Here when he had well fed the loud-lowing cows with grass, and had driven them together in flocks into the shed, having cropped the lotus and dewy rush-grass, he then brought together much wood, and sought out the art of [producing] fire,20 having taken a splendid branch of laurel, he pared it with the steel, having rubbed it in his hand, and upwards the warm vapour breathed 21 forth. Mercury then first bestowed fire-implements and fire. And having taken together many dry faggots, he placed them abundantly in a low trench, and the flame shone forth, sending afar the crackling 22 of a muchburning fire. But whilst the might of glorious Vulcan was kindling, he meantime drew two lowing heifers with crumple horns out of doors, near to the fire, for mighty was his power. But he threw them both panting to the ground, on their backs, and he rolled them over and over, bending down, and boring out their lives. And he wrought toil upon toil,23 cutting their flesh together with the rich fat, and he roasted it being pierced through with the wooden spits, both the flesh and the wellprized backs, and the black blood kept within the intestines, but they lay there upon the ground. And he stretched out the skins upon a rough rock. †So do we 24 still cut up those which have been born for a long time, a long and incalculable time after this. But then rejoicing Mercury drew off the fat spoils upon a smooth plane, and cut them into twelve parts, distributed by lot, and he offered the perfect honour to each [of the twelve gods]. Here glorious Mercury longed for the 20 But Hermann reads réxvny, illustrating the construction of μaioμa with a genitive, from Il. x. 401. Od. v. 344. 21 Ernesti prefers τάχα ἄμπνυτο. 22 For which the laurel (vs. 109) was remarkable. Cf. Virg. Ecl. viii. 82. Nemesian. Ecl. iv. 65. 23 Cf. Theocrit. Id. xv. 20, πέντε πόκως ἔλαβ ̓ ἐχθὲς, ἅπαν ῥύπος, ἔργον ἐπ ̓ ἔργῳ. 24 "And thus were these now all in pieces shred, And undistinguish'd from earth's common herd: Chapman. I am but half satisfied respecting these two lines, nor does Hermann seem quite settled as to their correction. His text has τάμετ ̓ ἅσσα πολυχρόνιοι, but in the notes he proposes τάνυθ ̓ ἅσσα πολυχρόνια π., giving the following explanation of aкpirov, "quemadmodum nunc quoque, multo post, tenduntur, quæ natura ad diuturnitatem, facta sunt. sacrifice of flesh,25 for the savour now struck 26 him, although being immortal, but not even thus did his noble mind give way, although greatly longing to convey [the banquet] down his sacred throat! But these indeed he placed in the lofty shed, the fat and abundant flesh. And he forthwith piled them aloft, as a sign of the recent slaughter, 28 and having raised dry faggots upon them, he consumed the whole feet and heads in the vapour of fire. But when the gods had accomplished all things rightly, he cast his sandals into eddying Alpheus, and throughout the night he quenched the coals, and trampled them to black dust; but beauteous shone the light of the moon. But he again came forthwith to the divine heights of Cyllene, at dawn, nor did any one meet him during the long journey, neither of the blessed gods, nor of mortal men, nor did the dogs bark. But Mercury, the beneficial [son] of Jove, bending himself up, slipped through the keyhole of the house, like unto an autumnal breeze, like unto a vapour. And he came straight through the rich temple of the cave, stepping onwards on tip-toe, for he made no noise, as if [he were walking] on the earth. And glorious Mercury came hastily to his cradle, having wrapped his swaddling-clothes around his shoulders, like an infant child, playing with the coverlet with his [right] hand on his knees, and holding his beloved lyre in the left. But god as he was, he escaped not the notice of his goddess mother, and she spake thus: Why, whence comest thou hither, O cunning plotter, at this time of night, clad in impudence? Now I think that thou, having fetters round thy sides, from which there is no escape, wilt shortly pass from the vestibule under the hands of Apollo, or that thou wilt elude him even while holding thee in his arms. Away with thee! a great care hath thy sire begotten thee to mortal men and immortal gods." 66 But her Mercury answered with cunning words: "Mother 28 25 i. e. he was first possessed with the desire of being honoured, as a god, with sacred rites. 66 26 Ernesti well compares Sueton. Claud. 33, "nidore prandii ictus." 27 Hermann prefers σῆμα νέης φωρῆς, and ἄγειρας, (with Ilgen,) i. e. 'raising them up as a trophy of his first theft." The old reading was νέης φανῆς, altered to νεοσφαγίης by Ruhnken. Hermann seems right. "Dear mother,' 28 Replied sly Hermes, 'wherefore scold and bother? mine, why dost thou scold me like an infant child, who knows very few fitting things in his mind, timid, and [who] dreads his mother's scoldings. But I will make use of a scheme, which is most excellent, considering for myself and thee. Nor among the immortal gods will we endure to remain here giftless, and without food, as you would have. It is better to associate with the immortals all one's days, being rich, opulent, with abundant spoil, than to sit at home in a shadowy cave. I also will aim at the sacred honour which Apollo [claims]. But if indeed my father will not give it, surely I will make the attempt, [and] I am equal to being the captain of thieves. But if the son of glorious Latona shall trace me out, I think that I shall make some other and greater attempt against him. For I will go to Pytho, in order to break into his great dwelling, where I will pillage enough of beauteous tripods, and caldrons, and