CHAPTER XXIII SMOOTH COMPOSITION

The smooth (or florid) mode of composition, which I regarded

2 τῆς πρώτης uncis inclusit Usenerus   4 ἐχούσης Us.: ἔχουσα libri   7 καὶ ... ἐργάζεται om. F || καὶ ἄφωνα P: om. FMV || ἅσπερ] ἅπερ PMV   8 τραχύτητας F: καὶ τραχύτητας PMV   9 εἴ τις] εἴπερ F   10 δὲ F: δὲ τῶν PMV || περιλαμβανομένων F: ἐμπεριλαμβανομένων PMV   11 ταύταις F: αὐταῖς PMV   12 τις ἑξῆς ἢ πάντα ταῦτα κῶλα F   13 συλλαβὰς F   14 καὶ ἀφώνων καὶ ἀντιτύπων P   17 τοσαύτας Uptonus: τοσαῦτα libri (cf. 160 20)   20 σχημάτων F: σχηματισμῶν PMV   21 τὰ ἄλλα PMV: τἆλλα F || χαρακτηρικὰ F: χαρακτηριστικὰ PV: χαρακτηριστικὰ καὶ M || ἀκομψεύστου FMV   22 αὐστηρᾶς] ἰσχυρᾶς F || ἀπελογησάμην PM2: ἐπελογησάμην M1V || διεξιέναι F: ἐπεξιέναι PMV   25 καὶ ἀνθηρὰ om. P || ἐτιθέμην F: ἐθέμην PMV

1. Dionysius seems to discern three periods in the first sentence of Thucydides, viz. (1) Θουκυδίδης ... ἀλλήλους (2) ἀρξάμενος ... προσγεγενημένων, (3) τεκμαιρόμενος ... διανοούμενον. The general sense here is: ‘as there is no connexion between ἀρξάμενος and τεκμαιρόμενος, we must take the latter as beginning a new period, and yet logically ἀρξάμενος belongs to it.’ If the words τῆς πρώτης are to be retained at all, they might possibly be transported with τῆς δευτέρας: ‘as though it were a part of the first period and not the end of the second.’

4. Usener’s ἐχούσης seems likely, though the words καὶ γὰρ ... ἡ βάσις might be regarded as parenthetical and ἔχουσα as in agreement with περίοδος.

18. πολλὴ δὲ καί κτλ.: cp. Cic. Orat. ix. 32. 33 “itaque numquam est (Thucydides) numeratus orator ... sed, cum mutila quaedam et hiantia locuti sunt, quae vel sine magistro facere potuerunt, germanos se putant esse Thucydidas.”

25. For ἀνθηρά cp. n. on 208 26 supra.—The whole chapter should be compared with de Demosth. c. 40. In c. 49 of that treatise Dionysius refers expressly to his previously written de Compositione: εἰ δέ τις ἀπαιτήσει καὶ ταῦτ’ ἔτι μαθεῖν ὅπῃ ποτ’ ἔχει, τοὺς ὑπομνηματισμοὺς ἡμῶν λαβών, οὓς περὶ τῆς συνθέσεως τῶν ὀνομάτων πεπραγματεύμεθα, πάντα ὅσα ποθεῖ τῶν ἐνθάδε παραλειπομένων εἴσεται (cp. c. 50 ibid.).

τῇ τάξει, χαρακτῆρα τοιόνδε ἔχει· οὐ ζητεῖ καθ’ ἓν
ἕκαστον ὄνομα ἐκ περιφανείας ὁρᾶσθαι οὐδὲ ἐν ἕδρᾳ πάντα
βεβηκέναι πλατείᾳ τε καὶ ἀσφαλεῖ οὐδὲ μακροὺς τοὺς μεταξὺ
αὐτῶν εἶναι χρόνους, οὐδ’ ὅλως τὸ βραδὺ καὶ σταθερὸν τοῦτο
φίλον αὐτῇ, ἀλλὰ κεκινῆσθαι βούλεται τὴν ὀνομασίαν καὶ      5
φέρεσθαι θάτερα κατὰ τῶν ἑτέρων ὀνομάτων καὶ ὀχεῖσθαι
τὴν ἀλληλουχίαν λαμβάνοντα βάσιν ὥσπερ τὰ ῥέοντα καὶ
μηδέποτε ἀτρεμοῦντα· συνηλεῖφθαί τε ἀλλήλοις ἀξιοῖ καὶ
συνυφάνθαι τὰ μόρια ὡς μιᾶς λέξεως ὄψιν ἀποτελοῦντα εἰς
δύναμιν. τοῦτο δὲ ποιοῦσιν αἱ τῶν ἁρμονιῶν ἀκρίβειαι,      10
χρόνον αἰσθητὸν οὐδένα τὸν μεταξὺ τῶν ὀνομάτων περιλαμβάνουσαι·
ἔοικέ τε κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος εὐητρίοις ὕφεσιν ἢ
γραφαῖς συνεφθαρμένα τὰ φωτεινὰ τοῖς σκιεροῖς ἐχούσαις.
εὔφωνά τε εἶναι βούλεται πάντα τὰ ὀνόματα καὶ λεῖα καὶ
μαλακὰ καὶ παρθενωπά, τραχείαις δὲ συλλαβαῖς καὶ ἀντιτύποις      15
ἀπέχθεταί που· τὸ δὲ θρασὺ πᾶν καὶ παρακεκινδυνευμένον
δι’ εὐλαβείας ἔχει.

