1. CROBYLE: Well, Corinna, now you know that it’s by no means as terrible as you thought for a maiden to become a woman. You’ve been with a handsome lad, and you’ve earned for your first fee a mina, out of which presently I’ll buy you a necklace. CORINNA: Yes, mummy darling. I’d like it to have bright red beads like the one Philaenis has. CROBYLE: So it shall. Let me give you the rest of my instructions about what to do and how to behave with the men; for we have no other means of livelihood, daughter, and you must realise what a miserable life we’ve had these two years since your father died, God rest his soul. But, while he lived, we had plenty of everything; for he was a smith with a great name in the Piraeus, and you can hear anyone swear there never will be another smith to follow Philinus. After his death, first of all I sold his tongs, his anvil and his hammer for two minae, and that kept us for seven months; since then I’ve barely provided a starvation diet, now by weaving, now by spinning thread for woof or warp. I’ve fed you and waited for my hopes to be realised.
1. ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Ὦ Κόριννα, ὡς μὲν οὐ πάνυ δεινὸν ἦν, ὃ ἐνόμιζες, τὸ γυναῖκα γενέσθαι ἐκ παρθένου, μεμάθηκας ἤδη, μετὰ μειρακίου μὲν ὡραίου γενομένη, μνᾶν δὲ τὸ πρῶτον μίσθωμα κομισαμένη, ἐξ ἧς ὅρμον αὐτίκα ὠνήσομαί σοι. ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ: Ναί, μαννάριον. ἐχέτω δὲ καὶ ψήφους τινὰς πυραυγεῖς οἷος ὁ Φιλαινίδος ἐστίν. ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Ἔσται τοιοῦτος. ἄκουε δὲ καὶ τἆλλα παρ' ἐμοῦ ἅ σε χρὴ ποιεῖν καὶ ὅπως προσφέρεσθαι τοῖς ἀνδράσιν· ἄλλη μὲν γὰρ ἡμῖν ἀποστροφὴ τοῦ βίου οὐκ ἔστιν, ὦ θύγατερ, ἀλλὰ δύο ἔτη ταῦτα ἐξ οὗ τέθνηκεν ὁ μακαρίτης σου πατήρ, οὐκ οἶσθα ὅπως ἀπεζήσαμεν; ὅτε δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἔζη, πάντα ἦν ἡμῖν ἱκανά· ἐχάλκευε γὰρ καὶ μέγα ἦν ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐν Πειραιεῖ, καὶ πάντων ἐστὶν ἀκοῦσαι διομνυμένων ἦ μὴν μετὰ Φιλῖνον μηκέτι ἔσεσθαι ἄλλον χαλκέα. μετὰ δὲ τὴν τελευτὴν τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἀποδομένη τὰς πυράγρας καὶ τὸν ἄκμονα καὶ σφῦραν δύο μνῶν, μῆνας ἀπὸ τούτων ἑπτὰ διετράφημεν· εἶτα νῦν μὲν ὑφαίνουσα, νῦν δὲ κρόκην κατάγουσα ἢ στήμονα κλώθουσα ἐποριζόμην τὰ σιτία μόλις· ἔβοσκον δὲ σέ, ὦ θύγατερ, τὴν ἐλπίδα περιμένουσα.
2. CORINNA: Do you mean the mina? CROBYLE: No, but I worked out that when you were as old as you are now, it would be easy for you both to keep me and provide yourself with clothes, that you would be rich, and have purple dresses and maids.
2. ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ: Τὴν μνᾶν λέγεις; ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Οὔκ, ἀλλὰ ἐλογιζόμην ὡς τηλικαύτη γενομένη θρέψεις μὲν ἐμέ, σεαυτὴν δὲ κατακοσμήσεις ῥᾳδίως καὶ πλουτήσεις καὶ ἐσθῆτας ἕξεις ἁλουργεῖς καὶ θεραπαίνας.
CORINNA: How so? What do you mean by that, mother? CROBYLE: By associating with young men, drinking and sleeping with them for money.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ: Πῶς ἔφης, μῆτερ, ἢ τί λέγεις; ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Συνοῦσα μὲν τοῖς νεανίσκοις καὶ συμπίνουσα μετ' αὐτῶν καὶ συγκαθεύδουσα ἐπὶ μισθῷ.
