THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
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I FABULA<br />
ill<br />
III.<br />
SORORES PHAETHONTIS IN ARBORES; CYCNUS IN OLOKEM.<br />
The mother and sisters of Phaethon, after a diligent search for his body, at<br />
ler-glh find his tomb in Italy, erected by the Nci'ads. His sisters give<br />
themselves up to lamentation, and are changed into poplar trees, from<br />
which drop tears that become amber. Cycnus his cousin is changed into<br />
a swan.<br />
EXFLICATIO.<br />
As Phaethon falls into the river Po, his sisters are fabled to be changed<br />
into poplars, because these trees grow better near the water. Because<br />
immoderate grief stupifies, they are reported to become fixed to the earth.<br />
Amber being an exudation of trees, and of the color of the sun, it is finely<br />
imagined'to be the tears of the daughters of Apollo. Cycnus is repre<br />
sented as changed into a swan, because the name signifies swan. Lucian,<br />
who was fond of ridiculing the mythology of his times, in an account of<br />
a fictitious journey to the Po, makes himself merry over the incidents<br />
described in the fable: " I cherished the hope, that if ever in my life 1<br />
should visit the Eridanus, I would convince myself by personal experi<br />
ence ; by remaining with the skirts of my coat spread out under one of<br />
those poplars, till I could catch at least a few of those miraculous tears,<br />
and convey them home as an everlasting memorial. It happened not long<br />
since, that I travelled into those parts, and was obliged to proceed np the<br />
Eridanus. I looked carefully everywhere about me, but neither poplar<br />
trees nor amber were to be seen ; neither did the inhabitants know even<br />
so much as the name of Phaethon. At length, on asking the sailors how<br />
far we were from the amber-weeping poplars, they laughed in my face,<br />
and desired me to express in plain language what I meant, when I told<br />
them the old story. ' What crack-brained driveller,' said they, has imposed<br />
such silly stuff" upon you ? We have not seen a charioteer fall from the<br />
sky, nor are there any such trees as you speak of in our parts. Were it<br />
so, do you think \ve should be such fools as to row for two oboli a-day,<br />
when we need only gather poplar tears for becoming rich ?' I was, how<br />
ever, cheered by the certain expectation of being compensated for the dis<br />
appointment, by the singing of the swans which frequent the banks of<br />
that river. Accordingly, I again inquired of the sailors when the swans<br />
would come, and plant themselves on both sides of the river in two choirs,<br />
to delight us with their famous singing ? Here the laughter broke out<br />
afresh. 'But, good friend,' said they, 'will, then, the lies you repeat about<br />
our country never have an end? We have passed our whole lives on the-<br />
Eridanus, and it rarely happens that we see swans in the marshy grounds<br />
on the river; but their screams are so horribly unmusical, that the jack<br />
daws and crows are sirens compared to them. It is really surprising<br />
where you could pick up such lies about our country.' "<br />
148<br />
AIDES HespericB trifida fumantia flamma<br />
Corpora dant tumulo, signantque hoc carmine saxum :<br />
HlC SITUS EST PlIAKTHOX, CURRUS AURIGA PATF.RM ;<br />
Q.T.TEM SI NON TENUIT, MAOXIS TAMEN EXC1D1T AUSIS.<br />
Nunc pater obductos luctu miserabilis ffigro 5<br />
Condiderat vultus: et, si mod6 credimus, unum<br />
Isse diem sine sole ferunt: incendia lumen<br />
Prffibebant; aliquisque malo fuit usus in illo.<br />
At Clymene postquam dixit, quascunque fuerunt<br />
In tantis dicenda malis; lugubris et amens, 10<br />
NOT-iE.<br />
1. Naides Hesperias: Hesperian or Italian Naiads. They are Baiu<br />
to bury his blazing body, because water extinguishes fire.<br />
1. Trijid.af.ammA: from the three-forked flame ; viz. lightning.<br />
2. Dant tumulo: commit to the tomb.<br />
2. Hoc carmine: with this vecee; willi this inscription.<br />
2. Hie situs est: here lies. This line and the following constitute<br />
the epitaph upon Phaethon.<br />
4. Nun tenuit: he did not hold; was you desire, still you will merit equal praise<br />
unable to manage. with Phaethon; for the same may be said<br />
4. Excidvt ausis: he fell by a great un- of your attempt on Homer, that was said<br />
dertaking. This epitaph is well suited to of his effort to drive the chariot of the sun:<br />
the character of the rash youth it comme- 'Quern si non tenuit, magma tamen excidit<br />
morales, and should teach youth modesiy ausis."'<br />
and moderation. When Angel Politian 5. Obductos luctu: overspread with<br />
attempted to render Homer into Latin sorrow.<br />
verse, and was boasting everywhere of his 5 . Condiiteral vultus: had hid his counlahors<br />
and success, he wrote to many men tenance. Grief very naturally seeks reof<br />
letters asking their advice. Cardinal tirement.<br />
Papiensis facetiously replied: "I think 8. Aliguis usus: some advantage,<br />
the commenced work should not be die- 8. In -illo malo: in that calamity; vii.<br />
continued; if you do not accomplish what the conflagration.<br />
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