pathus, and Naxos, and Paros, and rocky Rhenea. Over so[1] great [an extent of country] went Latona, about to bring forth the Far-Darter, [seeking] whether any one was willing to afford a dwelling to her, a child[2] of the earth. But these [lands] trembled much, and dreaded, nor did any one dare to receive Phœbus, although being very fertile, until that venerable Latona came to Delos, and questioning her,[3] spoke winged words:
"O Delos, if thou art not willing[4] to be the dwelling of my son Phœbus Apollo, and to erect a wealthy temple, no other shall ever touch, nor entreat[5] thee, nor do I think that thou wilt be rich in beeves, nor in sheep, nor wilt thou bear an harvest, nor produce countless plants. But if thou wilt possess a temple of far-darting Apollo, all men, assembling hither, shall escort to thee hecatombs, and to thee shall there ever be a mighty savour, [if thou wilt long[6] cherish thy king, and the gods shall preserve thee from the hands of others, since thou hast not a fertile soil.]"
Thus she spoke, and Delos rejoiced, and answering addressed her: "Latona, most glorious, daughter of mighty Cronus, joyfully indeed would I receive the birth of the far-darting king, for I indeed have too ill a report among men, but thus I should become greatly honoured. But this thing I dread, O Latona, nor will I conceal it from thee. For they say that Apollo will be very haughty, and will lord it greatly over the immortals, and over mortal men upon the bounteous earth. Wherefore I greatly dread in my mind and soul, lest, when he first beholds the light of the sun, he will despise the
- ↑ This is Barnes's excellent emendation. The order is ἐπὶ τόσσον ἵκετο.
- ↑ I cannot see how this term applies to Latona. Hermann's reading γαιέων ἐθέλοι ὗιι does not remove the difficulty. Perhaps we should read εἴ τις οἱ γαιέων ὑιὸς θέλοι οἰκέα θέσθαι.
- ↑ Delos is here personified.
- ↑ I have translated Ernesti's emendation εἰ γ' οὐκ ἐθέλεις, but am hardly yet satisfied. Hermann reads εἰ γὰρ κ' ἐθελοις, but a negative is evidently required by what follows.
- ↑ Ruhnken would read οὐδέ σ' ἀτίσσει, contemnet. Ernesti prefers τίσει "nec te honore, beneficio adficiet." This seems probable, as the mistake might easily arise from the duplication of the σ.
- ↑ Any thing more frigid than the phrase δηρὸν cannot be imagined. Perhaps Δήλῳ is the true reading, agreeing with τοι in the preceding line. Hermann has bracketed both this and the following verse.
