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Homeric Hymns
    Click to Expand/Collapse Option Complete text
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionDIONYSUS
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionDEMETER
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionDELIAN APOLLO
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionPYTHIAN APOLLO
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionTO HERMES
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionAPHRODITE
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionAPHRODITE
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionDIONYSUS
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionARES
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionARTEMIS
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionAPHRODITE
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionATHENA
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionHERA
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionDEMETER
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionMOTHER OF THE GODS
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionHERACLES THE LION-HEARTED
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionASCLEPIUS
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionDIOSCURI
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionHERMES
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionPAN
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionHEPHAESTUS
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionAPOLLO
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionPOSEIDON
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionSON OF CRONOS, MOST HIGH
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionHESTIA
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionMUSES AND APOLLO
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionDIONYSUS
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionARTEMIS
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionATHENA
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionHESTIA
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionEARTH THE MOTHER OF ALL
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionHELIOS
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionSELENE
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionDIOSCURI
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... τῇσι δὲ μύθων ἦρχεν ἐύζωνος Μετάνειρα:
χαῖρε, γύναι, ἐπεὶ οὔ σε κακῶν ἄπ᾽ ἔολπα τοκήων
ἔμμεναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀγαθῶν: ἐπί τοι πρέπει ὄμμασιν αἰδὼς
καὶ χάρις, ὡς εἴ πέρ τε θεμιστοπόλων βασιλήων.
ἀλλὰ θεῶν μὲν δῶρα καὶ ἀχνύμενοί περ ἀνάγκῃ
τέτλαμεν ἄνθρωποι: ἐπὶ γὰρ ζυγὸς αὐχένι κεῖται.
νῦν δ᾽, ἐπεὶ ἵκεο δεῦρο, παρέσσεται ὅσσα τ᾽ ἐμοί περ.
παῖδα δέ μοι τρέφε τόνδε, τὸν ὀψίγονον καὶ ἄελπτον
ὤπασαν ἀθάνατοι, πολυάρητος δέ μοί ἐστιν.
εἰ τόν γε θρέψαιο καὶ ἥβης μέτρον ἵκοιτο,
ῥεῖά κέ τίς σε ἰδοῦσα γυναικῶν θηλυτεράων
ζηλώσαι: τόσα κέν τοι ἀπὸ θρεπτήρια δοίην. 
Metaneira offers Demeter to nurse her son
212-223 And of them all, well-girded Metaneira first began to speak: Hail, lady! For I think you are not meanly but nobly born; truly dignity and grace are conspicuous upon your eyes as in the eyes of kings that deal justice. Yet we mortals bear perforce what the gods send us, though we be grieved; for a yoke is set upon our necks. But now, since you are come here, you shall have what I can bestow: and nurse me this child whom the gods gave me in my old age and beyond my hope, a son much prayed for. If you should bring him up until he reach the full measure of youth, any one of womankind that sees you will straightway envy you, so great reward would I give for his upbringing. 
τὴν δ᾽ αὖτε προσέειπεν ἐυστέφανος Δημήτηρ:
καὶ σύ, γύναι, μάλα χαῖρε, θεοὶ δέ τοι ἐσθλὰ πόροιεν:
παῖδα δέ τοι πρόφρων ὑποδέξομαι, ὥς με κελεύεις,
θρέψω κοὔ μιν, ἔολπα, κακοφραδίῃσι τιθήνης
οὔτ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐπηλυσίη δηλήσεται οὔθ᾽ ὑποτάμνον:
οἶδα γὰρ ἀντίτομον μέγα φέρτερον ὑλοτόμοιο,
οἶδα δ᾽ ἐπηλυσίης πολυπήμονος ἐσθλὸν ἐρυσμόν. 
224-230 Then rich-haired Demeter answered her: And to you, also, lady, all hail, and may the gods give you good! Gladly will I take the boy to my breast, as you bid me, and will nurse him. Never, I ween, through any heedlessness of his nurse shall witchcraft hurt him nor yet the Undercutter : for I know a charm far stronger than the Woodcutter, and I know an excellent safeguard against woeful witchcraft. 
ὣς ἄρα φωνήσασα θυώδεϊ δέξατο κόλπῳ
χείρεσσ᾽ ἀθανάτῃσι: γεγήθει δὲ φρένα μήτηρ.
ὣς ἣ μὲν Κελεοῖο δαΐφρονος ἀγλαὸν υἱὸν
Δημοφόωνθ᾽, ὃν ἔτικτεν ἐύζωνος Μετάνειρα,
ἔτρεφεν ἐν μεγάροις: ὃ δ᾽ ἀέξετο δαίμονι ἶσος,
οὔτ᾽ οὖν σῖτον ἔδων, οὐ θησάμενος [γάλα μητρὸς
ἠματίη μὲν γὰρ καλλιστέφανος] Δημήτηρ
χρίεσκ᾽ ἀμβροσίῃ ὡσεὶ θεοῦ ἐκγεγαῶτα
ἡδὺ καταπνείουσα καὶ ἐν κόλποισιν ἔχουσα:
νύκτας δὲ κρύπτεσκε πυρὸς μένει ἠύτε δαλὸν
λάθρα φίλων γονέων: 
231-240 When she had so spoken, she took the child in her fragrant bosom with her divine hands: and his mother was glad in her heart. So the goddess nursed in the palace Demophoon, wise Celeus’ goodly son whom well-girded Metaneira bare. And the child grew like some immortal being, not fed with food nor nourished at the breast: for by day rich-crowned Demeter would anoint him with ambrosia as if he were the offspring of a god and breathe sweetly upon him as she held him in her bosom. But at night she would hide him like a brand in the heart of the fire, unknown to his dear parents. 
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