Bibliotheca Polyglotta

Hesiod: Arma Herculis

Complete text

Introduction

Zeus and Amphitryon lay with Alcmena, two sons are born

Heracles battles Cycnus, son of Ares

Heracles and his charioteer Iolaus

The fearful Heracles prepares for war

Heracles shield is described

The description of the shield continues

Athene supports Heracles

Hercules and Cycnus speak

The clash likened to nature

Heracles kills Cycnus and Ares comes to avenge him

Athene intervenes

List of Names

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ἐν δ᾽ ἦν ἠυκόμου Δανάης τέκος, ἱππότα Περσεύς,
οὔτ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐπιψαύων σάκεος ποσὶν οὔθ᾽ ἑκὰς αὐτοῦ,
θαῦμα μέγα φράσσασθ᾽, ἐπεὶ οὐδαμῇ ἐστήρικτο.
τὼς γάρ μιν παλάμαις τεῦξεν κλυτὸς Ἀμφιγυήεις
χρύσεον: ἀμφὶ δὲ ποσσὶν ἔχεν πτερόεντα πέδιλα.
ὤμοισιν δέ μιν ἀμφὶ μελάνδετον ἆορ ἔκειτο
χαλκέου ἐκ τελαμῶνος: ὃ δ᾽ ὥς τε νόημ᾽ ἐποτᾶτο:
πᾶν δὲ μετάφρενον εἶχε κάρη δεινοῖο πελώρου,
Γοργοῦς: ἀμφὶ δέ μιν κίβισις θέε, θαῦμα ἰδέσθαι,
ἀργυρέη: θύσανοι δὲ κατῃωρεῦντο φαεινοὶ
χρύσειοι: δεινὴ δὲ περὶ κροτάφοισιν ἄνακτος
κεῖτ᾽ Ἄιδος κυνέη νυκτὸς ζόφον αἰνὸν ἔχουσα.
αὐτὸς δὲ σπεύδοντι καὶ ἐρρίγοντι ἐοικὼς

216-228 The description of the shield continues:
There, too, was the son of rich-haired Danae, the horseman Perseus: his feet did not touch the shield and yet were not far from it--very marvellous to remark, since he was not supported anywhere; for so did the famous Lame One fashion him of gold with his hands. On his feet he had winged sandals, and his black-sheathed sword was slung across his shoulders by a cross-belt of bronze. He was flying swift as thought. The head of a dreadful monster, the Gorgon, covered the broad of his back, and a bag of silver--a marvel to see--contained it: and from the bag bright tassels of gold hung down. Upon the head of the hero lay the dread cap of Hades which had the awful gloom of night.

Περσεὺς Δαναΐδης ἐτιταίνετο. ταὶ δὲ μετ᾽ αὐτὸν
Γοργόνες ἄπλητοί τε καὶ οὐ φαταὶ ἐρρώοντο
ἱέμεναι μαπέειν. ἐπὶ δὲ χλωροῦ ἀδάμαντος
βαινουσέων ἰάχεσκε σάκος μεγάλῳ ὀρυμαγδῷ
ὀξέα καὶ λιγέως: ἐπὶ δὲ ζώνῃσι δράκοντε
δοιὼ ἀπῃωρεῦντ᾽ ἐπικυρτώοντε κάρηνα.
λίχμαζον δ᾽ ἄρα τώ γε: μένει δ᾽ ἐχάρασσον ὀδόντας
ἄγρια δερκομένω. ἐπὶ δὲ δεινοῖσι καρήνοις
Γοργείοις ἐδονεῖτο μέγας Φόβος. οἳ δ᾽ ὑπὲρ αὐτέων

229-236 Perseus himself, the son of Danae, was at full stretch, like one who hurries and shudders with horror. And after him rushed the Gorgons, unapproachable and unspeakable, longing to seize him: as they trod upon the pale adamant, the shield rang sharp and clear with a loud clanging. Two serpents hung down at their girdles with heads curved forward: their tongues were flickering, and their teeth gnashing with fury, and their eyes glaring fiercely. And upon the awful heads of the Gorgons great Fear was quaking.

ἄνδρες ἐμαρνάσθην πολεμήια τεύχε᾽ ἔχοντες,
τοὶ μὲν ὑπὲρ σφετέρης πόλιος σφετέρων τε τοκήων
λοιγὸν ἀμύνοντες, τοὶ δὲ πραθέειν μεμαῶτες.
πολλοὶ μὲν κέατο, πλέονες δ᾽ ἔτι δῆριν ἔχοντες
μάρνανθ᾽: αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες ἐυδμήτων ἐπὶ πύργων
χαλκέων ὀξὺ βόων, κατὰ δ᾽ ἐδρύπτοντο παρειάς,
ζωῇσιν ἴκελαι, ἔργα κλυτοῦ Ἡφαίστοιο.

