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 2701; 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.
THE STORY OF OEDIPUS
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
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...’
Fragment #2—Athenaeus, xi. 465 E: ‘Then the heaven-born hero, golden-haired Polyneices, first set beside Oedipus a rich table of silver which once belonged to Cadmus the divinely wise: next he filled a fine golden cup with sweet wine. But when Oedipus perceived these treasures of his father, great misery fell on his heart, and he straight-way called down bitter curses there in the presence of both his sons. And the avenging Fury of the gods failed not to hear him as he prayed that they might never divide their father’s goods in loving brotherhood, but that war and fighting might be ever the portion of them both.’
Fragment #3—Laurentian Scholiast on Sophocles, O.C. 1375: ‘And when Oedipus noticed the haunch 2801 he threw it on the ground and said: “Oh! Oh! my sons have sent this mocking me...” So he prayed to Zeus the king and the other deathless gods that each might fall by his brother’s hand and go down into the house of Hades.’
Fragment #4—Pausanias, viii. 25.8: Adrastus fled from Thebes ‘wearing miserable garments, and took black-maned Areion 2802 with him.’
Fragment #5—Pindar, Ol. vi. 15: 2803 ‘But when the seven dead had received their last rites in Thebes, the Son of Talaus lamented and spoke thus among them: “Woe is me, for I miss the bright eye of my host, a good seer and a stout spearman alike.”’
Fragment #6—Apollodorus, i. 74: Oeneus married Periboea the daughter of Hipponous. The author of the _Thebais_ says that when Olenus had been stormed, Oeneus received her as a prize.
Fragment #7—Pausanias, ix. 18.6: Near the spring is the tomb of Asphodicus. This Asphodicus killed Parthenopaeus the son of Talaus in the battle against the Argives, as the Thebans say; though that part of the _Thebais_ which tells of the death of Parthenopaeus says that it was Periclymenus who killed him.
THE EPIGONI
Fragment #1—Contest of Homer and Hesiod: Next (Homer composed) the _Epigoni_ in seven thousand verses, beginning, ‘And now, Muses, let us begin to sing of younger men.’
Fragment #2—Photius, Lexicon: Teumesia. Those who have written on Theban affairs have given a full account of the Teumesian fox. 2901 They relate that the creature was sent by the gods to punish the descendants of Cadmus, and that the Thebans therefore excluded those of the house of Cadmus from kingship. But (they say) a certain Cephalus, the son of Deion, an Athenian, who owned a hound which no beast ever escaped, had accidentally killed his wife Procris, and being purified of the homicide by the Cadmeans, hunted the fox with his hound, and when they had overtaken it both hound and fox were turned into stones near Teumessus. These writers have taken the story from the Epic Cycle.
Fragment #3—Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius, Arg. i. 308: The authors of the _Thebais_ say that Manto the daughter of Teiresias was sent to Delphi by the Epigoni as a first fruit of their spoil, and that in accordance with an oracle of Apollo she went out and met Rhacius, the son of Lebes, a Mycenaean by race. This man she married—for the oracle also contained the command that she should marry whomsoever she might meet—and coming to Colophon, was there much cast down and wept over the destruction of her country.
THE CYPRIA
Fragment #1—Proclus, Chrestomathia, i: This 3001 is continued by the epic called _Cypria_ which is current is eleven books. Its contents are as follows.
Zeus plans with Themis to bring about the Trojan war. Strife arrives while the gods are feasting at the marriage of Peleus and starts a dispute between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite as to which of them is fairest. The three are led by Hermes at the command of Zeus to Alexandrus on Mount Ida for his decision, and Alexandrus, lured by his promised marriage with Helen, decides in favour of Aphrodite.
Then Alexandrus builds his ships at Aphrodite’s suggestion, and Helenus foretells the future to him, and Aphrodite order Aeneas to sail with him, while Cassandra prophesies as to what will happen afterwards. Alexandrus next lands in Lacedaemon and is entertained by the sons of Tyndareus, and afterwards by Menelaus in Sparta, where in the course of a feast he gives gifts to Helen.
After this, Menelaus sets sail for Crete, ordering Helen to furnish the guests with all they require until they depart. Meanwhile, Aphrodite brings Helen and Alexandrus together, and they, after their union, put very great treasures on board and sail away by night. Hera stirs up a storm against them and they are carried to Sidon, where Alexandrus takes the city. From there he sailed to Troy and celebrated his marriage with Helen.
In the meantime Castor and Polydeuces, while stealing the cattle of Idas and Lynceus, were caught in the act, and Castor was killed by Idas, and Lynceus and Idas by Polydeuces. Zeus gave them immortality every other day.
Iris next informs Menelaus of what has happened at his home. Menelaus returns and plans an expedition against Ilium with his brother, and then goes on to Nestor. Nestor in a digression tells him how Epopeus was utterly destroyed after seducing the daughter of Lycus, and the story of Oedipus, the madness of Heracles, and the story of Theseus and Ariadne. Then they travel over Hellas and gather the leaders, detecting Odysseus when he pretends to be mad, not wishing to join the expedition, by seizing his son Telemachus for punishment at the suggestion of Palamedes.
All the leaders then meet together at Aulis and sacrifice. The incident of the serpent and the sparrows 3002 takes place before them, and Calchas foretells what is going to befall. After this, they put out to sea, and reach Teuthrania and sack it, taking it for Ilium. Telephus comes out to the rescue and kills Thersander and son of Polyneices, and is himself wounded by Achilles. As they put out from Mysia a storm comes on them and scatters them, and Achilles first puts in at Scyros and married Deidameia, the daughter of Lycomedes, and then heals Telephus, who had been led by an oracle to go to Argos, so that he might be their guide on the voyage to Ilium.
When the expedition had mustered a second time at Aulis, Agamemnon, while at the chase, shot a stag and boasted that he surpassed even Artemis. At this the goddess was so angry that she sent stormy winds and prevented them from sailing. Calchas then told them of the anger of the goddess and bade them sacrifice Iphigeneia to Artemis. This they attempt to do, sending to fetch Iphigeneia as though for marriage with Achilles.
Artemis, however, snatched her away and transported her to the Tauri, making her immortal, and putting a stag in place of the girl upon the altar.
Next they sail as far as Tenedos: and while they are feasting, Philoctetes is bitten by a snake and is left behind in Lemnos because of the stench of his sore. Here, too, Achilles quarrels with Agamemnon because he is invited late. Then the Greeks tried to land at Ilium, but the Trojans prevent them, and Protesilaus is killed by Hector. Achilles then kills Cycnus, the son of Poseidon, and drives the Trojans back. The Greeks take up their dead and send envoys to the Trojans demanding the surrender of Helen and the treasure with her. The Trojans refusing, they first assault the city, and then go out and lay waste the country and cities round about. After this, Achilles desires to see Helen, and Aphrodite and Thetis contrive a meeting between them. The Achaeans next desire to return home, but are restrained by Achilles, who afterwards drives off the cattle of Aeneas, and sacks Lyrnessus and Pedasus and many of the neighbouring cities, and kills Troilus. Patroclus carries away Lycaon to Lemnos and sells him as a slave, and out of the spoils Achilles receives Briseis as a prize, and Agamemnon Chryseis. Then follows the death of Palamedes, the plan of Zeus to relieve the Trojans by detaching Achilles from the Hellenic confederacy, and a catalogue of the Trojan allies.