Delphi Complete Works of Longus Page 3

  28. Such delights and pleasures as these the summer-time entertained them withal. But when autumn was coming in and the grapes were ripening, some Tyrian pirates, in a Carian vessel lest perchance they should seem to be barbarians, sailed up to the fields, and coming ashore armed with swords and half-corslets, fell to rifle, plunder, and carry away all that came to hand, the fragrant wines, great store of grain, honey in the comb. Some oxen too they drove away from Dorco’s herd, and took Daphnis as he wandered by the sea. For Chloe, as a maid, was fearful of the fierce and surly shepherds, and therefore, till it was somewhat later, drove not out the flocks of Dryas. And when they saw the young man was proper and handsome and of a higher price then any of their other prey, they thought it not worth their staying longer about the goats or other fields, and hauled him aboard lamenting and not knowing what to do, and calling loud and often on the name of Chloe. And so, waiting only till they had loosed from the shore and cast in their oars, they made in haste away to sea.

  Meanwhile Chloe had brought out her sheep, and with her a new pipe that was to be a gift to Daphnis. When Chloe saw the goats in a hurry, and heard Daphnis louder and louder call “Chloe,” she presently casts off all care of her flocks, flings the pipe on the ground, and runs amain for help to Dorco. 29. But he, being cruelly wounded by the thieves and breathing yet a little, his blood gushing out, was laid along upon the ground. Yet seeing Chloe, and a little spark of his former love being awakened in him, “Chloe,” said he, “I shall now presently die, for alas! those cursed thieves, as I fought for my herd, have killed me like an ox. But do thou preserve Daphnis for thyself, and in their sudden destruction take vengeance on the rogues for me. I have accustomed my herd to follow the sound of a pipe, and to obey the charm of it although they feed a good way off me. Come hither then and take this pipe, and blow that tune which I heretofore taught Daphnis and Daphnis thee. Leave the care of what shall follow to the pipe and to the cows which are yonder. And to thee, Chloe, I give the pipe, this pipe by which I have often conquered many herdsmen, many goatherds. But, for this, come and kiss me, sweet Chloe, while I am yet awhile alive; and when I am dead, weep a tear or two o’er me, and if thou seest some other tending my herd upon these hills, I pray thee then remember Dorco.” 30. Thus spake Dorco and received his last kiss; and together with the kiss and his voice, breathed out his soul.

  But Chloe, taking the pipe and putting it to her lips, began to play and whistle as loud as possibly she could. The cows aboard the pirates presently hear and acknowledge the music, and with one bounce and a huge bellowing shoot themselves impetuously into the sea. By that violent bounding on one of her sides the pinnace toppled, and the sea gaping from the bottom by the fall of the cows in, the surges on a sudden return and sink her down and all that were in her, but with unequal hope of escape. For the thieves had their swords on with their scaled and nailed corslets, and greaves up to the middle of their shins. But Daphnis was barefoot because he was tending his flocks in the plain, and halfnaked, it being yet the heat of summer. Wherefore they, when they had sworn a little while, were carried by their arms to the bottom. Daphnis on the other side, easily got off his clothes, and yet was much puzzled to swim because he had been used before only to the brooks and rivers. But at length, being taught by necessity what was best for him to do, he rushes into the midst of the cows and on his right and left laid hold on two of their horns, and so without trouble or pain was carried between them to the land as if he had driven a chariot. Now an ox or cow swim so well that no man can do the like, and they are exceeded only by water-fowl and fish; nor do they ever drown and perish unless the nails upon their hooves be thorough drenched with wet and fall. Witness to this those several places of the sea to this day called Bospori, the trajects or the narrow seas sworn over by oxen.

  31. And thus poor Daphnis was preserved, escaping beyond hope two dangers at once, shipwrack and latrociny. When he was out, he found Chloe on the shore laughing and crying; and casting himself into her arms asked her what she meant when she piped and whistled so loud. Then she told him all that had happened, how she scuttled up to Dorco, how the cows had been accustomed, how she was bidden to play on the pipe, and that their friend Dorco was dead; only for shame she told him not of that kiss.

