Works of Nonnus

by Nonnus

  245 μὴ δόρυ κουφίσσειεν ἐπ᾽ Ἄρεϊ καὶ Κυθερείῃ,

  μὴ σφαλερῇ ῥαθάμιγγι νοοσφαλέος Διονύσου

  αἰθέρι τολμήεσσαν ἀναστήσωσιν Ἐνυὼ

  ἀστέρες οἰνοπλῆγες ἐπ᾽ ἀλλήλοισι μανέντες,

  μή ποτε βακχευθέντες ὅλοι ναετῆρες Ὀλύμπου

  250 ὄργια μιμήσαιντο φερεσσακέων Κορυβάντων.

  οὐχ ἅλις αἶσχος ἐκεῖνο θεοστυγές, ὅττι δοκεύω

  [240] “O Justice, O Earth, O Water, let this never be! May he never bring its twigs to heaven! that I should speak of the Viny Sky instead of the Starry Sky, in honour of the grape! that I should ever quaff another drink after the sweet nectar of Olympos! I fear to see warlike Athena drunken, shaking her spear against Ares and Cythereia — the stars wineshotten and maddened against each other, arousing reckless battle in heaven with the staggering drops of mindshaking Dionysos — all that dwell in Olympos infuriated, and mimicking the revels of carryshield Corybants!

  Τρώιον ἡβητῆρα, Διὸς δρηστῆρα κυπέλλων,

  οὐρανὸν αἰσχύνοντα καὶ οἰνοχόον Διός Ἥβην,

  χερσὶν ἐπιχθονίῃσιν ὅτε γλυκὺ νέκταρ ἀφύσσει;

  255 αἰδομένη δ᾽ ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἐλεύσομαι: ἀμφοτέροις δὲ

  αἰθέρα καλλείψω, Γανυμήδεϊ καὶ Διονύσῳ:

  αἰθέρα καλλείψω, Σεμέλης δόμον. εἶς δόμος ἔστω

  οὐρανὸς ἀμφοτέροις, καὶ Περσέι καὶ Διονύσῳ.

  ἵξομαι εἰς ἐμὸν Ἄργος, ἐς ἀγλαὸν ἄστυ Μυκήνης,

  260 ἐν χθονὶ ναιετάουσα: σὺν ἀχνυμένῃ δὲ τεκούσῃ

  ἕσπεται αὐτὸς Ἄρης, σέο νυμφίος: ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴ

  Σπάρτης σῆς ἐπίβηθι, καὶ εὐθώρηκα δεχέσθω

  χαλκείῳ σὺν Ἄρηι χολωομένην Ἀφροδίτην.

  [252] “Is it not shame enough, an impious thing, that I see the Trojan boy cup-lackey to Zeus, disgracing heaven and Hebe cupbearer of Zeus, when he ladles sweet nectar with human hands? Yes, I will go in my shame to earth; heaven I will leave to those two, Ganymedes and Dionysos — heaven I will leave, the home of Semele! Let heaven be common home for those two, Perseus and Dionysos.

  I will retire to my Argos, to the glorious city of Mycene, and I will settle on earth. With his unhappy mother will go Ares himself, your bridegroom. Come yourself too, and set foot in your Sparta, and let Sparta receive corseleted Aphrodite in her anger along with brazen Ares.

  οἶδα, πόθεν μεθέπω τάδε πήματα: πατρὸς Ἐρινὺς

  265 ὕβριν ἀπαιτίζει με βιαζομένοιο τοκῆος,

  ὅττι Κρόνου γενετῆρος ἐπιβρίθουσα κυδοιμῷ

  σὺν Διὶ μαρναμένῳ Τιτηνιὰς ἔχραεν Ἥρη:

  καλὸν ἐμοί, Διόνυσον ἰδεῖν κατὰ μέσσον Ὀλύμπου

  ἥμενον ἐγγὺς Ἔρωτος, ὁμέστιον ἀφρογενείῃ,

  270 αἰγίδα κουφίζοντα μετὰ Κρονίδην καὶ Ἀθήνην.

