Argonautica IV 683-736

ἡ δ᾽ ὅτε δὴ νυχίων ἀπὸ δείματα πέμψεν ὀνείρων,685

αὐτίκ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ ἄψορρον ἀπέστιχε: τοὺς δ᾽ ἅμ᾽ ἕπεσθαι,

χειρὶ καταρρέξασα, δολοφροσύνῃσιν ἄνωγεν.

ἔνθ᾽ ἤτοι πληθὺς μὲν ἐφετμαῖς Αἰσονίδαο

μίμνεν ἀπηλεγέως: ὁ δ᾽ ἐρύσσατο Κολχίδα κούρην.

ἄμφω δ᾽ ἑσπέσθην αὐτὴν ὁδόν, ἔστ᾽ ἀφίκοντο690

Κίρκης ἐς μέγαρον: τοὺς δ᾽ ἐν λιπαροῖσι κέλευεν

ἥγε θρόνοις ἕζεσθαι, ἀμηχανέουσα κιόντων.

τὼ δ᾽ ἄνεῳ καὶ ἄναυδοι ἐφ᾽ ἑστίῃ ἀίξαντε

ἵζανον, ἥ τε δίκη λυγροῖς ἱκέτῃσι τέτυκται,

ἡ μὲν ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέραις θεμένη χείρεσσι μέτωπα,695

αὐτὰρ ὁ κωπῆεν μέγα φάσγανον ἐν χθονὶ πήξας,

ᾧπέρ τ᾽ Αἰήταο πάιν κτάνεν: οὐδέ ποτ᾽ ὄσσε

ἰθὺς ἐνὶ βλεφάροισιν ἀνέσχεθον. αὐτίκα δ᾽ ἔγνω

Κίρκη φύξιον οἶτον ἀλιτροσύνας τε φόνοιο.

τῶ καὶ ὀπιζομένη Ζηνὸς θέμιν Ἱκεσίοιο,700

ὃς μέγα μὲν κοτέει, μέγα δ᾽ ἀνδροφόνοισιν ἀρήγει,

ῥέζε θυηπολίην, οἵῃ τ᾽ ἀπολυμαίνονται

νηλειεῖς ἱκέται, ὅτ᾽ ἐφέστιοι ἀντιόωσιν.

πρῶτα μὲν ἀτρέπτοιο λυτήριον ἥγε φόνοιο

τειναμένη καθύπερθε συὸς τέκος, ἧς ἔτι μαζοὶ705

πλήμμυρον λοχίης ἐκ νηδύος, αἵματι χεῖρας

τέγγεν, ἐπιτμήγουσα δέρην: αὖτις δὲ καὶ ἄλλοις

μείλισσεν χύτλοισι, καθάρσιον ἀγκαλέουσα

Ζῆνα, παλαμναίων τιμήορον ἱκεσιάων.

καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀθρόα πάντα δόμων ἐκ λύματ᾽ ἔνεικαν710

νηιάδες πρόπολοι, ταί οἱ πόρσυνον ἕκαστα.

ἡ δ᾽ εἴσω πελάνους μείλικτρά τε νηφαλίῃσιν

καῖεν ἐπ᾽ εὐχωλῇσι παρέστιος, ὄφρα χόλοιο

σμερδαλέας παύσειεν Ἐρινύας, ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτὸς

εὐμειδής τε πέλοιτο καὶ ἤπιος ἀμφοτέροισιν,715

εἴτ᾽ οὖν ὀθνείῳ μεμιασμένοι αἵματι χεῖρας,

εἴτε καὶ ἐμφύλῳ προσκηδέες ἀντιόωσιν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ μάλα πάντα πονήσατο, δή τότ᾽ ἔπειτα

εἷσεν ἐπὶ ξεστοῖσιν ἀναστήσασα θρόνοισιν,

καὶ δ᾽ αὐτὴ πέλας ἷζεν ἐνωπαδίς. αἶψα δὲ μύθῳ720

χρειὼ ναυτιλίην τε διακριδὸν ἐξερέεινεν.

