Works of Nonnus

by Nonnus

  οὐκ ἀπὸ Πυγμαλίωνος ἔχεις γένος, ᾦ πόρε Κύπρις

  μηκεδανὴν βιότοιο πολυχρονίοιο πορείην:

  οὔ σε τεῆς Παφίης ἐρρύσατο νυμφίος Ἄρης:

  215 οὐδέ σοι ἄσπετα κύκλα παλιννόστων ἐνιαυτῶν

  δῶκε τεὴ Κυθέρεια καὶ οὐ σκάζουσαν ἀπήνην,

  ὄφρα φύγῃς σέο πότμον ἀλεξιμόρων ἐπὶ δίφρων,

  ἡμιόνων βαρύγουνον ἀεὶ δρόμον ἡνιοχεύων.

  ἤλιτον, ἐκ Κύπροιο φέρεις γένος: ὠκύμορον γὰρ

  220 Αρης καὶ σὲ δάμασσεν ὁμοίιον υἱέι Μύρρης.’

  [210] “Boy, you must be a stranger to the land which is called your nurse — Echelaos lad, you have belied your birth as a Cyprian! You are not sprung from Pygmalion, to whom Cypris gave a long course of life and many years. Ares the bridegroom of your Paphian did not save you. Your Cythcreia did not grant you infinite circles of revolving years and a car that stumbled not, that you might escape your fate on that fatefending waggon, as you ever drove a kneeheavy run of mules! — Wrong! you do come from Cyprus. Fate caught you also quick when Ares vanquished you just like Myrrha’s son.”

  ὣς εἰπὼν πρυλέεσσι δορυσσόος ᾔχμασε Μορρεύς:

  εἰλιπόδην δὲ Βίλιθον ἑλὼν καὶ Δένθιν ὀλέσσας,

  αὐχένα δ᾽ ὀρχηστῆρος Ἐριγβώλοιο δαΐξας

  ἔγχεϊ τηλεβόλῳ Φρυγίους ἐφόβησε μαχητάς:

  225 Σηβέα δ᾽ ὀκριόεντι κατεπρήνιξε βελέμνῳ:

  Θηβαίων δὲ φάλαγγα καί Ἀκταίωνα διώκων

  ἔκτανεν Εὐβώτην, Καδμηίδος ἀστὸν ἀρούρης,

  σύννομον Ἀκταίωνος. ὁμοφθόγγῳ δ᾽ ἀλαλητῷ

  πολλοὶ Δηριάδαο πεφυζότες ἄπλετον ἀλκὴν

  230 πασσυδὸν ὠλίσθησαν ὁμόζυγος εἰς λίνα Μοίρης,

  αὐτοφόνῳ θνήσκοντες ἀλοιητῆρι σιδήρῳ,

  ἀνδρὸς ἑνὸς ῥιπῇσιν: ἐπ᾽ ἀλλήλοις δὲ πεσόντες

  αἱμαλέῃ στοιχηδὸν ἐπεστόρνυντο κονίῃ

  Κρίμισος, Ἱμαλέων, Φράσιος, Θάργηλος, Ἰάων,

  235 οἶσι δαϊζομένοις ἐναρίθμιος ἤριπε Κοίλων,

  καὶ νέκυς αἱματόεντι Κύης ἐκυλίνδετο πότμῳ:

  καὶ φόνος ἄσπετος ἔσκε: δαϊζιμένων δέ σιδήρῳ

  ἐχθρῷ διψὰς ἄρουρα θελήμονι λούσατο λύθρῳ,

  δεχνυμένη ξένον ὄμβρον Ἐνυαλίου νιφετοῖο.

