Works of Nonnus

by Nonnus

  εἰ δὲ καὶ αἰθερίην μεθέπει χιονώδεα μορφήν,

  μήνης ποῖον ἔχει σημήιον; ἀστομίων γὰρ

  245 οὐρήων ζυγόδεσμα καὶ ἀργυρόκυκλος ἀπήνη

  αἰγιαλῷ παρέασιν, ὑποζεῦξαι δὲ λεπάδνῳ

  ἡμιόνους οὐκ οἶδε βοῶν ἐλάτειρα Σελήνη.

  εἰ δέ τις οὐρανίη θεὸς ἤλυθε — παρθενικῆς γὰρ

  γλαυκὰ γαληναίων βλεφάρων ἀμαρύγματα λεύσσω — ,

  250 καὶ τάχα Τειρεσίαο παλαιοτέρην μετὰ νείκην

  λούσατο δέρμα βαλοῦσα πάλιν γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.

  κούρη μὲν ῥοδόπηχυς ἔχει θεοειδέα μορφήν:

  εἰ δέ μιν ἀγλαόφορτος ἐπιχθονίη τέκε γαστήρ,

  αἰθερίων Κρονίωνος ἐπάξιος ἔπλετο λέκτρων.’

  [222] Her rosy limbs made the dark water glow red; the stream became a lovely meadow gleaming with such graces. An unveiled Naiad espying the nymph in wonder, cried out these words: “Can it be that Cronos, after the first Cypris, again cut his father’s loins with unmanning sickle, until the foam got a mind and made the water shape itself into a selfperfected birth, delivered a younger Aphrodite from the sea? Can it be that the river has rivalled the deep with a childbirth, and rolled a torrent of self-pregnant waves to bring forth another Cypris, not to be outdone by the sea? Can it be that one of the Muses has dived from neighbouring Helicon into my native water, and left another to take the honeydripping water of Pegasos the horse, or the stream of Olmeios! I spy a silverfooted maiden stretched under the streams of my river! I believe Selene bathes in the Aonian waves on her way to Endymion’s bed on Latmos, the bed of a sleepless shepherd; but if she has prinked herself out for her sweet shepherd, what’s the use of Asopos after the Ocean stream? And if she has a body white as the snows of heaven, what mark of the Moon has she? A team of mules unbridled and a mule-cart with silver wheels are there on the beach, but Selene knows not how to put mules to her yokestrap – she drives a team of bulls! Or if it is a goddess come down from heaven – I see a maiden’s bright eyes sparkling under the quiet eyelids, and it must be Athena Brighteyes bathing, when she threw the skin back at him after the old victory over Teiresias. This girl looks like a divine being with her rosy arms; but if she was the glorious burden of a mortal womb, she is worthy of the heavenly bed of Cronion.”

  255 τοῖα μὲν ἐν ῥοθίοισιν ὑποβρυχίη φάτο φωνή

  Ζεὺς δὲ πυριγλώχινι πόθου δεδονημένος οἴστρῳ

  νηχομένης πάπταινε ῥοδόχροα δάκτυλα κούρης:

  ἀσταθέος δ᾽ ἐλέλιζεν ἀλήμονα κύκλον ὀπωπῆς,

  πῇ μὲν ὀπιπεύων ῥοδέου σπινθῆρα προσώπου,

  260 πῇ δὲ βοογλήνων βλεφάρων σέλας, ἄλλοτε χαίτην

  πλαζομένην ἀνέμοισι, παρελκομένων δὲ κομάων

  ἀσκεπέος σκοπίαζεν ἐλεύθερον αὐχένα κούρης:

  στέρνα δὲ μᾶλλον ὄπωπε, κατὰ Κρονίδαο δὲ γυμνοὶ

  μαζοὶ ἐθωρήχθησαν ἀκοντιστῆρες Ἐρώτων:

  265 καὶ χρόα πάντα δόκευεν: ἀθηήτοιο δὲ μούνου

  ὄμμασιν αἰδομένοισι παρήλυθεν ὄργια κόλπου.

