The Shield of Heracles

Author: Hesiod
Written: ~700 BCE
(Translated by Evelyn-White, Hugh G.)

Or like her who left home and country and came to Thebes,
following warlike Amphitryon,--even Alcmena, the daughter of Electyron,
gatherer of the people. She surpassed the tribe of womankind in beauty
and in height; and in wisdom none vied with her of those whom mortal
women bare of union with mortal men. Her face and her dark eyes wafted
such charm as comes from golden Aphrodite. And she so honoured her
husband in her heart as none of womankind did before her. Verily he had
slain her noble father violently when he was angry about oxen; so
he left his own country and came to Thebes and was suppliant to the
shield-carrying men of Cadmus. There he dwelt with his modest wife
without the joys of love, nor might he go in unto the neat-ankled
daughter of Electyron until he had avenged the death of his wife's
great-hearted brothers and utterly burned with blazing fire the villages
of the heroes, the Taphians and Teleboans; for this thing was laid upon
him, and the gods were witnesses to it. And he feared their anger, and
hastened to perform the great task to which Zeus had bound him. With him
went the horse-driving Boeotians, breathing above their shields, and the
Locrians who fight hand to hand, and the gallant Phocians eager for
war and battle. And the noble son of Alcaeus led them, rejoicing in his
host.

But the father of men and gods was forming another scheme in
his heart, to beget one to defend against destruction gods and men who
eat bread. So he arose from Olympus by night pondering guile in the deep
of his heart, and yearned for the love of the well-girded woman. Quickly
he came to Typhaonium, and from there again wise Zeus went on and trod
the highest peak of Phicium: there he sat and planned marvellous
things in his heart. So in one night Zeus shared the bed and love of the
neat-ankled daughter of Electyron and fulfilled his desire; and in the
same night Amphitryon, gatherer of the people, the glorious hero, came
to his house when he had ended his great task. He hastened not to go to
his bondmen and shepherds afield, but first went in unto his wife: such
desire took hold on the shepherd of the people. And as a man who has
escaped joyfully from misery, whether of sore disease or cruel bondage,
so then did Amphitryon, when he had wound up all his heavy task, come
glad and welcome to his home. And all night long he lay with his modest
wife, delighting in the gifts of golden Aphrodite. And she, being
subject in love to a god and to a man exceeding goodly, brought forth
twin sons in seven-gated Thebe. Though they were brothers, these were
not of one spirit; for one was weaker but the other a far better man,
one terrible and strong, the mighty Heracles. Him she bare through
the embrace of the son of Cronos lord of dark clouds and the other,
Iphiclus, of Amphitryon the spear-wielder--offspring distinct, this one
of union with a mortal man, but that other of union with Zeus, leader of
all the gods.

And he slew Cycnus, the gallant son of Ares. For he found
him in the close of far-shooting Apollo, him and his father Ares, never
sated with war. Their armour shone like a flame of blazing fire as they
two stood in their car: their swift horses struck the earth and pawed
it with their hoofs, and the dust rose like smoke about them, pounded
by the chariot wheels and the horses' hoofs, while the well-made chariot
and its rails rattled around them as the horses plunged. And blameless
Cycnus was glad, for he looked to slay the warlike son of Zeus and his
charioteer with the sword, and to strip off their splendid armour.
But Phoebus Apollo would not listen to his vaunts, for he himself had
stirred up mighty Heracles against him. And all the grove and altar
of Pagasaean Apollo flamed because of the dread god and because of his
arms; for his eyes flashed as with fire. What mortal men would have
dared to meet him face to face save Heracles and glorious Iolaus? For
great was their strength and unconquerable were the arms which grew
from their shoulders on their strong limbs. Then Heracles spake to his
charioteer strong Iolaus:

'O hero Iolaus, best beloved of all men, truly Amphitryon
sinned deeply against the blessed gods who dwell on Olympus when he came
to sweet-crowned Thebe and left Tiryns, the well-built citadel, because
he slew Electryon for the sake of his wide-browned oxen. Then he came to
Creon and long-robed Eniocha, who received him kindly and gave him
all fitting things, as is due to suppliants, and honoured him in their
hearts even more. And he lived joyfully with his wife the neat-ankled
daughter of Electyron: and presently, while the years rolled on, we were
born, unlike in body as in mind, even your father and I. From him Zeus
took away sense, so that he left his home and his parents and went to
do honour to the wicked Eurystheus--unhappy man! Deeply indeed did he
grieve afterwards in bearing the burden of his own mad folly; but that
cannot be taken back. But on me fate laid heavy tasks.

'Yet, come, friend, quickly take the red-dyed reins of the
swift horses and raise high courage in your heart and guide the swift
chariot and strong fleet-footed horses straight on. Have no secret fear
at the noise of man-slaying Ares who now rages shouting about the holy
grove of Phoebus Apollo, the lord who shoots form afar. Surely, strong
though he be, he shall have enough of war.'

And blameless Iolaus answered him again: 'Good friend,
truly the father of men and gods greatly honours your head and the
bull-like Earth-Shaker also, who keeps Thebe's veil of walls and guards
the city,--so great and strong is this fellow they bring into your hands
that you may win great glory. But come, put on your arms of war that
with all speed we may bring the car of Ares and our own together and
fight; for he shall not frighten the dauntless son of Zeus, nor yet the
son of Iphiclus: rather, I think he will flee before the two sons of
blameless Alcides who are near him and eager to raise the war cry for
battle; for this they love better than a feast.'

So he said. And mighty Heracles was glad in heart and
smiled, for the other's words pleased him well, and he answered him with
winged words:

'O hero Iolaus, heaven-sprung, now is rough battle hard
at hand. But, as you have shown your skill at other-times, so now also
wheel the great black-maned horse Arion about every way, and help me as
you may be able.'

So he said, and put upon his legs greaves of shining
bronze, the splendid gift of Hephaestus. Next he fastened about his
breast a fine golden breast-plate, curiously wrought, which Pallas
Athene the daughter of Zeus had given him when first he was about to set
out upon his grievous labours. Over his shoulders the fierce warrior
put the steel that saves men from doom, and across his breast he slung
behind him a hollow quiver. Within it were many chilling arrows, dealers
of death which makes speech forgotten: in front they had death, and
trickled with tears; their shafts were smooth and very long; and their
butts were covered with feathers of a brown eagle. And he took his
strong spear, pointed with shining bronze, and on his valiant head set
a well-made helm of adamant, cunningly wrought, which fitted closely on
the temples; and that guarded the head of god-like Heracles.

In his hands he took his shield, all glittering: no one
ever broke it with a blow or crushed it. And a wonder it was to see; for
its whole orb was a-shimmer with enamel and white ivory and electrum,
and it glowed with shining gold; and there were zones of cyanus
drawn upon it. In the centre was Fear worked in adamant, unspeakable,
staring backwards with eyes that glowed with fire. His mouth was full
of teeth in a white row, fearful and daunting, and upon his grim brow
hovered frightful Strife who arrays the throng of men: pitiless she, for
she took away the mind and senses of poor wretches who made war against
the son of Zeus. Their souls passed beneath the earth and went down into
the house of Hades; but their bones, when the skin is rotted about them,
crumble away on the dark earth under parching Sirius.

Upon the shield Pursuit and Flight were wrought, and
Tumult, and Panic, and Slaughter. Strife also, and Uproar were hurrying
about, and deadly Fate was there holding one man newly wounded, and
another unwounded; and one, who was dead, she was dragging by the feet
through the tumult. She had on her shoulders a garment red with the
blood of men, and terribly she glared and gnashed her teeth.

And there were heads of snakes unspeakably frightful,
twelve of them; and they used to frighten the tribes of men on earth
whosoever made war against the son of Zeus; for they would clash their
teeth when Amphitryon's son was fighting: and brightly shone these
wonderful works. And it was as though there were spots upon the
frightful snakes: and their backs were dark blue and their jaws were
black.

Also there were upon the shield droves of boars and lions
who glared at each other, being furious and eager: the rows of them
moved on together, and neither side trembled but both bristled up their
manes. For already a great lion lay between them and two boars, one on
either side, bereft of life, and their dark blood was dripping down
upon the ground; they lay dead with necks outstretched beneath the grim
lions. And both sides were roused still more to fight because they were
angry, the fierce boars and the bright-eyed lions.

And there was the strife of the Lapith spearmen gathered
round the prince Caeneus and Dryas and Peirithous, with Hopleus,
Exadius, Phalereus, and Prolochus, Mopsus the son of Ampyce of
Titaresia, a scion of Ares, and Theseus, the son of Aegeus, like unto
the deathless gods. These were of silver, and had armour of gold upon
their bodies. And the Centaurs were gathered against them on the other
side with Petraeus and Asbolus the diviner, Arctus, and Ureus, and
black-haired Mimas, and the two sons of silver, and they had pinetrees
of gold in their hands, and they were rushing together as though they
were alive and striking at one another hand to hand with spears and with
pines.

And on the shield stood the fleet-footed horses of grim
Ares made gold, and deadly Ares the spoil-winner himself. He held a
spear in his hands and was urging on the footmen: he was red with blood
as if he were slaying living men, and he stood in his chariot. Beside
him stood Fear and Flight, eager to plunge amidst the fighting men.

There, too, was the daughter of Zeus, Tritogeneia who
drives the spoil. She was like as if she would array a battle,
with a spear in her hand, and a golden helmet, and the aegis about her
shoulders. And she was going towards the awful strife.

And there was the holy company of the deathless gods: and
in the midst the son of Zeus and Leto played sweetly on a golden lyre.
There also was the abode of the gods, pure Olympus, and their assembly,
and infinite riches were spread around in the gathering, the Muses of
Pieria were beginning a song like clear-voiced singers.

And on the shield was a harbour with a safe haven from the
irresistible sea, made of refined tin wrought in a circle, and it seemed
to heave with waves. In the middle of it were many dolphins rushing this
way and that, fishing: and they seemed to be swimming. Two dolphins of
silver were spouting and devouring the mute fishes. And beneath them
fishes of bronze were trembling. And on the shore sat a fisherman
watching: in his hands he held a casting net for fish, and seemed as if
about to cast it forth.

