Literary Texts

Greek Text

English Translation

ΤΡΥΓΑΙΟΣ

ὦνδρες, τι πεισόμεσθα; νῦν ἁγὼν μέγας.
ἀλλ᾿ εἴ τις ὑμῶν ἐν Σαμοθρᾴκῃ τυγχάνει
μεμυημένος, νῦν ἐστιν εὔξασθαι καλὸν
ἀποστραφῆναι τοῦ μετιόντος τὼ πόδε.

ΚΥΔΟΙΜΟΣ

οἴμοι τάλας, οἴμοι γε κἄτ᾿ οἴμοι μάλα.

ΠΟΛΕΜΟΣ

τί ἐστι; μῶν οὐκ αὖ φέρεις;

ΚΥΔΟΙΜΟΣ

ἀπόλωλε γὰρ
καὶ τοῖς Λακεδαιμονίοισιν ἁλετρίβανος.

ΠΟΛΕΜΟΣ

πῶς, ὦ πανοῦργ᾿;

ΚΥΔΟΙΜΟΣ

εἰς τἀπὶ Θρᾴκης χωρία
χρήσαντες ἑτέροις αὐτὸν εἶτ᾿ ἀπώλεσαν.

ΤΡΥΓΑΙΟΣ

εὖ γ᾿, εὖ γε ποιήσαντες, ὦ Διοσκόρω.
ἴσως ἂν εὖ γένοιτο· θαρρεῖτ᾿, ὦ βροτοί.

trygaeus

(to the spectators) Gentlemen, what’s to become of us? Now is our great test. And if by chance there’s anyone out there who’s been initiated at Samothrace, now’s a good time to pray that our fetcher sprains both ankles!

hubbub returns.

hubbub

Oh me oh my! Oh me oh my again!

war

What is it? Don’t tell me you still don’t have it!

hubbub

I don’t, because the Spartans have lost their pestle too!

war

What do you mean, you rascal?

hubbub

They lent it to some people to use at the Thracian front, and lost it.

trygaeus

(aside) Good! Good for them, you Dioscuri! Things just may turn out all right. Take heart, mortals!

Greek Text

English Translation

‘Αλλ’ εἶ τις ὑμῶν ἐν Σαμοθρᾴκῃ ἐν Σαμοθρᾴκῃ ἧσαν τελεταί τινες ἃς ἐδόκουν τελεῖσθαι πρὸς ἀλεξιφάρμακά τινα κινδύνων.

ἐν δὲ τῇ Σαμοθρᾴκῃ τὰ τῶν Κορυβάντων ἧν μυστήρια καὶ τὰ τῆς Ἑκάτης· καὶ διαβόητον ἥν τὸ Ζήρινθον ἄντρον, ἔνθα τὴν Ἑκάτην ὀργιάζειν ἐλέγετο· καὶ τελετὰς ἧγον αὐτῇ τινας καὶ κύνας ἔθυον· καὶ ὁ τὴν Ἀλεξάνραν πεποιηκὼς μέμνηται· «Ζήρινθον ἄντρον καὶ κυνοσφαγοῦς θεᾶς λιπὼν ἐρυμνὸν κτίσμα Κυ<ρ>βάντων Σάον.»

ἐν κινδύνοις δὲ γενόμενοι ἐπεκαλοῦντο τοὺς δαίμονας, οἷς ἐδόκουν μεμυῆσθαι, ἐπιφανῆναι καὶ ἀλεξῆσαι.

μεμυημένος τὰ μυστήρια τῶν Καβείρων. δοκοῦσι δὲ οἱ μεμυημένοι ταῦτα δίκαιοί τε εἶναι καὶ ἐκ δεινῶν σώζεσθαι καὶ ἐκ χειμώνων.

But if any one of you in Samothrace: In Samothrace were certain mystic rites into which people were initiated, it seems, as a kind of charm to ward off dangers.

And in Samothrace were the mysteries of the Corybantes and those of Hecate, and the cave Zerinthum was famous [as the place] where the secret rites of Hecate were reputed to take place. A mystic ritual was performed in her honor, and dogs were sacrificed. It is mentioned by the author of the Alexandra: “Leaving Zerinthus, the cave of the goddess to whom dogs are slain, and Saos, the fortified foundation of the Cyrbantes.”

Those who found themselves in danger would call upon the demons in whose mysteries they considered themselves initiated, to appear and protect them.

Initiated: in the mysteries of the Cabiri. Those initiated herein are believed to be righteous and to be saved from troubles and from storms.

