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Declamationes VER ... and the Tritons emerge; and seeing the Nereids like some long-sought prey, some taking one and others another, they dance in varied measures, and the dolphins wish to play. And the swallows—for these birds hate a gloomy air and a hidden sun—now that it barely peeks over the earth, and the air has cast off its clouds, they break their silence—for they were silent when they saw it setting—they dwell among us and pipe fresh melodies of their inborn music, and the nightingales chirp in response. For it seemed so to the myth, and it made them sisters. Both, therefore, say—if I am at all skilled in understanding the voice of birds—that they are Attic maidens and daughters of Pandion. But Tereus was an unjust creature and insolent regarding the guarding of a maiden. He begrudged her even her voice, and did not leave the girl her tongue. But her hands were skilled at mimicking her terrible sufferings. And she writes of the outrage, and though she was silent, it was shown. And the murder of the son of Tereus—the poets call him Itys; whom his mother dismembered, and an unlawful feast was set before an unlawful father, and a divinity changed them into birds—I for my part will be silent, but the birds, seeing it, sing. And a shepherd leads out his flock to pasture "in the season of spring, when milk wets the pails". And his pipe—for winter is an enemy to music and it was hanging—taking this down, he sings of the spring, or perhaps of Pan, the rustic god. And if any lamb has strayed, it recognizes the song and hastens to its companion flock. at a run. And the whole flock, some leap into the air with light bounds, while others slip under their mothers and draw at the teat. And the rams, being full of the spring, rush to the ewes and to a pastoral Aphrodite. And a bull, seeing the grasses and having heard the shepherds' flutes, raising its neck is pleased and has lowed. And you would think you were hearing Homer: "as when a bull goes and comes among the shambling-gaited cows". And that Pan, the lover and rustic god, seeks the maiden Echo, and having her, has her not. Then, begging again to hear her speak, from that, I think, he is both grieved and gladdened. For he has her voice, but nowhere the object of his desire. And Apollo sees the hyacinth and is delighted. The youth was a Laconian and the beloved of the god. But Zephyrus was Apollo's rival, and with the beloved as judge, he was second. And the one repays his defeat with murder, while Earth repays the boy with a plant. Apollo also missed out in his love for Daphne, and though she might flee a lover's