fog of nine parts over twelve days (4/9)
thus(she)spake; but rejoice(and hail)Delos, and exchanging
and replying(o replying)(o returning-braiding)she was(amoebeing . . .
o holy-mogis-pos-will-be-mother, the whole fog-)voicing-through;
ὣς φάτο: χαῖρε δὲ Δῆλος, ἀμειβομένη δὲ προσηύδα:
Leto, most-glorious daughter of great Koios(you would mark)(you
would cry)(indeed-methinks-i-finally-do — by the dog, shes weaving-
all-nighters, for two — through four, or more — yet, still —
Λητοῖ, κυδίστη θύγατερ μεγάλου Κοίοιο,
)gladly-welcomed, i, at least, would receive(i would bring
to light)your offspring(seed)(generation)(birth)(they were, i am
bringing forth, to bring forth)from-afar the(HEKATOS)lord;
for horribly(dreadful stories)true(o truthful one)(i)(truthful)am bad-
wailing-(war-death-harpy)-sounding(to)(for)by men; and thus,
(we)honored-all-around(we)
would i become.
ἀσπασίη κεν ἐγώ γε γονὴν ἑκάτοιο ἄνακτος
δεξαίμην: αἰνῶς γὰρ ἐτήτυμόν εἰμι δυσηχὴς
ἀνδράσιν: ὧδε δέ κεν περιτιμήεσσα γενοίμην.
but this(word-song)(i)tremble, o Leto, (o this)word-song, nor will(i)
conceal(this word-song)(from)you(who are concealed(in this));
for(overly)(will be twanged)they say, some(hubristic)Apollo(overly)
reckless, uncaring, foolish, ruinous and ungovernable(like
too many, too eager suitors)(overly)(will
be twanged)will be,
and loudly-bigly-will-willfuly-hold-political-sway amongst immortals
and(indeed)for mortals(who)liable-to-death(know neither ships,
with their date-palm-bellies-swelling-fat-purple-pink, nor
the balancing of scales — Athenai, represent —
)upon spelt-giving land.
ἀλλὰ τόδε τρομέω, Λητοῖ, ἔπος, οὐδέ σε κεύσω:
λίην γάρ τινά φασιν ἀτάσθαλον Ἀπόλλωνα
ἔσσεσθαι, μέγα δὲ πρυτανευσέμεν ἀθανάτοισι
καὶ θνητοῖσι βροτοῖσιν ἐπὶ ζείδωρον ἄρουραν.
for those, then and there, horribly(i, Penelope-testing, do)fear,
both through(against)phren(tummy-heart-centered-wits-waiting)
and against(through)thumos(breath-spirit-savage-tasting-heart —
as if I don’t remember clearly (as 6 + 3) the last time —
and one year later (that makes 4) —
and with that fucking oar —
how you left us,
before,
again,
)lest whenever the first time he would see(youd be seen, by sheen
of metal)(by ships-timber-tree)light(o daylight)(fire-in-his-eyes-
bright)(a way out)(delight, deliverance, victory, glory)(the dark-
ring)(if somewhere he still lives)(he sees his other one)(around
a nipple)(areola)(black from Hades, unseen)(by the hole)of the sun,
τῷ ῥ᾽ αἰνῶς δείδοικα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν,
μή, ὁπότ᾽ ἂν τὸ πρῶτον ἴδῃ φάος ἠελίοιο,
and dishonoring(you dishonor)(her, again)
the island(as before, will be swimming
and spinning and piling-
up-unwoven string,
in heaps —
o MUSE, sing me the woman
who was ever allowed
to count, OUTLOUD —
)since(you approach the dyad-word-song, are you)really(or)
(i was surely, he said)hard-rocky-grounded(home)(i)am —
by feet(by husbanding)(id over-)turn(and twisting)down(catastrophe)
against(trampling-on, ruining)he would thrust(nail-head, youd
be thrusted)(by thrusting)into the salty-grey sea —
νῆσον ἀτιμήσας, ἐπεὶ ἦ κραναήπεδός εἰμι,
ποσσὶ καταστρέψας ὤσῃ ἁλὸς ἐν πελάγεσσιν,
and now, there(he is)(they are)(he comes and goes)(and come
and go, he says, to me, in the imperative, of)my own self —
(on the one hand)the great(swollen)wave(o flood)(my pregnancy)
(down)against(through)my head(face)(skull)in crowds(aplenty)
(enough)always, it would wash(dash) — (surge) — over(my sanity) —
(on the other hand)he will arrive on(me)the other earth,
who would please(youd be pleased, youd take pleasure, by)him, (me)
to be made(prepared and performed-as)the temple(ship-like)dwelling
and hallowed-wooded(with tree-like markings)groves(of growth) —
ἔνθ᾽ ἐμὲ μὲν μέγα κῦμα κατὰ κρατὸς ἅλις αἰεὶ
κλύσσει: ὃ δ᾽ ἄλλην γαῖαν ἀφίξεται, ἥ κεν ἅδῃ οἱ,
τεύξασθαι νηόν τε καὶ ἄλσεα δενδρήεντα:
o(his)polypodes(slime-suckered, skin-(g)ripping things)in my-own-self!
(so protean, he would throw-up)lurking-places(cavities)(lairs)(of a cave-
grave)(the pores of sponges)(nostrils)(recesses in my brain-
bone)and murky seals(o dark seals)(by
the slickening-sea-dog . . .
πουλύποδες δ᾽ ἐν ἐμοὶ θαλάμας φῶκαί τε μέλαιναι
)they will make houses(palaces)(dyad-dwellings)(unburied)uncared-for,
(sisters-)in-lack(ing bedding, spider-webbings-wedding)(just like
you left Argos, of the patient heart, but)of people(d audience,
people-responsibilities, people-needs, left
sisters-in-stones —
οἰκία ποιήσονται ἀκηδέα, χήτεϊ λαῶν.
from hymn 3 to Apollo
cf Homers Odyssey
4.404(seals of Proteus)
5.432(polypodon thalames)
16.35(spider web bedding)
16.86(hubris of suitors)
17.292(Argos talasiphronos)
20.207(ever if he still lives)
23.273(Pen and the sign)
Iliad 2.548(Athenianships)
etc.