Homeric Hymn to Demeter

There too are the sources and boundaries of dusky Earth, and murky Tartaros, and barren Sea, and starry Sky, all in order; 810 boundaries oppressive and gloomy, which also even gods abhor. And there are gleaming gates and a brazen threshold, unshaken and fixed upon far-extending foundations, self-growing; and before it, outside of all the gods, beyond gloomy Chaos, the Titans dwell. 815 But the famed allies of loud-crashing Zeus inhabit dwellings under the foundations of the Okeanos, namely, Kottos and Gyes. Briareus indeed, for his part, strong as he was, deep-sounding Earth-shaker made his son-in-law, and gave him to wife his daughter Kymopolia.

And, in fact, it was then that there would have been done a deed past remedy, and he, yes, he, would have reigned over mortals and immortals, unless the father of gods and men had quickly observed him. Harshly then he thundered, and heavily, 840 and terribly the earth re-echoed around; and the broad sky above, and the sea, and streams of Okeanos, and the abysses of earth. But beneath his immortal feet vast Olympus trembled, as the king rose up, and earth groaned beneath. And the heat from both caught the dark-colored sea, 845 both of the thunder and lightning, and fire from the monster, the heat arising from the thunder-storms, winds, and burning lightning. And all earth and sky and sea were boiling; and huge billows roared around the shores about and around, beneath the violence of gods; and unallayed quaking arose. 850 Hades trembled, monarch over the dead beneath; and the Titans under Tartaros, standing about Kronos, trembled also, on account of the unceasing tumult and dreadful contention. But then Zeus had raised high his wrath, and had taken his arms, his thunder and lightning, and smoking bolt, leapt up, 855 and smote him from Olympus, and scorched all-around all the wondrous heads of the terrible monster. But when at length he had quelled it, after having smitten it with blows, the monster fell down lamed, and huge Earth groaned. But the flame from the lightning-blasted monster flashed forth 860 in the mountain-hollows, hidden and rugged, when he was stricken, and much was the vast earth burnt and melted by the boundless vapor, like pewter, heated by the craft of youths, and by the well-bored melting-pit; or iron, which is the hardest of metals, 865 subdued in the dells of the mountain by blazing fire, melts in the sacred earth beneath the hands of Hephaistos. So was earth melted in the glare of burning fire. Then, troubled in spirit, he hurled him into wide Tartaros.

Now from Typhoeus is the strength of winds moist-blowing, 870 except the southwest, the north, and Argestes, and Zephyr, who also indeed are a race from the gods, a great blessing to mortals. But the others, being random gusts, breathe over the sea. And these falling upon the darksome deep rage with baneful gusts, a great hurt to mortals; 875 and now here, now there they blow, and scatter ships, and destroy sailors: nor is there any relief from ill to men, who encounter them on the sea. But these again over the boundless flowery earth spoil the pleasant works of earth-born men, 880 filling them with dust and wearisome uproar.

Descendants of Kronos: Children of Zeus

But when the blessed gods had fulfilled their labor, and contended with the Titans perforce on the score of honors, then it was, I say, that they urged far-seeing Zeus, by the advice of Earth, to rule and reign 885 over immortals: and he duly distributed honors amongst them. And Zeus, king of the gods, made Metis first his wife; Metis, most wise of deities as well as mortal men. But when at last she was about to give birth to Athena, gleaming-eyed goddess, then it was that having by deceit beguiled her mind 890 with flattering words, he placed her [Mêtis] within his own belly by the advice of earth, and of starry Sky. For thus they persuaded him, lest other of ever-living gods should possess sovereign honor in the room of Zeus. For of her [Mêtis] it was fated that wise children should be born: 895 first the glancing-eyed Tritonian maiden, having equal might and prudent counsel with her father; and then she [Mêtis] was going to give birth to a son, as king of gods and men, with an overbearing spirit, if it had not been for the fact that Zeus deposited her first in his own belly, 900 that the goddess might indicate to him both good and bad.

Next he wedded bright Themis, who bore the Hôrai: Eunomia, Dikê, and blooming Peace, who care for their works for mortal men; and the Fates [Moirai], to whom counselling Zeus gives most honor, 905 Klotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, who also give to men good and evil to possess. And Eurynome, daughter of Okeanos, having a very lovely form, bore him the fair-cheeked Kharites [Graces]: Aglaia, and Euphrosyne, and winsome Thalia; 910 from whose eyelids also as they gazed dropped Love, unnerving limbs, and sweetly too they look from under their brows. But he came to the couch of much-nourishing Demeter, who bore him white-armed Persephone; her whom Hades ravished from her mother: and sage Zeus gave her away. And next he was enamored of beautiful-haired 915 Mnemosyne, of whom were born to him the Muses nine, with-golden-fillets, to whom festivals, and the delight of song, are a pleasure. But Apollo and Artemis, rejoicing-in-arrows, a lovely off-spring beyond all the heavenly-beings, Leto 920 brought forth, after union in love with aegis-bearing Zeus. And last made he blooming Hera his spouse. She bore Hebe, and Ares, and Eileithuia, having been united in love with the king of gods and men. But by himself, from his head, he produced glancing-eyed Tritonis [Athena], 925 fierce, strife-stirring, army-leading, unsubdued, and awesome, to whom dins, and wars, and battle are a delight.

