41) On the Theogony. 



We have next the account often alluded to by later poets, when they 

 mention Hesiod, of the appearance of the muses to him, " ascrseas dum 

 sequeretur oves," while tending his flocks on the slopes of Helicon. We 

 are told how thev summoned him from this occupation^ which they describe 

 in no very complimentary terms : — 



TloijiivtQ aypanXoi, kcik tktyxta, yw^tpiq oiov 

 " Rustic shepherds, sad disgraces, mere gluttonous bel'ies." 

 And how they placed a laurel sceptre in his hands, and inspired him with 

 divine sonsj, charging him ever to begin and close every strain with their 

 own praises. In all this there is little poetical merit ; but one of the most 

 striking portions of the exordium immediately follows : — 



Tvvi], Movaatov ApX'^A**^") '"'" ^" Ilarpt 

 '\fiviv<rai TtQTTOvai fityav voov tvrog OXvinrov, 

 "Etpevaai to t eovra, ra t laaofiiva Trpo r' lovTtt, 

 ^o)vy 'o/ijjpEiKTaf Twj' S aKajiarog p££i avci) 

 Ek '^ojxaTiav ijSeia. T(\a Se rt CMfiara Ilarpof 

 Xijvog iQiydovTTOio, 9tav otti Xiipio^aay 

 ^KiSfafievy jjx" C£ Kapt] vi<poivTog OXv/nrov, 

 Aiofiara AGayartov. 'At c' afijiporov oaaav leiaai, 

 Qetov yivog aiSoiov vpioroi' kXiiovciv aoiSy, 

 Begin we from the muses — whose blest strains 

 Charm the vast soul of father Jove himself, 

 Within th' Olympian halls; the while they sing 

 In chauDts accordant ; forth their sweet voice flows. 

 And knows no languid pause, while all around 

 The mighty thunderer's heavenly palace smiles 

 Pervaded by those flowery-breathing sounds — 

 Olympus echoes through each snowy peak 

 Around th' immortal mansions, while they hymn 

 With voice ambrosial all the sacred race. 



The subject of their divine strains is then specified to be, in exact agreement 

 with that of Hesiod's own poem, first Uranus and Ge, (the deified essences 

 of heaven and earth) ; then the first race of gods descended from them j 

 and lastly, the secondary ccelestial dynasty of Jove, and the race of men 

 and giants. The descent of the muses from the embraces of Jupiter and 

 Memory is then recorded, and their names specified ; but we find little to 

 attract any particular i.otice, before the following striking description of 

 the gifts bestowed by Calliope, chief of all the muses, on those princes of 

 earth, whom she and her sisters honour: — 



H yap Kai fiaffiXtvaiv a[i aiSoioiiriv oTrjj^ei, 



Ovriva ri/t>jcrot)(n Aioq Kovpai fityaXoio. 



Ttivofievov T t(nS<i>ai diorpeiptoiv fiaaiXijiov, 



Tif) iitv em yXoxjay y\vKipi)v xe'Ot/(Tiv iip<Jt)V, 



Tod t!' £7re' ik (Jtojmtoq pn fitiXixa-' oi ds vv \aoi 



IlavTig IQ avTov optixn, diaKpivovTa St/itorac 



IBtiytJi SiKyaiv o d' a(J(pa\eiag ayoptviov, 



Aiipa TE Kai fieya vHKng tTntrraiievo/e Kamravac. 



