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 Athena, and Phoebus Apollo, and Artemis who delights in arrows,and Poseidon the earth holder who shakes the earth, and revered Themis, and quick-glancing 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: “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.” So said the ready-voiced daughters of great Zeus, and they plucked and gaveme 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 that 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.
Μουσάων Ἑλικωνιάδων ἀρχώμεθʼ ἀείδειν,αἵθʼ Ἑλικῶνος ἔχουσιν ὄρος μέγα τε ζάθεόν τεκαί τε περὶ κρήνην ἰοειδέα πόσσʼ ἁπαλοῖσινὀρχεῦνται καὶ βωμὸν ἐρισθενέος Κρονίωνος.καί τε λοεσσάμεναι τέρενα χρόα Περμησσοῖοἢ Ἵππου κρήνης ἢ Ὀλμειοῦ ζαθέοιοἀκροτάτῳ Ἑλικῶνι χοροὺς ἐνεποιήσαντοκαλούς, ἱμερόεντας· ἐπερρώσαντο δὲ ποσσίν.ἔνθεν ἀπορνύμεναι, κεκαλυμμέναι ἠέρι πολλῇ,ἐννύχιαι στεῖχον περικαλλέα ὄσσαν ἱεῖσαι,ὑμνεῦσαι Δία τʼ αἰγίοχον καὶ πότνιαν ἭρηνἈργεΐην, χρυσέοισι πεδίλοις ἐμβεβαυῖαν,κούρην τʼ αἰγιόχοιο Διὸς γλαυκῶπιν ἈθήνηνΦοῖβόν τʼ Ἀπόλλωνα καὶ Ἄρτεμιν ἰοχέαιρανἠδὲ Ποσειδάωνα γεήοχον, ἐννοσίγαιον,καὶ Θέμιν αἰδοίην ἑλικοβλέφαρόν τʼ ἈφροδίτηνἭβην τε χρυσοστέφανον καλήν τε ΔιώνηνΛητώ τʼ Ἰαπετόν τε ἰδὲ Κρόνον ἀγκυλομήτηνἨῶ τʼ Ἠέλιόν τε μέγαν λαμπράν τε ΣελήνηνΓαῖάν τʼ Ὠκεανόν τε μέγαν καὶ Νύκτα μέλαινανἄλλων τʼ ἀθανάτων ἱερὸν γένος αἰὲν ἐόντων.αἵ νύ ποθʼ Ἡσίοδον καλὴν ἐδίδαξαν ἀοιδήν,ἄρνας ποιμαίνονθʼ Ἑλικῶνος ὕπο ζαθέοιο.τόνδε δέ με πρώτιστα θεαὶ πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπον,Μοῦσαι Ὀλυμπιάδες, κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο·ποιμένες ἄγραυλοι, κάκʼ ἐλέγχεα, γαστέρες οἶον,ἴδμεν ψεύδεα πολλὰ λέγειν ἐτύμοισιν ὁμοῖα,ἴδμεν δʼ, εὖτʼ ἐθέλωμεν, ἀληθέα γηρύσασθαι.ὣς ἔφασαν κοῦραι μεγάλου Διὸς ἀρτιέπειαι·καί μοι σκῆπτρον ἔδον δάφνης ἐριθηλέος ὄζονδρέψασαι, θηητόν· ἐνέπνευσαν δέ μοι αὐδὴνθέσπιν, ἵνα κλείοιμι τά τʼ ἐσσόμενα πρό τʼ ἐόντα.καί μʼ ἐκέλονθʼ ὑμνεῖν μακάρων γένος αἰὲν ἐόντων,σφᾶς δʼ αὐτὰς πρῶτόν τε καὶ ὕστατον αἰὲν ἀείδειν.
But why all this about oak or stone? Come you, 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 soundfrom their lips, and the house of their father Zeus the loud-thunderer is glad at the lily-like voice of the goddesses as it spreads 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 revered race of the godsfrom 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.
ἀλλὰ τί ἦ μοι ταῦτα περὶ δρῦν ἢ περὶ πέτρην;τύνη, Μουσάων ἀρχώμεθα, ταὶ Διὶ πατρὶὑμνεῦσαι τέρπουσι μέγαν νόον ἐντὸς Ὀλύμπου,εἰρεῦσαι τά τʼ ἐόντα τά τʼ ἐσσόμενα πρό τʼ ἐόντα,φωνῇ ὁμηρεῦσαι· τῶν δʼ ἀκάματος ῥέει αὐδὴἐκ στομάτων ἡδεῖα· γελᾷ δέ τε δώματα πατρὸςΖηνὸς ἐριγδούποιο θεᾶν ὀπὶ λειριοέσσῃσκιδναμένῃ· ἠχεῖ δὲ κάρη νιφόεντος Ὀλύμπουδώματά τʼ ἀθανάτων. αἳ δʼ ἄμβροτον ὄσσαν ἱεῖσαιθεῶν γένος αἰδοῖον πρῶτον κλείουσιν ἀοιδῇἐξ ἀρχῆς, οὓς Γαῖα καὶ Οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ἔτικτεν,οἵ τʼ ἐκ τῶν ἐγένοντο θεοί, δωτῆρες ἐάων.δεύτερον αὖτε Ζῆνα, θεῶν πατέρʼ ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν,ἀρχόμεναί θʼ ὑμνεῦσι καὶ ἐκλήγουσαι ἀοιδῆς,ὅσσον φέρτατός ἐστι θεῶν κράτεί τε μέγιστος.
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. 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 bore nine daughters, all of one mind, whose hearts are set upon song, and whose spirit is free from care, a little way from the top-most peak of snowy Olympus. There are their bright dancing places and beautiful homes, and beside them the Graces and Himerus (Desire) livein 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 resoundedabout 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.
αὖτις δʼ ἀνθρώπων τε γένος κρατερῶν τε Γιγάντωνὑμνεῦσαι τέρπουσι Διὸς νόον ἐντὸς ὈλύμπουΜοῦσαι Ὀλυμπιάδες, κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.τὰς ἐν Πιερίῃ Κρονίδῃ τέκε πατρὶ μιγεῖσαΜνημοσύνη, γουνοῖσιν Ἐλευθῆρος μεδέουσα,λησμοσύνην τε κακῶν ἄμπαυμά τε μερμηράων.ἐννέα γάρ οἱ νυκτὸς ἐμίσγετο μητίετα Ζεὺςνόσφιν ἀπʼ ἀθανάτων ἱερὸν λέχος εἰσαναβαίνων·ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἐνιαυτὸς ἔην, περὶ δʼ ἔτραπον ὧραιμηνῶν φθινόντων, περὶ δʼ ἤματα πόλλʼ ἐτελέσθη,ἣ δʼ ἔτεκʼ ἐννέα κούρας ὁμόφρονας, ᾗσιν ἀοιδὴμέμβλεται ἐν στήθεσσιν, ἀκηδέα θυμὸν ἐχούσαις,τυτθὸν ἀπʼ ἀκροτάτης κορυφῆς νιφόεντος Ὀλύμπου.ἔνθα σφιν λιπαροί τε χοροὶ καὶ δώματα καλά.πὰρ δʼ αὐτῇς Χάριτές τε καὶ Ἵμερος οἰκίʼ ἔχουσινἐν θαλίῃς· ἐρατὴν δὲ διὰ στόμα ὄσσαν ἱεῖσαιμέλπονται πάντων τε νόμους καὶ ἤθεα κεδνὰἀθανάτων κλείουσιν, ἐπήρατον ὄσσαν ἱεῖσαι.αἳ τότʼ ἴσαν πρὸς Ὄλυμπον ἀγαλλόμεναι ὀπὶ καλῇ,ἀμβροσίῃ μολπῇ· περὶ δʼ ἴαχε γαῖα μέλαιναὑμνεύσαις, ἐρατὸς δὲ ποδῶν ὕπο δοῦπος ὀρώρεινισσομένων πατέρʼ εἰς ὅν· ὃ δʼ οὐρανῷ ἐμβασιλεύει,αὐτὸς ἔχων βροντὴν ἠδʼ αἰθαλόεντα κεραυνόν,κάρτει νικήσας πατέρα Κρόνον· εὖ δὲ ἕκασταἀθανάτοις διέταξεν ὁμῶς καὶ ἐπέφραδε τιμάς.
