by Nonnus
χιονέαις παλάμῃσιν ἐτέρπετο κοῦρος ἀθύρων:
δεξιτερῇ δ᾽ ἔψαυε πυριβλήτοιο χαλινοῦ.
190 μαίνετο δ᾽ ἱπποσύνης μεθέπων πόθον: ἑζόμενος δὲ
γούνασι πατρῴοις ἱκετήσια δάκρυα λείβων
ᾔτεεν ἔμπυρον ἅρμα καὶ αἰθερίων δρόμον ἵππων.
καὶ γενέτης ἀνένευεν: ὁ δὲ πλέον ἡδέι μύθῳ
αἰτίζων λιτάνευε: παρηγορέων δ᾽ ἐπὶ δίφρῳ
195 ὑψιπόρῳ νέον υἷα φιλοστόργῳ φάτο φωνῇ:
[184] “But when he grew up into the fair bloom of youth, he often touched his father’s fire, lifted with his little hand the hot yokestraps and the starry whip, busied himself with the wheel, stroked the horses’ coats with snow-white hands — and so the playful boy enjoyed himself. With his right hand he touched the fireshotten bridle, mad with longing to manage the horses. Seated on his father’s knees, he shed imploring tears, and begged for a run with the fiery chariot and heavenly horses. His father said no, but he only begged and prayed all the more with gracious pleading. Then the father said in affectionate words to his young son in the highfaring car:
‘ὦ τέκος Ἠελίοιο, φίλον γένος Ὠκεανοῖο,
ἄλλο γέρας μάστευε: τί σοί ποτε δίφρος Ὀλύμπου;
ἱπποσύνης ἀκίχητον ἔα δρόμον: οὐ δύνασαι γὰρ
ἰθύνειν ἐμὸν ἅρμα, τό περ μόγις ἡνιοχεύω.
200 οὔ ποτε θοῦρος Ἄρης φλογερῷ κεκόρυστο κεραυνῷ,
ἀλλὰ μέλος σάλπιγγι καὶ οὐ βρονταῖον ἀράσσει:
οὐ νεφέλας Ἥφαιστος ἑοῦ γενετῆρος ἀγείρει,
οὐ νεφεληγερέτης κικλήσκεται οἷα Κρονίων,
ἀλλὰ παρ᾽ ἐσχαρεῶνι σιδήρεον ἄκμονα τύπτει,
205 ἄσθμασι ποιητοῖσι χέων ποιητὸν ἀήτην:
κύκνον ἔχει πτερόεντα, καὶ οὐ ταχὺν ἵππον Ἀπόλλων:
οὐ στεροπὴν πυρόεσσαν ἀερτάζει γενετῆρος
Ἑρμῆς ῥάβδον ἔχων, οὐκ αἰγίδα πατρὸς ἀείρει.
ἀλλ᾽ ἐρέεις: ‘Ζαγρῆι πόρεν σπινθῆρα κεραυνοῦ.’
210 Ζαγρεὺς σκηπτὸν ἄειρε, καὶ ὡμίλησεν ὀλέθρῳ.
ἅζεο καὶ σύ, τέκος, πανομοίια πήματα πάσχειν.’
[196] “‘Dear son of Helios, dear grandson of Oceanos, ask me another boon; what have you to do with the chariot of the sky? Let alone the course of horsemanship. You cannot attain it, for you cannot guide my car — I can hardly drive it myself! Furious Ares never armed him with flaming thunderbolt, but he blares his tune with a trumpet, not with thunder. Hephaistos never collects his father’s clouds; he is not called Cloudgatherer like Cronion, but hammers his iron anvil in the forge, and pours artificial blasts of artificial wind. Apollo has a winged swan, not a running horse. Hermes keeps his rod and wears not his father’s aegis, lifts not his father’s fiery lightning. But you will say—” He gave Zagreus the flash of the thunderbolt.” Yes, Zagreus held the thunderbolt, and came to his death! Take good care, my child, that you too suffer not woes like his.’
εἶπε, καὶ οὐ παρέπεισε: πάις δὲ γενήτορα νύσσων
δάκρυσι θερμοτέροισιν ἑοὺς ἐδίηνε χιτῶνας:
χερσὶ δὲ πατρῴης φλογερῆς ἔψαυσεν ὑπήνης,
215 ὀκλαδὸν ἐν δαπέδῳ κυκλούμενον αὐχένα κάμπτων,
λισσόμενος: καὶ παῖδα πατὴρ ἐλέαιρε δοκεύων.
