Argonautica IV 1226-1315

ἤδη μέν ποθι κόλπον ἐπώνυμον Λ̓μβρακιήων,

ἤδη Κουρῆτιν ἔλιπον χθόνα πεπταμένοισιν

λαίφεσι καὶ στεινὰς αὐταῖς σὺν Ἐχινάσι νήσους1230

ἑξείης, Πέλοπος δὲ νέον κατεφαίνετο γαῖα:

καὶ τότ᾽ ἀναρπάγδην ὀλοὴ βορέαο θύελλα

μεσσηγὺς πέλαγόσδε Λιβυστικὸν ἐννέα πάσας

νύκτας ὁμῶς καὶ τόσσα φέρ᾽ ἤματα, μέχρις ἵκοντο

προπρὸ μάλ᾽ ἔνδοθι Σύρτιν, ὅθ᾽ οὐκέτι νόστος ὀπίσσω1235

νηυσὶ πέλει, ὅτε τόνγε βιῴατο κόλπον ἱκέσθαι.

πάντῃ γὰρ τέναγος, πάντῃ μνιόεντα βυθοῖο

τάρφεα: κωφὴ δέ σφιν ἐπιβλύει ὕδατος ἄχνη:

ἠερίη δ᾽ ἄμαθος παρακέκλιται: οὐδέ τι κεῖσε

ἑρπετόν, οὐδὲ ποτητὸν ἀείρεται. ἔνθ᾽ ἄρα τούσγε1240

πλυμμυρίσ--καὶ γάρ τ᾽ ἀναχάζεται ἠπείροιο

ἦ θαμὰ δὴ τόδε χεῦμα, καὶ ἂψ ἐπερεύγεται ἀκτὰς

λάβρον ἐποιχόμενον--μυχάτῃ ἐνέωσε τάχιστα

ἠιόνι, τρόπιος δὲ μάλ᾽ ὕδασι παῦρον ἔλειπτο.

οἱ δ᾽ ἀπὸ νηὸς ὄρουσαν, ἄχος δ᾽ ἕλεν εἰσορόωντας1245

ἠέρα καὶ μεγάλης νῶτα χθονὸς ἠέρι ἶσα,

τηλοῦ ὑπερτείνοντα διηνεκές: οὐδέ τιν᾽ ἀρδμόν,

οὐ πάτον, οὐκ ἀπάνευθε κατηυγάσσαντο βοτήρων

αὔλιον, εὐκήλῳ δὲ κατείχετο πάντα γαλήνῃ.

ἄλλος δ᾽ αὖτ᾽ ἄλλον τετιημένος ἐξερέεινεν:1250

τίς χθὼν εὔχεται ἥδε; πόθι ξυνέωσαν ἄελλαι

ἡμέας; αἴθ᾽ ἔτλημεν, ἀφειδέες οὐλομένοιο

δείματος, αὐτὰ κέλευθα διαμπερὲς ὁρμηθῆναι

πετράων. ἦ τ᾽ ἂν καὶ ὑπὲρ Διὸς αἶσαν ἰοῦσιν

βέλτερον ἦν μέγα δή τι μενοινώοντας ὀλέσθαι.1255

νῦν δὲ τί κεν ῥέξαιμεν, ἐρυκόμενοι ἀνέμοισιν

αὖθι μένειν τυτθόν περ ἐπὶ χρόνον; οἷον ἐρήμη

πέζα διωλυγίης ἀναπέπταται ἠπείροιο.

ὧς ἄρ᾽ ἔφη: μετὰ δ᾽ αὐτὸς ἀμηχανίῃ κακότητος

ἰθυντὴρ Ἀγκαῖος ἀκηχέμενος ἀγόρευσεν:1260

Ὠλόμεθ᾽ αἰνότατον δῆθεν μόρον, οὐδ᾽ ὑπάλυξις

ἔστ᾽ ἄτης: πάρα δ᾽ ἄμμι τὰ κύντατα πημανθῆναι

τῇδ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἐρημαίῃ πεπτηότας, εἰ καὶ ἀῆται

χερσόθεν ἀμπνεύσειαν: ἐπεὶ τεναγώδεα λεύσσω

τῆλε περισκοπέων ἅλα πάντοθεν: ἤλιθα δ᾽ ὕδωρ1265

ξαινόμενον πολιῇσιν ἐπιτροχάει ψαμάθοισιν.

καί κεν ἐπισμυγερῶς διὰ δὴ πάλαι ἥδ᾽ ἐκεάσθη

νηῦς ἱερὴ χέρσου πολλὸν πρόσω: ἀλλά μιν αὐτὴ

πλημμυρὶς ἐκ πόντοιο μεταχθονίην ἐκόμισσεν.

νῦν δ᾽ ἡ μὲν πέλαγόσδε μετέσσυται, οἰόθι δ᾽ ἅλμη1270

ἄπλοος εἰλεῖται, γαίης ὕπερ ὅσσον ἔχουσα.

τούνεκ᾽ ἐγὼ πᾶσαν μὲν ἀπ᾽ ἐλπίδα φημὶ κεκόφθαι

ναυτιλίης νόστου τε. δαημοσύνην δέ τις ἄλλος

φαίνοι ἑήν: πάρα γάρ οἱ ἐπ᾽ οἰήκεσσι θαάσσειν

μαιομένῳ κομιδῆς. ἀλλ᾽ οὐ μάλα νόστιμον ἦμαρ1275

Ζεὺς ἐθέλει καμάτοισιν ἐφ᾽ ἡμετέροισι τελέσσαι.

ὧς φάτο δακρυόεις: σὺν δ᾽ ἔννεπον ἀσχαλόωντι

ὅσσοι ἔσαν νηῶν δεδαημένοι: ἐν δ᾽ ἄρα πᾶσιν

παχνώθη κραδίη, χύτο δὲ χλόος ἀμφὶ παρειάς.

οἷον δ᾽ ἀψύχοισιν ἐοικότες εἰδώλοισιν1280

ἀνέρες εἱλίσσονται ἀνὰ πτόλιν, ἢ πολέμοιο

ἢ λοιμοῖο τέλος ποτιδέγμενοι, ἠέ τιν᾽ ὄμβρον

ἄσπετον, ὅς τε βοῶν κατὰ μυρία ἔκλυσεν ἔργα,

ἢ ὅταν αὐτόματα ξόανα ῥέῃ ἱδρώοντα

αἵματι, καὶ μυκαὶ σηκοῖς ἔνι φαντάζωνται,1285

ὴὲ καὶ ἠέλιος μέσῳ ἤματι νύκτ᾽ ἐπάγῃσιν

οὐρανόθεν, τὰ δὲ λαμπρὰ δι᾽ ἠέρος ἄστρα φαείνοι:

ὧς τότ᾽ ἀριστῆες δολιχοῦ πρόπαρ αἰγιαλοῖο

ἤλυον ἑρπύζοντες. ἐπήλυθε δ᾽ αὐτίκ᾽ ἐρεμνὴ

ἕσπερος. οἱ δ᾽ ἐλεεινὰ χεροῖν σφέας ἀμφιβαλόντες1290

δακρυόειν ἀγάπαζον, ἵν᾽ ἄνδιχα δῆθεν ἕκαστος

θυμὸν ἀποφθίσειαν ἐνὶ ψαμάθοισι πεσόντες.

