#phaenomena

"But another tale is current among men, how of old she dwelt on earth and met men face to face, nor ever disdained in olden times the tribes of men and women, but mingling with them took her seat, immortal though she was. Her men called Dike (Justice); but she assembling the elders, it might be in the market-place or in the wide-wayed streets, uttered her voice, ever urging on them judgements kinder to the people. Not yet in that age had men knowledge of hateful strife, or carping contention, or din of battle, but a simple life they lived. Far from them was the cruel sea and not yet from afar did ships bring their livelihood, but the oxen and the plough and Dike herself, queen of the peoples, giver of things just, abundantly supplied their every need. Even so long as the earth still nurtured the Golden Race, she had her dwelling on earth. But with the Silver Race only a little and no longer with utter readiness did she mingle, for that she yearned for the ways of the men of old. Yet in that Silver Age was she still upon the earth; but from the echoing hills at eventide she came along, nor spake to any man in gentle words. But when she had filled the great heights with gathering crowds, then would she with threats rebuke their evil ways, and declare that never more at their prayer would she reveal her face to man. ‘Behold what manner of race the fathers of the Golden Age left behind them! Far meaner than themselves! But ye will breed a viler progeny! Verily wars and cruel bloodshed shall be unto men and grievous woe shall be laid upon them.’ Even so she spake and sought the hills and left the people all gazing towards her still. But when they, too, were dead, and when, more ruinous than they which went before, the Race of Bronze was born, who were the first to forge the sword of the highwayman, and the first to eat of the flesh of the ploughing-ox, then verily did Dike loathe that race of men and fly heavenward and took up that abode, where even now in the night time the Maiden is seen of men."

"From Zeus let us begin; him do we mortals never leave unnamed; full of Zeus are all the streets and all the market-places of men; full is the sea and the havens thereof; always we all have need of Zeus. For we are also his offspring; and he in his kindness unto men giveth favourable signs and wakeneth the people to work, reminding them of livelihood. He tells what time the soil is best for the labour of the ox and for the mattock, and what time the seasons are favourable both for the planting of trees and for casting all manner of seeds. For himself it was who set the signs in heaven, and marked out the constellations, and for the year devised what stars chiefly should give to men right signs of the seasons, to the end that all things might grow unfailingly. Wherefore him do men ever worship first and last. Hail, O Father, mighty marvel, mighty blessing unto men."

οὐ μέν ἐκείνῃ οἰόθεν οὐδ᾽ οἶος κεφαλῇ ἐπιλάμπεται ἀστήρ, ἀλλὰ δύο κροτάφοις, δύο δ᾽ ὄμμασιν: εἷς δ᾽ ὑπένερθεν ἐσχατιὴν ἐπέχει γένυος δεινοῖο - Not one star alone shines from [the Dragon]'s head, but two upon its temples, and two in its eyes: and one is heaped under the edge of the monster's jaw

"Mice, too, as sign of storm, whenever with louder squeaking than their wont they gamboled and seemed to dance in fair weather, were not unmarked by the weather-seers of old. Nor were dogs. The dog with both his paws digs when he suspects the coming of a storm, and then too those mice turn prophets. And landward comes the crab, when the storm is about to burse. Mice in the daytime toss straw and are fain to build a nest when Zeus shows signs of rain".

τὰς δέ δι᾽ ἀμφοτέρας οἵη ποταμοῖο ἀπορρώξ εἰλεῖται μέγα θαῦμα, δράκων, περί τ᾽ ἀμφί τ᾽ ἐαγώς μυρίος: αἱ δ᾽ ἄρα οἱ σπείρης ἑκάτερθε φέρονται ἄρκτοι, κυανέου πεφυλαγμέναι ὠκεανοῖο. - And through them both, like a river's branch, twines a great marvel, the Serpent, winding round and about infinitely, and on either side of its coil are borne the Bears, wary of blue-dark Ocean.