3 ἀνίστατο F: ἀπανίσταντο Thucyd. 4 αὕτη EF: αὕτη πάλιν PMV || συνεζευγμένας EV 5 καὶ μαλακὴ EFM: om. PV 6 ὀλισθάνουσα P: ὀλισθαίνουσα FMV 7 καὶ τραχὺ om. EF || στριφνὸν F 11 αὐτοῦ τοῦτό γε PMV: αὐτοῦ τε F: αὐτοῦ E 14 ὁ ἀνὴρ EF: ἀνὴρ PMV 15 ἀπηνῆ M: ἀπεινῆ F: εὐπινῆ PV || διαλόγων F116 σοι σημανῶ PM: σημανῶ EFV || ῥᾴδιον Us.: ῥαιδία F: ῥαῖον P, MV || ἐσται F: ἐστι PMV 18 μεταβαίνουσαι F: μεταβαίνουσι MV3. For estimates of Thucydides’ style in general cp. not only this passage of Dionysius but also D.H. pp. 131-59, 175-82 (Text and Translation ofEp. ii. ad Amm., together with notes and some references to Marcellinus); CroisetThucydide: Livres i.-ii.pp. 102 ff. andHistoire de la littérature grecqueiv. pp. 155 ff.; GirardEssai sur Thucydidepp. 210-19; BlassAtt. Bereds.i. pp. 203-44; NordenKunstprosai. pp. 96-101; Jebb inHellenicapp. 306 ff.4. This long sentence (Il. 4-14) is, itself, a good example of Greek word-order and the lucidity possible to it.7. Batteux (pp. 250-3) maintains, in detail, that these comments on the style of Thucydides would also apply to a passage of Bossuet (in theOraison funèbre de Henriette Anne d’ Angleterre, duchesse d’Orléans), which “a tous les caractères d’une composition austère; c’est partout un style robuste, nerveux, âpre même quelquefois, et presque rustique.” The passage is that which describes the abasement of all human grandeur by Death: “La voilà, malgré ce grand cœur, cette princesse si admirée et si chérie; la voilà, telle que la mort nous l’a faite. Encore ce reste tel quel va-t-il disparaître; cette ombre de gloire va s’évanouir, et nous l’allons voir dépouillée même de cette triste décoration. Elle va descendre à ces sombres lieux, à ces demeures souterraines, pour y dormir dans la poussière avec les grands de la terre, comme parle Job; avec ces rois et ces princes anéantis, parmi lesquels à peine peut-on la placer, tant les rangs y sont pressés, tant la mort est prompte à remplir ces places,” etc. Batteux begins his careful and interesting analysis as follows: “Nul choix des sons.Malgré ce grand cœurest dur.Cette princesse siest sifflant:si admirée et si; choc de voyelles.La voilà telle que la mort nous l’a faite: mots jetés plutôt que placés.Encore ce reste tel quel va-t-il dis: pointes de rochers.De cette triste décorationn’est guère plus doux. Et ces trois monosyllables brefs et rocailleux,comme parle Job, etc.9.αὔθαδες ... κάλλος: this happy description of Thucydides’ style shows that Dionysius saw in style a mirror of the man (cp. ἀνδρὸς χαρακτὴρ ἐκ λόγου γνωρίζεται, Menand.Fragm.72, and Dionys. H.Antiqq. Rom.i. 1 ἐπιεικῶς γὰρ ἅπαντες νομίζουσιν εἰκόνας εἶναι τῆς ἑκάστου ψυχῆς τοὺς λόγους).—The general drift of Dionysius’ phrase is, of course, commendatory: he does not (cp.1208, 9) mean ‘but such beauty as it (Thucydides’ style) displays is archaic and perverse.’12. These well-known words of Thucydides (i. 22. 4) are quoted also inde Thucyd.c. 7.—A scholium on Thucyd. (l.c.) runs: κτῆμα] κέρδος. κτῆμα, τὴν ἀλήθειαν· ἀγώνισμα, τὸν γλυκὺν λόγον. αἰνίττεται δὲ τὰ μυθικὰ Ἡροδότου. The passage is well elucidated by Lucian, and by Pliny the Younger: (1) Luciande conscribenda historicac. 42 ὁ δ’ οὖν Θουκυδίδης εὖ μάλα τοῦτ’ ἐνομοθέτησε, καὶ διέκρινεν ἀρετὴν καὶ κακίαν συγγραφικήν, ὁρῶν μάλιστα θαυμαζόμενον τὸν Ἡρόδοτον, ἄχρι τοῦ καὶ Μούσας κληθῆναι αὐτοῦ τὰ βιβλία. κτῆμα γάρ φησι μᾶλλον ἐς ἀεὶ συγγράφειν ἤπερ ἐς τὸ παρὸν ἀγώνισμα, καὶ μὴ τὸ μυθῶδες ἀσπάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῶν γεγενημένων ἀπολείπειν τοῖς ὕστερον, (2) PlinyEp.v. 8 “nam plurimum refert, ut Thucydides ait, κτῆμα sit an ἀγώνισμα: quorum alterum oratio, alterum historia est.”13.εἰσαεί: Thucydides himself no doubt wrote ἐς αἰεί: see Marcellinus § 52 for αἰεί (rather than ἀεί) as constituting a mark of ἡ ἀρχαία Ἀτθίς in Thucydides.14.ὁ ἀνὴρ(divisim) should probably be read: cp.23023.17. The meaning possibly is, “you can easily proceed with the same line of observation right through work which is consistently of a similar character to this.”
3 ἀνίστατο F: ἀπανίσταντο Thucyd. 4 αὕτη EF: αὕτη πάλιν PMV || συνεζευγμένας EV 5 καὶ μαλακὴ EFM: om. PV 6 ὀλισθάνουσα P: ὀλισθαίνουσα FMV 7 καὶ τραχὺ om. EF || στριφνὸν F 11 αὐτοῦ τοῦτό γε PMV: αὐτοῦ τε F: αὐτοῦ E 14 ὁ ἀνὴρ EF: ἀνὴρ PMV 15 ἀπηνῆ M: ἀπεινῆ F: εὐπινῆ PV || διαλόγων F116 σοι σημανῶ PM: σημανῶ EFV || ῥᾴδιον Us.: ῥαιδία F: ῥαῖον P, MV || ἐσται F: ἐστι PMV 18 μεταβαίνουσαι F: μεταβαίνουσι MV
3. For estimates of Thucydides’ style in general cp. not only this passage of Dionysius but also D.H. pp. 131-59, 175-82 (Text and Translation ofEp. ii. ad Amm., together with notes and some references to Marcellinus); CroisetThucydide: Livres i.-ii.pp. 102 ff. andHistoire de la littérature grecqueiv. pp. 155 ff.; GirardEssai sur Thucydidepp. 210-19; BlassAtt. Bereds.i. pp. 203-44; NordenKunstprosai. pp. 96-101; Jebb inHellenicapp. 306 ff.
4. This long sentence (Il. 4-14) is, itself, a good example of Greek word-order and the lucidity possible to it.
7. Batteux (pp. 250-3) maintains, in detail, that these comments on the style of Thucydides would also apply to a passage of Bossuet (in theOraison funèbre de Henriette Anne d’ Angleterre, duchesse d’Orléans), which “a tous les caractères d’une composition austère; c’est partout un style robuste, nerveux, âpre même quelquefois, et presque rustique.” The passage is that which describes the abasement of all human grandeur by Death: “La voilà, malgré ce grand cœur, cette princesse si admirée et si chérie; la voilà, telle que la mort nous l’a faite. Encore ce reste tel quel va-t-il disparaître; cette ombre de gloire va s’évanouir, et nous l’allons voir dépouillée même de cette triste décoration. Elle va descendre à ces sombres lieux, à ces demeures souterraines, pour y dormir dans la poussière avec les grands de la terre, comme parle Job; avec ces rois et ces princes anéantis, parmi lesquels à peine peut-on la placer, tant les rangs y sont pressés, tant la mort est prompte à remplir ces places,” etc. Batteux begins his careful and interesting analysis as follows: “Nul choix des sons.Malgré ce grand cœurest dur.Cette princesse siest sifflant:si admirée et si; choc de voyelles.La voilà telle que la mort nous l’a faite: mots jetés plutôt que placés.Encore ce reste tel quel va-t-il dis: pointes de rochers.De cette triste décorationn’est guère plus doux. Et ces trois monosyllables brefs et rocailleux,comme parle Job, etc.
9.αὔθαδες ... κάλλος: this happy description of Thucydides’ style shows that Dionysius saw in style a mirror of the man (cp. ἀνδρὸς χαρακτὴρ ἐκ λόγου γνωρίζεται, Menand.Fragm.72, and Dionys. H.Antiqq. Rom.i. 1 ἐπιεικῶς γὰρ ἅπαντες νομίζουσιν εἰκόνας εἶναι τῆς ἑκάστου ψυχῆς τοὺς λόγους).—The general drift of Dionysius’ phrase is, of course, commendatory: he does not (cp.1208, 9) mean ‘but such beauty as it (Thucydides’ style) displays is archaic and perverse.’
12. These well-known words of Thucydides (i. 22. 4) are quoted also inde Thucyd.c. 7.—A scholium on Thucyd. (l.c.) runs: κτῆμα] κέρδος. κτῆμα, τὴν ἀλήθειαν· ἀγώνισμα, τὸν γλυκὺν λόγον. αἰνίττεται δὲ τὰ μυθικὰ Ἡροδότου. The passage is well elucidated by Lucian, and by Pliny the Younger: (1) Luciande conscribenda historicac. 42 ὁ δ’ οὖν Θουκυδίδης εὖ μάλα τοῦτ’ ἐνομοθέτησε, καὶ διέκρινεν ἀρετὴν καὶ κακίαν συγγραφικήν, ὁρῶν μάλιστα θαυμαζόμενον τὸν Ἡρόδοτον, ἄχρι τοῦ καὶ Μούσας κληθῆναι αὐτοῦ τὰ βιβλία. κτῆμα γάρ φησι μᾶλλον ἐς ἀεὶ συγγράφειν ἤπερ ἐς τὸ παρὸν ἀγώνισμα, καὶ μὴ τὸ μυθῶδες ἀσπάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῶν γεγενημένων ἀπολείπειν τοῖς ὕστερον, (2) PlinyEp.v. 8 “nam plurimum refert, ut Thucydides ait, κτῆμα sit an ἀγώνισμα: quorum alterum oratio, alterum historia est.”
13.εἰσαεί: Thucydides himself no doubt wrote ἐς αἰεί: see Marcellinus § 52 for αἰεί (rather than ἀεί) as constituting a mark of ἡ ἀρχαία Ἀτθίς in Thucydides.
14.ὁ ἀνὴρ(divisim) should probably be read: cp.23023.
17. The meaning possibly is, “you can easily proceed with the same line of observation right through work which is consistently of a similar character to this.”
