M/M: One Tomb for Two Lovers: The Myth of Carpos & Calamos, Nonnus' Dionysiaca XI.370-480

 Listen as I tell you a story from long ago.

Once upon a time, there was a boy. He was a sweetheart and was the best of all his peers; he lived on the banks of the Meander River. He was tall and swift-footed; he had long, straight hair, and was baby-faced. Grace was written all over his face; his eyes were modest. He had a peaches & cream complexion.

The Meander, his doting river-god father, named him Calamos; [the Meander] rolls over the earth, bringing waters to light from secret places; he travels deep into the earth on his 'meandering' path, then leaps up to stretch his neck up out of the ground.

This [is the tale of] tender Calamos, the swift rosy-armed youth; he was smitten with Carpos, his peer (ὁμήλικι).

Carpos was so beautiful, he hardly seemed mortal. If he had been alive in mythical times, he would have been snatched up by the beautiful-haired goddess of the dawn, Eos; he looked prettier than her previous captives Cephalus and Orion. Demeter would not have taken Iasion into her fertile embrace, nor would Selene have chosen Endymion, if Carpos were there. Instead, this youth would have been married to both goddesses, one husband for two brides. Beautiful-haired Ceres with her bountiful harvests would share his attention with her rival the Moon. Such was Calamos’ delightful beau, the flower of love, a beautiful youth.

Both of these young lovers used to spend their time on the wandering riverbanks. There was a curving track where they used to race. Calamos could run like the wind. Using the elm tree for a starting line, they would race to the olive tree and back. They would run along the riverbank from one side to the other. And Calamos, the quicker of the two, would fall on purpose, letting Carpos win.

While one of them was bathing, the other splashed alongside him, and the race renewed—this time, a swimming competition!

Calamos swam slowly, letting Carpos get ahead so he could watch his lover cut the waves with his breaststroke. Both competed to see who could race across the bank and back the quickest. The river was their racecourse; Calamos stayed right behind Carpos as they swam, keeping his breaststroke in check as he watched Carpos’ rosy fingers. Once again Calamos, at first in the lead, then let Carpos win as the youth swam furiously, keeping his head above water.

And Carpos was almost at the finish line, nearly stepping out of the waves and onto the riverbank, when a gust of wind came upon him, overwhelming him, and brutally killed the sweet youth, forcing water down his open airway.

Calamos narrowly missed the fury of the opposing wind, swimming on without his friend; he made it to the nearest shore. Then, worried that he doesn’t see or hear his friend, he called out with a sorrowful voice:

“Tell me, Naiads, what wind took my Carpos away? I beg you, give me a final act of mercy. Go to another spring, escape my father’s lethal water! Do not drink the wave that has killed my Carpos! My father did not kill the youth, but the wind, jealous of me (like he was with Apollo [and Hyacinthus]), destroyed my Carpos. Like a jealous rival, he struck down Apollo’s love with a discus, and mine with a wind!

My star has not yet risen from the waves; my morning star has not yet dawned. Since my Carpos has drowned, what other light is left for me to see? Tell me, Naiads, who has destroyed the light of love?

Carpos, why are you still here? Why do you enjoy being in the water? If you’ve found a better friend than me beneath the waves, did you throw away my wretched love? If one of the lovelorn nymphs kidnapped you, then tell me, and I will come to your rescue! If you want to settle down with a wife, --if my sister pleases you instead--I will make your honeymoon suite in the water! I will gladly be your brother-in-law!

Carpos, did you pass me by, and forget our finish line? I’m calling for you, and you do not hear my shouts. If Notus or bold Eurus—the naughty winds—have attacked you, let those who hate our love go dancing off by themselves. If Boreas has overpowered you, I’ll tell Orythia he’s cheating on her. If the waters overpowered you, and did not respect your beauty, or if my father dragged you to your death, not sparing you, then let him accept the death of his own son. Let him get away with the murder of Calamos as well as Carpos.

