The Plague at My Country House, and a Life for a Life

ὡςhōs τοίνυνtoinyn ἐγενόμεθαegenometha ἐνen τῇtēi ΣμύρνῃSmyrnēi,, φαίνεταίphainetai μοιmoi ἐνen τοιῷδέtoiōide τινιtini σχήματιschēmati..

When, then, we were in Smyrna, he appears to me in some such form [figure?] as this.

When we reached Smyrna, the god appeared to me in this form.

ἦνēn ἅμαhama μὲνmen ἈσκληπιὸςAsklēpios,, ἅμαhama δὲde ἈπόλλωνApollōn,, ὅho τεte δὴdē ΚλάριοςKlarios καὶkai ὁho καλλίτεκνοςkalliteknos καλούμενοςkaloumenos ἐνen ΠεργάμῳPergamōi,, οὗhou ὁho πρῶτοςprōtos ‖J295‖ τῶνtōn ναῶνnaōn τῶνtōn τριῶνtriōn ἐστινestin..

He was at the same time Asclepius, and at the same time Apollo, both the Clarian one and the one called "of the fair offspring" in Pergamum, whose is the first of the three temples.

He was Asclepius and Apollo at once: both the Apollo of Claros and the one called "Blessed in His Children" at Pergamum, whose temple comes first of the three there.1

1. Claros, near Colophon, south of Smyrna, had a famous oracle of Apollo. At Pergamum, home of Asclepius's great healing sanctuary, Apollo was worshiped as Asclepius's father, "blessed in his children."

ἐνen τούτῳtoutōi τῷtōi σχήματιschēmati στὰςstas ἔμπροσθενemprosthen τῆςtēs εὐνῆςeunēs προβαλὼνprobalōn τοὺςtous δακτύλουςdaktylous καὶkai χρόνουςchronous τινὰςtinas συλλογισάμενοςsyllogisamenos,, ἔχειςecheis,, ἔφηephē,, δέκαdeka ἔτηetē παρʼparʼ ἐμοῦemou καὶkai τρίαtria παρὰpara τοῦtou ΣαράπιδοςSarapidos—kai—καὶ ἅμαhama τὰta τρίαtria καὶkai δέκαdeka ὡςhōs ἑπτακαίδεκαheptakaideka ἐφάνηephanē τῇtēi θέσειthesei τῶνtōn δακτύλωνdaktylōn—— ταῦταtauta δὲde εἶναιeinai οὐκouk ὄναρonar,, ἀλλʼallʼ ὕπαρhypar,, εἴσεσθαιeisesthai δὲde καὶkai αὐτόνauton..

In this form, standing before the bed, holding out his fingers and reckoning up certain periods of time, "You have," he said, "ten years from me and three from Sarapis" — and at the same time the three and the ten appeared as seventeen by the position of the fingers — and he said that these things were not a dream, but a waking vision, and that I myself [he himself?] would also know it.

In this form he stood in front of my bed, held out his fingers, and counted up some spans of time. "You get ten years from me," he said, "and three from Sarapis." And as he spoke, the way his fingers were set made the thirteen look like seventeen.2 This, he said, was no dream but a waking vision,3 and I would see that for myself.

2. Sarapis was an Egyptian healing god worshiped across the Roman world. People showed numbers with the positions of their fingers, so the god's one gesture could mean two figures: thirteen years, or seventeen.
3. Sick people slept in the temples of Asclepius, hoping the god would send a healing dream. A waking vision counted as surer proof. The phrase echoes Homer's Odyssey 19.547.

φέρεphere δὴdē τὸνton ἐξex ἀρχῆςarchēs ἀποδῶμενapodōmen λόγονlogon,, καὶkai συνάψωμενsynapsōmen ὡςhōs ἔσχεesche τὰta τῆςtēs χρησμῳδίαςchrēsmōidias τῆςtēs περὶperi τῶνtōn ἐτῶνetōn..

Come now, let us render the account from the beginning, and let us join together how the matters of the oracle [oracular utterance?] concerning the years turned out.

Come, let me tell the whole story from the beginning, and show how the prophecy about the years came out.

ὅτιhoti μὲνmen γὰρgar ἅπανταhapanta τοῦτονtouton τὸνton χρόνονchronon αὐτὸςautos ἦνēn ὁho σώζωνsōzōn καὶkai ἡμέρανhēmeran ἐφʼephʼ ἡμέρᾳhēmerai δωρούμενοςdōroumenos,, μᾶλλονmallon δὲde καὶkai νῦνnyn αὐτόςautos ἐστινestin ὁho σώζωνsōzōn,, συνίσασινsynisasin ὅσοιhosoi καὶkai μικρόνmikron τιti τῶνtōn ἡμετέρωνhēmeterōn ἴσασινisasin..

