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Hymn to Apollon III

 This hymn is traditionally divided into two distinct parts. The first part is called Hymn to Delian Apollon and the remainder is called Hymn to Pythian Apollon. The reason for the distinction is because Apollon was born on the island of Delos but established his oracular shrine at Pythos, i.e. Delphi.

Hymn to Delian Apollon

• lines 1–18 I will remember and not be unmindful of Apollon who shoots afar. As he goes through the house of Zeus, the gods tremble before him and all spring up from their seats when he draws near, as he bends his bright bow. But Leto alone stays by the side of Zeus who delights in thunder; and then she unstrings his bow, and closes his quiver, and takes his bow from his strong shoulders in her hands and hangs it on a golden peg against a pillar of his father's house. Then she leads him to a seat and makes him sit: and the Father gives him nectar in a golden cup welcoming his dear son, while the other gods make him sit down there, and queenly Leto rejoices because she gave birth to a mighty son and an archer. Rejoice, blessed Leto, for you gave birth to glorious children, the lord Apollon and Artemis who delights in arrows; her in Ortygia, and him in rocky Delos, as you rested against the great mass of the Kynthian hill hard by a palm-tree by the streams of Inopos.
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• lines 19–29 How, then, shall I sing of you who in all ways are a worthy theme of song? For everywhere, O Phoibos, the whole range of song is fallen to you, both over the mainland that rears heifers and over the isles. All mountain-peaks and high headlands of lofty hills and rivers flowing out to the deep and beaches sloping seawards and havens of the sea are your delight. Shall I sing how at the first Leto bare you to be the joy of men, as she rested against Mount Kynthus in that rocky isle, in sea-girt Delos—while on either hand a dark wave rolled on landwards driven by shrill winds—whence arising you rule over all mortal men?
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• lines 30–50 Among those who are in Krete, and in the township of Athens, and in the isle of Aigina and Euboia, famous for ships, in Aegae and Eiresiae and Peparethus near the sea, in Thrakian Athos and Pelion's towering heights and Thrakian Samos and the shady hills of Ida, in Skyros and Phokaea and the high hill of Autokane and fair-lying Imbros and smoldering Lemnos and rich Lesbos, home of Makar, the son of Aeolus, and Khios, brightest of all the isles that lie in the sea, and craggy Mimas and the heights of Korykos and gleaming Klaros and the sheer hill of Aisagea and watered Samos and the steep heights of Mykale, in Miletus and Kos, the city of Meropian men, and steep Knidos and windy Karpathos, in Naxos and Paros and rocky Rhenaea—so far roamed Leto in travail with the god who shoots afar, to see if any land would be willing to make a dwelling for her son. But they greatly trembled and feared, and none, not even the richest of them, dared receive Phoibos, until queenly Leto set foot on Delos and uttered winged words and asked her:
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• lines 51–61 "Delos, if you would be willing to be the abode of my son Phoibos Apollon and make him a rich temple—for no other will touch you, as you will find; and I think you will never be rich in oxen and sheep, nor bear vintage nor yet produce plants abundantly. But if you have the temple of far-shooting Apollon, all men will bring you hecatombs and gather here, and incessant savor of rich sacrifice will always arise, and you will feed those who dwell in you from the hand of strangers; for truly your own soil is not rich."
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• lines 62–82 So spoke Leto. And Delos rejoiced and answered and said: "Leto, most glorious daughter of great Koios, joyfully would I receive your child the far-shooting lord; for it is all too true that I am ill-spoken of among men, whereas thus I should become very greatly honored. But this saying I fear, and I will not hide it from you, Leto. They say that Apollon will be one that is very haughty and will greatly lord it among gods and men all over the fruitful earth. Therefore, I greatly fear in heart and spirit that as soon as he sees the light of the sun, he will scorn this island—for truly I have but a hard, rocky soil—and overturn me and thrust me down with his feet in the depths of the sea; then will the great ocean wash deep above my head for ever, and he will go to another land such as will please him, there to make his temple and wooded groves. So, many-footed creatures of the sea will make their lairs in me and black seals their dwellings undisturbed, because I lack people. Yet if you will but dare to swear a great oath, goddess, that here first he will build a glorious temple to be an oracle for men, then let him afterwards make temples and wooded groves amongst all men; for surely he will be greatly renowned."
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• lines 83–88 So said Delos. And Leto swore the great oath of the gods: "Now hear this, Ge (Earth) and wide Ouranos (Heaven) above, and dripping water of Styx, this is the strongest and most awful oath for the blessed gods, surely Phoibos shall have here his fragrant altar and precinct, and you he shall honor above all."
