hing trees, towering high upon the lofty mountains
(and men call them holy places of the immortals, and never mortal lops
them with the axe); but when the fate of death is near at hand, first
those lovely trees wither where they stand, and the bark shrivels away
about them, and the twigs fall down, and at last the life of the Nymph
and of the tree leave the light of the sun together. These Nymphs shall
keep my son with them and rear him, and as soon as he is come to lovely
boyhood, the goddesses will bring him here to you and show you your
child. But, that I may tell you all that I have in mind, I will come
here again towards the fifth year and bring you my son. So soon as ever
you have seen him--a scion to delight the eyes--you will rejoice in
beholding him; for he shall be most godlike: then bring him at once to
windy Ilion. And if any mortal man ask you who got your dear son beneath
her girdle, remember to tell him as I bid you: say he is the offspring
of one of the flower-like Nymphs who inhabit this forest-clad hill.
But if you tell all and foolishly boast that you lay with rich-crowned
Aphrodite, Zeus will smite you in his anger with a smoking thunderbolt.
Now I have told you all. Take heed: refrain and name me not, but have
regard to the anger of the gods.'

(l. 291) When the goddess had so spoken, she soared up to windy heaven.

(ll. 292-293) Hail, goddess, queen of well-builded Cyprus! With you have
I begun; now I will turn me to another hymn.

VI. TO APHRODITE (21 lines)

(ll. 1-18) I will sing of stately Aphrodite, gold-crowned and beautiful,
whose dominion is the walled cities of all sea-set Cyprus. There the
moist breath of the western wind wafted her over the waves of the
loud-moaning sea in soft foam, and there the gold-filleted Hours
welcomed her joyously. They clothed her with heavenly garments: on her
head they put a fine, well-wrought crown of gold, and in her pierced
ears they hung ornaments of orichalc and precious gold, and adorned her
with golden necklaces over her soft neck and snow-white breasts, jewels
which the gold-filleted Hours wear themselves whenever they go to their
father's house to join the lovely dances of the gods. And when they had
fully decked her, they brought her to the gods, who welcomed her when
they saw her, giving her their hands. Each one of them prayed that he
might lead her home to be his wedded wife, so greatly were they amazed
at the beauty of violet-crowned Cyt