βὰν δ᾽ ἴμεν ἄλλυδις ἄλλος ἑκαστέρω αὖλιν ἑλέσθαι:

ἐν δὲ κάρη πέπλοισι καλυψάμενοι σφετέροισιν

ἄκμηνοι καὶ ἄπαστοι ἐκείατο νύκτ᾽ ἔπι πᾶσαν1295

καὶ φάος, οἰκτίστῳ θανάτῳ ἔπι. νόσφι δὲ κοῦραι

ἀθρόαι Αἰήταο παρεστενάχοντο θυγατρί.

ὡς δ᾽ ὅτ᾽ ἐρημαῖοι πεπτηότες ἔκτοθι πέτρης

χηραμοῦ ἀπτῆνες λιγέα κλάζουσι νεοσσοί:

ἢ ὅτε καλὰ νάοντος ἐπ᾽ ὀφρύσι Πακτωλοῖο1300

κύκνοι κινήσωσιν ἑὸν μέλος, ἀμφὶ δὲ λειμὼν

ἑρσήεις βρέμεται ποταμοῖό τε καλὰ ῥέεθρα:

ὧς αἱ ἐπὶ ξανθὰς θέμεναι κονίῃσιν ἐθείρας

παννύχιαι ἐλεεινὸν ἰήλεμον ὠδύροντο.

καί νύ κεν αὐτοῦ πάντες ἀπὸ ζωῆς ἐλίασθεν1305

νώνυμνοι καὶ ἄφαντοι ἐπιχθονίοισι δαῆναι

ἡρώων οἱ ἄριστοι ἀνηνύστῳ ἐπ᾽ ἀέθλῳ:

ἀλλά σφεας ἐλέηραν ἀμηχανίῃ μινύθοντας

ἡρῷσσαι, Λιβύης τιμήοροι, αἵ ποτ᾽ Λ̓θήνην,

ἦμος ὅτ᾽ ἐκ πατρὸς κεφαλῆς θόρε παμφαίνουσα,1310

ἀντόμεναι Τρίτωνος ἐφ᾽ ὕδασι χυτλώσαντο.

ἔνδιον ἦμαρ ἔην, περὶ δ᾽ ὀξύταται θέρον αὐγαὶ

ἠελίου Λιβύην: αἱ δὲ σχεδὸν Λἰσονίδαο

ἔσταν, ἕλον δ᾽ ἀπὸ χερσὶ καρήατος ἠρέμα πέπλον.

αὐτὰρ ὅγ᾽ εἰς ἑτέρωσε παλιμπετὲς ὄμματ᾽ ἔνεικεν,1315

δαίμονας αἰδεσθείς: αὐτὸν δέ μιν ἀμφαδὸν οἶον

μειλιχίοις ἐπέεσσιν ἀτυζόμενον προσέειπον:

The Departure from Drepane:

The Argonauts sail to Libya and are stranded on the Syrtes (shoals off the Libyan coast).

1223: ἤματι δ᾿ ἑβδομάτῳ: References to the itinerary are often numerically detailed; see further (Murray 2014). Δρεπάνην λίπον: A. resumes the brisk style that he adopts when narrating the Argonauts’ travels. For a similar description from the Odyssey, see Od15.290–95.

1224: ὑπεύδιος: “under a clear sky.” The omens seem to be good but see below.

1225: ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὔ πω: “but not yet.” This phrase coming at the end of the line, with its full meaning running into the next seems to apply the breaks to the Argo’s swift progress.

1226: αἴσιμον ἦν: “was it permitted by fate.” αἴσιμον ἦμαρ (Il. 8.72, 22.212) and the like is a frequent Homeric phrase. ἡρώεσσιν: a heavy spondaic ending to the line (followed by two more) marks this as a major moment.

1227: Λιβύης ἐπὶ πείρασιν: the Argonauts are destined to suffer (ὀτλήσειαν) in the wastes of Libya. ὀτλήσειαν: the optative is used after a past tense (Od3.285).

1228: ἤδη: in this and the next line marks the immediacy of the moment (225–7n.). †ποτί†: read προτί=πρός, in the sense of, ‘on the side of, towards’ LSJ s.v. πρός Ai2 and understanding, perhaps, χθόνα from the next line, translate, “they left (behind) the land in the direction of the Ambracian Gulf.”

1229: Κουρῆτιν: with χθόνα: “the land of the Kouretes,” taking the last syllable as long in arsis at the caesura, or perhaps read Κουρήτων.

1230: στεινὰς αὐταῖς σὺν Ἐχινάσι νήσους: “some narrow islands together with the Echinades. themselves.”

1231: Πέλοπος . . . κατεφαίνετο γαῖα: the Argonauts are getting closer to home, just like Odysseus (Od10.29), when disaster strikes. Πέλοπος depends on γαῖα.

1232: The end of the line recalls Il6.346, and Od10.48. Odysseus’ troubles begin when he is swept off course to the land of the Lotus-Eaters. The Argonauts are heading for a far more desolate destination.

1233: μεσσηγὺς: “in mid-course.” πέλαγόσδε Λιβυστικὸν: “towards the Libyan Sea.” δε: indicates direction: Smyth § 1589.

1233–4: ἐννέα πάσας / νύκτας ὁμῶς καὶ τόσσα: “nine nights and as many days.” φέρ(ε): unaugmented impf. is the main verb, incorporated into the phrase to, perhaps, emphasise the length of the storm.

1235: προπρὸ μάλ᾿ ἔνδοθι Σύρτιν: “very far advanced into the Syrtis.” A. seems to mean the southern most part of the “great Syrtis”, i.e. the Gulf of Sidra, west of Cyrene, a true wilderness; see further Media images. οὐκέτι νόστος ὀπίσσω: referencing the main theme of the Argonautica: nostos: “no longer a return.”

1236: βιῴατο: pres. opt. 3rd. pl. (epic, ionic) < βιάω, “they are forced.” The present tenses (and the parenthesis: καὶ γάρ . . . ἐποιχόμενον) add to the drama of the description.

1237: πάντῃ . . . πάντῃ: “everywhere . . . everywhere.”

1237–8: μνιόεντα βυθοῖο / τάρφεα: “lit. sea-weedy clumps of the deep”, “tangled masses of sea-weed.” Strange language to match the strange and desolate scenery.

1238: κωφὴ . . . ὕδατος ἄχνη: “noiseless foam of the sea: (A. has in mind, Od5.403 and the whole context).

1239: ἠερίη δ᾿ ἄμαθος παρακέκλιται: “sand stretches away, raised into the air.” The meaning of ἠέριος is a matter of discussion: the explanation of the scholia (ad loc.), “vast quantities, abundant”, is not attested elsewhere. “Misty sandhills” would certainly be the more atmospheric interpretation. παρακέκλιται: perf. ind. 3rd. sg. < παρακλίνω, “turn aside.” οὐδέ τι κεῖσε: “nor there does anything . . .”

