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Λακαινῶν ἀδήλων

241a

ἑτέρα Λάκαινα τὸν υἱὸν λιποτακτήσαντα ¹ ὡς 10 ἀνάξιον τῆς πατρίδος ἀνεῖλεν, εἰποῦσα οὐκ ἐμὸν τὸ φίτυμα ἐφʼ ἧς τὸ ἐπίγραμμα τόδε

ἔρρε κακὸν φίτυμα διὰ σκότος, οὗ διὰ μῖσος

Εὐρώτας δειλαῖς μηδʼ ἐλάφοισι ῥέοι.

ἀχρεῖον σκυλάκευμα, κακὰ μερίς, ἔρρε ποθʼ ᾍδαν, 15

ἔρρε· τὸ μὴ Σπάρτας ἄξιον οὐδʼ ἔτεκον.

[2] ἄλλη ἀκούσασα τὸν υἱὸν ἐν παρατάξει πεσόντα ἔφη δειλοὶ κλαιέσθωσαν· ἐγὼ δέ σε, τέκνον, ἄδακρυς καὶ ἱλαρὰ θάπτω τὸν καὶ ἐμὸν καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιον.

[3] ἀκούσασά τις τὸν υἱὸν σεσῳσμένον καὶ πεφευγότα ἐκ τῶν πολεμίων, γράφει αὐτῷ κακὰ φάμα τευ κακκέχυται· ἢ ταύταν νῦν ἔκνιψαι ἢ μὴ ἔσο. 241b

[4] ἄλλη, τῶν υἱῶν φυγόντων ἐκ μάχης καὶ παραγενομένων ὡς αὐτήν, ποῖ³ φησὶν ἥκετε δραπετεύσαντες, κακὰ ἀνδράποδα; ἢ δεῦρο ὅθεν ἐξέδυτε καταδυσόμενοι; ἀνασυραμένη καὶ ἐπιδείξασα αὐτοῖς 5 τὴν κοιλίαν.

⁴

[5] προσάγοντά τις τὸν υἱὸν θεασαμένη ἐπύθετο τί πράσσει ἡ πατρίς· εἰπόντος δὲ πάντες ἀπολώλασι, κεραμίδα ἄρασα ἐπαφῆκεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνεῖλεν, εἰποῦσα σὲ οὖν κακάγγελον ἔπεμψαν ἡμῖν;

διηγουμένου τινὸς τῇ μητρὶ γενναῖον θάνατον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, εἶτʼ οὐκ αἰσχρόν εἶπε τῆς τοιαύτης συνοδίας ἀποτυχεῖν; 241c

[7] ἐκπέμψασά τις τοὺς υἱοὺς αὑτῆς πέντε ὄντας ἐπὶ πόλεμον, ἐν τοῖς προαστείοις εἱστήκει καραδοκοῦσα 15 τί ἐκ τῆς μάχης ἀποβήσοιτο· ὡς δὲ παραγενόμενός τις πυθομένῃ ἀπήγγειλε τοὺς παῖδας ἅπαντας τετελευτηκέναι, ἀλλʼ οὐ τοῦτο ἐπυθόμην εἶπε κακὸν ἀνδράποδον, ἀλλὰ τί πράσσει ἡ πατρίς. φήσαντος δὲ ὅτι νικᾷ, ἀσμένη τοίνυν εἶπε δέχομαι καὶ τὸν 20 τῶν παίδων θάνατον

[8] θάπτουσά τις τὸν υἱόν, ὡς γραΐδιον εὐτελὲς προσελθὸν αὐτῇ ὦ γύναι τᾶς τύχας εἶπε, νὴ τὼ σιὼ ἀλλὰ τᾶς καλᾶς γʼ ἔφη· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν οὗ ⁵ ἕνεκεν ἔτεκον, ἵνʼ ὑπὲρ τᾶς Σπάρτας ἀποθάνῃ, τοῦτό 241d 25 μοι συνέβη

