THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO

I'
ft!
128
P. OVIDII NASONIS
Caeruleos habet unda decs; Tritona canorum,
Proteaque arnbiguum, baloenarumque prementem
^Egoeona suis immania terga lacertis;
Doridaque et natas : quarum pars nare videntur,
Pars in mole sedens virides siccare capillos;
Pisce veha quoedam : facies non omnibus una,
Nee diversa tamen; qualem decet esse sororum.
Terra viros, urbesque gerit, sylvasque, ferasque
Fluminaque et nymphas, et csetera numina ruris.
HJEC super imposita est coeli fulgentis imago;
Signaque sex foribus dextris, totidemque sinistris.
Quo simul acclivo Clymene'ia limite proles
Venit, et intravit dubitati tecta parentis;
Protinus ad patrios sua fert vestigia vultus;
Consistitque procul: neque enim propiora ferebat
Lumina. Purpurea velatus veste sedebat
6. Calarat: had carved, by syncope for
calaverat.
6. Medias cingentia: the seas surround
ing the mid earth.
Earth-shaker Neptune, earth-enclasping ged.
HESIOD.
8. Unda habet: the water, that is, the
sea, as represented on the folding-doors.
8. Trilona canorum: the sounding Tri
ton. See note on page 78.
9. Prolea. Proteus was the son of
Oceanus and Tethys, or of Neptune and
Phcenice. He was a sea-god, and had the
power of changing himself into any shape;
nence the epithet ambiguum. He was the
keeper of the sea-calves, and had from
Neptune the gift of prophecy, but was dif
ficult of access, and would not deliver his
predictions unless compelled.
9. Balamarum: huge sea-monsters, sup
posed to be whales.
10. JEgaona. He was a giant, the son
of Ccelus and Terra, and was made a sea
deity after he was conquered. Homer
makes him the same as Briareus, with fifty
heads and a hundred hands. He was pro
bably a formidable pirate with fifty com
panions, whence the fable.
10. Lacertis: with his arms, of which he
was fabled to have a hundred.
11. Dorida. Doris, the daughter of
Oceanus and Tethys, was the mother of
the sea-nymphs.
From Nercus and the long-haired Doris, nymph
Of ocean's perfect stream, there sprang to light
A lovely band of children, goddesses
Dwelling within til' uncultivable main. HESIOD.
12. Mole: upon a mass; a rock.
13. Pisce vehi: some to be carried on
fishes.
But, anon, the wave
Was filled -with wonders, wild and green-haired
men,
With conchs for trumpets, followed by fair
nymphs,
LIBER II.
6. Und» habet Deos
coeruleos, canorum
Tritona,ambiguumque
-in Protea, ^gnjoiiaque
iv prementem immania
tcrga balccnarum fuit
lacertis, Doridaque, et
natas:
15 15- Terra gerit viros,
urbesque, sylvasque,
ferasque, fluminaque,
et nymphas, et cottera
nununa runs.
19. Quo Bimul ac
n proles Clymene'ia ve-
20 nit acclivo limite, et
intravit tecta dubitati
parentis;
23. Phcebus velatua
That showed their ivory shoulders through tha
tide;
Some tossing spears of coral, some, pearl-
crowned,
And scattering roses or, with lifted hands,
Reining the purple lips of dolphins yoked,
And huge sea-horses. CBOLY.
15. Terra gerit: the earth bears. On
the earth was represented men, cities,
woods, and wild-beasts, rivers, nymphs
and other rustic deities.
17. Imago: the representation.
18. Signa. Apollo was sitting in the
Equator, and hence the six northern con
stellations were on his right, and the six
southern on his left. rlhey are called
signa, signs, because they are the repre
sentations of animals. The sun enters the
first, or Aries, in March, and remains a
month in each sign. Ausonius comprises
them in the following distich:
Suut Aries, Tuurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo,
Virgo;
Librnque, Scorpius, Arcitenens, Caper, Am
phora, Pisces. AUSONIUS.
The Ram, the Bull, the heavenly Twins,
The Crnh, and next the Lion shines,
The Virgin and the Scales :
The Scorpion, Archer, and the Goat,
The man that holds the watering Pot,
And Fish with glittering tails.
19. Quo: whither, to the palace of the
Sun.
19. Simul: as soon as. Supply ac.
19. Clymene'ia proles. Fhouthon, the
son of Clymene.
19. Acclivo limite: by an ascending path.
The Palace of the Sun was on an elevated
situation.
20. Dtibitati parentis: his doubted pa
rent- His paternity had been questioned
by Epaphus.
21. Protinus: forthwith; immediately.
23. Purpurea veste: in a purple robe.
Princes and magistrates alone were per
mitted to wear the purple. This probably
FABUJOA!. MET AMORPHOSEON.
