HOMER'S ILIAD COMPLETE

Rhapsody 14

Literally Translated, with Explanatory Notes, by Theodore Alois Buckley

Homer Bilingual Anthology  Studies  Homer in Print

Page 8

But her laughter-loving Venus in turn addressed: "It is not possible nor becoming to refuse thy request, for thou reclinest in the arms of mightiest Jove."

She said, and loosed from her bosom the embroidered, variegated cestus;[468] where all allurements were enclosed. In it were love, and desire, converse, seductive speech, which steals away the mind even of the very prudent. This then she placed in her hands, spoke, and addressed her:

"Take[469] this, now place in thy bosom this variegated belt, in which all things are contained; and I think that thou wilt not return with thy object unaccomplished, whatsoever thou desirest in thy mind."

[Footnote 468: I have avoided translating "cestus," as it is very doubtful what is meant by it. It could not have been an ordinary girdle, since it was to be hidden in the bosom (ver. 219), and since its power appears to have been secret. See Heyne's note.]

[Footnote 469: [Greek: Te] is an old imperative from a root TA—"formed like [Greek: zen], according to Doric analogy.... In all cases it stands either quite absolute, that is, with the object understood, or the accusative belongs to a verb immediately following."—Buttm. Lexil. pp. 505, sq.]

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