by Nonnus
ὑσμίνης δόλον εὗρεν ἀρηγόνα: μηκεδανὴν γὰρ
νηῦν ἰδίην ἔφλεξεν ἐκούσιον ἁψάμενος πῦρ:
395 νεύμασι Βακχείοισι περισκαίρουσα θαλάσσῃ,
καὶ λοξαῖς ἑλίκεσσιν ἀφ᾽ ὁλκάδος ὁλκάδα βαίνων
κύκλον ἐς αὐτοέλικτον ἐνήχετο πυρσὸς ἀλήτης,
καίων ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα πολυσπερέων στίχα νηῶν.
καὶ σέλας ἀθρήσασα πυριβλήτοιο θαλάσσης
400 Νηρεῒς ἀκρήδεμνος ἐδύσατο βένθεα πόντου,
αἰθομένου φεύγουσα δι᾽ ὕδατος ἰκμαλέον πῦρ.
[391] Eurymedon the Cabeiros lifting his familiar torch invented a useful stratagem of war. He set fire to his own long vessel on purpose; then the vessel was sent adrift bounding over the sea against the enemy at the command of Bacchos. The errant bonfire floated round of itself by wayward turns from ship to ship, and setting alight here and there the long line of far-scattered vessels. The Nereid unveiled seeing the glare of the fire-shotten sea dived into the depths, and fled from liquid fire through burning water.
χάζετο δ᾽ Ἰνδὸς ὅμιλος ἐπὶ χθόνα, πόντον ἐάσας:
καὶ Φαέθων ἐγέλασσεν, ὅτι προτέρους μετὰ δεσμοὺς
ἐκ πυρὸς Ἡφαίστοιο πάλιν φύγε ναύμαχος Ἄρης.
405 Δηριάδης δ᾽ ἀκίχητος ἰδὼν φλόγα σύνδρομον αὔραις
εἰς πεδίον πεπότητο θοώτερα γούνατα πάλλων,
φεύγων ὑγρὸν Ἄρηα θαλασσομόθου Διονύσου.
[402] Then the Indian host left the sea and retreated to the land; and Phaethon laughed, because Ares in the seafight had fled again before the fire of Hephaistos, as once before he fled from his chains. And Deriades when he saw the flame, fast as the wind fled to the land, wagging his knees too quick to catch, as he tried to escape the watery assault of seafighting Dionysos.
BOOK 40
τεσσαρακοστὸν ἔχει δεδαϊγμένον ὄρχαμον Ἰνδῶν,
πῶς δὲ Τύρον Διόνυσος ἐδύσατο, πατρίδα Κάδμου.
οὐ δὲ Δίκην ἀλέεινε πανόψιον, οὐδὲ καὶ αὐτῆς
ἀρραγέος κλωστῆρος ἀκαμπέα νήματα Μοίρης:
ἀλλά μιν ἀθρήσασα πεφυζότα Παλλὰς Ἀθήνη —
ἕζετο γὰρ κατὰ πόντον ἐπὶ προβλῆτος ἐρίπνης,
5 ναύμαχον εἰσορόωσα κορυσσομένων μόθον Ἰνδων —
ἐκ σκοπιῆς ἀνέπαλτο, καὶ ἄρσενα δύσατο μορφήν:
κλεψινόοις δ᾽ ὀάροισι παρήπαφεν ὄρχαμον Ἰνδῶν,
Μορρέος εἶδος ἔχουσα, χαριζομένη δὲ Λυαίῳ
Δηριάδην ἀνέκοψε, καὶ ὡς ἀλέγουσα κυδοιμοῦ
10 φρικτὸν ἀπερροίβδησεν ἔπος πολυμεμφέι φωνῇ:
‘Φεύγεις, Δηριάδη; τίνι κάλλιπες Ἄρεα νηῶν;
πῶς δύνασαι ναέτῃσι φανήμεναι; ἢ πόθεν ἄντην
ὄψεαι Ὀρσιβόην μενεδήιον, αἴ κεν ἀκούσῃ
Δηριάδην φεύγοντα καὶ οὐ μίμνοντα γυναῖκας;
15 αἴδεο Χειροβίην ῥηξήνορα, μή σε νοήσῃ
ὑσμίνην ἀσίδηρον ὑποπτήσσοντα Λυαίου,
ἣ δόρυ θοῦρον ἔχουσα καὶ ὀχλίζουσα βοείην
μάρνατο Βασσαρίδεσσι, συνεσπομένη παρακοίτῃ.
