Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica
from Aeetes the daughter of Aeetes the heaven-nurtured king, when he
had finished the many grievous labours which the great king, over
bearing Pelias, that outrageous and presumptuous doer of violence, put
upon him. But when the son of Aeson had finished them, he came to
Iolcus after long toil bringing the coy-eyed girl with him on his swift
ship, and made her his buxom wife. And she was subject to Iason,
shepherd of the people, and bare a son Medeus whom Cheiron the son of
Philyra brought up in the mountains. And the will of great Zeus was
fulfilled.
(ll. 1003-1007) But of the daughters of Nereus, the Old man of the Sea,
Psamathe the fair goddess, was loved by Aeacus through golden Aphrodite
and bare Phocus. And the silver-shod goddess Thetis was subject to
Peleus and brought forth lion-hearted Achilles, the destroyer of men.
(ll. 1008-1010) And Cytherea with the beautiful crown was joined in
sweet love with the hero Anchises and bare Aeneas on the peaks of Ida
with its many wooded glens.
(ll. 1011-1016) And Circe the daughter of Helius, Hyperion’s son, loved
steadfast Odysseus and bare Agrius and Latinus who was faultless and
strong: also she brought forth Telegonus by the will of golden
Aphrodite. And they ruled over the famous Tyrenians, very far off in a
recess of the holy islands.
(ll. 1017-1018) And the bright goddess Calypso was joined to Odysseus
in sweet love, and bare him Nausithous and Nausinous.
(ll. 1019-1020) These are the immortal goddesses who lay with mortal
men and bare them children like unto gods.
(ll. 1021-1022) But now, sweet-voiced Muses of Olympus, daughters of
Zeus who holds the aegis, sing of the company of women.
THE CATALOGUES OF WOMEN AND EOIAE1701
Fragment #1—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iii. 1086: That
Deucalion was the son of Prometheus and Pronoea, Hesiod states in the
first _Catalogue_, as also that Hellen was the son of Deucalion and
Pyrrha.
Fragment #2—Ioannes Lydus 1702, de Mens. i. 13: They came to call those
who followed local manners Latins, but those who followed Hellenic
customs Greeks, after the brothers Latinus and Graecus; as Hesiod says:
‘And in the palace Pandora the daughter of noble Deucalion was joined
in love with father Zeus, leader of all the gods, and bare Graecus,
staunch in battle.’
Fragment #3—Constantinus Porphyrogenitus 1703, de Them. 2 p. 48B: The
district Macedonia took its name from Macedon the son of Zeus and
Thyia, Deucalion’s daughter, as Hesiod says: ‘And she conceived and
bare to Zeus who delights in the thunderbolt two sons, Magnes and
Macedon, rejoicing in horses, who dwell round about Pieria and
Olympus.... ((LACUNA)) ....And Magnes again (begot) Dictys and godlike
Polydectes.’
Fragment #4—Plutarch, Mor. p. 747; Schol. on Pindar Pyth. iv. 263: ‘And
from Hellen the war-loving king sprang Dorus and Xuthus and Aeolus
delighting in horses. And the sons of Aeolus, kings dealing justice,
were Cretheus, and Athamas, and clever Sisyphus, and wicked Salmoneus
and overbold Perieres.’
Fragment #5—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 266: Those who
were descended from Deucalion used to rule over Thessaly as Hecataeus
and Hesiod say.
Fragment #6—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 482: Aloiadae.
Hesiod said that they were sons of Aloeus,—called so after him,—and of
Iphimedea, but in reality sons of Poseidon and Iphimedea, and that Alus
a city of Aetolia was founded by their father.
Fragment #7—Berlin Papyri, No. 7497; Oxyrhynchus Papyri, 421 1704: (ll.
