Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THEOGONY: ZEUS AND THE TITANS, by HESIOD Poet's Biography First Line: Then zeus no longer held back his power Last Line: For despite their great spirits the strength of the others prevailed. | ||||||||
THEN Zeus no longer held back his power. On the height his heart was swarming with fury, and all his might he uttered forth. From Heaven and Olympus he swung, tossing his lightning-darts. The bolts he flung were fierce with thunder and lightning, and thickly they came out of his strong right hand with a sacred flame rolling: the life-giving earth with a shudder of sound took fire, and measureless forest crackled around. All land was seething and heaving, and Ocean-stream, and the barren sea. Lapped round with a fiery steam stood the earthborn Titans. Numberless flames were blown to the brightening aether. Glare of the thunderstone and lightning blinded the eyes of the strongest there. A marvellous heat grasped Chaos. Everywhere tumult burst on the ear and smote on the eye, till Earth seemed wrestling for life with the broad-backed sky collapsing. Loud was the fall of the thunderbolt blasting, as if Earth to the pit was cast and the Heavens were casting. Such was the shock of the gods when they met embattled, while winds brought storms of dust and the earth rattled, while winds swept lightning and lurid bolts through the skies, the shafts of almighty Zeus, with clatter and cries tossed to the midmost air, as the battle-field rang without end, and the might of their hands was revealed. The battle broke: till then they grappled and tore, still merged in war's remorseless scrimmage and roar. Cottus, Briareus, and Gyes bore the brunt, unquenchable fighters, they raised fierce war in the front, hundreds of stones in thick shower with strong hands they hurled; and the Titans stood under the shower in a darkening world and beneath the wide-wayed earth they were all of them cast and bound in grievous chains imprisoned at last, for despite their great spirits the strength of the others prevailed. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LIGHT-FOOTED IPHICLUS by HESIOD PRECEPTS OF CHIRON: LENGTH OF LIFE by HESIOD THE DANCE OF THE MUSES by HESIOD THE SHIELD OF HERACLES: COMBAT OF HERACLES AND CYCNUS by HESIOD THEOGONY: BACCHUS AND ARIADNE by HESIOD THEOGONY: THE MUSES' GIFT (1) by HESIOD THEOGONY: THE MUSES' GIFT (2) by HESIOD |
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