The Argonautica

local nymphs dwelling in Libya, near Myrtosian Height.

There Cyrene bore Aristaeus to Phoebus; rich-landed

Haemonians call Agreus, Hunter, and Nomios, Shepherd.

For love, Apollo made Cyrene a long-lived nymph there,

and huntress; Apollo carried their newborn son away,

to Chiron's caves, entrusted there for infant nurture.

Reaching full manhood, the Muses arranged his marriage

and taught both healing craft and god-inspired prophecy;

they made Aristaeus guardian of all sheep that grazed

across Phthia's Athamantian Plain and round the steep

slopes of Othrys and Apidanus' sacred flowing waters.

At Sirius' heavenly rising, Minoan islands scorched,

and long no cure appeared for all the island's people,

then Hecatos the Far-Shooter bade men summon Aristaeus,

a ward against the plague. At his father's command he left

Phthia and settled Ceos, gathering a people there,

Parrhasians, who trace their birth to ancient Lycaon's line.

He built a mighty altar there to Zeus Ikmaios,

and offered fitting mountain rites to that same star,

to Sirius and great Zeus, the mighty son of Cronus.

Because of this, Zeus-sent Etesian breezes cool the land

for forty days; and even now on Ceos the priests

present their gifts ahead of Dog-star's first rising.

Thus are these matters told; but there the chiefs remained,