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Homeric Hymns · Homeric Hymn 3 to Apollo §483-546

Altar of Apollo Delphinius and Instructions to Cretans

Passage 8 of 8 · Greek

Summary

Apollo commands the Cretans to beach their ship, build an altar, and worship him as Delphinius, which they do. Upon arriving at the temple on Parnassus, they worry about their livelihood on the barren land, but Apollo reassures them that they will thrive on the abundant offerings of the pilgrims, warning them to keep the divine laws.

§483ἕξετʼ ἐμὸν πᾶσιν μάλα τίμιον ἀνθρώποισι, §484βουλάς τʼ ἀθανάτων εἰδήσετε, τῶν ἰότητι §485αἰεὶ τιμήσεσθε διαμπερὲς ἤματα πάντα.
you shall hold my temple, highly honored by all men, and you shall know the counsels of the immortals, by whose will you shall ever be honored continuously for all days.
§486ἀλλʼ ἄγεθʼ, ὡς ἂν ἐγὼ εἴπω, πείθεσθε τάχιστα· §487ἱστία μὲν πρῶτον κάθετον λύσαντε βοείας, §488νῆα δʼ ἔπειτα θοὴν μὲν ἐπʼ ἠπείρου ἐρύσασθε, §489ἐκ δὲ κτήμαθʼ ἕλεσθε καὶ ἔντεα νηὸς ἐίσης §490καὶ βωμὸν ποιήσατʼ ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης· §491πῦρ δʼ ἐπικαίοντες ἐπί τʼ ἄλφιτα λευκὰ θύοντες §492εὔχεσθαι δὴ ἔπειτα παριστάμενοι περὶ βωμόν.
But come, as I shall speak, obey most quickly: first lower the sails, loosening the ox-hide ropes, and then draw the swift ship onto the mainland, and take out the possessions and the tackling of the well-balanced ship, and make an altar upon the surf of the sea; and kindling fire upon it and offering white barley, then pray indeed, standing around the altar.
§493ὡς μὲν ἐγὼ τὸ πρῶτον ἐν ἠεροειδέι πόντῳ §494εἰδόμενος δελφῖνι θοῆς ἐπὶ νηὸς ὄρουσα, §495ὣς ἐμοὶ εὔχεσθαι Δελφινίῳ· αὐτὰρ ὁ βωμὸς §496αὐτὸς Δελφίνιος καὶ ἐπόψιος ἔσσεται αἰεί.
Even as I at the first upon the misty sea, in the likeness of a dolphin, leaped onto the swift ship, so pray to me as Delphinius; and the altar itself shall itself be Delphinius and looker-over for ever.
§497δειπνῆσαί τʼ ἄρʼ ἔπειτα θοῇ παρὰ νηὶ μελαίνῃ §498καὶ σπεῖσαι μακάρεσσι θεοῖς, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν.
And then dine beside the swift black ship, and pour libations to the blessed gods who hold Olympus.
§499αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν σίτοιο μελίφρονος ἐξ ἔρον ἧσθε, §500ἔρχεσθαί θʼ ἅμʼ ἐμοὶ καὶ ἰηπαιήονʼ ἀείδειν, §501εἰς ὅ κε χῶρον ἵκησθον, ἵνʼ ἕξετε πίονα νηόν. <milestone type="endquote"> §502ὣς ἔφαθʼ· οἳ δʼ ἄρα τοῦ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδʼ ἐπίθοντο.
But when you have put away the desire for honey-hearted food, then come along with me and sing the "Ie Paieon," until you come to the place where you shall hold the rich temple." <milestone type="endquote"> So he spoke; and they indeed heard him well and obeyed.
§503ἱστία μὲν πρῶτον κάθεσαν, λῦσαν δὲ βοείας, §504ἱστὸν δʼ ἱστοδόκῃ πέλασαν προτόνοισιν ὑφέντες· §505ἐκ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ βαῖνον ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης.
First they lowered the sails and loosened the ox-hide ropes, and lowered the mast by the forestays and brought it to the mast-holder; and they themselves also went out upon the surf of the sea.
§506ἐκ δʼ ἁλὸς ἤπειρόνδε θοὴν ἀνὰ νῆʼ ἐρύσαντο §507ὑψοῦ ἐπὶ ψαμάθοις, ὑπὸ δʼ ἕρματα μακρὰ τάνυσσαν· §508καὶ βωμὸν ποίησαν ἐπὶ ῥηγμῖνι θαλάσσης· §509πῦρ δʼ ἐπικαίοντες ἐπί τʼ ἄλφιτα λευκὰ θύοντες §510εὔχονθʼ, ὡς ἐκέλευε, παριστάμενοι περὶ βωμόν.
And from the salt sea onto the mainland they drew the swift ship high up onto the sands, and stretched long shores beneath it; and they made an altar upon the surf of the sea; and kindling fire upon it and offering white barley, they prayed, as he commanded, standing around the altar.
§511δόρπον ἔπειθʼ εἵλοντο θοῇ παρὰ νηὶ μελαίνῃ §512καὶ σπεῖσαν μακάρεσσι θεοῖς, οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν.
Then they took their supper beside the swift black ship, and poured libations to the blessed gods who hold Olympus.