There, too, was the son of rich-haired Danae, the horseman
Perseus: his feet did not touch the shield and yet were not far from
it--very marvellous to remark, since he was not supported anywhere; for
so did the famous Lame One fashion him of gold with his hands. On his
feet he had winged sandals, and his black-sheathed sword was slung
across his shoulders by a cross-belt of bronze. He was flying swift as
thought. The head of a dreadful monster, the Gorgon, covered the broad
of his back, and a bag of silver--a marvel to see--contained it: and
from the bag bright tassels of gold hung down. Upon the head of the hero
lay the dread cap of Hades which had the awful gloom of night.
Perseus himself, the son of Danae, was at full stretch, like one who
hurries and shudders with horror. And after him rushed the Gorgons,
unapproachable and unspeakable, longing to seize him: as they trod upon
the pale adamant, the shield rang sharp and clear with a loud clanging.
Two serpents hung down at their girdles with heads curved forward: their
tongues were flickering, and their teeth gnashing with fury, and their
eyes glaring fiercely. And upon the awful heads of the Gorgons great
Fear was quaking.

And beyond these there were men fighting in warlike
harness, some defending their own town and parents from destruction,
and others eager to sack it; many lay dead, but the greater number still
strove and fought. The women on well-built towers of bronze were crying
shrilly and tearing their cheeks like living beings--the work of famous
Hephaestus. And the men who were elders and on whom age had laid hold
were all together outside the gates, and were holding up their hands
to the blessed gods, fearing for their own sons. But these again were
engaged in battle: and behind them the dusky Fates, gnashing their white
fangs, lowering, grim, bloody, and unapproachable, struggled for those
who were falling, for they all were longing to drink dark blood. So soon
as they caught a man overthrown or falling newly wounded, one of them
would clasp her great claws about him, and his soul would go down to
Hades to chilly Tartarus. And when they had satisfied their souls with
human blood, they would cast that one behind them, and rush back again
into the tumult and the fray. Clotho and Lachesis were over them and
Atropos less tall than they, a goddess of no great frame, yet superior
to the others and the eldest of them. And they all made a fierce fight
over one poor wretch, glaring evilly at one another with furious eyes
and fighting equally with claws and hands. By them stood Darkness of
Death, mournful and fearful, pale, shrivelled, shrunk with hunger,
swollen-kneed. Long nails tipped her hands, and she dribbled at the
nose, and from her cheeks blood dripped down to the ground. She
stood leering hideously, and much dust sodden with tears lay upon her
shoulders.

Next, there was a city of men with goodly towers; and
seven gates of gold, fitted to the lintels, guarded it. The men were
making merry with festivities and dances; some were bringing home
a bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car, while the bridal-song
swelled high, and the glow of blazing torches held by handmaidens
rolled in waves afar. And these maidens went before, delighting in the
festival; and after them came frolicsome choirs, the youths singing
soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes, while the echo was shivered
around them, and the girls led on the lovely dance to the sound of
lyres. Then again on the other side was a rout of young men revelling,
with flutes playing; some frolicking with dance and song, and others
were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing. The whole
town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity.

Others again were mounted on horseback and galloping
before the town. And there were ploughmen breaking up the good soil,
clothed in tunics girt up. Also there was a wide cornland and some men
were reaping with sharp hooks the stalks which bended with the weight of
the cars--as if they were reaping Demeter's grain: others were binding
the sheaves with bands and were spreading the threshing floor. And some
held reaping hooks and were gathering the vintage, while others were
taking from the reapers into baskets white and black clusters from the
long rows of vines which were heavy with leaves and tendrils of silver.
Others again were gathering them into baskets. Beside them was a row of
vines in gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus: it had shivering
leaves and stakes of silver and was laden with grapes which turned black.
And there were men treading out the grapes and others drawing
off liquor. Also there were men boxing and wrestling, and huntsmen
chasing swift hares with a leash of sharp-toothed dogs before them, they
eager to catch the hares, and the hares eager to escape.

Next to them were horsemen hard set, and they contended and
laboured for a prize. The charioteers standing on their well-woven cars,
urged on their swift horses with loose rein; the jointed cars flew along
clattering and the naves of the wheels shrieked loudly. So they were
engaged in an unending toil, and the end with victory came never to
them, and the contest was ever unwon. And there was set out for them
within the course a great tripod of gold, the splendid work of cunning
Hephaestus.

And round the rim Ocean was flowing, with a full stream
as it seemed, and enclosed all the cunning work of the shield. Over it
swans were soaring and calling loudly, and many others were swimming
upon the surface of the water; and near them were shoals of fish.

A wonderful thing the great strong shield was to see--even
for Zeus the loud-thunderer, by whose will Hephaestus made it and fitted
it with his hands. This shield the valiant son of Zeus wielded masterly,
and leaped upon his horse-chariot like the lightning of his father Zeus
who holds the aegis, moving lithely. And his charioteer, strong Iolaus,
standing upon the car, guided the curved chariot.

Then the goddess grey-eyed Athene came near them and spoke
winged words, encouraging them: 'Hail, offspring of far-famed Lynceus!
Even now Zeus who reigns over the blessed gods gives you power to
slay Cycnus and to strip off his splendid armour. Yet I will tell you
something besides, mightiest of the people. When you have robbed
Cycnus of sweet life, then leave him there and his armour also, and you
yourself watch man-slaying Ares narrowly as he attacks, and wherever you
shall see him uncovered below his cunningly-wrought shield, there wound
him with your sharp spear. Then draw back; for it is not ordained that
you should take his horses or his splendid armour.'

So said the bright-eyed goddess and swiftly got up into
the car with victory and renown in her hands. Then heaven-nurtured
Iolaus called terribly to the horses, and at his cry they swiftly
whirled the fleet chariot along, raising dust from the plain; for the
goddess bright-eyed Athene put mettle into them by shaking her aegis.
And the earth groaned all round them.

And they, horse-taming Cycnus and Ares, insatiable in war, came on
together like fire or whirlwind. Then their horses neighed shrilly, face
to face; and the echo was shivered all round them. And mighty Heracles
spoke first and said to that other:

'Cycnus, good sir! Why, pray, do you set your swift horses
at us, men who are tried in labour and pain? Nay, guide your fleet car
aside and yield and go out of the path. It is to Trachis I am driving
on, to Ceyx the king, who is the first in Trachis for power and for
honour, and that you yourself know well, for you have his daughter
dark-eyed Themistinoe to wife. Fool! For Ares shall not deliver you from
the end of death, if we two meet together in battle. Another time ere
this I declare he has made trial of my spear, when he defended sandy
Pylos and stood against me, fiercely longing for fight. Thrice was he
stricken by my spear and dashed to earth, and his shield was pierced;
but the fourth time I struck his thigh, laying on with all my strength,
and tare deep into his flesh. And he fell headlong in the dust upon the
ground through the force of my spear-thrust; then truly he would have
been disgraced among the deathless gods, if by my hands he had left
behind his bloody spoils.'

So said he. But Cycnus the stout spearman cared not to
obey him and to pull up the horses that drew his chariot. Then it was
that from their well-woven cars they both leaped straight to the ground,
the son of Zeus and the son of the Lord of War. The charioteers drove
near by their horses with beautiful manes, and the wide earth rang with
the beat of their hoofs as they rushed along. As when rocks leap forth
from the high peak of a great mountain, and fall on one another, and
many towering oaks and pines and long-rooted poplars are broken by them
as they whirl swiftly down until they reach the plain; so did they fall
on one another with a great shout: and all the town of the Myrmidons,
and famous Iolcus, and Arne, and Helice, and grassy Anthea echoed loudly
at the voice of the two. With an awful cry they closed: and wise Zeus
thundered loudly and rained down drops of blood, giving the signal for
battle to his dauntless son.

As a tusked boar, that is fearful for a man to see before
him in the glens of a mountain, resolves to fight with the huntsmen and
white tusks, turning sideways, while foam flows all round his mouth as
he gnashes, and his eyes are like glowing fire, and he bristles the hair
on his mane and around his neck--like him the son of Zeus leaped from
his horse-chariot. And when the dark-winged whirring grasshopper,
perched on a green shoot, begins to sing of summer to men--his food
and drink is the dainty dew--and all day long from dawn pours forth his
voice in the deadliest heat, when Sirius scorches the flesh (then the
beard grows upon the millet which men sow in summer), when the crude
grapes which Dionysus gave to men--a joy and a sorrow both--begin to
colour, in that season they fought and loud rose the clamour.

As two lions on either side of a slain deer spring
at one another in fury, and there is a fearful snarling and a clashing
also of teeth--like vultures with crooked talons and hooked beak that
fight and scream aloud on a high rock over a mountain goat or fat
wild-deer which some active man has shot with an arrow from the string,
and himself has wandered away elsewhere, not knowing the place; but they
quickly mark it and vehemently do keen battle about it--like these they
two rushed upon one another with a shout.

Then Cycnus, eager to kill the son of almighty Zeus,
struck upon his shield with a brazen spear, but did not break
the bronze; and the gift of the god saved his foe. But the son of
Amphitryon, mighty Heracles, with his long spear struck Cycnus violently
in the neck beneath the chin, where it was unguarded between helm and
shield. And the deadly spear cut through the two sinews; for the hero's
full strength lighted on his foe. And Cycnus fell as an oak falls or a
lofty pine that is stricken by the lurid thunderbolt of Zeus; even so he
fell, and his armour adorned with bronze clashed about him.

Then the stout hearted son of Zeus let him be, and himself
watched for the onset of manslaying Ares: fiercely he stared, like a
lion who has come upon a body and full eagerly rips the hide with his
strong claws and takes away the sweet life with all speed: his dark
heart is filled with rage and his eyes glare fiercely, while he tears
up the earth with his paws and lashes his flanks and shoulders with his
tail so that no one dares to face him and go near to give battle. Even
so, the son of Amphitryon, unsated of battle, stood eagerly face to face
with Ares, nursing courage in his heart. And Ares drew near him with
grief in his heart; and they both sprang at one another with a cry. As
it is when a rock shoots out from a great cliff and whirls down with
long bounds, careering eagerly with a roar, and a high crag clashes with
it and keeps it there where they strike together; with no less clamour
did deadly Ares, the chariot-borne, rush shouting at Heracles. And he
quickly received the attack.

