PGM XXIII
Flor Herrero / P.Oxy. 412
- Created on 2018-07-12 19:33:42
- Translated by O'Neil
- Aligned by Flor Herrero
Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
Τοὺς δ ' ἐπεὶ εὐχωλῇσ ] ι λιτῇσί τε , ἔθνεα νεκρῶν ,
ἐλλισάμην , τὰ ] δὲ μῆλα λαβὼν ἀπεδειροτόμησα
ἐς βόθρον · ῥέε ] δ ' αἷμα κελαινεφές · αἱ δ ' ἀγέροντο
ψυχαὶ ὑπὲξ Ἐρέ ] βευς νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων
νύμφαι τ ' ἠίθ ] εοί τε πολύτλητοί τε γέροντες
παρθενικαί τ ' ] ἀταλαὶ νεοπενθέ ' ἄωτον ἔχουσαι ·
πολλοὶ δ ' οὐ ] τάμενοι χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν ,
ἄνδρ ] ες [ ἀρ ] ηίφατοι βεβροτωμένα τεύχε ' ἔχοντες
οἳ πολλ ] οὶ παρὰ βόθρον ἐφοίτων ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος
θεσπε ] σίῃ ἰαχῇ · ἐμὲ δὲ χλωρὸν δέος ᾕρει .
Αὐτὰρ ] ἐγὼ ξίφος ὀξὺ ἐρυσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ
ἥμην , ο ] ὐδ ' εἴων νεκύων ἀμενηνὰ κάρηνα
αἵματο ] ς ἆσσον ἴμεν καὶ ἀμειβόμενος ἔπος ηὔδων ·
( ἃ δεῖ ποιῆσαι εἴρηκεν )
»ὦ ποτα ] μοὶ καὶ γαῖα καὶ οἳ ὑπένερθε κάμοντας
ἀνθρώ ] πους τ [ ί ] νεσθον , ὅτις κ ' ἐπίορκον ὀμόσσῃ ,
ὑμεῖς ] μάρτυροι ἔστε , τελείετε δ ' ἄμμιν ἀοιδήν ·
ἦλθον ] χρησόμενος ὡς ἂν εἰς γαῖαν ἱκάνω
Τηλεμά ] χου γε , ὃν ἔλειπον ἐπὶ κόλποισι τιθήνης ,
Τέκνο ] ν ἐμόν» · τοίη γὰρ ἀρίστη ἦν ἐπαοιδή .
( ἃ δεῖ ἐπᾷσαι λέγει )
[ ’Κλῦθί ] μοι , εὐμειδὴς καὶ ἐπίσκοπος , εὔσπο [ ρ ' Ἄν ] ουβι ,
[ κλῦθί τε , αἱ ] μ̣ύλε , < κρ > υπτὲ πάρευνε , σαῶτι Ὀσί [ ρεω ] ς ,
[ δεῦρ ' , Ἑρ ] μῆ , ἅρπαξ , δεῦρ ' , ε [ ὐ ] πλόκαμε , χθόνιε Ζεῦ ,
[ κῦρσα ] ι δωσάμενοι κρηήνατε τήνδ ' ἐπαοιδήν .
