husian,
because he humbled the stream of holy Telphusa.
(ll. 388-439) Then Phoebus Apollo 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, Cretans
from Cnossos [2510], the city of Minos, they who do sacrifice to the
prince and announce his decrees, whatsoever Phoebus Apollo, bearer of
the golden blade, speaks in answer from his laurel tree below the dells
of Parnassus. These men were sailing in their black ship for traffic and
for profit to sandy Pylos and to the men of Pylos. But Phoebus Apollo
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 [2511]; but they sought to cast
the dolphin overboard. But he kept shaking the black ship every way and
make 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 oxhide ropes, so they kept sailing on; for a rushing south wind
hurried on the swift ship from behind. First they passed by Malea, and
then along the Laconian 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
Apollo, 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 Alpheus, and well-placed Aepy and sandy Pylos and the men of Pylos;
past Cruni it went and Chalcis 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 Ithaca, and Dulichium and Same and wooded Zacynthus. But
when they were passed by all the coast of Peloponnesus, then, towards
Crisa,
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