Works of Nonnus

by Nonnus

  καὶ κύνας οἰστρηθέντας ἀφειδέας. ὤμοι ἀνάγκης,

  αὐτὸς ἐμαῖς παλάμῃσιν ἐμοὺς ἔθρεψα φονῆας.

  360 αἴθε λέων με δάμασσεν ὀρίδρομος, αἴθέ με σύρων

  πόρδαλις αἰολόνωτος ἀνέσχισεν, αἴθέ με πικροῖς

  ἀμφιπαγεῖς ὀνύχεσσιν ἀφειδέσι λυσσάδες ἄρκτοι

  νεβροφανῆ χαροποῖσιν ἐδαιτρεύσαντο γενείοις,

  μηδὲ κύνες με δάμασσαν ὁμήθεες: οὐκέτι μορφήν,

  365 οὐκέτι γινώσκουσιν ἐμὴν ἑτερόθροον ἠχώ.’

  [354] “Sing a dirge for Actaion, my beloved hills! Yes I beseech you, and the beasts do the like! Cithairon, tell Autonoë what you know; with stony tears describe to Aristaios my father, my end and the maddened hounds unmerciful. O dreaded fate! With my own hands I fed my murderers! If only a hillranging lion had brought me low, if only a dappleback panther had dragged me and torn me, if only furious bears had pierced me about with sharp merciless claws, and feasted on the seeming fawn with flashing jaws, not my own familiar hounds had brought me down: no longer they know my shape, no longer the voice with a sound so strange!”

  ἡμιθανὴς τάδ᾽ ἔλεξε, καὶ οὐκ ἀίοντα λιτάων

  θηρείῃ κύνα μάργον ἐλίσσετο πενθάδι φωνῇ:

  μύθους μὲν προέηκεν ἐχέφρονας, ἀντὶ δὲ φωνῆς

  ἀνδρομέης κελάδησεν ἀσημάντου θρόος ἠχοῦς.

  [366] Half dead he spoke, and as he prayed, the cruel hound did not understand the prayers poured out in sorrow with the voice of a beast; the stories he told had meaning, but instead of a human voice, only a noise of unmeaning sound rang out.

  370 ἤδη δ᾽ αὐτοτέλεστος ὀρεστιὰς ἵπτατο Φήμη

  Αὐτονόῃ βοόωσα κυνοσπάδα παιδὸς ἀνάγκην,

  οὐ μὲν ὅπως ἐλάφοιο δασύτριχα δύσατο μορφήν,

  ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι μοῦνον ὄλωλε. φιλοστόργῳ δὲ μενοινῇ

  νήλιπος ἀκρήδεμνος ἱμάσσετο πένθεϊ μήτηρ:

  375 καὶ πλοκάμους ἐδάιξεν, ὅλον δ᾽ ἔρρηξε χιτῶνα,

  πενθαλέοις δ᾽ ὀνύχεσσιν ἑὰς ἐχάραξε παρειὰς

  αἵματι φοινίξασα, κατὰ στέρνοιο δὲ γυμνοῦ

  παιδοκόμων ἐρύθηνε φερέσβιον ἄντυγα μαζῶν

  μνησαμένη τοκετοῖο: φιλοθρήνου δὲ προσώπου

  380 δάκρυσιν ἀενάοισιν ἐλούσατο φάρεα νύμφη.

  καὶ κύνες Ἀκταίωνος ἀπὸ σκοπέλοιο μολόντες

  μῦθον ἐπιστώσαντο δυσάγγελον: ἠιθέου γὰρ

  δάκρυσι σιγαλέοισιν ἐμαντεύοντο τελευτήν.

  μυρομέους δ᾽ ὁρόωσα πολὺ πλέον ἔστενε μήτηρ:

  385 καὶ πολιὴν πλοκαμίδα λέρων ἀπεκείρατο Κάδμος,

  Ἁρμονίη δ᾽ ἰάχησε: φιλοκλαύαύτων δὲ γυναικῶν

  συμφερτὴ βαρύδουπος ὅλον δόμον ἔβπεμεν ἠχώ.