1240: ἑρπετὸν οὐδὲ ποτητὸν: “that creeps or flies (Hdt. 1.140 ἑρπετὰ καὶ πετεινά, Theoc. 15.118). ἀείρεται: “moves, raises itself.” ἔνθ᾿ ἄρα τούς γε: referring to the Argonauts.

1241: πλημυρίς: A. seems to be echoing (and almost reversing) Odysseus’ escape from the Cyclops (Od9.486), where Odysseus is nearly swept back ashore. καὶ γάρ τ᾿: the two καί’s (next line) balance one another: the tide (τόδε χεῦμα) ebbs (ἀναχάζεται) and flows back again (ἐπερεύγεται).

1242: ἐπερεύγεται ἀκτὰς: echoing another Odyssean context (O. swimming ashore): Od. 5.438 (>Virg. Aen11.625–8).

1243: λάβρον ἐποιχόμενον: “coming with a rush and a roar.”

1243–4: μυχάτῃ . . . / ἠιόνι: “the innermost shore. ἐνέωσε: aor. ind. act. 3rd. sg. <ἐνωθέω.

1244: τρόπιος . . . παῦρον: “very little of the ship’s keel.” ἔλειπτο: unreduplicated aorist passive < λείπω: LSJ s.v. B.

1245: οἱ δ᾿: the Argonauts rush to disembark. ἄχος δ᾿ ἕλεν εἰσορόωντας: they are dismayed the landscape (or lack of) that greets them. When Odysseus lands back in Ithaca, he is confronted by a many familiar landmarks (Od13.236–48, as listed by Athene).

1246: ἠέρα: see 1239n. they are dismayed by the “mist and the back of the great earth.”

1247: τηλοῦ ὑπερτείνοντα διηνεκές: the most terrifying thing is that this uninhabited landscape stretches off into the distance. A major factor is the mist. For ἠέριος / ἀήρ, ἠέρος, see further 265–8n. οὐδέ τιν᾿ ἀρδμόν: “no spot for water.” This is one of the words used in the description of Ithaca cited above (1245n.).

1248: οὐ πάτον: “nor beaten track.” This word echoes the landing made by Odysseus on “Goat Island” (Od9.119).

1248–9: βοτήρων / αὔλιον: “a farmstead.” The lack of one of these is a measure of the desolate of the Argonauts’ landing place. εὐκήλῳ δὲ κατείχετο πάντα γαλήνῃ: “silence reigned over a lifeless world.” (Rieu).

1250–1: τίς χθὼν εὔχεται ἥδε: “what land is this proud to be?” As often in A. an anonymous commentator sums up the situation, while echoing the usual Odyssean interrogative opening: τίς πόθεν εἰς ἀνδρῶν (Od. 1.170 etc). Here, it is literally a cry in the wilderness. With εὔχεται understand εἶναι (LSJ s.v. III). The verb usually signifies a proud boast but here seems empty and despairing. ξυνέωσαν: varying on ἐνέωσε in 1243: “To where have the stormy winds hurled us?”

1252: αἴθ(ε): “would that . . .” ἔτλημεν: “dared.” Such unfulfilled wishes are often a part of interventions such as this; see Medea’s speech at 4.32. , ἀφειδέες: without thought for, disregarding.”

1253: διαμπερές: “straight through.” To be taken with πετράων. The Argonauts are not aware that the Clashing Rocks are fixed after their passage through them in Book 2 (528–647).

1254:  τ᾿ ἂν . . . βέλτερον: “it would have been better,” a ‘counterfactual’ wish that draws attention to a pivotal point in the plot; see further (Louden 2007, 190). καὶ ὑπὲρ Διὸς αἶσαν ἰοῦσιν: “even if we were to go against Zeus’ will: a possible reference to 4.584–5.

1255: μέγα δή τι μενοινώοντας: “eager for some great deed.” There is a similar mixture of cases (ἰοῦσιν ~ μενοινώοντας) at 4. 169–70.

1256: τί κεν ῥέξαιμεν: “but now, what are we to do?” The anonymous Argonaut echoes Agamemnon’s words at Il19.90. Agamemnon blames the gods; the Argonaut, the elements and the environment. ἐρυκόμενοι ἀνέμοισιν: “if we are held back by . . .”

1257: μένειν: “to remain”: the infinitive depends on the participle in the previous line. τυτθόν περ ἐπὶ χρόνον: “for even a short time (τυτθόν agreeing with χρόνον).

1258: the anonymous commentator concludes with a linguistically rich line: πέζα, meaning “shore-line” is rare (LSJ s.v. Aii2). The exact signification of διωλύγιος is disputed. Here it agrees with ἠπείροιο. The line is balanced by ἀναπέπταται: pf. pass. of ἀναπετάννυμι.

1259: ἀμηχανίῃ κακότητος: “in despair at their evil situation.” ἀμηχανίη is generally a characteristic that marks out Jason alone.

1260: ἰθυντὴρ Ἀγκαῖος: “the helmsman Ancaeus” confirms that the Argonauts are in a dreadful situation. He is an expert, so the use of his name stresses the fact that the situation is dire. ἀκηχεμένοις: pf. pass. participle < ἀχέω.

1261: ὠλόμεθ᾿. . . μόρον: recalling Il21.133δῆθεν: adding a note of irony: “in truth” (implying perhaps, “after all we have been through”). ὑπάλυξις: invoking Il22.270 and particularly Od23.287.

1262: πάρα δ᾿. . . πημανθῆναι (with heavy spondaic ending): “it remains for us (πάρα δ᾿ ἄμμι) to suffer the very worst (τὰ κύντατα).”

1263: ὑπ᾿ ἐρημαίῃ πεπτηότας: “having fallen upon this desolate place.” πεπτηότας, here translated as though from πίπτω, could be from πτήσσω (LSJ s.v. ii). A. seems to be following Herodotus’ description of Libya.

1264: ἀμπνεύσειαν: aorist. opt. < ἀναπνέω: “were to blow from the land (χερσόθεν). The Argonauts are completely stranded. τεναγώδεα: acc. sing. with ἅλα (next line). It comes first to stress the desolation that they face.

1265: τῆλε περισκοπέων ἅλα πάντοθεν: the adverbs (τῆλε . . . πάντοθεν) and the verb (περισκοπέων) emphasise the fact that, whenever they look, the Argonauts can see no means of escape. ἤλιθα: “to no purpose, uselessly (for us).” The water churns backwards and forwards over the shoals to no purpose.

1266: ξαινόμενον: “fretted, broken up,” presumably as it runs over (ἐπιτροχάει) the shoals (πολιῇσιν . . ψαμάθοισιν; lit. the grey sand).

1267: καί κεν: placed first to stress the fact that they have escaped from an even more wretched fate: “would have been (smashed)”. The Argo has only escaped total destruction because the incoming tide (1269 πλημυρὶς ἐκ πόντοιο) has pushed the ship some distance up the beach of the Syrtes. διὰ . . . κεάσθη: “have been shattered: aor. pass. < (διὰ) . . . κεάζω, a verb denoting a considerable degree of violence; see 4.391.

