BeyondWeird Home  Classics  Index  Previous  Next 

ARGONAUTICA BOOK 2

(2.1-10) Here were the oxstalls and farm of Amycus, the haughty king of the Bebrycians, whom once a nymph, Bithynian Melie, united to Poseidon Genethlius, bare the most arrogant of men; for even for strangers he laid down an insulting ordinance, that none should depart till they had made trial of him in boxing; and he had slain many of the neighbours. And at that time too he went down to the ship and in his insolence scorned to ask them the occasion of their voyage, and who they were, but at once spake out among them all:

1 Ἔνθα δ' ἔσαν σταθμοί τε βοῶν αὖλίς τ' Ἀμύκοιο,
2 Βεβρύκων βασιλῆος ἀγήνορος, ὅν ποτε νύμφη
3 τίκτε Ποσειδάωνι Γενεθλίῳ εὐνηθεῖσα
4 Βιθυνὶς Μελίη, ὑπεροπληέστατον ἀνδρῶν:
5 ὅς τ' ἐπὶ καὶ ξείνοισιν ἀεικέα θεσμὸν ἔθηκεν,
6 μήτιν' ἀποστείχειν, πρὶν πειρήσασθαι ἑοῖο
7 πυγμαχίης: πολέας δὲ περικτιόνων ἐδάιξεν.
8 καὶ δὲ τότε προτὶ νῆα κιών, χρειώ μιν ἐρέσθαι
9 ναυτιλίης, οἵ τ' εἶεν, ὑπερβασίῃσιν ἄτισσεν,
10 τοῖον δ' ἐν πάντεσσι παρασχεδὸν ἔκφατο μῦθον:

(2.11-18) "Listen, ye wanderers by sea, to what it befits you to know. It is the rule that no stranger who comes to the Bebrycians should depart till he has raised his hands in battle against mine. Wherefore select your bravest warrior from the host and set him here on the spot to contend with me in boxing. But if ye pay no heed and trample my decrees under foot, assuredly to your sorrow will stern necessity come upon you.

11     "Κέκλυθ', ἁλίπλαγκτοι, τάπερ ἴδμεναι ὔμμιν ἔοικεν.
12 οὔτινα θέσμιόν ἐστιν ἀφορμηθέντα νέεσθαι
13 ἀνδρῶν ὀθνείων, ὅς κεν Βέβρυξι πελάσσῃ,
14 πρὶν χείρεσσιν ἐμῇσιν ἑὰς ἀνὰ χεῖρας ἀεῖραι.
15 τῶ καί μοι τὸν ἄριστον ἀποκριδὸν οἶον ὁμίλου
16 πυγμαχίῃ στήσασθε καταυτόθι δηρινθῆναι.
17 εἰ δ' ἂν ἀπηλεγέοντες ἐμὰς πατέοιτε θέμιστας,
18 ἧ κέν τις στυγερῶς κρατερὴ ἐπιέψετ' ἀνάγκη."

(2.19-21) Thus he spake in his pride, but fierce anger seized them when they heard it, and the challenge smote Polydeuces most of all. And quickly he stood forth his comrades' champion, and cried:

19     ̂Ἠ ῥα μέγα φρονέων: τοὺς δ' ἄγριος εἰσαΐοντας
20 εἷλε χόλος: περὶ δ' αὖ Πολυδεύκεα τύψεν ὁμοκλη
21 αἶψα δ' ἑῶν ἑτάρων πρόμος ἵστατο, φώνησέν τε:

(2.22-24) "Hold now, and display not to us thy brutal violence, whoever thou art; for we will obey thy rules, as thou sayest. Willingly now do I myself undertake to meet thee."

22 "Ἴσχεο νῦν, μηδ' ἄμμι κακήν, ὅτις εὔχεαι εἶναι,
23 φαῖνε βίην: θεσμοῖς γὰρ ὑπείξομεν, ὡς ἀγορεύεις.
24 αὐτὸς ἑκὼν ἤδη τοι ὑπίσχομαι ἀντιάασθαι."

