(Neither do we desire) dread battles, nor let any foolish person among us touch your tongue with inhospitable words.
§247μή με μὴ προψαλ[άξῃς κακοῖς, §248ἀλλʼ [εὐ]πετῶς μοι πρ[όφανον τὸ πρᾶγ- §249μʼ, ἐν [τ]όποις τοῖς[δε τίς νέρθε γᾶς ὧδʼ ἀγα- §250στῶς ἐγάρυσε θέσπιν αὐδά[ν.
Do not, do not provoke me with harsh words, but easily reveal to me the matter, namely who in these places beneath the earth has so wonderfully uttered this wondrous voice.
§251ταῦτʼ ἔστʼ ἐκείνων νῦν [ τρόπων πεπαίτερα, §252καὶ τοῖσδε θηρῶν ἐκπύ[θοιο μᾶλλον ἂν §253ἀλκασμάτων δ[ειλῆ]ς [τε πειρατηρίων §254νύμφης· ἐμοὶ γὰ[ρ οὐ]κ [ἀρεστόν ἐστʼ ἔριν
These words are now gentler than those previous ways, and by these you beasts would rather learn from me than by acts of violence and cowardly attempts upon a nymph; for it is not pleasing to me to raise a loud-clashing strife in words.
§255ὀρθοψάλακτον εν [λ]όγο[ις]ιν [ἱστάναι. §256ἀλλʼ ἥσυχος πρόφαινε καὶ μ[ή]νυ[έ μοι §257ὅτου μάλιστα πράγματος χρείαν ἔχεις.
But quietly reveal and tell me of what matter you have the greatest need.
§258τόπων ἄνασσα τῶν[δ]ε, Κυλλήνης σθένος, §259ὅτου μὲν οὕνεκʼ ἦλθ[ο]ν, ὕστερον φράσω· §260τὸ φθέγμα δʼ ἡμῖν τοῦ[θʼ] ὅπερ φωνεῖ φράσον §261καὶ τίς ποτʼ αὐτῷ δι[α]χαράσσεται βροτῶν.
Mistress of these places, strength of Kyllene, for what reason I came, I will tell later; but tell us of this sound which is uttering a voice, and who on earth is playing upon it.
§262ὑμᾶς μὲν αὐτοὺς χρὴ τάδʼ εἰδέναι σαφῶς §263ὡς εἰ φανεῖτε τὸν λ[ό]γον τὸν ἐξ ἐμοῦ, §264αὐτοῖσιν ὑμῖ[ν ζ]ημία πορίζεται· §265καὶ γὰρ κέκρυπτ[αι] τοὖργον ἐν [θ]ε[ῶ]ν ἕδραις, §266Ἥραν ὅπως μ[ὴ πύ]στ[ι]ς ἵξετα[ι] λόγου.
You yourselves must know this clearly, that if you reveal the story told by me, punishment is prepared for you yourselves; for the deed has been hidden in the dwellings of the gods, so that the report of the matter may not reach Hera.
For Zeus went into the secret chamber of the daughter of Atlas,...
§269[ ]υ [ ]φιλας
...
§270[ ] λήθῃ τῆς βαθυζώνου θεᾶς §271[κατὰ σπέ]ος δὲ παῖδʼ ἐφίτυσεν μόνον· §272[τοῦτον δὲ] χερσὶ ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἐγὼ τρέφω· §273[μητρὸς γ]ὰρ ἰσχὺς ἐν νόσῳ χειμάζεται· §274[κἀδεστ]ὰ καὶ ποτῆτα καὶ κοιμήματα §275[πρὸς σπ]αργάνοις μένουσα λικνῖτιν τροφὴν §276[ἐξευθ]ετίζω νύκτα καὶ καθʼ ἡμέραν.
escape the notice of the deep-girdled goddess, and in the cave he begot a single child; and this child I myself rear with my own hands; for the strength of his mother is troubled with sickness; and food, drink, and sleep, remaining by his cradle, this cradle-care I set in order night and day.
And he grows day by day beyond all expectation, very great, so that wonder and fear hold me.
§279[οὔπω γ]ὰρ ἑκτὸν ἦμαρ ἐκπεφασμέν[ο]ς §280[γυίοι]ς ἐρείδει παιδὸς εἰς ἥβης ἀκμήν, §281[κἀξορ]μενίζει κοὐκέτι σχολάζεται §282[βλάστη· ] τοιόνδε παῖδα θησαυρὸς στέγει.
For not yet six days since he appeared, he presses with his limbs toward the peak of youth, and his growth shoots forth and is no longer delayed; such a child does this treasure-chamber conceal.
