μή τις τοῦτο πύθοιτο, πόθεν τόδε νεῖκος ἐτύχθη:
καί κεν δὴ μέγα θαῦμα μετ᾽ ἀθανάτοισι γένοιτο,
παῖδα νέον γεγαῶτα διὲκ προθύροιο περῆσαι
βουσὶν ἐπ᾽ ἀγραύλοισι: τὸ δ᾽ ἀπρεπέως ἀγορεύεις.
χθὲς γενόμην, ἁπαλοὶ δὲ πόδες, τρηχεῖα δ᾽ ὕπο χθών.
εἰ δ᾽ ἐθέλεις, πατρὸς κεφαλὴν μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμοῦμαι:
μὴ μὲν ἐγὼ μήτ᾽ αὐτὸς ὑπίσχομαι αἴτιος εἶναι,
μήτε τιν᾽ ἄλλον ὄπωπα βοῶν κλοπὸν ὑμετεράων,
αἵ τινες αἱ βόες εἰσί: τὸ δὲ κλέος οἶον ἀκούω.
269-277 Let no one hear the cause of this dispute; for this would be a
great marvel indeed among the deathless gods, that a child newly born
should pass in through the forepart of the house with cattle of the
field: herein you speak extravagantly. I was born yesterday, and my feet
are soft and the ground beneath is rough; nevertheless, if you will
have it so, I will swear a great oath by my father’s head and vow that
neither am I guilty myself, neither have I seen any other who stole your
cows--whatever cows may be; for I know them only by hearsay.