§9.1ΙΡΙΣ
Τὴν νῆσον τὴν πλανωμένην, ὦ Πόσειδον, ἣν ἀποσπασθεῖσαν τῆς Σικελίας ὕφαλον ἔτι νήχεσθαι συμβέβηκεν, ταύτην, φησὶν ὁ Ζεύς, στῆσον ἤδη καὶ ἀνάφηνον καὶ ποίησον ἤδη δῆλον ἐν τῷ Αἰγαίῳ μέσῳ βεβαίως μένειν στηρίξας πάνυ ἀσφαλῶς· δεῖται γάρ τι αὐτῆς.
IRIS The wandering island, Poseidon, which having been torn away from Sicily has happened to be still swimming under water—this, Zeus says, you must now halt and bring to light, and, having fixed it very securely, make it now clear that it remains firmly in the middle of the Aegean; for he has some need of it.
ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ
Πεπράξεται ταῦτα, ὦ Ἶρι.
POSEIDON This shall be done, Iris.
τίνα δ’ ὅμως παρέξει τὴν χρείαν αὐτῷ ἀναφανεῖσα καὶ μηκέτι πλέουσα;
But what useful service will it nevertheless provide for him, once it is brought to light and is no longer sailing?
ΙΡΙΣ
Τὴν Λητὼ ἐπ' αὐτῆς δεῖ ἀποκυῆσαι· ἤδη δὲ πονήρως ὑπὸ τῶν ὠδίνων ἔχει.
IRIS Leto must give birth on it; and already she is in a bad way under the birth pangs.
ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ
Τί οὖν;
POSEIDON What then?
οὐχ ἱκανὸς ὁ οὐρανὸς ἐντεκεῖν;
Is heaven not sufficient to give birth in?
εἰ δὲ μὴ οὗτος, ἀλλ’ ἥ γε γῆ πᾶσα οὐκ ἂν ὑποδέξασθαι δύναιτο τὰς γονὰς αὐτῆς;
Or if not heaven, would not the whole earth at least be able to receive her offspring?
ΙΡΙΣ
Οὔκ, ὦ Πόσειδον· ἡ Ἥρα γὰρ ὅρκῳ μεγάλῳ κατέλαβε τὴν γῆν, μὴ παρασχεῖν τῇ Λητοῖ τῶν ὠδίνων ὑποδοχήν.
IRIS No, Poseidon; for Hera bound the earth with a great oath not to offer Leto a reception for her birth pangs.
ἡ τοίνυν νῆσος αὕτη ἀνώμοτός ἐστιν· ἀφανὴς γὰρ ἦν.
This island, however, is not bound by the oath; for it was invisible.
§9.2ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝ
Συνίημι.
POSEIDON I understand.
στῆθι, ὦ νῆσε, καὶ ἀνάδυθι αὖθις ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ καὶ μηκέτι ὐποφέρου, ἀλλὰ βεβαίως μένε καὶ ὑπόδεξαι, ὦ εὐδαιμονεσάτη, τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τα τέκνα δύο, τοὺς καλλίστους τῶν θεῶν· καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὦ Τρίτωνες, διαπορθμεύσατε τὴν Λητὼ ἐς αὐτήν· καὶ γαληνὰ ἅπαντα ἔστω.
Halt, island, and rise up again from the deep, and no longer drift under the water, but remain firmly and receive, O most blessed one, the two children of my brother, the most beautiful of the gods; and you, Tritons, ferry Leto to it; and let all be calm.
τὸν δράκοντα δέ, ὃς νῦν ἐξοιστρεῖ αὐτὴν φοβῶν, τὰ νεογνὰ ἐπειδὰν τεχθῇ, αὐτίκα μέτεισι καὶ τιμωρήσει τῇ μητρί.
As for the dragon, which now drives her mad with fear, as soon as the newborns are born, they will immediately pursue it and take vengeance for their mother.
σὺ δὲ ἀπάγγελλε τῷ Διὶ ἅπαντα εἶναι εὐτρεπῆ· ἕστηκεν ἡ Δῆλος· ἡκέτω ἡ Λητὼ ἤδη καὶ τικτέτω.
And you, report to Zeus that everything is ready; Delos stands firm; let Leto come now and give birth.