  [221] As he spoke the words, shakespear Morrheus thrust again at the footmen. He caught waddling Bilithos and killed Denthis, cut off the head of Erigbolos the dancer and put the Phrygian warriors to flight with farcast spear. Sebeus he brought down with a jagged stone; he chased Actaion and the company of Thebans, and killed Eubotes, who dwelt in the Cadmeian country, a companion of Actaion. One common shriek arose as a multitude fleeing before the infinite might of Deriades in utter rout slipt into the meshes of one common fate, dying in heaps under the blows of one man and his murderous destroying steel, falling over each other and lying in rows on the bloodstained dust — Crimisos Himaleon Phrasios Thargelos Iaon: Coilon tumbled among them slain, Cyes rolled over in bloody death a corpse. The carnage was infinite: the steel cut them down, the thirsty soil accepted this foreign shower of war’s torrents, and gladly bathed in the enemies’ blood.

  240 Βακχείης δέ φάλαγγος ἔην κλόνος: ἀσταθέες γὰρ

  πεζοὶ μὲν δεδόνηντο, φυγοπτολέμων δ᾽ ἐλατήρων

  εἰς φόβον εὐλάιγγες ἀνεκρούοντο χαλινοί:

  ὧν ὁ μὲν οὐρεσίφοιτος ἐδύσατο κοιλάδα πέτρην,

  ὃς δὲ μολὼν τανύφυλλον ὑπὸ κλέτας ἕζετο λόχμης

  245 κρυπτόμενος πετάλοισιν, ὁ δὲ σπήλυγγα λεόντων,

  ἄλλος ἀμαιμακέτοιο μετήιεν ἔνδιον ἄριτου:

  καί τις ἀερσιλόφοιο διὰ πρηῶνος ἀλύξας

  ποσσὶν ὀρεσσινόμοισι διέστιχεν ἄκρα κολώνης.

  Βάκχη δ᾽ ἀρτιτόκοιο παρήλυθε θηρὸς ἐναύλους,

  250 ταρβαλέῳ πρηῶνα διαστείβουσα πεδίλῳ:

  οὐ γὰρ ἔχειν μενέαινε λεοντείην ἔτι πέτρην,

  ἀλλὰ λιποσθενέων ἐλάφων ἐκίχησε καλιὴν

  ἤθεσιν ἀδρανέεσσιν, ἐπεὶ προτέρην φρένα Βάκχη

  εἰς κραδίην ἐλάφοιο μετέτραπεν ἀντὶ λεαίνης.

  255 καί τις ἀελλοπόδων Σατύρων δειδήμονι ταρσῷ

  ἔτρεχεν, ἀσταθέεσσιν ἀσάμβαλος εἴκελος αὔραις,

  φεύγων Δηριάδαο θεημάχον ὄγκον ἀπειλῆς.

  καὶ σκοπέλους ἐδίωκε γέρων Σειληνὸς ἀλήτης:

  πολλάκι δ᾽ εἰς χθόνα πῖπτε κονιομένοιο προσώπου,

  260 ὀκλάζων βαρύγουνος ὀλισθηροῖσι πεδίλοις,

  ἔμπαλιν ὀρθώσας λάσιον δέμας: ἐν δὲ κολώναις

  ἀντὶ μόθου κεκάλυπτο, καὶ Εὔιον ἔγχος ἀνάγκῃ

  κάλλιπεν ἀπτολέμοισι μεμηλότα θύρσον ἀέλλαις,

  καὶ μόγις εὐπήληκος ἀλεύατο Μορρέος αἰχμήν.

  265 ὀκναλέοις δὲ πόδεσσιν ἐχάζετο νωθρὸς Ἐρεχθεύς,

  ἐντροπαλιζομένην τανύων εὔκυκλον ὀπωπήν,

  αἰδόμενος μενέχαρμον ἑὴν πολιοῦχον Ἀθήνην.

  Βακχείην δ᾽ ἀέκων ἠρνήσατο Μαινάδα χάρμην

  λαιὸν Ἀρισταῖος βεβολημένος ὦμον ὀιστῷ.

  270 καὶ στρατιὴν ἀλέεινε δοριθρασέων Κορυβάντων

  οὐτηθεὶς λασίοιο κατὰ στέρνοιο Μελισσεύς,

  μαζὸν Ἐρυθραίῃ κεχαραγμένος ἄκρον ἀκωκῇ.

