Poems from the Codex Salmasianus on Narcissus

Asexuality in men was often portrayed negatively in Greco-Roman myth, as Greek and Roman men were expected to marry and continue their family line. Just as Hippolytus' rejection of Aphrodite / Venus / physical love was punished, so too is Narcissus punished for his rejection of Echo. Narcissus is often coded asexual by various authors, as he rejects all men and women suitors (not just Echo). His 'love of himself' is a symbolic rejection of romantic and physical love.

Se Narcissus amat captus lenonibus undis.

Cui si tollis aquas, non est ubi saeviat ignis.

Captivated by the still waters, Narcissus fell in love with himself.

But if you removed the water, he wouldn’t be burning with love.

--Codex Salmasianus 219

 

Invenit proprios mediis in fontibus ignes

Et sua deceptum urit imago virum.

[Narcissus] found fire in the midst of water

And his own reflection burns for a deceived lover.

--Codex Salmasianus 145

 

Ardet amore sui flagrans Narcissus in undis,

Cum modo perspicua se specualtur aqua.

As he catches sight of himself in the clear water,

Narcissus burns for love of himself.

--Codex Salmasianus 146

 

Dum putat esse parem vitreis Narcissus in undis,

Solus amore perit, dum putat esse parem.

Narcissus thought he’d found his match

In the still pool

But he died, lovesick, alone

For he thought he’d found his match.

--Codex Salmasianus 39

 

 

A List of Those Who Boldly Rejected Romantic Love: M. Antonii Tritonii Utinensis, Mythologia

This author uses Ovid's myths to showcase his own medieval Christian beliefs.   The topic "protervi," ["bold, shameful, wanton"] lists women (and one man) who brazenly reject romantic love. Their one connecting attribute--an unapologetic demand for bodily autonomy--is seen as a vice instead of a virtue in the eyes of this medieval author.  

 

THE BOLD

Includes:

• Anaxarete
• Arethusa
• Daphne
• Eperie
• Lotos
• Narcissus 
• Scylla  
• Syrinx

·       ANAXARETE: In the case of her own boldness in regards to love, since she caused her suitor Iphis* to hang himself. But she also paid the penalty for her own boldness, for Venus turned her into a boulder because of this. [cf. Ovid’s Metamorphoses book 14, story 17]

ARETHUSA: a nymph who was deservedly transformed into a spring while fleeing her suitor Alpheus  [book 5, story 17]

DAPHNE: The daughter of the river god Peneus, who never caved in to her suitor [Apollo]. She was transformed into a laurel / bay tree. [book 1, story 9]  

EPERIE: a nymph who while fleeing her suitor Aesacus, was killed by a snake bite.  [book ii, story ii]

LOTOS: running away from Priapus, she was transformed into a tree [book 9, story 6]

NARCISSUS: displayed his boldness when he fled from the nymph Echo’s advances [book 3, story 8]

SCYLLA: a nymph who hid under the waves every time the sea god Glaucus flirted with her. Finally she was transformed into an underwater rock that was dangerous to sailors [book 14, story 1]

SYRINX: an exceedingly pretty Naiad whom Pan loved, who could never shake off Pan’s advances. Because of her boldness, she was transformed into a reed. [book 1, story 12]

* Iphis is a common name in the ancient world; this is not the same Iphis from the myth of Iphis & Ianthe

 --M. Antonii Tritonii Utinenis, Mythologia, 1560

 PROTERVI

• Anaxarete
• Arethusa
• Daphne
• Eperie
• Lotos
• Narcissus
• Scylla
• Syrinx

ANAXARETE Cypria sua protervitate fuit in causa, ut amator Iphis laqueo se strangularet, sed illa quoque protervitatis suae meritas poenas dedit, nam Veneris voluntate in saxum versa est.[lib.xiiii.fab.xvii] 

ARETHUSA nympha Alpheum amantem fugiens merito in fontem abiit. [l.v.f.xvii]

DAPHNE Penei fl[uminis] filia ab Apolline amata nunquam voluit amanti assentiri. unde in laurum versa est [lib.i.fab.ix]

 EPERIE nympha Aesacum amantem fugiens serpentis ictu interiit. [lib.ii.fab.ii]

LOTOS quoque Priapum evitans in arborem transfigurata est. [lib.ix.fab.6] 

NARCISSUS protervus extitit, cum Echo nympham aufugeret. [lib.iii.fab.viii] 

SCYLLA nympha quotiens a Glauco Deo marino blandis vocabatur verbis, toties se sub undas abscondebat, unde in saxum postremo nautis periculosum conversa fuit. [lib.xiiii.fa.i]

SYRINX Naiadum pulcherrima a Pane adamata flecti nunquam potuit, ob quam protervitatem in arundinem fuit commutata [lbi.i.fab.xii]

Dangerous Beauty: Christianizing the Myth of Cornix & Callisto: John Gower, Confessio Amantis 5.6145 & 5.6230ff

 

Name: John Gower Date: 1330 – 1408 CE Region:   [modern England] Citation:  Confession of a Lover 5.6145ff and 6.6230ff

Here it talks about those who prey upon other sexually: those who try to sneakily succeed in fulfilling their lusty desire, but who are undermined by chance. The story goes that one time Neptune had tried to rape a certain maiden named Cornix when she was walking on the shore by herself, but Pallas Athena intervened. The goddess rescued the maiden from the god’s clutches and thankfully saved her from the assault.

Hic loquitur contra istos in amoris causa predones, qui cum in suam furtive concupissentiam aspirant, fortuna in contrarium operatur. Et narrat quod cum Neptunus quamdam virginem nomine Cornicem solam iuxta mare deambulantem opprimere suo furto voluisset, superveniens Pallas ipsam e manibus eius virginitate servata gracius liberavit.