(2.25-54) Thus he spake outright; but the other with rolling eyes glared on him, like to a lion struck by a javelin when hunters in the mountains are hemming him round, and, though pressed by the throng, he reeks no more of them, but keeps his eyes fixed, singling out that man only who struck him first and slew him not. Hereupon the son of Tyndareus laid aside his mantle, closely-woven, delicately-wrought, which one of the Lemnian maidens had given him as a pledge of hospitality; and the king threw down his dark cloak of double fold with its clasps and the knotted crook of mountain olive which he carried. Then straightway they looked and chose close by a spot that pleased them and bade their comrades sit upon the sand in two lines; nor were they alike to behold in form or in stature. The one seemed to be a monstrous son of baleful Typhoeus or of Earth herself, such as she brought forth aforetime, in her wrath against Zeus; but the other, the son of Tyndareus, was like a star of heaven, whose beams are fairest as it shines through the nightly sky at eventide. Such was the son of Zeus, the bloom of the first down still on his cheeks, still with the look of gladness in his eyes. But his might and fury waxed like a wild beast's; and he poised his hands to see if they were pliant as before and were not altogether numbed by toil and rowing. But Amycus on his side made no trial; but standing apart in silence he kept his eyes upon his foe, and his spirit surged within him all eager to dash the life-blood from his breast. And between them Lyeoreus, the henchman of Amycus, placed at their feet on each side two pairs of gauntlets made of raw hide, dry, exceeding tough. And the king addressed the hero with arrogant words:

25     Ὧς φάτ' ἀπηλεγέως: ὁ δ' ἐσέδρακεν ὄμμαθ' ἑλίξας,
26 ὥστε λέων ὑπ' ἄκοντι τετυμμένος, ὅν τ' ἐν ὄρεσσιν
27 ἀνέρες ἀμφιπένονται: ὁ δ' ἰλλόμενός περ ὁμίλῳ
28 τῶν μὲν ἔτ' οὐκ ἀλέγει, ἐπὶ δ' ὄσσεται οἰόθεν οἶον
29 ἄνδρα τόν, ὅς μιν ἔτυψε παροίτατος, οὐδ' ἐδάμασσεν.
30 ἔνθ' ἀπὸ Τυνδαρίδης μὲν ἐύστιπτον θέτο φᾶρος
31 λεπταλέον, τό ῥά οἵ τις ἑὸν ξεινήιον εἶναι
32 ὤπασε Λημνιάδων: ὁ δ' ἐρεμνὴν δίπτυχα λώπην
33 αὐτῇσιν περόνῃσι καλαύροπά τε τρηχεῖαν
34 κάββαλε, τὴν φορέεσκεν, ὀριτρεφέος κοτίνοιο.
35 αὐτίκα δ' ἐγγύθι χῶρον ἑαδότα παπτήναντες
36 ἷζον ἑοὺς δίχα πάντας ἐνὶ ψαμάθοισιν ἑταίρους,
37 οὐ δέμας, οὐδὲ φυὴν ἐναλίγκιοι εἰσοράασθαι.
38 ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἢ ὀλοοῖο Τυφωέος, ἠὲ καὶ αὐτῆς
39 Γαίης εἶναι ἔικτο πέλωρ τέκος, οἷα πάροιθεν
40 χωομένη Διὶ τίκτεν: ὁ δ' οὐρανίῳ ἀτάλαντος
41 ἀστέρι Τυνδαρίδης, οὗπερ κάλλισται ἔασιν
42 ἑσπερίην διὰ νύκτα φαεινομένου ἀμαρυγαί.
43 τοῖος ἔην Διὸς υἱός, ἔτι χνοάοντας ἰούλους
44 ἀντέλλων, ἔτι φαιδρὸς ἐν ὄμμασιν. ἀλλά οἱ ἀλκὴ
45 καὶ μένος ἠύτε θηρὸς ἀέξετο: πῆλε δὲ χεῖρας
46 πειράζων, εἴθ' ὡς πρὶν ἐυτρόχαλοι φορέονται,
47 μηδ' ἄμυδις καμάτῳ τε καὶ εἰρεσίῃ βαρύθοιεν
48 οὐ μὰν αὖτ' Ἄμυκος πειρήσατο: σῖγα δ' ἄπωθεν
49 ἑστηὼς εἰς αὐτὸν ἔχ' ὄμματα, καί οἱ ὀρέχθει
50 θυμὸς ἐελδομένῳ στηθέων ἐξ αἷμα κεδάσσαι.
51 τοῖσι δὲ μεσσηγὺς θεράπων Ἀμύκοιο Λυκωρεὺς
52 θῆκε πάροιθε ποδῶν δοιοὺς ἑκάτερθεν ἱμάντας
53 ὠμούς, ἀζαλέους, περὶ δ' οἵγ' ἔσαν ἐσκληῶτες.
54 αὐτὰρ ὁ τόνγ' ἐπέεσσιν ὑπερφιάλοισι μετηύδα:

(2.55-59) "Whichever of these thou wilt, without casting lots, I grant thee freely, that thou mayst not blame me hereafter. Bind them about thy hands; thou shalt learn and tell another how skilled I am to carve the dry oxhides and to spatter men's cheeks with blood."

55     "Τῶνδέ τοι ὅν κ' ἐθέλῃσθα, πάλου ἄτερ ἐγγυαλίξω
56 αὐτὸς ἑκών, ἵνα μή μοι ἀτέμβηαι μετόπισθεν.
57 ἀλλὰ βάλευ περὶ χειρί: δαεὶς δέ κεν ἄλλῳ ἐνίσποις,
58 ὅσσον ἐγὼ ῥινούς τε βοῶν περίειμι ταμέσθαι
59 ἀζαλέας, ἀνδρῶν τε παρηίδας αἵματι φύρσαι."

(2.60-66) Thus he spake; but the other gave back no taunt in answer, but with a light smile readily took up the gauntlets that lay at his feet; and to him came Castor and mighty Talaus, son of Bias, and they quickly bound the gauntlets about his hands, often bidding him be of good courage. And to Amycus came Aretus and Ornytus, but little they knew, poor fools, that they had bound them for the last time on their champion, a victim of evil fate.

60     Ὧς ἔφατ': αὐτὰρ ὅγ' οὔτι παραβλήδην ἐρίδηνεν.
61 ἦκα δὲ μειδήσας, οἵ οἱ παρὰ ποσσὶν ἔκειντο,
62 τοὺς ἕλεν ἀπροφάτως: τοῦ δ' ἀντίος ἤλυθε Κάστωρ
63 ἠδὲ Βιαντιάδης Ταλαὸς μέγας: ὦκα δ' ἱμάντας
64 ἀμφέδεον, μάλα πολλὰ παρηγορέοντες ἐς ἀλκήν.
65 τῷ δ' αὖτ' Ἄρητός τε καὶ Ὄρνυτος, οὐδέ τι ᾔδειν
66 νήπιοι ὕστατα κεῖνα κακῇ δήσαντες ἐν αἴσῃ.