ἠδ᾽ ὁπόθεν μετὰ γαῖαν ἑὴν καὶ δώματ᾽ ἰόντες

αὔτως ἱδρύνθησαν ἐφέστιοι. ἦ γὰρ ὀνείρων

μνῆστις ἀεικελίη δῦνεν φρένας ὁρμαίνουσαν:

ἵετο δ᾽ αὖ κούρης ἐμφύλιον ἴδμεναι ὀμφήν,725

αὐτίχ᾽ ὅπως ἐνόησεν ἀπ᾽ οὔδεος ὄσσε βαλοῦσαν.

πᾶσα γὰρ Ἠελίου γενεὴ ἀρίδηλος ἰδέσθαι

ἦεν, ἐπεὶ βλεφάρων ἀποτηλόθι μαρμαρυγῇσιν

οἷόν τέ χρυσέην ἀντώπιον ἵεσαν αἴγλην.

ἡ δ᾽ ἄρα τῇ τὰ ἕκαστα διειρομένῃ κατελεξεν,730

Κολχίδα γῆρυν ἱεῖσα, βαρύφρονος Αἰήταο

κούρη μειλιχίως, ἠμὲν στόλον ἠδὲ κελεύθους

ἡρώων, ὅσα τ᾽ ἀμφὶ θοοῖς ἐμόγησαν ἀέθλοις,

ὥς τε κασιγνήτης πολυκηδέος ἤλιτε βουλαῖς,

ὥς τ᾽ ἀπονόσφιν ἄλυξεν ὑπέρβια δείματα πατρὸς735

σὺν παισὶν Φρίξοιο: φόνον δ᾽ ἀλέεινεν ἐνισπεῖν

Ἀψύρτου. τὴν δ᾽ οὔτι νόῳ λάθεν: ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔμπης

μυρομένην ἐλέαιρεν, ἔπος δ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῖον ἔειπεν:

Encounters with Circe

Preempting Odysseus, Medea and Jason visit the House of Circe. They approach her as supplicants in the ritual way and ask her for purification from the murder of Apsyrtus.

686 At the end of the encounter between Odysseus and Circe in the Odyssey, we read . . . ἀνα νῆσον ἀπέστιχε δῖα θεάων (Od12.143). ἅμ᾿ ἕπεσθαι: Circe is used to men following her and obeying her commands (Od10.230). Both Odysseus, though she does entrap his men (and Jason) are exceptions.

687 χειρὶ καταρρέξασα: she does not stroke the Argonauts (the Homeric meaning of καταρρέζω) but makes enticing gestures. δολοφροσύνῃσιν: “in her craftiness” is almost a gloss on the phrase.

687 ἄνωγεν: “ordered.” There is peremptory note here. Circe is used to being obeyed.

688 πληθύς: the rest of the Argonauts apart from Jason and Medea: “throng, crowd.”

689 ἀπηλεγέως: “without paying attention (ἀλέγω). ἐρύσσατο: lit. “he dragged:” aor. mid. 3rd. sg. < ἐρύω. Does the use of this word denote a certain amount of reluctance on Medea’s part to confront her aunt?

690 ἑσπέσθην: aor. dual of ἕπομαι, emphasising that it is just the two of them that follow Circe to her lair (palace). ἀφίκοντο: dual forms can be mixed with indicatives.

691–2 ἐν λιπαροῖσι κέλευεν / ἥ γε θρόνοις: Circe follows Homeric protocols (Od10.233) and sits them in state (λιπαροῖσι) before any questions are asked. ἀμηχανέουσα κιόντων: “at a loss for their coming.” The genitive is one of cause Smyth 1405.

693–4 ἄνεῳ καὶ ἄναυδοι: “quiet and silent,” part of the obligation on blood-guilty suppliants, if they are to achieve purification. ἐφ᾿ ἑστίῃ: the suppliants must sit on (ἵζανον) or by the hearthstone. Jason and Medea rush (ἀίξαντε) to establish themselves there. The use of the dual participle perhaps stresses how closely their fates are linked. ἥ τε δίκη: A.’s description summons up a picture of Odysseus beside Arete’s hearth (Od7.153­–4) or Orestes hands dripping with blood and holding a sword (Aesch. Eum. 40­–3) and this comment by A.’s underlines the fact that his account of the associated rituals connected with “wretched suppliants” (λυγροῖς ἱκέτῃσι) will be a full one.