καὶ κινυρὴ Κηυμένη πλέον ᾔτεεν: αὐτὰρ ὁ θυμῷ
ἔμπεδα γινώσκων ἀμετάτροπα νήματα Μοίρης
ἀσχαλόων ἐπένευσεν, ἀποσμήξας δὲ χιτῶνι
220 μυρομένου Φαέθοντος ἀμειδέος ὄμβρον ὀπωπῆς
χείλεα παιδὸς ἔκυσσε, τόσην δ᾽ ἐφθέγξατο φωνήν:
[212] “So he spoke, but the boy would not listen; he prodded his father and wetted his tunic with hotter tears. He put out his hands and touched his father’s fiery beard; kneeling on the ground he bent his arched neck, pleading, and when the father saw, he pitied the boy. Clymene cried and begged too. Then although he knew in his heart the immovable inflexible spinnings of Fate, he consented regretful, and wiped with his tunic the rain of tears from the unsmiling face of sad Phaethon, and kissed the boy’s lips while he said:
‘δώδεκα πάντες ἔασι πυρώδεος αἰθέρος οἶκοι,
ζῳδιακοῦ γλαφυροῖο πεπηγότες ἄντυγι κύκλου,
κεκριμένοι στοιχηδὸν ἐπήτριμοι, οἷς ἔνι μούνοις
225 λοξὴ πουλυέλικτος ἀταρπιτός ἐστι πλανήτων
ἀσταθέων. καὶ ἕκαστον ἕλιξ Κρόνος οἶκον ἀμείβει
ἑρπύζων βαρύγουνος, ἕως μόγις ὀψὲ τελέσσῃ
εἴκοσι καὶ δέκα κύκλα παλιννόστοιο Σελήνης,
ζώνης ἑβδομάτης ὑπέρ ἄντυγος: ὑψόθι δ᾽ ἕκτης
230 ὠκύτερον γενετῆρος ἔχει δρόμον ἀντίπορος Ζεύς,
καὶ δρόμον εἰς λυκάβαντα διέρχεται: ἐν τριτάτῃ δὲ ...
ἤμασιν ἑξήκοντα παρέρχεται ἔμπυρος Ἅρης,
γείτων σεῖο τοκῆος: ἐπαντέλλων δὲ τετάρτῃ
αὐτὸς ἐγὼ στεφανηδὸν ὅλον πόλον ἅρμασι τέμνω
235 οὐρανίων Ἑλίκων πολυκαμπέα κύκλα διώκων,
μέτρα χρόνου πισύρῃσι φέρων κυκλούμενος Ὥραις,
τὴν αὐτὴν περὶ νύσσαν, ἕως ὅλον οἶκον ὁδεύσω,
πλήσας ἠθάδα μῆνα τελεσφόρον: οὐδὲ πορείην
καλλείψας ἀτέλεστον ὀπίστερον οἶμον ἀμείβω,
240 οὐδὲ πάλιν προκέλευθον, ἐπεὶ πολυκαμπέες ἄλλοι
ἀστέρες ἀντιθέοντες ἀεὶ στείχουσιν ἀλῆται,
ἂψ δ᾽ ἀνασειράζοντες ἅμα πρόσσω καὶ ὀπίσσω
ἡμιτελῆ μεθέπουσι παλίλλυτα μέτρα κελεύθου,
δέγμενοι ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἐμὴν ἑτερόσσυτον αἴγλην:
245 οἷς ἔνι λευκαίνουσα πόλον κερόεσσα Σελήνη
κύκλον ὅλον πλήσασα σοφῷ πυρὶ μῆνα λοχεύει,
μεσσοφανής, ἐπίκυρτος, ὅλῳ πλήθουσα προσώπῳ:
Μήνῃ δ᾽ ἀντικέλευθος ἐγὼ σφαιρηδὸν ἑλίσσων
μαρμαρυγὴν θρέπτειραν ἀμαλλοτόκου τοκετοῖο
250 Ζῳδιακὴν περὶ νύσσαν ἀτέρμονα κύκλον ὁδεύω,
τίκτων μέτρα χρόνοιο, καὶ οἴκοθεν οἶκον ἀμείβων
καὶ τελέσας ἕνα κύκλον ὅλον λυκά�
�αντα κομίζω.
ἄκρα δὲ συνδέσμοιο φυλάσσεο, μὴ σχεδὸν ἕρπων,
ἅρμασιν ὑμετέροις ζοφοειδέα κῶνον ἑλίξας,
255 φέγγος ὅλον κλέψειεν ἐπισκιόων σέο δίφρῳ:
μηδὲ παριππεύσειας ἐθήμονος ἄντυγα κύκλου:
μηδὲ τανυπλέκτων ἑλίκων πολυκαμπέι δεσμῷ,
πέντε παραλλήλων δεδοκημένος ἄντυγα κύκλων,
οἶστρον ἔχοις, καὶ νύσσαν ὁμήθεα πατρὸς ἐάσῃς,
260 μή σε παραπλάγξειαν ἐν αἰθέρι φοιτάδες ἵπποι:
μηδὲ διοπτεύων δυοκαίδεκα κύκλα πορείης
ἐκ δόμου εἰς δόμον ἄλλον ἐπείγεο: καὶ σέο δίφρῳ
κριὸν ἐφιππεύων μὴ δίζεο Ταῦρον ἐλαύνειν:
γείτονα μὴ μάστευε προάγγελον ἱστοβοῆος
265 σκορπίον ἀστερόφοιτον ὑπὸ Ζυγὸν ἡνιοχεύων,
εἰ μὴ ἀναπλήσειας ἐείκοσι καὶ δέκα μοίρας.
