Melinno

Melinno’s hymn to Rome, preserved in five Sapphic stanzas.

About

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About · 1 of 3

Who Melinno was, and when

Of Melinno nothing is known except her poem. Stobaeus, the fifth-century CE compiler of an anthology of excerpts, quotes it. He says only that she was from Lesbos.^[1] No other evidence supports that claim, and scholars have doubted it seriously. They suspect that she was made a Lesbian only because her poem is in a metre connected with Sappho.^[1] The poem shows a well-educated writer. She had mastered the Sapphic stanza, and she alludes to Sappho, Homer and Hesiod.^[2]

A hymn to Rome mistaken for a poem on strength. Stobaeus placed the poem in his section on manliness (περὶ ἀνδρείας, peri andreias). He read its first address, Ῥώμα (Rhōmā), as the Doric form of ῥώμη (rhōmē), “strength”: the same word with long ᾱ for η. Hugo Grotius, in his edition of Stobaeus of 1623, saw that the word was the name of the city of Rome. The first line describes Rome as “daughter of Ares”, and there was a cult of the goddess Roma. Both confirm his reading.^[1] Natoli et al. think both senses are at work, since the poem praises Rome for her might.^[3]

Her date (disputed).

View	Who	Grounds
Early second century BCE (c. 200–150)	the “general consensus”, according to Natoli et al.;^[1] Bowra 1957, Plant 2004 and Gutzwiller 2017 place her in the Hellenistic period^[1]	the cult of Dea Roma spread through the Greek world from the beginning of the second century BCE and stopped growing after its middle;^[1] the link of Μοῖρα (Moira), Fate, with political rule became common in the early Hellenistic period (Gutzwiller)^[4]
First century CE	some scholars, not named by Natoli et al.^[1]	—
Second century CE	Barbantani 2009, p. 316: the hymn was long thought Hellenistic	the Sapphic stanza came back, unexpectedly, in the second century CE, perhaps prompted by Horace’s lyric experiments^[5]

Barbantani mentions the hymn just before the literary hymns that Mesomedes composed under Hadrian.^[5] Her further reading on Melinno is Bowra 1957, Gauger 1984 and Raimondi 1995–8.^[6]

What readers have made of her. Bowra judged the hymn “stiff and stilted” beside the hymns of Sappho and Alcaeus, without their ease and grace. He concluded that Melinno, though no distinguished poet, had still achieved something.^[7] Natoli et al. suggest instead that its slow seriousness is deliberate. It has the religious weight and formality proper to a hymn to a divinity.^[7]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Natoli et al. 2022, p. 193.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 193–194.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 197.
^ In Natoli et al. 2022, p. 198.
^ ^a ^b Barbantani 2009, p. 316.
^ Barbantani 2009, p. 318.
^ ^a ^b Natoli et al. 2022, p. 194.

About · 2 of 3

One hymn in Stobaeus

One poem, one witness. Melinno’s hymn survives only because Stobaeus copied it into his anthology (Eclogae 3.7.12). It stands in the chapter on manliness, where his reading of Ῥώμα as “strength” put it.^[1] In the modern collection of Hellenistic poetry, the Supplementum Hellenisticum, it is no. 541.^[2] It has twenty lines, in five Sapphic stanzas. The opening is given here from the public-domain Stobaeus edition:^[3]

χαῖρέ μοι Ῥώμα, θυγάτηρ Ἄρηος,
χρυσεομίτρα δαΐφρων ἄνασσα,
σεμνὸν ἃ ναίεις ἐπὶ γᾶς Ὄλυμπον
αἰὲν ἄθραυστον.
chaire moi Rhōmā, thygatēr Arēos, / chryseomitra daïphrōn anassa, / semnon hā naieis epi gās Olympon / aien athrauston.
I greet you, Roma, Ares’ daughter, war-minded queen with the golden mitra, whose home on earth is a holy Olympus that will never be shattered.
(our translation)

(Natoli et al. print αἰεν without an accent, a slip; the rest is as in their text.) The whole hymn is scanned line by line on the works page.

Problems in the text. The last line is corrupt. καρπὸν †ἀπ’ ἀνδρῶν (karpon †ap’ andrōn), “crop from men (?)”, has not been satisfactorily emended. ἐν ὅπλοις (en hoplois), “in arms”, has been proposed. It would make the reference to the Sown Men of Thebes clearer.^[4] In line 2 the compound χρυσεομίτρα does not scan as it stands. This may point to an error in transmission.^[5] Its meaning, too, is uncertain. The μίτρα may be a headband, the usual sense in Hellenistic poetry. Or it may be the girdle of the Amazons, which Bowra took to be the seat of their strength.^[6]

A hymn without a prayer. The poem has the shape of a hymn. The first stanza is the invocation: direct address, name, parentage, epithets and the god’s dwelling. The other four are praise. They have repeated addresses in the second person (σοὶ μόνᾳ, soi monāi, “to you alone”; σᾷ δ’, sāi d’; σὺ δ’, sy d’; σὺ μόνα, sy monā), predications of power, and narrative. The third part of a hymn, the prayer, is missing. Either the poem is incomplete, or it is a poem of praise in the loose form of a hymn rather than a hymn proper (after Furley and Bremer and Gutzwiller).^[7]

The opening “daughter of Ares” echoes the epic description of the Amazon Penthesilea. It makes Roma a sister of Romulus and Remus. The last stanza compares Rome’s warriors to the Sown Men of Thebes, sprung from the teeth of Ares’ dragon.^[8]

Dialect. Natoli et al. say that Melinno writes not in Sappho’s Aeolic, but in the composite literary dialect usual in choral lyric.^[7] Yet their line-notes label many of her forms Aeolic. These are ἃ (hā) for ἥ (hē), γᾶς (gās), ἀρρήκτω (arrēktō), βασιλῇον (basilēion), ἀρχᾶς (archās), ἀγεμονεύῃς (āgemoneuēis), and the name of Demeter. The Works tab uses Δάματρος (Dāmatros), “of Demeter”, from the public-domain Stobaeus edition.^[9] The other forms include ὐπὰ σδεύγλᾳ (ypa sdeuglāi), “under the yoke-strap”, with psilosis (smooth breathing for rough) and σδ for ζ.^[10] The long ᾱ for Attic η is common to Doric and Aeolic.^[11] Their own list gives the other forms as features of Lesbian Aeolic: the genitive in -ω for -ου, ὐπά for ὑπό, smooth breathing for rough, and σδ for ζ.^[12] Whatever the label, the text has a strong Aeolic colouring.

Dialect forms beside their Attic equivalents;^[13] the spelling of Demeter’s name follows Hense.^[9]
Melinno	Attic	Feature
γᾶςgās	γῆςgēs	long ᾱ for η: “of the earth”
ἀρχᾶςarchās	ἀρχῆςarchēs	long ᾱ for η: “of rule”
ἀρρήκτωarrēktō	ἀρρήκτουarrēktou	genitive -ω for -ου: “unbreakable”
ὐπάypa	ὑπόhypo	ὐπά for ὑπό, with smooth breathing for rough (psilosis): “under”
σδεύγλᾳsdeuglāi	ζεύγλῃzeuglēi	σδ for ζ, and ᾱ for η: “yoke-strap”
ἀγεμονεύῃςāgemoneuēis	ἡγεμονεύῃςhēgemoneuēis	smooth breathing for rough, and ᾱ for η: “you lead”
ΔάματροςDāmatros	ΔημήτεροςDēmēteros	long ᾱ for η: “of Demeter”

Notes

^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 193; see the Life tab.
^ Barbantani 2009, p. 316.
^ Hense 1894, p. 312.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 199.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 197; see the Metres tab.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 197.
^ ^a ^b Natoli et al. 2022, p. 194.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 197–199.
^ ^a ^b Hense 1894, p. 313.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 198–199.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 329, 332.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 329–331.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 198–199, 329–331.