695 Medea places (θεμένη) her forehead (μέτωπα) in both her hands (ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέραις . . . χείρεσσι) as a gesture of supplication. She can only look at Circe directly (726) when the purification has been carried out.

696­–7 Jason buries (πήξας) the “great hilted sword (κωπῆεν μέγα φάσγανον) with which he killed Apsyrtus (ᾧ πέρ τ᾿ Αἰήταο πάιν κτάνεν) in the ground (ἐν χθονὶ) of the hearth because it, too, must be cleansed of blood.

697–8 “They never raised (ἀνέσχεθον) their eyes (ὄσσε) behind their eyelids (ἐνὶ βλεφάροισιν) directly (ἰθὺς).” A very compressed expression. It is difficult to parallel ὄσσε combined with ἐνὶ βλεφάροισιν. ἀνέσχεθον: < aor. ind. act. 3rd. pl. ἀνασχέθω.

699 φύξιον οἶτον: “their fate as exiles.” A. is thinking of Ζεύς Φύξιος (118n.) as well as Ἱκεσίος (see below). ἀλιτροσύνας τε φόνοιο: “the sinfulness of murder.” An elaborate phrase in keeping with the tone of the scene: the abstract noun is a coinage by A.

700 ressembles Od. 14.283 Διὸς δ' ὠπίζετο μῆνιν / Ξεινίου (μῆνιν~ θέμιν).

701 On the one hand (μέγα μέν), Zeus shows great anger (κοτέει) towards murderers (ἀνδροφόνοισιν) but also (μέγα δ’) greatly aids them (ἀρήγει) by permitting rites of purification. The noun κότος is frequent in Aeschylus (Aesch. Supp. 347 Ζηνὸς ἱκεσίου κ.) but never occurs in Sophocles. It maintains the Aeschylean tone of the whole scene. The repetition of μέγα perhaps gives us a sense of the words that Circe might have used in the ritual that she now carries out.

702 These lines make clear the purpose of the ritual sacrifice (θυηπολίην) that Circe is carrying out (ῥέζε). The polysyllabic ἀπολυμαίνονται, “they are cleansed,” (taken from Il1.313–14) adds weight to the statement.

703 νηλειεῖς: the transmitted text has presented problems of interpretation. νηλειεῖς (or νηληεῖς), used of the Fury at 476, can be defended. “Ruthless, pitiless suppliants” is an unexpected oxymoron but Zeus has just been spoken of as helping murderers (701), νηλής is used in a similar context at 4.587–9 Κίρκη φόνον Ἀψύρτοιο / νηλέα νίψειεν and νηλής itself can mean both “pitiless” and “unpitied.” Jason ad Medea are pitiless in the sense that they have killed Apsyrtus by means of a sordid ambush but also unpitied because Circe, although she performs the purification ritual on their behalf, sends them away with harsh words (745­–6). ὅτ᾿ ἐφέστιοι ἀντιόωσιν: “when they make supplications at the hearth.”

704 ἀτρέπτοιο λυτήριον  γε φόνοιο: “as an expiation of irreparable murder:” another oxymoron, perhaps (“What's done cannot be undone,” Lady Macbeth, Green 1997, 321) on the lines of “ruthless suppliants.” A. is emphasising that, while the ritual can cleanse, it cannot remove the fact that the deed has been done and that it is has consequences (see above.)

705–17 the most detailed extant literary account from the Greek world of the ritual prescribed for purifying a murderer of his bloodguilt; see further Green ibid., 322.

705 τειναμένη καθύπερθε: “stretching above (Jason and Medea).” συὸς τέκος: “the young of a sow.”

706 πλήμυρον: “were flowing (with milk).” λοχίης ἐκ νηδύος: lit. “from a stomach which had given birth.”

707 τέγγεν: blood for blood: “she soaked their hands.” ἐπιτμήγουσα δέρην: “cutting the throat.”