  They thought then it was their duty to honour their great benefactor, and therefore they went with his kinsfolk to bury the unfortunate Dorco. They laid good store of earth upon the corse, and on his grave they set abundance of the most fragrant lasting sative plants and flowers, and made a suspension to him of some of the first-fruits of their labour. Besides they poured on the ground a libation of milk, and pressed with their hands the fairest bunches of the grapes, and then broke many shepherd’s-pipes o’er him. There were heard miserable groans and bellowings of the cows and oxen, and together with them certain incomposed cursations and freaks were seen. The cattle amongst themselves (so the goatherds and the shepherds thought) had a kind of lamentation for the death and loss of their keeper.

  32. When the funeral of Dorco was done, Chloe brought Daphnis to the cave of the Nymphs and washed him with her own hands. And she herself, Daphnis then first of all looking and gazing on her, washed her naked limbs before him, her limbs which for their perfect and most excellent beauty needed neither wash nor dress. And when they had done, they gathered of all the flowers of the season to crown the statues of the Nymphs, and hanged up Dorco’s charming pipe for an offering in the fane. Then coming away they looked what became of their sheep and goats, and found that they neither fed nor blated, but were all laid upon the ground, peradventure as wanting Daphnis and Chloe that had been so long out of their sight. Certainly when they appeared and had called and whistled as they were wont, the sheep rose up presently and fell to feed, and the mantling goats skipped and leapt as rejoicing at the safety of their familiar goatherd.

  But Daphnis for his life could not be merry, because he had seen Chloe naked, and that beauty which before was not unveiled. His heart ached as though it were gnawed with a secret poison, insomuch that sometimes he puffed and blowed thick and short as if somebody had been in a close pursuit of him, sometimes again he breathed so faintly as if his breath had bin quite spent in the late incursions. That washing seemed to him more dangerous and formidable then the sea, and he thought his life was still in the hands and at the dispose of the Tyrian pirates, as being a young rustic and yet unskilled in the assassinations and robberies of Love.

  THE END OF THE FIRST BOOK

  A SUMMARY OF THE SECOND BOOK

  THE Vintage is kept and solemnized.

  After that, Daphnis and Chloe return to the fields. Philetas the herdsman entertains them with a discourse of Cupid and love. Love increases betwixt them. In the mean time the young men of Methymna come into the fields of Mytilene to hawk and hunt. Their pinnace having lost her cable, they fasten her to the shore with a with. A goat gnaws the with in pieces. The ship with her money and other riches is blown off to sea. The Methymnaeans, madded at it, look about for him that did it. They light upon Daphnis and pay him soundly. The country lads come in to help him. Philetas is constituted judge. A Methymnaean is plaintiff, Daphnis defendant. Daphnis carries the day. The Methymnaeans fall to force, but are beaten off with clubs. Getting home they complain of injury and loss by the Mytilenians. The Methymnaeans presently command Bryaxis their general to move with 10 ships against the Mytilenians knowing nothing. They land at the fields, plunder all they can lay their hands on, and carry away Chloe.

  Daphnis, knowing it, would die, but the Nymphs comfort him. Pan sends a terror (which is rarely described) upon the Methymnaeans, and warns their captain in his sleep to bring back Chloe. The captain obeys, and she returns joyful to Daphnis. They keep holy-days to Pan, and Philetas is there. Lamo tells the Story of the Pipe. Philetas gives Daphnis his most artificial pipe. Daphnis and Chloe proceed to the binding of one another by amorous oaths.

  THE SECOND BOOK

  1. THE autumn now being grown to its height and the vinta
ge at hand, every rural began to stir and be busy in the fields, some to repair the wine presses, some to scour the tuns and hogsheads; others were making baskets, skeps, and panniers, and others providing little hooks to catch and cut the bunches of the grapes. Here one was looking busily about to find a stone that would serve him to bruise the stones of grapes, there another furnishing himself with dry willow-wood brayed in a mortar, to carry away the must in the night with light before him. Wherefore Daphnis and Chloe for this time laid aside the care of the flocks, and put their helping hands to the work. Daphnis in his basket carried grapes, cast them into the press and trod them there, and then anon tunned the wine into the butts. Chloe dressed meat for the vintagers and served them with drink of the old wine, or gathered grapes of the lower vines. For all the vines about Lesbos, being neither high-grown nor propped with trees, incline themselves and protend their palmits towards the ground, and creep like the ivy; so that indeed a very infant, if that his -hands be loose from his swathes, may easily reach and pull a bunch.

