- 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-grc2:216-283
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Metaneira entrusts her son Demophoon to Demeter's care, and Demeter rears him like a god using ambrosia and fire; however, after Metaneira spies on the ritual, Demeter becomes enraged, reveals her divine identity, and commands the people to build her a great temple.
ἀλλὰ θεῶν μὲν δῶρα καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἀνάγκῃ
”But though we grieve, we mortals must endure the gifts of the gods by necessity;
τέτλαμεν ἄνθρωποι· ἐπὶ γὰρ ζυγὸς αὐχένι κεῖται.
for indeed a yoke lies upon our neck.
νῦν δʼ, ἐπεὶ ἵκεο δεῦρο, παρέσσεται ὅσσα τʼ ἐμοί περ.
But now, since you have come here, as much as I have shall be yours.
παῖδα δέ μοι τρέφε τόνδε, τὸν ὀψίγονον καὶ ἄελπτον
Rear this child for me, whom late-born and unexpected
ὤπασαν ἀθάνατοι, πολυάρητος δέ μοί ἐστιν.
the immortals granted to me, and he is much prayed for by me.
εἰ τόν γε θρέψαιο 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 δοίην.
when she saw you, so many rewards for nourishment I would give you.”
τὴν δʼ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἐυστέφανος Δημήτηρ·
And lovely-crowned Demeter spoke to her in turn:
καὶ σύ, γύναι, μάλα χαῖρε, θεοὶ δέ τοι ἐσθλὰ πόροιεν·
”And you, woman, greetings indeed, and may the gods grant you good things;
παῖδα δέ τοι πρόφρων ὑποδέξομαι, ὥς με κελεύεις,
and your child I will readily receive, as you command me,
θρέψω κοὔ μιν, ἔολπα, κακοφραδίῃσι τιθήνης
I will rear him, and I do not expect that, through the folly of his nurse,
οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ἐπηλυσίη δηλήσεται οὔθʼ ὑποτάμνον·1
either witchcraft or the root-cutting will harm him;
οἶδα γὰρ ἀντίτομον μέγα φέρτερον ὑλοτόμοιο,2
for I know an antidote much stronger than the woodcutter,
οἶδα δʼ ἐπηλυσίης πολυπήμονος ἐσθλὸν ἐρυσμόν.
and I know a good protection against much-painful witchcraft.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα θυώδεϊ δέξατο κόλπῳ
Thus indeed having spoken, she received him to her fragrant bosom
χείρεσσʼ ἀθανάτῃσι· γεγήθει δὲ φρένα μήτηρ.
with her immortal hands; and the mother rejoiced in her heart.
ὣς ἣ μὲν Κελεοῖο δαΐφρονος ἀγλαὸν υἱὸν
Thus she, indeed, was rearing the glorious son of wise Celeus,
Δημοφόωνθʼ, ὃν ἔτικτεν ἐύζωνος Μετάνειρα,
Demophoon, whom deep-girdled Metaneira bore,
ἔτρεφεν ἐν μεγάροις· ὃ δʼ ἀέξετο δαίμονι ἶσος,
in the chambers; and he grew like a divinity,
οὔτʼ οὖν σῖτον ἔδων, οὐ θησάμενος γάλα μητρὸς
eating no food, nor sucking his mother’s milk.
ἠματίη μὲν γὰρ καλλιστέφανος Δημήτηρ
For by day lovely-crowned Demeter
χρίεσκʼ ἀμβροσίῃ ὡσεὶ θεοῦ ἐκγεγαῶτα
anointed him with ambrosia as if he were born of a god,
ἡδὺ καταπνείουσα καὶ ἐν κόλποισιν ἔχουσα·
breathing sweetly upon him and holding him in her bosom;
νύκτας δὲ κρύπτεσκε πυρὸς μένει ἠύτε δαλὸν
but by night she would hide him like a brand in the strength of fire,
λάθρα φίλων γονέων· τοῖς δὲ μέγα θαῦμʼ ἐτέτυκτο,
secretly from his dear parents; and to them it was a great wonder,
ὡς προθαλὴς τελέθεσκε· θεοῖσι γὰρ ἄντα ἐῴκει.
how rapidly he grew; for he was like the gods to look upon.
