Argonautica IV 1652-1728

κέκλυτέ μευ. μούνη γὰρ ὀίομαι ὔμμι δαμάσσειν

ἄνδρα τόν, ὅστις ὅδ᾽ ἐστί, καὶ εἰ παγχάλκεον ἴσχει1655

ὃν δέμας, ὁππότε μή οἱ ἐπ᾽ ἀκάματος πέλοι αἰών.

ἀλλ᾽ ἔχετ᾽ αὐτοῦ νῆα θελήμονες ἐκτὸς ἐρωῆς

πετράων, εἵως κεν ἐμοὶ εἴξειε δαμῆναι.

ὧς ἄρ᾽ ἔφη: καὶ τοὶ μὲν ὑπὲκ βελέων ἐρύσαντο

νῆ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἐρετμοῖσιν, δεδοκημένοι ἥντινα ῥέξει1660

μῆτιν ἀνωίστως: ἡ δὲ πτύχα πορφυρέοιο

προσχομένη πέπλοιο παρειάων ἑκάτερθεν

βήσατ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἰκριόφιν: χειρὸς δέ ἑ χειρὶ μεμαρπὼς

Αἰσονίδης ἐκόμιζε διὰ κληῖδας ἰοῦσαν.

ἔνθα δ᾽ ἀοιδῇσιν μειλίσσετο, μέλπε δὲ Κῆρας1665

θυμοβόρους, Ἀίδαο θοὰς κύνας, αἳ περὶ πᾶσαν

ἠέρα δινεύουσαι ἐπὶ ζωοῖσιν ἄγονται.

τὰς γουναζομένη τρὶς μὲν παρεκέκλετ᾽ ἀοιδαῖς,

τρὶς δὲ λιταῖς: θεμένη δὲ κακὸν νόον, ἐχθοδοποῖσιν

ὄμμασι χαλκείοιο Τάλω ἐμέγηρεν ὀπωπάς:1670

λευγαλέον δ᾽ ἐπί οἱ πρῖεν χόλον, ἐκ δ᾽ ἀίδηλα

δείκηλα προΐαλλεν, ἐπιζάφελον κοτέουσα.

Ζεῦ πάτερ, ἦ μέγα δή μοι ἐνὶ φρεσὶ θάμβος ἄηται,

εἰ δὴ μὴ νούσοισι τυπῇσί τε μοῦνον ὄλεθρος

ἀντιάει, καὶ δή τις ἀπόπροθεν ἄμμε χαλέπτει.1675

ὧς ὅγε χάλκειός περ ἐὼν ὑπόειξε δαμῆναι

Μηδείης βρίμῃ πολυφαρμάκου. ἂν δὲ βαρείας

ὀχλίζων λάιγγας, ἐρυκέμεν ὅρμον ἱκέσθαι.

πετραίῳ στόνυχι χρίμψε σφυρόν: ἐκ δέ οἱ ἰχὼρ

τηκομένῳ ἴκελος μολίβῳ ῥέεν: οὐδ᾽ ἔτι δηρὸν1680

εἱστήκει προβλῆτος ἐπεμβεβαὼς σκοπέλοιο.

ἀλλ᾽ ὥς τίς τ᾽ ἐν ὄρεσσι πελωρίη ὑψόθι πεύκη,

τήν τε θοοῖς πελέκεσσιν ἔθ᾽ ἡμιπλῆγα λιπόντες

ὑλοτόμοι δρυμοῖο κατήλυθον: ἡ δ᾽ ὑπὸ νυκτὶ

ῥιπῇσιν μὲν πρῶτα τινάσσεται, ὕστερον αὖτε1685

πρυμνόθεν ἐξαγεῖσα κατήριπεν: ὧς ὅγε ποσσὶν

ἀκαμάτοις τείως μὲν ἐπισταδὸν ᾐωρεῖτο,

ὕστερον αὖτ᾽ ἀμενηνὸς ἀπείρονι κάππεσε δούπῳ.

κεῖνο μὲν οὖν Κρήτῃ ἐνὶ δὴ κνέφας ηὐλίζοντο

ἥρωες: μετὰ δ᾽ οἵγε νέον φαέθουσαν ἐς ἠῶ1690

ἱρὸν Ἀθηναίης Μινωίδος ἱδρύσαντο,

ὕδωρ τ᾽ εἰσαφύσαντο καὶ εἰσέβαν, ὥς κεν ἐρετμοῖς

παμπρώτιστα βάλοιεν ὑπὲρ Σαλμωνίδος ἄκρης.

Λὐτίκα δὲ Κρηταῖον ὑπὲρ μέγα λαῖτμα θέοντας

νὺξ ἐφόβει, τήνπερ τε κατουλάδα κικλήσκουσιν:1695

νύκτ᾽ ὀλοὴν οὐκ ἄστρα διίσχανεν, οὐκ ἀμαρυγαὶ

μήνης: οὐρανόθεν δὲ μέλαν χάος, ἠέ τις ἄλλη

ὠρώρει σκοτίη μυχάτων ἀνιοῦσα βερέθρων.

