ΗΣΙΟΔΟΣ, ΘΕΟΓΟΝΙΑ ΣΤΙΧΟΙ 337 – 616

Τηθὺς δ’ Ὠκεανῷ ποταμοὺς τέκε δινήεντας,
Νεῖλόν τ’ Ἀλφειόν τε καὶ Ἠριδανὸν βαθυδίνην,
Στρυμόνα Μαίανδρόν τε καὶ Ἴστρον καλλιρέεθρον
340 Φᾶσίν τε Ῥῆσόν τ’ Ἀχελῷόν τ’ ἀργυροδίνην
Νέσσόν τε Ῥοδίον θ’ Ἁλιάκμονά θ’ Ἑπτάπορόν τε
Γρήνικόν τε καὶ Αἴσηπον θεῖόν τε Σιμοῦντα
Πηνειόν τε καὶ Ἕρμον ἐυρρείτην τε Κάικον
Σαγγάριόν τε μέγαν Λάδωνά τε Παρθένιόν τε
Εὔηνόν τε καὶ Ἀρδῆσκον θεῖόν τε Σκάμανδρον·
τίκτε δὲ θυγατέρων ἱερὸν γένος, αἳ κατὰ γαῖαν
ἄνδρας κουρίζουσι σὺν Ἀπόλλωνι ἄνακτι
καὶ Ποταμοῖς, ταύτην δὲ Διὸς πάρα μοῖραν ἔχουσι,
Πειθώ τ’ Ἀδμήτη τε Ἰάνθη τ’ Ἠλέκτρη τε
350 Δωρίς τε Πρυμνώ τε καὶ Οὐρανίη θεοειδὴς
Ἱππώ τε Κλυμένη τε Ῥόδειά τε Καλλιρόη τε
Ζευξώ τε Κλυτίη τε Ἰδυῖά τε Πασιθόη τε
Πληξαύρη τε Γαλαξαύρη τ’ ἐρατή τε Διώνη
Μηλόβοσίς τε Θόη τε καὶ εὐειδὴς Πολυδώρη
Κερκηίς τε φυὴν ἐρατὴ Πλουτώ τε βοῶπις
Περσηίς τ’ Ἰάνειρά τ’ Ἀκάστη τε Ξάνθη τε
Πετραίη τ’ ἐρόεσσα Μενεσθώ τ’ Εὐρώπη τε
Μῆτίς τ’ Εὐρυνόμη τε Τελεστώ τε κροκόπεπλος
Χρυσηίς τ’ Ἀσίη τε καὶ ἱμερόεσσα Καλυψὼ
360 Εὐδώρη τε Τύχη τε καὶ Ἀμφιρὼ Ὠκυρόη τε
καὶ Στύξ, ἣ δή σφεων προφερεστάτη ἐστὶν ἁπασέων.
αὗται ἄρ’ Ὠκεανοῦ καὶ Τηθύος ἐξεγένοντο
πρεσβύταται κοῦραι· πολλαί γε μέν εἰσι καὶ ἄλλαι·
τρὶς γὰρ χίλιαί εἰσι τανίσφυροι Ὠκεανῖναι,
αἵ ῥα πολυσπερέες γαῖαν καὶ βένθεα λίμνης
πάντῃ ὁμῶς ἐφέπουσι, θεάων ἀγλαὰ τέκνα.
τόσσοι δ’ αὖθ’ ἕτεροι ποταμοὶ καναχηδὰ ῥέοντες,
υἱέες Ὠκεανοῦ, τοὺς γείνατο πότνια Τηθύς·
τῶν ὄνομ’ ἀργαλέον πάντων βροτὸν ἄνδρα ἐνισπεῖν,
370 οἱ δὲ ἕκαστοι ἴσασιν, ὅσοι περιναιετάουσι. 

And Tethys bare to Ocean eddying rivers,
Nilus, and Alpheus, and deep-swirling Eridanus,
Strymon, and Meander, and the fair stream of Ister,
and Phasis, and Rhesus, and the silver eddies of Achelous,
Nessus, and Rhodius, Haliacmon, and Heptaporus,
Granicus, and Aesepus, and holy Simois,
and Peneus, and Hermus, and Caicus fair stream,
and great Sangarius, Ladon, Parthenius,
Euenus, Ardescus, and divine Scamander.
Also she brought forth a holy company of daughters who
with the lord Apollo and the Rivers have youths in their keeping,
to this charge Zeus appointed them.
Peitho, and Admete, and Ianthe, and Electra,
and Doris, and Prymno, and Urania divine in form,
Hippo, Clymene, Rhodea, and Callirrhoe,
Zeuxo and Clytie, and Idyia, and Pasithoe,
Plexaura, and Galaxaura, and lovely Dione,
Melobosis and Thoe and handsome Polydora,
Cerceis lovely of form, and soft eyed Pluto,
Perseis, Ianeira, Acaste, Xanthe,
Petraea the fair, Menestho, and Europa,
Metis, and Eurynome, and Telesto saffron-clad,
Chryseis and Asia and charming Calypso,
Eudora, and Tyche, Amphirho, and Ocyrrhoe,
and Styx who is the chiefest of them all.
These are the eldest daughters that sprang
from Ocean and Tethys; but there are many besides.
For there are three thousand neat-ankled daughters of Ocean
who are dispersed far and wide, and in every place alike serve the earth
and the deep waters, children who are glorious among goddesses.
And as many other rivers are there, babbling as they flow,
sons of Ocean, whom queenly Tethys bare,
but their names it is hard for a mortal man to tell,
but people know those by which they severally dwell.

