The Abduction of Europa and the Crossing to Crete — Moschus, Europa, lines 86–166, Greek & English

ὄσσε δ’ ὑπογλαύσσεσκε καὶ ἵμερον ἀστράπτεσκεν.

And his eyes gleamed with a bluish light and flashed with desire.

ἶσά τ’ ἐπ’ ἀλλήλοισι κέρα ἀνέτελλε καρήνου

and horns rose equal to one another from his head,

ἄντυγος ἡμιτόμου κεραῆς ἅτε κύκλα σελήνης.

like the horns of the crescent moon when its circle is cut in half.

ἤλυθε δ’ ἐς λειμῶνα καὶ οὐκ ἐφόβησε φαανθεὶς

And he came into the meadow, and did not frighten by his appearance

παρθενικάς, πάσῃσι δ’ ἔρως γένετ’ ἐγγὺς ἱκέσθαι

the maidens; and in all of them arose a desire to come near

ψαῦσαι θ’ ἱμερτοῖο βοός, τοῦ δ’ ἄμβροτος ὀδμὴ

and touch the lovely ox; and his divine fragrance

τηλόθι καὶ λειμῶνος ἐκαίνυτο λαρὸν ἀϋτμήν.

surpassed from afar even the sweet scent of the meadow.

στῆ δὲ ποδῶν προπάροιθεν ἀμύμονος Εὐρωπείης,

And he stood before the feet of peerless Europa,

καί οἱ λιχμάζεσκε δέρην, κατέθελγε δὲ κούρην.

and licked her neck, and charmed the maiden.

ἣ δέ μιν ἀμφαφάασκε καὶ ἠρέμα χείρεσιν ἀφρὸν

She caressed him and gently wiped away with her hands the abundant foam

πολλὸν ἀπὸ στομάτων ἀπομόργνυτο, καὶ κύσε ταῦρον.

from his mouth, and kissed the bull.

αὐτὰρ ὃ μειλίχιον μυκήσατο· φαῖό κεν¹ αὐλοῦ

But he lowed gently; you would have said you were hearing

Μυγδονίου γλυκὺν ἦχον ἀνηπύοντος ἀκούειν.

the sweet sound of a Mygdonian flute piping.

ὤκλασε δὲ πρὸ ποδοῖιν, ἐδέρκετο δ’ Εὐρώπειαν

And he sank down before her feet, and looked at Europa,

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αὐχέν’ ἐπιστρέψας καί οἱ πλατὺ δείκνυε νῶτον.

turning his neck, and showed her his broad back.

ἣ δὲ βαθυπλοκάμοισι μετέννεπε παρθενικῇσι·

And she spoke to the deep-tressed maidens:

δεῦθ’ ἑτάραι φίλιαι καὶ ὁμήλικες, ὄφρ’ ἐπὶ τῷδε

”Come, dear companions and age-mates, so that upon this

ἑζόμεναι ταύρῳ τερπώμεθα· δὴ γὰρ ἁπάσας

bull sitting we may delight ourselves; for indeed all of us

νῶτον ὑποστορέσας ἀναδέξεται, οἷά τ’ ἐνηὴς

he will receive, spreading his back beneath us, like a gentle

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πρηΰς τ’ εἰσιδέειν² καὶ μείλιχος, οὐδέ τι ταύροις

and mild to look upon, and sweet, and in no way like other

ἄλλοισι προσέοικε· νόος δέ οἱ ἠΰτε φωτὸς

bulls; and a mind like that of a man

αἴσιμος ἀμφιθέει, μούνης δ’ ἐπιδεύεται αὐδῆς.

run-around-fittingly inside him, and he lacks only speech.”

ὣς φαμένη νώτοισιν ἐφίζανε μειδιόωσα,

So speaking, she sat upon his back, smiling,

αἱ δ’ ἄλλαι μέλλεσκον.³ ἄφαρ δ’ ἀνεπήλατο ταῦρος,

but the others hesitated. And immediately the bull leaped up,

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ἣν θέλεν ἁρπάξας· ὠκὺς δ’ ἐπὶ πόντον ἵκανεν.

having snatched her whom he wanted; and swiftly he came to the sea.

ἣ δὲ μεταστρεφθεῖσα φίλας καλέεσκεν ἑταίρας

And she, turning back, called her dear companions,

χεῖρας ὀρεγνυμένη, ταὶ δ’ οὐκ ἐδύναντο κιχάνειν.

stretching out her hands, but they could not reach her.

ἀκτάων δ’ ἐπιβὰς πρόσσω θέεν ἠΰτε δελφὶς

And stepping upon the shores, he ran forward like a dolphin,

χηλαῖς ἀβρεκτοῖσιν ἐπ’ εὐρέα κύματα βαίνων.

walking upon the wide waves with dry hooves.

