THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO

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P. OVIDII NASON1S
Prima nepos inter tot res tibi, Cadme, secundas
Causa fuit, luctus, alienaque cornua fronti
Addita, vosque canes satiate sanguine herili. 10
At bene si quteras: Fortunte crimen in illo,
Non scelus inveniea : quod enim scelus error habebat ?
Mons erat, infectus variarum csede ferarum:
Jamque dies rerum medias contraxerat umbras;
Et sol ex sequo meta distabat utraque; 15
Cum juvenis placido per devia lustra vagantes
Participes operum compellat Hyantius ore:
Lina madent, comites, ferrurnque cruore ferarum :
Fortunsequc dies habuit satis. Altera lucem
Cum croceis invecta rotis Aurora reducet, 20
Propositum repetamus opus : nunc Phabus utraque
Distal idem terra; finditque vaporibus arva:
Sistite opus praesens ; nodosaque tolllte Jina.
Jussa viri faciunt; intermittuntfjiie laborem.
Vallis erat, piceis et acuta densa cupressu, 25
Nomine Gargaphie, succinct sacra Dianas:
Cujus in extreme est antrum nemorale recessu,
Arte laboratum nulla; simulaverat artem
Ingenio Natura suo. Narn pumice vivo
Et levibus tophis nativum duxerat arcum. 30
Fons sonat a dextra, tenui perlucidus unda,
Margine gramineo patulos incinctus hiatus.
Hie dea sylvarutn, venatu fessa, solebat
Virgineos artus liquido perfundere rore.
Q,ub postquam subiit; Nympharum tradidit uni 35
afterwards leaves the world with composure, he
alone, O Crcesus. is entitled to our admiration.
It is the part of wisdom to look to tlie event of
things; for the Deity often overwhelms with
misery those who have formerly been placed at
the summit of felicity. HERODOTUS, Clio.
NOT^E.
8. Nepos. Actacon, for the story of whose
fate the following is preparatory.
9. Aliaia: foreign; not his own, but
those of n stag. The poet here glances at
the principal heads of the story.
11. Fortunes crimen: the crime of for
tune ; the crime of accident.
13. Mons. Tt occurred on Mount Ciihae-
ron, as related by Apollodorus and others.
15. Mela utraque : from each goal, viz.
from the cnst ana the west.
1C. Juvenis Hyanlius: the young Hy-
antian, viz. Actaeon. The Hyantcs were
a people of Bceotia.
18. Lina: the nets. Flax, of which
nets arc made, is here put for the nets
themselves, by metonymy.
19. Fortunai satis: sufficient luck.
20. Croceis rolis: in her saffron chariot.
Rolu is put for curms by synecdoche.
Aurora is said to be drawn in a saffron
LIBER III.
8 Nepos fuit Cadme,
rinia causa luctfls ti-
Ei inter tot res secundus
14. Jamque diescon-
truxerat medias um
bras rerum, et sol di-
stubut ex ffiquo utr4-
que inelft.
85. Erat vnllis densa
piceis, et uculft cu
pressu, nomine Gur-
gaphie, sucru succinc-
tse Diunoe.
31. Fons perlucidua
sonat A dextru tenui
undH,»incinctus quod
patulos hiatus grami-
neo murgine
chariot, because that color is common at
sunrise.
21. Propositum opus: our purposed labor,
viz. hunting.
22. Idem. Supply spalium. It is evi-
dent that idem cannot agree in the nomina
tive case with Phcebus, for the first sylla
ble is short.
22. Findit arva: cleaves the fields;
causes the fields to crack open.
25. VaUit. The poet gives a descrip
tion of the vale and grotto in which Diana,
and her nymplis were accustomed to re
fresh themselves at noon. A spot so
beautiful was meet for their presence.
2G. Succinctte Diana. The goddess
wore her dress thus, that she might fol
low in the chase with more convenience.
28. Simulaverat arlem: had imitated art.
29. Pumice vivo: with living pumice;
with natural pumice-stone.
30. Nalivum duxerat arcum: had formed
a natural arch.
32. ilargine graminea: with a grassy
border.
31. Liquido rore: with the liquid dew
with the clear water.
FABULA III. METAMORPHOSE ON.
Armigerse jaculum, pharetramque, arcusque retentos.
Altera deposits subjecit brachia pallse :
Vincla dura pedibus demunt. Nam doctior illia
Ismenis Crocale, sparsos per colla capillos
Colligit in nodum ; quamvis erat ipsa solutis. 40
Excipiurit laticem Nipheleque, Hyaleque, Rhanisque,
Et Psecas, et Phiale ; funduntque capacibus urnis.
