Daphne's Escape: Pseudo-Palaephatus XLIX

 Ladon’s Tale

Mother Earth manifested herself into a body to mate with the river Ladon; she conceived from this union and gave birth to Daphne. Pythian Apollo fell in love with her, and wooed her with words; however, Daphne wished to preserve her chastity, and refused to be wooed.  Apollo therefore pursued her, then finally hunted her down; she was forced to flee.

When Daphne could no longer hold out against him, she called for Mother Earth to help her. She begged to be swallowed up into the earth again in order to preserve the virginity. Mother Earth answered her prayers, and hid Daphne within herself. After some time, a laurel tree emerged from the earth. Apollo, eager for love, took her blossoming branches in his arms, refused to leave it.  He took her branches in his hands and began to adorn his temples with her leaves.

De Ladone Narratio

Terrae visum fuit cum Ladone fluvio ad coitum descendere et posteaquam cum eo se miscuit, ex cuius compressu concipiens, Daphnem gignit. Hanc Apollo Pythius amavit, verbaque amatoria ad illam faciebat; sed cum ipsa castitatem servare vellet, illum minime audire volebat, necesseque ei ob id erat puellam aversantem insequi, veluti sic illam denique persequebatur: quae cum fugeret, denegare ei quicquam non prius ausa est, quam terram matrem suam in auxilium advocaret, a qua precibus petebat, ut sese iterum intra se admitteret, ac in eadem virginitate talem, qualis nata erat, custodiret, quod et mater fecit, Daphne nanque intra se occultavit. Post vero tempus, illud e terra egressa Daphne, arborque facta, eodem in loco pullulabat, cuius ramis, cum propeter amoris impatientiam, deus inhaereret, illi quo minus in lauram commutaretur resistere nullo modo potuit. Nam manus illius iam intra arboris truncu comprehendi caputque et reliqua corporis frondibus ornari coepere, sine quibus lauri foliis ut dicitur Tripos in Boeotia, ubi antrum erat, nullo modo erigi poterat.

--Pseudo-Palaephatus, Peri Apiston / Incredibilia 49; Translated into Latin by Phillip Phasiannus (1542)

 Little is known about the life and time period of Palaephatus, but his book, On Unbelievable Tales, was a popular text in the ancient world. In this work, Palaephatus attempts to find logical explanations for popular Greek myths. Due to the high level of interest in the topic and the relatively straightforward grammar and syntax, Palaephatus’ work is a popular text for intermediate Ancient Greek classrooms.

M/M: Apollo and Hyacinthos, Pseudo Palaephatus, Peri Apiston 46

 Hyacinth was a beautiful and noble youth from Amyclae. Both Apollo and Zephyr saw him and were smitten by his beauty; both competed to win his affection. Apollo showed off his archery skills, and Zephyr sent a wind. Apollo approached Hyacinth with joy and singing; but Hyacinth felt anxious and fearful around Zephyr, so he shared his affection with Apollo. Because of this, Zephyr grew jealous and plotted his revenge.

 Later on, when Hyacinth was training with Apollo, (something he was too afraid to do with Zephyr), Zephyr maliciously struck down the discus that Apollo had thrown; it struck the youth, and he died. The earth could not erase the memory of such a tragedy, and so in honor of the youth, it created a flower with the name Hyacinth, and inscribed the first letter of his name on the petals of the flowers.

De Hyacintho Narratio:

Hyacinthus adulescens Amycleus erat, pulcher & honestus satis. Hunc Apollo quidem vidit, vidit & hunc Zephyrus, amboque illius formae amore capti sunt, in cuiusque gratiam et honorem certatim artes uterque suas illi exhibebant. Sagittabat namque Apollo, Zephyr vero spirabat, sed ab illo cantus & voluptas veniebat, ab hoc vero timor non nisi ac perturbatio sibi erat. Itaque in Phoebi amorem sese iuvenis inclinat. Ob idque Zephyrum prae zelotypia ad bellum armare fecit. Post haec quaedam Hyacintho exercitamenta cum Apolline erant, in quibus cum sese exerceret a Zephyro sibi maxime timendum erat, discoque praesertim, quem cum adulescentis lusui Deus praeparasset, et ab illo iam descendisset, a pueroque mox levaretur, Zephyri fraude in eum ipsum decidit, qui ita mortuus est. Terra vero tantae calamitatis memoriam ullo modo desertam omittere non debuit, quin pro adulescentulo, quod fecit, florem Hyacinthi nominis emitteret, in cuius quidem foliis eius ipsius Hyacinthi nominis pricipium inscriptum fuisse memorant.

