Book 1

1.1. In Ephesus there lived a man among the foremost in power there, Lycomedes by name. To this Lycomedes was born, by a local woman named Themisto, a son, Habrocomes, a great marvel of beauty such as had never appeared before, either in Ionia or in any other land.

1.2. This Habrocomes grew daily more beautiful, and along with his bodily graces the goods of his soul flowered together with them. He cultivated every branch of learning and practised music of many kinds; hunting, riding, and fighting in armour were his accustomed exercises.

1.3. He was an object of devoted attention not only to all the Ephesians but also to the inhabitants of the rest of Asia, and they placed great hopes in him, that he would be a citizen of distinction. They treated the youth as a god, and there were already some who, on seeing him, bowed down and offered prayers.

1.4. The youth thought highly of himself, and prided himself on the achievements of his soul, but far more on the beauty of his body. He looked down on everything else that was called beautiful as inferior, and nothing seemed to him worthy of Habrocomes, no sight, no sound.

1.5. If he heard that some boy was handsome or some girl shapely, he laughed at those who said so, as not knowing that he alone was beautiful. Love he did not even consider to be a god, but cast him out altogether, accounting him as nothing, saying that no one would ever fall in love or submit to the god against his will.

1.6. If anywhere he saw a temple or a statue of Love, he laughed, and declared himself more beautiful than any Love. And so it was: for wherever Habrocomes was seen, no statue appeared beautiful and no painted image won praise.

2.1. At this Love grew angry, for the god is contentious and pitiless toward the proud. He sought some stratagem against the youth, who seemed hard for the god himself to capture. So he armed himself fully, took up all the power of his amorous charms, and marched against Habrocomes.

2.2. A local festival of Artemis was being celebrated, with a procession from the city to the temple, which is seven stades away. All the local maidens had to walk in procession richly adorned, and the young men of the same age as Habrocomes. He himself was about sixteen years old, was enrolled among the youths, and held the foremost place in the procession.

2.3. A great crowd had gathered for the spectacle, many of them townspeople and many strangers, for it was the custom at that festival for bridegrooms to be found for the maidens and wives for the young men.

2.4. The members of the procession passed by in file: first the sacred objects, torches, baskets, and incense; after these horses, dogs, and hunting gear, some of it for war but most for peace. And each of the maidens was adorned as if for a lover.

2.5. At the head of the line of maidens was Anthia, daughter of Megamedes and Euippe, of the local people. The beauty of Anthia was a thing to marvel at, and she far surpassed the other maidens. She was fourteen years old, her body was in the flower of its loveliness,

2.6. and the elegance of her bearing added much to her grace. Her hair was golden, mostly let loose, a little of it braided, and it stirred with the movement of the breezes; her eyes were lively, bright as a young girl's, yet stern as a chaste woman's; her tunic was deep purple, belted to the knee, falling to the elbows, a fawnskin wrapped about her, a quiver slung from her shoulder, a bow and javelins carried, and dogs following.

2.7. Often when they saw her at the precinct the Ephesians bowed down to her as to Artemis. And so on this occasion too, when she appeared, the crowd cried out, and the voices of the onlookers were of many kinds: some, in their astonishment, said she was the goddess; others, that she was someone else fashioned by the goddess in her likeness. But all prayed and bowed down and called her parents blessed; and Anthia the beautiful was on the lips of all who beheld her.

2.8. When the throng of maidens had passed by, no one spoke of anything but Anthia. But when Habrocomes appeared with the young men, then, though the spectacle of the maidens had been a fine one, everyone who saw Habrocomes forgot them and turned their gaze upon him, crying out, struck by the sight, "Beautiful Habrocomes!" and "such as no other, the very image of a beautiful god."

2.9. Some even added this: "What a marriage it would be between Habrocomes and Anthia!" And these were the first exercises of Love's art. Soon the report about each of them reached the other: Anthia longed to see Habrocomes, and Habrocomes, until then untouched by love, longed to see Anthia.