Dumque ibi perluitur solita Titania lympha;
Ecce nepos Cadmi dilata parte laborum,
Per nemus ignotum non certis passibus errans, 45
Pervenit in lucum : sic ilium fata ferebant
Qui simul intravit rorantia fontibus antra
Sicut erant, viso, nudre sua pectora Nymphas
Percussere, viro ; subitisque ululatibus omne
Implevere nemus : circumfusseque Dianam 50
Corporibus texere suis. Tamen altior ilJis
Ipsa dea est, colloque tenus supereminet omnes.
37. Subjecit brackia: laid her arms un
der her cloak; received her cloak in her
arms.
38. Vincla: her eandale.
39. Ismenis Crocale: the Ismenian Cro
cale. She was the daughter of Ismenus, a
river of Bceotia. The name is derived
from ifpfav, a pebble.
41. Excipiunt laticem: take the cup,
Viz. the water in cups.
41. NipJiele. The name of this nymph
13 derived from vama, to viash.
41. Hyale. The name of this nymph is
from va\rjt transparent.
41. Rhanis. This name is derived from
/aifb), to sprinkle.
42. Psecas. The nymph has her name
from if&taft drops of dew.
42. Phiale. The name of this nymph
is derived from 4*0X1, a cup.
45. Nemus ignotum: the unknown grove.
He did not know that a part of it was sa
cred to Diana.
45. Non certis passibus : with uncertain
steps; with random steps.
4C. Lucum. The grove, or forest, that
ie set apart for the worship of some deity,
is designated by the term Incus, as dis
tinguished from nemus.
4(j. Fata ferebant s the Fates lead him.
They led him hither to his destruction.
Thomson very beautifully describes the
Loves as leading Damon to a similar
scene with a happy termination. The de
scription is so beautiful that we copy it:
Thrice happy swain!
A lucky chance, that oft decides the fate
Of mighty rnonnrchs, then decided thine.
For lo! conducted by the laughing Loves,
This cool retreat his Mu&idoru sought:
Warm in her cheek the sultry season glowed;
And, robed in loose array, she came to butlie
Her fervent limbs in the refreshing stream.
NOT^E.
213
38. Nam Ismems
Crocale doctior i\\[3t
eolligit in nodum ca-
pilloe pparsos per eol-
la; quamvis ipsa erat
capiilu eolutis.
44. Ecce nepos Cad
mi, pane laborum di
late, (errans non cer
tis pD&sibus per igno
tum nemus,) per yen it
in lucum.
60. Circumfusceque,
texere Diauum suis
corporibus.
"What shall he do ? In sweet confusion lost.
And dubious flutlerings, he awhile remained :
A pure ingenuous elegance of soul,
A delicate refinement, known to few,
Perplexed his breast, and urged him to retire:
But love forbade. Ye prudes in virtue, say,
Say, ye severest, what wo ~ld j ou have done ?
Meantime, this fairer nymph than ever blessed
Arcadian Btream, with timid eye around
The banks surveying, stripped her beauteous
limbs,
To taste the lucid coolness of the flood.
Ah then! not Pnris on the piny top
Of Ida panted stronger, when aside
The rival-goddesses the veil divine
Cast unconfined, and gave him all their charms,
Than, Damon, thou; as from the snowy leg,
And slender foot, th' inverted silk she drew;
As the soft touch dissolved tlie virgin zone;
And, through the parting robe th1 alternate
breast,
With youth wild-throbbing, on thy lawless gaze
In full luxuriance rose. But, desperate youth,
How durst thou risk the soul-distracting view;
As from her naked limbs of glowing white,
Harmonious swell'd by Nature's finest hand,
In folds loose-floating fell the fainter lawn;
And fair-exposed she stood, shrunk from her
self,
With fnncy blushing, at the doubtful breeze
Alarmed, and sinning like the fearful fawn?
Then to the flood she rushed ; the parted flood
Its lovely guest with closing waves received;
And every beauty softening, every grace
Flushing anew, a mellow lustre shed :
As shines the lily through the crystal mild;
Or as the rose amid the morning dew,
Fresh from Aurora's huud, more sweetly glows
While thus she wantoned, now beneath the wave
But ill concealed; and now with streaming
locks,
That half embraced her in a humid veil,
Rising again, the latent Damon drew
Such maddening droughts of benuiy to the soul
As for awhile overwhelmed his raptured thought.
THOMSON'S SEASONS.
50. Circumfusts Dianam. Having en
compassed I)iana, that she might not be
seen naked by Acteeon.
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