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, who is the chiefest of them all,for she attends on worshipful princes: whomever of heaven-nourished princes the daughters of great Zeus honor and behold at his birth, they pour sweet dew upon his tongue, and from his lips flow gracious words. All the peoplelook 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 againwith 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 thatthere 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 although a man has sorrow and grief in his newly-troubled soul and lives 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. Hail, children of Zeus! Grant lovely songand 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 honors amongst them, and also how at the first they took many-folded Olympus. These things declare to me from the beginning, you Muses who dwell in the house of Olympus,and tell me which of them first came to be. In truth at first Chaos came to be, but next wide-bosomed Earth, the ever-sure foundation of all 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 and Day,whom she conceived and bore from union in love with Erebus. And Earth first bore 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
ταῦτʼ ἄρα Μοῦσαι ἄειδον, Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσαι,ἐννέα θυγατέρες μεγάλου Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖαι,Κλειώ τʼ Εὐτέρπη τε Θάλειά τε Μελπομένη τεΤερψιχόρη τʼ Ἐρατώ τε Πολύμνιά τʼ Οὐρανίη τεΚαλλιόπη θʼ· ἣ δὲ προφερεστάτη ἐστὶν ἁπασέων.ἣ γὰρ καὶ βασιλεῦσιν ἅμʼ αἰδοίοισιν ὀπηδεῖ.ὅν τινα τιμήσωσι Διὸς κοῦραι μεγάλοιογεινόμενόν τε ἴδωσι διοτρεφέων βασιλήων,τῷ μὲν ἐπὶ γλώσσῃ γλυκερὴν χείουσιν ἐέρσην,τοῦ δʼ ἔπεʼ ἐκ στόματος ῥεῖ μείλιχα· οἱ δέ τε λαοὶπάντες ἐς αὐτὸν ὁρῶσι διακρίνοντα θέμισταςἰθείῃσι δίκῃσιν· ὃ δʼ ἀσφαλέως ἀγορεύωναἶψά κε καὶ μέγα νεῖκος ἐπισταμένως κατέπαυσεν·τοὔνεκα γὰρ βασιλῆες ἐχέφρονες, οὕνεκα λαοῖςβλαπτομένοις ἀγορῆφι μετάτροπα ἔργα τελεῦσιῥηιδίως, μαλακοῖσι παραιφάμενοι ἐπέεσσιν.ἐρχόμενον δʼ ἀνʼ ἀγῶνα θεὸν ὣς ἱλάσκονταιαἰδοῖ μειλιχίῃ, μετὰ δὲ πρέπει ἀγρομένοισιν·τοίη Μουσάων ἱερὴ δόσις ἀνθρώποισιν.ἐκ γάρ τοι Μουσέων καὶ ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνοςἄνδρες ἀοιδοὶ ἔασιν ἐπὶ χθόνα καὶ κιθαρισταί,ἐκ δὲ Διὸς βασιλῆες· ὃ δʼ ὄλβιος, ὅν τινα Μοῦσαιφίλωνται· γλυκερή οἱ ἀπὸ στόματος ῥέει αὐδή.εἰ γάρ τις καὶ πένθος ἔχων νεοκηδέι θυμῷἄζηται κραδίην ἀκαχήμενος, αὐτὰρ ἀοιδὸςΜουσάων θεράπων κλέεα προτέρων ἀνθρώπωνὑμνήσῃ μάκαράς τε θεούς, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν,αἶψʼ ὅ γε δυσφροσυνέων ἐπιλήθεται οὐδέ τι κηδέωνμέμνηται· ταχέως δὲ παρέτραπε δῶρα θεάων.χαίρετε, τέκνα Διός, δότε δʼ ἱμερόεσσαν ἀοιδήν.κλείετε δʼ ἀθανάτων ἱερὸν γένος αἰὲν ἐόντων,οἳ Γῆς τʼ ἐξεγένοντο καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος,Νυκτός τε δνοφερῆς, οὕς θʼ ἁλμυρὸς ἔτρεφε Πόντος.εἴπατε δʼ, ὡς τὰ πρῶτα θεοὶ καὶ γαῖα γένοντοκαὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ πόντος ἀπείριτος, οἴδματι θυίων,ἄστρα τε λαμπετόωντα καὶ οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθεν[οἵ τʼ ἐκ τῶν ἐγένοντο θεοί, δωτῆρες ἐάων]ὥς τʼ ἄφενος δάσσαντο καὶ ὡς τιμὰς διέλοντοἠδὲ καὶ ὡς τὰ πρῶτα πολύπτυχον ἔσχον Ὄλυμπον.ταῦτά μοι ἔσπετε Μοῦσαι, Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσαιἐξ ἀρχῆς, καὶ εἴπαθʼ, ὅ τι πρῶτον γένετʼ αὐτῶν.ἦ τοι μὲν πρώτιστα Χάος γένετʼ, αὐτὰρ ἔπειταΓαῖʼ εὐρύστερνος, πάντων ἕδος ἀσφαλὲς αἰεὶ[ἀθανάτων, οἳ ἔχουσι κάρη νιφόεντος Ὀλύμπου,]Τάρταρά τʼ ἠερόεντα μυχῷ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης,ἠδʼ Ἔρος, ὃς κάλλιστος ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι,λυσιμελής, πάντων δὲ θεῶν πάντων τʼ ἀνθρώπωνδάμναται ἐν στήθεσσι νόον καὶ ἐπίφρονα βουλήν.ἐκ Χάεος δʼ Ἔρεβός τε μέλαινά τε Νὺξ ἐγένοντο·Νυκτὸς δʼ αὖτʼ Αἰθήρ τε καὶ Ἡμέρη ἐξεγένοντο,οὓς τέκε κυσαμένη Ἐρέβει φιλότητι μιγεῖσα.Γαῖα δέ τοι πρῶτον μὲν ἐγείνατο ἶσον ἑαυτῇΟὐρανὸν ἀστερόενθʼ, ἵνα μιν περὶ πάντα καλύπτοι,ὄφρʼ εἴη μακάρεσσι θεοῖς ἕδος ἀσφαλὲς αἰεί.γείνατο δʼ Οὔρεα μακρά, θεῶν χαρίεντας ἐναύλους,
of the goddess Nymphs who dwell amongst the glens of the hills. She bore also the fruitless deep with his raging swell, Pontus, without sweet union of love. But afterwards she lay with Heaven and bore 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. And again, she bore the Cyclopes, overbearing in spirit,Brontes, and Steropes and stubborn-hearted Arges, 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 foreheads. 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. And again, three other sons were born of Earth and Heaven, great and doughty beyond telling, Cottus and Briareos and Gyes, presumptuous children.