I will fall headfirst where my Carpos has died; I will quench the heat of my love with a cold drink of water.”

He said this with tears streaming down his cheeks. He cut off a lock of blue hair in honor of the dead, the hair that he had grown out for a long time, and presented it to his father Meander.

He spoke one last time:

“Accept my lock of hair, and my body as well; I am unable to live another day without Carpos. Carpos and Calamos had one life; together they shared one passionate love, and one watery grave.

Naiads, build one tomb upon the riverbank, a cenotaph that reads, 'I am the tomb of Carpos & Calamos, A loving couple destroyed by the cruel waves.'

Cut a lock of hair in mourning of me, but cut the rest off in love for Carpos.”

He spoke and threw himself into the river, drowning in his father’s murderous waves.

And Calamos transformed into a reed (calamus) and Carpos nourished the fruit (carpos) of the earth.

παλαιγενέων μερόπων ἵνα μῦθον ἐνίψω:

370ἁβρὸς ἔην ποτὲ κοῦρος, ὑπέρτερος ἥλικος ἥβης,

Μαιάνδρου παρὰ χεῦμα πολυσχιδέος ποταμοῖο,

εἴδεϊ λεπταλέῳ ταναός, πόδας ὀξύς, ἐθείρας

ἰθυτενής, ἀνίουλος: ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέραις δὲ παρειαῖς

αὐτοφυὴς Χάρις ἦεν ἐπισκαίρουσα προσώπῳ

375ὄμμασιν αἰδομένοισιν, ἀπὸ βλεφάρων δέ οἱ αἰεὶ

κάλλος ὀιστεύοντος ἑκηβόλος ἔρρεεν αἴγλη:

καὶ δέμας εἶχε γάλακτι πανείκελον, ἀμφὶ δὲ λευκῷ

ἀκροφανὲς πόρφυρε ῥόδον διδυμόχροϊ πυρσῷ.

τὸν Κάλαμον καλέεσκε πατὴρ φίλος, ὃς διὰ γαίης

380νειόθι κυμαίνων σκολιὸν ῥόον εἰς φάος ἕλκων,

ἑρπύζων δ᾽ ἀίδηλος, ὑπὸ χθόνα λοξὸς ὁδίτης,

ὀξὺς ἀναθρῴσκων ὑπερίσχεται αὐχένα γαίης,

ἐνδόμυχος Μαίανδρος ἄγων ὑποκόλπιον ὕδωρ.

τοῖος ἔην ἐρόεις Κάλαμος ταχύς. ἠίθεος δὲ

385ἱμερτῷ ῥοδόπηχυς ὁμήλικι τέρπετο Καρπῷ,

ὃς τόσον ἔλλαχε κάλλος, ὃ μὴ βροτὸς ἔλλαχεν ἀνήρ:

εἰ γὰρ ἔην νέος οὗτος ἐπὶ προτέρων ποτὲ φωτῶν,

καί κεν ἐυσμήριγγος ἐγίνετο νυμφίος Ἠοῦς,

φέρτερον εἶδος ἔχων, ῥοδέῳ χροῒ μοῦνος ἐλέγξας

390ἀγλαΐην Κεφάλοιο καὶ Ὠρίωνος ὀπωπήν:

οὐδέ κεν εὐκάρπῳ παλάμῃ πηχύνατο Δηὼ

νυμφίον Ἰασίωνα, καὶ Ἐνδυμίωνα Σελήνη:

ἀλλὰ νέος τάχα κεῖνος ἀρείονος εἵνεκα μορφῆς

εἷς πόσις ἀμφοτέρων νυμφεύσατο λέκτρα θεάων, [p. 386]

395Δηοῦς ξανθοκόμου μεθέπων πολυλήιον εὐνήν,

καὶ ξυνὴν ὁμόλεκτρον ἔχων ζηλήμονα Μήνην.