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• lines 89–101 Now when Leto had sworn and ended her oath, Delos was very glad at the birth of the far-shooting lord. But Leto was racked nine days and nine nights with pangs beyond wont. And there were with her all the most notable of the goddesses, Dione and Rhea and Ikhnaea and Themis and loud-moaning Amphitrite and the other deathless goddesses save white-armed Hera, who sat in the halls of cloud-gathering Zeus. Only Eileithyia, goddess of sore travail, had not heard of Leto's trouble, for she sat on the top of Olympos beneath golden clouds by white-armed Hera's contriving, who kept her close through envy, because Leto with the lovely tresses was soon to bear a son faultless and strong.
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• lines 102–114 But the goddesses sent out Iris from the well-set isle to bring Eileithyia, promising her a great necklace strung with golden threads, nine cubits long. And they asked Iris to call her aside from white-armed Hera, lest she might afterwards turn her from coming with her words. When swift Iris, fleet of foot as the wind, had heard all this, she set to run; and quickly finishing all the distance she came to the home of the gods, sheer Olympos, and forthwith called Eileithyia out from the hall to the door and spoke winged words to her, telling her all as the goddesses who dwell on Olympos had bidden her. So she moved the heart of Eileithyia in her dear breast; and they went their way, like shy wild-doves in their going.
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• lines 115–122 And as soon as Eileithyia the goddess of sore travail set foot on Delos, the pains of birth seized Leto, and she longed to bring forth; so she cast her arms about a palm tree and kneeled on the soft meadow while the earth laughed for joy beneath. Then the child leaped forth to the light, and all the goddesses washed you purely and cleanly with sweet water, and swathed you in a white garment of fine texture, new-woven, and fastened a golden band about you.
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• lines 123–130 Now Leto did not give Apollon, bearer of the golden blade, her breast; but Themis duly poured nectar and ambrosia with her divine hands: and Leto was glad because she had borne a strong son and an archer. But as soon as you had tasted that divine heavenly food, O Phoibos, you could no longer then be held by golden cords nor confined with bands, but all their ends were undone. Forthwith Phoibos Apollon spoke out among the deathless goddesses:
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• lines 131–132 "The lyre and the curved bow shall ever be dear to me, and I will declare to men the unfailing will of Zeus."
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• lines 133–139 So said Phoibos, the long-haired god who shoots afar and began to walk upon the wide-pathed earth; and all goddesses were amazed at him. Then with gold all Delos was laden, beholding the child of Zeus and Leto, for joy because the god chose her above the islands and shore to make his dwelling on her; and she loved him yet more in her heart blossomed as does a mountaintop with woodland flowers.
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• lines 140–164 And you, O lord Apollon, god of the silver bow, shooting afar, now walked on craggy Kynthus, and now kept wandering about the islands and the people on them. Many are your temples and wooded groves, and all peaks and towering bluffs of lofty mountains and rivers flowing to the sea are dear to you, Phoibos, yet in Delos do you most delight your heart; for there the long robed Ionians gather in your honor with their children and shy wives; mindful, they delight you with boxing and dancing and song, so often as they hold their gathering. A man would say that they were deathless and un-ageing if he should then come upon the Ionians so met together. For he would see the graces of them all, and would be pleased in heart gazing at the men and well-girded women with their swift ships and great wealth. And there is this great wonder besides—and its renown shall never perish—the girls of Delos, hand-maidens of the Far-Shooter; for when they have praised Apollon first, and also Leto and Artemis who delights in arrows, they sing a strain, telling of men and women of past days, and charm the tribes of men. Also they can imitate the tongues of all men and their clattering speech; each would say that he himself was singing, so close to truth is their sweet song.
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• lines 165–178 And now may Apollon be favorable and Artemis; and farewell all you maidens. Remember me in after-time whenever any one of the men on earth, a stranger who has seen and suffered much, comes here and asks of you: "Whom think you, girls, is the sweetest singer that comes here, and in whom do you most delight?" Then answer, each and all, with one voice: "He is a blind man, and dwells in rocky Khios; his lays are evermore supreme." As for me, I will carry your renown as far as I roam over the earth to the well-placed cities of man, and they will believe also; for indeed this thing is true. And I will never cease to praise far-shooting Apollon, god of the silver bow, whom rich-haired Leto bare.

