Athena, Unswayed by Aphrodite
|
Name: Unknown Date: 7th – 5th century BCE Region: [modern Greece] Citation: Homeric Hymn to
Aphrodite, 7 – 15 |
But Aphrodite is not able to persuade
three goddesses, nor can she beguile them.
One is the aegis-wearing
daughter of Zeus, the bright-eyed Athena.
She doesn’t enjoy the works of golden
Aphrodite;
Instead she runs after battles and
Ares’ sphere of influence—
Conflicts and skirmishes and the
equipment that goes with it.
She was the first to teach men the art
of woodcraft outdoors,
And how to make chariots and carriages
out of different types of metal.
Yet she also taught tender maidens
splendid works indoors,
Granting a different type of knowledge
to each person.
|
τρισσὰς δ᾽ οὐ δύναται πεπιθεῖν
φρένας οὐδ᾽ ἀπατῆσαι: κούρην τ᾽ αἰγιόχοιο Διός, γλαυκῶπιν Ἀθήνην: οὐ γὰρ οἱ εὔαδεν ἔργα πολυχρύσου Ἀφροδίτης, ἀλλ᾽ ἄρα οἱ πόλεμοί τε ἅδον καὶ ἔργον Ἄρηος ὑσμῖναί τε μάχαι τε καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργ᾽ ἀλεγύνειν. πρώτη τέκτονας ἄνδρας ἐπιχθονίους ἐδίδαξε ποιῆσαι σατίνας τε καὶ ἅρματα ποικίλα χαλκῷ. ἣ δέ τε παρθενικὰς ἁπαλόχροας ἐν μεγάροισιν ἀγλαὰ ἔργ᾽ ἐδίδαξεν ἐπὶ φρεσὶ θεῖσα ἑκάστῃ. |
Verum tres sunt deae,
quarum animum flectere, suaque; fraude convellere haudquaquam potis est:
nempe caesiam Minervam Jovis Filiam. Non enim illi aureae Veneris placuere
opera: sed bella semper ac Martis opera grata sunt, praeliaque et pugnae,
acres tractare splendidas. Prima enim artifices in terra docuit viros scuta
construere, variosque ferro currus. Haec quoque teneras virgines intra limen
docuit praeclara illa opera conficere, unicuique inflammans animum. Translated into Latin by
Raphael Regio Volterranus (1541) |
