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ARGONAUTICA BOOK 1 [202]

(1.202-206) With him came Palaemonius, son of Olenian Lernus, of Lernus by repute, but his birth was from Hephaestus; and so he was crippled in his feet, but his bodily frame and his valour no one would dare to scorn. Wherefore he was numbered among all the chiefs, winning fame for Jason.

202     Σὺν δὲ Παλαιμόνιος Λέρνου πάις Ὠλενίοιο,
203 Λέρνου ἐπίκλησιν, γενεήν γε μὲν Ἡφαίστοιο:
204 τούνεκ' ἔην πόδα σιφλός: ἀτὰρ δέμας οὔ κέ τις ἔτλη
205 ἠνορέην τ' ὀνόσασθαι, ὃ καὶ μεταρίθμιος ἦεν
206 πᾶσιν ἀριστήεσσιν, Ἰήσονι κῦδος ἀέξων.

(1.207-210) From the Phocians came Iphitus sprung from Naubolus son of Ornytus; once he had been his host when Jason went to Pytho to ask for a response concerning his voyage; for there he welcomed him in his own hails.

207    Ἐκ δ' ἄρα Φωκήων κίεν Ἴφιτος Ὀρνυτίδαο
208 Ναυβόλου ἐκγεγαώς: ξεῖνος δέ οἱ ἔσκε πάροιθεν,
209 ἦμος ἔβη Πυθώδε θεοπροπίας ἐρεείνων
210 ναυτιλίης: τόθι γάρ μιν ἑοῖς ὑπέδεκτο δόμοισιν.

(1.211-223) Next came Zetes and Calais, sons of Boreas, whom once Oreithyia, daughter of Erechtheus, bare to Boreas on the verge of wintry Thrace; thither it was that Thracian Boreas snatched her away from Cecropia as she was whirling in the dance, hard by Hissus' stream. And, carrying her far off, to the spot that men called the rock of Sarpedon, near the river Erginus, he wrapped her in dark clouds and forced her to his will. There they were making their dusky wings quiver upon their ankles on both sides as they rose, a great wonder to behold, wings that gleamed with golden scales: and round their backs from the top of the head and neck, hither and thither, their dark tresses were being shaken by the wind.

211     Ζήτης αὖ Κάλαΐς τε Βορήιοι υἷες ἵκοντο,
212 οὕς ποτ' Ἐρεχθηὶς Βορέῃ τέκεν Ὠρείθυια
213 ἐσχατιῇ Θρῄκης δυσχειμέρου: ἔνθ' ἄρα τήνγε
214 Θρηίκιος Βορέης ἀνερέψατο Κεκροπίηθεν
215 Ἰλισσοῦ προπάροιθε χορῷ ἔνι δινεύουσαν.
216 καί μιν ἄγων ἕκαθεν, Σαρπηδονίην ὅθι πέτρην
217 κλείουσιν, ποταμοῖο παρὰ ῥόον Ἐργίνοιο,
218 λυγαίοις ἐδάμασσε περὶ νεφέεσσι καλύψας.
219 τὼ μὲν ἐπ' ἀκροτάτοισι ποδῶν ἑκάτερθεν ἐρεμνὰς
220 σεῖον ἀειρομένω πτέρυγας, μέγα θάμβος ἰδέσθαι,
221 χρυσείαις φολίδεσσι διαυγέας: ἀμφὶ δὲ νώτοις
222 κράατος ἐξ ὑπάτοιο καὶ αὐχένος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα
223 κυάνεαι δονέοντο μετὰ πνοιῇσιν ἔθειραι.

(1.224-227) No, nor had Acastus son of mighty Pelias himself any will to stay behind in the palace of his brave sire, nor Argus, helper of the goddess Athena; but they too were ready to be numbered in the host.

224     Οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδ' αὐτοῖο πάις μενέαινεν Ἄκαστος
225 ἰφθίμου Πελίαο δόμοις ἔνι πατρὸς ἑῆος
226 μιμνάζειν, Ἄργος τε θεᾶς ὑποεργὸς Ἀθήνης:
227 ἀλλ' ἄρα καὶ τὼ μέλλον ἐνικρινθῆναι ὁμίλῳ.

