ΗΣΙΟΔΟΣ, ΘΕΟΓΟΝΙΑ ΣΤΙΧΟΙ 1 – 336

Μουσάων Ἑλικωνιάδων ἀρχώμεθ’ ἀείδειν,
αἵ θ’ Ἑλικῶνος ἔχουσιν ὄρος μέγα τε ζάθεόν τε,
καί τε περὶ κρήνην ἰοειδέα πόσσ’ ἁπαλοῖσιν
ὀρχεῦνται καὶ βωμὸν ἐρισθενέος Κρονίωνος·
καί τε λοεσσάμεναι τέρενα χρόα Περμησσοῖο
ἢ Ἵππου κρήνης ἢ Ὀλμειοῦ ζαθέοιο
ἀκροτάτῳ Ἑλικῶνι χοροὺς ἐνεποιήσαντο,
καλοὺς ἱμερόεντας, ἐπερρώσαντο δὲ ποσσίν.
ἔνθεν ἀπορνύμεναι κεκαλυμμέναι ἠέρι πολλῷ
10 ἐννύχιαι στεῖχον περικαλλέα ὄσσαν ἱεῖσαι, 
ὑμνεῦσαι Δία τ’ αἰγίοχον καὶ πότνιαν Ἥρην
Ἀργείην, χρυσέοισι πέδιλοις ἐμβεβαυῖαν,
κούρην τ’ αἰγιόχοιο Διός γλαυκῶπιν Ἀθήνην
Φοῖβόν τ’ Ἀπόλλωνα καὶ Ἄρτεμιν ἰοχεαίραν
ἠδὲ Ποσειδάωνα γαιήοχον ἐννοσίγαιον
καὶ Θέμιν αἰδοίην ἑλικοβλέφαρόν τ’ Ἀφροδίτην
Ἥβην τε χρυσοστέφανον καλήν τε Διώνην
Λητώ τ’ Ἰαπετόν τε ἰδὲ Κρόνον ἀγκυλομήτην
Ἠῶ τ’ Ἠέλιόν τε μέγαν λαμπράν τε Σελήνην
20 Γαῖάν τ’ Ὠκεανόν τε μέγαν καὶ Νύκτα μέλαιναν
ἄλλων τ’ ἀθανάτων ἱερὸν γένος αἰὲν ἐόντων.
αἵ νύ ποθ’ Ἡσίοδον καλὴν ἐδίδαξαν ἀοιδήν,
ἄρνας ποιμαίνονθ’ Ἑλικῶνος ὕπο ζαθέοιο.
τόνδε δέ με πρώτιστα θεαὶ πρὸς μῦθον ἔειπον,
Μοῦσαι Ὀλυμπιάδες, κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο·

From the Heliconian Muses let us begin to sing,
who hold the great and holy mount of Helicon,
and dance on soft feet about the deep-blue spring
and the altar of the almighty son of Cronos,
and, when they have washed their tender bodies in Permessus
or in the Horse’s Spring or Olmeius,
make their fair, lovely dances upon highest Helicon
and move with vigorous feet. Thence they arise
and go abroad by night, veiled in thick mist,
and utter their song with lovely voice, praising
Zeus the aegis-holder and queenly Hera of Argos,
who walks on golden sandals,
and Zeus’ daughter the aegis-holder bright-eyed Athene,
and Phoebus Apollo, and Artemis who delights in arrows,
and Poseidon the earth-holder who shakes the earth,
and reverend Themis and quick-glancing Aphrodite,
and Hebe with the crown of gold, and fair Dione,
Leto, Iapetus, and Cronos the crafty counsellor,
Eos and great Helius and bright Selene,
Earth too, and great Oceanus, and dark Night,
and the holy race of all the other deathless ones that are for ever.
And one day they taught Hesiod glorious song
while he was shepherding his lambs under holy Helicon,
and this word first the goddesses said to me,
the Muses of Olympus, daughters of Zeus who holds the aegis:

“ποιμένες ἄγραυλοι, κάκ’ ἐλέγχεα, γαστέρες οἶον,
ἴδμεν ψεύδεα πολλὰ λέγειν ἐτύμοισιν ὁμοῖα,
ἴδμεν δ’ εὖτ’ ἐθέλωμεν ἀληθέα γηρύσασθαι.”

ὣς ἔφασαν κοῦραι μεγάλου Διὸς ἀρτιέπειαι,
30 καί μοι σκῆπτρον ἔδον δάφνης ἐριθηλέος ὄζον
δρέψασαι, θηητόν· ἐνέπνευσαν δέ μοι αὐδὴν
θέσπιν, ἵνα κλείοιμι τά τ’ ἐσσόμενα πρό τ’ ἐόντα,
καί μ’ ἐκέλονθ’ ὑμνεῖν μακάρων γένος αἰὲν ἐόντων,
σφᾶς δ’ αὐτὰς πρῶτόν τε καὶ ὕστατον αἰὲν ἀείδειν.
ἀλλὰ τίη μοι ταῦτα περὶ δρῦν ἢ περὶ πέτρην;
τύνη, Μουσάων ἀρχώμεθα, ταὶ Διὶ πατρὶ
ὑμνεῦσαι τέρπουσι μέγαν νόον ἐντὸς Ὀλύμπου,
εἴρουσαι τά τ’ ἐόντα τά τ’ ἐσσόμενα πρό τ’ ἐόντα,
φωνῇ ὁμηρεῦσαι, τῶν δ’ ἀκάματος ῥέει αὐδὴ
40 ἐκ στομάτων ἡδεῖα· γελᾷ δέ τε δώματα πατρὸς
Ζηνὸς ἐριγδούποιο θεᾶν ὀπὶ λειριοέσσῃ
σκιδναμένῃ, ἠχεῖ δὲ κάρη νιφόεντος Ὀλύμπου
δώματά τ’ ἀθανάτων· αἱ δ’ ἄμβροτον ὄσσαν ἱεῖσαι
θεῶν γένος αἰδοῖον πρῶτον κλείουσιν ἀοιδῇ
ἐξ ἀρχῆς, οὓς Γαῖα καὶ Οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ἔτικτεν,
οἵ τ’ ἐκ τῶν ἐγένοντο, θεοὶ δωτῆρες ἐάων·

“Shepherds of the wilderness, wretched things of shame, mere bellies,
we know how many false things are spoken as though they were true;
we also know that when we want, truth in verses will be uttered.”