Descendants of Kronos: Hera’s Child, Hephaistos

And Hera, without having been united in love, brought forth famous Hephaistos, as she was furious and quarrelling with her husband; Hephaistos, distinguished in crafts from amongst all the sky-born.

To shield-piercing Ares, however, Kytherea [Aphrodite] bore Fear and Terror, 935 formidable deities, who route dense phalanxes of men in horrid war, with the help of city-spoiler Ares; and Harmonia, whom high-spirited Cadmus [Kadmos] made his spouse. Then to Zeus Maia, daughter of Atlas, bore glorious Hermes, herald of immortals, having ascended his holy couch. 940 And to him Semele, daughter of Cadmus, bore an illustrious son, Dionysos bringer of joys, after union in love, mortal though she was, an immortal. But now both are deities. And Alkmene after union in love with cloud-compelling Zeus bore Herakles the strong. 945 But Hephaistos, far-famed, crippled god, took to wife blooming Aglaia, youngest of the Kharites. And Dionysos, of golden hair, took for his blooming bride blond-tressed Ariadne, daughter of Minos. And her the son of Kronos made immortal, and unsusceptible of old age for him. And fair-ankled Alkmene’s valiant son, mighty Herakles, having accomplished grievous toils, 950 made Hebe, daughter of mighty Zeus and Hera-with-golden-sandals, his bashful wife in snowy Olympus: happy hero, who having achieved a great work, 955 dwells among the immortals uninjured and ageless evermore.

To the unwearied Sun the famous daughter of Okeanos, Perseis, bore Circe and king Aietes. And Aietes, son of man-enlightening Sun, 960 wedded beauteous-cheeked Iduia, daughter of Okeanos, perfect through golden Aphrodite, brought forth to him fair-ankled Medea.

Take pleasure [in my performance], gods dwelling in Olympian abodes, islands and continents, and briny Pontos within; and now Olympian Muses, sweet of speech, daughters of aegis-bearing Zeus, 965 sing you the generation of goddesses, as many as, having been united, though immortal, with mortal men, gave birth to children resembling gods. Demeter, divine among goddesses, after union in delightsome love, 970 bore Ploutos [Wealth] to the hero Iasios, in a thrice-ploughed fallow field, in the fertile country of Crete, a kind god, who goes over all the earth, and the broad surface of the sea; and to him that has chanced upon him, and into whose hands he may have come, him, I say, he is accustomed to make rich, and presents to him much wealth [olbos]. 975 And to Cadmus, Harmonia, daughter of golden Aphrodite, bore Ino, Semele, and fair-cheeked Agaue, and Autonoe, whom Aristaios of-clustering-locks wedded, and Polydoros in tower-circled Thebes. But Kallirhoe, daughter of Okeanos, united to brave-hearted Khrysaor 980 in union of all-golden Aphrodite, bore a son the strongest of all mortals, Geryon, whom mighty Herakles slew, for the sake of the trailing-footed oxen in island Erytheia.

And to Tithonos Eos bore Memnon with-brazen-helm, 985 king of the Ethiopians, and the sovereign Emathion. But to Kephalos in truth she [Eos] produced an illustrious son, the brave Phaethon, comparable to the gods, whom, when young, in the tender flower of glorious youth, a lad, conscious only of young fancies, laughter-loving Aphrodite 990 snatched up, and rushed away, and she made him, in her sacred shrine, the temple-keeper of her inner sanctum, a radiant daimôn. And the daughter of Aietes, Zeus-descended king, Jason, son of Aison, by the counsels of ever-living gods, carried off from Aietes, after he had fulfilled the grievous toils, 995 which, being many in number, the great and overbearing king, insolent and reckless Pelias, doer of deeds of violence, imposed upon him. Which having achieved, after having toiled much, the son of Aison arrived at Iolkos, bearing in his fleet ship a dark-eyed maiden, and her he made his blooming bride. Yes, and she [Medea], 1000 having been yoked with Jason, shepherd of his people, bore a son Medeus, whom Chiron, son of Philyra, reared on the mountains; while the purpose of mighty Zeus was being fulfilled.