For that during all this time he himself was the one saving me and granting me day upon day, or rather that even now he himself is the one saving me, all those know who know even some small thing of our affairs.

Anyone who knows even a little about my life knows that the god kept me alive all that time, giving me one day after another. Or rather, he keeps me alive even now.

ἀλλʼallʼ ἐπειδὴepeidē διεγένετοdiegeneto χρόνοςchronos ὁho τῆςtēs προρρήσεωςprorrēseōs,, συνέβηsynebē τοιάδεtoiade..

But when the time of the prediction had passed, the following things happened.

Even so, once the time set by the prophecy had run out, this is what happened.

μικρὸνmikron δὲde ἀναλήψομαιanalēpsomai..

But I will go back a little.

First, though, I must go back a little.

ἔτυχονetychon μὲνmen ὢνōn ἐνen τῷtōi προαστείῳproasteiōi κατὰkata θέρουςtherous ἀκμὴνakmēn,, νόσοςnosos δὲde κατέσχεkatesche λοιμώδηςloimōdēs πάνταςpantas σχεδὸνschedon τοὺςtous προσχώρουςproschōrous..

I happened to be in the suburb [suburban estate?] at the height of summer, and a plague-like sickness seized almost all those living nearby.

At the height of summer I was staying at my house outside the city. A plague-like sickness took hold of almost everyone who lived nearby.

τῶνtōn δὲde οἰκετῶνoiketōn τὸto μὲνmen πρῶτονprōton δύοdyo καὶkai τρεῖςtreis ἔκαμνονekamnon,, ἔπειταepeita ἄλλοςallos καὶkai ἄλλοςallos;· ἔπειτʼepeitʼ ἔκειντοekeinto ἅπαντεςhapantes καὶkai νεώτεροιneōteroi καὶkai πρεσβύτεροιpresbyteroi;· τελευταῖοςteleutaios δὲde ἐλήφθηνelēphthēn ἐγώegō..

Of the household slaves, at first two and three were sick, then one after another; then all lay sick, both the younger and the older; and last I was taken.

At first two or three of the household slaves fell sick, then one after another, until all of them lay sick, young and old alike. Last of all, I was taken.

ἰατροὶiatroi δὲde ἐφοίτωνephoitōn ἐξex ἄστεοςasteos καὶkai τοῖςtois ἀκολούθοιςakolouthois αὐτῶνautōn ἐχρώμεθαechrōmetha διακόνοιςdiakonois,, οἱhoi δέde τινεςtines καὶkai αὐτοὶautoi προσεδρεύοντεςprosedreuontes ἀντὶanti διακόνωνdiakonōn ἦσανēsan..

Doctors came regularly from the city, and we used their attendants as servants, and some of them themselves, sitting beside us, were in place of servants.

Doctors came out from the city. We used their attendants as our servants, and some of the doctors themselves sat by us and did the servants' work.

ἔκαμνεekamne δὲde καὶkai ὑποζύγιαhypozygia,, καὶkai εἴei πουpou κινηθείηkinētheiē τιςtis,, εὐθὺςeuthys πρὸpro θυρῶνthyrōn ἔκειτοekeito;· ὥστεhōste οὐδʼoudʼ ἂνan πλῷplōi χρήσασθαιchrēsasthai περὶperi τῶνtōn συμβαινόντωνsymbainontōn ἐξῆνexēn ἔτιeti ῥᾳδίωςrhaidiōs..

The beasts of burden too were sick, and if anyone moved anywhere, he immediately lay down before the doors; so that it was no longer easily possible even to make use of a voyage [to send by sea?] concerning what was happening.

The pack animals fell sick too. If anyone so much as stirred, he soon lay collapsed at the door. As things stood, it was no longer easy to travel even by sea.4

4. The Greek is compressed here. It seems to mean that no one could easily travel, even by boat.

πάνταpanta δʼdʼ ἦνēn μεστὰmesta ἀθυμίαςathymias,, οἰμωγῆςoimōgēs,, στόνουstonou,, δυσκολίαςdyskolias ἁπάσηςhapasēs,, ἦσανēsan δὲde κἀνkan τῇtēi πόλειpolei νόσοιnosoi δειναίdeinai..

Everything was full of despondency, wailing, groaning, every kind of distress, and there were also terrible sicknesses in the city.

The whole place was full of despair, wailing, groaning, and every kind of misery. In the city, too, there were terrible sicknesses.

τέωςteōs μὲνmen οὖνoun ἀντεῖχονanteichon οὐδὲνouden ἧττονhētton τῆςtēs τῶνtōn ἄλλωνallōn σωτηρίαςsōtērias ἢē τῆςtēs ἐμαυτοῦemautou προνοούμενοςpronooumenos,, ἔπειταepeita ἐπέτεινέepeteine τεte ἡhē νόσοςnosos καὶkai κατελήφθηνkatelēphthēn ὑπὸhypo δεινοῦdeinou πυρὸςpyros χολῆςcholēs παντοίαςpantoias,, ἣhē συνεχῶςsynechōs νύκταnykta καὶkai ἡμέρανhēmeran ἠνώχλειēnōchlei,, καὶkai τῆςtēs τροφῆςtrophēs ἀπεκεκλείμηνapekekleimēn καὶkai ἡhē δύναμιςdynamis κατελέλυτοkatelelyto..

