THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO

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100 P. OVIDII N ASONIS
Ncc prosunt domino, quas prosunt omnibus, artes!
Plura locuturum timido Pcne'ia cursu
Fngit; cuinque ipso verba imperfecta reliquit:
Turn quoque visa dccens. Nudabant corpora venti, 75
Obviaque advcrsas vibrabant flainina vestes;
Et levis impexos retro dabat aura capillos ;
Auctaque forma fuga est. Sed enim non sustinet ultra
Pcrdere blanditias juvcnis deus: utque movebat
Ipse amor, admisso sequitur vestigia passu.
Ut canis in vacuo leporcrn cum Gallicus arvo
Vidit; et hie prasdam pedibus petit, ille salutem:
Alter inhiESuro similis, jam jamque tenere
Sperat, et extento stringit vestigia rostro :
Alter in ambiguo est, an sit deprensus : ct ipsis
Morsibus eripitur; tangentiaque ora relinquit.
Sic deus, et virgo est: hie spe celer, ilia timore.
Qui tamen insequitur, pennis adjutus amoris
Ocyor est, requiemque negat: tergoque fugaci
Imminet: et crinem sparsum cervicibus afflat.
Viribus absumtis expalluit ilia: citaeque
Not poppy nor mandragora,
Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world,
Shall ever medicine ihee to that sweet sleep
Which thou owedsl yesterday. SIIAKSPEARE.
72. Nee prosunt domino: nor do the arts
avail the master, which arc a remedy to all.
He refers more especially to the art of me
dicine, but his remark may apply to all.
Hn could foretel the future to others, but
could not foresee that Daphne would reject
him ; he could soothe others by the power
of music, but bring no sweet forgetfulneBS
of pain to himself; he could heal others,
but could not allay the pangs of unhappy
love in his own case.
73. Plura locuturum: about tosaymore.
7.). Nudabant corpora: disclosed her
body.
76. VHiraoant .• tossed about; caused to
flutter.
78. Aucta eat: was increased in beauty.
78. Non sustinet: cannot bear.
79. Utque movtbat: and as love incited.
80. Admisso passu: at full speed.
81. Canis Gallicus: the greyhound. This
animal docs not run by scent, but by sight,
and generally in a line so direct that if
trees or other objects be in his way, he is
apt to run against them.
81. In vacuo arvo: in a clear field.
83. Hie: this one ; the greyhound.
82. Ille salulcm : that one; the hare
seeks safety. Supply petit.
83. Jnluzsuro similis: asif about to seize.
83. Tenere sperat: hopes to take him.
84. Exlenlo rostro: with extended nose.
How, in his mid career, the spaniel struck
Sa-ff, by the tainted gale, with open nose
NOTJE.
80
85
90
LIBER 1
bem, ct potrntia
7ji Pcnela lugil il
ium locuturum plura
timido cursu; reli-
quitque verha illius
imperfecta cum ipso.
Turn quoque visa est
deccna. Venti nuda-
bftut illius corpora,
obviaque flamina vi
brabant adversas
vestes; et levis aura
dubat relro impexos
capillos.
Kl. Ul cum Gallicus
canis vidit leporem in
vacuo arvo; el hie
petit prredam pedihus,
Mepetit salutem: alter
similis irilui'suro, jam
jamque sperat lenere,
et stringit vestigia
rostro illius: alter est
in ainhiguo; an de-
prensus sit; et eripi
tur ipsis morsibus, re-
Imquitque ora illiiu
tangent] a.
01. Viribns absum-
tis ilia expalluit; vie
tuque lubore cite fu
Outstretched, and finely sensible, draws fun
Fearful and cautious on the latent prey.
THOMSON.
84. Stringit vestigia ; grazes; presses
upon his heels.
86. Morsibus eripitur: is rescued from
his very jaws.
86. Ora relinquit : leaves his mouth as
it touches him.
88. Pennis adjutus. This is a very
beautiful metaphor. Love is drawn with
wings, on account of the inconstancy of
lovers, or the impatience of their desires,
or their ready service.
89. Eequiemqne negat: and denies her
rest; does not permit her to rest.
89. Tergo fugaci: her back as she flies.
90. Crinem aflat: breathes upon the hair
scattered over her neck. This is a very
spirited description, and has been finely
imitated by Pope.
Not half so swift the trembling doves can fly.
When the fierce eagle cleaves the liquid sky:
Not half so switlly the fierce eagle moves,
"When through the clouds he drives the trem
bling doves;
As from the god she flew with furious pace.
Or as the god more furious urged the chase ;
Now fainting, sinking, pale, the nymph appears,
Now close behind tis sounding steps she hears;
And now his shadow rearheilher as she run,
His shadow lengthened by the setting sun:
And now his shorter breath, with sultry air,
Pants on her neck, and fans her parting hair.
Wmusoa FOREST.
91. Viribus nbftimtis.- her strength be
ing spent. Sudden fear overcame her,
when, feeling the breath of the god upon
her neck, she gave way to despair.
