THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO

FABULA IX.
OCYRRHOE IN EQUAM MUTATI.
Ocyirhoe, the daughter of Chiron by the nymph Chariclo, besides learning
her father's arts, covets the gift of prophecy, and under an oracular frenzy,
predicts future events. She predicts the medical ability of JEscuiapius,
and his destruction by a thunderbolt. She also foretels the sufferings and
death of her father, whan her further prophecies are prevented by her
own transformation into a mare.
EXPLICATIO.
THIS fable is somewhat complicated, as it relates to no less than three
personages. ./Esculapius, according to Sanchoniatho, was the same as
the Phenician Esmun, and the brother of the Seven Cabiri. He is the
same as the Egyptian Ptha, and, like him, is the guide of the Cabiri,
who are the seven planets. As a solar deity, the son of Apollo, he is
like the Phrygian Atis, the fair Adonis, or the chained Hercules, and
represents the sun without strength, in the Spring, and in Autumn, as
the author of health. As the insalubrious seasons follow the period
which is designated by this solar deity, hence, he who is the giver of
health, is fabled to be slain by Jupiter, or the pestilent air which falls out
in the unhealthy seasons of the Spring and Autumn. Purged from
these infections, and assuming recovered vigor, he is fabled to be changed
inio a deity. Or, his fabled deification and immortality may represent the
continued succession of the seasons.
In the story of the death of Chiron, by one of the poisoned arrows that
were dipped in the blood of the serpent of Lerna, we have an astronomical
and physical fact presented to us. The constellation Scorpio is intended
to represent the pestiferous airs and miasmata that abound during the
period when the sun is in that constellation; and as Sagittarius follows
next in order, and is fabled to be the Centaur Chiron; hence, the latter
is said to be slain by the poisoned arrows of a deadly serpent; in other
words, by the malignant rays of the autumnal sun during the sickly
season.
The account of Ocyrrhoe involves a good deal of difficulty. Considered
as an actual personage, it is to be presumed she was instructed by h er father
in all his accomplishments, and that being expert at horsemanship, she
was fabled to he changed into a mare ; since the Centaurs were described
as lialf man and half horse, because they were skilful horsemen. Or, as
Chiron, the ideal physician, dwelt upon Mount Pelion, we may consider
Ocyrrhoe a stream flowing from Pelion, as used for medical purposes,
and, hence, said to be the daughter of Chiron, and changed into a mare;
for several streams (among them one in Colchos flowing into the Phasis)
Lave the name of Hippos, a mare.
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jEMIFER interea aivinae stirpis alumno
' Loetus erat; mistoque oneri gaudebat honore.
Ecce venit rutilis humeros protecta capillis
Filia Centauri: quam quondam nympha Chariclo,
Fluminis in rapidi ripis enixa, vocavit 5
Ocyrrhcen. Non base artes contenta paternas
Etlidicisse fuit: fatorum arcana cane bat.
NOTVE.
1. Semifer.. Chiron, who was half man ana half beast.
1. Alumno: his fosier-child ; viz. ./Esculapius.
4. Cintuuri: of the Cenraur; of Chiron. The Centaurs were a
race of beings half man and half beast, said to be born of Ixion and a
cloud. They were a rude race of mountaineers, who first tnught the
practice of riding on horseback, and who, descending from the cloud-
capt heights of Thessaly, were fabled to be born of a cloud. Again,
the fiction may have arisen from their coming from the city of Nephele,
which signifies a cloud ; or, as they probably were predatory in their
habits, they may have been called in the old Greek langunge, which
contained many Phenician words, Nephclim, which means ctants;
and by mistaking Nephde, a cloud, for the root of Neplielim, the Cen
taurs may have been called the sons of the cloud.
4. Cliariclo. Was a nymph beloved by ther, viz. Astronomy, Music, and Mcdi
Chiron, and the mother of Ocyrrhoe and cine.
Tircsias. 7. Arcana caneliat: she sang the secrets
6. Ocyrrlwen. The daughter of Chiron of the iates. Cano is employed, because
and Chariclo; she was born on the banks oracles were given, for the most part, in
of a rapid stream, and hence her name, verse.
which signifies fouling fuiiflly. Sola ,;],; I Bies casus Cassandra canetat
6. Artes •/•alernas : t he arts of her fa- Vitjc.
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