  ἀλλά, θεά, χραίσμησον, ἐμῆς δ᾽ ἐπίκουρον ἀνίης

  δός μοι κεστὸν ἱμάντα, τεὴν πανθελγέα μίτρην,

  εἰς μίνα ἠριγένειαν, ὅπων Διὸς ὄμματα θέλξω,

  καὶ Διὸς ὑπνώοντος ἐμοῖς Ἰνδοῖσιν ἀρήξω.

  δισσὴ ἐγὼ γενόμην ἑκυρὴ σέθεν: ἡμετέρου γὰρ

  υἱέος Ἡφαίστοιο καὶ Ἄρεος ἔπλεο νύμφη.

  275 δὸς χάριν ὀψιτέλεστον, ἐπεὶ κυανόχροες Ἰνδοὶ

  ξεινοδόκοι γεγάσαιν Ἐρυθραίης Ἀφροδίτης,

  οἷς κοτέων Διόνυσος ἐπέχραεν, οἷσι καὶ αὐτὸς

  θηλυμανὴς ἄστοργος ἐχώσατο παιδοτόκος Ζεύς,

  καὶ στεροπὴν ἐλέλιξε συναιχμάζων Διονύσῳ:

  280 δός μοι κεστὸν ἱμάντα βοηθόον, ᾧ ἔνι μούνῳ

  θέλγεις εἰν ἑνὶ πάντα: καὶ ἄξιός εἰμι φορῆσαι,

  ὡς ζυγίη γεγαυῖα καὶ ὡς συνάεθλος Ἐρώτων.’

  [264] “I know where I get these troubles from. My father’s Avenger demands bloodprice from me for violence done to a father, because Hera the Titans daughter took strong part in the war against Cronos her father and helped Zeus in his fight. A fine thing for me to see Dionysos sitting in the midst of Olympos beside Eros, at the same table as the Foam-born, bearing the aegis once borne by Cronides and Athena. Help me, goddess, I pray! Lend me to aid my need your cestus band, your allcharming belt, just for one day — that I may charm the eyes of Zeus, and while Zeus slumbers I may help my Indians. I am twice your goodmother, for you have been bride of my Hephaistos and Ares both. Grant this boon at last; for the blackskin Indians have always hospitably entertained Erythraian Aphrodite, and these Indians Dionysos has assailed in his fury, on these Indians Zeus has wreaked his anger — Zeus the womanmad, the heartless, Zeus the bearer of children, he has battled for Dionysos and cast his lightnings upon them! Lend me your cestus band to help, with which alone you charm all in one! I am worthy to wear it, patroness of wedlock and fellow-helper of the Loves.”

  BOOK 32

  ἐν δὲ τριηκοστῷ τῷ δευτέρῳ εἰσὶ κυδοιμοὶ

  καὶ Διὸς ὑπναλέοιο λέχος καὶ λύσσα Λυαίου.

  ὥς φαμένη παρέπεισε: δολοφράδμων δ᾽ Ἀφροδίτη

  πείθετο κερδοσύνῃσιν, ἀνειρύσσασα δὲ κόλπου

  Ἥρῃ δῶρον ἔδωκε θελήμονι κεστὸν Ἐρώτων.

  καί τινα μῦθον ἔλεξε χάριν θελκτῆρος ἱμάντος:

  BOOK XXXII

  In the thirty-second are battles, and the bed of sleeping Zeus, and the madness of Bacchos.

  APHRODITE was won. The mistress of wiles obeyed the cunning request, and drawing the cestus up from her bosom she bestowed it upon willing Hera, and thus she spoke and described the witchery of the strap:

  5 ‘δέχνυσο τοῦτον ἱμάντα, τεῆς ἐπίκουρον ἀνίης:

  θέλξεις δ᾽ εἰν ἑνὶ πάντα πόθων ἰθύντορι κεστῷ,

  ἠέλιον καὶ Ζῆνα καὶ αἰθέρα καὶ χορὸν ἄστρων:

  καὶ ῥόον ἀστήρικτον ἀτέρμονος Ὠκεανοῖο.’

