§91τὰν δ’ Ὠχεανοῦ παρὰ παγαῖς §92Ζανὸς παράκοιτιν Ὀλυμπίου §93λευκώλενον εὐρέσι κόλποις §94Ἥραν ἐτιθήνατο Τηθύς.
On the other hand, by the springs of Oceanus, Tethys nursed Hera, the white-armed wife of Olympian Zeus, with her wide-bosomed form.
§95κορυφαῖσι δὲ κρατὸς ἐν ἀφθίτου §96ἐλόχευσε κόρας ἄτρομον φυὰν §97Κρονίδας, μέγ’ ἄριστος Ὀλυμπίων, §98τὰν ἐγρεκύδοιμον ᾿Αθάναν.
And from the summit of his immortal head, the son of Kronos, greatest of the Olympians, gave birth to the fearless form of his daughter, the war-awakening Athena.
§99τὰν δ’ ἁμετέραν θεὸν ὀλβίαν §100ὁ γέρων λιπαραῖσιν ἐν ἀγκάλαις §101πρώταν ἐλόχευσεν Ὁφίων. §102ὅτ’ ἐπαύσατο μὲν σκότιον χάος §103ἀνέτειλέ τε λαμπέτις ἀὼς §104καὶ παμφαὲς ἀελίου σέλας.
But our blessed goddess, the old man Ophion first delivered in his sleek arms, when dark chaos ceased, and the shining dawn arose and the all-bright light of the sun.
§105τότε καὶ Ποδάγρας ἐφάνη κράτος.
Then also the power of Podagra appeared.
§106ὅτε γὰρ λαγόνων σε τεκοῦσα §107Μοῖρα Κλωθὼ τότ’ ἔλουσεν, §108ἐγέλασσεν ἅπαν σέλας οὐρανοῦ, §109μέγα δ’ ἔκτυπεν εὔδιος αἰθήρ· §110τὰν δ’ εὐγλαγέτοις ἐνὶ μαξοῖς §111εὔολβος ἐθρέψατο Πλούτων.
For when Clotho the Fate, having brought you forth from her womb, then washed you, the entire light of heaven laughed, and the clear upper air thundered greatly; and prosperous Plouton nursed you at his milk-rich breasts.
§112Τίσιν δὲ τελεταῖς ὀργιάξει προσπόλους;
With what rites does she initiate her servants?
§113Οὐχ αἷμα λάβρον προχέομεν ἀποτομαῖς σιδάρου, §114οὐ τριχὸς ἀφέτου λυγίζεται στροφαῖσιν αὐχήν, §115οὐδὲ πολυκρότοις ἀστραγάλοις πέπληγε νῶτα, §116οὐδ’ ὠμὰ λακιστὰ κρέα σιτούμεθα ταύρων·
We do not pour out rushing blood by cuts of iron, nor is the neck twisted by the turns of loose hair, nor are the backs beaten with loud-clattering knucklebones, nor do we eat the raw, torn flesh of bulls.
§117ὅτε δὲ πτελέας ἔαρι βρύει τὸ λεπτὸν ἄνθος §118καὶ πολυκέλαδος κόσσυφος ἐπὶ κλάδοισιν ᾄδει, §119τότε διὰ μελέων ὀξὺ βέλος πέπηγε μύσταις, §120ἀφανές, κρύφιον. δεδυκὸς ὑπὸ μυχοῖσι γυίων, §121πόδα, γόνυ, κοτύλην. ἀστραγάλους. ἰσχία. μηρούς, §122χέρας, ὠμοπλάτας, βραχίονας, κορωνά, καρποὺς §123ἔσθει, νέμεται, φλέγει, κρατεῖ, πυρο,. μαλάσσει, §124μέχρις ἂν ἡ θεὸς τὸν πόνον ἀποφυγεῖν κελεύσῃ.
But when in spring the delicate blossom of the elm-tree teems, and the loud-singing blackbird sings upon the branches, then through the limbs a sharp weapon is fixed in the initiates, unseen, hidden, having entered beneath the depths of the limbs, eating, feeding upon, burning, ruling, setting on fire, softening the foot, knee, joint, ankles, hips, thighs, hands, shoulder-blades, arms, wrists, and palms, until the goddess commands them to escape the pain.
Am I then also, without knowing it, one of those who have been fully initiated?
τοιγὰρ ἧκε πρευμενὴς §127δαίμων φανεῖσα.
Therefore she has come, appearing as a propitious deity.
σὺν δ’ ἐγὼ μύσταις ὁμοῦ §128ὕμνων κατάρξω τὸ ποδαγρῶν ᾄδων μέλος.
Together with the initiates, I will begin the hymns, singing the song of the gouty.
Let the air be windless and silent, and let every gouty person speak words of good omen.
