Works of Nonnus

by Nonnus

  καὶ τεὸν ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα κατὰ δρόμον ἅρμα νομεύων

  ἔσσο κυβερνήτῃ πανομοίιος: ἀμφότερον δέ,

  κέντρῳ ἐπισπέρχων, προχέων πλήξιππον ἀπειλήν,

  δεξιὸν ἵππον ἔλαυνε, θοώτερον εἰς δρόμον ἕλκων

  220 ἀθλιβέος μεθέποντα παρειμένα κύκλα χαλινοῦ:

  ἔσσο κυβερνήτῃ πανομοίιος ἅρμα νομεύων

  εἰς δρόμον ἰθυκέλευθον, ἐπεὶ τεχνήμονι βουλῇ

  πηδάλιον δίφροιο πέλει νόος ἡνιοχῆος.’

  [185] “Then listen to your father, and I will teach you too all the tricks of the horsy art which time has taught me, and they are many and various. Do your best, my boy, to honour your father by your successes. Horseracing brings as great a repute as war; do your best to honour me on the racecourse as well as the battlefield. You have won a victory in war, now win another, that I may call you prizewinner as well as spearman. My dear boy, do something worthy of Dionysos your kinsman, worthy both of Phoibos and of skilful Cyrene, and outdo the labours of your father Aristaios. Show your horsemastery, win your event like an artist, by your own sharp wits; for without instruction one pulls the car off the course in the middle of a race, it wanders all over the place, and the obstinate horses in their unsteady progress are not driven by the whip or obedient to the bit, the driver as he turns back misses the post, he loses control, the horses run away and carry him back where they will. But one who is a master of arts and tricks, the driver with his wits about him, even with inferior horses, keeps straight and watches the man in front, keeps a course ever close to the post, wheels his car round without ever scratching the mark. Keep your eyes open, please, and tighten the guiding rein swinging the whole near horse about and just clearing the post, throwing your weight sideways to make the car tilt, guide your course by needful measure, watch until as your car turns the hub of the wheel seems almost to touch the surface of the mark with the near-circling wheel. Come very near without touching; but take care of the stone, or you may strike the post with the axle against the turning-post and wreck both horses and car together. As you guide your team this way and that way on the course, act like a steersman; ply the prick, scold and threaten the whip without sparing, press the off horse, lift him to a spurt, slacken the hold of the bit and don’t let it irk him. Manage your car like a good steersman; guide your car on a straight course, for the driver’s mind is like a car’s rudder if he drives with his head.”

  ὥς εἰπὼν παλίνορσος ἐχάζετο, παῖδα διδάξας

  225 ἠθάδος ἱπποσύνης ἑτερότροπα κέρδεα τέχνης.

  [224] With this advice, he turned away and retired, having taught his son the various tricks of his trade as a horseman, which he knew so well himself.

  καὶ κυνέης ἔντοσθεν ἐθήμονος ἄλλος ἐπ᾽ ἄλλῳ

  τυφλὴν χεῖρα τίταινε φυλασσομένοιο προσώπου,

  κλῆρον ἔχειν ἐθέλων ἑτερότροπον, οἷά τις ἀνὴρ

  εἰς κύβον ἀλλοπρόσαλλον ἑκηβόλα δάκτυλα πάλλων.

  230 καὶ λάχον ἡνιοχῆες ἀμοιβαδίς: ἱππομανὴς δὲ

  Φαῦνος ἀειδομένης Φαεθοντίδος αἷμα γενέθλης

  κλήρῳ πρῶτος ἔην, καὶ δεύτερος ἦεν Ἀχάτης,

  τῷ δ᾽ ἐπὶ Δαμναμενῆος ἀδελφεός, ἀμφὶ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ αὐτῷ

  ἔλλαχεν Ἀκταίων: ὁ δὲ φέρτατος εἰς δρόμον ἔστη

  235 ὑστατίου κλήροιο τυχὼν πλήξιππος Ἐρεχθεύς.

  [226] One after another as usual each put a blind hand into the helmet, turning away his face, and hoping to get the uncertain lot in his favour, as one who shakes his fingers for a throw of the doubtful dice far from him. So the leaders in turn took their lots. Horsemad Phaunos, offspring of the famous blood of Phaethon, was first by lot, and Achates was second, next came the brother of Damnamenes, and next to him Actaion; but the best racer of all got the last lot, horsewhipper Erechtheus.

  καὶ βοέας μάστιγας ἐκούφισαν ἡνιοχῆες,

  ἱστάμενοι στοιχηδὸν ἀμοιβαίων ἐπὶ δίφρων.

  καὶ σκοπὸς Αἰακὸς ἦεν ἐτήτυμος, ὄφρα νοήσας

  καμπτομένους περὶ τέρμα φιλοστεφάνους ἐλατῆρας

  240 μάρτυς ἀληθείης ἑτερόθροα νείκεα λύσῃ.