About · 3 of 3

Sapphic stanzas, not Sappho's prosody

The stanza. Melinno’s hymn is in Sapphic stanzas.^[1] A period is a run of verse that ends in a pause. West sets out the stanza as three periods. The first two are Sapphic lines, — ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖. The third period distends the same pattern: — ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ ⁝ — ⁀ × ⁝ — ⏑ ⏑ — — |||. In antiquity this third period was written as two lines, divided after its eleventh position. That is why the stanza looks like four lines in our editions and in Horace.^[2]

So the eleventh position is not a line-end. It runs on into the short last line, the adonean, without a pause. For learners the same stanza is described as three Sapphic hendecasyllables and an adonic.^[3]

Barbantani dates the hymn to the second century CE. She sees it as an unexpected revival of the Sapphic stanza, possibly under the influence of Horace’s experimental lyric.^[4] Melinno handles the stanza differently from Sappho in one way. Her stanzas do not flow into one another, as Sappho’s do. Each closes as a distinct unit.^[5]

The first stanza. Text as in Natoli et al., p. 196:

χαῖρέ μοι Ῥώμα, θυγάτηρ Ἄρηος,

χαῖ—ρέ⏑μοι—Ῥώ—μα,—θυ⏑γά⏑τη—ρ Ἄ⏑ρη—ος,×

χρυσεομίτρα δαΐφρων ἄνασσα,

χρυ—σε⏑ο⏑μί—τρα—δα⏑ΐ⏑φρω—ν ἄ⏑νασ—σα,×

σεμνὸν ἃ ναίεις ἐπὶ γᾶς Ὄλυμπον

σεμ—νὸ⏑ν ἃ—ναί—εις—ἐ⏑πὶ⏑γᾶ—σ Ὄ⏑λυμ—πον×

αἰὲν ἄθραυστον.

αἰ—ὲ⏑ν ἄ⏑θραυσ—τον.×

chaire moi Rhōmā, thygatēr Arēos, / chryseomitra daïphrōn anassa, / semnon hā naieis epi gās Olympon / aien athrauston.

“I greet you, Roma, Ares’ daughter, war-minded queen with the golden mitra, whose home on earth is a holy Olympus that will never be shattered.”

Three Sapphic lines, — ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — —, the third running on without a pause into the adonean, — ⏑ ⏑ — —. Red: the long final ᾱ of Ῥώμα; the ο of χρυσεομίτρα, short where the scheme needs a long; the ι of δαΐφρων and the α of ἄθραυστον, short before φρ and θρ, against “normal” Lesbian practice.

Melinno, SH 541.1–4: Greek from Hense 1894 p. 312, public domain; translation ours

synthetic ∿

In Ῥώμα the final ᾱ is long, as the fifth position requires. In line 2 the compound χρυσεομίτρα needs its ο long, but nothing explains a lengthening there. Natoli et al. suspect an error in transmission.^[6] The site’s scansion shows the conflict rather than hiding it.

Not Sappho’s prosody. Sappho’s verse has a fixed number of syllables, with no resolution or contraction.^[7] Epic allows a short syllable before stop + liquid at the beginning of a word. “Normal” Lesbian lyric avoids even that.^[8] Melinno keeps the syllable count, but not that rule. In δαΐφρων (line 2) the ι stays short before φρ. In ἄθραυστον (line 4) the α stays short before θρ. Both are inside the word, and both are as the scheme requires. Elsewhere a stop and liquid do make position, lengthening the syllable before them, as in μεταπλάσσων (metaplassōn), “reshaping” (line 14, -ταπ-λάσ-, with -ταπ- long).

Where vowels meet between words, elision is the rule in Lesbian verse.^[9] Melinno elides (δ’ ὐπά, d’ ypa; ἄλλοτ’ ἄλλως, allot’ allōs) and has no hiatus. Her fourth positions, the anceps, are long in most lines. They are short in lines 7 (-ρα- of κοιρανῇον, koiranēion) and 11 (σὺ, sy, before δ’ ἀ-), a freedom the scheme allows.^[10] In line 19 the Δᾱ- of Δάμαρτος (Dāmartos) is long. Δάμαρτος is the Aeolic spelling of Δημήτερος (Dēmēteros).^[11]

The whole hymn is scanned line by line on the works page, with the Lesbian rule for stop + liquid relaxed so that δαΐφρων and ἄθραυστον scan as Melinno wrote them.

Notes

^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 196.
^ West 1987, pp. 34–35 with n. 1.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 339.
^ Barbantani 2009, p. 316.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 194.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 197.
^ West 1987, p. 32.
^ West 1987, p. 16 n. 7.
^ West 1987, p. 35 n. 2.
^ West 1987, p. 34.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 199.

Sources

Hense, O. 1894. Ioannis Stobaei Anthologium, vol. III, p. 312. Melinno hymn lines 1–4, public domain; original page image previously inspected and collated. https://archive.org/details/joannisstobaeian03stovuoft
West, M. L. 1987. Introduction to Greek Metre. Oxford. pp. ix (○ ○, ⁀), 16 with n. 7 (stop + liquid; 'normal' Lesbian lyric), 32 (no resolution or contraction in Lesbian verse), 34 (the Sapphic stanza), 35 with nn. 1–2 (the third period written as two lines; elision or synecphonesis the rule in Lesbian verse) (checked against page images).
Natoli, B. A., A. Pitts and J. P. Hallett. 2022. Ancient Women Writers of Greece and Rome. Routledge. ch. 8 'Melinno', pp. 194, 196–197, 199; App. B, p. 339 (Sapphic stanza).
Barbantani, S. 2009. 'Lyric in the Hellenistic period and beyond', in F. Budelmann (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Greek Lyric. Cambridge. ch. 16, p. 316.

Text © metrehelp.org, CC BY-SA 4.0. Melinno’s hymn: Greek from Hense 1894 p. 312, public domain; accents, punctuation and teaching presentation normalized. Quotations from copyrighted works are not covered by this licence.

Melinno, hymn to Rome (Stobaeus, Ecl. 3.7.12)

Synopsis

Melinno’s hymn greets the goddess Roma, the deified city, as a warrior queen and “daughter of Ares”. It praises a rule that Fate has made unbreakable, and that holds land and sea under its yoke. That rule alone stands firm while time changes everything else. It bears the mightiest warriors as the earth bears grain.^[1] The hymn survives only because Stobaeus, the fifth-century CE anthologist, quoted it in his chapter on manliness. He read Ῥώμα as “strength”. Grotius saw in 1623 that it addresses Rome. Stobaeus calls Melinno a woman of Lesbos. Scholars doubt this, and suspect that her Sapphic metre suggested it.^[2] Her date is disputed. Most scholars put the hymn about 200–150 BCE, when the cult of the goddess Roma was spreading through the Greek world. Some place it in the first century CE. Barbantani places it in the second, when the Sapphic stanza unexpectedly came back into use.^[3]

The whole poem, five Sapphic stanzas, is scanned below: an invocation, then four stanzas of praise. The prayer that should close a hymn is missing. Either the poem is incomplete, or it is a song of praise in the loose form of a hymn.^[4]

A marble panel with a seated goddess in a helmet, resting on a pile of weapons, partly restored in outline. — The goddess Roma, Ara Pacis (reconstruction)

Text and translation

χαῖρέ μοι Ῥώμα, θυγάτηρ Ἄρηος

Invocation: name, parentage, epithets and dwelling

χαῖρέ μοι Ῥώμα, θυγάτηρ Ἄρηος,

I greet you, Rome, child of Ares,

χρυσεομίτρα δαΐφρων ἄνασσα,

war-minded queen with the golden headband,

σεμνὸν ἃ ναίεις ἐπὶ γᾶς Ὄλυμπον

you who live, here on earth, on a holy Olympus

αἰὲν ἄθραυστον.

that stands for ever unshaken.

