Works of Nonnus

by Nonnus

  δεξιὸν Ὠρίωνι πόδα προβλῆτα τιταίνων

  360 φαίνεται, ἑσπερίην δέ θοώτερος ἄντυγα βαίνων

  σύνδρομον ἀντέλλοντα παρέρχεται Ἡνιοχῆα.

  ὣς ὁ μὲν ἐστήρικτο κατ᾽ οὐρανόν. οὐ δὲ Τυφωεὺς

  [352] Soon her womb swelled, quick with twin progeny; and Zeus the husband passed over his bride with the divine offspring in her womb, to Asterion, a consort of rich fortune. Then rising beside the Charioteer’s ankle the bridegroom Bull of Olympos sparkled with stars, he who keeps his dewloving back for the Sun in the springtime, crouching upon his hams across the path as he rises: half submerged in the sea, he shows himself holding out his right foot towards Orion, and at evening quickens his pace into the circle and passes the Charioteer who rises with him to run his course. So he was established in the heavens.

  μέλλεν ἔτι κρατέειν Διὸς ἔντεα: τοξοφόρῳ γὰρ

  Ζεὺς Κρονίδης σὺν Ἔρωτι πόλον δινωτὸν ἐάσας

  365 φοιταλέῳ μαστῆρι δι᾽ οὔρεος ἤντετο Κάδμῳ

  πλαζομένῳ, ξυνὴν δὲ πολύτροπον ἤρτυε βουλὴν

  ῥαψάμενος Τυφῶνι δυσηλακάτου λίνα Μοίρης.

  καὶ Διὶ παμμεδέοντι συνέμπορος αἰγίβοτος Πὰν

  δῶκε βόας καὶ μῆλα καὶ εὐκεράων στίχας αἰγῶν:

  370 πλέξας δ᾽ ἐκ καλάμων καλύβην, ἑλικώδεϊ δεσμῷ

  πῆξεν ὑπὲρ δαπέδοιο, καὶ ἀγνώστῳ τινὶ μορφῇ

  ποιμενίην ἐσθῆτα καθαψάμενος χροῒ Κάδμου

  εἵμασι μιμηλοῖσι νόθον χλαίνωσε νομῆα:

  καὶ δολίην σύριγγα φέρων εἰδήμονι Κάδμῳ

  375 δῶκε Τυφαονίοιο κυβερνήτειραν ὀλέθρου.

  ψευδαλέον δὲ βοτῆρα καὶ ἡνιοχῆα γενέθλης

  [363] But Typhoeus was no longer to hold the gear of Zeus. For now Zeus Cronides along with Archer Eros left the circling pole, and met roving Cadmos amid the mountains on his wandering search; then he devised with him an ingenious plan, and entwined the deadly threads of Moira’s spindle for Typhon. And Goatherd Pan who went with him gave Zeus Almighty cattle and sheep and rows of horned goats. Then he built a hut with mats of wattled reeds and fixed it on the ground: he put on Cadmos a shepherd’s dress, so that no one could know him in disguise, when he had clad his sham herdsman in this make-believe costume; he gave clever Cadmos the deceiving panpipes, part of the plot to pilot Typhaon to his death.

  Ζεὺς καλέσας πτερόεντα μίαν ξυνώσατο βουλήν:

  ‘Κάδμε πέπον, σύριζε, καὶ οὐρανὸς εὔδιος ἔσται:

  δηθύνεις, καὶ Ὄλυμπος ἱμάσσεται: ἡμετέροις γὰρ

  380 τεύχεσιν οὐρανίοις κεκορυθμένος ἐστὶ Τυφωεύς

  αἰγὶς ἐμοὶ μούνη περιλείπεται: ἀλλὰ τί ῥέξει

  αἰγὶς ἐμὴ Τυφῶνος ἐριδμαίνουσα κεραυνῷ;

  δείδια, μὴ γελάσειε γέρων Κρόνος, ἀντιβίου δὲ

  ἅζομαι αὐχένα γαῦρον ἀγήνορος Ἰαπετοῖο:

  385 δείδια μυθοτόκον πλέον Ἑλλάδα, μή τις Ἀχαιῶν

  ὑέτιον Τυφῶνα καὶ ὑψιμέδοντα καλέσσῃ

  ἢ ὕπατον, χραίνων ἐμὸν οὔνομα. γίνεο βούτης

  εἰς μίαν ἠριγένειαν, ἀμερσινόῳ δὲ λιγαίνων

  ῥύεο ποιμενίῃ σέο πηκτίδι ποιμένα κόσμου,

  390 μὴ νεφεληγερέταο Τυφωέος ἦχον ἀκούσω,

  μὴ βροντήν ἑτέροιο νόθου Διός, ἀλλά ἑ παύσω

  μαρνάμενον στεροπῇσι καὶ αἰχμάζοντα κεραυνῷ.

  εἰ δὲ Διὸς λάχες αἷμα καὶ Ἰναχίης γένος Ἰοῦς,

  κερδαλέης σύριγγος ἀλεξικάκῳ σέο μολπῇ

  395 θέλγε νόον Τυφῶνος. ἐγὼ δέ σοι ἄξια μόχθων

  δώσω διπλόα δῶρα: σὲ γὰρ ῥυτῆρα τελέσσω

  ἁρμονίης κόσμοιο καὶ Ἁρμονίης παρακοίτην.

  καὶ σύ, τελεσσιγόνοιο γάμου πρωτόσπορος ἀρχή,

  τεῖνον, Ἔρως, σέο τόξα, καὶ οὐκέτι κόσμος ἀλήτης.

  400 εἰ πέλεν ἐκ σέο πάντα, βίου φιλοτήσιε ποιμήν,

  ἓν βέλος ἄλλο τάνυσσον, ἵνα ξύμπαντα σαώσῃς:

  ὡς πυρόεις, Τυφῶνι κορύσσεο, πυρσοφόροι δὲ

  ἐκ σέο νοστήσωσιν ἐμὴν ἐπὶ χεῖρα κεραυνοί.

  πανδαμάτωρ, ἕνα βάλλε τεῷ πυρί, θελγόμενον δὲ

  405 σὸν βέλος ἀγρεύσειε, τὸν οὐ νίκησε Κρονίων:

  Καδμείης δ᾽ ἐχέτω φρενοθελγέος οἶστρον ἀοιδῆς

  ὅσσον ἐγὼ πόθον ἔσχου ἐς Εὐρώπης ὑμεναίους.’

  [377] Now Zeus called the counterfeit herdsman and the winged controller of generation, and disclosed this one common plan: “Look alive, Cadmos, pipe away and there shall be fine weather in heaven! Delay, and Olympos is scourged! for Typhoeus is armed with my heavenly weapons. Only the aegis-cape is left me; but what will my aegis do fighting with Typhon’s thunderbolt? I fear old Cronos may laugh aloud, I am shy of the proud neck of my lordly adversary Iapetos! I fear Hellas even more, that mother of romances – what if one of that nation call Typhon Lord of Rain, or Highest, and Ruling in the Heights, defiling my name! Become a herdsman for one day-dawn; make a tune on your mindbefooling shepherd’s pipes, and save the Shepherd of the Universe, that I may not hear the noise of Cloud-gatherer Typhoeus, the thunders of a new impostor Zeus, that I may stop his battling with lightnings and volleying with thunderbolts! If the blood of Zeus is in you, and the breed of Inachian Io, bewitch Typhon’s wits by the sovereign remedy of your guileful pipes and their tune! I will give you ample recompense for your service, two gifts: I will make you saviour of the world’s harmony, and the husband of the lady Harmonia. You also, Love, primeval founder of fecund marriage, bend your bow, and the universe is no longer adrift. If all things come from you, friendly shepherd of life, draw one shot more and save all things. As fiery god, arm yourself against Typhon, and by your help let the fiery thunderbolts return to my hand. All-vanquisher, strike one with your fire, and may your charmed shot catch one whom Cronion did not defeat; and may he have madness from the mind-bewitching tune of Cadmos, as much as I had passion for Europa’s embrace!”

