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ARGONAUTICA BOOK 1 [402]

(1.402-410) Next, piling up shingle near the sea, they raised there an altar on the shore to Apollo, under the name of Actius and Embasius, and quickly spread above it logs of dried olive-wood. Meantime the herdsmen of Aeson's son had driven before them from the herd two steers. These the younger comrades dragged near the altars, and the others brought lustral water and barley meal, and Jason prayed, calling on Apollo the god of his fathers:

402     Ἔνθεν δ' αὖ λάιγγας ἁλὸς σχεδὸν ὀχλίζοντες
403 νήεον αὐτόθι βωμὸν ἐπάκτιον Ἀπόλλωνος,
404 Ἀκτίου Ἐμβασίοιό τ' ἐπώνυμον: ὦκα δέ τοίγε
405 φιτροὺς ἀζαλέης στόρεσαν καθύπερθεν ἐλαίης.
406 τείως δ' αὖτ' ἀγέληθεν ἐπιπροέηκαν ἄγοντες
407 βουκόλοι Αἰσονίδαο δύω βόε. τοὺς δ' ἐρύσαντο
408 κουρότεροι ἑτάρων βωμοῦ σχεδόν. οἱ δ' ἄρ' ἔπειτα
409 χέρνιβά τ' οὐλοχύτας τε παρέσχεθον. αὐτὰρ Ἰήσων
410 εὔχετο κεκλόμενος πατρώιον Ἀπόλλωνα:

(1.411-424) "Hear, O King, that dwellest in Pagasae and the city Aesonis, the city called by my father's name, thou who didst promise me, when I sought thy oracle at Pytho, to show the fulfilment and goal of my journey, for thou thyself hast been the cause of my venture; now do thou thyself guide the ship with my comrades safe and sound, thither and back again to Hellas. Then in thy honour hereafter we will lay again on thy altar the bright offerings of bulls -- all of us who return; and other gifts in countless numbers I will bring to Pytho and Ortygia. And now, come, Far-darter, accept this sacrifice at our hands, which first of all we have offered thee for this ship on our embarcation; and grant, O King, that with a prosperous weird I may loose the hawsers, relying on thy counsel, and may the breeze blow softly with which we shall sail over the sea in fair weather."

411     "Κλῦθι ἄναξ, Παγασάς τε πόλιν τ' Αἰσωνίδα ναίων,
412 ἡμετέροιο τοκῆος ἐπώνυμον, ὅς μοι ὑπέστης
413 Πυθοῖ χρειομένῳ ἄνυσιν καὶ πείραθ' ὁδοῖο
414 σημανέειν, αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐπαίτιος ἔπλευ ἀέθλων:
415 αὐτὸς νῦν ἄγε νῆα σὺν ἀρτεμέεσσιν ἑταίροις
416 κεῖσέ τε καὶ παλίνορσον ἐς Ἑλλάδα. σοὶ δ' ἂν ὀπίσσω
417 τόσσων, ὅσσοι κεν νοστήσομεν, ἀγλαὰ ταύρων
418 ἱρὰ πάλιν βωμῷ ἐπιθήσομεν: ἄλλα δὲ Πυθοῖ,
419 ἄλλα δ' ἐς Ὀρτυγίην ἀπερείσια δῶρα κομίσσω.
420 νῦν δ' ἴθι, καὶ τήνδ' ἧμιν, Ἑκηβόλε, δέξο θυηλήν,
421 ἥν τοι τῆσδ' ἐπίβαθρα χάριν προτεθείμεθα νηὸς
422 πρωτίστην: λύσαιμι δ', ἄναξ, ἐπ' ἀπήμονι μοίρῃ
423 πείσματα σὴν διὰ μῆτιν: ἐπιπνεύσειε δ' ἀήτης
424 μείλιχος, ᾧ κ' ἐπὶ πόντον ἐλευσόμεθ' εὐδιόωντες."

