I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots
afar. As he goes through the house of Zeus, the gods tremble before him
and all spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his
bright bow. But Leto alone stays by the side of Zeus who delights in
thunder; and then she unstrings his bow, and closes his quiver, and
takes his archery from his strong shoulders in her hands and hangs them
on a golden peg against a pillar of his father's house. Then she leads
him to a seat and makes him sit: and the Father gives him nectar in a
golden cup welcoming his dear son, while the other gods make him sit
down there, and queenly Leto rejoices because she bare a mighty son and
an archer. Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you bare glorious children, the
lord Apollo and Artemis who delights in arrows; her in Ortygia, and him
in rocky Delos, as you rested against the great mass of the Cynthian
hill hard by a palm-tree by the streams of Inopus.
How, then, shall I sing of you who in all ways are a worthy
theme of song? For everywhere, O Phoebus, the whole range of song is
fallen to you, both over the mainland that rears heifers and over the
isles. All mountain-peaks and high headlands of lofty hills and rivers
flowing out to the deep and beaches sloping seawards and havens of the
sea are your delight. Shall I sing how at the first Leto bare you to be
the joy of men, as she rested against Mount Cynthus in that rocky isle,
in sea-girt Delos--while on either hand a dark wave rolled on landwards
driven by shrill winds--whence arising you rule over all mortal men?
Among those who are in Crete, and in the township of Athens,
and in the isle of Aegina and Euboea, famous for ships, in Aegae and
Eiresiae and Peparethus near the sea, in Thracian Athos and Pelion's
towering heights and Thracian Samos and the shady hills of Ida, in
Scyros and Phocaea and the high hill of Autocane and fair-lying Imbros
and smouldering Lemnos and rich Lesbos, home of Macar, the son of
Aeolus, and Chios, brightest of all the isles that lie in the sea, and
craggy Mimas and the heights of Corycus and gleaming Claros and the
sheer hill of Aesagea and watered Samos and the steep heights of Mycale,
in Miletus and Cos, the city of Meropian men, and steep Cnidos and windy
Carpathos, in Naxos and Paros and rocky Rhenaea--so far roamed Leto
in travail with the god who shoots afar, to see if any land would be
willing to make a dwelling for her son. But they greatly trembled and
feared, and none, not even the richest of them, dared receive Phoebus,
until queenly Leto set foot on Delos and uttered winged words and asked
her:
'Delos, if you would be willing to be the abode of my son
Phoebus Apollo and make him a rich temple--; for no other will touch
you, as you will find: and I think you will never be rich in oxen and
sheep, nor bear vintage nor yet produce plants abundantly. But if you
have the temple of far-shooting Apollo, all men will bring you hecatombs
and gather here, and incessant savour of rich sacrifice will always
arise, and you will feed those who dwell in you from the hand of
strangers; for truly your own soil is not rich.'
So spake Leto. And Delos rejoiced and answered and said:
'Leto, most glorious daughter of great Coeus, joyfully would I receive
your child the far-shooting lord; for it is all too true that I am
ill-spoken of among men, whereas thus I should become very greatly
honoured. But this saying I fear, and I will not hide it from you, Leto.
They say that Apollo will be one that is very haughty and will greatly
lord it among gods and men all over the fruitful earth. Therefore, I
greatly fear in heart and spirit that as soon as he sets the light of
the sun, he will scorn this island--for truly I have but a hard, rocky
soil--and overturn me and thrust me down with his feet in the depths of
the sea; then will the great ocean wash deep above my head for ever, and
he will go to another land such as will please him, there to make his
temple and wooded groves. So, many-footed creatures of the sea will make
their lairs in me and black seals their dwellings undisturbed, because
I lack people. Yet if you will but dare to sware a great oath, goddess,
that here first he will build a glorious temple to be an oracle for men,
then let him afterwards make temples and wooded groves amongst all men;
for surely he will be greatly renowned.'
So said Delos. And Leto sware the great oath of the gods:
'Now hear this, Earth and wide Heaven above, and dropping water of Styx
(this is the strongest and most awful oath for the blessed gods), surely
Phoebus shall have here his fragrant altar and precinct, and you he
shall honour above all.'
