#geryoneis

Geryoneis

The "Geryoneis" is a fragmentary poem, written in Ancient Greek by the lyric poet Stesichorus. Composed in the 6th century BC, it narrates an episode from the Heracles myth in which the hero steals the cattle of Geryon, a three-bodied monster with a human face.

The extant parts of the poem begin with the prelude of the fight between Heracles and Geryon. They include: a council of the gods, which resolves that Geryon is to die, the birth of his cowherd Eurytion and a depiction of his parents, trying to convince him not to face Heracles. The final moments of the conflict are preserved at length: Heracles shoots a deadly arrow into Geryon's forehead. His agony is described in detail and compared to a withering poppy.

XIV. HERAKLES' ARROW

Arrow means kill It parted Geryon's skull like a comb Made

The boy neck lean At an odd slow angle sideways as when a

Poppy shames itself in a whip of Nude breeze

XXXV. GLADYS

He would pretend to be asleep

so he could lean against Herakles' shoulder. The smell of the leather jacket near his face and the hard pressure of Herakles'

arm under the leather sent a wave of longing as strong as a color through Geryon.

It exploded at the bottom of his belly.

Then the blanket shifted. He felt Herakles' hand move on his thigh and Geryon's head went back like a poppy in a breeze

as Herakles' mouth came down on his and blackness sank through him.

P.Oxy.XXXII 2617 Stesichorus, Geryoneis? ed. E. Lobel

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