Praise of Apollo and Leto's Arrival at Delos — Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn 3 to Apollo, lines 1–69, Greek & English

μνήσομαι οὐδὲ λάθωμαι¹ Ἀπόλλωνος ἑκάτοιο,

I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots from afar,

ὅντε θεοὶ κατὰ δῶμα Διὸς τρομέουσιν ἰόντα·

whom the gods tremble at as he goes through the hall of Zeus;

καί ῥά τʼ ἀναΐσσουσιν ἐπὶ σχεδὸν ἐρχομένοιο²

and indeed they all spring up

πάντες ἀφʼ ἑδράων, ὅτε φαίδιμα τόξα τιταίνει.

from their seats as he approaches, when he bends his splendid bow.

Λητὼ δʼ οἴη μίμνε παραὶ Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ,

Leto alone remains by Zeus who delights in thunder,

ἥ ῥα βιόν τʼ ἐχάλασσε καὶ ἐκλήισσε φαρέτρην,

she who unstrung his bow and closed his quiver,

καί οἱ ἀπʼ ἰφθίμων ὤμων χείρεσσιν ἑλοῦσα

and taking them with her hands from his mighty shoulders

τόξα κατεκρέμασε πρὸς κίονα πατρὸς ἑοῖο

hung the bow against the pillar of his father

πασσάλου ἐκ χρυσέου· τὸν δʼ ἐς θρόνον εἷσεν ἄγουσα.

from a golden peg; and she led him to a seat and made him sit.

τῷ δʼ ἄρα νέκταρ ἔδωκε πατὴρ δέπαϊ χρυσείῳ

And the father gave him nectar in a golden cup,

δεικνύμενος φίλον υἱόν· ἔπειτα δὲ δαίμονες ἄλλοι

welcoming his dear son; and then the other deities

ἔνθα καθίζουσιν· χαίρει δέ τε πότνια Λητώ,

sit down there; and queenly Leto rejoices

οὕνεκα τοξοφόρον καὶ καρτερὸν υἱὸν ἔτικτε.

because she bore a mighty son, a bowman.

χαῖρε, μάκαιρʼ ὦ Λητοῖ, ἐπεὶ τέκες ἀγλαὰ τέκνα,

Hail, blessed Leto, since you bore glorious children,

Ἀπόλλωνά τʼ ἄνακτα καὶ Ἄρτεμιν ἰοχέαιραν,

lord Apollo and Artemis who delights in arrows,

τὴν μὲν ἐν Ὀρτυγίῃ, τὸν δὲ κραναῇ ἐνὶ Δήλῳ,

her in Ortygia, and him in rocky Delos,

κεκλιμένη πρὸς μακρὸν ὄρος καὶ Κύνθιον ὄχθον,

leaning against the tall mountain and Cynthian hill,

ἀγχοτάτω φοίνικος, ἐπʼ Ἰνωποῖο ῥεέθροις.

very near a palm tree, by the streams of Inopus.

πῶς τʼ ἄρ σʼ ὑμνήσω³ πάντως εὔυμνον ἐόντα;

How then shall I sing of you, who are in every way well worthy of song?

πάντη γάρ τοι, Φοῖβε, νόμοι βεβλήατʼ ἀοιδῆς,

For everywhere, Phoebus, the range of song is laid down for you,

ἠμὲν ἀνʼ ἤπειρον πορτιτρόφον ἠδʼ ἀνὰ νήσους·

both on the calf-nurturing mainland and on the islands;

πᾶσαι δὲ σκοπιαί τοι ἅδον καὶ πρώονες ἄκροι

and all the outlooks please you, and the sharp peaks

ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων ποταμοί θʼ ἅλαδε προρέοντες

of lofty mountains, and rivers flowing forward to the sea,

ἀκταί τʼ εἰς ἅλα κεκλιμέναι λιμένες τε θαλάσσης.

and shores leaning toward the sea, and harbors of the deep.

