Sacred Texts  Classics  Index  Previous  Next 
Buy this Book at Amazon.com

ARGONAUTICA BOOK 1 [1012]

(1.1012-1076) But the heroes, when the contest was ended without fear, loosed the ship's hawsers to the breath of the wind and pressed on through the sea-swell. And the ship sped on under sail all day; but when night came the rushing wind did not hold steadfast, but contrary blasts caught them and held them back till they again approached the hospitable Doliones. And they stepped ashore that same night; and the rock is still called the Sacred Rock round which they threw the ship's hawsers in their haste. Nor did anyone note with care that it was the same island; nor in the night did the Doliones clearly perceive that the heroes were returning; but they deemed that Pelasgian war-men of the Macrians had landed. Therefore they donned their armour and raised their hands against them. And with clashing of ashen spears and shields they fell on each other, like the swift rush of fire which falls on dry brushwood and rears its crest; and the din of battle, terrible and furious, fell upon the people of the Doliones. Nor was the king to escape his fate and return home from battle to his bridal chamber and bed. But Aeson's son leapt upon him as he turned to face him, and smote him in the middle of the breast, and the bone was shattered round the spear; he rolled forward in the sand and filled up the measure of his fate. For that no mortal may escape; but on every side a wide snare encompasses us. And so, when he thought that he had escaped bitter death from the chiefs, fate entangled him that very night in her toils while battling with them; and many champions withal were slain; Heracles killed Telecles and Megabrontes, and Acastus slew Sphodris; and Peleus slew Zelus and Gephyrus swift in war. Telamon of the strong spear slew Basileus. And Idas slew Promeus, and Clytius Hyacinthus, and the two sons of Tyndareus slew Megalossaces and Phlogius. And after them the son of Oeneus slew bold Itomeneus, and Artaceus, leader of men; all of whom the inhabitants still honour with the worship due to heroes. And the rest gave way and fled in terror just as doves fly in terror before swift-winged hawks. And with a din they rustled in a body to the gates; and quickly the city was filled with loud cries at the turning of the dolorous fight. But at dawn both sides perceived the fatal and cureless error; and bitter grief seized the Minyan heroes when they saw before them Cyzicus son of Aeneus fallen in the midst of dust and blood. And for three whole days they lamented and rent their hair, they and the Dollones. Then three times round his tomb they paced in armour of bronze and performed funeral rites and celebrated games, as was meet, upon the meadow-plain, where even now rises the mound of his grave to be seen by men of a later day. No, nor was his bride Cleite left behind her dead husband, but to crown the ill she wrought an ill yet more awful, when she clasped a noose round her neck. Her death even the nymphs of the grove bewailed; and of all the tears for her that they shed to earth from their eyes the goddesses made a fountain, which they call Cleite, the illustrious name of the hapless maid. Most terrible came that day from Zeus upon the Doliones, women and men; for no one of them dared even to taste food, nor for a long time by reason of grief did they take thought for the toil of the cornmill, but they dragged on their lives eating their food as it was, untouched by fire. Here even now, when the Ionians that dwell in Cyzicus pour their yearly libations for the dead, they ever grind the meal for the sacrificial cakes at the common mill.

