THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
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42 P. OVIDII <strong>NASO</strong>NIS<br />
Ver erat seternum; placidique tepentibus auris<br />
Mulcebant Zephyri natos sine seinine flores.<br />
Mox etiam fruges tellus inarata ferebat :<br />
Nee renovatus ager gravidis canebat aristis.<br />
Flumina jam lactis, jam flumina nectaris ibant:<br />
Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella.<br />
LIBER I.<br />
19. Ver erat ester-<br />
num, placidique Ze-<br />
phyri tepentibus aun»<br />
21. Etiam telliii ina<br />
rata mox ferebat<br />
fruges: nee ager re-<br />
novatus canebat gra<br />
vidis aristis. Jam<br />
flumina lactis, jam<br />
flumina nectnris<br />
NOTjE.<br />
19. Ver erat: there was eternal spring. 22. lienovatus ager. The field that had<br />
Many learned men have conjectured that become renewed by lying fallow. The<br />
this was really the case at the first creation fields did not produce on alternate years<br />
of the world. If we suppose the poles and merely, but every year.<br />
axis of our globe to have been perpendicu 22. Canebat: became white with the ears<br />
lar to ihe equator, and the centre of gravity of corn. The fields of grain are first green,<br />
to have been in the centre of the earth, the then white, just before ripening, and when<br />
attraction of the sun would be equal on all fully ripe they become yellow.<br />
ihe pans of the earth, and its course would Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, for<br />
be regular in the track of the equator. they are white already to harvest. ST. JOHN.<br />
There would be no disturbances of the at The crops are green, and wave o'er all the plain,<br />
mosphere, nor changes of temperature, and In billows like the storm-excited main. MASON.<br />
the days and nights would be always equal. MolUpaulatim JJavescct campus arista. VIKGIL.<br />
It would move through one degree in ex 22. Arittis. Arista, the beard of the<br />
actly 24 hours, and make its annual revo corn, is of common use, by synecdoche,<br />
lution in 3GO days. The moon would make for the ear of com itself.<br />
her revolution in just 30 days. This would<br />
Of old we met everywhere with bnrley,<br />
agree exactly with the ancient computa wheat, and meal, as we do now-a-days with<br />
tions, the universality of which is no small dust. The fountains flowed, some with water,<br />
evidence of its existence at the first. When some with milk, and likewise some with honey,<br />
God cursed the ground for man's trans some with wine, and some with oil. CALAMUS<br />
gression, or at the deluge, by a sinking of IN STRABO.<br />
the continents, the centre of the earth's 23. Flumina lactis: streams of milk.<br />
gravity must have been changed, in conse Traditional accounts of Paradise, and of<br />
quence of which the poles of the earth di the Promised Land, probably furnished the<br />
verged, causing its orbit to become oblique heathen poets with their ideas of streams<br />
to the equator. The motions of the earth of milk, honey, and nectar.<br />
and moon would, of necessity, become From the taunts of the proud and the vile wego<br />
tremulous and irregular, causing altera To the land where rich honey and milk will<br />
tions in the time of their revolutions, and flow. W. G. CLARK.<br />
introducing a variety of seasons.<br />
23. Nectaris: nectar; the fabled drink of<br />
Great Spring, before, the gods. Athenseus says, that on Mount<br />
Greened all the year ; and fruits and blossoms Olympus and its environs, the people use<br />
blushed<br />
a drink which they call nectar; composed<br />
In social sweetness, on the self-same bough.<br />
THOMSON. of honey, wine, and odoriferous herbs. As<br />
20. Placidi zephyri: the mild zephyrs. the gods were supposed to hold their court<br />
The sweetness of the breath of Zcphyrns on Olympus, hence arose the idea of nec<br />
was said to produce flowers. Hence he tar being their drink. Nectar signifies a<br />
was said to be the husband of Flora. preserver of youth, and was, therefore,<br />
appropriately considered the drink of men<br />
Pure was the temperate air ; aujeven calm<br />
Perpetual reigned, save what the zephyrs Llaud who led long and flourishing" lives.<br />
Breathed o'er the blue expanse. THOMSON. D' ambroisie bene choisie<br />
21. Fruqes. At first they lived upon the Hebe la iiourrit a pnrt;<br />
fruits of the trees, but now, it is said, the Et sa bouche, quand j'y louche,<br />
Me parfume de nectar. HENRI IV<br />
unploughed earth bore grain also. How<br />
well this agrees with the scriptural ac 24. Stillabant: distilled; trickled down.<br />
count !<br />
Durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella.<br />
Dchdjl I Imve given you every herb bearing<br />
ECLOGUE iv.<br />
ecd (y grain), which is upon the face of all Feasts strewn by earth, employ their easy day,<br />
the earth, and every tree in the which is the The oak is on their hills ; the topmost tree<br />
fruit of a tree yielding seed; Ic you it f ball be Bears the rich acorn, and the trunk the bee.<br />
for meat -GENESIS i 39.<br />
FimrlA HI.<br />
What is the subject of this Fable ?<br />
What poet, before Ovid, had spoken<br />
of different ages under the name of me<br />
tals?<br />
What additional ago does he mention ?<br />
Why was the first age called golden ?<br />
To what period of the world's history<br />
does the golden age probably refer 7<br />
What are the coincidences between these<br />
times ?<br />
What institution among the Jews re<br />
called the residence in Paradise ?<br />
What similar institution among the<br />
Greeks and Romans recalled the golden<br />
ge under Saturn ?<br />
METAMORPHOSEON.<br />
QUjESTIONES.<br />
45<br />
Upon what were the laws of the Roman*<br />
written ?<br />
Where were these tablets set up ?<br />
What was the state of morals in the<br />
golden age ?<br />
Was there agriculture or commerce ?<br />
By what figure is pinus put for a ship ?<br />
Were taere cities or houses in the gold<br />
en age ?<br />
Were there any wars ?<br />
Upon what did men subsist ?<br />
Did they live upon flesh, or wear cloth<br />
With what account does this agree ?<br />
When was permission given by God to<br />
eat flesh ?