Delphi Complete Works of Longus Read online

  The Complete Works of

  LONGUS

  (fl. 2nd century AD)

  Contents

  The Translations

  DAPHNIS AND CHLOE: 1916 Loeb Classical Library Translation

  DAPHNIS AND CHLOE: 1890 Vizetelly Translation

  DAPHNIS AND CHLOE: 1896 Athenian Society Translation

  The Greek Text

  CONTENTS OF THE GREEK TEXT

  The Dual Text

  DUAL GREEK AND ENGLISH TEXT

  The Biography

  INTRODUCTION TO LONGUS by J. M. Edmonds

  © Delphi Classics 2015

  Version 1

  The Complete Works of

  LONGUS

  By Delphi Classics, 2015

  The Translations

  Mytilene, Lesbos’ capital in the north-eastern Aegean Sea — almost nothing is known about the life of the ancient novelist Longus; though it is assumed that he lived on the isle of Lesbos (the setting of ‘Daphnis and Chloe’) during the 2nd century AD.

  DAPHNIS AND CHLOE: 1916 Loeb Classical Library Translation

  Translated by George Thornley and Revised by J. M. Edmonds

  The ancient novel Daphnis and Chloe is the only surviving work by the 2nd century Greek author Longus. Set on Lesbos during the 2nd century AD, it is assumed that the island was also the author’s homeland. It is a pastoral novel, featuring shepherds and shepherdesses in an idealised world.

  The novel concerns the development of the relationship of the boy Daphnis and the girl Chloe, who were both exposed at birth, with identifying tokens. A goatherd named Lamon discovers Daphnis, while the shepherd Dryas finds Chloe. Each man decides to raise the child he finds as his own. As Daphnis and Chloe grow up together, herding the flocks for their foster parents, they fall in love, though due to their natural innocence, they fail to understand what is happening to them. Philetas, a wise old cowherd, explains to them what love is and instructs them that the only cure is through acts of passion. However, due to their inexperience of the ways of love, the two lovers struggle to fulfil their increasing sexual desire. In time, Lycaenion, an experienced woman from the city, educates Daphnis in love-making. Daphnis, however, is reluctant to carry out his newly acquired experience with Chloe, when he is told that Chloe will suffer when losing her virginity for the first time. Throughout the novel, Chloe is courted by suitors, attempting to seduce her with varying degrees of success. Eventually, Daphnis and Chloe are recognised by their birth parents, leading to a traditional happy ending.

  Recognised as one of the most influential works of world literature, Longus’ novel is one of the earliest texts to explore in realistic detail the gradual growth of a sexual relationship, charting the human and timeless journey from innocence to experience.

  ‘Daphnis and Chloe’ by François Gérard, c. 1824

  CONTENTS

  A SUMMARY OF THE FIRST BOOK

  PROEM

  THE FIRST BOOK

  A SUMMARY OF THE SECOND BOOK

  THE SECOND BOOK

  A SUMMARY OF THE THIRD BOOK

  THE THIRD BOOK

  A SUMMARY OF THE FOURTH BOOK

  THE FOURTH BOOK

  ‘Daphnis and Chloe’ by Jean-Pierre Cortot

  A SUMMARY OF THE FIRST BOOK

  THE author sees a picture of curious interpretation in the island Lesbos. And he describes it in four books. The situation of Mytilene (the scene of the story) is drawn. Lamo a goatherd, following a goat that neglected her kid, finds an infant-boy exposed with fine accoutrements about him, takes him away, keeps him, and names him Daphnis. Two years after, Dryas a shepherd, looking for a sheep of his, found in a cave of the Nymphs a girl of the very same fortune, brings her up, and calls her Chloe. Dryas and Lamo, warned by dreams, send forth the exposed children together to keep their flocks. They are joyful, and play away their time. Daphnis, running after a he-goat, falls unawares together with him into a trap-ditch made for a wolf, but is drawn up alive and well. Chloe sees Daphnis at his washing and praises his beauty. Dorco the herdsman woos Chloe with gifts, and contends with Daphnis for her favour. — Daphnis praises Chloe and she kisses him.

