Nonnus of Panopolis · Dionysiaca Διονυσιακά

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 14.0–104: Book 14: Rheia arms the gods; Cabeiroi, Telchines, Cyclopes and Pans

Rheia summons all the gods and nature spirits. The Cabeiroi, the Cretan Corybants, the Telchines of Rhodes, the Centaurs and the Cyclopes come to join Dionysos, though Polyphemos stays behind for love of Galateia. The twelve horned Pans are named, and old Seilenos arrives with his three sons.

Lines 14.0–104 · 971 words · click a number to copy its link
0εἰς δέκατον δὲ τέταρτον ἔχε φρένα κεῖθι κορύσσει δαιμονίην στίχα πᾶσαν ἐς Ἰνδικὸν Ἄρεα Ῥείη.

[…] your mind to the fourteenth : there Rheia arms all the ranks of heaven for the Indian War.

1Ῥείη δʼ ὠκυπέδιλος, ὀρεσσαύλῳ παρὰ φάτνῃ αὐχένα λαχνήεντα περισφίγξασα λεόντων, σύνδρομον ᾐώρησεν ὑπηνέμιον σφυρὸν αὔραις ἠερίους κενεῶνας ἐρετμώσασα πεδίλῳ· 5θεσπεσίας δὲ φάλαγγας ἀολλίζουσα Λυαίῳ ὡς πτερὸν ἠὲ νόημα διέστιχεν ἕδρανα κόσμου εἰς Νότον, εἰς Βορέην, εἰς Ἕσπερον, εἰς κλίσιν Ἠοῦς· καὶ δρυσὶ καὶ ποταμοῖσι μίαν ξυνώσατο φωνὴν Νηιάδας καλέουσα καὶ Ἁδρυάδας στίχας ὕλης. 10δαιμονίη δʼ ἀίουσα γονὴ Κυβεληίδος ἠχοῦς, πάντοθεν ἠγερέθοντο. καὶ ὑψόθεν εἰς χθόνα Λυδῶν ἀπλανὲς ἴχνος ἄγουσα μετάρσιος ἵκετο Ῥείη· καὶ νυχίην παλίνορσος ἐκούφισε μύστιδα πεύκην Μυγδόνι θερμαίνουσα τὸ δεύτερον ἠέρα πυρσῷ. 15ἀλλὰ μετὰ βροτέην προμάχων ἡρωίδα φύτλην

Swiftshoe Rheia haltered the hairy necks of her lions beside their highland manger. She lifted her wind-faring foot to run with the breezes, and led with her shoes through the airy spaces. So like a wing or a thought she traversed the firmament to south, to north, to west, to the turning place of dawn, gathering the divine battalions for Lyaios: one allcomprehending summons was sounded for trees and for rivers, one call for Naiads and Hamadryads, the troops of the forest. All the divine generations heard the summons of Cybele, and they came together from all sides. From high heaven to the Lydian land Rheia passed aloft with unerring foot, and returning lifted again the mystic torch in the night, warming the air a second time with Mygdonian fire.

16καὶ στρατιὴν ζαθέην με διδάξατε, Φοιβάδες αὖραι. πρῶτα μὲν ἐκ Λήμνοιο πυριγλώχινος ἐρίπνης φήμη ἀελλήεσσα Σάμου παρὰ μύστιδι πεύκῃ υἱέας Ἡφαίστοιο δύω θώρηξε Καβείρους, 20οὔνομα μητρὸς ἔχοντας ὁμόγνιον, οὓς πάρος ἄμφω

Now once more, ye breaths of Phoibos, after the tale of mortal heroes and warriors teach me also the host divine. First from the fire-peak rock of Lemnos the two Cabeiroi in arms answered the stormy call beside the mystic torch of Samos, two sons of Hephaistos Thracian Cabeiro had borne to the heavenly :

21οὐρανίῳ χαλκῆι τέκε Θρήισσα Καβειρώ·

Alcon and Eurymedon well skilled at the forge, bore their mother’s tribal name.