 

2Here we have an example against people who prey upon women sexually. The story is about when Calistona, the exceedingly beautiful daughter of Lichaon, piously vowed perpetual chastity to Diana. Calistona traveled to a forest called Tegea, and spent her life there among other nymphs. Jupiter took her virginity in a clever assault, and from that union she bore him a son who was later named Archas.  Because of this, Juno attacked Calistona, transforming the woman’s beauty into the ugly shape of a bear.

Hic ponit exemplum contra istos in causa virginitatis laesae praedones. Et narrat quod cum Calistona Lichaontis mirae pulchritudinis filia suam virginitatem Dianae conservandam castisima voviset, et in Silvam quae Tegea dicitur inter alias ibidem Nimphas moraturam se transtulisset, Iupiter virginis castitatem subtili furto surripiens, quendam filium, qui postea Archas nominatus est, ex ea genuit: unde Juno in Calistonam saeviens eius pulchritudinem in ursae turpissimae deformitatem subito transfiguravit.

 John Gower [1330 – 1408 CE, modern England] was a 14th century English poet. He was a contemporary and peer of Geoffrey Chaucer; both authors use overlapping characters and themes. Although his Confession of a Lover [Confessio Amantis] was written in English, the Latin text of this story was taken from the summaries that the author wrote for each chapter in Latin.

Dangerous Beauty: the Punishment of Narcissus, Conon Narr. 24

Narcissus, Punished for his Asexuality

Name:   Conon Date:    1st century BCE – 1st century CE Region:   Cappadocia [modern Turkey] Citation:  Narrations 24

The myth of Narcissus has numerous forms. In some versions, he is punished for not loving the nymph Echo. In others, he is punished for not loving Aminias. This version shows his punishment for never being romantically interested in anyone.

Narcissus was born in Thespia, a town in Boeotia not far from Helicon. He was exceptionally pretty, but he despised love and boyfriends. Many of his suitors fell into despair; Amainas was particularly eager and lovesick. But when Narcissus didn’t pay attention to him...Amainas begged that the gods would avenge him. Then Narcissus, having caught sight of his own face as it was reflected in the water, became the first and only lover of himself. Finally, in despair, he realized he was being punished for rejecting his lovers, he ended his life. From that time on, Thespians especially honor and revere love, not only in public, but they also make sacrifices in private to love, too. The Thespians also think that the Narcissus flower first rose up in the place where Narcissus’ blood fell.

ἐν Θεσπείᾳ τῆς Βοιωτίας ἔστι δ’ ἡ πόλις οὐχ ἑκὰς τοὺς Ἑλικῶνος παῖς ἔφυ Νάρκισσος πάνυ καλὸς καὶ ὑπερόπτης  Ἔρωτός τε καὶ ἐραστῶν. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι τῶν ἐραστῶν ἐρῶντες ἀπηγόρευσαν, Ἀμεινίας δὲ πολὺς ἦν ἐπιμένων καὶ δεόμενος. ὡς δ’ οὐ προσίετο ἀλλὰ καὶ ξίφος προσέπεμψεν, ἑαυτὸν πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν Ναρκίσσου διαχειρίζεται πολλὰ καθικετεύσας τιμωρόν οἱ γενέσθαι τὸν θεόν. Ὁ δὲ Νάρκισσος ἰδὼν αὐτοῦ τὴν ὄψιν καὶ τὴν μορφὴν ἐπὶ κρήνης ἐνδαλλομένην τῷ ὕδατι, καὶ μόνος καὶ πρῶτ τος ἑαυτοῦ γίνεται ἄτοπος ἐραστής. Τέλος ἀμηχανῶν καὶ δίκαια πάσχειν οἰηθεὶς ἀνθ ὧν Ἀμεινίου ἐξύβρισε τοὺς ἔρωτας, ἑαυτὸν διαχρᾶται. Καὶ ἐξ ἐκείνου Θεσπιεῖς μᾶλλον τιμᾶν καὶ γεραίρειν τὸν Ἔρωτα καὶ πρὸς ταῖς κοιναῖς θεραπείαις καὶ ἰδίᾳ θύειν ἔγνωσαν. Δοκοῦσι δ’ οἱ ἐπιχώριοι τὸν νάρκισσον τὸ ἄνθος ἐξ ἐκείνης πρῶτον τῆς γῆς ἀνασχεῖν εἰς ἣν ἐξεχύθη τὸ τοῦ Ναρκίσσου αἷμα.

In Boetia civitate Thespeia, quae non longe ab Helicone sita est, puer natus Narissus, pulcher admodum, sed amoris amatorumque contemptor. Quare alii quidem despondere animum amantes coeperunt: Aminiasque tantum assiduus erat, & pertinax precator. At cum neque hunc audiret ille...deum vehementer precatus, ultor sibi ut fieret. Narcissus igitur vultum aliquando suum contemplatus, formaeque simulacrum in aqua fontis apparens, & solus & primus incipit caeco sui amore flagrare. Ergo consilii tandem inops, & iustas sese dare poenas arbitratus, quod Aminiam amatorem iniuria laesisset, mortem sibi conscivit. Ex eo, responso dato, ut amor magis honoraretur, colereturque, praeter communem cultum, privatim quoque sacrificare decreverunt. Ea autem incolarum opinio est, primum ex illa terra extitisse Narcissum florem, in quam effusus Narcissi sanguis fuisset. Translated into Latin by  Thomas Gale

Conon [1^st century BCE – 1^st century CE, Cappadocia, modern Turkey] was a Greek mythographer who lived during the reign of Augustus. Although his work, the Narrations, is lost, a summary of it was preserved by the Greek author Photius.

