Homeric Hymn 20, to Hephaestus.
I sing of Hephaestus, famed for his intelligence, o sweet Muse,
Him who, with gray-eyed Athenaia,¹ taught his splendid works
To the mortals on Earth, who in earlier times
Inhabited caves in the mountains like beasts;
But now, through Hephaestus, famed for his craft, they learn his works
And live their life easily through the whole year,
Free of cares, in their own houses.
Now, be gracious, Hephaestus, give virtue and happiness!²
Notes
1: Poetic form of ‘Athena’.
2: Or ‘success and wealth.’
Εἰς Ἥφαιστον.
Ἥφαιστον κλυτόμητιν ἀείδεο Μοῦσα λίγεια,
ὃς μετ‘ Ἀθηναίης γλαυκώπιδος ἀγλαὰ ἔργα
ἀνθρώπους ἐδίδαξεν ἐπὶ χθονός, οἳ τὸ πάρος περ
ἄντροις ναιετάασκον ἐν οὔρεσιν ἠΰτε θῆρες.
νῦν δὲ δι‘ Ἥφαιστον κλυτοτέχνην ἔργα δαέντες
ῥηϊδίως αἰῶνα τελεσφόρον εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν
εὔκηλοι διάγουσιν ἐνὶ σφετέροισι δόμοισιν.
Ἀλλ‘ ἵληθ‘ Ἥφαιστε· δίδου δ‘ ἀρετήν τε καὶ ὄλβον.
SARTRIX 