Callimachus, Hymns 3. 206-224: female hunters in Greek myth

Callimachus, Hymns 3. 206-224: female hunters in Greek myth

ca. 305-240 BCE

Hymn

Literary source

[Comrades of the goddess Artemis :] Yea and Kyrene (Cyrene) thou madest thy comrade . . . And [Prokris] the fair-haired wife of Kephalos (Cephalus) . . . and fair Antikleia (Anticlea) . . . These were the first who wore the gallant bow and arrow-holding quivers on their shoulders; their right shoulders bore the quiver strap, and always the right breast showed bare. Further thou didst greatly commend swift-footed Atalanta, the slayer of boars, daughter of Arkadian Iasios (Iasius), and taught her hunting with dogs and good archery. They that were called to hunt the boar of Kalydon (Calydon) find no fault with her; for the tokens of victory came into Arkadia (Arcadia) which still holds the tusks of the beast. Nor do I deem that Hylaios (Hylaeus) and foolish Rhoikos (Rhoecus), for all their hate, in Haides slight her archery. For the loins, with whose blood the height of Mainalos (Maenalus) flowed, will not abet the falsehood.

Mair, Alexander W., Callimachus. Works, London/New York 1921.

καὶ μὴν Κυρήνην ἑταρίσσαο, τῇ ποτ᾽ ἔδωκας
αὐτὴ θηρητῆρε δύω κύνε, τοῖς ἔνι κούρη
Ὑψηὶς παρὰ τύμβον Ἰώλκιον ἔμμορ᾽ ἀέθλου.
καὶ Κεφάλου ξανθὴν ἄλοχον Δηιονίδαο,
0πότνια, σὴν ὁμόθηρον ἐθήκαο: καὶ δὲ σὲ φασὶ
καλὴν Ἀντίκλειαν ἴσον φαέεσσι φιλῆσαι
αἳ πρῶται θοὰ τόξα καὶ ἀμφ᾽ ὤμοισι φαρέτρας
ἰοδόκους ἐφόρησαν: ἀσίλλωτοι δέ φιν ὦμοι
δεξιτεροὶ καὶ γυμνὸς ἀεὶ παρεφαίνετο μαζός.
ᾔνησας δ᾽ ἔτι πάγχυ ποδορρώρην Ἀταλάντην,
κούρην Ἰασίοιο συοκτόνον Ἀρκασίδαο,
καί ἑ κυνηλασίην τε καὶ εὐστοχίην ἐδίδαξας.
οὔ μιν ἐπίκλητοι Καλυδωνίου ἀγρευτῆρες
μέμφονται κάπροιο: τὰ γὰρ σημήια νίκης
Ἀρκαδίην εἰσῆλθεν, ἔχει δ᾽ ἔτι θηρὸς ὀδόντας:
οὐδὲ μὲν Ὑλαῖόν τε καὶ ἄφρονα Ῥοῖκον ἔολπα
οὐδέ περ ἐχθαίροντας ἐν Ἄιδι μωμήσασθαι
τοξότιν: οὐ γάρ σφιν λαγόνες συνεπιψεύσονται,
τάων Μαιναλίη νᾶεν φόνῳ ἀκρώρεια.

Mair, Alexander W., Callimachus. Works, London/New York 1921.