THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO

AKGUMENTUM.
AFTER a concise and elegant annunciation of his subject, the poet in
vokes the inspiration of the gods in the composition of a continuous poem,
from the first origin of the world to his own times. Chaos, which was a
rude and confused mass, is reduced to order, and separated into the four
elements, fire, air, earth, and water, with distinct localities. Form and
regularity are given to the universe. To the several divisions of nature,
proper inhabitants are assigned, and lastly, man is formed./Four 1 ages
of the world follow. In the golden age, innocence and tranquillity pre
vail, and men live upon the spontaneous productions of the earth. In the
silver age, the year is divided into four seasons. The earth is now cul
tivated, and houses are built. In tfie brazen age, the corruption of morals
begins, which is consummated in the iron age. Rapine and violence now.
predominate, and Astrcea, the last of the gods, leaves the earth reeking
with slaughter. The giants make war upon Heaven, and are destroyed
by Jupiter. From their blood springs a race of men given to violence
and lust. Jupiter calls a council of the Celestials, to deliberate upon the
general depravity jand relates the impiety of Lycaon, and his transforma
tion into a wolf. A general deluge destroys all animate existence, except
Deucalion and Pyrrha. By the admonition of Themis, they repair the
human race. The other animals are produced from the moist earth,
heated by the sun : among them, the serpent Python, which is slain by
Apollo. In commemoration of the deed, he institutes the Pythian games.
Daphne, the daughter of the river Peneus, pursued by Apollo, is changed
into a laurel. lo, the daughter of Inachus, is abused by Jupiter, and
changed into a heifer, to prevent the- suspicion of Jnno. She is assigned
to the care of Argus, who has a hundred eyes. Mercury, sent by Jupiter
for the destruction of Argus, entertains him with music and the story of
the transformation of Syrinx into a reed, and having lulled him to sleep,
slays him. Juno adorns the tails of her peacocks with his eyes. lo,
restored, with Juno's consent, to the human form, gives birth to Epaphus
and is worshipped as a goddess. Phaeton, reproached by Epaphus
with believing in a supposititious father, visits the palace of the sun.
SO
P. OVIDII N ASONIS
METAMOEPHOSEON.
LIBEK I.
PROCEMIUM.
f(N nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas
Corpora. DT, cosptis (nam vos mutastis et illas)
Adspirate meis: primaque ab origine mundi
Ad mea perpetuum deducite tempora carmen.
METAMOHPHOSEON. From
pcrtyity)0D>cri£, "which signi
fies the change of one thing
for another.
1. In nova. Asia custom
ary, the poet begins by
declaring his. subject, and
after invoking the aid of
the gods, enters upon the
narration. The exordium
is brief, but comprehen-
N sive.
1. fert animus: my mind inclines me: I
design.
-1. Mutntas formas. By hypallage for,
corpora mututa in novas formas; bodies
changed into new forms. See Brooks's
Grammar, p. 144. The use of this figure,
by which the order of construction is in
verted, is singularly beautiful in treating
of the transformation of bodies.
2. Di, caeptis. At the commencement of
any labour, the invocation of the supreme
power and goodness is just and proper.
VVith especial appropriateness, the poet, on
this occasion, invokes the gods whose
NOTjE.
agency had effected the different creations
and transformations which he ia about to
describe. In sublimity, however, the fol
lowing, from Milton, 13 greatly superior:
And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer
Before all temples, the upright heart and pure,
Instruct me, for thou knowest: tliou from the first
Wast present, and wilh mighty winga outspread,
D >ve-iike, aat'st brooding on the vast abyss,
Ami mad'st it pregnaiil: wlml in me is dark.
Illumine ! what is low, raise and support.
2. Nam ros mulaslis: for you have also
transformed them. The emphatic force of
the conjunction cl, evidently refers to their
creation by the gods.
3. Adspirale meis: favor, literally, breathe
upon, my designs. A metaphor common
with the poets, derived from winds impel
ling a ship.
4. Deducite: draw like a chain, extend.
4. Perpeluum carmen: a continuous, un
broken poem. The art of the poet is par
ticularly shown in the happy manner in
which each fable ia connected with the one
succeeding it, in a regular series, like too
links of a chain.
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