  [370] Already Rumour self born had flown from the hills to Autonoë, proclaiming her son’s fate torn to pieces by his dogs: not indeed that he had donned the thickhaired shape of a stag, only that he was dead. His mother in her passionate love, unshot, unveiled, was scourged by grief. She tore her hair, she rent all her smock, she scored her cheeks with her nails in sorrow till they were red with blood; baring her bosom, she reddened the lifegiving round of the breasts which had nursed her children, in memory of her son; over her sorrowing face the tears ran in a ceaseless flood and drenched her robes. Actaion’s hounds returning from the mountain confirmed the tidings of woe, for they revealed the young man’s end by their silent tears. When the mother saw their mourning she wailed louder still. Old Cadmos shore off his hoary hair, Harmonia cried aloud; the whole house resounded heavybooming with the noise of women wailing in concert.

  Αὐτονόη δ᾽ ὁμόφοιτος Ἀρισταίῳ παρακοίτῃ

  ἤιε μαστεύουσα πολύπλανα λείψανα νεκροῦ:

  390 εἶδε καὶ οὐ γίνωσκεν ἑὸν γόνον, ἔδρακε μορφὴν

  δαιδαλέης ἐλάφοιο καὶ οὐκ ἴδεν ἀνδρὸς ὀπωπήν,

  πολλάκι δ᾽ ἀγνώστοιο παρέστιχεν ὀστέα νεβροῦ

  ἐν χθονὶ κεκλιμένοιο καὶ οὐ μάθεν: ὀλλυμένου γὰρ

  παιδὸς ἑοῦ δοκέεσκεν ἰδεῖν βροτοειδέα μορφήν.

  395 δύσμορον Αὐτονόην οὐ μέμφομαι: ἀλλοφυῆ γὰρ

  λείψανα παιδὸς ὄπωπεν, ἀτεκμάρτου δὲ προσώπου

  γαμφηλὰς ἐνόησε καὶ οὐκ ἴδε κύκλον ὀπωπῆς,

  καὶ κεράων ἔψαυσε καὶ υἱέος οὐ μάθε κόσην:

  λεπταλέους πόδας εὗρε καὶ οὐκ ἐφράσσατο ταρσούς,

  400 λεπταλέους πόδας εἶδε καὶ οὐκ ἴδε κύκλα πεδίλων.

  δύσμορον Αὐτονόην οὐ μέμφομαι: οἰχομένου γὰρ

  ὀφθαλμοὺς βροτέους οὐκ ἔδρακεν, οὐκ ἴδε μορφῆς

  ἀνδρομέης ἴνδαλμα, καὶ οὐκ ἐνόηδεν ἰούλων

  ἄνθεϊ πορφυρέῳ κεχαραγμένον ἀνθερεῶνα.

  405 φοιταλέοις δὲ πόδεσσι διερχομένη ῥάχιν ὕλης

  τρηχαλέης ἐπάτησε δυσέμβατα νῶτα κολώνης:

  λυσιχίτων ἀπέδιλος: ὀριπλανέων δ᾽ ἀπὸ μόχθων

  νόστιμος εἰς δόμον ἦλθεν: ἐπ᾽ ἀπρήκτῳ δὲ μενοινῇ

  ἀχνυμένη μόγις εὗδε σὺν αἰνοτόκῳ παρακοίτῃ.

  410 ἄμφω δὲ σκιεροῖσιν ἐφωμίλησαν ὀνείροις,

  ὄμμασιν ἁρπάξαντες ἀηδονίου πτερὸν Ὕπνου.