[9] σεμνυνομένης γυναικός τινος Ἰωνικῆς ἐπί τινι τῶν ἑαυτῆς ὑφασμάτων ὄντι πολυτελεῖ, Λάκαινα ἐπιδείξασα τοὺς τέσσαρας υἱοὺς ὄντας κοσμιωτάτους, τοιαῦτα ἔφη δεῖ εἶναι τὰ τῆς καλῆς καὶ ἀγαθῆς γυναικὸς ἔργα καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐπαίρεσθαι καὶ μεγαλαυχεῖν.

⁶

[10] ἄλλη ἀκούσασα περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ, ὡς κακῶς 5 ἐπὶ τῆς ξένης ἀναστρέφοιτο, ἔγραψε κακά τευ ⁷ φάμα κακκέχυται· ἢ ταύταν ⁸ ἀπόθευ ἢ μὴ ἔσο.

[11] παραπλησίως δὲ καὶ Χίων φυγάδες; ἐλθόντες εἰς Σπάρτην πολλὰ Παιδαρήτου κατηγόρουν· μεταπεμψαμένη 241e δὲ αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ Τελευτία καὶ 10 ἀκούσασα ὧν ἐνεκάλουν, ἐπεὶ ἐδόκει αὐτῇ ἁμαρτάνειν ὁ υἱός, ἐπέστειλεν ἁ μάτηρ Παιδαρήτῳ. ἢ βελτίονα πρᾶσσε ἢ αὖθι μένε, ἀπογνοὺς τὰν ἐς Σπάρταν σωτηρίαν.

[12] ἑτέρα ἐπʼ ἀδικήματι τῷ παιδὶ κρινομένῳ 15 τέκνον εἶπεν ἢ τᾶς αἰτίας; ἢ σεαυτὸν τοῦ ζῆν ⁹ ἀπόλυσον.

[13] ἄλλη χωλὸν υἱὸν ἐπὶ παράταξιν προπέμπουσα, τέκνον εἶπε κατὰ βῆμα τῆς ἀρετῆς μέμνησο.

[14] ἄλλη, τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτῇ ἀφικομένου ἀπὸ παρατάξεως τετρωμένου τὸν πόδα καὶ σφόδρα ἀλγοῦντος, ἐὰν τῆς ἀρετῆς εἶπε μέμνῃ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ ἄπονος ἔσῃ καὶ θαρρήσεις.

[15] Λάκων τρωθεὶς ἐν πολέμῳ καὶ βαδίζειν μὴ 25 δυνάμενος, τετραποδιστὶ ὥδευεν. αἰσχυνομένῳ δʼ αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τῷ ¹⁰ γελοίῳ ἡ μήτηρ καὶ πόσῳ βέλτιον, ὦ τέκνον εἶπε μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τῇ ἀνδρείᾳ γεγηθέναι ἢ αἰσχύνεσθαι ἐπὶ γέλωτι ἀνοήτῳ;

[16] ἄλλη προσαναδιδοῦσα τῷ παιδὶ τὴν ἀσπίδα καὶ παρακελευομένη τέκνον ἔφη ἢ ταύταν ἢ ἐπὶ ταύτας.

ἄλλη προϊόντι τῷ υἱῷ ἐπὶ πόλεμον ἀναδιδοῦσα τὴν ἀσπίδα ταύτην ἔφη ὁ πατήρ σοι ἀεὶ ἔσῳζε· καὶ σὺ οὖν ἢ ταύτην σῷζε ἢ μὴ ἔσο.

[18] ἄλλη πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν λέγοντα μικρὸν ἔχειν τὸ ξίφος εἶπε καὶ βῆμα πρόσθες. 242a

ἄλλη ἀκούσασα, ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς αὐτῆς ἐν παρατάξει ἀνδραγαθήσας ἀπέθανεν, ἐμὸς γὰρ ἦν εἶπε. περὶ δὲ τοῦ ἑτέρου ¹¹ πυθομένη ὅτι ἀποδειλιάσας σῴζεται, οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἐμός ἔφη.

