15 The first priests of Apollo (486-546)

On the Shore

This is what he told them:

“But pay attention and swiftly carry out everything I command.

Land:

drop anchor first and

untie the ox-hide ropes of the sails.

Disembark:

pull your swift ship onto the shore and

take out your possessions and gear.

Worship:

set up an altar on the shore of the sea    490

kindle a fire on it

sacrificing white barley in the flames,

gather close then, around the altar and

pray in the way that I command.

[The Prayer:]

Because I first appeared to you

from out of the sea

— murky-and-roiling-like-a-storm-cloud–

jumping onto your swift ship

in the form of a dolphin:

you will address your prayer to me

as Apollo Delphinian.”

[The Altar:] 495

Establish it in the customary way and

 Dedicate it to me with these epithets:

Delphinian and

the-one-who-observes-from-above.

Supper:

Eat your fill of food, alongside your swift, black, ship

but

first pour out libations into the ground

dedicate it to the highest divinities,

those named as free-from-mortal-cares,

those who hold Olympus.

Then:

After you have satisfied your desire

at least for the honey-sweetness of bread:

follow me,

sing the ritual-praise-cry-’Ie-Ia’,  500

come deeper into this territory

so that you can find my temple,

rich with the fat of sacrifice.”

They heard and obeyed without question.

The sailors…

Landing:

dropped anchor, first

untied the ox-hide leather ropes securing the sails; and

— using the fore-ropes —

lowered the mast down into its storage brace.

Disembarking:

jumped to the ground and headed towards the beach,      505

pulling the swift ship out of the sea —

far aground onto the sandy shore —

bracing the hull in place using tall support beams.

Worshipping:

set up an altar on the shore of the sea —

 kindling a fire, first, on top and

sacrificing white barley in the flames–

gathered around the altar and

prayed

in exactly the way that he had instructed.    510

Supping:

They ate food on the shore, alongside their swift, black, ship

but they poured libations first

dedicating them to the highest divinities,

those named as free-from-mortal-cares,

those who hold Olympus.

Then:

After they had filled their desire for meat and drink

they set out, following him.

The Priests  Arrive at Crissa

They set out

but

He led them —

the king,

Zeus’ heir,

Apollo.

Holding a lyre in his hands, playing music that makes the heart leap.  515

His dancing steps defy gravity in their elegance.

Following, the Cretans stamped a rhythm

as they cried the ritual-praise-

’Ia-Ie-Ia-Ie’

all the way to Pythia.

They sang hymns traditional to the Cretans,

for whom the Muse –the divine goddess–

always fills the chest with honey-sweet song.

Their steps skip up the hill without tiring.

In a blink,

they reached   520

Parnassus,

the eagerly-desired country

which is honoured by so many humans.

where they were destined to live forever,

Leading them further,

he revealed

the temple rich with fat and

the forbidden inner-sanctum

The very hearts in their chest leapt.

Finally, the leader of the Cretans dared to ask,

speaking to him directly:   525

“My king,

we are at your mercy here,

far

from the support of our loved ones

from the land of our fathers.

Since you have now led us to this land —

justly, of course (who would say otherwise?)

according to whatever desires filled your heart–

please tell us:

how are we to actually live?

[Though such things are far from the thoughts of divinities]

we beg you to give some thought to this…

For this land —

–though welcome

(who would say otherwise?)

and eagerly desired–

does not provide for human needs:

there is not enough for us to live on

much less to minister to others. 530

I do not see a way that it could ever

bear crops or

support fertile meadows for herd animals.” 529

He smiled at them while he spoke —

the heir to Zeus,

Apollo:

“You helpless, pitiful babies, babbling nonsense!

Do you enjoy hardship and toil?

Are you really asking me to provide you

grueling farm labor:

full of pain and

weary chests?

Here is an easier alternative for you to take to heart:

Pick up a sacrificial knife,                                                            535

Place it in your right hand,

and just start sacrificing every sheep put before you.

[taking your priestly share from those.]

Such sacrifices will be constant and never-ending

because they will be brought to me

by every nation worthy of song.

You will “actually live” then

by being caretakers of my temple,

receiving all of mankind as guests

as they gather here and,

most importantly, 

never deviating from my sacred rules.

For if there is ever among you

some lazy word of complaint

or any deed of sacrilegious hubris 540

— as is sadly, the inevitable law for mortal men–

then others will seize control from you and

under them

you will be subjugated

for all the days to come.

All has now been made clear to you but

it is for you to keep this in your heart of hearts.”

Now I have finished what I began.

All that I have sung,

every memory,

is offered to

and was for the glory of

you,

Son of Zeus and Leto.

May you always have favour and be favourable.

Farewell. 545

I will always continue to make you present in my mind

even as I do the same for the subject of the song to come.