22Ἄλκων Εὐρυμέδων τε, δαήμονες ἐσχαρεῶνος. καὶ βλοσυροὶ Κρήτηθεν ἀολλίζοντο μαχηταὶ δάκτυλοι Ἰδαῖοι, κραναῆς ναετῆρες ἐρίπνης, 25Γηγενέες Κορύβαντες ὁμήλυδες, ὧν ποτε Ῥείῃ ἐκ χθονὸς αὐτοτέλεστος ἀνεβλάστησε γενέθλη· οἳ βρέφος ἀρτιλόχευτον ἀεξιτόκῳ παρὰ πέτρῃ Ζῆνα φερεσσακέεσσιν ἐμιτρώσαντο χορείαις, κῶμον ἀνακρούοντες ὀρίκτυπον ἠπεροπῆα, 30ἠέρα βακχεύοντες· ἀρασσομένοιο δὲ χαλκοῦ ἀγχινεφὴς Κρονίοισιν ἐπέβρεμεν οὔασιν ἠχὼ κουροσύνην Κρονίωνος ὑποκλέπτουσα βοείαις· καὶ πρόμος ἡγεμόνευε χοροπλεκέων Κορυβάντων Πύρριχος Ἰδαῖός τε σακέσπαλος, οἷς ἅμα βαίνων

From Crete came grim warriors to join them, the Idaian Dactyls, dwellers on a rocky crag, earthborn Corybants, a generation which grew up for Rheia selfmade out of the ground in the olden time. These had surrounded Zeus a newborn babe in the cavern which fostered his breeding, and danced about him shield in hand, the deceivers, raising wild […] which echoed among the rocks and maddened the air—the noise of the clanging brass resounded in the ears of Cronos high among the clouds, and concealed the infancy of Cronion with drummings. The chief and leader of the dancing Corybants was Pyrrhichos and shake-a-shield Idaios ; and with them came Cnossian Cyrbas, and armed his motley troops, their name-fellow,

35Κνώσσιος αἰόλα φῦλα παρώνυμος ὥπλισε Κύρβας. καὶ φθονεροὶ Τελχῖνες ἐπήλυδες εἰς μόθον Ἰνδῶν ἐκ βυθίου κενεῶνος ἀολλίζοντο θαλάσσης· καὶ δολιχῇ παλάμῃ δονέων περιμήκετον αἰχμὴν ἦλθε Λύκος, καὶ Σκέλμις ἐφέσπετο Δαμναμενῆι 40πάτριον ἰθύνων Ποσιδήιον ἅρμα θαλάσσης, Τληπολέμου μετὰ γαῖαν ἁλιπλανέες μετανάσται, δαίμονες ὑγρονόμοι μανιώδεες, οὓς πάρος αὐτοὶ πατρῴης ἀέκοντας ἀποτμήξαντες ἀρούρης Θρῖναξ σὺν Μακαρῆι καὶ ἀγλαὸς ἤλασεν Αὔγης, 45υἱέες Ἠελίοιο· διωκόμενοι δὲ τιθήνης χερσὶ βαρυζήλοισιν ἀρυόμενοι Στυγὸς ὕδωρ ἄσπορον εὐκάρποιο Ῥόδου ποίησαν ἀλωήν, ὕδασι Ταρταρίοισι περιρραίνοντες ἀρούρας. τοῖς ἔπι Κενταύρων διφυὴς πρηεῖα γενέθλη· 50ἵππιον εἶδος ἔχοντι Φόλῳ συνομάρτεε Χείρων ἀλλοφυής, ἀδάμαστος, ἔχων ἀχάλινον ὑπήνην.

The spiteful Telchines came also to the Indian War, gathering out of the cavernous deeps of the sea. Lycos came, shaking with his long arm a very long Scelmis came, following Damnameneus, guidary jug the seachariot of his father Poseidon. These were wanderers who had left Tlepolemon’s land and taken to the sea, furious demons of the waters, who long ago had been cut off reluctant from their father’s land by Thrinax with Macareus and glorious Auges, sons of Helios ; driven from their nursing-mother, they took up the water of Styx with their spiteful hands, and made barren the soil of fruitful Rhodes, by drenching the fields with water of Tartaros, tell their alike. has nothing to do with them story Berian colonists on. the After them came the gentle tribe of twiform Centaurs. Beside Pholos home’s form was Cheiron, himself of that strange nature, untamed, with mouth unbridled.