οὐ μόνον δὲ τὰ ὀνόματα τοῖς ὀνόμασιν ἐπιτηδείως
συνηρμόσθαι βούλεται καὶ συνεξέσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ κῶλα
τοῖς κώλοις εὖ συνυφάνθαι καὶ πάντα εἰς περίοδον τελευτᾶν,      20
ὁρίζουσα κώλου τε μῆκος, ὃ μὴ βραχύτερον ἔσται μηδὲ μεῖζον
τοῦ μετρίου, καὶ περιόδου μέτρον, οὗ πνεῦμα τέλειον ἀνδρὸς
κρατήσει· ἀπερίοδον δὲ λέξιν ἢ περίοδον ἀκώλιστον ἢ κῶλον

[235]

as second in order, has the following features. It does not intend that each word should be seen on every side, nor that all its parts should stand on broad, firm bases, nor that the time-intervals between them should be long; nor in general is this slow and deliberate movement congenial to it. It demands free movement in its diction; it requires words to come sweeping along one on top of another, each supported by that which follows, like the onflow of a never-resting stream. It tries to combine and interweave its component parts, and thus give, as far as possible, the effect of one continuous utterance. This result is produced by so nicely adjusting the junctures that they admit no appreciable time-interval between the words. From this point of view the style resembles finely woven stuffs, or pictures in which the lights melt insensibly into the shadows. It requires that all its words shall be melodious, smooth, soft as a maiden’s face; and it shrinks from harsh, clashing syllables, and carefully avoids everything rash and hazardous.

It requires not only that its words should be properly dove-tailed and fitted together, but also that the clauses should be carefully inwoven with one another and all issue in a period. It limits the length of a clause so that it is neither shorter nor longer than the right mean, and the compass of the period so that a man’s full breath will be able to cover it. It could not endure to construct a passage without periods, nor a period

1 ἓν EPM: om. FV   5 κεκινῆσθαι EF: κ[αὶ] κινῆσθαι cum rasura P: καὶ κινεῖσθαι MV   6 φέρεσθαι EFM: φέρεσθαι καὶ PV || τῶν ἑτέρων PMV: τῶν θατέρων F: θατέρων E || καὶ FMV: om. P || ὀχλεῖσθαι F   7 βάσιν om. F || τὰ ῥέοντα EF: τὰ ῥέοντα νάματα PMV   8 συνηλεῖφθαι F: συνειλῆφθ[αι] cum rasura P, MV   9 ὡς E: om. FPMV || μιᾶς EF: τῆς PMV || ἀποτελοῦντα PMV: διατελεῖν E: διατελοῦντα F   11 περιλαμβάνουσαι EFM: λαμβάνουσαι PV   12 τοῦτο τὸ om. EF || εὐκτρίοις PM || ὑφέσιν F: ὑφαίσιν M: ὑφαῖσιν cum rasura P, V: ὑφαῖς Es   13 τάφω τινα (sed suprascripto ε) P || σκιαροις P   14 τὰ EF: om. PMV   16 που ... παρακεκινδυνευμένον om. P   17 δι’ EF: καὶ δι’ PMV   20 εὖ E: om. FPMV   21 ὁρίζουσα Schaefer: ὁρίζουσαν EFPM   22 μέτρον EF: χρόνον PMV

1. ‘It does not expect its words to be looked at individually, and from every side, like statues.’ Cp. 210 17 supra.

7. More literally, ‘finding firmness in mutual support.’

9. Cp. de Demosth. c. 40 τὸ γὰρ ὅλον ἐστὶν αὐτῆς βούλημα καὶ ἡ πολλὴ πραγματεία περὶ τὸ συσπασθῆναί τε καὶ συνυφάνθαι πάντα τὰ μόρια τῆς περιόδου, μιᾶς λέξεως ἀποτελοῦντα φαντασίαν, καὶ ἔτι πρὸς τούτῳ περὶ τὸ πᾶσαν εἶναι τὴν λέξιν, ὥσπερ ἐν ταῖς μουσικαῖς συμφωνίαις, ἡδεῖαν καὶ λιγυράν. τούτων δὲ τὸ μὲν αἱ τῶν ἁρμονιῶν ἀκρίβειαι ποιοῦσι, κτλ.

14, 15. That is to say: the words it uses must be beautiful in sound and smoothly syllabled.

20. εὖ, which Usener adopts from E, helps to balance ἐπιτηδείως supra. At the same time, it could be spared and may have arisen from a dittography of the first two letters in συνυφάνθαι. Similarly, in l. 9 supra, the ὡς which E gives (together with the infinitive διατελεῖν, as it should be noticed) cannot be regarded as indispensable.

22. μέτρον: the reading of PMV (περιόδου χρόνον) may be right, in the sense of periodi ambitum. In the Epitome, μέτρον has possibly been substituted (as a clearer word) for χρόνον. F’s reading is μέτρον οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείνειεν ἐργάσασθαι, with all the four last words dotted out as having been written in error: which suggests that μέτρον may be no more than the last syllable of ἀσύμμετρον.

οὗ πνεῦμα τέλειον ἀνδρὸς κρατήσει: much will, clearly, depend on the person in question, since some men (as Lord Rosebery once said of Mr. Gladstone) have lungs which can utter sentences like “Biscayan rollers.” The Greeks were so rhetorical that they tended to look at a written passage constantly from the rhetorical point of view, and if a ‘period’ was too long for one breath they would try to analyze it into two periods if they could: cp. note on 232 1 supra.

ἀσύμμετρον οὐκ ἂν ὑπομείνειεν ἐργάσασθαι. χρῆται δὲ καὶ
ῥυθμοῖς οὐ τοῖς μεγίστοις ἀλλὰ τοῖς μέσοις τε καὶ βραχυτέροις·
καὶ τῶν περιόδων τὰς τελευτὰς εὐρύθμους εἶναι
βούλεται καὶ βεβηκυίας ὡς ἂν ἀπὸ στάθμης, τἀναντία
ποιοῦσα ἐν ταῖς τούτων ἁρμογαῖς ἢ ταῖς τῶν ὀνομάτων·      5
ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ συναλείφει, ταύτας δὲ διίστησι καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκ
περιόπτου βούλεται φανερὰς εἶναι. σχήμασί τε οὐ τοῖς
ἀρχαιοπρεπεστάτοις οὐδ’ ὅσοις σεμνότης τις ἢ βάρος ἢ πίνος
πρόσεστιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τρυφεροῖς τε καὶ κολακικοῖς ὡς τὰ
πολλὰ χρῆσθαι φιλεῖ, ἐν οἷς πολὺ τὸ ἀπατηλόν ἐστι καὶ      10
θεατρικόν. ἵνα δὲ καὶ κοινότερον εἴπω, τοὐναντίον ἔχει σχῆμα
τῆς προτέρας κατὰ τὰ μέγιστα καὶ κυριώτατα, ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐδὲν
δέομαι πάλιν λέγειν.

