Page:Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica.djvu/311



According to the opinion of the Argives and the epic poem, the Great Eoiae, Argos the son of Zeus was father of Epidaurus.

And, they say, Hesiod is sufficient to prove that the word ponēros (bad) has the same sense as "laborious" or "ill-fated"; for in the Great Eoiae he represents Alcmene as sajing to Heracles:

"My son, truly Zeus your father begot you to be the most toilful as the most excellent..."; and again: "The Fates (made) you the most toilful and the most excellent..."

The story has been taken from the Great Eoiae; for there we find Heracles entertained by Telamon, standing dressed in his lion-skin and praying, and there also we find the eagle sent by Zeus, from which Aias took his name. 257 S