Laudator Temporis Acti

With the help of the gods, the Syracusans under Hiero II prepare to drive the Carthaginians out of Sicily (Theocritus, Idylls 16.76-97, tr. A.S.F. Gow):

Even now beneath the setting sun the Phoenicians
that dwell in the outmost skirts of Libya tremble for fear;
even now Syracusans grip their spears by the middle
and charge their arms with shields of wicker,
while Hiero, in their midst, girds himself like the heroes of old
with crest of horsehair shadowing his helm.
Ah Zeus, our father far renowned, and Lady Athena,
and thou, Maiden, to whom, with thy mother, has fallen
the mighty city of the rich Ephyraeans by the waters of Lysimeleia,
grant that ill constraints may drive our enemies from the island over the
Sardinian sea with tidings of the death of dear ones
to children and wives, messengers easy to number from out that host.
Grant that towns which the hands of foes have wasted utterly
be peopled again by their ancient masters.
May these till fertile fields, while sheep in countless
thousands grow fat upon the pastures
and bleat over the plain, and cattle gathering
in their herds to the homestead speed the twilight traveller on his way.
May the fallows be worked for seed-time while the cicada
overhead, watching the shepherds in the sun, makes music
in the foliage of the trees. May spiders spin their
delicate webs over armour, and the cry of onset be no more even named.

ἤδη νῦν Φοίνικες ὑπ᾽ ἠελίῳ δύνοντι
οἰκεῦντες Λιβύας ἄκρον σφυρὸν ἐρρίγασιν.
ἤδη βαστάζουσι Συρακόσιοι μέσα δοῦρα
ἀχθόμενοι σακέεσσι βραχίονας ἰτεΐνοισιν·
ἐν δ᾽ αὐτοῖς ῾Ιέρων προτέροις ἴσος ἡρώεσσι        80
ζώννυται, ἵππειαι δὲ κόρυν σκεπάουσιν ἔθειραι.
αἰ γὰρ Ζεῦ κύδιστε πάτερ καὶ πότνι᾽ ᾿Αθάνα
κούρη θ᾽, ἣ σὺν ματρὶ πολυκλήρων ᾿Εφυραίων
εἴληχας μέγα ἄστυ παρ᾽ ὕδασι Λυσιμελείας,
ἐχθροὺς ἐκ νάσοιο κακὰ πέμψειεν ἀνάγκα        85
Σαρδόνιον κατὰ κῦμα, φίλων μόρον ἀγγέλλοντας
τέκνοις ἠδ᾽ ἀλόχοισιν, ἀριθμητοὺς ἀπὸ πολλῶν·
ἄστεά τε προτέροισι πάλιν ναίοιτο πολίταις,
δυσμενέων ὅσα χεῖρες ἐλωβήσαντο κατάκρας·
ἀγροὺς δ᾽ ἐργάζοιντο τεθαλότας: αἱ δ᾽ ἀνάριθμοι        90
μήλων χιλιάδες βοτάνᾳ διαπιανθεῖσαι
ἀμπεδίον βληχοῖντο, βόες δ᾽ ἀγελαδὸν ἐς αὖλιν
ἐρχόμεναι σκνιφαῖον ἐπισπεύδοιεν ὁδίταν·
νειοὶ δ᾽ ἐκπονέοιντο ποτὶ σπόρον, ἁνίκα τέττιξ
ποιμένας ἐνδίους πεφυλαγμένος ἔνδοθι δένδρων        95
ἀχεῖ ἐν ἀκρεμόνεσσιν: ἀράχνια δ᾽ εἰς ὅπλ᾽ ἀράχναι
λεπτὰ διαστήσαιντο, βοᾶς δ᾽ ἔτι μηδ᾽ ὄνομ᾽ εἴη.

83 κούρη θ᾽, ἣ σὺν ματρὶ (the Maiden with her mother) = Persephone and Demeter