  Dorco asks of Dryas Chloe for his wife, but all in vain. Therefore, disguised in a wolf-skin, he thinks to seize her from a thicket and carry her away by force, but the flock-dogs, fall upon him.

  Daphnis and Chloe are variously affected. Daphnis tells the Tale of the Stock-Dove. The Tyrian pirates plunder the fields and carry away Daphnis. Chloe, not knowing what to do, runs up to Dorco whom she finds a dying of his wounds. He gives her a pipe of wonderful power. She plays on it, and the oxen and cows that were carried away turn over the vessel. They and Daphnis swim to the land while the armed pirates drown. Then they bury poor Dorco and return to their wonted game.

  PROEM

  1. WHEN I was hunting in Lesbos, I saw in the grove of the Nymphs a spectacle the most beauteous and pleasing of any that ever yet I cast my eyes upon. It was a painted picture, reporting a history of love. The grove indeed was very pleasant, thick set with trees and starred with flowers everywhere, and watered all from one fountain with divers meanders and rills. But that picture, as having in it not only an excellent and wonderful piece of art but also a tale of ancient love, was far more amiable. And therefore many, not only the people of the country but foreigners also, enchanted by the fame of it, came as much to see that, as in devotion to the Nymphs. There were figured in it young women, in the posture, some of teeming, others of swaddling, little children; babes exposed, and ewes giving them suck; shepherds taking up foundlings, young persons plighting their troth; an incursion of thieves, an inroad of armed men.

  2. When I had seen with admiration these and many other things, but all belonging to the affairs of love, I had a mighty instigation to write something as to answer that picture. And therefore, when I had carefully sought and found an interpreter of the image, I drew up these four books, an oblation to Love and to Pan and to the Nymphs, and a delightful possession even for all men. For this will cure him that is sick, and rouse him that is in dumps; one that has loved, it will remember of it; one that has not, it will instruct. For there was never any yet that wholly could escape love, and never shall there be any, never so long as beauty shall be, never so long as eyes can see. But help me that God to write the passions of others; and while I write, keep me in my own right wits.

  THE FIRST BOOK

  1. MYTILENE is a city in Lesbos, and by ancient titles of honour it is the great and fair Mytilene. For it is distinguished and divided (the sea flowing in) by a various euripus, and is adorned with bridges built of white polished marble. — You would not think you saw a city, but an island. From this Mytilene some two hundred furlongs there lay a manor of a certain rich lord, the most sweet and pleasant prospect under all the eyes of heaven. There were mountains stored with wild beasts for game; there were hills and banks that were spread with vines; the fields abounded with all sorts of corn; the valleys with orchards and gardens and purls from the hills; the pastures with sheep and goats and kine; the sea-billows, swelling and gushing upon a shore which lay extended along in an open horizon, made a soft magic and enchantment.

  2. In this sweet country, the field and farm of Mytilene, a goatherd dwelling, by name Lamo, found one of his goats suckling an infant-boy, by such a chance, it seems, as this: There was a lawn, and in it a dell, and in the nethermost part of the dell a place all lined with wandering ivy, the ground furred over with a finer sort of grass, and on that the infant lay. The goat coming often hither, disappeared very much, neglecting still her own kid to attend the wretched child. Lamo observes her frequent outs and discursations, and pitying that the kid should be so forsaken, follows her even at high noon.
And anon he sees the goat bestriding the child carefully, lest she should chance to hurt it with her hooves, and the infant drawing milk as from the breast of a kind mother. And wondering at it, as well he might, he comes nearer and finds it a man-child, a lusty boy and beautiful, and wrapped in richer clothes then you should find upon a foundling. His mantle or little cloak was purple, fastened with a golden brooch, and by his side a little dagger, the handle polished ivory.

