§589ὡς εἶδον δόλον αἰπύν, ἀμήχανον ἀνθρώποισιν.
when they saw the steep deceit, a barrier against which men have no resource.
§590ἐκ τῆς γὰρ γένος ἐστὶ γυναικῶν θηλυτεράων, §592πῆμα μέγʼ αἳ θνητοῖσι μετʼ ἀνδράσι ναιετάουσιν §593οὐλομένης πενίης οὐ σύμφοροι, ἀλλὰ κόροιο.
For from her is the race of female women, who dwell among mortal men, a great plague to them, no companions of destructive poverty, but of luxury.
§594ὡς δʼ ὁπότʼ ἐν σμήνεσσι κατηρεφέεσσι μέλισσαι §595κηφῆνας βόσκωσι, κακῶν ξυνήονας ἔργων— §596αἳ μέν τε πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα §597ἠμάτιαι σπεύδουσι τιθεῖσί τε κηρία λευκά, §598οἳ δʼ ἔντοσθε μένοντες ἐπηρεφέας κατὰ σίμβλους §599ἀλλότριον κάματον σφετέρην ἐς γαστέρʼ ἀμῶνται— §600ὣς δʼ αὔτως ἄνδρεσσι κακὸν θνητοῖσι γυναῖκας §601Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης θῆκεν, ξυνήονας ἔργων §602ἀργαλέων· ἕτερον δὲ πόρεν κακὸν ἀντʼ ἀγαθοῖο· §603ὅς κε γάμον φεύγων καὶ μέρμερα ἔργα γυναικῶν §604μὴ γῆμαι ἐθέλῃ, ὀλοὸν δʼ ἐπὶ γῆρας ἵκοιτο §605χήτεϊ γηροκόμοιο· ὅ γʼ οὐ βιότου ἐπιδευὴς §606ζώει, ἀποφθιμένου δὲ διὰ κτῆσιν δατέονται §607χηρωσταί· ᾧ δʼ αὖτε γάμου μετὰ μοῖρα γένηται, §608κεδνὴν δʼ ἔσχεν ἄκοιτιν ἀρηρυῖαν πραπίδεσσι, §609τῷ δέ τʼ ἀπʼ αἰῶνος κακὸν ἐσθλῷ ἀντιφερίζει §610ἐμμενές· ὃς δέ κε τέτμῃ ἀταρτηροῖο γενέθλης, §611ζώει ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔχων ἀλίαστον ἀνίην §612θυμῷ καὶ κραδίῃ, καὶ ἀνήκεστον κακόν ἐστιν.
And as when in roofed hives bees feed the drones, partners in evil deeds— they indeed all day long until the setting sun busily work during the day and make the white combs, while the drones remain inside within the roofed hives and gather the toil of others into their own bellies— in the selfsame way as an evil for mortal men Zeus who thunders on high set women, partners in painful deeds; and he gave another evil in place of a good thing: whoever, fleeing marriage and the troublesome deeds of women, chooses not to marry, and reaches destructive old age for lack of one to care for his old age; he lives not in want of livelihood indeed, but when he dies, his possessions kindred divide; and to whomsoever in turn the lot of marriage falls, and he gets a good wife well-fitted in mind, for him throughout life evil continually balances the good; but whoever meets with a mischievous breed, lives having unceasing pain in his breast, in his spirit and heart, and it is an incurable evil.
§613ὣς οὐκ ἔστι Διὸς κλέψαι νόον οὐδὲ παρελθεῖν.
Thus it is not possible to deceive or escape the mind of Zeus.
§614οὐδὲ γὰρ Ἰαπετιονίδης ἀκάκητα Προμηθεὺς §615τοῖό γʼ ὑπεξήλυξε βαρὺν χόλον, ἀλλʼ ὑπʼ ἀνάγκης §616καὶ πολύιδριν ἐόντα μέγας κατὰ δεσμὸς ἐρύκει.
For not even the son of Iapetus, harmless Prometheus, escaped his heavy wrath, but under necessity, though he was very knowing, a great bond restrains him.
§617Βριάρεῳ δʼ ὡς πρῶτα πατὴρ ὠδύσσατο θυμῷ §618Κόττῳ τʼ ἠδὲ Γύῃ, δῆσεν κρατερῷ ἐνὶ δεσμῷ §619ἠνορέην ὑπέροπλον ἀγώμενος ἠδὲ καὶ εἶδος §620καὶ μέγεθος· κατένασσε δʼ ὑπὸ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης.
And as for Briareus, when first their father became angry in his heart, and with Cottus and Gyges, he bound them with a strong bond, fearing their overbearing manhood and their appearance and size; and he settled them beneath the wide-wayed earth.
§621ἔνθʼ οἵ γʼ ἄλγεʼ ἔχοντες ὑπὸ χθονὶ ναιετάοντες §622εἵατʼ ἐπʼ ἐσχατιῇ, μεγάλης ἐν πείρασι γαίης, §623δηθὰ μάλʼ ἀχνύμενοι, κραδίῃ μέγα πένθος ἔχοντες.
There they, having pains, dwelling beneath the earth, sat at the edge, at the borders of the great earth, grieving for a very long time, having great sorrow in their hearts.
§624ἀλλά σφεας Κρονίδης τε καὶ ἀθάνατοι θεοὶ ἄλλοι, §625οὓς τέκεν ἠύκομος Ῥείη Κρόνου ἐν φιλότητι, §626Γαίης φραδμοσύνῃσιν ἀνήγαγον ἐς φάος αὖτις· §627αὐτὴ γάρ σφιν ἅπαντα διηνεκέως κατέλεξε §628σὺν κείνοις νίκην τε καὶ ἀγλαὸν εὖχος ἀρέσθαι.
But them the son of Cronos and the other immortal gods, whom fair-haired Rhea bore in love with Cronos, brought back again into the light by the counsels of Gaia; for she herself told them everything from beginning to end, that with them they should win victory and glorious renown.
§629δηρὸν γὰρ μάρναντο πόνον θυμαλγέʼ ἔχοντες §630Τιτῆνές τε θεοὶ καὶ ὅσοι Κρόνου ἐξεγένοντο, §631ἀντίον ἀλλήλοισι διὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας, §632οἳ μὲν ἀφʼ ὑψηλῆς Ὄθρυος Τιτῆνες ἀγαυοί, §633οἳ δʼ ἄρʼ ἀπʼ Οὐλύμποιο θεοί, δωτῆρες ἐάων, §634οὓς τέκεν ἠύκομος Ῥείη Κρόνῳ εὐνηθεῖσα.
For long indeed they had fought, having soul-grieving toil, the Titan gods and as many as were born of Cronos, against one another in violent combats, those indeed from high Othrys, the illustrious Titans, and the others from Olympus, the gods, givers of good things, whom fair-haired Rhea bore, having lain with Cronos.
§635οἵ ῥα τότʼ ἀλλήλοισι χόλον θυμαλγέʼ ἔχοντες §636συνεχέως ἐμάχοντο δέκα πλείους ἐνιαυτούς· §637οὐδέ τις ἦν ἔριδος χαλεπῆς λύσις οὐδὲ τελευτὴ §638οὐδετέροις, ἶσον δὲ τέλος τέτατο πτολέμοιο.
These then indeed, having soul-grieving wrath against one another, continually fought for more than ten years; nor was there any release from harsh strife, nor end for either side, and the outcome of the war was stretched equal.
§639ἀλλʼ ὅτε δὴ κείνοισι παρέσχεθεν ἄρμενα πάντα, §640νέκταρ τʼ ἀμβροσίην τε, τά περ θεοὶ αὐτοὶ ἔδουσι, §641πάντων ἐν στήθεσσιν ἀέξετο θυμὸς ἀγήνωρ.
But when indeed he provided them with all things fitting, both nectar and ambrosia, which the gods themselves eat, the proud spirit in the breasts of all grew.
§642ὡς νέκταρ τʼ ἐπάσαντο καὶ ἀμβροσίην ἐρατεινήν, §643δὴ τότε τοῖς μετέειπε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε· §644κέκλυτε μευ, Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀγλαὰ τέκνα, §645ὄφρʼ εἴπω, τά με θυμὸς ἐνὶ στήθεσσι κελεύει.
When they tasted the nectar and lovely ambrosia, then indeed the father of men and gods spoke to them: "Hear me, illustrious children of Gaia and Uranus, so that I may say what the heart in my breast bids me.
§646ἤδη γὰρ μάλα δηρὸν ἐναντίοι ἀλλήλοισι §647νίκης καὶ κράτεος πέρι μαρνάμεθʼ ἤματα πάντα §648Τιτῆνές τε θεοὶ καὶ ὅσοι Κρόνου ἐκγενόμεσθα.
For already for a very long time, opposite one another, we have been fighting all our days for victory and mastery, both the Titan gods and as many of us as are born of Cronos.
§649ὑμεῖς δὲ μεγάλην τε βίην καὶ χεῖρας ἀάπτους §650φαίνετε Τιτήνεσσιν ἐναντίοι ἐν δαῒ λυγρῇ §651μνησάμενοι φιλότητος ἐνηέος, ὅσσα παθόντες §652ἐς φάος ἂψ ἀφίκεσθε δυσηλεγέος ὑπὸ δεσμοῦ §653ἡμετέρας διὰ βουλὰς ὑπὸ ζόφου ἠερόεντος. §654ὣς φάτο· τὸν δʼ ἐξαῦτις ἀμείβετο Κόττος ἀμύμων· §655Δαιμόνιʼ, οὐκ ἀδάητα πιφαύσκεαι·
But do you show your great strength and untouchable hands against the Titans in the grievous combat, remembering our kindly friendship, and after experiencing what sufferings you came back again into the light from the painful bond through our counsels, from beneath the murky darkness." Thus he spoke; and to him in turn blameless Cottus replied: "Divine one, you declare things not unknown; but we ourselves know that your mind and thoughts are extraordinary, and you became a warder off of chilly doom for the immortals.
ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ §656ἴδμεν, ὅ τοι περὶ μὲν πραπίδες, περὶ δʼ ἐστὶ νόημα, §657ἀλκτὴρ δʼ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀρῆς γένεο κρυεροῖο. §658σῇσι δʼ ἐπιφροσύνῃσιν ὑπὸ ζόφου ἠερόεντος §659ἄψορρον δʼ† ἐξαῦτις ἀμειλίκτων ὑπὸ δεσμῶν §660ἠλύθομεν, Κρόνου υἱὲ ἄναξ, ἀνάελπτα παθόντες.
And by your prudent counsels from beneath the murky darkness, back again from the relentless bonds we have come, O Lord, son of Cronos, having suffered beyond hope.
§661τῷ καὶ νῦν ἀτενεῖ τε νόῳ καὶ ἐπίφρονι βουλῇ
Therefore now, with unbending mind and prudent counsel,