αὐτοὶ δ᾽, εἴτ᾽ Ἀίδῃ, εἴθ᾽ ὕδασιν ἐμφορέοντο,

ἠείδειν οὐδ᾽ ὅσσον: ἐπέτρεψαν δὲ θαλάσσῃ1700

νόστον, ἀμηχανέοντες, ὅπῃ φέροι. αὐτὰρ Ἰήσων

χεῖρας ἀνασχόμενος μεγάλῃ ὀπὶ Φοῖβον ἀύτει,

ῥύσασθαι καλέων: κατὰ δ᾽ ἔρρεεν ἀσχαλόωντι

δάκρυα: πολλὰ δὲ Πυθοῖ ὑπέσχετο, πολλὰ δ᾽ Ἀμύκλαις,

πολλὰ δ᾽ ἐς Ὀρτυγίην ἀπερείσια δῶρα κομίσσειν.1705

Λητοΐδη, τύνη δὲ κατ᾽ οὐρανοῦ ἵκεο πέτρας

ῥίμφα Μελαντίους ἀριήκοος, αἵ τ᾽ ἐνὶ πόντῳ

ἧνται: δοιάων δὲ μιῆς ἐφύπερθεν ὀρούσας,

δεξιτερῇ χρύσειον ἀνέσχεθες ὑψόθι τόξον:

μαρμαρέην δ᾽ ἀπέλαμψε βιὸς περὶ πάντοθεν αἴγλην.1710

τοῖσι δέ τις Σποράδων βαιὴ ἀπὸ τόφρ᾽ ἐφαάνθη

νῆσος ἰδεῖν, ὀλίγης Ἱππουρίδος ἀντία νήσου,

ἔνθ᾽ εὐνὰς ἐβάλοντο καὶ ἔσχεθον: αὐτίκα δ᾽ Ἠὼς

φέγγεν ἀνερχομένη: τοὶ δ᾽ ἀγλαὸν Ἀπόλλωνι

ἄλσει ἐνὶ σκιερῷ τέμενος σκιόεντά τε βωμὸν1715

ποίεον, Αἰγλήτην μὲν ἐυσκόπου εἵνεκεν αἴγλης

Φοῖβον κεκλόμενοι: Ἀνάφην δέ τε λισσάδα νῆσον

ἴσκον, ὃ δὴ Φοῖβός μιν ἀτυζομένοις ἀνέφηνεν.

ῥέζον δ᾽ ὅσσα περ ἄνδρες ἐρημαίῃ ἐνὶ ῥέζειν

ἀκτῇ ἐφοπλίσσειαν: ὃ δή σφεας ὁππότε δαλοῖς1720

ὕδωρ αἰθομένοισιν ἐπιλλείβοντας ἴδοντο

Μηδείης δμωαὶ Φαιηκίδες, οὐκέτ᾽ ἔπειτα

ἴσχειν ἐν στήθεσσι γέλω σθένον, οἷα θαμειὰς

αἰὲν ἐν Ἀλκινόοιο βοοκτασίας ὁρόωσαι.

τὰς δ᾽ αἰσχροῖς ἥρωες ἐπεστοβέεσκον ἔπεσσιν1725

χλεύῃ γηθόσυνοι: γλυκερὴ δ᾽ ἀνεδαίετο τοῖσιν

κερτομίη καὶ νεῖκος ἐπεσβόλον. ἐκ δέ νυ κείνης

μολπῆς ἡρώων νήσῳ ἔνι τοῖα γυναῖκες

ἀνδράσι δηριόωνται, ὅτ᾽ Ἀπόλλωνα θυηλαῖς

Αἰγλήτην Ἀνάφης τιμήορον ἱλάσκωνται.1730

Onwards to Crete and Anaphe

The Argonauts' voyage continues towards Crete. There they encounter the bronze giant Talos, who is conquered by Medea's magic. Further progress is then made. Near the island of Anaphe, they are engulfed by darkness. They are rescued by a dazzling golden epiphany on the part of Apollo.

1654: κέκλυτέ μευ: It can be no accident that Medea begins her equally heroic speech at Pind. P4.13 with κέκλυτέ. Medea may be the true Homeric ‘hero’ of the Argonautica. Her short speech proposes an unusual form of Iliadic single combat. μούνη: “by myself.” the emphatic position suggests this interpretation rather than “alone (of us all).” Medea is very blunt and matter of fact, though she uses some ornate language (see below.)

1655: ἄνδρα . . . ἐστί: “this man whoever he is.” A. echoes Il20.101–2 in the second part of the line.

1656: ὁππότε μή οἱ ἐπ᾿ ἀκάματος πέλοι αἰών: lit. “provided that there may not be to him eternal life”: ἐπ’ either with οἱ or in tmesis.

1657–8: ἀλλ᾿ ἔχετ᾿ αὐτοῦ νῆα: “hold the ship here.” θελήμονες: “calmly.” ἐκτὸς ἐρωῆς / πετράων: “out of range of the rocks.” εἵως κεν ἐμοὶ εἴξειε δαμῆναι: lit. “until he might yield to me to be destroyed.” εἴκω + inf. is used of yielding up an (in)direct object for a certain purpose. δαμῆναι: aor. pass. infin. > δαμάζω. The scene echoes the Cyclops episode in the Odyssey (Od. 9.480–92). The Argonauts take things gently (θελήμονες), Odysseus’ men row furiously.

1659: ὑπὲκ βελέων ἐρύσαντο: “they protected the ship from the missiles.” Il18.152232 are usually quoted as parallels, where the verb would mean “dragged,” making ἐπ᾿ ἐρετμοῖσιν, an awkward phrase, “on the oars.” However, ἐρύομαι can mean “protect” (LSJ s.v. ἐρύω) and Il. 4.542 βελέων ἀπερύκοι ἐρωήν, “protected from the onrush of missiles” ~ (Arg. 4.1657) ἐρωῆς may also be an important parallel.