1268: νηῦς ἱερή: “our sacred ship,” emphasising the important role that the Argo, herself, plays in the poem. In addition, it is presumably Athena’s crafting of the Argo (1.111–4), or perhaps the beam of Dodonian oak (1.527) that she fashioned for its mid-keel, that makes the Argo a “sacred ship”; see further (Murray 2005). πολλὸν πρόσω: “very far from (dry land).”

1269: μεταχρονίην: “raised up”, i.e. afloat.

1270: ἡ μὲν: referring back to πλημυρίς (the swell or the tide). πέλαγόσδε μετέσσυται: “rushes back to (δε) the sea.” οἰόθι δ᾿ ἅλμη: this is a common enough sight on any beach: “only the foam.”

1271: ἄπλοος εἰλεῖται: “is whirled around, on which no-one can sail.” ὕπερ . . . ἔχουσα: “raising,” the verb in tmesis with γαίης depending on it and ὅσσον, modifying

1272: The word order of Ancaeus’ speech continues to be very intricate: πᾶσαν agrees with ἐλπίδα, and ἀπ᾿. . . κεκόφθαι is another example of tmesis, with object and main verb embedded between the prefix and the main part of the infinitive (κεκόφθαι). Hunter (ad loc.) notes that this is the earliest occurrence of ἐλπίδα ἀποκόπτειν (LSJ s.v. A2) but see “hopes were anchors or cablesto the Greeks (see further (Thomson 1938, 62)) so it is a neat extension of this metaphor to speak of being “cut off from hope,”especially when the most important point of reference is the Argo

1273: ναυτιλίης νόστου τε: “of our voyage and our return.” The basic themes of the Argonauticaδαημοσύνην: “his skill (as a steersman).” This abstract noun occurs first in A. (see 121–2n.). Abstract nouns in –σύνη are uncommon in Homeric poetry and their use somewhat restricted to direct speech (521 examples in direct speech and 90 examples in narrative). Here A. seems to follow the Homeric pattern but generally does not discriminate in the same way.

1274: φαίνοι ἑήν: “let him show.” This is an emendation for transmitted φαίνοιεν / φήνειεν. It makes good sense, though the correption of οι is unusual. πάρα = πάρεστι: see vocab. οἱ: “for him.” ἐπ᾿ οἰήκεσσι θαάσσειν: a picturesque way of describing a possible handing over of responsibility: “sit down at the helm.”

1275: μαιομένῳ κομιδῆς: “lit. if he desires a return home.” οὐ μάλα: “not at all.” Hermann Fränkel’s classic study showed that in Archaic poetry ἧμαρ not only means ‘day’, but the situation which turns into decisive destiny. The epic hero (as many heroes of tragedy and historiography) has his νόστιµον ἦμαρ, his αἴσιμον ἦμαρ, his ἐλεύθερον ἦμαρ, which seals his destiny; see further(Jáuregui et al. 2011, 190).

1276: Ζεὺς ἐθέλει: a fleeting allusion to the ‘plan of Zeus’, mentioned only at significant moments (4.557–61). καμάτοισιν ἐφ᾿ ἡμετέροισι: “after / in return for our troubles. κᾰ́μᾰτος: is another significant word in the Argonautica (1.1). Ancaeus ends on a note of despair to correspond with his opening: ὠλόμεθ᾿(α).

1277: the context is one of total gloom. σὺν δ᾿ ἔννεπον ἀσχαλόωντι: “(the Argonauts) joined in his despair.” ἀσχαλόωντι: pres. part. act. masc. dat. sg. > ἀσχαλάω.

1278: ὅσσοι ἔσαν νηῶν δεδαημένοι: “those who knew anything about navigation (Rieu).” δεδαημένοι: perf. part. masc. nom. pl. <δάω.

1279: παχνώθη κραδίη: “their hearts were frozen with fear,” a variation on ἦτορ παχνοῦται (Il. 17.112), ἐπάχνωσεν φίλον ἦτορ (Hes. Op. 360).

1280: this complex simile marks the depth of the Argonauts’ despair. The parallels for its constituent parts are principally Od20.350–7 (Theoclymenus’ vision of impending doom for the suitors); but see also Hdt. 6.277.37, 140, Cic. ND 2.5.14De Div1.97, Tib. 2.5.71–8, Plut. Pyrrhos 31.3 with particular reference to Virg. G. 1.476­–83. A modern parallel that conveys the same sense of despair that pervades this whole passage may be Cavafy’s “Waiting for the Barbarians.” It is also possible that A.’s readers might connect this description with what happened at Thebes before its sack by Alexander the Great (Diod. Sic. 17.10.4–5); see further(Dillon 2017, 188).

1280: ἀψύχοισιν ἐοικότες εἰδώλοισιν: “men wander (εἱλίσσονται) ghost-like”, well-summing up the mental state of the Argonauts.

1281: εἱλίσσονται: “roam through (the city),” perhaps with the sense of not knowing what to do like Odysseus at Od20.24 ἑλίσσετο ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα.

1281–2:  πολέμοιο /  λοιμοῖο: “war or plague.” The two genitives depend on τέλος.

1282–3: ὄμβρον / ἄσπετον: floods were considered to be a considerable omen in the ancient world. This (literary) flood influenced Virgil (see above) and, in his turn, Horace; see further (Nisbet and M. 1970, 17).

1283: βοῶν . . . ἔργα: “fields worked by the cattle” (Hes. Op46 Virg. G1.325 boumque labores). κατὰ μυρία ἔκλυσεν: “which overwhelms.” The aorist is gnomic or generalising, marked by the presence of τε. In A. there are similar examples of hiatus (. . . ία ἔκ . . .) in this position in the line (1.778, 2.660, 4.236, 546, 1502, 1637); see further (Rzach 1881, 65). For the neglect of the digamma (ϝἔργα) see further (Mooney 1912, 418).

1284: ἢ ὅταν: this is the type of mannered ellipse (“or it is like when . . .”) that one expects from an Alexandrian poet. A. is listing the kinds of phenomena that occur when the inhabitants of a city are in despair. For statues sweating with blood and other such portents, see further (James 2005, 372).

1285: αἵματι: a ghastly detail, placed in significant enjambment. μυκαί: a rare word. The equivalent of μυκηθμός LSJ s.v. φαντάζωνται: “are imagined,” (Plato Res. 572.b.1 αἱ ὄψεις φαντάζονται τῶν ἐνυπνίων).

1286: μέσῳ ἤματι: “in the middle of the day.” νύκτ᾿ ἐπάγῃσιν: “draws on night.” An eclipse was an important and significant event in the ancient world; see further (Sofroniou 2013, 211). ἐπάγῃσιν: pres. subj. act. 3rd. sg. <ἐπάγω (Od. 18.137 οἷον ἐπʼ ἦμαρ ἄγῃσι πατήρ).

1287: οὐρανόθεν: “from the heaven.” λαμπρὰ δι᾿ ἠέρος ἄστρα: an elegantly arranged phrase (λαμπρά with ἄστρα): “the bright stars through the heaven.” φαείνω is an epic form of φαίνω (Estienne 1572, 9873).