ἀκόλουθον δ’ ἂν εἴη καὶ τοὺς ἐν ταύτῃ πρωτεύσαντας
καταριθμήσασθαι. ἐποποιῶν μὲν οὖν ἔμοιγε κάλλιστα τουτονὶ      15
δοκεῖ τὸν χαρακτῆρα ἐξεργάσασθαι Ἡσίοδος, μελοποιῶν δὲ
Σαπφὼ καὶ μετ’ αὐτὴν Ἀνακρέων τε καὶ Σιμωνίδης, τραγῳδοποιῶν
δὲ μόνος Εὐριπίδης, συγγραφέων δὲ ἀκριβῶς μὲν
οὐδείς, μᾶλλον δὲ τῶν πολλῶν Ἔφορός τε καὶ Θεόπομπος,
ῥητόρων δὲ Ἰσοκράτης. θήσω δὲ καὶ ταύτης παραδείγματα      20
τῆς ἁρμονίας, ποιητῶν μὲν προχειρισάμενος Σαπφώ, ῥητόρων
δὲ Ἰσοκράτην. ἄρξομαι δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς μελοποιοῦ.

[237]

without clauses, nor a clause without symmetry. The rhythms it uses are not the longest, but the intermediate, or shorter than these. It requires its periods to march as with steps regulated by line and rule, and to close with a rhythmical fall. Thus, in fitting together its periods and its words respectively, it employs two different methods. The latter it runs together; the former it keeps apart, wishing that they may be seen as it were from every side. As for figures, it is wont to employ not the most time-honoured sort, nor those marked by stateliness, gravity, or mellowness, but rather for the most part those which are dainty and alluring, and contain much that is seductive and fanciful. To speak generally: its attitude is directly opposed to that of the former variety in the principal and most essential points. I need not go over these points again.

Our next step will be to enumerate those who have attained eminence in this style. Well, among epic poets Hesiod, I think, has best developed the type; among lyric poets, Sappho, and, after her, Anacreon and Simonides; of tragedians, Euripides alone; of historians, none exactly, but Ephorus and Theopompus more than most; of orators, Isocrates. I will quote examples of this style also, selecting among poets Sappho, and among orators Isocrates. And I will begin with the lyric poetess:—

1 χρήσεται P   2 ῥυθμοῖς EFM: ῥυθμῶν PV || μεγίστοις EF: μηκίστοις PMV   3 καὶ om. P   4 ἂν EF: om. PMV   6 ταύτας EV: ταῦτα F: τας αυτας P, M   7 φανεροὺς F   8 ὅσοις F: ὅσοις ἢ PMV || πῖνος PV: τὸ πῖνος M: τόνος F   9 πρόσεστιν PMV: πάρεστιν F || κολακικοῖς FPM: μαλακοῖς V: θεατρικοῖς E   11 δὲ καὶ F: δὲ PMV   12 τῆς προτέρας EFM: τῆι προτέρα P, V || καὶ κυριώτατα FM: om. PV   14 ταύτη F: αυτῆι P, MV   15 ἔμοιγε EF: ἔγωγε PMV || κάλλιστα EFP: κάλλιστα νομίζω M: μάλιστα νομίζω V   16 δοκεῖ EFP: om. MV   17 μετ’ αὐτὴν EF: μετὰ ταύτην PMV   20 ταύτης EF: ταῦτα PMV

6. ἐκ περιόπτου, ‘ex edito loco,’ ‘undique.’

16-20. The list that follows may seem somewhat ill-assorted if it be not remembered that the point of contact between the authors mentioned is simply smoothness of word-arrangement.—For Hesiod cp. de Imitat. B. vi. 2 Ἡσίοδος μὲν γὰρ ἐφρόντισεν ἡδονῆς δι’ ὀνομάτων λειότητος καὶ συνθέσεως ἐμμελοῦς: and Quintil. x. 1. 52 “raro assurgit Hesiodus, magnaque pars eius in nominibus est occupata; tamen utiles circa praecepta sententiae levitasque verborum et compositionis probabilis, daturque ei palma in illo medio genere dicendi.”—In de Demosth. c. 40 Hesiod, Sappho, Anacreon, and Isocrates are (as here) considered to be examples of the ἁρμονία γλαφυρά.

17. Simonides is thus characterized in de Imitat. B. vi. 2: Σιμωνίδου δὲ παρατήρει τὴν ἐκλογὴν τῶν ὀνομάτων, τῆς συνθέσεως τὴν ἀκρίβειαν· πρὸς τούτοις, καθ’ ὃ βελτίων εὑρίσκεται καὶ Πινδάρου, τὸ οἰκτίζεσθαι μὴ μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἀλλὰ παθητικῶς. The Danaë (quoted in c. 26) will illustrate the concluding clause of this estimate.

18. Euripides: cp. Aristot. Rhet. iii. 2 κλέπτεται δ’ εὖ, ἐάν τις ἐκ τῆς εἰωθυίας διαλέκτου ἐκλέγων συντιθῇ· ὅπερ Εὐριπίδης ποιεῖ καὶ ὑπέδειξε πρῶτος, and Long. de Subl. c. xl. διότι τῆς συνθέσεως ποιητὴς ὁ Εὐριπίδης μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἢ τοῦ νοῦ.

19. With respect to Ephorus the opinions of Diodorus and of Suidas are somewhat at variance: (1) Diodorus Sic. v. 1 Ἔφορος δὲ τὰς κοινὰς πράξεις ἀναγράφων οὐ μόνον κατὰ τὴν λέξιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἐπιτέτευχεν, (2) Suidas ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ἔφορος ἦν τὸ ἦθος ἁπλοῦς, τὴν δὲ ἑρμηνείαν τῆς ἱστορίας ὕπτιος καὶ νωθρὸς καὶ μηδεμίαν ἔχων ἐπίτασιν.

