These short poems are structured as wishes, and each is creepy in its own way.
The two taken from Campbell’s edition of anonymous Greek songs are presumed to be sympotic drinking songs (scolia), and the final poem is an Hellenistic epigram.
Campbell 889
If only we could know what manner of man
each man was–by opening his chest,
seeing his heart, then sealing it up again–
We would know a dear man by his honest heart.
Campbell 900
If only I were a fine lyre made of ivory
and pretty boys carried me
in the Dionysian chorus.
Greek Anthology 5.83
If only I were the wind
and you, walking in the sun with breasts exposed,
could feel my gusts.
Campbell 889
εἴθ᾿ ἐξῆν ὁποῖός τις ἦν ἕκαστος
τὸ στῆθος διελόντ᾿, ἔπειτα τὸν νοῦν
ἐσιδόντα, κλείσαντα πάλιν,
ἄνδρα φίλον νομίζειν ἀδόλῳ φρενί.
Campbell 900
εἴθε λύρα καλὴ γενοίμην ἐλεφαντίνη
καί με καλοὶ παῖδες φέροιεν Διονύσιον ἐς χορόν.
Greek Anthology 5.83
εἴθ᾽ ἄνεμος γενόμην, σὺ δ᾽ ἐπιστείχουσα παρ᾽ ἀυγὰς
στήθεα γυμνώσαις, καί με πνέοντα λάβοις.
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.
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