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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text 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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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 + + + + +</pre> + +<div class="fig" style="width:60%;"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" style="width:100%;" alt="cover " /><br/><br/> +</div> + +<h1>Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica</h1> + +<h2>by Homer and Hesiod</h2> + +<hr /> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" > + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">PREPARER’S NOTE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">PREFACE</a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03"><b>INTRODUCTION</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">General</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">The Boeotian School</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">Life of Hesiod</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">The Hesiodic Poems</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">I. <i>The Works and Days</i></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">II. The Genealogical Poems</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">Date of the Hesiodic Poems</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">Literary Value of Homer</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">The Ionic School</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap13">The Trojan Cycle</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap14">The Homeric Hymns</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap15">The Epigrams of Homer</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap16">The Burlesque Poems</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap17">The Contest of Homer and Hesiod</a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap18"><b>BIBLIOGRAPHY</b></a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap19"><b>HESIOD</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap20">HESIOD’S WORKS AND DAYS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap21">THE DIVINATION BY BIRDS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap22">THE ASTRONOMY</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap23">THE PRECEPTS OF CHIRON</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap24">THE GREAT WORKS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap25">THE IDAEAN DACTYLS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap26">THE THEOGONY</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap27">THE CATALOGUES OF WOMEN AND EOIAE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap28">THE SHIELD OF HERACLES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap29">THE MARRIAGE OF CEYX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap30">THE GREAT EOIAE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap31">THE MELAMPODIA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap32">THE AEGIMIUS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap33">FRAGMENTS OF UNKNOWN POSITION</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap34">DOUBTFUL FRAGMENTS</a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap35"><b>THE HOMERIC HYMNS</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap36">I. TO DIONYSUS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap37">II. TO DEMETER</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap38">III. TO APOLLO</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap39">IV. TO HERMES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap40">V. TO APHRODITE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap41">VI. TO APHRODITE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap42">VII. TO DIONYSUS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap43">VIII. TO ARES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap44">IX. TO ARTEMIS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap45">X. TO APHRODITE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap46">XI. TO ATHENA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap47">XII. TO HERA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap48">XIII. TO DEMETER</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap49">XIV. TO THE MOTHER OF THE GODS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap50">XV. TO HERACLES THE LION-HEARTED</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap51">XVI. TO ASCLEPIUS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap52">XVII. TO THE DIOSCURI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap53">XVIII. TO HERMES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap54">XIX. TO PAN</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap55">XX. TO HEPHAESTUS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap56">XXI. TO APOLLO</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap57">XXII. TO POSEIDON</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap58">XXIII. TO THE SON OF CRONOS, MOST HIGH</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap59">XXIV. TO HESTIA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap60">XXV. TO THE MUSES AND APOLLO</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap61">XXVI. TO DIONYSUS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap62">XXVII. TO ARTEMIS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap63">XXVIII. TO ATHENA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap64">XXIX. TO HESTIA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap65">XXX. TO EARTH THE MOTHER OF ALL</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap66">XXXI. TO HELIOS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap67">XXXII. TO SELENE</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap68">XXXIII. TO THE DIOSCURI</a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap69"><b>THE EPIGRAMS OF HOMER</b></a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap70"><b>THE EPIC CYCLE</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap71">THE WAR OF THE TITANS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap72">THE STORY OF OEDIPUS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap73">THE THEBAID</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap74">THE EPIGONI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap75">THE CYPRIA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap76">THE AETHIOPIS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap77">THE LITTLE ILIAD</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap78">THE SACK OF ILIUM</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap79">THE RETURNS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap80">THE TELEGONY</a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap81"><b>HOMERICA</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap82">THE EXPEDITION OF AMPHIARAUS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap83">THE TAKING OF OECHALIA</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap84">THE PHOCAIS</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap85">THE MARGITES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap86">THE CERCOPES</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap87">THE BATTLE OF FROGS AND MICE</a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap88"><b>THE CONTEST OF HOMER AND HESIOD</b></a><br/><br/></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap89"><b>ENDNOTES</b></a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +<p class="letter"> +<b>This file contains translations of the following works:</b> Hesiod: <i>Works +and Days</i>, <i>The Theogony</i>, fragments of <i>The Catalogues of Women and +the Eoiae</i>, <i>The Shield of Heracles</i> (attributed to Hesiod), and +fragments of various works attributed to Hesiod. <br/> <br/> Homer: <i>The +Homeric Hymns</i>, <i>The Epigrams of Homer</i> (both attributed to Homer). +<br/> <br/> Various: Fragments of the Epic Cycle (parts of which are sometimes +attributed to Homer), fragments of other epic poems attributed to Homer, <i>The +Battle of Frogs and Mice</i>, and <i>The Contest of Homer and Hesiod</i>. <br/> +<br/> 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. +</p> + +<p class="letter"> +<b>Project Gutenberg Editor’s Note:</b> 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. +</p> + +<hr /> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap01"></a>PREPARER’S NOTE</h2> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap02"></a>PREFACE</h2> + +<p> +This volume contains practically all that remains of the post-Homeric and +pre-academic epic poetry. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>apparatus criticus</i> 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 +<i>Catalogues</i> (for example), fragmentary as they are, is certainly after +the <i>Theogony</i>. +</p> + +<p> +In preparing the text of the <i>Homeric Hymns</i> 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 <i>Journal of Hellenic Studies</i> (vols. xv. <i>sqq</i>.) +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 <i>Hymn to +Demeter</i>, lines 387-401 and 462-470, printed in the Oxford Text of 1912. +</p> + +<p> +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). +</p> + +<p> +The texts of the <i>Batrachomyomachia</i> and of the <i>Contest of Homer and +Hesiod</i> are those of Baumeister and Flach respectively: where I have +diverged from these, the fact has been noted. +</p> + +<p> +Owing to the circumstances of the present time I have been prevented from +giving to the <i>Introduction</i> that full revision which I should have +desired. +</p> + +<p class="letter"> +Hugh G. Evelyn-White,<br/> +Rampton, NR. Cambridge.<br/> +<i>Sept</i>. 9<i>th</i>, 1914. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap03"></a>INTRODUCTION</h2> + +<h3><a name="chap04"></a>General</h3> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +The second period, which produced the <i>Iliad</i> and the <i>Odyssey</i>, +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 <i>Iliad</i> and the <i>Odyssey</i> 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 <i>genre</i>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-1101" name="linknoteref-1101" +id="linknoteref-1101"><small>1101</small></a>, 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 +<i>Theogony</i>: ‘We can tell many a feigned tale to look like truth, but +we can, when we will, utter the truth’ (<i>Theogony</i> 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 <i>Odyssey</i> is an organism and dramatic in +structure, a work such as the <i>Theogony</i> 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 <i>Shield of Heracles</i>) to the Homeric tradition. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap05"></a>The Boeotian School</h3> + +<p> +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 +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +“Till May be out, ne’er cast a clout,” +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +or +</p> + +<p class="poem"> +“A rainbow in the morning<br/> +Is the Shepherd’s warning.” +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Though the poems of the Boeotian school <a href="#linknote-1102" +name="linknoteref-1102" id="linknoteref-1102"><small>1102</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap06"></a>Life of Hesiod</h3> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Hesiod’s father (whose name, by a perversion of <i>Works and Days</i>, +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 +(<i>Works and Days</i>, 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 (<i>Works and Days</i>, 37-39). While his brother +wasted his patrimony and ultimately came to want (<i>Works and Days</i>, 34 +ff.), Hesiod lived a farmer’s life until, according to the very early +tradition preserved by the author of the <i>Theogony</i> (22-23), the Muses met +him as he was tending sheep on Mt. Helicon and “taught him a glorious +song”—doubtless the <i>Works and Days</i>. 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 (<i>Works and Days</i>, 651-9). +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Etymologicum Magnu</i> +(<i>s.v.</i> {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 <i>Works and Days</i> is shown by Rzach <a href="#linknote-1103" +name="linknoteref-1103" id="linknoteref-1103"><small>1103</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Again, Hesiod’s story of his relations with his brother Perses have been +treated with scepticism (<i>see</i> Murray, <i>Anc. Gk. Literature</i>, 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 <i>Precepts of Chiron</i>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +Thirdly, there is the passage in the <i>Theogony</i> 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 <i>Theogony</i> tells the story of his own +inspiration by the same Muses who <i>once</i> 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 <i>Works and Days</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Lastly, there is the famous story of the contest in song at Chalcis. In later +times the modest version in the <i>Works and Days</i> 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 <a href="#linknote-1104" name="linknoteref-1104" +id="linknoteref-1104"><small>1104</small></a>, was transferred to Delos. These +developments certainly need no consideration: are we to say the same of the +passage in the <i>Works and Days?</i> 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 <i>circa</i> 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 <i>Works and +Days</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-1105" name="linknoteref-1105" +id="linknoteref-1105"><small>1105</small></a>, 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 (<i>Palatine Anthology</i>, vii 55). +</p> + +<p class="letter"> +“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.” +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap07"></a>The Hesiodic Poems</h3> +<p> +The Hesiodic poems fall into two groups according as they are didactic +(technical or gnomic) or genealogical: the first group centres round the +<i>Works and Days</i>, the second round the <i>Theogony</i>. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap08"></a>I. “The Works and Days”</h3> + +<p> +The poem consists of four main sections. (<i>a</i>) 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. (<i>b</i>) 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. (<i>c</i>) 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. +(<i>d</i>) 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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Gesta Romanorum</i>, old +chronicles, and old plays; but close inspection will show that the <i>Works and +Days</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Of the Hesiodic poems similar in character to the <i>Works and Days</i>, only +the scantiest fragments survive. One at least of these, the <i>Divination by +Birds</i>, was, as we know from Proclus, attached to the end of the +<i>Works</i> 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 +<i>Astronomy</i> or <i>Astrology</i> (as Plutarch calls it) was in turn +appended to the <i>Divination</i>. 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 <i>Precepts of Chiron</i> was a didactic poem made +up of moral and practical precepts, resembling the gnomic sections of the +<i>Works and Days</i>, addressed by the Centaur Chiron to his pupil Achilles. +Even less is known of the poem called the <i>Great Works</i>: the title implies +that it was similar in subject to the second section of the <i>Works and +Days</i>, but longer. Possible references in Roman writers <a +href="#linknote-1106" name="linknoteref-1106" +id="linknoteref-1106"><small>1106</small></a> 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 +<a href="#linknote-1107" name="linknoteref-1107" +id="linknoteref-1107"><small>1107</small></a> on <i>Works and Days</i> 126 +makes it likely that metals also were dealt with. It is therefore possible that +another lost poem, the <i>Idaean Dactyls</i>, which dealt with the discovery of +metals and their working, was appended to, or even was a part of the <i>Great +Works</i>, just as the <i>Divination by Birds</i> was appended to the <i>Works +and Days</i>. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap09"></a>II. The Genealogical Poems</h3> + +<p> +The only complete poem of the genealogical group is the <i>Theogony</i>, which +traces from the beginning of things the descent and vicissitudes of the +families of the gods. Like the <i>Works and Days</i> 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”. +</p> + +<p> +This conclusion served to link the <i>Theogony</i> to what must have been a +distinct poem, the <i>Catalogues of Women</i>. This work was divided into four +(Suidas says five) books, the last one (or two) of which was known as the +<i>Eoiae</i> and may have been again a distinct poem: the curious title will be +explained presently. The <i>Catalogues</i> 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 <i>mutterrecht</i> still left its traces in northern +Greece in historical times. +</p> + +<p> +The following analysis (after Marckscheffel) <a href="#linknote-1108" +name="linknoteref-1108" id="linknoteref-1108"><small>1108</small></a> 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 <i>Catalogues</i>: 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. +</p> + +<p> +This tendency to introduce romantic episodes led to an important development. +Several poems are ascribed to Hesiod, such as the <i>Epithalamium of Peleus and +Thetis</i>, the <i>Descent of Theseus into Hades</i>, or the <i>Circuit of the +Earth</i> (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 <i>Catalogues</i>. It is highly probable that these poems were +interpolations into the <i>Catalogues</i> 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 <i>Shield of Heracles</i>, the first 53 lines of which belong to the +fourth book of the <i>Catalogues</i>, and almost certainly applies to other +episodes, such as the <i>Suitors of Helen</i> <a href="#linknote-1109" +name="linknoteref-1109" id="linknoteref-1109"><small>1109</small></a>, the +<i>Daughters of Leucippus</i>, and the <i>Marriage of Ceyx</i>, which last +Plutarch mentions as “interpolated in the works of Hesiod.” +</p> + +<p> +To the <i>Catalogues</i>, as we have said, was appended another work, the +<i>Eoiae</i>. The title seems to have arisen in the following way <a +href="#linknote-1110" name="linknoteref-1110" +id="linknoteref-1110"><small>1110</small></a>: the <i>Catalogues</i> probably +ended (ep. <i>Theogony</i> 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 <i>Eoiae</i> is extant at the beginning of the <i>Shield of Heracles</i>, +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 (<i>Iliad</i> xviii. 478 ff.). Nothing shows more clearly +the collapse of the principles of the Hesiodic school than this ultimate +servile dependence upon Homeric models. +</p> + +<p> +At the close of the <i>Shield</i> Heracles goes on to Trachis to the house of +Ceyx, and this warning suggests that the <i>Marriage of Ceyx</i> may have come +immediately after the ‘Or such as was’ of Alcmena in the +<i>Eoiae</i>: possibly Halcyone, the wife of Ceyx, was one of the heroines sung +in the poem, and the original section was “developed” into the +<i>Marriage</i>, although what form the poem took is unknown. +</p> + +<p> +Next to the <i>Eoiae</i> and the poems which seemed to have been developed from +it, it is natural to place the <i>Great Eoiae</i>. 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 <i>Eoiae</i>, but +its extent is unknown. Lehmann, remarking that the heroines are all Boeotian +and Thessalian (while the heroines of the <i>Catalogues</i> belong to all parts +of the Greek world), believes the author to have been either a Boeotian or +Thessalian. +</p> + +<p> +Two other poems are ascribed to Hesiod. Of these the <i>Aegimius</i> (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 <i>Melampodia</i>, 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. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap10"></a>Date of the Hesiodic Poems</h3> + +<p> +There is no doubt that the <i>Works and Days</i> is the oldest, as it is the +most original, of the Hesiodic poems. It seems to be distinctly earlier than +the <i>Theogony</i>, which refers to it, apparently, as a poem already +renowned. Two considerations help us to fix a relative date for the +<i>Works</i>. (1) In diction, dialect and style it is obviously dependent upon +Homer, and is therefore considerably later than the <i>Iliad</i> and +<i>Odyssey</i>: 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 +<i>Works and Days</i>. The <i>Theogony</i> might be tentatively placed a +century later; and the <i>Catalogues</i> and <i>Eoiae</i> are again later, but +not greatly later, than the <i>Theogony</i>: the <i>Shield of Heracles</i> 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. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap11"></a>Literary Value of Homer</h3> + +<p> +Quintillian’s <a href="#linknote-1111" name="linknoteref-1111" +id="linknoteref-1111"><small>1111</small></a> 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 (<i>Works and Days</i>, 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 <i>Contest of Hesiod and Homer</i>—selected as +best in all his work, ‘When the Pleiades, Atlas’ daughters, begin +to rise...’ (<i>Works and Days</i>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Works +and Days</i>: the literary values of the <i>Theogony</i> 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. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap12"></a>The Ionic School</h3> + +<p> +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 +<i>Iliad</i> and <i>Odyssey</i>. 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 <i>Iliad</i> or <i>Odyssey</i>. 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 <i>Cycle</i>, +“round” or “course”, was given to this collection. +</p> + +<p> +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>i.e.</i> Eutychius +Proclus of Sicca. +</p> + +<p> +The pre-Trojan poems of the Cycle may be noticed first. The <i>Titanomachy</i>, +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 <i>Theogony</i> +(617 ff.). +</p> + +<p> +What links bound the <i>Titanomachy</i> to the Theben Cycle is not clear. This +latter group was formed of three poems, the <i>Story of Oedipus</i>, the +<i>Thebais</i>, and the <i>Epigoni</i>. Of the <i>Oedipodea</i> 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 <i>Oedipus Tyrannus</i>. The <i>Thebais</i> 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 <i>Epigoni</i> (ascribed +to Antimachus of Teos) recounted the expedition of the “After-Born” +against Thebes, and the sack of the city. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap13"></a>The Trojan Cycle</h3> + +<p> +Six epics with the <i>Iliad</i> and the <i>Odyssey</i> made up the Trojan +Cycle—The <i>Cyprian Lays</i>, the <i>Iliad</i>, the <i>Aethiopis</i>, +the <i>Little Iliad</i>, the <i>Sack of Troy</i>, the <i>Returns</i>, the +<i>Odyssey</i>, and the <i>Telegony</i>. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Returns</i> all the prominent Greek heroes +except Odysseus are accounted for, we are forced to believe that the author of +this poem knew the <i>Odyssey</i> and judged it unnecessary to deal in full +with that hero’s adventures. <a href="#linknote-1112" +name="linknoteref-1112" id="linknoteref-1112"><small>1112</small></a> In a +word, the Cyclic poems are “written round” the <i>Iliad</i> and the +<i>Odyssey</i>. (3) The general structure of these epics is clearly imitative. +As M.M. Croiset remark, the abusive Thersites in the <i>Aethiopis</i> is +clearly copied from the Thersites of the <i>Iliad</i>; 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 <i>Returns</i> is +far wider and more precise than that of the <i>Odyssey</i>. (5) Moreover, in +the Cyclic poems epic is clearly degenerating morally—if the expression +may be used. The chief greatness of the <i>Iliad</i> 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 <i>Iliad</i> and +<i>Odyssey</i>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +The earliest of the post-Homeric epics of Troy are apparently the +<i>Aethiopis</i> and the <i>Sack of Ilium</i>, 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 <i>Iliad</i>. The <i>Aethiopis</i> 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 <i>Sack of Ilium</i> <a href="#linknote-1113" +name="linknoteref-1113" id="linknoteref-1113"><small>1113</small></a> as +analysed by Proclus was very similar to Vergil’s version in <i>Aeneid</i> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Lesches or Lescheos (as Pausanias calls him) of Pyrrha or Mitylene is dated at +about 660 B.C. In his <i>Little Iliad</i> he undertook to elaborate the +<i>Sack</i> 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, <i>Poetics</i>, xxiii; Pausanias, x, 25-27), that +the <i>Little Iliad</i> also contained a description of the <i>Sack of +Troy</i>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +The <i>Cyprian Lays</i>, ascribed to Stasinus of Cyprus <a +href="#linknote-1114" name="linknoteref-1114" +id="linknoteref-1114"><small>1114</small></a> (but also to Hegesinus of +Salamis) was designed to do for the events preceding the action of the +<i>Iliad</i> what Arctinus had done for the later phases of the Trojan War. The +<i>Cypria</i> 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 <i>Iliad</i> begins. +</p> + +<p> +These four poems rounded off the story of the <i>Iliad</i>, and it only +remained to connect this enlarged version with the <i>Odyssey</i>. This was +done by means of the <i>Returns</i>, a poem in five books ascribed to Agias or +Hegias of Troezen, which begins where the <i>Sack of Troy</i> 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 <i>Odyssey</i>. +</p> + +<p> +But the <i>Odyssey</i> 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 <i>Telegony</i>, a +poem in two books by Eugammon of Cyrene (<i>fl</i>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +The end of the Cycle marks also the end of the Heroic Age. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap14"></a>The Homeric Hymns</h3> + +<p> +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 (<i>temp</i>. 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 <i>Hymn to Apollo</i>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +Thucydides, in quoting the <i>Hymn to Apollo</i>, 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 <i>Demeter</i> (ii), <i>Apollo</i> (iii), <i>Hermes</i> (iv), +<i>Aphrodite</i> (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. +</p> + +<p> +The Hymns to <i>Pan</i> (xix), to <i>Dionysus</i> (xxvi), to <i>Hestia and +Hermes</i> (xxix), seem to have been designed for use at definite religious +festivals, apart from recitations. With the exception perhaps of the <i>Hymn to +Ares</i> (viii), no item in the collection can be regarded as either devotional +or liturgical. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +First, apparently, in the collection stood the <i>Hymn to Dionysus</i>, of +which only two fragments now survive. While it appears to have been a hymn of +the longer type <a href="#linknote-1115" name="linknoteref-1115" +id="linknoteref-1115"><small>1115</small></a>, we have no evidence to show +either its scope or date. +</p> + +<p> +The <i>Hymn to Demeter</i>, 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). +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +The <i>Hymn to Apollo</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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 +<i>Nem</i>. ii, 2) to Cynaethus of Chios (<i>fl</i>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +The <i>Hymn to Hermes</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +The Hymn is hard to date. Hermes’ lyre has seven strings and the +invention of the seven-stringed lyre is ascribed to Terpander (<i>flor</i>. 676 +B.C.). The hymn must therefore be later than that date, though Terpander, +according to Weir Smyth <a href="#linknote-1116" name="linknoteref-1116" +id="linknoteref-1116"><small>1116</small></a>, 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 +<i>Battle of the Frogs and Mice</i>, so that a date in the earlier part of the +sixth century is most probable. +</p> + +<p> +The <i>Hymn to Aphrodite</i> 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 +(<i>Odyssey</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Hymn to +Demeter</i>, so that the date must lie between these two periods, and the +seventh century seems to be the latest date possible. +</p> + +<p> +The <i>Hymn to Dionysus</i> 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 <a href="#linknote-1117" name="linknoteref-1117" +id="linknoteref-1117"><small>1117</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +Very different in character is the <i>Hymn to Ares</i>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +The only other considerable hymn is that to <i>Pan</i>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +The remaining hymns are mostly of the briefest compass, merely hailing the god +to be celebrated and mentioning his chief attributes. The Hymns to +<i>Hermes</i> (xviii), to the <i>Dioscuri</i> (xvii), and to <i>Demeter</i> +(xiii) are mere abstracts of the longer hymns iv, xxxiii, and ii. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap15"></a>The Epigrams of Homer</h3> + +<p> +The <i>Epigrams of Homer</i> are derived from the pseudo-Herodotean <i>Life of +Homer</i>, but many of them occur in other documents such as the <i>Contest of +Homer and Hesiod</i>, 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. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap16"></a>The Burlesque Poems</h3> + +<p> +To Homer were popularly ascribed certain burlesque poems in which Aristotle +(<i>Poetics</i> iv) saw the germ of comedy. Most interesting of these, were it +extant, would be the <i>Margites</i>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +Another poem, of which we know even less, is the <i>Cercopes</i>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +Finally there is the <i>Battle of the Frogs and Mice</i>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Suidas is confusing the two Artemisias, but he may be right in attributing the +poem to about 480 B.C. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap17"></a>The Contest of Homer and Hesiod</h3> + +<p> +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 (<i>Conviv. Sept. Sap.</i>, 40) +uses an earlier (or at least a shorter) version than that which we possess <a +href="#linknote-1118" name="linknoteref-1118" +id="linknoteref-1118"><small>1118</small></a>. The extant <i>Contest</i>, +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 <i>Life of Homer</i>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Contest</i> proper, many of +which—did we possess the clue—would have to be referred to poems of +the Epic Cycle. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap18"></a>BIBLIOGRAPHY</h2> + +<p> +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, <i>Works and Days</i> 169 a-d, and the improved readings +<i>ib</i>. 278, <i>Theogony</i> 91, 93. Our chief gains from papyri are the +numerous and excellent fragments of the Catalogues which have been recovered. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +<i>Works and Days:</i>— +</p> + +<p> +S Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1090. +</p> + +<p> +A Vienna, Rainer Papyri L.P. 21-9 (4th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +B Geneva, Naville Papyri Pap. 94 (6th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +C Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2771 (11th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +D Florence, Laur. xxxi 39 (12th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +E Messina, Univ. Lib. Preexistens 11 (12th-13th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +F Rome, Vatican 38 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +G Venice, Marc. ix 6 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +H Florence, Laur. xxxi 37 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +I Florence, Laur. xxxii 16 (13th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +K Florence, Laur. xxxii 2 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +L Milan, Ambros. G 32 sup. (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +M Florence, Bibl. Riccardiana 71 (15th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +N Milan, Ambros. J 15 sup. (15th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +O Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2773 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +P Cambridge, Trinity College (Gale MS.), O.9.27 (13th-14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +Q Rome, Vatican 1332 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +These MSS. are divided by Rzach into the following families, issuing from a +common original:— +</p> + +<p> +Ωa = C +</p> + +<p> +Ωb = F, G, H +</p> + +<p> +Ψa = D +</p> + +<p> +Ψb = I ,K, L, M +</p> + +<p> +Φa = E +</p> + +<p> +Φb = N, O, P, Q +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +<i>Theogony:</i>— +</p> + +<p> +N Manchester, Rylands GK. Papyri No. 54 (1st cent. B.C.—1st cent. A.D.). +</p> +<p> +O Oxyrhynchus Papyri 873 (3rd cent.). +</p> +<p> +A Paris, Bibl. Nat. Suppl. Graec. (papyrus) 1099 (4th-5th cent.). +</p> +<p> +B London, British Museam clix (4th cent.). +</p> +<p> +R Vienna, Rainer Papyri L.P. 21-9 (4th cent.). +</p> +<p> +C Paris, Bibl. Nat. Suppl. Graec. 663 (12th cent.). +</p> +<p> +D Florence, Laur. xxxii 16 (13th cent.). +</p> +<p> +E Florence, Laur., Conv. suppr. 158 (14th cent.). +</p> +<p> +F Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2833 (15th cent.). +</p> +<p> +G Rome, Vatican 915 (14th cent.). +</p> +<p> +H Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2772 (14th cent.). +</p> +<p> +I Florence, Laur. xxxi 32 (15th cent.). +</p> +<p> +K Venice, Marc. ix 6 (15th cent.). +</p> +<p> +L Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2708 (15th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +These MSS. are divided into two families: +</p> + +<p> +Ωa = C,D +</p> +<p> +Ωb = E, F +</p> +<p> +Ωc = G, H, I +</p> +<p> +Ψ = K, L +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +<i>Shield of Heracles:</i>— +</p> + +<p> +P Oxyrhynchus Papyri 689 (2nd cent.). +</p> + +<p> +A Vienna, Rainer Papyri L.P. 21-29 (4th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +Q Berlin Papyri, 9774 (1st cent.). +</p> + +<p> +B Paris, Bibl. Nat., Suppl. Graec. 