αὐτίκα ἐν ἀρχῇ τῷἈθηναῖοςπροσηγορικῷ τὸξυνέγραψεῥῆμα ἐφαρμοττόμενον διίστησιν ἀξιολόγως τὴν ἁρμονίαν·οὐ γὰρ προτάττεται τὸ σ̄ τοῦ ξ̄ κατὰ συνεκφορὰντὴν ἐν μιᾷ συλλαβῇ γινομένην· δεῖ δὲ τοῦ σ̄ σιωπῇ καταληφθέντοςτότε ἀκουστὸν γενέσθαι τὸ ξ̄. τοῦτο δὲ τραχύτητα 5ἐργάζεται καὶ ἀντιτυπίαν τὸ πάθος. ἔπειθ’ αἱ μετὰ τοῦτογινόμεναι συγκοπαὶ τῶν ἤχων, τοῦ τε ν̄ ‹καὶ τοῦ π̄› καὶ τοῦτ̄ καὶ τοῦ π̄ καὶ τοῦ κ̄ τετράκις ἑξῆς ἀλλήλοις παρακειμένων,χαράττουσιν εὖ μάλα τὴν ἀκοὴν καὶ διασαλεύουσιν ἀξιολόγωςτὰς ἁρμονίας, ὅταν φῇ “τὸν πόλεμον τῶν Πελοποννησίων 10καὶ Ἀθηναίων”· τούτων γὰρ τῶν μορίων τῆς λέξεως οὐδὲνὅ τι οὐ καταληφθῆναί τε δεῖ καὶ πιεσθῆναι πρότερον ὑπὸτοῦ στόματος περὶ τὸ τελευταῖον γράμμα, ἵνα τὸ συναπτόμενοναὐτῷ τρανὴν καὶ καθαρὰν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ λάβῃ δύναμιν.ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις ἡ τῶν φωνηέντων παράθεσις ἡ κατὰ τὴν 15τελευταίαν τοῦ κώλου τοῦδε γενομένη ἐν τῷκαὶ Ἀθηναίωνδιακέκρουκε τὸ συνεχὲς τῆς ἁρμονίας καὶ διέστακεν πάνυαἰσθητὸν τὸν μεταξὺ λαβοῦσα χρόνον· ἀκέραστοι γὰρ αἱφωναὶ τοῦ τε ῑ καὶ τοῦ ᾱ καὶ ἀποκόπτουσαι τὸν ἦχον· τὸδ’ εὐεπὲς οἱ συνεχεῖς τε καὶ οἱ συλλεαινόμενοι ποιοῦσιν ἦχοι. 20καὶ αὖθις ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ περιόδῳ τὸ προηγούμενον κῶλοντουτί “ἀρξάμενος εὐθὺς καθισταμένου” μετρίως ἁρμόσαςὁ ἀνὴρ ὡς ἂν εὔφωνόν τε μάλιστα φαίνοιτο καὶ μαλακόν, τὸμετὰ τοῦτο πάλιν ἀποτραχύνει καὶ διασπᾷ τοῖς διαχαλάσμασιτῶν ἁρμονιῶν· “καὶ ἐλπίσας μέγαν τε ἔσεσθαι καὶ 25ἀξιολογώτατον τῶν προγεγενημένων.” τρὶς γὰρ ἀλλήλοιςἑξῆς οὐ διὰ μακροῦ παράκειται τὰ φωνήεντα συγκρούσειςἐργαζόμενα καὶ ἀνακοπὰς καὶ οὐκ ἐῶντα τὴν ἀκρόασιν ἑνὸςκώλου συνεχοῦς λαβεῖν φαντασίαν· ἥ τε περίοδος αὐτῷλήγουσα εἰς τὸ “τῶν προγεγενημένων” οὐκ ἔχει τὴν 30βάσιν εὔγραμμον καὶ περιφερῆ, ἀλλ’ ἀκόρυφός τις φαίνεται[231]At the very beginning the verb ξυνέγραψε, being appended to the appellative Ἀθηναῖος, makes an appreciable break in the verbal structure, since σ is never placed before ξ with a view to being pronounced in the same syllable with it. The sound of σ must be sharply arrested by an interval of silence before the ξ is heard; and this circumstance causes roughness and dissonance. Moreover, the interruptions of the voice in what follows, in consequence of the four successive juxtapositions νπ, ντ, νπ, νκ, grate violently upon the ear, and cause a remarkable succession of jolts when he says τὸν πόλεμον τῶν Πελοποννησίων καὶ Ἀθηναίων. Of these words there is not one that must not first be checked by the mouth with a stress on the last letter, in order that the next letter to it may be uttered clearly and purely with its own proper quality. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of vowels which is found at the end of this clause in the words καὶ Ἀθηναίων has broken and made a gap in the continuity of the arrangement, by demanding quite an appreciable interval, since the sounds of ι and α are unmingled and there is an interruption of the voice between them: whereas euphony is caused by sounds which are continuous and smoothly blended.Again, in the second period the first clause ἀρξάμενος εὐθὺς καθισταμένου has been pretty successfully arranged by the author in the way in which it would produce the most smooth and euphonious effect. But he roughens and dislocates the very next clause by sundering its joints: καὶ ἐλπίσας μέγαν τε ἔσεσθαι καὶ ἀξιολογώτατον τῶν προγεγενημένων. For thrice in close succession vowels are juxtaposed which cause clashings and obstructed utterance, and make it impossible for the ear to take in the impression of one continuous clause; and the period which he ends with the words τῶν προγεγενημένων has no well-defined and rounded close, but seems to be without beginning or
αὐτίκα ἐν ἀρχῇ τῷἈθηναῖοςπροσηγορικῷ τὸξυνέγραψεῥῆμα ἐφαρμοττόμενον διίστησιν ἀξιολόγως τὴν ἁρμονίαν·οὐ γὰρ προτάττεται τὸ σ̄ τοῦ ξ̄ κατὰ συνεκφορὰντὴν ἐν μιᾷ συλλαβῇ γινομένην· δεῖ δὲ τοῦ σ̄ σιωπῇ καταληφθέντοςτότε ἀκουστὸν γενέσθαι τὸ ξ̄. τοῦτο δὲ τραχύτητα 5ἐργάζεται καὶ ἀντιτυπίαν τὸ πάθος. ἔπειθ’ αἱ μετὰ τοῦτογινόμεναι συγκοπαὶ τῶν ἤχων, τοῦ τε ν̄ ‹καὶ τοῦ π̄› καὶ τοῦτ̄ καὶ τοῦ π̄ καὶ τοῦ κ̄ τετράκις ἑξῆς ἀλλήλοις παρακειμένων,χαράττουσιν εὖ μάλα τὴν ἀκοὴν καὶ διασαλεύουσιν ἀξιολόγωςτὰς ἁρμονίας, ὅταν φῇ “τὸν πόλεμον τῶν Πελοποννησίων 10καὶ Ἀθηναίων”· τούτων γὰρ τῶν μορίων τῆς λέξεως οὐδὲνὅ τι οὐ καταληφθῆναί τε δεῖ καὶ πιεσθῆναι πρότερον ὑπὸτοῦ στόματος περὶ τὸ τελευταῖον γράμμα, ἵνα τὸ συναπτόμενοναὐτῷ τρανὴν καὶ καθαρὰν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ λάβῃ δύναμιν.ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις ἡ τῶν φωνηέντων παράθεσις ἡ κατὰ τὴν 15τελευταίαν τοῦ κώλου τοῦδε γενομένη ἐν τῷκαὶ Ἀθηναίωνδιακέκρουκε τὸ συνεχὲς τῆς ἁρμονίας καὶ διέστακεν πάνυαἰσθητὸν τὸν μεταξὺ λαβοῦσα χρόνον· ἀκέραστοι γὰρ αἱφωναὶ τοῦ τε ῑ καὶ τοῦ ᾱ καὶ ἀποκόπτουσαι τὸν ἦχον· τὸδ’ εὐεπὲς οἱ συνεχεῖς τε καὶ οἱ συλλεαινόμενοι ποιοῦσιν ἦχοι. 20καὶ αὖθις ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ περιόδῳ τὸ προηγούμενον κῶλοντουτί “ἀρξάμενος εὐθὺς καθισταμένου” μετρίως ἁρμόσαςὁ ἀνὴρ ὡς ἂν εὔφωνόν τε μάλιστα φαίνοιτο καὶ μαλακόν, τὸμετὰ τοῦτο πάλιν ἀποτραχύνει καὶ διασπᾷ τοῖς διαχαλάσμασιτῶν ἁρμονιῶν· “καὶ ἐλπίσας μέγαν τε ἔσεσθαι καὶ 25ἀξιολογώτατον τῶν προγεγενημένων.” τρὶς γὰρ ἀλλήλοιςἑξῆς οὐ διὰ μακροῦ παράκειται τὰ φωνήεντα συγκρούσειςἐργαζόμενα καὶ ἀνακοπὰς καὶ οὐκ ἐῶντα τὴν ἀκρόασιν ἑνὸςκώλου συνεχοῦς λαβεῖν φαντασίαν· ἥ τε περίοδος αὐτῷλήγουσα εἰς τὸ “τῶν προγεγενημένων” οὐκ ἔχει τὴν 30βάσιν εὔγραμμον καὶ περιφερῆ, ἀλλ’ ἀκόρυφός τις φαίνεται
αὐτίκα ἐν ἀρχῇ τῷἈθηναῖοςπροσηγορικῷ τὸξυνέγραψεῥῆμα ἐφαρμοττόμενον διίστησιν ἀξιολόγως τὴν ἁρμονίαν·οὐ γὰρ προτάττεται τὸ σ̄ τοῦ ξ̄ κατὰ συνεκφορὰντὴν ἐν μιᾷ συλλαβῇ γινομένην· δεῖ δὲ τοῦ σ̄ σιωπῇ καταληφθέντοςτότε ἀκουστὸν γενέσθαι τὸ ξ̄. τοῦτο δὲ τραχύτητα 5ἐργάζεται καὶ ἀντιτυπίαν τὸ πάθος. ἔπειθ’ αἱ μετὰ τοῦτογινόμεναι συγκοπαὶ τῶν ἤχων, τοῦ τε ν̄ ‹καὶ τοῦ π̄› καὶ τοῦτ̄ καὶ τοῦ π̄ καὶ τοῦ κ̄ τετράκις ἑξῆς ἀλλήλοις παρακειμένων,χαράττουσιν εὖ μάλα τὴν ἀκοὴν καὶ διασαλεύουσιν ἀξιολόγωςτὰς ἁρμονίας, ὅταν φῇ “τὸν πόλεμον τῶν Πελοποννησίων 10καὶ Ἀθηναίων”· τούτων γὰρ τῶν μορίων τῆς λέξεως οὐδὲνὅ τι οὐ καταληφθῆναί τε δεῖ καὶ πιεσθῆναι πρότερον ὑπὸτοῦ στόματος περὶ τὸ τελευταῖον γράμμα, ἵνα τὸ συναπτόμενοναὐτῷ τρανὴν καὶ καθαρὰν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ λάβῃ δύναμιν.ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις ἡ τῶν φωνηέντων παράθεσις ἡ κατὰ τὴν 15τελευταίαν τοῦ κώλου τοῦδε γενομένη ἐν τῷκαὶ Ἀθηναίωνδιακέκρουκε τὸ συνεχὲς τῆς ἁρμονίας καὶ διέστακεν πάνυαἰσθητὸν τὸν μεταξὺ λαβοῦσα χρόνον· ἀκέραστοι γὰρ αἱφωναὶ τοῦ τε ῑ καὶ τοῦ ᾱ καὶ ἀποκόπτουσαι τὸν ἦχον· τὸδ’ εὐεπὲς οἱ συνεχεῖς τε καὶ οἱ συλλεαινόμενοι ποιοῦσιν ἦχοι. 20καὶ αὖθις ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ περιόδῳ τὸ προηγούμενον κῶλοντουτί “ἀρξάμενος εὐθὺς καθισταμένου” μετρίως ἁρμόσαςὁ ἀνὴρ ὡς ἂν εὔφωνόν τε μάλιστα φαίνοιτο καὶ μαλακόν, τὸμετὰ τοῦτο πάλιν ἀποτραχύνει καὶ διασπᾷ τοῖς διαχαλάσμασιτῶν ἁρμονιῶν· “καὶ ἐλπίσας μέγαν τε ἔσεσθαι καὶ 25ἀξιολογώτατον τῶν προγεγενημένων.” τρὶς γὰρ ἀλλήλοιςἑξῆς οὐ διὰ μακροῦ παράκειται τὰ φωνήεντα συγκρούσειςἐργαζόμενα καὶ ἀνακοπὰς καὶ οὐκ ἐῶντα τὴν ἀκρόασιν ἑνὸςκώλου συνεχοῦς λαβεῖν φαντασίαν· ἥ τε περίοδος αὐτῷλήγουσα εἰς τὸ “τῶν προγεγενημένων” οὐκ ἔχει τὴν 30βάσιν εὔγραμμον καὶ περιφερῆ, ἀλλ’ ἀκόρυφός τις φαίνεται
[231]At the very beginning the verb ξυνέγραψε, being appended to the appellative Ἀθηναῖος, makes an appreciable break in the verbal structure, since σ is never placed before ξ with a view to being pronounced in the same syllable with it. The sound of σ must be sharply arrested by an interval of silence before the ξ is heard; and this circumstance causes roughness and dissonance. Moreover, the interruptions of the voice in what follows, in consequence of the four successive juxtapositions νπ, ντ, νπ, νκ, grate violently upon the ear, and cause a remarkable succession of jolts when he says τὸν πόλεμον τῶν Πελοποννησίων καὶ Ἀθηναίων. Of these words there is not one that must not first be checked by the mouth with a stress on the last letter, in order that the next letter to it may be uttered clearly and purely with its own proper quality. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of vowels which is found at the end of this clause in the words καὶ Ἀθηναίων has broken and made a gap in the continuity of the arrangement, by demanding quite an appreciable interval, since the sounds of ι and α are unmingled and there is an interruption of the voice between them: whereas euphony is caused by sounds which are continuous and smoothly blended.Again, in the second period the first clause ἀρξάμενος εὐθὺς καθισταμένου has been pretty successfully arranged by the author in the way in which it would produce the most smooth and euphonious effect. But he roughens and dislocates the very next clause by sundering its joints: καὶ ἐλπίσας μέγαν τε ἔσεσθαι καὶ ἀξιολογώτατον τῶν προγεγενημένων. For thrice in close succession vowels are juxtaposed which cause clashings and obstructed utterance, and make it impossible for the ear to take in the impression of one continuous clause; and the period which he ends with the words τῶν προγεγενημένων has no well-defined and rounded close, but seems to be without beginning or
[231]
At the very beginning the verb ξυνέγραψε, being appended to the appellative Ἀθηναῖος, makes an appreciable break in the verbal structure, since σ is never placed before ξ with a view to being pronounced in the same syllable with it. The sound of σ must be sharply arrested by an interval of silence before the ξ is heard; and this circumstance causes roughness and dissonance. Moreover, the interruptions of the voice in what follows, in consequence of the four successive juxtapositions νπ, ντ, νπ, νκ, grate violently upon the ear, and cause a remarkable succession of jolts when he says τὸν πόλεμον τῶν Πελοποννησίων καὶ Ἀθηναίων. Of these words there is not one that must not first be checked by the mouth with a stress on the last letter, in order that the next letter to it may be uttered clearly and purely with its own proper quality. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of vowels which is found at the end of this clause in the words καὶ Ἀθηναίων has broken and made a gap in the continuity of the arrangement, by demanding quite an appreciable interval, since the sounds of ι and α are unmingled and there is an interruption of the voice between them: whereas euphony is caused by sounds which are continuous and smoothly blended.
Again, in the second period the first clause ἀρξάμενος εὐθὺς καθισταμένου has been pretty successfully arranged by the author in the way in which it would produce the most smooth and euphonious effect. But he roughens and dislocates the very next clause by sundering its joints: καὶ ἐλπίσας μέγαν τε ἔσεσθαι καὶ ἀξιολογώτατον τῶν προγεγενημένων. For thrice in close succession vowels are juxtaposed which cause clashings and obstructed utterance, and make it impossible for the ear to take in the impression of one continuous clause; and the period which he ends with the words τῶν προγεγενημένων has no well-defined and rounded close, but seems to be without beginning or
2 ἐφαμαρτόμεν(ον) F: ἐπαγόμενον E 6 μετὰ τούτων F 7 καὶ τοῦ π̄ (post ν̄) ins. Uptonus 8 παρακειμένων Us.: παρακείμεναι libri 11 οὐδὲν PMV: οὐθὲν EF 12 οὖν F: οὐχὶ EPMV: οὐ ‹σιωπῇ› Us. 13 ὑπὸ] ἐπὶ P || τελευταῖαν F, MV: om. P 17 διέστακεν P, MV: διέστηκε EF 18 γὰρ EF: τε γὰρ PMV 21 καὶ αὖτις F: αὖθις PMV || τὸ F: om. PMV 24 ἀποτραχύνει PV: ἐπιτραχύνει FM || διαχαλάσμασιν P: ἀπὸχαλασμασι F 26 τρὶς Sauppe: τρία libri 27 ἑξῆς οὐ] ἐξ ἴσου P 29 λαβεῖν φαντασίαν F: φαντασίαν λαμβάνειν PMV9. Perhaps an effect analogous to that of syncopation in music is meant.10, 11. Different words, and a different order, seem hardly possible here. If πόλεμον were put after Ἀθηναίων, the juxtaposed letters would be much the same as in the existing arrangement.16.τελευταίαν: it may be that some word like συγκοπήν is to be supplied. Or τελευτὴν may be read: or τελευταῖα.19. The present passage (lines 15-19) shows, as Blass (Ancient Greek Pronunciationp. 66) remarks, that the educated pronunciation of the Augustan period did not confuse αι with ε.22-5. Here, again, the author would hardly have muchchoicein the arrangement of the words in question.26.τρίς: viz. in the words καὶ ἐλπίσας, τε ἔσεσθαι, καὶ ἀξιολογώτατον.
