Apollo's Search for an Oracle and Telphusa's Deceit — Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn 3 to Apollo, lines 209–278, Greek & English

209

ὅππως μνωόμενος ἔκιες Ἀζαντίδα κούρην

how you went wooing the Azantian maid,

210

Ἴσχυʼ ἅμʼ ἀντιθέῳ Ἐλατιονίδη εὐίππῳ;¹

along with godlike Ischys, son of Elatus, rich in horses;

ἢ ἅμα Θόρβαντι Τριοπέῳ γένος, ἢ ἅμʼ Ἐρευθεῖ;

or with Phorbas, Triopas’ son, or with Ereutheus;

ἢ ἅμα Λευκίππῳ καὶ Λευκίπποιο δάμαρτι

or with Leucippus and Leucippus’ wife,

πεζός, ὃ δʼ ἵπποισιν·² οὐ μὴν Τρίοπός γʼ ἐνέλειπεν.

you on foot, and he with horses; indeed, Triopos was not left behind.

ἢ ὡς τὸ πρῶτον χρηστήριον ἀνθρώποισι

Or how first, seeking an oracle-place for men,

215

ζητεύων κατὰ γαῖαν ἔβης, ἑκατηβόλʼ Ἄπολλον;

you went through the earth, far-shooting Apollo?

Πιερίην μὲν πρῶτον ἀπʼ Οὐλύμποιο κατῆλθες·

First you came down from Olympus to Pieria;

Λέκτον τʼ ἠμαθοέντα παρέστιχες ἠδʼ Ἐνιῆνας

you passed by sandy Lectus and the Enienes,

καὶ διὰ Περραιβούς· τάχα δʼ εἰς Ἰαωλκὸν ἵκανες,

and through the Perrhaebians; and quickly you came to Iolcus,

Κηναίου τʼ ἐπέβης ναυσικλειτῆς Εὐβοίης.

and set foot on Cenaeum in Euboea, famous for ships.

220

στῆς δʼ ἐπὶ Ληλάντῳ πεδίῳ· τό τοι οὐχ ἅδε θυμῷ³

You stood on the Lelantine plain; but it did not please your heart

τεύξασθαι νηόν τε καὶ ἄλσεα δενδρήεντα.

to build a temple and woody groves.

ἔνθεν δʼ Εὔριπον διαβάς, ἑκατηβόλʼ Ἄπολλον,

Thence, crossing Euripus, far-shooting Apollo,

βῆς ἄνʼ ὄρος ζάθεον, χλωρόν· τάχα δʼ ἷξες ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ

you went up the holy mountain, green; and quickly you came from there,

ἐς Μυκαλησσὸν ἰὼν καὶ Τευμησσὸν λεχεποίην.

going to Mycalessus and grassy Teumessus.

225

Θήβης δʼ εἰσαφίκανες ἕδος καταειμένον ὕλῃ·

And you came to the site of Thebes, covered with wood;

οὐ γάρ πώ τις ἔναιε βροτῶν ἱερῇ ἐνὶ Θήβῃ,

for not yet did any of mortals dwell in holy Thebes,

οὐδʼ ἄρα πω τότε γʼ ἦσαν ἀταρπιτοὶ οὐδὲ κέλευθοι

nor indeed were there yet any paths or roads

Θήβης ἂμ πεδίον πυρηφόρον, ἀλλʼ ἔχεν ὕλη.

along the wheat-bearing plain of Thebes, but wood held it.

ἔνθεν δὲ προτέρω ἔκιες, ἑκατηβόλʼ Ἄπολλον,

Thence you went further on, far-shooting Apollo,

230

Ὀγχηστὸν δʼ ἷξες, Ποσιδήιον ἀγλαὸν ἄλσος·

and came to Onchestus, the bright grove of Poseidon;

ἔνθα νεοδμὴς πῶλος ἀναπνέει ἀχθόμενός περ

there the newly-broken colt takes breath, though sorely burdened

ἕλκων ἅρματα καλά· χαμαὶ δʼ ἐλατὴρ ἀγαθός περ

as it draws the beautiful chariot; and to the ground the driver, though skilled,

ἐκ δίφροιο θορὼν ὁδὸν ἔρχεται· οἳ δὲ τέως μὲν⁴

leaps down from his seat and goes on foot; and the horses for a time

κείνʼ ὄχεα κροτέουσι ἀνακτορίην ἀφιέντες.

rattle those empty chariots, freed from mastery.

