batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l6447-l6544
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l6447-l6544
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
passage_locator:
label: II. TO DEMETER / III. TO DELIAN APOLLO / TO PYTHIAN APOLLO / IV. TO HERMES;
lines 6447-6544
start: '6447'
end: '6544'
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: Hermes and Apollo bring their cattle dispute before Zeus and the assembled
gods. Apollo accuses the newborn Hermes of stealing and hiding his cattle by clever
tricks. Hermes denies guilt with oaths and deceptive speech. Zeus laughs and orders
Hermes to reveal the cattle. At Pylos Apollo sees evidence of the slaughtered
cows and tries to bind Hermes, but the withes fail and grow into plants that cover
the cattle.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Hermes and Apollo dispute over the cattle and come to Olympus, where judgement
is set before Zeus and the divine assembly.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Apollo describes Hermes as a newborn child and accuses him of stealing Apollo's
cows from their meadow and driving them toward Pylos.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: 'Apollo reports unusual double tracks: the cattle tracks are visible in the
dust, while Hermes'' own movement is described as not being on feet or hands and
as if walking on slender oak-trees.'
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Apollo says Hermes hid in a dim cave, lay in his cradle, and denied seeing
or hearing about the cattle.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Hermes tells Zeus that Apollo has no witnesses, threatened him with Tartarus,
and that Hermes was born only yesterday.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Hermes denies driving the cows home and offers to swear an oath while asking
Zeus to help the younger party.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: Zeus laughs at Hermes' cunning denial and orders both gods to search for the
cattle, with Hermes leading and showing their hiding place.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: Hermes and Apollo go to sandy Pylos, the ford of Alpheus, fields, and a byre
where cattle are kept at night.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: Hermes goes to a cave in the rock to drive out the cattle, and Apollo sees
cowhides on the sheer rock.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: Apollo marvels that Hermes, though newborn, was able to flay two cows.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:11
text: Apollo twists osier withes to bind Hermes, but the bands do not hold; the
withes fall, grow from the ground, interweave, and cover the cattle.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Hermes / Cyllenian / Slayer of Argus
description: A newborn son of Zeus and Maia, accused of stealing Apollo's cattle;
he uses cunning speech, denies guilt, leads Apollo to the hidden cattle, and causes
the binding withes to fail and grow.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:4
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Apollo / Phoebus / Son of Leto / God of the Silver Bow
description: A son of Zeus and Leto who accuses Hermes before Zeus, describes the
theft and tracks, follows Hermes to Pylos, sees the hides, and tries to bind Hermes.
role_refs:
- role:2
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
- ev:6
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Zeus / Son of Cronos
description: Father and lord of the gods who hears the dispute, laughs at Hermes'
denial, and orders Hermes to reveal the cattle.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Immortal gods on Olympus
description: The divine assembly gathered on snowy Olympus when Hermes and Apollo
bring the dispute before Zeus.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Mortal man
description: A mortal witness mentioned by Apollo as having noticed Hermes driving
the cattle toward Pylos.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Apollo's cattle / wide-browed kine
description: The stolen cows that Apollo says Hermes drove away, hid, and later
brought out from the cave area near Pylos.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- ev:6
roles:
- id: role:1
label: accused cattle thief
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Apollo calls Hermes a robber and says he stole Apollo's cows and hid them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: accuser and seeker of stolen cattle
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Apollo presents the accusation before Zeus and later follows Hermes to recover
the cattle.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: divine judge and father
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The quarrel is brought before Zeus, who questions Apollo and gives an order
resolving the search.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: role:4
label: cunning newborn denier
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Hermes is described as newly born, using tricks and cunning words, denying
guilt while Zeus laughs at the denial.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: child of Zeus
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:2
basis: The passage calls Hermes and Apollo the children of Zeus and places them
before their father.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: role:6
label: divine council
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The immortal gods gather on Olympus after Dawn as the dispute comes before
the council.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:7
label: witness noticed by accuser
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Apollo says a mortal man noticed Hermes as he drove the cattle toward Pylos.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:8
label: stolen herd
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The cows are the disputed animals Apollo says were stolen and hidden by Hermes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Olympus as divine judgement place
literal_form: top of fragrant or snowy Olympus where the gods assemble and the scales
of judgement are set
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs:
- mountain
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:2
label: scales of judgement
literal_form: scales of judgement set for Hermes and Apollo
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: sym:3
