Moschus, 5

A complicated love quadrilateral.

ἤρατο Πὰν Ἀχῶς τᾶς γείτονος, ἤρατο δ’ Ἀχὼ
σκιρτατᾶ Σατύρω, Σάτυρος δ’ ἐπεμήνατο Λύδᾳ.
ὡς Ἀχὼ τὸν Πᾶνα, τόσον Σάτυρος φλέγεν Ἀχώ,
καὶ Λύδα Σατυρίσκον· Ἔρως δ’ ἐσμύχετ’ ἀμοιβᾷ.
ὅσσον γὰρ τήνων τις ἐμίσεε τὸν φιλέοντα,
τόσσον ὁμῶς φιλέων ἠχθαίρετο, πάσχε δ’ ἃ ποίει.
ταῦτα λέγω πᾶσιν τὰ διδάγματα τοῖς ἀνεράστοις·
στέργετε τὼς φιλέοντας, ἵν’ ἢν φιλέητε φιλῆσθε.

Pan loved Echo, his neighbour. Echo loved the skittish Satyr. The Satyr was madly in love with Lyda. As Echo inflamed Pan, so did Satyr Echo and Lyda Satyr. And they all felt love in turn. For just as much as each of them scorned their lover, so was each one detested, being such a lover: each one suffered the same things they were doing themselves. Here’s the lesson I tell to all who are without love: show affection to those who love you, if you would be loved where you feel love.