Latin Text

English Translation

‘At non numquam bonos exitus habent boni.’ Eos quidem arripimus attribuimusque sine ulla ratione dis inmortalibus. At Diagoras cum Samothracam venisset, ἄθεος ille qui dicitur, atque ei quidam amicus ‘Tu, qui deos putas humana neglegere, nonne animadvertis ex tot tabulis pictis quam multi votis vim tempestatis effugerint in portumque salvi pervenerint?’ ‘Ita fit’ inquit, ‘illi enim nusquam picti sunt qui naufragia fecerunt in marique perierunt.’ Idemque, cum ei naviganti vectores adversa tempestate timidi et perterriti dicerent non iniuria sibi illud accidere qui illum in eandem navem recepissent, ostendit eis in eodem cursu multas alias laborantis quaesivitque num etiam in iis navibus Diagoram vehi crederent. Sic enim res se habet ut ad prosperam adversamve fortunam qualis sis aut quem ad modum vixeris nihil intersit.

‘But sometimes good men come to good ends.’ Yes, and we seize upon these cases and impute them with no reason to the immortal gods. Diagoras, named the Atheist, once came to Samothrace, and a certain friend said to him, ‘You who think that the gods disregard men’s affairs, do you not remark all the votive pictures that prove how many persons have escaped the violence of the storm, and come safe to port, by dint of vows to the gods?’ ‘That is so,’ replied Diagoras; it is because there are nowhere any pictures of those who have been shipwrecked and drowned at sea.’ On another voyage he encountered a storm which threw the crew of the vessel into a panic, and in their terror they told him that they had brought it on themselves by having taken him on board their ship. He pointed out to them a number of other vessels making heavy weather on the same course, and inquired whether they supposed that those ships also had a Diagoras on board. The fact really is that your character and past life make no difference whatever as regards your fortune good or bad.

Greek Text

English Translation

Θαυμάζοντός τινος τὰ ἐν Σαμοθράκῃ ἀναθήματα, ἔφη, “πολλῷ ἂν ἦν πλείω εἰ καὶ οἱ μὴ σωθέντες ἀνετίθεσαν·” οἱ δὲ τοῦτο Διαγόρου φασὶ τοῦ Μηλίου. εὐμόρφῳ μειρακίῳ ἀπιόντι εἰς συμπόσιον ἔφη, “χείρων ἐπανήξεις·” τοῦ δ᾿ ἐπανελθόντος καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς εἰπόντος, “καὶ ἀπῆλθον καὶ χείρων οὐκ ἐγενόμην,” ἔφη, “Χείρων μὲν οὔ, Εὐρυτίων δέ.” δύσκολον ᾔτει· τοῦ δ᾿ εἰπόντος, “ἐάν με πείσῃς·” ἔφη, “εἴ σε ἐδυνάμην πεῖσαι, ἔπεισα ἄν σε ἀπάγξασθαι.” ἐπανήρχετο ἐκ Λακεδαίμονος εἰς Ἀθήνας· πρὸς οὖν τὸν πυθόμενον, “ποῖ καὶ πόθεν;” “ἐκ τῆς ἀνδρωνίτιδος,” εἶπεν, “εἰς τὴν γυναικωνῖτιν.”

When some one expressed astonishment at the votive offerings in Samothrace, his comment was, “There would have been far more, if those who were not saved had set up offerings.” But others attribute this remark to Diagoras of Melos. To a handsome youth, who was going out to dinner, he said, “You will come back a worse man.” When he came back and said next day, “I went and am none the worse for it,” Diogenes said, “Not Worse-man (Chiron), but Lax-man (Eurytion).”a He was asking alms of a bad-tempered man, who said, “Yes, if you can persuade me.” “If I could have persuaded you,” said Diogenes, “I would have persuaded you to hang yourself.” He was returning from Lace-daemon to Athens; and on some one asking,” Whither and whence?” he replied, “From the men’s apartments to the women’s.”

Greek Text

English Translation

οἷος πλέων τὰς ἄκρας φάσκειν ἡμιολίας εἶναι· καὶ κλύδωνος γενομένου ἐρωτᾶν εἴ τις μὴ μεμύηται τῶν πλεόντων· καὶ τοῦ κυβερνήτου ἀνακύπτων μὲν πυνθάνεσθαι εἰ μεσοπορεῖ καὶ τί αὐτῷ δοκεῖ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ πρὸς τὸν παρακαθήμενον λέγειν ὅτι φοβεῖται ἀπὸ ἐνυπνίου τινός· καὶ ἐκδὺς διδόναι τῷ παιδὶ τὸν χιτωνίσκον· καὶ δεῖσθαι πρὸς τὴν γῆν προσάγειν αὑτόν.

Greek Text

English Translation

Τὴν ἁλίην Εὔδημος, ἐφ᾿ ἧς1ἅλα λιτὸν ἐπέσθων
   χειμῶνας μεγάλους ἐξέφυγεν δανέων,
θῆκε θεοῖς Σαμόθρᾳξι λέγων ὅτι τήνδε κατ᾿ εὐχήν,
   ὦ λαοί, σωθεὶς ἐξ ἁλὸς ὧδ᾿ ἔθετο.

The salt-cellar, whereon, by eating frugal salt for relish, he escaped the mighty storms of debt, Eudemus dedicated to the gods of Samothrace, saying, According to my vow, O people, saved from salt, I dedicated this here.