(1.228-233) So many then were the helpers who assembled to join the son of Aeson. All the chiefs the dwellers thereabout called Minyae, for the most and the bravest avowed that they were sprung from the blood of the daughters of Minyas; thus Jason himself was the son of Alcimede who was born of Clymene the daughter of Minyas.

228     Τόσσοι ἄρ' Αἰσονίδῃ συμμήστορες ἠγερέθοντο.
229 τοὺς μὲν ἀριστῆας Μινύας περιναιετάοντες
230 κίκλησκον μάλα πάντας, ἐπεὶ Μινύαο θυγατρῶν
231 οἱ πλεῖστοι καὶ ἄριστοι ἀφ' αἵματος εὐχετόωντο
232 ἔμμεναι: ὧς δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν Ἰήσονα γείνατο μήτηρ
233 Ἀλκιμέδη, Κλυμένης Μινυηίδος ἐκγεγαυῖα.

(1.234-241) Now when all things had been made ready by the thralls, all things that fully-equipped ships are furnished withal when men's business leads them to voyage across the sea, then the heroes took their way through the city to the ship where it lay on the strand that men call Magnesian Pagasae; and a crowd of people hastening rushed together; but the heroes shone like gleaming stars among the clouds; and each man as he saw them speeding along with their armour would say:

234     Αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δμώεσσιν ἐπαρτέα πάντ' ἐτέτυκτο,
235 ὅσσα περ ἐντύνονται ἐπαρτέες ἔνδοθι νῆες,
236 εὖτ' ἂν ἄγῃ χρέος ἄνδρας ὑπεὶρ ἅλα ναυτίλλεσθαι,
237 δὴ τότ' ἴσαν μετὰ νῆα δι' ἄστεος, ἔνθα περ ἀκταὶ
238 κλείονται Παγασαὶ Μαγνήτιδες: ἀμφὶ δὲ λαῶν
239 πληθὺς σπερχομένων ἄμυδις θέεν: οἱ δὲ φαεινοὶ
240 ἀστέρες ὣς νεφέεσσι μετέπρεπον: ὧδε δ' ἕκαστος
241 ἔννεπεν εἰσορόων σὺν τεύχεσιν ἀίσσοντας:

(1.242-246) "King Zeus, what is the purpose of Pelias? Whither is he driving forth from the Panachaean land so great a host of heroes? On one day they would waste the palace of Aeetes with baleful fire, should he not yield them the fleece of his own goodwill. But the path is not to be shunned, the toil is hard for those who venture."

242     "Ζεῦ ἄνα, τίς Πελίαο νόος; πόθι τόσσον ὅμιλον
243 ἡρώων γαίης Παναχαιίδος ἔκτοθι βάλλει;
244 αὐτῆμάρ κε δόμους ὀλοῷ πυρὶ δῃώσειαν
245 Αἰήτεω, ὅτε μή σφιν ἑκὼν δέρος ἐγγυαλίξῃ.
246 ἀλλ' οὐ φυκτὰ κέλευθα, πόνος δ' ἄπρηκτος ἰοῦσιν."

(1.247-250) Thus they spake here and there throughout the city; but the women often raised their hands to the sky in prayer to the immortals to grant a return, their hearts' desire. And one with tears thus lamented to her fellow:

247     Ὧς φάσαν ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα κατὰ πτόλιν: αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες
248 πολλὰ μάλ' ἀθανάτοισιν ἐς αἰθέρα χεῖρας ἄειρον,
249 εὐχόμεναι νόστοιο τέλος θυμηδὲς ὀπάσσαι.
250 ἄλλη δ' εἰς ἑτέρην ὀλοφύρετο δακρυχέουσα:

(1.251-260) "Wretched Alcimede, evil has come to thee at last though late, thou hast not ended with splendour of life. Aeson too, ill-fated man! Surely better had it been for him, if he were lying beneath the earth, enveloped in his shroud, still unconscious of bitter toils. Would that the dark wave, when the maiden Helle perished, had overwhelmed Phrixus too with the ram; but the dire portent even sent forth a human voice, that it might cause to Alcimede sorrows and countless pains hereafter."

