o
the ridge of the hills, and camest to Crisa beneath snowy Parnassus, to a
knoll that faced westward, but above it hangs a cliff, and a hollow dell
runs under, rough with wood, and even there Prince Phoebus Apollo deemed
well to build a goodly temple, and spake, saying: "Here methinketh to
stablish a right fair temple, to be a place oracular to men, that shall
ever bring me hither goodly hecatombs, both they that dwell in rich
Peloponnesus, and they of the mainland and sea-girt isles, seeking here
the word of sooth; to them all shall I speak the decree unerring,
rendering oracles within my wealthy shrine."

So speaking, Phoebus Apollo marked out the foundations, right long and
wide, and thereon Trophonius and Agamedes laid the threshold of stone,
the sons of Erginus, dear to the deathless Gods. But round all the
countless tribes of men built a temple with wrought stones to be famous
for ever in song.

Hard by is a fair-flowing stream, and there, with an arrow from his
strong bow, did the Prince, the son of Zeus, slay the Dragoness, mighty
and huge, a wild Etin, that was wont to wreak many woes on earthly men,
on themselves, and their straight-stepping flocks, so dread a bane was
she.

[This Dragoness it was that took from golden-throned Hera and reared the
dread Typhaon, not to be dealt with, a bane to mortals. Him did Hera
bear, upon a time, in wrath with father Zeus, whenas Cronides brought
forth from his head renowned Athene. Straightway lady Hera was angered,
and spake among the assembled Gods:

"Listen to me, ye Gods, and Goddesses all, how cloud-collecting Zeus is
first to begin the dishonouring of me, though he made me his wife in
honour. And now, apart from me, he has brought forth grey-eyed Athene
who excels among all the blessed Immortals. But he was feeble from the
birth, among all the Gods, my son Hephaestos, lame and withered of foot,
whom I myself lifted in my hands, and cast into the wide sea. But the
daughter of Nereus, Thetis of the silver feet, received him and nurtured
him among her sisters. Would that she had done other grace to the
blessed Immortals!

"Thou evil one of many wiles, what other wile devisest thou? How hadst
thou the heart now alone to bear grey-eyed Athene? Could I not have
borne her? But none the less would she have been called thine among the
Immortals, who hold the wide heaven. Take heed now, that I devise not
for thee some evil to come. Yea, now shall I use arts