  [388] Autonoë along with Aristaios her husband went in search of the scattered remains of the dead. She saw her son, but knew him not; she beheld the shape of a dappled deer and saw no aspect of a man. Often she passed the bones of a fawn unrecognized, lying on the ground, and did not understand; for her boy was dead, and she looked to find a human shape. I blame not unhappy Autonoë. The relics of her son which met her eyes were of alien shape; she noticed the jaws of a face unrecognized and did not see the circle of his countenance, touched horns and did not know a son’s temples, found slim legs and did not trace his feet, saw slim legs and saw not the rounded boots. I blame not unhappy Autonoë; she saw not the human eyes of him that was gone, she saw no image of a manly shape, she saw no the well-known chin marked with the dark flower of bloom. Passing over the forest ridges with wandering feet, she trod the rough back of the rugged hill, unshod, with loosened robe, and returned home form the mountainranging task; grieving for her unsuccessful cares she fell asleep at last beside her husband, unhappy father! Both were haunted by shadowy dreams, their eyes glimpsing the wing of a nightingale sleep.

  ψυχὴ δ᾽ ἠιθέοιο κατηφέι πατρὶ παρέστη

  στικτὸν ἔχων ἐλάφου σκι
όεν δέμας, ἐκ βλεφάρων δὲ

  ἔμφρονα δάκρυα χεῦε, καὶ ἀνδρομέῃ φάτο φωνῇ:

  415 ‘ Ὦ πάτερ, ὑπνώεις, καὶ ἐμὴν οὐκ οἶδας ἀνάγκην:

  ἔγρεο καὶ γίνωσκε νόθην ἄγνωστον ὀπωπήν,

  ἔγρεο καὶ πήχυνε φίλης ἐλάφοιο κεραίην,

  καὶ κύσον ἔμφρονα θῆρα, τὸν Αὐτονόης τέκε γαστήρ.

  αὐτὸν ὀπιπεύεις με, τὸν ἔτρεφες: ἀμφότερον γὰρ

  420 δέρκεαι Ἀκταίωνα καὶ Ἀκταίωνος ἀκούεις.

  εἰ παλάμην ποθέεις καὶ δάκτυλα παιδὸς ἀφάσσειν,

  προσθιδίους σκοπίαζε πόδας, καὶ χεῖρα νοήσεις:

  εἰ κεφαλὴν ποθέεις, κεφαλὴν ἐλάφοιο δοκεύοις:

  εἰ βροτέους κροτάφους, δολιχάς σκοπίαζε κεραίας:

  425 εἰ πόδας Ἀκταίωνος, ὀπισθιδίην ἴδε χηλήν:

  εἰ μελέων τρίχας εἶδες, ἐμοὶ γεγάασι χιτῶνες.

  υἷα, πάτερ, γίνωσκε, τὸν οὐκ ἐσάωσεν Ἀπόλλων:

  υἷα, πάτερ, στενάχιζε, τὸν οὐκ ἐφύλαξε Κιθαιρών.

  ἀλλοφυῆ σέο παῖδα κατηφέι κεῦθε κονίῃ:

  μή σε παραπλάγξειε νόθη καὶ ἄπιστος ὀπωπή:

  430 μή τεὸν ἀκτερέιστον ὀλωλότα νεβρὸν ἐάσῃς.

  αἴθε, πάτερ, με φύλαξας ἀήθεα θηροσυνάων:

  [412] The young man’s ghost stood by his disconsolate father, wearing the shadowy form of a dappled stag; but from his eyelids he poured tears of understanding and spoke with a human voice: “You sleep, my father, and you know not my fate. Wake, and recognize my unknown changeling looks; wake, and embrace the horn of a stag you love, kiss a wild beast with understanding, one born of Autonoë’s womb! I whom you behold am that very one you brought up; you both see Actaion and hear Actaion’s voice. If you desire to clasp your boy’s hand and fingers, look at my forefeet and you shall know my hands. If you want my head, behold the head of a stag; if human temples, look at the long horns; if Actaion’s feet, see the hindhoof. If you have seen my hairy coat, it was my clothing. Know your son, my father, whom Apollo did not save! Mourn your son, my father, whom Cithairon did not protect! Cover in the sad dust your boy in disguise, and be not misled by this changeling incredible aspect, that you may not leave your dead fawn unburied and unhonoured.

  οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ πόθον εἶχον ἐρημάδος ἰοχεαίρης,

  οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ δέμας εἶδον Ὀλύμπιον. αἴθε δὲ κούρης

  435 θνητῆς εἶχον ἔρωτα: χαμαιγενέας δὲ γυναῖκας

  καλλείψας ἑτέροισι καὶ ὠκυμόρους ὑμεναίους

  ἀθανάτην ἐπόθησα: χολωομένης δὲ θεαίνης

  δεῖπνον ἐμῶν σκυλάκων γενόμην, πάτερ: εἰσὶ κολῶναι

  μάρτυρες: εἰ σκοπέλοις οὐ πείθεαι, εἴρεο Νύμφας

  440 Νηιάδας: δεδάασι δ᾽ ἐμαὶ δρύες: ἰσοτύπους δὲ

  θῆρας ἐμοὺς ἐρέεινε, καὶ οὓς ἐκάλεσσα νομῆας.

  [432] “Father, if you had only kept me unversed in hunting! I should never have desired the Archeress of the wilds, I should never have seen the Olympian shape. If only I had loved a mortal girl! But I left earthborn women and quickfated wedlock to others, and I desired an immortal: the goddess was angry, and I became a dinner for my dogs, father – the hills are my witnesses, or if you do not believe rocks, ask the Naiad nymphs – my trees know all, ask my wild beasts (with forms like mine) and the shepherds whom I summoned.

  ἀλλά, πάτερ, πυμάτην πόρε μοι χάριν, ἀφραδέας δὲ

  πένθος ἔχων φιλότεκνον ἐμοὺς μὴ κτεῖνε φονῆας,

  παιδοφόνους οἴκτειρον ἀμεμφέας: ἡμετέραις γὰρ

  445 θηρείαις ἀέκοντες ἀπεπλάγχθησαν ὀπωπαῖς.

  τίς δὲ κύων ἐλάθου ποτὲ φείδεται; ἠὲ τίς ἀνὴρ

  νεβροφόνοις σκυλάκεσσι χολώεται; ἆ πόσα δειλοὶ

  κυκλάδας ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα περιτροχόωσι κολώνας,

  καὶ νέκυν ἰχνεύουσι, τὸν ἔκτανον: ἐκ βλεφάρων δὲ

  450 δάκρυα μὲν προχέουσιν ἐχέφρονα, καὶ ποσὶν ἄκροις

  δίκτυα πηχύνουσι φιλοστόργῳ τινὶ δεσμῷ

  ἀνδράσιν ἀχνυμένοισιν ἐοικότες, ἡμετέρῃ δὲ

  πενθαλέαις ὑλακῇσιν ἐπικλαίουσι χαμεύνῃ.

  ναί, λίτομαι, μὴ κτεῖνε γοήμονας: ἡμετέρου γὰρ

  455 δέρματα λαχνήεντος ἐθηήσαντο προσώπου,

  οὐδὲ λιταῖς πείθοντο, καὶ οὐκ ἀνέκοψαν ὀδόντας

  ἀλλοίης ἀίοντες ἐμῆς μυκήματα φωνῆς,

  καὶ κινυροῖς στομάτεσσιν ἐμὴν ἐρέεινον ἐρίπνην:

  ῾σήμερον Ἀκταίωνά τις ἥρπασεν, εἴπατε, πέτραι,

  460 πῇ δρόμον ἀμφιέπει κεμαδοσσόον, εἴπατε, Νύμφαι.

  τοῖα κύνες φθέγξαντο: καὶ ἀντιάχησε κολώνη:

  ῾τίς κεμὰς οὐρεσίφοιτος ἔχει κεμαδοσσόον ἄγρην;

  οὐκ ἔλαφον πυθόμην ἐλαφηβόλον: ἀλλοφυὴς δὲ

  Ἀκταίων μετάμειπτο καὶ ἔπλετο νεβρὸς ἐχέφρων,

  465 ὅς ποτε θῆρας ἔπεφνεν: ὑπ᾽ ἀνδροφόνῳ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς

  Ἀγρέος αἷμα φέρων ἀγρεύεται ἰοχεαίρῃ.᾿

  τοῖα μὲν ἀχνυμένων σκυλάκων ἐβόησαν ἐρίπναι.

