d add to this my seven daughters, as many sons, and soon my sons- and daughters-in-law!

Look, Niobe comes, followed by a crowded throng, visible, in her Phrygian robes woven with gold, and as beautiful as anger will let her be. Turning her lovely head with the hair falling loose over both her shoulders, she pauses, and looks around with pride in her eyes, from her full height, saying ‘What madness, to prefer the gods you are told about to the ones you see? Why is Leto worshipped at the altars, while as yet my godhead is without its incense? Tantalus is my father, who is the only man to eat the food of the gods. My mother is one of the seven sisters, the Pleiades. Great Atlas, who carries the axis of the heavens on his shoulders, is one of my grandfathers.

ince Zeus had turned the people to stone and there was no one to bury the corpses.

Atreus had not sacrificed to her the golden lamb.

it was because he saw Artemis bathing. And they say that the goddess at once transformed him into a deer, and drove the fifty dogs in his pack mad, who devoured him, not knowing who he was

of beasts, the earth quakes and the sea also where fishes shoal. But the goddess with a bold heart turns in every direction, destroying the race of wild beasts

swift-springing clover from the field of Hera for them to feed on, which also the horses of Zeus eat;

which carry you lightly in your splendour, when you drive to the house of Zeus. There in the entrance you meet Hermes and Apollo. Hermes the Lord of Blessing, takes your weapons, Apollo takes whatever wild beast you bring. Or at least Apollo did before strong Alcides came, but now Phoebus no longer has this task. And the Anvil of Tiryns [ Heracles ] stands ever before the gates, waiting to see if you will come home with some fat morsel. And all the gods laugh endlessly at him and most of all his own wife’s mother, when he brings from the chariot a great bull or a wild boar, struggling to carry it by the hind foot. He admonishes you, goddess, with this stunning speech, “Shoot at the evil wild beasts, so that mortals will call you their helper like they call me. Leave deer and hares to feed upon the hills. What harm could deer and hares do? It is boars which ravage the crops of men and boars which ravage the plants; and oxen are a great curse to men. Shoot also at those.” So he spoke and swiftly busied himself in preparing the mighty beast. For although beneath a Phrygian oak tree, his flesh was made into that of a god, still he has not ceased from his gluttony. He still has that belly with which he met Theiodamas at the plough.

But the fourth time – it was not long before you shot at the city of unjust men, those who did many evil deeds to one another and towards strangers, cruel men, on whom you inflict your harsh wrath. Plague feeds on their cattle, frost on their crops, and the old men cut their hair in mourning for their sons, and their wives are either struck down or die in childbirth, or, if they escape, bear children cannot stand on straight ankles.

But one [ the Cerynitian Hind ] escaped over the river Celadon, by Hera's devising, so that it might be a labour for Heracles in the future, and the Ceryneian hill received her

But allow me to be Bringer of Light

But when any of the maidens disobeys her mother, the mother calls the Cyclopes to her child – Arges or Steropes

all maidens still ungirdled

And you will be Watcher over Streets and Harbours.” So he spoke and bent his head to confirm his words.

the Fates ordained that I should be their helper

And give me all mountains

And give me sixty daughters of Ocean for my choir – all nine years old

allow me to be dressed in a tunic with an embroidered border reaching to the knee

it is no light thing for singers to forget her

He, seeming about to clutch her, thinks now, or now, he has her caught, grazing her heels with his outstretched jaws,

“Impudent boy, what are you doing with a man’s weapons?

He landed by the ships and fired a shaft with a fearful twang of his silver bow. First, he attacked the mules and the swift hounds, then loosed his vicious darts at the men; so the dense pyres for the dead burned endlessly.

When [ Leto ] came to Pytho, Tityus saw her, and overpowered by lust, he drew her to him. But she called her children to her aid, and they shot him down with their arrows. And he is punished even after death; for vultures eat his heart in Hades.

when the snake Python, which guarded the oracle, tried to prevent him from approaching the chasm, he killed it and took over the oracle.

But guard my temple and receive the tribes of men that gather to this place, and especially show mortal men my will, and keep righteousness in your heart. But if any of you are disobedient and ignore my warning, of if there is any idle word or deed and outrage as is common among mortal men, then other men will be your masters and will make you their subjects forever.

So the Cretans followed him to Pytho, marching in time as they chanted the Ie Paean in the manner of the Cretan paean–singers and those in whose hearts the heavenly Muse has put sweet-voiced song. With tireless feet they approached the ridge and straightway came to Parnassus and the lovely place where they were to live honoured by many men.

offering of white meal.

ut who now will never return to their beloved cities and fair houses and dear wives, here you will tend to my rich temple that is honoured by many men. I am the son of Zeus. Apollo is my name: I brought you here over the wide gulf of the sea, meaning you no harm. Here you will keep my rich temple that is greatly honoured among men, and you will know the plans of the deathless gods, and by their will you will be honoured continually for all time. And now come, make haste and do as I say.