pursuit, entering the earth she remained in the tree. And he had a plant, but no longer a maiden. And now he sees it in leaf and tends his love. Narcissus too was almost there. Having beauty, he hunted and casting his dart he conquered, and having conquered, he rejoiced. But a spring, taking him when he was thirsty, with the spectacle of an image offered him to himself for love. And the end of his fruitless desire was for him death and a comely plant. For Fortune, having changed his nature, at least spared his beauty. Now you might see how, it seems, beautiful maidens too with moist p........ and they smile very sweetly with their eyes, as well-robed as can be and baring their arms. And they are happy ... and they sing, as is fitting for a favorable bridal chamber, asking the Erotes, I think, also for a bridegroom. And the roses which the buds show they have plucked from the meadows, and having attached a bond for a necklace, they cover the fragrance in the middle of their breasts. And for Aphrodite's sake, they call upon the beloved name of Adonis, as the beautiful youth and the one desired by Aphrodite. For Adonis was the youth, whether he was beautiful by nature let the myth take care to say, but to Aphrodite he seemed more beautiful, as love created an addition. But Ares—for it is a terrible thing for one who desires to have a rival preferred—was very jealous over the youth. And he was entirely Ares, having acquired love in addition to his nature. And the youth was concerned with hunting parties and wandering after prey. And Aphrodite, often being present with him, both led the dogs and handled the spear. And what nature did not give, desire taught. And once

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Declamationes VER ... καὶ οἱ Τρίτωνες ἀναδύονται· τὰς δὲ Νηρηΐδας ὁρῶντες ὥσπερ τι θήραμα χρόνιον ἄλλην ἄλλοι διαλαβόντες ποικίλα χορεύουσι, καὶ παίζειν οἱ δελφῖνες ἐθέλουσι. αἱ δὲ χελιδόνες τὰ ὄρνεα μισοῦσι γὰρ αὕται σκυθρωπὸν ἀέρα καὶ ἥλιον ἀφανῆνῦν ὅτε μόλις προκύπτει ὴν γῆν, ὁ δὲ ἀὴρ τὰ νέφη ἀπημφιάσατο, τὴν μὲν σιωπὴν διαλύουσινἐσίγων γὰρ ὅτε τοῦτον ἔβλεπον καταδυόμενονἐπιχωριάζουσιν ἡμῖν καὶ μουσικῆς ἐμφύτου νεαρὰ συρίττουσι μέλη, ἀντιφθέγγοντα δὲ τρίζουσιν ἀηδόνες. ἐδόκει γὰρ τῷ μύθῳ καὶ ἀδελφὰς ἐποίει αὐτάς. λέγουσι δ' οὖν ἄμφωεἴ πω ἐγὼ φωνῆς ὀρνίθων ἐπακοῦσαι δεινόςὡς Ἀττικαὶ παρθένοι καὶ παῖδες Πανδίονος. ὁ δὲ Τηρεὺς ὑπῆρχεν ἄδικόν τι χρῆμα καὶ περὶ παρθένου φυλακὴν ὑβριστικόν. ἐφθόνησεν αὐτῇ καὶ φωνῆς, καὶ οὐδὲ γλῶτταν ἀφῆκε τῇ κόρῃ. ἀλλ' ἤστην αὐτῇ χεῖρε δεινὰ μιμεῖσθαι παθήματα. καὶ γράφει τὴν ὕβριν, καὶ σιγώσης ἐδείκνυτο. τοῦ δὲ παιδὸς Τηρέως τὸν φόνονἼτυα αὐτὸν καλοῦσιν οἱ ποιηταί· ὃν διεῖλε μὲν ἡ μήτηρ, προὔκειτο δὲ παρανόμῳ πατρὶ παράνομος εὐωχία, καὶ μετήγαγεν αὐτὰς εἰς ὄρνις ὁ δαίμωνἐγὼ μὲν σιγήσομαι, αἱ δὲ ὄρνιθες ᾄδουσιν ἰδοῦσαι. καὶ ποιμὴν εἰς νομὴν ἐξάγει τὸ ποίμνιον "ὥρῃ ἐν εἰαρινῇ, ὅτε γλάγος ἄγγια δεύει". τὴν δὲ σύριγγα ἐχθρὸς γὰρ ὁ χειμὼν μουσικῇ καὶ ἐκρέματοταύτην δὲ καθελὼν αὐτὸς μὲν ᾄδει τὸ ἔαρ, ἢ Πᾶνα τάχα τὸν νόμιον. κἂν ἀρνίον ᾖ τι πεπλανημένον γνωρίζει τὴν ᾠδὴν καὶ πρὸς τὴν σύννομον ἀγέλην ἐπείγεται. δρόμῳ. ἡ δὲ ἀγέλη πᾶσα, τὰ μὲν σκιρτήμασι κούφοις πρὸς ἀέρα πηδᾷ, τὰ δὲ ὑπέδυ τὰς μητέρας καὶ τὴν θηλὴν ἐπισπᾶται. καὶ οἱ κριοὶ πλήρεις ὄντες τοῦ ἔαρος πρὸς τὰς ὄις ἴανται καὶ Ἀφροδίτην ποιμενικήν. καὶ ταῦρος ὁρῶν τὰς πόας, αὐλῶν τε ποιμενικῶν ᾐσθημένος, ἄρας τὸν αὐχένα ἥδεταί τε καὶ ἐμυκήσατο. καὶ δόξαις ἂν ἀκούειν Ὁμήρου "ὡς δ' ὅτε ταῦρος ἰὼν μετελήλυθε βουσὶν ἕλιξιν". ὁ δὲ Πᾶν ἐκεῖνος, ὁ ἐραστὴς καὶ νόμιος, παρθένον ἐπιζητεῖ τὴν Ἠχώ, καὶ ἔχων οὐκ ἔχει. κεἶτα δεόμενος πάλιν αὐτῆς φθεγγομένης ἀκούειν, ἐκεῖθεν, οἶμαι, ἀνιᾶται καὶ γέγηθεν. φωνὴν γὰρ ἔχει, ἀλλ' οὐδαμοῦ τὸ ποθούμενον. ὁρᾷ δὲ καὶ τὸν ὑάκινθον Ἀπόλλων καὶ γάνυται. Λάκων ὑπῆρχεν ὁ νέος καὶ παιδικὰ τοῦ θεοῦ. ἀντήρα δὲ Ἀπόλλωνι Ζέφυρος, καὶ παρ' ἐρωμένῳ δικάζοντι δεύτερος ἦν. ἀμείβεται δὲ οὗτος μὲν φόνῳ τὴν ἧτταν, ἡ Γῆ δὲ φυτῷ τὸ μειράκιον. διήμαρτε καὶ ∆άφνης Ἀπόλλων ἐρῶν, καὶ δρόμον ἐραστοῦ κἂν φύγῃ, καὶ τὴν γῆν ὑποδῦσα ἐνέμεινε τῷ δένδρῳ. ὁ δὲ φυτὸν εἶχεν, ἀλλ' οὐκέτι παρθένον. καὶ νῦν ὁρᾷ κομῶσαν καὶ θεραπεύει τὸν ἔρωτα. μικροῦ παρῆν καὶ ὁ Νάρκισσος. κάλλος ἔχων ἐθήρα καὶ βαλὼν ἐκράτει καὶ κρατήσας εὐφραίνετο. διψῶντα δὲ λαβοῦσα πηγὴ εἰκόνι θέας αὐτὸν ἑαυτῷ παρεῖχεν εἰς ἔρωτα. ἀνονήτου δὲ πόθου πέρας ἦν αὐτῷ τελευτὴ καὶ φυτὸν εὐπρεπές. μεταβαλοῦσα γὰρ ἡ Τύχη τὴν φύσιν τοῦ γε κάλλους ἐφείσατο. νῦν ἂν ἴδοις ὡς ἄρα δή που καὶ παρθένοι καλαὶ ὑγρῷ π........ καὶ μειδιῶσιν εὖ μάλα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, εὐσταλεῖς ὡς ἔνι καὶ τὰς ὠλένας γυμνούμεναι. εὐδαίμονες δέ εἰσι ... καὶ ᾄδουσιν, ὡς εἰκὸς εὐμενῆ παστάδα, οἶμαι καὶ νυμφίον αἰτοῦσαι τοὺς Ἔρωτας. ῥόδα δὲ ἃ φαίνουσι κάλυκες ἐδρέψαντο μὲν ἐκ λειμώνων αὐτά, δεσμὸν δὲ πρὸς ὅρμον ἁψάμεναι, εἰς μέσα στέρνα τὴν εὐωδίαν καλύπτουσιν. εἰς Ἀφροδίτης δὲ χάριν, ὄνομα προσφιλὲς ἀνακαλοῦσι τὸν Ἄδωνιν, ὡς καλὸν τὸ μειράκιον καὶ Ἀφροδίτῃ ποθούμενον. ἦν γὰρ ὁ Ἄδωνις τὸ μειράκιον, εἰ μὲν φύσει καλὸς μελέτω λέγειν τῷ μύθῳ, Ἀφροδίτῃ δὲ καλλίων ἐδόκει, προσθήκην ἐμποιοῦντος τοῦ ἔρωτος. ὁ δὲ Ἄρηςδεινὸν γὰρ ποθοῦντι προτιμώμενος ἐραστής ἐπί γε τῷ μειρακίῳ πάνυ ζηλωτικός. καὶ ἦν ὅλως Ἄρης, προσλαχὼν τῇ φύσει τὸν ἔρωτα. ἔμελε δὲ τῷ νέῳ ἀμφί τε κυνηγέσια καὶ θήρας πλανωμένῳ. ἡ δὲ Ἀφροδίτῃ παροῦσα τούτῳ πολλάκις καὶ κύνας ἦγε καὶ ἅπτετο δόρατος. καὶ ὃ μὴ φύσις ἐδίδου πόθος ἐπαίδευε. καί ποτε