そして天ウラノスが、夜を連れ、愛を求めてやってきた。ガイアのまわりに身を横たえ、その上に全身を広げた。そのとき、待ち伏せていた息子が左手を伸ばし、右手には鋸歯のついた大きな長い鎌を取って、父自身のものをすばやく切り落とし、後方へ投げ捨てた。だが、彼の手から落ちたものは無駄にはならなかった。噴き出た血の滴はすべてガイアが受けとめ、季節がめぐるとともに、彼女は強きエリニュエスたちと、光る武具をまとい手に長い槍を持つ大いなるギガンテスたち、そして果てしない大地のいたるところでメリアイと呼ばれるニンフたちを産んだ。そして切り落としたものを燧石で断ち、陸から荒れる海へ投げ入れると、それらは長いあいだ大海を漂った。不死の肉のまわりに白い泡が広がり、そのなかで一人の乙女が育った。彼女はまず聖なるキュテラに近づき、そこからのちに海に囲まれたキュプロスへ至り、畏ろしくも麗しい女神として現れ出た。その形よい足もとには草が生い育った。この女神を神々も人々もアフロディーテと呼び、泡から生まれた女神とも、豊かな冠のキュテレイアとも呼ぶ。泡のなかで育ったがゆえに、またキュテラに至ったがゆえにキュテレイア、波立つキュプロスで生まれたがゆえにキュプロゲネース、そして切り落とされた男根から生じたがゆえにフィロメーデースと。彼女にはエロスが付き添い、美しいヒメロスが、生まれたその時から、また神々の集いへ赴くときにも付き従った。この誉れを彼女ははじめから持ち、人と不死の神々のあいだで受け持つのはこれである——乙女らの睦言、微笑み、欺き、そして甘い喜びと愛と優しさ。
英文
And Heaven came, bringing on night and longing for love, and he lay about Earth spreading himself full upon her. Then the son from his ambush stretched forth his left hand and in his right took the great long sickle with jagged teeth, and swiftly lopped off his own father's members and cast them away to fall behind him. And not vainly did they fall from his hand; for all the bloody drops that gushed forth Earth received, and as the seasons moved round she bare the strong Erinyes and the great Giants with gleaming armour, holding long spears in their hands and the Nymphs whom they call Meliae all over the boundless earth. And so soon as he had cut off the members with flint and cast them from the land into the surging sea, they were swept away over the main a long time: and a white foam spread around them from the immortal flesh, and in it there grew a maiden. First she drew near holy Cythera, and from there, afterwards, she came to sea-girt Cyprus, and came forth an awful and lovely goddess, and grass grew up about her beneath her shapely feet. Her gods and men call Aphrodite, and the foam-born goddess and rich-crowned Cytherea, because she grew amid the foam, and Cytherea because she reached Cythera, and Cyprogenes because she was born in billowy Cyprus, and Philommedes because sprang from the members. And with her went Eros, and comely Desire followed her at her birth at the first and as she went into the assembly of the gods. This honour she has from the beginning, and this is the portion allotted to her amongst men and undying gods, -- the whisperings of maidens and smiles and deceits with sweet delight and love and graciousness.