Works of Nonnus

by Nonnus

  καὶ Λίβυες στρατόωντο παρ᾽ Ἑσπέριον κλίμα γαίης

  ἀγχινεφῆ ναίοντες ἀλήμονος ἄστεα Κάδμου:

  335 κεῖθι γὰρ ἀντιπόρων ἀνέμων πεφορημένος αὔραις

  εἰς χρόνον ᾤκεε Κάδμος, ἔχων Σιθωνίδα νύμφην

  σύμπλοον, Ἁρμονίην ἔτι παρθένον, ἧς διὰ μορφὴν

  γείτονας ἀντιβίους πολεμητόκος ὥπλισε φήμη,

  ἣν Χάριν ἀντονόμηνε Λίβυς στρατός — ἁβροτέρη γὰρ

  340 Βιστονὶς ἐβλάστησεν ἐπιχθονίη χάρις ἄλλη,

  τῆς ἄπο καὶ Λιβύης Χαρίτων λόφος — , ἧς ἐπὶ μορφῇ

  ἅρπαγος ὑσμίνης δεδονημένος ἄφρονι κέντρῳ

  φρικτὸς ἐρωμανέων ἐκορύσσετο βάρβαρος Ἄρης,

  λαὸς ἐρημονόμος Μαυρούσιος: ἀλλὰ τινάσσων

  345 χερσὶ γυναιμανέεσσι Λιβυστίδος ἔγχος Ἀθήνης

  Ἁρμονίης πολέμιζε προασπίζων παρακοίτης,

  ἑσπερίων δ᾽ ἐφόβησεν ὅλον γένος Αἰθιοπήων

  σὺν Διὶ θωρηχθέντι, σὺν Ἄρεϊ καὶ Κυθερείῃ:

  κεῖθι καί, ὡς ἐνέπουσι, παρὰ Τριτωνίδι λίμνῃ

  350 Ἁρμονίῃ παρέλεκτο ῥοδώπιδι Κάδμος ἀλήτης,

  νύμφαι δ᾽ Ἑσπερίδες μέλος ἔπλεκον, ὧν ἀπὸ κήπου

  Κύπρις ὁμοῦ καὶ Ἔρωτες ἐκόσμεον εὔγαμον εὐνήν,

  χρυσείην θαλάμοισιν ἐπικρεμάσαντες ὀπώρην,

  νύμφης ἕδνον ἔρωτος ἐπάξιον, ἧς ἀπὸ φύλλων

  355 Ἁρμονίη καὶ Κάδμος ἐχεκτεάνῳ παρὰ παστῷ

  βόστρυχον ἀφνειοῖσιν ἐμιτρώσαντο κορύμβοις

  ἀντὶ ῥόδου γαμίοιο: καὶ ἁβροτέρη πέλε νύμφη

  χρύσεα δῶρα φέρουσα, γέρας χρυσῆς Ἀφροδίτης:

  καὶ μέλος ἀστραίης κιθάρης ἐπίκωμον ἐγείρας

  360 μητροπάτωρ σφαιρηδὸν ἑῷ βητάρμονι ταρσῷ

  οὐρανὸν ἀμφελέλιζε Λίβυς κυρτούμενος Ἄτλας,

  καὶ μέλος ἁρμονίης ἐμελίζετο γείτονι φωνῇ:

  καὶ ζυγίης φιλότητος ἑῆς μνημήια νύμφης

  δῶκε ποδῶν ἐπίβαθρα Λιβυστίδι Κάδμος ἀρούρῃ,

  365 δωμήσας πολίων ἑκατοντάδα, δῶκε δ᾽ ἑκάστῃ

  δύσβατα λαϊνέοις ὑψούμενα τείχεα πύργοις.

