This hymn, as a literary work, is one of the finest
in the collection. It is surely Attic or Eleusinian
in origin. Can we in any way fix its date?
Firstly, it is certainly not later than the beginning
of the sixth century, for it makes no mention of Iacchus,
and the Dionysiac element was introduced at Eleusis
at about that period. Further, the insignificance
of Triptolemus and Eumolpus point to considerable
antiquity, and the digamma is still active.
All these considerations point to the seventh century
as the probable date of the hymn.
The “Hymn to Apollo” consists of two parts,
which beyond any doubt were originally distinct, a
Delian hymn and a Pythian hymn.
The Delian hymn describes how Leto, in travail with
Apollo, sought out a place in which to bear her son,
and how Apollo, born in Delos, at once claimed for
himself the lyre, the bow, and prophecy. This
part of the existing hymn ends with an encomium of
the Delian festival of Apollo and of the Delian choirs.
The second part celebrates the founding of Pytho
(Delphi) as the oracular seat of Apollo. After
various wanderings the god comes to Telphus, near
Haliartus, but is dissuaded by the nymph of the place
from settling there and urged to go on to Pytho where,
after slaying the she-dragon who nursed Typhaon, he
builds his temple. After the punishment of Telphusa
for her deceit in giving him no warning of the dragoness
at Pytho, Apollo, in the form of a dolphin, brings
certain Cretan shipmen to Delphi to be his priests;
and the hymn ends with a charge to these men to behave
orderly and righteously.
The Delian part is exclusively Ionian and insular
both in style and sympathy; Delos and no other is
Apollo’s chosen seat: but the second part
is as definitely continental; Delos is ignored and
Delphi alone is the important centre of Apollo’s
worship. From this it is clear that the two
parts need not be of one date — The first,
indeed, is ascribed (Scholiast on Pindar “Nem”.
ii, 2) to Cynaethus of Chios (fl. 504 B.C.), a date
which is obviously far too low; general considerations
point rather to the eighth century. The second
part is not later than 600 B.C.; for 1) the chariot-races
at Pytho, which commenced in 586 B.C., are unknown
to the writer of the hymn, 2) the temple built by Trophonius
and Agamedes for Apollo (ll. 294-299) seems to have
been still standing when the hymn was written, and
this temple was burned in 548. We may at least
be sure that the first part is a Chian work, and that
the second was composed by a continental poet familiar
with Delphi.
The “Hymn to Hermes” differs from others
in its burlesque, quasi-comic character, and it is
also the best-known of the Hymns to English readers
in consequence of Shelley’s translation.
After a brief narrative of the birth of Hermes, the
author goes on to show how he won a place among the
gods. First the new-born child found a tortoise
and from its shell contrived the lyre; next, with
much cunning circumstance, he stole Apollo’s
cattle and, when charged with the theft by Apollo,
forced that god to appear in undignified guise before
the tribunal of Zeus. Zeus seeks to reconcile
the pair, and Hermes by the gift of the lyre wins
Apollo’s friendship and purchases various prerogatives,
a share in divination, the lordship of herds and animals,
and the office of messenger from the gods to Hades.