Praise: Fate's gift of unbreakable rule

σοὶ μόνᾳ, πρέσβιστα, δέδωκε Μοῖρα

On you alone, eldest in honour, Fate has bestowed

κῦδος ἀρρήκτω βασιλῇον ἀρχᾶς,

the kingly renown of a rule that cannot be broken,

ὄφρα, κοιρανῇον ἔχουσα κάρτος

so that, with a sovereign’s strength in your hands,

ἀγεμονεύῃς.

you may go at the head.

Praise: land and sea under Rome's yoke

σᾷ δ’ ὐπὰ σδεύγλᾳ κρατερῶν λεπάδνων

Beneath your harness of stout yoke-straps

στέρνα γαίας καὶ πολίας θαλάσσας

the bosom of the land and of the grey sea

σφίγγεται· σὺ δ’ ἀσφαλέως κυβερνᾷς

is held fast; and with a sure hand you pilot

ἄστεα λαῶν.

the towns of the nations.

Praise: Time changes everything but Rome's fortune

πάντα δὲ σφάλλων ὁ μέγιστος αἰὼν

Mightiest Time, who brings everything down

καὶ μεταπλάσσων βίον ἄλλοτ’ ἄλλως

and shapes life afresh, now this way, now that,

σοὶ μόνᾳ πλησίστιον οὖρον ἀρχᾶς

for you alone leaves unaltered the breeze of power

οὐ μεταβάλλει.

that swells your sails.

Praise: Rome's warriors, a crop like the Sown Men of Thebes

ἦ γὰρ ἐκ πάντων σὺ μόνα κρατίστους

For you, alone of all, give birth to the strongest men,

ἄνδρας αἰχματὰς μεγάλους λοχεύεις

mighty warriors with the spear,

εὔσταχυν Δάματρος ὅπως ἀνεῖσα

raising them up like Demeter’s

καρπὸν †ἀπ’ ἀνδρῶν.

full-eared harvest †from men†.

Melinno · Stobaeus, Eclogae 3.7.12 (SH 541) · Sapphic stanzas · Greek wording from Hense 1894

How to read each line

A guide to the Greek, syllables, pitch marks and quantities.

Show the reading key

long syllable short syllable an anceps position, coloured to show the length the poet actually used there last position before a pause: anceps, any syllable will do one of two shorts standing for a long (resolution), or filling a biceps; a dotted line joins the pair a long contracted from the two shorts of a biceps (a spondee for a dactyl) the main caesura or diaeresis of the line (dotted rule after the syllable) the period runs on (synapheia): this line has no period-end, and the line that continues it is set below it, indented, linked to its end and labelled “continues l.”; a bracket joins the numbers of the lines of one period period-end (‖), after the line that completes a period; ||| marks the end of the strophe a syllable whose length does not fit the scheme: the line does not scan as given and is listed under Scansion problems long by position before a stop + liquid or nasal (θρ, πλ, φρ, κλ, τρ, χρ; κν, θμ): epic usually lets the cluster make position; where it does not, the syllable is marked as a correption pitch row: high, the acute accent (a rise of up to a fifth) rise within a long syllable: acute on a long vowel or diphthong high, then falling within the long syllable: the circumflex (the fall after it lies within the syllable) the fall onto the syllable after an acute, in the same word or onto an enclitic low: unaccented, or a grave accent

Above each line: the line as the edition prints it, each word placed over its own syllables. The main row: the same Greek divided into metrical syllables, each written as it is pronounced. A consonant that closes a syllable is written with it (λόθ | ρο); an elided word is closed up with the next vowel (ν’ἀ); a final consonant carried into the next word is set with a thin space (ς ἰ). Wider gaps mark word-ends.
Above the syllables: the pitch of each syllable, from the accents. Under them: the quantity of each syllable as it falls in the line, then the transliteration, syllable by syllable, with accented syllables in capitals.
Under each line: a line-for-line translation. In the right margin of the scansion: the line type, its scheme, and its analysis into cola.

Key to the labels

The names, patterns and symbols used beside this poem.

Show the labels and symbols

The labels in the right margin of the scansion below name the cola, the rhythmic units each line is built from (Voigt’s and West’s analysis). A caret before a name (_∧hipp) means the colon has lost its first position (acephalous). × marks an anceps position, which takes a long or a short. ⏓ is an anceps that is usually long (West’s and Voigt’s sign). A click on any syllable highlights its colon, or, with the colon/foot switch, its foot in the traditional analysis. After the scheme, ‖ marks the end of a period and ||| the end of the strophe.^[5] A line that ends without either runs on into the next line (synapheia): the two are one period, with no metrical break between them,^[6] and the page sets them together and links them. The sources of the labels, with their page numbers, are given line by line under Prosody, line by line.

Label	Name and shape	What it is
cr	Cretic— ⏑ —	The three positions that open every hendecasyllable. Voigt calls it a cretic (cr); West calls the same thing an acephalous iambic metron (∧ia).
_∧hipp	Acephalous hipponactean (∧hipp), West’s hagesichorean (hag)× — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — ×	An eight-position Aeolic colon with a pendant ending. Its core is the choriamb — ⏑ ⏑ — at positions 5–8. The first position is anceps, usually long.
_∧gl	Acephalous glyconic (∧gl), the telesillean× — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ —	The same colon as ∧hipp but with a blunt ending. It hands over at position 11 to the ∧pher that runs into the adonean.
_∧pher	Acephalous pherecratean (∧pher), the reizianum× — ⏑ ⏑ — ×	Begins on the last position of the third line and is completed by the adonean, so there is no pause between them (synapheia). The adonean alone is — ⏑ ⏑ — ×.

The traditional feet

Foot and shape	Where
Trochee— ⏑	Positions 1–2. The traditional foot analysis of the Sapphic line (Hephaestion; most school grammars) is trochee, spondee or trochee, dactyl, trochee, spondee or trochee.
Spondee or trochee— ×	Positions 3–4: the second syllable is anceps, so this foot is a spondee (— —) when a long stands there and a trochee (— ⏑) when a short does.
Dactyl— ⏑ ⏑	Positions 5–7: the one place in the line with two shorts in a row. With the following long it forms the choriamb that modern metrics treats as the real core of the line.
Trochee— ⏑	Positions 8–9.
Spondee or trochee— ×	Positions 10–11. At a period-end the last syllable is indifferent; where the third line runs on into the adonean it keeps its real length.
Dactyl— ⏑ ⏑	Positions 1–3 of the adonean.
Spondee or trochee— ×	Positions 4–5 of the adonean, the last syllable indifferent.

Scansion

The only surviving poem of Melinno: five Sapphic stanzas that hail Rome as a goddess, scanned line by line, with the third line and the adonean of each stanza shown as the single period they are.

Scansion problems

line 2, position 3 (ο): scans S but the scheme needs L

Click a syllable to see its

Stanza 1Invocation: name, parentage, epithets and dwelling^[7]

χαῖρέμοιῬώμα,θυγάτηρἌρηος,

χαῖCHAIρέREμοιmoiῬώRŌμα,māθυthyγάGAτηρtērἌAρηrēος,os

I greet you, Rome, child of Ares,

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag

χρυσεομίτραδαΐφρωνἄνασσα,

χρυchrȳσεseοoμίτMITραrāδαdaΐIφρωνphrōnἄAνασnasσα,sa

war-minded queen with the golden headband,

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag⚠ does not scan as given, listed under Scansion problems

σεμνὸνἃναίειςἐπὶγᾶςὌλυμπον

σεμsemνὸnoν ἃnhāναίNAIειςeisἐeπὶpiγᾶςGĀSὌOλυμlymποpo

you who live, here on earth, on a holy Olympus

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ ⁝ — ⁀ × ⁝ the third period begins: a distended form of the first tworuns on into l. 4 (synapheia)

αἰὲνἄθραυστον.

