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diff --git a/348-0.txt b/348-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3d49ca3 --- /dev/null +++ b/348-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10437 @@ + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica, by Homer and Hesiod + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most +other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions +whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of +the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at +www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have +to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. + +Title: Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica + +Author: Homer and Hesiod + +Editor: Hugh G. Evelyn-White + +Release Date: July 5, 2008 [EBook #348] +Last updated: January 10, 2020 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HESIOD, THE HOMERIC HYMNS AND HOMERICA *** + + + + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings, and David Widger + +[Illustration] + + + + +Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica + +by Homer and Hesiod + +Contents + + PREPARER’S NOTE + PREFACE + + INTRODUCTION + General + The Boeotian School + Life of Hesiod + The Hesiodic Poems + I. _The Works and Days_ + II. The Genealogical Poems + Date of the Hesiodic Poems + Literary Value of Homer + The Ionic School + The Trojan Cycle + The Homeric Hymns + The Epigrams of Homer + The Burlesque Poems + The Contest of Homer and Hesiod + + BIBLIOGRAPHY + + HESIOD + HESIOD’S WORKS AND DAYS + THE DIVINATION BY BIRDS + THE ASTRONOMY + THE PRECEPTS OF CHIRON + THE GREAT WORKS + THE IDAEAN DACTYLS + THE THEOGONY + THE CATALOGUES OF WOMEN AND EOIAE + THE SHIELD OF HERACLES + THE MARRIAGE OF CEYX + THE GREAT EOIAE + THE MELAMPODIA + THE AEGIMIUS + FRAGMENTS OF UNKNOWN POSITION + DOUBTFUL FRAGMENTS + + THE HOMERIC HYMNS + I. TO DIONYSUS + II. TO DEMETER + III. TO APOLLO + IV. TO HERMES + V. TO APHRODITE + VI. TO APHRODITE + VII. TO DIONYSUS + VIII. TO ARES + IX. TO ARTEMIS + X. TO APHRODITE + XI. TO ATHENA + XII. TO HERA + XIII. TO DEMETER + XIV. TO THE MOTHER OF THE GODS + XV. TO HERACLES THE LION-HEARTED + XVI. TO ASCLEPIUS + XVII. TO THE DIOSCURI + XVIII. TO HERMES + XIX. TO PAN + XX. TO HEPHAESTUS + XXI. TO APOLLO + XXII. TO POSEIDON + XXIII. TO THE SON OF CRONOS, MOST HIGH + XXIV. TO HESTIA + XXV. TO THE MUSES AND APOLLO + XXVI. TO DIONYSUS + XXVII. TO ARTEMIS + XXVIII. TO ATHENA + XXIX. TO HESTIA + XXX. TO EARTH THE MOTHER OF ALL + XXXI. TO HELIOS + XXXII. TO SELENE + XXXIII. TO THE DIOSCURI + + THE EPIGRAMS OF HOMER + + THE EPIC CYCLE + THE WAR OF THE TITANS + THE STORY OF OEDIPUS + THE THEBAID + THE EPIGONI + THE CYPRIA + THE AETHIOPIS + THE LITTLE ILIAD + THE SACK OF ILIUM + THE RETURNS + THE TELEGONY + + HOMERICA + THE EXPEDITION OF AMPHIARAUS + THE TAKING OF OECHALIA + THE PHOCAIS + THE MARGITES + THE CERCOPES + THE BATTLE OF FROGS AND MICE + + THE CONTEST OF HOMER AND HESIOD + + ENDNOTES + + + + +This file contains translations of the following works: Hesiod: _Works +and Days_, _The Theogony_, fragments of _The Catalogues of Women and +the Eoiae_, _The Shield of Heracles_ (attributed to Hesiod), and +fragments of various works attributed to Hesiod. + Homer: _The Homeric Hymns_, _The Epigrams of Homer_ (both attributed + to Homer). + + Various: Fragments of the Epic Cycle (parts of which are sometimes + attributed to Homer), fragments of other epic poems attributed to + Homer, _The Battle of Frogs and Mice_, and _The Contest of Homer and + Hesiod_. + + This file contains only that portion of the book in English; Greek + texts are excluded. Where Greek characters appear in the original + English text, transcription in CAPITALS is substituted. + + +Project Gutenberg Editor’s Note: 262 footnotes notes previously +scattered through the text have been moved to the end of the file and +each given an unique number. There are links to and from each footnote. + + + + +PREPARER’S NOTE + + +In order to make this file more accessible to the average computer +user, the preparer has found it necessary to re-arrange some of the +material. The preparer takes full responsibility for his choice of +arrangement. + +A few endnotes have been added by the preparer, and some additions have +been supplied to the original endnotes of Mr. Evelyn-White’s. Where +this occurs I have noted the addition with my initials “DBK”. Some +endnotes, particularly those concerning textual variations in the +ancient Greek text, are here omitted. + + + + +PREFACE + + +This volume contains practically all that remains of the post-Homeric +and pre-academic epic poetry. + +I have for the most part formed my own text. In the case of Hesiod I +have been able to use independent collations of several MSS. by Dr. +W.H.D. Rouse; otherwise I have depended on the _apparatus criticus_ of +the several editions, especially that of Rzach (1902). The arrangement +adopted in this edition, by which the complete and fragmentary poems +are restored to the order in which they would probably have appeared +had the Hesiodic corpus survived intact, is unusual, but should not +need apology; the true place for the _Catalogues_ (for example), +fragmentary as they are, is certainly after the _Theogony_. + +In preparing the text of the _Homeric Hymns_ my chief debt—and it is a +heavy one—is to the edition of Allen and Sikes (1904) and to the series +of articles in the _Journal of Hellenic Studies_ (vols. xv. _sqq_.) by +T.W. Allen. To the same scholar and to the Delegates of the Clarendon +Press I am greatly indebted for permission to use the restorations of +the _Hymn to Demeter_, lines 387-401 and 462-470, printed in the Oxford +Text of 1912. + +Of the fragments of the Epic Cycle I have given only such as seemed to +possess distinct importance or interest, and in doing so have relied +mostly upon Kinkel’s collection and on the fifth volume of the Oxford +Homer (1912). + +The texts of the _Batrachomyomachia_ and of the _Contest of Homer and +Hesiod_ are those of Baumeister and Flach respectively: where I have +diverged from these, the fact has been noted. + +Owing to the circumstances of the present time I have been prevented +from giving to the _Introduction_ that full revision which I should +have desired. + +Hugh G. Evelyn-White, +Rampton, NR. Cambridge. +_Sept_. 9_th_, 1914. + + + + +INTRODUCTION + +General + +The early Greek epic—that is, poetry as a natural and popular, and not +(as it became later) an artificial and academic literary form—passed +through the usual three phases, of development, of maturity, and of +decline. + +No fragments which can be identified as belonging to the first period +survive to give us even a general idea of the history of the earliest +epic, and we are therefore thrown back upon the evidence of analogy +from other forms of literature and of inference from the two great +epics which have come down to us. So reconstructed, the earliest period +appears to us as a time of slow development in which the characteristic +epic metre, diction, and structure grew up slowly from crude elements +and were improved until the verge of maturity was reached. + +The second period, which produced the _Iliad_ and the _Odyssey_, needs +no description here: but it is very important to observe the effect of +these poems on the course of post-Homeric epic. As the supreme +perfection and universality of the _Iliad_ and the _Odyssey_ cast into +oblivion whatever pre-Homeric poets had essayed, so these same +qualities exercised a paralysing influence over the successors of +Homer. If they continued to sing like their great predecessor of +romantic themes, they were drawn as by a kind of magnetic attraction +into the Homeric style and manner of treatment, and became mere echoes +of the Homeric voice: in a word, Homer had so completely exhausted the +epic _genre_, that after him further efforts were doomed to be merely +conventional. Only the rare and exceptional genius of Vergil and Milton +could use the Homeric medium without loss of individuality: and this +quality none of the later epic poets seem to have possessed. Freedom +from the domination of the great tradition could only be found by +seeking new subjects, and such freedom was really only illusionary, +since romantic subjects alone are suitable for epic treatment. + +In its third period, therefore, epic poetry shows two divergent +tendencies. In Ionia and the islands the epic poets followed the +Homeric tradition, singing of romantic subjects in the now stereotyped +heroic style, and showing originality only in their choice of legends +hitherto neglected or summarily and imperfectly treated. In continental +Greece 1101, on the other hand, but especially in Boeotia, a new form +of epic sprang up, which for the romance and PATHOS of the Ionian +School substituted the practical and matter-of-fact. It dealt in moral +and practical maxims, in information on technical subjects which are of +service in daily life—agriculture, astronomy, augury, and the +calendar—in matters of religion and in tracing the genealogies of men. +Its attitude is summed up in the words of the Muses to the writer of +the _Theogony_: ‘We can tell many a feigned tale to look like truth, +but we can, when we will, utter the truth’ (_Theogony_ 26-27). Such a +poetry could not be permanently successful, because the subjects of +which it treats—if susceptible of poetic treatment at all—were +certainly not suited for epic treatment, where unity of action which +will sustain interest, and to which each part should contribute, is +absolutely necessary. While, therefore, an epic like the _Odyssey_ is +an organism and dramatic in structure, a work such as the _Theogony_ is +a merely artificial collocation of facts, and, at best, a pageant. It +is not surprising, therefore, to find that from the first the Boeotian +school is forced to season its matter with romantic episodes, and that +later it tends more and more to revert (as in the _Shield of Heracles_) +to the Homeric tradition. + +The Boeotian School + +How did the continental school of epic poetry arise? There is little +definite material for an answer to this question, but the probability +is that there were at least three contributory causes. First, it is +likely that before the rise of the Ionian epos there existed in Boeotia +a purely popular and indigenous poetry of a crude form: it comprised, +we may suppose, versified proverbs and precepts relating to life in +general, agricultural maxims, weather-lore, and the like. In this sense +the Boeotian poetry may be taken to have its germ in maxims similar to +our English + +“Till May be out, ne’er cast a clout,” + + +or + +“A rainbow in the morning +Is the Shepherd’s warning.” + + +Secondly and thirdly we may ascribe the rise of the new epic to the +nature of the Boeotian people and, as already remarked, to a spirit of +revolt against the old epic. The Boeotians, people of the class of +which Hesiod represents himself to be the type, were essentially +unromantic; their daily needs marked the general limit of their ideals, +and, as a class, they cared little for works of fancy, for pathos, or +for fine thought as such. To a people of this nature the Homeric epos +would be inacceptable, and the post-Homeric epic, with its conventional +atmosphere, its trite and hackneyed diction, and its insincere +sentiment, would be anathema. We can imagine, therefore, that among +such folk a settler, of Aeolic origin like Hesiod, who clearly was well +acquainted with the Ionian epos, would naturally see that the only +outlet for his gifts lay in applying epic poetry to new themes +acceptable to his hearers. + +Though the poems of the Boeotian school 1102 were unanimously assigned +to Hesiod down to the age of Alexandrian criticism, they were clearly +neither the work of one man nor even of one period: some, doubtless, +were fraudulently fathered on him in order to gain currency; but it is +probable that most came to be regarded as his partly because of their +general character, and partly because the names of their real authors +were lost. One fact in this attribution is remarkable—the veneration +paid to Hesiod. + +Life of Hesiod + +Our information respecting Hesiod is derived in the main from notices +and allusions in the works attributed to him, and to these must be +added traditions concerning his death and burial gathered from later +writers. + +Hesiod’s father (whose name, by a perversion of _Works and Days_, 299 +PERSE DION GENOS to PERSE, DION GENOS, was thought to have been Dius) +was a native of Cyme in Aeolis, where he was a seafaring trader and, +perhaps, also a farmer. He was forced by poverty to leave his native +place, and returned to continental Greece, where he settled at Ascra +near Thespiae in Boeotia (_Works and Days_, 636 ff.). Either in Cyme or +Ascra, two sons, Hesiod and Perses, were born to the settler, and +these, after his death, divided the farm between them. Perses, however, +who is represented as an idler and spendthrift, obtained and kept the +larger share by bribing the corrupt “lords” who ruled from Thespiae +(_Works and Days_, 37-39). While his brother wasted his patrimony and +ultimately came to want (_Works and Days_, 34 ff.), Hesiod lived a +farmer’s life until, according to the very early tradition preserved by +the author of the _Theogony_ (22-23), the Muses met him as he was +tending sheep on Mt. Helicon and “taught him a glorious song”—doubtless +the _Works and Days_. The only other personal reference is to his +victory in a poetical contest at the funeral games of Amphidamas at +Chalcis in Euboea, where he won the prize, a tripod, which he dedicated +to the Muses of Helicon (_Works and Days_, 651-9). + +Before we go on to the story of Hesiod’s death, it will be well to +inquire how far the “autobiographical” notices can be treated as +historical, especially as many critics treat some, or all of them, as +spurious. In the first place attempts have been made to show that +“Hesiod” is a significant name and therefore fictitious: it is only +necessary to mention Goettling’s derivation from IEMI to ODOS (which +would make ‘Hesiod’ mean the ‘guide’ in virtues and technical arts), +and to refer to the pitiful attempts in the _Etymologicum Magnu_ +(_s.v._ {H}ESIODUS), to show how prejudiced and lacking even in +plausibility such efforts are. It seems certain that “Hesiod” stands as +a proper name in the fullest sense. Secondly, Hesiod claims that his +father—if not he himself—came from Aeolis and settled in Boeotia. There +is fairly definite evidence to warrant our acceptance of this: the +dialect of the _Works and Days_ is shown by Rzach 1103 to contain +distinct Aeolisms apart from those which formed part of the general +stock of epic poetry. And that this Aeolic speaking poet was a Boeotian +of Ascra seems even more certain, since the tradition is never once +disputed, insignificant though the place was, even before its +destruction by the Thespians. + +Again, Hesiod’s story of his relations with his brother Perses have +been treated with scepticism (_see_ Murray, _Anc. Gk. Literature_, pp. +53-54): Perses, it is urged, is clearly a mere dummy, set up to be the +target for the poet’s exhortations. On such a matter precise evidence +is naturally not forthcoming; but all probability is against the +sceptical view. For 1) if the quarrel between the brothers were a +fiction, we should expect it to be detailed at length and not noticed +allusively and rather obscurely—as we find it; 2) as MM. Croiset +remark, if the poet needed a lay-figure the ordinary practice was to +introduce some mythological person—as, in fact, is done in the +_Precepts of Chiron_. In a word, there is no more solid ground for +treating Perses and his quarrel with Hesiod as fictitious than there +would be for treating Cyrnus, the friend of Theognis, as mythical. + +Thirdly, there is the passage in the _Theogony_ relating to Hesiod and +the Muses. It is surely an error to suppose that lines 22-35 all refer +to Hesiod: rather, the author of the _Theogony_ tells the story of his +own inspiration by the same Muses who _once_ taught Hesiod glorious +song. The lines 22-3 are therefore a very early piece of tradition +about Hesiod, and though the appearance of Muses must be treated as a +graceful fiction, we find that a writer, later than the _Works and +Days_ by perhaps no more than three-quarters of a century, believed in +the actuality of Hesiod and in his life as a farmer or shepherd. + +Lastly, there is the famous story of the contest in song at Chalcis. In +later times the modest version in the _Works and Days_ was elaborated, +first by making Homer the opponent whom Hesiod conquered, while a later +period exercised its ingenuity in working up the story of the contest +into the elaborate form in which it still survives. Finally the +contest, in which the two poets contended with hymns to Apollo 1104, +was transferred to Delos. These developments certainly need no +consideration: are we to say the same of the passage in the _Works and +Days?_ Critics from Plutarch downwards have almost unanimously rejected +the lines 654-662, on the ground that Hesiod’s Amphidamas is the hero +of the Lelantine Wars between Chalcis and Eretria, whose death may be +placed _circa_ 705 B.C.—a date which is obviously too low for the +genuine Hesiod. Nevertheless, there is much to be said in defence of +the passage. Hesiod’s claim in the _Works and Days_ is modest, since he +neither pretends to have met Homer, nor to have sung in any but an +impromptu, local festival, so that the supposed interpolation lacks a +sufficient motive. And there is nothing in the context to show that +Hesiod’s Amphidamas is to be identified with that Amphidamas whom +Plutarch alone connects with the Lelantine War: the name may have been +borne by an earlier Chalcidian, an ancestor, perhaps, of the person to +whom Plutarch refers. + +The story of the end of Hesiod may be told in outline. After the +contest at Chalcis, Hesiod went to Delphi and there was warned that the +‘issue of death should overtake him in the fair grove of Nemean Zeus.’ +Avoiding therefore Nemea on the Isthmus of Corinth, to which he +supposed the oracle to refer, Hesiod retired to Oenoe in Locris where +he was entertained by Amphiphanes and Ganyetor, sons of a certain +Phegeus. This place, however, was also sacred to Nemean Zeus, and the +poet, suspected by his hosts of having seduced their sister 1105, was +murdered there. His body, cast into the sea, was brought to shore by +dolphins and buried at Oenoe (or, according to Plutarch, at Ascra): at +a later time his bones were removed to Orchomenus. The whole story is +full of miraculous elements, and the various authorities disagree on +numerous points of detail. The tradition seems, however, to be constant +in declaring that Hesiod was murdered and buried at Oenoe, and in this +respect it is at least as old as the time of Thucydides. In conclusion +it may be worth while to add the graceful epigram of Alcaeus of Messene +(_Palatine Anthology_, vii 55). + +“When in the shady Locrian grove Hesiod lay dead, the Nymphs washed his +body with water from their own springs, and heaped high his grave; and +thereon the goat-herds sprinkled offerings of milk mingled with +yellow-honey: such was the utterance of the nine Muses that he breathed +forth, that old man who had tasted of their pure springs.” + +The Hesiodic Poems + +The Hesiodic poems fall into two groups according as they are didactic +(technical or gnomic) or genealogical: the first group centres round +the _Works and Days_, the second round the _Theogony_. + +I. “The Works and Days” + +The poem consists of four main sections. (_a_) After the prelude, which +Pausanias failed to find in the ancient copy engraved on lead seen by +him on Mt. Helicon, comes a general exhortation to industry. It begins +with the allegory of the two Strifes, who stand for wholesome Emulation +and Quarrelsomeness respectively. Then by means of the Myth of Pandora +the poet shows how evil and the need for work first arose, and goes on +to describe the Five Ages of the World, tracing the gradual increase in +evil, and emphasizing the present miserable condition of the world, a +condition in which struggle is inevitable. Next, after the Fable of the +Hawk and Nightingale, which serves as a condemnation of violence and +injustice, the poet passes on to contrast the blessing which +Righteousness brings to a nation, and the punishment which Heaven sends +down upon the violent, and the section concludes with a series of +precepts on industry and prudent conduct generally. (_b_) The second +section shows how a man may escape want and misery by industry and care +both in agriculture and in trading by sea. Neither subject, it should +be carefully noted, is treated in any way comprehensively. (_c_) The +third part is occupied with miscellaneous precepts relating mostly to +actions of domestic and everyday life and conduct which have little or +no connection with one another. (_d_) The final section is taken up +with a series of notices on the days of the month which are favourable +or unfavourable for agricultural and other operations. + +It is from the second and fourth sections that the poem takes its name. +At first sight such a work seems to be a miscellany of myths, technical +advice, moral precepts, and folklore maxims without any unifying +principle; and critics have readily taken the view that the whole is a +canto of fragments or short poems worked up by a redactor. Very +probably Hesiod used much material of a far older date, just as +Shakespeare used the _Gesta Romanorum_, old chronicles, and old plays; +but close inspection will show that the _Works and Days_ has a real +unity and that the picturesque title is somewhat misleading. The poem +has properly no technical object at all, but is moral: its real aim is +to show men how best to live in a difficult world. So viewed the four +seemingly independent sections will be found to be linked together in a +real bond of unity. Such a connection between the first and second +sections is easily seen, but the links between these and the third and +fourth are no less real: to make life go tolerably smoothly it is most +important to be just and to know how to win a livelihood; but happiness +also largely depends on prudence and care both in social and home life +as well, and not least on avoidance of actions which offend +supernatural powers and bring ill-luck. And finally, if your industry +is to be fruitful, you must know what days are suitable for various +kinds of work. This moral aim—as opposed to the currently accepted +technical aim of the poem—explains the otherwise puzzling +incompleteness of the instructions on farming and seafaring. + +Of the Hesiodic poems similar in character to the _Works and Days_, +only the scantiest fragments survive. One at least of these, the +_Divination by Birds_, was, as we know from Proclus, attached to the +end of the _Works_ until it was rejected by Apollonius Rhodius: +doubtless it continued the same theme of how to live, showing how man +can avoid disasters by attending to the omens to be drawn from birds. +It is possible that the _Astronomy_ or _Astrology_ (as Plutarch calls +it) was in turn appended to the _Divination_. It certainly gave some +account of the principal constellations, their dates of rising and +setting, and the legends connected with them, and probably showed how +these influenced human affairs or might be used as guides. The +_Precepts of Chiron_ was a didactic poem made up of moral and practical +precepts, resembling the gnomic sections of the _Works and Days_, +addressed by the Centaur Chiron to his pupil Achilles. Even less is +known of the poem called the _Great Works_: the title implies that it +was similar in subject to the second section of the _Works and Days_, +but longer. Possible references in Roman writers 1106 indicate that +among the subjects dealt with were the cultivation of the vine and +olive and various herbs. The inclusion of the judgment of Rhadamanthys +(frag. 1): “If a man sow evil, he shall reap evil,” indicates a gnomic +element, and the note by Proclus 1107 on _Works and Days_ 126 makes it +likely that metals also were dealt with. It is therefore possible that +another lost poem, the _Idaean Dactyls_, which dealt with the discovery +of metals and their working, was appended to, or even was a part of the +_Great Works_, just as the _Divination by Birds_ was appended to the +_Works and Days_. + +II. The Genealogical Poems + +The only complete poem of the genealogical group is the _Theogony_, +which traces from the beginning of things the descent and vicissitudes +of the families of the gods. Like the _Works and Days_ this poem has no +dramatic plot; but its unifying principle is clear and simple. The gods +are classified chronologically: as soon as one generation is +catalogued, the poet goes on to detail the offspring of each member of +that generation. Exceptions are only made in special cases, as the Sons +of Iapetus (ll. 507-616) whose place is accounted for by their +treatment by Zeus. The chief landmarks in the poem are as follows: +after the first 103 lines, which contain at least three distinct +preludes, three primeval beings are introduced, Chaos, Earth, and +Eros—here an indefinite reproductive influence. Of these three, Earth +produces Heaven to whom she bears the Titans, the Cyclopes and the +hundred-handed giants. The Titans, oppressed by their father, revolt at +the instigation of Earth, under the leadership of Cronos, and as a +result Heaven and Earth are separated, and Cronos reigns over the +universe. Cronos knowing that he is destined to be overcome by one of +his children, swallows each one of them as they are born, until Zeus, +saved by Rhea, grows up and overcomes Cronos in some struggle which is +not described. Cronos is forced to vomit up the children he had +swallowed, and these with Zeus divide the universe between them, like a +human estate. Two events mark the early reign of Zeus, the war with the +Titans and the overthrow of Typhoeus, and as Zeus is still reigning the +poet can only go on to give a list of gods born to Zeus by various +goddesses. After this he formally bids farewell to the cosmic and +Olympian deities and enumerates the sons born of goddess to mortals. +The poem closes with an invocation of the Muses to sing of the “tribe +of women”. + +This conclusion served to link the _Theogony_ to what must have been a +distinct poem, the _Catalogues of Women_. This work was divided into +four (Suidas says five) books, the last one (or two) of which was known +as the _Eoiae_ and may have been again a distinct poem: the curious +title will be explained presently. The _Catalogues_ proper were a +series of genealogies which traced the Hellenic race (or its more +important peoples and families) from a common ancestor. The reason why +women are so prominent is obvious: since most families and tribes +claimed to be descended from a god, the only safe clue to their origin +was through a mortal woman beloved by that god; and it has also been +pointed out that _mutterrecht_ still left its traces in northern Greece +in historical times. + +The following analysis (after Marckscheffel) 1108 will show the +principle of its composition. From Prometheus and Pronoia sprang +Deucalion and Pyrrha, the only survivors of the deluge, who had a son +Hellen (frag. 1), the reputed ancestor of the whole Hellenic race. From +the daughters of Deucalion sprang Magnes and Macedon, ancestors of the +Magnesians and Macedonians, who are thus represented as cousins to the +true Hellenic stock. Hellen had three sons, Dorus, Xuthus, and Aeolus, +parents of the Dorian, Ionic and Aeolian races, and the offspring of +these was then detailed. In one instance a considerable and +characteristic section can be traced from extant fragments and notices: +Salmoneus, son of Aeolus, had a daughter Tyro who bore to Poseidon two +sons, Pelias and Neleus; the latter of these, king of Pylos, refused +Heracles purification for the murder of Iphitus, whereupon Heracles +attacked and sacked Pylos, killing amongst the other sons of Neleus +Periclymenus, who had the power of changing himself into all manner of +shapes. From this slaughter Neleus alone escaped (frags. 13, and +10-12). This summary shows the general principle of arrangement of the +_Catalogues_: each line seems to have been dealt with in turn, and the +monotony was relieved as far as possible by a brief relation of famous +adventures connected with any of the personages—as in the case of +Atalanta and Hippomenes (frag. 14). Similarly the story of the +Argonauts appears from the fragments (37-42) to have been told in some +detail. + +This tendency to introduce romantic episodes led to an important +development. Several poems are ascribed to Hesiod, such as the +_Epithalamium of Peleus and Thetis_, the _Descent of Theseus into +Hades_, or the _Circuit of the Earth_ (which must have been connected +with the story of Phineus and the Harpies, and so with the +Argonaut-legend), which yet seem to have belonged to the _Catalogues_. +It is highly probable that these poems were interpolations into the +_Catalogues_ expanded by later poets from more summary notices in the +genuine Hesiodic work and subsequently detached from their contexts and +treated as independent. This is definitely known to be true of the +_Shield of Heracles_, the first 53 lines of which belong to the fourth +book of the _Catalogues_, and almost certainly applies to other +episodes, such as the _Suitors of Helen_ 1109, the _Daughters of +Leucippus_, and the _Marriage of Ceyx_, which last Plutarch mentions as +“interpolated in the works of Hesiod.” + +To the _Catalogues_, as we have said, was appended another work, the +_Eoiae_. The title seems to have arisen in the following way 1110: the +_Catalogues_ probably ended (ep. _Theogony_ 963 ff.) with some such +passage as this: “But now, ye Muses, sing of the tribes of women with +whom the Sons of Heaven were joined in love, women pre-eminent above +their fellows in beauty, such as was Niobe (?).” Each succeeding +heroine was then introduced by the formula “Or such as was...” (cp. +frags. 88, 92, etc.). A large fragment of the _Eoiae_ is extant at the +beginning of the _Shield of Heracles_, which may be mentioned here. The +“supplement” (ll. 57-480) is nominally Heracles and Cycnus, but the +greater part is taken up with an inferior description of the shield of +Heracles, in imitation of the Homeric shield of Achilles (_Iliad_ +xviii. 478 ff.). Nothing shows more clearly the collapse of the +principles of the Hesiodic school than this ultimate servile dependence +upon Homeric models. + +At the close of the _Shield_ Heracles goes on to Trachis to the house +of Ceyx, and this warning suggests that the _Marriage of Ceyx_ may have +come immediately after the ‘Or such as was’ of Alcmena in the _Eoiae_: +possibly Halcyone, the wife of Ceyx, was one of the heroines sung in +the poem, and the original section was “developed” into the _Marriage_, +although what form the poem took is unknown. + +Next to the _Eoiae_ and the poems which seemed to have been developed +from it, it is natural to place the _Great Eoiae_. This, again, as we +know from fragments, was a list of heroines who bare children to the +gods: from the title we must suppose it to have been much longer that +the simple _Eoiae_, but its extent is unknown. Lehmann, remarking that +the heroines are all Boeotian and Thessalian (while the heroines of the +_Catalogues_ belong to all parts of the Greek world), believes the +author to have been either a Boeotian or Thessalian. + +Two other poems are ascribed to Hesiod. Of these the _Aegimius_ (also +ascribed by Athenaeus to Cercops of Miletus), is thought by Valckenaer +to deal with the war of Aegimus against the Lapithae and the aid +furnished to him by Heracles, and with the history of Aegimius and his +sons. Otto Muller suggests that the introduction of Thetis and of +Phrixus (frags. 1-2) is to be connected with notices of the allies of +the Lapithae from Phthiotis and Iolchus, and that the story of Io was +incidental to a narrative of Heracles’ expedition against Euboea. The +remaining poem, the _Melampodia_, was a work in three books, whose plan +it is impossible to recover. Its subject, however, seems to have been +the histories of famous seers like Mopsus, Calchas, and Teiresias, and +it probably took its name from Melampus, the most famous of them all. + +Date of the Hesiodic Poems + +There is no doubt that the _Works and Days_ is the oldest, as it is the +most original, of the Hesiodic poems. It seems to be distinctly earlier +than the _Theogony_, which refers to it, apparently, as a poem already +renowned. Two considerations help us to fix a relative date for the +_Works_. (1) In diction, dialect and style it is obviously dependent +upon Homer, and is therefore considerably later than the _Iliad_ and +_Odyssey_: moreover, as we have seen, it is in revolt against the +romantic school, already grown decadent, and while the digamma is still +living, it is obviously growing weak, and is by no means uniformly +effective. + +(2) On the other hand while tradition steadily puts the Cyclic poets at +various dates from 776 B.C. downwards, it is equally consistent in +regarding Homer and Hesiod as “prehistoric”. Herodotus indeed puts both +poets 400 years before his own time; that is, at about 830-820 B.C., +and the evidence stated above points to the middle of the ninth century +as the probable date for the _Works and Days_. The _Theogony_ might be +tentatively placed a century later; and the _Catalogues_ and _Eoiae_ +are again later, but not greatly later, than the _Theogony_: the +_Shield of Heracles_ may be ascribed to the later half of the seventh +century, but there is not evidence enough to show whether the other +“developed” poems are to be regarded as of a date so low as this. + +Literary Value of Homer + +Quintillian’s 1111 judgment on Hesiod that ‘he rarely rises to great +heights... and to him is given the palm in the middle-class of speech’ +is just, but is liable to give a wrong impression. Hesiod has nothing +that remotely approaches such scenes as that between Priam and +Achilles, or the pathos of Andromache’s preparations for Hector’s +return, even as he was falling before the walls of Troy; but in matters +that come within the range of ordinary experience, he rarely fails to +rise to the appropriate level. Take, for instance, the description of +the Iron Age (_Works and Days_, 182 ff.) with its catalogue of +wrongdoings and violence ever increasing until Aidos and Nemesis are +forced to leave mankind who thenceforward shall have ‘no remedy against +evil’. Such occasions, however, rarely occur and are perhaps not +characteristic of Hesiod’s genius: if we would see Hesiod at his best, +in his most natural vein, we must turn to such a passage as that which +he himself—according to the compiler of the _Contest of Hesiod and +Homer_—selected as best in all his work, ‘When the Pleiades, Atlas’ +daughters, begin to rise...’ (_Works and Days_, 383 ff.). The value of +such a passage cannot be analysed: it can only be said that given such +a subject, this alone is the right method of treatment. + +Hesiod’s diction is in the main Homeric, but one of his charms is the +use of quaint allusive phrases derived, perhaps, from a pre-Hesiodic +peasant poetry: thus the season when Boreas blows is the time when ‘the +Boneless One gnaws his foot by his fireless hearth in his cheerless +house’; to cut one’s nails is ‘to sever the withered from the quick +upon that which has five branches’; similarly the burglar is the +‘day-sleeper’, and the serpent is the ‘hairless one’. Very similar is +his reference to seasons through what happens or is done in that +season: ‘when the House-carrier, fleeing the Pleiades, climbs up the +plants from the earth’, is the season for harvesting; or ‘when the +artichoke flowers and the clicking grass-hopper, seated in a tree, +pours down his shrill song’, is the time for rest. + +Hesiod’s charm lies in his child-like and sincere naivete, in his +unaffected interest in and picturesque view of nature and all that +happens in nature. These qualities, it is true, are those pre-eminently +of the _Works and Days_: the literary values of the _Theogony_ are of a +more technical character, skill in ordering and disposing long lists of +names, sure judgment in seasoning a monotonous subject with marvellous +incidents or episodes, and no mean imagination in depicting the awful, +as is shown in the description of Tartarus (ll. 736-745). Yet it +remains true that Hesiod’s distinctive title to a high place in Greek +literature lies in the very fact of his freedom from classic form, and +his grave, and yet child-like, outlook upon his world. + +The Ionic School + +The Ionic School of Epic poetry was, as we have seen, dominated by the +Homeric tradition, and while the style and method of treatment are +Homeric, it is natural that the Ionic poets refrained from cultivating +the ground tilled by Homer, and chose for treatment legends which lay +beyond the range of the _Iliad_ and _Odyssey_. Equally natural it is +that they should have particularly selected various phases of the tale +of Troy which preceded or followed the action of the _Iliad_ or +_Odyssey_. In this way, without any preconceived intention, a body of +epic poetry was built up by various writers which covered the whole +Trojan story. But the entire range of heroic legend was open to these +poets, and other clusters of epics grew up dealing particularly with +the famous story of Thebes, while others dealt with the beginnings of +the world and the wars of heaven. In the end there existed a kind of +epic history of the world, as known to the Greeks, down to the death of +Odysseus, when the heroic age ended. In the Alexandrian Age these poems +were arranged in chronological order, apparently by Zenodotus of +Ephesus, at the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. At a later time the +term _Cycle_, “round” or “course”, was given to this collection. + +Of all this mass of epic poetry only the scantiest fragments survive; +but happily Photius has preserved to us an abridgment of the synopsis +made of each poem of the “Trojan Cycle” by Proclus, _i.e._ Eutychius +Proclus of Sicca. + +The pre-Trojan poems of the Cycle may be noticed first. The +_Titanomachy_, ascribed both to Eumelus of Corinth and to Arctinus of +Miletus, began with a kind of Theogony which told of the union of +Heaven and Earth and of their offspring the Cyclopes and the +Hundred-handed Giants. How the poem proceeded we have no means of +knowing, but we may suppose that in character it was not unlike the +short account of the Titan War found in the Hesiodic _Theogony_ (617 +ff.). + +What links bound the _Titanomachy_ to the Theben Cycle is not clear. +This latter group was formed of three poems, the _Story of Oedipus_, +the _Thebais_, and the _Epigoni_. Of the _Oedipodea_ practically +nothing is known, though on the assurance of Athenaeus (vii. 277 E) +that Sophocles followed the Epic Cycle closely in the plots of his +plays, we may suppose that in outline the story corresponded closely to +the history of Oedipus as it is found in the _Oedipus Tyrannus_. The +_Thebais_ seems to have begun with the origin of the fatal quarrel +between Eteocles and Polyneices in the curse called down upon them by +their father in his misery. The story was thence carried down to the +end of the expedition under Polyneices, Adrastus and Amphiarus against +Thebes. The _Epigoni_ (ascribed to Antimachus of Teos) recounted the +expedition of the “After-Born” against Thebes, and the sack of the +city. + +The Trojan Cycle + +Six epics with the _Iliad_ and the _Odyssey_ made up the Trojan +Cycle—The _Cyprian Lays_, the _Iliad_, the _Aethiopis_, the _Little +Iliad_, the _Sack of Troy_, the _Returns_, the _Odyssey_, and the +_Telegony_. + +It has been assumed in the foregoing pages that the poems of the Trojan +Cycle are later than the Homeric poems; but, as the opposite view has +been held, the reasons for this assumption must now be given. (1) +Tradition puts Homer and the Homeric poems proper back in the ages +before chronological history began, and at the same time assigns the +purely Cyclic poems to definite authors who are dated from the first +Olympiad (776 B.C.) downwards. This tradition cannot be purely +arbitrary. (2) The Cyclic poets (as we can see from the abstract of +Proclus) were careful not to trespass upon ground already occupied by +Homer. Thus, when we find that in the _Returns_ all the prominent Greek +heroes except Odysseus are accounted for, we are forced to believe that +the author of this poem knew the _Odyssey_ and judged it unnecessary to +deal in full with that hero’s adventures. 1112 In a word, the Cyclic +poems are “written round” the _Iliad_ and the _Odyssey_. (3) The +general structure of these epics is clearly imitative. As M.M. Croiset +remark, the abusive Thersites in the _Aethiopis_ is clearly copied from +the Thersites of the _Iliad_; in the same poem Antilochus, slain by +Memnon and avenged by Achilles, is obviously modelled on Patroclus. (4) +The geographical knowledge of a poem like the _Returns_ is far wider +and more precise than that of the _Odyssey_. (5) Moreover, in the +Cyclic poems epic is clearly degenerating morally—if the expression may +be used. The chief greatness of the _Iliad_ is in the character of the +heroes Achilles and Hector rather than in the actual events which take +place: in the Cyclic writers facts rather than character are the +objects of interest, and events are so packed together as to leave no +space for any exhibition of the play of moral forces. All these reasons +justify the view that the poems with which we now have to deal were +later than the _Iliad_ and _Odyssey_, and if we must recognize the +possibility of some conventionality in the received dating, we may feel +confident that it is at least approximately just. + +The earliest of the post-Homeric epics of Troy are apparently the +_Aethiopis_ and the _Sack of Ilium_, both ascribed to Arctinus of +Miletus who is said to have flourished in the first Olympiad (776 +B.C.). He set himself to finish the tale of Troy, which, so far as +events were concerned, had been left half-told by Homer, by tracing the +course of events after the close of the _Iliad_. The _Aethiopis_ thus +included the coming of the Amazon Penthesilea to help the Trojans after +the fall of Hector and her death, the similar arrival and fall of the +Aethiopian Memnon, the death of Achilles under the arrow of Paris, and +the dispute between Odysseus and Aias for the arms of Achilles. The +_Sack of Ilium_ 1113 as analysed by Proclus was very similar to +Vergil’s version in _Aeneid_ ii, comprising the episodes of the wooden +horse, of Laocoon, of Sinon, the return of the Achaeans from Tenedos, +the actual Sack of Troy, the division of spoils and the burning of the +city. + +Lesches or Lescheos (as Pausanias calls him) of Pyrrha or Mitylene is +dated at about 660 B.C. In his _Little Iliad_ he undertook to elaborate +the _Sack_ as related by Arctinus. His work included the adjudgment of +the arms of Achilles to Odysseus, the madness of Aias, the bringing of +Philoctetes from Lemnos and his cure, the coming to the war of +Neoptolemus who slays Eurypylus, son of Telephus, the making of the +wooden horse, the spying of Odysseus and his theft, along with +Diomedes, of the Palladium: the analysis concludes with the admission +of the wooden horse into Troy by the Trojans. It is known, however +(Aristotle, _Poetics_, xxiii; Pausanias, x, 25-27), that the _Little +Iliad_ also contained a description of the _Sack of Troy_. It is +probable that this and other superfluous incidents disappeared after +the Alexandrian arrangement of the poems in the Cycle, either as the +result of some later recension, or merely through disuse. Or Proclus +may have thought it unnecessary to give the accounts by Lesches and +Arctinus of the same incident. + +The _Cyprian Lays_, ascribed to Stasinus of Cyprus 1114 (but also to +Hegesinus of Salamis) was designed to do for the events preceding the +action of the _Iliad_ what Arctinus had done for the later phases of +the Trojan War. The _Cypria_ begins with the first causes of the war, +the purpose of Zeus to relieve the overburdened earth, the apple of +discord, the rape of Helen. Then follow the incidents connected with +the gathering of the Achaeans and their ultimate landing in Troy; and +the story of the war is detailed up to the quarrel between Achilles and +Agamemnon with which the _Iliad_ begins. + +These four poems rounded off the story of the _Iliad_, and it only +remained to connect this enlarged version with the _Odyssey_. This was +done by means of the _Returns_, a poem in five books ascribed to Agias +or Hegias of Troezen, which begins where the _Sack of Troy_ ends. It +told of the dispute between Agamemnon and Menelaus, the departure from +Troy of Menelaus, the fortunes of the lesser heroes, the return and +tragic death of Agamemnon, and the vengeance of Orestes on Aegisthus. +The story ends with the return home of Menelaus, which brings the +general narrative up to the beginning of the _Odyssey_. + +But the _Odyssey_ itself left much untold: what, for example, happened +in Ithaca after the slaying of the suitors, and what was the ultimate +fate of Odysseus? The answer to these questions was supplied by the +_Telegony_, a poem in two books by Eugammon of Cyrene (_fl_. 568 B.C.). +It told of the adventures of Odysseus in Thesprotis after the killing +of the Suitors, of his return to Ithaca, and his death at the hands of +Telegonus, his son by Circe. The epic ended by disposing of the +surviving personages in a double marriage, Telemachus wedding Circe, +and Telegonus Penelope. + +The end of the Cycle marks also the end of the Heroic Age. + +The Homeric Hymns + +The collection of thirty-three Hymns, ascribed to Homer, is the last +considerable work of the Epic School, and seems, on the whole, to be +later than the Cyclic poems. It cannot be definitely assigned either to +the Ionian or Continental schools, for while the romantic element is +very strong, there is a distinct genealogical interest; and in matters +of diction and style the influences of both Hesiod and Homer are +well-marked. The date of the formation of the collection as such is +unknown. Diodorus Siculus (_temp_. Augustus) is the first to mention +such a body of poetry, and it is likely enough that this is, at least +substantially, the one which has come down to us. Thucydides quotes the +Delian _Hymn to Apollo_, and it is possible that the Homeric corpus of +his day also contained other of the more important hymns. Conceivably +the collection was arranged in the Alexandrine period. + +Thucydides, in quoting the _Hymn to Apollo_, calls it PROOIMION, which +ordinarily means a “prelude” chanted by a rhapsode before recitation of +a lay from Homer, and such hymns as Nos. vi, xxxi, xxxii, are clearly +preludes in the strict sense; in No. xxxi, for example, after +celebrating Helios, the poet declares he will next sing of the “race of +mortal men, the demi-gods”. But it may fairly be doubted whether such +Hymns as those to _Demeter_ (ii), _Apollo_ (iii), _Hermes_ (iv), +_Aphrodite_ (v), can have been real preludes, in spite of the closing +formula “and now I will pass on to another hymn”. The view taken by +Allen and Sikes, amongst other scholars, is doubtless right, that these +longer hymns are only technically preludes and show to what +disproportionate lengths a simple literacy form can be developed. + +The Hymns to _Pan_ (xix), to _Dionysus_ (xxvi), to _Hestia and Hermes_ +(xxix), seem to have been designed for use at definite religious +festivals, apart from recitations. With the exception perhaps of the +_Hymn to Ares_ (viii), no item in the collection can be regarded as +either devotional or liturgical. + +The Hymn is doubtless a very ancient form; but if no example of extreme +antiquity survive this must be put down to the fact that until the age +of literary consciousness, such things are not preserved. + +First, apparently, in the collection stood the _Hymn to Dionysus_, of +which only two fragments now survive. While it appears to have been a +hymn of the longer type 1115, we have no evidence to show either its +scope or date. + +The _Hymn to Demeter_, extant only in the MS. discovered by Matthiae at +Moscow, describes the seizure of Persephone by Hades, the grief of +Demeter, her stay at Eleusis, and her vengeance on gods and men by +causing famine. In the end Zeus is forced to bring Persephone back from +the lower world; but the goddess, by the contriving of Hades, still +remains partly a deity of the lower world. In memory of her sorrows +Demeter establishes the Eleusinian mysteries (which, however, were +purely agrarian in origin). + +This hymn, as a literary work, is one of the finest in the collection. +It is surely Attic or Eleusinian in origin. Can we in any way fix its +date? Firstly, it is certainly not later than the beginning of the +sixth century, for it makes no mention of Iacchus, and the Dionysiac +element was introduced at Eleusis at about that period. Further, the +insignificance of Triptolemus and Eumolpus point to considerable +antiquity, and the digamma is still active. All these considerations +point to the seventh century as the probable date of the hymn. + +The _Hymn to Apollo_ consists of two parts, which beyond any doubt were +originally distinct, a Delian hymn and a Pythian hymn. The Delian hymn +describes how Leto, in travail with Apollo, sought out a place in which +to bear her son, and how Apollo, born in Delos, at once claimed for +himself the lyre, the bow, and prophecy. This part of the existing hymn +ends with an encomium of the Delian festival of Apollo and of the +Delian choirs. The second part celebrates the founding of Pytho +(Delphi) as the oracular seat of Apollo. After various wanderings the +god comes to Telphus, near Haliartus, but is dissuaded by the nymph of +the place from settling there and urged to go on to Pytho where, after +slaying the she-dragon who nursed Typhaon, he builds his temple. After +the punishment of Telphusa for her deceit in giving him no warning of +the dragoness at Pytho, Apollo, in the form of a dolphin, brings +certain Cretan shipmen to Delphi to be his priests; and the hymn ends +with a charge to these men to behave orderly and righteously. + +The Delian part is exclusively Ionian and insular both in style and +sympathy; Delos and no other is Apollo’s chosen seat: but the second +part is as definitely continental; Delos is ignored and Delphi alone is +the important centre of Apollo’s worship. From this it is clear that +the two parts need not be of one date—The first, indeed, is ascribed +(Scholiast on Pindar _Nem_. ii, 2) to Cynaethus of Chios (_fl_. 504 +B.C.), a date which is obviously far too low; general considerations +point rather to the eighth century. The second part is not later than +600 B.C.; for (1) the chariot-races at Pytho, which commenced in 586 +B.C., are unknown to the writer of the hymn, (2) the temple built by +Trophonius and Agamedes for Apollo (ll. 294-299) seems to have been +still standing when the hymn was written, and this temple was burned in +548. We may at least be sure that the first part is a Chian work, and +that the second was composed by a continental poet familiar with +Delphi. + +The _Hymn to Hermes_ differs from others in its burlesque, quasi-comic +character, and it is also the best-known of the Hymns to English +readers in consequence of Shelley’s translation. + +After a brief narrative of the birth of Hermes, the author goes on to +show how he won a place among the gods. First the new-born child found +a tortoise and from its shell contrived the lyre; next, with much +cunning circumstance, he stole Apollo’s cattle and, when charged with +the theft by Apollo, forced that god to appear in undignified guise +before the tribunal of Zeus. Zeus seeks to reconcile the pair, and +Hermes by the gift of the lyre wins Apollo’s friendship and purchases +various prerogatives, a share in divination, the lordship of herds and +animals, and the office of messenger from the gods to Hades. + +The Hymn is hard to date. Hermes’ lyre has seven strings and the +invention of the seven-stringed lyre is ascribed to Terpander (_flor_. +676 B.C.). The hymn must therefore be later than that date, though +Terpander, according to Weir Smyth 1116, may have only modified the +scale of the lyre; yet while the burlesque character precludes an early +date, this feature is far removed, as Allen and Sikes remark, from the +silliness of the _Battle of the Frogs and Mice_, so that a date in the +earlier part of the sixth century is most probable. + +The _Hymn to Aphrodite_ is not the least remarkable, from a literary +point of view, of the whole collection, exhibiting as it does in a +masterly manner a divine being as the unwilling victim of an +irresistible force. It tells how all creatures, and even the gods +themselves, are subject to the will of Aphrodite, saving only Artemis, +Athena, and Hestia; how Zeus to humble her pride of power caused her to +love a mortal, Anchises; and how the goddess visited the hero upon Mt. +Ida. A comparison of this work with the Lay of Demodocus (_Odyssey_ +viii, 266 ff.), which is superficially similar, will show how far +superior is the former in which the goddess is but a victim to forces +stronger than herself. The lines (247-255) in which Aphrodite tells of +her humiliation and grief are specially noteworthy. + +There are only general indications of date. The influence of Hesiod is +clear, and the hymn has almost certainly been used by the author of the +_Hymn to Demeter_, so that the date must lie between these two periods, +and the seventh century seems to be the latest date possible. + +The _Hymn to Dionysus_ relates how the god was seized by pirates and +how with many manifestations of power he avenged himself on them by +turning them into dolphins. The date is widely disputed, for while +Ludwich believes it to be a work of the fourth or third century, Allen +and Sikes consider a sixth or seventh century date to be possible. The +story is figured in a different form on the reliefs from the choragic +monument of Lysicrates, now in the British Museum 1117. + +Very different in character is the _Hymn to Ares_, which is Orphic in +character. The writer, after lauding the god by detailing his +attributes, prays to be delivered from feebleness and weakness of soul, +as also from impulses to wanton and brutal violence. + +The only other considerable hymn is that to _Pan_, which describes how +he roams hunting among the mountains and thickets and streams, how he +makes music at dusk while returning from the chase, and how he joins in +dancing with the nymphs who sing the story of his birth. This, beyond +most works of Greek literature, is remarkable for its fresh and +spontaneous love of wild natural scenes. + +The remaining hymns are mostly of the briefest compass, merely hailing +the god to be celebrated and mentioning his chief attributes. The Hymns +to _Hermes_ (xviii), to the _Dioscuri_ (xvii), and to _Demeter_ (xiii) +are mere abstracts of the longer hymns iv, xxxiii, and ii. + +The Epigrams of Homer + +The _Epigrams of Homer_ are derived from the pseudo-Herodotean _Life of +Homer_, but many of them occur in other documents such as the _Contest +of Homer and Hesiod_, or are quoted by various ancient authors. These +poetic fragments clearly antedate the “Life” itself, which seems to +have been so written round them as to supply appropriate occasions for +their composition. Epigram iii on Midas of Larissa was otherwise +attributed to Cleobulus of Lindus, one of the Seven Sages; the address +to Glaucus (xi) is purely Hesiodic; xiii, according to MM. Croiset, is +a fragment from a gnomic poem. Epigram xiv is a curious poem attributed +on no very obvious grounds to Hesiod by Julius Pollox. In it the poet +invokes Athena to protect certain potters and their craft, if they +will, according to promise, give him a reward for his song; if they +prove false, malignant gnomes are invoked to wreck the kiln and hurt +the potters. + +The Burlesque Poems + +To Homer were popularly ascribed certain burlesque poems in which +Aristotle (_Poetics_ iv) saw the germ of comedy. Most interesting of +these, were it extant, would be the _Margites_. The hero of the epic is +at once sciolist and simpleton, “knowing many things, but knowing them +all badly”. It is unfortunately impossible to trace the plan of the +poem, which presumably detailed the adventures of this unheroic +character: the metre used was a curious mixture of hexametric and +iambic lines. The date of such a work cannot be high: Croiset thinks it +may belong to the period of Archilochus (c. 650 B.C.), but it may well +be somewhat later. + +Another poem, of which we know even less, is the _Cercopes_. These +Cercopes (‘Monkey-Men’) were a pair of malignant dwarfs who went about +the world mischief-making. Their punishment by Heracles is represented +on one of the earlier metopes from Selinus. It would be idle to +speculate as to the date of this work. + +Finally there is the _Battle of the Frogs and Mice_. Here is told the +story of the quarrel which arose between the two tribes, and how they +fought, until Zeus sent crabs to break up the battle. It is a parody of +the warlike epic, but has little in it that is really comic or of +literary merit, except perhaps the list of quaint arms assumed by the +warriors. The text of the poem is in a chaotic condition, and there are +many interpolations, some of Byzantine date. + +Though popularly ascribed to Homer, its real author is said by Suidas +to have been Pigres, a Carian, brother of Artemisia, ‘wife of +Mausolus’, who distinguished herself at the battle of Salamis. + +Suidas is confusing the two Artemisias, but he may be right in +attributing the poem to about 480 B.C. + +The Contest of Homer and Hesiod + +This curious work dates in its present form from the lifetime or +shortly after the death of Hadrian, but seems to be based in part on an +earlier version by the sophist Alcidamas (c. 400 B.C.). Plutarch +(_Conviv. Sept. Sap._, 40) uses an earlier (or at least a shorter) +version than that which we possess 1118. The extant _Contest_, however, +has clearly combined with the original document much other ill-digested +matter on the life and descent of Homer, probably drawing on the same +general sources as does the Herodotean _Life of Homer_. Its scope is as +follows: (1) the descent (as variously reported) and relative dates of +Homer and Hesiod; (2) their poetical contest at Chalcis; (3) the death +of Hesiod; (4) the wanderings and fortunes of Homer, with brief notices +of the circumstances under which his reputed works were composed, down +to the time of his death. + +The whole tract is, of course, mere romance; its only values are (1) +the insight it give into ancient speculations about Homer; (2) a +certain amount of definite information about the Cyclic poems; and (3) +the epic fragments included in the stichomythia of the _Contest_ +proper, many of which—did we possess the clue—would have to be referred +to poems of the Epic Cycle. + + + + +BIBLIOGRAPHY + + +HESIOD.—The classification and numerations of MSS. here followed is +that of Rzach (1913). It is only necessary to add that on the whole the +recovery of Hesiodic papyri goes to confirm the authority of the +mediaeval MSS. At the same time these fragments have produced much that +is interesting and valuable, such as the new lines, _Works and Days_ +169 a-d, and the improved readings _ib_. 278, _Theogony_ 91, 93. Our +chief gains from papyri are the numerous and excellent fragments of the +Catalogues which have been recovered. + +_Works and Days:_— + +S Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1090. + +A Vienna, Rainer Papyri L.P. 21-9 (4th cent.). + +B Geneva, Naville Papyri Pap. 94 (6th cent.). + +C Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2771 (11th cent.). + +D Florence, Laur. xxxi 39 (12th cent.). + +E Messina, Univ. Lib. Preexistens 11 (12th-13th cent.). + +F Rome, Vatican 38 (14th cent.). + +G Venice, Marc. ix 6 (14th cent.). + +H Florence, Laur. xxxi 37 (14th cent.). + +I Florence, Laur. xxxii 16 (13th cent.). + +K Florence, Laur. xxxii 2 (14th cent.). + +L Milan, Ambros. G 32 sup. (14th cent.). + +M Florence, Bibl. Riccardiana 71 (15th cent.). + +N Milan, Ambros. J 15 sup. (15th cent.). + +O Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2773 (14th cent.). + +P Cambridge, Trinity College (Gale MS.), O.9.27 (13th-14th cent.). + +Q Rome, Vatican 1332 (14th cent.). + +These MSS. are divided by Rzach into the following families, issuing +from a common original:— + +Ωa = C + +Ωb = F, G, H + +Ψa = D + +Ψb = I ,K, L, M + +Φa = E + +Φb = N, O, P, Q + +_Theogony:_— + +N Manchester, Rylands GK. Papyri No. 54 (1st cent. B.C.—1st cent. +A.D.). + +O Oxyrhynchus Papyri 873 (3rd cent.). + +A Paris, Bibl. Nat. Suppl. Graec. (papyrus) 1099 (4th-5th cent.). + +B London, British Museam clix (4th cent.). + +R Vienna, Rainer Papyri L.P. 21-9 (4th cent.). + +C Paris, Bibl. Nat. Suppl. Graec. 663 (12th cent.). + +D Florence, Laur. xxxii 16 (13th cent.). + +E Florence, Laur., Conv. suppr. 158 (14th cent.). + +F Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2833 (15th cent.). + +G Rome, Vatican 915 (14th cent.). + +H Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2772 (14th cent.). + +I Florence, Laur. xxxi 32 (15th cent.). + +K Venice, Marc. ix 6 (15th cent.). + +L Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2708 (15th cent.). + +These MSS. are divided into two families: + +Ωa = C,D + +Ωb = E, F + +Ωc = G, H, I + +Ψ = K, L + +_Shield of Heracles:_— + +P Oxyrhynchus Papyri 689 (2nd cent.). + +A Vienna, Rainer Papyri L.P. 21-29 (4th cent.). + +Q Berlin Papyri, 9774 (1st cent.). + +B Paris, Bibl. Nat., Suppl. Graec. 663 (12th cent.). + +C Paris, Bibl. Nat., Suppl. Graec. 663 (12th cent.). + +D Milan, Ambros. C 222 (13th cent.). + +E Florence, Laur. xxxii 16 (13th cent.). + +F Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2773 (14th cent.). + +G Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2772 (14th cent.). + +H Florence, Laur. xxxi 32 (15th cent.). + +I London, British Museam Harleianus (14th cent.). + +K Rome, Bibl. Casanat. 356 (14th cent.) + +L Florence, Laur. Conv. suppr. 158 (14th cent.). + +M Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2833 (15th cent.). + +These MSS. belong to two families: + +Ωa = B, C, D, F + +Ωb = G, H, I + +Ψa = E + +Ψb = K, L, M + +To these must be added two MSS. of mixed family: + +N Venice, Marc. ix 6 (14th cent.). + +O Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2708 (15th cent.). + +_Editions of Hesiod:_— + +Demetrius Chalcondyles, Milan (?) 1493 (?) (_editio princeps_, +containing, however, only the _Works and Days_). + +Aldus Manutius (Aldine edition), Venice, 1495 (complete works). + +Juntine Editions, 1515 and 1540. + +Trincavelli, Venice, 1537 (with scholia). + +Of modern editions, the following may be noticed:— + +Gaisford, Oxford, 1814-1820; Leipzig, 1823 (with scholia: in Poett. +Graec. Minn II). + +Goettling, Gotha, 1831 (3rd edition. Leipzig, 1878). + +Didot Edition, Paris, 1840. + +Schömann, 1869. + +Koechly and Kinkel, Leipzig, 1870. + +Flach, Leipzig, 1874-8. + +Rzach, Leipzig, 1902 (larger edition), 1913 (smaller edition). + +On the Hesiodic poems generally the ordinary Histories of Greek +Literature may be consulted, but especially the _Hist. de la +Littérature Grecque_ I pp. 459 ff. of MM. Croiset. The summary account +in Prof. Murray’s _Anc. Gk. Lit._ is written with a strong sceptical +bias. Very valuable is the appendix to Mair’s translation (Oxford, +1908) on _The Farmer’s Year in Hesiod_. Recent work on the Hesiodic +poems is reviewed in full by Rzach in Bursian’s _Jahresberichte_ vols. +100 (1899) and 152 (1911). + +For the _Fragments_ of Hesiodic poems the work of Markscheffel, +_Hesiodi Fragmenta_ (Leipzig, 1840), is most valuable: important also +is Kinkel’s _Epicorum Graecorum Fragmenta_ I (Leipzig, 1877) and the +editions of Rzach noticed above. For recently discovered papyrus +fragments see Wilamowitz, _Neue Bruchstücke d. Hesiod Katalog_ +(Sitzungsb. der k. preuss. Akad. fur Wissenschaft, 1900, pp. 839-851). +A list of papyri belonging to lost Hesiodic works may here be added: +all are the _Catalogues_. + +1) Berlin Papyri 7497 1201 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 7. + +2) _Oxyrhynchus Papyri_ 421 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 7. + +3) _Petrie Papyri_ iii 3.—Frag. 14. + +4) _Papiri greci e latine_, No. 130 (2nd-3rd cent.).—Frag. 14. + +5) Strassburg Papyri, 55 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 58. + +6) Berlin Papyri 9739 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 58. + +7) Berlin Papyri 10560 (3rd cent.).—Frag. 58. + +8) Berlin Papyri 9777 (4th cent.).—Frag. 98. + +9) _Papiri greci e latine_, No. 131 (2nd-3rd cent.).