Phaedrus
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
furthermore, if it is worthy
through this (eros and/or the following argument)
to make (poiein)
lovers (eran)
worth much
// 231β
ἔτι δὲ εἰ διὰ τοῦτο ἄξιον τοὺς ἐρῶντας περὶ πολλοῦ ποιεῖσθαι
//
Phaedrus: (as Lysias, cont.)
but to make or do (poiein)
zealously (prothumos)
whatever they suppose
will gratify them (charizomai)
when they have gone through with it (prassein)
// 231β
ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ποιεῖν προθύμως ὅτι ἂν αὐτοῖς οἴωνται πράξαντες χαριεῖσθαι
//
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)
around (peri)
my circumstances (pragmata)
you know (epistomai)
and what i believe (nomizein)
to be bringing together (sumpherein)
for us
these (pragmata)
having come to be (gignomai)
you have heard (akouein)
and i deem it (axioein)
un(-fitting)
to lack these (pragmata?)
by way of this miss-
happening (a-tuchein)
that i do not happen (ouk tugchanein)
to be being (on)
your lover (erastes)
//
//
banded sea krait or
the great cartographer
general administer of
these
//
Lysias at the beach
in so deep shade those eyes
against the slivering salt
a nose by greasy telescope
for seashell circumstance
burnrise like blood under the skin
slow sting of a swollen onion
behind the slanted brim
and belly-teeth of a sunhat
a braided tongue is licking
your inner ear
//
haggis interruptus, she said!?
that dizzy Lyzzias, and oh,
yes, and
the zest
Phaedrus: (cont.) and what i believe to be bringing together (sumpherein) for us, these having come to be, you have heard
// 230ε
καὶ ὡς νομίζω συμφέρειν ἡμῖν γενομένων τούτων ἀκήκοας
//
sumpherein means literally to bring together; used impersonally as here, it means to be useful or advantageous
//