Dialogue
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
so with such great evils
stripped away
// 231β
ὥστε περιῃρημένων τοσούτων κακῶν
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
nor (do they) place blame
for differences with relations (prosekein)
(through this)
// 231β
οὔτε τὰς πρὸς τοὺς προσήκοντας διαφορὰς αἰτιάσασθαι
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
nor (do they) keep count (hupo-logizomai)
of the troubles (ponos)
that have come and gone (para-erchomai)
(through this)
// 231β
οὔτε τοὺς παρεληλυθότας πόνους ὑπολογίζεσθαι
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
but for the non-loving (me erosin)
the lack of care taken (a-meleia)
for their own things (oikeios)
through this (eros)
is not used as an excuse (prophasizomai)
// 231β
τοῖς δὲ μὴ ἐρῶσιν οὔτε τὴν τῶν οἰκείων ἀμέλειαν διὰ τοῦτο ἔστιν προφασίζεσθαι
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
they suppose long ago
they have paid back the worth of the grace (charis)
to the beloveds (eromenois, pass. part. of eran)
// 231β
ἡγοῦνται πάλαι τὴν ἀξίαν ἀποδεδωκέναι χάριν τοῖς ἐρωμένοις
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
and attributing (to the beloveds) what trouble they have had
// 231α
καὶ ὃν εἶχον πόνον προστιθέντες
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
furthermore the loving (erontes, part. of eran)
examine (skopein) both
those (things) of their own
they have badly composed
through love (eros)
and those well-written
/
furthermore the loving (erontes, part. of eran)
examine (skopein) both
those (matters) of their own
they have disposed of badly
through love (eros)
and the benefactions done
// 231α
ἔτι δὲ οἱ μὲν ἐρῶντες σκοποῦσιν ἅ τε κακῶς διέθεντο τῶν αὑτῶν διὰ τὸν ἔρωτα καὶ ἃ πεποιήκασιν εὖ
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
as they
have deliberated best
about their own things (oikeios)
// 231α
ὡς ἂν ἄριστα περὶ τῶν οἰκείων βουλεύσαιντο
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
for not by force but willingly
// 231α
οὐ γὰρ ὑπ᾽ ἀνάγκης ἀλλ᾽ ἑκόντες
//
upon reflection this poem was influenced by a question received via email, “how did you come to learn Ancient Greek?”
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
but for these
there is no time
in which it is fitting
to change their mind (meta-gignoskein)
// 231α
τοῖς δὲ οὐκ ἔστι χρόνος ἐν ᾧ μεταγνῶναι προσήκει
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
for those (erastes/lovers?)
then regret (meta-melomai)
what they may have well made (eu poiein)
whenever they cease from desire (epithumia)
// 231α
ὡς ἐκείνοις μὲν τότε μεταμέλει ὧν ἂν εὖ ποιήσωσιν ἐπειδὰν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας παύσωνται
//
poiein can mean to make or to do; so eu poiein (“well made”) may refer to good poetry or to “benefactions” (implicitly, favors or gifts from a lover).
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, so far)
about (peri)
my acts (pragmata)
you know (epistamai)
and as i practice (nomizein)
the bringing together (sumpherein)
by us
you have heard (akouein)
these (acts)
having been born (gignomai)
and (it is or i deem it) not worthy (axio)
(that) i lack (deomai) (the worth of) these
miss-happening (a-tuchein)
through this
that i do not happen (ouk tugchanein)
to be being (on)
your lover (erastes)
περὶ μὲν τῶν ἐμῶν πραγμάτων ἐπίστασαι
καὶ ὡς νομίζω συμφέρειν ἡμῖν
γενομένων τούτων ἀκήκοας
ἀξιῶ δὲ μὴ διὰ τοῦτο ἀτυχῆσαι ὧν δέομαι
ὅτι οὐκ ἐραστὴς ὤν σου τυγχάνω
Phaedrus: (cont.)
and (it is or i deem it) not worthy (axio)
(that) i lack (deomai) (the worth of) these
to miss-happen (a-tuchein)
through this
// 230ε
ἀξιῶ δὲ μὴ διὰ τοῦτο ἀτυχῆσαι ὧν δέομαι
//
Phaedrus: (cont.)
and as i practice (nomizein)
to bring together (sumpherein)
by us
you have heard (akouein)
these (acts)
having been born (gignomai)
// 230ε
καὶ ὡς νομίζω συμφέρειν ἡμῖν γενομένων τούτων ἀκήκοας
//
sumpherein means literally to bring together; used impersonally, it can mean to be useful or advantageous
//
Phaedrus: (cont., as Lysias)
about (peri) my acts (pragmata)
you know (epistamai)
// 230ε
περὶ μὲν τῶν ἐμῶν πραγμάτων
ἐπίστασαι
//