batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l4906-l4974
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l4906-l4974
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
passage_locator:
label: THE SHIELD OF HERACLES / THE MARRIAGE OF CEYX / THE GREAT EOIAE / THE MELAMPODIA;
lines 4906-4974
start: '4906'
end: '4974'
translation: Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: 'Fragments attributed to the Melampodia recount seers and prophetic knowledge:
Calchas challenges Mopsus to count figs and dies after Mopsus answers correctly;
Teiresias laments a long life through seven generations; Teiresias is transformed
after killing mating snakes, judges a dispute between Zeus and Hera, is blinded
by Hera, and receives seer power from Zeus. Additional fragments mention banquet
storytelling and omens, ritual or household objects, Chalcis, Amphilochus killed
by Apollo, and the absence of a mortal seer able to know Zeus''s mind.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Calchas returns from Troy with Amphilochus and encounters Mopsus near Clarus.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Calchas asks Mopsus to state the number of figs on a small wild fig-tree.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Mopsus gives a numerical answer and a measure for the figs, including one
fig left over.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: The reckoning is found true, and death shrouds Calchas.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:5
text: Teiresias says Zeus granted him long life through seven generations rather
than an ordinary mortal span and mortal wisdom.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:6
text: Teiresias sees two snakes mating on Cithaeron and kills first the female and
later the male.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: After killing the female snake Teiresias becomes a woman; after killing the
male snake he returns to his former nature.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:8
text: Zeus and Hera choose Teiresias to decide whether male or female has greater
pleasure in intercourse.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:9
text: Teiresias answers that women experience all ten parts of pleasure while men
experience one part.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:10
text: Hera blinds Teiresias, and Zeus gives him seer power.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:11
text: A fragment states that it is pleasant at a feast and rich banquet to tell
delightful tales after men have feasted enough.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:12
text: A fragment mentions knowing a clear token of ill or good among signs given
by deathless ones to mortal men.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:13
text: Mares, called a swift messenger, brings a filled silver goblet through the
house and gives it to the lord.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:14
text: Mantes takes an ox's halter, Iphiclus lashes the ox, and Phylacus walks behind
with a cup and raised sceptre while speaking among bondmen.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:15
text: Chalcis in Euboea is called the land of fair women.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:16
text: Amphilochus is said to have been killed by Apollo at Soli.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: obs:17
text: A fragment says no mortal seer exists who would know the mind of Zeus who
holds the aegis.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Calchas
description: A seer who returns from Troy, challenges Mopsus about the figs, and
dies after Mopsus's answer proves true.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Amphilochus
description: Son of Amphiaraus; accompanies Calchas from Troy and is elsewhere said
to have been killed by Apollo at Soli.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:8
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Mopsus
description: A seer near Clarus, son of Manto, described as greater than Calchas
and able to answer Calchas's fig-counting problem.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Manto
description: Mother of Mopsus and daughter of Teiresias.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Teiresias
description: A long-lived seer connected with seven generations; transformed after
encounters with snakes; judge in the dispute of Zeus and Hera; blinded and given
seer power.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Zeus
description: God addressed by Teiresias; chooses Teiresias as arbiter with Hera
and grants him seer power after Hera blinds him.
role_refs:
- role:6
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:9
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Hera
description: Goddess who chooses Teiresias as arbiter with Zeus and blinds him after
his answer.