Now when Leto had sworn and ended her oath, Delos was very
glad at the birth of the far-shooting lord. But Leto was racked nine
days and nine nights with pangs beyond wont. And there were with her all
the chiefest of the goddesses, Dione and Rhea and Ichnaea and Themis
and loud-moaning Amphitrite and the other deathless goddesses save
white-armed Hera, who sat in the halls of cloud-gathering Zeus. Only
Eilithyia, goddess of sore travail, had not heard of Leto's trouble,
for she sat on the top of Olympus beneath golden clouds by white-armed
Hera's contriving, who kept her close through envy, because Leto with
the lovely tresses was soon to bear a son faultless and strong.
But the goddesses sent out Iris from the well-set isle
to bring Eilithyia, promising her a great necklace strung with golden
threads, nine cubits long. And they bade Iris call her aside from
white-armed Hera, lest she might afterwards turn her from coming with
her words. When swift Iris, fleet of foot as the wind, had heard all
this, she set to run; and quickly finishing all the distance she came to
the home of the gods, sheer Olympus, and forthwith called Eilithyia out
from the hall to the door and spoke winged words to her, telling her all
as the goddesses who dwell on Olympus had bidden her. So she moved the
heart of Eilithyia in her dear breast; and they went their way, like shy
wild-doves in their going.
And as soon as Eilithyia the goddess of sore travail set
foot on Delos, the pains of birth seized Leto, and she longed to bring
forth; so she cast her arms about a palm tree and kneeled on the soft
meadow while the earth laughed for joy beneath. Then the child leaped
forth to the light, and all the goddesses washed you purely and cleanly
with sweet water, and swathed you in a white garment of fine texture,
new-woven, and fastened a golden band about you.
Now Leto did not give Apollo, bearer of the golden blade,
her breast; but Themis duly poured nectar and ambrosia with her divine
hands: and Leto was glad because she had borne a strong son and an
archer. But as soon as you had tasted that divine heavenly food, O
Phoebus, you could no longer then be held by golden cords nor confined
with bands, but all their ends were undone. Forthwith Phoebus Apollo
spoke out among the deathless goddesses:
'The lyre and the curved bow shall ever be dear to me, and
I will declare to men the unfailing will of Zeus.'
So said Phoebus, the long-haired god who shoots afar and
began to walk upon the wide-pathed earth; and all goddesses were amazed
at him. Then with gold all Delos was laden, beholding the child of Zeus
and Leto, for joy because the god chose her above the islands and shore
to make his dwelling in her: and she loved him yet more in her heart,
and blossomed as does a mountain-top with woodland flowers.
And you, O lord Apollo, god of the silver bow, shooting
afar, now walked on craggy Cynthus, and now kept wandering about the
island and the people in them. Many are your temples and wooded groves,
and all peaks and towering bluffs of lofty mountains and rivers flowing
to the sea are dear to you, Phoebus, yet in Delos do you most delight
your heart; for there the long robed Ionians gather in your honour with
their children and shy wives: mindful, they delight you with boxing and
dancing and song, so often as they hold their gathering. A man would say
that they were deathless and unageing if he should then come upon the
Ionians so met together. For he would see the graces of them all, and
would be pleased in heart gazing at the men and well-girded women with
their swift ships and great wealth. And there is this great wonder
besides--and its renown shall never perish--the girls of Delos,
hand-maidens of the Far-shooter; for when they have praised Apollo
first, and also Leto and Artemis who delights in arrows, they sing a
strain telling of men and women of past days, and charm the tribes of
men. Also they can imitate the tongues of all men and their clattering
speech: each would say that he himself were singing, so close to truth
is their sweet song.
And now may Apollo be favourable and Artemis; and farewell
all you maidens. Remember me in after time whenever any one of men on
earth, a stranger who has seen and suffered much, comes here and asks of
you: 'Whom think ye, girls, is the sweetest singer that comes here, and
in whom do you most delight?' Then answer, each and all, with one voice:
'He is a blind man, and dwells in rocky Chios: his lays are evermore
supreme.' As for me, I will carry your renown as far as I roam over the
earth to the well-placed this thing is true. And I will never cease to
praise far-shooting Apollo, god of the silver bow, whom rich-haired Leto
bare.
O Lord, Lycia is yours and lovely Maeonia and Miletus,
charming city by the sea, but over wave-girt Delos you greatly reign
your own self.