663 (12th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +C Paris, Bibl. Nat., Suppl. Graec. 663 (12th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +D Milan, Ambros. C 222 (13th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +E Florence, Laur. xxxii 16 (13th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +F Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2773 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +G Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2772 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +H Florence, Laur. xxxi 32 (15th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +I London, British Museam Harleianus (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +K Rome, Bibl. Casanat. 356 (14th cent.) +</p> + +<p> +L Florence, Laur. Conv. suppr. 158 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +M Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2833 (15th cent.). +</p> + +<p> + +</p> + +<p> +These MSS. belong to two families: +</p> + +<p> + +</p> + +<p> +Ωa = B, C, D, F +</p> + +<p> +Ωb = G, H, I +</p> + +<p> +Ψa = E +</p> + +<p> +Ψb = K, L, M +</p> + +<p> +To these must be added two MSS. of mixed family: +</p> + +<p> +N Venice, Marc. ix 6 (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +O Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2708 (15th cent.). +</p> +<p class="p2"> +<i>Editions of Hesiod:</i>— +</p> + +<p> +Demetrius Chalcondyles, Milan (?) 1493 (?) (<i>editio princeps</i>, containing, +however, only the <i>Works and Days</i>). +</p> + +<p> +Aldus Manutius +(Aldine edition), Venice, 1495 (complete works). +</p> + +<p> +Juntine Editions, 1515 and 1540. +</p> + +<p> +Trincavelli, Venice, 1537 (with scholia). +</p> + +<p> +Of modern editions, the following may be noticed:— +</p> + +<p> +Gaisford, Oxford, 1814-1820; Leipzig, 1823 (with scholia: in Poett. Graec. Minn +II). +</p> + +<p> +Goettling, Gotha, 1831 (3rd edition. Leipzig, 1878). +</p> + +<p> +Didot Edition, Paris, 1840. +</p> + +<p> +Schömann, 1869. +</p> + +<p> +Koechly and Kinkel, Leipzig, 1870. +</p> + +<p> +Flach, Leipzig, 1874-8. +</p> + +<p> +Rzach, Leipzig, 1902 (larger edition), 1913 (smaller edition). +</p> + +<p> +On the Hesiodic poems generally the ordinary Histories of Greek Literature may +be consulted, but especially the <i>Hist. de la Littérature Grecque</i> I pp. +459 ff. of MM. Croiset. The summary account in Prof. Murray’s <i>Anc. Gk. +Lit.</i> is written with a strong sceptical bias. Very valuable is the appendix +to Mair’s translation (Oxford, 1908) on <i>The Farmer’s Year in +Hesiod</i>. Recent work on the Hesiodic poems is reviewed in full by Rzach in +Bursian’s <i>Jahresberichte</i> vols. 100 (1899) and 152 (1911). +</p> + +<p> +For the <i>Fragments</i> of Hesiodic poems the work of Markscheffel, <i>Hesiodi +Fragmenta</i> (Leipzig, 1840), is most valuable: important also is +Kinkel’s <i>Epicorum Graecorum Fragmenta</i> I (Leipzig, 1877) and the +editions of Rzach noticed above. For recently discovered papyrus fragments see +Wilamowitz, <i>Neue Bruchstücke d. Hesiod Katalog</i> (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 <i>Catalogues</i>. +</p> + +<p> +1) Berlin Papyri 7497 <a href="#linknote-1201" name="linknoteref-1201" +id="linknoteref-1201">1201</a> (2nd cent.).—Frag. 7. +</p> + +<p> +2) <i>Oxyrhynchus Papyri</i> 421 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 7. +</p> + +<p> +3) <i>Petrie Papyri</i> iii 3.—Frag. 14. +</p> + +<p> +4) <i>Papiri greci e latine</i>, No. 130 (2nd-3rd cent.).—Frag. +14. +</p> + +<p> +5) Strassburg Papyri, 55 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 58. +</p> + +<p> +6) Berlin Papyri 9739 (2nd cent.).—Frag. 58. +</p> + +<p> +7) Berlin Papyri 10560 (3rd cent.).—Frag. 58. +</p> + +<p> +8) Berlin Papyri 9777 (4th cent.).—Frag. 98. +</p> + +<p> +9) <i>Papiri greci e latine</i>, No. 131 (2nd-3rd cent.).—Frag. +99. +</p> + +<p> +10) Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358-9. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +<i>The Homeric Hymns:</i>—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 +(<i>Berl. Klassikertexte</i> v.1. pp. 7 ff.) contains a paraphrase of a poem +very closely parallel to the <i>Hymn to Demeter</i>. +</p> + +<p> +The mediaeval MSS. <a href="#linknote-1202" name="linknoteref-1202" +id="linknoteref-1202"><small>1202</small></a> are thus enumerated by Dr. T.W. +Allen:— +</p> + +<p> +A Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2763. +</p> + +<p> +At Athos, Vatopedi 587. +</p> + +<p> +B Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2765. +</p> + +<p> +C Paris, Bibl. Nat. 2833. +</p> + +<p> +Γ Brussels, Bibl. Royale 11377-11380 (16th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +D Milan, Amrbos. B 98 sup. +</p> + +<p> +E Modena, Estense iii E 11. +</p> + +<p> +G Rome, Vatican, Regina 91 (16th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +H London, British Mus. Harley 1752. +</p> + +<p> +J Modena, Estense, ii B 14. +</p> + +<p> +K Florence, Laur. 31, 32. +</p> + +<p> +L Florence, Laur. 32, 45. +</p> + +<p> +L2 Florence, Laur. 70, 35. +</p> + +<p> +L3 Florence, Laur. 32, 4. +</p> + +<p> +M Leyden (the Moscow MS.) 33 H (14th cent.). +</p> + +<p> +Mon. Munich, Royal Lib. 333 c. +</p> + +<p> +N Leyden, 74 c. +</p> + +<p> +O Milan, Ambros. C 10 inf. +</p> + +<p> +P Rome, Vatican Pal. graec. 179. +</p> + +<p> +Π Paris, Bibl. Nat. Suppl. graec. 1095. +</p> + +<p> +Q Milan, Ambros. S 31 sup. +</p> + +<p> +R1 Florence, Bibl. Riccard. 53 K ii 13. +</p> + +<p> +R2 Florence, Bibl. Riccard. 52 K ii 14. +</p> + +<p> +S Rome, Vatican, Vaticani graec. 1880. +</p> + +<p> +T Madrid, Public Library 24. +</p> + +<p> +V Venice, Marc. 456. +</p> + +<p> +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):— +</p> + +<p> +x<sup>1</sup> = E, T +</p> + +<p> +x<sup>2</sup> = L, Π,(and more remotely) At, D, S, H, J, K. +</p> + +<p> +y = E, L, Π, T (marginal readings). +</p> + +<p> +p = A, B, C, Γ, G, L<sup>2</sup>, L<sup>3</sup>, N, O, P, Q, +R<sub>1</sub>, R<sub>2</sub>, V, Mon. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +<i>Editions of the Homeric Hymns</i>, &c. +</p> + +<p> +Demetrius Chalcondyles, Florence, 1488 (with the <i>Epigrams</i> and the +<i>Battle of the Frogs and Mice</i> in the <i>ed. pr.</i> of Homer). +</p> + +<p> +Aldine Edition, Venice, 1504. +</p> + +<p> +Juntine Edition, 1537. +</p> + +<p> +Stephanus, Paris, 1566 and 1588. +</p> + +<p> +More modern editions or critical works of value are: +</p> + +<p> +Martin (Variarum Lectionum libb. iv), Paris, 1605. +</p> + +<p> +Barnes, Cambridge, 1711. +</p> + +<p> +Ruhnken, Leyden, 1782 (Epist. Crit. and <i>Hymn to Demeter</i>). +</p> + +<p> +Ilgen, Halle, 1796 (with <i>Epigrams</i> and the <i>Battle of the Frogs and +Mice</i>). +</p> + +<p> +Matthiae, Leipzig, 1806 (with the <i>Battle of the Frogs and Mice</i>). +</p> + +<p> +Hermann, Berling, 1806 (with <i>Epigrams</i>). +</p> + +<p> +Franke, Leipzig, 1828 (with <i>Epigrams</i> and the <i>Battle of the +Frogs and Mice</i>). +</p> + +<p> +Dindorff (Didot edition), Paris, 1837. +</p> + +<p> +Baumeister (<i>Battle of the Frogs and Mice</i>), Göttingen, 1852. +</p> + +<p> +Baumeister (<i>Hymns</i>), Leipzig, 1860. +</p> + +<p> +Gemoll, Leipzig, 1886. +</p> + +<p> +Goodwin, Oxford, 1893. +</p> + +<p> +Ludwich (<i>Battle of the Frogs and Mice</i>), 1896. +</p> + +<p> +Allen and Sikes, London, 1904. +</p> + +<p> +Allen (Homeri Opera v), Oxford, 1912. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Journal of Hellenic Studies</i> +vols. xv ff. Among translations those of J. Edgar (Edinburgh), 1891) and of +Andrew Lang (London, 1899) may be mentioned. +</p> + +<p class="p2"> +<i>The Epic Cycle</i>. +</p> + +<p> +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:— +</p> + +<p> +Muller, Leipzig, 1829. +</p> + +<p> +Dindorff (Didot edition of Homer), Paris, 1837-56. +</p> + +<p> +Kinkel (Epicorum Graecorum Fragmenta i), Leipzig, 1877. +</p> + +<p> +Allen (Homeri Opera v), Oxford, 1912. +</p> + +<p> +The fullest discussion of the problems and fragments of the epic cycle is F.G. +Welcker’s <i>der epische Cyclus</i> (Bonn, vol. i, 1835: vol. ii, 1849: +vol. i, 2nd edition, 1865). The Appendix to Monro’s <i>Homer’s +Odyssey</i> 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 <i>Hist. de la Littérature Grecque</i>, vol. i. +</p> + +<p> +On Hesiod, the Hesiodic poems and the problems which these offer see +Rzach’s most important article “Hesiodos” in Pauly-Wissowa, +<i>Real-Encyclopädie</i> xv (1912). +</p> + +<p> +A discussion of the evidence for the date of Hesiod is to be found in +<i>Journ. Hell. Stud.</i> xxxv, 85 ff. (T.W. Allen). +</p> + +<p> +Of translations of Hesiod the following may be noticed:—<i>The Georgicks +of Hesiod</i>, by George Chapman, London, 1618; <i>The Works of Hesiod +translated from the Greek</i>, by Thomas Coocke, London, 1728; <i>The Remains +of Hesiod translated from the Greek into English Verse</i>, by Charles Abraham +Elton; <i>The Works of Hesiod, Callimachus, and Theognis</i>, by the Rev. J. +Banks, M.A.; “Hesiod”, by Prof. James Mair, Oxford, 1908<a +href="#linknote-1203" name="linknoteref-1203" +id="linknoteref-1203"><small>1203</small></a>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap19"></a>HESIOD</h2> + +<h3><a name="chap20"></a>HESIOD’S WORKS AND DAYS</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +Attend thou with eye and ear, and make judgements straight with righteousness. +And I, Perses, would tell of true things. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1301" name="linknoteref-1301" +id="linknoteref-1301"><small>1301</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1302" +name="linknoteref-1302" id="linknoteref-1302"><small>1302</small></a>, because +all they who dwelt on Olympus gave each a gift, a plague to men who eat bread. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-1303" name="linknoteref-1303" +id="linknoteref-1303"><small>1303</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-1304" name="linknoteref-1304" +id="linknoteref-1304"><small>1304</small></a>; 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1305" +name="linknoteref-1305" id="linknoteref-1305"><small>1305</small></a>; for the +father of men and gods released him from his bonds. And these last equally have +honour and glory. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 169c-169d) And again far-seeing Zeus made yet another generation, the +fifth, of men who are upon the bounteous earth. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1306" name="linknoteref-1306" +id="linknoteref-1306"><small>1306</small></a>. 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 <a href="#linknote-1307" +name="linknoteref-1307" id="linknoteref-1307"><small>1307</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 265-266) He does mischief to himself who does mischief to another, and +evil planned harms the plotter most. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1308" +name="linknoteref-1308" id="linknoteref-1308"><small>1308</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-1309" name="linknoteref-1309" +id="linknoteref-1309"><small>1309</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 381-382) If your heart within you desires wealth, do these things and work +with work upon work. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 383-404) When the Pleiades, daughters of Atlas, are rising <a +href="#linknote-1310" name="linknoteref-1310" +id="linknoteref-1310"><small>1310</small></a>, begin your harvest, and your +ploughing when they are going to set <a href="#linknote-1311" +name="linknoteref-1311" id="linknoteref-1311"><small>1311</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 414-447) When the piercing power and sultry heat of the sun abate, and +almighty Zeus sends the autumn rains <a href="#linknote-1312" +name="linknoteref-1312" id="linknoteref-1312"><small>1312</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-1313" name="linknoteref-1313" +id="linknoteref-1313"><small>1313</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-1314" +name="linknoteref-1314" id="linknoteref-1314"><small>1314</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-1315" +name="linknoteref-1315" id="linknoteref-1315"><small>1315</small></a> and eight +slices <a href="#linknote-1316" name="linknoteref-1316" +id="linknoteref-1316"><small>1316</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 448-457) Mark, when you hear the voice of the crane <a +href="#linknote-1317" name="linknoteref-1317" +id="linknoteref-1317"><small>1317</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-1318" name="linknoteref-1318" +id="linknoteref-1318"><small>1318</small></a> springtime, and will not look +wistfully to others, but another shall be in need of your help. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 479-492) But if you plough the good ground at the solstice <a +href="#linknote-1319" name="linknoteref-1319" +id="linknoteref-1319"><small>1319</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-1320" +name="linknoteref-1320" id="linknoteref-1320"><small>1320</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 502-503) While it is yet midsummer command your slaves: ‘It will not +always be summer, build barns.’ +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 504-535) Avoid the month Lenaeon <a href="#linknote-1321" +name="linknoteref-1321" id="linknoteref-1321"><small>1321</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-1322" name="linknoteref-1322" +id="linknoteref-1322"><small>1322</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-1323" +name="linknoteref-1323" id="linknoteref-1323"><small>1323</small></a>, 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 <a +href="#linknote-1324" name="linknoteref-1324" +id="linknoteref-1324"><small>1324</small></a> whose back is broken and whose +head looks down upon the ground, like him, I say, they wander to escape the +white snow. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 564-570) When Zeus has finished sixty wintry days after the solstice, then +the star Arcturus <a href="#linknote-1325" name="linknoteref-1325" +id="linknoteref-1325"><small>1325</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 571-581) But when the House-carrier <a href="#linknote-1326" +name="linknoteref-1326" id="linknoteref-1326"><small>1326</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 582-596) But when the artichoke flowers <a href="#linknote-1327" +name="linknoteref-1327" id="linknoteref-1327"><small>1327</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 597-608) Set your slaves to winnow Demeter’s holy grain, when strong +Orion <a href="#linknote-1328" name="linknoteref-1328" +id="linknoteref-1328"><small>1328</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-1329" name="linknoteref-1329" +id="linknoteref-1329"><small>1329</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 609-617) But when Orion and Sirius are come into mid-heaven, and +rosy-fingered Dawn sees Arcturus <a href="#linknote-1330" +name="linknoteref-1330" id="linknoteref-1330"><small>1330</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-1331" +name="linknoteref-1331" id="linknoteref-1331"><small>1331</small></a>, then +remember to plough in season: and so the completed year <a +href="#linknote-1332" name="linknoteref-1332" +id="linknoteref-1332"><small>1332</small></a> will fitly pass beneath the +earth. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 618-640) But if desire for uncomfortable sea-faring seize you; when the +Pleiades plunge into the misty sea <a href="#linknote-1333" +name="linknoteref-1333" id="linknoteref-1333"><small>1333</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 663-677) Fifty days after the solstice <a href="#linknote-1334" +name="linknoteref-1334" id="linknoteref-1334"><small>1334</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1335" name="linknoteref-1335" +id="linknoteref-1335"><small>1335</small></a> old age. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1336" name="linknoteref-1336" +id="linknoteref-1336"><small>1336</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1337" +name="linknoteref-1337" id="linknoteref-1337"><small>1337</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 742-743) At a cheerful festival of the gods do not cut the withered from +the quick upon that which has five branches <a href="#linknote-1338" +name="linknoteref-1338" id="linknoteref-1338"><small>1338</small></a> with +bright steel. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 744-745) Never put the ladle upon the mixing-bowl at a wine party, for +malignant ill-luck is attached to that. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 748-749) Take nothing to eat or to wash with from uncharmed pots, for in +them there is mischief. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 750-759) Do not let a boy of twelve years sit on things which may not be +moved <a href="#linknote-1339" name="linknoteref-1339" +id="linknoteref-1339"><small>1339</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 769-768) <a href="#linknote-1340" name="linknoteref-1340" +id="linknoteref-1340"><small>1340</small></a> For these are days which come +from Zeus the all-wise, when men discern aright. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-1341" name="linknoteref-1341" +id="linknoteref-1341"><small>1341</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-1342" name="linknoteref-1342" +id="linknoteref-1342"><small>1342</small></a>, gathers her pile. On that day +woman should set up her loom and get forward with her work. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 780-781) Avoid the thirteenth of the waxing month for beginning to sow: +yet it is the best day for setting plants. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 790-791) On the eighth of the month geld the boar and loud-bellowing bull, +but hard-working mules on the twelfth. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 800-801) On the fourth of the month bring home your bride, but choose the +omens which are best for this business. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-1343" name="linknoteref-1343" +id="linknoteref-1343"><small>1343</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap21"></a>THE DIVINATION BY BIRDS</h3> + +<p> +Proclus on Works and Days, 828: Some make the <i>Divination by Birds</i>, which +Apollonius of Rhodes rejects as spurious, follow this verse (<i>Works and +Days</i>, 828). +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap22"></a>THE ASTRONOMY</h3> + +<p> +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....’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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 <a +href="#linknote-1401" name="linknoteref-1401" +id="linknoteref-1401"><small>1401</small></a>, Phaesyle and Coronis and +rich-crowned Cleeia and lovely Phaco and long-robed Eudora, whom the tribes of +men upon the earth call Hyades.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Pseudo-Eratosthenes Catast. frag. 1: <a href="#linknote-1402" +name="linknoteref-1402" id="linknoteref-1402"><small>1402</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #5—Diodorus iv. 85: Some say that great earthquakes occurred, +which broke through the neck of land and formed the straits <a +href="#linknote-1403" name="linknoteref-1403" +id="linknoteref-1403"><small>1403</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap23"></a>THE PRECEPTS OF CHIRON</h3> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #2—Plutarch Mor. 1034 E: ‘Decide no suit until you have +heard both sides speak.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Precepts</i>, in which book this maxim +occurs, as a work of that poet. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap24"></a>THE GREAT WORKS</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Comm. on Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics. v. 8: The verse, +however (the slaying of Rhadamanthys), is in Hesiod in the <i>Great +Works</i> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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 +<i>Great Works</i> Hesiod makes silver to be of the family of Earth. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap25"></a>THE IDAEAN DACTYLS</h3> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-1501" name="linknoteref-1501" +id="linknoteref-1501"><small>1501</small></a>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap26"></a>THE THEOGONY</h3> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1601" name="linknoteref-1601" +id="linknoteref-1601"><small>1601</small></a> 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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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? <a href="#linknote-1602" name="linknoteref-1602" +id="linknoteref-1602"><small>1602</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-1603" name="linknoteref-1603" +id="linknoteref-1603"><small>1603</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 116-138) Verily at the first Chaos came to be, but next wide-bosomed +Earth, the ever-sure foundations of all <a href="#linknote-1604" +name="linknoteref-1604" id="linknoteref-1604"><small>1604</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-1605" name="linknoteref-1605" +id="linknoteref-1605"><small>1605</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 139-146) And again, she bare the Cyclopes, overbearing in spirit, Brontes, +and Steropes and stubborn-hearted Arges <a href="#linknote-1606" +name="linknoteref-1606" id="linknoteref-1606"><small>1606</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 176-206) And Heaven came, bringing on night and longing for love, and he +lay about Earth spreading himself full upon her <a href="#linknote-1607" +name="linknoteref-1607" id="linknoteref-1607"><small>1607</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-1608" name="linknoteref-1608" +id="linknoteref-1608"><small>1608</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-1609" +name="linknoteref-1609" id="linknoteref-1609"><small>1609</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 +<a href="#linknote-1610" name="linknoteref-1610" +id="linknoteref-1610"><small>1610</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 240-264) And of Nereus and rich-haired Doris, daughter of Ocean the +perfect river, were born children <a href="#linknote-1611" +name="linknoteref-1611" id="linknoteref-1611"><small>1611</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-1612" +name="linknoteref-1612" id="linknoteref-1612"><small>1612</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-1613" name="linknoteref-1613" +id="linknoteref-1613"><small>1613</small></a> who has the nature of her +deathless father. These fifty daughters sprang from blameless Nereus, skilled +in excellent crafts. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1614" name="linknoteref-1614" +id="linknoteref-1614"><small>1614</small></a> 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 +(<i>pegae</i>) of Ocean; and that other, because he held a golden blade +(<i>aor</i>) 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 346-370) Also she brought forth a holy company of daughters <a +href="#linknote-1615" name="linknoteref-1615" +id="linknoteref-1615"><small>1615</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1616" +name="linknoteref-1616" id="linknoteref-1616"><small>1616</small></a> bare the +star Eosphorus (Dawn-bringer), and the gleaming stars with which heaven is +crowned. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 404-452) Again, Phoebe came to the desired embrace of Coeus. +</p> + +<p> +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 +<a href="#linknote-1617" name="linknoteref-1617" +id="linknoteref-1617"><small>1617</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 453-491) But Rhea was subject in love to Cronos and bare splendid +children, Hestia <a href="#linknote-1618" name="linknoteref-1618" +id="linknoteref-1618"><small>1618</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-1619" name="linknoteref-1619" +id="linknoteref-1619"><small>1619</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1620" name="linknoteref-1620" +id="linknoteref-1620"><small>1620</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 543-544) ‘Son of Iapetus, most glorious of all lords, good sir, how +unfairly you have divided the portions!’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 559-560) ‘Son of Iapetus, clever above all! So, sir, you have not +yet forgotten your cunning arts!’ +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1621" name="linknoteref-1621" +id="linknoteref-1621"><small>1621</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 744-757) There stands the awful home of murky Night wrapped in dark +clouds. In front of it the son of Iapetus <a href="#linknote-1622" +name="linknoteref-1622" id="linknoteref-1622"><small>1622</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 775-806) And there dwells the goddess loathed by the deathless gods, +terrible Styx, eldest daughter of back-flowing <a href="#linknote-1623" +name="linknoteref-1623" id="linknoteref-1623"><small>1623</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-1624" name="linknoteref-1624" +id="linknoteref-1624"><small>1624</small></a>; 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +And there are shining gates and an immoveable threshold of bronze having +unending roots and it is grown of itself <a href="#linknote-1625" +name="linknoteref-1625" id="linknoteref-1625"><small>1625</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-1626" name="linknoteref-1626" +id="linknoteref-1626"><small>1626</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-1627" +name="linknoteref-1627" id="linknoteref-1627"><small>1627</small></a> +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 <a href="#linknote-1628" name="linknoteref-1628" +id="linknoteref-1628"><small>1628</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 924-929) But Zeus himself gave birth from his own head to bright-eyed +Tritogeneia <a href="#linknote-1629" name="linknoteref-1629" +id="linknoteref-1629"><small>1629</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 929a-929t) <a href="#linknote-1630" name="linknoteref-1630" +id="linknoteref-1630"><small>1630</small></a> 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 <a +href="#linknote-1631" name="linknoteref-1631" +id="linknoteref-1631"><small>1631</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 943-944) And Alcmena was joined in love with Zeus who drives the clouds +and bare mighty Heracles. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 945-946) And Hephaestus, the famous Lame One, made Aglaea, youngest of the +Graces, his buxom wife. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 1017-1018) And the bright goddess Calypso was joined to Odysseus in sweet +love, and bare him Nausithous and Nausinous. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 1019-1020) These are the immortal goddesses who lay with mortal men and +bare them children like unto gods. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 1021-1022) But now, sweet-voiced Muses of Olympus, daughters of Zeus who +holds the aegis, sing of the company of women. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap27"></a>THE CATALOGUES OF WOMEN AND EOIAE<a href="#linknote-1701" +name="linknoteref-1701" id="linknoteref-1701"><small>1701</small></a></h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iii. 1086: That +Deucalion was the son of Prometheus and Pronoea, Hesiod states in the first +<i>Catalogue</i>, as also that Hellen was the son of Deucalion and +Pyrrha. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #2—Ioannes Lydus <a href="#linknote-1702" +name="linknoteref-1702" id="linknoteref-1702"><small>1702</small></a>, 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Constantinus Porphyrogenitus <a href="#linknote-1703" +name="linknoteref-1703" id="linknoteref-1703"><small>1703</small></a>, 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #7—Berlin Papyri, No. 7497; Oxyrhynchus Papyri, 421 <a +href="#linknote-1704" name="linknoteref-1704" +id="linknoteref-1704"><small>1704</small></a>: (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 <a href="#linknote-1705" name="linknoteref-1705" +id="linknoteref-1705"><small>1705</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-1706" name="linknoteref-1706" +id="linknoteref-1706"><small>1706</small></a>. 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....’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Porphyrius <a href="#linknote-1707" name="linknoteref-1707" +id="linknoteref-1707"><small>1707</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #11—Stephanus of Byzantium <a href="#linknote-1708" +name="linknoteref-1708" id="linknoteref-1708"><small>1708</small></a>, 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #12—Eustathius <a href="#linknote-1709" name="linknoteref-1709" +id="linknoteref-1709"><small>1709</small></a>, 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Scholiast on Homer, Iliad xxiii. 683: Hesiod is therefore later in date than +Homer since he represents Hippomenes as stripped when contending with Atalanta +<a href="#linknote-1710" name="linknoteref-1710" +id="linknoteref-1710"><small>1710</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +Papiri greci e latini, ii. No. 130 (2nd-3rd century) <a href="#linknote-1711" +name="linknoteref-1711" id="linknoteref-1711"><small>1711</small></a>: (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: +</p> + +<p> +(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)’ <a href="#linknote-1712" name="linknoteref-1712" +id="linknoteref-1712"><small>1712</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 28-29) ‘“O daughter of Schoeneus, pitiless in heart, receive +these glorious gifts of the goddess, golden Aphrodite...’ +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 30-36) ‘But he, following lightly on his feet, cast the first apple +<a href="#linknote-1713" name="linknoteref-1713" +id="linknoteref-1713"><small>1713</small></a>: 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...’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #15—Strabo <a href="#linknote-1714" name="linknoteref-1714" +id="linknoteref-1714"><small>1714</small></a>, i. p. 42: ‘And the +daughter of Arabus, whom worthy Hermaon begat with Thronia, daughter of the +lord Belus.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #16—Eustathius, Hom. 461. 2: ‘Argos which was waterless +Danaus made well-watered.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #17—Hecataeus <a href="#linknote-1715" name="linknoteref-1715" +id="linknoteref-1715"><small>1715</small></a> in Scholiast on Euripides, +Orestes, 872: Aegyptus himself did not go to Argos, but sent his sons, fifty in +number, as Hesiod represented. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #18—<a href="#linknote-1716" name="linknoteref-1716" +id="linknoteref-1716"><small>1716</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Probus <a href="#linknote-1717" name="linknoteref-1717" +id="linknoteref-1717"><small>1717</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Suidas, s.v.: <a href="#linknote-1718" name="linknoteref-1718" +id="linknoteref-1718"><small>1718</small></a> ‘Because of their hideous +wantonness they lost their tender beauty....’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #19A—<a href="#linknote-1719" name="linknoteref-1719" +id="linknoteref-1719"><small>1719</small></a> Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358 fr. 1 +(3rd cent. A.D.): <a href="#linknote-1720" name="linknoteref-1720" +id="linknoteref-1720"><small>1720</small></a> (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....’ +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-1721" name="linknoteref-1721" +id="linknoteref-1721"><small>1721</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #20—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 178: But according +to Hesiod (Phineus) was the son of Phoenix, Agenor’s son and Cassiopea. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #21—Apollodorus <a href="#linknote-1722" name="linknoteref-1722" +id="linknoteref-1722"><small>1722</small></a>, iii. 14.4.1: But Hesiod says +that he (Adonis) was the son of Phoenix and Alphesiboea. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #22—Porphyrius, Quaest. Hom. ad Iliad. pert. p. 189: As it is +said in Hesiod in the <i>Catalogue of Women</i> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #23—Apollodorus, iii. 5.6.2: Hesiod says that (the children of +Amphion and Niobe) were ten sons and ten daughters. +</p> + +<p> +Aelian <a href="#linknote-1723" name="linknoteref-1723" +id="linknoteref-1723"><small>1723</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #25—Herodian <a href="#linknote-1724" name="linknoteref-1724" +id="linknoteref-1724"><small>1724</small></a> in Etymologicum Magnum, p. 60, +40: Tityos the son of Elara. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #26—<a href="#linknote-1725" name="linknoteref-1725" +id="linknoteref-1725"><small>1725</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Scholiast on Homer, Il. ii. 522: ‘which from Lilaea spouts forth its +sweet flowing water....’ +</p> + +<p> +Strabo, ix. 424: ‘....And which flows on by Panopeus and through fenced +Glechon and through Orchomenus, winding like a snake.’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #28—Stephanus of Byzantium: Onchestus: a grove <a +href="#linknote-1726" name="linknoteref-1726" +id="linknoteref-1726"><small>1726</small></a>. It is situate in the country of +Haliartus and was founded by Onchestus the Boeotian, as Hesiod says. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #29—Stephanus of Byzantium: There is also a plain of Aega +bordering on Cirrha, according to Hesiod. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #30—Apollodorus, ii. 1.1.5: But Hesiod says that Pelasgus was +autochthonous. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #32—Stephanus of Byzantium: Pallantium. A city of Arcadia, so +named after Pallas, one of Lycaon’s sons, according to Hesiod. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #33—(Unknown): ‘Famous Meliboea bare Phellus the good +spear-man.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #34—Herodian, On Peculiar Diction, p. 18: In Hesiod in the +second Catalogue: ‘Who once hid the torch <a href="#linknote-1727" +name="linknoteref-1727" id="linknoteref-1727"><small>1727</small></a> +within.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #35—Herodian, On Peculiar Diction, p. 42: Hesiod in the third +Catalogue writes: ‘And a resounding thud of feet rose up.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #36—Apollonius Dyscolus <a href="#linknote-1728" +name="linknoteref-1728" id="linknoteref-1728"><small>1728</small></a>, On the +Pronoun, p. 125: ‘And a great trouble to themselves.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #37—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 45: Neither Homer +nor Hesiod speak of Iphiclus as amongst the Argonauts. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #38—‘Eratosthenes’ <a href="#linknote-1729" +name="linknoteref-1729" id="linknoteref-1729"><small>1729</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #39—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 181: Hesiod in the +<i>Great Eoiae</i> says that Phineus was blinded because he revealed to +Phrixus the road; but in the third <i>Catalogue</i>, because he +preferred long life to sight. +</p> + +<p> +Hesiod says he had two sons, Thynus and Mariandynus. +</p> + +<p> +Ephorus <a href="#linknote-1730" name="linknoteref-1730" +id="linknoteref-1730"><small>1730</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-1731" +name="linknoteref-1731" id="linknoteref-1731"><small>1731</small></a> who have +waggons for houses.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #40A—(Cp. Fr. 43 and 44) Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358 fr. 2 (3rd +cent. A.D.): <a href="#linknote-1732" name="linknoteref-1732" +id="linknoteref-1732"><small>1732</small></a> ((LACUNA—Slight remains of +7 lines)) +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1733" name="linknoteref-1733" +id="linknoteref-1733"><small>1733</small></a> 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...’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #40—Strabo, vii. p. 300: ‘The Aethiopians and Ligurians +and mare-milking Scythians.’ +</p> + +<p> +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). +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #42—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 297: Hesiod also +says that those with Zetes <a href="#linknote-1734" name="linknoteref-1734" +id="linknoteref-1734"><small>1734</small></a> turned and prayed to Zeus: +‘There they prayed to the lord of Aenos who reigns on high.’ +</p> + +<p> +Apollonius indeed says it was Iris who made Zetes and his following turn away, +but Hesiod says Hermes. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #43—Philodemus <a href="#linknote-1735" name="linknoteref-1735" +id="linknoteref-1735"><small>1735</small></a>, On Piety, 10: Nor let anyone +mock at Hesiod who mentions.... or even the Troglodytes and the Pygmies. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #45—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 284: But Hesiod +says they (the Argonauts) had sailed in through the Phasis. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +And their names are Thelxiope or Thelxinoe, Molpe and Aglaophonus <a +href="#linknote-1736" name="linknoteref-1736" +id="linknoteref-1736"><small>1736</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +Scholiast on Homer, Od. xii. 168: Hence Hesiod said that they charmed even the +winds. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #49—Scholiast on Homer, Od. vii. 54: Hesiod regarded Arete as +the sister of Alcinous. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +‘She used to dwell on the cliff of Olenus by the banks of wide +Peirus.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #52—Diodorus <a href="#linknote-1737" name="linknoteref-1737" +id="linknoteref-1737"><small>1737</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #54—Polybius, v. 2: ‘The sons of Aeacus who rejoiced in +battle as though a feast.’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #57—Voll. Herculan. (Papyri from Herculaneum), 2nd Collection, +viii. 105: The author of the <i>Cypria</i> <a href="#linknote-1738" +name="linknoteref-1738" id="linknoteref-1738"><small>1738</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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.”’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #59—<a href="#linknote-1739" name="linknoteref-1739" +id="linknoteref-1739"><small>1739</small></a> Origen, Against Celsus, iv. 79: +‘For in common then were the banquets, and in common the seats of +deathless gods and mortal men.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #60—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xvi. 175: ...whereas Hesiod and the +rest call her (Peleus’ daughter) Polydora. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #63—Pausanias <a href="#linknote-1740" name="linknoteref-1740" +id="linknoteref-1740"><small>1740</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘And she bare in the palace Asclepius, leader of men, and Eriopis with +the lovely hair, being subject in love to Phoebus.’ +</p> + +<p> +And of Arsinoe likewise: +</p> + +<p> +‘And Arsinoe was joined with the son of Zeus and Leto and bare a son +Asclepius, blameless and strong.’ <a href="#linknote-1741" +name="linknoteref-1741" id="linknoteref-1741"><small>1741</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +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 +<i>Catalogue of the Daughters of Leucippus</i>? +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #65—“Echemus made Timandra his buxom wife.” +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #66—Hesiod in giving their descent makes them (Castor and +Polydeuces) both sons of Zeus. +</p> + +<p> +Hesiod, however, makes Helen the child neither of Leda nor Nemesis, but +daughter of Ocean and Zeus. +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #68—<a href="#linknote-1742" name="linknoteref-1742" +id="linknoteref-1742"><small>1742</small></a> 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) +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1743" name="linknoteref-1743" +id="linknoteref-1743"><small>1743</small></a> their brother perforce, but +Agamemnon, being son-in-law to Tyndareus, wooed her for his brother Menelaus. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(l. 20)...but there was no deceitful dealing in the sons of Tyndareus. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1744" name="linknoteref-1744" +id="linknoteref-1744"><small>1744</small></a> to horse-taming Castor and +prize-winning Polydeuces. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 28-30) And....on’s son sought her to wife (and brought) +....bridal-gifts.... ....cauldrons.... +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.... +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(l. 42)...(desiring) to be the husband of rich-haired Helen. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 75) And at the prompting of Zeus the all-wise came. +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA—Thirteen lines lost.)) +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +II. <a href="#linknote-1745" name="linknoteref-1745" +id="linknoteref-1745"><small>1745</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 1-2) And she (Helen) bare neat-ankled Hermione in the palace, a child +unlooked for. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA—Two lines missing.)) +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1746" +name="linknoteref-1746" id="linknoteref-1746"><small>1746</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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....’ +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA—Traces of 37 following lines.)) +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #69—Tzetzes <a href="#linknote-1747" name="linknoteref-1747" +id="linknoteref-1747"><small>1747</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #71—Pausanias, i. 43. 1: I know that Hesiod in the +<i>Catalogue of Women</i> represented that Iphigeneia was not killed +but, by the will of Artemis, became Hecate <a href="#linknote-1748" +name="linknoteref-1748" id="linknoteref-1748"><small>1748</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #72—Eustathius, Hom. 13. 44. sq: Butes, it is said, was a son of +Poseidon: so Hesiod in the <i>Catalogue</i>. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #73—Pausanias, ii. 6. 5: Hesiod represented Sicyon as the son of +Erechtheus. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #75—Hesychius <a href="#linknote-1749" name="linknoteref-1749" +id="linknoteref-1749"><small>1749</small></a>: 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 <a href="#linknote-1750" +name="linknoteref-1750" id="linknoteref-1750"><small>1750</small></a>, while +yet a lad in holy Athens...’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Athenaeus <a href="#linknote-1751" name="linknoteref-1751" +id="linknoteref-1751"><small>1751</small></a>, xiii. 557 A: But Hesiod says +that Theseus wedded both Hippe and Aegle lawfully. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #78—Argument I. to the Shield of Heracles: But Apollonius of +Rhodes says that it (the <i>Shield of Heracles</i>) is Hesiod’s +both from the general character of the work and from the fact that in the +<i>Catalogue</i> we again find Iolaus as charioteer of Heracles. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #81—Apollonius, Hom. Lexicon: ‘Aepytus again, begot +Tlesenor and Peirithous.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ <a href="#linknote-1752" +name="linknoteref-1752" id="linknoteref-1752"><small>1752</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-1753" name="linknoteref-1753" +id="linknoteref-1753"><small>1753</small></a> and was joined with her in sweet +love, on that day when Poseidon and Apollo raised high the wall of the +well-built city.’ +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-1754" +name="linknoteref-1754" id="linknoteref-1754"><small>1754</small></a>.... 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #85—Choeroboscus <a href="#linknote-1755" +name="linknoteref-1755" id="linknoteref-1755"><small>1755</small></a>, i. 123, +22H: ‘And she bare a son Thoas.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #86—Eustathius, Hom. 1623. 44: Maro <a href="#linknote-1756" +name="linknoteref-1756" id="linknoteref-1756"><small>1756</small></a>, whose +father, it is said, Hesiod relates to have been Euanthes the son of Oenopion, +the son of Dionysus. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #89—Scholiast on Pindar, Pyth. iii. 48: ‘To him, then, +there came a messenger from the sacred feast to goodly Pytho, a crow <a +href="#linknote-1757" name="linknoteref-1757" +id="linknoteref-1757"><small>1757</small></a>, and he told unshorn Phoebus of +secret deeds, that Ischys son of Elatus had wedded Coronis the daughter of +Phlegyas of birth divine. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #90—Athenagoras <a href="#linknote-1758" name="linknoteref-1758" +id="linknoteref-1758"><small>1758</small></a>, 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #91—Philodemus, On Piety, 34: But Hesiod (says that Apollo) +would have been cast by Zeus into Tartarus <a href="#linknote-1759" +name="linknoteref-1759" id="linknoteref-1759"><small>1759</small></a>; but Leto +interceded for him, and he became bondman to a mortal. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ <a href="#linknote-1760" name="linknoteref-1760" +id="linknoteref-1760"><small>1760</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Catalogue of Women</i>. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #95—Scholiast on Homer, Iliad ii. 469: ‘Or like her +(Antiope) whom Boeotian Hyria nurtured as a maid.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #96—Palaephatus <a href="#linknote-1761" name="linknoteref-1761" +id="linknoteref-1761"><small>1761</small></a>, c. 42: Of Zethus and Amphion. +Hesiod and some others relate that they built the walls of Thebes by playing on +the lyre. +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-1762" name="linknoteref-1762" +id="linknoteref-1762"><small>1762</small></a>; 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #98—Berlin Papyri, No. 9777: <a href="#linknote-1763" +name="linknoteref-1763" id="linknoteref-1763"><small>1763</small></a> (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 +<a href="#linknote-1764" name="linknoteref-1764" +id="linknoteref-1764"><small>1764</small></a>, 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....’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #99—<a href="#linknote-1765" name="linknoteref-1765" +id="linknoteref-1765"><small>1765</small></a> Papyri greci e latine, No. 131 +(2nd-3rd century): <a href="#linknote-1766" name="linknoteref-1766" +id="linknoteref-1766"><small>1766</small></a> (ll. 1-10) ‘And (Eriphyle) +bare in the palace Alcmaon <a href="#linknote-1767" name="linknoteref-1767" +id="linknoteref-1767"><small>1767</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.... +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(l. 21)....who was subject in love to the dark-clouded son of Cronos and bare +(famous Heracles).’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #100—Argument to the Shield of Heracles, i: The beginning of the +<i>Shield</i> as far as the 56th verse is current in the fourth +<i>Catalogue</i> +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #101 (UNCERTAIN POSITION)—Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1359 fr. 1 (early +3rd cent. A.D.): ((LACUNA—Slight remains of 3 lines)) +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +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....’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #102 (UNCERTAIN POSITION)—Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1359 fr. 2 (early +3rd cent. A.D.): ((LACUNA—Remains of 4 lines)) +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1359 fr. 3 (early 3rd cent. A.D.): (ll. 17-24) <a +href="#linknote-1768" name="linknoteref-1768" +id="linknoteref-1768"><small>1768</small></a>....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.... +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap28"></a>THE SHIELD OF HERACLES</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-1801" name="linknoteref-1801" +id="linknoteref-1801"><small>1801</small></a>: 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1802" +name="linknoteref-1802" id="linknoteref-1802"><small>1802</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 197-200) There, too, was the daughter of Zeus, Tritogeneia who drives the +spoil <a href="#linknote-1803" name="linknoteref-1803" +id="linknoteref-1803"><small>1803</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1804" +name="linknoteref-1804" id="linknoteref-1804"><small>1804</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-1805" name="linknoteref-1805" +id="linknoteref-1805"><small>1805</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 402-412) As two lions <a href="#linknote-1806" name="linknoteref-1806" +id="linknoteref-1806"><small>1806</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap29"></a>THE MARRIAGE OF CEYX</h3> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #2—Zenobius <a href="#linknote-1901" name="linknoteref-1901" +id="linknoteref-1901"><small>1901</small></a>, 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xiv. 119: ‘And horse-driving +Ceyx beholding...’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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). +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap30"></a>THE GREAT EOIAE</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Pausanius, ii. 26. 3: Epidaurus. According to the opinion of +the Argives and the epic poem, the <i>Great Eoiae</i>, Argos the son of +Zeus was father of Epidaurus. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Great Eoiae</i> 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...’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Pindar, Isthm. v. 53: The story has been taken +from the <i>Great Eoiae</i>; 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 <a href="#linknote-2001" +name="linknoteref-2001" id="linknoteref-2001"><small>2001</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #4—Pausanias, iv. 2. 1: But I know that the so-called +<i>Great Eoiae</i> say that Polycaon the son of Butes married Euaechme, +daughter of Hyllus, Heracles’ son. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #8—Pausanias, ii. 2. 3: But in the <i>Great Eoiae</i> +Peirene is represented to be the daughter of Oebalius. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #9—Pausanias, ii. 16. 4: The epic poem, which the Greek call the +<i>Great Eoiae</i>, says that she (Mycene) was the daughter of Inachus +and wife of Arestor: from her, then, it is said, the city received its name. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #10—Pausanias, vi. 21. 10: According to the poem the +<i>Great Eoiae</i>, these were killed by Oenomaus <a +href="#linknote-2002" name="linknoteref-2002" +id="linknoteref-2002"><small>2002</small></a>: 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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #11—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 57: In the +<i>Great Eoiae</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #12—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 118: In the +<i>Great Eoiae</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #13—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 828: In the +<i>Great Eoiae</i> Scylla is the daughter of Phoebus and Hecate. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #14—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 181: Hesiod in the +<i>Great Eoiae</i> says that Phineus was blinded because he told Phrixus +the way <a href="#linknote-2003" name="linknoteref-2003" +id="linknoteref-2003"><small>2003</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #15—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 1122: Argus. This +is one of the children of Phrixus. These.... ....Hesiod in the <i>Great +Eoiae</i> says were born of Iophossa the daughter of Aeetes. And he says +there were four of them, Argus, Phrontis, Melas, and Cytisorus. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #16—Antoninus Liberalis, xxiii: Battus. Hesiod tells the story +in the <i>Great Eoiae</i>.... ....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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-2004" name="linknoteref-2004" +id="linknoteref-2004"><small>2004</small></a>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap31"></a>THE MELAMPODIA</h3> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-2101" name="linknoteref-2101" +id="linknoteref-2101"><small>2101</small></a>. 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: +</p> + +<p> +‘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?’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +So said he; and they found the reckoning of the measure true. Then did the end +of death shroud Calchas. +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘Of ten parts a man enjoys only one; but a woman’s sense enjoys all +ten in full.’ +</p> + +<p> +For this Hera was angry and blinded him, but Zeus gave him the seer’s +power. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #4—<a href="#linknote-2102" name="linknoteref-2102" +id="linknoteref-2102"><small>2102</small></a> 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;...’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #7—Athenaeus, xiii. p. 609 e: Hesiod in the third book of the +“Melampodia” called Chalcis in Euboea ‘the land of fair +women’. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #8—Strabo, xiv. p. 676: But Hesiod says that Amphilochus was +killed by Apollo at Soli. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap32"></a>AEGIMIUS</h3> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-2201" +name="linknoteref-2201" id="linknoteref-2201"><small>2201</small></a>. He says +that after the sacrifice he purified the fleece and so: ‘Holding the +fleece he walked into the halls of Aeetes.’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ <a +href="#linknote-2202" name="linknoteref-2202" +id="linknoteref-2202"><small>2202</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #6—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xxiv. 24: ‘Slayer of +Argus’. According to Hesiod’s tale he (Hermes) slew (Argus) the +herdsman of Io. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap33"></a>FRAGMENTS OF UNKNOWN POSITION</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Diogenes Laertius, viii. 1. 26: <a href="#linknote-2301" +name="linknoteref-2301" id="linknoteref-2301"><small>2301</small></a> ‘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....’ +</p> + +<p> +Clement of Alexandria, Strom. i. p. 121: ‘....who was skilled in all +manner of wisdom.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #4—Anecd. Oxon (Cramer), i. p. 148: ‘(To cause?) the gifts +of the blessed gods to come near to earth.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #5—Clement of Alexandria, Strom. i. p. 123: ‘Of the Muses +who make a man very wise, marvellous in utterance.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #7—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 824: +‘Beseeching the offspring of glorious Cleodaeus.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #9—Scholiast on Homer, Iliad, xiii. 155: ‘For through his +lack of wood the timber of the ships rotted.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #10—Etymologicum Magnum: ‘No longer do they walk with +delicate feet.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #11—Scholiast on Homer, Iliad, xxiv. 624: ‘First of all +they roasted (pieces of meat), and drew them carefully off the spits.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #12—Chrysippus, Fragg. ii. 254. 11: ‘For his spirit +increased in his dear breast.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #13—Chrysippus, Fragg. ii. 254. 15: ‘With such heart +grieving anger in her breast.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #14—Strabo, vii. p. 327: ‘He went to Dodona and the +oak-grove, the dwelling place of the Pelasgi.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #15—Anecd. Oxon (Cramer), iii. p. 318. not.: ‘With the +pitiless smoke of black pitch and of cedar.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #16—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 757: ‘But he +himself in the swelling tide of the rain-swollen river.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #17—Stephanus of Byzantium: (The river) Parthenius, +‘Flowing as softly as a dainty maiden goes.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #18—Scholiast on Theocritus, xi. 75: ‘Foolish the man who +leaves what he has, and follows after what he has not.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #19—Harpocration: ‘The deeds of the young, the counsels of +the middle-aged, and the prayers of the aged.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #20—Porphyr, On Abstinence, ii. 18. p. 134: ‘Howsoever the +city does sacrifice, the ancient custom is best.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #21—Scholiast on Nicander, Theriaca, 452: ‘But you should +be gentle towards your father.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #22—Plato, Epist. xi. 358: ‘And if I said this, it would +seem a poor thing and hard to understand.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #23—Bacchylides, v. 191-3: Thus spake the Boeotian, even Hesiod +<a href="#linknote-2302" name="linknoteref-2302" +id="linknoteref-2302"><small>2302</small></a>, servant of the sweet Muses: +‘whomsoever the immortals honour, the good report of mortals also +followeth him.’ +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap34"></a>DOUBTFUL FRAGMENTS</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Galen, de plac. Hipp. et Plat. i. 266: ‘And then it was +Zeus took away sense from the heart of Athamas.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #2—Scholiast on Homer, Od. vii. 104: ‘They grind the +yellow grain at the mill.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #4—Julian, Misopogon, p. 369: ‘But starvation on a handful +is a cruel thing.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ <a +href="#linknote-2401" name="linknoteref-2401" +id="linknoteref-2401"><small>2401</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #6—Plato, Republic, iii. 390 E: ‘Gifts move the gods, +gifts move worshipful princes.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #7—<a href="#linknote-2402" name="linknoteref-2402" +id="linknoteref-2402"><small>2402</small></a> Clement of Alexandria, Strom. v. +p. 256: ‘On the seventh day again the bright light of the sun....’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #8—Apollonius, Lex. Hom.: ‘He brought pure water and mixed +it with Ocean’s streams.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #9—Stephanus of Byzantium: ‘Aspledon and Clymenus and +god-like Amphidocus.’ (sons of Orchomenus). +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap35"></a>THE HOMERIC HYMNS</h2> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap36"></a>I. TO DIONYSUS +<a href="#linknote-2501" name="linknoteref-2501" id="linknoteref-2501"><small>2501</small></a> +</h3> + +<p class="asterism"> +* * * * +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 1-9) For some say, at Dracanum; and some, on windy Icarus; and some, in +Naxos, O Heaven-born, Insewn <a href="#linknote-2502" name="linknoteref-2502" +id="linknoteref-2502"><small>2502</small></a>; 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. +</p> + +<p class="asterism"> +* * * * +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 10-12) ‘...and men will lay up for her <a href="#linknote-2503" +name="linknoteref-2503" id="linknoteref-2503"><small>2503</small></a> many +offerings in her shrines. And as these things are three <a +href="#linknote-2504" name="linknoteref-2504" +id="linknoteref-2504"><small>2504</small></a>, so shall mortals ever sacrifice +perfect hecatombs to you at your feasts each three years.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap37"></a>II. TO DEMETER</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-2505" name="linknoteref-2505" +id="linknoteref-2505"><small>2505</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-2506" name="linknoteref-2506" +id="linknoteref-2506"><small>2506</small></a> 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.... <a +href="#linknote-2507" name="linknoteref-2507" +id="linknoteref-2507"><small>2507</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-2508" name="linknoteref-2508" +id="linknoteref-2508"><small>2508</small></a>: for I know a charm far stronger +than the Woodcutter, and I know an excellent safeguard against woeful +witchcraft.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 248-249) ‘Demophoon, my son, the strange woman buries you deep in +fire and works grief and bitter sorrow for me.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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?’ +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-2509" name="linknoteref-2509" +id="linknoteref-2509"><small>2509</small></a> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap38"></a>III. TO DELIAN APOLLO</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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? +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +TO PYTHIAN APOLLO— +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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?’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-2510" name="linknoteref-2510" +id="linknoteref-2510"><small>2510</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-2511" name="linknoteref-2511" +id="linknoteref-2511"><small>2511</small></a>; 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-2512" name="linknoteref-2512" +id="linknoteref-2512"><small>2512</small></a> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 524-525) But their spirit was stirred in their dear breasts, and the +master of the Cretans asked him, saying: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 545-546) And so, farewell, son of Zeus and Leto; but I will remember you +and another hymn also. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap39"></a>IV. TO HERMES</h3> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-2513" name="linknoteref-2513" +id="linknoteref-2513"><small>2513</small></a>; but if you die, then you shall +make sweetest song. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-2514" name="linknoteref-2514" +id="linknoteref-2514"><small>2514</small></a>. 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 <a +href="#linknote-2515" name="linknoteref-2515" +id="linknoteref-2515"><small>2515</small></a> as one making haste for a long +journey. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +He chose a stout laurel branch and trimmed it with the knife.... ((LACUNA)) <a +href="#linknote-2516" name="linknoteref-2516" +id="linknoteref-2516"><small>2516</small></a> ....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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-2517" name="linknoteref-2517" +id="linknoteref-2517"><small>2517</small></a>, 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 <a +href="#linknote-2518" name="linknoteref-2518" +id="linknoteref-2518"><small>2518</small></a>. 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 <a +href="#linknote-2519" name="linknoteref-2519" +id="linknoteref-2519"><small>2519</small></a>. 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 190-200) ‘Old man, weeder <a href="#linknote-2520" +name="linknoteref-2520" id="linknoteref-2520"><small>2520</small></a> 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?’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ <a +href="#linknote-2521" name="linknoteref-2521" +id="linknoteref-2521"><small>2521</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-2522" +name="linknoteref-2522" id="linknoteref-2522"><small>2522</small></a>, +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +There was an assembly on snowy Olympus, and the immortals who perish not were +gathering after the hour of gold-throned Dawn. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.”’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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!’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-2523" +name="linknoteref-2523" id="linknoteref-2523"><small>2523</small></a> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 579-580) And so, farewell, Son of Zeus and Maia; but I will remember you +and another song also. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap40"></a>V. TO APHRODITE</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-2524" +name="linknoteref-2524" id="linknoteref-2524"><small>2524</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 75-88) <a href="#linknote-2525" name="linknoteref-2525" +id="linknoteref-2525"><small>2525</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Also she wore twisted brooches and shining earrings in the form of flowers; and +round her soft throat were lovely necklaces. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-2526" name="linknoteref-2526" +id="linknoteref-2526"><small>2526</small></a> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-2527" +name="linknoteref-2527" id="linknoteref-2527"><small>2527</small></a>, 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 <a href="#linknote-2528" name="linknoteref-2528" +id="linknoteref-2528"><small>2528</small></a>. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-2529" +name="linknoteref-2529" id="linknoteref-2529"><small>2529</small></a> old age +will soon enshroud you—ruthless age which stands someday at the side of +every man, deadly, wearying, dreaded even by the gods. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(l. 291) When the goddess had so spoken, she soared up to windy heaven. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 292-293) Hail, goddess, queen of well-builded Cyprus! With you have I +begun; now I will turn me to another hymn. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap41"></a>VI. TO APHRODITE</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap42"></a>VII. TO DIONYSUS</h3> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-2530" +name="linknoteref-2530" id="linknoteref-2530"><small>2530</small></a> 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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 58-59) Hail, child of fair-faced Semele! He who forgets you can in no wise +order sweet song. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap43"></a>VIII. TO ARES</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap44"></a>IX. TO ARTEMIS</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap45"></a>X. TO APHRODITE</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap46"></a>XI. TO ATHENA</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 5) Hail, goddess, and give us good fortune with happiness! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap47"></a>XII. TO HERA</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap48"></a>XIII. TO DEMETER</h3> + +<p> +(ll. 1-2) I begin to sing of rich-haired Demeter, awful goddess, of her and of +her daughter lovely Persephone. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 3) Hail, goddess! Keep this city safe, and govern my song. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap49"></a>XIV. TO THE MOTHER OF THE GODS</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 6) And so hail to you in my song and to all goddesses as well! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap50"></a>XV. TO HERACLES THE LION-HEARTED</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 9) Hail, lord, son of Zeus! Give me success and prosperity. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap51"></a>XVI. TO ASCLEPIUS</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 5) And so hail to you, lord: in my song I make my prayer to thee! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap52"></a>XVII. TO THE DIOSCURI</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 5) Hail, children of Tyndareus, riders upon swift horses! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap53"></a>XVIII. TO HERMES</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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! +</p> + +<p> +(l. 12) Hail, Hermes, giver of grace, guide, and giver of good things! <a +href="#linknote-2531" name="linknoteref-2531" +id="linknoteref-2531"><small>2531</small></a> +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap54"></a>XIX. TO PAN</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a +href="#linknote-2532" name="linknoteref-2532" +id="linknoteref-2532"><small>2532</small></a> because he delighted all their +hearts. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap55"></a>XX. TO HEPHAESTUS</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 8) Be gracious, Hephaestus, and grant me success and prosperity! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap56"></a>XXI. TO APOLLO</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 5) And so hail to you, lord! I seek your favour with my song. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap57"></a>XXII. TO POSEIDON</h3> + +<p> +(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! +</p> + +<p> +(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! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap58"></a>XXIII. TO THE SON OF CRONOS, MOST HIGH</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(l. 4) Be gracious, all-seeing Son of Cronos, most excellent and great! +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap59"></a>XXIV. TO HESTIA</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap60"></a>XXV. TO THE MUSES AND APOLLO</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 6-7) Hail, children of Zeus! Give honour to my song! And now I will +remember you and another song also. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap61"></a>XXVI. TO DIONYSUS</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap62"></a>XXVII. TO ARTEMIS</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 21-22) Hail to you, children of Zeus and rich-haired Leto! And now I will +remember you and another song also. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap63"></a>XXVIII. TO ATHENA</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap64"></a>XXIX. TO HESTIA</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 7-10) <a href="#linknote-2533" name="linknoteref-2533" +id="linknoteref-2533"><small>2533</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap65"></a>XXX. TO EARTH THE MOTHER OF ALL</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap66"></a>XXXI. TO HELIOS</h3> + +<p> +(ll. 1-16) <a href="#linknote-2534" name="linknoteref-2534" +id="linknoteref-2534"><small>2534</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap67"></a>XXXII. TO SELENE</h3> + +<p> +(ll. 1-13) And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well-skilled in +song, tell of the long-winged <a href="#linknote-2535" name="linknoteref-2535" +id="linknoteref-2535"><small>2535</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap68"></a>XXXIII. TO THE DIOSCURI</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 18-19) Hail, Tyndaridae, riders upon swift horses! Now I will remember you +and another song also. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap69"></a>HOMER’S EPIGRAMS<a href="#linknote-2601" +name="linknoteref-2601" id="linknoteref-2601"><small>2601</small></a></h2> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-2602" name="linknoteref-2602" +id="linknoteref-2602"><small>2602</small></a> 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 <a href="#linknote-2603" +name="linknoteref-2603" id="linknoteref-2603"><small>2603</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +X. (4 lines) (ll. 1-4) Another sort of pine shall bear a better fruit <a +href="#linknote-2604" name="linknoteref-2604" +id="linknoteref-2604"><small>2604</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +XII. (4 lines) (ll. 1-4) Goddess-nurse of the young <a href="#linknote-2605" +name="linknoteref-2605" id="linknoteref-2605"><small>2605</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <a href="#linknote-2606" +name="linknoteref-2606" id="linknoteref-2606"><small>2606</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +XV. (13 lines) <a href="#linknote-2607" name="linknoteref-2607" +id="linknoteref-2607"><small>2607</small></a> (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.... +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.... +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +XVII. HOMER: Hunters of deep sea prey, have we caught anything? +</p> + +<p> +FISHERMAN: All that we caught we left behind, and all that we did not catch we +carry home. <a href="#linknote-2608" name="linknoteref-2608" +id="linknoteref-2608"><small>2608</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: Ay, for of such fathers you are sprung as neither hold rich lands nor +tend countless sheep. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap70"></a>FRAGMENTS OF THE EPIC CYCLE</h2> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap71"></a>THE WAR OF THE TITANS</h3> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #2—Anecdota Oxon. (Cramer) i. 75: According to the writer of the +<i>War of the Titans</i> Heaven was the son of Aether. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #4—Athenaeus, vii. 277 D: The poet of the <i>War of the +Titans</i>, 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #6—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 554: The author of +the <i>War of the Giants</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #7—Athenaeus, xi. 470 B: Theolytus says that he (Heracles) +sailed across the sea in a cauldron <a href="#linknote-2701" +name="linknoteref-2701" id="linknoteref-2701"><small>2701</small></a>; but the +first to give this story is the author of the <i>War of the Titans</i>. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #8—Philodemus, On Piety: The author of the <i>War of the +Titans</i> says that the apples (of the Hesperides) were guarded. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap72"></a>THE STORY OF OEDIPUS</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—C.I.G. Ital. et Sic. 1292. ii. 11: ....the <i>Story of +Oedipus</i> by Cinaethon in six thousand six hundred verses. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Story of Oedipus</i> clearly shows. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Euripides Phoen., 1750: The authors of the +<i>Story of Oedipus</i> (say) of the Sphinx: ‘But furthermore (she +killed) noble Haemon, the dear son of blameless Creon, the comeliest and +loveliest of boys.’ +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap73"></a>THE THEBAID</h3> + +<p> +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...’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Laurentian Scholiast on Sophocles, O.C. 1375: ‘And when +Oedipus noticed the haunch <a href="#linknote-2801" name="linknoteref-2801" +id="linknoteref-2801"><small>2801</small></a> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #4—Pausanias, viii. 25.8: Adrastus fled from Thebes +‘wearing miserable garments, and took black-maned Areion <a +href="#linknote-2802" name="linknoteref-2802" +id="linknoteref-2802"><small>2802</small></a> with him.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #5—Pindar, Ol. vi. 15: <a href="#linknote-2803" +name="linknoteref-2803" id="linknoteref-2803"><small>2803</small></a> +‘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.”’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #6—Apollodorus, i. 74: Oeneus married Periboea the daughter of +Hipponous. The author of the <i>Thebais</i> says that when Olenus had +been stormed, Oeneus received her as a prize. +</p> + +<p> +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 +<i>Thebais</i> which tells of the death of Parthenopaeus says that it +was Periclymenus who killed him. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap74"></a>THE EPIGONI</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Contest of Homer and Hesiod: Next (Homer composed) the +<i>Epigoni</i> in seven thousand verses, beginning, ‘And now, +Muses, let us begin to sing of younger men.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #2—Photius, Lexicon: Teumesia. Those who have written on Theban +affairs have given a full account of the Teumesian fox. <a +href="#linknote-2901" name="linknoteref-2901" +id="linknoteref-2901"><small>2901</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 308: The authors of +the <i>Thebais</i> 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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap75"></a>THE CYPRIA</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, i: This <a href="#linknote-3001" +name="linknoteref-3001" id="linknoteref-3001"><small>3001</small></a> is +continued by the epic called <i>Cypria</i> which is current is eleven +books. Its contents are as follows. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +All the leaders then meet together at Aulis and sacrifice. The incident of the +serpent and the sparrows <a href="#linknote-3002" name="linknoteref-3002" +id="linknoteref-3002"><small>3002</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #2—Tzetzes, Chil. xiii. 638: Stasinus composed the +<i>Cypria</i> which the more part say was Homer’s work and by him +given to Stasinus as a dowry with money besides. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #4—Volumina Herculan, II. viii. 105: The author of the +<i>Cypria</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Cypria</i>. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #6—Athenaeus, xv. 682 D, F: The author of the +<i>Cypria</i>, whether Hegesias or Stasinus, mentions flowers used for +garlands. The poet, whoever he was, writes as follows in his first book: +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #9—Scholiast on Euripides, Andr. 898: The writer <a +href="#linknote-3003" name="linknoteref-3003" +id="linknoteref-3003"><small>3003</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #10—Herodotus, ii. 117: For it is said in the +<i>Cypria</i> that Alexandrus came with Helen to Ilium from Sparta in +three days, enjoying a favourable wind and calm sea. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ <a href="#linknote-3004" name="linknoteref-3004" +id="linknoteref-3004"><small>3004</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Philodemus, On Piety: (Stasinus?) writes that Castor was killed with a spear +shot by Idas the son of Aphareus. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #13—Athenaeus, 35 C: ‘Menelaus, know that the gods made +wine the best thing for mortal man to scatter cares.’ +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Cypria</i>—he makes them four, (distinguishing) +Iphigeneia and Iphianassa. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #15—<a href="#linknote-3005" name="linknoteref-3005" +id="linknoteref-3005"><small>3005</small></a> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #16—Louvre Papyrus: ‘I never thought to enrage so terribly +the stout heart of Achilles, for very well I loved him.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #17—Pausanias, iv. 2. 7: The poet of the <i>Cypria</i> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #18—Eustathius, 119. 4: Some relate that Chryseis was taken from +Hypoplacian <a href="#linknote-3006" name="linknoteref-3006" +id="linknoteref-3006"><small>3006</small></a> Thebes, and that she had not +taken refuge there nor gone there to sacrifice to Artemis, as the author of the +<i>Cypria</i> states, but was simply a fellow townswoman of Andromache. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #19—Pausanias, x. 31. 2: I know, because I have read it in the +epic <i>Cypria</i>, that Palamedes was drowned when he had gone out +fishing, and that it was Diomedes and Odysseus who caused his death. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap76"></a>THE AETHIOPIS</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: The <i>Cypria</i>, +described in the preceding book, has its sequel in the <i>Iliad</i> of +Homer, which is followed in turn by the five books of the +<i>Aethiopis</i>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +Then Memnon, the son of Eos, wearing armour made by Hephaestus, comes to help +the Trojans, and Thetis tells her son about Memnon. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Pindar, Isth. iii. 53: The author of the +<i>Aethiopis</i> says that Aias killed himself about dawn. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap77"></a>THE LITTLE ILIAD</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: Next comes the <i>Little +Iliad</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Little Iliad</i>, 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: +</p> + +<p> +‘For Aias took up and carried out of the strife the hero, Peleus’ +son: this great Odysseus cared not to do.’ +</p> + +<p> +To this another replied by Athena’s contrivance: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #4—Eustathius, 285. 34: The writer of the <i>Little +Iliad</i> says that Aias was not buried in the usual way <a +href="#linknote-3101" name="linknoteref-3101" +id="linknoteref-3101"><small>3101</small></a>, but was simply buried in a +coffin, because of the king’s anger. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #5—Eustathius on Homer, Il. 326: The author of the <i>Little +Iliad</i> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #8—Pausanias, iii. 26. 9: The writer of the epic <i>Little +Iliad</i> says that Machaon was killed by Eurypylus, the son of Telephus. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #10—<a href="#linknote-3102" name="linknoteref-3102" +id="linknoteref-3102"><small>3102</small></a> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +And Hesiod answered: +</p> + +<p> +‘But when horses with rattling hoofs wreck chariots, striving for victory +about the tomb of Zeus.’ +</p> + +<p> +And it is said that, because this reply was specially admired, Hesiod won the +tripod (at the funeral games of Amphidamas). +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #12—Pausanias, x. 25. 5: Meges is represented <a +href="#linknote-3103" name="linknoteref-3103" +id="linknoteref-3103"><small>3103</small></a> wounded in the arm just as +Lescheos the son of Aeschylinus of Pyrrha describes in his <i>Sack of +Ilium</i> 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... +</p> + +<p> +Pausanias, x. 26. 4: Lescheos also mentions Astynous, and here he is, fallen on +one knee, while Neoptolemus strikes him with his sword... +</p> + +<p> +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... +</p> + +<p> +Pausanias, x. 27. 1: Of them <a href="#linknote-3104" name="linknoteref-3104" +id="linknoteref-3104"><small>3104</small></a>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Little Iliad</i>. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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 Aeneas<a href="#linknote-3105" +name="linknoteref-3105" id="linknoteref-3105"><small>3105</small></a>, the +famous son of horse-taming Anchises, on board his sea-faring ships, a prize +surpassing those of all the Danaans.’ +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap78"></a>THE SACK OF ILIUM</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: Next come two books of the +<i>Sack of Ilium</i>, 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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Scholiast on Euripedes, Andromache 10: The Cyclic poet who +composed the <i>Sack</i> says that Astyanax was also hurled from the +city wall. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Sack</i> +writes as follows: ‘The lord Agamemnon gave gifts to the Sons of Theseus +and to bold Menestheus, shepherd of hosts.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #5—Eustathius on Iliad, xiii. 515: Some say that such praise as +this <a href="#linknote-3201" name="linknoteref-3201" +id="linknoteref-3201"><small>3201</small></a> 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 <i>Sack of +Ilium</i> seems to be of this opinion when he says: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap79"></a>THE RETURNS</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: After the <i>Sack of +Ilium</i> follow the <i>Returns</i> 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. +</p> + +<p> +Then comes the murder of Agamemnon by Aegisthus and Clytaemnestra, followed by +the vengeance of Orestes and Pylades. Finally, Menelaus returns home. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #4—Eustathius, 1796. 45: The Colophonian author of the +<i>Returns</i> says that Telemachus afterwards married Circe, while +Telegonus the son of Circe correspondingly married Penelope. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #5—Clement of Alex. Strom., vi. 2. 12. 8: ‘For gifts +beguile men’s minds and their deeds as well.’ <a +href="#linknote-3301" name="linknoteref-3301" +id="linknoteref-3301"><small>3301</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #6—Pausanias, x. 28. 7: The poetry of Homer and the +<i>Returns</i>—for here too there is an account of Hades and the +terrors there—know of no spirit named Eurynomus. +</p> + +<p> +Athenaeus, 281 B: The writer of the “Return of the Atreidae” <a +href="#linknote-3302" name="linknoteref-3302" +id="linknoteref-3302"><small>3302</small></a> 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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap80"></a>THE TELEGONY</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: After the <i>Returns</i> +comes the <i>Odyssey</i> of Homer, and then the <i>Telegony</i> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #2—Eustathias, 1796. 35: The author of the +<i>Telegony</i>, a Cyrenaean, relates that Odysseus had by Calypso a son +Telegonus or Teledamus, and by Penelope Telemachus and Acusilaus. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap81"></a>HOMERICA</h2> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap82"></a>THE EXPEDITION OF AMPHIARAUS</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Pseudo-Herodotus, Life of Homer: Sitting there in the +tanner’s yard, Homer recited his poetry to them, the <i>Expedition of +Amphiarus to Thebes</i> and the <i>Hymns to the Gods</i> composed by +him. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap83"></a>THE TAKING OF OECHALIA</h3> + +<p> +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 <i>Taking of +Oechalia</i>. 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!’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #2—Cramer, Anec. Oxon. i. 327: ‘Ragged garments, even +those which now you see.’ This verse (<i>Odyssey</i> xiv. 343) we +shall also find in the <i>Taking of Oechalia</i>. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap84"></a>THE PHOCAIS</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Pseudo-Herodotus, Life of Homer: While living with +Thestorides, Homer composed the <i>Lesser Iliad</i> and the +<i>Phocais</i>; though the Phocaeans say that he composed the latter +among them. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap85"></a>THE MARGITES</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Suidas, s.v.: Pigres. A Carian of Halicarnassus and brother +of Artemisia, wife of Mausolus, who distinguished herself in war... <a +href="#linknote-3401" name="linknoteref-3401" +id="linknoteref-3401"><small>3401</small></a> He also wrote the +<i>Margites</i> attributed to Homer and the <i>Battle of the Frogs +and Mice</i>. +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #3—Plato, Alcib. ii. p. 147 A: ‘He knew many things but +knew all badly...’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +Fragment #5—Zenobius, v. 68: ‘The fox knows many a wile; but the +hedge-hog’s one trick <a href="#linknote-3402" name="linknoteref-3402" +id="linknoteref-3402"><small>3402</small></a> can beat them all.’ <a +href="#linknote-3403" name="linknoteref-3403" +id="linknoteref-3403"><small>3403</small></a> +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap86"></a>THE CERCOPES</h3> + +<p> +Fragment #1—Suidas, s.v.: Cercopes. These were two brothers living upon +the earth who practised every kind of knavery. They were called Cercopes <a +href="#linknote-3501" name="linknoteref-3501" +id="linknoteref-3501"><small>3501</small></a> 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. +</p> + +<p> +‘Liars and cheats, skilled in deeds irremediable, accomplished knaves. +Far over the world they roamed deceiving men as they wandered +continually.’ +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h3><a name="chap87"></a>THE BATTLE OF FROGS AND MICE</h3> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. <a +href="#linknote-3601" name="linknoteref-3601" +id="linknoteref-3601"><small>3601</small></a> 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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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: +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-3602" name="linknoteref-3602" +id="linknoteref-3602"><small>3602</small></a> in the water, and merrily set up +here a trophy of victory over the slaughtered Mice.’ +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 160-167) By this speech he persuaded them to arm themselves. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +(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?’ +</p> + +<p> +And he said to Athena; +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(ll. 197-198) So said Athena. And the other gods agreed with her, and all went +in a body to one place. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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.... +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(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.... +</p> + +<p> +((LACUNA)) +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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 <a href="#linknote-3603" name="linknoteref-3603" +id="linknoteref-3603"><small>3603</small></a>, 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: +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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.’ +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +<p> +(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. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap88"></a>OF THE ORIGIN OF HOMER AND HESIOD, AND OF THEIR +CONTEST</h2> + +<p> +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 <i>Margites</i>. +</p> + +<p> +As to his parents also, there is on all hands great disagreement. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘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. +</p> + +<p> +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. +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Margites</i>, 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: +</p> + +<p> +‘The Isle of Ios is your mother’s country and it shall receive you +dead; but beware of the riddle of the young children.’ <a +href="#linknote-3701" name="linknoteref-3701" +id="linknoteref-3701"><small>3701</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘Homer, son of Meles, inspired with wisdom from heaven, come, tell me +first what is best for mortal man?’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +Hesiod then asked again: +</p> + +<p> +‘Come, tell me now this also, godlike Homer: what think you in your heart +is most delightsome to men?’ +</p> + +<p> +Homer answered: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘Come, Muse; sing not to me of things that are, or that shall be, or that +were of old; but think of another song.’ +</p> + +<p> +Then Homer, wishing to escape from the impasse by an apt answer, +replied:— +</p> + +<p> +‘Never shall horses with clattering hoofs break chariots, striving for +victory about the tomb of Zeus.’ +</p> + +<p> +Here again Homer had fairly met Hesiod, and so the latter turned to sentences +of doubtful meaning <a href="#linknote-3702" name="linknoteref-3702" +id="linknoteref-3702"><small>3702</small></a>: 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. +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘Then they dined on the flesh of oxen and their horses’ +necks—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘They unyoked dripping with sweat, when they had had enough of +war.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘And the Phrygians, who of all men are handiest at +ships—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘To filch their dinner from pirates on the beach.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘To shoot forth arrows against the tribes of cursed giants with +his hands—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘Heracles unslung his curved bow from his shoulders.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘This man is the son of a brave father and a +weakling—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘Mother; for war is too stern for any woman.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘But for you, your father and lady mother lay in +love—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘When they begot you by the aid of golden Aphrodite.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘But when she had been made subject in love, Artemis, who +delights in arrows—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘Slew Callisto with a shot of her silver bow.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘So they feasted all day long, taking nothing—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘From their own houses; for Agamemnon, king of men, supplied +them.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘When they had feasted, they gathered among the glowing ashes the +bones of the dead Zeus—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘Born Sarpedon, that bold and godlike man.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘Now we have lingered thus about the plain of Simois, forth from +the ships let us go our way, upon our shoulders—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘Having our hilted swords and long-helved spears.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘Then the young heroes with their hands from the +sea—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘Gladly and swiftly hauled out their fleet ship.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘Then they came to Colchis and king Aeetes—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘They avoided; for they knew he was inhospitable and +lawless.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘Now when they had poured libations and deeply drunk, the surging +sea—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘They were minded to traverse on well-built ships.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘The Son of Atreus prayed greatly for them that they all might +perish—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘At no time in the sea: and he opened his mouth said:’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘Eat, my guests, and drink, and may no one of you return home to +his dear country—’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘Distressed; but may you all reach home again unscathed.’ +</p> + +<p> +When Homer had met him fairly on every point Hesiod said: +</p> + +<p> +‘Only tell me this thing that I ask: How many Achaeans went to Ilium with +the sons of Atreus?’ +</p> + +<p> +Homer answered in a mathematical problem, thus: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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... +</p> + +<p> +Homer, then, having the advantage on every point, Hesiod was jealous and began +again: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘How would men best dwell in cities, and with what +observances?’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘By scorning to get unclean gain and if the good were honoured, +but justice fell upon the unjust.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘What is the best thing of all for a man to ask of the gods in +prayer?’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘That he may be always at peace with himself continually.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘Can you tell me in briefest space what is best of all?’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘A sound mind in a manly body, as I believe.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘Of what effect are righteousness and courage?’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘To advance the common good by private pains.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘What is the mark of wisdom among men?’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘To read aright the present, and to march with the +occasion.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘In what kind of matter is it right to trust in men?’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘Where danger itself follows the action close.’ +</p> + +<p> +HESIOD: ‘What do men mean by happiness?’ +</p> + +<p> +HOMER: ‘Death after a life of least pain and greatest pleasure.’ +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ <a href="#linknote-3703" name="linknoteref-3703" +id="linknoteref-3703"><small>3703</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +Then Homer: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ <a href="#linknote-3704" name="linknoteref-3704" +id="linknoteref-3704"><small>3704</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘Hesiod dedicated this tripod to the Muses of Helicon after he had +conquered divine Homer at Chalcis in a contest of song.’ +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +So much for Hesiod. But Homer, after losing the victory, went from place to +place reciting his poems, and first of all the <i>Thebais</i> in seven +thousand verses which begins: ‘Goddess, sing of parched Argos whence +kings...’, and then the <i>Epigoni</i> 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:— +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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.’ +</p> + +<p> +After this he composed the <i>Odyssey</i> in twelve thousand verses, +having previously written the <i>Iliad</i> in fifteen thousand five +hundred verses <a href="#linknote-3705" name="linknoteref-3705" +id="linknoteref-3705"><small>3705</small></a>. 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: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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 <i>Iliad</i>: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ <a href="#linknote-3706" +name="linknoteref-3706" id="linknoteref-3706"><small>3706</small></a> +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘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.’ +</p> + +<p> +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 +<i>Hymn to Apollo</i> <a href="#linknote-3707" name="linknoteref-3707" +id="linknoteref-3707"><small>3707</small></a> 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: +</p> + +<p> +‘Sirs, hunters of deep-sea prey, have we caught anything?’ +</p> + +<p> +To this replied: +</p> + +<p> +‘All that we caught, we left behind, and carry away all that we did not +catch.’ +</p> + +<p> +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: +</p> + +<p> +‘Here the earth covers the sacred head of divine Homer, the glorifier of +hero-men.’ + +</p> <hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="chap89"></a>ENDNOTES</h2> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1101" id="linknote-1101"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1101 (<a href="#linknoteref-1101">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. in Boeotia, Locris and +Thessaly: elsewhere the movement was forced and unfruitful.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1102" id="linknote-1102"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1102 (<a href="#linknoteref-1102">return</a>)<br/> [ The extant collection of +three poems, <i>Works and Days</i>, <i>Theogony</i>, and <i>Shield of +Heracles</i>, 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1103" id="linknote-1103"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1103 (<a href="#linknoteref-1103">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>Der Dialekt des +Hesiodes</i>, p. 464: examples are AENEMI (W. and D. 683) and AROMENAI +(<i>ib</i>. 22).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1104" id="linknote-1104"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1104 (<a href="#linknoteref-1104">return</a>)<br/> [ T.W. Allen suggests that +the conjured Delian and Pythian hymns to Apollo (<i>Homeric Hymns</i> III) may +have suggested this version of the story, the Pythian hymn showing strong +continental influence.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1105" id="linknote-1105"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1105 (<a href="#linknoteref-1105">return</a>)<br/> [ She is said to have given +birth to the lyrist Stesichorus.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1106" id="linknote-1106"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1106 (<a href="#linknoteref-1106">return</a>)<br/> [ See Kinkel <i>Epic. Graec. +Frag.</i> i. 158 ff.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1107" id="linknote-1107"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1107 (<a href="#linknoteref-1107">return</a>)<br/> [ See <i>Great Works</i>, +frag. 2.