3.1. So when the procession was over, and the whole crowd had gone into the temple to sacrifice, and the order of the procession had broken up, men and women, young men and maidens came together to the same place. There they saw one another, and Anthia was captured by Habrocomes, while Habrocomes was overcome by Love. He kept gazing more and more steadily at the girl, and though he wished to tear himself from the sight he could not, for the god pressed hard upon him and held him fast.

3.2. Anthia too was in a sorry state, receiving with her eyes wide open the beauty of Habrocomes as it streamed into her, and now scorning what is fitting for maidens. She would say something so that Habrocomes might hear, and would bare what parts of her body she could, so that Habrocomes might see. He surrendered himself to the sight and was the captive of the god.

3.3. And then, when they had sacrificed, they departed in grief, blaming the swiftness of their parting; and wishing to look at one another, they kept turning round and lingering, and found many pretexts for delay.

3.4. But when each had gone home, then they realized into what evils they had fallen. The memory of the other's face came over them, and love was kindled within them, and through the rest of the day they fed their desire; and when they went to sleep they came all at once into their distress, and the love within each of them was beyond all checking.

4.1. So Habrocomes seized his hair and tore his clothes, and said, "Alas for my misery! What has happened to me, wretch that I am? I, Habrocomes, until now so manly, who scorned Love, who reviled the god, am now taken and conquered, and forced to be the slave of a girl; and now someone appears more beautiful than I, and I call Love a god.

4.2. O coward that I am in everything, and base! Will I not hold out now? Will I not remain noble? Will I not be more beautiful than Love?

4.3. He is a god who is nothing, and I must conquer him. The girl is beautiful—but what of it? To your eyes, Habrocomes, Anthia is shapely; yet, if you will it, she is not so to you. Let this be resolved: Love shall never master me."

4.4. So he spoke; but the god pressed upon him more violently, dragged him though he resisted, and tormented him against his will. At last, no longer able to hold out, he threw himself upon the ground and said, "You have conquered, Love; a great trophy has been raised over chaste Habrocomes.

4.5. You have a suppliant. Save the man who has fled to you, the lord of all. Do not overlook me, nor punish the rash one too long. I scorned your power, Love, because I was still without experience; but now give Anthia back to me. Be not only harsh to one who resisted, but a kindly god to one who has been overcome." So he spoke; but Love was still angry, and was minded to exact a great penalty from Habrocomes for his disdain.

4.6. Anthia too was in a sorry state, and no longer able to bear it she roused herself, trying to hide it from those present. "What," she said, "has happened to me, wretched as I am? A maiden in love beyond my years, I suffer strange torments, unfitting for a girl. I am mad for Habrocomes—beautiful, yes, but proud.

4.7. And what will be the limit of my desire, and what the end of my misery? My beloved is haughty, I am a guarded maiden. What helper shall I find? To whom shall I confide my troubles? Where shall I see Habrocomes?"

5.1. Thus each of them lamented all night long, and they held before their eyes the faces of one another, forming the images of each other in their souls. When day came, Habrocomes went off to his accustomed exercises, and the maiden to her habitual worship of the goddess.

5.2. Their bodies too were worn out from the night that had passed, their looks dejected, and their complexions changed; and this went on for a long time, and they made no further progress.

5.3. Meanwhile, spending their days in the temple of the goddess, they kept gazing at one another, ashamed and afraid before each other to tell the truth. Only this much: Habrocomes would sometimes groan and weep and pray piteously, while the girl listened;

5.4. and Anthia suffered the same, but was gripped by an even greater affliction. If ever she saw other maidens or women looking at him—and all of them looked at Habrocomes—it was plain that she was distressed, for she feared to be outshone. The prayers each of them made to the goddess were the same in substance, secret though they were, and they turned out alike.

5.5. As time went on, the youth could endure it no longer; his whole body had wasted away and his soul had collapsed, so that Lycomedes and Themisto fell into deep despondency, not knowing what was happening to Habrocomes, but alarmed by what they saw.

5.6. Megamedes and Euippe stood in like fear concerning Anthia, seeing her beauty withering while the cause of the affliction did not appear. At last they brought to Anthia seers and priests, in hope of finding a cure for the trouble.