1660: δεδοκημένοι: irreg. perf. part. of δέχομαι (= δεδεγμένοι).

1661: μῆτιν: “plan.” μῆτις plays an important role in the Homeric story of the Cyclops (see 181–2n.); for the link between Μήδεια and μῆτις, see further (Holmberg 1998, 135–59).

1661­­–2: πτύχα πορφυρέοιο / προσχομένη πέπλοιο παρειάων ἑκάτερθεν: “holding the fold of her robe over her two cheeks:” a remarkable example of alliteration. On such effects see (Silk 1974, 173–92) and (Peabody 1975, 449). The Homeric model is Il5.315–16. The verbal effect must mark the dangerous magical situation that Medea is controlling.

1663: ἐπ᾿ ἰκριόφιν: “on to the deck;” see Smyth §280 and further (Overduin 2014, 68). μεμαρπὼς: perf. part. act. < μάρπτω: takes the acc. (ἑ), with the gen. of the part taken hold of (χειρὸς) and the dat. instrument (χειρί).

1664: διὰ κληῖδας: “through the benches,” (LSJ 2 iv).

1665: ἀοιδῇσιν μειλίσσετο: “she appeased with songs.”

1665–6: μέλπε δὲ Κῆρας / θυμοβόρους: The Keres “eat your soul.” We are perhaps to imagine Medea actually invoking the “the swift dogs of Hades,” just as she calls upon Sleep and Hecate at 146–8. Howling dogs often make their presence at such moments; see further (Dombrowski 2015).

1666–7: αἳ περὶ πᾶσαν / ἠέρα δινεύουσαι: ‘whirling through all the air.” Keres and Erinyes are often associated but there are differences; see further (Adkins 1969, 404–5) and www. theoi s. v. Keresἐπὶ ζωοῖσιν ἄγονται: “are set upon mortals.”

1668: τὰς γουναζομένη: “kneeling in supplication, (παρακέκλετ’: “she called”) upon them.” παρακέκλετ’: aor. 2 > παρακέλομαι, a rare word, that occurs only here. Possibly we might read ἐπεκέκλετʼ and compare the similar phrase: Il. 9.454 στυγερὰς δʼ ἐπεκέκλετʼ Ἐρινῦς. On the significance of “3” in Greek antiquity and Literature, see 75–6n., and further (Hansen and Hansen 2004, 306–7).

1669: θεμένη δὲ κακὸν νόον: ‘making her mind evil, malevolent.”

1669–70: ἐχθοδοποῖσιν / ὄμμασι: “hostile eyes.” χαλκείοιο Τάλω: ‘of bronze Talos.” Τάλω is gen. sing. < Τάλως. Talos has ὀπωπάι, Medea ὄμματα: the two words balance the line. ἐμέγηρεν: “bewitched,” a rare use of the verb βασκαίνειν. Megaera is attested as one of the Furies.

1671: λευγαλέον δ᾿ ἐπὶ οἷ πρῖεν χόλον: lit. “she gnashed terrible anger against him.”

1671–2: ἀίδηλα / δείκηλα: “terrible phantoms / visions.” ἐπιζάφελον κοτέουσα: “violently angry.” ἐπιζάφελον is adverbial.

1673: Ζεῦ πάτερ: A. directly addresses the King of the Gods in mock astonishment. θάμβος ἄηται: lit. “amazement is blowing in my mind.”

1674: μὴ νούσοισι τυπῇσί τε μοῦνον: “not only through diseases and blows.”

1675: ἀντιάει: “comes upon.” ἀπόπροθεν: the evil eye, the weapon which Medea is using, works even “from afar.”

1676: ὑπόειξε δαμῆναι: fulfils the prediction of 1658: “yielded to destruction.”

1677: Μηδείης βρίμῃ πολυφαρμάκου: “through the power of Medea, of the many drugs.” On Medea v. Talos in general, see further (Lovatt, 2013, 335–36). βρίμῃ: is a very rare word but see βριμώ, one of the names of Hecate and βριμόομαι, perhaps the use of β. stress the strangeness of the combat in which Medea is involved. ἂν: is a shortened form of ἀνα, in tmesis with –οχλίζω.

1678: ἐρυκέμεν: “to prevent them from arriving at the anchorage,” infinitive after a verb of hindering or preventing: Smyth 2744.

1679: Although the vocabulary in this description is very choice (βρίμῃ ~ λάιγγας ~ στόνυχι), the sentence construction and grammar is simple and flows easily. πετραίῳ στόνυχι: “the sharp point of a rock.” χρίμψε σφυρόν: lit. “brought near his ankle to.” ἰχὼρ: is what flows in the veins of the gods, and giants such as Talos.

1680: τηκομένῳ ἴκελος μολίβῳ ῥέεν: “was flowing like molten lead;” see further (Albis 1996, 88–89).

1681: εἱστήκει: pluperfect < εἱστήκειν < ἵστημι with force of imperfect. ἐπεμβεβαὼς: pf. part. < ἐπεμβαίνω, “standing,” leading into the simile of the pine tree, often used of Homeric warriors falling in battles; see further (Barchiesi 2001, 249).

