ὣς εἰπὼν κνημῖδας ὀρειχάλκοιο φαεινοῦ,
Ἡφαίστου κλυτὰ δῶρα, περὶ κνήμῃσιν ἔθηκεν:
δεύτερον αὖ θώρηκα περὶ στήθεσσιν ἔδυνε
καλὸν χρύσειον πολυδαίδαλον, ὅν οἱ ἔδωκε
Παλλὰς Ἀθηναίη, κούρη Διός, ὁππότ᾽ ἔμελλε
τὸ πρῶτον στονόεντας ἐφορμήσεσθαι ἀέθλους.
θήκατο δ᾽ ἀμφ᾽ ὤμοισιν ἀρῆς ἀλκτῆρα σίδηρον
δεινὸς ἀνήρ: κοΐλην δὲ περὶ στήθεσσι φαρέτρην
καββάλετ᾽ ἐξόπιθεν: πολλοὶ δ᾽ ἔντοσθεν ὀιστοὶ
ῥιγηλοί, θανάτοιο λαθιφθόγγοιο δοτῆρες.
πρόσθεν μὲν θάνατόν τ᾽ εἶχον καὶ δάκρυσι μῦρον,
μέσσοι δὲ ξεστοί, περιμήκεες, αὐτὰρ ὄπισθε
μόρφνοιο φλεγύαο καλυπτόμενοι πτερύγεσσιν.
εἵλετο δ᾽ ὄβριμον ἔγχος, ἀκαχμένον αἴθοπι χαλκῷ,
κρατὶ δ᾽ ἔπ᾽ ἰφθίμῳ κυνέην ἐύτυκτον ἔθηκε,
δαιδαλέην ἀδάμαντος, ἐπὶ κροτάφοις ἀραρυῖαν,
ἥτ᾽ εἴρυτο κάρη Ἡρακλῆος θείοιο.
122-138 The fearful Heracles prepares for war:
So he said, and put upon his legs greaves of shining bronze, the splendid gift of Hephaestus. Next he fastened about his breast a fine golden breast-plate, curiously wrought, which Pallas Athene the daughter of Zeus had given him when first he was about to set out upon his grievous labours. Over his shoulders the fierce warrior put the steel that saves men from doom, and across his breast he slung behind him a hollow quiver. Within it were many chilling arrows, dealers of death which makes speech forgotten: in front they had death, and trickled with tears; their shafts were smooth and very long; and their butts were covered with feathers of a brown eagle. And he took his strong spear, pointed with shining bronze, and on his valiant head set a well-made helm of adamant, cunningly wrought, which fitted closely on the temples; and that guarded the head of god-like Heracles.
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Introduction