τοῖος ἔην ἐρόεις Καλάμῳ φίλος, ἄνθος Ἐρώτων,

κάλλος ἔχων: ἄμφω δὲ συνήλικες ὑψόθεν ὄχθης

γείτονος ἑψιόωντο πολυγνάμπτου ποταμοῖο.

400τοῖσι μὲν ἔσκε δίαυλος ἕλιξ δρόμος, ἀμφοτέροις δὲ

ἦεν ἔρις: κάλαμος μὲν ἐπέτρεχεν εἴκελος αὔραις,

καὶ πτελέην βαλβῖδα φέρων καὶ νύσσαν ἐλαίην

ἠιόνας ποταμοῖο διέδραμεν ἄκρον ἀπ᾽ ἄκρου ...

καὶ Κάλαμος ταχύγουνος ἑκούσιος ἤριπε γαίῃ,

405καὶ Καρπῷ χαρίεντι θελήμονα κάλλιπε νίκην.

παιδὶ δὲ λουομένῳ συνελούετο κοῦρος ἀθύρων,

καὶ πάλιν εἴκελον ἄλλον ἐν ὕδασιν εἶχον ἀγῶνα,

καὶ βραδὺς ἐν προχοῇσιν ἐνήχετο Καρπὸν ἐάσας

πρόσθε μολεῖν, ἵνα χερσὶν ὀπίστερος οἴδματα τέμνων

410καρποῦ νηχομένοιο παρὰ σφυρὰ δεύτερος ἔλθῃ

ἠιθέου προθέοντος ἐλεύθερα νῶτα δοκεύων.

καὶ διερῆς βαλβῖδος ἔην δρόμος: ἤρισαν ἄμφω,

τίς τίνα νικήσειεν, ὅπως παλινόστιμος ἔλθῃ

ὄχθης ἀμφοτέρης διδυμάονα νύσσαν ἀμείβων

415γαῖαν ἐς ἀντιπέραιαν ἐρεσσομένων παλαμάων:

καὶ προχοὴν ὁδὸν εἶχεν: ἀεὶ δέ οἱ ἐγγὺς ἱκάνων [p. 388]

κοῦρος ἐπειγομένης παλάμης πεφιδημένος ὁρμῆς

νηχομένων σκοπίαζε ῥοδόχροα δάκτυλα χειρῶν:

καὶ Κάλαμος προκέλευθος ἑὴν ἀνεσείρασεν ὁρμήν,

420ἠιθέῳ δ᾽ ὑπόειξε: καὶ ἔδραμε χεῖρας ἐρέσσων

κοῦρος ἀελλήεις, ὑπὲρ οἴδματος αὐχένα τείνων:

καί νύ κεν ἐκ ῥοθίων ἐπεβήσατο Καρπὸς ἀρούρης,

καὶ μετὰ χερσαίην ποταμηίδα δύσατο νίκην,

ἀλλά μιν ἀντικέλευθος ἀνεστυφέλιξεν Ἀήτης,

425καὶ γλυκὺν ἔκτανε κοῦρον ἀμείλιχος: ἠιθέου γὰρ

οἰγομένῳ νήριθμον ὕδωρ ἐπεσύρετο λαιμῷ.

καὶ Κάλαμος φθονεροῖο φυγὼν ἀνέμοιο θυέλλας

ἔκτοθεν ἡβητῆρος ἐδύσατο γείτονας ἀκτάς:

καὶ φίλον οὐ παρεόντα καὶ οὐκ ἀίοντα νοήσας

430ἱμερόεν στενάχων κινυρῇ βρυχήσατο φωνῇ:

Ν̔ηιάδες, φθέγξασθε, τίς ἥρπασε Καρπὸν Ἀήτης;

ναί, λίτομαι, πυμάτην δότε μοι χάριν, ἔλθετε πηγὴν

εἰς ἑτέρην, καὶ πατρὸς ἐμοῦ θανατηφόρον ὕδωρ

φεύγετε, μηδὲ πίητε ῥόον Καρποῖο φονῆα.

