§439νῦν δʼ ἄγε μοι τόδε εἰπέ, πολύτροπε Μαιάδος υἱέ, §440ἦ σοί γʼ ἐκ γενετῆς τάδʼ ἅμʼ ἕσπετο θαυματὰ ἔργα §441ἠέ τις ἀθανάτων ἠὲ θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων §442δῶρον ἀγαυὸν ἔδωκε καὶ ἔφρασε θέσπιν ἀοιδήν;
'But come now, tell me this, resourceful son of Maia: did these wondrous works accompany you right from your birth, or did someone of the immortals or of mortal men give you this noble gift and teach you divine song?
§443θαυμασίην γὰρ τήνδε νεήφατον ὄσσαν ἀκούω, §444ἣν οὐ πώ ποτέ φημι δαήμεναι οὔτε τινʼ ἀνδρῶν §445οὔτε τινʼ ἀθανάτων, οἳ Ὀλύμπια δώματʼ ἔχουσι, §446νόσφι σέθεν, φηλῆτα, Διὸς καὶ Μαιάδος υἱέ.
For this wondrous, newly-uttered voice I hear, which I declare no one has ever learned, neither of men nor of the immortals who possess Olympian dwellings, except for you, robber, son of Zeus and Maia.
§447τίς τέχνη, τίς μοῦσα ἀμηχανέων μελεδώνων,
What is this art? What is this Muse of remediless cares?
§448τίς τρίβος;
What is this path?
ἀτρεκέως γὰρ ἅμα τρία πάντα πάρεστιν, §449εὐφροσύνην καὶ ἔρωτα καὶ ἥδυμον ὕπνον ἑλέσθαι.
For truly three things are all present together, to choose gladness, and love, and sweet sleep.
§450καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ Μούσῃσιν Ὀλυμπιάδεσσιν ὀπηδός, §451τῇσι χοροί τε μέλουσι καὶ ἀγλαὸς οἶμος ἀοιδῆς §452καὶ μολπὴ τεθαλυῖα καὶ ἱμερόεις βρόμος αὐλῶν· §453ἀλλʼ οὔ πω τί μοι ὧδε μετὰ φρεσὶν ἄλλο μέλησεν, §454οἷα νέων θαλίῃς ἐνδέξια ἔργα πέλονται.
For I too am a follower of the Olympian Muses, who care for dances and the glorious path of song, and rich singing and the lovely sound of flutes; but never yet has anything else so occupied my mind, such as these clever deeds performed at the feasts of young men.
§455θαυμάζω, Διὸς υἱέ, τάδʼ, ὡς ἐρατὸν κιθαρίζεις.
I marvel, son of Zeus, at this, how lovely you play the lyre.
§456νῦν δʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν ὀλίγος περ ἐὼν κλυτὰ μήδεα οἶδας, §457ἷζε, πέπον, καὶ μῦθον ἐπαίνει πρεσβυτέροισι· §458νῦν γάρ τοι κλέος ἔσται ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι §459σοί τʼ αὐτῷ καὶ μητρί· τὸ δʼ ἀτρεκέως ἀγορεύσω· §460ναὶ μὰ τόδε κρανέινον ἀκόντιον, ἦ μὲν ἐγώ σε §461κυδρὸν ἐν ἀθανάτοισι καὶ ὄλβιον ἡγεμόνʼ εἵσω §462δώσω τʼ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα καὶ ἐς τέλος οὐκ ἀπατήσω. <milestone type="endquote"/> §463τὸν δʼ Ἑρμῆς μύθοισιν ἀμείβετο κερδαλέοισιν· §464<milestone type="startquote"/> εἰρωτᾷς μʼ, Ἐκάεργε, περιφραδές·
But now, since though small you know such glorious wisdom, sit down, my friend, and yield to the words of your elders; for now you shall have glory among the immortal gods, both you yourself and your mother; and this I will tell you truly: yes, by this cornel-wood spear, I will surely place you as a glorious and prosperous guide among the immortals, and I will give you glorious gifts and will not deceive you in the end.' <milestone type="endquote"/> And Hermes answered him with crafty words: <milestone type="startquote"/> 'You question me very closely, Far-shooter; but I do not grudge that you should enter upon our art.
αὐτὰρ ἐγώ σοι §465τέχνης ἡμετέρης ἐπιβήμεναι οὔ τι μεγαίρω. §466σήμερον εἰδήσεις· ἐθέλω δέ τοι ἤπιος εἶναι
Today you shall know it; and I wish to be gentle to you in counsel and in words.
§467βουλῇ καὶ μύθοισι. σὺ δὲ φρεσὶ πάντʼ εὖ οἶδας· §468πρῶτος γάρ, Διὸς υἱέ, μετʼ ἀθανάτοισι θαάσσεις, §469ἠύς τε κρατερός τε· φιλεῖ δέ σε μητίετα Ζεὺς §470ἐκ πάσης ὁσίης, ἔπορεν δέ τοι ἀγλαὰ δῶρα.
And you know all things well in your mind; for you sit first among the immortals, son of Zeus, both good and strong; and counseling Zeus loves you with all holy affection, and has granted you glorious gifts.
