Quintus Smyrnaeus

Quintus Smyrnaeus (Greek: Κόϊντος Σμυρναῖος, 'Quintus of Smyrna') was a Greek epic poet whose Posthomerica, following "after Homer", continues the narration of the Trojan War. The dates of Quintus Smyrnaeus' life and poetry are disputed: by tradition, he is thought to have lived in the latter part of the 4th century AD, but earlier dates have also been proposed. Quotes Posthomerica thumb|So grew like a live thing that more than human work, for a God gave to a man that wondrous craft. thumb|Yea, more, even all their chiefest, entered in, so many as that carven Horse could hold. αὐτὰρ Ἐπειὸς ἵππου δουρατέοιο πόδας κάμεν, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα νηδύα, τῇ δ᾿ ἐφύπερθε συνήρμοσε νῶτα καὶ ἰξὺν ἐξόπιθεν, δειρὴν δὲ πάρος, καθύπερθε δὲ χαίτην αὐχένος ὑψηλοῖο καθήρμοσεν, ὡς ἐτεόν περ κινυμένην, λάσιον δὲ κάρη καὶ ἐύτριχον οὐρήν, οὔατα δ᾿ ὀφθαλμούς τε διειδέας ἄλλά τε πάντα οἷς ἐπικίνυται ἵππος. ἀέξετο δ᾿ ἱερὸν ἔργον ὡς ἐτεὸν ζώοντος, ἐπεὶ θεὸς ἀνέρι τέχνην δῶκ᾿ ἐρατήν. τετέλεστο δ᾿ ἐνὶ τρισὶν ἤμασι πάντα Παλλάδος ἐννεσίῃσι.    Epeius firstFashioned the feet of that great Horse of Wood:The belly next he shaped, and over thisMoulded the back and the great loins behind,The throat in front, and ridged the towering neckWith waving mane: the crested head he wrought,The streaming tail, the ears, the lucent eyes—All that of lifelike horses have. So grewLike a live thing that more than human work,For a God gave to a man that wondrous craft.And in three days, by Pallas's decree,Finished was all. Book XII, lines 138–48 (tr. Arthur Way, 1913) Πρῶτος μὲν κατέβαινεν ἐς ἵππον κητώεντα υἱὸς Ἀχιλλῆος, σὺν δ᾿ ὁ κρατερὸς Μενέλαος ἠδ᾿ Ὀδυσεὺς Σθένελός τε καὶ ἀντίθεος Διομήδης· βῆ δὲ Φιλοκτήτης τε καὶ Ἄντικλος ἠδὲ Μενεσθεύς, σὺν δὲ Θόας ἐρίθυμος ἰδὲ ξανθὸς Πολυποίτης, Αἴας τ᾿ Εὐρύπυλός τε καὶ ἰσόθεος Θρασυμήδης, Μηριόνης τε καὶ Ἰδομενεὺς ἀριδεικέτω ἄμφω· σὺν δ᾿ ἄρ᾿ ἐυμμελίης Ποδαλείριος Εὐρύμαχος τε Τεῦκρός τ᾿ ἀντίθεος καὶ Ἰάλμενος ὀβριμόθυμος, Θάλπιος Ἀμφίμαχός τε μενεπτόλεμός τε Λεοντεύς· σὺν δ᾿ Εὔμηλος ἔβη θεοείκελος Εὐρύαλός τε Δημοφόων τε καὶ Ἀμφίλοχος κρατερός τ᾿ Ἀγαπήνωρ, σὺν δ᾿ Ἀκάμας τε Μέγης τε κραταιοῦ Φυλέος υἱός· ἄλλοι δ᾿ αὖ κατέβαινον ὅσοι ἔσαν ἔξοχ᾿ ἄριστοι, ὅσσους χάνδανεν ἵππος ἐύξοος ἐντὸς ἐέργειν. ἐν δέ σφιν πύματος κατεβήσετο δῖος Ἐπειὸς ὅς ῥα καὶ ἵππον ἔτευξεν· ἐπίστατο δ᾿ ᾧ ἐνὶ θυμῷ ἠμὲν ἀνωΐξαι κείνου πτύχας ἠδ᾿ ἐπερεῖσαι· τοὔνεκα δὴ πάντων βῆ δεύτατος. εἴρυσε δ᾿ εἴσω κλίμακας ᾗς ἀνέβησαν· ὃ δ᾿ αὖ μάλα πάντ᾿ ἐπερείσας αὐτοῦ πὰρ κληῖδι καθέζετο· τοὶ δὲ σιωπῇ πάντες ἔσαν μεσσηγὺς ὁμῶς νίκης καὶ ὀλέθρου. Into that cavernous Horse Achilles’ sonFirst entered, strong Menelaus followed then,Odysseus, Sthenelus, godlike Diomede,Philoctetes and Menestheus, Anticlus,Thoas and Polypoetes golden-haired,Aias, Eurypylus, godlike Thrasymede,Idomeneus, Meriones, far-famous twain,Podaleirius of spears, Eurymachus,Teucer the godlike, fierce Ialmenus,Thalpius, Antimachus, Leonteus staunch,Eumelus, and Euryalus fair as a God,Amphimachus, Demophoon, Agapenor,Akamas, Meges stalwart Phyleus’ son—Yea, more, even all their chiefest, entered in,So many as that carven Horse could hold.Godlike Epeius last of all passed in,The fashioner of the Horse; in his breast layThe secret of the opening of its doorsAnd of their closing: therefore last of allHe entered, and he drew the ladders upWhereby they clomb: then made he all secure,And set himself beside the bolt. So allIn silence sat ’twixt victory and death. Book XII, lines 314–35 (tr. Arthur Way, 1913) External links Category:Poets from Greece