So said the ready-voiced daughters of great Zeus,
and they plucked and gave me a rod, a shoot of sturdy laurel,
a marvellous thing, and breathed into me a divine voice
to celebrate things that shall be and things there were aforetime;
and they bade me sing of the race of the blessed gods that are eternally,
but ever to sing of themselves both first and last.
But why say all this in front of oak or stone?
Come thou, let us begin with the Muses who gladden the great spirit
of their father Zeus in Olympus with their songs,
telling of things that are and that shall be and that were aforetime
with consenting voice. Unwearying flows the sweet sound from their lips,
and the house of their father Zeus the loud-thunderer
is glad at the lily-like voice of the goddesses
as it spread abroad, and the peaks of snowy Olympus resound,
and the homes of the immortals. And they uttering their immortal voice,
celebrate in song first of all the reverend race of the gods
from the beginning, those whom Earth and wide Heaven begot,
and the gods sprung of these, givers of good things.

δεύτερον αὖτε Ζῆνα θεῶν πατέρ’ ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν,
ἀρχόμεναί θ’ ὑμνεῦσι θεαὶ λήγουσαί τ’ ἀοιδῆς,
ὅσσον φέρτατός ἐστι θεῶν κάρτει τε μέγιστος·
50 αὖτις δ’ ἀνθρώπων τε γένος κρατερῶν τε Γιγάντων
ὑμνεῦσαι τέρπουσι Διὸς νόον ἐντὸς Ὀλύμπου
Μοῦσαι Ὀλυμπιάδες, κοῦραι Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο.

τὰς ἐν Πιερίῃ Κρονίδῃ τέκε πατρὶ μιγεῖσα
Μνημοσύνη, γουνοῖσιν Ἐλευθῆρος μεδέουσα,
λησμοσύνην τε κακῶν ἄμπαυμά τε μερμηράων.
ἐννέα γάρ οἱ νύκτας ἐμίσγετο μητίετα Ζεὺς
νόσφιν ἀπ’ ἀθανάτων ἱερὸν λέχος εἰσαναβαίνων·
ἀλλ’ ὅτε δή ῥ’ ἐνιαυτὸς ἔην, περὶ δ’ ἔτραπον ὧραι
μηνῶν φθινόντων, περὶ δ’ ἤματα πόλλ’ ἐτελέσθη,
60 ἡ δ’ ἔτεκ’ ἐννέα κούρας, ὁμόφρονας, ᾗσιν ἀοιδὴ
μέμβλεται ἐν στήθεσσιν, ἀκηδέα θυμὸν ἐχούσαις,
τυτθὸν ἀπ’ ἀκροτάτης κορυφῆς νιφόεντος Ὀλύμπου·
ἔνθά σφιν λιπαροί τε χοροὶ καὶ δώματα καλά,
πὰρ δ’ αὐτῇς Χάριτές τε καὶ Ἵμερος οἰκί’ ἔχουσιν
ἐν θαλίῃς· ἐρατὴν δὲ διὰ στόμα ὄσσαν ἱεῖσαι
μέλπονται, πάντων τε νόμους καὶ ἤθεα κεδνὰ
ἀθανάτων κλείουσιν, ἐπήρατον ὄσσαν ἱεῖσαι.
αἳ τότ’ ἴσαν πρὸς Ὄλυμπον, ἀγαλλόμεναι ὀπὶ καλῇ,
ἀμβροσίῃ μολπῇ· περὶ δ’ ἴαχε γαῖα μέλαινα
70 ὑμνεύσαις, ἐρατὸς δὲ ποδῶν ὕπο δοῦπος ὀρώρει
νισομένων πατέρ’ εἰς ὅν· ὁ δ’ οὐρανῷ ἐμβασιλεύει,
αὐτὸς ἔχων βροντὴν ἠδ’ αἰθαλόεντα κεραυνόν,
κάρτει νικήσας πατέρα Κρόνον· εὖ δὲ ἕκαστα
ἀθανάτοις διέταξε νόμους καὶ ἐπέφραδε τιμάς.

Then, next, the goddesses sing of Zeus, the father of gods and men,
as they begin and end their strain,
how much he is the most excellent among the gods and supreme in power.
And again, they chant the race of men and strong giants,
and gladden the heart of Zeus within Olympus,
the Olympian Muses, daughters of Zeus the aegis-holder.

Them in Pieria did Mnemosyne (Memory),
who reigns over the hills of Eleuther, bear of union with the father,
the son of Cronos, a forgetting of ills and a rest from sorrow.
For nine nights did wise Zeus lie with her,
entering her holy bed remote from the immortals.
And when a year was passed and the seasons came round
as the months waned, and many days were accomplished,
she bare nine daughters, all of one mind, whose hearts
are set upon song and their spirit free from care,
a little way from the topmost peak of snowy Olympus.
There are their bright dancing-places and beautiful homes,
and beside them the Graces and Himerus (Desire) live in delight.
And they, uttering through their lips a lovely voice,
sing the laws of all and the goodly ways
of the immortals, uttering their lovely voice.
Then went they to Olympus, delighting in their sweet voice,
with heavenly song, and the dark earth resounded about them
as they chanted, and a lovely sound rose up beneath their feet
as they went to their father. And he was reigning in heaven,
himself holding the lightning and glowing thunderbolt,
when he had overcome by might his father Cronos; and he distributed
fairly to the immortals their portions and declared their privileges.

ταῦτ’ ἄρα Μοῦσαι ἄειδον Ὀλύμπια δώματ’ ἔχουσαι,
ἐννέα θυγατέρες μεγάλου Διὸς ἐκγεγαυῖαι,
Κλειώ τ’ Εὐτέρπη τε Θάλειά τε Μελπομένη τε
Τερψιχόρη τ’ Ἐρατώ τε Πολύμνιά τ’ Οὐρανίη τε
Καλλιόπη θ’· ἡ δὲ προφερεστάτη ἐστὶν ἁπασέων
80 ἡ γὰρ καὶ βασιλεῦσιν ἅμ’ αἰδοίοισιν ὀπηδεῖ.
ὅν τινα τιμήσουσι Διὸς κοῦραι μεγάλοιο
γεινόμενόν τε ἴδωσι διοτρεφέων βασιλήων,
τῷ μὲν ἐπὶ γλώσσῃ γλυκερὴν χείουσιν ἐέρσην,
τοῦ δ’ ἔπε’ ἐκ στόματος ῥεῖ μείλιχα· οἱ δέ νυ λαοὶ
πάντες ἐς αὐτὸν ὁρῶσι διακρίνοντα θέμιστας
ἰθείῃσι δίκῃσιν· ὁ δ’ ἀσφαλέως ἀγορεύων
αἶψά τι καὶ μέγα νεῖκος ἐπισταμένως κατέπαυσε·
τούνεκα γὰρ βασιλῆες ἐχέφρονες, οὕνεκα λαοῖς
βλαπτομένοις ἀγορῆφι μετάτροπα ἔργα τελεῦσι
90 ῥηιδίως, μαλακοῖσι παραιφάμενοι ἐπέεσσιν·
ἐρχόμενον δ’ ἀν’ ἀγῶνα θεὸν ὣς ἱλάσκονται
αἰδοῖ μειλιχίῃ, μετὰ δὲ πρέπει ἀγρομένοισι.
τοίη Μουσάων ἱερὴ δόσις ἀνθρώποισιν.

