- 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.tlg003.humanitext-grc2:279-345
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-26
Apollo lays the foundations of his temple at Crisa under Mount Parnassus to establish his oracle. He slays a giant dragoness guarding the nearby spring, who once reared Typhaon, a monster Hera had conceived on her own out of anger towards Zeus.
οἳ Διὸς οὐκ ἀλέγοντες ἐπὶ χθονὶ ναιετάασκον
who lived on earth, caring nothing for Zeus,
ἐν καλῇ βήσσῃ Κηφισίδος ἐγγύθι λίμνης.
in the beautiful glade near the Cephisian lake.
ἔνθεν καρπαλίμως προσέβης πρὸς δειράδα θύων
Thence you quickly went upward, rushing toward the ridge,
ἵκεο δʼ ἐς Κρίσην ὑπὸ Παρνησὸν νιφόεντα,
and came to Crisa beneath snowy Parnassus,
κνημὸν πρὸς Ζέφυρον τετραμμένον, αὐτὰρ ὕπερθεν
a mountain slope turned toward the West wind; but above
πέτρη ἐπικρέμαται, κοίλη δʼ ὑποδέδρομε1 βῆσσα,
a cliff hangs over, and a hollow, rugged glade runs beneath.
τρηχεῖʼ· ἔνθα ἄναξ τεκμήρατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων
There the lord Phoebus Apollo resolved
νηὸν ποιήσασθαι ἐπήρατον εἶπέ τε μῦθον·
to build a lovely temple and spoke a word:
ἐνθάδε δὴ φρονέω τεῦξαι περικαλλέα νηὸν
”Here indeed I intend to build a very beautiful temple,
ἔμμεναι ἀνθρώποις χρηστήριον, οἵτε μοι αἰεὶ
to be an oracle-place for men, who will always
ἐνθάδʼ ἀγινήσουσι τεληέσσας ἑκατόμβας,
bring hither perfect hecatombs,
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 δʼ ἄρʼ 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,
εὐρέα καὶ μάλα μακρὰ διηνεκές· αὐτὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς
broad and very long, without interruption; but upon them
λάινον οὐδὸν ἔθηκε Τροφώνιος ἠδʼ Ἀγαμήδης,
Trophonius and Agamedes laid a stone threshold,
υἱέες Ἐργίνου, φίλοι ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσιν·
sons of Erginus, dear to the immortal gods.
ἀμφὶ δὲ νηὸν ἔνασσαν2 ἀθέσφατα φῦλʼ ἀνθρώπων
And around the temple the countless tribes of men built it
ξεστοῖσιν λάεσσιν, ἀοίδιμον ἔμμεναι αἰεί.
with polished stones, to be sung of always.
ἀγχοῦ δὲ κρήνη καλλίρροος, ἔνθα δράκαιναν
And nearby was a beautiful-flowing spring, where the dragoness
κτεῖνεν ἄναξ, Διὸς υἱός, ἀπὸ κρατεροῖο βιοῖο,
the lord, son of Zeus, killed with his strong bow,
ζατρεφέα, μεγάλην, τέρας ἄγριον, ἣ κακὰ πολλὰ
well-fed, great, a fierce monster, who did many evils
ἀνθρώπους ἔρδεσκεν ἐπὶ χθονί, πολλὰ μὲν αὐτούς,
to men on earth—many to them themselves,
πολλὰ δὲ μῆλα ταναύποδʼ, ἐπεὶ πέλε πῆμα δαφοινόν.
and many to long-shanked sheep, since she was a blood-red bane.
καὶ ποτε δεξαμένη χρυσοθρόνου ἔτρεφεν Ἥρης3
And once she received from golden-throned Hera and reared
δεινόν τʼ ἀργαλέον τε Τυφάονα, πῆμα βροτοῖσιν·
the dread and terrible Typhaon, a bane to mortals,
ὅν ποτʼ ἄρʼ Ἥρη ἔτικτε χολωσαμένη Διὶ πατρί,
whom once Hera bore, being angered at father Zeus,
ἡνίκʼ ἄρα Κρονίδης ἐρικυδέα γείνατʼ Ἀθήνην
when the son of Cronos begot glorious Athena
ἐν κορυφῇ· ἣ δʼ αἶψα χολώσατο πότνια Ἥρη
in his head. And she quickly grew angry, queenly Hera,
ἠδὲ καὶ ἀγρομένοισι μετʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἔειπε·
and spoke among the assembled immortals:
κέκλυτέ μευ, πάντες τε θεοὶ πᾶσαί τε θέαιναι,
”Hear me, all you gods and all you goddesses,
ὡς ἔμʼ ἀτιμάζειν ἄρχει νεφεληγερέτα Ζεὺς
how cloud-gathering Zeus begins to dishonor me
πρῶτος, ἐπεί μʼ ἄλοχον ποιήσατο κέδνʼ εἰδυῖαν·
first, since he made me his wife who knows good ways.
καὶ νῦν νόσφιν ἐμεῖο τέκε γλαυκῶπιν Ἀθήνην,
And now, apart from me, he has given birth to grey-eyed Athena,
ἣ πᾶσιν μακάρεσσι μεταπρέπει ἀθανάτοισιν·
who is pre-eminent among all the blessed immortals;
αὐτὰρ ὅ γʼ ἠπεδανὸς γέγονεν μετὰ πᾶσι θεοῖσι
while he has become weak among all the gods,
παῖς ἐμὸς Ἥφαιστος, ῥικνὸς πόδας, ὃν τέκον αὐτή·
my son Hephaestus, withered of feet, whom I myself bore—
[αἶσχος ἐμοὶ καὶ ὄνειδος ἐν οὐρανῷ ὅντε καὶ αὐτή]
[a shame and disgrace to me in heaven, whom I myself]
ῥῖψʼ ἀνὰ χερσὶν ἑλοῦσα καὶ ἔμβαλον εὐρέι πόντῳ·
cast down, taking him in my hands, and threw into the wide sea.