Hymn to Pythian Apollon

• lines 179–181 O Lord, Lykia is yours and lovely Maeonia and Miletos, charming city by the sea, but over wave-girt Delos you greatly reign your own self.
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• lines 182–206 Leto's all-glorious son goes to rocky Pytho, playing upon his hollow lyre, clad in divine, perfumed garments; and at the touch of the golden key his lyre sings sweet. From there, swift as thought, he speeds from earth to Olympos, to the house of Zeus, to join the gathering of the other gods: immediately the undying gods think only of the lyre and song, and all the Muses together, voice sweetly answering voice, hymn the unending gifts the gods enjoy and the sufferings of men, all that they endure at the hands of the deathless gods, and how they live witless and helpless and cannot find healing for death or defense against old age. Meanwhile the rich-tressed Kharites (Graces) and cheerful Horae (Seasons) dance with Harmonia and Hebe and Aphrodite, daughter of Zeus, holding each other by the wrist. And among them sings one, not mean nor puny, but tall to look upon and enviable in mien, Artemis who delights in arrows, sister of Apollon. Among them sport Ares and the keen-eyed Slayer of Argos (Hermes), while Apollon plays his lyre stepping high and featly and a radiance shines around him, the gleaming of his feet and close-woven vest. And they, even gold-tressed Leto and wise Zeus, rejoice in their great hearts as they watch their dear son playing among the undying gods.
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• lines 207–228 How then shall I sing of you—though in all ways you are a worthy theme for song? Shall I sing of you as wooer and in the fields of love, how you went wooing the daughter of Azan along with god-like Iskhys the son of well-horsed Elatius, or with Phorbas sprung from Triops, or with Ereutheus, or with Leukippus and the wife of Leukippus ... you on foot, he with his chariot, yet he fell not short of Triops. Or shall I sing how at the first you went about the earth seeking a place of oracle for men, O far-shooting Apollon? To Pieria first you went down from Olympos and passed by sandy Lektus and Enienae and through the land of the Perrhaebi. Soon you came to Iolkos and set foot on Kenaeum in Euboea, famed for ships: you stood in the Lelantine plain, but it pleased not your heart to make a temple there and wooded groves. From there you crossed the Euripus, far-shooting Apollon, and went up the green, holy hills, going on to Mykalessus and grassy-bedded Teumessus, and so came to the wood-clad abode of Thebe; for as yet no man lived in holy Thebe, nor were there tracks or ways about Thebe's wheat-bearing plain as yet.
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• lines 229–238 And further still you went, O far-shooting Apollon, and came to Onkhestos, Poseidon's bright grove: there the new-broken colt distressed with drawing the trim chariot gets spirit again, and the skilled driver springs from his car and goes on his way. Then the horses for a while rattle the empty car, being rid of guidance; and if they break the chariot in the woody grove, men look after the horses, but tilt the chariot and leave it there; for this was the rite from the very first. And the drivers pray to the lord of the shrine; but the chariot falls to the lot of the god.
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• lines 239–243 Further yet you went, O far-shooting Apollon, and reached next Kephissus's sweet stream which pours forth its sweet-flowing water from Lilaea, and crossing over it, O worker from afar, you passed many-towered Okalea and reached grassy Haliartus.
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• lines 244–253 Then you went towards Telphusa: and there the pleasant place seemed fit for making a temple and wooded grove. You came very near and spoke to her: "Telphusa, here I am minded to make a glorious temple, an oracle for men, and here they will always bring perfect hecatombs, both those who live in rich Peloponnesus and those of Europe and all the wave-washed isles, coming to seek oracles. And I will deliver to them all counsel that cannot fail, giving answer in my rich temple."
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• lines 254–276 So said Phoibos Apollon, and laid out all the foundations throughout, wide and very long. But when Telphusa saw this, she was angry in heart and spoke, saying: "Lord Phoibos, worker from afar, I will speak a word of counsel to your heart, since you are minded to make here a glorious temple to be an oracle for men who will always bring perfect hecatombs here for you; yet I will speak out, and do you lay up my words in your heart. The trampling of swift horses and the sound of mules watering at my sacred springs will always irk you, and men will like better to gaze at the well-made chariots and stamping, swift-footed horses than at your great temple and the many treasures that are within. But if you will be moved by me—for you, lord, are stronger and mightier than I, and your strength is very great—build at Krisa below the glades of Parnassos: there no bright chariot will clash, and there will be no noise of swift-footed horses near your well-built altar. But so the glorious tribes of men will bring gifts to you as Ie Paeon (Hail, Healer!), and you will receive with delight rich sacrifices from the people dwelling round about." So said Telphusa, that she alone, and not the Far-Shooter, should have renown there; and she persuaded the Far-Shooter.
