλαβεῖν.”
(Athenaeus, Deipn. 4.138b-e)

The next topic that requires discussion is Spartan symposia. Now Herodotus in Book IX (82) of his Histories describes Mardonius’ personal property and mentions Spartan symposia, saying: When Xerxes was fleeing Greece, he left his personal property to Mardonius. So when Pausanias saw Mardonius’ property, which was adorned with gold and silver and embroidered tapestries, he ordered the bakers and cooks to prepare a dinner exactly as they did for Mardonius. They did what they were told; and when Pausanias saw the gold and silver couches covered with bed-clothes, the silver tables, and the ostentatious preparations for dinner, he was astonished at what lay before him, and as a joke he ordered his own attendants to prepare a Spartan dinner. When it was ready, Pausanias laughed and sent for the Greek generals. When they arrived, he showed them how each dinner had been prepared and said: “Greeks sirs, I assembled you because I wanted to show you the folly of the Median commander who, although he lives like this, attacked us, who are so poor.” Some authorities also report that a Sybarite who had spent time in Sparta and eaten with them in the public messes said: “It’s no surprise that the Spartans are the bravest men there are; anyone with any sense would rather die a million times than share such a miserable life!” (tr. Stuart Douglas Olson)

Eidōlon

Possession

Μεταξὺ δὲ τῶν λόγων τούτων ἐφίσταται τοῖς σοφοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος Ἰνδοὺς ἄγων σωτηρίας δεομένους. καὶ παρῆγε γύναιον ἱκετεῦον ὑπὲρ παιδός, ὃν ἔφασκε μὲν ἑκκαίδεκα ἔτη γεγονέναι, δαιμονᾶν δὲ δύο ἔτη, τὸ δὲ ἦθος τοῦ  δαίμονος εἴρωνα εἶναι καὶ ψεύστην. ἐρομένου δέ τινος τῶν σοφῶν, ὁπόθεν λέγοι ταῦτα, “τοῦ παιδὸς τούτου,” ἔφη, “τὴν ὄψιν εὐπρεπεστέρου ὄντος, ὁ δαίμων ἐρᾷ, καὶ οὐ ξυγχωρεῖ αὐτῷ νοῦν ἔχειν, οὐδὲ ἐς διδασκάλου βαδίσαι ἐᾷ ἢ τοξότου, οὐδὲ οἴκοι εἶναι, ἀλλ’ ἐς τὰ ἔρημα τῶν χωρίων ἐκτρέπει, καὶ οὐδὲ τὴν φωνὴν ὁ παῖς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἔχει, ἀλλὰ βαρὺ φθέγγεται καὶ κοῖλον, ὥσπερ οἱ ἄνδρες, βλέπει δὲ ἑτέροις ὀφθαλμοῖς μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ. κἀγὼ μὲν ἐπὶ τούτοις κλάω τε καὶ ἐμαυτὴν δρύπτω καὶ νουθετῶ τὸν υἱόν, ὁπόσα εἰκός, ὁ δὲ οὐκ οἶδέ με. διανοουμένης δέ μου τὴν ἐνταῦθα ὁδόν, τουτὶ δὲ πέρυσι διενοήθην, ἐξηγόρευσεν ὁ  δαίμων ἑαυτὸν ὑποκριτῇ χρώμενος τῷ παιδὶ, καὶ δῆτα ἔλεγεν εἶναι μὲν εἴδωλον ἀνδρός, ὃς πολέμῳ ποτὲ ἀπέθανεν, ἀποθανεῖν δὲ ἐρῶν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γυναικός, ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡ δὲ γυνὴ περὶ τὴν εὐνὴν ὕβρισε τριταίου κειμένου γαμηθεῖσα ἑτέρῳ, μισῆσαι μὲν ἐκ τούτου τὸ γυναικῶν ἐρᾶν, μεταρρυῆναι δὲ ἐς τὸν παῖδα τοῦτον. ὑπισχνεῖτο δέ, εἰ μὴ διαβάλλοιμι αὐτὸν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, δώσειν τῷ παιδὶ πολλὰ ἐσθλὰ καὶ ἀγαθά. ἐγὼ μὲν δὴ ἔπαθόν τι πρὸς ταῦτα, ὁ δὲ διάγει με πολὺν ἤδη χρόνον καὶ τὸν ἐμὸν οῖκον ἔχει μόνος, οὐδὲν μέτριον οὐδὲ ἀληθὲς φρονῶν.” ἤρετο οὖν ὁ σοφὸς πάλιν, εἰ πλησίον εἴη ὁ παῖς, ἡ δὲ οὐκ ἔφη, πολλὰ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀφικέσθαι αὐτὸν πρᾶξαι, ὁ δὲ ἀπειλεῖ κρημνοὺς καὶ βάραθρα καὶ ἀποκτενεῖν μοι τὸν υἱόν, εἰ δικαζοίμην αὐτῷ δεῦρο.”—”θάρσει,” ἔφη ὁ σοφὸς, “οὐ γὰρ ἀποκτενεῖ αὐτὸν ἀναγνοῦς ταῦτα,” καί τινα ἐπιστολὴν ἀνασπάσας τοῦ κόλπου ἔδωκε τῇ γυναικί, ἐπέσταλτο δὲ ἄρα ἡ ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς τὸ εἴδωλον ξὺν ἀπειλῇ καὶ ἐκπλήξει.
(Philostratus, Apoll. 3.38)