For a time, then, I held out, taking thought no less for the safety of the others than for my own; then the sickness intensified and I was seized by a terrible fever of bile of every kind, which troubled me continuously night and day, and I had been shut off from food and my strength had been broken down.

For a while I held out, caring for the others' safety as much as for my own. Then the sickness grew worse, and I was seized by a terrible fever and by bile of every kind,5 which tormented me night and day without a break. I could not take food, and my strength was gone.

5. Ancient doctors believed health depended on a balance of four body fluids, the humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. Bile "of every kind" meant the balance had badly failed.

καὶkai οἱhoi ἰατροὶiatroi ἀφίσταντοaphistanto καὶkai τελευτῶντεςteleutōntes ἀπέγνωσανapegnōsan παντάπασιpantapasi,, καὶkai διηγγέλθηdiēngelthē ὡςhōs οἰχησομένουoichēsomenou αὐτίκαautika..

And the doctors withdrew and in the end gave up hope entirely, and it was reported that I was about to depart at once.

The doctors stepped back and finally gave up all hope, and word went out that I would die at any moment.

τὸto μέντοιmentoi τοῦtou ὉμήρουHomērou κἀνkan τούτοιςtoutois εἶπεςeipes ἂνan,, τὸto νόοςnoos γεge μὲνmen ἔμπεδοςempedos ἦενēen..

Yet even in these circumstances you would have said that line of Homer: "my mind at least was steadfast."

Even then, you could have said of me what Homer said: "But his mind stayed steady."6

6. Homer, Iliad 11.813, describing the wounded warrior Eurypylus: blood poured from his wound, but his mind stayed steady.

οὕτωhoutō παρηκολούθουνparēkolouthoun ἐμαυτῷemautōi,, ὥσπερhōsper ἂνan ἄλλῳallōi τινὶtini,, καὶkai ᾐσθανόμηνēisthanomēn ὑπολείποντοςhypoleipontos ἀεὶaei τοῦtou σώματοςsōmatos,, ἕωςheōs εἰςeis τοὔσχατονtouschaton ἦλθονēlthon..

So I followed myself, as I would some other person, and I perceived my body ever failing, until I came to the very end.

I watched myself as if I were watching someone else, and I could feel my body slipping away, little by little, until I reached the very end.

τοιούτωνtoioutōn δὲde ὄντωνontōn ἔτυχονetychon μὲνmen εἰςeis τὸto εἴσωeisō τετραμμένοςtetrammenos τῆςtēs κλίνηςklinēs,, ἔδοξαedoxa δὲde ὡςhōs ὄναρonar;· αὐτὸauto δὲde ἦνēn ἄραara ἡhē λύσιςlysis;· ‖J300‖ ἔδοξαedoxa δὲde καὶkai δὴdē ἐπὶepi τέλειtelei τοῦtou δράματοςdramatos εἶναιeinai,, καὶkai τοὺςtous ἐμβάταςembatas ἀποτίθεσθαιapotithesthai,, καὶkai τὰςtas κρηπῖδαςkrēpidas μεταλήψεσθαιmetalēpsesthai τοῦtou πατρόςpatros..

Things being so, I happened to be turned toward the inner side of the bed, and I seemed as in a dream — but this was, as it turned out, the resolution [the crisis of the illness? / the denouement?] — I seemed to be indeed at the end of the drama, and to be putting off the buskins, and to be about to take up in their place the shoes [boots?] of my father.

Things stood like this when I happened to turn toward the wall. Then I had what seemed to be a dream, though in fact it was the turning point.7 I seemed to have come to the end of a play, and I was taking off my actor's boots and getting ready to put on my father's shoes.

7. The Greek word, lysis, means both the ending of a play and the end of an illness. In the dream, dying looks like an actor finishing his part, taking off his stage boots, and putting on his father's shoes.

κἀνkan τούτοιςtoutois ὄνταonta στρέφειstrephei μὲme ὁho σωτὴρsōtēr ἈσκληπιὸςAsklēpios τὴνtēn εἰςeis τὸto ἔξωexō στροφὴνstrophēn ἐξαίφνηςexaiphnēs..

And while I was in this state, the Savior Asclepius suddenly turns me with a turn toward the outer side.

While I was in this state, Asclepius the Savior suddenly turned me over to face the room.