Leto's all-glorious son goes to rocky Pytho, playing upon
his hollow lyre, clad in divine, perfumed garments; and at the touch of
the golden key his lyre sings sweet. Thence, swift as thought, he speeds
from earth to Olympus, to the house of Zeus, to join the gathering of
the other gods: then straightway the undying gods think only of the lyre
and song, and all the Muses together, voice sweetly answering voice,
hymn the unending gifts the gods enjoy and the sufferings of men, all
that they endure at the hands of the deathless gods, and how they
live witless and helpless and cannot find healing for death or defence
against old age. Meanwhile the rich-tressed Graces and cheerful Seasons
dance with Harmonia and Hebe and Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, holding
each other by the wrist. And among them sings one, not mean nor puny,
but tall to look upon and enviable in mien, Artemis who delights in
arrows, sister of Apollo. Among them sport Ares and the keen-eyed Slayer
of Argus, while Apollo plays his lyre stepping high and featly and a
radiance shines around him, the gleaming of his feet and close-woven
vest. And they, even gold-tressed Leto and wise Zeus, rejoice in their
great hearts as they watch their dear son playing among the undying
gods.
How then shall I sing of you--though in all ways you are a
worthy theme for song? Shall I sing of you as wooer and in the fields
of love, how you went wooing the daughter of Azan along with god-like
Ischys the son of well-horsed Elatius, or with Phorbas sprung
from Triops, or with Ereutheus, or with Leucippus and the wife of
Leucippus ....you on foot, he with his chariot, yet he
fell not short of Triops. Or shall I sing how at the first you went
about the earth seeking a place of oracle for men, O far-shooting
Apollo? To Pieria first you went down from Olympus and passed by sandy
Lectus and Enienae and through the land of the Perrhaebi. Soon you came
to Iolcus and set foot on Cenaeum in Euboea, famed for ships: you stood
in the Lelantine plain, but it pleased not your heart to make a
temple there and wooded groves. From there you crossed the Euripus,
far-shooting Apollo, and went up the green, holy hills, going on to
Mycalessus and grassy-bedded Teumessus, and so came to the wood-clad
abode of Thebe; for as yet no man lived in holy Thebe, nor were there
tracks or ways about Thebe's wheat-bearing plain as yet.
And further still you went, O far-shooting Apollo, and
came to Onchestus, Poseidon's bright grove: there the new-broken colt
distressed with drawing the trim chariot gets spirit again, and the
skilled driver springs from his car and goes on his way. Then the horses
for a while rattle the empty car, being rid of guidance; and if they
break the chariot in the woody grove, men look after the horses, but
tilt the chariot and leave it there; for this was the rite from the very
first. And the drivers pray to the lord of the shrine; but the chariot
falls to the lot of the god.
Further yet you went, O far-shooting Apollo, and reached
next Cephissus' sweet stream which pours forth its sweet-flowing water
from Lilaea, and crossing over it, O worker from afar, you passed
many-towered Ocalea and reached grassy Haliartus.
Then you went towards Telphusa: and there the pleasant
place seemed fit for making a temple and wooded grove. You came very
near and spoke to her: 'Telphusa, here I am minded to make a glorious
temple, an oracle for men, and hither they will always bring perfect
hecatombs, both those who live in rich Peloponnesus and those of Europe
and all the wave-washed isles, coming to seek oracles. And I will
deliver to them all counsel that cannot fail, giving answer in my rich
temple.'
So said Phoebus Apollo, and laid out all the foundations
throughout, wide and very long. But when Telphusa saw this, she was
angry in heart and spoke, saying: 'Lord Phoebus, worker from afar, I
will speak a word of counsel to your heart, since you are minded to make
here a glorious temple to be an oracle for men who will always bring
hither perfect hecatombs for you; yet I will speak out, and do you lay
up my words in your heart. The trampling of swift horses and the sound
of mules watering at my sacred springs will always irk you, and men will
like better to gaze at the well-made chariots and stamping, swift-footed
horses than at your great temple and the many treasures that are within.
But if you will be moved by me--for you, lord, are stronger and mightier
than I, and your strength is very great--build at Crisa below the glades
of Parnassus: there no bright chariot will clash, and there will be
no noise of swift-footed horses near your well-built altar. But so
the glorious tribes of men will bring gifts to you as Iepaeon
('Hail-Healer'), and you will receive with delight rich sacrifices from
the people dwelling round about.' So said Telphusa, that she alone, and
not the Far-Shooter, should have renown there; and she persuaded the
Far-Shooter.
