THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO
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186 P. OVIDII <strong>NASO</strong>N1S LIBER II.<br />
Ut volucris, visis rapidissima miluus extis,<br />
Oum timet, et densi circumstant sacra ministri<br />
Flectitur in gyrum; nee longius audet abire:<br />
Spemque suam metis avidus circumvolat alis:<br />
Sic super Actceas agilis Cyllenius arces<br />
Inclinat cursus; et easdem circinat auras.<br />
Quantb splendidior, quam CEetera sidera, fulget<br />
Lucifer; et quantb te, Lucifer, aurea Phcebe;<br />
Tant& virginibus prcestantior omnibus Herse<br />
Ibat; eratque decus pompse, comitumque suarum.<br />
Ob.-tupuit forma Jove natus; et sethere pendens<br />
Non secfis exarsit, quam cum Balearica plumbum<br />
Funda jacit: volat illud, et incandescit eundo;<br />
Et, quos non habuit, sub nubibus invenit ignes.<br />
Vertit iter, cccloque petit diversa relicto:<br />
Nee se dissimulat: tanta est fiducia forniEe.<br />
Q.UEB quanquam justa est; cura tamen adjuvat illam<br />
Permulcetque comas; chlamydemque, ut pendeat apte,<br />
Collocat: ut limbus, totumque appareat aurum:<br />
CJt teres in dextra, qua somnos ducit et arcet,<br />
Virga sit: ut tersis niteant talaria plantis. *<br />
Pars secreta domus ebore, et testudine cultos, 30<br />
Trcs habuit thalamos: quorum tu, Pandrose, dextrum,<br />
Agraulos laevum, medium possederat Herse.<br />
NOTJE.<br />
9. Miluui. This is a very beautiful<br />
similitude. The circular flight of the kite<br />
ia well known.<br />
But cawing rooks, and kites that swim sublime<br />
in still repeated circles, screaming loud.<br />
COWPEB.<br />
10. Sum timet. While the kite is afraid<br />
to make n swoop upon the entrails.<br />
10. Circnmstaitt: stand around, inspect<br />
ing the entrails. We have just been told<br />
that the entrails were laid open to view;<br />
exlis visis.<br />
12. Spem: his hope; the thing hoped<br />
for, viz. the entrails.<br />
12. Molls alis: with flapping wings.<br />
13. Artfts arces: the Actsean towers;<br />
the Athenian towers. Attica is so called,<br />
from am, shore, because much of its terri<br />
tory lies upon the sea.<br />
13. Lucifer. The planet Venus is called<br />
Lucifer when it is the morning star, and<br />
Hesperus when it is the evening star.<br />
18. Pampas: of the pomp; of the pro<br />
cession.<br />
19. Qtslupuit forma : was struck wilh<br />
her form.<br />
20. Bnlearica funda: the Balearic sling.<br />
The Baleares were two islands in the Me<br />
diterranean sea, near Spain, now called<br />
Majorca and Minorca. The inhabitants<br />
Were celebrated in the use of the sling, from<br />
which ihey threw stones and balls of lead.<br />
21. Incandescit eundo: becomes healed<br />
10<br />
15<br />
20<br />
25<br />
15. Qunnto I.ucifer<br />
fulget splendidior<br />
quam CEetera sidera,<br />
et quanto aurea Phee-<br />
ue fulget splenrlidior te<br />
OLucifer; tamo Herse<br />
ibat prcestantior omni<br />
bus virginilius.<br />
25. Qute forma,<br />
quanquam est justa,<br />
tamen adjuvat illam<br />
cura: permulcetque<br />
comas, collocatque<br />
clilamyden ut pendeat<br />
apte.<br />
31. Quorum tu Pan<br />
drose possederas dex.<br />
tjum, Agraulos posse-<br />
as it goes. Virgil, in his account of the<br />
games at the tomb of Anchises, represents<br />
the arrow of Acestes as shot with a force<br />
which caused it to ignite.<br />
The feathered arrow gave a dire portent<br />
And latter Augurs judge from this event.<br />
Chafed by the speed it fir d, and as H flew,<br />
A trail of following flames, ascending drew .<br />
Kindling they mount; and mark the shining way,<br />
Across ihe skies as falling meteors play,<br />
And vanish into "wind; or In a blaze decay,<br />
A?w«><br />
24. Nee se dissimulat: nor does he dis<br />
guise himself. He does not conceal who<br />
he is.<br />
26. Clilamyden collocat: he adjusts his<br />
mantle. The chlamys was a Grecian outer<br />
garment, something like a scarf, being<br />
about twice as long as broad. It was<br />
woollen, of fine material, variegated in<br />
color, and susceptible of great ornament.<br />
It was generally worn by passing one of<br />
the shorter sides round the neck, and con<br />
fining it by a. f hula, or brooch.<br />
27. Umbus totumque; the border, and<br />
all its gold embroidery.<br />
29. V irga: his wand; the cadilccus.<br />
29. Nileant talaria: that his winged<br />
