Select Epigrams from the Greek Anthology Part 19

Sit beneath the poplars here, traveller, when thou art weary, and drawing nigh drink of our spring; and even far away remember the fountain that Simus sets by the side of Gillus his dead child.

x.x.x ON THE CHILDREN OF NICANDER AND LYSIDICE AUTHOR UNKNOWN

This is the single tomb of Nicander's children; the light of a single morning ended the sacred offspring of Lysidice.

x.x.xI ON A BABY AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Me a baby that was just tasting life heaven s.n.a.t.c.hed away, I know not whether for good or for evil; insatiable Death, why hast thou s.n.a.t.c.hed me cruelly in infancy? why hurriest thou? Are we not all thine in the end?

x.x.xII ON A CHILD OF FIVE LUCIAN

Me Callimachus, a five-years-old child whose spirit knew not grief, pitiless Death s.n.a.t.c.hed away; but weep thou not for me; for little was my share in life, and little in life's ills.

x.x.xIII ON A CHILD OF SEVEN AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Hermes messenger of Persephone, whom usherest thou thus to the laughterless abyss of Death? what hard fate s.n.a.t.c.hed Ariston from the fresh air at seven years old? and the child stands between his parents. Pluto delighting in tears, are not all mortal spirits allotted to thee? why gatherest thou the unripe grapes of youth?

x.x.xIV ON A BOY OF TWELVE CALLIMACHUS

Philip the father laid here the twelve-years-old child, his high hope, Nicoteles.

x.x.xV ON CLEOETES AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Looking on the monument of a dead boy, Cleoetes son of Menesaechmus, pity him who was beautiful and died.

x.x.xVI ON A BEAUTIFUL BOY AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Not death is bitter, since that is the fate of all, but to die ere the time and before our parents: I having seen not marriage nor wedding- chant nor bridal bed, lie here the love of many, and to be the love of more.

x.x.xVII ON A BOY OF NINETEEN AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Bidding hail to me, Diogenes beneath the earth, go about thy business and obtain thy desire; for at nineteen years old I was laid low by cruel sickness and leave the sweet sun.

x.x.xVIII ON A SON, BY HIS MOTHER DIOTIMUS

What profits it to labour in childbirth? what to bear children? let not her bear who must see her child's death: for to stripling Bianor his mother reared the tomb; but it was fitting that the mother should obtain this service of the son.

x.x.xIX ON A GIRL CALLIMACHUS

The daughters of the Samians often require Crethis the teller of tales, who knew pretty games, sweetest of workfellows, ever talking; but she sleeps here the sleep to which they all must come.

XL ON A BETROTHED GIRL ERINNA

I am of Baucis the bride; and pa.s.sing by my oft-wept pillar thou mayest say this to Death that dwells under ground, "Thou art envious, O Death"; and the coloured monument tells to him who sees it the most bitter fortune of Bauco, how her father-in-law burned the girl on the funeral pyre with those torches by whose light the marriage train was to be led home; and thou, O Hymenaeus, didst change the tuneable bridal song into a voice of wailing dirges.

XLI ON THE SAME ANTIPATER OF THESSALONICA

Ausonian earth holds me a woman of Libya, and I lie a maiden here by the sea-sand near Rome; and Pompeia, who nurtured me like a daughter, wept over me and laid me in a free tomb, while hastening on that other torch-fire for me; but this one came first, and contrary to our prayers Persephone lit the lamp.

XLII ON A SINGING-GIRL AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Blue-eyed Musa, the sweet-voiced nightingale, suddenly this little grave holds voiceless, and she lies like a stone who was so accomplished and so famous; fair Musa, be this dust light over thee.

XLIII ON CLAUDIA h.o.m.oNOEA AUTHOR UNKNOWN

I h.o.m.onoea, who was far clearer-voiced than the Sirens, I who was more golden than the Cyprian herself at revellings and feasts, I the chattering bright swallow lie here, leaving tears to Atimetus, to whom I was dear from girlhood; but unforeseen fate scattered all that great affection.

XLIV ON PAULA OF TARENTUM DIODORUS OF SARDIS

Bear witness this my stone house of night that has hidden me, and the wail-circled water of Cocytus, my husband did not, as men say, kill me, looking eagerly to marriage with another; why should Rufinius have an ill name idly? but my predestined Fates lead me away; not surely is Paula of Tarentum the only one who has died before her day.

XLV ON A MOTHER, DEAD IN CHILDBIRTH DIODORUS OF SARDIS

These woeful letters of Diodorus' wisdom tell that I was engraven for one early dead in child-birth, since she perished in bearing a boy; and I weep to hold Athenas the comely daughter of Melo, who left grief to the women of Lesbos and her father Jason; but thou, O Artemis, wert busy with thy beast-slaying hounds.

XLVI ON A MOTHER OF EIGHTEEN, AND HER BABY AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Name me Polyxena wife of Archelaus, child of Theodectes and hapless Demarete, and a mother as far as the birth-pangs; but fate overtook the child before full twenty suns, and myself died at eighteen years, just a mother and just a bride, so brief was all my day.

XLVII ON A YOUNG WIFE AUTHOR UNKNOWN

To his wife Paulina, holy of life and blameless, who died at nineteen years, Andronicus the physician paying memorial placed this witness the last of all.

XLVIII ON ATTHIS OF CNIDOS AUTHOR UNKNOWN

Atthis who didst live for me and breathe thy last toward me, source of joyfulness formerly as now of tears, holy, much lamented, how sleepest thou the mournful sleep, thou whose head was never laid away from thy husband's breast, leaving Theius alone as one who is no more; for with thee the hopes of our life went to darkness.

XLIX ON PREXO, WIFE OF THEOCRITUS OF SAMOS LEONIDAS OF TARENTUM