  ὄμμασιν ἀπλανέεσσι διακρίνων δρόμον ἵππων.

  [236] Then the drivers lifted their leather whips, and stood in a row each in his chariot. The umpire was honest Aiacos; his duty was to view the crown-eager drivers turning the post, and to watch with unerring eyes how the horses ran. He was the witness of truth, to settle quarrels and differences.

  τοῖσι μὲν ἐκ βαλβῖδος ἔην δρόμος: ἐσσυμένων δὲ

  ὃς μὲν ἔην προκέλευθος, ὁ δὲ προθέοντα κιχῆσαι

  ἤθελεν, ὃς δ᾽ ἐδίωκε μεσαίτατον, ὃς δὲ χαράξαι

  245 ἀγχιφανὴς μενέαινεν ὀπίστερον ἡνιοχῆα.

  καί τις ἐνὶ σταδίοις ἐλατὴρ ἐλατῆρα κιχήσας

  ἅρματι δίφρον ἔμιξε, καὶ ἡνία χερσὶ τινάσσων

  ἵππους ἀγκυλόδοντι διεπτοίησε χαλινῷ:

  ἄλλος ἐπαΐσσοντι συνέμπορος ἡνιοχῆι

  250 εἰς ἔριν ἀμφήριστον ἰσόρροπον εἶχε πορείην,

  δόχμιος ὀκλάζων, τετανυσμένος, ὀρθὸς ἀνάγκῃ,

  ἰξύι καμπτομένῃ, καὶ ἑκούσιον ἵππον ἐλαύνων,

  φειδομένῃ παλάμῃ τεχνήμονι βαιὸν ἱμάσσων,

  ἐντροπαλιζομένης δοχμώσατο κύκλον ὀπωπῆς:

  255 δίφρον ὀπισθοπόρου πεφυλαγμένος ἡνιοχῆος:

  καί νύ κεν ἀίσσοντι ποδῶν ἐπιβήτορι παλμῷ

  εἰς τροχὸν αὐτοκύλιστον ὄνυξ ὠλίσθανεν ἵππων,

  εἰ μὴ ἔτι σπεύδουσαν ἑὴν ἀνέκοψεν ἐρωὴν

  ἡνίοχος, κατόπισθεν ἐπήλυδα δίφρον ἐρύκων.

  260 καί τις ἔχων προκέλευθος ὀπίστερον ἡνιοχῆα

  ἀντίτυπον δρόμον εἶχεν ὁμοζήλων ἐπὶ δίφρων,

  ἄστατος ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα περικλείων ἐλατῆρα

  ἀγχιφανῆ. καὶ Σκέλμις, ἀπόσπορος ἐννοσιγαίου,

  εἰναλίην μάστιγα Ποσειδάωνος ἑλίσσων

  265 πάτριον ἡνιόχευε θαλασσονόμων γένος ἵππων:

  οὐδὲ τόσον πεπότητο τανύπτερος ἠέρα τέμνων

  Πήγασος ὑψιπότητος, ὅσον βυθίων πόδες ἵππων

  χερσαίην ἀκίχητον ἐποιήσαντο πορείην.

  [242] The race started from the barrier. Off they went — one leading in the course, one trying to catch him as he raced in front, another chasing the one between, and the last ran close to the latter of these two and strove to graze his chariot. As they got farther on driver caught dr
iver and ran car against car, then shaking the reins forced off the horses with the jagged bit. Another neck and neck with a speeding rival ran level in the doubtful race, now crouching sideways, now stretching himself, now upright when he could not help it, with bent hips urging the willing horse, just a touch of the master’s hand and a light flick of the whip. Again and again he would turn and look back for fear of the car of the driver coming on behind: or as he made speed, the horse’s hoof in the spring of his prancing feet would be slipping into a somersault, had not the driver checked his still hurrying pace and so held back the car which pressed him behind. Again, one in front with another driver following behind would change his course to counter the rival car, moving from side to side uncertainly so as to bar the way to the other who pressed him close. And Scelmis, offspring of the Earthshaker, swung Poseidon’s sea-whip and drove his father’s team bred in the sea; not Pegasos flying on high so quickly cut the air on his long wings, as the feet of the seabred horses covered their course on land unapproachable.

