by Nonnus
Βάκχον ἰδεῖν μενέαινε: καὶ υἱέα Βότρυν ἐπείγων
κοίρανος Ἀσσυρίων ἀνεμώκεος ὑψόθι δίφρου
ἤντετο βοτρυόεντι παρερχομένῳ Διονύσῳ.
10 τὸν μέν ἰδὼν ἐπιόντα καὶ ἀργυρόκυκλον ἀπήνην
πορδαλίων τε λέπαδνα καὶ ἡνία φαιδρὰ λεόντων
βότρυς ἀκερσικόμης ἀνεσείρασεν ἅρμα τοκῆος:
καὶ Στάφυλος σκηπτοῦχος ἑοῦ κατεπήλατο δίφρου
πορδαλίων στατὸν ἴχνος ὀπιπεύων Διονύσου:
15 καὶ ποδὸς ὀκλάζοντος ἐπὶ χθονὸς ἴχνος ἐρείδων,
θαλλὸν ἐλαιήεντα θεουδέι χειρὶ τιταίνων ...
καὶ φιλίῳ Διόνυσον ἄναξ μειλίξατο μύθῳ:
[5] Now Staphylos heard of the unweaponed host of Satyrs, the holy secrets of the vine and the Euian gear of Lyaios. He wished therefore to see Bacchos; and the. Assyrian prince brought his son Botrys high in a windswift chariot, and met the advancing god of the vine. Botrys Longhair checked his father’s car when he saw Dionysos approaching in his silverwheeled wagon, the panthers in their yokestraps and the lions with shining reins; and Staphylos the sceptred king leapt out of the car when he saw the panthers of Dionysos halt. He sank to the ground on bended knee, and held out an olivebranch with reverent hand. Then the prince addressed Dionysos in conciliating words of friendship:
‘πρὸς Διὸς ἱκεσίοιο, τεοῦ, Διόνυσε, τοκῆος,
πρὸς Σεμέλης θεόπαιδος, ἐμὸν μὴ παῖδα παρέλθῃς.
20 ἔκλυον, ὡς ὑπέδεκτο τεὸν γενετῆρα Λυκάων,
αὐτὸν ὁμοῦ μακάρεσσι, καὶ υἱέα χειρὶ δαΐξας
Νύκτιμον ἀγνώσσοντι τεῷ παρέβαλλε τοκῆι,
καὶ Διὶ παμμεδέοντι μιῆς ἔψαυσε τραπέζης,
Ἀρκαδίης παρὰ πέζαν: ὑπὲρ Σιπύλου δὲ καρήνων
25 Τάνταλος, ὡς ἐνέπουσι, τεὸν ξείνισσε τοκῆα,
δαιτρεύσας δ᾽ ἑὸν υἷα θεοῖς παρέθηκεν ἐδωδήν:
καὶ Πέλοπος πλατὺν ὦμον, ὅσον θοινήσατο Δηώ,
μορφώσας ἐλέφαντι, νόθῳ τεχνήμονι κόσμῳ,
[18] “In the name of Zeus the suppliant’s god, your own father, Dionysos, in the name of Semele the young god’s mother, disregard not my son! I have heard how Lycaon entertained your father himself with the Blessed, how he cut up his son Nyctimos with his own hand and served him up to your father unknowing and touched one table with Zeus Almighty, in the land of Arcadia. Again, on the heads of Sipylos, I have heard how Tantalos received your father as his guest, butchered his own son and set him before the gods at dinner; how Cronion fitted together again the separated limbs and restored to life the butchered son, replacing the broad shoulder of Pelops — the only part which Deo had eaten — by a makeshift artificial shape of ivory.
υἱέα δαιτρευθέντα πάλιν ζώγρησε Κρονίων,
30 ἔμπαλιν ἀλλήλοις μεμερισμένα γυῖα συνάπτων.
ἀλλὰ τί σοι, Διόνυσε, Λυκάονα παιδοφονῆα
ξεινοδόκον μακάρων, καὶ Τάνταλον ἠεροφοίτην
νεκταρέων ὀνόμηνα δολόφρονα φῶρα κυπέλλων,
δήιον ἀμβροσίης καἰ νέκταρος ἄνδρα πιφαύσκων;
35 Ζῆνα καὶ Ἀπόλλωνα μιῇ ξείνισσε Μακελλώ ...
καὶ Φλεγύας ὅτε πάντας ἀνερρίζωσε θαλάσσῃ
νῆσον ὅλην τριόδοντι διαρρήξας ἐνοσίχθων,
ἀμφοτέρας ἐφύλαξε καὶ οὐ πρήνιξε τριαίνῃ.