708 μείλισσεν: “she propitiated.” χύτλοισι: “with poured offerings.” Καθάρσιον: “(Zeus) the cleanser (from guilt or defilement.)

709 παλαμναίων τιμήορον ἱκεσιάων: the text is uncertain, but the meaning is clear; “succourer of the supplications of murderers.” A. uses similarly τιμήορος at 4.1358 ἡρῷσσαι, Λιβύης τιμήοροι ἠδὲ θύγατρες, when talking of the heroines of Libya as tutelary guardians.

710 ἀθρόα πάντα δόμων ἐκ λύματ'(α): the polluted scourings (Green’s translation) are taken out of the house as unclean defilement. ἐκ . . . ἔνεικαν: verb in tmesis with ἐκ also governing δόμων.

711 νηιάδες πρόπολοι: “attendant Naiads.” Circe’s maids here have very different tasks from those fully described at Od. 10.352­–9.

712 ἡ δ᾿: while the servants clear away, Circe continues the ritual, in order to make sure that the Erinyes (Furies) are happy. πελανοὺς: mixture offered to the gods and the dead, of meal, honey, and oil, which could be either poured or burnt on a fire, as here. μείλικτρά τε νηφαλίῃσιν . . . ἐπ᾿ εὐχωλῇσι: “offerings with wineless prayers.” The Erinyes received libations of milk and honey but not wine.

713–14 ὄφρα χόλοιο σμερδαλέας παύσειεν Ἐρινύας: “(offered up prayers) that the terrible Furies would cease from their wrath.”

714 ἠδὲ καὶ αὐτὸς: that is to say, Zeus, the Furies’ master.

715 εὐμειδής. . .ἤπιος: “propitious and gentle. πέλοιτο: pres. opt. 3rd. sg. < πέλω. ἀμφοτέροισιν: “to them both,” i.e. Jason and Medea.

716–17 εἴτ᾿ . . . εἴτε: “whether . . . or.” Circe’s prayer covers all the alternatives. ὀθνείῳ . . . αἵματι: “blood of a stranger.” μεμιασμένοι: perf. part. nom. pl. < μιαίνω.

717 ἐμφύλῳ: also dependent on μεμιασμένοι: “blood of a kinsman.” Obviously, this refers to Jason and Medea, though judging from the way in which the rest of the scene develops, Circe seems to be unaware of this. προσκηδέες: uncertain meaning: “full of cares,” or, to be taken only with 717, “as kinsfolk.” ἀντιόωσιν: pres. ind. act. 3rd pl. < ἀντιάω.

718–20 After the Aeschylean purification ceremony, the Homeric conventionalities are resumed based on Od12.34(Odysseus and Circe), 10.365–6, and Alcinous’s treatment of Odysseus at Od7.167–71εἷσεν: aor. ind. act. 3rd. sg. < ἵζω: Od.4.51 ἐς θρόνους, 3.389 κατὰ κλισμούς. The chairs or thrones (θρόνοισιν) are “polished.” ἀναστήσασα: “having raised them up,” presumably from the crouching, supplicatory position that they had adopted on the hearth.

721–3 χρειὼ ναυτιλίην τε: “their purpose and their voyage” (hendiadys): typical Homeric questioning (Il. 21.150Od1.170 τίς πόθεν εἰς ἀνδρῶν). Remarkably, Circe seems to have little idea of why they are there, even though their first action was to seek the hearth (αὔτως, “just like that”) in the manner of suppliants (ἱδρύθησαν ἐφέστιοι).

723–4 μνῆστις ἀεικελίη: “the woeful memory (of the dreams).” δῦνεν φρένας ὁρμαίνουσαν: “entered her mind, as she thought.” (Smyth 985). Her conclusions remain, for the moment, unspoken.

725 “she longed to hear the native language of the girl, i.e. her own language.” Realisation is beginning to dawn.ἴδμεναι: perf. inf. act. < οἶδα.

