Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica
share of his honour. Verily Sarpedon reigned mightily over wide Lycia
and ruled very many cities filled with people, wielding the sceptre of
Zeus: and great honour followed him, which his father gave him, the
great-hearted shepherd of the people. For wise Zeus ordained that he
should live for three generations of mortal men and not waste away with
old age. He sent him to Troy; and Sarpedon gathered a great host, men
chosen out of Lycia to be allies to the Trojans. These men did Sarpedon
lead, skilled in bitter war. And Zeus, whose wisdom is everlasting,
sent him forth from heaven a star, showing tokens for the return of his
dear son........for well he (Sarpedon) knew in his heart that the sign
was indeed from Zeus. Very greatly did he excel in war together with
man-slaying Hector and brake down the wall, bringing woes upon the
Danaans. But so soon as Patroclus had inspired the Argives with hard
courage....’
Fragment #19—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xii. 292: Zeus saw Europa the
daughter of Phoenix gathering flowers in a meadow with some nymphs and
fell in love with her. So he came down and changed himself into a bull
and breathed from his mouth a crocus 1721. In this way he deceived
Europa, carried her off and crossed the sea to Crete where he had
intercourse with her. Then in this condition he made her live with
Asterion the king of the Cretans. There she conceived and bore three
sons, Minos, Sarpedon and Rhadamanthys. The tale is in Hesiod and
Bacchylides.
Fragment #20—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 178: But
according to Hesiod (Phineus) was the son of Phoenix, Agenor’s son and
Cassiopea.
Fragment #21—Apollodorus 1722, iii. 14.4.1: But Hesiod says that he
(Adonis) was the son of Phoenix and Alphesiboea.
Fragment #22—Porphyrius, Quaest. Hom. ad Iliad. pert. p. 189: As it is
said in Hesiod in the _Catalogue of Women_ concerning Demodoce the
daughter of Agenor: ‘Demodoce whom very many of men on earth, mighty
princes, wooed, promising splendid gifts, because of her exceeding
beauty.’
Fragment #23—Apollodorus, iii. 5.6.2: Hesiod says that (the children of
Amphion and Niobe) were ten sons and ten daughters.
Aelian 1723, Var. Hist. xii. 36: But Hesiod says they were nine boys
and ten girls;—unless after all the verses are not Hesiod but are
falsely ascribed to him as are many others.
Fragment #24—Scholiast on Homer, Il. xxiii. 679: And Hesiod says that
when Oedipus had died at Thebes, Argea the daughter of Adrastus came
with others to the funeral of Oedipus.
Fragment #25—Herodian 1724 in Etymologicum Magnum, p. 60, 40: Tityos
the son of Elara.
Fragment #26—1725 Argument: Pindar, Ol. xiv: Cephisus is a river in
Orchomenus where also the Graces are worshipped. Eteoclus the son of
the river Cephisus first sacrificed to them, as Hesiod says.
Scholiast on Homer, Il. ii. 522: ‘which from Lilaea spouts forth its
sweet flowing water....’
Strabo, ix. 424: ‘....And which flows on by Panopeus and through fenced
Glechon and through Orchomenus, winding like a snake.’
Fragment #27—Scholiast on Homer, Il. vii. 9: For the father of
Menesthius, Areithous was a Boeotian living at Arnae; and this is in
Boeotia, as also Hesiod says.
Fragment #28—Stephanus of Byzantium: Onchestus: a grove 1726. It is
situate in the country of Haliartus and was founded by Onchestus the
Boeotian, as Hesiod says.
Fragment #29—Stephanus of Byzantium: There is also a plain of Aega
bordering on Cirrha, according to Hesiod.
Fragment #30—Apollodorus, ii. 1.1.5: But Hesiod says that Pelasgus was
autochthonous.
Fragment #31—Strabo, v. p. 221: That this tribe (the Pelasgi) were from
Arcadia, Ephorus states on the authority of Hesiod; for he says: ‘Sons
were born to god-like Lycaon whom Pelasgus once begot.’
Fragment #32—Stephanus of Byzantium: Pallantium. A city of Arcadia, so
named after Pallas, one of Lycaon’s sons, according to Hesiod.
