DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4324#0070
30
DIDYME.
told by the BranchidDe is indeed sufficiently ridiculous; but if the repetition need an apology, it
may be urged that one equally extravagant is the subject of a noble ode in Pindar," written to
commemorate the antiquity and renown of the prophetic family at Olympia, the once celebrated
Iamidae. It is related by Varro,+ as follows.
A certain Olus, the tenth in descent from Apollo, after dining on the shore, renewed his
journey, leaving behind his son Simerus. The youth, thus forgotten, was received by one
Patron, who set him to attend the goats, in company with his own two sons. These on a time
catching a swan, and a dispute arising which should present it to their father, began to fight, cover-
ing the bird with a garment, which, when mutually tired, they removed, and discovered beneath
it a woman. They were astonished, and would have fled, but she recalled them, and directed that
Patron should prefer Simerus to either. Accordingly, on hearing the tale, Patron caressed him
with uncommon affection, and bestowed on him his daughter in marriage. She, during her preg-
nancy, beheld in a dream the sun passing down her throat, and through her body. Hence the
infant was named Branchus, [6 B^ay/pe, the throat.) He, after kissing Apollo in the woods, was
embraced by him, received a crown and wand, began to prophesy, and suddenly disappeared.
The temple called the Branchiadon was erected to him, with other temples in honour of
Apollo Philesius, J and called Philesia, either from the kiss of Branchus, or the contest of the
boys. $
Among the Milesian stories collected by Conon, one, as abridged by Photius, || recorded, that
Democlus, a Delphian, had a handsome son named Smicrus; that by command of the Oracle
he sailed to Miletus, taking the lad with him, then aged thirteen; that, eager to reimbark, he,
unwittingly, left him behind; that a son of Eritharses, a goatherd, led him sorrowing to his
father; that Eritharses, informed of his family and misfortune, cherished him as his own
* Olymp. vi.
•f Varro. Div. Rer. cited by the Scholiast on Statius,
L. viii. v. 198.
X <^iXvj<nog, from (piXeu, osculor, because, as in the Greek
narration of Conon, cited hereafter, ttp^rjtrev uvjov epotcrStig.
§ The dispute between the boys seems to have arisen
from an equality in years, or their being SiSvpoi, twins; and
from hence may be derived with probability the local names
AiSupot and AiSuptvg.
This title AtlvpBvg, given to Apollo, is very ancient:
Bafc%<£, icai A»5iijK,eu, ettoit^ye, Xofcta., uyvs. Orph. Hymn.
Koci bv Athptoig de y.ui p,u.v\v{icv tm AiroXXuvog, tpoi Iokbbi, kxi
txJo ex, ruv yspiuv AiSvpw ovopxgejou. Lucian. Uspi r^g A<fJooX.
T. ii. p. 370.
A7roXXuvu AtSvpuiov vocant, quod geminam speciem sui
numinis (f. luminis) prsefert; ipseilluminando formandoque
lunam; etenim ex uno fonte lucis gemino sidere diei et
noctis illustrat. Macrob. C. 17.
It is remarkable, that no mention of this Apollo is found
in Homer or Pindar, unless in the hymns attributed to the
former, v. 180. in Apoll.
'.Q Ava. —
Kai MiXij/oi/ e^eig bvxXov ttoXiv, lptBpo£<r<rccv.
*H Xy. XI? AypoxXog o AsXtpog yevva. 7rcctStx. B%TtpBTty\
Epixpog (f.^ipepog) ovopcf—koci aurov BCpiXvj(TBv Bpot<r§Btg AiroXXav,
Bvpuv TTOiuxn/ovjx, bv^cc fiupog AiroXXuvog <E>/Aih ( f. ^tX^cta) wpvjxt.
O Sb Bpocy^og b% AvroXXuvog B7riirvisg pcavjiKrig yeyovug bv Atou^oig
ru %«p<« Bypot. Kai jw.e%p< tk vvv xpytPiYipioov EXXyjvixuv, uv urpev
pe\a. ABXCpvg, xpoijtarjov opoXoybitch to tuv BpxyxtSuv. Conon.
apud Photium, p. 442.
Branchus Thessalus fuit Apollini dilectus, et filius habitus,
quern interfectum dolens, templo et divinitate sacravit. Is
autem Apollo Milesius dictus-—Alex, ab Alex. vi. 2.
Branchus quem ipse susceperat ex filia Iaucis et Sucronis
—et hunc pater — mortuum communi templo coli voluit,
cujus fuerat sacerdos. Boissard. Tractat. de Divinatione,
p. 107.
Quem suscepit ex Iauce Sucronis filia—ad superos relatus
est communi Milesiorum decreto—unde ipse Deus Bran-
chides appellatus est, p. 136.
patrioque sequalis honori
Branchus—Statius, L. Hi. v. 479.
et intonsi cludet penetralia Branchi,
Nee Clarias hac luce fores, Didymseaque quisquam
Limina, nee Lyciam supplex consultor adibit.