  2. Now as they were wont in the feast of Bacchus and the solemnisation of the birth of wine, the women that came from the neighbouring fields to help, cast their eyes all upon Daphnis, gave him prick and praise for beauty, and said he was like to Bacchus himself. And now and then one of the bolder strapping girls would catch him in her arms and kiss him. Those wanton praises and expressions did animate the modest youth, but vexed and grieved the poor Chloe.

  But the men that were treading in the press cast out various voices upon Chloe, and leapt wildly before her like so many Satyrs before a young Bacchant, and wished that they themselves were sheep, that such a shepherdess might tend them. And thus the girl in her turn was pleased, and Daphnis stung with pain. But they wished the vintage might soon be done that they might return to their haunts in the fields, that instead of that wild untuned noise of the clowns they might hear again the sweet pipe or the blating of the cattle.

  And when after a few days the grapes were gathered and the must tunned into the vessels, and there needed no longer many hands to help, they drove again their flocks to the plain, and with great joy and exultation worshipped and adored the Nymphs, offering to them the firstfruits of the vintage, clusters hanging on their branches. Nor did they in former time with negligence ever pass by the Nymphs, but always when they came forth to feed would sit them down reverentially in the cave, and when they went home would first adore and beg their grace, and brought to them always something, either a flower or an apple or an apronful of green leaves or a sacrifice of milk. And for this they afterwards received no small rewards and favours from the Goddesses. And now, like dogs let slip, as the saying is, they skip and dance and sing and pipe, and wrestle playfully with their flocks.

  2. While they thus delight themselves, there comes up to them an old man, clad in his rug and mantle of skins, his carbatins or clouted shoes, his scrip hanging at his back, and that indeed a very old one. When he was sate down by them, thus he spoke and told his story: “I, my children, am that old Philetas who have often sung to these Nymphs and often piped to yonder Pan, and have led many a herd by the art of music alone. And I come to shew you what I have seen and to tell you what I have heard. I have a garden which my own hands and labour planted, and ever since by my old age I gave over fields and herds, to dress and trim it has been my care and entertainment. What flowers or fruits the season of the year teems, there they are at every season. In the spring there are roses and lilies, the hyacinths and both the forms of violets; in the summer, poppies, pears, and all sorts of apples. And now in the autumn, vines and figtrees, pomegranates, and the green myrtles. Into this garden flocks of birds come every morning, some to feed, some to sing. For it is thick, opacous, and shady, and watered all by three fountains; and if you took the wall away you would think you saw a wood.

  3. “As I went in there to-day about noon, a boy appeared in the pomegranate and myrtle grove, with myrtles and pomegranates in his hand; white as milk, and his hair shining with the glance of fire; clean and bright as if he had newly washed himself. Naked he was, alone he was; he played and wantoned it about, and culled and pulled, as if it had bin his own garden. Therefore I ran at him as fast as I could, thinking to get him in my clutches. For indeed I was afraid lest by that wanton, untoward, malapert ramping and hoity-toity which he kept in the grove, he would at length break my pomegranates and myrtles. But he, with a soft and easy sleight, as he listed, gave me the slip, sometimes running under roses, sometimes hiding himself in the poppies, like a cunning, huddling chick of a partridge. I have often had enough to do to run after the sucking kids, and often tired myself off my legs to catch a giddy young calf; but this was a cunning piece and a thing that could not be catched.

  “Being then wearied, as an old man, and leaning upon my staff, and withal looking to him lest he should escape away, I asked what neighbour’s child he was, and what he meant to rob another man’s orchard so. But he answered me not a word, but coming nearer, laughed most sweetly and flung the myrtle-berries at me, and pleased me so, I know not how, that all my anger vanished quite. I asked him therefore that he would give himself without fear into my hands, and swore to him by the myrtles that I would not only send him away with apples and pomegranates to boot, but give him leave whensoever he pleased to pull the finest fruits and flowers, if he would but give me one kiss.