  3. He thought at first to take away the tokens and take no thought about the child. But afterwards conceiving shame within himself if he should not imitate the kindness and philanthropy he had seen even in that goat, waiting till the night came on he brings all to Myrtale his wife, the boy, his precious trinkets, and the goat. But Myrtale, all amazed at this, “What?” quoth she, “do goats cast boys?” Then he fell to tell her all, namely how he had found him exposed, how suckled; how overcome by mere shame he could not leave the sweet child to die in that forsaken thicket. And therefore, when he discerned Myrtale was of his mind, the things exposed together with him are laid up carefully and hid, they say the boy’s their own child, and put him to the goat to nurse. And that his name might be indeed a shepherd’s name, they agreed to call him Daphnis.

  4. And now, when two years’ time was past, a shepherd of the neighbouring fields, Dryas by name, had the luck, watching his flock, to see such sights and find such rarities as Lamo did. There was a solitary sacred cave of the Nymphs, a huge rock, hollow and vaulted within, but round without. The statues or images of the Nymphs were cut out most curiously in stone; their feet unshod, their arms bare to the shoulder, their hair loose over their necks, their eyes sweetly smiling, their lawny petticoats tucked up at the waist. The whole presence made a figure as of a divine amusing dance or masque. The mouth of the cave was in the midst of that great rock; and from it gushed up a strong crystal fountain, and running off in a fair current or brook, made before the holy cave a fresh, green, and flowery mead. There were hanging up and consecrated there milking-pails, pipes, and hautboys, whistles, and reeds, the offerings of the ancient shepherds.

  5. To this cave the often gadding of a sheep newly delivered of young, made the shepherd often think that she undoubtedly was lost. Desiring therefore to correct the straggler and reduce her to her rule, of a green with he made a snare, and looked to catch her in the cave. But when he came there he saw things he never dreamed of. For he saw her giving suck from her dugs in a very human manner to an infant, which, without crying, greedily did lay, first to one dug then the tother, a most neat and fair mouth; for when the child had sucked enough, the careful nurse licked it still and trimmed it up. That infant was a girl, and in such manner as before, there lay tokens beside her; a girdle embroidered with gold, a pair of shoes gilded, and ankle-bands all of gold.

  6. Wherefore Dryas, thinking with himself that this could not come about without the providence of the Gods, and learning mercy and love from the sheep, takes her up into his arms, puts her monuments into his scrip, and prays to the Nymphs they may have happily preserved and brought up their suppliant and votary. Now therefore, when it was time to drive home his flocks, he comes to his cottage and tells all that he had seen to his wife, shews her what he had found, bids her think she is her daughter, and, however, nurse her up, all unbeknown, as her child. Nape, that was her name, began presently to be a mother, and with a kind of jealousy would appear to love the child lest that ewe should get more praise; and, like Myrtale before, gives her the pastoral name of Chloe to assure us it’s their own.

  7. These infants grew up apace, and still their beauty appeared too excellent to suit with rustics or derive at all from clowns. And Daphnis now is fifteen and Chloe younger two years, when upon one night Lamo and Dryas had their Visions in their sleep. They thought they saw those Nymphs, the Goddesses of the cave out of which the fountain gushed out into a stream, and where Dryas found Chloe; that they delivered Daphnis and Chloe to a certain young boy, very disdainful, very fair, one that had wings at his shoulders, wore a bow and little darts; and that this boy did touch them both with the very selfsame dart, and commanded it from thenceforth one should feed his flock of goats, the other keep her flock of sheep.

  8. This dream being dreamed by both, they could not but conceive grief to think that those should be nothing but shepherds or goatherds to whom they had read better fortune from their monuments, and indeed for that cause had both allowed them a finer sort of meat, and bin at charge to teach them letters and whatsoever other things were passing brave among the rural swains and girls. Yet nevertheless it seemed fit that the mandates of the Gods concerning them who by their providence were saved, should be attended and obeyed.

  And having told their dreams one to another and sacrificed in the cave of the Nymphs to that winged boy (for his name they knew not), they sent them out shepherds with their flocks, and to everything instructed: how to feed before high noon and drive them to fresh pasture when the scorching glare declined, when to lead them to water, when to bring them to the folds, what cattle was disciplined with the crook, what commanded by the voice alone. And now this pretty pair of shepherds are as jocund in themselves as if they had got some great empire while they sit looking over their goodly flocks, and with more then usual kindness treated both the sheep and goats. For Chloe thankfully referred her preservation to a sheep, and Daphnis had not forgot to acknowledge his to a goat.