§283[δυσεύρε]τός [τʼ ἔτʼ] ἐστι τοῦ πατρὸς θέσει.
and he is still hard to find by his father's design.
§284[ἀφανεῖ δʼ ὃ πεύθῃ φ]θέγμα μηχανῇ βρέμ[ον §285καὶ π[όλ]λʼ ἐθά]μβεις αὐτὸ]ς, ἡμέρᾳ μιᾳ §286ἐξ ὑπτίας κ[ίστη γʼ ἐμηχ]ανήσατο· §287τοιόνδε θη[ρὸς ἐκ θανόντ]ος ἡδονῆς §288ἔμμεστον α[γγος εὗρε κ]αὶ κάτω δ[ονεῖ.
And the voice which you ask about, sounding with an unseen device, at which you yourself were greatly astonished, in a single day he fashioned from an upturned chest (tortoise-shell); from a dead beast he found such a vessel full of delight, and shakes it below.
] §290ἄφραστ[ο ] παῖς βοῆς
unspeakable... child... cry...
§291παιδο[ ]μαζεις[
...
§292θηρευμ[α ]λέγεις
you speak of a quarry...
§293φώνημ[α ]σεθου[
voice...
§294τόνδʼ αφ[ ]ον[
this...
§295τως ἐξεφ[ ]
thus...
§296ροντʼ ἄπα[ ] ἐ[κ θανόν-
...
§297τος πορίζειν τοιάνδε γῆρυν.
to provide such a voice from a dead thing.
§298μὴ νῦν ἀπίστει· πιστὰ γάρ σε προσγελᾷ θεᾶς ἔπη.
Do not disbelieve now; for the trustworthy words of the goddess smile upon you.
§300καὶ πῶς πίθωμαι τοῦ θανόντος φθέγμα τοιοῦτον βρέμειν;
And how can I believe that a voice of a dead thing sounds like this?
§301πιθοῦ· θανὼν γὰρ ἔσχε φωνήν, ζῶν δʼ ἄναυδος ἦν ὁ θήρ.
Believe it; for when dead the beast acquired a voice, but while living it was speechless.
§302ποῖός τις ἦν εἶδος;
What was it like in appearance?
πρ[ο]μήκης, ἢ ʼπίκυρτος, ἢ βραχύς;
Long, or curved, or short?
§303βραχύς, χυτρώδης, πο[ι]κίλῃ δορᾷ κατερρικνωμένος.
Short, pot-like, shriveled with a dappled skin.
§304ὡς αἰέλουρος εἰκάσαι πέφυκεν ἢ τὼς πόρδαλις;
Is it like a cat, or rather a leopard?
§305πλεῖστον με[τ]αξύ· γογγύλον γάρ ἐστι καὶ βραχυσκελές.
Far from it; for it is round and short-legged.
§306οὐδʼ ὡς ἰχνευμων προσφερὲς πέφυκεν οὐδʼ ὡς καρκίνοσ;
Is it not like an ichneumon, nor like a crab?
§307οὐδʼ αὖ τοιοῦτ[ό]ν ἐστιν· ἀλλʼ ἄλλον τινʼ ἐξευροῦ τρόπον.
No, it is not like that either; but find another comparison.
§308ἀλλʼ ὡς κεράστ[η]ς κάνθαρος δῆτʼ ἐστὶν Αἰτναῖος φυήν;
But is it like a horned beetle of Etna in nature?
§309νῦν ἐγγὺς ἔγν[ως] ᾧ μάλιστα προσφερὲς τὸ κνώδαλον.
Now you have come near to what the beast is most like.
§310τ[ί δʼ αὖ τὸ ] φων[οῦ]ν ἐστιν αὐτοῦ, τοὐντὸς ἢ τοὔξω, φράσον.
Tell me, what is the sounding part of it, the inside or the outside?
§311[ ]λο[ φ]ορίνη σύγγονος τῶν ὀστράκων.
...a skin, akin to the shells.
§312[ποῖον δὲ τοὔνομʼ ἐν]νέ[πει]ς;
What is the name you speak of?
πόρσυνον, εἴ τι πλέον ἔχεις.
Provide it, if you have anything more.
§313[τὸν θῆρα μὲν χέλυν, τὸ φωνο]ῦν δʼ αὖ λύραν ὁ παῖς καλεῖ.
The beast the boy calls a tortoise, and the sounding part a lyre.
§314[ ] κτέανον ησύ[ ] τινι;
...possession... quietly...