5.7. These came and sacrificed victims, poured many kinds of libations, and uttered foreign words, saying that they were appeasing certain spirits, and they pretended that the affliction came from the gods of the underworld.

5.8. Lycomedes and his household also offered many sacrifices and prayers on Habrocomes' behalf; but no cure for the trouble came to either of the two—on the contrary, their love was kindled all the more.

5.9. So both of them lay sick, in a very dangerous state, expected at any moment to die, unable to declare their affliction. At last the fathers of both sent to a god's oracle to inquire the cause of the sickness and its release.

6.1. Not far off is the temple of Apollo at Colophon, a voyage of eighty stades from Ephesus. There the envoys of both households arrived and besought the god to give them a true oracle; and they had come on the same errand.

6.2. The god gave both of them one common oracle, in verse. The lines were these:

"Why do you long to learn the end of a sickness and its beginning? One sickness holds them both, and from it the cure has arisen. Dread sufferings I see for these two, and labours unending; both shall flee over the sea, pursued by madness, both shall endure bondage among men who mingle with the sea, and a tomb shall be the bridal chamber for both, and destroying fire, and beside the streams of the river Nile, to holy Isis the saviour, you shall hereafter offer rich gifts. But still, after their sufferings, a better fate awaits them."

7.1. When this oracle was brought to Ephesus, at once the fathers were at a loss, and were utterly at sea as to what the trouble was; for they could not interpret the words of the god—neither what the sickness was, nor the flight, nor the bonds, nor the tomb, nor the river, nor the help from the god.

7.2. So, after much deliberation, they decided to soften the oracle as best they could, and to join the children in marriage, since this too seemed to be the god's will from what he had prophesied. They resolved on this, and determined to send the pair abroad for a time after the marriage.

7.3. The city was already full of merrymakers, everything was garlanded, and the coming marriage was on every tongue; everyone counted them blessed—him, for the kind of wife he would take; her, for the kind of youth she would lie beside.

7.4. When Habrocomes learned both of the oracle and of the marriage, he rejoiced greatly that he would have Anthia, and the prophecies caused him no fear at all, but the present seemed to him sweeter than any terror. In the same way Anthia rejoiced that she would have Habrocomes; what the flight or the misfortunes might be she made light of, having in Habrocomes a consolation for all the evils to come.

8.1. So when the time for the marriage had come, all-night festivities were held and many victims sacrificed to the goddess. When these had been completed and night had come—though everything seemed slow to Habrocomes and Anthia—they led the girl to the bridal chamber with torches, singing the wedding hymn and shouting blessings; and bringing her in, they laid her down.

8.2. Their bridal chamber had been prepared in this way: a golden couch was spread with purple coverlets, and over the couch a Babylonian canopy was embroidered: Loves at play, some attending Aphrodite (for there was also an image of Aphrodite), some riding as mounted archers on sparrows, some weaving garlands, some carrying flowers—

8.3. these on one part of the canopy; and on the other was Ares, not in armour, but adorned as for his beloved Aphrodite, garlanded, wearing a mantle; and Love led him, holding a lighted torch. Beneath this very canopy they laid Anthia, having brought her to Habrocomes, and shut the doors.

9.1. The same feeling came over them both, and they could neither speak to one another nor look each other in the eyes, but lay overcome by pleasure, ashamed, afraid, and panting; their bodies throbbed and their souls trembled.

9.2. At last Habrocomes recovered himself and embraced Anthia; she wept, her desire sending forth her tears as tokens of her soul. And Habrocomes said, "O night most longed for by me, which I have at last won, after so many wretched nights before.

9.3. O girl sweeter to me than light, and more blessed than any of whom story has ever told—you have for your husband a man who loves you, with whom it will be granted to a chaste woman to live and die." So saying, he kissed her and caught her tears, and to him those tears seemed more refreshing than any nectar and more potent than any drug against pain.