237-244 And beyond these there were men fighting in warlike harness, some defending their own town and parents from destruction, and others eager to sack it; many lay dead, but the greater number still strove and fought. The women on well-built towers of bronze were crying shrilly and tearing their cheeks like living beings--the work of famous Hephaestus.

ἄνδρες δ᾽, οἳ πρεσβῆες ἔσαν γῆράς τε μέμαρπεν,
ἀθρόοι ἔκτοσθεν πυλέων ἔσαν, ἂν δὲ θεοῖσι
χεῖρας ἔχον μακάρεσσι, περὶ σφετέροισι τέκεσσι
δειδιότες: τοὶ δ᾽ αὖτε μάχην ἔχον. αἳ δὲ μετ᾽ αὐτοὺς
Κῆρες κυάνεαι, λευκοὺς ἀραβεῦσαι ὀδόντας,
δεινωπαὶ βλοσυραί τε δαφοιναί τ᾽ ἄπληταί τε
δῆριν ἔχον περὶ πιπτόντων: πᾶσαι δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἵεντο
αἷμα μέλαν πιέειν: ὃν δὲ πρῶτον μεμάποιεν
κείμενον ἢ πίπτοντα νεούτατον, ἀμφὶ μὲν αὐτῷ
βάλλ᾽ ὄνυχας μεγάλους, ψυχὴ δ᾽ Ἄιδόσδε κατῇεν
Τάρταρον ἐς κρυόενθ᾽. αἳ δὲ φρένας εὖτ᾽ ἀρέσαντο
αἵματος ἀνδρομέου, τὸν μὲν ῥίπτασκον ὀπίσσω,
ἂψ δ᾽ ὅμαδον καὶ μῶλον ἐθύνεον αὖτις ἰοῦσαι.

245-257 And the men who were elders and on whom age had laid hold were all together outside the gates, and were holding up their hands to the blessed gods, fearing for their own sons. But these again were engaged in battle: and behind them the dusky Fates, gnashing their white fangs, lowering, grim, bloody, and unapproachable, struggled for those who were falling, for they all were longing to drink dark blood. So soon as they caught a man overthrown or falling newly wounded, one of them would clasp her great claws about him, and his soul would go down to Hades to chilly Tartarus. And when they had satisfied their souls with human blood, they would cast that one behind them, and rush back again into the tumult and the fray.

Κλωθὼ καὶ Λάχεσίς σφιν ἐφέστασαν: ἣ μὲν ὑφήσσων
Ἀτροπος οὔ τι πέλεν μεγάλη θεός, ἀλλ᾽ ἄρα ἥ γε
τῶν γε μὲν ἀλλάων προφερής τ᾽ ἦν πρεσβυτάτη τε.
πᾶσαι δ᾽ ἀμφ᾽ ἑνὶ φωτὶ μάχην δριμεῖαν ἔθεντο.
δεινὰ δ᾽ ἐς ἀλλήλας δράκον ὄμμασι θυμήνασαι,
ἐν δ᾽ ὄνυχας χεῖράς τε θρασείας ἰσώσαντο.
πὰρ δ᾽ Ἀχλὺς εἱστήκει ἐπισμυγερή τε καὶ αἰνή,
χλωρὴ ἀυσταλέη λιμῷ καταπεπτηυῖα,
γουνοπαχής, μακροὶ δ᾽ ὄνυχες χείρεσσιν ὑπῆσαν.
τῆς ἐκ μὲν ῥινῶν μύξαι ῥέον, ἐκ δὲ παρειῶν
αἷμ᾽ ἀπελείβετ᾽ ἔραζ᾽: ἣ δ᾽ ἄπλητον σεσαρυῖα
εἱστήκει, πολλὴ δὲ κόνις κατενήνοθεν ὤμους,

258-269 Clotho and Lachesis were over them and Atropos less tall than they, a goddess of no great frame, yet superior to the others and the eldest of them. And they all made a fierce fight over one poor wretch, glaring evilly at one another with furious eyes and fighting equally with claws and hands. By them stood Darkness of Death, mournful and fearful, pale, shrivelled, shrunk with hunger, swollen-kneed. Long nails tipped her hands, and she dribbled at the nose, and from her cheeks blood dripped down to the ground. She stood leering hideously, and much dust sodden with tears lay upon her shoulders.

