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ARGONAUTICA BOOK 2 [1002]

(2.1002-1008) That folk have no care for ploughing with oxen or for any planting of honey-sweet fruit; nor yet do they pasture flocks in the dewy meadow. But they cleave the hard iron-bearing land and exchange their wages for daily sustenance; never does the morn rise for them without toil, but amid bleak sooty flames and smoke they endure heavy labour.

1002    Τοῖσι μὲν οὔτε βοῶν ἄροτος μέλει, οὔτε τις ἄλλη
1003 φυταλιὴ καρποῖο μελίφρονος: οὐδὲ μὲν οἵγε
1004 ποίμνας ἑρσήεντι νομῷ ἔνι ποιμαίνουσιν.
1005 ἀλλὰ σιδηροφόρον στυφελὴν χθόνα γατομέοντες
1006 ὦνον ἀμείβονται βιοτήσιον, οὐδέ ποτέ σφιν
1007 ἠὼς ἀντέλλει καμάτων ἄτερ, ἀλλὰ κελαινῇ
1008 λιγνύι καὶ καπνῷ κάματον βαρὺν ὀτλεύουσιν.

(2.1009-1014) And straightway thereafter they rounded the headland of Genetaean Zeus and sped safely past the land of the Tibareni. Here when wives bring forth children to their husbands, the men lie in bed and groan with their heads close bound; but the women tend them with food, and prepare child-birth baths for them.

1009     Τοὺς δὲ μετ' αὐτίκ' ἔπειτα Γενηταίου Διὸς ἄκρην
1010 γνάμψαντες σώοντο παρὲκ Τιβαρηνίδα γαῖαν.
1011 ἔνθ' ἐπεὶ ἄρ κε τέκωνται ὑπ' ἀνδράσι τέκνα γυναῖκες,
1012 αὐτοὶ μὲν στενάχουσιν ἐνὶ λεχέεσσι πεσόντες,
1013 κράατα δησάμενοι: ταὶ δ' εὖ κομέουσιν ἐδωδῇ
1014 ἀνέρας, ἠδὲ λοετρὰ λεχώια τοῖσι πένονται.

(2.1015-1029) Next they reached the sacred mount and the land where the Mossynoeci dwell amid high mountains in wooden huts, from which that people take their name. And strange are their customs and laws. Whatever it is right to do openly before the people or in the market place, all this they do in their homes, but whatever acts we perform at home, these they perform out of doors in the midst of the streets, without blame. And among them is no reverence for the marriage-bed, but, like swine that feed in herds, no whit abashed in others' presence, on the earth they lie with the women. Their king sits in the loftiest hut and dispenses upright judgments to the multitude, poor wretch! For if haply he err at all in his decrees, for that day they keep him shut up in starvation.

1015     Ἱρὸν δ' αὖτ' ἐπὶ τοῖσιν ὄρος καὶ γαῖαν ἄμειβον,
1016 ᾗ ἔνι Μοσσύνοικοι ἀν' οὔρεα ναιετάουσιν
1017 μόσσυνας, καὶ δ' αὐτοὶ ἐπώνυμοι ἔνθεν ἔασιν.
1018 ἀλλοίη δὲ δίκη καὶ θέσμια τοῖσι τέτυκται.
1019 ὅσσα μὲν ἀμφαδίην ῥέζειν θέμις, ἢ ἐνὶ δήμῳ,
1020 ἢ ἀγορῇ, τάδε πάντα δόμοις ἔνι μηχανόωνται:
1021 ὅσσα δ' ἐνὶ μεγάροις πεπονήμεθα, κεῖνα θύραζε
1022 ἀψεγέως μέσσῃσιν ἐνὶ ῥέζουσιν ἀγυιαῖς.
1023 οὐδ' εὐνῆς αἰδὼς ἐπιδήμιος, ἀλλά, σύες ὣς
1024 φορβάδες, οὐδ' ἠβαιὸν ἀτυζόμενοι παρεόντας,
1025 μίσγονται χαμάδις ξυνῇ φιλότητι γυναικῶν.
1026 αὐτὰρ ἐν ὑψίστῳ βασιλεὺς μόσσυνι θαάσσων
1027 ἰθείας πολέεσσι δίκας λαοῖσι δικάζει,
1028 σχέτλιος. ἢν γάρ πού τί θεμιστεύων ἀλίτηται,
1029 λιμῷ μιν κεῖν' ἦμαρ ἐνικλείσαντες ἔχουσιν.