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1108" id="linknote-1108"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1108 (<a href="#linknoteref-1108">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>Hesiodi Fragmenta</i>, +pp. 119 f.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1109" id="linknote-1109"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1109 (<a href="#linknoteref-1109">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1110" id="linknote-1110"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1110 (<a href="#linknoteref-1110">return</a>)<br/> [ Goettling’s +explanation.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1111" id="linknote-1111"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1111 (<a href="#linknoteref-1111">return</a>)<br/> [ x. 1. 52.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1112" id="linknote-1112"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1112 (<a href="#linknoteref-1112">return</a>)<br/> [ Odysseus appears to have +been mentioned once only—and that casually—in the +<i>Returns</i>.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1113" id="linknote-1113"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1113 (<a href="#linknoteref-1113">return</a>)<br/> [ M.M. Croiset note that the +<i>Aethiopis</i> and the <i>Sack</i> were originally merely parts of one work +containing lays (the Amazoneia, Aethiopis, Persis, etc.), just as the +<i>Iliad</i> contained various lays such as the Diomedeia.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1114" id="linknote-1114"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1114 (<a href="#linknoteref-1114">return</a>)<br/> [ No date is assigned to +him, but it seems likely that he was either contemporary or slightly earlier +than Lesches.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1115" id="linknote-1115"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1115 (<a href="#linknoteref-1115">return</a>)<br/> [ Cp. Allen and Sikes, +<i>Homeric Hymns</i> 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 <i>Demeter</i> after <i>Hermes</i>, and the Hymn to +Dionysus at the end of the collection seems to be merely perverse.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1116" id="linknote-1116"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1116 (<a href="#linknoteref-1116">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>Greek Melic Poets</i>, +p. 165.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1117" id="linknote-1117"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1117 (<a href="#linknoteref-1117">return</a>)<br/> [ This monument was returned +to Greece in the 1980’s.— DBK.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1118" id="linknote-1118"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1118 (<a href="#linknoteref-1118">return</a>)<br/> [ Cp. Marckscheffel, +<i>Hesiodi fragmenta</i>, p. 35. The papyrus fragment recovered by Petrie +(<i>Petrie Papyri</i>, ed. Mahaffy, p. 70, No. xxv.) agrees essentially with +the extant document, but differs in numerous minor textual points.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1201" id="linknote-1201"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1201 (<a href="#linknoteref-1201">return</a>)<br/> [ See Schubert, <i>Berl. +Klassikertexte</i> v. 1.22 ff.; the other papyri may be found in the +publications whose name they bear.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1202" id="linknote-1202"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1202 (<a href="#linknoteref-1202">return</a>)<br/> [ Unless otherwise noted, +all MSS. are of the 15th century.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1203" id="linknote-1203"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1203 (<a href="#linknoteref-1203">return</a>)<br/> [ To this list I would also +add the following: <i>Hesiod and Theognis</i>, translated by Dorothea Wender +(Penguin Classics, London, 1973).—DBK.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1301" id="linknote-1301"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1301 (<a href="#linknoteref-1301">return</a>)<br/> [ That is, the poor +man’s fare, like ‘bread and cheese’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1302" id="linknote-1302"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1302 (<a href="#linknoteref-1302">return</a>)<br/> [ The All-endowed.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1303" id="linknote-1303"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1303 (<a href="#linknoteref-1303">return</a>)<br/> [ The jar or casket +contained the gifts of the gods mentioned in l.82.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1304" id="linknote-1304"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1304 (<a href="#linknoteref-1304">return</a>)<br/> [ Eustathius refers to +Hesiod as stating that men sprung “from oaks and stones and +ashtrees”. Proclus believed that the Nymphs called Meliae +(<i>Theogony</i>, 187) are intended. Goettling would render: “A race +terrible because of their (ashen) spears.”] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1305" id="linknote-1305"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1305 (<a href="#linknoteref-1305">return</a>)<br/> [ 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).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1306" id="linknote-1306"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1306 (<a href="#linknoteref-1306">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the race will +so degenerate that at the last even a new-born child will show the marks of old +age.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1307" id="linknote-1307"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1307 (<a href="#linknoteref-1307">return</a>)<br/> [ 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 (<i>cf. Psalms</i>, lxxii. 1-19).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1308" id="linknote-1308"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1308 (<a href="#linknoteref-1308">return</a>)<br/> [ The alternative version +is: ‘and, working, you will be much better loved both by gods and men; +for they greatly dislike the idle.’] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1309" id="linknote-1309"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1309 (<a href="#linknoteref-1309">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1310" id="linknote-1310"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1310 (<a href="#linknoteref-1310">return</a>)<br/> [ Early in May.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1311" id="linknote-1311"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1311 (<a href="#linknoteref-1311">return</a>)<br/> [ In November.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1312" id="linknote-1312"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1312 (<a href="#linknoteref-1312">return</a>)<br/> [ In October.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1313" id="linknote-1313"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1313 (<a href="#linknoteref-1313">return</a>)<br/> [ For pounding corn.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1314" id="linknote-1314"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1314 (<a href="#linknoteref-1314">return</a>)<br/> [ A mallet for breaking +clods after ploughing.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1315" id="linknote-1315"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1315 (<a href="#linknoteref-1315">return</a>)<br/> [ The loaf is a flattish +cake with two intersecting lines scored on its upper surface which divide it +into four equal parts.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1316" id="linknote-1316"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1316 (<a href="#linknoteref-1316">return</a>)<br/> [ The meaning is obscure. A +scholiast renders ‘giving eight mouthfulls’; but the elder +Philostratus uses the word in contrast to ‘leavened’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1317" id="linknote-1317"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1317 (<a href="#linknoteref-1317">return</a>)<br/> [ About the middle of +November.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1318" id="linknote-1318"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1318 (<a href="#linknoteref-1318">return</a>)<br/> [ Spring is so described +because the buds have not yet cast their iron-grey husks.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1319" id="linknote-1319"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1319 (<a href="#linknoteref-1319">return</a>)<br/> [ In December.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1320" id="linknote-1320"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1320 (<a href="#linknoteref-1320">return</a>)<br/> [ In March.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1321" id="linknote-1321"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1321 (<a href="#linknoteref-1321">return</a>)<br/> [ The latter part of January +and earlier part of February.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1322" id="linknote-1322"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1322 (<a href="#linknoteref-1322">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the octopus or +cuttle.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1323" id="linknote-1323"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1323 (<a href="#linknoteref-1323">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the +darker-skinned people of Africa, the Egyptians or Aethiopians.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1324" id="linknote-1324"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1324 (<a href="#linknoteref-1324">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> an old man +walking with a staff (the ‘third leg’— as in the riddle of +the Sphinx).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1325" id="linknote-1325"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1325 (<a href="#linknoteref-1325">return</a>)<br/> [ February to March.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1326" id="linknote-1326"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1326 (<a href="#linknoteref-1326">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the snail. The +season is the middle of May.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1327" id="linknote-1327"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1327 (<a href="#linknoteref-1327">return</a>)<br/> [ In June.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1328" id="linknote-1328"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1328 (<a href="#linknoteref-1328">return</a>)<br/> [ July.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1329" id="linknote-1329"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1329 (<a href="#linknoteref-1329">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> a robber.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1330" id="linknote-1330"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1330 (<a href="#linknoteref-1330">return</a>)<br/> [ September.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1331" id="linknote-1331"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1331 (<a href="#linknoteref-1331">return</a>)<br/> [ The end of October.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1332" id="linknote-1332"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1332 (<a href="#linknoteref-1332">return</a>)<br/> [ That is, the succession of +stars which make up the full year.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1333" id="linknote-1333"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1333 (<a href="#linknoteref-1333">return</a>)<br/> [ The end of October or +beginning of November.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1334" id="linknote-1334"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1334 (<a href="#linknoteref-1334">return</a>)<br/> [ July-August.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1335" id="linknote-1335"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1335 (<a href="#linknoteref-1335">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> untimely, +premature. Juvenal similarly speaks of ‘cruda senectus’ (caused by +gluttony).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1336" id="linknote-1336"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1336 (<a href="#linknoteref-1336">return</a>)<br/> [ The thought is parallel to +that of ‘O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath.’] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1337" id="linknote-1337"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1337 (<a href="#linknoteref-1337">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1338" id="linknote-1338"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1338 (<a href="#linknoteref-1338">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> ‘do not +cut your finger-nails’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1339" id="linknote-1339"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1339 (<a href="#linknoteref-1339">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> things which +it would be sacrilege to disturb, such as tombs.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1340" id="linknote-1340"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1340 (<a href="#linknoteref-1340">return</a>)<br/> [ H.G. Evelyn-White prefers +to switch ll. 768 and 769, reading l. 769 first then l. 768.—DBK] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1341" id="linknote-1341"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1341 (<a href="#linknoteref-1341">return</a>)<br/> [ The month is divided into +three periods, the waxing, the mid-month, and the waning, which answer to the +phases of the moon.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1342" id="linknote-1342"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1342 (<a href="#linknoteref-1342">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the ant.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1343" id="linknote-1343"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1343 (<a href="#linknoteref-1343">return</a>)<br/> [ 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 +<i>nurag</i>.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1401" id="linknote-1401"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1401 (<a href="#linknoteref-1401">return</a>)<br/> [ This halt verse is added +by the Scholiast on Aratus, 172.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1402" id="linknote-1402"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1402 (<a href="#linknoteref-1402">return</a>)<br/> [ The +“Catasterismi” (“Placings among the Stars”) is a +collection of legends relating to the various constellations.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1403" id="linknote-1403"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1403 (<a href="#linknoteref-1403">return</a>)<br/> [ The Straits of Messina.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1501" id="linknote-1501"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1501 (<a href="#linknoteref-1501">return</a>)<br/> [ Or perhaps ‘a +Scythian’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1601" id="linknote-1601"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1601 (<a href="#linknoteref-1601">return</a>)<br/> [ The epithet probably +indicates coquettishness.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1602" id="linknote-1602"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1602 (<a href="#linknoteref-1602">return</a>)<br/> [ A proverbial saying +meaning, ‘why enlarge on irrelevant topics?’] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1603" id="linknote-1603"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1603 (<a href="#linknoteref-1603">return</a>)<br/> [ ‘She of the noble +voice’: Calliope is queen of Epic poetry.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1604" id="linknote-1604"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1604 (<a href="#linknoteref-1604">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1605" id="linknote-1605"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1605 (<a href="#linknoteref-1605">return</a>)<br/> [ Aether is the bright, +untainted upper atmosphere, as distinguished from Aer, the lower atmosphere of +the earth.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1606" id="linknote-1606"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1606 (<a href="#linknoteref-1606">return</a>)<br/> [ Brontes is the Thunderer; +Steropes, the Lightener; and Arges, the Vivid One.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1607" id="linknote-1607"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1607 (<a href="#linknoteref-1607">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1608" id="linknote-1608"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1608 (<a href="#linknoteref-1608">return</a>)<br/> [ Nymphs of the ash-trees, +as Dryads are nymphs of the oak-trees. Cp. note on <i>Works and Days</i>, l. +145.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1609" id="linknote-1609"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1609 (<a href="#linknoteref-1609">return</a>)<br/> [ +‘Member-loving’: the title is perhaps only a perversion of the +regular PHILOMEIDES (laughter-loving).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1610" id="linknote-1610"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1610 (<a href="#linknoteref-1610">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.’] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1611" id="linknote-1611"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1611 (<a href="#linknoteref-1611">return</a>)<br/> [ 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’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1612" id="linknote-1612"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1612 (<a href="#linknoteref-1612">return</a>)<br/> [ The +‘Wave-receiver’ and the ‘Wave-stiller’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1613" id="linknote-1613"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1613 (<a href="#linknoteref-1613">return</a>)<br/> [ ‘The Unerring’ +or ‘Truthful’; cp. l. 235.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1614" id="linknote-1614"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1614 (<a href="#linknoteref-1614">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> Poseidon.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1615" id="linknote-1615"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1615 (<a href="#linknoteref-1615">return</a>)<br/> [ 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’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1616" id="linknote-1616"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1616 (<a href="#linknoteref-1616">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> Eos, the +‘Early-born’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1617" id="linknote-1617"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1617 (<a href="#linknoteref-1617">return</a>)<br/> [ Van Lennep explains that +Hecate, having no brothers to support her claim, might have been slighted.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1618" id="linknote-1618"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1618 (<a href="#linknoteref-1618">return</a>)<br/> [ The goddess of the +<i>hearth</i> (the Roman <i>Vesta</i>), and so of the house. Cp. <i>Homeric +Hymns</i> v.22 ff.; xxxix.1 ff.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1619" id="linknote-1619"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1619 (<a href="#linknoteref-1619">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1620" id="linknote-1620"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1620 (<a href="#linknoteref-1620">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1621" id="linknote-1621"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1621 (<a href="#linknoteref-1621">return</a>)<br/> [ 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. <i>Works and Days</i>, l. 145 and note.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1622" id="linknote-1622"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1622 (<a href="#linknoteref-1622">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>sc</i>. Atlas, the Shu +of Egyptian mythology: cp. note on line 177.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1623" id="linknote-1623"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1623 (<a href="#linknoteref-1623">return</a>)<br/> [ Oceanus is here regarded +as a continuous stream enclosing the earth and the seas, and so as flowing back +upon himself.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1624" id="linknote-1624"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1624 (<a href="#linknoteref-1624">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1625" id="linknote-1625"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1625 (<a href="#linknoteref-1625">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the threshold +is of ‘native’ metal, and not artificial.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1626" id="linknote-1626"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1626 (<a href="#linknoteref-1626">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1627" id="linknote-1627"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1627 (<a href="#linknoteref-1627">return</a>)<br/> [ The epithet (which means +literally <i>well-bored</i>) seems to refer to the spout of the +crucible.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1628" id="linknote-1628"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1628 (<a href="#linknoteref-1628">return</a>)<br/> [ The fire god. There is no +reference to volcanic action: iron was smelted on Mount Ida; cp. +<i>Epigrams of Homer</i>, ix. 2-4.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1629" id="linknote-1629"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1629 (<a href="#linknoteref-1629">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> Athena, who +was born ‘on the banks of the river Trito’ (cp. l. 929l)] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1630" id="linknote-1630"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1630 (<a href="#linknoteref-1630">return</a>)<br/> [ Restored by Peppmuller. +The nineteen following lines from another recension of lines 889-900, 924-9 are +quoted by Chrysippus (in Galen).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1631" id="linknote-1631"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1631 (<a href="#linknoteref-1631">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>sc</i>. the aegis. Line +929s is probably spurious, since it disagrees with l. 929q and contains a +suspicious reference to Athens.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1701" id="linknote-1701"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1701 (<a href="#linknoteref-1701">return</a>)<br/> [ A catalogue of heroines +each of whom was introduced with the words E OIE, ‘Or like her’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1702" id="linknote-1702"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1702 (<a href="#linknoteref-1702">return</a>)<br/> [ An antiquarian writer of +Byzantium, c. 490-570 A.D.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1703" id="linknote-1703"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1703 (<a href="#linknoteref-1703">return</a>)<br/> [ Constantine VII. +‘Born in the Porphyry Chamber’, 905-959 A.D.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1704" id="linknote-1704"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1704 (<a href="#linknoteref-1704">return</a>)<br/> [ “Berlin +Papyri”, 7497 (left-hand fragment) and “Oxyrhynchus Papyri”, +421 (right-hand fragment). For the restoration see “Class. Quart.” +vii. 217-8.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1705" id="linknote-1705"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1705 (<a href="#linknoteref-1705">return</a>)<br/> [ As the price to be given +to her father for her: so in <i>Iliad</i> xviii. 593 maidens are called +‘earners of oxen’. Possibly Glaucus, like Aias (fr. 68, ll. 55 +ff.), raided the cattle of others.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1706" id="linknote-1706"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1706 (<a href="#linknoteref-1706">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> Glaucus should father +the children of others. The curse of Aphrodite on the daughters of Tyndareus +(fr. 67) may be compared.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1707" id="linknote-1707"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1707 (<a href="#linknoteref-1707">return</a>)<br/> [ Porphyry, scholar, +mathematician, philosopher and historian, lived 233-305 (?) A.D. He was a pupil +of the neo-Platonist Plotinus.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1708" id="linknote-1708"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1708 (<a href="#linknoteref-1708">return</a>)<br/> [ Author of a geographical +lexicon, produced after 400 A.D., and abridged under Justinian.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1709" id="linknote-1709"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1709 (<a href="#linknoteref-1709">return</a>)<br/> [ Archbishop of Thessalonica +1175-1192 (?) A.D., author of commentaries on Pindar and on the +<i>Iliad</i> and <i>Odyssey</i>.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1710" id="linknote-1710"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1710 (<a href="#linknoteref-1710">return</a>)<br/> [ In the earliest times a +loin-cloth was worn by athletes, but was discarded after the 14th Olympiad.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1711" id="linknote-1711"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1711 (<a href="#linknoteref-1711">return</a>)<br/> [ 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)] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1712" id="linknote-1712"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1712 (<a href="#linknoteref-1712">return</a>)<br/> [ The end of +Schoeneus’ speech, the preparations and the beginning of the race are +lost.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1713" id="linknote-1713"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1713 (<a href="#linknoteref-1713">return</a>)<br/> [ Of the three which +Aphrodite gave him to enable him to overcome Atalanta.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1714" id="linknote-1714"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1714 (<a href="#linknoteref-1714">return</a>)<br/> [ The geographer; fl. c.24 +B.C.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1715" id="linknote-1715"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1715 (<a href="#linknoteref-1715">return</a>)<br/> [ Of Miletus, flourished +about 520 B.C. His work, a mixture of history and geography, was used by +Herodotus.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1716" id="linknote-1716"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1716 (<a href="#linknoteref-1716">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1717" id="linknote-1717"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1717 (<a href="#linknoteref-1717">return</a>)<br/> [ Fl. 56-88 A.D.: he is best +known for his work on Vergil.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1718" id="linknote-1718"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1718 (<a href="#linknoteref-1718">return</a>)<br/> [ This and the following +fragment segment are meant to be read together.—DBK.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1719" id="linknote-1719"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1719 (<a href="#linknoteref-1719">return</a>)<br/> [ 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 <i>Catalogues</i> +proper for easier use by the reader.—DBK.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1720" id="linknote-1720"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1720 (<a href="#linknoteref-1720">return</a>)<br/> [ 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).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1721" id="linknote-1721"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1721 (<a href="#linknoteref-1721">return</a>)<br/> [ The crocus was to attract +Europa, as in the very similar story of Persephone: cp. <i>Homeric +Hymns</i> ii. lines 8 ff.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1722" id="linknote-1722"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1722 (<a href="#linknoteref-1722">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1723" id="linknote-1723"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1723 (<a href="#linknoteref-1723">return</a>)<br/> [ Priest at Praeneste. He +lived c. 170-230 A.D.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1724" id="linknote-1724"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1724 (<a href="#linknoteref-1724">return</a>)<br/> [ Son of Apollonius +Dyscolus, lived in Rome under Marcus Aurelius. His chief work was on +accentuation.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1725" id="linknote-1725"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1725 (<a href="#linknoteref-1725">return</a>)<br/> [ This and the next two +fragment segments are meant to be read together.—DBK.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1726" id="linknote-1726"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1726 (<a href="#linknoteref-1726">return</a>)<br/> [ Sacred to Poseidon. For +the custom observed there, cp. <i>Homeric Hymns</i> iii. 231 ff.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1727" id="linknote-1727"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1727 (<a href="#linknoteref-1727">return</a>)<br/> [ The allusion is obscure.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1728" id="linknote-1728"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1728 (<a href="#linknoteref-1728">return</a>)<br/> [ Apollonius ‘the +Crabbed’ was a grammarian of Alexandria under Hadrian. He wrote largely +on Grammar and Syntax.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1729" id="linknote-1729"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1729 (<a href="#linknoteref-1729">return</a>)<br/> [ 275-195 (?) B.C., +mathematician, astronomer, scholar, and head of the Library of Alexandria.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1730" id="linknote-1730"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1730 (<a href="#linknoteref-1730">return</a>)<br/> [ Of Cyme. He wrote a +universal history covering the period between the Dorian Migration and 340 +B.C.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1731" id="linknote-1731"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1731 (<a href="#linknoteref-1731">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the nomad +Scythians, who are described by Herodotus as feeding on mares’ milk and +living in caravans.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1732" id="linknote-1732"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1732 (<a href="#linknoteref-1732">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1733" id="linknote-1733"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1733 (<a href="#linknoteref-1733">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> 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. <i>Hymn to Hermes</i>, 541 ff.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1734" id="linknote-1734"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1734 (<a href="#linknoteref-1734">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1735" id="linknote-1735"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1735 (<a href="#linknoteref-1735">return</a>)<br/> [ An Epicurean philosopher, +fl. 50 B.C.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1736" id="linknote-1736"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1736 (<a href="#linknoteref-1736">return</a>)<br/> [ +‘Charming-with-her-voice’ (or ‘Charming-the-mind’), +‘Song’, and ‘Lovely-sounding’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1737" id="linknote-1737"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1737 (<a href="#linknoteref-1737">return</a>)<br/> [ Diodorus Siculus, fl. 8 +B.C., author of an universal history ending with Caesar’s Gallic Wars.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1738" id="linknote-1738"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1738 (<a href="#linknoteref-1738">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1739" id="linknote-1739"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1739 (<a href="#linknoteref-1739">return</a>)<br/> [ This fragment is placed by +Spohn after <i>Works and Days</i> l. 120.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1740" id="linknote-1740"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1740 (<a href="#linknoteref-1740">return</a>)<br/> [ A Greek of Asia Minor, +author of the “Description of Greece” (on which he was still +engaged in 173 A.D.).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1741" id="linknote-1741"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1741 (<a href="#linknoteref-1741">return</a>)<br/> [ Wilamowitz thinks one or +other of these citations belongs to the Catalogue.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1742" id="linknote-1742"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1742 (<a href="#linknoteref-1742">return</a>)<br/> [ 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 <i>Catalogue of +Women</i>. The second book (the beginning of which is indicated after l. +106) can hardly be the second book of the <i>Catalogues</i> proper: +possibly it should be assigned to the EOIAI, which were sometimes treated as +part of the <i>Catalogues</i>, and sometimes separated from it. The +remains of thirty-seven lines following B. 50 in the Papyrus are too slight to +admit of restoration.