§510ἱμερτήν, δεδαώς, ὃ δʼ ἐπωλένιον κιθάριζεν· §511αὐτὸς δʼ αὖθʼ ἑτέρης σοφίης ἐκμάσσατο τέχνην· §512συρίγγων ἐνοπὴν ποιήσατο τηλόθʼ ἀκουστήν.
He learned the lovely lyre, and played it holding it on his arm; but Hermes himself on his part devised the art of another wisdom: he made the sound of shepherd's pipes, audible from afar.
§513καὶ τότε Λητοΐδης Ἑρμῆν πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπε· §514<milestone type="startquote"/> δείδια, Μαιάδος υἱέ, διάκτορε, ποικιλομῆτα, §515μή μοι ἅμα κλέψῃς κίθαριν καὶ καμπύλα τόξα· §516τιμὴν γὰρ πὰρ Ζηνὸς ἔχεις ἐπαμοίβια ἔργα §517θήσειν ἀνθρώποισι κατὰ χθόνα πουλυβότειραν.
And then the son of Leto spoke a word to Hermes: <milestone type="startquote"> 'I fear, son of Maia, messenger, guide, of various wiles, lest you should steal both my lyre and my curved bow at the same time; for you have honor from Zeus to establish exchange of works among men throughout the all-nourishing earth.
§518ἀλλʼ εἴ μοι τλαίης γε θεῶν μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμόσσαι, §519ἢ κεφαλῇ νεύσας ἢ ἐπὶ Στυγὸς ὄβριμον ὕδωρ, §520πάντʼ ἂν ἐμῷ θυμῷ κεχαρισμένα καὶ φίλα ἔρδοις. <milestone type="endquote"/> §521καὶ τότε Μαιάδος υἱὸς ὑποσχόμενος κατένευσε, §522μή ποτʼ ἀποκλέψειν, ὅσʼ Ἑκηβόλος ἐκτεάτισται, §523μηδέ ποτʼ ἐμπελάσειν πυκινῷ δόμῳ· αὐτὰρ Ἀπόλλων §524Λητοΐδης κατένευσεν ἐπʼ ἀρθμῷ καὶ φιλότητι, §525μή τινα φίλτερον ἄλλον ἐν ἀθανάτοισιν ἔσεσθαι, §526μήτε θεὸν μήτʼ ἄνδρα Διὸς γόνον· ἐκ δὲ τέλειον §526a[αἰετὸν ἧκε πατήρ· ὁ δʼ ἐπώμοσεν· ἦ σε μάλʼ οἶον] §527<milestone type="startquote"/> σύμβολον ἀθανάτων ποιήσομαι ἠδʼ ἅμα πάντων, §528πιστὸν ἐμῷ θυμῷ καὶ τίμιον· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα §529ὄλβου καὶ πλούτου δώσω περικαλλέα ῥάβδον, §530χρυσείην, τριπέτηλον, ἀκήριον ἥ σε φυλάξει §531πάντας ἐπικραίνουσʼ ἄθλους ἐπέων τε καὶ ἔργων §532τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ὅσα φημὶ δαήμεναι ἐκ Διὸς ὀμφῆς.
But if you would dare to swear to me the great oath of the gods, either by nodding your head or by the mighty water of Styx, you would perform everything pleasing and dear to my heart.' <milestone type="endquote"/> And then the son of Maia promised and nodded in assent, never to steal whatsoever the Far-shooter possesses, nor ever to draw near to his sturdy house; but Apollo, the son of Leto, nodded in covenant and friendship, that no other among the immortals should be dearer, neither god nor man born of Zeus; and as a perfect sign, [the Father sent an eagle; and he swore: "Indeed I will make you alone] <milestone type="startquote"> a symbol of the immortals and of all together, trusty to my heart and honored; and thereafter I will give a beautiful rod of prosperity and wealth, golden, three-leaved, immortal, which shall keep you safe, accomplishing all the works of good words and deeds which I declare I learned from the voice of Zeus.
§533μαντείην δέ, φέριστε, διοτρεφές, ἣν ἐρεείνεις, §534οὔτε σὲ θέσφατόν ἐστι δαήμεναι οὔτε τινʼ ἄλλον §535ἀθανάτων· τὸ γὰρ οἶδε Διὸς νόος· αὐτὰρ ἐγώ γε §536πιστωθεὶς κατένευσα καὶ ὤμοσα καρτερὸν ὅρκον, §537μή τινα νόσφιν ἐμεῖο θεῶν αἰειγενετάων §538ἄλλον γʼ εἴσεσθαι Ζηνὸς πυκινόφρονα βουλήν.
But as for prophecy, noble one, nurtured by Zeus, which you ask about, it is not ordained by divine decree for you to learn it, nor for any other of the immortals; for the mind of Zeus knows it; but I on my part gave a pledge, nodded assent and swore a mighty oath, that no other of the ever-living gods apart from me should know the deep-counseling will of Zeus.
And you, my brother with the golden rod, do not bid me to declare the divine decrees which wide-seeing Zeus plans.
I will harm one of men, and benefit another, greatly troubling the unenviable tribes of men.
§543καὶ μὲν ἐμῆς ὀμφῆς ἀπονήσεται, ὅς τις ἂν ἔλθῃ §544φωνῇ καὶ πτερύγεσσι τεληέντων οἰωνῶν· §545οὗτος ἐμῆς ὀμφῆς ἀπονήσεται, οὐδʼ ἀπατήσω.
