Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica
Fragment #5—Clement of Alex. Strom., vi. 2. 12. 8: ‘For gifts beguile
men’s minds and their deeds as well.’ 3301
Fragment #6—Pausanias, x. 28. 7: The poetry of Homer and the
_Returns_—for here too there is an account of Hades and the terrors
there—know of no spirit named Eurynomus.
Athenaeus, 281 B: The writer of the “Return of the Atreidae” 3302 says
that Tantalus came and lived with the gods, and was permitted to ask
for whatever he desired. But the man was so immoderately given to
pleasures that he asked for these and for a life like that of the gods.
At this Zeus was annoyed, but fulfilled his prayer because of his own
promise; but to prevent him from enjoying any of the pleasures
provided, and to keep him continually harassed, he hung a stone over
his head which prevents him from ever reaching any of the pleasant
things near by.
THE TELEGONY
Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, ii: After the _Returns_ comes the
_Odyssey_ of Homer, and then the _Telegony_ in two books by Eugammon of
Cyrene, which contain the following matters. The suitors of Penelope
are buried by their kinsmen, and Odysseus, after sacrificing to the
Nymphs, sails to Elis to inspect his herds. He is entertained there by
Polyxenus and receives a mixing bowl as a gift; the story of Trophonius
and Agamedes and Augeas then follows. He next sails back to Ithaca and
performs the sacrifices ordered by Teiresias, and then goes to
Thesprotis where he marries Callidice, queen of the Thesprotians. A war
then breaks out between the Thesprotians, led by Odysseus, and the
Brygi. Ares routs the army of Odysseus and Athena engages with Ares,
until Apollo separates them. After the death of Callidice Polypoetes,
the son of Odysseus, succeeds to the kingdom, while Odysseus himself
returns to Ithaca. In the meantime Telegonus, while travelling in
search of his father, lands on Ithaca and ravages the island: Odysseus
comes out to defend his country, but is killed by his son unwittingly.
Telegonus, on learning his mistake, transports his father’s body with
Penelope and Telemachus to his mother’s island, where Circe makes them
immortal, and Telegonus marries Penelope, and Telemachus Circe.
Fragment #2—Eustathias, 1796. 35: The author of the _Telegony_, a
Cyrenaean, relates that Odysseus had by Calypso a son Telegonus or
Teledamus, and by Penelope Telemachus and Acusilaus.
HOMERICA
THE EXPEDITION OF AMPHIARAUS
Fragment #1—Pseudo-Herodotus, Life of Homer: Sitting there in the
tanner’s yard, Homer recited his poetry to them, the _Expedition of
Amphiarus to Thebes_ and the _Hymns to the Gods_ composed by him.
THE TAKING OF OECHALIA
Fragment #1—Eustathius, 330. 41: An account has there been given of
Eurytus and his daughter Iole, for whose sake Heracles sacked Oechalia.
Homer also seems to have written on this subject, as that historian
shows who relates that Creophylus of Samos once had Homer for his guest
and for a reward received the attribution of the poem which they call
the _Taking of Oechalia_. Some, however, assert the opposite; that
Creophylus wrote the poem, and that Homer lent his name in return for
his entertainment. And so Callimachus writes: ‘I am the work of that
Samian who once received divine Homer in his house. I sing of Eurytus
and all his woes and of golden-haired Ioleia, and am reputed one of
Homer’s works. Dear Heaven! how great an honour this for Creophylus!’
Fragment #2—Cramer, Anec. Oxon. i. 327: ‘Ragged garments, even those
which now you see.’ This verse (_Odyssey_ xiv. 343) we shall also find
in the _Taking of Oechalia_.
Fragment #3—Scholaist on Sophocles Trach., 266: There is a disagreement
as to the number of the sons of Eurytus. For Hesiod says Eurytus and
Antioche had as many as four sons; but Creophylus says two.
Fragment #4—Scholiast on Euripides Medea, 273: Didymus contrasts the
following account given by Creophylus, which is as follows: while Medea
was living in Corinth, she poisoned Creon, who was ruler of the city at
that time, and because she feared his friends and kinsfolk, fled to
Athens. However, since her sons were too young to go along with her,
she left them at the altar of Hera Acraea, thinking that their father
would see to their safety. But the relatives of Creon killed them and
spread the story that Medea had killed her own children as well as
Creon.
THE PHOCAIS
Fragment #1—Pseudo-Herodotus, Life of Homer: While living with
Thestorides, Homer composed the _Lesser Iliad_ and the _Phocais_;
though the Phocaeans say that he composed the latter among them.
THE MARGITES
Fragment #1—Suidas, s.v.: Pigres. A Carian of Halicarnassus and brother
of Artemisia, wife of Mausolus, who distinguished herself in war...
3401 He also wrote the _Margites_ attributed to Homer and the _Battle
of the Frogs and Mice_.
Fragment #2—Atilius Fortunatianus, p. 286, Keil: ‘There came to
Colophon an old man and divine singer, a servant of the Muses and of
far-shooting Apollo. In his dear hands he held a sweet-toned lyre.’
Fragment #3—Plato, Alcib. ii. p. 147 A: ‘He knew many things but knew
all badly...’
Aristotle, Nic. Eth. vi. 7, 1141: ‘The gods had taught him neither to
dig nor to plough, nor any other skill; he failed in every craft.’
Fragment #4—Scholiast on Aeschines in Ctes., sec. 160: He refers to
Margites, a man who, though well grown up, did not know whether it was
his father or his mother who gave him birth, and would not lie with his
wife, saying that he was afraid she might give a bad account of him to
her mother.