Greek Text

English Translation

πᾶσιν ἐπαγγέλλῃ· “Κόμισαι τὸ σὸν αὔριον· ἔρχου
   καὶ λάβε·” κοὐδ᾿ ὀμόσας, οὐκέτι πίστιν ἔχεις.
Κυζικόθεν σε φέρων ἄνεμος Σαμόθρᾳξι πέλασσεν·
   τοῦτό σε τοῦ λοιποῦ τέρμα μένει βιότου.

You promise all, “Come, take yours to-morrow. Come and get it”: but not even if you take your oath do you continue to keep faith. “The wind bearing thee from Cyzicus brought thee to Samothrace”: this is the goal that awaits you for the rest of your life.

Greek Text

English Translation

ἐν δὲ τῷ Παρασίτῳ Ἄλεξις περὶ πολυφάγου τινὸς διαλεγόμενός φησι·

καλοῦσι δ᾿ αὐτὸν πάντες οἱ νεώτεροι
Παράσιτον ὑποκόρισμα· τῷ δ᾿ οὐδὲν μέλει.
δειπνεῖ δ᾿ ἄφωνος Τήλεφος, νεύων μόνον
πρὸς τοὺς ἐπερωτῶντάς τι, ὥστε πολλάκις |
eαὐτὸν ὁ κεκληκὼς τὰ Σαμοθρᾴκι᾿ εὔχεται
λῆξαι πνέοντα καὶ γαληνίσαι ποτέ.
χειμὼν ὁ μειρακίσκος ἐστὶ τοῖς φίλοις.

In his The Parasite (fr. 183) Alexis discusses a gluttonous individual and says:

All the younger men refer to him by the nickname “Parasite”; but he doesn’t care. He eats dinner like a mute Telephus, nodding to People who ask him a question, but not doing anything else, so that his hosts routinely repeat the prayers offered to the gods from Samothrace, asking that he eventually stop blowing and calm down. The boy affects his friends like a storm.

Greek Text

English Translation

ἑσπέριοι δ᾿ Ὀρφῆος ἐφημοσύνῃσιν ἔκελσαν
νῆσον ἐς Ἠλέκτρης Ἀτλαντίδος, ὄφρα δαέντες
ἀρρήτους ἀγανῇσι τελεσφορίῃσι θέμιστας
σωότεροι κρυόεσσαν ὑπεὶρ ἅλα ναυτίλλοιντο.
τῶν μὲν ἔτ᾿ οὐ προτέρω μυθήσομαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴ
νῆσος ὁμῶς κεχάροιτο καὶ οἳ λάχον ὄργια κεῖνα
δαίμονες ἐνναέται, τὰ μὲν οὐ θέμις ἄμμιν ἀείδειν.

At evening, on Orpheus’ instructions, they put in at the island of Electra, Atlas’ daughter, so that by learning secret rites through gentle initiations they might sail more safely over the chilling sea. Of these things, however, I shall speak no further, but bid farewell to the island itself and to the local divinities, to whom belong those mysteries of which I am forbidden to sing.

Greek Text

English Translation

Ἐπιγενομένου δὲ μεγάλου χειμῶνος, καὶ τῶν ἀριστέων ἀπογινωσκόντων τὴν σωτηρίαν, φασὶν Ὀρφέα, τῆς τελετῆς μόνον τῶν συμπλεόντων μετεσχηκότα, ποιήσασθαι τοῖς Σαμόθρᾳξι τὰς ὑπὲρ τῆς 2σωτηρίας εὐχάς. εὐθὺς δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐνδόντος, καὶ δυοῖν ἀστέρων ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν Διοσκόρων κεφαλὰς ἐπιπεσόντων, ἅπαντας μὲν ἐκπλαγῆναι τὸ παράδοξον, ὑπολαβεῖν δὲ θεῶν προνοίᾳ τῶν κινδύνων ἑαυτοὺς ἀπηλλάχθαι. διὸ καὶ τοῖς ἐπιγινομένοις παραδοσίμου γεγενημένης τῆς περιπετείας, ἀεὶ τοὺς χειμαζομένους τῶν πλεόντων εὐχὰς μὲν τίθεσθαι τοῖς Σαμόθρᾳξι, τὰς δὲ τῶν ἀστέρων παρουσίας ἀναπέμπειν εἰς τὴν τῶν Διοσκόρων ἐπιφάνειαν.

But there came on a great storm and the chieftains had given up hope of being saved, when Orpheus, they say, who was the only one on shipboard who had ever been initiated in the mysteries of the deities of Samothrace,1 offered to these deities the prayers for their salvation. And immediately the wind died down and two stars fell over the heads of the Dioscori,2 and the whole company was amazed at the marvel which had taken place and concluded that they had been rescued from their perils by an act of Providence of the gods. For this reason, the story of this reversal of fortune for the Argonauts has been handed down to succeeding generations, and sailors when caught in storms always direct their prayers to the deities of Samothrace and attribute the appearance of the two stars to the epiphany of the Dioscori.