ἔπειταepeita οὐou πολὺpoly ὕστερονhysteron ἡhē ἈθηνᾶAthēna φαίνεταιphainetai τήνtēn τεte αἰγίδαaigida ἔχουσαechousa καὶkai τὸto κάλλοςkallos καὶkai τὸto μέγεθοςmegethos καὶkai σύμπανsympan δὴdē σχῆμαschēma οἵαhoia περper ἡhē ἈθήνησινAthēnēsin ἡhē ΦειδίουPheidiou..

Then not much later Athena appears, having the aegis and the beauty and the size and indeed the whole form just like the one at Athens, the one of Pheidias.

Not long after, Athena appeared. She had her aegis, and in beauty, in size, and in her whole form she looked just like Phidias's Athena in Athens.8

8. The sculptor Phidias made the great gold-and-ivory statue of Athena that stood in the Parthenon in Athens. The aegis was the goddess's magic goatskin, worn as a cloak or carried as a shield.

ἀπῶζεapōze δὲde καὶkai τῆςtēs αἰγίδοςaigidos ὅτιhoti ἥδιστονhēdiston,, καὶkai ἦνēn κηρῷkērōi τινιtini προσφερὴςprospherēs,, θαυμαστὴthaumastē καὶkai αὕτηhautē τὸto κάλλοςkallos καὶkai τὸto μέγεθοςmegethos..

And from the aegis too there came a smell as sweet as could be, and it was like some kind of wax, marvelous itself too in beauty and in size.

A wonderful sweet scent came from the aegis. It had something of wax about it, and it, too, was a marvel of beauty and size.

ἐφαίνετοephaineto μὲνmen δὴdē μόνῳmonōi στᾶσαstasa καταντικρὺkatantikry καὶkai ὅθενhothen αὐτὴνautēn ὡςhōs κάλλισταkallista ἔμελλενemellen ὄψεσθαιopsesthai..

She appeared to me alone, standing opposite and where I would see her as well as possible [at her most beautiful?].

She appeared to me alone. She stood right in front of me, where I could see her at her most beautiful.

ἐγὼegō δὲde ἐπεδείκνυνepedeiknyn καὶkai τοῖςtois παροῦσιparousi,, δύοdyo δʼdʼ ἤστηνēstēn τῶνtōn φίλωνphilōn καὶkai τροφὸςtrophos,, βοῶνboōn καὶkai ὀνομάζωνonomazōn τὴνtēn ἈθηνᾶνAthēnan ὅτιhoti ἑστήκοιhestēkoi τεte αὕτηhautē ἀπαντικρὺapantikry καὶkai διαλέγοιτοdialegoito καὶkai τὴνtēn αἰγίδαaigida ἀπεδείκνυνapedeiknyn;· οἱhoi δʼdʼ οὐκouk εἶχονeichon ὅho τιti χρήσοιντοchrēsointo,, ἀλλʼallʼ ἠπόρουνēporoun τεte καὶkai ἐδεδοίκεσανededoikesan μὴmē παραληρῶνparalērōn ἄραara τυγχάνωtynchanō,, πρίνprin γεge δὴdē τήνtēn τεte δύναμινdynamin συνεώρωνsyneōrōn ἀναφερομένηνanapheromenēn καὶkai τῶνtōn λόγωνlogōn ἤκουσανēkousan ὧνhōn ἤκουσαēkousa παρὰpara τῆςtēs θεοῦtheou..

And I pointed her out also to those present — there were two of my friends and a nurse — shouting and naming Athena, saying that she herself was standing opposite and was conversing with me, and I pointed out the aegis; but they did not know what to make of it, but were at a loss and had become afraid that I was in fact raving, until indeed they saw my strength being restored and heard the words which I heard from the goddess.

I pointed her out to the people in the room, my nurse and two of my friends, shouting her name. I told them Athena was standing right in front of me and talking to me, and I pointed to her aegis. They were at a loss and feared I was raving—until they saw my strength coming back and heard the words I had heard from the goddess.

καὶkai ἔστινestin ἃha μέμνημαιmemnēmai τοιάδεtoiade..

And the things I remember are such as these.

Here is part of what I remember.

ἀνεμίμνησκέanemimnēske μεme τῆςtēs ὈδυσσείαςOdysseias καὶkai ἔφασκενephasken οὐou μύθουςmythous εἶναιeinai ταῦταtauta,, τεκμαίρεσθαιtekmairesthai δὲde χρῆναιchrēnai καὶkai τοῖςtois παροῦσιparousi..

She reminded me of the Odyssey and said that these things were not tales [myths?], but that one must judge also by the present circumstances.

She reminded me of Homer's Odyssey. She said its stories were not just tales, and that I should judge them by what was happening to me now.