  καὶ βλοσυροὶ Κύκλωπες ἀναιδέες εὔποδι ταρσῷ

  εἰς φόβον ἠπείγοντο τεθηπότες, οἷς ἄμα φεύγων

  275 Ἰνδῴην ἀδόνητος ἐλίμπανε Φαῦνος Ἐνυώ.

  εὐκεράου δὲ φάλαγγος ὅλον στρατὸν εἰς φόβον ἕλκων

  πρεσβυγενὴς φύξηλις ἐχάζετο Παρράσιος Πάν,

  σιγαλέοις δὲ πόδεσσιν ἐδύσατο δάσκιον ὕλην,

  μή μιν ἴδῃ φεύγοντα δι᾽ οὔρεος ἄστατος Ηχώ.

  280 καί οἱ ἐπεγγελάσειε καὶ ἀδρανέοντα καλέσσῃ.

  [240] There was panic in the army of Bacchos. The footmen were shaken and ran, the horsemen checked their jewelled bridles to flee and escape. So one made for the hills and into a cave in the rocks, one crept into the bushes on
the hillside and sat hidden under the leaves, one entered the cave of lions, another the den of a savage bear, one slunk over a high cliff and traversed the uplands with hillranging feet. A Bacchant passed by the lair of a wild beast with a litter, and trod the uplands with timid shoe; now she wanted no longer a lion’s rocky den, but she found a harbourage of weak deer in her craven mood — for she had changed her former heart into a deer’s heart instead of a lioness. One of the stormswift Satyrs was running like the quick winds, unshod, with frightened foot, to escape the impious weight of Deriades’ threats. An old Seilenos wandered scouring the cliffs. Often he sank with stumbling feet upon heavy knees, and fell to the ground and covered his face with dirt; then he lifted his hairy form again, but instead of fighting he hid among the hills, and with difficulty kept clear of helmeted Morrheus with his spear. The spear of Euios, the thyrsus, he was obliged to throw away for the peaceful winds to take care of. Erechtheus retired slowly with reluctant feet, turning again and again his round eyes backwards, for he was ashamed to think of Athena the warlike patron of his city. Aristaios hit by an arrow in the left shoulder, unwillingly refused to take further part in Mainad battle on behalf of Bacchos. Melisseus was avoiding the company of spearbold Corybants; he was pierced through his hairy chest and the Erythraian spear had gone through the nipple. The grim merciless Cyclopians hastened to flee discomfited with quick foot, and with them Phaunos also fled from the Indian battle though unshaken. An ancient Parrhasian Pan, himself a runaway, led to flight the whole horned company, and with silent feet plunged into the shadowy forest, that restless Echo might not see him escaping over the hills and mock him and call him coward.

  καὶ πρόμαχοι τότε πάντες ὑπέκφυγον: ἐν δὲ κυδοιμοῖς

  Αἰακὸς αὐτόθι μοῦνος ἐλείπετο, μαρνάμενος δὲ

  δεύετο μὴ παρεόντος ἀνικήτου Διονύσου:

  ἔμπης δ᾽ αὐτόθι μίμνεν. ἀπὸ σκοπέλοιο δὲ Νύμφαι

  285 Νηιάδος βυθίοισιν ἐνεκρύπτοντο μελάθροις:

  αἱ μὲν Ὑδασπιάδεσσιν ὁμήλυδες, αἱ δὲ φυγοῦσαι

  Ἰνδὸν ἐς ἀγχικέλευθον ἐναυλίζοντο ῥεέθροις,

  ἄλλαι Συδριάδεσσιν ὁμόστολοι, αἱ δ᾽ ἐνὶ Γάγγῃ

  λύθρον ἀπεσμήξαντο νεόσσυτον, ἃς τότε πολλὰς

  290 ἐρχομένας ἀγεληδὸν ἐς ὑδατόεντας ἐναύλους

  νηιὰς ἀργυρόπεζα φιλοξείνῳ πυλεῶνι

  δέξατο κυματόεντος ἐς αὔλια παρθενεῶνος.

