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being watched, either suspecting someone or because a god so commanded. But he, going back again like a child, went under his mother; and he likened himself to another man, hiding him, an all-tender one, such as are the children of kings; and he was fixed in her lowest belly, near to the time of birth. But when the months and days were completed, he loosed her virgin girdle, and poured sleep upon her. And she, having conceived, the revered virgin, going up into an upper room, gave birth to a strong-minded child, and she brought him forth into the light. And he saw the rays of the sun, having likened himself to a man in both form and voice, like him in all things, in size and beautiful eyes and form; but his mind was steadfast, just as before. And a gleam reached heaven, and all the earth around laughed. The god made his son conspicuous, as he revealed him; and she then received him in her fragrant bosom. And the mother, who bore him and nourished him when he was little, was gladdened as when dew is upon the ears of corn. And so she reared the child, and he gave delights to her heart.

6 Concerning the magi.

And each sent a herald to bring gifts; and the sun set and the glorious gifts were present. And having received them, the men placed beside the revered mother the gifts for the child of the blameless, pure-bearing one, gifts which they brought, having seen a star from the east, very beautiful gifts, a golden one, so that he might be mindful of me for all days.

7 Concerning Herod and the infant.

But when a year had passed, and the seasons had turned, a rumor, as a messenger, quickly went throughout the whole city, then indeed he stretched out a most terrible strife of war against the infants, for whom deeds of war are no concern, he who wished to kill and destroy that dear life. And he did many reckless things by the violence and might of his hands, wishing to have power over all, and to be king to all, king of the Sidonians, whom his own house covered, an infant; for truly many lost their lives because of him. And he caused unspeakable wailing and grief for the parents, pondering those things in his heart which were not destined to be accomplished. And then his father and lady mother, having hidden him with their hands in the great halls, led him out of the house, pondering whether their blameless son might escape death for them; for she feared that the terrible man might cut his throat with a sword; and perhaps he might blame the blameless.

8 Concerning the flight into Egypt.

And this seemed to him the best counsel in his heart: to go to Egypt by a long and difficult road; “But let us go, let us not linger long on the road, before we suffer some evil; for a fool knows a thing when it is done.” Then word and deed were together for them in their haste. And on the fifth day they arrived in wide-flowing Egypt, afraid; for a mighty trembling holds them at the man's threat.

9 Concerning the return from Egypt.

But when that man also went down into the house of Hades, he who wished to kill and destroy that dear life, again from Egypt, from the heaven-fed river, they sailed—and a god smoothed the monstrous sea— to a high-roofed house and to their own fatherland, the land of Phoenicia, where his home and possessions are. And they came to a wheat-bearing plain; and there then are houses and dancing-places and the risings of the sun. But he, having a reckless heart, as before

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ἐφορᾶσθαι ἤ τιν' ὀισάμενος ἢ καὶ θεὸς ὣς ἐκέλευσεν. αὐτὰρ ὅγ' αὖτις ἰὼν πάις ὣς ὑπὸ μητέρα δύσκεν· ἄλλῳ δ' αὐτὸν φωτὶ κατακρύπτων ἤισκεν παναπάλῳ, οἷοί τε ἀνάκτων παῖδες ἔασι· νειαίρῃ δ' ἐν γαστρὶ πάγη, σχεδὸν Εἰλειθυίης. ἀλλ' ὅτε δὴ μῆνές τε καὶ ἡμέραι ἐξετελεῦντο, λῦσε δὲ παρθενίην ζώνην, κατὰ δ' ὕπνον ἔχευεν. ἡ δ' ὑποκυσαμένη κρατερόφρονα γείνατο παῖδα παρθένος αἰδοίη ὑπερώιον εἰσαναβᾶσα, ἐκ δ' ἄγαγε προφόως δέ. καὶ ἠελίου ἴδεν αὐγὰς ἀνέρι εἰσάμενος ἠμὲν δέμας ἠδὲ καὶ αὐδήν, πάντ' αὐτῷ μέγεθός τε καὶ ὄμματα καλὰ ἐοικὼς καὶ δέμας· αὐτάρ οἱ νοῦς ἔμπεδος, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ. αἴγλη δ' οὐρανὸν ἷκε, γέλασσε δὲ πᾶσα περὶ χθών. τὸν μὲν ἀρίζηλον θῆκεν θεός, ὥσπερ ἔφηνε, παῖδ' ἑόν· ἡ δ' ἄρα μιν κηώδεϊ δέξατο κόλπῳ. μήτηρ δ', ἥ μιν ἔτικτε καὶ ἔτρεφε τυτθὸν ἐόντα, ἰάνθη ὡς εἴ τε περὶ σταχύεσσιν ἐέρση. παῖδα δὲ ὣς ἀτίταλλε, δίδου δ' ὅγ' ἀθύρματα θυμῷ.

