Ovid's Metamorphoses, Books 6-10 9780806114569

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OVID'S Metamorphoses Books 6-10

Edited, with Introduction and Commentary,

by William S. Anderson

THE

AMERICAN SERIES

PHILOLOGICAL OF

CLASSICAL

ASSOCIATION TEXTS

FON: KR MA!

Ovip’s Metamorphoses Books 6-10

OVID’S Metamorphoses Books 6-10

Edited, with Introduction

and Commentary, by

WILLIAM

S. ANDERSON

Published by the University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, in co-operation

with the American Philological Association

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ovidius Naso, Publius. Ovid's Metamorphoses, books 6— 10.

Bibliography: p. I. Anderson, William Scovil, 1927-ed. II. Title: Metamorphoses. PA6519.M4A5 873'.01 74-160488

ISBN: 0—8061— 1456-8 Copyright © 1972 by the University of Oklahoma Press, Norman, Publishing Division of the University. All rights reserved. Manufactured in the U.S.A.

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CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION I. Ovid’s Career

II. The Subsequent Reputation of the Metamorphoses nr. The Plan and Tone of the Metamorphoses Iv. Ovid the Poet at Work v. The Manuscript Tradition

vi. Selected Bibliography TEXT OF Metamorphoses Liber Liber Liber Liber Liber

Sextus Septimus Octavus Nonus Decimus

NOTES Abbreviations in Notes to Book 6 to Book 7 to Book 8 to Book 9 to Book 10

INDEX

Vii

ILLUSTRATIONS

Niobe trying to protect her last daughter following page 86 Marysas competing with Apollo in music Medea about to rejuvenate the ram Aurora in pursuit of Cephalus Meleager as hunter Death of Procris Hercules attacking Nessus Orpheus and Eurydice

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ovip's Metamorphoses Books 6-10

INTRODUCTION

I. OVID’S

CAREER

Publius Ovidius Naso was born in 43 B.C., one year after the murder of Julius Caesar, and he spent his boyhood years in his relatively quiet home town of Sulmo, some ninety miles due east of Rome but separated from the metropolis and its political upheavals by the Apennine chain. Shortly after Actium, early in the twenties, Ovid came to a now

peaceful Rome. His father intended him for a career that would be expected to prosper in peacetime, the law, and Ovid duly studied under Arellius Fuscus, one of the prominent teachers of the day. However, peace had also enabled

Latin poetry once again to flourish, and Ovid spent much time not studying law but listening to the many exciting poets of the twenties: Horace, Tibullus, and Propertius, to

name the most famous. Rather than toil at oratory, he preferred what was for him the easy task of writing poetry himself. As he modestly put it in that poem which serves as an autobiography, Tristia 4.10, when he tried to write prose,

it turned into verse: scribere temptabam verba soluta modis. sponte sua carmen numeros veniebat ad aptos, et quod temptabam scribere, versus erat. (24-26)

He had scarcely begun to shave when he first started reading his own poems in public (57—58). As a close friend and admirer of Propertius, participating also in the literary circle sponsored by Messalla, he wrote what was the most popular

kind of poetry in contemporary Rome, love elegy. Success followed success; elegiac poem followed elegiac poem. First there were love elegies wittily developing the genre of Tibullus and Propertius. Then came the Heroides, which utilized another idea of Propertius, the amatory letter 3

4

oviw’s Metamorphoses

written by the girl separated from (or abandoned by) her beloved. Then the subject was examined from the "sober" perspective of the learned expert; Ovid, posing as praeceptor amoris, produced a didactic poem in elegiacs on the Art of Love and a sequel on the Cure for Love. Successful and

forty, Ovid still did not stop devising new ways of exploring and displaying his talents. He embarked upon two ambitious works, whose exact chronology cannot be determined. The Fasti, a poem planned for twelve books covering the com-

memorative days, month by month, in the Roman calendar, was half-completed by A.p. 8 when Ovid was sent into exile. Separated from his beloved Rome, whose occasions he asked only to commemorate on the spot, and from his books, Ovid did not persevere. Its six books continue the

elegiac versification; they also follow the model of Propertius, who turned partly away from erotic elegy in his Book IV in order to pay playful honor to Roman traditions. I am inclined to regard the Fasti as prior, because of their form and conception, to the second major work of Ovid's final decade in Rome, the Metamorphoses, with which we are primarily concerned. Apparently Ovid found the task of composing this poem, even in hexameters, more grateful,

for he had completed the fifteen books (with some slight possible exceptions, a few lines at most) as we now possess

them when Augustus sent him to exile on the shores of the Black Sea. The last decade of Ovid's life was an unhappy one, and we need not linger over it. He produced many more poems, once again in elegiacs, but the wit of a fifty-year-old man forcibly separated from the world that stimulated and valued his urbanity was now put to the use of a set of Unhappy Poems (Tristia) and miserable Letters from the Black Sea. The death of Augustus did not, as he hoped, terminate his exile; the end came three years later in A.D. 17

with his own death. II. THE SUBSEQUENT REPUTATION OF THE Metamorphoses Ovid reports that when he left Rome his despair impelled him to burn the text of the Metamorphoses (Trist. 1.7.11ff.).

INTRODUCTION

5

Whatever he intended by this act, he did not succeed in

destroying the poem, for other copies were already circulating in Rome by A.D. 8. From exile, then, he could talk of the Metamorphoses as a published poem and wish for it the survival that he predicted in its last lines (Met. 15.871 ff.),

which in fact it has achieved. Explicit comments on the Metamorphoses during the first century are not favorable,

but they can be largely discounted as the words of rhetoricians judging the poem as prose oratory. Within a few years of his death, Ovid’s poem was being quarried by younger orators, particularly for striking sententiae; many teachers

and the Elder Seneca deplored Ovid’s talent and its unhealthy influence (cf. Controv. 3.7.2, 9.5.17, and 10.4.25).

Aemilius Scaurus made the telling criticism: Ovidius nescit quod bene cessit relinquere; and he cited Metamorphoses 13.503ff.

as a definitive

example

(id. 9.5.17).

Seneca

epitomized Ovid's genius by singling out licentiam carminum (id. 2.2.12). For Quintilian, the critical term is lascivia (Inst. orat. 4.1.77, 10.1.88 and 93). Even more than the

young orators, however, the young poets were studying and imitating the Metamorphoses. Regardless of his father's observations, the Younger Seneca copied Ovidian techniques enthusiastically in his Tragedies. His sententiae, his analysis of dilemmas by such heroines as Medea and Andromache, his eye for the grotesque all remind one of salient characteristics of the Metamorphoses. Seneca's nephew Lucan studied these techniques and Ovid's versification for the Pharsalia.

When

Pompeii

was

destroyed

in 79, the

graffiti on its walls testified to Ovid's popularity. Throughout the rest of antiquity, then again with the rediscovery of Roman poetry, Ovid has closely rivaled Vergil in the affections of all readers. Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Milton seem

to have known and used the Metamorphoses more than anything written by Vergil. Only with the nineteenth century's depreciation of wit and exaltation of direct emotional expression did Ovid suffer eclipse. But since Classicists have all too often inherited the textbooks and the tastes of the nineteenth century, we are still struggling free of its attitude

6

ovip's Metamorphoses

toward Ovid. Readers of this text will, I trust, discover that

Ovid is a poet to enjoy. III. THE

PLAN AND TONE OF THE Metamorphoses At the beginning of Book 1, Ovid in four lines rapidly sketches the subject and plan of his poem and perfunctorily invokes the assistance of the gods: in nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas corpora; di coeptis (nam vos mutastis et illas) adspirate meis primaque ab origine mundi ad mea perpetuum deducite tempora carmen.

Although Ovid says, to translate him literally, that his subject is "forms changed into new bodies" and the Greek title implies the same emphasis on changed forms, our English idiom would probably approve of Humphries' free version: "bodies changed to different [or new] forms." For a few

hundred lines Ovid deals with the original metamorphosis of shapeless matter into the various bodies comprising the visible world. Thereafter, he concentrates almost exclusively on human beings whose bodies are changed into various new forms, into animals, trees, rocks, birds, springs, flowers, constellations, insects, reptiles, and so on. As lines 3 and 4 indicate, he takes his topic and "draws it out" from the Creation down to his own times, that is, to the Augustan era. Accordingly, in Book 15, Ovid deals with the murder of Julius Caesar and then reaches his own lifetime, but, more

to the point, the amazing career of Augustus. Caesar was metamorphosed into a star; Augustus will predictably be changed into a god when he leaves his loving Romans. Between that infinitely distant point in the past when Man was created and that unwished moment in the future when Augustus will die, Ovid finds material for several

hundred metamorphoses, which he recounts with varying detail and manner. Metamorphosis had long been a standard feature in myth. Originally, it had served men's purpose to account for the visible universe in terms which they could grasp: they anthropomorphized nature by claiming that human spirits resided in animals, birds, trees, and the like.

INTRODUCTION

7

Human beings had been changed into animals, birds, and trees. Nowadays, although our rationalism does not need

such an explanation of the world, we still instinctively personify nonhuman things. Poets regularly attribute personality to trees. Children and adults alike respond to stories which turn dogs, cats, and other pets into people; and the

cartoon world of Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and the like awakens

instinctive response from us all. There is, then,

something fundamentally believable about the poetic topic of metamorphosis: our instincts tell us that the other beings and objects of nature somehow resemble us in feeling and so can help or hurt us according to our behavior. Although we all retain some of this primitive instinct which originally inspired many myths of metamorphosis, it is plain to readers of Ovid that he did not retell the old stories in order to appeal to that instinct. He was not trying to account for nature by humanizing it. Both he and his audience were far too sophisticated to spend time on that. For Ovid (who in this respect was inheriting the ideas of Greek poets as early as Euripides, but more particularly those of the Hellenistic era) the myths were exotic stories which could be given contemporary relevance by elaboration of the events leading up to the metamorphosis. The changed form was the given part of the story along with a few details about the human being before the change. By, so to speak, fleshing out the story, by inspecting the emotions and psychological problems of the characters, by considering the situation in terms of Roman morality and social value, by weighing the reasons for metamorphosis and the feelings of that human spirit inside the changed body, Ovid gave new life and meaning to the myth. Some readers in the past have found Ovid's relevance in allegorizing the Metamorphoses, what they called “Ovid moralized." But when the “allegory” is stated in too specific terms, especially if colored with Christian ideas and hence made anachronistic,

it distorts the Metamorphoses beyond recognition. Hermann Frankel has used modern psychological insights to interpret some of the earlier stories. Since, however, the insights purport to describe general human behavior, they are not

8

ovip's Metamorphoses

necessarily anachronistic, and Frankel has perceived an important aspect of Ovid’s relevance. Often in Books 1-3 a girl is ravished by a deity, then transformed into an animal; or an innocent like Actaeon

blunders into trouble with a deity and suffers unmerited change. After such a change Ovid exploits the opportunity provided him by old mythical beliefs, that a human sensitivity resides in the animal, but his interest differs from that of the primitive mythmakers. He studies the anguish of this essential humanity (of Actaeon, Io, Callisto) as it struggles to cope with its ungainly, alien, bestial form. Thus he alters

the original emphasis of the myth, no longer describing an animal with slight human tendencies, but rather a human being inside an animal form, a human being who accidentally seems to be an animal. He places us inside the human

sensitivity, puts ideas and emotions

and words in

the human mind of the seeming beast, and thus represents what Frankel quite rightly calls a basic psychological state of mankind. In dreams and hallucinations men may go through precisely this experience, imagining themselves as animals, birds, or reptiles. These dreams dramatize our psy-

chological problems in presenting to others what we feel is our real self in all its emotional sincerity and irresistible attraction, because our looks, our clothes, our superficial mannerisms, our skin color—in short, surface elements that do not, we believe, represent us truly—make people mis-

understand us and refuse to see the real us. Franz Kafka’s short story entitled “Metamorphosis,” though written after Freud, does not strike a reader of Ovid as novel, for both

are attuned to our struggle to be ourselves and to be understood as ourselves. In both Ovid and Kafka the poignance of the human condition emerges most forcefully in the fact that one’s closest relatives and friends fail to recognize the human being inside the beast. So far, I have not referred to the parenthesis in line 2 of

the Prologue cited earlier. Talking to the gods in conventional terms as agents of inspiration, Ovid inserts in a nam clause a reason why they should assist his poem: they have been responsible for metamorphoses just as they are re-

INTRODUCTION

9

sponsible for poetry (a special kind of metamorphosis). Again this was a datum of the myth: Jupiter changed Io into a cow; Juno changed Callisto into a bear; Diana, Actaeon

into a stag. The original myths did not speculate on this point; it was a simple matter of offending a god and suffering punishment or occasionally of receiving the new form as a kind of reward. But Ovid sees opportunity here in the reason for metamorphosis. Was the god or goddess just? In the early books, the usual reason for change is either that a god is attempting to conceal an extramarital affair or that jealous Juno has discovered the affair and vents her fury on an innocent nymph like Callisto. As Ovid narrates the circumstances, we are expected to weigh and condemn the behavior of the gods. With Book 3, Ovid begins to move away from exclusively erotic affairs and to portray other situations in which gods become angry at mortals and punish them by metamorphosis. Actaeon offends Diana by happening to wander where the goddess is bathing; Ino offends Juno by being the sister of Semele; Pentheus offends Bacchus by forbidding the worship of the new god. When Ovid reports the events, we definitely do not always approve of the harshness of the deity. Ovid introduces and does variations on both these themes, the psychological and the moral, in the first five books of the Metamorphoses.

With Book 6, however, he

begins to leave the conflict between men and gods (still another basic theme)

and to concentrate on the relations

among human beings, but still in these psychological and moral terms. Arachne and Niobe are worthy rivals of the gods, though inevitably they must be beaten down; but the long story that ends Book 6 features a trio of human beings, Tereus, Procne, and Philomela, who work out their own

tragedy without divine assistance. I have chosen for our reading this and the next four books because Ovid’s stories here are even richer than the earlier ones and because many of them

(once thought to have awkward

erotic features)

have never received sympathetic commentary. Let me briefly trace these basic themes in the story of Medea (7.1-99).

10

ovw’s Metamorphoses

When the Argonauts arrive at Colchis and Jason comes to Medea's father to request the return of the Golden Fleece, Medea falls desperately in love with him. Ovid briefly runs over that background, then focuses upon Medea's struggle to overcome her erotic feelings, which conflict with her duty to her father and country. First he verbalizes her situation through a soliloquy (11—71) in which she

describes her dilemma, but finally decides to repress her passion. Then he portrays a scene a few hours later where once again Medea falls under the spell of Jason and agrees to help him if he will marry her (74—99). Nowhere in these lines does a physical metamorphosis happen to Medea, and

yet the presence of the basic themes suggests that Ovid regards the situation as a new variation on earlier metamorphoses. The passionate speech of Medea, for example, is quite evidently like the speeches of Io and Actaeon in which they voiced their "identity problem." They were struggling to express themselves in spite of animal forms; Medea is struggling to identify her self and then express it. Who is she? Is she the obedient daughter of the king, as everyone assumes her to be, or is she the lover of Jason, as

she increasingly feels herself to be? How can she make her father see her as an independent woman, with her own valid needs and desires, and not just as an extension of his

political plans? How can she make Jason, on the other hand, see her as a woman endowed with rich emotions and

personality, not just as an instrument to the acquisition of the Golden Fleece? Psychologically, then, the girl becomes

a woman during this passage, breaking free from parental dominance but making what proves to be a foolish choice in Jason. The moral theme goes intrinsically with the psychological theme, whereas in earlier stories Ovid tends to separate

them, the gods acting immorally or amorally and the humans thereby suffering in metamorphosis an "identity crisis." Since now the decision to change from girl into woman is exclusively Medea's—the god of love cannot be convincingly blamed—the reasons for her decision, expressed in obvious Roman terms during her soliloquy and at

INTRODUCTION

11

the moment of choice (7.92-93), are crucial for Ovid. We see a girl who grapples with the demands of ratio, pietas, and pudor (as they have been taught her) and the new demands of amor and cupido (now first felt). She is honest about the dilemma, not slick, courtly, or trivial as Jupiter

tends to be earlier. When she finally does decide for loving Jason, we recognize and credit it as passion and moral commitment,

not the mere

sexual gratification typical of

gods. The moral dilemma faced by Medea should be compared with those defined by the earlier Augustan poets Vergil and Horace. In Satires and Epistles, Horace speaks as one who affirms the supremacy of ratio; in the Odes, he regularly subjects amor to the amused inspection of presumably sophisticated readers. Similarly, when Dido succumbs to amor in Aeneid 4, Vergil, though sympathetic, does not minimize

her guilt and dramatizes in vivid colors the consequences of her guilt to herself and Carthage. Reason can and must control such passions as love: that is axiomatic. But Ovid has a softer, more flexible view of humanity. His Medea tries very hard to do what is right, but her feelings are stronger than her commitment to parental rules; and it seems clear that her feelings, being moral also, cannot be totally condemned. Ovid does not believe in standardized Augustan morality; human feelings do have their value, hence can make a just claim upon the individual. He recognizes all too well that unwise surrender to feelings frequently leads to personal disaster, but he limits our attention mainly to the strictly personal consequences. Whereas Vergil insists that we see Dido as a queen neglecting her kingdom, a responsibility that outweighs her love for Aeneas, Ovid pushes far into the background all political and extrapersonal factors. When one talks this way about the "relevance" of the Metamorphoses to existential human problems, it is hard not to be serious. And such seriousness risks conveying the impression that the Metamorphoses is a dead-serious poem. Far from it. Many of Ovid's stories are obviously amusing for long stretches, many scenes are written with rapid elegance that dazzles more than moves us, and often the poet

12

ovin’s Metamorphoses

patently mocks epic conventions for our pleasure. To return to Medea, the general concern

of her dilemma is a

serious existential choice. Yet Ovid, by verbalizing this dilemma in his clever hexameters, gives the whole situation

an artificial quality which allows his audience to determine the tone. Scholars entertain widely divergent conclusions about the dominant tone in individual stories and in the

whole poem. There are some who, apparently accepting the ancient view of Ovid as lascivus, believe that the poem is

consistently playful. So they would emphasize the rhetorical play of Ovid as the main impression to derive from Medea's dilemma. Others are so impressed by Ovid's human sympathy and understanding that they can only feel Medea herself talking out her profound problem; for them, the

same passage is deeply serious. I should like to encourage readers of this commentary to be cautious about both of these polar positions. Most of the best stories are combinations of seriousness and playfulness. Sometimes the elements are separable, sometimes not. For example, immediately after Medea's decision to favor Jason, Ovid describes the way Jason with her magic accomplishes all the tasks set for him by Aeetes, her father (7.100ff.). That passage is fine melodrama, suffused with

obvious touches of epic parody. There can be no doubt about our expected reactions, I think. But Ovid has changed the tone he was using in the section dealing with Medea's dilemma. Or take the Calydonian story at 8.270ff. Ovid obviously delights in undercutting the epic qualities of the Calydonian Hunt. But when the boar has been felled and Meleager kills his uncles in the dispute over the hide and his preferential treatment of Atalanta, the Ovidian manner changes. He creates another dilemma featuring Meleager's mother Althaea (8.445ff.), whose emotional problem is to' choose between her brothers and her son, to neglect the first

because of her love for the second or to kill her son because of her love for the dead. There is some spectacular rhetoric in the dilemma, but can we really dismiss it all as merely playful? Ovid changes his tone and our attitudes and thereby keeps the poem moving and us fascinated. Thus, again, to

INTRODUCTION

13

the tragic incestuous passion of Byblis in Book 9 he juxtaposes a pseudo dilemma for Iphis (caught in a seemingly insoluble homosexual predicament), who escapes into total happiness by a solution drawn from the comic view of life. Perhaps the best advice to give is this: don’t underestimate Ovid by applying a simple label to his stories. What may seem trivial or playful on the surface may barely conceal frightening perspectives into the irrationality of men and the cruelty of the universe. And what may seem respectful evocation of epic heroism may lead through parody to humorous questioning of conventional virtus. The controversy over Ovidius lascivus involves another fundamental question: how carefully and with what purposes did Ovid organize the Metamorphoses? Any reader will observe that Ovid carefully grouped certain stories and also jumped abruptly between groups. When this commentary begins in Book 6, for example, Ovid is continuing a topic broached in Book 5 about mortals who challenge gods to certamina

and, in one

way

or another

losing, suffer

metamorphosis as punishment. Ovid allows this theme to trail off at 6.400, then makes a slow but obvious transition to a totally different kind of story, whose complex themes are human lust, brutality, and bloody vengeance within families.

With Book 7, Ovid starts a sequence featuring Medea (7.1-424). Near its conclusion, it shades into the adven-

tures of Theseus (7.404 ff.). Theseus provides a large frame until 9.94, but within that frame are fitted several groups having their own themes, e.g., the contrasting pair of stories about the Myrmidons and Procris (7.490—8.5), the birdmetamorphoses connected with Minos (8.6—259), and the

contrasting stories about Philemon and Erysichthon (8.616— 878). After a series involving Hercules

and his family

(9.1—400) and the contrasting pair, tragic Byblis and comic Iphis (9.447-797), Ovid assembles a number of groups within a frame provided by Orpheus (10.1-11.84). It is

frequently noted that the whole poem, besides embodying the plan announced by Ovid (dealing with events from the Creation down to Augustus),

also shows a scheme

that

breaks the Metamorphoses into rough thirds: A. Gods and

14

ovw’s Metamorphoses

men (1.1—6.423); B. human beings as victims of their own passions (6.424—11.748); C. Troy, Rome, and the apotheosis of Roman heroes (11.749-15.870). At present,

scholars disagree about whether one should analyze the Metamorphoses more elaborately and look for an ingenious and significant "architecture." Although most readers have tended to deny a detailed and meaningful scheme of organization to the Metamorphoses, Brooks Otis in his recent book has made an eloquent case for Ovidian "architecture." IV. OVID THE POET AT WORK IN Metamorphoses 6-10

A. Selection and Organization of Material Some of Ovid’s material came from finely worked literary or poetic treatments of the same myth; e.g., Lucretius’ plague in De rerum Natura 6 and Vergil’s plague in Georgics 3 lie behind Ovid’s plague in 7.523ff.; Vergil’s Orpheus in Georgics 4 is utilized for Orpheus in 10.1 ff.; and Callimachus’ Erysichthon in Hymn to Demeter has been studied for Erysichthon in 8.738 ff. But many of the stories come from baldly narrated accounts in mythological handbooks. The handbooks of Apollodorus and Antoninus Liberalis (in Greek) and of Hyginus (in Latin) have survived from the second century; they will be cited where relevant in the commentary. The consistent quality of the Metamorphoses, whether in tales derived from recognizable sources of literary merit or in those so rare as to defy all attempts to identify the source, attests to the fact that Ovid’s poetic genius shaped all stories regardless of origin. The first story we meet in Book 6 provides a good example of his artistic methods. Apart from a single line in Georgics 4.246 about a spider invisa Minervae, Ovid’s is the first surviving reference to the metamorphosis of Arachne. Both Vergil and he, and presumably many educated Romans, knew the general outlines of the myth. But Ovid’s account represents an Ovidian elaboration of the data. First he makes his transition from the last story of Book 5. Minerva, who has listened to the Muses tell of their con-

test with the Pierides, approves of the mortals’ punishment

INTRODUCTION

15

and directs her attention toward the mortal Arachne, who

has insulted her and challenges her to a contest in weaving. Once the transition has linked the stories by the theme of contest, Ovid devotes a section to description of Arachne (5-23). She comes from a humble background; her mother is dead; she lives in Lydia by means of her weaving. Really, Ovid tells us little about her; we do not know how old she was, what she looked like, what kind of clothes she wore.

His purpose is merely to contrast those humble origins with her spectacular artistic ability. Note the transition with tamen in 11ff. to the key subject of her skill. These details and their focusing nature, I assume, are entirely due to Ovid. He regularly brings out in opening descriptions, whether of the main characters or the landscape, the principal points of his narrative situation. The final comment on Arachne's artistry involves a clever sententia in apostrophe to Ovid's audience: scires a Pallade doctam (23). That brings us back to the original reason for the story (cf. 5-7) and reintroduces Minerva. What follows is a scene which may or may not have been in Ovid's source,

which Ovid, at any rate, builds up in his own way. Minerva comes in disguise to Arachne to warn her of her foolish pride (26-42). When Arachne persists, Minerva reveals her deity, but Arachne remains stubborn (43-52). This

scene, with its short speeches and quick details, brings out Arachne's character to the extent that Ovid wishes, and it

draws an appropriate contrast between Arachne and the average piety of her friends, who immediately show reverence to Minerva on her epiphany. Dramatically functional vignettes such as this, that precede the main event of a longer story in order to establish the principal themes, regularly occur in the Metamorphoses. Now Ovid proceeds to a generalized description of the weaving contest. Each of the contestants sets to work, and Ovid at first makes no distinction between them; each is doing the same task (53-69), each has bracchia docta, each

uses shades that deceive the eye. Again that is a typical narrative technique; he does the same in reporting the destruction of Niobe's sons, first depicting them as a group

16

ovip's Metamorphoses

in a particular setting (cf. 6.2181.) before focusing on indi-

viduals. From the generalized process of weaving, Ovid moves in first on Minerva, then on Arachne. I doubt that his

source described the scenes on the tapestry; I seriously doubt that the source ended the contest with the dramatic touches found in Ovid. In the original tale it seems likely that Arachne inevitably lost to Minerva because she could not equal the goddess' artistry; then she suffered the necessary consequences of her defeat. Ovid felt free to inject new notes into the general plan of the myth: he elaborated at length on the symbolically relevant scenes woven by the contestants, then declares the contest a draw. Prevented by Ovid's modernized version from proving her superior artistry, Minerva can only demonstrate her unjust power. There-

by, Ovid works into this tale one of his favorite themes: the irrational cruelty of the gods and the universe as a whole toward mankind. Arachne's arrogant claim had not been disproved; she has merely been hurt for speaking boldly and offending the powers that be. Ovid's implicit criticism of Minerva is intrinsically related to his choice of details for the two tapestries. Minerva,

with great artistry and obvious egoism, depicts the occasion when earlier she defeated Neptune in a contest for the patronage over Athens. Having organized the scene with supreme symmetry, she adds in the four corners admonitory scenes concerning human beings who challenged deities, then frames the whole with a design of what Ovid

ironically calls “peace-associated” olive branches. Minerva's confidence in victory, if only because she is a goddess, is

obvious. The tapestry of Arachne forms a studied contrast to Minerva's in every respect except in that of artistic quality (Ovid's surprisingly new point). She portrays the disordered world of young maidens that results from the treacherous lust of various gods, from Jupiter to Liber and Saturn. Rape after rape appears in a chaotic pattern that challenges Minerva's stately view of divine dignity and rational justice. Arachne's subject echoes that of the Pierides in their contest with the Muses; it also looks forward to the

punishment at the hands of Minerva.

INTRODUCTION

17

After elaborating at considerable length these contrasting descriptions, Ovid deals rapidly with the violent sequel. In ten lines (129-38) he reports the baffled verdict of Minerva, her spiteful actions, and Arachne’s attempted suicide, which earns her some sympathy from the goddess. The metamorphosis follows with some of the typical thematic features of the poem: first, it has the mixed function of both consolation and punishment; second, Arachne is alive and continuous with the artistic weaver she had been; third, as an

ugly spider she is obviously punished, but, though Ovid raises no explicit questions, her punishment does not strike us as fair. Here, then, are some of the typical organizational features of Ovidian stories, as exhibited by Arachne in Book 6.

There are a good many other elements that one could cite, e.g., the elaborate speech, the presentation of a dilemma,

standardized landscape motifs, predictable folklore motifs with clever Ovidian variations, allegorical descriptions, bravado scenes for epic parody, and others. Ovid filled out

the bare handbook accounts or reorganized given literary narratives to emphasize some

of his favorite topics and

thereby to introduce some of his key themes, both the themes earlier discussed with regard to the meaning of metamorphosis and those which, as in the story of Arachne, gave it a significance in itself which was also appropriate to its position in the poem. They all repay study, for the better they are understood, the more clearly emerge the poetic genius of Ovid and the peculiar merits of the Metamorphoses.

B. Style and Meter I have deliberately refrained from discussing so far the problem of defining the genre of the Metamorphoses; and I would discourage any student from working too hard on that old controversy. However, in discussing Ovid’s style in the Metamorphoses, we inevitably confront an aspect of this problem as we attempt to describe the general impression that arises from particular stylistic practices. Before I present some of these practices, let me warn the reader that

18

ovw’s Metamorphoses

Ovid varies his style considerably, which means that he shifts the tone of stories and changes our reactions. Ovid had two main stylistic models in mind as he worked, and he combined them in various manners. First, he had himself in mind, the many techniques which he had perfected during

twenty years as an elegiac poet. Remember, writing the hexameter, especially Ovidian hexameter, was not so differ-

ent from producing elegiac couplets. Second, Ovid was consciously writing in the perspective of the great hexameter epic of Vergil. And so we find in the Metamorphoses combinations of elegiac and Vergilian practices and resultant ambiguities of effect: Ovid has planned these. Let us start with techniques of narrative, once again using the first passage in Book 6. To initiate the story of Arachne, Ovid begins: praebuerat dictis Tritonia talibus aures carminaque Aonidum iustamque probaverat iram.

