Hesiod, Works and Days 646-62

Show notes

εὖτ’ ἂν ἐπ’ ἐμπορίην τρέψας ἀεσίφρονα θυμὸν 646
βούληαι {δὲ} βουλήαι Spohn: βούλεαι δὲ mss. χρέα τε προφυγεῖν καὶ λιμὸν ἀτερπέα,
δείξω δή τοι μέτρα πολυφλοίσβοιο θαλάσσης,
οὔτε τι ναυτιλίης σεσοφισμένος οὔτε τι νηῶν.
οὐ γάρ πώ ποτε νηί γ’ ἐπέπλων εὐρέα πόντον In a lemma for this verse, Proclus says that Plutarch rejected the lines about the contest as an interpolation and began again at 663. See Scholion to Works and Days 650-662 Pertusi. The scholion also mentions an athetesis of 10 lines (probably 650-661), which West and Pertusi consider Hellenistic., 650
εἰ μὴ ἐς Εὔβοιαν ἐξ Αὐλίδος, ἧι ποτ’ Ἀχαιοὶ
μείναντες χειμῶνα πολὺν σὺν λαὸν ἄγειραν
Ἑλλάδος ἐξ ἱερῆς Τροίην ἐς καλλιγύναικα.
ἔνθα δ’ ἐγὼν ἐπ’ ἄεθλα δαΐφρονος Ἀμφιδάμαντος
Χαλκίδα τ’ εἰσεπέρησα· τὰ δὲ προπεφραδμένα πολλὰ 655
ἆθλ’ ἔθεσαν παῖδες μεγαλήτορος μεγαλήτορος mss: μεγαλήτορες corr. Byz.· ἔνθα μέ φημι
ὕμνωι νικήσαντα φέρειν τρίποδ’ ὠτώεντα See Scholion to Works and Days 657a, p. 206 Pertusi.
τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ Μούσηις Ἑλικωνιάδεσσ’ ἀνέθηκα,
ἔνθα με τὸ πρῶτον λιγυρῆς ἐπέβησαν ἀοιδῆς.
τόσσον τοι νηῶν γε πεπείρημαι πολυγόμφων· 660
ἀλλὰ καὶ ὣς ἐρέω Ζηνὸς νόον αἰγιόχοιο·
Μοῦσαι γάρ μ’ἐδίδαξαν ἀθέσφατον ὕμνον ἀείδειν.

Whenever by turning your witless mind to trade, you wish to escape your debts and joyless hunger, I will reveal to you the measure of the loud-roaring sea, although I have no expertise in sailing, nor in ships; for I have never sailed over the broad sea in a ship (650), except to Euboea from Aulis, where once the Achaeans, waiting out the stormy weather, gathered a great host from sacred Hellas for their expedition to Troy of the lovely women. There I crossed over to Chalcis for the funeral games of the warrior Amphidamus the great-hearted, whose sons had announced and set up many prizes in advance. There, I say, having been victorious in song, I carried off a tripod with handles. I dedicated it to the Muses of Helicon, at the place where they first set me on the path of clear song. So much experience have I of bolted ships (660). But even so, I will tell you the mind of aegis-bearing Zeus, for the Muses taught me how to sing my song without limits.

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