χάζεό μοι Μορρῆι λιπὼν μόθον: ἢν δ᾽ ἐθελήσῃς,
20 αὐτὸς ἀριστεύσω καὶ ἀνάλκιδα Βάκχον ὀλέσσω.
πενθερὸν οὐ καλέσω σε πεφυζότα, σεῖο δὲ κούρης
ἔστω Χειροβίης ἕτερος πόσις: αἰδόμενος γὰρ
καλλείψω τεὸν ἄστυ, καὶ ἵξομαι εἰς χθόνα Μήδων,
ἵξομαι εἰς Σκυθίην, ἵνα μὴ σέο γαμβρὸς ἀκούσω.
BOOK XL
The fortieth has the Indian chief wounded, and how Dionysos visited Tyre, the native place of Cadmos.
YET he escaped not allseeing Justice, nor the inflexible threads of Fate herself the inexorable Spinner. No — Pallas Athena beheld him in flight, for she sat on a headland high over the sea, and watched the Indians contending in their battle on the sea. Down from the height she leapt, and put on the shape of a man, the form of Morrheus; and, all to please Dionysos, she checked Deriades, cajoling the Indian chieftain with mindstealing whispers. As if anxious about the conflict, she poured out words of affright in reproachful tones:
!”You flee, Deriades! Whom have you left in charge of the seafight? How can you show yourself to the people? Or how will you look in the face of dauntless Orsiboe, if she hears that Deriades is in flight and will not stand before women? Have respect for manbreaking Cheirobie, let her not see you shrinking from fight with Lyaios unarmed — why, she held a furious spear, she heaved up an oxhide and fought the Bassarids following her husband! Give place, please, to Morrheus — you have left the field, and if you please, I will be champion myself and destroy that weakling Bacchos. I call you good-father no more, you, a runaway — let your girl Cheirobie find another husband: for I am ashamed — I will leave your city and migrate to the Median country, I will go to Scythia, that I may not be called your goodson.
25 ἀλλ᾽ ἐρέεις: ‘εὔοπλος ἐμὴ δάμαρ οἶδεν Ἐνυώ.’
εἰσὶν Ἀμαζονίδες περὶ Καύκασον, ὁππόθι πολλαὶ
Χειροβίης πολὺ μᾶλλον ἀριστεύουσι γυναῖκες:
κεῖθι δορικτήτην βριαρὴν ἀνάεδνον ἀκοίτης
εἰς γάμον, ἢν ἐθέλω, μίαν ἄξομαι: ἐν θαλάμοις γὰρ
30 οὐ δέχομαι σέο παῖδα φυγοπτολέμοιο τοκῆος.’
[25] “But you will say ‘My wife is well armed, she understands warfare!’ There are Amazons about Caucasos, and many women are there far better champions than Cheirobie. There I will carry off a strong one for my bed, captive of my spear, to wed me without brideprice, if I like. For I will never receive into my bridechamber your daughter, whose father is a fugitive from the battle!”
ὣς φαμένη παρέπεισεν ἀγήνορα Δηριαδῆα,
καί οἱ θάρσος ἔδωκε τὸ δεύτερον, ὄφρα δαμείη
μαρναμένου Βρομίοιο τυπεὶς φθισήνορι θύρσῳ.