(1-2)

Note (1) the pluperfect tenses; (2) the antonomasia (substitution for a proper name); (3) the colloquial way of referring to “listening”; and (4) the zeugma in the two

objects of probaverat. Ovid commonly sets background details by using the pluperfect, from which he will move forward into more important parts of the story, set in the perfect or vivid present. Sometimes such background details will be inserted after the story has started, usually with an introductory nam: cf. 6.157. Antonomasia is no obstacle to the clever, and Ovid no doubt meant it as a half-challenge for the pleasure of his Roman audience. They knew that he had been describing conversation between Minerva and the Muses at the end of Book 5 and had no trouble working out the allusions here. But it is a standard practice of the Metamorphoses whenever proper names of people and places are involved. The variations on the name of the place where Arachne lives are ingenious. Antonomasia was sanctified by epic practice; Ovid often plays with this epic convention. I shall comment on the phrase for “listening” in the next paragraph. The zeugma here is not striking, but it produces a link between ideas that are not strictly related, with

INTRODUCTION

19

the result that they interfere with each other. Moreover,

since Ovid has so told the story that the audience would have doubts about the excellence of the Muses’ song if not also about the justice of their anger, the neat hexameter with its zeugma starts in us amused skepticism about Minerva. The next lines continue: tum secum: "laudare parum est, Jaudemur et ipsae numina nec sperni sine poena nostra sinamus," Maeoniaeque animum fatis intendit Arachnes,

quam sibi lanificae non cedere laudibus artis audierat.

(3-7)

Note:

(1) Ovid's method of introducing and exiting from direct speech; (2) the pointedness of the short speech; (3) the loose position of connectives; (4) the “epic” man-

nerisms with epithets in 5 and 6. By the way Ovid introduces speeches and then re-enters narrative he tends to make the speech, especially his many short speeches, not an isolated element but integral to the whole narrative development. In line 3 he uses an introductory device that Vergil never employed, two words in elliptical construction that permit him to get quickly into the speech after the trihemimeral caesura. By contrast, Vergil announces speeches with what strike us as "epic formulae" that regularly conclude at the end of a hexameter, so that the speech begins with emphasis and dignity at the start of the next hexameter; there are few exceptions to this generalization. Vergil also returns to his narrative differently. Although he feels free to conclude the speech at various points within the line and wants to show the results of the spoken words quickly, he regularly at least comes to a full stop as the speech stops. Then he will usually add a formula like: sic ait et or dixit et or haec ubi dicta or talia iactanti or sic fatus; these formulae

function like our quotation marks,

closing the quotation and preparing the transition back to action. In line 1 Ovid picks up from a long speech that has ended Book 5. Instead of referring to the previous speaker, he transfers our attention to the listener, who had “lent her

ears" for so long to the Muses. In line 5 he shows the casual

20

ovip’s Metamorphoses

and fluid technique which we meet again and again: a simple -que tacked on to the first word after the speech hurries us directly into the action again. Ovid always keeps his narrative moving: cf. 6.190-91. Short speeches are typical of the Metamorphoses. Both in number and in pointed brevity they are far more striking than those of the Aeneid.

Moreover,

this is the kind of

speech that Vergil does not employ; as its introductory formula indicates, it is an "interior monologue," spoken by Minerva to herself. Whereas Vergil emphasizes the public words and actions of his characters, Ovid concerns himself and us much more with private thoughts, desires, dilemmas,

and then the consequent actions. The speech is not designed to be realistic or to justify Minerva; rather, it quickly es-

tablishes by rhetorical repetition the main motif of our story. Human beings must praise gods or else suffer punishment. Thus, at the end, poena (cf. 138) reduces Arachne to

a spider, not because Minerva merited praise but because she demanded it. The careful placing of laudare and laudemur at caesurae and the repetition of the theme in 6 quickly get Ovid's story going. Ovid quite regularly uses the technique, also familiar in

Vergil, of delaying an initial conjunction (nec in 4) so that the initial word of the line may be a more emphatic one: cf. 93 and 109 with et. His favorite conjunction is -que, which he feels free to add to any word, adjective, adverb, preposition, or even

quite "improperly"

to the first word

of a

speech: e.g., bracchia sustulerat "di"que *o communiter omnes," / dixerat (6.262-63), where the -que logically belongs to dixerat. By building up his sentences with coordinate conjunctions, many “ands,” Ovid gives his whole

narrative style more looseness and speed than Vergil wanted. Cf. 10.256ff. Ovid often affects to use epithets with the solemnity appropriate to epic. So here Maeoniae and lanificae typically precede their nouns, are separated from them, and placed at key structural points of their respective lines. The first satisfies an epic convention of identifying the heroine by her country; the second helps to produce an epic periphrasis for an awkward or unmetrical noun “weaving.”

INTRODUCTION

21

Here the tone seems relatively serious, but often the flamboyance of the epithets provides a definite clue to Ovid’s playfulness. The humorous parade of learning in place references or esoteric allusions affects Ovid’s epithets as well as his antonomasia:

cf. 45, 132, 139, 217, 315. Thus the

epithet together with the ear-catching compound verb can regularly promote epic parody. See below on “epic” inventions, page 24.

Techniques of narrative often shade into techniques of word choice and disposition, as the next passage illustrates: huius ut adspicerent opus admirabile, saepe deseruere sui nymphae vineta Timoli, deseruere suas nymphae Pactolides undas. nec factas solum vestes, spectare iuvabat tum quoque cum fierent (tantus decor adfuit arti). (14-18)

In order to bring out the artistic success of Arachne, Ovid dramatizes it: nymphs leave their habitats to admire her weaving (he names a mountain and a river and repeats words and rhythm) ; they enjoy seeing the made product and one in the making (another artful repetition). Then Ovid finishes off this development with what is known as an

epiphonema. This terminal sententia with a form of tantus, usque adeo, or the like, used occasionally with great effect

by Vergil, is more common in Ovid, who uses rhetoric more obviously to make points: cf. 67, 438, 7.116. Another kind of terminal sententia can be noted at 23: scires a Pallade

doctam. That is, having appealed to the Nymphs, Ovid now turns to his audience

and, by this potential subjunctive,

draws it into the narrative to give final testimony. Initial sententiae are also common. In fact, as both Seneca and Quintilian show, Ovid was perhaps the most brilliant creator of sententiae in his day. Cf. 7-8, 288, 301, 357, 366, 370. When he uses sententiae and various forms of rhetorical repetition, Ovid calls attention to himself, the narrator. He

intrudes to insist on the artistry of Arachne, on her training from Minerva. It chances that this epiphonema occurs in a

parenthesis; often it does not. But parenthetical remarks

22

oviw’s Metamorphoses

from Ovid do occur again and again, in sharp contrast to the practices of Vergil. Sometimes he uses parentheses to give what we may call stage directions: e.g., 6.359. Sometimes he comments on his own story, e.g., 6.561 and 583. In effect, we are warned that we must not just let ourselves fall under the spell of the narrative, but must also view it

with some of the critical attentiveness of the poet. Ovid is a poet who appeals more to wit than to visual imagination. Therefore, he uses verbal devices more osten-

tatiously than Vergil, and by the same token he uses imagery, both metaphors and similes, far less than Vergil. Vergil uses his imagery to convey to us the feelings and characters of people, but otherwise he refrains from verbalizing internal states. Ovid uses imagery of the most conventional sort to give a brief picture, often doubling similes and thus insuring that the comparison remains pictorial; but he

compensates for this loss of imagery by his insistent verbalization of feelings and his witty phrasing. The repetition of initial words in successive phrases or clauses is called anaphora. Vergil uses it with epic gravity. Ovid uses it here quite elaborately, repeating almost exactly the first three words of 15 and 16. Cf, 326-27. Although the repeated word may be noun, verb, adjective, adverb, even conjunction, anaphora with verbs tends to be most eye- and ear-catching. Sometimes, Ovid will reject the chance for anaphora with two terms in order to create chiasmus:

e.g., verum

taurum, freta vera putares (104).

A diagram of the two parallel phrases, placed one above the other, would form an x (Greek chi) if lines were drawn

connecting related members. More often chiasmus occurs without exact repetition, as, for example, in the list of divine

amours on Arachne's tapestry: aureus ut Danaen, Asopida luserit ignis (113).

Another type of repetition is peculiarly clause he will use a finite verb, and the begin with the active or past participle makes for a neat, emphatic sequence and an uninteresting relative pronoun:

Ovidian: in a first second clause will of that verb. This obviates the use of

INTRODUCTION

23

“al piget, a! non est" clamabat "tibia tanti." clamanti cutis est summos direpta per artus. (386—87) germanamque rapit raptaeque insignia Bacchi

induit.

(598-99)

In this connection, let me once again mention the pungent wit of zeugma and cite another example beside that of line 2: demisere metu vultumque animumque Pelasgi (7.133).

"In fear, the Pelasgi lowered their faces and their spirits"; the physical and the metaphorical senses of demisere conflict and bring out the wit of Ovid's comment on this melodramatic scene. Cf. 7.347. Alexander Pope shows mastery of the device in The Rape of the Lock: Whether the Nymph shall break Diana's Law, Or some frail China Jar receive a flaw, Or stain her Honour or her new Brocade, Forget her Pray'rs, or miss a Masquerade, Or lose her Heart or Necklace at a Ball (III, 105—109).

In the playful account

of Orithyia's

(6.702ff.),

dominates.

Ovid's

wit

rape by Boreas

Zeugma

epitomizes

rapidly the total success of the god's efforts: illic et gelidi coniunx Actaea tyranni et genetrix facta est (711—12).

A similar effect is achieved when Ovid links two verbs with

a single noun: socerque non orandus erat mihi, sed faciendus Erechtheus

(700—701).

Finally, what I consider a variant on zeugma occurs when, instead of a correlative structure of two accusatives or

nominatives, Ovid uses a single accusative or nominative with a cum (sometimes emphatic pariter cum) plus ablative: plura locuturo cum verbis guttura Colchis

abstulit (7.348). Cf. 6.272. To describe the death of Pelias in this manner, Medea cut-

ting his words and his throat, especially after a witty zeugma

24

oviv’s Metamorphoses

in 347, is to free the scene entirely of its potential horror. A reader should be aware of and enjoy Ovid's wit and use it

as a clue to the tone of his story. Especially in his manipulation of nouns and verbs, one observes the difference between

Ovid and Vergil. In the passage (6.14ff.) cited above, Ovid exhibits an-

other aspect of his verbal artistry which often serves his wit: he "invents" Pactolides (16). The meaning of the epithet is obvious, but nowhere else does it occur in Latin. Thus it enhances the rhetorical quality of the similar lines 15 and 16. Ovid not only creates many new words, but he

likes to pick up odd or felicitous “epic” inventions from his predecessors Vergil and Lucretius. Among typical formations to note, the reader should be on the watch for ingenious nouns made with the suffixes -tor (molitor 8.302), -men (renovamine 8.729), -gens (serpentigenis 7.212), and -cola (ruricolae 6.392); for adjectives with suffixes -bilis (evitabile 6.234), -eus (adamanteus 7.104), -fer (tridentifer 8.596), -ger (claviger 7.437), and compounds

such as gemelliparae (6.315), frugilegas (7.624), magniloquo (8.396), faticano (9.418), and flexipedes (10.99);

for verbs compounded with the prefixes ad- (adfundere 8.540), de- (develare 6.604), in- (immurmurat 6.558), prae- (praecontrectat 6.478), and re- (relanguit 6.291); and for an occasional adverb in -iter (iuvenaliter 7.805). We come now to the limpid metrical techniques of Ovid,

which he designed to support the swift pace of his narrative. 'The most obvious feature of Ovid's hexameter is the rela-

tive number of dactyls to spondees. In a recent series of careful statistical studies, G. E. Duckworth has collected the evidence, book by book, for the Aeneid and the Meta-

morphoses as well as for other major poets before and after. However, comparisons between Vergil and Ovid suffice to

make the point. Although there are some variations from

book to book, the Aeneid averages for its eight most common arrangements of dactyls and spondees a ratio of twenty spondees to twelve

dactyls. By contrast,

with even

less

variation, the Metamorphoses exhibits an average ratio of twenty dactyls to twelve spondees. That is an extraordinary

INTRODUCTION

25

change of preference. These statistics can be broken down,

to produce a table of the most common arrangements in Metamorphoses 6 through 10. Because the last two feet of any hexameter have a predictable pattern, it is customary to analyze merely the first four feet using the abbreviations “D” for dactyl and "S" for spondee. Average

Book

6

7

8

9

10

frequency for 5 bks.

Total vs. 717 DDSS Sor DSSS 78 DSSD 84 DDSD 84 DSDS 64 DDDS 73 DSDD 59 DDDD 43

860 865 796 107 STA 96 90) 11559103 100 96 92 94 93 82 105 97 73 79 79 69 SOL 71 49 53 60

739 80 SOS Tee 90 82. 72 63 61

12.3296 EE: WAZ 11.14 10:59 9.38 7.99 6.69 81.12%

Thus the eight most common patterns for Ovid’s hexameter, which account for more than 81 per cent of his verses, show

a marked preference for dactyls. All eight patterns have an initial dactyl, and only one of the eight uses more than two spondees. When we compare the preferred patterns of the Aeneid, the difference is striking. The preferred eight, which occupy 72.78 per cent of the verses, are in order as follows: DSSS,

DDSS, DSDS, SDSS, SSSS, DDDS, SSDS, SDDS. Four of the patterns start with spondees, all eight end with spondees, and only one of the eight uses more than two dactyls. The schemes

DSSS

and DDSS,

which Vergil made

first and

second, became respectively second and first in the Metamorphoses. However, SDSS, SSSS, and SSDS, which Vergil made his fourth, fifth, and seventh most common schemes, were reduced to relative insignificance by Ovid; in the Meta-

morphoses, SDSS occurs in about 5 per cent of the verses, SSSS in about 1.5 per cent, and SSDS in about 2 per cent. The change is clearest in respect to the emphatic patterns SSSS and DDDD:

Vergil used SSSS in more than 7 per cent,

26

ovip’s Metamorphoses

DDDD

in 2.1 per cent of his verses, whereas Ovid uses

DDDD in 6.69, SSSS in 1.5 per cent of his verses. Vergil aimed for and achieved a slower, heavier, and graver hexameter than Ovid, who tries to tell his story rapidly, wittily, and often with light humor or irreverence which is ably supported by his choice of metrical patterns. A. number of other factors contribute to the impression of quickness in Ovid's verse. Vergil made elision one of the important features of his hexameter, using it frequently and with great art to interlock phrases and reinforce the complexity of his design. Ovid prefers a neater verse, rendered ‘smooth and flowing by relatively few elisions. To take two comparable

passages

of 100 lines of narrative,

in Aen.

4.1-100 Vergil elides fifty-one times, applying elision to a variety of important words; whereas in Metamorphoses 6.1-100

Ovid

elides twenty-three

times

only, and often

limits himself to eliding an inoffensive -que with a following vowel. There are no elisions whatsoever from 6.6 through 6.23, and there are long gaps at other points.

Ovid's treatment of caesurae is also significant. And here I should indicate the system of notation which I shall be employing in the commentary. The traditional terminology has hallowed the cumbrous words trihemimeral, penthemimeral, and hepthemimeral to mark the three most com-

mon caesurae ("cuts" in metrical feet produced by word division). These terms reflect an analysis of the hexameter into twelve half-feet, with caesurae after the third, fifth, and seventh half-feet (tri-, pent-, and hept-hemimeral). While

retaining the traditional analysis, I shall replace the tonguetwisting terminology. I shall talk about the hexameter as a line with twelve positions, and the conventional caesurae will occur “at position 3, 5, or 7." For example, in 6.1-3, praebuerat dictis Tritonia talibus aures,

carminaque Aonidum iustamque probaverat iram. tum secum "laudare parum est, laudemur et ipsae:”

a caesura occurs at position 5 in 1 and 2, caesurae at 3 and 7 in line 3.

INTRODUCTION

27

In the three lines above, the caesurae have different effects. In line 1, Ovid has written a single clause, but

divided the dative group dictis . . . talibus by means of the caesura at 5 and the inserted Tritonia. In line 2, Ovid has

given the verb probaverat two objects and employed the caesura to separate them. In line 3, he had three divisions to

make and so utilized the common alternative for the caesura at 5: the breaks at 3 and 7 make the introductory tum secum a separate unit and place emphasis on the carefully repeated and placed laudare and laudemur. In the rest of this paragraph of twenty-five lines Ovid uses the common caesura at 5 except in lines 7 and 20, where he varied his pattern of

divisions by emphasizing a triadic structure with caesurae at 3 and 7. The clarity of Ovid's structure within the hexameter goes with a perspicuity of the whole lines, emphasized in our text by the punctuation which we use. Now let us take nine lines from the start of Aeneid 4: at regina gravi iamdudum saucia cura vulnus alit venis et caeco carpitur igni. multa viri virtus animo multusque recursat gentis honos; haerent infixi pectore vultus verbaque nec placidam membris dat cura quietem. postera Phoebea lustrabat lampade terras umentemque Aurora polo dimoverat umbram, cum sic unanimam adloquitur male sana sororem: "Anna soror, quae me suspensam insomnia terrent!"

I think it evident clarity and neatness, practices goes with effects. In these nine Ovid in twenty-five,

that Vergil did not aim for the same and that the versatility of his caesural more complex stylistic purposes and lines he achieved far more variety than and with purpose. Lines 1 and 2 use

the caesura at 5 as Ovid does in 1 and 2, first to break the

phrase gravi . . . cura, then to separate co-ordinate clauses. But line 3 has a special plan; as one reads along, caesurae are at 3, 5, and 7, and only the anaphora multa . . . multus-

que indicates that the break at 7 is the most important. The enjambement from 3 calls for a caesura in line 4 after honos at position 3, but a second caesura occurs after haerent at 5.

28

ovw’s Metamorphoses

In line 5 there is a central caesura at 5 producing the same break between adjective and noun as in line 1. Line 6 also uses the caesura at 5 to separate adjective and noun (Phoebea . . . lampade), and it runs on into 7 with a caesura at 515 (Aurorá, the feminine caesura) and one at 7. In line 8

the caesura at 5 is obscured by elision and Vergil uses that at 7. With the speech Vergil uses a caesura after the apostrophe to Anna soror, another at 5 after me, and obscures a third at 7 by elision. The versatility of the Vergilian caesura, which defeats

our expectations, helps to vary the pace of Vergil's narrative, which is in any case slower than Ovid's because of its

more numerous spondees and its elisions. A glance at the treatment of enjambement in the two poets will support the same conclusion. The main verb for the subject of Aeneid 4.1 is in line 2: that forces enjambement (or, more simply, run-on). Similarly, honos of 4 is the subject of recursat in 3,

and verbaque of 5 is one of two subjects of haerent of 4.

From 6-9, one long sentence, each line has its individual clause, so there is no effective run-on.

Ovid, on the one

hand, is less flexible inasmuch as he constructs fewer periodic sentences and seems to prefer to write by the line or half-line: cf. 6.1-5. On the other hand, he occasionally uses a type of enjambement that Vergil avoided, which permits the narrative of the Metamorphoses to flow over swiftly and casually into a new line: he starts the clause or phrase involved in the run-on in the fifth or sixth feet, e.g., suoque / aequa viro (10-11); quamvis / orta domo parva (12-13); saepe / deseruere sui nymphae vineta Timoli (14-15). The

different feel of Vergilian and Ovidian enjambement is apparent: Vergil regularly gives successive lines an interlocked structure by run-on, whereas Ovid uses run-on to keep his narrative hurrying along. Ovid uses a number of devices to emphasize the shape of certain hexameters. First he imitates the trick known as the Golden Line, which Catullus, then Vergil, employed. Strictly speaking, the Golden Line should have a particular arrangement of adjectives and nouns separated by a central verb,

for which 6.9 provides an example:

INTRODUCTION

A

B

A

29

B

Phocaico bibulas tingebat murice lanas.

The correct arrangement is: AB verb AB. Another example occurs in 6.22 (with the addition of the permissible con-

junction sive). These lines, recognizably in the "epic" tradition, round off descriptions and often provide a hint of epic parody: cf. 7.117. A variant arrangement, which I shall also refer to loosely as a Golden Line, has the symmetrical

scheme of AB verb BA: talibus obscuram resecuta est Pallada dictis (6.36) percussamque sua simulat de cuspide terram (6.80).

A less common and more emphatic way of ending a line and sometimes a whole narrative development is with the double spondee in the fifth and sixth feet: et vetus in tela deducitur argumentum (6.69) nexilibus flores hederis habet intertextos (6.128) lumina versarunt, animam simul exhalarunt (6.247).

Those three emphatic instances plus a line with the pretty Greek name Orithyia (683) are the only instances of a spondaic fifth foot in Book 6. Ovid wrote much faster than Vergil, and he had devel-

oped certain standard techniques to deal with metrical problems. The reader will notice, for example, instances of

apostrophe which, if pondered, will prove to be little more than an expedient for avoiding a long syllable: Amphitryon fuerit cum te, Tirynthia, cepit (6.112)

te quoque mutatum torvo, Neptune, iuvenco

(6.115).

Ovid avoids an accusative ending for the proper name in the fifth foot, to keep its final syllable short before a consonant. The requirement of a dactyl in the fifth foot also helps to explain the use and localization of third declension nouns, especially invented words ending in -men (see above), e.g., origine 7, murice 9, plebe 10, pollice 22,

Pallade 23, Pallada 36, certamina 42, numina 44, cupidine 50, certamina 52, stamine 54, stamina 57, pectine 58, discriminis 62, curvamine 64, lumina 66. The ablative singular

30

oviv’s Metamorphoses

of any such noun or the nominative and accusative plurals of the neuter nouns terminating in -men gave Ovid much to work with. When you add the feminine nominative singular of first declension nouns or adjectives, you probably have accounted for a large number of fifth feet in Ovidian hexameters. The often mechanical practices by which Ovid ground out the endings of his lines resulted in what may be called stereotyped clausules, e.g., fiducia formae 2.731, 3.270, 4.687, 8.434, 14.32; crinibus angues 4.454, 495, 792;

certamine cursus 7.792 and 10.560; causa plus genitive noun like doloris (1.509, 736), laboris (4.739), timoris

(7.16) or genitive of the gerund of second and third conjugations such as sequendi (1.507), videndi (5.258), petendi (8.271), timendi (9.557), and dolendi (11.345).

Ovid also worked out a number of initial dactylic formulae for the beginning of a narrative sequence, e.g., hactenus (7.794 and nine other times), protinus (7.312 and twentyeight other times), dixerat (6.263 and ten other times), dixit et (7.72 and eight other cases), non tulit (6.134 and ten others), haud or nec mora (6.53, 636, and sixteen others). Similarly, one can observe initial choriambic units, which stretch across the first dactyl to the caesura at 3, e.g., me miserum (-am), quid faciam (-t)?, obstipui (-t),

adspicit hunc (hanc), non or haud aliter. For the simple reason that Ovid so often uses formulae or formulaic localizations, especially of verbs (pluperfects like dixerat, senserat, viderat and perfects like dixit et, vidit et), his narrative vocabulary and style, being expectable, are also easier

and swifter than Vergil's. Normally, in an introduction to a Latin poet one would spend considerable space commenting on his special syntactical practices. It does not seem to me that Ovid requires it. That in itself, however, is significant. He wrote with such

clarity and relative simplicity that most of his constructions are easy to grasp at first sight. One will find a good number of so-called Greek accusatives (which will be noted in the commentary), but Vergil had established that construction

as "poetic." In general, Ovid's style is a well-devised and well-executed unity, designed to give his audience a feeling

INTRODUCTION

31

of ease about a narrative that moves along in genial fashion, told by a narrator who lightly intrudes and with equal celerity removes himself from the story, to keep our minds and emotions alive to the possibilities of the tale. V. THE

MANUSCRIPT

TRADITION

As I mentioned above, the Metamorphoses was in effect a published poem at the time of Ovid’s exile. Widely read and extremely influential during the first century, it continued to vie with the Aeneid through antiquity. However, no manuscript, not even a fragment, survives from that period; the tradition of Vergil, Plautus, and Terence is far more

complete than Ovid’s. Even when the Carolingians gave impetus to a revival of learning, the resurrection of the Metamorphoses lagged. We possess good manuscripts of Vergil, Horace, Lucretius, and even Juvenal from the ninth

century, but the best that chance can offer us for the Metamorphoses is a series of fragments. And this fact holds true for the tenth century, too. At last in the eleventh century manuscripts were copied which have come down to us virtually intact. These, combined with others from the twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, provide us at least a dozen witnesses of varying value for the text of the Metamorphoses. Let me review the main ones briefly. E F L M

Palat. 1669 Marcianus 223 Laurent. xxxvi.12 Marcianus 225

:

12th cent. 11th/12th cent. 11th/12th cent. 11th cent. Breaks off at 14.830.

N Neapolitanus iv F3

12th cent. Breaks off at 14.838.

P Parisinus 8001 U Vat. Urb. 341 a Mus.Brit., Kings 26

12th/ 13th cent. 11th/ 12th cent. 11th cent.

e Amplonianus

12th/ 13th cent.

h Hauniensis 2008

13th cent.

Fragm. Bern. 363

11th cent. Contains 1.1—199. 304—309, 773-79.

Fragm. Lond. MB 11967

end of 10th cent.

2.1-22,

3.1-56.

32

ovip’s Metamorphoses Contains

Fragm. Harl. MB 2610 Fragm. Haun. 2*56

Fragm. Lips. RepInr.74 Fragm. Monac. 23612 Fragm. Paris 12246 Fragm. Vat. Urb. 342

2.833—75, 3.1—510,

4.298—303, 5.1—389, 588—678, 6.1—412. 10th/ 11th cent. Contains 1.1—3.622. end of 12th cent. Contains 9.324—10.707. end of 9th cent. Contains 3.131—252. 13th cent. Contains 10.283—14.746. 9th/ 10th cent. Contains 1.81—193, 2.67—160. 11th cent. Contains 5.483-6.45 and (from different codex)

7.731-8.104. Planudes

Maximus

Planudes’

Greek

translation

of the

Metamorphoses, made with great fidelity about 1300 from a now lost MS.

There is still no textual edition of the Metamorphoses which will satisfy the modern requirements for critical analysis of the manuscripts. The most ambitious effort in this direction was that of Hugo Magnus (Berlin, 1914). Unfortunately, despite his great diligence, he was heir to an

inadequate method: he sought to discover “the best manuscripts,” and, having located them to his satisfaction, he

depended upon them and rejected the testimony of all others except where his prized M and N were obviously defective. Early in this century, however, a better technique for deal-

ing with manuscripts and establishing a text was developing, notably under the inspiration of A. E. Housman in England. Magnus’ text, therefore, came under immediate attack in England and America, especially from E. K. Rand and his students at Harvard. It became clear that Magnus had overstressed the independent value of his two manuscripts and consequently provided a dubious text and an untrustworthy apparatus criticus for others to utilize. To remove the latter defect, D. A. Slater published in 1927 a new apparatus criticus for the Metamorphoses. As recently as 1967, F. W.

INTRODUCTION

Lenz

(now dead)

was

33

proposing a revision of Magnus’

edition in the light of a half-century’s criticism. Nevertheless, the fact remains that we possess no scientifically critical

text for Ovid’s masterpiece. As a recent scholar put it, the best extant textual edition remains that of N. Heinsius published in Amsterdam

in 1659, more

than three hundred

years ago! The name of Heinsius will occur frequently in the commentary, for again and again he solved the problems and established the text for the future. The text which is printed in this edition is my revision of the Teubner edition of R. Ehwald published in Leipzig in 1915. Using our increased knowledge of the manuscripts, the apparatus criticus of Slater, and the methods now accepted for judging each passage on the basis of all relevant testimony, I have made numerous small alterations, which are discussed where relevant in the commentary, e.g., 6.165, 201, 249. And I have discussed many of the important read-

ings where Heinsius, Ehwald,

and others have already

achieved a correct text (some twenty other lines in Book 6).

There is one special problem in the text of the Metamorphoses, namely a series of so-called “doublets.” In this edition of five books examples will be found at 6.280-82,

7.185—-86, 8.285-86, 597—610, 652-56, and 693-98. As this list indicates, Book 8 is particularly troubled with doub-

lets. In such instances the manuscripts (sometimes only a few, sometimes the vast majority) will be found to provide

two apparently competing versions of the same passage. The question, then, is, which belongs in the text? One would think that the answer would be, whichever Ovid wrote. However, a good many scholars believe that ancient writers

revised their own works and that revised readings by the original author, what are called author-variants, circulated in antiquity. These author-variants, the theory goes, were copied from one edition into the other, and so it came about that a single manuscript can contain both versions. In the case of Ovid, support for this theory is found in what he himself says about the Metamorphoses: it was circulating in Rome at the time of his exile, but he regarded it as incomplete. That suggests that, when Ovid later “completed” the

34

ovip’s Metamorphoses

poem to his satisfaction, he himself produced these doublets. If this hypothesis is accepted, the question for the editor

normally would be, which variant represents Ovid’s final judgment? And that presumes that the final judgment produced the “better” variant. But in certain instances, notably in the revisions made by the older Wordsworth, an author’s

changes are considered by others to have damaged the original. So the basic problem remains to find in each instance which of the doublets produces the better text. Although such scholars as Otis, Enk, and Lamacchia

favor the hypothesis of author-variants in the Metamorphoses and believe that the longer version regularly represents Ovid’s final preference, I have not been persuaded. In Book 8 the longer versions seem bad and unworthy of Ovid,

and IJ have argued in the notes that the man who wrote those lines was a later interpolator, possibly influenced by Christianity, at any rate deficient in poetic genius. The reader will have to judge, then, between the hypotheses of authorvariants and one or more interpolators. There might even be one reader of this text who will pick up the challenge and some day produce the definitive critical text which all admirers of the Metamorphoses so crave. VI. SELECTED

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Below, in alphabetical order, is a short list of books and articles

concerning Ovid and the Metamorphoses,

primarily those in

English. When Ovid’s bimillenary was celebrated in 1958, two

major collections of articles were published in connection with all phases of his career. Since they contain much of use, they are listed at the end. Albrecht,

M. von.

Die Parenthese

in Ovids Metamorphosen

und ihre dichterische Funktion =Spudasmata

VII (Hilde-

sheim, 1964).

