§36ἔργων δὲ αὐτοῦ πέρι πολλὰ μὲν ἔχω εἰπεῖν, ἐρέω δὲ τὸ μάλιστα θωυμάζειν ἄξιον.
Concerning his deeds, though I have much to say, I will relate that which is most worthy of wonder.
πρῶτα δὲ τοῦ μαντηίου ἐπιμνήσομαι.
First, I will mention the oracle.
μαντήια πολλὰ μὲν παρʼ Ἕλλησι, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ παρʼ Αἰγυπτίοισι, τὰ δὲ καὶ ἐν Λιβύῃ, καὶ ἐν τῇ δὲ Ἀσίῃ πολλά ἐστιν.
There are indeed many oracles among the Greeks, many also among the Egyptians, some in Libya, and many in Asia.
ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν οὔτε ἱρέων ἄνευ οὔτε προφητέων φθέγγονται, ὅδε δὲ αὐτός τε κινέεται καὶ τὴν μαντηίην ἐς τέλος αὐτουργέει.
But while these do not speak without priests or prophets, this one both moves by itself and performs the business of prophecy entirely by its own act.
τρόπος δὲ αὐτῆς τοιόσδε. εὖτʼ ἂν ἐθέλῃ χρησμηγορέειν, ἐν τῇ ἕδρῃ πρῶτα κινέεται, οἱ δέ μιν ἱρέες αὐτίκα ἀείρουσιν· ἢν δὲ μὴ ἀείρωσιν, ὁ δὲ ἱδρώει καὶ ἐς μέζον ἔτι κινέεται.
And the manner of it is this: whenever it wishes to deliver an oracle, it first moves in its seat, and the priests immediately raise it up; but if they do not raise it, it sweats and moves even more greatly.
εὖτʼ ἂν δὲ ὑποδύντες φέρωσιν, ἄγει σφέας πάντῃ περιδινέων καὶ ἐς ἄλλον ἐξ ἑτέρου μεταπηδέων.
And when they get under it and carry it, it leads them, whirling them all about and leaping from one place to another.
τέλος ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἀντιάσας ἐπερέεταί μιν περὶ ἁπάντων πρηγμάτων· ὁ δὲ ἤν τι μὴ ἐθέλῃ ποιέεσθαι, ὀπίσω ἀναχωρέει, ἢν δέ τι ἐπαινέῃ, ἄγει ἐς τὸ πρόσω τοὺς προφέροντας ὅκωσπερ ἡνιοχέων.
Finally, the high priest, meeting it, questions it about all matters; and if it does not wish something to be done, it retreats backward, but if it approves, it leads those who carry it forward, just like a charioteer.
οὕτως μὲν συναγείρουσι τὰ θέσφατα, καὶ οὔτε ἱρὸν πρῆγμα οὐδὲν οὔτε ἴδιον τούτου ἄνευ ποιέουσιν.
Thus they gather the oracles, and they perform no sacred or private business without this.
λέγει δὲ καὶ τοῦ ἔτεος πέρι καὶ τῶν ὡρέων αὐτοῦ πασέων, καὶ ὁκότε οὐκ ἔρονται.
It also speaks concerning the year and all its seasons, even when they do not ask.
λέγει δὲ καὶ τοῦ σημηίου πέρι, κότε χρή μιν ἀποδημέειν τὴν εἶπον ἀποδημίην.
It speaks also concerning the Sēmeion, when it must make the journey I spoke of.
§37ἐρέω δὲ καὶ ἄλλο, τὸ ἐμεῦ παρεόντος ἔπρηξεν.
And I will relate another thing which it performed while I was present.
οἱ μέν μιν ἱρέες ἀείροντες ἔφερον, ὁ δὲ τοὺς μὲν ἐν γῇ κάτω ἔλιπεν, αὐτὸς δὲ ἐν τῷ ἠέρι μοῦνος ἐφορέετο.
The priests raised it and were carrying it, but it left them down on the ground, and was itself carried alone in the air.
§38μετὰ δὲ τὸν Ἀπόλλωνα ξόανόν ἐστιν Ἄτλαντος, μετὰ δὲ Ἑρμέω καὶ Εἰλειθυίης.
And after Apollo is the statue of Atlas, and after that of Hermes and Eileithyia.
§39τὰ μὲν ὦν ἐντὸς τοῦ νηοῦ ὧδε κεκοσμέαται· ἔξω δὲ βωμός τε κέαται μέγας χάλκεος, ἐν δὲ καὶ ἄλλα ξόανα μυρία χάλκεα βασιλέων τε καὶ ἱρέων· καταλέξω δὲ τῶν μάλιστα ἄξιον μνήσασθαι.
Now the things within the temple are thus adorned; but outside lies a great bronze altar, and in it are also countless other bronze statues of kings and priests; of these, I will list those most worthy of mention.
ἐν ἀριστερῇ τοῦ νεὼ Σεμιράμιος ξόανον ἕστηκεν ἐν δεξιῇ τὸν νηὸν ἐπιδεικνύουσα.
On the left of the temple stands a statue of Semiramis, pointing with her right hand to the temple.
ἀνέστη δὲ διʼ αἰτίην τοιήνδε. ἀνθρώποισιν ὁκόσοι Συρίην οἰκέουσιν νόμον ἐποιέετο ἑαυτὴν μὲν ὅκως θεὸν ἱλάσκεσθαι, θεῶν δὲ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ αὐτῆς Ἥρης ἀλογέειν.