Θεία δ’ Ἠέλιόν τε μέγαν λαμπράν τε Σελήνην
Ἠῶ θ’, ἣ πάντεσσιν ἐπιχθονίοισι φαείνει
ἀθανάτοις τε θεοῖσι τοὶ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχουσι,
γείναθ’ ὑποδμηθεῖσ’ Ὑπερίονος ἐν φιλότητι.

Κρείῳ δ’ Εὐρυβίη τέκεν ἐν φιλότητι μιγεῖσα
Ἀστραῖόν τε μέγαν Πάλλαντά τε δῖα θεάων
Πέρσην θ’, ὃς καὶ πᾶσι μετέπρεπεν ἰδμοσύνῃσιν.
Ἀστραίῳ δ’ Ἠὼς ἀνέμους τέκε καρτεροθύμους,
ἀργεστὴν Ζέφυρον Βορέην τ’ αἰψηροκέλευθον
380 καὶ Νότον, ἐν φιλότητι θεὰ θεῷ εὐνηθεῖσα.
τοὺς δὲ μέτ’ ἀστέρα τίκτεν Ἑωσφόρον Ἠριγένεια
ἄστρά τε λαμπετόωντα, τά τ’ οὐρανὸς ἐστεφάνωται.

Στὺξ δ’ ἔτεκ’ Ὠκεανοῦ θυγάτηρ Πάλλαντι μιγεῖσα
Ζῆλον καὶ Νίκην καλλίσφυρον ἐν μεγάροισι
καὶ Κράτος ἠδὲ Βίην ἀριδείκετα γείνατο τέκνα.
τῶν οὐκ ἔστ’ ἀπάνευθε Διὸς δόμος, οὐδέ τις ἕδρη,
οὐδ’ ὁδός, ὅππῃ μὴ κείνοις θεὸς ἡγεμονεύει,
ἀλλ’ αἰεὶ πὰρ Ζηνὶ βαρυκτύπῳ ἑδριόωνται.
ὣς γὰρ ἐβούλευσε Στὺξ ἄφθιτος Ὠκεανίνη
390 ἤματι τῷ, ὅτε πάντας Ὀλύμπιος ἀστεροπητὴς
ἀθανάτους ἐκάλεσσε θεοὺς ἐς μακρὸν Ὄλυμπον,
εἶπε δ’, ὃς ἂν μετὰ εἷο θεῶν Τιτῆσι μάχοιτο,
μή τιν’ ἀπορραίσειν γεράων, τιμὴν δὲ ἕκαστον
ἑξέμεν ἣν τὸ πάρος γε μετ’ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι.
τὸν δ’ ἔφαθ’, ὅστις ἄτιμος ὑπὸ Κρόνου ἠδ’ ἀγέραστος,
τιμῆς καὶ γεράων ἐπιβησέμεν, ἣ θέμις ἐστίν.
ἦλθε δ’ ἄρα πρώτη Στὺξ ἄφθιτος Οὔλυμπόνδε
σὺν σφοῖσιν παίδεσσι φίλου διὰ μήδεα πατρός·
τὴν δὲ Ζεὺς τίμησε, περισσὰ δὲ δῶρα ἔδωκεν.
400 αὐτὴν μὲν γὰρ ἔθηκε θεῶν μέγαν ἔμμεναι ὅρκον,
παῖδας δ’ ἤματα πάντα ἑοῦ μεταναιέτας εἶναι.
ὣς δ’ αὔτως πάντεσσι διαμπερές, ὥς περ ὑπέστη,
ἐξετέλεσσ’· αὐτὸς δὲ μέγα κρατεῖ ἠδὲ ἀνάσσει.

And Theia was subject in love to Hyperion
and bare great Helius (Sun) and clear Selene (Moon)
and Eos (Dawn) who shines upon all that are on earth
and upon the deathless Gods who live in the wide heaven.

And Eurybia, bright goddess, was joined in love to Crius
and bare great Astraeus, and Pallas,
and Perses who also was eminent among all men in wisdom.
And Eos bare to Astraeus the strong-hearted winds,
brightening Zephyrus, and Boreas, headlong in his course,
and Notus, —a goddess mating in love with a god.
And after these Erigenia bare the star Eosphorus (Dawn-bringer),
and the gleaming stars with which heaven is crowned.

And Styx the daughter of Ocean was joined to Pallas and bare
Zelus (Emulation) and trim-ankled Nike (Victory) in the house.
Also she brought forth Cratos (Strength) and Bia (Force), wonderful children.
These have no house apart from Zeus, nor any dwelling
nor path except that wherein God leads them,
but they dwell always with Zeus the loud-thunderer.
For so did Styx the deathless daughter of Ocean plan
on that day when the Olympian Lightener
called all the deathless gods to great Olympus, and said
that whosoever of the gods would fight with him against the Titans,
he would not cast him out from his rights,
but each should have the office which he had before
amongst the deathless gods.
And he declared that to those that were without office under Kronos,
he will bestow upon them honours and rights as is just.
So deathless Styx came first to Olympus
with her children through the wit of her dear father.
And Zeus honoured her, and gave her very great gifts,
for her he appointed to be the great oath of the gods,
and her children to live with him always.
And as he promised, so he performed fully unto them all.
But he himself mightily reigns and rules.