Anderson, W. S. “Multiple Change in the Metamorphoses,” TAPA 94 (1963), 1-27. Avery, M. M. The Use of Direct Speech in Ovid's Metamorphoses. Ph.D. dissertation. Chicago, 1937. Bernbeck, E. J. Beobachtungen zur Darstellungsart in Ovids Metamorphosen —Zetemata 43 (Munich, 1967). Brunner, T. F. "The Function of the Simile in Ovid's Metamorphoses," CJ 61 (1966), 354—63.

INTRODUCTION

35

de Lacy, P. “Philosophical Doctrine and Poetic Technique in Ovid,” CJ 43 (1947), 153-61. Frankel, H. Ovid, a Poet Between Two Worlds. Berkeley, 1945. Lafaye, G. Les Métamorphoses d'Ovide et leurs modéles grecs =Bibl. de la faculté des lettres XIX (Paris, 1904). Lenz, F. W. Ovid's Metamorphoses: Prolegomena to Revision of Hugo Magnus’ Edition. Dublin, 1967.

Ludwig, W. Struktur und Einheit der Metamorphosen Berlin, 1965.

Ovids.

Miller, F. J. “Some Features of Ovid's Style,” CJ 16 (1921),

464—76. . “Ovid’s Aeneid and Vergil's: A Contrast in Motivation," CJ 23 (1927), 33-43. Munari, F. Catalogue of the Mss. of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, Supplement 4 (London, 1957).

Norwood, F. "Unity in the Diversity of Ovid's Metamorphoses," CJ 59 (1963-64), 170—74. Otis, Brooks. Ovid as an Epic Poet. Cambridge,

1966; Second

Edition, 1970. Owen, S. G. “Ovid’s Use of the Simile," Classical Review 45

(1931), 97—106. Parry, H. “Ovid’s Metamorphoses: Violence in a Pastoral Landscape," TAPA 95 (1964), 268-82. Rand, E. K. Review. article on Magnus' edition, Classical

Philology 11 (1916), 46—60. Richardson, J. "The Function of Formal

Imagery in Ovid's

Metamorphoses," CJ 59 (1963—64), 161—69. Riddehough, G. B. “Man-into-Beast Changes

in

Ovid,”

Phoenix 13 (1959), 201—209. Segal, C. P. Landscape in Ovid's Metamorphoses: A Study in the Transformations of a Literary Symbol —Hermes Einzelschriften 23 (Wiesbaden, 1969). Slater, D. A. Toward a Text of the Metamorphosis [sic] of Ovid. Oxford, 1927. Steiner, G. “Ovid’s carmen perpetuum," TAPA 89 (1958),

218-36. Wilkinson, L. P. Ovid Recalled. Cambridge, 1955. Atti del Convegno internazionale ovidiano. Edited by Instituto di Studi Romani. Rome, 1959.

Ovidiana: Recherches Paris, 1958.

sur Ovides. Edited by N. I. Herescu.

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SEXTUS

Praebuerat dictis Tritonia talibus aures,

Carminaque Aonidum iustamque probaverat iram. Tum secum “laudare parum est, laudemur et ipsae Numina nec sperni sine poena nostra sinamus!” 5 Maeoniaeque animum fatis intendit Arachnes, Quam sibi lanificae non cedere laudibus artis Audierat. non illa loco nec origine gentis Clara, sed arte fuit; pater huic Colophonius Idmon

Phocaico bibulas tingebat murice lanas; 10 Occiderat mater, sed et haec de plebe suoque

Aequa viro fuerat. Lydas tamen illa per urbes Quaesierat studio nomen memorabile, quamvis Orta domo parva parvis habitabat Hypaepis. Huius ut adspicerent opus admirabile, saepe

e

15 Deseruere sui nymphae vineta Timoli,

Deseruere suas nymphae Pactolides undas. Nec factas solum vestes, spectare iuvabat Tum quoque, cum fierent (tantus decor adfuit arti), Sive rudem primos lanam glomerabat i es,

20 Seu digitis subigebat opus repetitaqu Vellera mollibat nebulas aequantia, Sive levi teretem versabat pollice fusum, Seu pingebat acu: scires a Pallade doctam. Quod tamen ipsa negat tantaque offensa magistra ,

25 “Certet” ait “mecum! nihil est, quod victa recusem.”

Pallas anum simulat falsosque in tempora canos Addit et infirmos baculo quoque sustinet artus;

Tum sic orsa loqui: “non omnia grandior aetas, Quae fugiamus, habet: seris venit usus ab annis. 30 Consilium ne sperne meum! tibi fama petatur Inter mortales faciendae maxima lanae: Cede deae veniamque tuis, temeraria, dictis 39

40

35

ovip's Metamorphoses

Supplice voce roga! veniam dabit illa roganti." Adspicit hanc torvis inceptaque fila relinquit Vixque manum retinens confessaque vultibus iram Talibus obscuram resecuta est Pallada dictis: "Mentis inops longaque venis confecta senecta,

Et nimium vixisse diu nocet! audiat istas, Siqua tibi nurus est, siqua est tibi filia, voces! 40 Consilii satis est in me mihi, neve monendo

Profecisse putes, eadem est sententia nobis. Cur non ipsa venit? cur haec certamina vitat?" Tum dea *'venit!" ait formamque removit anilem Palladaque exhibuit. venerantur numina nymphae 45 Mygdonidesque nurus, sola est non territa virgo;

Sed tamen erubuit, subitusque invita notavit Ora rubor rursusque evanuit, ut solet aér Purpureus fieri, cum primum Aurora movetur, 50

55

60

Et breve post tempus candescere solis ab ortu. Perstat in incepto stolidaeque cupidine palmae In sua fata ruit: neque enim Iove nata recusat Nec monet ulterius nec iam certamina differt. Haud mora, constituunt diversis partibus ambae Et gracili geminas intendunt stamine telas: Tela iugo vincta est, stamen secernit harundo, Inseritur medium radiis subtemen acutis,

Quod digiti expediunt, atque inter stamina ductum Percusso paviunt insecti pectine dentes. Utraque festinant cinctaeque ad pectora vestes Bracchia docta movent studio fallente laborem. Illic et Tyrium quae purpura sensit aénum Texitur et tenues parvi discriminis umbrae,

65

Qualis ab imbre solet percussis solibus arcus Inficere ingenti longum curvamine caelum, In quo diversi niteant cum mille colores, Transitus ipse tamen spectantia lumina fallit: Usque adeo, quod tangit, idem est; tamen ultima distant. Illic et lentum filis inmittitur aurum,

70

Et vetus in tela deducitur argumentum. Cecropia Pallas scopulum Mavortis in arce

Book

6

(108)—Arachne

Pingit et antiquam de terrae nomine litem. Bis sex caelestes medio Iove sedibus altis

Augusta gravitate sedent; sua quemque deorum Inscribit facies: Iovis est regalis imago; 75

Stare deum pelagi longoque ferire tridente Aspera saxa facit medioque e vulnere saxi Exiluisse fretum, quo pignore vindicet urbem; At sibi dat clipeum, dat acutae cuspidis hastam,

Dat galeam capiti; defenditur aegide pectus, 80

Percussamque sua simulat de cuspide terram Edere cum bacis fetum canentis olivae, Mirarique deos; operis Victoria finis.

Ut tamen exemplis intellegat aemula laudis, Quod pretium speret pro tam furialibus ausis, 85

Quattuor in partes certamina quattuor addit Clara colore suo, brevibus distincta sigillis. Threiciam Rodopen habet angulus unus et Haemum, Nunc gelidos montes, mortalia corpora quondam,

90

Nomina summorum sibi qui tribuere deorum. Altera Pygmaeae fatum miserabile matris Pars habet: hanc Iuno victam certamine iussit Esse gruem populisque suis indicere bella.

Pinxit et Antigonen ausam contendere quondam Cum magni consorte Iovis, quam regia Iuno 95 In volucrem vertit, nec profuit Ilion illi

Laomedonve pater, sumptis quin candida pennis Ipsa sibi plaudat crepitante ciconia rostro. Qui superest solus, Cinyran habet angulus orbum, 100

Isque gradus templi, natarum membra suarum, Amplectens saxoque iacens lacrimare videtur. Circuit extremas oleis pacalibus oras

(Is modus est) operisque sua facit arbore finem. 105

Maeonis elusam designat imagine tauri Europam: verum taurum, freta vera putares; Ipsa videbatur terras spectare relictas Et comites clamare suas tactumque vereri Adsilientis aquae timidasque reducere plantas. Fecit et Asterien aquila luctante teneri,

41

42

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Fecit olorinis Ledam recubare sub alis;

110 Addidit, ut Satyri celatus imagine pulchram Iuppiter inplerit gemino Nycteida fetu, Amphitryon fuerit, cum te, Tirynthia, cepit, Aureus ut Danaén, Asopida luserit ignis, Mnemosynen pastor, varius Deoida serpens. 115 Te quoque mutatum torvo, Neptune, iuvenco Virgine in Aeolia posuit, tu visus Enipeus Gignis Aloidas, aries Bisaltida fallis;

Et te flava comas frugum mitissima mater Sensit equum, sensit volucrem crinita colubris 120 Mater equi volucris, sensit delphina Melantho:

Omnibus his faciemque suam faciemque locorum Reddidit. est illic agrestis imagine Phoebus,

Utque modo accipitris pennas, modo terga leonis Gesserit, ut pastor Macareida luserit Issen;

125 Liber ut Erigonen falsa deceperit uva, Ut Saturnus equo geminum Chirona crearit.

|

Ultima pars telae tenui circumdata limbo Nexilibus flores hederis habet intertextos.

! +

Non illud Pallas, non illud carpere Livor 130 Possit opus: doluit successu flava virago os.~ Etrupit pictas, caelestia crimina, vestes, Utque Cytoriaco radium de monte tenebat,

5s

2

«.,

“Cg

acus e.

y:

55*Ter quater Idmoniae frontem percussit Arachnes.

Non tulit infelix laqueoque animosa ligavit 135 .Guttura; pendentem Pallas miserata levavit Atque ita “vive quidem, pende tamen, inproba," dixit "Lexque eadem poenae, ne sis secura futuri, da

Dicta tuo generi serisque nepotibus esto!"

PR

Post ea discedens sucis Hecateidos herbae

140 Sparsit, et extemplo tristi medicamine tactae Defluxere comae, cum quis et naris et aures,

Fitque caput minimum, toto quoque corpore parva est;

In latere exiles digiti pro cruribus haerent, Cetera venter habet, de quo tamen illa remittit

145 Stamen et antiquas exercet aranea telas. Lydia tota fremit, Phrygiaeque per oppida facti

; fe

2

Book

150

155

6

(183) —Niobe

Rumor it et magnum sermonibus occupat orbem. Ante suos Niobe thalamos cognoverat illam, Tum cum Maeoniam virgo Sipylumque colebat; Nec tamen admonita est poena popularis Arachnes Cedere caelitibus verbisque minoribus uti. Multa dabant animos, sed enim nec coniugis artes Nec genus amborum magnique potentia regni Sic placuere illi, quamvis ea cuncta placerent, Ut sua progenies et felicissima matrum Dicta foret Niobe, si non sibi visa fuisset. Nam sata Tiresia, venturi praescia Manto, Per medias fuerat, divino concita motu, Vaticinata vias: “Ismenides, ite frequentes

160

Et date Latonae Latonigenisque duobus Cum prece tura pia lauroque innectite crinem! Ore meo Latona iubet." paretur, et omnes

Thebaides iussis sua tempora frondibus ornant Turaque dant sanctis et verba precantia flammis. 165 Ecce venit comitum Niobe celeberrima turba,

Vestibus intexto Phrygiis spectabilis auro Et, quantum ira sinit, formosa movensque decoro Cum capite inmissos umerum per utrumque capillos Constitit; utque oculos circumtulit alta superbos, 170 “Quis furor, auditos" inquit "praeponere visis

Caelestes? aut cur colitur Latona per aras,

Numen adhuc sine ture meum est? mihi Tantalus auctor, Cui licuit soli superorum tangere mensas; Pleiadum soror est genetrix mea; maximus Atlas 175 Est avus, aetherium qui fert cervicibus axem;

Iuppiter alter avus: socero quoque glorior illo. Me gentes metuunt Phrygiae, me regia Cadmi Sub domina est, fidibusque mei commissa mariti Moenia cum populis a meque viroque reguntur. 180 In quamcumque domus adverti lumina partem,

Inmensae spectantur opes! accedit eodem Digna dea facies; huc natas adice septem

Et totidem iuvenes et mox generosque nurusque!

43

44

iQ

ovw’s Metamorphoses

- Quaerite nunc, habeat quam nostra superbia 185

190

causam, Nescio quoque audete satam Titanida Coeo Latonam praeferre mihi, cui maxima quondam Exiguam sedem pariturae terra negavit! Nec caelo nec humo nec aquis dea vestra recepta est: Exsul erat mundi, donec miserata vagantem ‘Hospita tu terris erras, ego’ dixit ‘in undis," Instabilemque locum Delos dedit. illa duorum Facta parens: uteri pars haec est septima nostri! Sum felix: quis enim neget hoc? felixque manebo: (Hoc quoque quis dubitet?) tutam me copia fecit.

195 Maior sum, quam cui possit Fortuna nocere,

Multaque ut eripiat, multo mihi plura relinquet. Excessere metum mea iam bona: fingite demi Huic aliquid populo natorum posse meorum, Non tamen ad numerum redigar spoliata duorum, 200

205

Latonae turbam: qua quantum distat ab orba? Ite tsatist propere sacris laurumque capillis Ponite!" deponunt et sacra infecta relinquunt, Quodque licet, tacito venerantur murmure numen. Indignata dea est summoque in vertice Cynthi Talibus est dictis gemina cum prole locuta: “En ego, vestra parens, vobis animosa creatis Et nisi Iunoni nulli cessura dearum, An dea sim, dubitor perque omnia saecula cultis Arceor, o nati, nisi vos succurritis, aris!

210

Nec dolor hic solus: diro convicia facto Tantalis adiecit vosque est postponere natis Ausa suis et me, quod in ipsam reccidat, orbam

215

220

Dixit et exhibuit linguam scelerata paternam." Adiectura preces erat his Latona relatis: "Desine!" Phoebus ait "poenae mora longa querella esto Dixit idem Phoebe celerique per aéra lapsu Contigerant tecti Cadmeida nubibus arcem. Planus erat lateque patens prope moenia campus Adsiduis pulsatus equis, ubi turba rotarum Duraque mollierat subiectas ungula glaebas.

Book

6

(259)—Niobe

45

Pars ibi de septem genitis Amphione fortes Conscendunt in equos Tyrioque rubentia suco Terga premunt auroque graves moderantur habenas. E quibus Ismenus, qui matri sarcina quondam 225

Prima suae fuerat, dum certum flectit in orbem

230

Quadripedis cursus spumantiaque ora coércet, "Ei mihi!" conclamat medioque in pectore fixa Tela gerit frenisque manu moriente remissis In latus a dextro paulatim defluit armo. Proximus audito sonitu per inane pharetrae Frena dabat Sipylus, veluti cum praescius imbris

Nube fugit visa pendentiaque undique rector Carbasa deducit, ne qua levis effluat aura; 235

^J22kite y eftt

Frena tamen dantem non evitabile telum U Consequitur summaque tremens cervice sagitta Haesit, et extabat nudum de gutture ferrum.

240

Ille, ut erat pronus, per crura admissa iubasque Volvitur et calido tellurem sanguine foedat. Phaedimus infelix et aviti nominis heres Tantalus, ut solito finem inposuere labori, Transierant ad opus nitidae iuvenale palaestrae Et iam contulerant arto luctantia nexu Pectora pectoribus: contento concita nervo, Sicut erant iuncti, traiecit utrumque sagitta.

245 Ingemuere simul, simul incurvata dolore

Membra solo posuere, simul suprema iacentes Lumina versarunt, animam simul exalarunt.

Adspicit Alphenor laniataque pectora plangens Advolat, ut gelidos conplexibus adlevet artus, 250 Inque pio cadit officio; nam Delius illi

Intima fatifero rupit praecordia ferro,

255

Quod simul eductum est, pars et pulmonis in hamis Eruta cumque anima cruor est effusus in auras. At non intonsum simplex Damasichthona vulnus Adficit: ictus erat, qua crus esse incipit et qua Mollia nervosus facit internodia poples,

Dumque manu temptat trahere exitiabile telum, Altera per iugulum pennis tenus acta sagitta est; Expulit hanc sanguis seque eiaculatus in altum

46

ovip’s Metamorphoses

260 Emicat et longe terebrata prosilit aura. Ultimus Ilioneus non profectura precando Bracchia sustulerat “di” que *o communiter omnes,’

Dixerat ignarus non omnes esse rogandos, "Parcite!" motus erat, cum iam revocabile telum 265 Non fuit, arquitenens; minimo tamen occidit ille

Vulnere non alte percusso corde sagitta. Fama mali populique dolor lacrimaeque suorum Tam subitae matrem certam fecere ruinae Mirantem potuisse irascentemque, quod ausi 270 Hoc essent superi, quod tantum iuris haberent; Nam pater Amphion ferro per pectus adacto Finierat moriens pariter cum luce dolorem. Heu quantum haec Niobe Niobe distabat ab illa, Quae modo Latois populum submoverat aris 275 Et mediam tulerat gressus resupina per urbem, Invidiosa suis, at nunc miseranda vel hosti.

Corporibus gelidis incumbit et ordine nullo Oscula dispensat natos suprema per omnes;

A quibus ad caelum liventia bracchia tollens 280 **Pascere, crudelis, nostro, Latona, dolore [Pascere, ait, satiaque meo tua pectora luctu]

Corque ferum satia!" dixit; “per funera septem Efferor. exulta victrixque inimica triumpha! Cur autem victrix? miserae mihi plura supersunt, 285 Quam tibi felici: post tot quoque funera vinco.” Dixerat, et sonuit contento nervus ab arcu;

Qui praeter Nioben unam conterruit omnes: Illa malo est audax. stabant cum vestibus atris Ante toros fratrum demisso crine sorores. 290 E quibus una trahens haerentia viscere tela Inposito fratri moribunda relanguit ore; Altera solari miseram conata parentem Conticuit subito duplicataque vulnere caeco est. [Oraque compressit, nisi postquam spiritus ibat.] 295 Haec frustra fugiens collabitur, illa sorori Inmoritur; latet haec, illam trepidare videres;

Sexque datis leto diversaque vulnera passis Ultima restabat: quam toto corpore mater,

>

Book 300

6

(337)—The Lycian Farmers

Tota veste tegens “unam minimamque relinque! De multis minimam posco" clamavit "et unam." Dumque rogat, pro qua rogat, occidit. orba resedit

305

Exanimes inter natos natasque virumque Deriguitque malis: nullos movet aura capillos, In vultu color est sine sanguine, lumina maestis Stant inmota genis; nihil est in imagine vivum. Ipsa quoque interius cum duro lingua palato Congelat, et venae desistunt posse moveri; Nec flecti cervix nec bracchia reddere motus Nec pes ire potest; intra quoque viscera saxum est.

310

Flet tamen et validi circumdata turbine venti In patriam rapta est; ibi fixa cacumine montis Liquitur, et lacrimas etiam nunc marmora manant.

315

Tunc vero cuncti manifestam numinis iram Femina virque timent, cultuque inpensius omnes Magna gemelliparae venerantur numina divae, Utque fit, a facto propiore priora renarrant. E quibus unus ait: *Lyciae quoque fertilis agris Non inpune deam veteres sprevere coloni, Res obscura quidem est ignobilitate virorum,

320

Mira tamen. vidi praesens stagnumque locumque Prodigio notum; nam me iam grandior aevo Inpatiensque viae genitor deducere lectos Iusserat inde boves gentisque illius eunti

325

Ecce lacu medio sacrorum nigra favilla Ara vetus stabat tremulis circumdata cannis. Restitit et pavido ‘faveas mihi’ murmure dixit Dux meus, et simili ‘faveas’ ego murmure dixi. Naiadum Faunine foret tamen ara rogabam

Ipse ducem dederat; cum quo dum pascua lustro,

330 Indigenaene dei, cum talia rettulit hospes:

*Non hac, o iuvenis, montanum numen in ara est:

Illa suam vocat hanc, cui quondam regia coniunx Orbem interdixit, quam vix erratica Delos Orantem accepit, tum cum levis insula nabat. 335

Illic incumbens cum Palladis arbore palmae Edidit invita geminos Latona noverca;

Hinc quoque Iunonem fugisse puerpera fertur

47

48

340

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Inque suo portasse sinu, duo numina, natos. Iamque Chimaeriferae, cum sol gravis ureret arva, Finibus in Lyciae longo dea fessa labore Sidereo siccata sitim collegit ab aestu,

345

Uberaque ebiberant avidi lactantia nati. Forte lacum mediocris aquae prospexit in imis Vallibus: agrestes illic fruticosa legebant Vimina cum iuncis gratamque paludibus ulvam. Accessit positoque genu Titania terram Pressit, ut hauriret gelidos potura liquores; Rustica turba vetat. dea sic affata vetantes: "Quid prohibetis aquis? usus communis aquarum est;

350

Nec solem proprium natura nec aéra fecit Nec tenues undas: ad publica munera veni,

Quae tamen ut detis, supplex peto. non ego nostros Abluere hic artus lassataque membra parabam, Sed relevare sitim. caret os umore loquentis, 355 Et fauces arent, vixque est via vocis in illis.

Haustus aquae mihi nectar erit, vitamque fatebor Accepisse simul: vitam dederitis in unda. Hi quoque vos moveant, qui nostro bracchia tendunt 360

365

Parva sinu." et casu tendebant bracchia nati. Quem non blanda deae potuissent verba movere? Hi tamen orantem perstant prohibere minasque, Ni procul abscedat, conviciaque insuper addunt; Nec satis est, ipsos etiam pedibusque manuque Turbavere lacus imoque e gurgite mollem Huc illuc limum saltu movere maligno. Distulit ira sitim; neque enim iam filia Coei

370

Supplicat indignis nec dicere sustinet ultra Verba minora dea tollensque ad sidera palmas “Aeternum stagno" dixit *'vivatis in isto!” Eveniunt optata deae: iuvat esse sub undis

375

Nunc proferre caput, summo modo gurgite nare, Saepe super ripam stagni consistere, saepe In gelidos resilire lacus; sed nunc quoque turpes Litibus exercent linguas pulsoque pudore,

Et modo tota cava submergere membra palude,

Book

6

(411)—Pelops

Quamvis sint sub aqua, sub aqua maledicere temptant. Vox quoque iam rauca est, inflataque colla tumescunt,

Ipsaque dilatant patulos convicia rictus. Turpe caput tendunt, colla intercepta videntur, 380 Spina viret, venter, pars maxima corporis, albet,

Limosoque novae saliunt in gurgite ranae." ” Sic ubi nescio quis Lycia de gente virorum Rettulit exitium, satyri reminiscitur alter, 385

Quem Tritoniaca Latous harundine victum Adfecit poena. “quid me mihi detrahis?" inquit; “A! piget, a! non est" clamabat “tibia tanti!" Clamanti cutis est summos direpta per artus,

390

Nec quicquam nisi vulnus erat; cruor undique manat, Detectique patent nervi, trepidaeque sine ulla Pelle micant venae; salientia viscera possis Et perlucentes numerare in pectore fibras. Illum ruricolae, silvarum numina, Fauni

395

Et satyri fratres et tunc quoque carus Olympus Et nymphae flerunt, et quisquis montibus illis Lanigerosque greges armentaque bucera pavit. Fertilis inmaduit madefactaque terra caducas Concepit lacrimas ac venis perbibit imis; Quas ubi fecit aquam, vacuas emisit in auras.

400

Inde petens rapidum ripis declivibus aequor Marsya nomen habet, Phrygiae liquidissimus amnis. Talibus extemplo redit ad praesentia dictis Vulgus et extinctum cum stirpe Amphiona luget;

Mater in invidia est: hanc tunc quoque dicitur unus Flesse Pelops umeroque, suas a pectore postquam 405 Diduxit vestes, ebur ostendisse sinistro.

Concolor hic umerus nascendi tempore dextro Corporeusque fuit; manibus mox caesa paternis Membra ferunt iunxisse deos, aliisque repertis, 410

Qui locus est iuguli medius summique lacerti, Defuit: inpositum est non conparentis in usum Partis ebur, factoque Pelops fuit integer illo.

49

50

ovw’s Metamorphoses

Finitimi proceres, coéunt, urbesque propinquae Oravere suos ire ad solacia reges, 415

Argosque et Sparte Pelopeiadesque Mycenae Et nondum torvae Calydon invisa Dianae Orchomenosque ferax et nobilis aere Corinthus Messeneque ferox Patraeque humilesque Cleonae Et Nelea Pylos neque adhuc Pittheia Troezen, Quaeque urbes aliae bimari clauduntur ab Isthmo,

420

Exteriusque sitae bimari spectantur ab Isthmo. Credere quis posset? solae cessastis Athenae. Obstitit officio bellum, subvectaque ponto Barbara Mopsopios terrebant agmina muros. Threicius Tereus haec auxiliaribus armis

425

Fuderat et clarum vincendo nomen habebat;

Quem sibi Pandion opibusque virisque potentem Et genus a magno ducentem forte Gradivo Conubio Procnes iunxit; non pronuba Iuno, 430

435

440

Non Hymenaeus adest, non illi Gratia lecto: Eumenides tenuere faces de funere raptas, Eumenides stravere torum, tectoque profanus Incubuit bubo thalamique in culmine sedit. Hac ave coniuncti Procne Tereusque, parentes Hac ave sunt facti; gratata est scilicet illis Thracia, disque ipsis grates egere diemque, Quaque data est claro Pandione nata tyranno Quaque erat ortus Itys, festum iussere vocari: Usque adeo latet utilitas! — iam tempora Titan Quinque per autumnos repetiti duxerat anni, Cum blandita viro Procne "si gratia" dixit “Ulla mea est, vel me visendam mitte sorori,

445

Vel soror huc veniat! redituram tempore parvo Promittes socero; magni mihi muneris instar Germanam vidisse dabis." iubet ille carinas In freta deduci veloque et remige portus Cecropios intrat Piraeaque litora tangit. Ut primum soceri data copia, dextera dextrae Iungitur, et fausto committitur omine sermo.

450

Coeperat adventus causam, mandata referre Coniugis et celeres missae spondere recursus:

Book

6

(489)—Tereus

Ecce venit magno dives Philomela paratu, Divitior forma, quales audire solemus

Naidas et dryadas mediis incedere silvis, Si modo des illis cultus similesque paratus. 455 Non secus exarsit conspecta virgine Tereus,

Quam siquis canis ignem subponat aristis Aut frondem positasque cremet faenilibus herbas. Digna quidem facies, sed et hunc innata libido Exstimulat, pronumque genus regionibus illis 460 [n Venerem est: flagrat vitio gentisque suoque. Inpetus est illi comitum corrumpere curam Nutricisque fidem nec non ingentibus ipsam Sollicitare datis totumque inpendere regnum, Aut rapere et saevo raptam defendere bello. 465 Et nihil est, quod non effreno captus amore Ausit, nec capiunt inclusas pectora flammas. Iamque moras male fert cupidoque revertitur ore Ad mandata Procnes et agit sua vota sub illa. Facundum faciebat amor, quotiensque rogabat 470 Ulterius iusto, Procnen ita velle ferebat; Addidit et lacrimas, tamquam mandasset et illas. Pro superi, quantum mortalia pectora caecae

Noctis habent! ipso sceleris molimine Tereus Creditur esse pius laudemque a crimine sumit.

475 Quid quod idem Philomela cupit patriosque lacertis Blanda tenens umeros, ut eat visura sororem,

Perque suam contraque suam petit ipsa salutem. Spectat eam Tereus praecontrectatque videndo Osculaque et collo circumdata bracchia cernens 480 Omnia pro stimulis facibusque ciboque furoris Accipit et, quotiens amplectitur illa parentem,

Esse parens vellet: neque enim minus inpius esset. Vincitur ambarum genitor prece: gaudet agitque Illa patri grates et successisse duabus 485 Id putat infelix, quod erit lugubre duabus. Iam labor exiguus Phoebo restabat equique Pulsabant pedibus spatium declivis Olympi: Regales epulae mensis et Bacchus in auro Ponitur; hinc placido dantur sua corpora somno.

. . .