Νυμφέων, αἳ ναίουσιν ἀνʼ οὔρεα βησσήεντα.ἣ δὲ καὶ ἀτρύγετον πέλαγος τέκεν, οἴδματι θυῖον,Πόντον, ἄτερ φιλότητος ἐφιμέρου· αὐτὰρ ἔπειταΟὐρανῷ εὐνηθεῖσα τέκʼ Ὠκεανὸν βαθυδίνην,Κοῖόν τε Κρῖόν θʼ Ὑπερίονά τʼ Ἰαπετόν τεΘείαν τε Ῥείαν τε Θέμιν τε Μνημοσύνην τεΦοίβην τε χρυσοστέφανον Τηθύν τʼ ἐρατεινήν.τοὺς δὲ μέθʼ ὁπλότατος γένετο Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης,δεινότατος παίδων· θαλερὸν δʼ ἤχθηρε τοκῆα.γείνατο δʼ αὖ Κύκλωπας ὑπέρβιον ἦτορ ἔχοντας,Βρόντην τε Στερόπην τε καὶ Ἄργην ὀβριμόθυμον,οἳ Ζηνὶ βροντήν τε δόσαν τεῦξάν τε κεραυνόν.οἳ δή τοι τὰ μὲν ἄλλα θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιοι ἦσαν,μοῦνος δʼ ὀφθαλμὸς μέσσῳ ἐνέκειτο μετώπῳ.Κύκλωπες δʼ ὄνομʼ ἦσαν ἐπώνυμον, οὕνεκʼ ἄρα σφέωνκυκλοτερὴς ὀφθαλμὸς ἕεις ἐνέκειτο μετώπῳ·ἰσχὺς δʼ ἠδὲ βίη καὶ μηχαναὶ ἦσαν ἐπʼ ἔργοις.ἄλλοι δʼ αὖ Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἐξεγένοντοτρεῖς παῖδες μεγάλοι τε καὶ ὄβριμοι, οὐκ ὀνομαστοί,Κόττος τε Βριάρεώς τε Γύης θʼ, ὑπερήφανα τέκνα.
From their shoulders sprang a hundred arms, not to be approached, and fifty heads grew from the shoulders upon the strong limbs of each, 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 Earthgroaned within, being straitened, and she thought a crafty and an evil wile. Forthwith 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:“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.” 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:
τῶν ἑκατὸν μὲν χεῖρες ἀπʼ ὤμων ἀίσσοντο,ἄπλαστοι, κεφαλαὶ δὲ ἑκάστῳ πεντήκονταἐξ ὤμων ἐπέφυκον ἐπὶ στιβαροῖσι μέλεσσιν·ἰσχὺς δʼ ἄπλητος κρατερὴ μεγάλῳ ἐπὶ εἴδει.ὅσσοι γὰρ Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἐξεγένοντο,δεινότατοι παίδων, σφετέρῳ δʼ ἤχθοντο τοκῆιἐξ ἀρχῆς· καὶ τῶν μὲν ὅπως τις πρῶτα γένοιτο,πάντας ἀποκρύπτασκε, καὶ ἐς φάος οὐκ ἀνίεσκε,Γαίης ἐν κευθμῶνι, κακῷ δʼ ἐπετέρπετο ἔργῳΟὐρανός. ἣ δʼ ἐντὸς στοναχίζετο Γαῖα πελώρηστεινομένη· δολίην δὲ κακήν τʼ ἐφράσσατο τέχνην.αἶψα δὲ ποιήσασα γένος πολιοῦ ἀδάμαντοςτεῦξε μέγα δρέπανον καὶ ἐπέφραδε παισὶ φίλοισιν·εἶπε δὲ θαρσύνουσα, φίλον τετιημένη ἦτορ·παῖδες ἐμοὶ καὶ πατρὸς ἀτασθάλου, αἴ κʼ ἐθέλητεπείθεσθαι, πατρός κε κακὴν τισαίμεθα λώβηνὑμετέρου· πρότερος γὰρ ἀεικέα μήσατο ἔργα.ὣς φάτο· τοὺς δʼ ἄρα πάντας ἕλεν δέος, οὐδέ τις αὐτῶνφθέγξατο. θαρσήσας δὲ μέγας Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτηςἂψ αὖτις μύθοισι προσηύδα μητέρα κεδνήν·
“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.” So he said: and vast Earth rejoiced greatly in spirit, and set and hid him in an ambush, and put in his handsa jagged sickle, and revealed to him the whole plot. And Heaven came, bringing on night and longing for love, and he lay about Earth spreading himself full upon her. Then the son from his ambush stretched forth his left hand and in his right took the great long sicklewith 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 roundshe bore the strong Erinyes and the great Giants with gleaming armour, holding long spears in their hands and the Nymphs whom they call Meliae 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 grassgrew 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 because she 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 honor 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. But these sons whom he begot himself great Heaven used to call Titans (Strainers) in reproach, for he said that they strained and did presumptuouslya fearful deed, and that vengeance for it would come afterwards. And Night bore hateful Doom and black Fate and Death, and she bore Sleep and the tribe of Dreams.
μῆτερ, ἐγώ κεν τοῦτό γʼ ὑποσχόμενος τελέσαιμιἔργον, ἐπεὶ πατρός γε δυσωνύμου οὐκ ἀλεγίζωἡμετέρου· πρότερος γὰρ ἀεικέα μήσατο ἔργα.ὣς φάτο· γήθησεν δὲ μέγα φρεσὶ Γαῖα πελώρη·εἷσε δέ μιν κρύψασα λόχῳ· ἐνέθηκε δὲ χερσὶνἅρπην καρχαρόδοντα· δόλον δʼ ὑπεθήκατο πάντα.ἦλθε δὲ νύκτʼ ἐπάγων μέγας Οὐρανός, ἀμφὶ δὲ Γαίῃἱμείρων φιλότητος ἐπέσχετο καί ῥʼ ἐτανύσθηπάντη· ὃ δʼ ἐκ λοχέοιο πάις ὠρέξατο χειρὶσκαιῇ, δεξιτερῇ δὲ πελώριον ἔλλαβεν ἅρπηνμακρὴν καρχαρόδοντα, φίλου δʼ ἀπὸ μήδεα πατρὸςἐσσυμένως ἤμησε, πάλιν δʼ ἔρριψε φέρεσθαιἐξοπίσω· τὰ μὲν οὔ τι ἐτώσια ἔκφυγε χειρός·ὅσσαι γὰρ ῥαθάμιγγες ἀπέσσυθεν αἱματόεσσαι,πάσας δέξατο Γαῖα· περιπλομένων δʼ ἐνιαυτῶνγείνατʼ Ἐρινῦς τε κρατερὰς μεγάλους τε Γίγαντας,τεύχεσι λαμπομένους, δολίχʼ ἔγχεα χερσὶν ἔχοντας,Νύμφας θʼ ἃς Μελίας καλέουσʼ ἐπʼ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν.μήδεα δʼ ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ἀποτμήξας ἀδάμαντικάββαλʼ ἀπʼ ἠπείροιο πολυκλύστῳ ἐνὶ πόντῳ,ὣς φέρετʼ ἂμ πέλαγος πουλὺν χρόνον, ἀμφὶ δὲ λευκὸςἀφρὸς ἀπʼ ἀθανάτου χροὸς ὤρνυτο· τῷ δʼ ἔνι κούρηἐθρέφθη· πρῶτον δὲ Κυθήροισιν ζαθέοισινἔπλητʼ, ἔνθεν ἔπειτα περίρρυτον ἵκετο Κύπρον.ἐκ δʼ ἔβη αἰδοίη καλὴ θεός, ἀμφὶ δὲ ποίηποσσὶν ὕπο ῥαδινοῖσιν ἀέξετο· τὴν δʼ Ἀφροδίτην[ἀφρογενέα τε θεὰν καὶ ἐυστέφανον Κυθέρειαν]κικλῄσκουσι θεοί τε καὶ ἀνέρες, οὕνεκʼ ἐν ἀφρῷθρέφθη· ἀτὰρ Κυθέρειαν, ὅτι προσέκυρσε Κυθήροις·Κυπρογενέα δʼ, ὅτι γέντο πολυκλύστῳ ἐνὶ Κύπρῳ·ἠδὲ φιλομμηδέα, ὅτι μηδέων ἐξεφαάνθη.τῇ δʼ Ἔρος ὡμάρτησε καὶ Ἵμερος ἕσπετο καλὸςγεινομένῃ τὰ πρῶτα θεῶν τʼ ἐς φῦλον ἰούσῃ.ταύτην δʼ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τιμὴν ἔχει ἠδὲ λέλογχεμοῖραν ἐν ἀνθρώποισι καὶ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι,παρθενίους τʼ ὀάρους μειδήματά τʼ ἐξαπάτας τετέρψιν τε γλυκερὴν φιλότητά τε μειλιχίην τε.τοὺς δὲ πατὴρ Τιτῆνας ἐπίκλησιν καλέεσκεπαῖδας νεικείων μέγας Οὐρανός, οὓς τέκεν αὐτός·φάσκε δὲ τιταίνοντας ἀτασθαλίῃ μέγα ῥέξαιἔργον, τοῖο δʼ ἔπειτα τίσιν μετόπισθεν ἔσεσθαι.νὺξ δʼ ἔτεκεν στυγερόν τε Μόρον καὶ Κῆρα μέλαινανκαὶ Θάνατον, τέκε δʼ Ὕπνον, ἔτικτε δὲ φῦλον Ὀνείρων·
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 bore the Destinies and ruthless avenging Fates, Clotho and Lachesis and Atropos, 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 bore Nemesis (Indignation) to afflict mortal men, and after her, Deceit and Friendshipand hateful Age and hard-hearted Strife. But abhorred Strife bore 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 willfully swears a false oath. And Sea begat Nereus, the eldest of his children, who is true and lies not: and men call him the Old Manbecause 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.