726 αὐτίχ᾿ ὅπως: “as soon as.” ἐνόησεν: “saw,” (and drew the obvious conclusion; see 682–3n.). ὄσσε βαλοῦσαν: “directing her gaze.” (LSJ Aii 4). ἀπ᾿ οὔδεος: from the ground, i.e. Medea finally has the courage to look her aunt, directly in the eye. Recently published (Benaissa 2019, 94) papyri present new readings: ενοησε ⟦κατ⟧ ⸌επ⸍, which represents and original papyrus reading of κατ᾽, with an inserted second thought of ἐπ᾽. Either new reading would give a new meaning to the passage: "Circe notices Medea's shiny eyes not when she takes them off (ἀπ᾽ οὔδεος) the ground, but rather when she casts them down on it . . . M.'s downcast look would reflect her deep grief and sense of shame in coming before Circe, her aunt, to atone for Apsyrtus' murder." (Benaissa ibid.).

727 πᾶσα γὰρ Ἠελίου γενεή: “the whole race of the sun.” This includes Aietes, Medea and Circe.

728–9 This is a complete explanation of the remarkable eyes attributed to the children of the Sun (but see 682–3n.). βλεφάρων . . . αἴγλην: “through the gleaming (μαρμαρυγῇσιν) of their eyes (βλεφάρων) into the distance (ἀποτηλόθι) they sent out (ἵεσαν) a radiance (αἴγλην) in front of them (ἀντώπιον), as if it were gold (οἷόν τε χρυσέην).”

730 τὰ ἕκαστα διειρομένῃ: “asking for each detail.” Circe wants the whole truth but, as becomes clears in the following lines, she only gets part of it (the murder of Apsyrtus is omitted). A.’s comment (737) and her concluding speech, however, make it quite plain that she is fully aware of the situation.

731 Κολχίδα γῆρυν ἱεῖσα: “speaking the Colchian language.” A very important fact comes first. Jason will be excluded and will not know that Medea gives her Aunt a somewhat edited version of events.

731–2 βαρύφρονος Αἰήταο/κούρη: “the daughter of grim-minded Aietes.” μειλιχίως: “gently.” There is a deliberate contrast here between the bluntness of Aietes and the deceptive editing of the facts that Medea is attempting to use. ἠμὲν στόλον ἠδὲ κελεύθους: “the quest and journeyings (of the heroes).”

733 θοοῖς ἐμόγησαν ἀέθλοις: “(how) they strove in the swift contests.” Pindar talks of “swift” μάχαι (P. 8.26). Ares, warriors and fighting can, also, be θοός (LSJ) To use it with ἀέθλοις seems a natural extension.

734 ὥς τε: “and how.” κασιγνήτης πολυκηδέος. . .βουλαῖς: “by the plans of an anguished sister.” ἤλιτε: aor. ind. act. 3rd sg. < ἀλιταίνω. “she sinned.” This refers to the request that Chalciope makes of Medea in Book 3 to help Jason. She is not reluctant to fall in with this request (3.688–980).

735 ἀπονόσφιν ἄλυξεν: aor. ind. act. 3rd. sg. < ἀλύσκω. “fled far away from:”. ὑπέρβια δείματα πατρός: “the violent terrors of her fathers.” These threats are a feature of the opening lines of Book 4.

736 σὺν παισὶν Φρίξοιο: after she escapes from Aietes’ palace, she does make her first appeal for help to the sons of Phrixus. Medea avoids mentioning her appeal to Jason and the arrangements that she makes with him.

736–7 φόνον δ᾿ . . . / Ἀψύρτου: crucially, she also avoids (ἀλέεινεν) saying anything about the murder of Apsyrtus.

737 τὴν δ᾿ οὔ τι νόῳ λάθεν: “but she did not escape her attention.” Circe was not deceived, as the following blunt speech makes absolutely clear. νόῳ:“in her mind, (i.e. Circe’s). ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔμπης: “but even so, nonetheless.”

738 μυρομένην ἐλέαιρεν: “moved by her tears (μυρομένην) to pity.” ἐπί: “in addition.” (LSJ E1): “still addressed her thus.” Circe may feel sorry for her niece but in the speech that follows does not mince her words.