These things, then, the Muses sang who dwell on Olympus,
nine daughters begotten by great Zeus,
Cleio and Euterpe, Thaleia, Melpomene
and Terpsichore, and Erato and Polyhymnia and Urania
and Calliope, who is the chiefest of them all,
for she attends on worshipful princes:
whomsoever of heaven-nourished princes
the daughters of great Zeus honour, and behold him at his birth,
they pour sweet dew upon his tongue,
and from his lips flow gracious words. All the people
look towards him while he settles causes
with true judgements: and he, speaking surely,
would soon make wise end even of a great quarrel;
for therefore are there princes wise in heart, because when the people
are being misguided in their assembly, they set right the matter
again with ease, persuading them with gentle words.
And when he passes through a gathering, they greet him as a god
with gentle reverence, and he is conspicuous amongst the assembled:
such is the holy gift of the Muses to men.

ἐκ γάρ τοι Μουσέων καὶ ἑκηβόλου Ἀπόλλωνος
ἄνδρες ἀοιδοὶ ἔασιν ἐπὶ χθόνα καὶ κιθαρισταί,
ἐκ δὲ Διὸς βασιλῆες· ὁ δ’ ὄλβιος, ὅντινα Μοῦσαι
φίλωνται· γλυκερή οἱ ἀπὸ στόματος ῥέει αὐδή.
εἰ γάρ τις καὶ πένθος ἔχων νεοκηδέι θυμῷ
ἄζηται κραδίην ἀκαχήμενος, αὐτὰρ ἀοιδὸς
100 Μουσάων θεράπων κλεῖα προτέρων ἀνθρώπων
ὑμνήσει μάκαράς τε θεοὺς οἳ Ὄλυμπον ἔχουσιν,
αἶψ’ ὅ γε δυσφροσυνέων ἐπιλήθεται οὐδέ τι κηδέων
μέμνηται· ταχέως δὲ παρέτραπε δῶρα θεάων.
χαίρετε τέκνα Διός, δότε δ’ ἱμερόεσσαν ἀοιδήν·
κλείετε δ’ ἀθανάτων ἱερὸν γένος αἰὲν ἐόντων,
οἳ Γῆς ἐξεγένοντο καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος,
Νυκτός τε δνοφερῆς, οὕς θ’ ἁλμυρὸς ἔτρεφε Πόντος.
εἴπατε δ’ ὡς τὰ πρῶτα θεοὶ καὶ γαῖα γένοντο
καὶ ποταμοὶ καὶ πόντος ἀπείριτος οἴδματι θυίων
110 ἄστρά τε λαμπετόωντα καὶ οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθεν·
οἵ τ’ ἐκ τῶν ἐγένοντο, θεοὶ δωτῆρες ἐάων·
ὥς τ’ ἄφενος δάσσαντο καὶ ὡς τιμὰς διέλοντο,
ἠδὲ καὶ ὡς τὰ πρῶτα πολύπτυχον ἔσχον Ὄλυμπον.
ταῦτά μοι ἔσπετε Μοῦσαι Ὀλύμπια δώματ’ ἔχουσαι
ἐξ ἀρχῆς, καὶ εἴπαθ’, ὅτι πρῶτον γένετ’ αὐτῶν.

For it is through the Muses and far-shooting Apollo
that there are singers and harpers upon the earth;
but princes are of Zeus, and happy is he whom the Muses
love: sweet flows speech from his mouth.
For though a man have sorrow and grief in his newly-troubled
soul and live in dread because his heart is distressed,
yet, when a singer, the servant of the Muses, chants the glorious deeds of men
of old and the blessed gods who inhabit Olympus,
at once he forgets his heaviness and remembers not his sorrows at all;
but the gifts of the goddesses soon turn him away from these.
Hail, children of Zeus! Grant lovely song and celebrate
the holy race of the deathless gods who are for ever,
those that were born of Earth and starry Heaven
and gloomy Night and them that briny Sea did rear.
Tell how at the first gods and earth came to be,
and rivers, and the boundless sea with its raging swell,
and the gleaming stars, and the wide heaven above,
and the gods who were born of them, givers of good things,
and how they divided their wealth, and how they shared their honours amongst them,
and also how at the first they took many-folded Olympus.
These things declare to me from the beginning, ye Muses who dwell
in the house of Olympus, and tell me which of them first came to be.

ἤτοι μὲν πρώτιστα Χάος γένετ’· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
Γαῖ’ εὐρύστερνος, πάντων ἕδος ἀσφαλὲς αἰεὶ
ἀθανάτων οἳ ἔχουσι κάρη νιφόεντος Ὀλύμπου,
Τάρταρά τ’ ἠερόεντα μυχῷ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης,
120 ἠδ’ Ἔρος, ὃς κάλλιστος ἐν ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι,
λυσιμελής, πάντων τε θεῶν πάντων τ’ ἀνθρώπων
δάμναται ἐν στήθεσσι νόον καὶ ἐπίφρονα βουλήν.