δεύτερον αὖ Μῶμον καὶ Ὀιζὺν ἀλγινόεσσανοὔ τινι κοιμηθεῖσα θεὰ τέκε Νὺξ ἐρεβεννή,Ἑσπερίδας θʼ, ᾗς μῆλα πέρην κλυτοῦ Ὠκεανοῖοχρύσεα καλὰ μέλουσι φέροντά τε δένδρεα καρπόν.καὶ Μοίρας καὶ Κῆρας ἐγείνατο νηλεοποίνους,Κλωθώ τε Λάχεσίν τε καὶ Ἄτροπον, αἵτε βροτοῖσιγεινομένοισι διδοῦσιν ἔχειν ἀγαθόν τε κακόν τε,αἵτʼ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε παραιβασίας ἐφέπουσιν·οὐδέ ποτε λήγουσι θεαὶ δεινοῖο χόλοιο,πρίν γʼ ἀπὸ τῷ δώωσι κακὴν ὄπιν, ὅς τις ἁμάρτῃ.τίκτε δὲ καὶ Νέμεσιν, πῆμα θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσι,Νὺξ ὀλοή· μετὰ τὴν δʼ Ἀπάτην τέκε καὶ ΦιλότηταΓῆράς τʼ οὐλόμενον, καὶ Ἔριν τέκε καρτερόθυμον.αὐτὰρ Ἔρις στυγερὴ τέκε μὲν Πόνον ἀλγινόενταΛήθην τε Λιμόν τε καὶ Ἄλγεα δακρυόενταὙσμίνας τε Μάχας τε Φόνους τʼ Ἀνδροκτασίας τεΝείκεά τε ψευδέας τε Λόγους Ἀμφιλλογίας τεΔυσνομίην τʼ Ἄτην τε, συνήθεας ἀλλήλῃσιν,Ὅρκον θʼ, ὃς δὴ πλεῖστον ἐπιχθονίους ἀνθρώπουςπημαίνει, ὅτε κέν τις ἑκὼν ἐπίορκον ὀμόσσῃ.Νηρέα δʼ ἀψευδέα καὶ ἀληθέα γείνατο Πόντος,πρεσβύτατον παίδων· αὐτὰρ καλέουσι γέροντα,οὕνεκα νημερτής τε καὶ ἤπιος, οὐδὲ θεμιστέωνλήθεται, ἀλλὰ δίκαια καὶ ἤπια δήνεα οἶδεν·αὖτις δʼ αὖ Θαύμαντα μέγαν καὶ ἀγήνορα ΦόρκυνΓαίῃ μισγόμενος καὶ Κητὼ καλλιπάρῃονΕὐρυβίην τʼ ἀδάμαντος ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θυμὸν ἔχουσαν.
And of Nereus and rich-haired Doris, daughter of Ocean the perfect river, were born children, 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 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 who has the nature of her deathless father. These fifty daughters sprang from blameless Nereus, skilled in excellent crafts.
Νηρῆος δʼ ἐγένοντο μεγήρατα τέκνα θεάωνπόντῳ ἐν ἀτρυγέτῳ καὶ Δωρίδος ἠυκόμοιο,κούρης Ὠκεανοῖο, τελήεντος ποταμοῖο,Πλωτώ τʼ Εὐκράντη τε Σαώ τʼ Ἀμφιτρίτη τεΕὐδώρη τε Θέτις τε Γαλήνη τε Γλαύκη τεΚυμοθόη Σπειώ τε Θόη θʼ Ἀλίη τʼ ἐρόεσσαΠασιθέη τʼ Ἐρατώ τε καὶ Εὐνίκη ῥοδόπηχυςκαὶ Μελίτη χαρίεσσα καὶ Εὐλιμένη καὶ ἈγαυὴΔωτώ τε Πρωτώ τε Φέρουσά τε Δυναμένη τεΝησαίη τε καὶ Ἀκταίη καὶ ΠρωτομέδειαΔωρὶς καὶ Πανόπεια καὶ εὐειδὴς ΓαλάτειαἹπποθόη τʼ ἐρόεσσα καὶ Ἱππονόη ῥοδόπηχυςΚυμοδόκη θʼ, ἣ κύματʼ ἐν ἠεροειδέι πόντῳπνοιάς τε ζαέων ἀνέμων σὺν Κυματολήγῃῥεῖα πρηΰνει καὶ ἐυσφύρῳ Ἀμφιτρίτῃ,Κυμώ τʼ Ἠιόνη τε ἐυστέφανός θʼ ἉλιμήδηΓλαυκονόμη τε φιλομμειδὴς καὶ ΠοντοπόρειαΛηαγόρη τε καὶ Εὐαγόρη καὶ ΛαομέδειαΠουλυνόη τε καὶ Αὐτονόη καὶ ΛυσιάνασσαΕὐάρνη τε φυήν τʼ ἐρατὴ καὶ εἶδος ἄμωμοςκαὶ Ψαμάθη χαρίεσσα δέμας δίη τε ΜενίππηΝησώ τʼ Εὐπόμπη τε Θεμιστώ τε Προνόη τεΝημερτής θʼ, ἣ πατρὸς ἔχει νόον ἀθανάτοιο.αὗται μὲν Νηρῆος ἀμύμονος ἐξεγένοντοκοῦραι πεντήκοντα, ἀμύμονα ἔργα ἰδυῖαι.