Φοίβη δ’ αὖ Κοίου πολυήρατον ἦλθεν ἐς εὐνήν·
κυσαμένη δἤπειτα θεὰ θεοῦ ἐν φιλότητι
Λητὼ κυανόπεπλον ἐγείνατο, μείλιχον αἰεί,
ἤπιον ἀνθρώποισι καὶ ἀθανάτοισι θεοῖσι,
μείλιχον ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἀγανώτατον ἐντὸς Ὀλύμπου.
γείνατο δ’ Ἀστερίην εὐώνυμον, ἥν ποτε Πέρσης
410 ἠγάγετ’ ἐς μέγα δῶμα φίλην κεκλῆσθαι ἄκοιτιν.
ἡ δ’ ὑποκυσαμένη Ἑκάτην τέκε, τὴν περὶ πάντων
Ζεὺς Κρονίδης τίμησε· πόρεν δέ οἱ ἀγλαὰ δῶρα,
μοῖραν ἔχειν γαίης τε καὶ ἀτρυγέτοιο θαλάσσης.
ἡ δὲ καὶ ἀστερόεντος ἀπ’ οὐρανοῦ ἔμμορε τιμῆς,
ἀθανάτοις τε θεοῖσι τετιμένη ἐστὶ μάλιστα.
καὶ γὰρ νῦν, ὅτε πού τις ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων
ἔρδων ἱερὰ καλὰ κατὰ νόμον ἱλάσκηται,
κικλήσκει Ἑκάτην· πολλή τέ οἱ ἔσπετο τιμὴ
ῥεῖα μάλ’, ᾧ πρόφρων γε θεὰ ὑποδέξεται εὐχάς,
420 καί τέ οἱ ὄλβον ὀπάζει, ἐπεὶ δύναμίς γε πάρεστιν.
ὅσσοι γὰρ Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἐξεγένοντο
καὶ τιμὴν ἔλαχον, τούτων ἔχει αἶσαν ἁπάντων·
οὐδέ τί μιν Κρονίδης ἐβιήσατο οὐδέ τ’ ἀπηύρα,
ὅσσ’ ἔλαχεν Τιτῆσι μέτα προτέροισι θεοῖσιν,
ἀλλ’ ἔχει, ὡς τὸ πρῶτον ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς ἔπλετο δασμός.
οὐδ’, ὅτι μουνογενής, ἧσσον θεὰ ἔμμορε τιμῆς
καὶ γεράων γαίῃ τε καὶ οὐρανῷ ἠδὲ θαλάσσῃ,
ἀλλ’ ἔτι καὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον, ἐπεὶ Ζεὺς τίεται αὐτήν.

Again, Phoebe came to the desired embrace of Coeus.
Then the goddess through the love of the god conceived
and brought forth dark-gowned Leto, always mild,
kind to men and to the deathless gods,
mild from the beginning, gentlest in all Olympus.
Also she bare Asteria of happy name, whom Perses
once led to his great house to be called his dear wife.
And she conceived and bare Hecate whom Zeus,
the son of Cronos, honoured above all. He gave her splendid gifts,
to have a share of the earth and the unfruitful sea.
She received honour also in starry heaven,
and is honoured exceedingly by the deathless gods.
For to this day, whenever any one of men on earth
offers rich sacrifices and prays for favour according to custom,
he calls upon Hecate. Great honour comes full easily to him
whose prayers the goddess receives favourably,
and she bestows wealth upon him; for the power surely is with her.
For as many as were born of Earth and Ocean
amongst all these she has her due portion.
The son of Cronos did her no wrong nor took anything away
of all that was her portion among the former Titan gods;
but she holds, as the division was at the first from the beginning,
privilege both in earth, and in heaven, and in sea.
Also, because she is an only child, the goddess receives
not less honour, but much more still, for Zeus honours her.

ᾧ δ’ ἐθέλῃ, μεγάλως παραγίνεται ἠδ’ ὀνίνησιν·
430 ἔν τε δίκῃ βασιλεῦσι παρ’ αἰδοίοισι καθίζει,
ἔν τ’ ἀγορῇ λαοῖσι μεταπρέπει, ὅν κ’ ἐθέλῃσιν·
ἠδ’ ὁπότ’ ἐς πόλεμον φθισήνορα θωρήσσωνται
ἀνέρες, ἔνθα θεὰ παραγίνεται, οἷς κ’ ἐθέλῃσι
νίκην προφρονέως ὀπάσαι καὶ κῦδος ὀρέξαι.
ἐσθλὴ δ’ αὖθ’ ὁπότ’ ἄνδρες ἀεθλεύωσ’ ἐν ἀγῶνι·
ἔνθα θεὰ καὶ τοῖς παραγίνεται ἠδ’ ὀνίνησι·
νικήσας δὲ βίῃ καὶ κάρτει, καλὸν ἄεθλον
ῥεῖα φέρει χαίρων τε, τοκεῦσι δὲ κῦδος ὀπάζει.
ἐσθλὴ δ’ ἱππήεσσι παρεστάμεν, οἷς κ’ ἐθέλῃσιν·
440 καὶ τοῖς, οἳ γλαυκὴν δυσπέμφελον ἐργάζονται,
εὔχονται δ’ Ἑκάτῃ καὶ ἐρικτύπῳ Ἐννοσιγαίῳ,
ῥηιδίως ἄγρην κυδρὴ θεὸς ὤπασε πολλήν,
ῥεῖα δ’ ἀφείλετο φαινομένην, ἐθέλουσά γε θυμῷ.
ἐσθλὴ δ’ ἐν σταθμοῖσι σὺν Ἑρμῇ ληίδ’ ἀέξειν·
βουκολίας δὲ βοῶν τε καὶ αἰπόλια πλατέ’ αἰγῶν
ποίμνας τ’ εἰροπόκων ὀίων, θυμῷ γ’ ἐθέλουσα,
ἐξ ὀλίγων βριάει κἀκ πολλῶν μείονα θῆκεν.
οὕτω τοι καὶ μουνογενὴς ἐκ μητρὸς ἐοῦσα
πᾶσι μετ’ ἀθανάτοισι τετίμηται γεράεσσι.
450 θῆκε δέ μιν Κρονίδης κουροτρόφον, οἳ μετ’ ἐκείνην
ὀφθαλμοῖσιν ἴδοντο φάος πολυδερκέος Ἠοῦς.
οὕτως ἐξ ἀρχῆς κουροτρόφος, αἳ δέ τε τιμαί.