ν αἰnaiὲeν ἄNAθραυσthrausτον.ton

that stands for ever unshaken.

Adoneancontinues l. 3 · one period (synapheia)— ⏑ ⏑ — — ||| the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity

Stanza 2Praise: Fate's gift of unbreakable rule

σοὶμόνᾳ,πρέσβιστα,δέδωκεΜοῖρα

σοὶsoiμόMOνᾳ,nāiπρέσPRESβισbisτα,taδέDEδωdōκεkeΜοῖMOIραra

On you alone, eldest in honour, Fate has bestowed

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag

κῦδοςἀρρήκτωβασιλῇονἀρχᾶς,

κῦKȲδοdoς ἀρsarρήκRĒKτωtōβαbaσιsiλῇLĒIοoν ἀρnarχᾶς,CHĀS

the kingly renown of a rule that cannot be broken,

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag

ὄφρα,κοιρανῇονἔχουσακάρτος

ὄφOPHρα,raκοιkoiραraνῇNĒIοoν ἔNEχουchouσαsaκάρKARτοto

so that, with a sovereign’s strength in your hands,

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ ⁝ — ⁀ × ⁝ the third period begins: a distended form of the first tworuns on into l. 8 (synapheia)

ἀγεμονεύῃς.

ς ἀsāγεgeμοmoνεύNEUῃς.ēis

you may go at the head.

Adoneancontinues l. 7 · one period (synapheia)— ⏑ ⏑ — — ||| the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity

Stanza 3Praise: land and sea under Rome's yoke

σᾷδ’ὐπὰσδεύγλᾳκρατερῶνλεπάδνων

σᾷSĀIδ’ὐd’yπὰpaσδεύSDEUγλᾳglāiκραkraτεteρῶνRŌNλεleπάδPADνωνnōn

Beneath your harness of stout yoke-straps

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag

στέρναγαίαςκαὶπολίαςθαλάσσας

στέρSTERναnaγαίGAIαςasκαὶkaiποpoλίLIαςasθαthaλάσLASσαςsas

the bosom of the land and of the grey sea

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag

σφίγγεται·σὺδ’ἀσφαλέωςκυβερνᾷς

σφίγSPHINγεgeται·taiσὺsyδ’ἀσd’asφαphaλέLEωςōsκυkyβερberνᾷNĀI

is held fast; and with a sure hand you pilot

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ ⁝ — ⁀ × ⁝ the third period begins: a distended form of the first tworuns on into l. 12 (synapheia)

ἄστεαλαῶν.

ς ἄσSASτεteαaλαlāῶν.ŌN

the towns of the nations.

Adoneancontinues l. 11 · one period (synapheia)— ⏑ ⏑ — — ||| the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity

Stanza 4Praise: Time changes everything but Rome's fortune

πάνταδὲσφάλλωνὁμέγιστοςαἰὼν

πάνPANταtaδὲdeσφάλSPHALλωνlōnὁhoμέMEγισgisτοtoς αἰsaiὼνōn

Mightiest Time, who brings everything down

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag

καὶμεταπλάσσωνβίονἄλλοτ’ἄλλως

καὶkaiμεmeταπtapλάσLASσωνsōnβίBIοoν ἄλNALλοloτ’ἄλT’ALλωςlōs

and shapes life afresh, now this way, now that,

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag

σοὶμόνᾳπλησίστιονοὖρονἀρχᾶς

σοὶsoiμόMOνᾳnāiπληplēσίσSISτιtiοoν οὖNOUροroν ἀρnarχᾶCHĀ

for you alone leaves unaltered the breeze of power

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ ⁝ — ⁀ × ⁝ the third period begins: a distended form of the first tworuns on into l. 16 (synapheia)

οὐμεταβάλλει.

ς οὐsouμεmeταtaβάλBALλει.lei

that swells your sails.

Adoneancontinues l. 15 · one period (synapheia)— ⏑ ⏑ — — ||| the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity

Stanza 5Praise: Rome's warriors, a crop like the Sown Men of Thebes^[8]

ἦγὰρἐκπάντωνσὺμόνακρατίστους

ἦĒγὰgaρ ἐκrekπάνPANτωνtōnσὺsyμόMOναnāκραkraτίσTISτουςtous

For you, alone of all, give birth to the strongest men,

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag

ἄνδραςαἰχματὰςμεγάλουςλοχεύεις

ἄνANδραdraς αἰsaiχμαchmāτὰςtasμεmeγάGAλουςlousλοloχεύCHEUειςeis

mighty warriors with the spear,

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ _∧ia hag

εὔσταχυνΔάματροςὅπωςἀνεῖσα

εὔσEUSταtaχυνchynΔάDĀματmatροroς ὅSHOπωςpōsἀaνεῖNEIσαsa

raising them up like Demeter’s

Sapphic hendecasyllable— ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ ⁝ — ⁀ × ⁝ the third period begins: a distended form of the first tworuns on into l. 20 (synapheia)

καρπὸν†ἀπ’ἀνδρῶν.

καρkarπὸpoν ἀnaπ’ἀνp’anδρῶν.DRŌN

full-eared harvest †from men†.

Adoneancontinues l. 19 · one period (synapheia)— ⏑ ⏑ — — ||| the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity

Metre

The stanza. The hymn is in Sapphic stanzas.^[9] West sets out the stanza as three periods: twice — ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ — — ‖ (∧ia hag), then — ⏑ — × — ⏑ ⏑ — ⏑ ⁝ — ⁀ × ⁝ — ⏑ ⏑ — — |||. The third period could be labelled ∧ia hag ⁝ ad, but West warns that the label hides what matters: the period is the first two drawn out to greater length.^[10] Battezzato likewise treats the third and fourth lines of the Sapphic stanza as one verse written on two lines,^[11] and D’Angour calls the last two lines a single continuous rhythmical unit.^[12] In antiquity it was divided between two lines of writing after its eleventh position, where caesura is frequent; hence the four-line stanza of Horace and of our editions.^[13]
The adonean continues line 3 (one period)^[10]. The end of line 3 is not a period-end: there is no pause, and a final consonant runs on into the adonean, as the Workbench shows in four of the five stanzas: Ὄλυμπο|ν αἰέν (3–4), κάρτο|ς ἀγεμονεύῃς (7–8), κυβερνᾷ|ς ἄστεα (11–12), ἀρχᾶ|ς οὐ (15–16). The eleventh position is anceps (×) in West’s scheme, and it is filled by a short syllable in lines 3, 7 and 19 and by a long one in lines 11 and 15. West marks a bridge (⁀) between the tenth and eleventh positions, a place where word-end is avoided; Melinno never has word-end there, and in every stanza a word ends with the eleventh position, at the old line-division.
Not Sappho’s prosody. Lesbian verse has no resolution or contraction, so that the number of syllables in a verse is fixed;^[14] Melinno keeps to that. But “normal” Lesbian lyric does not allow even the short syllable before stop + liquid at the beginning of a word that early poetry admits,^[15] and Melinno leaves a syllable short before stop + liquid inside the word twice, δαΐφρων (2) and ἄθραυστον (4). The Workbench therefore scans the hymn with the rules of epic (plug-in form sapphic-melinno), in which stop + liquid makes position where the metre needs it (μεταπλάσσων 14; μόνα κρατίστους 17, where the long ᾱ makes the syllable long in any case) and may leave it short where the metre needs a short. Where vowels meet between words, elision or synecphonesis is the rule in Lesbian verse:^[16] Melinno elides (σᾷ δ’ ὐπά 9, σὺ δ’ ἀσφαλέως 11, ἄλλοτ’ ἄλλως 14, ἀπ’ ἀνδρῶν 20) and has no hiatus and no correption.
Position 4. The fourth position of each line is anceps.^[10] It is long in all lines but two: it is short in line 7 (the ρα of κοιρανῇον) and line 11 (σύ).
Stanzas as units. Natoli et al. observe that Melinno’s stanzas, unlike Sappho’s, do not flow into one another but break off into distinct units:^[7] every stanza ends with the end of a sentence or clause.
The text. The Greek wording follows Hense’s public-domain Stobaeus.^[17] Line 7 uses ἔχουσα, a reading attributed to Grotius in Hense’s apparatus, rather than the main text’s ἔχοισα. The display uses iota subscripts and retains its psilosis, accentuation, punctuation and teaching quantity marks. At line 19 it follows Hense’s Δάματρος. The last line is corrupt: καρπὸν †ἀπ’ ἀνδρῶν has no satisfactory emendation; a conjecture meaning “in arms” has been proposed.^[18] The dagger marks the difficulty; the scansion is that of the transmitted words.
Quantities. Where the quantity of an α ι υ in an open syllable is known, the input marks it so that the reason given on the page is the true one. Long: Ῥώμᾱ (the long fifth position), χρῡσ-,^[19] ᾱ̔ (the Aeolic relative for ἥ)^[20], μόνᾱ (17), αἰχμᾱτάς,^[21] λᾱῶν,^[22] ᾱ̓γεμονεύῃς^[20] and Δᾱ́ματρος;^[23] their first α corresponds to Attic η;^[24] short: κοιρᾰνῇον,^[25] σῠ́.^[26] The marks are not shown on the page.