  ὣς εἰπὼν κερόεντι πανείκελος ἔσσυτο ταύρῳ,

  [408] With these words Zeus passed away in the shape of the horned Bull, from which the Tauros Mountain takes its name.

  ἔνθεν ὄρος πέλε Ταῦρος ἐπώνυμον. ὀξὺ δὲ τείνων

  410 Κάδμος ὁμοφθόγγων δονάκων ἀπατήλιον ἠχώ,

  κλίνας γείτονι νῶτον ὑπὸ δρυῒ φορβάδος ὕλης:

  καὶ φορέων ἄγραυλον ἀληθέος εἷμα νομῆος,

  πέμπε Τυφαονίῃσι δολοπλόκον ὕμνον ἀκουαῖςr />
  οἰδαλέῃ φύσημα παρηίδι λεπτὸν ἰάλλων.

  415 ἔνθα Γίγας φιλάοιδος ἐχιδναίῳ ποδὸς ὁλκῷ

  ἄνθορεν εἰσαΐων δόλιον μέλος: ἔνδοθι δ᾽ ἄντρου

  ὅπλα Διὸς φλογόεντα λιπὼν παρὰ μητέρι Γαίῃ

  τερψινόου σύριγγος ἐδίζετο γείτονα μολπὴν

  ἑσπόμενος μελέεσσιν: ἰδὼν δέ μιν ἐγγύθι λόχμης

  420 Κάδμος, ἅτε τρομέων, ὑπὸ ῥωγάδι κεύθετο πέτρῃ.

  ἀλλά μιν ὑψικάρηνος ἀλυσκάζοντα νοήσας

  νεύμασιν ἀφθόγγοισι πέλωρ ἐκάλεσσε Τυφωεύς,

  καὶ δόλον οὐ γίνωσκε λιγύθροον: ἀντιτύπῳ δὲ

  ποιμένι δεξιτερὴν μίαν ὤρεγεν, ἄρκυν ὀλέθρου

  425 ἀγνώσσων: μεσάτῳ δὲ δαφοινήεντι προσώπῳ

  ἀνδρομέῳ γελόων κενεαυχέα ῥήξατο φωνήν:

  ‘Αἰπόλε, τί τρομέεις με; τί φάεα χειρὶ καλύπτεις;

  [409] But Cadmos tuned up the deceitful notes of his harmonious reeds, as he reclined under a neighbouring tree in the pasturing woodland; wearing the country garb of a real herdsman, he sent the deluding tune to Typhaon’s ears, puffing his cheeks to blow the soft breath. The Giant loved music, and when he heard this delusive melody, he leapt up and dragged along his viperish feet; he left in a cave the flaming weapons of Zeus with Mother Earth to keep them, and followed the notes to seek the neighbouring tune of the pipes which delighted his soul. There he was seen by Cadmos near the bushes, who was sore afraid and hid in a cleft of the rock. But the monster Typhoeus with head high in air saw him trying to hide himself, and beckoned with voiceless signs, nor did he understand the trick in this beautiful music; then face to face with the shepherd, he held out one right hand, not seeing the net of destruction, and with his middle face, blood-red and human in shape, he laughed aloud and burst into empty boasts:

  καλὸν ἐμοὶ βροτὸν ἄνδρα μετὰ Κρονίωνα διώκειν,

  καλὸν ἐμοὶ σύριγγα σὺν ἀστεροπῇσιν ἀείρειν:

  430 τί ξυνὸν καλάμοισι καὶ αἰθαλόεντι κεραυνῷ;

  πηκτίδα σὴν ἔχε μοῦνος, ἐπεὶ λάχεν ἄλλο Τυφωεὺς

  ὄργανον αὐτοβόητον Ὀλύμπιον: ἑζόμενος δὲ

  χερσὶν ἀδουπήτοισιν ἐθήμονος ἄμμορος ἠχοῦς

  πηκτίδος ὑμετέρης ἐπιδεύεται ἀννέφελος Ζεύς:

  435 σῶν δ᾽ ὀλίγων δονάκων ἐχέτω κτύπον: οὐτιδανοὺς γὰρ

  οὐ πλεκτοὺς καλάμους καλάμοις στοιχηδὸν ἑλίσσω,

  ἀλλὰ κυλινδομένας νεφέλας νεφέλῃσι συνάπτων

  οὐρανίοις πατάγοισιν ὁμόζυγα δοῦπον ἰάλλω.