9.4. She, with a few words to him, said, "So, Habrocomes, do I seem beautiful to you, and after your own loveliness do I please you? Coward and timid one, how long a time you delayed in your love! How long you held back! From my own sufferings I know what you have suffered.

9.5. But come, receive my tears, and let your beautiful hair drink the draught of love; and let us cling and mingle together, and drench our garlands with each other's tears, that these too may share our love."

9.6. So saying, she kissed his whole face, pressed all his hair to her eyes, took up the garlands, and joining lips to lips in kisses she fitted them together; and all that they thought passed from soul into the other's soul through the kiss.

9.7. And kissing his eyes she said, "O you who have often grieved me, who first planted the goad in my soul, you who were then so proud, now so full of love, well have you served me, and well have you led my love into the soul of Habrocomes.

9.8. Therefore I kiss you again and again, and I fit my own eyes to you, the servants of Habrocomes. May you always look upon him, and never show another beautiful woman to Habrocomes, nor let any other man seem shapely to me. You hold the souls that you yourselves have kindled; keep them safe as they are."

9.9. So she spoke; and clinging together they took their rest and enjoyed the first fruits of Aphrodite, and all night long they vied with each other, each striving to seem the one who loved the more.

10.1. When day came, they rose far happier and far more cheerful, having at last fairly enjoyed what they had so long desired.

10.2. Their whole life was a festival, everything was full of good cheer, and now there was even a forgetting of the prophecies. But destiny was not forgotten, nor did the god to whom these things were appointed neglect them.

10.3. After a little time had passed, the fathers decided to send them out of the city according to their plans; for the pair were to see another land and other cities, and so, as far as possible, to soften the oracle of the god by being away from Ephesus for a time.

10.4. So everything was made ready for their departure: a great ship and sailors ready to set sail, and the provisions were put aboard—abundant and varied clothing, much silver and gold, and an overflowing plenty of food.

10.5. Before the sailing there were sacrifices to Artemis, prayers from the whole people, and tears from all, as for children who belonged to them all and were about to depart. Their voyage had been arranged for Egypt.

10.6. When the day of departure came, there were many menservants and many maidservants; and as the ship was about to put out, the whole multitude of the Ephesians was there to escort them, and many of the . . . with torches and sacrifices.

10.7. Meanwhile Lycomedes and Themisto, with everything coming back to their minds at once—the oracle, their son, his going abroad—lay upon the ground in despondency. Megamedes and Euippe had felt the same, but were more cheerful, looking to the ends of the prophecies.

10.8. By now the sailors were busy, the stern-cables were being loosed, the helmsman was taking up his place, and the ship was beginning to move off.

10.9. There was a great and confused outcry from those on land and those on the ship, the one side saying, "O dearest children, shall we who begot you ever see you again?" and the others, "O fathers, shall we recover you?" There was weeping and wailing, and each called his own kin by name, leaving the name with one another as a remembrance.

10.10. Megamedes took a cup, poured a libation, and prayed so as to be heard by those on the ship, saying, "O children, may you above all be fortunate and escape the harsh prophecies, and may the Ephesians receive you home in safety, and may you recover your dearest fatherland. But if anything else should befall, know this, that we too shall live no longer; we send you forth on a road that is unhappy, but necessary."

11.1. As he was still speaking and going out, his tears checked his words. The crowd went off into the city, urging them to take courage; but Habrocomes and Anthia lay clinging to one another, thinking of many things at once—pitying their parents, longing for their fatherland, dreading the oracle, suspicious of the journey; yet the voyage in each other's company was a consolation to them in everything.

11.2. That day, with a favourable wind, they completed their voyage and put in at Samos, the holy island of Hera. There they sacrificed, made their meal, and with many prayers set sail again as night came on.

11.3. Their voyage was prosperous, and they talked much with one another: "Will it be granted to us to live out our lives together?" And once Habrocomes, with a great groan, fell to thinking of his own case and said, "Anthia, dearer to me than my own soul, may we above all be fortunate and come safe through together;

11.4. but if it is fated that we suffer something, and we are somehow parted from one another, let us swear to each other, dearest, that you will remain chaste for me and endure no other man, and that I, for my part, would never live with any other woman."

