hesiod, the homeric hymns, and homerica-第62章

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‘The　Isle　of　Ios　is　your　mother's　country　and　it　shall　receive　you　dead；　but　beware　of　the　riddle　of　the　young　children。'　（1）

Hearing　this；　it　is　said；　he　hesitated　to　go　to　Ios；　and　remained　in　the　region　where　he　was。　　Now　about　the　same　time　Ganyctor　was　celebrating　the　funeral　rites　of　his　father　Amphidamas；　king　of　Euboea；　and　invited　to　the　gathering　not　only　all　those　who　were　famous　for　bodily　strength　and　fleetness　of　foot；　but　also　those　who　excelled　in　wit；　promising　them　great　rewards。　　And　so；　as　the　story　goes；　the　two　went　to　Chalcis　and　met　by　chance。　　The　leading　Chalcidians　were　judges　together　with　Paneides；　the　brother　of　the　dead　king；　and　it　is　said　that　after　a　wonderful　contest　between　the　two　poets；　Hesiod　won　in　the　following　manner：　he　came　forward　into　the　midst　and　put　Homer　one　question　after　another；　which　Homer　answered。　　Hesiod；　then；　began：

‘Homer；　son　of　Meles；　inspired　with　wisdom　from　heaven；　come；　tell　me　first　what　is　best　for　mortal　man？'

HOMER：　‘For　men　on　earth　'tis　best　never　to　be　born　at　all；　or　being　born；　to　pass　through　the　gates　of　Hades　with　all　speed。'

Hesiod　then　asked　again：

‘Come；　tell　me　now　this　also；　godlike　Homer：　what　think　you　in　your　heart　is　most　delightsome　to　men？'

Homer　answered：

‘When　mirth　reigns　throughout　the　town；　and　feasters　about　the　house；　sitting　in　order；　listen　to　a　minstrel；　when　the　tables　beside　them　are　laden　with　bread　and　meat；　and　a　wine…bearer　draws　sweet　drink　from　the　mixing…bowl　and　fills　the　cups：　this　I　think　in　my　heart　to　be　most　delightsome。'

It　is　said　that　when　Homer　had　recited　these　verses；　they　were　so　admired　by　the　Greeks　as　to　be　called　golden　by　them；　and　that　even　now　at　public　sacrifices　all　the　guests　solemnly　recite　them　before　feasts　and　libations。　　Hesiod；　however；　was　annoyed　by　Homer's　felicity　and　hurried　on　to　pose　him　with　hard　questions。　　He　therefore　began　with　the　following　lines：

‘Come；　Muse；　sing　not　to　me　of　things　that　are；　or　that　shall　be；　or　that　were　of　old；　but　think　of　another　song。'

Then　Homer；　wishing　to　escape　from　the　impasse　by　an　apt　answer；　replied：　

‘Never　shall　horses　with　clattering　hoofs　break　chariots；　striving　for　victory　about　the　tomb　of　Zeus。'

Here　again　Homer　had　fairly　met　Hesiod；　and　so　the　latter　turned　to　sentences　of　doubtful　meaning　（2）：　he　recited　many　lines　and　required　Homer　to　complete　the　sense　of　each　appropriately。　　The　first　of　the　following　verses　is　Hesiod's　and　the　next　Homer's：　but　sometimes　Hesiod　puts　his　question　in　two　lines。

HESIOD：　‘Then　they　dined　on　the　flesh　of　oxen　and　their　horses'　necks　'

HOMER：　‘They　unyoked　dripping　with　sweat；　when　they　had　had　enough　of　war。'

HESIOD：　‘And　the　Phrygians；　who　of　all　men　are　handiest　at　ships　'

HOMER：　‘To　filch　their　dinner　from　pirates　on　the　beach。'

HESIOD：　‘To　shoot　forth　arrows　against　the　tribes　of　cursed　giants　with　his　hands　'

HOMER：　‘Heracles　unslung　his　curved　bow　from　his　shoulders。'

HESIOD：　‘This　man　is　the　son　of　a　brave　father　and　a　weakling　'

HOMER：　‘Mother；　for　war　is　too　stern　for　any　woman。'

HESIOD：　‘But　for　you；　your　father　and　lady　mother　lay　in　love　'

HOMER：　‘When　they　begot　you　by　the　aid　of　golden　Aphrodite。'

HESIOD：　‘But　when　she　had　been　made　subject　in　love；　Artemis；　who　delights　in　arrows　'

HOMER：　‘Slew　Callisto　with　a　shot　of　her　silver　bow。'

HESIOD：　‘So　they　feasted　all　day　long；　taking　nothing　'

HOMER：　‘From　their　own　houses；　for　Agamemnon；　king　of　men；　supplied　them。'

HESIOD：　‘When　they　had　feasted；　they　gathered　among　the　glowing　ashes　the　bones　of　the　dead　Zeus　'

HOMER：　‘Born　Sarpedon；　that　bold　and　godlike　man。'

HESIOD：　‘Now　we　have　lingered　thus　about　the　plain　of　Simois；　forth　from　the　ships　let　us　go　our　way；　upon　our　shoulders　'

HOMER：　‘Having　our　hilted　swords　and　long…helved　spears。'

HESIOD：　‘Then　the　young　heroes　with　their　hands　from　the　sea　'

HOMER：　‘Gladly　and　swiftly　hauled　out　their　fleet　ship。'

HESIOD：　‘Then　they　came　to　Colchis　and　king　Aeetes　'

HOMER：　‘They　avoided；　for　they　knew　he　was　inhospitable　and　lawless。'

