HYMN TO DELIAN APOLLO

ΕΙΣ ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΑ [ΔΗΛΙΟΝ]

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Introduction

Below is the Homeric hymn To Dílion (Δήλιον) Apóllôn (Απολλων) in ancient Greek and translated into English by Hugh G. Evelyn-White,1914.

The English translation remains exactly as originally published with the exception that the words God, Gods, Goddesses, etc. have been capitalized out of respect.

The recitation of this hymn is particularly appropriate at the Tharyília, the birthday of Apóllôn.

Download a printable PDF File: THE HOMERIC HYMN TO DÍLION APÓLLÔN


Εἲς Ἀπόλλωνα [Δήλιον]

μνήσομαι οὐδὲ λάθωμαι Ἀπόλλωνος ἑκάτοιο,

ὅντε θεοὶ κατὰ δῶμα Διὸς τρομέουσιν ἰόντα:

καί ῥά τ᾽ ἀναΐσσουσιν ἐπὶ σχεδὸν ἐρχομένοιο

πάντες ἀφ᾽ ἑδράων, ὅτε φαίδιμα τόξα τιταίνει.

Λητὼ δ᾽ οἴη μίμνε παραὶ Διὶ τερπικεραύνῳ, 5

ἥ ῥα βιόν τ᾽ ἐχάλασσε καὶ ἐκλήισσε φαρέτρην,

καί οἱ ἀπ᾽ ἰφθίμων ὤμων χείρεσσιν ἑλοῦσα

τόξα κατεκρέμασε πρὸς κίονα πατρὸς ἑοῖο

πασσάλου ἐκ χρυσέου: τὸν δ᾽ ἐς θρόνον εἷσεν ἄγουσα.

τῷ δ᾽ ἄρα νέκταρ ἔδωκε πατὴρ δέπαϊ χρυσείῳ 10

δεικνύμενος φίλον υἱόν: ἔπειτα δὲ δαίμονες ἄλλοι

ἔνθα καθίζουσιν: χαίρει δέ τε πότνια Λητώ,

οὕνεκα τοξοφόρον καὶ καρτερὸν υἱὸν ἔτικτε.

χαῖρε, μάκαιρ᾽ ὦ Λητοῖ, ἐπεὶ τέκες ἀγλαὰ τέκνα,

Ἀπόλλωνά τ᾽ ἄνακτα καὶ Ἄρτεμιν ἰοχέαιραν, 15

τὴν μὲν ἐν Ὀρτυγίῃ, τὸν δὲ κραναῇ ἐνὶ Δήλῳ,

κεκλιμένη πρὸς μακρὸν ὄρος καὶ Κύνθιον ὄχθον,

ἀγχοτάτω φοίνικος, ἐπ᾽ Ἰνωποῖο ῥεέθροις.

πῶς τ᾽ ἄρ σ᾽ ὑμνήσω πάντως εὔυμνον ἐόντα;

πάντη γάρ τοι, Φοῖβε, νόμοι βεβλήατ᾽ ἀοιδῆς, 20

ἠμὲν ἀν᾽ ἤπειρον πορτιτρόφον ἠδ᾽ ἀνὰ νήσους:

πᾶσαι δὲ σκοπιαί τοι ἅδον καὶ πρώονες ἄκροι

ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων ποταμοί θ᾽ ἅλαδε προρέοντες

ἀκταί τ᾽ εἰς ἅλα κεκλιμέναι λιμένες τε θαλάσσης.

ἦ ὥς σε πρῶτον Λητὼ τέκε, χάρμα βροτοῖσι, 25

κλινθεῖσα πρὸς Κύνθου ὄρος κραναῇ ἐνὶ νήσῳ,

Δήλῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ; ἑκάτερθε δὲ κῦμα κελαινὸν

ἐξῄει χέρσονδε λιγυπνοίοις ἀνέμοισιν,

ἔνθεν ἀπορνύμενος πᾶσι θνητοῖσιν ἀνάσσεις.