  καὶ Διὸς αἰθερίοιο νόος μετανάστιος ἕρπων

  νηχομένῃ Σεμέλῃ συνενήχετο: θελγομένῳ δὲ

  ἡδυμανῆ σπινθῆρα δεδεγμένος ἠθάδι θυμῷ

  270 παιδὶ πατὴρ ὑπόειξεν: ἀκιδνοτάτῳ δὲ βελέμνῳ

  βαιὸς Ἔρως ἔφλεξεν ὀιστευτῆρα κεραυνοῦ:

  οὐδὲ χύσις νιφετοῖο, καὶ οὐ φλογόεντι φορῆι

  ἀστεροπὴ χραίσμησεν, ἐνικήθη δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ

  ἀπτολέμου Παφίης ὀλίγῳ πυρὶ τοσσατίη φλὸξ

  275 οὐρανίη: καὶ βαιὸς Ἔρως λασιότριχι ῥινῷ,

  αἰγίδι κεστὸς ἔριζεν, ἐρωτοτόκῳ δὲ φαρέτρῃ

  βρονταίης βαρύδουπος ἐδουλώθη κτύπος ἠχοῦς.

  καὶ Σεμέλης δεδόνητο πόθου φρενοθελγέι κέντρῳ

  θάμβος ἔχων: φιλίῳ γὰρ ἔρως πέλε θαύματι γείτων.

  [255] So spoke the voice from under the swirling waters. But Zeus shaken by the firebarbed sting of desire watched the rosy fingers of the swimming girl. Unrestingly he moved his wandering glance, now gazing at the sparkling rosy face, now bright eyes as full as a cow’s under the eyelids, now the hair floating on the breeze, and as the hair blew away he scanned the free neck of the unclad maid; but the bosom most of all and the naked breasts seemed to be armed against Cronides, volleying shafts of love. All her flesh he surveyed, only passed by the secrets of her lap unseen by his modest eyes. The mind of Zeus left the skies and crept down to swim beside swimming Semele. Enchanted he received the sweet maddening spark in a heart which knew it well. All father was worsted by a child: little Eros with his feeble shot set afire this Archer of Thunderbolts. Not the deluge of the flood, not the fiery lightning could help its possessor: that huge heavenly flame itself was vanquished by the small fire of unwarlike Paphia; little Eros faced the shaggy skin, his magical girdle faced the aegis; the heavy-booming din of the thunderclap was the slave of his lovebreeding quiver. The god was shaken by the heartbewitching sting of desire for Semele, in amazement: for love is near neighbour to admiration.

  280 καὶ μόγις εἰς πόλον ἦλθε δολοπλόκος ὑψιμέδων Ζεὺς

  ἔνθεον ἀμφιέπων παλινάγρετον εἶδος ὀπωπῆς.

  καὶ νυχίης ἐθέλων Σεμέλης ἐπιβήμεναι εὐνῆς

  εἰς δύσιν ὄμμα τίταινε, πότε γλυκὺς Ἕσπερος ἔλθῃ:

  καὶ δολιχὴν Φαέθοντος ἐμέμφετο δείελον ὥρην,

  285 καὶ φιλίοις στομάτεσσι δυσίμερον ἴαχε φωνήν:

  [280] Zeus could hardly get back to his imperial heaven, thinking over his plans, having now resumed his divine shape once more. He resolved to mount Semele’s nightly couch, and turned his eye to the west, to see when sweet Hesperos would come. He blamed Phaëthon that he should make the afternoon season so long, and uttered an impatient appeal with passionate lips:

  ‘ Ἔννεπε, Νὺξ χρονίη, φθονερὴ πότε δύεται Ἠώς;

  ἀλλὰ σὺ δαλὸν ἄειρε Διὸς προκέλευθον Ἐρώτων,

  λαμπάδα νυκτιπόλοιο προθεσπίζουσα Λυαίου

  ζηλήμων Φαέθων με βιάζεται: ἦ ῥα καὶ αὐτὸς

  290 ἱμείρει Σεμέλης καὶ ἐμοὶ ποθέοντι μεγαίρει;