Prosody, line by line

Every syllable, with the reason for its length. Quantities are read from the vowel where the spelling shows it, from the consonants that follow (“position”), from the accent where it tells, and from the metre where nothing else does. Editors’ notes on the text follow in the boxed paragraphs.

1

Line 1 · χαῖρέ μοι Ῥώμα, θυγάτηρ Ἄρηος,

χαῖρέ μοι Ῥώμα, θυγάτηρ Ἄρηος,

χαῖρέμοιῬώμα,θυγάτηρἌρηος,

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —χαῖαῖ is a diphthong, long by nature.
2 ⏑ρέέ is short by nature.
3 —μοιοι is a diphthong, long by nature.
4 —Ῥώώ is long by nature; the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —μα,ᾱ is long (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling).
6 ⏑θυυ is short by the metre (position 6 must be short).
7 ⏑γάά is short by the metre (position 7 must be short).
8 —τηρη is long by nature.
9 ⏑ἌἌ is short by the metre (position 9 must be short).
10 —ρηη is long by nature.
11 ×ος,ο is short by nature; closed by ς: long by position; the position is anceps.

Ῥώμα, the Doric and Aeolic form of the name (Attic Ῥώμη), has its final ᾱ long in the fifth position; Stobaeus read it as ῥώμη, “strength”, and so placed the poem in his chapter on manliness.^[27] The fourth position, Ῥώ-, is long. The ρ of θυγάτηρ is carried over to Ἄρηος;^[28] “daughter of Ares” is the epithet of the Amazon Penthesilea in the Aethiopis.^[29]

2

Line 2 · χρυσεομίτρα δαΐφρων ἄνασσα,

χρυσεομίτρα δαΐφρων ἄνασσα,

χρυσεομίτραδαΐφρωνἄνασσα,

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —χρυῡ is long (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling).
2 ⏑σεε is short by nature.
3 ⏑οο is short by nature; but the scheme needs a long syllable in this position: the line does not scan as given and is listed under Scansion problems.
4 —μίτί is a vowel of unknown length; closed by τ before a liquid: stop + liquid makes position, as it usually does in epic; the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —ραα is long by the metre (position 5 must be long).
6 ⏑δαα is short by the metre (position 6 must be short).
7 ⏑ΐΐ is a vowel of unknown length; φρ is carried whole into the next syllable, so this syllable stays open and short (correption before a stop + liquid cluster, as the metre needs).
8 —φρωνω is long by nature.
9 ⏑ἄἄ is short by the metre (position 9 must be short).
10 —νασα is a vowel of unknown length; closed by σ: long by position.
11 ×σα,α is short by the accent rule: acute on the antepenult requires a short final syllable; the position is anceps.

⚠ line 2, position 3 (ο): scans S but the scheme needs L

The third position needs a long, but the ο of χρυσεομίτρα is short and nothing in the word lengthens it: Natoli et al. note that the scansion requires the ο to be long and that it is unclear how it could be lengthened, so that there may be an error in transmission.^[29] The Workbench reports the conflict; it is shown, not hidden. The final α of χρυσεομίτρα is long, as the fifth position requires. In δαΐφρων the ι, a separate syllable (the diaeresis), stays short before φρ inside the word, the treatment “normal” Lesbian lyric avoids;^[15] the epithet is Penthesilea’s in Quintus of Smyrna 1.47.^[20]

3

Line 3 · σεμνὸν ἃ ναίεις ἐπὶ γᾶς Ὄλυμπον

σεμνὸν ἃ ναίεις ἐπὶ γᾶς Ὄλυμπον

σεμνὸν ἃναίειςἐπὶγᾶςὌλυμπο

the period runs on into l. 4 (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period begins: a distended form of the first two (West p. 34).

1 —σεμε is short by nature; closed by μ: long by position.
2 ⏑νὸὸ is short by nature.
3 —ν ἃᾱ̔̀ is long (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling); the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
4 —ναίαί is a diphthong, long by nature; the position is anceps.
5 —ειςει is a diphthong, long by nature.
6 ⏑ἐἐ is short by nature.
7 ⏑πὶὶ is short by the metre (position 7 must be short).
8 —γᾶςᾶ carries a circumflex, so it is long.
9 ⏑ὌὌ is short by nature.
10 —λυμυ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by μ: long by position.
11 ⏑ποο is short by nature; the position is anceps; the line-end is not a period-end: the period runs on into the next line (synapheia), so this syllable keeps its own length, with no brevis in longo, and a word may run over into the next line.^[30]

ἃ is the Aeolic form of the relative ἥ, and γᾶς of the genitive γῆς,^[20] both with long ᾱ. The fourth position is ναί-, whose diphthong keeps its length before the vowel that follows inside the word. The ς of ναίεις is carried over to ἐπί. The ν of Ὄλυμπον runs on into the adonean (synapheia: one period)^[10], so the eleventh position is filled by a short syllable, -πο-.

4

Line 4 · αἰὲν ἄθραυστον.

αἰὲν ἄθραυστον.

ν αἰὲν ἄθραυστον.

continues l. 3 · one period (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity (West p. 35 n. 1).

1 —ν αἰαἰ is a diphthong, long by nature; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
2 ⏑ὲὲ is short by nature.
3 ⏑ν ἄἄ is a vowel of unknown length; θρ is carried whole into the next syllable, so this syllable stays open and short (correption before a stop + liquid cluster, as the metre needs); the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
4 —θραυσαυ is a diphthong, long by nature; closed by σ: long by position.
5 ×τον.ο is short by nature; closed by ν: long by position; the position is anceps.

The adonean completes the period begun in line 3. In ἄθραυστον the α stays short before θρ inside the word, as the scheme requires;^[15] LSJ cites this line for the word (s.v. ἄθραυστος). Natoli et al. construe it with σεμνὸν … Ὄλυμπον.^[20]

5

Line 5 · σοὶ μόνᾳ, πρέσβιστα, δέδωκε Μοῖρα

σοὶ μόνᾳ, πρέσβιστα, δέδωκε Μοῖρα

σοὶμόνᾳ,πρέσβιστα,δέδωκεΜοῖρα

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —σοὶοὶ is a diphthong, long by nature.
2 ⏑μόό is short by nature.
3 —νᾳ,ᾳ is long by nature; the next word begins with πρ: the syllable is closed before it: long by position.
4 —πρέσέ is short by nature; closed by σ: long by position; the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —βισι is a vowel of unknown length; closed by σ: long by position.
6 ⏑τα,α is short by the accent rule: acute on the antepenult requires a short final syllable.
7 ⏑δέέ is short by nature.
8 —δωω is long by nature.
9 ⏑κεε is short by nature.
10 —Μοῖοῖ is a diphthong, long by nature.
11 ×ραα is short by the accent rule: circumflex on the penult requires a short final syllable; the position is anceps.

