- Source
- Anonymous. Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns and Homerica. Evelyn-White, Hugh G., editor. London: William Heinmann; New York: The Macmillan Co., 1914.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:146-215
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Callidice welcomes Demeter and suggests she become a nurse for her mother Metaneira's infant son, naming the Eleusinian leaders. Upon entering the palace, Demeter's divine stature awes Metaneira, and though silent and grieving, she is cheered by Iambe's jests and accepts the mixed drink offered to her.
Καλλιδίκη, Κελεοῖο θυγατρῶν εἶδος ἀρίστη·
Callidice, the most beautiful in form of Celeus’ daughters, spoke:
μαῖα, θεῶν μὲν δῶρα1 καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἀνάγκῃ
”Mother, though we grieve, we mortals must endure the gifts of the gods by necessity;
τέτλαμεν ἄνθρωποι· δὴ γὰρ πολὺ φέρτεροί εἰσι.
for indeed they are much stronger than we.
ταῦτα δέ τοι σαφέως ὑποθήσομαι ἠδʼ ὀνομήνω
And I will clearly suggest these things to you, and name
ἀνέρας οἷσιν ἔπεστι μέγα κράτος ἐνθάδε τιμῆς
the men who have great power of honor here,
δήμου τε προὔχουσιν ἰδὲ κρήδεμνα πόληος
who stand out among the people and protect the towers of the city
εἰρύαται βουλῇσι καὶ ἰθείῃσι δίκῃσιν·
by their counsels and straight judgments:
ἠμὲν Τριπτολέμου πυκιμήδεος ἠδὲ Διόκλου
wise Triptolemus and Diocles,
ἠδὲ Πολυξείνου καὶ ἀμύμονος Εὐμόλποιο
and Polyxeinus and blameless Eumolpus,
καὶ Δολίχου καὶ πατρὸς ἀγήνορος ἡμετέροιο,
and Dolichus and our noble father (Celeus),
τῶν πάντων ἄλοχοι κατὰ δώματα πορσαίνουσι·
whose wives all manage the houses in their chambers.
τάων οὐκ ἄν τίς σε κατὰ πρώτιστον ὀπωπὴν
Of these, not one, at first sight of your appearance,
εἶδος ἀτιμήσασα δόμων ἀπονοσφίσσειεν,
would dishonor you and turn you away from their homes,
ἀλλά σε δέξονται· δὴ γὰρ θεοείκελός ἐσσι.
but they will welcome you; for indeed you are godlike.
εἰ δʼ ἐθέλεις, ἐπίμεινον, ἵνα πρὸς δώματα πατρὸς
But if you wish, wait here, so that we may go to the house of our father
ἔλθωμεν καὶ μητρὶ βαθυζώνῳ Μετανείρῃ
and tell all these things thoroughly to our deep-girdled mother Metaneira,
εἴπωμεν τάδε πάντα διαμπερές, αἴ κέ σʼ ἀνώγῃ2
in the hope that she might bid you to come to our home
ἡμέτερόνδʼ ἰέναι μηδʼ ἄλλων δώματʼ ἐρευνᾶν.
and not search for the houses of others.
τηλύγετος δέ οἱ υἱὸς ἐνὶ μεγάρῳ εὐπήκτῳ
An only son of hers, born late in life, is being reared
ὀψίγονος τρέφεται, πολυεύχετος ἀσπάσιός τε.
in her well-built chamber, much prayed for and welcome.
εἰ τόν γʼ ἐκθρέψαιο καὶ ἥβης μέτρον ἵκοιτο,
If you should rear him and he should reach the measure of youth,
ῥεῖά κέ τίς σε ἰδοῦσα γυναικῶν θηλυτεράων
easily any of the women would envy you
ζηλώσαι· τόσα κέν τοι ἀπὸ θρεπτήρια δοίη.
when she saw you, so many rewards for nourishment she would give you.”
ὣς ἔφαθʼ· ἣ δʼ ἐπένευσε καρήατι· ταὶ δὲ φαεινὰ
Thus she spoke; and the goddess nodded her head in assent; and they,
πλησάμεναι ὕδατος φέρον ἄγγεα κυδιάουσαι.
having filled their shining vessels with water, carried them, exulting.