And Thaumas wedded Electra the daughter of deep-flowing Ocean, and she bore 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.
Θαύμας δʼ Ὠκεανοῖο βαθυρρείταο θύγατραἠγάγετʼ Ἠλέκτρην· ἣ δʼ ὠκεῖαν τέκεν Ἶρινἠυκόμους θʼ Ἁρπυίας Ἀελλώ τʼ Ὠκυπέτην τε,αἵ ῥʼ ἀνέμων πνοιῇσι καὶ οἰωνοῖς ἅμʼ ἕπονταιὠκείῃς πτερύγεσσι· μεταχρόνιαι γὰρ ἴαλλον.
And again, Ceto bore 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 Oceanin 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 in a soft meadow amid spring flowers.
Φόρκυϊ δʼ αὖ Κητὼ Γραίας τέκε καλλιπαρῄουςἐκ γενετῆς πολιάς, τὰς δὴ Γραίας καλέουσινἀθάνατοί τε θεοὶ χαμαὶ ἐρχόμενοί τʼ ἄνθρωποι,Πεμφρηδώ τʼ ἐύπεπλον Ἐνυώ τε κροκόπεπλον,Γοργούς θʼ, αἳ ναίουσι πέρην κλυτοῦ Ὠκεανοῖοἐσχατιῇ πρὸς Νυκτός, ἵνʼ Ἑσπερίδες λιγύφωνοι,Σθεννώ τʼ Εὐρυάλη τε Μέδουσά τε λυγρὰ παθοῦσα.ἣ μὲν ἔην θνητή, αἳ δʼ ἀθάνατοι καὶ ἀγήρῳ,αἱ δύο· τῇ δὲ μιῇ παρελέξατο Κυανοχαίτηςἐν μαλακῷ λειμῶνι καὶ ἄνθεσιν εἰαρινοῖσιν.
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 of Ocean; and that other, because he held a golden blade 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 slewin 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.And in a hollow cave she bore 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. 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 bore Orthus the hound of Geryones,and then again she bore 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 Athena 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, another of a goat, and another of a snake, a fierce dragon; in her forepart she was a lion; in her hinderpart, a dragon; and in her middle, a goat, breathing forth a fearful blast of blazing fire.
τῆς δʼ ὅτε δὴ Περσεὺς κεφαλὴν ἀπεδειροτόμησεν,ἔκθορε Χρυσαωρ τε μέγας καὶ Πήγασος ἵππος.τῷ μὲν ἐπώνυμον ἦεν, ὅτʼ Ὠκεανοῦ περὶ πηγὰςγένθʼ, ὃ δʼ ἄορ χρύσειον ἔχων μετὰ χερσὶ φίλῃσιν.χὠ μὲν ἀποπτάμενος προλιπὼν χθόνα, μητέρα μήλων,ἵκετʼ ἐς ἀθανάτους· Ζηνὸς δʼ ἐν δώμασι ναίειβροντήν τε στεροπήν τε φέρων Διὶ μητιόεντι.Χρυσάωρ δʼ ἔτεκεν τρικέφαλον Γηρυονῆαμιχθεὶς Καλλιρόῃ κούρῃ κλυτοῦ Ὠκεανοῖο.τὸν μὲν ἄρʼ ἐξενάριξε βίη Ἡρακληείηβουσὶ παρʼ εἰλιπόδεσσι περιρρύτῳ εἰν Ἐρυθείῃἤματι τῷ ὅτε περ βοῦς ἤλασεν εὐρυμετώπουςΤίρυνθʼ εἰς ἱερὴν διαβὰς πόρον ὨκεανοῖοὌρθον τε κτείνας καὶ βουκόλον Εὐρυτίωνασταθμῷ ἐν ἠερόεντι πέρην κλυτοῦ Ὠκεανοῖο.ἣ δʼ ἔτεκʼ ἄλλο πέλωρον ἀμήχανον, οὐδὲν ἐοικὸςθνητοῖς ἀνθρώποις οὐδʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν,σπῆι ἔνι γλαφυρῷ θείην κρατερόφρονʼ Ἔχιδναν,ἥμισυ μὲν νύμφην ἑλικώπιδα καλλιπάρῃον,ἥμισυ δʼ αὖτε πέλωρον ὄφιν δεινόν τε μέγαν τεαἰόλον ὠμηστὴν ζαθέης ὑπὸ κεύθεσι γαίης.ἔνθα δέ οἱ σπέος ἐστὶ κάτω κοίλῃ ὑπὸ πέτρῃτηλοῦ ἀπʼ ἀθανάτων τε θεῶν θνητῶν τʼ ἀνθρώπων·ἔνθʼ ἄρα οἱ δάσσαντο θεοὶ κλυτὰ δώματα ναίειν.ἣ δʼ ἔρυτʼ εἰν Ἀρίμοισιν ὑπὸ χθονὶ λυγρὴ Ἔχιδνα,ἀθάνατος νύμφη καὶ ἀγήραος ἤματα πάντα.τῇ δὲ Τυφάονά φασι μιγήμεναι ἐν φιλότητιδεινόν θʼ ὑβριστήν τʼ ἄνομόν θʼ ἑλικώπιδι κούρῃ·ἣ δʼ ὑποκυσαμένη τέκετο κρατερόφρονα τέκνα.Ὄρθον μὲν πρῶτον κύνα γείνατο Γηρυονῆι·δεύτερον αὖτις ἔτικτεν ἀμήχανον, οὔ τι φατειὸνΚέρβερον ὠμηστήν, Ἀίδεω κύνα χαλκεόφωνον,πεντηκοντακέφαλον, ἀναιδέα τε κρατερόν τε·τὸ τρίτον Ὕδρην αὖτις ἐγείνατο λυγρὰ ἰδυῖανΛερναίην, ἣν θρέψε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρηἄπλητον κοτέουσα βίῃ Ἡρακληείῃ.καὶ τὴν μὲν Διὸς υἱὸς ἐνήρατο νηλέι χαλκῷἈμφιτρυωνιάδης σὺν ἀρηιφίλῳ ἸολάῳΗρακλέης βουλῇσιν Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης.ἣ δὲ Χίμαιραν ἔτικτε πνέουσαν ἀμαιμάκετον πῦρ,δεινήν τε μεγάλην τε ποδώκεά τε κρατερήν τε·τῆς δʼ ἦν τρεῖς κεφαλαί· μία μὲν χαροποῖο λέοντος,ἣ δὲ χιμαίρης, ἣ δʼ ὄφιος, κρατεροῖο δράκοντος,[πρόσθε λέων, ὄπιθεν δὲ δράκων, μέσση δὲ χίμαιρα,][δεινὸν ἀποπνείουσα πυρὸς μένος αἰθομένοιο.]
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.
τὴν μὲν Πήγασος εἷλε καὶ ἐσθλὸς Βελλεροφόντης.ἣ δʼ ἄρα Φῖκʼ ὀλοὴν τέκε Καδμείοισιν ὄλεθρονὍρθῳ ὑποδμηθεῖσα Νεμειαῖόν τε λέοντα,τόν ῥʼ Ἥρη θρέψασα Διὸς κυδρὴ παράκοιτιςγουνοῖσιν κατένασσε Νεμείης, πῆμʼ ἀνθρώποις.
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. And Ceto was joined in love to Phorcys and bore her youngest, the awful snake who guardsthe apples all of gold in the secret places of the dark earth at its great bounds. This is the offspring of Ceto and Phorcys. And Tethys bore 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. Also she brought forth a holy company of daughters 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. And Theia was subject in love to Hyperion and bore 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.