gold, and enough of shining iron, and much apparel; and thou mayest see me if thou wilt." Thus they indeed discoursed with each other in words, both the son of Ægis-bearing Jove, and hallowed Maia. But Morn, the mother of dawn, bearing light to mortals, arose from the deep-flowing ocean. But Apollo came to Onchestus, going to the pleasant and pure grove of the heavy-roaring Earth-Shaker, where he found the toothless 29 old man forming the hedge of his vineyard along the wayside, whom first the son of glorious Latona addressed: 66 "O old man, hedge-pruner of grassy Onchestus, I come hither, seeking heifers from Pieria, all females, all with crumpled horns, [stolen] from my herd, but the black bull was pasturing alone, away from the rest, and four savage dogs followed in the rear, like men of one mind. They indeed, the dogs and the bull, were left, (which indeed is a great marvel,) but they [the heifers] have left the soft meadow, just as the sun was setting, from the sweet pasture. Concerning these tell me, O ancient-born old man, if any where thou hast seen a man making his way to these cattle." But him the old man, answering in words, addressed: "O friend, it is difficult indeed to tell all things which one has And understood nothing of what is what; And cared at all to hear my mother scold.'' Shelley. 29 I cannot see any objection to this epithet. Hermann would read νωχαλος, i. e. ῥάθυμος, χαῦνος. beheld with one's eyes; for many travellers make their way, of whom some having many evil designs, but others very good, go along; but it is difficult to learn each one. But throughout the whole day till sun-set I have been digging around the hill of the vineyard; but, O best one, I thought I saw- -but I know not how to distinguish clearly-a boy, which infant boy was following with fair-horned cows. And he had a staff, and walked in a wavering manner, and urged them from behind, and kept their heads opposite to himself." The old man spake, and Phoebus Apollo went quicker on his way. But he saw [the truth like as] a wing-stretching bird of augury, and forthwith perceived that the thief was the son of Saturnian Jove. But the son of Jove, Apollo, quickly entered divine Pylos, seeking the bent-footed heifers, having concealed his broad shoulders in a purple mist. Far-Darter perceived the footprints, and spake thus: And the "O gods! surely I behold this a mighty marvel with mine eyes. These indeed are the footsteps of straight-horned heifers, but they are turned backwards towards the meadow of asphodel. And these are the steps neither of man nor woman, nor of hoary wolves, nor bears, nor lions, nor are they like [those] of a shaggy-necked centaur, whoever walks thus terribly with his swift feet, heavily on this side of the way, and heavier on that side of the way." "30 Thus having spoken, king Apollo, the son of Jove, went on, and came to the wood-clad mountain of Cyllene, into the heavy-shaded lair of the rock, where also the immortal nymph brought forth the son of Saturnian Jove. But a pleasant savour was scattered through the divine mountain, and many long-footed sheep were browsing on the grass. Here then hastening, far-darting holy 31 Apollo descended the stony ground, into the murky cave. But when the son of Jove and Maia perceived him, far-darting Apollo, enraged about his heifers, he got within his incense-scented swaddling-clothes, like as the cinder of wood 32 has enveloped much ash of boughs, so did 30 Ernesti well observes that this repetition is dramatic, the speaker being supposed to point with his hand to each side of the road as he walks along. 31 For αὐτὸς Hermann elegantly reads ἁγνὸς ̓Απόλλων. 32 I have some doubts whether λns should be joined with πpéμvwv or with σποδός. Mercury, perceiving the Far-Darter, draw himself away.33 And in a small place he gathered up his head, and hands, and feet, because just washed, seeking sweet sleep after hunting, and he held the new-formed 34 lyre under his shoulder. But the son of Jove and Latona recognised, nor failed to perceive the all-beauteous mountain nymph and her dear son, a little boy, swathed up in crafty tricks. And having looked around every cranny of the large dwelling, taking a shining key, he opened three recesses full of nectar and delightful ambrosia. And much gold and silver lay within, and many purple and whitewoven garments of the nymph, such as the sacred dwellings of the blessed gods contain within. Here after the son of Latona had searched out the crannies of the large dwelling, he addressed glorious Mercury in words: "O boy, who reclinest in a cradle, at once tell me where my bulls are, since we shall otherwise quarrel not fittingly. For I will hurl thee into murky Tartarus, into sorrowful and inextricable darkness; nor shall thy mother nor thy sire bring thee forth into the light, but beneath the earth shalt thou perish, acting as leader 35 over a few men.' O son 36 But him Mercury answered with crafty words: of Latona, what hard word is this thou hast said? And why 33 Quasi se sibi subtraxit, se fugit," Ernesti. Hermann, however, more rightly reads ἀλέεινε, ἢ αὐτὸν. 34 But Herm. reads ἐγρήσσων ἐτεόν γε χελύν δ' ὑπο 35 Matthiæ, however, reads ἠπεροπεύων, and Hermann δολίοισιν ἐν ávdo, which produces an amusing meaning. 36 I cannot refrain from quoting Shelley's eloquent paraphrase: "Son Of great Latona, what a speech is this! Why come you here to ask me what is done I have not seen them, nor from any one If you should promise an immense reward, I could not tell you more than you now have heard. And I am but a little new-born thing, Who, yet at least, can think of nothing wrong:- |