[20] ἑτέρα ἀκούσασα ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς αὑτῆς τέθνηκεν ἐν 15 μάχῃ καθάπερ ἐτέτακτο κάτθετε αὐτόν ἔφη, ἀναπληρωσάτω δὲ τὴν ἐκείνου τάξιν ὁ ἀδελφός.

[21] ἄλλη πομπὴν τελοῦσα πάνδημον ἤκουσεν ἐπὶ τῆς παρατάξεως νικᾶν τὸν υἱόν, ἐκ δὲ τῶν τραυμάτων πολλῶν γενομένων θνήσκειν. οὐ περιελομένη οὖν 20 τὸν στέφανον, ἀλλὰ σεμνυνθεῖσα πρὸς τὰς πλησίον εἶπεν ὡς πολλῷ κάλλιον, ὦ φίλαι, ἐστὶν ἐν παρατάξει 242b νικῶντα τελευτᾶν ἢ τὰ Ὀλύμπια περιγινόμενον ζῆν.

[22] διηγουμένου τινὸς τῇ ἀδελφῇ γενναῖον θάνατον 25 τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτῆς, ἐκείνη εἶπεν ὅτι ὅσον ἐπʼ ἐκείνῳ γέγηθα, τοσοῦτον ἐπὶ σοὶ ἄχθομαι, ἐναρέτου συνοδίας ἀπολειφθέντι.

[23] Λακαίνῃ τις προσέπεμψεν, εἰ φθορᾷ συνεπινεύει. ἡ δʼ ἔφη παῖς μὲν οὖσα ἔμαθον τῷ πατρὶ πείθεσθαι, καὶ τοῦτο ἔπραξα· γυνὴ δὲ γενομένη τῷ ἀνδρί· εἰ οὖν δίκαιά με παρακαλεῖ, τούτῳ φανερὸν ποιησάτω πρῶτον.

[24] παρθένος πενιχρὰ ἐρωτηθεῖσα τίνα δίδωσι τῷ γαμοῦντι προῖκα, τὴν πάτριον ἔφη σωφροσύνην .

242c

Λάκαινα ἐρωτηθεῖσα εἰ ἀνδρὶ προσελήλυθεν, οὐκ ἐγώ εἶπεν ἀλλʼ ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐμοί.

[26] κρύφα τις διαπαρθενευθεῖσα καὶ διαφθείρασα 10 τὸ βρέφος οὕτως ἐνεκαρτέρησε μηδεμίαν προενεγκαμένη φωνήν, ὥστε καὶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ ἄλλους πλησίον ὄντας λαθεῖν ἀποκυήσασα· τὸ γὰρ μέγεθος τῶν ἀλγηδόνων τῇ ἀσχημοσύνῃ τὸ εὔσχημον ¹² προσπεσὸν ἐνίκησε.

[27] Λάκαινα πιπρασκομένη καὶ ἐρωτωμένη τί ἐπίσταται, ἔφη πιστὰ ἦμεν.

[28] ἄλλη αἰχμαλωτευθεῖσα καὶ ἐρωτωμένη παραπλησίως εὖ οἰκεῖν οἶκον ἔφη.

[29] ἐρωτηθεῖσά τις ὑπό τινος, εἰ ἔσται ἀγαθή, 20 ἂν αὐτὴν ἀγοράσῃ, εἶπε κἂν μὴ ἀγοράσῃς.

242d

ἄλλη πιπρασκομένη, τοῦ κήρυκος πυνθανομένου τί ἐπίσταται, ἐλευθέρα εἶπεν ἦμεν. ὡς δὲ ὁ ὠνησάμενος προσέτασσέ τινα αὐτῇ οὐχ ἁρμόζοντα ἐλευθέρᾳ, εἰποῦσα οἰμώξῃ φθονήσας σεαυτῷ τοιούτου 25 κτήματος ἐξήγαγεν ἑαυτήν.