251     "Δειλὴ Ἀλκιμέδη, καὶ σοὶ κακὸν ὀφέ περ ἔμπης
252 ἤλυθεν, οὐδ' ἐτέλεσσας ἐπ' ἀγλαΐῃ βιότοιο.
253 Αἴσων αὖ μέγα δή τι δυσάμμορος. ἦ τέ οἱ ἦεν
254 βέλτερον, εἰ τὸ πάροιθεν ἐνὶ κτερέεσσιν ἐλυσθεὶς
255 νειόθι γαίης κεῖτο, κακῶν ἔτι νῆις ἀέθλων.
256 ὡς ὄφελεν καὶ Φρίξον, ὅτ' ὤλετο παρθένος Ἕλλη,
257 κῦμα μέλαν κριῷ ἅμ' ἐπικλύσαι: ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐδὴν
258 ἀνδρομέην προέηκε κακὸν τέρας, ὥς κεν ἀνίας
259 Ἀλκιμέδῃ μετόπισθε καὶ ἄλγεα μυρία θείη."
260     Αἱ μὲν ἄρ' ὧς ἀγόρευον ἐπὶ προμολῇσι κιόντων.

(1.261-277) Thus the women spake at the departure of the heroes. And now many thralls, men and women, were gathered together, and his mother, smitten with grief for Jason. And a bitter pang seized every woman's heart; and with them groaned the father in baleful old age, lying on his bed, closely wrapped round. But the hero straightway soothed their pain, encouraging them, and bade the thralls take up his weapons for war; and they in silence with downcast looks took them up. And even as the mother had thrown her arms about her son, so she clung, weeping without stint, as a maiden all alone weeps, falling fondly on the neck of her hoary nurse, a maid who has now no others to care for her, but she drags on a weary life under a stepmother, who maltreats her continually with ever fresh insults, and as she weeps, her heart within her is bound fast with misery, nor can she sob forth all the groans that struggle for utterance; so without stint wept Alcimede straining her son in her arms, and in her yearning grief spake as follows:

261 ἤδη δὲ δμῶές τε πολεῖς δμωαί τ' ἀγέροντο:
262 μήτηρ δ' ἀμφ' αὐτὸν βεβολημένη. ὀξὺ δ' ἑκάστην
263 δῦνεν ἄχος: σὺν δέ σφι πατὴρ ὀλοῷ ὑπὸ γήραι
264 ἐντυπὰς ἐν λεχέεσσι καλυψάμενος γοάασκεν.
265 αὐτὰρ ὁ τῶν μὲν ἔπειτα κατεπρήυνεν ἀνίας
266 θαρσύνων, δμώεσσι δ' ἀρήια τεύχε' ἀείρειν
267 πέφραδεν: οἱ δέ τε σῖγα κατηφέες ἠείροντο.
268 μήτηρ δ' ὡς τὰ πρῶτ' ἐπεχεύατο πήχεε παιδί,
269 ὧς ἔχετο κλαίουσ' ἀδινώτερον, ἠύτε κούρη
270 οἰόθεν ἀσπασίως πολιὴν τροφὸν ἀμφιπεσοῦσα
271 μύρεται, ᾗ οὐκ εἰσὶν ἔτ' ἄλλοι κηδεμονῆες,
272 ἀλλ' ὑπὸ μητρυιῇ βίοτον βαρὺν ἡγηλάζει:
273 καί ἑ νέον πολέεσσιν ὀνείδεσιν ἐστυφέλιξεν,
274 τῇ δέ τ' ὀδυρομένῃ δέδεται κέαρ ἔνδοθεν ἄτῃ,
275 οὐδ' ἔχει ἐκφλύξαι τόσσον γόον, ὅσσον ὀρεχθεῖ:
276 ὧς ἀδινὸν κλαίεσκεν ἑὸν παῖδ' ἀγκὰς ἔχουσα
277 Ἀλκιμέδη, καὶ τοῖον ἔπος φάτο κηδοσύνῃσιν:

(1.278-291) "Would that on that day when, wretched woman that I am, I heard King Pelias proclaim his evil behest, I had straightway given up my life and forgotten my cares, so that thou thyself, my son, with thine own hands, mightest have buried me; for that was the only wish left me still to be fulfilled by time, all the other rewards for thy nurture have I long enjoyed. Now I, once so admired among Achaean women, shall be left behind like a bondwoman in my empty halls, pining away, ill-fated one, for love of thee, thee on whose account I had aforetime so much splendour and renown, my only son for whom I loosed my virgin zone first and last. For to me beyond others the goddess Eileithyia grudged abundant offspring. Alas for my folly! Not once, not even in nay dreams did I forebode this, that the flight of Phrixus would bring me woe."