Look, towards the altar-hearths the couch-rejoicing deity walks, supporting her step with a staff.
Welcome, gentlest of the blessed ones, and may you come with a bright countenance, propitious to your servants.
And may you grant a swift release from pains in these spring hours.
Who of mortal men upon the earth does not know me, the unconquered mistress of pains, Podagra?
§140ἣν οὔτε λιβάνων ἀτμὸς ἐξιλάσκεται §141οὔτε χυθὲν αἷμα βωμίοις παρ’ ἐμπύροις, §142οὐ ναὸς ὄλβου περικρεμὴς ἀγάλμασιν, §143ἣν οὔτε Παιὰν φαρμάκοις νικᾶν σθένει, §144πάντων ἰατρὸς τῶν ἐν οὐρανῷ θεῶν. §145οὐ παῖς ὁ Φοίβου πολυμαθὴς Ἀσκληπιός.
Whom neither the smoke of incense propitiates, nor blood poured out by burning altars, nor a temple hanging with rich images; whom neither Paean has strength to conquer with drugs, the physician of all the gods in heaven, nor the wise son of Phoebus, Asclepius.
§146ἐξ οὗ γὰρ ἐφύη πρῶτον ἀνθρώποις γένος, §147τολμῶσι πάντες τοὐμὸν ἐκβαλεῖν σθένος, §148κυκῶντες αἰεὶ φαρμάκων τεχνήματα.
For since the race of men first arose, they all dare to cast out my power, always mixing contrivances of drugs.
§149ἄλλος γὰρ ἄλλην ἐπ’ ἐμὲ πειράξει τέχνην· §150τρίβουσιν ἀρνόγλωσσα καὶ σέλινά μοι §151καὶ φύλλα θριδάκων καὶ νομαίαν ἀνδράχνην.
For one tries one art against me, another another: they rub plantain and celery for me, and lettuce leaves, and wild purslane.
§152ἄλλοι πράσιον, οἱ δὲ ποταμογείτονα, §153ἄλλοι κνίδας τρίβουσιν, ἄλλοι σύμφυτον, §154ἄλλοι φακοὺς φέρουσι τοὺς ἐκ τελμάτων. §155σταφυλῖνον ἑφθόν, οἱ δὲ φύλλα Περσικῶν, §156ὑοσκύαμον, μήκωνα, βολβούς, σίδια, §157ψύλλιον, λίβανον. ῥίζαν ἑλλεβόρου, νίτρον, §158τῆλιν μετ’ οἴνου, γυρίνην, κολλάμφακον, §159κυπαρισσίνην κηκῖδα, γῦριν κριθίνην, §160χράμβης ἀπέφθου φύλλα, γύψον ἔκ Πάρου, §161σπυράθους ὀρείας αἰγός, ἀνθρώπου κόπρον, §162ἄλευρα κυάμων, ἄνθος ᾿Ασσίου λίθου· §163ἕψουσι φρύνους, μυγαλᾶς, σαύρας, γαλᾶς, §164βατράχους, ὑαίνας, τραγελάφους, ἀλώπεκας.
Others hoarhound, others pondweed, others rub nettles, others comfrey, others bring lentils from marshes, boiled wild carrot, others Persian leaves, henbane, poppy, bulbs, pomegranate skins, fleawort, frankincense, hellebore root, soda, fenugreek with wine, flour of vetch, wild cucumber, cypress-gall, barley-meal, boiled cabbage leaves, gypsum from Paros, mountain-goat dung, human dung, bean flour, flower of the Assian stone; they boil toads, shrews, lizards, weasels, frogs, hyenas, deer-goats, foxes.
§165ποῖον μέταλλον οὐ πεπείρασται βροτοῖς;
What metal has not been tried by mortals?
§166τίς οὐχὶ χυλός;
What juice?
ποῖον οὐ δένδρου δάχρυ;
What tear of a tree?
Bones, sinews, skins, fat, blood, marrow, urine, dung, milk of all animals.
Some drink the remedy of four ingredients, others that of eight, and more that of seven.
§171ἄλλος δὲ πίνων τὴν ἱερὰν καθαίρεται, §172ἄλλος ἐπαοιδαῖς ἐπιθετῶν ἐμπαίζεται, §173Ἰουδαῖος ἕτερον μωρὸν ἐξᾴδει λαβών.
Another drinking the sacred purge is cleared, another is mocked putting trust in incantations, a Jew sings over another fool whom he has taken.
§174ὁ δὲ θεραπείαν ἔλαβε παρὰ τῆς Κυρράνης.
Another receives a cure from Cyranis.
§175ἐγὼ δὲ τούτοις πᾶσιν οἰμώξειν λέγω
But to all of them I say: 'Go weep!'