shoes may glisten.<br />
30. Testudine: with tortoise-shell. It<br />
was customary to decorate bedposts with<br />
ivory and shell.<br />
Nee varios inhiant pulchra testurline postes,<br />
Illusasque auro vestcs. VIEOIL, Georgic ii.<br />
FAEULA XI. METAMORPHOSED N.<br />
Gluae tenuit Icevum, venientem prima notavit<br />
Mercurium ; nomenque dei scitarier ausa est,<br />
Et causam adventfls. Cui sic respondit Atlantis 35<br />
Ple'ionesque nepos: Ego sum, qui jussa per auras<br />
Verba patris porto. Pater est mihi Jupiter ipse:<br />
Herse causa vise, faveas oramus amanti.<br />
Adspicit hunc oculis isdem, quibus abdita nuper<br />
Viderat Agraulos fiavse secreta Minerva : 40<br />
Proque ministerio magni sibi ponderis aurum<br />
Postulat: interea tectis excedere cogit.<br />
Vertit ad hanc torvi dea bellica luminis orbem,<br />
Et tanto penitus traxit suspiria motu,<br />
Ut pariter pectus, positamque in pectore forti 45<br />
.ffigida concuteret. Subit, hanc arcana profana<br />
Detexisse manu turn, cum sine matre creatam<br />
Lemnicolae stirpem contra data foedera vidit;<br />
Et gratamque dec fore jam, gratamque sorori;<br />
Et ditem sumpto, quod avara poposcerit, auro. 50<br />
Protinus Invidise nigro squallentia tabo<br />
Tecta petit. Domus est imis in vallibus antri<br />
Abdita, sole carens, non ulli pervia vento;<br />
Tristis, et ignavi plenissima frigoris; et quae<br />
Igne vacet semper, caligine semper abundet. 55<br />
Hue ubi pervenit belli metuenda virago;<br />
Oonstitit ante domum, (neque enim succedere tectis<br />
Fas habet) et postes extrema cuspide pulsat.<br />
33. Qua tenuit: who had the bed-cham-<br />
oer on the left, viz. Agraulos.<br />
34. Sritarier. "For scilari by paragoge.<br />
36. Plewnes. Pleione was one of the<br />
Oceanides, who married Atlas, king of<br />
Mauritania, by whom she had twelve<br />
daughters. Seven of them were changed<br />
into the constellation Pleiade*.<br />
36. Jussa per auras. The termination<br />
of this line is a good deal like one in Vir<br />
gil: El celeres defer mea dicta per auras.<br />
^ENEID iv. 220.<br />
37. Verba patris. Mercury was not only<br />
the messenger of Jupiter, but of all the<br />
Te canam magni Jovis et Deorum<br />
Nuncium. HOR. Lib. i. Od. x.<br />
"AyycXov dSavarw tpiovvtav ov TCKC Mma.<br />
HOM. Hymn, in Mercur.<br />
39. Oculis isdem. She had beheld with<br />
profane eyes the secret contents of the<br />
basket committed to her by Minerva ) with<br />
the same unholy eyes she looks haughtily<br />
at Mercury.<br />
41. Pro ministerio. For her service in<br />
favoring the suit of Mercury.<br />
42. Interea. Until he produces the gold<br />
she will not permit him to enter the house.<br />
43. Dea bellica. Minerva, the goddess<br />
of war.<br />
NOTjE.<br />
187<br />
derat Irevum, Hers*<br />
medium.<br />
36. Ego sum ille qui<br />
pqrlo jussa verba pa<br />
tris per auras: Jupiter<br />
ipse est pater mihi.<br />
46. Subtt, hanc de-<br />
texisse arcana ejtts<br />
profanft man u turn,<br />
cum con Ira data foe-<br />
dent, vidit stirpem<br />
LemnicoUe, creatam<br />
sine matre<br />
56. TJlil metuenda<br />
virago belli pervenit<br />
hue, constitit ante do<br />
mum (neque enim ha-<br />
46. JEgida. The agis was originally a<br />
goatskin, whence its name, used as a pro<br />
tection for the breast, and was peculiar to<br />
Jupiter and Minerva. It was afterwards<br />
made of brass, and had in the centre the<br />
terrible gorgon's head.<br />
4G. Subit: it occurs to her.<br />
48. Lemnicolce stirpem. Erichthonius,<br />
the son of Vulcan, who was called Lemni-<br />
cola, because he lived in the island of<br />
Lemnos.<br />
51. Inmdite: Envy. This is a fine per<br />
sonification, and is sustained throughout<br />
with much ability.<br />
52. Imis in vulhlns: in the lowest re-<br />
53. Sole carens: void of sunlight.<br />
See'st thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild,<br />
The seat of desolation, void oflight. MILTON.<br />
56. Metuenda virago: the dread heroine.<br />
Pallas was tremendous principally for the<br />
head of the Gorgon which she bore upon<br />
her shield.<br />
Pallas<br />
Insedit, nimbo eflulgens et Gorgone srcva.<br />
ti. 015<br />
57. Neque enim. There is a good mora.<br />
here ; for it is the part of wisdom and pu<br />
rity to avoid all haunts of vice.<br />
58. Pulsal. To express the abhorrence<br />
of Minerva for Envy, she does not knock