σοὶ μόνᾳ, “to you alone”, the first of the repeated second-person addresses of the praise section;^[7] the dative has a long ᾳ. The final α of πρέσβιστα is short, in the sixth position; Natoli et al. call the vocative Aeolic.^[20] The fourth position is filled by πρέσ-, closed by σ.

6

Line 6 · κῦδος ἀρρήκτω βασιλῇον ἀρχᾶς,

κῦδος ἀρρήκτω βασιλῇον ἀρχᾶς,

κῦδος ἀρρήκτωβασιλῇον ἀρχᾶς,

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —κῦῦ carries a circumflex, so it is long.
2 ⏑δοο is short by nature.
3 —ς ἀρἀ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ρ: long by position; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
4 —ρήκή is long by nature; closed by κ: long by position; the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —τωω is long by nature.
6 ⏑βαα is short by the metre (position 6 must be short).
7 ⏑σιι is short by the metre (position 7 must be short).
8 —λῇῇ is long by nature.
9 ⏑οο is short by nature.
10 —ν ἀρἀ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ρ: long by position; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
11 ×χᾶς,ᾶ carries a circumflex, so it is long; closed by ς: long by position; the position is anceps.

ἀρρήκτω and ἀρχᾶς are Aeolic genitives, βασιλῇον the Aeolic form of βασίλειον;^[31] the word order is interlaced, κῦδος with βασιλῇον and ἀρρήκτω with ἀρχᾶς.^[20] The ς of κῦδος is carried over to ἀρρήκτω, whose first syllable is closed by the ρρ.^[28] The ν of βασιλῇον is carried over to ἀρχᾶς.

7

Line 7 · ὄφρα, κοιρανῇον ἔχουσα κάρτος

ὄφρα, κοιρανῇον ἔχουσα κάρτος

ὄφρα,κοιρανῇον ἔχουσακάρτο

the period runs on into l. 8 (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period begins: a distended form of the first two (West p. 34).

1 —ὄφὄ is short by nature; closed by φ before a liquid: stop + liquid makes position, as it usually does in epic.
2 ⏑ρα,α is short by the metre (position 2 must be short).
3 —κοιοι is a diphthong, long by nature.
4 ⏑ραᾰ is short (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling); the position is anceps.
5 —νῇῇ is long by nature.
6 ⏑οο is short by nature.
7 ⏑ν ἔἔ is short by nature; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
8 —χουου is a diphthong, long by nature.
9 ⏑σαα is short by the accent rule: acute on the antepenult requires a short final syllable.
10 —κάρά is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ρ: long by position.
11 ⏑τοο is short by nature; the position is anceps; the line-end is not a period-end: the period runs on into the next line (synapheia), so this syllable keeps its own length, with no brevis in longo, and a word may run over into the next line.^[30]

The fourth position is short here, the ρα of κοιρανῇον (Aeolic for κοιράνειον; the α is short, as in κοίρανος)^[32], an anceps.^[10] The φρ inside ὄφρα closes its first syllable. The ς of κάρτος runs on into line 8 (one period with the adonean)^[10], leaving the eleventh position short.

8

Line 8 · ἀγεμονεύῃς.

ἀγεμονεύῃς.

ς ἀγεμονεύῃς.

continues l. 7 · one period (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity (West p. 35 n. 1).

1 —ς ἀᾱ̓ is long (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling); the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
2 ⏑γεε is short by nature.
3 ⏑μοο is short by nature.
4 —νεύεύ is a diphthong, long by nature.
5 ×ῃς.ῃ is long by nature; closed by ς: long by position; the position is anceps.

ἀγεμονεύῃς is the Aeolic form of ἡγεμονεύῃς, a subjunctive in a purpose clause with ὄφρα;^[20] it has the smooth breathing (psilosis) and the ᾱ for η of Aeolic (App. A, p. 329). That ᾱ, long by nature, fills the first position, with the ς of κάρτος carried over to it from line 7.

9

Line 9 · σᾷ δ’ ὐπὰ σδεύγλᾳ κρατερῶν λεπάδνων

σᾷ δ’ ὐπὰ σδεύγλᾳ κρατερῶν λεπάδνων

σᾷδ’ὐπὰσδεύγλᾳκρατερῶνλεπάδνων

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —σᾷᾷ is long by nature.
2 ⏑δ’ὐὐ is short by the metre (position 2 must be short); the apostrophe marks an elided vowel; the consonant before it joins this syllable.
3 —πὰthe next word begins with σδ: the syllable is closed before it: long by position.
4 —σδεύεύ is a diphthong, long by nature; the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —γλᾳᾳ is long by nature; the next word begins with κρ: the syllable is closed before it: long by position.
6 ⏑κραα is short by the metre (position 6 must be short).
7 ⏑τεε is short by nature.
8 —ρῶνῶ is long by nature; closed by ν: long by position.
9 ⏑λεε is short by nature.
10 —πάδά is a vowel of unknown length; closed by δ: long by position; δν is one of the four clusters (γμ, γν, δμ, δν) that never leave the syllable before them short.^[33]
11 ×νωνω is long by nature; closed by ν: long by position; the position is anceps.

σᾷ δ’ ὐπὰ σδεύγλᾳ is Aeolic for σῇ δ’ ὑπὸ ζεύγλῃ.^[20] δέ is elided before ὐπά.^[34] σδ, the Aeolic spelling of ζ (App. A, p. 330), is two consonants and closes the syllable before it, -πὰσ-.^[28] In λεπάδνων the δν makes position, as it always does.^[33]

10

Line 10 · στέρνα γαίας καὶ πολίας θαλάσσας

στέρνα γαίας καὶ πολίας θαλάσσας

στέρναγαίαςκαὶπολίαςθαλάσσας

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —στέρέ is short by nature; closed by ρ: long by position.
2 ⏑ναα is short by the metre (position 2 must be short).
3 —γαίαί is a diphthong, long by nature.
4 —αςα is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ς: long by position; the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —καὶαὶ is a diphthong, long by nature.
6 ⏑ποο is short by nature.
7 ⏑λίί is short by the metre (position 7 must be short).
8 —αςα is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ς: long by position.
9 ⏑θαα is short by the metre (position 9 must be short).
10 —λάσά is a vowel of unknown length; closed by σ: long by position.
11 ×σαςα is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ς: long by position; the position is anceps.

The α of στέρνα is short before γ, in the second position. The diphthong of γαίας keeps its length before the vowel inside the word, and καί is long before π. The ι of πολίας is short, in the seventh position; its final syllable is closed by ς before θ.

11

Line 11 · σφίγγεται· σὺ δ’ ἀσφαλέως κυβερνᾷς

σφίγγεται· σὺ δ’ ἀσφαλέως κυβερνᾷς

σφίγγεται·σὺδ’ἀσφαλέωςκυβερνᾷ

the period runs on into l. 12 (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period begins: a distended form of the first two (West p. 34).