52Κυκλώπων δὲ φάλαγγες ἐπέρρεον· ὧν ἐνὶ χάρμῃ χερσὶν ἀθωρήκτοισιν ἀκοντίζοντο κολῶναι ἔγχεα πετρήεντα, καὶ ἀσπίδες ἦσαν ἐρίπναι, 55καὶ σκοπιὴ λοφόεσσα χαραδραίη πέλε πήληξ,

Battalions of Cyclopians came like a flood. In battle, these with weaponless hands cast hills for their stony spears, and their shields were cliffs ; a […] from some mountain-ravine was their crested :

56καὶ Σικελοὶ σπινθῆρες ἔσαν φλογόεντες ὀιστοί· καὶ σέλας αἰθύσσοντες ἐθήμονος ἐσχαρεῶνος πυρσοφόροις παλάμῃσιν ἐθωρήσσοντο μαχηταί, Βρόντης τε Στερόπης τε καὶ Εὐρύαλος καὶ Ἐλατρεὺς 60Ἄργης τε Τράχιός τε καὶ αὐχήεις Ἁλιμήδης. ἀλλὰ τόσος καὶ τοῖος ἐλείπετο μοῦνος Ἐνυοῦς ἀγχινεφὴς Πολύφημος, ἀπόσπορος ἐννοσιγαίου, ὅττί μιν ὑγροκέλευθος ἐρήτυεν αὐτόθι μίμνειν ἄλλος Ἔρως πολέμοιο φιλαίτερος· εἰσορόων γὰρ 65ἡμιφανῆ Γαλάτειαν ἐπέκτυπε γείτονι πόντῳ, νυμφιδίῃ σύριγγι χέων φιλοπάρθενον ἠχώ.

net, Sicilian sparks were their fiery arrows.” They went into battle holding burning brands and blazing with light from the forge they knew so well ; —Brontes and Steropes, Euryalos and Elatreus, Arges and Trachios and Halimedes. One alone was left behind from the war, Polyphemos, tall as the clouds, so mighty and so great, the Earthshaker’s own son; he was kept in his place by another love, dearer than war, under the watery ways, for he had seen Galateia half-hidden, and made the neighbouring sea resound as he poured out his Love for a maiden in the wooing tones of his pipes.

67καὶ σκοπέλων ναετῆρες ἀπʼ αὐτορόφοιο μελάθρου, οὔνομα Πανὸς ἔχοντες, ἐρημονόμου γενετῆρος, Πᾶνες ἐθωρήχθησαν ὁμήλυδες, ὧν ἐπὶ μορφῇ 70ἀνδρομέῃ κεκέραστο δασύτριχος αἰγὸς ὀπωπή· καὶ νόθον εἶδος ἔχοντες ἐυκραίροιο καρήνου δώδεκα Πᾶνες ἔσαν κεραελκέες, ἀρχεγόνου δὲ Πανὸς ἑνὸς γεγάασιν ὀρεσσαύλοιο τοκῆος. τὸν μὲν ἐφημίξαντο Κελαινέα μάρτυρι μορφῇ, 75τὸν δὲ φυῆς Ἀργεννὸν ὁμώνυμον· Αἰγικόρῳ δὲ ἅρμενον οὔνομα θῆκαν, ἐπεὶ νομίῃ παρὰ ποίμνῃ αἰγείων κεκόρητο περιθλίβων γάλα μαζῶν· ἄλλος δʼ Ἠυγένειος ἀκούετο θεσπέσιος Πὰν ἀμφιλαφῆ πλοκάμοισιν ἔχων λειμῶνα γενείου· 80καὶ νομίῳ κεκόρυστο σὺν Ὠμηστῆρι Δαφοινεύς· καὶ Φόβος ὡμάρτησε δασυκνήμιδι Φιλάμνῳ· Ξάνθῳ Γλαῦκος ἵκανεν ὁμόστολος· ἀντιτύποις γὰρ Γλαῦκος ἑοῖς μελέεσσιν ὁμόχροος ἔσκε θαλάσσῃ γλαυκιόων, καὶ Ξάνθος ἔχων ξανθόχροα χαίτην 85οὔνομα τοῖον ἔδεκτο κερασφόρος ἀστὸς ἐρίπνης· καὶ θρασὺς Ἄργος ἵκανε φέρων χιονώδεα χαίτην. τοῖσιν ἔσαν δύο Πᾶνες ὁμήλυδες, οὓς τέκεν Ἑρμῆς κεκριμένῃ φιλότητι μιγεὶς διδυμάοσι Νύμφαις· τὸν μὲν ὀρεστιάδος Σώσης μετανεύμενος εὐνὴν 90μαντιπόλου σπέρμηνε θεηγόρον ἔμπλεον ὀμφῆς, Ἀγρέα θηροφόνῳ μελέτῃ πεπυκασμένον ἄγρης· τὸν δὲ νομαῖς ὀίων Νόμιον φίλον, ὁππότε Νύμφης δέμνιον ἀγραύλοιο διέστιχε Πηνελοπείης, ποιμενίῃ σύριγγι μεμηλότα. τοῖς ἅμα Φόρβας 95ὠμηστὴς ἀκόρητος ὁμόστολον εἶχε πορείην. καὶ παλάμην νάρθηκι γέρων Σειληνὸς ἐρείσας