But of the daughters of Nereus, ancient sea-god, Psamathe, divine among goddesses, bore Phokos 1005 in the embrace of Aiakos, through golden Aphrodite: and the goddess Thetis, of the silver feet, yielding to Peleus, gave birth to Achilles the lion-hearted, who-broke-the-ranks-of-men. Fair-wreathed Kytherea [Aphrodite] too, blending in delightsome love with the hero Anchises, bore Aineias [Aeneas] 1010 on the peaks of many-valleyed, woody Ida. But Circe, daughter of the Sun, born-of-Hyperion, by the love of Odysseus of-enduring-heart, gave birth to Agrios and blameless and strong Latinus; Telegonos also she bore through golden Aphrodite. 1015 Now these, very far in a recess of sacred isles, reigned over all the very renowned Tyrrhenians. But Calypso, divine among goddesses, bore to Odysseus Nausithoös and Nausinoös after union in delightful love.

Theognis of Megara
Translated by Gregory Nagy
Lord Apollo, son of Leto and Zeus, I will always have you

2 on my mind as I begin and as I end my song.

You will be my song in the beginning, in the end, and in the middle.

4 Hear my prayer and grant me the things that are noble [esthla].

Lord Phoebus Apollo! When the goddess, Lady Leto, gave birth to you

6 at the wheel-shaped lake, you O most beautiful of the immortal gods,

as she held on to the Palm Tree with her supple hands,

8 then it was that all Delos, indescribably and eternally, was filled

with an aroma of immortality; and the Earth smiled in all her enormity,

10 while the deep pontos of the gray Sea rejoiced.

Artemis, killer of beasts, daughter of Zeus! For you Agamemnon

12 established a sacred precinct at the time when he set sail for Troy with his swift ships.

Hear my prayer! Ward off the spirits of destruction!

14 For you this is a small thing to do, goddess. For me it is a big thing.

Muses and Graces [Kharites], daughters of Zeus! You were the ones

16 who once came to the wedding of Kadmos, and you sang this beautiful epos:

“What is beautiful is philon, what is not beautiful is not philon.”

18 That is the epos that came through their immortal mouths.

Kyrnos, let a seal be placed by me as I practice my sophiâ

20 upon these epea; that way they will never be stolen without detection,

and no one will substitute something inferior for the good [esthlon] that is there.

22 And everyone will say: “These are the epea of Theognis

of Megara. His name is known among all men.”

24 But I am not yet able to please all the citizens.

Which is not surprising, son of Polypaos! Not even Zeus

26 can please everyone either by making rain or by withdrawing rain.

But I, having good intentions toward you, will give you the kind of advice

28 that I myself, Kyrnos, learned from the agathoi when I was still a boy.

Be aware! Do not drag the things of tîmê or aretê or wealth

30 in the direction of deeds that are base and shameful or without dikê.

Kyrnos, this polis is pregnant, and I fear that it will give birth to a man

40 who will be a straightener of our base hubris.

The citizens here are still moderate, but the leaders

42 have veered so as to fall into debasement [kakotês].

Men who are agathoi, Kyrnos, have never yet ruined any polis,

44 but when the kakoi decide to behave with hubris,

and when they ruin the community [dêmos] and render judgments [dikai] in favor of things without justice [dikê]

46 for the sake of profits [kerdea] and for the sake of power,

do not expect that polis to be peaceful for long,

48 not even if it is now in a state of much serenity [hêsukhiâ],

when the kakoi decide on these things,

50 namely, kerdea entailing public damage.

From these things arise strife [stasis pl.] internecine killings [phonoi],

52 and tyrants [monarkhoi]. May this polis never decide to adopt these things!

My thûmos! Keep turning and showing a new side of your versatile nature in each encounter with every philos.

214 Keep mixing your temperament to match that of each philos.

Have the temperament of a complex octopus,

216 who always looks like whatever rock he has just clung to.

Now be like this; then, at another time, become someone else in your coloring.

218 It is true to say that sophiâ is better than being atropos.¹⁹⁰

I gave you wings with which over the boundless sea [pontos]

238 you will fly, soaring, and over all the earth,

with ease. You will be there at all banquets,

240 on the lips of many,

and young men will sing of you to the accompaniment of clear-sounding pipes,

242 delightful young men, in good arrangement [kosmos], beautifully and clearly.

And when you go under, down to the recesses of dark Earth

244 to the mournful halls of Hades,

you will never, not even in death, lose kleos, but you will be on the minds of men,

246 having a name that is unwilting [aphthiton] forever,

Kyrnos, as you go about the land of the Hellenes and over their islands too,

248 crossing the unharvested fish-swarming sea [pontos];

and this time you will not be sitting on horseback, but you will be propelled

250 by the splendid gifts of the violet-garlanded Muses.

