3.1046
The Argonautica 3.1046 · Proof against bronze and fire3.1046Proof against bronze and fire
Lines 1046–1051. His weapons are to be treated too, and the charm lasts one day.
· · ·
πρὸς1
pròs
Besidesin addition
δὲ2
dè
and
καὶ3
kaì
alsotoo
, ἔστω4
éstō
let be
σάκος5
sákos
shield
, αὐτῷ6
autôi
and allitself
δουρὶ7
dourì
spearwith the spear
, καὶ8
kaì
and
ξίφος9
xíphos
sword
πεπαλαγμένον10
pepalagménon
sprinkledbespattered
. ἔνθʼ11
énth’
Then
ἀκωκαὶ12
akōkaì
the pointsspear-points
γηγενέων13
gēgenéōn
of the earthbornearth-born
ἀνδρῶν14
andrôn
men
οὐκ15
ouk
not
ἄν16
án
—
διατμήξειαν17
diatmḗxeian
could cutcould cut through
σε18
se
you
, οὐδʼ19
oud’
nornot
ἄσχετος20
áschetos
resistlessnot to be checked
ἀίσσουσα21
aíssousa
rushingdarting
φλὸξ22
phlòx
flame
ὀλοῶν23
oloôn
of the deadlydestructive
ταύρων24
taúrōn
bulls
. τοῖός25
toîós
Sosuch
γε26
ge
—
μὲν27
mèn
—
οὐκ28
ouk
not
ἔσσεαι29
ésseai
you will staywill be
ἐπὶ30
epì
for
δηρὸν31
dēròn
long
, ἀλλʼ32
all’
but
αὐτῆμαρ33
autêmar
for that one dayon the self-same day
; ὅμως34
hómōs
even sonevertheless
σύγε35
sýge
you
μή36
mḗ
not
ποτʼ37
pot’
ever
χάζεο38
cházeo
draw backgive way
ἀέθλου39
aéthlou
from the contesttrial
. καὶ40
kaì
And
δέ41
dé
—
ὑποθήσομʼ42
hypothḗsom’
I will giveI will suggest
τοι43
toi
you
ἄλλο44
állo
another
ὄνειαρ45
óneiar
helpprofit
παρὲξ46
parèx
besidesbeside
. And besides, let your shield, spear and all, and your sword be sprinkled. Then the points of the earthborn men could not cut you, nor the resistless, rushing flame of the deadly bulls. You will not stay so for long, only for that one day; even so, never draw back from the contest. And I will give you another help besides.
And besides, let your shield, spear and all, and your sword be sprinkled. Then the points of the earthborn men could not cut you, nor the resistless, rushing flame of the deadly bulls. You will not stay so for long, only for that one day; even so, never draw back from the contest. And I will give you another help besides.
Interpretation
And besides, let your shield, spear and all, and your sword be sprinkled with it. Then the points of the earthborn men could not cut you, nor the resistless rushing flame of the deadly bulls. You will not stay like this for long, only for that one day; even so, never draw back from the contest. And I will give you another help besides.
The weapons are treated too. Mooney reads αὐτῷ δουρί, "spear and all," as the spear, the weapon that matters most for attack, together with the shield and the sword. πεπαλαγμένον, "sprinkled," echoes the old shield in the Odyssey, "spattered with mildew" (22.184). The γηγενεῖς, "earthborn men," are the Sown Men who will spring from the serpent's teeth.
The charm lasts αὐτῆμαρ, "for that one day," as the description of the drug said earlier: strong "for that day" (3.850, above).
3.1052
The Argonautica 3.1052 · The earthborn rising3.1052The earthborn rising
Lines 1052–1056. What to do when the Sown Men come up out of the furrows.
· · ·
As soon as you yoke the mighty oxen and quickly plough through the whole hard field with your hands and strength, and the Giants are already springing up along the furrows from the serpent's teeth sown on the dark soil, if you see many rising from the field…