(2.1030-1046) They passed them by and cleft their way with oars over against the island of Ares all day long; for at dusk the light breeze left them. At last they spied above them, hurtling through the air, one of the birds of Ares which haunt that isle. It shook its wings down over the ship as she sped on and sent against her a keen feather, and it fell on the left shoulder of goodly Oileus, and he dropped his oar from his hands at the sudden blow, and his comrades marvelled at the sight of the winged bolt. And Eribotes from his seat hard by drew out the feather, and bound up the wound when he had loosed the strap hanging from his own sword-sheath; and besides the first, another bird appeared swooping down; but the hero Clytius, son of Eurytus -- for he bent his curved bow, and sped a swift arrow against the bird -- struck it, and it whirled round and fell close to the ship. And to them spake Amphidamas, son of Aleus:

1030     Τοὺς παρανισσόμενοι καὶ δὴ σχεδὸν ἀντιπέρηθεν
1031 νήσου Ἀρητιάδος τέμνον πλόον εἰρεσίῃσιν
1032 ἠμάτιοι: λιαρὴ γὰρ ὑπὸ κνέφας ἔλλιπεν αὔρη.
1033 ἤδη καί τιν' ὕπερθεν Ἀρήιον ἀίσσοντα
1034 ἐνναέτην νήσοιο δι' ἠέρος ὄρνιν ἴδοντο,
1035 ὅς ῥα τιναξάμενος πτέρυγας κατὰ νῆα θέουσαν
1036 ἧκ' ἐπί οἱ πτερὸν ὀξύ: τὸ δ' ἐν λαιῷ πέσεν ὤμῳ
1037 δίου Ὀιλῆος: μεθέηκε δὲ χερσὶν ἐρετμὸν
1038 βλήμενος: οἱ δὲ τάφον πτερόεν βέλος εἰσορόωντες.
1039 καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐξείρυσσε παρεδριόων Ἐρυβώτης,
1040 ἕλκος δὲ ξυνέδησεν, ἀπὸ σφετέρου κολεοῖο
1041 λυσάμενος τελαμῶνα κατήορον: ἐκ δ' ἐφαάνθη
1042 ἄλλος ἐπὶ προτέρῳ πεποτημένος: ἀλλά μιν ἥρως
1043 Εὐρυτίδης Κλυτίος--πρὸ γὰρ ἀγκύλα τείνατο τόξα,
1044 ἧκε δ' ἐπ' οἰωνὸν ταχινὸν βέλος--αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα
1045 πλῆξεν: δινηθεὶς δὲ θοῆς πέσεν ἀγχόθι νηός.
1046 τοῖσιν δ' Ἀμφιδάμας μυθήσατο, παῖς Ἀλεοῖο:

(2.1047-1067) "The island of Ares is near us; you know it yourselves now that ye have seen these birds. But little will arrows avail us, I trow, for landing. But let us contrive some other device to help us, if ye intend to land, bearing in mind the injunction of Phineus. For not even could Heracles, when he came to Arcadia, drive away with bow and arrow the birds that swam on the Stymphalian lake. I saw it myself. But he shook in his hand a rattle of bronze and made a loud clatter as he stood upon a lofty peak, and the birds fled far off, screeching in bewildered fear. Wherefore now too let us contrive some such device, and I myself will speak, having pondered the matter beforehand. Set on your heads your helmets of lofty crest, then half row by turns, and half fence the ship about with polished spears and shields. Then all together raise a mighty shout so that the birds may be scared by the unwonted din, the nodding crests, and the uplifted spears on high. And if we reach the island itself, then make mighty noise with the clashing of shields."