(2.67-97) Now when they stood apart and were ready with their gauntlets, straightway in front of their faces they raised their heavy hands and matched their might in deadly strife. Hereupon the Bebrycian king even as a fierce wave of the sea rises in a crest against a swift ship, but she by the skill of the crafty pilot just escapes the shock when the billow is eager to break over the bulwark -- so he followed up the son of Tyndareus, trying to daunt him, and gave him no respite. But the hero, ever unwounded, by his skill baffled the rush of his foe, and he quickly noted the brutal play of his fists to see where he was invincible in strength, and where inferior, and stood unceasingly and returned blow for blow. And as when shipwrights with their hammers smite ships' timbers to meet the sharp clamps, fixing layer upon layer; and the blows resound one after another; so cheeks and jaws crashed on both sides, and a huge clattering of teeth arose, nor did they cease ever from striking their blows until laboured gasping overcame both. And standing a little apart they wiped from their foreheads sweat in abundance, wearily panting for breath. Then back they rushed together again, as two bulls fight in furious rivalry for a grazing heifer. Next Amycus rising on tiptoe, like one who slays an ox, sprung to his full height and swung his heavy hand down upon his rival; but the hero swerved aside from the rush, turning his head, and just received the arm on his shoulder; and coming near and slipping his knee past the king's, with a rush he struck him above the ear, and broke the bones inside, and the king in agony fell upon his knees; and the Minyan heroes shouted for joy; and his life was poured forth all at once.

67     Οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ οὖν ἱμᾶσι διασταδὸν ἠρτύναντο,
68 αὐτίκ' ἀνασχόμενοι ῥεθέων προπάροιθε βαρείας
69 χεῖρας, ἐπ' ἀλλήλοισι μένος φέρον ἀντιόωντες.
70 ἔνθα δὲ Βεβρύκων μὲν ἄναξ, ἅ τε κῦμα θαλάσσης
71 τρηχὺ θοὴν ἐπὶ νῆα κορύσσεται, ἡ δ' ὑπὸ τυτθὸν
72 ἰδρείῃ πυκινοῖο κυβερνητῆρος ἀλύσκει,
73 ἱεμένου φορέεσθαι ἔσω τοίχοιο κλύδωνος,
74 ὧς ὅγε Τυνδαρίδην φοβέων ἕπετ', οὐδέ μιν εἴα
75 δηθύνειν. ὁ δ' ἄρ' αἰὲν ἀνούτατος ἣν διὰ μῆτιν
76 ἀίσσοντ' ἀλέεινεν: ἀπηνέα δ' αἶψα νοήσας
77 πυγμαχίην, ᾗ κάρτος ἀάατος, ᾗ τε χερείων,
78 στῆ ῥ̓ ἄμοτον καὶ χερσὶν ἐναντία χεῖρας ἔμιξεν.
79 ὡς δ' ὅτε νήια δοῦρα θοοῖς ἀντίξοα γόμφοις
80 ἀνέρες ὑληουργοὶ ἐπιβλήδην ἐλάοντες
81 θείνωσι σφύρῃσιν, ἐπ' ἄλλῳ δ' ἄλλος ἄηται
82 δοῦπος ἄδην: ὧς τοῖσι παρήιά τ' ἀμφοτέρωθεν
83 καὶ γένυες κτύπεον: βρυχὴ δ' ὑπετέλλετ' ὀδόντων
84 ἄσπετος, οὐδ' ἔλληξαν ἐπισταδὸν οὐτάζοντες,
85 ἔστε περ οὐλοὸν ἆσθμα καὶ ἀμφοτέρους ἐδάμασσεν.
86 στάντε δὲ βαιὸν ἄπωθεν ἀπωμόρξαντο μετώπων
87 ἱδρῶ ἅλις, καματηρὸν ἀυτμένα φυσιόωντε.
88 ἂψ δ' αὖτις συνόρουσαν ἐναντίοι, ἠύτε ταύρω
89 φορβάδος ἀμφὶ βοὸς κεκοτηότε δηριάασθον.
90 ἔνθα δ' ἔπειτ' Ἄμυκος μὲν ἐπ' ἀκροτάτοισιν ἀερθείς,
91 βουτύπος οἷα, πόδεσσι τανύσσατο, κὰδ δὲ βαρεῖαν
92 χεῖρ' ἐπὶ οἷ πελέμιξεν: ὁ δ' ἀίξαντος ὑπέστη,
93 κρᾶτα παρακλίνας, ὤμῳ δ' ἀνεδέξατο πῆχυν
94 τυτθόν: ὁ δ' ἄγχ' αὐτοῖο παρὲκ γόνυ γουνὸς ἀμσίβων
95 κόψε μεταΐγδην ὑπὲρ οὔατος, ὀστέα δ' εἴσω
96 ῥῆξεν: ὁ δ' ἀμφ' ὀδύνῃ γνὺξ ἤριπεν: οἱ δ' ἰάχησαν
97 ἥρωες Μινύαι: τοῦ δ' ἀθρόος ἔκχυτο θυμός.