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ἣ δὲ τότ’ ἐρχομένοιο γαληνιάασκε θάλασσα,

And then, as he went, the sea grew calm,

κήτεα δ’ ἀμφὶς ἄταλλε Διὸς προπάροιθε ποδοῖιν,

and sea-monsters gamboled all around before the feet of Zeus,

γηθόσυνος δ’ ὑπὲρ οἶδμα κυβίστεε βυσσόθε δελφίς·

and rejoicing, the dolphin tumbled over the swell from the deep;

Νηρεΐδες δ’ ἀνέδυσαν ὑπὲξ ἁλός, αἳ δ’ ἄρα πᾶσαι

and the Nereids rose up from out of the brine, and they all,

κητείοις νώτοισιν ἐφήμεναι ἐστιχόωντο.

sitting upon the backs of sea-monsters, marched in order.

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καὶ δ’ αὐτὸς βαρύδουπος ὑπείραλος Ἐννοσίγαιος

And also the heavy-thundering, ruler of the sea, Earth-shaker himself,

κῦμα κατιθύνων ἁλίης ἠγεῖτο κελεύθου

smoothing the wave, led the way on the marine path

αὐτοκασιγνήτῳ·⁴ τοὶ δ’ ἀμφί μιν ἠγερέθοντο

for his brother; and around him gathered

Τρίτωνες, πόντοιο βαρύθροοι αὐλητῆρες,

the Tritons, the deep-toned pipers of the sea,

κόχλοισιν ταναοῖς γάμιον μέλος ἠπύοντες.

sounding the marriage song with their long conch-shells.

125

ἣ δ’ ἄρ’ ἐφεζομένη Ζηνὸς βοέοις ἐπὶ νώτοις

And she, sitting upon the bovine back of Zeus,

τῇ μὲν ἔχεν ταύρου δολιχὸν κέρας, ἐν χερὶ δ’ ἄλλῃ

held with one hand the long horn of the bull, and in her other hand

εἴρυε πορφυρέην κολποῦ πτύχα, ὄφρά κε μή μιν

drew the purple fold of her garment, so that the immense water

δεύοι⁵ ἐφελκόμενον πολιῆς ἁλὸς ἄσπετον ὕδωρ.

of the grey sea might not wet her as she was dragged along.

κολπώθη δ’ ὤμοισι πέπλος βαθὺς Εὐρωπείης,

And the deep robe of Europa swelled at her shoulders,

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ἱστίον οἷά τε νηός, ἐλαφρίζεσκε δὲ κούρην.

like the sail of a ship, and lightened the maiden.

ἣ δ’ ὅτε δὴ γαίης ἀπὸ πατρίδος ἦεν ἄνευθεν,

But when she was far away from her native land,

φαίνετο δ’ οὔτ’ ἀκτή τις ἁλίρροθος οὔτ’ ὄρος αἰπύ,

and neither any sea-washed shore appeared, nor any steep mountain,

ἀλλ’ ἀὴρ μὲν ἄνωθεν, ἔνερθε δὲ πόντος ἀπείρων,

but only sky above, and the limitless sea below,

ἀμφί ἑ παπτήνασα τόσην ἀνενείκατο φωνήν·

looking around her, she uttered such a voice:

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πῇ με φέρεις θεόταυρε; τίς ἔπλεο; πῶς δὲ κέλευθα

”Whither do you carry me, divine bull? Who are you? And how do you traverse

ἀργαλἔ εἰλιπόδεσσι διέρχεαι, οὐδὲ θάλασσαν

difficult paths with heavy feet, and do not fear

δειμαίνεις; νηυσὶν γὰρ ἐπίδρομός ἐστι θάλασσα

the sea? For the sea is passable for swift-sailing

ὠκυάλοις, ταῦροι δ’ ἁλίην τρομέουσιν ἀταρπόν.

ships, but bulls tremble at the marine path.

ποῖόν τοι ποτὸν ἡδύ; τίς ἐξ ἁλὸς ἔσσετ’ ἐδωδή;

What drink is sweet to you? What food will there be for you from the sea?

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ἦ ἄρα τις θεός ἐσσι· θεοῖς γ’ ἐπεοικότα ῥέζεις.

Surely then you are some god; for you do deeds like the gods.

οὔθ’ ἅλιοι δελφῖνες ἐπὶ χθονὸς οὔτε τι ταῦροι

Neither do sea dolphins march upon the land, nor do any bulls

ἐν πόντῳ στιχόωσι, σὺ δὲ χθόνα καὶ κατὰ πόντον

go within the sea; but you through land and through sea

ἄτρομος ἀΐσσεις, χηλαὶ δέ τοί εἰσιν ἐρετμά.

rush without fear, and your hooves are as oars.

