by what means, then, will i sing you, in all ways being(o being)well-sung?
for everywhere by you, Phoibos, the laws(customs)(melodies)have been thrown — (cast)
(hurled)(struck)(tumbled)(let fall)of the song, across
both the calf(maiden)-nourishing mainland and the islands;

πῶς τ᾽ ἄρ σ᾽ ὑμνήσω πάντως εὔυμνον ἐόντα;
πάντη γάρ τοι, Φοῖβε, νόμοι βεβλήατ᾽ ἀοιδῆς,
ἠμὲν ἀν᾽ ἤπειρον πορτιτρόφον ἠδ᾽ ἀνὰ νήσους:

but all the lookout-peaks(chosen by you, i)delighted you and the sharply-projecting ridges
of the lofty mountains(will be awakening you)and the rivers flowing toward the sea
and the steep banks(o)having(bending)(giving-way)(reclining)(sloping)
(resting)into the brine and the harbors of the sea.

πᾶσαι δὲ σκοπιαί τοι ἅδον καὶ πρώονες ἄκροι
ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων ποταμοί θ᾽ ἅλαδε προρέοντες
ἀκταί τ᾽ εἰς ἅλα κεκλιμέναι λιμένες τε θαλάσσης.

as(really)(or)(it said)(was it i)Leto gave birth(give birth, you)to you first, o joy
for mortals, leaning(sloping)(wandering)(straying)(lain-
down)against mount Kynthos into the rugged island,
into flow-surrounded Delos?

but on either side the dark wave(o wave)(the embryo)(the sprout — )
was coming forth onto the dry(barren)land by shrill-blowing winds;
from there, letting loose and away, you lord over all the deathbound.

ἦ ὥς σε πρῶτον Λητὼ τέκε, χάρμα βροτοῖσι,
κλινθεῖσα πρὸς Κύνθου ὄρος κραναῇ ἐνὶ νήσῳ,
Δήλῳ ἐν ἀμφιρύτῃ; ἑκάτερθε δὲ κῦμα κελαινὸν
ἐξῄει χέρσονδε λιγυπνοίοις ἀνέμοισιν,
ἔνθεν ἀπορνύμενος πᾶσι θνητοῖσιν ἀνάσσεις.

as many as Krete holds within herself(so are you — flickering — held)and
the people of Athens, and the island Aigina, and famous-for-her-ships
Euboia, and the Aigai, the Peiresiai and the coastal Peparethos,
and Thracian Athos and the highest mountain tops(o peaks)of Pelion,
and Thracian Samos of Ida and(o the shady hillsides of)the highlands,

ὅσσους Κρήτη τ᾽ ἐντὸς ἔχει καὶ δῆμος Ἀθηνῶν
νῆσός τ᾽ Αἰγίνη ναυσικλειτή τ᾽ Εὔβοια,
Αἰγαί, Πειρεσίαι τε καὶ ἀγχιάλη Πεπάρηθος
Θρηίκιός τ᾽ Ἀθόως καὶ Πηλίου ἄκρα κάρηνα
Θρηικίη τε Σάμος Ἴδης τ᾽ ὄρεα σκιόεντα,

and Skyros and Phokaia and(o)the sheer height of(papyrus-poetries)
Autokanes, of well-founded Imbros and fog-enveloped Lemnos,
and exceedingly-holy Lesbos, and the Aiolian seat of Makar,
and Chios, (she)who, among islands, is the most brilliant(fertile)(fruit-
ful)(unctuous)(shining)(sleek)(smooth)and anointed in the salty-sea, lies
outstretched(uncared for)(idle)(unburied)(or sleeping)but lies still,

Σκῦρος καὶ Φώκαια καὶ Αὐτοκάνης ὄρος αἰπύ,
Ἴμβρος τ᾽ εὐκτιμένη καὶ Λῆμνος ἀμιχθαλόεσσα
Λέσβος τ᾽ ἠγαθέη, Μάκαρος ἕδος Αἰολίωνος,
καὶ Χίος, ἣ νήσων λιπαρωτάτη εἰν ἁλὶ κεῖται,

and craggy Mimas and the highest mountain tops(o peaks)of Korykos
and moonlit-radiant Klaros and(o)the sheer height of(earth-destiny)Aisagees,
and watery-moist Samos and the steep mountains(o peaks)of Mykale,
and Miletos and Kos, the city of Meropes(mortal)human beings,

παιπαλόεις τε Μίμας καὶ Κωρύκου ἄκρα κάρηνα
καὶ Κλάρος αἰγλήεσσα καὶ Αἰσαγέης ὄρος αἰπὺ
καὶ Σάμος ὑδρηλὴ Μυκάλης τ᾽ αἰπεινὰ κάρηνα
Μίλητός τε Κόως τε, πόλις Μερόπων ἀνθρώπων,

and steeply-situated Knidos and wind-swept Karpathos,
Naxos and also Paros and Rhenaia, with her cliffs exposed,
and over and across all of it, suffering pangs of childbirth, Leto was coming-
arriving-befallen(befalling)by(Hekebolos)casting-from-afar,
whether any would be willing-found-dwelling for(by)
her child of earths.

καὶ Κνίδος αἰπεινὴ καὶ Κάρπαθος ἠνεμόεσσα
Νάξος τ᾽ ἠδὲ Πάρος Ῥήναιά τε πετρήεσσα,
τόσσον ἔπ᾽ ὠδίνουσα Ἑκηβόλον ἵκετο Λητώ,
εἴ τίς οἱ γαιέων υἱεῖ θέλοι οἰκία θέσθαι.


from hymn 3 to Apollo

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