28 Reconciliation: Ode to the Lyre and the Exchange (-503)

The Lyre


Let me teach you:

Regarding

this beautiful-escort-with-a-sharp-tongue

embrace her in your arms, just like this and

make sweet, sweet

music.

So long as you know

how to flirt with her

conversing skillfully and

with proper manners,

then, whenever desire fills you, 

you can take her:   

in the bountiful feast,  480

in dances, which stir desire, and

in the drunken parties of a glory-hungry victor.

You can make sweet joy with her, day or night.

 

If someone has properly learned the art, and

with gentleness, practice, and playful creativity,

approaches her

explores her body with his touch, and

asks her what she likes, in conversation.

Then she

will teach him where to go next and

will make such beautiful sounds

enough to make the mind and heart go wild.

Do not fear to have fun with her,

she is obliging and

accustomed to gentle intercourse 485

 

But beware:

She avoids those who try to play with her roughly.

 

If someone inexperienced

approaches her like a virgin, for his first time

explores her body forcibly

demands what he wants too quickly,

Then she

will never fall into a pleasing rhythm with him

will only make noises:

shrill,

broken

at random.

 

The Exchange


If your heart desires to possess more…

it is, of course, perfectly within your power and rights

to hold an even greater abundance than you already do.

And so I will give her away

forever, without cost or proviso

to you,

heir of Zeus,

most glorious prince.     490

 

For my part,

I suppose that I will have to head back to

the mountainside and

the horse-grazing fields.

 

But king-whose-worth-and-glories-are-far-known,

…Not alone, of course.

along with me…

I will be driving all these field-dwelling cattle.

[Although they many not be worth as much as my lyre now…]

Back in my pasture,

my own bulls can impregnate them —

after they have come together

(like animals are accustomed to do)

This will multiply my wealth in the future:

producing more male and female cattle alike.

So, there is no way

–for anyone–

to be violent and angry

about this trade,

no matter how greedy one might be

[or their reputation for anger].”            495

 

He concluded and offered:

the lyre.

Happily,

Purifying-light, Phoebus Apollo took it.

Without reluctance, he traded and entrusted to him

the cattle-driving whip,

which-makes an echoing crack, and

the care of the herd.

Happily,

 Hermes, The son of Maia took them.


Apollo’s Song


Then,

He took the kithara into his right hand

the son of Leto,

glorious king,

whose-worth-and-glories-are-far-known:

Apollo  500

and with his pick

tuned the strings,

one

after

the

other.

 

And underneath his touch

once separate voices cried out together, as one:

sharp notes,

shocking,

never-before-heard.

And in counterpoint:

the god sang something wondrous.

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