The Homeric Hymns Part 8

XIV. TO HERACLES THE LION-HEART

Of Heracles the son of Zeus will I sing, mightiest of mortals, whom Alcmena bore in Thebes of the fair dancing places, for she had lain in the arms of Cronion, the lord of the dark clouds. Of old the hero wandered endlessly over land and sea, at the bidding of Eurystheus the prince, and himself wrought many deeds of fateful might, and many he endured; but now in the fair haunts of snowy Olympus he dwells in joy, and hath white-ankled Hebe for his wife. Hail prince, son of Zeus, and give to us valour and good fortune.

XV. TO ASCLEPIUS

Of the healer of diseases, Asclepius, I begin to sing, the son of Apollo, whom fair Coronis bore in the Dotian plain, the daughter of King Phlegyas; a great joy to men was her son, and the soother of evil pains.

Even so do thou hail, O Prince, I pray to thee in my song.

XVI. TO THE DIOSCOURI

Of Castor and Polydeuces do thou sing,--shrill Muse, the Tyndaridae, sons of Olympian Zeus, whom Lady Leda bore beneath the crests of Taygetus, having been secretly conquered by the desire of Cronion of the dark clouds. Hail, ye sons of Tyndarus, ye cavaliers of swift steeds.

XVII. TO HERMES

I sing of Cyllenian Hermes, slayer of Argus, prince of Cyllene and of Arcadia rich in sheep, the boon messenger of the Immortals. Him did Maia bear, the modest daughter of Atlas, to the love of Zeus. The company of the blessed G.o.ds she shunned, and dwelt in a shadowy cave where Cronion was wont to lie with the fair-tressed nymph in the dark of night, while sweet sleep possessed white-armed Hera, and no Immortals knew it, and no deathly men. Hail to thee, thou son of Zeus and Maia, with thee shall I begin and pa.s.s on to another song. Hail, Hermes, Giver of grace, thou Guide, thou Giver of good things.

XVIII. TO PAN

[Pan. With Goat and Shepherd's Crook. Terra cotta Statuette from Tanagra, in the British Museum: lang230.jpg]

Tell me, Muse, concerning the dear son of Hermes, the goat-footed, the twy-horned, the lover of the din of revel, who haunts the wooded dells with dancing nymphs that tread the crests of the steep cliffs, calling upon Pan the pastoral G.o.d of the long wild hair. Lord is he of every snowy crest and mountain peak and rocky path. Hither and thither he goes through the thick copses, sometimes being drawn to the still waters, and sometimes faring through the lofty crags he climbs the highest peak whence the flocks are seen below; ever he ranges over the high white hills, and ever among the knolls he chases and slays the wild beasts, the G.o.d, with keen eye, and at evening returns piping from the chase, breathing sweet strains on the reeds. In song that bird cannot excel him which, among the leaves of the blossoming springtide, pours forth her plaint and her honey-sweet song. With him then the mountain nymphs, the shrill singers, go wandering with light feet, and sing at the side of the dark water of the well, while the echo moans along the mountain crest, and the G.o.d leaps. .h.i.ther and thither, and goes into the midst, with many a step of the dance. On his back he wears the tawny hide of a lynx, and his heart rejoices with shrill songs in the soft meadow where crocus and fragrant hyacinth bloom all mingled amidst the gra.s.s. They sing of the blessed G.o.ds and of high Olympus, and above all do they sing of boon Hermes, how he is the fleet herald of all the G.o.ds, and how he came to many-fountained Arcadia, the mother of sheep, where is his Cyllenian demesne, and there he, G.o.d as he was, shepherded the fleecy sheep, the thrall of a mortal man; for soft desire had come upon him to wed the fair- haired daughter of Dryops, and the glad nuptials he accomplished, and to Hermes in the hall she bare a dear son. From his birth he was a marvel to behold, goat-footed, twy-horned, a loud speaker, a sweet laugher. Then the nurse leaped up and fled when she saw his wild face and bearded chin.

But him did boon Hermes straightway take in his hands and bear, and gladly did he rejoice at heart. Swiftly to the dwellings of the G.o.ds went he, bearing the babe hidden in the thick skins of mountain hares; there sat he down by Zeus and the other Immortals, and showed his child, and all the Immortals were glad at heart, and chiefly the Bacchic Dionysus. Pan they called the babe to name: because he had made glad the hearts of all of them. Hail then to thee, O Prince, I am thy suppliant in song, and I shall be mindful of thee and of another lay.