ὅσσους Κρήτη τ᾽ ἐντὸς ἔχει καὶ δῆμος Ἀθηνῶν 30

νῆσός τ᾽ Αἰγίνη ναυσικλειτή τ᾽ Εὔβοια,

Αἰγαί, Πειρεσίαι τε καὶ ἀγχιάλη Πεπάρηθος

Θρηίκιός τ᾽ Ἀθόως καὶ Πηλίου ἄκρα κάρηνα

Θρηικίη τε Σάμος Ἴδης τ᾽ ὄρεα σκιόεντα,

Σκῦρος καὶ Φώκαια καὶ Αὐτοκάνης ὄρος αἰπύ, 35

Ἴμβρος τ᾽ εὐκτιμένη καὶ Λῆμνος ἀμιχθαλόεσσα

Λέσβος τ᾽ ἠγαθέη, Μάκαρος ἕδος Αἰολίωνος,

καὶ Χίος, ἣ νήσων λιπαρωτάτη εἰν ἁλὶ κεῖται,

παιπαλόεις τε Μίμας καὶ Κωρύκου ἄκρα κάρηνα

καὶ Κλάρος αἰγλήεσσα καὶ Αἰσαγέης ὄρος αἰπὺ 40

καὶ Σάμος ὑδρηλὴ Μυκάλης τ᾽ αἰπεινὰ κάρηνα

Μίλητός τε Κόως τε, πόλις Μερόπων ἀνθρώπων,

καὶ Κνίδος αἰπεινὴ καὶ Κάρπαθος ἠνεμόεσσα

Νάξος τ᾽ ἠδὲ Πάρος Ῥήναιά τε πετρήεσσα,

τόσσον ἔπ᾽ ὠδίνουσα Ἑκηβόλον ἵκετο Λητώ, 45

εἴ τίς οἱ γαιέων υἱεῖ θέλοι οἰκία θέσθαι.

αἳ δὲ μάλ᾽ ἐτρόμεον καὶ ἐδείδισαν, οὐδέ τις ἔτλη

Φοῖβον δέξασθαι, καὶ πιοτέρη περ ἐοῦσα:

πρίν γ᾽ ὅτε δή ῥ᾽ ἐπὶ Δήλου ἐβήσατο πότνια Λητὼ

καί μιν ἀνειρομένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα: 50

δῆλ᾽, εἰ γάρ κ᾽ ἐθέλοις ἕδος ἔμμεναι υἷος ἐμοῖο,

Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος, θέσθαι τ᾽ ἔνι πίονα νηόν, —

ἄλλος δ᾽ οὔτις σεῖό ποθ᾽ ἅψεται, οὐδέ σε λήσει:

οὐδ᾽ εὔβων σέ γ᾽ ἔσεσθαι ὀίομαι οὔτ᾽ εὔμηλον,

οὐδὲ τρύγην οἴσεις οὔτ᾽ ἂρ φυτὰ μυρία φύσεις. 55

εἰ δέ κ᾽ Ἀπόλλωνος ἑκαέργου νηὸν ἔχῃσθα,

ἄνθρωποί τοι πάντες ἀγινήσουσ᾽ ἑκατόμβας

ἐνθάδ᾽ ἀγειρόμενοι, κνίσση δέ τοι ἄσπετος αἰεὶ

δημοῦ ἀναΐξει βοσκήσεις θ᾽ οἵ κέ σ᾽ ἔχωσι

χειρὸς ἀπ᾽ ἀλλοτρίης, ἐπεὶ οὔ τοι πῖαρ ὑπ᾽ οὖδας. 60

ὣς φάτο: χαῖρε δὲ Δῆλος, ἀμειβομένη δὲ προσηύδα:

Λητοῖ, κυδίστη θύγατερ μεγάλου Κοίοιο,

ἀσπασίη κεν ἐγώ γε γονὴν ἑκάτοιο ἄνακτος

δεξαίμην: αἰνῶς γὰρ ἐτήτυμόν εἰμι δυσηχὴς

ἀνδράσιν: ὧδε δέ κεν περιτιμήεσσα γενοίμην. 65

ἀλλὰ τόδε τρομέω, Λητοῖ, ἔπος, οὐδέ σε κεύσω:

λίην γάρ τινά φασιν ἀτάσθαλον Ἀπόλλωνα

ἔσσεσθαι, μέγα δὲ πρυτανευσέμεν ἀθανάτοισι

καὶ θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσιν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν.

τῷ ῥ᾽ αἰνῶς δείδοικα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν, 70

μή, ὁπότ᾽ ἂν τὸ πρῶτον ἴδῃ φάος ἠελίοιο,

νῆσον ἀτιμήσας, ἐπεὶ ἦ κραναήπεδός εἰμι,

ποσσὶ καταστρέψας ὤσῃ ἁλὸς ἐν πελάγεσσιν,

ἔνθ᾽ ἐμὲ μὲν μέγα κῦμα κατὰ κρατὸς ἅλις αἰεὶ

κλύσσει: ὃ δ᾽ ἄλλην γαῖαν ἀφίξεται, ἥ κεν ἅδῃ οἱ, 75

τεύξασθαι νηόν τε καὶ ἄλσεα δενδρήεντα:

πουλύποδες δ᾽ ἐν ἐμοὶ θαλάμας φῶκαί τε μέλαιναι

οἰκία ποιήσονται ἀκηδέα, χήτεϊ λαῶν.

ἀλλ᾽ εἴ μοι τλαίης γε, θεά, μέγαν ὅρκον ὀμόσσαι,

ἐνθάδε μιν πρῶτον τεύξειν περικαλλέα νηὸν 80

ἔμμεναι ἀνθρώπων χρηστήριον, αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα

[τεύξασθαι νηούς τε καὶ ἄλσεα δενδρηέντα]

πάντας ἐπ᾽ ἀνθρώπους, ἐπεὶ ἦ πολυώνυμος ἔσται.

ὣς ἄρ ἔφη: Λητὼ δὲ θεῶν μέγαν ὅρκον ὄμοσσε:

ἴστω νῦν τάδε Γαῖα καὶ Οὐρανὸς εὐρὺς ὕπερθεν

καὶ τὸ κατειβόμενον Στυγὸς ὕδωρ, ὅστε μέγιστος 85

ὅρκος δεινότατός τε πέλει μακάρεσσι θεοῖσιν:

ἦ μὴν Φοίβου τῇδε θυώδης ἔσσεται αἰεὶ

βωμὸς καὶ τέμενος, τίσει δέ σέ γ᾽ ἔξοχα πάντων.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ᾽ ὄμοσέν τε τελεύτησέν τε τὸν ὅρκον,

Δῆλος μὲν μάλα χαῖρε γονῇ ἑκάτοιο ἄνακτος: 90

Λητὼ δ᾽ ἐννῆμάρ τε καὶ ἐννέα νύκτας ἀέλπτοις

ὠδίνεσσι πέπαρτο. θεαὶ δ᾽ ἔσαν ἔνδοθι πᾶσαι,

ὅσσαι ἄρισται ἔασι, Διώνη τε Ῥείη τε

Ἰχναίη τε Θέμις καὶ ἀγάστονος Ἀμφιτρίτη

ἄλλαι τ᾽ ἀθάναται νόσφιν λευκωλένου Ἥρης: 95

ἧστο γὰρ ἐν μεγάροισι Διὸς νεφεληγερέταο:

μούνη δ᾽ οὐκ ἐπέπυστο μογοστόκος Εἰλείθυια:

ἧστο γὰρ ἄκρῳ Ὀλύμπῳ ὑπὸ χρυσέοισι νέφεσσιν,

Ἥρης φραδμοσύνης λευκωλένου, ἥ μιν ἔρυκε

ζηλοσύνῃ, ὅτ᾽ ἄρ᾽ υἱὸν ἀμύμονά τε κρατερόν τε 100

Λητὼ τέξεσθαι καλλιπλόκαμος τότ᾽ ἔμελλεν.