  ἠέλιε, κλονέεις με καὶ εἰ μάθες οἶστρον Ἐρώτων:

  φειδομένῃ μάστιγι πόθεν βραδὺν ἵππον ἱμάσσεις;

  οἶδα καὶ ὀξυτάτην ἑτέρην δύσιν: ἢν ἐθελήσω,

  καὶ σὲ καὶ ἠριγένειαν ἐμοῖς νεφέεσσι καλύψω,

  295 καὶ σέο κευθομένοιο φανήσεται ἠματίη Νὺξ />
  Ζηνὸς ἐπειγομένοιο γαμοστόλος, ὄφρα φαείνῃ

  ἄστρα μεσημβρίζοντα, καὶ ἠθάδα πομπὸν Ἐρώτων

  ἕσπερον ἀντέλλοντα καὶ οὐ δύνοντα τελέσσω.

  ἀλλὰ τεὸν προκέλευθον Ἑωσφόρον εἰς δύσιν ἕλκων

  300 σοὶ καὶ ἐμοὶ ποθέοντι χαρίζεο, παννύχιος δὲ

  σῆς Κλυμένης ἀπόναιο, καὶ εἰς Σεμέλην ταχὺς ἔλθω.

  ζεῦξον ἐμοὶ τεὸν ἅρμα, φαεσφόρε καὶ σὺ Σελήνη,

  μαρμαρυγὴν πέμπουσα φυτηκόμον, ὅττι γενέθλην

  θεσπίζει γάμος οὗτος ἀεξιφύτου Διονύσου,

  305 καὶ Σεμέλης ἐρατοῖσιν ἐπαντέλλουσα μελάθροις

  λάμψον ἐμοὶ ποθέοντι σὺν ἀστέρι Κυπρογενείης,

  καὶ γλυκερὴν μήκυνε Διὸς θαλαμηπόλον ὄρφνην.’

  [286] “Tell me, laggard Night, when is envious Eos to set? It is time now for you to lift your torch and lead Zeus to his love – come now, foreshow the illumination of night-ranging Lyaios! Phaëthon is jealous, he constrains me! Is he in love with Semele himself and grudges my desire? Helios, you plague me, though you know the madness of love. Why do you spare the whip when you touch up your slow team? I know another nightfall that came very quickly! If I like, I will hide you and the daughter of the mists together in my clouds, and when you are covered Night will appear in the daytime, to speed the marriage of Zeus in haste; the stars will shine at midday, and I will make rising Hesperos, instead of setting Hesperos, the regular usher of the loves. Coem now, draw your own forerunner Phosphoros to his setting, and o grace to your desire and mine; enjoy your Clymene all night long, and let me go quick to Semele. Yoke your own car, I pray, bright Moon, send forth your rays which make the trees and plants to grow, because this marriage foretells the birth of plant-cherishing Dionysos; rise over the lovely roof of Semele, give light to my desire with the star of the Cyprian, make long the sweet darkness for the wooing of Zeus!”

  τοῖα πατὴρ ἀγόρευε, τά περ πόθος οἶδε κελεῦσαι.

  ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε οἱ σπεύδοντι χαμαιγενὲς ἅλμα τιταίνων

  310 ἀκροτενὴς περίμετρος ἀνέδραμε κῶνος ὀμίχλης,

  δυομένης ζόφον ὑγρὸν ἄγων ἀντίσκιον Ἠοῦς,

  ἀστερόεν τότε δῶμα παρέστιχεν ἠέριος Ζεὺς

  εἰς Σεμέλης ὑμέναιον, ἀτεκμάρτῳ δὲ πεδίλῳ

  ἅλμα θορὼν πρώτιστον ὅλην αρεμέτρεε ταρσῷ

  315 ἀτραπὸν ἠερίην: τὸ δὲ δεύτερον ἵκετο Θήβην

  ὡς πτερὸν ἠὲ νόημα: διεσσυμένῳ δὲ μελάθρου

  αὐτόματοι πυλεῶνος ἀνωίχθησαν ὀχῆες.