  λαοὶ δ᾽ εἰς ἕν ἰόντες, ἐν ὑψιλόφῳ τινὶ χώρῳ

  270 ἑζόμενοι στοιχηδὸν ὀπιπευτῆρες ἀγῶνος,

  τηλόθεν ἐσκοπίαζον ἐπειγομένων δρόμον ἵππων:

  ὧν ὁ μὲν εἱστήκει πεφοβημένος, ὃς δὲ τινάσσων

  δάκτυλον ἄκρον ἔσειεν ἐπισπέρχων ἐλατῆρα,

  ἄλλος ἁμιλλητῆρι πόθῳ δεδονημένος ἵππων

  275 ἱππομανῆ νόον εἶχεν ὁμόδρομον ἡνιοχῆος:

  καί τις ἑοῦ προκέλευθον ἰδὼν δρόμον ἡνιοχῆος

  χερσὶν ἐπεπλατάγησε καὶ ἴαχε πενθάδι φωνῇ

  θαρσύνων, γελόων, τρομέων, ἐλατῆρι κελεύων.

  [269] The people collected together sat in rows on a high hill, to see the race, and watched from a distance the course of the galloping horses. One stood anxious, another shook a finger and beckoned to a driver to hurry. Another possessed with the fever of horses’ rivalry, felt a mad heart galloping along with his favourite driver; another who saw a man running ahead of his favourite, clapt his hands and shouted in melancholy tones, cheering on, laughing, trembling, warning the driver.

  ἅρματα δ᾽ εὐποίητα θοώτερα θυιάδος ἄρκτου

  280 ἄλλοτε μὲν πεπότητο μετάρσια, πῇ δ᾽ ἐπὶ γαίῃ

  ἀκροφανῆ πεφόρητο μόγις ψαύοντα κονίης:

  καὶ ταχινῷ ψαμαθῶδες ἕδος τροχοειδέι κύκλῳ

  ἅρματος ἰθυπόροιο κατέγραφεν ὁλκὸς ἀλήτης:

  συμφερτὴ δ᾽ ἔρις ἦεν: ἐγειρομένη δὲ καἰ αὐτὴ

  285 στήθεσιν ἱππείοισιν ἀνῃώρητο κονίη,

  χαῖται δ᾽ ἠερίῃσιν ἐπερρώοντο θυέλλαις:

  ὀτρηροὶ δ᾽ ἐλατῆρες ὁμογλώσσων ἀπὸ λαιμῶν

  ὀξυτέρην μάστιγος ἀπερροίβδησαν ἰωήν.

  [279] The fine chariots, faster than the furious Bear, now flew high aloft, now skimmed the earth scarcely touching the surface of dust. The track of the car dashing straight on with quick circling wheel scratched the sandy soil as it passed. Then there was a confused struggle; the dust also was stirred and rose to the horses’ chests, their manes shook in the airy breezes, the busy drivers shouted all with one voice together louder than their cracking whips.

  ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ πύματον τέλεον δρόμον, ὀξὺς ὀρούσας

  290 Σκέλμις ἔην πρώτιστος ἁλίδρομον ἅρμα τιταίνων:

  καί οἱ ὁμαρτήσας ἐπεμάστιεν ἵππον Ἐρεχθεὺς

  ἀγχιφανής, καὶ δίφρον ὀπισθοπόρον τάχα φαίης

  εἰναλίου Τελχῖνος ἰδεῖν ἐπιβήτορα δίφρων:

  καὶ γάρ ἀερσιπότητος Ἐρεχθέος ἵππος ἀγήνωρ

  295 διχθαδίῳ μυκτῆρι παλίμπνοον ἄσθμα τιταίνων

  ἀλλοτρίου θέρμαινε μετάφρενον ἡνιοχῆος,

  καί νύ κεν αὐχενίων ἐδράξατο χερσὶ κομάων,

  ἐντροπαλιζομένοις βλεφάροις ἐλατῆρα δοκεύων,

  καί νύ κε σειομένων τροχαλῇ στροφάλιγγι γενείων

  ἀφριόων στατὸς ἵππος ἀπέπτυε ἄκρα χαλινοῦ,

  300 ἀλλὰ παρατρέψας ἀνεσείρασε δίφρον Ἐρεχθεύς,

  ἡνία δ᾽ εὐποίητα κατέσπασεν ἅρπαγι παλμῷ,

  ἀγχιφανῆ κατὰ βαιὸν ἐπισφίγγων γένυν ἵππων:

  καὶ πάλιν ἐγγὺς ἔλασσε φυγὼν ἀχάλινον ἀνάγκην.