Whom she will she greatly aids and advances; she sits
by worshipful kings in judgement, and in the assembly
whom she will is distinguished among the people.
And when men arm themselves for the battle
that destroys men, then the goddess is at hand
to give victory and grant glory readily to whom she will.
Good is she also when men contend at the games,
for there too the goddess is with them and profits them;
and he who by might and strength gets the victory wins
the rich prize easily with joy, and brings glory to his parents.
And she is good to stand by horsemen, whom she will;
and to those whose business is in the grey discomfortable sea,
and who pray to Hecate and the loud-crashing Earth-Shaker,
easily the glorious goddess gives great catch, and easily
she takes it away as soon as seen, if so she will.
She is good in the byre with Hermes to increase the stock.
The droves of kine and wide herds of goats
and flocks of fleecy sheep, if she will,
she increases from a few, or makes many to be less.
So, then. albeit her mother's only child,
she is honoured amongst all the deathless gods.
And the son of Cronos made her a nurse of the young who
after that day saw with their eyes the light of all-seeing Dawn.
So from the beginning she is a nurse of the young, and these are her honours.

Ῥείη δὲ δμηθεῖσα Κρόνῳ τέκε φαίδιμα τέκνα,
Ἱστίην Δήμητρα καὶ Ἥρην χρυσοπέδιλον,
ἴφθιμόν τ’ Ἀίδην, ὃς ὑπὸ χθονὶ δώματα ναίει
νηλεὲς ἦτορ ἔχων, καὶ ἐρίκτυπον Ἐννοσίγαιον,
Ζῆνά τε μητιόεντα, θεῶν πατέρ’ ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν,
τοῦ καὶ ὑπὸ βροντῆς πελεμίζεται εὐρεῖα χθών.
καὶ τοὺς μὲν κατέπινε μέγας Κρόνος, ὥς τις ἕκαστος
460 νηδύος ἐξ ἱερῆς μητρὸς πρὸς γούναθ’ ἵκοιτο,
τὰ φρονέων, ἵνα μή τις ἀγαυῶν Οὐρανιώνων
ἄλλος ἐν ἀθανάτοισιν ἔχοι βασιληίδα τιμήν.
πεύθετο γὰρ Γαίης τε καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος
οὕνεκά οἱ πέπρωτο ἑῷ ὑπὸ παιδὶ δαμῆναι,
καὶ κρατερῷ περ ἐόντι, Διὸς μεγάλου διὰ βουλάς.
τῷ ὅ γ’ ἄρ’ οὐκ ἀλαοσκοπιὴν ἔχεν, ἀλλὰ δοκεύων
παῖδας ἑοὺς κατέπινε· Ῥέην δ’ ἔχε πένθος ἄλαστον.
ἀλλ’ ὅτε δὴ Δί’ ἔμελλε θεῶν πατέρ’ ἠδὲ καὶ ἀνδρῶν
τέξεσθαι, τότ’ ἔπειτα φίλους λιτάνευε τοκῆας
470 τοὺς αὐτῆς, Γαῖάν τε καὶ Οὐρανὸν ἀστερόεντα,
μῆτιν συμφράσσασθαι, ὅπως λελάθοιτο τεκοῦσα
παῖδα φίλον, τείσαιτο δ’ ἐρινῦς πατρὸς ἑοῖο
παίδων θ’, οὓς κατέπινε μέγας Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης.
οἱ δὲ θυγατρὶ φίλῃ μάλα μὲν κλύον ἠδ’ ἐπίθοντο,
καί οἱ πεφραδέτην, ὅσα περ πέπρωτο γενέσθαι
ἀμφὶ Κρόνῳ βασιλῆι καὶ υἱέι καρτεροθύμῳ·
πέμψαν δ’ ἐς Λύκτον, Κρήτης ἐς πίονα δῆμον,
ὁππότ’ ἄρ’ ὁπλότατον παίδων ἤμελλε τεκέσθαι,
Ζῆνα μέγαν· τὸν μέν οἱ ἐδέξατο Γαῖα πελώρη
480 Κρήτῃ ἐν εὐρείῃ τρεφέμεν ἀτιταλλέμεναί τε. 