§513αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ πόσιος καὶ ἐδητύος ἐξ ἔρον ἕντο, §514βάν ῥʼ ἴμεν· ἦρχε δʼ ἄρα σφιν ἄναξ Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων, §515φόρμιγγʼ ἐν χείρεσσιν ἔχων, ἐρατὸν κιθαρίζων, §516καλὰ καὶ ὕψι βιβάς· οἳ δὲ ῥήσσοντες ἕποντο §517Κρῆτες πρὸς Πυθὼ καὶ ἰηπαιήονʼ ἄειδον, §518οἷοί τε Κρητῶν παιήονες, οἷσί τε Μοῦσα §519ἐν στήθεσσιν ἔθηκε θεὰ μελίγηρυν ἀοιδήν.
But when they had put away the desire for drinking and eating, they started to go; and the lord Apollo, son of Zeus, led them, holding a phorminx in his hands, playing lovely music, stepping high and beautifully; and they followed, stamping the ground, the Cretans, toward Pytho, and they sang the "Ie Paieon," even as the paeans of the Cretans, in whose breasts the goddess Muse has put honey-sweet song.
§520ἄκμητοι δὲ λόφον προσέβαν ποσίν, αἶψα δʼ ἵκοντο §521Παρνησὸν καὶ χῶρον ἐπήρατον, ἔνθʼ ἄρʼ ἔμελλον §522οἰκήσειν πολλοῖσι τετιμένοι ἀνθρώποισι· §523δεῖξε δʼ ἄγων ἄδυτον ζάθεον καὶ πίονα νηόν.
Unwearied they approached the hill on foot, and quickly they came to Parnassus and the lovely place where they were about to dwell, honored by many men; and leading them, he showed the most holy adytum and the rich temple.
§524τῶν δʼ ὠρίνετο θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισι· §525τὸν καὶ ἀνειρόμενος Κρητῶν ἀγὸς ἀντίον ηὔδα· §526<milestone type="startquote"> ὦ ἄνα, εἰ δὴ τῆλε φίλων καὶ πατρίδος αἴης §527ἤγαγες· οὕτω που τῷ σῷ φίλον ἔπλετο θυμῷ· §528πῶς καὶ νῦν βιόμεσθα;
And the heart in their dear breasts was stirred; and the leader of the Cretans, questioning him, spoke in turn: <milestone type="startquote"> "O Lord, since indeed far from our friends and fatherland you have brought us—so, I suppose, it was pleasing to your heart— how indeed shall we now live?
τό σε φράζεσθαι ἄνωγμεν.
We bid you to consider this.
§529οὔτε τρυγηφόρος ἥδε γʼ ἐπήρατος οὔτʼ εὐλείμων, §530ὥστʼ ἀπό τʼ εὖ ζώειν καὶ ἅμʼ ἀνθρώποισιν ὀπάζειν. <milestone type="endquote"> §531τοὺς δʼ ἐπιμειδήσας προσέφη Διὸς υἱὸς Ἀπόλλων· §532<milestone type="startquote"> νήπιοι ἄνθρωποι, δυστλήμονες, οἳ μελεδῶνας §533βούλεσθʼ ἀργαλέους τε πόνους καὶ στείνεα θυμῷ·
This lovely land is neither rich in vintage nor in good meadows, so as to live well from it and at the same time to attend to men." <milestone type="endquote"> And the son of Zeus, Apollo, smiling on them, spoke: <milestone type="startquote"> "Foolish men, wretched ones, who desire cares and painful labors and straits in your heart.
§534ῥηίδιον ἔπος ὔμμʼ ἐρέω καὶ ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θήσω, §535δεξιτερῇ μάλʼ ἕκαστος ἔχων ἐν χειρὶ μάχαιραν, §536σφάζειν αἰεὶ μῆλα· τὰ δʼ ἄφθονα πάντα παρέσται, §537ὅσσα τʼ ἐμοί κʼ ἀγάγωσι περικλυτὰ φῦλʼ ἀνθρώπων·
I will tell you an easy word, and I will lay it in your minds: each having a knife in his right hand, always slaughter sheep; and they shall all be present in abundance, as many as the glorious tribes of men may bring to me.
§538νηὸν δὲ προφύλαχθε, δέδεχθε δὲ φῦλʼ ἀνθρώπων §539ἐνθάδʼ ἀγειρομένων καὶ ἐμὴν ἰθύν τε μάλιστα.
But guard my temple, and receive the tribes of men gathering here, and especially my direction.
§539a[δείκνυσθε θνητοῖσι· σὺ δὲ φρεσὶ δέξο θέμιστα.
[show it to mortal men; and do you receive ordinances in your mind.
§539bεἰ δέ τις ἀφραδίῃς οὐ πείσεται, ἀλλʼ ἀλογήσει] §540ἠέ τι τηΰσιον ἔπος ἔσσεται ἠέ τι ἔργον §541ὕβρις θʼ, ἣ θέμις ἐστὶ καταθνητῶν ἀνθρώπων, §542ἄλλοι ἔπειθʼ ὑμῖν σημάντορες ἄνδρες ἔσονται, §543τῶν ὑπʼ ἀναγκαίῃ δεδμήσεσθʼ ἤματα πάντα.
But if anyone through folly will not obey, but will disregard them,] whether there shall be any empty word or any deed and outrage, which is the custom of mortal men, then other men shall be your rulers, under whose compulsion you shall be subdued for all days.
§544εἴρηταί τοι πάντα· σὺ δὲ φρεσὶ σῇσι φύλαξαι. <milestone type="endquote"> §545καὶ σὺ μὲν οὕτω χαῖρε, Διὸς καὶ Λητοῦς υἱέ· §546αὐτὰρ ἐγὼ καὶ σεῖο καὶ ἄλλης μνήσομʼ ἀοιδῆς.
All has been said to you; do you keep it in your heart." <milestone type="endquote"> And do you thus hail, son of Zeus and Leto; but I will remember both you and another song.