Greek Text

English Translation

ἔνθα δὴ πεσόντος τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἐπαρθέντῶν, τραπῆναι πρὸς φυγὴν τοὺς Κόλχους, καὶ κατὰ τὸν διωγμὸν τοὺς πλείστους αὐτῶν ἀναιρεθῆναι. γενέσθαι δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀριστέων τραυματίαν Ἰάσονα καὶ Λαέρτην, ἔτι δ᾿ Ἀταλάντην καὶ τοὺς Θεσπιάδας προσαγορευομένους. τούτους μὲν οὖν φασιν ὑπὸ τῆς Μηδείας ἐν ὀλίγαις ἡμέραις ῥίζαις καὶ βοτάναις τισὶ θεραπευθῆναι, τοὺς δ᾿ Ἀργοναύτας ἐπισιτισαμένους ἐκπλεῦσαι, καὶ μέσον ἤδη τὸ Ποντικὸν πέλαγος ἔχοντας περιπεσεῖν χειμῶνι παντελῶς ἐπικινδύνῳ. 6τοῦ δ᾿ Ὀρφέως, καθάπερ καὶ πρότερον, εὐχὰς ποιησαμένου τοῖς Σαμόθρᾳξι, λῆξαι μὲν τοὺς ἀνέμους, φανῆναι δὲ πλησίον τῆς νεὼς τὸν προσαγορευόμενον θαλάττιον Γλαῦκον. τοῦτον δ᾿ ἐπὶ δύο νύκτας καὶ δύο ἡμέρας συνεχῶς τῇ νηὶ συμπλεύσαντα προειπεῖν μὲν Ἡρακλεῖ περὶ τῶν ἄθλων καὶ τῆς ἀθανασίας, τοῖς δὲ Τυνδαρίδαις, ὅτι προσαγορευθήσονται μὲν Διόσκοροι, τιμῆς δ᾿ 7ἰσοθέου τεύξονται παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις. καθόλου δ᾿ ἐξ ὀνόματος προσφωνήσαντα πάντας τοὺς Ἀργοναύτας εἰπεῖν ὡς διὰ τὰς Ὀρφέως εὐχὰς θεῶν προνοίᾳ φανεὶς αὐτοῖς σημαίνει τὰ μέλλοντα γενήσεσθαι· συμβουλεύειν οὖν αὐτοῖς, ὅταν τῆς γῆς ἅψωνται, τὰς εὐχὰς ἀποδοῦναι τοῖς θεοῖς, δι᾿ οὓς τετεύχασι δὶς ἤδη τῆς σωτηρίας.

The moment the king fell, the Greeks took courage, and the Colchi turned in flight and the larger part of them were slain in the pursuit. There were wounded among the chieftains Jason, Laertes, Atalantê, and the sons of Thespius, as they are called. However they were all healed in a few days, they say, by Medea by means of roots and certain herbs, and the Argonauts, after securing provisions for themselves, set out to sea, and they had already reached the middle of the Pontic sea when they ran into a storm which put them in the greatest peril. But when Orpheus, as on the former occasion, offered up prayers to the deities of Samothrace, the winds ceased and there appeared near the ship Glaucus the Sea-god, as he is called. The god accompanied the ship in its voyage without ceasing for two days and nights and foretold to Heracles his Labours and immortality, and to the Tyndaridae that they should be called Dioscori (“Sons of Zeus”) and receive at the hands of all mankind honour like that offered to the gods. And, in general, he addressed all the Argonauts by name and told them that because of the prayers of Orpheus he had appeared in accordance with a Providence of the gods and was showing forth to them what was destined to take place; and he counselled them, accordingly, that so soon as they touched land they should pay their vows to the gods through the intervention of whom they had twice already been saved.

Greek Text

English Translation

τοὺς δ᾿ Ἀργοναύτας φασὶν ἐκ τῆς Τρῳάδος ἀναχθέντας εἰς Σαμοθρᾴκην κομισθῆναι, καὶ τοῖς μεγάλοις θεοῖς τὰς εὐχὰς ἀποδόντας πάλιν ἀναθεῖναι τὰς φιάλας εἰς τὸ τέμενος τὰς ἔτι καὶ νῦν διαμενούσας.

But the Argonauts, they say, set forth from the Troad and arrived at Samothrace, where they again paid their vows to the great gods and dedicated in the sacred precinct the bowls which are preserved there even to this day.

Latin Text

English Translation

tunc tenuis Lemnos crescitque1 Electria tellus
Threiciis arcana sacris; hic numinis ingens
horror et incautis decreta piacula linguis.
hanc demissa Iovi non umquam laedere fluctu
audet hiemps: sponte ipse deus tunc asperat undas,cum vetat infidos sua litora tangere nautas.
obvius at Minyas terris adytisque sacerdos
excipit hospitibus reserans secreta Thyotes.
hactenus in populos vati, Samothraca, diemque
missa mane, sacrisque metum servemus opertis.
illi sole novo laeti plenique deorum
considunt transtris.

