Heracles

Lines 617–626

I was the son of Zeus, son of Cronos, but I had woe beyond measure; for to a man far worse than I was I made subject, and he laid on me hard labours. Yea, he once sent me hither to fetch the hound of Hades, for he could devise for me no other task mightier than this. The hound I carried off and led forth from the house of Hades; and Hermes was my guide, and flashing-eyed Athena.’ “So saying, he went his way again into the house of Hades, but I abode there steadfastly, in the hope that some other haply might still come forth of the warrior heroes who died in the days of old.

διογενὲς Λαερτιάδη, πολυμήχανʼ Ὀδυσσεῦ, ἆ δείλʼ, ἦ τινὰ καὶ σὺ κακὸν μόρον ἡγηλάζεις, ὅν περ ἐγὼν ὀχέεσκον ὑπʼ αὐγὰς ἠελίοιο. Ζηνὸς μὲν πάϊς ἦα Κρονίονος, αὐτὰρ ὀιζὺν εἶχον ἀπειρεσίην· μάλα γὰρ πολὺ χείρονι φωτὶ δεδμήμην, ὁ δέ μοι χαλεποὺς ἐπετέλλετʼ ἀέθλους. καί ποτέ μʼ ἐνθάδʼ ἔπεμψε κύνʼ ἄξοντʼ· οὐ γὰρ ἔτʼ ἄλλον φράζετο τοῦδέ γέ μοι κρατερώτερον εἶναι ἄεθλον· τὸν μὲν ἐγὼν ἀνένεικα καὶ ἤγαγον ἐξ Ἀίδαο· Ἑρμείας δέ μʼ ἔπεμψεν ἰδὲ γλαυκῶπις Ἀθήνη.

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