This discussion was interrupted by the appearance among the sages of the messenger bringing in certain Indians who were in want of succour. And he brought forward a poor woman who interceded in behalf of her child, who was, she said, a boy of sixteen years of age, but had been for two years possessed by a devil. Now the character of the devil was that of a mocker and a liar. Here one of the sages asked, why she said this, and she replied: “This child of mine is extremely good-looking, and therefore the devil is amorous of him and will not allow him to retain his reason, nor will he permit him to go to school, or to learn archery, nor even to remain at home, but drives him out into desert places and the boy does not even retain his own voice, but speaks in a deep hollow tone, as men do; and he looks at you with other eyes rather than with his own. As for myself I weep over all this and I tear my cheeks, and I rebuke my son so far as I well may; but he does not know me. And I made my mind to repair hither, indeed I planned to, do so a year ago; only the demon discovered himself using my child as a mask, and what he told me was this, that he was the ghost of man, who fell long ago in battle, but that at death he was passionately attached to his wife. Now he had been dead for only three days when his wife insulted their union by marrying another man, and the consequence was that he had come to detest the love of women, and had transferred himself wholly into this boy. But he promised, if I would only not denounce him to yourselves, to endow the child with many noble blessings. As for myself, I was influenced by these promises; but he has put me off and off for such a long time now, that he has got sole control of my household, yet has no honest or true intentions.” Here the sage asked afresh, if the boy was at hand; and she said not, for, although she had done all she could to get him to come with her, the demon had threatened her with steep places and precipices and declared that he would kill her son, “in case”, she added, “I haled him hither for trial.” “Take courage,” said the sage, “for he will not slay him when he has read this.” And so saying he drew a letter out of his bosom and gave it to the woman; and the letter, it appears, was addressed to the ghost and contained threats of an alarming kind. (tr. Frederick Cornwallis Conybeare)

Faenerator

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Quid fugis hominem, quem poteras et non timere? quid fugis aut quousque fugies? si quis pulsaverit nocte, faeneratorem putas: sub lectum ilico. si quem subito intrare senseris, tu foras exsilis. canis latrat, et cor tuum palpitat, sudor effunditur, anhelitus quatit, quaeris quid mentiaris ut faeneratorem differas, et, cum dilationem impetraveris, gaudes. funere tuo simulat se faenerator gravari, sed libenter impertit: quasi venator, qui feram cinxerit, securus est praedae. tu oscularis caput, amplecteris genua et quasi cervus sagittae toxico ictus paululum procedens tandem victus veneno procumbis aut quasi piscis, qui fuscina fuerit infixus, quocumque fugerit vulnus vehit. et vere piscis ille in esca mortem devorat, ille hamum gluttit, dum cibum quaerit, sed tamen hamum non videt, quem tegit praeda: tu hamum cernis et gluttis. hamus tuus faenus est creditoris, hamum voras et vermis te semper adrodit. ipsa est esca, quae decipit. itaque et tibi faenoris nec cibus usui est et hamus vulneri. an ignoras quia semel inlaqueatus nodo se magis, si fugiat, ipse constringit et intra retia positus fugiendo magis deicit super se retia? in plateis fugis, cum intra parietes tutus esse non possis. invenit te, cum voluerit, faenerator. denique ubi tempus impleveris, sicut lupus nocte inruit, dormire non sinit, exspectato die ad publicum trahit aut tabulis venditionis cogit subscribere. ut fureris pudoris dispendium, subscribis ilico venditurus avitum sepulchrum, paterno sane ut praetexatur aliquid verecundiae. emitur ieiunum solum, iactatur quod infecunda uendiderit, dispendiis oneraverit venditorem, et superioris temporis adscribuntur dispendiis damna praesentis. mox et laudata venduntur et inferuntur iam non instrumenta, sed vincula.
(Ambrose, De Tobia 26)