[222] “‘There are twelve houses in all the fiery ether, set in the circle of the rounded Zodiac, one close after another in a row, each separate; through these alone is the inclined winding path of the restless planets rolling in their courses. All round these Cronos crawls from house to house on his heavy knees along the seventh zone upon the circle, until at last with difficulty he completes thirty circuits of returning Selene. On the sixth, quicker than his father, Zeus has his course opposite, and goes his round in a lichtgang. By the third, fiery Ares passes [one sign that is, of the Zodiac] in sixty days, near your father. I myself rise in the fourth, and traverse the whole sky garland-wise in my car, following the winding circles of the heavenly orbits. I carry the measures of time, surrounded by the four Seasons, about the same centre, until I have passed through a whole house and fulfilled one complete month as usual; I never leave my journey unfinished and change to a backward course, nor do I go forward again; since the other stars, the planets, in their various courses always run contrary ways: they check backwards, and go both to and fro; when the measures of their way are half done they run back again, thus receiving on both sides my one-sided light. One of these planets is the horned moon whitening the sky; when she has completed all her circuit, she brings forth with her wise fire the month, being at first half seen, then curved, then full moon with her whole face.
Against the moon I move my rolling ball, the sparkling nourisher of sheafproducing growth, and pass on my endless circuit about the turning-point of the Zodiac, creating the measures of time. When I have completed one whole circle passing from house to house I bring off the lichtgang. Take care of the crossing-point itself, lest when you come close, rounding the cone of darkness with your car, it should steal all the light from your overshadowed chariot. And in your driving do not stray from the usual circuit of the course, or be tempted to leave your father’s usual goal by looking at the five parallel circles with their multiple bond of long encompassing lines, or your horses may run away and carry you through the air out of your course. Do not, when you look about on the twelve circles as you cross them, hurry from house to house. When you are driving your car in the Ram, do not try to drive over the Bull. Do not seek for his neighbour, the Scorpion moving among the stars, the harbinger of the plowtree, when you are driving under the Balance, until you complete the thirty degrees.
ἀλλὰ σὺ μὲν κλύε μῦθον: ἐγὼ δέ σε πάντα διδάξω.
κέντρον ὅλου κόσμοιο, μεσόμφαλον ἄστρον Ὀλύμπου,
κριὸν ἐγὼ μεθέπων ὑψούμενος εἶαρ ἀέξω,
270 καὶ τροπικὴν Ζεφύροιο προάγγελον ἄντυγα βαίνων,
νύκτα ταλαντεύουσαν ἰσόρροπον ἠριγενείῃ,
ἰθύνω δροσόεντα χελιδονίης δρόμον Ὥρης:
κριοῦ δ᾽ ἀντικέλευθον ἐνέρτερον οἶκον ἀμείβων,
χηλαῖς ἐν διδύμῃσιν ἰσήμερα φέγγεα πέμπων,
275 ἐντύνω παλίνορσος ἰσόζυγον ἦμαρ ὀμίχλῃ,
καὶ δρόμον εἰνοσίφυλλον ἄγω φθινοπωρίδος Ὥρης,
φέγγεϊ μειοτέρῳ χθαμαλὴν ἐπὶ νύσσαν ἐλαύνων
φυλλοχόῳ ἐνὶ μηνί: καὶ ἀνδράσι χεῖμα κομίζω
ὄμβριον ἰχθυόεντος ὑπὲρ ῥάχιν Αἰγοκερῆος,
280 ἀγρονόμοις ἵνα γαῖα φερέσβια δῶρα λοχεύσῃ,
νυμφίον ὄμβρον ἔχουσα καὶ εἰλείθυιαν ἐέρσην:
καὶ θέρος ἐντύνω σταχυηκόμον ἄγγελον ὄμπνης,
θερμοτέραις ἀκτῖσι πυρώδεα γαῖαν ἱμάσσων,
ὑψιτενὴς παρὰ νύσσαν ὅτ᾽ εἰς δρόμον ἡνιοχεύω
285 καρκίνον, ἀντικέλευθον ἀθαλπέος Αἰγοκερῆος,
ἀμφοτέρους καὶ Νεῖλον ὁμοῦ καὶ βότρυν ἀέξων.
