Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/385

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

HYMNS.

I. TO APOLLO.^[1]

I will call to mind, nor will I be forgetful of far-darting Apollo, whom even the gods dread as he goes through the house of Jove, and all rise up from their seats, as he comes near, when he stretches his glorious bow.^[2] But Latona alone remains by the side of thunder-rejoicing Jove, who both relaxes his bow, and shuts up his quiver, and taking with her hands the bow from his mighty shoulders, hangs it up against a column of her sire's, from a golden peg, and conducting, seats him on a throne. And unto him his sire gives nectar in a golden goblet, receiving his dear son,^[3] and then the other gods

↑ On the antiquity of this hymn, as attested by Thucydides, see Müller, Gk. Lit. v. § 1, and vii. § 3; and for an elegant analysis of its contents, Coleridge, pp. 284—291. Müller thinks that "a large portion of it has been lost, which contained the beginning of the narration, the true ground of the wanderings of Latona." This he conjectured to have been "the announcement, probably made by Here, that Latona would produce a terrible and mighty son: of which a contradiction is meant to be implied in Apollo's first words, where he calls the cithera his favourite instrument, as well as the bow, and declares his chief office to be the promulgation of the counsels of Zeus." See Herm. on vs. 29. Coleridge thinks that two distinct hymns, the second commencing at line 178, have been joined together, the first being "a distinct hymn to the Delian Apollo, prefixed without much skill to another hymn to the Pythian." The same idea has been adopted by Grote, Hist. of Greece, vol. i. p. 61, sqq., where he has amply discussed the matter of this hymn. The beginning is imitated by Callimachus in Del. vs. 8.
↑ "Poeta initio universe reverentiam describens, quam dii præstent Apollini, ipsum deum eo habitu, auditoribus ostendit, quo ille maxime est admirabilis." Herm.
↑ i. e. acknowledging his immortality by offering the drink of the gods. Hor. Od. iii. 3, 12, "Quos inter Augustus recumbens Purpureo bibit ore nectar." Cf. Virg. Ecl. iv. 63, Æn. i. 83, and Hemsterhus. on Lucian, Dial. Deor. vol. ii. p. 259, ed. Bipont. Helladius apud Phot. p. 866, νέκταρ οὖ μέν ἐστι δυνατὸν τοῖς θνητοῖς τουτέστι τοῖς κτεινομένοις μετασχεῖν.

[1] On the antiquity of this hymn, as attested by Thucydides, see Müller, Gk. Lit. v. § 1, and vii. § 3; and for an elegant analysis of its contents, Coleridge, pp. 284—291. Müller thinks that "a large portion of it has been lost, which contained the beginning of the narration, the true ground of the wanderings of Latona." This he conjectured to have been "the announcement, probably made by Here, that Latona would produce a terrible and mighty son: of which a contradiction is meant to be implied in Apollo's first words, where he calls the cithera his favourite instrument, as well as the bow, and declares his chief office to be the promulgation of the counsels of Zeus." See Herm. on vs. 29. Coleridge thinks that two distinct hymns, the second commencing at line 178, have been joined together, the first being "a distinct hymn to the Delian Apollo, prefixed without much skill to another hymn to the Pythian." The same idea has been adopted by Grote, Hist. of Greece, vol. i. p. 61, sqq., where he has amply discussed the matter of this hymn. The beginning is imitated by Callimachus in Del. vs. 8.

[2] "Poeta initio universe reverentiam describens, quam dii præstent Apollini, ipsum deum eo habitu, auditoribus ostendit, quo ille maxime est admirabilis." Herm.

[3] . e. acknowledging his immortality by offering the drink of the gods. Hor. Od. iii. 3, 12, "Quos inter Augustus recumbens Purpureo bibit ore nectar." Cf. Virg. Ecl. iv. 63, Æn. i. 83, and Hemsterhus. on Lucian, Dial. Deor. vol. ii. p. 259, ed. Bipont. Helladius apud Phot. p. 866, νέκταρ οὖ μέν ἐστι δυνατὸν τοῖς θνητοῖς τουτέστι τοῖς κτεινομένοις μετασχεῖν.

[1]

[2]

[3]