ἀλλά ἑ Νηρῆος θυγάτηρ Θέτις ἀργυρόπεζα
But the daughter of Nereus, silver-footed Thetis,
δέξατο καὶ μετὰ ᾗσι κασιγνήτῃσι κόμισσεν.
received him and cared for him with her sisters.
ὡς ὄφελʼ ἄλλο θεοῖσι χαρίζεσθαι4 μακάρεσσι.
Would that he had pleased the blessed gods in some other way!
σχέτλιε, ποικιλομῆτα, τί νῦν μητίσεαι ἄλλο;
Stubborn one, crafty one, what other thing will you now devise?
πῶς ἔτλης οἶος τεκέειν γλαυκῶπιν Ἀθήνην;
How did you dare to give birth alone to grey-eyed Athena?
οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ τεκόμην; καὶ σὴ κεκλημένη ἔμπης
Could I not have given birth? And yet I was called yours
ἦα ῥʼ ἐν ἀθανάτοισιν, οἳ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι.
among the immortals who hold the wide heaven.
φράζεο νῦν μή τοί τι κακὸν μητίσομʼ ὀπίσσω.
Take care now lest I should devise some evil against you hereafter.
καὶ νῦν μέντοι ἐγὼ τεχνήσομαι, ὥς κε γένηται
and now indeed I will contrive that a child
παῖς ἐμός, ὅς κε θεοῖσι μεταπρέποι ἀθανάτοισιν,
of mine shall be born, who shall be pre-eminent among the immortal gods,
οὔτε σὸν αἰσχύνασʼ ἱερὸν λέχος οὔτʼ ἐμὸν αὐτῆς.
neither shaming your sacred bed nor my own.
οὐδέ τοι εἰς εὐνὴν πωλήσομαι, ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ σεῖο
Nor will I go to your bed, but being far apart
τηλόθʼ ἐοῦσα θεοῖσι μετέσσομαι ἀθανάτοισιν.
from you, I will dwell among the immortal gods.”
ὣς εἰποῦσʼ ἀπὸ νόσφι θεῶν κίε χωομένη κῆρ.
So speaking, she went apart from the gods, angered in her heart.
αὐτίκʼ ἔπειτʼ ἠρᾶτο βοῶπις πότνια Ἥρη,
Straightway then queenly ox-eyed Hera prayed,
χειρὶ καταπρηνεῖ δʼ ἔλασε χθόνα καὶ φάτο μῦθον·
and with downward palm she struck the earth and spoke a word:
κέκλυτε νῦν μευ, Γαῖα καὶ Οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθεν
”Hear me now, Earth and wide Heaven above,
Τιτῆνές τε θεοί, τοὶ ὑπὸ χθονὶ ναιετάοντες
and you Titan gods, who dwell beneath the earth
Τάρταρον ἀμφὶ μέγαν, τῶν ἒξ5 ἄνδρες τε θεοί τε·
around great Tartarus, from whom come both men and gods:
αὐτοὶ νῦν μευ πάντες ἀκούσατε καὶ δότε παῖδα
do you all now hear me and grant me a child
νόσφι Διός, μηδέν τι βίην ἐπιδευέα κείνου·
apart from Zeus, in no way inferior to him in strength;
ἀλλʼ ὅ γε φέρτερος ἔστω, ὅσον Κρόνου εὐρύοπα Ζεύς.
but let him be as much stronger as wide-seeing Zeus is than Cronos.”
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασʼ ἵμασε χθόνα χειρὶ παχείῃ·
So speaking, she lashed the earth with her thick hand;
κινήθη δʼ ἄρα Γαῖα φερέσβιος· ἣ δὲ ἰδοῦσα
and life-giving Earth was moved. And she, beholding it,
τέρπετο ὃν κατὰ θυμόν· ὀίετο γὰρ τελέεσθαι.
rejoiced in her heart; for she thought that it would be fulfilled.
ἐκ τούτου δὴ ἔπειτα τελεσφόρον εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν
From that time indeed, then, for a full-circle year
οὔτε πότʼ εἰς εὐνὴν Διὸς ἤλυθε μητιόεντος,
she never came to the bed of wise Zeus,
οὔτε πότʼ ἐς θῶκον πολυδαίδαλον, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ
nor to her richly-wrought seat, as she was wont to do before,
- 284ὑποδέδρομε
Perfect tense of the verb ὑποτρέχω, expressing a lasting state in the present resulting from a completed action; literally 'runs beneath' or 'extends below' as a present condition.
- 298ἀμφὶ δὲ νηὸν ἔνασσαν
The verb ἔνασσαν is the aorist of νάω (to build, pack tightly). Together with the adverbial preposition ἀμφί, it means 'they built the temple all around'. The subject is the following phrase ἀθέσφατα φῦλʼ ἀνθρώπων ('countless tribes of men').
- 305δεξαμένη χρυσοθρόνου ... Ἥρης
The genitive Ἥρης is governed by the participle δεξαμένη (aorist participle of δέχομαι), functioning as a genitive of separation or source, meaning 'having received from Hera'.
- 321ὡς ὄφελʼ ... χαρίζεσθαι
An idiomatic construction using ὄφελʼ (aorist of ὀφείλω, here 3rd person singular) with the infinitive χαρίζεσθαι to express an unattainable wish in the past: 'Would that he had pleased...'.
- 336τῶν ἒξ
The word τῶν is a relative pronoun referring to the Titans, and ἒξ is the preposition ἐκ placed after its object (anastrophe). Due to this postposition, it takes an acute accent. It means 'from whom'.