Database of Byzantine Book Epigrams

Type 4678
(formerly typ/2746)

Ἐστυφελίχθην, ὦ Χαρίκλεια κόρη,
ψυχὴν λογισμὸν καὶ φρένας καὶ καρδίαν·
ἔγνων σε καὶ ποθοῦσαν ἐξ εὐστοργίας,
ὡς ὑπερηγάσθην σε καὶ κατεπλάγην
τοῦ σώφρονος νοῦ, τῶν καλῶν βουλευμάτων,
τῆς καρτερίας πρὸς κακῶν ἀμετρίαν,
τοῦ τληπαθοῦς ἔρωτος εἰς Θεαγένην.
Ὡς ὀλβία σὺ ταῖς ἐρώσαις παρθένοις,
ἐρωμέναις δὲ πάλιν ὀλβιωτέρα.
Κἂν δυστυχὴς ὁ πρῶτος ἐγνώσθη βίος,
ἀλλ' εὐτυχὴς ὁ λοῖσθος εὑρέθη γάμος.
Πεῖραν λαβοῦσα λῃστρικῆς κακουργίας
ἄλλων τε δεινῶν ἐν μεθέξει μυρίων
μακρὸν πλανήτην ἐκμετρήσασα χρόνον,
τέλος συνήφθης – ὢ καλῶν νυμφευμάτων –
τρισευτυχεῖ σῷ νυμφίῳ Θεαγένει.
Text source N. Bianchi 2010, Lettori di Eliodoro a Bizanzio: Il carme per Cariclea, Greaco-Latina Brunensia, 15(2), 13-24: 16-17
Text status Text completely known
Editorial status Critical text
Genre(s) Text-related epigram
Metre(s) Dodecasyllable
Subject(s)
Tag(s) Reference to content of the book
Critical Notes Hardt's (1806: 185) transcription is problematic with several misreadings. Vassis (2005: 259) regards the poem as one consisting of 23 dodecasyllables. However, there is a clear division of the poem into three in the MS München gr. 157. Thus this epigram alone consists of 16 dodecasyllables, as Bianchi (2010: 16-17) edited. The text is attributed to Theodorus Prodromus by Colonna (1938: 371; 1992: 62-63) or to Nicetas Eugenianus according to Bianchi (2010: 13-24; 2011: 50-51, 57-59).
Translation(s)
  • I was astonished, Charicleia my girl,
    in my soul and reason, my mind and heart,
    to find out that you suffered from love,
    for which I truly admired you and was amazed
    by your chaste disposition, your good sense,
    your perseverance in countless sufferings,
    your long-suffering desire for Theagenes.
    Thus, you are blessed among maidens in love,
    among those who are desired the most blessed.
    Even if the first part of your life was unfortunate
    the final marriage was fortunate.
    Having experienced piratical wickedness
    and participated in a myriad of other bad things,
    having measured a long time of wanderings,
    you were finally united—o what lovely marriage ties!—
    with your thrice-blessed bridegroom Theagenes.
    Language
    English
    Source(s)
    I. Nilsson, N. Zagklas 2017, “Hurry up, reap every flower of the logoi!” The Use of Greek Novels in Byzantium, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies (GRBS), 57, 1120-1148: 1129-1130
  • Fui colpito, o fanciulla Cariclea,
    nell’anima, nella mente, nel petto e nel cuore:
    ti conobbi che amavi di casto amore;
    quanto ti ammirai e rimasi colpito
    dalla tua mente temperante, dai tuoi buoni intendimenti,
    dalla tua fermezza dinanzi alla smisuratezza dei pericoli,
    dal tuo paziente amore per Teagene.
    Quanto beata, tu, tra le fanciulle che amano,
    ma ancora più beata tra quelle che sono amate!
    E se pure dapprima conoscesti una vita infelice,
    alla fine trovasti nozze felici.
    Dopo aver sperimentato la malvagità dei pirati
    insieme ad altre innumerevoli sventure
    e aver trascoroso molto tempo raminga
    alla fine ti sei ricongiunta — oh, felici nozze! —
    col tuo sposo tre volte felice Teagene.
    Language
    Italian
    Source(s)
    N. Bianchi 2010, Lettori di Eliodoro a Bizanzio: Il carme per Cariclea, Greaco-Latina Brunensia, 15(2), 13-24: 18
Comment Text of Bianchi (2010: 16-17) modified by DBBE.
The epigram also occurs in the 16th-century manuscript Vat. Pal. gr. 125 (f. 159r).
Bibliography

Primary
Number of verses 16
Occurrence(s)
Acknowledgements
Contributor(s)
Cristina Cocola, Anne-Sophie Rouckhout, Julián Bértola

The credits system has been implemented in 2019. Credits from before the new system was in use might be incomplete.
Identification Vassis ICB 2005, 259: "In Heliodori fabulam"
Permalink https://www.dbbe.ugent.be/types/4678
Last modified: 2021-08-26.
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