[29] “But why, Dionysos, have I named to you Lycaon the Sonmurderer who entertained the Blessed, or Tantalos visitor of the skies, who planned the crafty theft of the cups of nectar — why mention the ravisher of nectar and ambrosia? Macello entertained Zeus and Apollo at one table... and when Earthshaker had shattered the whole island with his trident and rooted all the Phlegyans at the bottom of the sea, he saved both women and did not strike them down with the trident.
καὶ σύ, φέρων μίμημα τεοῦ ξενίοιο τοκῆος,
40 εἰς μίαν ἠριγένειαν ἐμῶν ἐπίβηθι μελάθρων:
δὸς χάριν ἀμφοτέροις, καὶ Βότρυϊ καἰ γενετῆρι.’
[39] “Do you now follow the example of your Father the Friend of Guests: enter my mansion for one day. Grant this grace to us both, to Botrys and to his father.”
ὥς εἰπὼν παρέπεισεν: ἑῷ δ᾽ ἐποχήσατο δίφρῳ.
ὀλβίζων ἑὸν οἶκον, ἐφεσπομένου Διονύσου:
καὶ θρασὺς ἱππείην ἀνεκούφισε Βότρυς ἱμάσθλην,
45 ταυρείην δ᾽ ἑλικηδὸν ἐρημάδα πέζαν ὁδεύων
ἤλασε πάτριον ἅρμα, καὶ ἡγεμόνευε Λυαίῳ
Ἀσσυρίην ἐπὶ γαῖαν: ἐπαυχενίοις δὲ λεπάδνοις
χρύσεα Μυγδονίοιο δεδεγμένος ἡνία διφρου
ἡνίοχος Βρομίοιο Μάρων, ἀκόρητος ἱμάσθλης
50 θηρονόμου μάστιγος ἀφειδέα ῥοῖζον ἰάλλων,
πορδαλίων ἤλαυνεν ἀελλήεσσαν ἀπήνην:
καὶ Σάτυροι προθέοντες ἀνεκρούσαντο χορείην,
ἀμφιπερισκαίροντες ὀρίδρομον ἄρμα Λυαίου:
πολλὴ δ᾽ ἔνθα καἰ ἔνθα φιλάνθεμος ἔτρεχε Βάκχη
55 δύσβατον οἶμον ἔχουσα βατῷ ποδί, καἰ πτύχα πέτρης
στεινὴν κλιμακόεσσαν ἐμέτρεεν ὠκέι ταρσῷ,
καὶ παλάμῃ κροτάλιζε καὶ εὐρύθμοισι πεδίλοις,
μόχθον ὑποκλέπτουσα βαθυκρήμνοιο κελεύθου,
οἰστρομανής: καὶ Πᾶνες ἐθήμονος ὑψόθι πέτρης
60 ποσσὶν ἐυκνήμισιν ἐπωρχήσατο κονίῃ,
ἀστιβέος πρηῶνα διαστείχοντες ἐρίπνης.
[42] He won the god’s consent, and drove on with his car, blessing the happiness of his house, while Dionysos followed. Bold Botrys raised his whip, and drove his father’s car by winding ways through the wilderness of Mount Tauros, until he guided Lyaios into the Assyrian land. Meanwhile Maron the god’s charioteer took up the golden reins of the Mygdonian chariot, and drove the team of stormswift panthers with yokestraps on their necks, sparing not the whip, but whizzing a lavish lash to manage the beasts. Satyrs ran in front, striking up a dance and skipping round and round the hillranging car of Lyaios; troops of flowerloving Bacchant women ran on this side and that side, treading the rough tracks afoot, climbing with quick feet the narrow steps of the mountain-side, while their shoes beat in time with their rattling hands — thus they beguiled the labour of the steep stony path, stung with madness. And the Pans, high on their familiar rocks, danced in the dust with nimble feet, passing over the headlands of those untrodden precipices.
ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε νισσομένοισι φάνη β�
�σιλήιος αὐλὴ
τηλεφανὴς στίλβουσα λίθων ἑτερόχροϊ κόσμῳ,
εὐχαίτης τότε Βότρυς ὄχον πατρῷον ἐάσας
65 εἰς δόμον ὠκυπέδιλος ἔβη, προκέλευθος ὁδίτης,
[62] But when they arrived, and the royal palace became visible, shining afar with checkered patterns of stone, then longhaired Botrys left his father’s carriage and went swiftshoe into the house, van-courier of the company: he made all ready, and with attentive care prepared the diversified dishes of a rich banquet.
ἐντύνων ἅμα πάντα, φιλοστόργῳ δὲ μενοινῇ
ὥπλισε πιαλέης ἑτερότροπα δεῖπνα τραπέζης.
