Then she cried out shrilly with her voice, calling upon her father, the Son of Cronos, who is most high and excellent. He caught her up reluctant on his golden car and bare her away lamenting. Of Nysa, and the lord, Host of Many, with his immortal horses sprang out upon her-the Son of Cronos, He who has many names. And the girl was amazed and reached out with both hands to take the lovely toy but the wide-pathed earth yawned there in the plain It was a thing of awe whether for deathless gods or mortal men to see: from its root grew a hundred blooms and it smelled most sweetly, so that all wide heaven above and the whole earth and the sea's salt swell laughed for joy.

I begin to sing of rich-haired Demeter, awful goddess-of her and her trim-ankled daughter whom Aïdoneus rapt away, given to him by all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer.Īpart from Demeter, lady of the golden sword and glorious fruits, she was playing with the deep-bosomed daughters of Oceanus and gathering flowers over a soft meadow, roses and crocuses and beautiful violets, irises also and hyacinths and the narcissus which Earth made to grow at the will of Zeus and to please the Host of Many, to be a snare for the bloom-like girl-a marvellous, radiant flower.

Homer hymns