§10.1Δαναοῦ πόλιν ἀγλαοθρόνων τε πεντήκοντα κορᾶν, Χάριτες, §10.2Ἄργος Ἥρας δῶμα θεοπρεπὲς ὑμνεῖτε· φλέγεται δʼ ἀρεταῖς
The city of Danaus and of the fifty bright-throned daughters, O Graces, Argos, the god-befitting house of Hera, sing in praise; for it blazes with countless virtues because of daring deeds.
§10.3μυρίαις ἔργων θρασέων ἕνεκεν. §10.4μακρὰ μὲν τὰ Περσέος ἀμφὶ Μεδοίσας Γοργόνος· §10.5πολλὰ δʼ Αἰγύπτῳ καταοίκισθεν ἄστη ταῖς Ἐπάφου παλάμαις· §10.6οὐδʼ Ὑπερμνήστρα παρεπλάγχθη, μονόψαφον ἐν κολεῷ κατασχοῖσα ξίφος.
Long is the story of Perseus concerning the Gorgon Medusa; and many are the cities founded in Egypt by the hands of Epaphus; nor did Hypermnestra go astray, holding back her sword, a single vote, within its scabbard.
§10.7Διομήδεα δʼ ἄμβροτον ξανθά ποτε Γλαυκῶπις ἔθηκε θεόν· §10.8γαῖα δʼ ἐν Θήβαις ὑπέδεκτο κεραυνωθεῖσα Διὸς βέλεσιν §10.9μάντιν Οἰκλείδαν, πολέμοιο νέφος· §10.10καὶ γυναιξὶν καλλικόμοισιν ἀριστεύει πάλαι· §10.11Ζεὺς ἐπʼ Ἀλκμήναν Δανάαν τε μολὼν τοῦτον κατέφανε λόγον· §10.12πατρὶ δʼ Ἀδράστοιο Λυγκεῖ τε φρενῶν καρπὸν εὐθείᾳ συνάρμοξεν δίκᾳ· §10.13θρέψε δʼ αἰχμὰν Ἀμφιτρύωνος.
And Diomedes did golden-haired, grey-eyed Athena once make an immortal god; and the earth in Thebes received, cleft by the weapons of Zeus' thunderbolt, the prophet, the son of Oecleus, the cloud of war; and in beautiful-haired women it has long excelled; Zeus, having come to Alcmene and Danae, made this saying clear; and for the father of Adrastus and for Lynceus he joined the fruit of their minds with upright justice; and it nurtured the spear of Amphitryon.
ὁ δʼ ὄλβῳ φέρτατος §10.14ἵκετʼ ἐς κείνου γενεάν, ἐπεὶ ἐν χαλκέοις ὅπλοις §10.15Τηλεβόας ἔναρεν· τῷ ὄψιν ἐειδόμενος §10.16ἀθανάτων βασιλεὺς αὐλὰν ἐσῆλθεν §10.17σπέρμʼ ἀδείμαντον φέρων Ἡρακλέος· οὗ κατʼ Ὄλυμπον §10.18ἄλοχος Ἥβα τελείᾳ παρὰ ματέρι βαίνοισʼ ἔστι, καλλίστα θεῶν.
And he, most outstanding in wealth, came to his race, since in bronze armor he slew the Teleboans; in his likeness the king of the immortals entered the courtyard, bearing the fearless seed of Heracles; whose wife on Olympus, Hebe, walks beside her mother, the goddess of completion, being the most beautiful of goddesses.
§10.19βραχύ μοι στόμα πάντʼ ἀναγήσασθʼ, ὅσων Ἀργεῖον ἔχει τέμενος §10.20μοῖραν ἐσλῶν· ἔστι δὲ καὶ κόρος ἀνθρώπων βαρὺς ἀντιάσαι·
Too short is my mouth to recount all the noble shares that the Argive precinct holds; and the satiety of men is heavy to encounter.
§10.21ἀλλʼ ὅμως εὔχορδον ἔγειρε λύραν, §10.22καὶ παλαισμάτων λάβε φροντίδʼ· ἀγών τοι χάλκεος §10.23δᾶμον ὀτρύνει ποτὶ βουθυσίαν Ἥρας ἀέθλων τε κρίσιν·
But nevertheless, awaken the well-strung lyre, and take thought of wrestling; for the bronze contest rouses the people to the ox-sacrifice of Hera and the judgment of contests.
