F – Arion and the Dolphins, Plutarch, Moralia 161d-e

[161d] οὐκέτ᾽ οὖν τῶν ναυτῶν τὴν νύκτα περιμενόντων ἀλλὰ χωρούντων ἐπὶ τὸν φόνον, ἰδὼν ξίφη γεγυμνωμένα καὶ παρακαλυπτόμενον ἤδη τὸν κυβερνήτην, ἀναδραμὼν ῥίψειεν ἑαυτὸν ὡς δυνατὸν ἦν μάλιστα πόρρω τῆς ὁλκάδος. πρὶν δ᾽ ὅλον καταδῦναι τὸ σῶμα δελφίνων ὑποδραμόντων ἀναφέροιτο, μεστὸς ὢν ἀπορίας καὶ ἀγνοίας καὶ ταραχῆς τὸ πρῶτον: ἐπεὶ δὲ ῥᾳστώνη τῆς ὀχήσεως ἦν, καὶ πολλοὺς ἑώρα ἀθροιζομένους [161e] περὶ αὐτὸν εὐμενῶς καὶ διαδεχομένους ὡς ἀναγκαῖον ἐν μέρει λειτούργημα καὶ προσῆκον πᾶσιν, ἡ δ᾽  ὁλκὰς ἀπολειφθεῖσα πόρρω τοῦ τάχους αἴσθησιν παρεῖχε, μήτε τοσοῦτον ἔφη δέους πρὸς θάνατον αὐτῷ μήτ᾽  ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ ζῆν ὅσον φιλοτιμίας ἐγγενέσθαι πρὸς τὴν σωτηρίαν, ὡς θεοφιλὴς ἀνὴρ φανείη καὶ λάβοι περὶ θεῶν δόξαν βέβαιον.

  • Map
  • Pre Reading
  • Post Reading
  • Culture Essay

For each form listed, identify the dictionary form (1st principal part), meaning, and the tense (161d-162b).

ἀναδραμών

ἀποθέσθαι

ἀποκεκρυμμένον

ἀπολειφθεῖσα

γεγυμνωμένα

διαφύγοιεν

καταδύοιτο

καταστάς

κατασχεῖν

κατασχήσειν

κεκρατημένης

προαισθόμενοι

σεσωσμένον

συνειλῆφθαι

  1. One of the strengths of Plutarch’s narrative is that it allows the listener to get Arion’s point of view. Re-read the story of Arion and then find the phrases that reveal the kitharode’s feelings.
    In the tent (161b)
    When Arion has learned that the crew has decided to murder him (161c)
    When he leaps into the sea (161d)
    When the dolphins surround him (161e)
  2. Dolphins are associated in Greek thought with choral dancing, especially the circular dancing found with the dithyramb and the paean (Csapo 2003). The dolphins make two appearances in the tale, at 161a and 161d-e. What words and phrases lend human qualities to the dolphins as well as dancer-like qualities of movement?