Acmon

Men into Birds

 

In the wake of the Trojan War, Diomedes and his crew were beset with trouble trying to get home (their woes brought about by a fight with the goddess Venus during the war). Angry about all their trouble, the sailor Acmon began running his mouth about how the goddess couldn’t do anything to them that she hadn’t already done. Wrong.

 

“With words like these Etolian Acmon goads

Th' already raging goddess, and revives

Her ancient hate. Few with his boldness pleas'd;

Far most my friends his daring speech condemn.

Aiming at words respondent, straight his voice

And throat are narrow'd; into plumes his hair

Is alter'd; plumes o'er his new neck are spread;

And o'er his chest, and back; his arms receive

Long pinions, bending into light-form'd wings;

Most of his feet is cleft in claws; his mouth

Hardens to horn, and in a sharp beak ends.

Lycus, Rhetenor, Nycteus, Abas, stare

With wonder, and while wondering there they stand

The same appearance take; and far the most

Of all my troop on wings up fly: and round

The ship the air resounds with clapping wings.

If what new shape those birds so sudden form'd

Distinguish'd, you would know: swans not to be,

Nought could the snowy swan resemble more.”