1288: The gloom of the following lines is in great contrast to talk of shining stars. ὣς τότ᾿ ἀριστῆες: “the heroes”, i.e. the Argonauts. πρόπαρ: governs δολιχοῦ . . . αἰγιαλοῖο: “along the endless beach.

1289: ἤλυον ἑρπύζοντες: “they wander in great distress” (used of Odysseus at Od13.220 ἑρπύζων παρὰ θῖνα and Achilles at Il23.225). ἐπήλυθε: “came upon,” with the sense of a degree of suddenness. A. is varying a Homeric phrase such as Od. 1.423 μέλας ἐπὶ ἕσπερος ἦλθε.

1290: ἐλεεινά: “piteously,” neuter plural of the adj. used as an adverb. χεροῖν σφέας ἀμφιβαλόντες: “they threw their hands about each other.” In Homer usually with dative of the person (Od. 21.223Ὀδυσῆι . . . χεῖρε βαλόντε).

1291: δακρυόειν ἀγάπαζον: “they tearfully embraced.” δακρυόειν: epic (alternative) neut. sing. of δακρυόεις used as an adverb. δῆθεν: a strengthened form of δή, perhaps with a note of irony attached. As ἄνδιχα . . . ἕκαστος: the collegiate unity of the Argonauts is breaking down in the face of their miserable situation: “each to his own.”

1292: θυμὸν ἀποφθίσειαν: “die.” aor. opt. act. 3rd. pl. < ἀποφθίνω. The use of a plural verb with a sing. subject (ἕκαστος) is not unusual. The phrase is used in a similar context at Il16.540 θυμὸν ἀποφθινύθουσι. The end of the line (ἐνὶ ψαμάθοισι πεσόντες, “falling in the sand”) and the next conveys a feeling of great desolation.

1293: βάν: aor. ind. act. 3rd. pl. (epic) < βαίνω. The phrase βῆ ῥ' ἴμεν (and the like) is a common line opener in Homer (Il. 12.299 and often). ἄλλυδις ἄλλος ἑκαστέρω: lit. “this way and that (they went) further,” stressing the way in which the Argonautic unity is breaking down. αὖλιν ἑλέσθαι: “to pick a place for rest.” ἑλέσθαιaor. inf. mid. infin. <αἱρέω.

1294: ἐν δὲ κάρη πέπλοισι καλυψάμενοι: they cover their heads as a sign of grief (Il24.162 Priam).

1295: ἄκμηνοι καὶ ἄπαστοι: the second word seems to gloss the first: “without food or nourishment.” ἄκμηνος is a rare word (Il19.346 of Achilles mourning for Patroclus), occurring three times in Il. 19 and nowhere else in Homer (LSJ. s.v.). ἐκείατο: epic-iconic 3rd. impf. <κεῖμαι.

1295–6: νύκτ᾿ ἔπι πᾶσαν / καὶ φάος: “all night and into the day. The preposition is in anastrophe, binding the phrase together and giving it extra emphasis.

1296: οἰκτίστῳ θανάτῳ ἔπι: another example of anastrophe, varying an Homeric phrase that is used only of Agamemnon (Od11.41224.34). The Argonauts are on the point of starving to death (Od. 12. 342). νόσφι δὲ κοῦραι: A. typically changes the area of focus for his description at the end of the line. The Phaeacian maids gather around their mistress like a lamenting chorus and are aptly likened to two sets of grieving birds.

1297: παρεστενάχοντο: this verb occurs only here, though στενάχω is common enough: LSJ `.

1298: ὡς δ᾿ ὅτ᾿: “as when.” ἐρημαῖοι: “deserted,” in elegant hyperbaton with νεοσσοί in the next line, thus making the first comparison more compact and therefore more emotionally telling. πεπτηότες: “fallen” perf. part. act. masc. nom. pl. <πίπτω.

1298­–9: πέτρης / χηραμοῦ: “from a hollowed rock.” The grammatical status of χηραμός seems to have been unclear in antiquity. Possibly a noun at Il21.494­–5, it could have been interpreted as both a noun and a two-termination adjective. A. seems to reflect both of these two possibilities, here and at 4.1452. ἀπτῆνες . . . νεοσσοί: “chicks that cannot fly / unfledged birds,” (Il9.323). λιγέα κλάζουσι: “cry shrilly.”

1300: ἢ ὅτε: “or when,” switching to another vehicle of comparison. καλὰ νάοντος: “fair-flowing / lovely stream (of P.). ἐπ᾿ ὀφρύσι: “upon the raised banks.” The Pactolus is in Lydia.

1301: κινήσουσιν ἑὸν μέλος: “set their song in motion”, varying the Homeric κινεῖν μέλος (Od8.298). Both parts of the simile are linked closely to the narrative, embracing both ‘new’ life and death. The Homeric model is Il2.495­–63 to which A. adds a poignant note which Virgil later found very attractive; see further (Horsfall 1999, 458).

1301­–2: λειμὼν / ἑρσήεις βρέμεται: “the dewy meadow murmurs” βρέμω can sometimes denote a much louder sound: LSJ s.v. and λειμὼν / ἑρσήεις a very different context (1.750–1). A.’s overall imagine is a delightful one but a vivid contrast with the situation of the Argonauts.

1303: ξανθὰς . . . ἐθείρας: “blond hair.” Or is it? There is much discussion (Scathlocke 2017) about whether any Ancient Greeks could be said to be blond; see further (Smith 1890) s.v. Coma. θέμεναι: “laying”: aor. part. mid. fem. nom. pl. <τίθημι.

1304: a fine sounding four - word line (the assonance of ἐλεεινὸν ἰήλεμον combined with the spondaic ending: ὠδύροντο) marks the end of the section and expresses the grieving of the maids. ἰήλεμον: the Ionic form (for ἰᾱλεμος) is doubtless used to increase the euphony of the line.

1305: καί νύ κεν: “and they would have . . .”, signalling a change in the narrative. A divine intervention is about to occur. ἐλίασθεν: “would have parted”: aor. ind. pass. 3rd. pl. <λιάζω.

1306: νώνυμνοι καὶ ἄφαντοι: “nameless and unseen.” The subject of this clause is indeed “unnamed” until we reach 1307. The first adjective might be connected with ὕμνος. If the Argonauts die in Libya, no poems or songs will be sung about them like the Argonautica (see the concluding lines of the poem.) They will not be ἀοίδιμοι for ἐπιχθονίοισι δαῆναι for mortal men to learn about.”

1307: ἡρώων οἱ ἄριστοι: “the best of heroes.” The grandiloquent title is in contrast with the second half of the line (“upon a task unfulfilled”: Od16.111), and also with the opening of 1309: the heroines of Libya come to the rescue of the heroes of Greece.

1308: ἀλλά σφεαςpace Hunter ad loc. σφεας is not scanned as a single long syllable; see 1008. ἐλέηραν: “took pity”, aor. 3rd pl. <ἐλεαίρω. ἀμηχανίῃ: the consistent reaction of the Argonauts (and Jason) in the face of setback. μινύθοντας: agrees with σφεας.

1309: ἡρῶσσαι Λιβύης τιμήοροι: “guardian heroines of Libya.” This phrase summons up a number of illusions to Callimachus and Hellenistic epigram; see further (Harder 2019, 380–81). ἡρῶσσαι: on the form and interpretations of this word see further (P. Hulse 2020, 9).

