THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO

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P. OVIDII NASONIS METAMORPHOSEON. LIBER!!.
Fert prsedam. Pavet hose; littusque ablata relictum
Respicit: et dextra cornu tenet; altera dorso
Imposita est: tremulos sinuantur flamine vestes.
NOTJE.
ZEPHTETIS. Oh! what now ensued was still
pleasanler! In an instant, the sea drew, as it
were, n carpel o'er its wave?, and became as
smooth and unruffled as a meadow. We all
held our breaths, and followed as silent specta
tors at a distance. Before them, flew myriads
of cupids, so near to the surface, that sometimes
their toes feathered the waters, having torches
in their hands, and chanting hymeneals. The
Nereids, rising from the water, mostly half
naked, rode upon the hacka of dolphins on either
side, and clapped their hands for joy. The Tri
tons, also, and the other inhabitants of the sea,
that were not of frightful aspect, danced around
the lovely maid. Aye, Neptune himself had
ascended his car, with Amphilrile by his side,
40
and exultingly went before, as if to smooth the
way for his swimming brother. And, that no
thing might be wanting, a couple of vigorous
Tritons bore the goddess of love, recumbent in
her shell, strewing flowers of every kind urjon
the bride. It was one continued procession
from the coast of Phenicia quite to Crete. They
had scarcely landed on that island, when away
went the bull, and Jupiter, in his own form,
takn.g J£uropa by the hand, led her, glowing
with a delicious blush, and hardly daring to
open her eyes, to the Dictean cave. This done,
we all retired, some this way, and some tha*
upon the sea, and set about blowing and blus
tering as usual.—DIALOGUES OF MARINE DEIUIS.
QU^ESTIONES.
Whither did Mercury go after the pun-1
ishment of Agraulos ?
For what purpose ?
"With whom was Jupiter in love ?
Into what did he transform himself?
Was Europa at first fearful of him 1
Did his gentleness overcome her timi
dity ?
Did she venture to sit upon him ?
What did he do then?
Was she affrighted ?
How is the fable to be explained?
"Were virgius often carried off in ancient
timei?
What writers speak of the rape of Eu
ropa?
Did princes often assume the names of
the gods to give dignity to their preten
sions t
Who was Asterius ?
Who was Picus ?
Were Asterius, Picus, and the Cretan
Jupiter probably all the same individual?
How, then, is the transformation into a
bull to be regarded ?
How would some others explain the
Fable?
P. OVIDII NASONIS
METAMORPHOSEON.
LIBER III.
ARGUMENTUM.
JUPITER carries Europa to Crete, and resumes his true form, and makes
himself known to her. Agenor sends his son, Cadmus, in quest of Eu
ropa, and orders him not to return home, unless he recover her. Find
ing the search fruitless, Cadmus consults Apollo where he shall fix his
residence, and is directed by a heifer to the spot where he is to found a
city. About to return thanks to the gods by a sacrifice, he sends his
companions to a fountain for water, when they are all devoured by the
dragon that guards it. Cadmus arrives and slays the dragon, and at the
command of Minerva sows the teeth of the serpent in the earth, from
which rise armed men, a part of whom assist him in building Thebes.
Cadmus now becomes happy, though in exile, until his grandson,
Actaeon, is changed into a stag by Diana, (because surprised by him
while bathing,) and is afterwards devoured by his own dogs. Juno
rejoices in this calamity of the house of Agenor, and now contemplates
the destruction of Semele, the daughter of Cadmus, who had become a
favorite of Jupiter. Assuming the form of Beroe, the nurse of Semele,
she persuades her to ask Jupiter to visit her, attended by all the insignia
of his majesty. He consents, and Semele is consumed to ashes ; but her
son, Bacchus, is rescued from destruction.
Tiresias, afterwards a famous prophet, delivers his first oracle in the
case of Narcissus, a beautiful youth, who, slighting Echo and other
nymphs that loved him, pines away with love of himself. Pentheus
treats the prophet with indignity, when the old man declares the horrible
fate that awaits him when Bacchus shall visit Thebes. Bacchus comes
to Thebes with his attendants, when Pentheus seizes Acostes, one of
them, who gives an account of his own attachment to the new god, and
of the transformation of the Tyrian sailors to dolphins. After this, Pen
theus goes to Cithosron to behold the rites of Bacchus with sacrile
gious eyes, when he is torn to pieces by the Bacchanals.
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