FABTJLA XII. METAMORPHOSEON.
Victa labore fugae, spectans Penei'das undas,
Fer, pater, inquit, opem; si flumina numen habetis.
Vix prece finita, torpor gravis alligat artus:
Mollia cinguntur tenui prrecordia libro: 95
In frondem crincs, in ramos brachia crescunt:
Pes inodo tarn vclox pigris radicibus haeret:
Ora cacumen obit: remanet nitor unus in ilia.
Jlanc quoque Phcebus amat: positaque in stipite dextra,
Sentit adhuc trepidare novo sub cortice pectus, 100
Complexusque suis ramos, ut membra, lacertis,
Oscula dat ligno: refugit tamen oscula lignum.
Cui Deus, At conjux quoniam mea no'n potes esse,
Arbor ens certe, dixit, mea: semper habebunt
Te coma, te citharas, te nostrse, Laure, pharetrse. 105
Tu ducibus Latiis aderis, cum lasta triumphum
Vox canct, et longte viscnt Capitolia pompas.
92. Victa labore • overcome by the fi-
tigue of her rapid flight.
92. Spictans fetti idas : when she iaw
the waters of the Peneus.
93. Si flumina ; if, O rivers, you have
divine power.
94. Torpor alligat: a heavy torpor binds
her limbs. The transformation to a tree
has already commenced. The metaphor
is very appropriate.
95. jMolUa preccordia : her. soft breast
Frtzcordia being used for breast, by me
tonymy.
95. Tenui libro: with a thin bark.
96. In frondem crines: her hair grows to
leaves. The leaves of trees are often
spoken of as the tresses of the forest.
Soft gleaming through the umbrage of the-woods
Which tuft her summit, find, like raven tresses,
Wave their dark beauty round the tower of
David. UlLLiiousE.
While ihe winds
Blow moist and keen, shattering the graceful
locks
Of those fair trees. MILTOX.
97. Pigris radicibiis: the dull roots.
98. jRemanet nilor: her beauty alone re
mains in it.
99. Ifanc: this; the tree.
100. Trepidare pcclus : feels the breast
Mill tremble ; still beat.
I sing the love which Dapline twined
Around Ihe godhead's yielding mind;
1 sing the blushing Daphne's night
From this ethereal youth of light;
And how the tender, timid maid
Flew panting to the kindly shade,
Resigned n torm. too tempting fair,
And grew a verdant Inure] there;
Whose leaves, in sympathetic thrill,
In terror seemed to tremble still.
ANACEBO.V.
102. Rcfu"it oscula : refuses; declines
the kisses. This is susceptible of a physi
NOTJE.
101
gie. spectans Ptne'f-
das uudas, inquit, Fer
opem.
ill. Prece vix finite,
graxis turpor aligat
artus: molliu pneeor-
dia ringiiiilnr tuuui
lihro: criues trescimt
in irundem, brachia in
ramos : pes inodo lam
velox hrcret pigris
99. Phcebus nmat
hanc quoque; posi
taque dexlra in sti
pite, sentil pectus ad
huc Irepidare sub no
vo corlice. Complex-
UBquc rumos,
103. Cui Deus dixit,
Al, Laure, quoniam
non poles esse mea
coujux certe eris mea
nrbor. Coma semper
habeljil te, cilhoric ha
bebunt te, nosfae pha-
TelTietiabebunt te
cal explanation, for the laurel flourishes
most in shady places, removed irom the
dirert rays of the sun.
104. Arbor eris: you will be ray tree.
The laurel was sacred to Apollo, because
it resembled the sun in dryness and native
heat. As an evergreen, it resembled him,
whose hair was ever youthful. It was sa
cred also for its many uses in medicine, and
in divination. Placed under the pillow, it
was said to cause true dreams, and when
burnt, was efficacious in augury and incan
tation. .Though altered, his love remained
the same.
Believe me, if all Ihose endearing young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly to-day,
Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my
arms,
Like fairy gifts fading away ;
Thou wouhlst still be adored, as this moment
thou art.
Let thy loveliness fade as it will;
And around the dear ruin, eneh wish of my henrt
Would entwine itself verdantly still. ftlooRE.
104. Habebunt. The heads of poets,
musicians, and victorious generals, were
encircled with laurel.
106. Ducibus Latiis: the Lallan Lalin
generals. In the triumphal procession, the
general was dressed i» purple, embroidered
with gold, willi a crown of laurel upon his
head, and a branch of laurel in his right hand.
106. Aderis: will be present; will he a
part of the pomp. In the triumphal pro
cessions, the lances of the soldiers, the
letters announcing the victory, and the
victorious generals, were all wreathed with
laurel.
107. Triumpltum cnnrl. As the soldiers
>assed along to the Capitol, it was cus
:omary ibr them to sing In triumplie.'
107. Longai pomprc: the lengthenea
pomps; the long processions. The ]iro
cessions started from the Campus Martius,
i2
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