  [5] “Accept this strap to help your trouble. You shall charm all in one with this cestus, the guide to all desire — Sun and Zeus and the company of stars, and the evermoving stream of boundless Ocean.”

  εἶπε, καὶ Ἀσσυρίην Λιβανηίδα δύσατο πέτρην.

  10 Ἥρη δ᾽ ἀστερόφοιτον ἐδύσατο κύκλον Ὀλύμπου,

  καὶ ταχινὴ πάνλευκον ἑὴν ἐπεκόσμεε μορφήν:

  πολλάκι δ᾽ ἰσάζουσα καθειμένον ἄχρι μετώπου

  πλαζομένης ἔστησε μετήλυδα βότρυν ἐθείρης:

  καὶ πλεκτὴν θυόεντι κόμην ἐδίηνεν ἐλαίῳ,

  τοῦ καὶ κινυμέ
νοιο μετ᾽ αἰθέρα καὶ μετὰ πόντον

  γαῖαν ὅλην ἐμέθυσσε μύρου δολιχόσκιος ὀδμή.

  καὶ κεφαλῇ στέφος εἶχε παναίολον, ᾧ ἔνι πολλαὶ

  20 λυχνίδες ἦσαν, Ἔρωτος ὁμόστολοι, ὧν ἄπο πέμπει

  φαιδρὰ τινασσομένων ἀμαρύγματα Κυπριδίη φλόξ:

  εἶχε δὲ πέτρον ἐκεῖνον, ὃς ἀνέρας εἰς πόθον ἕλκει,

  οὔνομα φαιδρὸν ἔχοντα ποθοβλήτοιο Σελήνης,

  καὶ λίθον ἱμείρουσαν ἐρωτοτόκοιο σιδήρου,

  25 καὶ λίθον Ἰνδῴην φιλοτήσιον, ὅττι καὶ αὐτὴ

  ἐξ ὑδάτων βλάστησεν ὁμόγνιος ἀφρογενείης,

  κυανέην θ᾽ ὑάκινθον, ἐράσμιον εἰσέτι Φοίβῳ:

  ἀμφὶ δ᾽ ἑοῖς πλοκάμοισιν ἐρωτίδα δήσατο ποίην,

  ἣν φιλέει Κυθέρεια καὶ ὡς ῥόδον, ὡς ἀνεμώνην,

  30 καὶ φορέει μέλλουσα μιγήμεναι υἱέι Μύρρης:

  καὶ λαγόνας στεφανηδὸν ἀήθεϊ δήσατο κεστῷ:

  εἶχε δὲ ποικίλον εἷμα παλαίτατον, ᾧ χύτο νύμφης

  κρυπταδίῃ φιλότητι κασιγνήτων ὑμεναίων

  νυμφίον ἀρχαίης ἔτι λείψανον αἷμα κορείης,

  35 κουριδίης φιλότητος ἵνα μνήσειεν ἀκοίτην:

  νιψαμένη δὲ μὲτωπα καλύψατο νώροπι πέπλῳ,

  15 καὶ περόνην συνέεργεν, ἑοῦ κληῖδα χιτῶνος:

  καὶ δέμας ἀσκήσασα καὶ ἀθρήσασα κατόπτρῳ

  ὡς πτερὸν ἠὲ νόημα δι᾽ αἰθέρος ἔδραμε Ἥρη.