label: stolen cattle
literal_form: Apollo's cows or wide-browed kine driven away and hidden
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: sym:4
label: dim cave hiding place
literal_form: dim cave and cave in the rock where Hermes hides and later drives
out the cattle
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs:
- cave
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: wonderful tracks
literal_form: double tracks and unusual traces in dust and sand, with Hermes' movement
unlike ordinary walking
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:6
label: failed binding withes
literal_form: osier bands twisted by Apollo that fail to bind Hermes, fall, grow,
interweave, and cover the cattle
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:6
taxonomy_refs:
- tree
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:7
label: Tartarus threat
literal_form: wide Tartarus named by Hermes as Apollo's threatened punishment
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Quarrel brought to Olympus
summary: Hermes and Apollo continue disputing over the cattle and come before Zeus
and the assembled gods on Olympus, where judgement is set.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Apollo's accusation
summary: Apollo tells Zeus that the newborn Hermes stole his cattle, made strange
tracks, hid in a cave, and denied knowledge of the theft.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:5
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Hermes' denial before Zeus
summary: Hermes claims he is truthful, denies stealing the cattle, says Apollo threatened
him, invokes oaths, and asks Zeus to help the younger god.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Zeus orders disclosure
summary: Zeus laughs at Hermes' cunning denial and commands the two gods to be reconciled
enough to search, with Hermes leading to the hidden cattle.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Recovery of cattle and failed binding
summary: Hermes and Apollo go to Pylos and the Alpheus ford; Hermes drives cattle
from a cave, Apollo sees hides, and Apollo's attempt to bind Hermes fails when
the withes grow and cover the herd.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- ev:6
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: sacred theft of cattle by a god
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_theft
basis: Apollo accuses Hermes, a divine child, of stealing his cattle, hiding them,
and denying the theft before Zeus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The passage presents the accusation and Zeus' response; it does not include
the earlier full theft episode in this excerpt.
- id: motif:2
label: trickster newborn evades accusation
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
- miraculous_child
basis: Hermes is newborn or born yesterday, uses cunning words, strange tracks,
concealment, false denial, and supernatural evasion of binding.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:3
- ev:4
- ev:6
confidence: high
cautions: The label 'trickster' is interpretive but strongly supported by the passage's
emphasis on wiles, deception, and boundary-crossing behavior.
- id: motif:3
label: divine judgement before the high god
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: The dispute is brought to Olympus, where the scales of judgement are set
and Zeus hears and directs the parties.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The scene is a dispute resolution rather than a punitive final verdict.
- id: motif:4
label: divine siblings or children of the same father in conflict
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_parent_child
basis: Hermes and Apollo are both identified as children of Zeus, and they bring
their quarrel before Zeus as father and judge.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage emphasizes the father-child relation more than a sibling-pair
motif.
- id: motif:5
label: magical binding fails against divine trickster
taxonomy_refs:
- trickster_boundary
basis: Apollo attempts to bind Hermes with osier withes, but the bands fail, grow
from the ground, and cover the cattle by Hermes' will.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
confidence: medium
cautions: No dedicated taxonomy reference for magical binding is provided; the link
to trickster-boundary behavior is inferred from Hermes' evasion.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: ll. 313-329 / source lines 6447-6461
quote_or_summary: Hermes and Apollo dispute over the cattle, come to Olympus, and
stand before Zeus while the immortal gods gather and judgement is set.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: ll. 330-364 / source lines 6462-6500
quote_or_summary: Apollo tells Zeus that the newborn Hermes stole his cows, made
marvelous tracks, drove them toward Pylos, hid in a dim cave, and denied any knowledge
of them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: ll. 365-386 / source lines 6501-6522
quote_or_summary: Hermes answers Zeus by claiming truthfulness, denying theft, saying
Apollo threatened Tartarus, invoking his youth and oaths, and asking Zeus to help
the younger.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: ll. 387-396 / source lines 6523-6532
quote_or_summary: Zeus laughs at Hermes' cunning denial and orders Hermes and Apollo
to search for the cattle, with Hermes leading and showing where he hid them.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: ll. 397-404 / source lines 6533-6540
quote_or_summary: The two gods go to sandy Pylos, the ford of Alpheus, the fields,
and the byre; Hermes goes to a rock cave to drive out the cattle and Apollo sees
cowhides on the rock.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: ll. 405-414 / source lines 6541-6544
quote_or_summary: Apollo wonders how newborn Hermes flayed two cows, tries to bind
him with osier withes, but the bands fail and grow from the ground, interweaving
and covering the cattle.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is well supported by the provided passage. Motif labels
use only available taxonomy references but remain draft interpretive classifications.
No cross-text comparison claims were made.
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: |-
All observations and motifs are based only on the supplied passage and metadata.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg__l6447-l6544
passage_sha256=8d900973767f723e176246eef3515b01cf52eb3dea3c9216225462fa9bb23b61