(ll. 1-26) Muse, tell me about Pan, the dear son of Hermes, with his
goat’s feet and two horns—a lover of merry noise. Through wooded glades
he wanders with dancing nymphs who foot it on some sheer cliff’s edge,
calling upon Pan, the shepherd-god, long-haired, unkempt. He has every
snowy crest and the mountain peaks and rocky crests for his domain;
hither and thither he goes through the close thickets, now lured by
soft streams, and now he presses on amongst towering crags and climbs
up to the highest peak that overlooks the flocks. Often he courses
through the glistening high mountains, and often on the shouldered
hills he speeds along slaying wild beasts, this keen-eyed god. Only at
evening, as he returns from the chase, he sounds his note, playing
sweet and low on his pipes of reed: not even she could excel him in
melody—that bird who in flower-laden spring pouring forth her lament
utters honey-voiced song amid the leaves. At that hour the clear-voiced
nymphs are with him and move with nimble feet, singing by some spring
of dark water, while Echo wails about the mountain-top, and the god on
this side or on that of the choirs, or at times sidling into the midst,
plies it nimbly with his feet. On his back he wears a spotted
lynx-pelt, and he delights in high-pitched songs in a soft meadow where
crocuses and sweet-smelling hyacinths bloom at random in the grass.
(ll. 27-47) They sing of the blessed gods and high Olympus and choose
to tell of such an one as luck-bringing Hermes above the rest, how he
is the swift messenger of all the gods, and how he came to Arcadia, the
land of many springs and mother of flocks, there where his sacred place
is as god of Cyllene. For there, though a god, he used to tend
curly-fleeced sheep in the service of a mortal man, because there fell
on him and waxed strong melting desire to wed the rich-tressed daughter
of Dryops, and there he brought about the merry marriage. And in the
house she bare Hermes a dear son who from his birth was marvellous to
look upon, with goat’s feet and two horns—a noisy, merry-laughing
child. But when the nurse saw his uncouth face and full beard, she was
afraid and sprang up and fled and left the child. Then luck-bringing
Hermes received him and took him in his arms: very glad in his heart
was the god. And he went quickly to the abodes of the deathless gods,
carrying the son wrapped in warm skins of mountain hares, and set him
down beside Zeus and showed him to the rest of the gods. Then all the
immortals were glad in heart and Bacchie Dionysus in especial; and they
called the boy Pan 2532 because he delighted all their hearts.
(ll. 48-49) And so hail to you, lord! I seek your favour with a song.
And now I will remember you and another song also.