[3] Ἑλικῶνα: cf. Il. 20.404 “ Ἑλικώνιον ἀμφὶ ἄνακτα”. Commentators, both ancient and modern, have doubted whether the adjective refers to Helice in Achaea, or to Helicon, the Boeotian mountain. Aristarchus (ap. E. M. 547. 16) takes the latter view, “ἀπὸ Ἑλικῶνος . . . ἐπεὶ ἡ Βοιωτία ὅλη ἱερὰ Ποσειδῶνος”; the schol. A on “Υ” l.c. prefers Helice, and this is strongly supported by Il. 8.203, where Helice and Aegae are mentioned together as sacred to Poseidon (for Helice cf. Il. 2.574, for Aegae Il. 13.21). The two towns were close neighbours on the Corinthian gulf. Leaf on “Υ” l.c., comparing this passage, suggests that Helicon was another form of Helice, and distinct from the Boeotian mountain. There is, however, no authority for Helicon=Helice. The proper epic adjective from Helice would presumably be “Ἑλικήϊος” (see E. M. l.c.); it is, however, possible that the author of “Υ” intended Helice, but used the wrongly formed “Ἑλικώνιος” which had a familiar sound; the hymn-writer translated the adjective into “Ἑλικῶνα”, regardless of Il. 8.203; so Hom. Ep. vi. 2 “εὐρυχόρου μεδέων ἠδὲ ζαθέου Ἑλικῶνος” (of Poseidon), a passage which disposes of Martin's “Ἑλίκην τε” here. In later times the worship of Heliconian Poseidon was connected with Helice (see Paus.vii. 24. 5 f., Strabo 384); the cult was also famous among the Ionians at Panionium ( Herod.i. 148), and at Athens (Frazer on l.c., Harrison M. M. A. A. p. 231). Helice was destroyed by an earthquake in 373 B.C. For Poseidon “Ἑλικώνιος” cf. Dittenberger Sylloge 603, 637.
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text:
poem:
HYMN TO DIONYSUS
HYMN TO DEMETER
HYMN TO APOLLO
HYMN TO HERMES
HYMN TO APHRODITE
HYMN TO APHRODITE
HYMN TO DIONYSUS
HYMN TO ARES
HYMN TO ARTEMIS
HYMN TO APHRODITE
HYMN TO ATHENA
HYMN TO HERA
HYMN TO DEMETER
HYMN TO THE MOTHER OF THE GODS
HYMN TO HERACLES THE LION-HEARTED
HYMN TO ASCLEPIUS
HYMN TO THE DIOSCURI
HYMN TO HERMES
HYMN TO PAN
HYMN TO HEPHAESTUS
HYMN TO APOLLO
HYMN TO POSEIDON
HYMN TO ZEUS
HYMN TO HESTIA
HYMN TO THE MUSES AND APOLLO
HYMN TO DIONYSUS
HYMN TO ARTEMIS
HYMN TO ATHENA
HYMN TO HESTIA
HYMN TO EARTH THE MOTHER OF ALL
HYMN TO HELIOS
HYMN TO SELENE
HYMN TO THE DIOSCURI
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The Homeric Hymns, edited, with preface, apparatus criticus, notes, and appendices. Thomas W. Allen. E. E. Sikes. London. Macmillan. 1904.
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