And Rhea, subject in love to Cronos bare splendid children,
Hestia, Demeter, and gold-shod Hera
and strong Hades, who dwells under the earth,
pitiless in heart, and the loud-crashing Earth-Shaker,
and wise Zeus, father of gods and men,
by whose thunder the wide earth is shaken.
These great Cronos swallowed as each came forth
from the womb to his mother's knees with this intent,
that no other of the proud sons of Heaven
should hold the kingly office amongst the deathless gods.
For he learned from Earth and starry Heaven
that he was destined to be overcome by his own son,
strong though he was, through the contriving of great Zeus.
Therefore he kept no blind outlook, but watched
and swallowed down his children; and unceasing grief seized Rhea.
But when she was about to bear Zeus, the father of gods and men,
then she besought her own dear parents, Earth and starry Heaven,
to devise some plan with her that the birth of her dear child
might be concealed, and that retribution might overtake
great, crafty Cronos for his own father and also
for the children whom he had swallowed down.
And they readily heard and obeyed their dear daughter,
and told her all that was destined to happen
touching Cronos the king and his stout-hearted son.
So they sent her to Lyetus, to the rich land of Crete,
when she was ready to bear great Zeus, the youngest
of her children. Him did vast Earth receive from Rhea
in wide Crete to nourish and to bring up.

ἔνθά μιν ἷκτο φέρουσα θοὴν διὰ νύκτα μέλαιναν,
πρώτην ἐς Λύκτον· κρύψεν δέ ἑ χερσὶ λαβοῦσα
ἄντρῳ ἐν ἠλιβάτῳ, ζαθέης ὑπὸ κεύθεσι γαίης,
Αἰγαίῳ ἐν ὄρει πεπυκασμένῳ ὑλήεντι.
τῷ δὲ σπαργανίσασα μέγαν λίθον ἐγγυάλιξεν
Οὐρανίδῃ μέγ’ ἄνακτι, θεῶν προτέρων βασιλῆι.
τὸν τόθ’ ἑλὼν χείρεσσιν ἑὴν ἐσκάτθετο νηδύν,
σχέτλιος, οὐδ’ ἐνόησε μετὰ φρεσίν, ὥς οἱ ὀπίσσω
ἀντὶ λίθου ἑὸς υἱὸς ἀνίκητος καὶ ἀκηδὴς
490 λείπεθ’, ὅ μιν τάχ’ ἔμελλε βίῃ καὶ χερσὶ δαμάσσας 
τιμῆς ἐξελάαν, ὁ δ’ ἐν ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάξειν.
καρπαλίμως δ’ ἄρ’ ἔπειτα μένος καὶ φαίδιμα γυῖα
ηὔξετο τοῖο ἄνακτος· ἐπιπλομένου δ’ ἐνιαυτοῦ,
Γαίης ἐννεσίῃσι πολυφραδέεσσι δολωθείς,
ὃν γόνον ἂψ ἀνέηκε μέγας Κρόνος ἀγκυλομήτης,
νικηθεὶς τέχνῃσι βίηφί τε παιδὸς ἑοῖο.
πρῶτον δ’ ἐξήμησε λίθον, πύματον καταπίνων·
τὸν μὲν Ζεὺς στήριξε κατὰ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης
Πυθοῖ ἐν ἠγαθέῃ, γυάλοις ὕπο Παρνησσοῖο,
500 σῆμ’ ἔμεν ἐξοπίσω, θαῦμα θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσι.
λῦσε δὲ πατροκασιγνήτους ὀλοῶν ὑπὸ δεσμῶν,
Οὐρανίδας, οὓς δῆσε πατὴρ ἀεσιφροσύνῃσιν·
οἵ οἱ ἀπεμνήσαντο χάριν εὐεργεσιάων,
δῶκαν δὲ βροντὴν ἠδ’ αἰθαλόεντα κεραυνὸν
καὶ στεροπήν· τὸ πρὶν δὲ πελώρη Γαῖα κεκεύθει·
τοῖς πίσυνος θνητοῖσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσει.

Thither came Earth carrying him swiftly through the black night
to Lyctus first, and took him in her arms
and hid him in a remote cave beneath the secret places
of the holy earth on thick-wooded Mount Aegeum;
but to the mightily ruling son of Heaven, the earlier king of the gods,
she gave a great stone wrapped in swaddling clothes.
Then he took it in his hands and thrust it down into his belly;
wretch! he knew not in his heart that in place of the stone
his son was left behind, unconquered and untroubled,
and that he was soon to overcome him by force and might
and drive him from his honours, himself to reign
over the deathless gods. After that, the strength
and glorious limbs of the prince increased quickly,
and as the years rolled on, great Cronos the wily was beguiled
by the deep suggestions of Earth, and brought up again his offspring,
vanquished by the arts and might of his own son,
and he vomited up first the stone which he had swallowed last.
And Zeus set it fast in the wide-pathed earth
at goodly Pytho under the glens of Parnassus,
to be a sign thenceforth and a marvel to mortal men.
And he set free from their deadly bonds the brothers of his father,
sons of Heaven whom his father in his foolishness had bound.
And they remembered to be grateful to him for his kindness,
and gave him thunder and the glowing thunderbolt and lightening;
for before that, huge Earth had hidden these.
In them he trusts and rules over mortals and immortals.