ἐκ Χάεος δ’ Ἔρεβός τε μέλαινά τε Νὺξ ἐγένοντο·
Νυκτὸς δ’ αὖτ’ Αἰθήρ τε καὶ Ἡμέρη ἐξεγένοντο,
οὓς τέκε κυσαμένη Ἐρέβει φιλότητι μιγεῖσα.
Γαῖα δέ τοι πρῶτον μὲν ἐγείνατο ἶσον ἑαυτῇ
Οὐρανὸν ἀστερόενθ’, ἵνα μιν περὶ πάντα καλύπτοι,
ὄφρ’ εἴη μακάρεσσι θεοῖς ἕδος ἀσφαλὲς αἰεί,
γείνατο δ’ οὔρεα μακρά, θεᾶν χαρίεντας ἐναύλους
130 Νυμφέων, αἳ ναίουσιν ἀν’ οὔρεα βησσήεντα,
ἠδὲ καὶ ἀτρύγετον πέλαγος τέκεν οἴδματι θυῖον,
Πόντον, ἄτερ φιλότητος ἐφιμέρου· αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
Οὐρανῷ εὐνηθεῖσα τέκ’ Ὠκεανὸν βαθυδίνην
Κοῖόν τε Κρεῖόν θ’ Ὑπερίονά τ’ Ἰαπετόν τε
Θείαν τε Ῥείαν τε Θέμιν τε Μνημοσύνην τε
Φοίβην τε χρυσοστέφανον Τηθύν τ’ ἐρατεινήν.
τοὺς δὲ μέθ’ ὁπλότατος γένετο Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης,
δεινότατος παίδων, θαλερὸν δ’ ἤχθηρε τοκῆα.

Verily at the first Chaos came to be, but next
wide-bosomed Earth, the ever-sure foundations of all
the deathless ones who hold the peaks of snowy Olympus,
and dim Tartarus in the depth of the wide-pathed Earth,
and Eros (Love), fairest among the deathless gods,
who unnerves the limbs and overcomes the mind
and wise counsels of all gods and all men within them.

From Chaos came forth Erebus and black Night;
but of Night were born Aether and Day,
whom she conceived and bare from union in love with Erebus.
And Earth first bare starry Heaven, equal to herself,
to cover her on every side, and to be
an ever-sure abiding-place for the blessed gods.
And she brought forth long Hills, graceful haunts
of the goddess-Nymphs who dwell amongst the glens of the hills.
She bare also the fruitless deep with his raging swell,
Pontus, without sweet union of love. But afterwards
she lay with Heaven and bare deep-swirling Oceanus,
Coeus and Crius and Hyperion and Iapetus,
Theia and Rhea, Themis and Mnemosyne
and gold-crowned Phoebe and lovely Tethys.
After them was born Cronos the wily, youngest and
most terrible of her children, and he hated his lusty sire.

γείνατο δ’ αὖ Κύκλωπας ὑπέρβιον ἦτορ ἔχοντας,
140 Βρόντην τε Στερόπην τε καὶ Ἄργην ὀβριμόθυμον,
οἳ Ζηνὶ βροντήν τ’ ἔδοσαν τεῦξάν τε κεραυνόν.
οἱ δ’ ἤτοι τὰ μὲν ἄλλα θεοῖς ἐναλίγκιοι ἦσαν,
μοῦνος δ’ ὀφθαλμὸς μέσσῳ ἐνέκειτο μετώπῳ·
Κύκλωπες δ’ ὄνομ’ ἦσαν ἐπώνυμον, οὕνεκ’ ἄρά σφέων
κυκλοτερὴς ὀφθαλμὸς ἕεις ἐνέκειτο μετώπῳ·
ἰσχὺς δ’ ἠδὲ βίη καὶ μηχαναὶ ἦσαν ἐπ’ ἔργοις.

ἄλλοι δ’ αὖ Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἐξεγένοντο
τρεῖς παῖδες μεγάλοι τε καὶ ὄβριμοι, οὐκ ὀνομαστοί,
Κόττος τε Βριάρεώς τε Γύγης θ’, ὑπερήφανα τέκνα.
150 τῶν ἑκατὸν μὲν χεῖρες ἀπ’ ὤμων ἀίσσοντο,
ἄπλαστοι, κεφαλαὶ δὲ ἑκάστῳ πεντήκοντα
ἐξ ὤμων ἐπέφυκον ἐπὶ στιβαροῖσι μέλεσσιν·
ἰσχὺς δ’ ἄπλητος κρατερὴ μεγάλῳ ἐπὶ εἴδει.
ὅσσοι γὰρ Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἐξεγένοντο,
δεινότατοι παίδων, σφετέρῳ δ’ ἤχθοντο τοκῆι
ἐξ ἀρχῆς· καὶ τῶν μὲν ὅπως τις πρῶτα γένοιτο,
πάντας ἀποκρύπτασκε καὶ ἐς φάος οὐκ ἀνίεσκε
Γαίης ἐν κευθμῶνι, κακῷ δ’ ἐπετέρπετο ἔργῳ,
Οὐρανός· ἡ δ’ ἐντὸς στοναχίζετο Γαῖα πελώρη
160 στεινομένη, δολίην δὲ κακὴν ἐπεφράσσατο τέχνην.
αἶψα δὲ ποιήσασα γένος πολιοῦ ἀδάμαντος
τεῦξε μέγα δρέπανον καὶ ἐπέφραδε παισὶ φίλοισιν·
εἶπε δὲ θαρσύνουσα, φίλον τετιημένη ἦτορ·

“παῖδες ἐμοὶ καὶ πατρὸς ἀτασθάλου, αἴ κ’ ἐθέλητε
πείθεσθαι· πατρός κε κακὴν τεισαίμεθα λώβην
ὑμετέρου· πρότερος γὰρ ἀεικέα μήσατο ἔργα.”

ὣς φάτο· τοὺς δ’ ἄρα πάντας ἕλεν δέος, οὐδέ τις αὐτῶν
φθέγξατο. θαρσήσας δὲ μέγας Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης
αἶψ’ αὖτις μύθοισι προσηύδα μητέρα κεδνήν·

170 “μῆτερ, ἐγώ κεν τοῦτό γ’ ὑποσχόμενος τελέσαιμι
ἔργον, ἐπεὶ πατρός γε δυσωνύμου οὐκ ἀλεγίζω
ἡμετέρου· πρότερος γὰρ ἀεικέα μήσατο ἔργα.”

And again, she bare the Cyclopes, overbearing in spirit,
Brontes, and Steropes and stubborn-hearted Arges,
who gave Zeus the thunder and made the thunderbolt:
in all else they were like the gods, but one eye
only was set in the midst of their fore-heads.
And they were surnamed Cyclopes (Orb-eyed)
because one orbed eye was set in their foreheads.
Strength and might and craft were in their works.

And again, three other sons were born of Earth
and Heaven, great and doughty beyond telling,
Cottus and Briareos and Gyes, presumptuous children.
From their shoulders sprang an hundred arms,
not to be approached, and each had fifty heads upon
his shoulders on their strong limbs, and irresistible was
the stubborn strength that was in their great forms.
For of all the children that were born of Earth and Heaven,
these were the most terrible, and they were hated
by their own father from the first. And he used to hide them
all away in a secret place of Earth so soon as each was born,
and would not suffer them to come up into the light:
and Heaven rejoiced in his evil doing. But vast Earth
groaned within, being straitened, and she made
the element of grey flint and shaped a great sickle,
and told her plan to her dear sons. And she spoke,
cheering them, while she was vexed in her dear heart:

“My children, gotten of a sinful father, if you will obey me,
we should punish the vile outrage of your father;
for he first thought of doing shameful things.”

