The Fountains of Argos

Fr. 65

      Αὐτομά[της] εὐναὲς ἐπών[υμον, ἀλ]λ' ἀπὸ σ[εῖ]ο

           λούονται λοχίην οἰκέτιν [. . . . . . .]ης

 

Fr. 66

           ἡρῶσσαι [. .].ιᾶς Ἰασίδος νέπ[ο]δες·

      νύμφα Π[οσ]ειδάωνος ἐφυδριάς, οὐδὲ μὲν Ἥρης

           ἁγνὸν ὑφαινέμεναι τῇσι μέμηλε πάτος

      στῆναι [πὰ]ρ κανόνεσσι πάρος θέμις ἢ τεὸν ὕδω[ρ

5         κὰκ κεφ[α]λῆς ἱρὸν πέτρον ἐφεζομένας  

      χεύασθαι, τὸν μὲν σὺ μέσον περιδέδρομας ἀμφίς·

           πότνι' Ἀμυμώνη καὶ Φυσάδεια φίλη

      Ἵππη τ' Αὐτομάτη τε, παλαίτατα χαίρετε νυμφέων

           οἰκία καὶ λιπαραὶ ῥεῖτε Πελασγιάδες.

 

Fr. 65 Harder (= 65 Pf., = 164 Mass.) Comm. in Antimach. PRIMI
   1. 17 coll. II 13 sqq.

Fr. 66 Harder (= 66 Pf., = 165 Mass.)
  1-9 P.Oxy. 2211, fr. 1 recto, 1-9 [image], Trismegistos 59407
  2-3 Meletius, De.Nat.Hom.
  Comm. in Antimach. PRIMI 1. 17 coll. II 21 sqq.

In this brief bridge section Callimachus apparently treats the origin of the springs that were discovered by and named after the daughters of Danaus, upon his return to Argos. They are mentioned also in Ηymn 5.47, which is also set in Argos.

Fr. 65

εὐναής -ές: fair-flowing 

ἐπώνυμος -ον: named after

λούω: wash, bathe

λόχιος -α -ον: of or belonging to child-birth; of a woman who has recently given birth

οἰκέτις -ιδος, ἡ: female household slave

 

Fr. 66

ἡρῶσσα = ἡρωίνη -ης, ἡ: heroine

νέπους -ποδος: child

Ἰασίς -ίδος, ἡ: daughter of Iasus, i.e., Iofrom whom the Danaids were descended

ἐφυδριάς -άδος: (fem. adj.) of the water, watery

ἁγνός -ή -όν: sacred, holy

ὑφαινω ὑφανῶ ὕφηνα, epic pres. infin. ὑφαινέμεναι: weave

μέλω μελήσω ἐμέλησα, Ep. and Lyr. pf. μέμηλα: (3 sing. impers. + dat. + infin.) it is an object of care or thought for x to do y

πάτος -εος, τό: a robe worn by Hera

κανών -όνος, ὁ: weaver's rod;  loom

πάρος: (adv.) formerly; (as conj., like πρίν) before, + aor. inf.; πάρος ... ἤ + inf., “before x-ing”

θέμις θέμιστος, ἡ: law, right, estabnlished custom; θέμις ἐστί + dat. + inf., “it is right for x to do y”

τεός -ή -όν Ep. for σός, -ή, -όν 5

κὰκ = κατά

ἱρός Ion. and Ep. for ἱερός -ά -όν: holy, hallowed, consecrated

πέτρος -ου, ὁ: stone

ἐφέζομαι: sit upon

χέω aor. ἔχεα, Ep. aor. ἔχευα and χεῦα: pour, shed

περιτρέχω -δραμοῦμαι -έδραμον -δέδρομα: run around

πότνια, -ης, ἡ: mistress, queen

Ἀμυμώνη -ης, ἡ: Amymone, a daughter of Danaus.  Poseidon rescued her from a satyr and gave her a spring at Lerna. Three other springs at Lerna—Physadeia (Φυσάδεια), Hippe (Ἵππη) and Automate (Αὐτομάτη)—are also named after daughters of Danaus.

λιπαρός -ά -όν: shiny, sleek; bright, brilliant; rich, fruitfuil

ῥείω Ep. for ῥέω: to flow

Πελασγιάς -άδος: (fem. adj.)Pelasgian, an ethnic for Argive women

Fr. 65

fair-flowing (water) named after Automate, but from you

they bathe a house slave who has given birth

 

Fr. 66

heroines . . . children of Iasus' daughter.

Watery bride of Poseidon, it is not right that

girls who must weave the sacred robe of Hera

stand by the loom before they pour your water

on their heads, sitting on the sacred rock 5

around which you are flow on both sides.

Lady Amymone, and dear Physadeia,

Hippe, and Automate: Farewell, most ancient homes of the nymphs,

and flow on richly, Pelasgian girls.

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Suggested Citation

Susan Stephens, Callimachus: Aetia. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2015. ISBN: 978-1-947822-07-8.https://dcc.dickinson.edu/callimachus-aetia/book-3/fountains-argos