  καὶ Σεμέλην φιλίῳ παλάμης ἠγκάσσατο δεαμῷ,

  [308] Such was the speech of Zeus, even such commands as desire knows. But when in answer to his eagerness, a huge cone of darkness sprang up from the earth and ran stretching into the heights, bringing a shadow of darkness opposite to setting Eos, Zeus passed along the starry dome of the sky to Semele’s bridal. Without leaving a trace of his footsteps, he traversed at his first bound the whole path of the air. With a second, like w wing or a thought, he reached Thebes; the bars of the palace door opened of themselves to let him through, and Semele was held fast in the loving bond of his arms.

  πῇ μὲν ὑπὲρ λεχέων βοέην μυκώμενος ἠχώ,

  320 ἀνδρομέοις μελέεσσιν ἔχων κερόεσσαν ὀπωπήν,

  ἰσοφυὲς μίμημα βοοκραίρου Διονύσου,

  πῇ δὲ λεοντείην πυκινότριχα δύσατο μορφήν,

  ἄλλοτε πόρδαλις ἦεν, ἅτε θρασὺν υἷα φυτεύων,

  πορδαλίων ἐλατῆρα καὶ ἡνιοχῆα λεόντων:

  325 ἄλλοτε μιτρωεῖσαν ὑπὸ σπείρῃσι δρακόντων

  νυμφίος ἀμπελόεντι κόμην ἐσφίγγετο δεσμῷ,

  οἴνοπα δινεύων ἑλικώδεα κισσὸν ἐθείρης,

  Βάκχου πλεκτὸν ἄγαλμα: δράκων δέ τις ἀγκύλος ἕρπων

  ταρβαλέης λιχμᾶτο ῥοδόχροον αὐχένα νύμφης

  330 χείλεσι μειλιχίοισι, κατὰ στέρνοιο δὲ βαίνων

  ἀκλινέων τροχόεσσαν ἴτυν μιτρώσατο μαζῶν,

  συρίζων ὑμέναιον, ἐυσμήνοιο μελίσσης

  ἡδὺ μέλι προχέων, οὐ λοίγιον ἰὸν ἐχίδνης.

  Ζεὺς δὲ γάμῳ δήθυνε, καὶ ὡς παρὰ γείτονι ληνῷ

  335 εὔιον ἐσμαράγησε, φιλεύιον υἷα φυτεύων:

  καὶ στόματι στόμα πῆξεν ἐρωμανές, ἱμερόεν δὲ

  νέκταρ ἀναβλύζων Σεμέλην ἐμέθυσσεν ἀκοίτης,

  νεκταρέης ἵνα παῖδα τέκῃ σκηπτοῦχον ὀπώρης,

  ἄγγελον ἐσσομένων λαθικηδέα βότρυν ἀείρων,

  340 πυρσοφόρῳ νάρθηκι καταχθέα πῆχυν ἐρείσας:

  ἄλλοτε θύρσον ἄειρε πολύπλοκον οἴνπι κισσῷ,

  δέπμα φέρων ἐλάφοιο: γυναιμανέος δὲ φορῆος

  λαιῷ ποικιλόνωτος ἐσείετο νεβρὶς ἀγοστῷ.

  [319] Now he leaned over the bed, with a horned head on human limbs, lowing with the voice of a bull, the very likeness of bullhorned Dionysos. Again, he put on a shaggy lion’s form; or he was a panther, as one who begets a bold son, driver of panthers and charioteer of lions. Again, as a young bridegroom he bound his hair with coiling snakes and vine-leaves intertwined, and twisted purple ivy about his locks, the plaited ornament of Bacchos. A writhing serpent crawled over the trembling bride and licked her rosy neck with gentle lips, then slipping into her bosom girdled the circuit of her firm breasts, hissing a wedding tune, and sprinkled her with sweet honey of the swarming bees instead of the viper’s deadly poison. Zeus made long wooing, and shouted “Euoi!” as if the winepress were near, as he begat his son who would love the cry. He pressed love-mad mouth to mouth, and beaded up delicious nectar, an intoxicating bedfellow for Semele, that she might bring forth a son to hold the sceptre of nectareal vintage. As a presage of things to come, he lifted the careforgetting grapes resting his laden arm on the firebringing fennel; or again, he lifted a thyrsus twined about with purple ivy, wearing a deerskin on his back – the lovesick wearer shook the dappled fawnskin with his left arm.