Now tell me truly, what country is this, and what land, and what men live here? As for us, aiming elsewhere, we were sailing over the great sea to Pylos from Crete (for that is where we are from), but have now arrived here unwillingly on our ship and we would gladly return home. But one of the deathless gods brought us here against our will.

for he cast great fear upon them all.

And the lord, far-working Apollo, guided it easily with the breath of the breeze.

dolphin, and lay there, a great and awesome monster

Promptly large-eyed queenly Hera took him and, joining one evil thing to another,  she gave him to the dragoness; and the dragoness received him in turn. And Typhon used to do great evil to the renowned tribes of men. Whoever met the dragoness would meet his doom until the lord Apollo, who deals death from afar, shot a strong arrow at her.

You wicked and crafty one!

The trampling of swift horses and the sound of mules watering at my sacred springs will always bother you, and men will prefer to gaze at the well-made chariots and stamping, swift-footed horses than at your great temple and the many treasures in it. But if I can persuade you – for you, lord, are stronger and mightier than I, and your strength is very great –build at Crisa below the glades of Parnassus: there, bright chariots will not clash, and there will be no noise from swift-footed horses near your well-built altar. But  the glorious tribes of men will bring gifts to you as they sing you hymns (calling to you, ‘Greetings, Healer!’)

then immediately the undying gods think only of the lyre and song,

Who do you think, girls, is the sweetest singer, and who most delights you?” Then answer, all of you, in one voice, “He is a blind man, and dwells on rocky Chios: his poems are the great for all time.”

But as soon as you had tasted that divine heavenly food, O Phoebus, you could no longer then be held by golden cords nor confined with bands, but all the ties came undone

immediately called Eilithyia out to the door from the hall and spoke winged words to her, telling her everything, as the goddesses who dwell on Olympus had asked her to. So she moved the heart of Eilithyia in her dear breast;

loud-moaning Amphitrite

But if you will swear a great oath, goddess, that he will build a glorious temple here first, as an oracle for men, then let him afterwards make temples and wooded groves all over the world; for he will surely be greatly renowned.”

hecatombs

For no one else will ever will touch you, nor honour you: and I do not think you will ever be rich in cattle or sheep, nor will you bear a harvest nor produce plants abundantly

so far Leto roamed  in painful labour with with the the Far-shooter [Apollo], to see if any land would be willing to be a home for her son. But they  trembled greatly and were afraid,

ou share your mother Hera’s intolerable, headstrong spirit; she too will scarcely obey my word. I suspect she prompted this and caused your wound.

whine, you backslider

First in a close encounter he wounded Aphrodite on the wrist then he ran at me like a very demon

The giants Otus and Ephialtes trap him in a pot and he is stuck there for over a year until Hermes rescues him

The grove which held the Golden Fleece, the object of the quest of Jason and the Argonauts (see chapter 18), was sacred to Ares.

He was one of the twelve Olympians, but the least popular among the Greeks and among his fellow gods

Weak-minded and worn out by tedious old age you come here and having lived too long destroys you.

Pallas Minerva took the shape of an old woman

darkness seized the eyes of the youth

took and skillfully anointed herself with simple ointments, the birth of her own tree [olive oil]

while Athena donned Hades’ helmet of invisibility, to hide her identity from the mighty god.

adorned with warriors of a hundred cities.

She threw the frightening, tasseled aegis over her shoulders, crowned at every point with terror, violence and strife within, adorned with the monstrous image of the Gorgon’s head, grim and awful emblem of aegis-bearing Zeus.

The rims of these chariot wheels are imperishable gold

courageously slipped a noose around her neck:

“The Maeonian girl depicts Europa deceived by the form of the bull: you would have thought it a real bull and real waves. She is seen looking back to the shore she has left, and calling to her companions, displaying fear at the touch of the surging water, and drawing up her shrinking feet. Also Arachne showed Asterie, held by the eagle, struggling, and Leda lying beneath the swan’s wings. She added Jupiter who, hidden in the form of a satyr, filled Antiope, daughter of Nycteus with twin offspring; who, as Amphitryon, was charmed by you, Alcmene, of Tiryns; by Danae, as a golden shower; by Aegina, daughter of Asopus, as a flame; by Mnemosyne, as a shepherd; by Proserpine, Ceres’s daughter, as a spotted snake.