Further yet you went, far-shooting Apollo, until you came
to the town of the presumptuous Phlegyae who dwell on this earth in a
lovely glade near the Cephisian lake, caring not for Zeus. And thence
you went speeding swiftly to the mountain ridge, and came to Crisa
beneath snowy Parnassus, a foothill turned towards the west: a cliff
hangs over it from above, and a hollow, rugged glade runs under. There
the lord Phoebus Apollo resolved to make his lovely temple, and thus he
said:
'In this place I am minded to build a glorious temple to
be an oracle for men, and here they will always bring perfect hecatombs,
both they who dwell in rich Peloponnesus and the men of Europe and from
all the wave-washed isles, coming to question me. And I will deliver to
them all counsel that cannot fail, answering them in my rich temple.'
When he had said this, Phoebus Apollo laid out all the
foundations throughout, wide and very long; and upon these the sons of
Erginus, Trophonius and Agamedes, dear to the deathless gods, laid a
footing of stone. And the countless tribes of men built the whole temple
of wrought stones, to be sung of for ever.
But near by was a sweet flowing spring, and there with
his strong bow the lord, the son of Zeus, killed the bloated, great
she-dragon, a fierce monster wont to do great mischief to men upon
earth, to men themselves and to their thin-shanked sheep; for she was a
very bloody plague. She it was who once received from gold-throned Hera
and brought up fell, cruel Typhaon to be a plague to men. Once on a time
Hera bare him because she was angry with father Zeus, when the Son of
Cronos bare all-glorious Athena in his head. Thereupon queenly Hera was
angry and spoke thus among the assembled gods:
'Hear from me, all gods and goddesses, how cloud-gathering
Zeus begins to dishonour me wantonly, when he has made me his
true-hearted wife. See now, apart from me he has given birth to
bright-eyed Athena who is foremost among all the blessed gods. But my
son Hephaestus whom I bare was weakly among all the blessed gods and
shrivelled of foot, a shame and disgrace to me in heaven, whom I myself
took in my hands and cast out so that he fell in the great sea. But
silver-shod Thetis the daughter of Nereus took and cared for him with
her sisters: would that she had done other service to the blessed gods!
O wicked one and crafty! What else will you now devise? How dared you by
yourself give birth to bright-eyed Athena? Would not I have borne you a
child--I, who was at least called your wife among the undying gods
who hold wide heaven. Beware now lest I devise some evil thing for you
hereafter: yes, now I will contrive that a son be born me to be foremost
among the undying gods--and that without casting shame on the holy bond
of wedlock between you and me. And I will not come to your bed, but will
consort with the blessed gods far off from you.'
When she had so spoken, she went apart from the gods,
being very angry. Then straightway large-eyed queenly Hera prayed,
striking the ground flatwise with her hand, and speaking thus:
'Hear now, I pray, Earth and wide Heaven above, and you
Titan gods who dwell beneath the earth about great Tartarus, and from
whom are sprung both gods and men! Harken you now to me, one and all,
and grant that I may bear a child apart from Zeus, no wit lesser
than him in strength--nay, let him be as much stronger than Zeus as
all-seeing Zeus than Cronos.' Thus she cried and lashed the earth with
her strong hand. Then the life-giving earth was moved: and when Hera saw
it she was glad in heart, for she thought her prayer would be fulfilled.
And thereafter she never came to the bed of wise Zeus for a full year,
not to sit in her carved chair as aforetime to plan wise counsel for
him, but stayed in her temples where many pray, and delighted in her
offerings, large-eyed queenly Hera. But when the months and days were
fulfilled and the seasons duly came on as the earth moved round, she
bare one neither like the gods nor mortal men, fell, cruel Typhaon, to
be a plague to men. Straightway large-eyed queenly Hera took him and
bringing one evil thing to another such, gave him to the dragoness; and
she received him. And this Typhaon used to work great mischief among the
famous tribes of men. Whosoever met the dragoness, the day of doom would
sweep him away, until the lord Apollo, who deals death from afar, shot a
strong arrow at her. Then she, rent with bitter pangs, lay drawing great
gasps for breath and rolling about that place. An awful noise swelled up
unspeakable as she writhed continually this way and that amid the wood:
and so she left her life, breathing it forth in blood. Then Phoebus
Apollo boasted over her:
'Now rot here upon the soil that feeds man! You at least
shall live no more to be a fell bane to men who eat the fruit of the
all-nourishing earth, and who will bring hither perfect hecatombs.
