eawards 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 Cynthus 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?

(ll. 30-50) Among those who are in Crete, and in the township of Athens,
and in the isle of Aegina and Euboea, famous for ships, in Aegae and
Eiresiae and Peparethus near the sea, in Thracian Athos and Pelion's
towering heights and Thracian Samos and the shady hills of Ida, in
Scyros and Phocaea and the high hill of Autocane and fair-lying Imbros
and smouldering Lemnos and rich Lesbos, home of Macar, the son of
Aeolus, and Chios, brightest of all the isles that lie in the sea, and
craggy Mimas and the heights of Corycus and gleaming Claros and the
sheer hill of Aesagea and watered Samos and the steep heights of Mycale,
in Miletus and Cos, the city of Meropian men, and steep Cnidos and windy
Carpathos, 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 Phoebus,
until queenly Leto set foot on Delos and uttered winged words and asked
her:

(ll. 51-61) 'Delos, if you would be willing to be the abode of my son
Phoebus Apollo 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 Apollo, all men will bring you hecatombs
and gather here, and incessant savour 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.'

(ll. 62-82) So spake Leto. And Delos rejoiced and answered and said:
'Leto, most glorious daughter of great Coeus, 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
honoured. But this saying I fear, and I will not hide it from you, Leto.
They say that Apollo 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 sets the light of