ὄφρα μέν εἰσέτι Βότρυς ἐκόσμεε δαῖτα Λυαίῳ,
τόφρα δὲ ποικιλόδωρος ἄναξ ἐπεδείκνυε Βάκχῳ
70 κάλλεα τεχνήεντα λιθοστρώτοιο μελάθρου,
τῶν ἄπο μαρμαρέη πολυδαίδαλος ἔρρεεν αἴγλη,
σύγχροος ἠελίοιο καὶ ἀντιτύποιο σελήνης:
τοῖχοι δ᾽ ἀργυρέοισιν ἐλευκαίνοντο μετάλλοις,
καὶ μερόπων σπινθῆρας ἐπαστράπτουσα προσώπῳ
75 λύχνις ἔην, λύχνοιο φερώνυμος: εἶχε καἰ αὐτὴν
οἶκος ἐρευθιόωντι κεκασμένος αἴθοπι πέτρῳ
οἰνωπὴν ἀμέθυστον ἐρειδομένην ὑακίνθῳ:
αὐγὴν δ᾽ αἰθαλόεσσαν ἀπέπτυεν ὠχρὸς ἀχάτης,
καἰ φολίδων στικτοῖσι τύποις ἀμάρυσσεν ὀφίτης:
80 Ἀσσυρίη δὲ μάραγδος ἀνήρυγεν ἔγχλοον αἴγλην.
κιονέῃ δὲ φάλαγγι περιστρωθέντα μελάθρων
χρύσεα δουρατέης ἐρυθαίνετο νῶτα καλύπτρης
ἀφνειοῖς ὀρόφοισι: πολυσχιδέων δέ μετάλλων
φαιδρὸν ἐυψήφιδι πέδον ποικίλλετο τέχνῃ:
85 καὶ πυλεὼν περίμετρος ἐυγλύπτῳ τινὶ δούρῳ
λεπτοφυῆ τύπον εἶχε νεοπρίστων ἐλεφάντων.
[66] While Botrys was yet arranging the feast for Lyaios, the king of magnificent bounty displayed to Bacchos the artist’s hand in the stonework of his hall, from which poured a shining brightness of many colours and shapes like the sun and his reflecting moon. The walls were white with solid silver. There was the lychnite, which takes its name from light, turning its glistening gleams in the faces of men. The place was also decorated with the glowing ruby stone, and showed winecoloured amethyst set beside sapphire. The pale agate threw off its burnt sheen, and the snakestone sparkled in speckled shapes of scales; the Assyrian emerald discharged its greeny flash. Stretched over a regiment of pillars along the hall the gilded timbers of the roof showed a reddish glow in their opulent roofs. The floor shone with the intricate patterns of a tessellated pavement of metals; and the huge door with a baulk of wood delicately carved looked like ivory freshly cut.
τοῖα γέρων σκηπτοῦχος ἐδείκνυε μάρτυρι Βάκχῳ:
καὶ μόγις ἴχνος ἔκαμψεν ἔσω θεοδέγμονος αὐλῆς
χειρὸς ἔχων Διόνυσον: ὁ δὲ βραδυπειθέι ταρσῷ
90 πλαζομένην ἑλικηδὸν ἑὴν ἐτίταινεν ὀπωπήν:
καὶ θεὸς ἀστερόεσσαν ἐθάμβεεν ἤνοπι κόσμῳ
ξεινοδόκου βασιλῆος ἰδὼν χρυσήλατον αὐλήν.
[87] Such were the sights which the old monarch displayed to watchful Bacchos. He could hardly manage to move through the hall with his divine guest, holding Dionysos by the hand; the other followed with slow obedient foot, and turned his wandering gaze to each thing in order. The god was amazed at the hospitable king’s hall, embellished with gold and starry with glittering decorations.
ἀμφιπόλους δ᾽ οἴστρησεν ἄναξ καὶ δμῶας ἐπείγων,
ταύρων ζατρεφέων ἀγέλην καὶ πώεα μήλων
95 δαιτρεύειν Σατύροισι βοοκραίρου Διονύσου.
καὶ Σταφύλου σπεύδοντος ἔην ταχυεργὸς ἀπειλὴ
δμωσὶν ἀμοιβαίοισιν: ἐπερρώοντο δὲ πολλοὶ
εἰλαπίνης δρηστῆρες: ἐδαιτρεύοντο δὲ ταῦροι
καὶ νομάδων ὀίων λιπαραὶ στίχες. ἦν δὲ χορείη:
100 καὶ δόμον εὐφόρμιγγα θυώδεες ἔπνεον αὖραι,
εὐόδμου δέ πόληος ἀνεκνίσσωσαν ἀγυιάς:
ἀμφιλαφεῖς δ᾽ ἐμέθυσσαν ὅλον δόμον ἰκμάδες οἴνου.