But Athene the daughter of aegis-bearing Zeus came to meet
Ares, wearing the dark aegis, and she looked at him with an angry
frown and spoke winged words to him. 'Ares, check your fierce anger and
matchless hands; for it is not ordained that you should kill Heracles,
the bold-hearted son of Zeus, and strip off his rich armour. Come, then,
cease fighting and do not withstand me.'

So said she, but did not move the courageous spirit of
Ares. But he uttered a great shout and waving his spears like fire, he
rushed headlong at strong Heracles, longing to kill him, and hurled a
brazen spear upon the great shield, for he was furiously angry because
of his dead son; but bright-eyed Athene reached out from the car and
turned aside the force of the spear.

Then bitter grief seized Ares and he drew his keen sword and leaped upon
bold-hearted Heracles. But as he came on, the son of Amphitryon, unsated
of fierce battle, shrewdly wounded his thigh where it was exposed
under his richly-wrought shield, and tare deep into his flesh with the
spear-thrust and cast him flat upon the ground. And Panic and Dread
quickly drove his smooth-wheeled chariot and horses near him and lifted
him from the wide-pathed earth into his richly-wrought car, and then
straight lashed the horses and came to high Olympus.

But the son of Alcmena and glorious Iolaus stripped the
fine armour off Cycnus' shoulders and went, and their swift horses
carried them straight to the city of Trachis. And bright-eyed Athene
went thence to great Olympus and her father's house.

As for Cycnus, Ceyx buried him and the countless people
who lived near the city of the glorious king, in Anthe and the city of
the Myrmidons, and famous Iolcus, and Arne, and Helice: and much people
were gathered doing honour to Ceyx, the friend of the blessed gods. But
Anaurus, swelled by a rain-storm, blotted out the grave and memorial
of Cycnus; for so Apollo, Leto's son, commanded him, because he used to
watch for and violently despoil the rich hecatombs that any might bring
to Pytho.

The Theogany

Author: Hesiod
Written: ~700 BCE
(Translated by Evelyn-White, Hugh G.)

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 the daughter of Zeus 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:

'Shepherds of the wilderness, wretched things of shame,
mere bellies, we know how to speak many false things as though they were
true; but we know, when we will, to utter true things.'

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 all this about 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. 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.

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. 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.

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.

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.'

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 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.

But these sons whom he 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.

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
Phorcys, 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.

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 Phorcys 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
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 (aor) 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.

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. There, then, 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 Phorcys.

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.

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 he who was without office 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.

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. 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.

But Rhea was subject in love to Cronos and bare splendid
children, Hestia, Demeter, and gold-shod Hera and strong Hades,
pitiless in heart, who dwells under the earth, 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. 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.

Now Iapetus took to wife the neat-ankled mad 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.
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!'

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.

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.

But when first their father was vexed in his heart with
Obriareus and Cottus and Gyes, he bound them in cruel bonds, because he
was jealous of their exceeding manhood and comeliness and great size:
and he made them live beneath the wide-pathed earth, where they were
afflicted, being set to dwell under the ground, at the end of the earth,
at its great borders, in bitter anguish for a long time and with great
grief at heart. But the son of Cronos and the other deathless gods whom
rich-haired Rhea bare from union with Cronos, brought them up again to
the light at Earth's advising. For she herself recounted all things
to the gods fully, how that with these they would gain victory and a
glorious cause to vaunt themselves. For the Titan gods and as many as
sprang from Cronos had long been fighting together in stubborn war with
heart-grieving toil, the lordly Titans from high Othyrs, but the gods,
givers of good, whom rich-haired Rhea bare in union with Cronos, from
Olympus. So they, with bitter wrath, were fighting continually with
one another at that time for ten full years, and the hard strife had
no close or end for either side, and the issue of the war hung evenly
balanced. But when he had provided those three with all things fitting,
nectar and ambrosia which the gods themselves eat, and when their
proud spirit revived within them all after they had fed on nectar and
delicious ambrosia, then it was that the father of men and gods spoke
amongst them:

'Hear me, bright children of Earth and Heaven, that I
may say what my heart within me bids. A long while now have we, who are
sprung from Cronos and the Titan gods, fought with each other every
day to get victory and to prevail. But do you show your great might
and unconquerable strength, and face the Titans in bitter strife; for
remember our friendly kindness, and from what sufferings you are come
back to the light from your cruel bondage under misty gloom through our
counsels.'

So he said. And blameless Cottus answered him again:
'Divine one, you speak that which we know well: nay, even of ourselves
we know that your wisdom and understanding is exceeding, and that you
became a defender of the deathless ones from chill doom. And through
your devising we are come back again from the murky gloom and from our
merciless bonds, enjoying what we looked not for, O lord, son of Cronos.
And so now with fixed purpose and deliberate counsel we will aid your
power in dreadful strife and will fight against the Titans in hard
battle.'

So he said: and the gods, givers of good things, applauded
when they heard his word, and their spirit longed for war even more than
before, and they all, both male and female, stirred up hated battle
that day, the Titan gods, and all that were born of Cronos together with
those dread, mighty ones of overwhelming strength whom Zeus brought up
to the light from Erebus beneath the earth. An hundred arms sprang from
the shoulders of all alike, and each had fifty heads growing upon his
shoulders upon stout limbs. These, then, stood against the Titans in
grim strife, holding huge rocks in their strong hands. And on the other
part the Titans eagerly strengthened their ranks, and both sides at one
time showed the work of their hands and their might. The boundless sea
rang terribly around, and the earth crashed loudly: wide Heaven was
shaken and groaned, and high Olympus reeled from its foundation under
the charge of the undying gods, and a heavy quaking reached dim Tartarus
and the deep sound of their feet in the fearful onset and of their
hard missiles. So, then, they launched their grievous shafts upon one
another, and the cry of both armies as they shouted reached to starry
heaven; and they met together with a great battle-cry.

Then Zeus no longer held back his might; but straight his
heart was filled with fury and he showed forth all his strength. From
Heaven and from Olympus he came forthwith, hurling his lightning: the
bolts flew thick and fast from his strong hand together with thunder
and lightning, whirling an awesome flame. The life-giving earth crashed
around in burning, and the vast wood crackled loud with fire all about.
All the land seethed, and Ocean's streams and the unfruitful sea. The
hot vapour lapped round the earthborn Titans: flame unspeakable rose
to the bright upper air: the flashing glare of the thunder-stone and
lightning blinded their eyes for all that there were strong. Astounding
heat seized Chaos: and to see with eyes and to hear the sound with ears
it seemed even as if Earth and wide Heaven above came together; for such
a mighty crash would have arisen if Earth were being hurled to ruin, and
Heaven from on high were hurling her down; so great a crash was there
while the gods were meeting together in strife. Also the winds brought
rumbling earthquake and duststorm, thunder and lightning and the
lurid thunderbolt, which are the shafts of great Zeus, and carried the
clangour and the warcry into the midst of the two hosts. An horrible
uproar of terrible strife arose: mighty deeds were shown and the
battle inclined. But until then, they kept at one another and fought
continually in cruel war.

And amongst the foremost Cottus and Briareos and Gyes
insatiate for war raised fierce fighting: three hundred rocks, one upon
another, they launched from their strong hands and overshadowed the
Titans with their missiles, and buried them beneath the wide-pathed
earth, and bound them in bitter chains when they had conquered them by
their strength for all their great spirit, as far beneath the earth to
Tartarus. For a brazen anvil falling down from heaven nine nights and
days would reach the earth upon the tenth: and again, a brazen anvil
falling from earth nine nights and days would reach Tartarus upon the
tenth. Round it runs a fence of bronze, and night spreads in triple
line all about it like a neck-circlet, while above grow the roots of the
earth and unfruitful sea. There by the counsel of Zeus who drives the
clouds the Titan gods are hidden under misty gloom, in a dank place
where are the ends of the huge earth. And they may not go out; for
Poseidon fixed gates of bronze upon it, and a wall runs all round it
on every side. There Gyes and Cottus and great-souled Obriareus live,
trusty warders of Zeus who holds the aegis.

And there, all in their order, are the sources and ends
of gloomy earth and misty Tartarus and the unfruitful sea and starry
heaven, loathsome and dank, which even the gods abhor.

It is a great gulf, and if once a man were within the gates, he would
not reach the floor until a whole year had reached its end, but cruel
blast upon blast would carry him this way and that. And this marvel is
awful even to the deathless gods.

There stands the awful home of murky Night wrapped in
dark clouds. In front of it the son of Iapetus stands immovably
upholding the wide heaven upon his head and unwearying hands, where
Night and Day draw near and greet one another as they pass the great
threshold of bronze: and while the one is about to go down into the
house, the other comes out at the door.

And the house never holds them both within; but always one is without
the house passing over the earth, while the other stays at home
and waits until the time for her journeying come; and the one holds
all-seeing light for them on earth, but the other holds in her arms
Sleep the brother of Death, even evil Night, wrapped in a vaporous
cloud.

And there the children of dark Night have their dwellings,
Sleep and Death, awful gods. The glowing Sun never looks upon them with
his beams, neither as he goes up into heaven, nor as he comes down from
heaven. And the former of them roams peacefully over the earth and the
sea's broad back and is kindly to men; but the other has a heart of
iron, and his spirit within him is pitiless as bronze: whomsoever of
men he has once seized he holds fast: and he is hateful even to the
deathless gods.

There, in front, stand the echoing halls of the god of
the lower-world, strong Hades, and of awful Persephone. A fearful hound
guards the house in front, pitiless, and he has a cruel trick. On those
who go in he fawns with his tail and both his ears, but suffers them not
to go out back again, but keeps watch and devours whomsoever he catches
going out of the gates of strong Hades and awful Persephone.

And there dwells the goddess loathed by the deathless
gods, terrible Styx, eldest daughter of back-flowing Ocean. She
lives apart from the gods in her glorious house vaulted over with great
rocks and propped up to heaven all round with silver pillars. Rarely
does the daughter of Thaumas, swift-footed Iris, come to her with a
message over the sea's wide back.

