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ARGONAUTICA BOOK 2 [408]

(2.408-410) Thus he spake, and straightway fear seized them as they heard. And for a long while they were struck with silence; till at last the hero, son of Aeson, spake, sore dismayed at their evil plight:

407 οὐ κνέφας ἥδυμος ὕπνος ἀναιδέα δάμναται ὄσσε."
408     Ὧς ἄρ' ἔφη: τοὺς δ' εἶθαρ ἕλεν δέος εἰσαΐοντας.
409 δὴν δ' ἔσαν ἀμφασίῃ βεβολημένοι: ὀψὲ δ' ἔειπεν
410 ἥρως Αἴσονος υἱὸς ἀμηχανέων κακότητι:

(2.411-418) "O aged sire, now hast thou come to the end of the toils of our sea-journeying and hast told us the token, trusting to which we shall make our way to Pontus through the hateful rocks; but whether, when we have escaped them, we shall have a return back again to Hellas, this too would we gladly learn from thee. What shall I do, how shall I go over again such a long path through the sea, unskilled as I am, with unskilled comrades? And Colchian Aea lies at the edge of Pontus and of the world."

411     "̂Ὠ γέρον, ἤδη μέν τε διίκεο πείρατ' ἀέθλων
412 ναυτιλίης καὶ τέκμαρ, ὅτῳ στυγερὰς διὰ πέτρας
413 πειθόμενοι Πόντονδε περήσομεν: εἰ δέ κεν αὖτις
414 τάσδ' ἡμῖν προφυγοῦσιν ἐς Ἑλλάδα νόστος ὀπίσσω
415 ἔσσεται, ἀσπαστῶς κε παρὰ σέο καὶ τὸ δαείην.
416 πῶς ἔρδω, πῶς αὖτε τόσην ἁλὸς εἶμι κέλευθον,
417 νῆις ἐὼν ἑτάροις ἅμα νήισιν; Αἶα δὲ Κολχὶς
418 Πόντου καὶ γαίης ἐπικέκλιται ἐσχατιῇσιν."

(2.419-425) Thus he spake, and him the aged sire addressed in reply: "O son, when once thou hast escaped through the deadly rocks, fear not; for a deity will be the guide from Aea by another track; and to Aea there will be guides enough. But, my friends, take thought of the artful aid of the Cyprian goddess. For on her depends the glorious issue of your venture. And further than this ask me not."

419     Ὧς φάτο: τὸν δ' ὁ γεραιὸς ἀμειβόμενος προσέειπεν:
420 "̂Ὠ τέκος, εὖτ' ἂν πρῶτα φύγῃς ὀλοὰς διὰ πέτρας,
421 θάρσει: ἐπεὶ δαίμων ἕτερον πλόον ἡγεμονεύσει
422 ἐξ Αἴης: μετὰ δ' Αἶαν ἅλις πομπῆες ἔσονται.
423 ἀλλά, φίλοι, φράζεσθε θεᾶς δολόεσσαν ἀρωγὴν
424 Κύπριδος. ἐκ γὰρ τῆς κλυτὰ πείρατα κεῖται ἀέθλων.
425 καὶ δέ με μηκέτι τῶνδε περαιτέρω ἐξερέεσθε."

(2.426-437) Thus spake Agenor's son, and close at hand the twin sons of Thracian Boreas came darting from the sky and set their swift feet upon the threshold; and the heroes rose up from their seats when they saw them present. And Zetes, still drawing hard breath after his toil, spake among the eager listeners, telling them how far they had driven the Harpies and how his prevented their slaying them, and how the goddess of her grace gave them pledges, and how those others in fear plunged into the vast cave of the Dictaean cliff. Then in the mansion all their comrades were joyful at the tidings and so was Phineus himself. And quickly Aeson's son, with good will exceeding, addressed him:

426     Ὧς φάτ' Ἀγηνορίδης: ἐπὶ δὲ σχεδὸν υἱέε δοιὼ
427 Θρηικίου Βορέαο κατ' αἰθέρος ἀίξαντε
428 οὐδῷ ἔπι κραιπνοὺς ἔβαλον πόδας: οἱ δ' ἀνόρουσαν
429 ἐξ ἑδέων ἥρωες, ὅπως παρεόντας ἴδοντο.
430 Ζήτης δ' ἱεμένοισιν, ἔτ' ἄσπετον ἐκ καμάτοιο
431 ἆσθμ' ἀναφυσιόων, μετεφώνεεν, ὅσσον ἄπωθεν
432 ἤλασαν, ἠδ' ὡς ̂Ἰρις ἐρύκακε τάσδε δαΐξαι,
433 ὅρκιά τ' εὐμενέουσα θεὰ πόρεν, αἱ δ' ὑπέδυσαν
434 δείματι Δικταίης περιώσιον ἄντρον ἐρίπνης.
435 γηθόσυνοι δἤπειτα δόμοις ἔνι πάντες ἑταῖροι
436 αὐτός τ' ἀγγελίῃ Φινεὺς πέλεν. ὦκα δὲ τόνγε
437 Αἰσονίδης περιπολλὸν ἐυφρονέων προσέειπεν:

(2.438-442) Assuredly there was then, Phineus, some god who cared for thy bitter woe, and brought us hither from afar, that the sons of Boreas might aid thee; and if too he should bring sight to thine eyes, verily I should rejoice, methinks, as much as if I were on my homeward way."