235

εἰ δέ κεν ἅρματʼ ἀγῇσιν ἐν ἄλσεϊ δενδρήεντι,

And if the chariot should be broken in the woody grove,

ἵππους μὲν κομέουσι, τὰ δὲ κλίναντες ἐῶσιν·

they tend the horses, but leave the chariot tilted and let it be;

ὣς γὰρ τὰ πρώτισθʼ ὁσίη γένεθʼ· οἳ δὲ ἄνακτι

for so was the holy custom established from the very first; and they to the Lord

εὔχονται, δίφρον δὲ θεοῦ τότε μοῖρα φυλάσσει.

pray, and then the portion of the god keeps the chariot.

ἔνθεν δὲ προτέρω ἔκιες, ἑκατηβόλʼ Ἄπολλον·

Thence you went further on, far-shooting Apollo;

240

Κηφισσὸν δʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα κιχήσαο καλλιρέεθρον,

and then you reached beautiful-flowing Cephisus,

ὅς τε Λιλαίηθεν προχέει καλλίρροον ὕδωρ.

which pours forth its beautiful stream from Lilaea.

τὸν διαβάς, Ἑκάεργε, καὶ Ὠκαλέην πολύπυργον

Crossing it, Far-worker, and Ocalea of many towers,

ἔνθεν ἄρʼ εἰς Ἁλίαρτον ἀφίκεο ποιήεντα.

thence you came to grassy Haliartus.

βῆς δʼ ἐπὶ Τελφούσης· τόθι τοι ἅδε χῶρος ἀπήμων

And you went to Telphusa; there the peaceful place pleased you

245

τεύξασθαι νηόν τε καὶ ἄλσεα δενδρήεντα·

to build a temple and woody groves;

στῆς δὲ μάλʼ ἄγχʼ αὐτῆς καὶ μιν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπες·

and you stood very near her and spoke a word to her:

Τελφοῦσʼ, ἐνθάδε δὴ φρονέω περικαλλέα νηὸν

”Telphusa, here indeed I intend to build a very beautiful temple,

ἀνθρώπων τεῦξαι χρηστήριον, οἵτε μοι αἰεὶ

to be an oracle-place for men, who will always

ἐνθάδʼ ἀγινήσουσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας,

bring hither perfect hecatombs,

250

ἠμὲν ὅσοι Πελοπόννησον πίειραν ἔχουσιν

both those who possess the rich Peloponnese

ἠδʼ ὅσοι Εὐρώπην τε καὶ ἀμφιρύτας κατὰ νήσους,

and those who dwell in Europe and the sea-washed islands,

χρησόμενοι· τοῖσιν δέ κʼ ἐγὼ νημερτέα βουλὴν

seeking oracles; and to them all I would deliver unerring counsel,

πᾶσι θεμιστεύοιμι χρέων ἐνὶ πίονι νηῷ.

giving oracles in my rich temple.”

ὣς εἰπὼν διέθηκε θεμείλια Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων

So speaking, Phoebus Apollo laid out the foundations,

255

εὐρέα καὶ μάλα μακρὰ διηνεκές· ἣ δὲ ἰδοῦσα

broad and very long, without interruption. But she, beholding it,

Τελφοῦσα κραδίην ἐχολώσατο εἶπέ τε μῦθον·

Telphusa, was angered in her heart and spoke a word:

φοῖβε ἄναξ ἑκάεργε, ἔπος τί τοι ἐν φρεσὶ θήσω.

”Phoebus, lord, Far-worker, I will put a word in your mind.

ἐνθάδʼ ἐπεὶ φρονέεις τεῦξαι περικαλλέα νηὸν

Since you are minded to build here a very beautiful temple

ἔμμεναι ἀνθρώποις χρηστήριον, οἵτε τοι αἰεὶ

to be an oracle-place for men, who will always

260

ἐνθάδʼ ἀγινήσουσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας·

bring hither perfect hecatombs;

ἀλλʼ ἔκ τοι ἐρέω, σὺ δʼ ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλεο σῇσι,

but I will tell you, and do you lay it up in your heart:

πημανέει σʼ αἰεὶ κτύπος ἵππων ὠκειάων

the clatter of swift horses will always vex you,

ἀρδόμενοί τʼ οὐρῆες ἐμῶν ἱερῶν ἀπὸ πηγέων·

and the mules watering at my sacred springs;

ἔνθα τις ἀνθρώπων βουλήσεται εἰσοράασθαι

there, any of men will wish to gaze upon

265

ἅρματά τʼ εὐποίητα καὶ ὠκυπόδων κτύπον ἵππων

the well-made chariots and the clatter of swift-footed horses,

ἢ⁵ νηόν τε μέγαν καὶ κτήματα πόλλʼ ἐνεόντα.

rather than your great temple and the many possessions within it.

