Page:Hesiod, The Homeric Hymns, and Homerica.djvu/593

THE CERCOPES

afraid she might give a bad account of him to her mother.

5.

"The fox knows many a wile; but the hedge-hog's one trick^[1] can beat them all."

THE CERCOPES

Cercopes. These were two brothers living upon the earth who practised every kind of knavery. They were called Cercopes^[2] because of their cunning doings: one of them was named Passalus and the other Acmon. Their mother, a daughter of Memnon, seeing their tricks, told them to keep clear of Black-bottom, that is, of Heracles. These Cercopes were sons of Theia and Ocean, and are said to have been turned to stone for trying to deceive Zeus.

"Liars and cheats, skilled in deeds irremediable, accomplished knaves. Far over the world they roamed deceiving men as they wandered continually."

1. i.e. the fox knows many ways to baffle its foes, while the hedge-hog knows one only which is far more effectual.
2. i.e. "monkey-men."

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