Callimachus, Hymn to Zeus

λώιον ἢ θεὸν αὐτόν, ἀεὶ μέγαν, αἰὲν ἄνακτα,

than the god himself, ever great, ever lord,

Πηλαγόνων ἐλατῆρα, δικασπόλον οὐρανίδῃσι;

driver-off of the Pelagones, giver of justice to the sons of Heaven?

πῶς καί μιν, Δικταῖον ἀείσομεν ἠὲ Λυκαῖον;

And how shall we sing him, as Dictaean or as Lycaean?

ἐν δοιῇ μάλα θυμός, ἐπεὶ γένος ἀμφήριστον.

My heart is much in doubt, since his birth is disputed.

Ζεῦ, σὲ μὲν Ἰδαίοισιν ἐν οὔρεσί φασι γενέσθαι,

Zeus, some say you were born in the Idaean mountains,

Ζεῦ, σὲ δʼ ἐν Ἀρκαδίῃ· πότεροι, πάτερ, ἐψεύσαντο;

Zeus, others in Arcadia; which of them, father, lied?

Κρῆτες ἀεὶ ψεῦσται· καὶ γὰρ τάφον, ὦ ἄνα, σεῖο

Cretans are always liars; for indeed a tomb, O lord, for you

Κρῆτες ἐτεκτήναντο· σὺ δʼ οὐ θάνες, ἐσσὶ γὰρ αἰεί.

the Cretans built; but you did not die, for you are forever.

ἐν δέ σε Παρρασίῃ Ῥείη τέκεν, ἧχι μάλιστα

In Parrhasia Rhea bore you, where most of all

ἔσκεν ὄρος θάμνοισι περισκεπές· ἔνθεν ὁ χῶρος

the mountain was thickly covered with shrubs; hence the place

ἱερός, οὐδέ τί μιν κεχρημένον Εἰλειθυίης

is holy, and nothing in need of Eileithyia,

Δικταῖαι Μελίαι, σὲ δʼ ἐκοίμισεν Ἀδρήστεια

the Dictaean Meliae, and Adrasteia lulled you to sleep

λίκνῳ ἐνὶ χρυσέῳ, δὺ δʼ ἐθήσαο πίονα μαζὸν

in a golden cradle, and you sucked the rich teat

αἰγὸς Ἀμαλθείης, ἐπὶ σὲ γλυκὺ κηρίον ἔβρως.

of the she-goat Amaltheia, and besides you ate sweet honeycomb.

γέντο γὰρ ἐξαπιναῖα Πανακρίδος ἔργα μελίσσης

For suddenly the works of the Panacrian bee appeared

Ἰδαίοις ἐν ὄρεσσι, τά τε κλείουσι Πάνακρα.

on the Idaean mountains, which they call Panacra.

οὖλα δὲ Κούρητές σε περὶ πρύλιν ὠρχήσαντο

And the Curetes danced the prylis [armed dance] around you loudly,

τεύχεα πεπηήγοντες, ἵνα Κρόνος οὔασιν ἠχὴν

clashing their armour, so that Cronus might hear with his ears the din

ἀσπίδος εἰσαΐοι καὶ μή σεο κουρίζοντος.

of the shield, and not you crying as a baby.

οὐρανὸν οὐκ ἐμέγηραν ἔχειν ἐπιδαίσιον οἶκον.

did not grudge you having heaven as your appointed home.

δηναιοὶ δʼ οὐ πάμπαν ἀληθέες ἦσαν ἀοιδοί.

The poets of old were not wholly truthful.

φάντο πάλον Κρονίδῃσι διάτριχα δώματα νεῖμαι·

They said the lot divided the threefold houses among the sons of Cronus;

τίς δέ κʼ ἐπʼ Οὐλύμπῳ τε καὶ Ἄιδι κλῆρον ἐρύσσαι,

but who would draw lots for Olympus and for Hades,

ὃς μάλα μὴ νενίηλος; ἐπʼ ἰσαίῃ γὰρ ἔοικε

who was not an utter simpleton? For it is for equal [shares] that one should