There are countless paths of divine song for one who has received gifts from the Pierian Muses, [5] and upon whose songs the violet-eyed maidens, the garland-bearing Graces, cast honor. Now, much-praised Cean ingenuity, weave something new, in lovely, [10] prosperous Athens. It is fitting for you to travel the greatest road, since you have received an outstanding honor from Calliope. [15] ... when the golden heifer, the rose-fingered daughter of Inachus, left Argos, land of horses, by the counsels of widely powerful, greatest Zeus? When Argus, [20] who could see all around with untiring eyes, was bidden by golden-robed Hera, the greatest queen, to guard the lovely-horned heifer, unresting and unsleeping; [25] and the son of Maia could not evade him, neither by shining day nor by sacred night. Did it then happen that ... [30] the swift-footed messenger [of Zeus] then killed [the son of Earth] with mighty offspring ... Argus? Or was it that ... unutterable cares? [35] Or did the Pierian Muses bring about ... rest from troubles ... ? For me, the most secure [path?] is the one which ... when she arrived at the flowery banks [40] of the Nile, [gadfly-driven] Io, bearing the child ... Epaphus. There [she bore him?] ... ruler over linen-robed ... teeming with majestic ... [45] and greatest ... mortal ... from this race Cadmus, son of Agenor, begat Semele in seven-gated Thebes, and she bore the rouser of Bacchants, [50] Dionysus, the ... and [lord of] garland-[bearing] choruses.
Bacchylides. Diane Arnson Svarlien. Odes. 1991.
The Annenberg CPB/Project provided support for entering this text.