438     "̂Ἠ ἄρα δή τις ἔην, Φινεῦ, θεός, ὃς σέθεν ἄτης
439 κήδετο λευγαλέης, καὶ δ' ἡμέας αὖθι πέλασσεν
440 τηλόθεν, ὄφρα τοι υἷες ἀμύνειαν Βορέαο:
441 εἰ δὲ καὶ ὀφθαλμοῖσι φόως πόροι ἦ τ' ἂν ὀίω
442 γηθήσειν, ὅσον εἴπερ ὑπότροπος οἴκαδ' ἱκοίμην."

(2.443-447) Thus he spake, but Phineus replied to him with downcast look: "Son of Aeson, that is past recall, nor is there any remedy hereafter, for blasted are my sightless eyes. But instead of that, may the god grant me death at once, and after death I shall take my share in perfect bliss."

443     Ὧς ἔφατ': αὐτὰρ ὁ τόνγε κατηφήσας προσέειπεν:
444 "Αἰσονίδη, τὸ μὲν οὐ παλινάγρετον, οὐδέ τι μῆχος
445 ἔστ' ὀπίσω: κενεαὶ γὰρ ὑποσμύχονται ὀπωπαί.
446 ἀντὶ δὲ τοῦ θάνατόν μοι ἄφαρ θεὸς ἐγγυαλίξαι,
447 καί τε θανὼν πάσῃσι μετέσσομαι ἀγλαΐῃσιν."

(2.448-467) Then they two returned answering speech, each to other, and soon in the midst of their converse early dawn appeared; and round Phineus were gathered the neighbours who used to come thither aforetime day by day and constantly bring a portion of their food. To all alike, however poor he was that came, the aged man gave his oracles with good will, and freed many from their woes by his prophetic art; wherefore they visited and tended him. And with them came Paraebius, who was dearest to him, and gladly did he perceive these strangers in the house. For long ere now the seer himself had said that a band of chieftains, faring from Hellas to the city of Aceres, would make fast their hawsers to the Thynian land, and by Zeus' will would check tho approach of the Harpies. The rest the old man pleased with words of wisdom and let them go; Paraebius only he bade remain there with the chiefs; and straightway he sent him and bade him bring back the choicest of his sheep. And when he had left the hall Phineus spake gently amid the throng of oarsmen:

448     Ὧς τώγ' ἀλλήλοισι παραβλήδην ἀγόρευον.
449 αὐτίκα δ' οὐ μετὰ δηρὸν ἀμειβομένων ἐφαάνθη
450 Ἠριγενής: τὸν δ' ἀμφὶ περικτίται ἠγερέθοντο
451 ἀνέρες, οἳ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐπ' ἤματι κεῖσε θάμιζον,
452 αἰὲν ὁμῶς φορέοντες ἑῆς ἀπὸ μοῖραν ἐδωδῆς.
453 τοῖς ὁ γέρων πάντεσσιν, ὅτις καὶ ἀφαυρὸς ἵκοιτο,
454 ἔχραεν ἐνδυκέως, πολέων δ' ἀπὸ πήματ' ἔλυσεν
455 μαντοσύνῃ: τῶ καί μιν ἐποιχόμενοι κομέεσκον.
456 σὺν τοῖσιν δ' ἵκανε Παραίβιος, ὅς ῥά οἱ ἦεν
457 φίλτατος: ἀσπάσιος δὲ: δόμοις ἔνι τούσγ' ἐνόησεν.
458 πρὶν γὰρ δή νύ ποτ' αὐτὸς ἀριστήων στόλον ἀνδρῶν
459 Ἑλλάδος ἐξανιόντα μετὰ πτόλιν Αἰήταο
460 πείσματ' ἀνάψασθαι μυθήσατο Θυνίδι γαίῃ,
461 οἵ τέ οἱ Ἁρπυίας Διόθεν σχήσουσιν ἰούσας.
462 τοὺς μὲν ἔπειτ' ἐπέεσσιν ἀρεσσάμενος πυκινοῖσιν
463 πέμφ' ὁ γέρων: οἶον δὲ Παραίβιον αὐτόθι μίμνειν
464 κέκλετ' ἀριστήεσσι σὺν ἀνδράσιν: αἶψα δὲ τόνγε
465 σφωιτέρων ὀίων ὅτις ἔξοχος, εἰς ἓ κομίσσαι
466 ἧκεν ἐποτρύνας. τοῦ δ' ἐκ μεγάροιο κιόντος
467 μειλιχίως ἐρέτῃσιν ὁμηγερέεσσι μετηύδα:

(2.468-489) "O my friends, not all men are arrogant, it seems, nor unmindful of benefits. Even as this man, loyal as he is, came hither to learn his fate. For when he laboured the most and toiled the most, then the needs of life, ever growing more and more, would waste him, and day after day ever dawned more wretched, nor was there any respite to his toil. But he was paying the sad penalty of his father's sin. For he when alone on the mountains, felling trees, once slighted the prayers of a Hamadryad, who wept and sought to soften him with plaintive words, not to cut down the stump of an oak tree coeval with herself, wherein for a long time she had lived continually; but he in the arrogance of youth recklessly cut it down. So to him the nymph thereafter made her death a curse, to him and to his children. I indeed knew of the sin when he came; and I bid him build an altar to the Thynian nymph, and offer on it an atoning sacrifice, with prayer to escape his father's fate. Here, ever since he escaped the god-sent doom, never has he forgotten or neglected me; but sorely and against his will do I send him from my doors, so eager is he to remain with me in my affliction."

468     "̂Ὠ φίλοι, οὐκ ἄρα πάντες ὑπέρβιοι ἄνδρες ἔασιν,
469 οὐδ' εὐεργεσίης ἀμνήμονες. ὡς καὶ ὅδ' ἀνὴρ
470 τοῖος ἐὼν δεῦρ' ἦλθεν, ἑὸν μόρον ὄφρα δαείη.
471 εὖτε γὰρ οὖν ὡς πλεῖστα κάμοι καὶ πλεῖστα μογήσαι,
472 δὴ τότε μιν περιπολλὸν ἐπασσυτέρη βιότοιο
473 χρησμοσύνη τρύχεσκεν: ἐπ' ἤματι δ' ἦμαρ ὀρώρει
474 κύντερον, οὐδέ τις ἦεν ἀνάπνευσις μογέοντι.
475 ἀλλ' ὅγε πατρὸς ἑοῖο κακὴν τίνεσκεν ἀμοιβὴν
476 ἀμπλακίης. ὁ γὰρ οἶος ἐν οὔρεσι δένδρεα τέμνων
477 δή ποθ' ἁμαδρυάδος νύμφης ἀθέριξε λιτάων,
478 ἥ μιν ὀδυρομένη ἀδινῷ μειλίσσετο μύθῳ,
479 μὴ ταμέειν πρέμνον δρυὸς ἥλικος, ᾗ ἔπι πουλὺν
480 αἰῶνα τρίβεσκε διηνεκές: αὐτὰρ ὁ τήνγε
481 ἀφραδέως ἔτμηξεν ἀγηνορίῃ νεότητος.
482 τῷ δ' ἄρα νηκερδῆ νύμφη πόρεν οἶτον ὀπίσσω
483 αὐτῷ καὶ τεκέεσσιν. ἔγωγε μέν, εὖτ' ἀφίκανεν,
484 ἀμπλακίην ἔγνων: βωμὸν δ' ἐκέλευσα καμόντα
485 Θυνιάδος νύμφης, λωφήια ῥέξαι ἐπ' αὐτῷ
486 ἱερά, πατρῴην αἰτεύμενον αἶσαν ἀλύξαι.
487 ἔνθ' ἐπεὶ ἔκφυγε κῆρα θεήλατον, οὔποτ' ἐμεῖο
488 ἐκλάθετ', οὐδ' ἀθέρισσε: μόλις δ' ἀέκοντα θύραζε
489 πέμπω, ἐπεὶ μέμονέν γε παρέμμεναι ἀσχαλόωντι."

(2.490-499) Thus spake Agenor's son; and his friend straightway came near leading two sheep from the flock. And up rose Jason and up rose the sons of Boreas at the bidding of the aged sire . And quickly they called upon Apollo, lord of prophecy, and offered sacrifice upon the health as the day was just sinking. And the younger comrades made ready a feast to their hearts' desire. Thereupon having well feasted they turned themselves to rest, some near the ship's hawsers, others in groups throughout the mansion. And at dawn the Etesian winds blew strongly, which by the command of Zeus blow over every land equally.

490     Ὧς φάτ' Ἀγηνορίδης: ὁ δ' ἐπισχεδὸν αὐτίκα δοιὼ
491 ἤλυθ' ἄγων ποίμνηθεν ὄις. ἀνὰ δ' ἵστατ' Ἰήσων,
492 ἂν δὲ Βορήιοι υἷες ἐφημοσύνῃσι γέροντος.
493 ὦκα δὲ κεκλόμενοι μαντήιον Ἀπόλλωνα
494 ῥέζον ἐπ' ἐσχαρόφιν νέον ἤματος ἀνομένοιο.
495 κουρότεροι δ' ἑτάρων μενοεικέα δαῖτ' ἀλέγυνον.
496 ἔνθ' εὖ δαισάμενοι, τοὶ μὲν παρὰ πείσμασι νηός,
497 τοὶ δ' αὐτοῦ κατὰ δώματ' ἀολλέες εὐνάζοντο.
498 ἦρι δ' ἐτήσιαι αὖραι ἐπέχραον, αἵ τ' ἀνὰ πᾶσαν
499 γαῖαν ὁμῶς τοιῇδε Διὸς πνείουσιν ἀρωγῇ.


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