by Theocritus
‘᾿Αθανάτων ὦ ξεῖνε φραδῇ τινος ἐνθάδ᾽ ἱκάνεις,
ὥς τοι πᾶν ὃ θέλεις αἶψα χρέος ἐκτετέλεσται.
ὧδε γὰρ Αὐγείης, υἱὸς φίλος ᾿Ηελίοιο,
σφωιτέρῳ σὺν παιδί, βίῃ Φυλῆος ἀγαυοῦ, 55
χθιζός γ᾽ εἰλήλουθεν ἀπ᾽ ἄστεος, ἤμασι πολλοῖς
κτῆσιν ἐποψόμενος, ἥ οἱ νήριθμος ἐπ᾽ ἀγρῶν:
ὥς που καὶ βασιλεῦσιν ἐείδεται ἐν φρεσὶν ᾗσιν
αὐτοῖς κηδομένοισι σαώτερος ἔμμεναι οἶκος.
ἀλλ᾽ ἴομεν μάλα πρός μιν: ἐγὼ δέ τοι ἡγεμονεύσω 60
αὖλιν ἐφ᾽ ἡμετέρην, ἵνα κεν τέτμοιμεν ἄνακτα.’
[51] And the gallant old ploughman answered him again: “Sure one of the Immortals, Sir,” saith he, “hath send you this way, so quickly come you by all you would. Augeas child of the Sun is here, and that piece of strength, his son the noble Phyleus, with him. ’Twas only yesterday he came from the town for to view after many days the possessions he hath without number upon the land. For in their hearts, ‘faith, your kings are like to other men; they wot well their substance be surer if they see to it themselves. But enough; go we along to him. I will show you the way to our steading, and there it is like we find him.”
῝Ως εἰπὼν ἡγεῖτο, νόῳ δ᾽ ἔτι πόλλ᾽ ἐμενοίνα,
δέρμά τε θηρὸς ὁρῶν χειροπληθῆ τε κορύνην,
ὁππόθεν ὁ ξεῖνος: μέμονεν δέ μιν αἰὲν ἔρεσθαι:
ἂψ δ᾽ ὄκνῳ ποτὶ χεῖλος ἐλάμβανε μῦθον ἰόντα, 65
μή τί οἱ οὐ κατὰ καιρὸν ἔπος προτιμυθήσαιτο,
σπερχομένου: χαλεπὸν δ᾽ ἑτέρου νόον ἴδμεναι ἀνδρός.
[62] With this he led on, musing as well he might concerning the skin of a beast he saw the stranger clad in, and the great club that filled his grasp, and whence he might be come; aye, and was minded and minded again to ask him right out, but ever took back the words that were even upon his tongue, for fear he should say him somewhat out of season, he being in that haste; for ’tis ill reading the mind of another man.
τοὺς δὲ κύνες προσιόντας ἀπόπροθεν αἶψ᾽ ἐνόησαν,
ἀμφότερον ὀσμῇ τε χροὸς δούπῳ τε ποδοῖιν.
θεσπέσιον δ᾽ ὑλάοντες ἐπέδραμον ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος 70
᾿Αμφιτρυωνιάδῃ ῾Ηρακλέι: τὸν δὲ γέροντα
ἀχρεῖον κλάζοντε περίσσαινον ἑτέρωθεν.
τοὺς μὲν ὅγε λάεσσιν ἀπὸ χθόνος ὅσσον ἀείρων
φευγέμεν ἂψ ὀπίσω δειδίσσετο, τρηχὺ δὲ φωνῇ
ἠπείλει μάλα πᾶσιν, ἐρητύσασκε δ᾽ ὑλαγμοῦ, 75
χαίρων ἐν φρεσὶν ᾗσιν, ὁθούνεκεν αὖλιν ἔρυντο
αὐτοῦ γ᾽ οὐ παρεόντος: ἔπος δ᾽ ὅγε τοῖον ἔειπεν:
‘῍Ω πόποι, οἷον τοῦτο θεοὶ ποίησαν ἄνακτες
θηρίον ἀνθρώποισι μετέμμεναι, ὡς ἐπιμηθές.