  305 καί μιν ἑοῖς ὀχέεσσιν ἐπαΐσσοντα δοκεύων

  Σκέλμις ἀπειλήτειραν ἀπερροίβδησεν ἰωήν:

  [289] Now they were on the last lap. Scelmis with a swift leap was first of all pressing on his seachariot. Erechtheus was close upon him whipping up his team, and you might almost say you saw the second car ready to climb aboard the car of the maritime Telchis; for the spirited stallion of Erechtheus was up in the air, panting and snorting with both nostrils, so as to warm the back of the other charioteer. The eyes of Scelmis were turned back again and again on the other driver, and he might have pulled Erechtheus’ horse by the mane, and the foaming stallion might have shaken his jaw with a quick jerk and spat out the bit; but Erechtheus checked the car, and turned it to one side with a vigorous pull at the stout reins, wrenching the horses’ jaws slowly towards himself. Then again he drove close, having escaped the disaster of a horse without bit and bridle. And Scelmis when he saw him making for his car shouted in threatening tones —

  ‘Λῆγε θαλασσαίοισι μάτην ἵπποισιν ἐρίζων:

  ἄλλον ἐμοῦ γενέταο Πέλοψ ποτὲ δίφρον ἐλαύνων

  Οἰνομάου νίκησεν ἀνικήτων δρόμον ἵππων.

  310 ἱπποσύνης μὲν ἔγωγε κυβερνητῆρα καλέσσω

  ἵππιον ὑγρομέδοντα: σὺ δέ, πλήξιππε, τιταίνεις

  νίκης ἐλπίδα πᾶσαν ἐς ἱστοτέλειαν Ἀθήνην.

  οὐ δὲ τεῆς ὀλίγης μορίης χρέος, ἀλλά κομίζω

  ἀμπελόεν στέφος ἄλλο καὶ οὐκ ἐλάχειαν ἐλαίην.’

  [307] “That will do now! It’s of no use to run a match with horses of the sea! Pelops long ago driving another car of my father’s beat in a race the unconquered horses of Oinomaos. As guide of my horsemanship I will call on the Horse God of the deep: you, my friend the horse flogger, direct all your hope to Athena the Perfect Webster. I do not want your paltry olive; I’ll carry off a different garland, a vinewreath and not your trumpery olive.”

  315 ὣς φαμένου ταχύβουλος ἐχώσατο μᾶλλον Ἐρεχθεύς,

  καὶ δόλον ἠπεροπῆα καὶ ἔμφρονα μῆτιν ὑφαίνων

  χερσὶ μὲν ἡνιόχευεν ἑὸν δρόμον, ἐν κραδίῃ δὲ

  ἱπποσύνης πολιοῦχον ἑὴν ἐπίκουρον Ἀθήνην

  κικλήσκων ταχύμυθον ἀνήρυγεν Ἀτθίδα φωνήν:

  [315] Erechtheus was a hasty man, and these words of Scelmis made him angrier
than before, and his quick intelligent mind began at once to weave plots and plans. His hands went on with his driving, but in his heart he uttered a quick prayer to Athena the queen of his own city in his own country language, to crave help in his horsemanship:

  320 ‘Κοίρανε Κεκροπίης, ἱπποσσόε Παλλὰς ἀμήτωρ,

  ὡς σὺ Ποσειδάωνα τεῷ νίκησας ἀγῶνι,

  οὕτω σὸς ναέτης Μαραθώνιον ἵππον ἐλαύνων

  υἱέα νικήσειε Ποσειδάωνος Ἐρεχθεύς.’

  [320] “Lady of Cecropia, horsemistress, Pallas unmothered! As thou didst conquer Poseidon in thy contest, so may Erechtheus thy subject, who drives a horse of Marathon, conquer Poseidon’s son!”

  τοῖον ἔπος βοόων ἐπεμάστιεν ἰσχία πώλων,

  325 ἅρματι δ᾽ ἅρμα πέλασσεν ἰσόζυγον: ἀντιβίου δὲ

  λαιῇ μὲν βαρύδεσμον ἐπισφίγγων γένυν ἵππων,

  σύνδρομον αὖ ἐρύων βεβιημένον ἅρμα χαλινῷ,

  δεξιτερῇ μάστιζεν ἑοὺς ὑψαύχενας ἵππους

  ἐσσυμένους προτέρωσε: μεταστήσας δὲ κελεύθου

  330 θῆκε παλινδίνητον ὀπίστερον ἡνιοχῆα.

  καὶ τροχαλοῖς στομάτεσσι χέων φιλοκέρτομον ἠχὼ

  υἷα Ποσειδάωνος ἀμοιβάδι νείκεε φωνῇ,

  ἐντροπαλιζομένην μεθέπων γελόωσαν ὀπωπήν:

  [324] With this appeal he touched up the flanks of his colts and brought up level car to car and yoke to yoke, and with his left hand caught at the mouth of his rival’s horse, and pulled at the heavy grip of the bit, forcing back by the bridle the car running by his side; with his right hand he lashed his own highnecked steeds putting on a spurt. So he took the place of Scelmis on the course, and made that charioteer fall behind. Then he looked back with a laughing countenance on the son of Poseidon, and mocked him in his turn with raillery, the words tumbling over his shoulder in a stream —