[ δεῦρ ' , Ἅιδ ] η καὶ Χθών , πῦρ ἄφθιτον , Ἥλιε Τιτάν ,
[ ἐλθὲ καὶ ] Ἰάα καὶ Φθᾶ καὶ Φρῆ νομοσώσω [ ν , ]
[ καὶ Νεφ ] θὼ πολύτιμε καὶ Ἀβλαναθὼ πολύολβε ,
[ πυρς ] οδρακοντόζων ' , ἐρυσίχθων , αἰπυκαρείη ,
[ Ἀβραξ ] ᾶ , περίβωτε τὸ κοσμικὸν οὔνομα δαίμων ,
[ ἄξονα ] καὶ χορίον καὶ φῶτα νέμων παγέρ ' Ἄρκτων ,
[ ἐλθὲ κ ] αὶ ἐνκρατείᾳ πάντων προφερέστερ ' ἐμοί , Φρήν ,
[ σὲ κα ] λ̣έ̣ω , Β < ρ > ι < αρ > εῦ , καὶ Φ < ρ > άσιε , καὶ σ ' Ἰξίων ,
[ καὶ Γε ] νεὰ καὶ Ἀφηβιοτὰ καὶ Πῦρ καλλιαιθές ,
[ ἠδ ' ἔλθοι ] ς , Χθονία καὶ Οὐρανία , καὶ ὀνείρω [ ν ]
[ ἣ μεδέει ] ς , καὶ Σείρι ' , ὃς [ ] . ’
( τά θ ' ἑξῆς )
Εἴτ ' οὖν οὕτως ἔχον αὐτὸς ὁ ποιητὴς τὸ περίεργον τῆς ἐπιρρήσεως τὰ ἄλλα διὰ τὸ τῆς ὑποθέσεως ἀξίωμα σεσιώπηκεν , εἴθ ' οἱ Πεισιστρατίδαι τὰ ἄλλα συνράπτοντες ἔπη ταῦτα ἀπέσχισαν , ἀλλότρια τοῦ στοίχου τῆς ποιήσεως ἐκεῖ ἐπικρίναντες † ἐπ [ ὶ ] πολλο [ ῖ ] ς ἔγνων † ·
ἅτε κύημα [ πο ] λυτε [ λ ] έστερον ἐπικ [ ῆ ] ς αὐτὸς ἐνταυθοῖ κατέταξα ·
τήνδε τὴν σύμπασαν ὑπόθεσιν ἀνακειμένην ε [ ὑ ] ρέσεις ἔν τε τοῖς ἀρχείοις τῆς ἀρχαίας π [ α ] τρίδος κολων [ ία ] ς [ Α ] ἰλίας Καπιτωλίνης τῆς Παλαιστίνης κἀν Νύσῃ τῆς Καρίας , μέχρι δὲ τοῦ τρισκαιδεκάτου ἐν Ῥώμῃ πρὸς ταῖς Ἀλεξάνδρου θερμαῖς ἐν τῇ ἐν Πανθείῳ βιβλιοθήκῃ τῇ καλῇ ἣν αὐτὸς ἠρχιτεκτόνησα τῷ Σεβαστῷ .
Ἰουλίου Ἀφρικανοῦ Κεστὸς ιηʹ .
ἐλλισάμην , τὰ ] δὲ μῆλα λαβὼν ἀπεδειροτόμησα
ἐς βόθρον · ῥέε ] δ ' αἷμα κελαινεφές · αἱ δ ' ἀγέροντο
ψυχαὶ ὑπὲξ Ἐρέ ] βευς νεκύων κατατεθνηώτων
νύμφαι τ ' ἠίθ ] εοί τε πολύτλητοί τε γέροντες
παρθενικαί τ ' ] ἀταλαὶ νεοπενθέ ' ἄωτον ἔχουσαι ·
πολλοὶ δ ' οὐ ] τάμενοι χαλκήρεσιν ἐγχείῃσιν ,
ἄνδρ ] ες [ ἀρ ] ηίφατοι βεβροτωμένα τεύχε ' ἔχοντες
οἳ πολλ ] οὶ παρὰ βόθρον ἐφοίτων ἄλλοθεν ἄλλος
θεσπε ] σίῃ ἰαχῇ · ἐμὲ δὲ χλωρὸν δέος ᾕρει .
