Dithyrambs (16.1-17.15)

⋯ since Ourania on her lovely throne has sent me from Pieria a golden freighter loaded with glorious songs

⋯ by the flowery Hebrus he takes delight in ⋯ , or in a long-necked swan ⋯ delighting his mind ⋯ you come to seek the flowers of paeans,

Pythian Apollo, all those which choruses of Delphians loudly sing at your glorious temple.

Meanwhile we sing of how the son of Amphitryon, a bold-minded man, left Oechalia devoured by fire,

and arrived at the headland with waves all around it; there he was going to sacrifice from his booty nine loud-bellowing bulls for Cenaean Zeus, lord of the wide-spread clouds, and two for the god who rouses the sea and subdues the earth,

and a high-horned unyoked ox for the virgin Athena, whose eyes flash with might. Then a god, useless to fight against, wove for Deianeira, to her great sorrow,

a clever scheme, when she heard the bitter news that the son of Zeus, fearless in battle, was sending white-armed Iole to his splendid house to be his bride.

Poor woman, ill-fated, what a plan she devised! Widely powerful envy destroyed her, and the dark veil which covered what was to come, when on the rosy banks of the Lycormas

she received from Nessus the fateful, monstrous gift.

A dark-prowed ship, carrying Theseus, steadfast in the din of battle, and twice seven splendid Ionian youths, was cleaving the Cretan sea;

for northern breezes fell on the far-shining sail, by the will of glorious Athena, shaker of the aegis. And the holy gifts of Cypris with her lovely headband scratched the heart of Minos.

He no longer kept his hand away from the maiden; he touched her white cheeks. And Eriboea cried out

to the descendant of Pandion with his bronze breastplate. Theseus saw, and he rolled his dark eyes under his brows; cruel pain tore his heart,