Beloved Hylas is Missing! Codex Salmasianus 57

  Beloved Hylas has been kidnapped!

The nymphs’ joy abounds!

Beloved Hylas has been kidnapped!

Hercules’ wrath abounds!  57. DE HYLA ET HERCVLE

 
  Raptus amatus Hylas: nympharum gaudia crescunt.
  Herculis ira tumet: raptus amatus Hylas.

 --Codex Salmasianus LVII

 The Codex Salmasianus is a manuscript of Latin poetry that preserves poetry from 6^th century CE and earlier. It was named after Claude de Saumaise, a 17^th century scholar who owned the manuscript.

 

M/M: The Story of Cyparissus, Vatican Mythographers 2.177

Cyparissus, Beloved By the Gods

Name:  Vatican Mythographers Date:   10th century CE Region:   Unknown Citation:   Vatican Mythographers 2.177

While the handsome lad Cyparissus was hunting in the forest, Apollo fell in love with him. Apollo gave him a beautiful and tame pet stag as a gift. Cyparissus loved the deer. Growing drowsy, he dozed off under a tree. When he was woken up by a sudden noise, he saw a deer far off, and shot it with an arrow, thinking it was a wild deer. Once he realized what he had done, he panicked, and starved himself to death. As he died, Apollo pitied him, and turned him into the tree that shares his name [the cypress tree]. 

Cyparissus, Beloved By the Gods

Cyparissus speciosus puer dum in silva venaretur, in amorem sui Apollinem compulit. A quo accepit munus cervum pulcherrimum et mansuetum: quem cum diligeret, lassus somnum sub arbore carpere coepit. Subito excitatus strepitu cervum longe vidit; quem credens silvestrem, missa sagitta eum interemit: agnitoque in tantum extabuit, ut ab omni cibo et potu abstineret. Quo tabescente, Apollo misertus eius, vertit eum in arborem sui nominis cupressum.

Vatican Mythographers [10th century CE?] Little is known about the author or origin of the collection of myths known as the Vatican Mythographers, but the work’s first editor Angelo Mai found the collection on a manuscript dating back to the 10th century CE. This volume is a collection of three different mythographers who have assembled various Greco-Roman myths; although many of these myths are basic summaries in Latin, some of them are either analyzed as allegories or compared to Christian thought.

M/M: The Story of Hyacinthus, Vatican Mythographers 1.117

Hyacinthus, Beloved by the Gods

Name:  Vatican Mythographers Date:   10th century CE Region:   Unknown Citation:   Vatican Mythographers 1.117

Hyacinthus was loved by both Boreas and Apollo, but he loved Apollo more. Angered by this slight, Boreas killed Hyacinthus with his own discus while he was practicing with it. Hyacinthus was then transformed into a flower bearing his own name.

Hyacinthus, Beloved by the Gods

Hyacinthum amatum tam a Borea quam ab Apolline dicunt. Qui cum magis Apollinis amore laetaretur, dum exerceretur disco, ab irato Borea eodem disco est interemptus et mutatus in florem nominis <sui>.

 

 Vatican Mythographers [10th century CE?] Little is known about the author or origin of the collection of myths known as the Vatican Mythographers, but the work’s first editor Angelo Mai found the collection on a manuscript dating back to the 10th century CE. This volume is a collection of three different mythographers who have assembled various Greco-Roman myths; although many of these myths are basic summaries in Latin, some of them are either analyzed as allegories or compared to Christian thought.

M/M: One Tomb for Two Lovers: The Myth of Carpos & Calamos, Nonnus' Dionysiaca XI.370-480

 Listen as I tell you a story from long ago.

Once upon a time, there was a boy. He was a sweetheart and was the best of all his peers; he lived on the banks of the Meander River. He was tall and swift-footed; he had long, straight hair, and was baby-faced. Grace was written all over his face; his eyes were modest. He had a peaches & cream complexion.

The Meander, his doting river-god father, named him Calamos; [the Meander] rolls over the earth, bringing waters to light from secret places; he travels deep into the earth on his 'meandering' path, then leaps up to stretch his neck up out of the ground.

This [is the tale of] tender Calamos, the swift rosy-armed youth; he was smitten with Carpos, his peer (ὁμήλικι).

Carpos was so beautiful, he hardly seemed mortal. If he had been alive in mythical times, he would have been snatched up by the beautiful-haired goddess of the dawn, Eos; he looked prettier than her previous captives Cephalus and Orion. Demeter would not have taken Iasion into her fertile embrace, nor would Selene have chosen Endymion, if Carpos were there. Instead, this youth would have been married to both goddesses, one husband for two brides. Beautiful-haired Ceres with her bountiful harvests would share his attention with her rival the Moon. Such was Calamos’ delightful beau, the flower of love, a beautiful youth.

Both of these young lovers used to spend their time on the wandering riverbanks. There was a curving track where they used to race. Calamos could run like the wind. Using the elm tree for a starting line, they would race to the olive tree and back. They would run along the riverbank from one side to the other. And Calamos, the quicker of the two, would fall on purpose, letting Carpos win.

While one of them was bathing, the other splashed alongside him, and the race renewed—this time, a swimming competition!

Calamos swam slowly, letting Carpos get ahead so he could watch his lover cut the waves with his breaststroke. Both competed to see who could race across the bank and back the quickest. The river was their racecourse; Calamos stayed right behind Carpos as they swam, keeping his breaststroke in check as he watched Carpos’ rosy fingers. Once again Calamos, at first in the lead, then let Carpos win as the youth swam furiously, keeping his head above water.

And Carpos was almost at the finish line, nearly stepping out of the waves and onto the riverbank, when a gust of wind came upon him, overwhelming him, and brutally killed the sweet youth, forcing water down his open airway.