Then Lemnos grows faint and Electra’s island grows larger, guarding the secret of Thracian rites; for here dwells the great and terrible god, and here are ordained penalties for an unguarded tongue. No storm sent by Jove ever dares to beat with its billows upon this land; of his own will the god makes fierce his waves, what time he would forbid faithless sailors to touch his shores. But Thyotes the priest meets the Minyae and bids them welcome to the land and to the temples, revealing their mysteries to his guests. Thus much, Samothrace, has the poet proclaimed thee to the nations and the light of day; there stay, and let us keep our reverence for holy mysteries. The Minyae, rejoicing in the new light of the sun and full of their heavenly visions, seat themselves upon the thwarts.

Greek Text

English Translation

Ἄθω δενδρώδεα κάμψαν, Παλλήνην τ’ εὐρεῖαν· ἰδὲ ζαθέην Σαμοθρῄκην, ἔθνα καὶ ὄργια φρικτὰ θεῶν, ἄρρητα βροτοῖσιν, ἄσμενοι εἰσεπέρησαν ἐμαῖς ὑποθημοσύνῃσιν ἥρωες· μέγα γάρ σφιν ὀφέλσιμον ἀνθρώποισι τῆσδε θυηπολίης, ἄμοτον πλωτῆρσιν ἑκάστοις.

They rounded wooded Athos and broad Pallene, and lo! the heroes, at my suggestion, put in with pleasure at hallowed Samothrace, where are performed awful, secret rites of gods, which may not be divulged by mortals: there is great aid in these sacrifices for men, especially for every kind of seafarer.

Greek Text

English Translation

ἀρρήτους ἀγανῇσι τὰς τελετὰς λέγει τὰς ἐν Σαμοθρᾴκῃ ἀγομένας, ἃς εἴ τις μυηθείη, ἐν τοῖς κατὰ θάλασσαν χειμῶσι διασώζεται. καὶ Ὀδυσσέα δέ φασι μεμυημένον ἐν Σαμοθρᾴκῃ χρήσασθαι τῷ κρηδέμνῳ ἀντὶ ταινίας· περὶ γὰρ τὴν κοιλίαν οἱ μεμυημένοι ταινίας ἅπτουσι πορφυρᾶς. καὶ Ἀγαμέμνονα δέ φασι μεμυημένον ἐν ταραχῇ ὄντα πολλῇ κατὰ Τροίαν ἀκαταστασίαν τῶν Ἑλλήνων παῦσαι πορφυρίδα ἔχοντα.

Ineffable [rites] by gentle [initiation]: He is referring to the initiatory rites performed at Samothrace. If a person is initiated into these, he is saved from storms at sea. So Odysseus is said to have used the veil [of Leucothea] in place of a fillet, since he had been initiated at Samothrace–for the initiates bind purple fillets about their abdomens. Agamemnon too, when in a great turmoil before Troy, is said to have checked the confusion by carrying a purple cloak, since he was an initiate.

(In the scholia 150 and 37 follow here; together = FGrHist, 546 1 b.)

σωότεροι ἀκινδυνότεροι. λέγονται γὰρ οἱ αὐτόθι μυηθέντες ἐπακούεσθαι εἰς ὃ ἂν εὔξωνται, ὡς Ἀριστοφάνης <> δοκοῦσι γὰρ μᾶλλον σώζεσθαι οἱ τὰ μυστήρια εἰδότες.

More safely: [that is], freer from danger, for those initiated here are said to be heard [by the gods] in whatever they pray for; as Aristophanes [says], “But if anyone of you happens to have been initiated in Samothrace, now is the time to pray,” for those acquainted with these mysteries are more apt to be saved, it would seem.

Greek Text

English Translation

μυεῖσθαί τε φασι τοὺς μυομένους περιεζωσμένους ταινίας πορφυρᾶς, καὶ τοὺς μυηθέντας ἐν τοῖς κατὰ θάλασσαν κινδύνοις διασώζεσθαι. τὸν οὗν Ὀδυσσέα φασὶ μυηθέντα καὶ χρησάμενον τῷ κρηδέμνῳ ἀντὶ ταινίας σωθῆναι ἐκ τοῦ θαλασσίου κλύδωνος, θέμενον ὑπὸ τὴν κοιλίαν τὸ κρήδεμνον. οὐ μόνον δ’ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ θάλατταν κινδύνοις οἱ μυηθέντες διασώζονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ {εἰ} τύχοι ἄν παντὸς οὗ {ἂν} τυχεῖν εὔξαιτο ὁ μυηθείς. τὸν οὗν Ἀγαμέμνονά φασι, ἐν ταραχῇ καὶ στάσει μεγάλῃ τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὄντων ἐν Τροίᾳ, μυηθέντα τε καὶ ἔχοντα τὴν πορφυρίδα καταπαῦσαι τὴν στάσιν. διὸ καὶ Ἀριστοφάνης φησὶ <<ἀλλ' εἴ τις ὑμῶν ἐν Σαμοθρᾴκῃ τυγχάνει μεμυημένος, νῦν εὔξασθαι καλόν.>> σωστικὰ γὰρ πάνυ τὰ μυστήρια ταῦτά φησιν. διὸ καὶ Ἀπολλώνιος τὴν αἰτίαν ἀποδιδοὺς τοῦ μυηθῆναι τοὺς Ἀργοναύτας ἵνα, φησίν, σαώτεροι ναυτίλλωνται.

