by Nonnus
‘ὃς μὲν ὀιστεύσειε πελειάδος ἄκρα τορήσας,
715 ἡμίονον φερέτω πολυαλφέα, μάρτυρα νίκης:
ὃς δὲ παραπλάζοιτο πελειάδος εἰς σκοπὸν ἕλκων,
ὄρνιν ἐυγλώχινι λιπὼν ἀχάρακτον ὀιστῷ,
ἄκρα δὲ μηρίνθοιο βαλών πτερόεντι βελέμνῳ,
ἥσσονα τοξεύσειε καὶ ἥσσονα δῶρα δεχέσθω:
720 ἀντὶ γὰρ ἡμιόνου δέπας οἴσετοι, ὄφρά κε Φοίβῳ
τοξοφόρῳ σπείσειε καὶ οἰνοχύτῳ Διονύσῳ.’
[714] “Whoever shall pierce the skin of the pigeon, let him receive this valuable mule as witness to his victory: whoever shall draw at the mark and miss the pigeon, leaving the bird unwounded by the barbed arrow’, but shall touch the string with his feathered shaft, he will be a worse shot and he shall receive a worse prize; for instead of the mule he shall carry off the goblet, that he may pour a libation to Archer Apollo and Winegod Dionysos.”
τοῖον ἔπος βοόωντος ἐχεκτεάνοιο Λυαίου
εὐχαίτης Ὑμέναιος ἑκηβόλος εἰς μέσον ἔστη...
εἰς σκοπὸν ἰθυκέλευθον ἄγων ἀντώπιον ἱστοῦ,
725 Κνώσσια τόξα φέρων τετανυαμένα κυκλάδι νευρῇ,
Ἀστέριος προέηκε βέλος κλήροιο τυχήσας,
καὶ τύχε μηρίνθοιο: δαϊζομένης δὲ βελέμνῳ
ἠερίη πεφόρητο μεφόρητο μετάρσιος ὄρνις ἀλήμων:
καὶ μίτος εἰς χθόνα πῖπτε. δι᾽ ὑψιπόρου δὲ κελεύθου
730 ὄμμα φέρων ἑλικηδόν, ὑπἐρ νεφέων δὲ δοκεύων
τοξευτὴρ Ὑμέναιος έτοιμοτάτης ἀπὸ νευρῆς
εἰς σκοπὸν ἠερόφοιτον ὑπηνέμιον βέλος ἕλκων
ὀξύτερον προέηκε, πελειάδος ἄντα τιταίνων:
καὶ πτερόεις πεπότητο δι᾽ ἠέρος ἰὸς ἀλήτης
735 ἀκροφανής, μέσα νῶτα παραξύων νεφελάων,
συρίζων ἀνέμοιοι: βέλος δ᾽ ἴθυνεν Ἀπόλλων
πιστὰ φέρων δυαέρωτι κασιγνήτῳ Διονύσῳ:
ἱπταμένης δ᾽ ἐτύχησε πελειάδος, ἐσσυμένης δὲ
στήθεος ἄκρον ἔτυψε: βαρυνομένου δὲ καρήνου
740 ὄρνις ἀελλήεσσα δι᾽ ἠέρος ἔμπεσε γαίῃ:
ἡμιθανὴς δὲ πέλεια περὶ πτερὰ πάλλε κονὶῃ,
ποσσὶ περισκοίρουσα χοροπλεκέος Διονύσου.
[722] Such was the proclamation of wealthy Lyaios. Then Hymenaios the longshot, with his flowing hair, came forward [and after him Asterios. The lot fell to Asterios;] and he taking aim straight at the mast in front of him, with his Cnossian bow and the string pulled back from it, let fly the first shot, and hit the string. When the shaft cut the string, the bird flew away up into the sky and the cord fell to the ground. Archer Hymenaios followed round the bird’s high course with his eye and watched for him over the clouds; he had his bowstring quite ready, and let fly a swift shot through the air at his highflying mark, aiming at the pigeon. The winged arrow sped travelling through the air visible on high, grazing the surface of the cloud in the middle, whistling at the winds. Apollo held the shot straight, keeping faith with his lovesick brother Dionysos; the point hit the flying pigeon and struck it upon the breast as it sped, and the bird fell through the air quick as the wind to the earth, with heavy head, and half-dead the pigeon beat about with its wings in the dust, fluttering about the feet of Dionysos weaver of dances.
καὶ θεὸς ἡβητῆρος ἀναθρῴσκων ἐπὶ νίκῃ
χεῖρας ἐπεπλατάγησεν ἐπικλάγξας Ὑμεναίῳ:
745 ξυνοὶ δ᾽ εἰν ἑνὶ πάντες, ὅσοι παρέμιμνον ἀγῶνι,
ἀγχινεφῆ θάμβησαν ἑκηβολίην Ὑμεναίου.
