The Ups & Downs of Love

Two epigrams by Rufinus from the Greek Anthology

5.21

Didn’t I say, Prodica, “we will grow old?”
Didn’t I say beforehand “love will unravel fast?”
And now, wrinkles, grey hair, sagging skin,
And a mouth no longer graceful like before.
Uppity woman, does anyone approach you?
Or flatter you and seek your favor?
No—nowadays we go right by you,
Just as we do a grave.

5.66

As chance would have it
I saw Prodica alone,
And so I went to her as one in need.
Clasping her ambrosial knees,
I said, “save a man an inch away from death!
Restore the breath of life that’s slipping from me!”
She wept when I said this.
But as she wiped away her tears
with delicate hands she showed me the door.

5.21

οὐκ ἔλεγον, Προδίκη, ‘Γηράσκομεν ;’ οὐ προεφώνουν
‘ ἥξουσιν ταχέως αἱ διαλυσίφιλοι ;’
νῦν ῥυτίδες καὶ θρὶξ πολιὴ καὶ σῶμα ῥακῶδες,
καὶ στόμα τὰς προτέρας οὐκέτ᾽ ἔχον χάριτας.
μή τις σοι, μετέωρε, προσέρχεται, ἢ κολακεύων
λίσσεται; ὡς δὲ τάφον νῦν σε παρερχόμεθα.

5.66

εὐκαίρως μονάσασαν ἰδὼν Προδίκην ἱκέτευον,
καὶ τῶν ἀμβροσίων ἁψάμενος γονάτων,
‘ σῶσον,’ ἔφην,
‘ἄνθρωπον ἀπολλύμενον παρὰ μικρόν
καὶ φεῦγον ζωῆς πνεῦμα σύ μοι χάρισαι.’
ταῦτα λέγοντος ἔκλαυσεν ἀποψήσασα δὲ δάκρυ,
ταῖς τρυφεραῖς ἡμᾶς χερσὶν ὑπεξέβαλεν.

Larry Benn has a B.A. in English Literature from Harvard College, an M.Phil in English Literature from Oxford University, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. Making amends for a working life misspent in finance, he’s now a hobbyist in ancient languages and blogs at featsofgreek.blogspot.com.