1-24) ‘....Eurynome the daughter of Nisus, Pandion’s son, to whom
Pallas Athene taught all her art, both wit and wisdom too; for she was
as wise as the gods. A marvellous scent rose from her silvern raiment
as she moved, and beauty was wafted from her eyes. Her, then, Glaucus
sought to win by Athena’s advising, and he drove oxen 1705 for her. But
he knew not at all the intent of Zeus who holds the aegis. So Glaucus
came seeking her to wife with gifts; but cloud-driving Zeus, king of
the deathless gods, bent his head in oath that the.... son of Sisyphus
should never have children born of one father 1706. So she lay in the
arms of Poseidon and bare in the house of Glaucus blameless
Bellerophon, surpassing all men in.... over the boundless sea. And when
he began to roam, his father gave him Pegasus who would bear him most
swiftly on his wings, and flew unwearying everywhere over the earth,
for like the gales he would course along. With him Bellerophon caught
and slew the fire-breathing Chimera. And he wedded the dear child of
the great-hearted Iobates, the worshipful king.... lord (of).... and
she bare....’
Fragment #8—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodes, Arg. iv. 57: Hesiod says
that Endymion was the son of Aethlius the son of Zeus and Calyee, and
received the gift from Zeus: ‘(To be) keeper of death for his own self
when he was ready to die.’
Fragment #9—Scholiast Ven. on Homer, Il. xi. 750: The two sons of Actor
and Molione... Hesiod has given their descent by calling them after
Actor and Molione; but their father was Poseidon.
Porphyrius 1707, Quaest. Hom. ad Iliad. pert., 265: But Aristarchus is
informed that they were twins, not.... such as were the Dioscuri, but,
on Hesiod’s testimony, double in form and with two bodies and joined to
one another.
Fragment #10—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 156: But Hesiod
says that he changed himself in one of his wonted shapes and perched on
the yoke-boss of Heracles’ horses, meaning to fight with the hero; but
that Heracles, secretly instructed by Athena, wounded him mortally with
an arrow. And he says as follows: ‘...and lordly Periclymenus. Happy
he! For earth-shaking Poseidon gave him all manner of gifts. At one
time he would appear among birds, an eagle; and again at another he
would be an ant, a marvel to see; and then a shining swarm of bees; and
again at another time a dread relentless snake. And he possessed all
manner of gifts which cannot be told, and these then ensnared him
through the devising of Athene.’
Fragment #11—Stephanus of Byzantium 1708, s.v.: ‘(Heracles) slew the
noble sons of steadfast Neleus, eleven of them; but the twelfth, the
horsemen Gerenian Nestor chanced to be staying with the horse-taming
Gerenians. ((LACUNA)) Nestor alone escaped in flowery Gerenon.’
Fragment #12—Eustathius 1709, Hom. 1796.39: ‘So well-girded Polycaste,
the youngest daughter of Nestor, Neleus’ son, was joined in love with
Telemachus through golden Aphrodite and bare Persepolis.’
Fragment #13—Scholiast on Homer, Od. xii. 69: Tyro the daughter of
Salmoneus, having two sons by Poseidon, Neleus and Pelias, married
Cretheus, and had by him three sons, Aeson, Pheres and Amythaon. And of
Aeson and Polymede, according to Hesiod, Iason was born: ‘Aeson, who
begot a son Iason, shepherd of the people, whom Chiron brought up in
woody Pelion.’
Fragment #14—Petrie Papyri (ed. Mahaffy), Pl. III. 3: ‘....of the
glorious lord ....fair Atalanta, swift of foot, the daughter of
Schoeneus, who had the beaming eyes of the Graces, though she was ripe
for wedlock rejected the company of her equals and sought to avoid
marriage with men who eat bread.’
Scholiast on Homer, Iliad xxiii. 683: Hesiod is therefore later in date
than Homer since he represents Hippomenes as stripped when contending
with Atalanta 1710.
