Chrysippus assigns a peculiar tune for the lullabies of nurses.[282] Sextus Empiricus very appropriately styles them a metrical humming (ἐμμέλης μινύρισμα).[283] It is probable also that to these melodies, the nurses adapted improvised words, as we do. This view is borne out by the fact that certain specimens exist which are imitations or elaborations of those really in use at the time they were written. The Lullaby of Alcmena in Theocritus is an instance: εὕδετ’ ἐμὰ βρέφεα γλυκερὸν καὶ ἐγέρσιμον ὕπνον· εὕδετ’ ἐμὰ ψυχὰ, δύ’ ἀδελφεὼ, εὔσοα τέκνα· ὄλβιοι εὐνάζοισθε, καὶ ὄλβιοι ᾀῶ ἵκεσθαι.[284] The melody of these lines is beautiful; the crooning sound of the open vowels in the first two, the rounded refrain of the last, with its repeated ὄλβιοι and rhyming halves give it all the characteristics of a lullaby.[285] Not less beautiful are Simonides’ lines in the fragment called “The Lament of Danae.” While tossed about by the waves, she sings her child to sleep with these words: κέλομαι εὗδε βρέφος, εὑδέτω, δὲ πόντος, εὑδέτω δ’ ἀμέτερον κακόν. μεταβολία δὲ τὶς φανείῃ Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἐκ σέο. ὅττι δέ θαρσαλέον ἔπος εὔχομαι καὶ νόσφι δίκας, συγγνωθί μοι.[286] The spirit of rest which pervades the song of the chorus to the sorely-suffering Philoctetes suggests the lullaby: ὕπν’ ὀδύνας ἀδαὴς, ὕπνε δ’ ἀλγέων, εὐαδὲς ἡμῖν ἔλθοις, εὐαίων, εὐαίων, ὦναξ· ὄμμασι δ’ ἀντίσχοις τὰν δ’ αἴγλαν, ἃ τέταται τὰ νῦν.[287] Finally, we have another recollection of the nurse’s song in Orestes: πότνια, πότνια νύξ, ὑπνοδότειρα τῶν πολυτόνων βροτῶν, ἐρεβόθεν ἴθι, μόλε μόλε κατάπτερος τὸν Ἀγαμεμνόνιον ἐπὶ δόμον. ὑπὸ γὰρ ἀλγέων ὑπό τε συμφορᾶς δ’ διοιχόμεθ’, οἰχόμεθα. κτύπον ἠγάγετ’· οὐχὶ σῖγα σῖγα φυλασσομένα στόματος ἄνα κέλαδον ἀπὸ λέχεος ἥ- συχον ὕπνου χάριν παρέξεις, φίλα;[288] These are but the traces of a class of songs, which without doubt were employed by the Greek mothers and nurses to lull the children to sleep. From the very nature of these songs, it is highly improbable that any lullaby should survive in the literature. CHAPTER V MONUMENTS TO THE NURSE The relations between nurse and master were of that sacred character which cease not with death. Her sincere and tender affection was not only repaid during life by the master’s solicitude for her well-being; but after death her memory was frequently perpetuated by the erection of monuments. The unearthing of many of these has proved a fertile source of information concerning the nurse. Her name, sometimes her parentage, and even details of her life and virtues find expression in the sepulchral inscriptions.