  γαῖα δὲ πᾶσα γέλασσε, καὶ αὐτοφύτοισι πετήλοις

  345 ὄρχατος ἀμπελόεις Σεμέλης περιδέδρομεν εὐνήν,

  καὶ δροσεροῦ λειμῶνος ἀνέβρυον ἄνθεα τοῖχοι

  ἀμφὶ γονῇ Βρομίοιο, καὶ ἀννεφέλων ἐπὶ λέκτρων

  βρονταίοις πατάγοισιν ἐπέκτυπεν ἐνδόμυχος Ζεὺς

  τύμπανα νυκτελίοιο προθεσπίζων Διονύσου.

  350 καὶ Σεμέλην μετὰ λέκτρα φίλῳ προσπτύξατο μύθῳ

  ἐλπίσιν ἐσ�
�ομένῃσι παρηγορέων ἕο νύμφην:

  [344] All the earth laughed: a viny growth with self-sprouting leaves ran round Semele’s bed; the walls budded with flowers like a dewy meadow, at the begetting of Bromios; Zeus lurking inside rattled his thunderclaps over the unclouded bed, foretelling the drums of Dionysos in the night. And after the bed, he saluted Semele with loving words, consoling his bride with hopes of things to come:

  ‘Εἰμί, γύναι, Κρονίδης σέο νυμφίος: αἰθερίῳ μὲν

  αὐχένα γαῦρον ἄειρε συναπτομένη παρακοίτῃ,

  μείζονα δὲ βροτέης μὴ δίζεο μέτρα γενέθλης.

  355 οὔ σοι ἐριδμαίνει Δανάης γάμος: ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῆς

  πατροκασιγνήτης βοέων ὑμέναιον Ἐρώτων

  ἔκρυφες: Εὐρώπη γὰρ ἀγαλλομένη Διὸς εὐνῇ

  ἤλυθεν εἰς Κρήτην, Σεμέλη δ᾽ ἐς Ὄλυμπον ἱκάνει.

  τί πλέον ἤθελες ἄλλο μετ᾽ αἰθέρα καὶ πόλον ἄστρων;

  360 καί ποτέ τις λέξειεν, ὅτι Κρονίδης πόρε τιμὴν

  νερτερίῳ Μίνωι καὶ οὐρανίῳ Διονύσῳ.

  ἀλλὰ μετ᾽ Αὐτονόης βροτὸν υἱέα καὶ τόκον Ἰνοῦς,

  τὸν μὲν ἑοῖς σκυλάκεσσι δεδουπότα, τὸν δὲ τοκῆος

  παιδοφόνου μέλλοντα θανεῖν πτερόεντι βελέμνῳ,

  365 καὶ μετὶ λυσσαλέης μινυώριον υἱὸν Ἀγαύης

  ἄφθιτον υἷα λόχευε, καὶ ἀθανάτην σε καλέσσω:

  ὀλβίη, ὅττι θεοῖσι καὶ ἀνδράσι χάρμα λοχεύσεις

  υἱέα κυσαμένη βροτέης ἐπίληθον ἀνίης.’

  [352] “My wife, I your bridegroom am Cronides. Lift up your neck in pride at this union with a heavenly bedfellow; and look not among mankind for any child higher than yours. Danaë’s wedding does not rival you. You have thrown into the shade even the union of your father’s sister with her Bull; for Europa glorified by Zeus’s bed went to Crete, Semele goes to Olympos. What more do you want after heaven and the starry sky? People will say in the future, Zeus gave honour to Minos in the underworld, and to Dionysos in the heavens! Then after Autonoë’s mortal son and Ino’s child – one downed by his dogs, one to be killed by a sonslaying father’s winged arrow – after the shortlived son of mad Agauë, you bring forth a son who shall not die, and you I will call immortal. Happy woman! you have conceived a son who will make mortals forget their troubles, you shall bring forth joy for gods and men.”