αἳ δ᾽ Ἶριν προὔπεμψαν ἐυκτιμένης ἀπὸ νήσου,

ἀξέμεν Εἰλείθυιαν, ὑποσχόμεναι μέγαν ὅρμον,

χρυσείοισι λίνοισιν ἐερμένον, ἐννεάπηχυν:

νόσφιν δ᾽ ἤνωγον καλέειν λευκωλένου Ἥρης, 105

νή μιν ἔπειτ᾽ ἐπέεσσιν ἀποστρέψειεν ἰοῦσαν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ τό γ᾽ ἄκουσε ποδήνεμος ὠκέα Ἶρις,

βῆ ῥα θέειν, ταχέως δὲ διήνυσε πᾶν τὸ μεσηγύ.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ᾽ ἵκανε θεῶν ἕδος, αἰπὺν Ὄλυμπον,

αὐτίκ᾽ ἄρ᾽ Εἰλείθυιαν ἀπὲκ μεγάροιο θύραζε 110

ἐκπροκαλεσσαμένη ἔπεα πτερόεντα προσηύδα,

πάντα μάλ᾽, ὡς ἐπέτελλον Ὀλύμπια δώματ᾽ ἔχουσαι.

τῇ δ᾽ ἄρα θυμὸν ἔπειθεν ἐνὶ στήθεσσι φίλοισι:

βὰν δὲ ποσὶ τρήρωσι πελειάσιν ἴθμαθ᾽ ὁμοῖαι.

εὖτ᾽ ἐπὶ Δήλου ἔβαινε μογοστόκος Εἰλείθυια, 115

δὴ τότε τὴν τόκος εἷλε, μενοίνησεν δὲ τεκέσθαι.

ἀμφὶ δὲ φοίνικι βάλε πήχεε, γοῦνα δ᾽ ἔρεισε

λειμῶνι μαλακῷ: μείδησε δὲ γαῖ᾽ ὑπένερθεν:

ἐκ δ᾽ ἔθορε πρὸ φόωσδε: θεαὶ δ᾽ ὀλόλυξαν ἅπασαι.

ἔνθα σέ, ἤιε Φοῖβε, θεαὶ λόον ὕδατι καλῷ 120

ἁγνῶς καὶ καθαρῶς, σπάρξαν δ᾽ ἐν φάρεϊ λευκῷ,

λεπτῷ, νηγατέῳ: περὶ δὲ χρύσεον στρόφον ἧκαν.

οὐδ᾽ ἄρ᾽ Ἀπόλλωνα χρυσάορα θήσατο μήτηρ,

ἀλλὰ Θέμις νέκταρ τε καὶ ἀμβροσίην ἐρατεινὴν

ἀθανάτῃσιν χερσὶν ἐπήρξατο: χαῖρε δὲ Λητώ, 125

οὕνεκα τοξοφόρον καὶ καρτερὸν υἱὸν ἔτικτεν.

αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δή, Φοῖβε, κατέβρως ἄμβροτον εἶδαρ,

οὔ σέ γ᾽ ἔπειτ᾽ ἴσχον χρύσεοι στρόφοι ἀσπαίροντα,

οὐδ᾽ ἔτι δέσματ᾽ ἔρυκε, λύοντο δὲ πείρατα πάντα.

αὐτίκα δ᾽ ἀθανάτῃσι μετηύδα Φοῖβος Ἀπόλλων: 130

εἴη μοι κίθαρίς τε φίλη καὶ καμπύλα τόξα,

χρήσω δ᾽ ἀνθρώποισι Διὸς νημερτέα βουλήν.'