1682: ἀλλ᾿ ὥς τίς τ᾿: “just like”, τε emphasises the generalising qualities of the simile. ἐν ὄρεσσι: “in the mountains,” matching προβλῆτος . . . σκοπέλοιο, “on a jutting headland.” πελωρίη: the pine is πελώριος, “gigantic”, matching Talos. The adjective is also used of the guardian serpent at 129, a monster of similar dimensions (see 127–9n.).

1683: ἡμιπλῆγα: another rare word adds descriptive richness.

1684: ὑλοτόμοι δρυμοῖο κατήλυθον: “the woodcutters return from the forest.”

1685: ῥιπῇσιν μὲν πρῶτα τινάσσεται: “is shaken by the blasts (of wind).”

1686: πρυμνόθεν: “at the base.” ἐξεαγεῖσα: “broken off,” aor. pass. part. < ἐξάγνυμι. κατήριπεν: “crashed down:” a similar verb in the Homeric models for this simile (see 1681n. link.)

1686–7: ποσσὶν / ἀκαμάτοις: “on unwearied feet.” He is, after all, made of bronze, even though his life-source is ebbing through the scratched vein. ᾐωρεῖτο: 3rd pers. sing. passive < αἰωρέω> “He was swaying, while standing.”

1688: This line must be a reference to the frequent Homeric δούπησεν δὲ πεσών, ἀράβησε δὲ τεύχε’ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ (Il. 4.504 et al.), “he fell with a thud and upon him his armour clanged.” ἀπείρονι κάππεσε δούπῳ: “he fell with a monstrous clang.” ἀμενηνὸς: “weak, powerless” is closely associated with the feebleness of mortality. ἀπείρων: is another word, like πελώριος (see above), that A. uses when evoking gigantic scale; see in particular 140–5.

After their encounter with Talos, the man of bronze, the Argonauts’ journey from Crete has been a terrifying experience. They have been enveloped in the deepest darkness and Jason has called on Apollo to save them. In answer to this prayer, the god appears in a golden epiphany, lifts his bow on high, and by its light they are able to make out the Island of Anaphe, where they drop anchor. Having landed, and in thanks for their salvation, the Argonauts build both a sanctuary and an altar for the god. The passage is marked by deliberate variation from the scene from Apollo’s other epiphany in the poem at Thynias (note particularly 2.678 ~ 4.1709) with Apollo’s motivated appearance having an immediate effect on the poem. Whatever the debt of the scene at Anaphe to Callimachus it, like the scene at Thynias, also rewrites Apollo’s opening appearance in the Iliad, with Jason playing the role of Chryses and Apollo’s appearance “like night” replaced by his gleaming light which saves the heroes from darkness.

1689: ἐνί: probably in tmesis with ηὐλίζοντο.

1690: νέον φαέθουσαν ἐς ἠῶ: “just as dawn was growing bright.”

1691: Ἀθηναίης Μινωίδος: a rare epithet of Athene but perhaps A. is trying to add some authentic Bronze Age colour to his narrative.

1692: ὕδωρ τ᾿ εἰσαφύσαντο: “they drew water.” The compound verb (rather than simple ἀφυύσσομαι) is rare. εἰσέβαν: aor. ind. act. 3rd. pl. (epic) <εἰσβαίνω.

1693: παμπρώτιστα: an Apollonian extravagance: “at the very earliest opportunity.” Homer does not use the superlative of the adjective / adverb. The Argonauts are eager to get home. However, there is one further climatic incident to undergo. βάλοιεν ὑπὲρ: “round.” The verb is an example of anastrophic tmesis: LSJ s.v. ιιι ιβΣαλμωνίδος ἄκρης: perhaps referring to Cape Sidero.

1694: αὐτίκα: “suddenly.” The Argonauts (unusually for Greeks in the Aegean) are out in the open sea (Green 1997, 356–57). Κρηταῖον ὑπὲρ μέγα λαῖτμα: “over the great Cretan Sea.”

1695: νὺξ ἐφόβει: “night scared them, that night which . . .” As ever in A. night is a time for dramatic actions (see the opening scenes of Books 4). κατουλάδα: it is typical of A.’s learned style that he enriches a dramatic moment with an item of rare etymology (see 111n. ἄγχαυρον). Ancient Lexicography explains κατουλάδα in various ways.

1696: νύκτ᾿ ὀλοήν: “that fatal night,” defining what A. thinks κατουλάδα means. διίσχανεν: “pierced, separated,” a rare alternative for διέχω ( LSJ s.v.)

1696-7: οὐκ ἀμαρυγαὶ / μήνης: “nor the beams of the moon.” Another unusual touch, ἀμαρυγή is more usually used of anything that sparkles or twinkles (LSJ s.v.).

1697: μέλαν χάος: total black out! Probably thinking of Hes. Th. 123τις ἄλλη (σκοτίη): A.’s professed ignorance of the cause and origin of the phenomenon makes it appear all the more dreadful.

1698: ὠρώρει: < ὄρνυμι: plup. ind. act. 3rd. sg. (attic, epic). μυχάτων ἀνιοῦσα βερέθρων: “raising from the nethermost depths.”

1699: εἴτ᾿ Ἀίδῃ εἴθ᾿ ὕδασιν: “whether in Hades or over the waters.” The hiatus between the two alternatives marks the desperation of the situation.

1700: ἠείδειν οὐδ᾿ ὅσσον: “they could not tell at all.” ἠείδειν: < οἶδα.aor. ind . act. 1st. sg. (attic epic ionic). ἐπέτρεψαν: “they entrusted.”

