TRANSLATIONS. THE INFANT HERCULES AND THE SERPENTS. FROM THEOCRITUS. Juno, jealous of the child which Jupiter has had by Alcmena, sends two dreadful serpents to devour the boy. The serpents come upon him, while he and his half-brother Iphiclus, the son of Amphitryon, are sleeping together. Iphiclus, the child of the mortal father, is terrified: Hercules, the infant demi-god, seizes and destroys them, as if they were living play-things. His mother consults the prophet Tiresias on the occasion, and is told of her son's future renown. YOUNG Hercules had now beheld the light Ηρακλέα δεκάμηνον ἐόντα ποχ ̓ ἡ Μιδεᾶτις Αλκμήνα, καὶ νυκτὶ νεώτερον Ιφικλῆα, Αμφοτέρους λούσασα καὶ ἐμπλήσασα γάλακτος, Their cradle was a noble shield of brass, Won by her lord from slaughtered Pterelas. Gently she laid them down, and gently laid Her hand on both their heads, and yearned, and said, 66 Sleep, sleep, my boys, a light and pleasant sleep; My little souls, my twins, my guard and keep! Sleep happy, and wake happy !” And she kept At midnight, when the Bear went down, and broad Orion's shoulder lit the starry road, Χαλκείαν κατέθηκεν ἐπ ̓ ἀσπίδα, τὰν Πτερελάου ̓Αμφιτρύων καλὸν ὅπλον ἀπεσκύλευσε πεσόντος Απτομένα δὲ γυνὰ κεφαλᾶς μυθήσατο παίδων Εὕδετ' ἐμὰ βρέφεα γλυκερὸν καὶ ἐγέρσιμον ὕπνον· Εὕδετ' ἐμὰ ψυχὰ, δύ' ἀδελφε, εὔσοα τέκνα Ολβιοι ευνάξοισθε, καὶ ὄλβιοι ἀπ ἵκοισθε. Ὣς φαμένα δίνασε σάκος μέγα· τοὺς δ ̓ ἔλαβ ̓ ὕπνος. *Αμος δὲ τρέφεται μεσονύκτιον ἐς δύσιν ἄρκτος, Ωρίωνα κατ' αυτὸν, ὁ δ ̓ ἀμφαίνει μέγαν ὦμον, There came, careering through the opening halls, On livid spires, two dreadful animals— Serpents; whom Juno, threatening as she drove, Had sent there to devour the boy of Jove. And now they have arriv'd, and think to fall Το their dread meal, when lo! (for Jove sees all), Τᾶμος ἄρ ανὰ πέλωρα δύω πολυμήχανος Ηρη |