  [9] This said, she plunged beneath the rocks of Assyrian Libanos. But Hera passed to the star-scattered circle of Olympos. Quickly she decked out her allwhite body. Often she guided the straying clusters of floating hair and arranged them in even rows down to her forehead; she touched up the plaits with sweetscented oil — stir it, and the farspreading scent of the unguent intoxicates heaven and sea and the whole earth. She put on her head a coronet of curious work, set with many rubies, the servants of love; when they move, the Cyprian flame sends out bright sparklings. She wore also that stone which draws man to desire, which has the bright name of the desire-struck Moon; and the stone which is enamoured of iron the loveproducing; and the Indian stone of love, offspring itself of the waters and akin to the Foamborn; and the deep blue sapphire still beloved of Phoibos. About her hair she twined that herb of passion which Cythereia loves as much as the rose, as much as the anemone, which she wears when she is about to mingle her love with Myrrha’s son. She bound the unaccustomed cestus about and about her flanks; but the embroidered robe she wore was her oldest, still bearing the bloodmarks of maidenhead left from her bridal, to remind her bedfellow of their first love when she came to her brother a virgin in that secret union. She washed her face, and wrapt about her a shining robe and clasped it with a brooch to lock up her tunic. Having thus adorned herself and surveyed all in the mirror, Hera sped through the air, swift as a bird, swift as a thought.

  καὶ Διὸς ἐγγὺς ἵκανεν: ἰδὼν δέ μιν ὑψιμέδων Ζεὺς

  θερμοέρους ἐς Ἔρωτας ἱμάσσετο κέντορι κεστῷ:

  40 καὶ Διὸς εἰσορόωντος ἐδουλώθησαν ὀπωπαί:

  καί μιν ὀπιπεύων Κρονίδης ἐξείρετο μύθῳ:

  [38] She came near to Zeus. And when Zeus Highest and Mightiest saw her, the goading cestus whipt him to hotter love. As Zeus looked upon her, his eyes were enslaved, and staring hard Cronides spoke these words:

  ‘Ἥρη, τίπτε βέβηκας Ἑώιον εἰς κλίμα γαίης;

  τίς χρειώ σε κόμιζε; τί σήμερον ἐνθάδε βαίνεις;

  ἦ ῥα πάλιν κοτέουσα κορύσσεαι οἴνοπι Βάκχῳ,

  45 καὶ ποθέεις Ἰνδοῖσιν ὑπερφιάλοισιν ἀρῆξαι;’

  [42] “O Hera, why have you come to this eastern clime? What need has brought you? Why are you here to-day? Are you again full of wrath and armed against Bacchos of the vine? Do you desire to help those overweening Indians?”

  ἔννεπε: καὶ γελόωντι νόῳ πολυμήχανος Ἥρη

  ζηλομανὴς ἀγόρευε παραιφαμένη παρακοίτην:

  [46] He spoke, and crafty Hera with laughing heart, yet mad with jealousy, answered, deluding her husband:

  ‘Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἄλλος ἔχει με φίλος δρόμος: οὐ γὰρ ἱκάνω

  Ἄρεος Ἰνδῴοιο καὶ Ἰνδοφόνου Διονύσου

  50 ἀλλοτρίας μεθέπουσα μεληδόνας, ἀντολίης δὲ

  γείτονος Ἠελίοιο μετέρχουαι αἴθοπας αὐλὰς

  σπερχομένη: πτερόεις γὰρ Ἔρως παρὰ Τηθύος ὕδωρ

  Ὠκεανηιάδος Ῥοδόπης δεδονημένος οἴστρῳ

  συζυγίην ἀπέειπε: καὶ ἔπλετο κόσμος ἀλήτης,

  55 καὶ βίος ἀχρήιστος ἀποιχομένων ὑμεναίων:

  τοῦτον ἐγὠ καλέουσα παλίνδρομ̣̣̔̓ς ἐνθάδε βαίνω:

  οἶσθα γάρ, ὡς Ζυγίη κικλήσκομαι, ὅττι καὶ αὐτῆς

  χεῖρες ἐμαὶ κρατέουσι τελεσσιγόνου τοκετοῖο.’

  [48] “No, Father Zeus, I have a different errand of my own. I came not to concern myself with others’ troubles, warlike Indians and Indianslaying Dionysos, but I hasten to visit the blazing court of the East near to Helios. For Eros is on the wing beside the waters of Tethys, struck with passion for Rhodope Ocean’s daughter, and he has renounced his matchmaking! So the order of the universe is out of joint, life is worthless when wedlock is gone. I have been to summon him, and here I am on the way back. For you know I am called the Lady of Wedlock, because my hands hold the accomplishment of childbirth.”