ῥίμφα δὲ πατρὸς ἵκοντο μέγαν δόμον, ὦκα δὲ μητρὶ
Swiftly they reached the great house of their father, and quickly to their mother
ἔννεπον, ὡς εἶδόν τε καὶ ἔκλυον. ἣ δὲ μάλʼ ὦκα
they told what they had seen and heard. And she, very quickly,
ἐλθούσας ἐκέλευε καλεῖν ἐπʼ ἀπείρονι μισθῷ.
bade them call her with a promise of boundless reward.
αἳ δʼ ὥστʼ ἢ ἔλαφοι ἢ πόρτιες εἴαρος ὥρῃ
And they, like hinds or heifers in the season of spring
ἅλλοντʼ ἂν λειμῶνα κορεσσάμεναι φρένα φορβῇ,
that leap along the meadow, having satisfied their hearts with pasture,
ὣς αἳ ἐπισχόμεναι ἑανῶν πτύχας ἱμεροέντων
thus they, holding up the folds of their lovely garments,
ἤιξαν κοίλην κατʼ ἀμαξιτόν· ἀμφὶ δὲ χαῖται
rushed along the hollow wagon-track; and their hair, like saffron flower,
ὤμοις ἀίσσοντο κροκηίῳ ἄνθει ὁμοῖαι.
streamed about their shoulders.
τέτμον δʼ ἐγγὺς ὁδοῦ κυδρὴν θεόν, ἔνθα πάρος περ
They found the noble goddess near the way, where before
κάλλιπον· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα φίλου πρὸς δώματα πατρὸς
they had left her; and then to the dear house of their father
ἡγεῦνθʼ· ἣ δʼ ἄρʼ ὄπισθε φίλον τετιημένη ἦτορ
they led her; and she followed behind, grieved in her dear heart,
στεῖχε κατὰ κρῆθεν κεκαλυμμένη· ἀμφὶ δὲ πέπλος
veiled from head to foot, and her dark-colored peplos swirled
κυάνεος ῥαδινοῖσι θεᾶς ἐλελίζετο ποσσίν.
about the slender feet of the goddess.
αἶψα δὲ δώμαθʼ ἵκοντο διοτρεφέος Κελεοῖο,
Swiftly they reached the house of god-nourished Celeus,
βὰν δὲ διʼ αἰθούσης, ἔνθα σφίσι πότνια μήτηρ
and they went through the portico, where their lady mother
ἧστο παρὰ σταθμὸν τέγεος πύκα ποιητοῖο
sat by the pillar of the firmly made roof,
παῖδʼ ὑπὸ κόλπῳ ἔχουσα, νέον θάλος· αἳ δὲ πὰρ αὐτὴν
holding her child in her lap, a new sprout; and the girls ran to her side.
ἔδραμον· ἣ δʼ ἄρʼ ἐπʼ οὐδὸν ἔβη ποσὶ καὶ ῥα μελάθρου
But the goddess stepped onto the threshold, and her head touched the roof-beam,
κῦρε κάρη,3 πλῆσεν δὲ θύρας σέλαος θείοιο.
and she filled the doorway with divine light.
τὴν δʼ αἰδώς τε σέβας τε ἰδὲ χλωρὸν δέος εἷλεν·
Shame and awe and pale fear seized the mother;
εἶξε δέ οἱ κλισμοῖο καὶ ἑδριάασθαι ἄνωγεν.
she yielded her couch and bade her be seated.
ἀλλʼ οὐ Δημήτηρ ὡρηφόρος, ἀγλαόδωρος,
But Demeter, the bringer of seasons, the giver of splendid gifts,
ἤθελεν ἑδριάασθαι ἐπὶ κλισμοῖο φαεινοῦ,
would not sit upon the shining couch,
ἀλλʼ ἀκέουσʼ ἀνέμιμνε κατʼ ὄμματα καλὰ βαλοῦσα,
but remained silent, casting down her beautiful eyes,
πρίν γʼ ὅτε δή οἱ ἔθηκεν Ἰάμβη κέδνʼ εἰδυῖα
until indeed wise Iambe set for her
πηκτὸν ἕδος, καθύπερθε δʼ ἐπʼ ἀργύφεον βάλε κῶας.
a jointed seat, and threw a silver-white fleece over it.