δεῖνdein οὖνoun καρτερεῖνkarterein,, εἶναιeinai δʼdʼ αὐτὸνauton πάντωςpantōs καὶkai τὸνton ὈδυσσέαOdyssea καὶkai τὸνton ΤηλέμαχονTēlemachon καὶkai δεῖνdein αὐτῷautōi βοηθεῖνboēthein;· καὶkai ἄλλαalla τοιουτότροπαtoioutotropa ἤκουσαēkousa..

That I must therefore endure, and that I [he?] was in every way both Odysseus and Telemachus, and that she must help me [one must help him?]; and other things of this sort I heard.

So I must hold on. I was both Odysseus and Telemachus, she said, and she had to help me.9 I heard other things like this.

9. In Homer's Odyssey, Athena rescues the hero Odysseus again and again and guides his son, Telemachus. She tells Aristides he is like both of them, so she will help him too.

οὕτωςhoutōs ἐφάνηephanē τεte ἡhē θεὸςtheos καὶkai παρεμυθήσατοparemythēsato καὶkai ἀνέσωσεanesōse καὶkai δὴdē κείμενονkeimenon καὶkai τῶνtōn εἰςeis τὴνtēn τελευτὴνteleutēn οὐδενὸςoudenos ἔτιeti ἐλλείποντοςelleipontos..

Thus the goddess both appeared and consoled me and saved me, even as I lay there and when nothing was any longer lacking for the end.

This is how the goddess appeared to me, comforted me, and saved me, as I lay there with nothing left between me and death.

καὶkai δῆταdēta εὐθύςeuthys μεme εἰσῆλθεeisēlthe κλύσματιklysmati χρήσασθαιchrēsasthai μέλιτοςmelitos ἈττικοῦAttikou,, καὶkai ἐγένετοegeneto κάθαρσιςkatharsis χολῆςcholēs..

And indeed at once it came into my mind to use an enema of Attic honey, and there was a purging of bile.

At once I thought of an enema made with Attic honey, and it purged the bile from my body.10

10. Doctors purged patients, causing vomiting or diarrhea, to rebalance the humors. It was standard treatment for centuries and is now known to weaken patients. The idea came to him just after Athena's visit.

καὶkai μετὰmeta ταῦταtauta ἧκενhēken ἰάματαiamata καὶkai τροφαίtrophai;· πρῶτονprōton μὲνmen ἧπαρhēpar,, οἶμαιoimai,, χηνὸςchēnos μετὰmeta τὴνtēn πολλὴνpollēn ἀπόρρησινaporrēsin πρὸςpros ἅπανταhapanta τὰta σιτίαsitia;· ἔπειταepeita ὑείουhyeiou τιti ὑπογαστρίουhypogastriou..

And after these things came remedies and foods: first a goose's liver, I think, after the long prohibition against all foods; then some part of a pig's belly [sow's paunch?].

After that came cures and food. First, I think, came goose liver, after I had turned away from all food for so long. Then came some pork belly.

ἔπειτʼepeitʼ ἐκομίσθηνekomisthēn εἰςeis τὴνtēn πόλινpolin ἐπʼepʼ ὀχήματοςochēmatos καταστέγουkatastegou καὶkai μακροῦmakrou,, καὶkai κατὰkata μικρὸνmikron οὕτωhoutō συνηγειρόμηνsynēgeiromēn μόλιςmolis τεte καὶkai χαλεπῶςchalepōs,, οὐou μέντοιmentoi πρότερόνproteron γεge ὁho πυρετὸςpyretos παντελῶςpantelōs ἐξέλιπεexelipe πρὶνprin ἐτελεύτησέeteleutēse μοιmoi τῶνtōn τροφίμωνtrophimōn ὁho πλείστουpleistou ἄξιοςaxios..

Then I was carried into the city on a covered and long carriage, and thus little by little I was raised up, barely and with difficulty; however, the fever did not entirely leave me before the most precious of my foster-children died.

Later, a long covered wagon carried me into the city, and little by little, slowly and with great effort, I got back on my feet. But the fever did not leave me completely until the dearest of my foster-children had died.

τῇtēi δʼdʼ αὐτῇautēi ἡμέρᾳhēmerai,, ὡςhōs ὕστερονhysteron ἔγνωνegnōn,, ἐκεῖνόςekeinos τεte ἐτεθνήκειetethnēkei καὶkai ἡhē νόσοςnosos ᾤχετοōicheto ἀπιοῦσαapiousa..

On the same day, as I later learned, he had died and the sickness went away.

On that same day, as I learned later, he died and the sickness left me.

οὕτωhoutō τόνton τεte ἄχριachri ‖J301‖ τούτουtoutou χρόνονchronon δωρεὰνdōrean ἔσχονeschon παρὰpara τῶνtōn θεῶνtheōn καὶkai μετὰmeta τοῦτοtouto ἀνεβίωνanebiōn ὑπὸhypo τοῖςtois θεοῖςtheois καίkai τιςtis οἷονhoion ἀντίδοσιςantidosis αὕτηhautē συνέβηsynebē..