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• lines 277–286 Further yet you went, far-shooting Apollon, until you came to the town of the presumptuous Phlegyae who dwell on this earth in a lovely glade near the Kephisian lake, caring not for Zeus. And from there you went speeding swiftly to the mountain ridge, and came to Krisa beneath snowy Parnassos, a foothill turned towards the west: a cliff hangs over it from above, and a hollow, rugged glade runs under. There the lord Phoibos Apollon resolved to make his lovely temple, and thus he said:
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• lines 287–293 "In this place I am minded to build a glorious temple to be an oracle for men, and here they will always bring perfect hecatombs, both they who dwell in rich Peloponnesus and the men of Europe and from all the wave-washed isles, coming to question me. And I will deliver to them all counsel that cannot fail, answering them in my rich temple."
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• lines 294–299 When he had said this, Phoibos Apollon laid out all the foundations throughout, wide and very long; and upon these the sons of Erginus, Trophonius and Agamedes, dear to the deathless gods, laid a footing of stone. And the countless tribes of men built the whole temple of wrought stones, to be sung of forever.
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• lines 300–310 But near by was a sweet flowing spring, and there with his strong bow the lord, the son of Zeus, killed the bloated, great she-dragon, a fierce monster wont to do great mischief to men upon earth, to men themselves and to their thin-shanked sheep; for she was a very bloody plague. She it was who once received from gold-throned Hera and brought up fell, cruel Typhaon to be a plague to men. Once on a time Hera gave birth to him because she was angry with father Zeus, when the Son of Kronos conceived all-glorious Athene in his head. Thereupon queenly Hera was angry and spoke thus among the assembled gods:
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• lines 311–330 "Hear from me, all gods and goddesses, how cloud-gathering Zeus begins to dishonor me wantonly, when he has made me his true-hearted wife. See now, apart from me he has given birth to bright-eyed Athene who is foremost among all the blessed gods. But my son Hephaistos was weakly among all the blessed gods and shriveled of foot, a shame and disgrace to me in heaven, whom I myself took in my hands and cast out so that he fell in the great sea. But silver-shod Thetis the daughter of Nereus took and cared for him with her sisters: would that she had done other service to the blessed gods! O wicked one and crafty! What else will you now devise? How dared you by yourself give birth to bright-eyed Athene? Would not I have borne you a child—I, who was at least called your wife among the undying gods who hold wide heaven. Beware now lest I devise some evil thing for you hereafter: yes, now I will contrive that a son be born me to be foremost among the undying gods—and that without casting shame on the holy bond of wedlock between you and me. And I will not come to your bed, but will consort with the blessed gods far off from you."
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• lines 331–333 When she had so spoken, she went apart from the gods, being very angry. Then large-eyed queenly Hera prayed, striking the ground flatwise with her hand, and speaking thus:
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• lines 334–362 "Hear now, I pray, Ge (Earth) and wide Ouranos (Heaven) above, and you Titan gods who dwell beneath the earth about great Tartaros, and from whom are sprung both gods and men! Harken you now to me, one and all, and grant that I may bear a child apart from Zeus, no wit lesser than him in strength—nay, let him be as much stronger than Zeus as all-seeing Zeus than Kronos." Thus she cried and lashed the earth with her strong hand. Then the life-giving earth was moved: and when Hera saw it she was glad in heart, for she thought her prayer would be fulfilled. And thereafter she never came to the bed of wise Zeus for a full year, not to sit in her carved chair as aforetime to plan wise counsel for him, but stayed in her temples where many pray, and delighted in her offerings, large-eyed queenly Hera. But when the months and days were fulfilled and the seasons duly came on as the earth moved round, she bare one neither like the gods nor mortal men, fell, cruel Typhaon, to be a plague to men. And immediately large-eyed queenly Hera took him and bringing one evil thing to another such, gave him to the dragoness; and she received him. And this Typhaon used to work great mischief among the famous tribes of men. Whosoever met the dragoness, the day of doom would sweep him away, until the lord Apollon, who deals death from afar, shot a strong arrow at her. Then she, rent with bitter pangs, lay drawing great gasps for breath and rolling about that place. An awful noise swelled up unspeakable as she writhed continually this way and that amid the wood: and so she left her life, breathing it forth in blood. Then Phoibos Apollon boasted over her:
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• lines 363–369 "Now rot here upon the soil that feeds man! You at least shall live no more to be a fell bane to men who eat the fruit of the all-nourishing earth, and who will bring perfect hecatombs here. Against cruel death neither Typhoeus shall avail you nor ill-famed Khimaira, but here shall Ge (Earth) and shining Hyperion (father of Sun) make you rot."