52

ovip's Metamorphoses

490 At rex Odrysius, quamvis secessit, in illa

Aestuat et repetens faciem motusque manusque, Qualia vult, fingit, quae nondum vidit, et ignes Ipse suos nutrit cura removente soporem; Lux erat, et generi dextram conplexus euntis 495

Pandion comitem lacrimis commendat obortis: "Hanc ego, care gener, quoniam pia causa coegit, Ut voluere ambae, voluisti tu quoque, Tereu,

500

Do tibi perque fidem cognataque pectora supplex, Per superos oro, patrio ut tuearis amore Et mihi sollicito lenimen dulce senectae Quam primum (omnis erit nobis mora longa) remittas!

Tu quoque

quam

primum

(satis est procul esse so-

rorem), Si pietas ulla est, ad me, Philomela, redito!” Mandabat pariterque suae dabat oscula natae, 505 Etlacrimae mites inter mandata cadebant,

510

515

520

Utque fide pignus dextras utriusque poposcit Inter seque datas iunxit natamque nepotemque Absentes pro se memori rogat ore salutent Supremumque vale pleno singultibus ore Vix dixit timuitque suae praesagia mentis. Ut semel inposita est pictae Philomela carinae Admotumque fretum remis tellusque repulsa est, “Vicimus!” exclamat "mecum mea vota feruntur!" Exultatque et vix animo sua gaudia differt Barbarus et nusquam lumen detorquet ab illa, Non aliter, quam cum pedibus praedator obuncis Deposuit nido leporem Iovis ales in alto: Nulla fuga est capto, spectat sua praemia raptor. Iamque iter effectum iamque in sua litora fessis Puppibus exierant, cum rex Pandione natam In stabula alta trahit silvis obscura vetustis Atque ibi pallentem trepidamque et cuncta timentem Et iam cum lacrimis, ubi sit germana, rogantem

525

Includit fassusque nefas et virginem et unam Vi superat frustra clamato saepe parente, Saepe sorore sua, magnis super omnia divis.

Illa tremit velut agna pavens, quae saucia cani

Book

6

(565)—Tereus

...

Ore excussa lupi nondum sibi tuta videtur,

Utque columba suo madefactis sanguine plumis 530

Horret adhuc avidosque timet, quibus haeserat, ungues. Mox, ubi mens rediit, passos laniata capillos,

Lugenti similis, caesis plangore lacertis, Intendens palmas “o diris barbare factis! O crudelis!" ait “nec te mandata parentis 535 Cum lacrimis movere piis, nec cura sororis

Nec mea virginitas nec coniugialia iura! Omnia turbasti: paelex ego facta sororis, Tu geminus coniunx! hostis mihi debita poena! Quin animam hanc, ne quod facinus tibi, perfide, restet, 540

Eripis? atque utinam fecisses ante nefandos Concubitus! vacuas habuissem criminis umbras. Si tamen haec superi cernunt, si numina divum Sunt aliquid, si non perierunt omnia mecum,

545

Quandocumque mihi poenas dabis! ipsa pudore Proiecto tua facta loquar: si copia detur, In populos veniam; si silvis clausa tenebor, Inplebo silvas et conscia saxa movebo. Audiet haec aether, et si deus ullus in illo est!"

Talibus ira feri postquam commota tyranni 550 Nec minor hac metus est, causa stimulatus utraque,

Quo fuit accinctus, vagina liberat ensem Adreptamque coma flexis post terga lacertis Vincla pati cogit; iugulum Philomela parabat Spemque suae mortis viso conceperat ense: 555

Ille indignantem et nomen patris usque vocantem Luctantemque loqui conprensam forcipe linguam Abstulit ense fero; radix micat ultima linguae,

Ipsa iacet terraeque tremens inmurmurat atrae, Utque salire solet mutilatae cauda colubrae,

560 Palpitat et moriens dominae vestigia quaerit. Hoc quoque post facinus (vix ausim credere) fertur

Saepe sua lacerum repetisse libidine corpus. Sustinet ad Procnen post talia facta reverti, 565

Coniuge quae viso germanam quaerit; at ille Dat gemitus fictos commentaque funera narrat;

53

54

570

ovip's Metamorphoses

Et lacrimae fecere fidem. velamina Procne Deripit ex umeris auro fulgentia lato Induiturque atras vestes et inane sepulcrum Constituit falsisque piacula manibus infert Et luget non sic lugendae fata sororis. Signa deus bis sex acto lustraverat anno: Quid faciat Philomela? fugam custodia claudit, Structa rigent solido stabulorum moenia saxo,

Os mutum facti caret indice. grande doloris 575 Ingenium est, miserisque venit sollertia rebus.

Stamina barbarica suspendit callida tela Purpureasque notas filis intexuit albis, Indicium sceleris, perfectaque tradidit uni,

Utque ferat dominae, gestu rogat; illa rogata 580

Pertulit ad Procnen: nescit, quid tradat in illis.

Evolvit vestes saevi matrona tyranni Fortunaeque suae carmen miserabile legit Et (mirum potuisse!) 585

590

silet: dolor ora repressit,

Verbaque quaerenti satis indignantia linguae Defuerunt, nec flere vacat, sed fasque nefasque Confusura ruit poenaeque in imagine tota est. Tempus erat, quo sacra solent trieterica Bacchi Sithoniae celebrare nurus: nox conscia sacris. Nocte sonat Rodope tinnitibus aeris acuti; Nocte sua est egressa domo regina deique Ritibus instruitur furialiaque accipit arma: Vite caput tegitur, lateri cervina sinistro Vellera dependent, umero levis incubat hasta.

Concita per silvas turba comitante suarum 595

600

Terribilis Procne furiisque agitata doloris, Bacche, tuas simulat; venit ad stabula avia tandem

Exululatque euhoeque sonat portasque refringit Germanamque rapit raptaeque insignia Bacchi Induit et vultus hederarum frondibus abdit Adtonitamque trahens intra sua moenia ducit. Ut sensit tetigisse domum Philomela nefandam,

Horruit infelix totoque expalluit ore; Nacta locum Procne sacrorum pignora demit Oraque develat miserae pudibunda sororis

Book

6

(641)—Tereus

605 Amplexumque petit; sed non attollere contra Sustinet haec oculos, paelex sibi visa sororis,

Deiectoque in humum vultu iurare volenti Testarique deos, per vim sibi dedecus illud Inlatum, pro voce manus fuit. ardet et iram

610 Non capit ipsa suam Procne fletumque sororis Corripiens “non est lacrimis hoc" inquit "agendum, Sed ferro, sed siquid habes, quod vincere ferrum Possit! in omne nefas ego me, germana, paravi: Aut ego, cum facibus regalia tecta cremabo,

615 Artificem mediis immittam Terea flammis Aut linguam atque oculos et quae tibi membra pudorem Abstulerunt, ferro rapiam aut per vulnera mille Sontem animam expellam! magnum quodcumque paravi: Quid sit, adhuc dubito." peragit dum talia Procne,

620 Ad matrem veniebat Itys: quid possit, ab illo Admonita est oculisque tuens inmitibus “a! quam Es similis patri!" dixit nec plura locuta Triste parat facinus tacitaque exaestuat ira. Ut tamen accessit natus matrique salutem

625 Adtulit et parvis adduxit colla lacertis Mixtaque blanditiis puerilibus oscula iunxit, Mota quidem est genetrix infractaque constitit ira, Invitique oculi lacrimis maduere coactis;

Sed simul ex nimia matrem pietate labare 630 Sensit, ab hoc iterum est ad vultus versa sororis

Inque vicem spectans ambos “cur admovet" inquit "Alter blanditias, rapta silet altera lingua? Quam vocat hic matrem, cur non vocat illa sororem? Cui sis nupta, vide, Pandione nata, marito!

635 Degeneras! scelus est pietas in coniuge Tereo." Nec mora, traxit Ityn, veluti Gangetica cervae

Lactentem fetum per silvas tigris opacas, Utque domus altae partem tenuere remotam, Tendentemque manus et iam sua fata videntem

640 Et "mater, mater" clamantem et colla petentem Ense ferit Procne, lateri qua pectus adhaeret,

..

.

55

56

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Nec vultum vertit; satis illi ad fata vel unum Vulnus erat, iugulum ferro Philomela resolvit; 645

Vivaque adhuc animaeque aliquid retinentia membra Dilaniant: pars inde cavis exultat aénis, Pars veribus stridunt; manant penetralia tabo.

650

655

660

His adhibet coniunx ignarum Terea mensis Et patrii moris sacrum mentita, quod uni Fas sit adire viro, comites famulosque removit. Ipse sedens solio Tereus sublimis avito Vescitur inque suam sua viscera congerit alvum, Tantaque nox animi est: “Ityn huc accersite" dixit. Dissimulare nequit crudelia gaudia Procne Iamque suae cupiens existere nuntia cladis "Intus habes, quem poscis" ait. circumspicit ille Atque, ubi sit, quaerit: quaerenti iterumque vocanti, Sicut erat sparsis furiali caede capillis, Prosiluit Ityosque caput Philomela cruentum Misit in ora patris nec tempore maluit ullo Posse loqui et meritis testari gaudia dictis. Thracius ingenti mensas clamore repellit Vipereasque ciet Stygia de valle sorores Et modo, si posset, reserato pectore diras

Egerere inde dapes inmersaque viscera gestit, 665

670

Flet modo seque vocat bustum miserabile nati;

Nunc sequitur nudo genitas Pandione ferro. Corpora Cecropidum pennis pendere putares: Pendebant pennis. quarum petit altera silvas, Altera tecta subit; neque adhuc de pectore caedis Excessere notae, signataque sanguine pluma est. Ille dolore suo poenaeque cupidine velox Vertitur in volucrem, cui stant in vertice cristae,

675

Prominet inmodicum pro longa cuspide rostrum: Nomen epops volucri, facies armata videtur. Hic dolor ante diem longaeque extrema senectae Tempora Tartareas Pandiona misit ad umbras;

Sceptra loci rerumque capit moderamen Erechtheus, Iustitia dubium validisne potentior armis. Quattuor ille quidem iuvenes totidemque crearat 680 Femineae sortis, sed erat par forma duarum;

Book

6

(718)—Boreas

E quibus Aeolides Cephalus te coniuge felix, Procri, fuit; Boreae Tereus Thracesque nocebant,

Dilectaque diu caruit deus Orithyia, Dum rogat et precibus mavult quam viribus uti. 685 Ast ubi blanditiis agitur nihil, horridus ira, Quae solita est illi nimiumque domestica vento, “Et merito!" dixit “quid enim mea tela reliqui,

Saevitiam et vires iramque animosque minaces, Admovique preces, quarum me dedecet usus?

690 Apta mihi vis est: vi tristia nubila pello, Vi freta concutio nodosaque robora verto Induroque nives et terras grandine pulso; Idem ego cum fratres caelo sum nactus aperto (Nam mihi campus is est), tanto molimine luctor,

695 Ut medius nostris concursibus insonet aether Exiliantque cavis elisi nubibus ignes;

Idem ego cum subii convexa foramina terrae Subposuique ferox imis mea terga cavernis, Sollicito manes totumque tremoribus orbem. 700 Hac ope debueram thalamos petiisse, socerque Non orandus erat mihi, sed faciendus Erechtheus."

Haec Boreas aut his non inferiora locutus Excussit pennas, quarum iactatibus omnis Adflata est tellus latumque perhorruit aequor,

705 Pulvereamque trabens per summa cacumina pallam Verrit humum pavidamque metu caligine tectus Orithyian amans fulvis amplectitur alis. Dum volat, arserunt agitati fortius ignes, Nec prius aérii cursus subpressit habenas,

710 Quam Ciconum tenuit populos et moenia raptor. Illic et gelidi coniunx Actaea tyranni Et genetrix facta est partus enixa gemellos, Cetera qui matris, pennas genitoris haberent.

Non tamen has una memorant cum corpore natas, 715 Barbaque dum rutilis aberat subnixa capillis, Inplumes Calaisque puer Zetesque fuerunt; Mox pariter pennae ritu coepere volucrum Cingere utrumque latus, pariter flavescere malae.

..

.

58

ovin’s Metamorphoses

Ergo ubi concessit tempus puerile iuventae,

720 Vellera cum Minyis nitido radiantia villo Per mare non notum prima petiere carina.

LIBER

SEPTIMUS

Iamque fretum Minyae Pagasaea puppe secabant, Perpetuaque trahens inopem sub nocte senectam Phineus visus erat, iuvenesque Aquilone creati

Virgineas volucres miseri senis ore fugarant, Multaque perpessi claro sub Iasone tandem Contigerant rapidas limosi Phasidos undas;

Dumque adeunt regem Phrixeaque vellera poscunt tVisque datur Minyist magnorum horrenda laborum, Concipit interea validos Aeetias ignes 10

Et luctata diu, postquam ratione furorem Vincere non poterat, "frustra, Medea, repugnas: Nescio quis deus obstat"; ait "mirumque, nisi hoc est, Aut aliquid certe simile huic, quod amare vocatur.

Nam cur iussa patris nimium mihi dura videntur? 15 (Sunt quoque dura nimis!) cur, quem modo denique

vidi,

Ne pereat, timeo? quae tanti causa timoris? Excute virgineo conceptas pectore flammas, Si potes, infelix! si possem, sanior essem; 20

Sed trahit invitam nova vis, aliudque cupido, Mens aliud suadet: video meliora proboque, Deteriora sequor! quid in hospite, regia virgo, Ureris et thalamos alieni concipis orbis? Haec quoque terra potest, quod ames, dare! vivat,

an ille Occidat, in dis est; vivat tamen! idque precari 25 Vel sine amore licet; quid enim commisit Iason?

Quem nisi crudelem non tangat Iasonis aetas Et genus et virtus? quem non, ut cetera desint, Ore movere potest? certe mea pectora movit. At nisi opem tulero, taurorum adflabitur ore 59

60

ovin’s Metamorphoses

30 Concurretque suae segetis tellure creatis Hostibus aut avido dabitur fera praeda draconi! Hoc ego si patiar, tum me de tigride natam,

Tum ferrum et scopulos gestare in corde fatebor. Cur non et specto pereuntem oculosque videndo 35 Conscelero? cur non tauros exhortor in illum Terrigenasque feros insopitumque draconem? Di meliora velint! quamquam non ista precanda,

Sed facienda mihi! prodamne ego regna parentis, Atque ope nescio quis servabitur advena nostra, 40 Ut per me sospes sine me det lintea ventis Virque sit alterius, poenae Medea relinquar? Si facere hoc aliamve potest praeponere nobis, Occidat ingratus! sed non is vultus in illo,

Non ea nobilitas animo est, ea gratia formae, 45 Ut timeam fraudem meritique oblivia nostri. Et dabit ante fidem cogamque in foedera testes Esse deos! quid tuta times? accingere et omnem Pelle moram! tibi se semper debebit Iason, Te face sollemni iunget sibi, perque Pelasgas 50 Servatrix urbes matrum celebrabere turba! Ergo ego germanam fratremque patremque deosque Et natale solum ventis ablata relinquam? Nempe pater saevus, nempe est mea barbara tellus, Frater adhuc infans! stant mecum vota sororis, 55 Maximus intra me deus est. non magna relinquam, Magna sequar: titulum servatae pubis Achivae Notitiamque loci melioris et oppida, quorum Hic quoque fama viget, cultusque artesque locorum, Quemque ego cum rebus, quas totus possidet orbis, 60 Aesoniden mutasse velim, quo coniuge felix Et dis cara ferar et vertice sidera tangam! Quid quod nescio qui mediis occurrere in undis Dicuntur montes ratibusque inimica Charybdis Nunc sorbere fretum, nunc reddere cinctaque saevis

65 Scylla rapax canibus Siculo latrare profundo? Nempe tenens, quod amo, gremioque in Iasonis haerens Per freta longa ferar: nihil illum amplexa verebor,

Book

7

(106)—Medea

and Jason

Aut, siquid metuam, metuam de coniuge solo. Coniugiumne putas speciosaque nomina culpae 70 Inponis, Medea, tuae? — quin adspice, quantum Adgrediare nefas, et dum licet, effuge crimen!" Dixit, et ante oculos rectum pietasque pudorque Constiterant, et victa dabat iam terga cupido. Ibat ad antiquas Hecates Perseidos aras,

75 Quas nemus umbrosum secretaque silva tegebat, Et iam fortis erat, pulsusque resederat ardor, Cum videt Aesoniden, extinctaque flamma reluxit. Erubuere genae, totoque recanduit ore,

Utque solet ventis alimenta adsumere, quaeque 80 Parva sub inducta latuit scintilla favilla, Crescere et in veteres agitata resurgere vires, Sic iam lenis amor, iam quem languere putares, Ut vidit iuvenem, specie praesentis inarsit, Et casu solito formosior Aesone natus

85 Illa luce fuit: posses ignoscere amanti. Spectat et in vultu veluti tum denique viso Lumina fixa tenet nec se mortalia demens Ora videre putat nec se declinat ab illo.

Ut vero coepitque loqui dextramque prehendit 90 Hospes et auxilium submissa voce rogavit Promisitque torum, lacrimis ait illa profusis: "Quid faciam, video, nec me ignorantia veri Decipiet, sed amor! servabere munere nostro:

Servatus promissa dato!" per sacra triformis 95 Ille deae, lucoque foret quod numen in illo, Perque patrem soceri cernentem cuncta futuri

Eventusque suos et tanta pericula iurat; Creditus accepit cantatas protinus herbas Edidicitque usum laetusque in tecta recessit. 100

Postera depulerat stellas aurora micantes: Conveniunt populi sacrum Mavortis in arvum

Consistuntque iugis; medio rex ipse resedit Agmine purpureus sceptroque insignis eburno. Ecce adamanteis Vulcanum naribus efflant

105 Aeripedes tauri, tactaeque vaporibus herbae Ardent; utque solent pleni resonare camini,

61

62

ovip's Metamorphoses

Aut ubi terrena silices fornace soluti Concipiunt ignem liquidarum adspergine aquarum, Pectora sic intus clausas volventia flammas

110 Gutturaque usta sonant. tamen illis Aesone natus Obvius it: vertere truces venientis ad ora Terribiles vultus praefixaque cornua ferro Pulvereumque solum pede pulsavere bisulco Fumificisque locum mugitibus inpleverunt. 115 Deriguere metu Minyae; subit ille (nec illos Sensit anhelantes: tantum medicamina possunt)

Pendulaque audaci mulcet palearia dextra

Subpositosque iugo pondus grave cogit aratri Ducere et insuetum ferro proscindere campum. 120 Mirantur Colchi, Minyae clamoribus augent Adiciuntque animos. galea tum sumit aéna

Vipereos dentes et aratos spargit in agros. Semina mollit humus valido praetincta veneno, Et crescunt fiuntque sati nova corpora dentes;

125 Utque hominis speciem materna sumit in alvo Perque suos intus numeros conponitur infans Nec nisi maturus communes exit in auras,

Sic, ubi visceribus gravidae telluris imago Effecta est hominis, feto consurgit in arvo,

130 Quodque magis mirum est, simul edita concutit arma.

Quos ubi viderunt praeacutae cuspidis hastas In caput Haemonii iuvenis torquere parantes, Demisere metu vultumque animumque Pelasgi. Ipsa quoque extimuit, quae tutum fecerat illum, 135 Utque peti vidit iuvenem tot ab hostibus unum, Palluit et subito sine sanguine frigida sedit;

Neve parum valeant a se data gramina, carmen Auxiliare canit secretasque advocat artes.

Ille gravem medios silicem iaculatus in hostes 140 A se depulsum Martem convertit in ipsos: Terrigenae pereunt per mutua vulnera fratres

Civilique cadunt acie. gratantur Achivi Victoremque tenent avidisque amplexibus haerent. Tu quoque victorem conplecti, barbara, velles;

Book

7

(182)—Medea

and Aeson

145 Sed te, ne faceres, tenuit reverentia famae;

Obstitit incepto pudor. at conplexa fuisses . . . Quod licet, adfectu tacito laetaris agisque

150

Carminibus grates et dis auctoribus horum. Pervigilem superest herbis sopire draconem, Qui crista linguisque tribus praesignis et uncis Dentibus horrendus custos erat arboris aureae.

Hunc postquam sparsit Lethaei gramine suci Verbaque ter dixit placidos facientia somnos, Quae mare turbatum, quae concita flumina sistunt, 155 Somnus in ignotos oculos ubi venit, et auro

Heros Aesonius potitur spolioque superbus

Muneris auctorem secum, spolia altera, portans Victor Iolciacos tetigit cum coniuge portus. Haemoniae matres pro gnatis dona receptis 160

Grandaevique ferunt patres congestaque flamma

Tura liquefaciunt, inductaque cornibus aurum Victima vota facit; sed abest gratantibus Aeson Iam propior leto fessusque senilibus annis, Cum sic Aesonides: “o cui debere salutem 165 Confiteor, coniunx, quamquam mihi cuncta dedisti Excessitque fidem meritorum summa tuorum, Si tamen hoc possunt (quid enim non carmina possunt?),

Deme meis annis et demptos adde parenti! Nec tenuit lacrimas: mota est pietate rogantis, 170 Dissimilemque animum subiit Aeeta relictus;

Nec tamen adfectus tales confessa “quod” inquit “Excidit ore tuo, coniunx, scelus? ergo ego cuiquam Posse tuae videor spatium transcribere vitae? Nec sinat hoc Hecate, nec tu petis aequa, sed isto, 175

Quod petis, experiar maius dare munus, Iason. Arte mea soceri longum temptabimus aevum, Non annis renovare tuis, modo diva triformis

Adiuvet et praesens ingentibus adnuat ausis!" Tres aberant noctes, ut cornua tota coirent 180

Efficerentque orbem. postquam plenissima fulsit Et solida terras spectavit imagine luna, Egreditur tectis vestes induta recinctas,

63

64

ovip's Metamorphoses

Nuda pedem, nudos umeris infusa capillos, 185

Fertque vagos mediae per muta silentia noctis Incomitata gradus. homines volucresque ferasque

Solverat alta quies: nullo cum murmure saepes . . . 186* Sopitae similis, nullo cum murmure saepes Inmotaeque silent frondes, silet umidus aér; Sidera sola micant; ad quae sua bracchia tendens Ter se convertit, ter sumptis flumine crinem 190 Inroravit aquis ternisque ululatibus ora Solvit et in dura submisso poplite terra

"Nox" ait "arcanis fidissima, quaeque diurnis Aurea cum luna succeditis ignibus astra,

Tuque triceps Hecate, quae coeptis conscia nostris 195 Adiutrixque venis cantusque artisque magorum,

Quaeque magos, Tellus, pollentibus instruis herbis,

Auraeque et venti montesque amnesque lacusque Dique omnes nemorum dique omnes noctis adeste! Quorum ope, cum volui, ripis mirantibus amnes 200 In fontes rediere suos, concussaque sisto,

Stantia concutio cantu freta, nubila pello Nubilaque induco, ventos abigoque vocoque, Vipereas rumpo verbis et carmine fauces, Vivaque saxa sua convulsaque robora terra 205

Et silvas moveo iubeoque tremescere montes Et mugire solum manesque exire sepulcris.

Te quoque, Luna, traho, quamvis Temesaea labores Aera tuos minuant; currus quoque carmine nostro Pallet avi, pallet nostris Aurora venenis. 210 Vos mihi taurorum flammas hebetastis et unco Inpatiens oneris collum pressistis aratro,

Vos serpentigenis in se fera bella dedistis Custodemque rudem somno sopistis et aurum Vindice decepto Graias misistis in urbes. 215 Nunc opus est sucis, per quos renovata senectus

In florem redeat primosque reconligat annos. Et dabitis! neque enim micuerunt sidera frustra, Nec frustra volucrum tractus cervice draconum Currus adest." aderat demissus ab aethere currus. 220 Quo simul adscendit frenataque colla draconum

Book

7

(258)—Medea

and Aeson

Permulsit manibusque leves agitavit habenas, Sublimis rapitur subiectaque Thessala Tempe Dispicit et certis regionibus adplicat angues Et, quas Ossa tulit, quas altus Pelion herbas 225

Othrysque et Pindus, quas Pindo maior Olympus, Perspicit et placitas partim radice revellit,

Partim succidit curvamine falcis aénae. Multa quoque Apidani placuerunt gramina ripis, Multa quoque Amphrysi, neque eras inmunis, Enipeu; 230 Nec non Penéus, nec non Spercheides undae

Contribuere aliquid iuncosaque litora Boebes. Carpsit et Euboica vivax Anthedone gramen, Nondum mutato vulgatum corpore Glauci. Et iam nona dies curru pennisque draconum 235 Nonaque nox omnes lustrantem viderat agros,

Cum rediit; neque erant tacti nisi odore dracones

240

Et tamen annosae pellem posuere senectae. Constitit adveniens citra limenque foresque Et tantum caelo tegitur refugitque viriles Contactus statuitque aras e caespite binas, Dexteriore Hecates, ast laeva parte Iuventae.

245

250

Has ubi verbenis silvaque incinxit agresti, Haud procul egesta scrobibus tellure duabus Sacra facit cultrosque in guttura velleris atri Conicit et patulas perfundit sanguine fossas. Tum super invergens liquidi carchesia vini Alteraque invergens tepidi carchesia lactis Verba simul fudit terrenaque numina civit Umbrarumque rogat rapta cum coniuge regem, Ne properent artus anima fraudare senili. Quos ubi placavit precibusque et murmure longo, Aesonis effetum proferri corpus ad auras Iussit et in plenos resolutum carmine somnos Exanimi similem stratis porrexit in herbis.

255 Hinc procul Aesoniden, procul hinc iubet ire mi-

nistros,

Et monet arcanis oculos removere profanos. Diffugiunt iussi, passis Medea capillis Bacchantum ritu flagrantes circuit aras

65

66

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Multifidasque faces in fossa sanguinis atra 260 Tingit et infectas geminis accendit in aris Terque senem flamma, ter aqua, ter sulphure lustrat. Interea validum posito medicamen aéno Fervet et exultat spumisque tumentibus albet. Illic Haemonia radices valle resectas 265 Seminaque floresque et sucos incoquit atros. Adicit extremo lapides Oriente petitos Et, quas Oceani refluum mare lavit, harenas;

Addit et exceptas luna pernocte pruinas Et strigis infames ipsis cum carnibus alas 270 Inque virum soliti vultus mutare ferinos Ambigui prosecta lupi; nec defuit illis

Squamea Cinyphii tenuis membrana chelydri Vivacisque iecur cervi, quibus insuper addit

Ora caputque novem cornicis saecula passae. 775 His et mille aliis postquam sine nomine rebus Propositum instruxit mortali barbara maius, Arenti ramo iampridem mitis olivae Omnia confudit summisque inmiscuit ima. Ecce vetus calido versatus stipes aéno 280 Fit viridis primo nec longo tempore frondes Induit et subito gravidis oneratur olivis;

At quacumque cavis spumas eiecit aénis Ignis et in terram guttae cecidere calentes, Vernat humus, floresque et mollia pabula surgunt. 285 Quae simul ac vidit, stricto Medea recludit

Ense senis iugulum veteremque exire cruorem Passa replet sucis; quos postquam conbibit Aeson

Aut ore acceptos aut vulnere, barba comaeque Canitie posita nigrum rapuere colorem, 290 Pulsa fugit macies, abeunt pallorque situsque, Adiectoque cavae supplentur corpore rugae, Membraque luxuriant: Aeson miratur et olim Ante quater denos hunc se reminiscitur annos. Viderat ex alto tanti miracula monstri 295 Liber et admonitus iuvenes nutricibus annos

Posse suis reddi capit hoc a Colchide munus. Neve doli cessent, odium cum coniuge falsum

Book

7

(335)—Medea

and Pelias

Phasias adsimulat Peliaeque ad limina supplex Confugit, atque illam, quoniam gravis ipse senecta est, 300 Excipiunt natae; quas tempore callida parvo Colchis amicitiae mendacis imagine cepit,

Dumque refert inter meritorum maxima demptos Aesonis esse situs atque hac in parte moratur,

Spes est virginibus Pelia subiecta creatis 305 Arte suum parili revirescere posse parentem, Idque petunt pretiumque iubent sine fine pacisci. Illa brevi spatio silet et dubitare videtur Suspenditque animos ficta gravitate rogantes; Mox, ubi pollicita est, “quo sit fiducia maior 310 Muneris huius," ait “qui vestri maximus aevo est

Dux gregis inter oves, agnus medicamine fiet." Protinus innumeris effetus laniger annis Attrahitur flexo circum cava tempora cornu; Cuius ut Haemonio marcentia guttura cultro 315 Fodit et exiguo maculavit sanguine ferrum, Membra simul pecudis validosque venefica sucos Mergit in aere cavo: minuunt ea corporis artus Cornuaque exurunt nec non cum cornibus annos, Et tener auditur medio.balatus aéno;

320 Nec mora, balatum mirantibus exilit agnus Lascivitque fuga lactantiaque ubera quaerit. Obstipuere satae Pelia, promissaque postquam Exhibuere fidem, tum vero inpensius instant. Ter iuga Phoebus equis in Hibero flumine mersis 325 Dempserat, et quarta radiantia nocte micabant Sidera, cum rapido fallax Aeetias igni Inponit purum laticem et sine viribus herbas;

Iamque neci similis resoluto corpore regem Et cum rege suo custodes somnus habebat, 330 Quem dederant cantus magicaeque potentia linguae; Intrarant iussae cum Colchide limina natae Ambierantque torum: “quid nunc dubitatis inertes? Stringite" ait "gladios veteremque haurite cruorem, Ut repleam vacuas iuvenali sanguine venas! 335 In manibus vestris vita est aetasque parentis:

67

68

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Si pietas ulla est nec spes agitatis inanes,

Officium praestate patri telisque senectam Exigite et saniem coniecto emittite ferro!” His, ut quaeque pia est, hortatibus inpia prima est 340 Et, ne sit scelerata, facit scelus; haud tamen ictus

345

Ulla suos spectare potest, oculosque reflectunt Caecaque dant saevis aversae vulnera dextris. Ille cruore fluens cubito tamen adlevat artus Semilacerque toro temptat consurgere et inter Tot medius gladios pallentia bracchia tendens "Quid facitis, gnatae? quis vos in fata parentis Armat?" ait: cecidere illis animique manusque; Plura locuturo cum verbis guttura Colchis Abstulit et calidis laniatum mersit in undis.