  πολλάκι δ᾽ Ἄρτεμις εἶπεν ἐμῷ μαστῆρι φονῆι:

  ῾λῆγε, κύων βαρύμοχθε, πολυπλανὲς ἴχνος ἑλίσσων:

  470 δίζεαι Ἀκταίωνα, τὸν ἔνδοθι γαστρὸς ἀείρεις,

  δίζεαι Ἀκταίωνα, τὸν ἔκτανες: ἢν ἐθελήσῃς,

  ὄψεαι ὀστέα μοῦνα τεῆς ἔτι λείψανα φορβῆς.᾿

  [442] “I do beg, my father, for one last grace: they knew not what they did, so do not kill my slayers, in your love and sorrow for your child; pity those who slew your son, for they are not to blame – they did not mean it, they were misled by my beastlike looks to take me for a beast. What hound ever spares a stag? What man is angry with dogs for killing a fawn? How the poor creatures scamper about the hills all round, this way and that way, searching for the thing they have killed! They drop understanding tears from their eyes, and throw their forepaws round the nets with what might be an affectionate embrace, like sorrowing men, and weep over the place where I lie with mournful bellings. Yes, I pray you, do not kill the mourners! It was my face, but they saw only a hairy skin; they did not obey my prayers, they did not stay their teeth, because they heard only the bellow of my changeling voice, and in whimpering tones questioned my cliff – ‘To-day someone has stolen Actaion: t
ell us, Rocks, whither he plies his pricketchasing course? Tell us, Nymphs!’ So the gods; and the hill made answer, ‘What hillranging pricket hunts the pricket himself? I never heard of a stag turned stagshooter! but Acation has changed into another shape and become a fawn with a mind, he who once killed the wild beasts – he who has the blood of the Hunter in him is hunted by a manslayer himself, by Archeress!’ So shouted the cliffs to the sorrowful hounds. Often Artemis said to my hunting murderer, ‘Down, heavylabouring hound! trace no more the wandering slot. Do you seek Actaion whom you carry in your belly? Do you seek Actaion whom you have killed? If you like, you shall see the orts of your meal, nothing but bones.’

  ἀλλά, πάτερ, κατὰ κόσμον ἐμὸν μόρον εἰς σὲ βοήσω.

  θάμνος ἔην τανύφυλλος, ὁ μὲν φυλίης, ὁ δ᾽ ἐλαίης:

  475 δειλὸς ἐγώ: φυλίης γὰρ ἐπώνυμον ἔρνος ἐάσας

  πρέμνον ἐς ἀγχικέλευθον ἀνέδραμον ἁγνὸν ἐλαίης

  Ἀρτέμιδος χρόα γυμνὸν ἀθηήτοιο δοκεύων.

  ἀασάμην: διδύμην γὰρ ἀτάσθαλον ὕβριν ἀέξων

  Παλλάδος εἰς φυτὸν ἦλθον, ἰδεῖν δέμας ἰοχεαίρης

  480 τολμηροῖς βλεφάροισιν, ὅθεν βαρύμηνις ἀπειλὴ

  ἔχραεν Ἀκταίωνι καὶ Ἀρτέμιδος καὶ Ἀθήνης.

  ἄρτι γὰρ ἱδρώουσα πυραυγέι καύματος ἀτμῷ

  Ἄρτεμις εὐκαμάτοιο μετὰ δρόμον ἠθάδος ἄγρης

  λούετο μὲν καθαροῖσιν ἐν ὕδασι, λουομένης δὲ

  485 ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀμάρυσσεν ἐμοὺς ἀντώπιος αἴγλη

  χιονέας ἀκτῖνας ἀκοντίζουσα ῥεέθροις:

  φαίης δ᾽, ὡς παρὰ χεῦμα παλίμπορον Ὠκεανοῖο

  ἑσπερίη σελάγιζε δι᾽ ὕδατος ὄμπνια Μήνη.