And it was set up for this reason: for all the people who inhabit Syria, she made a law to appease her as a god, but to neglect the other gods and Hera herself.
καὶ ὧδε ἐποίεον.
And thus they did.
μετὰ δὲ ὥς οἱ θεόθεν ἀπίκοντο νοῦσοί τε καὶ συμφοραὶ καὶ ἄλγεα, μανίης μὲν ἐκείνης ἀπεπαύσατο καὶ θνητὴν ἑωυτὴν ὁμολόγεεν καὶ τοῖσιν ὑπηκόοισιν αὖτις ἐκέλευεν ἐς Ἥρην τρέπεσθαι.
But afterward, when diseases, misfortunes, and pains from the gods came upon her, she ceased from that madness, confessed that she was mortal, and again commanded her subjects to turn to Hera.
τοὔνεκα δὴ ἔτι τοιήδε ἀνέστηκεν, τοῖσιν ἀπικνεομένοισι τὴν Ἥρην ἱλάσκεσθαι δεικνύουσα, καὶ θεὸν οὐκέτι ἑωυτὴν ἀλλʼ ἐκείνην ὁμολογέουσα.
For this reason, she still stands in this way, pointing out to those who arrive to appease Hera, and confessing herself no longer to be a god, but her.
§40εἶδον δὲ καὶ αὐτόθι Ἑλένης ἄγαλμα καὶ Ἑκάβης καὶ Ἀνδρομάχης καὶ Πάριδος καὶ Ἕκτορος καὶ Ἀχιλλέος.
And I saw there also the statue of Helen, and of Hecuba, Andromache, Paris, Hector, and Achilles.
εἶδον δὲ καὶ Νειρέος εἶδος τοῦ Ἀγλαΐης, καὶ Φιλομήλην καὶ Πρόκνην ἔτι γυναῖκας, καὶ αὐτὸν Τηρέα ὄρνιθα, καὶ ἄλλο ἄγαλμα Σεμιράμιος, καὶ Κομβάβου τὸ κατέλεξα, καὶ Στρατονίκης κάρτα καλόν, καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου αὐτῷ ἐκείνῳ εἴκελον, παρὰ δέ οἱ Σαρδανάπαλλος ἕστηκεν ἄλλῃ μορφῇ καὶ ἄλλῃ στολῇ.
And I saw also the form of Nireus, the son of Aglaia, and Philomela and Procne still as women, and Tereus himself as a bird, and another statue of Semiramis, and that of Combabus which I mentioned, and a very beautiful one of Stratonice, and one of Alexander like his very self, and beside him stands Sardanapalus in another form and another raiment.
§41ἐν δὲ τῇ αὐλῇ ἄφετοι νέμονται βόες μεγάλοι καὶ ἵπποι καὶ ἀετοὶ καὶ ἄρκτοι καὶ λέοντες, καὶ ἀνθρώπους οὐδαμὰ σίνονται, ἀλλὰ πάντες ἱροί τέ εἰσι καὶ χειροήθεες.
And in the court, great oxen, horses, eagles, bears, and lions roam free, and they never harm men, but all are sacred and tame.
§42ἱρέες δὲ αὐτοῖσι πολλοὶ ἀποδεδέχαται, τῶν οἱ μὲν τὰ ἱρήια σφάζουσιν, οἱ δὲ σπονδηφορέουσιν, ἄλλοι δὲ πυρφόροι καλέονται καὶ ἄλλοι παραβώμιοι.
And many priests are appointed for them, of whom some slaughter the victims, others bring libations, others are called fire-bearers, and others assistants at the altar.
ἐπʼ ἐμεῦ δὲ πλείονες καὶ τριηκοσίων ἐς τὴν θυσίην ἀπικνέοντο.
In my time, more than three hundred came for the sacrifice.
ἐσθὴς δὲ αὐτέοισι πᾶσι λευκή, καὶ πῖλον ἐπὶ τῇ κεφαλῇ ἔχουσιν.
And their raiment is all white, and they wear a felt cap upon their head.
ἀρχιερεὺς δὲ ἄλλος ἑκάστου ἔτεος ἐπιγίγνεται, πορφυρέην τε μοῦνος οὗτος φορέει καὶ τιάρῃ χρυσέῃ ἀναδέεται.
And another high priest is appointed each year; he alone wears purple and is bound with a golden tiara.
§43ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλο πλῆθος ἀνθρώπων ἱρῶν αὐλητέων τε καὶ συριστέων καὶ Γάλλων, καὶ γυναῖκες ἐπιμανέες τε καὶ φρενοβλαβέες.
And there is also another multitude of sacred people, both flute-players, pipe-players, and Galli, and women who are frenzied and out of their minds.
§44θυσίη δὲ δὶς ἑκάστης ἡμέρης ἐπιτελέεται, ἐς τὴν πάντες ἀπικνέονται.
And the sacrifice is performed twice each day, to which everyone comes.
Διὶ μὲν ὦν κατʼ ἡσυχίην θύουσιν οὔτε ἀείδοντες οὔτε αὐλέοντες· εὖτʼ ἂν δὲ τῇ Ἥρῃ κατάρχωνται, ἀείδουσίν τε καὶ αὐλέουσιν καὶ κρόταλα ἐπικροτέουσιν.
To Zeus indeed they sacrifice in silence, neither singing nor playing the flute; but whenever they begin the sacrifice for Hera, they sing, play the flute, and clash cymbals.
καί μοι τούτου πέρι σαφὲς οὐδὲν εἰπεῖν ἐδύναντο.
And concerning this, they were able to tell me nothing clear.