Calamos narrowly missed the fury of the opposing wind, swimming on without his friend; he made it to the nearest shore. Then, worried that he doesn’t see or hear his friend, he called out with a sorrowful voice:

“Tell me, Naiads, what wind took my Carpos away? I beg you, give me a final act of mercy. Go to another spring, escape my father’s lethal water! Do not drink the wave that has killed my Carpos! My father did not kill the youth, but the wind, jealous of me (like he was with Apollo [and Hyacinthus]), destroyed my Carpos. Like a jealous rival, he struck down Apollo’s love with a discus, and mine with a wind!

My star has not yet risen from the waves; my morning star has not yet dawned. Since my Carpos has drowned, what other light is left for me to see? Tell me, Naiads, who has destroyed the light of love?

Carpos, why are you still here? Why do you enjoy being in the water? If you’ve found a better friend than me beneath the waves, did you throw away my wretched love? If one of the lovelorn nymphs kidnapped you, then tell me, and I will come to your rescue! If you want to settle down with a wife, --if my sister pleases you instead--I will make your honeymoon suite in the water! I will gladly be your brother-in-law!

Carpos, did you pass me by, and forget our finish line? I’m calling for you, and you do not hear my shouts. If Notus or bold Eurus—the naughty winds—have attacked you, let those who hate our love go dancing off by themselves. If Boreas has overpowered you, I’ll tell Orythia he’s cheating on her. If the waters overpowered you, and did not respect your beauty, or if my father dragged you to your death, not sparing you, then let him accept the death of his own son. Let him get away with the murder of Calamos as well as Carpos.

I will fall headfirst where my Carpos has died; I will quench the heat of my love with a cold drink of water.”

He said this with tears streaming down his cheeks. He cut off a lock of blue hair in honor of the dead, the hair that he had grown out for a long time, and presented it to his father Meander.

He spoke one last time:

“Accept my lock of hair, and my body as well; I am unable to live another day without Carpos. Carpos and Calamos had one life; together they shared one passionate love, and one watery grave.

Naiads, build one tomb upon the riverbank, a cenotaph that reads, 'I am the tomb of Carpos & Calamos, A loving couple destroyed by the cruel waves.'

Cut a lock of hair in mourning of me, but cut the rest off in love for Carpos.”

He spoke and threw himself into the river, drowning in his father’s murderous waves.

And Calamos transformed into a reed (calamus) and Carpos nourished the fruit (carpos) of the earth.

παλαιγενέων μερόπων ἵνα μῦθον ἐνίψω:

370ἁβρὸς ἔην ποτὲ κοῦρος, ὑπέρτερος ἥλικος ἥβης,

Μαιάνδρου παρὰ χεῦμα πολυσχιδέος ποταμοῖο,

εἴδεϊ λεπταλέῳ ταναός, πόδας ὀξύς, ἐθείρας

ἰθυτενής, ἀνίουλος: ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέραις δὲ παρειαῖς

αὐτοφυὴς Χάρις ἦεν ἐπισκαίρουσα προσώπῳ

375ὄμμασιν αἰδομένοισιν, ἀπὸ βλεφάρων δέ οἱ αἰεὶ

κάλλος ὀιστεύοντος ἑκηβόλος ἔρρεεν αἴγλη:

καὶ δέμας εἶχε γάλακτι πανείκελον, ἀμφὶ δὲ λευκῷ

ἀκροφανὲς πόρφυρε ῥόδον διδυμόχροϊ πυρσῷ.

τὸν Κάλαμον καλέεσκε πατὴρ φίλος, ὃς διὰ γαίης

380νειόθι κυμαίνων σκολιὸν ῥόον εἰς φάος ἕλκων,

ἑρπύζων δ᾽ ἀίδηλος, ὑπὸ χθόνα λοξὸς ὁδίτης,

ὀξὺς ἀναθρῴσκων ὑπερίσχεται αὐχένα γαίης,

ἐνδόμυχος Μαίανδρος ἄγων ὑποκόλπιον ὕδωρ.

τοῖος ἔην ἐρόεις Κάλαμος ταχύς. ἠίθεος δὲ

385ἱμερτῷ ῥοδόπηχυς ὁμήλικι τέρπετο Καρπῷ,

ὃς τόσον ἔλλαχε κάλλος, ὃ μὴ βροτὸς ἔλλαχεν ἀνήρ:

εἰ γὰρ ἔην νέος οὗτος ἐπὶ προτέρων ποτὲ φωτῶν,

καί κεν ἐυσμήριγγος ἐγίνετο νυμφίος Ἠοῦς,

φέρτερον εἶδος ἔχων, ῥοδέῳ χροῒ μοῦνος ἐλέγξας

390ἀγλαΐην Κεφάλοιο καὶ Ὠρίωνος ὀπωπήν:

οὐδέ κεν εὐκάρπῳ παλάμῃ πηχύνατο Δηὼ

νυμφίον Ἰασίωνα, καὶ Ἐνδυμίωνα Σελήνη:

ἀλλὰ νέος τάχα κεῖνος ἀρείονος εἵνεκα μορφῆς

εἷς πόσις ἀμφοτέρων νυμφεύσατο λέκτρα θεάων, [p. 386]

395Δηοῦς ξανθοκόμου μεθέπων πολυλήιον εὐνήν,

καὶ ξυνὴν ὁμόλεκτρον ἔχων ζηλήμονα Μήνην.

τοῖος ἔην ἐρόεις Καλάμῳ φίλος, ἄνθος Ἐρώτων,

κάλλος ἔχων: ἄμφω δὲ συνήλικες ὑψόθεν ὄχθης

γείτονος ἑψιόωντο πολυγνάμπτου ποταμοῖο.