Lacaenarum Apophthegmata. Plutarch. ed. Gregorius N. Bernardakis. Leipzig. 1889.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Λακαινῶν ἀποφθάγματα (Greek) (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol IΙ. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1889.)

Editions (1)

Λακαινῶν ἀποφθάγματα Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).) — 5 focus

Λακαινῶν ἀδήλων

[1] ἑτέρα Λάκαινα τὸν υἱὸν λιποτακτήσαντα¹ ὡς ἀνάξιον τῆς πατρίδος ἀνεῖλεν, εἰποῦσα, οὐκ ἐμὸν τὸ φίτυμα. ἐφʼ ἧς τὸ ἐπίγραμμα τόδε,

ἔρρε κακὸν φίτυμα διὰ σκότος, οὗ διὰ μῖσος

Εὐρώτας δειλαῖς μηδʼ ἐλάφοισι ῥέοι.

ἀχρεῖον σκυλάκευμα, κακὰ μερίς, ἔρρε ποθʼ Ἅιδαν,

ἔρρε· τὸ μὴ Σπάρτας ἄξιον οὐδʼ ἔτεκον.

[2] ἄλλη ἀκούσασα τὸν υἱὸν ἐν παρατάξει πεσόντα ἔφη,

δειλοὶ κλαιέσθωσαν ἐγὼ δέ σε, τέκνον, ἄδακρυς

θάπτω² τὸν καὶ ἐμὸν καὶ Λακεδαιμόνιον.

[3] ἀκούσασά τις τὸν υἱὸν σεσῳσμένον καὶ πεφευγότα ἐκ τῶν πολεμίων, γράφει αὐτῷ, κακὰ φάμα τευ κακκέχυται· ἢ ταύταν νῦν³ ἔκνιψαι ἢ μὴ ἔσο.

241b

[4] ἄλλη, τῶν υἱῶν φυγόντων ἐκ μάχης καὶ παραγενομένων ὡς αὐτήν, ποῦ,⁴ φησίν, ἥκετε δραπετεύσαντες, κακὰ ἀνδράποδα; ἢ δεῦρο ὅθεν ἐξέδυτε καταδυσόμενοι; ἀνασυραμένη καὶ ἐπιδείξασα⁵ αὐτοῖς.

[5] προσάγοντά τις τὸν υἱὸν θεασαμένη ἐπύθετο, τί πράττει ἡ πατρίς; εἰπόντος δέ, πάντες ἀπολώλασι, κεραμίδα ἄρασα ἐπαφῆκεν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀνεῖλεν, εἰποῦσα, σὲ οὖν κακάγγελον ἔπεμψαν ἡμῖν;

[6] διηγουμένου τινὸς τῇ μητρὶ γενναῖον θάνατον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, εἶτʼ οὐκ αἰσχρόν, εἶπε, τῆς τοιαύτης συνοδίας ἀποτυχεῖν;

241c

[7] ἐκπέμψασά τις τοὺς υἱοὺς αὑτῆς πέντε ὄντας ἐπὶ πόλεμον, ἐν τοῖς προαστείοις εἱστήκει καραδοκοῦσα τί ἐκ τῆς μάχης ἀποβήσοιτο· ὡς δὲ παραγενόμενός τις πυθομένῃ ἀπήγγειλε τοὺς παῖδας ἅπαντας τετελευτηκέναι, ἀλλʼ οὐ τοῦτο ἐπυθόμην, εἶπε, κακὸν ἀνδράποδον, ἀλλὰ τί πράττει ἡ πατρίς. φήσαντος δὲ ὅτι νικᾷ, ἀσμένη τοίνυν, εἶπε, δέχομαι καὶ τὸν τῶν παίδων θάνατον.