Αὐτὰρ ] ἐγὼ ξίφος ὀξὺ ἐρυσάμενος παρὰ μηροῦ
ἥμην , ο ] ὐδ ' εἴων νεκύων ἀμενηνὰ κάρηνα
αἵματο ] ς ἆσσον ἴμεν καὶ ἀμειβόμενος ἔπος ηὔδων ·
( ἃ δεῖ ποιῆσαι εἴρηκεν )
»ὦ ποτα ] μοὶ καὶ γαῖα καὶ οἳ ὑπένερθε κάμοντας
ἀνθρώ ] πους τ [ ί ] νεσθον , ὅτις κ ' ἐπίορκον ὀμόσσῃ ,
ὑμεῖς ] μάρτυροι ἔστε , τελείετε δ ' ἄμμιν ἀοιδήν ·
ἦλθον ] χρησόμενος ὡς ἂν εἰς γαῖαν ἱκάνω
Τηλεμά ] χου γε , ὃν ἔλειπον ἐπὶ κόλποισι τιθήνης ,
Τέκνο ] ν ἐμόν» · τοίη γὰρ ἀρίστη ἦν ἐπαοιδή .
( ἃ δεῖ ἐπᾷσαι λέγει )
[ ’Κλῦθί ] μοι , εὐμειδὴς καὶ ἐπίσκοπος , εὔσπο [ ρ ' Ἄν ] ουβι ,
[ κλῦθί τε , αἱ ] μ̣ύλε , < κρ > υπτὲ πάρευνε , σαῶτι Ὀσί [ ρεω ] ς ,
[ δεῦρ ' , Ἑρ ] μῆ , ἅρπαξ , δεῦρ ' , ε [ ὐ ] πλόκαμε , χθόνιε Ζεῦ ,
[ κῦρσα ] ι δωσάμενοι κρηήνατε τήνδ ' ἐπαοιδήν .
[ δεῦρ ' , Ἅιδ ] η καὶ Χθών , πῦρ ἄφθιτον , Ἥλιε Τιτάν ,
[ ἐλθὲ καὶ ] Ἰάα καὶ Φθᾶ καὶ Φρῆ νομοσώσω [ ν , ]
[ καὶ Νεφ ] θὼ πολύτιμε καὶ Ἀβλαναθὼ πολύολβε ,
[ πυρς ] οδρακοντόζων ' , ἐρυσίχθων , αἰπυκαρείη ,
[ Ἀβραξ ] ᾶ , περίβωτε τὸ κοσμικὸν οὔνομα δαίμων ,
[ ἄξονα ] καὶ χορίον καὶ φῶτα νέμων παγέρ ' Ἄρκτων ,
[ ἐλθὲ κ ] αὶ ἐνκρατείᾳ πάντων προφερέστερ ' ἐμοί , Φρήν ,
[ σὲ κα ] λ̣έ̣ω , Β < ρ > ι < αρ > εῦ , καὶ Φ < ρ > άσιε , καὶ σ ' Ἰξίων ,
[ καὶ Γε ] νεὰ καὶ Ἀφηβιοτὰ καὶ Πῦρ καλλιαιθές ,
[ ἠδ ' ἔλθοι ] ς , Χθονία καὶ Οὐρανία , καὶ ὀνείρω [ ν ]
[ ἣ μεδέει ] ς , καὶ Σείρι ' , ὃς [ ] . ’
( τά θ ' ἑξῆς )
Εἴτ ' οὖν οὕτως ἔχον αὐτὸς ὁ ποιητὴς τὸ περίεργον τῆς ἐπιρρήσεως τὰ ἄλλα διὰ τὸ τῆς ὑποθέσεως ἀξίωμα σεσιώπηκεν , εἴθ ' οἱ Πεισιστρατίδαι τὰ ἄλλα συνράπτοντες ἔπη ταῦτα ἀπέσχισαν , ἀλλότρια τοῦ στοίχου τῆς ποιήσεως ἐκεῖ ἐπικρίναντες † ἐπ [ ὶ ] πολλο [ ῖ ] ς ἔγνων † ·
ἅτε κύημα [ πο ] λυτε [ λ ] έστερον ἐπικ [ ῆ ] ς αὐτὸς ἐνταυθοῖ κατέταξα ·
τήνδε τὴν σύμπασαν ὑπόθεσιν ἀνακειμένην ε [ ὑ ] ρέσεις ἔν τε τοῖς ἀρχείοις τῆς ἀρχαίας π [ α ] τρίδος κολων [ ία ] ς [ Α ] ἰλίας Καπιτωλίνης τῆς Παλαιστίνης κἀν Νύσῃ τῆς Καρίας , μέχρι δὲ τοῦ τρισκαιδεκάτου ἐν Ῥώμῃ πρὸς ταῖς Ἀλεξάνδρου θερμαῖς ἐν τῇ ἐν Πανθείῳ βιβλιοθήκῃ τῇ καλῇ ἣν αὐτὸς ἠρχιτεκτόνησα τῷ Σεβαστῷ .