350 Quodnisi pennatis serpentibus isset in auras,

Non exempta foret poenae: fugit alta superque Pelion umbrosum, Philyreia tecta, superque Othryn et eventu veteris loca nota Cerambi: Hic ope nympharum sublatus in aéra pennis, 355

Cum gravis infuso tellus foret obruta ponto, Deucalioneas effugit inobrutus undas. Aeoliam Pitanen a laeva parte relinquit Factaque de saxo longi simulacra draconis Idaeumque nemus, quo nati furta, iuvencum,

360

Occuluit Liber falsi sub imagine cervi, Quaque pater Corythi parva tumulatus harena est, Et quos Maera novo latratu terruit agros, Eurypylique urbem, qua Coae cornua matres Gesserunt, tum cum discederet Herculis agmen,

365 Phoebeamque Rhodon et Ialysios Telchinas,

Quorum oculos ipso vitiantes omnia visu Iuppiter exosus fraternis subdidit undis. Transit et antiquae Cartheia moenia Ceae, 370

Qua pater Alcidamas placidam de corpore natae Miraturus erat nasci potuisse columbam. Inde lacus Hyries videt et Cycneia tempe, Quae subitus celebravit olor: nam Phylius illic Imperio pueri volucresque ferumque leonem Tradiderat domitos; taurum quoque vincere iussus

Book 375

7

(412)—Medea

and Theseus

Vicerat et stricto totiens iratus amore Praemia poscenti taurum suprema negabat;

380

Ille indignatus "cupies dare" dixit et alto Desiluit saxo. cuncti cecidisse putabant: Factus olor niveis pendebat in aére pennis. At genetrix Hyrie, servati nescia, flendo Delicuit stagnumque suo de nomine fecit. Adiacet his Pleuron, in qua trepidantibus alis

385

Ophias effugit natorum vulnera Combe. Inde Calaureae Letoidos adspicit arva In volucrem versi cum coniuge conscia regis. Dextra Cyllene est, in qua cum matre Menephron

390

395

Concubiturus erat saevarum more ferarum; Cephison procul hinc deflentem fata nepotis Respicit in tumidam phocen ab Apolline versi Eumelique domum lugentis in aére natum. Tandem vipereis Ephyren Pirenida pennis Contigit: hic aevo veteres mortalia primo Corpora vulgarunt pluvialibus edita fungis; Sed postquam Colchis arsit nova nupta venenis Flagrantemque domum regis mare vidit utrumque, Sanguine natorum perfunditur inpius ensis, Ultaque se male mater lasonis effugit arma. Hinc Titaniacis ablata draconibus intrat Palladias arces, quae te, iustissima Phene,

400

Teque, senex Peripha, pariter videre volantes Innixamque novis neptem Polypemonis alis. Excipit hanc Aegeus facto damnandus in uno;

405

Nec satis hospitium est: thalami quoque foedere iungit. Iamque aderat Theseus, proles ignara parenti, Et virtute sua bimarem pacaverat Isthmon: Huius in exitium miscet Medea, quod olim

Adtulerat secum Scythicis aconiton ab oris. Illud Echidneae memorant e dentibus ortum Esse canis; specus est tenebroso caecus hiatu, 410

Est via declivis, per quam Tirynthius heros Restantem contraque diem radiosque micantes Obliquantem oculos nexis adamante catenis

69

70

ovi»'s Metamorphoses

Cerberon abstraxit, rabida qui concitus ira

Inplevit pariter ternis latratibus auras 415 Et sparsit virides spumis albentibus agros; Has concresse putant nactasque alimenta feracis Fecundique soli vires cepisse nocendi, Quae quia nascuntur dura vivacia caute,

Agrestes aconita vocant; ea coniugis astu 420 [pse parens Aegeus nato porrexit ut hosti. Sumpserat ignara Theseus data pocula dextra, Cum pater in capulo gladii cognovit eburno Signa sui generis facinusque excussit ab ore; Effugit illa necem nebulis per carmina motis. 45 At genitor, quamquam laetatur sospite nato, Adtonitus tamen est ingens discrimine parvo Committi potuisse nefas; fovet ignibus aras Muneribusque deos inplet, feriuntque secures Colla torosa boum vinctorum tempora vittis. 430 Nullus Erechthidis fertur celebratior illo Inluxisse dies; agitant convivia patres Et medium vulgus, nec non et carmina vino Ingenium faciente canunt: “te, maxime Theseu, Mirata est Marathon Cretaei sanguine tauri,

435 Quodque suis securus arat Cromyona colonus, Munus opusque tuum est; tellus Epidauria per te Clavigeram vidit Vulcani occumbere prolem, Vidit et inmitem Cephisias ora Procrusten;

Cercyonis letum vidit Cerealis Eleusin. 440 Occidit ille Sinis magnis male viribus usus,

Qui poterat curvare trabes et agebat ab alto Ad terram late sparsuras corpora pinus. Tutus ad Alcathoén, Lelegeia moenia, limes

Conposito Scirone patet, sparsisque latronis 445 Terra negat sedem, sedem negat ossibus unda,

Quae iactata diu fertur durasse vetustas In scopulos; scopulis nomen Scironis inhaeret. Si titulos annosque tuos numerare velimus, Facta premant annos! pro te, fortissime, vota 450 Publica suscipimus, bacchi tibi sumimus haustus."

Consonat adsensu populi precibusque faventum

,

Book

7

(490)—Minos

in Aegina

Regia, nec tota tristis locus ullus in urbe est. Nec tamen (usque adeo nulla est sincera voluptas, 455

Sollicitumque aliquid laetis intervenit) Aegeus Gaudia percepit nato secura recepto: Bella parat Minos; qui quamquam milite, quamquam Classe valet, patria tamen est firmissimus ira

460

465

Androgeique necem iustis ulciscitur armis. Ante tamen bello vires adquirit amicas, Quaque potens habitus, volucri freta classe pererrat. Hinc Anaphen sibi iungit et Astypaleia regna, Promissis Anaphen, regna Astypaleia bello; Hinc humilem Myconon cretosaque rura Cimoli Florentemque thymo Syron planamque Seriphon Marmoreamque Paron, quamque inpia prodidit Arne +Sithonist: accepto, quod avara poposcerat, auro Mutata est in avem, quae nunc quoque diligit aurum,

Nigra pedes, nigris velata monedula pennis. At non Oliaros Didymeque et Tenos et Andros 470 Et Gyaros nitidaeque ferax Peparethos olivae Gnosiacas iuvere rates. latere inde sinistro Oenopiam Minos petit, Aeacideia regna: Oenopiam veteres appellavere, sed ipse Aeacus Aeginam genetricis nomine dixit. 415 Turba ruit tantaeque virum cognoscere famae Expetit; occurrunt illi Telamonque minorque Quam Telamon Peleus et proles tertia Phocus,

480

Ipse quoque egreditur tardus gravitate senili Aeacus et, quae sit veniendi causa, requirit. Admonitus patrii luctus suspirat et illi Dicta refert rector populorum talia centum: " Arma iuves oro pro gnato sumpta piaeque Pars sis militiae: tumulo solacia posco." Huic Asopiades "petis inrita" dixit “et urbi

485 Non facienda meae; neque enim coniunctior ulla

Cecropidis, quam est haec tellus: ea foedera nobis." Tristis abit "stabunt" que "tibi tua foedera magno" Dixit et utilius bellum putat esse minari, 490

Quam gerere atque suas ibi praeconsumere vires. Classis ab Oenopiis etiamnum Lyctia muris

71

72

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Spectari poterat, cum pleno concita velo

Attica puppis adest in portusque intrat amicos, Quae Cephalum patriaeque simul mandata ferebat. Aeacidae longo iuvenes post tempore visum 495 Agnovere tamen Cephalum dextrasque dedere Inque patris duxere domum. spectabilis heros Et veteris retinens etiamnum pignora formae Ingreditur ramumque tenens popularis olivae Et dextra laevaque duos aetate minores 500 Maior habet, Clyton et Buten, Pallante creatos.

Postquam congressus primi sua verba tulerunt, Cecropidae Cephalus peragit mandata rogatque Auxilium foedusque refert et iura parentum Imperiumque peti totius Achaidos addit. 505 Sic ubi mandatam iuvit facundia causam,

Aeacus in capulo sceptri nitente sinistra “Ne petite auxilium, sed sumite," dixit Athenae, Nec dubie vires, quas haec habet insula, vestras Ducite, et omnia, quae rerum status iste mearum . . .

510 Robora non desunt: superat mihi miles et hosti. Gratia dis! felix et inexcusabile tempus." "Immo ita sit!” Cephalus “crescat tua civibus opto Urbs!” ait *adveniens equidem modo gaudia cepi, Cum tam pulchra mihi, tam par aetate iuventus 515 Obvia processit; multos tamen inde requiro,

Quos quondam vidi vestra prius urbe receptus." Aeacus ingemuit tristique ita voce locutus: *Flebile principium melior fortuna secuta est: Hanc utinam possem vobis memorare sine illo! 520 Ordine nunc repetam, neu longa ambage morer vos, Ossa cinisque iacent, memori quos mente requiris;

Et quota pars illi rerum periere mearum! "Dira lues ira populis Iunonis iniquae Incidit exosae dictas a paelice terras. 525 Dum visum mortale malum tantaeque latebat Causa nocens cladis, pugnatum est arte medendi;

Exitium superabat opem, quae victa iacebat. Principio caelum spissa caligine terras Pressit et ignavos inclusit nubibus aestus,

Book 530

7

(568)—Aeacus

. . .

Dumque quater iunctis explevit cornibus orbem Luna, quater plenum tenuata retexuit orbem,

535

Letiferis calidi spirarunt aestibus austri. Constat et in fontes vitium venisse lacusque, Miliaque incultos serpentum multa per agros Errasse atque suis fluvios temerasse venenis. Strage canum primo volucrumque oviumque boumque Inque feris subiti deprensa potentia morbi. Concidere infelix validos miratur arator Inter opus tauros medioque recumbere sulco;

540

Lanigeris gregibus balatus dantibus aegros Sponte sua lanaeque cadunt et corpora tabent; Acer equus quondam magnaeque in pulvere famae Degenerat palmas veterumque oblitus honorum Ad praesepe gemit leto moriturus inerti;

545

Non aper irasci meminit, non fidere cursu

550

Cerva nec armentis incurrere fortibus ursi. Omnia languor habet: silvisque agrisque viisque Corpora foeda iacent, vitiantur odoribus aurae. Mira loquar: non illa canes avidaeque volucres, Non cani tetigere lupi; dilapsa liquescunt, Adflatuque nocent et agunt contagia late. Pervenit ad miseros damno graviore colonos Pestis et in magnae dominatur moenibus urbis. Viscera torrentur primo, flammaeque latentis

555

Indicium rubor est et ductus anhelitus; igni Aspera lingua tumet, tepidisque arentia ventis

Ora patent, auraeque graves captantur hiatu. Non stratum, non ulla pati velamina possunt, Dura sed in terra ponunt praecordia, nec fit 560

565

Corpus humo gelidum, sed humus de corpore fervet. Nec moderator adest, inque ipsos saeva medentes Erumpit clades, obsuntque auctoribus artes. Quo propior quisque est servitque fidelius aegro, In partem leti citius venit, utque salutis Spes abiit finemque vident in funere morbi, Indulgent animis et nulla, quid utile, cura est:

Utile enim nihil est. passim positoque pudore Fontibus et fluviis puteisque capacibus haerent,

73

74

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Nec sitis est extincta prius quam vita bibendo; 570

Inde graves multi nequeunt consurgere et ipsis Inmoriuntur aquis; aliquis tamen haurit et illas!

Tantaque sunt miseris invisi taedia lecti: Prosiliunt aut, si prohibent consistere vires,

Corpora devolvunt in humum fugiuntque penates 575

Quisque suos, sua cuique domus funesta videtur

Et, quia causa latet, locus est in crimine parvus. Semianimes errare viis, dum stare valebant, Adspiceres, flentes alios terraque iacentes Lassaque versantes supremo lumina motu 580 Membraque pendentis tendunt ad sidera caeli, Hic illic, ubi mors deprenderat, exhalantes. "Quid mihi tunc animi fuit? an, quod debuit esse, Ut vitam odissem et cuperem pars esse meorum? 585

590

Quo se cumque acies oculorum flexerat, illic Vulgus erat stratum, veluti cum putria motis Poma cadunt ramis agitataque ilice glandes. Templa vides contra gradibus sublimia longis (Iuppiter illa tenet) : quis non altaribus illis Inrita tura dedit? quotiens pro coniuge coniunx, Pro gnato genitor, dum verba precantia dicit, Non exoratis animam finivit in aris,

Inque manu turis pars inconsumpta reperta est! Admoti quotiens templis, dum vota sacerdos Concipit et fundit purum inter cornua vinum, 595 Haud expectato ceciderunt vulnere tauri!

Ipse ego sacra Iovi pro me patriaque tribusque Cum facerem natis, mugitus victima diros Edidit et subito conlapsa sine ictibus ullis 600

Exiguo tinxit subiectos sanguine cultros. Exta quoque aegra notas veri monitusque deorum Perdiderant; tristes penetrant ad viscera morbi.

Ante sacros vidi proiecta cadavera postes; Ante ipsas, quo mors foret invidiosior, aras 605

Pars animam laqueo claudunt mortisque timorem Morte fugant ultroque vocant venientia fata. Corpora missa neci nullis de more feruntur

Funeribus (neque enim capiebant funera portae) ;

Book

610

7

(645)—Aeacus

...

Aut inhumata premunt terras aut dantur in altos Indotata rogos. et iam reverentia nulla est, Deque rogis pugnant alienisque ignibus ardent. Qui lacriment, desunt, indefletaeque vagantur

615

Natorumque virumque animae iuvenumque senumque, Nec locus in tumulos, nec sufficit arbor in ignes. " Adtonitus tanto miserarum turbine rerum "Juppiter o!’ dixi ‘si te non falsa loquuntur Dicta sub amplexus Aeginae Asopidos isse Nec te, magne pater, nostri pudet esse parentem, Aut mihi redde meos, aut me quoque conde sepulcro! Ille notam fulgore dedit tonitruque secundo:

620 ‘Accipio, sintque ista, precor, felicia mentis

625

630

Signa tuae!’ dixi ‘quod das mihi, pigneror omen.” Forte fuit iuxta patulis rarissima ramis Sacra Iovi quercus de semine Dodonaeo: Hic nos frugilegas adspeximus agmine longo Grande onus exiguo formicas ore gerentes Rugosoque suum servantes cortice callem; Dum numerum miror, ‘totidem, pater optime,' dixi "Tu mihi da cives et inania moenia supple!’ Intremuit ramisque sonum sine flamine motis Alta dedit quercus: pavido mihi membra timore Horruerant stabantque comae; tamen oscula terrae

Roboribusque dedi nec me sperare fatebar, Sperabam tamen atque animo mea vota fovebam. Nox subit, et curis exercita corpora somnus 635

640

645

Occupat: ante oculos eadem mihi quercus adesse Et ramis totidem, totidemque animalia ramis Ferre suis visa est pariterque tremescere motu Graniferumque agmen subiectis spargere in arvis; Crescere desubito et maius maiusque videri Ac se tollere humo rectoque adsistere trunco Et maciem numerumque pedum nigrumque colorem Ponere et humanam membris inducere formam. "Somnus abit. damno vigilans mea visa querorque In superis opis esse nihil; at in aedibus ingens Murmur erat, vocesque hominum exaudire videbar

75

76

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Iam mihi desuetas. dum suspicor has quoque somni Esse, venit Telamon properus foribusque reclusis "Speque fideque, pater,’ dixit ‘maiora videbis. Egredere!’ egredior, qualesque in imagine somni 650 Visus eram vidisse viros, ex ordine tales

655

660

Adspicio noscoque: adeunt regemque salutant. Vota Iovi solvo populisque recentibus urbem Partior et vacuos priscis cultoribus agros Myrmidonasque voco nec origine nomina fraudo. Corpora vidisti: mores, quos ante gerebant, Nunc quoque habent; parcum genus est patiensque laborum Quaesitique tenax et quod quaesita reservet. Hi te ad bella pares annis animisque sequentur, Cum primum, qui te feliciter attulit, eurus (Eurus enim attulerat) fuerit mutatus in austrum."

Talibus atque aliis longum sermonibus illi Inplevere diem: lucis pars optima mensae Est data, nox somnis; iubar aureus extulerat sol (Flabat adhuc eurus redituraque vela tenebat) : 665 Ad Cephalum Pallante sati, cui grandior aetas,

Ad regem Cephalus simul et Pallante creati Conveniunt, sed adhuc regem sopor altus habebat. Excipit Aeacides illos in limine Phocus; 670

Nam Telamon fraterque viros ad bella legebant. Phocus in interius spatium pulchrosque recessus Cecropidas ducit, cum quis simul ipse resedit. Adspicit Aeoliden ignota ex arbore factum Ferre manu iaculum, cuius fuit aurea cuspis;

675

Pauca prius mediis sermonibus ante locutus "Sum nemorum studiosus" ait ““caedisque ferinae, Qua tamen e silva teneas hastile recisum, Iamdudum dubito: certe, si fraxinus esset, Fulva colore foret; si cornus, nodus inesset;

680

Unde sit, ignoro. sed non formosius isto Viderunt oculi telum iaculabile nostri." Excipit Actaeis e fratribus alter et “usum Maiorem specie mirabere" dixit "in isto. Consequitur, quodcumque petit, fortunaque missum

Book

7

(720)—Cephalus

and Procris

Non regit, et revolat nullo referente cruentum." 685

Tum vero iuvenis Nereius omnia quaerit, Cur sit et unde datum, quis tanti muneris auctor; Quae patitur pudor, ille refert et cetera narrat; Qua tulerit mercede, silet tactusque dolore

Coniugis amissae lacrimis ita fatur obortis: 690 *Hoc me, nate dea, (quis possit credere?) telum

Flere facit facietque diu, si vivere nobis Fata diu dederint: hoc me cum coniuge cara

Perdidit; hoc utinam caruissem munere semper! Procris erat, si forte magis pervenit ad aures

695 Orithyia tuas, raptae soror Orithyiae,

Si faciem moresque velis conferre duarum,

Dignior ipsa rapi. pater hanc mihi iunxit Erechtheus, Hanc mihi iunxit amor: felix dicebar eramque; Non ita dis visum est, aut nunc quoque forsitan essem. 700

Alter agebatur post sacra iugalia mensis, Cum me cornigeris tendentem retia cervis Vertice de summo semper florentis Hymetti Lutea mane videt pulsis Aurora tenebris Invitumque rapit: liceat mihi vera referre

705 Pace deae! quod sit roseó spectabilis ore,

Quod teneat lucis, teneat confinia noctis,

Nectareis quod alatur aquis, ego — Procrin amabam: Pectore Procris erat, Procris mihi semper in ore. 710

Sacra tori coitusque novos thalamosque recentes Primaque deserti referebam foedera lecti; Mota dea est et "siste tuas, ingrate, querellas:

Procrin habe!’ dixit ‘quodsi mea provida mens est, Non habuisse voles' meque illi irata remisit. Dum redeo mecumque deae memorata retracto, 715

Esse metus coepit, ne iura iugalia coniunx

Non bene servasset: facies aetasque iubebat Credere adulterium, prohibebant credere mores; Sed tamen afueram, sed et haec erat, unde redibam, Criminis exemplum, sed cuncta timemus amantes! . 720 Quaerere, quod doleam, statuo donisque pudicam

77

78

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Sollicitare fidem. favet huic Aurora timori Inmutatque meam (videor sensisse) figuram. Palladias ineo non cognoscendus Athenas Ingrediorque domum: culpa domus ipsa carebat 725 Castaque signa dabat dominoque erat anxia rapto; Vix aditus per mille dolos ad Erechthida factus. Ut vidi, obstipui meditataque paene reliqui Temptamenta fide; male me, quin vera faterer, Continui, male, quin, ut oportuit, oscula ferrem. 730 Tristis erat (sed nulla tamen formosior illa Esse potest tristi) desiderioque dolebat

Coniugis abrepti. tu conlige, qualis in illa, Phoce, decor fuerit, quam sic dolor ipse decebat!

Quid referam, quotiens temptamina nostra pudici 735 Reppulerint mores? quotiens 'ego' dixerit *uni Servor; ubicumque est, uni mea gaudia servo"?

Cui non ista fide satis experientia sano Magna foret? non sum contentus et in mea pugno Vulnera; cum census dare me pro nocte loquendo 740 Muneraque augendo tandem dubitare coegi, Exclamo: “Male fictor adest; male fictus adulter, Verus eram coniunx: me, perfida, teste teneris"

Illa nihil; tacito tantummodo victa pudore Insidiosa malo cum coniuge limina fugit 745 Offensaque mei genus omne perosa virorum Montibus errabat studiis operata Dianae. “Tum mihi deserto violentior ignis ad ossa Pervenit: orabam veniam et peccasse fatebar Et potuisse datis simili succumbere culpae 750 Me quoque muneribus, si munera tanta darentur. Haec mihi confesso, laesum prius ulta pudorem,

Redditur et dulces concorditer exigit annos. Dat mihi praeterea, tamquam se parva dedisset Dona, canem munus, quem cum sua traderet illi

755 Cynthia, ‘currendo superabit’ dixerat ‘omnes.’ Dat simul et iaculum, manibus quod (cernis!) habemus.

Muneris alterius quae sit fortuna, requiris? Accipe mirandum! novitate movebere facti. "Carmina Laiades non intellecta priorum

Book 760

7

(797)—Cephalus

and Procris

Solverat ingeniis, et praecipitata iacebat Inmemor ambagum vates obscura suarum; [Scilicet alma Themis nec talia linquit inulta.]

Protinus Aoniis inmittitur altera Thebis .

Pestis, et exitio multi pecorumque suoque 765

Rurigenae pavere feram: vicina iuventus Venimus et latos indagine cinximus agros. Illa levi velox superabat retia saltu

Summaque transibat positarum lina plagarum. Copula detrahitur canibus, quas illa sequentes 710

Effugit et coetum non segnior alite ludit.

Poscor et ipse meum consensu Laelapa magno: Muneris hoc nomen; iamdudum vincula pugnat Exuere ipse sibi colloque morantia tendit. Vix bene missus erat, nec iam poteramus, ubi esset, 715

Scire; pedum calidus vestigia pulvis habebat, Ipse oculis ereptus erat: non ocior illo Hasta nec exutae contorto verbere glandes

Nec Gortyniaco calamus levis exit ab arcu. Collis apex medii subiectis inminet arvis: 780 Tollor eo capioque novi spectacula cursus,

Quo modo deprendi, modo se subducere ab ipso Vulnere visa fera est; nec limite callida recto

785

In spatiumque fugit, sed decipit ora sequentis Et redit in gyrum, ne sit suus impetus hosti; Inminet hic sequiturque parem similisque tenenti Non tenet et vanos exercet in aéra motus.

Ad iaculi vertebar opem; quod dextera librat Dum mea, dum digitos amentis addere tempto,

Lumina deflexi revocataque rursus eodem duo marmora campo

790 Rettuleram; medio (mirum!)

Adspicio: fugere hoc, illud latrare putares. Scilicet invictos ambo certamine cursus Esse deus voluit, siquis deus adfuit illis." Hactenus, et tacuit. "iaculo quod crimen in ipso est?" 795 Phocus ait; iaculi sic crimina reddidit ille:

"Gaudia principium nostri sunt, Phoce, doloris: Illa prius referam. iuvat o meminisse beati

79

80

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Temporis, Aeacida, quo primos rite per annos Coniuge eram felix, felix erat illa marito: 800 Mutua cura duos et amor socialis habebat, Nec Iovis illa meo thalamos praeferret amori, Nec, me quae caperet, non si Venus ipsa veniret, Ulla erat; aequales urebant pectora flammae. Sole fere radiis feriente cacumina primis 805 Venatum in silvas iuvenaliter ire solebam,

Nec mecum famuli nec equi nec naribus acres

Ire canes nec lina sequi nodosa solebant: Tutus eram iaculo; sed cum satiata ferinae Dextera caedis erat, repetebam frigus et umbras

810 Et quae de gelidis exibat vallibus aura. Aura petebatur medio mihi lenis in aestu,

Auram expectabam, requies erat illa labori. ‘Aura,’ (recordor enim) 'venias,' cantare solebam, "Meque iuves intresque sinus, gratissima, nostros, 815 Utque facis, relevare velis, quibus urimur, aestus.’ Forsitan addiderim (sic me mea fata trahebant)

Blanditias plures et ‘tu mihi magna voluptas," Dicere sim solitus ‘tu me reficisque fovesque, Tu facis, ut silvas, ut amem loca sola, meoque

820 Spiritus iste tuus semper capiatur ab ore.’ Vocibus ambiguis deceptam praebuit aurem Nescio quis nomenque aurae tam saepe vocatum Esse putat nymphae; nympham me credit amare. Criminis extemplo ficti temerarius index 825 Procrin adit linguaque refert audita susurra. Credula res amor est: subito conlapsa dolore,

Ut mihi narratur, cecidit longoque refecta Tempore se miseram, se fati dixit iniqui Deque fide questa est et crimine concita vano, 830 Quod nihil est, metuit, metuit sine corpore nomen Et dolet infelix veluti de paelice vera.

Saepe tamen dubitat speratque miserrima falli Indiciique fidem negat et, nisi viderit ipsa, Damnatura sui non est delicta mariti.

835

"Postera depulerant Aurorae lumina noctem: Egredior silvamque peto victorque per herbas

Book

7

(865)—Cephalus

and Procris

"Aura, veni,' dixi 'nostroque medere labori" Et subito gemitus inter mea verba videbar Nescio quos audisse: ‘veni’ tamen ‘optima!’ dicens 840

Fronde levem rursus strepitum faciente caduca Sum ratus esse feram telumque volatile misi: Procris erat medioque tenens in pectore vulnus ‘Ei mihi!’ conclamat. vox est ubi cognita fidae

845

Coniugis, ad vocem praeceps amensque cucurri: Semianimem et sparsas foedantem sanguine vestes Et sua (me miserum!) de vulnere dona trahentem

Invenio corpusque meo mihi carius ulnis Mollibus adtollo scissaque a pectore veste Vulnera saeva ligo conorque inhibere cruorem, 850 Neu me morte sua sceleratum deserat, oro. :

Viribus illa carens et iam moribunda coegit Haec se pauca loqui: ‘per nostri foedera lecti Perque deos supplex oro superosque meosque, Per siquid merui de te bene, perque manentem 855 Nunc quoque, cum pereo, causam mihi mortis, amorem, Ne thalamis Auram patiare innubere nostris."

Dixit, et errorem tum denique nominis esse Et sensi et docui. sed quid docuisse iuvabat? 860

Labitur, et parvae fugiunt cum sanguine vires. Dumque aliquid spectare potest, me spectat et in me Infelicem animam nostroque exhalat in ore; Sed vultu meliore mori secura videtur." Flentibus haec lacrimans heros memorabat: et ecce

Aeacus ingreditur duplici cum prole novoque 865

Milite, quem Cephalus cum fortibus accipit armis.

81

LIBER

OCTAVUS

Iam nitidum retegente diem noctisque fugante Tempora Lucifero cadit eurus, et umida surgunt Nubila: dant placidi cursum redeuntibus austri Aeacidis Cephaloque, quibus feliciter acti Ante exspectatum portus tenuere petitos. Interea Minos Lelegeia litora vastat,

10

Praetemptatque sui vires Mavortis in urbe Alcathoe, quam Nisus habet, cui splendidus ostro Inter honoratos mediogue in vertice canos Crinis inhaerebat, magni fiducia regni. Sexta resurgebant orientis cornua lunae, Et pendebat adhuc belli fortuna, diuque

15

20

Inter utrumque volat dubiis Victoria pennis. Regia turris erat vocalibus addita muris, In quibus auratam proles Letoia fertur Deposuisse lyram: saxo sonus eius inhaesit; Saepe illuc solita est adscendere filia Nisi Et petere exiguo resonantia saxa lapillo, Tum cum pax esset; bello quoque saepe solebat Spectare ex illa rigidi certamina Martis; Iamque mora belli procerum quoque nomina norat,

Armaque equosque habitusque Cydonaeasque pharetras. Noverat ante alios faciem ducis Europaei, Plus etiam, quam nosse sat est. hac iudice Minos, 25

30

Seu caput abdiderat cristata casside pennis, In galea formosus erat; seu sumpserat aere Fulgentem clipeum, clipeum sumpsisse decebat; Torserat adductis hastilia lenta lacertis: Laudabat virgo iunctam cum viribus artem; Inposito calamo patulos sinuaverat arcus: Sic Phoebum sumptis iurabat stare sagittis;

82

Book

35

8

(70)—Scylla

and

Minos

Cum vero faciem dempto nudaverat aere Purpureusque albi stratis insignia pictis Terga premebat equi spumantiaque ora regebat, Vix sua, vix sanae virgo Niseia compos Mentis erat: felix iaculum, quod tangeret ille, Quaeque manu premeret, felicia frena vocabat.