But when strife and quarrel arise among the deathless gods, and when any
of them who live in the house of Olympus lies, then Zeus sends Iris
to bring in a golden jug the great oath of the gods from far away, the
famous cold water which trickles down from a high and beetling rock. Far
under the wide-pathed earth a branch of Oceanus flows through the dark
night out of the holy stream, and a tenth part of his water is allotted
to her. With nine silver-swirling streams he winds about the earth and
the sea's wide back, and then falls into the main; but the tenth
flows out from a rock, a sore trouble to the gods. For whoever of the
deathless gods that hold the peaks of snowy Olympus pours a libation of
her water is forsworn, lies breathless until a full year is completed,
and never comes near to taste ambrosia and nectar, but lies spiritless
and voiceless on a strewn bed: and a heavy trance overshadows him. But
when he has spent a long year in his sickness, another penance and an
harder follows after the first. For nine years he is cut off from the
eternal gods and never joins their councils of their feasts, nine full
years. But in the tenth year he comes again to join the assemblies of
the deathless gods who live in the house of Olympus. Such an oath, then,
did the gods appoint the eternal and primaeval water of Styx to be: and
it spouts through a rugged place.

And there, all in their order, are the sources and ends
of the dark earth and misty Tartarus and the unfruitful sea and starry
heaven, loathsome and dank, which even the gods abhor.

And there are shining gates and an immoveable threshold of bronze having
unending roots and it is grown of itself. And beyond, away from
all the gods, live the Titans, beyond gloomy Chaos. But the glorious
allies of loud-crashing Zeus have their dwelling upon Ocean's
foundations, even Cottus and Gyes; but Briareos, being goodly, the
deep-roaring Earth-Shaker made his son-in-law, giving him Cymopolea his
daughter to wed.

But when Zeus had driven the Titans from heaven, huge
Earth bare her youngest child Typhoeus of the love of Tartarus, by the
aid of golden Aphrodite. Strength was with his hands in all that he did
and the feet of the strong god were untiring. From his shoulders grew
an hundred heads of a snake, a fearful dragon, with dark, flickering
tongues, and from under the brows of his eyes in his marvellous heads
flashed fire, and fire burned from his heads as he glared. And there
were voices in all his dreadful heads which uttered every kind of
sound unspeakable; for at one time they made sounds such that the gods
understood, but at another, the noise of a bull bellowing aloud in proud
ungovernable fury; and at another, the sound of a lion, relentless of
heart; and at another, sounds like whelps, wonderful to hear; and again,
at another, he would hiss, so that the high mountains re-echoed. And
truly a thing past help would have happened on that day, and he would
have come to reign over mortals and immortals, had not the father of men
and gods been quick to perceive it. But he thundered hard and mightily:
and the earth around resounded terribly and the wide heaven above, and
the sea and Ocean's streams and the nether parts of the earth. Great
Olympus reeled beneath the divine feet of the king as he arose and
earth groaned thereat. And through the two of them heat took hold on the
dark-blue sea, through the thunder and lightning, and through the fire
from the monster, and the scorching winds and blazing thunderbolt. The
whole earth seethed, and sky and sea: and the long waves raged along the
beaches round and about, at the rush of the deathless gods: and there
arose an endless shaking. Hades trembled where he rules over the dead
below, and the Titans under Tartarus who live with Cronos, because of
the unending clamour and the fearful strife. So when Zeus had raised
up his might and seized his arms, thunder and lightning and lurid
thunderbolt, he leaped from Olympus and struck him, and burned all the
marvellous heads of the monster about him. But when Zeus had conquered
him and lashed him with strokes, Typhoeus was hurled down, a maimed
wreck, so that the huge earth groaned. And flame shot forth from the
thunder-stricken lord in the dim rugged glens of the mount, when
he was smitten. A great part of huge earth was scorched by the terrible
vapour and melted as tin melts when heated by men's art in channelled
crucibles; or as iron, which is hardest of all things, is
softened by glowing fire in mountain glens and melts in the divine earth
through the strength of Hephaestus. Even so, then, the earth
melted in the glow of the blazing fire. And in the bitterness of his
anger Zeus cast him into wide Tartarus.

And from Typhoeus come boisterous winds which blow damply,
except Notus and Boreas and clear Zephyr. These are a god-sent kind,
and a great blessing to men; but the others blow fitfully upon the seas.
Some rush upon the misty sea and work great havoc among men with their
evil, raging blasts; for varying with the season they blow, scattering
ships and destroying sailors. And men who meet these upon the sea have
no help against the mischief. Others again over the boundless, flowering
earth spoil the fair fields of men who dwell below, filling them with
dust and cruel uproar.

But when the blessed gods had finished their toil, and
settled by force their struggle for honours with the Titans, they
pressed far-seeing Olympian Zeus to reign and to rule over them, by
Earth's prompting. So he divided their dignities amongst them.

Now Zeus, king of the gods, made Metis his wife first,
and she was wisest among gods and mortal men. But when she was about to
bring forth the goddess bright-eyed Athene, Zeus craftily deceived her
with cunning words and put her in his own belly, as Earth and starry
Heaven advised. For they advised him so, to the end that no other should
hold royal sway over the eternal gods in place of Zeus; for very wise
children were destined to be born of her, first the maiden bright-eyed
Tritogeneia, equal to her father in strength and in wise understanding;
but afterwards she was to bear a son of overbearing spirit, king of gods
and men. But Zeus put her into his own belly first, that the goddess
might devise for him both good and evil.

Next he married bright Themis who bare the Horae (Hours),
and Eunomia (Order), Dike (Justice), and blooming Eirene (Peace), who
mind the works of mortal men, and the Moerae (Fates) to whom wise Zeus
gave the greatest honour, Clotho, and Lachesis, and Atropos who give
mortal men evil and good to have.

And Eurynome, the daughter of Ocean, beautiful in form,
bare him three fair-cheeked Charites (Graces), Aglaea, and Euphrosyne,
and lovely Thaleia, from whose eyes as they glanced flowed love that
unnerves the limbs: and beautiful is their glance beneath their brows.

Also he came to the bed of all-nourishing Demeter, and she
bare white-armed Persephone whom Aidoneus carried off from her mother;
but wise Zeus gave her to him.

And again, he loved Mnemosyne with the beautiful hair: and
of her the nine gold-crowned Muses were born who delight in feasts and
the pleasures of song.

And Leto was joined in love with Zeus who holds the aegis,
and bare Apollo and Artemis delighting in arrows, children lovely above
all the sons of Heaven.

Lastly, he made Hera his blooming wife: and she was joined
in love with the king of gods and men, and brought forth Hebe and Ares
and Eileithyia.

But Zeus himself gave birth from his own head to
bright-eyed Tritogeneia, the awful, the strife-stirring, the
host-leader, the unwearying, the queen, who delights in tumults and wars
and battles. But Hera without union with Zeus--for she was very angry
and quarrelled with her mate--bare famous Hephaestus, who is skilled in
crafts more than all the sons of Heaven.

But Hera was very angry and quarrelled with her
mate. And because of this strife she bare without union with Zeus who
holds the aegis a glorious son, Hephaestus, who excelled all the sons of
Heaven in crafts. But Zeus lay with the fair-cheeked daughter of Ocean
and Tethys apart from Hera.... deceiving Metis (Thought)
although she was full wise. But he seized her with his hands and put
her in his belly, for fear that she might bring forth something stronger
than his thunderbolt: therefore did Zeus, who sits on high and dwells
in the aether, swallow her down suddenly. But she straightway conceived
Pallas Athene: and the father of men and gods gave her birth by way
of his head on the banks of the river Trito. And she remained hidden
beneath the inward parts of Zeus, even Metis, Athena's mother, worker of
righteousness, who was wiser than gods and mortal men. There the goddess
(Athena) received that whereby she excelled in strength all
the deathless ones who dwell in Olympus, she who made the host-scaring
weapon of Athena. And with it (Zeus) gave her birth, arrayed in arms of
war.

And of Amphitrite and the loud-roaring Earth-Shaker was
born great, wide-ruling Triton, and he owns the depths of the sea,
living with his dear mother and the lord his father in their golden
house, an awful god.

Also Cytherea bare to Ares the shield-piercer Panic and
Fear, terrible gods who drive in disorder the close ranks of men in
numbing war, with the help of Ares, sacker of towns: and Harmonia whom
high-spirited Cadmus made his wife.

And Maia, the daughter of Atlas, bare to Zeus glorious
Hermes, the herald of the deathless gods, for she went up into his holy
bed.

And Semele, daughter of Cadmus was joined with him in
love and bare him a splendid son, joyous Dionysus,--a mortal woman an
immortal son. And now they both are gods.

And Alcmena was joined in love with Zeus who drives the
clouds and bare mighty Heracles.

And Hephaestus, the famous Lame One, made Aglaea, youngest
of the Graces, his buxom wife.

And golden-haired Dionysus made brown-haired Ariadne,
the daughter of Minos, his buxom wife: and the son of Cronos made her
deathless and unageing for him.

And mighty Heracles, the valiant son of neat-ankled
Alcmena, when he had finished his grievous toils, made Hebe the child of
great Zeus and gold-shod Hera his shy wife in snowy Olympus. Happy he!
For he has finished his great works and lives amongst the undying gods,
untroubled and unageing all his days.

And Perseis, the daughter of Ocean, bare to unwearying
Helios Circe and Aeetes the king. And Aeetes, the son of Helios who
shows light to men, took to wife fair-cheeked Idyia, daughter of Ocean
the perfect stream, by the will of the gods: and she was subject to him
in love through golden Aphrodite and bare him neat-ankled Medea.

And now farewell, you dwellers on Olympus and you islands
and continents and thou briny sea within. Now sing the company of
goddesses, sweet-voiced Muses of Olympus, daughter of Zeus who holds
the aegis,--even those deathless one who lay with mortal men and bare
children like unto gods.

Demeter, bright goddess, was joined in sweet love with the
hero Iasion in a thrice-ploughed fallow in the rich land of Crete, and
bare Plutus, a kindly god who goes everywhere over land and the sea's
wide back, and him who finds him and into whose hands he comes he makes
rich, bestowing great wealth upon him.

And Harmonia, the daughter of golden Aphrodite, bare
to Cadmus Ino and Semele and fair-cheeked Agave and Autonoe whom long
haired Aristaeus wedded, and Polydorus also in rich-crowned Thebe.