Ἰουλίου Ἀφρικανοῦ Κεστὸς ιηʹ .
"
[
But
'
when
with
vows
]
and
prayers
[
I
had
appealed
]
[ To them ] , the tribes of dead , I took [ the ] sheep
And slit their throats [ beside the trough , and down ]
The dark blood [ flowed . From out of Ere ] bos
Came gathering [ the spirits ] of the dead : /
[ New brides , unmarried youths , ] toil-worn old men ,
[ And ] tender [ maidens ] with fresh-mourning hearts ,
[ And many ] pierced by bronze-tipped spears , [ men ] slain
In battle , still in armor stained with gore .
[ These many ] thronged from ev ' ry side around
The trough I with [ awful ] cry . Pale fear seized me .
[ But ] having drawn the sharp sword at my thigh ,
[ I sat , ] allowing not the flitting heads
Of the dead to draw nearer to [ the blood ] ,
And I in conversation spoke with them .
( He has said what must be done : ) I
" O rivers , earth , and you below , punish
Men done with life , whoe ' er has falsely sworn ;
Be witnesses , fulfill for us this charm .
I’ve come to ask how I may reach the land
Of that Telemachus , my own son whom I
I left still in a nurse ' s arms . " For in
This fashion went the charm most excellent .
( He tells what charms must be sung : )
" [ Hear ] me , gracious and guardian , well-born
[ An ] ubis ; [ hear , sly ] one , O secret mate ,
Osiris ' savior ; come , Hermes , come , robber ,
Well-trussed , infernal Zeus ; / Grant [ my desire ]
Fulfill this charm . [ Come hither , Hades , ] Earth ,
Unfailing Fire , O Titan Helios ;
[ Come , ] Iaweh , Phthas , Phre , guardian of laws ,
[ And Neph ] tho , much revered ; Ablanatho ,
In blessings rich , with [ fiery ] serpents girded ,
Earth-plowing , goddess with head high , [ Abrax ] as ,
A daimon famous by your cosmic name ,
Who rule earth ' s [ axis ] , starry dance , the Bears '
Cold light . [ And come ] to me , surpassing all
In self-control , O Phren . I ' m calling [ you ] ,
O B [ r ] i [ ar ] eus and Ph [ r ] asios and you ,
O Ixion and Birth and youth ' s decline ,
Fair-burning Fire , I [ and may you come , ] Infernal
And Heav ' nly One , and [ you who govern ] dreams ,
And Sirius , who . . . . "
Standing beside the trough , I cried [ these words ] ,
[ For well ] did I remember Circe ' s counsels , '
[ Who ] knew [ all ] poisons which the broad earth grows . /
[ Then came ] a lofty wave of Acheron
Which fights with lions , [ Cocytus ] and Lethe
And mighty Polyphlegethon . A host
[ Of dead ] stood round the trough , [ and first ] there came
The spirit of Elpenor , my comrade .
