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ARGONAUTICA BOOK 2 [714]

(2.714-719) Now when they had celebrated him with dance and song they took an oath with holy libations, that they would ever help each other with concord of heart, touching the sacrifice as they swore; and even now there stands there a temple to gracious Concord, which the heroes themselves reared, paying honour at that time to the glorious goddess.

714     Αὐτὰρ ἐπειδὴ τόνγε χορείῃ μέλψαν ἀοιδῇ,
715 λοιβαῖς εὐαγέεσσιν ἐπώμοσαν, ἦ μὲν ἀρήξειν
716 ἀλλήλοις εἰσαιὲν ὁμοφροσύνῃσι νόοιο,
717 ἁπτόμενοι θυέων: καί τ' εἰσέτι νῦν γε τέτυκται
718 κεῖσ' Ὁμονοίης ἱρὸν ἐύφρονος, ὅ ῥ' ἐκάμοντο
719 αὐτοὶ κυδίστην τότε δαίμονα πορσαίνοντες.

(2.720-751) Now when the third morning came, with a fresh west wind they left the lofty island. Next, on the opposite side they saw and passed the mouth of the river Sangarius and the fertile land of the Mariandyni, and the stream of Lycus and the Anthemoeisian lake; and beneath the breeze the ropes and all the tackling quivered as they sped onward. During the night the wind ceased and at dawn they gladly reached the haven of the Acherusian headland. It rises aloft with steep cliffs, looking towards the Bithynian sea; and beneath it smooth rocks, ever washed by the sea, stand rooted firm; and round them the wave rolls and thunders loud, but above, wide-spreading plane trees grow on the topmost point. And from it towards the land a hollow glen slopes gradually away, where there is a cave of Hades overarched by wood and rocks. From here an icy breath, unceasingly issuing from the chill recess, ever forms a glistening rime which melts again beneath the midday sun. And never does silence hold that grim headland, but there is a continual murmur from the sounding sea and the leaves that quiver in the winds from the cave. And here is the outfall of the river Acheron which bursts its way through the headland and falls into the Eastern sea, and a hollow ravine brings it down from above. In after times the Nisaean Megarians named it Soonautes when they were about to settle in the land of the Mariandyni. For indeed the river saved them with their ships when they were caught in a violent tempest. By this way the heroes took the ship through the Acherusian headland and came to land over against it as the wind had just ceased.

720     ̂Ἠμος δὲ τρίτατον φάος ἤλυθε, δὴ τότ' ἔπειτα
721 ἀκραεῖ ζεφύρῳ νῆσον λίπον αἰπήεσσαν.
722 ἔνθεν δ' ἀντιπέρην ποταμοῦ στόμα Σαγγαρίοιο
723 καὶ Μαριανδυνῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐριθηλέα γαῖαν
724 ἠδὲ Λύκοιο ῥέεθρα καὶ Ἀνθεμοεισίδα λίμνην
725 δερκόμενοι παράμειβον: ὑπὸ πνοιῇ δὲ κάλωες
726 ὅπλα τε νήια πάντα τινάσσετο νισσομένοισιν.
727 ἠῶθεν δ' ἀνέμοιο διὰ κνέφας εὐνηθέντος
728 ἀσπασίως ἄκρης Ἀχερουσίδος ὅρμον ἵκοντο.
729 ἡ μέν τε κρημνοῖσιν ἀνίσχεται ἠλιβάτοισιν,
730 εἰς ἅλα δερκομένη Βιθυνίδα: τῇ δ' ὑπὸ πέτραι
731 λισσάδες ἐρρίζωνται ἁλίβροχοι: ἀμφὶ δὲ τῇσιν
732 κῦμα κυλινδόμενον μεγάλα βρέμει: αὐτὰρ ὕπερθεν
733 ἀμφιλαφεῖς πλατάνιστοι ἐπ' ἀκροτάτῃ πεφύασιν.
734 ἐκ δ' αὐτῆς εἴσω κατακέκλιται ἤπειρόνδε
735 κοίλη ὕπαιθα νάπη, ἵνα τε σπέος ἔστ' Ἀίδαο
736 ὕλῃ καὶ πέτρῃσιν ἐπηρεφές, ἔνθεν ἀυτμὴ
737 πηγυλίς, ὀκρυόεντος ἀναπνείουσα μυχοῖο
738 συνεχές, ἀργινόεσσαν ἀεὶ περιτέτροφε πάχνην,
739 ἥ τε μεσημβριόωντος ἰαίνεται ἠελίοιο.
740 σιγὴ δ' οὔποτε τήνγε κατὰ βλοσυρὴν ἔχει ἄκρην,
741 ἀλλ' ἄμυδις πόντοιό θ' ὑπὸ στένει ἠχήεντος,
742 φύλλων τε πνοιῇσι τινασσομένων μυχίῃσιν.
743 ἔνθα δὲ καὶ προχοαὶ ποταμοῦ Ἀχέροντος ἔασιν,
744 ὅς τε διὲξ ἄκρης ἀνερεύγεται εἰς ἅλα βάλλων
745 ἠῴην: κοίλη δὲ φάραγξ κατάγει μιν ἄνωθεν.
746 τὸν μὲν ἐν ὀψιγόνοισι Σοωναύτην ὀνόμηναν
747 Νισαῖοι Μεγαρῆες, ὅτε νάσσεσθαι ἔμελλον
748 γῆν Μαριανδυνῶν. δὴ γάρ σφεας ἐξεσάωσεν
749 αὐτῇσιν νήεσσι, κακῇ χρίμψαντας ἀέλλῃ.
750 τῇ ῥ' οἵγ' αὐτίκα νηὶ διὲξ Ἀχερουσίδος ἄκρης
751 εἰσωποὶ ἀνέμοιο νέον λήγοντος ἔκελσαν.