ἔνθʼ ἄρʼ ὃ οἰκείων ἐλεφαίρετο φῦλʼ ἀνθρώπων,κοιρανέων Τρητοῖο Νεμείης ἠδʼ Ἀπέσαντος·ἀλλά ἑ ἲς ἐδάμασσε βίης Ἡρακληείης.Κητὼ δʼ ὁπλότατον Φόρκυι φιλότητι μιγεῖσαγείνατο δεινὸν ὄφιν, ὃς ἐρεμνῆς κεύθεσι γαίηςπείρασιν ἐν μεγάλοις παγχρύσεα μῆλα φυλάσσει.τοῦτο μὲν ἐκ Κητοῦς καὶ Φόρκυνος γένος ἐστίν.Τηθὺς δʼ Ὠκεανῷ Ποταμοὺς τέκε δινήεντας,Νεῖλόν τʼ Ἀλφειόν τε καὶ Ἠριδανὸν βαθυδίνηνΣτρυμόνα Μαίανδρόν τε καὶ Ἴστρον καλλιρέεθρονΦᾶσίν τε Ῥῆσόν τʼ Ἀχελώιόν τʼ ἀργυροδίνηνΝέσσον τε Ῥοδίον θʼ Ἁλιάκμονά θʼ Ἑπτάπορόν τεΓρήνικόν τε καὶ Αἴσηπον θεῖόν τε ΣιμοῦνταΠηνειόν τε καὶ Ἕρμον ἐυρρείτην τε ΚάικονΣαγγάριόν τε μέγαν Λάδωνά τε Παρθένιόν τεΕὔηνόν τε καὶ Ἄρδησκον θεῖόν τε Σκάμανδρον.τίκτε δὲ θυγατέρων ἱερὸν γένος, αἳ κατὰ γαῖανἄνδρας κουρίζουσι σὺν Ἀπόλλωνι ἄνακτικαὶ Ποταμοῖς, ταύτην δὲ Διὸς πάρα μοῖραν ἔχουσι,Πειθώ τʼ Ἀδμήτη τε Ἰάνθη τʼ Ἠλέκτρη τεΔωρίς τε Πρυμνώ τε καὶ Οὐρανίη θεοειδὴςἹππώ τε Κλυμένη τε Ῥόδειά τε Καλλιρόη τεΖευξώ τε Κλυτίη τε Ἰδυῖά τε Πασιθόη τεΠληξαύρη τε Γαλαξαύρη τʼ ἐρατή τε ΔιώνηΜηλόβοσίς τε Φόη τε καὶ εὐειδὴς ΠολυδώρηΚερκηίς τε φυὴν ἐρατὴ Πλουτώ τε βοῶπιςΠερσηίς τʼ Ἰάνειρά τʼ Ἀκάστη τε Ξάνθη τεΠετραίη τʼ ἐρόεσσα Μενεσθώ τʼ Εὐρώπη τεΜῆτίς τʼ Εὐρυνόμη τε Τελεστώ τε ΚροκοπεπλοςΧρυσηίς τʼ Ἀσίη τε καὶ ἱμερόεσσα ΚαλυψὼΕὐδώρη τε Τύχη τε καὶ Ἀμφιρὼ Ὠκυρόη τεκαὶ Στύξ, ἣ δή σφεων προφερεστάτη ἐστὶν ἁπασέων.αὗται δʼ Ὠκεανοῦ καὶ Τηθύος ἐξεγένοντοπρεσβύταται κοῦραι· πολλαί γε μέν εἰσι καὶ ἄλλαι.τρὶς γὰρ χίλιαί εἰσι τανύσφυροι Ὠκεανῖναι,αἵ ῥα πολυσπερέες γαῖαν καὶ βένθεα λίμνηςπάντη ὁμῶς ἐφέπουσι, θεάων ἀγλαὰ τέκνα.τόσσοι δʼ αὖθʼ ἕτεροι ποταμοὶ καναχηδὰ ῥέοντες,υἱέες Ὠκεανοῦ, τοὺς γείνατο πότνια Τηθύς·τῶν ὄνομʼ ἀργαλέον πάντων βροτὸν ἀνέρʼ ἐνισπεῖν,οἳ δὲ ἕκαστοι ἴσασιν, ὅσοι περιναιετάωσιν.θεία δʼ Ἠέλιόν τε μέγαν λαμπράν τε ΣελήνηνἨῶ θʼ, ἣ πάντεσσιν ἐπιχθονίοισι φαείνειἀθανάτοις τε θεοῖσι, τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι,γείναθʼ ὑποδμηθεῖσʼ Ὑπερίονος ἐν φιλότητι.
And Eurybia, bright goddess, was joined in love to Crius and bore great Astraeus, and Pallas, and Perses who also was eminent among all men in wisdom. And Eos bore 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 Erigeneia bare the star Eosphorus (Dawn-bringer), and the gleaming stars with which heaven is crowned. And Styx the daughter of Ocean was joined to Pallas and bore Zelus (Emulation) and trim-ankled Nike (Victory) in the house. Also she brought forthCratos (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 planon that day when the Olympian Lightning god 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 or right 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 honored her, and gave her very great gifts,for he appointed her 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. Again, Phoebe came to the desired embrace of Coeus.
Κρίῳ δʼ Εὐρυβίη τέκεν ἐν φιλότητι μιγεῖσαἈστραῖόν τε μέγαν Πάλλαντά τε δῖα θεάωνΠέρσην θʼ, ὃς καὶ πᾶσι μετέπρεπεν ἰδμοσύνῃσιν.Ἀστραίῳ δʼ Ἠὼς ἀνέμους τέκε καρτεροθύμους,ἀργέστην Ζέφυρον Βορέην τʼ αἰψηροκέλευθονκαὶ Νότον, ἐν φιλότητι θεὰ θεῷ εὐνηθεῖσα.τοὺς δὲ μέτʼ ἀστέρα τίκτεν Ἑωσφόρον Ἠριγένειαἄστρα τε λαμπετόωντα, τά τʼ οὐρανὸς ἐστεφάνωται.Στὺξ δʼ ἔτεκʼ Ὠκεανοῦ θυγάτηρ Πάλλαντι μιγεῖσαΖῆλον καὶ Νίκην καλλίσφυρον ἐν μεγάροισιν·καὶ Κράτος ἠδὲ Βίην ἀριδείκετα γείνατο τέκνα,τῶν οὐκ ἔστʼ ἀπάνευθε Διὸς δόμος, οὐδέ τις ἕδρη,οὐδʼ ὁδός, ὅππη μὴ κείνοις θεὸς ἡγεμονεύῃ,ἀλλʼ αἰεὶ πὰρ Ζηνὶ βαρυκτύπῳ ἑδριόωνται.ὣς γὰρ ἐβούλευσεν Στὺξ ἄφθιτος Ὠκεανίνηἤματι τῷ, ὅτε πάντας Ὀλύμπιος ἀστεροπητὴςἀθανάτους ἐκάλεσσε θεοὺς ἐς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον,εἶπε δʼ, ὃς ἂν μετὰ εἷο θεῶν Τιτῆσι μάχοιτο,μή τινʼ ἀπορραίσειν γεράων, τιμὴν δὲ ἕκαστονἑξέμεν, ἣν τὸ πάρος γε μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιντὸν δʼ ἔφαθʼ, ὅστις ἄτιμος ὑπὸ Κρόνου ἠδʼ ἀγέραστος,τιμῆς καὶ γεράων ἐπιβησέμεν, ἧ θέμις ἐστίν.ἦλθε δʼ ἄρα πρώτη Στὺξ ἄφθιτος Οὔλυμπόνδεσὺν σφοῖσιν παίδεσσι φίλου διὰ μήδεα πατρός.τὴν δὲ Ζεὺς τίμησε, περισσὰ δὲ δῶρα δέδωκεν.αὐτὴν μὲν γὰρ ἔθηκε θεῶν μέγαν ἔμμεναι ὅρκον,παῖδας δʼ ἤματα πάντα ἑοῦ μεταναιέτας εἶναι.ὣς δʼ αὔτως πάντεσσι διαμπερές, ὥς περ ὑπέστη,ἐξετέλεσσʼ· αὐτὸς δὲ μέγα κρατεῖ ἠδὲ ἀνάσσει.φοίβη δʼ αὖ Κοίου πολυήρατον ἦλθεν ἐς εὐνήν·
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 bore Asteria of happy name, whom Perses onceled to his great house to be called his dear wife. And she conceived and bore Hecate whom Zeus the son of Cronos honored above all. He gave her splendid gifts, to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea. She received honor also in starry heaven,and is honored exceedingly by the deathless gods. For to this day, whenever any one of men on earth offers rich sacrifices and prays for favor according to custom, he calls upon Hecate. Great honor comes full easily to him whose prayers the goddess receives favorably,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.