1701: νόστον ἀμηχανέοντεςὅπῃ φέροι: “at a loss as to where it (the sea) might take them.

1702: χεῖρας ἀνασχόμενος: “raising his hands in prayer.” The gesture of raised arms and hands is a universal one in ancient cultures, when seeking to invoke divine powers; see further 228-30n.

1703: ῥύσασθαι καλέων: Jason calls on Apollo to save them. As often in times of crisis, Jason shows his emotions: ἔρρεεν: imperf. ind. act. 3rd. sg. (epic ionic) <ῥέω.

1704: there are many links between the following prayer and Callimachus’ version of the same incident.

1704-5 πολλὰ . . . πολλὰ δ’ . . . / πολλά: Jason’s appeal is rhetorical (tricolon) even though it is reported in indirect speech. There is a similar prayer at 1.419-20Πυθοῖ: adv. to Pytho or Delphi. Ἀμύκλαις: Amyclae in Laconia, famous for worship of Apollo.

1705: Ὀρτυγίην: this probably refers to Delos; see further (Lewis 2019, 45).

1706: Λητοΐδη: the son of Leto i.e. Apollo. τύνη: the poet directly addresses the god. ἵκεο: “you came (down from heaven): aor. ind. mid. 2nd. sg. (epic doric ionic aeolic) <ἱκνέομαι.

1706-7: πέτρας . . . Μελαντείους: acc. of motion without a preposition: The scholiast (1707) locates the Melantian rocks “near Thera”, which may be no more than a contextual guess, but makes good sense; see further (Green 1997, 357): the logical place for the Melantian rocks and Apollo's dazzling epiphany would be Makra, less than three miles off to the east.

1708: ἧνται: <ἧμαι: “lie, are situated”: perf. ind. mid. 3rd. pl. δοιάων δὲ μιῆς ἐφύπερθεν ὀρούσας: “darting (ὀρούσας) above one (μιῆς) of the two (δοιάων) peaks.”

1709: δεξιτερῇ: “in your right hand.” ἀνέσχεθες: “you held aloft”: aor. ind. act. 2nd. sg. <ἀνάσχέθω. If Apollo carries the bow in his right hand, he cannot use it for shooting, it is in his left hand at 2.678 (similarly in the Callimachus passage mentioned above) and also at [Plut.] De Mus. 14. Whatever the significance, A. seems to be describing a type a sculpture (or painting of some type) that he and his readers would have known.

1710: the bow (βιός) glows in the middle of this line that illuminates the darkness of the Argonauts’ final desperate situation. μαρμαρέην δ᾿ . . . αἴγλην: “dazzling light.” βιός is the subject of the verb (ἀπέλαμψε): “shot beams of dazzling light all around (περὶ πάντοθεν).”

1711-2: τις Σποράδων βαιὴ . . . νῆσος: “a small island of the Sporades.” τόφρ᾿: “at that time.” “The use of the term “Sporades” (“scattered [islands]”) is a little confusing. In A.'s day and later, this group consisted of the southern fringe islands of the Aegaean not included among the canonical Cyclades: the list varied but always included Anaphe. Confusion is compounded for the modern traveller by the fact that today the term normally refers to a different group altogether, the Northern Sporades (Skiathos, Skopelos, Alonnisos, and Skyros)” (Green ad loc.)

1712: ἰδεῖν: epexegetive infinitive: “appeared . . . so that they could see it.” ὀλίγης Ἱππουρίδος ἀγχόθι νήσου: “near the little island of Hippouris;” see further (Green 1997, 357).

1713: ἔνθ᾿ εὐνὰς ἐβάλοντο καὶ ἔσχεθον: ‘there they cast anchor and stayed.”

1714-5: τοὶ δ ̓ ἀγλαὸν Ἀπόλλωνι: “they built a glorious precinct for Apollo and a shaded altar in a shady grove.” there is simply too much shade! there is simply too much shade! there is simply too much shade! The fact that ancient altars would often be fragrant with the smell of sacrifice (cf. 4.1729-1730: Ἀπόλλωνα θυηλαῖς / Αἰγλήτην Ἀνάφης τιμήορον ἱλάσκωνται and the parallels Il. 8.48 = 23.148 = Od. 8.363 (ἔνθα τέ οἱ τέμενος βωμός τε θυήεις) suggest that τέμενος θυόεντά τε βωμόν might be what Apollonius actually wrote and the emendation should be attributed to Franz Ernst Heinrich Spitzner: see further (Hulse 2020).

1716-7: Αἰγλήτην μὲν . . . / Φοῖβον κεκλόμενοι: “calling on Phoebus, ‘the gleamer’.” ἐυσκόπου εἵνεκεν αἴγλης: “because of the far-seen gleam.”

1718: ἴσκον: “they called.” The Alexandrian use of ἴσκεν as an equivalent of ἔλεγε is based on an ancient critical discussion of Od. 22.31 ἴσκεν ἕκαστος ἀνήρ (410n.). ἀνέφηνεν: <ἀναφαίνω aor. ind. act. 3rd. sg. Φοῖβός: the repetition of the god’s name (previous line) emphasises the light that he has brought to the Argonauts’ darkness.

1719: ῥέζον δ᾿ οἷά κεν ἄνδρες: “they sacrificed with such things as . . .” They begin a sacrifice to the god. What have they got to offer the saviour deity?

