THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO

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72 P. OVIDII NASONIS
Et quaecunque fugant inductas flamina nubes :
Emittitque Notum. Macliclis Notus evolat alls
Terribilem picea tectus ca%ine vultuni.
Harba gravis niinbis ; canis fluit uncla capillis ;
Fronte scclent nebulas; rorant pennocque, sinusque.
fTtque manu lata pcnclentia nubila pressit,
Fit fragor : hinc clensi funcluntur ab tethere nimbi.
Nuntia Junonis, varies incluta colores,
Concipit Iris aquas, nlimentaque nubibus aclfert.
Sternuntur segetes, et deplorata coloni
LIBER 1
Aqnilonem in ./Foliis
_ antris, et qiuecunque
25 fl.nniiia fuganl inductus
unties: quc emittit
Norum. Nobu
evolut m.tdidis ajis^
tec'tns quoad terribilein
vulturn pice i caliginc.
Barba est prao"on
vjs nimbis. unda fluit
cainscapilhs; iiebulre
sedcitt fronte ; q jc
31. Iris, nuntiii Ju
notiis. induta varioi
colores, concipit
aquas, quc adfert ali-
NOTjE.
disperse the clouds, and bring on fair wea 31. Varins induta colores: clothed with
ther.
various colors. The rainbow contains the
24. Inducing nubes: the clouds spread seven primitive colors, red, orange, yellow,
over the lace of heaven.
green, blue, indigo, and violet; the blend
25. Eminii No/urn, lie lels out llicsouth ing of their dyes appears to multiply the
wind, which brings rnin. The personifica number ; the poets gai-c her a thousand.
tion of the south wind, by the poet, is at The how is formed by the rays of the Bttn
once sublime and beautiful, and the whole falling upon the drops of water in a cloud,
allegory well sustained. This wi id bears when that Inminnry has nn elevation of not
the treasured rain; a modern port, with mire than .~>4 degrees.
this passage probably in hh eye, personi Mille trahens varies adverse sole colores.
fies the wind, and arms it with lightning
V inert.
and the tempest.
32. 7ns. Iris was the daughter of Thau-
The wrathful Angel of the wind mas and Elcctrn. She was*clothcd in a
flail all Ihe horrors of the skies comhined; particolored robe, and was ever seated by
Audio! tremendous o'er tin* deip he springs. the throne of Juno to execute her orders.
The inflaming sulphur flashing from Ins wings !
llnrk. his strong voice the dismal sileuco breaks! As the rainbow, for which Iris is often put,
Mud chaos from the cliuius of death awakes ! is formed in the lower air, which is, my-
Now in a deluge bursts the living fl.um*. thologically, Juno, hence she is said always
And drt'Jul concussion rends the ctliereul frame: to attend that goddess. See note on p. 27!).
Sick earth convulsive groans from shove to 33 Coiicipil nquag: draws up water. The
And shore. nn.ure, shuddering, .eels the horrid roar. f06.' her?, evidently refers to that meteoro-
FALCONFK'S S'IIPWBECK logi'-a. phenomenon observed at sea. when
25. Madiais alls: with dripping wings." | w*tcr is carried up to the clouds, by the
The poets generally attribute wings to the I formation of a great hollow cone of conwinds,
on account of their swiftness. j densed vapor. It has the colors of the
Dum se routine! Auster, '
Dum sedet et siccat matlitlas i ll carcere penuas. Tnll Ida's summit now moie distant grew,
J[ VEVAL. And Jove's high hill wus ris.ntron the view,
He spake, the god that mounts llie wingeit \\ i nds.
When from the*]eu approaching, they descry
Poi'c's HOMER.
A liquid column towering shoot on high
The foaming base an angry whirlwind sweeps,
lie rode upon a cherub, nnd did fly: yea. he Where curling nillovvs rouse the fe.irfnl dccpfl.
did fly upon the wings of the wind. PSILM Still round nnd round the fluid vortex flies.
xviii. 10
Spattering dun night nnd horror thro' the skies,
26. Tectvs rultum. See Grammar; Syn The sivit'i volution and the enormous train
tax, Rule XXV., n. 9.
Let sages versed in nature's lore explain !
The horrid apparition still draws nigh,
Meanwhile the south wind rose, and vvitli black And white vi ilh foam the whirling surges fly !
wings
The guns were primed, the vessel northward
Wide hovering, all the elouds together drove. veers.
MILTOV Till her black hattery on the column hears.
29. Nubila pressit: pressed the hanging The nitre fired : and wliilc the dreadful sound,
clouds; crushed them.
Convulsive, shook the slwnlier-ng nir around,
30. Fit fraanr: there comes a crashing. The waterv volume, trembling to the sky,
Hurst down n dreadful delage firm on high!
The peculiar sound of the rain, when a The affrighted surge, recoiling as u fell.
shower commences, is known to every one. Rolling in hills, disclosed the uh\ss of hell.