Papiri greci e latini, ii. No. 130 (2nd-3rd century) 1711: (ll. 1-7)
‘Then straightway there rose up against him the trim-ankled maiden
(Atalanta), peerless in beauty: a great throng stood round about her as
she gazed fiercely, and wonder held all men as they looked upon her. As
she moved, the breath of the west wind stirred the shining garment
about her tender bosom; but Hippomenes stood where he was: and much
people was gathered together. All these kept silence; but Schoeneus
cried and said:
(ll. 8-20) ‘“Hear me all, both young and old, while I speak as my
spirit within my breast bids me. Hippomenes seeks my coy-eyed daughter
to wife; but let him now hear my wholesome speech. He shall not win her
without contest; yet, if he be victorious and escape death, and if the
deathless gods who dwell on Olympus grant him to win renown, verily he
shall return to his dear native land, and I will give him my dear child
and strong, swift-footed horses besides which he shall lead home to be
cherished possessions; and may he rejoice in heart possessing these,
and ever remember with gladness the painful contest. May the father of
men and of gods (grant that splendid children may be born to him)’ 1712
((LACUNA))
(ll. 21-27) ‘on the right.... and he, rushing upon her,.... drawing
back slightly towards the left. And on them was laid an unenviable
struggle: for she, even fair, swift-footed Atalanta, ran scorning the
gifts of golden Aphrodite; but with him the race was for his life,
either to find his doom, or to escape it. Therefore with thoughts of
guile he said to her:
(ll. 28-29) ‘“O daughter of Schoeneus, pitiless in heart, receive these
glorious gifts of the goddess, golden Aphrodite...’
((LACUNA))
(ll. 30-36) ‘But he, following lightly on his feet, cast the first
apple 1713: and, swiftly as a Harpy, she turned back and snatched it.
Then he cast the second to the ground with his hand. And now fair,
swift-footed Atalanta had two apples and was near the goal; but
Hippomenes cast the third apple to the ground, and therewith escaped
death and black fate. And he stood panting and...’
Fragment #15—Strabo 1714, i. p. 42: ‘And the daughter of Arabus, whom
worthy Hermaon begat with Thronia, daughter of the lord Belus.’
Fragment #16—Eustathius, Hom. 461. 2: ‘Argos which was waterless Danaus
made well-watered.’
Fragment #17—Hecataeus 1715 in Scholiast on Euripides, Orestes, 872:
Aegyptus himself did not go to Argos, but sent his sons, fifty in
number, as Hesiod represented.
Fragment #18—1716 Strabo, viii. p. 370: And Apollodorus says that
Hesiod already knew that the whole people were called both Hellenes and
Panhellenes, as when he says of the daughters of Proetus that the
Panhellenes sought them in marriage.
Apollodorus, ii. 2.1.4: Acrisius was king of Argos and Proetus of
Tiryns. And Acrisius had by Eurydice the daughter of Lacedemon, Danae;
and Proetus by Stheneboea ‘Lysippe and Iphinoe and Iphianassa’. And
these fell mad, as Hesiod states, because they would not receive the
rites of Dionysus.
Probus 1717 on Vergil, Eclogue vi. 48: These (the daughters of
Proetus), because they had scorned the divinity of Juno, were overcome
with madness, such that they believed they had been turned into cows,
and left Argos their own country. Afterwards they were cured by
Melampus, the son of Amythaon.
Suidas, s.v.: 1718 ‘Because of their hideous wantonness they lost their
tender beauty....’
Eustathius, Hom. 1746.7: ‘....For he shed upon their heads a fearful
itch: and leprosy covered all their flesh, and their hair dropped from
their heads, and their fair scalps were made bare.’
Fragment #19A—1719 Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358 fr. 1 (3rd cent. A.D.): 1720
(ll. 1-32) ‘....So she (Europa) crossed the briny water from afar to
Crete, beguiled by the wiles of Zeus. Secretly did the Father snatch
her away and gave her a gift, the golden necklace, the toy which
Hephaestus the famed craftsman once made by his cunning skill and
brought and gave it to his father for a possession. And Zeus received
the gift, and gave it in turn to the daughter of proud Phoenix. But
when the Father of men and of gods had mated so far off with
trim-ankled Europa, then he departed back again from the rich-haired
girl. So she bare sons to the almighty Son of Cronos, glorious leaders
of wealthy men—Minos the ruler, and just Rhadamanthys and noble
Sarpedon the blameless and strong. To these did wise Zeus give each a