2 ἐφαμαρτόμεν(ον) F: ἐπαγόμενον E 6 μετὰ τούτων F 7 καὶ τοῦ π̄ (post ν̄) ins. Uptonus 8 παρακειμένων Us.: παρακείμεναι libri 11 οὐδὲν PMV: οὐθὲν EF 12 οὖν F: οὐχὶ EPMV: οὐ ‹σιωπῇ› Us. 13 ὑπὸ] ἐπὶ P || τελευταῖαν F, MV: om. P 17 διέστακεν P, MV: διέστηκε EF 18 γὰρ EF: τε γὰρ PMV 21 καὶ αὖτις F: αὖθις PMV || τὸ F: om. PMV 24 ἀποτραχύνει PV: ἐπιτραχύνει FM || διαχαλάσμασιν P: ἀπὸχαλασμασι F 26 τρὶς Sauppe: τρία libri 27 ἑξῆς οὐ] ἐξ ἴσου P 29 λαβεῖν φαντασίαν F: φαντασίαν λαμβάνειν PMV
9. Perhaps an effect analogous to that of syncopation in music is meant.
10, 11. Different words, and a different order, seem hardly possible here. If πόλεμον were put after Ἀθηναίων, the juxtaposed letters would be much the same as in the existing arrangement.
16.τελευταίαν: it may be that some word like συγκοπήν is to be supplied. Or τελευτὴν may be read: or τελευταῖα.
19. The present passage (lines 15-19) shows, as Blass (Ancient Greek Pronunciationp. 66) remarks, that the educated pronunciation of the Augustan period did not confuse αι with ε.
22-5. Here, again, the author would hardly have muchchoicein the arrangement of the words in question.
26.τρίς: viz. in the words καὶ ἐλπίσας, τε ἔσεσθαι, καὶ ἀξιολογώτατον.
καὶ ἀκατάστροφος, ὥσπερ μέρος οὖσα τῆς δευτέρας ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ[τῆς πρώτης] τέλος.τὸ δ’ αὐτὸ πέπονθε καὶ ἡ τρίτη περίοδος· καὶ γὰρ ἐκείνηςἀπερίγραφός ἐστι καὶ ἀνέδραστος ἡ βάσις τελευταῖον ἐχούσηςμόριον “τὸ δὲ καὶ διανοούμενον”· πολλὰς ἅμα καὶ αὐτὴ 5περιέχουσα φωνηέντων τε πρὸς φωνήεντα ἀντιτυπίας καὶἡμιφώνων πρὸς ἡμίφωνα καὶ ἄφωνα, ἅσπερ ἐργάζεται τὰ μὴσυνῳδὰ τῇ φύσει τραχύτητας. ἵνα δὲ συνελὼν εἴπω, δώδεκάπου περιόδων οὐσῶν ἃς παρεθέμην, εἴ τις αὐτὰς συμμέτρωςμερίζοι πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα, κώλων δὲ περιλαμβανομένων ἐν 10ταύταις οὐκ ἐλαττόνων ἢ τριάκοντα, τὰ μὲν εὐεπῶς συγκείμενακαὶ συνεξεσμένα ταῖς ἁρμονίαις οὐκ ἂν εὕροι τις ἓξ ἢ ἑπτὰτὰ πάντα κῶλα, φωνηέντων δὲ συμβολὰς ἐν ταῖς δώδεκαπεριόδοις ὀλίγου δεῖν τριάκοντα, ἡμιφώνων τε καὶ ἀφώνωνἀντιτύπων καὶ πικρῶν καὶ δυσεκφόρων παραβολάς, ἐξ ὧν αἵ 15τε ἀνακοπαὶ καὶ τὰ πολλὰ ἐγκαθίσματα τῇ λέξει γέγονε,τοσαύτας τὸ πλῆθος ὥστε ὀλίγου δεῖν καθ’ ἕκαστον αὐτῆςμόριον εἶναί τι τῶν τοιούτων. πολλὴ δὲ καὶ ἡ τῶν κώλωνἀσυμμετρία πρὸς ἄλληλα καὶ ἡ τῶν περιόδων ἀνωμαλία καὶἡ τῶν σχημάτων καινότης καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀκολουθίας ὑπεροπτικὸν 20καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα χαρακτηρικὰ τῆς ἀκομψεύτου τε καὶαὐστηρᾶς ἐπελογισάμην ὄντα ἁρμονίας. ἅπαντα γὰρ διεξιέναιπάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων καὶ καταδαπανᾶν εἰς ταῦτατὸν χρόνον οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον ἡγοῦμαι.XXIIIἡ δὲ γλαφυρὰ [καὶ ἀνθηρὰ] σύνθεσις, ἣν δευτέραν ἐτιθέμην[233]conclusion, as if it were part of the second period and not its termination.The third period has the same characteristics. There is a lack of roundness and stability in its foundation, since it has for its concluding portion τὸ δὲ καὶ διανοούμενον. Further, it too contains many clashings of vowel against vowel and of semi-vowels against semi-vowels and mutes—discords produced by things in their very nature inharmonious. To sum up, here are some twelve periods adduced by me—if the breathing-space be taken as the criterion for the division of period from period; and they contain no fewer than thirty clauses. Yet of these not six or seven clauses in all will be found to be euphoniously composed and finished in their structure; while of hiatus between vowels in the twelve periods there are almost thirty instances, together with meetings of semi-vowels and mutes which are dissonant, harsh, and hard to pronounce. It is to this that the stoppages and the many retardations in the passage are due; and so numerous are these concurrences that there is one of the kind in almost every single section of it. There is a great lack of symmetry in the clauses, great unevenness in the periods, much innovation in the figures, disregard of sequence, and all the other marks which I have already noted as characteristic of the unadorned and austere style. I do not consider it necessary to waste our time by going over the whole ground once more with the illustrative passages.CHAPTER XXIIISMOOTH COMPOSITIONThe smooth (or florid) mode of composition, which I regarded
καὶ ἀκατάστροφος, ὥσπερ μέρος οὖσα τῆς δευτέρας ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ[τῆς πρώτης] τέλος.τὸ δ’ αὐτὸ πέπονθε καὶ ἡ τρίτη περίοδος· καὶ γὰρ ἐκείνηςἀπερίγραφός ἐστι καὶ ἀνέδραστος ἡ βάσις τελευταῖον ἐχούσηςμόριον “τὸ δὲ καὶ διανοούμενον”· πολλὰς ἅμα καὶ αὐτὴ 5περιέχουσα φωνηέντων τε πρὸς φωνήεντα ἀντιτυπίας καὶἡμιφώνων πρὸς ἡμίφωνα καὶ ἄφωνα, ἅσπερ ἐργάζεται τὰ μὴσυνῳδὰ τῇ φύσει τραχύτητας. ἵνα δὲ συνελὼν εἴπω, δώδεκάπου περιόδων οὐσῶν ἃς παρεθέμην, εἴ τις αὐτὰς συμμέτρωςμερίζοι πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα, κώλων δὲ περιλαμβανομένων ἐν 10ταύταις οὐκ ἐλαττόνων ἢ τριάκοντα, τὰ μὲν εὐεπῶς συγκείμενακαὶ συνεξεσμένα ταῖς ἁρμονίαις οὐκ ἂν εὕροι τις ἓξ ἢ ἑπτὰτὰ πάντα κῶλα, φωνηέντων δὲ συμβολὰς ἐν ταῖς δώδεκαπεριόδοις ὀλίγου δεῖν τριάκοντα, ἡμιφώνων τε καὶ ἀφώνωνἀντιτύπων καὶ πικρῶν καὶ δυσεκφόρων παραβολάς, ἐξ ὧν αἵ 15τε ἀνακοπαὶ καὶ τὰ πολλὰ ἐγκαθίσματα τῇ λέξει γέγονε,τοσαύτας τὸ πλῆθος ὥστε ὀλίγου δεῖν καθ’ ἕκαστον αὐτῆςμόριον εἶναί τι τῶν τοιούτων. πολλὴ δὲ καὶ ἡ τῶν κώλωνἀσυμμετρία πρὸς ἄλληλα καὶ ἡ τῶν περιόδων ἀνωμαλία καὶἡ τῶν σχημάτων καινότης καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀκολουθίας ὑπεροπτικὸν 20καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα χαρακτηρικὰ τῆς ἀκομψεύτου τε καὶαὐστηρᾶς ἐπελογισάμην ὄντα ἁρμονίας. ἅπαντα γὰρ διεξιέναιπάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων καὶ καταδαπανᾶν εἰς ταῦτατὸν χρόνον οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον ἡγοῦμαι.XXIIIἡ δὲ γλαφυρὰ [καὶ ἀνθηρὰ] σύνθεσις, ἣν δευτέραν ἐτιθέμην
καὶ ἀκατάστροφος, ὥσπερ μέρος οὖσα τῆς δευτέρας ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ[τῆς πρώτης] τέλος.τὸ δ’ αὐτὸ πέπονθε καὶ ἡ τρίτη περίοδος· καὶ γὰρ ἐκείνηςἀπερίγραφός ἐστι καὶ ἀνέδραστος ἡ βάσις τελευταῖον ἐχούσηςμόριον “τὸ δὲ καὶ διανοούμενον”· πολλὰς ἅμα καὶ αὐτὴ 5περιέχουσα φωνηέντων τε πρὸς φωνήεντα ἀντιτυπίας καὶἡμιφώνων πρὸς ἡμίφωνα καὶ ἄφωνα, ἅσπερ ἐργάζεται τὰ μὴσυνῳδὰ τῇ φύσει τραχύτητας. ἵνα δὲ συνελὼν εἴπω, δώδεκάπου περιόδων οὐσῶν ἃς παρεθέμην, εἴ τις αὐτὰς συμμέτρωςμερίζοι πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα, κώλων δὲ περιλαμβανομένων ἐν 10ταύταις οὐκ ἐλαττόνων ἢ τριάκοντα, τὰ μὲν εὐεπῶς συγκείμενακαὶ συνεξεσμένα ταῖς ἁρμονίαις οὐκ ἂν εὕροι τις ἓξ ἢ ἑπτὰτὰ πάντα κῶλα, φωνηέντων δὲ συμβολὰς ἐν ταῖς δώδεκαπεριόδοις ὀλίγου δεῖν τριάκοντα, ἡμιφώνων τε καὶ ἀφώνωνἀντιτύπων καὶ πικρῶν καὶ δυσεκφόρων παραβολάς, ἐξ ὧν αἵ 15τε ἀνακοπαὶ καὶ τὰ πολλὰ ἐγκαθίσματα τῇ λέξει γέγονε,τοσαύτας τὸ πλῆθος ὥστε ὀλίγου δεῖν καθ’ ἕκαστον αὐτῆςμόριον εἶναί τι τῶν τοιούτων. πολλὴ δὲ καὶ ἡ τῶν κώλωνἀσυμμετρία πρὸς ἄλληλα καὶ ἡ τῶν περιόδων ἀνωμαλία καὶἡ τῶν σχημάτων καινότης καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀκολουθίας ὑπεροπτικὸν 20καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅσα χαρακτηρικὰ τῆς ἀκομψεύτου τε καὶαὐστηρᾶς ἐπελογισάμην ὄντα ἁρμονίας. ἅπαντα γὰρ διεξιέναιπάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων καὶ καταδαπανᾶν εἰς ταῦτατὸν χρόνον οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον ἡγοῦμαι.
ἡ δὲ γλαφυρὰ [καὶ ἀνθηρὰ] σύνθεσις, ἣν δευτέραν ἐτιθέμην
[233]conclusion, as if it were part of the second period and not its termination.The third period has the same characteristics. There is a lack of roundness and stability in its foundation, since it has for its concluding portion τὸ δὲ καὶ διανοούμενον. Further, it too contains many clashings of vowel against vowel and of semi-vowels against semi-vowels and mutes—discords produced by things in their very nature inharmonious. To sum up, here are some twelve periods adduced by me—if the breathing-space be taken as the criterion for the division of period from period; and they contain no fewer than thirty clauses. Yet of these not six or seven clauses in all will be found to be euphoniously composed and finished in their structure; while of hiatus between vowels in the twelve periods there are almost thirty instances, together with meetings of semi-vowels and mutes which are dissonant, harsh, and hard to pronounce. It is to this that the stoppages and the many retardations in the passage are due; and so numerous are these concurrences that there is one of the kind in almost every single section of it. There is a great lack of symmetry in the clauses, great unevenness in the periods, much innovation in the figures, disregard of sequence, and all the other marks which I have already noted as characteristic of the unadorned and austere style. I do not consider it necessary to waste our time by going over the whole ground once more with the illustrative passages.CHAPTER XXIIISMOOTH COMPOSITIONThe smooth (or florid) mode of composition, which I regarded
[233]
conclusion, as if it were part of the second period and not its termination.
The third period has the same characteristics. There is a lack of roundness and stability in its foundation, since it has for its concluding portion τὸ δὲ καὶ διανοούμενον. Further, it too contains many clashings of vowel against vowel and of semi-vowels against semi-vowels and mutes—discords produced by things in their very nature inharmonious. To sum up, here are some twelve periods adduced by me—if the breathing-space be taken as the criterion for the division of period from period; and they contain no fewer than thirty clauses. Yet of these not six or seven clauses in all will be found to be euphoniously composed and finished in their structure; while of hiatus between vowels in the twelve periods there are almost thirty instances, together with meetings of semi-vowels and mutes which are dissonant, harsh, and hard to pronounce. It is to this that the stoppages and the many retardations in the passage are due; and so numerous are these concurrences that there is one of the kind in almost every single section of it. There is a great lack of symmetry in the clauses, great unevenness in the periods, much innovation in the figures, disregard of sequence, and all the other marks which I have already noted as characteristic of the unadorned and austere style. I do not consider it necessary to waste our time by going over the whole ground once more with the illustrative passages.