[8] Θάπτουσά τις τὸν υἱόν, ὡς γραΐδιον εὐτελὲς προσελθὸν αὐτῇ, ὦ γύναι, τᾶς τύχας, εἶπε, νὴ. τὼ σιώ ἀλλὰ τᾶς καλᾶς γʼ, ἔφη· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὸν οὗ ἕνεκεν ἔτεκον, ἵνʼ ὑπὲρ τᾶς Σπάρτας ἀποθάνῃ, 241d τοῦτό μοι συνέβη.

[9] Σεμνυνομένης γυναικός τινος Ἰωνικῆς ἐπί τινι τῶν ἑαυτῆς ὑφασμάτων ὄντι πολυτελεῖ, Λάκαινα ἐπιδείξασα τοὺς τέτταρας υἱοὺς ὄντας κοσμιωτάτους, τοιαῦτα, ἔφη, δεῖ εἶναι τὰ τῆς καλῆς καὶ ἀγαθῆς γυναικὸς ἔργα καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐπαίρεσθαι καὶ μεγαλαυχεῖν.

[10] ἄλλη ἀκούσασα περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ, ὡς κακῶς ἐπὶ τῆς ξένης ἀναστρέφοιτο, ἔγραψε, κακά τευ⁶ φάμα κακκέχυται· ταύταν ἀπώθευ⁷ ἢ μὴ ἔσο.

[11] παραπλησίως δὲ καὶ Χίων φυγάδες ἐλθόντες εἰς Σπάρτην πολλὰ Παιδαρήτου⁸ κατηγόρουν μεταπεμφαμένη 241e δὲ αὐτοὺς ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ Τελευτία καὶ ἀκούσασα ὧν ἐνεκάλουν, ἐπεὶ ἐδόκει αὐτῇ ἁμαρτάνειν ὁ υἱός, ἐπέστειλεν, ἁ μάτηρ Παιδαρήτῳ⁹· ἢ βελτίονα πρᾶσσε ἢ αὖθι μένε, ἀπογνοὺς τὰν ἐς Σπάρταν σωτηρίαν.

[12] ἑτέρα ἐπʼ ἀδικήματι τῷ παιδὶ κρινομένῳ, τέκνον, εἶπεν, ἢ τᾶς αἰτίας ἢ σεαυτὸν τοῦ ζῆν ἀπόλυσον.

[13] ἄλλη χωλὸν υἱὸν ἐπὶ παράταξιν προπέμπουσα, τέκνον, εἶπε, κατὰ βῆμα τῆς ἀρετῆς μέμνησο.

[14] ἄλλη, τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτῇ ἀφικομένου ἀπὸ παρατάξεως τετρωμένου τὸν πόδα καὶ σφόδρα 241f ἀλγοῦντος, ἐὰν τῆς ἀρετῆς, εἶπε, μέμνῃ, ὦ τέκνον, καὶ ἄπονος ἔσῃ καὶ θαρρήσεις.

[15] Λάκων τρωθεὶς ἐν πολέμῳ καὶ βαδίζειν μὴ δυνάμενος, τετραποδιστὶ ὥδευεν. αἰσχυνομένῳ δʼ αὐτῷ εἶναι¹⁰ γελοίῳ ἡ μήτηρ, καὶ πόσῳ βέλτιον, ὦ τέκνον, εἶπε, μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τῇ ἀνδρείᾳ γεγηθέναι ἢ αἰσχύνεσθαι ἐπὶ γέλωτι ἀνοήτῳ;ν

[16] ἄλλη προσαναδιδοῦσα τῷ παιδὶ τὴν ἀσπίδα καὶ παρακελευομένη, τέκνον, ἔφη, ἢ τὰν ἢ ἐπὶ τᾶς.