400τοῖσι μὲν ἔσκε δίαυλος ἕλιξ δρόμος, ἀμφοτέροις δὲ

ἦεν ἔρις: κάλαμος μὲν ἐπέτρεχεν εἴκελος αὔραις,

καὶ πτελέην βαλβῖδα φέρων καὶ νύσσαν ἐλαίην

ἠιόνας ποταμοῖο διέδραμεν ἄκρον ἀπ᾽ ἄκρου ...

καὶ Κάλαμος ταχύγουνος ἑκούσιος ἤριπε γαίῃ,

405καὶ Καρπῷ χαρίεντι θελήμονα κάλλιπε νίκην.

παιδὶ δὲ λουομένῳ συνελούετο κοῦρος ἀθύρων,

καὶ πάλιν εἴκελον ἄλλον ἐν ὕδασιν εἶχον ἀγῶνα,

καὶ βραδὺς ἐν προχοῇσιν ἐνήχετο Καρπὸν ἐάσας

πρόσθε μολεῖν, ἵνα χερσὶν ὀπίστερος οἴδματα τέμνων

410καρποῦ νηχομένοιο παρὰ σφυρὰ δεύτερος ἔλθῃ

ἠιθέου προθέοντος ἐλεύθερα νῶτα δοκεύων.

καὶ διερῆς βαλβῖδος ἔην δρόμος: ἤρισαν ἄμφω,

τίς τίνα νικήσειεν, ὅπως παλινόστιμος ἔλθῃ

ὄχθης ἀμφοτέρης διδυμάονα νύσσαν ἀμείβων

415γαῖαν ἐς ἀντιπέραιαν ἐρεσσομένων παλαμάων:

καὶ προχοὴν ὁδὸν εἶχεν: ἀεὶ δέ οἱ ἐγγὺς ἱκάνων [p. 388]

κοῦρος ἐπειγομένης παλάμης πεφιδημένος ὁρμῆς

νηχομένων σκοπίαζε ῥοδόχροα δάκτυλα χειρῶν:

καὶ Κάλαμος προκέλευθος ἑὴν ἀνεσείρασεν ὁρμήν,

420ἠιθέῳ δ᾽ ὑπόειξε: καὶ ἔδραμε χεῖρας ἐρέσσων

κοῦρος ἀελλήεις, ὑπὲρ οἴδματος αὐχένα τείνων:

καί νύ κεν ἐκ ῥοθίων ἐπεβήσατο Καρπὸς ἀρούρης,

καὶ μετὰ χερσαίην ποταμηίδα δύσατο νίκην,

ἀλλά μιν ἀντικέλευθος ἀνεστυφέλιξεν Ἀήτης,

425καὶ γλυκὺν ἔκτανε κοῦρον ἀμείλιχος: ἠιθέου γὰρ

οἰγομένῳ νήριθμον ὕδωρ ἐπεσύρετο λαιμῷ.

καὶ Κάλαμος φθονεροῖο φυγὼν ἀνέμοιο θυέλλας

ἔκτοθεν ἡβητῆρος ἐδύσατο γείτονας ἀκτάς:

καὶ φίλον οὐ παρεόντα καὶ οὐκ ἀίοντα νοήσας

430ἱμερόεν στενάχων κινυρῇ βρυχήσατο φωνῇ:

Ν̔ηιάδες, φθέγξασθε, τίς ἥρπασε Καρπὸν Ἀήτης;

ναί, λίτομαι, πυμάτην δότε μοι χάριν, ἔλθετε πηγὴν

εἰς ἑτέρην, καὶ πατρὸς ἐμοῦ θανατηφόρον ὕδωρ

φεύγετε, μηδὲ πίητε ῥόον Καρποῖο φονῆα.

435οὐ μὲν ἐμὸς γενέτης νέον ἔκτανεν: ἀλλὰ μεγαίρων

καὶ Καλάμῳ μετὰ Φοῖβον ἀπώλεσε Καρπὸν Ἀήτης,

καὶ τάχα μιν ποθέων ζηλήμονι τύψεν ἀέλλῃ,

ἠιθέῳ μετὰ δίσκον ἄγων ἀντίπνοον αὔρην.

οὔ πω ἐμὸς προχοῇσι λελουμένος ἄνθορεν ἀστήρ,

440οὔ πω ἐμὸς σελάγιζεν Ἑωσφόρος: ἀλλὰ ῥεέθροις

καρποῦ δυομένοιο, τί μοι φάος εἰσέτι λεύσσειν;

νηιάδες, φθέγξασθε, τίς ἔσβεσε φέγγος Ἐρώτων;

δηθύνεις ἔτι, κοῦρε; τί σοι τόσον εὔαδεν ὕδωρ;

κρείσσονα μὴ φίλον εὗρες ἐν ὕδασι, τῷ παραμίμνων

δειλαίου Καλάμοιο πόθους ἔρριψας ἀήταις;

εἰ μία Νηιάδων σε δυσίμερος ἥρπασε Νύμφη, [p. 390]

450ἔννεπε, καὶ πάσῃσι κορύσσομαι: εἰ δέ σε τέρπει

γνωτῆς ἡμετέρης γαμίων ὑμέναιος Ἐρώτων,

εἰπέ, καὶ ἐν προχοῇσιν ἐγὼ σέο παστὸν ἀνάψω.

Καρπέ, παραπλώεις με λελασμένος ἠθάδος ὄχθης;

κάμνον ἐγὼ καλέων σε, καὶ οὐ βοόωντος ἀκούεις.