κύμβαλα δ᾽ ἐπλατάγησε, παρ᾽ εὐκελάδῳ δὲ τραπέζῃ
Πανιάδες σύριγγες ἐβόμβεον, ἔβρεμον αὐλοὶ
105 συμπλεκέες, καὶ κύκλος ἐριγδούποιο βοείης
διχθαδίοις πατάγοισιν ἐπεσμαράγησε μελάθρῳ,
[93] The king harried his servants and stirred up his serfs, to slaughter a herd of fine fat bulls and flocks of sheep for the Satyrs of bullhorn Dionysos. Then there was quick work, under the menaces of busy Staphylos with relays of serfs. A crowd of servants were hard at it preparing the banquet, bulls were butchered and processions of fat sheep from the pasture. There was dancing too; fragrant air was wafted through a house full of harping, the streets of the city were filled with sweet steamy odours, ample streams of wine made the whole house carouse. Cymbals clanged, panspipes whiffled about the melodious table, double hoboys were drooning, the round of the loudthrumming drum made the hall ring again with its double bangs, there were castanets rattling over that supper!
καὶ κτύπος ἦν κροτάλων ἐπιδόρπιος. ὲν δ᾽ ἄπα μέσσῳ
οἰνοβαρὴς τρομεροῖο φέρων ποδὸς ἄστατον ὁρμὴν
ἤιεν ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα Μάρων, δεδονημένος οἴστρῳ,
110 ὄρθιον ἐκ δαπέδοιο παλίσσυτον ἴχνος ἑλίσσων,
χεῖρας ἑὰς διδύμων Σατύρων ὑπὲρ ὦμον ἐρείσας
μεσσοφανής: ἑτέρου δὲ ποδὸς κουφίζετο παλμῷ
ἀλλοτρίῳ, ξανθωπὸν ἔχων χρόα, μεσσόθι, πέμπων
πορφυρέας ἀκτῖνας ὅλῳ στίλβοντι προσώπῳ,
115 ἀντίτυπον μίμημα Σεληναίῃσι κεραίαις,
λαιῇ μὲν νεόδαρτον ἐθήμονος ἔγκυον οἴνου
αὐχενίῳ ζωστῆρι περίπλοκον ἀσκὸν ἀείρων,
δεξιτερῇ δὲ κύπελλον: ἐκυκλώσαντο δὲ Βάκχαι
γηραλέον σκαίροντα ποδῶν ἑτεραλκέι ταρσῷ,
120 οἷα πεσεῖν μέλλοντα τινασσομένοιο καρήνου,
οὔ ποτε πεπτηῶτα. μεθυσφαλέες δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ
ἀμφίπολοι καὶ δμῶες ἐβακχεύοντο χορείῃ,
γευσάμενοι πρώτιστον ἀήθεος ἡδέος οἴνου.
[107] And there in the midst came Maron, heavy wit
h wine, staggering on unsteady feet and moving to and fro as frenzy drove him. He threw his arms over the shoulders of two Satyrs and supported himself between them, then climbed right up from the ground twisting his legs about them. So he was lifted by the dancing feet of others, with red skin, his whole face emitting ruddy rays and shining between them, the very image of the crescent moon. In his left hand he held a newly flayed skin teeming with the inevitable wine and tied at the neck with a cord; in his right a cup. Bacchant women were all round the old creature as he skips on other men’s feet, with lolling head, every moment threatening to fall but never down. Servants and serfs alike were rolling drunk and danced wildly about, after tasting for the first time the delicious wine they never had before.
καὶ Σταφύλου βασιλῆος ἀριστώδινα γυναῖκα
125 Βακχιὰς ἀμπελόεσσα Μέθην ἐμέθυσεν ἐέρση:
ἡ δὲ καρηβαρέουσα πιεῖν πάλιν ᾔτεε Βάκχας,
οἰνοδόκον κρητῆρα περισκαίρουσα Λυαίου:
καὶ κεφαλὴν ἐλέλιζε μετήλυδα δίζυγι παλμῷ,
ὤμῳ ἐπικλίνουσα κόμην ἑτεραλκέι ῥιπῇ
130 ἄστατος, ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα παλίντροπος: ἀμφὶ δὲ γαίῃ
πυκνὰ πεσεῖν μέλλουσαν ὀλισθηροῖσι πεδίλοις
θυιάδα χερσὶ λαβοῦσα Μέθην ὠρθώσατο Βάκχη.
καὶ Στάφυλος μεμέθυστο: φιλακρήτῳ δὲ κυπέλλῳ
βότρυος οἰνωθέντος ἐφοινίσσοντο παρειαί:
135 καὶ πάις ἀρτιγένειος ἅμα Σταφύλῳ γενετῆρι
ἀπλεκέας πλοκαμῖδας ἀήθεϊ δήσατο κισσῷ
μιτρώσας στεφανηδόν: ἐπ᾽ ἴχνεσι δ᾽ ἴχνος ἀμείβων
ποσσὶν ὁμοζήλοισιν ἕλιξ ὠρχήσατο Βότρυς,