—Frag. 99. + +10) Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358-9. + +_The Homeric Hymns:_—The text of the Homeric hymns is distinctly bad in +condition, a fact which may be attributed to the general neglect under +which they seem to have laboured at all periods previously to the +Revival of Learning. Very many defects have been corrected by the +various editions of the Hymns, but a considerable number still defy all +efforts; and especially an abnormal number of undoubted lacuna +disfigure the text. Unfortunately no papyrus fragment of the Hymns has +yet emerged, though one such fragment (_Berl. Klassikertexte_ v.1. pp. +7 ff.) contains a paraphrase of a poem very closely parallel to the +_Hymn to Demeter_. + +The mediaeval MSS. 1202 are thus enumerated by Dr. T.W. Allen:— + +A Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2763. + +At Athos, Vatopedi 587. + +B Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2765. + +C Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2833. + +Γ Brussels, Bibl. Royale 11377-11380 (16th cent.). + +D Milan, Amrbos. B 98 sup. + +E Modena, Estense iii E 11. + +G Rome, Vatican, Regina 91 (16th cent.). + +H London, British Mus. Harley 1752. + +J Modena, Estense, ii B 14. + +K Florence, Laur. 31, 32. + +L Florence, Laur. 32, 45. + +L2 Florence, Laur. 70, 35. + +L3 Florence, Laur. 32, 4. + +M Leyden (the Moscow MS.) 33 H (14th cent.). + +Mon. Munich, Royal Lib. 333 c. + +N Leyden, 74 c. + +O Milan, Ambros. C 10 inf. + +P Rome, Vatican Pal. graec. 179. + +Π Paris, Bibl. Nat. Suppl. graec. 1095. + +Q Milan, Ambros. S 31 sup. + +R1 Florence, Bibl. Riccard. 53 K ii 13. + +R2 Florence, Bibl. Riccard. 52 K ii 14. + +S Rome, Vatican, Vaticani graec. 1880. + +T Madrid, Public Library 24. + +V Venice, Marc. 456. + +The same scholar has traced all the MSS. back to a common parent from +which three main families are derived (M had a separate descent and is +not included in any family):— + +x1 = E, T + +x2 = L, Π,(and more remotely) At, D, S, H, J, K. + +y = E, L, Π, T (marginal readings). + +p = A, B, C, Γ, G, L2, L3, N, O, P, Q, R1, R2, V, Mon. + +_Editions of the Homeric Hymns_, &c. + +Demetrius Chalcondyles, Florence, 1488 (with the _Epigrams_ and the +_Battle of the Frogs and Mice_ in the _ed. pr._ of Homer). + +Aldine Edition, Venice, 1504. + +Juntine Edition, 1537. + +Stephanus, Paris, 1566 and 1588. + +More modern editions or critical works of value are: + +Martin (Variarum Lectionum libb. iv), Paris, 1605. + +Barnes, Cambridge, 1711. + +Ruhnken, Leyden, 1782 (Epist. Crit. and _Hymn to Demeter_). + +Ilgen, Halle, 1796 (with _Epigrams_ and the _Battle of the Frogs and +Mice_). + +Matthiae, Leipzig, 1806 (with the _Battle of the Frogs and Mice_). + +Hermann, Berling, 1806 (with _Epigrams_). + +Franke, Leipzig, 1828 (with _Epigrams_ and the _Battle of the Frogs and +Mice_). + +Dindorff (Didot edition), Paris, 1837. + +Baumeister (_Battle of the Frogs and Mice_), Göttingen, 1852. + +Baumeister (_Hymns_), Leipzig, 1860. + +Gemoll, Leipzig, 1886. + +Goodwin, Oxford, 1893. + +Ludwich (_Battle of the Frogs and Mice_), 1896. + +Allen and Sikes, London, 1904. + +Allen (Homeri Opera v), Oxford, 1912. + +Of these editions that of Messrs Allen and Sikes is by far the best: +not only is the text purged of the load of conjectures for which the +frequent obscurities of the Hymns offer a special opening, but the +Introduction and the Notes throughout are of the highest value. For a +full discussion of the MSS. and textual problems, reference must be +made to this edition, as also to Dr. T.W. Allen’s series of articles in +the _Journal of Hellenic Studies_ vols. xv ff. Among translations those +of J. Edgar (Edinburgh), 1891) and of Andrew Lang (London, 1899) may be +mentioned. + +_The Epic Cycle_. + +The fragments of the Epic Cycle, being drawn from a variety of authors, +no list of MSS. can be given. The following collections and editions +may be mentioned:— + +Muller, Leipzig, 1829. + +Dindorff (Didot edition of Homer), Paris, 1837-56. + +Kinkel (Epicorum Graecorum Fragmenta i), Leipzig, 1877. + +Allen (Homeri Opera v), Oxford, 1912. + +The fullest discussion of the problems and fragments of the epic cycle +is F.G. Welcker’s _der epische Cyclus_ (Bonn, vol. i, 1835: vol. ii, +1849: vol. i, 2nd edition, 1865). The Appendix to Monro’s _Homer’s +Odyssey_ xii-xxiv (pp. 340 ff.) deals with the Cyclic poets in relation +to Homer, and a clear and reasonable discussion of the subject is to be +found in Croiset’s _Hist. de la Littérature Grecque_, vol. i. + +On Hesiod, the Hesiodic poems and the problems which these offer see +Rzach’s most important article “Hesiodos” in Pauly-Wissowa, +_Real-Encyclopädie_ xv (1912). + +A discussion of the evidence for the date of Hesiod is to be found in +_Journ. Hell. Stud._ xxxv, 85 ff. (T.W. Allen). + +Of translations of Hesiod the following may be noticed:—_The Georgicks +of Hesiod_, by George Chapman, London, 1618; _The Works of Hesiod +translated from the Greek_, by Thomas Coocke, London, 1728; _The +Remains of Hesiod translated from the Greek into English Verse_, by +Charles Abraham Elton; _The Works of Hesiod, Callimachus, and +Theognis_, by the Rev. J. Banks, M.A.; “Hesiod”, by Prof. James Mair, +Oxford, 19081203. + + + + +HESIOD + +HESIOD’S WORKS AND DAYS + +(ll. 1-10) Muses of Pieria who give glory through song, come hither, +tell of Zeus your father and chant his praise. Through him mortal men +are famed or un-famed, sung or unsung alike, as great Zeus wills. For +easily he makes strong, and easily he brings the strong man low; easily +he humbles the proud and raises the obscure, and easily he straightens +the crooked and blasts the proud,—Zeus who thunders aloft and has his +dwelling most high. + +Attend thou with eye and ear, and make judgements straight with +righteousness. And I, Perses, would tell of true things. + +(ll. 11-24) So, after all, there was not one kind of Strife alone, but +all over the earth there are two. As for the one, a man would praise +her when he came to understand her; but the other is blameworthy: and +they are wholly different in nature. For one fosters evil war and +battle, being cruel: her no man loves; but perforce, through the will +of the deathless gods, men pay harsh Strife her honour due. But the +other is the elder daughter of dark Night, and the son of Cronos who +sits above and dwells in the aether, set her in the roots of the earth: +and she is far kinder to men. She stirs up even the shiftless to toil; +for a man grows eager to work when he considers his neighbour, a rich +man who hastens to plough and plant and put his house in good order; +and neighbour vies with his neighbour as he hurries after wealth. This +Strife is wholesome for men. And potter is angry with potter, and +craftsman with craftsman, and beggar is jealous of beggar, and minstrel +of minstrel. + +(ll. 25-41) Perses, lay up these things in your heart, and do not let +that Strife who delights in mischief hold your heart back from work, +while you peep and peer and listen to the wrangles of the court-house. +Little concern has he with quarrels and courts who has not a year’s +victuals laid up betimes, even that which the earth bears, Demeter’s +grain. When you have got plenty of that, you can raise disputes and +strive to get another’s goods. But you shall have no second chance to +deal so again: nay, let us settle our dispute here with true judgement +divided our inheritance, but you seized the greater share and carried +it off, greatly swelling the glory of our bribe-swallowing lords who +love to judge such a cause as this. Fools! They know not how much more +the half is than the whole, nor what great advantage there is in mallow +and asphodel 1301. + +(ll. 42-53) For the gods keep hidden from men the means of life. Else +you would easily do work enough in a day to supply you for a full year +even without working; soon would you put away your rudder over the +smoke, and the fields worked by ox and sturdy mule would run to waste. +But Zeus in the anger of his heart hid it, because Prometheus the +crafty deceived him; therefore he planned sorrow and mischief against +men. He hid fire; but that the noble son of Iapetus stole again for men +from Zeus the counsellor in a hollow fennel-stalk, so that Zeus who +delights in thunder did not see it. But afterwards Zeus who gathers the +clouds said to him in anger: + +(ll. 54-59) ‘Son of Iapetus, surpassing all in cunning, you are glad +that you have outwitted me and stolen fire—a great plague to you +yourself and to men that shall be. But I will give men as the price for +fire an evil thing in which they may all be glad of heart while they +embrace their own destruction.’ + +(ll. 60-68) So said the father of men and gods, and laughed aloud. And +he bade famous Hephaestus make haste and mix earth with water and to +put in it the voice and strength of human kind, and fashion a sweet, +lovely maiden-shape, like to the immortal goddesses in face; and Athene +to teach her needlework and the weaving of the varied web; and golden +Aphrodite to shed grace upon her head and cruel longing and cares that +weary the limbs. And he charged Hermes the guide, the Slayer of Argus, +to put in her a shameless mind and a deceitful nature. + +(ll. 69-82) So he ordered. And they obeyed the lord Zeus the son of +Cronos. Forthwith the famous Lame God moulded clay in the likeness of a +modest maid, as the son of Cronos purposed. And the goddess bright-eyed +Athene girded and clothed her, and the divine Graces and queenly +Persuasion put necklaces of gold upon her, and the rich-haired Hours +crowned her head with spring flowers. And Pallas Athene bedecked her +form with all manners of finery. Also the Guide, the Slayer of Argus, +contrived within her lies and crafty words and a deceitful nature at +the will of loud thundering Zeus, and the Herald of the gods put speech +in her. And he called this woman Pandora 1302, because all they who +dwelt on Olympus gave each a gift, a plague to men who eat bread. + +(ll. 83-89) But when he had finished the sheer, hopeless snare, the +Father sent glorious Argos-Slayer, the swift messenger of the gods, to +take it to Epimetheus as a gift. And Epimetheus did not think on what +Prometheus had said to him, bidding him never take a gift of Olympian +Zeus, but to send it back for fear it might prove to be something +harmful to men. But he took the gift, and afterwards, when the evil +thing was already his, he understood. + +(ll. 90-105) For ere this the tribes of men lived on earth remote and +free from ills and hard toil and heavy sickness which bring the Fates +upon men; for in misery men grow old quickly. But the woman took off +the great lid of the jar 1303 with her hands and scattered all these +and her thought caused sorrow and mischief to men. Only Hope remained +there in an unbreakable home within under the rim of the great jar, and +did not fly out at the door; for ere that, the lid of the jar stopped +her, by the will of Aegis-holding Zeus who gathers the clouds. But the +rest, countless plagues, wander amongst men; for earth is full of evils +and the sea is full. Of themselves diseases come upon men continually +by day and by night, bringing mischief to mortals silently; for wise +Zeus took away speech from them. So is there no way to escape the will +of Zeus. + +(ll. 106-108) Or if you will, I will sum you up another tale well and +skilfully—and do you lay it up in your heart,—how the gods and mortal +men sprang from one source. + +(ll. 109-120) First of all the deathless gods who dwell on Olympus made +a golden race of mortal men who lived in the time of Cronos when he was +reigning in heaven. And they lived like gods without sorrow of heart, +remote and free from toil and grief: miserable age rested not on them; +but with legs and arms never failing they made merry with feasting +beyond the reach of all evils. When they died, it was as though they +were overcome with sleep, and they had all good things; for the +fruitful earth unforced bare them fruit abundantly and without stint. +They dwelt in ease and peace upon their lands with many good things, +rich in flocks and loved by the blessed gods. + +(ll. 121-139) But after earth had covered this generation—they are +called pure spirits dwelling on the earth, and are kindly, delivering +from harm, and guardians of mortal men; for they roam everywhere over +the earth, clothed in mist and keep watch on judgements and cruel +deeds, givers of wealth; for this royal right also they received;—then +they who dwell on Olympus made a second generation which was of silver +and less noble by far. It was like the golden race neither in body nor +in spirit. A child was brought up at his good mother’s side an hundred +years, an utter simpleton, playing childishly in his own home. But when +they were full grown and were come to the full measure of their prime, +they lived only a little time in sorrow because of their foolishness, +for they could not keep from sinning and from wronging one another, nor +would they serve the immortals, nor sacrifice on the holy altars of the +blessed ones as it is right for men to do wherever they dwell. Then +Zeus the son of Cronos was angry and put them away, because they would +not give honour to the blessed gods who live on Olympus. + +(ll. 140-155) But when earth had covered this generation also—they are +called blessed spirits of the underworld by men, and, though they are +of second order, yet honour attends them also—Zeus the Father made a +third generation of mortal men, a brazen race, sprung from ash-trees +1304; and it was in no way equal to the silver age, but was terrible +and strong. They loved the lamentable works of Ares and deeds of +violence; they ate no bread, but were hard of heart like adamant, +fearful men. Great was their strength and unconquerable the arms which +grew from their shoulders on their strong limbs. Their armour was of +bronze, and their houses of bronze, and of bronze were their +implements: there was no black iron. These were destroyed by their own +hands and passed to the dank house of chill Hades, and left no name: +terrible though they were, black Death seized them, and they left the +bright light of the sun. + +(ll. 156-169b) But when earth had covered this generation also, Zeus +the son of Cronos made yet another, the fourth, upon the fruitful +earth, which was nobler and more righteous, a god-like race of hero-men +who are called demi-gods, the race before our own, throughout the +boundless earth. Grim war and dread battle destroyed a part of them, +some in the land of Cadmus at seven-gated Thebe when they fought for +the flocks of Oedipus, and some, when it had brought them in ships over +the great sea gulf to Troy for rich-haired Helen’s sake: there death’s +end enshrouded a part of them. But to the others father Zeus the son of +Cronos gave a living and an abode apart from men, and made them dwell +at the ends of earth. And they live untouched by sorrow in the islands +of the blessed along the shore of deep swirling Ocean, happy heroes for +whom the grain-giving earth bears honey-sweet fruit flourishing thrice +a year, far from the deathless gods, and Cronos rules over them 1305; +for the father of men and gods released him from his bonds. And these +last equally have honour and glory. + +(ll. 169c-169d) And again far-seeing Zeus made yet another generation, +the fifth, of men who are upon the bounteous earth. + +(ll. 170-201) Thereafter, would that I were not among the men of the +fifth generation, but either had died before or been born afterwards. +For now truly is a race of iron, and men never rest from labour and +sorrow by day, and from perishing by night; and the gods shall lay sore +trouble upon them. But, notwithstanding, even these shall have some +good mingled with their evils. And Zeus will destroy this race of +mortal men also when they come to have grey hair on the temples at +their birth 1306. The father will not agree with his children, nor the +children with their father, nor guest with his host, nor comrade with +comrade; nor will brother be dear to brother as aforetime. Men will +dishonour their parents as they grow quickly old, and will carp at +them, chiding them with bitter words, hard-hearted they, not knowing +the fear of the gods. They will not repay their aged parents the cost +their nurture, for might shall be their right: and one man will sack +another’s city. There will be no favour for the man who keeps his oath +or for the just or for the good; but rather men will praise the +evil-doer and his violent dealing. Strength will be right and reverence +will cease to be; and the wicked will hurt the worthy man, speaking +false words against him, and will swear an oath upon them. Envy, +foul-mouthed, delighting in evil, with scowling face, will go along +with wretched men one and all. And then Aidos and Nemesis 1307, with +their sweet forms wrapped in white robes, will go from the wide-pathed +earth and forsake mankind to join the company of the deathless gods: +and bitter sorrows will be left for mortal men, and there will be no +help against evil. + +(ll. 202-211) And now I will tell a fable for princes who themselves +understand. Thus said the hawk to the nightingale with speckled neck, +while he carried her high up among the clouds, gripped fast in his +talons, and she, pierced by his crooked talons, cried pitifully. To her +he spoke disdainfully: ‘Miserable thing, why do you cry out? One far +stronger than you now holds you fast, and you must go wherever I take +you, songstress as you are. And if I please I will make my meal of you, +or let you go. He is a fool who tries to withstand the stronger, for he +does not get the mastery and suffers pain besides his shame.’ So said +the swiftly flying hawk, the long-winged bird. + +(ll. 212-224) But you, Perses, listen to right and do not foster +violence; for violence is bad for a poor man. Even the prosperous +cannot easily bear its burden, but is weighed down under it when he has +fallen into delusion. The better path is to go by on the other side +towards justice; for Justice beats Outrage when she comes at length to +the end of the race. But only when he has suffered does the fool learn +this. For Oath keeps pace with wrong judgements. There is a noise when +Justice is being dragged in the way where those who devour bribes and +give sentence with crooked judgements, take her. And she, wrapped in +mist, follows to the city and haunts of the people, weeping, and +bringing mischief to men, even to such as have driven her forth in that +they did not deal straightly with her. + +(ll. 225-237) But they who give straight judgements to strangers and to +the men of the land, and go not aside from what is just, their city +flourishes, and the people prosper in it: Peace, the nurse of children, +is abroad in their land, and all-seeing Zeus never decrees cruel war +against them. Neither famine nor disaster ever haunt men who do true +justice; but light-heartedly they tend the fields which are all their +care. The earth bears them victual in plenty, and on the mountains the +oak bears acorns upon the top and bees in the midst. Their woolly sheep +are laden with fleeces; their women bear children like their parents. +They flourish continually with good things, and do not travel on ships, +for the grain-giving earth bears them fruit. + +(ll. 238-247) But for those who practise violence and cruel deeds +far-seeing Zeus, the son of Cronos, ordains a punishment. Often even a +whole city suffers for a bad man who sins and devises presumptuous +deeds, and the son of Cronos lays great trouble upon the people, famine +and plague together, so that the men perish away, and their women do +not bear children, and their houses become few, through the contriving +of Olympian Zeus. And again, at another time, the son of Cronos either +destroys their wide army, or their walls, or else makes an end of their +ships on the sea. + +(ll. 248-264) You princes, mark well this punishment you also; for the +deathless gods are near among men and mark all those who oppress their +fellows with crooked judgements, and reck not the anger of the gods. +For upon the bounteous earth Zeus has thrice ten thousand spirits, +watchers of mortal men, and these keep watch on judgements and deeds of +wrong as they roam, clothed in mist, all over the earth. And there is +virgin Justice, the daughter of Zeus, who is honoured and reverenced +among the gods who dwell on Olympus, and whenever anyone hurts her with +lying slander, she sits beside her father, Zeus the son of Cronos, and +tells him of men’s wicked heart, until the people pay for the mad folly +of their princes who, evilly minded, pervert judgement and give +sentence crookedly. Keep watch against this, you princes, and make +straight your judgements, you who devour bribes; put crooked judgements +altogether from your thoughts. + +(ll. 265-266) He does mischief to himself who does mischief to another, +and evil planned harms the plotter most. + +(ll. 267-273) The eye of Zeus, seeing all and understanding all, +beholds these things too, if so he will, and fails not to mark what +sort of justice is this that the city keeps within it. Now, therefore, +may neither I myself be righteous among men, nor my son—for then it is +a bad thing to be righteous—if indeed the unrighteous shall have the +greater right. But I think that all-wise Zeus will not yet bring that +to pass. + +(ll. 274-285) But you, Perses, lay up these things within your heart +and listen now to right, ceasing altogether to think of violence. For +the son of Cronos has ordained this law for men, that fishes and beasts +and winged fowls should devour one another, for right is not in them; +but to mankind he gave right which proves far the best. For whoever +knows the right and is ready to speak it, far-seeing Zeus gives him +prosperity; but whoever deliberately lies in his witness and forswears +himself, and so hurts Justice and sins beyond repair, that man’s +generation is left obscure thereafter. But the generation of the man +who swears truly is better thenceforward. + +(ll. 286-292) To you, foolish Perses, I will speak good sense. Badness +can be got easily and in shoals: the road to her is smooth, and she +lives very near us. But between us and Goodness the gods have placed +the sweat of our brows: long and steep is the path that leads to her, +and it is rough at the first; but when a man has reached the top, then +is she easy to reach, though before that she was hard. + +(ll. 293-319) That man is altogether best who considers all things +himself and marks what will be better afterwards and at the end; and +he, again, is good who listens to a good adviser; but whoever neither +thinks for himself nor keeps in mind what another tells him, he is an +unprofitable man. But do you at any rate, always remembering my charge, +work, high-born Perses, that Hunger may hate you, and venerable Demeter +richly crowned may love you and fill your barn with food; for Hunger is +altogether a meet comrade for the sluggard. Both gods and men are angry +with a man who lives idle, for in nature he is like the stingless +drones who waste the labour of the bees, eating without working; but +let it be your care to order your work properly, that in the right +season your barns may be full of victual. Through work men grow rich in +flocks and substance, and working they are much better loved by the +immortals 1308. Work is no disgrace: it is idleness which is a +disgrace. But if you work, the idle will soon envy you as you grow +rich, for fame and renown attend on wealth. And whatever be your lot, +work is best for you, if you turn your misguided mind away from other +men’s property to your work and attend to your livelihood as I bid you. +An evil shame is the needy man’s companion, shame which both greatly +harms and prospers men: shame is with poverty, but confidence with +wealth. + +(ll. 320-341) Wealth should not be seized: god-given wealth is much +better; for if a man take great wealth violently and perforce, or if he +steal it through his tongue, as often happens when gain deceives men’s +sense and dishonour tramples down honour, the gods soon blot him out +and make that man’s house low, and wealth attends him only for a little +time. Alike with him who does wrong to a suppliant or a guest, or who +goes up to his brother’s bed and commits unnatural sin in lying with +his wife, or who infatuately offends against fatherless children, or +who abuses his old father at the cheerless threshold of old age and +attacks him with harsh words, truly Zeus himself is angry, and at the +last lays on him a heavy requittal for his evil doing. But do you turn +your foolish heart altogether away from these things, and, as far as +you are able, sacrifice to the deathless gods purely and cleanly, and +burn rich meats also, and at other times propitiate them with libations +and incense, both when you go to bed and when the holy light has come +back, that they may be gracious to you in heart and spirit, and so you +may buy another’s holding and not another yours. + +(ll. 342-351) Call your friend to a feast; but leave your enemy alone; +and especially call him who lives near you: for if any mischief happen +in the place, neighbours come ungirt, but kinsmen stay to gird +themselves 1309. A bad neighbour is as great a plague as a good one is +a great blessing; he who enjoys a good neighbour has a precious +possession. Not even an ox would die but for a bad neighbour. Take fair +measure from your neighbour and pay him back fairly with the same +measure, or better, if you can; so that if you are in need afterwards, +you may find him sure. + +(ll. 352-369) Do not get base gain: base gain is as bad as ruin. Be +friends with the friendly, and visit him who visits you. Give to one +who gives, but do not give to one who does not give. A man gives to the +free-handed, but no one gives to the close-fisted. Give is a good girl, +but Take is bad and she brings death. For the man who gives willingly, +even though he gives a great thing, rejoices in his gift and is glad in +heart; but whoever gives way to shamelessness and takes something +himself, even though it be a small thing, it freezes his heart. He who +adds to what he has, will keep off bright-eyed hunger; for if you add +only a little to a little and do this often, soon that little will +become great. What a man has by him at home does not trouble him: it is +better to have your stuff at home, for whatever is abroad may mean +loss. It is a good thing to draw on what you have; but it grieves your +heart to need something and not to have it, and I bid you mark this. +Take your fill when the cask is first opened and when it is nearly +spent, but midways be sparing: it is poor saving when you come to the +lees. + +(ll. 370-372) Let the wage promised to a friend be fixed; even with +your brother smile—and get a witness; for trust and mistrust, alike +ruin men. + +(ll. 373-375) Do not let a flaunting woman coax and cozen and deceive +you: she is after your barn. The man who trusts womankind trusts +deceivers. + +(ll. 376-380) There should be an only son, to feed his father’s house, +for so wealth will increase in the home; but if you leave a second son +you should die old. Yet Zeus can easily give great wealth to a greater +number. More hands mean more work and more increase. + +(ll. 381-382) If your heart within you desires wealth, do these things +and work with work upon work. + +(ll. 383-404) When the Pleiades, daughters of Atlas, are rising 1310, +begin your harvest, and your ploughing when they are going to set 1311. +Forty nights and days they are hidden and appear again as the year +moves round, when first you sharpen your sickle. This is the law of the +plains, and of those who live near the sea, and who inhabit rich +country, the glens and dingles far from the tossing sea,—strip to sow +and strip to plough and strip to reap, if you wish to get in all +Demeter’s fruits in due season, and that each kind may grow in its +season. Else, afterwards, you may chance to be in want, and go begging +to other men’s houses, but without avail; as you have already come to +me. But I will give you no more nor give you further measure. Foolish +Perses! Work the work which the gods ordained for men, lest in bitter +anguish of spirit you with your wife and children seek your livelihood +amongst your neighbours, and they do not heed you. Two or three times, +may be, you will succeed, but if you trouble them further, it will not +avail you, and all your talk will be in vain, and your word-play +unprofitable. Nay, I bid you find a way to pay your debts and avoid +hunger. + +(ll. 405-413) First of all, get a house, and a woman and an ox for the +plough—a slave woman and not a wife, to follow the oxen as well—and +make everything ready at home, so that you may not have to ask of +another, and he refuses you, and so, because you are in lack, the +season pass by and your work come to nothing. Do not put your work off +till to-morrow and the day after; for a sluggish worker does not fill +his barn, nor one who puts off his work: industry makes work go well, +but a man who puts off work is always at hand-grips with ruin. + +(ll. 414-447) When the piercing power and sultry heat of the sun abate, +and almighty Zeus sends the autumn rains 1312, and men’s flesh comes to +feel far easier,—for then the star Sirius passes over the heads of men, +who are born to misery, only a little while by day and takes greater +share of night,—then, when it showers its leaves to the ground and +stops sprouting, the wood you cut with your axe is least liable to +worm. Then remember to hew your timber: it is the season for that work. +Cut a mortar 1313 three feet wide and a pestle three cubits long, and +an axle of seven feet, for it will do very well so; but if you make it +eight feet long, you can cut a beetle 1314 from it as well. Cut a +felloe three spans across for a waggon of ten palms’ width. Hew also +many bent timbers, and bring home a plough-tree when you have found it, +and look out on the mountain or in the field for one of holm-oak; for +this is the strongest for oxen to plough with when one of Athena’s +handmen has fixed in the share-beam and fastened it to the pole with +dowels. Get two ploughs ready work on them at home, one all of a piece, +and the other jointed. It is far better to do this, for if you should +break one of them, you can put the oxen to the other. Poles of laurel +or elm are most free from worms, and a share-beam of oak and a +plough-tree of holm-oak. Get two oxen, bulls of nine years; for their +strength is unspent and they are in the prime of their age: they are +best for work. They will not fight in the furrow and break the plough +and then leave the work undone. Let a brisk fellow of forty years +follow them, with a loaf of four quarters 1315 and eight slices 1316 +for his dinner, one who will attend to his work and drive a straight +furrow and is past the age for gaping after his fellows, but will keep +his mind on his work. No younger man will be better than he at +scattering the seed and avoiding double-sowing; for a man less staid +gets disturbed, hankering after his fellows. + +(ll. 448-457) Mark, when you hear the voice of the crane 1317 who cries +year by year from the clouds above, for she give the signal for +ploughing and shows the season of rainy winter; but she vexes the heart +of the man who has no oxen. Then is the time to feed up your horned +oxen in the byre; for it is easy to say: ‘Give me a yoke of oxen and a +waggon,’ and it is easy to refuse: ‘I have work for my oxen.’ The man +who is rich in fancy thinks his waggon as good as built already—the +fool! He does not know that there are a hundred timbers to a waggon. +Take care to lay these up beforehand at home. + +(ll. 458-464) So soon as the time for ploughing is proclaimed to men, +then make haste, you and your slaves alike, in wet and in dry, to +plough in the season for ploughing, and bestir yourself early in the +morning so that your fields may be full. Plough in the spring; but +fallow broken up in the summer will not belie your hopes. Sow fallow +land when the soil is still getting light: fallow land is a defender +from harm and a soother of children. + +(ll. 465-478) Pray to Zeus of the Earth and to pure Demeter to make +Demeter’s holy grain sound and heavy, when first you begin ploughing, +when you hold in your hand the end of the plough-tail and bring down +your stick on the backs of the oxen as they draw on the pole-bar by the +yoke-straps. Let a slave follow a little behind with a mattock and make +trouble for the birds by hiding the seed; for good management is the +best for mortal men as bad management is the worst. In this way your +corn-ears will bow to the ground with fullness if the Olympian himself +gives a good result at the last, and you will sweep the cobwebs from +your bins and you will be glad, I ween, as you take of your garnered +substance. And so you will have plenty till you come to grey 1318 +springtime, and will not look wistfully to others, but another shall be +in need of your help. + +(ll. 479-492) But if you plough the good ground at the solstice 1319, +you will reap sitting, grasping a thin crop in your hand, binding the +sheaves awry, dust-covered, not glad at all; so you will bring all home +in a basket and not many will admire you. Yet the will of Zeus who +holds the aegis is different at different times; and it is hard for +mortal men to tell it; for if you should plough late, you may find this +remedy—when the cuckoo first calls 1320 in the leaves of the oak and +makes men glad all over the boundless earth, if Zeus should send rain +on the third day and not cease until it rises neither above an ox’s +hoof nor falls short of it, then the late-plougher will vie with the +early. Keep all this well in mind, and fail not to mark grey spring as +it comes and the season of rain. + +(ll 493-501) Pass by the smithy and its crowded lounge in winter time +when the cold keeps men from field work,—for then an industrious man +can greatly prosper his house—lest bitter winter catch you helpless and +poor and you chafe a swollen foot with a shrunk hand. The idle man who +waits on empty hope, lacking a livelihood, lays to heart +mischief-making; it is not an wholesome hope that accompanies a need +man who lolls at ease while he has no sure livelihood. + +(ll. 502-503) While it is yet midsummer command your slaves: ‘It will +not always be summer, build barns.’ + +(ll. 504-535) Avoid the month Lenaeon 1321, wretched days, all of them +fit to skin an ox, and the frosts which are cruel when Boreas blows +over the earth. He blows across horse-breeding Thrace upon the wide sea +and stirs it up, while earth and the forest howl. On many a high-leafed +oak and thick pine he falls and brings them to the bounteous earth in +mountain glens: then all the immense wood roars and the beasts shudder +and put their tails between their legs, even those whose hide is +covered with fur; for with his bitter blast he blows even through them +although they are shaggy-breasted. He goes even through an ox’s hide; +it does not stop him. Also he blows through the goat’s fine hair. But +through the fleeces of sheep, because their wool is abundant, the keen +wind Boreas pierces not at all; but it makes the old man curved as a +wheel. And it does not blow through the tender maiden who stays indoors +with her dear mother, unlearned as yet in the works of golden +Aphrodite, and who washes her soft body and anoints herself with oil +and lies down in an inner room within the house, on a winter’s day when +the Boneless One 1322 gnaws his foot in his fireless house and wretched +home; for the sun shows him no pastures to make for, but goes to and +fro over the land and city of dusky men 1323, and shines more +sluggishly upon the whole race of the Hellenes. Then the horned and +unhorned denizens of the wood, with teeth chattering pitifully, flee +through the copses and glades, and all, as they seek shelter, have this +one care, to gain thick coverts or some hollow rock. Then, like the +Three-legged One 1324 whose back is broken and whose head looks down +upon the ground, like him, I say, they wander to escape the white snow. + +(ll. 536-563) Then put on, as I bid you, a soft coat and a tunic to the +feet to shield your body,—and you should weave thick woof on thin warp. +In this clothe yourself so that your hair may keep still and not +bristle and stand upon end all over your body. + +Lace on your feet close-fitting boots of the hide of a slaughtered ox, +thickly lined with felt inside. And when the season of frost comes on, +stitch together skins of firstling kids with ox-sinew, to put over your +back and to keep off the rain. On your head above wear a shaped cap of +felt to keep your ears from getting wet, for the dawn is chill when +Boreas has once made his onslaught, and at dawn a fruitful mist is +spread over the earth from starry heaven upon the fields of blessed +men: it is drawn from the ever flowing rivers and is raised high above +the earth by windstorm, and sometimes it turns to rain towards evening, +and sometimes to wind when Thracian Boreas huddles the thick clouds. +Finish your work and return home ahead of him, and do not let the dark +cloud from heaven wrap round you and make your body clammy and soak +your clothes. Avoid it; for this is the hardest month, wintry, hard for +sheep and hard for men. In this season let your oxen have half their +usual food, but let your man have more; for the helpful nights are +long. Observe all this until the year is ended and you have nights and +days of equal length, and Earth, the mother of all, bears again her +various fruit. + +(ll. 564-570) When Zeus has finished sixty wintry days after the +solstice, then the star Arcturus 1325 leaves the holy stream of Ocean +and first rises brilliant at dusk. After him the shrilly wailing +daughter of Pandion, the swallow, appears to men when spring is just +beginning. Before she comes, prune the vines, for it is best so. + +(ll. 571-581) But when the House-carrier 1326 climbs up the plants from +the earth to escape the Pleiades, then it is no longer the season for +digging vineyards, but to whet your sickles and rouse up your slaves. +Avoid shady seats and sleeping until dawn in the harvest season, when +the sun scorches the body. Then be busy, and bring home your fruits, +getting up early to make your livelihood sure. For dawn takes away a +third part of your work, dawn advances a man on his journey and +advances him in his work,—dawn which appears and sets many men on their +road, and puts yokes on many oxen. + +(ll. 582-596) But when the artichoke flowers 1327, and the chirping +grass-hopper sits in a tree and pours down his shrill song continually +from under his wings in the season of wearisome heat, then goats are +plumpest and wine sweetest; women are most wanton, but men are +feeblest, because Sirius parches head and knees and the skin is dry +through heat. But at that time let me have a shady rock and wine of +Biblis, a clot of curds and milk of drained goats with the flesh of an +heifer fed in the woods, that has never calved, and of firstling kids; +then also let me drink bright wine, sitting in the shade, when my heart +is satisfied with food, and so, turning my head to face the fresh +Zephyr, from the everflowing spring which pours down unfouled thrice +pour an offering of water, but make a fourth libation of wine. + +(ll. 597-608) Set your slaves to winnow Demeter’s holy grain, when +strong Orion 1328 first appears, on a smooth threshing-floor in an airy +place. Then measure it and store it in jars. And so soon as you have +safely stored all your stuff indoors, I bid you put your bondman out of +doors and look out for a servant-girl with no children;—for a servant +with a child to nurse is troublesome. And look after the dog with +jagged teeth; do not grudge him his food, or some time the Day-sleeper +1329 may take your stuff. Bring in fodder and litter so as to have +enough for your oxen and mules. After that, let your men rest their +poor knees and unyoke your pair of oxen. + +(ll. 609-617) But when Orion and Sirius are come into mid-heaven, and +rosy-fingered Dawn sees Arcturus 1330, then cut off all the +grape-clusters, Perses, and bring them home. Show them to the sun ten +days and ten nights: then cover them over for five, and on the sixth +day draw off into vessels the gifts of joyful Dionysus. But when the +Pleiades and Hyades and strong Orion begin to set 1331, then remember +to plough in season: and so the completed year 1332 will fitly pass +beneath the earth. + +(ll. 618-640) But if desire for uncomfortable sea-faring seize you; +when the Pleiades plunge into the misty sea 1333 to escape Orion’s rude +strength, then truly gales of all kinds rage. Then keep ships no longer +on the sparkling sea, but bethink you to till the land as I bid you. +Haul up your ship upon the land and pack it closely with stones all +round to keep off the power of the winds which blow damply, and draw +out the bilge-plug so that the rain of heaven may not rot it. Put away +all the tackle and fittings in your house, and stow the wings of the +sea-going ship neatly, and hang up the well-shaped rudder over the +smoke. You yourself wait until the season for sailing is come, and then +haul your swift ship down to the sea and stow a convenient cargo in it, +so that you may bring home profit, even as your father and mine, +foolish Perses, used to sail on shipboard because he lacked sufficient +livelihood. And one day he came to this very place crossing over a +great stretch of sea; he left Aeolian Cyme and fled, not from riches +and substance, but from wretched poverty which Zeus lays upon men, and +he settled near Helicon in a miserable hamlet, Ascra, which is bad in +winter, sultry in summer, and good at no time. + +(ll. 641-645) But you, Perses, remember all works in their season but +sailing especially. Admire a small ship, but put your freight in a +large one; for the greater the lading, the greater will be your piled +gain, if only the winds will keep back their harmful gales. + +(ll. 646-662) If ever you turn your misguided heart to trading and with +to escape from debt and joyless hunger, I will show you the measures of +the loud-roaring sea, though I have no skill in sea-faring nor in +ships; for never yet have I sailed by ship over the wide sea, but only +to Euboea from Aulis where the Achaeans once stayed through much storm +when they had gathered a great host from divine Hellas for Troy, the +land of fair women. Then I crossed over to Chalcis, to the games of +wise Amphidamas where the sons of the great-hearted hero proclaimed and +appointed prizes. And there I boast that I gained the victory with a +song and carried off an handled tripod which I dedicated to the Muses +of Helicon, in the place where they first set me in the way of clear +song. Such is all my experience of many-pegged ships; nevertheless I +will tell you the will of Zeus who holds the aegis; for the Muses have +taught me to sing in marvellous song. + +(ll. 663-677) Fifty days after the solstice 1334, when the season of +wearisome heat is come to an end, is the right time for me to go +sailing. Then you will not wreck your ship, nor will the sea destroy +the sailors, unless Poseidon the Earth-Shaker be set upon it, or Zeus, +the king of the deathless gods, wish to slay them; for the issues of +good and evil alike are with them. At that time the winds are steady, +and the sea is harmless. Then trust in the winds without care, and haul +your swift ship down to the sea and put all the freight on board; but +make all haste you can to return home again and do not wait till the +time of the new wine and autumn rain and oncoming storms with the +fierce gales of Notus who accompanies the heavy autumn rain of Zeus and +stirs up the sea and makes the deep dangerous. + +(ll. 678-694) Another time for men to go sailing is in spring when a +man first sees leaves on the topmost shoot of a fig-tree as large as +the foot-print that a cow makes; then the sea is passable, and this is +the spring sailing time. For my part I do not praise it, for my heart +does not like it. Such a sailing is snatched, and you will hardly avoid +mischief. Yet in their ignorance men do even this, for wealth means +life to poor mortals; but it is fearful to die among the waves. But I +bid you consider all these things in your heart as I say. Do not put +all your goods in hallow ships; leave the greater part behind, and put +the lesser part on board; for it is a bad business to meet with +disaster among the waves of the sea, as it is bad if you put too great +a load on your waggon and break the axle, and your goods are spoiled. +Observe due measure: and proportion is best in all things. + +(ll. 695-705) Bring home a wife to your house when you are of the right +age, while you are not far short of thirty years nor much above; this +is the right age for marriage. Let your wife have been grown up four +years, and marry her in the fifth. Marry a maiden, so that you can +teach her careful ways, and especially marry one who lives near you, +but look well about you and see that your marriage will not be a joke +to your neighbours. For a man wins nothing better than a good wife, +and, again, nothing worse than a bad one, a greedy soul who roasts her +man without fire, strong though he may be, and brings him to a raw 1335 +old age. + +(ll. 706-714) Be careful to avoid the anger of the deathless gods. Do +not make a friend equal to a brother; but if you do, do not wrong him +first, and do not lie to please the tongue. But if he wrongs you first, +offending either in word or in deed, remember to repay him double; but +if he ask you to be his friend again and be ready to give you +satisfaction, welcome him. He is a worthless man who makes now one and +now another his friend; but as for you, do not let your face put your +heart to shame 1336. + +(ll. 715-716) Do not get a name either as lavish or as churlish; as a +friend of rogues or as a slanderer of good men. + +(ll. 717-721) Never dare to taunt a man with deadly poverty which eats +out the heart; it is sent by the deathless gods. The best treasure a +man can have is a sparing tongue, and the greatest pleasure, one that +moves orderly; for if you speak evil, you yourself will soon be worse +spoken of. + +(ll. 722-723) Do not be boorish at a common feast where there are many +guests; the pleasure is greatest and the expense is least 1337. + +(ll. 724-726) Never pour a libation of sparkling wine to Zeus after +dawn with unwashen hands, nor to others of the deathless gods; else +they do not hear your prayers but spit them back. + +(ll. 727-732) Do not stand upright facing the sun when you make water, +but remember to do this when he has set towards his rising. And do not +make water as you go, whether on the road or off the road, and do not +uncover yourself: the nights belong to the blessed gods. A scrupulous +man who has a wise heart sits down or goes to the wall of an enclosed +court. + +(ll. 733-736) Do not expose yourself befouled by the fireside in your +house, but avoid this. Do not beget children when you are come back +from ill-omened burial, but after a festival of the gods. + +(ll. 737-741) Never cross the sweet-flowing water of ever-rolling +rivers afoot until you have prayed, gazing into the soft flood, and +washed your hands in the clear, lovely water. Whoever crosses a river +with hands unwashed of wickedness, the gods are angry with him and +bring trouble upon him afterwards. + +(ll. 742-743) At a cheerful festival of the gods do not cut the +withered from the quick upon that which has five branches 1338 with +bright steel. + +(ll. 744-745) Never put the ladle upon the mixing-bowl at a wine party, +for malignant ill-luck is attached to that. + +(ll. 746-747) When you are building a house, do not leave it +rough-hewn, or a cawing crow may settle on it and croak. + +(ll. 748-749) Take nothing to eat or to wash with from uncharmed pots, +for in them there is mischief. + +(ll. 750-759) Do not let a boy of twelve years sit on things which may +not be moved 1339, for that is bad, and makes a man unmanly; nor yet a +child of twelve months, for that has the same effect. A man should not +clean his body with water in which a woman has washed, for there is +bitter mischief in that also for a time. When you come upon a burning +sacrifice, do not make a mock of mysteries, for Heaven is angry at this +also. Never make water in the mouths of rivers which flow to the sea, +nor yet in springs; but be careful to avoid this. And do not ease +yourself in them: it is not well to do this. + +(ll. 760-763) So do: and avoid the talk of men. For Talk is +mischievous, light, and easily raised, but hard to bear and difficult +to be rid of. Talk never wholly dies away when many people voice her: +even Talk is in some ways divine. + +(ll. 765-767) Mark the days which come from Zeus, duly telling your +slaves of them, and that the thirtieth day of the month is best for one +to look over the work and to deal out supplies. + +(ll. 769-768) 1340 For these are days which come from Zeus the +all-wise, when men discern aright. + +(ll. 770-779) To begin with, the first, the fourth, and the seventh—on +which Leto bare Apollo with the blade of gold—each is a holy day. The +eighth and the ninth, two days at least of the waxing month 1341, are +specially good for the works of man. Also the eleventh and twelfth are +both excellent, alike for shearing sheep and for reaping the kindly +fruits; but the twelfth is much better than the eleventh, for on it the +airy-swinging spider spins its web in full day, and then the Wise One +1342, gathers her pile. On that day woman should set up her loom and +get forward with her work. + +(ll. 780-781) Avoid the thirteenth of the waxing month for beginning to +sow: yet it is the best day for setting plants. + +(ll. 782-789) The sixth of the mid-month is very unfavourable for +plants, but is good for the birth of males, though unfavourable for a +girl either to be born at all or to be married. Nor is the first sixth +a fit day for a girl to be born, but a kindly for gelding kids and +sheep and for fencing in a sheep-cote. It is favourable for the birth +of a boy, but such will be fond of sharp speech, lies, and cunning +words, and stealthy converse. + +(ll. 790-791) On the eighth of the month geld the boar and +loud-bellowing bull, but hard-working mules on the twelfth. + +(ll. 792-799) On the great twentieth, in full day, a wise man should be +born. Such an one is very sound-witted. The tenth is favourable for a +male to be born; but, for a girl, the fourth day of the mid-month. On +that day tame sheep and shambling, horned oxen, and the sharp-fanged +dog and hardy mules to the touch of the hand. But take care to avoid +troubles which eat out the heart on the fourth of the beginning and +ending of the month; it is a day very fraught with fate. + +(ll. 800-801) On the fourth of the month bring home your bride, but +choose the omens which are best for this business. + +(ll. 802-804) Avoid fifth days: they are unkindly and terrible. On a +fifth day, they say, the Erinyes assisted at the birth of Horcus (Oath) +whom Eris (Strife) bare to trouble the forsworn. {[0-9]} (ll. 805-809) +Look about you very carefully and throw out Demeter’s holy grain upon +the well-rolled 1343 threshing floor on the seventh of the mid-month. +Let the woodman cut beams for house building and plenty of ships’ +timbers, such as are suitable for ships. On the fourth day begin to +build narrow ships. + +(ll. 810-813) The ninth of the mid-month improves towards evening; but +the first ninth of all is quite harmless for men. It is a good day on +which to beget or to be born both for a male and a female: it is never +an wholly evil day. + +(ll. 814-818) Again, few know that the twenty-seventh of the month is +best for opening a wine-jar, and putting yokes on the necks of oxen and +mules and swift-footed horses, and for hauling a swift ship of many +thwarts down to the sparkling sea; few call it by its right name. + +(ll. 819-821) On the fourth day open a jar. The fourth of the mid-month +is a day holy above all. And again, few men know that the fourth day +after the twentieth is best while it is morning: towards evening it is +less good. + +(ll. 822-828) These days are a great blessing to men on earth; but the +rest are changeable, luckless, and bring nothing. Everyone praises a +different day but few know their nature. Sometimes a day is a +stepmother, sometimes a mother. That man is happy and lucky in them who +knows all these things and does his work without offending the +deathless gods, who discerns the omens of birds and avoids +transgressions. + +THE DIVINATION BY BIRDS + +Proclus on Works and Days, 828: Some make the _Divination by Birds_, +which Apollonius of Rhodes rejects as spurious, follow this verse +(_Works and Days_, 828). + +THE ASTRONOMY + +Fragment #1—Athenaeus xi, p. 491 d: And the author of “The Astronomy”, +which is attributed forsooth to Hesiod, always calls them (the +Pleiades) Peleiades: ‘but mortals call them Peleiades’; and again, ‘the +stormy Peleiades go down’; and again, ‘then the Peleiades hide +away....’ + +Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. ii. 16: The Pleiades.... whose stars are +these:—‘Lovely Teygata, and dark-faced Electra, and Alcyone, and bright +Asterope, and Celaeno, and Maia, and Merope, whom glorious Atlas +begot....’ ((LACUNA)) ‘In the mountains of Cyllene she (Maia) bare +Hermes, the herald of the gods.’ + +Fragment #2—Scholiast on Aratus 254: But Zeus made them (the sisters of +Hyas) into the stars which are called Hyades. Hesiod in his Book about +Stars tells us their names as follows: ‘Nymphs like the Graces 1401, +Phaesyle and Coronis and rich-crowned Cleeia and lovely Phaco and +long-robed Eudora, whom the tribes of men upon the earth call Hyades.’ + +Fragment #3—Pseudo-Eratosthenes Catast. frag. 1: 1402 The Great +Bear.]—Hesiod says she (Callisto) was the daughter of Lycaon and lived +in Arcadia. She chose to occupy herself with wild-beasts in the +mountains together with Artemis, and, when she was seduced by Zeus, +continued some time undetected by the goddess, but afterwards, when she +was already with child, was seen by her bathing and so discovered. Upon +this, the goddess was enraged and changed her into a beast. Thus she +became a bear and gave birth to a son called Arcas. But while she was +in the mountains, she was hunted by some goat-herds and given up with +her babe to Lycaon. Some while after, she thought fit to go into the +forbidden precinct of Zeus, not knowing the law, and being pursued by +her own son and the Arcadians, was about to be killed because of the +said law; but Zeus delivered her because of her connection with him and +put her among the stars, giving her the name Bear because of the +misfortune which had befallen her. + +Comm. Supplem. on Aratus, p. 547 M. 8: Of Bootes, also called the +Bear-warden. The story goes that he is Arcas the son of Callisto and +Zeus, and he lived in the country about Lycaeum. After Zeus had seduced +Callisto, Lycaon, pretending not to know of the matter, entertained +Zeus, as Hesiod says, and set before him on the table the babe which he +had cut up. + +Fragment #4—Pseudo-Eratosthenes, Catast. fr. xxxii: Orion.]—Hesiod says +that he was the son of Euryale, the daughter of Minos, and of Poseidon, +and that there was given him as a gift the power of walking upon the +waves as though upon land. When he was come to Chios, he outraged +Merope, the daughter of Oenopion, being drunken; but Oenopion when he +learned of it was greatly vexed at the outrage and blinded him and cast +him out of the country. Then he came to Lemnos as a beggar and there +met Hephaestus who took pity on him and gave him Cedalion his own +servant to guide him. So Orion took Cedalion upon his shoulders and +used to carry him about while he pointed out the roads. Then he came to +the east and appears to have met Helius (the Sun) and to have been +healed, and so returned back again to Oenopion to punish him; but +Oenopion was hidden away by his people underground. Being disappointed, +then, in his search for the king, Orion went away to Crete and spent +his time hunting in company with Artemis and Leto. It seems that he +threatened to kill every beast there was on earth; whereupon, in her +anger, Earth sent up against him a scorpion of very great size by which +he was stung and so perished. After this Zeus, at one prayer of Artemis +and Leto, put him among the stars, because of his manliness, and the +scorpion also as a memorial of him and of what had occurred. + +Fragment #5—Diodorus iv. 85: Some say that great earthquakes occurred, +which broke through the neck of land and formed the straits 1403, the +sea parting the mainland from the island. But Hesiod, the poet, says +just the opposite: that the sea was open, but Orion piled up the +promontory by Peloris, and founded the close of Poseidon which is +especially esteemed by the people thereabouts. When he had finished +this, he went away to Euboea and settled there, and because of his +renown was taken into the number of the stars in heaven, and won +undying remembrance. + +THE PRECEPTS OF CHIRON + +Fragment #1—Scholiast on Pindar, Pyth. vi. 19: ‘And now, pray, mark all +these things well in a wise heart. First, whenever you come to your +house, offer good sacrifices to the eternal gods.’ + +Fragment #2—Plutarch Mor. 1034 E: ‘Decide no suit until you have heard +both sides speak.’ + +Fragment #3—Plutarch de Orac. defectu ii. 415 C: ‘A chattering crow +lives out nine generations of aged men, but a stag’s life is four times +a crow’s, and a raven’s life makes three stags old, while the phoenix +outlives nine ravens, but we, the rich-haired Nymphs, daughters of Zeus +the aegis-holder, outlive ten phoenixes.’ + +Fragment #4—Quintilian, i. 15: Some consider that children under the +age of seven should not receive a literary education... That Hesiod was +of this opinion very many writers affirm who were earlier than the +critic Aristophanes; for he was the first to reject the _Precepts_, in +which book this maxim occurs, as a work of that poet. + +THE GREAT WORKS + +Fragment #1—Comm. on Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics. v. 8: The verse, +however (the slaying of Rhadamanthys), is in Hesiod in the _Great +Works_ and is as follows: ‘If a man sow evil, he shall reap evil +increase; if men do to him as he has done, it will be true justice.’ + +Fragment #2—Proclus on Hesiod, Works and Days, 126: Some believe that +the Silver Race (is to be attributed to) the earth, declaring that in +the _Great Works_ Hesiod makes silver to be of the family of Earth. + + + + +THE IDAEAN DACTYLS + +Fragment #1—Pliny, Natural History vii. 56, 197: Hesiod says that those +who are called the Idaean Dactyls taught the smelting and tempering of +iron in Crete. + +Fragment #2—Clement, Stromateis i. 16. 75: Celmis, again, and +Damnameneus, the first of the Idaean Dactyls, discovered iron in +Cyprus; but bronze smelting was discovered by Delas, another Idaean, +though Hesiod calls him Scythes 1501. + + + + +THE THEOGONY + +(ll. 1-25) From the Heliconian Muses let us begin to sing, who hold the +great and holy mount of Helicon, and dance on soft feet about the +deep-blue spring and the altar of the almighty son of Cronos, and, when +they have washed their tender bodies in Permessus or in the Horse’s +Spring or Olmeius, make their fair, lovely dances upon highest Helicon +and move with vigorous feet. Thence they arise and go abroad by night, +veiled in thick mist, and utter their song with lovely voice, praising +Zeus the aegis-holder and queenly Hera of Argos who walks on golden +sandals and the daughter of Zeus the aegis-holder bright-eyed Athene, +and Phoebus Apollo, and Artemis who delights in arrows, and Poseidon +the earth-holder who shakes the earth, and reverend Themis and +quick-glancing 1601 Aphrodite, and Hebe with the crown of gold, and +fair Dione, Leto, Iapetus, and Cronos the crafty counsellor, Eos and +great Helius and bright Selene, Earth too, and great Oceanus, and dark +Night, and the holy race of all the other deathless ones that are for +ever. And one day they taught Hesiod glorious song while he was +shepherding his lambs under holy Helicon, and this word first the +goddesses said to me—the Muses of Olympus, daughters of Zeus who holds +the aegis: + +(ll. 26-28) ‘Shepherds of the wilderness, wretched things of shame, +mere bellies, we know how to speak many false things as though they +were true; but we know, when we will, to utter true things.’ + +(ll. 29-35) So said the ready-voiced daughters of great Zeus, and they +plucked and gave me a rod, a shoot of sturdy laurel, a marvellous +thing, and breathed into me a divine voice to celebrate things that +shall be and things there were aforetime; and they bade me sing of the +race of the blessed gods that are eternally, but ever to sing of +themselves both first and last. But why all this about oak or stone? +1602 + +(ll. 36-52) Come thou, let us begin with the Muses who gladden the +great spirit of their father Zeus in Olympus with their songs, telling +of things that are and that shall be and that were aforetime with +consenting voice. Unwearying flows the sweet sound from their lips, and +the house of their father Zeus the loud-thunderer is glad at the +lily-like voice of the goddesses as it spread abroad, and the peaks of +snowy Olympus resound, and the homes of the immortals. And they +uttering their immortal voice, celebrate in song first of all the +reverend race of the gods from the beginning, those whom Earth and wide +Heaven begot, and the gods sprung of these, givers of good things. +Then, next, the goddesses sing of Zeus, the father of gods and men, as +they begin and end their strain, how much he is the most excellent +among the gods and supreme in power. And again, they chant the race of +men and strong giants, and gladden the heart of Zeus within +Olympus,—the Olympian Muses, daughters of Zeus the aegis-holder. + +(ll. 53-74) Them in Pieria did Mnemosyne (Memory), who reigns over the +hills of Eleuther, bear of union with the father, the son of Cronos, a +forgetting of ills and a rest from sorrow. For nine nights did wise +Zeus lie with her, entering her holy bed remote from the immortals. And +when a year was passed and the seasons came round as the months waned, +and many days were accomplished, she bare nine daughters, all of one +mind, whose hearts are set upon song and their spirit free from care, a +little way from the topmost peak of snowy Olympus. There are their +bright dancing-places and beautiful homes, and beside them the Graces +and Himerus (Desire) live in delight. And they, uttering through their +lips a lovely voice, sing the laws of all and the goodly ways of the +immortals, uttering their lovely voice. Then went they to Olympus, +delighting in their sweet voice, with heavenly song, and the dark earth +resounded about them as they chanted, and a lovely sound rose up +beneath their feet as they went to their father. And he was reigning in +heaven, himself holding the lightning and glowing thunderbolt, when he +had overcome by might his father Cronos; and he distributed fairly to +the immortals their portions and declared their privileges. + +(ll. 75-103) These things, then, the Muses sang who dwell on Olympus, +nine daughters begotten by great Zeus, Cleio and Euterpe, Thaleia, +Melpomene and Terpsichore, and Erato and Polyhymnia and Urania and +Calliope 1603, who is the chiefest of them all, for she attends on +worshipful princes: whomsoever of heaven-nourished princes the +daughters of great Zeus honour, and behold him at his birth, they pour +sweet dew upon his tongue, and from his lips flow gracious words. All +the people look towards him while he settles causes with true +judgements: and he, speaking surely, would soon make wise end even of a +great quarrel; for therefore are there princes wise in heart, because +when the people are being misguided in their assembly, they set right +the matter again with ease, persuading them with gentle words. And when +he passes through a gathering, they greet him as a god with gentle +reverence, and he is conspicuous amongst the assembled: such is the +holy gift of the Muses to men. For it is through the Muses and +far-shooting Apollo that there are singers and harpers upon the earth; +but princes are of Zeus, and happy is he whom the Muses love: sweet +flows speech from his mouth. For though a man have sorrow and grief in +his newly-troubled soul and live in dread because his heart is +distressed, yet, when a singer, the servant of the Muses, chants the +glorious deeds of men of old and the blessed gods who inhabit Olympus, +at once he forgets his heaviness and remembers not his sorrows at all; +but the gifts of the goddesses soon turn him away from these. + +(ll. 104-115) Hail, children of Zeus! Grant lovely song and celebrate +the holy race of the deathless gods who are for ever, those that were +born of Earth and starry Heaven and gloomy Night and them that briny +Sea did rear. Tell how at the first gods and earth came to be, and +rivers, and the boundless sea with its raging swell, and the gleaming +stars, and the wide heaven above, and the gods who were born of them, +givers of good things, and how they divided their wealth, and how they +shared their honours amongst them, and also how at the first they took +many-folded Olympus. These things declare to me from the beginning, ye +Muses who dwell in the house of Olympus, and tell me which of them +first came to be. + +(ll. 116-138) Verily at the first Chaos came to be, but next +wide-bosomed Earth, the ever-sure foundations of all 1604 the deathless +ones who hold the peaks of snowy Olympus, and dim Tartarus in the depth +of the wide-pathed Earth, and Eros (Love), fairest among the deathless +gods, who unnerves the limbs and overcomes the mind and wise counsels +of all gods and all men within them. From Chaos came forth Erebus and +black Night; but of Night were born Aether 1605 and Day, whom she +conceived and bare from union in love with Erebus. And Earth first bare +starry Heaven, equal to herself, to cover her on every side, and to be +an ever-sure abiding-place for the blessed gods. And she brought forth +long Hills, graceful haunts of the goddess-Nymphs who dwell amongst the +glens of the hills. She bare also the fruitless deep with his raging +swell, Pontus, without sweet union of love. But afterwards she lay with +Heaven and bare deep-swirling Oceanus, Coeus and Crius and Hyperion and +Iapetus, Theia and Rhea, Themis and Mnemosyne and gold-crowned Phoebe +and lovely Tethys. After them was born Cronos the wily, youngest and +most terrible of her children, and he hated his lusty sire. + +(ll. 139-146) And again, she bare the Cyclopes, overbearing in spirit, +Brontes, and Steropes and stubborn-hearted Arges 1606, who gave Zeus +the thunder and made the thunderbolt: in all else they were like the +gods, but one eye only was set in the midst of their fore-heads. And +they were surnamed Cyclopes (Orb-eyed) because one orbed eye was set in +their foreheads. Strength and might and craft were in their works. + +(ll. 147-163) And again, three other sons were born of Earth and +Heaven, great and doughty beyond telling, Cottus and Briareos and Gyes, +presumptuous children. From their shoulders sprang an hundred arms, not +to be approached, and each had fifty heads upon his shoulders on their +strong limbs, and irresistible was the stubborn strength that was in +their great forms. For of all the children that were born of Earth and +Heaven, these were the most terrible, and they were hated by their own +father from the first. + +And he used to hide them all away in a secret place of Earth so soon as +each was born, and would not suffer them to come up into the light: and +Heaven rejoiced in his evil doing. But vast Earth groaned within, being +straitened, and she made the element of grey flint and shaped a great +sickle, and told her plan to her dear sons. And she spoke, cheering +them, while she was vexed in her dear heart: + +(ll. 164-166) ‘My children, gotten of a sinful father, if you will obey +me, we should punish the vile outrage of your father; for he first +thought of doing shameful things.’ + +(ll. 167-169) So she said; but fear seized them all, and none of them +uttered a word. But great Cronos the wily took courage and answered his +dear mother: + +(ll. 170-172) ‘Mother, I will undertake to do this deed, for I +reverence not our father of evil name, for he first thought of doing +shameful things.’ + +(ll. 173-175) So he said: and vast Earth rejoiced greatly in spirit, +and set and hid him in an ambush, and put in his hands a jagged sickle, +and revealed to him the whole plot. + +(ll. 176-206) And Heaven came, bringing on night and longing for love, +and he lay about Earth spreading himself full upon her 1607. + +Then the son from his ambush stretched forth his left hand and in his +right took the great long sickle with jagged teeth, and swiftly lopped +off his own father’s members and cast them away to fall behind him. And +not vainly did they fall from his hand; for all the bloody drops that +gushed forth Earth received, and as the seasons moved round she bare +the strong Erinyes and the great Giants with gleaming armour, holding +long spears in their hands and the Nymphs whom they call Meliae 1608 +all over the boundless earth. And so soon as he had cut off the members +with flint and cast them from the land into the surging sea, they were +swept away over the main a long time: and a white foam spread around +them from the immortal flesh, and in it there grew a maiden. First she +drew near holy Cythera, and from there, afterwards, she came to +sea-girt Cyprus, and came forth an awful and lovely goddess, and grass +grew up about her beneath her shapely feet. Her gods and men call +Aphrodite, and the foam-born goddess and rich-crowned Cytherea, because +she grew amid the foam, and Cytherea because she reached Cythera, and +Cyprogenes because she was born in billowy Cyprus, and Philommedes 1609 +because sprang from the members. And with her went Eros, and comely +Desire followed her at her birth at the first and as she went into the +assembly of the gods. This honour she has from the beginning, and this +is the portion allotted to her amongst men and undying gods,—the +whisperings of maidens and smiles and deceits with sweet delight and +love and graciousness. + +(ll. 207-210) But these sons whom he begot himself great Heaven used to +call Titans (Strainers) in reproach, for he said that they strained and +did presumptuously a fearful deed, and that vengeance for it would come +afterwards. + +(ll. 211-225) And Night bare hateful Doom and black Fate and Death, and +she bare Sleep and the tribe of Dreams. And again the goddess murky +Night, though she lay with none, bare Blame and painful Woe, and the +Hesperides who guard the rich, golden apples and the trees bearing +fruit beyond glorious Ocean. Also she bare the Destinies and ruthless +avenging Fates, Clotho and Lachesis and Atropos 1610, who give men at +their birth both evil and good to have, and they pursue the +transgressions of men and of gods: and these goddesses never cease from +their dread anger until they punish the sinner with a sore penalty. +Also deadly Night bare Nemesis (Indignation) to afflict mortal men, and +after her, Deceit and Friendship and hateful Age and hard-hearted +Strife. + +(ll. 226-232) But abhorred Strife bare painful Toil and Forgetfulness +and Famine and tearful Sorrows, Fightings also, Battles, Murders, +Manslaughters, Quarrels, Lying Words, Disputes, Lawlessness and Ruin, +all of one nature, and Oath who most troubles men upon earth when +anyone wilfully swears a false oath. + +(ll. 233-239) And Sea begat Nereus, the eldest of his children, who is +true and lies not: and men call him the Old Man because he is trusty +and gentle and does not forget the laws of righteousness, but thinks +just and kindly thoughts. And yet again he got great Thaumas and proud +Phorcys, being mated with Earth, and fair-cheeked Ceto and Eurybia who +has a heart of flint within her. + +(ll. 240-264) And of Nereus and rich-haired Doris, daughter of Ocean +the perfect river, were born children 1611, passing lovely amongst +goddesses, Ploto, Eucrante, Sao, and Amphitrite, and Eudora, and +Thetis, Galene and Glauce, Cymothoe, Speo, Thoe and lovely Halie, and +Pasithea, and Erato, and rosy-armed Eunice, and gracious Melite, and +Eulimene, and Agaue, Doto, Proto, Pherusa, and Dynamene, and Nisaea, +and Actaea, and Protomedea, Doris, Panopea, and comely Galatea, and +lovely Hippothoe, and rosy-armed Hipponoe, and Cymodoce who with +Cymatolege 1612 and Amphitrite easily calms the waves upon the misty +sea and the blasts of raging winds, and Cymo, and Eione, and +rich-crowned Alimede, and Glauconome, fond of laughter, and Pontoporea, +Leagore, Euagore, and Laomedea, and Polynoe, and Autonoe, and +Lysianassa, and Euarne, lovely of shape and without blemish of form, +and Psamathe of charming figure and divine Menippe, Neso, Eupompe, +Themisto, Pronoe, and Nemertes 1613 who has the nature of her deathless +father. These fifty daughters sprang from blameless Nereus, skilled in +excellent crafts. + +(ll. 265-269) And Thaumas wedded Electra the daughter of deep-flowing +Ocean, and she bare him swift Iris and the long-haired Harpies, Aello +(Storm-swift) and Ocypetes (Swift-flier) who on their swift wings keep +pace with the blasts of the winds and the birds; for quick as time they +dart along. + +(ll 270-294) And again, Ceto bare to Phorcys the fair-cheeked Graiae, +sisters grey from their birth: and both deathless gods and men who walk +on earth call them Graiae, Pemphredo well-clad, and saffron-robed Enyo, +and the Gorgons who dwell beyond glorious Ocean in the frontier land +towards Night where are the clear-voiced Hesperides, Sthenno, and +Euryale, and Medusa who suffered a woeful fate: she was mortal, but the +two were undying and grew not old. With her lay the Dark-haired One +1614 in a soft meadow amid spring flowers. And when Perseus cut off her +head, there sprang forth great Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus who is so +called because he was born near the springs (_pegae_) of Ocean; and +that other, because he held a golden blade (_aor_) in his hands. Now +Pegasus flew away and left the earth, the mother of flocks, and came to +the deathless gods: and he dwells in the house of Zeus and brings to +wise Zeus the thunder and lightning. But Chrysaor was joined in love to +Callirrhoe, the daughter of glorious Ocean, and begot three-headed +Geryones. Him mighty Heracles slew in sea-girt Erythea by his shambling +oxen on that day when he drove the wide-browed oxen to holy Tiryns, and +had crossed the ford of Ocean and killed Orthus and Eurytion the +herdsman in the dim stead out beyond glorious Ocean. + +(ll. 295-305) And in a hollow cave she bare another monster, +irresistible, in no wise like either to mortal men or to the undying +gods, even the goddess fierce Echidna who is half a nymph with glancing +eyes and fair cheeks, and half again a huge snake, great and awful, +with speckled skin, eating raw flesh beneath the secret parts of the +holy earth. And there she has a cave deep down under a hollow rock far +from the deathless gods and mortal men. There, then, did the gods +appoint her a glorious house to dwell in: and she keeps guard in Arima +beneath the earth, grim Echidna, a nymph who dies not nor grows old all +her days. + +(ll. 306-332) Men say that Typhaon the terrible, outrageous and +lawless, was joined in love to her, the maid with glancing eyes. So she +conceived and brought forth fierce offspring; first she bare Orthus the +hound of Geryones, and then again she bare a second, a monster not to +be overcome and that may not be described, Cerberus who eats raw flesh, +the brazen-voiced hound of Hades, fifty-headed, relentless and strong. +And again she bore a third, the evil-minded Hydra of Lerna, whom the +goddess, white-armed Hera nourished, being angry beyond measure with +the mighty Heracles. And her Heracles, the son of Zeus, of the house of +Amphitryon, together with warlike Iolaus, destroyed with the unpitying +sword through the plans of Athene the spoil-driver. She was the mother +of Chimaera who breathed raging fire, a creature fearful, great, +swift-footed and strong, who had three heads, one of a grim-eyed lion; +in her hinderpart, a dragon; and in her middle, a goat, breathing forth +a fearful blast of blazing fire. Her did Pegasus and noble Bellerophon +slay; but Echidna was subject in love to Orthus and brought forth the +deadly Sphinx which destroyed the Cadmeans, and the Nemean lion, which +Hera, the good wife of Zeus, brought up and made to haunt the hills of +Nemea, a plague to men. There he preyed upon the tribes of her own +people and had power over Tretus of Nemea and Apesas: yet the strength +of stout Heracles overcame him. + +(ll. 333-336) And Ceto was joined in love to Phorcys and bare her +youngest, the awful snake who guards the apples all of gold in the +secret places of the dark earth at its great bounds. This is the +offspring of Ceto and Phorcys. + +(ll. 334-345) And Tethys bare to Ocean eddying rivers, Nilus, and +Alpheus, and deep-swirling Eridanus, Strymon, and Meander, and the fair +stream of Ister, and Phasis, and Rhesus, and the silver eddies of +Achelous, Nessus, and Rhodius, Haliacmon, and Heptaporus, Granicus, and +Aesepus, and holy Simois, and Peneus, and Hermus, and Caicus fair +stream, and great Sangarius, Ladon, Parthenius, Euenus, Ardescus, and +divine Scamander. + +(ll. 346-370) Also she brought forth a holy company of daughters 1615 +who with the lord Apollo and the Rivers have youths in their keeping—to +this charge Zeus appointed them—Peitho, and Admete, and Ianthe, and +Electra, and Doris, and Prymno, and Urania divine in form, Hippo, +Clymene, Rhodea, and Callirrhoe, Zeuxo and Clytie, and Idyia, and +Pasithoe, Plexaura, and Galaxaura, and lovely Dione, Melobosis and Thoe +and handsome Polydora, Cerceis lovely of form, and soft eyed Pluto, +Perseis, Ianeira, Acaste, Xanthe, Petraea the fair, Menestho, and +Europa, Metis, and Eurynome, and Telesto saffron-clad, Chryseis and +Asia and charming Calypso, Eudora, and Tyche, Amphirho, and Ocyrrhoe, +and Styx who is the chiefest of them all. These are the eldest +daughters that sprang from Ocean and Tethys; but there are many +besides. For there are three thousand neat-ankled daughters of Ocean +who are dispersed far and wide, and in every place alike serve the +earth and the deep waters, children who are glorious among goddesses. +And as many other rivers are there, babbling as they flow, sons of +Ocean, whom queenly Tethys bare, but their names it is hard for a +mortal man to tell, but people know those by which they severally +dwell. + +(ll. 371-374) And Theia was subject in love to Hyperion and bare great +Helius (Sun) and clear Selene (Moon) and Eos (Dawn) who shines upon all +that are on earth and upon the deathless Gods who live in the wide +heaven. + +(ll. 375-377) And Eurybia, bright goddess, was joined in love to Crius +and bare great Astraeus, and Pallas, and Perses who also was eminent +among all men in wisdom. + +(ll. 378-382) And Eos bare to Astraeus the strong-hearted winds, +brightening Zephyrus, and Boreas, headlong in his course, and Notus,—a +goddess mating in love with a god. And after these Erigenia 1616 bare +the star Eosphorus (Dawn-bringer), and the gleaming stars with which +heaven is crowned. + +(ll. 383-403) And Styx the daughter of Ocean was joined to Pallas and +bare Zelus (Emulation) and trim-ankled Nike (Victory) in the house. +Also she brought forth Cratos (Strength) and Bia (Force), wonderful +children. These have no house apart from Zeus, nor any dwelling nor +path except that wherein God leads them, but they dwell always with +Zeus the loud-thunderer. For so did Styx the deathless daughter of +Ocean plan on that day when the Olympian Lightener called all the +deathless gods to great Olympus, and said that whosoever of the gods +would fight with him against the Titans, he would not cast him out from +his rights, but each should have the office which he had before amongst +the deathless gods. And he declared that he who was without office and +rights under Cronos, should be raised to both office and rights as is +just. So deathless Styx came first to Olympus with her children through +the wit of her dear father. And Zeus honoured her, and gave her very +great gifts, for her he appointed to be the great oath of the gods, and +her children to live with him always. And as he promised, so he +performed fully unto them all. But he himself mightily reigns and +rules. + +(ll. 404-452) Again, Phoebe came to the desired embrace of Coeus. + +Then the goddess through the love of the god conceived and brought +forth dark-gowned Leto, always mild, kind to men and to the deathless +gods, mild from the beginning, gentlest in all Olympus. Also she bare +Asteria of happy name, whom Perses once led to his great house to be +called his dear wife. And she conceived and bare Hecate whom Zeus the +son of Cronos honoured above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a +share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honour also in +starry heaven, and is honoured exceedingly by the deathless gods. For +to this day, whenever any one of men on earth offers rich sacrifices +and prays for favour according to custom, he calls upon Hecate. Great +honour comes full easily to him whose prayers the goddess receives +favourably, and she bestows wealth upon him; for the power surely is +with her. For as many as were born of Earth and Ocean amongst all these +she has her due portion. The son of Cronos did her no wrong nor took +anything away of all that was her portion among the former Titan gods: +but she holds, as the division was at the first from the beginning, +privilege both in earth, and in heaven, and in sea. Also, because she +is an only child, the goddess receives not less honour, but much more +still, for Zeus honours her. Whom she will she greatly aids and +advances: she sits by worshipful kings in judgement, and in the +assembly whom she will is distinguished among the people. And when men +arm themselves for the battle that destroys men, then the goddess is at +hand to give victory and grant glory readily to whom she will. Good is +she also when men contend at the games, for there too the goddess is +with them and profits them: and he who by might and strength gets the +victory wins the rich prize easily with joy, and brings glory to his +parents. And she is good to stand by horsemen, whom she will: and to +those whose business is in the grey discomfortable sea, and who pray to +Hecate and the loud-crashing Earth-Shaker, easily the glorious goddess +gives great catch, and easily she takes it away as soon as seen, if so +she will. She is good in the byre with Hermes to increase the stock. +The droves of kine and wide herds of goats and flocks of fleecy sheep, +if she will, she increases from a few, or makes many to be less. So, +then. albeit her mother’s only child 1617, she is honoured amongst all +the deathless gods. And the son of Cronos made her a nurse of the young +who after that day saw with their eyes the light of all-seeing Dawn. So +from the beginning she is a nurse of the young, and these are her +honours. + +(ll. 453-491) But Rhea was subject in love to Cronos and bare splendid +children, Hestia 1618, Demeter, and gold-shod Hera and strong Hades, +pitiless in heart, who dwells under the earth, and the loud-crashing +Earth-Shaker, and wise Zeus, father of gods and men, by whose thunder +the wide earth is shaken. These great Cronos swallowed as each came +forth from the womb to his mother’s knees with this intent, that no +other of the proud sons of Heaven should hold the kingly office amongst +the deathless gods. For he learned from Earth and starry Heaven that he +was destined to be overcome by his own son, strong though he was, +through the contriving of great Zeus 1619. Therefore he kept no blind +outlook, but watched and swallowed down his children: and unceasing +grief seized Rhea. But when she was about to bear Zeus, the father of +gods and men, then she besought her own dear parents, Earth and starry +Heaven, to devise some plan with her that the birth of her dear child +might be concealed, and that retribution might overtake great, crafty +Cronos for his own father and also for the children whom he had +swallowed down. And they readily heard and obeyed their dear daughter, +and told her all that was destined to happen touching Cronos the king +and his stout-hearted son. So they sent her to Lyetus, to the rich land +of Crete, when she was ready to bear great Zeus, the youngest of her +children. Him did vast Earth receive from Rhea in wide Crete to nourish +and to bring up. Thither came Earth carrying him swiftly through the +black night to Lyctus first, and took him in her arms and hid him in a +remote cave beneath the secret places of the holy earth on thick-wooded +Mount Aegeum; but to the mightily ruling son of Heaven, the earlier +king of the gods, she gave a great stone wrapped in swaddling clothes. +Then he took it in his hands and thrust it down into his belly: wretch! +he knew not in his heart that in place of the stone his son was left +behind, unconquered and untroubled, and that he was soon to overcome +him by force and might and drive him from his honours, himself to reign +over the deathless gods. + +(ll. 492-506) After that, the strength and glorious limbs of the prince +increased quickly, and as the years rolled on, great Cronos the wily +was beguiled by the deep suggestions of Earth, and brought up again his +offspring, vanquished by the arts and might of his own son, and he +vomited up first the stone which he had swallowed last. And Zeus set it +fast in the wide-pathed earth at goodly Pytho under the glens of +Parnassus, to be a sign thenceforth and a marvel to mortal men 1620. +And he set free from their deadly bonds the brothers of his father, +sons of Heaven whom his father in his foolishness had bound. And they +remembered to be grateful to him for his kindness, and gave him thunder +and the glowing thunderbolt and lightening: for before that, huge Earth +had hidden these. In them he trusts and rules over mortals and +immortals. + +(ll. 507-543) Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled mad Clymene, +daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed. And she bare him +a stout-hearted son, Atlas: also she bare very glorious Menoetius and +clever Prometheus, full of various wiles, and scatter-brained +Epimetheus who from the first was a mischief to men who eat bread; for +it was he who first took of Zeus the woman, the maiden whom he had +formed. But Menoetius was outrageous, and far-seeing Zeus struck him +with a lurid thunderbolt and sent him down to Erebus because of his mad +presumption and exceeding pride. And Atlas through hard constraint +upholds the wide heaven with unwearying head and arms, standing at the +borders of the earth before the clear-voiced Hesperides; for this lot +wise Zeus assigned to him. And ready-witted Prometheus he bound with +inextricable bonds, cruel chains, and drove a shaft through his middle, +and set on him a long-winged eagle, which used to eat his immortal +liver; but by night the liver grew as much again everyway as the +long-winged bird devoured in the whole day. That bird Heracles, the +valiant son of shapely-ankled Alcmene, slew; and delivered the son of +Iapetus from the cruel plague, and released him from his affliction—not +without the will of Olympian Zeus who reigns on high, that the glory of +Heracles the Theban-born might be yet greater than it was before over +the plenteous earth. This, then, he regarded, and honoured his famous +son; though he was angry, he ceased from the wrath which he had before +because Prometheus matched himself in wit with the almighty son of +Cronos. For when the gods and mortal men had a dispute at Mecone, even +then Prometheus was forward to cut up a great ox and set portions +before them, trying to befool the mind of Zeus. Before the rest he set +flesh and inner parts thick with fat upon the hide, covering them with +an ox paunch; but for Zeus he put the white bones dressed up with +cunning art and covered with shining fat. Then the father of men and of +gods said to him: + +(ll. 543-544) ‘Son of Iapetus, most glorious of all lords, good sir, +how unfairly you have divided the portions!’ + +(ll. 545-547) So said Zeus whose wisdom is everlasting, rebuking him. +But wily Prometheus answered him, smiling softly and not forgetting his +cunning trick: + +(ll. 548-558) ‘Zeus, most glorious and greatest of the eternal gods, +take which ever of these portions your heart within you bids.’ So he +said, thinking trickery. But Zeus, whose wisdom is everlasting, saw and +failed not to perceive the trick, and in his heart he thought mischief +against mortal men which also was to be fulfilled. With both hands he +took up the white fat and was angry at heart, and wrath came to his +spirit when he saw the white ox-bones craftily tricked out: and because +of this the tribes of men upon earth burn white bones to the deathless +gods upon fragrant altars. But Zeus who drives the clouds was greatly +vexed and said to him: + +(ll. 559-560) ‘Son of Iapetus, clever above all! So, sir, you have not +yet forgotten your cunning arts!’ + +(ll. 561-584) So spake Zeus in anger, whose wisdom is everlasting; and +from that time he was always mindful of the trick, and would not give +the power of unwearying fire to the Melian 1621 race of mortal men who +live on the earth. But the noble son of Iapetus outwitted him and stole +the far-seen gleam of unwearying fire in a hollow fennel stalk. And +Zeus who thunders on high was stung in spirit, and his dear heart was +angered when he saw amongst men the far-seen ray of fire. Forthwith he +made an evil thing for men as the price of fire; for the very famous +Limping God formed of earth the likeness of a shy maiden as the son of +Cronos willed. And the goddess bright-eyed Athene girded and clothed +her with silvery raiment, and down from her head she spread with her +hands a broidered veil, a wonder to see; and she, Pallas Athene, put +about her head lovely garlands, flowers of new-grown herbs. Also she +put upon her head a crown of gold which the very famous Limping God +made himself and worked with his own hands as a favour to Zeus his +father. On it was much curious work, wonderful to see; for of the many +creatures which the land and sea rear up, he put most upon it, +wonderful things, like living beings with voices: and great beauty +shone out from it. + +(ll. 585-589) But when he had made the beautiful evil to be the price +for the blessing, he brought her out, delighting in the finery which +the bright-eyed daughter of a mighty father had given her, to the place +where the other gods and men were. And wonder took hold of the +deathless gods and mortal men when they saw that which was sheer guile, +not to be withstood by men. + +(ll. 590-612) For from her is the race of women and female kind: of her +is the deadly race and tribe of women who live amongst mortal men to +their great trouble, no helpmeets in hateful poverty, but only in +wealth. And as in thatched hives bees feed the drones whose nature is +to do mischief—by day and throughout the day until the sun goes down +the bees are busy and lay the white combs, while the drones stay at +home in the covered skeps and reap the toil of others into their own +bellies—even so Zeus who thunders on high made women to be an evil to +mortal men, with a nature to do evil. And he gave them a second evil to +be the price for the good they had: whoever avoids marriage and the +sorrows that women cause, and will not wed, reaches deadly old age +without anyone to tend his years, and though he at least has no lack of +livelihood while he lives, yet, when he is dead, his kinsfolk divide +his possessions amongst them. And as for the man who chooses the lot of +marriage and takes a good wife suited to his mind, evil continually +contends with good; for whoever happens to have mischievous children, +lives always with unceasing grief in his spirit and heart within him; +and this evil cannot be healed. + +(ll. 613-616) So it is not possible to deceive or go beyond the will of +Zeus; for not even the son of Iapetus, kindly Prometheus, escaped his +heavy anger, but of necessity strong bands confined him, although he +knew many a wile. + +(ll. 617-643) But when first their father was vexed in his heart with +Obriareus and Cottus and Gyes, he bound them in cruel bonds, because he +was jealous of their exceeding manhood and comeliness and great size: +and he made them live beneath the wide-pathed earth, where they were +afflicted, being set to dwell under the ground, at the end of the +earth, at its great borders, in bitter anguish for a long time and with +great grief at heart. But the son of Cronos and the other deathless +gods whom rich-haired Rhea bare from union with Cronos, brought them up +again to the light at Earth’s advising. For she herself recounted all +things to the gods fully, how that with these they would gain victory +and a glorious cause to vaunt themselves. For the Titan gods and as +many as sprang from Cronos had long been fighting together in stubborn +war with heart-grieving toil, the lordly Titans from high Othyrs, but +the gods, givers of good, whom rich-haired Rhea bare in union with +Cronos, from Olympus. So they, with bitter wrath, were fighting +continually with one another at that time for ten full years, and the +hard strife had no close or end for either side, and the issue of the +war hung evenly balanced. But when he had provided those three with all +things fitting, nectar and ambrosia which the gods themselves eat, and +when their proud spirit revived within them all after they had fed on +nectar and delicious ambrosia, then it was that the father of men and +gods spoke amongst them: + +(ll. 644-653) ‘Hear me, bright children of Earth and Heaven, that I may +say what my heart within me bids. A long while now have we, who are +sprung from Cronos and the Titan gods, fought with each other every day +to get victory and to prevail. But do you show your great might and +unconquerable strength, and face the Titans in bitter strife; for +remember our friendly kindness, and from what sufferings you are come +back to the light from your cruel bondage under misty gloom through our +counsels.’ + +(ll. 654-663) So he said. And blameless Cottus answered him again: +‘Divine one, you speak that which we know well: nay, even of ourselves +we know that your wisdom and understanding is exceeding, and that you +became a defender of the deathless ones from chill doom. And through +your devising we are come back again from the murky gloom and from our +merciless bonds, enjoying what we looked not for, O lord, son of +Cronos. And so now with fixed purpose and deliberate counsel we will +aid your power in dreadful strife and will fight against the Titans in +hard battle.’ + +(ll. 664-686) So he said: and the gods, givers of good things, +applauded when they heard his word, and their spirit longed for war +even more than before, and they all, both male and female, stirred up +hated battle that day, the Titan gods, and all that were born of Cronos +together with those dread, mighty ones of overwhelming strength whom +Zeus brought up to the light from Erebus beneath the earth. An hundred +arms sprang from the shoulders of all alike, and each had fifty heads +growing upon his shoulders upon stout limbs. These, then, stood against +the Titans in grim strife, holding huge rocks in their strong hands. +And on the other part the Titans eagerly strengthened their ranks, and +both sides at one time showed the work of their hands and their might. +The boundless sea rang terribly around, and the earth crashed loudly: +wide Heaven was shaken and groaned, and high Olympus reeled from its +foundation under the charge of the undying gods, and a heavy quaking +reached dim Tartarus and the deep sound of their feet in the fearful +onset and of their hard missiles. So, then, they launched their +grievous shafts upon one another, and the cry of both armies as they +shouted reached to starry heaven; and they met together with a great +battle-cry. + +(ll. 687-712) Then Zeus no longer held back his might; but straight his +heart was filled with fury and he showed forth all his strength. From +Heaven and from Olympus he came forthwith, hurling his lightning: the +bolts flew thick and fast from his strong hand together with thunder +and lightning, whirling an awesome flame. The life-giving earth crashed +around in burning, and the vast wood crackled loud with fire all about. +All the land seethed, and Ocean’s streams and the unfruitful sea. The +hot vapour lapped round the earthborn Titans: flame unspeakable rose to +the bright upper air: the flashing glare of the thunder-stone and +lightning blinded their eyes for all that there were strong. Astounding +heat seized Chaos: and to see with eyes and to hear the sound with ears +it seemed even as if Earth and wide Heaven above came together; for +such a mighty crash would have arisen if Earth were being hurled to +ruin, and Heaven from on high were hurling her down; so great a crash +was there while the gods were meeting together in strife. Also the +winds brought rumbling earthquake and duststorm, thunder and lightning +and the lurid thunderbolt, which are the shafts of great Zeus, and +carried the clangour and the warcry into the midst of the two hosts. An +horrible uproar of terrible strife arose: mighty deeds were shown and +the battle inclined. But until then, they kept at one another and +fought continually in cruel war. + +(ll. 713-735) And amongst the foremost Cottus and Briareos and Gyes +insatiate for war raised fierce fighting: three hundred rocks, one upon +another, they launched from their strong hands and overshadowed the +Titans with their missiles, and buried them beneath the wide-pathed +earth, and bound them in bitter chains when they had conquered them by +their strength for all their great spirit, as far beneath the earth to +Tartarus. For a brazen anvil falling down from heaven nine nights and +days would reach the earth upon the tenth: and again, a brazen anvil +falling from earth nine nights and days would reach Tartarus upon the +tenth. Round it runs a fence of bronze, and night spreads in triple +line all about it like a neck-circlet, while above grow the roots of +the earth and unfruitful sea. There by the counsel of Zeus who drives +the clouds the Titan gods are hidden under misty gloom, in a dank place +where are the ends of the huge earth. And they may not go out; for +Poseidon fixed gates of bronze upon it, and a wall runs all round it on +every side. There Gyes and Cottus and great-souled Obriareus live, +trusty warders of Zeus who holds the aegis. + +(ll. 736-744) And there, all in their order, are the sources and ends +of gloomy earth and misty Tartarus and the unfruitful sea and starry +heaven, loathsome and dank, which even the gods abhor. + +It is a great gulf, and if once a man were within the gates, he would +not reach the floor until a whole year had reached its end, but cruel +blast upon blast would carry him this way and that. And this marvel is +awful even to the deathless gods. + +(ll. 744-757) There stands the awful home of murky Night wrapped in +dark clouds. In front of it the son of Iapetus 1622 stands immovably +upholding the wide heaven upon his head and unwearying hands, where +Night and Day draw near and greet one another as they pass the great +threshold of bronze: and while the one is about to go down into the +house, the other comes out at the door. + +And the house never holds them both within; but always one is without +the house passing over the earth, while the other stays at home and +waits until the time for her journeying come; and the one holds +all-seeing light for them on earth, but the other holds in her arms +Sleep the brother of Death, even evil Night, wrapped in a vaporous +cloud. + +(ll. 758-766) And there the children of dark Night have their +dwellings, Sleep and Death, awful gods. The glowing Sun never looks +upon them with his beams, neither as he goes up into heaven, nor as he +comes down from heaven. And the former of them roams peacefully over +the earth and the sea’s broad back and is kindly to men; but the other +has a heart of iron, and his spirit within him is pitiless as bronze: +whomsoever of men he has once seized he holds fast: and he is hateful +even to the deathless gods. + +(ll. 767-774) There, in front, stand the echoing halls of the god of +the lower-world, strong Hades, and of awful Persephone. A fearful hound +guards the house in front, pitiless, and he has a cruel trick. On those +who go in he fawns with his tail and both his ears, but suffers them +not to go out back again, but keeps watch and devours whomsoever he +catches going out of the gates of strong Hades and awful Persephone. + +(ll. 775-806) And there dwells the goddess loathed by the deathless +gods, terrible Styx, eldest daughter of back-flowing 1623 Ocean. She +lives apart from the gods in her glorious house vaulted over with great +rocks and propped up to heaven all round with silver pillars. Rarely +does the daughter of Thaumas, swift-footed Iris, come to her with a +message over the sea’s wide back. + +But when strife and quarrel arise among the deathless gods, and when +any of them who live in the house of Olympus lies, then Zeus sends Iris +to bring in a golden jug the great oath of the gods from far away, the +famous cold water which trickles down from a high and beetling rock. +Far under the wide-pathed earth a branch of Oceanus flows through the +dark night out of the holy stream, and a tenth part of his water is +allotted to her. With nine silver-swirling streams he winds about the +earth and the sea’s wide back, and then falls into the main 1624; but +the tenth flows out from a rock, a sore trouble to the gods. For +whoever of the deathless gods that hold the peaks of snowy Olympus +pours a libation of her water is forsworn, lies breathless until a full +year is completed, and never comes near to taste ambrosia and nectar, +but lies spiritless and voiceless on a strewn bed: and a heavy trance +overshadows him. But when he has spent a long year in his sickness, +another penance and an harder follows after the first. For nine years +he is cut off from the eternal gods and never joins their councils of +their feasts, nine full years. But in the tenth year he comes again to +join the assemblies of the deathless gods who live in the house of +Olympus. Such an oath, then, did the gods appoint the eternal and +primaeval water of Styx to be: and it spouts through a rugged place. + +(ll. 807-819) And there, all in their order, are the sources and ends +of the dark earth and misty Tartarus and the unfruitful sea and starry +heaven, loathsome and dank, which even the gods abhor. + +And there are shining gates and an immoveable threshold of bronze +having unending roots and it is grown of itself 1625. And beyond, away +from all the gods, live the Titans, beyond gloomy Chaos. But the +glorious allies of loud-crashing Zeus have their dwelling upon Ocean’s +foundations, even Cottus and Gyes; but Briareos, being goodly, the +deep-roaring Earth-Shaker made his son-in-law, giving him Cymopolea his +daughter to wed. + +(ll. 820-868) But when Zeus had driven the Titans from heaven, huge +Earth bare her youngest child Typhoeus of the love of Tartarus, by the +aid of golden Aphrodite. Strength was with his hands in all that he did +and the feet of the strong god were untiring. From his shoulders grew +an hundred heads of a snake, a fearful dragon, with dark, flickering +tongues, and from under the brows of his eyes in his marvellous heads +flashed fire, and fire burned from his heads as he glared. And there +were voices in all his dreadful heads which uttered every kind of sound +unspeakable; for at one time they made sounds such that the gods +understood, but at another, the noise of a bull bellowing aloud in +proud ungovernable fury; and at another, the sound of a lion, +relentless of heart; and at another, sounds like whelps, wonderful to +hear; and again, at another, he would hiss, so that the high mountains +re-echoed. And truly a thing past help would have happened on that day, +and he would have come to reign over mortals and immortals, had not the +father of men and gods been quick to perceive it. But he thundered hard +and mightily: and the earth around resounded terribly and the wide +heaven above, and the sea and Ocean’s streams and the nether parts of +the earth. Great Olympus reeled beneath the divine feet of the king as +he arose and earth groaned thereat. And through the two of them heat +took hold on the dark-blue sea, through the thunder and lightning, and +through the fire from the monster, and the scorching winds and blazing +thunderbolt. The whole earth seethed, and sky and sea: and the long +waves raged along the beaches round and about, at the rush of the +deathless gods: and there arose an endless shaking. Hades trembled +where he rules over the dead below, and the Titans under Tartarus who +live with Cronos, because of the unending clamour and the fearful +strife. So when Zeus had raised up his might and seized his arms, +thunder and lightning and lurid thunderbolt, he leaped from Olympus and +struck him, and burned all the marvellous heads of the monster about +him. But when Zeus had conquered him and lashed him with strokes, +Typhoeus was hurled down, a maimed wreck, so that the huge earth +groaned. And flame shot forth from the thunder-stricken lord in the dim +rugged glens of the mount 1626, when he was smitten. A great part of +huge earth was scorched by the terrible vapour and melted as tin melts +when heated by men’s art in channelled 1627 crucibles; or as iron, +which is hardest of all things, is softened by glowing fire in mountain +glens and melts in the divine earth through the strength of Hephaestus +1628. Even so, then, the earth melted in the glow of the blazing fire. +And in the bitterness of his anger Zeus cast him into wide Tartarus. + +(ll. 869-880) And from Typhoeus come boisterous winds which blow +damply, except Notus and Boreas and clear Zephyr. These are a god-sent +kind, and a great blessing to men; but the others blow fitfully upon +the seas. Some rush upon the misty sea and work great havoc among men +with their evil, raging blasts; for varying with the season they blow, +scattering ships and destroying sailors. And men who meet these upon +the sea have no help against the mischief. Others again over the +boundless, flowering earth spoil the fair fields of men who dwell +below, filling them with dust and cruel uproar. + +(ll. 881-885) But when the blessed gods had finished their toil, and +settled by force their struggle for honours with the Titans, they +pressed far-seeing Olympian Zeus to reign and to rule over them, by +Earth’s prompting. So he divided their dignities amongst them. + +(ll. 886-900) Now Zeus, king of the gods, made Metis his wife first, +and she was wisest among gods and mortal men. But when she was about to +bring forth the goddess bright-eyed Athene, Zeus craftily deceived her +with cunning words and put her in his own belly, as Earth and starry +Heaven advised. For they advised him so, to the end that no other +should hold royal sway over the eternal gods in place of Zeus; for very +wise children were destined to be born of her, first the maiden +bright-eyed Tritogeneia, equal to her father in strength and in wise +understanding; but afterwards she was to bear a son of overbearing +spirit, king of gods and men. But Zeus put her into his own belly +first, that the goddess might devise for him both good and evil. + +(ll. 901-906) Next he married bright Themis who bare the Horae (Hours), +and Eunomia (Order), Dike (Justice), and blooming Eirene (Peace), who +mind the works of mortal men, and the Moerae (Fates) to whom wise Zeus +gave the greatest honour, Clotho, and Lachesis, and Atropos who give +mortal men evil and good to have. + +(ll. 907-911) And Eurynome, the daughter of Ocean, beautiful in form, +bare him three fair-cheeked Charites (Graces), Aglaea, and Euphrosyne, +and lovely Thaleia, from whose eyes as they glanced flowed love that +unnerves the limbs: and beautiful is their glance beneath their brows. + +(ll. 912-914) Also he came to the bed of all-nourishing Demeter, and +she bare white-armed Persephone whom Aidoneus carried off from her +mother; but wise Zeus gave her to him. + +(ll. 915-917) And again, he loved Mnemosyne with the beautiful hair: +and of her the nine gold-crowned Muses were born who delight in feasts +and the pleasures of song. + +(ll. 918-920) And Leto was joined in love with Zeus who holds the +aegis, and bare Apollo and Artemis delighting in arrows, children +lovely above all the sons of Heaven. + +(ll. 921-923) Lastly, he made Hera his blooming wife: and she was +joined in love with the king of gods and men, and brought forth Hebe +and Ares and Eileithyia. + +(ll. 924-929) But Zeus himself gave birth from his own head to +bright-eyed Tritogeneia 1629, the awful, the strife-stirring, the +host-leader, the unwearying, the queen, who delights in tumults and +wars and battles. But Hera without union with Zeus—for she was very +angry and quarrelled with her mate—bare famous Hephaestus, who is +skilled in crafts more than all the sons of Heaven. + +(ll. 929a-929t) 1630 But Hera was very angry and quarrelled with her +mate. And because of this strife she bare without union with Zeus who +holds the aegis a glorious son, Hephaestus, who excelled all the sons +of Heaven in crafts. But Zeus lay with the fair-cheeked daughter of +Ocean and Tethys apart from Hera.... ((LACUNA)) ....deceiving Metis +(Thought) although she was full wise. But he seized her with his hands +and put her in his belly, for fear that she might bring forth something +stronger than his thunderbolt: therefore did Zeus, who sits on high and +dwells in the aether, swallow her down suddenly. But she straightway +conceived Pallas Athene: and the father of men and gods gave her birth +by way of his head on the banks of the river Trito. And she remained +hidden beneath the inward parts of Zeus, even Metis, Athena’s mother, +worker of righteousness, who was wiser than gods and mortal men. There +the goddess (Athena) received that 1631 whereby she excelled in +strength all the deathless ones who dwell in Olympus, she who made the +host-scaring weapon of Athena. And with it (Zeus) gave her birth, +arrayed in arms of war. + +(ll. 930-933) And of Amphitrite and the loud-roaring Earth-Shaker was +born great, wide-ruling Triton, and he owns the depths of the sea, +living with his dear mother and the lord his father in their golden +house, an awful god. + +(ll. 933-937) Also Cytherea bare to Ares the shield-piercer Panic and +Fear, terrible gods who drive in disorder the close ranks of men in +numbing war, with the help of Ares, sacker of towns: and Harmonia whom +high-spirited Cadmus made his wife. + +(ll. 938-939) And Maia, the daughter of Atlas, bare to Zeus glorious +Hermes, the herald of the deathless gods, for she went up into his holy +bed. + +(ll. 940-942) And Semele, daughter of Cadmus was joined with him in +love and bare him a splendid son, joyous Dionysus,—a mortal woman an +immortal son. And now they both are gods. + +(ll. 943-944) And Alcmena was joined in love with Zeus who drives the +clouds and bare mighty Heracles. + +(ll. 945-946) And Hephaestus, the famous Lame One, made Aglaea, +youngest of the Graces, his buxom wife. + +(ll. 947-949) And golden-haired Dionysus made brown-haired Ariadne, the +daughter of Minos, his buxom wife: and the son of Cronos made her +deathless and unageing for him. + +(ll. 950-955) And mighty Heracles, the valiant son of neat-ankled +Alcmena, when he had finished his grievous toils, made Hebe the child +of great Zeus and gold-shod Hera his shy wife in snowy Olympus. Happy +he! For he has finished his great works and lives amongst the undying +gods, untroubled and unageing all his days. + +(ll. 956-962) And Perseis, the daughter of Ocean, bare to unwearying +Helios Circe and Aeetes the king. And Aeetes, the son of Helios who +shows light to men, took to wife fair-cheeked Idyia, daughter of Ocean +the perfect stream, by the will of the gods: and she was subject to him +in love through golden Aphrodite and bare him neat-ankled Medea. + +(ll. 963-968) And now farewell, you dwellers on Olympus and you islands +and continents and thou briny sea within. Now sing the company of +goddesses, sweet-voiced Muses of Olympus, daughter of Zeus who holds +the aegis,—even those deathless one who lay with mortal men and bare +children like unto gods. + +(ll. 969-974) Demeter, bright goddess, was joined in sweet love with +the hero Iasion in a thrice-ploughed fallow in the rich land of Crete, +and bare Plutus, a kindly god who goes everywhere over land and the +sea’s wide back, and him who finds him and into whose hands he comes he +makes rich, bestowing great wealth upon him. + +(ll. 975-978) And Harmonia, the daughter of golden Aphrodite, bare to +Cadmus Ino and Semele and fair-cheeked Agave and Autonoe whom long +haired Aristaeus wedded, and Polydorus also in rich-crowned Thebe. + +(ll. 979-983) And the daughter of Ocean, Callirrhoe was joined in the +love of rich Aphrodite with stout hearted Chrysaor and bare a son who +was the strongest of all men, Geryones, whom mighty Heracles killed in +sea-girt Erythea for the sake of his shambling oxen. + +(ll. 984-991) And Eos bare to Tithonus brazen-crested Memnon, king of +the Ethiopians, and the Lord Emathion. And to Cephalus she bare a +splendid son, strong Phaethon, a man like the gods, whom, when he was a +young boy in the tender flower of glorious youth with childish +thoughts, laughter-loving Aphrodite seized and caught up and made a +keeper of her shrine by night, a divine spirit. + +(ll. 993-1002) And the son of Aeson by the will of the gods led away +from Aeetes the daughter of Aeetes the heaven-nurtured king, when he +had finished the many grievous labours which the great king, over +bearing Pelias, that outrageous and presumptuous doer of violence, put +upon him. But when the son of Aeson had finished them, he came to +Iolcus after long toil bringing the coy-eyed girl with him on his swift +ship, and made her his buxom wife. And she was subject to Iason, +shepherd of the people, and bare a son Medeus whom Cheiron the son of +Philyra brought up in the mountains. And the will of great Zeus was +fulfilled. + +(ll. 1003-1007) But of the daughters of Nereus, the Old man of the Sea, +Psamathe the fair goddess, was loved by Aeacus through golden Aphrodite +and bare Phocus. And the silver-shod goddess Thetis was subject to +Peleus and brought forth lion-hearted Achilles, the destroyer of men. + +(ll. 1008-1010) And Cytherea with the beautiful crown was joined in +sweet love with the hero Anchises and bare Aeneas on the peaks of Ida +with its many wooded glens. + +(ll. 1011-1016) And Circe the daughter of Helius, Hyperion’s son, loved +steadfast Odysseus and bare Agrius and Latinus who was faultless and +strong: also she brought forth Telegonus by the will of golden +Aphrodite. And they ruled over the famous Tyrenians, very far off in a +recess of the holy islands. + +(ll. 1017-1018) And the bright goddess Calypso was joined to Odysseus +in sweet love, and bare him Nausithous and Nausinous. + +(ll. 1019-1020) These are the immortal goddesses who lay with mortal +men and bare them children like unto gods. + +(ll. 1021-1022) But now, sweet-voiced Muses of Olympus, daughters of +Zeus who holds the aegis, sing of the company of women. + +THE CATALOGUES OF WOMEN AND EOIAE1701 + +Fragment #1—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iii. 1086: That +Deucalion was the son of Prometheus and Pronoea, Hesiod states in the +first _Catalogue_, as also that Hellen was the son of Deucalion and +Pyrrha. + +Fragment #2—Ioannes Lydus 1702, de Mens. i. 13: They came to call those +who followed local manners Latins, but those who followed Hellenic +customs Greeks, after the brothers Latinus and Graecus; as Hesiod says: +‘And in the palace Pandora the daughter of noble Deucalion was joined +in love with father Zeus, leader of all the gods, and bare Graecus, +staunch in battle.’ + +Fragment #3—Constantinus Porphyrogenitus 1703, de Them. 2 p. 48B: The +district Macedonia took its name from Macedon the son of Zeus and +Thyia, Deucalion’s daughter, as Hesiod says: ‘And she conceived and +bare to Zeus who delights in the thunderbolt two sons, Magnes and +Macedon, rejoicing in horses, who dwell round about Pieria and +Olympus.... ((LACUNA)) ....And Magnes again (begot) Dictys and godlike +Polydectes.’ + +Fragment #4—Plutarch, Mor. p. 747; Schol. on Pindar Pyth. iv. 263: ‘And +from Hellen the war-loving king sprang Dorus and Xuthus and Aeolus +delighting in horses. And the sons of Aeolus, kings dealing justice, +were Cretheus, and Athamas, and clever Sisyphus, and wicked Salmoneus +and overbold Perieres.’ + +Fragment #5—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 266: Those who +were descended from Deucalion used to rule over Thessaly as Hecataeus +and Hesiod say. + +Fragment #6—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 482: Aloiadae. +Hesiod said that they were sons of Aloeus,—called so after him,—and of +Iphimedea, but in reality sons of Poseidon and Iphimedea, and that Alus +a city of Aetolia was founded by their father. + +Fragment #7—Berlin Papyri, No. 7497; Oxyrhynchus Papyri, 421 1704: (ll. +1-24) ‘....Eurynome the daughter of Nisus, Pandion’s son, to whom +Pallas Athene taught all her art, both wit and wisdom too; for she was +as wise as the gods. A marvellous scent rose from her silvern raiment +as she moved, and beauty was wafted from her eyes. Her, then, Glaucus +sought to win by Athena’s advising, and he drove oxen 1705 for her. But +he knew not at all the intent of Zeus who holds the aegis. So Glaucus +came seeking her to wife with gifts; but cloud-driving Zeus, king of +the deathless gods, bent his head in oath that the.... son of Sisyphus +should never have children born of one father 1706. So she lay in the +arms of Poseidon and bare in the house of Glaucus blameless +Bellerophon, surpassing all men in.... over the boundless sea. And when +he began to roam, his father gave him Pegasus who would bear him most +swiftly on his wings, and flew unwearying everywhere over the earth, +for like the gales he would course along. With him Bellerophon caught +and slew the fire-breathing Chimera. And he wedded the dear child of +the great-hearted Iobates, the worshipful king.... lord (of).... and +she bare....’ + +Fragment #8—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodes, Arg. iv. 57: Hesiod says +that Endymion was the son of Aethlius the son of Zeus and Calyee, and +received the gift from Zeus: ‘(To be) keeper of death for his own self +when he was ready to die.’ + +Fragment #9—Scholiast Ven. on Homer, Il. xi. 750: The two sons of Actor +and Molione... Hesiod has given their descent by calling them after +Actor and Molione; but their father was Poseidon. + +Porphyrius 1707, Quaest. Hom. ad Iliad. pert., 265: But Aristarchus is +informed that they were twins, not.... such as were the Dioscuri, but, +on Hesiod’s testimony, double in form and with two bodies and joined to +one another. + +Fragment #10—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 156: But Hesiod +says that he changed himself in one of his wonted shapes and perched on +the yoke-boss of Heracles’ horses, meaning to fight with the hero; but +that Heracles, secretly instructed by Athena, wounded him mortally with +an arrow. And he says as follows: ‘...and lordly Periclymenus. Happy +he! For earth-shaking Poseidon gave him all manner of gifts. At one +time he would appear among birds, an eagle; and again at another he +would be an ant, a marvel to see; and then a shining swarm of bees; and +again at another time a dread relentless snake. And he possessed all +manner of gifts which cannot be told, and these then ensnared him +through the devising of Athene.’ + +Fragment #11—Stephanus of Byzantium 1708, s.v.: ‘(Heracles) slew the +noble sons of steadfast Neleus, eleven of them; but the twelfth, the +horsemen Gerenian Nestor chanced to be staying with the horse-taming +Gerenians. ((LACUNA)) Nestor alone escaped in flowery Gerenon.’ + +Fragment #12—Eustathius 1709, Hom. 1796.39: ‘So well-girded Polycaste, +the youngest daughter of Nestor, Neleus’ son, was joined in love with +Telemachus through golden Aphrodite and bare Persepolis.’ + +Fragment #13—Scholiast on Homer, Od. xii. 69: Tyro the daughter of +Salmoneus, having two sons by Poseidon, Neleus and Pelias, married +Cretheus, and had by him three sons, Aeson, Pheres and Amythaon. And of +Aeson and Polymede, according to Hesiod, Iason was born: ‘Aeson, who +begot a son Iason, shepherd of the people, whom Chiron brought up in +woody Pelion.’ + +Fragment #14—Petrie Papyri (ed. Mahaffy), Pl. III. 3: ‘....of the +glorious lord ....fair Atalanta, swift of foot, the daughter of +Schoeneus, who had the beaming eyes of the Graces, though she was ripe +for wedlock rejected the company of her equals and sought to avoid +marriage with men who eat bread.’ + +Scholiast on Homer, Iliad xxiii. 683: Hesiod is therefore later in date +than Homer since he represents Hippomenes as stripped when contending +with Atalanta 1710. + +Papiri greci e latini, ii. No. 130 (2nd-3rd century) 1711: (ll. 1-7) +‘Then straightway there rose up against him the trim-ankled maiden +(Atalanta), peerless in beauty: a great throng stood round about her as +she gazed fiercely, and wonder held all men as they looked upon her. As +she moved, the breath of the west wind stirred the shining garment +about her tender bosom; but Hippomenes stood where he was: and much +people was gathered together. All these kept silence; but Schoeneus +cried and said: + +(ll. 8-20) ‘“Hear me all, both young and old, while I speak as my +spirit within my breast bids me. Hippomenes seeks my coy-eyed daughter +to wife; but let him now hear my wholesome speech. He shall not win her +without contest; yet, if he be victorious and escape death, and if the +deathless gods who dwell on Olympus grant him to win renown, verily he +shall return to his dear native land, and I will give him my dear child +and strong, swift-footed horses besides which he shall lead home to be +cherished possessions; and may he rejoice in heart possessing these, +and ever remember with gladness the painful contest. May the father of +men and of gods (grant that splendid children may be born to him)’ 1712 + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 21-27) ‘on the right.... and he, rushing upon her,.... drawing +back slightly towards the left. And on them was laid an unenviable +struggle: for she, even fair, swift-footed Atalanta, ran scorning the +gifts of golden Aphrodite; but with him the race was for his life, +either to find his doom, or to escape it. Therefore with thoughts of +guile he said to her: + +(ll. 28-29) ‘“O daughter of Schoeneus, pitiless in heart, receive these +glorious gifts of the goddess, golden Aphrodite...’ + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 30-36) ‘But he, following lightly on his feet, cast the first +apple 1713: and, swiftly as a Harpy, she turned back and snatched it. +Then he cast the second to the ground with his hand. And now fair, +swift-footed Atalanta had two apples and was near the goal; but +Hippomenes cast the third apple to the ground, and therewith escaped +death and black fate. And he stood panting and...’ + +Fragment #15—Strabo 1714, i. p. 42: ‘And the daughter of Arabus, whom +worthy Hermaon begat with Thronia, daughter of the lord Belus.’ + +Fragment #16—Eustathius, Hom. 461. 2: ‘Argos which was waterless Danaus +made well-watered.’ + +Fragment #17—Hecataeus 1715 in Scholiast on Euripides, Orestes, 872: +Aegyptus himself did not go to Argos, but sent his sons, fifty in +number, as Hesiod represented. + +Fragment #18—1716 Strabo, viii. p. 370: And Apollodorus says that +Hesiod already knew that the whole people were called both Hellenes and +Panhellenes, as when he says of the daughters of Proetus that the +Panhellenes sought them in marriage. + +Apollodorus, ii. 2.1.4: Acrisius was king of Argos and Proetus of +Tiryns. And Acrisius had by Eurydice the daughter of Lacedemon, Danae; +and Proetus by Stheneboea ‘Lysippe and Iphinoe and Iphianassa’. And +these fell mad, as Hesiod states, because they would not receive the +rites of Dionysus. + +Probus 1717 on Vergil, Eclogue vi. 48: These (the daughters of +Proetus), because they had scorned the divinity of Juno, were overcome +with madness, such that they believed they had been turned into cows, +and left Argos their own country. Afterwards they were cured by +Melampus, the son of Amythaon. + +Suidas, s.v.: 1718 ‘Because of their hideous wantonness they lost their +tender beauty....’ + +Eustathius, Hom. 1746.7: ‘....For he shed upon their heads a fearful +itch: and leprosy covered all their flesh, and their hair dropped from +their heads, and their fair scalps were made bare.’ + +Fragment #19A—1719 Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358 fr. 1 (3rd cent. A.D.): 1720 +(ll. 1-32) ‘....So she (Europa) crossed the briny water from afar to +Crete, beguiled by the wiles of Zeus. Secretly did the Father snatch +her away and gave her a gift, the golden necklace, the toy which +Hephaestus the famed craftsman once made by his cunning skill and +brought and gave it to his father for a possession. And Zeus received +the gift, and gave it in turn to the daughter of proud Phoenix. But +when the Father of men and of gods had mated so far off with +trim-ankled Europa, then he departed back again from the rich-haired +girl. So she bare sons to the almighty Son of Cronos, glorious leaders +of wealthy men—Minos the ruler, and just Rhadamanthys and noble +Sarpedon the blameless and strong. To these did wise Zeus give each a +share of his honour. Verily Sarpedon reigned mightily over wide Lycia +and ruled very many cities filled with people, wielding the sceptre of +Zeus: and great honour followed him, which his father gave him, the +great-hearted shepherd of the people. For wise Zeus ordained that he +should live for three generations of mortal men and not waste away with +old age. He sent him to Troy; and Sarpedon gathered a great host, men +chosen out of Lycia to be allies to the Trojans. These men did Sarpedon +lead, skilled in bitter war. And Zeus, whose wisdom is everlasting, +sent him forth from heaven a star, showing tokens for the return of his +dear son........for well he (Sarpedon) knew in his heart that the sign +was indeed from Zeus. Very greatly did he excel in war together with +man-slaying Hector and brake down the wall, bringing woes upon the +Danaans. But so soon as Patroclus had inspired the Argives with hard +courage....’ + +Fragment #19—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xii. 292: Zeus saw Europa the +daughter of Phoenix gathering flowers in a meadow with some nymphs and +fell in love with her. So he came down and changed himself into a bull +and breathed from his mouth a crocus 1721. In this way he deceived +Europa, carried her off and crossed the sea to Crete where he had +intercourse with her. Then in this condition he made her live with +Asterion the king of the Cretans. There she conceived and bore three +sons, Minos, Sarpedon and Rhadamanthys. The tale is in Hesiod and +Bacchylides. + +Fragment #20—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 178: But +according to Hesiod (Phineus) was the son of Phoenix, Agenor’s son and +Cassiopea. + +Fragment #21—Apollodorus 1722, iii. 14.4.1: But Hesiod says that he +(Adonis) was the son of Phoenix and Alphesiboea. + +Fragment #22—Porphyrius, Quaest. Hom. ad Iliad. pert. p. 189: As it is +said in Hesiod in the _Catalogue of Women_ concerning Demodoce the +daughter of Agenor: ‘Demodoce whom very many of men on earth, mighty +princes, wooed, promising splendid gifts, because of her exceeding +beauty.’ + +Fragment #23—Apollodorus, iii. 5.6.2: Hesiod says that (the children of +Amphion and Niobe) were ten sons and ten daughters. + +Aelian 1723, Var. Hist. xii. 36: But Hesiod says they were nine boys +and ten girls;—unless after all the verses are not Hesiod but are +falsely ascribed to him as are many others. + +Fragment #24—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xxiii. 679: And Hesiod says that +when Oedipus had died at Thebes, Argea the daughter of Adrastus came +with others to the funeral of Oedipus. + +Fragment #25—Herodian 1724 in Etymologicum Magnum, p. 60, 40: Tityos +the son of Elara. + +Fragment #26—1725 Argument: Pindar, Ol. xiv: Cephisus is a river in +Orchomenus where also the Graces are worshipped. Eteoclus the son of +the river Cephisus first sacrificed to them, as Hesiod says. + +Scholiast on Homer, Il. ii. 522: ‘which from Lilaea spouts forth its +sweet flowing water....’ + +Strabo, ix. 424: ‘....And which flows on by Panopeus and through fenced +Glechon and through Orchomenus, winding like a snake.’ + +Fragment #27—Scholiast on Homer, Il. vii. 9: For the father of +Menesthius, Areithous was a Boeotian living at Arnae; and this is in +Boeotia, as also Hesiod says. + +Fragment #28—Stephanus of Byzantium: Onchestus: a grove 1726. It is +situate in the country of Haliartus and was founded by Onchestus the +Boeotian, as Hesiod says. + +Fragment #29—Stephanus of Byzantium: There is also a plain of Aega +bordering on Cirrha, according to Hesiod. + +Fragment #30—Apollodorus, ii. 1.1.5: But Hesiod says that Pelasgus was +autochthonous. + +Fragment #31—Strabo, v. p. 221: That this tribe (the Pelasgi) were from +Arcadia, Ephorus states on the authority of Hesiod; for he says: ‘Sons +were born to god-like Lycaon whom Pelasgus once begot.’ + +Fragment #32—Stephanus of Byzantium: Pallantium. A city of Arcadia, so +named after Pallas, one of Lycaon’s sons, according to Hesiod. + +Fragment #33—(Unknown): ‘Famous Meliboea bare Phellus the good +spear-man.’ + +Fragment #34—Herodian, On Peculiar Diction, p. 18: In Hesiod in the +second Catalogue: ‘Who once hid the torch 1727 within.’ + +Fragment #35—Herodian, On Peculiar Diction, p. 42: Hesiod in the third +Catalogue writes: ‘And a resounding thud of feet rose up.’ + +Fragment #36—Apollonius Dyscolus 1728, On the Pronoun, p. 125: ‘And a +great trouble to themselves.’ + +Fragment #37—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 45: Neither Homer +nor Hesiod speak of Iphiclus as amongst the Argonauts. + +Fragment #38—‘Eratosthenes’ 1729, Catast. xix. p. 124: The Ram.]