1310: ἦμος ὅτ᾿: Athene was born from the head of her father Zeus. πατρὸς κεφαλῆς: there is a recently published papyrus (Benaissa, Slattery, and Henry 2019) that reads ΗΜ[O]EKΦΑ, which must represent a slightly mistaken version of a transmitted text that read ἦμος ὅτ᾿ ἐκ κεφαλῆς πατρὸς. The text of the Argonautica remains doubtful in many places and new papyri regularly warn against over-confidence (Hunter, R. 2015, 27). παμφαίνουσα: “in her gleaming (armour)”; see further (Stephens 2015) on a passage from Callimachus’ Aetia that must be related to A.’s version.

1311: Τρίτωνος ἐφ᾿ ὕδασι: “beside the waters of Lake Triton.” χυτλώσαντο: “bathed, washed.”

1312: ἔνδιον ἦμαρ ἔην: “it was high noon,” a dangerous part of the day, when gods and goddesses might be abroad; see further(Jazdzewska 2020). ὀξύταται θέρον αὐγαί: the heat is intense and make visions and phantasies a distinct possibility.

1313: αἱ δέ: i.e. the heroines of Libya.

1314: ἔσταν: “they stood”: aor. ind. act. 3rd. pl. < ἵστημι. The goddesses come to the aid of Jason much in the way that the ‘three ladies’ rescue Tamino in Mozart’s Magic Flute. Here they gently (ἠρέμα) remove (ἕλον δ᾿ ἀπὸ χερσὶ) the cloak (πέπλον) that Jason has pulled over his head (καρήατος) so that he alone can see them.

Bibliography:

Benaissa, Amin, S. Slattery, and W.B. Henry, eds. 2019. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri Vol. LXXXIV. https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/the-oxyrhynchus-papyri-vol-lxxxiv-9780856….

Dillon, Matthew. 2017. Omens and Oracles: Divination in Ancient Greece. New York and Abingdon.

Estienne, Henri. 1572. Thēsauros tēs Hellēnikēs glōssēs. in aedibus Valpianis.

Harder, A. 2019. “Taking Position: Later Hellenistic Epigrammatists.” In A Companion to Ancient Epigram, edited by Christer Henriksén. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.

Horsfall. 1999. Virgil, Aeneid 7: A Commentary. Leiden: BRILL.

Hulse, P. 2020. “Κ.Φ. Unmasked: An Emendation Correctly Attributed.” Mnemosyne 1 (aop): 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1163/1568525X-BJA10017.

Hunter, R. 2015. Apollonius of Rhodes. Cambridge University Press.

James, A. 2005. “Quintus of Smyrna.” In A Companion to Ancient Epic, edited by John Miles Foley. Oxford: John Wiley & Sons.

Jáuregui, Miguel Herrero de, Ana Isabel Jiménez San Cristóbal, Eugenio R. Luján Martínez, Raquel Martín Hernández, Marco Antonio Santamaría Álvarez, and Sofía Torallas Tovar. 2011. Tracing Orpheus: Studies of Orphic Fragments. Walter de Gruyter.

Jazdzewska, Katarzyna. 2020. “‘Still Noon’ in Plato’s Phaedrus (and in Heraclides of Pontus).” Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies60 (1): 61–67. https://grbs.library.duke.edu/article/view/16362.

Louden, B. 2007. “Kalypso and the Function of Book 5.” In Homer’s The Odyssey, edited by H. Bloom. Yale: Infobase Publishing.

Mooney, G.W. 1912. The Argonautica of Apollonius Rhodius. London.

Murray, Jackie. 2005. “The Constructions of the Argo in Apollonius&#39; Argonautica.” Caeculus 6 (0): 88–106. https://www.academia.edu/2340778/_The_Constructions_of_the_Argo_in_Apol….

———. 2014. “Anchored in Time: The Date in Apollonius&#39; Argonautica.” Hellenistica Groningana: Poetry in Context. https://www.academia.edu/721688/Anchored_in_Time_The_Date_in_Apollonius….

Nisbet, R.G.M., and Hubbard M. 1970. A Commentary on Horace, Odes Book 1. Oxford.

Rzach, A. 1881. “Der Hiatus bei Apollonius Rhodius.” Wiener Studien 3.

Scathlocke, W. 2017. “Were the Ancient Greeks Blond? - Quora.” 2017. https://www.quora.com/Were-the-ancient-Greeks-blond.

Smith, W. 1890. “A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), CABEI´RIA , CODEX JUSTINIANE´US , COMA.” 1890. http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0….

Sofroniou, Andreas. 2013. Philology, Concepts of European Literature. London.

Stephens, S. 2015. “The Libyan Birth of Athena | Dickinson College Commentaries.” 2015. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/callimachus-aetia/book-1/libyan-birth-athena.

Thomson, G. 1938. The Oresteia of Aeschylus. 2 vols. CUP Archive.

ἦμαρ, day

ἑβδόματος, the seventh

 Δρεπάνη, Drepane (Corcyra)

οὖρος, a fair wind

 ἀκραής, blowing strongly, fresh-blowing

 ἠῶθεν, from dawn

 ὑπεύδιος, under a calm sky

 ἐπείγω ἐπείξομαι ἤπειξα --- ἤπειγμαι ἐπείχθην, drive on, urge forward

 προτέρω, further, forwards

 θέω θεύσομαι --- --- --- ---, to speed

αἴσιμος, fated, ordained

ἐπιβαίνω ἐπιβήσομαι ἐπέβην ἐπιβέβηκα --- ---, +gen., to set foot on

 Ἀχαιΐς, the Achaian land

ὄφρα, until

 ἔτι, still, yet, besides, already

Λιβύη, Libya, the north part of Africa

πεῖραρ, an end (of the earth)

 ὀτλέω, suffer, endure

πρός, from, at, towards (see notes)

 κόλπος -ου ὁ, bay

 ἐπώνυμος, given as a name

 Ἀμβράκιος -α, -ον, Ambracian

Κουρῆτις, of the Κουρῆτες

 πετάννυμι, to spread out

 λαῖφος, a sail

στεινός -ή -όν, narrow; (pl.) narrows; straits; mountain pass

Ἐχῖναι, the islands in the Ionian sea

ἑξῆς, one after another, in order, in a row

 Πέλοψ, Pelops

νέον, just, recently

ἀναρπάγδην, snatching up violently

 ὀλοός, destroying, destructive

 Βορέας, North wind

 θύελλα, a furious storm, hurricane

 μεσσηγὺς, in the middle, in mid-course

 πέλαγος, the sea

 Λιβυστικός, ή, όν, Libyan

 ἐννέα, nine

 τόσσος, so great, so many

 φέρω οἴσω ἤνεγκα ἐνήνοχα ἐνήνεγμαι ἠνέχθην, bear, carry

μέχρι, to, up to, as far as

 ἱκνέομαι ἵξομαι ἱκόμην --- ἷγμαι ---, come, arrive

 πρό, forward (when joined with other Preps., ἀποπρό, διαπρό, ἐπιπρό, περιπρό, προπρό, it strengthens the first Prep., or adds to it the notion of forward, forth)

