§11.1ΝΟΤΟΣ
Ταύτην, ὦ Ζέφυρε, τὴν δάμαλιν, ἣν διὰ τοῦ πελάγους εἰς Αἴγυπτον ὁ Ἑρμῆς ἄγει, ὁ Ζεὺς διεκόρησεν ἁλοὺς ἔρωτι;
NOTUS O Zephyrus, is this heifer, which Hermes is leading through the sea to Egypt, the one whom Zeus deflowered, having been captured by love?
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ
Ναί, ὦ Νότε·
ZEPHYRUS Yes, Notus.
οὐ δάμαλις δὲ τότε, ἀλλὰ παῖς ἦν τοῦ ποταμοῦ Ἰνάχου·
But she was not a heifer then, but was the daughter of the river Inachus.
νῦν δὲ ἡ Ἥρα τοιαύτην ἐποίησεν αὐτὴν ζηλοτυπήσασα, ὅτι πάνυ ἑώρα ἐρῶντα τὸν Δία.
But now Hera made her such out of jealousy, because she saw very clearly that Zeus was in love.
ΝΟΤΟΣ
Νῦν δὲ ἔτι ἐρᾷ τῆς βοός;
NOTUS And does he still love the cow now?
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ
Καὶ μάλα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὴν εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἔπεμψεν καὶ ἡμῖν προσέταξε μὴ κυμαίνειν τὴν θάλασσαν ἔστ' ἂν διανήξεται, ὡς ἀποτεκοῦσα ἐκεῖ—κυεῖ δὲ ἤδη—θεὸς γένοιτο καὶ αὐτὴ καὶ τὸ τεχθέν.
ZEPHYRUS Very much so; and for this reason he sent her to Egypt and ordered us not to make the sea rough until she has swum across, so that, having given birth there—and she is already pregnant—both she herself and the offspring born might become a god.
§11.2ΝΟΤΟΣ
Ἡ δάμαλις θεός;
NOTUS The heifer a god?
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ
Καὶ μάλα, ὦ Νότε·
ZEPHYRUS Indeed, Notus.
ἄρξει τε, ὡς ὁ Ἑρμῆς ἔφη, τῶν πλεόντων καὶ ἡμῶν ἔσται δέσποινα, ὅντινα ἂν ἡμῶν ἐθέλῃ ἐκπέμψαι ἢ κωλῦσαι ἐπιπνεῖν.
And she will rule, as Hermes said, over those who sail, and she will be our mistress, to send out whichever of us she wishes or to prevent us from blowing.
ΝΟΤΟΣ
Θεραπευτέα τοιγαροῦν, ὦ Ζέφυρε, ἤδη δέσποινά γε οὖσα. εὐνουστέρα γὰρ ἂν οὕτως γένοιτο.
NOTUS Therefore we must court her, Zephyrus, since she is already indeed our mistress; for she would become more well-disposed thus.
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ
Ἀλλ' ἤδη γὰρ διεπέρασε καὶ ἐξένευσεν ἐς τὴν γῆν.
ZEPHYRUS But indeed she has already crossed over and swum out to the land.
ὁρᾷς ὅπως οὐκέτι μὲν τετραποδητὶ βαδίζει, ἀνορθώσας δὲ αὐτὴν ὁ Ἑρμῆς γυναῖκα παγκάλην αὖθις ἐποίησεν;
Do you see how she no longer walks on all fours, but Hermes, having set her upright, made her a beautiful woman again?
ΝΟΤΟΣ
Παράδοξα γοῦν ταῦτα, ὦ Ζέφυρε·
NOTUS These are indeed strange things, Zephyrus.
οὐκέτι τὰ κέρατα οὐδὲ οὐρὰ καὶ δίχηλα τὰ σκέλη, ἀλλ’ ἐπέραστος κόρη.
No longer are there horns, nor a tail, nor cloven-hoofed legs, but an lovely maiden.
ὁ μέντοι Ἑρμῆς τί παθὼν μεταβέβληκεν ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀντὶ νεανίου κυνοπρόσωπος γεγένηται;
But what has possessed Hermes to change himself and become dog-faced instead of a youth?
ΖΕΦΥΡΟΣ
Μὴ πολυπραγμονῶμεν, ὅτι ἄμεινον ἐκεῖνος οἶδε τὸ πρακτέον.
ZEPHYRUS Let us not be inquisitive, because he knows better what is to be done.