The smooth (or florid) mode of composition, which I regarded
2 τῆς πρώτης uncis inclusit Usenerus 4 ἐχούσης Us.: ἔχουσα libri 7 καὶ ... ἐργάζεται om. F || καὶ ἄφωνα P: om. FMV || ἅσπερ] ἅπερ PMV 8 τραχύτητας F: καὶ τραχύτητας PMV 9 εἴ τις] εἴπερ F 10 δὲ F: δὲ τῶν PMV || περιλαμβανομένων F: ἐμπεριλαμβανομένων PMV 11 ταύταις F: αὐταῖς PMV 12 τις ἑξῆς ἢ πάντα ταῦτα κῶλα F 13 συλλαβὰς F 14 καὶ ἀφώνων καὶ ἀντιτύπων P 17 τοσαύτας Uptonus: τοσαῦτα libri (cf.16020) 20 σχημάτων F: σχηματισμῶν PMV 21 τὰ ἄλλα PMV: τἆλλα F || χαρακτηρικὰ F: χαρακτηριστικὰ PV: χαρακτηριστικὰ καὶ M || ἀκομψεύστου FMV 22 αὐστηρᾶς] ἰσχυρᾶς F || ἀπελογησάμην PM2: ἐπελογησάμην M1V || διεξιέναι F: ἐπεξιέναι PMV 25 καὶ ἀνθηρὰ om. P || ἐτιθέμην F: ἐθέμην PMV1. Dionysius seems to discern three periods in the first sentence of Thucydides, viz. (1) Θουκυδίδης ... ἀλλήλους (2) ἀρξάμενος ... προσγεγενημένων, (3) τεκμαιρόμενος ... διανοούμενον. The general sense here is: ‘as there is no connexion between ἀρξάμενος and τεκμαιρόμενος, we must take the latter as beginning a new period, and yet logically ἀρξάμενος belongs to it.’ If the words τῆς πρώτης are to be retained at all, they might possibly be transported with τῆς δευτέρας: ‘as though it were a part of the first period and not the end of the second.’4. Usener’sἐχούσηςseems likely, though the words καὶ γὰρ ... ἡ βάσις might be regarded as parenthetical and ἔχουσα as in agreement with περίοδος.18.πολλὴ δὲ καίκτλ.: cp. Cic.Orat.ix. 32. 33 “itaque numquam est (Thucydides) numeratus orator ... sed, cum mutila quaedam et hiantia locuti sunt, quae vel sine magistro facere potuerunt, germanos se putant esse Thucydidas.”25. Forἀνθηράcp. n. on20826supra.—The whole chapter should be compared withde Demosth.c. 40. In c. 49 of that treatise Dionysius refers expressly to his previously writtende Compositione: εἰ δέ τις ἀπαιτήσει καὶ ταῦτ’ ἔτι μαθεῖν ὅπῃ ποτ’ ἔχει, τοὺς ὑπομνηματισμοὺς ἡμῶν λαβών, οὓς περὶ τῆς συνθέσεως τῶν ὀνομάτων πεπραγματεύμεθα, πάντα ὅσα ποθεῖ τῶν ἐνθάδε παραλειπομένων εἴσεται (cp. c. 50ibid.).
2 τῆς πρώτης uncis inclusit Usenerus 4 ἐχούσης Us.: ἔχουσα libri 7 καὶ ... ἐργάζεται om. F || καὶ ἄφωνα P: om. FMV || ἅσπερ] ἅπερ PMV 8 τραχύτητας F: καὶ τραχύτητας PMV 9 εἴ τις] εἴπερ F 10 δὲ F: δὲ τῶν PMV || περιλαμβανομένων F: ἐμπεριλαμβανομένων PMV 11 ταύταις F: αὐταῖς PMV 12 τις ἑξῆς ἢ πάντα ταῦτα κῶλα F 13 συλλαβὰς F 14 καὶ ἀφώνων καὶ ἀντιτύπων P 17 τοσαύτας Uptonus: τοσαῦτα libri (cf.16020) 20 σχημάτων F: σχηματισμῶν PMV 21 τὰ ἄλλα PMV: τἆλλα F || χαρακτηρικὰ F: χαρακτηριστικὰ PV: χαρακτηριστικὰ καὶ M || ἀκομψεύστου FMV 22 αὐστηρᾶς] ἰσχυρᾶς F || ἀπελογησάμην PM2: ἐπελογησάμην M1V || διεξιέναι F: ἐπεξιέναι PMV 25 καὶ ἀνθηρὰ om. P || ἐτιθέμην F: ἐθέμην PMV
1. Dionysius seems to discern three periods in the first sentence of Thucydides, viz. (1) Θουκυδίδης ... ἀλλήλους (2) ἀρξάμενος ... προσγεγενημένων, (3) τεκμαιρόμενος ... διανοούμενον. The general sense here is: ‘as there is no connexion between ἀρξάμενος and τεκμαιρόμενος, we must take the latter as beginning a new period, and yet logically ἀρξάμενος belongs to it.’ If the words τῆς πρώτης are to be retained at all, they might possibly be transported with τῆς δευτέρας: ‘as though it were a part of the first period and not the end of the second.’
4. Usener’sἐχούσηςseems likely, though the words καὶ γὰρ ... ἡ βάσις might be regarded as parenthetical and ἔχουσα as in agreement with περίοδος.
18.πολλὴ δὲ καίκτλ.: cp. Cic.Orat.ix. 32. 33 “itaque numquam est (Thucydides) numeratus orator ... sed, cum mutila quaedam et hiantia locuti sunt, quae vel sine magistro facere potuerunt, germanos se putant esse Thucydidas.”
25. Forἀνθηράcp. n. on20826supra.—The whole chapter should be compared withde Demosth.c. 40. In c. 49 of that treatise Dionysius refers expressly to his previously writtende Compositione: εἰ δέ τις ἀπαιτήσει καὶ ταῦτ’ ἔτι μαθεῖν ὅπῃ ποτ’ ἔχει, τοὺς ὑπομνηματισμοὺς ἡμῶν λαβών, οὓς περὶ τῆς συνθέσεως τῶν ὀνομάτων πεπραγματεύμεθα, πάντα ὅσα ποθεῖ τῶν ἐνθάδε παραλειπομένων εἴσεται (cp. c. 50ibid.).
τῇ τάξει, χαρακτῆρα τοιόνδε ἔχει· οὐ ζητεῖ καθ’ ἓνἕκαστον ὄνομα ἐκ περιφανείας ὁρᾶσθαι οὐδὲ ἐν ἕδρᾳ πάνταβεβηκέναι πλατείᾳ τε καὶ ἀσφαλεῖ οὐδὲ μακροὺς τοὺς μεταξὺαὐτῶν εἶναι χρόνους, οὐδ’ ὅλως τὸ βραδὺ καὶ σταθερὸν τοῦτοφίλον αὐτῇ, ἀλλὰ κεκινῆσθαι βούλεται τὴν ὀνομασίαν καὶ 5φέρεσθαι θάτερα κατὰ τῶν ἑτέρων ὀνομάτων καὶ ὀχεῖσθαιτὴν ἀλληλουχίαν λαμβάνοντα βάσιν ὥσπερ τὰ ῥέοντα καὶμηδέποτε ἀτρεμοῦντα· συνηλεῖφθαί τε ἀλλήλοις ἀξιοῖ καὶσυνυφάνθαι τὰ μόρια ὡς μιᾶς λέξεως ὄψιν ἀποτελοῦντα εἰςδύναμιν. τοῦτο δὲ ποιοῦσιν αἱ τῶν ἁρμονιῶν ἀκρίβειαι, 10χρόνον αἰσθητὸν οὐδένα τὸν μεταξὺ τῶν ὀνομάτων περιλαμβάνουσαι·ἔοικέ τε κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος εὐητρίοις ὕφεσιν ἢγραφαῖς συνεφθαρμένα τὰ φωτεινὰ τοῖς σκιεροῖς ἐχούσαις.εὔφωνά τε εἶναι βούλεται πάντα τὰ ὀνόματα καὶ λεῖα καὶμαλακὰ καὶ παρθενωπά, τραχείαις δὲ συλλαβαῖς καὶ ἀντιτύποις 15ἀπέχθεταί που· τὸ δὲ θρασὺ πᾶν καὶ παρακεκινδυνευμένονδι’ εὐλαβείας ἔχει.οὐ μόνον δὲ τὰ ὀνόματα τοῖς ὀνόμασιν ἐπιτηδείωςσυνηρμόσθαι βούλεται καὶ συνεξέσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ κῶλατοῖς κώλοις εὖ συνυφάνθαι καὶ πάντα εἰς περίοδον τελευτᾶν, 20ὁρίζουσα κώλου τε μῆκος, ὃ μὴ βραχύτερον ἔσται μηδὲ μεῖζοντοῦ μετρίου, καὶ περιόδου μέτρον, οὗ πνεῦμα τέλειον ἀνδρὸςκρατήσει· ἀπερίοδον δὲ λέξιν ἢ περίοδον ἀκώλιστον ἢ κῶλον[235]as second in order, has the following features. It does not intend that each word should be seen on every side, nor that all its parts should stand on broad, firm bases, nor that the time-intervals between them should be long; nor in general is this slow and deliberate movement congenial to it. It demands free movement in its diction; it requires words to come sweeping along one on top of another, each supported by that which follows, like the onflow of a never-resting stream. It tries to combine and interweave its component parts, and thus give, as far as possible, the effect of one continuous utterance. This result is produced by so nicely adjusting the junctures that they admit no appreciable time-interval between the words. From this point of view the style resembles finely woven stuffs, or pictures in which the lights melt insensibly into the shadows. It requires that all its words shall be melodious, smooth, soft as a maiden’s face; and it shrinks from harsh, clashing syllables, and carefully avoids everything rash and hazardous.It requires not only that its words should be properly dove-tailed and fitted together, but also that the clauses should be carefully inwoven with one another and all issue in a period. It limits the length of a clause so that it is neither shorter nor longer than the right mean, and the compass of the period so that a man’s full breath will be able to cover it. It could not endure to construct a passage without periods, nor a period
τῇ τάξει, χαρακτῆρα τοιόνδε ἔχει· οὐ ζητεῖ καθ’ ἓνἕκαστον ὄνομα ἐκ περιφανείας ὁρᾶσθαι οὐδὲ ἐν ἕδρᾳ πάνταβεβηκέναι πλατείᾳ τε καὶ ἀσφαλεῖ οὐδὲ μακροὺς τοὺς μεταξὺαὐτῶν εἶναι χρόνους, οὐδ’ ὅλως τὸ βραδὺ καὶ σταθερὸν τοῦτοφίλον αὐτῇ, ἀλλὰ κεκινῆσθαι βούλεται τὴν ὀνομασίαν καὶ 5φέρεσθαι θάτερα κατὰ τῶν ἑτέρων ὀνομάτων καὶ ὀχεῖσθαιτὴν ἀλληλουχίαν λαμβάνοντα βάσιν ὥσπερ τὰ ῥέοντα καὶμηδέποτε ἀτρεμοῦντα· συνηλεῖφθαί τε ἀλλήλοις ἀξιοῖ καὶσυνυφάνθαι τὰ μόρια ὡς μιᾶς λέξεως ὄψιν ἀποτελοῦντα εἰςδύναμιν. τοῦτο δὲ ποιοῦσιν αἱ τῶν ἁρμονιῶν ἀκρίβειαι, 10χρόνον αἰσθητὸν οὐδένα τὸν μεταξὺ τῶν ὀνομάτων περιλαμβάνουσαι·ἔοικέ τε κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος εὐητρίοις ὕφεσιν ἢγραφαῖς συνεφθαρμένα τὰ φωτεινὰ τοῖς σκιεροῖς ἐχούσαις.εὔφωνά τε εἶναι βούλεται πάντα τὰ ὀνόματα καὶ λεῖα καὶμαλακὰ καὶ παρθενωπά, τραχείαις δὲ συλλαβαῖς καὶ ἀντιτύποις 15ἀπέχθεταί που· τὸ δὲ θρασὺ πᾶν καὶ παρακεκινδυνευμένονδι’ εὐλαβείας ἔχει.οὐ μόνον δὲ τὰ ὀνόματα τοῖς ὀνόμασιν ἐπιτηδείωςσυνηρμόσθαι βούλεται καὶ συνεξέσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ κῶλατοῖς κώλοις εὖ συνυφάνθαι καὶ πάντα εἰς περίοδον τελευτᾶν, 20ὁρίζουσα κώλου τε μῆκος, ὃ μὴ βραχύτερον ἔσται μηδὲ μεῖζοντοῦ μετρίου, καὶ περιόδου μέτρον, οὗ πνεῦμα τέλειον ἀνδρὸςκρατήσει· ἀπερίοδον δὲ λέξιν ἢ περίοδον ἀκώλιστον ἢ κῶλον
τῇ τάξει, χαρακτῆρα τοιόνδε ἔχει· οὐ ζητεῖ καθ’ ἓνἕκαστον ὄνομα ἐκ περιφανείας ὁρᾶσθαι οὐδὲ ἐν ἕδρᾳ πάνταβεβηκέναι πλατείᾳ τε καὶ ἀσφαλεῖ οὐδὲ μακροὺς τοὺς μεταξὺαὐτῶν εἶναι χρόνους, οὐδ’ ὅλως τὸ βραδὺ καὶ σταθερὸν τοῦτοφίλον αὐτῇ, ἀλλὰ κεκινῆσθαι βούλεται τὴν ὀνομασίαν καὶ 5φέρεσθαι θάτερα κατὰ τῶν ἑτέρων ὀνομάτων καὶ ὀχεῖσθαιτὴν ἀλληλουχίαν λαμβάνοντα βάσιν ὥσπερ τὰ ῥέοντα καὶμηδέποτε ἀτρεμοῦντα· συνηλεῖφθαί τε ἀλλήλοις ἀξιοῖ καὶσυνυφάνθαι τὰ μόρια ὡς μιᾶς λέξεως ὄψιν ἀποτελοῦντα εἰςδύναμιν. τοῦτο δὲ ποιοῦσιν αἱ τῶν ἁρμονιῶν ἀκρίβειαι, 10χρόνον αἰσθητὸν οὐδένα τὸν μεταξὺ τῶν ὀνομάτων περιλαμβάνουσαι·ἔοικέ τε κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος εὐητρίοις ὕφεσιν ἢγραφαῖς συνεφθαρμένα τὰ φωτεινὰ τοῖς σκιεροῖς ἐχούσαις.εὔφωνά τε εἶναι βούλεται πάντα τὰ ὀνόματα καὶ λεῖα καὶμαλακὰ καὶ παρθενωπά, τραχείαις δὲ συλλαβαῖς καὶ ἀντιτύποις 15ἀπέχθεταί που· τὸ δὲ θρασὺ πᾶν καὶ παρακεκινδυνευμένονδι’ εὐλαβείας ἔχει.οὐ μόνον δὲ τὰ ὀνόματα τοῖς ὀνόμασιν ἐπιτηδείωςσυνηρμόσθαι βούλεται καὶ συνεξέσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ κῶλατοῖς κώλοις εὖ συνυφάνθαι καὶ πάντα εἰς περίοδον τελευτᾶν, 20ὁρίζουσα κώλου τε μῆκος, ὃ μὴ βραχύτερον ἔσται μηδὲ μεῖζοντοῦ μετρίου, καὶ περιόδου μέτρον, οὗ πνεῦμα τέλειον ἀνδρὸςκρατήσει· ἀπερίοδον δὲ λέξιν ἢ περίοδον ἀκώλιστον ἢ κῶλον
[235]as second in order, has the following features. It does not intend that each word should be seen on every side, nor that all its parts should stand on broad, firm bases, nor that the time-intervals between them should be long; nor in general is this slow and deliberate movement congenial to it. It demands free movement in its diction; it requires words to come sweeping along one on top of another, each supported by that which follows, like the onflow of a never-resting stream. It tries to combine and interweave its component parts, and thus give, as far as possible, the effect of one continuous utterance. This result is produced by so nicely adjusting the junctures that they admit no appreciable time-interval between the words. From this point of view the style resembles finely woven stuffs, or pictures in which the lights melt insensibly into the shadows. It requires that all its words shall be melodious, smooth, soft as a maiden’s face; and it shrinks from harsh, clashing syllables, and carefully avoids everything rash and hazardous.It requires not only that its words should be properly dove-tailed and fitted together, but also that the clauses should be carefully inwoven with one another and all issue in a period. It limits the length of a clause so that it is neither shorter nor longer than the right mean, and the compass of the period so that a man’s full breath will be able to cover it. It could not endure to construct a passage without periods, nor a period
[235]
as second in order, has the following features. It does not intend that each word should be seen on every side, nor that all its parts should stand on broad, firm bases, nor that the time-intervals between them should be long; nor in general is this slow and deliberate movement congenial to it. It demands free movement in its diction; it requires words to come sweeping along one on top of another, each supported by that which follows, like the onflow of a never-resting stream. It tries to combine and interweave its component parts, and thus give, as far as possible, the effect of one continuous utterance. This result is produced by so nicely adjusting the junctures that they admit no appreciable time-interval between the words. From this point of view the style resembles finely woven stuffs, or pictures in which the lights melt insensibly into the shadows. It requires that all its words shall be melodious, smooth, soft as a maiden’s face; and it shrinks from harsh, clashing syllables, and carefully avoids everything rash and hazardous.