Those being initiated are said to be girded with purple fillets during the ceremony, and the initiates are said to be saved from dangers at sea. So Odysseus, being an initiate, is said to have been saved from the storm at sea by using the veil [of Leucothea] in place of a fillet and placing the veil below his abdomen. Not only are the initiates saved from dangers at sea, but the initiate would obtain whatever he might pray to obtain. So when the Greeks at Troy were in terrible turmoil and discord, Agamemnon, being an initiate, is said to have quelled the discord by carrying the purple cloak. Thus Aristophanes too says, “But if any of you happens to have been initiated in Samothrace, now is the time to pray”; for he is saying that these mysteries have great power to save. Thus Apollonius, too, gives as reason for the Argonauts’ being initiated that, as he says, they might sail more safely.

Latin Text

English Translation

vos quoque, Tyndaridae, quos haec colit insula, fratres,
   mite, precor, duplici numen adeste1 viae!
altera namque parat Symplegadas ire per artas,
   scindere Bistonias altera puppis aquas.
vos facite ut ventos, loca cum diversa petamus,
   illa suos habeat, nec minus illa suos.

Ye too, brother Tyndaridae, whom this isle worships, attend in propitious power our twofold way; for one craft makes ready to pass through the narrow Symplegadae, the other to plough Bistonia’s waters. Make ye the winds, though different the places we seek, favour the one and no less favour the other!

Greek Text

English Translation

—— ] βάδιζε μὴ δεδοικὼς μηδὲ ἕν.
. . . . . .]ει μέν᾿, ἔνδον ἐστίν, ὥστ᾿ ἔγειρ᾿,
ἔγειρε δὴ
. . . σε]αυτὸν μὴ παρέργως. νῦν ἀνὴρ γενοῦ
μέγας.
μὴ ἐγκ]αταλίπηις Μοσχίων(α). —βού-
λομαι, νὴ τοὺς θεούς,
καὐτός,] ἀλλ᾿ ἀπροσδοκήτως εἰς κλύδωνα
πραγμάτων
ἐμπεσ]ὼν ἠγωνίακα, καὶ πάλαι ταράττομαι,
μή πο]θ᾿ ἡ τύχη λάβηι μου τὴν ἐναντίαν
κρίσιν.
——δειλὸ]ς εἶ, νὴ τὴν Ἀθηνᾶν, δειλὸς εἶ· βλέπω·
σύ γε
τὸν π]όνον φεύγων προσάπτεις τῆι τύχηι τὴν
αἰτίαν.
τοῖς π]λέουσιν, οὐ θεωρεῖς, πολλάκις τὰ
δυσχερῆ
ἀντικεῖ]ται πάντα· χειμών, πνεῦμ᾿, ὕδωρ,
τρικυμία,
ἀστραπα]ί, χάλαζα, βρονταί, ναυτίαι, συν-
α[. . .], νύξ·
ἀλλ᾿ ὅμω]ς ἕκαστος αὐτῶν προσμένει τὴν
ἐλπίδα
καὶ τὸ μέ]λλον οὐκ ἀπέγνω· τῶν κάλων τις
ἥψατο
θοἰστίον] τ᾿ ἐσκέψαθ᾿, ἕτερος τοῖς Σαμό-
θραιξιν εὔχεται
τῶι κυερνή]τηι βοη[θεῖν], τοὺς πόδας προσ-
έλκεται
(Traces of two lines)

ἐν κακοῖς ἡμ]εῖς ἅπασιν, εὐγενῶς προθυμ[ία]ν
αὐτὸς ἡμῖν.

(A) Go ahead and never fear! . . . Stay here—he is indoors—so wake up, wake up,—no taking it easy! Be a hero, now! Don’t leave Moschion in the lurch!

(B) Heaven knows, I should like to do as you say. But here have I suddenly tumbled into a sea of troubles, and I’m anxious: I’ve been worried for ages that Fortune may decide against me.a

(A) You’re a coward, bless my soul, a coward! I see! You run away from trouble, and fix the blame on Fortune! Look at sailors—constantly up against every difficulty I Storm, gale, rain, mountainous seas, lightning, hail, thunder, seasickness, . . . darkness! And yet every one of them awaits the gleam of Hope and despairs not of the future. One takes hold of the ropes and watches the sail, another prays the Samothracian godsb to assist the pilot, hauls the sheets in . . .

