§17.1Κυανόπρῳρα μὲν ναῦς μενέκτυπον §17.2Θησέα δὶς ἑπτά τʼ ἀγλαοὺς ἄγουσα §17.3κούρους Ἰαόνων §17.4Κρητικὸν τάμνε πέλαγος·
The dark-prowed ship, carrying the steadfast-in-battle Theseus and twice seven glorious youths of the Iaones, was cleaving the Cretan sea.
For against the far-shining sail blew the northern breezes by the grace of glorious, battle-shield-shaking Athena.
And the dreadful gifts of the goddess of the lovely headband, Cypris, stung the heart of Minos.
No longer did he keep his hand away from the maiden, but he touched her white cheeks.
§17.14βόασέ τʼ Ἐρίβοια χαλκο- §17.15θώρακα Πανδίονος §17.16ἔκγονον· ἴδεν δὲ Θησεύς, §17.17μέλαν δʼ ὑπʼ ὀφρύων §17.18δίνασεν ὄμμα, καρδίαν τέ ϝοι §17.19σχέτλιον ἄμυξεν ἄλγος, §17.20εἶρέν τε· Διὸς υἱὲ φερτάτου, §17.21ὅσιον οὐκέτι τεᾶν §17.22ἔσω κυβερνᾷς φρενῶν §17.23θυμόν·
And Eriboea cried out to the bronze- breastplated offspring of Pandion; and Theseus saw, and beneath his brows he rolled his dark eye, and in his heart a sharp pain tore him, and he said: "Son of most high Zeus, no longer do you steer a righteous spirit within your breast, your passion; restrain your arrogant violence, hero.
ἴσχε μεγαλοῦχον ἥρως βίαν. §17.24ὅ τι μὲν ἐκ θεῶν μοῖρα παγκρατὴς §17.25ἄμμι κατένευσε καὶ Δίκας ῥέπει τά- §17.26λαντον, πεπρωμέναν §17.27αἶσαν ἐκπλήσομεν, ὅταν §17.28ἔλθῃ· σὺ δὲ βαρεῖαν κάτε- §17.29χε μῆτιν.
Whatever destiny from the gods, all-powerful, has decreed for us, and the balance of Justice inclines, that destined lot we shall fulfill, when it comes; but restrain your heavy purpose.
εἰ καί σε κεδνὰ §17.30τέκεν λέχει Διὸς ὑπὸ κρόταφον Ἴδας §17.31μιγεῖσα Φοίνικος ἐρα- §17.32τώνυμος κόρα βροτῶν §17.33φέρτατον, ἀλλὰ κἀμὲ §17.34Πιτθέος θυγάτηρ ἀφνεοῦ §17.35πλαθεῖσα ποντίῳ τέκεν §17.36Ποσειδᾶνι, χρύσεον §17.37τέ ϝοι δόσαν ἰόπλοκοι §17.38κάλυμμα Νηρηΐδες.
Even if you were born of the bed of Zeus under the brow of Ida, by the noble daughter of Phoenix of lovely name, to be the greatest of mortals, yet me too the daughter of wealthy Pittheus bore, in union with the sea-god Poseidon, and to her the violet-haired Nereids gave a golden veil.
§17.39τῶ σε, πολέμαρχε Κνωσίων, §17.40κέλομαι πολύστονον §17.41ἐρύκεν ὕβριν· οὐ γὰρ ἂν θελοι- §17.42μʼ ἀμβρότου ἐραννὸν Ἀοῦς §17.43ἰδεῖν φάος, ἐπεί τινʼ ἠϊθ έω ν §17.44σὺ δαμάσειας ἀέκον- §17.45τα·
Therefore, war-leader of the Cnossians, I command you to restrain your much-lamented insolence; for I would not wish to see the lovely light of immortal Dawn if you should subdue any of the youths against their will.
Before that, the force of our hands we shall show; and what follows, the deity will judge." Thus spoke the spear-valiant hero.
