Works of Nonnus

by Nonnus

  μυδαλέῳ δ᾽ ἱδρῶτι χυτὴν ἔρραινε κονίην,

  αὐχμηρῇ ψαμάθῳ διερὴν ῥαθάμιγγα καθαίρων,

  600 μὴ διολισθήσειε περίπλοκος ἅμματι χειρῶν

  θερμὴν τριβομένοιο κατ᾽ αὐχένος ἰκμάδα πέμπων.

  [576] So they showed each against the other all the various tricks of the wrestler’s art. Then first Aristaios got his arms round his adversary and heaved him bodily from the ground. But Aiacos the crafty did not forget his cunning skill; with insinuating leg he gave a kick behind the left knee of Aristaios, and rolled him over bodily, helpless upon his back on the ground, for all the world like a falling cliff. The people round about all gazed with astonished eyes at the son of Phoibos, so grand, so proud, so famous, taking a fall! Next Aiacos without an effort lifted the gigantic son of Cyrene high above the ground, to be an example of valour for his future sons, Peleus the unwearying and Telamon the mighty: he held the man in his arms, bending neither back nor upright neck, carrying the man with both arms by the middle, so that they were like a couple of cross-rafters which some carpenter has made to calm the stormy compulsion of the winds. Aiacos threw down the man at full length in the dust, and got on his adversary’s back as he lay, thrust both legs along under his belly and bent them in a close clasp just below the knees, pressing foot to foot, and encircling the ankles; quickly he stretched himself over his adversary’s back and wound his two hands over each other round the neck like a necklace, interlacing his fingers, and so made his arms a fetter for the neck. Sweat poured in streams and soaked the dust, but he wiped away the running drops with dry sand, that his adversary might not slip out of his encircling grip by the streams of hot moisture which he sent out of his squeezed neck.

  τοῦ δὲ πιεζομένοιο συνέρρεον ὀξέι παλμῷ

  κεκριμένοι κήρυκες, ὀπιπευτῆρες ἀγῶνος,

  μή μιν ἀποκτείνειεν ὁμόζυγι πήχεος ὁλκῷ.

  605 οὐ γὰρ ἔην τότε θεσμὸς ὁμοίιος, ὃν πάρος αὐτοὶ

  ὀψίγονοι φράσσαντο, τιταινομένων ὅτε δεσμῶν

  αὐχενίων πνικτῆρι πόνῳ βεβαρημένος ἀνὴρ

  νίκην ἀντιπάλου μνηστεύεται ἔμφρονι σιγῇ,

  ἀνέρα νικήσαντα κατηφέι χειρὶ πατάξας.

  [602] As he lay in this tight embrace, the heralds came running up at full speed, men chosen to be overseers of the games, that the victor might not kill him with those strangling arms. For there was then no such law as in later days their successors invented, for the ease when a man overwhelmed by the suffocating pain of a noose round the neck testifies the victory of his adversary with significant silence, by tapping the victor with submissive hand.

  610 καὶ τρίπον εἰκοσίμετρον ἐπηχύναντο λαβόντες

  Μυρμιδόνες, θεράποντες ἀεθλοφόρου βασιλῆος:

  Ἀκταίων δὲ λέβητα ταχίονι κούφισε ῥιπῇ,

  δεύτερα πατρὸς ἄεθλα κατηφέι χειρὶ κομίζων.

  [610] Then the Myrmidons laid hands on the twenty-measure tripod as the servants of the victorious prince; and Actaion quickly lifted the cauldron, his father’s second prize, and carried it away with sorrowful hand.

  καὶ τότε Βάκχος ἔθηκε ποδῶν ταχυτῆτος ἀγῶνα:

  615 πρώτῳ ἀεθλητῆρι τιθεὶς κειμήλια νίκης

  ἀργύρεον κρητῆρα δορικτήτην τε γυναῖκα,

  δευτέρῳ αἰολόδειρον ἐθήκατο Θεσσαλὸν ἵππον,

  καὶ πυμάτῳ ξίφος ὀξὺ σὺν εὐτμήτῳ τελαμῶνι.

  ὀρθωθεὶς δ᾽ ἀγόρευε, ποδώκεας ἄνδρας ἐπείγων:

  [614] Then Bacchos set the contest of the footrace. For the first man he offered as treasures of victory a silver mixing-bowl and a woman captive of the spear; for the second he offered a Thessalian horse with dappled neck; for the last, a sharp sword with well-wrought sling-strap. He rose and made the announcement, calling for quickfoot runners:

  620 ‘Ἀνδράσιν ὠκυπόροισιν ἀέθλια ταῦτα γενέσθω.’

  ὣς φαμένου

  [620] “Let these be the prizes for men who can run!”

  Δικταῖος ἐθήμονα γούνατα πάλλων...