So she said; but fear seized them all, and none of them
uttered a word. But great Cronos the wily
took courage and answered his dear mother:

“Mother, I will undertake to do this deed,
for I reverence not our father of evil name,
for he first thought of doing shameful things.”

ὣς φάτο· γήθησεν δὲ μέγα φρεσὶ Γαῖα πελώρη·
εἷσε δέ μιν κρύψασα λόχῳ, ἐνέθηκε δὲ χερσὶν
ἅρπην καρχαρόδοντα, δόλον δ’ ὑπεθήκατο πάντα.
ἦλθε δὲ νύκτ’ ἐπάγων μέγας Οὐρανός, ἀμφὶ δὲ Γαίῃ
ἱμείρων φιλότητος ἐπέσχετο, καί ῥ’ ἐτανύσθη
πάντῃ· ὁ δ’ ἐκ λοχέοιο πάις ὠρέξατο χειρὶ
σκαιῇ, δεξιτερῇ δὲ πελώριον ἔλλαβεν ἅρπην,
180 μακρὴν καρχαρόδοντα, φίλου δ’ ἀπὸ μήδεα πατρὸς
ἐσσυμένως ἤμησε, πάλιν δ’ ἔρριψε φέρεσθαι
ἐξοπίσω. τὰ μὲν οὔ τι ἐτώσια ἔκφυγε χειρός·
ὅσσαι γὰρ ῥαθάμιγγες ἀπέσσυθεν αἱματόεσσαι,
πάσας δέξατο Γαῖα· περιπλομένων δ’ ἐνιαυτῶν
γείνατ’ Ἐρινῦς τε κρατερὰς μεγάλους τε Γίγαντας,
τεύχεσι λαμπομένους, δολίχ’ ἔγχεα χερσὶν ἔχοντας,
Νύμφας θ’ ἃς Μελίας καλέουσ’ ἐπ’ ἀπείρονα γαῖαν.
μήδεα δ’ ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ἀποτμήξας ἀδάμαντι
κάββαλ’ ἀπ’ ἠπείροιο πολυκλύστῳ ἐνὶ πόντῳ,
190 ὣς φέρετ’ ἂμ πέλαγος πουλὺν χρόνον, ἀμφὶ δὲ λευκὸς
ἀφρὸς ἀπ’ ἀθανάτου χροὸς ὤρνυτο· τῷ δ’ ἔνι κούρη
ἐθρέφθη· πρῶτον δὲ Κυθήροισι ζαθέοισιν
ἔπλητ’, ἔνθεν ἔπειτα περίρρυτον ἵκετο Κύπρον.
ἐκ δ’ ἔβη αἰδοίη καλὴ θεός, ἀμφὶ δὲ ποίη
ποσσὶν ὕπο ῥαδινοῖσιν ἀέξετο· τὴν δ’ Ἀφροδίτην
ἀφρογενέα τε θεὰν καὶ ἐυστέφανον Κυθέρειαν
κικλήσκουσι θεοί τε καὶ ἀνέρες, οὕνεκ’ ἐν ἀφρῷ
θρέφθη· ἀτὰρ Κυθέρειαν, ὅτι προσέκυρσε Κυθήροις·
Κυπρογενέα δ’, ὅτι γέντο περικλύστῳ ἐνὶ Κύπρῳ·
220 ἠδὲ φιλομμειδέα, ὅτι μηδέων ἐξεφαάνθη.
τῇ δ’ Ἔρος ὡμάρτησε καὶ Ἵμερος ἔσπετο καλὸς
γεινομένῃ τὰ πρῶτα θεῶν τ’ ἐς φῦλον ἰούσῃ·
ταύτην δ’ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τιμὴν ἔχει ἠδὲ λέλογχε
μοῖραν ἐν ἀνθρώποισι καὶ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι,
παρθενίους τ’ ὀάρους μειδήματά τ’ ἐξαπάτας τε
τέρψίν τε γλυκερὴν φιλότητά τε μειλιχίην τε.

So he said: and vast Earth rejoiced greatly in spirit,
and set and hid him in an ambush, and put in his hands
a jagged sickle, and revealed to him the whole plot.
And Heaven came, bringing on night and longing for love,
and he lay about Earth spreading himself full upon her.
Then the son from his ambush stretched forth his left hand
and in his right took the great long sickle with jagged teeth,
and swiftly lopped off his own father’s members
and cast them away to fall behind him. And not vainly
did they fall from his hand; for all the bloody drops
that gushed forth Earth received, and as the seasons moved round
she bare the strong Erinyes and the great Giants
with gleaming armour, holding long spears in their hands
and the Nymphs whom they call Meliae all over the boundless earth.
And so soon as he had cut off the members with flint
and cast them from the land into the surging sea,
they were swept away over the main a long time;
and a white foam spread around them from the immortal flesh,
and in it there grew a maiden. First she drew near holy Cythera,
and from there, afterwards, she came to sea-girt Cyprus,
and came forth an awful and lovely goddess,
and grass grew up about her beneath her shapely feet.
Her gods and men call Aphrodite, and the foam-born goddess
and rich-crowned Cytherea, because she grew amid the foam,
and Cytherea because she reached Cythera,
and Cyprogenes because she was born in billowy Cyprus,
and Philommedes because she sprang from the members.
And with her went Eros, and comely Desire followed her at her birth
at the first and as she went into the assembly of the gods.
This honour she has from the beginning, and this is the portion
allotted to her amongst men and undying gods,
the whisperings of maidens and smiles and deceits
with sweet delight and love and graciousness.