κυσαμένη δὴ ἔπειτα θεὰ θεοῦ ἐν φιλότητιΛητὼ κυανόπεπλον ἐγείνατο, μείλιχον αἰεί,ἤπιον ἀνθρώποισι καὶ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν,μείλιχον ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἀγανώτατον ἐντὸς Ὀλύμπου.γείνατο δʼ Ἀστερίην ἐυώνυμον, ἥν ποτε Πέρσηςἠγάγετʼ ἐς μέγα δῶμα φίλην κεκλῆσθαι ἄκοιτιν.ἢ δʼ ὑποκυσαμένη Ἑκάτην τέκε, τὴν περὶ πάντωνΖεὺς Κρονίδης τίμησε· πόρεν δέ οἱ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα,μοῖραν ἔχειν γαίης τε καὶ ἀτρυγέτοιο θαλάσσης.ἣ δὲ καὶ ἀστερόεντος ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ ἔμμορε τιμῆςἀθανάτοις τε θεοῖσι τετιμένη ἐστὶ μάλιστα.καὶ γὰρ νῦν, ὅτε πού τις ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπωνἔρδων ἱερὰ καλὰ κατὰ νόμον ἱλάσκηται,κικλῄσκει Ἑκάτην. πολλή τέ οἱ ἕσπετο τιμὴῥεῖα μάλʼ, ᾧ πρόφρων γε θεὰ ὑποδέξεται εὐχάς,καί τέ οἱ ὄλβον ὀπάζει, ἐπεὶ δύναμίς γε πάρεστιν.ὅσσοι γὰρ Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἐξεγένοντοκαὶ τιμὴν ἔλαχον, τούτων ἔχει αἶσαν ἁπάντων.οὐδέ τί μιν Κρονίδης ἐβιήσατο οὐδέ τʼ ἀπηύρα,ὅσσʼ ἔλαχεν Τιτῆσι μετὰ προτέροισι θεοῖσιν,ἀλλʼ ἔχει, ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς ἔπλετο δασμός,καὶ γέρας ἐν γαίῃ τε καὶ οὐρανῷ ἠδὲ θαλάσσῃ·
Also, because she is an only child, the goddess receives not less honor,but much more still, for Zeus honors her. Whom she will she greatly aids and advances:
οὐδʼ, ὅτι μουνογενής, ἧσσον θεὰ ἔμμορε τιμῆς,ἀλλʼ ἔτι καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον, ἐπεὶ Ζεὺς τίεται αὐτήν.ᾧ δʼ ἐθέλει, μεγάλως παραγίγνεται ἠδʼ ὀνίνησιν·
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.
ἔν τε δίκῃ βασιλεῦσι παρʼ αἰδοίοισι καθίζει,ἔν τʼ ἀγορῇ λαοῖσι μεταπρέπει, ὅν κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν·ἠδʼ ὁπότʼ ἐς πόλεμον φθεισήνορα θωρήσσωνταιἀνέρες, ἔνθα θεὰ παραγίγνεται, οἷς κʼ ἐθέλῃσινίκην προφρονέως ὀπάσαι καὶ κῦδος ὀρέξαι.
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:
ἐσθλὴ δʼ αὖθʼ ὁπότʼ ἄνδρες ἀεθλεύωσιν ἀγῶνι,ἔνθα θεὰ καὶ τοῖς παραγίγνεται ἠδʼ ὀνίνησιν·νικήσας δὲ βίῃ καὶ κάρτεϊ καλὸν ἄεθλονῥεῖα φέρει χαίρων τε, τοκεῦσι δὲ κῦδος ὀπάζει.ἐσθλὴ δʼ ἱππήεσσι παρεστάμεν, οἷς κʼ ἐθέλῃσιν.
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.
καὶ τοῖς, οἳ γλαυκὴν δυσπέμφελον ἐργάζονται,εὔχονται δʼ Ἑκάτῃ καὶ ἐρικτύπῳ Ἐννοσιγαίῳ,ῥηιδίως ἄγρην κυδρὴ θεὸς ὤπασε πολλήν,ῥεῖα δʼ ἀφείλετο φαινομένην, ἐθέλουσά γε θυμῷ.ἐσθλὴ δʼ ἐν σταθμοῖσι σὺν Ἑρμῇ ληίδʼ ἀέξειν·
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, she is honored amongst all the deathless gods.
βουκολίας δʼ ἀγέλας τε καὶ αἰπόλια πλατέʼ αἰγῶνποίμνας τʼ εἰροπόκων ὀίων, θυμῷ γʼ ἐθέλουσα,ἐξ ὀλίγων βριάει κἀκ πολλῶν μείονα θῆκεν.οὕτω τοι καὶ μουνογενὴς ἐκ μητρὸς ἐοῦσαπᾶσι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι τετίμηται γεράεσσιν.