Fragment #33—(Unknown): ‘Famous Meliboea bare Phellus the good
spear-man.’
Fragment #34—Herodian, On Peculiar Diction, p. 18: In Hesiod in the
second Catalogue: ‘Who once hid the torch 1727 within.’
Fragment #35—Herodian, On Peculiar Diction, p. 42: Hesiod in the third
Catalogue writes: ‘And a resounding thud of feet rose up.’
Fragment #36—Apollonius Dyscolus 1728, On the Pronoun, p. 125: ‘And a
great trouble to themselves.’
Fragment #37—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 45: Neither Homer
nor Hesiod speak of Iphiclus as amongst the Argonauts.
Fragment #38—‘Eratosthenes’ 1729, Catast. xix. p. 124: The Ram.]—This
it was that transported Phrixus and Helle. It was immortal and was
given them by their mother Nephele, and had a golden fleece, as Hesiod
and Pherecydes say.
Fragment #39—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 181: Hesiod in
the _Great Eoiae_ says that Phineus was blinded because he revealed to
Phrixus the road; but in the third _Catalogue_, because he preferred
long life to sight.
Hesiod says he had two sons, Thynus and Mariandynus.
Ephorus 1730 in Strabo, vii. 302: Hesiod, in the so-called Journey
round the Earth, says that Phineus was brought by the Harpies ‘to the
land of milk-feeders 1731 who have waggons for houses.’
Fragment #40A—(Cp. Fr. 43 and 44) Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1358 fr. 2 (3rd
cent. A.D.): 1732 ((LACUNA—Slight remains of 7 lines))
(ll. 8-35) ‘(The Sons of Boreas pursued the Harpies) to the lands of
the Massagetae and of the proud Half-Dog men, of the Underground-folk
and of the feeble Pygmies; and to the tribes of the boundless
Black-skins and the Libyans. Huge Earth bare these to
Epaphus—soothsaying people, knowing seercraft by the will of Zeus the
lord of oracles, but deceivers, to the end that men whose thought
passes their utterance 1733 might be subject to the gods and suffer
harm—Aethiopians and Libyans and mare-milking Scythians. For verily
Epaphus was the child of the almighty Son of Cronos, and from him
sprang the dark Libyans, and high-souled Aethiopians, and the
Underground-folk and feeble Pygmies. All these are the offspring of the
lord, the Loud-thunderer. Round about all these (the Sons of Boreas)
sped in darting flight.... ....of the well-horsed Hyperboreans—whom
Earth the all-nourishing bare far off by the tumbling streams of
deep-flowing Eridanus........of amber, feeding her wide-scattered
offspring—and about the steep Fawn mountain and rugged Etna to the isle
Ortygia and the people sprung from Laestrygon who was the son of
wide-reigning Poseidon. Twice ranged the Sons of Boreas along this
coast and wheeled round and about yearning to catch the Harpies, while
they strove to escape and avoid them. And they sped to the tribe of the
haughty Cephallenians, the people of patient-souled Odysseus whom in
aftertime Calypso the queenly nymph detained for Poseidon. Then they
came to the land of the lord the son of Ares........they heard. Yet
still (the Sons of Boreas) ever pursued them with instant feet. So they
(the Harpies) sped over the sea and through the fruitless air...’
Fragment #40—Strabo, vii. p. 300: ‘The Aethiopians and Ligurians and
mare-milking Scythians.’
Fragment #41—Apollodorus, i. 9.21.6: As they were being pursued, one of
the Harpies fell into the river Tigris, in Peloponnesus which is now
called Harpys after her. Some call this one Nicothoe, and others
Aellopus. The other who was called Ocypete, or as some say Ocythoe
(though Hesiod calls her Ocypus), fled down the Propontis and reached
as far as to the Echinades islands which are now called because of her,
Strophades (Turning Islands).
Fragment #42—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 297: Hesiod also
says that those with Zetes 1734 turned and prayed to Zeus: ‘There they
prayed to the lord of Aenos who reigns on high.’