  κείνου μνῆστιν ἔχοντες ἐπεστρατόωντο μαχηταὶ

  μαρναμένου βρομίοιο προασπιστῆρες Ἐνυοῦς,

  τικτομένης ναίοντες ἐδέθλια γείτονα Μήνης

  370 καὶ Διὸς Ἀσβύσταο μεσημβρίζοντας ἐναύλους,

  μαντιπόλου κερόεντος, ὅπῃ ποτὲ πολλάκις Ἄμμων

  ἀρνειοῦ τριέλικτον ἔχων ἴνδαλμα κεραίης

  ὀμφαίοις στομάτεσσιν ἐθέσπισεν Ἑσπέριος Ζεύς:

  οἵ τε ῥόον Χρεμέταο καὶ οἳ παρὰ Κίνυφος ὕδωρ

  375 ᾤκεον ἀζαλέης ψαμαθώδεα πέζαν ἀρούρης,

  Αὐσχῖσαι Βάκαλές τε συνήλυδες, οὓς πλέον ἄλλων

  Ἄρεϊ τερπομένους Ζεφυρήιος ἔτρεφεν ἀγκών.

  [333] Libyans also joined the host, whose home was in the western clime, the cities of wandering Cadmos near the clouds. For there on a time dwelt Cadmos carried by contrary winds, on the voyage with his Sithonian bride Harmonia still a maiden. The rumour of her beauty bred war and armed hostile neighbours. The Libyan army named her Charis, for the Bistonian girl bloomed like another Charis of this world and even more dainty, and the Graces’ Hill of Libya had its name from her. So the Maurusian people of the desert because of her beauty were stung with mad lust of robber warfare, and took arms, a horrible barbarian Ares wild with passion. But Harmonia’s mate held his shield before her, grasping in hand the spear of Libyan Athena to defend his beloved wife, and put to flight the whole nation of western Ethiopians, with armed Zeus as ally, with Ares and Cythereia. And there as they say, by the Tritonian lake, Cadmos the wanderer lay with rosycheek Harmonia, and the Nymphs Hesperides made a song for them, and Cypris together with the Loves decked out a fine bed for the wedding, hanging in the bridal chamber golden fruit from the Nymphs’ garden, a worthy lovegift for the bride; rich clusters of their leaves Harmonia and Cadmos twined through their hair, amid the abundance of their bridechamber, in place of the wedding-roses. Still more dainty the bride appeared wearing these golden gifts, the boon of golden Aphrodite. Her mother’s father the stooping Libyan Atlas awoke a tune of the heavenly harp to join the revels, and with tripping foot he twirled the heavens round like a ball, while he sang a stave of harmony himself not far away. Cadmos too, in memory of the love of his wedded bride, paid his footing in the Libyan land by building a hundred cities, and he gave to each lofty walls inaccessible, with towers of stone. With his memory in mind, came warriors to the host, forefighters of Enyo when Bromios went to war: those who dwell in settlements near the Moon’s birthplace, and the southern shelters of Zeus Asbystes the horned prophet, where Ammon the Western Zeus has often uttered oracles in the shape of a ram with three spiral horns; those whose home was on the sandy plain of parched land beside the stream of Chremetes and the water of Cinyps; Auschisai and Bacales together, bred in a corner of the West, and more than others devoted to Ares.

  τόσσος λαὸς ἔην ἑκατόμπολις: ἐρχομένης δὲ

  πληθύος ἡγεμόνευε Κραταιγόνος, ὅν ποτε κούρη

  380 Ἀγχιρόη Χρεμέταο παρὰ πλαταμῶνα τοκῆος

  Ψύλλου κουφονόοιο μινυνθαδίῃ τέκεν εὐνῇ

  νυμφίον ἀγκὰς ἔχουσα θεημάχον, οὗ ποτε καρποὺς

  ἄσθματι διψαλέῳ Νότος ἔφλεγε θερμὸς ἀήτης:

  αὐτὰρ ὁ θωρήσσων κορυθαιόλον Ἄρεα νηῶν

  385 ναύμαχον ἑσμὸν ἄγειρεν, ὅπως ποινήτορι θεσμῷ

  ἠερίοις ἀνέμοισιν ἀναστήσειεν Ἐνυώ,

  ἱέμενος κτεῖναι φλογερὸν Νότον: ἄγχι δὲ νήσου

  Αἰολίης στόλος ἦλθε σακέσπαλος, ἀλλὰ μανέντος

  ἀνδρὸς ἀκοντιστῆρες ἀελλήεντι κυδοιμῷ

  390 ὁλκάδα μαστίζοντες ἐθωρήχθησαν ἀῆται,

  συμφερτὴν δονέοντες ἀρηγόνα σύμπνοον αὔρην,

  καὶ στρατιὴν καὶ Ψύλλον ἐτυμβεύσαντο θαλάσσῃ.