  [427] “Why do you fear me, goatherd? Why do you cover your eyes with your hand? A fine feat I should think it to pursue a mortal man, after Cronion! A fine feat to carry off panspipes alone with the lightning! What have reeds to do with flaming thunderbolts? Keep your pipes alone, since Typhoeus possesses another kind of organ, the Olympian, which plays by itself! There sits Zeus, without his clouds, hands unrumbling, none of his usual noise – he could do with your pipes. Let him have your handful of reeds to play. I don’t join worthless reeds to other reeds in a row and wave them about, but I roll up clouds upon clouds into a lump, and discharge a bang all at once with rumblings all over the sky!

  στήσω δ᾽, ἢν ἐθέλῃς, φιλίην ἔριν: ἀλλά σὺ μέλπων

  440 πέμπε μέλος δονακῶδες, ἐγὼ βρονταῖον ἀράσσω:

  πνεύματι μὲν σφριγόωσαν ἔχων προβλῆτα παρειὴν

  φυσιάᾳς στομάτεσσιν, ἱμασσόμενοι δὲ Βορῆος

  ἄσθματι φυσητῆρος ἐμοὶ βρομέουσι κεραυνοί.

  βουκόλε, μισθὸν ἔχοις σέο πηκτίδος: οὐράνιον γὰρ

  445 ἀντὶ Διὸς σκηπτοῦχος ὅτε θρόνον ἡνιοχεύσω,

  ἑσπόμενον μετὰ γαῖαν ἐς αἰθέρα καὶ σὲ κομίσσω

  αὐτῇ ὁμοῦ σύριγγι καί, ἢν ἐθέλῃς, ἅμα ποίμνῃ:

  οὐδὲ τεῆς ἀγέλης νοσφίσσεαι: ἰσοτύπου γὰρ

  στηρίξω σέθεν αἶγας ὑπὲρ ῥάχιν Αἰγοκερῆος

  450 ἢ σχεδὸν Ἡνιοχῆος, ὃς Ὠλενίην ἐν Ὀλύμπῳ

  πήχεϊ μαρμαίροντι σελασφόρον Αἶγα τιταίνει:

  στήσω δ᾽ ὀμβροτόκοιο παρὰ πλατὺν αὐχένα Ταύρου

  σοὺς βόας ἀστερόεντας ἐπαντέλλοντας Ὀλύμπῳ,

  ἢ δροσερὴν παρὰ νύσσαν, ὅπῃ ζωθαλπέι λαιμῷ

  455 ἠνεμόεν μύκημα βόες πέμπουσι Σελήνης.

  οὐδὲ τεῆς καλύβης ὀλίγης χρέος: ἀντὶ δὲ λόχμης

  αἰθερίαις Ἐρίφοισι συναστράπτοι σέο ποίμνη.

  καὶ φάτνης ἑτέρης τελέσω τύπον, ὄφρα καὶ αὐτὴ

  ἰσοφυὴς λάμψειεν Ὄνων παρὰ γείτονι Φάτνῃ.

  460 ἔσσο καὶ ἀστερόεις μετὰ βουκόλον, ἧχι Βοώτης

  φαίνεται, ἀστραίην δὲ καλαύροπα καὶ σὺ τιταίνων

  ἔσσο Λυκαονίης ἐλατὴρ Ἀρκτῷος Ἁμάξης.

  οὐρανίου Τυφῶνος ὁμέστιος, ὄλβιε ποιμήν,

  σήμερον ἐν χθονὶ μέλπε, καὶ αὔριον ἐντὸς Ὀλύμπου.