(2.98-144) Nor were the Bebrycians reckless of their king; but all together took up rough clubs and spears and rushed straight on Polydeuces. But in front of him stood his comrades, their keen swords drawn from the sheath. First Castor struck upon the head a man as he rushed at him: and it was cleft in twain and fell on each side upon his shoulders. And Polydeuces slew huge Itymoneus and Mimas. The one, with a sudden leap, he smote beneath the breast with his swift foot and threw him in the dust; and as the other drew near he struck him with his right hand above the left eyebrow, and tore away his eyelid and the eyeball was left bare. But Oreides, insolent henchman of Amycus, wounded Talaus son of Bias in the side, but did not slay him, but only grazing the skin the bronze sped under his belt and touched not the flesh. Likewise Aretus with well-seasoned club smote Iphitus, the steadfast son of Eurytus, not yet destined to an evil death; assuredly soon was he himself to be slain by the sword of Clytius. Then Ancaeus, the dauntless son of Lycurgus, quickly seized his huge axe, and in his left hand holding a bear's dark hide, plunged into the midst of the Bebrycians with furious onset; and with him charged the sons of Aeacus, and with them started warlike Jason. And as when amid the folds grey wolves rush down on a winter's day and scare countless sheep, unmarked by the keen-scented dogs and the shepherds too, and they seek what first to attack and carry off; often glaring around, but the sheep are just huddled together and trample on one another; so the heroes grievously scared the arrogant Bebrycians. And as shepherds or beekeepers smoke out a huge swarm of bees in a rock, and they meanwhile, pent up in their hive, murmur with droning hum, till, stupefied by the murky smoke, they fly forth far from the rock; so they stayed steadfast no longer, but scattered themselves inland through Bebrycia, proclaiming the death of Amycus; fools, not to perceive that another woe all unforeseen was hard upon them. For at that hour their vineyards and villages were being ravaged by the hostile spear of Lycus and the Mariandyni, now that their king was gone. For they were ever at strife about the ironbearing land. And now the foe was destroying their steadings and farms, and now the heroes from all sides were driving off their countless sheep, and one spake among his fellows thus:

98     Οὐδ' ἄρα Βέβρυκες ἄνδρες ἀφείδησαν βασιλῆος:
99 ἀλλ' ἄμυδις κορύνας ἀζηχέας ἠδὲ σιγύννους
100 ἰθὺς ἀνασχόμενοι Πολυδεύκεος ἀντιάασκον.
101 τοῦ δὲ πάρος κολεῶν εὐήκεα φάσγαν' ἑταῖροι
102 ἔσταν ἐρυσσάμενοι. πρῶτός γε μὲν ἀνέρα Κάστωρ
103 ἤλασ' ἐπεσσύμενον κεφαλῆς ὕπερ: ἡ δ' ἑκάτερθεν
104 ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθ' ὤμοισιν ἐπ' ἀμφοτέροις ἐκεάσθη.
105 αὐτὸς δ' Ἰτυμονῆα πελώριον ἠδὲ Μίμαντα,
106 τὸν μὲν ὑπὸ στέρνοιο θοῷ ποδὶ λὰξ ἐπορούσας
107 πλῆξε, καὶ ἐν κονίῃσι βάλεν: τοῦ δ' ἆσσον ἰόντος
108 δεξιτερῇ σκαιῆς ὑπὲρ ὀφρύος ἤλασε χειρί,
109 δρύψε δέ οἱ βλέφαρον, γυμνὴ δ' ὑπελείπετ' ὀπωπή.
110 Ὠρεΐδης δ' Ἀμύκοιο βίην ὑπέροπλος ὀπάων
111 οὖτα Βιαντιάδαο κατὰ λαπάρην Ταλαοῖο,
112 ἀλλά μιν οὐ κατέπεφνεν, ὅσον δ' ἐπὶ δέρματι μοῦνον
113 νηδυίων ἄψαυστος ὑπὸ ζώνην θόρε χαλκός.
114 αὔτως δ' Ἄρητος μενεδήιον Εὐρύτου υἷα
115 Ἴφιτον ἀζαλέῃ κορύνῃ στυφέλιξεν ἐλάσσας,
116 οὔπω κηρὶ κακῇ πεπρωμένον: ἦ τάχ' ἔμελλεν
117 αὐτὸς δῃώσεσθαι ὑπὸ ξίφεϊ Κλυτίοιο.
118 καὶ τότ' ἄρ' ̓Λγκαῖος Λυκοόργοιο θρασὺς υἱὸς
119 αἶψα μάλ' ἀντεταγὼν πέλεκυν μέγαν ἠδὲ κελαινὸν
120 ἄρκτου προσχόμενος σκαιῇ δέρος ἔνθορε μέσσῳ
121 ἐμμεμαὼς Βέβρυξιν: ὁμοῦ δέ οἱ ἐσσεύοντο
122 Αἰακίδαι, σὺν δέ σφιν ἀρήιος ὤρνυτ' Ἰήσων.
123 ὡς δ' ὅτ' ἐνὶ σταθμοῖσιν ἀπείρονα μῆλ' ἐφόβησαν
124 ἤματι χειμερίῳ πολιοὶ λύκοι ὁρμηθέντες
125 λάθρῃ ἐυρρίνων τε κυνῶν αὐτῶν τε νομήων,
126 μαίονται δ' ὅ τι πρῶτον ἐπαΐξαντες ἕλωσιν,
127 πόλλ' ἐπιπαμφαλόωντες ὁμοῦ: τὰ δὲ πάντοθεν αὔτως
128 στείνονται πίπτοντα περὶ σφίσιν: ὧς ἄρα τοίγε
129 λευγαλέως Βέβρυκας ὑπερφιάλους ἐφόβησαν.
130 ὡς δὲ μελισσάων σμῆνος μέγα μηλοβοτῆρες
131 ἠὲ μελισσοκόμοι πέτρῃ ἔνι καπνιόωσιν,
132 αἱ δ' ἤτοι τείως μὲν ἀολλέες ᾧ ἐνὶ σίμβλῳ
133 βομβηδὸν κλονέονται, ἐπιπρὸ δὲ λιγνυόεντι
134 καπνῷ τυφόμεναι πέτρης ἑκὰς ἀίσσουσιν:
135 ὧς οἵγ' οὐκέτι δὴν μένον ἔμπεδον, ἀλλ' ἐκέδασθεν
136 εἴσω Βεβρυκίης, Ἀμύκου μόρον ἀγγελέοντες:
137 νήπιοι, οὐδ' ἐνόησαν ὃ δή σφισιν ἐγγύθεν ἄλλο
138 πῆμ' ἀίδηλον ἔην. πέρθοντο γὰρ ἠμὲν ἀλωαὶ
139 ἠδ' οἶαι τῆμος δῄῳ ὑπὸ δουρὶ Λύκοιο
140 καὶ Μαριανδυνῶν ἀνδρῶν, ἀπεόντος ἄνακτος.
141 αἰεὶ γὰρ μάρναντο σιδηροφόρου περὶ γαίης.
142 οἱ δ' ἤδη σταθμούς τε καὶ αὔλια δηιάασκον:
143 ἤδη δ' ἄσπετα μῆλα περιτροπάδην ἐτάμοντο
144 ἥρωες, καὶ δή τις ἔπος μετὰ τοῖσιν ἔειπεν:


Next: line 145