L. viii. ver. 198.
DIDYME.
told by the BranchidDe is indeed sufficiently ridiculous; but if the repetition need an apology, it
may be urged that one equally extravagant is the subject of a noble ode in Pindar," written to
commemorate the antiquity and renown of the prophetic family at Olympia, the once celebrated
Iamidae. It is related by Varro,+ as follows.
A certain Olus, the tenth in descent from Apollo, after dining on the shore, renewed his
journey, leaving behind his son Simerus. The youth, thus forgotten, was received by one
Patron, who set him to attend the goats, in company with his own two sons. These on a time
catching a swan, and a dispute arising which should present it to their father, began to fight, cover-
ing the bird with a garment, which, when mutually tired, they removed, and discovered beneath
it a woman. They were astonished, and would have fled, but she recalled them, and directed that
Patron should prefer Simerus to either. Accordingly, on hearing the tale, Patron caressed him
with uncommon affection, and bestowed on him his daughter in marriage. She, during her preg-
nancy, beheld in a dream the sun passing down her throat, and through her body. Hence the
infant was named Branchus, [6 B^ay/pe, the throat.) He, after kissing Apollo in the woods, was
embraced by him, received a crown and wand, began to prophesy, and suddenly disappeared.
The temple called the Branchiadon was erected to him, with other temples in honour of
Apollo Philesius, J and called Philesia, either from the kiss of Branchus, or the contest of the
boys. $
Among the Milesian stories collected by Conon, one, as abridged by Photius, || recorded, that
Democlus, a Delphian, had a handsome son named Smicrus; that by command of the Oracle
he sailed to Miletus, taking the lad with him, then aged thirteen; that, eager to reimbark, he,
unwittingly, left him behind; that a son of Eritharses, a goatherd, led him sorrowing to his
father; that Eritharses, informed of his family and misfortune, cherished him as his own
* Olymp. vi.
•f Varro. Div. Rer. cited by the Scholiast on Statius,
L. viii. v. 198.
X <^iXvj<nog, from (piXeu, osculor, because, as in the Greek
narration of Conon, cited hereafter, ttp^rjtrev uvjov epotcrStig.
§ The dispute between the boys seems to have arisen
from an equality in years, or their being SiSvpoi, twins; and
from hence may be derived with probability the local names
AiSupot and AiSuptvg.
This title AtlvpBvg, given to Apollo, is very ancient:
Bafc%<£, icai A»5iijK,eu, ettoit^ye, Xofcta., uyvs. Orph. Hymn.
Koci bv Athptoig de y.ui p,u.v\v{icv tm AiroXXuvog, tpoi Iokbbi, kxi
txJo ex, ruv yspiuv AiSvpw ovopxgejou. Lucian. Uspi r^g A<fJooX.
T. ii. p. 370.
A7roXXuvu AtSvpuiov vocant, quod geminam speciem sui
numinis (f. luminis) prsefert; ipseilluminando formandoque
lunam; etenim ex uno fonte lucis gemino sidere diei et
noctis illustrat. Macrob. C. 17.
It is remarkable, that no mention of this Apollo is found
in Homer or Pindar, unless in the hymns attributed to the
former, v. 180. in Apoll.
'.Q Ava. —
Kai MiXij/oi/ e^eig bvxXov ttoXiv, lptBpo£<r<rccv.
*H Xy. XI? AypoxXog o AsXtpog yevva. 7rcctStx. B%TtpBTty\
Epixpog (f.^ipepog) ovopcf—koci aurov BCpiXvj(TBv Bpot<r§Btg AiroXXav,
Bvpuv TTOiuxn/ovjx, bv^cc fiupog AiroXXuvog <E>/Aih ( f. ^tX^cta) wpvjxt.
O Sb Bpocy^og b% AvroXXuvog B7riirvisg pcavjiKrig yeyovug bv Atou^oig
ru %«p<« Bypot. Kai jw.e%p< tk vvv xpytPiYipioov EXXyjvixuv, uv urpev
pe\a. ABXCpvg, xpoijtarjov opoXoybitch to tuv BpxyxtSuv. Conon.
apud Photium, p. 442.
Branchus Thessalus fuit Apollini dilectus, et filius habitus,
quern interfectum dolens, templo et divinitate sacravit. Is
autem Apollo Milesius dictus-—Alex, ab Alex. vi. 2.
Branchus quem ipse susceperat ex filia Iaucis et Sucronis
—et hunc pater — mortuum communi templo coli voluit,
cujus fuerat sacerdos. Boissard. Tractat. de Divinatione,
p. 107.
Quem suscepit ex Iauce Sucronis filia—ad superos relatus
est communi Milesiorum decreto—unde ipse Deus Bran-
chides appellatus est, p. 136.
patrioque sequalis honori
Branchus—Statius, L. Hi. v. 479.
et intonsi cludet penetralia Branchi,
Nee Clarias hac luce fores, Didymseaque quisquam
Limina, nee Lyciam supplex consultor adibit.
L. viii. ver. 198.