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Theocritus · Idylls §22.76-22.150

Polydeuces' Victory and the Conflict of Castor

Passage 31 of 44 · Greek

Summary

Polydeuces defeats the mighty Amycus through his superior boxing skill, forcing him to swear an oath never to harm strangers again. The song then shifts to Castor, depicting the confrontation with the brothers Idas and Lynceus over the abduction of the daughters of Leucippus.

§22.76οἱ δὲ θοῶς συνάγερθεν ὑπὸ σκιερὰς πλατανίστους §22.77κόχλου φυσηθέντος ἀεὶ Βέβρυκες κομόωντες.
When the shell was blown, the long-haired Bebryces quickly gathered under the shady plane trees.
§22.78ὣς δʼ αὔτως ἥρωας ἰὼν ἐκαλέσσατο πάντας §22.79Μαγνήσσης ἀπὸ νηὸς ὑπείροχος ἐν δαῒ Κάστωρ.
Likewise, Castor, pre-eminent in battle, went and called all the heroes from the ship of Magnesia.
§22.80οἱ δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν σπείρῃσιν ἐκαρτύναντο βοείαις §22.81χεῖρας καὶ περὶ γυῖα μακροὺς εἵλιξαν ἱμάντας, §22.82ἐς μέσσον σύναγον φόνον ἀλλήλοισι πνέοντες.
And when they had strengthened their hands with thongs of ox-hide and wound long leather bands around their arms, they met in the midst, breathing slaughter against each other.
§22.83ἔνθα πολύς σφισι μόχθος ἐπειγομένοισιν ἐτύχθη, §22.84ὁππότερος κατὰ νῶτα λάβοι φάος ἠελίοιο·
Then a great struggle arose for them in their eagerness, as to which of the two should get the light of the sun at his back.
§22.85ἰδρείῃ μέγαν ἄνδρα παρήλυθες ὦ Πολύδευκες, §22.86βάλλετο δʼ ἀκτίνεσσιν ἅπαν Ἀμύκοιο πρόσωπον.
By your skill, O Polydeuces, you bypassed the giant, and the whole face of Amycus was struck by the rays of the sun.
§22.87αὐτὰρ ὅγʼ ἐν θυμῷ κεχολωμένος ἵετο πρόσσω, §22.88χερσὶ τιτυσκόμενος.
But he, angered in his heart, rushed forward, aiming with his hands.
τοῦ δʼ ἄκρον τύψε γένειον §22.89Τυνδαρίδης ἐπιόντος· ὀρίνθη δὲ πλέον ἢ πρίν, §22.90σὺν δὲ μάχην ἐτάραξε, πολὺς δʼ ἐπέκειτο νενευκὼς §22.91ἐς γαῖαν.
As he came on, the son of Tyndareus struck the tip of his chin; and he was aroused even more than before, and threw the fight into confusion, pressing heavily, bending down toward the earth.
Βέβρυκες δʼ ἐπαΰτεον, οἱ δʼ ἑτέρωθεν §22.92ἥρωες κρατερὸν Πολυδεύκεα θαρσύνεσκον, §22.93δειδιότες μή πώς μιν ἐπιβρίσας δαμάσειε §22.94χώρῳ ἐνὶ στεινῷ Τιτυῷ ἐναλίγκιος ἀνήρ.
The Bebryces shouted, and from the other side, the heroes cheered on strong Polydeuces, fearing lest this man, like Tityus, should overwhelm and defeat him in the narrow space.
§22.95ἤτοι ὅγʼ ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα παριστάμενος Διὸς υἱὸς §22.96ἀμφοτέρῃσιν ἄμυσσεν ἀμοιβαδίς, ἔσχεθε δʼ ὁρμῆς §22.97παῖδα Ποσειδάωνος ὑπερφίαλόν περ ἐόντα.
Indeed, the son of Zeus, standing now here, now there, bruised him with both hands in turn, and checked the rush of the son of Poseidon, despite his being so arrogant.
§22.98ἔστη δὲ πληγαῖς μεθύων, ἐκ δʼ ἔπτυσεν αἷμα §22.99φοίνιον· οἱ δʼ ἅμα πάντες ἀριστῆες κελάδησαν, §22.100ὡς ἴδον ἕλκεα λυγρὰ περὶ στόμα τε γναθμούς τε· §22.101ὄμματα δʼ οἰδήσαντος ἀπεστείνωτο προσώπου.
And he stood, drunk with blows, and spat out dark-red blood; and all the chiefs together shouted, when they saw the painful wounds around his mouth and jaws; and his eyes grew narrow in his swollen face.
