§14λέγεται δὲ τούτοις μαρτυρεῖν καὶ τὸ θεῖον.
And the divine is also said to testify to these things.
πολλοὺς γὰρ παρειλήφαμεν διʼ εὐσέβειαν παρὰ θεῶν ταύτης τυχόντας τῆς δωρεᾶς.
For we have received that many because of their piety obtained this gift from the gods.
ὧν τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους φειδόμενος τῆς συμμετρίας τοῦ συγγράμματος παραλείψω μνησθήσομαι δὲ τῶν ὄντων ἐμφανεστάτων καὶ πᾶσι διὰ στόματος.
Of these, while sparing the symmetry of the book I shall pass over the others, but I shall mention those that are most manifest and in everyone’s mouth.
πρῶτα δή σοι τὰ περὶ Κλέοβιν καὶ Βίτωνα τοὺς Ἀργείους νεανίσκους διηγήσομαι.
First indeed I shall relate to you the story of Cleobis and Biton, the Argive youths.
φασὶ γὰρ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτῶν ἱερείας οὔσης τῆς Ἥρας ἐπειδὴ τῆς εἰς τὸν νεὼν ἀναβάσεως ἧκεν καιρός, τῶν ἑλκόντων τὴν ἀπήνην ὀρέων ὑστερησάντων καὶ τῆς ὥρας ἐπειγούσης, τούτους· ὑποδύντας ὑπὸ τὴν ἀπήνην ἀγαγεῖν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν τὴν μητέρα, τὴν δʼ ὑπερησθεῖσαν τῇ τῶν υἱῶν εὐσεβείᾳ κατεύξασθαι τὸ κράτιστον αὐτοῖς; παρὰ τῆς θεοῦ δοθῆναι τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις, τοὺς δὲ κατακοιμηθέντας μηκέτʼ ἀναστῆναι, τῆς θεοῦ τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀμοιβὴν δωρησαμένης.
For they say that when their mother was a priestess of Hera, and the time had come for her going up to the temple, the mules that were to drag the wagon having been late and the hour pressing, these youths, putting themselves under the wagon, drew their mother to the temple; and she, being exceedingly pleased with the piety of her sons, prayed that the best of things among men be given to them by the goddess; and they, having fallen asleep, rose no more, the goddess having gifted them death as a reward for their piety.
καὶ περὶ Ἀγαμήδους δὲ καὶ Τροφωνίου φησὶ Πίνδαρος τὸν νεὼν τὸν ἐν Δελφοῖς οἰκοδομήσαντας αἰτεῖν παρὰ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος μισθόν, τὸν δʼ αὐτοῖς ἐπαγγείλασθαι εἰς ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν ἀποδώσειν, ἐν τοσούτῳ δʼ εὐωχεῖσθαι παρακελεύσασθαι· τοὺς δὲ ποιήσαντας τὸ προσταχθὲν τῇ ἑβδόμῃ νυκτὶ κατακοιμηθέντας τελευτῆσαι.
And concerning Agamedes and Trophonius, Pindar says that having built the temple in Delphi, they asked a reward from Apollo, and he promised to give it to them on the seventh day, and in the meantime commanded them to feast; and they, having done what was ordered, on the seventh night having fallen asleep died.
λέγεται δὲ καὶ αὐτῷ Πινδάρῳ ἐπισκήψαντι τοῖς παρὰ τῶν Βοιωτῶν πεμφθεῖσιν εἰς θεοῦ πυθέσθαι
τί ἄριστόν ἐστιν ἀνθρώποις
ἀποκρίνασθαι τὴν πρόμαντιν ὅτι οὐδʼ αὐτὸς ἀγνοεῖ, εἴ γε τὰ γραφέντα περὶ Τροφωνίου καὶ Ἀγαμήδους ἐκείνου ἐστίν· εἰ δὲ καὶ πειραθῆναι βούλεται, μετʼ οὐ πολὺ ἔσεσθαι αὐτῷ πρόδηλον.
And it is also said of Pindar himself, when he instructed those sent by the Boeotians to ask of the god what is best for men, the prophetess answered that he himself was not ignorant of it, if indeed the things written about Trophonius and Agamedes were his; but if he also wished to make a trial, it would be clear to him before long.