1012     Ἥρωες δ', ὅτε δή σφιν ἀταρβὴς ἔπλετ' ἄεθλος,
1013 δὴ τότε πείσματα νηὸς ἐπὶ πνοιῇς ἀνέμοιο
1014 λυσάμενοι προτέρωσε διὲξ ἁλὸς οἶδμα νέοντο.
1015 ἡ δ' ἔθεεν λαίφεσσι πανήμερος: οὐ μὲν ἰούσης
1016 νυκτὸς ἔτι ῥιπὴ μένεν ἔμπεδον, ἀλλὰ θύελλαι
1017 ἀντίαι ἁρπάγδην ὀπίσω φέρον, ὄφρ' ἐπέλασσαν
1018 αὖτις ἐυξείνοισι Δολίοσιν ἐκ δ' ἄρ' ἔβησαν
1019 αὐτονυχί: Ἱερὴ δὲ φατίζεται ἥδ' ἔτι πέτρη,
1020 ᾗ πέρι πείσματα νηὸς ἐπεσσύμενοι ἐβάλοντο.
1021 οὐδέ τις αὐτὴν νῆσον ἐπιφραδέως ἐνόησεν
1022 ἔμμεναι: οὐδ' ὑπὸ νυκτὶ Δολίονες ἂψ ἀνιόντας
1023 ἥρωας νημερτὲς ἐπήισαν: ἀλλά που ἀνδρῶν
1024 Μακριέων εἴσαντο Πελασγικὸν ἄρεα κέλσαι.
1025 τῶ καὶ τεύχεα δύντες ἐπὶ σφίσι χεῖρας ἄειραν.
1026 σὺν δ' ἔλασαν μελίας τε καὶ ἀσπίδας ἀλλήλοισιν
1027 ὀξείῃ ἴκελοι ῥιπῇ πυρός, ἥ τ' ἐνὶ θάμνοις
1028 αὐαλέοισι πεσοῦσα κορύσσεται: ἐν δὲ κυδοιμὸς
1029 δεινός τε ζαμενής τε Δολιονίῳ πέσε δήμῳ.
1030 οὐδ' ὅγε δηιοτῆτος ὑπὲρ μόρον αὖτις ἔμελλεν
1031 οἴκαδε νυμφιδίους θαλάμους καὶ λέκτρον ἱκέσθαι.
1032 ἀλλά μιν Λἰσονίδης τετραμμένον ἰθὺς ἑοῖο
1033 πλῆξεν ἐπαΐξας στῆθος μέσον, ἀμφὶ δὲ δουρὶ
1034 ὀστέον ἐρραίσθη: ὁ δ' ἐνὶ ψαμάθοισιν έλυσθεὶς
1035 μοῖραν ἀνέπλησεν. τὴν γὰρ θέμις οὔποτ' ἀλύξαι
1036 θνητοῖσιν: πάντῃ δὲ περὶ μέγα πέπταται ἕρκος.
1037 ὧς τὸν ὀιόμενόν που ἀδευκέος ἔκτοθεν ἄτης
1038 εἶναι ἀριστήων αὐτῇ ὑπὸ νυκτὶ πέδησεν
1039 μαρνάμενον κείνοισι: πολεῖς δ' ἐπαρηγόνες ἄλλοι
1040 ἔκταθεν: Ἡρακλέης μὲν ἐνήρατο Τηλεκλῆα
1041 ἠδὲ Μεγαβρόντην: Σφόδριν δ' ἐνάριξεν Ἄκαστος:
1042 Πηλεὺς δὲ Ζέλυν εἷλεν ἀρηίθοόν τε Γέφυρον.
1043 αὐτὰρ ἐυμμελίης Τελαμὼν Βασιλῆα κατέκτα.
1044 Ἴδας δ' αὖ Προμέα, Κλυτίος δ' Ὑάκινθον ἔπεφνεν,
1045 Τυνδαρίδαι δ' ἄμφω Μεγαλοσσάκεα Φλογίον τε.
1046 Οἰνεΐδης δ' ἐπὶ τοῖσιν ἕλεν θρασὺν Ἰτυμονῆα
1047 ἠδὲ καὶ Ἀρτακέα, πρόμον ἀνδρῶν: οὓς ἔτι πάντας
1048 ἐνναέται τιμαῖς ἡρωίσι κυδαίνουσιν.
1049 οἱ δ' ἄλλοι εἴξαντες ὑπέτρεσαν, ἠύτε κίρκους
1050 ὠκυπέτας ἀγεληδὸν ὑποτρέσσωσι πέλειαι.
1051 ἐς δὲ πύλας ὁμάδῳ πέσον ἀθρόοι: αἶψα δ' ἀυτῆς
1052 πλῆτο πόλις στονόεντος ὑποτροπίῃ πολέμοιο.
1053 ἠῶθεν δ' ὀλοὴν καὶ ἀμήχανον εἰσενόησαν
1054 ἀμπλακίην ἄμφω: στυγερὸν δ' ἄχος εἷλεν ἰδόντας
1055 ἥρωας Μινύας Αἰνήιον υἷα πάροιθεν
1056 Κύζικον ἐν κονίῃσι καὶ αἵματι πεπτηῶτα.
1057 ἤματα δὲ τρία πάντα γόων, τίλλοντό τε χαίτας
1058 αὐτοὶ ὁμῶς λαοί τε Δολίονες. αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
1059 τρὶς περὶ χαλκείοις σὺν τεύχεσι δινηθέντες
1060 τύμβῳ ἐνεκτερέιξαν, ἐπειρήσαντό τ' ἀέθλων,
1061 ἣ θέμις, ἂμ πεδίον λειμώνιον, ἔνθ' ἔτι νῦν περ
1062 ἀγκέχυται τόδε σῆμα καὶ ὀψιγόνοισιν ἰδέσθαι.
1063 οὐδὲ μὲν οὐδ' ἄλοχος Κλείτη φθιμένοιο λέλειπτο
1064 οὗ πόσιος μετόπισθε: κακῷ δ' ἐπὶ κύντερον ἄλλο
1065 ἤνυσεν, ἁψαμένη βρόχον αὐχένι. τὴν δὲ καὶ αὐταὶ
1066 νύμφαι ἀποφθιμένην ἀλσηίδες ὠδύραντο:
1067 καί οἱ ἀπὸ βλεφάρων ὅσα δάκρυα χεῦαν ἔραζε,
1068 πάντα τάγε κρήνην τεῦξαν θεαί, ἣν καλέουσιν
1069 Κλείτην, δυστήνοιο περικλεὲς οὔνομα νύμφης.
1070 αἰνότατον δὴ κεῖνο Δολιονίῃσι γυναιξὶν
1071 ἀνδράσι τ' ἐκ Διὸς ἦμαρ ἐπήλυθεν: οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτῶν
1072 ἔτλη τις πάσσασθαι ἐδητύος, οὐδ' ἐπὶ δηρὸν
1073 ἐξ ἀχέων ἔργοιο μυληφάτου ἐμνώοντο:
1074 ἀλλ' αὔτως ἄφλεκτα διαζώεσκον ἔδοντες.
1075 ἔνθ' ἔτι νῦν, εὖτ' ἄν σφιν ἐτήσια χύτλα χέωνται
1076 Κύζικον ἐνναίοντες Ἰάονες, ἔμπεδον αἰεὶ