καὶ γελόων Διόνυσος ἑαῖς παλάμῃσιν ἐρύσσας
ἡνίονον πόρε δῶρον ὀφειλομένην Ὑμεναίῳ:
καὶ γέρας Ἀστερίοιο δέπας κούφιζον ἑταῖροι.
[743] Then the god leapt up on the young man’s victory, and clapt his hands to applaud Hymenaios; and the company one and all who were present at the contest were astonished at the long shot of Hymenaios near the clouds. Dionysos laughing led forward with his own hands the mule which was due as a prize to Hymenaios, and gave it to him; and the comrades of Asterios lifted his prize, the goblet.
750 καὶ φιλίην ἐπὶ δῆριν ἀκοντιοτῆρας ἐμεἰγων
Ἰνδικὰ Βάκχος ἄεθλα φέρων παρέθηκεν ἀγῶνι,
διχθαδίην κνημῖδα καὶ Ἰνσῴης λίθον ἅλμης.
ὀρθωθεὶς δ᾽ ἀγόρευε, δύω δ᾽ ἐκέλευσε μαχηταῖς,
ὄφρα μόθῳ παίζοντι καὶ οὐ κτείνοντι σιδήρῳ
755 μιμηλήν τελέσωσιν ἀναίμονος εἰκόνα χάρμης:
[750] Now Bacchos invited those present to a friendly match at casting the javelin, and brought forward Indian prizes, a pair of greaves, and a stone from the Indian sea. He rose and made his announcement, and called for two warriors, bidding them show a fictitious image of bloodless battle, with not-killing steel in sport:
‘Οὗτος ἀγὼν δύο φῶτας ἀκοντιστῆρας ἐγείρων
μείλιχον οἶδεν Ἄρηα καὶ κὐδιόωσαν Ἐνυώ.’
[756] “This contest summons two javelin-men, and knows only Ares gentle and Enyo tranquil.”
ὣς φαμένου Βρομίοιο σιδήρεα τεύχεα πάλλων
Ἀστέριος κεκόρθςτο, καὶ Αἰακὸς εὶς μέσον ἔστη
760 χάλκεον ἔγχος ἔχων, πολυδαίδαλον ἀσπίδα πάλλων,
οἷα λέων ἄγραυλος ἐπαΐσσων τινὶ ταύρῳ
ἢ συΐ λαχνήεντι: σιδηρείῳ δέ χιτῶνι
εἰς μέσον ἐρρώοντο καλυψάμενοι δέμας ἄμφω
Ἄρεος αἰχμητῆρες: ὁ μὲν δόρθ θοῦρον ἰάλλων
765 Ἀστέριος, Μίνωος ἔχων πατρώιον ἀλκήν,
οὔτασε δεξιτεροῖο βραχίονος ἄκρον ἀμύξας:
ὃς δὲ κατ᾽ ἀσοαράγοιο σιδήρεον ἔγχος ἀείρων
Αἰακός, ὑψιμέδοντος ἑοῦ Διὸς ἄξια ῥέξων,
νύξαι μὲν μενέαινε μεσαίτατον ἀνθερεῶνα:
770 ἀλλά ἑ Βάκχος ἔρυκε καὶ ἥρπασε φοίνιον αἰχμήν,
αὐχένα μὴ πλήξειεν ἀκοντιστῆρι σιδήρῳ:
[758] So spoke Bromios, and Asterios came up armed, shaking his weapons of steel; and Aiacos stept forward, holding a bronze spear and shaking a shield gorgeously adorned, like a lion in the country charging a bull or a shaggy boar. Both these spearmen of Ares marched forward covered with steel corselets. Asterios cast a furious spear with the vigour of Minos his father, and he wounded the right arm grazing the skin. Aiacos, doing a deed worthy of his father Zeus Lord in the highest, aimed his
iron spear at the gullet and tried to pierce the throat right in the middle; but Bacchos checked him and caught the deadly blade, that he might not strike the neck with the cast spear. Then he made them both stop, and called out with wild voice —
ἀμφοτέρους δ᾽ ἀνέκοψε καὶ ἴαχε θυιάδι φωνῇ:
‘Ῥίψατε τεύχεα ταῦτα φίλην στήσαντς Ἐνυώ:
ἄρθμιος οὗτος Ἄπης, καὶ ἀνούτατοί εἰσιν ἀγῶνες.’
[773] “Drop those spears! Yours was a friendly battle. This is a peaceful war, a contest without wounds.”
775 ἔννεπεν: ἐγρεμόθου δὲ λαβὼν πρεσβήια νίκης
Αἰακὸς αὐχήεις χρυσέας κνημῖδας ἀείρων
δῶκεν ἑῷ θεράποντι: καὶ ὕστερα δῶρα κομίζων
Ἀστέριος κούφιζε δορικτήτην λίθον Ἰνδῶν.