Against cruel death neither Typhoeus shall avail you nor ill-famed
Chimera, but here shall the Earth and shining Hyperion make you rot.'
Thus said Phoebus, exulting over her: and darkness covered
her eyes. And the holy strength of Helios made her rot away there;
wherefore the place is now called Pytho, and men call the lord Apollo by
another name, Pythian; because on that spot the power of piercing Helios
made the monster rot away.
Then Phoebus Apollo saw that the sweet-flowing spring had
beguiled him, and he started out in anger against Telphusa; and soon
coming to her, he stood close by and spoke to her:
'Telphusa, you were not, after all, to keep to yourself
this lovely place by deceiving my mind, and pour forth your clear
flowing water: here my renown shall also be and not yours alone?'
Thus spoke the lord, far-working Apollo, and pushed over
upon her a crag with a shower of rocks, hiding her streams: and he made
himself an altar in a wooded grove very near the clear-flowing stream.
In that place all men pray to the great one by the name Telphusian,
because he humbled the stream of holy Telphusa.
Then Phoebus Apollo pondered in his heart what men he
should bring in to be his ministers in sacrifice and to serve him in
rocky Pytho. And while he considered this, he became aware of a swift
ship upon the wine-like sea in which were many men and goodly, Cretans
from Cnossos, the city of Minos, they who do sacrifice to the
prince and announce his decrees, whatsoever Phoebus Apollo, bearer of
the golden blade, speaks in answer from his laurel tree below the dells
of Parnassus. These men were sailing in their black ship for traffic and
for profit to sandy Pylos and to the men of Pylos. But Phoebus Apollo
met them: in the open sea he sprang upon their swift ship, like a
dolphin in shape, and lay there, a great and awesome monster, and none
of them gave heed so as to understand; but they sought to cast
the dolphin overboard. But he kept shaking the black ship every way and
make the timbers quiver. So they sat silent in their craft for fear, and
did not loose the sheets throughout the black, hollow ship, nor lowered
the sail of their dark-prowed vessel, but as they had set it first of
all with oxhide ropes, so they kept sailing on; for a rushing south wind
hurried on the swift ship from behind. First they passed by Malea, and
then along the Laconian coast they came to Taenarum, sea-garlanded town
and country of Helios who gladdens men, where the thick-fleeced sheep of
the lord Helios feed continually and occupy a glad-some country. There
they wished to put their ship to shore, and land and comprehend the
great marvel and see with their eyes whether the monster would remain
upon the deck of the hollow ship, or spring back into the briny deep
where fishes shoal. But the well-built ship would not obey the helm,
but went on its way all along Peloponnesus: and the lord, far-working
Apollo, guided it easily with the breath of the breeze. So the ship ran
on its course and came to Arena and lovely Argyphea and Thryon, the ford
of Alpheus, and well-placed Aepy and sandy Pylos and the men of Pylos;
past Cruni it went and Chalcis and past Dyme and fair Elis, where the
Epei rule. And at the time when she was making for Pherae, exulting in
the breeze from Zeus, there appeared to them below the clouds the steep
mountain of Ithaca, and Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus. But
when they were passed by all the coast of Peloponnesus, then, towards
Crisa, that vast gulf began to heave in sight which through all its
length cuts off the rich isle of Pelops. There came on them a strong,
clear west-wind by ordinance of Zeus and blew from heaven vehemently,
that with all speed the ship might finish coursing over the briny water
of the sea. So they began again to voyage back towards the dawn and the
sun: and the lord Apollo, son of Zeus, led them on until they reached
far-seen Crisa, land of vines, and into haven: there the sea-coursing
ship grounded on the sands.
Then, like a star at noonday, the lord, far-working
Apollo, leaped from the ship: flashes of fire flew from him thick and
their brightness reached to heaven. He entered into his shrine between
priceless tripods, and there made a flame to flare up bright, showing
forth the splendour of his shafts, so that their radiance filled all
Crisa, and the wives and well-girded daughters of the Crisaeans raised
a cry at that outburst of Phoebus; for he cast great fear upon them
all. From his shrine he sprang forth again, swift as a thought, to speed
again to the ship, bearing the form of a man, brisk and sturdy, in the
prime of his youth, while his broad shoulders were covered with his
hair: and he spoke to the Cretans, uttering winged words:
'Strangers, who are you? Whence come you sailing along the
paths of the sea? Are you for traffic, or do you wander at random
over the sea as pirates do who put their own lives to hazard and bring
mischief to men of foreign parts as they roam? Why rest you so and are
afraid, and do not go ashore nor stow the gear of your black ship? For
that is the custom of men who live by bread, whenever they come to land
in their dark ships from the main, spent with toil; at once desire for
sweet food catches them about the heart.'