καὶ θρασὺς ἀγνώσσων δολίην παρεοῦσαν Ἀθήνην
35 ψευδομένου Μορρῆος ἐλεγχέα μῦθον ἀκούων
χείλεσιν αἰδομένοισι παρήγορον ἴαχε φωνήν:
[31] With this reproach she persuaded proud Deriades, and gave him courage again, that he might be struck down by the mandestroying thyrsus of warring Bromios. He knew not that it was deceitful Athena before him; he heard the reproachful voice of the pretended Morrheus, and bold again, spoke comforting words with shamed lips:
‘Φείδεο σῶν ἐπέων: τί με μέμφεαι, ἄτρομε Μορρεῦ;
οὐ πρόμος, οὐ πρό
μος οὗτος, ἑὸν δέμας αἰὲν ἀμείβων.
καὶ γὰρ ἀμηχανέω, τίνι μάρναμαι ἢ τίνα βάλλω:
40 σπεύδων μὲν πτερόεντι βαλεῖν Διόνυσον ὀιστῷ,
ἢ ξίφεϊ πλήξας μέσον αὐχένος, ἢ δόρυ πέμπων
οὐτῆσαι ποθέων διὰ γαστέρος, ἀντὶ Λυαίου
πόρδαλιν αἰολόνωτον ἐπαΐσσοντα κιχάνω...
μαρναμένου δὲ λέοντος ἐπείγομαι αὐχένα τέμνειν,
45 καὶ θρασὺν ἀντὶ λέοντος ὄφιν δασπλῆτα δοκεύω:
σπεύδων δ᾽ ἀντὶ δράκοντος ὀπιπεύω ῥάχιν ἄρκτου:
εἰς λοφιὴν δ᾽ ἐπίκυρτον ἐμὸν δόρυ θοῦρον ἰάλλω,
ἀλλὰ μάτην τανύω δολιχὸν βέλος: ἀντὶ γὰρ ἄρκτου
φαίνεται ἠερόφοιτος ἀνούτατος ἱπταμένη φλόξ.
50 κάπρον ἰδὼν ἐπιόντα βοὸς μυκηθμὸν ἀκούω,
ἀντὶ συός τινα ταῦρον ὑπὲρ λοξοῖο μετώπου
παπταίνω χαροπῇσιν ἀκοντίζοντα κεραίαις
ἡμετέρους ἐλέφαντας: ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἐμὸν ἆορ ἑλίσσω
θηρσὶ πολυσπερέεσσι, καὶ οὐχ ἕνα θῆρα δαμάζω.
55 καὶ φυτὸν ἀθρήσας τανύω βέλος, ἀλλὰ φυγόντος
νύσσαν ἐς ἠερίην ὁρόω κυρτούμενον ὕδωρ.
ἔνθεν ἐγὼ τρομέων πολυφάρμακα θαύματα τέχνης
φύλοπιν ἀλλοπρόσαλλον ἀλυσκάζω Διονύσου:
ἀλλὰ πάλιν Βρομίῳ θωρήξομαι, ἄχρις ἐλέγξω
60 μάγγανα τεχνήεντα δολορραφέος Διονύσου.’
[37] “Spare your words. Why do you reproach me, fearless Morrheus? No soldier is this, no soldier, who is always changing shape. Indeed I am at a loss who it is I am fighting and whom I strike. Eager to shoot Dionysos with a feathered arrow, or to cut through his neck with a sword, or desiring to cast a spear and pierce his belly — instead of Lyaios I find a speckled panther charging upon me.... A lion is fighting and I hasten to shear his neck, and I see a bold horrible serpent instead of a lion — I attack, and instead of a serpent I behold a bear’s back — I cast my furious spear at the curving neck, but in vain I hurl the long shaft, for instead of a bear appears a flame flickering up into the air uninjured! I see a boar rushing and I hear a bull’s bellow, instead of the boar I see a bull lowering his head sideways and stabbing our elephants with flashing horns. I swing my sword against all sorts of beasts, and cannot overcome that one beast. I behold a tree and take aim, but it is off and I see a spout of water curving into the path of the sky. Therefore I tremble at the bewitched miracles of his art, and shrink from the changeable warfare of Dionysos. But I will confront Bromios again, until I lay bare the cunning enchantments of Dionysos the botcher of guile!”