Theopompus: cp. an article, by the present writer, in the Classical Review xxii. 118 ff. on “Theopompus in the Greek Literary Critics: with special reference to the newly discovered Greek historian (Grenfell & Hunt Oxyrhynchus Papyri part v. pp. 110-242).” Reference may also be made to D.H. pp. 18, 96, 120-6, etc. Gibbon (Decline and Fall c. 53) classes Theopompus in high company: “we must envy the generation that could still peruse the history of Theopompus, the orations of Hyperides, the comedies of Menander, and the odes of Alcaeus and Sappho.”

20. Isokrates: see D.H. pp. 18, 20-22, 41, etc., and Demetr. pp. 8-11, 47, etc.

Ποικιλόθρον’, ἀθάνατ’ Ἀφροδίτα,
παῖ Δίος, δολόπλοκε, λίσσομαί σε,
μή μ’ ἄσαισι μηδ’ ὀνίαισι δάμνα,
πότνια, θῦμον·

ἀλλὰ τυῖδ’ ἔλθ’, αἴ ποτα κἀτέρωτα      5
τᾶς ἔμας αὔδως ἀίοισα πήλυι
ἔκλυες, πάτρος δὲ δόμον λίποισα
χρύσιον ἦλθες

ἄρμ’ ὐπασδεύξαισα. κάλοι δέ σ’ ἆγον
ὠκέες στροῦθοι περὶ γᾶς μελαίνας      10
πύκνα διννῆντες πτέρ’ ἀπ’ ὠράνω αἴθε-
ρος διὰ μέσσω.

αἶψα δ’ ἐξίκοντο· τὺ δ’, ὦ μάκαιρα,
μειδιάσαισ’ ἀθανάτῳ προσώπῳ,
ἤρε’, ὄττι δηὖτε πέπονθα κὤττι      15
δηὖτε κάλημι·

κὤττι ἔμῳ μάλιστα θέλω γένεσθαι
μαινόλᾳ θύμῳ· τίνα δηὖτε πείθω
μαῖς ἄγην ἐς σὰν φιλότατα, τίς σ’, ὦ
Ψάπφ’, ἀδικήει;      20

καὶ γὰρ αἰ φεύγει, ταχέως διώξει,
αἰ δὲ δῶρα μὴ δέκετ’, ἀλλὰ δώσει,
αἰ δὲ μὴ φίλει, ταχέως φιλήσει
κωὐκ ἐθέλοισα.

[239]

Rainbow-throned immortal one, Aphrodite,
Child of Zeus, spell-weaver, I bow before thee—
Harrow not my spirit with anguish, mighty
Queen, I implore thee!

Nay, come hither, even as once thou, bending
Down from far to hearken my cry, didst hear me,
From thy Father’s palace of gold descending
Drewest anear me

Chariot-wafted: far over midnight-sleeping
Earth, thy fair fleet sparrows, through cloudland riven
Wide by multitudinous wings, came sweeping
Down from thine heaven,

Swiftly came: thou, smiling with those undying
Lips and star-eyes, Blessed One, smiling me-ward,
Said’st, “What ails thee?—wherefore uprose thy crying
Calling me thee-ward?

Say for what boon most with a frenzied longing
Yearns thy soul—say whom shall my glamour chaining
Hale thy love’s thrall, Sappho—and who is wronging
Thee with disdaining?

Who avoids thee soon shall be thy pursuer:
Aye, the gift-rejecter the giver shall now be:
Aye, the loveless now shall become the wooer,
Scornful shalt thou be!”

2 διὸς δολοπλόκε FP   4 θυμὸν FP   5 τυδ’ ἐλθε ποκα κατ ἔρωτα P: τὺ δ’ ὲ|||λ’|||θε||| ποτὲ κατ’ έρωτα F   6 ἀΐοισ ἀπόλυ P   8 χρύσειον FP   9 ἀρμύ πᾶσδευξαισα F: ἁρμα ὑποζεύξασα P   10 γ(ας) P: τὰς F   11 διννῆν τεσ F: δινῆντες P || πτερα· πτωρανω θερος F: πτὲρ’ ἀπ’ ὠρανὼ· θέρο σ P   12 διαμέσω F: δ’ άμεσ πω P   13 αἶψαδ’ F: ἀῖψ’ ἄλλ’ P || τὺ δ’ ὦ μάκαιρα P: συ δῶμα καιρα F   14 ἀθανάτω προσώπω FP sine iota (item vv. 17, 18 F)   15 ἤρε’ ὅττι δ ῆυ (ἦν E) τὸ P, E   16 δ’ ηυτε καλημμι P: δευρο καλλημμι F   17 κωττε μω F: κ’ όττ’ ἐμῶι P   18 μαινολαθυμῶι P: λαιθυμω F || δηϋτε πειθω F: δ’ ἐυτεπεί θω P   19 μαι (βαι corr.) σαγηνεσσαν P: καὶ σαγήνεσσαν FE: μαῖς Bergkius   20 ἀδικήει Gaisfordius ex Etym. Magn. 485. 41: τισ σωψαπφα δίκη· P: τισ ω ψαπφα δίκησ· F   24 κωϋ κεθέλουσα F: κ’ ώυ κ’ ἐθέλοισ, P

1. To Dionysius here, and to the de Sublimitate c. x., we owe the preservation of the two most considerable extant fragments of Sappho’s poetry. The Ode to Anactoria is quoted by ‘Longinus’ as a picture of παθῶν σύνοδος: it is imitated in Catullus li. Ad Lesbiam (“Ille mi par esse deo videtur”). The Hymn to Aphrodite has been rendered repeatedly into English: some eight versions are printed in H. T. Wharton’s Sappho pp. 51-64. Two recent English translations are of special interest: (1) that of the late Dr. Walter Headlam—immatura eheu morte praerepti—in his Book of Greek Verse pp. 6-9; (2) that of Dr. Arthur Way, which is printed in the present volume. Dr. Way has, it will be observed, succeeded in maintaining a double rhyme throughout.