καὶ οὕτω πυθόμενον τὸν Πίνδαρον συλλογίζεσθαι τὰ πρὸς τὸν θάνατον, διελθόντος δʼ ὀλίγου χρόνου τελευτῆσαι.
And Pindar, having thus heard, gathered his thoughts toward death, and after a short time passed away.
τὰ δὲ περὶ τὸν Ἰταλὸν Εὐθύνοον τοιαῦτά φασι γενέσθαι.
And the stories concerning the Italian Euthynous are said to have happened in this way.
εἶναι μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν Ἠλυσίου πατρὸς Τεριναίου, τῶν ἐκεῖ πρώτου καὶ ἀρετῇ καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ δόξῃ, τελευτῆσαι δʼ ἐξαπίνης αἰτίᾳ τινὶ ἀδήλῳ.
For he was the son of Elysius of Terina, the first of those there in virtue, wealth, and reputation, and died suddenly from some unclear cause.
τὸν οὖν Ἠλύσιον εἰσελθεῖν ὅπερ ἴσως κἂν ἄλλον εἰσῆλθε, μήποτʼ εἴη φαρμάκοις ἀπολωλώς· τοῦτον γὰρ εἶναι μόνον αὐτῷ ἐπʼ οὐσίᾳ πολλῇ καὶ χρήμασιν.
Therefore, there came upon Elysius what perhaps would have come upon anyone else, a suspicion lest he had perished by poisons; for he was his only son for great estate and money.
ἀποροῦντα δʼ ὅτῳ τρόπῳ βάσανον λάβοι τούτων, ἀφικέσθαι ἐπί τι ψυχομαντεῖον, προθυσάμενον δʼ ὡς νόμος ἐγκοιμᾶσθαι καὶ ἰδεῖν ὄψιν τοιάνδε.
And being at a loss in what way he might obtain proof of these things, he came to a certain oracle of the dead, and having offered preliminary sacrifices as is the custom, slept in the temple and saw such a vision.
δόξαι παραγενέσθαι τὸν πατέρα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἰδόντα δὲ διεξέρχεσθαι πρὸς αὐτὸν περὶ τῆς τύχης τῆς κατὰ τὸν υἱόν, καὶ ἀντιβολεῖν τε καὶ δεῖσθαι συνεξευρεῖν τὸν αἴτιον τοῦ θανάτου.
It seemed that his own father appeared, and seeing him, discussed with him the fortune concerning his son, and entreated and begged him to help find out the cause of the death.
καὶ τὸν
ἐπὶ τούτῳ
φάναι
ἥκω.
And his father said, "I have come for this purpose.
ἀλλὰ δέξαι παρὰ τοῦδʼ ἅ σοι φέρει, ἐκ γὰρ τούτων ἅπαντʼ εἴσῃ ὧν πέρι λυπῇ
εἶναι δʼ ὃν ἐσήμηνε νεανίσκον ἑπόμενον αὐτῷ, ἐμφερῆ τε τῷ υἱῷ καὶ τὰ τοῦ χρόνου τε καὶ τὰ τῆς ἡλικίας ἐγγύς.
But receive from this one what he brings to you, for from these things you will know all about which you grieve." And the one whom he indicated was a youth following him, resembling his son and near in point of age and stature.
ἐρέσθαι οὖν ὅστις εἴη.
So he asked who he might be.
καὶ τὸν φάναι
δαίμων τοῦ υἱέος σου,
καὶ οὕτω δὴ ὀρέξαι οἱ γραμματίδιον.
And he said, "The daemon of your son," and therewith stretched out to him a little tablet.
ἀνειλήσαντα οὖν αὐτὸ ἰδεῖν ἐγγεγραμμένα τρία ταῦτα
"
ἧ που νηπιέῃσιν ἀλύουσιν φρένες ἀνδρῶν.
Unrolling it, therefore, he saw these three verses written: "Surely the minds of men wander in folly.
Εὐθύνοος κεῖται μοιριδίῳ θανάτῳ.
Euthynous lies dead by a fated death.
οὐκ ἦν γὰρ ζώειν καλὸν αὐτῷ οὐδὲ γονεῦσι.
For it was not good for him to live, nor for his parents.
"
Τοιαῦτα δή σοι καὶ τὰ τῶν διηγημάτων τῶν παρὰ τοῖς ἀρχαίοις ἀναγεγραμμένων.
"Such, indeed, are also the accounts recorded among the ancients.