You will be a song for everyone who has song on his mind, both for those who are now and for those who will be,

252 so long as there will be Earth and Sun.

But I do not even get a little respect from you,

254 and you deceive me with your words as if I were some small boy.

May Zeus grant me repayment of the philoi who love me,

338 and that I may have more power than my personal enemies [ekhthroi].

Thus would I have the reputation of a god among men,

340 if my destined death overtakes me when I have exacted repayment.

O Zeus, Olympian, bring my timely prayer to its ultimate fulfillment!

342 Grant that I have something good happen in place of misfortunes.

But may I die if I find no respite from cares brought on by misfortunes.

344 And may I give harm in return for harm.

For this is the way it was destined, and yet I see no repayment on the horizon,

346 no repayment of the men who robbed me of my possessions by force [biâ].

But I am a dog and I cross the stream

348 with its wintry torrent. I am about to exact repayment for everything.

May I drink their black blood! And may a noble [esthlos] daimôn look on at all of this,

350 who may bring these things to their ultimate fulfillment, in accordance with my noos.

I fear, son of Polypaos, that hubris will destroy this polis

542 —the same hubris that destroyed the Centaurs, eaters of raw flesh.

I must render this dikê, Kyrnos, along the straight line of a carpenter’s rule and square,

544 and I must give to both sides their equitable share,

with the help of seers, portents, and burning sacrifice,

546 so that I may not incur shameful blame for veering.

My philoi betray me. A personal enemy [ekhthros] would have been no problem, since I could steer clear of him,

576 much as a helmsman [kubernêtês] steers clear of the reefs in the sea.

Ah, wretched Poverty! Why do you weigh upon my shoulders

650 and debase both my body and my noos?

Forcibly and against my will, you teach me many base and shameful things,

652 though I am one among men who understands what things are esthla and beautiful.

If I had the wealth, Simonides, that I used to have,

668 I would not be distressed as I am now at being together with the agathoi.

But now my possessions have passed me by, even though I was aware, and I am speechless

670 because of my lack of wealth, though I am aware of one single thing much better than many other things:

that we are now being carried along, with white sails lowered,

672 beyond the pontos of Melos, through the dark night,

and they refuse to bail, and the sea washes over

674 both sides of the ship. It is a difficult thing for anyone

to be saved, what with the things they are doing. They have deposed the

kubernêtês,

676 the noble [esthlos] one, who was standing guard, with expertise.

They seize wealth by force [biâ], and order [kosmos] has been destroyed.

678 There is no longer an equitable division of possessions, aimed at the collective interest,

but the carriers of merchandise rule, and the kakoi are on top of the agathoi.

Let these things be allusive utterances [ainigma pl.] hidden by me for the agathoi.

682 One could be aware of even future misfortune, if one is sophos.
A man who consults the Oracle must be more straight, Kyrnos, being on his guard,

806 than a carpenter’s pin and rule and square

—a man to whom the priestess of the god at Delphi

808 makes a response, revealing a sacred utterance from the opulent shrine.

You will not find any remedy left if you add anything,

810 nor will you escape from veering, in the eyes of the gods, if you take anything away.

Everything here has gone to the ravens and perdition. And not

834 one of the immortal and blessed gods is responsible to us for this, Kyrnos,

but the violence [biâ] of men and their baneful desire for gain [kerdea] and their hubris

836 have plummeted them from much good [agatha] into debasement [kakotês].

Often has this polis, because of the kakotês of its leaders,

856 run aground like a veering ship.

Kyrnos, this polis is pregnant, and I fear that it will give birth to a man

1082 who is a perpetrator of hubris, a leader of dire strife [stasis].

Hubris has destroyed the Magnesians and Kolophon

1104 and Smyrna; and it will completely destroy all of you, too, Kyrnos!

Do not remind me of my misfortunes! The kinds of things that happened to Odysseus have happened to me too.

1124 Odysseus, who returned, emerging from the great palace of Hades,

and who then killed the suitors with a pitiless thûmos.
I heard, son of Polypaos, the sound of a bird making its resonant call,

1198 the bird that comes as a messenger of ploughing for men,

ploughing in season. And it roused my somber heart,

1200 for other men now possess my flowery fields,

and my mules no longer pull my curved plough

1202 all because of that other sea-voyage that is on one’s mind.

I am Aithôn by birth, and I have an abode [oikos] in well-walled Thebes,

1210 since I have been exiled from my native land.

The Corpse of the Sea is now calling me home.

1230 It is dead, but it calls with a mouth that is alive.

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