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1743" id="linknote-1743"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1743 (<a href="#linknoteref-1743">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. the Suitor whose name +is lost.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1744" id="linknote-1744"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1744 (<a href="#linknoteref-1744">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1745" id="linknote-1745"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1745 (<a href="#linknoteref-1745">return</a>)<br/> [ The Papyrus here marks the +beginning of a second book possibly of the <i>Eoiae</i>. The passage (ll. 2-50) +probably led up to an account of the Trojan (and Theban?) war, in which, +according to <i>Works and Days</i> ll. 161-166, the Race of Heroes perished. +The opening of the <i>Cypria</i> 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”.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1746" id="linknote-1746"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1746 (<a href="#linknoteref-1746">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the snake; as +in <i>Works and Days</i> l. 524, the “Boneless One” is the +cuttle-fish.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1747" id="linknote-1747"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1747 (<a href="#linknoteref-1747">return</a>)<br/> [ c. 1110-1180 A.D. His +chief work was a poem, “Chiliades”, in accentual verse of nearly +13,000 lines.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1748" id="linknote-1748"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1748 (<a href="#linknoteref-1748">return</a>)<br/> [ 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 (<i>Iphigeneia in Tauris</i>) makes her merely priestess of +the goddess.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1749" id="linknote-1749"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1749 (<a href="#linknoteref-1749">return</a>)<br/> [ Of Alexandria. He lived in +the 5th century, and compiled a Greek Lexicon.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1750" id="linknote-1750"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1750 (<a href="#linknoteref-1750">return</a>)<br/> [ For his murder Minos +exacted a yearly tribute of boys and girls, to be devoured by the Minotaur, +from the Athenians.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1751" id="linknote-1751"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1751 (<a href="#linknoteref-1751">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1752" id="linknote-1752"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1752 (<a href="#linknoteref-1752">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1753" id="linknote-1753"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1753 (<a href="#linknoteref-1753">return</a>)<br/> [ Eustathius identifies +Ileus with Oileus, father of Aias. Here again is fanciful etymology, ILEUS +being similar to ILEOS (complaisant, gracious).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1754" id="linknote-1754"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1754 (<a href="#linknoteref-1754">return</a>)<br/> [ Imitated by Vergil, +“Aeneid” vii. 808, describing Camilla.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1755" id="linknote-1755"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1755 (<a href="#linknoteref-1755">return</a>)<br/> [ c. 600 A.D., a lecturer +and grammarian of Constantinople.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1756" id="linknote-1756"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1756 (<a href="#linknoteref-1756">return</a>)<br/> [ Priest of Apollo, and, +according to Homer, discoverer of wine. Maronea in Thrace is said to have been +called after him.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1757" id="linknote-1757"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1757 (<a href="#linknoteref-1757">return</a>)<br/> [ The crow was originally +white, but was turned black by Apollo in his anger at the news brought by the +bird.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1758" id="linknote-1758"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1758 (<a href="#linknoteref-1758">return</a>)<br/> [ A philosopher of Athens +under Hadrian and Antonius. He became a Christian and wrote a defence of the +Christians addressed to Antoninus Pius.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1759" id="linknote-1759"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1759 (<a href="#linknoteref-1759">return</a>)<br/> [ 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, <i>Alcestis</i>, 1-8)] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1760" id="linknote-1760"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1760 (<a href="#linknoteref-1760">return</a>)<br/> [ For Cyrene and Aristaeus, +cp. Vergil, <i>Georgics</i>, iv. 315 ff.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1761" id="linknote-1761"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1761 (<a href="#linknoteref-1761">return</a>)<br/> [ A writer on mythology of +uncertain date.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1762" id="linknote-1762"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1762 (<a href="#linknoteref-1762">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1763" id="linknote-1763"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1763 (<a href="#linknoteref-1763">return</a>)<br/> [ The fragment is part of a +leaf from a papyrus book of the 4th century A.D.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1764" id="linknote-1764"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1764 (<a href="#linknoteref-1764">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.)] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1765" id="linknote-1765"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1765 (<a href="#linknoteref-1765">return</a>)<br/> [ The fragment probably +belongs to the <i>Catalogues</i> proper rather than to the Eoiae; but, +as its position is uncertain, it may conveniently be associated with Frags. 99A +and the <i>Shield of Heracles</i>.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1766" id="linknote-1766"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1766 (<a href="#linknoteref-1766">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1767" id="linknote-1767"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1767 (<a href="#linknoteref-1767">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1768" id="linknote-1768"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1768 (<a href="#linknoteref-1768">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1801" id="linknote-1801"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1801 (<a href="#linknoteref-1801">return</a>)<br/> [ A mountain peak near +Thebes which took its name from the Sphinx (called in <i>Theogony</i> l. +326 PHIX).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1802" id="linknote-1802"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1802 (<a href="#linknoteref-1802">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1803" id="linknote-1803"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1803 (<a href="#linknoteref-1803">return</a>)<br/> [ ‘She who drives +herds,’ <i>i.e.</i> ‘The Victorious’, since herds were the +chief spoil gained by the victor in ancient warfare.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1804" id="linknote-1804"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1804 (<a href="#linknoteref-1804">return</a>)<br/> [ The cap of darkness which +made its wearer invisible.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1805" id="linknote-1805"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1805 (<a href="#linknoteref-1805">return</a>)<br/> [ The existing text of the +vineyard scene is a compound of two different versions, clumsily adapted, and +eked out with some makeshift additions.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1806" id="linknote-1806"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1806 (<a href="#linknoteref-1806">return</a>)<br/> [ The conception is similar +to that of the sculptured group at Athens of Two Lions devouring a Bull +(Dickens, <i>Cat. of the Acropolis Museum</i>, No. 3).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-1901" id="linknote-1901"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +1901 (<a href="#linknoteref-1901">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2001" id="linknote-2001"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2001 (<a href="#linknoteref-2001">return</a>)<br/> [ 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 (<i>aietos</i>).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2002" id="linknote-2002"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2002 (<a href="#linknoteref-2002">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2003" id="linknote-2003"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2003 (<a href="#linknoteref-2003">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. to Scythia.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2004" id="linknote-2004"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2004 (<a href="#linknoteref-2004">return</a>)<br/> [ In the Homeric <i>Hymn +to Hermes</i> Battus almost disappears from the story, and a somewhat +different account of the stealing of the cattle is given.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2101" id="linknote-2101"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2101 (<a href="#linknoteref-2101">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. Colophon. Proclus in +his abstract of the <i>Returns</i> (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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2102" id="linknote-2102"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2102 (<a href="#linknoteref-2102">return</a>)<br/> [ ll. 1-2 are quoted by +Athenaeus, ii. p. 40; ll. 3-4 by Clement of Alexandria, <i>Stromateis</i> vi. +2. 26. Buttman saw that the two fragments should be joined. (NOTE: These two +fragments should be read together.—DBK)] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2201" id="linknote-2201"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2201 (<a href="#linknoteref-2201">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2202" id="linknote-2202"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2202 (<a href="#linknoteref-2202">return</a>)<br/> [ Euboea properly means the +‘Island of fine Cattle (or Cows)’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2301" id="linknote-2301"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2301 (<a href="#linknoteref-2301">return</a>)<br/> [ This and the following +fragment are meant to be read together.—DBK] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2302" id="linknote-2302"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2302 (<a href="#linknoteref-2302">return</a>)<br/> [ cp. Hesiod +<i>Theogony</i> 81 ff. But Theognis 169, ‘Whomso the god honour, +even a man inclined to blame praiseth him’, is much nearer.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2401" id="linknote-2401"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2401 (<a href="#linknoteref-2401">return</a>)<br/> [ Cf. Scholion on Clement, +“Protrept.” i. p. 302.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2402" id="linknote-2402"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2402 (<a href="#linknoteref-2402">return</a>)<br/> [ This line may once have +been read in the text of <i>Works and Days</i> after l. 771.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2501" id="linknote-2501"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2501 (<a href="#linknoteref-2501">return</a>)<br/> [ ll. 1-9 are preserved by +Diodorus Siculus iii. 66. 3; ll. 10-21 are extant only in M.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2502" id="linknote-2502"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2502 (<a href="#linknoteref-2502">return</a>)<br/> [ Dionysus, after his +untimely birth from Semele, was sewn into the thigh of Zeus.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2503" id="linknote-2503"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2503 (<a href="#linknoteref-2503">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>sc</i>. Semele. Zeus is +here speaking.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2504" id="linknote-2504"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2504 (<a href="#linknoteref-2504">return</a>)<br/> [ The reference is +apparently to something in the body of the hymn, now lost.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2505" id="linknote-2505"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2505 (<a href="#linknoteref-2505">return</a>)<br/> [ 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’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2506" id="linknote-2506"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2506 (<a href="#linknoteref-2506">return</a>)<br/> [ Demeter chooses the +lowlier seat, supposedly as being more suitable to her assumed condition, but +really because in her sorrow she refuses all comforts.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2507" id="linknote-2507"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2507 (<a href="#linknoteref-2507">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2508" id="linknote-2508"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2508 (<a href="#linknoteref-2508">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2509" id="linknote-2509"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2509 (<a href="#linknoteref-2509">return</a>)<br/> [ The list of names is +taken—with five additions—from Hesiod, <i>Theogony</i> 349 +ff.: for their general significance see note on that passage.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2510" id="linknote-2510"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2510 (<a href="#linknoteref-2510">return</a>)<br/> [ Inscriptions show that +there was a temple of Apollo Delphinius (cp. ii. 495-6) at Cnossus and a Cretan +month bearing the same name.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2511" id="linknote-2511"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2511 (<a href="#linknoteref-2511">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. that the dolphin was +really Apollo.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2512" id="linknote-2512"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2512 (<a href="#linknoteref-2512">return</a>)<br/> [ The epithets are +transferred from the god to his altar ‘Overlooking’ is especially +an epithet of Zeus, as in Apollonius Rhodius ii. 1124.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2513" id="linknote-2513"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2513 (<a href="#linknoteref-2513">return</a>)<br/> [ Pliny notices the efficacy +of the flesh of a tortoise against withcraft. In <i>Geoponica</i> i. 14. +8 the living tortoise is prescribed as a charm to preserve vineyards from +hail.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2514" id="linknote-2514"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2514 (<a href="#linknoteref-2514">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2515" id="linknote-2515"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2515 (<a href="#linknoteref-2515">return</a>)<br/> [ 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’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2516" id="linknote-2516"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2516 (<a href="#linknoteref-2516">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2517" id="linknote-2517"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2517 (<a href="#linknoteref-2517">return</a>)<br/> [ The cows being on their +sides on the ground, Hermes bends their heads back towards their flanks and so +can reach their backbones.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2518" id="linknote-2518"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2518 (<a href="#linknoteref-2518">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2519" id="linknote-2519"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2519 (<a href="#linknoteref-2519">return</a>)<br/> [ 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?] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2520" id="linknote-2520"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2520 (<a href="#linknoteref-2520">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>Lit</i>. +“thorn-plucker”.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2521" id="linknote-2521"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2521 (<a href="#linknoteref-2521">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2522" id="linknote-2522"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2522 (<a href="#linknoteref-2522">return</a>)<br/> [ Literally, ‘you have +made him sit on the floor’, <i>i.e.</i> ‘you have stolen everything +down to his last chair.’] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2523" id="linknote-2523"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2523 (<a href="#linknoteref-2523">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2524" id="linknote-2524"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2524 (<a href="#linknoteref-2524">return</a>)<br/> [ 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 <i>Theogony</i>, ll. 495-7.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2525" id="linknote-2525"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2525 (<a href="#linknoteref-2525">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2526" id="linknote-2526"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2526 (<a href="#linknoteref-2526">return</a>)<br/> [ +‘Cattle-earning’, because an accepted suitor paid for his bride in +cattle.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2527" id="linknote-2527"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2527 (<a href="#linknoteref-2527">return</a>)<br/> [ The name Aeneas is here +connected with the epithet AIEOS (awful): similarly the name Odysseus is +derived (in <i>Odyssey</i> i.62) from ODYSSMAI (I grieve).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2528" id="linknote-2528"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2528 (<a href="#linknoteref-2528">return</a>)<br/> [ Aphrodite extenuates her +disgrace by claiming that the race of Anchises is almost divine, as is shown in +the persons of Ganymedes and Tithonus.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2529" id="linknote-2529"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2529 (<a href="#linknoteref-2529">return</a>)<br/> [ So Christ connecting the +word with OMOS. L. and S. give = OMOIOS, ‘common to all’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2530" id="linknote-2530"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2530 (<a href="#linknoteref-2530">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2531" id="linknote-2531"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2531 (<a href="#linknoteref-2531">return</a>)<br/> [ This line appears to be an +alternative to ll. 10-11.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2532" id="linknote-2532"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2532 (<a href="#linknoteref-2532">return</a>)<br/> [ The name Pan is here +derived from PANTES, ‘all’. Cp. Hesiod, <i>Works and +Days</i> ll. 80-82, <i>Hymn to Aphrodite</i> (v) l. 198. for the +significance of personal names.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2533" id="linknote-2533"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2533 (<a href="#linknoteref-2533">return</a>)<br/> [ Mr. Evelyn-White prefers +to switch l. 10 and 11, reading 11 first then 10.—DBK.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2534" id="linknote-2534"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2534 (<a href="#linknoteref-2534">return</a>)<br/> [ An extra line is inserted +in some MSS. after l. 15.— DBK.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2535" id="linknote-2535"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2535 (<a href="#linknoteref-2535">return</a>)<br/> [ The epithet is a usual one +for birds, cp. Hesiod, <i>Works and Days</i>, l. 210; as applied to +Selene it may merely indicate her passage, like a bird, through the air, or +mean ‘far flying’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2601" id="linknote-2601"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2601 (<a href="#linknoteref-2601">return</a>)<br/> [ The <i>Epigrams</i> +are preserved in the pseudo-Herodotean <i>Life of Homer</i>. Nos. III, +XIII, and XVII are also found in the <i>Contest of Homer and Hesiod</i>, +and No. I is also extant at the end of some MSS. of the <i>Homeric +Hymns</i>.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2602" id="linknote-2602"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2602 (<a href="#linknoteref-2602">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. from Smyrna, +Homer’s reputed birth-place.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2603" id="linknote-2603"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2603 (<a href="#linknoteref-2603">return</a>)<br/> [ The councillors at Cyme +who refused to support Homer at the public expense.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2604" id="linknote-2604"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2604 (<a href="#linknoteref-2604">return</a>)<br/> [ The ‘better +fruit’ is apparently the iron smelted out in fires of pine-wood.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2605" id="linknote-2605"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2605 (<a href="#linknoteref-2605">return</a>)<br/> [ Hecate: cp. Hesiod, +<i>Theogony</i>, l. 450.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2606" id="linknote-2606"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2606 (<a href="#linknoteref-2606">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> in +protection.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2607" id="linknote-2607"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2607 (<a href="#linknoteref-2607">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2608" id="linknote-2608"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2608 (<a href="#linknoteref-2608">return</a>)<br/> [ The lice which they caught +in their clothes they left behind, but carried home in their clothes those +which they could not catch.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2701" id="linknote-2701"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2701 (<a href="#linknoteref-2701">return</a>)<br/> [ See the cylix reproduced +by Gerhard, <i>Abhandlungen</i>, taf. 5,4. Cp. Stesichorus, Frag. 3 (Smyth).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2801" id="linknote-2801"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2801 (<a href="#linknoteref-2801">return</a>)<br/> [ The haunch was regarded as +a dishonourable portion.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2802" id="linknote-2802"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2802 (<a href="#linknoteref-2802">return</a>)<br/> [ The horse of Adrastus, +offspring of Poseidon and Demeter, who had changed herself into a mare to +escape Poseidon.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2803" id="linknote-2803"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2803 (<a href="#linknoteref-2803">return</a>)<br/> [ Restored from Pindar Ol. +vi. 15 who, according to Asclepiades, derives the passage from the +<i>Thebais</i>.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-2901" id="linknote-2901"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +2901 (<a href="#linknoteref-2901">return</a>)<br/> [ So called from Teumessus, +a hill in Boeotia. For the derivation of Teumessus cp. Antimachus +<i>Thebais</i> fr. 3 (Kinkel).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3001" id="linknote-3001"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3001 (<a href="#linknoteref-3001">return</a>)<br/> [ The preceding part of the +Epic Cycle (?).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3002" id="linknote-3002"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3002 (<a href="#linknoteref-3002">return</a>)<br/> [ 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. <i>Iliad</i> +ii, 299 ff.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3003" id="linknote-3003"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3003 (<a href="#linknoteref-3003">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> Stasinus (or +Hegesias: cp. fr. 6): the phrase ‘Cyprian histories’ is equivalent +to “The Cypria”.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3004" id="linknote-3004"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3004 (<a href="#linknoteref-3004">return</a>)<br/> [ Cp. Allen +“C.R.” xxvii. 190.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3005" id="linknote-3005"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3005 (<a href="#linknoteref-3005">return</a>)<br/> [ These two lines possibly +belong to the account of the feast given by Agamemnon at Lemnos.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3006" id="linknote-3006"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3006 (<a href="#linknoteref-3006">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. the Asiatic Thebes at +the foot of Mt. Placius.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3101" id="linknote-3101"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3101 (<a href="#linknoteref-3101">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. after cremation.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3102" id="linknote-3102"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3102 (<a href="#linknoteref-3102">return</a>)<br/> [ This fragment comes from a +version of the <i>Contest of Homer and Hesiod</i> 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 +<i>Little Iliad</i>. It is possible they may have introduced some +unusually striking incident, such as the actual Fall of Troy.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3103" id="linknote-3103"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3103 (<a href="#linknoteref-3103">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> in the +paintings by Polygnotus at Delphi.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3104" id="linknote-3104"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3104 (<a href="#linknoteref-3104">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the dead +bodies in the picture.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3105" id="linknote-3105"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3105 (<a href="#linknoteref-3105">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3201" id="linknote-3201"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3201 (<a href="#linknoteref-3201">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. knowledge of both +surgery and of drugs.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3301" id="linknote-3301"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3301 (<a href="#linknoteref-3301">return</a>)<br/> [ Clement attributes this +line to Augias: probably Agias is intended.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3302" id="linknote-3302"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3302 (<a href="#linknoteref-3302">return</a>)<br/> [ Identical with the +<i>Returns</i>, in which the Sons of Atreus occupy the most prominent +parts.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3401" id="linknote-3401"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3401 (<a href="#linknoteref-3401">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3402" id="linknote-3402"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3402 (<a href="#linknoteref-3402">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> the fox knows +many ways to baffle its foes, while the hedge-hog knows one only which is far +more effectual.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3403" id="linknote-3403"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3403 (<a href="#linknoteref-3403">return</a>)<br/> [ Attributed to Homer by +Zenobius, and by Bergk to the <i>Margites</i>.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3501" id="linknote-3501"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3501 (<a href="#linknoteref-3501">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>i.e.</i> +‘monkey-men’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3601" id="linknote-3601"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3601 (<a href="#linknoteref-3601">return</a>)<br/> [ 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.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3602" id="linknote-3602"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3602 (<a href="#linknoteref-3602">return</a>)<br/> [ lit. ‘those unable +to swim’.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3603" id="linknote-3603"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3603 (<a href="#linknoteref-3603">return</a>)<br/> [ This may be a parody of +Orion’s threat in Hesiod, “Astronomy”, frag. 4.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3701" id="linknote-3701"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3701 (<a href="#linknoteref-3701">return</a>)<br/> [ sc. the riddle of the +fisher-boys which comes at the end of this work.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3702" id="linknote-3702"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3702 (<a href="#linknoteref-3702">return</a>)<br/> [ The verses of Hesiod are +called doubtful in meaning because they are, if taken alone, either incomplete +or absurd.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3703" id="linknote-3703"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3703 (<a href="#linknoteref-3703">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>Works and +Days</i>, ll. 383-392.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3704" id="linknote-3704"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3704 (<a href="#linknoteref-3704">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>Iliad</i> xiii, +ll. 126-133, 339-344.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3705" id="linknote-3705"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3705 (<a href="#linknoteref-3705">return</a>)<br/> [ The accepted text of the +<i>Iliad</i> contains 15,693 verses; that of the <i>Odyssey</i>, +12,110.] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3706" id="linknote-3706"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3706 (<a href="#linknoteref-3706">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>Iliad</i> ii, +ll. 559-568 (with two additional verses).] +</p> + +<p> +<a name="linknote-3707" id="linknote-3707"> +<!-- Note --></a> +</p> +<p class="footnote"> +3707 (<a href="#linknoteref-3707">return</a>)<br/> [ <i>Homeric +Hymns</i>, iii.] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<pre> + + + + + +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-h.htm or 348-h.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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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 + + +Title: Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica + +Author: Homer and Hesiod + +Editor: Hugh G. Evelyn-White + +Release Date: July 5, 2008 [EBook #348] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HESIOD, THE HOMERIC HYMNS *** + + + + +Produced by Douglas B. Killings + + + + + +HESIOD, THE HOMERIC HYMNS, AND HOMERICA + + + +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. + + + + +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. + +Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Rampton, NR. Cambridge. Sept. 9th, 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 Magnum" (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 Mausonis', +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:-- + + {Omega}a = C + {Omega}b = F,G,H + {Psi}a = D + {Psi}b = I,K,L,M + {Phi}a = E + {Phi}b = 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: + + {Omega}a = C,D + {Omega}b = E,F + {Omega}c = G,H,I + {Psi} = 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 Museaum 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: + + {Omega}a = B,C,D,F + {Omega}b = G,H,I + {Psi}a = E + {Psi}b = 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. + Schomann, 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 Litterature +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 Bruchstucke 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. + {Gamma} 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. + {Pi} 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,{Pi},(and more remotely) At,D,S,H,J,K. + y = E,L,{Pi},T (marginal readings). + p = A,B,C,{Gamma},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"), Gottingen, 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 Litterature 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-Encyclopadie" 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, 1908 [1203]. + + + + +THE WORKS OF HESIOD + + +WORKS AND DAYS (832 lines) + +(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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (1,041 lines) + +(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 EOIAE (fragments) [1701] + +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 #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 (480 lines) + +(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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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.' + + + + +WORKS ATTRIBUTED TO HOMER + + + + +THE HOMERIC HYMNS + + + + +I. TO DIONYSUS (21 lines) [2501] + +((LACUNA)) + +(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. + +((LACUNA)) + +(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 (495 lines) + +(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 APOLLO (546 lines) + +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 (582 lines) + +(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 (293 lines) + +(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 (21 lines) + +(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 (59 lines) + +(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 (17 lines) + +(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 (9 lines) + +(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 (6 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (3 lines) + +(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 (6 lines) + +(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 (9 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (12 lines) + +(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 (49 lines) + +(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 (8 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (7 lines) + +(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 (4 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (7 lines) + +(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 (13 lines) + +(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 (22 lines) + +(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 (18 lines) + +(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 (13 lines) + +(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 (19 lines) + +(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 (20 lines) + +(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 (20 lines) + +(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 (19 lines) + +(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 EPIGRAMS [2601] + + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 [3002] 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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 +Aeneas[3105], 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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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. + + + + +NON-CYCLIC POEMS ATTRIBUTED TO HOMER + + + + +THE EXPEDITION OF AMPHIARAUS (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (303 lines) + +(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 + +(aka "The Contest of Homer and Hesiod") + +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: + +[Footnote 1101: sc. in Boeotia, Locris and Thessaly: elsewhere the +movement was forced and unfruitful.] + +[Footnote 1102: 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.] + +[Footnote 1103: "Der Dialekt des Hesiodes", p. 464: examples are AENEMI +(W. and D. 683) and AROMENAI (ib. 22).] + +[Footnote 1104: 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.] + +[Footnote 1105: She is said to have given birth to the lyrist +Stesichorus.] + +[Footnote 1106: See Kinkel "Epic. Graec. Frag." i. 158 ff.] + +[Footnote 1107: See "Great Works", frag. 2.] + +[Footnote 1108: "Hesiodi Fragmenta", pp. 119 f.] + +[Footnote 1109: 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.] + +[Footnote 1110: Goettling's explanation.] + +[Footnote 1111: x. 1. 