Κούρην δ’ Ἰαπετὸς καλλίσφυρον Ὠκεανίνην
ἠγάγετο Κλυμένην καὶ ὁμὸν λέχος εἰσανέβαινεν.
ἡ δέ οἱ Ἄτλαντα κρατερόφρονα γείνατο παῖδα,
510 τίκτε δ’ ὑπερκύδαντα Μενοίτιον ἠδὲ Προμηθέα,
ποικίλον αἰολόμητιν, ἁμαρτίνοόν τ’ Ἐπιμηθέα·
ὃς κακὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς γένετ’ ἀνδράσιν ἀλφηστῇσι·
πρῶτος γάρ ῥα Διὸς πλαστὴν ὑπέδεκτο γυναῖκα
παρθένον. ὑβριστὴν δὲ Μενοίτιον εὐρύοπα Ζεὺς
εἰς ἔρεβος κατέπεμψε βαλὼν ψολόεντι κεραυνῷ
εἵνεκ’ ἀτασθαλίης τε καὶ ἠνορέης ὑπερόπλου.
Ἄτλας δ’ οὐρανὸν εὐρὺν ἔχει κρατερῆς ὑπ’ ἀνάγκης,
πείρασιν ἐν γαίης πρόπαρ’ Ἑσπερίδων λιγυφώνων
ἑστηώς, κεφαλῇ τε καὶ ἀκαμάτῃσι χέρεσσι·
520 ταύτην γάρ οἱ μοῖραν ἐδάσσατο μητίετα Ζεύς.
δῆσε δ’ ἀλυκτοπέδῃσι Προμηθέα ποικιλόβουλον,
δεσμοῖς ἀργαλέοισι, μέσον διὰ κίον’ ἐλάσσας·
καί οἱ ἐπ’ αἰετὸν ὦρσε τανύπτερον· αὐτὰρ ὅ γ’ ἧπαρ
ἤσθιεν ἀθάνατον, τὸ δ’ ἀέξετο ἶσον ἁπάντῃ
νυκτός, ὅσον πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἔδοι τανυσίπτερος ὄρνις.
τὸν μὲν ἄρ’ Ἀλκμήνης καλλισφύρου ἄλκιμος υἱὸς
Ἡρακλέης ἔκτεινε, κακὴν δ’ ἀπὸ νοῦσον ἄλαλκεν
Ἰαπετιονίδῃ καὶ ἐλύσατο δυσφροσυνάων,
οὐκ ἀέκητι Ζηνὸς Ὀλυμπίου ὕψι μέδοντος,
530 ὄφρ’ Ἡρακλῆος Θηβαγενέος κλέος εἴη
πλεῖον ἔτ’ ἢ τὸ πάροιθεν ἐπὶ χθόνα πουλυβότειραν.
ταῦτ’ ἄρα ἁζόμενος τίμα ἀριδείκετον υἱόν·
καί περ χωόμενος παύθη χόλου, ὃν πρὶν ἔχεσκεν,
οὕνεκ’ ἐρίζετο βουλὰς ὑπερμενέι Κρονίωνι.

Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled maid Clymene,
daughter of Ocean, and went up with her into one bed.
And she bare him a stout-hearted son, Atlas; also
she bare very glorious Menoetius and clever Prometheus,
full of various wiles, and scatter-brained Epimetheus
who from the first was a mischief to men who eat bread;
for it was he who first took of Zeus the woman, the maiden
whom he had formed. But Menoetius was outrageous,
and far-seeing Zeus struck him with a lurid thunderbolt
and sent him down to Erebus
because of his mad presumption and exceeding pride.
And Atlas through hard constraint upholds the wide heaven
with unwearying head and arms, standing at the borders
of the earth before the clear-voiced Hesperides;
for this lot wise Zeus assigned to him.
And ready-witted Prometheus he bound with inextricable bonds,
cruel chains, and drove a shaft through his middle,
and set on him a long-winged eagle,
which used to eat his immortal liver; but by night
the liver grew as much again everyway
as the long-winged bird devoured in the whole day.
That bird Heracles, the valiant son of shapely-ankled Alcmene,
slew; and delivered the son of Iapetus from the cruel plague,
and released him from his affliction;
not without the will of Olympian Zeus who reigns on high,
that the glory of Heracles the Theban-born might be yet
greater than it was before over the plenteous earth.
This, then, he regarded, and honoured his famous son;
though he was angry, he ceased from the wrath
which he had before because Prometheus
matched himself in wit with the almighty son of Cronos.

καὶ γὰρ ὅτ’ ἐκρίνοντο θεοὶ θνητοί τ’ ἄνθρωποι
Μηκώνῃ, τότ’ ἔπειτα μέγαν βοῦν πρόφρονι θυμῷ
δασσάμενος προύθηκε, Διὸς νόον ἐξαπαφίσκων.
τῷ μὲν γὰρ σάρκάς τε καὶ ἔγκατα πίονα δημῷ
ἐν ῥινῷ κατέθηκε, καλύψας γαστρὶ βοείῃ,
540 τοῖς δ’ αὖτ’ ὀστέα λευκὰ βοὸς δολίῃ ἐπὶ τέχνῃ
εὐθετίσας κατέθηκε, καλύψας ἀργέτι δημῷ.
δὴ τότε μιν προσέειπε πατὴρ ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε·

“Ἰαπετιονίδη, πάντων ἀριδείκετ’ ἀνάκτων,
ὦ πέπον, ὡς ἑτεροζήλως διεδάσσαο μοίρας.”

ὣς φάτο κερτομέων Ζεὺς ἄφθιτα μήδεα εἰδώς·
τὸν δ’ αὖτε προσέειπε Προμηθεὺς ἀγκυλομήτης,
ἦκ’ ἐπιμειδήσας, δολίης δ’ οὐ λήθετο τέχνης·

“Ζεῦ κύδιστε μέγιστε θεῶν αἰειγενετάων,
τῶν δ’ ἕλευ ὁπποτέρην σε ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θυμὸς ἀνώγει.”