§10.24Οὐλία παῖς ἔνθα νικάσαις δὶς ἔσχεν Θεαῖος εὐφόρων λάθαν πόνων.
There the son of Ulias, Theaeus, having conquered twice, obtained forgetfulness of his endurable labors.
§10.25ἐκράτησε δὲ καί ποθʼ Ἕλλανα στρατὸν Πυθῶνι, τύχᾳ τε μολὼν §10.26καὶ τὸν Ἰσθμοῖ καὶ Νεμέᾳ στέφανον, Μοίσαισί τʼ ἔδωκʼ ἀρόσαι, §10.27τρὶς μὲν ἐν πόντοιο πύλαισι λαχών, §10.28τρὶς δὲ καὶ σεμνοῖς δαπέδοις ἐν Ἀδραστείῳ νόμῳ.
And once he also conquered the Hellenic host at Pytho, and coming with fortune won the crown both at Isthmus and at Nemea, and gave to the Muses to plow, thrice winning at the gates of the sea, and thrice on the sacred plains under the law of Adrastus.
§10.29Ζεῦ πάτερ, τῶν μὰν ἔραται φρενί, σιγᾷ οἱ στόμα· πᾶν δὲ τέλος §10.30ἐν τὶν ἔργων· οὐδʼ, ἀμόχθῳ καρδίᾳ προσφέρων τόλμαν, παραιτεῖται χάριν·
Father Zeus, of those things which he desires in his mind, his mouth is silent; but every completion of deeds is in you; nor, while bringing daring to a tireless heart, does he entreat your favor in vain.
§10.31γνώτʼ ἀείδω οἷ τε καὶ ὅστις ἁμιλλᾶται περὶ §10.32ἐσχάτων ἄθλων κορυφαῖς· ὕπατον δʼ ἔσχεν Πίσα §10.33Ἡρακλέος τεθμόν·
I sing of things well known to him and to anyone who contends for the summits of the highest contests; and Pisa held the supreme ordinance of Heracles.
ἁδεῖαί γε μὲν ἀμβολάδαν §10.34ἐν τελεταῖς δὶς Ἀθαναίων νιν ὀμφαὶ §10.35κώμασαν· γαίᾳ δὲ καυθείσᾳ πυρὶ καρπὸς ἐλαίας §10.36ἔμολεν Ἥρας τὸν εὐάνορα λαὸν ἐν ἀγγέων ἕρκεσιν παμποικίλοις.
Yet, in sweet strains of prelude, twice did the voices of the Athenians at their festivals lead him in revels; and in containers of fire-baked earth, the fruit of the olive came to the manly people of Hera in richly-ornamented vessels.
§10.37ἕπεται δέ, Θεαῖε, ματρώων πολύγνωτον γένος ὑμετέρων §10.38εὐάγων τιμὰ Χαρίτεσσί τε καὶ σὺν Τυνδαρίδαις θαμάκις.
And there follows, Theaeus, the well-known race of your maternal ancestors, illustrious honor in contests, along with the Graces and the Tyndaridae, very often.
I would be deemed worthy, being a kinsman of Thrasyclous and Antias, not to hide the light of my eyes in Argos.
νικαφορίαις γὰρ ὅσαις Προίτοιο τόδʼ ἱπποτρόφον §10.42ἄστυ θάλησεν Κορίνθου τʼ ἐν μυχοῖς καὶ Κλεωναίων πρὸς ἀνδρῶν τετράκις· §10.43Σικυωνόθε δʼ ἀργυρωθέντες σὺν οἰνηραῖς φιάλαις ἐπέβαν, §10.44ἐκ δὲ Πελλάνας ἐπιεσσάμενοι νῶτον μαλακαῖσι κρόκαις·
For with how many victories has this horse-breeding city of Proetus flourished, both in the recesses of Corinth and four times before the men of Cleonae; and from Sicyon they came away with silver wine-cups, and from Pellene with soft woolen cloaks upon their backs.