( And so on . )
So , since this is the situation , either the poet himself suppressed the remainder
because it was an elaboration of the spell in order to preserve the decorum of the
work , or the Peisistratides , as they were assembling the other verses , withheld
these because they considered them foreign to the passage here . This is my opinion
for many reasons . And so I have myself inserted the lines as a rather valuable
creation of epic poetry . /You will find this whole document on the shelves in the
archives of our former home town , the colony of Aelia Capitolina ιn Palestine ,
and in Nysa in Caria and , up to the thirteenth verse , in Rome near the baths of
Alexander in the beautiful library in the Pantheon , whose collection of books I
myself built for Augustus . /
Kestos 18 of Julius Africanus
[ To them ] , the tribes of dead , I took [ the ] sheep
And slit their throats [ beside the trough , and down ]
The dark blood [ flowed . From out of Ere ] bos
Came gathering [ the spirits ] of the dead : /
[ New brides , unmarried youths , ] toil-worn old men ,
[ And ] tender [ maidens ] with fresh-mourning hearts ,
[ And many ] pierced by bronze-tipped spears , [ men ] slain
In battle , still in armor stained with gore .
[ These many ] thronged from ev ' ry side around
The trough I with [ awful ] cry . Pale fear seized me .
[ But ] having drawn the sharp sword at my thigh ,
[ I sat , ] allowing not the flitting heads
Of the dead to draw nearer to [ the blood ] ,
And I in conversation spoke with them .
( He has said what must be done : ) I
" O rivers , earth , and you below , punish
Men done with life , whoe ' er has falsely sworn ;
Be witnesses , fulfill for us this charm .
I’ve come to ask how I may reach the land
Of that Telemachus , my own son whom I
I left still in a nurse ' s arms . " For in
This fashion went the charm most excellent .
( He tells what charms must be sung : )
" [ Hear ] me , gracious and guardian , well-born
[ An ] ubis ; [ hear , sly ] one , O secret mate ,
Osiris ' savior ; come , Hermes , come , robber ,
Well-trussed , infernal Zeus ; / Grant [ my desire ]
Fulfill this charm . [ Come hither , Hades , ] Earth ,
Unfailing Fire , O Titan Helios ;
[ Come , ] Iaweh , Phthas , Phre , guardian of laws ,
[ And Neph ] tho , much revered ; Ablanatho ,
In blessings rich , with [ fiery ] serpents girded ,
Earth-plowing , goddess with head high , [ Abrax ] as ,
A daimon famous by your cosmic name ,
Who rule earth ' s [ axis ] , starry dance , the Bears '
Cold light . [ And come ] to me , surpassing all
In self-control , O Phren . I ' m calling [ you ] ,
O B [ r ] i [ ar ] eus and Ph [ r ] asios and you ,
O Ixion and Birth and youth ' s decline ,
Fair-burning Fire , I [ and may you come , ] Infernal
And Heav ' nly One , and [ you who govern ] dreams ,
And Sirius , who . . . . "
Standing beside the trough , I cried [ these words ] ,
[ For well ] did I remember Circe ' s counsels , '
[ Who ] knew [ all ] poisons which the broad earth grows . /
[ Then came ] a lofty wave of Acheron
Which fights with lions , [ Cocytus ] and Lethe
And mighty Polyphlegethon . A host
[ Of dead ] stood round the trough , [ and first ] there came
The spirit of Elpenor , my comrade .
( And so on . )
So , since this is the situation , either the poet himself suppressed the remainder
because it was an elaboration of the spell in order to preserve the decorum of the
work , or the Peisistratides , as they were assembling the other verses , withheld
these because they considered them foreign to the passage here . This is my opinion
for many reasons . And so I have myself inserted the lines as a rather valuable
creation of epic poetry . /You will find this whole document on the shelves in the
archives of our former home town , the colony of Aelia Capitolina ιn Palestine ,
and in Nysa in Caria and , up to the thirteenth verse , in Rome near the baths of
Alexander in the beautiful library in the Pantheon , whose collection of books I
myself built for Augustus . /
Kestos 18 of Julius Africanus