Τοὺς δὲ πατὴρ Τιτῆνας ἐπίκλησιν καλέεσκε
παῖδας νεικείων μέγας Οὐρανός, οὓς τέκεν αὐτός·
φάσκε δὲ τιταίνοντας ἀτασθαλίῃ μέγα ῥέξαι
210 ἔργον, τοῖο δ’ ἔπειτα τίσιν μετόπισθεν ἔσεσθαι.
Νὺξ δ’ ἔτεκε στυγερόν τε Μόρον καὶ Κῆρα μέλαιναν
καὶ Θάνατον, τέκε δ’ Ὕπνον, ἔτικτε δὲ φῦλον Ὀνείρων.
δεύτερον αὖ Μῶμον καὶ Ὀιζὺν ἀλγινόεσσαν
οὔ τινι κοιμηθεῖσα θεῶν τέκε Νὺξ ἐρεβεννή,
Ἑσπερίδας θ’, αἷς μῆλα πέρην κλυτοῦ Ὠκεανοῖο
χρύσεα καλὰ μέλουσι φέροντά τε δένδρεα καρπόν·
καὶ Μοίρας καὶ Κῆρας ἐγείνατο νηλεοποίνους,
Κλωθώ τε Λάχεσίν τε καὶ Ἄτροπον, αἵ τε βροτοῖσι
γεινομένοισι διδοῦσιν ἔχειν ἀγαθόν τε κακόν τε,
220 αἵ τ’ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε παραιβασίας ἐφέπουσιν,
οὐδέ ποτε λήγουσι θεαὶ δεινοῖο χόλοιο,
πρίν γ’ ἀπὸ τῷ δώωσι κακὴν ὄπιν, ὅστις ἁμάρτῃ.
τίκτε δὲ καὶ Νέμεσιν πῆμα θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσι
Νὺξ ὀλοή· μετὰ τὴν δ’ Ἀπάτην τέκε καὶ Φιλότητα
Γῆράς τ’ οὐλόμενον, καὶ Ἔριν τέκε καρτερόθυμον.
αὐτὰρ Ἔρις στυγερὴ τέκε μὲν Πόνον ἀλγινόεντα
Λήθην τε Λιμόν τε καὶ Ἄλγεα δακρυόεντα
Ὑσμίνας τε Μάχας τε Φόνους τ’ Ἀνδροκτασίας τε
Νείκεά τε Ψεύδεά τε Λόγους τ’ Ἀμφιλλογίας τε
230 Δυσνομίην τ’ Ἄτην τε, συνήθεας ἀλλήλῃσιν, 
Ὅρκον θ’, ὃς δὴ πλεῖστον ἐπιχθονίους ἀνθρώπους
πημαίνει, ὅτε κέν τις ἑκὼν ἐπίορκον ὀμόσσῃ·

But these sons whom be begot himself
great Heaven used to call Titans (Strainers) in reproach,
for he said that they strained and did presumptuously a fearful deed,
and that vengeance for it would come afterwards.
And Night bare hateful Doom and black Fate and Death,
and she bare Sleep and the tribe of Dreams.
And again the goddess murky Night, though
she lay with none, bare Blame and painful Woe,
and the Hesperides who guard the rich, golden apples
and the trees bearing fruit beyond glorious Ocean.
Also she bare the Destinies and ruthless avenging Fates,
Clotho and Lachesis and Atropos, who give men
at their birth both evil and good to have,
and they pursue the transgressions of men and of gods,
and these goddesses never cease from their dread anger
until they punish the sinner with a sore penalty.
Also deadly Night bare Nemesis (Indignation) to afflict mortal men,
and after her, Deceit and Friendship
and hateful Age and hard-hearted Strife.
But abhorred Strife bare painful Toil
and Forgetfulness and Famine and tearful Sorrows,
Fightings also, Battles, Murders, Manslaughters,
Quarrels, Lying Words, Disputes,
Lawlessness and Ruin, all of one nature,
and Oath who most troubles men upon earth
when anyone wilfully swears a false oath.

Νηρέα δ’ ἀψευδέα καὶ ἀληθέα γείνατο Πόντος
πρεσβύτατον παίδων· αὐτὰρ καλέουσι γέροντα,
οὕνεκα νημερτής τε καὶ ἤπιος, οὐδὲ θεμίστων
λήθεται, ἀλλὰ δίκαια καὶ ἤπια δήνεα οἶδεν·
αὖτις δ’ αὖ Θαύμαντα μέγαν καὶ ἀγήνορα Φόρκυν
Γαίῃ μισγόμενος καὶ Κητὼ καλλιπάρηον
Εὐρυβίην τ’ ἀδάμαντος ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θυμὸν ἔχουσαν.
240 Νηρῆος δ’ ἐγένοντο μεγήριτα τέκνα θεάων
πόντῳ ἐν ἀτρυγέτῳ καὶ Δωρίδος ἠυκόμοιο,
κούρης Ὠκεανοῖο τελήεντος ποταμοῖο,
Πλωτώ τ’ Εὐκράντη τε Σαώ τ’ Ἀμφιτρίτη τε
Εὐδώρη τε Θέτις τε Γαλήνη τε Γλαύκη τε,
Κυμοθόη Σπειώ τε θοὴ Θαλίη τ’ ἐρόεσσα
Πασιθέη τ’ Ἐρατώ τε καὶ Εὐνίκη ῥοδόπηχυς
καὶ Μελίτη χαρίεσσα καὶ Εὐλιμένη καὶ Ἀγαυὴ
Δωτώ τε Πρωτώ τε Φέρουσά τε Δυναμένη τε
Νησαίη τε καὶ Ἀκταίη καὶ Πρωτομέδεια,
250 Δωρὶς καὶ Πανόπη καὶ εὐειδὴς Γαλάτεια
Ἱπποθόη τ’ ἐρόεσσα καὶ Ἱππονόη ῥοδόπηχυς
Κυμοδόκη θ’, ἣ κύματ’ ἐν ἠεροειδέι πόντῳ
πνοιάς τε ζαέων ἀνέμων σὺν Κυματολήγῃ
ῥεῖα πρηΰνει καὶ ἐυσφύρῳ Ἀμφιτρίτῃ,
Κυμώ τ’ Ἠιόνη τε ἐυστέφανός θ’ Ἁλιμήδη
Γλαυκονόμη τε φιλομμειδὴς καὶ Ποντοπόρεια
Λειαγόρη τε καὶ Εὐαγόρη καὶ Λαομέδεια
Πουλυνόη τε καὶ Αὐτονόη καὶ Λυσιάνασσα
Εὐάρνη τε φυὴν ἐρατὴ καὶ εἶδος ἄμωμος
260 καὶ Ψαμάθη χαρίεσσα δέμας δίη τε Μενίππη
Νησώ τ’ Εὐπόμπη τε Θεμιστώ τε Προνόη τε
Νημερτής θ’, ἣ πατρὸς ἔχει νόον ἀθανάτοιο.
αὗται μὲν Νηρῆος ἀμύμονος ἐξεγένοντο
κοῦραι πεντήκοντα, ἀμύμονα ἔργ’ εἰδυῖαι·