  [378] So great was the people of the hundred cities; and their masses came led by Crataigonos, whom Anchiroë daughter of Chremetes brought forth on her father’s riverbank in that shortlasting union with Psyllos the harebrained; the bridegroom she held in her arms was the gods’ enemy. Notos, that hot wind, once burnt hi
s crops with parching breath; whereupon he fitted out a fleet and gathered a naval swarm of helmeted warriors, to stir up strife against he winds of the south with avenging doom, eager to kill fiery Notos. To the island of Aiolos sailed the shieldbearing fleet; but the Winds armed themselves and flogged the madman’s vessel, volleying with tempestuous tumult in a whirlwind throng of converted confederate blasts, and sank Psyllos and armament in a watery grave.

  Θρηικίης δὲ Σάμοιο συνέρρεον ἀσπιδιῶται,

  κοίρανος οὓς προΐαλλε βαθυσμήριγγος ὑπήνης,

  395 Ἠμαθίων βαρύγουνος, ἔχων χιονώδεα χαίτην,

  Τιτήνων μελέεσσιν ἐοικότας, οἵ τ᾽ ἔχον ἄμφω,

  ἀγχίαλον Μύρμηκα καὶ ἀνθεμόεντα Σαώκην,

  καὶ χθόνα Τευμερίοιο καὶ εὐλείμωνος ἀρούρης

  ἄλσεα Φησιάδαο κατάσκια δενδράδι λόχμῃ,

  400 καὶ ζαθέην Ζήρυνθον ἀκοιμήτων Κορυβάντων

  κτίσμα φατιζομένης Περσηίδος, ὁππόθι κούρης

  μυστιπόλων δαΐδων θιασώδεές εἰσιν ἐρίπναι,

  οἵ τε πολυγλώχινος ὑπὸ κρηπῖδος ἀρούρης

  Βρόντιον ἀμφενέμοντο, καὶ ἃς ἐπὶ γείτονι πόντῳ

  405 Ἀτραπιτοὺς βυθίοιο Ποσειδάωνος ἀκούω.

  τόσσαι μὲν στίχες ἦλθον ὁμήλυδες, ἀρχεγόνου δὲ

  Ἠλέκτρης, ὁμόφυλον ἐπιστώσαντο γενέθλην:

  κεῖθι γὰρ Ἁρμονίην γένος αἰθέρος, αἷμα θαλάσσης,

  Ἄρης, Ζεύς, Κυθέρεια θεῶν χραισμήτορι Κάδμῳ

  410 κουριδίην ἀνάεδνον ἐδωρήσαντο γυναῖκα.

  [393] From Samothrace came a stream of shieldmen, sent by their prince Emathion of the long flowing beard, himself heavy of knee, with snow-white hair, men limbed like Titans. They possessed both Myrmex on the sea and flower Saoce, aye and the land of Teumerios, and the glades and meadows of Phesiades’ land shaded with woodland copses, and divine Zerynthos of the unresting Corybants, the foundation of renowned Perseïs, where the rocks are thronged with torchbearing mystics of the Maid. There were others who lived under the manycraggy wall of the land about Brontion, and in Atrapitoi which I hear of on the neighbouring shore of deepsea Poseidon. All these companies came together, who were loyal to their sib, the ancient family of Electra; for there Ares, Zeus and Cythereia gave to Cadmos, the god’s ally, Harmonia heaven’s kin and sea’s blood, to be his lawful wife without brideprice.