  4. It was the beginning of spring, and all the flowers of the lawns, meadows, valleys and hills were now blowing. All was fresh and green. Now was there humming of bees, and chanting of melodious birds, and skipping of newborn lambs; the bees hummed in the meadows, the birds warbled in the groves, the lambs skipt on the hills. And now, when such a careless joy had filled those blest and happy fields, Daphnis and Chloe, as delicate and young folks will, would imitate the pleasant things they heard and saw. Hearing how the birds did chant it, they began to carol too, and seeing how the lambs skipt, tript their light and nimble measures. Then, to emulate the bees, they fall to cull the fairest flowers; some of which in toysome sport they cast in one another’s bosoms, and of some platted garlands for the Nymphs; 10. and always keeping near together, had and did all things in common; for Daphnis often gathered in the straggling sheep, and Chloe often drove the bolder venturous goats from the crags and precipices; and sometimes to one of them the care of both the flocks was left while the other did intend some pretty knack or toysome play.

  For all their sports were sports of children and of shepherds. Chloe, scudding up and down and here and there picking up the windlestraws, would make in plats a cage for a grasshopper, and be so wholly bent on that, that she was careless of her flocks. Daphnis on the other side, having cut the slender reeds and bored the quills or intervals between the joints, and with his soft wax joined and fitted one to another, took no care but to practise or devise some tune even from morning to the twilight. Their wine and their milk and whatsoever was brought from home to the fields, they had still in common. And a man might sooner see all the cattle separate from one another then he should Chloe and Daphnis asunder.

  11. But while they are thus playing away their time to sweeten pleasure, afterwards Love in good earnest kindled up this fire. A wolf that had a kennel of whelps was come often ravenous upon the neighbouring fields, and had borne away from other flocks many cattle, because she needed much prey to keep herself and those cubs. The villagers therefore meet together, and in the night they dig ditches a fathom wide and four fathom deep; of the earth flung up they scatter the more part all abroad at a good distance, and laying over-cross the chasm long, dry, and rotten sticks, they strow them over with the earth that did remain, to make the ground like it was before; that if a hare do but offer to run there, she cannot choose but break those rods that were as brittle as the stubble, and then does easily make it known that that indeed was not true, but only counterfeited soil. Many such trap-ditches were now digged in the mountains and the fields; yet they could not take this wolf (for she could pe
rceive them because of the sophistic and commentitious ground), but many of their sheep and goats were there destroyed, and there wanted but a little that Daphnis too was not slain. And it was on this chance:

  12. Two he-goats were exasperated to fight, and the shock was furious. One of them, by the violence of the very first butt, had one of his horns broke. Upon the pain and grief of that, all in a fret and mighty chafe he betakes himself to flight, but the victor, pursuing him close, would not let him take breath. Daphnis was vexed to see the horn broke and that kind of malapertness of the goat. Up he catches a cudgel, and pursues the pursuer. But as it frequently happens when one hastes away as fast as possibly he can and the other with ardency pursues, there was no certain prospect of the things before them, but into the trap-ditch both fall, first the goat, then Daphnis. And indeed it was only this that served to save poor Daphnis, that he flundered down to the bottom a-cockhorse on the rough goat. There in a lamentable case he lay, waiting if perchance it might be somebody to draw him out. Chloe seeing the accident, away she flies to the ditch, and finding he was alive, calls for help to a herdsman of the adjoining fields. When he was come, he bustled about for a long cord, which holding, Daphnis might be drawn up; but finding none, Chloe in a tearing haste pulls off her stomacher or breastband, gives him it to let down, and standing on the pit-brim, they both began to draw and hale; and Daphnis, holding fast by it, nimbly followed Chloe’s line, and so ascended to the top. They drew up too the wretched goat, which now had both his horns broke (so fiercely did the revenge of the vanquished pursue him); and they gave him to the herdsman to sacrifice, as a reward of the rescue and redemption of their lives. And if anybody missed him at home, they would say it was an invasion of wolves. And so returned to see after their sheep and goats.