CORINNA: Like Daphnis’ daughter, Lyra? CROBYLE: Yes.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ: Καθάπερ ἡ Δαφνίδος θυγάτηρ Λύρα; ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Ναί.
CORINNA: But she’s a courtesan. CROBYLE: There’s nothing terrible in that. You too will be rich just like her, and have many lovers. Why do you weep, Corinna? Don’t you see how many courtesans there are, how much they are in demand, and what money they earn? Dear lady Adrastia, I certainly know that Daphnis’ daughter wore rags before she grew up, but you can see what a figure she cuts now, when she goes out with her gold, her gay dresses and her four maids.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ: Ἀλλ' ἐκείνη ἑταίρα ἐστίν. ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Οὐδὲν τοῦτο δεινόν· καὶ σὺ γὰρ πλουτήσεις ὡς ἐκείνη καὶ πολλοὺς ἐραστὰς ἕξεις. τί ἐδάκρυσας, ὦ Κόριννα; οὐχ ὁρᾷς ὁπόσαι καὶ ὡς περισπούδαστοί εἰσιν αἱ ἑταῖραι καὶ ὅσα χρήματα λαμβάνουσι; τὴν Δαφνίδος γοῦν ἐγὼ οἶδα, ὦ φίλη Ἀδράστεια, ῥάκη, πρὶν αὐτὴν ἀκμάσαι τὴν ὥραν, περιβεβλημένην· ἀλλὰ νῦν ὁρᾷς οἵα πρόεισι, χρυσὸς καὶ ἐσθῆτες εὐανθεῖς καὶ θεράπαιναι τέτταρες.
3. CORINNA: How did Lyra get all that? CROBYLE: In the first place, she dresses attractively and looks neat; she’s gay with all the men, without being so ready to cackle as you are, but smiles in a sweet bewitching way; later on, she’s very clever when they’re together, never cheats a visitor or an escort, and never throws herself at the men. If ever she takes a fee for going out to dinner, she doesn’t drink too much—that’s ridiculous, and men hate women who do—she doesn’t gorge herself—that’s ill-bred, my dear—but picks up the food with her finger-tips, eating quietly and not stuffing both cheeks full, and, when she drinks, she doesn’t gulp, but sips slowly from time to time.
3. ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ: Πῶς δὲ ταῦτα ἐκτήσατο ἡ Λύρα; ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Τὸ μὲν πρῶτον κατακοσμοῦσα ἑαυτὴν εὐπρεπῶς καὶ εὐσταλὴς οὖσα καὶ φαιδρὰ πρὸς ἅπαντας, οὐκ ἄχρι τοῦ καγχαρίζειν ῥᾳδίως καθάπερ σὺ εἴωθας, ἀλλὰ μειδιῶσα ἡδὺ καὶ ἐπαγωγόν, εἶτα προσομιλοῦσα δεξιῶς καὶ μήτε φενακίζουσα, εἴ τις προσέλθοι ἢ προπέμψειε, μήτε αὐτὴ ἐπιλαμβανομένη τῶν ἀνδρῶν. ἢν δέ ποτε καὶ ἀπέλθῃ ἐπὶ δεῖπνον λαβοῦσα μίσθωμα, οὔτε μεθύσκεται—καταγέλαστον γὰρ καὶ μισοῦσιν οἱ ἄνδρες τὰς τοιαύτας—οὔτε ὑπερεμφορεῖται τοῦ ὄψου ἀπειροκάλως, ἀλλὰ προσάπτεται μὲν ἄκροις τοῖς δακτύλοις, σιωπῇ δὲ τὰς ἐνθέσεις οὐκ ἐπ' ἀμφοτέρας παραβύεται τὰς γνάθους, πίνει δὲ ἠρέμα, οὐ χανδόν, ἀλλ’ ἀναπαυομένη.