 μάλα, very, very much

 ἔνδοθι, withi

 Σύρτις, the Syrtis

οὐκέτι οὐκ ἔτι, no more, no longer

 νόστος -ου ὁ, return (home)

 ὀπίσσω, back, back again

πέλω, to be

βιάω, to force, constrain

πάντη, every way, on every side

τέναγος, shoal-water, a shoal, shallow, lagoon

 πάντη, every way, on every side

μνῐόεις, εσσα, εν, seaweedy, mossy (cf. μνίον, τό, seaweed, Lyc.398)

 βυθός, the depth

 τάρφος, a clump

 κωφός, noiseless, light

 ἐπιβλύω, flow over

 ὕδωρ ὕδατος τό, water

 ἄχνη, foam

 ἠέριος, misty, raised into the air

ἄμαθος, sandy soil

 παρακλίνω, to bend

κεῖσε, there, in that place

 ἑρπετόν, a walking animal, quadruped

ποτητός, anything that flies

 ἀείρω, to lift, heave, raise up

πλημμυρίς, flood tide

ἀναχάζομαι, draw back, withdraw

 ἤπειρος -ου ἡ, the land (not the sea)

 ἦ, truly (emphasizes what follows)

 θαμά, often

χεῦμα, that which is poured, a swell or tide

 ἐπερεύγομαι, to be disgorged upon

 ἀκτή, headland, foreland, promontory

 λάβρος, furious, boisterous

 ἐποίχομαι, to go towards, approach

μύχᾰτος, η, ον, irreg. Sup. of μύχιος, inward, inmost

ἐνωθέω, to thrust in

 τάχιστα, suddenly

 ἠιών, a sea-bank, shore, beach

 τρόπις, a ship's keel

παῦρος, little, small

 λείπω λείψω ἔλιπον, leave

ὀρούω, rush, spring

 ἄχος -εος, anguish, distress

εἰσοράω, to look into, look upon, view, behold

ἀήρ, ἠέρος, the lower air, the air,

νῶτον, the back

ἴσος -η -ον, equal to, like

 τηλοῦ, afar, far off

 ὑπερτείνω, to stretch

 διηνεκής, continuous, unbroken

 ἀρδμός, a watering-place, water

πάτος, a trodden path

ἀπάνευθε, afar off, far away

 καταυγάζω, gaze at, see

 βοτήρ, a herdsman, herd

 αὔλιον, a country house, cottage

 εὔκηλος, still, silent

κατέχω καθέξω (or κατασχήσω) κατέσχον --- ---, hold back, constrain

 γαλήνη, stillness

τετίημαι, to be sorrowful, to sorrow, mourn

 ἐξερεείνω, to ask

 τίς τί, who? what?

 χθών χθονός ἡ, the earth, ground

 εὔχομαι εὔξομαι ηὐξάμην ηὖγμαι, pray, boast

ποθι, where

 ξυνωθέω, hurl, force

 ἄελλα, storm

αἴθε, would that

 τλάω, to take upon oneself, undergo, dare

 ἀφειδής, without thought for, disregarding

 οὐλόμενος, η, ον, poet. aor. part. of ὄλλυμαι, accursed, wretched

κέλευθος, a road, way

 διαμπερές, through

 ὁρμάω ὁρμήσω ὥρμησα ὥρμηκα ὥρμημαι ὡρμήθην, rush

ὑπέρ, over, beyond

αἶσα, will

βέλτερος, better

 μενοινάω, to desire eagerly, to be bent on

 ὄλλυμι ὀλῶ ὤλεσα (or ὠλόμην) ὀλώλεκα (or ὄλωλα) --- ---, perish

ῥέζω, do, accomplish

 ἐρύκω, to keep in, hold back,r estrain

 ἄνεμος -ου ὁ, wind, spirit

 αὖθι, on the spot, here, there

 μένω μενῶ ἔμεινα μεμένηκα --- ---, remain, await, stand fast

 τυτθός, little, small

ἐπί, on, upon

 χρόνος -ου ὁ, time

ἐρῆμος -η -ον, lone, lonely, desert

 πέζα, shoreline

διωλύγιος, ον, immense, enormous

ἀναπετάννυμι, to spread out, unfold, unfurl

 ἤπειρος -ου ἡ, the land

 ἀμηχανία, want of means, helplessness, impotence

 κακότης, badness

 ἰθυντήρ, evil plight

 Ἀγκαῖος, Ancaeus

 ἀχέ(υ)ω, grieving, sorrowing, mourning

αἰνός -ή -όν, dread, grim

 δῆθεν, really, in very truth

 μόρος, doom, fate, destiny

 οὐδέ, but not, not even

 ὑπάλυξις, escape

ἄτη -ης ἡ, blindness, destruction

 πάρα (with anastrophe) stands for πάρεστι, It is at hand, it is possible.

κύντατος, lit. the most dog-like, i.e. the worst

 πημαίνω, to suffer

 ἐρημαῖος, desolate, solitary

 πίπτω πεσοῦμαι ἔπεσον πέπτωκα --- ---, to fall

ἀήτης, a blast, gale

 χερσόθεν, from dry land

 ἀναπνέω, to breathe again, take breath

τεναγώδης, covered with shoal-water, standing in pools

 λεύσσω, to look

 τῆλε, at a distance, far off, far away

 περισκοπέω, to look round

πάντοθεν, from all quarters, from every side

 ἤλιθα, enough, sufficiently, to no purpose (see notes)

ξαίνω, to break up, fret (as in combing)

 πολιός, ή, όν, grey

 ἐπιτροχάζω, run lightly over

 ψάμαθος, sand, sea-sand

ἐπισμυγερός, gloomy, miserable, wretched

πάλαι, long ago, once upon a time

κεάζω, to split, cleave

ἱερός -ᾶ -ον, holy

 χέρσος, dry land

πρόσω, far off, far from

πλημυρίς, a rise of the sea, tide

πόντος -ου ὁ, sea, the deep

 μεταχρόνιος, raised up

 κομίζω κομιῶ ἐκόμισα, carry

πέλαγος, the sea

 μετασεύομαι, to rush towards

 οἴοθι, only, alone

ἅλμη, sea-water, brine

 ἄπλους -ουν, not navigable, not seaworthy

 εἴλω, to roll, swirl

ὑπερέχω, rise above

ὅσσον, barely, a little.