Why do you flee a man whom you could even not fear? Why do you flee, or whether will you flee? If anyone knocks at night, you think it is the usurer; straightway you are under the bed. If you notice someone entering suddenly, you leap out the door. A dog barks and your heart palpitates, perspiration breaks out, your panting shakes you, you seek how you may lie to put the usurer off, and when you have been granted a deferment, you rejoice. The usurer pretends he is worried about your ruin, but he gladly grants it; like the hunter who has netted a wild beast, he is sure of his prey. You kiss his head, you embrace his knees, and , like stag struck by a poisoned arrow, after going a little further you fall, overcome at length by the poison; or you are like a fish which has been caught on the hook, and wherever he flees, carries the wounding hook with him. And truly such a fish devours death in the bait, he swallows the fish-hook while he is seeking food, but yet he does not see the hook which the lure has concealed: you see the hook and yet swallow it. Your hook is the interest of the creditor. You devour the hook and the worm always gnaws you. It is the bait itself which deceives. And so to you also the food of interest is no advantage and the hook is a wound. Are you unaware that, once caught in the noose, the animal binds itself the tighter in the toils if it would escape, and that, being within the net, in attempting to escape it pulls the net over itself the more? You flee in the streets since you cannot be safe within walls. The usurer, when he wishes, finds you. Finally, when you have reached the end of your time, like a wolf in the night he rushes on you, he does not allow you to sleep, on the long-awaited day he drags you into public or compels you to subscribe to deeds of sale. That you may conceal your loss of decency, straightway you sign, intending to sell your ancestral tomb. In order to be sure that some respect for a father’s property may be provided, barren ground, it is said, is being bought. It is boasted that infertile land has been sold, that the seller has been burdened with expenses, and the difficulties of the present are assigned to the expenses of the past. Soon the much-vaunted lands also are sold, and no longer are documents brought in, but chains. (tr. Lois Miles Zucker)

Ataphon

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Thomas Armstrong, Antigone and Ismene

Οὐ γὰρ τάφου νῷν τὼ κασιγνήτω Κρέων
τὸν μὲν προτίσας, τὸν δ’ ἀτιμάσας ἔχει;
Ἐτεοκλέα μέν, ὡς λέγουσι, σὺν δίκης
χρησθεὶς δικαίᾳ καὶ νόμῳ, κατὰ χθονὸς
ἔκρυψε τοῖς ἔνερθεν ἔντιμον νεκροῖς·
τὸν δ’ ἀθλίως θανόντα Πολυνείκους νέκυν
ἀστοῖσί φασιν ἐκκεκηρῦχθαι τὸ μὴ
τάφῳ καλύψαι μηδὲ κωκῦσαί τινα,
ἐᾶν δ ̓ ἄκλαυτον, ἄταφον, οἰωνοῖς γλυκὺν
θησαυρὸν εἰσορῶσι πρὸς χάριν βορᾶς.
τοιαῦτά φασι τὸν ἀγαθὸν Κρέοντα σοὶ
κἀμοί, λέγω γὰρ κἀμέ, κηρύξαντ’ ἔχειν,
καὶ δεῦρο νεῖσθαι ταῦτα τοῖσι μὴ εἰδόσιν
σαφῆ προκηρύξοντα, καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμ’ ἄγειν
οὐχ ὡς παρ’ οὐδέν, ἀλλ’ ὃς ἂν τούτων τι δρᾷ,
φόνον προκεῖσθαι δημόλευστον ἐν πόλει.
οὕτως ἔχει σοι ταῦτα, καὶ δείξεις τάχα
εἴτ’ εὐγενὴς πέφυκας εἴτ’ ἐσθλῶν κακή.
(Sophocles, Antigone 21-38)

Why, has not Creon honoured one of our brothers and dishonoured the other in the matter of their burial? Eteocles, they say, in accordance with justice and with custom he has hidden beneath the earth, honoured among the dead below. But as for the unhappy corpse of Polynices, they say it has been proclaimed to the citizens that none shall conceal it in a grave or lament for it, but that they should leave it unwept for, unburied, a rich treasure house for birds as they look out for food. This is the proclamation which they say the good Creon has made to you and me—yes, I count myself also—and he is coming this way to make the proclamation clear to those who do not know of it. He is not treating the matter as unimportant, but for anyone who does any of these things death in the city is ordained, by stoning at the people’s hand. There you have the way things stand, and you will soon show whether your nature is noble or you are the cowardly descendant of valiant ancestors. (tr. Hugh Lloyd-Jones)