It requires not only that its words should be properly dove-tailed and fitted together, but also that the clauses should be carefully inwoven with one another and all issue in a period. It limits the length of a clause so that it is neither shorter nor longer than the right mean, and the compass of the period so that a man’s full breath will be able to cover it. It could not endure to construct a passage without periods, nor a period
1 ἓν EPM: om. FV 5 κεκινῆσθαι EF: κ[αὶ] κινῆσθαι cum rasura P: καὶ κινεῖσθαι MV 6 φέρεσθαι EFM: φέρεσθαι καὶ PV || τῶν ἑτέρων PMV: τῶν θατέρων F: θατέρων E || καὶ FMV: om. P || ὀχλεῖσθαι F 7 βάσιν om. F || τὰ ῥέοντα EF: τὰ ῥέοντα νάματα PMV 8 συνηλεῖφθαι F: συνειλῆφθ[αι] cum rasura P, MV 9 ὡς E: om. FPMV || μιᾶς EF: τῆς PMV || ἀποτελοῦντα PMV: διατελεῖν E: διατελοῦντα F 11 περιλαμβάνουσαι EFM: λαμβάνουσαι PV 12 τοῦτο τὸ om. EF || εὐκτρίοις PM || ὑφέσιν F: ὑφαίσιν M: ὑφαῖσιν cum rasura P, V: ὑφαῖς Es 13 τάφω τινα (sed suprascripto ε) P || σκιαροις P 14 τὰ EF: om. PMV 16 που ... παρακεκινδυνευμένον om. P 17 δι’ EF: καὶ δι’ PMV 20 εὖ E: om. FPMV 21 ὁρίζουσα Schaefer: ὁρίζουσαν EFPM 22 μέτρον EF: χρόνον PMV1. ‘It does not expect its words to be looked at individually, and from every side, like statues.’ Cp.21017supra.7. More literally, ‘finding firmness in mutual support.’9. Cp.de Demosth.c. 40 τὸ γὰρ ὅλον ἐστὶν αὐτῆς βούλημα καὶ ἡ πολλὴ πραγματεία περὶ τὸ συσπασθῆναί τε καὶ συνυφάνθαι πάντα τὰ μόρια τῆς περιόδου, μιᾶς λέξεως ἀποτελοῦντα φαντασίαν, καὶ ἔτι πρὸς τούτῳ περὶ τὸ πᾶσαν εἶναι τὴν λέξιν, ὥσπερ ἐν ταῖς μουσικαῖς συμφωνίαις, ἡδεῖαν καὶ λιγυράν. τούτων δὲ τὸ μὲν αἱ τῶν ἁρμονιῶν ἀκρίβειαι ποιοῦσι, κτλ.14, 15. That is to say: the words it uses must be beautiful in sound and smoothly syllabled.20.εὖ, which Usener adopts from E, helps to balance ἐπιτηδείωςsupra. At the same time, it could be spared and may have arisen from a dittography of the first two letters in συνυφάνθαι. Similarly, in l. 9supra, the ὡς which E gives (together with theinfinitiveδιατελεῖν, as it should be noticed) cannot be regarded as indispensable.22.μέτρον: the reading of PMV (περιόδου χρόνον) may be right, in the sense ofperiodi ambitum. In the Epitome, μέτρον has possibly been substituted (as a clearer word) for χρόνον. F’s reading is μέτρον οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείνειεν ἐργάσασθαι, with all the four last words dotted out as having been written in error: which suggests that μέτρον may be no more than the last syllable of ἀσύμμετρον.οὗ πνεῦμα τέλειον ἀνδρὸς κρατήσει: much will, clearly, depend on the person in question, since some men (as Lord Rosebery once said of Mr. Gladstone) have lungs which can utter sentences like “Biscayan rollers.” The Greeks were so rhetorical that they tended to look at a written passage constantly from the rhetorical point of view, and if a ‘period’ was too long for one breath they would try to analyze it into two periods if they could: cp. note on2321supra.
1 ἓν EPM: om. FV 5 κεκινῆσθαι EF: κ[αὶ] κινῆσθαι cum rasura P: καὶ κινεῖσθαι MV 6 φέρεσθαι EFM: φέρεσθαι καὶ PV || τῶν ἑτέρων PMV: τῶν θατέρων F: θατέρων E || καὶ FMV: om. P || ὀχλεῖσθαι F 7 βάσιν om. F || τὰ ῥέοντα EF: τὰ ῥέοντα νάματα PMV 8 συνηλεῖφθαι F: συνειλῆφθ[αι] cum rasura P, MV 9 ὡς E: om. FPMV || μιᾶς EF: τῆς PMV || ἀποτελοῦντα PMV: διατελεῖν E: διατελοῦντα F 11 περιλαμβάνουσαι EFM: λαμβάνουσαι PV 12 τοῦτο τὸ om. EF || εὐκτρίοις PM || ὑφέσιν F: ὑφαίσιν M: ὑφαῖσιν cum rasura P, V: ὑφαῖς Es 13 τάφω τινα (sed suprascripto ε) P || σκιαροις P 14 τὰ EF: om. PMV 16 που ... παρακεκινδυνευμένον om. P 17 δι’ EF: καὶ δι’ PMV 20 εὖ E: om. FPMV 21 ὁρίζουσα Schaefer: ὁρίζουσαν EFPM 22 μέτρον EF: χρόνον PMV
1. ‘It does not expect its words to be looked at individually, and from every side, like statues.’ Cp.21017supra.
7. More literally, ‘finding firmness in mutual support.’
9. Cp.de Demosth.c. 40 τὸ γὰρ ὅλον ἐστὶν αὐτῆς βούλημα καὶ ἡ πολλὴ πραγματεία περὶ τὸ συσπασθῆναί τε καὶ συνυφάνθαι πάντα τὰ μόρια τῆς περιόδου, μιᾶς λέξεως ἀποτελοῦντα φαντασίαν, καὶ ἔτι πρὸς τούτῳ περὶ τὸ πᾶσαν εἶναι τὴν λέξιν, ὥσπερ ἐν ταῖς μουσικαῖς συμφωνίαις, ἡδεῖαν καὶ λιγυράν. τούτων δὲ τὸ μὲν αἱ τῶν ἁρμονιῶν ἀκρίβειαι ποιοῦσι, κτλ.
14, 15. That is to say: the words it uses must be beautiful in sound and smoothly syllabled.
20.εὖ, which Usener adopts from E, helps to balance ἐπιτηδείωςsupra. At the same time, it could be spared and may have arisen from a dittography of the first two letters in συνυφάνθαι. Similarly, in l. 9supra, the ὡς which E gives (together with theinfinitiveδιατελεῖν, as it should be noticed) cannot be regarded as indispensable.
22.μέτρον: the reading of PMV (περιόδου χρόνον) may be right, in the sense ofperiodi ambitum. In the Epitome, μέτρον has possibly been substituted (as a clearer word) for χρόνον. F’s reading is μέτρον οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείνειεν ἐργάσασθαι, with all the four last words dotted out as having been written in error: which suggests that μέτρον may be no more than the last syllable of ἀσύμμετρον.
οὗ πνεῦμα τέλειον ἀνδρὸς κρατήσει: much will, clearly, depend on the person in question, since some men (as Lord Rosebery once said of Mr. Gladstone) have lungs which can utter sentences like “Biscayan rollers.” The Greeks were so rhetorical that they tended to look at a written passage constantly from the rhetorical point of view, and if a ‘period’ was too long for one breath they would try to analyze it into two periods if they could: cp. note on2321supra.
ἀσύμμετρον οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείνειεν ἐργάσασθαι. χρῆται δὲ καὶῥυθμοῖς οὐ τοῖς μεγίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς μέσοις τε καὶ βραχυτέροις·καὶ τῶν περιόδων τὰς τελευτὰς εὐρύθμους εἶναιβούλεται καὶ βεβηκυίας ὡς ἂν ἀπὸ στάθμης, τἀναντίαποιοῦσα ἐν ταῖς τούτων ἁρμογαῖς ἢ ταῖς τῶν ὀνομάτων· 5ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ συναλείφει, ταύτας δὲ διίστησι καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκπεριόπτου βούλεται φανερὰς εἶναι. σχήμασί τε οὐ τοῖςἀρχαιοπρεπεστάτοις οὐδ’ ὅσοις σεμνότης τις ἢ βάρος ἢ πίνοςπρόσεστιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τρυφεροῖς τε καὶ κολακικοῖς ὡς τὰπολλὰ χρῆσθαι φιλεῖ, ἐν οἷς πολὺ τὸ ἀπατηλόν ἐστι καὶ 10θεατρικόν. ἵνα δὲ καὶ κοινότερον εἴπω, τοὐναντίον ἔχει σχῆματῆς προτέρας κατὰ τὰ μέγιστα καὶ κυριώτατα, ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐδὲνδέομαι πάλιν λέγειν.ἀκόλουθον δ’ ἂν εἴη καὶ τοὺς ἐν ταύτῃ πρωτεύσανταςκαταριθμήσασθαι. ἐποποιῶν μὲν οὖν ἔμοιγε κάλλιστα τουτονὶ 15δοκεῖ τὸν χαρακτῆρα ἐξεργάσασθαι Ἡσίοδος, μελοποιῶν δὲΣαπφὼ καὶ μετ’ αὐτὴν Ἀνακρέων τε καὶ Σιμωνίδης, τραγῳδοποιῶνδὲ μόνος Εὐριπίδης, συγγραφέων δὲ ἀκριβῶς μὲνοὐδείς, μᾶλλον δὲ τῶν πολλῶν Ἔφορός τε καὶ Θεόπομπος,ῥητόρων δὲ Ἰσοκράτης. θήσω δὲ καὶ ταύτης παραδείγματα 20τῆς ἁρμονίας, ποιητῶν μὲν προχειρισάμενος Σαπφώ, ῥητόρωνδὲ Ἰσοκράτην. ἄρξομαι δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς μελοποιοῦ.[237]without clauses, nor a clause without symmetry. The rhythms it uses are not the longest, but the intermediate, or shorter than these. It requires its periods to march as with steps regulated by line and rule, and to close with a rhythmical fall. Thus, in fitting together its periods and its words respectively, it employs two different methods. The latter it runs together; the former it keeps apart, wishing that they may be seen as it were from every side. As for figures, it is wont to employ not the most time-honoured sort, nor those marked by stateliness, gravity, or mellowness, but rather for the most part those which are dainty and alluring, and contain much that is seductive and fanciful. To speak generally: its attitude is directly opposed to that of the former variety in the principal and most essential points. I need not go over these points again.Our next step will be to enumerate those who have attained eminence in this style. Well, among epic poets Hesiod, I think, has best developed the type; among lyric poets, Sappho, and, after her, Anacreon and Simonides; of tragedians, Euripides alone; of historians, none exactly, but Ephorus and Theopompus more than most; of orators, Isocrates. I will quote examples of this style also, selecting among poets Sappho, and among orators Isocrates. And I will begin with the lyric poetess:—
ἀσύμμετρον οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείνειεν ἐργάσασθαι. χρῆται δὲ καὶῥυθμοῖς οὐ τοῖς μεγίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς μέσοις τε καὶ βραχυτέροις·καὶ τῶν περιόδων τὰς τελευτὰς εὐρύθμους εἶναιβούλεται καὶ βεβηκυίας ὡς ἂν ἀπὸ στάθμης, τἀναντίαποιοῦσα ἐν ταῖς τούτων ἁρμογαῖς ἢ ταῖς τῶν ὀνομάτων· 5ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ συναλείφει, ταύτας δὲ διίστησι καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκπεριόπτου βούλεται φανερὰς εἶναι. σχήμασί τε οὐ τοῖςἀρχαιοπρεπεστάτοις οὐδ’ ὅσοις σεμνότης τις ἢ βάρος ἢ πίνοςπρόσεστιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τρυφεροῖς τε καὶ κολακικοῖς ὡς τὰπολλὰ χρῆσθαι φιλεῖ, ἐν οἷς πολὺ τὸ ἀπατηλόν ἐστι καὶ 10θεατρικόν. ἵνα δὲ καὶ κοινότερον εἴπω, τοὐναντίον ἔχει σχῆματῆς προτέρας κατὰ τὰ μέγιστα καὶ κυριώτατα, ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐδὲνδέομαι πάλιν λέγειν.ἀκόλουθον δ’ ἂν εἴη καὶ τοὺς ἐν ταύτῃ πρωτεύσανταςκαταριθμήσασθαι. ἐποποιῶν μὲν οὖν ἔμοιγε κάλλιστα τουτονὶ 15δοκεῖ τὸν χαρακτῆρα ἐξεργάσασθαι Ἡσίοδος, μελοποιῶν δὲΣαπφὼ καὶ μετ’ αὐτὴν Ἀνακρέων τε καὶ Σιμωνίδης, τραγῳδοποιῶνδὲ μόνος Εὐριπίδης, συγγραφέων δὲ ἀκριβῶς μὲνοὐδείς, μᾶλλον δὲ τῶν πολλῶν Ἔφορός τε καὶ Θεόπομπος,ῥητόρων δὲ Ἰσοκράτης. θήσω δὲ καὶ ταύτης παραδείγματα 20τῆς ἁρμονίας, ποιητῶν μὲν προχειρισάμενος Σαπφώ, ῥητόρωνδὲ Ἰσοκράτην. ἄρξομαι δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς μελοποιοῦ.