Then she adds four scenes of contest in the four corners, each with miniature figures, in their own clear colours, so that her rival might learn, from the examples quoted, what prize she might expect, for her outrageous daring.

There, shades of purple, dyed in Tyrian bronze vessels, are woven into the cloth, and also lighter colours, shading off gradually.

Do not reject my advice: seek great fame amongst mortals for your skill in weaving, but give way to the goddess, and ask her forgiveness, rash girl, with a humble voice: she will forgive if you will ask.’

twirling the slender spindle with practised thumb, or embroidering with her needle, you could see she was taught by Pallas. Yet she denied it, and took offence at the idea of such a teacher. ‘Compete with me’ she said ‘I will not disagree at all if I am beaten’.

pollution

And yet he shall be a companion of the chase to great Artemis. But neither the chase nor companionship in archery on the hills will save him in that hour, when, though unwillingly, he will see the beautiful bathing of the goddess. No, his own dogs will then devour their former lord. And his mother will gather the bones of her son, spread over all the thickets

There the thrust landed, tearing the flesh, and Diomedes wrenched it free again. Then bronze-clad Ares bellowed as loud as ten thousand warriors shout in battle, when they meet in the war-god’s shadow. The Greeks and Trojans trembled with fear at insatiable Ares’ cry.

Then the two goddesses strutted forward, like bold pigeons, in their eagerness to aid the Argive army.

dressed herself in the tunic of Zeus the Cloud-Driver,

Aries, who is fighting on the side of the Trojans (due to his relationship with Aphrodite)

addresses Athena and Ares as a duo.

his man is acquitted on the charge of murder, for the numbers of the ballots are equal. Apollo disappears.

And I counsel you not to dishonour us in any way, since our company can be a burden to your land.

but the nurse of the newly-sown embryo. The one who mounts is the parent,

Yes, for it is not the same thing

I cannot lie. [615] I have never yet, on my oracular throne, said anything about a man or woman or city that Zeus, the father of the Olympians, did not command me to say.

She was not related by blood to the man she killed.

My father will send protection from his grave

By the oracles of this god here; he is my witness.

for this man was a lawful suppliant and a guest of my sanctuary, and I am his purifier from bloodshed—and to be his advocate.

As the punishment for killing a member of his own family, he is pursued by the Erinyes (or “Furies” as they were called by the Romans)

But Athena sprang quickly from the immortal head and stood before Zeus who holds the aegis, shaking a sharp spear: great Olympus began to reel horribly at the might of the bright-eyed goddess, and earth round about cried fearfully, and the sea was moved and tossed with dark waves, while foam burst forth suddenly: the bright Son of Hyperion [ Helios ] stopped his swift-footed horses a long while, until the maiden Pallas Athena had stripped the divine armour from her immortal shoulders

Zeus craftily deceived her [890] with cunning words and put her in his own belly, as Earth and starry Heaven advised.

Having launched this tirade, Venus flew at her, beat her about the head severely, tore her hair, and ripped her clothes to pieces.

You often make me your target, sneer at me as ‘the widow’, without fearing your step-father, Mars, the world’s strongest and mightiest warrior. Why would you, since you provide that adulterer with a ready supply of girls to torment me with? But I warn you: you’ll be sorry for mocking me, when that marriage of yours leaves a sour, bitter taste in your mouth!”

Cupid, while he lay in his mother’s chamber groaning with pain from his scorched shoulder.

I’ll soon take my revenge for their pernicious machinations; you I punish merely by my flight.

Now, when night was well advanced, gentle whispers sounded in her ears, and all alone she feared for her virgin self, trembling and quivering, frightened most of what she knew nothing of. Her unknown husband had arrived and mounted the bed, and made Psyche his wife, departing swiftly before light fell. The servant-voices waiting in her chamber cared for the new bride no longer virgin

Let this be your glorious reward for my famous beauty. Too late you see the blow that falls is dealt by wicked Envy.

But she’ll reap no joy from usurping my honours, whatever she may be: I’ll soon make her regret that illicit beauty of hers.

Your embroidered garment is lost as well.

His name will be Aeneas, because I felt terrible grief at at falling into the bed of mortal man: yet these humans [demi-gods] are always the most similar to gods of all mortal men in beauty and in stature.

And so he put in her heart sweet desire for Anchises who was tending cattle at that time among the steep hills of many-fountained Ida,

mates him with mortal women

her place in the midst of the house and has the richest portion. In all the temples of the gods she has a share of honour, and among all mortal men she is chief of the goddesses.