6 Περὶ τῶν μάγων.

∆ῶρα δὲ οἰσέμεναι πρόεσαν κήρυκα ἕκαστος· δύσετό τ' ἠέλιος καί τε κλυτὰ

δῶρα παρῆεν. δεξάμενοι δ' ἄρα παῖδες ἀμύμονος, ἁγνοτόκοιο δῶρα, τά οἱ φέρον ἀστέρα δερκόμεν' ἀντολίηθεν, μητρὶ παρ' αἰδοίῃ ἔθεσαν περικαλλέα δῶρα, χρύσεον, ὄφρ' ἐμέθεν μεμνημένος ἤματα πάντα.

7 Περὶ Ἡρώδου νηπίου.

Ἀλλ' ὅτε δή ῥ' ἐνιαυτὸς ἔην, περὶ δ' ἔτραπον ὧραι, ὄσσα δ' ἄρ' ἄγγελος ὦκα

κατὰ πτόλιν ᾤχετο πάντῃ, δή ῥα τότ' αἰνοτάτην ἔριδα πτολέμοιο τάνυσσε νηπιάχοις, τοῖς οὔτι μέλει πολεμήια ἔργα, ὅς ῥ' ἔθελε κτεῖναι καὶ ἀπορραῖσαι φίλον ἦτορ. πολλὰ δ' ἀτάσθαλ' ἔρεξε βίῃ καὶ κάρτεϊ χειρῶν, πάντων μὲν κρατέειν ἐθέλων, πάντεσσι δ' ἀνάσσειν, Σιδονίων βασιλεύς, ὃν ἑὸς δόμος ἀμφεκάλυψεν, νήπιος· ἦ πολέες γὰρ ἐπ' αὐτῷ θυμὸν ἀπηῦρον. ἄρρητον δὲ τοκεῦσι γόον καὶ πένθος ἔθηκε τὰ φρονέων κατὰ θυμόν, ἅ ῥ' οὐ τελέεσθαι ἔμελλεν. τὸν δὲ τότ' ἐν μεγάροισι πατὴρ καὶ πότνια μήτηρ χερσὶ κατακρύψασα δόμων ἐξῆγε θύραζε, ὁρμαίνουσ', εἴ οἱ θάνατον φύγοι υἱὸς ἀμύμων· δείδιε γάρ, μὴ λαιμὸν ἀποτμήξειε σιδήρῳ δεινὸς ἀνήρ· τάχα κεν καὶ ἀναίτιον αἰτιόῳτο.

8 Περὶ τῆς εἰς Αἴγυπτον φυγῆς.

Ἥδε δέ οἱ κατὰ θυμὸν ἀρίστη φαίνετο βουλή· Αἴγυπτον δ' ἰέναι δολιχὴν ὁδὸν

ἀργαλέην τε· «ἀλλ' ἴομεν, μὴ δηθὰ διατρίβωμεν ὁδοῖο, πρίν τι κακὸν παθέειν· ῥεχθὲν δέ τε νήπιος ἔγνω.» ἔνθ' ἔπος ἠδὲ καὶ ἔργον ὁμοῦ πέλεν ἐσσυμένοισι. πεμπταῖοι δ' Αἴγυπτον ἐυρείτην ἀφίκοντο δειδιότες· κρατερὸς γὰρ ἔχει τρόμος ἀνδρὸς ὁμοκλῇ.

9 Περὶ τῆς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἐπανόδου.

Ἀλλ' ὅτε δὴ κἀκεῖνος ἔβη δόμον Ἄιδος εἴσω, ὅς ῥ' ἔθελεν κτεῖναι καὶ

ἀπορραῖσαι φίλον ἦτορ, αὖτις ἀπ' Αἰγύπτοιο, διιπετέος ποταμοῖο, ἔπλεον-ἐστόρεσεν δὲ θεὸς μεγακήτεα πόντον- οἶκον ἐς ὑψόροφον καὶ ἑὴν ἐς πατρίδα γαῖαν Φοινίκην, ὅθι τοῦγε δόμοι καὶ κτήματ' ἔασιν. ἷξον δ' ἐς πεδίον πυρηφόρον· ἔνθα δ' ἔπειτα οἰκία καὶ χοροί εἰσι καὶ ἀντολαὶ ἠελίοιο. αὐτὰρ ὃ θυμὸν ἔχων ἀτάσθαλον, ὡς τὸ πάρος