435οὐ μὲν ἐμὸς γενέτης νέον ἔκτανεν: ἀλλὰ μεγαίρων

καὶ Καλάμῳ μετὰ Φοῖβον ἀπώλεσε Καρπὸν Ἀήτης,

καὶ τάχα μιν ποθέων ζηλήμονι τύψεν ἀέλλῃ,

ἠιθέῳ μετὰ δίσκον ἄγων ἀντίπνοον αὔρην.

οὔ πω ἐμὸς προχοῇσι λελουμένος ἄνθορεν ἀστήρ,

440οὔ πω ἐμὸς σελάγιζεν Ἑωσφόρος: ἀλλὰ ῥεέθροις

καρποῦ δυομένοιο, τί μοι φάος εἰσέτι λεύσσειν;

νηιάδες, φθέγξασθε, τίς ἔσβεσε φέγγος Ἐρώτων;

δηθύνεις ἔτι, κοῦρε; τί σοι τόσον εὔαδεν ὕδωρ;

κρείσσονα μὴ φίλον εὗρες ἐν ὕδασι, τῷ παραμίμνων

δειλαίου Καλάμοιο πόθους ἔρριψας ἀήταις;

εἰ μία Νηιάδων σε δυσίμερος ἥρπασε Νύμφη, [p. 390]

450ἔννεπε, καὶ πάσῃσι κορύσσομαι: εἰ δέ σε τέρπει

γνωτῆς ἡμετέρης γαμίων ὑμέναιος Ἐρώτων,

εἰπέ, καὶ ἐν προχοῇσιν ἐγὼ σέο παστὸν ἀνάψω.

Καρπέ, παραπλώεις με λελασμένος ἠθάδος ὄχθης;

κάμνον ἐγὼ καλέων σε, καὶ οὐ βοόωντος ἀκούεις.

455εἰ Νότος, εἰ θρασὺς Εὖρος ἐπέπνεεν, αὐτὸς ἀλάσθω

νηλειὴς ἀχόρευτος, ἀτάσθαλος ἐχθρὸς Ἐρώτων:

εἰ βορέης σε δάμασσεν, ἐς Ὠρείθυιαν ἱκάνω.

εἰ δέ σε κῦμα κάλυψε καὶ οὐκ ᾐδέσσατο μορφήν,

καί σε πατὴρ ἐμὸς εἷλεν ἀφειδέι κύματος ὁλκῷ,

460ὕδασιν ἀνδροφόνοισιν ἑὸν καὶ παῖδα δεχέσθω,

καὶ Κάλαμον κρύψειεν ὀλωλότος ἐγγύθι Καρποῦ.

ἀλλὰ πεσὼν προκάρηνος, ὅπῃ θάνε Καρπὸς ἀλήτης,

σβέσσω θερμὸν ἔρωτα πιὼν Ἀχερούσιον ὕδωρ.

εἶπεν ἀναβλύζων βλεφάρων ῥόον: ἀμφὶ δὲ νεκρῷ

465κυανέην πλοκαμῖδα κατηφέι τάμνε σιδήρῳ,

ἣν τρέφεν, ἣν κομέεσκε, καὶ ὤρεγε πενθάδα χαίτην

Μαιάνδρῳ γενετῆρι, καὶ ὑστατίην φάτο φωνήν:

῾δέξο μετὰ πλοκάμους καὶ ἐμὸν δέμας: οὐ δύναμαι γὰρ

εἰς μίαν ἠριγένειαν ἰδεῖν φάος ἔκτοθι Καρποῦ:

470καρπῷ καὶ Καλάμῳ βιοτὴ μία, καὶ λάχον ἄμφω

εἴκελον οἶστρον Ἔρωτος ἐπὶ χθονός: ὑδατόεις δὲ

εἶς μόρος ἀμφοτέροισι καὶ ἐν προχοῇσι γενέσθω.