  5. “With that, setting up a loud laughter, he sent forth a voice such as neither the swallow nor the nightingale has, nor yet the swan when he is grown old like to me: ‘Philetas,’ said he, ‘I grudge not at all to give thee a kiss; for it is more pleasure for me to be kissed then for thee to be young again. But consider with thyself whether such a gift as that be of use to thy age. For thy old age cannot help thee that thou shalt not follow me, after that one kiss. But I cannot be taken, though a hawk or an eagle or any other swifter bird were flown at me. I am not a boy though I seem to be so, but am older then Saturn and all this universe. I know that when thou wast yet a boy thou didst keep a great herd on yonder water-meadow; and I was present to thee when under those oak-trees thou didst sing and play on the pipe for the dear love of Amaryllis. But thou didst not see me although I stood close by the maid. It was I that gave her thee in marriage, and thou hast had sons by her, jolly herdsmen and husbandmen. And now I take care of Daphnis and Chloe; and when I have brought them together in the morning, I come hither to thy garden and take my pleasure among these groves and flowers of thine, and wash myself also in these fountains. And this is the cause why thy roses, violets, lilies, hyacinths, and poppies, all thy flowers and thy plants, are still so fair and beautiful, because they are watered with my wash. Cast thy eyes round about, and look whether there be any one stem of a flower, any twig of a tree, broken, whether any of thy fruits be pulled or any flower trodden down, whether any fountain be troubled and muddled; and rejoice, Philetas, that thou alone of all mortals hast seen this boy in thy old age.’

  5. “ This said, the sweet boy sprang into the myrtle grove, and like a young nightingale, from bough to bough under the green leaves, skipped to the top of the myrtles. Then I saw his wings hanging at his shoulders, and at his back between his wings a little bow with darts; and since that moment never saw either them or him any more. If therefore I wear not now these gray hairs of mine in vain, and by my age have not got a trivial mind, you two, O Daphnis and Chloe, are destined to Love, and Love himself takes care of you.”

  6. With this they were both hugely delighted; and thought they heard a tale, not a true discourse, and therefore they would ask him questions: “And what is Love? is he a boy or is he a bird? and what can he do I pray you, gaffer?” Therefore again thus Philetas: “Love, my children, is a God, a young youth and very fair, and winged to fly. And therefore he delights in youth, follows beauty, and gives our fantasy her wings. His power’s so vast that that of Jove is not so great. He governs in the elements, rules in the stars, and domineers even o’er the Gods that are his peers. Nay, you have not such dominion o’e
r your sheep and goats. All flowers are the work of Love. Those plants are his creations and poems. By him it is that the rivers flow, and by him the winds blow. I have known a bull that has been in love and run bellowing through the meadows as if he had been stung by a breeze, a he-goat too so in love with a virgin-she that he has followed her up and down through the woods, through the lawns.

  “And I myself once was young, and fell in love with Amaryllis, and forgot to eat my meat and drink my drink, and never could compose to sleep. My panting heart was very sad and anxious, and my body shook with cold. I cried out oft, as if I had bin thwacked and basted back and sides; and then again was still and mute, as if I had layen among the dead. I cast myself into the rivers as if I had bin all on a fire. I called on Pan that he would help me, as having sometimes bin himself catched with the love of peevish Pitys. I praised Echo that with kindness she restored and trebled to me the dear name of Amaryllis. I broke my pipes because they could delight the kine, but could not draw me Amaryllis. For there is no medicine for love, neither meat, nor drink, nor any charm, but only kissing and embracing and lying side by side.”

  8. Philetas, when he had thus instructed the unskilful lovers, and was presented with certain cheeses and a young goat of the first horns, went his way. But when they were alone, having then first heard of the name of Love, their minds were struck with a kind of madness, and returning home with the fall of night, they began each to compare those things which they had suffered in themselves with the doctrine of Philetas concerning lovers and love: “The lover has his grief and sadness, and we have had our share of that. They are languishing and careless in just such things as we. They cannot sleep, and we still watch for the early day. They think they are burnt, and we too are afire. They desire nothing more then to see one another, and for that cause we pray the day to come quickly. This undoubtedly is love, and we, it seems, are in love without knowing whether or no this be love or ourself a lover. And so if we ask why we have this grief and why this seeking each after the other, the answer is clear: Philetas did not lie a tittle. That boy in the garden was seen too by our fathers Lamo and Dryas in that dream, and ’twas he that commanded us to the field. How is it possible for one to catch him? He’s small and slim, and so will slip and steal away. And how should one escape and get away from him by flight? He has wings to overtake us. We must fly to the Nymphs our patronesses; but Pan, alas! did not help his servant Philetas when he was mad on Amaryllis. Therefore those remedies which he taught us are before all things to be tried, kissing, embracing, and lying together on the ground. It’s cold indeed, but after Philetas we’ll endure it.”