And the sailors wondered at the man's extraordinary courage.
Ἁλίου τε γαμβρῷ χολώ[σατʼ ἦτορ, §17.51ὕφαινέ τε ποταινίαν §17.52μῆτιν, εἶπέν τε· μεγαλοσθενὲς §17.53Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἄκουσον·
And the son-in-law of Helios was angered in his heart, and wove a new plot, and said: "Great-powered father Zeus, hear me!
εἴπερ μ[ε κούρ]α §17.54Φοίνισσα λευκώλενος σοὶ τέκε, §17.55νῦν πρόπεμπʼ ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ θ[οὰν §17.56πυριέθειραν ἀστραπὰν §17.57σᾶμʼ ἀρίγνωτον·
If the Phoenician white-armed maiden truly bore me to you, now send down from heaven a swift fire-haired lightning, a clear sign.
εἰ §17.58δὲ καὶ σὲ Τροιζηνία σεισίχθονι §17.59φύτευσεν Αἴθρα Ποσει- §17.60δᾶνι, τόνδε χρύσεον §17.61χειρὸς ἀγλαὸν §17.62ἔνεγκε κόσμον ἐκ βαθείας ἁλός, §17.63δικὼν θράσει σῶμα πατρὸς ἐς δόμους.
And if Aeethra of Troezen bore you to the earth-shaking Poseidon, this golden ornament of your hand, splendid, bring back from the deep sea, throwing your body with courage into the halls of your father.
§17.64εἴσεαι δʼ αἴ κʼ ἐμᾶς κλύῃ §17.65Κρόνιος εὐχᾶς §17.66ἀναξιβρόντας ὁ πάντων μεδ έω ν. §17.67κλύε δʼ ἄμετρον εὐχὰν μεγασθενὴς §17.68Ζεύς, ὑπέροχόν τε Μίνωϊ φύτευσε §17.69τιμὰν φίλῳ θέλων §17.70παιδὶ πανδερκέα θέμεν, §17.71ἄστραψέ θʼ·
And you shall know whether the son of Cronus hears my prayer, he who rules the thunder and governs all." And great-powered Zeus heard the immeasurable prayer, and produced for Minos an exceptional honor, wishing to make it visible to all for his dear son; and he lightened.
ὁ δὲ θυμάρμενον §17.72ἰδὼν τέρας πέτασε χεῖρας §17.73κλυτὰν ἐς αἰθέρα μενεπτόλεμος ἥρως, §17.74εἶρέν τε· Θησεῦ, σὺ τάδε §17.75μὲν βλέπεις σαφῆ Διὸς §17.76δῶρα·
And he, seeing the heart-pleasing sign, stretched his hands to the glorious ether, the battle-enduring hero, and said: "Theseus, you see these clear gifts of Zeus.
σὺ δʼ ὄρνυʼ ἐς βα- §17.77ρύβρομον πέλαγος· Κρονίδας §17.78δέ τοι πατὴρ ἄναξ τελεῖ §17.79Ποσειδὰν ὑπέρτατον §17.80κλέος χθόνα κατʼ ἠΰδενδρον. §17.81ὣς εἶπε· τῷ δʼ οὐ πάλιν §17.82θυμὸς ἀνεκάμπτετʼ, ἀλλʼ εὐ- §17.83πάκτων ἐπʼ ἰκρίων §17.84σταθεὶς ὄρουσε, πόντιόν τέ νιν §17.85δέξατο θελημὸν ἄλσος.
Now leap into the deep- roaring sea; and your father, the son of Cronus, lord Poseidon, will establish supreme glory for you over the well-wooded earth." Thus he spoke; and his spirit did not turn back, but standing on the well-built deck he leaped, and the sacred grove of the sea received him kindly.