ἀσύμμετρον οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείνειεν ἐργάσασθαι. χρῆται δὲ καὶῥυθμοῖς οὐ τοῖς μεγίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς μέσοις τε καὶ βραχυτέροις·καὶ τῶν περιόδων τὰς τελευτὰς εὐρύθμους εἶναιβούλεται καὶ βεβηκυίας ὡς ἂν ἀπὸ στάθμης, τἀναντίαποιοῦσα ἐν ταῖς τούτων ἁρμογαῖς ἢ ταῖς τῶν ὀνομάτων· 5ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ συναλείφει, ταύτας δὲ διίστησι καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκπεριόπτου βούλεται φανερὰς εἶναι. σχήμασί τε οὐ τοῖςἀρχαιοπρεπεστάτοις οὐδ’ ὅσοις σεμνότης τις ἢ βάρος ἢ πίνοςπρόσεστιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τρυφεροῖς τε καὶ κολακικοῖς ὡς τὰπολλὰ χρῆσθαι φιλεῖ, ἐν οἷς πολὺ τὸ ἀπατηλόν ἐστι καὶ 10θεατρικόν. ἵνα δὲ καὶ κοινότερον εἴπω, τοὐναντίον ἔχει σχῆματῆς προτέρας κατὰ τὰ μέγιστα καὶ κυριώτατα, ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐδὲνδέομαι πάλιν λέγειν.ἀκόλουθον δ’ ἂν εἴη καὶ τοὺς ἐν ταύτῃ πρωτεύσανταςκαταριθμήσασθαι. ἐποποιῶν μὲν οὖν ἔμοιγε κάλλιστα τουτονὶ 15δοκεῖ τὸν χαρακτῆρα ἐξεργάσασθαι Ἡσίοδος, μελοποιῶν δὲΣαπφὼ καὶ μετ’ αὐτὴν Ἀνακρέων τε καὶ Σιμωνίδης, τραγῳδοποιῶνδὲ μόνος Εὐριπίδης, συγγραφέων δὲ ἀκριβῶς μὲνοὐδείς, μᾶλλον δὲ τῶν πολλῶν Ἔφορός τε καὶ Θεόπομπος,ῥητόρων δὲ Ἰσοκράτης. θήσω δὲ καὶ ταύτης παραδείγματα 20τῆς ἁρμονίας, ποιητῶν μὲν προχειρισάμενος Σαπφώ, ῥητόρωνδὲ Ἰσοκράτην. ἄρξομαι δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς μελοποιοῦ.
[237]without clauses, nor a clause without symmetry. The rhythms it uses are not the longest, but the intermediate, or shorter than these. It requires its periods to march as with steps regulated by line and rule, and to close with a rhythmical fall. Thus, in fitting together its periods and its words respectively, it employs two different methods. The latter it runs together; the former it keeps apart, wishing that they may be seen as it were from every side. As for figures, it is wont to employ not the most time-honoured sort, nor those marked by stateliness, gravity, or mellowness, but rather for the most part those which are dainty and alluring, and contain much that is seductive and fanciful. To speak generally: its attitude is directly opposed to that of the former variety in the principal and most essential points. I need not go over these points again.Our next step will be to enumerate those who have attained eminence in this style. Well, among epic poets Hesiod, I think, has best developed the type; among lyric poets, Sappho, and, after her, Anacreon and Simonides; of tragedians, Euripides alone; of historians, none exactly, but Ephorus and Theopompus more than most; of orators, Isocrates. I will quote examples of this style also, selecting among poets Sappho, and among orators Isocrates. And I will begin with the lyric poetess:—
[237]
without clauses, nor a clause without symmetry. The rhythms it uses are not the longest, but the intermediate, or shorter than these. It requires its periods to march as with steps regulated by line and rule, and to close with a rhythmical fall. Thus, in fitting together its periods and its words respectively, it employs two different methods. The latter it runs together; the former it keeps apart, wishing that they may be seen as it were from every side. As for figures, it is wont to employ not the most time-honoured sort, nor those marked by stateliness, gravity, or mellowness, but rather for the most part those which are dainty and alluring, and contain much that is seductive and fanciful. To speak generally: its attitude is directly opposed to that of the former variety in the principal and most essential points. I need not go over these points again.
Our next step will be to enumerate those who have attained eminence in this style. Well, among epic poets Hesiod, I think, has best developed the type; among lyric poets, Sappho, and, after her, Anacreon and Simonides; of tragedians, Euripides alone; of historians, none exactly, but Ephorus and Theopompus more than most; of orators, Isocrates. I will quote examples of this style also, selecting among poets Sappho, and among orators Isocrates. And I will begin with the lyric poetess:—
1 χρήσεται P 2 ῥυθμοῖς EFM: ῥυθμῶν PV || μεγίστοις EF: μηκίστοις PMV 3 καὶ om. P 4 ἂν EF: om. PMV 6 ταύτας EV: ταῦτα F: τας αυτας P, M 7 φανεροὺς F 8 ὅσοις F: ὅσοις ἢ PMV || πῖνος PV: τὸ πῖνος M: τόνος F 9 πρόσεστιν PMV: πάρεστιν F || κολακικοῖς FPM: μαλακοῖς V: θεατρικοῖς E 11 δὲ καὶ F: δὲ PMV 12 τῆς προτέρας EFM: τῆι προτέρα P, V || καὶ κυριώτατα FM: om. PV 14 ταύτη F: αυτῆι P, MV 15 ἔμοιγε EF: ἔγωγε PMV || κάλλιστα EFP: κάλλιστα νομίζω M: μάλιστα νομίζω V 16 δοκεῖ EFP: om. MV 17 μετ’ αὐτὴν EF: μετὰ ταύτην PMV 20 ταύτης EF: ταῦτα PMV6.ἐκ περιόπτου, ‘ex edito loco,’ ‘undique.’16-20. The list that follows may seem somewhat ill-assorted if it be not remembered that the point of contact between the authors mentioned is simply smoothness of word-arrangement.—ForHesiodcp.de Imitat.B. vi. 2 Ἡσίοδος μὲν γὰρ ἐφρόντισεν ἡδονῆς δι’ ὀνομάτων λειότητος καὶ συνθέσεως ἐμμελοῦς: and Quintil. x. 1. 52 “raro assurgit Hesiodus, magnaque pars eius in nominibus est occupata; tamen utiles circa praecepta sententiae levitasque verborum et compositionis probabilis, daturque ei palma in illo medio genere dicendi.”—Inde Demosth.c. 40 Hesiod, Sappho, Anacreon, and Isocrates are (as here) considered to be examples of the ἁρμονία γλαφυρά.17.Simonidesis thus characterized inde Imitat.B. vi. 2: Σιμωνίδου δὲ παρατήρει τὴν ἐκλογὴν τῶν ὀνομάτων, τῆς συνθέσεως τὴν ἀκρίβειαν· πρὸς τούτοις, καθ’ ὃ βελτίων εὑρίσκεται καὶ Πινδάρου, τὸ οἰκτίζεσθαι μὴ μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἀλλὰ παθητικῶς. TheDanaë(quoted in c. 26) will illustrate the concluding clause of this estimate.18.Euripides:cp. Aristot.Rhet.iii. 2 κλέπτεται δ’ εὖ, ἐάν τις ἐκ τῆς εἰωθυίας διαλέκτου ἐκλέγων συντιθῇ· ὅπερ Εὐριπίδης ποιεῖ καὶ ὑπέδειξε πρῶτος, and Long.de Subl.c. xl. διότι τῆς συνθέσεως ποιητὴς ὁ Εὐριπίδης μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἢ τοῦ νοῦ.19. With respect toEphorusthe opinions of Diodorus and of Suidas are somewhat at variance: (1) Diodorus Sic. v. 1 Ἔφορος δὲ τὰς κοινὰς πράξεις ἀναγράφων οὐ μόνον κατὰ τὴν λέξιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἐπιτέτευχεν, (2) Suidas ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἔφορος ἦν τὸ ἦθος ἁπλοῦς, τὴν δὲ ἑρμηνείαν τῆς ἱστορίας ὕπτιος καὶ νωθρὸς καὶ μηδεμίαν ἔχων ἐπίτασιν.Theopompus:cp. an article, by the present writer, in theClassical Reviewxxii. 118 ff. on “Theopompus in the Greek Literary Critics: with special reference to the newly discovered Greek historian (Grenfell & HuntOxyrhynchus Papyripart v. pp. 110-242).” Reference may also be made to D.H. pp. 18, 96, 120-6, etc. Gibbon (Decline and Fallc. 53) classes Theopompus in high company: “we must envy the generation that could still peruse the history of Theopompus, the orations of Hyperides, the comedies of Menander, and the odes of Alcaeus and Sappho.”20.Isokrates: see D.H. pp. 18, 20-22, 41, etc., and Demetr. pp. 8-11, 47, etc.
1 χρήσεται P 2 ῥυθμοῖς EFM: ῥυθμῶν PV || μεγίστοις EF: μηκίστοις PMV 3 καὶ om. P 4 ἂν EF: om. PMV 6 ταύτας EV: ταῦτα F: τας αυτας P, M 7 φανεροὺς F 8 ὅσοις F: ὅσοις ἢ PMV || πῖνος PV: τὸ πῖνος M: τόνος F 9 πρόσεστιν PMV: πάρεστιν F || κολακικοῖς FPM: μαλακοῖς V: θεατρικοῖς E 11 δὲ καὶ F: δὲ PMV 12 τῆς προτέρας EFM: τῆι προτέρα P, V || καὶ κυριώτατα FM: om. PV 14 ταύτη F: αυτῆι P, MV 15 ἔμοιγε EF: ἔγωγε PMV || κάλλιστα EFP: κάλλιστα νομίζω M: μάλιστα νομίζω V 16 δοκεῖ EFP: om. MV 17 μετ’ αὐτὴν EF: μετὰ ταύτην PMV 20 ταύτης EF: ταῦτα PMV
6.ἐκ περιόπτου, ‘ex edito loco,’ ‘undique.’
16-20. The list that follows may seem somewhat ill-assorted if it be not remembered that the point of contact between the authors mentioned is simply smoothness of word-arrangement.—ForHesiodcp.de Imitat.B. vi. 2 Ἡσίοδος μὲν γὰρ ἐφρόντισεν ἡδονῆς δι’ ὀνομάτων λειότητος καὶ συνθέσεως ἐμμελοῦς: and Quintil. x. 1. 52 “raro assurgit Hesiodus, magnaque pars eius in nominibus est occupata; tamen utiles circa praecepta sententiae levitasque verborum et compositionis probabilis, daturque ei palma in illo medio genere dicendi.”—Inde Demosth.c. 40 Hesiod, Sappho, Anacreon, and Isocrates are (as here) considered to be examples of the ἁρμονία γλαφυρά.
17.Simonidesis thus characterized inde Imitat.B. vi. 2: Σιμωνίδου δὲ παρατήρει τὴν ἐκλογὴν τῶν ὀνομάτων, τῆς συνθέσεως τὴν ἀκρίβειαν· πρὸς τούτοις, καθ’ ὃ βελτίων εὑρίσκεται καὶ Πινδάρου, τὸ οἰκτίζεσθαι μὴ μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἀλλὰ παθητικῶς. TheDanaë(quoted in c. 26) will illustrate the concluding clause of this estimate.
18.Euripides:cp. Aristot.Rhet.iii. 2 κλέπτεται δ’ εὖ, ἐάν τις ἐκ τῆς εἰωθυίας διαλέκτου ἐκλέγων συντιθῇ· ὅπερ Εὐριπίδης ποιεῖ καὶ ὑπέδειξε πρῶτος, and Long.de Subl.c. xl. διότι τῆς συνθέσεως ποιητὴς ὁ Εὐριπίδης μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἢ τοῦ νοῦ.
19. With respect toEphorusthe opinions of Diodorus and of Suidas are somewhat at variance: (1) Diodorus Sic. v. 1 Ἔφορος δὲ τὰς κοινὰς πράξεις ἀναγράφων οὐ μόνον κατὰ τὴν λέξιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἐπιτέτευχεν, (2) Suidas ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἔφορος ἦν τὸ ἦθος ἁπλοῦς, τὴν δὲ ἑρμηνείαν τῆς ἱστορίας ὕπτιος καὶ νωθρὸς καὶ μηδεμίαν ἔχων ἐπίτασιν.
Theopompus:cp. an article, by the present writer, in theClassical Reviewxxii. 118 ff. on “Theopompus in the Greek Literary Critics: with special reference to the newly discovered Greek historian (Grenfell & HuntOxyrhynchus Papyripart v. pp. 110-242).” Reference may also be made to D.H. pp. 18, 96, 120-6, etc. Gibbon (Decline and Fallc. 53) classes Theopompus in high company: “we must envy the generation that could still peruse the history of Theopompus, the orations of Hyperides, the comedies of Menander, and the odes of Alcaeus and Sappho.”
20.Isokrates: see D.H. pp. 18, 20-22, 41, etc., and Demetr. pp. 8-11, 47, etc.
Ποικιλόθρον’, ἀθάνατ’ Ἀφροδίτα,παῖ Δίος, δολόπλοκε, λίσσομαί σε,μή μ’ ἄσαισι μηδ’ ὀνίαισι δάμνα,πότνια, θῦμον·ἀλλὰ τυῖδ’ ἔλθ’, αἴ ποτα κἀτέρωτα 5τᾶς ἔμας αὔδως ἀίοισα πήλυιἔκλυες, πάτρος δὲ δόμον λίποισαχρύσιον ἦλθεςἄρμ’ ὐπασδεύξαισα. κάλοι δέ σ’ ἆγονὠκέες στροῦθοι περὶ γᾶς μελαίνας 10πύκνα διννῆντες πτέρ’ ἀπ’ ὠράνω αἴθε-ρος διὰ μέσσω.αἶψα δ’ ἐξίκοντο· τὺ δ’, ὦ μάκαιρα,μειδιάσαισ’ ἀθανάτῳ προσώπῳ,ἤρε’, ὄττι δηὖτε πέπονθα κὤττι 15δηὖτε κάλημι·κὤττι ἔμῳ μάλιστα θέλω γένεσθαιμαινόλᾳ θύμῳ· τίνα δηὖτε πείθωμαῖς ἄγην ἐς σὰν φιλότατα, τίς σ’, ὦΨάπφ’, ἀδικήει; 20καὶ γὰρ αἰ φεύγει, ταχέως διώξει,αἰ δὲ δῶρα μὴ δέκετ’, ἀλλὰ δώσει,αἰ δὲ μὴ φίλει, ταχέως φιλήσεικωὐκ ἐθέλοισα.[239]Rainbow-throned immortal one, Aphrodite,Child of Zeus, spell-weaver, I bow before thee—Harrow not my spirit with anguish, mightyQueen, I implore thee!Nay, come hither, even as once thou, bendingDown from far to hearken my cry, didst hear me,From thy Father’s palace of gold descendingDrewest anear meChariot-wafted: far over midnight-sleepingEarth, thy fair fleet sparrows, through cloudland rivenWide by multitudinous wings, came sweepingDown from thine heaven,Swiftly came: thou, smiling with those undyingLips and star-eyes, Blessed One, smiling me-ward,Said’st, “What ails thee?—wherefore uprose thy cryingCalling me thee-ward?Say for what boon most with a frenzied longingYearns thy soul—say whom shall my glamour chainingHale thy love’s thrall, Sappho—and who is wrongingThee with disdaining?Who avoids thee soon shall be thy pursuer:Aye, the gift-rejecter the giver shall now be:Aye, the loveless now shall become the wooer,Scornful shalt thou be!”
