1. SOUTH WIND: Is it true, Zephyrus, about Zeus and this heifer that Hermes is escorting by sea to Egypt? Did he fall for her and have his way with her?
1. ΝΟΤΟΣ: Ταύτην, ὦ Ζέφυρε, τὴν δάμαλιν, ἣν διὰ τοῦ πελάγους εἰς Αἴγυπτον ὁ Ἑρμῆς ἄγει, ὁ Ζεὺς διεκόρησεν ἁλοὺς ἔρωτι;
WEST WIND: Yes, Notus; only she wasn’t a heifer then, but the daughter of Inachus, the river. But now Hera, in her jealousy, has turned her into this, because she saw Zeus was very much in love with her.
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ: Ναί, ὦ Νότε· οὐ δάμαλις δὲ τότε, ἀλλὰ παῖς ἦν τοῦ ποταμοῦ Ἰνάχου· νῦν δὲ ἡ Ἥρα τοιαύτην ἐποίησεν αὐτὴν ζηλοτυπήσασα, ὅτι πάνυ ἑώρα ἐρῶντα τὸν Δία.
SOUTH WIND: Is he still in love with her now she’s a heifer?
ΝΟΤΟΣ: Νῦν δὲ ἔτι ἐρᾷ τῆς βοός;
WEST WIND: Very much so, my good fellow. That’s why he’s sent her to Egypt, and told us he doesn’t want any rough seas, until she swims across, so that, when she has her baby there—she’s expecting at the moment—both mother and child may become gods.
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ: Καὶ μάλα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὴν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἔπεμψεν καὶ ἡμῖν προσέταξε μὴ κυμαίνειν τὴν θάλασσαν ἔστ' ἂν διανήξεται, ὡς ἀποτεκοῦσα ἐκεῖ—κυεῖ δὲ ἤδη—θεὸς γένοιτο καὶ αὐτὴ καὶ τὸ τεχθέν.
2. SOUTH WIND: The heifer a god?
2. ΝΟΤΟΣ: Ἡ δάμαλις θεός;
WEST WIND: Indeed she will be. According to Hermes, she’ll have power over those at sea and be our mistress, choosing for herself which of us to send out or to stop from blowing.
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ: Καὶ μάλα, ὦ Νότε· ἄρξει τε, ὡς ὁ Ἑρμῆς ἔφη, τῶν πλεόντων καὶ ἡμῶν ἔσται δέσποινα, ὅντινα ἂν ἡμῶν ἐθέλῃ ἐκπέμψαι ἢ κωλῦσαι ἐπιπνεῖν.
SOUTH WIND: In that case we’d better be attentive to her, if she’s now our mistress. Then we’ll be sure of her good-will.
ΝΟΤΟΣ: Θεραπευτέα τοιγαροῦν, ὦ Ζέφυρε, ἤδη δέσποινά γε οὖσα. εὐνουστέρα γὰρ ἂν οὕτως γένοιτο.
WEST WIND: But look, she’s over now, and has swum ashore. See how she no longer walks on all fours, but has been straightened up by Hermes and changed back again into a most attractive woman.
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ: Ἀλλ' ἤδη γὰρ διεπέρασε καὶ ἐξένευσεν ἐς τὴν γῆν. ὁρᾷς ὅπως οὐκέτι μὲν τετραποδητὶ βαδίζει, ἀνορθώσας δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ Ἑρμῆς γυναῖκα παγκάλην αὖθις ἐποίησεν;
SOUTH WIND: How very strange, Zephyrus. No horns now, or tail or cloven hooves, but instead a lovely girl. But what’s come over Hermes, that he’s changed himself and given up his own fine face for that of a dog?
ΝΟΤΟΣ: Παράδοξα γοῦν ταῦτα, ὦ Ζέφυρε· οὐκέτι τὰ κέρατα οὐδὲ οὐρὰ καὶ δίχηλα τὰ σκέλη, ἀλλ’ ἐπέραστος κόρη. ὁ μέντοι Ἑρμῆς τί παθὼν μεταβέβληκεν ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀντὶ νεανίου κυνοπρόσωπος γεγένηται;
WEST WIND: Let’s not be inquisitive. He knows his business better than we do.
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ: Μὴ πολυπραγμονῶμεν, ὅτι ἄμεινον ἐκεῖνος οἶδε τὸ πρακτέον.