Doubtful Fragments
Fragment #1—Galen, de plac. Hipp. et Plat. i. 266: ‘And then it was Zeus took away sense from the heart of Athamas.’
Fragment #2—Scholiast on Homer, Od. vii. 104: ‘They grind the yellow grain at the mill.’
Fragment #3—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. ii. 1: ‘Then first in Delos did I and Homer, singers both, raise our strain—stitching song in new hymns—Phoebus Apollo with the golden sword, whom Leto bare.’
Fragment #4—Julian, Misopogon, p. 369: ‘But starvation on a handful is a cruel thing.’
Fragment #5—Servius on Vergil, Aen. iv. 484: Hesiod says that these Hesperides…daughters of Night, guarded the golden apples beyond Ocean: ‘Aegle and Erythea and ox-eyed Hesperethusa.’ 2401
Fragment #6—Plato, Republic, iii. 390 E: ‘Gifts move the gods, gifts move worshipful princes.’
Fragment #7—2402 Clement of Alexandria, Strom. v. p. 256: ‘On the seventh day again the bright light of the sun…’
Fragment #8—Apollonius, Lex. Hom.: ‘He brought pure water and mixed it with Ocean’s streams.’
Fragment #9—Stephanus of Byzantium: ‘Aspledon and Clymenus and god-like Amphidocus.’ (sons of Orchomenus).
Fragment #10—Scholiast on Pindar, Nem. iii. 64: ‘Telemon never sated with battle first brought light to our comrades by slaying blameless Melanippe, destroyer of men, own sister of the golden-girdled queen.’
The Homeric Hymns
I. To Dionysus 2501
(ll. 1–9) For some say, at Dracanum; and some, on windy Icarus; and some, in Naxos, O Heaven-born, Insewn 2502; and others by the deep-eddying river Alpheus that pregnant Semele bare you to Zeus the thunder-lover. And others yet, lord, say you were born in Thebes; but all these lie. The Father of men and gods gave you birth remote from men and secretly from white-armed Hera. There is a certain Nysa, a mountain most high and richly grown with woods, far off in Phoenice, near the streams of Aegyptus.
(ll. 10–12) ‘…and men will lay up for her 2503 many offerings in her shrines. And as these things are three 2504, so shall mortals ever sacrifice perfect hecatombs to you at your feasts each three years.’
(ll. 13–16) The Son of Cronos spoke and nodded with his dark brows. And the divine locks of the king flowed forward from his immortal head, and he made great Olympus reel. So spake wise Zeus and ordained it with a nod.
(ll. 17–21) Be favourable, O Insewn, Inspirer of frenzied women! we singers sing of you as we begin and as we end a strain, and none forgetting you may call holy song to mind. And so, farewell, Dionysus, Insewn, with your mother Semele whom men call Thyone.