[267] “‘Just listen to me, and I will tell you everything. When I reach the Ram, the centre of the universe, the navel-star of Olympos, I in my exaltation let the Spring increase; and crossing the herald of the west wind, the turning-line which balances night equal with day, I guide the dewy course of that Season when the swallow comes. Passing into the lower house, opposite the Ram, I cast the light of equal day on the two hooves; and again I make day balanced equally with dark on my homeward course when I bring in the leafshaking course of the autumn Season, and drive with lesser light to the lower turning-point in the leafshedding month. Then I bring winter for mankind with its rains, over the back of fishtailed Capricorn, that earth may bring forth her gifts full of life for the farmers, when she receives the bridal showers and the creative dew. I deck out also corntending summer the messenger of harvest, flogging the wheatbearing earth with hotter beams, while I drive at the highest point of my course in the Crab, who is right opposite to the cold Capricorn: both Nile and grapes together I make to grow.
ἀρχόμενος δὲ δρόμοιο μετέρχεο γείτονα Κέρνην,
Φωσφόρον ἀπλανέος μεθέπων πομπῆα κελεύθου,
ἱπποσύνης προκέλευθον: ἀμοιβαίῃ δὲ πορείῃ
290 σὸν δρόμον ἰθύνουσι δυώδεκα κυκλάδες Ὧραι.’
[287] “‘When you begin your course, pass close by the side of Cerne, and take Lucifer as guide to lead the way for your ear, and you will not go astray; twelve circling Hours in turn will direct your way.’
ὣς εἰπὼν Φαέθοντος ἐπεστήριξε καρήνῳ
χρυσείην τρυφάλειαν, ἑῷ δέ μιν ἔστεφε πυρσῷ,
ἑπτατόνους ἀκτῖνας ἐπὶ πλοκάμοισιν ἑλίξας,
κυκλώσας στεφανηδὸν ἐπ᾽ ἰξύι λευκάδα μίτρην:
295 καί μιν ἀνεχλαίνωσεν ἑῷ πυρόεντι χιτῶνι,
καὶ πόδα φοινίσσοντι διεσφήκωσε πεδίλῳ.
παιδὶ δὲ δίφρον ἔδωκε: καὶ ἠῴης ἀπὸ φάτνης
ἵππους Ἠελίοιο πυρώδεας ἤγαγον Ὧραι:
καὶ θρασὺς εἰς ζυγὸν ἦλθεν Ἑωσφόρος, ἀμφὶ δὲ φαιδρῷ
300 ἵππιον α�
�χένα δοῦλον ἐπεκλήισσε λεπάδνῳ.
[291] “After this speech, he placed the golden helmet on Phaethon’s head and crowned him with his own fire, winding the seven rays like strings upon his hair, and put the white kilt girdlewise round him over his loins; he clothed him in his own fiery robe and laced his foot into the purple boot, and gave his chariot to his son. The Seasons brought the fiery horses of Helios from their eastern manger; Lucifer came boldly to the yoke, and fastened the horses’ necks in the bright yokestraps for their service.
καὶ Φαέθων ἐπέβαινε: δίδου δέ οἱ ἡνία πάλλειν,
ἡνία μαρμαίροντα καὶ αἰγλήεσσαν ἱμάσθλην
ἠέλιος γενέτης: τρομερῇ δ᾽ ἐλελίζετο σιγῇ,
υἱέα γινώσκων μινυώριον: ἐγγύθι δ᾽ ὄχθης
305 ἡμιφανὴς Κλυμένη φλογερῶν ἐπιβήτορα δίφρων
δερκομένη φιλότεκνος ἐπάλλετο χάρματι μήτηρ.
[301] “Then Phaethon mounted, Helios his father gave him the reins to manage, shining reins and gleaming whip: he shook in trembling silence, for he understood that his son had not long to live. Clymene his mother could be half seen near the shore, as she watched her dear son mounting the flaming car, and shook with joy.
ἤδη δὲ δροσόεις ἀμαρύσσετο Φωσφόρος ἀστήρ,
καὶ Φαέθων ἀνέτελλεν Ἑώιον ἄντυγα βαίνων,
ὕδασι παππῴοισι λελουμένος Ὠκεανοῖο.
310 καὶ θρασὺς εὐφαέων ἐλατὴρ ὑψίδρομος ἵππων
οὐρανὸν ἐσκοπίαζε χορῷ κεχαραγμένον ἄστρων,
ἑπτὰ περὶ ζώναις κυκλούμενον: εἶδεν ἀλήτας
ἀντιπόρους, καὶ γαῖαν ὁμοίιον ἔδρακε κέντρῳ
μεσσοπαγῆ, δολιχῇσιν ἀνυψωθεῖσαν ἐρίπναις,
