Dialogues of the Gods (10.2-10.3)

Tell me, have you never heard the name of Zeus? Never seen his altar on Gargaron [*] —the one who sends rain, thunder and lightning?

Oh, sir, do you mean you’re the one that poured down that tremendous hailstorm on us the other day, the one they say lives up top and makes all the noise, the one my father sacrificed the ram to? What harm have I done you, mister king of the gods, that you’ve carried me off up here? Perhaps the wolves will fall on my sheep now that they’re unprotected, and tear them to pieces.

What? Still worrying about your sheep? You’re an immortal now and will be living up here with us.

What’s that? Won’t you be taking me back to Ida today?

Of course not. That would mean I’d changed from god to eagle all for nothing.

Then my daddy will be looking everywhere for me and getting cross if he doesn’t find me, and I’ll get a thrashing by and by for leaving my flock.

How so? Where will he see you?

Please don’t go on with it, for I miss him already. If only you take me back, I promise you you’ll get another ram from him, sacrificed as my ransom. We have the three-year-old one, the big one that leads the way to the pasture.

How simple the child is, how innocent he is! Still just a child, that’s what he is. Look here, Ganymede, you can say good-bye to all those things and forget all about them—about your flock and about Ida. You’re one of heaven’s company now, and can do a lot of good to your father and country from here. Instead of your cheese and milk, you’ll have ambrosia to eat and nectar to drink, only you’ll have to serve the nectar to the rest of us too with your own fair hand. And most important of all, you won’t be human any more, but immortal, and I’ll make your own star—the prettiest one shining in the sky—and you’ll enjoy perfect happiness.

But what if I want to play? Who will play with me? There were a lot of us who were of my age on Ida.

You have someone to play with here too—there’s Eros over there—and lots and lots of knucklebones [*] as well. Only you must cheer up and be a bit more pleased with life, and stop longing for things below.