§10.45ἀλλὰ χαλκὸν μυρίον οὐ δυνατὸν §10.46ἐξελέγχειν· μακροτέρας γὰρ ἀριθμῆσαι σχολᾶς· §10.47ὅντε Κλείτωρ καὶ Τεγέα καὶ Ἀχαιῶν ὑψίβατοι πόλιες §10.48καὶ Λύκαιον πὰρ Διὸς θῆκε δρόμῳ, σὺν ποδῶν χειρῶν τε νικᾶσαι σθένει.
But to enumerate the countless bronzes is impossible; for it is the task of a longer leisure to count them; those which Cleitor and Tegea and the high-built cities of the Achaeans and Lycaeon established by the race-course of Zeus, to be won by the strength of feet and hands.
§10.49Κάστορος δʼ ἐλθόντος ἐπὶ ξενίαν πὰρ Παμφάη §10.50καὶ κασιγνήτου Πολυδεύκεος, οὐ θαῦμα σφίσιν §10.51ἐγγενὲς ἔμμεν ἀεθληταῖς ἀγαθοῖσιν· ἐπεὶ §10.52εὐρυχόρου ταμίαι Σπάρτας ἀγώνων §10.53μοῖραν Ἑρμᾷ καὶ σὺν Ἡρακλεῖ διέποντι θάλειαν, §10.54μάλα μὲν ἀνδρῶν δικαίων περικαδόμενοι.
And Castor having come to the hospitality of Pamphaes and his brother Polydeuces, it is no wonder for them to be born good athletes; since they, guardians of wide-spaced Sparta's contests, administer the fertile portion along with Hermes and Heracles, caring greatly for righteous men.
καὶ μὰν θεῶν πιστὸν γένος.
And indeed the race of gods is faithful.
§10.55μεταμειβόμενοι δʼ ἐναλλὰξ ἁμέραν τὰν μὲν παρὰ πατρὶ φίλῳ §10.56Δὶ νέμονται, τὰν δʼ ὑπὸ κεύθεσι γαίας ἐν γυάλοις Θεράπνας, §10.57πότμον ἀμπιπλάντες ὁμοῖον· ἐπεὶ §10.58τοῦτον, ἢ πάμπαν θεὸς ἔμμεναι οἰκεῖν τʼ οὐρανῷ, §10.59εἵλετʼ αἰῶνα φθιμένου Πολυδεύκης Κάστορος ἐν πολέμῳ.
Changing in turn, they spend one day beside their dear father Zeus, and the other beneath the depths of the earth, in the hollows of Therapne, fulfilling an identical fate; since Polydeuces, when Castor died in battle, chose this life rather than to be entirely a god and to dwell in heaven.
§10.60τὸν γὰρ Ἴδας ἀμφὶ βουσίν πως χολωθεὶς ἔτρωσεν χαλκέας λόγχας ἀκμᾷ.
For Idas, angered somehow about cattle, wounded Castor with the point of a bronze spear.
§10.61ἀπὸ Ταϋγέτου πεδαυγάζων ἴδεν Λυγκεὺς δρυὸς ἐν στελέχει §10.62ἡμένους. κείνου γὰρ ἐπιχθονίων πάντων γένετʼ ὀξύτατον §10.63ὄμμα.
Looking down from Taygetus, Lynceus saw them sitting in the trunk of an oak; for his was the sharpest eye of all men on earth.
λαιψηροῖς δὲ πόδεσσιν ἄφαρ §10.64ἐξικέσθαν, καὶ μέγα ἔργον ἐμήσαντʼ ὠκέως, §10.65καὶ πάθον δεινὸν παλάμαις Ἀφαρητίδαι Διός.
And with swift feet they arrived immediately, and quickly devised a monstrous deed; and the sons of Aphareus suffered terribly at the hands of Zeus.
αὐτίκα γὰρ §10.66ἦλθε Λήδας παῖς διώκων· τοὶ δʼ ἔναντα στάθεν τύμβῳ σχεδὸν πατρωΐῳ· §10.67ἔνθεν ἁρπάξαντες ἄγαλμʼ Ἀΐδα, ξεστὸν πέτρον, §10.68ἔμβαλον στέρνῳ Πολυδεύκεος· ἀλλʼ οὔ νιν φλάσαν, §10.69οὐδʼ ἀνέχασσαν·
For immediately the son of Leda came in pursuit; and they stood opposite, near their father's tomb; snatching from there the ornament of Hades, a polished stone, they cast it at the breast of Polydeuces; but they did not shatter him, nor did they drive him back.
