The crier | I cry you Love — at earliest break of day

by Meleager of Gadara (flourished 1st century BCE)

Translation by William Money Hardinge (1854 - 1916)

κηρύσσω τὸν ἔρωτα, τὸν ἄγριον ἄρτι γὰρ...

Language: Greek (Ελληνικά)

κηρύσσω τὸν ἔρωτα, τὸν ἄγριον ἄρτι γὰρ ἄρτι
ὀρθρινὸς ἐκ κοίτας ᾤχετ᾽ ἀποπτάμενος.
ἔστι δ᾽ ὁ παῖς γλυκύδακρυς, ἀείλαλος, ὠκύς, ἀθαμβής,
σιμὰ γελῶν, πτερόεις νῶτα, φαρετροφόρος.

πατρὸς δ᾽ οὐκέτ᾽ ἔχω φράζειν τίνος: οὔτε γὰρ Αἰθήρ,
οὐ Χθών φησι τεκεῖν τὸν θρασύν, οὐ Πέλαγος:
πάντῃ γὰρ καὶ πᾶσιν ἀπέχθεται. ἀλλ᾽ ἐσορᾶτε
μή που νῦν ψυχαῖς ἄλλα τίθησι λίνα.
καίτοι κεῖνος, ἰδού, περὶ φωλεόν. οὔ με λέληθας,

τοξότα, Ζηνοφίλας ὄμμασι κρυπτόμενος.
ιι. ξ. βεεξηινγ, `ν α γαρδεν, π. ιος.

About the headline (FAQ)

Show a transliteration: DIN | ISO 843

Note on Transliterations

Text Authorship:

by Meleager of Gadara (flourished 1st century BCE), no title, Epigram 5.177 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

[ None yet in the database ]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Also set in English, a translation by William Money Hardinge (1854 - 1916) , no title ; composed by Amy Elise Horrocks.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2023-07-26
Line count: 11
Word count: 77

I cry you Love — at earliest break of...

Language: English after the Greek (Ελληνικά)

I cry you Love — at earliest break of day
But now, even now, his wings the wanderer spread
  And passed away, 
Leaving his empty bed. 
Ho! ye that meet the boy — for such is he, 
Full of sweet tears and wit; a fickle sprite
  Laughing and free, 
With wings and quiver bright!
Yet know I not on whom to father Love — 
For earth denies the wanton child his name,
  And air above, 
And the broad sea the same. 
With each and all he lives at feud. Beware 
Lest, while I speak, he cast
  A dainty snare 
Over your hearts at last. 
But see ! his hiding-place, his very self, 
Close to my hand, behold, the archer lies
  A laughing elf 
Within my lady's eyes.

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with Selections from the Greek Anthology, London, Scott, 1895? page 155.

Text Authorship:

by William Money Hardinge (1854 - 1916), no title [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Meleager of Gadara (flourished 1st century BCE), no title, Epigram 5.177
- Go to the text page.

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Amy Elise Horrocks (1867 - 1919), "The crier", 1899, published 1899 [ voice and piano ], from Six Greek Love Songs, no. 4, London : Boosey & Co. [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2023-07-26
Line count: 20
Word count: 126