And the daughter of Ocean, Callirrhoe was joined in the
love of rich Aphrodite with stout hearted Chrysaor and bare a son who
was the strongest of all men, Geryones, whom mighty Heracles killed in
sea-girt Erythea for the sake of his shambling oxen.

And Eos bare to Tithonus brazen-crested Memnon, king
of the Ethiopians, and the Lord Emathion. And to Cephalus she bare a
splendid son, strong Phaethon, a man like the gods, whom, when he was a
young boy in the tender flower of glorious youth with childish thoughts,
laughter-loving Aphrodite seized and caught up and made a keeper of her
shrine by night, a divine spirit.

And the son of Aeson by the will of the gods led away
from Aeetes the daughter of Aeetes the heaven-nurtured king, when he had
finished the many grievous labours which the great king, over bearing
Pelias, that outrageous and presumptuous doer of violence, put upon him.
But when the son of Aeson had finished them, he came to Iolcus after
long toil bringing the coy-eyed girl with him on his swift ship, and
made her his buxom wife. And she was subject to Iason, shepherd of the
people, and bare a son Medeus whom Cheiron the son of Philyra brought up
in the mountains. And the will of great Zeus was fulfilled.

But of the daughters of Nereus, the Old man of the Sea,
Psamathe the fair goddess, was loved by Aeacus through golden Aphrodite
and bare Phocus. And the silver-shod goddess Thetis was subject to
Peleus and brought forth lion-hearted Achilles, the destroyer of men.

And Cytherea with the beautiful crown was joined in
sweet love with the hero Anchises and bare Aeneas on the peaks of Ida
with its many wooded glens.

And Circe the daughter of Helius, Hyperion's son, loved
steadfast Odysseus and bare Agrius and Latinus who was faultless
and strong: also she brought forth Telegonus by the will of golden
Aphrodite. And they ruled over the famous Tyrenians, very far off in a
recess of the holy islands.

And the bright goddess Calypso was joined to Odysseus in
sweet love, and bare him Nausithous and Nausinous.

These are the immortal goddesses who lay with mortal men
and bare them children like unto gods.

But now, sweet-voiced Muses of Olympus, daughters of
Zeus who holds the aegis, sing of the company of women.

The Works and Days

Author: Hesiod
Written: ~700 BCE
(Translated by Evelyn-White, Hugh G.)

Muses of Pieria who give glory through song, come hither,
tell of Zeus your father and chant his praise. Through him mortal men
are famed or un-famed, sung or unsung alike, as great Zeus wills. For
easily he makes strong, and easily he brings the strong man low; easily
he humbles the proud and raises the obscure, and easily he straightens
the crooked and blasts the proud,--Zeus who thunders aloft and has his
dwelling most high.

Attend thou with eye and ear, and make judgements straight with
righteousness. And I, Perses, would tell of true things.

So, after all, there was not one kind of Strife alone, but
all over the earth there are two. As for the one, a man would praise her
when he came to understand her; but the other is blameworthy: and they
are wholly different in nature. For one fosters evil war and battle,
being cruel: her no man loves; but perforce, through the will of the
deathless gods, men pay harsh Strife her honour due. But the other is
the elder daughter of dark Night, and the son of Cronos who sits above
and dwells in the aether, set her in the roots of the earth: and she is
far kinder to men. She stirs up even the shiftless to toil; for a man
grows eager to work when he considers his neighbour, a rich man who
hastens to plough and plant and put his house in good order; and
neighbour vies with his neighbour as he hurries after wealth. This
Strife is wholesome for men. And potter is angry with potter, and
craftsman with craftsman, and beggar is jealous of beggar, and minstrel
of minstrel.

Perses, lay up these things in your heart, and do not let
that Strife who delights in mischief hold your heart back from work,
while you peep and peer and listen to the wrangles of the court-house.
Little concern has he with quarrels and courts who has not a year's
victuals laid up betimes, even that which the earth bears, Demeter's
grain. When you have got plenty of that, you can raise disputes and
strive to get another's goods. But you shall have no second chance to
deal so again: nay, let us settle our dispute here with true judgement
divided our inheritance, but you seized the greater share and carried it
off, greatly swelling the glory of our bribe-swallowing lords who love
to judge such a cause as this. Fools! They know not how much more the
half is than the whole, nor what great advantage there is in mallow and
asphodel.

For the gods keep hidden from men the means of life. Else
you would easily do work enough in a day to supply you for a full year
even without working; soon would you put away your rudder over the
smoke, and the fields worked by ox and sturdy mule would run to waste.
But Zeus in the anger of his heart hid it, because Prometheus the crafty
deceived him; therefore he planned sorrow and mischief against men. He
hid fire; but that the noble son of Iapetus stole again for men from
Zeus the counsellor in a hollow fennel-stalk, so that Zeus who delights
in thunder did not see it. But afterwards Zeus who gathers the clouds
said to him in anger:

'Son of Iapetus, surpassing all in cunning, you are glad
that you have outwitted me and stolen fire--a great plague to you
yourself and to men that shall be. But I will give men as the price for
fire an evil thing in which they may all be glad of heart while they
embrace their own destruction.'

So said the father of men and gods, and laughed aloud. And
he bade famous Hephaestus make haste and mix earth with water and to put
in it the voice and strength of human kind, and fashion a sweet, lovely
maiden-shape, like to the immortal goddesses in face; and Athene to
teach her needlework and the weaving of the varied web; and golden
Aphrodite to shed grace upon her head and cruel longing and cares that
weary the limbs. And he charged Hermes the guide, the Slayer of Argus,
to put in her a shameless mind and a deceitful nature.

So he ordered. And they obeyed the lord Zeus the son of
Cronos. Forthwith the famous Lame God moulded clay in the likeness of a
modest maid, as the son of Cronos purposed. And the goddess bright-eyed
Athene girded and clothed her, and the divine Graces and queenly
Persuasion put necklaces of gold upon her, and the rich-haired Hours
crowned her head with spring flowers. And Pallas Athene bedecked her
form with all manners of finery. Also the Guide, the Slayer of Argus,
contrived within her lies and crafty words and a deceitful nature at the
will of loud thundering Zeus, and the Herald of the gods put speech in
her. And he called this woman Pandora, because all they who dwelt
on Olympus gave each a gift, a plague to men who eat bread.

But when he had finished the sheer, hopeless snare, the
Father sent glorious Argos-Slayer, the swift messenger of the gods, to
take it to Epimetheus as a gift. And Epimetheus did not think on what
Prometheus had said to him, bidding him never take a gift of Olympian
Zeus, but to send it back for fear it might prove to be something
harmful to men. But he took the gift, and afterwards, when the evil
thing was already his, he understood.

For ere this the tribes of men lived on earth remote and
free from ills and hard toil and heavy sickness which bring the Fates
upon men; for in misery men grow old quickly. But the woman took off the
great lid of the jar with her hands and scattered all these and
her thought caused sorrow and mischief to men. Only Hope remained there
in an unbreakable home within under the rim of the great jar, and did
not fly out at the door; for ere that, the lid of the jar stopped her,
by the will of Aegis-holding Zeus who gathers the clouds. But the rest,
countless plagues, wander amongst men; for earth is full of evils and
the sea is full. Of themselves diseases come upon men continually by day
and by night, bringing mischief to mortals silently; for wise Zeus took
away speech from them. So is there no way to escape the will of Zeus.

Or if you will, I will sum you up another tale well and
skilfully--and do you lay it up in your heart,--how the gods and mortal
men sprang from one source.

First of all the deathless gods who dwell on Olympus made
a golden race of mortal men who lived in the time of Cronos when he was
reigning in heaven. And they lived like gods without sorrow of heart,
remote and free from toil and grief: miserable age rested not on them;
but with legs and arms never failing they made merry with feasting
beyond the reach of all evils. When they died, it was as though they
were overcome with sleep, and they had all good things; for the fruitful
earth unforced bare them fruit abundantly and without stint. They dwelt
in ease and peace upon their lands with many good things, rich in flocks
and loved by the blessed gods.

But after earth had covered this generation--they are
called pure spirits dwelling on the earth, and are kindly, delivering
from harm, and guardians of mortal men; for they roam everywhere over
the earth, clothed in mist and keep watch on judgements and cruel deeds,
givers of wealth; for this royal right also they received;--then they
who dwell on Olympus made a second generation which was of silver and
less noble by far. It was like the golden race neither in body nor in
spirit. A child was brought up at his good mother's side an hundred
years, an utter simpleton, playing childishly in his own home. But when
they were full grown and were come to the full measure of their prime,
they lived only a little time in sorrow because of their foolishness,
for they could not keep from sinning and from wronging one another, nor
would they serve the immortals, nor sacrifice on the holy altars of the
blessed ones as it is right for men to do wherever they dwell. Then Zeus
the son of Cronos was angry and put them away, because they would not
give honour to the blessed gods who live on Olympus.

But when earth had covered this generation also--they are
called blessed spirits of the underworld by men, and, though they are of
second order, yet honour attends them also--Zeus the Father made a third
generation of mortal men, a brazen race, sprung from ash-trees [1304];
and it was in no way equal to the silver age, but was terrible and
strong. They loved the lamentable works of Ares and deeds of violence;
they ate no bread, but were hard of heart like adamant, fearful men.
Great was their strength and unconquerable the arms which grew from
their shoulders on their strong limbs. Their armour was of bronze, and
their houses of bronze, and of bronze were their implements: there was
no black iron. These were destroyed by their own hands and passed to the
dank house of chill Hades, and left no name: terrible though they were,
black Death seized them, and they left the bright light of the sun.

But when earth had covered this generation also, Zeus
the son of Cronos made yet another, the fourth, upon the fruitful earth,
which was nobler and more righteous, a god-like race of hero-men who
are called demi-gods, the race before our own, throughout the boundless
earth. Grim war and dread battle destroyed a part of them, some in the
land of Cadmus at seven-gated Thebe when they fought for the flocks of
Oedipus, and some, when it had brought them in ships over the great sea
gulf to Troy for rich-haired Helen's sake: there death's end enshrouded
a part of them. But to the others father Zeus the son of Cronos gave a
living and an abode apart from men, and made them dwell at the ends of
earth. And they live untouched by sorrow in the islands of the blessed
along the shore of deep swirling Ocean, happy heroes for whom the
grain-giving earth bears honey-sweet fruit flourishing thrice a year,
far from the deathless gods, and Cronos rules over them [1305]; for
the father of men and gods released him from his bonds. And these last
equally have honour and glory.