  465 μολπῆς δ᾽ ἄξια δῶρα παρ᾽ ἀστεροφεγγέι κύκλῳ

  στηρίξω σέθεν ὄψιν Ὀλύμπιον, ἡδυμελῆ δὲ

  οὐρανίῃ Φόρμιγγι τεὴν σύριγγα συνάψω.

  σοὶ γάμον, ἢν ἐθέλῃς, δωρήσομαι ἁγνὸν Ἀθήνης:

  εἰ δέ σοι οὐ γλαυκῶπις ἐπεύαδε, δέχνυσο Λητὼ

  470 ἢ Χάριν ἢ Κυθέρειαν ἢ Ἄρτεμιν ἢ γάμον Ἥβης:

  μούνης ἡμετέρης μὴ δίζεο δέμνιον Ἥρης.

  εἰ δ᾽ ἔλαχες πλήξιππον ἀδελφεὸν ἴδμονα δίφρου,

  ἔμπυρον Ἠελίου τετράζυγον ἅρμα δεχέσθω:

  εἰ δὲ Διὸς ποθέεις, ὡς αἰπόλος, αἰγίδα πάλλειν,

  475 δώσω σοι τόδε δῶρον. ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἐς Ὄλυμπον ὁδεύσω

  οὐκ ἀλέγων Κρονίωνος ἀτευχέος: οὐτιδανὴ γὰρ

  ἔντεσι θῆλυς ἐοῦσα τί μοι ῥέξειεν Ἀθήνη;

  ἀλλὰ Τυφαονίην ἀναβάλλεο, βουκόλε, νίκην,

  γνήσιον ὑμνείων με νέον σκηπτοῦχον Ὀλύμπου

  480 σκῆπτρα Διὸς φορέοντα καὶ ἀστράπτοντα χιτῶνα.’

  [439] “Let’s have a friendly match, if you like. Come on, you make music and sound your reedy tune, I will crash my thundery tune. You puff our
your cheek all swollen with wind, and blow with your lips, but Boreas is my blower, and my thunderbolts boom when his breath flogs them. Drover, I will pay you for your pipes: for when I shall hold the sceptre instead of Zeus, and drive the heavenly throne, you shall come with me; leave the earth and I will bring you to heaven pipes and all, with your flock too if you like, you shall not be parted from your herd. I’ll settle your goats over the backbone of Aigoceros, one of the same breed; or near the Charioteer, who pushes the shining Olenian She-goat in Olympos with his sparkling arm. I’ll put your cattle beside the rainy Bull’s broad shoulder and make them stars rising in Olympos, or near the dewy turning-piont where Selene’s cattle send out a windy moo from their life-warming throats. You will not want your little hut. Instead of your bushes, let your flock go flashing with the ethereal Kids: I will make them another crib, to shine beside the Asses’ Crib and as good as theirs. Be a star yourself instead of a drover, where the Ox-driver is seen; wield a starry goad yourself, and drive the Bear’s Lycaonian wain. Happy shepherd, be heavenly Typhon’s guest at table: tune up on earth to-day, to-morrow in heaven! You shall have ample recompense for your song: I will establish your face in the starlit circle of heaven, and join your tuneful pipes to the heavenly Harp. If you like, I will give you Athena for your holy bride: if you do not care for Grayeyes, take Leto, or Charis, or Cythereia, or Artemis, or Hebe to wife. Only don’t ask me for my Hera’s bed. If you have a horse-master brother who can manage a team, let him take Helios’ fiery four-in-hand. If you want to wield the goatskin cape of Zeus, being a goatherd, I will make you a present of that too. I mean to march into Olympos caring nothing for Zeus unarmed; and what could Athena do to me with her armour? – a female! Srike up ‘See the Conquering Typhon comes,’ you herdsman! Sing the new lawful sovereign of Olympos in me, bearing he sceptre of Zeus and his robe of lightning!”

  εἶπε, καὶ Ἀδρήστεια τόσην ἐγράψατο φωνήν.

  ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ γίνωσκεν ἑκούσιον εἰς λίνον ἄγρης

  νήματι Μοιριδίῳ πεφορημένον υἱὸν ἀρούρης

  τερψινόων δονάκων βεβολημένον ἡδέι κέντρῳ,