  τῷ δ᾽ ἐπὶ ποικιλόμητις ἀνέδραμεν ὠκὺς Ἐρεχθεύς,

  Παλλάδι Νικαίῃ μεμελημένος, αὐτὰρ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ

  625 Πρίασος ὠκυπόδης, Κυβεληίδος ἀστὸς ἀρούρης.

  625 τοῖσι μὲν ἐκ βαλβῖδος ἔην δρόμος: Ὠκύθοος δὲ

  πρῶτος ἀελλήεντι ποδῶν κουφίζετο παλμῷ,

  ἰθυτενῆ προκέλευθον ἔχων δρόμον: ἐσσύμενος δὲ

  δεύτερος ἀγχικέλευθος, ὀπίστερος ἦεν Ἐρεχθεύς,

  γείτονος Ὠκυθόοιο μετάφρενον ἄσθματι βάλλων,

  630 καὶ κεφαλὴν θέρμαινε: φιληλακάτοιο δὲ κούρης

  οἷα κανὼν στέρνοιο πέλει μέσος, ὅν τινι μέτρῳ

  παρθένος ἱστοπόνος τεχνήμονι χειρὶ τανύσσῃ,

  Ὠκυθόου πέλε τόσσον ὀπίστερος: ἀμφὶ δὲ γαίῃ

  ἴχνια τύπτε πόδεσσι, πάρος κόνιν ἀμφιχυθῆναι.

  635 καί νύ κεν ἀμφήριστος ἔην δρόμος: ἀλλὰ πορείην

  μιμηλὴν ἰσόμετρον ἰδὼν ἐτιταίνετο ταρσῷ

  κουφοτέρῳ, καὶ φῶτα παρέδραμε μείζονι μέτρῳ,

  ὁππόσον ἀνέρος ἴχνος: ὅθεν τρομέων περὶ νίκης

  τοῖον ἔπος βοόων Βορέην ἱκέτευεν Ἐρεχθεύς:

  [621] At these words, came Dictaian Ocythoos, falls counted (in which A throws B off his feet while still standing himself). The name inferred from what follows. A line has dropt out. wagging his experienced knees. Next ran up fleet Erechtheus, a man full of craft, and dear to Victorious Pallas; after him fleetfoot Priasos, one from the arable land of Cybele. Off they went from scratch. Ocythoos led, light as the stormwind on his feet, going straight ahead and keeping his lead. Close behind came Erechtheus second at full speed, with his breath beating on the back of Ocythoos close by, and warming his head with it: as near as the rod lies between the web and the breast of a girl who loves the shuttle, when she holds it at measured distance with skilful hand working at the loom, so much was he behind Ocythoos, and he trod in his footmarks on the ground before the dust could settle in them. Then it would have been a dead heat; but Ocythoos saw this rival running pace for pace with himself, so he made a spurt and ran past the fellow by a longer distance, as much as a man’s pace. Then Erechtheus anxious for victory addressed a prayer to Boreas and cried out:

  640 ‘Γαμβρέ, τεῷ χραίσμησον Ἐρεχθέι καὶ σέο νύμφῃ,

  εἰ μεθέπεις γλυκὺν οἶστρον ἐμῆς ἔτι παιδὸς Ἐρώτων:

  δός μοι σῶν πτερύγων βάλιον δρόμον εἰς μίαν ὤρην,

  Ὠκύθοον ταχύγουνον ἴνα προθέοντα παρέλθω.’

  [640] “Goodson, help your own Erechtheus and your own bride, if you still cherish a sweet passion for my girl, your sweetheart! Lend m
e the speed of your swift wings for one hour, that I may pass kneequick Ocythoos now in front!”

  ὣς φαμένου Βορέης ἱκετήσιον ἔκλυε φωνήν,

  645 καί μιν ἐυτροχάλοιο ταχίονα θῆκεν ἀέλλης.

  τρεῖς μὲν ἐπερρώοντο ποδῶν ἀνεμώδεϊ παλμῷ,

  ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἶσα τάλαντα: καὶ ὁππόσον ὠκέι ταρσῷ

  Ὠκυθόου προθέοντος ὀπίστερος ἦεν Ἐρεχθεύς,

  τόσσον ἀελλήεντος Ἐρεχθέος ἔπλετο γείτων

  650 Πρίασος αὐχήεις, Φρύγιον γένος. ἐσσυμένων δὲ

  ὁππότε λοίσθιος ἦεν ἔτι δρόμος ἅλματι ταρσῶν,

  Ὠκύθοος ταχύγουνος ἐπωλίσθησε κονίῃ,

  ἧχι βοῶν πέλεν ὄνθος ἀθέσφατος, οὓς παπά τύμβῳ

  Μυγδονίῃ Διόνυσος ἀπηλοίησε μαχαίρῃ:

  655 ἀλλὰ παλιννόστοιο ποδὸς ταχυσδινέι παλμῷ

  Ὠκύθοος πεφόρητο μετάλμενος: ἐσσυμένως δὲ

  ἀντιπάλου προθέοντος ἐπήλυδα ταρσὸν ἀμείβων,

  εἰ τότε βαιὸς ἔην ἔτκ που δρόμος, ᾗ τάχα βαίνων

  ἢ πέλεν ἀμφήριστος ἢ ἔφθασεν ἀστὸν Ἀθἠνης.