ἐφορμαθεὶς δʼ ἄρʼ ἄκοντι θοῷ §10.70ἤλασε Λυγκέος ἐν πλευραῖσι χαλκόν.
Rushing on with his swift javelin, he drove the bronze into the ribs of Lynceus.
And Zeus upon Idas struck his fire-bearing, soot-yielding thunderbolt; and they were burned together, abandoned.
χαλεπὰ δʼ ἔρις ἀνθρώποις ὁμιλεῖν κρεσσόνων.
Difficult is the strife of men to engage with those who are stronger.
§10.73ταχέως δʼ ἐπʼ ἀδελφεοῦ βίαν πάλιν χώρησεν ὁ Τυνδαρίδας, §10.74καί νιν οὔπω τεθναότʼ, ἄσθματι δὲ φρίσσοντα πνοὰς ἔκιχεν.
And quickly the son of Tyndareus returned to his mighty brother, and found him not yet dead, but shivering with gasping breaths.
§10.75θερμὰ δὴ τέγγων δάκρυα στοναχαῖς §10.76ὄρθιον φώνασε· πάτερ Κρονίων, τίς δὴ λύσις §10.77ἔσσεται πενθέων;
Shedding hot tears with groans, he called out aloud: "Father, son of Cronus, what deliverance shall there be from sorrows?
καὶ ἐμοὶ θάνατον σὺν τῷδʼ ἐπίτειλον, ἄναξ.
Command death for me also along with this man, O King!
§10.78οἴχεται τιμὰ φίλων τατωμένῳ φωτί· παῦροι δʼ ἐν πόνῳ πιστοὶ βροτῶν §10.79καμάτου μεταλαμβάνειν. ὣς ἔννεπε· Ζεὺς δʼ ἀντίος ἤλυθέ οἱ §10.80καὶ τόδʼ ἐξαύδασʼ ἔπος· ἐσσί μοι υἱός· τόνδε δʼ ἔπειτα πόσις §10.81σπέρμα θνατὸν ματρὶ τεᾷ πελάσαις §10.82στάξεν ἥρως.
Honor is gone for a man deprived of his friends; and few among mortals are faithful in toil to share the labor." Thus he spoke; and Zeus came opposite to him and spoke this word: "You are my son; but this man was afterwards sown, a mortal seed, by the hero husband, coming to your mother.
ἀλλʼ ἄγε τῶνδέ τοι ἔμπαν αἵρεσιν §10.83παρδίδωμʼ· εἰ μὲν θάνατόν τε φυγὼν καὶ γῆρας ἀπεχθόμενον §10.84αὐτὸς Οὔλυμπον θέλεις ναίειν ἐμοὶ σύν τʼ Ἀθαναίᾳ κελαινεγχεῖ τʼ Ἄρει, §10.85ἔστι τοι τούτων λάχος·
But come, nevertheless I offer you a choice of these: if, having escaped death and hateful old age, you yourself wish to dwell on Olympus with me and Athena and black-speared Ares, you have this portion allotted.
εἰ δὲ κασιγνήτου πέρι §10.86μάρνασαι, πάντων δὲ νοεῖς ἀποδάσσασθαι ἴσον, §10.87ἥμισυ μέν κε πνέοις γαίας ὑπένερθεν ἐών, §10.88ἥμισυ δʼ οὐρανοῦ ἐν χρυσέοις δόμοισιν. §10.89ὣς ἄρʼ αὐδάσαντος οὐ γνώμᾳ διπλόαν θέτο βουλάν.
But if you strive for your brother's sake, and mind to share an equal portion of everything, then half your time you may breathe being beneath the earth, and half within the golden halls of heaven." Thus when he had spoken, Polydeuces did not entertain a double counsel in his mind.
§10.90ἀνὰ δʼ ἔλυσεν μὲν ὀφθαλμόν, ἔπειτα δὲ φωνὰν χαλκομίτρα Κάστορος.
He released the eye of bronze-mittred Castor, and then his voice.