ἔνθα καθεζομένη προκατέσχετο χερσὶ καλύπτρην·
There sitting down, she held her veil before her with her hands;
δηρὸν δʼ ἄφθογγος τετιημένη ἧστʼ ἐπὶ δίφρου,
for a long time, speechless and grieved, she sat upon the stool,
οὐδέ τινʼ οὔτʼ ἔπεϊ προσπτύσσετο οὔτε τι ἔργῳ,
and addressed no one either by word or by deed,
ἀλλʼ ἀγέλαστος, ἄπαστος ἐδητύος ἠδὲ ποτῆτος
but smileless, tasting neither food nor drink,
ἧστο πόθῳ μινύθουσα βαθυζώνοιο θυγατρός,
she sat, wasting away with longing for her deep-girdled daughter,
πρίν γʼ ὅτε δὴ χλεύῃς μιν Ἰάμβη κέδνʼ εἰδυῖα
until indeed wise Iambe, with many jokes
πολλὰ παρασκώπτουσʼ ἐτρέψατο πότνιαν ἁγνήν,
and scoffing, turned the holy and pure lady
μειδῆσαι γελάσαι τε καὶ ἵλαον σχεῖν θυμόν·
to smile and laugh and have a gracious heart;
ἣ δή οἱ καὶ ἔπειτα μεθύστερον εὔαδεν ὀργαῖς.4
she indeed pleased her in her moods even thereafter.
τῇ δὲ δέπας Μετάνειρα δίδου μελιηδέος οἴνου
And Metaneira offered her a cup of honey-sweet wine,
πλήσασʼ· ἣ δʼ ἀνένευσʼ· οὐ γὰρ θεμιτόν οἱ ἔφασκε
having filled it; but she shook her head in refusal; for she said it was not lawful for her
πίνειν οἶνον ἐρυθρόν· ἄνωγε δʼ ἄρʼ ἄλφι καὶ ὕδωρ
to drink red wine, but she bade her mix barley and water
δοῦναι μίξασαν πιέμεν γλήχωνι τερείνῃ.
and give it to her to drink with tender pennyroyal.
ἣ δὲ κυκεῶ τεύξασα θεᾷ πόρεν, ὡς ἐκέλευε·
And she made the kykeon and gave it to the goddess, as she commanded;
δεξαμένη δʼ ὁσίης ἕνεκεν πολυπότνια Δηώ
and the great lady Deo received it for the sake of the rite.
τῇσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχεν ἐύζωνος Μετάνειρα·
And among them, deep-girdled Metaneira began to speak:
χαῖρε, γύναι, ἐπεὶ οὔ σε κακῶν ἄπʼ ἔολπα τοκήων
”Greetings, woman, since I do not expect you to be from low-born parents,
ἔμμεναι, ἀλλʼ ἀγαθῶν· ἐπί τοι πρέπει ὄμμασιν αἰδὼς
but from noble ones; for shame and grace shine in your eyes,
καὶ χάρις, ὡς εἴ πέρ τε θεμιστοπόλων βασιλήων.
as if from law-ruling kings.”
- 147θεῶν μὲν δῶρα
Literally 'gifts of the gods', but here it denotes the 'fate' or the 'unavoidable trials and tribulations' allotted to mortals by divine will. It reflects the mortal condition of having to endure such divinely imposed burdens even while grieving (ἀχνύμενοί περ).
- 162αἴ κέ σʼ ἀνώγῃ
The conjunction αἴ (Homeric equivalent of εἰ) with the particle κέ governs the subjunctive ἀνώγῃ (third-person singular present subjunctive of ἀνώγω), forming a clause of expectation: 'in the hope that she might command you' or 'to see if she would bid you.'
- 189κῦρε κάρη
The verb κυρέω ('reach', 'touch') governs the genitive μελάθρου at the beginning of line 188. The description of the goddess's head touching the roof-beam as she steps over the threshold is a literary topos signifying the divine epiphany through supernatural height.
- 205εὔαδεν ὀργαῖς
The aorist verb εὔαδεν (from ἁνδάνω, 'to please') takes the indirect object dative οἱ (referring to Demeter) and the plural dative ὀργαῖς ('moods', 'dispositions'). It indicates that Iambe pleased or soothed Demeter by adapting to or softening her sorrowful temperament.