§22.102τὸν μὲν ἄναξ ἐτάρασσεν ἐτώσια χερσὶ προδεικνὺς §22.103πάντοθεν· ἀλλʼ ὅτε δή μιν ἀμηχανέοντʼ ἐνόησε, §22.104μέσσης ῥινὸς ὕπερθε κατʼ ὀφρύος ἤλασε πυγμῇ, §22.105πᾶν δʼ ἀπέσυρε μέτωπον ἐς ὀστέον.
Then the lord confused him, feigning useless blows with his hands from every side; but when he saw him helpless, he struck him with his fist above the middle of the nose, on the brow, and tore all the forehead down to the bone.
αὐτὰρ ὁ πληγεὶς §22.106ὕπτιος ἐν φύλλοισι τεθηλόσιν ἐξετανύσθη.
And he, having been struck, was stretched out flat on his back among the green leaves.
§22.107ἔνθα μάχη δριμεῖα πάλιν γένετʼ ὀρθωθέντος· §22.108ἀλλήλους δʼ ὄλεκον στερεοῖς θείνοντες ἱμᾶσιν.
There a bitter fight arose again when he stood upright, and they bruised each other, striking with the solid thongs.
§22.109ἀλλʼ ὁ μὲν ἐς στῆθός τε καὶ ἔξω χεῖρας ἐνώμα §22.110αὐχένος ἀρχηγὸς Βεβρύκων· ὁ δʼ ἀεικέσι πληγαῖς §22.111πᾶν συνέφυρε πρόσωπον ἀνίκητος Πολυδεύκης.
But the leader of the Bebryces directed his hands toward the chest and outside the neck of his opponent, while unconquered Polydeuces with unsightly blows battered his whole face.
§22.112σάρκες δʼ αἱ μὲν ἱδρῶτι συνίζανον, ἐκ μεγάλου δὲ §22.113αἶψʼ ὀλίγος γένετʼ ἀνδρός· ὁ δʼ αἰεὶ πάσσονα γυῖα §22.114ἁπτομένου φορέεσκε πόνου καὶ χροιῇ ἀμείνων.
And his flesh shrank with sweat, and from a huge man he quickly became small; but the other always bore stronger limbs as the toil went on, and grew better in complexion.
§22.115πῶς γὰρ δὴ Διὸς υἱὸς ἀδηφάγον ἄνδρα καθεῖλεν;
How indeed did the son of Zeus lay low the gluttonous man?
§22.116εἰπὲ θεά, σὺ γὰρ οἶσθα· ἐγὼ δʼ ἑτέρων ὑποφήτης §22.117φθέγξομαι, ὡς ἐθέλεις σύ, καὶ ὅππως τοι φίλον αὐτῇ.
Tell, goddess, for you know; and I, as the interpreter for others, will speak as you wish and as is pleasing to you.
§22.118Ἤτοι ὅγε ῥέξαί τι λιλαιόμενος μέγα ἔργον §22.119σκαιῇ μὲν σκαιὴν Πολυδεύκεος ἔλλαβε χεῖρα, §22.120δοχμὸς ἀπὸ προβολῆς κλινθείς, ἑτέρῃ δʼ ἐπιβαίνων §22.121δεξιτερῆς ἤνεγκεν ἀπὸ λαγόνος πλατὺ γυῖον.
Indeed, he, desiring to achieve some great deed, seized the left hand of Polydeuces with his own left hand, leaning sideways from his guard; and reaching out with his other hand, he brought his broad arm from his right flank.
§22.122καί κε τυχὼν ἔβλαψεν Ἀμυκλαίων βασιλῆα.
And had he hit his mark, he would have harmed the king of the Amyclaeans.
§22.123ἀλλʼ ὅγʼ ὑπεξανέδυ κεφαλῇ, στιβαρῇ δʼ ἅμα χειρὶ §22.124πλῆξεν ὑπὸ σκαιὸν κρόταφον καὶ ἐπέμπεσεν ὤμῳ· §22.125ἐκ δʼ ἐχύθη μέλαν αἷμα θοῶς κροτάφοιο χανόντος·
But he ducked his head, and with his powerful hand struck him under the left temple, and threw his weight onto his shoulder; and dark blood quickly poured out from the gaping temple.
§22.126λαιῇ δὲ στόμα κόψε, πυκνοὶ δʼ ἀράβησαν ὀδόντες· §22.127αἰεὶ δʼ ὀξυτέρῳ πιτύλῳ δηλεῖτο πρόσωπον, §22.128μέχρι συνηλοίησε παρήια.
And with his left hand he struck his mouth, and his teeth rattled closely; and with an ever faster onslaught he battered his face, until he crushed his cheeks.
πᾶς δʼ ἐπὶ γαίῃ §22.129κεῖτʼ ἀλλοφρονέων, καὶ ἀνέσχεθε νεῖκος ἀπαυδῶν §22.130ἀμφοτέρας ἅμα χεῖρας, ἐπεὶ θανάτου σχεδὸν ἦεν.
And he lay all upon the ground, losing his senses, and held up both hands together, renouncing the contest, since he was near death.