The rock-dwellers came also from their self-vaulted caves, bearing all the name of Pan their father the ranger of the wilderness, all armed to join the host; they have human form, and a shaggy goat’s head upon it with horns. Twelve horned Pans there were, with this changeling shape and horn-bearing head, who were begotten of the one ancestral Pan their mountainranging father. One they named Celaineus, Blackie, as his looks bore witness, and one Argennos, Whitey, after his colour ; Aigicoros was well dubbed Goatgluts, because he glutted himself with goat’s-milk which he pressed from the nannies’ udders in the flock. Another masterly Pan was called Longbeard Eugeneios, from a throat and chin which was a thick meadow of hair. Daphoineus the Bloody came along with Omester, Eatemraw ; Phobos the Frightaway with shaggy-legged Philaranos the Lambs’ Friend. Glaucos came with Xanthos, Glaseos glaring like the bright sea, with a complexion to match. Xanthos had a mane of hair like a bayard, which gave that name to the horned frequenter of the rocks. Then there was bold Argos with a shock of hair as white as snow. With these were two other Pans, the sons of Hermes, who divided his love between two Nymphs : for one he visited the bed of Sose, the highland prophetess, and begat a son inspired with the divine voice of prophecy, Agreus, well versed in the beast-slaying sport of the hunt : the other was Nomios, whom the pasturing sheep loved well, one practised in the shepherd’s pipe, for whom Hermes sought the bed of Penelope, the country Nymph. Along with these came Phorbas to join the march, savage and insatiate.

97δισσοφυὴς κεκόρυστο κερασφόρος υἱὸς ἀρούρης, τρισσοὺς παῖδας ἄγων θιασώδεας· εἰς ἐνοπὴν γὰρ Ἀστραῖος κεκόρυστο, Μάρων κίεν, ἕσπετο Ληνεύς, 100χεῖρας ἐλαφρίζοντες ὀριπλανέος γενετῆρος γηροκόμοις ῥοπάλοισι· λιποσθενέων δὲ γερόντων νωχελὲς ἀμπελόεντι δέμας κουφίζετο βάκτρῳ, ὧν μάλα πουλυέτηρος ἔην χρόνος, ὧν ἄπο θερμὴ πουλυγάμων Σατύρων διφυὴς ἀνέτελλε γενέθλη.

Old Seilenos also was ready for the fray, holding the fennel-stalk, that horned son of the soil twiform shape. He brought three festive sons: Astraios was armed for battle ; Maron came too, and Leneus followed, each with a staff to support the hands of their old father in his travels over the hill. These ancients already weak had vine-branches to support their slow bodies ; many were the years of their time, from these had sprung the hot twiform generation of the much-married Satyrs.

People and places in this passage

English translation by W. H. D. Rouse (1940). Original text: W. H. D. Rouse (ed.), Nonnos, Dionysiaca, Loeb Classical Library 344, 354, 356, London: Heinemann; Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1940-1942 (Greek text as digitised by Perseus).

Greek text and translation from the Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Perseus Digital Library, Greek text); translation public domain (Rouse, Loeb 1940-42: US copyright not renewed; Rouse died 1950; OCR from the Internet Archive scans). Introductions, summaries and notes © GreekMythology.com.