δάκρυσι μυδαλέη. παρὰ δ᾽ εὔπυργος πόλις ἀνδρῶν:
χρύσειαι δέ μιν εἶχον ὑπερθυρίοις ἀραρυῖαι
ἑπτὰ πύλαι: τοὶ δ᾽ ἄνδρες ἐν ἀγλαΐῃς τε χοροῖς τε
τέρψιν ἔχον: τοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐυσσώτρου ἐπ᾽ ἀπήνης
ἤγοντ᾽ ἀνδρὶ γυναῖκα, πολὺς δ᾽ ὑμέναιος ὀρώρει:
τῆλε δ᾽ ἀπ᾽ αἰθομένων δαΐδων σέλας εἰλύφαζε
χερσὶν ἔνι δμῳῶν: ταὶ δ᾽ ἀγλαΐῃ τεθαλυῖαι
πρόσθ᾽ ἔκιον: τῇσιν δὲ χοροὶ παίζοντες ἕποντο.
τοὶ μὲν ὑπὸ λιγυρῶν συρίγγων ἵεσαν αὐδὴν
ἐξ ἁπαλῶν στομάτων, περὶ δέ σφισιν ἄγνυτο ἠχώ.
αἳ δ᾽ ὑπὸ φορμίγγων ἄναγον χορὸν ἱμερόεντα.
ἔνθεν δ᾽ αὖθ᾽ ἑτέρωθε νέοι κώμαζον ὑπ᾽ αὐλοῦ,
τοί γε μὲν αὖ παίζοντες ὑπ᾽ ὀρχηθμῷ καὶ ἀοιδῇ
τοί γε μὲν αὖ γελόωντες ὑπ᾽ αὐλητῆρι ἕκαστος
πρόσθ᾽ ἔκιον: πᾶσαν δὲ πόλιν θαλίαι τε χοροί τε

270-285 Next, there was a city of men with goodly towers; and seven gates of gold, fitted to the lintels, guarded it. The men were making merry with festivities and dances; some were bringing home a bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car, while the bridal-song swelled high, and the glow of blazing torches held by handmaidens rolled in waves afar. And these maidens went before, delighting in the festival; and after them came frolicsome choirs, the youths singing soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes, while the echo was shivered around them, and the girls led on the lovely dance to the sound of lyres. Then again on the other side was a rout of young men revelling, with flutes playing; some frolicking with dance and song, and others were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing. The whole town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity.

ἀγλαΐαι τ᾽ εἶχον. τοὶ δ᾽ αὖ προπάροιθε πόληος
νῶθ᾽ ἵππων ἐπιβάντες ἐθύνεον. οἱ δ᾽ ἀροτῆρες
ἤρεικον χθόνα δῖαν, ἐπιστολάδην δὲ χιτῶνας
ἐστάλατ᾽. αὐτὰρ ἔην βαθὺ λήιον: οἵ γε μὲν ἤμων
αἰχμῇς ὀξείῃσι κορωνιόωντα πέτηλα,
βριθόμενα σταχύων, ὡς εἰ Δημήτερος ἀκτήν:
οἳ δ᾽ ἄρ᾽ ἐν ἐλλεδανοῖσι δέον καὶ ἔπιτνον ἀλωήν,
οἳ δ᾽ ἐτρύγων οἴνας δρεπάνας ἐν χερσὶν ἔχοντες,
οἳ δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ ἐς ταλάρους ἐφόρευν ὑπὸ τρυγητήρων
λευκοὺς καὶ μέλανας βότρυας μεγάλων ἀπὸ ὄρχων,
βριθομένων φύλλοισι καὶ ἀργυρέῃς ἑλίκεσσιν.
οἳ δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ ἐς ταλάρους ἐφόρευν. παρὰ δέ σφισιν ὄρχος
χρύσεος ἦν, κλυτὰ ἔργα περίφρονος Ἡφαίστοιο,
σειόμενος φύλλοισι καὶ ἀργυρέῃσι κάμαξι,
βριθόμενος σταφυλῇσι: μελάνθησάν γε μὲν αἵδε.
οἵ γε μὲν ἐτράπεον, τοὶ δ᾽ ἤρυον: οἳ δ᾽ ἐμάχοντο
πύξ τε καὶ ἑλκηδόν: τοὶ δ᾽ ὠκύποδας λαγὸς ᾕρευν
ἄνδρες θηρευταί, καὶ καρχαρόδοντε κύνε πρό,