ὣς εἰπὼν ἐβίβασκεν ἐπὶ χθονὸς εὐρυοδείης

Φοῖβος ἀκερσεκόμης, ἑκατηβόλος: αἳ δ᾽ ἄρα πᾶσαι

θάμβεον ἀθάναται: χρυσῷ δ᾽ ἄρα Δῆλος ἅπασα 135

[βεβρίθει, καθορῶσα Διὸς Λητοὺς τε γενέθλην,

γηθοσύνῃ, ὅτι μιν θεὸς εἵλετο οἰκία θέσθαι

νήσων ἠπείρου τε, φίλησε δὲ κηρόθι μᾶλλον.]

ἤνθησ᾽, ὡς ὅτε τε ῥίον οὔρεος ἄνθεσιν ὕλης.

αὐτὸς δ᾽, ἀργυρότοξε, ἄναξ ἑκατηβόλ᾽ Ἄπολλον, 140

ἄλλοτε μέν τ᾽ ἐπὶ Κύνθου ἐβήσαο παιπαλόεντος,

ἄλλοτε δ᾽ ἂν νήσους τε καὶ ἀνέρας ἠλάσκαζες.

πολλοί τοι νηοί τε καὶ ἄλσεα δενδρήεντα:

πᾶσαι δὲ σκοπιαί τε φίλαι καὶ πρώονες ἄκροι

ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων ποταμοί θ᾽ ἅλαδε προρέοντες: 145

ἀλλὰ σὺ Δήλῳ, Φοῖβε, μάλιστ᾽ ἐπιτέρπεαι ἦτορ,

ἔνθα τοι ἑλκεχίτωνες Ἰάονες ἠγερέθονται

αὐτοῖς σὺν παίδεσσι καὶ αἰδοίῃς ἀλόχοισιν.

οἱ δέ σε πυγμαχίῃ τε καὶ ὀρχηθμῷ καὶ ἀοιδῇ

μνησάμενοι τέρπουσιν, ὅτ᾽ ἄν στήσωνται ἀγῶνα. 150

φαίη κ᾽ ἀθανάτους καὶ ἀγήρως ἔμμεναι αἰεί,

ὃς τόθ᾽ ὑπαντιάσει᾽, ὅτ᾽ Ἰάονες ἀθρόοι εἶεν:

πάντων γάρ κεν ἴδοιτο χάριν, τέρψαιτο δὲ θυμὸν

ἄνδρας τ᾽ εἰσορόων καλλιζώνους τε γυναῖκας

νῆάς τ᾽ ὠκείας ἠδ᾽ αὐτῶν κτήματα πολλά. 155

πρὸς δὲ τόδε μέγα θαῦμα, ὅου κλέος οὔποτ᾽ ὀλεῖται,

κοῦραι Δηλιάδες, ἑκατηβελέταο θεράπναι:

αἵ τ᾽ ἐπεὶ ἂρ πρῶτον μὲν Ἀπόλλων᾽ ὑμνήσωσιν,

αὖτις δ᾽ αὖ Λητώ τε καὶ Ἄρτεμιν ἰοχέαιραν,

μνησάμεναι ἀνδρῶν τε παλαιῶν ἠδὲ γυναικῶν 160

ὕμνον ἀείδουσιν, θέλγουσι δὲ φῦλ᾽ ἀνθρώπων.

πάντων δ᾽ ἀνθρώπων φωνὰς καὶ βαμβαλιαστὺν

μιμεῖσθ᾽ ἴσασιν: φαίη δέ κεν αὐτὸς ἕκαστος

φθέγγεσθ᾽: οὕτω σφιν καλὴ συνάρηρεν ἀοιδή.