  [644] Boreas heard his supplicating voice, and made him swifter than the rapid gale. All three were moving their legs like the wind, but the balance was not equal for all: as far as Erechtheus was behind Ocythoos running before him with swift foot, so far behind, near stormswift Erechtheus, was Priasos the proud son of Phrygia. So they ran on, until just as the end of the race was coming for their bounding feet, kneeswift Ocythoos slipt in the dirt, where was an infinite heap of dung from those cattle which had been slaughtered by the Mygdonian knife of Dionysos beside the tomb. But he sprang backwards with a quick-whirling spring of his foot and jumped back again, then off he went — and he would have quickly passed the travelling step of his rival running in front if there had been even a little space to run: whereby he would either have made a dead heat by a spurt or he would have passed the Athenian.

  660 καὶ κτέρας αἰολόνωτον ἐκούφισεν ὠκὺς Ἐροχθεύς,

  Σιδόνιον κρητῆρα τετυγμένον: Ὠκύθοος δὲ

  εἴρυοε Θεσσαλὸν ἵππον: ὁ δὲ τρίτος ἠρέμα βαίνων

  Πρίασος ἆορ ἔδεκτο σὺν ἀρυγρέῳ τελαμῶνι.

  καὶ Σατύρων ἐγέλασσε χορὸς φιλοπαίγμονι θυμῷ,

  665 παπταίνων Κορύβαντα χυτῇ ῥυπόωντα κονίῃ,

  ὄνθον ἀποπτύοντα κατάρρυτον ἀνθερεῶνος.

  [660] Swift Erechtheus then lifted the Sidonian mixing-bowl, that treasure adorned with curious workmanship on the surface; Ocythoos took off the Thessalian horse; Priasos quietly walked in third, and received the sword with silver sling-strap. The company of Satyrs laughed in mocking spirit when they saw the Corybant smeared all over with dirt, and spitting out the dung that filled his throat.

  καὶ σόλον αὐτοχόωνον ἄγων ἐπέθηκεν ἀγῶνι

  δισκοβόλους Διόνυσος ἀκοντιστῆρας ἐπείγων:

  πρώτῳ μὲν δύο δοῦρα σὺν ἱπποκόμῳ τρυφαλείῃ

  670 θῆκεν ἄγων, ἑτέρῳ δὲ διαυγέα κυκλάδα μίτρην,

  καὶ τριτάτῳ φιάλην, καὶ νεβρίδα θῆκε τετάρτῳ,

  ἣν χρυσέῃ κληῖδι Διὸς περονήσατα χαλκεύς.

  ὀρθωθεὶς δ᾽ ἀνὰ μέσσον ἐγερσινόῳ φάτο φωιῇ:

  [667] Now Dionysos brought out a lump of crude ore and laid it before him, and summoned competitors to put the weight. For the first, he brought and offered two spears and a helmet with horsehair crest; for the second, a brilliant round body-girdle; for the third, a flat bowl; and for the fourth a fawnskin, which the craftsman of Zeus had fastened with a golden brooch. Then he rose, and made his announcement among them in a rousing tone:

  ‘Οὗτος ἀγὼν ἐπὶ δίσκον ἀεθλητῆρας ἐπείγει.’

  [674] “This contest calls for competitors with the weight!”

  675 ὣς φαμένου Βρομίοιο σακέσπαλος ὦρτο Μεγισσεύς,

  τῷ δ᾽ ἐπὶ δεύτερος ἦλθεν ἀερσιπόδης Ἁλιμήδης,

  καὶ τρίτος Εὐρυμέδων καὶ τέτρατος ἤλυθρν Ἄκμων:

  καὶ πίσυρες στοκχησὸν ἐφέστοασαν ἄλλος ἐπ᾽ ἄλλῳ.

  καὶ σόλον εὐδίωητον ἑλὼν ἔρριψε Μελισσεύς:

  680 Σειληνοὶ δ᾽ ἐγέλασσαν ὀλίζονα φωτὸς ἐρωήν.

  δεύτερος Εὐρυμέσων παλάμην ἐπερείσατο δίσκῳ...