Bibliography:

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

 

 νύχιος, nightly 685

 δεῖμα τό, fear, affright

 ἀποπέμπω, send off or away, dispatch, dismiss

 ὄνειρον τό, a dream

 ἄψορρος, going back, backwards

 ἀποστείχω, to go away, to go home

 ἕπομαι ἕψομαι ἑσπόμην --- --- ---, to follow

 καταρρέζω, to pat with the hand, to stroke, caress

 δολοφροσύνη ἡ, craft, subtlety, wiliness

 ἀνώγω, bid, command

 πληθύς ἡ, a crowd (Argonauts as a group)

 ἐφετμή ἡ, a command, behest

 μίμνω, remain, wait

 ἀπηλεγέως, without paying attention (to Circe)

 ἐρύω, draw, drag off

 ἔστε, until, so long as 690

 ἀφικνέομαι ἀφίξομαι ἀφικόμην ἀφῖγμαι, arrive at, reach

 μέγαρον -ου τό, hall

 λιπαρός, oily, shiny with oil

 θρόνος θρόνου, ὁ, throne

 ἕζομαι, sit down

 ἀμηχανάω, to be at a loss

 κίω, come

 ἄνεω, without a sound, in silence

 ἄναυδος, speechless, silent

 ἑστίη -ας ἡ, hearth

 ἀίσσω --- ἤῑξα ἀίξασκον --- ἠίχθην, dart, rush

 ἱζάνω, to make to sit

 δίκη -ης ἡ, justice

 λυγρός -ά -όν, wretched, miserable

 ἱκέτης -ου ὁ, suppliant

 ἀμφότερος ἀμφοτέρα ἀμφότερον, both 695

 μέτωπον, face

 κωπήεις, hilted

 φάσγανον τό, a sword

 χθών χθονός ἡ, the earth, ground

 πήγνυμι, to make fast, fix

 κτείνω κτενῶ ἔκτεινα ἀπέκτονα --- ---, kill

 ὄσσε τά, eyes

 ἰθύς, straight, direct

 βλέφαρα τά, the eyelids

 ἀνέχω ἀνέξω (or ἀνσχήσω) ἀνέσχον ἀνέσχηκα --- ---, hold up, rise up

 γιγνώσκω γνώσομαι ἔγνων ἔγνωκα ἔγνωσμαι ἐγνώσθην, know, perceive

 φύξιος, of banishment

 οἶτος ὁ, fate, doom

 ἀλῑτροσύνη, ἡ, sinfulness, mischief

 φόνος -ου ὁ, murder, slaughter, corpse

 ὀπίζομαι, to regard with awe and dread 700

 θέμις ἡ, that which is laid down

 Ἱκέσιος, of or for suppliants

 κοτέω, to bear a grudge against

 ἀνδροφόνος, man-slaying

 ἀρήγω, to help, aid, succour

 ῥέζω, work, offer

 θυηπολίη ἡ, sacrifice

 ἀπολυμαίνομαι, to cleanse, purify

 νηλής, pitiless, ruthless (see notes)

 ἐφέστιος, at one's own fireside, at home

 ἀντιάω, to go to, approach

 ἄτρεπτος, cannot be undone

 λυτήριος, loosing, releasing, delivering

 φόνος -ου ὁ, murder, slaughter, corpse

 τείνω τενῶ ἔτεινα τέτακα τέταμαι ἐτάθην, stretch 705

 καθύπερθε, from above, down from above

 ὗς ὑός ἡ, sow

 τέκος -εος τό, piglet

 μαστός ὁ, breast

 πλήμυρω, to be full, flowing

 λόχιος, of or belonging to child-birth

 νηδύς, the stomach

 τέγγω, to wet, moisten

 ἐπιτμήγω, to cut, gash

 δειρή ἡ, the neck, throat

 μειλίσσω, to propitiate

 χύτλον τό, offering

 Καθάρσιος, cleansing (epithet of Zeus)

 ἀνακαλέω, to call up

 παλαμναῖος, one guilty of violence, a blood-guilty man, murderer

 τιμήορος ὁ, protector

 ἱκεσία ἡ, a supplication

 λῦμα τό, the leftover from the ritual 710

 Ναϊάς ἡ, Naiad, river-nymph, spring-nymph

 πρόπολος ὁ, servant

 πορσύνω, to offer, present

 εἴσω, inside (Circe’s palace)