(Traces of two lines)

nothing but trouble all round us, support us like a gentleman—

Greek Text

English Translation

Τίς δ᾿ ἐστὶν ὁ καλούμενος ἱερὸς ἰχθύς; ὁ μὲν τὴν Τελχινιακὴν Ἱστορίαν συνθείς, εἴτ᾿ Ἐπιμενίδης ἐστὶν ὁ Κρὴς ἢ Τηλεκλείδης εἴτ᾿ ἄλλος τις, ἱερούς φησιν εἶναι ἰχθύας δελφῖνας καὶ πομπίλους. ἐστὶ δ᾿ ὁ πομπίλος ζῷον ἐρωτικόν, ὡς ἂν καὶ αὐτὸς γεγονὼς ἐκ τοῦ Οὐρανίου αἵματος ἅμα τῇ | Ἀφροδίτῃ. Νίκανδρος δ᾿ ἐν δευτέρῳ Οἰταϊκῶν φησι·

πομπίλος ὃς ναύτῃσιν ἀδημονέουσι κελεύθους
μηνύσαι φιλέρωσι καὶ ἄφθογγός περ ἀμύνων. ǁ

Ἀλέξανδρος δ᾿ ὁ Αἰτωλὸς ἐν Κρίκᾳ, εἰ γνήσιον τὸ ποιημάτιον·

πηδαλίῳ ἄκρῳ ἔπι πομπίλος ἁνιοχεύων
ἧστ᾿ ἀκάτω κατόπισθε, θεᾶς ὕπο πόμπιμος ἰχθύς.

Παγκράτης δ᾿ ὁ Ἀρκὰς ἐν τοῖς Θαλασσίοις Ἔργοις ἐπιγραφομένοις προειπών·

πομπίλος, ὃν καλέουσιν ἁλίπλοοι ἱερὸν ἰχθύν,

διηγεῖται ὡς οὐ μόνον τῷ Ποσειδῶνι ὁ πομπίλος ἐστὶ διὰ τιμῆς, ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι καὶ τοῖς τὴν Σαμοθρᾴκην | κατέχουσι θεοῖς.

What is the so-called sacred fish? The author of the Telchinian History (FGrH 457 T 10), whether this is Epimenides of Crete, Teleclides, or someone else, says (FGrH 457 F 22) that dolphins and pilot-fish are sacred fish.57 The pilot-fish is a sensual creature, as one might expect, given that it was itself born from Sky’s blood along with Aphrodite.58 Nicander says in Book II of the Oetaean Tales (fr. 16 Schneider):

Pilot-fish, you who show the way to troubled sailors who are in love, aiding them despite being mute.

Alexander Aetolus in Crica (fr. 2, p. 122 Powell)—if the poem is genuine:

A pilot-fish sat at the tip of the rudder behind the vessel, taking its reins, a fish sent as an escort by a goddess.

Pancrates of Arcadia in his poem entitled Maritime Occupations begins (SH 598):

a pilot-fish, which mariners refer to as a holy fish,

and explains that the pilot-fish is honored not just by Poseidon, but also by the gods who control Samothrace.

Greek Text

English Translation

Τὸν ἰχθὺν τὸν πομπίλον οὐ μόνον Ποσειδῶνος λέγουσιν ἱερὸν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν Σαμοθρᾴκῃ θεῶν φίλον. ἁλιέα γοῦν τινα ἐν τοῖς ἄνω τοῦ χρόνου τιμωρίαν ὑποσχεῖν τῷδε τῷ ἰχθύι. καὶ τὸ μὲν ὄνομα ἦν ὡς λόγος τοῦ ἁλιέως Ἐπωπεύς, ἦν δὲ ἐξ Ἰκάρου τῆς νήσου, καὶ υἱὸς αὐτῷ ἦν. ἀθηρίας οὖν ποτε γενομένης ἰχθύων, ἀνήγαγε τὸν βόλον μόνους θηράσαντα πομπίλους, οὕσπερ οὖν καὶ δεῖπνον σὺν τῷ παιδὶ ὁ Ἐπωπεὺς ἔθετο. οὐκ ἐς μακρὰν δὲ δίκη τιμωρὸς μετῆλθεν αὐτόν· τῇ γὰρ ἁλιάδι αὐτοῦ κῆτος ἐπελθὸν ἐν ὄψει τοῦ παιδὸς τὸν Ἐπωπέα κατέπιε. λέγουσι δὲ καὶ τοὺς δελφῖνας πολεμίους τῷ πομπίλῳ εἶναι, οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ἐκείνους καλῶς ἀπαλλάττειν ὅταν αὐτοῦ γεύσωνται· σφαδάζουσι γὰρ παραχρῆμα καὶ ἐκμαίνονται, καὶ ἀτρεμεῖν ἀδυνατοῦντες ἐπὶ τοὺς αἰγιαλοὺς ἐκφέρονται, καὶ ἅπαξ ἐκβρασθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ κύματος κορώναις τε εἰναλίαις καὶ λάροις δεῖπνόν εἰσιν. λέγει δὲ Ἀπολλώνιος ὁ Ῥόδιος ἢ Ναυκρατίτης ὅτι καὶ ἄνθρωπός ποτε οὗτος ἦν, καὶ ἐπόρθμευεν. ὁ δὲ Ἀπόλλων ἠράσθη κόρης, καὶ ἐπειρᾶτο αὐτῇ ὁμιλῆσαι· ἡ δὲ ἀποδιδράσκουσα ἦλθεν ἐς Μίλητον καὶ ἐδεήθη Πομπίλου τινὸς θαλαττουργοῦ, ἵνα αὐτὴν διαγάγοι τὸν πορθμόν· ὁ δὲ ὑπήκουσεν. ἐπιφανεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἀπόλλων τὴν μὲν κόρην ἁρπάζει, τὴν δὲ ναῦν λίθον ἐργάζεται, τὸν δὲ Πομπίλον ἐς τὸν ἰχθὺν τοῦτον μετέβαλεν.

