B – Arion and the Dolphins, Plutarch, Moralia 160f

[160f] ἔφη τοίνυν Γόργος ὅτι, τῆς θυσίας ἐφ᾽ ἡμέρας τρεῖς συντελεσθείσης ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ τῇ τελευταίᾳ παννυχίδος οὔσης καὶ χορείας τινὸς καὶ παιδιᾶς παρὰ τὸν αἰγιαλόν, ἡ μὲν σελήνη κατέλαμπεν εἰς τὴν θάλατταν, οὐκ ὄντος δὲ πνεύματος ἀλλὰ νηνεμίας; καὶ γαλήνης, πόρρωθεν ἀφεωρᾶτο φρίκη κατιοῦσα παρὰ τὴν ἄκραν, ἀφρόν τινα καὶ ψόφον ἄγουσα τῷ ῥοθίῳ περὶ αὐτὴν πολύν, ὥστε πάντας ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον οἷ προσβάλλειν ἔμελλε καταδραμεῖν θαυμάσαντας. πρὶν δ᾽ εἰκάσαι τὸ προσφερόμενον ὑπὸ τάχους, δελφῖνες ὤφθησαν, οἱ μὲν ἀθρόοι πέριξ κυκλοῦντες, οἱ δ᾽ ὑφηγούμενοι τοῦ αἰγιαλοῦ πρὸς τὸ λειότατον, ἄλλοι δ᾽ ἐξόπισθεν, οἷον περιέποντες.

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  • Pre Reading
  • Post Reading
  • Culture Essay

Pre-reading: Arion and the dolphins

Split screen illustration of Arion first on ship and then riding a dolphin to shore
Illustration of Arion & the dolphins, by Kiran Greteman

Label the picture with these words (160f-161c):

αἰγιαλός -οῦ, ὁ, sea shore, beach

ἄκρα -ας, ή, culminating point, summit, hill, promontory (cf. acropolis)

ἄλλομαι ἀλοῦμαι ἠλάμην to leap up

ἀμπέχω to surround, cover, wrap (ἀμφί + ἔχω)

ἀφρός -οῦ, ὁ, foam, froth (cf. Aphrodite)

δελφίς -ῖνος, ὁ, dolphin

ἐναγώνιος -ον of or belonging to a contest, ceremonial

θάλαττα -ης, ἡ, sea

κιθαρῳδός -οῦ, ὁ, one who plays and sings with a kithara, a kitharode

κόσμος -ου, ὁ, good order; the world, universe; decoration, dress

νόμος -ου, ὁ, custom, tradition, law; song

ὁλκάς -άδος, ἡ, merchant ship

πνεῦμα -ατος, τό, breath, breeze, wind

ῥόθιον -ου, τό, breaker, wave, surge

σελήνη -ης, ἡ, moon

στολή -ῆς, ἡ, clothing, robe

φθέγγομαι to speak loud and clear, utter

φρίκη -ης, ἡ, ripple; shudder

ψόφος -οu, ὁ, sound, noise

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