  ἄλλαι Ἁμαδρυάδος σκιεροῖς κρύπτοντο κορύμβοις,

  δυσάμεναι δρυόεντας ἀνοιγομένους κενεῶνας.

  295 πολλαὶ δ᾽ ὑγροτόκους ὑπὸ πίδακας ἐγγύθι πέτρης

  Βασσαρίδες κρουνηδὸν ἐκώκυον: ἀρτιχύτῳ δὲ

  ὄμβρῳ δακρυόεντι φιλοθρήνοιο προσώπου

  πληθομένη βαθύκολπος ὅλη πορφύρετο πηγή,

  μυρομένη βαρὺ πένθος ἀπενθήτου Διονύσου.

  [281] Now the leaders had slunk away, all but Aiacos, who was left there alone in the battle fighting on, though he needed the presence of unconquered Dionysos. Nevertheless there he stayed. The Nymphs from the rocks had hidden in the deep hall of some Naiad; these joined the nymphs of Hydaspes, those fled to neighbouring Indos and lodged in his waters, others went to the Sydros, others washed off the fresh gore in the Ganges — these were many, they came in herds to the watery channels, and the silverfoot Naiad stood at her hospitable door to welcome them into the watery retreat of her virginal palace. Others hid under the shady branches of a Hamadryad or slipt into open holes in the trees. Many Bassarids were beside the watersprings near the rock shedding fountains of tears; and the deep fountain itself, filled with the showers of tears newly shed upon her sorrowful countenance, grew all dark lamenting the heavy mourning of nevermourning Dionysos.

  BOOK 33

  ἐν δὲ τριηκοστῷ τριτάτῳ Μορρῆα δαμάζει

  φλέξας θοῦρος Ἔρως ἐπὶ κάλλεϊ Χαλκομεδείης.

  αὐτὰρ ὁ φοιταλέῳ πεφορημένος ἅλματι ταρσῶν

  εὐκεράῳ ταχύγουνος ὁμοίιος ἔσσυτο ταύρω,

  λοίγιον ἄσθμα χέων ἑτερόφρονος οἴδματι λύσσης.

  BOOK XXXIII

  In the thirty-third, furious Love masters Morrheus, and sets him aflame for the beauty of Chalcomedeia.

  BUT Bacchos himself, rushed away kneequick like a horned bull, carried in long leaps by his wandering feet, puffing deadly breath in the flood of his frenzied madness.

  καὶ Χάρις ὠκυπέδιλος Ἐρυθραίῳ παρὰ κήπῳ

  5 φυταλιὴν εὔοδμον ἀμεργομένη δονακήων,

  ὄφρα πυριπνεύστων Παφίων ἔντοσθε λεβήτων

  Ἀσσυρίου μίξασα χυτὰς ὠδῖνας ἐλαίου

  ἄνθεσιν Ἰνδῴοισι μύρον τεύξειεν ἀνάσσῃ,

  ὁππότε παντοίην δροσερὴν ἐδρέψατο ποίην,

  10 χῶρον ὅλον θηεῖτο: καὶ ἀγχιπόρῳ παρὰ λόχμῃ

  λύσσαν ἑοῦ γενετῆρος ὀπιπεύουσα Λυαίου

  ἀχνυμένη δάκρυσε, φιλοστόργῳ δὲ μενοινῇ

  πενθαλέοις ὀνύχεσσιν ἑὰς ἐχάραξε παρειάς:

  καὶ Σατύρους σκοπίαζεν ὑποπτήσσοντας Ἐνυώ,

  15 Κωδώνην δ᾽ ἐνόησε μινυνθαδίην τε Γιγαρτὼ

  κεκλιμένας ἐφύπερθεν ἀτυμβεύτοιο κονίης:

  Χαλκομέδην δ᾽ ἐλέαιρε θυελλήεντι πεδίλῳ

  μαινομένου Μορρῆος ἀλυσκάζουσαν ἀκωκήν,

  καὶ φθονερὴ δεδόνητο ῥοδώπιδος εἵνεκα κούρης,

  20 μή ποτε νικήσειεν ἐς ἀγλαΐην Ἀφροδίτην.