1 —σφίγί is a vowel of unknown length; closed by γ: long by position.
2 ⏑γεε is short by nature.
3 —ται·αι is a diphthong, long by nature.
4 ⏑σὺῠ̀ is short (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling); the position is anceps.
5 —δ’ἀσἀ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by σ: long by position; the apostrophe marks an elided vowel; the consonant before it joins this syllable.
6 ⏑φαα is short by the metre (position 6 must be short).
7 ⏑λέέ is short by nature.
8 —ωςω is long by nature; closed by ς: long by position.
9 ⏑κυυ is short by the metre (position 9 must be short).
10 —βερε is short by nature; closed by ρ: long by position.
11 —νᾷᾷ is long by nature; the position is anceps; the line-end is not a period-end: the period runs on into the next line (synapheia), so this syllable keeps its own length, with no brevis in longo, and a word may run over into the next line.^[30]

The fourth position is short: σύ, with its short υ.^[26] δέ is elided before ἀσφαλέως.^[34] The ς of κυβερνᾷς runs on into the adonean (one period)^[10]; the eleventh position is long by the vowel, ᾷ.

12

Line 12 · ἄστεα λαῶν.

ἄστεα λαῶν.

ς ἄστεαλαῶν.

continues l. 11 · one period (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity (West p. 35 n. 1).

1 —ς ἄσἄ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by σ: long by position; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
2 ⏑τεε is short by nature.
3 ⏑αα is short by the accent rule: acute on the antepenult requires a short final syllable.
4 —λαᾱ is long (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling).
5 ×ῶν.ῶ is long by nature; closed by ν: long by position; the position is anceps.

The adonean completes the period begun in line 11. ἄσ- is closed by σ;^[28] τε and α are its two shorts. λαῶν has a long α,^[22] in the fourth position.

13

Line 13 · πάντα δὲ σφάλλων ὁ μέγιστος αἰὼν

πάντα δὲ σφάλλων ὁ μέγιστος αἰὼν

πάνταδὲσφάλλωνὁμέγιστος αἰὼν

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —πάνά is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ν: long by position.
2 ⏑ταα is short by the metre (position 2 must be short).
3 —δὲὲ is short by nature; the next word begins with σφ: the syllable is closed before it: long by position.
4 —σφάλά is a vowel of unknown length; closed by λ: long by position; the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —λωνω is long by nature.
6 ⏑ὁὁ is short by nature.
7 ⏑μέέ is short by nature.
8 —γισι is a vowel of unknown length; closed by σ: long by position.
9 ⏑τοο is short by nature.
10 —ς αἰαἰ is a diphthong, long by nature; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
11 ×ὼνὼ is long by nature; closed by ν: long by position; the position is anceps.

δέ is long before the σφ of σφάλλων, closed by its σ.^[28] The ς of μέγιστος is carried over to αἰών.

14

Line 14 · καὶ μεταπλάσσων βίον ἄλλοτ’ ἄλλως

καὶ μεταπλάσσων βίον ἄλλοτ’ ἄλλως

καὶμεταπλάσσωνβίον ἄλλοτ’ἄλλως

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —καὶαὶ is a diphthong, long by nature.
2 ⏑μεε is short by nature.
3 —ταπα is a vowel of unknown length; closed by π before a liquid: stop + liquid makes position, as it usually does in epic.
4 —λάσά is a vowel of unknown length; closed by σ: long by position; the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —σωνω is long by nature; closed by ν: long by position.
6 ⏑βίί is short by the metre (position 6 must be short).
7 ⏑οο is short by nature.
8 —ν ἄλἄ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by λ: long by position; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
9 ⏑λοο is short by nature.
10 —τ’ἄλἄ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by λ: long by position; the apostrophe marks an elided vowel; the consonant before it joins this syllable.
11 ×λωςω is long by nature; closed by ς: long by position; the position is anceps.

In μεταπλάσσων the πλ inside the word closes the syllable before it, -ταπ-, as the third position requires. βίον has a short ι. τε is elided in ἄλλοτ’ before ἄλλως;^[34] Natoli et al. take the double adverb distributively, now one way and now another.^[20]

15

Line 15 · σοὶ μόνᾳ πλησίστιον οὖρον ἀρχᾶς

σοὶ μόνᾳ πλησίστιον οὖρον ἀρχᾶς

σοὶμόνᾳπλησίστιον οὖρον ἀρχᾶ

the period runs on into l. 16 (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period begins: a distended form of the first two (West p. 34).

1 —σοὶοὶ is a diphthong, long by nature.
2 ⏑μόό is short by nature.
3 —νᾳᾳ is long by nature; the next word begins with πλ: the syllable is closed before it: long by position.
4 —πληη is long by nature; the position is anceps.
5 —σίσί is a vowel of unknown length; closed by σ: long by position.
6 ⏑τιι is short by the metre (position 6 must be short).
7 ⏑οο is short by nature.
8 —ν οὖοὖ is a diphthong, long by nature; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
9 ⏑ροο is short by nature.
10 —ν ἀρἀ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ρ: long by position; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
11 —χᾶᾶ carries a circumflex, so it is long; the position is anceps; the line-end is not a period-end: the period runs on into the next line (synapheia), so this syllable keeps its own length, with no brevis in longo, and a word may run over into the next line.^[30]

σοὶ μόνᾳ repeats the address of line 5. πλησίστιον οὖρον, the fair wind that fills the sails, comes from a Homeric formula (Od. 11.7, 12.149)^[20]. The ς of ἀρχᾶς runs on into the adonean (one period)^[10].

16

Line 16 · οὐ μεταβάλλει.

οὐ μεταβάλλει.

ς οὐμεταβάλλει.

continues l. 15 · one period (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity (West p. 35 n. 1).

1 —ς οὐοὐ is a diphthong, long by nature; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
2 ⏑μεε is short by nature.
3 ⏑ταα is short by the metre (position 3 must be short).
4 —βάλά is a vowel of unknown length; closed by λ: long by position.
5 ×λει.ει is a diphthong, long by nature; the position is anceps.

The adonean completes the period: ς οὐ με τα βάλ λει.

17

Line 17 · ἦ γὰρ ἐκ πάντων σὺ μόνα κρατίστους

ἦ γὰρ ἐκ πάντων σὺ μόνα κρατίστους

ἦγὰρ ἐκπάντωνσὺμόνακρατίστους

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —ἦἦ is long by nature.
2 ⏑γὰὰ is short by the metre (position 2 must be short).
3 —ρ ἐκἐ is short by nature; closed by κ: long by position; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
4 —πάνά is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ν: long by position; the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —τωνω is long by nature; closed by ν: long by position.
6 ⏑σὺῠ̀ is short (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling).
7 ⏑μόό is short by nature.
8 —ναᾱ is long (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling); the next word begins with κρ: the syllable is closed before it: long by position.
9 ⏑κραα is short by the metre (position 9 must be short).
10 —τίσί is a vowel of unknown length; closed by σ: long by position.
11 ×τουςου is a diphthong, long by nature; closed by ς: long by position; the position is anceps.

The ρ of γάρ is carried over to ἐκ. μόνα, nominative, has the long ᾱ of Aeolic (App. A, p. 329), in the eighth position; the κρ of κρατίστους would close the syllable in any case.

18

Line 18 · ἄνδρας αἰχματὰς μεγάλους λοχεύεις

ἄνδρας αἰχματὰς μεγάλους λοχεύεις

ἄνδρας αἰχματὰςμεγάλουςλοχεύεις

The label in the margin, with its sources: _∧ia hag (West p. 34).

1 —ἄνἄ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ν: long by position.
2 ⏑δραα is short by the metre (position 2 must be short).
3 —ς αἰαἰ is a diphthong, long by nature; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
4 —χμαᾱ is long (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling); the position is anceps (⏓: usually long).
5 —τὰςὰ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ς: long by position.
6 ⏑μεε is short by nature.
7 ⏑γάά is short by the metre (position 7 must be short).
8 —λουςου is a diphthong, long by nature; closed by ς: long by position.
9 ⏑λοο is short by nature.
10 —χεύεύ is a diphthong, long by nature.
11 ×ειςει is a diphthong, long by nature; closed by ς: long by position; the position is anceps.