Thus I had the time up to this point as a gift from the gods, and after this I lived again under the gods, and this came about as a kind of exchange.

So I had held the years up to that point as a gift from the gods, and after that I lived again in their keeping. It was a kind of exchange.11

11. Many Greeks and Romans believed a god might accept one life in place of another. Aristides reads the death of a child in his household as the price of his own survival.

μένοντιmenonti δέde μοιmoi αὐτόθιautothi ἡμέραςhēmeras τινὰςtinas ἀγγέλλεταιangelletai ἡhē τῆςtēs τροφοῦtrophou θυγάτηρthygatēr ἀσθενοῦσαasthenousa καὶkai ἔχουσαechousa σφαλερῶςsphalerōs..

While I was staying there for some days, it is announced [reported] to me that the daughter of my nurse is sick and is in a dangerous condition [faring precariously].

After I had stayed there a few days, word came that my foster-sister's daughter was sick and in danger.12

12. Our 1829 Greek text calls her "my nurse's daughter," but later in the passage she and her brother are children of Callityche, Aristides's foster-sister and probably the nurse's daughter. We follow modern scholars in reading "foster-sister's daughter."

κἀκείνῃkakeinēi μὲνmen ἰατρὸνiatron ἔπεμπονepempon,, αὐτὸςautos δὲde,, ἐπειδὴepeidē τάχισταtachista παρέσχενpareschen,, εἰχόμηνeichomēn τῆςtēs ὁδοῦhodou..

And to her I sent a doctor, but I myself, as soon as it was possible [as soon as it allowed], kept to [set out on] the road.

I sent her a doctor, and as soon as I could, I set out on my journey myself.

ἐπισχόντωνepischontōn δέde μεme κἀνταῦθαkantautha ὀνειράτωνoneiratōn ἐπέμειναepemeina..

But since dreams held me back here too, I stayed on.

Here, too, dreams held me back, so I stayed.

πρὸςpros δὲde τοῖςtois ἐπισχοῦσιepischousi καὶkai τοιόνδεtoionde ἐγεγόνειegegonei..

And in addition to the things that held [me] back, something of this sort also had happened.

And besides those dreams, something else had happened.

ἐδόκουνedokoun ἱερεῖόνhiereion τιti τεθυκὼςtethykōs ἐπισκοπεῖσθαιepiskopeisthai τόνton τεte δὴdē θεὸνtheon,, οἶμαιoimai,, καλούμενονkaloumenon καὶkai λυτῆραlytēra,, καίkai τινοςtinos τῶνtōn μάντεωνmanteōn ἐπελθόντοςepelthontos πυνθάνεσθαιpynthanesthai τίti βούλοιτοbouloito ὁho λυτὴρlytēr,, πότερονpoteron καθάπαξkathapax λύοιlyoi τιti ἢē μικρότερονmikroteron ἀντὶanti μείζονοςmeizonos ποιοίηpoioiē καὶkai ἀναβολῆςanabolēs εἴηeiē σημεῖονsēmeion..

I seemed, having sacrificed some victim, to be examining [inspecting] [it], and indeed the god, I think, being called also Releaser [Deliverer], and, when one of the seers came up, to be inquiring what the Releaser meant [wished], whether he was releasing [loosing] something once for all, or was making a smaller thing in exchange for a greater, and whether it was a sign of postponement.

I dreamed I had sacrificed an animal and was inspecting the part of it called, I think, "the god" and also "the Releaser."13 One of the seers came up, and I asked what the Releaser meant. Would it release something for good? Or would it take something smaller in place of something greater, as a sign of delay?

13. Greek and Roman seers read the liver and other organs of a sacrificed animal for messages from the gods, and gave names to their parts. In this dream, a part is called "the god" and "the Releaser."

ὁho δʼdʼ ἐῴκειeōikei οὐou πάνυpany τιti ἰσχυρόταταischyrotata ἡγουμένῳhēgoumenōi εἰςeis τὸto καθάπαξkathapax,, ἀλλὰalla καὶkai ἀέραςaeras καὶkai ἀστέραςasteras καὶkai τὰta τοιαῦταtoiauta ᾐτιᾶτοēitiato..

And he seemed like one not at all very strongly inclined [holding the view] toward the "once for all", but he also blamed the airs and the stars and such things.

The seer did not seem to lean strongly toward "for good." Instead, he blamed the air and the stars and things like that.14

14. Many ancient doctors blamed epidemics on corrupted air, foul or poisoned air rising from rot or swamps. Others blamed the positions of the stars and planets.

κἀνkan τούτῳtoutōi ἠγγέλθηēngelthē περὶperi τῆςtēs κόρηςkorēs ὅτιhoti εἴηeiē τεθνεῶσαtethneōsa..