Ποικιλόθρον’, ἀθάνατ’ Ἀφροδίτα,παῖ Δίος, δολόπλοκε, λίσσομαί σε,μή μ’ ἄσαισι μηδ’ ὀνίαισι δάμνα,πότνια, θῦμον·ἀλλὰ τυῖδ’ ἔλθ’, αἴ ποτα κἀτέρωτα 5τᾶς ἔμας αὔδως ἀίοισα πήλυιἔκλυες, πάτρος δὲ δόμον λίποισαχρύσιον ἦλθεςἄρμ’ ὐπασδεύξαισα. κάλοι δέ σ’ ἆγονὠκέες στροῦθοι περὶ γᾶς μελαίνας 10πύκνα διννῆντες πτέρ’ ἀπ’ ὠράνω αἴθε-ρος διὰ μέσσω.αἶψα δ’ ἐξίκοντο· τὺ δ’, ὦ μάκαιρα,μειδιάσαισ’ ἀθανάτῳ προσώπῳ,ἤρε’, ὄττι δηὖτε πέπονθα κὤττι 15δηὖτε κάλημι·κὤττι ἔμῳ μάλιστα θέλω γένεσθαιμαινόλᾳ θύμῳ· τίνα δηὖτε πείθωμαῖς ἄγην ἐς σὰν φιλότατα, τίς σ’, ὦΨάπφ’, ἀδικήει; 20καὶ γὰρ αἰ φεύγει, ταχέως διώξει,αἰ δὲ δῶρα μὴ δέκετ’, ἀλλὰ δώσει,αἰ δὲ μὴ φίλει, ταχέως φιλήσεικωὐκ ἐθέλοισα.
Ποικιλόθρον’, ἀθάνατ’ Ἀφροδίτα,παῖ Δίος, δολόπλοκε, λίσσομαί σε,μή μ’ ἄσαισι μηδ’ ὀνίαισι δάμνα,πότνια, θῦμον·ἀλλὰ τυῖδ’ ἔλθ’, αἴ ποτα κἀτέρωτα 5τᾶς ἔμας αὔδως ἀίοισα πήλυιἔκλυες, πάτρος δὲ δόμον λίποισαχρύσιον ἦλθεςἄρμ’ ὐπασδεύξαισα. κάλοι δέ σ’ ἆγονὠκέες στροῦθοι περὶ γᾶς μελαίνας 10πύκνα διννῆντες πτέρ’ ἀπ’ ὠράνω αἴθε-ρος διὰ μέσσω.αἶψα δ’ ἐξίκοντο· τὺ δ’, ὦ μάκαιρα,μειδιάσαισ’ ἀθανάτῳ προσώπῳ,ἤρε’, ὄττι δηὖτε πέπονθα κὤττι 15δηὖτε κάλημι·κὤττι ἔμῳ μάλιστα θέλω γένεσθαιμαινόλᾳ θύμῳ· τίνα δηὖτε πείθωμαῖς ἄγην ἐς σὰν φιλότατα, τίς σ’, ὦΨάπφ’, ἀδικήει; 20καὶ γὰρ αἰ φεύγει, ταχέως διώξει,αἰ δὲ δῶρα μὴ δέκετ’, ἀλλὰ δώσει,αἰ δὲ μὴ φίλει, ταχέως φιλήσεικωὐκ ἐθέλοισα.
[239]Rainbow-throned immortal one, Aphrodite,Child of Zeus, spell-weaver, I bow before thee—Harrow not my spirit with anguish, mightyQueen, I implore thee!Nay, come hither, even as once thou, bendingDown from far to hearken my cry, didst hear me,From thy Father’s palace of gold descendingDrewest anear meChariot-wafted: far over midnight-sleepingEarth, thy fair fleet sparrows, through cloudland rivenWide by multitudinous wings, came sweepingDown from thine heaven,Swiftly came: thou, smiling with those undyingLips and star-eyes, Blessed One, smiling me-ward,Said’st, “What ails thee?—wherefore uprose thy cryingCalling me thee-ward?Say for what boon most with a frenzied longingYearns thy soul—say whom shall my glamour chainingHale thy love’s thrall, Sappho—and who is wrongingThee with disdaining?Who avoids thee soon shall be thy pursuer:Aye, the gift-rejecter the giver shall now be:Aye, the loveless now shall become the wooer,Scornful shalt thou be!”
[239]
Rainbow-throned immortal one, Aphrodite,Child of Zeus, spell-weaver, I bow before thee—Harrow not my spirit with anguish, mightyQueen, I implore thee!Nay, come hither, even as once thou, bendingDown from far to hearken my cry, didst hear me,From thy Father’s palace of gold descendingDrewest anear meChariot-wafted: far over midnight-sleepingEarth, thy fair fleet sparrows, through cloudland rivenWide by multitudinous wings, came sweepingDown from thine heaven,Swiftly came: thou, smiling with those undyingLips and star-eyes, Blessed One, smiling me-ward,Said’st, “What ails thee?—wherefore uprose thy cryingCalling me thee-ward?Say for what boon most with a frenzied longingYearns thy soul—say whom shall my glamour chainingHale thy love’s thrall, Sappho—and who is wrongingThee with disdaining?Who avoids thee soon shall be thy pursuer:Aye, the gift-rejecter the giver shall now be:Aye, the loveless now shall become the wooer,Scornful shalt thou be!”
2 διὸς δολοπλόκε FP 4 θυμὸν FP 5 τυδ’ ἐλθε ποκα κατ ἔρωτα P: τὺ δ’ ὲ|||λ’|||θε||| ποτὲ κατ’ έρωτα F 6 ἀΐοισ ἀπόλυ P 8 χρύσειον FP 9 ἀρμύ πᾶσδευξαισα F: ἁρμα ὑποζεύξασα P 10 γ(ας) P: τὰς F 11 διννῆν τεσ F: δινῆντες P || πτερα· πτωρανω θερος F: πτὲρ’ ἀπ’ ὠρανὼ· θέρο σ P 12 διαμέσω F: δ’ άμεσ πω P 13 αἶψαδ’ F: ἀῖψ’ ἄλλ’ P || τὺ δ’ ὦ μάκαιρα P: συ δῶμα καιρα F 14 ἀθανάτω προσώπω FP sine iota (item vv. 17, 18 F) 15 ἤρε’ ὅττι δ ῆυ (ἦν E) τὸ P, E 16 δ’ ηυτε καλημμι P: δευρο καλλημμι F 17 κωττε μω F: κ’ όττ’ ἐμῶι P 18 μαινολαθυμῶι P: λαιθυμω F || δηϋτε πειθω F: δ’ ἐυτεπεί θω P 19 μαι (βαι corr.) σαγηνεσσαν P: καὶ σαγήνεσσαν FE: μαῖς Bergkius 20 ἀδικήει Gaisfordius ex Etym. Magn. 485. 41: τισ σωψαπφα δίκη· P: τισ ω ψαπφα δίκησ· F 24 κωϋ κεθέλουσα F: κ’ ώυ κ’ ἐθέλοισ, P1. To Dionysius here, and to thede Sublimitatec. x., we owe the preservation of the two most considerable extant fragments ofSappho’spoetry. TheOde to Anactoriais quoted by ‘Longinus’ as a picture of παθῶν σύνοδος: it is imitated in Catullus li.Ad Lesbiam(“Ille mi par esse deo videtur”). TheHymn to Aphroditehas been rendered repeatedly into English: some eight versions are printed in H. T. Wharton’sSapphopp. 51-64. Two recent English translations are of special interest: (1) that of the late Dr. Walter Headlam—immatura eheu morte praerepti—in hisBook of Greek Versepp. 6-9; (2) that of Dr. Arthur Way, which is printed in the present volume. Dr. Way has, it will be observed, succeeded in maintaining a double rhyme throughout.24. “Bloomfeld’s ἐθέλοισαν was strenuously defended by WelckerRM11. 266, who held that the subject of φιλήσει was a man. NoMS.whose readings were known before 1892 settled the dispute. Now Piccolomini’sVLshow ἐθέλουσα (Hermes27),” Weir SmythGreek Lyric Poetsp. 233. Notes on the entire ode will be found in Weir Smythop. cit.pp. 230-3, and in G. S. Farnell’sGreek Lyric Poetrypp. 327-9, and a few also in W. G. Headlam’sBook of Greek Versepp. 265-7.
2 διὸς δολοπλόκε FP 4 θυμὸν FP 5 τυδ’ ἐλθε ποκα κατ ἔρωτα P: τὺ δ’ ὲ|||λ’|||θε||| ποτὲ κατ’ έρωτα F 6 ἀΐοισ ἀπόλυ P 8 χρύσειον FP 9 ἀρμύ πᾶσδευξαισα F: ἁρμα ὑποζεύξασα P 10 γ(ας) P: τὰς F 11 διννῆν τεσ F: δινῆντες P || πτερα· πτωρανω θερος F: πτὲρ’ ἀπ’ ὠρανὼ· θέρο σ P 12 διαμέσω F: δ’ άμεσ πω P 13 αἶψαδ’ F: ἀῖψ’ ἄλλ’ P || τὺ δ’ ὦ μάκαιρα P: συ δῶμα καιρα F 14 ἀθανάτω προσώπω FP sine iota (item vv. 17, 18 F) 15 ἤρε’ ὅττι δ ῆυ (ἦν E) τὸ P, E 16 δ’ ηυτε καλημμι P: δευρο καλλημμι F 17 κωττε μω F: κ’ όττ’ ἐμῶι P 18 μαινολαθυμῶι P: λαιθυμω F || δηϋτε πειθω F: δ’ ἐυτεπεί θω P 19 μαι (βαι corr.) σαγηνεσσαν P: καὶ σαγήνεσσαν FE: μαῖς Bergkius 20 ἀδικήει Gaisfordius ex Etym. Magn. 485. 41: τισ σωψαπφα δίκη· P: τισ ω ψαπφα δίκησ· F 24 κωϋ κεθέλουσα F: κ’ ώυ κ’ ἐθέλοισ, P
1. To Dionysius here, and to thede Sublimitatec. x., we owe the preservation of the two most considerable extant fragments ofSappho’spoetry. TheOde to Anactoriais quoted by ‘Longinus’ as a picture of παθῶν σύνοδος: it is imitated in Catullus li.Ad Lesbiam(“Ille mi par esse deo videtur”). TheHymn to Aphroditehas been rendered repeatedly into English: some eight versions are printed in H. T. Wharton’sSapphopp. 51-64. Two recent English translations are of special interest: (1) that of the late Dr. Walter Headlam—immatura eheu morte praerepti—in hisBook of Greek Versepp. 6-9; (2) that of Dr. Arthur Way, which is printed in the present volume. Dr. Way has, it will be observed, succeeded in maintaining a double rhyme throughout.
24. “Bloomfeld’s ἐθέλοισαν was strenuously defended by WelckerRM11. 266, who held that the subject of φιλήσει was a man. NoMS.whose readings were known before 1892 settled the dispute. Now Piccolomini’sVLshow ἐθέλουσα (Hermes27),” Weir SmythGreek Lyric Poetsp. 233. Notes on the entire ode will be found in Weir Smythop. cit.pp. 230-3, and in G. S. Farnell’sGreek Lyric Poetrypp. 327-9, and a few also in W. G. Headlam’sBook of Greek Versepp. 265-7.
