M/M: When Beautiful People Date, Greek Anthology 12.163

 

Name: Asclepiades Date:    3rd century BCE Region:    Samos [modern Greece] Citation: Greek Anthology 12.163

Love has discovered the joy in mixing something beautiful with beautiful,

Not an emerald mixed with gold,

(Which neither blooms nor stands as equal)

Nor can ebony mixed with ivory,

Nor the colors black and white together,

can compare to Cleander & Eubiotus, 

darling flowers of Persuasion and Friendship.

εὗρεν Ἔρως τί καλῷ μίξει καλόν, οὐχὶ μάραγδον

χρυσῷ, ὃ μήτ᾽ ἀνθεῖ, μήτε γένοιτ᾽ ἐν ἴσῳ,

οὐδ᾽ ἐλέφαντ᾽ ἐβένῳ, λευκῷ μέλαν, ἀλλὰ Κλέανδρον

Εὐβιότῳ, πειθοῦς ἄνθεα καὶ φιλίης.

Invenit Amor quodnam pulchro misceat pulchrum, non smaragdum,

auro, quod neque floret neque fiat compar

neque ebur ebeno, albo nigrum, sed Cleandrum

Eubioto, Suadae flores Amicitiae.

Translated into Latin by Hugo Grottius

 

 Asclepiades of Samos was a Greek lyric poet from the 3^rd century BCE. His works are preserved in the Greek Anthology, a collection of Greek lyric poetry that spans numerous genres, topics, and authors.

Dorkion's Gaze, Greek Anthology XII.161.1-3

Dorkion, the tomboy, knows how to cast a loving gaze

Over their shoulder

And shoot a love-dart from their eyes

Just like a boyfriend would. 

*The term puer delicatus usually refers to a slave; it is likely that Dorkion is not a free person.

Dorcium quae ephebis-gaudet scit, ut delicatus puer*,

iaculari communis Cypridis velocem sagittam, [pendens

cupidinem fulgurans ab oculo, [sui] super humeros...

Δόρκιον ἡ φιλέφηβος ἐπίσταται, ὡς ἁπαλὸς παῖς,

ἕσθαι πανδήμου Κύπριδος ὠκὺ βέλος,

ἵμερον ἀστράπτουσα κατ᾽ ὄμματος, ἠδ᾽ ὑπὲρ ὤμων...

--Asclepiades, Greek Anthology 12.161.1-3

 Asclepiades of Samos was a Greek lyric poet from the 3^rd century BCE. His works are preserved in the Greek Anthology, a collection of Greek lyric poetry that spans numerous genres, topics, and authors.

 

W/W: Nannion & Bitto, Greek Anthology 5.207

Name: Asclepiades Date:   3rd century BCE Region:    Samos [modern Greece] Citation:    Greek Anthology 5.207

Nannion & Bitto from Samos refuse to follow the laws of Venus

that the goddess herself has decreed,

and instead want to do things [that are not good].

Blessed Venus, look down with hatred

on those who avoid your rules!

 

Αι Σάμιαι Βιττό και Νάννιον εις Αφροδίτης 

Φοιταν τους αυτής ουκ εθέλουσι νόμοις 

Εις δ έτερ αυτoμoλoύσιν ά μη καλά δεσπότι Κύπρι 

Μίσει τας κοίτας τας παρά σοι φυγάδας.

Nannion & Bitto Samiae celebrare recusant

Legibus his Venerem, quas Venus ipsa dedit,

Et cupiunt quae [non bona sunt], tu fugitivas

Detestare tui foederis alma Venus.

Translated into Latin by Hugo Grotius

 Asclepiades of Samos was a Greek lyric poet from the 3^rd century BCE. His works are preserved in the Greek Anthology, a collection of Greek lyric poetry that spans numerous genres, topics, and authors.