455εἰ Νότος, εἰ θρασὺς Εὖρος ἐπέπνεεν, αὐτὸς ἀλάσθω

νηλειὴς ἀχόρευτος, ἀτάσθαλος ἐχθρὸς Ἐρώτων:

εἰ βορέης σε δάμασσεν, ἐς Ὠρείθυιαν ἱκάνω.

εἰ δέ σε κῦμα κάλυψε καὶ οὐκ ᾐδέσσατο μορφήν,

καί σε πατὴρ ἐμὸς εἷλεν ἀφειδέι κύματος ὁλκῷ,

460ὕδασιν ἀνδροφόνοισιν ἑὸν καὶ παῖδα δεχέσθω,

καὶ Κάλαμον κρύψειεν ὀλωλότος ἐγγύθι Καρποῦ.

ἀλλὰ πεσὼν προκάρηνος, ὅπῃ θάνε Καρπὸς ἀλήτης,

σβέσσω θερμὸν ἔρωτα πιὼν Ἀχερούσιον ὕδωρ.

εἶπεν ἀναβλύζων βλεφάρων ῥόον: ἀμφὶ δὲ νεκρῷ

465κυανέην πλοκαμῖδα κατηφέι τάμνε σιδήρῳ,

ἣν τρέφεν, ἣν κομέεσκε, καὶ ὤρεγε πενθάδα χαίτην

Μαιάνδρῳ γενετῆρι, καὶ ὑστατίην φάτο φωνήν:

῾δέξο μετὰ πλοκάμους καὶ ἐμὸν δέμας: οὐ δύναμαι γὰρ

εἰς μίαν ἠριγένειαν ἰδεῖν φάος ἔκτοθι Καρποῦ:

470καρπῷ καὶ Καλάμῳ βιοτὴ μία, καὶ λάχον ἄμφω

εἴκελον οἶστρον Ἔρωτος ἐπὶ χθονός: ὑδατόεις δὲ

εἶς μόρος ἀμφοτέροισι καὶ ἐν προχοῇσι γενέσθω.

τεύξατε, Νηιάδες, ποταμηίδος ὑψόθεν ὄχθης

ἄκριτον ἀμφοτέροισι κενήριον, ἀμφὶ δὲ τύμβῳ

475γράμμασι πενθαλέοισιν ἔπος κεχαραγμένον ἔστω:

‘Καρποῦ καὶ Καλάμοιο πέλω τάφος, οὓς πάρος ἄμφω

ἀλλήλους ποθέοντας ἀμείλιχον ἔκτανεν ὕδωρ.’ [p. 392]

καὶ Καλάμῳ δυσέρωτι, κασιγνήτῳ περ ἐόντι,

βαιὸν ἕνα θνήσκοντι δαΐξατε βότρυν ἐθείρης,

445καὶ πλοκάμους ξύμπαντας ὀλωλότι κείρατε Καρπῷ.᾿

εἶπε, καὶ αὐτοκύλιστος ἐπωλίσθησε ῥεέθρῳ

πατρὸς ἀναινομένοιο πιὼν παιδοκτόνον ὕδωρ.

480καὶ Κάλαμος καλάμοισιν ἐπώνυμον ὤπασε μορφὴν

ἰσοφυῆ, καὶ Καρπὸς ἀέξετο καρπὸς ἀρούρης.’

Audi olim natorum hominum ut fabulam eloquar:

mollis erat quondam puer superior coeave pubertate

Meandri ad fluxum multum divisi fluminis.

Specie tenui longus, pedes acer, capillos

recte extendens, imberbis. In utrusque vero malis

ex se nata Gratia erat tripudians in fronte.

Oculis verecundis, ex oculis vero ei semper

pulchritudo iaculanti late sparsa profluebat splendore.

Et corpus habuit lacti prorsus simile. Prope vero candidum

in summitate lucens purpurabat flos, bicolorem plantam.

Calamum appellabat pater carus, qui per terram

ab imo aestuans obliquum fluxum in luce trahens

serpens vero occultus in terra obliquus viator

vehementer resiliens superavit cervicem terrae

intus latens Meander agens occultam aquam.

Talis erat amabilis Calamus celer Iuvenis vero

desiderabilis roseas ulnas habens coaevo delectabatur Carpo

qui tantam fortiter esset pulcritudinemque non mortalis sortitus esset

si non fuisset Iuvenis hic apud priores aliquando homines (vir

vel bene capillatae factus fuisset sponsus Aurora

meliorem pulchritudinem habens. Roseo colore solus arguens

splendorem Cephali, & Orionis faciem.

Neque, sane fertili manu complexa fuisset Ceres

sponsum Iasionem & Endymionem Luna.

Sed iuvenis fere hic meliorem propter formam

unus paritus utriusque, nuptum accepisset lectos dea.

Cereris flavicoma sequens multas segetes habentem thalamum

et communem coniugem habens aemulatricem Lunam.

Talis erat amabilis Calamo amicus florem amorum

pulchritudinem habens Ambo vero coaevi super ripa

vicina ludebant multiflexi fluminis

quibus quidem erat stadium volubilis curus. Virisque vero

erat contentio. Calamus quidem currebat similis ventis

et ulmum loco carceris habens, & metam olivam.

Litora fluminis percurrebant ad summum a summo.

Et Calamus genibus celer sponte cecidit in terra

et Carpo gratioso voluntariam reliquit victoriam.

Cum puero vero lavante una lavabat puer ludens.

et rursum simile aliud in aquis habebant certamen.

et tardus in fluento natabat Carpum relinquens.

prius vadere, ut manibus posterior fluctus secans

Carpi natantis ad plantas proximus veniret.