And again far-seeing Zeus made yet another generation,
the fifth, of men who are upon the bounteous earth.

Thereafter, would that I were not among the men of the
fifth generation, but either had died before or been born afterwards.
For now truly is a race of iron, and men never rest from labour and
sorrow by day, and from perishing by night; and the gods shall lay sore
trouble upon them. But, notwithstanding, even these shall have some good
mingled with their evils. And Zeus will destroy this race of mortal
men also when they come to have grey hair on the temples at their birth.
The father will not agree with his children, nor the children
with their father, nor guest with his host, nor comrade with comrade;
nor will brother be dear to brother as aforetime. Men will dishonour
their parents as they grow quickly old, and will carp at them, chiding
them with bitter words, hard-hearted they, not knowing the fear of the
gods. They will not repay their aged parents the cost their nurture, for
might shall be their right: and one man will sack another's city. There
will be no favour for the man who keeps his oath or for the just or
for the good; but rather men will praise the evil-doer and his violent
dealing. Strength will be right and reverence will cease to be; and the
wicked will hurt the worthy man, speaking false words against him, and
will swear an oath upon them. Envy, foul-mouthed, delighting in evil,
with scowling face, will go along with wretched men one and all. And
then Aidos and Nemesis, with their sweet forms wrapped in white
robes, will go from the wide-pathed earth and forsake mankind to join
the company of the deathless gods: and bitter sorrows will be left for
mortal men, and there will be no help against evil.

And now I will tell a fable for princes who themselves
understand. Thus said the hawk to the nightingale with speckled neck,
while he carried her high up among the clouds, gripped fast in his
talons, and she, pierced by his crooked talons, cried pitifully. To her
he spoke disdainfully: 'Miserable thing, why do you cry out? One far
stronger than you now holds you fast, and you must go wherever I take
you, songstress as you are. And if I please I will make my meal of you,
or let you go. He is a fool who tries to withstand the stronger, for he
does not get the mastery and suffers pain besides his shame.' So said
the swiftly flying hawk, the long-winged bird.

But you, Perses, listen to right and do not foster
violence; for violence is bad for a poor man. Even the prosperous cannot
easily bear its burden, but is weighed down under it when he has fallen
into delusion. The better path is to go by on the other side towards
justice; for Justice beats Outrage when she comes at length to the end
of the race. But only when he has suffered does the fool learn this. For
Oath keeps pace with wrong judgements. There is a noise when Justice is
being dragged in the way where those who devour bribes and give sentence
with crooked judgements, take her. And she, wrapped in mist, follows
to the city and haunts of the people, weeping, and bringing mischief
to men, even to such as have driven her forth in that they did not deal
straightly with her.

But they who give straight judgements to strangers and
to the men of the land, and go not aside from what is just, their city
flourishes, and the people prosper in it: Peace, the nurse of children,
is abroad in their land, and all-seeing Zeus never decrees cruel war
against them. Neither famine nor disaster ever haunt men who do true
justice; but light-heartedly they tend the fields which are all their
care. The earth bears them victual in plenty, and on the mountains the
oak bears acorns upon the top and bees in the midst. Their woolly sheep
are laden with fleeces; their women bear children like their parents.
They flourish continually with good things, and do not travel on ships,
for the grain-giving earth bears them fruit.

But for those who practise violence and cruel deeds
far-seeing Zeus, the son of Cronos, ordains a punishment. Often even
a whole city suffers for a bad man who sins and devises presumptuous
deeds, and the son of Cronos lays great trouble upon the people, famine
and plague together, so that the men perish away, and their women do not
bear children, and their houses become few, through the contriving of
Olympian Zeus. And again, at another time, the son of Cronos either
destroys their wide army, or their walls, or else makes an end of their
ships on the sea.

You princes, mark well this punishment you also; for the
deathless gods are near among men and mark all those who oppress their
fellows with crooked judgements, and reck not the anger of the gods. For
upon the bounteous earth Zeus has thrice ten thousand spirits, watchers
of mortal men, and these keep watch on judgements and deeds of wrong
as they roam, clothed in mist, all over the earth. And there is virgin
Justice, the daughter of Zeus, who is honoured and reverenced among
the gods who dwell on Olympus, and whenever anyone hurts her with lying
slander, she sits beside her father, Zeus the son of Cronos, and tells
him of men's wicked heart, until the people pay for the mad folly of
their princes who, evilly minded, pervert judgement and give sentence
crookedly. Keep watch against this, you princes, and make straight your
judgements, you who devour bribes; put crooked judgements altogether
from your thoughts.

He does mischief to himself who does mischief to another,
and evil planned harms the plotter most.

The eye of Zeus, seeing all and understanding all, beholds
these things too, if so he will, and fails not to mark what sort of
justice is this that the city keeps within it. Now, therefore, may
neither I myself be righteous among men, nor my son--for then it is
a bad thing to be righteous--if indeed the unrighteous shall have the
greater right. But I think that all-wise Zeus will not yet bring that to
pass.

But you, Perses, lay up these things within your heart and
listen now to right, ceasing altogether to think of violence. For the
son of Cronos has ordained this law for men, that fishes and beasts and
winged fowls should devour one another, for right is not in them; but to
mankind he gave right which proves far the best. For whoever knows the
right and is ready to speak it, far-seeing Zeus gives him prosperity;
but whoever deliberately lies in his witness and forswears himself, and
so hurts Justice and sins beyond repair, that man's generation is left
obscure thereafter. But the generation of the man who swears truly is
better thenceforward.

To you, foolish Perses, I will speak good sense. Badness
can be got easily and in shoals: the road to her is smooth, and she
lives very near us. But between us and Goodness the gods have placed the
sweat of our brows: long and steep is the path that leads to her, and it
is rough at the first; but when a man has reached the top, then is she
easy to reach, though before that she was hard.

That man is altogether best who considers all things
himself and marks what will be better afterwards and at the end; and he,
again, is good who listens to a good adviser; but whoever neither
thinks for himself nor keeps in mind what another tells him, he is an
unprofitable man. But do you at any rate, always remembering my charge,
work, high-born Perses, that Hunger may hate you, and venerable Demeter
richly crowned may love you and fill your barn with food; for Hunger is
altogether a meet comrade for the sluggard. Both gods and men are angry
with a man who lives idle, for in nature he is like the stingless drones
who waste the labour of the bees, eating without working; but let it
be your care to order your work properly, that in the right season your
barns may be full of victual. Through work men grow rich in flocks
and substance, and working they are much better loved by the immortals.
Work is no disgrace: it is idleness which is a disgrace. But
if you work, the idle will soon envy you as you grow rich, for fame and
renown attend on wealth. And whatever be your lot, work is best for you,
if you turn your misguided mind away from other men's property to your
work and attend to your livelihood as I bid you. An evil shame is the
needy man's companion, shame which both greatly harms and prospers men:
shame is with poverty, but confidence with wealth.

Wealth should not be seized: god-given wealth is much
better; for if a man take great wealth violently and perforce, or if he
steal it through his tongue, as often happens when gain deceives men's
sense and dishonour tramples down honour, the gods soon blot him out
and make that man's house low, and wealth attends him only for a little
time. Alike with him who does wrong to a suppliant or a guest, or who
goes up to his brother's bed and commits unnatural sin in lying with
his wife, or who infatuately offends against fatherless children, or who
abuses his old father at the cheerless threshold of old age and attacks
him with harsh words, truly Zeus himself is angry, and at the last
lays on him a heavy requittal for his evil doing. But do you turn your
foolish heart altogether away from these things, and, as far as you are
able, sacrifice to the deathless gods purely and cleanly, and burn
rich meats also, and at other times propitiate them with libations and
incense, both when you go to bed and when the holy light has come back,
that they may be gracious to you in heart and spirit, and so you may buy
another's holding and not another yours.

Call your friend to a feast; but leave your enemy alone;
and especially call him who lives near you: for if any mischief
happen in the place, neighbours come ungirt, but kinsmen stay to gird
themselves. A bad neighbour is as great a plague as a good one
is a great blessing; he who enjoys a good neighbour has a precious
possession. Not even an ox would die but for a bad neighbour. Take
fair measure from your neighbour and pay him back fairly with the same
measure, or better, if you can; so that if you are in need afterwards,
you may find him sure.

Do not get base gain: base gain is as bad as ruin. Be
friends with the friendly, and visit him who visits you. Give to one
who gives, but do not give to one who does not give. A man gives to the
free-handed, but no one gives to the close-fisted. Give is a good girl,
but Take is bad and she brings death. For the man who gives willingly,
even though he gives a great thing, rejoices in his gift and is glad
in heart; but whoever gives way to shamelessness and takes something
himself, even though it be a small thing, it freezes his heart. He who
adds to what he has, will keep off bright-eyed hunger; for if you add
only a little to a little and do this often, soon that little will
become great. What a man has by him at home does not trouble him: it is
better to have your stuff at home, for whatever is abroad may mean loss.
It is a good thing to draw on what you have; but it grieves your heart
to need something and not to have it, and I bid you mark this. Take
your fill when the cask is first opened and when it is nearly spent, but
midways be sparing: it is poor saving when you come to the lees.

Let the wage promised to a friend be fixed; even with your
brother smile--and get a witness; for trust and mistrust, alike ruin
men.

Do not let a flaunting woman coax and cozen and deceive
you: she is after your barn. The man who trusts womankind trusts
deceivers.

There should be an only son, to feed his father's house,
for so wealth will increase in the home; but if you leave a second son
you should die old. Yet Zeus can easily give great wealth to a greater
number. More hands mean more work and more increase.

If your heart within you desires wealth, do these things
and work with work upon work.