(1.425-439) He spake, and with his prayer cast the barley meal. And they two girded themselves to slay the steers, proud Ancaeus and Heracles. The latter with his club smote one steer mid-head on the brow, and falling in a heap on the spot, it sank to the ground; and Ancaeus struck the broad neck of the other with his axe of bronze, and shore through the mighty sinews; and it fell prone on both its horns. Their comrades quickly severed the victims' throats, and flayed the hides: they sundered the joints and carved the flesh, then cut out the sacred thigh bones, and covering them all together closely with fat burnt them upon cloven wood. And Aeson's son poured out pure libations, and Idmon rejoiced beholding the flame as it gleamed on every side from the sacrifice, and the smoke of it mounting up with good omen in dark spiral columns; and quickly he spake outright the will of Leto's son:

425     ̂Ἠ, καὶ ἅμ' εὐχωλῇ προχύτας βάλε. τὼ δ' ἐπὶ βουσὶν
426 ζωσάσθην, Ἀγκαῖος ὑπέρβιος, Ἡρακλέης τε.
427 ἤτοι ὁ μὲν ῥοπάλῳ μέσσον κάρη ἀμφὶ μέτωπα
428 πλῆξεν, ὁ δ' ἀθρόος αὖθι πεσὼν ἐνερείσατο γαίῃ:
429 Ἀγκαῖος δ' ἑτέροιο κατὰ πλατὺν αὐχένα κόψας
430 χαλκείῳ πελέκει κρατεροὺς διέκερσε τένοντας:
431 ἤριπε δ' ἀμφοτέροισι περιρρηδὴς κεράεσσιν.
432 τοὺς δ' ἔταροι σφάξαν τε θοῶς, δεῖράν τε βοείας,
433 κόπτον, δαίτρευόν τε, καὶ ἱερὰ μῆρ' ἐτάμοντο,
434 κὰδ δ' ἄμυδις τάγε πάντα καλύψαντες πύκα δημῷ
435 καῖον ἐπὶ σχίζῃσιν: ὁ δ' ἀκρήτους χέε λοιβὰς
436 Αἰσονίδης, γήθει δὲ σέλας θηεύμενος Ἴδμων
437 πάντοσε λαμπόμενον θυέων ἄπο τοῖό τε λιγνὺν
438 πορφυρέαις ἑλίκεσσιν ἐναίσιμον ἀίσσουσαν:
439 αἶψα δ' ἀπηλεγέως νόον ἔκφατο Λητοΐδαο:

(1.440-447) "For you it is the will of heaven and destiny that ye shall return here with the fleece; but meanwhile both going and returning, countless trials await you. But it is my lot, by the hateful decree of a god, to die somewhere afar off on the mainland of Asia. Thus, though I learnt my fate from evil omens even before now, I have left my fatherland to embark on the ship, that so after my embarking fair fame may be left me in my house."

440     "Ὑμῖν μὲν δὴ μοῖρα θεῶν χρειώ τε περῆσαι
441 ἐνθάδε κῶας ἄγοντας: ἀπειρέσιοι δ' ἐνὶ μέσσῳ
442 κεῖσέ τε δεῦρό τ' ἔασιν ἀνερχομένοισιν ἄεθλοι.
443 αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ θανέειν στυγερῇ ὑπὸ δαίμονος αἴσῃ
444 τηλόθι που πέπρωται ἐπ' Ἀσίδος ἠπείροιο.
445 ὧδε κακοῖς δεδαὼς ἔτι καὶ πάρος οἰωνοῖσιν
446 πότμον ἐμὸν πάτρης ἐξήιον, ὄφρ' ἐπιβαίην
447 νηός, ἐυκλείη δὲ δόμοις ἐπιβάντι λίπηται."

(1.448-462) Thus he spake; and the youths hearing the divine utterance rejoiced at their return, but grief seized them for the fate of Idmon. Now at the hour when the sun passes his noon-tide halt and the ploughlands are just being shadowed by the rocks, as the sun slopes towards the evening dusk, at that hour all the heroes spread leaves thickly upon the sand and lay down in rows in front of the hoary surf-line; and near them were spread vast stores of viands and sweet wine, which the cupbearers had drawn off in pitchers; afterwards they told tales one to another in turn, such as youths often tell when at the feast and the bowl they take delightful pastime, and insatiable insolence is far away. But here the son of Aeson, all helpless, was brooding over each event in his mind, like one oppressed with thought. And Idas noted him and assailed him with loud voice:

448     Ὧς ἄρ' ἔφη: κοῦροι δὲ θεοπροπίης ἀίοντες
449 νόστῳ μὲν γήθησαν, ἄχος δ' ἕλεν Ἴδμονος αἴσῃ.
450 ἦμος δ' ἠέλιος σταθερὸν παραμείβεται ἦμαρ,
451 αἱ δὲ νέον σκοπέλοισιν ὑποσκιόωνται ἄρουραι,
452 δειελινὸν κλίνοντος ὑπὸ ζόφον ἠελίοιο,
453 τῆμος ἄρ' ἤδη πάντες ἐπὶ ψαμάθοισι βαθεῖαν
454 φυλλάδα χευάμενοι πολιοῦ πρόπαρ αἰγιαλοῖο
455 κέκλινθ' ἑξείης: παρὰ δέ σφισι μυρί' ἔκειτο
456 εἴδατα, καὶ μέθυ λαρόν, ἀφυσσαμένων προχόῃσιν
457 οἰνοχόων: μετέπειτα δ' ἀμοιβαδὶς ἀλλήλοισιν
458 μυθεῦνθ', οἷά τε πολλὰ νέοι παρὰ δαιτὶ καὶ οἴνῳ
459 τερπνῶς ἑψιόωνται, ὅτ' ἄατος ὕβρις ἀπείη.
460 ἔνθ' αὖτ' Αἰσονίδης μὲν ἀμήχανος εἰν ἑοῖ αὐτῷ
461 πορφύρεσκεν ἕκαστα κατηφιόωντι ἐοικώς.
462 τὸν δ' ἄρ' ὑποφρασθεὶς μεγάλῃ ὀπὶ νείκεσεν Ἴδας:

(1.463-471) "Son of Aeson, what is this plan thou art turning over in mind. Speak out thy thought in the midst. Does fear come on and master thee, fear, that confounds cowards? Be witness now my impetuous spear, wherewith in wars I win renown beyond all others (nor does Zeus aid me so much as my own spear), that no woe will be fatal, no venture will be unachieved, while Idas follows, even though a god should oppose thee. Such a helpmeet am I that thou bringest from Arene."

463     "Αἰσονίδη, τίνα τήνδε μετὰ φρεσὶ μῆτιν ἑλίσσεις;
464 αὔδα ἐνὶ μέσσοισι τεὸν νόον. ἦέ σε δαμνᾷ
465 τάρβος ἐπιπλόμενον, τό τ' ἀνάλκιδας ἄνδρας ἀτύζει;
466 ἴστω νῦν δόρυ θοῦρον, ὅτῳ περιώσιον ἄλλων
467 κῦδος ἐνὶ πτολέμοισιν ἀείρομαι, οὐδέ μ' ὀφέλλει
468 Ζεὺς τόσον, ὁσσάτιόν περ ἐμὸν δόρυ, μή νύ τι πῆμα
469 λοίγιον ἔσσεσθαι, μηδ' ἀκράαντον ἄεθλον
470 Ἴδεω ἑσπομένοιο, καὶ εἰ θεὸς ἀντιόῳτο.
471 τοῖόν μ' Ἀρήνηθεν ἀοσσητῆρα κομίζεις."

(1.472-475) He spake, and holding a brimming goblet in both hands drank off the unmixed sweet wine; and his lips and dark cheeks were drenched with it; and all the heroes clamoured together and Idmon spoke out openly:

472     ̂Ἠ, καὶ ἐπισχόμενος πλεῖον δέπας ἀμφοτέρῃσιν
473 πῖνε χαλίκρητον λαρὸν μέθυ: δεύετο δ' οἴνῳ
474 χείλεα, κυάνεαί τε γενειάδες: οἱ δ' ὁμάδησαν
475 πάντες ὁμῶς, Ἴδμων δὲ καὶ ἀμφαδίην ἀγόρευσεν:

(1.480-484) "Vain wretch, thou art devising destruction for thyself before the time. Does the pure wine cause thy bold heart to swell in thy breast to thy ruin, and has it set thee on to dishonour the gods? Other words of comfort there are with which a man might encourage his comrade; but thou hast spoken with utter recklessness. Such taunts, the tale goes, did the sons of Aloeus once blurt out against the blessed gods, and thou dost no wise equal them in valour; nevertheless they were both slain by the swift arrows of Leto's son, mighty though they were."

476     "Δαιμόνιε, φρονέεις ὀλοφώια καὶ πάρος αὐτῷ.
477 ἦέ τοι εἰς ἄτην ζωρὸν μέθυ θαρσαλέον κῆρ
478 οἰδάνει ἐν στήθεσσι, θεοὺς δ' ἀνέηκεν ἀτίζειν;
479 ἄλλοι μῦθοι ἔασι παρήγοροι, οἷσί περ ἀνὴρ
480 θαρσύνοι ἕταρον: σὺ δ' ἀτάσθαλα πάμπαν ἔειπας,
481 τοῖα φάτις καὶ τοὺς πρὶν ἐπιφλύειν μακάρεσσιν
482 υἷας Ἀλωιάδας, οἷς οὐδ' ὅσον ἰσοφαρίζεις
483 ἠνορέην: ἔμπης δὲ θοοῖς ἐδάμησαν ὀιστοῖς
484 ἄμφω Λητοΐδαο, καὶ ἴφθιμοί περ ἐόντες."