τοὔνεκα, for that reason, therefore

ἐλπίς -ίδος ἡ, hope

ἀποκόπτω κόψω ἔκοψα κέκοφα κέκομμαι ἐκόπην, cut off

δαημοσύνη, skill, knowledge

φαίνω φανῶ ἔφηνα, bring to light; appear

πάρα, = πάρεστι

οἴαξ, the handle of the rudder, the tiller

 θαάσσω, to sit ατ

 μαίομαι, to seek

 κομιδή, safe return

νόστιμος, belonging to a return

 ἦμαρ, day

ἐθέλω ἐθελήσω ἠθέλησα ἠθέληκα --- ---, wish, consent

 κάματος, toil, trouble, labour

ἡμέτερος -α -ον, our

 τελέω τελέσω ἐτέλεσα τετέλεκα τετέλεσμαι ἐτελέσθην, fulfil, accomplish

δακρυόεις, tearful, much-weeping

ἐνέπω, to tell, agree

 ἀσχαλάω, to be distressed, grieved

δάω, to learn

παχνόω, to congeal, freeze

καρδίη, ἡ, heart

 χέω χέω ἔχεα κέχυκα κέχυμαι ἐχύθην, to pour

χλόος, ὁ, paleness, pallor

 ἀμφί, on both sides

 πᾰρειά, ἡ,, the cheek

 ἄψυχος, lifeless, inanimate

 ἔοικα, ptc. εἰκώς, be like, look like, seem

 εἴδωλον, a phantom, ghost

ἑλίσσω, to wander, roam, to turn

πόλεμος -ου ὁ, war

λοιμός, a plague, pestilence

 τέλος -ους τό, result, fulfilment, end

 προσδέχομαι προσδέξομαι προσέδεξαμην --- προσέδεγμαι προσεδέχθην, to await

ὄμβρος, storm of rain, thunder-storm

 ἄσπετος, unspeakably great

βοῦς βοός ὁ/ἡ, bull, cow pl. cattle

 μυρίος -α -ον, numberless, infinite

 κλύζω, to dash over, destroy

 ἔργον -ου τό, work, deed

αὐτόματος, acting of one's own will, of oneself

ξόανον, τό, image carved of wood

ῥέω ῥυήσομαι --- ἐρρύηκα --- ἐρρύην, flow, run, stream

 ἱδρόω, to sweat, perspire

 αἷμα -ατος τό, blood

μῡκή ἡ, a lowing, bellowing

 σηκός, a pen, fold

φαντάζομαι, to become visible, appear, shew oneself

 μέσος -η -ον, middle, in the middle

 ἦμαρ, day

ἐπάγω ἐπάξω ἐπήγαγον ἐπῆχα ἐπῆγμαι ἐπήχθην, bring on

 οὐρανόθεν, from heaven, down from heaven

λαμπρός -ά -όν, bright, radiant, clear

ἀήρ, the lower air, the air

 ἄστρον, the stars

 φαίνω φανῶ ἔφηνα πέφηνα πέφασμαι ἐφάν(θ)ην, bring to light; appear

ἀριστεύς, the best man, hero

 δολιχός, long

 πρόπαρ, along the length of

 αἰγιαλός, the sea-shore, beach, strand

 ἀλύω, to wander

 ἑρπύζω, to creep, crawl

 ἐπέρχομαι ἔπειμι ἐπῆλθον ἐπελήλυθα --- ---, come near, approach

ἐρεμνός, black, dark

 ἕσπερος, evening

ἐλεεινὰ, pitiful

ἀμφιβάλλω, to throw

 δακρυόεις, tearful, much-weeping

 ἀγαπάζω, to treat with affection, shew affection to

ἄνδιχα, apart

 δῆθεν, really, in very truth

 θυμός -οῦ ὁ, heart, spirit

 ἀποφθίνω, to perish utterly, die away

ψάμαθος, sand, sea-sand

 πίπτω πεσοῦμαι ἔπεσον πέπτωκα --- ---, to fall

ἄλλυδις, elsewhere

ἑκαστέρω, further away

αὖλις, a place for passing the night in

 αἱρέω αἱρήσω εἷλον ᾕρηκα ᾕρημαι ᾑρέθην, take mid. choose

κάρα, the head

 πέπλος, any woven cloth

 καλύπτω, to cover with

 σφέτερος, their own

 ἄκμηνος, fasting

ἄπαστος, not having eaten, fasting

κεῖμαι, lie

φάος -εος τό, light, daylight (the following morning)

 οἴκτιστος, most pitiable, lamentable

 θάνατος -ου ὁ, death

νόσφι, apart, separately

ἀθρόος -α -ον, crowded together

 Αἰήτης, Aeetes, son of Helius and Perse

 παραστενάχομαι, sigh beside

 θυγάτηρ θυγατρός ἡ, daughter

 ἐρημαῖος, deserted, abandoned

ἔκτοθι, out of, outside

χηραμός, a hole, cleft, hollow

 ἀπτήν, unfledged

 λιγύς, clear, whistling

 κλάζω, to make a sharp piercing sound

 νεοσσός, a young bird, nestling, chick

νάω, to flow

ὀφρύς, raised bank (of a river)

Πακτωλός, ὁ, river Pactolus in Lydia

κύκνος, a swan

 κινέω κινήσω ἐκίνησα κεκίνηκα κεκίνημαι ἐκίνηθεν, to move, set in motion

μέλος -εος τό, a limb, a song, strain (see notes)

 ἀμφί, on both sides

λειμών, any moist, grassy place, a meadow, mead, holm

 ἑρσήεις, dewy

 βρέμω, to resound, ring with noise

ῥεῖθρον, that which flows, a river, stream

ξανθός, yellow, golden

 τίθημι θήσω ἔθηκα τέθηκα --- ἐτέθην, set up, place

 κονίη, dust, a cloud of dust

 ἔθειρα, hair

 παννύχιος, all night long

 ἐλεεινός, pitiful

 ἰάλεμος, a wail, lament, dirge

 ὀδύρομαι, grieve

ζωή -ῆς ἡ , life

 λιάζω, to loosen, part

 νώνυμος, nameless, unknown, inglorious

ἄφαντος, made invisible, blotted out, forgotten

 ἐπιχθόνιος, upon the earth, earthly

 δάω, to learn

ἀνήνυστος, unaccomplished

σφεῖς, they

 ἐλεαίρω, to take pity on

 ἀμηχανία, want of means, helplessness, impotence

 μινύθω, to pine

 ἡρῷσσα, ἡ, heroine

 Λιβύη, Libya, the north part of Africa

 τιμήορος, guardian

Ἀθηνᾶ -ᾶς ἡ, Athena

 ἦμος, at which time, when

 ὅτε, when

κεφαλή -ῆς ἡ, head

 θρῴσκω, to leap, spring

 παμφαίνω, to shine

 ἄντομαι, to meet, find

 Τρίτων, Lake Triton

ὕδωρ ὕδατος τό, water

 χυτλόω, to wash

ἔνδιος, ον,at midday, at noon

 ἦμαρ, day

ὀξύς, -εῖα -ύ, sharp

 θέρω, to heat, make hot

 αὐγή, the light of the sun, sunlight

Λιβύη, Libya, the north part of Africa

σχεδόν, near

 Αἰσονίδης, Aesonides

 ἵστημι στήσω ἔστησα (or ἔστην) ἕστηκα ἕσταμαι ἐστάθην, stand

 αἱρέω αἱρήσω εἷλον ᾕρηκα ᾕρημαι ᾑρέθην, take

ἀπό, away from

κάρα, the head

 ἠρέμα, quietly, gently

 πέπλος, cloak

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Suggested Citation

Peter Hulse. Apollonius: Argonautica Book IV. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2022. ISBN: 978-1-947822-21-4. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/apollonius-argonautica/argonautica-iv-1226-1315