24. “Bloomfeld’s ἐθέλοισαν was strenuously defended by Welcker RM 11. 266, who held that the subject of φιλήσει was a man. No MS. whose readings were known before 1892 settled the dispute. Now Piccolomini’s VL show ἐθέλουσα (Hermes 27),” Weir Smyth Greek Lyric Poets p. 233. Notes on the entire ode will be found in Weir Smyth op. cit. pp. 230-3, and in G. S. Farnell’s Greek Lyric Poetry pp. 327-9, and a few also in W. G. Headlam’s Book of Greek Verse pp. 265-7.

ἔλθε μοι καὶ νῦν, χαλεπᾶν δὲ λῦσον
ἐκ μεριμνᾶν, ὄσσα δέ μοι τέλεσσαι
θῦμος ἰμμέρρει, τέλεσον· σὺ δ’ αὔτα
σύμμαχος ἔσσο.

ταύτης τῆς λέξεως ἡ εὐέπεια καὶ ἡ χάρις ἐν τῇ συνεχείᾳ καὶ      5
λειότητι γέγονε τῶν ἁρμονιῶν· παράκειται γὰρ ἀλλήλοις τὰ
ὀνόματα καὶ συνύφανται κατὰ τινας οἰκειότητας καὶ συζυγίας
φυσικὰς τῶν γραμμάτων· τὰ γὰρ φωνήεντα τοῖς ἀφώνοις τε
καὶ ἡμιφώνοις συνάπτεται μικροῦ διὰ πάσης τῆς ᾠδῆς, ὅσα
προτάττεσθαί τε καὶ ὑποτάττεσθαι πέφυκεν ἀλλήλοις κατὰ      10
μίαν συλλαβὴν συνεκφερόμενα· ἡμιφώνων δὲ πρὸς ἡμίφωνα ἢ
ἄφωνα ‹καὶ ἀφώνων› καὶ φωνηέντων πρὸς ἄλληλα συμπτώσεις
αἱ διασαλεύουσαι τοὺς ἤχους ὀλίγαι πάνυ ἔνεισιν· ἐγὼ
γοῦν ὅλην τὴν ᾠδὴν ἀνασκοπούμενος πέντε ἢ ἓξ ἴσως ἐν τοῖς
τοσούτοις ὀνόμασι καὶ ῥήμασι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις μορίοις ἡμιφώνων      15
τε καὶ ἀφώνων γραμμάτων συμπλοκὰς τῶν μὴ πεφυκότων
ἀλλήλοις κεράννυσθαι καὶ οὐδὲ ταύτας ἐπὶ πολὺ τραχυνούσας
τὴν εὐέπειαν εὑρίσκω, φωνηέντων δὲ παραθέσεις τὰς μὲν ἐν
τοῖς κώλοις αὐτοῖς γινομένας ἔτι ἐλάττους ἢ τοσαύτας, τὰς δὲ
συναπτούσας ἀλλήλοις τὰ κῶλα ὀλίγῳ τινὶ τούτων πλείονας.      20
εἰκότως δὴ γέγονεν εὔρους τις ἡ λέξις καὶ μαλακή, τῆς ἁρμονίας
τῶν ὀνομάτων μηδὲν ἀποκυματιζούσης τὸν ἦχον.

ἔλεγον δ’ ἂν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς συνθέσεως ταύτης ἰδιώματα,
καὶ ἀπεδείκνυον ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων τοιαῦτα ὄντα οἷα
ἐγώ φημι, εἰ μὴ μακρὸς ἔμελλεν ὁ λόγος γενήσεσθαι καὶ      25
ταυτολογίας τινὰ παρέξειν δόξαν. ἐξέσται γὰρ σοὶ καὶ παντὶ

[241]

Once again come! Come, and my chains dissever,
Chains of heart-ache! Passionate longings rend me—
Oh fulfil them! Thou in the strife be ever
Near, to defend me.[177]

Here the euphonious effect and the grace of the language arise from the coherence and smoothness of the junctures. The words nestle close to one another and are woven together according to certain affinities and natural attractions of the letters. Almost throughout the entire ode vowels are joined to mutes and semi-vowels, all those in fact which are naturally prefixed or affixed to one another when pronounced together in one syllable. There are very few clashings of semi-vowels with semi-vowels or mutes, and of mutes and vowels with one another, such as cause the sound to oscillate. When I review the entire ode, I find, in all those nouns and verbs and other kinds of words, only five or perhaps six unions of semi-vowels and mutes which do not naturally blend with one another, and even they do not disturb the smoothness of the language to any great extent. As for juxtaposition of vowels, I find that those which occur in the clauses themselves are still fewer, while those which join the clauses to one another are only a little more numerous. As a natural consequence the language has a certain easy flow and softness; the arrangement of the words in no way ruffles the smooth waves of sound.

I would go on to mention the remaining characteristics of this kind of composition, and would show as before by means of appropriate illustrations that they are such as I say, were it not that my treatise would become too long and would create an impression of needless repetition. It will be open to you, as to

3 ϊμαρερερει F: ϊμέρει P   4 ἔσο F: ἔστω compendio F   5 συνεχεία EF: συνεπεία PMV   8 τε καὶ ἡμιφώνους om. EF   9 διὰ πάσης EF: δεῖν δι’ ὅλης PMV   10 πέφυκεν ... συνεκφερόμενα EF: om. PMV   11 συνεκφερόμενα E: συνεκφέρεσθαι F || ἢ ἄφωνα PM: καὶ ἀφώνων FE   13 ἔνεισιν EF: εἰσίν PMV   14 ἐν F: εὗρον ἐν PMV   15 τοσούτοις Sylburgius: τοιούτοις PMV   16 καὶ ἀφώνων F: om. PMV   18 εὑρίσκω MV: εὑρίσκων F: om. P   19 ἔτι] ὅτι F   21 εὔνους τις F   23 δὲ ἂν F   24 ἀπεδείκνυ F   25 ἐιμιμακρ(ῶς) P   26 παρέξειν δόξαν F: δόξαν παρέχειν PMV

5. W. G. Headlam (Book of Greek Verse p. 265) well says that Dionysius’ comments on the smooth style (especially in relation to Sappho) are worth the attention of those who would gather the effect which Sappho’s language made upon a Greek ear practised in the minute study of expression; and he proceeds: “There is always in the verse of Sappho a directness and unlaboured ease of language, as if every lovely sentence came by nature from the mouth at once; as though she spoke in song, and what she sang were the expression of her very soul, the voice of languorous enjoyment and desire of beauty:

My blood was hot wan wine of love,
And my song’s sound the sound thereof,
The sound of the delight of it.”