§22.131τὸν μὲν ἄρα κρατέων περ ἀτάσθαλον οὐδὲν ἔρεξας, §22.132ὦ πύκτη Πολύδευκες· ὄμοσσε δέ τοι μέγαν ὅρκον, §22.133ὃν πατέρʼ ἐκ πόντοιο Ποσειδάωνα κικλήσκων, §22.134μήποτʼ ἔτι ξείνοισιν ἑκὼν ἀνιηρὸς ἔσεσθαι.
To him, then, though victorious, you did nothing outrageous, O boxer Polydeuces; and he swore to you a great oath, calling upon his father Poseidon from the sea, that he would never again willingly be troublesome to strangers.
§22.135καὶ σὺ μὲν ὕμνησαί μοι ἄναξ. σὲ δὲ Κάστορ ἀείσω, §22.136Τυνδαρίδη ταχύπωλε δορυσσόε χαλκεοθώρηξ.
And you indeed have been sung by me, O lord; but now I will sing of you, Castor, son of Tyndareus, of the swift steeds, shaker of the spear, clad in bronze breastplate.
§22.137τὼ μὲν ἀναρπάξαντε δύω φερέτην Διὸς υἱὼ §22.138δοιὰς Λευκίπποιο κόρας· δοιὼ δʼ ἄρα τώγε §22.139ἐσσυμένως ἐδίωκον ἀδελφεὼ υἷʼ Ἀφαρῆος, §22.140γαμβρὼ μελλογάμω, Λυγκεὺς καὶ ὁ καρτερὸς Ἴδας.
These two sons of Zeus, having seized them, were carrying off the two daughters of Leucippus; and those two, the brothers, sons of Aphareus, Lynceus and strong Idas, eagerly pursued them, betrothed grooms as they were.
§22.141ἀλλʼ ὅτε τύμβον ἵκανον ἀποφθιμένου Ἀφαρῆος, §22.142ἐκ δίφρων ἅμα πάντες ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν ὄρουσαν, §22.143ἔγχεσι καὶ κοίλοισι βαρυνόμενοι σακέεσσι.
But when they came to the tomb of dead Aphareus, all together rushed from their chariots upon each other, laden with spears and hollow shields.
§22.144Λυγκεὺς δʼ αὖ μετέειπεν ὑπὲκ κόρυθος μέγʼ ἀύσας· §22.145δαιμόνιοι, τί μάχης ἱμείρετε;
And Lynceus, in turn, spoke to them, shouting loudly from under his helmet: "Strange men, why do you desire a battle?
πῶς δʼ ἐπὶ νύμφαις §22.146ἀλλοτρίαις χαλεποί, γυμναὶ δʼ ἐν χερσὶ μάχαιραι;
And how are you so harsh over the brides of others, and why are bare swords in your hands?
§22.147ἡμῖν τοι Λεύκιππος ἑὰς ἕδνωσε θύγατρας §22.148τάσδε πολὺ προτέροις, ἡμῖν γάμος οὗτος ἐν ὅρκῳ·
To us indeed, Leucippus betrothed these daughters of his, long before; to us this marriage is confirmed by oath.
§22.149ὑμεῖς δʼ οὐ κατὰ κόσμον ἐπʼ ἀλλοτρίοις λεχέεσσιν §22.150βουσὶ καὶ ἡμιόνοισι καὶ ἄλλοισι κτεάτεσσιν
But you, contrary to what is right, for the sake of others' beds, with cattle and mules and other possessions..."

Notes

  1. §22.84ὁππότερος κατὰ νῶτα λάβοι — The optative `λάβοι` is used in an indirect question introduced by the relative/interrogative pronoun `ὁππότερος`, depending on the past main verb `ἐτύχθη` (optative of oblique discourse). It represents the subjective goal or struggle of the competitors.
  2. §22.93μή πώς μιν ἐπιβρίσας δαμάσειε — The optative `δαμάσειε` is used in a clause of fear introduced by `μή` after the participle `δειδιότες`, which is set in a past-tense context with the imperfect `θαρσύνεσκον`. It denotes a prospective fear regarding an ongoing threat.
  3. §22.122καί κε τυχὼν ἔβλαψεν — The combination of the particle `κε`, the aorist indicative `ἔβλαψεν`, and the nominative participle `τυχών` (functioning as a conditional clause: 'if he had hit') constitutes the apodosis of a past contrary-to-fact condition.

Cite this passage

Theocritus, Idylls §22.76-22.150. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0005.tlg001.humanitext-grc2:22.76-22.150

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