[17] ἄλλη προϊόντι τῷ υἱῷ ἐπὶ πόλεμον ἀναδιδοῦσα τὴν ἀσπίδα, ταύτην, ἔφη, ὁ πατήρ σοι ἀεὶ ἔσῳζε· καὶ σὺ οὖν ἢ ταύτην σῷζε ἢ μὴ ἔσο.

[18] ἄλλη πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν λέγοντα μικρὸν ἔχειν τὸ ξίφος εἶπε, καὶ βῆμα πρόσθες.

242a

ἄλλη ἀκούσασα, ὅτι ὁ υἱὸς αὐτῆς ἐν παρατάξει ἀνδραγαθήσας ἀπέθανεν, ἐμὸς γὰρ ἦν, εἶπε. περὶ δὲ τοῦ ἑτέρου¹¹ πυθομένη ὅτι ἀποδειλιάσας σῴζεται, οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἐμός, ἔφη.

[20] ἑτέρα ἀκούσασα τεθνάνα τὸν υἱὸν ἐν μάχῃ καθάπερ ἐτέτακτο κάτθετε¹² αὐτόν, ἔφη, ἀναπληρωσάτω δὲ τὴν ἐκείνου τάξιν ὁ ἀδελφός.

[21] ἄλλη πομπὴν τελοῦσα πάνδημον ἤκουσεν ἐπὶ τῆς παρατάξεως νικᾶν τὸν υἱόν, ἐκ δὲ τῶν τραυμάτων πολλῶν γενομένων θνήσκειν. οὐ περιελομένη οὖν τὸν στέφανον, ἀλλὰ σεμνυνθεῖσα πρὸς τὰς πλησίον εἶπεν, ὡς πολλῷ κάλλιον, ὦ φίλαι, 242b ἐστὶν ἐν παρατάξει νικῶντα τελευτᾶν ἢ τὰ Ὀλύμπια περιγιγνόμενον ζῆν.

[22] διηγουμένου τινὸς τῇ ἀδελφῇ γενναῖον θάνατον τοῦ παιδὸς αὐτῆς, ἐκείνη εἶπεν ὅτι ὅσον ἐπʼ ἐκείνῳ γέγηθα, τοσοῦτον ἐπὶ σοὶ ἄχθομαι, ἐναρέτου συνοδίας ἀπολειφθέντι.

[23] Λακαίνῃ τις προσέπεμψεν, εἰ φθορᾷ συνεπινεύει. ἡ δʼ ἔφη, παῖς μὲν οὖσα ἔμαθον τῷ πατρὶ πείθεσθαι, καὶ τοῦτο ἔπραξα· γυνὴ δὲ γενομένη τῷ ἀνδρί· εἰ οὖν δίκαιά με παρακαλεῖ, τούτῳ φανερὸν ποιησάτω πρῶτον.

[24] παρθένος πενιχρὰ ἐρωτηθεῖσα τίνα δίδωσι τῷ γαμοῦντι προῖκα, τὴν πάτριον, ἔφη, σωφροσύνην.

242c

Λάκαινα ἐρωτηθεῖσα εἰ τἀνδρὶ¹³ προσελήλυθεν, οὐκ ἐγώ, εἶπεν, ἀλλʼ ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐμοί.

[26] κρύφα τις διαπαρθενευθεῖσα καὶ διαφθείρασα τὸ βρέφος οὕτως ἐνεκαρτέρησε μηδεμίαν προενεγκαμένη φωνήν, ὥστε καὶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ ἄλλους πλησίον ὄντας λαθεῖν ἀποκυήσασα· τὸ γὰρ μέγεθος τῶν ἀλγηδόνων τῇ εὐσχημοσύνῃ τὸ ἄσχημον προσπεσὸν ἐνίκησε.

[27] Λάκαινα πιπρασκομένη καὶ ἐρωτωμένη τί ἐπίσταται, ἔφη, πιστὰ ἦμεν.

[28] ἄλλη αἰχμαλωτευθεῖσα καὶ ἐρωτωμένη παραπλησίως, εὖ οἰκεῖν οἶκον, ἔφη.