Iuvenis praecurrentis libera dorsa intuens

et humidi carceris erat cursus. Contendebant ambo

quis quem superaret ut retrogradus veniret

ripae utriusque, duplicem metam permutans

terram in regione sitam remigantibus manibus

et fluentum viam habebat. Semper vero ipsi proximum veniens

puer incitata manus parcens impetui

natantium intuebatur rosicolores digitos manuum

et Calamus praecursor suum retraxit impetum

iuveni vero concessit, et cucurrit manus remigans

puer procellosus super fluctu cervicem extendens.

et sane ex fluctibus ingressus est Carpus in terram 

et post terrestrem fluvialem subiit victoriam.

sed ipsum contrarius evertit ventus.

et dulcem occidit puerum immitis. pueri enim

aperto immensa aqua traxit gutture.

et Calamus invidi fugiens venti procellas

extra adolescentem formidabat vicina littora

et amicum non praesentem & non audientem cognoscens

desiderabile plorans lugubri frendebat voce.

"Naiadis dicite, quis rapuit Carpum ventus?

obsecro, ultimam date mihi gratiam. Venite fontem

ad alium & patrus mei mortiferam aquam

fugite, neque bibite fluctum Carpi occisorem.

Non quidem meus pater iuvenem interemit, sed invidens,

et Calamo post Phoebum perdidit Carpum ventus

et forte ipsum amans aemulante pupugit vento.

Iuveni post discum adducens contra flantem auram

nondum meus (ex) profluento lotus exsiluit aster

nondum meus illuxit Lucifer. Sed fluctibus

Carpo submerso, quorum mihi lucem amplius videre?

Naiades, dicite, quis exstinxit lucem amorum?

Moraris adhuc puer? quid tibi tantum placuit aqua?

Meliorem me amicum invenisti in aqua apud quemanens

miseri Calami amores proiecisti ventis.

si una Naiadum te infelix rapuit Nympha.

Dic & omnibus annunciabo. si vero te oblectae

sororis nostrae nuptialum Hymenaus amorum

di & in flumine ego tuum nuptialem thorum adornabo.

Carpe, praeternatas me oblitus aquae litoris

Laboravi ego vocans te & non clamantem audis.

Si Notus, si audax Eurus natando invasit, hic erret

crudelis nullis choreis gaudens improbus hostis amorum.

Si Boreas (te) domuit ad Orithyan venio

Si vero te fluctus obruit, & non reveritus est forma,

et te pater meus traxit non parcenti fluminis tractus.

Aquis homicidis suum etiam filium accipiat,

et Calamum abscondat mortuum prope Carpum.

Sed decidens praeceps ubi mortuus est Carpus errans

extinguam calidum amorem bibens Acherusiam aquam."

Dixit manans ex palpebris fluxum prope vero mortuum

Cyaneum capillum maesto amputant ferro.

Quem nutrivit que ornavit & praebuit luctuosum capillis

Meandro genitori& ultimam dixit vocem:

"Accippe post capillos & meum corpus non possum enim

in unum diem videre lucem sine Carpo.

Carpo & Calamo una vita, & sortiti sunt ambo

Aequalem furorem amoris: in terram Aquosa vero

una mors utrisque, in fluminibus contingat.

Construite Naiades fluviale super litus

indiscretum utrisque, Cenotaphium Circa tumulum vero

literis luctuosis carmen exaratum esto.

'Carpi & Calami sum tumulus, quos prius ambos

invicem amantes immitis perdidit aqua.'

Et Calamo infelici amatori fratri praesenti

parvum unum morienti dividite racemum capilli.

et capillos omnes perdito detondete Carpo."

Dixit & per se volutus delapsus est in flumen.

patris recusantis bibens filium perdentem aquam.

Et Calamus calamis congominem praebuit formam

aequalis naturae. Et Carpum auxit carpies (fructus) terrae.

--Nonnus, Dionysiaca XI.370 - 480; Translated into Latin by Christian Wulfius (1605)

 Nonnus was an Egyptian born Roman citizen who composed the Dionysiaca, a massive 48 volume epic about the life of the god Dionysus. 

Apollo, Unlucky in Love: Lucian, Dial. Deorum. 17.2

Apollo, Unlucky In Love

Name: Lucian Date: 125 – 180 CE Region: [modern Turkey] Citation:  Dialogues of the Gods 15.2

I, Apollo, am unlucky in love. I have loved two people more than anyone: Daphne and Hyacinthus. But Daphne ran away from me, and hated me to the point that she would rather become a tree than love me; and Hyacinthus was killed by a discus, and now all I have left of them are crowns.

ἐγὼ μὲν καὶ ἄλλως ἀναφρόδιτός εἰμι ἐς τὰ ἐρωτικά: δύο γοῦν, οὓς μάλιστα ἠγάπησα, τὴν Δάφνην καὶ τὸν Ὑάκινθον, ἡ μὲν Δάφνη οὕτως ἐμίσησέ με, ὥστε εἵλετο ξύλον γενέσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ ἐμοὶ ξυνεῖναι, τὸν Ὑάκινθον δὲ ὑπὸ τοῦ δίσκου ἀπώλεσα, καὶ νῦν ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνων στεφάνους ἔχω.

Apollo: Ego vero alias quoque habeo Venerem minus propitiam ad res amatorias; quippe etiam quos duos maxime praeter ceteros amavi, Daphne & Hyacinthum, illa quidem aufugit, atque odit me, adeo ut in lignum converti maluerit, quam mecum rem habere: hic autem a disco interfectus est, et nunc pro illis coronas habeo. Translated into Latin by Jacob Micyllus

Lucian [Lucianus Samosatensis; 125 – 180 CE, modern Turkey] was a Roman satirist from Samosata [modern Turkey] who wrote in ancient Greek. His works are a mixture of sarcasm, wit, and biting social criticism. He is without a doubt one of the most popular authors of the later Roman empire.