καί κέν μιν ποίησεν ἀγήρων τʼ ἀθάνατόν τε,
And she would have made him ageless and immortal,
εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ ἀφραδίῃσιν ἐύζωνος Μετάνειρα
if deep-girdled Metaneira had not, in her folly,
νύκτʼ ἐπιτηρήσασα θυώδεος ἐκ θαλάμοιο
watched by night, and from her fragrant chamber
σκέψατο·3 κώκυσεν δὲ καὶ ἄμφω πλήξατο μηρὼ
spied upon her; and she wailed and struck both her thighs,
δείσασʼ ᾧ περὶ παιδὶ καὶ ἀάσθη μέγα θυμῷ
fearing for her child, and she was greatly blinded in her heart,
καί ῥʼ ὀλοφυρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·
and lamenting she spoke winged words:
τέκνον Δημοφόων, ξείνη σε πυρὶ ἔνι πολλῷ
”Demophoon, my child, the stranger woman hides you in much fire,
κρύπτει, ἐμοὶ δὲ γόον καὶ κήδεα λυγρὰ τίθησιν.
and is causing me wailing and bitter sorrows!”
ὣς φάτʼ ὀδυρομένη· τῆς δʼ ἄιε δῖα θεάων.
Thus she spoke, lamenting; and the goddess of goddesses heard her.
τῇ δὲ χολωσαμένη καλλιστέφανος Δημήτηρ
And lovely-crowned Demeter, growing angry with her,
παῖδα φίλον, τὸν ἄελπτον ἐνὶ μεγάροισιν ἔτικτε,
cast her dear son—whom she had unexpectedly borne in the chambers—
χείρεσσʼ ἀθανάτῃσιν ἀπὸ ἕθεν ἧκε πέδονδε,
away from herself to the floor,
ἐξανελοῦσα πυρός, θυμῷ κοτέσασα μάλʼ αἰνῶς,
taking him out of the fire, raging very terribly in her heart,
καί ῥʼ ἄμυδις προσέειπεν ἐύζωνον Μετάνειραν·
and at the same time she addressed deep-girdled Metaneira:
νήιδες ἄνθρωποι καὶ ἀφράδμονες οὔτʼ ἀγαθοῖο
”Ignorant and foolish men, who cannot foresee the portion of good
αἶσαν ἐπερχομένου προγνώμεναι οὔτε κακοῖο·
that is coming, nor of evil;
καὶ σὺ γὰρ ἀφραδίῃσι τεῇς νήκεστον ἀάσθης.
for you too in your folly have committed a ruinous, incurable mistake.
ἴστω γὰρ θεῶν ὅρκος, ἀμείλικτον Στυγὸς ὕδωρ,
For let the oath of the gods, the relentless water of Styx, be witness:
ἀθάνατόν κέν τοι καὶ ἀγήραον ἤματα πάντα
I would have made your dear son immortal and ageless for all days,
παῖδα φίλον ποίησα4 καὶ ἄφθιτον ὤπασα τιμήν·
and would have granted him imperishable honor;
νῦν δʼ οὐκ ἔσθʼ ὥς κεν θάνατον καὶ κῆρας ἀλύξαι·
but now there is no way for him to escape death and fates;
τιμὴ δʼ ἄφθιτος αἰὲν ἐπέσσεται, οὕνεκα γούνων
yet imperishable honor will always be his, because upon our knees
ἡμετέρων ἐπέβη καὶ ἐν ἀγκοίνῃσιν ἴαυσεν.
he climbed and slept in our arms.
ὥρῃσιν δʼ ἄρα τῷ γε περιπλομένων ἐνιαυτῶν
But when the seasons of the revolving years roll around,
παῖδες Ἐλευσινίων πόλεμον καὶ φύλοπιν αἰνὴν
the sons of the Eleusinians will always join battle and dread strife
αἰὲν ἐν ἀλλήλοισιν συνάξουσʼ ἤματα πάντα.
among one another for all days.