285-304 Others again were mounted on horseback and galloping before the town. And there were ploughmen breaking up the good soil, clothed in tunics girt up. Also there was a wide cornland and some men were reaping with sharp hooks the stalks which bended with the weight of the cars--as if they were reaping Demeter’s grain: others were binding the sheaves with bands and were spreading the threshing floor. And some held reaping hooks and were gathering the vintage, while others were taking from the reapers into baskets white and black clusters from the long rows of vines which were heavy with leaves and tendrils of silver. Others again were gathering them into baskets. Beside them was a row of vines in gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus: it had shivering leaves and stakes of silver and was laden with grapes which turned black. And there were men treading out the grapes and others drawing off liquor. Also there were men boxing and wrestling, and huntsmen chasing swift hares with a leash of sharp-toothed dogs before them, they eager to catch the hares, and the hares eager to escape.

ἱέμενοι μαπέειν, οἳ δ᾽ ἱέμενοι ὑπαλύξαι.
πὰρ δ᾽ αὐτοῖς ἱππῆες ἔχον πόνον, ἀμφὶ δ᾽ ἀέθλῳ
δῆριν ἔχον καὶ μόχθον. ἐυπλεκέων δ᾽ ἐπὶ δίφρων
ἡνίοχοι βεβαῶτες ἐφίεσαν ὠκέας ἵππους
ῥυτὰ χαλαίνοντες, τὰ δ᾽ ἐπικροτέοντα πέτοντο
ἅρματα κολλήεντ᾽, ἐπὶ δὲ πλῆμναι μέγ᾽ ἀύτευν.
οἳ μὲν ἄρ᾽ ἀίδιον εἶχον πόνον οὐδέ ποτέ σφιν
νίκη ἐπηνύσθη, ἀλλ᾽ ἄκριτον εἶχον ἄεθλον.
τοῖσιν δὲ προέκειτο μέγας τρίπος ἐντὸς ἀγῶνος,
χρύσειος, κλυτὰ ἔργα περίφρονος Ἡφαίστοιο.

305-313 Next to them were horsemen hard set, and they contended and laboured for a prize. The charioteers standing on their well-woven cars, urged on their swift horses with loose rein; the jointed cars flew along clattering and the naves of the wheels shrieked loudly. So they were engaged in an unending toil, and the end with victory came never to them, and the contest was ever unwon. And there was set out for them within the course a great tripod of gold, the splendid work of cunning Hephaestus.

ἀμφὶ δ᾽ ἴτυν ῥέεν Ὠκεανὸς πλήθοντι ἐοικώς,
πᾶν δὲ συνεῖχε σάκος πολυδαίδαλον, οἳ δὲ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν
κύκνοι ἀερσιπόται μεγάλ᾽ ἤπυον, οἵ ῥά τε πολλοὶ
νῆχον ἐπ᾽ ἄκρον ὕδωρ: παρὰ δ᾽ ἰχθύες ἐκλονέοντο.

314-317 And round the rim Ocean was flowing, with a full stream as it seemed, and enclosed all the cunning work of the shield. Over it swans were soaring and calling loudly, and many others were swimming upon the surface of the water; and near them were shoals of fish.

θαῦμα ἰδεῖν καὶ Ζηνὶ βαρυκτύπῳ, οὗ διὰ βουλὰς
Ἥφαιστος ποίησε σάκος μέγα τε στιβαρόν τε,
ἀρσάμενος παλάμῃσι. τὸ μὲν Διὸς ἄλκιμος υἱὸς
πάλλεν ἐπικρατέως: ἐπὶ δ᾽ ἱππείου θόρε δίφρου,
εἴκελος ἀστεροπῇ πατρὸς Διὸς αἰγιόχοιο,
κοῦφα βιβάς: τῷ δ᾽ ἡνίοχος κρατερὸς Ἰόλαος
δίφρου ἐπεμβεβαὼς ἰθύνετο καμπύλον ἅρμα.
ἀγχίμολον δέ σφ᾽ ἦλθε θεὰ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη,
καί σφεας θαρσύνουσα ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα:

318-326 A wonderful thing the great strong shield was to see--even for Zeus the loud-thunderer, by whose will Hephaestus made it and fitted it with his hands. This shield the valiant son of Zeus wielded masterly, and leaped upon his horse-chariot like the lightning of his father Zeus who holds the aegis, moving lithely. And his charioteer, strong Iolaus, standing upon the car, guided the curved chariot.

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