  τοῖσι κορυσσομένοισι σὺν εὐθύρσῳ Διονύσῳ

  Ἠλέκτρης ἀνέτελλε δι᾽ αἰθέρος ἕβδομος ἀστὴρ

  δεξιὸν ὑσμίνης σημήιον, ἀμφὶ δὲ νίκῃ

  πληιάδων κελάδησε βοῆς ἀντίθροος ἠχὼ

  415 γνωτῆς αἷμα φέροντι χαριζομένη Διονύσῳ,

  καὶ στρατιῇ πόρε θάρσος ὁμοίιον: ἐρχομένων δὲ

  Ὤγυρος ἡγεμόνευεν ἐς Ἄρεα δεύτερος Ἄρης,

  Ὥγυρος ὑψικάρηνος, ἔχων ἴνδαλμα Γιγάντων:

  τοῦ μὲν ἔην ἄγναμπτον ὅλον δέμας, ἐκ δὲ καρήνου

  420 αὐχενίου τε τένονοτος ὀπισθοκόμων ἐπὶ νώτων

  ἰσοφανεῖς πλοκαμῖδες ἀκανθοφόροισιν ἐχίνοις

  ἔρρεον ἰξύος ἄχρι κατήλυδες: εἶχε δὲ δειρὴν

  μηκεδανήν, περίμετρον, ὁμοίιον αὐχένι πέτρης,

  βάρβαρον ἦθος ἔχων πατρώιον: οὐδέ τις αὐτοῦ

  425 φέρτερος ἄλλος ἵκανεν Ἑώιον εἰς μόθον Ἰνδῶν

  νόσφι Διωνύσοιο: καὶ ὅρκιον ὤμοσε Νίκην

  Ἰνδῴην χθόνα πᾶσαν ἑῷ δορὶ μοῦνος ὀλέσσαι.

  [411] As the armed host gathered to Dionysos with his thyrsus, Electra’s star rose with her six sisters in the sky in happy augury of the conflict; and the echoing voice of the Pleiads resounded for victory, doing grace to Dionysos who shared their sister’s blood, giving equal confidence to the host. Ogygros led their march to war, Ogygros himself a second war-god, his head towering high like one of the giants. Nothing could bend that great body. From his head and muscular neck, waves of hair fell to his loins, covering his back and shoulders, bristling like the spines of hedgehog. He had a throat of immense length and thickness, like a neck of rock. Barbarian and son of a barbarian was he; no other came to the Indian War in the east stronger than he was, except Dionysos. He had sworn an oath to Victory, that he would destroy the whole land of India with his own spear alone.

  καὶ θρασὺς υἱὸς Ἄρηος ἑὴν Πίμπλειαν ἐάσας

  Βιστονίης Οἴαγρος ἐκώμασεν ἀστὸς ἀρούρης,

  430 Ὀρφέα καλλείψας ἐπὶ γούνασι Καλλιοπείης

  νήπιον ἀρτιχύτῳ μεμελημένον εἰσέτι μαζῷ.

  [428] The bold son of Ares, Oiagros, quitted his city of Pimpleia on the Bistonian plain, and joined the rout. He left Orpheus on Calliopeia’s knees, a little one interested in his mother’s milk, still a new thing.

  Κυπριάδας δὲ φάλαγγας ἐκόσμεε Λίτρος ἀγήνωρ

  εὐχαίτης τε Λάπηθος: ἐθωρήσσοντο δὲ πολλοί,

  οἵ τ᾽ ἔλαχον Σφήκειαν, ἁλίκτυπον ἄντυγα νήσου.