  καὶ σόλον εὐδίνητον ἑλὼν νωμήτορι καρπῷ

  βριθὺ βέλος προέηκε περίτροχον εὔλοφος Ἄκμων:

  καὶ βέλος ἠερόφοιτον ἐπέτρεχε σύνσρομον αὔραις,

  685 καὶ σκοπὸν Εὐρυμέδοντος ὑπέρβαλε μείζονι μέτρῳ

  ὀξείῃ στρογάιγγι: καὶ ὑψιπόδης Ἁλιμήδης

  εἰς σκοπὸν ἠκόντιξεν ἐν ἠερι δίσκον ἀλήτην:

  καὶ σόλος ἠερίῃσιν ἐπερροίζησεν ἀέλλαις

  ἐκ βριαρῆς παλάμης πεφορημένος, ὡς ἀπὸ τόξου

  690 ἵπταται ἀσταθέεσσι βέλος δεδονημένον αὔραις

  ὄρθιον: ἠερόθεν δὲ πεσὼν ἐκυκίνσετο γαίῃ

  ἅλματι τηλεπόρῳ, πεφορημένος εἰσέτι παλμῷ

  χειρὸς ἐυστρέτοιο, φέρων αὐτόσσυτον ὁρμήν,

  εἰσόκε σήματα πάντα παρέσπαμεν: ἀγρόμενοι δὲ

  695 πάντες ἐπεσμαράγησαν ὀπιπευτῆρες ἀγῶνος,

  ἁλλομένου δίσκοιο τεθηπότες ἄστατον ὁρμήν.

  [675] At these words of Bromios up rose shakeshield Melisseus; second after him came footlifting Halimedes, and third, Eurymedon, and fourth, Acmon. The four stood in a row side by side. Melisseus took the lump, swung it well and threw: the Seilenoi laughed loudly at the fellow’s miserable throw! Second, Eurymedon rested his hand on the weight [and threw it farther] . Then highcrested Acmon took the lump, swung it well with experienced wrist, and cast the heavy missile hurtling through the air; the missile travelled through the air like the wind, and passed Eurymedon’s mark by a longer measure, whirling swiftly. Then Halimedes, towering high on his feet, sent the weight travelling through the air to the mark: the mass whistled amid the stormwinds in the sky when hurled by that strong hand — for it flew like an arrow straight from a bow, twirled by unstable breezes; down from the sky to the earth it fell after its long leap, and rolled along the ground still under the impulse of the accomplished hand, moving of itself, until it had passed all the marks. The spectators of the contest crowded and cheered all together, amazed at the unchecked movement of the weight bounding along.

  καὶ δονέων δύο δοῦρα σὺν ὑψιλόφῳ τρυχαλείῃ

  διπλόα δῶρα κόμιζεν ἀγηνορέων Ἀλιμήδης:

  ἄκμ
ων δ᾽ εἰλιπόδης χρυσαυγέα κούφισε μίτρην:

  700 καὶ τρίτος Εὐρυμέδων φιάλην ἀπύρωτον ἀείρας

  ἀμφίθετον κτέρας εἷλε: κατηφιόων δὲ προσώτπῳ

  νεβρίδα ποικλόνωτον ἀνηέρταζε Μελισσεύς.

  [697] Halimedes proudly received the double prize, and went off with the highplumed helmet shaking the pair of spears. Acmon came shuffling up and lifted the body-belt shining with gold; third Eurvmedon took up his treasure, the brand-new bowl with two handles; Melisseus with downcast countenance lifted the dappled fawnskin.

  καὶ προμάχοις Διόνυσος ἀέθλια θήκατο τόξου,

  εὐστοχίης ἀνάθημα: καὶ ἑπταέτηρον ἐρύσσας

  705 ἡμίονον ταλαεργὸν ἐνεστήριξεν ἀγῶνι,

  καὶ δέπας εὐποίητον ἀέθλιον ἵστατο νίκης

  ἀνδρὶ χερειοτέρῳ πεφυλαγμένον. Εὐρύαλος δὲ

  νήιον ὀρθώσας περιμήκετον ἱστὸν ἀρούρῃ

  στῆσεν ὑπέρ δαπέδου ψαμαθώδεος, ὑψιφανῆ δὲ

  710 δέσμιον ᾐώρησε πελειάδα σύμπλοκον ἱστῷ,

  λεπραλέον δισσοῖσι μίτον περὶ ποσσὶν ἑλίξας.

  καὶ θεὸς ἀγρομένοις ἐναγώνιον ἴαχε φωνήν,

  εἰς σκοπὸν ἠερόφοιτον ὀιστευτῆρας ἐπείγων:

  [703] Now Dionysos put prizes ready for champions of the bow, the offering for good archery. He led out for the contest a hardy sevenyear mule, and made it stand before the company; and laid down a well-finished goblet as prize of victory to be kept for the less competent man. Then Euryalos planted a ship’s tall mast in the ground, upright above the sandy soil, and fastened a wild pigeon by a string to the top of the mast, winding a light cord about the two feet. The god called to all those assembled for the games, inviting any to shoot at the flying mark: