THE   THEOGONY  37

Since  from  the  Muses  and  far-shooting  Apollo  are  men  of
song,  and  harpers  over  the  earth,  but  from  Jove  spring  kings :
yet  happy  he  whomsoever  the  Muses  shall  have  loved ;  sweet  is
the  sound  that  flows  from  his  mouth.  For  suppose  one,  even
having  grief  in  his  fresh  sorrowing  spirit,  pines  away  troubled
at  heart,  yet  if  a  minstrel,  servant  of  the  Muses,  shall  have
chaunted  the  glories  of  men  of  yore,  and  the  blessed  gods,  who
hold  Olympus,  quickly  does  he  forget  his  melancholy,  nor  does
he  at  all  remember  his  cares ;  and  quickly  have  the  gifts  of  the
gods  diverted  them.
Hail!  daughters  of  Jove;  and  give  the  lovely  song.  And
sing  the  sacred  race  of  immortals  ever-existing,  who  sprang
from  Earth  and  starry  Heaven,  and  murky  Night,  whom  the
briny  Deep  nourished.  Say,  too,  how  at  the  first  the  gods  and
earth  were  born,  and  rivers  and  boundless  deep,  rushing  with
swollen  stream,  and  shining  stars,  and  the  broad  Heaven
above;  and  the  gods  who  were  sprung  from  these,  givers  of
good  gifts ;  and  say  how  they  divided  their  wealth,  and  how
they  apportioned  their  honours,  and  how  at  the  first  they  oc-
cupied Olympus  with  its  many  ravines.  Tell  me  these  things,
ye  Muses,  abiding  in  Olympian  homes  from  the  beginning,
and  say  ye  what  was  the  first  of  them  that  rose.