ἦ ὥς σε πρῶτον Λητὼ τέκε, χάρμα βροτοῖσι,

Shall I sing how Leto first bore you, a joy to mortals,

κλινθεῖσα πρὸς Κύνθου ὄρος κραναῇ ἐνὶ νήσῳ,

leaning against Mount Cynthus on the rocky island,

Δήλῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ; ἑκάτερθε δὲ κῦμα κελαινὸν

on sea-girt Delos? And on either side the dark wave

ἐξῄει χέρσονδε λιγυπνοίοις ἀνέμοισιν,

washed landward under shrill winds,

ἔνθεν ἀπορνύμενος πᾶσι θνητοῖσιν ἀνάσσεις.

whence arising you rule over all mortals.

ὅσσους Κρήτη τʼ ἐντὸς ἔχει καὶ δῆμος Ἀθηνῶν

As many as Crete holds within, and the people of Athens,

νῆσός τʼ Αἰγίνη ναυσικλειτή τʼ Εὔβοια,

and the island of Aegina, and Euboea famous for ships,

Αἰγαί, Πειρεσίαι τε καὶ ἀγχιάλη Πεπάρηθος

Aegae and Peiresiae and Peparethus near the sea,

Θρηίκιός τʼ Ἀθόως καὶ Πηλίου ἄκρα κάρηνα

and Thracian Athos, and the lofty peaks of Pelion,

Θρηικίη τε Σάμος Ἴδης τʼ ὄρεα σκιόεντα,

and Thracian Samos, and the shady mountains of Ida,

Σκῦρος καὶ Φώκαια καὶ Αὐτοκάνης ὄρος αἰπύ,

Scyros and Phocaea and the steep mountain of Autocane,

Ἴμβρος τʼ εὐκτιμένη καὶ Λῆμνος ἀμιχθαλόεσσα

and well-built Imbros and smoky Lemnos,

Λέσβος τʼ ἠγαθέη, Μάκαρος ἕδος Αἰολίωνος,

and holy Lesbos, the seat of Macar son of Aeolus,

καὶ Χίος, ἣ νήσων λιπαρωτάτη εἰν ἁλὶ κεῖται,

and Chios, which lies wealthiest of islands in the sea,

παιπαλόεις τε Μίμας καὶ Κωρύκου ἄκρα κάρηνα

and rugged Mimas and the lofty peaks of Corycus,

καὶ Κλάρος αἰγλήεσσα καὶ Αἰσαγέης ὄρος αἰπὺ

and gleaming Claros and the steep mountain of Aesagee,

καὶ Σάμος ὑδρηλὴ Μυκάλης τʼ αἰπεινὰ κάρηνα

and watery Samos and the steep peaks of Mycale,

Μίλητός τε Κόως τε, πόλις Μερόπων ἀνθρώπων,

and Miletus and Cos, city of Meropian men,

καὶ Κνίδος αἰπεινὴ καὶ Κάρπαθος ἠνεμόεσσα

and steep Cnidus and windy Carpathos,

Νάξος τʼ ἠδὲ Πάρος Ῥήναιά τε πετρήεσσα,

and Naxos and Paros and rocky Rhenaea.

τόσσον ἔπʼ ὠδίνουσα Ἑκηβόλον ἵκετο Λητώ,

So far did Leto go in her labor, seeking

εἴ τίς οἱ γαιέων υἱεῖ θέλοι οἰκία θέσθαι.⁴

if any of these lands would be willing to make a home for her son.

αἳ δὲ μάλʼ ἐτρόμεον καὶ ἐδείδισαν, οὐδέ τις ἔτλη

But they trembled greatly and were afraid, and none dared

Φοῖβον δέξασθαι, καὶ πιοτέρη περ ἐοῦσα·

to receive Phoebus, though being wealthier;

πρίν γʼ ὅτε δή ῥʼ ἐπὶ Δήλου ἐβήσατο πότνια Λητὼ

until indeed queenly Leto set foot on Delos

καί μιν ἀνειρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα·

and questioning her, spoke winged words:

δῆλʼ, εἰ γάρ κʼ ἐθέλοις ἕδος ἔμμεναι υἷος ἐμοῖο,

”Delos, if you would be willing to be the seat of my son,

Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος, θέσθαι τʼ ἔνι πίονα νηόν, —

Phoebus Apollo, and to place a rich temple in you, —

ἄλλος δʼ οὔτις σεῖό ποθʼ ἅψεται, οὐδέ σε λήσει·

for no other will ever touch you or neglect you;

οὐδʼ εὔβων σέ γʼ ἔσεσθαι ὀίομαι οὔτʼ εὔμηλον,

nor do I think you will be rich in cattle or sheep,

οὐδὲ τρύγην οἴσεις οὔτʼ ἂρ φυτὰ μυρία φύσεις.

nor will you bear a vintage, nor indeed grow countless plants.