22. Dionysius shows good judgement in not subjecting Sappho’s Hymn to a detailed analysis, letter by letter.

24. ἐπὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων, ‘in the light of the appropriate examples.’ Cp. 152 3, 232 23. The phrase sometimes indicates ‘familiar,’ ‘stock,’ or ‘previous’ examples; cp. de Demosth. c. 40 ἵνα δὲ μὴ δόξωμεν διαρτᾶν τὰς ἀκολουθίας, τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας ἐπὶ τὰ ἐν ἀρχαῖς ῥηθέντα παραδείγματα κελεύοντες ἀναστρέφειν, κτλ.—In 242 2 infra, ‘with illustrations’ (no article in PMV, though F has τῶν).

ἄλλῳ καθ’ ἓν ἕκαστον τῶν ἐξηριθμημένων ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ κατὰ τὴν
προέκθεσιν τοῦ χαρακτῆρος ἐπιλέγεσθαί τε καὶ σκοπεῖν ἐπὶ
παραδειγμάτων κατὰ πολλὴν εὐκαιρίαν καὶ σχολήν· ἐμοὶ δ’
οὐκ ἐγχωρεῖ τοῦτο ποιεῖν, ἀλλ’ ἀπόχρη παραδεῖξαι μόνον
ἀρκούντως ἃ βούλομαι τοῖς δυνησομένοις παρακολουθῆσαι.      5

ἑνὸς ἔτι παραθήσομαι λέξιν ἀνδρὸς εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν κατεσκευασμένου
χαρακτῆρα, Ἰσοκράτους τοῦ ῥήτορος, ὃν ἐγὼ
μάλιστα πάντων οἴομαι τῶν πεζῇ λέξει χρησαμένων ταύτην
ἀκριβοῦν τὴν ἁρμονίαν. ἔστι δὲ ἡ λέξις ἐκ τοῦ Ἀρεοπαγιτικοῦ
ἥδε·      10

πολλοὺς ὑμῶν οἴομαι θαυμάζειν, ἥντινά ποτε γνώμην
ἔχων περὶ σωτηρίας τὴν πρόσοδον ἐποιησάμην, ὥσπερ
τῆς πόλεως ἐν κινδύνοις οὔσης ἢ σφαλερῶς αὐτῇ τῶν
πραγμάτων καθεστώτων, ἀλλ’ οὐ πλείους μὲν τριήρεις ἢ
διακοσίας κεκτημένης, εἰρήνην δὲ καὶ τὰ περὶ τὴν χώραν      15
ἀγούσης καὶ τῶν κατὰ θάλατταν ἀρχούσης, ἔτι δὲ συμμάχους
ἐχούσης πολλοὺς μὲν τοὺς ἑτοίμους ἡμῖν ἤν τι
δέῃ βοηθήσοντας, πολὺ δὲ πλείους τοὺς τὰς συντάξεις
ὑποτελοῦντας καὶ τὸ προσταττόμενον ποιοῦντας. ὧν
ὑπαρχόντων ἡμᾶς μὲν ἄν τις φήσειεν εἰκὸς εἶναι θαρρεῖν      20
ὡς πόρρω τῶν κινδύνων ὄντας, τοῖς δ’ ἐχθροῖς τοῖς ἡμετέροις
προσήκειν δεδιέναι καὶ βουλεύεσθαι περὶ σωτηρίας.
ὑμεῖς μὲν οὖν οἶδ’ ὅτι τούτῳ χρώμενοι τῷ λογισμῷ καὶ

[243]

any one else, at your full leisure and convenience, to take each single point enumerated by me in describing the type, and to examine and review them with illustrations. But I really have no time to do this. It is quite enough simply to give an adequate indication of my views to all who will be able to follow in my steps.

I will quote a passage of one more writer who has fashioned himself into the same mould—Isocrates the orator. Of all prose-writers he is, I think, the most finished master of this style of composition. The passage is from the Areopagiticus, as follows:—

“Many of you, I imagine, are wondering what can be my view in coming before you to speak on the question of the public safety, as though the State were actually in danger, or its interests imperilled, and as though it did not as a matter of fact possess more than two hundred warships, and were not at peace throughout its borders and supreme at sea, and had not many allies ready to help us in case of need, and many more who regularly pay their contributions and perform their obligation. Under these circumstances it might be said that we have every reason for confidence on the ground that all danger is remote; and that it is our enemies who have reason to be afraid and to form plans for self-preservation. Now you, I know, are inclined on this account

1 τὴν] τ(ων) P   2 πρόθεσιν F   3 παραδειγμάτων PMV: τῶν παραδειγμάτων F || δὲ F   4 ποιεῖ P || παραδεῖξαι Us.: πᾶσι δεῖξαι FM: δεῖξαι PV   5 ἀρκοῦντος F   6 παραθήσομαι F: παραθήσω PMV || αὐτὸν om. F || κατεσκευασμένου P: κατεσκευασμένον FV: κατεσκευασμένην M   7 ὃν] ἡ F   8 πεζῆ F: πεζῆι τῆι P, MV   9 ἀρεοπαγητικου ἡδε F   11 ὑμῶν] τούτων F || οἴομαι] οἶμαι Isocratis libri   12 ὥσπερ EPMV Isocr.: ὡς περὶ εἰ F   14 καθεστηκότων Isocr.   15 εἰρήνης F || καὶ τὰ PMV Isocr.: τὰ EF   16 [ἐ]χούσης cum litura P, MV || ἔτι ... ἐχούσης om. F   17 τοὺς om. E   18 τοὺς om. PM   19 ὑποτελοῦντας PMV Isocr.: ἐπιτελοῦντας EF   20 ἡμᾶς PMV Isocr.: ὑμᾶς EF   21 ὑμετέροις F   23 ἡμεῖς PV || οἶδ’] οἵ δ’ F

6. παραθήσομαι: the Middle, as given by F, is to be preferred (cp. 182 12). In 122 14, on the other hand, F gives παρέξω, where the other MSS. supply the right reading παρέξομαι.