εἴ οἱ καὶ φρένες ὧδε νοήμονες ἔνδοθεν ἦσαν, 80
ᾔδει δ᾽, ᾧ τε χρὴ χαλεπαινέμεν ᾧ τε καὶ οὐκί,
οὐκ ἄν οἱ θηρῶν τις ἐδήρισεν περὶ τιμῆς:
νῦν δὲ λίην ζάκοτόν τε καὶ ἀρρηνὲς γένετ᾽ αὔτως.’̂̓Η ῥα, καὶ ἐσσυμένως ποτὶ ταὐλίον ἷξον ἰόντες.
[68] Now or ever they were come nigh, the dogs were quickly aware of their coming, as well by the scent of them as by the sound of their footfalls, and made at Heracles Amphitryoniad from this, that, and every side with a marvellous great clamour; and the old man, they bayed him likewise, but ’twas for baying’s sake, and they fawned him about on the further side. Then did gaffer with the mere lifting stones from the ground fray them back again and bespake them roughly and threateningly, every one, to make them give over their clamour, howbeit rejoicing in his heart that the steading should have so good defenders when he was away; and so upspake and said: “Lord! what a fiery inconsiderate beast is here made by the high gods to be with man! If there were but as great understanding within him and he knew with whom to be angered and whom to forbear, there’s no brute thing might claim such honour as he; but it may not be, and he’s nought but a blusterer, wild and uncouth.” This said, they quickened their steps and passed on and came to the steading.
THE VISITATION
᾿Ηέλιος μὲν ἔπειτα ποτὶ ζόφον ἔτραπεν ἵππους 85
δείελον ἦμαρ ἄγων: τὰ δ᾽ ἐπήλυθε πίονα μῆλα
ἐκ βοτάνης ἀνιόντα μετ᾽ αὐλία τε σηκούς τε.
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα βόες μάλα μυρίαι ἄλλαι ἐπ᾽ ἄλλαις
ἐρχόμεναι φαίνονθ᾽ ὡσεὶ νέφη ὑδατόεντα,
ἅσσά τ᾽ ἐν οὐρανῷ εἶσιν ἐλαυνόμενα προτέρωσε 90
ἠὲ νότοιο βίῃ ἠὲ Θρῃκὸς βορέαο:
τῶν μέν τ᾽ οὔτις ἀριθμὸς ἐν ἠέρι γίνετ᾽ ἰόντων,
οὐδ᾽ ἄνυσις: τόσα γάρ τε μετὰ προτέροισι κυλίνδει
ἲς ἀνέμου, τὰ δέ τ᾽ ἄλλα κορύσσεται αὖτις ἐπ᾽ ἄλλοις:
τόσσ᾽ αἰεὶ μετόπισθε βοῶν ἐπὶ βουκόλι᾽ ᾔει. 95
πᾶν δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐνεπλήσθη πεδίον, πᾶσαι δὲ κέλευθοι
ληίδος ἐρχομένης （στείνοντο δὲ πίονες ἀγροί）,
μυκηθμῷ: σηκοὶ δὲ βοῶν ῥεῖα πλήσθησαν
εἰλιπόδων, ὄιες δὲ κατ᾽ αὐλὰς ηὐλίζοντο.
[85] Now had the sun turned his steeds westward and brought evening on, and the fat flocks had left the pastures and were come up among the farmyards and folds. Then it was that he cows came thousand upon thousand, came even as the watery clouds which, be it of the Southwind or the Northwind out of Thrace, come driving forward through the welkin, till there’s no numbering them aloft nor no end to their coming on, so many new doth the power of the wind roll up to join the old, row after row rearing crest ever upon crest – in like multitude now came those herds of kine still up and on, up and on. Aye, all the plain was filled, and all the paths of it, with the moving cattle; the fat fields were thronged and choked with their lowing, and right readily were the byres made full of shambling kine, while the sheep settled themselves for the night in the yards.