εἰμὶ δὲ Δημήτηρ τιμάοχος, ἥτε μέγιστον
I am Demeter, the holder of honor, who am the greatest
ἀθανάτοις θνητοῖς τʼ ὄνεαρ καὶ χάρμα τέτυκται.
help and joy to immortals and mortals.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε μοι νηόν τε μέγαν καὶ βωμὸν ὑπʼ αὐτῷ
But come, let all the people build for me a great temple and an altar under it
τευχόντων πᾶς δῆμος ὑπαὶ πόλιν αἰπύ τε τεῖχος
beneath the city and its steep wall,
Καλλιχόρου καθύπερθεν ἐπὶ προὔχοντι κολωνῷ.
above Kallichoron, upon the rising hill.
ὄργια δʼ αὐτὴ ἐγὼν ὑποθήσομαι, ὡς ἂν ἔπειτα
And I myself will suggest the rites, so that hereafter
εὐαγέως ἔρδοντες ἐμὸν νόον ἱλάσκοισθε.
by performing them holily you may appease my mind.”
ὣς εἰποῦσα θεὰ μέγεθος καὶ εἶδος ἄμειψε
Thus having spoken, the goddess changed her size and appearance,
γῆρας ἀπωσαμένη· περί τʼ ἀμφί τε κάλλος ἄητο·
casting off old age; and beauty breathed around and about her;
ὀδμὴ δʼ ἱμερόεσσα θυηέντων ἀπὸ πέπλων
a lovely odor was scattered from her fragrant garments,
σκίδνατο, τῆλε δὲ φέγγος ἀπὸ χροὸς ἀθανάτοιο
and a light shone far from the immortal skin of the goddess,
λάμπε θεᾶς, ξανθαὶ δὲ κόμαι κατενήνοθεν ὤμους,
and her golden hair flowed down over her shoulders,
αὐγῆς δʼ ἐπλήσθη πυκινὸς δόμος ἀστεροπῆς ὥς·
and the sturdy house was filled with brightness like lightning;
βῆ δὲ διὲκ μεγάρων· τῆς δʼ αὐτίκα γούνατʼ ἔλυντο,
and she went out through the chambers. And straightway Metaneira’s knees failed her,
δηρὸν δʼ ἄφθογγος γένετο χρόνον, οὐδέ τι παιδὸς
and for a long time she remained speechless, nor did she think at all
μνήσατο τηλυγέτοιο ἀπὸ δαπέδου ἀνελέσθαι.
of her late-born child, to lift him from the floor.
- 228ὑποτάμνον
A neuter singular participle functioning substantively, parallel to ἐπηλυσίη (witchcraft). It literally means 'cutting under' and is traditionally interpreted as referring to magical potions made from cut roots/herbs, or infant teething diseases.
- 229ἀντίτομον ... ὑλοτόμοιο
The contrast between ἀντίτομον (antidote) and ὑλοτόμος (woodcutter). Here, ὑλοτόμος likely refers not to a literal woodcutter but to a root-cutter or herb-gatherer who makes magical potions, emphasizing Demeter's superior power of antidotes over such magic.
- 242καί κέν μιν ποίησεν ... εἰ μὴ ἄρʼ ... σκέψατο
A past contrary-to-fact conditional sentence. The apodosis (ποιήσεν) features the particle κέν (equivalent to ἄν), while the protasis (εἰ μὴ ... σκέψατο) uses εἰ with the indicative aorist, expressing a past outcome that was prevented by Metaneira's intervention.
- 259ἴστω γὰρ θεῶν ὅρκος ... ἀθάνατόν κέν τοι ... ποίησα
Introduced by the imperative ἴστω (from οἶδα, 'let it be known / bear witness'), followed by a contrary-to-fact apodosis (ποιήσα) with the particle κέν. By invoking the relentless water of Styx, Demeter swearingly asserts that her original intention was absolute and true.