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• lines 370–374 Thus said Phoibos, exulting over her: and darkness covered her eyes. And the holy strength of Helios (Sun) made her rot away there; wherefore the place is now called Pytho, and men call the lord Apollon by another name, Pythian; because on that spot the power of piercing Helios made the monster rot away.
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• lines 375–378 Then Phoibos Apollon saw that the sweet-flowing spring had beguiled him, and he started out in anger against Telphusa; and soon coming to her, he stood close by and spoke to her:
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• lines 379–381 "Telphusa, you were not, after all, to keep to yourself this lovely place by deceiving my mind, and pour forth your clear flowing water: here my renown shall also be and not yours alone."
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• lines 382–387 Thus spoke the lord, far-working Apollon, and pushed over upon her a crag with a shower of rocks, hiding her streams: and he made himself an altar in a wooded grove very near the clear-flowing stream. In that place all men pray to the great one by the name Telphusian, because he humbled the stream of holy Telphusa.
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• lines 388–439 Then Phoibos Apollon pondered in his heart what men he should bring in to be his ministers in sacrifice and to serve him in rocky Pytho. And while he considered this, he became aware of a swift ship upon the wine-like sea in which were many men and goodly, Kretans from Knossos, the city of Minos, they who do sacrifice to the prince and announce his decrees, whatsoever Phoibos Apollon, bearer of the golden blade, speaks in answer from his laurel tree below the dells of Parnassos. These men were sailing in their black ship for traffic and for profit to sandy Pylos and to the men of Pylos. But Phoibos Apollon met them: in the open sea he sprang upon their swift ship, like a dolphin in shape, and lay there, a great and awesome monster, and none of them gave heed so as to understand; but they sought to cast the dolphin overboard. But he kept shaking the black ship every way and made the timbers quiver. So they sat silent in their craft for fear, and did not loose the sheets throughout the black, hollow ship, nor lowered the sail of their dark-prowed vessel, but as they had set it first of all with ox-hide ropes, so they kept sailing on; for Notos (South Wind) was rushing and hurried on the swift ship from behind. First they passed by Malea, and then along the Lakonian coast they came to Taenarum, sea-garlanded town and country of Helios who gladdens men, where the thick-fleeced sheep of the lord Helios feed continually and occupy a glad-some country. There they wished to put their ship to shore, and land and comprehend the great marvel and see with their eyes whether the monster would remain upon the deck of the hollow ship, or spring back into the briny deep where fishes shoal. But the well-built ship would not obey the helm, but went on its way all along Peloponnesus: and the lord, far-working Apollon, guided it easily with the breath of the breeze. So the ship ran on its course and came to Arena and lovely Argyphea and Thryon, the ford of Alpheios, and well-placed Aepy and sandy Pylos and the men of Pylos; past Kruni it went and Khalkis and past Dyme and fair Elis, where the Epei rule. And at the time when she was making for Pherae, exulting in the breeze from Zeus, there appeared to them below the clouds the steep mountain of Ithaka, and Dulikhium and Same and wooded Zakynthos. But when they passed by all the coast of Peloponnesus, then, towards Krisa, that vast gulf began to heave in sight which through all its length cuts off the rich isle of Pelops. There came on them strong, clear Zephyros (West Wind) by ordinance of Zeus and blew from heaven vehemently, that with all speed the ship might finish coursing over the briny water of the sea. So they began again to voyage back towards the dawn and the sun: and the lord Apollon, son of Zeus, led them on until they reached far-seen Krisa, land of vines, and into haven: there the sea-coursing ship grounded on the sands.
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• lines 440–451 Then, like a star at noonday, the lord, far-working Apollon, leaped from the ship: flashes of fire flew from him thick and their brightness reached to heaven. He entered into his shrine between priceless tripods, and there made a flame to flare up bright, showing forth the splendor of his shafts, so that their radiance filled all Krisa, and the wives and well-girded daughters of the Krisaeans raised a cry at that outburst of Phoibos; for he cast great fear upon them all. From his shrine he sprang forth again, swift as a thought, to speed again to the ship, bearing the form of a man, brisk and sturdy, in the prime of his youth, while his broad shoulders were covered with his hair: and he spoke to the Kretans, uttering winged words:
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• lines 452–461 "Strangers, who are you? Whence come you sailing along the paths of the sea? Are you for traffic, or do you wander at random over the sea as pirates do who put their own lives to hazard and bring mischief to men of foreign parts as they roam? Why rest you so and are afraid, and do not go ashore nor stow the gear of your black ship? For that is the custom of men who live by bread, whenever they come to land in their dark ships from the main, spent with toil; at once desire for sweet food catches them about the heart."