XIX. TO HEPHAESTUS

Sing, shrill Muse, of Hephaestus renowned in craft, who with grey-eyed Athene taught goodly works to men on earth, even to men that before were wont to dwell in mountain caves like beasts; but now, being instructed in craft by the renowned craftsman Hephaestus, lightly the whole year through they dwell happily in their own homes. Be gracious, Hephaestus, and grant me valour and fortune.

XX. TO APOLLO

Phoebus, to thee the swan sings shrill to the beating of his wings, as he lights on the bank of the whirling pools of the river Peneus; and to thee with his shrill lyre does the sweet-voiced minstrel sing ever, both first and last. Even so hail thou, Prince, I beseech thee in my song.

XXI. TO POSEIDON

Concerning Poseidon, a great G.o.d, I begin to sing: the shaker of the land and of the sea unharvested; G.o.d of the deep who holdeth Helicon and wide AEgae. A double meed of honour have the G.o.ds given thee, O Shaker of the Earth, to be tamer of horses and saviour of s.h.i.+ps. Hail Prince, thou Girdler of the Earth, thou dark-haired G.o.d, and with kindly heart, O blessed one, do thou befriend the mariners.

XXII. TO HIGHEST ZEUS

To Zeus the best of G.o.ds will I sing; the best and the greatest, the far- beholding lord who bringeth all to an end, who holdeth constant counsel with Themis as she reclines on her couch. Be gracious, far-beholding son of Cronos, thou most glorious and greatest.

XXIII. TO HESTIA

Hestia, that guardest the sacred house of the Prince, Apollo the Far-darter, in goodly Pytho, ever doth the oil drop dank from thy locks.

Come thou to this house with a gracious heart, come with counselling Zeus, and lend grace to my song.

XXIV. TO THE MUSES AND APOLLO

From the Muse I shall begin and from Apollo and Zeus. For it is from the Muses and far-darting Apollo that minstrels and harpers are upon the earth, but from Zeus come kings. Fortunate is he whomsoever the Muses love, and sweet flows his voice from his lips. Hail, ye children of Zeus, honour ye my lay, and anon I shall be mindful of you and of another hymn.

XXV. TO DIONYSUS

Of ivy-tressed uproarious Dionysus I begin to sing, the splendid son of Zeus and renowned Semele. Him did the fair-tressed nymphs foster, receiving him from the king and father in their bosoms, and needfully they nurtured him in the glens of Nyse. By his father's will he waxed strong in the fragrant cavern, being numbered among the Immortals. Anon when the G.o.ddesses had bred him up to be the G.o.d of many a hymn, then went he wandering in the woodland glades, draped with ivy and laurel, and the nymphs followed with him where he led, and loud rang the wild woodland. Hail to thee, then, Dionysus of the cl.u.s.tered vine, and grant to us to come gladly again to the season of vintaging, yea, and afterwards for many a year to come.

XXVI. TO ARTEMIS

I sing of Artemis of the Golden Distaff, G.o.ddess of the loud chase, a maiden revered, the slayer of stags, the archer, very sister of Apollo of the golden blade. She through the shadowy hills and the windy headlands rejoicing in the chase draws her golden bow, sending forth shafts of sorrow. Then tremble the crests of the lofty mountains, and terribly the dark woodland rings with din of beasts, and the earth shudders, and the teeming sea. Meanwhile she of the stout heart turns about on every side slaying the race of wild beasts. Anon when the Archer Huntress hath taken her delight, and hath gladdened her heart, she slackens her bended bow, and goes to the great hall of her dear Phoebus Apollo, to the rich Delphian land; and arrays the lovely dance of Muses and Graces. There hangs she up her bended bow and her arrows, and all graciously clad about she leads the dances, first in place, while the others utter their immortal voice in hymns to fair-ankled Leto, how she bore such children pre-eminent among the Immortals in counsel and in deed. Hail, ye children of Zeus and fair-tressed Leto, anon will I be mindful of you and of another hymn.

[Apollo, Artemis and Leto in procession. Marble relief in the Louvre: lang241.jpg]

XXVII. TO ATHENE