Europa's Dream and Zeus Approaching as a Bull — Moschus, Europa, lines 1–85, Greek & English

Εὐρώπῃ ποτὲ Κύπρις ἐπὶ γλυκὺν ἧκεν ὄνειρον,

Once to Europa, Cypris sent a sweet dream,

νυκτὸς ὅτε τρίτατον λάχος ἵσταται, ἐγγύθι δ’ ἠώς,

when the third watch of the night is set, and dawn is near,

ὕπνος ὅτε γλυκίων μέλιτος βλεφάροισιν ἐφίζων

when sleep, sweeter than honey, sitting upon the eyelids,

λυσιμελὴς πεδάᾳ μαλακῷ κατὰ φάεα δεσμῷ,

limbs-loosening, fetters the eyes with a soft bond,

εὖτε καὶ ἀτρεκέων ποιμαίνεται ἔθνος ὀνείρων·

when also the flock of true dreams is shepherded;

τῆμος¹ ὑπωροφίοισιν ἐνὶ κνώσσουσα δόμοισι

then, slumbering within her roofed chambers,

Φοίνικος θυγάτηρ ἔτι παρθένος Εὐρώπεια

the daughter of Phoenix, Europa, still a virgin,

ὠίσατ’² ἠπείρους δοιὰς περὶ εἷο μάχεσθαι,

dreamed that two continents were fighting for her,

ἄσσιον ἀντιπέρην τε· φυὴν δ’ ἔχον οἷα γυναῖκες.

the near one and the opposite one; and they had the form of women.

τῶν δ’ ἣ μὲν ξείνης μορφὴν ἔχεν, ἣ δ’ ἄρ’ ἐῴκει

Of these, one had the form of a foreign woman, and the other resembled

ἐνδαπίῃ, καὶ μᾶλλον ἑῆς περιίσχετο κούρης,

a native, and clung more closely to her own child,

φάσκεν δ’ ὥς μιν ἔτικτε καὶ ὡς ἀτίτηλέ μιν αὐτή.

and claimed that she herself had given her birth and nurtured her.

ἡ δ’ ἑτέρη κρατερῇσι βιωομένη παλάμῃσιν

But the other, forcing her with powerful hands,

εἴρυεν οὐκ ἀέκουσαν, ἐπεὶ φάτο μόρσιμον εἷο

dragged her, not unwilling, since she said it was destined by

ἐκ Διὸς αἰγιόχου γέρας ἔμμεναι Εὐρώπειαν.

aegis-bearing Zeus that Europa should be her prize.

ἣ δ’ ἀπὸ μὲν στρωτῶν λεχέων θόρε δειμαίνουσα,

She leaped up in fear from her strewn bed,

παλλομένη κραδίην· τὸ γὰρ ὡς ὕπαρ εἶδεν ὄνειρον.

her heart fluttering; for she had seen the dream as if it were reality.

ἑζομένη δ’ ἐπὶ δηρὸν ἀκὴν ἔχεν, ἀμφοτέρας δὲ

Sitting for a long time, she remained silent, and both

εἰσέτι πεπταμένοισιν ἐν ὄμμασιν εἶχε γυναῖκας.

women she still held before her wide-open eyes.

ὀψὲ δὲ δειμαλέην ἀνενείκατο παρθένον αὐδήν·

And at last, she uttered her fearful virgin voice:

τίς μοι τοιάδε φάσματ’ ἐπουρανίων προΐηλεν;

“Who of the heavenly ones has sent me such visions?

ποῖοί με στρωτῶν λεχέων ὕπερ ἐν θαλάμοισιν

What kind of dreams have startled me, as I was

ἡδὺ μάλα κνώσσουσαν ἀνεπτοίησαν ὄνειροι,

slumbering so very sweetly, inside my chambers?

τίς δ’ ἦν ἡ ξείνη, τὴν εἴσιδον ὑπνώουσα;

And who was the foreign woman whom I saw in my sleep?

ὥς μ’ ἔλαβε κραδίην³ κείνης πόθος, ὥς με καὶ αὐτὴ

How desire for her seized my heart, and how she herself

ἀσπασίως ὑπέδεκτο καὶ ὡς σφετέρην ἴδε παῖδα.

gladly welcomed me, and looked upon me as her own child!

ἀλλά μοι εἰς ἀγαθὸν μάκαρες κρήνειαν ὄνειρον.

But may the blessed ones fulfill the dream for my good!”

ὣς εἰποῦσ’ ἀνόρουσε, φίλας δ’ ἐπεδίζεθ’ ἑταίρας

So she spoke and leaped up, and sought her dear companions,

ἥλικας οἰέτεας θυμήρεας εὐπατερείας,

her age-mates, equal in years, pleasing to her heart, born of noble fathers,

τῇσιν ἀεὶ συνάθυρεν, ὅτ’ ἐς χορὸν ἐντύνοιτο,

with whom she always played, whenever she prepared for the dance,

ἢ ὅτε φαιδρύνοιτο χρόα προχοῇσιν ἀναύρων,

or when she washed her skin at the mouths of rivers,

ἢ ὁπότ’ ἐκ λειμῶνος ἐΰπνοα λείρἰ ἀμέργοι.

or when she gathered sweet-scented lilies from the meadow.

