FRAGMENTS OF THE EPIC CYCLE

THE WAR OF THE TITANS (fragments)

Fragment #1 —­ Photius, Epitome of the Chrestomathy of Proclus:  The Epic Cycle begins with the fabled union of Heaven and Earth, by which they make three hundred-handed sons and three Cyclopes to be born to him.

Fragment #2 —­
Anecdota Oxon. (Cramer) i. 75: 
According to the writer of the “War of the Titans” Heaven was the
son of Aether.

Fragment #3 —­
Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 1165: 
Eumelus says that Aegaeon was the son of Earth and Sea and,
having his dwelling in the sea, was an ally of the Titans.

Fragment #4 —­
Athenaeus, vii. 277 D: 
The poet of the “War of the Titans”, whether Eumelus of Corinth
or Arctinus, writes thus in his second book:  `Upon the shield
were dumb fish afloat, with golden faces, swimming and sporting
through the heavenly water.’

Fragment #5 —­
Athenaeus, i. 22 C: 
Eumelus somewhere introduces Zeus dancing:  he says —­ `In the
midst of them danced the Father of men and gods.’

Fragment #6 —­
Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 554: 
The author of the “War of the Giants” says that Cronos took the
shape of a horse and lay with Philyra, the daughter of Ocean. 
Through this cause Cheiron was born a centaur:  his wife was
Chariclo.

Fragment #7 —­
Athenaeus, xi. 470 B: 
Theolytus says that he (Heracles) sailed across the sea in a
cauldron (1); but the first to give this story is the author of
the “War of the Titans”.

Fragment #8 —­
Philodemus, On Piety: 
The author of the “War of the Titans” says that the apples (of
the Hesperides) were guarded.

ENDNOTES: 

(1) See the cylix reproduced by Gerhard, Abhandlungen, taf. 5,4.

     Cp.  Stesichorus, Frag. 3 (Smyth).

THE STORY OF OEDIPUS (fragments)

Fragment #1 —­
C.I.G.  Ital. et Sic. 1292. ii. 11: 
....the “Story of Oedipus” by Cinaethon in six thousand six
hundred verses.

Fragment #2 —­
Pausanias, ix. 5.10: 
Judging by Homer I do not believe that Oedipus had children by
Iocasta:  his sons were born of Euryganeia as the writer of the
Epic called the “Story of Oedipus” clearly shows.

Fragment #3 —­
Scholiast on Euripides Phoen., 1750: 
The authors of the “Story of Oedipus” (say) of the Sphinx:  `But
furthermore (she killed) noble Haemon, the dear son of blameless
Creon, the comeliest and loveliest of boys.’

THE THEBAID (fragments)

Fragment #1 —­
Contest of Homer and Hesiod: 
Homer travelled about reciting his epics, first the “Thebaid”, in
seven thousand verses, which begins:  `Sing, goddess, of parched
Argos, whence lords...’