1719-21: ἐρημαίῃ . . . ἀκτῇ: “on a desolate shore.” A. gives a humorous twist to the Aition; see (Hulse 2020). All they have is water! There is a deliberate contrast with the potentially smoking altar of 1715 (see above). δαλοῖς . . . αἰθομένοισιν: “the burning brands.”

1722: Μηδείης δμωαὶ Φαιηκίδες: the Phaeacian maids that Arete gave Medea as a parting gift (1221).

1723: γέλω: acc. of γέλων (LSJ s.v.). οἷα: “in as much as.” θαμειάς: “lavish,” The next line contrasts the Argonauts’ paltry offering with Alcinous’ lavish hospitality.

1724: αἰὲν . . . ὁρόωσαι: “constantly seeing.”

1725: αἰσχροῖς . . . ἔπεσσιν: “with unseemly words.” Again we have an aetiological explanation: this time for the custom, on Anaphe, of scurrilous raillery between men and women at the time of Apollo's festival. This exchange of mocking indecencies ( αἰσχρολογία) was in fact a widespread custom, perhaps best known through its practice during the sacred procession from Athens to Eleusis; see further (‘The Return of the Argonauts and the Rite at Anaphe | Dickinson College Commentaries’ n.d.).ἐπεστοβέεσκον: “were mocking.” Frequentative imperfect.

1726: χλεύῃ γηθόσυνοι: “delighted by the jesting.” This sounds like nervous relief after the terror that they have experienced.

1726-7: γλυκερὴ δ᾿ . . . κερτομίη καὶ νεῖκος ἐπεσβόλον: “sweet mockery . . . and mutual wrangling.” A natural reaction: the oxymoron is well-judged. ἀνεδαίετο: “was kindled.”

1728: μολπῆς: “game, playfulness.”

1728-9: τοῖα γυναῖκες / ἀνδράσι δηριόωνται: “the women dispute in such a way with the men in such a way.

1730: Αἰγλήτην Ἀνάφης: another Callimachean (fr. 7.5) echo opens the final line of the episode. τιμήορον: “protector, guardian of.” The four-word spondaic line brings closure to the episode. The Argonauts have nearly achieved their “nostos.”

 

Bibliography:

‘The Return of the Argonauts and the Rite at Anaphe | Dickinson College Commentaries’. n.d. Accessed 2 March 2021. http://dcc.dickinson.edu/callimachus-aetia/book-1/return-argonauts-and-….

Adkins, A.W.H. 1969. “Greek Religion.” In Religions of the Past: Historia Religionum: Handbook for the History of Religions, edited by C.J. Bleeker and G. Widengren. Vol. 1. Brill Archive.

Albis, Robert V. 1996. Poet and Audience in the Argonautica of Apollonius. Rowman & Littlefield.

Barchiesi, A. 2001. “Simonides and Horace on the Death of Achilles.” In Greek Literature in the Roman Period and in Late Antiquity: Greek Literature, edited by G. Nagy. Routledge.

Dombrowski, P. 2015. “The Barker at the Threshold.Pdf.” 2015. https://camws.org/sites/default/files/meeting2015/Abstracts2015/133.bar….

Hansen, Randall, and William F. Hansen. 2004. Handbook of Classical Mythology. ABC-CLIO.

Green, P. 1997. The Argonautika by Apollonios Rhodios Translated with Introduction, Commentary and Glossary. Berkeley.

Holmberg, I.E. 1998. “Μῆτις and gender in Apollonius Rhodius.” Argonautica’, TAPA 128: 135–59.

Hopkinson, N. 1988. A Hellenistic Anthology. Cambridge University Press.

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

Kronenberg, Leah. 2018. “Seeing the Light, Part II: The Reception of Aratus’s LEPTĒ Acrostic in Greek and Latin Literature.” Dictynna. Revue de Poétique Latine, no. 15 (December). http://journals.openedition.org/dictynna/1575.

Lewis, Virginia M. 2019. Myth, Locality, and Identity in Pindar’s Sicilian Odes. Oxford University Press.

Lovatt, H.V. 2013. The Epic Gaze: Vision, Gender and Narrative. Cambridge.

Martin, R.P. 2011. Distant Landmarks: Homer and Hesiod. Princeton.

Overduin, Floris. 2014. Nicander of Colophon’s Theriaca: A Literary Commentary. BRILL.

Peabody, Berkley. 1975. The Winged Word: A Study in the Technique of Ancient Greek Oral Composition as Seen Principally Through Hesiod’s Works and Days. SUNY Press.

Raphael, R. 2015. “Disability as Rhetorical Trope in Classical Myth and Blade Runner.” In Classical Traditions in Science Fiction, edited by Brett M. Rogers and Benjamin Eldon Stevens. Oxford University Press.

Scafuro, A. 2019. In Poet and Orator: A Symbiotic Relationship in Democratic Athens, edited by Andreas Markantonatos and Eleni Volonaki. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG.

Silk, M.S. 1974. Interaction in Poetic Imagery: With Special Reference to Early Greek Poetry. Cambridge.

‘The Return of the Argonauts and the Rite at Anaphe | Dickinson College Commentaries’. n.d. Accessed 2 March 2021. http://dcc.dickinson.edu/callimachus-aetia/book-1/return-argonauts-and-….