And meanwhile it was announced about the girl that she was dead.

Just then the news came that the girl was dead.

εὐθὺςeuthys μὲνmen οὖνoun ἀκούσασινakousasin ἐδόκειedokei θεῖονtheion εἶναιeinai τὸto μὴmē τυχεῖνtychein παρόνταparonta ἐμὲeme τῇtēi συμφορᾷsymphorai,, ἀλλὰalla προεξελθεῖνproexelthein;· ἔτιeti δὲde σαφέστερονsaphesteron ἐκek τῶνtōn ὕστερονhysteron χρησμῶνchrēsmōn ἐγένετοegeneto ὡςhōs οὐκouk ἄνευaneu δαιμονίουdaimoniou τινὸςtinos πᾶνpan τοῦτοtouto συνέβηsynebē..

Immediately, then, to us on hearing [it] it seemed to be a divine thing that I did not happen to be present at the misfortune, but had gone away beforehand; and it became still clearer from the later oracles that not without some divine power [daimonic agency] did all this happen.

As soon as we heard it, it seemed to be the gods' doing that I had not been there for the disaster but had left ahead of time. Later oracles made it even clearer that all of this happened by some divine power.

ἐπειδὴepeidē γὰρgar κατέβηνkatebēn ἀπὸapo τοῦtou ὄρουςorous δευτέρᾳdeuterai νυκτὶnykti ὕστερονhysteron,, ὤφθηōphthē τοιάδεtoiade,, ἔμειναemeina δὲde καὶkai πλείουςpleious κατέχοντοςkatechontos τοῦtou θεοῦtheou..

For when I came down from the mountain, on the second night afterward such things as these were seen, and I also stayed more [days], the god detaining [me].

Two nights after I came down from the mountain, I had the following vision. (I stayed on for several more days, because the god kept me there.)

ΤελεσφόροςTelesphoros ἦνēn ὀρεωκόμοςoreōkomos;· οὗτοςhoutos ἐδόκειedokei μοιmoi ὁρμηθεὶςhormētheis αὐτόθενautothen βαδίζεινbadizein ὀπίσωopisō,, τὰta χρησθένταchrēsthenta ἐπὶepi τῇtēi ΦιλουμένῃPhiloumenēi σημαίνωνsēmainōn,, τοῦτοtouto γὰρgar ὄνομαonoma τῇtēi κόρῃkorēi,, κεχρῆσθαιkechrēsthai δʼdʼ αὐτὰauta ἈλκίμῳAlkimōi πατρὶpatri τῆςtēs κόρηςkorēs,, καὶkai δὴdē καὶkai γράμματαgrammata ἔχεινechein,, εἴτεeite δὴdē σεσημασμέναsesēmasmena εἴτεeite καὶkai μήmē;· ἃha τὸνton ἌλκιμονAlkimon νύκτωρnyktōr ἀκούσανταakousanta παρʼparʼ αὐτῆςautēs ἀπομνημονεύσανταapomnēmoneusanta γράψασθαιgrapsasthai,, θαυμαστὰthaumasta πλήθειplēthei καὶkai δυνάμειdynamei,, φέρονταpheronta εἰςeis ἐμὲeme,, ὥστεhōste ‖J352‖ θαυμάζεινthaumazein ὅπωςhopōs καὶkai ἀπεμνημόνευσεapemnēmoneuse..

Telesphorus was a muleteer; this man seemed to me, having set out from there, to be walking back, indicating the oracles given concerning Philumene, for this was the name of the girl, and that they had been given to Alcimus, the father of the girl, and indeed also to have writings [a letter], whether sealed or not; which Alcimus, having heard [them] by night from her and having remembered [them], had written down, wonderful in number and in power, bearing upon me, so that [I] marveled how he had even remembered [them].

A mule driver named Telesphorus seemed to have set out from there and to be on his way back. He brought news of the oracles given about Philumene (that was the girl's name). The oracles, he said, had come to her father, Alcimus, and Telesphorus seemed to carry written pages, sealed or not. Alcimus had heard these things from her at night, remembered them, and written them down. They were astonishing in number and power, and they all pointed to me. I marveled that he had been able to remember them at all.

κεφάλαιονkephalaion δʼdʼ ἦνēn,, ὡςhōs ἐνen αὐτῷautōi τῷtōi σώματιsōmati τῆςtēs ΦιλουμένηςPhiloumenēs καὶkai τοῖςtois ἐντὸςentos,, ὥσπερhōsper ἐνen σπλάγχνοιςsplanchnois ἱερείωνhiereiōn,, ἐγγεγραμμένουengegrammenou παντὸςpantos τοῦtou περὶperi αὐτὴνautēn πράγματοςpragmatos..

And the main point [sum] was that in the very body of Philumene and in her inner parts, as in the entrails of sacrificial victims, the whole matter concerning her [it] had been inscribed.