40

Impetus est illi, liceat modo, ferre per agmen Virgineos hostile gradus, est impetus illi Turribus e summis in Gnosia mittere corpus Castra vel aeratas hosti recludere portas,

Velsiquid Minos aliud velit. utque sedebat Candida Dictaei spectans tentoria regis, 45

"Laeter," ait “doleamne geri lacrimabile bellum, In dubio est: doleo, quod Minos hostis amanti est;

Sed nisi bella forent, numquam mihi cognitus esset! Me tamen accepta poterat deponere bellum Obside: me comitem, me pacis pignus haberet! Si quae te peperit, talis, pulcherrime regum, 50 Qualis es, ipsa fuit, merito deus arsit in illa. O ego ter felix, si pennis lapsa per auras

55

Gnosiaci possem castris insistere regis Fassaque me flammasque meas qua dote rogarem Vellet emi! tantum patrias ne posceret arces! Nam pereant potius sperata cubilia, quam sim Proditione potens! quamvis saepe utile vinci Victoris placidi fecit clementia multis. Iusta gerit placidus pro nato bella perempto Et causaque valet causamque tenentibus armis,

60

Et, puto, vincemur! quis enim manet exitus urbem? Cur suus haec illi reseret mea moenia Mavors Et non noster amor? melius sine caede moraque Inpensaque sui poterit superare cruoris. Non metuam certe, ne quis tua pectora, Minos,

65 Vulneret inprudens: quis enim tam durus, ut in te

Dirigere inmitem non inscius audeat hastam? Coepta placent et stat sententia tradere mecum Dotalem patriam finemque inponere bello. Verum velle parum est! aditus custodia servat, 70 Claustraque portarum genitor tenet; hunc ego solum

83

84

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Infelix timeo, solus mea vota moratur.

as

Di facerent, sine patre forem! sibi quisque profecto Est deus; ignavis precibus Fortuna repugnat. Altera iamdudum succensa cupidine tanto Perdere gauderet, quodcumque obstaret amori. Et cur ulla foret me fortior? ire per ignes Et gladios ausim! nec in hoc tamen ignibus ullis Aut gladiis opus est, opus est mihi crine paterno. Ille mihi est auro pretiosior, illa beatam

80

Purpura me votique mei factura potentem." Talia dicenti, curarum maxima nutrix,

Nox intervenit, tenebrisque audacia crevit. Prima quies aderat, qua curis fessa diurnis

Pectora somnus habet: thalamos taciturna paternos 85 Intrat et (heu facinus!) fatali nata parentem

Crine suum spoliat praedaque potita nefanda Fert secum spolium celeris progressaque porta Per medios hostes (meriti fiducia tanta est! ) Pervenit ad regem; quem sic adfata paventem est: 90

"Suasit amor facinus! proles ego regia Nisi Scylla tibi trado patriosque meosque penates. Praemia nulla peto, nisi te! cape pignus amoris Purpureum crinem nec me nunc tradere crinem,

95

Sed patrium tibi crede caput!" scelerataque dextra Munera porrexit. Minos porrecta refugit Turbatusque novi respondit imagine facti: “Di te submoveant, o nostri infamia saecli,

Orbe suo, tellusque tibi pontusque negetur! Certe ego non patiar Iovis incunabula, Creten, 100 Qui meus est orbis, tantum contingere monstrum."

Dixit et, ut leges captis iustissimus auctor

105

Hostibus inposuit, classis retinacula solvi Iussit et aeratas inpelli remige puppes. Scylla freto postquam deductas nare carinas Nec praestare ducem sceleris sibi praemia vidit, Consumptis precibus violentam transit in iram Intendensque manus passis furibunda capillis “Quo fugis" exclamat "meritorum auctore relicta, O patriae praelate meae, praelate parenti?

,

Book

8

(147)—Scylla

and Minos

110 Quo fugis, inmitis, cuius victoria nostrum

115

Et scelus et meritum est? nec te data munera nec te Noster amor movit, nec quod spes omnis in unum Te mea congesta est? nam quo deserta revertar? In patriam? superata iacet. sed finge manere: Proditione mea clausa est mihi! patris ad ora? Quem tibi donavi! cives odere merentem,

Finitimi exemplum metuunt! exponimur orbae Terrarum; nobis ut Crete sola pateret! 120

Hac quoque si prohibes et nos, ingrate, relinquis, Non genetrix Europa tibi est, sed inhospita Syrtis Armeniae tigresque Austroque agitata Charybdis! Nec Iove tu natus, nec mater imagine tauri

125

Ducta tua est: generis falsa est ea fabula; verum Et ferus et captus nullius amore iuvencae, Qui te progenuit, taurus fuit. exige poenas, Nise pater! gaudete malis, modo prodita, nostris Moenia! nam fateor, merui et sum digna perire. Sed tamen ex illis aliquis, quos inpia laesi,

130

Me perimat! cur, qui vicisti crimine nostro, Insequeris crimen? scelus hoc patriaeque patrique est, Officium tibi sit! te vero coniuge digna est, Quae torvum ligno decepit adultera taurum Discordemque utero fetum tulit. etquid ad aures Perveniunt mea dicta tuas? an inania venti

135 Verba ferunt idemque tuas, ingrate, carinas?

140

Iamiam Pasiphaén non est mirabile taurum Praeposuisse tibi: tu plus feritatis habebas. Me miseram! properare iubet! divulsaque remis Unda sonat, mecumque simul mea terra recedit! Nil agis, o frustra meritorum oblite meorum: Insequar invitum puppemque amplexa recurvam Per freta longa trahar!" vix dixerat, insilit undis Consequiturque rates faciente cupidine vires Gnosiacaeque haeret comes invidiosa carinae.

145 Quam pater ut vidit (nam iam pendebat in aura

Et modo factus erat fulvis haliaeétus alis), Ibat, ut haerentem rostro laceraret adunco.

85

86

ovip's Metamorphoses

Illa metu puppim dimisit, et aura cadentem Sustinuisse levis, ne tangeret aequora, visa est; 150

155

160

165

170

Spuma ruit plumis: in avem mutata vocatur Ciris et a tonso est hoc nomen adepta capillo. Vota Iovi Minos taurorum corpora centum Solvit, ut egressus ratibus Curetida terram Contigit, et spoliis decorata est regia fixis. Creverat opprobrium generis, foedumque patebat Matris adulterium monstri novitate biformis; Destinat hunc Minos thalamo removere pudorem Multiplicique domo caecisque includere tectis; Daedalus ingenio fabrae celeberrimus artis Ponit opus turbatque notas et lumina flexu Ducit in errorem variarum ambage viarum. Non secus ac liquidis Phrygius Maeandrus in undis Ludit et ambiguo lapsu refluitque fluitque Occurrensque sibi venturas adspicit undas Et nunc ad fontes, nunc ad mare versus apertum Incertas exercet aquas, ita Daedalus inplet Innumeras errore vias vixque ipse reverti Ad limen potuit: tanta est fallacia tecti. Quo postquam geminam tauri iuvenisque figuram Clausit et Actaeo bis pastum sanguine monstrum Tertia sors annis domuit repetita novenis,

Utque ope virginea nullis iterata priorum Ianua difficilis filo est inventa relecto, 175

Protinus Aegides rapta Minoide Diam Vela dedit comitemque suam crudelis in illo Litore destituit. desertae et multa querenti Amplexus et opem Liber tulit, utque perenni

Sidere clara foret, sumptam de fronte coronam Inmisit caelo. tenues volat illa per auras, 180 Dumque volat, gemmae nitidos vertuntur in

185

ignes Consistuntque loco specie remanente coronae, Qui medius Nixique genu est Anguemque tenentis. Daedalus interea Creten longumque perosus Exilium tactusque loci natalis amore Clausus erat pelago. “terras licet" inquit “et undas

Niobe trying to protect her last daughter (6.298ff.). Part of a Hellenistic statue group now in the Uffizzi Gallery, Florence. From Fig. 308 of G. Hafner, Geschichte der griechischen Kunst (Zurich, Atlantis Verlag, 1961). Used by

permission.

Marsyas competing with Apollo in the lyre (6.382ff.). Red-figured vase in the British Museum. Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum.

Medea about to rejuvenate the ram (7.312ff.). Red-figured vase in the British Museum.

Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum,

Aurora in pursuit of Cephalus (7.700ff.). Red-figured Museum. Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum.

vase

in the British

Meleager depicted as a hunter (8.270ff.). Statue ultimately attributed to Skopas in the Staatliche Museum of Berlin. From Fig. 287 of G. Hafner, Geschichte der griechischen Kunst (Zurich, Atlantis Verlag, 1961). Used by permission.

Death of Procris (7.835ff.). Red-figured vase in the British Museum. Trustees of the British Museum.

Courtesy of the

Hercules

attacking Nessus, who has seized Deianira

(9.98ff.). Red-figured vase in the

British Museum. Courtesy of the Trustees of the British Museum.

Orpheus and Eurydice (10.1 ff.). Relief in the National Museum of Naples. From Fig. 273 of G. Hafner, Geschichte der griechischen Kunst (Zurich, Atlantis Verlag, 1961). Used by permission.

Book

8

(224)—Daedalus

and Icarus

Obstruat, at caelum certe patet; ibimus illac!

190

195

200

Omnia possideat, non possidet aéra Minos.” Dixit et ignotas animum dimittit in artes Naturamque novat. nam ponit in ordine pennas, A minima coeptas, longa breviore sequenti, Ut clivo crevisse putes: sic rustica quondam Fistula disparibus paulatim surgit avenis. Tum lino medias et ceris adligat imas, Atque ita conpositas parvo curvamine flectit, Ut veras imitetur aves. puer Icarus una Stabat et ignarus sua se tractare pericla Ore renidenti modo, quas vaga moverat aura, Captabat plumas, flavam modo pollice ceram Mollibat lusuque suo mirabile patris Inpediebat opus. postquam manus ultima coepto Inposita est, geminas opifex libravit in alas

Ipse suum corpus motaque pependit in aura. Instruit et natum “medio” que “ut limite curras, 205

210

Icare," ait “moneo, ne, si demissior ibis, Unda gravet pennas, si celsior, ignis adurat.

Inter utrumque vola! nec te spectare Booten Aut Helicen iubeo strictumque Orionis ensem: Me duce carpe viam!" pariter praecepta volandi Tradit et ignotas umeris accommodat alas. Inter opus monitusque genae maduere seniles, Et patriae tremuere manus. dedit oscula nato Non iterum repetenda suo pennisque levatus Ante volat comitique timet, velut ales, ab alto Quae teneram prolem produxit in aéra nido,

215

220

Hortaturque sequi damnosasque erudit artes Et movet ipse suas et nati respicit alas. Hos aliquis tremula dum captat harundine pisces, Aut pastor baculo stivave innixus arator Vidit et obstipuit, quique aethera carpere possent, Credidit esse deos. et iam Iunonia laeva Parte Samos (fuerant Delosque Parosque relictae),

Dextra Lebinthos erat fecundaque melle Calymne, Cum puer audaci coepit gaudere volatu Deseruitque ducem caelique cupidine tractus

87

88

ovip’s Metamorphoses

225 Altius egit iter, rapidi et vicinia solis Mollit odoratas, pennarum vincula, ceras.

Tabuerant cerae: nudos quatit ille lacertos Remigioque carens non ullas percipit auras, Oraque caerulea patrium clamantia nomen 230 Excipiuntur aqua, quae nomen traxit ab illo. At pater infelix nec iam pater “Icare,” dixit,

“TIcare,” dixit "ubi es? qua te regione requiram?" "Icare" dicebat: pennas adspexit in undis Devovitque suas artes corpusque sepulcro 235 Condidit, et tellus a nomine dicta sepulti.

Hunc miseri tumulo ponentem corpora nati Garrula limoso prospexit ab elice perdix Et plausit pennis testataque gaudia cantu est: Unica tunc volucris nec visa prioribus annis 240 Factaque nuper avis, longum tibi, Daedale, crimen.

Namque huic tradiderat fatorum ignara docendam Progeniem germana suam, natalibus actis Bis puerum senis, animi ad praecepta capacis. Ille etiam medio spinas in pisce notatas 245 Traxit in exemplum ferroque incidit acuto Perpetuos dentes et serrae repperit usum Primus et ex uno duo ferrea bracchia nodo Vinxit, ut aequali spatio distantibus illis

Altera pars staret, pars altera duceret orbem. 250 Daedalus invidit sacraque ex arce Minervae Praecipitem misit lapsum mentitus; at illum,

Quae favet ingeniis, excepit Pallas avemque Reddidit et medio velavit in aére pennis;

Sed vigor ingenii quondam velocis in alas 255 Inque pedes abiit: nomen, quod et ante, remansit. Non tamen haec alte volucris sua corpora tollit Nec facit in ramis altoque cacumine nidos; Propter humum volitat ponitque in saepibus ova Antiquique memor metuit sublimia casus. 260 Jamque fatigatum tellus Aetnaea tenebat Daedalon, et sumptis pro supplice Cocalus armis Mitis habebatur, iam lamentabile Athenae

Pendere desierant Thesea laude tributum:

Book 265

8

(302)—The

Calydonian

Templa coronantur, bellatricemque Minervam Cum Iove disque vocant aliis, quos sanguine voto Muneribusque datis et acervis turis honorant.

Sparserat Argolicas nomen vaga fama per urbes Theseos, et populi, quos dives Achaia cepit,

Huius opem magnis inploravere periclis: 270 Huius opem Calydon, quamvis Meleagron haberet,

Sollicita supplex petiit prece. causa petendi Sus erat, infestae famulus vindexque Dianae. Oenea namque ferunt pleni successibus anni Primitias frugum Cereri, sua vina Lyaeo, 275 Palladios flavae latices libasse Minervae;

Coeptus ab agricolis superos pervenit ad omnes Ambitiosus honor: solas sine ture relictas Praeteritae cessasse ferunt Latoidos aras. 280

Tangit et ira deos. “at non inpune feremus, Quaeque inhonoratae, non et dicemur inultae" Inquit et Oenios ultorem spreta per agros Misit aprum, quanto maiores herbida tauros Non habet Epirus, sed habent Sicula arva minores.

285

Sanguine et igne micant oculi, riget horrida cervix, Et saetae similes rigidis hastilibus horrent.

[Stantque velut vallum, velut alta hastilia saetae] Fervida cum rauco latos stridore per armos Spuma fluit, dentes aequantur dentibus Indis; Fulmen ab ore venit, frondes adflatibus ardent. 290 Is modo crescentes segetes proculcat in herba, Nunc matura metit fleturi vota coloni

Et Cererem in spicis intercipit; area frustra Et frustra exspectant promissas horrea messes. Sternuntur gravidi longo cum palmite fetus 295 Bacaque cum ramis semper frondentis olivae;

Saevit et in pecudes: non has pastorve canisve, Non armenta truces possunt defendere tauri. Diffugiunt populi nec se nisi moenibus urbis

Esse putant tutos, donec Meleagros et una 300 Lecta manus iuvenum coiere cupidine laudis:

Tyndaridae gemini, spectandus caestibus alter, Alter equo, primaeque ratis molitor Iason

Hunt

89

90

ovip's Metamorphoses

Et cum Pirithoo, felix concordia, Theseus

Et duo Thestiadae et proles Aphareia, Lynceus 305 Et velox Idas, et iam non femina Caeneus

Leucippusque ferox iaculoque insignis Acastus Hippothousque Dryasque et cretus Amyntore Phoenix Actoridaeque pares et missus ab Elide Phyleus. Nec Telamon aberat magnique creator Achillis 310 Cumque Pheretiade et Hyanteo Iolao Inpiger Eurytion et cursu invictus Echion Naryciusque Lelex Panopeusque Hyleusque feroxque Hippasus et primis etamnum Nestor in annis, Et quos Hippocoon antiquis misit Amyclis, 315 Penelopaeque socer cum Parrhasio Ancaeo, Ampycidesque sagax et adhuc a coniuge tutus Oeclides nemorisque decus Tegeaea Lycaei. Rasilis huic summam mordebat fibula vestem, Crinis erat simplex, nodum collectus in unum;

320 Ex umero pendens resonabat eburnea laevo Telorum custos, arcum quoque laeva tenebat. Talis erat cultu, facies, quam dicere vere

Virgineam in puero, puerilem in virgine possis. Hanc pariter vidit, pariter Calydonius heros 325 Optavit renuente deo flammasque latentes Hausit et “o felix, siquem dignabitur" inquit “Ista virum" nec plura sinit tempusque pudorque Dicere: maius opus magni certaminis urget. Silva frequens trabibus, quam nulla ceciderat

aetas, 330 Incipit a plano devexaque prospicit arva; Quo postquam venere viri, pars retia tendunt, Vincula pars adimunt canibus, pars pressa sequuntur

Signa pedum cupiuntque suum reperire periclum. Concava vallis erat, quo se demittere rivi

335 Adsuerant pluvialis aquae: tenet ima lacunae Lenta salix ulvaeque leves iuncique palustres Viminaque et longa parvae sub harundine cannae. Hinc aper excitus medios violentus in hostes Fertur ut excussis elisi nubibus ignes.

Book 340

345

8

(378)—The

Calydonian

Sternitur incursu nemus et propulsa fragorem Silva dat: exclamant iuvenes praetentaque forti Tela tenent dextra lato vibrantia ferro. Ille ruit spargitque canes, ut quisque furenti Obstat, et obliquo latrantes dissipat ictu. Cuspis Echionio primum contorta lacerto Vana fuit truncoque dedit leve vulnus acerno; Proxima, si nimiis mittentis viribus usa

Non foret, in tergo visa est haesura petito: Longius it; auctor teli Pagasaeus Iason. 350

"Phoebe," ait Ampycides "si te coluique coloque, Da mihi, quod petitur, certo contingere telo!" Qua potuit, precibus deus adnuit: ictus ab illo est, Sed sine vulnere, aper; ferrum Diana volanti

Abstulerat iaculo: lignum sine acumine venit. 355

Ira feri mota est, nec fulmine lenius arsit:

360

Emicat ex oculis, spirat quoque pectore flamma, Utque volat moles adducto concita nervo, Cum petit aut muros aut plenas milite turres, In iuvenes certo sic impete vulnificus sus Fertur et Hippalmon Pelagonaque dextra tuentes Cornua prosternit: socii rapuere iacentes;

365

At non letiferos effugit Enaesimus ictus Hippocoonte satus: trepidantem et terga parantem Vertere succiso liquerunt poplite nervi. Forsitan et Pylius citra Troiana perisset Tempora, sed sumpto posita conamine ab hasta Arboris insiluit, quae stabat proxima, ramis

370

Despexitque loco tutus, quem fugerat, hostem. Dentibus ille ferox in querno stipite tritis Inminet exitio fidensque recentibus armis Eurytidae magni rostro femur hausit adunco. At gemini, nondum caelestia sidera, fratres, Ambo conspicui, nive candidioribus ambo Vectabantur equis, ambo vibrata per auras

375

Hastarum tremulo quatiebant spicula motu; Vulnera fecissent, nisi saetiger inter opacas Nec iaculis isset nec equo loca pervia silvas. Persequitur Telamon studioque incautus eundi

Hunt

91

92

ovip's Metamorphoses

Pronus ab arborea cecidit radice retentus;

380 Dum levat hunc Peleus, celerem Tegeaea sagittam Inposuit nervo sinuatoque expulit arcu: Fixa sub aure feri summum destrinxit harundo

Corpus et exiguo rubefecit sanguine saetas. Nec tamen illa sui successu laetior ictus

385 Quam Meleagros erat: primus vidisse putatur Et primus sociis visum ostendisse cruorem Et meritum" dixisse “feres virtutis honorem!" Erubuere viri seque exhortantur et addunt Cum clamore animos iaciuntque sine ordine tela: 390 Turba nocet iactis et, quos petit, inpedit ictus.

Ecce furens contra sua fata bipennifer Arcas "Discite, femineis quid tela virilia praestent, O iuvenes, operique meo concedite!" dixit

"Ipsa suis licet hunc Latonia protegat armis, 395 Invita tamen hunc perimet mea dextra Diana."

Talia magniloquo tumidus memoraverat ore Ancipitemque manu tollens utraque securim Institerat digitis primos suspensus in artus: Occupat audentem, quaque est via proxima leto, 400 Summa ferus geminos direxit ad inguina dentes; Concidit Ancaeus, glomerataque sanguine multo Viscera lapsa fluunt; madefacta est terra cruore.

Ibat in adversum proles Ixionis hostem Pirithous, valida quatiens venabula dextra;

405. Cui “procul,” Aegides “‘o me mihi carior" inquit "Pars animae consiste meae! licet eminus esse Fortibus: Ancaeo nocuit temeraria virtus!" Dixit et aerata torsit grave cuspide cornum; Cui bene librato votoque potente futuro 410 Obstitit abscisa frondosus ab arbore ramus; Misit et Aesonides iaculum, quod casus ab illo Vertit in inmeriti fatum Celadontis et inter Ilia coniectum tellure per ilia fixum est. At manus Oenidae variat, missisque duabus

415 Hasta prior terra, medio stetit altera tergo. Nec mora, dum saevit, dum corpora versat in orbem

Stridentemque novo spumam cum sanguine fundit,

Book

420

425

8

(456)—Althaea

and Meleager

Vulneris auctor adest hostemque inritat ad iram Splendidaque adversos venabula condit in armos. Gaudia testantur socii clamore secundo Victricemque petunt dextrae coniungere dextram Inmanemque ferum multa tellure iacentem Mirantes spectant neque adhuc contingere tutum Esse putant, sed tela tamen sua quisque cruentat. Ipse pede inposito caput exitiabile pressit Atque ita “sume mei spolium, Nonacria, iuris," Dixit “et in partem veniat mea gloria tecum!" Protinus exuvias rigidis horrentia saetis Terga dat et magnis insignia dentibus ora.

| 430 Illi laetitiae est cum munere muneris auctor,

Invidere alii, totoque erat agmine murmur. E quibus ingenti tendentes bracchia voce "Pone age nec titulos intercipe, femina, nostros!" 435

Thestiadae clamant "nec te fiducia formae Decipiat, ne sit longe tibi captus amore Auctor!" et huic adimunt munus, ius muneris illi.

Non tulit et tumida frendens Mavortius ira "Discite, raptores alieni" dixit “honoris, 440

Facta minis quantum distent!" hausitque nefando Pectora Plexippi nil tale timentia ferro; Toxea, quid faciat, dubium pariterque volentem

Ulcisci fratrem fraternaque fata timentem Haud patitur dubitare diu calidumque priori Caede recalfecit consorti sanguine telum. 445

Dona deum templis nato victore ferebat,

Cum videt extinctos fratres Althaea referri; Quae plangore dato maestis clamoribus urbem Inplet et auratis mutavit vestibus atras; At simul est auctor necis editus, excidit omnis 450

Luctus et a lacrimis in poenae versus amorem est. Stipes erat, quem, cum partus enixa iaceret

455

Thestias, in flammam triplices posuere sorores Staminaque inpresso fatalia pollice nentes "Tempora" dixerunt "eadem lignoque tibique, O modo nate, damus." quo postquam carmine dicto Excessere deae, flagrantem mater ab igne

93

94

ovw’s Metamorphoses

Eripuit ramum sparsitque liquentibus undis. Ille diu fuerat penetralibus abditus imis Servatusque tuos, iuvenis, servaverat annos; 460

Protulit hunc genetrix taedasque et fragmina poni Imperat et positis inimicos admovet ignes. Tum conata quater flammis inponere ramum

465

Coepta quater tenuit: pugnat materque sororque, Et diversa trahunt unum duo nomina pectus. Saepe metu sceleris pallebant ora futuri, Saepe suum fervens oculis dabat ira ruborem,

Et modo nescio quid similis crudele minanti Vultus erat, modo quem misereri credere posses; Cumque ferus lacrimas animi siccaverat ardor, 470 Inveniebantur lacrimae tamen, utque carina,

Quam ventus ventoque rapit contrarius aestus, Vim geminam sentit paretque incerta duobus,

Thestias haud aliter dubiis adfectibus errat 475

Inque vices ponit positamque resuscitat iram. Incipit esse tamen melior germana parente Et, consanguineas ut sanguine leniat umbras, Inpietate pia est; nam postquam pestifer ignis Convaluit, "rogus iste cremet mea viscera!" dixit, Utque manu dira lignum fatale tenebat,

480 Ante sepulcrales infelix adstitit aras,

"Poenarum" que “deae triplices, furialibus,” inquit “Eumenides, sacris vultus advertite vestros!

Ulciscor facioque nefas! mors morte pianda est, In scelus addendum scelus est, in funera funus. 485

490

Per coacervatos pereat domus inpia luctus! An felix Oeneus nato victore fruetur,

Thestius orbus erit? melius lugebitis ambo! Vos modo, fraterni manes animaeque recentes, Officium sentite meum magnoque paratas Accipite inferias, uteri mala pignora nostri! Ei mihi! quo rapior? fratres ignoscite matri! Deficiunt ad coepta manus! meruisse fatemur Illum, cur pereat: mortis mihi displicet auctor.

Ergo inpune feret vivusque et victor et ipso 495 Successu tumidus regnum Calydonis habebit,

Book

500

505

8

(532)—Sisters

of Meleager

Vos cinis exiguus gelidaeque iacebitis umbrae? Haud equidem patiar. pereat sceleratus et ille Spemque patris regnumque trahat patriaeque ruinam! Mens ubi materna est? ubi sunt pia iura parentum Et quos sustinui bis mensum quinque labores? O utinam primis arsisses ignibus infans, Idque ego passa forem! vixisti munere nostro, Nunc merito moriere tuo. cape praemia facti Bisque datam, primum partu, mox stipite rapto Redde animam vel me fraternis adde sepulcris! Et cupio et nequeo. quid agam? modo vulnera fratrum Ante oculos mihi sunt et tantae caedis imago,

Nunc animum pietas maternaque nomina frangunt. Me miseram! male vincetis, sed vincite, fratres, quae dedero vobis, solacia vosque

510 Dummodo,

515

Ipsa sequar!" dixit dextraque aversa trementi Funereum torrem medios coniecit in ignes. Aut dedit aut visus gemitus est ille dedisse Stipes et invitis correptus ab ignibus arsit. Inscius atque absens flamma Meleagros ab illa Uritur et caecis torreri viscera sentit Ignibus ac magnos superat virtute dolores;

520

Quod tamen ignavo cadat et sine sanguine leto, Maeret et Ancaei felicia vulnera dicit Grandaevumque patrem fratresque piasque sorores Cum gemitu sociamque tori vocat ore supremo, Forsitan et matrem. crescunt ignisque dolorque Languescuntque iterum: simul est extinctus uterque,

525

530

Inque leves abiit paulatim spiritus auras Paulatim cana prunam velante favilla. Alta iacet Calydon: lugent iuvenesque senesque, Vulgusque proceresque gemunt, scissaeque capillos Planguntur matres Calydonides Eueninae. Pulvere canitiem genitor vultusque seniles Foedat humi fusus spatiosumque increpat aevum; Nam de matre manus diri sibi conscia facti Exegit poenas acto per viscera ferro.

95

96

ovip's Metamorphoses

Non, mihi si centum deus ora sonantia linguis 535

Ingeniumque capax totumque Helicona dedisset, Tristia persequerer miserarum vota sororum. Inmemores decoris liventia pectora tundunt, Dumque manet corpus, corpus refoventque foventque,

Oscula dant ipsi, posito dant oscula lecto; Post cinerem cineres haustos ad pectora pressant 540

Adfusaeque iacent tumulo signataque saxo Nomina conplexae lacrimas in nomina fundunt. Quas Parthaoniae tandem Latonia clade

Exsatiata domus praeter Gorgenque nurumque Nobilis Alcmenae natis in corpore pennis 545 Adlevat et longas per bracchia porrigit alas Corneaque ora facit versasque per aéra mittit. Interea Theseus sociati parte laboris Functus Erechtheas Tritonidos ibat ad arces. Clausit iter fecitque moras Achelous eunti 550 Imbre tumens. *succede meis," ait "inclite, tectis,

555

Cecropida, nec te committe rapacibus undis! Ferre trabes solidas obliquaque volvere magno Murmure saxa solent. vidi contermina ripae Cum gregibus stabula alta trahi, nec fortibus illic Profuit armentis nec equis velocibus esse. Multa quoque hic torrens nivibus de monte solutis Corpora turbineo iuvenalia vertice mersit. Tutior est requies, solito dum flumina currant Limite, dum tenues capiat suus alveus undas."

560

Adnuit Aegides "utor," que “Acheloe, domoque Consilioque tuo" respondit et usus utroque est. Pumice multicavo nec levibus atria tophis Structa subit: molli tellus erat umida musco, Summa lacunabant alterno murice conchae.

