SCRIPTURA

Homer · The Homeric Hymns · 30 of 35

Hymn 28 · To Athena

Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White

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I begin to sing of Pallas Athena, the glorious goddess, bright-eyed, inventive, unbending of heart, pure virgin, saviour of cities, courageous, Tritogeneia. Wise Zeus himself bare her from his awful head, arrayed in warlike arms of flashing gold, and awe seized all the gods as they gazed.

Παλλάδ’ Ἀθηναίην, κυδρὴν θεόν, ἄρχομ’ ἀείδεινγλαυκῶπιν, πολύμητιν, ἀμείλιχον ἦτορ ἔχουσαν,παρθένον αἰδοίην, ἐρυσίπτολιν, ἀλκήεσσαν,Τριτογενῆ, τὴν αὐτὸς ἐγείνατο μητίετα Ζεὺς σεμνῆς ἐκ κεφαλῆς, πολεμήια τεύχε’ ἔχουσαν,χρύσεα, παμφανόωντα·

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 Athena

σέβας δ’ ἔχε πάντας ὁρῶνταςἀθανάτους· ἣ δὲ πρόσθεν Διὸς αἰγιόχοιοἐσσυμένως ὤρουσεν ἀπ’ ἀθανάτοιο καρήνου,σείσασ’ ὀξὺν ἄκοντα· μέγας δ’ ἐλελίζετ’ Ὄλυμπος δεινὸν ὑπὸ βρίμης γλαυκώπιδος· ἀμφὶ δὲ γαῖασμερδαλέον ἰάχησεν· ἐκινήθη δ’ ἄρα πόντος,κύμασι πορφυρέοισι κυκώμενος· ἔκχυτο δ’ ἅλμηἐξαπίνης· στῆσεν δ’ Ὑπερίονος ἀγλαὸς υἱὸςἵππους ὠκύποδας δηρὸν χρόνον, εἰσότε κούρη εἵλετ’ ἀπ’ ἀθανάτων ὤμων θεοείκελα τεύχηΠαλλὰς Ἀθηναίη·

had stripped the heavenly armour from her immortal shoulders. And wise Zeus was glad. And so hail to you, daughter of Zeus who holds the aegis! Now I will remember you and another song as well.

γήθησε δὲ μητίετα Ζεύς.καὶ σὺ μὲν οὕτω χαῖρε, Διὸς τέκος αἰγιόχοιο·αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ σεῖο καὶ ἄλλης μνήσομ’ ἀοιδῆς.