αἳ δέ οἱ αἶψα φάανθεν· ἔχον δ’ ἐν χερσὶν ἑκάστη

And they quickly appeared to her; and each held in her hands

ἀνθοδόκον τάλαρον· ποτὶ δὲ λειμῶνας ἔβαινον

a flower-gathering basket; and they went toward the meadows

ἀγχιάλους, ὅθι τ’ αἰὲν ὁμιλαδὸν ἠγερέθοντο

near the sea, where they always gathered in throngs,

τερπόμεναι ῥοδέῃ τε φυῇ καὶ κύματος ἠχῇ.

delighting in the rosy growth and the sound of the wave.

αὐτὴ δὲ χρύσεον τάλαρον φέρεν Εὐρώπεια,

But Europa herself carried a golden basket,

θηητόν, μέγα θαῦμα, μέγαν πόνον Ἡφαίστοιο,

marvelous to behold, a great wonder, a great labor of Hephaestus,

ὃν Λιβύῃ πόρε δῶρον, ὅτ’ ἐς λέχος Ἐννοσιγαίου

which he gave as a gift to Libya, when she went to the bed of the Earth-shaker;

ἤϊεν· ἣ δὲ πόρεν περικαλλέϊ Τηλεφαάσσῃ,

and she gave it to beautiful Telephaassa,

ἥτε οἱ αἵματος ἔσκεν· ἀνύμφῳ δ’ Εὐρωπείῃ

who was of her blood; and to unmarried Europa,

μήτηρ Τηλεφάσσα περικλυτὸν ὤπασε δῶρον.

her mother Telephassa bestowed the far-famed gift.

ἐν τῷ δαίδαλα πολλὰ τετεύχατο μαρμαίροντα.

Within it, many elaborate designs were wrought, gleaming brightly.

ἐν μὲν ἔην χρυσοῖο τετυγμένη Ἰναχὶς Ἰώ,

In it was wrought of gold the Inachid Io,

εἰσέτι πόρτις ἐοῦσα, φυὴν δ’ οὐκ εἶχε γυναίην.

still being a heifer, and she did not have the form of a woman.

φοιταλέη δὲ πόδεσσιν ἐφ’ ἁλμυρὰ βαῖνε κέλευθα,

And wandering, she went with her feet upon the salty paths,

νηχομένῃ ἰκέλη· κυανῆ δ’ ἐτέτυκτο θάλασσα.

like one swimming; and the sea was wrought in dark blue.

δοιοὶ δ’ ἕστασαν ὑψοῦ ἐπ’ ὀφρύος αἰγιαλοῖο

And two men stood high on the brow of the shore,

φῶτες ἀολλήδην, θηεῦντο δὲ ποντοπόρον βοῦν.

together, and they watched the sea-faring heifer.

ἐν δ’ ἦν Ζεὺς Κρονίδης ἐπαφώμενος ἠρέμα χερσὶ

And in it was Zeus, son of Cronus, gently touching with his hands

πόρτιος Ἰναχίης, τὴν δ’ ἑπταπόρῳ παρὰ Νείλῳ

the Inachid heifer, whom by the seven-mouthed Nile

ἐκ βοὸς εὐκεράοιο πάλιν μετάμειβε γυναῖκα.

he changed back into a woman from the well-horned cow.

ἀργύρεος μὲν ἔην Νείλου ῥόος, ἡ δ’ ἄρα πόρτις

The stream of the Nile was of silver, and the heifer

χαλκείη, χρυσοῦ δὲ τετυγμένος αὐτὸς ἔην Ζεύς.

was of bronze, and Zeus himself was wrought of gold.

ἀμφὶ δὲ δινήεντος ὑπὸ στεφάνην ταλάροιο

And around the rim of the well-wrought basket,

Ἑρμείης ἤσκητο· πέλας δέ οἱ ἐκτετάνυστο

Hermes was fashioned; and near him lay stretched out

Ἄργος ἀκοιμήτοισι κεκασμένος ὀφθαλμοῖσι.

Argus, adorned with sleepless eyes.

τοῖο δὲ φοινήεντος ἀφ’ αἵματος ἐξανέτελλεν

And from his purple blood arose

ὄρνις ἀγαλλόμενος πτερύγων πολυανθέϊ χροιῇ,

a bird rejoicing in the multi-colored hue of its wings,

ταρσὸν ἀναπλώσας ὡσείτε τις ὠκύαλος νηῦς·

unfolding its tail-fan like a swift-sailing ship;

χρυσείου ταλάροιο περίσκεπε χείλεα ταρσός.

the wing-fan covered the rim of the golden basket.

τοῖος ἔην τάλαρος περικαλλέος Εὐρωπείης.

