289 292
289
it thinks it might encounter the beauteous one; once it sees
him and he channels the himeros into it, the obstructed pores
are opened and once it breathes easy, its prickling and suffering
abate and at that point, it enjoys this ever so sweet pleasure.
HOMERIC HYMN TO HERMES
(while PHOEBUS is listening to
HERMES play the lyre)
420
425
434
447
420
... And Phoebus Apollo laughed for joy; for the sweet
throb of the marvellous music went to his heart, and
a soft longing took hold on his soul as he listened...
... while he played shrilly on his lyre
But Apollo was seized with a longing not to be allayed, and
he opened his mouth and spoke winged words to Hermes...
What skill is this? What song for desperate cares? What way
of song? For verily here are three things to hand all at once
from which to choose, —mirth, and love, and sweet sleep.
And though I am a follower of the Olympian Muses who love
dances and the bright path of song —the full-toned chant
and ravishing thrill of flutes —yet I never cared for any of
those feats of skill at young men’s revels, as I do now for this:
Phoebus Apollo then laughed
all the way with joy, for the adorable sound reached
his heart of the wondrous voice and sweet
longing overtook his soul as he listened
PREAMBLE (EXCERPT II)
It was night and it was the month of May June
September the end of May June September
and we were under the trees called “pines”
and it was late and the heat had started up
but there may have been some coolness that
night maybe there was a breeze and people
were passing up front and there were people
nearby eating and chatting and drinking and
talking and laughing and perhaps there were
others like us among the people confessing
but we weren’t looking at the people we knew
we were accompanied we knew we were not
alone and knowing this we stared straight
ahead at nothing at the point when the words
were about to be said we only ever looked at
the shadows inbetween the pines inbetween
the loaded branches in the night loaded with
shadows that were claiming our gaze. You
turn and look at me in the eyes for the first
time in tonight’s meeting you look at me in
the eyes and you say. You look at me in the
eyes and a wave of warmth starts moving up
from the feet a wave of warmth starts mov-
ing down from the eyes. The same wave and
without deciding to without thinking I lean
across the table my heart beating loudly al-
though I am embarrassed I lean and give you
a quick peck of a kiss.
LONGUS 1.14.4. (DAPHNIS AND CHLOE)
“Τίς τὴν λάλον ἀκρĩδα θεραπεύσει, ἣν πολλά
καμοῡσα ἐθηρασα, ἳνα με κατακοιμίζῃ
φθεγγομένη πρὸ τοῡ ἂνδου; νῡν δὲ ἐγὼ μὲν
ἀγρυπνῶ, διὰ Δάφνιν, ἡ δε μα την λαλεῑ.”
who will look after the voluble cicada
that I have so toiled to capture, to put me to
sleep with its signing in front of the cave? now
I lay sleepless on account of Daphnis and it
vain does it sing
ἱμερτός
, ή, όν, (ἱμείρω):
A
. longed for, desired, lovely, “Τιταρήσιος” Il. 2.751;“κίθαρις” h.Merc.510; “ κόμα” Sapph.119, deep
sleep; “λέχος” Pi.P.3.99 bed, mattress.
ἱμερώδης
, ες,= ἱμερόεις, Callistr.Stat.11. ἱμερό-εις , εσσα, εν, (ἵμερος):
A
.
exciting desire, lovely, charming
, in Hom. al-
ways of things, “ἱμερόεντα . . ἔργα γάμοιο” Il.5.429, charming works of marriabge, etc.; ἀοιδή, ἔπεα, Od.1.421, 17.519; ἀγλαὸς
οἶμος ἀοιδῆς καὶ μολπὴ τεθαλυῖα καὶ ἱμερόεις βρόμος αὐλῶν,
Homeric Hymn to Hermes, 451-2, the bright path of song —the
full-toned chant and ravishing thrill of flutes. [βρόμος (A), ὁ A. [select] any loud noise, as the crackling of fire, Il.14.396, Thphr.Fr.165;
roaring of thunder]
ἱμερό-νους
, ουν:
A
.
lovely of soul [why not of mind]
, Orph.H.56.8.
Desired cithara, desired waters, desired crowns, desired sleep, desired bed, desired evils, desired songs, desired
age.