Database of Byzantine Book Epigrams

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Type 4377
(formerly typ/2477)

	Οὐκ ἂν ἐν ἡμετέροισι πολυγνάμπτοις λαβυρίνθοις
	ῥηιδίως προμόλοις ἐς φάος, αἴ κε τύχῃς·
	τοίους γὰρ Πριαμὶς Κασάνδρη φοίβασε μύθους,
	ἄγγελος οὓς βασιλεῖ ἔφρασε λοξοτρόχις.
	Εἰ δέ σε φίλατο Καλλιόπη, λάβε μ’ ἐς χέρας· εἰ δὲ
	νῆις ἔφυς Μουσέων, χερσὶ βάρος φορέεις.

Title(s)	Εἰς τὴν βίβλον Λυκόφρονος τὴν καλουμένην Ἀλεξάνδραν In Lycophronis Alexandram
Text source	H. Beckby, 1965, Anthologia Graeca. IX-XI (vol. 3), München: 118-119
Text status	Text completely known
Editorial status	Critical text
Genre(s)	Reader-related epigram Text-related epigram
Metre(s)	Elegiacs
Subject(s)	Kassandra Lycophron (3rd c. BC) Nine Muses Priamos
Tag(s)	Address to the reader Reference to content of the book
Translation(s)	Not easily, being in my labyrinth of many turnings, would you find your way to the light, if at all: such is the prophetic message that Cassandra, Priam’s daughter, tells to the king in crooked speech. Yet, if Calliope loves you, take me in your hands; but if you are ignorant of the Muses, I am a weight in your hands. Language English Source(s) K. Demoen 2019, Epigrams on Authors and Books as Text and Paratext, in M. Kanellou, C. Carey, I. Petrovic (eds.), Greek Epigram from the Hellenistic to the Early Byzantine Era, Oxford, 66-84: 82 Not easily, being in my labyrinth of many turnings, shalt thou find thy way to the light, if at all. So ill to read is the prophetic message that Cassandra, Priam’s daughter, tells here to the King in crooked speech. Yet, if Calliope love thee, take me up; but if thou art ignorant of the Muses, I am a weight in thy hands. Language English Source(s) W. Paton, 1917, The Greek Anthology. Book 9 (vol. 3), Cambridge: 101 "Si tu tombais dans notre labyrinthe aux mille détours, tu ne reviendrais pas aisément à la lumière." Telles sont en effet les paroles qu'inspire Phoibos à la Priamide Cassandre et qu'un messager rapporte au roi en un obscur langage. Si tu es aimé de Calliope, prends mon livre; mais si tu es étranger aux Muses, tes mains ne porteraient qu'un vain fardeau. Language French Source(s) P. Waltz, 1957, Anthologie Grecque. Tome VII: Anthologie palatine, Livre IX, Épigrammes 1-358 (vol. 7), Paris: 76 Hast du dich jemals gewagt in den vielverschlungenen Irrgang meiner Gesänge, nicht leicht findest du wieder ans Licht. Dunkel bleibt ja der Spruch der Priamostochter Kassandra, den der Bote mit viel Umschweif dem König erzählt. Wenn dich Kalliope liebt, dann nimm mich zur Hand; aber blieben fremd dir die Musen, dann trägt nur eine Last deine Hand. Language German Source(s) H. Beckby, 1965, Anthologia Graeca. IX-XI (vol. 3), München: 119
Bibliography	Primary B. Baldwin 1982, Tzetzes on Thucydides, Byzantinische Zeitschrift, 75(2), 313-316: 314 K. Demoen 2019, Epigrams on Authors and Books as Text and Paratext, in M. Kanellou, C. Carey, I. Petrovic (eds.), Greek Epigram from the Hellenistic to the Early Byzantine Era, Oxford, 66-84: 82 W. Paton, 1917, The Greek Anthology. Book 9 (vol. 3), Cambridge: 100-101 P. Waltz, 1957, Anthologie Grecque. Tome VII: Anthologie palatine, Livre IX, Épigrammes 1-358 (vol. 7), Paris: 76 Secondary A. Kleinlogel, K. Alpers (eds.), 2019, Scholia Graeca in Thucydidem. Scholia vetustiora et Lexicon Thucydideum Patmense, Berlin: 157
Number of verses	6
Occurrence(s)	[20965] Οὐκ ἂν ἐν ἡμετέροισι πολυγνάμπτοις λαβυρίνθοις [1480] MADRID - Biblioteca Nacional 4551 (olim N.13) [1480] (f. 29v) (6 verses) [20744] οὐκ ἄν ἐν ἡμετέροισι πολυγνάμπτοις λαβυρίνθοις [1476-1500] MILAN - Biblioteca Ambrosiana A 57 sup. [1476-1500] (f. 1v) (6 verses) [22979] οὐκ ἂν ἐν ἡμετέροισι πολυγνάμπτοις λαβυρίνθοις [1451-1500] MILAN - Biblioteca Ambrosiana I 24 inf. [15th c.] (f. 2v) (6 verses) [24494] οὐκ ἂν ἐν ἡμετέροισι πολυγνάμπτοις λαβυρίνθοις [15th c.] ROME - Biblioteca Casanatense 1281 [15th c.] (f. 8v) (6 verses)
Acknowledgements	Contributor(s) Renaat Meesters, Anne-Sophie Rouckhout The credits system has been implemented in 2019. Credits from before the new system was in use might be incomplete.
Identification	Anthologia Graeca, IX.191
Permalink	http://dev.dbbe.ugent.be/types/4377

Last modified: 2026-01-19.

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