  435 Κύπρον ἐυπτερύγων θεοδέγμονα νῆσον Ἐρώτων,

  Κύπριδος αὐτογόνοιο φερώνυμον, ἧς ποτε Κύπρου

  ἄκρα περιγράψας βυθίῃ γλωχῖνι τριαίνης

  ἰσοφυῆ δελφῖνι τύπον τορνώσατο Νηρεύς —

  ὁππότε γὰρ γονόεσσα κατάρρυτος ἄρσενι λύθρῳ

  440 Οὐρανίη μόρφωσε λεχώιον ἀφρὸν ἐέρση

  καὶ Παφίην ὤδινε, Κεραστίδος εἰς χθόνα Κύπρου

  ἔμφρονα θυμὸν ἔχων ὑπὲρ οἴδματος ἔτρεχε δελφίς,

  ἑζομένην λοφίῃσιν ἐλαφρίζων Ἀφροδίτην — ,

  οἵ τ᾽ ἔχον Ὑλάταο πέδον καὶ ἐδέθλια Σηστοῦ

  445 καὶ Τάμασον καὶ Τέμβρον Ἐρυθραίην τε πολίχνην

  καὶ τέμενος βαθύδενδρον ὀρεσσαύλοιο Πανάκρου:

  ἐκ δὲ Σόλων κεκόρυστο πολὺς στρατός, ἐκ δὲ Λαπήθου,

  ὕστερον ἣν ἐκάλεσσαν ὁμώνυμον ἡγεμονῆος,

  ὃς τότε λαὸν ἄγειρεν, ἐν εὐθύρσῳ δὲ κυδοιμῷ

  450 κάτθανε καὶ κτερέιστο καὶ οὔνομα λεῖπε πολίταις.

  οἵ τε πόλιν Κινύρειαν ἐπώνυμον εἰσέτι πέτρην

  ἀρχεγόνου Κινύραο, καὶ Οὐρανίης πέδον ἕδρης

  αἰθερίου κενεῶνος ἐπώνυμον, ὅττι πολίτας

  ἔτρεφεν ἀστράπτοντας ἐπουρανίων τύπον ἄστρων,

  455 οἵ τ᾽ εἶχον
Κραπάσειαν, ἁλιστεφὲς οὖδας ἀρούρης,

  καὶ Πάφον, ἁβροκόμων στεφανηφόρον ὅρμον Ἐρώτων,

  ἐξ ὑδάτων ἐπίβαθρον ἀνερχομένης Ἀφροδίτης,

  ἧχι θαλασσογόνου Παφίης νυμφήιον ὕδωρ,

  Σέτραχος ἱμερόεις, ὅθι πολλάκις εἷμα λαβοῦσα

  460 Κύπρις ἀνεχλαίνωσε λελουμένον υἱέα Μύρρης,

  καὶ πόλιν ἀρχεγόνου ποτὲ Περσέος, ᾧ ποτε Τεῦκρος,

  καλλείψας Σαλαμῖνα χολωομένου Τελαμῶνος,

  ὁπλοτέρην πύργωσεν ἀειδομένην Σαλαμῖνα.

  [432] The Cyprian companies were under command of proud Litros and finehair Lapethos. Many took up arms: those whose lot was in Spheceia, the round brinebeaten isle; others from Cypros, godwelcoming island of the finefeathered Loves, which bears the name of Cypris selfborn. Nereus had traced the boundaries of this Cypros with the deepsea prong, and shaped it like a dolphin. For when the fertile drops from Uranos, spilt with a mess of male gore, had given infant shape to the fertile foam and brought forth the Paphian, to the land of horned Cypros came a dolphin over the deep, which with intelligent mind carried Aphrodite perched on his mane. – Those also were there who held the land of Hylates, and the settlement of Sestos, Tamasos and Tembros, the town of Erythrai, the woody precincts of Panacros in the mountains. From Soloi also came many men-at-arms, and from Lapethos; this place was named afterwards from the leader who assembled them, who fell in the thyrsus-war and was honourable buried and left his name for his citizens. There were those also who had the city Cinyreia, that rock-island which still bears the name of ancient Cinyras; and those from the place where Urania lies, named after the heavenly vault, because it was full of men brilliant as the stars; and those who held Crapaseia, a land surrounded by sea; and those of Paphos, garlanded harbour of the softhaired Loves, landingplace of Aphrodite when she came up out of the waves, where is the bridebath of the seaborn goddess, lovely Setrachos: here Cypris often took a garment and draped the son of Myrrha after his bath. Last is the city of ancient Perseus, for whom Teucros, fleeing from Salamis before the wrath of Telamon, fortified the younger Salamis so renowned.