Chapter 1: The Early Gods
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♠ Hesiod, Theogony 906-11
And Eurynome, the daughter of Ocean, beautiful in form, bore him three fair-cheeked Charites （Graces）, Aglaea, and Euphrosyne, and lovely Thaleia, from whose eyes as they glanced flowed love that unnerves the limbs. Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 18.398-405
So saying the bright goddess led her on. Then she made her to sit on a silver-studded chair, a beautiful chair, richly-wrought, and beneath was a footstool for the feet; and she called to Hephaestus, the famed craftsman, and spake to him, saying: “Hephaestus, come forth hither; Thetis hath need of thee.” And the famous god of the two strong arms answered her: “Verily then a dread and honoured goddess is within my halls, even she that saved me when pain was come upon me after I had fallen afar through the will of my shameless mother, that was fain to hide me away by reason of my lameness. Then had I suffered woes in heart, had not Eurynome and Thetis received me into their bosom—Eurynome, daughter of backward-flowing Oceanus. With them then for nine years’ space I forged much cunning handiwork, brooches, and spiral arm-bands, and rosettes and necklaces, within their hollow cave; and round about me flowed, murmuring with foam, the stream of Oceanus, a flood unspeakable. Neither did any other know thereof, either of gods or of mortal men, but Thetis knew and Eurynome, even they that saved me. Greek Text
♠ Hesiod, Theogony 945-46
And Hephaestus, the famous Lame One, made Aglaea, youngest of the Graces, his buxom wife. Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 5.338
through the ambrosial raiment that the Graces themselves had wrought for her. Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 14.267
Nay, come, I will give thee one of the youthful Graces to wed to be called thy wife, even Pasithea, for whom thou ever longest all thy days. Greek Text
♠ Homer, Iliad 14.275
that verily thou wilt give me one of the youthful Graces, even Pasithea, that myself I long for all my days. Greek Text
♠ Pyndar, Olympian 14.13-16
Lady Aglaia, and Euphrosyne, lover of dance and song, daughters of the strongest god, listen now; and you, Thalia, passionate for dance and song, having looked with favor on this victory procession, stepping lightly in honor of gracious fortune. Greek Text
♠ Homer, Odyssey 8.364-66
There the Graces bathed her and anointed her with immortal oil, such as gleams upon the gods that are forever. And they clothed her in lovely raiment, a wonder to behold. Greek Text
♠ Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.61-62
and there the Graces bathed her with heavenly oil such as blooms upon the bodies of the eternal gods. Greek Text
♠ Pindar, Olympian 2.49-52
at Pytho and at the Isthmus, the Graces who love them both brought garlands of flowers to his equally blessed brother for his four-horse team, victorious in the twelve courses of the race. Greek Text
♠ Homer, Odyssey 18.194
when she goes into the lovely dance of the Graces. Greek Text
♠ Homeric Hymn to Aphrodite 5.95
Or, maybe, you are one of the Graces come hither, who bear the gods company and are called immortal. Greek Text
♠ Homeric Hymn to Artemis 27.15
there to order the lovely dance of the Muses and Graces. Greek Text
♠ Hesiod, Theogony53-79
Them in Pieria did Mnemosyne （Memory）, who reigns over the hills of Eleuther, bear of union with the father, the son of Cronos, a forgetting of ills and a rest from sorrow. For nine nights did wise Zeus lie with her, entering her holy bed remote from the immortals. And when a year was passed and the seasons came round as the months waned, and many days were accomplished, she bore nine daughters, all of one mind, whose hearts are set upon song, and whose spirit is free from care, a little way from the top-most peak of snowy Olympus. There are their bright dancing places and beautiful homes, and beside them the Graces and Himerus （Desire） live in delight. And they, uttering through their lips a lovely voice, sing the laws of all and the goodly ways of the immortals, uttering their lovely voice. Then went they to Olympus, delighting in their sweet voice, with heavenly song, and the dark earth resounded about them as they chanted and a lovely sound rose up beneath their feet as they went to their father. And he was reigning in heaven, himself holding the lightning and glowing thunderbolt, when he had overcome by might his father Cronos; and he distributed fairly to the immortals their portions and declared their privileges. These things, then, the Muses sang who dwell on Olympus, nine daughters begotten by great Zeus, Cleio and Euterpe, Thaleia, Melpomene and Terpsichore, and Erato and Polyhymnia and Urania and Calliope, who is the chiefest of them all. Greek Text
♠ Alkman 67 PMG – Poetae Melici Graeci, p. 55 ed. D. L. Page. Oxford 1962.
♠ Mimnermos 13 W – Iambi et Elegi Graeci 2, p. 87, ed. M. L. West. Oxford 1972
♠ Alkman 8.9 PMG – Poetae Melici Graeci, p. 28 ed. D. L. Page. Oxford 1962.
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Edited by Elena Bianchelli, Senior Lecturer of Classical Languages and Culture, Univ. of Georgia, July 2020
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