550 φῆ ῥα δολοφρονέων· Ζεὺς δ’ ἄφθιτα μήδεα εἰδὼς
γνῶ ῥ’ οὐδ’ ἠγνοίησε δόλον· κακὰ δ’ ὄσσετο θυμῷ
θνητοῖς ἀνθρώποισι, τὰ καὶ τελέεσθαι ἔμελλε.
χερσὶ δ’ ὅ γ’ ἀμφοτέρῃσιν ἀνείλετο λευκὸν ἄλειφαρ,
χώσατο δὲ φρένας ἀμφί, χόλος δέ μιν ἵκετο θυμόν,
ὡς ἴδεν ὀστέα λευκὰ βοὸς δολίῃ ἐπὶ τέχνῃ.
ἐκ τοῦ δ’ ἀθανάτοισιν ἐπὶ χθονὶ φῦλ’ ἀνθρώπων
καίουσ’ ὀστέα λευκὰ θυηέντων ἐπὶ βωμῶν.
τὸν δὲ μέγ’ ὀχθήσας προσέφη νεφεληγερέτα Ζεύς·

“Ἰαπετιονίδη, πάντων πέρι μήδεα εἰδώς,
560 ὦ πέπον, οὐκ ἄρα πω δολίης ἐπελήθεο τέχνης.” 

For when the gods and mortal men had a dispute at Mecone,
even then Prometheus was forward to cut up a great ox
and set portions before them, trying to befool the mind of Zeus.
Before the rest he set flesh and inner parts thick with fat
upon the hide, covering them with an ox paunch;
but for Zeus he put the white bones dressed up
with cunning art and covered with shining fat.
Then the father of men and of gods said to him:

“Son of Iapetus, most glorious of all lords,
good sir, how unfairly you have divided the portions!”

So said Zeus whose wisdom is everlasting,
rebuking him. But wily Prometheus answered him,
smiling softly and not forgetting his cunning trick:

“Zeus, most glorious and greatest of the eternal gods,
take which ever of these portions your heart within you bids”.

So he said, thinking trickery. But Zeus, whose wisdom
is everlasting, saw and failed not to perceive the trick,
and in his heart he thought mischief
against mortal men which also was to be fulfilled.
With both hands he took up the white fat and was angry at heart,
and wrath came to his spirit when he saw the white ox-bones
craftily tricked out: and because of this the tribes of men upon earth
burn white bones to the deathless gods upon fragrant altars.
But Zeus who drives the clouds was greatly vexed and said to him:

“Son of Iapetus, clever above all! So, sir,
you have not yet forgotten your cunning arts!”

ὣς φάτο χωόμενος Ζεὺς ἄφθιτα μήδεα εἰδώς.
ἐκ τούτου δἤπειτα χόλου μεμνημένος αἰεὶ
οὐκ ἐδίδου μελίῃσι πυρὸς μένος ἀκαμάτοιο
θνητοῖς ἀνθρώποις οἳ ἐπὶ χθονὶ ναιετάουσιν·
ἀλλά μιν ἐξαπάτησεν ἐὺς πάις Ἰαπετοῖο
κλέψας ἀκαμάτοιο πυρὸς τηλέσκοπον αὐγὴν
ἐν κοίλῳ νάρθηκι· δάκεν δ’ ἄρα νειόθι θυμὸν
Ζῆν’ ὑψιβρεμέτην, ἐχόλωσε δέ μιν φίλον ἦτορ,
ὡς ἴδ’ ἐν ἀνθρώποισι πυρὸς τηλέσκοπον αὐγήν.
570 αὐτίκα δ’ ἀντὶ πυρὸς τεῦξεν κακὸν ἀνθρώποισι· 

γαίης γὰρ σύμπλασσε περικλυτὸς Ἀμφιγυήεις
παρθένῳ αἰδοίῃ ἴκελον Κρονίδεω διὰ βουλάς·
ζῶσε δὲ καὶ κόσμησε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη
ἀργυφέῃ ἐσθῆτι· κατὰ κρῆθεν δὲ καλύπτρην
δαιδαλέην χείρεσσι κατέσχεθε, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι·
[ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ στεφάνους νεοθηλέας, ἄνθεα ποίης,
ἱμερτοὺς περίθηκε καρήατι Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη·]
ἀμφὶ δέ οἱ στεφάνην χρυσέην κεφαλῆφιν ἔθηκε,
τὴν αὐτὸς ποίησε περικλυτὸς Ἀμφιγυήεις
580 ἀσκήσας παλάμῃσι, χαριζόμενος Διὶ πατρί.
τῇ δ’ ἔνι δαίδαλα πολλὰ τετεύχατο, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι,
κνώδαλ’ ὅσ’ ἤπειρος δεινὰ τρέφει ἠδὲ θάλασσα·
τῶν ὅ γε πόλλ’ ἐνέθηκε, χάρις δ’ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἄητο,
θαυμάσια, ζωοῖσιν ἐοικότα φωνήεσσιν.

So spake Zeus in anger, whose wisdom is everlasting;
and from that time he was always mindful of the trick,
and would not give the power of unwearying fire
to the Melian race of mortal men who live on the earth.
But the noble son of Iapetus outwitted him
and stole the far-seen gleam of unwearying fire
in a hollow fennel stalk. And Zeus who thunders on high
was stung in spirit, and his dear heart was angered
when he saw amongst men the far-seen ray of fire.
Forthwith he made an evil thing for men as the price of fire;

for the very famous Limping God formed of earth
the likeness of a shy maiden as the son of Cronos willed.
And the goddess bright-eyed Athene girded
and clothed her with silvery raiment, and down from her head
she spread with her hands a broidered veil, a wonder to see;
and she, Pallas Athene, put about her head
lovely garlands, flowers of new-grown herbs.
Also she put upon her head a crown of gold
which the very famous Limping God made himself and worked
with his own hands as a favour to Zeus his father.
On it was much curious work, wonderful to see;
for of the many creatures which the land and sea rear up,
he put most upon it, wonderful things, like living beings
with voices; and great beauty shone out from it.

Αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δὴ τεῦξε καλὸν κακὸν ἀντ’ ἀγαθοῖο,
ἐξάγαγ’ ἔνθά περ ἄλλοι ἔσαν θεοὶ ἠδ’ ἄνθρωποι,
κόσμῳ ἀγαλλομένην γλαυκώπιδος Ὀβριμοπάτρης·
θαῦμα δ’ ἔχ’ ἀθανάτους τε θεοὺς θνητούς τ’ ἀνθρώπους,
ὡς εἶδον δόλον αἰπύν, ἀμήχανον ἀνθρώποισιν.
590 ἐκ τῆς γὰρ γένος ἐστὶ γυναικῶν θηλυτεράων,
[τῆς γὰρ ὀλοίιόν ἐστι γένος καὶ φῦλα γυναικῶν,]
πῆμα μέγα θνητοῖσι, σὺν ἀνδράσι ναιετάουσαι,
οὐλομένης Πενίης οὐ σύμφοροι, ἀλλὰ Κόροιο.
ὡς δ’ ὁπότ’ ἐν σμήνεσσι κατηρεφέεσσι μέλισσαι
κηφῆνας βόσκωσι, κακῶν ξυνήονας ἔργων·
αἱ μέν τε πρόπαν ἦμαρ ἐς ἠέλιον καταδύντα
ἠμάτιαι σπεύδουσι τιθεῖσί τε κηρία λευκά,
οἱ δ’ ἔντοσθε μένοντες ἐπηρεφέας κατὰ σίμβλους
ἀλλότριον κάματον σφετέρην ἐς γαστέρ’ ἀμῶνται·
600 ὣς δ’ αὔτως ἄνδρεσσι κακὸν θνητοῖσι γυναῖκας
Ζεὺς ὑψιβρεμέτης θῆκε, ξυνήονας ἔργων
ἀργαλέων. ἕτερον δὲ πόρεν κακὸν ἀντ’ ἀγαθοῖο,
ὅς κε γάμον φεύγων καὶ μέρμερα ἔργα γυναικῶν
μὴ γῆμαι ἐθέλῃ, ὀλοὸν δ’ ἐπὶ γῆρας ἵκηται
χήτει γηροκόμοιο· ὁ δ’ οὐ βιότου γ’ ἐπιδευὴς
ζώει, ἀποφθιμένου δὲ διὰ ζωὴν δατέονται
χηρωσταί. ᾧ δ’ αὖτε γάμου μετὰ μοῖρα γένηται,
κεδνὴν δ’ ἔσχεν ἄκοιτιν, ἀρηρυῖαν πραπίδεσσι,
τῷ δέ τ’ ἀπ’ αἰῶνος κακὸν ἐσθλῷ ἀντιφερίζει
610 ἐμμενές· ὃς δέ κε τέτμῃ ἀταρτηροῖο γενέθλης,
ζώει ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἔχων ἀλίαστον ἀνίην
θυμῷ καὶ κραδίῃ, καὶ ἀνήκεστον κακόν ἐστιν.
ὣς οὐκ ἔστι Διὸς κλέψαι νόον οὐδὲ παρελθεῖν.
οὐδὲ γὰρ Ἰαπετιονίδης ἀκάκητα Προμηθεὺς
τοῖό γ’ ὑπεξήλυξε βαρὺν χόλον, ἀλλ’ ὑπ’ ἀνάγκης
καὶ πολύιδριν ἐόντα μέγας κατὰ δεσμὸς ἐρύκει.

But when he had made the beautiful evil to be the price
for the blessing, he brought her out, delighting in the finery
which the bright-eyed daughter of a mighty father had given her,
to the place where the other gods and men were.
And wonder took hold of the deathless gods and mortal men
when they saw that which was sheer guile, not to be withstood by men.
For from her is the race of women and female kind;
of her is the deadly race and tribe of women who live
amongst mortal men to their great trouble,
no helpmeets in hateful poverty, but only in wealth.
And as in thatched hives bees feed the drones
whose nature is to do mischief —by day
and throughout the day until the sun goes down
the bees are busy and lay the white combs,
while the drones stay at home in the covered skeps
and reap the toil of others into their own bellies;
even so Zeus who thunders on high made women
to be an evil to mortal men, with a nature to do evil.
And he gave them a second evil to be the price
for the good they had: whoever avoids marriage
and the sorrows that women cause, and will not wed,
reaches deadly old age without anyone to tend his years,
and though he at least has no lack of livelihood while he lives,
yet, when he is dead, his kinsfolk divide his possessions amongst them.
And as for the man who chooses the lot of marriage
and takes a good wife suited to his mind, evil continually
contends with good; for whoever happens to have mischievous children,
lives always with unceasing grief in his spirit and heart
within him; and this evil cannot be healed.
So it is not possible to deceive or go beyond the will of Zeus;
for not even the son of Iapetus, kindly Prometheus,
escaped his heavy anger, but of necessity strong bands
confined him, although he knew many a wile.