The ς of ἄνδρας is carried over to αἰχματάς, the Doric form of αἰχμητής with long ᾱ;^[35] the -χμᾱ- fills the anceps fourth position. Natoli et al. note the three adjectives with ἄνδρας.^[20]

19

Line 19 · εὔσταχυν Δάματρος ὅπως ἀνεῖσα

εὔσταχυν Δάματρος ὅπως ἀνεῖσα

εὔσταχυνΔάματρος ὅπωςἀνεῖσα

the period runs on into l. 20 (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period begins: a distended form of the first two (West p. 34).

1 —εὔσεὔ is a diphthong, long by nature; closed by σ: long by position.
2 ⏑ταα is short by the metre (position 2 must be short).
3 —χυνυ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ν: long by position.
4 —Δάᾱ́ is long (its length is not shown by the ordinary spelling); the position is anceps.
5 —ματα is a vowel of unknown length; closed by τ before a liquid: stop + liquid makes position, as it usually does in epic.
6 ⏑ροο is short by nature.
7 ⏑ς ὅὅ is short by nature; the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
8 —πωςω is long by nature.
9 ⏑ἀἀ is short by the metre (position 9 must be short).
10 —νεῖεῖ is a diphthong, long by nature.
11 ⏑σαα is short by the accent rule: circumflex on the penult requires a short final syllable; the position is anceps; the line-end is not a period-end: the period runs on into the next line (synapheia), so this syllable keeps its own length, with no brevis in longo, and a word may run over into the next line.^[30]

The ν of εὔσταχυν closes its syllable before Δ-. The fourth position, an anceps, is filled by the first syllable of Δάματρος, “of Demeter”, as printed by Hense.^[23] Its first α corresponds to Attic η and is long.^[24] The following syllable closes before the stop and liquid τρ, filling the long fifth position.^[33] The ς of Δάματρος is carried over to ὅπως. The final α of ἀνεῖσα is short, in the eleventh position, and the period runs on into line 20.^[10] The image of the crop sent up echoes καρπὸν ἀνῆκεν in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter (2.333, 2.472)^[18].

20

Line 20 · καρπὸν †ἀπ’ ἀνδρῶν.

καρπὸν †ἀπ’ ἀνδρῶν.

καρπὸν ἀπ’ἀνδρῶν.

continues l. 19 · one period (synapheia).

The label in the margin, with its sources: the third period ends; written as a separate line in antiquity (West p. 35 n. 1).

1 —καρα is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ρ: long by position.
2 ⏑πὸὸ is short by nature.
3 ⏑ν ἀἀ is short by the metre (position 3 must be short); the first consonant belongs to the previous word and is carried over to this vowel.
4 —π’ἀνἀ is a vowel of unknown length; closed by ν: long by position; the apostrophe marks an elided vowel; the consonant before it joins this syllable.
5 ×δρῶν.ῶ is long by nature; closed by ν: long by position; the position is anceps.

The corrupt close, καρπὸν †ἀπ’ ἀνδρῶν.^[18] As transmitted it scans as an adonean: καρ πὸ ν ἀ π’ ἀν δρῶν, with ἀπό elided.^[34] The conjecture meaning “in arms” would scan the same way.

Notes

^ Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 196–200.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 193.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 193; Barbantani 2009, p. 316.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 194.
^ West 1987, p. 4.
^ West 1987, p. 3.
^ ^a ^b ^c Natoli et al. 2022, p. 194.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 198–199.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 196.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ West 1987, p. 34.
^ Battezzato 2009, p. 135.
^ D’Angour 2022, p. 136.
^ West 1987, p. 35 n. 1.
^ West 1987, p. 32.
^ ^a ^b ^c West 1987, p. 16 with n. 7.
^ West 1987, p. 35 n. 2.
^ Hense 1894, pp. 312–313.
^ ^a ^b ^c Natoli et al. 2022, p. 199.
^ LSJ s.v. χρυσός.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l Natoli et al. 2022, p. 198.
^ LSJ s.v. αἰχμητής, Doric αἰχμᾱτάς.
^ ^a ^b LSJ s.v. λαός.
^ ^a ^b Hense 1894, p. 313.
^ ^a ^b Natoli et al. 2022, p. 329.
^ LSJ s.v. κοίρανος.
^ ^a ^b LSJ s.v. σύ.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 193, 197.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e West 1987, p. 12.
^ ^a ^b Natoli et al. 2022, p. 197.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e West 1987, pp. 3–4.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 198; LSJ s.v. βασίλειος cites this line for βασιλῆος.
^ Natoli et al. 2022, p. 198; LSJ s.v.
^ ^a ^b ^c West 1987, p. 16.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d West 1987, p. 13.
^ LSJ s.v.

Text and sources

Greek wording: Melinno, hymn to Rome (Stobaeus 3.7.12), ed. O. Hense, Ioannis Stobaei Anthologium, vol. III (Berlin 1894), pp. 312–313, public domain. All twenty lines collated against the page images, including the apparatus variant at line 7; normalized as described above.
Notes and glosses: Natoli et al. 2022, pp. 193–194, 196–199; App. A, pp. 329–330.
Rules: M. L. West, Introduction to Greek Metre (Oxford 1987), pp. 12–13, 16 with n. 7 (prosody), 32 (Lesbian lyric), 34–35 with nn. 1–2 (the Sapphic stanza), checked against the page images. Also West 1987, pp. 3–4 (synapheia and period-end).
The Sapphic stanza’s last two lines as one verse: L. Battezzato, ‘Metre and music’, in F. Budelmann (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Greek Lyric (Cambridge 2009), ch. 7, p. 135; A. D’Angour, ‘Meter and Music’, in L. Swift (ed.), A Companion to Greek Lyric (Wiley 2022), ch. 9, p. 136.
Quantities and forms: LSJ (Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA), s.vv. ἄθραυστος, αἰχμητής, βασίλειος, κοίρανος, λαός, σύ, χρυσός.

Quotations from copyrighted works are not covered by this page’s licence.

Sources

Hense, O. (ed.) 1894. Ioannis Stobaei Anthologium, vol. III. Berlin: Weidmann, pp. 312–313, 3.7.12. Public-domain Greek; all twenty lines and the relevant apparatus read on the original page images. At line 7 the display uses the old variant ἔχουσα recorded in the apparatus; psilosis, iota subscripts, accents, punctuation and teaching marks are normalized. Line 19 follows Δάματρος on p. 313.
Natoli, B. A., A. Pitts and J. P. Hallett. 2022. Ancient Women Writers of Greece and Rome. Routledge. ch. 8 'Melinno', pp. 193–194, 196–199 (text, glosses, notes; p. 196 checked against the page image); App. A, pp. 329–330.
West, M. L. 1987. Introduction to Greek Metre. Oxford. pp. 12–13, 16 with n. 7, 32, 34–35 with nn. 1–2 (checked against page images).
LSJ (Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA), s.vv. ἄθραυστος, αἰχμητής, βασίλειος, κοίρανος, λαός, σύ, χρυσός.
Natoli, B. A., A. Pitts and J. P. Hallett. 2022. Ancient Women Writers of Greece and Rome. Routledge. ch. 8 'Melinno', pp. 193–194, 196–200.
Barbantani, S. 2009. 'Lyric in the Hellenistic period and beyond', in F. Budelmann (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Greek Lyric. Cambridge. ch. 16, p. 316.

Greek wording: Stobaeus 3.7.12, ed. Hense 1894, pp. 312–313, public domain, including the old apparatus variant ἔχουσα. Orthographic and teaching adaptations are disclosed in the notes. Scansion, commentary and translation © metrehelp.org, CC BY-SA 4.0. Quotations from copyrighted works are not covered by this licence.