52.] + +[Footnote 1112: Odysseus appears to have been mentioned once only--and +that casually--in the "Returns".] + +[Footnote 1113: 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.] + +[Footnote 1114: No date is assigned to him, but it seems likely that he +was either contemporary or slightly earlier than Lesches.] + +[Footnote 1115: 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.] + +[Footnote 1116: "Greek Melic Poets", p. 165.] + +[Footnote 1117: This monument was returned to Greece in the 1980's.-- +DBK.] + +[Footnote 1118: 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.] + +[Footnote 1201: See Schubert, "Berl. Klassikertexte" v. 1.22 ff.; the +other papyri may be found in the publications whose name they bear.] + +[Footnote 1202: Unless otherwise noted, all MSS. are of the 15th +century.] + +[Footnote 1203: To this list I would also add the following: "Hesiod and +Theognis", translated by Dorothea Wender (Penguin Classics, London, +1973).--DBK.] + +[Footnote 1301: That is, the poor man's fare, like 'bread and cheese'.] + +[Footnote 1302: The All-endowed.] + +[Footnote 1303: The jar or casket contained the gifts of the gods +mentioned in l.82.] + +[Footnote 1304: 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.'] + +[Footnote 1305: 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).] + +[Footnote 1306: i.e. the race will so degenerate that at the last even a +new-born child will show the marks of old age.] + +[Footnote 1307: 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).] + +[Footnote 1308: The alternative version is: 'and, working, you will be +much better loved both by gods and men; for they greatly dislike the +idle.'] + +[Footnote 1309: 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.] + +[Footnote 1310: Early in May.] + +[Footnote 1311: In November.] + +[Footnote 1312: In October.] + +[Footnote 1313: For pounding corn.] + +[Footnote 1314: A mallet for breaking clods after ploughing.] + +[Footnote 1315: The loaf is a flattish cake with two intersecting lines +scored on its upper surface which divide it into four equal parts.] + +[Footnote 1316: The meaning is obscure. A scholiast renders 'giving +eight mouthfulls'; but the elder Philostratus uses the word in contrast +to 'leavened'.] + +[Footnote 1317: About the middle of November.] + +[Footnote 1318: Spring is so described because the buds have not yet +cast their iron-grey husks.] + +[Footnote 1319: In December.] + +[Footnote 1320: In March.] + +[Footnote 1321: The latter part of January and earlier part of +February.] + +[Footnote 1322: i.e. the octopus or cuttle.] + +[Footnote 1323: i.e. the darker-skinned people of Africa, the Egyptians +or Aethiopians.] + +[Footnote 1324: i.e. an old man walking with a staff (the 'third leg'-- +as in the riddle of the Sphinx).] + +[Footnote 1325: February to March.] + +[Footnote 1326: i.e. the snail. The season is the middle of May.] + +[Footnote 1327: In June.] + +[Footnote 1328: July.] + +[Footnote 1329: i.e. a robber.] + +[Footnote 1330: September.] + +[Footnote 1331: The end of October.] + +[Footnote 1332: That is, the succession of stars which make up the full +year.] + +[Footnote 1333: The end of October or beginning of November.] + +[Footnote 1334: July-August.] + +[Footnote 1335: i.e. untimely, premature. Juvenal similarly speaks of +'cruda senectus' (caused by gluttony).] + +[Footnote 1336: The thought is parallel to that of 'O, what a goodly +outside falsehood hath.'] + +[Footnote 1337: 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.] + +[Footnote 1338: i.e. 'do not cut your finger-nails'.] + +[Footnote 1339: i.e. things which it would be sacrilege to disturb, such +as tombs.] + +[Footnote 1340: H.G. Evelyn-White prefers to switch ll. 768 and 769, +reading l. 769 first then l. 768.--DBK] + +[Footnote 1341: The month is divided into three periods, the waxing, the +mid-month, and the waning, which answer to the phases of the moon.] + +[Footnote 1342: i.e. the ant.] + +[Footnote 1343: 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".] + +[Footnote 1401: This halt verse is added by the Scholiast on Aratus, +172.] + +[Footnote 1402: The "Catasterismi" ("Placings among the Stars") is a +collection of legends relating to the various constellations.] + +[Footnote 1403: The Straits of Messina.] + +[Footnote 1501: Or perhaps 'a Scythian'.] + +[Footnote 1601: The epithet probably indicates coquettishness.] + +[Footnote 1602: A proverbial saying meaning, 'why enlarge on irrelevant +topics?'] + +[Footnote 1603: 'She of the noble voice': Calliope is queen of Epic +poetry.] + +[Footnote 1604: 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.] + +[Footnote 1605: Aether is the bright, untainted upper atmosphere, as +distinguished from Aer, the lower atmosphere of the earth.] + +[Footnote 1606: Brontes is the Thunderer; Steropes, the Lightener; and +Arges, the Vivid One.] + +[Footnote 1607: 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.] + +[Footnote 1608: Nymphs of the ash-trees, as Dryads are nymphs of the +oak-trees. Cp. note on "Works and Days", l. 145.] + +[Footnote 1609: 'Member-loving': the title is perhaps only a perversion +of the regular PHILOMEIDES (laughter-loving).] + +[Footnote 1610: 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.'] + +[Footnote 1611: 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'.] + +[Footnote 1612: The 'Wave-receiver' and the 'Wave-stiller'.] + +[Footnote 1613: 'The Unerring' or 'Truthful'; cp. l. 235.] + +[Footnote 1614: i.e. Poseidon.] + +[Footnote 1615: 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'.] + +[Footnote 1616: i.e. Eos, the 'Early-born'.] + +[Footnote 1617: Van Lennep explains that Hecate, having no brothers to +support her claim, might have been slighted.] + +[Footnote 1618: The goddess of the hearth (the Roman "Vesta"), and so of +the house. Cp. "Homeric Hymns" v.22 ff.; xxxix.1 ff.] + +[Footnote 1619: 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.] + +[Footnote 1620: 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.] + +[Footnote 1621: 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.] + +[Footnote 1622: sc. Atlas, the Shu of Egyptian mythology: cp. note on +line 177.] + +[Footnote 1623: Oceanus is here regarded as a continuous stream +enclosing the earth and the seas, and so as flowing back upon himself.] + +[Footnote 1624: 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.] + +[Footnote 1625: i.e. the threshold is of 'native' metal, and not +artificial.] + +[Footnote 1626: 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.] + +[Footnote 1627: The epithet (which means literally 'well-bored') seems +to refer to the spout of the crucible.] + +[Footnote 1628: The fire god. There is no reference to volcanic action: +iron was smelted on Mount Ida; cp. "Epigrams of Homer", ix. 2-4.] + +[Footnote 1629: i.e. Athena, who was born 'on the banks of the river +Trito' (cp. l. 929l)] + +[Footnote 1630: Restored by Peppmuller. The nineteen following lines +from another recension of lines 889-900, 924-9 are quoted by Chrysippus +(in Galen).] + +[Footnote 1631: sc. the aegis. Line 929s is probably spurious, since it +disagrees with l. 929q and contains a suspicious reference to Athens.] + +[Footnote 1701: A catalogue of heroines each of whom was introduced with +the words E OIE, 'Or like her'.] + +[Footnote 1702: An antiquarian writer of Byzantium, c. 490-570 A.D.] + +[Footnote 1703: Constantine VII. 'Born in the Porphyry Chamber', 905-959 +A.D.] + +[Footnote 1704: "Berlin Papyri", 7497 (left-hand fragment) and +"Oxyrhynchus Papyri", 421 (right-hand fragment). For the restoration see +"Class. Quart." vii. 217-8.] + +[Footnote 1705: 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.] + +[Footnote 1706: i.e. Glaucus should father the children of others. The +curse of Aphrodite on the daughters of Tyndareus (fr. 67) may be +compared.] + +[Footnote 1707: Porphyry, scholar, mathematician, philosopher and +historian, lived 233-305 (?) A.D. He was a pupil of the neo-Platonist +Plotinus.] + +[Footnote 1708: Author of a geographical lexicon, produced after 400 +A.D., and abridged under Justinian.] + +[Footnote 1709: Archbishop of Thessalonica 1175-1192 (?) A.D., author of +commentaries on Pindar and on the "Iliad" and "Odyssey".] + +[Footnote 1710: In the earliest times a loin-cloth was worn by athletes, +but was discarded after the 14th Olympiad.] + +[Footnote 1711: 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)] + +[Footnote 1712: The end of Schoeneus' speech, the preparations and the +beginning of the race are lost.] + +[Footnote 1713: Of the three which Aphrodite gave him to enable him to +overcome Atalanta.] + +[Footnote 1714: The geographer; fl. c.24 B.C.] + +[Footnote 1715: Of Miletus, flourished about 520 B.C. His work, a +mixture of history and geography, was used by Herodotus.] + +[Footnote 1716: 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.] + +[Footnote 1717: Fl. 56-88 A.D.: he is best known for his work on +Vergil.] + +[Footnote 1718: This and the following fragment segment are meant to be +read together.--DBK.] + +[Footnote 1719: 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.] + +[Footnote 1720: 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).] + +[Footnote 1721: The crocus was to attract Europa, as in the very similar +story of Persephone: cp. "Homeric Hymns" ii. lines 8 ff.] + +[Footnote 1722: 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.] + +[Footnote 1723: Priest at Praeneste. He lived c. 170-230 A.D.] + +[Footnote 1724: Son of Apollonius Dyscolus, lived in Rome under Marcus +Aurelius. His chief work was on accentuation.] + +[Footnote 1725: This and the next two fragment segments are meant to be +read together.--DBK.] + +[Footnote 1726: Sacred to Poseidon. For the custom observed there, cp. +"Homeric Hymns" iii. 231 ff.] + +[Footnote 1727: The allusion is obscure.] + +[Footnote 1728: Apollonius 'the Crabbed' was a grammarian of Alexandria +under Hadrian. He wrote largely on Grammar and Syntax.] + +[Footnote 1729: 275-195 (?) B.C., mathematician, astronomer, scholar, +and head of the Library of Alexandria.] + +[Footnote 1730: Of Cyme. He wrote a universal history covering the +period between the Dorian Migration and 340 B.C.] + +[Footnote 1731: i.e. the nomad Scythians, who are described by Herodotus +as feeding on mares' milk and living in caravans.] + +[Footnote 1732: 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.] + +[Footnote 1733: 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.] + +[Footnote 1734: 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.] + +[Footnote 1735: An Epicurean philosopher, fl. 50 B.C.] + +[Footnote 1736: 'Charming-with-her-voice' (or 'Charming-the-mind'), +'Song', and 'Lovely-sounding'.] + +[Footnote 1737: Diodorus Siculus, fl. 8 B.C., author of an universal +history ending with Caesar's Gallic Wars.] + +[Footnote 1738: 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.] + +[Footnote 1739: This fragment is placed by Spohn after "Works and Days" +l. 120.] + +[Footnote 1740: A Greek of Asia Minor, author of the "Description of +Greece" (on which he was still engaged in 173 A.D.).] + +[Footnote 1741: Wilamowitz thinks one or other of these citations +belongs to the Catalogue.] + +[Footnote 1742: 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.] + +[Footnote 1743: sc. the Suitor whose name is lost.] + +[Footnote 1744: 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.).] + +[Footnote 1745: The Papyrus here marks the beginning of a second book +("B"), 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'.] + +[Footnote 1746: i.e. the snake; as in "Works and Days" l. 524, the +"Boneless One" is the cuttle-fish.] + +[Footnote 1747: c. 1110-1180 A.D. His chief work was a poem, +"Chiliades", in accentual verse of nearly 13,000 lines.] + +[Footnote 1748: 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.] + +[Footnote 1749: Of Alexandria. He lived in the 5th century, and compiled +a Greek Lexicon.] + +[Footnote 1750: For his murder Minos exacted a yearly tribute of boys +and girls, to be devoured by the Minotaur, from the Athenians.] + +[Footnote 1751: 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.] + +[Footnote 1752: 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.] + +[Footnote 1753: Eustathius identifies Ileus with Oileus, father of Aias. +Here again is fanciful etymology, ILEUS being similar to ILEOS +(complaisant, gracious).] + +[Footnote 1754: Imitated by Vergil, "Aeneid" vii. 808, describing +Camilla.] + +[Footnote 1755: c. 600 A.D., a lecturer and grammarian of +Constantinople.] + +[Footnote 1756: Priest of Apollo, and, according to Homer, discoverer of +wine. Maronea in Thrace is said to have been called after him.] + +[Footnote 1757: The crow was originally white, but was turned black by +Apollo in his anger at the news brought by the bird.] + +[Footnote 1758: A philosopher of Athens under Hadrian and Antonius. He +became a Christian and wrote a defence of the Christians addressed to +Antoninus Pius.] + +[Footnote 1759: 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)] + +[Footnote 1760: For Cyrene and Aristaeus, cp. Vergil, "Georgics", iv. +315 ff.] + +[Footnote 1761: A writer on mythology of uncertain date.] + +[Footnote 1762: 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.] + +[Footnote 1763: The fragment is part of a leaf from a papyrus book of +the 4th century A.D.] + +[Footnote 1764: 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.)] + +[Footnote 1765: 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".] + +[Footnote 1766: 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.] + +[Footnote 1767: 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.] + +[Footnote 1768: 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.] + +[Footnote 1801: A mountain peak near Thebes which took its name from the +Sphinx (called in "Theogony" l. 326 PHIX).] + +[Footnote 1802: 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.] + +[Footnote 1803: 'She who drives herds,' i.e. 'The Victorious', since +herds were the chief spoil gained by the victor in ancient warfare.] + +[Footnote 1804: The cap of darkness which made its wearer invisible.] + +[Footnote 1805: The existing text of the vineyard scene is a compound of +two different versions, clumsily adapted, and eked out with some +makeshift additions.] + +[Footnote 1806: The conception is similar to that of the sculptured +group at Athens of Two Lions devouring a Bull (Dickens, "Cat. of the +Acropolis Museaum", No. 3).] + +[Footnote 1901: 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.] + +[Footnote 2001: 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').] + +[Footnote 2002: 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.] + +[Footnote 2003: sc. to Scythia.] + +[Footnote 2004: 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.] + +[Footnote 2101: 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.] + +[Footnote 2102: 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)] + +[Footnote 2201: 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.] + +[Footnote 2202: Euboea properly means the 'Island of fine Cattle (or +Cows)'.] + +[Footnote 2301: This and the following fragment are meant to be read +together.--DBK] + +[Footnote 2302: cp. Hesiod "Theogony" 81 ff. But Theognis 169, 'Whomso +the god honour, even a man inclined to blame praiseth him', is much +nearer.] + +[Footnote 2401: Cf. Scholion on Clement, "Protrept." i. p. 302.] + +[Footnote 2402: This line may once have been read in the text of "Works +and Days" after l. 771.] + +[Footnote 2501: ll. 1-9 are preserved by Diodorus Siculus iii. 66. 3; +ll. 10-21 are extant only in M.] + +[Footnote 2502: Dionysus, after his untimely birth from Semele, was sewn +into the thigh of Zeus.] + +[Footnote 2503: sc. Semele. Zeus is here speaking.] + +[Footnote 2504: The reference is apparently to something in the body of +the hymn, now lost.] + +[Footnote 2505: 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'.] + +[Footnote 2506: Demeter chooses the lowlier seat, supposedly as being +more suitable to her assumed condition, but really because in her sorrow +she refuses all comforts.] + +[Footnote 2507: 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.] + +[Footnote 2508: 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.] + +[Footnote 2509: The list of names is taken--with five additions--from +Hesiod, "Theogony" 349 ff.: for their general significance see note on +that passage.] + +[Footnote 2510: Inscriptions show that there was a temple of Apollo +Delphinius (cp. ii. 495-6) at Cnossus and a Cretan month bearing the +same name.] + +[Footnote 2511: sc. that the dolphin was really Apollo.] + +[Footnote 2512: The epithets are transferred from the god to his altar +'Overlooking' is especially an epithet of Zeus, as in Apollonius Rhodius +ii. 1124.] + +[Footnote 2513: 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.] + +[Footnote 2514: 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.] + +[Footnote 2515: 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'.] + +[Footnote 2516: 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.] + +[Footnote 2517: The cows being on their sides on the ground, Hermes +bends their heads back towards their flanks and so can reach their +backbones.] + +[Footnote 2518: 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.] + +[Footnote 2519: 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?] + +[Footnote 2520: Lit. 'thorn-plucker'.] + +[Footnote 2521: 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.] + +[Footnote 2522: Literally, 'you have made him sit on the floor', i.e. +'you have stolen everything down to his last chair.'] + +[Footnote 2523: 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.] + +[Footnote 2524: 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.] + +[Footnote 2525: 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.] + +[Footnote 2526: 'Cattle-earning', because an accepted suitor paid for +his bride in cattle.] + +[Footnote 2527: 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).] + +[Footnote 2528: Aphrodite extenuates her disgrace by claiming that the +race of Anchises is almost divine, as is shown in the persons of +Ganymedes and Tithonus.] + +[Footnote 2529: So Christ connecting the word with OMOS. L. and S. give += OMOIOS, 'common to all'.] + +[Footnote 2530: 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.] + +[Footnote 2531: This line appears to be an alternative to ll. 10-11.] + +[Footnote 2532: 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.] + +[Footnote 2533: Mr. Evelyn-White prefers to switch l. 10 and 11, reading +11 first then 10.--DBK.] + +[Footnote 2534: An extra line is inserted in some MSS. after l. 15.-- +DBK.] + +[Footnote 2535: 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'.] + +[Footnote 2601: "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".] + +[Footnote 2602: sc. from Smyrna, Homer's reputed birth-place.] + +[Footnote 2603: The councillors at Cyme who refused to support Homer at +the public expense.] + +[Footnote 2604: The 'better fruit' is apparently the iron smelted out in +fires of pine-wood.] + +[Footnote 2605: Hecate: cp. Hesiod, "Theogony", l. 450.] + +[Footnote 2606: i.e. in protection.] + +[Footnote 2607: 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.] + +[Footnote 2608: The lice which they caught in their clothes they left +behind, but carried home in their clothes those which they could not +catch.] + +[Footnote 2701: See the cylix reproduced by Gerhard, Abhandlungen, taf. +5,4. Cp. Stesichorus, Frag. 3 (Smyth).] + +[Footnote 2801: The haunch was regarded as a dishonourable portion.] + +[Footnote 2802: The horse of Adrastus, offspring of Poseidon and +Demeter, who had changed herself into a mare to escape Poseidon.] + +[Footnote 2803: Restored from Pindar Ol. vi. 15 who, according to +Asclepiades, derives the passage from the "Thebais".] + +[Footnote 2901: So called from Teumessus, a hill in Boeotia. For the +derivation of Teumessus cp. Antimachus "Thebais" fr. 3 (Kinkel).] + +[Footnote 3001: The preceding part of the Epic Cycle (?).] + +[Footnote 3002: 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.] + +[Footnote 3003: i.e. Stasinus (or Hegesias: cp. fr. 6): the phrase +'Cyprian histories' is equivalent to "The Cypria".] + +[Footnote 3004: Cp. Allen "C.R." xxvii. 190.] + +[Footnote 3005: These two lines possibly belong to the account of the +feast given by Agamemnon at Lemnos.] + +[Footnote 3006: sc. the Asiatic Thebes at the foot of Mt. Placius.] + +[Footnote 3101: sc. after cremation.] + +[Footnote 3102: 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.] + +[Footnote 3103: i.e. in the paintings by Polygnotus at Delphi.] + +[Footnote 3104: i.e. the dead bodies in the picture.] + +[Footnote 3105: 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.] + +[Footnote 3201: sc. knowledge of both surgery and of drugs.] + +[Footnote 3301: Clement attributes this line to Augias: probably Agias +is intended.] + +[Footnote 3302: Identical with the "Returns", in which the Sons of +Atreus occupy the most prominent parts.] + +[Footnote 3401: 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.] + +[Footnote 3402: i.e. the fox knows many ways to baffle its foes, while +the hedge-hog knows one only which is far more effectual.] + +[Footnote 3403: Attributed to Homer by Zenobius, and by Bergk to the +"Margites".] + +[Footnote 3501: i.e. 'monkey-men'.] + +[Footnote 3601: 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.] + +[Footnote 3602: lit. 'those unable to swim'.] + +[Footnote 3603: This may be a parody of Orion's threat in Hesiod, +"Astronomy", frag. 4.] + +[Footnote 3701: sc. the riddle of the fisher-boys which comes at the end +of this work.] + +[Footnote 3702: The verses of Hesiod are called doubtful in meaning +because they are, if taken alone, either incomplete or absurd.] + +[Footnote 3703: "Works and Days", ll. 383-392.] + +[Footnote 3704: "Iliad" xiii, ll. 126-133, 339-344.] + +[Footnote 3705: The accepted text of the "Iliad" contains 15,693 verses; +that of the "Odyssey", 12,110.] + +[Footnote 3706: "Iliad" ii, ll. 559-568 (with two additional verses).] + +[Footnote 3707: "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.txt or 348.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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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + + + +Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica + + + +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. + +PREPARER'S NOTE: +In order to make this file more accessable 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 ommitted. + +*** + +This electronic edition was edited, proofed, and prepared by +Douglas B. Killings (DeTroyes@AOL.COM), June 1995. + +***************************************************************** + +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. + +Hugh G. Evelyn-White, +Rampton, NR. Cambridge. +Sept. 9th, 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 (1), 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 (2) 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 Magnum" (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 (3) 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 (4), 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 (5), 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 (6) 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 (7) 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) (8) 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" (9), 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 +(10): 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 (11) 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. (12) 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" +(13) 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 (14) (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 (15), 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 (16), 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 (17). + +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 Mausonis', 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 (18). 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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) sc. in Boeotia, Locris and Thessaly: elsewhere the movement + was forced and unfruitful. +(2) 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. +(3) "Der Dialekt des Hesiodes", p. 464: examples are AENEMI (W. + and D. 683) and AROMENAI (ib. 22). +(4) 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. +(5) She is said to have given birth to the lyrist Stesichorus. +(6) See Kinkel "Epic. Graec. Frag." i. 158 ff. +(7) See "Great Works", frag. 2. +(8) "Hesiodi Fragmenta", pp. 119 f. +(9) 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. +(10) Goettling's explanation. +(11) x. 1. 52 +(12) Odysseus appears to have been mentioned once only -- and + that casually -- in the "Returns". +(13) 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. +(14) No date is assigned to him, but it seems likely that he was + either contemporary or slightly earlier than Lesches. +(15) 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. +(16) "Greek Melic Poets", p. 165. +(17) This monument was returned to Greece in the 1980's. -- DBK. +(18) 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. + + +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: -- + +<Omega>a = C +<Omega>b = F,G,H +<Psi>a = D +<Psi>b = I,K,L,M +<Phi>a = E +<Phi>b = 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: + +<Omega>a = C,D +<Omega>b = E,F +<Omega>c = G,H,I +<Psi> = 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 Museaum 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: + +<Omega>a = B,C,D,F +<Omega>b = G,H,I +<Psi>a = E +<Psi>b = 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. +Schomann, 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 +Litterature 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 Bruchstucke 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 (1) (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. (2) 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. +<Gamma> 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. +<Pi> 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,<Pi>,(and more remotely) At,D,S,H,J,K. +y = E,L,<Pi>,T (marginal readings). +p = A,B,C,<Gamma>,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"), Gottingen, 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 Litterature 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-Encyclopadie" 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, 1908 (3). + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) See Schubert, "Berl. Klassikertexte" v. 1.22 ff.; the other + papyri may be found in the publications whose name they + bear. +(2) Unless otherwise noted, all MSS. are of the 15th century. +(3) To this list I would also add the following: "Hesiod and + Theognis", translated by Dorothea Wender (Penguin Classics, + London, 1973). -- DBK. + + + +THE WORKS OF HESIOD + + +WORKS AND DAYS (832 lines) + +(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 (1). + +(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 (2), 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 (3) 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 (4); 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 (5); 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 (6). 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 (7), 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 (8). 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 (9). 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 +(10), begin your harvest, and your ploughing when they are going +to set (11). 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 (12), 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 (13) 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 (14) 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 (15) and eight slices (16) 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 (17) 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 +(18) 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 +(19), 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 (20) 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 (21), 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 (22) 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 (23), 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 (24) 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 (25) 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 (26) 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 (27), 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 (28) 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 (29) 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 (30), 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 (31), then remember to plough in season: and so the +completed year (32) 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 (33) 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 (34), 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 (35) 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 (36). + +(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 +(37). + +(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 (38) +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 (39), 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) (40) 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 (41), 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 (42), +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. + +(ll. 805-809) Look about you very carefully and throw out +Demeter's holy grain upon the well-rolled (43) 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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) That is, the poor man's fare, like `bread and cheese'. +(2) The All-endowed. +(3) The jar or casket contained the gifts of the gods mentioned + in l.82. +(4) 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.' +(5) 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). +(6) i.e. the race will so degenerate that at the last even a + new-born child will show the marks of old age. +(7) 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). +(8) The alternative version is: `and, working, you will be much + better loved both by gods and men; for they greatly dislike + the idle.' +(9) 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. +(10) Early in May. +(11) In November. +(12) In October. +(13) For pounding corn. +(14) A mallet for breaking clods after ploughing. +(15) The loaf is a flattish cake with two intersecting lines + scored on its upper surface which divide it into four equal + parts. +(16) The meaning is obscure. A scholiast renders `giving eight + mouthfulls'; but the elder Philostratus uses the word in + contrast to `leavened'. +(17) About the middle of November. +(18) Spring is so described because the buds have not yet cast + their iron-grey husks. +(19) In December. +(20) In March. +(21) The latter part of January and earlier part of February. +(22) i.e. the octopus or cuttle. +(23) i.e. the darker-skinned people of Africa, the Egyptians or + Aethiopians. +(24) i.e. an old man walking with a staff (the `third leg' -- as + in the riddle of the Sphinx). +(25) February to March. +(26) i.e. the snail. The season is the middle of May. +(27) In June. +(28) July. +(29) i.e. a robber. +(30) September. +(31) The end of October. +(32) That is, the succession of stars which make up the full + year. +(33) The end of October or beginning of November. +(34) July-August. +(35) i.e. untimely, premature. Juvenal similarly speaks of + `cruda senectus' (caused by gluttony). +(36) The thought is parallel to that of `O, what a goodly outside + falsehood hath.' +(37) 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. +(38) i.e. `do not cut your finger-nails'. +(39) i.e. things which it would be sacrilege to disturb, such as + tombs. +(40) H.G. Evelyn-White prefers to switch ll. 768 and 769, reading + l. 769 first then l. 768. -- DBK +(41) The month is divided into three periods, the waxing, the + mid-month, and the waning, which answer to the phases of the + moon. +(42) i.e. the ant. +(43) 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". + + + +THE DIVINATION BY BIRDS (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (1), 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: (2) +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 (3), 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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) This halt verse is added by the Scholiast on Aratus, 172. +(2) The "Catasterismi" ("Placings among the Stars") is a + collection of legends relating to the various + constellations. +(3) The Straits of Messina. + + + +THE PRECEPTS OF CHIRON (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (1). + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Or perhaps `a Scythian'. + + + +THE THEOGONY (1,041 lines) + +(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 (1) 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? (2) + +(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 (3), 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 (4) 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 (5) 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 (6), 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 (7). + +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 (8) 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 (9) 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 (10), 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 (11), 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 (12) 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 (13) 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 (14) 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 +(15) 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 (16) 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 +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 (17), 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 (18), 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 (19). 