13 The First Priests of Apollo/ Travels in the Peloponnese: (389-448)

Section III:

First Pythian Priests and Peloponnesian Domains

The-purifying-light, Phoebus,

now began to consider in his heart

the final first:

what humans would he bring in

to be his first and foremost priests

the first to serve him in rocky Pytho?  390

While he was mulling this over, he looked down from on high.

With a sideways glance, he happened to see

There

far across the surface of sea —

placid-and-languid-like-dark-wine-–

the wake of a fast ship.

On it, there were many men of clear nobility:

Cretans

from Minoan Knossos.

[See them as he did

–he for whom past, present, and future are as one–

Both as they were and as they would be]

In the now,

they are attendants of the divine king:

performing holy sacrifices

announcing his sacred laws.

clarifying the proclamations of

Apollo

the-purifying-light,

whose-every-instrument-is-of-shining-gold: 395

whatever oracles he speaks

from the laurel tree in Parnassos’ glen.

In that age,

they were sailors from Crete

seeking wealth and commerce in their black ship,

sailing to sandy Pylos, to trade with those who were born in that land.

At least, commerce was their intention

but these men encountered something else,

and were transformed by the

purifying-light.

The Omen

Apollo —

From out the sea, he sprang upon the swift ship

his form: a dolphin   400

He lay there on the deck — a massive and fearful omen.

Whenever any of the crew dared to glance or try to investigate,

he shook back and forth wildly in every direction,

making the ship rattle down to its very planks.

Terrified at his very approach,

they sat down, shocked, silent, and still.

[The spirit left their body and]

They no longer even dared

to try and loosen the ropes of the hollow black ship or 405

to take down the sail near the ship’s dark-prow.

All of the ox-hide ropes remained up and fastened

just as they had previously been set for the previous wind.

Even so, the ship now sailed on a different course.

And from this moment,^[1] along the ship’s course,

your rule and benefit to mortals spreads

until it reaches every land:

[the rich Peloponnese

across Europa (Thrace and Thessaly)

throughout the water-circled Aegean islands.

Here, we trace your power across the Peloponnese.]

Apollo’s Dominion (III):

Crete and the Peloponnese

A fast wind pushed the ship rapidly north

Starting in Crete from the city of Maleia

Until they turned at the Peloponnesian coast:  Laconia.   410

The coastline left behind them in a flash.

West, toward the isthmus of Taenarum 

jewel amidst the sea:

there is the fortress and the kingdom

of Helios, who-brings-delight-to-men;

where thick-fleeced sheep still graze, even now:

the flock of king Helios, master of this pleasing land.

[As they came near land at the isthmus]

The men kept trying to land their ship and disembark  415

so that they could better consider what to do about this strange marvel

and to observe, first hand,

whether the monstrous omen would 

remain on the deck of hollow ship

or

leap back into the briny, fish-filled, sea.

But though the ship was well-built, it did not obey the rudder.

Instead, keeping the rich Peloponnese to the starboard side,

— and out of reach — she continued on her journey

Using the wind, he

king-who-works-from-afar   420

Apollo

kept them straight on course –his course —

easily guiding the route now to the North.

First, past all the cities held then by the Pylos-born:

Arene and lovely Argyphe

ford across the Alpheios river: Thyron

bustling-and-busy Aipu

and the beaches of sandy Pylos.

Then alongside the territory then ruled by the Epeans:

Krounoi, Calchis, Dyme, and  425

holy Elis.

The ship skipped happily forward, playing in the fair wind from Zeus[1]

Shooting north like an arrow, past Pherai

— a high mountain breaks through the clouds: Ithaca;

Doulichion, Same and forested Zakynthos

all past in an instant.

Finally as the western coast came to an end   430

there appeared the vast cliff face of the bay of Krisa:

northern border of the rich Peloponnese.

[As the blind bard once said of Telemachus]

According to Zeus’ plan:

Then came the Zephyr — strong and favourable wind-from-the-west.

The powerful storm roared down on them from out of the sky

Pushing them east, so that, even more quickly

the ship might complete its journey across the salty water of the sea.  435

Into the east, towards Dawn and Sun

the ship sailed on through the bay

but it was guided by him:

Lord Apollo,

who-works-from-afar.

Until they reached the vine-covered mountain

which had been long-and-far-visible

Crissa.

The ship — though meant for the deep sea —

came close to the sandy beach

as it sailed into the natural harbor.

Here, at last, the marvel leapt from the ship —

the king,

he-who-works-from-afar:

Apollo.   440

His appearance now:

a fiery star, though it was mid-day.

A shower of countless sparks.

A blaze which filled the whole sky.

Streaking into his temple’s forbidden sanctum,

he shot across the tripods –trophies-of-great-honour–,

kindling fires on them

sending forth blazing arrows of light.

His incandescence bathed the whole of Crissa. 445

“Olululululu”:

the women there could not help but cry out.

The wives and daughters of the Crissians

trembled as their hearts were pierced by fear and awe

at the force of Apollo’s very approach.