1047     "Νῆσος μὲν πέλας ἧμιν Ἀρητιάς: ἴστε καὶ αὐτοὶ
1048 τούσδ' ὄρνιθας ἰδόντες. ἐγὼ δ' οὐκ ἔλπομαι ἰοὺς
1049 τόσσον ἐπαρκέσσειν εἰς ἔκβασιν. ἀλλά τιν' ἄλλην
1050 μῆτιν πορσύνωμεν ἐπίρροθον, εἴ γ' ἐπικέλσαι
1051 μέλλετε, Φινῆος μεμνημένοι, ὡς ἐπέτελλεν.
1052 οὐδὲ γὰρ Ἡρακλέης, ὁπότ' ἤλυθεν Ἀρκαδίηνδε,
1053 πλωίδας ὄρνιθας Στυμφαλίδας ἔσθενε λίμνης
1054 ὤσασθαι τόξοισι, τὸ μέν τ' ἐγὼ αὐτὸς ὄπωπα.
1055 ἀλλ' ὅγε χαλκείην πλατάγην ἐνὶ χερσὶ τινάσσων
1056 δούπει ἐπὶ σκοπιῆς περιμήκεος: αἱ δ' ἐφέβοντο
1057 τηλοῦ, ἀτυζηλῷ ὑπὸ δείματι κεκληγυῖαι.
1058 τῶ καὶ νῦν τοίην τιν' ἐπιφραζώμεθα μῆτιν:
1059 αὐτὸς δ' ἂν τὸ πάροιθεν ἐπιφρασθεὶς ἐνέποιμι.
1060 ἀνθέμενοι κεφαλῇσιν ἀερσιλόφους τρυφαλείας,
1061 ἡμίσεες μὲν ἐρέσσετ' ἀμοιβαδίς, ἡμίσεες δὲ
1062 δούρασί τε ξυστοῖσι καὶ ἀσπίσιν ἄρσετε νῆα.
1063 αὐτὰρ πασσυδίῃ περιώσιον ὄρνυτ' ἀυτὴν
1064 ἀθρόοι, ὄφρα κολῳὸν ἀηθείῃ φοβέωνται
1065 νεύοντάς τε λόφους καὶ ἐπήορα δούραθ' ὕπερθεν.
1066 εἰ δέ κεν αὐτὴν νῆσον ἱκώμεθα, δὴ τότ' ἔπειτα
1067 σὺν κελάδῳ σακέεσσι πελώριον ὄρσετε δοῦπον."

(2.1068-1089) Thus he spake, and the helpful device pleased all. And on their heads they placed helmets of bronze, gleaming terribly, and the blood-red crests were tossing. And half of them rowed in turn, and the rest covered the ship with spears and shields. And as when a man roofs over a house with tiles, to be an ornament of his home and a defence against rain, and one the fits firmly into another, each after each; so they roofed over the ship with their shields, locking them together. And as a din arises from a warrior-host of men sweeping on, when lines of battle meet, such a shout rose upward from the ship into the air. Now they saw none of the birds yet, but when they touched the island and clashed upon their shields, then the birds in countless numbers rose in flight hither and thither. And as when the son of Cronos sends from the clouds a dense hailstorm on city and houses, and the people who dwell beneath hear the din above the roof and sit quietly, since the stormy season has not come upon them unawares, but they have first made strong their roofs; so the birds sent against the heroes a thick shower of feather- shafts as they darted over the sea to the mountains of the land opposite.