When the Pleiades, daughters of Atlas, are rising,
begin your harvest, and your ploughing when they are going to set.
Forty nights and days they are hidden and appear again as the
year moves round, when first you sharpen your sickle. This is the law
of the plains, and of those who live near the sea, and who inhabit rich
country, the glens and dingles far from the tossing sea,--strip to
sow and strip to plough and strip to reap, if you wish to get in all
Demeter's fruits in due season, and that each kind may grow in its
season. Else, afterwards, you may chance to be in want, and go begging
to other men's houses, but without avail; as you have already come to
me. But I will give you no more nor give you further measure. Foolish
Perses! Work the work which the gods ordained for men, lest in bitter
anguish of spirit you with your wife and children seek your livelihood
amongst your neighbours, and they do not heed you. Two or three times,
may be, you will succeed, but if you trouble them further, it will
not avail you, and all your talk will be in vain, and your word-play
unprofitable. Nay, I bid you find a way to pay your debts and avoid
hunger.

First of all, get a house, and a woman and an ox for the
plough--a slave woman and not a wife, to follow the oxen as well--and
make everything ready at home, so that you may not have to ask of
another, and he refuses you, and so, because you are in lack, the season
pass by and your work come to nothing. Do not put your work off till
to-morrow and the day after; for a sluggish worker does not fill his
barn, nor one who puts off his work: industry makes work go well, but a
man who puts off work is always at hand-grips with ruin.

When the piercing power and sultry heat of the sun abate,
and almighty Zeus sends the autumn rains, and men's flesh comes
to feel far easier,--for then the star Sirius passes over the heads
of men, who are born to misery, only a little while by day and takes
greater share of night,--then, when it showers its leaves to the ground
and stops sprouting, the wood you cut with your axe is least liable to
worm. Then remember to hew your timber: it is the season for that work.
Cut a mortar three feet wide and a pestle three cubits long, and
an axle of seven feet, for it will do very well so; but if you make
it eight feet long, you can cut a beetle from it as well. Cut
a felloe three spans across for a waggon of ten palms' width. Hew also
many bent timbers, and bring home a plough-tree when you have found it,
and look out on the mountain or in the field for one of holm-oak; for
this is the strongest for oxen to plough with when one of Athena's
handmen has fixed in the share-beam and fastened it to the pole with
dowels. Get two ploughs ready work on them at home, one all of a piece,
and the other jointed. It is far better to do this, for if you should
break one of them, you can put the oxen to the other. Poles of laurel or
elm are most free from worms, and a share-beam of oak and a plough-tree
of holm-oak. Get two oxen, bulls of nine years; for their strength is
unspent and they are in the prime of their age: they are best for work.
They will not fight in the furrow and break the plough and then leave
the work undone. Let a brisk fellow of forty years follow them, with a
loaf of four quarters and eight slices for his dinner, one
who will attend to his work and drive a straight furrow and is past the
age for gaping after his fellows, but will keep his mind on his work. No
younger man will be better than he at scattering the seed and avoiding
double-sowing; for a man less staid gets disturbed, hankering after his
fellows.

Mark, when you hear the voice of the crane who
cries year by year from the clouds above, for she give the signal for
ploughing and shows the season of rainy winter; but she vexes the heart
of the man who has no oxen. Then is the time to feed up your horned
oxen in the byre; for it is easy to say: 'Give me a yoke of oxen and a
waggon,' and it is easy to refuse: 'I have work for my oxen.' The man
who is rich in fancy thinks his waggon as good as built already--the
fool! He does not know that there are a hundred timbers to a waggon.
Take care to lay these up beforehand at home.

So soon as the time for ploughing is proclaimed to men,
then make haste, you and your slaves alike, in wet and in dry, to plough
in the season for ploughing, and bestir yourself early in the morning so
that your fields may be full. Plough in the spring; but fallow broken up
in the summer will not belie your hopes. Sow fallow land when the
soil is still getting light: fallow land is a defender from harm and a
soother of children.

Pray to Zeus of the Earth and to pure Demeter to make
Demeter's holy grain sound and heavy, when first you begin ploughing,
when you hold in your hand the end of the plough-tail and bring down
your stick on the backs of the oxen as they draw on the pole-bar by the
yoke-straps. Let a slave follow a little behind with a mattock and make
trouble for the birds by hiding the seed; for good management is the
best for mortal men as bad management is the worst. In this way your
corn-ears will bow to the ground with fullness if the Olympian himself
gives a good result at the last, and you will sweep the cobwebs from
your bins and you will be glad, I ween, as you take of your garnered
substance. And so you will have plenty till you come to grey
springtime, and will not look wistfully to others, but another shall be
in need of your help.

But if you plough the good ground at the solstice,
you will reap sitting, grasping a thin crop in your hand, binding the
sheaves awry, dust-covered, not glad at all; so you will bring all home
in a basket and not many will admire you. Yet the will of Zeus who holds
the aegis is different at different times; and it is hard for mortal
men to tell it; for if you should plough late, you may find this
remedy--when the cuckoo first calls [1320] in the leaves of the oak and
makes men glad all over the boundless earth, if Zeus should send rain
on the third day and not cease until it rises neither above an ox's hoof
nor falls short of it, then the late-plougher will vie with the early.
Keep all this well in mind, and fail not to mark grey spring as it comes
and the season of rain.

Pass by the smithy and its crowded lounge in winter time
when the cold keeps men from field work,--for then an industrious man
can greatly prosper his house--lest bitter winter catch you helpless and
poor and you chafe a swollen foot with a shrunk hand. The idle man
who waits on empty hope, lacking a livelihood, lays to heart
mischief-making; it is not an wholesome hope that accompanies a need man
who lolls at ease while he has no sure livelihood.

While it is yet midsummer command your slaves: 'It will
not always be summer, build barns.'

Avoid the month Lenaeon, wretched days, all of them
fit to skin an ox, and the frosts which are cruel when Boreas blows over
the earth. He blows across horse-breeding Thrace upon the wide sea and
stirs it up, while earth and the forest howl. On many a high-leafed
oak and thick pine he falls and brings them to the bounteous earth in
mountain glens: then all the immense wood roars and the beasts shudder
and put their tails between their legs, even those whose hide is covered
with fur; for with his bitter blast he blows even through them although
they are shaggy-breasted. He goes even through an ox's hide; it does not
stop him. Also he blows through the goat's fine hair. But through the
fleeces of sheep, because their wool is abundant, the keen wind Boreas
pierces not at all; but it makes the old man curved as a wheel. And it
does not blow through the tender maiden who stays indoors with her
dear mother, unlearned as yet in the works of golden Aphrodite, and who
washes her soft body and anoints herself with oil and lies down in an
inner room within the house, on a winter's day when the Boneless One
gnaws his foot in his fireless house and wretched home; for the
sun shows him no pastures to make for, but goes to and fro over the land
and city of dusky men, and shines more sluggishly upon the whole
race of the Hellenes. Then the horned and unhorned denizens of the wood,
with teeth chattering pitifully, flee through the copses and glades, and
all, as they seek shelter, have this one care, to gain thick coverts or
some hollow rock. Then, like the Three-legged One whose back is
broken and whose head looks down upon the ground, like him, I say, they
wander to escape the white snow.

Then put on, as I bid you, a soft coat and a tunic to the
feet to shield your body,--and you should weave thick woof on thin warp.
In this clothe yourself so that your hair may keep still and not bristle
and stand upon end all over your body.

Lace on your feet close-fitting boots of the hide of a slaughtered ox,
thickly lined with felt inside. And when the season of frost comes on,
stitch together skins of firstling kids with ox-sinew, to put over your
back and to keep off the rain. On your head above wear a shaped cap
of felt to keep your ears from getting wet, for the dawn is chill when
Boreas has once made his onslaught, and at dawn a fruitful mist is
spread over the earth from starry heaven upon the fields of blessed men:
it is drawn from the ever flowing rivers and is raised high above the
earth by windstorm, and sometimes it turns to rain towards evening, and
sometimes to wind when Thracian Boreas huddles the thick clouds. Finish
your work and return home ahead of him, and do not let the dark cloud
from heaven wrap round you and make your body clammy and soak your
clothes. Avoid it; for this is the hardest month, wintry, hard for sheep
and hard for men. In this season let your oxen have half their usual
food, but let your man have more; for the helpful nights are long.
Observe all this until the year is ended and you have nights and days
of equal length, and Earth, the mother of all, bears again her various
fruit.

When Zeus has finished sixty wintry days after the
solstice, then the star Arcturus leaves the holy stream of
Ocean and first rises brilliant at dusk. After him the shrilly wailing
daughter of Pandion, the swallow, appears to men when spring is just
beginning. Before she comes, prune the vines, for it is best so.

But when the House-carrier climbs up the plants
from the earth to escape the Pleiades, then it is no longer the season
for digging vineyards, but to whet your sickles and rouse up your
slaves. Avoid shady seats and sleeping until dawn in the harvest season,
when the sun scorches the body. Then be busy, and bring home your
fruits, getting up early to make your livelihood sure. For dawn takes
away a third part of your work, dawn advances a man on his journey and
advances him in his work,--dawn which appears and sets many men on their
road, and puts yokes on many oxen.

But when the artichoke flowers, and the chirping
grass-hopper sits in a tree and pours down his shrill song continually
from under his wings in the season of wearisome heat, then goats are
plumpest and wine sweetest; women are most wanton, but men are feeblest,
because Sirius parches head and knees and the skin is dry through heat.
But at that time let me have a shady rock and wine of Biblis, a clot of
curds and milk of drained goats with the flesh of an heifer fed in the
woods, that has never calved, and of firstling kids; then also let me
drink bright wine, sitting in the shade, when my heart is satisfied
with food, and so, turning my head to face the fresh Zephyr, from the
everflowing spring which pours down unfouled thrice pour an offering of
water, but make a fourth libation of wine.

Set your slaves to winnow Demeter's holy grain, when
strong Orion first appears, on a smooth threshing-floor in an
airy place. Then measure it and store it in jars. And so soon as you
have safely stored all your stuff indoors, I bid you put your bondman
out of doors and look out for a servant-girl with no children;--for a
servant with a child to nurse is troublesome. And look after the
dog with jagged teeth; do not grudge him his food, or some time the
Day-sleeper may take your stuff. Bring in fodder and litter so
as to have enough for your oxen and mules. After that, let your men rest
their poor knees and unyoke your pair of oxen.