—This +it was that transported Phrixus and Helle. It was immortal and was +given them by their mother Nephele, and had a golden fleece, as Hesiod +and Pherecydes say. + +Fragment #39—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 181: Hesiod in +the _Great Eoiae_ says that Phineus was blinded because he revealed to +Phrixus the road; but in the third _Catalogue_, because he preferred +long life to sight. + +Hesiod says he had two sons, Thynus and Mariandynus. + +Ephorus 1730 in Strabo, vii. 302: Hesiod, in the so-called Journey +round the Earth, says that Phineus was brought by the Harpies ‘to the +land of milk-feeders 1731 who have waggons for houses.’ + +Fragment #40A—(Cp. Fr. 43 and 44) Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358 fr. 2 (3rd +cent. A.D.): 1732 ((LACUNA—Slight remains of 7 lines)) + +(ll. 8-35) ‘(The Sons of Boreas pursued the Harpies) to the lands of +the Massagetae and of the proud Half-Dog men, of the Underground-folk +and of the feeble Pygmies; and to the tribes of the boundless +Black-skins and the Libyans. Huge Earth bare these to +Epaphus—soothsaying people, knowing seercraft by the will of Zeus the +lord of oracles, but deceivers, to the end that men whose thought +passes their utterance 1733 might be subject to the gods and suffer +harm—Aethiopians and Libyans and mare-milking Scythians. For verily +Epaphus was the child of the almighty Son of Cronos, and from him +sprang the dark Libyans, and high-souled Aethiopians, and the +Underground-folk and feeble Pygmies. All these are the offspring of the +lord, the Loud-thunderer. Round about all these (the Sons of Boreas) +sped in darting flight.... ....of the well-horsed Hyperboreans—whom +Earth the all-nourishing bare far off by the tumbling streams of +deep-flowing Eridanus........of amber, feeding her wide-scattered +offspring—and about the steep Fawn mountain and rugged Etna to the isle +Ortygia and the people sprung from Laestrygon who was the son of +wide-reigning Poseidon. Twice ranged the Sons of Boreas along this +coast and wheeled round and about yearning to catch the Harpies, while +they strove to escape and avoid them. And they sped to the tribe of the +haughty Cephallenians, the people of patient-souled Odysseus whom in +aftertime Calypso the queenly nymph detained for Poseidon. Then they +came to the land of the lord the son of Ares........they heard. Yet +still (the Sons of Boreas) ever pursued them with instant feet. So they +(the Harpies) sped over the sea and through the fruitless air...’ + +Fragment #40—Strabo, vii. p. 300: ‘The Aethiopians and Ligurians and +mare-milking Scythians.’ + +Fragment #41—Apollodorus, i. 9.21.6: As they were being pursued, one of +the Harpies fell into the river Tigris, in Peloponnesus which is now +called Harpys after her. Some call this one Nicothoe, and others +Aellopus. The other who was called Ocypete, or as some say Ocythoe +(though Hesiod calls her Ocypus), fled down the Propontis and reached +as far as to the Echinades islands which are now called because of her, +Strophades (Turning Islands). + +Fragment #42—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 297: Hesiod also +says that those with Zetes 1734 turned and prayed to Zeus: ‘There they +prayed to the lord of Aenos who reigns on high.’ + +Apollonius indeed says it was Iris who made Zetes and his following +turn away, but Hesiod says Hermes. + +Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 296: Others say (the islands) +were called Strophades, because they turned there and prayed Zeus to +seize the Harpies. But according to Hesiod... they were not killed. + +Fragment #43—Philodemus 1735, On Piety, 10: Nor let anyone mock at +Hesiod who mentions.... or even the Troglodytes and the Pygmies. + +Fragment #44—Strabo, i. p. 43: No one would accuse Hesiod of ignorance +though he speaks of the Half-dog people and the Great-Headed people and +the Pygmies. + +Fragment #45—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 284: But Hesiod +says they (the Argonauts) had sailed in through the Phasis. + +Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 259: But Hesiod (says).... +they came through the Ocean to Libya, and so, carrying the Argo, +reached our sea. + +Fragment #46—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iii. 311: +Apollonius, following Hesiod, says that Circe came to the island over +against Tyrrhenia on the chariot of the Sun. And he called it +Hesperian, because it lies toward the west. + +Fragment #47—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 892: He +(Apollonius) followed Hesiod who thus names the island of the Sirens: +‘To the island Anthemoessa (Flowery) which the son of Cronos gave +them.’ + +And their names are Thelxiope or Thelxinoe, Molpe and Aglaophonus 1736. + +Scholiast on Homer, Od. xii. 168: Hence Hesiod said that they charmed +even the winds. + +Fragment #48—Scholiast on Homer, Od. i. 85: Hesiod says that Ogygia is +within towards the west, but Ogygia lies over against Crete: ‘...the +Ogygian sea and......the island Ogygia.’ + +Fragment #49—Scholiast on Homer, Od. vii. 54: Hesiod regarded Arete as +the sister of Alcinous. + +Fragment #50—Scholiast on Pindar, Ol. x. 46: Her Hippostratus (did +wed), a scion of Ares, the splendid son of Phyetes, of the line of +Amarynces, leader of the Epeians. + +Fragment #51—Apollodorus, i. 8.4.1: When Althea was dead, Oeneus +married Periboea, the daughter of Hipponous. Hesiod says that she was +seduced by Hippostratus the son of Amarynces and that her father +Hipponous sent her from Olenus in Achaea to Oeneus because he was far +away from Hellas, bidding him kill her. + +‘She used to dwell on the cliff of Olenus by the banks of wide Peirus.’ + +Fragment #52—Diodorus 1737 v. 81: Macareus was a son of Crinacus the +son of Zeus as Hesiod says... and dwelt in Olenus in the country then +called Ionian, but now Achaean. + +Fragment #53—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. ii. 21: Concerning the Myrmidons +Hesiod speaks thus: ‘And she conceived and bare Aeacus, delighting in +horses. Now when he came to the full measure of desired youth, he +chafed at being alone. And the father of men and gods made all the ants +that were in the lovely isle into men and wide-girdled women. These +were the first who fitted with thwarts ships with curved sides, and the +first who used sails, the wings of a sea-going ship.’ + +Fragment #54—Polybius, v. 2: ‘The sons of Aeacus who rejoiced in battle +as though a feast.’ + +Fragment #55—Porphyrius, Quaest. Hom. ad Iliad. pertin. p. 93: He has +indicated the shameful deed briefly by the phrase ‘to lie with her +against her will’, and not like Hesiod who recounts at length the story +of Peleus and the wife of Acastus. + +Fragment #56—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. iv. 95: ‘And this seemed to him +(Acastus) in his mind the best plan; to keep back himself, but to hide +beyond guessing the beautiful knife which the very famous Lame One had +made for him, that in seeking it alone over steep Pelion, he (Peleus) +might be slain forthwith by the mountain-bred Centaurs.’ + +Fragment #57—Voll. Herculan. (Papyri from Herculaneum), 2nd Collection, +viii. 105: The author of the _Cypria_ 1738 says that Thetis avoided +wedlock with Zeus to please Hera; but that Zeus was angry and swore +that she should mate with a mortal. Hesiod also has the like account. + +Fragment #58—Strassburg Greek Papyri 55 (2nd century A.D.): (ll. 1-13) +‘Peleus the son of Aeacus, dear to the deathless gods, came to Phthia +the mother of flocks, bringing great possessions from spacious Iolcus. +And all the people envied him in their hearts seeing how he had sacked +the well-built city, and accomplished his joyous marriage; and they all +spake this word: “Thrice, yea, four times blessed son of Aeacus, happy +Peleus! For far-seeing Olympian Zeus has given you a wife with many +gifts and the blessed gods have brought your marriage fully to pass, +and in these halls you go up to the holy bed of a daughter of Nereus. +Truly the father, the son of Cronos, made you very pre-eminent among +heroes and honoured above other men who eat bread and consume the fruit +of the ground.”’ + +Fragment #59—1739 Origen, Against Celsus, iv. 79: ‘For in common then +were the banquets, and in common the seats of deathless gods and mortal +men.’ + +Fragment #60—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xvi. 175: ...whereas Hesiod and +the rest call her (Peleus’ daughter) Polydora. + +Fragment #61—Eustathius, Hom. 112. 44 sq: It should be observed that +the ancient narrative hands down the account that Patroclus was even a +kinsman of Achilles; for Hesiod says that Menoethius the father of +Patroclus, was a brother of Peleus, so that in that case they were +first cousins. + +Fragment #62—Scholiast on Pindar, Ol. x. 83: Some write ‘Serus the son +of Halirrhothius’, whom Hesiod mentions: ‘He (begot) Serus and +Alazygus, goodly sons.’ And Serus was the son of Halirrhothius +Perieres’ son, and of Alcyone. + +Fragment #63—Pausanias 1740, ii. 26. 7: This oracle most clearly proves +that Asclepius was not the son of Arsinoe, but that Hesiod or one of +Hesiod’s interpolators composed the verses to please the Messenians. + +Scholiast on Pindar, Pyth. iii. 14: Some say (Asclepius) was the son of +Arsinoe, others of Coronis. But Asclepiades says that Arsinoe was the +daughter of Leucippus, Perieres’ son, and that to her and Apollo +Asclepius and a daughter, Eriopis, were born: + +‘And she bare in the palace Asclepius, leader of men, and Eriopis with +the lovely hair, being subject in love to Phoebus.’ + +And of Arsinoe likewise: + +‘And Arsinoe was joined with the son of Zeus and Leto and bare a son +Asclepius, blameless and strong.’ 1741 + +Fragment #64—For how does he say that the same persons (the Cyclopes) +were like the gods, and yet represent them as being destroyed by Apollo +in the _Catalogue of the Daughters of Leucippus_? + +Fragment #65—“Echemus made Timandra his buxom wife.” + +Fragment #66—Hesiod in giving their descent makes them (Castor and +Polydeuces) both sons of Zeus. + +Hesiod, however, makes Helen the child neither of Leda nor Nemesis, but +daughter of Ocean and Zeus. + +Fragment #67—Scholiast on Euripides, Orestes 249: Steischorus says that +while sacrificing to the gods Tyndareus forgot Aphrodite and that the +goddess was angry and made his daughters twice and thrice wed and +deserters of their husbands.... And Hesiod also says: + +(ll. 1-7) ‘And laughter-loving Aphrodite felt jealous when she looked +on them and cast them into evil report. Then Timandra deserted Echemus +and went and came to Phyleus, dear to the deathless gods; and even so +Clytaemnestra deserted god-like Agamemnon and lay with Aegisthus and +chose a worse mate; and even so Helen dishonoured the couch of +golden-haired Menelaus.’ + +Fragment #68—1742 Berlin Papyri, No. 9739: (ll. 1-10) ‘....Philoctetes +sought her, a leader of spearmen, .... most famous of all men at +shooting from afar and with the sharp spear. And he came to Tyndareus’ +bright city for the sake of the Argive maid who had the beauty of +golden Aphrodite, and the sparkling eyes of the Graces; and the +dark-faced daughter of Ocean, very lovely of form, bare her when she +had shared the embraces of Zeus and the king Tyndareus in the bright +palace.... (And.... sought her to wife offering as gifts) + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 11-15)....and as many women skilled in blameless arts, each +holding a golden bowl in her hands. And truly Castor and strong +Polydeuces would have made him 1743 their brother perforce, but +Agamemnon, being son-in-law to Tyndareus, wooed her for his brother +Menelaus. + +(ll. 16-19) And the two sons of Amphiaraus the lord, Oecleus’ son, +sought her to wife from Argos very near at hand; yet.... fear of the +blessed gods and the indignation of men caused them also to fail. + +((LACUNA)) + +(l. 20)...but there was no deceitful dealing in the sons of Tyndareus. + +(ll. 21-27) And from Ithaca the sacred might of Odysseus, Laertes son, +who knew many-fashioned wiles, sought her to wife. He never sent gifts +for the sake of the neat-ankled maid, for he knew in his heart that +golden-haired Menelaus would win, since he was greatest of the Achaeans +in possessions and was ever sending messages 1744 to horse-taming +Castor and prize-winning Polydeuces. + +(ll. 28-30) And....on’s son sought her to wife (and brought) +....bridal-gifts.... ....cauldrons.... + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 31-33)...to horse-taming Castor and prize-winning Polydeuces, +desiring to be the husband of rich-haired Helen, though he had never +seen her beauty, but because he heard the report of others. + +(ll. 34-41) And from Phylace two men of exceeding worth sought her to +wife, Podarces son of Iphiclus, Phylacus’ son, and Actor’s noble son, +overbearing Protesilaus. Both of them kept sending messages to +Lacedaemon, to the house of wise Tyndareus, Oebalus’ son, and they +offered many bridal-gifts, for great was the girl’s renown, brazen.... +....golden.... + +((LACUNA)) + +(l. 42)...(desiring) to be the husband of rich-haired Helen. + +(ll. 43-49) From Athens the son of Peteous, Menestheus, sought her to +wife, and offered many bridal-gifts; for he possessed very many stored +treasures, gold and cauldrons and tripods, fine things which lay hid in +the house of the lord Peteous, and with them his heart urged him to win +his bride by giving more gifts than any other; for he thought that no +one of all the heroes would surpass him in possessions and gifts. + +(ll. 50-51) There came also by ship from Crete to the house of the son +of Oebalus strong Lycomedes for rich-haired Helen’s sake. + +Berlin Papyri, No. 10560: (ll. 52-54)...sought her to wife. And after +golden-haired Menelaus he offered the greatest gifts of all the +suitors, and very much he desired in his heart to be the husband of +Argive Helen with the rich hair. + +(ll. 55-62) And from Salamis Aias, blameless warrior, sought her to +wife, and offered fitting gifts, even wonderful deeds; for he said that +he would drive together and give the shambling oxen and strong sheep of +all those who lived in Troezen and Epidaurus near the sea, and in the +island of Aegina and in Mases, sons of the Achaeans, and shadowy Megara +and frowning Corinthus, and Hermione and Asine which lie along the sea; +for he was famous with the long spear. + +(ll. 63-66) But from Euboea Elephenor, leader of men, the son of +Chalcodon, prince of the bold Abantes, sought her to wife. And he +offered very many gifts, and greatly he desired in his heart to be the +husband of rich-haired Helen. + +(ll. 67-74) And from Crete the mighty Idomeneus sought her to wife, +Deucalion’s son, offspring of renowned Minos. He sent no one to woo her +in his place, but came himself in his black ship of many thwarts over +the Ogygian sea across the dark wave to the home of wise Tyndareus, to +see Argive Helen and that no one else should bring back for him the +girl whose renown spread all over the holy earth. + +(l. 75) And at the prompting of Zeus the all-wise came. + +((LACUNA—Thirteen lines lost.)) + +(ll. 89-100) But of all who came for the maid’s sake, the lord +Tyndareus sent none away, nor yet received the gift of any, but asked +of all the suitors sure oaths, and bade them swear and vow with unmixed +libations that no one else henceforth should do aught apart from him as +touching the marriage of the maid with shapely arms; but if any man +should cast off fear and reverence and take her by force, he bade all +the others together follow after and make him pay the penalty. And +they, each of them hoping to accomplish his marriage, obeyed him +without wavering. But warlike Menelaus, the son of Atreus, prevailed +against them all together, because he gave the greatest gifts. + +(ll. 100-106) But Chiron was tending the son of Peleus, swift-footed +Achilles, pre-eminent among men, on woody Pelion; for he was still a +boy. For neither warlike Menelaus nor any other of men on earth would +have prevailed in suit for Helen, if fleet Achilles had found her +unwed. But, as it was, warlike Menelaus won her before. + +II. 1745 + +(ll. 1-2) And she (Helen) bare neat-ankled Hermione in the palace, a +child unlooked for. + +(ll. 2-13) Now all the gods were divided through strife; for at that +very time Zeus who thunders on high was meditating marvellous deeds, +even to mingle storm and tempest over the boundless earth, and already +he was hastening to make an utter end of the race of mortal men, +declaring that he would destroy the lives of the demi-gods, that the +children of the gods should not mate with wretched mortals, seeing +their fate with their own eyes; but that the blessed gods henceforth +even as aforetime should have their living and their habitations apart +from men. But on those who were born of immortals and of mankind verily +Zeus laid toil and sorrow upon sorrow. + +((LACUNA—Two lines missing.)) + +(ll. 16-30)....nor any one of men.... ....should go upon black +ships.... ....to be strongest in the might of his hands.... ....of +mortal men declaring to all those things that were, and those that are, +and those that shall be, he brings to pass and glorifies the counsels +of his father Zeus who drives the clouds. For no one, either of the +blessed gods or of mortal men, knew surely that he would contrive +through the sword to send to Hades full many a one of heroes fallen in +strife. But at that time he knew not as yet the intent of his father’s +mind, and how men delight in protecting their children from doom. And +he delighted in the desire of his mighty father’s heart who rules +powerfully over men. + +(ll. 31-43) From stately trees the fair leaves fell in abundance +fluttering down to the ground, and the fruit fell to the ground because +Boreas blew very fiercely at the behest of Zeus; the deep seethed and +all things trembled at his blast: the strength of mankind consumed away +and the fruit failed in the season of spring, at that time when the +Hairless One 1746 in a secret place in the mountains gets three young +every three years. In spring he dwells upon the mountain among tangled +thickets and brushwood, keeping afar from and hating the path of men, +in the glens and wooded glades. But when winter comes on, he lies in a +close cave beneath the earth and covers himself with piles of luxuriant +leaves, a dread serpent whose back is speckled with awful spots. + +(ll. 44-50) But when he becomes violent and fierce unspeakably, the +arrows of Zeus lay him low.... Only his soul is left on the holy earth, +and that fits gibbering about a small unformed den. And it comes +enfeebled to sacrifices beneath the broad-pathed earth.... and it +lies....’ + +((LACUNA—Traces of 37 following lines.)) + +Fragment #69—Tzetzes 1747, Exeg. Iliad. 68. 19H: Agamemnon and Menelaus +likewise according to Hesiod and Aeschylus are regarded as the sons of +Pleisthenes, Atreus’ son. And according to Hesiod, Pleisthenes was a +son of Atreus and Aerope, and Agamemnon, Menelaus and Anaxibia were the +children of Pleisthenes and Cleolla the daughter of Dias. + +Fragment #70—Laurentian Scholiast on Sophocles’ Electra, 539: ‘And she +(Helen) bare to Menelaus, famous with the spear, Hermione and her +youngest-born, Nicostratus, a scion of Ares.’ + +Fragment #71—Pausanias, i. 43. 1: I know that Hesiod in the _Catalogue +of Women_ represented that Iphigeneia was not killed but, by the will +of Artemis, became Hecate 1748. + +Fragment #72—Eustathius, Hom. 13. 44. sq: Butes, it is said, was a son +of Poseidon: so Hesiod in the _Catalogue_. + +Fragment #73—Pausanias, ii. 6. 5: Hesiod represented Sicyon as the son +of Erechtheus. + +Fragment #74—Plato, Minos, p. 320. D: ‘(Minos) who was most kingly of +mortal kings and reigned over very many people dwelling round about, +holding the sceptre of Zeus wherewith he ruled many.’ + +Fragment #75—Hesychius 1749: The athletic contest in memory of Eurygyes +Melesagorus says that Androgeos the son of Minos was called Eurygyes, +and that a contest in his honour is held near his tomb at Athens in the +Ceramicus. And Hesiod writes: ‘And Eurygyes 1750, while yet a lad in +holy Athens...’ + +Fragment #76—Plutarch, Theseus 20: There are many tales.... about +Ariadne...., how that she was deserted by Theseua for love of another +woman: ‘For strong love for Aegle the daughter of Panopeus overpowered +him.’ For Hereas of Megara says that Peisistratus removed this verse +from the works of Hesiod. + +Athenaeus 1751, xiii. 557 A: But Hesiod says that Theseus wedded both +Hippe and Aegle lawfully. + +Fragment #77—Strabo, ix. p. 393: The snake of Cychreus: Hesiod says +that it was brought up by Cychreus, and was driven out by Eurylochus as +defiling the island, but that Demeter received it into Eleusis, and +that it became her attendant. + +Fragment #78—Argument I. to the Shield of Heracles: But Apollonius of +Rhodes says that it (the _Shield of Heracles_) is Hesiod’s both from +the general character of the work and from the fact that in the +_Catalogue_ we again find Iolaus as charioteer of Heracles. + +Fragment #79—Scholiast on Soph. Trach., 266: (ll. 1-6) ‘And +fair-girdled Stratonica conceived and bare in the palace Eurytus her +well-loved son. Of him sprang sons, Didaeon and Clytius and god-like +Toxeus and Iphitus, a scion of Ares. And after these Antiope the queen, +daughter of the aged son of Nauboius, bare her youngest child, +golden-haired Iolea.’ + +Fragment #80—Herodian in Etymologicum Magnum: ‘Who bare Autolycus and +Philammon, famous in speech.... All things that he (Autolyeus) took in +his hands, he made to disappear.’ + +Fragment #81—Apollonius, Hom. Lexicon: ‘Aepytus again, begot Tlesenor +and Peirithous.’ + +Fragment #82—Strabo, vii. p. 322: ‘For Locrus truly was leader of the +Lelegian people, whom Zeus the Son of Cronos, whose wisdom is +unfailing, gave to Deucalion, stones gathered out of the earth. So out +of stones mortal men were made, and they were called people.’ 1752 + +Fragment #83—Tzetzes, Schol. in Exeg. Iliad. 126: ‘...Ileus whom the +lord Apollo, son of Zeus, loved. And he named him by his name, because +he found a nymph complaisant 1753 and was joined with her in sweet +love, on that day when Poseidon and Apollo raised high the wall of the +well-built city.’ + +Fragment #84—Scholiast on Homer, Od. xi. 326: Clymene the daughter of +Minyas the son of Poseidon and of Euryanassa, Hyperphas’ daughter, was +wedded to Phylacus the son of Deion, and bare Iphiclus, a boy fleet of +foot. It is said of him that through his power of running he could race +the winds and could move along upon the ears of corn 1754.... The tale +is in Hesiod: ‘He would run over the fruit of the asphodel and not +break it; nay, he would run with his feet upon wheaten ears and not +hurt the fruit.’ + +Fragment #85—Choeroboscus 1755, i. 123, 22H: ‘And she bare a son +Thoas.’ + +Fragment #86—Eustathius, Hom. 1623. 44: Maro 1756, whose father, it is +said, Hesiod relates to have been Euanthes the son of Oenopion, the son +of Dionysus. + +Fragment #87—Athenaeus, x. 428 B, C: ‘Such gifts as Dionysus gave to +men, a joy and a sorrow both. Who ever drinks to fullness, in him wine +becomes violent and binds together his hands and feet, his tongue also +and his wits with fetters unspeakable: and soft sleep embraces him.’ + +Fragment #88—Strabo, ix. p. 442: ‘Or like her (Coronis) who lived by +the holy Twin Hills in the plain of Dotium over against Amyrus rich in +grapes, and washed her feet in the Boebian lake, a maid unwed.’ + +Fragment #89—Scholiast on Pindar, Pyth. iii. 48: ‘To him, then, there +came a messenger from the sacred feast to goodly Pytho, a crow 1757, +and he told unshorn Phoebus of secret deeds, that Ischys son of Elatus +had wedded Coronis the daughter of Phlegyas of birth divine. + +Fragment #90—Athenagoras 1758, Petition for the Christians, 29: +Concerning Asclepius Hesiod says: ‘And the father of men and gods was +wrath, and from Olympus he smote the son of Leto with a lurid +thunderbolt and killed him, arousing the anger of Phoebus.’ + +Fragment #91—Philodemus, On Piety, 34: But Hesiod (says that Apollo) +would have been cast by Zeus into Tartarus 1759; but Leto interceded +for him, and he became bondman to a mortal. + +Fragment #92—Scholiast on Pindar, Pyth. ix. 6: ‘Or like her, beautiful +Cyrene, who dwelt in Phthia by the water of Peneus and had the beauty +of the Graces.’ + +Fragment #93—Servius on Vergil, Georg. i. 14: He invoked Aristaeus, +that is, the son of Apollo and Cyrene, whom Hesiod calls ‘the shepherd +Apollo.’ 1760 + +Fragment #94—Scholiast on Vergil, Georg. iv. 361: ‘But the water stood +all round him, bowed into the semblance of a mountain.’ This verse he +has taken over from Hesiod’s _Catalogue of Women_. + +Fragment #95—Scholiast on Homer, Iliad ii. 469: ‘Or like her (Antiope) +whom Boeotian Hyria nurtured as a maid.’ + +Fragment #96—Palaephatus 1761, c. 42: Of Zethus and Amphion. Hesiod and +some others relate that they built the walls of Thebes by playing on +the lyre. + +Fragment #97—Scholiast on Soph. Trach., 1167: (ll. 1-11) ‘There is a +land Ellopia with much glebe and rich meadows, and rich in flocks and +shambling kine. There dwell men who have many sheep and many oxen, and +they are in number past telling, tribes of mortal men. And there upon +its border is built a city, Dodona 1762; and Zeus loved it and +(appointed) it to be his oracle, reverenced by men........And they (the +doves) lived in the hollow of an oak. From them men of earth carry away +all kinds of prophecy,—whosoever fares to that spot and questions the +deathless god, and comes bringing gifts with good omens.’ + +Fragment #98—Berlin Papyri, No. 9777: 1763 (ll. 1-22) ‘....strife.... +Of mortals who would have dared to fight him with the spear and charge +against him, save only Heracles, the great-hearted offspring of +Alcaeus? Such an one was (?) strong Meleager loved of Ares, the +golden-haired, dear son of Oeneus and Althaea. From his fierce eyes +there shone forth portentous fire: and once in high Calydon he slew the +destroying beast, the fierce wild boar with gleaming tusks. In war and +in dread strife no man of the heroes dared to face him and to approach +and fight with him when he appeared in the forefront. But he was slain +by the hands and arrows of Apollo 1764, while he was fighting with the +Curetes for pleasant Calydon. And these others (Althaea) bare to +Oeneus, Porthaon’s son; horse-taming Pheres, and Agelaus surpassing all +others, Toxeus and Clymenus and godlike Periphas, and rich-haired Gorga +and wise Deianeira, who was subject in love to mighty Heracles and bare +him Hyllus and Glenus and Ctesippus and Odites. These she bare and in +ignorance she did a fearful thing: when (she had received).... the +poisoned robe that held black doom....’ + +Fragment #99A—Scholiast on Homer, Iliad. xxiii. 679: And yet Hesiod +says that after he had died in Thebes, Argeia the daughter of Adrastus +together with others (cp. frag. 99) came to the lamentation over +Oedipus. + +Fragment #99—1765 Papyri greci e latine, No. 131 (2nd-3rd century): +1766 (ll. 1-10) ‘And (Eriphyle) bare in the palace Alcmaon 1767, +shepherd of the people, to Amphiaraus. Him (Amphiaraus) did the Cadmean +(Theban) women with trailing robes admire when they saw face to face +his eyes and well-grown frame, as he was busied about the burying of +Oedipus, the man of many woes. ....Once the Danai, servants of Ares, +followed him to Thebes, to win renown........for Polynices. But, though +well he knew from Zeus all things ordained, the earth yawned and +swallowed him up with his horses and jointed chariot, far from +deep-eddying Alpheus. + +(ll. 11-20) But Electyron married the all-beauteous daughter of Pelops +and, going up into one bed with her, the son of Perses begat........and +Phylonomus and Celaeneus and Amphimachus and........and Eurybius and +famous.... All these the Taphians, famous shipmen, slew in fight for +oxen with shambling hoofs,.... ....in ships across the sea’s wide back. +So Alcmena alone was left to delight her parents........and the +daughter of Electryon.... + +((LACUNA)) + +(l. 21)....who was subject in love to the dark-clouded son of Cronos +and bare (famous Heracles).’ + +Fragment #100—Argument to the Shield of Heracles, i: The beginning of +the _Shield_ as far as the 56th verse is current in the fourth +_Catalogue_ + +Fragment #101 (UNCERTAIN POSITION)—Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1359 fr. 1 (early +3rd cent. A.D.): ((LACUNA—Slight remains of 3 lines)) + +(ll. 4-17) ‘...if indeed he (Teuthras) delayed, and if he feared to +obey the word of the immortals who then appeared plainly to them. But +her (Auge) he received and brought up well, and cherished in the +palace, honouring her even as his own daughters. + +And Auge bare Telephus of the stock of Areas, king of the Mysians, +being joined in love with the mighty Heracles when he was journeying in +quest of the horses of proud Laomedon—horses the fleetest of foot that +the Asian land nourished,—and destroyed in battle the tribe of the +dauntless Amazons and drove them forth from all that land. But Telephus +routed the spearmen of the bronze-clad Achaeans and made them embark +upon their black ships. Yet when he had brought down many to the ground +which nourishes men, his own might and deadliness were brought low....’ + +Fragment #102 (UNCERTAIN POSITION)—Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1359 fr. 2 (early +3rd cent. A.D.): ((LACUNA—Remains of 4 lines)) + +(ll. 5-16) ‘....Electra.... was subject to the dark-clouded Son of +Cronos and bare Dardanus.... and Eetion.... who once greatly loved +rich-haired Demeter. And cloud-gathering Zeus was wroth and smote him, +Eetion, and laid him low with a flaming thunderbolt, because he sought +to lay hands upon rich-haired Demeter. But Dardanus came to the coast +of the mainland—from him Erichthonius and thereafter Tros were sprung, +and Ilus, and Assaracus, and godlike Ganymede,—when he had left holy +Samothrace in his many-benched ship. + +((LACUNA)) + +Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1359 fr. 3 (early 3rd cent. A.D.): (ll. 17-24) +1768....Cleopatra ....the daughter of.... ....But an eagle caught up +Ganymede for Zeus because he vied with the immortals in +beauty........rich-tressed Diomede; and she bare Hyacinthus, the +blameless one and strong........whom, on a time Phoebus himself slew +unwittingly with a ruthless disk.... + + + + +THE SHIELD OF HERACLES + +(ll. 1-27) Or like her who left home and country and came to Thebes, +following warlike Amphitryon,—even Alcmena, the daughter of Electyron, +gatherer of the people. She surpassed the tribe of womankind in beauty +and in height; and in wisdom none vied with her of those whom mortal +women bare of union with mortal men. Her face and her dark eyes wafted +such charm as comes from golden Aphrodite. And she so honoured her +husband in her heart as none of womankind did before her. Verily he had +slain her noble father violently when he was angry about oxen; so he +left his own country and came to Thebes and was suppliant to the +shield-carrying men of Cadmus. There he dwelt with his modest wife +without the joys of love, nor might he go in unto the neat-ankled +daughter of Electyron until he had avenged the death of his wife’s +great-hearted brothers and utterly burned with blazing fire the +villages of the heroes, the Taphians and Teleboans; for this thing was +laid upon him, and the gods were witnesses to it. And he feared their +anger, and hastened to perform the great task to which Zeus had bound +him. With him went the horse-driving Boeotians, breathing above their +shields, and the Locrians who fight hand to hand, and the gallant +Phocians eager for war and battle. And the noble son of Alcaeus led +them, rejoicing in his host. + +(ll. 27-55) But the father of men and gods was forming another scheme +in his heart, to beget one to defend against destruction gods and men +who eat bread. So he arose from Olympus by night pondering guile in the +deep of his heart, and yearned for the love of the well-girded woman. +Quickly he came to Typhaonium, and from there again wise Zeus went on +and trod the highest peak of Phicium 1801: there he sat and planned +marvellous things in his heart. So in one night Zeus shared the bed and +love of the neat-ankled daughter of Electyron and fulfilled his desire; +and in the same night Amphitryon, gatherer of the people, the glorious +hero, came to his house when he had ended his great task. He hastened +not to go to his bondmen and shepherds afield, but first went in unto +his wife: such desire took hold on the shepherd of the people. And as a +man who has escaped joyfully from misery, whether of sore disease or +cruel bondage, so then did Amphitryon, when he had wound up all his +heavy task, come glad and welcome to his home. And all night long he +lay with his modest wife, delighting in the gifts of golden Aphrodite. +And she, being subject in love to a god and to a man exceeding goodly, +brought forth twin sons in seven-gated Thebe. Though they were +brothers, these were not of one spirit; for one was weaker but the +other a far better man, one terrible and strong, the mighty Heracles. +Him she bare through the embrace of the son of Cronos lord of dark +clouds and the other, Iphiclus, of Amphitryon the +spear-wielder—offspring distinct, this one of union with a mortal man, +but that other of union with Zeus, leader of all the gods. + +(ll. 57-77) And he slew Cycnus, the gallant son of Ares. For he found +him in the close of far-shooting Apollo, him and his father Ares, never +sated with war. Their armour shone like a flame of blazing fire as they +two stood in their car: their swift horses struck the earth and pawed +it with their hoofs, and the dust rose like smoke about them, pounded +by the chariot wheels and the horses’ hoofs, while the well-made +chariot and its rails rattled around them as the horses plunged. And +blameless Cycnus was glad, for he looked to slay the warlike son of +Zeus and his charioteer with the sword, and to strip off their splendid +armour. But Phoebus Apollo would not listen to his vaunts, for he +himself had stirred up mighty Heracles against him. And all the grove +and altar of Pagasaean Apollo flamed because of the dread god and +because of his arms; for his eyes flashed as with fire. What mortal men +would have dared to meet him face to face save Heracles and glorious +Iolaus? For great was their strength and unconquerable were the arms +which grew from their shoulders on their strong limbs. Then Heracles +spake to his charioteer strong Iolaus: + +(ll. 78-94) ‘O hero Iolaus, best beloved of all men, truly Amphitryon +sinned deeply against the blessed gods who dwell on Olympus when he +came to sweet-crowned Thebe and left Tiryns, the well-built citadel, +because he slew Electryon for the sake of his wide-browned oxen. Then +he came to Creon and long-robed Eniocha, who received him kindly and +gave him all fitting things, as is due to suppliants, and honoured him +in their hearts even more. And he lived joyfully with his wife the +neat-ankled daughter of Electyron: and presently, while the years +rolled on, we were born, unlike in body as in mind, even your father +and I. From him Zeus took away sense, so that he left his home and his +parents and went to do honour to the wicked Eurystheus—unhappy man! +Deeply indeed did he grieve afterwards in bearing the burden of his own +mad folly; but that cannot be taken back. But on me fate laid heavy +tasks. + +(ll. 95-101) ‘Yet, come, friend, quickly take the red-dyed reins of the +swift horses and raise high courage in your heart and guide the swift +chariot and strong fleet-footed horses straight on. Have no secret fear +at the noise of man-slaying Ares who now rages shouting about the holy +grove of Phoebus Apollo, the lord who shoots form afar. Surely, strong +though he be, he shall have enough of war.’ + +(ll. 102-114) And blameless Iolaus answered him again: ‘Good friend, +truly the father of men and gods greatly honours your head and the +bull-like Earth-Shaker also, who keeps Thebe’s veil of walls and guards +the city,—so great and strong is this fellow they bring into your hands +that you may win great glory. But come, put on your arms of war that +with all speed we may bring the car of Ares and our own together and +fight; for he shall not frighten the dauntless son of Zeus, nor yet the +son of Iphiclus: rather, I think he will flee before the two sons of +blameless Alcides who are near him and eager to raise the war cry for +battle; for this they love better than a feast.’ + +(ll. 115-117) So he said. And mighty Heracles was glad in heart and +smiled, for the other’s words pleased him well, and he answered him +with winged words: + +(ll. 118-121) ‘O hero Iolaus, heaven-sprung, now is rough battle hard +at hand. But, as you have shown your skill at other-times, so now also +wheel the great black-maned horse Arion about every way, and help me as +you may be able.’ + +(ll. 122-138) So he said, and put upon his legs greaves of shining +bronze, the splendid gift of Hephaestus. Next he fastened about his +breast a fine golden breast-plate, curiously wrought, which Pallas +Athene the daughter of Zeus had given him when first he was about to +set out upon his grievous labours. Over his shoulders the fierce +warrior put the steel that saves men from doom, and across his breast +he slung behind him a hollow quiver. Within it were many chilling +arrows, dealers of death which makes speech forgotten: in front they +had death, and trickled with tears; their shafts were smooth and very +long; and their butts were covered with feathers of a brown eagle. And +he took his strong spear, pointed with shining bronze, and on his +valiant head set a well-made helm of adamant, cunningly wrought, which +fitted closely on the temples; and that guarded the head of god-like +Heracles. + +(ll. 139-153) In his hands he took his shield, all glittering: no one +ever broke it with a blow or crushed it. And a wonder it was to see; +for its whole orb was a-shimmer with enamel and white ivory and +electrum, and it glowed with shining gold; and there were zones of +cyanus 1802 drawn upon it. In the centre was Fear worked in adamant, +unspeakable, staring backwards with eyes that glowed with fire. His +mouth was full of teeth in a white row, fearful and daunting, and upon +his grim brow hovered frightful Strife who arrays the throng of men: +pitiless she, for she took away the mind and senses of poor wretches +who made war against the son of Zeus. Their souls passed beneath the +earth and went down into the house of Hades; but their bones, when the +skin is rotted about them, crumble away on the dark earth under +parching Sirius. + +(ll. 154-160) Upon the shield Pursuit and Flight were wrought, and +Tumult, and Panic, and Slaughter. Strife also, and Uproar were hurrying +about, and deadly Fate was there holding one man newly wounded, and +another unwounded; and one, who was dead, she was dragging by the feet +through the tumult. She had on her shoulders a garment red with the +blood of men, and terribly she glared and gnashed her teeth. + +(ll. 160-167) And there were heads of snakes unspeakably frightful, +twelve of them; and they used to frighten the tribes of men on earth +whosoever made war against the son of Zeus; for they would clash their +teeth when Amphitryon’s son was fighting: and brightly shone these +wonderful works. And it was as though there were spots upon the +frightful snakes: and their backs were dark blue and their jaws were +black. + +(ll. 168-177) Also there were upon the shield droves of boars and lions +who glared at each other, being furious and eager: the rows of them +moved on together, and neither side trembled but both bristled up their +manes. For already a great lion lay between them and two boars, one on +either side, bereft of life, and their dark blood was dripping down +upon the ground; they lay dead with necks outstretched beneath the grim +lions. And both sides were roused still more to fight because they were +angry, the fierce boars and the bright-eyed lions. + +(ll. 178-190) And there was the strife of the Lapith spearmen gathered +round the prince Caeneus and Dryas and Peirithous, with Hopleus, +Exadius, Phalereus, and Prolochus, Mopsus the son of Ampyce of +Titaresia, a scion of Ares, and Theseus, the son of Aegeus, like unto +the deathless gods. These were of silver, and had armour of gold upon +their bodies. And the Centaurs were gathered against them on the other +side with Petraeus and Asbolus the diviner, Arctus, and Ureus, and +black-haired Mimas, and the two sons of silver, and they had pinetrees +of gold in their hands, and they were rushing together as though they +were alive and striking at one another hand to hand with spears and +with pines. + +(ll. 191-196) And on the shield stood the fleet-footed horses of grim +Ares made gold, and deadly Ares the spoil-winner himself. He held a +spear in his hands and was urging on the footmen: he was red with blood +as if he were slaying living men, and he stood in his chariot. Beside +him stood Fear and Flight, eager to plunge amidst the fighting men. + +(ll. 197-200) There, too, was the daughter of Zeus, Tritogeneia who +drives the spoil 1803. She was like as if she would array a battle, +with a spear in her hand, and a golden helmet, and the aegis about her +shoulders. And she was going towards the awful strife. + +(ll. 201-206) And there was the holy company of the deathless gods: and +in the midst the son of Zeus and Leto played sweetly on a golden lyre. +There also was the abode of the gods, pure Olympus, and their assembly, +and infinite riches were spread around in the gathering, the Muses of +Pieria were beginning a song like clear-voiced singers. + +(ll. 207-215) And on the shield was a harbour with a safe haven from +the irresistible sea, made of refined tin wrought in a circle, and it +seemed to heave with waves. In the middle of it were many dolphins +rushing this way and that, fishing: and they seemed to be swimming. Two +dolphins of silver were spouting and devouring the mute fishes. And +beneath them fishes of bronze were trembling. And on the shore sat a +fisherman watching: in his hands he held a casting net for fish, and +seemed as if about to cast it forth. + +(ll. 216-237) There, too, was the son of rich-haired Danae, the +horseman Perseus: his feet did not touch the shield and yet were not +far from it—very marvellous to remark, since he was not supported +anywhere; for so did the famous Lame One fashion him of gold with his +hands. On his feet he had winged sandals, and his black-sheathed sword +was slung across his shoulders by a cross-belt of bronze. He was flying +swift as thought. The head of a dreadful monster, the Gorgon, covered +the broad of his back, and a bag of silver—a marvel to see—contained +it: and from the bag bright tassels of gold hung down. Upon the head of +the hero lay the dread cap 1804 of Hades which had the awful gloom of +night. Perseus himself, the son of Danae, was at full stretch, like one +who hurries and shudders with horror. And after him rushed the Gorgons, +unapproachable and unspeakable, longing to seize him: as they trod upon +the pale adamant, the shield rang sharp and clear with a loud clanging. +Two serpents hung down at their girdles with heads curved forward: +their tongues were flickering, and their teeth gnashing with fury, and +their eyes glaring fiercely. And upon the awful heads of the Gorgons +great Fear was quaking. + +(ll. 237-270) And beyond these there were men fighting in warlike +harness, some defending their own town and parents from destruction, +and others eager to sack it; many lay dead, but the greater number +still strove and fought. The women on well-built towers of bronze were +crying shrilly and tearing their cheeks like living beings—the work of +famous Hephaestus. And the men who were elders and on whom age had laid +hold were all together outside the gates, and were holding up their +hands to the blessed gods, fearing for their own sons. But these again +were engaged in battle: and behind them the dusky Fates, gnashing their +white fangs, lowering, grim, bloody, and unapproachable, struggled for +those who were falling, for they all were longing to drink dark blood. +So soon as they caught a man overthrown or falling newly wounded, one +of them would clasp her great claws about him, and his soul would go +down to Hades to chilly Tartarus. And when they had satisfied their +souls with human blood, they would cast that one behind them, and rush +back again into the tumult and the fray. Clotho and Lachesis were over +them and Atropos less tall than they, a goddess of no great frame, yet +superior to the others and the eldest of them. And they all made a +fierce fight over one poor wretch, glaring evilly at one another with +furious eyes and fighting equally with claws and hands. By them stood +Darkness of Death, mournful and fearful, pale, shrivelled, shrunk with +hunger, swollen-kneed. Long nails tipped her hands, and she dribbled at +the nose, and from her cheeks blood dripped down to the ground. She +stood leering hideously, and much dust sodden with tears lay upon her +shoulders. + +(ll. 270-285) Next, there was a city of men with goodly towers; and +seven gates of gold, fitted to the lintels, guarded it. The men were +making merry with festivities and dances; some were bringing home a +bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car, while the bridal-song +swelled high, and the glow of blazing torches held by handmaidens +rolled in waves afar. And these maidens went before, delighting in the +festival; and after them came frolicsome choirs, the youths singing +soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes, while the echo was shivered +around them, and the girls led on the lovely dance to the sound of +lyres. Then again on the other side was a rout of young men revelling, +with flutes playing; some frolicking with dance and song, and others +were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing. The whole +town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity. + +(ll. 285-304) Others again were mounted on horseback and galloping +before the town. And there were ploughmen breaking up the good soil, +clothed in tunics girt up. Also there was a wide cornland and some men +were reaping with sharp hooks the stalks which bended with the weight +of the cars—as if they were reaping Demeter’s grain: others were +binding the sheaves with bands and were spreading the threshing floor. +And some held reaping hooks and were gathering the vintage, while +others were taking from the reapers into baskets white and black +clusters from the long rows of vines which were heavy with leaves and +tendrils of silver. Others again were gathering them into baskets. +Beside them was a row of vines in gold, the splendid work of cunning +Hephaestus: it had shivering leaves and stakes of silver and was laden +with grapes which turned black 1805. And there were men treading out +the grapes and others drawing off liquor. Also there were men boxing +and wrestling, and huntsmen chasing swift hares with a leash of +sharp-toothed dogs before them, they eager to catch the hares, and the +hares eager to escape. + +(ll 305-313) Next to them were horsemen hard set, and they contended +and laboured for a prize. The charioteers standing on their well-woven +cars, urged on their swift horses with loose rein; the jointed cars +flew along clattering and the naves of the wheels shrieked loudly. So +they were engaged in an unending toil, and the end with victory came +never to them, and the contest was ever unwon. And there was set out +for them within the course a great tripod of gold, the splendid work of +cunning Hephaestus. + +(ll. 314-317) And round the rim Ocean was flowing, with a full stream +as it seemed, and enclosed all the cunning work of the shield. Over it +swans were soaring and calling loudly, and many others were swimming +upon the surface of the water; and near them were shoals of fish. + +(ll. 318-326) A wonderful thing the great strong shield was to see—even +for Zeus the loud-thunderer, by whose will Hephaestus made it and +fitted it with his hands. This shield the valiant son of Zeus wielded +masterly, and leaped upon his horse-chariot like the lightning of his +father Zeus who holds the aegis, moving lithely. And his charioteer, +strong Iolaus, standing upon the car, guided the curved chariot. + +(ll. 327-337) Then the goddess grey-eyed Athene came near them and +spoke winged words, encouraging them: ‘Hail, offspring of far-famed +Lynceus! Even now Zeus who reigns over the blessed gods gives you power +to slay Cycnus and to strip off his splendid armour. Yet I will tell +you something besides, mightiest of the people. When you have robbed +Cycnus of sweet life, then leave him there and his armour also, and you +yourself watch man-slaying Ares narrowly as he attacks, and wherever +you shall see him uncovered below his cunningly-wrought shield, there +wound him with your sharp spear. Then draw back; for it is not ordained +that you should take his horses or his splendid armour.’ + +(ll. 338-349) So said the bright-eyed goddess and swiftly got up into +the car with victory and renown in her hands. Then heaven-nurtured +Iolaus called terribly to the horses, and at his cry they swiftly +whirled the fleet chariot along, raising dust from the plain; for the +goddess bright-eyed Athene put mettle into them by shaking her aegis. +And the earth groaned all round them. + +And they, horse-taming Cycnus and Ares, insatiable in war, came on +together like fire or whirlwind. Then their horses neighed shrilly, +face to face; and the echo was shivered all round them. And mighty +Heracles spoke first and said to that other: + +(ll. 350-367) ‘Cycnus, good sir! Why, pray, do you set your swift +horses at us, men who are tried in labour and pain? Nay, guide your +fleet car aside and yield and go out of the path. It is to Trachis I am +driving on, to Ceyx the king, who is the first in Trachis for power and +for honour, and that you yourself know well, for you have his daughter +dark-eyed Themistinoe to wife. Fool! For Ares shall not deliver you +from the end of death, if we two meet together in battle. Another time +ere this I declare he has made trial of my spear, when he defended +sandy Pylos and stood against me, fiercely longing for fight. Thrice +was he stricken by my spear and dashed to earth, and his shield was +pierced; but the fourth time I struck his thigh, laying on with all my +strength, and tare deep into his flesh. And he fell headlong in the +dust upon the ground through the force of my spear-thrust; then truly +he would have been disgraced among the deathless gods, if by my hands +he had left behind his bloody spoils.’ + +(ll. 368-385) So said he. But Cycnus the stout spearman cared not to +obey him and to pull up the horses that drew his chariot. Then it was +that from their well-woven cars they both leaped straight to the +ground, the son of Zeus and the son of the Lord of War. The charioteers +drove near by their horses with beautiful manes, and the wide earth +rang with the beat of their hoofs as they rushed along. As when rocks +leap forth from the high peak of a great mountain, and fall on one +another, and many towering oaks and pines and long-rooted poplars are +broken by them as they whirl swiftly down until they reach the plain; +so did they fall on one another with a great shout: and all the town of +the Myrmidons, and famous Iolcus, and Arne, and Helice, and grassy +Anthea echoed loudly at the voice of the two. With an awful cry they +closed: and wise Zeus thundered loudly and rained down drops of blood, +giving the signal for battle to his dauntless son. + +(ll. 386-401) As a tusked boar, that is fearful for a man to see before +him in the glens of a mountain, resolves to fight with the huntsmen and +white tusks, turning sideways, while foam flows all round his mouth as +he gnashes, and his eyes are like glowing fire, and he bristles the +hair on his mane and around his neck—like him the son of Zeus leaped +from his horse-chariot. And when the dark-winged whirring grasshopper, +perched on a green shoot, begins to sing of summer to men—his food and +drink is the dainty dew—and all day long from dawn pours forth his +voice in the deadliest heat, when Sirius scorches the flesh (then the +beard grows upon the millet which men sow in summer), when the crude +grapes which Dionysus gave to men—a joy and a sorrow both—begin to +colour, in that season they fought and loud rose the clamour. + +(ll. 402-412) As two lions 1806 on either side of a slain deer spring +at one another in fury, and there is a fearful snarling and a clashing +also of teeth—like vultures with crooked talons and hooked beak that +fight and scream aloud on a high rock over a mountain goat or fat +wild-deer which some active man has shot with an arrow from the string, +and himself has wandered away elsewhere, not knowing the place; but +they quickly mark it and vehemently do keen battle about it—like these +they two rushed upon one another with a shout. + +(ll. 413-423) Then Cycnus, eager to kill the son of almighty Zeus, +struck upon his shield with a brazen spear, but did not break the +bronze; and the gift of the god saved his foe. But the son of +Amphitryon, mighty Heracles, with his long spear struck Cycnus +violently in the neck beneath the chin, where it was unguarded between +helm and shield. And the deadly spear cut through the two sinews; for +the hero’s full strength lighted on his foe. And Cycnus fell as an oak +falls or a lofty pine that is stricken by the lurid thunderbolt of +Zeus; even so he fell, and his armour adorned with bronze clashed about +him. + +(ll. 424-442) Then the stout hearted son of Zeus let him be, and +himself watched for the onset of manslaying Ares: fiercely he stared, +like a lion who has come upon a body and full eagerly rips the hide +with his strong claws and takes away the sweet life with all speed: his +dark heart is filled with rage and his eyes glare fiercely, while he +tears up the earth with his paws and lashes his flanks and shoulders +with his tail so that no one dares to face him and go near to give +battle. Even so, the son of Amphitryon, unsated of battle, stood +eagerly face to face with Ares, nursing courage in his heart. And Ares +drew near him with grief in his heart; and they both sprang at one +another with a cry. As it is when a rock shoots out from a great cliff +and whirls down with long bounds, careering eagerly with a roar, and a +high crag clashes with it and keeps it there where they strike +together; with no less clamour did deadly Ares, the chariot-borne, rush +shouting at Heracles. And he quickly received the attack. + +(ll. 443-449) But Athene the daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus came to +meet Ares, wearing the dark aegis, and she looked at him with an angry +frown and spoke winged words to him. ‘Ares, check your fierce anger and +matchless hands; for it is not ordained that you should kill Heracles, +the bold-hearted son of Zeus, and strip off his rich armour. Come, +then, cease fighting and do not withstand me.’ + +(ll. 450-466) So said she, but did not move the courageous spirit of +Ares. But he uttered a great shout and waving his spears like fire, he +rushed headlong at strong Heracles, longing to kill him, and hurled a +brazen spear upon the great shield, for he was furiously angry because +of his dead son; but bright-eyed Athene reached out from the car and +turned aside the force of the spear. + +Then bitter grief seized Ares and he drew his keen sword and leaped +upon bold-hearted Heracles. But as he came on, the son of Amphitryon, +unsated of fierce battle, shrewdly wounded his thigh where it was +exposed under his richly-wrought shield, and tare deep into his flesh +with the spear-thrust and cast him flat upon the ground. And Panic and +Dread quickly drove his smooth-wheeled chariot and horses near him and +lifted him from the wide-pathed earth into his richly-wrought car, and +then straight lashed the horses and came to high Olympus. + +(ll. 467-471) But the son of Alcmena and glorious Iolaus stripped the +fine armour off Cycnus’ shoulders and went, and their swift horses +carried them straight to the city of Trachis. And bright-eyed Athene +went thence to great Olympus and her father’s house. + +(ll. 472-480) As for Cycnus, Ceyx buried him and the countless people +who lived near the city of the glorious king, in Anthe and the city of +the Myrmidons, and famous Iolcus, and Arne, and Helice: and much people +were gathered doing honour to Ceyx, the friend of the blessed gods. But +Anaurus, swelled by a rain-storm, blotted out the grave and memorial of +Cycnus; for so Apollo, Leto’s son, commanded him, because he used to +watch for and violently despoil the rich hecatombs that any might bring +to Pytho. + + + + +THE MARRIAGE OF CEYX + +Fragment #1—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 128: Hesiod in the +“Marriage of Ceyx” says that he (Heracles) landed (from the Argo) to +look for water and was left behind in Magnesia near the place called +Aphetae because of his desertion there. + +Fragment #2—Zenobius 1901, ii. 19: Hesiod used the proverb in the +following way: Heracles is represented as having constantly visited the +house of Ceyx of Trachis and spoken thus: ‘Of their own selves the good +make for the feasts of good.’ + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xiv. 119: ‘And horse-driving Ceyx +beholding...’ + +Fragment #4—Athenaeus, ii. p. 49b: Hesiod in the “Marriage of Ceyx”—for +though grammar-school boys alienate it from the poet, yet I consider +the poem ancient—calls the tables tripods. + +Fragment #5—Gregory of Corinth, On Forms of Speech (Rhett. Gr. vii. +776): ‘But when they had done with desire for the equal-shared feast, +even then they brought from the forest the mother of a mother (sc. +wood), dry and parched, to be slain by her own children’ (sc. to be +burnt in the flames). + + + + +THE GREAT EOIAE + +Fragment #1—Pausanius, ii. 26. 3: Epidaurus. According to the opinion +of the Argives and the epic poem, the _Great Eoiae_, Argos the son of +Zeus was father of Epidaurus. + +Fragment #2—Anonymous Comment. on Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics, iii. +7: And, they say, Hesiod is sufficient to prove that the word PONEROS +(bad) has the same sense as ‘laborious’ or ‘ill-fated’; for in the +_Great Eoiae_ he represents Alcmene as saying to Heracles: ‘My son, +truly Zeus your father begot you to be the most toilful as the most +excellent...’; and again: ‘The Fates (made) you the most toilful and +the most excellent...’ + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Pindar, Isthm. v. 53: The story has been taken +from the _Great Eoiae_; for there we find Heracles entertained by +Telamon, standing dressed in his lion-skin and praying, and there also +we find the eagle sent by Zeus, from which Aias took his name 2001. + +Fragment #4—Pausanias, iv. 2. 1: But I know that the so-called _Great +Eoiae_ say that Polycaon the son of Butes married Euaechme, daughter of +Hyllus, Heracles’ son. + +Fragment #5—Pausanias, ix. 40. 6: ‘And Phylas wedded Leipephile the +daughter of famous Iolaus: and she was like the Olympians in beauty. +She bare him a son Hippotades in the palace, and comely Thero who was +like the beams of the moon. And Thero lay in the embrace of Apollo and +bare horse-taming Chaeron of hardy strength.’ + +Fragment #6—Scholiast on Pindar, Pyth. iv. 35: ‘Or like her in Hyria, +careful-minded Mecionice, who was joined in the love of golden +Aphrodite with the Earth-holder and Earth-Shaker, and bare Euphemus.’ + +Fragment #7—Pausanias, ix. 36. 7: ‘And Hyettus killed Molurus the dear +son of Aristas in his house because he lay with his wife. Then he left +his home and fled from horse-rearing Argos and came to Minyan +Orchomenus. And the hero received him and gave him a portion of his +goods, as was fitting.’ + +Fragment #8—Pausanias, ii. 2. 3: But in the _Great Eoiae_ Peirene is +represented to be the daughter of Oebalius. + +Fragment #9—Pausanias, ii. 16. 4: The epic poem, which the Greek call +the _Great Eoiae_, says that she (Mycene) was the daughter of Inachus +and wife of Arestor: from her, then, it is said, the city received its +name. + +Fragment #10—Pausanias, vi. 21. 10: According to the poem the _Great +Eoiae_, these were killed by Oenomaus 2002: Alcathous the son of +Porthaon next after Marmax, and after Alcathous, Euryalus, Eurymachus +and Crotalus. The man killed next after them, Aerias, we should judge +to have been a Lacedemonian and founder of Aeria. And after Acrias, +they say, Capetus was done to death by Oenomaus, and Lycurgus, Lasius, +Chalcodon and Tricolonus.... And after Tricolonus fate overtook +Aristomachus and Prias on the course, as also Pelagon and Aeolius and +Cronius. + +Fragment #11—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 57: In the +_Great Eoiae_ it is said that Endymion was transported by Zeus into +heaven, but when he fell in love with Hera, was befooled with a shape +of cloud, and was cast out and went down into Hades. + +Fragment #12—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 118: In the +_Great Eoiae_ it is related that Melampus, who was very dear to Apollo, +went abroad and stayed with Polyphantes. But when the king had +sacrificed an ox, a serpent crept up to the sacrifice and destroyed his +servants. At this the king was angry and killed the serpent, but +Melampus took and buried it. And its offspring, brought up by him, used +to lick his ears and inspire him with prophecy. And so, when he was +caught while trying to steal the cows of Iphiclus and taken bound to +the city of Aegina, and when the house, in which Iphiclus was, was +about to fall, he told an old woman, one of the servants of Iphiclus, +and in return was released. + +Fragment #13—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 828: In the +_Great Eoiae_ Scylla is the daughter of Phoebus and Hecate. + +Fragment #14—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 181: Hesiod in +the _Great Eoiae_ says that Phineus was blinded because he told Phrixus +the way 2003. + +Fragment #15—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 1122: Argus. +This is one of the children of Phrixus. These.... ....Hesiod in the +_Great Eoiae_ says were born of Iophossa the daughter of Aeetes. And he +says there were four of them, Argus, Phrontis, Melas, and Cytisorus. + +Fragment #16—Antoninus Liberalis, xxiii: Battus. Hesiod tells the story +in the _Great Eoiae_.... ....Magnes was the son of Argus, the son of +Phrixus and Perimele, Admetus’ daughter, and lived in the region of +Thessaly, in the land which men called after him Magnesia. He had a son +of remarkable beauty, Hymenaeus. And when Apollo saw the boy, he was +seized with love for him, and would not leave the house of Magnes. Then +Hermes made designs on Apollo’s herd of cattle which were grazing in +the same place as the cattle of Admetus. First he cast upon the dogs +which were guarding them a stupor and strangles, so that the dogs +forgot the cows and lost the power of barking. Then he drove away +twelve heifers and a hundred cows never yoked, and the bull who mounted +the cows, fastening to the tail of each one brushwood to wipe out the +footmarks of the cows. + +He drove them through the country of the Pelasgi, and Achaea in the +land of Phthia, and through Locris, and Boeotia and Megaris, and thence +into Peloponnesus by way of Corinth and Larissa, until he brought them +to Tegea. From there he went on by the Lycaean mountains, and past +Maenalus and what are called the watch-posts of Battus. Now this Battus +used to live on the top of the rock and when he heard the voice of the +heifers as they were being driven past, he came out from his own place, +and knew that the cattle were stolen. So he asked for a reward to tell +no one about them. Hermes promised to give it him on these terms, and +Battus swore to say nothing to anyone about the cattle. But when Hermes +had hidden them in the cliff by Coryphasium, and had driven them into a +cave facing towards Italy and Sicily, he changed himself and came again +to Battus and tried whether he would be true to him as he had vowed. +So, offering him a robe as a reward, he asked of him whether he had +noticed stolen cattle being driven past. And Battus took the robe and +told him about the cattle. But Hermes was angry because he was +double-tongued, and struck him with his staff and changed him into a +rock. And either frost or heat never leaves him 2004. + + + + +THE MELAMPODIA + +Fragment #1—Strabo, xiv. p. 642: It is said that Calchis the seer +returned from Troy with Amphilochus the son of Amphiaraus and came on +foot to this place 2101. But happening to find near Clarus a seer +greater than himself, Mopsus, the son of Manto, Teiresias’ daughter, he +died of vexation. Hesiod, indeed, works up the story in some form as +this: Calchas set Mopsus the following problem: + +‘I am filled with wonder at the quantity of figs this wild fig-tree +bears though it is so small. Can you tell their number?’ + +And Mopsus answered: ‘Ten thousand is their number, and their measure +is a bushel: one fig is left over, which you would not be able to put +into the measure.’ + +So said he; and they found the reckoning of the measure true. Then did +the end of death shroud Calchas. + +Fragment #2—Tzetzes on Lycophron, 682: But now he is speaking of +Teiresias, since it is said that he lived seven generations—though +others say nine. He lived from the times of Cadmus down to those of +Eteocles and Polyneices, as the author of “Melampodia” also says: for +he introduces Teiresias speaking thus: + +‘Father Zeus, would that you had given me a shorter span of life to be +mine and wisdom of heart like that of mortal men! But now you have +honoured me not even a little, though you ordained me to have a long +span of life, and to live through seven generations of mortal kind.’ + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Homer, Odyssey, x. 494: They say that +Teiresias saw two snakes mating on Cithaeron and that, when he killed +the female, he was changed into a woman, and again, when he killed the +male, took again his own nature. This same Teiresias was chosen by Zeus +and Hera to decide the question whether the male or the female has most +pleasure in intercourse. And he said: + +‘Of ten parts a man enjoys only one; but a woman’s sense enjoys all ten +in full.’ + +For this Hera was angry and blinded him, but Zeus gave him the seer’s +power. + +Fragment #4—2102 Athenaeus, ii. p. 40: ‘For pleasant it is at a feast +and rich banquet to tell delightful tales, when men have had enough of +feasting;...’ + +Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis vi. 2 26: ‘...and pleasant also it is +to know a clear token of ill or good amid all the signs that the +deathless ones have given to mortal men.’ + +Fragment #5—Athenaeus, xi. 498. A: ‘And Mares, swift messenger, came to +him through the house and brought a silver goblet which he had filled, +and gave it to the lord.’ + +Fragment #6—Athenaeus, xi. 498. B: ‘And then Mantes took in his hands +the ox’s halter and Iphiclus lashed him upon the back. And behind him, +with a cup in one hand and a raised sceptre in the other, walked +Phylacus and spake amongst the bondmen.’ + +Fragment #7—Athenaeus, xiii. p. 609 e: Hesiod in the third book of the +“Melampodia” called Chalcis in Euboea ‘the land of fair women’. + +Fragment #8—Strabo, xiv. p. 676: But Hesiod says that Amphilochus was +killed by Apollo at Soli. + +Fragment #9—Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis, v. p. 259: ‘And now +there is no seer among mortal men such as would know the mind of Zeus +who holds the aegis.’ + + + + +AEGIMIUS + +Fragment #1—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iii. 587: But the +author of the “Aegimius” says that he (Phrixus) was received without +intermediary because of the fleece 2201. He says that after the +sacrifice he purified the fleece and so: ‘Holding the fleece he walked +into the halls of Aeetes.’ + +Fragment #2—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 816: The author +of the “Aegimius” says in the second book that Thetis used to throw the +children she had by Peleus into a cauldron of water, because she wished +to learn where they were mortal.... ....And that after many had +perished Peleus was annoyed, and prevented her from throwing Achilles +into the cauldron. + +Fragment #3—Apollodorus, ii. 1.3.1: Hesiod and Acusilaus say that she +(Io) was the daughter of Peiren. While she was holding the office of +priestess of Hera, Zeus seduced her, and being discovered by Hera, +touched the girl and changed her into a white cow, while he swore that +he had no intercourse with her. And so Hesiod says that oaths touching +the matter of love do not draw down anger from the gods: ‘And +thereafter he ordained that an oath concerning the secret deeds of the +Cyprian should be without penalty for men.’ + +Fragment #4—Herodian in Stephanus of Byzantium: ‘(Zeus changed Io) in +the fair island Abantis, which the gods, who are eternally, used to +call Abantis aforetime, but Zeus then called it Euboea after the cow.’ +2202 + +Fragment #5—Scholiast on Euripides, Phoen. 1116: ‘And (Hera) set a +watcher upon her (Io), great and strong Argus, who with four eyes looks +every way. And the goddess stirred in him unwearying strength: sleep +never fell upon his eyes; but he kept sure watch always.’ + +Fragment #6—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xxiv. 24: ‘Slayer of Argus’. +According to Hesiod’s tale he (Hermes) slew (Argus) the herdsman of Io. + +Fragment #7—Athenaeus, xi. p. 503: And the author of the “Aegimius”, +whether he is Hesiod or Cercops of Miletus (says): ‘There, some day, +shall be my place of refreshment, O leader of the people.’ + +Fragment #8—Etym. Gen.: Hesiod (says there were so called) because they +settled in three groups: ‘And they all were called the Three-fold +people, because they divided in three the land far from their country.’ +For (he says) that three Hellenic tribes settled in Crete, the Pelasgi, +Achaeans and Dorians. And these have been called Three-fold People. + + + + +FRAGMENTS OF UNKNOWN POSITION + +Fragment #1—Diogenes Laertius, viii. 1. 26: 2301 ‘So Urania bare Linus, +a very lovely son: and him all men who are singers and harpers do +bewail at feasts and dances, and as they begin and as they end they +call on Linus....’ + +Clement of Alexandria, Strom. i. p. 121: ‘....who was skilled in all +manner of wisdom.’ + +Fragment #2—Scholiast on Homer, Odyssey, iv. 232: ‘Unless Phoebus +Apollo should save him from death, or Paean himself who knows the +remedies for all things.’ + +Fragment #3—Clement of Alexandria, Protrept, c. vii. p. 21: ‘For he +alone is king and lord of all the undying gods, and no other vies with +him in power.’ + +Fragment #4—Anecd. Oxon (Cramer), i. p. 148: ‘(To cause?) the gifts of +the blessed gods to come near to earth.’ + +Fragment #5—Clement of Alexandria, Strom. i. p. 123: ‘Of the Muses who +make a man very wise, marvellous in utterance.’ + +Fragment #6—Strabo, x. p. 471: ‘But of them (sc. the daughters of +Hecaterus) were born the divine mountain Nymphs and the tribe of +worthless, helpless Satyrs, and the divine Curetes, sportive dancers.’ + +Fragment #7—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 824: ‘Beseeching +the offspring of glorious Cleodaeus.’ + +Fragment #8—Suidas, s.v.: ‘For the Olympian gave might to the sons of +Aeacus, and wisdom to the sons of Amythaon, and wealth to the sons of +Atreus.’ + +Fragment #9—Scholiast on Homer, Iliad, xiii. 155: ‘For through his lack +of wood the timber of the ships rotted.’ + +Fragment #10—Etymologicum Magnum: ‘No longer do they walk with delicate +feet.’ + +Fragment #11—Scholiast on Homer, Iliad, xxiv. 624: ‘First of all they +roasted (pieces of meat), and drew them carefully off the spits.’ + +Fragment #12—Chrysippus, Fragg. ii. 254. 11: ‘For his spirit increased +in his dear breast.’ + +Fragment #13—Chrysippus, Fragg. ii. 254. 15: ‘With such heart grieving +anger in her breast.’ + +Fragment #14—Strabo, vii. p. 327: ‘He went to Dodona and the oak-grove, +the dwelling place of the Pelasgi.’ + +Fragment #15—Anecd. Oxon (Cramer), iii. p. 318. not.: ‘With the +pitiless smoke of black pitch and of cedar.’ + +Fragment #16—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 757: ‘But he +himself in the swelling tide of the rain-swollen river.’ + +Fragment #17—Stephanus of Byzantium: (The river) Parthenius, ‘Flowing +as softly as a dainty maiden goes.’ + +Fragment #18—Scholiast on Theocritus, xi. 75: ‘Foolish the man who +leaves what he has, and follows after what he has not.’ + +Fragment #19—Harpocration: ‘The deeds of the young, the counsels of the +middle-aged, and the prayers of the aged.’ + +Fragment #20—Porphyr, On Abstinence, ii. 18. p. 134: ‘Howsoever the +city does sacrifice, the ancient custom is best.’ + +Fragment #21—Scholiast on Nicander, Theriaca, 452: ‘But you should be +gentle towards your father.’ + +Fragment #22—Plato, Epist. xi. 358: ‘And if I said this, it would seem +a poor thing and hard to understand.’ + +Fragment #23—Bacchylides, v. 191-3: Thus spake the Boeotian, even +Hesiod 2302, servant of the sweet Muses: ‘whomsoever the immortals +honour, the good report of mortals also followeth him.’ + + + + +DOUBTFUL FRAGMENTS + +Fragment #1—Galen, de plac. Hipp. et Plat. i. 266: ‘And then it was +Zeus took away sense from the heart of Athamas.’ + +Fragment #2—Scholiast on Homer, Od. vii. 104: ‘They grind the yellow +grain at the mill.’ + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. ii. 1: ‘Then first in Delos did I +and Homer, singers both, raise our strain—stitching song in new +hymns—Phoebus Apollo with the golden sword, whom Leto bare.’ + +Fragment #4—Julian, Misopogon, p. 369: ‘But starvation on a handful is +a cruel thing.’ + +Fragment #5—Servius on Vergil, Aen. iv. 484: Hesiod says that these +Hesperides........daughters of Night, guarded the golden apples beyond +Ocean: ‘Aegle and Erythea and ox-eyed Hesperethusa.’ 2401 + +Fragment #6—Plato, Republic, iii. 390 E: ‘Gifts move the gods, gifts +move worshipful princes.’ + +Fragment #7—2402 Clement of Alexandria, Strom. v. p. 256: ‘On the +seventh day again the bright light of the sun....’ + +Fragment #8—Apollonius, Lex. Hom.: ‘He brought pure water and mixed it +with Ocean’s streams.’ + +Fragment #9—Stephanus of Byzantium: ‘Aspledon and Clymenus and god-like +Amphidocus.’ (sons of Orchomenus). + +Fragment #10—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. iii. 64: ‘Telemon never sated +with battle first brought light to our comrades by slaying blameless +Melanippe, destroyer of men, own sister of the golden-girdled queen.’ + + + + +THE HOMERIC HYMNS + + + + +I. TO DIONYSUS 2501 + +* * * * + + +(ll. 1-9) For some say, at Dracanum; and some, on windy Icarus; and +some, in Naxos, O Heaven-born, Insewn 2502; and others by the +deep-eddying river Alpheus that pregnant Semele bare you to Zeus the +thunder-lover. And others yet, lord, say you were born in Thebes; but +all these lie. The Father of men and gods gave you birth remote from +men and secretly from white-armed Hera. There is a certain Nysa, a +mountain most high and richly grown with woods, far off in Phoenice, +near the streams of Aegyptus. + +* * * * + + +(ll. 10-12) ‘...and men will lay up for her 2503 many offerings in her +shrines. And as these things are three 2504, so shall mortals ever +sacrifice perfect hecatombs to you at your feasts each three years.’ + +(ll. 13-16) The Son of Cronos spoke and nodded with his dark brows. And +the divine locks of the king flowed forward from his immortal head, and +he made great Olympus reel. So spake wise Zeus and ordained it with a +nod. + +(ll. 17-21) Be favourable, O Insewn, Inspirer of frenzied women! we +singers sing of you as we begin and as we end a strain, and none +forgetting you may call holy song to mind. And so, farewell, Dionysus, +Insewn, with your mother Semele whom men call Thyone. + +II. TO DEMETER + +(ll. 1-3) I begin to sing of rich-haired Demeter, awful goddess—of her +and her trim-ankled daughter whom Aidoneus rapt away, given to him by +all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer. + +(ll. 4-18) Apart from Demeter, lady of the golden sword and glorious +fruits, she was playing with the deep-bosomed daughters of Oceanus and +gathering flowers over a soft meadow, roses and crocuses and beautiful +violets, irises also and hyacinths and the narcissus, which Earth made +to grow at the will of Zeus and to please the Host of Many, to be a +snare for the bloom-like girl—a marvellous, radiant flower. It was a +thing of awe whether for deathless gods or mortal men to see: from its +root grew a hundred blooms, and it smelled most sweetly, so that all +wide heaven above and the whole earth and the sea’s salt swell laughed +for joy. And the girl was amazed and reached out with both hands to +take the lovely toy; but the wide-pathed earth yawned there in the +plain of Nysa, and the lord, Host of Many, with his immortal horses +sprang out upon her—the Son of Cronos, He who has many names 2505. + +(ll. 19-32) He caught her up reluctant on his golden car and bare her +away lamenting. Then she cried out shrilly with her voice, calling upon +her father, the Son of Cronos, who is most high and excellent. But no +one, either of the deathless gods or of mortal men, heard her voice, +nor yet the olive-trees bearing rich fruit: only tender-hearted Hecate, +bright-coiffed, the daughter of Persaeus, heard the girl from her cave, +and the lord Helios, Hyperion’s bright son, as she cried to her father, +the Son of Cronos. But he was sitting aloof, apart from the gods, in +his temple where many pray, and receiving sweet offerings from mortal +men. So he, that Son of Cronos, of many names, who is Ruler of Many and +Host of Many, was bearing her away by leave of Zeus on his immortal +chariot—his own brother’s child and all unwilling. + +(ll. 33-39) And so long as she, the goddess, yet beheld earth and +starry heaven and the strong-flowing sea where fishes shoal, and the +rays of the sun, and still hoped to see her dear mother and the tribes +of the eternal gods, so long hope calmed her great heart for all her +trouble.... ((LACUNA)) ....and the heights of the mountains and the +depths of the sea rang with her immortal voice: and her queenly mother +heard her. + +(ll. 40-53) Bitter pain seized her heart, and she rent the covering +upon her divine hair with her dear hands: her dark cloak she cast down +from both her shoulders and sped, like a wild-bird, over the firm land +and yielding sea, seeking her child. But no one would tell her the +truth, neither god nor mortal men; and of the birds of omen none came +with true news for her. Then for nine days queenly Deo wandered over +the earth with flaming torches in her hands, so grieved that she never +tasted ambrosia and the sweet draught of nectar, nor sprinkled her body +with water. But when the tenth enlightening dawn had come, Hecate, with +a torch in her hands, met her, and spoke to her and told her news: + +(ll. 54-58) ‘Queenly Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver of good +gifts, what god of heaven or what mortal man has rapt away Persephone +and pierced with sorrow your dear heart? For I heard her voice, yet saw +not with my eyes who it was. But I tell you truly and shortly all I +know.’ + +(ll. 59-73) So, then, said Hecate. And the daughter of rich-haired Rhea +answered her not, but sped swiftly with her, holding flaming torches in +her hands. So they came to Helios, who is watchman of both gods and +men, and stood in front of his horses: and the bright goddess enquired +of him: ‘Helios, do you at least regard me, goddess as I am, if ever by +word or deed of mine I have cheered your heart and spirit. Through the +fruitless air I heard the thrilling cry of my daughter whom I bare, +sweet scion of my body and lovely in form, as of one seized violently; +though with my eyes I saw nothing. But you—for with your beams you look +down from the bright upper air Over all the earth and sea—tell me truly +of my dear child, if you have seen her anywhere, what god or mortal man +has violently seized her against her will and mine, and so made off.’ + +(ll. 74-87) So said she. And the Son of Hyperion answered her: ‘Queen +Demeter, daughter of rich-haired Rhea, I will tell you the truth; for I +greatly reverence and pity you in your grief for your trim-ankled +daughter. None other of the deathless gods is to blame, but only +cloud-gathering Zeus who gave her to Hades, her father’s brother, to be +called his buxom wife. And Hades seized her and took her loudly crying +in his chariot down to his realm of mist and gloom. Yet, goddess, cease +your loud lament and keep not vain anger unrelentingly: Aidoneus, the +Ruler of Many, is no unfitting husband among the deathless gods for +your child, being your own brother and born of the same stock: also, +for honour, he has that third share which he received when division was +made at the first, and is appointed lord of those among whom he +dwells.’ + +(ll. 88-89) So he spake, and called to his horses: and at his chiding +they quickly whirled the swift chariot along, like long-winged birds. + +(ll. 90-112) But grief yet more terrible and savage came into the heart +of Demeter, and thereafter she was so angered with the dark-clouded Son +of Cronos that she avoided the gathering of the gods and high Olympus, +and went to the towns and rich fields of men, disfiguring her form a +long while. And no one of men or deep-bosomed women knew her when they +saw her, until she came to the house of wise Celeus who then was lord +of fragrant Eleusis. Vexed in her dear heart, she sat near the wayside +by the Maiden Well, from which the women of the place were used to draw +water, in a shady place over which grew an olive shrub. And she was +like an ancient woman who is cut off from childbearing and the gifts of +garland-loving Aphrodite, like the nurses of king’s children who deal +justice, or like the house-keepers in their echoing halls. There the +daughters of Celeus, son of Eleusis, saw her, as they were coming for +easy-drawn water, to carry it in pitchers of bronze to their dear +father’s house: four were they and like goddesses in the flower of +their girlhood, Callidice and Cleisidice and lovely Demo and Callithoe +who was the eldest of them all. They knew her not,—for the gods are not +easily discerned by mortals—but standing near by her spoke winged +words: + +(ll. 113-117) ‘Old mother, whence and who are you of folk born long +ago? Why are you gone away from the city and do not draw near the +houses? For there in the shady halls are women of just such age as you, +and others younger; and they would welcome you both by word and by +deed.’ + +(ll. 118-144) Thus they said. And she, that queen among goddesses +answered them saying: ‘Hail, dear children, whosoever you are of +woman-kind. I will tell you my story; for it is not unseemly that I +should tell you truly what you ask. Doso is my name, for my stately +mother gave it me. And now I am come from Crete over the sea’s wide +back,—not willingly; but pirates brought me thence by force of strength +against my liking. Afterwards they put in with their swift craft to +Thoricus, and there the women landed on the shore in full throng and +the men likewise, and they began to make ready a meal by the +stern-cables of the ship. But my heart craved not pleasant food, and I +fled secretly across the dark country and escaped my masters, that they +should not take me unpurchased across the sea, there to win a price for +me. And so I wandered and am come here: and I know not at all what land +this is or what people are in it. But may all those who dwell on +Olympus give you husbands and birth of children as parents desire, so +you take pity on me, maidens, and show me this clearly that I may +learn, dear children, to the house of what man and woman I may go, to +work for them cheerfully at such tasks as belong to a woman of my age. +Well could I nurse a new born child, holding him in my arms, or keep +house, or spread my masters’ bed in a recess of the well-built chamber, +or teach the women their work.’ + +(ll. 145-146) So said the goddess. And straightway the unwed maiden +Callidice, goodliest in form of the daughters of Celeus, answered her +and said: + +(ll. 147-168) ‘Mother, what the gods send us, we mortals bear perforce, +although we suffer; for they are much stronger than we. But now I will +teach you clearly, telling you the names of men who have great power +and honour here and are chief among the people, guarding our city’s +coif of towers by their wisdom and true judgements: there is wise +Triptolemus and Dioclus and Polyxeinus and blameless Eumolpus and +Dolichus and our own brave father. All these have wives who manage in +the house, and no one of them, so soon as she has seen you, would +dishonour you and turn you from the house, but they will welcome you; +for indeed you are godlike. But if you will, stay here; and we will go +to our father’s house and tell Metaneira, our deep-bosomed mother, all +this matter fully, that she may bid you rather come to our home than +search after the houses of others. She has an only son, late-born, who +is being nursed in our well-built house, a child of many prayers and +welcome: if you could bring him up until he reached the full measure of +youth, any one of womankind who should see you would straightway envy +you, such gifts would our mother give for his upbringing.’ + +(ll. 169-183) So she spake: and the goddess bowed her head in assent. +And they filled their shining vessels with water and carried them off +rejoicing. Quickly they came to their father’s great house and +straightway told their mother according as they had heard and seen. +Then she bade them go with all speed and invite the stranger to come +for a measureless hire. As hinds or heifers in spring time, when sated +with pasture, bound about a meadow, so they, holding up the folds of +their lovely garments, darted down the hollow path, and their hair like +a crocus flower streamed about their shoulders. And they found the good +goddess near the wayside where they had left her before, and led her to +the house of their dear father. And she walked behind, distressed in +her dear heart, with her head veiled and wearing a dark cloak which +waved about the slender feet of the goddess. + +(ll. 184-211) Soon they came to the house of heaven-nurtured Celeus and +went through the portico to where their queenly mother sat by a pillar +of the close-fitted roof, holding her son, a tender scion, in her +bosom. And the girls ran to her. But the goddess walked to the +threshold: and her head reached the roof and she filled the doorway +with a heavenly radiance. Then awe and reverence and pale fear took +hold of Metaneira, and she rose up from her couch before Demeter, and +bade her be seated. But Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver of +perfect gifts, would not sit upon the bright couch, but stayed silent +with lovely eyes cast down until careful Iambe placed a jointed seat +for her and threw over it a silvery fleece. Then she sat down and held +her veil in her hands before her face. A long time she sat upon the +stool 2506 without speaking because of her sorrow, and greeted no one +by word or by sign, but rested, never smiling, and tasting neither food +nor drink, because she pined with longing for her deep-bosomed +daughter, until careful Iambe—who pleased her moods in aftertime +also—moved the holy lady with many a quip and jest to smile and laugh +and cheer her heart. Then Metaneira filled a cup with sweet wine and +offered it to her; but she refused it, for she said it was not lawful +for her to drink red wine, but bade them mix meal and water with soft +mint and give her to drink. And Metaneira mixed the draught and gave it +to the goddess as she bade. So the great queen Deo received it to +observe the sacrament.... 2507 + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 212-223) And of them all, well-girded Metaneira first began to +speak: ‘Hail, lady! For I think you are not meanly but nobly born; +truly dignity and grace are conspicuous upon your eyes as in the eyes +of kings that deal justice. Yet we mortals bear perforce what the gods +send us, though we be grieved; for a yoke is set upon our necks. But +now, since you are come here, you shall have what I can bestow: and +nurse me this child whom the gods gave me in my old age and beyond my +hope, a son much prayed for. If you should bring him up until he reach +the full measure of youth, any one of womankind that sees you will +straightway envy you, so great reward would I give for his upbringing.’ + +(ll. 224-230) Then rich-haired Demeter answered her: ‘And to you, also, +lady, all hail, and may the gods give you good! Gladly will I take the +boy to my breast, as you bid me, and will nurse him. Never, I ween, +through any heedlessness of his nurse shall witchcraft hurt him nor yet +the Undercutter 2508: for I know a charm far stronger than the +Woodcutter, and I know an excellent safeguard against woeful +witchcraft.’ + +(ll. 231-247) When she had so spoken, she took the child in her +fragrant bosom with her divine hands: and his mother was glad in her +heart. So the goddess nursed in the palace Demophoon, wise Celeus’ +goodly son whom well-girded Metaneira bare. And the child grew like +some immortal being, not fed with food nor nourished at the breast: for +by day rich-crowned Demeter would anoint him with ambrosia as if he +were the offspring of a god and breathe sweetly upon him as she held +him in her bosom. But at night she would hide him like a brand in the +heart of the fire, unknown to his dear parents. And it wrought great +wonder in these that he grew beyond his age; for he was like the gods +face to face. And she would have made him deathless and unageing, had +not well-girded Metaneira in her heedlessness kept watch by night from +her sweet-smelling chamber and spied. But she wailed and smote her two +hips, because she feared for her son and was greatly distraught in her +heart; so she lamented and uttered winged words: + +(ll. 248-249) ‘Demophoon, my son, the strange woman buries you deep in +fire and works grief and bitter sorrow for me.’ + +(ll. 250-255) Thus she spoke, mourning. And the bright goddess, +lovely-crowned Demeter, heard her, and was wroth with her. So with her +divine hands she snatched from the fire the dear son whom Metaneira had +born unhoped-for in the palace, and cast him from her to the ground; +for she was terribly angry in her heart. Forthwith she said to +well-girded Metaneira: + +(ll. 256-274) ‘Witless are you mortals and dull to foresee your lot, +whether of good or evil, that comes upon you. For now in your +heedlessness you have wrought folly past healing; for—be witness the +oath of the gods, the relentless water of Styx—I would have made your +dear son deathless and unageing all his days and would have bestowed on +him everlasting honour, but now he can in no way escape death and the +fates. Yet shall unfailing honour always rest upon him, because he lay +upon my knees and slept in my arms. But, as the years move round and +when he is in his prime, the sons of the Eleusinians shall ever wage +war and dread strife with one another continually. Lo! I am that +Demeter who has share of honour and is the greatest help and cause of +joy to the undying gods and mortal men. But now, let all the people +build me a great temple and an altar below it and beneath the city and +its sheer wall upon a rising hillock above Callichorus. And I myself +will teach my rites, that hereafter you may reverently perform them and +so win the favour of my heart.’ + +(ll. 275-281) When she had so said, the goddess changed her stature and +her looks, thrusting old age away from her: beauty spread round about +her and a lovely fragrance was wafted from her sweet-smelling robes, +and from the divine body of the goddess a light shone afar, while +golden tresses spread down over her shoulders, so that the strong house +was filled with brightness as with lightning. And so she went out from +the palace. + +(ll. 281-291) And straightway Metaneira’s knees were loosed and she +remained speechless for a long while and did not remember to take up +her late-born son from the ground. But his sisters heard his pitiful +wailing and sprang down from their well-spread beds: one of them took +up the child in her arms and laid him in her bosom, while another +revived the fire, and a third rushed with soft feet to bring their +mother from her fragrant chamber. And they gathered about the +struggling child and washed him, embracing him lovingly; but he was not +comforted, because nurses and handmaids much less skilful were holding +him now. + +(ll. 292-300) All night long they sought to appease the glorious +goddess, quaking with fear. But, as soon as dawn began to show, they +told powerful Celeus all things without fail, as the lovely-crowned +goddess Demeter charged them. So Celeus called the countless people to +an assembly and bade them make a goodly temple for rich-haired Demeter +and an altar upon the rising hillock. And they obeyed him right +speedily and harkened to his voice, doing as he commanded. As for the +child, he grew like an immortal being. + +(ll. 301-320) Now when they had finished building and had drawn back +from their toil, they went every man to his house. But golden-haired +Demeter sat there apart from all the blessed gods and stayed, wasting +with yearning for her deep-bosomed daughter. Then she caused a most +dreadful and cruel year for mankind over the all-nourishing earth: the +ground would not make the seed sprout, for rich-crowned Demeter kept it +hid. In the fields the oxen drew many a curved plough in vain, and much +white barley was cast upon the land without avail. So she would have +destroyed the whole race of man with cruel famine and have robbed them +who dwell on Olympus of their glorious right of gifts and sacrifices, +had not Zeus perceived and marked this in his heart. First he sent +golden-winged Iris to call rich-haired Demeter, lovely in form. So he +commanded. And she obeyed the dark-clouded Son of Cronos, and sped with +swift feet across the space between. She came to the stronghold of +fragrant Eleusis, and there finding dark-cloaked Demeter in her temple, +spake to her and uttered winged words: + +(ll. 321-323) ‘Demeter, father Zeus, whose wisdom is everlasting, calls +you to come join the tribes of the eternal gods: come therefore, and +let not the message I bring from Zeus pass unobeyed.’ + +(ll. 324-333) Thus said Iris imploring her. But Demeter’s heart was not +moved. Then again the father sent forth all the blessed and eternal +gods besides: and they came, one after the other, and kept calling her +and offering many very beautiful gifts and whatever right she might be +pleased to choose among the deathless gods. Yet no one was able to +persuade her mind and will, so wrath was she in her heart; but she +stubbornly rejected all their words: for she vowed that she would never +set foot on fragrant Olympus nor let fruit spring out of the ground, +until she beheld with her eyes her own fair-faced daughter. + +(ll. 334-346) Now when all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer heard this, +he sent the Slayer of Argus whose wand is of gold to Erebus, so that +having won over Hades with soft words, he might lead forth chaste +Persephone to the light from the misty gloom to join the gods, and that +her mother might see her with her eyes and cease from her anger. And +Hermes obeyed, and leaving the house of Olympus, straightway sprang +down with speed to the hidden places of the earth. And he found the +lord Hades in his house seated upon a couch, and his shy mate with him, +much reluctant, because she yearned for her mother. But she was afar +off, brooding on her fell design because of the deeds of the blessed +gods. And the strong Slayer of Argus drew near and said: + +(ll. 347-356) ‘Dark-haired Hades, ruler over the departed, father Zeus +bids me bring noble Persephone forth from Erebus unto the gods, that +her mother may see her with her eyes and cease from her dread anger +with the immortals; for now she plans an awful deed, to destroy the +weakly tribes of earthborn men by keeping seed hidden beneath the +earth, and so she makes an end of the honours of the undying gods. For +she keeps fearful anger and does not consort with the gods, but sits +aloof in her fragrant temple, dwelling in the rocky hold of Eleusis.’ + +(ll. 357-359) So he said. And Aidoneus, ruler over the dead, smiled +grimly and obeyed the behest of Zeus the king. For he straightway urged +wise Persephone, saying: + +(ll. 360-369) ‘Go now, Persephone, to your dark-robed mother, go, and +feel kindly in your heart towards me: be not so exceedingly cast down; +for I shall be no unfitting husband for you among the deathless gods, +that am own brother to father Zeus. And while you are here, you shall +rule all that lives and moves and shall have the greatest rights among +the deathless gods: those who defraud you and do not appease your power +with offerings, reverently performing rites and paying fit gifts, shall +be punished for evermore.’ + +(ll. 370-383) When he said this, wise Persephone was filled with joy +and hastily sprang up for gladness. But he on his part secretly gave +her sweet pomegranate seed to eat, taking care for himself that she +might not remain continually with grave, dark-robed Demeter. Then +Aidoneus the Ruler of Many openly got ready his deathless horses +beneath the golden chariot. And she mounted on the chariot, and the +strong Slayer of Argos took reins and whip in his dear hands and drove +forth from the hall, the horses speeding readily. Swiftly they +traversed their long course, and neither the sea nor river-waters nor +grassy glens nor mountain-peaks checked the career of the immortal +horses, but they clave the deep air above them as they went. And Hermes +brought them to the place where rich-crowned Demeter was staying and +checked them before her fragrant temple. + +(ll. 384-404) And when Demeter saw them, she rushed forth as does a +Maenad down some thick-wooded mountain, while Persephone on the other +side, when she saw her mother’s sweet eyes, left the chariot and +horses, and leaped down to run to her, and falling upon her neck, +embraced her. But while Demeter was still holding her dear child in her +arms, her heart suddenly misgave her for some snare, so that she feared +greatly and ceased fondling her daughter and asked of her at once: ‘My +child, tell me, surely you have not tasted any food while you were +below? Speak out and hide nothing, but let us both know. For if you +have not, you shall come back from loathly Hades and live with me and +your father, the dark-clouded Son of Cronos and be honoured by all the +deathless gods; but if you have tasted food, you must go back again +beneath the secret places of the earth, there to dwell a third part of +the seasons every year: yet for the two parts you shall be with me and +the other deathless gods. But when the earth shall bloom with the +fragrant flowers of spring in every kind, then from the realm of +darkness and gloom thou shalt come up once more to be a wonder for gods +and mortal men. And now tell me how he rapt you away to the realm of +darkness and gloom, and by what trick did the strong Host of Many +beguile you?’ + +(ll. 405-433) Then beautiful Persephone answered her thus: ‘Mother, I +will tell you all without error. When luck-bringing Hermes came, swift +messenger from my father the Son of Cronos and the other Sons of +Heaven, bidding me come back from Erebus that you might see me with +your eyes and so cease from your anger and fearful wrath against the +gods, I sprang up at once for joy; but he secretly put in my mouth +sweet food, a pomegranate seed, and forced me to taste against my will. +Also I will tell how he rapt me away by the deep plan of my father the +Son of Cronos and carried me off beneath the depths of the earth, and +will relate the whole matter as you ask. All we were playing in a +lovely meadow, Leucippe 2509 and Phaeno and Electra and Ianthe, Melita +also and Iache with Rhodea and Callirhoe and Melobosis and Tyche and +Ocyrhoe, fair as a flower, Chryseis, Ianeira, Acaste and Admete and +Rhodope and Pluto and charming Calypso; Styx too was there and Urania +and lovely Galaxaura with Pallas who rouses battles and Artemis +delighting in arrows: we were playing and gathering sweet flowers in +our hands, soft crocuses mingled with irises and hyacinths, and +rose-blooms and lilies, marvellous to see, and the narcissus which the +wide earth caused to grow yellow as a crocus. That I plucked in my joy; +but the earth parted beneath, and there the strong lord, the Host of +Many, sprang forth and in his golden chariot he bore me away, all +unwilling, beneath the earth: then I cried with a shrill cry. All this +is true, sore though it grieves me to tell the tale.’ + +(ll. 434-437) So did they turn, with hearts at one, greatly cheer each +the other’s soul and spirit with many an embrace: their heart had +relief from their griefs while each took and gave back joyousness. + +(ll. 438-440) Then bright-coiffed Hecate came near to them, and often +did she embrace the daughter of holy Demeter: and from that time the +lady Hecate was minister and companion to Persephone. + +(ll. 441-459) And all-seeing Zeus sent a messenger to them, rich-haired +Rhea, to bring dark-cloaked Demeter to join the families of the gods: +and he promised to give her what right she should choose among the +deathless gods and agreed that her daughter should go down for the +third part of the circling year to darkness and gloom, but for the two +parts should live with her mother and the other deathless gods. Thus he +commanded. And the goddess did not disobey the message of Zeus; swiftly +she rushed down from the peaks of Olympus and came to the plain of +Rharus, rich, fertile corn-land once, but then in nowise fruitful, for +it lay idle and utterly leafless, because the white grain was hidden by +design of trim-ankled Demeter. But afterwards, as springtime waxed, it +was soon to be waving with long ears of corn, and its rich furrows to +be loaded with grain upon the ground, while others would already be +bound in sheaves. There first she landed from the fruitless upper air: +and glad were the goddesses to see each other and cheered in heart. +Then bright-coiffed Rhea said to Demeter: + +(ll. 460-469) ‘Come, my daughter; for far-seeing Zeus the +loud-thunderer calls you to join the families of the gods, and has +promised to give you what rights you please among the deathless gods, +and has agreed that for a third part of the circling year your daughter +shall go down to darkness and gloom, but for the two parts shall be +with you and the other deathless gods: so has he declared it shall be +and has bowed his head in token. But come, my child, obey, and be not +too angry unrelentingly with the dark-clouded Son of Cronos; but rather +increase forthwith for men the fruit that gives them life.’ + +(ll. 470-482) So spake Rhea. And rich-crowned Demeter did not refuse +but straightway made fruit to spring up from the rich lands, so that +the whole wide earth was laden with leaves and flowers. Then she went, +and to the kings who deal justice, Triptolemus and Diocles, the +horse-driver, and to doughty Eumolpus and Celeus, leader of the people, +she showed the conduct of her rites and taught them all her mysteries, +to Triptolemus and Polyxeinus and Diocles also,—awful mysteries which +no one may in any way transgress or pry into or utter, for deep awe of +the gods checks the voice. Happy is he among men upon earth who has +seen these mysteries; but he who is uninitiate and who has no part in +them, never has lot of like good things once he is dead, down in the +darkness and gloom. + +(ll. 483-489) But when the bright goddess had taught them all, they +went to Olympus to the gathering of the other gods. And there they +dwell beside Zeus who delights in thunder, awful and reverend +goddesses. Right blessed is he among men on earth whom they freely +love: soon they do send Plutus as guest to his great house, Plutus who +gives wealth to mortal men. + +(ll. 490-495) And now, queen of the land of sweet Eleusis and sea-girt +Paros and rocky Antron, lady, giver of good gifts, bringer of seasons, +queen Deo, be gracious, you and your daughter all beauteous Persephone, +and for my song grant me heart-cheering substance. And now I will +remember you and another song also. + + + + +III. TO DELIAN APOLLO + +(ll. 1-18) I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots +afar. As he goes through the house of Zeus, the gods tremble before him +and all spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his +bright bow. But Leto alone stays by the side of Zeus who delights in +thunder; and then she unstrings his bow, and closes his quiver, and +takes his archery from his strong shoulders in her hands and hangs them +on a golden peg against a pillar of his father’s house. Then she leads +him to a seat and makes him sit: and the Father gives him nectar in a +golden cup welcoming his dear son, while the other gods make him sit +down there, and queenly Leto rejoices because she bare a mighty son and +an archer. Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you bare glorious children, the +lord Apollo and Artemis who delights in arrows; her in Ortygia, and him +in rocky Delos, as you rested against the great mass of the Cynthian +hill hard by a palm-tree by the streams of Inopus. + +(ll. 19-29) How, then, shall I sing of you who in all ways are a worthy +theme of song? For everywhere, O Phoebus, the whole range of song is +fallen to you, both over the mainland that rears heifers and over the +isles. All mountain-peaks and high headlands of lofty hills and rivers +flowing out to the deep and beaches sloping seawards and havens of the +sea are your delight. Shall I sing how at the first Leto bare you to be +the joy of men, as she rested against Mount Cynthus in that rocky isle, +in sea-girt Delos—while on either hand a dark wave rolled on landwards +driven by shrill winds—whence arising you rule over all mortal men? + +(ll. 30-50) Among those who are in Crete, and in the township of +Athens, and in the isle of Aegina and Euboea, famous for ships, in +Aegae and Eiresiae and Peparethus near the sea, in Thracian Athos and +Pelion’s towering heights and Thracian Samos and the shady hills of +Ida, in Scyros and Phocaea and the high hill of Autocane and fair-lying +Imbros and smouldering Lemnos and rich Lesbos, home of Macar, the son +of Aeolus, and Chios, brightest of all the isles that lie in the sea, +and craggy Mimas and the heights of Corycus and gleaming Claros and the +sheer hill of Aesagea and watered Samos and the steep heights of +Mycale, in Miletus and Cos, the city of Meropian men, and steep Cnidos +and windy Carpathos, in Naxos and Paros and rocky Rhenaea—so far roamed +Leto in travail with the god who shoots afar, to see if any land would +be willing to make a dwelling for her son. But they greatly trembled +and feared, and none, not even the richest of them, dared receive +Phoebus, until queenly Leto set foot on Delos and uttered winged words +and asked her: + +(ll. 51-61) ‘Delos, if you would be willing to be the abode of my son +Phoebus Apollo and make him a rich temple—; for no other will touch +you, as you will find: and I think you will never be rich in oxen and +sheep, nor bear vintage nor yet produce plants abundantly. But if you +have the temple of far-shooting Apollo, all men will bring you +hecatombs and gather here, and incessant savour of rich sacrifice will +always arise, and you will feed those who dwell in you from the hand of +strangers; for truly your own soil is not rich.’ + +(ll. 62-82) So spake Leto. And Delos rejoiced and answered and said: +‘Leto, most glorious daughter of great Coeus, joyfully would I receive +your child the far-shooting lord; for it is all too true that I am +ill-spoken of among men, whereas thus I should become very greatly +honoured. But this saying I fear, and I will not hide it from you, +Leto. They say that Apollo will be one that is very haughty and will +greatly lord it among gods and men all over the fruitful earth. +Therefore, I greatly fear in heart and spirit that as soon as he sets +the light of the sun, he will scorn this island—for truly I have but a +hard, rocky soil—and overturn me and thrust me down with his feet in +the depths of the sea; then will the great ocean wash deep above my +head for ever, and he will go to another land such as will please him, +there to make his temple and wooded groves. So, many-footed creatures +of the sea will make their lairs in me and black seals their dwellings +undisturbed, because I lack people. Yet if you will but dare to sware a +great oath, goddess, that here first he will build a glorious temple to +be an oracle for men, then let him afterwards make temples and wooded +groves amongst all men; for surely he will be greatly renowned.’ + +(ll. 83-88) So said Delos. And Leto sware the great oath of the gods: +‘Now hear this, Earth and wide Heaven above, and dropping water of Styx +(this is the strongest and most awful oath for the blessed gods), +surely Phoebus shall have here his fragrant altar and precinct, and you +he shall honour above all.’ + +(ll. 89-101) Now when Leto had sworn and ended her oath, Delos was very +glad at the birth of the far-shooting lord. But Leto was racked nine +days and nine nights with pangs beyond wont. And there were with her +all the chiefest of the goddesses, Dione and Rhea and Ichnaea and +Themis and loud-moaning Amphitrite and the other deathless goddesses +save white-armed Hera, who sat in the halls of cloud-gathering Zeus. +Only Eilithyia, goddess of sore travail, had not heard of Leto’s +trouble, for she sat on the top of Olympus beneath golden clouds by +white-armed Hera’s contriving, who kept her close through envy, because +Leto with the lovely tresses was soon to bear a son faultless and +strong. + +(ll. 102-114) But the goddesses sent out Iris from the well-set isle to +bring Eilithyia, promising her a great necklace strung with golden +threads, nine cubits long. And they bade Iris call her aside from +white-armed Hera, lest she might afterwards turn her from coming with +her words. When swift Iris, fleet of foot as the wind, had heard all +this, she set to run; and quickly finishing all the distance she came +to the home of the gods, sheer Olympus, and forthwith called Eilithyia +out from the hall to the door and spoke winged words to her, telling +her all as the goddesses who dwell on Olympus had bidden her. So she +moved the heart of Eilithyia in her dear breast; and they went their +way, like shy wild-doves in their going. + +(ll. 115-122) And as soon as Eilithyia the goddess of sore travail set +foot on Delos, the pains of birth seized Leto, and she longed to bring +forth; so she cast her arms about a palm tree and kneeled on the soft +meadow while the earth laughed for joy beneath. Then the child leaped +forth to the light, and all the goddesses washed you purely and cleanly +with sweet water, and swathed you in a white garment of fine texture, +new-woven, and fastened a golden band about you. + +(ll. 123-130) Now Leto did not give Apollo, bearer of the golden blade, +her breast; but Themis duly poured nectar and ambrosia with her divine +hands: and Leto was glad because she had borne a strong son and an +archer. But as soon as you had tasted that divine heavenly food, O +Phoebus, you could no longer then be held by golden cords nor confined +with bands, but all their ends were undone. Forthwith Phoebus Apollo +spoke out among the deathless goddesses: + +(ll. 131-132) ‘The lyre and the curved bow shall ever be dear to me, +and I will declare to men the unfailing will of Zeus.’ + +(ll. 133-139) So said Phoebus, the long-haired god who shoots afar and +began to walk upon the wide-pathed earth; and all goddesses were amazed +at him. Then with gold all Delos was laden, beholding the child of Zeus +and Leto, for joy because the god chose her above the islands and shore +to make his dwelling in her: and she loved him yet more in her heart, +and blossomed as does a mountain-top with woodland flowers. + +(ll. 140-164) And you, O lord Apollo, god of the silver bow, shooting +afar, now walked on craggy Cynthus, and now kept wandering about the +island and the people in them. Many are your temples and wooded groves, +and all peaks and towering bluffs of lofty mountains and rivers flowing +to the sea are dear to you, Phoebus, yet in Delos do you most delight +your heart; for there the long robed Ionians gather in your honour with +their children and shy wives: mindful, they delight you with boxing and +dancing and song, so often as they hold their gathering. A man would +say that they were deathless and unageing if he should then come upon +the Ionians so met together. For he would see the graces of them all, +and would be pleased in heart gazing at the men and well-girded women +with their swift ships and great wealth. And there is this great wonder +besides—and its renown shall never perish—the girls of Delos, +hand-maidens of the Far-shooter; for when they have praised Apollo +first, and also Leto and Artemis who delights in arrows, they sing a +strain telling of men and women of past days, and charm the tribes of +men. Also they can imitate the tongues of all men and their clattering +speech: each would say that he himself were singing, so close to truth +is their sweet song. + +(ll. 165-178) And now may Apollo be favourable and Artemis; and +farewell all you maidens. Remember me in after time whenever any one of +men on earth, a stranger who has seen and suffered much, comes here and +asks of you: ‘Whom think ye, girls, is the sweetest singer that comes +here, and in whom do you most delight?’ Then answer, each and all, with +one voice: ‘He is a blind man, and dwells in rocky Chios: his lays are +evermore supreme.’ As for me, I will carry your renown as far as I roam +over the earth to the well-placed this thing is true. And I will never +cease to praise far-shooting Apollo, god of the silver bow, whom +rich-haired Leto bare. + +TO PYTHIAN APOLLO— + +(ll. 179-181) O Lord, Lycia is yours and lovely Maeonia and Miletus, +charming city by the sea, but over wave-girt Delos you greatly reign +your own self. + +(ll. 182-206) Leto’s all-glorious son goes to rocky Pytho, playing upon +his hollow lyre, clad in divine, perfumed garments; and at the touch of +the golden key his lyre sings sweet. Thence, swift as thought, he +speeds from earth to Olympus, to the house of Zeus, to join the +gathering of the other gods: then straightway the undying gods think +only of the lyre and song, and all the Muses together, voice sweetly +answering voice, hymn the unending gifts the gods enjoy and the +sufferings of men, all that they endure at the hands of the deathless +gods, and how they live witless and helpless and cannot find healing +for death or defence against old age. Meanwhile the rich-tressed Graces +and cheerful Seasons dance with Harmonia and Hebe and Aphrodite, +daughter of Zeus, holding each other by the wrist. And among them sings +one, not mean nor puny, but tall to look upon and enviable in mien, +Artemis who delights in arrows, sister of Apollo. Among them sport Ares +and the keen-eyed Slayer of Argus, while Apollo plays his lyre stepping +high and featly and a radiance shines around him, the gleaming of his +feet and close-woven vest. And they, even gold-tressed Leto and wise +Zeus, rejoice in their great hearts as they watch their dear son +playing among the undying gods. + +(ll. 207-228) How then shall I sing of you—though in all ways you are a +worthy theme for song? Shall I sing of you as wooer and in the fields +of love, how you went wooing the daughter of Azan along with god-like +Ischys the son of well-horsed Elatius, or with Phorbas sprung from +Triops, or with Ereutheus, or with Leucippus and the wife of +Leucippus.... ((LACUNA)) ....you on foot, he with his chariot, yet he +fell not short of Triops. Or shall I sing how at the first you went +about the earth seeking a place of oracle for men, O far-shooting +Apollo? To Pieria first you went down from Olympus and passed by sandy +Lectus and Enienae and through the land of the Perrhaebi. Soon you came +to Iolcus and set foot on Cenaeum in Euboea, famed for ships: you stood +in the Lelantine plain, but it pleased not your heart to make a temple +there and wooded groves. From there you crossed the Euripus, +far-shooting Apollo, and went up the green, holy hills, going on to +Mycalessus and grassy-bedded Teumessus, and so came to the wood-clad +abode of Thebe; for as yet no man lived in holy Thebe, nor were there +tracks or ways about Thebe’s wheat-bearing plain as yet. + +(ll. 229-238) And further still you went, O far-shooting Apollo, and +came to Onchestus, Poseidon’s bright grove: there the new-broken colt +distressed with drawing the trim chariot gets spirit again, and the +skilled driver springs from his car and goes on his way. Then the +horses for a while rattle the empty car, being rid of guidance; and if +they break the chariot in the woody grove, men look after the horses, +but tilt the chariot and leave it there; for this was the rite from the +very first. And the drivers pray to the lord of the shrine; but the +chariot falls to the lot of the god. + +(ll. 239-243) Further yet you went, O far-shooting Apollo, and reached +next Cephissus’ sweet stream which pours forth its sweet-flowing water +from Lilaea, and crossing over it, O worker from afar, you passed +many-towered Ocalea and reached grassy Haliartus. + +(ll. 244-253) Then you went towards Telphusa: and there the pleasant +place seemed fit for making a temple and wooded grove. You came very +near and spoke to her: ‘Telphusa, here I am minded to make a glorious +temple, an oracle for men, and hither they will always bring perfect +hecatombs, both those who live in rich Peloponnesus and those of Europe +and all the wave-washed isles, coming to seek oracles. And I will +deliver to them all counsel that cannot fail, giving answer in my rich +temple.’ + +(ll. 254-276) So said Phoebus Apollo, and laid out all the foundations +throughout, wide and very long. But when Telphusa saw this, she was +angry in heart and spoke, saying: ‘Lord Phoebus, worker from afar, I +will speak a word of counsel to your heart, since you are minded to +make here a glorious temple to be an oracle for men who will always +bring hither perfect hecatombs for you; yet I will speak out, and do +you lay up my words in your heart. The trampling of swift horses and +the sound of mules watering at my sacred springs will always irk you, +and men will like better to gaze at the well-made chariots and +stamping, swift-footed horses than at your great temple and the many +treasures that are within. But if you will be moved by me—for you, +lord, are stronger and mightier than I, and your strength is very +great—build at Crisa below the glades of Parnassus: there no bright +chariot will clash, and there will be no noise of swift-footed horses +near your well-built altar. But so the glorious tribes of men will +bring gifts to you as Iepaeon (‘Hail-Healer’), and you will receive +with delight rich sacrifices from the people dwelling round about.’ So +said Telphusa, that she alone, and not the Far-Shooter, should have +renown there; and she persuaded the Far-Shooter. + +(ll. 277-286) Further yet you went, far-shooting Apollo, until you came +to the town of the presumptuous Phlegyae who dwell on this earth in a +lovely glade near the Cephisian lake, caring not for Zeus. And thence +you went speeding swiftly to the mountain ridge, and came to Crisa +beneath snowy Parnassus, a foothill turned towards the west: a cliff +hangs over it from above, and a hollow, rugged glade runs under. There +the lord Phoebus Apollo resolved to make his lovely temple, and thus he +said: + +(ll. 287-293) ‘In this place I am minded to build a glorious temple to +be an oracle for men, and here they will always bring perfect +hecatombs, both they who dwell in rich Peloponnesus and the men of +Europe and from all the wave-washed isles, coming to question me. And I +will deliver to them all counsel that cannot fail, answering them in my +rich temple.’ + +(ll. 294-299) When he had said this, Phoebus Apollo laid out all the +foundations throughout, wide and very long; and upon these the sons of +Erginus, Trophonius and Agamedes, dear to the deathless gods, laid a +footing of stone. And the countless tribes of men built the whole +temple of wrought stones, to be sung of for ever. + +(ll. 300-310) But near by was a sweet flowing spring, and there with +his strong bow the lord, the son of Zeus, killed the bloated, great +she-dragon, a fierce monster wont to do great mischief to men upon +earth, to men themselves and to their thin-shanked sheep; for she was a +very bloody plague. She it was who once received from gold-throned Hera +and brought up fell, cruel Typhaon to be a plague to men. Once on a +time Hera bare him because she was angry with father Zeus, when the Son +of Cronos bare all-glorious Athena in his head. Thereupon queenly Hera +was angry and spoke thus among the assembled gods: + +(ll. 311-330) ‘Hear from me, all gods and goddesses, how +cloud-gathering Zeus begins to dishonour me wantonly, when he has made +me his true-hearted wife. See now, apart from me he has given birth to +bright-eyed Athena who is foremost among all the blessed gods. But my +son Hephaestus whom I bare was weakly among all the blessed gods and +shrivelled of foot, a shame and disgrace to me in heaven, whom I myself +took in my hands and cast out so that he fell in the great sea. But +silver-shod Thetis the daughter of Nereus took and cared for him with +her sisters: would that she had done other service to the blessed gods! +O wicked one and crafty! What else will you now devise? How dared you +by yourself give birth to bright-eyed Athena? Would not I have borne +you a child—I, who was at least called your wife among the undying gods +who hold wide heaven. Beware now lest I devise some evil thing for you +hereafter: yes, now I will contrive that a son be born me to be +foremost among the undying gods—and that without casting shame on the +holy bond of wedlock between you and me. And I will not come to your +bed, but will consort with the blessed gods far off from you.’ + +(ll. 331-333) When she had so spoken, she went apart from the gods, +being very angry. Then straightway large-eyed queenly Hera prayed, +striking the ground flatwise with her hand, and speaking thus: + +(ll. 334-362) ‘Hear now, I pray, Earth and wide Heaven above, and you +Titan gods who dwell beneath the earth about great Tartarus, and from +whom are sprung both gods and men! Harken you now to me, one and all, +and grant that I may bear a child apart from Zeus, no wit lesser than +him in strength—nay, let him be as much stronger than Zeus as +all-seeing Zeus than Cronos.’ Thus she cried and lashed the earth with +her strong hand. Then the life-giving earth was moved: and when Hera +saw it she was glad in heart, for she thought her prayer would be +fulfilled. And thereafter she never came to the bed of wise Zeus for a +full year, not to sit in her carved chair as aforetime to plan wise +counsel for him, but stayed in her temples where many pray, and +delighted in her offerings, large-eyed queenly Hera. But when the +months and days were fulfilled and the seasons duly came on as the +earth moved round, she bare one neither like the gods nor mortal men, +fell, cruel Typhaon, to be a plague to men. Straightway large-eyed +queenly Hera took him and bringing one evil thing to another such, gave +him to the dragoness; and she received him. And this Typhaon used to +work great mischief among the famous tribes of men. Whosoever met the +dragoness, the day of doom would sweep him away, until the lord Apollo, +who deals death from afar, shot a strong arrow at her. Then she, rent +with bitter pangs, lay drawing great gasps for breath and rolling about +that place. An awful noise swelled up unspeakable as she writhed +continually this way and that amid the wood: and so she left her life, +breathing it forth in blood. Then Phoebus Apollo boasted over her: + +(ll. 363-369) ‘Now rot here upon the soil that feeds man! You at least +shall live no more to be a fell bane to men who eat the fruit of the +all-nourishing earth, and who will bring hither perfect hecatombs. +Against cruel death neither Typhoeus shall avail you nor ill-famed +Chimera, but here shall the Earth and shining Hyperion make you rot.’ + +(ll. 370-374) Thus said Phoebus, exulting over her: and darkness +covered her eyes. And the holy strength of Helios made her rot away +there; wherefore the place is now called Pytho, and men call the lord +Apollo by another name, Pythian; because on that spot the power of +piercing Helios made the monster rot away. + +(ll. 375-378) Then Phoebus Apollo saw that the sweet-flowing spring had +beguiled him, and he started out in anger against Telphusa; and soon +coming to her, he stood close by and spoke to her: + +(ll. 379-381) ‘Telphusa, you were not, after all, to keep to yourself +this lovely place by deceiving my mind, and pour forth your clear +flowing water: here my renown shall also be and not yours alone?’ + +(ll. 382-387) Thus spoke the lord, far-working Apollo, and pushed over +upon her a crag with a shower of rocks, hiding her streams: and he made +himself an altar in a wooded grove very near the clear-flowing stream. +In that place all men pray to the great one by the name Telphusian, +because he humbled the stream of holy Telphusa. + +(ll. 388-439) Then Phoebus Apollo pondered in his heart what men he +should bring in to be his ministers in sacrifice and to serve him in +rocky Pytho. And while he considered this, he became aware of a swift +ship upon the wine-like sea in which were many men and goodly, Cretans +from Cnossos 2510, the city of Minos, they who do sacrifice to the +prince and announce his decrees, whatsoever Phoebus Apollo, bearer of +the golden blade, speaks in answer from his laurel tree below the dells +of Parnassus. These men were sailing in their black ship for traffic +and for profit to sandy Pylos and to the men of Pylos. But Phoebus +Apollo met them: in the open sea he sprang upon their swift ship, like +a dolphin in shape, and lay there, a great and awesome monster, and +none of them gave heed so as to understand 2511; but they sought to +cast the dolphin overboard. But he kept shaking the black ship every +way and make the timbers quiver. So they sat silent in their craft for +fear, and did not loose the sheets throughout the black, hollow ship, +nor lowered the sail of their dark-prowed vessel, but as they had set +it first of all with oxhide ropes, so they kept sailing on; for a +rushing south wind hurried on the swift ship from behind. First they +passed by Malea, and then along the Laconian coast they came to +Taenarum, sea-garlanded town and country of Helios who gladdens men, +where the thick-fleeced sheep of the lord Helios feed continually and +occupy a glad-some country. There they wished to put their ship to +shore, and land and comprehend the great marvel and see with their eyes +whether the monster would remain upon the deck of the hollow ship, or +spring back into the briny deep where fishes shoal. But the well-built +ship would not obey the helm, but went on its way all along +Peloponnesus: and the lord, far-working Apollo, guided it easily with +the breath of the breeze. So the ship ran on its course and came to +Arena and lovely Argyphea and Thryon, the ford of Alpheus, and +well-placed Aepy and sandy Pylos and the men of Pylos; past Cruni it +went and Chalcis and past Dyme and fair Elis, where the Epei rule. And +at the time when she was making for Pherae, exulting in the breeze from +Zeus, there appeared to them below the clouds the steep mountain of +Ithaca, and Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus. But when they were +passed by all the coast of Peloponnesus, then, towards Crisa, that vast +gulf began to heave in sight which through all its length cuts off the +rich isle of Pelops. There came on them a strong, clear west-wind by +ordinance of Zeus and blew from heaven vehemently, that with all speed +the ship might finish coursing over the briny water of the sea. So they +began again to voyage back towards the dawn and the sun: and the lord +Apollo, son of Zeus, led them on until they reached far-seen Crisa, +land of vines, and into haven: there the sea-coursing ship grounded on +the sands. + +(ll. 440-451) Then, like a star at noonday, the lord, far-working +Apollo, leaped from the ship: flashes of fire flew from him thick and +their brightness reached to heaven. He entered into his shrine between +priceless tripods, and there made a flame to flare up bright, showing +forth the splendour of his shafts, so that their radiance filled all +Crisa, and the wives and well-girded daughters of the Crisaeans raised +a cry at that outburst of Phoebus; for he cast great fear upon them +all. From his shrine he sprang forth again, swift as a thought, to +speed again to the ship, bearing the form of a man, brisk and sturdy, +in the prime of his youth, while his broad shoulders were covered with +his hair: and he spoke to the Cretans, uttering winged words: + +(ll. 452-461) ‘Strangers, who are you? Whence come you sailing along +the paths of the sea? Are you for traffic, or do you wander at random +over the sea as pirates do who put their own lives to hazard and bring +mischief to men of foreign parts as they roam? Why rest you so and are +afraid, and do not go ashore nor stow the gear of your black ship? For +that is the custom of men who live by bread, whenever they come to land +in their dark ships from the main, spent with toil; at once desire for +sweet food catches them about the heart.’ + +(ll. 462-473) So speaking, he put courage in their hearts, and the +master of the Cretans answered him and said: ‘Stranger—though you are +nothing like mortal men in shape or stature, but are as the deathless +gods—hail and all happiness to you, and may the gods give you good. Now +tell me truly that I may surely know it: what country is this, and what +land, and what men live herein? As for us, with thoughts set +otherwards, we were sailing over the great sea to Pylos from Crete (for +from there we declare that we are sprung), but now are come on +shipboard to this place by no means willingly—another way and other +paths—and gladly would we return. But one of the deathless gods brought +us here against our will.’ + +(ll. 474-501) Then far-working Apollo answered then and said: +‘Strangers who once dwelt about wooded Cnossos but now shall return no +more each to his loved city and fair house and dear wife; here shall +you keep my rich temple that is honoured by many men. I am the son of +Zeus; Apollo is my name: but you I brought here over the wide gulf of +the sea, meaning you no hurt; nay, here you shall keep my rich temple +that is greatly honoured among men, and you shall know the plans of the +deathless gods, and by their will you shall be honoured continually for +all time. And now come, make haste and do as I say. First loose the +sheets and lower the sail, and then draw the swift ship up upon the +land. Take out your goods and the gear of the straight ship, and make +an altar upon the beach of the sea: light fire upon it and make an +offering of white meal. Next, stand side by side around the altar and +pray: and in as much as at the first on the hazy sea I sprang upon the +swift ship in the form of a dolphin, pray to me as Apollo Delphinius; +also the altar itself shall be called Delphinius and overlooking 2512 +for ever. Afterwards, sup beside your dark ship and pour an offering to +the blessed gods who dwell on Olympus. But when you have put away +craving for sweet food, come with me singing the hymn Ie Paean (Hail, +Healer!), until you come to the place where you shall keep my rich +temple.’ + +(ll. 502-523) So said Apollo. And they readily harkened to him and +obeyed him. First they unfastened the sheets and let down the sail and +lowered the mast by the forestays upon the mast-rest. Then, landing +upon the beach of the sea, they hauled up the ship from the water to +dry land and fixed long stays under it. Also they made an altar upon +the beach of the sea, and when they had lit a fire, made an offering of +white meal, and prayed standing around the altar as Apollo had bidden +them. Then they took their meal by the swift, black ship, and poured an +offering to the blessed gods who dwell on Olympus. And when they had +put away craving for drink and food, they started out with the lord +Apollo, the son of Zeus, to lead them, holding a lyre in his hands, and +playing sweetly as he stepped high and featly. So the Cretans followed +him to Pytho, marching in time as they chanted the Ie Paean after the +manner of the Cretan paean-singers and of those in whose hearts the +heavenly Muse has put sweet-voiced song. With tireless feet they +approached the ridge and straightway came to Parnassus and the lovely +place where they were to dwell honoured by many men. There Apollo +brought them and showed them his most holy sanctuary and rich temple. + +(ll. 524-525) But their spirit was stirred in their dear breasts, and +the master of the Cretans asked him, saying: + +(ll. 526-530) ‘Lord, since you have brought us here far from our dear +ones and our fatherland,—for so it seemed good to your heart,—tell us +now how we shall live. That we would know of you. This land is not to +be desired either for vineyards or for pastures so that we can live +well thereon and also minister to men.’ + +(ll. 531-544) Then Apollo, the son of Zeus, smiled upon them and said: +‘Foolish mortals and poor drudges are you, that you seek cares and hard +toils and straits! Easily will I tell you a word and set it in your +hearts. Though each one of you with knife in hand should slaughter +sheep continually, yet would you always have abundant store, even all +that the glorious tribes of men bring here for me. But guard you my +temple and receive the tribes of men that gather to this place, and +especially show mortal men my will, and do you keep righteousness in +your heart. But if any shall be disobedient and pay no heed to my +warning, or if there shall be any idle word or deed and outrage as is +common among mortal men, then other men shall be your masters and with +a strong hand shall make you subject for ever. All has been told you: +do you keep it in your heart.’ + +(ll. 545-546) And so, farewell, son of Zeus and Leto; but I will +remember you and another hymn also. + + + + +IV. TO HERMES + +(ll. 1-29) Muse, sing of Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maia, lord of +Cyllene and Arcadia rich in flocks, the luck-bringing messenger of the +immortals whom Maia bare, the rich-tressed nymph, when she was joined +in love with Zeus,—a shy goddess, for she avoided the company of the +blessed gods, and lived within a deep, shady cave. There the son of +Cronos used to lie with the rich-tressed nymph, unseen by deathless +gods and mortal men, at dead of night while sweet sleep should hold +white-armed Hera fast. And when the purpose of great Zeus was fixed in +heaven, she was delivered and a notable thing was come to pass. For +then she bare a son, of many shifts, blandly cunning, a robber, a +cattle driver, a bringer of dreams, a watcher by night, a thief at the +gates, one who was soon to show forth wonderful deeds among the +deathless gods. Born with the dawning, at mid-day he played on the +lyre, and in the evening he stole the cattle of far-shooting Apollo on +the fourth day of the month; for on that day queenly Maia bare him. So +soon as he had leaped from his mother’s heavenly womb, he lay not long +waiting in his holy cradle, but he sprang up and sought the oxen of +Apollo. But as he stepped over the threshold of the high-roofed cave, +he found a tortoise there and gained endless delight. For it was Hermes +who first made the tortoise a singer. The creature fell in his way at +the courtyard gate, where it was feeding on the rich grass before the +dwelling, waddling along. When he saw it, the luck-bringing son of Zeus +laughed and said: + +(ll. 30-38) ‘An omen of great luck for me so soon! I do not slight it. +Hail, comrade of the feast, lovely in shape, sounding at the dance! +With joy I meet you! Where got you that rich gaud for covering, that +spangled shell—a tortoise living in the mountains? But I will take and +carry you within: you shall help me and I will do you no disgrace, +though first of all you must profit me. It is better to be at home: +harm may come out of doors. Living, you shall be a spell against +mischievous witchcraft 2513; but if you die, then you shall make +sweetest song. + +(ll. 39-61) Thus speaking, he took up the tortoise in both hands and +went back into the house carrying his charming toy. Then he cut off its +limbs and scooped out the marrow of the mountain-tortoise with a scoop +of grey iron. As a swift thought darts through the heart of a man when +thronging cares haunt him, or as bright glances flash from the eye, so +glorious Hermes planned both thought and deed at once. He cut stalks of +reed to measure and fixed them, fastening their ends across the back +and through the shell of the tortoise, and then stretched ox hide all +over it by his skill. Also he put in the horns and fitted a cross-piece +upon the two of them, and stretched seven strings of sheep-gut. But +when he had made it he proved each string in turn with the key, as he +held the lovely thing. At the touch of his hand it sounded +marvellously; and, as he tried it, the god sang sweet random snatches, +even as youths bandy taunts at festivals. He sang of Zeus the son of +Cronos and neat-shod Maia, the converse which they had before in the +comradeship of love, telling all the glorious tale of his own +begetting. He celebrated, too, the handmaids of the nymph, and her +bright home, and the tripods all about the house, and the abundant +cauldrons. + +(ll. 62-67) But while he was singing of all these, his heart was bent +on other matters. And he took the hollow lyre and laid it in his sacred +cradle, and sprang from the sweet-smelling hall to a watch-place, +pondering sheer trickery in his heart—deeds such as knavish folk pursue +in the dark night-time; for he longed to taste flesh. + +(ll. 68-86) The Sun was going down beneath the earth towards Ocean with +his horses and chariot when Hermes came hurrying to the shadowy +mountains of Pieria, where the divine cattle of the blessed gods had +their steads and grazed the pleasant, unmown meadows. Of these the Son +of Maia, the sharp-eyed slayer of Argus then cut off from the herd +fifty loud-lowing kine, and drove them straggling-wise across a sandy +place, turning their hoof-prints aside. Also, he bethought him of a +crafty ruse and reversed the marks of their hoofs, making the front +behind and the hind before, while he himself walked the other way 2514. +Then he wove sandals with wicker-work by the sand of the sea, wonderful +things, unthought of, unimagined; for he mixed together tamarisk and +myrtle-twigs, fastening together an armful of their fresh, young wood, +and tied them, leaves and all securely under his feet as light sandals. +The brushwood the glorious Slayer of Argus plucked in Pieria as he was +preparing for his journey, making shift 2515 as one making haste for a +long journey. + +(ll. 87-89) But an old man tilling his flowering vineyard saw him as he +was hurrying down the plain through grassy Onchestus. So the Son of +Maia began and said to him: + +(ll. 90-93) ‘Old man, digging about your vines with bowed shoulders, +surely you shall have much wine when all these bear fruit, if you obey +me and strictly remember not to have seen what you have seen, and not +to have heard what you have heard, and to keep silent when nothing of +your own is harmed.’ + +(ll. 94-114) When he had said this much, he hurried the strong cattle +on together: through many shadowy mountains and echoing gorges and +flowery plains glorious Hermes drove them. And now the divine night, +his dark ally, was mostly passed, and dawn that sets folk to work was +quickly coming on, while bright Selene, daughter of the lord Pallas, +Megamedes’ son, had just climbed her watch-post, when the strong Son of +Zeus drove the wide-browed cattle of Phoebus Apollo to the river +Alpheus. And they came unwearied to the high-roofed byres and the +drinking-troughs that were before the noble meadow. Then, after he had +well-fed the loud-bellowing cattle with fodder and driven them into the +byre, close-packed and chewing lotus and began to seek the art of fire. + +He chose a stout laurel branch and trimmed it with the knife.... +((LACUNA)) 2516 ....held firmly in his hand: and the hot smoke rose up. +For it was Hermes who first invented fire-sticks and fire. Next he took +many dried sticks and piled them thick and plenty in a sunken trench: +and flame began to glow, spreading afar the blast of fierce-burning +fire. + +(ll. 115-137) And while the strength of glorious Hephaestus was +beginning to kindle the fire, he dragged out two lowing, horned cows +close to the fire; for great strength was with him. He threw them both +panting upon their backs on the ground, and rolled them on their sides, +bending their necks over 2517, and pierced their vital chord. Then he +went on from task to task: first he cut up the rich, fatted meat, and +pierced it with wooden spits, and roasted flesh and the honourable +chine and the paunch full of dark blood all together. He laid them +there upon the ground, and spread out the hides on a rugged rock: and +so they are still there many ages afterwards, a long, long time after +all this, and are continually 2518. Next glad-hearted Hermes dragged +the rich meats he had prepared and put them on a smooth, flat stone, +and divided them into twelve portions distributed by lot, making each +portion wholly honourable. Then glorious Hermes longed for the +sacrificial meat, for the sweet savour wearied him, god though he was; +nevertheless his proud heart was not prevailed upon to devour the +flesh, although he greatly desired 2519. But he put away the fat and +all the flesh in the high-roofed byre, placing them high up to be a +token of his youthful theft. And after that he gathered dry sticks and +utterly destroyed with fire all the hoofs and all the heads. + +(ll. 138-154) And when the god had duly finished all, he threw his +sandals into deep-eddying Alpheus, and quenched the embers, covering +the black ashes with sand, and so spent the night while Selene’s soft +light shone down. Then the god went straight back again at dawn to the +bright crests of Cyllene, and no one met him on the long journey either +of the blessed gods or mortal men, nor did any dog bark. And +luck-bringing Hermes, the son of Zeus, passed edgeways through the +key-hole of the hall like the autumn breeze, even as mist: straight +through the cave he went and came to the rich inner chamber, walking +softly, and making no noise as one might upon the floor. Then glorious +Hermes went hurriedly to his cradle, wrapping his swaddling clothes +about his shoulders as though he were a feeble babe, and lay playing +with the covering about his knees; but at his left hand he kept close +his sweet lyre. + +(ll. 155-161) But the god did not pass unseen by the goddess his +mother; but she said to him: ‘How now, you rogue! Whence come you back +so at night-time, you that wear shamelessness as a garment? And now I +surely believe the son of Leto will soon have you forth out of doors +with unbreakable cords about your ribs, or you will live a rogue’s life +in the glens robbing by whiles. Go to, then; your father got you to be +a great worry to mortal men and deathless gods.’ + +(ll. 162-181) Then Hermes answered her with crafty words: ‘Mother, why +do you seek to frighten me like a feeble child whose heart knows few +words of blame, a fearful babe that fears its mother’s scolding? Nay, +but I will try whatever plan is best, and so feed myself and you +continually. We will not be content to remain here, as you bid, alone +of all the gods unfee’d with offerings and prayers. Better to live in +fellowship with the deathless gods continually, rich, wealthy, and +enjoying stories of grain, than to sit always in a gloomy cave: and, as +regards honour, I too will enter upon the rite that Apollo has. If my +father will not give it to me, I will seek—and I am able—to be a prince +of robbers. And if Leto’s most glorious son shall seek me out, I think +another and a greater loss will befall him. For I will go to Pytho to +break into his great house, and will plunder therefrom splendid +tripods, and cauldrons, and gold, and plenty of bright iron, and much +apparel; and you shall see it if you will.’ + +(ll. 182-189) With such words they spoke together, the son of Zeus who +holds the aegis, and the lady Maia. Now Eros the early born was rising +from deep-flowing Ocean, bringing light to men, when Apollo, as he +went, came to Onchestus, the lovely grove and sacred place of the +loud-roaring Holder of the Earth. There he found an old man grazing his +beast along the pathway from his court-yard fence, and the all-glorious +Son of Leto began and said to him. + +(ll. 190-200) ‘Old man, weeder 2520 of grassy Onchestus, I am come here +from Pieria seeking cattle, cows all of them, all with curving horns, +from my herd. The black bull was grazing alone away from the rest, but +fierce-eyed hounds followed the cows, four of them, all of one mind, +like men. These were left behind, the dogs and the bull—which is great +marvel; but the cows strayed out of the soft meadow, away from the +pasture when the sun was just going down. Now tell me this, old man +born long ago: have you seen one passing along behind those cows?’ + +(ll. 201-211) Then the old man answered him and said: ‘My son, it is +hard to tell all that one’s eyes see; for many wayfarers pass to and +fro this way, some bent on much evil, and some on good: it is difficult +to know each one. However, I was digging about my plot of vineyard all +day long until the sun went down, and I thought, good sir, but I do not +know for certain, that I marked a child, whoever the child was, that +followed long-horned cattle—an infant who had a staff and kept walking +from side to side: he was driving them backwards way, with their heads +toward him.’ + +(ll. 212-218) So said the old man. And when Apollo heard this report, +he went yet more quickly on his way, and presently, seeing a +long-winged bird, he knew at once by that omen that thief was the child +of Zeus the son of Cronos. So the lord Apollo, son of Zeus, hurried on +to goodly Pylos seeking his shambling oxen, and he had his broad +shoulders covered with a dark cloud. But when the Far-Shooter perceived +the tracks, he cried: + +(ll. 219-226) ‘Oh, oh! Truly this is a great marvel that my eyes +behold! These are indeed the tracks of straight-horned oxen, but they +are turned backwards towards the flowery meadow. But these others are +not the footprints of man or woman or grey wolves or bears or lions, +nor do I think they are the tracks of a rough-maned Centaur—whoever it +be that with swift feet makes such monstrous footprints; wonderful are +the tracks on this side of the way, but yet more wonderfully are those +on that.’ + +(ll. 227-234) When he had so said, the lord Apollo, the Son of Zeus +hastened on and came to the forest-clad mountain of Cyllene and the +deep-shadowed cave in the rock where the divine nymph brought forth the +child of Zeus who is the son of Cronos. A sweet odour spread over the +lovely hill, and many thin-shanked sheep were grazing on the grass. +Then far-shooting Apollo himself stepped down in haste over the stone +threshold into the dusky cave. + +(ll. 235-253) Now when the Son of Zeus and Maia saw Apollo in a rage +about his cattle, he snuggled down in his fragrant swaddling-clothes; +and as wood-ash covers over the deep embers of tree-stumps, so Hermes +cuddled himself up when he saw the Far-Shooter. He squeezed head and +hands and feet together in a small space, like a new born child seeking +sweet sleep, though in truth he was wide awake, and he kept his lyre +under his armpit. But the Son of Leto was aware and failed not to +perceive the beautiful mountain-nymph and her dear son, albeit a little +child and swathed so craftily. He peered in every corner of the great +dwelling and, taking a bright key, he opened three closets full of +nectar and lovely ambrosia. And much gold and silver was stored in +them, and many garments of the nymph, some purple and some silvery +white, such as are kept in the sacred houses of the blessed gods. Then, +after the Son of Leto had searched out the recesses of the great house, +he spake to glorious Hermes: + +(ll. 254-259) ‘Child, lying in the cradle, make haste and tell me of my +cattle, or we two will soon fall out angrily. For I will take and cast +you into dusty Tartarus and awful hopeless darkness, and neither your +mother nor your father shall free you or bring you up again to the +light, but you will wander under the earth and be the leader amongst +little folk.’ 2521 + +(ll. 260-277) Then Hermes answered him with crafty words: ‘Son of Leto, +what harsh words are these you have spoken? And is it cattle of the +field you are come here to seek? I have not seen them: I have not heard +of them: no one has told me of them. I cannot give news of them, nor +win the reward for news. Am I like a cattle-lifter, a stalwart person? +This is no task for me: rather I care for other things: I care for +sleep, and milk of my mother’s breast, and wrappings round my +shoulders, and warm baths. Let no one hear the cause of this dispute; +for this would be a great marvel indeed among the deathless gods, that +a child newly born should pass in through the forepart of the house +with cattle of the field: herein you speak extravagantly. I was born +yesterday, and my feet are soft and the ground beneath is rough; +nevertheless, if you will have it so, I will swear a great oath by my +father’s head and vow that neither am I guilty myself, neither have I +seen any other who stole your cows—whatever cows may be; for I know +them only by hearsay.’ + +(ll. 278-280) So, then, said Hermes, shooting quick glances from his +eyes: and he kept raising his brows and looking this way and that, +whistling long and listening to Apollo’s story as to an idle tale. + +(ll. 281-292) But far-working Apollo laughed softly and said to him: ‘O +rogue, deceiver, crafty in heart, you talk so innocently that I most +surely believe that you have broken into many a well-built house and +stripped more than one poor wretch bare this night 2522, gathering his +goods together all over the house without noise. You will plague many a +lonely herdsman in mountain glades, when you come on herds and +thick-fleeced sheep, and have a hankering after flesh. But come now, if +you would not sleep your last and latest sleep, get out of your cradle, +you comrade of dark night. Surely hereafter this shall be your title +amongst the deathless gods, to be called the prince of robbers +continually.’ + +(ll. 293-300) So said Phoebus Apollo, and took the child and began to +carry him. But at that moment the strong Slayer of Argus had his plan, +and, while Apollo held him in his hands, sent forth an omen, a +hard-worked belly-serf, a rude messenger, and sneezed directly after. +And when Apollo heard it, he dropped glorious Hermes out of his hands +on the ground: then sitting down before him, though he was eager to go +on his way, he spoke mockingly to Hermes: + +(ll. 301-303) ‘Fear not, little swaddling baby, son of Zeus and Maia. I +shall find the strong cattle presently by these omens, and you shall +lead the way.’ + +(ll. 304-306) When Apollo had so said, Cyllenian Hermes sprang up +quickly, starting in haste. With both hands he pushed up to his ears +the covering that he had wrapped about his shoulders, and said: + +(ll. 307-312) ‘Where are you carrying me, Far-Worker, hastiest of all +the gods? Is it because of your cattle that you are so angry and harass +me? O dear, would that all the sort of oxen might perish; for it is not +I who stole your cows, nor did I see another steal them—whatever cows +may be, and of that I have only heard report. Nay, give right and take +it before Zeus, the Son of Cronos.’ + +(ll. 313-326) So Hermes the shepherd and Leto’s glorious son kept +stubbornly disputing each article of their quarrel: Apollo, speaking +truly.... ((LACUNA)) ....not fairly sought to seize glorious Hermes +because of the cows; but he, the Cyllenian, tried to deceive the God of +the Silver Bow with tricks and cunning words. But when, though he had +many wiles, he found the other had as many shifts, he began to walk +across the sand, himself in front, while the Son of Zeus and Leto came +behind. Soon they came, these lovely children of Zeus, to the top of +fragrant Olympus, to their father, the Son of Cronos; for there were +the scales of judgement set for them both. + +There was an assembly on snowy Olympus, and the immortals who perish +not were gathering after the hour of gold-throned Dawn. + +(ll. 327-329) Then Hermes and Apollo of the Silver Bow stood at the +knees of Zeus: and Zeus who thunders on high spoke to his glorious son +and asked him: + +(ll. 330-332) ‘Phoebus, whence come you driving this great spoil, a +child new born that has the look of a herald? This is a weighty matter +that is come before the council of the gods.’ + +(ll. 333-364) Then the lord, far-working Apollo, answered him: ‘O my +father, you shall soon hear no trifling tale though you reproach me +that I alone am fond of spoil. Here is a child, a burgling robber, whom +I found after a long journey in the hills of Cyllene: for my part I +have never seen one so pert either among the gods or all men that catch +folk unawares throughout the world. He stole away my cows from their +meadow and drove them off in the evening along the shore of the +loud-roaring sea, making straight for Pylos. There were double tracks, +and wonderful they were, such as one might marvel at, the doing of a +clever sprite; for as for the cows, the dark dust kept and showed their +footprints leading towards the flowery meadow; but he +himself—bewildering creature—crossed the sandy ground outside the path, +not on his feet nor yet on his hands; but, furnished with some other +means he trudged his way—wonder of wonders!—as though one walked on +slender oak-trees. Now while he followed the cattle across sandy +ground, all the tracks showed quite clearly in the dust; but when he +had finished the long way across the sand, presently the cows’ track +and his own could not be traced over the hard ground. But a mortal man +noticed him as he drove the wide-browed kine straight towards Pylos. +And as soon as he had shut them up quietly, and had gone home by crafty +turns and twists, he lay down in his cradle in the gloom of a dim cave, +as still as dark night, so that not even an eagle keenly gazing would +have spied him. Much he rubbed his eyes with his hands as he prepared +falsehood, and himself straightway said roundly: “I have not seen them: +I have not heard of them: no man has told me of them. I could not tell +you of them, nor win the reward of telling.”’ + +(ll. 365-367) When he had so spoken, Phoebus Apollo sat down. But +Hermes on his part answered and said, pointing at the Son of Cronos, +the lord of all the gods: + +(ll. 368-386) ‘Zeus, my father, indeed I will speak truth to you; for I +am truthful and I cannot tell a lie. He came to our house to-day +looking for his shambling cows, as the sun was newly rising. He brought +no witnesses with him nor any of the blessed gods who had seen the +theft, but with great violence ordered me to confess, threatening much +to throw me into wide Tartarus. For he has the rich bloom of glorious +youth, while I was born but yesterday—as he too knows—nor am I like a +cattle-lifter, a sturdy fellow. Believe my tale (for you claim to be my +own father), that I did not drive his cows to my house—so may I +prosper—nor crossed the threshold: this I say truly. I reverence Helios +greatly and the other gods, and you I love and him I dread. You +yourself know that I am not guilty: and I will swear a great oath upon +it:—No! by these rich-decked porticoes of the gods. And some day I will +punish him, strong as he is, for this pitiless inquisition; but now do +you help the younger.’ + +(ll. 387-396) So spake the Cyllenian, the Slayer of Argus, while he +kept shooting sidelong glances and kept his swaddling-clothes upon his +arm, and did not cast them away. But Zeus laughed out loud to see his +evil-plotting child well and cunningly denying guilt about the cattle. +And he bade them both to be of one mind and search for the cattle, and +guiding Hermes to lead the way and, without mischievousness of heart, +to show the place where now he had hidden the strong cattle. Then the +Son of Cronos bowed his head: and goodly Hermes obeyed him; for the +will of Zeus who holds the aegis easily prevailed with him. + +(ll. 397-404) Then the two all-glorious children of Zeus hastened both +to sandy Pylos, and reached the ford of Alpheus, and came to the fields +and the high-roofed byre where the beasts were cherished at night-time. +Now while Hermes went to the cave in the rock and began to drive out +the strong cattle, the son of Leto, looking aside, saw the cowhides on +the sheer rock. And he asked glorious Hermes at once: + +(ll. 405-408) ‘How were you able, you crafty rogue, to flay two cows, +new-born and babyish as you are? For my part, I dread the strength that +will be yours: there is no need you should keep growing long, +Cyllenian, son of Maia!’ + +(ll. 409-414) So saying, Apollo twisted strong withes with his hands +meaning to bind Hermes with firm bands; but the bands would not hold +him, and the withes of osier fell far from him and began to grow at +once from the ground beneath their feet in that very place. And +intertwining with one another, they quickly grew and covered all the +wild-roving cattle by the will of thievish Hermes, so that Apollo was +astonished as he gazed. + +(ll. 414-435) Then the strong slayer of Argus looked furtively upon the +ground with eyes flashing fire.... desiring to hide.... ((LACUNA)) +....Very easily he softened the son of all-glorious Leto as he would, +stern though the Far-shooter was. He took the lyre upon his left arm +and tried each string in turn with the key, so that it sounded +awesomely at his touch. And Phoebus Apollo laughed for joy; for the +sweet throb of the marvellous music went to his heart, and a soft +longing took hold on his soul as he listened. Then the son of Maia, +harping sweetly upon his lyre, took courage and stood at the left hand +of Phoebus Apollo; and soon, while he played shrilly on his lyre, he +lifted up his voice and sang, and lovely was the sound of his voice +that followed. He sang the story of the deathless gods and of the dark +earth, how at the first they came to be, and how each one received his +portion. First among the gods he honoured Mnemosyne, mother of the +Muses, in his song; for the son of Maia was of her following. And next +the goodly son of Zeus hymned the rest of the immortals according to +their order in age, and told how each was born, mentioning all in order +as he struck the lyre upon his arm. But Apollo was seized with a +longing not to be allayed, and he opened his mouth and spoke winged +words to Hermes: + +(ll. 436-462) ‘Slayer of oxen, trickster, busy one, comrade of the +feast, this song of yours is worth fifty cows, and I believe that +presently we shall settle our quarrel peacefully. But come now, tell me +this, resourceful son of Maia: has this marvellous thing been with you +from your birth, or did some god or mortal man give it you—a noble +gift—and teach you heavenly song? For wonderful is this new-uttered +sound I hear, the like of which I vow that no man nor god dwelling on +Olympus ever yet has known but you, O thievish son of Maia. What skill +is this? What song for desperate cares? What way of song? For verily +here are three things to hand all at once from which to choose,—mirth, +and love, and sweet sleep. And though I am a follower of the Olympian +Muses who love dances and the bright path of song—the full-toned chant +and ravishing thrill of flutes—yet I never cared for any of those feats +of skill at young men’s revels, as I do now for this: I am filled with +wonder, O son of Zeus, at your sweet playing. But now, since you, +though little, have such glorious skill, sit down, dear boy, and +respect the words of your elders. For now you shall have renown among +the deathless gods, you and your mother also. This I will declare to +you exactly: by this shaft of cornel wood I will surely make you a +leader renowned among the deathless gods, and fortunate, and will give +you glorious gifts and will not deceive you from first to last.’ + +(ll. 463-495) Then Hermes answered him with artful words: ‘You question +me carefully, O Far-worker; yet I am not jealous that you should enter +upon my art: this day you shall know it. For I seek to be friendly with +you both in thought and word. Now you well know all things in your +heart, since you sit foremost among the deathless gods, O son of Zeus, +and are goodly and strong. And wise Zeus loves you as all right is, and +has given you splendid gifts. And they say that from the utterance of +Zeus you have learned both the honours due to the gods, O Far-worker, +and oracles from Zeus, even all his ordinances. Of all these I myself +have already learned that you have great wealth. Now, you are free to +learn whatever you please; but since, as it seems, your heart is so +strongly set on playing the lyre, chant, and play upon it, and give +yourself to merriment, taking this as a gift from me, and do you, my +friend, bestow glory on me. Sing well with this clear-voiced companion +in your hands; for you are skilled in good, well-ordered utterance. +From now on bring it confidently to the rich feast and lovely dance and +glorious revel, a joy by night and by day. Whoso with wit and wisdom +enquires of it cunningly, him it teaches through its sound all manner +of things that delight the mind, being easily played with gentle +familiarities, for it abhors toilsome drudgery; but whoso in ignorance +enquires of it violently, to him it chatters mere vanity and +foolishness. But you are able to learn whatever you please. So then, I +will give you this lyre, glorious son of Zeus, while I for my part will +graze down with wild-roving cattle the pastures on hill and +horse-feeding plain: so shall the cows covered by the bulls calve +abundantly both males and females. And now there is no need for you, +bargainer though you are, to be furiously angry.’ + +(ll. 496-502) When Hermes had said this, he held out the lyre: and +Phoebus Apollo took it, and readily put his shining whip in Hermes’ +hand, and ordained him keeper of herds. The son of Maia received it +joyfully, while the glorious son of Leto, the lord far-working Apollo, +took the lyre upon his left arm and tried each string with the key. +Awesomely it sounded at the touch of the god, while he sang sweetly to +its note. + +(ll. 503-512) Afterwards they two, the all-glorious sons of Zeus turned +the cows back towards the sacred meadow, but themselves hastened back +to snowy Olympus, delighting in the lyre. Then wise Zeus was glad and +made them both friends. And Hermes loved the son of Leto continually, +even as he does now, when he had given the lyre as token to the +Far-shooter, who played it skilfully, holding it upon his arm. But for +himself Hermes found out another cunning art and made himself the pipes +whose sound is heard afar. + +(ll. 513-520) Then the son of Leto said to Hermes: ‘Son of Maia, guide +and cunning one, I fear you may steal form me the lyre and my curved +bow together; for you have an office from Zeus, to establish deeds of +barter amongst men throughout the fruitful earth. Now if you would only +swear me the great oath of the gods, either by nodding your head, or by +the potent water of Styx, you would do all that can please and ease my +heart.’ + +(ll. 521-549) Then Maia’s son nodded his head and promised that he +would never steal anything of all the Far-shooter possessed, and would +never go near his strong house; but Apollo, son of Leto, swore to be +fellow and friend to Hermes, vowing that he would love no other among +the immortals, neither god nor man sprung from Zeus, better than +Hermes: and the Father sent forth an eagle in confirmation. And Apollo +sware also: ‘Verily I will make you only to be an omen for the +immortals and all alike, trusted and honoured by my heart. Moreover, I +will give you a splendid staff of riches and wealth: it is of gold, +with three branches, and will keep you scatheless, accomplishing every +task, whether of words or deeds that are good, which I claim to know +through the utterance of Zeus. But as for sooth-saying, noble, +heaven-born child, of which you ask, it is not lawful for you to learn +it, nor for any other of the deathless gods: only the mind of Zeus +knows that. I am pledged and have vowed and sworn a strong oath that no +other of the eternal gods save I should know the wise-hearted counsel +of Zeus. And do not you, my brother, bearer of the golden wand, bid me +tell those decrees which all-seeing Zeus intends. As for men, I will +harm one and profit another, sorely perplexing the tribes of unenviable +men. Whosoever shall come guided by the call and flight of birds of +sure omen, that man shall have advantage through my voice, and I will +not deceive him. But whoso shall trust to idly-chattering birds and +shall seek to invoke my prophetic art contrary to my will, and to +understand more than the eternal gods, I declare that he shall come on +an idle journey; yet his gifts I would take. + +(ll. 550-568) ‘But I will tell you another thing, Son of all-glorious +Maia and Zeus who holds the aegis, luck-bringing genius of the gods. +There are certain holy ones, sisters born—three virgins 2523 gifted +with wings: their heads are besprinkled with white meal, and they dwell +under a ridge of Parnassus. These are teachers of divination apart from +me, the art which I practised while yet a boy following herds, though +my father paid no heed to it. From their home they fly now here, now +there, feeding on honey-comb and bringing all things to pass. And when +they are inspired through eating yellow honey, they are willing to +speak truth; but if they be deprived of the gods’ sweet food, then they +speak falsely, as they swarm in and out together. These, then, I give +you; enquire of them strictly and delight your heart: and if you should +teach any mortal so to do, often will he hear your response—if he have +good fortune. Take these, Son of Maia, and tend the wild roving, horned +oxen and horses and patient mules.’ + +(ll. 568a-573) So he spake. And from heaven father Zeus himself gave +confirmation to his words, and commanded that glorious Hermes should be +lord over all birds of omen and grim-eyed lions, and boars with +gleaming tusks, and over dogs and all flocks that the wide earth +nourishes, and over all sheep; also that he only should be the +appointed messenger to Hades, who, though he takes no gift, shall give +him no mean prize. + +(ll. 574-578) Thus the lord Apollo showed his kindness for the Son of +Maia by all manner of friendship: and the Son of Cronos gave him grace +besides. He consorts with all mortals and immortals: a little he +profits, but continually throughout the dark night he cozens the tribes +of mortal men. + +(ll. 579-580) And so, farewell, Son of Zeus and Maia; but I will +remember you and another song also. + + + + +V. TO APHRODITE + +(ll. 1-6) Muse, tell me the deeds of golden Aphrodite the Cyprian, who +stirs up sweet passion in the gods and subdues the tribes of mortal men +and birds that fly in air and all the many creatures that the dry land +rears, and all the sea: all these love the deeds of rich-crowned +Cytherea. + +(ll. 7-32) Yet there are three hearts that she cannot bend nor yet +ensnare. First is the daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis, bright-eyed +Athene; for she has no pleasure in the deeds of golden Aphrodite, but +delights in wars and in the work of Ares, in strifes and battles and in +preparing famous crafts. She first taught earthly craftsmen to make +chariots of war and cars variously wrought with bronze, and she, too, +teaches tender maidens in the house and puts knowledge of goodly arts +in each one’s mind. Nor does laughter-loving Aphrodite ever tame in +love Artemis, the huntress with shafts of gold; for she loves archery +and the slaying of wild beasts in the mountains, the lyre also and +dancing and thrilling cries and shady woods and the cities of upright +men. Nor yet does the pure maiden Hestia love Aphrodite’s works. She +was the first-born child of wily Cronos and youngest too 2524, by will +of Zeus who holds the aegis,—a queenly maid whom both Poseidon and +Apollo sought to wed. But she was wholly unwilling, nay, stubbornly +refused; and touching the head of father Zeus who holds the aegis, she, +that fair goddess, sware a great oath which has in truth been +fulfilled, that she would be a maiden all her days. So Zeus the Father +gave her an high honour instead of marriage, and she has her place in +the midst of the house and has the richest portion. In all the temples +of the gods she has a share of honour, and among all mortal men she is +chief of the goddesses. + +(ll. 33-44) Of these three Aphrodite cannot bend or ensnare the hearts. +But of all others there is nothing among the blessed gods or among +mortal men that has escaped Aphrodite. Even the heart of Zeus, who +delights in thunder, is led astray by her; though he is greatest of all +and has the lot of highest majesty, she beguiles even his wise heart +whensoever she pleases, and mates him with mortal women, unknown to +Hera, his sister and his wife, the grandest far in beauty among the +deathless goddesses—most glorious is she whom wily Cronos with her +mother Rhea did beget: and Zeus, whose wisdom is everlasting, made her +his chaste and careful wife. + +(ll. 45-52) But upon Aphrodite herself Zeus cast sweet desire to be +joined in love with a mortal man, to the end that, very soon, not even +she should be innocent of a mortal’s love; lest laughter-loving +Aphrodite should one day softly smile and say mockingly among all the +gods that she had joined the gods in love with mortal women who bare +sons of death to the deathless gods, and had mated the goddesses with +mortal men. + +(ll. 53-74) And so he put in her heart sweet desire for Anchises who +was tending cattle at that time among the steep hills of +many-fountained Ida, and in shape was like the immortal gods. +Therefore, when laughter-loving Aphrodite saw him, she loved him, and +terribly desire seized her in her heart. She went to Cyprus, to Paphos, +where her precinct is and fragrant altar, and passed into her +sweet-smelling temple. There she went in and put to the glittering +doors, and there the Graces bathed her with heavenly oil such as blooms +upon the bodies of the eternal gods—oil divinely sweet, which she had +by her, filled with fragrance. And laughter-loving Aphrodite put on all +her rich clothes, and when she had decked herself with gold, she left +sweet-smelling Cyprus and went in haste towards Troy, swiftly +travelling high up among the clouds. So she came to many-fountained +Ida, the mother of wild creatures and went straight to the homestead +across the mountains. After her came grey wolves, fawning on her, and +grim-eyed lions, and bears, and fleet leopards, ravenous for deer: and +she was glad in heart to see them, and put desire in their breasts, so +that they all mated, two together, about the shadowy coombes. + +(ll. 75-88) 2525 But she herself came to the neat-built shelters, and +him she found left quite alone in the homestead—the hero Anchises who +was comely as the gods. All the others were following the herds over +the grassy pastures, and he, left quite alone in the homestead, was +roaming hither and thither and playing thrillingly upon the lyre. And +Aphrodite, the daughter of Zeus stood before him, being like a pure +maiden in height and mien, that he should not be frightened when he +took heed of her with his eyes. Now when Anchises saw her, he marked +her well and wondered at her mien and height and shining garments. For +she was clad in a robe out-shining the brightness of fire, a splendid +robe of gold, enriched with all manner of needlework, which shimmered +like the moon over her tender breasts, a marvel to see. + +Also she wore twisted brooches and shining earrings in the form of +flowers; and round her soft throat were lovely necklaces. + +(ll. 91-105) And Anchises was seized with love, and said to her: ‘Hail, +lady, whoever of the blessed ones you are that are come to this house, +whether Artemis, or Leto, or golden Aphrodite, or high-born Themis, or +bright-eyed Athene. Or, maybe, you are one of the Graces come hither, +who bear the gods company and are called immortal, or else one of those +who inhabit this lovely mountain and the springs of rivers and grassy +meads. I will make you an altar upon a high peak in a far seen place, +and will sacrifice rich offerings to you at all seasons. And do you +feel kindly towards me and grant that I may become a man very eminent +among the Trojans, and give me strong offspring for the time to come. +As for my own self, let me live long and happily, seeing the light of +the sun, and come to the threshold of old age, a man prosperous among +the people.’ + +(ll. 106-142) Thereupon Aphrodite the daughter of Zeus answered him: +‘Anchises, most glorious of all men born on earth, know that I am no +goddess: why do you liken me to the deathless ones? Nay, I am but a +mortal, and a woman was the mother that bare me. Otreus of famous name +is my father, if so be you have heard of him, and he reigns over all +Phrygia rich in fortresses. But I know your speech well beside my own, +for a Trojan nurse brought me up at home: she took me from my dear +mother and reared me thenceforth when I was a little child. So comes +it, then, that I well know your tongue also. And now the Slayer of +Argus with the golden wand has caught me up from the dance of huntress +Artemis, her with the golden arrows. For there were many of us, nymphs +and marriageable 2526 maidens, playing together; and an innumerable +company encircled us: from these the Slayer of Argus with the golden +wand rapt me away. He carried me over many fields of mortal men and +over much land untilled and unpossessed, where savage wild-beasts roam +through shady coombes, until I thought never again to touch the +life-giving earth with my feet. And he said that I should be called the +wedded wife of Anchises, and should bear you goodly children. But when +he had told and advised me, he, the strong Slayer of Argos, went back +to the families of the deathless gods, while I am now come to you: for +unbending necessity is upon me. But I beseech you by Zeus and by your +noble parents—for no base folk could get such a son as you—take me now, +stainless and unproved in love, and show me to your father and careful +mother and to your brothers sprung from the same stock. I shall be no +ill-liking daughter for them, but a likely. Moreover, send a messenger +quickly to the swift-horsed Phrygians, to tell my father and my +sorrowing mother; and they will send you gold in plenty and woven +stuffs, many splendid gifts; take these as bride-piece. So do, and then +prepare the sweet marriage that is honourable in the eyes of men and +deathless gods.’ + +(ll. 143-144) When she had so spoken, the goddess put sweet desire in +his heart. And Anchises was seized with love, so that he opened his +mouth and said: + +(ll. 145-154) ‘If you are a mortal and a woman was the mother who bare +you, and Otreus of famous name is your father as you say, and if you +are come here by the will of Hermes the immortal Guide, and are to be +called my wife always, then neither god nor mortal man shall here +restrain me till I have lain with you in love right now; no, not even +if far-shooting Apollo himself should launch grievous shafts from his +silver bow. Willingly would I go down into the house of Hades, O lady, +beautiful as the goddesses, once I had gone up to your bed.’ + +(ll. 155-167) So speaking, he caught her by the hand. And +laughter-loving Aphrodite, with face turned away and lovely eyes +downcast, crept to the well-spread couch which was already laid with +soft coverings for the hero; and upon it lay skins of bears and +deep-roaring lions which he himself had slain in the high mountains. +And when they had gone up upon the well-fitted bed, first Anchises took +off her bright jewelry of pins and twisted brooches and earrings and +necklaces, and loosed her girdle and stripped off her bright garments +and laid them down upon a silver-studded seat. Then by the will of the +gods and destiny he lay with her, a mortal man with an immortal +goddess, not clearly knowing what he did. + +(ll. 168-176) But at the time when the herdsmen drive their oxen and +hardy sheep back to the fold from the flowery pastures, even then +Aphrodite poured soft sleep upon Anchises, but herself put on her rich +raiment. And when the bright goddess had fully clothed herself, she +stood by the couch, and her head reached to the well-hewn roof-tree; +from her cheeks shone unearthly beauty such as belongs to rich-crowned +Cytherea. Then she aroused him from sleep and opened her mouth and +said: + +(ll. 177-179) ‘Up, son of Dardanus!—why sleep you so heavily?—and +consider whether I look as I did when first you saw me with your eyes.’ + +(ll. 180-184) So she spake. And he awoke in a moment and obeyed her. +But when he saw the neck and lovely eyes of Aphrodite, he was afraid +and turned his eyes aside another way, hiding his comely face with his +cloak. Then he uttered winged words and entreated her: + +(ll. 185-190) ‘So soon as ever I saw you with my eyes, goddess, I knew +that you were divine; but you did not tell me truly. Yet by Zeus who +holds the aegis I beseech you, leave me not to lead a palsied life +among men, but have pity on me; for he who lies with a deathless +goddess is no hale man afterwards.’ + +(ll. 191-201) Then Aphrodite the daughter of Zeus answered him: +‘Anchises, most glorious of mortal men, take courage and be not too +fearful in your heart. You need fear no harm from me nor from the other +blessed ones, for you are dear to the gods: and you shall have a dear +son who shall reign among the Trojans, and children’s children after +him, springing up continually. His name shall be Aeneas 2527, because I +felt awful grief in that I laid me in the bed of mortal man: yet are +those of your race always the most like to gods of all mortal men in +beauty and in stature 2528. + +(ll. 202-217) ‘Verily wise Zeus carried off golden-haired Ganymedes +because of his beauty, to be amongst the Deathless Ones and pour drink +for the gods in the house of Zeus—a wonder to see—honoured by all the +immortals as he draws the red nectar from the golden bowl. But grief +that could not be soothed filled the heart of Tros; for he knew not +whither the heaven-sent whirlwind had caught up his dear son, so that +he mourned him always, unceasingly, until Zeus pitied him and gave him +high-stepping horses such as carry the immortals as recompense for his +son. These he gave him as a gift. And at the command of Zeus, the +Guide, the slayer of Argus, told him all, and how his son would be +deathless and unageing, even as the gods. So when Tros heard these +tidings from Zeus, he no longer kept mourning but rejoiced in his heart +and rode joyfully with his storm-footed horses. + +(ll. 218-238) ‘So also golden-throned Eos rapt away Tithonus who was of +your race and like the deathless gods. And she went to ask the +dark-clouded Son of Cronos that he should be deathless and live +eternally; and Zeus bowed his head to her prayer and fulfilled her +desire. Too simply was queenly Eos: she thought not in her heart to ask +youth for him and to strip him of the slough of deadly age. So while he +enjoyed the sweet flower of life he lived rapturously with +golden-throned Eos, the early-born, by the streams of Ocean, at the +ends of the earth; but when the first grey hairs began to ripple from +his comely head and noble chin, queenly Eos kept away from his bed, +though she cherished him in her house and nourished him with food and +ambrosia and gave him rich clothing. But when loathsome old age pressed +full upon him, and he could not move nor lift his limbs, this seemed to +her in her heart the best counsel: she laid him in a room and put to +the shining doors. There he babbles endlessly, and no more has strength +at all, such as once he had in his supple limbs. + +(ll. 239-246) ‘I would not have you be deathless among the deathless +gods and live continually after such sort. Yet if you could live on +such as now you are in look and in form, and be called my husband, +sorrow would not then enfold my careful heart. But, as it is, harsh +2529 old age will soon enshroud you—ruthless age which stands someday +at the side of every man, deadly, wearying, dreaded even by the gods. + +(ll. 247-290) ‘And now because of you I shall have great shame among +the deathless gods henceforth, continually. For until now they feared +my jibes and the wiles by which, or soon or late, I mated all the +immortals with mortal women, making them all subject to my will. But +now my mouth shall no more have this power among the gods; for very +great has been my madness, my miserable and dreadful madness, and I +went astray out of my mind who have gotten a child beneath my girdle, +mating with a mortal man. As for the child, as soon as he sees the +light of the sun, the deep-breasted mountain Nymphs who inhabit this +great and holy mountain shall bring him up. They rank neither with +mortals nor with immortals: long indeed do they live, eating heavenly +food and treading the lovely dance among the immortals, and with them +the Sileni and the sharp-eyed Slayer of Argus mate in the depths of +pleasant caves; but at their birth pines or high-topped oaks spring up +with them upon the fruitful earth, beautiful, flourishing trees, +towering high upon the lofty mountains (and men call them holy places +of the immortals, and never mortal lops them with the axe); but when +the fate of death is near at hand, first those lovely trees wither +where they stand, and the bark shrivels away about them, and the twigs +fall down, and at last the life of the Nymph and of the tree leave the +light of the sun together. These Nymphs shall keep my son with them and +rear him, and as soon as he is come to lovely boyhood, the goddesses +will bring him here to you and show you your child. But, that I may +tell you all that I have in mind, I will come here again towards the +fifth year and bring you my son. So soon as ever you have seen him—a +scion to delight the eyes—you will rejoice in beholding him; for he +shall be most godlike: then bring him at once to windy Ilion. And if +any mortal man ask you who got your dear son beneath her girdle, +remember to tell him as I bid you: say he is the offspring of one of +the flower-like Nymphs who inhabit this forest-clad hill. But if you +tell all and foolishly boast that you lay with rich-crowned Aphrodite, +Zeus will smite you in his anger with a smoking thunderbolt. Now I have +told you all. Take heed: refrain and name me not, but have regard to +the anger of the gods.’ + +(l. 291) When the goddess had so spoken, she soared up to windy heaven. + +(ll. 292-293) Hail, goddess, queen of well-builded Cyprus! With you +have I begun; now I will turn me to another hymn. + + + + +VI. TO APHRODITE + +(ll. 1-18) I will sing of stately Aphrodite, gold-crowned and +beautiful, whose dominion is the walled cities of all sea-set Cyprus. +There the moist breath of the western wind wafted her over the waves of +the loud-moaning sea in soft foam, and there the gold-filleted Hours +welcomed her joyously. They clothed her with heavenly garments: on her +head they put a fine, well-wrought crown of gold, and in her pierced +ears they hung ornaments of orichalc and precious gold, and adorned her +with golden necklaces over her soft neck and snow-white breasts, jewels +which the gold-filleted Hours wear themselves whenever they go to their +father’s house to join the lovely dances of the gods. And when they had +fully decked her, they brought her to the gods, who welcomed her when +they saw her, giving her their hands. Each one of them prayed that he +might lead her home to be his wedded wife, so greatly were they amazed +at the beauty of violet-crowned Cytherea. + +(ll. 19-21) Hail, sweetly-winning, coy-eyed goddess! Grant that I may +gain the victory in this contest, and order you my song. And now I will +remember you and another song also. + + + + +VII. TO DIONYSUS + +(ll. 1-16) I will tell of Dionysus, the son of glorious Semele, how he +appeared on a jutting headland by the shore of the fruitless sea, +seeming like a stripling in the first flush of manhood: his rich, dark +hair was waving about him, and on his strong shoulders he wore a purple +robe. Presently there came swiftly over the sparkling sea Tyrsenian +2530 pirates on a well-decked ship—a miserable doom led them on. When +they saw him they made signs to one another and sprang out quickly, and +seizing him straightway, put him on board their ship exultingly; for +they thought him the son of heaven-nurtured kings. They sought to bind +him with rude bonds, but the bonds would not hold him, and the withes +fell far away from his hands and feet: and he sat with a smile in his +dark eyes. Then the helmsman understood all and cried out at once to +his fellows and said: + +(ll. 17-24) ‘Madmen! What god is this whom you have taken and bind, +strong that he is? Not even the well-built ship can carry him. Surely +this is either Zeus or Apollo who has the silver bow, or Poseidon, for +he looks not like mortal men but like the gods who dwell on Olympus. +Come, then, let us set him free upon the dark shore at once: do not lay +hands on him, lest he grow angry and stir up dangerous winds and heavy +squalls.’ + +(ll. 25-31) So said he: but the master chid him with taunting words: +‘Madman, mark the wind and help hoist sail on the ship: catch all the +sheets. As for this fellow we men will see to him: I reckon he is bound +for Egypt or for Cyprus or to the Hyperboreans or further still. But in +the end he will speak out and tell us his friends and all his wealth +and his brothers, now that providence has thrown him in our way.’ + +(ll. 32-54) When he had said this, he had mast and sail hoisted on the +ship, and the wind filled the sail and the crew hauled taut the sheets +on either side. But soon strange things were seen among them. First of +all sweet, fragrant wine ran streaming throughout all the black ship +and a heavenly smell arose, so that all the seamen were seized with +amazement when they saw it. And all at once a vine spread out both ways +along the top of the sail with many clusters hanging down from it, and +a dark ivy-plant twined about the mast, blossoming with flowers, and +with rich berries growing on it; and all the thole-pins were covered +with garlands. When the pirates saw all this, then at last they bade +the helmsman to put the ship to land. But the god changed into a +dreadful lion there on the ship, in the bows, and roared loudly: +amidships also he showed his wonders and created a shaggy bear which +stood up ravening, while on the forepeak was the lion glaring fiercely +with scowling brows. And so the sailors fled into the stern and crowded +bemused about the right-minded helmsman, until suddenly the lion sprang +upon the master and seized him; and when the sailors saw it they leapt +out overboard one and all into the bright sea, escaping from a +miserable fate, and were changed into dolphins. But on the helmsman +Dionysus had mercy and held him back and made him altogether happy, +saying to him: + +(ll. 55-57) ‘Take courage, good...; you have found favour with my +heart. I am loud-crying Dionysus whom Cadmus’ daughter Semele bare of +union with Zeus.’ + +(ll. 58-59) Hail, child of fair-faced Semele! He who forgets you can in +no wise order sweet song. + + + + +VIII. TO ARES + +(ll. 1-17) Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden-helmed, +doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Saviour of cities, harnessed in +bronze, strong of arm, unwearying, mighty with the spear, O defence of +Olympus, father of warlike Victory, ally of Themis, stern governor of +the rebellious, leader of righteous men, sceptred King of manliness, +who whirl your fiery sphere among the planets in their sevenfold +courses through the aether wherein your blazing steeds ever bear you +above the third firmament of heaven; hear me, helper of men, giver of +dauntless youth! Shed down a kindly ray from above upon my life, and +strength of war, that I may be able to drive away bitter cowardice from +my head and crush down the deceitful impulses of my soul. Restrain also +the keen fury of my heart which provokes me to tread the ways of +blood-curdling strife. Rather, O blessed one, give you me boldness to +abide within the harmless laws of peace, avoiding strife and hatred and +the violent fiends of death. + + + + +IX. TO ARTEMIS + +(ll. 1-6) Muse, sing of Artemis, sister of the Far-shooter, the virgin +who delights in arrows, who was fostered with Apollo. She waters her +horses from Meles deep in reeds, and swiftly drives her all-golden +chariot through Smyrna to vine-clad Claros where Apollo, god of the +silver bow, sits waiting for the far-shooting goddess who delights in +arrows. + +(ll. 7-9) And so hail to you, Artemis, in my song and to all goddesses +as well. Of you first I sing and with you I begin; now that I have +begun with you, I will turn to another song. + + + + +X. TO APHRODITE + +(ll. 1-3) Of Cytherea, born in Cyprus, I will sing. She gives kindly +gifts to men: smiles are ever on her lovely face, and lovely is the +brightness that plays over it. + +(ll. 4-6) Hail, goddess, queen of well-built Salamis and sea-girt +Cyprus; grant me a cheerful song. And now I will remember you and +another song also. + + + + +XI. TO ATHENA + +(ll. 1-4) Of Pallas Athene, guardian of the city, I begin to sing. +Dread is she, and with Ares she loves deeds of war, the sack of cities +and the shouting and the battle. It is she who saves the people as they +go out to war and come back. + +(l. 5) Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune with happiness! + + + + +XII. TO HERA + +(ll. 1-5) I sing of golden-throned Hera whom Rhea bare. Queen of the +immortals is she, surpassing all in beauty: she is the sister and the +wife of loud-thundering Zeus,—the glorious one whom all the blessed +throughout high Olympus reverence and honour even as Zeus who delights +in thunder. + + + + +XIII. TO DEMETER + +(ll. 1-2) I begin to sing of rich-haired Demeter, awful goddess, of her +and of her daughter lovely Persephone. + +(l. 3) Hail, goddess! Keep this city safe, and govern my song. + + + + +XIV. TO THE MOTHER OF THE GODS + +(ll. 1-5) I prithee, clear-voiced Muse, daughter of mighty Zeus, sing +of the mother of all gods and men. She is well-pleased with the sound +of rattles and of timbrels, with the voice of flutes and the outcry of +wolves and bright-eyed lions, with echoing hills and wooded coombes. + +(l. 6) And so hail to you in my song and to all goddesses as well! + + + + +XV. TO HERACLES THE LION-HEARTED + +(ll. 1-8) I will sing of Heracles, the son of Zeus and much the +mightiest of men on earth. Alcmena bare him in Thebes, the city of +lovely dances, when the dark-clouded Son of Cronos had lain with her. +Once he used to wander over unmeasured tracts of land and sea at the +bidding of King Eurystheus, and himself did many deeds of violence and +endured many; but now he lives happily in the glorious home of snowy +Olympus, and has neat-ankled Hebe for his wife. + +(l. 9) Hail, lord, son of Zeus! Give me success and prosperity. + + + + +XVI. TO ASCLEPIUS + +(ll. 1-4) I begin to sing of Asclepius, son of Apollo and healer of +sicknesses. In the Dotian plain fair Coronis, daughter of King +Phlegyas, bare him, a great joy to men, a soother of cruel pangs. + +(l. 5) And so hail to you, lord: in my song I make my prayer to thee! + + + + +XVII. TO THE DIOSCURI + +(ll. 1-4) Sing, clear-voiced Muse, of Castor and Polydeuces, the +Tyndaridae, who sprang from Olympian Zeus. Beneath the heights of +Taygetus stately Leda bare them, when the dark-clouded Son of Cronos +had privily bent her to his will. + +(l. 5) Hail, children of Tyndareus, riders upon swift horses! + + + + +XVIII. TO HERMES + +(ll. 1-9) I sing of Cyllenian Hermes, the Slayer of Argus, lord of +Cyllene and Arcadia rich in flocks, luck-bringing messenger of the +deathless gods. He was born of Maia, the daughter of Atlas, when she +had made with Zeus,—a shy goddess she. Ever she avoided the throng of +the blessed gods and lived in a shadowy cave, and there the Son of +Cronos used to lie with the rich-tressed nymph at dead of night, while +white-armed Hera lay bound in sweet sleep: and neither deathless god +nor mortal man knew it. + +(ll. 10-11) And so hail to you, Son of Zeus and Maia; with you I have +begun: now I will turn to another song! + +(l. 12) Hail, Hermes, giver of grace, guide, and giver of good things! +2531 + + + + +XIX. TO PAN + +(ll. 1-26) Muse, tell me about Pan, the dear son of Hermes, with his +goat’s feet and two horns—a lover of merry noise. Through wooded glades +he wanders with dancing nymphs who foot it on some sheer cliff’s edge, +calling upon Pan, the shepherd-god, long-haired, unkempt. He has every +snowy crest and the mountain peaks and rocky crests for his domain; +hither and thither he goes through the close thickets, now lured by +soft streams, and now he presses on amongst towering crags and climbs +up to the highest peak that overlooks the flocks. Often he courses +through the glistening high mountains, and often on the shouldered +hills he speeds along slaying wild beasts, this keen-eyed god. Only at +evening, as he returns from the chase, he sounds his note, playing +sweet and low on his pipes of reed: not even she could excel him in +melody—that bird who in flower-laden spring pouring forth her lament +utters honey-voiced song amid the leaves. At that hour the clear-voiced +nymphs are with him and move with nimble feet, singing by some spring +of dark water, while Echo wails about the mountain-top, and the god on +this side or on that of the choirs, or at times sidling into the midst, +plies it nimbly with his feet. On his back he wears a spotted +lynx-pelt, and he delights in high-pitched songs in a soft meadow where +crocuses and sweet-smelling hyacinths bloom at random in the grass. + +(ll. 27-47) They sing of the blessed gods and high Olympus and choose +to tell of such an one as luck-bringing Hermes above the rest, how he +is the swift messenger of all the gods, and how he came to Arcadia, the +land of many springs and mother of flocks, there where his sacred place +is as god of Cyllene. For there, though a god, he used to tend +curly-fleeced sheep in the service of a mortal man, because there fell +on him and waxed strong melting desire to wed the rich-tressed daughter +of Dryops, and there he brought about the merry marriage. And in the +house she bare Hermes a dear son who from his birth was marvellous to +look upon, with goat’s feet and two horns—a noisy, merry-laughing +child. But when the nurse saw his uncouth face and full beard, she was +afraid and sprang up and fled and left the child. Then luck-bringing +Hermes received him and took him in his arms: very glad in his heart +was the god. And he went quickly to the abodes of the deathless gods, +carrying the son wrapped in warm skins of mountain hares, and set him +down beside Zeus and showed him to the rest of the gods. Then all the +immortals were glad in heart and Bacchie Dionysus in especial; and they +called the boy Pan 2532 because he delighted all their hearts. + +(ll. 48-49) And so hail to you, lord! I seek your favour with a song. +And now I will remember you and another song also. + + + + +XX. TO HEPHAESTUS + +(ll. 1-7) Sing, clear-voiced Muses, of Hephaestus famed for inventions. +With bright-eyed Athene he taught men glorious gifts throughout the +world,—men who before used to dwell in caves in the mountains like wild +beasts. But now that they have learned crafts through Hephaestus the +famed worker, easily they live a peaceful life in their own houses the +whole year round. + +(l. 8) Be gracious, Hephaestus, and grant me success and prosperity! + + + + +XXI. TO APOLLO + +(ll. 1-4) Phoebus, of you even the swan sings with clear voice to the +beating of his wings, as he alights upon the bank by the eddying river +Peneus; and of you the sweet-tongued minstrel, holding his high-pitched +lyre, always sings both first and last. + +(l. 5) And so hail to you, lord! I seek your favour with my song. + + + + +XXII. TO POSEIDON + +(ll. 1-5) I begin to sing about Poseidon, the great god, mover of the +earth and fruitless sea, god of the deep who is also lord of Helicon +and wide Aegae. A two-fold office the gods allotted you, O Shaker of +the Earth, to be a tamer of horses and a saviour of ships! + +(ll. 6-7) Hail, Poseidon, Holder of the Earth, dark-haired lord! O +blessed one, be kindly in heart and help those who voyage in ships! + + + + +XXIII. TO THE SON OF CRONOS, MOST HIGH + +(ll. 1-3) I will sing of Zeus, chiefest among the gods and greatest, +all-seeing, the lord of all, the fulfiller who whispers words of wisdom +to Themis as she sits leaning towards him. + +(l. 4) Be gracious, all-seeing Son of Cronos, most excellent and great! + + + + +XXIV. TO HESTIA + +(ll. 1-5) Hestia, you who tend the holy house of the lord Apollo, the +Far-shooter at goodly Pytho, with soft oil dripping ever from your +locks, come now into this house, come, having one mind with Zeus the +all-wise—draw near, and withal bestow grace upon my song. + + + + +XXV. TO THE MUSES AND APOLLO + +(ll. 1-5) I will begin with the Muses and Apollo and Zeus. For it is +through the Muses and Apollo that there are singers upon the earth and +players upon the lyre; but kings are from Zeus. Happy is he whom the +Muses love: sweet flows speech from his lips. + +(ll. 6-7) Hail, children of Zeus! Give honour to my song! And now I +will remember you and another song also. + + + + +XXVI. TO DIONYSUS + +(ll. 1-9) I begin to sing of ivy-crowned Dionysus, the loud-crying god, +splendid son of Zeus and glorious Semele. The rich-haired Nymphs +received him in their bosoms from the lord his father and fostered and +nurtured him carefully in the dells of Nysa, where by the will of his +father he grew up in a sweet-smelling cave, being reckoned among the +immortals. But when the goddesses had brought him up, a god oft hymned, +then began he to wander continually through the woody coombes, thickly +wreathed with ivy and laurel. And the Nymphs followed in his train with +him for their leader; and the boundless forest was filled with their +outcry. + +(ll. 10-13) And so hail to you, Dionysus, god of abundant clusters! +Grant that we may come again rejoicing to this season, and from that +season onwards for many a year. + + + + +XXVII. TO ARTEMIS + +(ll. 1-20) I sing of Artemis, whose shafts are of gold, who cheers on +the hounds, the pure maiden, shooter of stags, who delights in archery, +own sister to Apollo with the golden sword. Over the shadowy hills and +windy peaks she draws her golden bow, rejoicing in the chase, and sends +out grievous shafts. The tops of the high mountains tremble and the +tangled wood echoes awesomely with the outcry of beasts: earthquakes +and the sea also where fishes shoal. But the goddess with a bold heart +turns every way destroying the race of wild beasts: and when she is +satisfied and has cheered her heart, this huntress who delights in +arrows slackens her supple bow and goes to the great house of her dear +brother Phoebus Apollo, to the rich land of Delphi, there to order the +lovely dance of the Muses and Graces. There she hangs up her curved bow +and her arrows, and heads and leads the dances, gracefully arrayed, +while all they utter their heavenly voice, singing how neat-ankled Leto +bare children supreme among the immortals both in thought and in deed. + +(ll. 21-22) Hail to you, children of Zeus and rich-haired Leto! And now +I will remember you and another song also. + + + + +XXVIII. TO ATHENA + +(ll. 1-16) I begin to sing of Pallas Athene, the glorious goddess, +bright-eyed, inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of +cities, courageous, Tritogeneia. From his awful head wise Zeus himself +bare her arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all +the gods as they gazed. But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal +head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear: +great Olympus began to reel horribly at the might of the bright-eyed +goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved +and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly: the bright +Son of Hyperion stopped his swift-footed horses a long while, until the +maiden Pallas Athene had stripped the heavenly armour from her immortal +shoulders. And wise Zeus was glad. + +(ll. 17-18) And so hail to you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis! +Now I will remember you and another song as well. + + + + +XXIX. TO HESTIA + +(ll. 1-6) Hestia, in the high dwellings of all, both deathless gods and +men who walk on earth, you have gained an everlasting abode and highest +honour: glorious is your portion and your right. For without you +mortals hold no banquet,—where one does not duly pour sweet wine in +offering to Hestia both first and last. + +(ll. 7-10) 2533 And you, slayer of Argus, Son of Zeus and Maia, +messenger of the blessed gods, bearer of the golden rod, giver of good, +be favourable and help us, you and Hestia, the worshipful and dear. +Come and dwell in this glorious house in friendship together; for you +two, well knowing the noble actions of men, aid on their wisdom and +their strength. + +(ll. 12-13) Hail, Daughter of Cronos, and you also, Hermes, bearer of +the golden rod! Now I will remember you and another song also. + + + + +XXX. TO EARTH THE MOTHER OF ALL + +(ll. 1-16) I will sing of well-founded Earth, mother of all, eldest of +all beings. She feeds all creatures that are in the world, all that go +upon the goodly land, and all that are in the paths of the seas, and +all that fly: all these are fed of her store. Through you, O queen, men +are blessed in their children and blessed in their harvests, and to you +it belongs to give means of life to mortal men and to take it away. +Happy is the man whom you delight to honour! He has all things +abundantly: his fruitful land is laden with corn, his pastures are +covered with cattle, and his house is filled with good things. Such men +rule orderly in their cities of fair women: great riches and wealth +follow them: their sons exult with ever-fresh delight, and their +daughters in flower-laden bands play and skip merrily over the soft +flowers of the field. Thus is it with those whom you honour O holy +goddess, bountiful spirit. + +(ll. 17-19) Hail, Mother of the gods, wife of starry Heaven; freely +bestow upon me for this my song substance that cheers the heart! And +now I will remember you and another song also. + + + + +XXXI. TO HELIOS + +(ll. 1-16) 2534 And now, O Muse Calliope, daughter of Zeus, begin to +sing of glowing Helios whom mild-eyed Euryphaessa, the far-shining one, +bare to the Son of Earth and starry Heaven. For Hyperion wedded +glorious Euryphaessa, his own sister, who bare him lovely children, +rosy-armed Eos and rich-tressed Selene and tireless Helios who is like +the deathless gods. As he rides in his chariot, he shines upon men and +deathless gods, and piercingly he gazes with his eyes from his golden +helmet. Bright rays beam dazzlingly from him, and his bright locks +streaming from the temples of his head gracefully enclose his far-seen +face: a rich, fine-spun garment glows upon his body and flutters in the +wind: and stallions carry him. Then, when he has stayed his +golden-yoked chariot and horses, he rests there upon the highest point +of heaven, until he marvellously drives them down again through heaven +to Ocean. + +(ll. 17-19) Hail to you, lord! Freely bestow on me substance that +cheers the heart. And now that I have begun with you, I will celebrate +the race of mortal men half-divine whose deeds the Muses have showed to +mankind. + + + + +XXXII. TO SELENE + +(ll. 1-13) And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, +well-skilled in song, tell of the long-winged 2535 Moon. From her +immortal head a radiance is shown from heaven and embraces earth; and +great is the beauty that ariseth from her shining light. The air, unlit +before, glows with the light of her golden crown, and her rays beam +clear, whensoever bright Selene having bathed her lovely body in the +waters of Ocean, and donned her far-gleaming, shining team, drives on +her long-maned horses at full speed, at eventime in the mid-month: then +her great orbit is full and then her beams shine brightest as she +increases. So she is a sure token and a sign to mortal men. + +(ll. 14-16) Once the Son of Cronos was joined with her in love; and she +conceived and bare a daughter Pandia, exceeding lovely amongst the +deathless gods. + +(ll. 17-20) Hail, white-armed goddess, bright Selene, mild, +bright-tressed queen! And now I will leave you and sing the glories of +men half-divine, whose deeds minstrels, the servants of the Muses, +celebrate with lovely lips. + + + + +XXXIII. TO THE DIOSCURI + +(ll. 1-17) Bright-eyed Muses, tell of the Tyndaridae, the Sons of Zeus, +glorious children of neat-ankled Leda, Castor the tamer of horses, and +blameless Polydeuces. When Leda had lain with the dark-clouded Son of +Cronos, she bare them beneath the peak of the great hill +Taygetus,—children who are delivers of men on earth and of swift-going +ships when stormy gales rage over the ruthless sea. Then the shipmen +call upon the sons of great Zeus with vows of white lambs, going to the +forepart of the prow; but the strong wind and the waves of the sea lay +the ship under water, until suddenly these two are seen darting through +the air on tawny wings. Forthwith they allay the blasts of the cruel +winds and still the waves upon the surface of the white sea: fair signs +are they and deliverance from toil. And when the shipmen see them they +are glad and have rest from their pain and labour. + +(ll. 18-19) Hail, Tyndaridae, riders upon swift horses! Now I will +remember you and another song also. + + + + +HOMER’S EPIGRAMS2601 + + +I. (5 lines) (ll. 1-5) Have reverence for him who needs a home and +stranger’s dole, all ye who dwell in the high city of Cyme, the lovely +maiden, hard by the foothills of lofty Sardene, ye who drink the +heavenly water of the divine stream, eddying Hermus, whom deathless +Zeus begot. + +II. (2 lines) (ll. 1-2) Speedily may my feet bear me to some town of +righteous men; for their hearts are generous and their wit is best. + +III. (6 lines) (ll. 1-6) I am a maiden of bronze and am set upon the +tomb of Midas. While the waters flow and tall trees flourish, and the +sun rises and shines and the bright moon also; while rivers run and the +sea breaks on the shore, ever remaining on this mournful tomb, I tell +the passer-by that Midas here lies buried. + +IV. (17 lines) (ll. 1-17) To what a fate did Zeus the Father give me a +prey even while he made me to grow, a babe at my mother’s knee! By the +will of Zeus who holds the aegis the people of Phricon, riders on +wanton horses, more active than raging fire in the test of war, once +built the towers of Aeolian Smyrna, wave-shaken neighbour to the sea, +through which glides the pleasant stream of sacred Meles; thence 2602 +arose the daughters of Zeus, glorious children, and would fain have +made famous that fair country and the city of its people. But in their +folly those men scorned the divine voice and renown of song, and in +trouble shall one of them remember this hereafter—he who with scornful +words to them 2603 contrived my fate. Yet I will endure the lot which +heaven gave me even at my birth, bearing my disappointment with a +patient heart. My dear limbs yearn not to stay in the sacred streets of +Cyme, but rather my great heart urges me to go unto another country, +small though I am. + +V. (2 lines) (ll. 1-2) Thestorides, full many things there are that +mortals cannot sound; but there is nothing more unfathomable than the +heart of man. + +VI. (8 lines) (ll. 1-8) Hear me, Poseidon, strong shaker of the earth, +ruler of wide-spread, tawny Helicon! Give a fair wind and sight of safe +return to the shipmen who speed and govern this ship. And grant that +when I come to the nether slopes of towering Mimas I may find +honourable, god-fearing men. Also may I avenge me on the wretch who +deceived me and grieved Zeus the lord of guests and his own +guest-table. + +VII. (3 lines) (ll. 1-3) Queen Earth, all bounteous giver of +honey-hearted wealth, how kindly, it seems, you are to some, and how +intractable and rough for those with whom you are angry. + +VIII. (4 lines) (ll. 1-4) Sailors, who rove the seas and whom a hateful +fate has made as the shy sea-fowl, living an unenviable life, observe +the reverence due to Zeus who rules on high, the god of strangers; for +terrible is the vengeance of this god afterwards for whosoever has +sinned. + +IX. (2 lines) (ll. 1-2) Strangers, a contrary wind has caught you: but +even now take me aboard and you shall make your voyage. + +X. (4 lines) (ll. 1-4) Another sort of pine shall bear a better fruit +2604 than you upon the heights of furrowed, windy Ida. For there shall +mortal men get the iron that Ares loves so soon as the Cebrenians shall +hold the land. + +XI. (4 lines) (ll. 1-4) Glaucus, watchman of flocks, a word will I put +in your heart. First give the dogs their dinner at the courtyard gate, +for this is well. The dog first hears a man approaching and the +wild-beast coming to the fence. + +XII. (4 lines) (ll. 1-4) Goddess-nurse of the young 2605, give ear to +my prayer, and grant that this woman may reject the love-embraces of +youth and dote on grey-haired old men whose powers are dulled, but +whose hearts still desire. + +XIII. (6 lines) (ll. 1-6) Children are a man’s crown, towers of a city; +horses are the glory of a plain, and so are ships of the sea; wealth +will make a house great, and reverend princes seated in assembly are a +goodly sight for the folk to see. But a blazing fire makes a house look +more comely upon a winter’s day, when the Son of Cronos sends down +snow. + +XIV. (23 lines) (ll. 1-23) Potters, if you will give me a reward, I +will sing for you. Come, then, Athena, with hand upraised 2606 over the +kiln. Let the pots and all the dishes turn out well and be well fired: +let them fetch good prices and be sold in plenty in the market, and +plenty in the streets. Grant that the potters may get great gain and +grant me so to sing to them. But if you turn shameless and make false +promises, then I call together the destroyers of kilns, Shatter and +Smash and Charr and Crash and Crudebake who can work this craft much +mischief. Come all of you and sack the kiln-yard and the buildings: let +the whole kiln be shaken up to the potter’s loud lament. As a horse’s +jaw grinds, so let the kiln grind to powder all the pots inside. And +you, too, daughter of the Sun, Circe the witch, come and cast cruel +spells; hurt both these men and their handiwork. Let Chiron also come +and bring many Centaurs—all that escaped the hands of Heracles and all +that were destroyed: let them make sad havoc of the pots and overthrow +the kiln, and let the potters see the mischief and be grieved; but I +will gloat as I behold their luckless craft. And if anyone of them +stoops to peer in, let all his face be burned up, that all men may +learn to deal honestly. + +XV. (13 lines) 2607 (ll. 1-7) Let us betake us to the house of some man +of great power,—one who bears great power and is greatly prosperous +always. Open of yourselves, you doors, for mighty Wealth will enter in, +and with Wealth comes jolly Mirth and gentle Peace. May all the +corn-bins be full and the mass of dough always overflow the +kneading-trough. Now (set before us) cheerful barley-pottage, full of +sesame.... + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 8-10) Your son’s wife, driving to this house with strong-hoofed +mules, shall dismount from her carriage to greet you; may she be shod +with golden shoes as she stands weaving at the loom. + +(ll. 11-13) I come, and I come yearly, like the swallow that perches +light-footed in the fore-part of your house. But quickly bring.... + +XVI. (2 lines) (ll. 1-2) If you will give us anything (well). But if +not, we will not wait, for we are not come here to dwell with you. + +XVII. HOMER: Hunters of deep sea prey, have we caught anything? + +FISHERMAN: All that we caught we left behind, and all that we did not +catch we carry home. 2608 + +HOMER: Ay, for of such fathers you are sprung as neither hold rich +lands nor tend countless sheep. + + + + +FRAGMENTS OF THE EPIC CYCLE + + + + +THE WAR OF THE TITANS + +Fragment #1—Photius, Epitome of the Chrestomathy of Proclus: The Epic +Cycle begins with the fabled union of Heaven and Earth, by which they +make three hundred-handed sons and three Cyclopes to be born to him. + +Fragment #2—Anecdota Oxon. (Cramer) i. 75: According to the writer of +the _War of the Titans_ Heaven was the son of Aether. + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 1165: Eumelus says +that Aegaeon was the son of Earth and Sea and, having his dwelling in +the sea, was an ally of the Titans. + +Fragment #4—Athenaeus, vii. 277 D: The poet of the _War of the Titans_, +whether Eumelus of Corinth or Arctinus, writes thus in his second book: +‘Upon the shield were dumb fish afloat, with golden faces, swimming and +sporting through the heavenly water.’ + +Fragment #5—Athenaeus, i. 22 C: Eumelus somewhere introduces Zeus +dancing: he says—‘In the midst of them danced the Father of men and +gods.’ + +Fragment #6—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 554: The author of +the _War of the Giants_ says that Cronos took the shape of a horse and +lay with Philyra, the daughter of Ocean. Through this cause Cheiron was +born a centaur: his wife was Chariclo. + +Fragment #7—Athenaeus, xi. 470 B: Theolytus says that he (Heracles) +sailed across the sea in a cauldron 2701; but the first to give this +story is the author of the _War of the Titans_. + +Fragment #8—Philodemus, On Piety: The author of the _War of the Titans_ +says that the apples (of the Hesperides) were guarded. + + + + +THE STORY OF OEDIPUS + +Fragment #1—C.I.G. Ital. et Sic. 1292. ii. 11: ....the _Story of +Oedipus_ by Cinaethon in six thousand six hundred verses. + +Fragment #2—Pausanias, ix. 5.10: Judging by Homer I do not believe that +Oedipus had children by Iocasta: his sons were born of Euryganeia as +the writer of the Epic called the _Story of Oedipus_ clearly shows. + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Euripides Phoen., 1750: The authors of the +_Story of Oedipus_ (say) of the Sphinx: ‘But furthermore (she killed) +noble Haemon, the dear son of blameless Creon, the comeliest and +loveliest of boys.’ + + + + +THE THEBAID + +Fragment #1—Contest of Homer and Hesiod: Homer travelled about reciting +his epics, first the “Thebaid”, in seven thousand verses, which begins: +‘Sing, goddess, of parched Argos, whence lords...’ + +Fragment #2—Athenaeus, xi. 465 E: ‘Then the heaven-born hero, +golden-haired Polyneices, first set beside Oedipus a rich table of +silver which once belonged to Cadmus the divinely wise: next he filled +a fine golden cup with sweet wine. But when Oedipus perceived these +treasures of his father, great misery fell on his heart, and he +straight-way called down bitter curses there in the presence of both +his sons. And the avenging Fury of the gods failed not to hear him as +he prayed that they might never divide their father’s goods in loving +brotherhood, but that war and fighting might be ever the portion of +them both.’ + +Fragment #3—Laurentian Scholiast on Sophocles, O.C. 1375: ‘And when +Oedipus noticed the haunch 2801 he threw it on the ground and said: +“Oh! Oh! my sons have sent this mocking me...” So he prayed to Zeus the +king and the other deathless gods that each might fall by his brother’s +hand and go down into the house of Hades.’ + +Fragment #4—Pausanias, viii. 25.8: Adrastus fled from Thebes ‘wearing +miserable garments, and took black-maned Areion 2802 with him.’ + +Fragment #5—Pindar, Ol. vi. 15: 2803 ‘But when the seven dead had +received their last rites in Thebes, the Son of Talaus lamented and +spoke thus among them: “Woe is me, for I miss the bright eye of my +host, a good seer and a stout spearman alike.”’ + +Fragment #6—Apollodorus, i. 74: Oeneus married Periboea the daughter of +Hipponous. The author of the _Thebais_ says that when Olenus had been +stormed, Oeneus received her as a prize. + +Fragment #7—Pausanias, ix. 18.6: Near the spring is the tomb of +Asphodicus. This Asphodicus killed Parthenopaeus the son of Talaus in +the battle against the Argives, as the Thebans say; though that part of +the _Thebais_ which tells of the death of Parthenopaeus says that it +was Periclymenus who killed him. + + + + +THE EPIGONI + +Fragment #1—Contest of Homer and Hesiod: Next (Homer composed) the +_Epigoni_ in seven thousand verses, beginning, ‘And now, Muses, let us +begin to sing of younger men.’ + +Fragment #2—Photius, Lexicon: Teumesia. Those who have written on +Theban affairs have given a full account of the Teumesian fox. 2901 +They relate that the creature was sent by the gods to punish the +descendants of Cadmus, and that the Thebans therefore excluded those of +the house of Cadmus from kingship. But (they say) a certain Cephalus, +the son of Deion, an Athenian, who owned a hound which no beast ever +escaped, had accidentally killed his wife Procris, and being purified +of the homicide by the Cadmeans, hunted the fox with his hound, and +when they had overtaken it both hound and fox were turned into stones +near Teumessus. These writers have taken the story from the Epic Cycle. + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 308: The authors +of the _Thebais_ say that Manto the daughter of Teiresias was sent to +Delphi by the Epigoni as a first fruit of their spoil, and that in +accordance with an oracle of Apollo she went out and met Rhacius, the +son of Lebes, a Mycenaean by race. This man she married—for the oracle +also contained the command that she should marry whomsoever she might +meet—and coming to Colophon, was there much cast down and wept over the +destruction of her country. + + + + +THE CYPRIA + +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, i: This 3001 is continued by the +epic called _Cypria_ which is current is eleven books. Its contents are +as follows. + +Zeus plans with Themis to bring about the Trojan war. Strife arrives +while the gods are feasting at the marriage of Peleus and starts a +dispute between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite as to which of them is +fairest. The three are led by Hermes at the command of Zeus to +Alexandrus on Mount Ida for his decision, and Alexandrus, lured by his +promised marriage with Helen, decides in favour of Aphrodite. + +Then Alexandrus builds his ships at Aphrodite’s suggestion, and Helenus +foretells the future to him, and Aphrodite order Aeneas to sail with +him, while Cassandra prophesies as to what will happen afterwards. +Alexandrus next lands in Lacedaemon and is entertained by the sons of +Tyndareus, and afterwards by Menelaus in Sparta, where in the course of +a feast he gives gifts to Helen. + +After this, Menelaus sets sail for Crete, ordering Helen to furnish the +guests with all they require until they depart. Meanwhile, Aphrodite +brings Helen and Alexandrus together, and they, after their union, put +very great treasures on board and sail away by night. Hera stirs up a +storm against them and they are carried to Sidon, where Alexandrus +takes the city. From there he sailed to Troy and celebrated his +marriage with Helen. + +In the meantime Castor and Polydeuces, while stealing the cattle of +Idas and Lynceus, were caught in the act, and Castor was killed by +Idas, and Lynceus and Idas by Polydeuces. Zeus gave them immortality +every other day. + +Iris next informs Menelaus of what has happened at his home. Menelaus +returns and plans an expedition against Ilium with his brother, and +then goes on to Nestor. Nestor in a digression tells him how Epopeus +was utterly destroyed after seducing the daughter of Lycus, and the +story of Oedipus, the madness of Heracles, and the story of Theseus and +Ariadne. Then they travel over Hellas and gather the leaders, detecting +Odysseus when he pretends to be mad, not wishing to join the +expedition, by seizing his son Telemachus for punishment at the +suggestion of Palamedes. + +All the leaders then meet together at Aulis and sacrifice. The incident +of the serpent and the sparrows 3002 takes place before them, and +Calchas foretells what is going to befall. After this, they put out to +sea, and reach Teuthrania and sack it, taking it for Ilium. Telephus +comes out to the rescue and kills Thersander and son of Polyneices, and +is himself wounded by Achilles. As they put out from Mysia a storm +comes on them and scatters them, and Achilles first puts in at Scyros +and married Deidameia, the daughter of Lycomedes, and then heals +Telephus, who had been led by an oracle to go to Argos, so that he +might be their guide on the voyage to Ilium. + +When the expedition had mustered a second time at Aulis, Agamemnon, +while at the chase, shot a stag and boasted that he surpassed even +Artemis. At this the goddess was so angry that she sent stormy winds +and prevented them from sailing. Calchas then told them of the anger of +the goddess and bade them sacrifice Iphigeneia to Artemis. This they +attempt to do, sending to fetch Iphigeneia as though for marriage with +Achilles. + +Artemis, however, snatched her away and transported her to the Tauri, +making her immortal, and putting a stag in place of the girl upon the +altar. + +Next they sail as far as Tenedos: and while they are feasting, +Philoctetes is bitten by a snake and is left behind in Lemnos because +of the stench of his sore. Here, too, Achilles quarrels with Agamemnon +because he is invited late. Then the Greeks tried to land at Ilium, but +the Trojans prevent them, and Protesilaus is killed by Hector. Achilles +then kills Cycnus, the son of Poseidon, and drives the Trojans back. +The Greeks take up their dead and send envoys to the Trojans demanding +the surrender of Helen and the treasure with her. The Trojans refusing, +they first assault the city, and then go out and lay waste the country +and cities round about. After this, Achilles desires to see Helen, and +Aphrodite and Thetis contrive a meeting between them. The Achaeans next +desire to return home, but are restrained by Achilles, who afterwards +drives off the cattle of Aeneas, and sacks Lyrnessus and Pedasus and +many of the neighbouring cities, and kills Troilus. Patroclus carries +away Lycaon to Lemnos and sells him as a slave, and out of the spoils +Achilles receives Briseis as a prize, and Agamemnon Chryseis. Then +follows the death of Palamedes, the plan of Zeus to relieve the Trojans +by detaching Achilles from the Hellenic confederacy, and a catalogue of +the Trojan allies. + +Fragment #2—Tzetzes, Chil. xiii. 638: Stasinus composed the _Cypria_ +which the more part say was Homer’s work and by him given to Stasinus +as a dowry with money besides. + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Homer, Il. i. 5: ‘There was a time when the +countless tribes of men, though wide-dispersed, oppressed the surface +of the deep-bosomed earth, and Zeus saw it and had pity and in his wise +heart resolved to relieve the all-nurturing earth of men by causing the +great struggle of the Ilian war, that the load of death might empty the +world. And so the heroes were slain in Troy, and the plan of Zeus came +to pass.’ + +Fragment #4—Volumina Herculan, II. viii. 105: The author of the +_Cypria_ says that Thetis, to please Hera, avoided union with Zeus, at +which he was enraged and swore that she should be the wife of a mortal. + +Fragment #5—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xvii. 140: For at the marriage of +Peleus and Thetis, the gods gathered together on Pelion to feast and +brought Peleus gifts. Cheiron gave him a stout ashen shaft which he had +cut for a spear, and Athena, it is said, polished it, and Hephaestus +fitted it with a head. The story is given by the author of the +_Cypria_. + +Fragment #6—Athenaeus, xv. 682 D, F: The author of the _Cypria_, +whether Hegesias or Stasinus, mentions flowers used for garlands. The +poet, whoever he was, writes as follows in his first book: + +(ll. 1-7) ‘She clothed herself with garments which the Graces and Hours +had made for her and dyed in flowers of spring—such flowers as the +Seasons wear—in crocus and hyacinth and flourishing violet and the +rose’s lovely bloom, so sweet and delicious, and heavenly buds, the +flowers of the narcissus and lily. In such perfumed garments is +Aphrodite clothed at all seasons. + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 8-12) Then laughter-loving Aphrodite and her handmaidens wove +sweet-smelling crowns of flowers of the earth and put them upon their +heads—the bright-coiffed goddesses, the Nymphs and Graces, and golden +Aphrodite too, while they sang sweetly on the mount of many-fountained +Ida.’ + +Fragment #7—Clement of Alexandria, Protrept ii. 30. 5: ‘Castor was +mortal, and the fate of death was destined for him; but Polydeuces, +scion of Ares, was immortal.’ + +Fragment #8—Athenaeus, viii. 334 B: ‘And after them she bare a third +child, Helen, a marvel to men. Rich-tressed Nemesis once gave her birth +when she had been joined in love with Zeus the king of the gods by +harsh violence. For Nemesis tried to escape him and liked not to lie in +love with her father Zeus the Son of Cronos; for shame and indignation +vexed her heart: therefore she fled him over the land and fruitless +dark water. But Zeus ever pursued and longed in his heart to catch her. +Now she took the form of a fish and sped over the waves of the +loud-roaring sea, and now over Ocean’s stream and the furthest bounds +of Earth, and now she sped over the furrowed land, always turning into +such dread creatures as the dry land nurtures, that she might escape +him.’ + +Fragment #9—Scholiast on Euripides, Andr. 898: The writer 3003 of the +Cyprian histories says that (Helen’s third child was) Pleisthenes and +that she took him with her to Cyprus, and that the child she bore +Alexandrus was Aganus. + +Fragment #10—Herodotus, ii. 117: For it is said in the _Cypria_ that +Alexandrus came with Helen to Ilium from Sparta in three days, enjoying +a favourable wind and calm sea. + +Fragment #11—Scholiast on Homer, Il. iii. 242: For Helen had been +previously carried off by Theseus, and it was in consequence of this +earlier rape that Aphidna, a town in Attica, was sacked and Castor was +wounded in the right thigh by Aphidnus who was king at that time. Then +the Dioscuri, failing to find Theseus, sacked Athens. The story is in +the Cyclic writers. + +Plutarch, Thes. 32: Hereas relates that Alycus was killed by Theseus +himself near Aphidna, and quotes the following verses in evidence: ‘In +spacious Aphidna Theseus slew him in battle long ago for rich-haired +Helen’s sake.’ 3004 + +Fragment #12—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. x. 114: (ll. 1-6) ‘Straightway +Lynceus, trusting in his swift feet, made for Taygetus. He climbed its +highest peak and looked throughout the whole isle of Pelops, son of +Tantalus; and soon the glorious hero with his dread eyes saw +horse-taming Castor and athlete Polydeuces both hidden within a hollow +oak.’ + +Philodemus, On Piety: (Stasinus?) writes that Castor was killed with a +spear shot by Idas the son of Aphareus. + +Fragment #13—Athenaeus, 35 C: ‘Menelaus, know that the gods made wine +the best thing for mortal man to scatter cares.’ + +Fragment #14—Laurentian Scholiast on Sophocles, Elect. 157: Either he +follows Homer who spoke of the three daughters of Agamemnon, or—like +the writer of the _Cypria_—he makes them four, (distinguishing) +Iphigeneia and Iphianassa. + +Fragment #15—3005 Contest of Homer and Hesiod: ‘So they feasted all day +long, taking nothing from their own houses; for Agamemnon, king of men, +provided for them.’ + +Fragment #16—Louvre Papyrus: ‘I never thought to enrage so terribly the +stout heart of Achilles, for very well I loved him.’ + +Fragment #17—Pausanias, iv. 2. 7: The poet of the _Cypria_ says that +the wife of Protesilaus—who, when the Hellenes reached the Trojan +shore, first dared to land—was called Polydora, and was the daughter of +Meleager, the son of Oeneus. + +Fragment #18—Eustathius, 119. 4: Some relate that Chryseis was taken +from Hypoplacian 3006 Thebes, and that she had not taken refuge there +nor gone there to sacrifice to Artemis, as the author of the _Cypria_ +states, but was simply a fellow townswoman of Andromache. + +Fragment #19—Pausanias, x. 31. 2: I know, because I have read it in the +epic _Cypria_, that Palamedes was drowned when he had gone out fishing, +and that it was Diomedes and Odysseus who caused his death. + +Fragment #20—Plato, Euthyphron, 12 A: ‘That it is Zeus who has done +this, and brought all these things to pass, you do not like to say; for +where fear is, there too is shame.’ + +Fragment #21—Herodian, On Peculiar Diction: ‘By him she conceived and +bare the Gorgons, fearful monsters who lived in Sarpedon, a rocky +island in deep-eddying Oceanus.’ + +Fragment #22—Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis vii. 2. 19: Again, +Stasinus says: ‘He is a simple man who kills the father and lets the +children live.’ + + + + +THE AETHIOPIS + +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: The _Cypria_, described in the +preceding book, has its sequel in the _Iliad_ of Homer, which is +followed in turn by the five books of the _Aethiopis_, the work of +Arctinus of Miletus. Their contents are as follows. The Amazon +Penthesileia, the daughter of Ares and of Thracian race, comes to aid +the Trojans, and after showing great prowess, is killed by Achilles and +buried by the Trojans. Achilles then slays Thersites for abusing and +reviling him for his supposed love for Penthesileia. As a result a +dispute arises amongst the Achaeans over the killing of Thersites, and +Achilles sails to Lesbos and after sacrificing to Apollo, Artemis, and +Leto, is purified by Odysseus from bloodshed. + +Then Memnon, the son of Eos, wearing armour made by Hephaestus, comes +to help the Trojans, and Thetis tells her son about Memnon. + +A battle takes place in which Antilochus is slain by Memnon and Memnon +by Achilles. Eos then obtains of Zeus and bestows upon her son +immortality; but Achilles routs the Trojans, and, rushing into the city +with them, is killed by Paris and Apollo. A great struggle for the body +then follows, Aias taking up the body and carrying it to the ships, +while Odysseus drives off the Trojans behind. The Achaeans then bury +Antilochus and lay out the body of Achilles, while Thetis, arriving +with the Muses and her sisters, bewails her son, whom she afterwards +catches away from the pyre and transports to the White Island. After +this, the Achaeans pile him a cairn and hold games in his honour. +Lastly a dispute arises between Odysseus and Aias over the arms of +Achilles. + +Fragment #2—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xxiv. 804: Some read: ‘Thus they +performed the burial of Hector. Then came the Amazon, the daughter of +great-souled Ares the slayer of men.’ + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Pindar, Isth. iii. 53: The author of the +_Aethiopis_ says that Aias killed himself about dawn. + + + + +THE LITTLE ILIAD + +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: Next comes the _Little Iliad_ +in four books by Lesches of Mitylene: its contents are as follows. The +adjudging of the arms of Achilles takes place, and Odysseus, by the +contriving of Athena, gains them. Aias then becomes mad and destroys +the herd of the Achaeans and kills himself. Next Odysseus lies in wait +and catches Helenus, who prophesies as to the taking of Troy, and +Diomede accordingly brings Philoctetes from Lemnos. Philoctetes is +healed by Machaon, fights in single combat with Alexandrus and kills +him: the dead body is outraged by Menelaus, but the Trojans recover and +bury it. After this Deiphobus marries Helen, Odysseus brings +Neoptolemus from Scyros and gives him his father’s arms, and the ghost +of Achilles appears to him. + +Eurypylus the son of Telephus arrives to aid the Trojans, shows his +prowess and is killed by Neoptolemus. The Trojans are now closely +besieged, and Epeius, by Athena’s instruction, builds the wooden horse. +Odysseus disfigures himself and goes in to Ilium as a spy, and there +being recognized by Helen, plots with her for the taking of the city; +after killing certain of the Trojans, he returns to the ships. Next he +carries the Palladium out of Troy with help of Diomedes. Then after +putting their best men in the wooden horse and burning their huts, the +main body of the Hellenes sail to Tenedos. The Trojans, supposing their +troubles over, destroy a part of their city wall and take the wooden +horse into their city and feast as though they had conquered the +Hellenes. + +Fragment #2—Pseudo-Herodotus, Life of Homer: ‘I sing of Ilium and +Dardania, the land of fine horses, wherein the Danai, followers of +Ares, suffered many things.’ + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Aristophanes, Knights 1056 and Aristophanes +ib: The story runs as follows: Aias and Odysseus were quarrelling as to +their achievements, says the poet of the _Little Iliad_, and Nestor +advised the Hellenes to send some of their number to go to the foot of +the walls and overhear what was said about the valour of the heroes +named above. The eavesdroppers heard certain girls disputing, one of +them saying that Aias was by far a better man than Odysseus and +continuing as follows: + +‘For Aias took up and carried out of the strife the hero, Peleus’ son: +this great Odysseus cared not to do.’ + +To this another replied by Athena’s contrivance: + +‘Why, what is this you say? A thing against reason and untrue! Even a +woman could carry a load once a man had put it on her shoulder; but she +could not fight. For she would fail with fear if she should fight.’ + +Fragment #4—Eustathius, 285. 34: The writer of the _Little Iliad_ says +that Aias was not buried in the usual way 3101, but was simply buried +in a coffin, because of the king’s anger. + +Fragment #5—Eustathius on Homer, Il. 326: The author of the _Little +Iliad_ says that Achilles after putting out to sea from the country of +Telephus came to land there: ‘The storm carried Achilles the son of +Peleus to Scyros, and he came into an uneasy harbour there in that same +night.’ + +Fragment #6—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. vi. 85: ‘About the spear-shaft +was a hoop of flashing gold, and a point was fitted to it at either +end.’ + +Fragment #7—Scholiast on Euripides Troades, 822: ‘...the vine which the +son of Cronos gave him as a recompense for his son. It bloomed richly +with soft leaves of gold and grape clusters; Hephaestus wrought it and +gave it to his father Zeus: and he bestowed it on Laomedon as a price +for Ganymedes.’ + +Fragment #8—Pausanias, iii. 26. 9: The writer of the epic _Little +Iliad_ says that Machaon was killed by Eurypylus, the son of Telephus. + +Fragment #9—Homer, Odyssey iv. 247 and Scholiast: ‘He disguised +himself, and made himself like another person, a beggar, the like of +whom was not by the ships of the Achaeans.’ + +The Cyclic poet uses ‘beggar’ as a substantive, and so means to say +that when Odysseus had changed his clothes and put on rags, there was +no one so good for nothing at the ships as Odysseus. + +Fragment #10—3102 Plutarch, Moralia, p. 153 F: And Homer put forward +the following verses as Lesches gives them: ‘Muse, tell me of those +things which neither happened before nor shall be hereafter.’ + +And Hesiod answered: + +‘But when horses with rattling hoofs wreck chariots, striving for +victory about the tomb of Zeus.’ + +And it is said that, because this reply was specially admired, Hesiod +won the tripod (at the funeral games of Amphidamas). + +Fragment #11—Scholiast on Lycophr., 344: Sinon, as it had been arranged +with him, secretly showed a signal-light to the Hellenes. Thus Lesches +writes:—‘It was midnight, and the clear moon was rising.’ + +Fragment #12—Pausanias, x. 25. 5: Meges is represented 3103 wounded in +the arm just as Lescheos the son of Aeschylinus of Pyrrha describes in +his _Sack of Ilium_ where it is said that he was wounded in the battle +which the Trojans fought in the night by Admetus, son of Augeias. +Lycomedes too is in the picture with a wound in the wrist, and Lescheos +says he was so wounded by Agenor... + +Pausanias, x. 26. 4: Lescheos also mentions Astynous, and here he is, +fallen on one knee, while Neoptolemus strikes him with his sword... + +Pausanias, x. 26. 8: The same writer says that Helicaon was wounded in +the night-battle, but was recognised by Odysseus and by him conducted +alive out of the fight... + +Pausanias, x. 27. 1: Of them 3104, Lescheos says that Eion was killed +by Neoptolemus, and Admetus by Philoctetes... He also says that Priam +was not killed at the heart of Zeus Herceius, but was dragged away from +the altar and destroyed off hand by Neoptolemus at the doors of the +house... Lescheos says that Axion was the son of Priam and was slain by +Eurypylus, the son of Euaemon. Agenor—according to the same poet—was +butchered by Neoptolemus. + +Fragment #13—Aristophanes, Lysistrata 155 and Scholiast: ‘Menelaus at +least, when he caught a glimpse somehow of the breasts of Helen unclad, +cast away his sword, methinks.’ Lesches the Pyrrhaean also has the same +account in his _Little Iliad_. + +Pausanias, x. 25. 8: Concerning Aethra Lesches relates that when Ilium +was taken she stole out of the city and came to the Hellenic camp, +where she was recognised by the sons of Theseus; and that Demophon +asked her of Agamemnon. Agamemnon wished to grant him this favour, but +he would not do so until Helen consented. And when he sent a herald, +Helen granted his request. + +Fragment #14—Scholiast on Lycophr. Alex., 1268: ‘Then the bright son of +bold Achilles led the wife of Hector to the hollow ships; but her son +he snatched from the bosom of his rich-haired nurse and seized him by +the foot and cast him from a tower. So when he had fallen bloody death +and hard fate seized on Astyanax. And Neoptolemus chose out Andromache, +Hector’s well-girded wife, and the chiefs of all the Achaeans gave her +to him to hold requiting him with a welcome prize. And he put +Aeneas3105, the famous son of horse-taming Anchises, on board his +sea-faring ships, a prize surpassing those of all the Danaans.’ + + + + +THE SACK OF ILIUM + +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: Next come two books of the +_Sack of Ilium_, by Arctinus of Miletus with the following contents. +The Trojans were suspicious of the wooden horse and standing round it +debated what they ought to do. Some thought they ought to hurl it down +from the rocks, others to burn it up, while others said they ought to +dedicate it to Athena. At last this third opinion prevailed. Then they +turned to mirth and feasting believing the war was at an end. But at +this very time two serpents appeared and destroyed Laocoon and one of +his two sons, a portent which so alarmed the followers of Aeneas that +they withdrew to Ida. Sinon then raised the fire-signal to the +Achaeans, having previously got into the city by pretence. The Greeks +then sailed in from Tenedos, and those in the wooden horse came out and +fell upon their enemies, killing many and storming the city. +Neoptolemus kills Priam who had fled to the altar of Zeus Herceius (1); +Menelaus finds Helen and takes her to the ships, after killing +Deiphobus; and Aias the son of Ileus, while trying to drag Cassandra +away by force, tears away with her the image of Athena. At this the +Greeks are so enraged that they determine to stone Aias, who only +escapes from the danger threatening him by taking refuge at the altar +of Athena. The Greeks, after burning the city, sacrifice Polyxena at +the tomb of Achilles: Odysseus murders Astyanax; Neoptolemus takes +Andromache as his prize, and the remaining spoils are divided. Demophon +and Acamas find Aethra and take her with them. Lastly the Greeks sail +away and Athena plans to destroy them on the high seas. + +Fragment #2—Dionysus Halicarn, Rom. Antiq. i. 68: According to +Arctinus, one Palladium was given to Dardanus by Zeus, and this was in +Ilium until the city was taken. It was hidden in a secret place, and a +copy was made resembling the original in all points and set up for all +to see, in order to deceive those who might have designs against it. +This copy the Achaeans took as a result of their plots. + +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Euripedes, Andromache 10: The Cyclic poet who +composed the _Sack_ says that Astyanax was also hurled from the city +wall. + +Fragment #4—Scholiast on Euripedes, Troades 31: For the followers of +Acamus and Demophon took no share—it is said—of the spoils, but only +Aethra, for whose sake, indeed, they came to Ilium with Menestheus to +lead them. Lysimachus, however, says that the author of the _Sack_ +writes as follows: ‘The lord Agamemnon gave gifts to the Sons of +Theseus and to bold Menestheus, shepherd of hosts.’ + +Fragment #5—Eustathius on Iliad, xiii. 515: Some say that such praise +as this 3201 does not apply to physicians generally, but only to +Machaon: and some say that he only practised surgery, while Podaleirius +treated sicknesses. Arctinus in the _Sack of Ilium_ seems to be of this +opinion when he says: + +(ll. 1-8) ‘For their father the famous Earth-Shaker gave both of them +gifts, making each more glorious than the other. To the one he gave +hands more light to draw or cut out missiles from the flesh and to heal +all kinds of wounds; but in the heart of the other he put full and +perfect knowledge to tell hidden diseases and cure desperate +sicknesses. It was he who first noticed Aias’ flashing eyes and clouded +mind when he was enraged.’ + +Fragment #6—Diomedes in Gramm., Lat. i. 477: ‘Iambus stood a little +while astride with foot advanced, that so his strained limbs might get +power and have a show of ready strength.’ + + + + +THE RETURNS + +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: After the _Sack of Ilium_ +follow the _Returns_ in five books by Agias of Troezen. Their contents +are as follows. Athena causes a quarrel between Agamemnon and Menelaus +about the voyage from Troy. Agamemnon then stays on to appease the +anger of Athena. Diomedes and Nestor put out to sea and get safely +home. After them Menelaus sets out and reaches Egypt with five ships, +the rest having been destroyed on the high seas. Those with Calchas, +Leontes, and Polypoetes go by land to Colophon and bury Teiresias who +died there. When Agamemnon and his followers were sailing away, the +ghost of Achilles appeared and tried to prevent them by foretelling +what should befall them. The storm at the rocks called Capherides is +then described, with the end of Locrian Aias. Neoptolemus, warned by +Thetis, journeys overland and, coming into Thrace, meets Odysseus at +Maronea, and then finishes the rest of his journey after burying +Phoenix who dies on the way. He himself is recognized by Peleus on +reaching the Molossi. + +Then comes the murder of Agamemnon by Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra, +followed by the vengeance of Orestes and Pylades. Finally, Menelaus +returns home. + +Fragment #2—Argument to Euripides Medea: ‘Forthwith Medea made Aeson a +sweet young boy and stripped his old age from him by her cunning skill, +when she had made a brew of many herbs in her golden cauldrons.’ + +Fragment #3—Pausanias, i. 2: The story goes that Heracles was besieging +Themiscyra on the Thermodon and could not take it; but Antiope, being +in love with Theseus who was with Heracles on this expedition, betrayed +the place. Hegias gives this account in his poem. + +Fragment #4—Eustathius, 1796. 45: The Colophonian author of the +_Returns_ says that Telemachus afterwards married Circe, while +Telegonus the son of Circe correspondingly married Penelope. + +Fragment #5—Clement of Alex. Strom., vi. 2. 12. 8: ‘For gifts beguile +men’s minds and their deeds as well.’ 3301 + +Fragment #6—Pausanias, x. 28. 7: The poetry of Homer and the +_Returns_—for here too there is an account of Hades and the terrors +there—know of no spirit named Eurynomus. + +Athenaeus, 281 B: The writer of the “Return of the Atreidae” 3302 says +that Tantalus came and lived with the gods, and was permitted to ask +for whatever he desired. But the man was so immoderately given to +pleasures that he asked for these and for a life like that of the gods. +At this Zeus was annoyed, but fulfilled his prayer because of his own +promise; but to prevent him from enjoying any of the pleasures +provided, and to keep him continually harassed, he hung a stone over +his head which prevents him from ever reaching any of the pleasant +things near by. + + + + +THE TELEGONY + +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: After the _Returns_ comes the +_Odyssey_ of Homer, and then the _Telegony_ in two books by Eugammon of +Cyrene, which contain the following matters. The suitors of Penelope +are buried by their kinsmen, and Odysseus, after sacrificing to the +Nymphs, sails to Elis to inspect his herds. He is entertained there by +Polyxenus and receives a mixing bowl as a gift; the story of Trophonius +and Agamedes and Augeas then follows. He next sails back to Ithaca and +performs the sacrifices ordered by Teiresias, and then goes to +Thesprotis where he marries Callidice, queen of the Thesprotians. A war +then breaks out between the Thesprotians, led by Odysseus, and the +Brygi. Ares routs the army of Odysseus and Athena engages with Ares, +until Apollo separates them. After the death of Callidice Polypoetes, +the son of Odysseus, succeeds to the kingdom, while Odysseus himself +returns to Ithaca. In the meantime Telegonus, while travelling in +search of his father, lands on Ithaca and ravages the island: Odysseus +comes out to defend his country, but is killed by his son unwittingly. +Telegonus, on learning his mistake, transports his father’s body with +Penelope and Telemachus to his mother’s island, where Circe makes them +immortal, and Telegonus marries Penelope, and Telemachus Circe. + +Fragment #2—Eustathias, 1796. 35: The author of the _Telegony_, a +Cyrenaean, relates that Odysseus had by Calypso a son Telegonus or +Teledamus, and by Penelope Telemachus and Acusilaus. + + + + +HOMERICA + + + + +THE EXPEDITION OF AMPHIARAUS + +Fragment #1—Pseudo-Herodotus, Life of Homer: Sitting there in the +tanner’s yard, Homer recited his poetry to them, the _Expedition of +Amphiarus to Thebes_ and the _Hymns to the Gods_ composed by him. + + + + +THE TAKING OF OECHALIA + +Fragment #1—Eustathius, 330. 41: An account has there been given of +Eurytus and his daughter Iole, for whose sake Heracles sacked Oechalia. +Homer also seems to have written on this subject, as that historian +shows who relates that Creophylus of Samos once had Homer for his guest +and for a reward received the attribution of the poem which they call +the _Taking of Oechalia_. Some, however, assert the opposite; that +Creophylus wrote the poem, and that Homer lent his name in return for +his entertainment. And so Callimachus writes: ‘I am the work of that +Samian who once received divine Homer in his house. I sing of Eurytus +and all his woes and of golden-haired Ioleia, and am reputed one of +Homer’s works. Dear Heaven! how great an honour this for Creophylus!’ + +Fragment #2—Cramer, Anec. Oxon. i. 327: ‘Ragged garments, even those +which now you see.’ This verse (_Odyssey_ xiv. 343) we shall also find +in the _Taking of Oechalia_. + +Fragment #3—Scholaist on Sophocles Trach., 266: There is a disagreement +as to the number of the sons of Eurytus. For Hesiod says Eurytus and +Antioche had as many as four sons; but Creophylus says two. + +Fragment #4—Scholiast on Euripides Medea, 273: Didymus contrasts the +following account given by Creophylus, which is as follows: while Medea +was living in Corinth, she poisoned Creon, who was ruler of the city at +that time, and because she feared his friends and kinsfolk, fled to +Athens. However, since her sons were too young to go along with her, +she left them at the altar of Hera Acraea, thinking that their father +would see to their safety. But the relatives of Creon killed them and +spread the story that Medea had killed her own children as well as +Creon. + + + + +THE PHOCAIS + +Fragment #1—Pseudo-Herodotus, Life of Homer: While living with +Thestorides, Homer composed the _Lesser Iliad_ and the _Phocais_; +though the Phocaeans say that he composed the latter among them. + + + + +THE MARGITES + +Fragment #1—Suidas, s.v.: Pigres. A Carian of Halicarnassus and brother +of Artemisia, wife of Mausolus, who distinguished herself in war... +3401 He also wrote the _Margites_ attributed to Homer and the _Battle +of the Frogs and Mice_. + +Fragment #2—Atilius Fortunatianus, p. 286, Keil: ‘There came to +Colophon an old man and divine singer, a servant of the Muses and of +far-shooting Apollo. In his dear hands he held a sweet-toned lyre.’ + +Fragment #3—Plato, Alcib. ii. p. 147 A: ‘He knew many things but knew +all badly...’ + +Aristotle, Nic. Eth. vi. 7, 1141: ‘The gods had taught him neither to +dig nor to plough, nor any other skill; he failed in every craft.’ + +Fragment #4—Scholiast on Aeschines in Ctes., sec. 160: He refers to +Margites, a man who, though well grown up, did not know whether it was +his father or his mother who gave him birth, and would not lie with his +wife, saying that he was afraid she might give a bad account of him to +her mother. + +Fragment #5—Zenobius, v. 68: ‘The fox knows many a wile; but the +hedge-hog’s one trick 3402 can beat them all.’ 3403 + + + + +THE CERCOPES + +Fragment #1—Suidas, s.v.: Cercopes. These were two brothers living upon +the earth who practised every kind of knavery. They were called +Cercopes 3501 because of their cunning doings: one of them was named +Passalus and the other Acmon. Their mother, a daughter of Memnon, +seeing their tricks, told them to keep clear of Black-bottom, that is, +of Heracles. These Cercopes were sons of Theia and Ocean, and are said +to have been turned to stone for trying to deceive Zeus. + +‘Liars and cheats, skilled in deeds irremediable, accomplished knaves. +Far over the world they roamed deceiving men as they wandered +continually.’ + + + + +THE BATTLE OF FROGS AND MICE + +(ll. 1-8) Here I begin: and first I pray the choir of the Muses to come +down from Helicon into my heart to aid the lay which I have newly +written in tablets upon my knee. Fain would I sound in all men’s ears +that awful strife, that clamorous deed of war, and tell how the Mice +proved their valour on the Frogs and rivalled the exploits of the +Giants, those earth-born men, as the tale was told among mortals. Thus +did the war begin. + +(ll. 9-12) One day a thirsty Mouse who had escaped the ferret, +dangerous foe, set his soft muzzle to the lake’s brink and revelled in +the sweet water. There a loud-voiced pond-larker spied him: and uttered +such words as these. + +(ll. 13-23) ‘Stranger, who are you? Whence come you to this shore, and +who is he who begot you? Tell me all this truly and let me not find you +lying. For if I find you worthy to be my friend, I will take you to my +house and give you many noble gifts such as men give to their guests. I +am the king Puff-jaw, and am honoured in all the pond, being ruler of +the Frogs continually. The father that brought me up was Mud-man who +mated with Waterlady by the banks of Eridanus. I see, indeed, that you +are well-looking and stouter than the ordinary, a sceptred king and a +warrior in fight; but, come, make haste and tell me your descent.’ + +(ll. 24-55) Then Crumb-snatcher answered him and said: ‘Why do you ask +my race, which is well-known amongst all, both men and gods and the +birds of heaven? Crumb-snatcher am I called, and I am the son of +Bread-nibbler—he was my stout-hearted father—and my mother was +Quern-licker, the daughter of Ham-gnawer the king: she bare me in the +mouse-hole and nourished me with food, figs and nuts and dainties of +all kinds. But how are you to make me your friend, who am altogether +different in nature? For you get your living in the water, but I am +used to each such foods as men have: I never miss the thrice-kneaded +loaf in its neat, round basket, or the thin-wrapped cake full of sesame +and cheese, or the slice of ham, or liver vested in white fat, or +cheese just curdled from sweet milk, or delicious honey-cake which even +the blessed gods long for, or any of all those cates which cooks make +for the feasts of mortal men, larding their pots and pans with spices +of all kinds. In battle I have never flinched from the cruel onset, but +plunged straight into the fray and fought among the foremost. I fear +not man though he has a big body, but run along his bed and bite the +tip of his toe and nibble at his heel; and the man feels no hurt and +his sweet sleep is not broken by my biting. But there are two things I +fear above all else the whole world over, the hawk and the ferret—for +these bring great grief on me—and the piteous trap wherein is +treacherous death. Most of all I fear the ferret of the keener sort +which follows you still even when you dive down your hole. 3601 I gnaw +no radishes and cabbages and pumpkins, nor feed on green leeks and +parsley; for these are food for you who live in the lake.’ + +(ll. 56-64) Then Puff-jaw answered him with a smile: ‘Stranger you +boast too much of belly-matters: we too have many marvels to be seen +both in the lake and on the shore. For the Son of Chronos has given us +Frogs the power to lead a double life, dwelling at will in two separate +elements; and so we both leap on land and plunge beneath the water. If +you would learn of all these things, ’tis easy done: just mount upon my +back and hold me tight lest you be lost, and so you shall come +rejoicing to my house.’ + +(ll. 65-81) So said he, and offered his back. And the Mouse mounted at +once, putting his paws upon the other’s sleek neck and vaulting nimbly. +Now at first, while he still saw the land near by, he was pleased, and +was delighted with Puff-jaw’s swimming; but when dark waves began to +wash over him, he wept loudly and blamed his unlucky change of mind: he +tore his fur and tucked his paws in against his belly, while within him +his heart quaked by reason of the strangeness: and he longed to get to +land, groaning terribly through the stress of chilling fear. He put out +his tail upon the water and worked it like a steering oar, and prayed +to heaven that he might get to land. But when the dark waves washed +over him he cried aloud and said: ‘Not in such wise did the bull bear +on his back the beloved load, when he brought Europa across the sea to +Crete, as this Frog carries me over the water to his house, raising his +yellow back in the pale water.’ + +(ll. 82-92) Then suddenly a water-snake appeared, a horrid sight for +both alike, and held his neck upright above the water. And when he saw +it, Puff-jaw dived at once, and never thought how helpless a friend he +would leave perishing; but down to the bottom of the lake he went, and +escaped black death. But the Mouse, so deserted, at once fell on his +back, in the water. He wrung his paws and squeaked in agony of death: +many times he sank beneath the water and many times he rose up again +kicking. But he could not escape his doom, for his wet fur weighed him +down heavily. Then at the last, as he was dying, he uttered these +words. + +(ll. 93-98) ‘Ah, Puff-jaw, you shall not go unpunished for this +treachery! You threw me, a castaway, off your body as from a rock. Vile +coward! On land you would not have been the better man, boxing, or +wrestling, or running; but now you have tricked me and cast me in the +water. Heaven has an avenging eye, and surely the host of Mice will +punish you and not let you escape.’ + +(ll. 99-109) With these words he breathed out his soul upon the water. +But Lick-platter as he sat upon the soft bank saw him die and, raising +a dreadful cry, ran and told the Mice. And when they heard of his fate, +all the Mice were seized with fierce anger, and bade their heralds +summon the people to assemble towards dawn at the house of +Bread-nibbler, the father of hapless Crumb-snatcher who lay +outstretched on the water face up, a lifeless corpse, and no longer +near the bank, poor wretch, but floating in the midst of the deep. And +when the Mice came in haste at dawn, Bread-nibbler stood up first, +enraged at his son’s death, and thus he spoke. + +(ll. 110-121) ‘Friends, even if I alone had suffered great wrong from +the Frogs, assuredly this is a first essay at mischief for you all. And +now I am pitiable, for I have lost three sons. First the abhorred +ferret seized and killed one of them, catching him outside the hole; +then ruthless men dragged another to his doom when by unheard-of arts +they had contrived a wooden snare, a destroyer of Mice, which they call +a trap. There was a third whom I and his dear mother loved well, and +him Puff-jaw has carried out into the deep and drowned. Come, then, and +let us arm ourselves and go out against them when we have arrayed +ourselves in rich-wrought arms.’ + +(ll. 122-131) With such words he persuaded them all to gird themselves. +And Ares who has charge of war equipped them. First they fastened on +greaves and covered their shins with green bean-pods broken into two +parts which they had gnawed out, standing over them all night. Their +breast plates were of skin stretched on reeds, skilfully made from a +ferret they had flayed. For shields each had the centre-piece of a +lamp, and their spears were long needles all of bronze, the work of +Ares, and the helmets upon their temples were pea-nut shells. + +(ll. 132-138) So the Mice armed themselves. But when the Frogs were +aware of it, they rose up out of the water and coming together to one +place gathered a council of grievous war. And while they were asking +whence the quarrel arose, and what the cause of this anger, a herald +drew near bearing a wand in his paws, Pot-visitor the son of +great-hearted Cheese-carver. He brought the grim message of war, +speaking thus: + +(ll. 139-143) ‘Frogs, the Mice have sent me with their threats against +you, and bid you arm yourselves for war and battle; for they have seen +Crumb-snatcher in the water whom your king Puff-jaw slew. Fight, then, +as many of you as are warriors among the Frogs.’ + +(ll. 144-146) With these words he explained the matter. So when this +blameless speech came to their ears, the proud Frogs were disturbed in +their hearts and began to blame Puff-jaw. But he rose up and said: + +(ll. 147-159) ‘Friends, I killed no Mouse, nor did I see one perishing. +Surely he was drowned while playing by the lake and imitating the +swimming of the Frogs, and now these wretches blame me who am +guiltless. Come then; let us take counsel how we may utterly destroy +the wily Mice. Moreover, I will tell you what I think to be the best. +Let us all gird on our armour and take our stand on the very brink of +the lake, where the ground breaks down sheer: then when they come out +and charge upon us, let each seize by the crest the Mouse who attacks +him, and cast them with their helmets into the lake; for so we shall +drown these dry-hobs 3602 in the water, and merrily set up here a +trophy of victory over the slaughtered Mice.’ + +(ll. 160-167) By this speech he persuaded them to arm themselves. + +They covered their shins with leaves of mallows, and had breastplates +made of fine green beet-leaves, and cabbage-leaves, skilfully +fashioned, for shields. Each one was equipped with a long, pointed rush +for a spear, and smooth snail-shells to cover their heads. Then they +stood in close-locked ranks upon the high bank, waving their spears, +and were filled, each of them, with courage. + +(ll. 168-173) Now Zeus called the gods to starry heaven and showed them +the martial throng and the stout warriors so many and so great, all +bearing long spears; for they were as the host of the Centaurs and the +Giants. Then he asked with a sly smile; ‘Who of the deathless gods will +help the Frogs and who the Mice?’ + +And he said to Athena; + +(ll. 174-176) ‘My daughter, will you go aid the Mice? For they all +frolic about your temple continually, delighting in the fat of +sacrifice and in all kinds of food.’ + +(ll. 177-196) So then said the son of Cronos. But Athena answered him: +‘I would never go to help the Mice when they are hard pressed, for they +have done me much mischief, spoiling my garlands and my lamps too, to +get the oil. And this thing that they have done vexes my heart +exceedingly: they have eaten holes in my sacred robe, which I wove +painfully spinning a fine woof on a fine warp, and made it full of +holes. And now the money-lender is at me and charges me interest which +is a bitter thing for immortals. For I borrowed to do my weaving, and +have nothing with which to repay. Yet even so I will not help the +Frogs; for they also are not considerable: once, when I was returning +early from war, I was very tired, and though I wanted to sleep, they +would not let me even doze a little for their outcry; and so I lay +sleepless with a headache until cock-crow. No, gods, let us refrain +from helping these hosts, or one of us may get wounded with a sharp +spear; for they fight hand to hand, even if a god comes against them. +Let us rather all amuse ourselves watching the fight from heaven.’ + +(ll. 197-198) So said Athena. And the other gods agreed with her, and +all went in a body to one place. + +(ll. 199-201) Then gnats with great trumpets sounded the fell note of +war, and Zeus the son of Cronos thundered from heaven, a sign of +grievous battle. + +(ll. 202-223) First Loud-croaker wounded Lickman in the belly, right +through the midriff. Down fell he on his face and soiled his soft fur +in the dust: he fell with a thud and his armour clashed about him. Next +Troglodyte shot at the son of Mudman, and drove the strong spear deep +into his breast; so he fell, and black death seized him and his spirit +flitted forth from his mouth. Then Beety struck Pot-visitor to the +heart and killed him, and Bread-nibbler hit Loud-crier in the belly, so +that he fell on his face and his spirit flitted forth from his limbs. +Now when Pond-larker saw Loud-crier perishing, he struck in quickly and +wounded Troglodyte in his soft neck with a rock like a mill-stone, so +that darkness veiled his eyes. Thereat Ocimides was seized with grief, +and struck out with his sharp reed and did not draw his spear back to +him again, but felled his enemy there and then. And Lickman shot at him +with a bright spear and hit him unerringly in the midriff. And as he +marked Cabbage-eater running away, he fell on the steep bank, yet even +so did not cease fighting but smote that other so that he fell and did +not rise again; and the lake was dyed with red blood as he lay +outstretched along the shore, pierced through the guts and shining +flanks. Also he slew Cheese-eater on the very brink.... + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 224-251) But Reedy took to flight when he saw Ham-nibbler, and +fled, plunging into the lake and throwing away his shield. Then +blameless Pot-visitor killed Brewer and Water-larked killed the lord +Ham-nibbler, striking him on the head with a pebble, so that his brains +flowed out at his nostrils and the earth was bespattered with blood. +Faultless Muck-coucher sprang upon Lick-platter and killed him with his +spear and brought darkness upon his eyes: and Leeky saw it, and dragged +Lick-platter by the foot, though he was dead, and choked him in the +lake. But Crumb-snatcher was fighting to avenge his dead comrades, and +hit Leeky before he reached the land; and he fell forward at the blow +and his soul went down to Hades. And seeing this, the Cabbage-climber +took a clod of mud and hurled it at the Mouse, plastering all his +forehead and nearly blinding him. Thereat Crumb-snatcher was enraged +and caught up in his strong hand a huge stone that lay upon the ground, +a heavy burden for the soil: with that he hit Cabbage-climber below the +knee and splintered his whole right shin, hurling him on his back in +the dust. But Croakperson kept him off, and rushing at the Mouse in +turn, hit him in the middle of the belly and drove the whole reed-spear +into him, and as he drew the spear back to him with his strong hand, +all his foe’s bowels gushed out upon the ground. And when Troglodyte +saw the deed, as he was limping away from the fight on the river bank, +he shrank back sorely moved, and leaped into a trench to escape sheer +death. Then Bread-nibbler hit Puff-jaw on the toes—he came up at the +last from the lake and was greatly distressed.... + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 252-259) And when Leeky saw him fallen forward, but still half +alive, he pressed through those who fought in front and hurled a sharp +reed at him; but the point of the spear was stayed and did not break +his shield. Then noble Rueful, like Ares himself, struck his flawless +head-piece made of four pots—he only among the Frogs showed prowess in +the throng. But when he saw the other rush at him, he did not stay to +meet the stout-hearted hero but dived down to the depths of the lake. + +(ll. 260-271) Now there was one among the Mice, Slice-snatcher, who +excelled the rest, dear son of Gnawer the son of blameless +Bread-stealer. He went to his house and bade his son take part in the +war. This warrior threatened to destroy the race of Frogs utterly 3603, +and splitting a chestnut-husk into two parts along the joint, put the +two hollow pieces as armour on his paws: then straightway the Frogs +were dismayed and all rushed down to the lake, and he would have made +good his boast—for he had great strength—had not the Son of Cronos, the +Father of men and gods, been quick to mark the thing and pitied the +Frogs as they were perishing. He shook his head, and uttered this word: + +(ll. 272-276) ‘Dear, dear, how fearful a deed do my eyes behold! +Slice-snatcher makes no small panic rushing to and fro among the Frogs +by the lake. Let us then make all haste and send warlike Pallas or even +Ares, for they will stop his fighting, strong though he is.’ + +(ll. 277-284) So said the Son of Cronos; but Hera answered him: ‘Son of +Cronos, neither the might of Athena nor of Ares can avail to deliver +the Frogs from utter destruction. Rather, come and let us all go to +help them, or else let loose your weapon, the great and formidable +Titan-killer with which you killed Capaneus, that doughty man, and +great Enceladus and the wild tribes of Giants; ay, let it loose, for so +the most valiant will be slain.’ + +(ll. 285-293) So said Hera: and the Son of Cronos cast a lurid +thunderbolt: first he thundered and made great Olympus shake, and the +cast the thunderbolt, the awful weapon of Zeus, tossing it lightly +forth. Thus he frightened them all, Frogs and Mice alike, hurling his +bolt upon them. Yet even so the army of the Mice did not relax, but +hoped still more to destroy the brood of warrior Frogs. Only, the Son +of Cronos, on Olympus, pitied the Frogs and then straightway sent them +helpers. + +(ll. 294-303) So there came suddenly warriors with mailed backs and +curving claws, crooked beasts that walked sideways, nut-cracker-jawed, +shell-hided: bony they were, flat-backed, with glistening shoulders and +bandy legs and stretching arms and eyes that looked behind them. They +had also eight legs and two feelers—persistent creatures who are called +crabs. These nipped off the tails and paws and feet of the Mice with +their jaws, while spears only beat on them. Of these the Mice were all +afraid and no longer stood up to them, but turned and fled. Already the +sun was set, and so came the end of the one-day war. + + + + +OF THE ORIGIN OF HOMER AND HESIOD, AND OF THEIR CONTEST + + +Everyone boasts that the most divine of poets, Homer and Hesiod, are +said to be his particular countrymen. Hesiod, indeed, has put a name to +his native place and so prevented any rivalry, for he said that his +father ‘settled near Helicon in a wretched hamlet, Ascra, which is +miserable in winter, sultry in summer, and good at no season.’ But, as +for Homer, you might almost say that every city with its inhabitants +claims him as her son. Foremost are the men of Smyrna who say that he +was the Son of Meles, the river of their town, by a nymph Cretheis, and +that he was at first called Melesigenes. He was named Homer later, when +he became blind, this being their usual epithet for such people. The +Chians, on the other hand, bring forward evidence to show that he was +their countryman, saying that there actually remain some of his +descendants among them who are called Homeridae. The Colophonians even +show the place where they declare that he began to compose when a +schoolmaster, and say that his first work was the _Margites_. + +As to his parents also, there is on all hands great disagreement. + +Hellanicus and Cleanthes say his father was Maeon, but Eugaeon says +Meles; Callicles is for Mnesagoras, Democritus of Troezen for Daemon, a +merchant-trader. Some, again, say he was the son of Thamyras, but the +Egyptians say of Menemachus, a priest-scribe, and there are even those +who father him on Telemachus, the son of Odysseus. As for his mother, +she is variously called Metis, Cretheis, Themista, and Eugnetho. Others +say she was an Ithacan woman sold as a slave by the Phoenicians; other, +Calliope the Muse; others again Polycasta, the daughter of Nestor. + +Homer himself was called Meles or, according to different accounts, +Melesigenes or Altes. Some authorities say he was called Homer, because +his father was given as a hostage to the Persians by the men of Cyprus; +others, because of his blindness; for amongst the Aeolians the blind +are so called. We will set down, however, what we have heard to have +been said by the Pythia concerning Homer in the time of the most sacred +Emperor Hadrian. When the monarch inquired from what city Homer came, +and whose son he was, the priestess delivered a response in hexameters +after this fashion: + +‘Do you ask me of the obscure race and country of the heavenly siren? +Ithaca is his country, Telemachus his father, and Epicasta, Nestor’s +daughter, the mother that bare him, a man by far the wisest of mortal +kind.’ This we must most implicitly believe, the inquirer and the +answerer being who they are—especially since the poet has so greatly +glorified his grandfather in his works. + +Now some say that he was earlier than Hesiod, others that he was +younger and akin to him. They give his descent thus: Apollo and +Aethusa, daughter of Poseidon, had a son Linus, to whom was born +Pierus. From Pierus and the nymph Methone sprang Oeager; and from +Oeager and Calliope Orpheus; from Orpheus, Dres; and from him, Eucles. +The descent is continued through Iadmonides, Philoterpes, Euphemus, +Epiphrades and Melanopus who had sons Dius and Apelles. Dius by +Pycimede, the daughter of Apollo had two sons Hesiod and Perses; while +Apelles begot Maeon who was the father of Homer by a daughter of the +River Meles. + +According to one account they flourished at the same time and even had +a contest of skill at Chalcis in Euboea. For, they say, after Homer had +composed the _Margites_, he went about from city to city as a minstrel, +and coming to Delphi, inquired who he was and of what country? The +Pythia answered: + +‘The Isle of Ios is your mother’s country and it shall receive you +dead; but beware of the riddle of the young children.’ 3701 + +Hearing this, it is said, he hesitated to go to Ios, and remained in +the region where he was. Now about the same time Ganyctor was +celebrating the funeral rites of his father Amphidamas, king of Euboea, +and invited to the gathering not only all those who were famous for +bodily strength and fleetness of foot, but also those who excelled in +wit, promising them great rewards. And so, as the story goes, the two +went to Chalcis and met by chance. The leading Chalcidians were judges +together with Paneides, the brother of the dead king; and it is said +that after a wonderful contest between the two poets, Hesiod won in the +following manner: he came forward into the midst and put Homer one +question after another, which Homer answered. Hesiod, then, began: + +‘Homer, son of Meles, inspired with wisdom from heaven, come, tell me +first what is best for mortal man?’ + +HOMER: ‘For men on earth ’tis best never to be born at all; or being +born, to pass through the gates of Hades with all speed.’ + +Hesiod then asked again: + +‘Come, tell me now this also, godlike Homer: what think you in your +heart is most delightsome to men?’ + +Homer answered: + +‘When mirth reigns throughout the town, and feasters about the house, +sitting in order, listen to a minstrel; when the tables beside them are +laden with bread and meat, and a wine-bearer draws sweet drink from the +mixing-bowl and fills the cups: this I think in my heart to be most +delightsome.’ + +It is said that when Homer had recited these verses, they were so +admired by the Greeks as to be called golden by them, and that even now +at public sacrifices all the guests solemnly recite them before feasts +and libations. Hesiod, however, was annoyed by Homer’s felicity and +hurried on to pose him with hard questions. He therefore began with the +following lines: + +‘Come, Muse; sing not to me of things that are, or that shall be, or +that were of old; but think of another song.’ + +Then Homer, wishing to escape from the impasse by an apt answer, +replied:— + +‘Never shall horses with clattering hoofs break chariots, striving for +victory about the tomb of Zeus.’ + +Here again Homer had fairly met Hesiod, and so the latter turned to +sentences of doubtful meaning 3702: he recited many lines and required +Homer to complete the sense of each appropriately. The first of the +following verses is Hesiod’s and the next Homer’s: but sometimes Hesiod +puts his question in two lines. + +HESIOD: ‘Then they dined on the flesh of oxen and their horses’ necks—’ + +HOMER: ‘They unyoked dripping with sweat, when they had had enough of +war.’ + +HESIOD: ‘And the Phrygians, who of all men are handiest at ships—’ + +HOMER: ‘To filch their dinner from pirates on the beach.’ + +HESIOD: ‘To shoot forth arrows against the tribes of cursed giants with +his hands—’ + +HOMER: ‘Heracles unslung his curved bow from his shoulders.’ + +HESIOD: ‘This man is the son of a brave father and a weakling—’ + +HOMER: ‘Mother; for war is too stern for any woman.’ + +HESIOD: ‘But for you, your father and lady mother lay in love—’ + +HOMER: ‘When they begot you by the aid of golden Aphrodite.’ + +HESIOD: ‘But when she had been made subject in love, Artemis, who +delights in arrows—’ + +HOMER: ‘Slew Callisto with a shot of her silver bow.’ + +HESIOD: ‘So they feasted all day long, taking nothing—’ + +HOMER: ‘From their own houses; for Agamemnon, king of men, supplied +them.’ + +HESIOD: ‘When they had feasted, they gathered among the glowing ashes +the bones of the dead Zeus—’ + +HOMER: ‘Born Sarpedon, that bold and godlike man.’ + +HESIOD: ‘Now we have lingered thus about the plain of Simois, forth +from the ships let us go our way, upon our shoulders—’ + +HOMER: ‘Having our hilted swords and long-helved spears.’ + +HESIOD: ‘Then the young heroes with their hands from the sea—’ + +HOMER: ‘Gladly and swiftly hauled out their fleet ship.’ + +HESIOD: ‘Then they came to Colchis and king Aeetes—’ + +HOMER: ‘They avoided; for they knew he was inhospitable and lawless.’ + +HESIOD: ‘Now when they had poured libations and deeply drunk, the +surging sea—’ + +HOMER: ‘They were minded to traverse on well-built ships.’ + +HESIOD: ‘The Son of Atreus prayed greatly for them that they all might +perish—’ + +HOMER: ‘At no time in the sea: and he opened his mouth said:’ + +HESIOD: ‘Eat, my guests, and drink, and may no one of you return home +to his dear country—’ + +HOMER: ‘Distressed; but may you all reach home again unscathed.’ + +When Homer had met him fairly on every point Hesiod said: + +‘Only tell me this thing that I ask: How many Achaeans went to Ilium +with the sons of Atreus?’ + +Homer answered in a mathematical problem, thus: + +‘There were fifty hearths, and at each hearth were fifty spits, and on +each spit were fifty carcases, and there were thrice three hundred +Achaeans to each joint.’ + +This is found to be an incredible number; for as there were fifty +hearths, the number of spits is two thousand five hundred; and of +carcasses, one hundred and twenty thousand... + +Homer, then, having the advantage on every point, Hesiod was jealous +and began again: + +‘Homer, son of Meles, if indeed the Muses, daughters of great Zeus the +most high, honour you as it is said, tell me a standard that is both +best and worst for mortal-men; for I long to know it.’ Homer replied: +‘Hesiod, son of Dius, I am willing to tell you what you command, and +very readily will I answer you. For each man to be a standard will I +answer you. For each man to be a standard to himself is most excellent +for the good, but for the bad it is the worst of all things. And now +ask me whatever else your heart desires.’ + +HESIOD: ‘How would men best dwell in cities, and with what +observances?’ + +HOMER: ‘By scorning to get unclean gain and if the good were honoured, +but justice fell upon the unjust.’ + +HESIOD: ‘What is the best thing of all for a man to ask of the gods in +prayer?’ + +HOMER: ‘That he may be always at peace with himself continually.’ + +HESIOD: ‘Can you tell me in briefest space what is best of all?’ + +HOMER: ‘A sound mind in a manly body, as I believe.’ + +HESIOD: ‘Of what effect are righteousness and courage?’ + +HOMER: ‘To advance the common good by private pains.’ + +HESIOD: ‘What is the mark of wisdom among men?’ + +HOMER: ‘To read aright the present, and to march with the occasion.’ + +HESIOD: ‘In what kind of matter is it right to trust in men?’ + +HOMER: ‘Where danger itself follows the action close.’ + +HESIOD: ‘What do men mean by happiness?’ + +HOMER: ‘Death after a life of least pain and greatest pleasure.’ + +After these verses had been spoken, all the Hellenes called for Homer +to be crowned. But King Paneides bade each of them recite the finest +passage from his own poems. Hesiod, therefore, began as follows: + +‘When the Pleiads, the daughters of Atlas, begin to rise begin the +harvest, and begin ploughing ere they set. For forty nights and days +they are hidden, but appear again as the year wears round, when first +the sickle is sharpened. This is the law of the plains and for those +who dwell near the sea or live in the rich-soiled valleys, far from the +wave-tossed deep: strip to sow, and strip to plough, and strip to reap +when all things are in season.’ 3703 + +Then Homer: + +‘The ranks stood firm about the two Aiantes, such that not even Ares +would have scorned them had he met them, nor yet Athena who saves +armies. For there the chosen best awaited the charge of the Trojans and +noble Hector, making a fence of spears and serried shields. Shield +closed with shield, and helm with helm, and each man with his fellow, +and the peaks of their head-pieces with crests of horse-hair touched as +they bent their heads: so close they stood together. The murderous +battle bristled with the long, flesh-rending spears they held, and the +flash of bronze from polished helms and new-burnished breast-plates and +gleaming shields blinded the eyes. Very hard of heart would he have +been, who could then have seen that strife with joy and felt no pang.’ +3704 + +Here, again, the Hellenes applauded Homer admiringly, so far did the +verses exceed the ordinary level; and demanded that he should be +adjudged the winner. But the king gave the crown to Hesiod, declaring +that it was right that he who called upon men to follow peace and +husbandry should have the prize rather than one who dwelt on war and +slaughter. In this way, then, we are told, Hesiod gained the victory +and received a brazen tripod which he dedicated to the Muses with this +inscription: + +‘Hesiod dedicated this tripod to the Muses of Helicon after he had +conquered divine Homer at Chalcis in a contest of song.’ + +After the gathering was dispersed, Hesiod crossed to the mainland and +went to Delphi to consult the oracle and to dedicate the first fruits +of his victory to the god. They say that as he was approaching the +temple, the prophetess became inspired and said: + +‘Blessed is this man who serves my house,—Hesiod, who is honoured by +the deathless Muses: surely his renown shall be as wide as the light of +dawn is spread. But beware of the pleasant grove of Nemean Zeus; for +there death’s end is destined to befall you.’ + +When Hesiod heard this oracle, he kept away from the Peloponnesus, +supposing that the god meant the Nemea there; and coming to Oenoe in +Locris, he stayed with Amphiphanes and Ganyetor the sons of Phegeus, +thus unconsciously fulfilling the oracle; for all that region was +called the sacred place of Nemean Zeus. He continued to stay a somewhat +long time at Oenoe, until the young men, suspecting Hesiod of seducing +their sister, killed him and cast his body into the sea which separates +Achaea and Locris. On the third day, however, his body was brought to +land by dolphins while some local feast of Ariadne was being held. +Thereupon, all the people hurried to the shore, and recognized the +body, lamented over it and buried it, and then began to look for the +assassins. But these, fearing the anger of their countrymen, launched a +fishing boat, and put out to sea for Crete: they had finished half +their voyage when Zeus sank them with a thunderbolt, as Alcidamas +states in his “Museum”. Eratosthenes, however, says in his “Hesiod” +that Ctimenus and Antiphus, sons of Ganyetor, killed him for the reason +already stated, and were sacrificed by Eurycles the seer to the gods of +hospitality. He adds that the girl, sister of the above-named, hanged +herself after she had been seduced, and that she was seduced by some +stranger, Demodes by name, who was travelling with Hesiod, and who was +also killed by the brothers. At a later time the men of Orchomenus +removed his body as they were directed by an oracle, and buried him in +their own country where they placed this inscription on his tomb: + +‘Ascra with its many cornfields was his native land; but in death the +land of the horse-driving Minyans holds the bones of Hesiod, whose +renown is greatest among men of all who are judged by the test of wit.’ + +So much for Hesiod. But Homer, after losing the victory, went from +place to place reciting his poems, and first of all the _Thebais_ in +seven thousand verses which begins: ‘Goddess, sing of parched Argos +whence kings...’, and then the _Epigoni_ in seven thousand verses +beginning: ‘And now, Muses, let us begin to sing of men of later days’; +for some say that these poems also are by Homer. Now Xanthus and +Gorgus, son of Midas the king, heard his epics and invited him to +compose a epitaph for the tomb of their father on which was a bronze +figure of a maiden bewailing the death of Midas. He wrote the following +lines:— + +‘I am a maiden of bronze and sit upon the tomb of Midas. While water +flows, and tall trees put forth leaves, and rivers swell, and the sea +breaks on the shore; while the sun rises and shines and the bright moon +also, ever remaining on this mournful tomb I tell the passer-by that +Midas here lies buried.’ + +For these verses they gave him a silver bowl which he dedicated to +Apollo at Delphi with this inscription: ‘Lord Phoebus, I, Homer, have +given you a noble gift for the wisdom I have of you: do you ever grant +me renown.’ + +After this he composed the _Odyssey_ in twelve thousand verses, having +previously written the _Iliad_ in fifteen thousand five hundred verses +3705. From Delphi, as we are told, he went to Athens and was +entertained by Medon, king of the Athenians. And being one day in the +council hall when it was cold and a fire was burning there, he drew off +the following lines: + +‘Children are a man’s crown, and towers of a city, horses are the +ornament of a plain, and ships of the sea; and good it is to see a +people seated in assembly. But with a blazing fire a house looks +worthier upon a wintry day when the Son of Cronos sends down snow.’ + +From Athens he went on to Corinth, where he sang snatches of his poems +and was received with distinction. Next he went to Argos and there +recited these verses from the _Iliad_: + +‘The sons of the Achaeans who held Argos and walled Tiryns, and +Hermione and Asine which lie along a deep bay, and Troezen, and Eiones, +and vine-clad Epidaurus, and the island of Aegina, and Mases,—these +followed strong-voiced Diomedes, son of Tydeus, who had the spirit of +his father the son of Oeneus, and Sthenelus, dear son of famous +Capaneus. And with these two there went a third leader, Eurypylus, a +godlike man, son of the lord Mecisteus, sprung of Talaus; but +strong-voiced Diomedes was their chief leader. These men had eighty +dark ships wherein were ranged men skilled in war, Argives with linen +jerkins, very goads of war.’ 3706 + +This praise of their race by the most famous of all poets so +exceedingly delighted the leading Argives, that they rewarded him with +costly gifts and set up a brazen statue to him, decreeing that +sacrifice should be offered to Homer daily, monthly, and yearly; and +that another sacrifice should be sent to Chios every five years. This +is the inscription they cut upon his statue: + +‘This is divine Homer who by his sweet-voiced art honoured all proud +Hellas, but especially the Argives who threw down the god-built walls +of Troy to avenge rich-haired Helen. For this cause the people of a +great city set his statue here and serve him with the honours of the +deathless gods.’ + +After he had stayed for some time in Argos, he crossed over to Delos, +to the great assembly, and there, standing on the altar of horns, he +recited the _Hymn to Apollo_ 3707 which begins: ‘I will remember and +not forget Apollo the far-shooter.’ When the hymn was ended, the +Ionians made him a citizen of each one of their states, and the Delians +wrote the poem on a whitened tablet and dedicated it in the temple of +Artemis. The poet sailed to Ios, after the assembly was broken up, to +join Creophylus, and stayed there some time, being now an old man. And, +it is said, as he was sitting by the sea he asked some boys who were +returning from fishing: + +‘Sirs, hunters of deep-sea prey, have we caught anything?’ + +To this replied: + +‘All that we caught, we left behind, and carry away all that we did not +catch.’ + +Homer did not understand this reply and asked what they meant. They +then explained that they had caught nothing in fishing, but had been +catching their lice, and those of the lice which they caught, they left +behind; but carried away in their clothes those which they did not +catch. Hereupon Homer remembered the oracle and, perceiving that the +end of his life had come composed his own epitaph. And while he was +retiring from that place, he slipped in a clayey place and fell upon +his side, and died, it is said, the third day after. He was buried in +Ios, and this is his epitaph: + +‘Here the earth covers the sacred head of divine Homer, the glorifier +of hero-men.’ + + + + +ENDNOTES + + +1101 (return) [ sc. in Boeotia, Locris and Thessaly: elsewhere the +movement was forced and unfruitful.] + +1102 (return) [ The extant collection of three poems, _Works and Days_, +_Theogony_, and _Shield of Heracles_, which alone have come down to us +complete, dates at least from the 4th century A.D.: the title of the +Paris Papyrus (Bibl. Nat. Suppl. Gr. 1099) names only these three +works.] + +1103 (return) [ _Der Dialekt des Hesiodes_, p. 464: examples are AENEMI +(W. and D. 683) and AROMENAI (_ib_. 22).] + +1104 (return) [ T.W. Allen suggests that the conjured Delian and +Pythian hymns to Apollo (_Homeric Hymns_ III) may have suggested this +version of the story, the Pythian hymn showing strong continental +influence.] + +1105 (return) [ She is said to have given birth to the lyrist +Stesichorus.] + +1106 (return) [ See Kinkel _Epic. Graec. Frag._ i. 158 ff.] + +1107 (return) [ See _Great Works_, frag. 2.] + +1108 (return) [ _Hesiodi Fragmenta_, pp. 119 f.] + +1109 (return) [ Possibly the division of this poem into two books is a +division belonging solely to this ‘developed poem’, which may have +included in its second part a summary of the Tale of Troy.] + +1110 (return) [ Goettling’s explanation.] + +1111 (return) [ x. 1. 52.] + +1112 (return) [ Odysseus appears to have been mentioned once only—and +that casually—in the _Returns_.] + +1113 (return) [ M.M. Croiset note that the _Aethiopis_ and the _Sack_ +were originally merely parts of one work containing lays (the +Amazoneia, Aethiopis, Persis, etc.), just as the _Iliad_ contained +various lays such as the Diomedeia.] + +1114 (return) [ No date is assigned to him, but it seems likely that he +was either contemporary or slightly earlier than Lesches.] + +1115 (return) [ Cp. Allen and Sikes, _Homeric Hymns_ p. xv. In the text +I have followed the arrangement of these scholars, numbering the Hymns +to Dionysus and to Demeter, I and II respectively: to place _Demeter_ +after _Hermes_, and the Hymn to Dionysus at the end of the collection +seems to be merely perverse.] + +1116 (return) [ _Greek Melic Poets_, p. 165.] + +1117 (return) [ This monument was returned to Greece in the 1980’s.— +DBK.] + +1118 (return) [ Cp. Marckscheffel, _Hesiodi fragmenta_, p. 35. The +papyrus fragment recovered by Petrie (_Petrie Papyri_, ed. Mahaffy, p. +70, No. xxv.) agrees essentially with the extant document, but differs +in numerous minor textual points.] + +1201 (return) [ See Schubert, _Berl. Klassikertexte_ v. 1.22 ff.; the +other papyri may be found in the publications whose name they bear.] + +1202 (return) [ Unless otherwise noted, all MSS. are of the 15th +century.] + +1203 (return) [ To this list I would also add the following: _Hesiod +and Theognis_, translated by Dorothea Wender (Penguin Classics, London, +1973).—DBK.] + +1301 (return) [ That is, the poor man’s fare, like ‘bread and cheese’.] + +1302 (return) [ The All-endowed.] + +1303 (return) [ The jar or casket contained the gifts of the gods +mentioned in l.82.] + +1304 (return) [ Eustathius refers to Hesiod as stating that men sprung +“from oaks and stones and ashtrees”. Proclus believed that the Nymphs +called Meliae (_Theogony_, 187) are intended. Goettling would render: +“A race terrible because of their (ashen) spears.”] + +1305 (return) [ Preserved only by Proclus, from whom some inferior MSS. +have copied the verse. The four following lines occur only in Geneva +Papyri No. 94. For the restoration of ll. 169b-c see “Class. Quart.” +vii. 219-220. (NOTE: Mr. Evelyn-White means that the version quoted by +Proclus stops at this point, then picks up at l. 170.—DBK).] + +1306 (return) [ _i.e._ the race will so degenerate that at the last +even a new-born child will show the marks of old age.] + +1307 (return) [ Aidos, as a quality, is that feeling of reverence or +shame which restrains men from wrong: Nemesis is the feeling of +righteous indignation aroused especially by the sight of the wicked in +undeserved prosperity (_cf. Psalms_, lxxii. 1-19).] + +1308 (return) [ The alternative version is: ‘and, working, you will be +much better loved both by gods and men; for they greatly dislike the +idle.’] + +1309 (return) [ _i.e._ neighbours come at once and without making +preparations, but kinsmen by marriage (who live at a distance) have to +prepare, and so are long in coming.] + +1310 (return) [ Early in May.] + +1311 (return) [ In November.] + +1312 (return) [ In October.] + +1313 (return) [ For pounding corn.] + +1314 (return) [ A mallet for breaking clods after ploughing.] + +1315 (return) [ The loaf is a flattish cake with two intersecting lines +scored on its upper surface which divide it into four equal parts.] + +1316 (return) [ The meaning is obscure. A scholiast renders ‘giving +eight mouthfulls’; but the elder Philostratus uses the word in contrast +to ‘leavened’.] + +1317 (return) [ About the middle of November.] + +1318 (return) [ Spring is so described because the buds have not yet +cast their iron-grey husks.] + +1319 (return) [ In December.] + +1320 (return) [ In March.] + +1321 (return) [ The latter part of January and earlier part of +February.] + +1322 (return) [ _i.e._ the octopus or cuttle.] + +1323 (return) [ _i.e._ the darker-skinned people of Africa, the +Egyptians or Aethiopians.] + +1324 (return) [ _i.e._ an old man walking with a staff (the ‘third +leg’— as in the riddle of the Sphinx).] + +1325 (return) [ February to March.] + +1326 (return) [ _i.e._ the snail. The season is the middle of May.] + +1327 (return) [ In June.] + +1328 (return) [ July.] + +1329 (return) [ _i.e._ a robber.] + +1330 (return) [ September.] + +1331 (return) [ The end of October.] + +1332 (return) [ That is, the succession of stars which make up the full +year.] + +1333 (return) [ The end of October or beginning of November.] + +1334 (return) [ July-August.] + +1335 (return) [ _i.e._ untimely, premature. Juvenal similarly speaks of +‘cruda senectus’ (caused by gluttony).] + +1336 (return) [ The thought is parallel to that of ‘O, what a goodly +outside falsehood hath.’] + +1337 (return) [ The ‘common feast’ is one to which all present +subscribe. Theognis (line 495) says that one of the chief pleasures of +a banquet is the general conversation. Hence the present passage means +that such a feast naturally costs little, while the many present will +make pleasurable conversation.] + +1338 (return) [ _i.e._ ‘do not cut your finger-nails’.] + +1339 (return) [ _i.e._ things which it would be sacrilege to disturb, +such as tombs.] + +1340 (return) [ H.G. Evelyn-White prefers to switch ll. 768 and 769, +reading l. 769 first then l. 768.—DBK] + +1341 (return) [ The month is divided into three periods, the waxing, +the mid-month, and the waning, which answer to the phases of the moon.] + +1342 (return) [ _i.e._ the ant.] + +1343 (return) [ Such seems to be the meaning here, though the epithet +is otherwise rendered ‘well-rounded’. Corn was threshed by means of a +sleigh with two runners having three or four rollers between them, like +the modern Egyptian _nurag_.] + +1401 (return) [ This halt verse is added by the Scholiast on Aratus, +172.] + +1402 (return) [ The “Catasterismi” (“Placings among the Stars”) is a +collection of legends relating to the various constellations.] + +1403 (return) [ The Straits of Messina.] + +1501 (return) [ Or perhaps ‘a Scythian’.] + +1601 (return) [ The epithet probably indicates coquettishness.] + +1602 (return) [ A proverbial saying meaning, ‘why enlarge on irrelevant +topics?’] + +1603 (return) [ ‘She of the noble voice’: Calliope is queen of Epic +poetry.] + +1604 (return) [ Earth, in the cosmology of Hesiod, is a disk surrounded +by the river Oceanus and floating upon a waste of waters. It is called +the foundation of all (the qualification ‘the deathless ones...’ etc. +is an interpolation), because not only trees, men, and animals, but +even the hills and seas (ll. 129, 131) are supported by it.] + +1605 (return) [ Aether is the bright, untainted upper atmosphere, as +distinguished from Aer, the lower atmosphere of the earth.] + +1606 (return) [ Brontes is the Thunderer; Steropes, the Lightener; and +Arges, the Vivid One.] + +1607 (return) [ The myth accounts for the separation of Heaven and +Earth. In Egyptian cosmology Nut (the Sky) is thrust and held apart +from her brother Geb (the Earth) by their father Shu, who corresponds +to the Greek Atlas.] + +1608 (return) [ Nymphs of the ash-trees, as Dryads are nymphs of the +oak-trees. Cp. note on _Works and Days_, l. 145.] + +1609 (return) [ ‘Member-loving’: the title is perhaps only a perversion +of the regular PHILOMEIDES (laughter-loving).] + +1610 (return) [ Cletho (the Spinner) is she who spins the thread of +man’s life; Lachesis (the Disposer of Lots) assigns to each man his +destiny; Atropos (She who cannot be turned) is the ‘Fury with the +abhorred shears.’] + +1611 (return) [ Many of the names which follow express various +qualities or aspects of the sea: thus Galene is ‘Calm’, Cymothoe is the +‘Wave-swift’, Pherusa and Dynamene are ‘She who speeds (ships)’ and +‘She who has power’.] + +1612 (return) [ The ‘Wave-receiver’ and the ‘Wave-stiller’.] + +1613 (return) [ ‘The Unerring’ or ‘Truthful’; cp. l. 235.] + +1614 (return) [ _i.e._ Poseidon.] + +1615 (return) [ Goettling notes that some of these nymphs derive their +names from lands over which they preside, as Europa, Asia, Doris, +Ianeira (‘Lady of the Ionians’), but that most are called after some +quality which their streams possessed: thus Xanthe is the ‘Brown’ or +‘Turbid’, Amphirho is the ‘Surrounding’ river, Ianthe is ‘She who +delights’, and Ocyrrhoe is the ‘Swift-flowing’.] + +1616 (return) [ _i.e._ Eos, the ‘Early-born’.] + +1617 (return) [ Van Lennep explains that Hecate, having no brothers to +support her claim, might have been slighted.] + +1618 (return) [ The goddess of the _hearth_ (the Roman _Vesta_), and so +of the house. Cp. _Homeric Hymns_ v.22 ff.; xxxix.1 ff.] + +1619 (return) [ The variant reading ‘of his father’ (sc. Heaven) rests +on inferior MS. authority and is probably an alteration due to the +difficulty stated by a Scholiast: ‘How could Zeus, being not yet +begotten, plot against his father?’ The phrase is, however, part of the +prophecy. The whole line may well be spurious, and is rejected by +Heyne, Wolf, Gaisford and Guyet.] + +1620 (return) [ Pausanias (x. 24.6) saw near the tomb of Neoptolemus ‘a +stone of no great size’, which the Delphians anointed every day with +oil, and which he says was supposed to be the stone given to Cronos.] + +1621 (return) [ A Scholiast explains: ‘Either because they (men) sprang +from the Melian nymphs (cp. l. 187); or because, when they were born +(?), they cast themselves under the ash-trees, that is, the trees.’ The +reference may be to the origin of men from ash-trees: cp. _Works and +Days_, l. 145 and note.] + +1622 (return) [ _sc_. Atlas, the Shu of Egyptian mythology: cp. note on +line 177.] + +1623 (return) [ Oceanus is here regarded as a continuous stream +enclosing the earth and the seas, and so as flowing back upon himself.] + +1624 (return) [ The conception of Oceanus is here different: he has +nine streams which encircle the earth and then flow out into the ‘main’ +which appears to be the waste of waters on which, according to early +Greek and Hebrew cosmology, the disk-like earth floated.] + +1625 (return) [ _i.e._ the threshold is of ‘native’ metal, and not +artificial.] + +1626 (return) [ According to Homer Typhoeus was overwhelmed by Zeus +amongst the Arimi in Cilicia. Pindar represents him as buried under +Aetna, and Tzetzes reads Aetna in this passage.] + +1627 (return) [ The epithet (which means literally _well-bored_) seems +to refer to the spout of the crucible.] + +1628 (return) [ The fire god. There is no reference to volcanic action: +iron was smelted on Mount Ida; cp. _Epigrams of Homer_, ix. 2-4.] + +1629 (return) [ _i.e._ Athena, who was born ‘on the banks of the river +Trito’ (cp. l. 929l)] + +1630 (return) [ Restored by Peppmuller. The nineteen following lines +from another recension of lines 889-900, 924-9 are quoted by Chrysippus +(in Galen).] + +1631 (return) [ _sc_. the aegis. Line 929s is probably spurious, since +it disagrees with l. 929q and contains a suspicious reference to +Athens.] + +1701 (return) [ A catalogue of heroines each of whom was introduced +with the words E OIE, ‘Or like her’.] + +1702 (return) [ An antiquarian writer of Byzantium, c. 490-570 A.D.] + +1703 (return) [ Constantine VII. ‘Born in the Porphyry Chamber’, +905-959 A.D.] + +1704 (return) [ “Berlin Papyri”, 7497 (left-hand fragment) and +“Oxyrhynchus Papyri”, 421 (right-hand fragment). For the restoration +see “Class. Quart.” vii. 217-8.] + +1705 (return) [ As the price to be given to her father for her: so in +_Iliad_ xviii. 593 maidens are called ‘earners of oxen’. Possibly +Glaucus, like Aias (fr. 68, ll. 55 ff.), raided the cattle of others.] + +1706 (return) [ _i.e._ Glaucus should father the children of others. +The curse of Aphrodite on the daughters of Tyndareus (fr. 67) may be +compared.] + +1707 (return) [ Porphyry, scholar, mathematician, philosopher and +historian, lived 233-305 (?) A.D. He was a pupil of the neo-Platonist +Plotinus.] + +1708 (return) [ Author of a geographical lexicon, produced after 400 +A.D., and abridged under Justinian.] + +1709 (return) [ Archbishop of Thessalonica 1175-1192 (?) A.D., author +of commentaries on Pindar and on the _Iliad_ and _Odyssey_.] + +1710 (return) [ In the earliest times a loin-cloth was worn by +athletes, but was discarded after the 14th Olympiad.] + +1711 (return) [ Slight remains of five lines precede line 1 in the +original: after line 20 an unknown number of lines have been lost, and +traces of a verse preceding line 21 are here omitted. Between lines 29 +and 30 are fragments of six verses which do not suggest any definite +restoration. (NOTE: Line enumeration is that according to Evelyn-White; +a slightly different line numbering system is adopted in the original +publication of this fragment.—DBK)] + +1712 (return) [ The end of Schoeneus’ speech, the preparations and the +beginning of the race are lost.] + +1713 (return) [ Of the three which Aphrodite gave him to enable him to +overcome Atalanta.] + +1714 (return) [ The geographer; fl. c.24 B.C.] + +1715 (return) [ Of Miletus, flourished about 520 B.C. His work, a +mixture of history and geography, was used by Herodotus.] + +1716 (return) [ The Hesiodic story of the daughters of Proetus can be +reconstructed from these sources. They were sought in marriage by all +the Greeks (Pauhellenes), but having offended Dionysus (or, according +to Servius, Juno), were afflicted with a disease which destroyed their +beauty (or were turned into cows). They were finally healed by +Melampus.] + +1717 (return) [ Fl. 56-88 A.D.: he is best known for his work on +Vergil.] + +1718 (return) [ This and the following fragment segment are meant to be +read together.—DBK.] + +1719 (return) [ This fragment as well as fragments #40A, #101, and #102 +were added by Mr. Evelyn-White in an appendix to the second edition +(1919). They are here moved to the _Catalogues_ proper for easier use +by the reader.—DBK.] + +1720 (return) [ For the restoration of ll. 1-16 see “Ox. Pap.” pt. xi. +pp. 46-7: the supplements of ll. 17-31 are by the Translator (cp. +“Class. Quart.” x. (1916), pp. 65-67).] + +1721 (return) [ The crocus was to attract Europa, as in the very +similar story of Persephone: cp. _Homeric Hymns_ ii. lines 8 ff.] + +1722 (return) [ Apollodorus of Athens (fl. 144 B.C.) was a pupil of +Aristarchus. He wrote a Handbook of Mythology, from which the extant +work bearing his name is derived.] + +1723 (return) [ Priest at Praeneste. He lived c. 170-230 A.D.] + +1724 (return) [ Son of Apollonius Dyscolus, lived in Rome under Marcus +Aurelius. His chief work was on accentuation.] + +1725 (return) [ This and the next two fragment segments are meant to be +read together.—DBK.] + +1726 (return) [ Sacred to Poseidon. For the custom observed there, cp. +_Homeric Hymns_ iii. 231 ff.] + +1727 (return) [ The allusion is obscure.] + +1728 (return) [ Apollonius ‘the Crabbed’ was a grammarian of Alexandria +under Hadrian. He wrote largely on Grammar and Syntax.] + +1729 (return) [ 275-195 (?) B.C., mathematician, astronomer, scholar, +and head of the Library of Alexandria.] + +1730 (return) [ Of Cyme. He wrote a universal history covering the +period between the Dorian Migration and 340 B.C.] + +1731 (return) [ _i.e._ the nomad Scythians, who are described by +Herodotus as feeding on mares’ milk and living in caravans.] + +1732 (return) [ The restorations are mainly those adopted or suggested +in “Ox. Pap.” pt. xi. pp. 48 ff.: for those of ll. 8-14 see “Class. +Quart.” x. (1916) pp. 67-69.] + +1733 (return) [ _i.e._ those who seek to outwit the oracle, or to ask +of it more than they ought, will be deceived by it and be led to ruin: +cp. _Hymn to Hermes_, 541 ff.] + +1734 (return) [ Zetes and Calais, sons of Boreas, who were amongst the +Argonauts, delivered Phineus from the Harpies. The Strophades (‘Islands +of Turning’) are here supposed to have been so called because the sons +of Boreas were there turned back by Iris from pursuing the Harpies.] + +1735 (return) [ An Epicurean philosopher, fl. 50 B.C.] + +1736 (return) [ ‘Charming-with-her-voice’ (or ‘Charming-the-mind’), +‘Song’, and ‘Lovely-sounding’.] + +1737 (return) [ Diodorus Siculus, fl. 8 B.C., author of an universal +history ending with Caesar’s Gallic Wars.] + +1738 (return) [ The first epic in the “Trojan Cycle”; like all ancient +epics it was ascribed to Homer, but also, with more probability, to +Stasinus of Cyprus.] + +1739 (return) [ This fragment is placed by Spohn after _Works and Days_ +l. 120.] + +1740 (return) [ A Greek of Asia Minor, author of the “Description of +Greece” (on which he was still engaged in 173 A.D.).] + +1741 (return) [ Wilamowitz thinks one or other of these citations +belongs to the Catalogue.] + +1742 (return) [ Lines 1-51 are from Berlin Papyri, 9739; lines 52-106 +with B. 1-50 (and following fragments) are from Berlin Papyri, 10560. A +reference by Pausanias (iii. 24. 10) to ll. 100 ff. proves that the two +fragments together come from the _Catalogue of Women_. The second book +(the beginning of which is indicated after l. 106) can hardly be the +second book of the _Catalogues_ proper: possibly it should be assigned +to the EOIAI, which were sometimes treated as part of the _Catalogues_, +and sometimes separated from it. The remains of thirty-seven lines +following B. 50 in the Papyrus are too slight to admit of restoration.] + +1743 (return) [ sc. the Suitor whose name is lost.] + +1744 (return) [ Wooing was by proxy; so Agamemnon wooed Helen for his +brother Menelaus (ll. 14-15), and Idomeneus, who came in person and +sent no deputy, is specially mentioned as an exception, and the reasons +for this—if the restoration printed in the text be right—is stated (ll. +69 ff.).] + +1745 (return) [ The Papyrus here marks the beginning of a second book +possibly of the _Eoiae_. The passage (ll. 2-50) probably led up to an +account of the Trojan (and Theban?) war, in which, according to _Works +and Days_ ll. 161-166, the Race of Heroes perished. The opening of the +_Cypria_ is somewhat similar. Somewhere in the fragmentary lines 13-19 +a son of Zeus—almost certainly Apollo—was introduced, though for what +purpose is not clear. With l. 31 the destruction of man (cp. ll. 4-5) +by storms which spoil his crops begins: the remaining verses are +parenthetical, describing the snake “which bears its young in the +spring season”.] + +1746 (return) [ _i.e._ the snake; as in _Works and Days_ l. 524, the +“Boneless One” is the cuttle-fish.] + +1747 (return) [ c. 1110-1180 A.D. His chief work was a poem, +“Chiliades”, in accentual verse of nearly 13,000 lines.] + +1748 (return) [ According to this account Iphigeneia was carried by +Artemis to the Taurie Chersonnese (the Crimea). The Tauri (Herodotus +iv. 103) identified their maiden-goddess with Iphigeneia; but Euripides +(_Iphigeneia in Tauris_) makes her merely priestess of the goddess.] + +1749 (return) [ Of Alexandria. He lived in the 5th century, and +compiled a Greek Lexicon.] + +1750 (return) [ For his murder Minos exacted a yearly tribute of boys +and girls, to be devoured by the Minotaur, from the Athenians.] + +1751 (return) [ Of Naucratis. His “Deipnosophistae” (“Dons at Dinner”) +is an encyclopaedia of miscellaneous topics in the form of a dialogue. +His date is c. 230 A.D.] + +1752 (return) [ There is a fancied connection between LAAS (‘stone’) +and LAOS (‘people’). The reference is to the stones which Deucalion and +Pyrrha transformed into men and women after the Flood.] + +1753 (return) [ Eustathius identifies Ileus with Oileus, father of +Aias. Here again is fanciful etymology, ILEUS being similar to ILEOS +(complaisant, gracious).] + +1754 (return) [ Imitated by Vergil, “Aeneid” vii. 808, describing +Camilla.] + +1755 (return) [ c. 600 A.D., a lecturer and grammarian of +Constantinople.] + +1756 (return) [ Priest of Apollo, and, according to Homer, discoverer +of wine. Maronea in Thrace is said to have been called after him.] + +1757 (return) [ The crow was originally white, but was turned black by +Apollo in his anger at the news brought by the bird.] + +1758 (return) [ A philosopher of Athens under Hadrian and Antonius. He +became a Christian and wrote a defence of the Christians addressed to +Antoninus Pius.] + +1759 (return) [ Zeus slew Asclepus (fr. 90) because of his success as a +healer, and Apollo in revenge killed the Cyclopes (fr. 64). In +punishment Apollo was forced to serve Admetus as herdsman. (Cp. +Euripides, _Alcestis_, 1-8)] + +1760 (return) [ For Cyrene and Aristaeus, cp. Vergil, _Georgics_, iv. +315 ff.] + +1761 (return) [ A writer on mythology of uncertain date.] + +1762 (return) [ In Epirus. The oracle was first consulted by Deucalion +and Pyrrha after the Flood. Later writers say that the god responded in +the rustling of leaves in the oaks for which the place was famous.] + +1763 (return) [ The fragment is part of a leaf from a papyrus book of +the 4th century A.D.] + +1764 (return) [ According to Homer and later writers Meleager wasted +away when his mother Althea burned the brand on which his life +depended, because he had slain her brothers in the dispute for the hide +of the Calydonian boar. (Cp. Bacchylides, “Ode” v. 136 ff.)] + +1765 (return) [ The fragment probably belongs to the _Catalogues_ +proper rather than to the Eoiae; but, as its position is uncertain, it +may conveniently be associated with Frags. 99A and the _Shield of +Heracles_.] + +1766 (return) [ Most of the smaller restorations appear in the original +publication, but the larger are new: these last are highly conjectual, +there being no definite clue to the general sense.] + +1767 (return) [ Alcmaon (who took part in the second of the two heroic +Theban expeditions) is perhaps mentioned only incidentally as the son +of Amphiaraus, who seems to be clearly indicated in ll. 7-8, and whose +story occupies ll. 5-10. At l. 11 the subject changes and Electryon is +introduced as father of Alcmena.] + +1768 (return) [ The association of ll. 1-16 with ll. 17-24 is presumed +from the apparent mention of Erichthonius in l. 19. A new section must +then begin at l. 21. See “Ox. Pap.” pt. xi. p. 55 (and for restoration +of ll. 5-16, ib. p. 53). ll. 19-20 are restored by the Translator.] + +1801 (return) [ A mountain peak near Thebes which took its name from +the Sphinx (called in _Theogony_ l. 326 PHIX).] + +1802 (return) [ Cyanus was a glass-paste of deep blue colour: the +‘zones’ were concentric bands in which were the scenes described by the +poet. The figure of Fear (l. 44) occupied the centre of the shield, and +Oceanus (l. 314) enclosed the whole.] + +1803 (return) [ ‘She who drives herds,’ _i.e._ ‘The Victorious’, since +herds were the chief spoil gained by the victor in ancient warfare.] + +1804 (return) [ The cap of darkness which made its wearer invisible.] + +1805 (return) [ The existing text of the vineyard scene is a compound +of two different versions, clumsily adapted, and eked out with some +makeshift additions.] + +1806 (return) [ The conception is similar to that of the sculptured +group at Athens of Two Lions devouring a Bull (Dickens, _Cat. of the +Acropolis Museum_, No. 3).] + +1901 (return) [ A Greek sophist who taught rhetoric at Rome in the time +of Hadrian. He is the author of a collection of proverbs in three +books.] + +2001 (return) [ When Heracles prayed that a son might be born to +Telamon and Eriboea, Zeus sent forth an eagle in token that the prayer +would be granted. Heracles then bade the parents call their son Aias +after the eagle (_aietos_).] + +2002 (return) [ Oenomaus, king of Pisa in Elis, warned by an oracle +that he should be killed by his son-in-law, offered his daughter +Hippodamia to the man who could defeat him in a chariot race, on +condition that the defeated suitors should be slain by him. Ultimately +Pelops, through the treachery of the charioteer of Oenomaus, became +victorious.] + +2003 (return) [ sc. to Scythia.] + +2004 (return) [ In the Homeric _Hymn to Hermes_ Battus almost +disappears from the story, and a somewhat different account of the +stealing of the cattle is given.] + +2101 (return) [ sc. Colophon. Proclus in his abstract of the _Returns_ +(sc. of the heroes from Troy) says Calchas and his party were present +at the death of Teiresias at Colophon, perhaps indicating another +version of this story.] + +2102 (return) [ ll. 1-2 are quoted by Athenaeus, ii. p. 40; ll. 3-4 by +Clement of Alexandria, _Stromateis_ vi. 2. 26. Buttman saw that the two +fragments should be joined. (NOTE: These two fragments should be read +together.—DBK)] + +2201 (return) [ sc. the golden fleece of the ram which carried Phrixus +and Helle away from Athamas and Ino. When he reached Colchis Phrixus +sacrificed the ram to Zeus.] + +2202 (return) [ Euboea properly means the ‘Island of fine Cattle (or +Cows)’.] + +2301 (return) [ This and the following fragment are meant to be read +together.—DBK] + +2302 (return) [ cp. Hesiod _Theogony_ 81 ff. But Theognis 169, ‘Whomso +the god honour, even a man inclined to blame praiseth him’, is much +nearer.] + +2401 (return) [ Cf. Scholion on Clement, “Protrept.” i. p. 302.] + +2402 (return) [ This line may once have been read in the text of _Works +and Days_ after l. 771.] + +2501 (return) [ ll. 1-9 are preserved by Diodorus Siculus iii. 66. 3; +ll. 10-21 are extant only in M.] + +2502 (return) [ Dionysus, after his untimely birth from Semele, was +sewn into the thigh of Zeus.] + +2503 (return) [ _sc_. Semele. Zeus is here speaking.] + +2504 (return) [ The reference is apparently to something in the body of +the hymn, now lost.] + +2505 (return) [ The Greeks feared to name Pluto directly and mentioned +him by one of many descriptive titles, such as ‘Host of Many’: compare +the Christian use of O DIABOLOS or our ‘Evil One’.] + +2506 (return) [ Demeter chooses the lowlier seat, supposedly as being +more suitable to her assumed condition, but really because in her +sorrow she refuses all comforts.] + +2507 (return) [ An act of communion—the drinking of the potion here +described—was one of the most important pieces of ritual in the +Eleusinian mysteries, as commemorating the sorrows of the goddess.] + +2508 (return) [ Undercutter and Woodcutter are probably popular names +(after the style of Hesiod’s ‘Boneless One’) for the worm thought to be +the cause of teething and toothache.] + +2509 (return) [ The list of names is taken—with five additions—from +Hesiod, _Theogony_ 349 ff.: for their general significance see note on +that passage.] + +2510 (return) [ Inscriptions show that there was a temple of Apollo +Delphinius (cp. ii. 495-6) at Cnossus and a Cretan month bearing the +same name.] + +2511 (return) [ sc. that the dolphin was really Apollo.] + +2512 (return) [ The epithets are transferred from the god to his altar +‘Overlooking’ is especially an epithet of Zeus, as in Apollonius +Rhodius ii. 1124.] + +2513 (return) [ Pliny notices the efficacy of the flesh of a tortoise +against withcraft. In _Geoponica_ i. 14. 8 the living tortoise is +prescribed as a charm to preserve vineyards from hail.] + +2514 (return) [ Hermes makes the cattle walk backwards way, so that +they seem to be going towards the meadow instead of leaving it (cp. l. +345); he himself walks in the normal manner, relying on his sandals as +a disguise.] + +2515 (return) [ Such seems to be the meaning indicated by the context, +though the verb is taken by Allen and Sikes to mean, ‘to be like +oneself’, and so ‘to be original’.] + +2516 (return) [ Kuhn points out that there is a lacuna here. In l. 109 +the borer is described, but the friction of this upon the fireblock (to +which the phrase ‘held firmly’ clearly belongs) must also have been +mentioned.] + +2517 (return) [ The cows being on their sides on the ground, Hermes +bends their heads back towards their flanks and so can reach their +backbones.] + +2518 (return) [ O. Muller thinks the ‘hides’ were a stalactite +formation in the ‘Cave of Nestor’ near Messenian Pylos,—though the cave +of Hermes is near the Alpheus (l. 139). Others suggest that actual +skins were shown as relics before some cave near Triphylian Pylos.] + +2519 (return) [ Gemoll explains that Hermes, having offered all the +meat as sacrifice to the Twelve Gods, remembers that he himself as one +of them must be content with the savour instead of the substance of the +sacrifice. Can it be that by eating he would have forfeited the +position he claimed as one of the Twelve Gods?] + +2520 (return) [ _Lit_. “thorn-plucker”.] + +2521 (return) [ Hermes is ambitious (l. 175), but if he is cast into +Hades he will have to be content with the leadership of mere babies +like himself, since those in Hades retain the state of growth—whether +childhood or manhood—in which they are at the moment of leaving the +upper world.] + +2522 (return) [ Literally, ‘you have made him sit on the floor’, _i.e._ +‘you have stolen everything down to his last chair.’] + +2523 (return) [ The Thriae, who practised divination by means of +pebbles (also called THRIAE). In this hymn they are represented as aged +maidens (ll. 553-4), but are closely associated with bees (ll. 559-563) +and possibly are here conceived as having human heads and breasts with +the bodies and wings of bees. See the edition of Allen and Sikes, +Appendix III.] + +2524 (return) [ Cronos swallowed each of his children the moment that +they were born, but ultimately was forced to disgorge them. Hestia, +being the first to be swallowed, was the last to be disgorged, and so +was at once the first and latest born of the children of Cronos. Cp. +Hesiod _Theogony_, ll. 495-7.] + +2525 (return) [ Mr. Evelyn-White prefers a different order for lines +#87-90 than that preserved in the MSS. This translation is based upon +the following sequence: ll. 89,90,87,88.—DBK.] + +2526 (return) [ ‘Cattle-earning’, because an accepted suitor paid for +his bride in cattle.] + +2527 (return) [ The name Aeneas is here connected with the epithet +AIEOS (awful): similarly the name Odysseus is derived (in _Odyssey_ +i.62) from ODYSSMAI (I grieve).] + +2528 (return) [ Aphrodite extenuates her disgrace by claiming that the +race of Anchises is almost divine, as is shown in the persons of +Ganymedes and Tithonus.] + +2529 (return) [ So Christ connecting the word with OMOS. L. and S. give += OMOIOS, ‘common to all’.] + +2530 (return) [ Probably not Etruscans, but the non-Hellenic peoples of +Thrace and (according to Thucydides) of Lemnos and Athens. Cp. +Herodotus i. 57; Thucydides iv. 109.] + +2531 (return) [ This line appears to be an alternative to ll. 10-11.] + +2532 (return) [ The name Pan is here derived from PANTES, ‘all’. Cp. +Hesiod, _Works and Days_ ll. 80-82, _Hymn to Aphrodite_ (v) l. 198. for +the significance of personal names.] + +2533 (return) [ Mr. Evelyn-White prefers to switch l. 10 and 11, +reading 11 first then 10.—DBK.] + +2534 (return) [ An extra line is inserted in some MSS. after l. 15.— +DBK.] + +2535 (return) [ The epithet is a usual one for birds, cp. Hesiod, +_Works and Days_, l. 210; as applied to Selene it may merely indicate +her passage, like a bird, through the air, or mean ‘far flying’.] + +2601 (return) [ The _Epigrams_ are preserved in the pseudo-Herodotean +_Life of Homer_. Nos. III, XIII, and XVII are also found in the +_Contest of Homer and Hesiod_, and No. I is also extant at the end of +some MSS. of the _Homeric Hymns_.] + +2602 (return) [ sc. from Smyrna, Homer’s reputed birth-place.] + +2603 (return) [ The councillors at Cyme who refused to support Homer at +the public expense.] + +2604 (return) [ The ‘better fruit’ is apparently the iron smelted out +in fires of pine-wood.] + +2605 (return) [ Hecate: cp. Hesiod, _Theogony_, l. 450.] + +2606 (return) [ _i.e._ in protection.] + +2607 (return) [ This song is called by pseudo-Herodotus EIRESIONE. The +word properly indicates a garland wound with wool which was worn at +harvest-festivals, but came to be applied first to the harvest song and +then to any begging song. The present is akin the Swallow-Song +(XELIDONISMA), sung at the beginning of spring, and answered to the +still surviving English May-Day songs. Cp. Athenaeus, viii. 360 B.] + +2608 (return) [ The lice which they caught in their clothes they left +behind, but carried home in their clothes those which they could not +catch.] + +2701 (return) [ See the cylix reproduced by Gerhard, _Abhandlungen_, +taf. 5,4. Cp. Stesichorus, Frag. 3 (Smyth).] + +2801 (return) [ The haunch was regarded as a dishonourable portion.] + +2802 (return) [ The horse of Adrastus, offspring of Poseidon and +Demeter, who had changed herself into a mare to escape Poseidon.] + +2803 (return) [ Restored from Pindar Ol. vi. 15 who, according to +Asclepiades, derives the passage from the _Thebais_.] + +2901 (return) [ So called from Teumessus, a hill in Boeotia. For the +derivation of Teumessus cp. Antimachus _Thebais_ fr. 3 (Kinkel).] + +3001 (return) [ The preceding part of the Epic Cycle (?).] + +3002 (return) [ While the Greeks were sacrificing at Aulis, a serpent +appeared and devoured eight young birds from their nest and lastly the +mother of the brood. This was interpreted by Calchas to mean that the +war would swallow up nine full years. Cp. _Iliad_ ii, 299 ff.] + +3003 (return) [ _i.e._ Stasinus (or Hegesias: cp. fr. 6): the phrase +‘Cyprian histories’ is equivalent to “The Cypria”.] + +3004 (return) [ Cp. Allen “C.R.” xxvii. 190.] + +3005 (return) [ These two lines possibly belong to the account of the +feast given by Agamemnon at Lemnos.] + +3006 (return) [ sc. the Asiatic Thebes at the foot of Mt. Placius.] + +3101 (return) [ sc. after cremation.] + +3102 (return) [ This fragment comes from a version of the _Contest of +Homer and Hesiod_ widely different from that now extant. The words ‘as +Lesches gives them (says)’ seem to indicate that the verse and a half +assigned to Homer came from the _Little Iliad_. It is possible they may +have introduced some unusually striking incident, such as the actual +Fall of Troy.] + +3103 (return) [ _i.e._ in the paintings by Polygnotus at Delphi.] + +3104 (return) [ _i.e._ the dead bodies in the picture.] + +3105 (return) [ According to this version Aeneas was taken to +Pharsalia. Better known are the Homeric account (according to which +Aeneas founded a new dynasty at Troy), and the legends which make him +seek a new home in Italy.] + +3201 (return) [ sc. knowledge of both surgery and of drugs.] + +3301 (return) [ Clement attributes this line to Augias: probably Agias +is intended.] + +3302 (return) [ Identical with the _Returns_, in which the Sons of +Atreus occupy the most prominent parts.] + +3401 (return) [ This Artemisia, who distinguished herself at the battle +of Salamis (Herodotus, vii. 99) is here confused with the later +Artemisia, the wife of Mausolus, who died 350 B.C.] + +3402 (return) [ _i.e._ the fox knows many ways to baffle its foes, +while the hedge-hog knows one only which is far more effectual.] + +3403 (return) [ Attributed to Homer by Zenobius, and by Bergk to the +_Margites_.] + +3501 (return) [ _i.e._ ‘monkey-men’.] + +3601 (return) [ Lines 42-52 are intrusive; the list of vegetables which +the Mouse cannot eat must follow immediately after the various dishes +of which he does eat.] + +3602 (return) [ lit. ‘those unable to swim’.] + +3603 (return) [ This may be a parody of Orion’s threat in Hesiod, +“Astronomy”, frag. 4.] + +3701 (return) [ sc. the riddle of the fisher-boys which comes at the +end of this work.] + +3702 (return) [ The verses of Hesiod are called doubtful in meaning +because they are, if taken alone, either incomplete or absurd.] + +3703 (return) [ _Works and Days_, ll. 383-392.] + +3704 (return) [ _Iliad_ xiii, ll. 126-133, 339-344.] + +3705 (return) [ The accepted text of the _Iliad_ contains 15,693 +verses; that of the _Odyssey_, 12,110.] + +3706 (return) [ _Iliad_ ii, ll. 559-568 (with two additional verses).] + +3707 (return) [ _Homeric Hymns_, iii.] + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica, by +Homer and Hesiod + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HESIOD, THE HOMERIC HYMNS *** + +***** This file should be named 348-0.txt or 348-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/4/348/ + +Produced by Douglas B. 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