565

Iamque duas lucis partes Hyperione menso Discubuere toris Theseus comitesque laborum: Hac Ixionides, illa Troezenius heros Parte Lelex, raris iam sparsus tempora canis,

Quosque alios parili fuerat dignatus honore

Book

8

(596)—Achelous

570 Amnis Acarnanum laetissimus hospite tanto. Protinus adpositas nudae vestigia nymphae Instruxere epulis mensas dapibusque remotis In gemma posuere merum. tum maximus heros Aequora prospiciens oculis subiecta “quis” inquit 575 “Tile locus?" (digitoque ostendit) “et insula nomen

Quod gerit illa, doce! quamquam non una videtur.” Amnis ad haec “non est” inquit “quod cernitis, unum;

Quinque iacent terrae: spatium discrimina fallit, Quoque minus spretae factum mirere Dianae, 580 Naides hae fuerant, quae cum bis quinque iuvencos Mactassent rurisque deos ad sacra vocassent, Inmemores nostri festas duxere choreas. Intumui, quantusque, feror cum plurimus umquam, Tantus eram pariterque animis inmanis et undis 585 A silvis silvas et ab arvis arva revelli Cumque loco nymphas memores tum denique nostri In freta provolvi. fluctus nosterque marisque Continuam diduxit humum pariterque revellit In totidem, mediis quot cernis, Echinadas undis.

590 Ut tamen ipse vides, procul, en procul una recessit Insula, grata mihi: Perimelen navita dicit. Huic ego virgineum dilectae nomen ademi; Quod pater Hippodamas aegre tulit inque profundum Propulit e scopulo periturae corpora natae. 595 Excepi nantemque ferens ‘o proxima mundi Regna vagae’ dixi ‘sortite tridentifer undae,

597 In quo desinimus, quo sacri currimus amnes, Huc ades atque audi placidus, Neptune, precantem!

599 Huic ego, quam porto, nocui. si mitis et aequus, 600 Si pater Hippodamas, aut si minus inpius esset, 6002 Debuit illius misereri, ignoscere nobis.’

600^ Cui quondam tellus clausa est feritate paterna

97

98

ovip's Metamorphoses

601

Adfer opem mersaeque, precor, feritate paterna

609

Da, Neptune, locum vel sit locus ipsa, licebit.’ Dum loquor, amplexa est artus nova terra natantes

610

Et gravis increvit mutatis insula membris." Amnis ab his tacuit; factum mirabile cunctos Moverat: inridet credentes, utque deorum

Spretor erat mentisque ferox, Ixione natus 615

620

“Ficta refers nimiumque putas, Acheloe, potentes Esse deos," dixit “si dant adimuntque figuras.” Obstipuere omnes nec talia dicta probarunt,

Ante omnesque Lelex animo maturus et aevo Sic ait: "inmensa est finemque potentia caeli Non habet et, quidquid superi voluere, peractum est. Quoque minus dubites, tiliae contermina quercus Collibus est Phrygiis, medio circumdata muro:

Ipse locum vidi; nam me Pelopeia Pittheus Misit in arva suo quondam regnata parenti. Haud procul hinc stagnum est, tellus habitabilis olim, 625

Nunc celebres mergis fulicisque palustribus undae. Iuppiter huc specie mortali cumque parente Venit Atlantiades positis caducifer alis;

Mille domos adiere locum requiemque petentes, Mille domos clausere serae; tamen una recepit, 630

Parva quidem stipulis et canna tecta palustri, Sed pia: Baucis anus parilique aetate Philemon Illa sunt annis iuncti iuvenalibus, illa

635

603

605

Consenuere casa paupertatemque fatendo Effecere levem nec iniqua mente ferendo. Nec refert, dominos illic famulosne requiras: Tota domus duo sunt, idem parentque iubentque. Hunc quoque conplectar.' movit caput aequoreus rex Concussitque suis omnes adsensibus undas. Extimuit nymphe, nabat tamen; ipse natantis Pectora tangebam trepido salientia motu. Dumque ea contrecto, totum durescere sensi

608

Corpus et inductis condi praecordia terris.

Book

8

(671 )—Philemon and Baucis

Ergo ubi caelicolae parvos tetigere Penates Submissoque humiles intrarunt vertice postes, Membra senex posito iussit relevare sedili, 640 Quo superiniecit textum rude sedula Baucis, Inque foco tepidum cinerem dimovit et ignes Suscitat hesternos foliisque et cortice sicco Nutrit et ad flammas anima producit anili Multifidasque faces ramaliaque arida tecto 645 Detulit et minuit parvoque admovit aéno,

Quodque suus coniunx riguo collegerat horto, Truncat holus foliis; furca levat illa bicorni

Sordida terga suis nigro pendentia tigno . . Servatoque diu resecat de tergore partem . 650 Exiguam sectamque domat ferventibus undis. Interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas Sentirique moram prohibent. erat alveus illic Fagineus, dura clavo suspensus ab ansa:

Is tepidis inpletur aquis artusque fovendos 655? Accipit. in medio torus est de mollibus ulvis 656^ Inpositus lecto sponda pedibusque salignis. Vestibus hunc velant, quas non nisi tempore festo

Sternere consuerant, sed et haec vilisque vetusque Vestis erat lecto non indignanda saligno: 660 Adcubuere dei. mensam succincta tremensque Ponit anus, mensae sed erat pes tertius inpar:

Testa parem fecit; quae postquam subdita clivum Sustulit, aequatam mentae tersere virentes.

Ponitur hic bicolor sincerae baca Minervae . 665 Conditaque in liquida corna autumnalia faece Intibaque et radix et lactis massa coacti Ovaque non acri leviter versata favilla, Omnia fictilibus; post haec caelatus eodem Sistitur argento crater fabricataque fago 670 Pocula, qua cava sunt, flaventibus inlita ceris. Parva mora est, epulasque foci misere calentes,

655 Concutiuntque torum de molli fluminis ulva Inpositum lecto sponda pedibusque salignis.

99

100

675

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Nec longae rursus referuntur vina senectae Dantque locum mensis paulum seducta secundis. Hic nux, hic mixta est rugosis carica palmis Prunaque et in patulis redolentia mala canistris Et de purpureis conlectae vitibus uvae;

680

685

Candidus in medio favus est: super omnia vultus Accessere boni nec iners pauperque voluntas. Interea totiens haustum cratera repleri Sponte sua per seque vident succrescere vina: Adtoniti novitate pavent manibusque supinis Concipiunt Baucisque preces timidusque Philemon Et veniam dapibus nullisque paratibus orant. Unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae, Quem dis hospitibus domini mactare parabant;

690

Ille celer penna tardos aetate fatigat Eluditque diu tandemque est visus ad ipsos Confugisse deos: superi vetuere necari ‘Di’ que ‘sumus, meritasque luet vicinia poenas Inpia' dixerunt; ‘vobis inmunibus huius Esse mali dabitur. modo vestra relinquite tecta Ac nostros comitate gradus et in ardua montis Ite simul!’ parent ambo baculisque levati Nituntur longo vestigia ponere clivo.

695

Tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta

Missa potest: flexere oculos et mersa palude Cetera prospiciunt, tantum sua tecta manere. Dumque ea mirantur, dum deflent fata suorum,

Illa vetus, dominis etiam casa parva duobus 700 Vertitur in templum: furcas subiere columnae,

Stramina flavescunt, adopertaque marmore tellus

Caelataeque fores aurataque tecta videntur. Talia tum placido Saturnius edidit ore: "Dicite, iuste senex et femina coniuge iusto 693^ Tte simul! parent et dis praeeuntibus ambo 693^ Membra levant baculis tardique senilibus annis

697" Mersa vident quaeruntque suae pia culmina villae. 6982Sola loco stabant. dum deflent fata suorum

Book 705

710

8

(743) —Erysichthon

Digna, quid optetis!’ cum Baucide pauca locutus Iudicium superis aperit commune Philemon: "Esse sacerdotes delubraque vestra tueri Poscimus, et quoniam concordes egimus annos, Auferat hora duos eadem, nec coniugis umquam Busta meae videam neu sim tumulandus ab illa." Vota fides sequitur: templi tutela fuere, Donec vita data est; annis aevoque soluti

Ante gradus sacros cum starent forte locique 715

Narrarent casus, frondere Philemona Baucis, Baucida conspexit senior frondere Philemon.

Iamque super geminos crescente cacumine vultus Mutua, dum licuit, reddebant dicta ‘vale’ que *O coniunx' dixere simul, simul abdita texit

Ora frutex: ostendit adhuc Thyneius illic - 720

-

Incola de gemino vicinos corpore truncos. Haec mihi non vani (neque erat, cur fallere vellent) Narravere senes; equidem pendentia vidi

Serta super ramos ponensque recentia dixi ‘Cura deum di sint, et qui coluere, colantur!’ ” 725

Desierat, cunctosque et res et moverat auctor,

Thesea praecipue; quem facta audire volentem Mira deum innixus cubito Calydonius amnis Talibus adloquitur: ‘sunt, o fortissime, quorum Forma semel mota est et in hoc renovamine mansit; 730

Sunt, quibus in plures ius est transire figuras, Ut tibi, complexi terram maris incola, Proteu. Nam modo te iuvenem, modo te videre leonem; Nunc violentus aper, nunc, quem tetigisse timerent, Anguis eras; modo te faciebant cornua taurum;

735

Saepe lapis poteras, arbor quoque saepe videri; Interdum faciem liquidarum imitatus aquarum Flumen eras, interdum undis contrarius ignis. Nec minus Autolyci coniunx, Erysichthone nata,

Iuris habet. pater huius erat, qui numina divum 740

Sperneret et nullos aris adoleret odores. Ille etiam Cereale nemus violasse securi Dicitur et lucos ferro temerasse vetustos.

Stabat in his ingens annoso robore quercus,

101

102

ovw’s Metamorphoses

Una nemus; vittae mediam memoresque tabellae 745

Sertaque cingebant, voti argumenta potentis. Saepe sub hac dryades festas duxere choreas, Saepe etiam manibus nexis ex ordine trunci Circuiere modum, mensuraque roboris ulnas Quinque ter inplebat, nec non et cetera tantum

750

Silva sub hac omnis, quantum fuit herba sub omni. Non tamen idcirco ferrum Triopeius illa Abstinuit famulosque iubet succidere sacrum Robur et, ut iussos cunctari vidit, ab uno

55

760

Edidit haec rapta sceleratus verba securi: "Non dilecta deae solum, sed et ipsa licebit Sit dea, iam tanget frondente cacumine terram." Dixit et, obliquos dum telum librat in ictus, Contremuit gemitumque dedit Deoia quercus, Et pariter frondes, pariter pallescere glandes Coepere ac longi pallorem ducere rami. Cuius ut in trunco fecit manus inpia vulnus,

765

770

Haud aliter fluxit discussus sanguine cortex, Quam solet, ante aras ingens ubi victima taurus Concidit, abrupta cruor e cervice profundi. Obstipuere omnes, aliquisque ex omnibus audet Deterrere nefas saevamque inhibere bipennem. Adspicit hunc ‘mentis’ que ‘piae cape praemia! dixit Thessalus inque virum convertit ab arbore ferrum Detruncatque caput repetitaque robora caedit, Redditus et medio sonus est de robore talis: "Nympha sub hoc ego sum Cereri gratissima ligno, Quae tibi factorum poenas instare tuorum Vaticinor moriens, nostri solacia leti.

TIS

780

Persequitur scelus ille suum, labefactaque tandem Ictibus innumeris adductaque funibus arbor Corruit et multam prostravit pondere silvam. Adtonitae dryades damno nemorumque suoque, Omnes germanae, Cererem cum vestibus atris Maerentes adeunt poenamque Erysichthonis orant. Adnuit his capitisque sui pulcherrima motu Concussit gravidis oneratos messibus agros Moliturque genus poenae miserabile, si non

Book

8

(819)—Erysichthon

Ille suis esset nulli miserabilis actis,

Pestifera lacerare Fame. quae quatinus ipsi 785 Non adeunda deae est (neque enim Cereremque

Famemque Fata coire sinunt), montani numinis unam

Talibus agrestem conpellat oreada dictis: "Est locus extremis Scythiae glacialis in oris, Triste solum, sterilis, sine fruge, sine arbore tellus; 790

Frigus iners illic habitant Pallorque Tremorque Et ieiuna Fames: ea se in praecordia condat Sacrilegi scelerata, iube! nec copia rerum Vincat eam superetque meas certamine vires; Neve viae spatium te terreat, accipe currus,

795

800

Accipe, quos frenis alte moderere, dracones! Et dedit. illa dato subvecta per aéra curru Devenit in Scythiam rigidique cacumine montis (Caucason appellant) serpentum colla levavit Quaesitamque Famem lapidoso vidit in agro Unguibus et raras vellentem dentibus herbas. Hirtus erat crinis, cava lumina, pallor in ore,

Labra incana situ, scabrae rubigine fauces, Dura cutis, per quam spectari viscera possent; Ossa sub incurvis extabant arida lumbis, 805

Ventris erat pro ventre locus; pendere putares Pectus et a spinae tantummodo crate teneri;

Auxerat articulos macies, genuumque tumebat Orbis, et inmodico prodibant tubere tali. 810

Hanc procul ut vidit (neque enim est accedere iuxta Ausa), refert mandata deae paulumque morata,

Quamquam aberat longe, quamquam modo venerat illuc,

815

Visa tamen sensisse famem retroque dracones Egit in Haemoniam versis sublimis habenis. "Dicta Fames Cereris, quamvis contraria semper Illius est operi, peragit perque aéra vento Ad iussam delata domum est et protinus intrat Sacrilegi thalamos altoque sopore solutum (Noctis enim tempus) geminis amplectitur ulnis Seque viro inspirat faucesque et pectus et ora

103

104 820

825

ovw’s Metamorphoses

Adflat et in vacuis peragit ieiunia venis Functaque mandato fecundum deserit orbem Inque domos inopes adsueta revertitur antra. Lenis adhuc somnus placidis Erysichthona pennis Mulcebat: petit ille dapes sub imagine somni Oraque vana movet dentemque in dente fatigat Exercetque cibo desuetum guttur inani Proque epulis tenues nequiquam devorat auras; Ut vero est expulsa quies, furit ardor edendi

Perque avidas fauces immensaque viscera regnat. 830

Nec mora, quod pontus, quod terra, quod educat

aér, Poscit et adpositis queritur ieiunia mensis Inque epulis epulas quaerit, quodque urbibus esse,

Quodque satis poterat populo, non sufficit uni, Plusque cupit, quo plura suam demittit in alvum, 835

Utque fretum recipit de tota flumina terra Nec satiatur aquis peregrinosque ebibit amnes,

Utque rapax ignis non umquam alimenta recusat Innumerasque trabes cremat et, quo copia maior Est data, plura petit turbaque voracior ipsa est, 840

Sic epulas omnes Erysichthonis ora profani Accipiunt poscuntque simul: cibus omnis in illo Causa cibi est semperque locus fit inanis edendo. Iamque fame patrias altaque voragine ventris Attenuarat opes, sed inattenuata manebat

845

850

855

Tum quoque dira fames inplacataeque vigebat Flamma gulae; tandem demisso in viscera censu Filia restabat non illo digna parente. Hanc quoque vendit inops. dominum generosa recusat Et vicina suas tendens super aequora palmas "Eripe me domino, qui raptae praemia nobis Virginitatis habes' ait; haec Neptunus habebat. Qui prece non spreta, quamvis modo visa sequenti Esset ero, formamque novat vultumque virilem Induit et cultus piscem capientibus aptos. Hanc dominus spectans *o qui pendentia parvo Aera cibo celas, moderator harundinis,' inquit

Book

8

(884)—Erysichthon

‘Sic mare compositum, sic sit tibi piscis in unda Credulus et nullus nisi fixus sentiat hamos: Quae modo cum vili turbatis veste capillis 860 Litore in hoc steterat (nam stantem in litore vidi),

865

Dic ubi sit! neque enim vestigia longius extant.’ Illa dei munus bene cedere sensit et a se Se quaeri gaudens his est resecuta rogantem: "Quisquis es, ignoscas! in nullam lumina partem Gurgite ab hoc flexi studioque operatus inhaesi, Quoque minus dubites, sic has deus aequoris artes Adiuvet, ut nemo iamdudum litore in isto, Me tamen excepto, nec femina constitit ulla."

Credidit et verso dominus pede pressit harenam 870 Elususque abiit, illi sua reddita forma est.

Ast ubi habere suam transformia corpora sensit,

Saepe pater dominis Triopeida tradit, at illa Nunc equa, nunc ales, modo bos, modo cervus ) abibat 875

Praebebatque avido non iusta alimenta parenti. Vis tamen illa mali postquam consumpserat omnem Materiam deerantque gravi nova pabula morbo, Ipse suos artus lacero divellere morsu Coepit et infelix minuendo corpus alebat. "Quid moror externis? etiam mihi saepe novandi est

880 Corporis, o iuvenis, numero finita potestas.

Nam modo, qui nunc sum, videor, modo flector in

anguem, Armenti modo dux vires in cornua sumo,

Cornua, dum potui! nunc pars caret altera telo Frontis, ut ipse vides." gemitus sunt verba secuti.

105

LIBER

NONUS

Quae gemitus truncaeque deo Neptunius heros Causa rogat frontis, cum sic Calydonius amnis Coepit inornatos redimitus harundine crines: "Triste petis munus. quis enim sua proelia victus Commemorare velit? referam tamen ordine, nec tam Turpe fuit vinci, quam contendisse decorum est,

10

Magnaque dat nobis tantus solacia victor. Nomine siqua suo tandem pervenit ad aures Deianira tuas, quondam pulcherrima virgo Multorumque fuit spes invidiosa procorum; Cum quibus ut soceri domus est intrata petiti, ‘Accipe me generum,' dixi ‘Parthaone nate!’ Dixit et Alcides; alii cessere duobus. Ille Iovem socerum dare se famamque laborum,

15

Et superata suae referebat iussa novercae; Contra ego ‘turpe deum mortali cedere; dixi (Nondum erat ille deus) ‘dominum me cernis aquarum

20

Cursibus obliquis inter tua regna fluentem; Nec gener externis hospes tibi missus ab oris, Sed popularis ero et rerum pars una tuarum. Tantum ne noceat, quod me nec regia Iuno Odit, et omnis abest iussorum poena laborum! Nam, quo te iactas, Alcmena nate, creatum,

25

Iuppiter aut falsus pater est aut crimine verus; Matris adulterio patrem petis: elige, fictum

30

Talia dicentem iandudum lumine torvo Spectat et accensae non fortiter imperat irae Verbaque tot reddit: *melior mihi dextera lingua! Dummodo pugnando superem, tu vince loquendo'

Esse Iovem malis, an te per dedecus ortum!

Congrediturque ferox. puduit modo magna locutum Cedere: reieci viridem de corpore vestem 106

Book

9

(71)—Achelous

and Hercules

Bracchiaque opposui tenuique a pectore varas In statione manus et pugnae membra paravi. 35

Ille cavis hausto spargit me pulvere palmis Inque vicem fulvae tactu flavescit harenae Et modo cervicem, modo crura micantia captat, Aut captare putes, omnique a parte lacessit.

40

Me mea defendit gravitas frustraque petebar, Haud secus ac moles, magno quam murmure fluctus Oppugnant: manet illa suoque est pondere tuta. Digredimur paulum rursusque ad bella coimus Inque gradu stetimus certi non cedere, eratque Cum pede pes iunctus, totoque ego pectore pronus

45 Et digitos digitis et frontem fronte premebam. Non aliter vidi fortes concurrere tauros,

Cum pretium pugnae toto nitidissima saltu Expetitur coniunx: spectant armenta paventque Nescia, quem maneat tanti victoria regni. 50 Ter sine profectu voluit nitentia contra

Reicere Alcides a se mea pectora, quarto Excutit amplexus adductaque bracchia solvit Inpulsumque manu (certum est mihi vera fateri), Protinus avertit tergoque onerosus inhaesit. 55

Siqua fides neque ficta mihi nunc gloria voce Quaeritur, inposito pressus mihi monte videbar. Vix tamen inserui sudore fluentia multo Bracchia, vix solvi duros a pectore nexus; Instat anhelanti prohibetque resumere vires

60

Et cervice mea potitur. tum denique tellus Pressa genu nostro est, et harenas ore momordi. Inferior virtute meas divertor ad artes

Elaborque viro longum formatus in anguem. Qui postquam flexos sinuavi corpus in orbes 65

Cumque fero movi linguam stridore bisulcam, Risit et inludens nostras Tirynthius artes *Cunarum labor est angues superare mearum,’

Dixit ‘et ut vincas alios, Acheloe, dracones, Pars quota Lernaeae serpens eris unus echidnae? 70 Vulneribus fecunda suis erat illa, nec ullum De comitum numero caput est inpune recisum,

107

108

oviv’s Metamorphoses

Quin gemino cervix herede valentior esset. Hanc ego ramosam natis e caede colubris

Crescentemque malo domui domitamque reclusi. 75 Quid fore te credas falsum qui versus in anguem Arma aliena moves, quem forma precaria celat?' Dixerat et summo digitorum vincula collo

Inicit: angebar ceu guttura forcipe pressus Pollicibusque meas pugnabam evellere fauces. 80 Sic quoque devicto restabat tertia tauri Forma trucis: tauro mutatus membra rebello. Induit ille toris a laeva parte lacertos Admissumque trahens sequitur depressaque dura Cornua figit humo meque alta sternit harena. 85 Nec satis hoc fuerat: rigidum fera dextera cornu

Dum tenet, infregit truncaque a fronte revellit. Naides hoc pomis et odoro flore repletum Sacrarunt, divesque meo Bona Copia cornu est." Dixerat, et nymphe ritu succincta Dianae, 90 Una ministrarum, fusis utrimque capillis,

Incessit totumque tulit praedivite cornu Autumnum et mensas, felicia poma, secundas. Lux subit, et primo feriente cacumina sole Discedunt iuvenes; neque enim, dum flumina pacem

95 Et placidos habeant lapsus totaeque residant Opperiuntur, aquae. vultus Achelous agrestes Et lacerum cornu mediis caput abdidit undis. Hunc tamen ablati domuit iactura decoris,

Cetera sospes habet; capitis quoque fronde saligna 100 Aut superinposita celatur harundine damnum; At te, Nesse ferox, eiusdem virginis ardor

Perdiderat volucri traiectum terga sagitta. Namque nova repetens patrios cum coniuge muros

Venerat Eueni rapidas Iove natus ad undas. 105 Uberior solito nimbis hiemalibus auctus Verticibusque frequens erat atque inpervius amnis.

Intrepidum pro se, curam de coniuge agentem Nessus adit membrisque valens scitusque vadorum,

“Officio” que “‘meo ripa sistetur in illa 110 Haec," ait “Alcide. tu viribus utere nando!"

Book

9

(147)—Death

of Hercules

Pallentemque metu fluviumque ipsumque timentem Tradidit Aonius pavidam Calydonida Nesso. Mox, ut erat, pharetraque gravis spolioque leonis (Nam clavam et curvos trans ripam miserat arcus)

115 Quandoquidem coepi, superentur flumina" dixit Nec dubitat nec, qua sit clementissimus amnis,

Quaerit et obsequio deferri spernit aquarum. Iamque tenens ripam, missos cum tolleret arcus,

Coniugis agnovit vocem, Nessoque paranti 120 Fallere depositum “quo te fiducia" clamat "Vana pedum, violente, rapit? tibi, Nesse biformis, Dicimus. exaudi, nec res intercipe nostras! Si te nulla mei movit reverentia, at orbes

Concubitus vetitos poterant inhibere paterni. 125 Haud tamen effugies, quamvis ope fidis equina; Vulnere, non pedibus te consequar!" ultima dicta

Res probat, et missa fugientia terga sagitta Traicit: extabat ferrum de pectore aduncum. Quod simul evulsum est, sanguis per utrumque foramen 130 Emicuit mixtus Lernaei tabe veneni. Excipit hunc Nessus; ‘neque enim moriemur inulti" Secum ait et calido velamina tincta cruore Dat munus raptae velut inritamen amoris. Longa fuit medii mora temporis, actaque magni 135 Herculis inplerant terras odiumque novercae. Victor ab Oechalia Cenaeo sacra parabat Vota Iovi, cum fama loquax praecessit ad aures, Deianira, tuas, quae veris addere falsa

Gaudet et e minimo sua per mendacia crescit 140 Amphitryoniaden Ioles ardore teneri. Credit amans Venerisque novae perterrita fama Indulsit primo lacrimis flendoque dolorem Diffudit miseranda suum, mox deinde “quid autem

Flemus?” ait “paelex lacrimis laetabitur istis! 145 Quae quoniam adveniet, properandum aliquidque novandum est, Dum licet et nondum thalamos tenet altera nostros.

Conquerar an sileam? repetam Calydona morerne?

109

110

ovw’s Metamorphoses

Excedam tectis an, si nihil amplius, obstem? Quid? si me, Meleagre, tuam memor esse sororem 150 Forte paro facinus, quantumque iniuria possit Femineusque dolor, iugulata paelice testor?" In cursus animus varios abit: omnibus illis Praetulit inbutam Nesseo sanguine vestem Mittere, quae vires defecto reddat amori, 155 Ignaroque Lichae, quid tradat, nescia luctus

Ipsa suos tradit blandisque miserrima verbis, Dona det illa viro, mandat. capit inscius heros Induiturque umeris Lernaeae virus echidnae. Tura dabat primis et verba precantia flammis 160

Vinaque marmoreas patera fundebat in aras: Incaluit vis illa mali resolutaque flammis Herculeos abiit late dilapsa per artus. Dum potuit, solita gemitum virtute repressit,

Victa malis postquam est patientia, reppulit aras 165

Inplevitque suis nemorosam vocibus Oeten. Nec mora, letiferam conatur scindere vestem; Qua trahitur, trahit illa cutem, foedumque relatu,

Aut haeret membris frustra temptata revelli Aut laceros artus et grandia detegit ossa. 170

Ipse cruor, gelido ceu quondam lammina candens

Tincta lacu, stridit coquiturque ardente veneno. Nec modus est, sorbent avidae praecordia flammae, Caeruleusque fluit toto de corpore sudor, Ambustique sonant nervi, caecaque medullis 175

Tabe liquefactis tollens ad sidera palmas “Cladibus” exclamat "Saturnia, pascere nostris! Pascere et hanc pestem specta, crudelis, ab alto

180

Corque ferum satia! vel si miserandus et hosti, Hoc est, si tibi sum, diris cruciatibus aegram Invisamque animam natamque laboribus aufer! Mors mihi munus erit: decet haec dare dona novercam!

Ergo ego foedantem peregrino templa cruore Busirin domui saevoque alimenta parentis Antaeo eripui nec me pastoris Hiberi 185 Forma triplex nec forma triplex tua, Cerbere, movit.

Book

9

(223)—Death

of Hercules

Vosne, manus, validi pressistis cornua tauri?

190

195

Vestrum opus Elis habet, vestrum Stymphalides undae Partheniumque nemus, vestra virtute relatus Thermodontiaco caelatus balteus auro Pomaque ab insomni concustodita dracone! Nec mihi Centauri potuere resistere nec mi Arcadiae vastator aper! nec profuit hydrae Crescere per damnum geminasque resumere vires! Quid quod Thracis equos humano sanguine pingues Plenaque corporibus laceris praesepia vidi Visaque deieci dominumque ipsosque peremi? His elisa iacet moles Nemeaea lacertis,

- 200

Hac caelum cervice tuli! defessa iubendo est Saeva Iovis coniunx, ego sum indefessus agendo! Sed nova pestis adest, cui nec virtute resisti Nec telis armisque potest; pulmonibus errat

205

210

Ignis edax imis perque omnes pascitur artus. At valet Eurystheus! et sunt, qui credere possint Esse deos?" dixit perque altam saucius Oeten Haud aliter graditur, quam si venabula taurus Corpore fixa gerat factique refugerit auctor. Saepe illum gemitus edéntem, saepe frementem, Saepe retemptantem totas infringere vestes Sternentemque trabes irascentemque videres Montibus aut patrio tendentem bracchia caelo. Ecce Lichan trepidum latitantem rupe cavata Adspicit, utque dolor rabiem conlegerat omnem, “Tune, Licha,” dixit “feralia dona dedisti?

Tune meae necis auctor eris?" tremit ille pavetque 215 Pallidus et timide verba excusantia dicit;

Dicentem genibusque manus adhibere parantem Corripit Alcides et terque quaterque rotatum Mittit in Euboicas tormento fortius undas. Ille per aérias pendens induruit auras, 220

Utque ferunt imbres gelidis concrescere ventis, Inde nives fieri, nivibus quoque molle rotatis Adstringi et spissa glomerari grandine corpus, Sic illum validis iactum per inane lacertis

111

112

oviw’s Metamorphoses

Exsanguemque metu nec quicquam umoris habentem 225 In rigidos versum silices prior edidit aetas. Nunc quoque in Euboico scopulus brevis eminet alto Gurgite et humanae servat vestigia formae, Quem, quasi sensurum, nautae calcare verentur

Appellantque Lichan. — at tu, Iovis inclita proles, 230 Arboribus caesis, quas ardua gesserat Oete,

Inque pyram structis arcum pharetramque capacem Regnaque visuras iterum Troiana sagittas Ferre iubes Poeante satum, quo flamma ministro est

Subdita, dumque avidis conprenditur ignibus agger, 235 Congeriem silvae Nemeaeo vellere summam Sternis et inposita clavae cervice recumbis, Haut alio vultu, quam si conviva iaceres

Inter plena meri redimitus pocula sertis. Iamque valens et in omne latus diffusa sonabat, 240 Securosque artus contemptoremque petebat Flamma suum: timuere dei pro vindice terrae, Quos ita (sensit enim) laeto Saturnius ore

Iuppiter adloquitur: “nostra est timor iste voluptas, O superi, totoque libens mihi pectore grator, 245 Quod memoris populi dicor rectorque paterque Et mea progenies vestro quoque tuta favore est. Nam quamquam ipsius datis hoc inmanibus actis, Obligor ipse tamen. sed enim ne pectora vano Fida metu paveant, Oetaeas spernite flammas!