ὣς εἰπὼν κεκόρυστο τὸ δεύτερον ἠθάδι λύσσῃ,
καὶ πάλιν ἐν πεδίῳ μόθος ἔβρεμε, μαρναμένῳ δὲ
εἰναλίην μετὰ δῆριν ἐθωρήχθη Διονύσῳ:
καὶ προτέρης Βρομίοιο λελασμένος ἔπλετο νίκης,
65 ὁππότε δενδρήεντι περίπλοκος αὐχένα δεσμῷ
ἱκεσίην πολύευκτον ἀνέσχεθε μάρτυρι Βάκχῳ:
ἀλλὰ πάλιν πρόμος ἔσκε θεημάχος: εἶχε δὲ βουλὴν
διχθαδίην, ἢ Βάκχον ἑλεῖν ἢ δμῶα τελέσσαι.
τρὶς μὲν ἑὸν δόρυ πέμπε, καὶ ἤμβροτεν ἠέρα βάλλων:
70 ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε δὴ τὸ τέταρτον ἐπέδραμεν οἴνοπι Βάκχῳ
εἰς σκοπὸν ἀχρήιστον ἐπήορον ἔγχος ἰάλλων
Δηριάδης ὑπέροπλος, ἑοῦ συνάεθλον ἀγῶνος
γαμβρὸν ἑὸν καλέεσκε, καὶ οὐκέτι φαίνετο Μορρεύς:
ἀλλὰ μεταστρέψασα δολοπλόκον εἶδος Ἀθήνη
75 δαίμονι βοτρυόεντι παρίστατο: δερκομένου δὲ
δείματι θεσπεσίῳ λύτο γούνατα Δηριαδῆος:
ἔγνω δ᾽ ἀνδρομέης ἀπατήλιον εἰκόνα μορφῆς
Μορρέος ἀντιτύποιο φέρειν μίμημα προσώπου:
καὶ δόλον ἠπεροπῆα σοφῆς ἐνόησεν Ἀθήνης.
80 τὴν μὲν ἰδὼν Διόνυσος ἐγήθεεν, ἐν κραδίῃ δὲ
ψευδομένην γίνωσκε συναιχμάζουσαν Ἀθήνην.
[61] He spoke, and a second time armed himself, wild as before; again the uproar of battle rose on the plain — there after the seafight he met Dionysos in arms. He had forgotten the former victory of Bromios, when his neck was entangled in leafy bonds and he offered his prayers of many supplications to Bacchos, who saw it all. Again he was a soldier fighting against the gods; doubtful only whether to kill or make Bromios a slave. Thrice he cast a spear, and missed, striking nothing but air; but when the fourth time in his arrogance Deriades rushed upon wineface Bacchos, and cast his spear through the air at a mark which could not be hit, he called his goodson to help him — and Morrheus was no longer to be seen, but Athena had changed her deceptive shape and stood beside the vinegod. Deriades saw her, and his knees trembled with overwhelming fear: he understood that the human shape which bore the likeness of Morrheus was all a deception, and recognized the deluding trick of wise Athena. But Dionysos was glad when he saw Athena, and knew in his heart that she had been helping him in disguise.
