Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/523

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THEBAID, III. 452–477

Amphiaraus, is given the charge to read the future, and with thee Melampus, son of Amythaon—an old man now, but fresh in vigour of mind and Phoebus’ inspiration—bears company; ’tis doubtful which Apollo more favours, or whose mouth he has sated with fuller draughts of Cirrha’s waters. At first they try the gods with entrails and blood of cattle: even then the spotted hearts of sheep and the dread veins threatening disaster portend refusal to the timorous seers. Yet they resolve to go and seek omens in the open sky.

A mount there was, with bold ridge rising far aloft—the dwellers in Lerna call it Aphesas—sacred of yore to Argive folk: for thence they say swift Perseus[1] profaned the clouds with hovering flight, when from the cliff his mother terror-stricken beheld the boy’s high-soaring paces, and well nigh sought to follow. Hither the prophets twain, their sacred locks adorned with leaves of the grey olive and their temples decked with snow-white fillets, side by side ascend, when the sun rising bright has melted the cold hoarfrost on the humid fields. And first Oeclides[2] seeks with prayer the favour of the wonted deity: “Almighty Jupiter,—for thou, as we are taught, impartest counsel to swift wings, and dost fill the birds with futurity, and bring to light the omens and causes that lurk in mid-heaven,—not Cirrha[3] can more surely vouchsafe the inspiration of her grotto, nor those Chaonian leaves that are famed to rustle at thy bidding in Molossian groves: though arid Hammon envy, and the Lycian oracle contend in rivalry, and the beast of

  1. ↑ Perseus was given wings to enable him to fly, when he slew the Gorgon Medusa.
  2. ↑ i.e., Amphiaraus, son of Oecleus.
  3. ↑ The oracles referred to are those of Apollo at Delphi, Zeus at Dodona, Zeus Ammon in Libya, Apollo in Lycia, Apis in Egypt, Branchus (son of Apollo) at Miletus.

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