CORINNA: Even if she’s thirsty, mother? CORBYLE: Then most of all, Corinna. Also, she doesn’t talk too much or make fun of any of the company, and has eyes only for her customer. These are the things that make her popular with the men. Again, when it’s time for bed, she’ll never do anything coarse or slovenly, but her only aim is to attract the man and make him love her; these are the things they all praise in her. If you can learn all this, we’ll be just as prosperous as she is. For, in all else, compared with her, you’re a long way—but, good Nemesis, I won’t mention that, but only pray for long life for you.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ: Κἂν εἰ διψῶσα, ὦ μῆτερ, τύχῃ; ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Τότε μάλιστα, ὦ Κόριννα. καὶ οὔτε πλέον τοῦ δέοντος φθέγγεται οὔτε ἀποσκώπτει ἔς τινα τῶν παρόντων, ἐς μόνον δὲ τὸν μισθωσάμενον βλέπει· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖνοι φιλοῦσιν αὐτήν. καὶ ἐπειδὰν κοιμᾶσθαι δέῃ, ἀσελγὲς οὐδὲν οὐδὲ ἀμελὲς ἐκείνη ἄν τι ἐργάσαιτο, ἀλλὰ ἐξ ἅπαντος ἓν τοῦτο θηρᾶται, ὡς ὑπαγάγοιτο καὶ ἐραστὴν ποιήσειεν ἐκεῖνον· ταῦτα γὰρ αὐτῆς ἅπαντες ἐπαινοῦσιν. εἰ δὴ καὶ σὺ ταῦτα ἐκμάθοις, μακάριαι καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐσόμεθα· ἐπεὶ τά γε ἄλλα παρὰ πολὺ αὐτῆς—ἀλλ’ οὐδέν, ὦ φίλη Ἀδράστεια, φημί, ζῴης μόνον.
4. CORINNA: Tell me, mother, are all the customers like Eucritus, with whom I slept last night? CROBYLE: Not all of them; some are better. Some are already men; some again are not at all good-looking.
4. ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ: Εἰπέ μοι, ὦ μῆτερ, οἱ μισθούμενοι πάντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν οἷος ὁ Εὔκριτος, μεθ' οὗ χθὲς ἐκάθευδον; ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Οὐ πάντες, ἀλλ’ ἔνιοι μὲν ἀμείνους, οἱ δὲ καὶ ἤδη ἀνδρώδεις, οἱ δὲ καὶ οὐ πάνυ μορφῆς εὐφυῶς ἔχοντες.
CORINNA: And must I sleep with men like that? CROBYLE: Certainly, daughter. They pay more, let me tell you, while the handsome wish only to be handsome by way of payment. You too must always think of the bigger fee, if you want all the women soon to point you out and say, “See how very rich Corinna, Crobyle’s daughter, is, and how she’s made her mother prosperous three times over!” What do you say? Will you do it? I know you will, and you’ll easily beat all the others. Now go and take a bath, in case your boy Eucritus comes again today. He promised he would.
ΚΟΡΙΝΝΑ: Καὶ τοιούτοις συγκαθεύδειν δεήσει; ΚΡΩΒΥΛΗ: Μάλιστα, ὦ θύγατερ· οὗτοι μέν τοι καὶ πλείονα διδόασιν· οἱ καλοὶ δὲ αὐτὸ μόνον καλοὶ θέλουσιν εἶναι. καὶ σοὶ δὲ μελέτω ἀεὶ τοῦ πλείονος, εἰ θέλεις ἐν βραχεῖ λέγειν ἁπάσας ἐνδειξάσας σε τῷ δακτύλῳ, Οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὴν Κόρινναν τὴν τῆς Κρωβύλης θυγατέρα ὡς ὑπερπλουτεῖ καὶ τρισευδαίμονα πεποίηκε τὴν μητέρα; τί φῄς; ποιήσεις ταῦτα; ποιήσεις, οἶδα ἐγώ, καὶ προέξεις ἁπασῶν ῥᾳδίως. νῦν δ’ ἄπιθι λουσομένη, εἰ ἀφίκοιτο καὶ τήμερον τὸ μειράκιον ὁ Εὔκριτος· ὑπισχνεῖτο γάρ.