HESIOD：　‘Now　when　they　had　poured　libations　and　deeply　drunk；　the　surging　sea　'

HOMER：　‘They　were　minded　to　traverse　on　well…built　ships。'

HESIOD：　‘The　Son　of　Atreus　prayed　greatly　for　them　that　they　all　might　perish　'

HOMER：　‘At　no　time　in　the　sea：　and　he　opened　his　mouth　said：'

HESIOD：　‘Eat；　my　guests；　and　drink；　and　may　no　one　of　you　return　home　to　his　dear　country　'

HOMER：　‘Distressed；　but　may　you　all　reach　home　again　unscathed。'

When　Homer　had　met　him　fairly　on　every　point　Hesiod　said：

‘Only　tell　me　this　thing　that　I　ask：　How　many　Achaeans　went　to　Ilium　with　the　sons　of　Atreus？'

Homer　answered　in　a　mathematical　problem；　thus：

‘There　were　fifty　hearths；　and　at　each　hearth　were　fifty　spits；　and　on　each　spit　were　fifty　carcases；　and　there　were　thrice　three　hundred　Achaeans　to　each　joint。'

This　is　found　to　be　an　incredible　number；　for　as　there　were　fifty　hearths；　the　number　of　spits　is　two　thousand　five　hundred；　and　of　carcasses；　one　hundred　and　twenty　thousand。。。

Homer；　then；　having　the　advantage　on　every　point；　Hesiod　was　jealous　and　began　again：

‘Homer；　son　of　Meles；　if　indeed　the　Muses；　daughters　of　great　Zeus　the　most　high；　honour　you　as　it　is　said；　tell　me　a　standard　that　is　both　best　and　worst　for　mortal…men；　for　I　long　to　know　it。'　　Homer　replied：　‘Hesiod；　son　of　Dius；　I　am　willing　to　tell　you　what　you　command；　and　very　readily　will　I　answer　you。　　For　each　man　to　be　a　standard　will　I　answer　you。　　For　each　man　to　be　a　standard　to　himself　is　most　excellent　for　the　good；　but　for　the　bad　it　is　the　worst　of　all　things。　　And　now　ask　me　whatever　else　your　heart　desires。'

HESIOD：　‘How　would　men　best　dwell　in　cities；　and　with　what　observances？'

HOMER：　‘By　scorning　to　get　unclean　gain　and　if　the　good　were　honoured；　but　justice　fell　upon　the　unjust。'

HESIOD：　‘What　is　the　best　thing　of　all　for　a　man　to　ask　of　the　gods　in　prayer？'

HOMER：　‘That　he　may　be　always　at　peace　with　himself　continually。'

HESIOD：　‘Can　you　tell　me　in　briefest　space　what　is　best　of　all？'

HOMER：　‘A　sound　mind　in　a　manly　body；　as　I　believe。'

HESIOD：　‘Of　what　effect　are　righteousness　and　courage？'

HOMER：　‘To　advance　the　common　good　by　private　pains。'

HESIOD：　‘What　is　the　mark　of　wisdom　among　men？'

HOMER：　‘To　read　aright　the　present；　and　to　march　with　the　occasion。'

HESIOD：　‘In　what　kind　of　matter　is　it　right　to　trust　in　men？'

HOMER：　‘Where　danger　itself　follows　the　action　close。'

HESIOD：　‘What　do　men　mean　by　happiness？'

HOMER：　‘Death　after　a　life　of　least　pain　and　greatest　pleasure。'

After　these　verses　had　been　spoken；　all　the　Hellenes　called　for　Homer　to　be　crowned。　　But　King　Paneides　bade　each　of　them　recite　the　finest　passage　from　his　own　poems。　　Hesiod；　therefore；　began　as　follows：

‘When　the　Pleiads；　the　daughters　of　Atlas；　begin　to　rise　begin　the　harvest；　and　begin　ploughing　ere　they　set。　　For　forty　nights　and　days　they　are　hidden；　but　appear　again　as　the　year　wears　round；　when　first　the　sickle　is　sharpened。　　This　is　the　law　of　the　plains　and　for　those　who　dwell　near　the　sea　or　live　in　the　rich…soiled　valleys；　far　from　the　wave…tossed　deep：　strip　to　sow；　and　strip　to　plough；　and　strip　to　reap　when　all　things　are　in　season。'　（3）

Then　Homer：

‘The　ranks　stood　firm　about　the　two　Aiantes；　such　that　not　even　Ares　would　have　scorned　them　had　he　met　them；　nor　yet　Athena　who　saves　armies。　　For　there　the　chosen　best　awaited　the　charge　of　the　Trojans　and　noble　Hector；　making　a　fence　of　spears　and　serried　shields。　　Shield　closed　with　shield；　and　helm　with　helm；　and　each　man　with　his　fellow；　and　the　peaks　of　their　head…pieces　with　crests　of　horse…hair　touched　as　they　bent　their　heads：　so　close　they　stood　together。　　The　murderous　battle　bristled　with　the　long；　flesh…rending　spears　they　held；　and　the　flash　of　bronze　from　polished　helms　and　new…burnished　breast…plates　and　gleaming　shields　blinded　the　eyes。　　Very　hard　of　heart　would　he　have　been；　who　could　then　have　seen　that　strife　with　joy　and　felt　no　pang。'　（4）

Here；　again；　the　Hellenes　applauded　Homer　admiringly；　so　far　did　the　verses　exceed　the　ordinary　level；　and　demand