11. In the English translation of this passage of Isocrates no attempt has been made to reproduce the effects to which Dionysius calls attention: to do so would involve sacrificing equivalence of meaning to equivalence of letter-combinations.—Bircovius compares, in Latin, the opening passage of Cic. pro Caecina: “si, quantum in agro locisque desertis audacia potest, tantum in foro atque in iudiciis impudentia valeret, non minus nunc in caussa cederet A. Caecina Sex. Aebutii impudentiae, quam tum in vi facienda cessit audaciae. verum et illud considerati hominis esse putavit, qua de re iure decertare oporteret, armis non contendere: et hoc constantis, quicum vi et armis certare noluisset, eum iure iudicioque superare.” Batteux (p. 253) quotes from Fléchier’s oratorical picture of M. de Turenne: “Soit qu’il fallût préparer les affaires ou les décider; chercher la victoire avec ardeur, ou l’attendre avec patience; soit qu’il fallût prévenir les desseins des ennemis par la hardiesse, ou dissiper les craintes et les jalousies des alliés par la prudence; soit qu’il fallût se modérer dans les prospérités, ou se soutenir dans les malheurs de la guerre, son âme fut toujours égale. Il ne fit que changer vertus, quand la fortune changeait de face; heureux sans orgueil, malheureux avec dignité. ... Si la licence fut réprimée; si les haines publiques et particulières furent assoupies; si les lois reprirent leur ancienne vigueur; si l’ordre et le repos furent rétablis dans les villes et dans les provinces; si les membres furent heureusement réunis à leur chef; c’est à lui, France, que tu le dois.” Batteux maintains that this passage shows the same qualities of style as Dionysius’ extract from Isocrates.

13. ἢ σφαλερῶς: Koraes would read καὶ σφαλερῶς. His note (Isocr. ii. 102) runs: “οὐκ ἀλόγως ὑπενόησεν ὁ Λάγγιος γραπτέον εἶναι, Καὶ σφαλερῶς· ἔοικε δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰταλὸς μεταφραστής, συμπλεκτικῶς, οὐ διαζευκτικῶς, ἀνεγνωκέναι, ἢ ἀναγνωστέον εἶναι κεκρικέναι, Quasi che la città in alcun pericolo si trovasse, et le cose sue in pessima conditione fossero.”

18. συντάξεις: Koraes l.c. κακῶς τὸ ἐμὸν ἀντίγραφον, Συνάξεις. Συντάξεις δὲ λέγει, κατ’ εὐφημισμὸν Ἀττικόν, τοὺς φόρους, ἐπειδή, ὥς φησιν Ἁρποκρατίων (λέξ. Σύνταξις), χαλεπῶς ἔφερον οἱ Ἕλληνες τὸ τῶν φόρων ὄνομα. ὡσαύτως ἡ τῶν Γαλλῶν φωνή, τὴν πρόθεσιν παραλιποῦσα, Taxe ὠνόμασε τὴν σύνταξιν, τὴν τοῖς Ἰταλοῖς καλουμένην Tassa, καὶ ῥῆμα ἐποίησε Taxer (Ἰταλ. Tassare), ἐπὶ τοῦ τάσσειν καὶ ἐπιβάλλειν τοὺς φόρους· ὅθεν ἡ τῶν Γραικῶν φωνή, τὰ ἴδια παρὰ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων λαμβάνουσα, ἐσχημάτισε τὰ χυδαῖα, Τάσσα καὶ Τασσάρω.

τῆς ἐμῆς προσόδου καταφρονεῖτε καὶ πᾶσαν ἐλπίζετε τὴν
Ἑλλάδα ταύτῃ τῇ δυνάμει κατασχήσειν· ἐγὼ δὲ δι’
αὐτὰ ταῦτα τυγχάνω δεδιώς. ὁρῶ γὰρ τῶν πόλεων τὰς
ἄριστα πράττειν οἰομένας κάκιστα βουλευομένας, καὶ τὰς
μάλιστα θαρρούσας εἰς πλείστους κινδύνους καθισταμένας.      5
αἴτιον δὲ τούτων ἐστίν, ὅτι τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ τῶν κακῶν
οὐδὲν αὐτὸ καθ’ αὑτὸ παραγίνεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ
συντέτακται καὶ συνακολουθεῖ τοῖς μὲν πλούτοις καὶ ταῖς
δυναστείαις ἄνοια καὶ μετὰ ταύτης ἀκολασία, ταῖς δὲ
ἐνδείαις καὶ ταῖς ταπεινότησιν σωφροσύνη καὶ πολλὴ      10
μετριότης. ὥστε χαλεπὸν εἶναι διαγνῶναι, ποτέραν ἄν
τις δέξαιτο τῶν μερίδων τούτων τοῖς παισὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ
καταλιπεῖν· ἴδοιμεν γὰρ ἂν ἐκ μὲν τῆς φαυλοτέρας εἶναι
δοκούσης ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ τὰς πράξεις
ἐπιδιδούσας, ἐκ δὲ τῆς κρείττονος φαινομένης ἐπὶ τὸ      15
χεῖρον εἰθισμένας μεταπίπτειν.