ἔνθα μὲν οὔτις ἕκηλος ἀπειρεσίων περ ἐόντων 100
εἱστήκει παρὰ βουσὶν ἀνὴρ κεχρημένος ἔργου:
ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν ἀμφὶ πόδεσσιν ἐυτμήτοισιν ἱμᾶσι
κωλοπέδας ἀράρισκε περισταδὸν ἐγγὺς ἀμέλγειν:
ἄλλος δ᾽ αὖ φίλα τέκνα φίλαις ὑπὸ μητράσιν ἵει
πινέμεναι λιαροῖο μεμαότα πάγχυ γάλακτος, 105
ἄλλος ἀμόλγιον εἶχ᾽, ἄλλος τρέφε πίονα τυρόν,
ἄλλ
ος ἐσῆγεν ἔσω ταύρους δίχα θηλειάων.
Αὐγείης δ᾽ ἐπὶ πάντας ἰὼν θηεῖτο βοαύλους
ἥντινά οἱ κτεάνων κομιδὴν ἐτίθεντο νομῆες,
σὺν δ᾽ υἱός τε βίη τε βαρύφρονος ῾Ηρακλῆος 110
ὡμάρτευν βασιλῆι διερχομένῳ μέγαν ὄλβον.
[100] Then of a truth, for all there were hinds without number, stood there no man beside those cattle idle for want of aught to do; but here was one took thongs cut straight and true and had their feet to the hobbles for to come at the milking; here was another took thirsty yeanlings and put them to drink of their dams’ sweet warm milk; this again held the milking-pail, and that did curd the milk for a good fat cheese, and yonder was one a-bringing in the bulls apart from the heifers. Meanwhile King Augeas went his rounds of the byres to see what care his herdsmen might have of his goods; and through all that great wealth of his there went with him his son also, and grave-minded Heracles in his might.
ἔνθα καὶ ἄρρηκτόν περ ἔχων ἐν στήθεσι θυμὸν
᾿Αμφιτρυωνιάδης καὶ ἀρηρότα νωλεμὲς αἰεὶ
ἐκπάγλως θαύμαζε θεῶν τόγε μυρίον ἕδνον
εἰσορόων. οὐ γάρ κεν ἔφασκέ τις οὐδὲ ἐώλπει 115
ἀνδρὸς ληίδ᾽ ἑνὸς τόσσην ἔμεν οὐδὲ δέκ᾽ ἄλλων,
οἵτε πολύρρηνες πάντων ἔσαν ἐκ βασιλήων.
᾿Ηέλιος δ᾽ ᾧ παιδὶ τόγ᾽ ἔξοχον ὤπασε δῶρον,
ἀφνειὸν μήλοις περὶ πάντων ἔμμεναι ἀνδρῶν,
καί ῥά οἱ αὐτὸς ὄφελλε διαμπερέως βοτὰ πάντα 120
ἐς τέλος: οὐ μὲν γάρ τις ἐπήλυθε νοῦσος ἐκείνου
βουκολίοις, αἵτ᾽ ἔργα καταφθείρουσι νομήων,
αἰεὶ δὲ πλέονες κερααὶ βόες, αἰὲν ἀμείνους
ἐξ ἔτεος γίνοντο μάλ᾽ εἰς ἔτος: ἦ γὰρ ἅπασαι
ζωοτόκοι τ᾽ ἦσαν περιώσια θηλυτόκοι τε. 125
[112] And now, albeit he was possessed within him of a heart of iron ever and without ceasing unmoved, the child of Amphitryon fell marvellously a-wondering, as well he might, when he saw the unnumbered bride-gift of the god. Indeed, no man would have said, nay, nor thought, that so many cattle could belong to ten men, let alone one; and those ten must needs have been rich in sheep and oxen beyond any kings. For the Sun did give him that was his child a most excellent gift, to wit to be the greatest master of flocks in the world; and what is more, himself did make them all to thrive and prosper unceasingly without end, for of all the distempers that destroy the labours of a keeper of oxen never came there one upon that man’s herds, but rather did his horned dams wax ever year in year out both more in number and better in kind, being never known to cast their young and all passing good bringers of cow-calves.