[775] So he spoke. Aiacos proudly received the prize of battlestirring victory, and took the golden greaves, which he handed over to his servant. Asterios carried off the second prize, the Indian stone taken by force of arms.
BOOK 38
ἧχι τριηκοστὸν πέλεν ὄγδοον, αἴθοπι δαλῷ
δειλαίου Φαέθοντος ἔχεις μόρον ἡνιοχῆος.
λῦτο δ᾽ ἀγών: λαοὶ δὲ μετήιον ἔνδια λόχμης,
καὶ σφετέραις κλισίῃσιν ὁμίλεον: ἀγρονόμοι δὲ
Πᾶνες ἐναυλίζοντο χαραδραίοισι μελάθροις,
αὐτοπαγῆ ναίοντες ἐρημάδος ἄντρα λεαίνης
5 ἑσπέριοι: Σάτυροι δὲ δεδυκότες εἰς σπέος ἄρκτου
θηγαλέοις ὀνύχεσσι καὶ οὐ τμητῆρι σιδήρῳ
πετραίην ἐλάχειαν ἐκοιλαίνοντο χαμεύνην,
εἰσόκεν ὄρθρος ἔλαμψε σελασφόρος, ἀρτιφανὲς δὲ
ἀμφοτέροις ἀνέτελλε γαληναίης φάος Ἠοῦς,
10 Ἰνδοῖς καὶ Σατύροισιν: ἐπεὶ τότε κυκλάδι νύσσῃ
Μυγδονίου πολέμοιο καὶ Ἰνδῴοιο κυδοιμοῦ
ἀμβολίην ἐτάνυσσεν ἕλιξ χρόνος: οὐδέ τις αὐτοῖς
οὐ φόνος, οὐ τότε δῆρις: ἔκειτο δὲ τηλόθι χάρμης
Βακχιὰς ἑξαέτηρος ἀραχνιόωσα βοείη.
BOOK XXXVIII
When the thirty-eighth takes its turn, you have the fate of unhappy Phaethon in the chariot, with a blazing brand.
THE games were over. The people retired into the recesses of the forest, and entered their huts. The rustic Pans housed themselves under shelter in the ravines, for they occupied at evening time the natural caverns of a lioness in the wilds. The Satyrs dived into a bear’s cave, and hollowed their little bed in the rock with sharp finger-nails in place of cutting steel; until the lightbringing morning shone, and the brightness of Dawn newly risen showed itself peacefully to both Indians and Satyrs. For then Time rolling in his ambit prolonged the truce of combat and strife between Indians and Mygdonians; there was no carnage among them then, no conflict, and the shield which Bacchos had borne for six years lay far from the battle covered with spiders’ webs.
15 ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ πολέμων ἔτος ἕβδομον ἤγαγον Ὧραι,
οὐράνιον τότε σῆμα προάγγελον οἴνοπι Βάκχῳ
φαίνετο, θάμβος ἄπιστον: ἐπεὶ ζόφος ἤματι μέσσῳ
ἀπροϊδὴς τετάνυστο, κελαινιόωντι δὲ πέπλῳ
κρυπτόμενον Φαέθοντα μεσημβριὰς εἶχεν ὀμίχλη,
20 κλεπτομένης δ᾽ ἀκτῖνος ἐπεσκιόωντο κολῶναι:
καὶ πολύς ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα κατήριπε πυρσὸς ἀλήτης,
ἅρματος οὐρανίοιο κατάρρυτος: ἄκρα δὲ γαίης
μυρίος ἔκλυσεν ὄμβρος, ἐκυμαίνοντο δὲ πέτραι
ἠερίαις λιβάδεσσιν, ἕως μόγις ὑψόθι δίφρου
25 ὑψιφανὴς ἀνέτελλε πάλιν πυρόεις Ὑπερίων.
[15] But as soon as the Seasons brought the seventh year of warfare, a foreboding sign was shown to winefaced Bacchos in the sky, an incredible wonder. For at midday, a sudden darkness was spread abroad, and a midday obscurity covered Phaethon with its black pall, and the hills were overshadowed as his beams were stolen away. Many a stray brand fell here and there scattered from the heavenly car; thousands of rainshowers deluged the surface of the earth, the rocks were flooded by drops from the sky, until fiery Hyperion rose again shining high on his chariot after his hard struggle.
Βάκχῳ δ᾽ ἀσχαλόωντι δι᾽ ἠέρος αἴσιος ἔπτη
αἰετὸς ὑψικέλευθος, ὄφιν κερόεντα κομίζων
θηγαλέοις ὀνύχεσσιν: ὁ δὲ θρασὺν αὐχένα κάμπτων
κύμβαχος αὐτοκύλιστος ἐπωλίσθησεν Ὑδάσπῃ.