[29] ἐρωτηθεῖσά τις ὑπό τινος, εἰ ἔσται ἀγαθή, ἂν αὐτὴν ἀγοράσῃ, εἶπε, κἂν μὴ ἀγοράσῃς.

242d

ἄλλη πιπρασκομένη, τοῦ κήρυκος πυνθανομένου τί ἐπίσταται, ἐλευθέρα, εἶπεν, ἦμεν. νὡς δὲ ὁ ὠνησάμενος προσέταττέ τινα αὐτῇ οὐχ ἁρμόζοντα ἐλευθέρᾳ, εἰποῦσα, οἰμώξῃ φθονήσας σεαυτῷ τοιούτου κτήματος, ἐξήγαγεν ἑαυτήν.

Translations (1)

Sayings of Spartan Women Perseus (Plutarch. Moralia, Vol. III. Babbitt, Frank Cole, translator. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1931 (printing).) — 5 focus

OTHER SPARTAN WOMEN TO FAME UNKNOWN

[1] Another Spartan woman made away with her son, who had deserted his post, on the ground that he was unworthy of his country, saying, Not mine the scion. This is the epigram referring to her¹:

Off to your fate through the darkness, vile scion, who makes such a hatred, So the Eurotas flow not e’en for the timorous deer.

Worthless whelp that you are, vile remnant, be oif now to Hades; Off! for never I bore Sparta’s unworthy son.²

[2] Another, hearing that her son had fallen on the field of battle, said:³

Let the poor cowards be mourned, but, with never a tear do I bury

You, my son, who are mine, yea, and are Sparta’s as well.

[3] Another, hearing that her son had been saved and had run away from the enemy, wrote to him, Ill report is spread about ye; aither clear yersel’ of this or stop yer living.

[4] Another, when her sons had run away from battle and come to her, said, Where have you come now in your cowardly flight, vile varlets ? Do you intend to slink in here whence you came forth? And with these words she pulled up her garment and showed them.⁴

[5] One woman, observing her son coming towards her, inquired, How fares our country? And when he said, All have perished, she took up a tile and, hurling it at him, killed him, saying, And so they sent you to bear the bad news to us!

[6] As a man was narrating to his mother the noble death of his brother, she said, Isn’t it a shame, then, to have missed his company on such a journey ?⁵

[7] One woman sent forth her sons, five in number, to war, and, standing in the outskirts of the city, she awaited anxiously the outcome of the battle. And when someone arrived and, in answer to her inquiry, reported that all her sons had met death, she said, I did not inquire about that, you vile varlet, but how fares our country ? And when he declared that it was victorious, Then, she said, I accept gladly also the death of my sons.⁶

[8] Another was burying her son, when a commonplace old woman came up to her and said, Ah the bad luck of it, you puir woman. No, by Heaven, said she, but good luck; for I bore him that he might die for Sparta, and this is the very thing that has come to pass for me.⁷

[9] When a woman from Ionia showed vast pride in a bit of her own weaving, which was very valuable, a Spartan woman pointed to her four sons, who were most well-behaved, and said, Such should be the employments of the good and honourable woman, and it is over these that she should be elated and boastful.⁸

[10] Another, hearing about her son that he was conducting himself badly in a foreign land, wrote to him, Ill report is spread about ye; pit this from ye or else stop yer living.⁹

[11] Of somewhat similar character is this: Chian exiles came to Sparta, and accused Paedaretus of many misdeeds; whereupon his mother Teleutia sent for them and, after listening to their complaints, feeling that her son was in the wrong, sent him this letter: Mither to Paedaretus. Aither dae better, or stay whare ye are, and gie up hope o’ gaen back safe to Sparta.

[12] Another, when her son was being tried for some offence, said to him, My child, either rid yourself of the charges, or rid yourself of life.