And Sea begat Nereus, the eldest of his children,
who is true and lies not: and men call him the Old Man
because he is trusty and gentle and does not forget the laws
of righteousness, but thinks just and kindly thoughts.
And yet again he got great Thaumas and proud Phoreys,
being mated with Earth, and fair-cheeked Ceto
and Eurybia who has a heart of flint within her.
And of Nereus and rich-haired Doris, daughter of Ocean
the perfect river, were born children,
passing lovely amongst goddesses,
Ploto, Eucrante, Sao, and Amphitrite,
and Eudora, and Thetis, Galene and Glauce,
Cymothoe, Speo, Thoe and lovely Halie,
and Pasithea, and Erato, and rosy-armed Eunice,
and gracious Melite, and Eulimene, and Agaue,
Doto, Proto, Pherusa, and Dynamene,
and Nisaea, and Actaea, and Protomedea,
Doris, Panopea, and comely Galatea,
and lovely Hippothoe, and rosy-armed Hipponoe,
and Cymodoce who with Cymatolege and Amphitrite
easily calms the waves upon the misty sea
and the blasts of raging winds,
and Cymo, and Eione, and rich-crowned Alimede,
and Glauconome, fond of laughter, and Pontoporea,
Leagore, Euagore, and Laomedea,
and Polynoe, and Autonoe, and Lysianassa,
and Euarne, lovely of shape and without blemish of form,
and Psamathe of charming figure and divine Menippe,
Neso, Eupompe, Themisto, Pronoe,
and Nemertes who has the nature of her deathless father.
These fifty daughters sprang from blameless Nereus,
skilled in excellent crafts.

Θαύμας δ’ Ὠκεανοῖο βαθυρρείταο θύγατρα
ἠγάγετ’ Ἠλέκτρην· ἡ δ’ ὠκεῖαν τέκεν Ἶριν
ἠυκόμους θ’ Ἁρπυίας, Ἀελλώ τ’ Ὠκυπέτην τε,
αἵ ῥ’ ἀνέμων πνοιῇσι καὶ οἰωνοῖς ἅμ’ ἕπονται
ὠκείῃς πτερύγεσσι· μεταχρόνιαι γὰρ ἴαλλον.
270 Φόρκυι δ’ αὖ Κητὼ γραίας τέκε καλλιπαρήους
ἐκ γενετῆς πολιάς, τὰς δὴ Γραίας καλέουσιν
ἀθάνατοί τε θεοὶ χαμαὶ ἐρχόμενοί τ’ ἄνθρωποι,
Πεμφρηδώ τ’ εὔπεπλον Ἐνυώ τε κροκόπεπλον,
Γοργούς θ’, αἳ ναίουσι πέρην κλυτοῦ Ὠκεανοῖο
ἐσχατιῇ πρὸς νυκτός, ἵν’ Ἑσπερίδες λιγύφωνοι,
Σθεννώ τ’ Εὐρυάλη τε Μέδουσά τε λυγρὰ παθοῦσα·
ἡ μὲν ἔην θνητή, αἱ δ’ ἀθάνατοι καὶ ἀγήρῳ,
αἱ δύο· τῇ δὲ μιῇ παρελέξατο Κυανοχαίτης
ἐν μαλακῷ λειμῶνι καὶ ἄνθεσιν εἰαρινοῖσι.
280 τῆς ὅτε δὴ Περσεὺς κεφαλὴν ἀπεδειροτόμησεν,
ἐξέθορε Χρυσάωρ τε μέγας καὶ Πήγασος ἵππος.
τῷ μὲν ἐπώνυμον ἦν, ὅτ’ ἄρ’ Ὠκεανοῦ παρὰ πηγὰς
γένθ’, ὁ δ’ ἄορ χρύσειον ἔχων μετὰ χερσὶ φίλῃσι.
χὠ μὲν ἀποπτάμενος, προλιπὼν χθόνα μητέρα μήλων,
ἵκετ’ ἐς ἀθανάτους· Ζηνὸς δ’ ἐν δώμασι ναίει
βροντήν τε στεροπήν τε φέρων Διὶ μητιόεντι·
Χρυσάωρ δ’ ἔτεκε τρικέφαλον Γηρυονῆα
μιχθεὶς Καλλιρόῃ κούρῃ κλυτοῦ Ὠκεανοῖο·
τὸν μὲν ἄρ’ ἐξενάριξε βίη Ἡρακληείη
290 βουσὶ πάρ’ εἰλιπόδεσσι περιρρύτῳ εἰν Ἐρυθείῃ
ἤματι τῷ, ὅτε περ βοῦς ἤλασεν εὐρυμετώπους
Τίρυνθ’ εἰς ἱερήν, διαβὰς πόρον Ὠκεανοῖο,
Ὄρθόν τε κτείνας καὶ βουκόλον Εὐρυτίωνα
σταθμῷ ἐν ἠερόεντι πέρην κλυτοῦ Ὠκεανοῖο.

And Thaumas wedded Electra the daughter of deep-flowing Ocean,
and she bare him swift Iris and the long-haired Harpies,
Aello (Storm-swift) and Ocypetes (Swift-flier)
who on their swift wings keep pace with the blasts of the winds
and the birds; for quick as time they dart along.
And again, Ceto bare to Phoreys the fair-cheeked Graiae,
sisters grey from their birth, and both deathless gods
and men who walk on earth call them Graiae,
Pemphredo well-clad, and saffron-robed Enyo,
and the Gorgons who dwell beyond glorious Ocean in the frontier land
towards Night where are the clear-voiced Hesperides,
Sthenno, and Euryale, and Medusa who suffered a woeful fate;
she was mortal, but the two were undying and grew not old.
With her lay the Dark-haired One (Poseidon)
in a soft meadow amid spring flowers.
And when Perseus cut off her head, there sprang forth
great Chrysaor and the horse Pegasus who is so called
because he was born near the springs (pegae) of Ocean;
and that other, because he held a golden blade in his hands.
Now Pegasus flew away and left the earth, the mother of flocks,
and came to the deathless gods: and he dwells in the house of Zeus
and brings to wise Zeus the thunder and lightning.
But Chrysaor was joined in love to Callirrhoe, the daughter
of glorious Ocean, and begot three-headed Geryones.
Him mighty Heracles slew in sea-girt Erythea
by his shambling oxen on that day when he drove
the wide-browed oxen to holy Tiryns,
and had crossed the ford of Ocean,
and killed Orthus and Eurytion the herdsman
in the dim stead out beyond glorious Ocean.