Such was the basket of the very beautiful Europa.

αἳ δ’ ἐπεὶ οὖν λειμῶνας ἐς ἀνθεμόεντας ἵκανον,

And when they had arrived at the flowery meadows,

ἄλλη ἐπ’ ἀλλοίοισι τότ’ ἄνθεσι θυμὸν ἔτερπον.

then they delighted their hearts, each with different flowers.

τῶν ἣ μὲν νάρκισσον ἐΰπνοον, ἣ δ’ ὑάκινθον,

Of them, one gathered the sweet-scented narcissus, another the hyacinth,

ἣ δ’ ἴον, ἣ δ’ ἕρπυλλον ἀπαίνυτο· πολλὰ δ’ ἔραζε

another the violet, another the wild thyme; and many

λειμώνων ἐαροτρεφέων θαλέθεσκε πέτηλα.

fresh petals of the spring-nurtured meadows bloomed in abundance.

αἳ δ’ αὖτε ξανθοῖο κρόκου θυόεσσαν ἔθειραν

Others again were plucking the fragrant tress of the yellow crocus,

δρέπτον ἐριδμαίνουσαι, ἀτὰρ μεσσίστη ἄνασσα

striving with one another; but in their midst the princess

ἀγλαΐην πυρσοῖο ῥόδου χείρεσσι λέγουσα,

was gathering with her hands the splendor of the red rose,

οἷά περ ἐν Χαρίτεσσι διέπρεπεν Ἀφρογένεια.

preeminent, just as the foam-born goddess shines among the Graces.

οὐ μὴν δηρὸν ἔμελλεν ἐπ’ ἄνθεσι θυμὸν ἰαίνειν,

Yet she was not destined for long to warm her heart with flowers,

οὐδ’ ἄρα παρθενίην μίτρην ἄχραντον ἔρυσθαι.

nor indeed to keep her virgin girdle unstained.

ἦ γὰρ δὴ Κρονίδης ὥς μιν φράσαθ̓, ὡς ἐόλητο⁴

For indeed, as soon as the son of Cronus beheld her, his heart was troubled,

θυμὸν ἀνωίστοισιν ὑποδμηθεὶς βελέεσσι

subdued in his spirit by the unexpected shafts

Κύπριδος, ἣ μούνη δύναται καὶ Ζῆνα δαμάσσαι.

of Cypris, who alone can subdue even Zeus.

δὴ γὰρ ἀλευόμενός τε χόλον ζηλήμονος Ἥρης

For indeed, both avoiding the wrath of jealous Hera

παρθενικῆς τ’ ἐθέλων ἀταλὸν νόον ἐξαπατῆσαι

and wishing to deceive the tender mind of the maiden,

κρύψε θεὸν καὶ τρέψε δέμας καὶ γείνετο ταῦρος,

he hid the god and changed his body, and became a bull;

οὐχ οἷος σταθμοῖς ἐνιφέρβεται, οὐδὲ μὲν οἷος

not such as is fed in the stalls, nor such as

ὦλκα διατμήγει σύρων εὐκαμπὲς ἄροτρον,

cuts the furrow, dragging the well-bent plow,

οὐδ’ οἷος ποίμνης ἐπιβόσκεται, οὐδὲ μὲν οἷος

nor such as grazes with the herd, nor indeed such

ὅστις ὑποδμηθεὶς ἐρύει πολύφορτον ἀπήνην.

as is broken to draw the heavy-laden wagon.

τοῦ δή τοι τὸ μὲν ἄλλο δέμας ξανθόχροον ἔσκε,

Indeed, the rest of his body was of a tawny color,

κύκλος δ’ ἀργύφεος μέσσῳ μάρμαιρε μετώπῳ,

and a silvery circle gleamed in the middle of his forehead,

Syntax notes4 items

6τῆμος
The adverb τῆμος (then) introduces the main clause corresponding to the series of temporal subordinate clauses introduced by ὅτε in §2 and §3, and εὖτε in §5. This represents a tight sentence structure characteristic of Hellenistic poetry, showing the main event after a lengthy series of temporal conditions.
8ὠίσατ’
Meaning "to dream of" or "fancy." The subsequent phrase ἠπείρους δοιὰς ... μάχεσθαι is an accusative with infinitive construction, where the accusative ἠπείρους δοιὰς (two continents) serves as the subject of the infinitive μάχεσθαι.
25ὥς μ’ ἔλαβε κραδίην
ὥς is an exclamatory adverb ("how"). The pronoun με (me) and κραδίην (heart) form an accusative of the whole and part (σχῆμα καθ᾽ ὅλον καὶ μέρος), standing in apposition as the objects of the verb ἔλαβε.
74ὥς μιν φράσαθ̓, ὡς ἐόλητο
The first ὥς means "as soon as" (introducing a temporal clause), while the second ὡς (with accent, indicating correlation) means "so/thus." This correlative structure emphasizes the immediacy with which Zeus's heart was troubled the very moment he beheld her.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0035.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:1-85