Notes

  1. §487λύσαντε βοείας — The participle `λύσαντε` is dual (nominative masculine), corresponding to the dual verb form `κάθετον` in the same line, despite addressing the group of Cretans. This showcases the epic variation and fluid usage between dual and plural forms.
  2. §493ὡς μὲν... ὣς — A correlative construction where `ὡς μέν` (as/even as) in line 493 introduces the subordinate clause of comparison, and the accented `ὣς` in line 495 introduces the main clause (so/in this manner).
  3. §526εἰ δὴ... ἤγαγες· — The protasis introduced by `εἰ` in line 526 has no direct apodosis, but is followed by `οὕτω που...` in line 527. This functions as an elliptical or exclamatory premise, implying "Since you have indeed brought us here (we must accept it)."
  4. §543τῶν ὑπʼ ἀναγκαίῃ — `τῶν` is a relative pronoun in the genitive case, referring back to the "other rulers" (`ἄλλοι σημάντορες ἄνδρες`) in line 542. It depends on `δεδμήσεσθʼ` (you shall be subdued by/under them), while `ὑπʼ ἀναγκαίῃ` ("under compulsion") is a separate prepositional phrase with the dative.

Cite this passage

Homeric Hymns, Homeric Hymn 3 to Apollo §483-546. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg003.humanitext-grc2:483-546

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