Plutarch, Amatorius, ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs, 22

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[22]

ΑΥΤΟΒΟΥΛΟΣ.

20 ἀφθονίας δὲ παραδειγμάτων οὔσης πρὸς γʼ ὑμᾶς τοὺς ὁμοχόρους¹ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ θιασώτας, ὅμως τὸ περὶ Κάμμαν² οὐκ ἄξιόν ἐστι τὴν Γαλατικὴν παρελθεῖν, ταύτης γὰρ ἐκπρεπεστάτης τὴν ὄψιν γενομένης, Σινάτῳ δὲ τῷ τετράρχῃ γαμηθείσης, Σινάτῳ 25 ἐρασθεὶς δυνατώτατος Γαλατῶν ἀπέκτεινε τὸν 768c Σινάτον³, ὡς οὔτε βιάσασθαι δυνάμενος οὔτε πεῖσαι τὴν ἄνθρωπον, ἐκείνου ζῶντος. ἦν δὲ τῇ Κάμμῃ⁴ καταφυγὴ καὶ παραμυθία τοῦ πάθους ἱερωσύνη πατρῷος Ἀρτέμιδος· καὶ τὰ πολλὰ παρὰ τῇ θεῷ διέτριβεν, 5 οὐδένα προσιεμένη, μνωμένων πολλῶν βασιλέων καὶ δυναστῶν αὐτήν. τοῦ μέντοι Σινόριγος; τολμήσαντος ἐντυχεῖν περὶ γάμου, τὴν πεῖραν οὐκ ἔφυγεν οὐδʼ ἐμέμψατο περὶ τῶν γεγονότων, ὡς διʼ εὔνοιαν αὐτῆς καὶ πόθον οὐκ ἄλλῃ τινὶ μοχθηρίᾳ 10 προαχθέντος τοῦ Σινόριγος. ἧκεν οὖν πιστεύσας ἐκεῖνος καὶ ᾔτει τὸν γάμον· ἡ δʼ ἀπήντησε καὶ δεξιωσαμένη καὶ προσαγαγοῦσα τῷ βωμῷ τῆς θεᾶς 768d ἔσπεισεν ἐκ φιάλης μελίκρατον, ὡς ἔοικε, πεφαρμακωμένον⁵· εἶθʼ ὅσον ἣμισυ μέρος αὐτὴ προεκπιοῦσα 15 παρέδωκε τῷ Γαλάτῃ τὸ λοιπόν· ὡς δʼ εἶδεν ἐκπεπωκότα, λαμπρὸν ἀνωλόλυξε καὶ φθεγξαμένη τοὔνομα τοῦ τεθνεῶτος ταύτην εἶπεν ἐγὼ τὴν ἡμέραν; ὦ φίλτατʼ ἄνερ, προσμένουσα σοῦ χωρὶς ἔζων ἀνιαρῶς· νῦν δὲ κόμισαί με χαίρων· ἠμυνάμην γὰρ 20 ὑπὲρ σοῦ τὸν κάκιστον ἀνθρώπων, σοὶ μὲν βίου τούτῳ δὲ θανάτου κοινωνὸς ἡδέως γενομένη. ὁ μὲν 768e οὖν Σινόριξ ἐν φορείῳ κομιζόμενος μετὰ μικρὸν ἐτελεύτησεν, ἡ δὲ Κάμμα⁶ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐπιβιώσασα καὶ τὴν νύκτα λέγεται μάλʼ εὐθαρσῶς καὶ ἱλαρῶς 25 ἀποθανεῖν.

Amatorius. Plutarch. ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs. Leipzig. 1892.

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Current edition Perseus

Ἐρωτικός (Greek) (Plutarch. Plutarchi Chaeronensis Moralia, Vol. IV. Vernardakēs, Grēgorios N., editor. Leipzig: Teubner, 1892.)

Translations (1)

Of Love. Perseus (Plutarch. Plutarch's Morals, Vol. IV. Goodwin, William W., editor; Philips, John, translator. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company; Cambridge: Press of John Wilson and Son, 1874.) — 22 focus

[22]

AUTOB.

Of this although we might produce examples without number, yet among you, that are now joined (as it were) in the same dance and festival with Love,¹ it will not be from the purpose to relate the story of Camma the Galatian. For she being a woman of transcendent beauty, and married to Sinatus the tetrarch, Synorix, one of the most powerful men in all Galatia, fell desperately in love with her; and that he might enjoy her, murdered her husband Sinatus, since he could not prevail with her either by force or persuasion, while her husband was alive. Thereupon Camma, having no other sanctuary for the preservation of her chastity nor consolation in her affliction, retired to the temple of Diana, where she remained a votaress to the Goddess, not admitting any person so much as to speak to her, though she had many suitors that sought her in wedlock. But when Synorix boldly presumed to put the question to her, she neither seemed to reject his motion, neither did she upbraid him with the crime he had committed; as if he had been induced to perpetrate so vile an act, not out of any malicious intent to Sinatus, but merely out of a pure and ardent love and affection to her. Thereupon he came with greater confidence, and demanded her in marriage. She, on the other side, met him no less cheerfully; and leading him by the hand to the altar of the Goddess, after she had poured forth a small quantity of hydromel well tempered with a rank poison, as it were an atonement offering to the Goddess, she drank off the one half of that which remained herself, and gave the other half to the Galatian. And then, so soon as she saw he had drunk it off, she gave a loud groan, and calling her deceased husband by his name; This day, said she, my most dear and beloved husband, I have long expected, as having lived, deprived of thee, a desolate and comfortless life. But now receive me joyfully; for for thy sake I have revenged myself upon the most wicked among men, willing to have lived with thee, and now no less rejoicing to die with him. Thus Synorix, being carried out of the temple, soon after expired; but Camma, surviving him a day and a night, is reported to have died with an extraordinary resolution and cheerfulness of spirit.

Notes on the current edition

Ἐρωτικός

1. em. Schottus: ὁμοχώρους

2. Κάμμαν X ex p. 257e: κάμμαν

3. *: σινάτον

4. καμίμη BE

5. malim πεφαρμαγμένον ut est p. 258b

6. καμίμα

Plutarch Amatorius 22

ed. Grēgorios N. Vernardakēs

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ΑΥΤΟΒΟΥΛΟΣ.

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AUTOB.

Notes on the current edition

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