ταῖς δὲ τριηκόσιοι ταῦροι συνάμ᾽ ἐστιχόωντο
κνήμαργοί θ᾽ ἕλικές τε, διηκόσιοί γε μὲν ἄλλοι
φοίνικες: πάντες δ᾽ ἐπιβήτορες οἵγ᾽ ἔσαν ἤδη.
ἄλλοι δ᾽ αὖ μετὰ τοῖσι δυώδεκα βουκολέοντο
ἱεροὶ ᾿Ηελίοιο: χρόην δ᾽ ἔσαν ἠύτε κύκνοι 130
ἀργησταί, πᾶσιν δὲ μετέπρεπον εἰλιπόδεσσιν
οἳ καὶ ἀτιμαγέλαι βόσκοντ᾽ ἐριθηλέα ποίην
ἐν νομῷ: ὧδ᾽ ἔκπαγλον ἐπὶ σφίσι γαυριόωντο.
καί ῥ᾽ ὁπότ᾽ ἐκ λασίοιο θοοὶ προγενοίατο θῆρες
ἐς πεδίον δρυμοῖο βοῶν ἕνεκ᾽ ἀγροτεράων, 135
πρῶτοι τοίγε μάχηνδε κατὰ χροὸς ᾔεσαν ὀσμήν,
δεινὸν δ᾽ ἐβρυχῶντο φόνον λεύσσοντε προσώπῳ.
[126] Moreover there went with them three hundred bulls, white-shanked and crump-horned, and other two hundred dun, and all leapers grown; and over and above these, there was a herd of twelve sacred to the Sun, and the colour of them glistering white like a swan, so that they did outshine all shambling things; and what is more, they were lone-grazers all in the springing pastures, so marvellous proud were they and haughty; and the same, when swift beasts of the field came forth of the shag forest after the kine that went in herds, ever at the smell of them would out the first to battle, bellowing dreadfully and glancing death.
τῶν μέν τε προφέρεσκε βίηφί τε καὶ σφένεϊ ᾧ
ἠδ᾽ ὑπεροπλίῃ Φαέθων μέγας, ὅν ῥα βοτῆρες
ἀστέρι πάντες ἔισκον, ὁθούνεκα πολλὸν ἐν ἄλλοις 140
βουσὶν ἰὼν λάμπεσκεν, ἀρίζηλος δ᾽ ἐτέτυκτο.
ὃς δή τοι σκύλος αὖον ἰδὼν χαροποῖο λέοντος
αὐτῷ ἔπειτ᾽ ἐπόρουσεν ἐυσκόπῳ ῾Ηρακλῆι
χρίμψασθαι ποτὶ πλευρὰ κάρη στιβαρόν τε μέτωπον.
τοῦ μὲν ἄναξ προσιόντος ἐδράξατο χειρὶ παχείῃ 145
σκαιοῦ ἄφαρ κέραος, κατὰ δ᾽ αὐχένα νέρθ᾽ ἐπὶ γαίης
κλάσσε βαρύν περ ἐόντα, πάλιν δέ μιν ὦσεν ὀπίσσω
ὤμῳ ἐπιβρίσας: ὁ δέ οἱ περὶ νεῦρα τανυσθεὶς
μυὼν ἐξ ὑπάτοιο βραχίονος ὀρθὸς ἀνέστη.
θαύμαζεν δ᾽ αὐτός τε ἄναξ υἱός τε δαΐφρων 150
Φυλεὺς οἵ τ᾽ ἐπὶ βουσὶ κορωνίσι βουκόλοι ἄνδρες,
᾿Αμφιτρυωνιάδαο βίην ὑπέροπλον ἰδόντες.