(1.1079-1091) After this, fierce tempests arose for twelve days and nights together and kept them there from sailing. But in the next night the rest of the chieftains, overcome by sleep, were resting during the latest period of the night, while Acastus and Mopsus the son of Ampyeus kept guard over their deep slumbers. And above the golden head of Aeson's son there hovered a halcyon prophesying with shrill voice the ceasing of the stormy winds; and Mopsus heard and understood the cry of the bird of the shore, fraught with good omen. And some god made it turn aside, and flying aloft it settled upon the stern-ornament of the ship. And the seer touched Jason as he lay wrapped in soft sheepskins and woke him at once, and thus spake:

1077 πανδήμοιο μύλης πελάνους ἐπαλετρεύουσιν.
1078    Ἐκ δὲ τόθεν τρηχεῖαι ἀνηέρθησαν ἄελλαι
1079 ἤμαθ' ὁμοῦ νύκτας τε δυώδεκα, τοὺς δὲ καταῦθι
1080 ναυτίλλεσθαι ἔρυκον. ἐπιπλομένῃ δ' ἐνὶ νυκτὶ
1081 ὧλλοι μέν ῥα πάρος δεδμημένοι εὐνάζοντο
1082 ὕπνῳ ἀριστῆες πύματον λάχος: αὐτὰρ Ἄκαστος
1083 Μόψος τ' Ἀμπυκίδης ἀδινὰ κνώσσοντας ἔρυντο.
1084 ἡ δ' ἄρ' ὑπὲρ ξανθοῖο καρήατος Αἰσονίδαο
1085 πωτᾶτ' ἀλκυονὶς λιγυρῇ ὀπὶ θεσπίζουσα
1086 λῆξιν ὀρινομένων ἀνέμων: συνέηκε δὲ Μόψος
1087 ἀκταίης ὄρνιθος ἐναίσιμον ὄσσαν ἀκούσας.
1088 καὶ τὴν μὲν θεὸς αὖτις ἀπέτραπεν, ἷζε δ' ὕπερθεν
1089 νηίου ἀφλάστοιο μετήορος ἀίξασα.
1090 τὸν δ' ὅγε κεκλιμένον μαλακοῖς ἐνὶ κώεσιν οἰῶν.
1091 κινήσας ἀνέγειρε παρασχεδόν, ὧδέ τ' ἔειπεν:

(1.1092-1102) "Son of Aeson, thou must climb to this temple on rugged Dindymum and propitiate the mother of all the blessed gods on her fair throne, and the stormy blasts shall cease. For such was the voice I heard but now from the halcyon, bird of the sea, which, as it flew above thee in thy slumber, told me all. For by her power the winds and the sea and all the earth below and the snowy seat of Olympus are complete; and to her, when from the mountains she ascends the mighty heaven, Zeus himself, the son of Cronos, gives place. In like manner the rest of the immortal blessed ones reverence the dread goddess."

1092     "Αἰσονίδη, χρειώ σε τόδ' ἱερὸν εἰσανιόντα
1093 Δινδύμου ὀκριόεντος ἐύθρονον ἱλάξασθαι
1094 μητέρα συμπάντων μακάρων: λήξουσι δ' ἄελλαι
1095 ζαχρηεῖς: τοίην γὰρ ἐγὼ νέον ὄσσαν ἄκουσα
1096 ἀλκυόνος ἁλίης, ἥ τε κνώσσοντος ὕπερθεν
1097 σεῖο πέριξ τὰ ἕκαστα πιφαυσκομένη πεπότηται.
1098 ἐκ γὰρ τῆς ἄνεμοί τε θάλασσά τε νειόθι τε χθὼν
1099 πᾶσα πεπείρανται νιφόεν θ' ἕδος Οὐλύμποιο:
1100 καί οἱ, ὅτ' ἐξ ὀρέων μέγαν οὐρανὸν εἰσαναβαίνῃ,
1101 Ζεὺς αὐτὸς Κρονίδης ὑποχάζεται. ὧς δὲ καὶ ὧλλοι
1102 ἀθάνατοι μάκαρες δεινὴν θεὸν ἀμφιέπουσιν."


Next: line 1103