Apollonius indeed says it was Iris who made Zetes and his following
turn away, but Hesiod says Hermes.
Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. ii. 296: Others say (the islands)
were called Strophades, because they turned there and prayed Zeus to
seize the Harpies. But according to Hesiod... they were not killed.
Fragment #43—Philodemus 1735, On Piety, 10: Nor let anyone mock at
Hesiod who mentions.... or even the Troglodytes and the Pygmies.
Fragment #44—Strabo, i. p. 43: No one would accuse Hesiod of ignorance
though he speaks of the Half-dog people and the Great-Headed people and
the Pygmies.
Fragment #45—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 284: But Hesiod
says they (the Argonauts) had sailed in through the Phasis.
Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 259: But Hesiod (says)....
they came through the Ocean to Libya, and so, carrying the Argo,
reached our sea.
Fragment #46—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iii. 311:
Apollonius, following Hesiod, says that Circe came to the island over
against Tyrrhenia on the chariot of the Sun. And he called it
Hesperian, because it lies toward the west.
Fragment #47—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. iv. 892: He
(Apollonius) followed Hesiod who thus names the island of the Sirens:
‘To the island Anthemoessa (Flowery) which the son of Cronos gave
them.’
And their names are Thelxiope or Thelxinoe, Molpe and Aglaophonus 1736.
Scholiast on Homer, Od. xii. 168: Hence Hesiod said that they charmed
even the winds.
Fragment #48—Scholiast on Homer, Od. i. 85: Hesiod says that Ogygia is
within towards the west, but Ogygia lies over against Crete: ‘...the
Ogygian sea and......the island Ogygia.’
Fragment #49—Scholiast on Homer, Od. vii. 54: Hesiod regarded Arete as
the sister of Alcinous.
Fragment #50—Scholiast on Pindar, Ol. x. 46: Her Hippostratus (did
wed), a scion of Ares, the splendid son of Phyetes, of the line of
Amarynces, leader of the Epeians.
Fragment #51—Apollodorus, i. 8.4.1: When Althea was dead, Oeneus
married Periboea, the daughter of Hipponous. Hesiod says that she was
seduced by Hippostratus the son of Amarynces and that her father
Hipponous sent her from Olenus in Achaea to Oeneus because he was far
away from Hellas, bidding him kill her.
‘She used to dwell on the cliff of Olenus by the banks of wide Peirus.’
Fragment #52—Diodorus 1737 v. 81: Macareus was a son of Crinacus the
son of Zeus as Hesiod says... and dwelt in Olenus in the country then
called Ionian, but now Achaean.
Fragment #53—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. ii. 21: Concerning the Myrmidons
Hesiod speaks thus: ‘And she conceived and bare Aeacus, delighting in
horses. Now when he came to the full measure of desired youth, he
chafed at being alone. And the father of men and gods made all the ants
that were in the lovely isle into men and wide-girdled women. These
were the first who fitted with thwarts ships with curved sides, and the
first who used sails, the wings of a sea-going ship.’
Fragment #54—Polybius, v. 2: ‘The sons of Aeacus who rejoiced in battle
as though a feast.’
Fragment #55—Porphyrius, Quaest. Hom. ad Iliad. pertin. p. 93: He has
indicated the shameful deed briefly by the phrase ‘to lie with her
against her will’, and not like Hesiod who recounts at length the story
of Peleus and the wife of Acastus.
Fragment #56—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. iv. 95: ‘And this seemed to him
(Acastus) in his mind the best plan; to keep back himself, but to hide
beyond guessing the beautiful knife which the very famous Lame One had
made for him, that in seeking it alone over steep Pelion, he (Peleus)
might be slain forthwith by the mountain-bred Centaurs.’
Fragment #57—Voll. Herculan. (Papyri from Herculaneum), 2nd Collection,
viii. 105: The author of the _Cypria_ 1738 says that Thetis avoided
wedlock with Zeus to please Hera; but that Zeus was angry and swore
that she should mate with a mortal. Hesiod also has the like account.
Fragment #58—Strassburg Greek Papyri 55 (2nd century A.D.): (ll. 1-13)