Susurro

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Fortunate senex, ergo tua rura manebunt,
et tibi magna satis, quamvis lapis omnia nudus
limosoque palus obducat pascua iunco.
non insueta gravis temptabunt pabula fetas
nec mala vicini pecoris contagia laedent.
fortunate senex, hic inter flumina nota
et fontis sacros frigus captabis opacum;
hinc tibi, quae semper, vicino ab limite saepes
Hyblaeis apibus florem depasta salicti
saepe levi somnum suadebit inire susurro;
hinc alta sub rupe canet frondator ad auras,
nec tamen interea raucae, tua cura, palumbes
nec gemere aëria cessabit turtur ab ulmo.
(Vergil, Ecl. 1.46-57)

Fortunate old man, your fields will still be yours.
And they’re enough for you although the bare rock
and the marsh with all its reeds and mud abut your fields.
No unfamiliar fodder will tempt your pregnant ewes,
nor will any disease from a neighbor’s flock bring harm to them.
Fortunate old man, here between the rivers
you know and the sacred springs you’ll lie in the cool shade.
Here your hedge, as it always has, at your neighbor’s line
will pasture on willow buds those Hyblaean bees,
which soon will coax you to sleep with their light murmuring hum.
There beneath the high rock the vinedresser
will sing to the breeze and all the while your hoarse pigeons
and your turtle dove, high in the elm, will murmur and coo.
(tr. Barbara Hughes Fowler)

Anastachuōsi

jasontanden

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

αὐτίκ’ ἐπὴν κρατεροὺς ζεύξῃς βόας, ὦκα δὲ πᾶσαν
χερσὶ καὶ ἠνορέῃ στυφελὴν διὰ νειὸν ἀρόσσῃς,
οἱ δ’ ἤδη κατὰ ὦλκας ἀνασταχύωσι Γίγαντες
σπειρομένων ὄφιος δνοφερὴν ἐπὶ βῶλον ὀδόντων,
αἴ κεν ὀρινομένους πολέας νειοῖο δοκεύσῃς,
λάθρῃ λᾶαν ἄφες στιβαρώτερον· οἱ δ’ ἂν ἐπ’ αὐτῷ,
καρχαλέοι κύνες ὥστε περὶ βρώμης, ὀλέκοιεν
ἀλλήλους· καὶ δ’ αὐτὸς ἐπείγεο δηϊοτῆτος
ἰθῦσαι. τὸ δὲ κῶας ἐς Ἑλλάδα τοῖό γ’ ἕκητι
οἴσεαι ἐξ Αἴης τηλοῦ ποθί· νίσσεο δ’ ἔμπης,
ᾗ φίλον, ἤ τοι ἕαδεν ἀφορμηθέντι νέεσθαι.
(Apollonius of Rhodes, Arg. 3.1052-1062)

As soon as you yoke the mighty bulls and swiftly plow through all the hard field with might and main, and once those giants are sprouting up along the furrows when the snake’s teeth are sown on the darkened soil, if you spot many of them arising from the field, without being seen cast a mighty stone, and over it, like ravenous dogs over food, they will kill one another; and you yourself hasten to rush into the fray. And as far as the contest is concerned, you shall bear the fleece to Hellas—somewhere far away from Aea. All the same, go where you wish or it pleases you to travel once you have departed. (tr. William H. Race)

Aloiphēi

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

ἔνθα δ’ ἐπεί κε θεὰν μεμνημένος ἱλάσσηαι,
ἂψ ἀπὸ πυρκαϊῆς ἀναχάζεο· μηδέ σε δοῦπος
ἠὲ ποδῶν ὄρσῃσι μεταστρεφθῆναι ὀπίσσω,
ἠὲ κυνῶν ὑλακή, μή πως τὰ ἕκαστα κολούσας
οὐδ’ αὐτὸς κατὰ κόσμον ἑοῖς ἑτάροισι πελάσσῃς.
ἦρι δὲ μυδήνας τόδε φάρμακον, ἠΰτ’ ἀλοιφῇ
γυμνωθεὶς φαίδρυνε τεὸν δέμας· ἐν δέ οἱ ἀλκὴ
ἔσσετ’ ἀπειρεσίη μέγα τε σθένος, οὐδέ κε φαίης
ἀνδράσιν, ἀλλὰ θεοῖσιν ἰσαζέμεν ἀθανάτοισιν.
πρὸς δὲ καὶ αὐτῷ δουρὶ σάκος πεπαλαγμένον ἔστω
καὶ ξίφος. ἔνθ’ οὐκ ἄν σε διατμήξειαν ἀκωκαὶ
γηγενέων ἀνδρῶν, οὐδ’ ἄσχετος ἀΐσσουσα
φλὸξ ὀλοῶν ταύρων. τοῖός γε μὲν οὐκ ἐπὶ δηρὸν
ἔσσεαι, ἀλλ’ αὐτῆμαρ· ὅμως σύγε μή ποτ’ ἀέθλου
χάζεο. καὶ δέ τοι ἄλλο παρὲξ ὑποθήσομ’ ὄνειαρ.
(Apollonius of Rhodes, Arg. 3.1037-1062)