In solio Phcebus Claris lucente smaragdis.
A dextra, kevaque, dies, et mensis, et annus, 25
ScEculaque, et positse spatiis aequalibus boree :
Verque novum stabat-cinctum florente corona:
Stabat nuda ^Estas, et spicea serta gerebat:
Stabat et Autumnus calcatis sordidus uvis:
Et glacialis Hyeras canos hirsuta capillcs : 30
Inde loco medius, rerum novitatc paventem
'Sol oculis juvenem quibus aspicit omnia, vidit:
Quajque vise tibi causa ? quid hac, ait, arcc petisti
Progenies, Phaethon, haud inficianda parenti ?
Ille refert, O lux immensi publica mundi 33
Phcebe pater, si das hujus mini nominis usum,
Nee falsa Clymene culpam sub imagine celat;
Pignora da, genitor; per quae tua vera propago
Credar; et hunc animis errorem detrahe nostris:
Dixerat. At genitor circum caput omne micantes 40
Deposuit radios ; propriusque accedere jussit:
Amplexuque dato, nee tu meus esse negari
Dignus es ; et Clymene veros, ait, edidit onus.
Qufique minus dubites; quodvis pete munus; ut illud
Me tribuentc feras: promissis testis adesto 45
was to signify that they alone had the
power of life nnd death, and the right of
shedding blood.
24. Kmaragdis: with emeralds. The
emerald is a mineral of a beautiful green
color, \vhich occurs in prismatic crystals,
and is much valued for ornamental jewelry.
Nor deeper verdure dyes the robe of spring,
When first she gives it to the southern gale,
Than the green emerald shows. -THOMSON.
25. Dies et mensis: hours, days, months,
years, and ages are represented as the at
tendants of the sun, because they are all
measured by his motions.
26. Sacula. Saeculum is the space of an
hundred years; hence the games cele
brated at Rome, at the close of every hun
dred years, were called secular games.
26. Harts: the hours. The word is from
tpi'bu, to define, because they denote the
spaces of time.
While round thy beaming car,
High seen, the seasons lead, in sprightly dance
Harmonious knit, the rosy-fingered nours.
THOMSON.
27. Florente corona: girt with a flowery
crown.
Oome. gentle Spring, ethereal mildness, come.
Anil from tlie bosom of yon dropping cloud,
While music wakes around, veiled in a shower
Of shadowing roses, on our plains descend.
THOMSON.
28. l?vda JEstas. Summer is repre
sented naked, to denote the heat, in con-
iequence of which little clothing is neces
sary.
17
129
purpurca veste sede
bin in solio luceute
ch ris smeragdis. A
deitra tevaque, dies,
et mensis, et annus,
sscpulaque, et horse
pos la: .Tfjualibus spa
tiis. stabantf
£9. Autumnusetsta-
hnt sordidus cnlcntie
u\ s, et Hyems glacia
lis, lursula stcundum
canos capillos.
at. Aitque, Pha*.
thon; progenies haud
inficianda parenti,
qucc est causa vire li-
bi ? Quid petisti hac
»rce?
3S. Da genitor pig-
iiora. per quo? tgo cre-
dar esse tua vera pro
pago.
40. At genitor depo-
suit radios micante*
circum omne caput;
jussitque ilium acce
dere proprius.
44. Quoque dubitet
miuus, pete quodvis
28. Spicea seria: garlands of corn.
Shaking his tangled locks, all dewy bright
With spangled gossamer that fell by night,
Pearling his coronet of golden corn. ANON.
29. Sordidus: stained with trodden
grapes. The vintage occurs in autumn.
Along the sunny wall
Where autumn Lasks,with fruit empurpled deep.
THOMSON
30. Hirsula : rough; shaggy.
30. Canos capillos: as to his hoary hair.
31. Serum novilate: with the novelty
of the objects.
33. Hoc arce: in this palace.
34. Haud infcianda: not to be denied.
35. 0 lux publica: O common light of
the vast world.
Prime checrer, Light!
Of all material beings first and best!
Efflux divine! Nature's resplendent robe!
Without whose vesting beauty all were wrapped
In unessential gloom ! and thou, O sun !
Soul of surrounding worlds, in whom hest seen
Shines out tliy Maker ! may I sing of thee ?
THOMSON.
36. Si dot usnm: if you permit the use.
37. Falsa sut imagine: under a false
pretence.
38. Fignora: pledges; proofs.
38. Vera propago: t hy true offspring.
39. Jfunc errorem: t his uncertainty.
40. Dixeral. Phoethon spoke.
40. Genitor: his fat her; Apollo.
43. Edidit; hath uttered; hath told.
43. Veros or tut: your true origin.