Palladas (Greek Anthology 9.144)
“I marveled to see the bronze son of Zeus, once in everyone’s prayers, cast aside at a crossroads. I was sorely vexed, and said, ‘Oh three-mooned protector from evil, though you never lost a battle, you now lie prostrate?’ Smiling, the god stood next to me and said, ‘Though I be a god, I have learned my slavery to Fate.’”
Τὸν Διὸς ἐν τριόδοισιν ἐθαύμασα χάλκεον υἷα,
τὸν πρὶν ἐν εὐχωλαῖς, νῦν παραριπτόμενον.
ὀχθήσας δ’ ἄρ’ ἔειπον· „᾿Αλεξίκακε τρισέληνε,
μηδέποθ’ ἡττηθεὶς σήμερον ἐξετάθης;”
νυκτὶ δὲ μειδιόων με θεὸς προσέειπε παραστάς·
„Καιρῷ δουλεύειν καὶ θεὸς ὢν ἔμαθον.”