τεύξατε, Νηιάδες, ποταμηίδος ὑψόθεν ὄχθης

ἄκριτον ἀμφοτέροισι κενήριον, ἀμφὶ δὲ τύμβῳ

475γράμμασι πενθαλέοισιν ἔπος κεχαραγμένον ἔστω:

‘Καρποῦ καὶ Καλάμοιο πέλω τάφος, οὓς πάρος ἄμφω

ἀλλήλους ποθέοντας ἀμείλιχον ἔκτανεν ὕδωρ.’ [p. 392]

καὶ Καλάμῳ δυσέρωτι, κασιγνήτῳ περ ἐόντι,

βαιὸν ἕνα θνήσκοντι δαΐξατε βότρυν ἐθείρης,

445καὶ πλοκάμους ξύμπαντας ὀλωλότι κείρατε Καρπῷ.᾿

εἶπε, καὶ αὐτοκύλιστος ἐπωλίσθησε ῥεέθρῳ

πατρὸς ἀναινομένοιο πιὼν παιδοκτόνον ὕδωρ.

480καὶ Κάλαμος καλάμοισιν ἐπώνυμον ὤπασε μορφὴν

ἰσοφυῆ, καὶ Καρπὸς ἀέξετο καρπὸς ἀρούρης.’

Audi olim natorum hominum ut fabulam eloquar:

mollis erat quondam puer superior coeave pubertate

Meandri ad fluxum multum divisi fluminis.

Specie tenui longus, pedes acer, capillos

recte extendens, imberbis. In utrusque vero malis

ex se nata Gratia erat tripudians in fronte.

Oculis verecundis, ex oculis vero ei semper

pulchritudo iaculanti late sparsa profluebat splendore.

Et corpus habuit lacti prorsus simile. Prope vero candidum

in summitate lucens purpurabat flos, bicolorem plantam.

Calamum appellabat pater carus, qui per terram

ab imo aestuans obliquum fluxum in luce trahens

serpens vero occultus in terra obliquus viator

vehementer resiliens superavit cervicem terrae

intus latens Meander agens occultam aquam.

Talis erat amabilis Calamus celer Iuvenis vero

desiderabilis roseas ulnas habens coaevo delectabatur Carpo

qui tantam fortiter esset pulcritudinemque non mortalis sortitus esset

si non fuisset Iuvenis hic apud priores aliquando homines (vir

vel bene capillatae factus fuisset sponsus Aurora

meliorem pulchritudinem habens. Roseo colore solus arguens

splendorem Cephali, & Orionis faciem.

Neque, sane fertili manu complexa fuisset Ceres

sponsum Iasionem & Endymionem Luna.

Sed iuvenis fere hic meliorem propter formam

unus paritus utriusque, nuptum accepisset lectos dea.

Cereris flavicoma sequens multas segetes habentem thalamum

et communem coniugem habens aemulatricem Lunam.

Talis erat amabilis Calamo amicus florem amorum

pulchritudinem habens Ambo vero coaevi super ripa

vicina ludebant multiflexi fluminis

quibus quidem erat stadium volubilis curus. Virisque vero

erat contentio. Calamus quidem currebat similis ventis

et ulmum loco carceris habens, & metam olivam.

Litora fluminis percurrebant ad summum a summo.

Et Calamus genibus celer sponte cecidit in terra

et Carpo gratioso voluntariam reliquit victoriam.

Cum puero vero lavante una lavabat puer ludens.

et rursum simile aliud in aquis habebant certamen.

et tardus in fluento natabat Carpum relinquens.

prius vadere, ut manibus posterior fluctus secans

Carpi natantis ad plantas proximus veniret.