250 Omnia qui vicit, vincet, quos cernitis, ignes; Nec nisi materna Vulcanum parte potentem Sentiet: aeternum est, a me quod traxit, et expers Atque inmune necis nullaque domabile flamma, Idque ego defunctum terra caelestibus oris 255 Accipiam cunctisque meum laetabile factum Dis fore confido; siquis tamen Hercule, siquis Forte deo doliturus erit, data praemia nolet,

Sed meruisse dari sciet invitusque probabit." Adsensere dei; coniunx quoque regia visa est 260 Cetera non duro, duro tamen ultima vultu

Dicta tulisse Iovis seque indoluisse notatam. Interea, quodcumque fuit populabile flammae,

Book 9

(300)—Birth

of Hercules

Mulciber abstulerat, nec cognoscenda remansit

Herculis effigies, nec quicquam ab imagine ductum 265 Matris habet, tantumque Iovis vestigia servat;

Utque novus serpens posita cum pelle senecta Luxuriare solet squamaque nitere recenti, Sic, ubi mortales Tirynthius exuit artus, 270

Parte sui meliore viget maiorque videri Coepit et augusta fieri gravitate verendus. Quem pater omnipotens inter cava nubila raptum Quadriiugo curru radiantibus intulit astris. Sensit Atlas pondus, neque adhuc Stheneleius iras Solverat Eurystheus odiumque in prole paternum

275 Exercebat atrox; at longis anxia curis

Argolis Alcmene, questus ubi ponat aniles,

Cui referat nati testatos orbe labores Cuive suos casus, Iolen habet; Herculis illam 280

285

Imperiis thalamoque animoque receperat Hyllus Inpleratque uterum generoso semine, cum sic Incipit Alcmene: “faveant tibi numina saltem Corripiantque moras tum, cum matura vocabis Praepositam timidis parientibus Ilithyiam, Quam mihi difficilem Iunonis gratia fecit. Namque laboriferi cum iam natalis adesset Herculis et decimum premeretur sidere signum, Tendebat gravitas uterum mihi, quodque ferebam, Tantum erat, ut posses auctorem dicere tecti Ponderis esse Iovem, nec iam tolerare labores

Ulterius poteram: quin nunc quoque frigidus artus, Dum loquor, horror habet, parsque est meminisse doloris. Septem ego per noctes, totidem cruciata diebus, Fessa malis tendensque ad caelum bracchia magno Lucinam Nixasque pares clamore vocabam. 295 Illa quidem venit, sed praecorrupta meumque Quae donare caput Iunoni vellet iniquae. Utque meos audit gemitus, subsedit in illa Ante fores ara dextroque a poplite laevum Pressa genu et digitis inter se pectine iunctis 300 Sustinuit partus; tacita quoque carmina voce

290

113

114

ovip’s Metamorphoses

Dixit et inceptos tenuerunt carmina partus. Nitor et ingrato facio convicia demens Vana Iovi cupioque mori moturaque duros Verba queror silices; matres Cadmeides adsunt, 305

Votaque suscipiunt exhortanturque dolentem. Una ministrarum, media de plebe, Galanthis Flava comas aderat faciendis strenua iussis,

310

Officiis dilecta suis. ea sensit iniqua Nescio quid Iunone geri, dumque exit et intrat Saepe fores, divam residentem vidit in ara Bracchiaque in genibus digitis conexa tenentem Et ‘quaecumque es,’ ait ‘dominae gratare! levata est

Argolis Alcmene potiturque puerpera voto.’ Exsiluit iunctasque manus pavefacta remisit 315

Diva potens uteri, vinclis levor ipsa remissis. Numine decepto risisse Galanthida fama est;

320

Ridentem prensamque ipsis dea saeva capillis Traxit et e terra corpus relevare volentem Arcuit inque pedes mutavit bracchia primos. Strenuitas antiqua manet, nec terga colorem Amisere suum: forma est diversa priori. Quae quia mendaci parientem iuverat ore, Ore parit nostrasque domos, ut et ante, frequentat"

325

Dixit et admonitu veteris commota ministrae Ingemuit; quam sic nurus est adfata dolentem: “Te tamen, o genetrix, alienae sanguine uestro Rapta movet facies. quid, si tibi mira sororis Fata meae referam? quamquam lacrimaeque dolorque Inpediunt prohibentque loqui. fuit unica matri

330 (Me pater ex alia genuit) notissima forma

Oechalidum Dryope. quam virginitate carentem Vimque dei passam Delphos Delumque tenentis Excipit Andraemon et habetur coniuge felix. Est lacus adclivis devexo margine formam 335 Litoris efficiens, summum

myrteta coronant.

Venerat huc Dryope fatorum nescia, quoque Indignere magis, nymphis latura coronas; Inque sinu puerum, qui nondum inpleverat annum,

Book 9

(376)—Dryope

and Her Child

Dulce ferebat onus tepidique ope lactis alebat.

340 Haud procul a stagno Tyrios imitata colores In spem bacarum florebat aquatica lotos. Carpserat hinc Dryope, quos oblectamina nato Porrigeret, flores, et idem factura videbar (Namque aderam): vidi guttas e flore cruentas 345 Decidere et tremulo ramos horrore moveri.

Scilicet, ut referunt tardi nunc denique agrestes, Lotis in hanc nymphe fugiens obscena Priapi Contulerat versos, servato nomine, vultus. Nescierat soror hoc; quae cum perterrita retro

350 Tre et adoratis vellet discedere nymphis, Haeserunt radice pedes; convellere pugnat

Nec quicquam nisi summa movet. subcrescit ab imo, Totaque paulatim lentus premit inguina cortex. Ut vidit, conata manu laniare capillos 355 Fronde manum inplevit: frondes caput omne tenebant.

At puer Amphissos (namque hoc avus Eurytus illi Addiderat nomen) materna rigescere sentit Ubera, nec sequitur ducentem lacteus umor.

Spectatrix aderam fati crudelis opemque 360 Non poteram tibi ferre, soror, quantumque valebam, Crescentem truncum ramosque amplexa morabar Et, fateor, volui sub eodem cortice condi. Ecce vir Andraemon genitorque miserrimus adsunt

Et quaerunt Dryopen: Dryopen quaerentibus illis 365 Ostendi loton. tepido dant oscula ligno

Adfusique suae radicibus arboris haerent. Nil nisi iam faciem, quod non foret arbor, habebat

Cara soror: lacrimae misero de corpore factis Inrorant foliis, et, dum licet oraque praestant 370 Vocis iter, tales effundit in aéra questus:

‘Siqua fides miseris, hoc me per numina iuro Non meruisse nefas; patior sine crimine poenam. Viximus innocuae; si mentior, arida perdam, Quas habeo, frondes, et caesa securibus urar.

375 Hunc tamen infantem maternis demite ramis Et date nutrici nostraque sub arbore saepe

115

116

ovip's Metamorphoses

Lac facitote bibat nostraque sub arbore ludat!

Cumque loqui poterit, matrem facitote salutet, Et tristis dicat: “latet hoc in stipite mater.”

380 Stagna tamen timeat nec carpat ab arbore flores Et frutices omnes corpus putet esse dearum!

Care vale coniunx et tu, germana, paterque! Qui, siqua est pietas, ab acutae vulnere falcis, A pecoris morsu frondes defendite nostras!

385 Et quoniam mihi fas ad vos incumbere non est, Erigite huc artus et ad oscula nostra venite, Dum tangi possum, parvumque attollite natum! Plura loqui nequeo. nam iam per candida mollis Colla liber serpit, summoque cacumine condor. 390 Ex oculis removete manus! sine munere vestro Contegat inductus morientia lumina cortex.’

Desierant simul ora loqui, simul esse. diuque Corpore mutato rami caluere recentes." Dumque refert Iole factum mirabile, dumque 395 Eurytidos lacrimas admoto pollice siccat Alcmene (flet et ipsa tamen), conpescuit omnem

Res nova tristitiam. nam limine constitit alto

Paene puer dubiaque tegens lanugine malas Ora reformatus primos Iolaus in annos. 400 Hoc illi dederat Iunonia muneris Hebe Victa viri precibus; quae cum iurare pararet, Dona tributuram post hunc se talia nulli,

Non est passa Themis. “nam iam discordia Thebae Bella movent," dixit “Capaneusque nisi ab Iove vinci 405 Haud poterit, fientque pares in vulnere fratres, Subductaque suos manes tellure videbit Vivus adhuc vates, ultusque parente parentem Natus erit facto pius et sceleratus eodem Attonitusque malis, exul mentisque domusque,

410 Vultibus Eumenidum matrisque agitabitur umbris, Donec eum coniunx fatale poposcerit aurum

Cognatumque latus Phegeius hauserit ensis. Tum demum magno petet hos Acheloia supplex Ab Iove Callirhoe natis infantibus annos, 415 Neve necem sinat esse diu victoris inultam.

Book 9

(454)—Byblis

Iuppiter his motus privignae dona nurusque Praecipiet facietque viros inpubibus annis." Haec ubi faticano venturi praescia dixit Ore Themis, vario superi sermone fremebant, 420 Bt, cur non aliis eadem dare dona liceret, Murmur erat: queritur veteres Pallantias annos

Coniugis esse sui, queritur canescere mitis Iasiona Ceres, repetitum Mulciber aevum Poscit Erichthonio, Venerem quoque cura futuri 425

Tangit et Anchisae renovare paciscitur annos. Cui studeat, deus omnis habet; crescitque favore Turbida seditio, donec sua Iuppiter ora Solvit et “o nostri siqua est reverentia," dixit “Quo ruitis? tantumne aliquis sibi posse videtur,

430

Fata quoque ut superet? fatis Iolaus in annos, Quos egit, rediit, fatis iuvenescere debent

Callirhoe geniti, non ambitione nec armis. Vos etiam, quoque hoc animo meliore feratis, Me quoque fata regunt, quae si mutare valerem, 435 Nec nostrum seri curvarent Aeacon anni, Perpetuumque aevi florem Rhadamanthus haberet Cum Minoe meo, qui propter amara senectae

Pondera despicitur nec, quo prius, ordine regnat." Dicta Iovis movere deos; nec sustinet ullus, 440

Cum videat fessos Rhadamanthon et Aeacon annis Et Minoa, queri; qui, dum fuit integer aevi,

Terruerat magnas ipso quoque nomine gentes, Tunc erat invalidus Deioidenque iuventae Robore Miletum Phoeboque parente superbum 445

Pertimuit credensque suis insurgere regnis

Haud tamen est patriis arcere penatibus ausus. Sponte fugis, Milete, tua celerique carina

Aegaeas metiris aquas et in Aside terra Moenia constituis positoris habentia nomen. 450

Hic tibi, dum sequitur patriae curvamina ripae,

Filia Maeandri totiens redeuntis eodem

Cognita Cyanee, praestantia corpora forma, Byblida cum Cauno, prolem est enixa gemellam. Byblis in exemplo est, ut ament concessa puellae,

117

118 455

ovip's Metamorphoses

Byblis Apollinei correpta cupidine fratris: Non soror ut fratrem, nec qua debebat, amabat.

Illa quidem primo nullos intellegit ignes Nec peccare putat, quod saepius oscula iungat, Quod sua fraterno circumdet bracchia collo, 460

Mendacique diu pietatis fallitur umbra. Paulatim declinat amor, visuraque fratrem Culta venit nimiumque cupit formosa videri, Et siqua est illic formosior, invidet illi.

465

470

475

Sed nondum manifesta sibi est nullumque sub illo Igne facit votum; verumtamen aestuat intus. Iam dominum appellat, iam nomina sanguinis odit: Byblida iam mavult, quam se vocet ille sororem. Spes tamen obscenas animo demittere non est Ausa suo vigilans; placida resoluta quiete Saepe videt, quod amat; visa est quoque iungere fratri Corpus et erubuit, quamvis sopita iacebat. Somnus abit: silet illa diu repetitque quietis Ipsa suae speciem, dubiaque ita mente profatur: “Me miseram! tacitae quid vult sibi noctis imago? Quam nolim rata sit! cur haec ego somnia vidi? Ille quidem est oculis quamvis formosus iniquis Et placet, et possim, si non sit frater, amare, Et me dignus erat; verum nocet esse sororem.

480

Dummodo tale nihil vigilans committere temptem, Saepe licet simili redeat sub imagine somnus: Testis abest somno, nec abest imitata voluptas! Pro! Venus et tenera volucer cum matre Cupido,

485

Gaudia quanta tuli! quam me manifesta libido Contigit! ut iacui totis resoluta medullis! Ut meminisse iuvat! quamvis brevis illa voluptas Noxque fuit praeceps et coeptis invida nostris.

O ego, si liceat mutato nomine iungi, Quam bene, Caune, tuo poteram nurus esse parenti! Quam bene, Caune, meo poteras gener esse parenti! 490 Omnia, di facerent, essent communia nobis,

Praeter avos; tu me vellem generosior esses! Nescio quam facies igitur, pulcherrime, matrem:

Book

9

(529) —Byblis

At mihi, quae male sum, quos tu, sortita parentes, Nil nisi frater eris! quod obest, id habebimus unum. 495

500

Quid mihi significant ergo mea visa? quod autem Somnia pondus habent? an habent et somnia pondus? Di melius! — di nempe suas habuere sorores. Sic Saturnus Opem iunctam sibi sanguine duxit, Oceanus Tethyn, Iunonem rector Olympi. Sunt superis sua iura! quid ad caelestia ritus Exigere humanos diversaque foedera tempto? Aut nostro vetitus de corde fugabitur ardor Aut, hoc si nequeo, peream, precor, ante toroque Mortua conponar, positaeque det oscula frater!

505

Et tamen arbitrium quaerit res ista duorum. Finge placere mihi: scelus esse videbitur illi! At non Aeolidae thalamos timuere sororum. Unde sed hos novi? cur haec exempla paravi? Quo feror? obscenae procul hinc discedite flammae,

510 Nec, nisi qua fas est, germanae frater ametur!

Si tamen ipse meo captus prior esset amore,

Forsitan illius possem indulgere furori. Ergo ego, quae fueram non reiectura petentem, Ipsa petam. poterisne loqui? poterisne fateri? 515 Coget amor, potero; vel, si pudor ora tenebit,

Littera celatos arcana fatebitur ignes!" Hoc placet, haec dubiam vicit sententia mentem;

520

In latus erigitur cubitoque innixa sinistro “Viderit: insanos" inquit fateamur amores. Ei mihi! quo labor? quem mens mea concipit ignem?" Et meditata manu conponit verba trementi: Dextra tenet ferrum, vacuam tenet altera ceram.

525

Incipit et dubitat; scribit damnatque tabellas; Et notat et delet; mutat culpatque probatque Inque vicem sumptas ponit positasque resumit. Quid velit, ignorat; quidquid factura videtur, Displicet; in vultu est audacia mixta pudorque. Scripta "soror" fuerat: visum est delere sororem Verbaque correctis incidere talia ceris:

119

120 530

ovwmw’s Metamorphoses

“Quam, nisi tu dederis, non est habitura salutem, Hanc tibi mittit amans; pudet, a! pudet edere

nomen! Et si, quid cupiam, quaeris, sine nomine vellem

Posset agi mea causa meo nec cognita Byblis Ante forem, quam spes votorum certa fuisset. 535

Esse quidem laesi poterat tibi pectoris index Et color et macies et vultus et umida saepe Lumina nec causa suspiria mota patenti Et crebri amplexus et quae, si forte notasti,

540

Oscula sentiri non esse sororia possent: Ipsa tamen, quamvis animo grave vulnus habebam, Quamvis intus erat furor igneus, omnia feci

545

Pugnavique diu violenta Cupidinis arma Effugere infelix et plus, quam ferre puellam Posse putes, ego dura tuli. superata fateri Cogor opemque tuam timidis exposcere votis: Tu servare potes, tu perdere solus amantem!

(Sunt mihi di testes!

), ut tandem sanior essem,

Elige, utrum facias! non hoc inimica precatur, 550

Sed quae, cum tibi sit iunctissima, iunctior esse Expetit et vinclo tecum propiore ligari. Iura senes norint et, quid liceatque nefasque Fasque sit, inquirant legumque examina servent:

Conveniens Venus est annis temeraria nostris! Quid liceat, nescimus adhuc et cuncta licere 555

560

Credimus et sequimur magnorum exempla deorum. Nec nos aut durus pater aut reverentia famae Aut timor inpediet: tantum sit causa timendi! Dulcia fraterno sub nomine furta tegemus: Est mihi libertas tecum secreta loquendi, Et damus amplexus et iungimus oscula coram! Quantum est, quod desit? miserere fatentis amorem Et non fassurae, nisi cogeret ultimus ardor,

565

Neve merere meo subscribi causa sepulcro." Talia nequiquam perarantem plena reliquit Cera manum summusque in margine versus adhaesit. Protinus inpressa signat sua crimina gemma,

Book

9

(605) —Byblis

Quam tinxit lacrimis (linguam defecerat umor),

Deque suis unum famulis pudibunda vocavit Et pavidum blandita “fer has, fidissime, nostro" 570

Dixit et adiecit longo post tempore "fratri!" Cum daret, elapsae manibus cecidere tabellae; Omine turbata est, misit tamen. apta minister

575

Tempora nactus adit traditque latentia verba. Attonitus subita iuvenis Maeandrius ira Proicit acceptas lecta sibi parte tabellas Vixque manus retinens trepidantis ab ore ministri, “Dum licet, o vetitae scelerate libidinis auctor,

Effuge!” ait “qui, si nostrum tua fata pudorem Non traherent secum, poenas mihi morte dedisses." 580

Ille fugit pavidus dominaeque ferocia Cauni Dicta refert. palles audita, Bybli, repulsa, Et pavet obsessum glaciali frigore corpus; Mens tamen ut rediit, pariter rediere furores,

585

Linguaque vix tales icto dedit aére voces: “Et merito! quid enim temeraria vulneris huius Indicium feci? quid, quae celanda fuerunt, Tam cito commisi properatis verba tabellis? Ante erat ambiguis animi sententia dictis Praetemptanda mihi. ne non sequeretur euntem,

590

Parte aliqua veli, qualis foret aura, notare Debueram tutoque mari decurrere, quae nunc Non exploratis inplevi lintea ventis! Auferor in scopulos igitur subversaque toto Obruor oceano, neque habent mea vela recursus.

595

Quid, quod et ominibus certis prohibebar amori Indulgere meo, tum cum mihi ferre iubenti Excidit et fecit spes nostras cera caducas? Nonne vel illa dies fuerat vel tota voluntas,

Sed potius mutanda dies? deus ipse monebat 600 Signaque certa dabat, si non male sana fuissem. Et tamen ipsa loqui nec me committere cerae Debueram praesensque meos aperire furores! Vidisset lacrimas, vultum vidisset amantis;

Plura loqui poteram, quam quae cepere tabellae! 605 Invito potui circumdare bracchia collo

121

122

ovw’s Metamorphoses

Et, si reicerer, potui moritura videri

Amplectique pedes adfusaque poscere vitam! Omnia fecissem, quorum si singula duram Flectere non poterant, potuissent omnia, mentem. 610 Forsitan et missi sit quaedam culpa ministri: Non adiit apte nec legit idonea, credo, Tempora nec petiit horamque animumque vacantem!

Haec nocuere mihi; neque enim est de tigride natus Nec rigidas silices solidumve in pectore ferrum 615

620

Aut adamanta gerit nec lac bibit ille leaenae! Vincetur! repetendus erit, nec taedia coepti Ulla mei capiam, dum spiritus iste manebit. Nam primum, si facta mihi revocare liceret,

Non coepisse fuit, coepta expugnare secundum est. Quippe nec ille potest, ut iam mea vota relinquam, Non tamen ausorum semper memor esse meorum. Et, quia desierim, leviter voluisse videbor Aut etiam temptasse illum insidiisque petisse:

Velcerte non hoc, qui plurimus urget et urit 625

Pectora nostra, deo, sed victa libidine credar! Denique iam nequeo nil commisisse nefandum;

Et scripsi et petii: temerata est nostra voluntas; Ut nihil adiciam, non possum innoxia dici.

Quod superest, multum est in vota, in crimina parvum." 630

Dixit, et (incertae tanta est discordia mentis)

Cum pigeat temptasse, libet temptare, modumque Exit et infelix committit saepe repelli. Mox ubi finis abest, patriam fugit ille nefasque Inque peregrina ponit nova moenia terra. 635

640

Tum vero maestam tota Miletida mente Defecisse ferunt, tum vero a pectore vestem

Deripuit planxitque suos furibunda lacertos, Iamque palam est demens inconcessaeque fatetur Spem veneris, siquidem patriam invisosque penates Deserit et profugi sequitur vestigia fratris, Utque tuo motae, proles Semeleia, thyrso Ismariae celebrant repetita triennia bacchae,

Byblida non aliter latos ululasse per agros

Book 645

9

(681 )—Iphis

Bubasides videre nurus; quibus illa relictis Caras et armiferos Lelegas Lyciamque pererrat. Iam Cragon et Limyren Xanthique reliquerat undas, Quoque Chimaera iugo mediis in partibus ignem, Pectus et ora leae, caudam serpentis habebat:

650

Deficiunt silvae, cum tu lassata sequendo Concidis et dura positis tellure capillis, Bybli, iaces frondesque tuo premis ore caducas.

Saepe illam nymphae teneris Lelegeides ulnis Tollere conantur; saepe, ut medeantur amori, 655

Praecipiunt surdaeque adhibent solacia menti. Muta iacet viridesque suis tenet unguibus herbas Byblis, et umectat lacrimarum gramina rivo. Naidas his venam, quae numquam arescere posset,

Subposuisse ferunt: quid enim dare maius . habebant? Protinus, ut secto piceae de cortice guttae 660

Utve tenax gravida manat tellure bitumen,

Utve sub adventu spirantis lene Favoni Sole remollescit, quae frigore constitit, unda,

665

Sic lacrimis consumpta suis Phoebeia Byblis Vertitur in fontem, qui nunc quoque vallibus illis Nomen habet dominae’nigraque sub ilice manat. Fama novi centum Cretaeas forsitan urbes Inplesset monstri, si non miracula nuper Iphide mutata Crete propiora tulisset. Proxima Gnosiaco nam quondam Phaestia regno

670 Progenuit tellus ignotum, nomine Ligdum,

Ingenua de plebe virum; nec census in illo Nobilitate sua maior, sed vita fidesque Inculpata fuit. gravidae qui coniugis aures Vocibus his monuit, cum iam prope partus adesset: 675 *Ouae voveam, duo sunt: minimo ut relevere dolore,

Utque marem parias. onerosior altera sors est, Et vires fortuna negat: quod abominor, ergo, Edita forte tuo fuerit si femina partu, (Invitus mando: pietas, ignosce!) necetur!” 680 Dixerat, et lacrimis vultum lavere profusis Tam qui mandabat, quam cui mandata dabantur;

123

124

ovin’s Metamorphoses

Sed tamen usque suum vanis Telethusa maritum Sollicitat precibus, ne spem sibi ponat in arto; Certa sua est Ligdo sententia. iamque ferendo 685 Vix erat illa gravem maturo pondere ventrem,

690

695

Cum medio noctis spatio sub imagine somni Inachis ante torum pompa comitata sacrorum Aut stetit aut visa est: inerant lunaria fronti Cornua cum spicis nitido flaventibus auro Et regale decus; cum qua latrator Anubis Sanctaque Bubastis variusque coloribus Apis, Quique premit vocem digitoque silentia suadet; Sistraque erant, numquamque satis quaesitus Osiris Plenaque somniferis serpens peregrina venenis. Tum velut excussam somno et manifesta videntem Sic adfata dea est: "pars o Telethusa mearum,

Pone graves curas mandataque falle mariti; Nec dubites, cum te partu Lucina levarit, 700

Tollere, quidquid erit! dea sum auxiliaris opemque Exorata fero, nec te coluisse quereris Ingratum numen." monuit thalamoque recessit. Laeta toro surgit purasque ad sidera supplex Cressa manus tollens, rata sint sua visa, precatur.

705

Ut dolor increvit seque ipsum pondus in auras Expulit et nata est ignaro femina patre, Iussit ali mater puerum mentita; fidemque Res habuit, neque erat ficti nisi conscia nutrix.

710

Vota pater solvit nomenque inponit avitum: Iphis avus fuerat, gavisa est nomine mater, Quod commune foret nec quemquam falleret illo. Inde incepta pia mendacia fraude latebant: Cultus erat pueri, facies, quam sive puellae Sive dares puero, fuerat formosus uterque. Tertius interea decimo successerat annus,

715 Cum pater, Iphi, tibi flavam despondit Ianthen,

Inter Phaestiades quae laudatissima formae Dote fuit virgo, Dictaeo nata Teleste.

Par aetas, par forma fuit, primasque magistris Accepere artes, elementa aetatis, ab isdem; 720

Hinc amor ambarum tetigit rude pectus et aequum

Book

9

(757) —Iphis

Vulnus utrique dedit, sed erat fiducia dispar: Coniugium pactaeque exspectat tempora taedae, Quamque virum putat esse, virum fore credit Ianthe; 725

Iphis amat, qua posse frui desperat, et auget Hoc ipsum flammas ardetque in virgine virgo, Vixque tenens lacrimas "quis me manet exitus," inquit "Cognita quam nulli, quam prodigiosa novaeque

Cura tenet Veneris? si di mihi parcere vellent, Parcere debuerant; si non, et perdere vellent, 730 Naturale malum saltem et de more dedissent! Nec vaccam vaccae, neque equas amor urit equarum; Urit oves aries, sequitur sua femina cervum;

Sic et aves coeunt, interque animalia cuncta Femina femineo correpta cupidine nulla est. 735 Vellem nulla forem! ne non tamen omnia Crete

Monstra ferat, taurum dilexit filia Solis, Femina nempe marem: meus est furiosior illo, Si verum profitemur, amor; tamen illa secuta est

Spem Veneris, tamen illa dolis et imagine vaccae 740 Passa bovem est, et erat, qui deciperetur, adulter!

Huc licet e toto sollertia confluat orbe, Ipse licet revolet ceratis Daedalus alis,

Quid faciet? num me puerum de virgine doctis Artibus efficiet? num te mutabit, Ianthe? 745 Quin animum firmas teque ipsa reconligis, Iphi,

Consiliique inopes et stultos excutis ignes? Quid sis nata, vide, nisi te quoque decipis ipsam Et pete, quod fas est, et ama, quod femina debes!

Spes est, quae capiat, spes est, quae pascit amorem; 750

Hanc tibi res adimit: non te custodia caro Arcet ab amplexu nec cauti cura mariti,

Non patris asperitas, non se negat ipsa roganti; Nec tamen est potienda tibi, nec, ut omnia fiant, 755

Esse potes felix, ut dique hominesque laborent. Nunc quoque votorum nulla est pars vana meorum, Dique mihi faciles, quidquid valuere, dederunt, Quodque ego, vult genitor, vult ipsa socerque futurus;

125

126

ovip’s Metamorphoses

At non vult natura, potentior omnibus istis, Quae mihi sola nocet! venit ecce optabile tempus, 760 Luxque iugalis adest, et iam mea fiet Ianthe— Nec mihi continget: mediis sitiemus in undis. Pronuba quid Iuno, quid ad haec, Hymenaee, venitis Sacra, quibus qui ducat abest, ubi nubimus ambae?"

Pressit ab his vocem, nec lenius altera virgo 765 Aestuat, utque celer venias, Hymenaee, precatur.

Quod petit haec, Telethusa timens modo tempora differt, Nunc ficto languore moram trahit, omina saepe Visaque causatur; sed iam consumpserat omnem Materiam ficti, dilataque tempora taedae 710 Institerant, unusque dies restabat; at illa Crinalem capiti vittam nataeque sibique Detrahit et passis aram complexa capillis

"Isi, Paraetonium Mareoticaque arva Pharonque Quae colis et septem digestum in cornua Nilum, 7715

Fer, precor," inquit "opem nostroque medere timori! Te, dea, te quondam tuaque haec insignia vidi

Cunctaque cognovi, sonitum comitesque facesque . . . Sistrorum memorique animo tua iussa notavi.

Quod videt haec lucem, quod non ego punior, ecce 780 Consilium munusque tuum est: miserere duarum

Auxilioque iuva!" lacrimae sunt verba secutae. Visa dea est movisse suas (et moverat) aras,

Et templi tremuere fores imitataque lunam 785

Cornua fulserunt crepuitque sonabile sistrum. Non secura quidem, fausto tamen omine laeta

Mater abit templo, sequitur comes Iphis euntem, Quam solita est, maiore gradu; nec candor in ore

Permanet, et vires augentur, et acrior ipse est Vultus et incomptis brevior mensura capillis, 790

Plusque vigoris adest, habuit quam femina. nam quae

Femina nuper eras, puer es. date munera templis, Nec timida gaudete fide! dant munera templis, Addunt et titulum, titulus breve carmen habebat:

Book 9

(797) —Iphis

DONA * PUER * SOLVIT *QUAE * FEMINA * VOVERAT ° IPHIS. 795 Postera lux radiis latum patefecerat orbem, Cum Venus et Iuno sociosque Hymenaeus ad ignes Conveniunt, potiturque sua puer Iphis Ianthe.

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