P. 346

Pindar, Olympian 4.19-27

Perseverance is what puts men to the test, and what saved the son of Clymenus [20] from the contempt of the Lemnian women. He won the foot race in bronze armor, and said to Hypsipyle as he went to take the garland: “Such is my swiftness; [25] and I have hands and heart to match. Even on young men gray hair often grows, even before the expected age.”  Greek Text

Pyndar, Pythian 4.253

There they displayed their prowess of limbs in athletic contests with a cloak for a prize.  Greek Text

Scholion at Pindar, Pythian 4.450a – Scholia vetera in Pindari carmina, Vol. 2, p. 160, ed. A.B Drachman. Leipzig 1903.

Greek Text

Apollonios of Rhodes, Argonautika 1.861-98

And the sailing was ever delayed from one day to another; and long would they have lingered there, had not Heracles, gathering together his comrades apart from the women, thus addressed them with reproachful words:”Wretched men, does the murder of kindred keep us from our native land? Or is it in want of marriage that we have come hither from thence, in scorn of our countrywomen? Does it please us to dwell here and plough the rich soil of Lemnos? No fair renown shall we win by thus tarrying so long with stranger women; nor will some god seize and give us at our prayer a fleece that moves of itself. Let us then return each to his own; but him leave ye to rest all day long in the embrace of Hypsipyle until he has peopled Lemnos with men-children, and so there come to him great glory.”

[875] Thus did he chide the band; but no one dared to meet his eye or to utter a word in answer. But just as they were in the assembly they made ready their departure in all haste, and the women came running towards them, when they knew their intent. And as when bees hum round fair lilies pouring forth from their hive in the rock, and all around the dewy meadow rejoices, and they gather the sweet fruit, flitting from one to another; even so the women eagerly poured forth clustering round the men with loud lament, and greeted each one with hands and voice, praying the blessed gods to grant him a safe return. And so Hypsipyle too prayed, seizing the hands of Aeson’s son, and her tears flowed for the loss of her lover: “Go, and may heaven bring thee back again with thy comrades unharmed, bearing to the king the golden fleece, even as thou wilt and thy heart desireth; and this island and my father’s sceptre will be awaiting thee, if on thy return hereafter thou shouldst choose to come hither again; and easily couldst thou gather a countless host of men from other cities. But thou wilt not have this desire, nor do I myself forbode that so it will be. Still remember Hypsipyle when thou art far away and when thou hast returned; and leave me some word of bidding, which I will gladly accomplish, if haply heaven shall grant me to be a mother.”  Greek Text

ApB 1.9.17 – Apollodoros, Bibliotheke (Library)

So having put in to Lemnos, at that time ruled by women, the Argonauts had intercourse with the women, and Hypsipyle bedded with Jason and bore sons, Euneus and Nebrophonus.  Greek Text

Hyginus, Fabulae 15

Hypsipyle bore sons to Jason, Euneus and Deipylus.  Latin Text

Apollonios of Rhodes, Argonautika 1.915-21

and in the evening by the injunctions of Orpheus they touched at the island of Electra, daughter of Atlas, in order that by gentle initiation they might learn the rites that may not be uttered, and so with greater safety sail over the chilling sea. Of these I will make no further mention; but I bid farewell to the island itself and the indwelling deities, to whom belong those mysteries, which it is not lawful for me to sing.  Greek Text

Aischylos, Kabeiroi p. 214 R – Tragicorum Graecorum Fragmenta 3, ed. S. L. Radt. Göttingen 1985.

Athenaios, The Deipnosophists (The Learned Banqueters) 10.428f

And I should say that Aeschylus himself erred in this particular; for he was the first person (and not Euripides, as some people say,) who introduced the appearance of drunken people into a tragedy. For in his Cabiri he introduces Jason drunk.  Greek Text

Edited by Elena Bianchelli, Retired Senior Lecturer of Classical Languages and Culture, Univ. of Georgia, March 2022.

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