CONTEST OF HOMER AND HESIOD
Now some say that he was earlier than Hesiod, others that he was younger and akin to him. They give his descent thus: Apollo and Æthusa, daughter of Poseidon, had a son Linus, to whom was born Pierus. From Pierus and the nymph Methone sprang Oeager; and from Oeager and Calliope Orpheus; from Orpheus, Dres; and from him, Eucles. The descent is continued through Iadmonides, Philoterpes, Euphemus, Epiphrades and Melanopus who had sons Dius and Apelles. Dius by Pycimede, the daughter of Apollo had two sons Hesiod and Perses; while Apelles begot Maeon who was the father of Homer by a daughter of the River Meles.
According to one account they flourished at the same time and even had a contest of skill at Chalcis in Euboea. For, they say, after Homer had composed the Margites, he went about from city to city as a minstrel, and coming to Delphi, inquired who he was and of what country? The Pythia answered:
"The Isle of Ios is your mother's country and it shall receive you dead; but beware of the riddle of the young children."[1]
Hearing this, it is said, he hesitated to go to Ios, and remained in the region where he was. Now about the same time Ganyctor was celebrating the funeral rites of his father Amphidamas, king of Euboea, and invited to the gathering not only all those who were famous for bodily strength and fleetness of foot, but also those who excelled in wit, promising them great rewards. And so, as the story goes, the two went to Chalcis and met by
- ↑ sc. the riddle of the fisher-boys which comes at the end of this work.