Iuvenis praecurrentis libera dorsa intuens

et humidi carceris erat cursus. Contendebant ambo

quis quem superaret ut retrogradus veniret

ripae utriusque, duplicem metam permutans

terram in regione sitam remigantibus manibus

et fluentum viam habebat. Semper vero ipsi proximum veniens

puer incitata manus parcens impetui

natantium intuebatur rosicolores digitos manuum

et Calamus praecursor suum retraxit impetum

iuveni vero concessit, et cucurrit manus remigans

puer procellosus super fluctu cervicem extendens.

et sane ex fluctibus ingressus est Carpus in terram 

et post terrestrem fluvialem subiit victoriam.

sed ipsum contrarius evertit ventus.

et dulcem occidit puerum immitis. pueri enim

aperto immensa aqua traxit gutture.

et Calamus invidi fugiens venti procellas

extra adolescentem formidabat vicina littora

et amicum non praesentem & non audientem cognoscens

desiderabile plorans lugubri frendebat voce.

"Naiadis dicite, quis rapuit Carpum ventus?

obsecro, ultimam date mihi gratiam. Venite fontem

ad alium & patrus mei mortiferam aquam

fugite, neque bibite fluctum Carpi occisorem.

Non quidem meus pater iuvenem interemit, sed invidens,

et Calamo post Phoebum perdidit Carpum ventus

et forte ipsum amans aemulante pupugit vento.

Iuveni post discum adducens contra flantem auram

nondum meus (ex) profluento lotus exsiluit aster

nondum meus illuxit Lucifer. Sed fluctibus

Carpo submerso, quorum mihi lucem amplius videre?

Naiades, dicite, quis exstinxit lucem amorum?

Moraris adhuc puer? quid tibi tantum placuit aqua?

Meliorem me amicum invenisti in aqua apud quemanens

miseri Calami amores proiecisti ventis.

si una Naiadum te infelix rapuit Nympha.

Dic & omnibus annunciabo. si vero te oblectae

sororis nostrae nuptialum Hymenaus amorum

di & in flumine ego tuum nuptialem thorum adornabo.

Carpe, praeternatas me oblitus aquae litoris

Laboravi ego vocans te & non clamantem audis.

Si Notus, si audax Eurus natando invasit, hic erret

crudelis nullis choreis gaudens improbus hostis amorum.

Si Boreas (te) domuit ad Orithyan venio

Si vero te fluctus obruit, & non reveritus est forma,

et te pater meus traxit non parcenti fluminis tractus.

Aquis homicidis suum etiam filium accipiat,

et Calamum abscondat mortuum prope Carpum.

Sed decidens praeceps ubi mortuus est Carpus errans

extinguam calidum amorem bibens Acherusiam aquam."

Dixit manans ex palpebris fluxum prope vero mortuum

Cyaneum capillum maesto amputant ferro.

Quem nutrivit que ornavit & praebuit luctuosum capillis

Meandro genitori& ultimam dixit vocem:

"Accippe post capillos & meum corpus non possum enim

in unum diem videre lucem sine Carpo.

Carpo & Calamo una vita, & sortiti sunt ambo

Aequalem furorem amoris: in terram Aquosa vero

una mors utrisque, in fluminibus contingat.

Construite Naiades fluviale super litus

indiscretum utrisque, Cenotaphium Circa tumulum vero

literis luctuosis carmen exaratum esto.

'Carpi & Calami sum tumulus, quos prius ambos

invicem amantes immitis perdidit aqua.'

Et Calamo infelici amatori fratri praesenti

parvum unum morienti dividite racemum capilli.

et capillos omnes perdito detondete Carpo."

Dixit & per se volutus delapsus est in flumen.

patris recusantis bibens filium perdentem aquam.

Et Calamus calamis congominem praebuit formam

aequalis naturae. Et Carpum auxit carpies (fructus) terrae.

--Nonnus, Dionysiaca XI.370 - 480; Translated into Latin by Christian Wulfius (1605)

 Nonnus was an Egyptian born Roman citizen who composed the Dionysiaca, a massive 48 volume epic about the life of the god Dionysus.