[13] Another, as she accompanied a lame son on his way to the field of battle, said, At every step, my child, remember your valour.¹⁰

[14] Another, when her son came back to her from the field of battle wounded in the foot, and in great pain, said, If you remember your valour, my child, you will feel no pain, and be quite cheerful.¹¹

[15] A Spartan, wounded in battle and unable to walk, was crawling on all fours. He was mortified at being so ridiculous; but his mother said to him, How much better to be joyful over your bravery rather than to be mortified at silly laughter.

[16] Another, as she handed her son his shield, exhorted him, saying, Either this or upon this.¹²

[17] Another, as her son was going forth to war, said, as she gave the shield into his hands, This shield your father kept always safe for you; do you, therefore, keep it safe, or cease to live.

[18] Another, in answer to her son who said that the sword which he carried was short,¹³ said, Add a step to it.

[19] Another, hearing that her son had been slain fighting bravely in the line of battle, said, Yes, he was mine. But learning in regard to her other son that he had played the coward and saved his life, she said, No, he was not mine,¹⁴

[20] Another, hearing that her son had been killed in battle on the spot where he had been placed, said, Lay him away, and let his brother take his place.

[21] Another, engaged in conducting a solemn public procession, heard that her son was victorious on the field of battle, but that he was dying from the many wounds he had received. She did not remove the garland from her head, but with a proud air said to the women near her, How much more noble, my friends, to be victorious on the field of battle and meet death, than to win at the Olympic games and live!¹⁵

[22] As a man was relating to his sister the noble death of her son, she said, As glad as I am for him, I am sorry for you that you were left behind when you might have gone in such brave company.¹⁶

[23] A man sent to a Spartan woman to ask if she were inclined to look with favour upon seduction; she replied, When I was a child I learned to obey my father, and made that my practice. Then when I became a married woman, my husband took that place. So if the man’s proposal is honourable, let him lay the matter before my husband first.

[24] A poor girl, being asked what dowry she brought to the man who married her, said, The family virtue.

[25] A Spartan woman, being asked if she had made advances to her husband, said, No, but my husband has made them to me.¹⁷

[26] A girl had secret relations with a man, and, after bringing on an abortion, she bore up so bravely, not uttering a single sound, that her delivery took place without the knowledge of her father and others who were near. For the confronting of her indecorum with decorum gained the victory over the poignant distress of her pains.

[27] A Spartan woman who was being sold as a slave, when asked what she knew how to do, said, To be faithful.

[28] Another, taken captive, and asked a similar question, said, To manage a house well.

[29] Another, asked by a man if she would be good if he bought her, said, Yes, and if you do not buy me.¹⁸

[30] Another who was being sold as a slave, when the crier inquired of her what she knew how to do, said, To be free. And when the purchaser ordered her to do something not fitting for a free woman, she said, You will be sorry that your meanness has cost you such a possession, and committed suicide.¹⁹

Notes on the current edition

Λακαινῶν ἀποφθέγματα

1. λιποτακτήσαντα *: λειποτακτήσαντα

2. Anthol. Pal. VII 433

3. ποῖ *: ποῦ

4. τὴν κοιλίαν] om. mei. codd.

5. οὗ *: ὧν

6. καὶ μεγαλαυχεῖν] deleverim

7. τευ Cobetus: τοι

8. ἢ ταύταν * ταύταν

9. ἢ τὰς αἰτίας - ζῆν] malim ἢ τᾶς αἰτίας σεαυτὸν ἢ τοῦ ζῆν

10. ἐπὶ τῷ W: ἐν

11. τοῦ ἑτέρου] του ἑτέρου W

12. εὔσχημον *: ἄσχημον. Ordo verborum vid. esse: τὸ εὔσχημον προσπεσὸν τῇ ἀσχημ. ἐνίκ. τὸ μέγ. τ. ἀλγ.

Plutarch Lacaenarum Apophthegmata 5

ed. Gregorius N. Bernardakis

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