κλύω, listen

μόνος -η -ον, alone, solitary, by myself

οἴομαι, οἰήσομαι, impf. ᾤμην, aor. ᾠήθην, think, believe

παγχάλκεος, ον, all-bronze1655

ἴσχω, hold, protect

δέμας, τό, the body

ἀκάμᾰτος, ον, unwearying

πέλω, to be

αἰών, ῶνος, ὁ, life, lifetime, time

θελήμων, calmly

ἐρωή, ἡ, range, power, force

εἵως, until

εἴκω, εἴκξω, εἶξα, yield

δαμάζω, to overpower, tame, conquer, subdue

βέλος, -ους τό, a missile, an arrow

ἐρύομαι, drag, protect (see notes)

ἐρετμός, ὁ, oar1660

δεδοκημένος, in expectation of

ῥέζω, offer, accomplish

μῆτις, ἡ, plan

ἀνώϊστος, ον, unlooked for, unexpected

πτύξ, ἡ, a fold

πορφύρεος, η, ον, purple

προέχω, to hold before

πέπλος, ὁ, cloak

παρειή, ἡ, the cheek

ἑκάτερθε, on each side, on either hand

ἴκρια, τά, the half-decks

μάρπτω, to catch, lay hold of, seize

κομίζω, κομιῶ, ἐκόμισα, κεκόμικα, κεκόμισμαι, ἐκομίσθην, guide, take care of

κλείς, ἡ, rowing bench

ἀοιδή, ἡ, song, a singing1665

μειλίσσω, to appease, propitiate

μέλπω, celebrate with song and dance

Κήρ, ἡ, spirit of death

θυμοβόρος, ον, eating the heart, eating away at one’s life

ᾍδης, ου, ὁ, Hades

θοός -ή -όν, swift

ἠήρ, ἡ, the lower air, the air

δινεύω, to whirl

ζωός, alive, living

γουνάζομαι, to implore, supplicate. kneel

παρακέλομαι, call upon

λιτή, ἡ, a prayer, entreaty

ἐχθοδοπός, όν, hostile

χάλκειος, of bronze1670

Τάλως, ὁ, Talos

μεγαίρω, bewitch

ὀπωπή, ἡ, a sight

λευγαλέος, α, ον, terrible

πρίω, to gnash

χόλος -ου ὁ, anger

ἀΐδηλος, making unseen, annihilating, destructive

δείκηλον, τό, a vision, image

προϊάλλω, send forth

ἐπιζάφελος, vehement, violent

κοτέω, to bear a grudge against

φρήν φρενός ἡ, mind

θάμβος, τό, astonishment, amazement

ἄημι, to breathe hard, blow

νόσος -ου ἡ, disease, sickness

τυπή, ἡ, a blow, wound

ὄλεθρος, ὁ, ruin, destruction, death

ἀντιάω, to come upon1675

ἀπόπροθεν, from afar

ἄμμε, us

χαλέπτω, to oppress, depress, crush

ὑπείκω, to yield

δαμάζω, to overpower, tame, conquer, subdue

βρίμη, ἡ, strength, might

πολυφάρμακος, ον, knowing many drugs

βαρύς -εῖα -ύ, heavy

ἀνοχλίζω, to heave up

λᾶϊγξ, ιγγος, ἡ, rock, boulder

ἐρύκω, to keep in, hold back, keep in check, curb, restrain

ὅρμος, ὁ, anchorage

στόνυξ, υχος, ὁ, any sharp point

χρίμπτω, to bring near, bring near

σφυρόν, τό, the ankle

ἰχώρ, ῶρος, ὁ, ichor

τήκω, to melt, melt down1680

μόλιβος, lead

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

δηρός, long, too long

προβλής, ῆτος, ὁ, ἡ, jutting

ἐπεμβαίνω, to stand on

σκόπελος, ὁ, a peak, headland

ὄρος ὄρους τό, mountain, hill

πελώριος, ον, gigantic

ὑψόθι, aloft, on high

πεύκη, ἡ, the pine

θοός, -ή -όν, swift, sharp

πέλεκυς, ὁ, an axe

ἡμιπλήξ, ῆγος, ὁ, ἡ, half-felled

ὑλοτόμος, ὁ, a woodcutter

δρυμός, ὁ, an oak-coppice

κατέρχομαι, to go down from, return from

ῥιπή, ἡ, the sweep or rush of the wind1685

τινάσσω, to shake

πρυμνόθεν, from the bottom, at the base

ἐξάγνυμι, to break and tear away, to rend

κατερείπω, to crash down

ἀκάματος, ον, also η, ον, without sense of toil

τείως, so long, meanwhile, the while

ἐπισταδόν, standing, successively (see notes)

αἰωρέω, to lift up, raise, to sway

ἀμενηνός, όν, powerless, fleeting, feeble

ἀπείρων, ον, ονος, great, mighty, immense

καταπίπτω, to fall

δοῦπος, ὁ, any dead, heavy sound, a thud

κνέφας, τό, darkness, evening dusk, twilight

αὐλίζομαι, to encamp (see notes)

φαέθουσα, radiant1690

ἠώς, ἠοῦς ἡ, dawn

ἱρόν, τό, holy place, shrine

Μινωΐς, of Minos, Minoan

ἱδρύω, ἱδρύσω, ἵδυρσα, ἵδρυκα, ἵδρυμαι, ἱδρύθην, establish

ὕδωρ ὕδατος τό, water

εἰσαφύσσω, draw

εἰσβαίνω, to go on board

ἐρετμόν, τό, oar

ὑπερβάλλω, run beyond, round

Σαλμνωνίς -ίδος, ἡ, Cape Salmonis (name)