Then, after you propitiate the goddess with due heed, withdraw from the pyre and let neither the sound of footsteps make you turn back around, nor the barking of dogs, lest you invalidate all these rites and you yourself fail to return in good order to your comrades. At dawn moisten this drug, strip, and anoint your body as with oil; and in it there will be unbounded valor and great strength, and you would think it equal not to men’s bodies but to those of the immortal gods. Moreover, along with your spear let your shield and sword be sprinkled. Then the earthborn men’s spear points will not penetrate you nor the unbearable flame shooting from the deadly oxen. Not for long, however, will you remain in this state, but for that day only. Nonetheless, you must never shrink from the contest. And I shall give you yet another piece of helpful advice. (tr. William H. Race)

Meilissoio

sheep

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

Φράζεο νῦν, ὥς κέν τοι ἐγὼ μητίσομ’ ἀρωγήν.
εὖτ’ ἂν δὴ μετιόντι πατὴρ ἐμὸς ἐγγυαλίξῃ
ἐξ ὄφιος γενύων ὀλοοὺς σπείρασθαι ὀδόντας,
δὴ τότε μέσσην νύκτα διαμμοιρηδὰ φυλάξας,
ἀκαμάτοιο ῥοῇσι λοεσσάμενος ποταμοῖο,
οἶος ἄνευθ’ ἄλλων ἐνὶ φάρεσι κυανέοισιν
βόθρον ὀρύξασθαι περιηγέα· τῷ δ’ ἔνι θῆλυν
ἀρνειὸν σφάζειν, καὶ ἀδαίετον ὠμοθετῆσαι,
αὐτῷ πυρκαϊὴν εὖ νηήσας ἐπὶ βόθρῳ.
μουνογενῆ δ’ Ἑκάτην Περσηΐδα μειλίσσοιο,
λείβων ἐκ δέπαος σιμβλήϊα ἔργα μελισσέων.
(Apollonius of Rhodes, Arg. 3.1.1026-1036)

Listen carefully now, so that I can devise help for you. After you go to meet my father and he gives you the deadly teeth from the snake’s jaws to sow, then watch for the time when the night is divided in the middle and bathe in the streams of a tireless river; and, alone, apart from all others, clad in dark garments, dig a round pit. Slay a female sheep in it and place the unbutchered carcass on a pyre which you have carefully erected over the pit itself. Appease Hecate, the only child of Perses, as you pour from a goblet libations of the hive-held labors of bees. (tr. William H. Race)

 

Perditum

Ea tempestate mihi imperium populi Romani multo maxume miserabile visum est. Cui cum ad occasum ab ortu solis omnia domita armis parerent, domi otium atque divitiae, quae prima mortales putant, adfluerent, fuere tamen cives, qui seque remque publicam obstinatis animis perditum irent. namque duobus senati decretis ex tanta multitudine neque praemio inductus coniurationem patefecerat neque ex castris Catilinae quisquam omnium discesserat: tanta vis morbi atque uti tabes plerosque civium animos invaserat.
(Sallust, Bell. Cat. 36.4-5)

At that time, it seems to me, the empire of the Roman people was in an especially deplorable state. Everything from the rising sun to the setting sun was dominated by and obedient to Roman arms; and at home there was abundant peace and wealth, things that humans consider most important. But nevertheless there were citizens who with unwavering hearts were intent on destroying themselves and their state. Indeed, in spite of two decrees that were passed by the Senate, no one from that great multitude of men was induced to expose the conspiracy and no one at all left the camp of Catiline. Such was the force of the disease that like a plague had invaded the minds of many citizens. (tr. William W. Batstone)