role_refs:
- role:6
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Two mating snakes
description: A female and a male snake seen mating on Cithaeron; Teiresias kills
them in separate incidents linked to his transformation and restoration.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Mares
description: A swift messenger who brings a filled silver goblet to a lord.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Mantes
description: A figure who takes an ox's halter in his hands.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Iphiclus
description: A figure who lashes the ox on the back.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Phylacus
description: A figure walking behind with a cup and raised sceptre, speaking among
bondmen.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Apollo
description: God said to have killed Amphilochus at Soli.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
roles:
- id: role:1
label: seer
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:5
basis: The passage explicitly identifies Calchas and Mopsus as seers and describes
Teiresias in seer-related fragments.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:9
- id: role:2
label: successful diviner in a counting challenge
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Mopsus answers Calchas's question about the number and measure of figs, and
the reckoning is verified.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:3
label: defeated seer who dies after the contest
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: After Mopsus's answer is found true, death shrouds Calchas.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: long-lived prophetic figure
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Teiresias speaks of being ordained to live through seven generations of mortal
kind.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: arbiter in divine dispute
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Zeus and Hera choose Teiresias to decide a question about male and female
pleasure.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: divine questioner
assigned_to:
- fig:6
- fig:7
basis: Zeus and Hera choose Teiresias to decide their question.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:7
label: grantor of seer power
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Zeus gives Teiresias the seer's power after Hera blinds him.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:8
label: divine punisher or killer
assigned_to:
- fig:7
- fig:13
basis: Hera blinds Teiresias; Apollo is said to kill Amphilochus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:8
- id: role:9
label: messenger
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Mares is called a swift messenger and brings the goblet through the house.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:10
label: companion and later victim
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Amphilochus accompanies Calchas from Troy and is said to be killed by Apollo
at Soli.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:8
- id: role:11
label: genealogical link
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Manto is named as Mopsus's mother and Teiresias's daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:12
label: animal agents in transformation episode
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The two snakes are involved in the sequence that changes and restores Teiresias's
nature.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:13
label: participants in ox-handling scene
assigned_to:
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
basis: Mantes handles the halter, Iphiclus lashes the ox, and Phylacus walks behind
speaking with cup and sceptre.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: wild fig-tree with countless figs
literal_form: A small wild fig-tree bearing many figs whose number is challenged
and correctly counted.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: measure and leftover fig
literal_form: A bushel measure and one fig left over in Mopsus's answer.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: mating snakes
literal_form: Two snakes mating on Cithaeron, one female and one male, killed in
separate incidents by Teiresias.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: blindness and seer power
literal_form: Hera's blinding of Teiresias and Zeus's gift of seer power.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:5
label: divine signs and clear tokens
literal_form: Clear tokens of ill or good among signs given by deathless ones to
mortal men.
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:6
label: silver goblet
literal_form: A filled silver goblet brought by Mares through the house to the lord.
associated_figures:
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:7
label: halter, cup, and sceptre
literal_form: An ox's halter, a cup, and a raised sceptre in the ox-handling scene.
associated_figures:
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Calchas and Mopsus in a divinatory counting contest
summary: Calchas meets Mopsus near Clarus, challenges him to count the figs on a
small wild fig-tree, and dies after Mopsus gives a correct answer.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Teiresias laments long life
summary: Teiresias addresses Zeus, contrasting a desired shorter mortal span and
mortal wisdom with the long life through seven generations that he has received.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Teiresias, the snakes, and the divine judgment
summary: Teiresias kills mating snakes, changes sex and later returns to his former
nature, answers Zeus and Hera's question about pleasure, is blinded by Hera, and
receives seer power from Zeus.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
- fig:8
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Banquet storytelling and omen knowledge
summary: A fragment praises delightful tales at a feast and knowledge of clear tokens
of good or ill among divine signs.
figure_refs: []
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Messenger brings a goblet
summary: Mares brings a filled silver goblet through the house and gives it to the
lord.
figure_refs:
- fig:9
symbol_refs:
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: scene:6
label: Ox-handling procession
summary: Mantes takes an ox's halter, Iphiclus lashes the ox, and Phylacus follows
with a cup and raised sceptre while speaking among bondmen.
figure_refs:
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: scene:7
label: Amphilochus killed by Apollo
summary: A fragment reports that Amphilochus was killed by Apollo at Soli.
figure_refs:
- fig:2
- fig:13
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: scene:8
label: Limit of mortal seer knowledge
summary: A fragment states that no mortal seer knows the mind of aegis-bearing Zeus.
figure_refs:
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:9
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: Prophetic contest ending in the defeated seer's death
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The seers Calchas and Mopsus are contrasted through a riddle-like counting
challenge; Mopsus's correct answer is followed by Calchas's death.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
confidence: high
cautions: The fragment does not fully describe the rules or ritual context of the
contest.
