§1τῶ καλάθω κατιόντος ἐπιφθέγξασθε, γυναῖκες, §2Δάματερ μέγα χαῖρε πολυτρόφε πουλυμέδιμνε. §3τὸν κάλαθον κατιόντα χαμαὶ θασεῖσθε βέβαλοι, §4μηδʼ ἀπὸ τῶ τέγεος μηδʼ ὑψόθεν αὐγάσσησθε §5μὴ παῖς μηδὲ γυνὰ μηδʼ ἃ κατεχεύατο χαίταν, §6μηδʼ ὅκʼ ἀφʼ αὑαλέων στομάτων πτύωμες ἄπαστοι.
As the basket comes down, greet it, women: "Demeter, greatly hail, nourisher of many, of many bushels!" Uninitiated, view the basket coming down from the ground, and do not gaze from the roof or from on high, neither child, nor woman, nor she who has let down her hair, nor when we, fasting, spit from dry mouths.
§7ἕσπερος ἐκ νεφέων ἐσκέψατο πανίκα νεῖται, §8ἕσπερος, ὅστε πιεῖν Δαμάτερα μῶνος ἔπεισεν, §9ἁρπαγίμας ὅκʼ ἄπυστα μετέστιχεν ἴχνια κώρας.
Hesperus looks out from the clouds to see when it returns— Hesperus, who alone persuaded Demeter to drink, when she was pursuing the untraceable tracks of her abducted daughter.
§10πότνια, πῶς σε δύναντο πόδες φέρεν ἔστʼ ἐπὶ δυθμάς, §11ἔστʼ ἐπὶ τὼς μέλανας καὶ ὅπα τὰ χρύσεα μᾶλα;
Lady, how could your feet bear you as far as the west, as far as the black men and where the golden apples are?
§12οὐ πίες οὔτʼ ἄρʼ ἔδες τῆνον χρόνον οὐδὲ λοέσσα.
You did not drink, nor did you eat during that time, nor did you wash.
§13τρὶς μὲν δὴ διέβας Ἀχελώιον ἀργυροδίναν, §14τοσσάκι δʼ ἀενάων ποταμῶν ἐπέρασας ἕκαστον, §15τρὶς δʼ ἐπὶ Καλλιχόρῳ χαμάδις ἐκαθίσσαο φρητί §16αὐσταλέα ἄποτός τε καὶ οὐ φάγες οὐδὲ λοέσσα.
Three times indeed you crossed silver-swirling Achelous, and as many times you passed over each of the ever-flowing rivers; and three times you sat down on the ground by the Callichorus well, parched and without drink, and you did not eat nor wash.
§17μὴ μὴ ταῦτα λέγωμες ἃ δάκρυον ἄγαγε Δηοῖ· §18κάλλιον, ὡς πολίεσσιν ἑαδότα τέθμια δῶκε· §19κάλλιον, ὡς καλάμαν τε καὶ ἱερὰ δράγματα πράτα §20ἀσταχύων ἀπέκοψε καὶ ἐν βόας ἧκε πατῆσαι, §21ἁνίκα Τριπτόλεμος ἀγαθὰν ἐδιδάσκετο τέχναν·
Let us not, let us not speak of those things which brought tears to Deo; better to tell how she gave pleasing laws to cities; better to tell how she first cut the straw and the sacred sheaves of ears, and sent oxen in to tread them, when Triptolemus was being taught the good craft.
Better to tell how, so that one might also avoid transgressions,... to see...
§24οὔπω τὰν Κνιδίαν, ἔτι Δώτιον ἱρὸν ἔναιον, §25τὶν δʼ αὐτᾷ καλὸν ἄλσος ἐποιήσαντο Πελασγοὶ §26δένδρεσιν ἀμφιλαές·
Not yet did they dwell in Knidos, but still inhabited holy Dotion; and for you yourself the Pelasgians made a beautiful grove, thick with trees; through it an arrow could scarcely pass.
διά κεν μόλις ἦνθεν ὀιστός· §27ἐν πίτυς, ἐν μεγάλαι πτελέαι ἔσαν, ἐν δὲ καὶ ὄχναι, §28ἐν δὲ καλὰ γλυκύμαλα· τὸ δʼ ὥστʼ ἀλέκτρινον ὕδωρ §29ἐξ ἀμαρᾶν ἀνέθυε.
In it were pines, in it were large elms, and in it also pears, and in it beautiful sweet apples; and water like amber bubbled up from the conduits.
θεὰ δʼ ἐπεμαίνετο χώρῳ §30ὅσσον Ἐλευσῖνι, Τριόπῳ θʼ ὅσον, ὁκκόσον Ἔννᾳ.
And the goddess was as madly fond of the place as of Eleusis, as of Triopas, as of Enna.
But when the favorable deity grew angry with the sons of Triopas, then a worse counsel seized Erysichthon.
§33σεύατʼ ἔχων θεράποντας ἐείκοσι, πάντας ἐν ἀκμᾷ, §34πάντας δʼ ἀνδρογίγαντας ὅλαν πόλιν ἀρκίος ἆραι, §35ἀμφότερον πελέκεσσι καὶ ἀξίναισιν ὁπλίσσας, §36ἐς δὲ τὸ Δάματρος ἀναιδέες ἔδραμον ἄλσος.