  τοῖον ἔπος βοόωσαν ἀμείβετο θερμὸς ἀκοίτης:

  [59] So she spoke aloud, and her consort glowing made reply:

  60 ‘νύμφα φίλη, λίπε δῆριν: ἐμὸς Διόνυσος ἀγήνωρ

  ἀμώων προθέλυμνον ἀβακχεύτων γένος Ἰνδῶν

  χαιρέτω: ἀμφοτέρους δὲ γαμήλια λέκτρα δεχέσθω:

  οὐ γὰρ ἐπιχθονίης ἀλόχου πόθος, οὐδὲ θεαίνης

  θυμὸν ἐμὸν θελκτῆρι τόσον βακχεύσατο κεστῷ ...

  65 οὐδ᾽ ὅτε Τηϋγέτης Ἀτλαντίδος, ἧς ἀπὸ λέκτρων

  πρεσβυγενὴς πολιοῦχος ἀεξήθη Λακεδαίμων:

  οὐ τόσον ἠρασάμην Νιόβης παρὰ γείτονι Λέρνῃ,

  κούρης ἀρχεγόνοιο Φορωνέος: οὐ τόσον Ἰοῦς

  φοιτάδος Ἰναχίης ταυρώπιδος, ἣ παρὰ Νείλῳ

  70 τίκτε γονὴν Ἐπάφοιο καὶ ἀρχεγόνου Κεροέσσης:

  οὐ Παφίης τόσον ἦλθον ἐς ἵμερον, ἧς χάριν εὐνῆς

  Κενταύρους ἐφύτευσα βαλὼν σπόρον αὔλακι γαίης:

 
ὡς σέο νῦν μεθέπω γλυκερὸν πόθον, ἦ ῥα καὶ αὐτὴ

  ὡς Ζθγίη γεγαυῖα καὶ ὡς μεδέουσα γενέθλης

  75 Κυπριδίοις βελέεσσιν ὀιστεύεις παρακοίτην;’

  [60] “Beloved bride, let quarrels be! Let my proud Dionysos cut down root and branch those Indians who will have no Bacchos, and goodbye to him! But let a bridebed receive us both! Not for any mate, neither mortal woman nor goddess, was I ever so charmed in soul at the touch of the cestus; no, not even when I had Teygete Atlas’s daughter, from whose bed was born Lacedaimon the ancient prince — not so did I love Niobe, the daughter of primeval Phoroneus beside Lerna — not so did I love Inachos’s Io, the wandering heifer, from whom beside the Nile came the line begun by Epaphos and primeval Ceroessa — not so did I desire the Paphian, for whose sake I dropt seed in the furrow of the plowland and begat the Centaurs, as I now feel sweet desire for you! And so you shoot your own husband with Cyprian shafts, being the Lady of Wedlock and queen of creation!”

  ὣς εἰπὼν χρυσέας νεφέλας πυργηδὸν ἑλίξας

  δινωτὴν ἐπίκυρτον ἐνεσφαίρωσε καλύπτρην:

  καὶ θαλάμου ποιητὸς ἔην τύπος, ὃν τότε κύκλῳ

  ἴριδος αἰθερίης ἑτερόχροος ἔστεφε μορφὴ

  80 πορφυρέη, καιὶ Ζηνὶ καὶ ἀγλαοπήχεϊ νύμφῃ

  αὐτόματον σκέπας ἦεν ὀρσσαύλων ὑμεναίων,

  καὶ τύπος αὐτοτέλεστος ἀναγκαίης πέλεν εὐνῆς.

  [76] He spoke, and assembling with a whirl golden clouds like a wall, he arched them eddying above like a round covering dome. It was something in the shape of a bridal chamber, so contrived that the purple manicoloured bow of heavenly Iris was then round it like a crown. Thus there was a natural covering for the loves of Zeus and his fairarmed bride as they mated there in the open hills, and there was the shape of a couch self-formed to serve their need.