30. Fiiwlnalur: are poured down; pour
FALcoTiEa's SHIPWRECK
down. This verb has the force of the
Et liibit ingens
Greek middle voice.
Arcus. VIUGIL.
Fierce and fast
32. AHmenta nubibus: brings supplies to
Shot rfoitin the ponderous rain, a sheeted flood,
Trat slanted not before the baffled winds. the clouds.
Hut, with an arrowy nnd uawavi-ring rush 33. Sternuntur segetta the corn is laid
Duhed hissing eartk ward. BARBER. prostrate
FABULA IX.
METAMORPHOSEON.
Vota jacent; longique labor peril irritus anni.
Nee ceelo contenta suo Jovis ira: scd ilium
Casruleiis frater juvat auxiliaribus unclis.
Convocat hie amnes : qui postquam tecta tyranni
Intravere sui, -Non est hortaminc longo
Nunc, ait, utendum : vires effunclite vestras.
Sic opus est. Aperite clomus, ac mole remota
Fluminibus vestris totas iinmittite habenas.
Jiisserat. Hi recleunt, ac fontibus ora relaxant,
Et deft-senate volvuntur in aequora ciirsu.
Ipse triclente suo terram percussit: at ilia '
Intremuit, motuque sinus patefecit aquarum.
Exspatiata ruunt per apertos flumina campos;
33. Coloni vota: the hopes of the hus
bandman; his crops sought with many
prayers..
All lliat ihe winds had spared
In one wild moment ruined; the big hnpts
And well-earned treasures of the paininl year.
THOMSON.
34. Peril: is lost.
The ox hath therefore stretched his joke in vain.
The ploughman lost his sweat; and the greeii
corn
Hath rotted ere his joutli attained a heard :
The fold stands empty in the drowned field.
SllAKSPEAHE.
35. Nee coelo contenla : the wrath of Ju
piter is not content with his heaven, viz.:
with the stores of water in the clouds.
35. Jltum: him; assists Jupiter.
36. Can-tells frater: h is cerulean bro
ther. This is a beautiful periphrasis for
Neptune.
3C. Auxiliaribus undis : with his auxil
iary waves. That the sea assisted in the
submersion of mankind, and the enrth also,
by giving out its internal waters, is agree
able not only to the Bible, but to the ge
neral accounts derived from tradition.
37. Coumcat hie amnes : he assembles
the rivers; the gods of the rivers. The
images here presented to the mind are all
of a grave and sublime character.
37. Tecta tyranni: the palace of their
ruler, Neptune. This was placed, by the
poets, in or near the centre of the earth.
Then the channels of waters were seen, and
he foundations of the world were discovered at
.hy rebuke. I'SALM xviii. 15.
NOT^E.
10 G
73
menta niioibus Se-
Qr aretes st-Tiiuntur, et
OO vota coloni jacent de-
ploruia; que luhor
longi anni pent irri
tus. Nee rst ira Jovis
contenta suo ceelo:
3y. Non nunc ulendum
est lougo hortu*
-n mine: effundite ves-
4U tras vires. Sic opus
est. Aperite domus. lie
mole reinoll, irannttite
totas liuhenas
42. Jusserut. Hi redeunt
ac reluxamora
fontihus. et volvuntur
.-in rE(]iiora defr-tnato
4O cursu. Ipse percussit
terram suo tridente:
ut ilia iniremuil, que
42. Jusserat: he had spoken. As soon
ns he commanded, it was done. He spake,
and it was done.
42. H i redeimt: these return. The river
gods return to their respective rivers.
43. Volvuntur: are rolled; roll them
selves. This verb has the force of the
Greek middle voice.
43. Difranato cursu: with unbridled
The same metaphor employed
bove.
Thither they
m uii i iac in tijsitii wuu, ui riujju uirec
l'»r haste ; such flight the great command im
pressed
On the swift floods. MILTOV.
44. Tridente. The trident was a triple-
pronged mace which Neptune used as a
scepire. It derives its name from its form,
Ires, three, and dens, a. t ine. The fiction
of Neptune's striking the earth and causing
it to tremble, is derived from a natural
cause, being taken from the earthquake,
which is the result of the action of the in
tcrnal heat and internal waters.
The trident of Neptune is a symbol of t
third region of the worh1, which the sea po
senses, situated below tha of the heaven andth
air. I'LUTARCH.
From Neptun.«/a hand
Djish his trined mace', that from the bettom stiri
The troabled sea, nnd shake* Lie solid earth.
45. Motu: by the concnmron.
45. Sinus paltfrcit aquaniri: disclosea
its reservoirs of waters. Hov strikingly
38. Non est utendum: there is not to be this and other heathen descriptions agree
used by me; I must not use. Supply with the Scriptural account.
milii.
The some dny were all the foi.n'B :n* of the
great deep broken up, and the window.*