Fragment #5—Zenobius, v. 68: ‘The fox knows many a wile; but the
hedge-hog’s one trick 3402 can beat them all.’ 3403
THE CERCOPES
Fragment #1—Suidas, s.v.: Cercopes. These were two brothers living upon
the earth who practised every kind of knavery. They were called
Cercopes 3501 because of their cunning doings: one of them was named
Passalus and the other Acmon. Their mother, a daughter of Memnon,
seeing their tricks, told them to keep clear of Black-bottom, that is,
of Heracles. These Cercopes were sons of Theia and Ocean, and are said
to have been turned to stone for trying to deceive Zeus.
‘Liars and cheats, skilled in deeds irremediable, accomplished knaves.
Far over the world they roamed deceiving men as they wandered
continually.’
THE BATTLE OF FROGS AND MICE
(ll. 1-8) Here I begin: and first I pray the choir of the Muses to come
down from Helicon into my heart to aid the lay which I have newly
written in tablets upon my knee. Fain would I sound in all men’s ears
that awful strife, that clamorous deed of war, and tell how the Mice
proved their valour on the Frogs and rivalled the exploits of the
Giants, those earth-born men, as the tale was told among mortals. Thus
did the war begin.
(ll. 9-12) One day a thirsty Mouse who had escaped the ferret,
dangerous foe, set his soft muzzle to the lake’s brink and revelled in
the sweet water. There a loud-voiced pond-larker spied him: and uttered
such words as these.
(ll. 13-23) ‘Stranger, who are you? Whence come you to this shore, and
who is he who begot you? Tell me all this truly and let me not find you
lying. For if I find you worthy to be my friend, I will take you to my
house and give you many noble gifts such as men give to their guests. I
am the king Puff-jaw, and am honoured in all the pond, being ruler of
the Frogs continually. The father that brought me up was Mud-man who
mated with Waterlady by the banks of Eridanus. I see, indeed, that you
are well-looking and stouter than the ordinary, a sceptred king and a
warrior in fight; but, come, make haste and tell me your descent.’
(ll. 24-55) Then Crumb-snatcher answered him and said: ‘Why do you ask
my race, which is well-known amongst all, both men and gods and the
birds of heaven? Crumb-snatcher am I called, and I am the son of
Bread-nibbler—he was my stout-hearted father—and my mother was
Quern-licker, the daughter of Ham-gnawer the king: she bare me in the
mouse-hole and nourished me with food, figs and nuts and dainties of
all kinds. But how are you to make me your friend, who am altogether
different in nature? For you get your living in the water, but I am
used to each such foods as men have: I never miss the thrice-kneaded
loaf in its neat, round basket, or the thin-wrapped cake full of sesame
and cheese, or the slice of ham, or liver vested in white fat, or
cheese just curdled from sweet milk, or delicious honey-cake which even
the blessed gods long for, or any of all those cates which cooks make
for the feasts of mortal men, larding their pots and pans with spices
of all kinds. In battle I have never flinched from the cruel onset, but
plunged straight into the fray and fought among the foremost. I fear
not man though he has a big body, but run along his bed and bite the
tip of his toe and nibble at his heel; and the man feels no hurt and
his sweet sleep is not broken by my biting. But there are two things I
fear above all else the whole world over, the hawk and the ferret—for
these bring great grief on me—and the piteous trap wherein is
treacherous death. Most of all I fear the ferret of the keener sort
which follows you still even when you dive down your hole. 3601 I gnaw
no radishes and cabbages and pumpkins, nor feed on green leeks and
parsley; for these are food for you who live in the lake.’
(ll. 56-64) Then Puff-jaw answered him with a smile: ‘Stranger you
boast too much of belly-matters: we too have many marvels to be seen
both in the lake and on the shore. For the Son of Chronos has given us
Frogs the power to lead a double life, dwelling at will in two separate
elements; and so we both leap on land and plunge beneath the water. If
you would learn of all these things, ’tis easy done: just mount upon my
back and hold me tight lest you be lost, and so you shall come
rejoicing to my house.’
(ll. 65-81) So said he, and offered his back. And the Mouse mounted at
once, putting his paws upon the other’s sleek neck and vaulting nimbly.
Now at first, while he still saw the land near by, he was pleased, and
was delighted with Puff-jaw’s swimming; but when dark waves began to
wash over him, he wept loudly and blamed his unlucky change of mind: he
tore his fur and tucked his paws in against his belly, while within him
his heart quaked by reason of the strangeness: and he longed to get to
land, groaning terribly through the stress of chilling fear. He put out
his tail upon the water and worked it like a steering oar, and prayed
to heaven that he might get to land. But when the dark waves washed
over him he cried aloud and said: ‘Not in such wise did the bull bear
on his back the beloved load, when he brought Europa across the sea to
Crete, as this Frog carries me over the water to his house, raising his
yellow back in the pale water.’
(ll. 82-92) Then suddenly a water-snake appeared, a horrid sight for
both alike, and held his neck upright above the water. And when he saw
it, Puff-jaw dived at once, and never thought how helpless a friend he
would leave perishing; but down to the bottom of the lake he went, and
escaped black death. But the Mouse, so deserted, at once fell on his
back, in the water. He wrung his paws and squeaked in agony of death:
many times he sank beneath the water and many times he rose up again
kicking. But he could not escape his doom, for his wet fur weighed him
down heavily. Then at the last, as he was dying, he uttered these
words.
(ll. 93-98) ‘Ah, Puff-jaw, you shall not go unpunished for this
treachery! You threw me, a castaway, off your body as from a rock. Vile
coward! On land you would not have been the better man, boxing, or
wrestling, or running; but now you have tricked me and cast me in the