ἀλλ᾽ ἄγεθ᾽ ἱλήκοι μὲν Ἀπόλλων Ἀρτέμιδιξύν, 165

χαίρετε δ᾽ ὑμεῖς πᾶσαι: ἐμεῖο δὲ καὶ μετόπισθεν

μνήσασθ᾽, ὁππότε κέν τις ἐπιχθονίων ἀνθρώπων

ἐθάδ᾽ ἁνείρηται ξεῖνος ταλαπείριος ἐλθών:

ὦ κοῦραι, τίς δ᾽ ὔμμιν ἀνὴρ ἥδιστος ἀοιδῶν

ἐνθάδε πωλεῖται, καὶ τέῳ τέρπεσθε μάλιστα; 170

ὑμεῖς δ᾽ εὖ μάλα πᾶσαι ὑποκρίνασθαι ἀφήμως:

τυφλὸς ἀνήρ, οἰκεῖ δὲ Χίῳ ἔνι παιπαλοέσσῃ

τοῦ μᾶσαι μετόπισθεν ἀριστεύσουσιν ἀοιδαί.

ἡμεῖς δ᾽ ὑμέτερον κλέος οἴσομεν, ὅσσον ἐπ᾽ αἶαν

ἀνθρώπων στρεφόμεσθα πόλεις εὖ ναιεταώσας: 175

οἳ δ᾽ ἐπὶ δὴ πείσονται, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐτήτυμόν ἐστιν.

αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν οὐ λήξω ἑκηβόλον Ἀπόλλωνα

ὑμνέων ἀργυρότοξον, ὃν ἠύκομος τέκε Λητώ.

TO DÍLION APÓLLÔN

[1] I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollo who shoots afar. As he goes through the house of Zeus, the Gods tremble before him and all spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his bright bow. But Leto alone stays by the side of Zeus who delights in thunder; and then she unstrings his bow, and closes his quiver, and takes his archery from his strong shoulders in her hands and hangs them on a golden peg against a pillar of his father's house. Then she leads him to a seat and makes him sit: and the Father gives him nectar in a golden cup welcoming his dear son, while the other Gods make him sit down there, and queenly Leto rejoices because she bare a mighty son and an archer. Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you bare glorious children, the lord Apollo and Artemis who delights in arrows; her in Ortygia, and him in rocky Delos, as you rested against the great mass of the Cynthian hill hard by a palm-tree by the streams of Inopus.

[19] How, then, shall I sing of you who in all ways are a worthy theme of song? For everywhere, O Phoebus, the whole range of song is fallen to you, both over the mainland that rears heifers and over the isles. All mountain-peaks and high headlands of lofty hills and rivers flowing out to the deep and beaches sloping seawards and havens of the sea are your delight. Shall I sing how at the first Leto bare you to be the joy of men, as she rested against Mount Cynthus in that rocky isle, in sea-girt Delos--while on either hand a dark wave rolled on landwards driven by shrill winds--whence arising you rule over all mortal men?

[30] Among those who are in Crete, and in the township of Athens, and in the isle of Aegina and Euboea, famous for ships, in Aegae and Eiresiae and Peparethus near the sea, in Thracian Athos and Pelion's towering heights and Thracian Samos and the shady hills of Ida, in Scyros and Phocaea and the high hill of Autocane and fair-lying Imbros and smouldering Lemnos and rich Lesbos, home of Macar, the son of Aeolus, and Chios, brightest of all the isles that lie in the sea, and craggy Mimas and the heights of Corycus and gleaming Claros and the sheer hill of Aesagea and watered Samos and the steep heights of Mycale, in Miletus and Cos, the city of Meropian men, and steep Cnidos and windy Carpathos, in Naxos and Paros and rocky Rhenaea--so far roamed Leto in travail with the God who shoots afar, to see if any land would be willing to make a dwelling for her son. But they greatly trembled and feared, and none, not even the richest of them, dared receive Phoebus, until queenly Leto set foot on Delos and uttered winged words and asked her:

[51] "Delos, if you would be willing to be the abode of my son Phoebus Apollo and make him a rich temple--; for no other will touch you, as you will find: and I think you will never be rich in oxen and sheep, nor bear vintage nor yet produce plants abundantly. But if you have the temple of far-shooting Apollo, all men will bring you hecatombs and gather here, and incessant savour of rich sacrifice will always arise, and you will feed those who dwell in you from the hand of strangers; for truly your own soil is not rich."

