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@@ -0,0 +1,10440 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica, by +Homer and Hesiod + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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 + + +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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