ἀλλʼ εἰ δή τι πίθοιο, σὺ δὲ κρείσσων καὶ ἀρείων

But if you would indeed obey me—and you are stronger and better,

ἐσσί, ἄναξ, ἐμέθεν, σεῦ δὲ σθένος ἐστὶ μέγιστον,

Lord, than I, and your strength is the greatest—

ἐν Κρίσῃ ποίησαι ὑπὸ πτυχὶ Παρνησοῖο.

build in Crisa beneath the fold of Parnassus.

270

ἔνθʼ οὔθʼ ἅρματα καλὰ δονήσεται οὔτε τοι ἵππων

There neither beautiful chariots will rattle, nor indeed will there be

ὠκυπόδων κτύπος ἔσται ἐύδμητον περὶ βωμόν,

the clatter of swift-footed horses around your well-built altar;

ἀλλά τοι ὣς προσάγοιεν Ἰηπαιήονι δῶρα

but even so the glorious tribes of men would bring gifts to you as “Iepaeon”,

ἀνθρώπων κλυτὰ φῦλα· σὺ δὲ φρένας ἀμφιγεγηθὼς

and you, rejoicing in your heart, would receive

δέξαιʼ ἱερὰ καλὰ περικτιόνων ἀνθρώπων.

the beautiful sacrifices of the surrounding men.”

275

ὣς εἰποῦσʼ Ἑκάτου πέπιθε φρένας, ὄφρα οἱ αὐτῇ

So speaking she persuaded the mind of the Far-shooter, so that for her,

Τελφούσῃ κλέος εἴη ἐπὶ χθονί, μηδʼ Ἑκάτοιο.

Telphusa herself, there should be fame upon the earth, and not for the Far-shooter.

ἔνθεν δὲ προτέρω ἔκιες, ἑκατηβόλʼ Ἄπολλον·

Thence you went further on, far-shooting Apollo;

ἷξες δʼ ἐς Φλεγύων ἀνδρῶν πόλιν ὑβριστάων,

and you came to the city of the arrogant Phlegyan men,

Syntax notes5 items

210ἅμʼ ἀντιθέῳ Ἐλατιονίδη εὐίππῳ
Modifies the participle μνωόμενος ("wooing") in the preceding verse. The preposition ἅμα with dative here implies that Apollo went wooing "at the same time as" or "in competition with" the godlike Ischys. This refers to the mythological competition between Apollo and Ischys for the hand of Coronis.
213πεζός, ὃ δʼ ἵπποισιν
A contrastive construction with ellipsis. The nominative adjective πεζός ("on foot") refers to Apollo, while the demonstrative article with δέ (ὃ δʼ, "but the other") refers to his rival Leucippus (or Ischys), who was riding "with horses" (i.e., in a chariot).
220τό τοι οὐχ ἅδε θυμῷ
The verb ἅδε is the epic aorist 3rd person singular of ἁνδάνω ("to please"). The demonstrative pronoun τό ("it", the plain) is the subject of the construction, taking the dative pronoun τοι ("to you", ethical dative) and θυμῷ ("in heart", dative of respect). The following infinitive clause (§221) serves as the explanatory subject.
233οἳ δὲ τέως μὲν
Pronominal use of the article with δέ. Here οἳ δέ ("but they") refers to the horses (ἵπποι) mentioned previously. Together with the adverb τέως ("meanwhile", i.e., while the driver is on foot), it describes how the horses run on their own, freed from active control.
264βουλήσεται εἰσοράασθαι ... ἢ ...
A comparative construction using ἢ ("than/rather than") without an explicit comparative adjective or adverb. The verb βούλομαι combined with ἤ expresses preference ("will wish to gaze upon ... rather than ..."), which is a well-attested epic and classical idiom.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg003.humanitext-grc2:209-278