[62] So spake Leto. And Delos rejoiced and answered and said: "Leto, most glorious daughter of great Coeus, joyfully would I receive your child the far-shooting lord; for it is all too true that I am ill-spoken of among men, whereas thus I should become very greatly honoured. But this saying I fear, and I will not hide it from you, Leto. They say that Apollo will be one that is very haughty and will greatly lord it among Gods and men all over the fruitful earth. Therefore, I greatly fear in heart and spirit that as soon as he sees the light of the sun, he will scorn this island--for truly I have but a hard, rocky soil--and overturn me and thrust me down with his feet in the depths of the sea; then will the great ocean wash deep above my head for ever, and he will go to another land such as will please him, there to make his temple and wooded groves. So, many-footed creatures of the sea will make their lairs in me and black seals their dwellings undisturbed, because I lack people. Yet if you will but dare to sware a great oath, Goddess, that here first he will build a glorious temple to be an oracle for men, then let him afterwards make temples and wooded groves amongst all men; for surely he will be greatly renowned."

[83] So said Delos. And Leto sware the great oath of the Gods: "Now hear this, Earth and wide Heaven above, and dropping water of Styx (this is the strongest and most awful oath for the blessed Gods), surely Phoebus shall have here his fragrant altar and precinct, and you he shall honour above all."

[89] Now when Leto had sworn and ended her oath, Delos was very glad at the birth of the far-shooting lord. But Leto was racked nine days and nine nights with pangs beyond wont. And there were with her all the chiefest of the Goddesses, Dione and Rhea and Ichnaea and Themis and loud-moaning Amphitrite and the other deathless Goddesses save white-armed Hera, who sat in the halls of cloud-gathering Zeus. Only Eilithyia, Goddess of sore travail, had not heard of Leto's trouble, for she sat on the top of Olympus beneath golden clouds by white-armed Hera's contriving, who kept her close through envy, because Leto with the lovely tresses was soon to bear a son faultless and strong.

[102] But the Goddesses sent out Iris from the well-set isle to bring Eilithyia, promising her a great necklace strung with golden threads, nine cubits long. And they bade Iris call her aside from white-armed Hera, lest she might afterwards turn her from coming with her words. When swift Iris, fleet of foot as the wind, had heard all this, she set to run; and quickly finishing all the distance she came to the home of the Gods, sheer Olympus, and forthwith called Eilithyia out from the hall to the door and spoke winged words to her, telling her all as the Goddesses who dwell on Olympus had bidden her. So she moved the heart of Eilithyia in her dear breast; and they went their way, like shy wild-doves in their going.

[115] And as soon as Eilithyia the Goddess of sore travail set foot on Delos, the pains of birth seized Leto, and she longed to bring forth; so she cast her arms about a palm tree and kneeled on the soft meadow while the earth laughed for joy beneath. Then the child leaped forth to the light, and all the Goddesses washed you purely and cleanly with sweet water, and swathed you in a white garment of fine texture, new-woven, and fastened a golden band about you.

[123] Now Leto did not give Apollo, bearer of the golden blade, her breast; but Themis duly poured nectar and ambrosia with her divine hands: and Leto was glad because she had borne a strong son and an archer. But as soon as you had tasted that divine heavenly food, O Phoebus, you could no longer then be held by golden cords nor confined with bands, but all their ends were undone. Forthwith Phoebus Apollo spoke out among the deathless Goddesses: "The lyre and the curved bow shall ever be dear to me, and I will declare to men the unfailing will of Zeus."

