sacrifice of flesh,[1] for the savour now struck[2] him, although being immortal, but not even thus did his noble mind give way, although greatly longing to convey [the banquet] down his sacred throat! But these indeed he placed in the lofty shed, the fat and abundant flesh. And he forthwith piled them aloft, as a sign of the recent slaughter,[3] and having raised dry faggots upon them, he consumed the whole feet and heads in the vapour of fire. But when the gods had accomplished all things rightly, he cast his sandals into eddying Alpheus, and throughout the night he quenched the coals, and trampled them to black dust; but beauteous shone the light of the moon. But he again came forthwith to the divine heights of Cyllene, at dawn, nor did any one meet him during the long journey, neither of the blessed gods, nor of mortal men, nor did the dogs bark. But Mercury, the beneficial [son] of Jove, bending himself up, slipped through the keyhole of the house, like unto an autumnal breeze, like unto a vapour. And he came straight through the rich temple of the cave, stepping onwards on tip-toe, for he made no noise, as if [he were walking] on the earth. And glorious Mercury came hastily to his cradle, having wrapped his swaddling-clothes around his shoulders, like an infant child, playing with the coverlet with his [right] hand on his knees, and holding his beloved lyre in the left. But god as he was, he escaped not the notice of his goddess mother, and she spake thus:
"Why, whence comest thou hither, O cunning plotter, at this time of night, clad in impudence? Now I think that thou, having fetters round thy sides, from which there is no escape, wilt shortly pass from the vestibule under the hands of Apollo, or that thou wilt elude him even while holding thee in his arms. Away with thee! a great care hath thy sire begotten thee to mortal men and immortal gods."
But her Mercury answered with cunning words: "Mother[4]
- ↑ i. e. he was first possessed with the desire of being honoured, as a god, with sacred rites.
- ↑ Ernesti well compares Sueton. Claud. 33, "nidore prandii ictus."
- ↑ Hermann prefers σῆμα νέης φωρῆς, and ἄγειρας, (with Ilgen,) i. e. "raising them up as a trophy of his first theft." The old reading was νέης φανῆς, altered to νεοσφαγίης by Ruhnken. Hermann seems right.
- ↑ "'Dear mother,'
Replied sly Hermes, 'wherefore scold and bother?
As if I were like other babes as old,
