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