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 honors. But Rhea was subject in love to Cronos and bore splendid children, Hestia, Demeter, and gold-shod Heraand 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 eachcame 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. 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 Lyctus, 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 Rheain wide Crete to nourish and to bring up. To that place 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 honors, himself to reign over the deathless gods. 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 firstthe 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. 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 thunderboltand lightning: for before that, huge Earth had hidden these. In them he trusts and rules over mortals and immortals. Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled maid Clymene, daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed. And she bore him a stout-hearted son, Atlas:
θῆκε δέ μιν Κρονίδης κουροτρόφον, οἳ μετʼ ἐκείνηνὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδοντο φάος πολυδερκέος Ἠοῦς.οὕτως ἐξ ἀρχῆς κουροτρόφος, αἳ δέ τε τιμαί.Ῥείη δὲ δμηθεῖσα Κρόνῳ τέκε φαίδιμα τέκνα,Ἱστίην Δήμητρα καὶ Ἥρην χρυσοπέδιλονἴφθιμόν τʼ Ἀίδην, ὃς ὑπὸ χθονὶ δώματα ναίεινηλεὲς ἦτορ ἔχων, καὶ ἐρίκτυπον ἘννοσίγαιονΖῆνά τε μητιόεντα, θεῶν πατέρʼ ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν,τοῦ καὶ ὑπὸ βροντῆς πελεμίζεται εὐρεῖα χθών.καὶ τοὺς μὲν κατέπινε μέγας Κρόνος, ὥς τις ἕκαστοςνηδύος ἐξ ἱερῆς μητρὸς πρὸς γούναθʼ ἵκοιτο,τὰ φρονέων, ἵνα μή τις ἀγαυῶν Οὐρανιώνωνἄλλος ἐν ἀθανάτοισιν ἔχοι βασιληίδα τιμήν.πεύθετο γὰρ Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος,οὕνεκά οἱ πέπρωτο ἑῷ ὑπὸ παιδὶ δαμῆναικαὶ κρατερῷ περ ἐόντι, Διὸς μεγάλου διὰ βουλάς·τῷ ὅ γʼ ἄρʼ οὐκ ἀλαὸς σκοπιὴν ἔχεν, ἀλλὰ δοκεύωνπαῖδας ἑοὺς κατέπινε· Ῥέην δʼ ἔχε πένθος ἄλαστον.ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ Δίʼ ἔμελλε θεῶν πατέρʼ ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶντέξεσθαι, τότʼ ἔπειτα φίλους λιτάνευε τοκῆαςτοὺς αὐτῆς, Γαῖάν τε καὶ Οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα,μῆτιν συμφράσσασθαι, ὅπως λελάθοιτο τεκοῦσαπαῖδα φίλον, τίσαιτο δʼ ἐρινῦς πατρὸς ἑοῖοπαίδων θʼ, οὓς κατέπινε μέγας Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης.οἳ δὲ θυγατρὶ φίλῃ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο,καί οἱ πεφραδέτην, ὅσα περ πέπρωτο γενέσθαιἀμφὶ Κρόνῳ βασιλῆι καὶ υἱέι καρτεροθύμῳ.πέμψαν δʼ ἐς Λύκτον, Κρήτης ἐς πίονα δῆμον,ὁππότʼ ἄρʼ ὁπλότατον παίδων τέξεσθαι ἔμελλε,Ζῆνα μέγαν· τὸν μέν οἱ ἐδέξατο Γαῖα πελώρηΚρήτῃ ἐν εὐρείῃ τραφέμεν ἀτιταλλέμεναί τε.ἔνθα μιν ἷκτο φέρουσα θοὴν διὰ νύκτα μέλαινανπρώτην ἐς Λύκτον· κρύψεν δέ ἑ χερσὶ λαβοῦσαἄντρῳ ἐν ἠλιβάτῳ, ζαθέης ὑπὸ κεύθεσι γαίης,Αἰγαίῳ ἐν ὄρει πεπυκασμένῳ ὑλήεντι.τῷ δὲ σπαργανίσασα μέγαν λίθον ἐγγυάλιξενΟὐρανίδῃ μέγʼ ἄνακτι, θεῶν προτέρῳ βασιλῆι.τὸν τόθʼ ἑλὼν χείρεσσιν ἑὴν ἐσκάτθετο νηδὺνσχέτλιος· οὐδʼ ἐνόησε μετὰ φρεσίν, ὥς οἱ ὀπίσσωἀντὶ λίθου ἑὸς υἱὸς ἀνίκητος καὶ ἀκηδὴςλείπεθʼ, ὅ μιν τάχʼ ἔμελλε βίῃ καὶ χερσὶ δαμάσσαςτιμῆς ἐξελάειν, ὃ δʼ ἐν ἀθανάτοισι ἀνάξειν.καρπαλίμως δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα μένος καὶ φαίδιμα γυῖαηὔξετο τοῖο ἄνακτος· ἐπιπλομένων δʼ ἐνιαυτῶνΓαίης ἐννεσίῃσι πολυφραδέεσσι δολωθεὶςὃν γόνον ἄψ ἀνέηκε μέγας Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης[νικηθεὶς τέχνῃσι βίηφί τε παιδὸς ἑοῖο.]πρῶτον δʼ ἐξέμεσεν λίθον, ὃν πύματον κατέπινεν·τὸν μὲν Ζεὺς στήριξε κατὰ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείηςΠυθοῖ ἐν ἠγαθέῃ γυάλοις ὕπο Παρνησοῖοσῆμʼ ἔμεν ἐξοπίσω, θαῦμα θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσιν.λῦσε δὲ πατροκασιγνήτους ὀλοῶν ὑπὸ δεσμῶνΟὐρανίδας, οὓς δῆσε πατὴρ ἀεσιφροσύνῃσιν·οἳ οἱ ἀπεμνήσαντο χάριν ἐυεργεσιάων,δῶκαν δὲ βροντὴν ἠδʼ αἰθαλόεντα κεραυνὸνκαὶ στεροπήν· τὸ πρὶν δὲ πελώρη Γαῖα κεκεύθει·τοῖς πίσυνος θνητοῖσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσει.κούρην δʼ Ἰαπετὸς καλλίσφυρον Ὠκεανίνηνἠγάγετο Κλυμένην καὶ ὁμὸν λέχος εἰσανέβαινεν.ἣ δέ οἱ Ἄτλαντα κρατερόφρονα γείνατο παῖδα·
also she bore 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 farseeing Zeusstruck 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;
τίκτε δʼ ὑπερκύδαντα Μενοίτιον ἠδὲ Προμηθέαποικίλον αἰολόμητιν, ἁμαρτίνοόν τʼ Ἐπιμηθέαὃς κακὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς γένετʼ ἀνδράσιν ἀλφηστῇσιν·πρῶτος γάρ ῥα Διὸς πλαστὴν ὑπέδεκτο γυναῖκαπαρθένον. ὑβριστὴν δὲ Μενοίτιον εὐρύοπα Ζεὺςεἰς Ἔρεβος κατέπεμψε βαλὼν ψολόεντι κεραυνῷεἵνεκʼ ἀτασθαλίης τε καὶ ἠνορέης ὑπερόπλου.Ἄτλας δʼ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχει κρατερῆς ὑπʼ ἀνάγκηςπείρασιν ἐν γαίης, πρόπαρ Εσπερίδων λιγυφώνων,ἑστηὼς κεφαλῇ τε καὶ ἀκαμάτῃσι χέρεσσιν·
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 grewas 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 honored 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.
ταύτην γάρ οἱ μοῖραν ἐδάσσατο μητίετα Ζεύς.δῆσε δʼ ἀλυκτοπέδῃσι Προμηθέα ποικιλόβουλονδεσμοῖς ἀργαλέοισι μέσον διὰ κίονʼ ἐλάσσας·καί οἱ ἐπʼ αἰετὸν ὦρσε τανύπτερον· αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἧπαρἤσθιεν ἀθάνατον, τὸ δʼ ἀέξετο ἶσον ἁπάντηνυκτός ὅσον πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἔδοι τανυσίπτερος ὄρνις.τὸν μὲν ἄρʼ Ἀλκμήνης καλλισφύρου ἄλκιμος υἱὸςἩρακλέης ἔκτεινε, κακὴν δʼ ἀπὸ νοῦσον ἄλαλκενἸαπετιονίδῃ καὶ ἐλύσατο δυσφροσυνάωνοὐκ ἀέκητι Ζηνὸς Ὀλυμπίου ὑψιμέδοντος,ὄφρʼ Ἡρακλῆος Θηβαγενέος κλέος εἴηπλεῖον ἔτʼ ἢ τὸ πάροιθεν ἐπὶ χθόνα πουλυβότειραν.ταῦτʼ ἄρα ἁζόμενος τίμα ἀριδείκετον υἱόν·καί περ χωόμενος παύθη χόλου, ὃν πρὶν ἔχεσκεν,οὕνεκʼ ἐρίζετο βουλὰς ὑπερμενέι Κρονίωνι.