In Praise of Sappho: Greek Anthology 9.521

Sappho, the Fates granted you not a little fame for your talent

When you first saw the light of day.

For we all agree that

Your words will last forever.

Even the Thundering Father of Us All agrees:

You will be praised by all art-loving mankind

You will never lose your well-deserved praise.

Non sane tibi exiguum decus praebuit Parca

die quo primo lucem vidisti solis,

Sappho. Tibi enim loquelam annuimus ut sempiterna sit,

unaqe pater omnium annuit late-sonans;

celebraberis in omnibus cantu-digna hominibus,

neque inclytae famae eris expers.

εἰς Σαπφῶ παρὰ τῶν Μουσῶν

οὐκ ἄρα σοί γε ὄλιζον ἐπὶ κλέος ὤπασε Μοῖρα

ἤματι, τῷ πρώτῳ φῶς ἴδες ἀελίου,

Σαπφοῖ: σοὶ γὰρ ῥῆσιν ἐνεύσαμεν ἄφθιτον εἶμεν,

σὺν δὲ πατὴρ πάντων νεῦσεν ἐρισφάραγος:

μέλψῃ δ᾽ ἐν πάντεσσιν ἀοίδιμος ἁμερίοισιν,

οὐδὲ κλυτᾶς φάμας ἔσσεαι ἠπεδανά

--Greek Anthology 9.521; Translated into Latin by Hugo Grottius

 

 The Greek Anthology is a modern collection of Greek lyric poetry compiled from various sources over the course of Greco-Roman literature. The current collection was created from two major sources, one from the 10^th century CE and one from the 14^th century CE. The anthology contains authors spanning the entirety of Greek literature, from archaic poets to Byzantine Christian poets. 

 

M/M: A Hymn for the Sacred Band of Thebes, Greek Anthology 13.22

A Hymn in Praise of the Sacred Band of Thebes 

Name: Phaedimus of Bisanthe Date:    2nd century BCE Region:    Bisanthe [modern Turkey] Citation:    Greek Anthology 13.22

My lord, Far-Shooter,

Hold back the bow

You used to bring down the hearts of giants!

Do not open the quiver of the Wolf Slayer!

Instead use the arrows of Love

On our youth  

So the courageous love of these young men

May defend our homeland!

This love kindles their courage,

O Greatest of the gods,

Ever improving these champions.

O Guardian of Thebes,

Accept this gift of Melistion.

τόξον μὲν, ᾧ Γίγαντος ὤλεσας σθένος, ἴσχε βίης, Ἑκάεργ᾽ ἀνάσσων: οὔ οἱ φαρέτρη λύεται λυκοκτόνος: τοῖσδε δ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἠΐθέοις ὀΐστὸν στρέφειν Ἔρωτος, τόφρ᾽ ἀλέξωνται πάτρῃ, θαρσαλέοι φιλότατι κούρων.

Arcum quidem, quo Gigantis deiecisti robur, cohibe a violentia, longinque-iaculans regnator; non tibi pharetra aperiatur luporum-interfectrix; sed hos in adolescentes sagittam verte Amoris, ut auxilientur patriae, impavidi amore iuvenum.

πυρὸς γὰρ ἀλκή, καὶ θεῶν ὑπέρτατος αἰὲν ὅδε προμάχους ἀέξειν. Μελιστίωνος δ᾽, ὦ πατρώιον σέβας Σχοινιέων, ἐπίηρα δέχθαι.

Ignis est vis ille est et deorum supremus usque hic ad propugnatores excitandos. Melistionis autem, o patrium numen Schoeniensium, studium tui accipe. Translated into Latin by Hugo Grotius

Phaedimus of Bisanthe [2nd century BCE, modern Turkey] was one of the numerous authors whose poetry is preserved in The Greek Anthology. Very little is known about him or his works outside of these extant poems.

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.

 

Clothes Make the (Wo)Man: Tertullian on Achilles' Year at Skyros, De Pallio 4.2

Clothes Make the (Wo)Man: A Christian Author on Achilles’ Time on Scyros

Name: Tertullian Date:  155 – 220 CE Region:   Carthage [modern Tunisia] Citation:   On the Pallium 4.2.1-3

Achilles, the hero from Larissa, shook Nature to the core by turning into a maiden. This guy was brought up on the marrow of beasts! This guy, raised by a shaggy, forest-dwelling monster Chiron and schooled in a stony cave—was now a girl!

You could understand this phase if it happened when he was a little boy, when he was henpecked by an anxious mother. But he was already a grownup! He had already secretly proved his manhood [1] ; and yet despite this, he put on a dress, dolled up his hair, put on makeup, primped himself in a mirror, exfoliated his neck, pierced his ears—his sculpture in Sigeum still documents even this!

 

[1] i.e., he had a romantic partner [Deidamia] and became the parent of Neoptolemus/Pyrrhus.

Clothes Make the (Wo)Man: A Christian Author on Achiles’ Time on Scyros

Naturam itaque concussit Larissaeus heros in virginiem mutando, ille ferarum medullis educatus...[1], ille apud rupicem et silvicolam et monstrum eruditorem scrupea schola eruditus. Feras, si in puero, matris sollicitudinem patiens; certe iam histriculus, certe iam virum alicui clanculo functus adhuc sustinet stolam fundere, comam struere, cutem fingere, speculum consulere, collum demulcere, aurem quoque foratu effeminatus, quod illi apud Sigeum strongyla servat.

---

[1] The author makes a reference to Achilles’ childhood, which will not be published here.

Tertullian [Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus; 155 – 220 CE, modern Tunisia] was an early Christian theologian who lived in Carthage during the 2nd century CE. He was one of the most prolific authors of his age; more than thirty of his treatises are extant. These works shaped the core beliefs of the early Christian church. Although some of his beliefs were later deemed heretical, he was nevertheless granted sainthood for his profound impact on Christianity.

M/M: The Story of Branchus, Vatican Mythographers II.107 & I.80

Name:  Vatican Mythographers Date:   10th century CE Region:   Unknown Citation:   Vatican Mythographers 2.107, 1.80

When Branchus was in the forest, he kissed Apollo. Apollo was smitten by him, and offered him a crown and a staff. And so Branchus began to prophecy, and suddenly disappeared. A temple was made for him named Branchiadon. People also dedicated temples to Apollo, which are called “Loving” temples after Branchus’ kiss.

De Brancho

…Hic [Branchus] cum in silvis Apollinem osculatus esset, ab eo est comprehensus, et accepta corona virgaque vaticinari coepit, et subito nusqam comparuit. Templum ei factum Branchiadon est nominatum. Et Apollini templa consecrantur, quae ab osculo Branchi philesia nuncupantur.

 

--Vatican Mythographer II.107 & I.80

 

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 10^th 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 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.