[138] Now of these twelve the highest and mightiest both for strength and mettle was the great Lucifer (Phaethon), whom all the herdsmen likened to that star, for that going among the other cattle he shined exceedingly bright and conspicuous; and this fellow, when he espied that tanned skin of a grim lion, came at the watchful wearer of it for to have at his sides with his great sturdy front. But my lord up with a strong hand and clutched him by the left horn and bowed that his heavy neck suddenly downward, and putting his shoulder to’t had him back again; and the muscle of his upper arm was drawn above the sinews till it stood on a heap. And the king marvelled, both he and his son the warlike Phyleus, and the hinds also that were set over the crump-horned kine, when they beheld the mettlesome might of the child of Amphitryon.
[THE NEMEAN LION]
τὼ δ᾽ εἰς ἄστυ λιπόντε καταυτόθι πίονας ἀγροὺς
ἐστιχέτην, Φυλεύς τε βίη θ᾽ ῾Ηρακληείη.
λαοφόρου δ᾽ ἐπέβησαν ὅθι πρώτιστα κελεύθου, 155
λεπτὴν καρπαλίμοισι τρίβον ποσὶν ἐξανύσαντες,
ἥ ῥα δι᾽ ἀμπελεῶνος ἀπὸ σταθμῶν τετάνυστο
οὔτι λίην ἀρίσημος ἐν ὕλῃ χλωρὰ θέουσα,
τῇ μιν ἄρα προσέειπε Διὸς γόνον ὑψίστοιο
Αὐγείω φίλος υἱὸς ἕθεν μετόπισθεν ἰόντα, 160
ἦκα παρακλίνας κεφαλὴν κατὰ δεξιὸν ὦμον:
‘ξεῖνε
, πάλαι τινὰ πάγχυ σέθεν πέρι μῦθον ἀκούσας
ὡσεί περ σφετέρῃσιν ἐνὶ φρεσὶ βάλλομαι ἄρτι.
ἤλυθε γὰρ στείχων τις ἀπ᾽ ῎Αργεος ὡς μέσος ἀκμῆς
ἐνθάδ᾽ ᾿Αχαιὸς ἀνὴρ ῾Ελίκης ἐξ ἀγχιάλοιο: 165
ὃς δή τοι μυθεῖτο καὶ ἐν πλεόνεσσιν ᾿Επειῶν,
οὕνεκεν ᾿Αργείων τις ἕθεν παρεόντος ὄλεσσε
θηρίον, αἰνολέοντα, κακὸν τέρας ἀγροιώταις,
κοίλην αὖλιν ἔχοντα Διὸς Νεμέοιο παρ᾽ ἄλσος,
οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ἀτρεκέως ἢ ῎Αργεος ἐξ ἱεροῖο 170
αὐτόθεν ἢ Τίρυνθα νέμων πόλιν ἠὲ Μυκήνην.
ὣς κεῖνος ἀγόρευε: γένος δέ μιν εἶναι ἔφασκεν,
εἰ ἐτεόν περ ἐγὼ μιμνήσκομαι, ἐκ Περσῆος.
[153] Then did Phyleus and Heracles the mighty leave the fat fields behind them and set out for the town. Their swift feet were gotten to the end of the little path which stretched from the farmsteads through the vineyard and ran not over-clearly in the midst of the fresh greenery, and they were just come to the people’s highway, when the dear son of Augeas up and spake to the child of most high Zeus that was following behind him, and with a little turn of his head over his right shoulder, “Sir,” says he, “there’s somewhat I had heard of you, and O how late am I, if of you it were, to bethink me on’t but now! ’Tis not long since there came hither from Argos an Achaean of Helicè-by-the-sea, who told a tale, look you, unto more than one of us Epeians, how that he had seen an Argive slay a beast of the field, to wit a lion dire that was the dread of the countryside and had the den of his lying beside the grove of Zeus of Nemea – yet he knew not for sure, he said, whether the man was truly of sacred Argos itself or was a dweller in Tiryns town or in Mycenae. Howbeit, such was his tale, and he said also, if I remember true, that for his lineage the man was of Perseus.
ἔλπομαι οὐχ ἕτερον τόδε τλήμεναι Αἰγιαλήων