ταῦθ’ ὅτι συνήλειπταί τε καὶ συγκέχρωσται, καὶ οὐ καθ’
ἓν ἕκαστον ὄνομα ἐν ἕδρᾳ περιφανεῖ καὶ πλατείᾳ βέβηκεν
οὐδὲ μακροῖς τοῖς μεταξὺ χρόνοις διείργεται καὶ διαβέβηκεν
ἀπ’ ἀλλήλων, ἀλλ’ ἐν κινήσει τε ὄντα φαίνεται καὶ φορᾷ καὶ      20
ῥύσει συνεχεῖ, πραεῖαί τε αὐτῶν εἰσι καὶ μαλακαὶ καὶ
προπετεῖς αἱ συνάπτουσαι τὴν λέξιν ἁρμονίαι, τὸ ἄλογον
ἐπιμαρτυρεῖ τῆς ἀκοῆς πάθος. ὅτι δ’ οὐκ ἄλλα τινὰ τούτων
ἐστὶν αἴτια ἢ τὰ προειρημένα ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ περὶ τῆς ἀγωγῆς
ταύτης τῶν λόγων, ῥᾴδιον ἰδεῖν. φωνηέντων μὲν γὰρ ἀντιτυπίαν      25
οὐκ ἂν εὕροι τις οὐδεμίαν ἐν γοῦν οἷς παρεθέμην
ἀριθμοῖς, οἴομαι δ’ οὐδ’ ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ λόγῳ, πλὴν εἴ τί με
διαλέληθεν· ἡμιφώνων δὲ καὶ ἀφώνων ὀλίγας καὶ οὐ πάνυ

[245]

to make light of my appeal; you expect to maintain supremacy over the whole of Greece by means of your existing forces. But it is precisely on these grounds that I really am alarmed. I observe that it is those States which think they are at the height of prosperity that adopt the worst policy, and that it is the most confident that incur the greatest danger. The reason is that no good or evil fortune comes to men entirely by itself: folly and its mate intemperance have been appointed to wait on wealth and power, self-restraint and great moderation to attend on poverty and low estate. So that it is hard to decide which of these two lots a man would desire to bequeath to his children, since we can see that from what is popularly regarded as the inferior condition men’s fortunes commonly improve, while from that which is apparently the better they usually decline and fall.”[178]

The instinctive perception of the ear testifies that these words are run and blended together; that they do not individually stand on a broad foundation which gives an all-round view of each; and that they are not separated by long time-intervals and planted far apart from one another, but are plainly in a state of motion, being borne onwards in an unbroken stream, while the links which bind the passage together are gentle and soft and flowing. And it is easy to see that the sole cause lies in the character of this style as I have previously described it. For no dissonance of vowels will be found, at any rate in the harmonious clauses which I have quoted, nor any, I think, in the entire speech, unless some instance has escaped my notice. There are also few dissonances of semi-vowels and mutes, and those not very glaring or

2 ταύτηι (ταύτην M) τῆι δυνάμει P, MV Isocr.: τῆι δυνάμει ταύτη F, E   5 πλείστους κινδύνους PM Isocr.: πλείους κινδύνους V: πλεῖστον κίνδυνον EF   8 πλουσίοις F (cum Isocratis codd. quibusdam)   9 ἄνοια ... ἐνδείαις om. F || ἀκολασίαι PMV   10 σωφροσύνη EPMV Isocr.: καὶ σωφροσύνη F   12 δέξαιτο PMV Isocr.: εὔξαιτο EF || τῶν μερίδων τούτων PMV Isocr.: τούτων τῶν μερίδων EF || αὐτοῦ libri   13 καταλιπεῖν PMV Isocr.: om. EF || ἴδοιμεν PV Isocr.: ἴδοι μὲν M: ἴδοι EF || ἂν om. F: ἄν τις E || εἶναι δοκούσης PMV Isocr.: om. EF   17 συνείληπταί τε EPMV: συνήλειπτέται F || οὐ καθ’ ἓν PMV: οὐδὲν EF   18 ἕδρα ... πλατεία (sine iota) P   19 οὐδὲ EF: οὐδ’ ἐν PMV   20 φορᾶι P   21 τε ... μαλακαὶ om. F   22 προπετεῖς PV: προσφυεῖς FM γρ V   25 ῥαίδιον P   26 εὕροι F: om. PM, post οὐδεμίαν ponit V   27 οὐθ F || ὅλωι τωῖ λόγωι P   28 πάνυ PMV: σφόδρα F

17 ff. When expressing admiration, Dionysius often tends (as here) to reproduce the style admired.—For further estimates of Isokrates’s style reference may be made to Dionysius’ separate essay on Isokrates (in his de Antiq. Or.); Jebb Att. Or. ii. 54 ff.; Blass Att. Bereds. ii. 131 ff.

19. The reading οὐδ’ ἐν is possibly right, viz. ‘at long time-intervals’; cp. 222 5.

ἐκφανεῖς οὐδὲ συνεχεῖς. ταῦτα δὲ τῆς εὐεπείας αἴτια τῇ λέξει
γέγονε καὶ ἡ τῶν κώλων συμμετρία πρὸς ἄλληλα, τῶν τε
περιόδων ὁ κύκλος ἔχων τι περιφερὲς καὶ εὔγραμμον καὶ
τεταμιευμένον ἄκρως ταῖς συμμετρίαις. ὑπὲρ ἅπαντα δὲ
ταῦτα οἱ σχηματισμοὶ πολὺ τὸ νεαρὸν ἔχοντες· εἰσὶ γὰρ      5
ἀντίθετοι καὶ παρόμοιοι καὶ πάρισοι καὶ οἱ παραπλήσιοι
τούτοις, ἐξ ὧν ἡ πανηγυρικὴ διάλεκτος ἀποτελεῖται. οὐκ
ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι δοκῶ μηκύνειν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ διεξιών· ἱκανῶς
γὰρ εἴρηται καὶ περὶ ταύτης τῆς συνθέσεως ὅσα γε ἥρμοττεν.