Dangerous Beauty: The Abduction of Ganymede, Vat. Myth. 2.184

The Abduction of Ganymede

Name:  Vatican Mythographers Date:   10th century CE Region:   Unknown Citation:   Vat. Myth.  2.184

Abduction myths serve two purposes. For modern readers, they serve as a cautionary tale that all young persons are vulnerable to exploitation. For ancient readers, however, these beautiful youths’ abductions were euphemistic stories to help grieving parents cope with the loss of a child who died before reaching expected social milestones (e.g., entering adulthood or getting married).

Ganymede, the son of Priam's son Troilius, was the most beautiful youth and the most talented hunter among the Trojans. When he was training on Mount Ida, he was snatched up by Jupiter's thunderbird, [the eagle that once bore the god's thunderbolt].   The youth was taken up into heaven and assigned to be the Cupbearer of the Gods, a position that had previously been filled by Hebe, the daughter of Jupiter's son Minos.  

The Abduction of Ganymede

Ganymedes filius Troili filii Priami cum prima forma ceteris Troianis preferretur et assiduis venationibus in Idae silva exerceretur, ab armigero Jovis, scilicet aquila quae quondam illi fulmina offerebat, in caelum raptus est et factus est pincerna deorum, quod officium prius occupaverat Hebe filia Minois filii Jovis.

Vatican Mythographers [10th century CE?] Little is known about the author or origin of the collection of myths known as the Vatican Mythographers, but the work’s first editor Angelo Mai found the collection on a manuscript dating back to the 10th century CE. This volume is a collection of three different mythographers who have assembled various Greco-Roman myths; although many of these myths are basic summaries in Latin, some of them are either analyzed as allegories or compared to Christian thought.

M/M: The Myth of Cyparissus, Ovid, Meta. 10.106-142

Name:     Ovid Date:       43 BCE – 17 CE Region:   Sulmo [modern Italy] Citation: Metamorphoses 10.106-142

A cone-shaped cypress tree stood among the rest. It's a tree now, but it once was a youth beloved by the god who mastered bow-strings and lyre-strings.
Once upon a time, there was a stag sacred to the nymphs who dwelled in Carthaea. It was huge, and had giant antlers upon its head. These antlers glimmered in gold, and a gem encrusted collar hung upon its neck. A silver bulla dangled from its forehead, attached with leather thongs. Jeweled earrings glittered from its twin ears. Lacking a natural fear of man, it would roam from house to house, looking for people to pet it.
But Cyparissus, the loveliest of Ceans, loved it above all else. Cyparissus, you walked it from pasture to pasture, you led it to water, you wove flower-crowns for its antlers, and you rode upon it, bareback, with a purple bit in its mouth.
But one day, in the heat of midday, the tired deer lay down in the leafy shade. Cyparissus foolishly shot it with his deadly aim, and when he saw it dying, he wanted to die, too.
What words of comfort were left unsaid, Phoebus, to lighten the lad's grief?
But the teenager mourned and begged for one last gift from the gods: that he be allowed to mourn for all time. And now, his blood mixed with his tears, his limbs began to lighten into shades of green, and when his hair became shaggy and bristly, pointed their graceful tips to the starry heavens.
In sorrow, the god vent his grief, saying, "I shall mourn you, and you shall mourn others, you will be present when others grieve, too."

Adfuit huic turbae metas imitata cupressus,
nunc arbor, puer ante deo dilectus ab illo,
qui citharam nervis et nervis temperat arcum.
namque sacer nymphis Carthaea tenentibus arva
ingens cervus erat, lateque patentibus altas               
ipse suo capiti praebebat cornibus umbras.
cornua fulgebant auro, demissaque in armos
pendebant tereti gemmata monilia collo.
bulla super frontem parvis argentea loris
vincta movebatur; parilesque ex aere nitebant               
auribus e geminis circum cava tempora bacae;
isque metu vacuus naturalique pavore
deposito celebrare domos mulcendaque colla
quamlibet ignotis manibus praebere solebat.
sed tamen ante alios, Ceae pulcherrime gentis,               
gratus erat, Cyparisse, tibi: tu pabula cervum
ad nova, tu liquidi ducebas fontis ad undam,
tu modo texebas varios per cornua flores,
nunc eques in tergo residens huc laetus et illuc
mollia purpureis frenabas ora capistris.               
     Aestus erat mediusque dies, solisque vapore
concava litorei fervebant bracchia Cancri:
fessus in herbosa posuit sua corpora terra
cervus et arborea frigus ducebat ab umbra.
hunc puer inprudens iaculo Cyparissus acuto               
fixit et, ut saevo morientem vulnere vidit,
velle mori statuit. quae non solacia Phoebus
dixit et, ut leviter pro materiaque doleret,
admonuit! gemit ille tamen munusque supremum
hoc petit a superis, ut tempore lugeat omni.               
iamque per inmensos egesto sanguine fletus
in viridem verti coeperunt membra colorem,
et, modo qui nivea pendebant fronte capilli,
horrida caesaries fieri sumptoque rigore
sidereum gracili spectare cacumine caelum.               
ingemuit tristisque deus 'lugebere nobis
lugebisque alios aderisque dolentibus' inquit.

Ovid [Publius Ovidius Naso; 43 BCE – 17 CE, modern Italy] was one of the most famous love poets of Rome’s Golden Age. His most famous work, the Metamorphoses, provides a history of the world through a series of interwoven myths. Most of his poetry is erotic in nature; for this reason, he fell into trouble during the conservative social reforms under the reign of the emperor Augustus. In 8 CE he was banished to Bithynia [modern Turkey], where he spent the remainder of his life pining for his native homeland.