THE DIALOGUES OF THE GODS, OF THE SEA

GODS, AND OF THE DEAD; ZEUS THE

TRAGEDIAN, THE FERRY-BOAT

ETC.

35025

TRANSLATED WITH NOTES AND A PRELIMINARY MEMOIR

BY

HOWARD WILLIAMS, M.A.

LATE SCHOLAR OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE

LONDON: GEORGE BELL AND SONS, YORK STREET

COVENT GARDEN

CHISWICK PRESS:-C. WHITTINGHAM AND CO., TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE.

feet, 14116. M. Ani

PREFACE.

CONTENTS.

DIALOGUES OF THE GODS.

I. Prometheus obtains his release from Zeus by a

prophecy.

II. Zeus threatens to put Eros in fetters.

III. Zeus orders Hermes to slay Argus, and to conduct

Io to Egypt

IV. Zeus instructs Ganymedes as to the nature of his

duties in heaven

V. Hera upbraids Zeus with his love for Ganymedes

VI. Ixion makes love to Hera

VII. Hephaestus recounts to Apollo the actions of the

infant prodigy, Hermes .

VIII. Hephæstus assists at the parturition of Zeus and the

birth of Athena

IX. Hermes refuses Poseidon admission to Zeus, and

assigns as the reason the lying-in of the king of

Gods and men with Bacchus.

X. Hermes conveys to Helios the order of Zeus: that

he is to refrain from driving his chariot, until the

completion of the amour of the king of gods and

men with Alkmene

XI. Aphrodite charges Selene with her love for Endy-

mion, and, at the same time, laments the tyranny

of her son, Eros, over herself.

XII. Aphrodite upbraids Eros for his mischievous conduct

in the past, and cautions him for the future. Eros

defends himself

XIII. Asklepius and Herakles quarrel on a question of pre-

cedence in heaven.

XIV. Apollo recounts to Hermes the manner of the death

of Hyakinthus, and his grief for the same

XV. Hermes and Apollo envy the deformed Hephæstus

the possession of his beautiful wives

XVI. Hera and Leto dispute about the merits of their

respective children.

XVII. Hermes relates to Apollo the adultery of Ares and

Aphrodite, and the revenge of Hephaestus

XVIII. Hera denounces, and Zeus defends, the character of

Bacchus.

XIX. Eros explains to his mother why he does not assail

Athena, the Muse, and Artemis

XX. The Judgment of Paris

XXI. Ares ridicules the threat of Zeus, and the Chain let

down from heaven.

•

XXII. Pan urges his claims to be the son of Hermes, who

is unwilling to admit his paternity

XXIII. Apollo remarks to Bacchus on the heterogeneousness

of Aphrodite's children; while Bacchus exposes

the character of Priapus

XXIV. Hermes complains to his mother of the multiplicity

of his employments

XXV. Helios, accused by Zeus of rash conduct in giving up

his chariot to his son, obtains a conditional pardon

XXVI. Apollo asks Hermes to point out to him, of the twin

Dioscuri which is Kastor, and which Polydeukes ;

and takes the opportunity of criticizing their divine

pretensions

DIALOGUES OF THE SEA-GODS.

I. Doris ridicules the figure and manners of Polyphemus,

the lover of Galateia.

II. Polyphemus complains to Poseidon, his father, of his

treatment at the hands of Odysseus .

III. Poseidon questions Alpheius, a river-god, respecting

his amour with the nymph Arethusa.

IV. Menelaus expresses to Proteus his incredulity in regard

to the alleged miraculous transformations of that di-

vinity

V. Panope relates to Galene the scene of the introduction

of the golden apple by Eris into the nuptial feast of

Peleus and Thetis, the discord between the three

rival Goddesses, and their dismissal to Mount Ida for

judgment

VI. The rape of Amymone by Poseidon

VII, Zephyrus recounts to Notus the metamorphosis and

adventures of Io

VIII. At Poseidon's request, the dolphins narrate to him the

story of Arion's escape

IX. Poseidon and Amphitrite dispute as to the fitting place

of burial for Helle, drowned in the Hellespont. Po-

seidon directs the Nereids to take up her body, and

bury it in the Troad

X. Iris conveys to Poseidon the commands of Zeus that he

should keep the island of Delos stationary, where

Leto was to lie-in