[133] So said Phoebus, the long-haired God who shoots afar and began to walk upon the wide-pathed earth; and all the Goddesses were amazed at him. Then with gold all Delos was laden, beholding the child of Zeus and Leto, for joy because the God chose her above the islands and shore to make his dwelling in her: and she loved him yet more in her heart, and blossomed as does a mountain-top with woodland flowers.

[140] And you, O lord Apollo, God of the silver bow, shooting afar, now walked on craggy Cynthus, and now kept wandering about the island and the people in them. Many are your temples and wooded groves, and all peaks and towering bluffs of lofty mountains and rivers flowing to the sea are dear to you, Phoebus, yet in Delos do you most delight your heart; for there the long robed Ionians gather in your honour with their children and shy wives: mindful, they delight you with boxing and dancing and song, so often as they hold their gathering. A man would say that they were deathless and unageing if he should then come upon the Ionians so met together. For he would see the graces of them all, and would be pleased in heart gazing at the men and well-girded women with their swift ships and great wealth. And there is this great wonder besides--and its renown shall never perish--the girls of Delos, hand-maidens of the Far-shooter; for when they have praised Apollo first, and also Leto and Artemis who delights in arrows, they sing a strain-telling of men and women of past days, and charm the tribes of men. Also they can imitate the tongues of all men and their clattering speech: each would say that he himself were singing, so close to truth is their sweet song.

[165] And now may Apollo be favourable and Artemis; and farewell all you maidens. Remember me in after time whenever any one of men on earth, a stranger who has seen and suffered much, comes here and asks of you: "Whom think ye, girls, is the sweetest singer that comes here, and in whom do you most delight?" Then answer, each and all, with one voice: "He is a blind man, and dwells in rocky Chios: his lays are evermore supreme." As for me, I will carry your renown as far as I roam over the earth to the well-placed this thing is true. And I will never cease to praise far-shooting Apollo, God of the silver bow, whom rich-haired Leto bare.

The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Theogony.

We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

Introduction to the Thæí (the Gods): The Nature of the Gods.

This logo is the principal symbol of this website. It is called the CESS logo, i.e. the Children of the Earth and the Starry Sky. The Pætilía (Petelia, Πετηλία) and other golden tablets having this phrase (Γῆς παῖς εἰμί καὶ Οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος) are the inspiration for the symbol. The image represents this idea: Earth (divisible substance) and the Sky (continuous substance) are the two kozmogonic substances. The twelve stars represent the Natural Laws, the dominions of the Olympian Gods. In front of these symbols is the seven-stringed kithára (cithara, κιθάρα), the lyre of Apóllôn (Apollo, Ἀπόλλων). It (here) represents the bond between Gods and mortals and is representative that we are the children of Orphéfs (Orpheus, Ὀρφεύς).

PLEASE NOTE: Throughout the pages of this website, you will find fascinating stories about our Gods. These narratives are known as mythology, the traditional stories of the Gods and Heroes. While these tales are great mystical vehicles containing transcendent truth, they are symbolic and should not be taken literally. A literal reading will frequently yield an erroneous result. The meaning of the myths is concealed in code. To understand them requires a key. For instance, when a God kills someone, this usually means a transformation of the soul to a higher level. Similarly, sexual union with a God is a transformation.

The story of the birth of the Gods: Orphic Theogony.

We know the various qualities and characteristics of the Gods based on metaphorical stories: Mythology.

Dictionary of terms related to ancient Greek mythology: Glossary of Hellenic Mythology.

SPELLING: HellenicGods.org uses the Reuchlinian method of pronouncing ancient Greek, the system preferred by scholars from Greece itself. An approach was developed to enable the student to easily approximate the Greek words. Consequently, the way we spell words is unique, as this method of transliteration is exclusive to this website. For more information, visit these three pages:

Pronunciation of Ancient Greek

Transliteration of Ancient Greek

Pronouncing the Names of the Gods in Hellenismos

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