  [4] One of the swiftshoe Graces was gathering the shoots of the fragrant reeds in the Erythraian garden, in order to mix the flowing juice of Assyrian oil with Indian flowers in the steaming cauldrons of Paphos, and make ointment for her Lady. While she plucked all manner of dew-wet plants she gazed all round the place; and there in a forest not far off she saw the madness of Lyaios her father.” She wept for sorrow and tender affection, and tore her cheeks with her nails in mourning. Then she saw the Satyrs scurrying from battle; she distinguished Codone and Gigarto, dead too soon, lying on the dust unburied; she pitied Chaleomede fleeing with stormswift shoe from the blade of furious Morrheus — and indeed she was shaken with jealousy of the rosy-check maiden, for fear she might win the day with radiant Aphrodite.

  ἀχνυμένη δ᾽ ἐς Ὄλυμπον ἀνήιε, πενθάδι σιγῇ

  ἄλγος ἑοῦ γενετῆρος ὑποκλέπτουσα Λυαίου:

  καὶ χλόος εὐκύκλοιο παρηίδος ἄνθος ἀμείψας

  μαρμαρυγὴν στίλβουσαν ἀπημάλδυνε προσώπου.

  [21] Sorrowing she returned to heaven, but she hid her grief for Lyaios her father in mournful silence. Pallor displaced the bloom on her rounded cheek, and dimmed the bright radiance of her face.

  25 τὴν δὲ κατηφιόωσαν Ἀδωνιὰς ἔννεπε Κύπρις,

  τοῖον ἔπ
ος βοόωσα παρήγορον, ἐκ δὲ προσώπου

  Πασιθέης ἐνόησεν ἄχος κήρυκι σιωπῇ:

  [25] Cypris, the lover of Adonis, saw Pasithea downcast, and understood the grief heralded by her silent face; then she addressed to her these comforting words:

  ‘νύμφα φίλη, τί παθοῦσα τεὴν ἠλλάξαο μορφήν;

  παρθένε, πῶς μετάμειψας ἐρευθαλέην σέο μορφήν;

  30 εἰαρινὴν δ᾽ ἀκτῖνα τίς ἔσβεσε σεῖο προσώπου;

  οὐκέτι σῶν μελέων ἀμαρύσσεται ἄργυφος αἴγλη:

  οὐκέτι δ᾽. ὡς τὸ πρόσθε, τεαὶ γελόωσιν ὀπωπαί.

  ἀλλὰ τεὰς ἀγόρευε μεληδόνας: ἦ ῥά σε τείρει

  υἱὸς ἐμός, φιλέεις δὲ ποθοβλήτῳ παρὰ πέτρῃ

  35 οἷα Σεληναίη τινὰ βουκόλον; ἦ ῥά που αὐτὴν

  καὶ σὲ μετ᾽ Ἠριγένειαν Ἔρως ἐπεμάστιε κεστῷ;

  οἶδα, πόθεν χλοάουσι παρηίδες: ὅττί σε κούρην

  νυμφίος ἀχλυόεις νυμφεύεται Ὕπνος ἀλήτης:

  οὐ μὲν ἀναινομένην σε βιήσομαι, οὐδὲ συνάψω

  40 λευκάδι Πασιθέῃ μελανόχροον Ὕπνον ἀκοίτην.’

  [28] “Dear girl, what trouble has changed your looks? Maiden, what has made you lose your ruddy looks? Who has quenched the gleams of springtime from your face? The silvery sheen shines no longer upon your skin, your eyes no longer laugh as before. Come now, tell me your anxieties. Are you plagued by my son, perhaps? Are you in love with some herdsman, among the mountains, struck with desire, like Selene? Has Eros perhaps flicked you also with the cestus, like Dawn once before? — Ah, I know why your cheeks are pale: shadowy Sleep, the vagabond, woos you as a bridegroom woos a maid! I will not compel you if you are unwilling; I will not join Sleep the blackskin to Pasithea the lily white!”