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• lines 462–473 So speaking, he put courage in their hearts, and the master of the Kretans answered him and said: "Stranger—though you are nothing like mortal men in shape or stature, but are as the deathless gods—hail and all happiness to you, and may the gods give you good. Now tell me truly that I may surely know it: what country is this, and what land, and what men live herein? As for us, with thoughts set otherwards, we were sailing over the great sea to Pylos from Krete, for from there we declare that we are sprung, but now are come on shipboard to this place by no means willingly—another way and other paths—and gladly would we return. But one of the deathless gods brought us here against our will."
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• lines 474–501 Then far-working Apollon answered them and said: "Strangers who once dwelt about wooded Knossos but now shall return no more each to his loved city and fair house and dear wife; here shall you keep my rich temple that is honored by many men. I am the son of Zeus; Apollon is my name: but you I brought here over the wide gulf of the sea, meaning you no hurt; nay, here you shall keep my rich temple that is greatly honored among men, and you shall know the plans of the deathless gods, and by their will you shall be honored continually for all time. And now come, make haste and do as I say. First loose the sheets and lower the sail, and then draw the swift ship up upon the land. Take out your goods and the gear of the straight ship, and make an altar upon the beach of the sea: light fire upon it and make an offering of white meal. Next, stand side by side around the altar and pray: and in as much as at the first on the hazy sea I sprang upon the swift ship in the form of a dolphin, pray to me as Apollon Delphinius; also the altar itself shall be called Delphinius and Overlooking forever. Afterwards, eat beside your dark ship and pour an offering to the blessed gods who dwell on Olympos. But when you have put away craving for sweet food, come with me singing the hymn Ie Paeon (Hail, Healer!), until you come to the place where you shall keep my rich temple."
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• lines 502–523 So said Apollon. And they readily listened to him and obeyed him. First they unfastened the sheets and let down the sail and lowered the mast by the forestays upon the mast-rest. Then, landing upon the beach of the sea, they hauled up the ship from the water to dry land and fixed long stays under it. Also they made an altar upon the beach of the sea, and when they had lit a fire, made an offering of white meal, and prayed standing around the altar as Apollon had instructed them. Then they took their meal by the swift, black ship, and poured an offering to the blessed gods who dwell on Olympos. And when they had put away craving for drink and food, they started out with the lord Apollon, the son of Zeus, to lead them, holding a lyre in his hands, and playing sweetly as he stepped high and featly. So the Kretans followed him to Pytho, marching in time as they chanted the Ie Paean (Hail, Healer!) after the manner of the Kretan paean-singers and of those in whose hearts the heavenly Muse has put sweet-voiced song. With tireless feet they approached the ridge and came to Parnassos and the lovely place where they were to dwell honored by many men. There, Apollon brought them and showed them his most holy sanctuary and rich temple.
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• lines 524–525 But their spirit was stirred in their dear breasts, and the master of the Kretans asked him, saying:
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• lines 526–530 "Lord, since you have brought us here far from our dear ones and our fatherland—for so it seemed good to your heart—tell us now how we shall live. That we would know of you. This land is not to be desired either for vineyards or for pastures so that we can live well thereon and also minister to men."
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• lines 531–544 Then Apollon, the son of Zeus, smiled upon them and said: "Foolish mortals and poor drudges are you, that you seek cares and hard toils and straits! Easily will I tell you a word and set it in your hearts. Though each one of you with knife in hand should slaughter sheep continually, yet would you always have abundant store, even all that the glorious tribes of men bring here for me. But guard you my temple and receive the tribes of men that gather to this place, and especially show mortal men my will, and do you keep righteousness in your heart. But if any shall be disobedient and pay no heed to my warning, or if there shall be any idle word or deed and outrage as is common among mortal men, then other men shall be your masters and with a strong hand shall make you subject forever. All has been told you—you should keep it in your heart."
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• 545–546 And so, farewell, son of Zeus and Leto; but I will remember you and another hymn also.

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