11.5. Hearing this, Anthia gave a great cry and said, "What is this, Habrocomes? Have you believed that, if I am parted from you, I will still think of a husband and marriage—I, who would not even live at all without you? I swear to you by the goddess of our fathers, the great Artemis of the Ephesians, and by this sea that we are crossing, and by the god who has so well driven us mad for one another, that even if I am torn from you for a little while, I will neither live nor look upon the sun."

11.6. So Anthia spoke; and Habrocomes swore the same in turn, and the moment made their oaths the more solemn. Meanwhile the ship passed by Cos and Cnidus, and the island of the Rhodians came into view, great and beautiful; and there they had to put in by all means, for the sailors said they must take on water and rest themselves, since they were about to enter on a long voyage.

12.1. So the ship put in at Rhodes, and the sailors disembarked; Habrocomes went out leading Anthia by the hand. All the Rhodians gathered, struck by the beauty of the young pair, and no one who saw them passed by in silence: some said it was a visitation of gods, others bowed down and worshipped. Soon the names of Habrocomes and Anthia had run through the whole city.

12.2. The people offered public prayers for them, sacrificed many victims, and kept their visit as a festival. The pair viewed the whole city, and dedicated in the temple of the Sun a suit of golden armour, with an inscription as a memorial of those who had dedicated it:

"These wrought-gold arms were set here for you as a gift, by Anthia and Habrocomes, citizens of holy Ephesus."

12.3. Having made this dedication and stayed a few days on the island, they set sail again at the urging of the sailors, after taking on provisions; and the whole multitude of the Rhodians escorted them. At first they were carried along by a favourable wind, and the voyage was a pleasant one; that day and the following night they were carried on, traversing the sea called Egyptian. But on the second day the wind dropped, there was a calm, the voyage was slow, the sailors grew idle, and there was drinking and drunkenness—and the beginning of the prophecies.

12.4. Meanwhile a woman appeared to Habrocomes, terrible to look upon, greater than human in size, wearing a crimson robe. Standing over the ship, she seemed to set it on fire, and the others perished, but he, with Anthia, swam to safety. As soon as he saw this he was troubled, and expected some calamity from the dream; and the calamity came to pass.

13.1. There happened to be at Rhodes pirates lying in wait for them, Phoenicians by race, in a great trireme. They lay at anchor as men carrying cargo, and they were many and bold. These had learned that on the ship there was gold and silver and many slaves of great value.

13.2. So they resolved to fall upon them, kill those who resisted, and carry off the rest to Phoenicia to be sold, along with the goods; for they despised them as no match in a fight.

13.3. The leader of the pirates was called Corymbus, a young man great to look upon, terrible in his gaze; his hair was unkempt and hung loose.

13.4. When the pirates had laid these plans, at first they sailed quietly alongside Habrocomes and his company; but at last—it was about midday, and all those on the ship were lying about from drink and idleness, some asleep, some listless—Corymbus and his men bore down upon them, driving their ship with great speed.

13.5. When they came near, they leaped armed onto the ship, with their swords drawn. At that some flung themselves into the sea in terror and perished, while others, wishing to defend themselves, were cut down.

13.6. But Habrocomes and Anthia ran to Corymbus the pirate, and grasping his knees said, "Master, take the goods, and us too as your slaves, but spare our lives and kill no more of those who have willingly put themselves into your hands. By the sea itself, by your own right hand, lead us wherever you wish, and sell us as your slaves; only take pity on us, and put us under one master."

14.1. Hearing this, Corymbus at once ordered them to stop killing. He transferred the more valuable of the cargo, together with Habrocomes and Anthia and a few of the other servants, and set fire to the ship; all the rest were burned up, for he could neither carry them all off nor saw it safe to do so.

14.2. It was a pitiable spectacle: some being carried off in the trireme, others, in the burning ship, stretching out their hands and lamenting.

