THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
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TABULA VII.<br />
CORONIS IN CORNICEM.<br />
While the Raven is going to acquaint Apollo with the adultery of his mistress,<br />
he is met by the Crow, who, learning the object of his journey, endeavors<br />
to dissuade him; and relates the ungracious manner in which Minerva had<br />
requited her services as an informer in the case of Erichtonius; as also her<br />
former transformation from a royal virgin into a orow.<br />
EXPLICATIO.<br />
To restrain the Raven from tattling, the Crow relates her own history,<br />
both prior to her transformation and subsequent to it. She was Coronis,<br />
the daughter of Coroneus, king of Phocis, and when about to be violated<br />
by Neptune, was changed into a crow. It is probable, that when walk<br />
ing on the sea-shore, she was nearly carried away by the sudden rise of<br />
the tide; or that some priest of Neptune attempted to offer her violence.<br />
Corone, in Greek, signifies crow, and hence her name suggested the idea<br />
of the transformation. In digging the foundation for a city in Messenia,<br />
the body of a crow was found, whence the city was called Corona. The<br />
city was placed under the protection of Minerva, and a bronze statue of<br />
the goddess bore a crow upon the fist. Hence the crow was said to be<br />
come the companion of Minerva. For an historical interpretation, see the<br />
note on Pelagi Dcus, page 109.<br />
The crow becomes hateful to the goddess, by relating to her the con<br />
duct of the daughters of Cecrops intrusted with Erichthonius. This we<br />
show in the notes to be a personification of the Athenian people in some<br />
civil commotion. As Attica abounded in quarries of stone, the basket of<br />
twigs in which Erichthonius is shut up by Minerva, the guardian god<br />
dess of the city, is probably some strong party enclosed in the Acropolis.<br />
Herse, the mountain party, including the city; and Pandrosos, the mari<br />
time party, keep the basket shut on Erichthonius ; in other words, hem<br />
the mingled faction of artisans and countrymen in the citadel, till Agrau-<br />
los, the countrymen generally, opens the basket; in other words, raises the<br />
siege. After relating the conduct of the daughters of Cecrops, the crow<br />
is driven from her society. The crow is the symbol of garrulity, and<br />
hence is displeasing to Wisdom, who is thoughtful and contemplative.<br />
Again, according to Pliny and Lucretius, no crow comes near Athens,<br />
which is called from Athena, a title of Minerva.<br />
The Crow grieves that the Owl supersedes her in the affections of<br />
Minerva. The Egyptians expressed deadly enmity by the crow and the<br />
owl; for the crow destroys the eggs of the owl by day, and the owl the<br />
eggs of the crow by night. The crow is the hieroglyphic of long life ;<br />
and the owl of death. The owl is sacred to Minerva, either because of<br />
her habit of watching and musing, for the powers of the mind are more<br />
collected and vigorous in the night; or, because the coin of Athens was<br />
stamped with an owl. Two good morals are contained rh this fable. It<br />
shows the evil of talebearing; and the misfortune of not attending to the<br />
admonitions of experience.<br />
166<br />
I man's annuerant : habili Saturnia curru<br />
Engreditur liquidum pavonibus aera pictis :<br />
Tarn nuper pictis CEESO pavonibus Argo ;<br />
Gluam tu nuper eras, cum candidus ante fuisses,<br />
Corve ioquax, subito nigrantes versus in alas.<br />
Nam fuit hsec quondam niveis argentea pennis<br />
Ales, ut cequaret totas sine labe columbas :<br />
Nee servaturis vigili Capitolia voce<br />
Cederet anseribus, nee amanti flumina Cycno.<br />
Lingua fuit damno : lingua faciente loquaci,<br />
Qui color albus erat, nunc est contrarius albo:<br />
1. A nnuerant : had consented ; had agreed that the Triones should<br />
mever descend into the sea.<br />
2. Parombus pictis: faith her painted peacocks. They were lately<br />
adorned with the eyes of Argus, who was slain by Mei cury. As the<br />
air is the medium of sight, and is of various colors, hence peacocks,<br />
particolored birds, are said to draw the chariot of Juno.<br />
3. Tarn nnper. This repetition prepares when the cackling of the geese awoke<br />
the mind for the relation ot the succeeding Manlius and his soldiers, who threw the<br />
fable.<br />
assailants down the precipice.<br />
5. Coi vt> Ioquax : Oh babbling raven. 9. Ccdent: yielded; was inferior; viz.<br />
The poet here makes an apostrophe to the in whiteness.<br />
raven for the purpose of reprehending his 10. Lingua fuit, iamno: his tongue was<br />
prattling.<br />
his destruction. This unruly member has<br />
6. Niveif pmnis: with snowy wings. been the cause of the ruin of many.<br />
6 A rcrntea: silvery: of a silver color.<br />
Hut the tongue can no man tame; it is on nil<br />
8. Vieili rnce: with watchful voice. ruly evil, fall of deadly poison —ST. JAMES lii. 8.<br />
Whilr besieging Rome, the Gauls, unno He lhal keepelli hia mouth, kecpetli liis life!<br />
ticed by the sentinels, and without arous but he that npeneth wide his lips shall have de><br />
ing the dogs, had nearly scaled the citadel, struction.—I'BOVEBBB xiii. 3.<br />
167<br />
10<br />
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