And they say that you have learned from the voice of Zeus honors, and prophecies, Far-shooter, from Zeus, and all divine decrees.
Of these, I myself now know that you are very rich; and it is in your own power to learn whatever you desire.
§475ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ οὖν τοι θυμὸς ἐπιθύει κιθαρίζειν, §476μέλπεο καὶ κιθάριζε καὶ ἀγλαίας ἀλέγυνε §477δέγμενος ἐξ ἐμέθεν· σὺ δέ μοι, φίλε, κῦδος ὄπαζε.
But since then your heart is eager to play the lyre, sing and play, and care for gladness, receiving it from me; and do you, my friend, grant me glory.
Sing well with the clear-voiced companion in your hands, knowing how to speak beautifully and well in due order.
§480εὔκηλος μὲν ἔπειτα φέρειν ἐς δαῖτα θάλειαν §481καὶ χορὸν ἱμερόεντα καὶ ἐς φιλοκυδέα κῶμον §482εὐφροσύνην νυκτός τε καὶ ἤματος.
Then carry it untroubled into the rich feast, and the lovely dance, and the glory-loving revel, a joy of night and day.
ὅς τις ἂν αὐτὴν §483τέχνῃ καὶ σοφίῃ δεδαημένος ἐξερεείνῃ, §484φθεγγομένη παντοῖα νόῳ χαρίεντα διδάσκει §485ῥεῖα συνηθείῃσιν ἀθυρομένη μαλακῇσιν,
Whosoever questions her, being skilled in art and wisdom, she utters all kinds of pleasing things and teaches the mind, being easily played with gentle familiarity, avoiding painful labor.
§486ἐργασίην φεύγουσα δυήπαθον· ὃς δέ κεν αὐτὴν §487νῆις ἐὼν τὸ πρῶτον ἐπιζαφελῶς ἐρεείνῃ, §488μὰψ αὔτως κεν ἔπειτα μετήορά τε θρυλλίζοι.
But whosoever being ignorant questions her violently at first, she would then babble foolishly in vain and out of tune.
§489σοὶ δʼ αὐτάγρετόν ἐστι δαήμεναι, ὅττι μενοινᾷς.
But it is in your own power to learn whatever you desire.
§490καὶ τοι ἐγὼ δώσω ταύτην, Διὸς ἀγλαὲ κοῦρε· §491ἡμεῖς δʼ αὖτʼ ὄρεός τε καὶ ἱπποβότου πεδίοιο §492βουσὶ νομούς, Ἐκάεργε, νομεύσομεν ἀγραύλοισιν.
And indeed I will give her to you, glorious son of Zeus; and we on our part will graze the field-dwelling cattle in the pastures, Far-shooter, of the country-dwelling cows.
§493ἔνθεν ἅλις τέξουσι βόες ταύροις· , μιγεῖσαι §494μίγδην θηλείας τε καὶ ἄρσενας· οὐδέ τί σε χρὴ §495κερδαλέον περ ἐόντα περιζαμενῶς κεχολῶσθαι. <milestone type="endquote"/> §496ὣς εἰπὼν ὤρεξʼ· ὃ δʼ ἐδέξατο Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων, §497Ἐρμῇ δʼ ἐγγυάλιξεν ἑκὼν μάστιγα φαεινήν, §498βουκολίας τʼ ἐπέτελλεν·
Then the cows mating with the bulls will breed abundantly, both female and male together; and there is no need for you, clever though you are, to be exceedingly angry.' <milestone type="endquote"/> So saying, he held it out; and Phoebus Apollo accepted it, and willingly put a shining whip into Hermes' hand, and gave him charge of herding cattle.
ἔδεκτο δὲ Μαιάδος υἱὸς §499γηθήσας· κίθαριν δὲ λαβὼν ἐπʼ ἀριστερὰ χειρὸς §500Λητοῦς ἀγλαὸς υἱός, ἄναξ ἑκάεργος Ἀπόλλων, §501πλήκτρῳ ἐπειρήτιζε κατὰ μένος· ἣ δʼ ὑπένερθε §502σμερδαλέον κονάβησε· θεὸς δʼ ὑπὸ καλὸν ἄεισεν.
And the son of Maia accepted it, rejoicing; and the glorious son of Leto, Lord Far-shooter Apollo, taking the lyre in his left hand, tested it key by key with the plectrum; and under his hand it rang out wondrously, and the god sang beautifully to it.
§503ἔνθα βόας μὲν ἔπειτα ποτὶ ζάθεον λειμῶνα §504ἐτραπέτην· αὐτοὶ δέ, Διὸς περικαλλέα τέκνα, §505ἄψορροι πρὸς Ὄλυμπον ἀγάννιφον ἐρρώσαντο §506τερπόμενοι φόρμιγγι· χάρη δʼ ἄρα μητιέτα Ζεύς, §507ἄμφω δʼ ἐς φιλότητα συνήγαγε·
Then they turned the cattle toward the sacred meadow; and they themselves, the two beautiful children of Zeus, hastened back to snowy Olympus, delighting in the lyre; and counseling Zeus rejoiced, and joined them both in friendship.