30 καὶ τρομερὴ νήριθμον ὅλον στρατὸν εἶχε σιωπή:
Ἴδμων δ᾽ αἰολόμητις, ἐπεὶ μάθεν ὄργια Μούσης
οὐρανίης εὔκυκλον ἐπισταμένης ἴτυν ἄστρων,
ἄτρομος ἵστατο μοῦνος, ἐπεὶ μάθεν ἴδμονι τέχνῃ
συμπλεκέος Φαέθοντι κατάσκια κύκλα Σελήνης,
35 καὶ φλόγα πορφύρουσαν ὑπὸ ζοφοειδέι κώνῳ
κλεπτομένου Φαέθοντος ἀθηήτοιο πορείης,
καὶ πάταγον βρονταῖον ἀρασσομένων νεφελάων,
αἰθέριον μύκημα, καὶ ἀστράπτοντα κομήτην,
καὶ δοκίδων ἀκτῖνα, καὶ ἔμπυρον ἅλμα κεραυνοῦ
40 τοῖα παρ᾽ Οὐρανίης δεδαημένος ἔργα θεαίνης
ἵστατο θαρσήεσσαν ἔχων φρένα: γυῖα δ᾽ ἑκάστου
λύετο: μαντιπόλος δὲ γέρων γελόωντι προσώπῳ
Ἴδμων ἐμπεδόμυθον ἔχων ἐπὶ χείλεσι πειθὼ
λαὸν ὅλον θάρσυνεν, ὅτι χρονίοιο κυδοιμοῦ
45 ἐσσομένην μετὰ βαιὸν ἐπίστατο γείτονα νίκην.
[26] Then a happy omen was seen by impatient Bacchos, an eagle flying high through the air, holding a horned snake in his sharp talons. The snake twisted his bold neck, and slipt away of itself diving into the river Hydaspes. Trembling silence held all that innumerable host. Idmon alone stood untrembling, Idmon the treasury of learned lore, for he had been taught the secrets of Urania, the Muse who knows the round circuit of the stars: he had been taught by his learned art the shades on the Moon’s orb when in union with the Sun, and the ruddy flame of Phaethon stolen out of sight from his course behind the cone of darkness, and the clap of thunder, the heavenly bellow of the bursting clouds, and the shining comet, and the flame of meteors, and the fiery leap of the thunderbolt. Having been taught all these doings by Urania the goddess he stood with dauntless heart, while the limbs of every man were loosened. But Idmon that ancient seer encouraged all the host, with laughing countenance, and words of confident persuasion upon his lips: “I know,” he said, “that victory is near, and soon it will end
this long struggle.”
καὶ Φρύγιον πολύιδριν ἀνείρετο μάντιν Ἐρεχθεύς,
σύμβολα παπταίνων ὑπάτου Διός, εἰ πέλε χάρμης
αἴσια δυσμενέεσσιν ἢ Ἰνδοφόνῳ Διονύσῳ,
οὐ τόσον ὑσμίνης ποθέων τέλος, ὅσσον ἀκοῦσαι
50 μυστιπόλοις ὀάροισι μεμηλότα μῦθον Ὀλύμπου,
καὶ στίχας ἀστραίων ἑλίκων καὶ κυκλάδα μήνην,
καὶ δύσιν ἠματίην Φαεθοντίδος ἄμμορον αἴγλης
κλεπτομένης. αἰεὶ δὲ θεορρήτων περὶ μύθων
Ἀτθίδος ἀρχαίης φιλοπευθέες εἰσὶ πολῖται.
[46] Erechtheus also inquired of the accomplisht Phrygian prophet, when he saw the portents of Highest Zeus, whether they were favourable to the enemy or to Indian-slaying Dionysos. He did not so much wish for the end of the conflict, but rather to hear the message from Olympos, the theme of mystical tales, and the orders of circling stars, and the round moon, and the sunset at midday which has no light of Phaethon because this is stolen away. Always the citizens of ancient Athens are ready to hear discourses concerning the gods.
55 οὐδὲ γέρων ἀμέλησε θεοπρόπος, ἀλλὰ Λυαίου
σείων Εὔια θύρσα καὶ οὐ Πανοπηίδα δάφνην
τοῖον ἔπος μαντῷον ἀνήρυγεν ἀνθερεῶνος:
[55] Nor was the old seer neglectful; but shaking his Euian thyrsus instead of the Panopeian laurel, he uttered these words of interpretation with his mouth:
‘Εἰσαΐειν ἐθέλεις φρενοθελγέα μῦθον, Ἐρεχθεῦ,
ὃν μοῦνοι δεδάασι θεοὶ ναετῆρες Ὀλύμπου;