They say that the Pilot-fish is sacred not onlyThe Pilot-fish to Poseidon but is also beloved of the gods of Samothrace. At any rate a certain fisherman in the olden days was punished by this fish. The name of the fisherman was, according to the story, Epopeus, and he came from the island of Icarus and had a son. Now on one occasion after they had failed to find any fish Epopeus drew up his net with a catch consisting entirely of Pilot-fish, off which he and his son made a meal. But not long after, avenging justice overtook him, for a sea-monster attacked his boat and swallowed Epopeus before the very eyes of his son.

And they also say that Dolphins are the enemies of the Pilot-fish, and they again do not escape unharmed when they eat one, for they immediately begin to writhe and go quite mad, and being incapable of remaining still are carried on to beaches, and when once they are cast ashore by the wave they furnish a meal to ‘sea-crows’ [Hom. Od. 5. 66] and sea-mews. And Apollonius of Rhodes or of Naucratis says that the Pilot-fish was once actually a human being and a ferryman. And Apollo fell in love with a maiden and attempted to lie with her, but she escaped and came to Miletus and implored one Pompilus, a seaman, to conduct her across the strait. He agreed to do so, but Apollo appeared and seized the maiden, turned the ship into stone, and transformed Pompilus into this fish.

Greek Text

English Translation

ὣς δὲ δὴ καὶ ἐς τοῦ Ἡφαίστου τὸ ἱρὸν ἦλθε καὶ πολλὰ τῷ ἀγάλματι κατεγέλασε. ἔστι γὰρ τοῦ Ἡφαίστου τὤγαλμα τοῖσι Φοινικηίοισι Παταΐκοισι ἐμφερέστατον, τοὺς οἱ Φοίνικες ἐν τῇσι πρώρῃσι τῶν τριηρέων περιάγουσι. ὃς δὲ τούτους μὴ ὄπωπε, ὧδε σημανέω· πυγμαίου ἀνδρὸς μίμησις ἐστί. ἐσῆλθε δὲ καὶ ἐς τῶν Καβείρων τὸ ἱρόν, ἐς τὸ οὐ θεμιτόν ἐστι ἐσιέναι ἄλλον γε ἢ τὸν ἱρέα· ταῦτα δὲ τὰ ἀγάλματα καὶ ἐνέπρησε πολλὰ κατασκώψας. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ταῦτα ὅμοια τοῖσι τοῦ Ἡφαίστου· τούτου δὲ σφέας παῖδας λέγουσι εἶναι.

Thus too he entered the temple of Hephaestus and made much mockery of the image there. This image of Hephaestus is most like to the Phoenician Pataïci, which the Phoenicians carry on the prows of their triremes. I will describe it for him who has not seen these figures: it is in the likeness of a dwarf. Also he entered the temple of the Cabeiri, into which none may enter save the priest; the images here he even burnt, with bitter mockery. These also are like the images of Hephaestus, and are said to be his sons.

Greek Text

English Translation

Γλαύκῳ καὶ Νηρῆϊ καὶ Ἰνώῳ Μελικέρτῃ,
καὶ βυθίῳ Κρονίδῃ, καὶ Σαμόθρᾳξι θεοῖς,
σωθεὶς ἐκ πελάγους Λουκίλλιος ὧδε κέκαρμαι
τὰς τρίχας ἐκ κεφαλῆς· ἄλλο γὰρ οὐδὲν ἔχω.

To Glaucus, Nereus, and Melicertes, Ino’s son, to the Lord of the Depths, the son of Cronos, and to the Samothracian gods, do I, Lucillius, saved from the deep, offer these locks clipped from my head, for I have nothing else.