And indeed he shall benefit from my voice, whosoever shall come by the voice and wings of birds of perfect omen; this man shall benefit from my voice, and I will not deceive him.
§546ὃς δέ κε μαψιλόγοισι πιθήσας οἰωνοῖσι §547μαντείην ἐθέλῃσι παρὲκ νόον ἐξερεείνειν §548ἡμετέρην, νοέειν δὲ θεῶν πλέον αἰὲν ἐόντων, §549φήμʼ, ἁλίην ὁδὸν εἶσιν. ἐγὼ δέ κε δῶρα δεχοίμην.
But whosoever, trusting in idle-chattering birds, wishes to question our prophecy contrary to its meaning, and to know more than the ever-living gods, I declare, he shall go on a vain journey; but I would accept his gifts.
§550ἄλλο δέ τοι ἐρέω, Μαίης ἐρικυδέος υἱὲ §551καὶ Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο, θεῶν ἐριούνιε δαῖμον· §552σεμναὶ γὰρ τινες εἰσί, κασίγνηται γεγαυῖαι, §553παρθένοι, ὠκείῃσιν ἀγαλλόμεναι πτερύγεσσι, §554τρεῖς· κατὰ δὲ κρατὸς πεπαλαγμέναι ἄλφιτα λευκά, §555οἰκία ναιετάουσιν ὑπὸ πτυχὶ Παρνησοῖο, §556μαντείης ἀπάνευθε διδάσκαλοι, ἣν ἐπὶ βουσὶ §557παῖς ἔτʼ ἐὼν μελέτησα·
And another thing I will tell you, glorious son of Maia and of aegis-bearing Zeus, helpful divinity among the gods: for there are certain venerable ones, sisters born, virgins, exulting in swift wings, three; and sprinkled with white barley-meal on their heads, they dwell in homes under the fold of Parnassus, teachers of prophecy apart from me, which I practiced while still a boy over the cattle; and my father did not care.
πατὴρ δʼ ἐμὸς οὐκ ἀλέγιζεν, §558ἐντεῦθεν δὴ ἔπειτα ποτώμεναι ἄλλοτε ἄλλη §559κηρία βόσκονται καὶ τε κραίνουσιν ἕκαστα.
From there indeed, flying now here, now there, they feed on honeycombs and bring each thing to pass.
§560αἳ δʼ ὅτε μὲν θυΐωσιν ἐδηδυῖαι μέλι χλωρόν, §561προφρονέως ἐθέλουσιν ἀληθείην ἀγορεύειν· §562ἢν δʼ ἀπονοσφισθῶσι θεῶν ἡδεῖαν ἐδωδήν, §563ψεύδονται δὴ ἔπειτα διʼ ἀλλήλων δονέουσαι.
When they are frantic, having eaten green honey, they are willing to speak the truth eagerly; but if they are deprived of the sweet food of the gods, they then tell lies, flitting about one another.
§564τάς τοι ἔπειτα δίδωμι· σὺ δʼ ἀτρεκέως ἐρεείνων §565σὴν αὐτοῦ φρένα τέρπε, καὶ εἰ βροτὸν ἄνδρα δαείῃς, §566πολλάκι σῆς ὀμφῆς ἐπακούσεται, αἴ κε τύχῃσι.
These I give to you then; and do you, questioning them accurately, delight your own heart, and if you should teach any mortal man, he will often listen to your voice, if he should have the fortune.
§567ταῦτʼ ἔχε, Μαιάδος υἱέ, καὶ ἀγραύλους ἕλικας βοῦς §568ἵππους τʼ ἀμφιπόλευε καὶ ἡμιόνους ταλαεργούς. <milestone type="endquote"/> §568a[ὡς ἔφατʼ· οὐρανόθεν δὲ πατὴρ Ζεὺς αὐτὸς ἔπεσσι §568bθῆκε τέλος· πᾶσιν δʼ ἄρʼ ὅ γʼ οἰωνοῖσι κέλευσεν] §569καὶ χαροποῖσι λέουσι καὶ ἀργιόδουσι σύεσσι §570καὶ κυσὶ καὶ μήλοισιν, ὅσα τρέφει εὐρεῖα χθών, §571πᾶσι δʼ ἐπὶ προβάτοισιν ἀνάσσειν κύδιμον Ἑρμῆν, §572οἶον δʼ εἰς Ἀΐδην τετελεσμένον ἄγγελον εἶναι, §573ὅς τʼ ἄδοτός περ ἐὼν δώσει γέρας οὐκ ἐλάχιστον.
Keep these, son of Maia, and the field-dwelling crumple-horned cattle, and care for horses and toil-enduring mules.' <milestone type="endquote"/> [So he spoke; and from heaven father Zeus himself confirmed his words with fulfillment; and he commanded all birds] and fierce-eyed lions and sharp-tusked boars and dogs and sheep, all that the wide earth nurtures, and that glorious Hermes should rule over all flocks, and that he alone should be the appointed messenger to Hades, who, though he is giverless, will grant a gift not the least.
Thus Lord Apollo loved the son of Maia with all friendship; and the son of Cronos added grace.
§576πᾶσι δʼ ὅ γε θνητοῖσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισιν ὁμιλεῖ.
And he associates with all mortals and immortals.
Yet he benefits but few, and continually deceives through the dark night the tribes of mortal men.