Hermes
-
- Homeric Hymn to Hermes 18-61
- He (Hermes) was born at daybreak; at noon he played on the lyra;
and in the evening he stole the cattle of far-shooting
Apollo, on the fourth day of the month's first half, the
day that great Maia bore him.
- [20] When he had leaped from his mother's immortal limbs,
he did not lie for long, waiting in his sacred cradle,
but jumped up, and sought out the cattle of Apollo,
passing out over the threshold of the lofty cave. But
there he found a tortoise, and won delight a
thousandfold, for Hermes it was that first made the
tortoise a singer. The tortoise met him at the gateway of
the courtyard, browsing on the rich herbage in front of
the dwelling, walking with waddling feet. When the
luck-bringing son of Zeus noticed it he laughed, and said
at once: [30] 'Already an omen of great luck for me! I do
not despise it. Hail, you with your lovely form, plucked
at the dance, companion of the feast, appearing now most
welcome! Where did you get that pretty plaything, that
glittering shell that clothes you, a tortoise living in
the mountains? I shall take you and carry you indoors:
you will help me, and I shall not dishonour you, though
you will profit me first. It is better to be at home:
being out at the gates brings harm. Living, you shall be
a charm against baneful witchcraft, but if you die, you
could sing most beautifully.'
- So he spoke: and lifting it in both hands [40] he went
back into the dwelling, carrying his delightful toy. Then
he up-ended it, and with a grey iron chisel he scooped
out the life of the mountain tortoise. And as swiftly as
thought pierces the heart of a man beset by flocking
troubles, or as a flashing glances whirl from eyes, so
glorious Hermes planned word and deed at once. He cut
stalks of reed to measure and fixed them, fastening them
by the ends through the back of the tortoise's shell.
Then he stretched oxhide over it by his skill, [50] and
added arms, with a crossbar fixed across the two of them;
and he stretched seven harmonious strings of sheep-gut.
- When he had made it, he picked up the lovely toy and
tried it part by part with a plectrum. Under his hand it
rang out awesomely. Then the god sang to it beautifully,
trying out improvisations, like young men mocking each
other with taunts at a feast. He sang of Zeus, son of
Cronos, and Maia of the pretty slippers, how they used to
dally in the partnership of love, telling the whole tale
of his own glorious begetting. [60] And he sang the
praises of the handmaidens and the shining home of the
nymph, and the tripods all about the house, and the
abundant cauldrons.
- Hymn to Hermes 416-512
- But he easily softened the far-shooting son of the
glorious Leto just as he wished, mighty though Apollo
was. Taking the lyra in his left hand he tested it
part by part with a plectrum. Under his hand it [420]
rang out awesomely. And Phoebus Apollo laughed with
delight as the lovely clamour of the divine sound went
through his heart, and sweet longing took hold of his
spirit as he listened. Then the son of Maia, playing
sweetly on the lyra (lyrei kitharizon),
took courage, and stood on the left of Phoebus Apollo.
Next, to the clear sound of his playing, he sang, in the
manner of a prelude, and the voice that followed was
lovely. He told of the immortal gods and the dark earth,
how they first came to be and how each acquired his
destined portion. Of all the gods he first honoured
Memory with his song, Memory, [430] mother of the Muses;
for the son of Maia was in her portion. Next the splendid
son of Zeus honoured the other gods in order of age, as
each had been born, uttering everything in due order as
he played the lyra on his arm. And an irresistible
passion seized Apollo's spirit within his breast, and he
spoke to Hermes these winged words.
- 'Killer of oxen, schemer, busy worker, comrade of the
feast, this invention of yours is worth fifty cows. I
think that we shall soon settle our dispute peacefully.
But come now and tell me, clever son of Maia, [440] was
this marvellous thing with you from your birth, or did
one of the immortals, or a mortal man, give it to you as
a noble gift, and teach you divine song? For this
new-uttered sound that I hear is marvellous, and I say
that no man, and none of the immortals who have their
home on Olympus has ever learned it except you, you
thief, son of Zeus and Maia. What is this skill? What is
this music for unresolvable cares? What is this method?
Surely there are here to be taken three things, all
together, joy and love and sweet sleep. [450] I too am a
follower of the Olympian Muses, who care for dances and
the bright path of singing, the flowering of song and
dance (molpe) and the lovely reverberation of auloi.
Yet never before did I care in my heart like this for any
of those skilful feats that young men perform at their
revels. I am astonished, son of Zeus, at the loveliness
of your playing. But now, since you possess such splendid
skill, little though you are, sit down, my lad, and take
note of your elder's words. There will be glory among the
immortal gods for you yourself and for your mother. I
will tell you surely. [460] By this spear of cornel-wood,
I promise that I shall make you a renowned and prosperous
leader among the immortals: I shall give you fine gifts,
and shall not deceive you, right to the end.'
- Hermes answered him with clever words. 'You ask me subtle
questions, Far-worker; but I do not grudge you your
initiation in my art. You shall learn it today [...]
[474] You are free to learn whatever you desire. But
since your spirit is so eager for you to play the lyra
(kitharizein), sing and play it, and give your
mind to revelry, taking this as a gift from me: and you, my
friend, give me glory. Sing well, with this clear-voiced
mistress in your arms, you who know how to utter things
beautifully and in good order. [480] From now on bring it
confidently to the flourishing feast, the lovely dance
and the renown-loving revel, a delight by night and by
day. Whoever enquires of it cleverly, with skill and
wisdom, to him it will teach with its voice all kinds of
things pleasing to the mind, being played easily with
gentle familiarities: for it rejects toilsome labour. But
if anyone ignorantly questions it at first with violence,
to him it will chatter mere airy nonsense. You are free
to learn whatever you desire; [490] and I will give you
this, glorious son of Zeus. For my part, Far-worker, I
shall pasture the roaming cattle on pastures in the
mountains and the horse-feeding plain; and the cows will
mate with the bulls and bear abundant calves, male and
female. Keen though you are for profit, you should not
now be enraged with anger.'
- With these words he held out the lyra, and Phoebus
Apollo accepted it. Into Hermes' hands he put the shining
whip that he had, and gave him the office of keeper the
cattle. Maia's son accepted it with delight. [500] Then
the glorious son of Leto, far-working lord Apollo, took
his kitharis in his left hand and tried it part by
part with the plectrum. It rang out awesomely under his
touch, and the god sang to it beautifully.
- Then the two turned the cattle towards the sacred meadow,
and themselves hurried back, those most handsome sons of
Zeus, to snowy Olympus, delighting in the phorminx.
So Zeus the counsellor was glad, and united the pair in
friendship. And Hermes loved the son of Leto always, as
he does even now, having given the lovely kithara
[510] as a token to the far-shooter, who played it
expertly, holding it on his arm. But for himself he then
found out the skill of another clever art, and made the
sound of the syringes, which can be heard far off.
(Barker 1984: 42-46.)
Diodorus Siculus
V.49
- Other literary references in:
-
- W. H. Roscher, Ausführliches Lexikon der griechischen
und römischen Mythologie, s.v. Hermes, I.2,
Hildesheim, Olms 1965 (first edition Leipzig 1916-1924).
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