Hymn 27 to Artemis
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Ἄρτεμιν ἀείδω χρυσηλάκατον, κελαδεινήν,
παρθένον αἰδοίην, ἐλαφηβόλον, ἰοχέαιραν,
αὐτοκασιγνήτην χρυσαόρου Ἀπόλλωνος,
ἣ κατ᾽ ὄρη σκιόεντα καὶ ἄκριας ἠνεμοέσσας
ἄγρῃ τερπομένη παγχρύσεα τόξα τιταίνει 5
πέμπουσα στονόεντα βέλη: τρομέει δὲ κάρηνα
ὑψηλῶν ὀρέων, ἰάχει δ᾽ ἔπι δάσκιος ὕλη
δεινὸν ὑπὸ κλαγγῆς θηρῶν, φρίσσει δέ τε γαῖα
πόντος τ᾽ ἰχθυόεις: ἣ δ᾽ ἄλκιμον ἦτορ ἔχουσα
πάντη ἐπιστρέφεται θηρῶν ὀλέκουσα γενέθλην. 10
αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν τερφθῇ θηροσκόπος ἰοχέαιρα,
εὐφρήνῃ δὲ νόον, χαλάσασ᾽ εὐκαμπέα τόξα
ἔρχεται ἐς μέγα δῶμα κασιγνήτοιο φίλοιο,
Φοίβου Ἀπόλλωνος, Δελφῶν ἐς πίονα δῆμον,
Μουσῶν καὶ Χαρίτων καλὸν χορὸν ἀρτυνέουσα. 15
ἔνθα κατακρεμάσασα παλίντονα τόξα καὶ ἰοὺς
ἡγεῖται χαρίεντα περὶ χροῒ κόσμον ἔχουσα,
ἐξάρχουσα χορούς: αἳ δ᾽ ἀμβροσίην ὄπ᾽ ἰεῖσαι
ὑμνεῦσιν Λητὼ καλλίσφυρον, ὡς τέκε παῖδας
ἀθανάτων βουλῇ τε καὶ ἔργμασιν ἔξοχ᾽ ἀρίστους. 20
χαίρετε, τέκνα Διὸς καὶ Λητοῦς ἠυκόμοιο:
αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν ὑμέων τε καὶ ἄλλης μνήσομ᾽ ἀοιδῆς.
I sing of Artemis, whose shafts are of gold, who cheers on the hounds,
the pure maiden, shooter of stags, who delights in archery,
own sister to Apollo with the golden sword.
Over the shadowy hills and windy peaks
she draws her golden bow, rejoicing in the chase, [5]
and sends out grievous shafts. The tops
of the high mountains tremble and the tangled wood
echoes awesomely with the outcry of beasts:earth quakes
and the sea also where fishes shoal. But the goddess with a bold heart
turns every way destroying the race of wild beasts: [10]
and when she is satisfied and has cheered her heart,
this huntress who delights in arrows slackens her supple bow
and goes to the great house of her dear brother
Phoebus Apollo, to the rich land of Delphi,
there to order the lovely dance of the Muses and Graces. [15]
There she hangs up her curved bow and her arrows,
and heads and leads the dances, gracefully arrayed,
while all they utter their heavenly voice,
singing how neat-ankled Leto bare children
supreme among the immortals both in thought and in deed. [20]
Hail to you, children of Zeus and rich-haired Leto!
And now I will remember you and another song also.
Anonymous. The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914.