καὶ τότε βοτρυόεις κοτέων βακχεύετο δαίμων
ὑψιτενὴς περίμετρος, ἴσος Παρνησσίδι πέτρῃ:
Δηριάδην δ᾽ ἐδίωκε ταχύδρομον: αὐτὰρ ὁ φεύγων
85 κοῦφος ἐπειγομέναις ἐτιταίνετο σύνδρομος αὔραις:
ἀλλ᾽ ὅτε χῶρον ἵκανον, ὅπῃ πολεμητόκον ὕδωρ
κύματι λυσσώοντι γέρων κελάρυζεν Ὑδάσπης,
ἤτοι ὁ μὲν ποταμοῖο παρ᾽ ᾐόνας ἄπλετος ἔστη,
ὡς γενέτην συνάεθλον ἔχων κελάδοντα μαχητὴν
90 ὑγρὸν ἀκοντιστῆρα κορυσσομένου Διονύσου,
δαίμων δ᾽ ἀμπελόεις ταμεσίχροα θύρσον ἰάλλων
ἀκρότατον χρόα μοῦνον ἐπέγραφε Δηριαδῆος.
αὐτὰρ ὁ κισσήεντι τυπεὶς φθισήνορι θαλλῷ
πατρῴῳ προκάρηνος ἐπωλίσθησε ῥεέθρῳ,
95 μηκεδανοῖς μελέεσσι γεφυρώσας ὅλον ὕδωρ
[82] Then the grapy deity was maddened with anger. He rose lofty and huge, like the rock of Parnassos, and pursued swiftrunning Deriades; he raced off light and quick as the hurrying winds, but when they reached the place where ancient Hydaspes rolled his warbreeding water in wild bubbling waves, he stood immense on the river bank as having now an ally, his father, roaring loud, to shoot with his waters against Dionysos in battle: there the vine-deity cast his fleshcutting thyrsus and just grazed the ski
n of Deriades. Struck with the mandestroying ivy bunch he slipt headfirst into his father’s flood, and bridged all that water himself with his long frame.
αὐτόματος. χρονίην δὲ θεοὶ μετὰ φύλοπιν Ἰνδῶν
σὺν Διὶ παμμεδέοντι πάλιν νόστησαν Ὀλύμπῳ.
βάκχοι δ᾽ ἀμφαλάλαζον ἀδηρίτου Διονύσου
δῆριν ἀνευάζοντες, ἀολλίζοντο δὲ πολλοὶ
100 ἔγχεσιν οὐτάζοντες ὅλον χρόα Δηριαδῆος.
[96] Now the long Indian War was ended, the gods returned again to Olympos with Zeus the Lord of all; the Bacchants cheered in triumph around Dionysos the invincible, crying Euoi for the conflict, and many thronged round Deriades piercing him everywhere with their spears.
Ὀρσιβόη δ᾽ ᾤμωξε πολυθρήνων ἐπὶ πύργων,
κείμενον ἀρτιδάικτον ὀδυρομένη παρακοίτην:
πενθαλέοις δ᾽ ὀνύχεσσι κατέγραφε κύκλα προσώπου,
καὶ σκολιῆς ὤλοψεν ἀκηδέα βότρυν ἐθείρης,
105 καὶ κόνιν αἰθαλόεσσαν ἑοῦ κατέχευε καρήνου:
Χειροβίη δ᾽ ὀλόλυξε καταφθιμένοιο τοκῆος,
κυανέους δ᾽ ἤρασσε βραχίονας, ἀργυδέου δὲ
στέρνον ὅλον γύμνωσε διχαζομένοιο χιτῶνος:
Πρωτονόη δ᾽ ἀπέδιλος ἑὰς ξύουσα παρειάς,
110 κύκλα κονισαλέοιο καταισχύνουσα προσώπου,
κλαῖεν ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέροισι καὶ ἀνέρι καὶ γενετῆρι,
διπλόον ἄλγος ἔχουσα, καὶ ἴαχε πενθάδι φωνῇ:
[101] Orsiboe wailed on the battlements with a loud lamentable dirge, sorrowing for her husband who lay so newly slain; she scratched her cheeks with her fingernails in sorrow, and heedlessly tore out bunches of her curling hair, and poured smoking ashes on her head. Cheirobie lamented for her dead father, and scored her black arms, rent her white robe and bared all her breast; Protonoe unshod tore her cheeks and smeared her face all over with dirty dust, weeping for both husband and father, with twofold agony, and cried in tones of sorrow —