14.3. Some cried, "Where will you be taken, masters? What land will receive you, and what city will you live in?" Others said, "O blessed are you, who are about to die happily before you have known bonds, before you have seen the slavery of pirates." So they spoke, while some were carried off and others burned.

14.4. Meanwhile the tutor of Habrocomes, an old man now, venerable to look upon and pitiable for his age, unable to bear to see Habrocomes carried off, threw himself into the sea and swam as if to overtake the trireme, saying, "To whom do you leave me, child—the old man, your guardian?

14.5. Where are you going, Habrocomes? Kill me yourself, unhappy as I am, and bury me; for what is life to me without you?" So he spoke, and at last, despairing of ever seeing Habrocomes again, he gave himself to the waves and died.

14.6. This of all things was the most pitiable to Habrocomes; he stretched out his hands to the old man and begged the pirates to take him up. But they paid him no heed, and after completing their voyage in three days they put in at Tyre, a city of Phoenicia, where the pirates had their home.

14.7. They did not bring them into the city itself, but to a nearby estate belonging to a man who was chief of a band of brigands, Apsyrtus by name, whose servant Corymbus was, for hire and a share of the spoils. During the passage of the voyage, from seeing him so much each day, Corymbus fell in love with Habrocomes, a violent love, and his familiarity with the youth inflamed him all the more.

15.1. During the voyage it seemed impossible to win him over, for he saw how wretchedly he was disposed from despondency, and he saw too that he was in love with Anthia; and to force him seemed dangerous, for he feared the youth might do himself some harm.

15.2. But when they had put in at Tyre, Corymbus could endure it no longer. At first he tended Habrocomes, urged him to take heart, and showed him every care;

15.3. and Habrocomes thought that Corymbus took such care of him out of pity. Then Corymbus confided his love to one of his fellow pirates, Euxinus by name, and begged him to be his helper and to advise him by what means he might win the youth over.

15.4. Euxinus heard Corymbus' tale with pleasure, for he himself was wretchedly disposed toward Anthia and loved the girl with a violent love. He told Corymbus his own case as well, and advised him not to torment himself any longer but to get to work;

15.5. for it was, he said, very ignoble that, after running such risks and venturing so much, they should not enjoy in safety what they had won by their labours. "We shall be able," he said, "to receive them as a special gift from Apsyrtus."

15.6. By saying this he easily persuaded the man, who was in love. And so they agreed in like manner to make their pleas, each on the other's behalf, and to win over—Euxinus, Habrocomes, and Corymbus, Anthia.

16.1. Meanwhile the two lay dejected, expecting much, talking with one another, and constantly swearing to keep the agreements they had made.

16.2. Then Corymbus and Euxinus came to them and, saying that they wished to speak privately, led them apart by themselves—the one Anthia, the other Habrocomes. The souls of the pair trembled, and they suspected nothing good.

16.3. So Euxinus spoke to Habrocomes on Corymbus' behalf: "Young man, it is natural that you should bear your misfortune hard, having become a slave instead of a free man, and poor instead of prosperous. But you must reckon everything to fortune, and be content with the spirit that governs you, and love the masters you have come to.

16.4. For know that it is possible for you to recover both prosperity and freedom, if you are willing to obey your master Corymbus; for he loves you with a violent love, and is ready to make you master of all that is his. You will suffer no hardship by yielding, but will make your master more kindly disposed toward you.

16.5. Consider the state you are in: no helper, this a foreign land, your masters pirates, and no escape from punishment for anyone who scorns Corymbus. What need have you now of a wife and such concerns? What need of a beloved, at your age? Cast everything aside; you must look to your master alone, and obey when he commands."

16.6. Hearing this, Habrocomes at once was speechless and could find no answer; he wept and groaned, looking inward at the state into which he had come. And then he said to Euxinus, "Allow me, master, to deliberate a little, and I will answer you on everything you have said."

16.7. So Euxinus withdrew; and Corymbus had spoken to Anthia of Euxinus' love, the present necessity, and the need for her by all means to obey her masters. He promised much—a lawful marriage, money, and abundance, if she would yield. She gave him a like answer, asking for a little time to deliberate.