The Labors of Heracles and His Deification on Olympus — Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn 15 to Heracles, lines 1–9, Greek & English

Ἡρακλέα, Διὸς υἱόν, ἀείσομαι, ὃν μέγʼ ἄριστον

Heracles, the son of Zeus, I will sing, whom Alcmene bore

γείνατʼ ἐπιχθονίων¹ Θήβῃς ἔνι καλλιχόροισιν

as by far the best of earthly men in Thebes of beautiful dances,

Ἀλκμήνη μιχθεῖσα κελαινεφέι Κρονίωνι·

having united with the dark-clouded son of Cronos;

ὃς πρὶν μὲν κατὰ γαῖαν ἀθέσφατον ἠδὲ θάλασσαν

who formerly, wandering over the boundless earth and sea

πλαζόμενος πομπῇσιν ὕπʼ² Εὐρυσθῆος ἄνακτος

under the commands of king Eurystheus,

πολλὰ μὲν αὐτὸς ἔρεξεν ἀτάσθαλα,³ πολλὰ δʼ ἀνέτλη·

himself performed many reckless deeds, and many did he endure;

νῦν δʼ ἤδη κατὰ καλὸν ἕδος νιφόεντος Ὀλύμπου

but now already on the beautiful seat of snowy Olympus

ναίει τερπόμενος καὶ ἔχει καλλίσφυρον Ἥβην.

he dwells in joy and has fair-ankled Hebe as his wife.

χαῖρε, ἄναξ, Διὸς υἱέ· δίδου δʼ ἀρετήν τε καὶ ὄλβον.

Hail, lord, son of Zeus; and grant both virtue and wealth.

Syntax notes3 items

2ἐπιχθονίων
A partitive genitive modifying and limiting the superlative adjective μέγʼ ἄριστον (by far the best) in the preceding line (§1), meaning 'among earthly men.' It is placed across the line boundary.
5πομπῇσιν ὕπʼ
An instance of anastrophe where the preposition ὑπό is placed after the noun πομπῇσιν (dative, indicating cause or means). The accent is shifted back to the first syllable (ὕπʼ with elision). It denotes wandering 'under the sendings' or 'by the commands' of King Eurystheus.
6ἀτάσθαλα
The neuter plural accusative of the adjective ἀτάσθαλος (reckless, presumptuous). Used substantively here as the direct object (or cognate accusative) of the transitive verb ἔρεξεν (performed), meaning 'reckless deeds.'

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg015.humanitext-grc2:1-9