§17.86τά[φ]εν δὲ Διὸς υἱὸς ἔνδοθεν §17.87κέαρ, κέλευσέ τε κατʼ οὖ- §17.88ρον ἴσχεν εὐδαίδαλον §17.89νᾶα· μοῖρα δʼ ἑτέραν ἐπόρσυνʼ ὁδόν.
And the son of Zeus wondered in his heart, and commanded to keep the well-wrought ship before the wind; but fate prepared another path.
The swift-sailing ship sped on; the northern breeze blowing from behind impelled it.
§17.92τρέσσαν δʼ Ἀθαναίων §17.93ἠϊθ έω ν πᾶν γένος, ἐπεὶ §17.94ἥρως θόρεν πόντονδε, κα- §17.95τὰ λειρίων τʼ ὀμμάτων δά- §17.96κρυ χ έο ν, βαρεῖαν ἐπιδέγμενοι ἀνάγκαν·
And all the race of Athenian youths trembled, when the hero leaped into the sea, and from their lily-like eyes tears they shed, expecting heavy necessity.
§17.97φέρον δὲ δελφῖνες ἁλι- §17.98ναιέται μέγαν θοῶς §17.99Θησέα πατρὸς ἱππί- §17.100ου δόμον, μέγαρόν τε θεῶν §17.101μόλεν·
But the sea-dwelling dolphins swiftly carried the great Theseus to the home of his father, the god of horses, and he reached the hall of the gods.
τόθι κλυτὰς ἰδὼν §17.102ἔδεισʼ ὀλβίοιο Νη- §17.103ρέος κόρας· ἀπὸ γὰρ ἀγλα- §17.104ῶν λάμπε γυίων σέλας §17.105ὧτε πυρός, ἀμφὶ χαίταις §17.106δὲ χρυσεόπλοκοι §17.107δίνηντο ταινίαι·
There, seeing the glorious daughters of blessed Nereus, he was afraid; for from their splendid limbs shone a radiance like fire, and around their hair golden-woven ribbons spun.
χορῷ δʼ ἔτερ- §17.108πον κέαρ ὑγροῖσι ποσσίν·
And with dance they delighted their hearts with wet feet.
And he saw his father's revered, beloved wife, the ox-eyed Amphitrite, in her lovely halls.
§17.112ἅ νιν ἀμφέβαλεν αἰόλαν πορφύραν, §17.113κόμαισί τʼ ἐπέθηκεν οὔλαις §17.114ἀμεμφέα πλόκον, §17.115τόν ποτέ ϝοι ἐν γάμῳ §17.116δῶκε δόλιος Ἀφροδίτα ῥόδοις ἐρεμνόν.
She wrapped him in a shimmering purple robe, and placed on his curly hair a flawless crown, which once at her marriage deceitful Aphrodite had given her, dark with roses.
Nothing that the gods wish is unbelievable to mortals who keep their senses.
§17.119νᾶα παρὰ λεπτόπρυμνον φάνη·
He appeared by the slender-sterned ship.
φεῦ, §17.120οἵαισιν ἐν φροντίσι Κνώσιον §17.121ἔσχασεν στραταγέταν, ἐπεὶ §17.122μόλʼ ἀδίαντος ἐξ ἁλὸς
Ah, in what anxiety did he check the Cnossian leader, when he came dry from the sea, a wonder to all.
§17.123θαῦμα πάντεσσι, λάμ- §17.124πε δʼ ἀμφὶ γυίοις θεῶν δῶρʼ, ἀγλαό- §17.125θρονοί τε κοῦραι σὺν εὐ- §17.126θυμία νεοκτίτῳ §17.127ὠλόλυξαν, ἔ- §17.128κλαγεν δὲ πόντος·
And there shone around his limbs the gifts of the gods, and the splendid- throned maidens with newly created joy cried aloud, and the sea resounded.
ἠΐθ εο ι δʼ ἐγγύθεν §17.129νέοι παιάνιξαν ἐρατᾷ ϝοπί.
And the young youths nearby sang a paean with lovely voice.