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 (20). 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 (21) 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 (22) 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 +(23) 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 (24); 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 (25). 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 (26), 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 (27) 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 (28). +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 (29), 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) (30) 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 (31) +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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The epithet probably indicates coquettishness. +(2) A proverbial saying meaning, `why enlarge on irrelevant + topics?' +(3) `She of the noble voice': Calliope is queen of Epic poetry. +(4) 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. +(5) Aether is the bright, untainted upper atmosphere, as + distinguished from Aer, the lower atmosphere of the earth. +(6) Brontes is the Thunderer; Steropes, the Lightener; and + Arges, the Vivid One. +(7) 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. +(8) Nymphs of the ash-trees, as Dryads are nymphs of the oak- + trees. Cp. note on "Works and Days", l. 145. +(9) `Member-loving': the title is perhaps only a perversion of + the regular PHILOMEIDES (laughter-loving). +(10) 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.' +(11) 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'. +(12) The `Wave-receiver' and the `Wave-stiller'. +(13) `The Unerring' or `Truthful'; cp. l. 235. +(14) i.e. Poseidon. +(15) 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'. +(16) i.e. Eos, the `Early-born'. +(17) Van Lennep explains that Hecate, having no brothers to + support her claim, might have been slighted. +(18) The goddess of the hearth (the Roman "Vesta"), and so of the + house. Cp. "Homeric Hymns" v.22 ff.; xxxix.1 ff. +(19) 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. +(20) 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. +(21) 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. +(22) sc. Atlas, the Shu of Egyptian mythology: cp. note on line + 177. +(23) Oceanus is here regarded as a continuous stream enclosing + the earth and the seas, and so as flowing back upon himself. +(24) 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. +(25) i.e. the threshold is of `native' metal, and not artificial. +(26) 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. +(27) The epithet (which means literally `well-bored') seems to + refer to the spout of the crucible. +(28) The fire god. There is no reference to volcanic action: + iron was smelted on Mount Ida; cp. "Epigrams of Homer", ix. + 2-4. +(29) i.e. Athena, who was born `on the banks of the river Trito' + (cp. l. 929l) +(30) Restored by Peppmuller. The nineteen following lines from + another recension of lines 889-900, 924-9 are quoted by + Chrysippus (in Galen). +(31) sc. the aegis. Line 929s is probably spurious, since it + disagrees with l. 929q and contains a suspicious reference + to Athens. + + + +THE CATALOGUES OF WOMEN AND EOIAE (fragments) (1) + +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 (2), 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 (3), 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 (4): +(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 (5) 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 (6). 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 (7), 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 (8), 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 (9), 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 (10). + +Papiri greci e latini, ii. No. 130 (2nd-3rd century) (11): +(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)' (12) + +((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 (13): 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 (14), 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 (15) 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 -- (16) +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 (17) 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.: (18) +`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 -- (19) +Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358 fr. 1 (3rd cent. A.D.): (20) +(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 (21). 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 (22), 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 (23), 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 (24) in Etymologicum Magnum, p. 60, 40: +Tityos the son of Elara. + + +Fragment #26 -- (25) +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 (26). 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 (27) +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 (28), 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' (29), 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 (30) 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 +(31) who have waggons for houses.' + + +Fragment #40A -- (Cp. Fr. 43 and 44) +Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358 fr. 2 (3rd cent. A.D.): (32) +((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 (33) 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 (34) 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 (35), 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 +(36). + +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 (37) 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" (38) 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 -- (39) +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 (40), 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.' +(41) + + +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 -- (42) +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 (43) 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 (44) 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. (45) + +(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 (46) 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 (47), 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 (48). + + +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 (49): +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 (50), 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 (51), 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.' (52) + + +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 (53) 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 (54).... 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 (55), i. 123, 22H: +`And she bare a son Thoas.' + + +Fragment #86 -- +Eustathius, Hom. 1623. 44: +Maro (56), 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 (57), 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 (58), 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 (59); 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.' (60) + + +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 (61), 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 (62); 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: (63) +(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 +(64), 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 -- (65) +Papyri greci e latine, No. 131 (2nd-3rd century): (66) +(ll. 1-10) `And (Eriphyle) bare in the palace Alcmaon (67), +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) (68) ....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.... + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) A catalogue of heroines each of whom was introduced with the + words E OIE, `Or like her'. +(2) An antiquarian writer of Byzantium, c. 490-570 A.D. +(3) Constantine VII. `Born in the Porphyry Chamber', 905-959 + A.D. +(4) "Berlin Papyri", 7497 (left-hand fragment) and "Oxyrhynchus + Papyri", 421 (right-hand fragment). For the restoration see + "Class. Quart." vii. 217-8. +(5) 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. +(6) i.e. Glaucus should father the children of others. The + curse of Aphrodite on the daughters of Tyndareus (fr. 67) + may be compared. +(7) Porphyry, scholar, mathematician, philosopher and historian, + lived 233-305 (?) A.D. He was a pupil of the neo-Platonist + Plotinus. +(8) Author of a geographical lexicon, produced after 400 A.D., + and abridged under Justinian. +(9) Archbishop of Thessalonica 1175-1192 (?) A.D., author of + commentaries on Pindar and on the "Iliad" and "Odyssey". +(10) In the earliest times a loin-cloth was worn by athletes, but + was discarded after the 14th Olympiad. +(11) 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) +(12) The end of Schoeneus' speech, the preparations and the + beginning of the race are lost. +(13) Of the three which Aphrodite gave him to enable him to + overcome Atalanta. +(14) The geographer; fl. c.24 B.C. +(15) Of Miletus, flourished about 520 B.C. His work, a mixture + of history and geography, was used by Herodotus. +(16) 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. +(17) Fl. 56-88 A.D.: he is best known for his work on Vergil. +(18) This and the following fragment segment are meant to be + read together. -- DBK. +(19) 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. +(20) 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). +(21) The crocus was to attract Europa, as in the very similar + story of Persephone: cp. "Homeric Hymns" ii. lines 8 ff. +(22) 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. +(23) Priest at Praeneste. He lived c. 170-230 A.D. +(24) Son of Apollonius Dyscolus, lived in Rome under Marcus + Aurelius. His chief work was on accentuation. +(25) This and the next two fragment segments are meant to be + read together. -- DBK. +(26) Sacred to Poseidon. For the custom observed there, cp. + "Homeric Hymns" iii. 231 ff. +(27) The allusion is obscure. +(28) Apollonius `the Crabbed' was a grammarian of Alexandria + under Hadrian. He wrote largely on Grammar and Syntax. +(29) 275-195 (?) B.C., mathematician, astronomer, scholar, and + head of the Library of Alexandria. +(30) Of Cyme. He wrote a universal history covering the period + between the Dorian Migration and 340 B.C. +(31) i.e. the nomad Scythians, who are described by Herodotus as + feeding on mares' milk and living in caravans. +(32) 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. +(33) 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. +(34) 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. +(35) An Epicurean philosopher, fl. 50 B.C. +(36) `Charming-with-her-voice' (or `Charming-the-mind'), `Song', + and `Lovely-sounding'. +(37) Diodorus Siculus, fl. 8 B.C., author of an universal history + ending with Caesar's Gallic Wars. +(38) 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. +(39) This fragment is placed by Spohn after "Works and Days" l. + 120. +(40) A Greek of Asia Minor, author of the "Description of Greece" + (on which he was still engaged in 173 A.D.). +(41) Wilamowitz thinks one or other of these citations belongs to + the Catalogue. +(42) 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. +(43) sc. the Suitor whose name is lost. +(44) 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.). +(45) The Papyrus here marks the beginning of a second book ("B"), + 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'. +(46) i.e. the snake; as in "Works and Days" l. 524, the "Boneless + One" is the cuttle-fish. +(47) c. 1110-1180 A.D. His chief work was a poem, "Chiliades", + in accentual verse of nearly 13,000 lines. +(48) 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. +(49) Of Alexandria. He lived in the 5th century, and compiled a + Greek Lexicon. +(50) For his murder Minos exacted a yearly tribute of boys and + girls, to be devoured by the Minotaur, from the Athenians. +(51) 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. +(52) 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. +(53) Eustathius identifies Ileus with Oileus, father of Aias. + Here again is fanciful etymology, ILEUS being similar to + ILEOS (complaisant, gracious). +(54) Imitated by Vergil, "Aeneid" vii. 808, describing Camilla. +(55) c. 600 A.D., a lecturer and grammarian of Constantinople. +(56) Priest of Apollo, and, according to Homer, discoverer of + wine. Maronea in Thrace is said to have been called after + him. +(57) The crow was originally white, but was turned black by + Apollo in his anger at the news brought by the bird. +(58) A philosopher of Athens under Hadrian and Antonius. He + became a Christian and wrote a defence of the Christians + addressed to Antoninus Pius. +(59) 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) +(60) For Cyrene and Aristaeus, cp. Vergil, "Georgics", iv. 315 + ff. +(61) A writer on mythology of uncertain date. +(62) 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. +(63) The fragment is part of a leaf from a papyrus book of the + 4th century A.D. +(64) 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.) +(65) 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". +(66) 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. +(67) 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. +(68) 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. + + + +THE SHIELD OF HERACLES (480 lines) + +(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 (1): 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 (2) 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 (3). 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 (4) 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 (5). 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 (6) 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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) A mountain peak near Thebes which took its name from the + Sphinx (called in "Theogony" l. 326 PHIX). +(2) 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. +(3) `She who drives herds,' i.e. `The Victorious', since herds + were the chief spoil gained by the victor in ancient + warfare. +(4) The cap of darkness which made its wearer invisible. +(5) The existing text of the vineyard scene is a compound of two + different versions, clumsily adapted, and eked out with some + makeshift additions. +(6) The conception is similar to that of the sculptured group at + Athens of Two Lions devouring a Bull (Dickens, "Cat. of the + Acropolis Museaum", No. 3). + + + +THE MARRIAGE OF CEYX (fragments) + +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 (1), 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). + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) 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. + + + +THE GREAT EOIAE (fragments) + +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 (1). + + +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 (2): 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 (3). + + +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 (4). + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) 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'). +(2) 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. +(3) sc. to Scythia. +(4) 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. + + + +THE MELAMPODIA (fragments) + +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 +(1). 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 -- (2) +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.' + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) 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. +(2) 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) + + + +AEGIMIUS (fragments) + +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 (1). 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.' (2) + + +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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) 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. +(2) Euboea properly means the `Island of fine Cattle (or Cows)'. + + + +FRAGMENTS OF UNKNOWN POSITION + +Fragment #1 -- +Diogenes Laertius, viii. 1. 26: (1) +`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 (2), servant of the sweet +Muses: `whomsoever the immortals honour, the good report of +mortals also followeth him.' + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) This and the following fragment are meant to be read + together. -- DBK +(2) cp. Hesiod "Theogony" 81 ff. But Theognis 169, `Whomso the + god honour, even a man inclined to blame praiseth him', is + much nearer. + + + +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.' (1) + + +Fragment #6 -- +Plato, Republic, iii. 390 E: +`Gifts move the gods, gifts move worshipful princes.' + + +Fragment #7 -- (2) +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.' + + +ENDNOTES: +(1) Cf. Scholion on Clement, "Protrept." i. p. 302. +(2) This line may once have been read in the text of "Works and + Days" after l. 771. + + + + +WORKS ATTRIBUTED TO HOMER + + + +THE HOMERIC HYMNS + +I. TO DIONYSUS (21 lines) (1) + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 1-9) For some say, at Dracanum; and some, on windy Icarus; +and some, in Naxos, O Heaven-born, Insewn (2); 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. + +((LACUNA)) + +(ll. 10-12) `...and men will lay up for her (3) many offerings in +her shrines. And as these things are three (4), 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 (495 lines) + +(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 (5). + +(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 (6) 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.... (7) + +((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 (8): 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 (9) 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 APOLLO (546 lines) + +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 (10), 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 (11); 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 (12) 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 (582 lines) + +(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 (13); 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 (14). +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 (15) 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)) (16) +....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 (17), 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 (18). 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 +(19). 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 (20) 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.' (21) + +(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 (22), 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 (23) 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 (293 lines) + +(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 (24), 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) (25) 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 (26) 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 (27), 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 (28). + +(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 (29) 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 (21 lines) + +(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 (59 lines) + +(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 (30) 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 (17 lines) + +(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 (9 lines) + +(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 (6 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (3 lines) + +(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 (6 lines) + +(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 (9 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (12 lines) + +(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! (31) + + +XIX. TO PAN (49 lines) + +(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 +(32) 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 (8 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (7 lines) + +(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 (4 lines) + +(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 (5 lines) + +(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 (7 lines) + +(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 (13 lines) + +(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 (22 lines) + +(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 (18 lines) + +(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 (13 lines) + +(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) (33) 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 (19 lines) + +(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 (20 lines) + +(ll. 1-16) (34) 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 (20 lines) + +(ll. 1-13) And next, sweet voiced Muses, daughters of Zeus, well- +skilled in song, tell of the long-winged (35) 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 (19 lines) + +(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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) ll. 1-9 are preserved by Diodorus Siculus iii. 66. 3; ll. + 10-21 are extant only in M. +(2) Dionysus, after his untimely birth from Semele, was sewn + into the thigh of Zeus. +(3) sc. Semele. Zeus is here speaking. +(4) The reference is apparently to something in the body of the + hymn, now lost. +(5) 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'. +(6) Demeter chooses the lowlier seat, supposedly as being more + suitable to her assumed condition, but really because in her + sorrow she refuses all comforts. +(7) 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. +(8) 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. +(9) The list of names is taken -- with five additions -- from + Hesiod, "Theogony" 349 ff.: for their general significance + see note on that passage. +(10) Inscriptions show that there was a temple of Apollo + Delphinius (cp. ii. 495-6) at Cnossus and a Cretan month + bearing the same name. +(11) sc. that the dolphin was really Apollo. +(12) The epithets are transferred from the god to his altar + `Overlooking' is especially an epithet of Zeus, as in + Apollonius Rhodius ii. 1124. +(13) 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. +(14) 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. +(15) 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'. +(16) 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. +(17) The cows being on their sides on the ground, Hermes bends + their heads back towards their flanks and so can reach their + backbones. +(18) 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. +(19) 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? +(20) Lit. `thorn-plucker'. +(21) 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. +(22) Literally, `you have made him sit on the floor', i.e. `you + have stolen everything down to his last chair.' +(23) 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. +(24) 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. +(25) 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. +(26) `Cattle-earning', because an accepted suitor paid for his + bride in cattle. +(27) 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). +(28) Aphrodite extenuates her disgrace by claiming that the race + of Anchises is almost divine, as is shown in the persons of + Ganymedes and Tithonus. +(29) So Christ connecting the word with OMOS. L. and S. give = + OMOIOS, `common to all'. +(30) 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. +(31) This line appears to be an alternative to ll. 10-11. +(32) 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. +(33) Mr. Evelyn-White prefers to switch l. 10 and 11, reading 11 + first then 10. -- DBK. +(34) An extra line is inserted in some MSS. after l. 15. -- DBK. +(35) 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'. + + + +HOMER'S EPIGRAMS (1) + + +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 (2) 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 (3) +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 (4) 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 (5), 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 (6) 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) (7) +(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. (8) + +HOMER: Ay, for of such fathers you are sprung as neither hold +rich lands nor tend countless sheep. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) "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". +(2) sc. from Smyrna, Homer's reputed birth-place. +(3) The councillors at Cyme who refused to support Homer at the + public expense. +(4) The `better fruit' is apparently the iron smelted out in + fires of pine-wood. +(5) Hecate: cp. Hesiod, "Theogony", l. 450. +(6) i.e. in protection. +(7) 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. +(8) The lice which they caught in their clothes they left + behind, but carried home in their clothes those which they + could not catch. + + + +FRAGMENTS OF THE EPIC CYCLE + + + +THE WAR OF THE TITANS (fragments) + +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 (1); 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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) See the cylix reproduced by Gerhard, Abhandlungen, taf. 5,4. + + Cp. Stesichorus, Frag. 3 (Smyth). + + + +THE STORY OF OEDIPUS (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (1) 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 (2) with him.' + + +Fragment #5 -- +Pindar, Ol. vi. 15: (3) +`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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The haunch was regarded as a dishonourable portion. +(2) The horse of Adrastus, offspring of Poseidon and Demeter, + who had changed herself into a mare to escape Poseidon. +(3) Restored from Pindar Ol. vi. 15 who, according to + Asclepiades, derives the passage from the "Thebais". + + + +THE EPIGONI (fragments) + +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. (1) 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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) So called from Teumessus, a hill in Boeotia. For the + derivation of Teumessus cp. Antimachus "Thebais" fr. 3 + (Kinkel). + + + +THE CYPRIA (fragments) + +Fragment #1 -- +Proclus, Chrestomathia, i: +This (1) 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 (2) 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 (2) 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 (3) 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.' (4) + + +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 -- (5) +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 (6) 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.' + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) The preceding part of the Epic Cycle (?). +(2) 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. +(3) i.e. Stasinus (or Hegesias: cp. fr. 6): the phrase `Cyprian + histories' is equivalent to "The Cypria". +(4) Cp. Allen "C.R." xxvii. 190. +(5) These two lines possibly belong to the account of the feast + given by Agamemnon at Lemnos. +(6) sc. the Asiatic Thebes at the foot of Mt. Placius. + + + +THE AETHIOPIS (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (1), 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 -- (2) +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 (3) 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 (4), 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 +Aeneas(5), the famous son of horse-taming Anchises, on board his +sea-faring ships, a prize surpassing those of all the Danaans.' + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) sc. after cremation. +(2) 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. +(3) i.e. in the paintings by Polygnotus at Delphi. +(4) i.e. the dead bodies in the picture. +(5) 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. + + + +THE SACK OF ILIUM (fragments) + +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 (1) 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.' + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) sc. knowledge of both surgery and of drugs. + + + +THE RETURNS (fragments) + +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.' (1) + + +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" (2) 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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) Clement attributes this line to Augias: probably Agias is + intended. +(2) Identical with the "Returns", in which the Sons of Atreus + occupy the most prominent parts. + + + +THE TELEGONY (fragments) + +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. + + + +NON-CYCLIC POEMS ATTRIBUTED TO HOMER + + +THE EXPEDITION OF AMPHIARAUS (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +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 (fragments) + +Fragment #1 -- +Suidas, s.v.: +Pigres. A Carian of Halicarnassus and brother of Artemisia, wife +of Mausolus, who distinguished herself in war... (1) 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 (2) can +beat them all.' (3) + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) 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. +(2) i.e. the fox knows many ways to baffle its foes, while the + hedge-hog knows one only which is far more effectual. +(3) Attributed to Homer by Zenobius, and by Bergk to the + "Margites". + + + +THE CERCOPES (fragments) + +Fragment #1 -- +Suidas, s.v.: +Cercopes. These were two brothers living upon the earth who +practised every kind of knavery. They were called Cercopes (1) +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.' + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) i.e. `monkey-men'. + + + +THE BATTLE OF FROGS AND MICE (303 lines) + +(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. (1) 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 (2) +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 (3), 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. + + +ENDNOTES: + +(1) 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. +(2) lit. `those unable to swim'. +(3) This may be a parody of Orion's threat in Hesiod, + "Astronomy", frag. 4. + + + +OF THE ORIGIN OF HOMER AND HESIOD, AND OF THEIR CONTEST +(aka "The Contest of Homer and Hesiod") + +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.' (1) + +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 (2): 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.' (3) + +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.' +(4) + +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 (5). 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.' (6) + +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" (7) 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: + +(1) sc. the riddle of the fisher-boys which comes at the end of + this work. +(2) The verses of Hesiod are called doubtful in meaning because + they are, if taken alone, either incomplete or absurd. +(3) "Works and Days", ll. 383-392. +(4) "Iliad" xiii, ll. 126-133, 339-344. +(5) The accepted text of the "Iliad" contains 15,693 verses; + that of the "Odyssey", 12,110. +(6) "Iliad" ii, ll. 559-568 (with two additional verses). +(7) "Homeric Hymns", iii. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Etext of Hesiod, Homeric Hymns, +and Homerica + + diff --git a/old/homer10.zip b/old/homer10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0515355 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/homer10.zip |