The main point was this: the whole story about her was written in Philumene's own body and in her insides, just as signs are written in the entrails of sacrificed animals.

οἱhoi δʼdʼ οὖνoun χρησμοὶchrēsmoi τοιοῦτοίtoioutoi τινεςtines ἦσανēsan..

Well, the oracles were of some such sort.

Anyway, the oracles went something like this.

ἐνεγέγραπτοenegegrapto μὲνmen τὸto ὄνομαonoma τὸto ἐμὸνemon οὑτωσὶhoutōsi,, ΑἴλιοςAilios ἈριστείδηςAristeidēs;· καὶkai σχεδὸνschedon ἐκek διαλειμμάτωνdialeimmatōn ἄλλαalla καὶkai ἄλλαalla ἐπίσημαepisēma τοῦtou ὀνόματοςonomatos;· προσενεγέγραπτοprosenegegrapto δὲde ΣωσιμένηςSōsimenēs καὶkai ἕτεραhetera τοιαῦταtoiauta σωτηρίανsōtērian ἐπαγγελλόμεναepangellomena,, καὶkai ὅτιhoti ἡhē ΦιλουμένηPhiloumenē ψυχὴνpsychēn ἀντὶanti ψυχῆςpsychēs καὶkai σῶμαsōma ἀντὶanti σώματοςsōmatos ἀντέδωκεantedōke,, τὰta αὑτῆςhautēs ἀντὶanti τῶνtōn ἐμῶνemōn..

My name had been inscribed thus, Aelius Aristides; and almost at intervals other and other distinguishing marks [signs] of the name; and there had been inscribed in addition Sosimenes and other such things announcing [promising] salvation [safety], and that Philumene had given in exchange a life for a life and a body for a body, her own in exchange for mine.

My name was written in full: Aelius Aristides. Here and there, at intervals, other titles were added to my name. The name Sosimenes was written there too,15 with other words like it that promised safety. And it said that Philumene had given a life for a life, a body for a body: she gave hers in place of mine.

15. The name means roughly "one who stays safe," from the Greek words for "safe" and "remain."

καὶkai τἄλλαtalla εἰςeis ταυτὸνtauton φέρονταpheronta ἐνῆνenēn,, ἅπανταhapanta ἐνen βιβλίοιςbibliois τισὶνtisin ἐγγεγραμμέναengegrammena,, ἃha πάνταpanta γράψαντοςgrapsantos τοῦtou ἈλκίμουAlkimou ἐδόκειedokei ἀποκομίζεινapokomizein ὁho ΤελεσφόροςTelesphoros οἴκαδεoikade..

And the other things bearing toward the same [end] were in [them], all inscribed in certain books, all of which, Alcimus having written [them], Telesphorus seemed to be carrying away home.

Other things pointing the same way were there too, all written in certain books. Alcimus had written them all down, and Telesphorus seemed to be carrying them home.

ταύτηςtautēs τῆςtēs κόρηςkorēs ἙρμείαςHermeias ἐκεῖνοςekeinos ἀδελφὸςadelphos ἦνēn,, ὃςhos ἐνen τῇtēi μεγάλῃmegalēi νόσῳnosōi,, ὅτεhote καὶkai ἡhē θεὸςtheos ἐφάνηephanē μοιmoi,, ἀπέθανεapethane καὶkai αὐτὸςautos σχεδὸνschedon ὡςhōs εἰπεῖνeipein ἀντʼantʼ ἐμοῦemou..

Of this girl that Hermeias was the brother, who in the great sickness, when also the goddess appeared to me, died, he too, almost so to speak, in place of me.

This girl's brother was the Hermias who died during the great sickness, when the goddess appeared to me. He too died, one might almost say, in my place.

τῇtēi γὰρgar αὐτῇautēi ἡμέρᾳhēmerai,, ὡςhōs ὕστερονhysteron ἐπυθόμηνepythomēn,, ἐκεῖνόςekeinos τεte ἐτελεύταeteleuta κἀγὼkagō τοῦtou πυρὸςpyros ἀπηλλαττόμηνapēllattomēn καὶkai πάνυpany χρονισθέντοςchronisthentos..

For on the same day, as I later learned, he was dying [came to his end] and I was being freed from the fever, which had been very long-lasting [very prolonged].

He died, I learned afterward, on the very day I was freed from a fever that had lasted a very long time.

ἄμφωamphō δὲde ἤστηνēstēn παῖδεςpaides ἐμῆςemēs συντρόφουsyntrophou ΚαλλιτύχηςKallitychēs..

And both were children of my foster-sister Callityche.

Both were children of Callityche, my foster-sister.

καὶkai ταῦταtauta μὲνmen εἰςeis τοσοῦτονtosouton..

And so much for these things [these things to this extent].

So much for that.