The proem is a rhapsody in honour of the Muses. It opens with a description of their solemn dances on mount Helicon, and of the hymns which they sing during their nightly visitation of earth. The poet then relates their appearance to himself, and his consequent inspiration; describes their employments in heaven; their birth and dignity; their influence on kings or magistrates, minstrels and bards; and finishes with invoking their assistance and proposing his subject. The COSMOGONY, or origin of nature, then commences, and blends into the THEOGONY, or generation of gods, which is continued through the whole poem, and concludes with the race of demi-gods, or those born from the loves of goddesses and mortals. The following legendary traditions are interwoven episodically with the main subject. I. The imprisonment of his children by URANUS or HEAVEN in a subterranean cave; and the consequent conspiracy of EARTH and CRONUS, or SATURN. II. The concealment of the infant JUPITER. III. The impiety and punishment of Prometheus. IV. The creation of PANDORA, or WOMAN. V. The war of the GODS and TITANS. VI. The combat of JUPITER with the giant TYPHÆUS. THE THEOGONY. Begin we from the Muses oh my song! Muses of Helicon: their dwelling-place The mountain vast and holy: where around The altar of high Jove and fountain dark From azure depth, [142]they lightly leap in dance With delicate feet; and having duly bathed Their tender bodies in Permessian streams, [143]In springs that gush’d fresh from the courser’s hoof, Or blest Olmius’ waters, many a time Upon the topmost ridge of Helicon Their elegant and amorous dances thread, And smite the earth with strong-rebounding feet. Thence breaking forth tumultuous, and enwrapt With the deep mist of air, they onward pass Nightly, and utter, as they sweep on high, A voice in stilly darkness beautiful. They hymn the praise of Ægis-wielding Jove, And Juno, named of Argos, who august In golden sandals walks: and her, whose eyes Glitter with azure light, Minerva born From Jove: Apollo, [144]sire of prophecy, And Dian gladden’d by the twanging bow: Earth-grasping Neptune, shaker of earth’s shores: Majestic Themis and Dione fair: [145]And Venus twinkling bland her tremulous lids: Hebe, her brows with golden fillet bound: Morn, the vast Sun, and the resplendent Moon: Latona and Japetus: and him Of crooked wisdom, Saturn: and the Earth: And the huge Ocean, and the sable Night And all the sacred race of deities Existing ever. They to HESIOD erst Have taught their stately song: the whilst he fed His lambs beneath the holy Helicon. And thus the goddesses, th’ Olympian maids Whose sire is Jove, first hail’d me in their speech; “Shepherds! that tend in fields the fold; ye shames! [146]Ye fleshly appetites! the Muses hear: ’Tis we can utter fictions veil’d like truths,