ἔλθε μοι καὶ νῦν, χαλεπᾶν δὲ λῦσονἐκ μεριμνᾶν, ὄσσα δέ μοι τέλεσσαιθῦμος ἰμμέρρει, τέλεσον· σὺ δ’ αὔτασύμμαχος ἔσσο.ταύτης τῆς λέξεως ἡ εὐέπεια καὶ ἡ χάρις ἐν τῇ συνεχείᾳ καὶ 5λειότητι γέγονε τῶν ἁρμονιῶν· παράκειται γὰρ ἀλλήλοις τὰὀνόματα καὶ συνύφανται κατὰ τινας οἰκειότητας καὶ συζυγίαςφυσικὰς τῶν γραμμάτων· τὰ γὰρ φωνήεντα τοῖς ἀφώνοις τεκαὶ ἡμιφώνοις συνάπτεται μικροῦ διὰ πάσης τῆς ᾠδῆς, ὅσαπροτάττεσθαί τε καὶ ὑποτάττεσθαι πέφυκεν ἀλλήλοις κατὰ 10μίαν συλλαβὴν συνεκφερόμενα· ἡμιφώνων δὲ πρὸς ἡμίφωνα ἢἄφωνα ‹καὶ ἀφώνων› καὶ φωνηέντων πρὸς ἄλληλα συμπτώσειςαἱ διασαλεύουσαι τοὺς ἤχους ὀλίγαι πάνυ ἔνεισιν· ἐγὼγοῦν ὅλην τὴν ᾠδὴν ἀνασκοπούμενος πέντε ἢ ἓξ ἴσως ἐν τοῖςτοσούτοις ὀνόμασι καὶ ῥήμασι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις μορίοις ἡμιφώνων 15τε καὶ ἀφώνων γραμμάτων συμπλοκὰς τῶν μὴ πεφυκότωνἀλλήλοις κεράννυσθαι καὶ οὐδὲ ταύτας ἐπὶ πολὺ τραχυνούσαςτὴν εὐέπειαν εὑρίσκω, φωνηέντων δὲ παραθέσεις τὰς μὲν ἐντοῖς κώλοις αὐτοῖς γινομένας ἔτι ἐλάττους ἢ τοσαύτας, τὰς δὲσυναπτούσας ἀλλήλοις τὰ κῶλα ὀλίγῳ τινὶ τούτων πλείονας. 20εἰκότως δὴ γέγονεν εὔρους τις ἡ λέξις καὶ μαλακή, τῆς ἁρμονίαςτῶν ὀνομάτων μηδὲν ἀποκυματιζούσης τὸν ἦχον.ἔλεγον δ’ ἂν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς συνθέσεως ταύτης ἰδιώματα,καὶ ἀπεδείκνυον ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων τοιαῦτα ὄντα οἷαἐγώ φημι, εἰ μὴ μακρὸς ἔμελλεν ὁ λόγος γενήσεσθαι καὶ 25ταυτολογίας τινὰ παρέξειν δόξαν. ἐξέσται γὰρ σοὶ καὶ παντὶ[241]Once again come! Come, and my chains dissever,Chains of heart-ache! Passionate longings rend me—Oh fulfil them! Thou in the strife be everNear, to defend me.[177]Here the euphonious effect and the grace of the language arise from the coherence and smoothness of the junctures. The words nestle close to one another and are woven together according to certain affinities and natural attractions of the letters. Almost throughout the entire ode vowels are joined to mutes and semi-vowels, all those in fact which are naturally prefixed or affixed to one another when pronounced together in one syllable. There are very few clashings of semi-vowels with semi-vowels or mutes, and of mutes and vowels with one another, such as cause the sound to oscillate. When I review the entire ode, I find, in all those nouns and verbs and other kinds of words, only five or perhaps six unions of semi-vowels and mutes which do not naturally blend with one another, and even they do not disturb the smoothness of the language to any great extent. As for juxtaposition of vowels, I find that those which occur in the clauses themselves are still fewer, while those which join the clauses to one another are only a little more numerous. As a natural consequence the language has a certain easy flow and softness; the arrangement of the words in no way ruffles the smooth waves of sound.I would go on to mention the remaining characteristics of this kind of composition, and would show as before by means of appropriate illustrations that they are such as I say, were it not that my treatise would become too long and would create an impression of needless repetition. It will be open to you, as to
ἔλθε μοι καὶ νῦν, χαλεπᾶν δὲ λῦσονἐκ μεριμνᾶν, ὄσσα δέ μοι τέλεσσαιθῦμος ἰμμέρρει, τέλεσον· σὺ δ’ αὔτασύμμαχος ἔσσο.ταύτης τῆς λέξεως ἡ εὐέπεια καὶ ἡ χάρις ἐν τῇ συνεχείᾳ καὶ 5λειότητι γέγονε τῶν ἁρμονιῶν· παράκειται γὰρ ἀλλήλοις τὰὀνόματα καὶ συνύφανται κατὰ τινας οἰκειότητας καὶ συζυγίαςφυσικὰς τῶν γραμμάτων· τὰ γὰρ φωνήεντα τοῖς ἀφώνοις τεκαὶ ἡμιφώνοις συνάπτεται μικροῦ διὰ πάσης τῆς ᾠδῆς, ὅσαπροτάττεσθαί τε καὶ ὑποτάττεσθαι πέφυκεν ἀλλήλοις κατὰ 10μίαν συλλαβὴν συνεκφερόμενα· ἡμιφώνων δὲ πρὸς ἡμίφωνα ἢἄφωνα ‹καὶ ἀφώνων› καὶ φωνηέντων πρὸς ἄλληλα συμπτώσειςαἱ διασαλεύουσαι τοὺς ἤχους ὀλίγαι πάνυ ἔνεισιν· ἐγὼγοῦν ὅλην τὴν ᾠδὴν ἀνασκοπούμενος πέντε ἢ ἓξ ἴσως ἐν τοῖςτοσούτοις ὀνόμασι καὶ ῥήμασι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις μορίοις ἡμιφώνων 15τε καὶ ἀφώνων γραμμάτων συμπλοκὰς τῶν μὴ πεφυκότωνἀλλήλοις κεράννυσθαι καὶ οὐδὲ ταύτας ἐπὶ πολὺ τραχυνούσαςτὴν εὐέπειαν εὑρίσκω, φωνηέντων δὲ παραθέσεις τὰς μὲν ἐντοῖς κώλοις αὐτοῖς γινομένας ἔτι ἐλάττους ἢ τοσαύτας, τὰς δὲσυναπτούσας ἀλλήλοις τὰ κῶλα ὀλίγῳ τινὶ τούτων πλείονας. 20εἰκότως δὴ γέγονεν εὔρους τις ἡ λέξις καὶ μαλακή, τῆς ἁρμονίαςτῶν ὀνομάτων μηδὲν ἀποκυματιζούσης τὸν ἦχον.ἔλεγον δ’ ἂν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς συνθέσεως ταύτης ἰδιώματα,καὶ ἀπεδείκνυον ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων τοιαῦτα ὄντα οἷαἐγώ φημι, εἰ μὴ μακρὸς ἔμελλεν ὁ λόγος γενήσεσθαι καὶ 25ταυτολογίας τινὰ παρέξειν δόξαν. ἐξέσται γὰρ σοὶ καὶ παντὶ
ἔλθε μοι καὶ νῦν, χαλεπᾶν δὲ λῦσονἐκ μεριμνᾶν, ὄσσα δέ μοι τέλεσσαιθῦμος ἰμμέρρει, τέλεσον· σὺ δ’ αὔτασύμμαχος ἔσσο.
ταύτης τῆς λέξεως ἡ εὐέπεια καὶ ἡ χάρις ἐν τῇ συνεχείᾳ καὶ 5λειότητι γέγονε τῶν ἁρμονιῶν· παράκειται γὰρ ἀλλήλοις τὰὀνόματα καὶ συνύφανται κατὰ τινας οἰκειότητας καὶ συζυγίαςφυσικὰς τῶν γραμμάτων· τὰ γὰρ φωνήεντα τοῖς ἀφώνοις τεκαὶ ἡμιφώνοις συνάπτεται μικροῦ διὰ πάσης τῆς ᾠδῆς, ὅσαπροτάττεσθαί τε καὶ ὑποτάττεσθαι πέφυκεν ἀλλήλοις κατὰ 10μίαν συλλαβὴν συνεκφερόμενα· ἡμιφώνων δὲ πρὸς ἡμίφωνα ἢἄφωνα ‹καὶ ἀφώνων› καὶ φωνηέντων πρὸς ἄλληλα συμπτώσειςαἱ διασαλεύουσαι τοὺς ἤχους ὀλίγαι πάνυ ἔνεισιν· ἐγὼγοῦν ὅλην τὴν ᾠδὴν ἀνασκοπούμενος πέντε ἢ ἓξ ἴσως ἐν τοῖςτοσούτοις ὀνόμασι καὶ ῥήμασι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις μορίοις ἡμιφώνων 15τε καὶ ἀφώνων γραμμάτων συμπλοκὰς τῶν μὴ πεφυκότωνἀλλήλοις κεράννυσθαι καὶ οὐδὲ ταύτας ἐπὶ πολὺ τραχυνούσαςτὴν εὐέπειαν εὑρίσκω, φωνηέντων δὲ παραθέσεις τὰς μὲν ἐντοῖς κώλοις αὐτοῖς γινομένας ἔτι ἐλάττους ἢ τοσαύτας, τὰς δὲσυναπτούσας ἀλλήλοις τὰ κῶλα ὀλίγῳ τινὶ τούτων πλείονας. 20εἰκότως δὴ γέγονεν εὔρους τις ἡ λέξις καὶ μαλακή, τῆς ἁρμονίαςτῶν ὀνομάτων μηδὲν ἀποκυματιζούσης τὸν ἦχον.ἔλεγον δ’ ἂν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς συνθέσεως ταύτης ἰδιώματα,καὶ ἀπεδείκνυον ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων τοιαῦτα ὄντα οἷαἐγώ φημι, εἰ μὴ μακρὸς ἔμελλεν ὁ λόγος γενήσεσθαι καὶ 25ταυτολογίας τινὰ παρέξειν δόξαν. ἐξέσται γὰρ σοὶ καὶ παντὶ
[241]Once again come! Come, and my chains dissever,Chains of heart-ache! Passionate longings rend me—Oh fulfil them! Thou in the strife be everNear, to defend me.[177]Here the euphonious effect and the grace of the language arise from the coherence and smoothness of the junctures. The words nestle close to one another and are woven together according to certain affinities and natural attractions of the letters. Almost throughout the entire ode vowels are joined to mutes and semi-vowels, all those in fact which are naturally prefixed or affixed to one another when pronounced together in one syllable. There are very few clashings of semi-vowels with semi-vowels or mutes, and of mutes and vowels with one another, such as cause the sound to oscillate. When I review the entire ode, I find, in all those nouns and verbs and other kinds of words, only five or perhaps six unions of semi-vowels and mutes which do not naturally blend with one another, and even they do not disturb the smoothness of the language to any great extent. As for juxtaposition of vowels, I find that those which occur in the clauses themselves are still fewer, while those which join the clauses to one another are only a little more numerous. As a natural consequence the language has a certain easy flow and softness; the arrangement of the words in no way ruffles the smooth waves of sound.I would go on to mention the remaining characteristics of this kind of composition, and would show as before by means of appropriate illustrations that they are such as I say, were it not that my treatise would become too long and would create an impression of needless repetition. It will be open to you, as to
[241]
Once again come! Come, and my chains dissever,Chains of heart-ache! Passionate longings rend me—Oh fulfil them! Thou in the strife be everNear, to defend me.[177]
Here the euphonious effect and the grace of the language arise from the coherence and smoothness of the junctures. The words nestle close to one another and are woven together according to certain affinities and natural attractions of the letters. Almost throughout the entire ode vowels are joined to mutes and semi-vowels, all those in fact which are naturally prefixed or affixed to one another when pronounced together in one syllable. There are very few clashings of semi-vowels with semi-vowels or mutes, and of mutes and vowels with one another, such as cause the sound to oscillate. When I review the entire ode, I find, in all those nouns and verbs and other kinds of words, only five or perhaps six unions of semi-vowels and mutes which do not naturally blend with one another, and even they do not disturb the smoothness of the language to any great extent. As for juxtaposition of vowels, I find that those which occur in the clauses themselves are still fewer, while those which join the clauses to one another are only a little more numerous. As a natural consequence the language has a certain easy flow and softness; the arrangement of the words in no way ruffles the smooth waves of sound.
I would go on to mention the remaining characteristics of this kind of composition, and would show as before by means of appropriate illustrations that they are such as I say, were it not that my treatise would become too long and would create an impression of needless repetition. It will be open to you, as to
3 ϊμαρερερει F: ϊμέρει P 4 ἔσο F: ἔστω compendio F 5 συνεχεία EF: συνεπεία PMV 8 τε καὶ ἡμιφώνους om. EF 9 διὰ πάσης EF: δεῖν δι’ ὅλης PMV 10 πέφυκεν ... συνεκφερόμενα EF: om. PMV 11 συνεκφερόμενα E: συνεκφέρεσθαι F || ἢ ἄφωνα PM: καὶ ἀφώνων FE 13 ἔνεισιν EF: εἰσίν PMV 14 ἐν F: εὗρον ἐν PMV 15 τοσούτοις Sylburgius: τοιούτοις PMV 16 καὶ ἀφώνων F: om. PMV 18 εὑρίσκω MV: εὑρίσκων F: om. P 19 ἔτι] ὅτι F 21 εὔνους τις F 23 δὲ ἂν F 24 ἀπεδείκνυ F 25 ἐιμιμακρ(ῶς) P 26 παρέξειν δόξαν F: δόξαν παρέχειν PMV5. W. G. Headlam (Book of Greek Versep. 265) well says that Dionysius’ comments on the smooth style (especially in relation to Sappho) are worth the attention of those who would gather the effect which Sappho’s language made upon a Greek ear practised in the minute study of expression; and he proceeds: “There is always in the verse of Sappho a directness and unlaboured ease of language, as if every lovely sentence came by nature from the mouth at once; as though she spoke in song, and what she sang were the expression of her very soul, the voice of languorous enjoyment and desire of beauty:My blood was hot wan wine of love,And my song’s sound the sound thereof,The sound of the delight of it.”22. Dionysius shows good judgement in not subjecting Sappho’sHymnto a detailed analysis, letter by letter.24.ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων, ‘in the light of the appropriate examples.’ Cp.1523,23223. The phrase sometimes indicates ‘familiar,’ ‘stock,’ or ‘previous’ examples; cp.de Demosth.c. 40 ἵνα δὲ μὴ δόξωμεν διαρτᾶν τὰς ἀκολουθίας, τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας ἐπὶ τὰ ἐν ἀρχαῖς ῥηθέντα παραδείγματα κελεύοντες ἀναστρέφειν, κτλ.—In2422infra, ‘with illustrations’ (no article in PMV, though F has τῶν).
3 ϊμαρερερει F: ϊμέρει P 4 ἔσο F: ἔστω compendio F 5 συνεχεία EF: συνεπεία PMV 8 τε καὶ ἡμιφώνους om. EF 9 διὰ πάσης EF: δεῖν δι’ ὅλης PMV 10 πέφυκεν ... συνεκφερόμενα EF: om. PMV 11 συνεκφερόμενα E: συνεκφέρεσθαι F || ἢ ἄφωνα PM: καὶ ἀφώνων FE 13 ἔνεισιν EF: εἰσίν PMV 14 ἐν F: εὗρον ἐν PMV 15 τοσούτοις Sylburgius: τοιούτοις PMV 16 καὶ ἀφώνων F: om. PMV 18 εὑρίσκω MV: εὑρίσκων F: om. P 19 ἔτι] ὅτι F 21 εὔνους τις F 23 δὲ ἂν F 24 ἀπεδείκνυ F 25 ἐιμιμακρ(ῶς) P 26 παρέξειν δόξαν F: δόξαν παρέχειν PMV
5. W. G. Headlam (Book of Greek Versep. 265) well says that Dionysius’ comments on the smooth style (especially in relation to Sappho) are worth the attention of those who would gather the effect which Sappho’s language made upon a Greek ear practised in the minute study of expression; and he proceeds: “There is always in the verse of Sappho a directness and unlaboured ease of language, as if every lovely sentence came by nature from the mouth at once; as though she spoke in song, and what she sang were the expression of her very soul, the voice of languorous enjoyment and desire of beauty:
My blood was hot wan wine of love,And my song’s sound the sound thereof,The sound of the delight of it.”
22. Dionysius shows good judgement in not subjecting Sappho’sHymnto a detailed analysis, letter by letter.
24.ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων, ‘in the light of the appropriate examples.’ Cp.1523,23223. The phrase sometimes indicates ‘familiar,’ ‘stock,’ or ‘previous’ examples; cp.de Demosth.c. 40 ἵνα δὲ μὴ δόξωμεν διαρτᾶν τὰς ἀκολουθίας, τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας ἐπὶ τὰ ἐν ἀρχαῖς ῥηθέντα παραδείγματα κελεύοντες ἀναστρέφειν, κτλ.—In2422infra, ‘with illustrations’ (no article in PMV, though F has τῶν).