278     "Αἴθ' ὄφελον κεῖν' ἦμαρ, ὅτ' ἐξειπόντος ἄκουσα
279 δειλὴ ἐγὼ Πελίαο κακὴν βασιλῆος ἐφετμήν,
280 αὐτίκ' ἀπὸ ψυχὴν μεθέμεν, κηδέων τε λαθέσθαι,
281 ὄφρ' αὐτός με τεῇσι φίλαις ταρχύσαο χερσίν,
282 τέκνον ἐμόν: τὸ γὰρ οἶον ἔην ἔτι λοιπὸν ἐέλδωρ
283 ἐκ σέθεν, ἄλλα δὲ πάντα πάλαι θρεπτήρια πέσσω.
284 νῦν γε μὲν ἡ τὸ πάροιθεν Ἀχαιιάδεσσιν ἀγητὴ
285 δμωὶς ὅπως κενεοῖσι λελείψομαι ἐν μεγάροισιν,
286 σεῖο πόθῳ μινύθουσα δυσάμμορος, ᾧ ἔπι πολλὴν
287 ἀγλαΐην καὶ κῦδος ἔχον πάρος, ᾧ ἔπι μούνῳ
288 μίτρην πρῶτον ἔλυσα καὶ ὕστατον. ἔξοχα γάρ μοι
289 Εἰλείθυια θεὰ πολέος ἐμέγηρε τόκοιο.
290 ᾤ μοι ἐμῆς ἄτης: τὸ μὲν οὐδ' ὅσον, οὐδ' ἐν ὀνείρῳ
291 ὠισάμην, εἰ Φρίξος ἐμοὶ κακὸν ἔσσετ' ἀλύξας."

(1.292-294) Thus with moaning she wept, and her handmaidens, standing by, lamented; but Jason spake gently to her with comforting words:

292     Ὧς ἥγε στενάχουσα κινύρετο: ταὶ δὲ γυναῖκες
293 ἀμφίπολοι γοάασκον ἐπισταδόν: αὐτὰρ ὁ τήνγε
294 μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσι παρηγορέων προσέειπεν:

(1.295-305) "Do not, I pray thee, mother, store up bitter sorrows overmuch, for thou wilt not redeem me from evil by tears, but wilt still add grief to grief. For unseen are the woes that the gods mete out to mortals; be strong to endure thy share of them though with grief in thy heart; take courage from the promises of Athena, and from the answers of the gods (for very favourable oracles has Phoebus given), and then from the help of the chieftains. But do thou remain here, quiet among thy handmaids, and be not a bird of ill omen to the ship; and thither my clansmen and thralls will follow me."

295     "Μή μοι λευγαλέας ἐνιβάλλεο, μῆτερ, ἀνίας
296 ὧδε λίην, ἐπεὶ οὐ μὲν ἐρητύσεις κακότητος
297 δάκρυσιν, ἀλλ' ἔτι κεν καὶ ἐπ' ἄλγεσιν ἄλγος ἄροιο.
298 πήματα γάρ τ' ἀίδηλα θεοὶ θνητοῖσι fέμουσιν,
299 τῶν μοῖραν κατὰ θυμὸν ἀνιάζουσά περ ἔμπης
300 τλῆθι φέρειν: θάρσει δὲ συνημοσύνῃσιν Ἀθήνης,
301 ἠδὲ θεοπροπίοισιν, ἐπεὶ μάλα δεξιὰ Φοῖβος
302 ἔχρη, ἀτὰρ μετέπειτά γ' ἀριστήων ἐπαρωγῇ.
303 ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν νῦν αὖθι μετ' ἀμφιπόλοισιν ἕκηλος
304 μίμνε δόμοις, μηδ' ὄρνις ἀεικελίη πέλε νηί:
305 κεῖσε δ' ὁμαρτήσουσιν ἔται δμῶές τε κιόντι."


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