- id: motif:2
label: Burden of extraordinary prophetic longevity
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: Teiresias speaks of living through seven generations and frames the long
life as unlike an ordinary mortal span with ordinary mortal wisdom.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The fragment preserves a complaint but not the full narrative context
for why the long life was granted.
- id: motif:3
label: Sex transformation through a serpent encounter
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
- serpent
basis: Teiresias changes into a woman after killing the female of two mating snakes
and returns to his own nature after killing the male.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The transformation is not described as voluntary shapeshifting by Teiresias.
- id: motif:4
label: Divine punishment balanced by prophetic compensation
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
- wisdom
basis: After Teiresias answers the divine question, Hera blinds him and Zeus gives
him seer power.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not elaborate whether Zeus's gift is explicitly compensation,
though it follows Hera's punishment in sequence.
- id: motif:5
label: Knowledge of divine signs and tokens
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: The fragment mentions clear tokens of ill or good among signs given by deathless
ones to mortals, and another fragment denies that any mortal seer knows Zeus's
mind.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:9
confidence: medium
cautions: The fragments are brief and not attached to a complete episode.
- id: motif:6
label: God kills a mortal heroic figure
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: Amphilochus is said to have been killed by Apollo at Soli.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: low
cautions: No reason, judgment procedure, or surrounding narrative is preserved in
the supplied passage.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The Teiresias episode can be cautiously compared to the available shapeshifter
motif family because a human figure changes sex and later returns to his prior
nature after serpent encounters.
claim_level: same_motif
target: shapeshifter
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: The episode involves sex transformation rather than general voluntary
animal or bodily shapeshifting.
- id: claim:2
claim: The snakes in the Teiresias episode align with the available serpent symbol
because serpent figures are central to the transformation sequence.
claim_level: same_function
target: serpent
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: high
limitations: The passage does not explain the snakes' independent symbolism beyond
their role in the event.
- id: claim:3
claim: The seer contest, omen knowledge, and limits of knowing Zeus's mind can be
compared to the available wisdom motif family as episodes about special or restricted
knowledge.
claim_level: same_function
target: wisdom
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- ev:9
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The fragments are disconnected and do not present a single continuous
wisdom narrative.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: 'Fragment #1'
quote_or_summary: Calchas returns from Troy with Amphilochus, finds the greater
seer Mopsus near Clarus, poses a question about the number of figs on a small
wild fig-tree, and dies after Mopsus's answer proves true.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: 'Fragment #2'
quote_or_summary: Teiresias is described as living through seven generations and
speaks to Zeus about preferring a shorter mortal life and mortal wisdom.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: 'Fragment #3'
quote_or_summary: Teiresias sees two mating snakes on Cithaeron, changes into a
woman after killing the female, returns to his own nature after killing the male,
judges a question posed by Zeus and Hera, is blinded by Hera, and receives seer
power from Zeus.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: 'Fragment #4'
quote_or_summary: The fragment mentions delightful tales at a feast and knowledge
of clear tokens of ill or good among signs given by deathless ones to mortals.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: 'Fragment #5'
quote_or_summary: Mares, a swift messenger, brings a filled silver goblet through
the house and gives it to the lord.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: 'Fragment #6'
quote_or_summary: Mantes takes an ox's halter, Iphiclus lashes the ox, and Phylacus
walks behind with a cup and raised sceptre while speaking among bondmen.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: 'Fragment #7'
quote_or_summary: Chalcis in Euboea is called the land of fair women.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: 'Fragment #8'
quote_or_summary: Amphilochus is said to have been killed by Apollo at Soli.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
- id: ev:9
type: summary
locator: 'Fragment #9'
quote_or_summary: The fragment says there is no mortal seer who would know the mind
of aegis-bearing Zeus.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summary only.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: Literal extraction is based directly on the supplied fragments. Motif labels
are cautious because several fragments are brief citations without full narrative
context.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Only the supplied passage and metadata were used. No external identifications or traditions were added.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg__l4906-l4974
passage_sha256=1ed813dfe77f437508c54e9baab8c57027643d8adfde9fba4a665656bc5e8e8f