Yet there are three hearts that she cannot bend nor ensnare.

at the beauty of violet-crowned Cytherea.

lover of smiles, because she emerged out of the genitals.[2]

In one, she is a Titan, born from the severed genitals of Uranus, the sky, mixed with the water and foam of the sea.

nd all-seeing Zeus sent a messenger to them, rich-haired Rhea,

And so she brings an end to the honours of the undying gods.

Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver of perfect gifts, would not sit upon the bright couch, but stayed silent with lovely eyes cast down until careful Iambe placed a simple chair for her and threw over it a silvery fleece.

hen awe and reverence and pale fear took hold of Metaneira, and she rose up from her couch before Demeter, and asked her to be seated.

As hinds or heifers in spring time, when sated with pasture, bound about a meadow, so they, holding up the folds of their lovely garments,

But may all the gods who dwell on Olympus give you husbands and admirable children, if you take pity on me, maidens, and guide me, dear children, to a house where I may work cheerfully at such tasks as belong to a woman of my age

But grief even more terrible and savage came into the heart of Demeter, a

like a wild-bird, over the firm land and yielding sea, seeking her child.

permission of Zeus

she was so angered with the dark-clouded Son of Cronus

et, goddess, stop your loud lament and do not be eternally angry– it is useless.

Son of Hyperion answered her, “Queen Demeter, daughter of rich-haired Rhea, I will tell you the truth; for I greatly reverence and pity you in your grief for your slender-ankled daughter. None other of the deathless gods is to blame, but only cloud-gathering Zeus who gave her to Hades, her father’s brother, to be called his ravishing wife. And Hades seized her and took her as she cried loudly in his chariot down to his realm of mist and gloom

But when the tenth bright dawn had come, Hecate, with a torch in her hands, met her, and spoke to her and told her news, “Queenly Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver of good gifts, what god of heaven or what mortal man has snatched way Persephone and pierced your dear heart with sorrow? For I heard her voice, yet did not see with my eyes who it was. But I tell you truly and briefly all I know.”

only tender-hearted Hecate, bright-haired, the daughter of Persaeus, heard the girl from her cave, and the lord Helios, Hyperion‘s bright son, as the girl cried to her father, the Son of Cronus

roses and crocuses and beautiful violets, irises also and hyacinths and the narcissus,

full-breasted daughters of Ocean

Demeter was a goddess of grain, crops, and fertility. Persephone was the queen of the underworld and a goddess of death and rebirth.

So yes, I took Alcumena on loan, 1135 in bed I made her pregnant with my son.

I did it all by force. I’m heading up. JUPITER disappears on a cloud.

Every night, they [the diseases] wander about at random, bringing evils upon mortals silently—for Zeus had taken away their voice.

Kinship is a strangely strong bond, and friendship as well

Every new ruler is merciless.

He has stolen fire, which belongs to you, and is the source of all arts, and he has given it to mortals.

Every night, they wander about at random, bringing evils upon mortals silently—for Zeus had taken away their voice

nd within her breast the messenger and Argos-killer fashioned falsehoods [pseudea], crafty words, and a stealthy disposition, according to the plans of Zeus the loud-thunderer. And the messenger of the gods (80) put inside her a voice, and he called this woman Pandōrā, because all the gods who abide in Olympus gave her as a gift [dōron], a pain for grain-eating men. But when the gods completed this deception of sheer doom, against which there is no remedy,

intent that is doglike and a temperament that is stealthy.

And he ordered Aphrodite to shed golden charm over her head; also harsh longing, and anxieties that eat away at the limbs

He had Zeus choose from the two piles, and he chose the bones and fat. Zeus was very angry that Prometheus had tricked him.

his mother was Themis, the first wife of Zeus and the goddess of “right counsel.”

dread Persephone

whoever avoids marriage and the sorrows that women cause, and will not wed, reaches deadly old age [605] without anyone to tend to him

beautiful evil

clever Prometheus, full of various wiles

But Rhea was made wife to Cronus and bore splendid children

Poseidon throws an island on Polybotes

“Shepherds of the wilderness, wretched, shameful things, only looking to fill your bellies, we know how to speak many false things as though they were true; but, when we want to, we know how to say true things too.”

Then ox-eyed queenly Hera answered him: [440]

But Hermes and Aegipan stole back the sinews and succeeded in replanting them in Zeus without being seen

He has three, official, successive wives: Themis, Metis (the mother of Athena), and finally, Hera (the mother of Ares, Eileithyia (the midwife of the gods), and Hebe (goddess of youth)).

Hera is the goddess of marriage and motherhood

, he would immediately snatch the infant and swallow it. After Cronus had done this five times, Rhea, desperate to save her sixth child, appealed to her mother Gaia for help.

upiter among the Romans, he is the paterfamilias of the world and, in sum, the ruler of “gods and men.”