(2.752-773) Not long had they come unmarked by Lycus, the lord of that land, and the Mariandyni -- they, the slayers of Amycus, according to the report which the people heard before; but for that very deed they even made a league with the heroes. And Polydeuces himself they welcomed as a god, flocking from every side, since for a long time had they been warring against the arrogant Bebrycians. And so they went up all together into the city, and all that day with friendly feelings made ready a feast within the palace of Lycus and gladdened their souls with converse. Aeson's son told him the lineage and name of each of his comrades and the behests of Pelias, and how they were welcomed by the Lemnian women, and all that they did at Dolionian Cyzieus; and how they reached the Mysian land and Cius, where, sore against their will, they left behind the hero Heracles, and he told the saying of Glaucus, and how they slew the Bebrycians and Amycus, and he told of the prophecies and affliction of Phineus, and how they escaped the Cyanean rocks, and how they met with Leto's son at the island. And as he told all, Lycus was charmed in soul with listening; and he grieved for Heracles left behind, and spake as follows among them all:

752     Οὐδ' ἄρα δηθὰ Λύκον, κείνης πρόμον ἠπείροιο,
753 καὶ Μαριανδυνοὺς λάθον ἀνέρας ὁρμισθέντες
754 αὐθένται Ἀμύκοιο κατὰ κλέος, ὃ πρὶν ἄκουον:
755 ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀρθμὸν ἔθεντο μετὰ σφίσι τοῖο ἕκητι.
756 αὐτὸν δ' ὥστε θεὸν Πολυδεύκεα δεξιόωντο
757 πάντοθεν ἀγρόμενοι: ἐπεὶ ἦ μάλα τοίγ' ἐπὶ δηρὸν
758 ἀντιβίην Βέβρυξιν ὑπερφιάλοις πολέμιζον.
759 καὶ δὴ πασσυδίῃ μεγάρων ἔντοσθε Λύκοιο
760 κεῖν' ἦμαρ φιλότητι, μετὰ πτολίεθρον ἰόντες,
761 δαίτην ἀμφίεπον, τέρποντό τε θυμὸν ἔπεσσιν.
762 Λἰσονίδης μέν οἱ γενεὴν καὶ οὔνομ' ἑκάστου
763 σφωιτέρων μυθεῖθ' ἑτάρων, Πελίαό τ' ἐφετμάς,
764 ἠδ' ὡς Λημνιάδεσσιν ἐπεξεινοῦντο γυναιξίν,
765 ὅσσα τε Κύζικον ἀμφὶ Δολιονίην ἐτελεσσαν:
766 Μυσίδα δ' ὡς ἀφίκοντο Κίον θ', ὅθι κάλλιπον ἥρω
767 Ἡρακλέην ἀέκοντι νόῳ, Γλαύκοιό τε βάξιν
768 πέφραδε, καὶ Βέβρυκας ὅπως Ἄμυκόν τ' ἐδάιξαν,
769 καὶ Φινῆος ἔειπε θεοπροπίας τε δύην τε,
770 ἠδ' ὡς Κυανέας πέτρας φύγον, ὥς τ' ἀβόλησαν
771 Λητοΐδῃ κατὰ νῆσον. ὁ δ' ἑξείης ἐνέποντος
772 θέλγετ' ἀκουῇ θυμόν: ἄχος δ' ἕλεν Ἡρακλῆι
773 λειπομένῳ, καὶ τοῖον ἔπος πάντεσσι μετηύδα:

(2.774-810) "O friends, what a man he was from whose help ye have fallen away, as ye cleave your long path to Aeetes; for well do I know that I saw him here in the halls of Dascylus my father, when he came hither on foot through the land of Asia bringing the girdle of warlike Hippolyte; and me he found with the down just growing on my cheeks. And here, when my brother Priolas was slain by the Mysians -- my brother, whom ever since the people lament with most piteous dirges -- he entered the lists with Titias in boxing and slew him, mighty Titias, who surpassed all the youths in beauty and strength; and he dashed his teeth to the ground. Together with the Mysians he subdued beneath my father's sway the Phrygians also, who inhabit the lands next to us, and he made his own the tribes of the Bithynians and their land, as far as the mouth of Rhebas and the peak of Colone; and besides them the Paphlagonians of Pelops yielded just as they were, even all those round whom the dark water of Billaeus breaks. But now the Bebrycians and the insolence of Amycus have robbed me, since Heracles dwells far away, for they have long been cutting off huge pieces of my land until they have set their bounds at the meadows of deep-flowing Hypius. Nevertheless, by your hands have they paid the penalty; and it was not without the will of heaven, I trow, that he brought war on the Bebrycians this day -- he, the son of Tyndareus, when he slew that champion. Wherefore whatever requital I am now able to pay, gladly will I pay it, for that is the rule for weaker men when the stronger begin to help them. So with you all, and in your company, I bid Dascylus my son follow; and if he goes, you will find all men friendly that ye meet on your way through the sea even to the mouth of the river Thermodon. And besides that, to the sons of Tyndareus will I raise a lofty temple on the Acherusian height, which all sailors shall mark far across the sea and shall reverence; and hereafter for them will I set apart outside the city, as for gods, some fertile fields of the well-tilled plain."

774     "̂Ὠ φίλοι, οἵου φωτὸς ἀποπλαγχθέντες ἀρωγῆς
775 πείρετ' ἐς Αἰήτην τόσσον πλόον. εὖ γὰρ ἐγώ μιν
776 Δασκύλου ἐν μεγάροισι καταυτόθι πατρὸς ἐμοῖο
777 οἶδ' ἐσιδών, ὅτε δεῦρο δι' Ἀσίδος ἠπείροιο
778 πεζὸς ἔβη ζωστῆρα φιλοπτολέμοιο κομίζων
779 Ἱππολύτης: ἐμὲ δ' εὗρε νέον χνοάοντα ἰούλους.
780 ἔνθα δ' ἐπὶ Πριόλαο κασιγνήτοιο θανόντος
781 ἡμετέρου Μυσοῖσιν ὑπ' ἀνδράσιν, ὅντινα λαὸς
782 οἰκτίστοις ἐλέγοισιν ὀδύρεται ἐξέτι κείνου,
783 ἀθλεύων Τιτίην ἀπεκαίνυτο πυγμαχέοντα
784 καρτερόν, ὃς πάντεσσι μετέπρεπεν ἠιθέοισιν
785 εἶδός τ' ἠδὲ βίην: χαμάδις δέ οἱ ἤλασ' ὀδόντας.
786 αὐτὰρ ὁμοῦ Μυσοῖσιν ἐμῷ ὑπὸ πατρὶ δάμασσεν
787 καὶ Φρύγας, οἳ ναίουσιν ὁμώλακας ἧμιν ἀρούρας,
788 φῦλά τε Βιθυνῶν αὐτῇ κτεατίσσατο γαίῃ,
789 ἔστ' ἐπὶ Ῥηβαίου προχοὰς σκόπελόν τε Κολώνης:
790 Παφλαγόνες τ' ἐπὶ τοῖς Πελοπήιοι εἴκαθον αὔτως,
791 ὅσσους Βιλλαίοιο μέλαν περιάγνυται ὕδωρ.
792 ἀλλά με νῦν Βέβρυκες ὑπερβασίη τ' Ἀμύκοιο
793 τηλόθι ναιετάοντος, ἐνόσφισαν, Ἡρακλῆος,
794 δὴν ἀποτεμνόμενοι γαίης ἅλις, ὄφρ' ἐβάλοντο
795 οὖρα βαθυρρείοντος ὑφ' εἱαμεναῖς Ὑπίοιο.
796 ἔμπης δ' ἐξ ὑμέων ἔδοσαν τίσιν: οὐδέ ἕ φημι
797 ἤματι τῷδ' ἀέκητι θεῶν ἐπελάσσαι ἄρηα,
798 Τυνδαρίδην Βέβρυξιν, ὅτ' ἀνέρα κεῖνον ἔπεφνεν.
799 τῶ νῦν ἥντιν' ἐγὼ τῖσαι χάριν ἄρκιός εἰμι,
800 τίσω προφρονέως. ἡ γὰρ θέμις ηπεοανοισιν
801 ἀνδράσιν, εὖτ' ἄρξωσιν ἀρείονες ἄλλοι ὀφέλλειν.
802 ξυνῇ μὲν πάντεσσιν ὁμόστολον ὔμμιν ἕπεσθαι
803 Δάσκυλον ὀτρυνέω, ἐμὸν υἱέα: τοῖο δ' ἰόντος,
804 ἦ τ' ἂν ἐυξείνοισι διὲξ ἁλὸς ἀντιάοιτε
805 ἀνδράσιν, ὄφρ' αὐτοῖο ποτὶ στόμα Θερμώδοντος.
806 νόσφι δὲ Τυνδαρίδαις Ἀχερουσίδος ὑψόθεν ἄκρης
807 εἵσομαι ἱερὸν αἰπύ: τὸ μὲν μάλα τηλόθι πάντες
808 ναυτίλοι ἂμ πέλαγος θηεύμενοι ἱλάξονται:
809 καί κέ σφιν μετέπειτα πρὸ ἄστεος, οἷα θεοῖσιν,
810 πίονας εὐα:ρότοιο γύας πεδίοιο ταμοίμην."


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