Texto en Ingls de la Epstola III:

Briseis to Achilles
THE letter which you now read in broken Greek, written by a foreign hand, comes from
captive Briseis. Whatever blots you observe, were occasioned by my tears but even
tears are often more prevalent than words. !f it may be allowed to complain a little of
my lord and husband, ! have a few causes of complaint against you, who are both. ! do
not blame you that ! was so tamely delivered up to the king when demanded and yet,
even in that point, you are not altogether without blame" for no sooner was ! demanded
by Eurybates and Talthybius, than ! was delivered up to be carried away by those
military heralds. each regarding the other with a look of surprise, in#uired in whispers,
Where is their so famed love? ! might have been detained somewhat longer delay of
miscry would have been grateful. $las% when torn from you, ! gave no parting kisses"
but my tears flowed without ceasing ! tore my hair, and hapless seemed to myself, for
the second time, a captive. ! have often thought to deceive my keeper and escape, but
trembled at the apprehension of falling into the hands of the enemy. ! dreaded that, upon
leaving the Grecian camp, ! might again perhaps become a captive, and presented to
some of the daughters&in&law of 'riam. But ! was delivered up, because so it must be.
Though absent many nights, ! am not demanded back. (ou linger, and are slow of
resenting. 'atroclus himself, when ! was carried away, whispered in my ear, Why do
you weep? your stay with $gamemnon will be very short. But your neglect of re#uiring
me again from the hing is the least part of your crime you even strive against my return.
Weight now with yourself what right you have to the name of a lover. The sons of
Telamon and $myntor came ambassadors from Agamemnon; the first related to you by
blood, the other your friend and
guardian" the son also of )aertes came; by whom ! might have returned attended.
*oftening entreaties were added to their costly presents,&&&&twenty shining vessels
curiously wrought in Corinthian brass, and seven tripods, alike in weight and
workmanship. To these were added twice five talents of gold, and twelve spirited steeds.
matchless in the race and +what might have well been spared, )esbian girls of e-#uisite
beauty, captives of that pillaged island. With these +but what need of this., you had the
choice of one of $gamemnon/s three daughters for a wife. (ou refused to accept me
with gifts, which, had $gamemnon consented to my ransom, you ought with 0oy to have
carried to him. What have ! done thus to merit your neglect, $chilles. Whither has your
changeable love so soon fled. 1oes cruel fortune incessantly pursue the wretched. *hall
no propitious gales favour my chaste hopes.
! saw the walls of )yrnessus give way to your irresistible attack nor was ! an
inconsiderable part of my native country. ! saw three fall, brethren in blood as well as
fate who all sprang from the same mother. ! saw my husband too stretched upon the
bloody plain, and tossing with anguish his breast drenched in gore. (et all these losses
were recompensed in you alone you were to me instead of a husband, a lord, a brother.
(ou swore to me by the sacred deity of your sea&green mother, that it should be my
happiness to have fallen a captive into your hands" for instance to refuse me though
offered to you with a large dowry, and re0ect the riches which you are urged to accept
with me% !t is even reported, that when returning $urora gilds the mountains, you will
open your fla-en sails to the cloud&bearing south winds. *oon as this cruel resolve
reached my trembling ears, the blood forsook my breast ! was without life or soul. (ou
will then abandon me% 2 barbarous man, what misery are you preparing for hapless
Briseis% What solace can ! e-pect in my forlorn state. *ooner may the gaping earth
swallow me up, or the missile bolts of 3ove overwhelm me, than !, abandoned, be
doomed to behold the sea foaming after your Thessalian oars, and your ships deserting
my distracted view. !f you are determined to return, and visit again your native fields, !
can be no very cumbersome load to your fleet. ! submit to follow you as a captive
sub0ect to her con#ueror, not as a spouse accompanying her husband. 4y hand will not
disdain the meanest office. 4ay the fairest of the Grecian dames become the happy
partner of your bed, one worthy of such a father&in&law as the grandson of 3upiter and
5gina, to whom old 6ereus will not disdain to be related. ! her humble handmaid will
diligently ply my task, and the twisted threads shall lessen the loaded distaff. Grant only
that your wife, who ! fear will regard me as a rival, be not suffered to treat me cruelly.
