ὲν δὲ χορὸν ποίκιλλε περικλυτὸς ἀμφιγυήεις
τῷ ΐκελον. οἷόν ποτ' ἐνι Κνωσῷ εὐρείῃ
Δαίδαλος ἤσκησεν καλλιπλοκάμῳ Ἀριάδνῃ:
ἔνθα μὲν ἠΐθεοι καὶ παρθένοι ἀλφεσίβοιαι
ὀρχεῦντ', ἀλλήλων ἐπι καρπῷ χεῖρας ἔχοντες:
τῶν δ' αἱ μὲν λεπτὰς ὀθόνας ἔχον. οἱ δὲ χιτῶνας
εἵατ' ἐϋννήτους. ῆκα, στίλβοντας ἐλαίῳ:
καί ῥ' αἱ μὲν καλὰς στεφάνας ἔχον. οἱ δὲ μαχαίρας
εἶχον χρυσείας. ἐξ ἀργυρέων τελαμώνων:
οἱ δ' ὁτὲ μὲν θρέξασκον ἐπισταμένοισι πόδεσσι
ῥεῖα μάλ', ὡς ὅτε τις τροχὸν άρμενον ἐν παλάμῃσιν
ἑζόμενος κεραμεὺς πειρήσεται. αἴ κε θέῃσιν:
ἀλλότε δ' αῦ θρέξασκον ἐπὶ στίχας ἀλλήλοισι.
πολλὸς δ' ἱ̈μερόεντα χορὸν περιΐσταθ' ὅμιλος
τερπόμενοι: δοιὼ δὲ κυβιστητῆρε κατ' αὐτοὺς
Therein furthermore the famed god of the two strong arms cunningly wrought a dancing-floor like unto that which in wide Cnosus Daedalus fashioned of old for fair-tressed Ariadne. There were youths dancing and maidens of the price of many cattle, holding their hands upon the wrists one of the other. Of these the maidens were clad in fine linen, while the youths wore well-woven tunics faintly glistening with oil; and the maidens had fair chaplets, and the youths had daggers of gold hanging from silver baldrics. Now would they run round with cunning feet exceeding lightly, as when a potter sitteth by his wheel that is fitted between his hands and maketh trial of it whether it will run; and now again would they run in rows toward each other. And a great company stood around the lovely dance, taking joy therein; and two tumblers whirled up and down through the midst of them as leaders in the dance.
