in deliberation with him. Forthwith with reproaches she accosted Saturnian Jove:
"Which of the gods again, O deceitful one, has been concerting measures with thee? Ever is it agreeable to thee, being apart from me, plotting secret things, to decide thereon; nor hast thou ever yet deigned willingly to tell me one word of what thou dost meditate."
Footnote 59: (return) Heyne supplies "sedendo."
To her then replied the father of men and gods: "O Juno, build up no hopes of knowing all my counsels; difficult would they be for thee, although thou art my consort. But whatever it may be fit for thee to hear, none then either of gods or men shall know it before thee: but whatever I wish to consider apart from the gods, do thou neither inquire into any of these things, nor investigate them."
But him the large-eyed, venerable Juno then answered: "Most dread son of Saturn, what a word hast thou spoken? Heretofore have I ever questioned thee much, nor pryed [into thy secrets]; but thou mayest very quietly deliberate on those things which thou desirest. But at present I greatly fear in my soul, lest silver-footed Thetis, the daughter of the marine old man, may have influenced thee: for at dawn she sat by thee and embraced thy knees: to her I suspect thou didst plainly promise that thou wouldest honour Achilles, and destroy many at the ships of the Greeks."
But her answering, cloud-compelling Jove addressed: "Perverse one! thou art always suspecting, nor do I escape thee. Nevertheless thou shalt produce no effect at all, but thou shalt be farther from my heart: and this will be more bitter to thee. But granted this be so, it appears to be my pleasure. 60 But sit down in peace, and obey my mandate, lest as many deities as are in Olympus avail thee not against me, I drawing near, 61 when I shall lay my resistless hands upon thee."
Footnote 60: (return) I.e., say that what you suspect is correct; well then, such is my will.
Footnote 61: (return) I prefer taking ίονθ' for ίοντα, not for ίοντε, as Buttmann wished.--See Anthon.
Thus he spoke: but venerable, large-eyed Juno feared, and sat down silent, having bent her heart to submission. But the heavenly gods murmured throughout the palace of Jove. And the renowned artificer, Vulcan, began to harangue them, doing kind offices to his beloved mother, white-armed Juno:
"Truly now these will be grievous matters, and no longer tolerable, if ye twain contend thus on account of mortals, and excite uproar among the deities. Nor will there be any enjoyment in the delightful banquet, since the worse things prevail. 62 But to my mother I advise, she herself being intelligent, to gratify my dear father Jove, lest my sire may again reprove her, and disturb our banquet. For if the Olympian Thunderer wishes to hurl [us] from our seats 63--for he is much the most powerful. But do thou soothe him with gentle words; then will the Olympian king straightway be propitious to us."
Footnote 62: (return) Cf. Duport, Gnom. Hom. p. 9. The saying is almost proverbial.
Footnote 63: (return) An aposiopesis; understand, "he can easily do so."
Thus then he spoke, and rising, he placed the double cup 64 in the hand of his dear mother, and addressed her:
"Be patient, my mother, and restrain thyself, although grieved, lest with my own eyes I behold thee beaten, being very dear to me; nor then indeed should I be able, though full of grief, to assist thee; for Olympian Jove is difficult to be opposed. For heretofore, having seized me by the foot, he cast me, desiring at one time to assist you, down from the heavenly threshold. All day was I carried down through the air, and I fell on Lemnos 65 with the setting sun: and but little life was in me by that time. There the Sintian 66 men forthwith received and tended 67 me, having fallen."
Thus he spoke: but the white-armed goddess Juno smiled; and smiling she received the cup from the hand of her son. But he, beginning from left to right, 68 kept pouring out for all the other gods, drawing nectar from the goblet. And then inextinguishable laughter arose among the immortal gods, when they saw Vulcan bustling about 69 through the mansion.
Footnote 64: (return) See my note on Od. iii. p. 30, n. 13, ed. Bohn. It was "a double cup with a common bottom in the middle."--Crusius.
Footnote 65: (return) Hercules having sacked Troy, was, on his return, driven to Cos by a storm raised by Juno, who was hostile to him, and who had contrived to cast Jupiter into a sleep, that he might not interrupt her purpose. Jupiter awaking, in resentment of the artifice practised upon him, bound her feet to iron anvils, which Vulcan attempting to loose, was cast headlong down to Lemnos by his enraged sire.
Footnote 66: (return) A race of robbers, of Tyrrhenian origin (according to Müller), and the ancient inhabitants of Lemnos. This island was ever after sacred to Vulcan. Cf. Lactant. i. 15; Milton, P.L. i. 740, sqq.
Footnote 67: (return) See Arnold.
Footnote 68: (return) This meaning of ένδέξια is due to Buttmann.
Footnote 69: (return) See Buttmann, Lexil. p. 481.
Thus, then, they feasted 70 the entire day till the setting sun; nor did the soul want anything of the equal feast, nor of the beautiful harp, which Apollo held, nor of the Muses, who accompanied him, responding in turn, with delicious voice.
Footnote 70: (return) "The gods formed a sort of political community of their own, which had its hierarchy, its distribution of ranks and duties, its contentions for power and occasional revolutions, its public meetings in the agora of Olympus, and its multitudinous banquets or festivals."--Grote, vol. i. p. 463. Cf. Müller, Gk. Lit. ii. § 2.
But when the splendid light of the sun was sunk, they retired to repose, each one to his home, where renowned Vulcan, lame of both legs, with cunning skill had built a house for each. But the Olympian thunderer Jove went to his couch, where he lay before, when sweet sleep came upon him. There, having ascended, he lay down to rest, and beside him golden-throned Juno.