But when Orion and Sirius are come into mid-heaven,
and rosy-fingered Dawn sees Arcturus, then cut off all the
grape-clusters, Perses, and bring them home. Show them to the sun ten
days and ten nights: then cover them over for five, and on the sixth
day draw off into vessels the gifts of joyful Dionysus. But when the
Pleiades and Hyades and strong Orion begin to set, then remember
to plough in season: and so the completed year will fitly pass
beneath the earth.

But if desire for uncomfortable sea-faring seize you; when
the Pleiades plunge into the misty sea to escape Orion's rude
strength, then truly gales of all kinds rage. Then keep ships no longer
on the sparkling sea, but bethink you to till the land as I bid you.
Haul up your ship upon the land and pack it closely with stones all
round to keep off the power of the winds which blow damply, and draw out
the bilge-plug so that the rain of heaven may not rot it. Put away
all the tackle and fittings in your house, and stow the wings of the
sea-going ship neatly, and hang up the well-shaped rudder over the
smoke. You yourself wait until the season for sailing is come, and then
haul your swift ship down to the sea and stow a convenient cargo in it,
so that you may bring home profit, even as your father and mine,
foolish Perses, used to sail on shipboard because he lacked sufficient
livelihood. And one day he came to this very place crossing over a
great stretch of sea; he left Aeolian Cyme and fled, not from riches and
substance, but from wretched poverty which Zeus lays upon men, and
he settled near Helicon in a miserable hamlet, Ascra, which is bad in
winter, sultry in summer, and good at no time.

But you, Perses, remember all works in their season but
sailing especially. Admire a small ship, but put your freight in a large
one; for the greater the lading, the greater will be your piled gain, if
only the winds will keep back their harmful gales.

If ever you turn your misguided heart to trading and with
to escape from debt and joyless hunger, I will show you the measures of
the loud-roaring sea, though I have no skill in sea-faring nor in ships;
for never yet have I sailed by ship over the wide sea, but only to
Euboea from Aulis where the Achaeans once stayed through much storm when
they had gathered a great host from divine Hellas for Troy, the land
of fair women. Then I crossed over to Chalcis, to the games of wise
Amphidamas where the sons of the great-hearted hero proclaimed and
appointed prizes. And there I boast that I gained the victory with a
song and carried off an handled tripod which I dedicated to the Muses of
Helicon, in the place where they first set me in the way of clear song.
Such is all my experience of many-pegged ships; nevertheless I will tell
you the will of Zeus who holds the aegis; for the Muses have taught me
to sing in marvellous song.

Fifty days after the solstice, when the season
of wearisome heat is come to an end, is the right time for me to go
sailing. Then you will not wreck your ship, nor will the sea destroy the
sailors, unless Poseidon the Earth-Shaker be set upon it, or Zeus, the
king of the deathless gods, wish to slay them; for the issues of good
and evil alike are with them. At that time the winds are steady, and
the sea is harmless. Then trust in the winds without care, and haul your
swift ship down to the sea and put all the freight on board; but make
all haste you can to return home again and do not wait till the time of
the new wine and autumn rain and oncoming storms with the fierce gales
of Notus who accompanies the heavy autumn rain of Zeus and stirs up the
sea and makes the deep dangerous.

Another time for men to go sailing is in spring when a
man first sees leaves on the topmost shoot of a fig-tree as large as the
foot-print that a cow makes; then the sea is passable, and this is the
spring sailing time. For my part I do not praise it, for my heart does
not like it. Such a sailing is snatched, and you will hardly avoid
mischief. Yet in their ignorance men do even this, for wealth means life
to poor mortals; but it is fearful to die among the waves. But I bid you
consider all these things in your heart as I say. Do not put all your
goods in hallow ships; leave the greater part behind, and put the lesser
part on board; for it is a bad business to meet with disaster among
the waves of the sea, as it is bad if you put too great a load on your
waggon and break the axle, and your goods are spoiled. Observe due
measure: and proportion is best in all things.

Bring home a wife to your house when you are of the right
age, while you are not far short of thirty years nor much above; this is
the right age for marriage. Let your wife have been grown up four years,
and marry her in the fifth. Marry a maiden, so that you can teach her
careful ways, and especially marry one who lives near you, but look
well about you and see that your marriage will not be a joke to your
neighbours. For a man wins nothing better than a good wife, and, again,
nothing worse than a bad one, a greedy soul who roasts her man without
fire, strong though he may be, and brings him to a raw old age.

Be careful to avoid the anger of the deathless gods. Do
not make a friend equal to a brother; but if you do, do not wrong him
first, and do not lie to please the tongue. But if he wrongs you first,
offending either in word or in deed, remember to repay him double;
but if he ask you to be his friend again and be ready to give you
satisfaction, welcome him. He is a worthless man who makes now one and
now another his friend; but as for you, do not let your face put your
heart to shame.

Do not get a name either as lavish or as churlish; as a
friend of rogues or as a slanderer of good men.

Never dare to taunt a man with deadly poverty which eats
out the heart; it is sent by the deathless gods. The best treasure a man
can have is a sparing tongue, and the greatest pleasure, one that moves
orderly; for if you speak evil, you yourself will soon be worse spoken
of.

Do not be boorish at a common feast where there are many
guests; the pleasure is greatest and the expense is least.

Never pour a libation of sparkling wine to Zeus after dawn
with unwashen hands, nor to others of the deathless gods; else they do
not hear your prayers but spit them back.

Do not stand upright facing the sun when you make water,
but remember to do this when he has set towards his rising. And do not
make water as you go, whether on the road or off the road, and do not
uncover yourself: the nights belong to the blessed gods. A scrupulous
man who has a wise heart sits down or goes to the wall of an enclosed
court.

Do not expose yourself befouled by the fireside in your
house, but avoid this. Do not beget children when you are come back from
ill-omened burial, but after a festival of the gods.

Never cross the sweet-flowing water of ever-rolling rivers
afoot until you have prayed, gazing into the soft flood, and washed your
hands in the clear, lovely water. Whoever crosses a river with hands
unwashed of wickedness, the gods are angry with him and bring trouble
upon him afterwards.

At a cheerful festival of the gods do not cut the withered
from the quick upon that which has five branches with bright
steel.

Never put the ladle upon the mixing-bowl at a wine party,
for malignant ill-luck is attached to that.

When you are building a house, do not leave it rough-hewn,
or a cawing crow may settle on it and croak.

Take nothing to eat or to wash with from uncharmed pots,
for in them there is mischief.

Do not let a boy of twelve years sit on things which may
not be moved, for that is bad, and makes a man unmanly; nor yet
a child of twelve months, for that has the same effect. A man should
not clean his body with water in which a woman has washed, for there is
bitter mischief in that also for a time. When you come upon a burning
sacrifice, do not make a mock of mysteries, for Heaven is angry at this
also. Never make water in the mouths of rivers which flow to the sea,
nor yet in springs; but be careful to avoid this. And do not ease
yourself in them: it is not well to do this.

So do: and avoid the talk of men. For Talk is mischievous,
light, and easily raised, but hard to bear and difficult to be rid of.
Talk never wholly dies away when many people voice her: even Talk is in
some ways divine.

Mark the days which come from Zeus, duly telling your
slaves of them, and that the thirtieth day of the month is best for one
to look over the work and to deal out supplies.

For these are days which come from Zeus the
all-wise, when men discern aright.

To begin with, the first, the fourth, and the seventh--on
which Leto bare Apollo with the blade of gold--each is a holy day. The
eighth and the ninth, two days at least of the waxing month, are
specially good for the works of man. Also the eleventh and twelfth are
both excellent, alike for shearing sheep and for reaping the kindly
fruits; but the twelfth is much better than the eleventh, for on it the
airy-swinging spider spins its web in full day, and then the Wise One,
gathers her pile. On that day woman should set up her loom and
get forward with her work.

Avoid the thirteenth of the waxing month for beginning to
sow: yet it is the best day for setting plants.

The sixth of the mid-month is very unfavourable for
plants, but is good for the birth of males, though unfavourable for a
girl either to be born at all or to be married. Nor is the first sixth
a fit day for a girl to be born, but a kindly for gelding kids and sheep
and for fencing in a sheep-cote. It is favourable for the birth of a
boy, but such will be fond of sharp speech, lies, and cunning words, and
stealthy converse.

On the eighth of the month geld the boar and
loud-bellowing bull, but hard-working mules on the twelfth.

On the great twentieth, in full day, a wise man should be
born. Such an one is very sound-witted. The tenth is favourable for a
male to be born; but, for a girl, the fourth day of the mid-month. On
that day tame sheep and shambling, horned oxen, and the sharp-fanged
dog and hardy mules to the touch of the hand. But take care to avoid
troubles which eat out the heart on the fourth of the beginning and
ending of the month; it is a day very fraught with fate.

On the fourth of the month bring home your bride, but
choose the omens which are best for this business.

Avoid fifth days: they are unkindly and terrible. On a
fifth day, they say, the Erinyes assisted at the birth of Horcus (Oath)
whom Eris (Strife) bare to trouble the forsworn.

Look about you very carefully and throw out Demeter's holy grain upon
the well-rolled threshing floor on the seventh of the mid-month.
Let the woodman cut beams for house building and plenty of ships'
timbers, such as are suitable for ships. On the fourth day begin to
build narrow ships.

The ninth of the mid-month improves towards evening; but
the first ninth of all is quite harmless for men. It is a good day on
which to beget or to be born both for a male and a female: it is never
an wholly evil day.

Again, few know that the twenty-seventh of the month is
best for opening a wine-jar, and putting yokes on the necks of oxen
and mules and swift-footed horses, and for hauling a swift ship of many
thwarts down to the sparkling sea; few call it by its right name.

On the fourth day open a jar. The fourth of the mid-month
is a day holy above all. And again, few men know that the fourth day
after the twentieth is best while it is morning: towards evening it is
less good.

These days are a great blessing to men on earth; but the
rest are changeable, luckless, and bring nothing. Everyone praises
a different day but few know their nature. Sometimes a day is a
stepmother, sometimes a mother. That man is happy and lucky in them who
knows all these things and does his work without offending the deathless
gods, who discerns the omens of birds and avoids transgressions.