)et her not tear my hair in your presence, while you unconcerned say, This girl was
once dear to me. But ! will submit to bear even this, rather than be left behind helpless
and neglected. The dread of such treatment shakes my wretched frame. What can you
wish for more. $gamemnon repents of his anger and disconsolate Greece falls at your
feet. (ou
who are con#ueror every where else, be master also of yourself and your passions. Why
is insulting Hector allowed to triumph over the Grecian troops. Take arms, brave
grandson of 5acus, after first receiving me to your embraces and urge their van#uished
troops with a victorious spear. (our resentment was first kindled for my sake let it
cease also for my sake" may ! be both the cause and measure of your disgust. 6or think
it dishonorable to yield to my entreaties. 4eleager took up arms at the re#uest of his
wife. ! have it only by hearsay but you are ac#uainted with the whole story. $lth7a/s
brothers being slain by her son, the unhappy parent devoted him with many
imprecations. $ war ensued" he, disgusted, laid down his arms, retired, and obstinately
refused to assist his native country. His wife alone had power to move him" thrice happy
she% But my words, alas% have no weight with you. (et do ! not repine nor, though
often called to my lord/s bed, did ! ever boast that ! was your wife.
2ne of the captives, ! remember, called me mistress. (ou only increase, said !, the
weight of my servitude by that name. ! swear by the slightly&buried bones of my
husband, those remains which must ever appear venerable to me by the sacred ghosts
of my three undaunted brothers, who bravely died for and with their country by your
lips and mine, which we have often 0oined in love and by your con#uering sword, too
well known to my house that $gamemnon has shared none of the 0oys of my bed. !f !
speak falsely, may ! be eternally forsaken by you. Where ! now to say, 1o you too,
great hero, swear that you have tasted no 0oys apart from me, must you not refuse. $nd
yet the Greeks fancy you plunged in grief. (ou, mean&while, solace yourself with the
harp, resigned to the soft embraces of a fond mistress. *hould any one ask why you so
obstinately refuse to fight, you say, War is become hateful; only night, love, and music,
charm. !t is safer to be content with domestic pleasures, to cherish a beloved mistress,
and e-ercise the fingers upon a Thracian harp, than to grasp a target and sharp&pointed
spear, and load the head with a weighty helmet. Heretofore you preferred the glory of
illustrious actions to ease and the fame ac#uired in war was all your aim. 8ould martial
deeds then only please till ! was made a captive. !s your thirst of praise e-tinguished in
the fall of my country. Heaven forbid% 4ay the 'elian spear, urged by your victorious
arm, pierce the loins of Hector. *end me, 2 ye Greeks, as your ambassador, to solicit
my lord" ! will enforce your re#uests with a thousand melting kisses. Trust me, ! can do
more with him than 'h9ni-, more than the brother of Teucer, even more than elo#uent
:lysses. There is rhetoric in throwing my once familiar arms round his neck, and
putting him in mind that it is his Briseis who urges the re#uest. Though you are cruel
and more obdurate than the waves of the sea, my silence and tears must prevail.
6ow then +so may your father 'eleus measure out his full term of years, and 'yrrhus
enter upon war with your propitious fortune,, brave $chilles, have respect to your
Briseis, oppressed with a load of an-iety nor kill her with your cruel delays. 2r, if your
former love is turned to disdain, rather hasten my fate, than force me thus to live
without you. $nd even as it is, you hasten it my beauty and bloom have fled and the
remaining faint hope of your love alone supports life" if this also should fail, my hard
destiny will soon 0oin me to the shades of my brothers and husband nor will it add to
your fame, to have occasioned the death of one who loved you. But why thus torment
me by a lingering death. 'lunge into my breast your naked poignard ! have still blood
enough left to stream from the gaping wound. )et your sword, which +had not 4inerva
interposed, would have reached the heart of $trides, find its way to mine. $h rather
preserve a life that is your own gift" ! ask no more from my lover than what he formerly
granted me when an enemy. The walls of Troy, built by 6eptune, will afford more
ample matter for your resentment. Hunt ruin in the hostile field. )et me only re#uest,
whatever be your design, whether to remain here, or navigate your fleet home, that, in
right of master, you command me to attend you.
'. 2vidius 6aso. The Epistles of 2vid, translated into English prose, as near the original
as the different idioms of the )atin and English languages will allow with the )atin te-t
and order of construction on the same page and critical, historical, geographical, and
classical notes in English, from the very best commentators both ancient and modern
beside a very great number of notes entirely new. )ondon. 3. 6unn, Great&;ueen&*treet
<. 'riestly, =>?, High&Holborn <. )ea, Greek&*treet, *oho and 3. <odwell, 6ew&
Bond&*treet. =@=?.
6*A, 6EH" 1igital )ibraries !nitiative, 'hase B provided support for entering this te-t.