ἄκρη, ἡ, summit, promontory, cape

Κρηταῖος, a, ον, Cretan

λαῖτμα, τό, sea

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

φοβέω, φοβήσω, ἐφόβησα, πεφόβηκα, πεφόβημαι, ἐφοβήθην, frighten, scare1695

κατουλάς, άδος, ἡ, shrouding

κικλήσκω, to call, summon

ὀλοός, ή, όν, destroying, destructive, fatal, deadly, murderous

ἄστρον, τό, star

διϊσχάνω, pierce, separate

ἀμαρυγή, a sparkling, beam

μήνη, ἡ, the moon

οὐρανόθεν, from heaven, down from heaven

χάος, εος, τό, chaos

ὄρνυμι, arouse, stir up, arise

σκοτίη, ἡ, darkness

μύχατος, η, ον, irreg. Sup. of μύχιος, deep

ἄνειμι, go up, arise

βέρεθρον, τό, gulf, pit

ὕδωρ ὕδατος τό, water

ἐμφορέω, to be borne on

οὐδ᾿ ὅσσον, not even a little1700

ἐπιτρέπω, ἐπιτρέψω, ἐπέτρεψα, ἐπιτέτροφα, ἐπιτέτραμμαι, ἐπετράφθην (or ἐπετράπην), to entrust to

ἀμηχανάω, to be at a loss

ἀνέχω, ἀνέξω, ἀνέσχον, ἀνέσχηκα --- ---, hold up, rise

ὄψ, ἡ, a voice

ἀυτέω, to cry

ῥύομαι, to draw to oneself

καλέω, καλῶ, ἐκάλεσα, κέκληκα, κέκλημαι, ἐκλήθην, call

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

ἀσχαλάω, to be distressed, grieved

δάκρυον, τό, a tear

Πυθοῖ, at Pytho

ὑπέχω, to promise

Ἀμύκλαι, αἱ, Amyclae

Ὀρτυγία, ἡ, Ortygia1705

ἀπερείσιος, countless

Λητοΐδης, ὁ, son of Leto

ῥίμφα, lightly, swiftly, fleetly

Μελαντείος, α, ον, Melanteian (name)

ἀριήκοος, in answer, having heard

ἧμαι, --- --- --- --- ---, sit, lie

ἐφύπερθε, above, atop, above

ὀρούω, rush, spring

ὑψόθι, aloft, on high

τόξον -ου, τό, bow

μαρμαρεος, α, ον, flashing, sparkling, glistening, gleaming1710

ἀπολάμπω, to shine, flash

βιος, ὁ, a bow

πάντοθεν, from all quarters, from every side

αἴγλη, ἡ, the light of the sun, radiance

Σποράς, ἡ, scattered, dispersed, referring to the Sporades Islands

βαιός, ά, όν, little, small

τόφρα, at that time

ἀναφαίνω, φανῶ, ἔφηνα, πέφηνα, πέφασμαι, ἐφάν(θ)ην, appear

ἱἵππουρις, ιδος, ἡ, Hippuris (name of an island)

ἀγχόθι, near

εὐναί, αἱ, anchor stones

φέγγω, to make bright

ἀνέρχομαι, to go up, rise

ἀγλαός, ή, όν, splendid, shining, bright, beautiful

ἄλσος, τό, a glade1715

σκιερός, shady, giving shade

τέμενος, -ους, τό, sacred precinct

σκιόεις, εσσα, εν, shady, shadowy (see notes)

βωμός -οῦ, ὁ, altar

Αἰγλήτης, ὁ, the radiant one

εὔσκοπος, ον, far-seen, clearly visible

αἴγλη, ἡ, the light of the sun, radiance

κέλομαι, command, urge on, exhort, call to

Ἀνάφη, -ης, ἡ, Island of Anaphe

λισσάς, άδος, smooth, bare

νῆσος, -ου ἡ, island

ἀτύζομαι, to be distraught from fear, bewildered

ῥέζω, work, offer

ἐρημαῖος, η, ον, desolate, solitary

ἐφοπλίζω, get ready, prepare1720

δᾱλός, ὁ, a fire-brand, piece of blazing wood

αἴθω, to light up, kindle

ἐπιλείβω, to pour

δμῳή, -ής, ἡ, female slave

Φαίαξ, ἡ, a Phaeacian

στῆθος, -εος, τό, breast

γέλως, ωτος, ὁ, laughter

σθένω, to have strength

θαμέες, crowded, lavish

βοοκτασία, ἡ, slaying of oxen

αἰσχρός -ή -όν, abusive1725

ἐπιστοβέω, scoff at

χλεύη, ἡ, a joke, jest

γηθόσυνος, η, ον, joyful, glad at

γλυκερός, ά, όν, sweet

ἀναδαίω, to flare up

κερτομίη, ἡ, jeering, mockery

νεῖκος, τό, a quarrel, wrangle, strife

ἐπεσβόλος, ον, throwing words about, rash-talking, abusive, scurrilous

μολπή, ἡ, game, playfulness (see notes)

τοῖος -α -ον, such, such-like

δηριάομαι, to contend, wrangle

θυηλή, ἡ, sacrifice

Αἰγλήτης, ὁ, the radiant one1730

τιμήορος, guardian

ἱλάσκομαι, to appease

article nav

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-1652-1728