ἦ τάχα καὶ γλαυκῆς ὑπὲρ ἠέρος ὑψόσ’ ἀερθεὶς

Surely soon, lifted up high above the grey air,

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εἴκελος αἰψηροῖσι πετήσεαι οἰωνοῖσιν.

you will fly like swift birds.

ὤμοι ἐγὼ μέγα δή τι δυσάμμορος, ἥ ῥά τε δῶμα

Alas, how very ill-fated I am, who have left behind the house

πατρὸς ἀποπρολιποῦσα καὶ ἑσπομένη βοΐ τῷδε

of my father, and following this bull,

ξείνην ναυτιλίην ἐφέπω καὶ πλάζομαι οἴη.

pursue a strange voyage and wander all alone.

ἀλλὰ σύ μοι μεδέων πολιῆς ἁλὸς Ἐννοσίγαιε

But do you, Earth-shaker, ruler of the grey sea,

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ἵλαος ἀντιάσειας, ὃν ἔλπομαι εἰσοράασθαι

meet me favorably; for I think I see you,

τόνδε κατιθύνοντα πόρον προκέλευθον ἐμεῖο.

guiding this path before me.

οὐκ ἀθεεὶ γὰρ ταῦτα διέρχομαι ὑγρὰ κέλευθα.

For not without a god do I traverse these watery paths.”

ὣς φάτο· τὴν δ’ ὧδε προσεφώνεεν ἠΰκερως βοῦς·

So she spoke; and the well-horn bull addressed her thus:

θάρσει παρθενική, μὴ δείδιθι πόντιον οἶδμα.

”Take courage, maiden, do not fear the swell of the sea.

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αὐτός τοι Ζεύς εἰμι, κεἰ ἐγγύθεν εἴδομαι εἶναι

I am Zeus himself, even if from close by I seem to be

ταῦρος· ἐπεὶ δύναμαί γε φανήμεναι ὅττι θέλοιμι.

a bull; since I can appear as whatever I wish.

σὸς δὲ πόθος μ’ ἀνέηκε τόσην ἅλα μετρήσασθαι

And desire for you impelled me to measure out so great a sea,

ταύρῳ ἐειδόμενον· Κρήτη δέ σε δέξεται ἤδη,

appearing as a bull; and Crete shall receive you now,

ἥ μ’ ἔθρεψε καὶ αὐτόν, ὅπῃ νυμφήϊα σεῖο

which nurtured me too, where your wedding-chamber

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ἔσσεται· ἐξ ἐμέθεν δὲ κλυτοὺς φιτύσεαι υἷας,

shall be; and from me you shall bring forth famous sons,

οἳ σκηπτοῦχοι ἄνακτες ἐπὶ χθονίοισιν ἔσονται.

who shall be scepter-bearing kings over those on earth.”

ὣς φάτο· καὶ τετέλεστο τά περ φάτο. Φαίνετο μὲν δὴ

So he spoke; and what he spoke was fulfilled. And indeed there appeared

Κρήτη, Ζεὺς δὲ πάλιν σφετέρην ἀνελάζετο μορφήν,

Crete, and Zeus took back again his own form,

λῦσε δέ οἱ μίτρην, καί οἱ λέχος ἔντυον Ὧραι.

and he loosed her girdle, and the Horai prepared her bed.

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ἡ δὲ πάρος κούρη Ζηνὸς γένετ’ αὐτίκα νύμφη,

And she, previously a maiden, became straightway the bride of Zeus,

καὶ Κρονίδῃ τέκνα τίκτε καὶ αὐτίκα γίνετο μήτηρ.

and bore children to the son of Cronus, and straightway became a mother.

Syntax notes5 items

97φαῖό κεν
The second-person singular optative of potential (used as an indefinite "one would say") with the particle κεν, expressing potentiality in the past ("you would have said that...").
105εἰσιδέειν
An epexegetic (explanatory) infinitive qualifying the adjectives ἐνηής (gentle) and πρηΰς (mild), functioning like a supine to express "to look upon" or "in appearance."
109μέλλεσκον
An iterative imperfect form (with the Ionic suffix -σκ-) of the verb μέλλω (to be about to, or to delay/hesitate), indicating that the other maidens "were about to" or "were hesitating" while Europa climbed.
122αὐτοκασιγνήτῳ
Dative case depending on the verb of leading ἠγεῖτο (from ἠγέομαι), functioning either as a dative of advantage ("led the way for his brother") or as the direct object governed by the verb.
127μή μιν δεύοι
An optative of purpose introduced by ὄφρα and accompanied by the particle κε, functioning as an oblique optative after the historical main verb εἴρυε to express a potential or contingent intent ("lest it might wet her").

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22)urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0035.tlg002.humanitext-grc2:86-166