He rushed with twenty servants, all in their prime, all giant-like men, sufficient to raise a whole city, having armed them with both double-axes and hatchets, and they ran shamelessly into the grove of Demeter.
§37ἦς δέ τις αἴγειρος, μέγα δένδρεον αἰθέρι κῦρον, §38τῷ δʼ ἔπι ταὶ νύμφαι ποτὶ τὤνδιον ἑψιόωντο, §39ἃ πράτα πλαγεῖσα κακὸν μέλος ἴαχεν ἄλλαις.
And there was a poplar, a great tree reaching to the sky, under which the nymphs used to play at midday; which, being struck first, cried out a mournful song to the others.
§40ᾄσθετο Δαμάτηρ, ὅτι οἱ ξύλον ἱερὸν ἄλγει, §41εἶπε δὲ χωσαμένα "τίς μοι καλὰ δένδρεα κόπτει; " §42αὐτίκα Νικίππᾳ, τάν οἱ πόλις ἀράτειραν §43δαμοσίαν ἔστασαν, ἐείσατο, γέντο δὲ χειρὶ §44στέμματα καὶ μάκωνα, κατωμαδίαν δʼ ἔχε κλᾷδα.
Demeter perceived that her sacred tree was suffering, and she said in anger: "Who is cutting my beautiful trees?" Straightway she took the likeness of Nikippe, whom the city had appointed as their public priestess; and she took in her hand garlands and a poppy, and held a key on her shoulder.
And she spoke, trying to soothe the evil and shameless man: "Child, whoever you are that cut the trees dedicated to the gods, child, cease!
§47τέκνον ἐλίνυσον, τέκνον πολύθεστε τοκεῦσι, §48παύεο καὶ θεράποντας ἀπότρεπε, μή τι χαλεφθῇ §49πότνια Δαμάτηρ, τᾶς ἱερὸν ἐκκεραΐζεις. §50τὰν δʼ ἄρʼ ὑποβλέψας χαλεπώτερον ἠὲ κυναγὸν §51ὤρεσιν ἐν Τμαρίοισιν ὑποβλέπει ἄνδρα λέαινα §52ὠμοτόκος, τᾶς φαντὶ πέλειν βλοσυρώτατον ὄμμα, §53χάζευ,
ἔφα,
μή τοι πέλεκυν μέγαν ἐν χροΐ πάξω.
Child, much-prayed-for by your parents, stop and turn back your servants, lest lady Demeter become angry, whose sanctuary you are plundering." But he, looking askance at her more fiercely than a lioness that has just given birth looks at a hunter in the Tmarion mountains— whose glance they say is the most terrifying— said: "Draw back, lest I fix my great axe in your flesh!
§54ταῦτα δʼ ἐμὸν θησεῖ στεγανὸν δόμον, ᾧ ἔνι δαῖτας §55αἰὲν ἐμοῖς ἑτάροισιν ἄδην θυμαρέας ἀξῶ. §56εἶπεν ὁ παῖς, Νέμεσις δὲ κακὰν ἐγράψατο φωνάν.
These trees shall build my secure house, wherein I shall ever hold pleasant feasts to their heart's content for my companions." So spoke the youth, and Nemesis recorded his evil voice.
§57Δαμάτηρ δʼ ἄφατόν τι κοτέσσατο, γείνατο δʼ ἁ θεύς· §58ἴθματα μὲν χέρσω, κεφαλὰ δέ οἱ ἅψατʼ Ὀλύμπω.
And Demeter was unspeakably angered, and she became the goddess: her feet indeed trod the earth, but her head touched Olympus.
The servants indeed, half-dead when they saw the lady, suddenly rushed away, leaving their bronze in the oaks.
§61ἁ δʼ ἄλλως μὲν ἔασεν, ἀναγκαίᾳ γὰρ ἕποντο §62δεσποτικὰν ὑπὸ χεῖρα, βαρὺν δʼ ἀπαμείψατʼ ἄνακτα §63ναὶ ναί, τεύχεο δῶμα, κύον, κύον, ᾧ ἔνι δαῖτας §64ποιησεῖς· θαμιναὶ γάρ ἐς ὕστερον εἰλαπίναι τοι. §65ἁ μὲν τόσσʼ εἰποῖσʼ Ἐρυσίχθονι τεῦχε πονηρά.
But she let them be, for they were following under a master's hand by necessity; but she answered the heavy king: "Yes, yes, build your house, dog, dog, wherein you shall make feasts; for frequent banquets will be yours hereafter." So much she spoke, and fashioned evil for Erysichthon.
Straightway she cast upon him a harsh and wild hunger, burning and strong, and he was tormented by a great disease.
§68σχέτλιος, ὅσσα πάσαιτο τόσων ἔχεν ἵμερος αὖτις.
Wretch, as many things as he tasted, of so many did desire possess him again.
§69εἴκατι δαῖτα πένοντο, δυώδεκα δʼ οἶνον ἄφυσσον·
Twenty prepared his feast, and twelve drew wine.