--Pseudo-Palaephatus, Peri Apiston 46; Translated into Latin by Phillip Phasiannus (1542)

 Little is known about the life and time period of Palaephatus, but his book, On Unbelievable Tales, was a popular text in the ancient world. In this work, Palaephatus attempts to find logical explanations for popular Greek myths. Due to the high level of interest in the topic and the relatively straightforward grammar and syntax, Palaephatus’ work is a popular text for intermediate Ancient Greek classrooms.

Palaephatus on the "Impossible" Myth of Caeneus, Peri Apiston XI

 It is important to note that Palaephatus does not challenge Caeneus' gender, only his invulnerability.

They say that Caeneus was invulnerable. However, you’re an idiot if you think he couldn’t get wounded by iron. Here’s the truth: Caeneus was a Thessalian man who was mighty and skilled in the art of war. Although he fought in many battles, he was never wounded.  Even when he died battling the Centaurs on behalf of the Lapiths, he was crushed to death by rocks, not iron. When the Lapiths recovered his body, they found no wounds on him, and so they said that “he was invulnerable in life, as well as in death.”

Caenea invulnerabilem omnino fuisse aiunt. Quicumque, autem hoc ad credendum suscipit, quod homo quispiam ferro invulnerabilis existat, amens hic reputandus est. Veritas itaque; sic se habet: Caeneus genere Thessalus, vir erat bellicis in rebus strenuus ac potens, pugnandique scientia praeditus, qui cum multis in bellis olim fuisset, nullo tamen unquam tempore vulneratus fuerat. Atque adeo cum Lapithis simul quandoque pugnans, a Centauris interfici nullo modo potuit, sed ab illis solii comprehensus cum fuisset, multitudine ullorum obrutus est, sicque consumptus fuit. Eius itaque defuncti Lapithae cadaver suscipientes, nullisque confossum vulneribus corpus invenientes, dicere consueverant. Caeneus cum alias toto suae vitae tempore invulnerabilis fuerit, itidem sine ullis nunc quoque vulneribus mortuus est.

Καινέα φασίν ότι άτρωτος ήν. όστις  δ υπολαμβάνει άτρωτον από σιδήρε άνθρωπον, ευήθης εςιν. η δε αλήθεια έχει έτως. Καινεύς ήν ανής Θετταλος τω γένει, αγαθός τα πολεμικά  και επισήμων τα μάχεσθαι . γενόμενος δε εν πολλαϊς μάχαις, έδέποτε ετρώθη, έτε Λαπίθαις συμμαχών πρός των Κενταυρων απέθανεν, αλλα συλλαβόντες αυτόν μόνον κατέχωσαν και ωτως έτε λέυτησεν.  έλεγον ων οι Λαπίθαι ανελόμενοι τον νεκρόν αυτέ, και ευρόντες μη τετρωμένον το σώμα, Καινεύς τόν γε άλλον βίον άτρωτος ήν, και απέθανεν άτρωτος.

--Palaephatus, Peri Apiston X, Translated into Latin by Phillip Phasiannus (1542)

Little is known about the life and time period of Palaephatus, but his book, On Unbelievable Tales, was a popular text in the ancient world. In this work, Palaephatus attempts to find logical explanations for popular Greek myths. Due to the high level of interest in the topic and the relatively straightforward grammar and syntax, Palaephatus’ work is a popular text for intermediate Ancient Greek classrooms.