Ἡ δ’ ἔτεκ’ ἄλλο πέλωρον ἀμήχανον, οὐδὲν ἐοικὸς
θνητοῖς ἀνθρώποις οὐδ’ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι,
σπῆι ἔνι γλαφυρῷ, θείην κρατερόφρον’ Ἔχιδναν,
ἥμισυ μὲν νύμφην ἑλικώπιδα καλλιπάρηον,
ἥμισυ δ’ αὖτε πέλωρον ὄφιν δεινόν τε μέγαν τε
300 αἰόλον ὠμηστήν, ζαθέης ὑπὸ κεύθεσι γαίης.
ἔνθα δέ οἱ σπέος ἐστὶ κάτω κοίλῃ ὑπὸ πέτρῃ
τηλοῦ ἀπ’ ἀθανάτων τε θεῶν θνητῶν τ’ ἀνθρώπων,
ἔνθ’ ἄρα οἱ δάσσαντο θεοὶ κλυτὰ δώματα ναίειν.
ἡ δ’ ἔρυτ’ εἰν Ἀρίμοισιν ὑπὸ χθόνα λυγρὴ Ἔχιδνα,
ἀθάνατος νύμφη καὶ ἀγήραος ἤματα πάντα.

τῇ δὲ Τυφάονά φασι μιγήμεναι ἐν φιλότητι
δεινόν θ’ ὑβριστήν τ’ ἄνομόν θ’ ἑλικώπιδι κούρῃ·
ἡ δ’ ὑποκυσαμένη τέκετο κρατερόφρονα τέκνα.
Ὄρθον μὲν πρῶτον κύνα γείνατο Γηρυονῆι·
310 δεύτερον αὖτις ἔτικτεν ἀμήχανον, οὔ τι φατειόν,
Κέρβερον ὠμηστήν, Ἀίδεω κύνα χαλκεόφωνον,
πεντηκοντακέφαλον, ἀναιδέα τε κρατερόν τε·
τὸ τρίτον Ὕδρην αὖτις ἐγείνατο λύγρ’ εἰδυῖαν
Λερναίην, ἣν θρέψε θεὰ λευκώλενος Ἥρη
ἄπλητον κοτέουσα βίῃ Ἡρακληείῃ.
καὶ τὴν μὲν Διὸς υἱὸς ἐνήρατο νηλέι χαλκῷ
Ἀμφιτρυωνιάδης σὺν ἀρηιφίλῳ Ἰολάῳ
Ἡρακλέης βουλῇσιν Ἀθηναίης ἀγελείης·
ἡ δὲ Χίμαιραν ἔτικτε πνέουσαν ἀμαιμάκετον πῦρ,
320 δεινήν τε μεγάλην τε ποδώκεά τε κρατερήν τε.
τῆς ἦν τρεῖς κεφαλαί· μία μὲν χαροποῖο λέοντος,
ἡ δὲ χιμαίρης, ἡ δ’ ὄφιος κρατεροῖο δράκοντος.
[πρόσθε λέων, ὄπιθεν δὲ δράκων, μέσση δὲ χίμαιρα,]
δεινὸν ἀποπνείουσα πυρὸς μένος αἰθομένοιο.
τὴν μὲν Πήγασος εἷλε καὶ ἐσθλὸς Βελλεροφόντης·
ἡ δ’ ἄρα Φῖκ’ ὀλοὴν τέκε Καδμείοισιν ὄλεθρον,
Ὄρθῳ ὑποδμηθεῖσα, Νεμειαῖόν τε λέοντα,
τόν ῥ’ Ἥρη θρέψασα Διὸς κυδρὴ παράκοιτις
γουνοῖσιν κατένασσε Νεμείης, πῆμ’ ἀνθρώποις.
330 ἔνθ’ ἄρ’ ὅ γ’ οἰκείων ἐλεφαίρετο φῦλ’ ἀνθρώπων,
κοιρανέων Τρητοῖο Νεμείης ἠδ’ Ἀπέσαντος·
ἀλλά ἑ ἲς ἐδάμασσε βίης Ἡρακληείης.

Κητὼ δ’ ὁπλότατον Φόρκυι φιλότητι μιγεῖσα
γείνατο δεινὸν ὄφιν, ὃς ἐρεμνῆς κεύθεσι γαίης
πείρασιν ἐν μεγάλοις παγχρύσεα μῆλα φυλάσσει.
τοῦτο μὲν ἐκ Κητοῦς καὶ Φόρκυνος γένος ἐστί.

And in a hollow cave she bare another monster, irresistible,
in no wise like either to mortal men or to the undying gods,
even the goddess fierce Echidna who is
half a nymph with glancing eyes and fair cheeks,
and half again a huge snake, great and awful, with speckled skin,
eating raw flesh beneath the secret parts of the holy earth.
And there she has a cave deep down under a hollow rock
far from the deathless gods and mortal men.
So there, did the gods appoint her a glorious house to dwell in;
and she keeps guard in Arima beneath the earth, grim Echidna,
a nymph who dies not nor grows old all her days.

Men say that Typhaon the terrible, outrageous and lawless,
was joined in love to her, the maid with glancing eyes.
So she conceived and brought forth fierce offspring;
first she bare Orthus the hound of Geryones, and then again
she bare a second, a monster not to be overcome
and that may not be described, Cerberus who eats raw flesh,
the brazen-voiced hound of Hades, fifty-headed, relentless and strong.
And again she bore a third, the evil-minded Hydra of Lerna,
whom the goddess, white-armed Hera nourished,
being angry beyond measure with the mighty Heracles.
And her Heracles, the son of Zeus, of the house of Amphitryon,
together with warlike Iolaus, destroyed with the unpitying sword
through the plans of Athene the spoil-driver.
She was the mother of Chimaera who breathed raging fire,
a creature fearful, great, swift-footed and strong,
who had three heads, one of a grim-eyed lion;
in her hinderpart, a dragon; and in her middle, a goat,
breathing forth a fearful blast of blazing fire.
Her did Pegasus and noble Bellerophon slay;
but Echidna was subject in love to Orthus and brought forth
the deadly Sphinx which destroyed the Cadmeans,
and the Nemean lion, which Hera, the good wife of Zeus,
brought up and made to haunt the hills of Nemea, a plague
to men. There he preyed upon the tribes of her own people
and had power over Tretus of Nemea and Apesas:
yet the strength of stout Heracles overcame him.

And Ceto was joined in love to Phorcys and bare her youngest,
the awful snake who guards the apples all of gold
in the secret places of the dark earth at its great bounds.
This is the offspring of Ceto and Phoreys.