(1.485-486) Thus he spake, and Aphareian Iclas laughed out, loud and long, and eyeing him askance replied with biting words:

485     Ὧς ἔφατ': ἐκ δ' ἐγέλασσεν ἄδήν Ἀφαρήιος Ἴδας
486 καί μιν ἐπιλλίζων ἠμείβετο κερτομίοισιν:

(1.487-491) "Come now, tell me this by thy prophetic art, whether for me too the gods will bring to pass such doom as thy father promised for the sons of Aloeus. And bethink thee how thou wilt escape from my hands alive, if thou art caught making a prophecy vain as the idle wind."

487     "Ἄγρει νυν τόδε σῇσι θεοπροπίῃσιν ἐνίσπες,
488 εἰ καὶ ἐμοὶ τοιόνδε θεοὶ τελέουσιν ὄλεθρον,
489 οἷον Ἀλωιάδῃσι πατὴρ τεὸς ἐγγυάλιξεν.
490 φράζεο δ' ὅππως χεῖρας ἐμὰς σόος ἐξαλέοιο,
491 χρειὼ θεσπίζων μεταμώνιον εἴ κεν ἁλῴης."

(1.492-495) Thus in wrath Idas reviled him, and the strife would have gone further had not their comrades and Aeson's son himself with indignant cry restrained the contending chiefs; and Orpheus lifted his lyre in his left hand and made essay to sing.

492     Χώετ' ἐνιπτάζων: προτέρω δέ κε νεῖκος ἐτύχθη,
493 εἰ μὴ δηριόωντας ὁμοκλήσαντες ἑταῖροι
494 αὐτός τ' Αἰσονίδης κατερήτυεν: ἂν δὲ καὶ Ὀρφεὺς
495 λαιῇ ἀνασχόμενος κίθαριν πείραζεν ἀοιδῆς.

(1.496-511) He sang how the earth, the heaven and the sea, once mingled together in one form, after deadly strife were separated each from other; and how the stars and the moon and the paths of the sun ever keep their fixed place in the sky; and how the mountains rose, and how the resounding rivers with their nymphs came into being and all creeping things. And he sang how first of all Ophion and Eurynome, daughter of Ocean, held the sway of snowy Olympus, and how through strength of arm one yielded his prerogative to Cronos and the other to Rhea, and how they fell into the waves of Ocean; but the other two meanwhile ruled over the blessed Titan-gods, while Zeus, still a child and with the thoughts of a child, dwelt in the Dictaean cave; and the earthborn Cyclopes had not yet armed him with the bolt, with thunder and lightning; for these things give renown to Zeus.

496     Ἤειδεν δ' ὡς γαῖα καὶ οὐρανὸς ἠδὲ θάλασσα,
497 τὸ πρὶν ἐπ' ἀλλήλοισι μιῇ συναρηρότα μορφῇ,
498 νείκεος ἐξ ὀλοοῖο διέκριθεν ἀμφὶς ἕκαστα:
499 ἠδ' ὡς ἔμπεδον αἰὲν ἐν αἰθέρι τέκμαρ ἔχουσιν
500 ἄστρα σεληναίη τε καὶ ἠελίοιο κέλευθοι:
501 οὔρεά θ' ὡς ἀνέτειλε, καὶ ὡς ποταμοὶ κελάδοντες
502 αὐτῇσιν νύμφῃσι καὶ ἑρπετὰ πάντ' ἐγένοντο.
503 ἤειδεν δ' ὡς πρῶτον Ὀφίων Εὐρυνόμη τε
504 Ὠκεανὶς νιφόεντος ἔχον κράτος Οὐλύμποιο:
505 ὥς τε βίῃ καὶ χερσὶν ὁ μὲν Κρόνῳ εἴκαθε τιμῆς,
506 ἡ δὲ Ῥέῃ, ἔπεσον δ' ἐνὶ κύμασιν Ὠκεανοῖο:
507 οἱ δὲ τέως μακάρεσσι θεοῖς Τιτῆσιν ἄνασσον,
508 ὄφρα Ζεὺς ἔτι κοῦρος, ἔτι φρεσὶ νήπια εἰδώς,
509 Δικταῖον ναίεσκεν ὑπὸ σπέος: οἱ δέ μιν οὔπω
510 γηγενέες Κύκλωπες ἐκαρτύναντο κεραυνῷ,
511 βροντῇ τε στεροπῇ τε: τὰ γὰρ Διὶ κῦδος ὀπάζει.


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