εἰ δέ κʼ Ἀπόλλωνος ἑκαέργου νηὸν ἔχῃσθα,

But if you have the temple of Apollo who works from afar,

ἄνθρωποί τοι πάντες ἀγινήσουσʼ ἑκατόμβας

all men will bring hecatombs to you

ἐνθάδʼ ἀγειρόμενοι, κνίσση δέ τοι ἄσπετος αἰεὶ

gathering here, and the boundless savor of fat will always

δημοῦ ἀναΐξει βοσκήσεις θʼ οἵ κέ σʼ ἔχωσι⁵

rise up, and you will feed those who possess you

χειρὸς ἀπʼ ἀλλοτρίης, ἐπεὶ οὔ τοι πῖαρ ὑπʼ οὖδας.

from the hand of others, since there is no richness under your soil.”

ὣς φάτο· χαῖρε δὲ Δῆλος, ἀμειβομένη δὲ προσηύδα·

Thus she spoke; and Delos rejoiced, and answering spoke:

Λητοῖ, κυδίστη θύγατερ μεγάλου Κοίοιο,

”Leto, most glorious daughter of great Coeus,

ἀσπασίη κεν ἐγώ γε γονὴν ἑκάτοιο ἄνακτος

gladly would I receive the birth of the lord who shoots from afar;

δεξαίμην· αἰνῶς γὰρ ἐτήτυμόν εἰμι δυσηχὴς

for terribly indeed am I of evil repute

ἀνδράσιν· ὧδε δέ κεν περιτιμήεσσα γενοίμην.

among men; but thus I would become greatly honored.

ἀλλὰ τόδε τρομέω, Λητοῖ, ἔπος, οὐδέ σε κεύσω·

But this word, Leto, I dread, and I will not hide it from you;

λίην γάρ τινά φασιν ἀτάσθαλον Ἀπόλλωνα

for they say that Apollo will be very overbearing,

ἔσσεσθαι, μέγα δὲ πρυτανευσέμεν ἀθανάτοισι

and will rule greatly over the immortals

καὶ θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσιν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν.

and over mortal men upon the bounteous earth.”

Syntax notes5 items

1μνήσομαι οὐδὲ λάθωμαι
A future indicative (μνήσομαι) is paired with an aorist subjunctive of emphatic denial (οὐδὲ λάθωμαι). The negative particle οὐδὲ with the subjunctive expresses a strong future resolution: 'I shall by no means forget.'
3ἐρχομένοιο
A genitive absolute participle phrase with Apollo (referenced as ὅν in the preceding verse) as the logical subject. It functions as a temporal adverbial clause ('when he approaches') explaining the trigger for the gods rising.
19ὑμνήσω
A first-person singular aorist subjunctive used to express self-deliberation (deliberative subjunctive), indicating the narrator's search for the proper way to praise the god: 'How shall I sing of you?'
46εἴ τίς οἱ γαιέων υἱεῖ θέλοι οἰκία θέσθαι
A subordinate clause using the optative (θέλοι), interpreted as an indirect question expressing expectation or attempt ('seeking if any of them might be willing...'). It is in the optative due to sequence of tenses, following the past-tense main verb ἵκετο (aorist).
59βοσκήσεις θʼ οἵ κέ σʼ ἔχωσι
The relative clause (οἵ κέ σʼ ἔχωσι, 'those who possess you') serves as the direct object of the transitive verb βοσκήσεις ('you will feed'). This expresses the paradoxical benefit that Delos, despite being barren, will support its own inhabitants through the offerings brought by others.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg003.humanitext-grc2:1-69