So speaking, he put courage in their hearts, and the
master of the Cretans answered him and said: 'Stranger--though you are
nothing like mortal men in shape or stature, but are as the deathless
gods--hail and all happiness to you, and may the gods give you good. Now
tell me truly that I may surely know it: what country is this, and what
land, and what men live herein? As for us, with thoughts set otherwards,
we were sailing over the great sea to Pylos from Crete (for from there
we declare that we are sprung), but now are come on shipboard to this
place by no means willingly--another way and other paths--and gladly
would we return. But one of the deathless gods brought us here against
our will.'
Then far-working Apollo answered then and said: 'Strangers
who once dwelt about wooded Cnossos but now shall return no more each to
his loved city and fair house and dear wife; here shall you keep my rich
temple that is honoured by many men. I am the son of Zeus; Apollo is my
name: but you I brought here over the wide gulf of the sea, meaning
you no hurt; nay, here you shall keep my rich temple that is greatly
honoured among men, and you shall know the plans of the deathless gods,
and by their will you shall be honoured continually for all time. And
now come, make haste and do as I say. First loose the sheets and lower
the sail, and then draw the swift ship up upon the land. Take out your
goods and the gear of the straight ship, and make an altar upon the
beach of the sea: light fire upon it and make an offering of white meal.
Next, stand side by side around the altar and pray: and in as much as at
the first on the hazy sea I sprang upon the swift ship in the form of a
dolphin, pray to me as Apollo Delphinius; also the altar itself shall
be called Delphinius and overlooking for ever. Afterwards, sup
beside your dark ship and pour an offering to the blessed gods who dwell
on Olympus. But when you have put away craving for sweet food, come
with me singing the hymn Ie Paean (Hail, Healer!), until you come to the
place where you shall keep my rich temple.'
So said Apollo. And they readily harkened to him and
obeyed him. First they unfastened the sheets and let down the sail and
lowered the mast by the forestays upon the mast-rest. Then, landing upon
the beach of the sea, they hauled up the ship from the water to dry land
and fixed long stays under it. Also they made an altar upon the beach of
the sea, and when they had lit a fire, made an offering of white meal,
and prayed standing around the altar as Apollo had bidden them. Then
they took their meal by the swift, black ship, and poured an offering
to the blessed gods who dwell on Olympus. And when they had put away
craving for drink and food, they started out with the lord Apollo, the
son of Zeus, to lead them, holding a lyre in his hands, and playing
sweetly as he stepped high and featly. So the Cretans followed him to
Pytho, marching in time as they chanted the Ie Paean after the manner of
the Cretan paean-singers and of those in whose hearts the heavenly Muse
has put sweet-voiced song. With tireless feet they approached the ridge
and straightway came to Parnassus and the lovely place where they were
to dwell honoured by many men. There Apollo brought them and showed them
his most holy sanctuary and rich temple.
But their spirit was stirred in their dear breasts, and
the master of the Cretans asked him, saying:
'Lord, since you have brought us here far from our dear
ones and our fatherland,--for so it seemed good to your heart,--tell us
now how we shall live. That we would know of you. This land is not to
be desired either for vineyards or for pastures so that we can live well
thereon and also minister to men.'
Then Apollo, the son of Zeus, smiled upon them and said:
'Foolish mortals and poor drudges are you, that you seek cares and hard
toils and straits! Easily will I tell you a word and set it in your
hearts. Though each one of you with knife in hand should slaughter sheep
continually, yet would you always have abundant store, even all that the
glorious tribes of men bring here for me. But guard you my temple and
receive the tribes of men that gather to this place, and especially show
mortal men my will, and do you keep righteousness in your heart. But
if any shall be disobedient and pay no heed to my warning, or if there
shall be any idle word or deed and outrage as is common among mortal
men, then other men shall be your masters and with a strong hand shall
make you subject for ever. All has been told you: do you keep it in your
heart.'
And so, farewell, son of Zeus and Leto; but I will
remember you and another hymn also.
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