1068    Ὧς ἄρ' ἔφη: πάντεσσι δ' ἐπίρροθος ἥνδανε μῆτις.
1069 ἀμφὶ δὲ χαλκείας κόρυθας κεφαλῇσιν ἔθεντο
1070 δεινὸν λαμπομένας, ἐπὶ δὲ λόφοι ἐσσείοντο
1071 φοινίκεοι. καὶ τοὶ μὲν ἀμοιβήδην ἐλάασκον:
1072 τοὶ δ' αὖτ' ἐγχείῃσι καὶ ἀσπίσι νῆ' ἐκάλυψαν.
1073 ὡς δ' ὅτε τις κεράμῳ κατερέψεται ἑρκίον ἀνήρ,
1074 δώματος ἀγλαΐην τε καὶ ὑετοῦ ἔμμεναι ἄλκαρ,
1075 ἄλλῳ δ' ἔμπεδον ἄλλος ὁμῶς ἐπαμοιβὸς ἄρηρεν:
1076 ὧς οἵγ' ἀσπίσι νῆα συναρτύναντες ἔρεψαν.
1077 οἵη δὲ κλαγγὴ δῄου πέλει ἐξ ὁμάδοιο
1078 ἀνδρῶν κινυμένων, ὁπότε ξυνίωσι φάλαγγες,
1079 τοίη ἄρ' ὑψόθι νηὸς ἐς ἠέρα κίδνατ' ἀυτή.
1080 οὐδέ τιν' οἰωνῶν ἔτ' ἐσέδρακον, ἀλλ' ὅτε νήσῳ
1081 χρίμψαντες σακέεσσιν ἐπέκτυπον, αὐτίκ' ἄρ' οἵγε
1082 μυρίοι ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα πεφυζότες ἠερέθοντο.
1083 ὡς δ' ὁπότε Κρονίδης πυκινὴν ἐφέηκε χάλαζαν
1084 ἐκ νεφέων ἀνά τ' ἄστυ καὶ οἰκία, τοὶ δ' ὑπὸ τοῖσιν
1085 ἐνναέται κόναβον τεγέων ὕπερ εἰσαΐοντες
1086 ἧνται ἀκήν, ἐπεὶ οὔ σφε κατέλλαβε χείματος ὥρη
1087 ἀπροφάτως, ἀλλὰ πρὶν ἐκαρτύναντο μέλαθρον:
1088 ὧς πυκινὰ πτερὰ τοῖσιν ἐφίεσαν ἀίσσοντες
1089 ὕψι μάλ' ἂμ πέλαγος περάτης εἰς οὔρεα γαίης.

(2.1090-1092) What then was the purpose of Phineus in bidding the divine band of heroes land there? Or what kind of help was about to meet their desire?

1090     Τίς γὰρ δὴ Φινῆος ἔην νόος, ἐνθάδε κέλσαι
1091 ἀνδρῶν ἡρώων θεῖον στόλον; ἢ καὶ ἔπειτα
1092 ποῖον ὄνειαρ ἔμελλεν ἐελδομένοισιν ἱκέσθαι;

(2.1093-1122) The sons of Phrixus were faring towards the city of Orchomenus from Aea, coming from Cytaean Aeetes, on board a Colchian ship, to win the boundless wealth of their father; for he, when dying, had enjoined this journey upon them. And lo, on that day they were very near that island. But Zeus had impelled the north wind's might to blow, marking by rain the moist path of Arcturus; and all day long he was stirring the leaves upon the mountains, breathing gently upon the topmost sprays; but at night he rushed upon the sea with monstrous force, and with his shrieking blasts uplifted the surge; and a dark mist covered the heavens, nor did the bright stars anywhere appear from among the clouds, but a murky gloom brooded all around. And so the sons of Phrixus, drenched and trembling in fear of a horrible doom, were borne along by the waves helplessly. And the force of the wind had snatched away their sails and shattered in twain the hull, tossed as it was by the breakers. And hereupon by heaven's prompting those four clutched a huge beam, one of many that were scattered about, held together by sharp bolts, when the ship broke to pieces. And on to the island the waves and the blasts of wind bore the men in their distress, within a little of death. And straightway a mighty rain burst forth, and rained upon the sea and the island, and all the country opposite the island, where the arrogant Mossynoeci dwelt. And the sweep of the waves hurled the sons of Phrixus, together with their massy beam, upon the beach of the island, in the murky night; and the floods of rain from Zeus ceased at sunrise, and soon the two bands drew near and met each other, and Argus spoke first:

1093     Υἱῆες Φρίξοιο μετὰ πτόλιν Ὀρχομενοῖο
1094 ἐξ Αἴης ἐνέοντο παρ' Αἰήταο Κυταίου,
1095 Κολχίδα νῆ' ἐπιβάντες, ἵν' ἄσπετον ὄλβον ἄρωνται
1096 πατρός: ὁ γὰρ θνῄσκων ἐπετείλατο τήνδε κέλευθον.
1097 καὶ δὴ ἔσαν νήσοιο μάλα σχεδὸν ἤματι κείνῳ.
1098 Ζεὺς δ' ἀνέμου βορέαο μένος κίνησεν ἀῆναι,
1099 ὕδατι σημαίνων διερὴν ὁδὸν Ἀρκτούροιο:
1100 αὐτὰρ ὅγ' ἠμάτιος μὲν ἐν οὔρεσι φύλλ' ἐτίνασσεν
1101 τυτθὸν ἐπ' ἀκροτάτοισιν ἀήσυρος ἀκρεμόνεσσιν:
1102 νυκτὶ δ' ἔβη πόντονδε πελώριος, ὦρσε δὲ κῦμα
1103 κεκληγὼς πνοιῇσι: κελαινὴ δ' οὐρανὸν ἀχλὺς
1104 ἄμπεχεν, οὐδέ πῃ ἄστρα διαυγέα φαίνετ' ἰδέσθαι
1105 ἐκ νεφέων, σκοτόεις δὲ περὶ ζόφος ἠρήρειστο.
1106 οἱ δ' ἄρα μυδαλέοι, στυγερὸν τρομέοντες ὄλεθρον,
1107 υἱῆες Φρίξοιο φέρονθ' ὑπὸ κύμασιν αὔτως.
1108 ἱστία δ' ἐξήρπαξ' ἀνέμου μένος, ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτὴν
1109 νῆα διάνδιχ' ἔαξε τινασσομένην ῥοθίοισιν.
1110 ἔνθα δ' ὑπ' ἐννεσίῃσι θεῶν πίσυρές περ ἐόντες
1111 δούρατος ὠρέξαντο πελωρίου, οἷά τε πολλὰ
1112 ῥαισθείσης κεκέδαστο θόοις συναρηρότα γόμφοις.
1113 καὶ τοὺς μὲν νῆσόνδε, παρὲξ ὀλίγον θανάτοιο,
1114 κύματα καὶ ῥιπαὶ ἀνέμου φέρον ἀσχαλόωντας.
1115 αὐτίκα δ' ἐρράγη ὄμβρος ἀθέσφατος, ὗε δὲ πόντον
1116 καὶ νῆσον καὶ πᾶσαν ὅσην κατεναντία νήσου
1117 χώρην Μοσσύνοικοι ὑπέρβιοι ἀμφενέμοντο.
1118 τοὺς δ' ἄμυδις κρατερῷ σὺν δούρατι κύματος ὁρμὴ
1119 υἱῆας Φρίξοιο μετ' ἠιόνας βάλε νήσου
1120 νύχθ' ὕπο λυγαίην: τὸ δὲ μυρίον ἐκ Διὸς ὕδωρ
1121 λῆξεν ἅμ' ἠελίω:ͅ τάχα δ' ἐγγύθεν ἀντεβόλησαν
1122 ἀλλήλοις, Ἄργος δὲ παροίτατος ἔκφατο μῦθον:


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