Greek Texts & Translations

This hymn to Castor and Polydeuces consists, first, of a prelude common to both, and secondly, of two main parts concerned one with Polydeuces and the other with Castor. The first of these, in a combination of the Epic style with the dialogue, tells how Polydeuces fought fisticuffs with Amycus on his way to Colchis, and the second how, when the brothers carried off the daughters of Leucippus, Castor fought Lynceus with spear and sword.

22.1 Our song is of the sons of Leda and the Aegis-Bearer, Castor to wit and with him Polydeuces, that dire wielder of the fist and of the wrist-harness of the leathern thong. Twice is our song and thrice of the boys of Thestius’ daughter, the two Spartan brethren which wont to save both men that are come upon the brink and horses that are beset in the bloody press; aye, and ships also, that because they sail in despite of rise or set of the stars do fall upon evil gales, which, or fore or aft or where they list, upraise a great surge, and both hurl it into the hold and rive with it their timbers whether on this side or on that. Then hang sail and shroud by the board; and night comes, and with it a great storm from the sky, and the broad sea rattles and plashes with the battery blast and of the irresistible hail. But for all that, ye, even ye, do draw both ship and despairing shipmen from out the hell; the winds abate, the sea puts on a shining calm, the clouds run asunder this way and that way; till out come the Bears peeping, and betwixt the Asses lo! that Manger so dim, which betokens all fair for voyaging on the sea. O helpers twain of men, O friends both of mortals, O horseman harpers, O boxer bards, whether of Castor first or Polydeuces shall I sing? Be my song of both, and yet the beginning of it of Polydeuces.

22.27 The Together-coming Rocks were safely passed and the baleful mouth of the snowy Pontic entered, and Argo with the dear children of the Gods aboard her had made the country of the Bebrycians. Down the ladders on either side went crowding the men of Jason’s ship, and soon as they were out upon the soft deep sand of that lee shore, set to making them greenbeds and rubbing fire-sticks for fire. Then when Castor of the nimble coursers and Polydeuces ruddy as the wine together wandering afield from the rest, for to see the wild woodland of all manner of trees among the hills. Now beneath a certain slabby rock they did find a freshet brimming ever with water pure and clear. The pebbles at the bottom of it were like to silver and crystal, and long and tall there grew beside it, as well firs and poplars and planes and spiry cypresses, as all fragrant flowers which abound in the meadows of outgoing spring to be loved and laboured of the shag bee. In that place there sat taking the air a man both huge and terrible. His ears were crushed shapeless by the hard fist, and his giant breast and great broad back were orbed with iron flesh like a sledge-wrought effigy; moreover the sinews upon his brawny arms upstood beside the shoulder like the boulder-stones some torrent hath rolled and rounded in his swirling eddies; and, to end all, over his neck and about his back there was hung by the claws a swinging lion-skin.

22.53 First spoke the champion Polydeuces. ‘Whoever you may be, Sir,’ says he, ‘I bid you good morrow. Pray tell me what people possesseth this country.’

AMYCUS
22.55 Is it good-morrow, quotha, when I see strangers before me?

POLYDEUCES
22.56 Be of good cheer. Trust me, we be no evil men nor come we of evil stock.

AMYCUS
22.57 Of right good cheer am I, and knew it or ever I learnt it of you.

POLYDEUCES
22.58 Pray are you a man o’ the wilds, a churl come what may, a mere piece of disdain?

AMYCUS
22.59 I am what you see; and that’s no goer upon other’s ground, when all’s said.

POLYDEUCES
22.60 Come you upon my ground and welcome; you shall not go away empty.

AMYCUS
22.61 I’ll none of your welcomes and you shall none of mine.

POLYDEUCES
22.62 Lord, man! would you have me denied even a drink of this water?

AMYCUS
22.63 That shall you know when there comes you the parching languor o’ thirst on the lips.

POLYDEUCES
22.64 Would you silver or aught else for price? Say what you’ll take.

AMYCUS
22.65 Up hands fight me man against man.

POLYDEUCES
22.66 Fisticuffs is ‘t? or feet and all? mind you, I have a good eye. ^note

AMYCUS
22.67 Fists be it, and you may do all your best and cunningest.

POLDEUCES
22.68 But who is he for whom I am to bind thong to arm?

AMYCUS
22.69 You see him nigh; the man that shall fight you may be called a woman, but ‘faith, shall not deserve the name.

POLYDEUCES
22.70 And pray is there a prize we may contend for in this our match?

AMYCUS
22.71 Whethersoever shall win shall have the other to his possession.

POLYDEUCES
22.72 But such be the mellays of the red-crested game-cock.

AMYCUS
22.73 Whether we be like cock or lion there shall be no fight betwixt us on any other stake.