 πελανός, cake

 μειλικτήριος, offering

 νηφάλιος, unmixed with wine, wineless

 καίω καύσω ἔκαυσα -κέκαυκα κέκαυμαι ἐκαύθην, burn

 εὐχωλή ἡ, a prayer, vow

 παρέστιος, by or at the hearth

 ὄφρα, so that, until

 χόλος -ου ὁ, anger

 σμερδαλέος, fearful

 παύω παύσω ἔπαυσα πέπαυκα πέπαυμαι ἐπαύθην, cease from

 Ἐρινύς ἡ, the Erinys

 εὐμειδής, smiling, propitious 715

 πέλω, to be

 ἤπιος, gentle, mild, kind

 ὀθνεῖος, strange, foreign

 μιαίνω, to stain, to defile

 αἷμα -ατος τό, blood

 ἔμφυλος, of the same race

 προσκηδής, full of care

 ἀντιάω, to go for the purpose of meeting

 πονέω, accomplish

 ἵζω, take a seat, sit down 720

 ξεστός, smoothed, polished, wrought

 ἀνίστημι ἀνστήσω ἀνέστησα (or ἀνέστην) ἀνέστηκα ἀνέσταμαι ἀνεστάθην, to raise up

 πέλας, near (+gen.)

 ἐνωπαδίς, face to face

 χρειώ ἡ, purpose

 ναυτιλίη ἡ, voyage

 διακριδόν, in detail

 ἐξερεείνω, to inquire into

 ὁπόθεν, from where

 δῶμα -ατος τό, house

 ἱδρύω ἱδρύσω ἵδυρσα ἵδρυκα ἵδρυμαι ἱδρύθην, make sit down, seat

 μνῆστις ἡ, remembrance, heed

 ἀεικέλιος, woeful, wretched

 δὐω -δύσω -έδυσα (or ἔδυν) δέδυκα δέδυμαι -εδύθην, enter

 φρήν φρενός ἡ, mind

 ὁρμαίνω, reflect

 ἵημι ἥσω ἧκα εἷκα εἷμαι εἵθην, to be eager 725

 ἐμφύλιος, of one’s own race

 ὀμφή ἡ, the voice

 ὅπως, how, in what way

 νοέω νοοῦμαι --- --- --- ---, observe

 οὖδας τό, the surface of the earth, the ground, earth

 Ἠελιος -ου ὁ, the Sun

 γενεή ἡ, race, stock, family

 ἀρίδηλος, very distinct, far seen

 ἀποτῆλε, into the distance

 μαρμαρυγή ἡ, a flashing, sparkling

 χρυσοῦς -ῆ -οῦν, golden, gold-inlaid

 ἀντωπός, with the eyes facing the front

 ἵημι ἥσω ἧκα εἷκα εἷμαι εἵθην, to send

 αἴγλη ἡ, radiance

 διείρομαι, to question closely 730

 καταλέγω, recount, tell at length and in order

 γῆρυς ἡ, voice, speech

 ἵημι ἥσω ἧκα εἷκα εἷμαι εἵθην, to send out, speak

 βαρύφρων, grim-minded

 μειλιχίως, gently

 στόλος -ου ὁ, expedition

 κέλευθος, journey

 θοός -ή -όν, swift, strenuous

 μογέω, to toil, suffer

 πολυκηδής, full of care, sorrowing

 ἀλιταίνω, to sin

 ἀπονόσφι, far away 735

 ἀλύσκω, to flee from, shun, avoid

 ὑπέρβιος, of overwhelming strength

 Φρίξος ὁ, Phrixos (Name)

 φόνος -ου ὁ, murder, slaughter, corpse

 ἀλεείνω, to avoid, shun

 ἐνέπω, to tell, tell of, relate, describe

 λανθάνω λήσω ἔλαθον λέληθα λέλησμαι ---, escape notice

 ἔμπης, even so

 μύρω, to flow, run, trickle

 ἐλεαίρω, to take pity on

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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-683-736