THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO

186 P. OVIDII NASON1S LIBER II.
Ut volucris, visis rapidissima miluus extis,
Oum timet, et densi circumstant sacra ministri
Flectitur in gyrum; nee longius audet abire:
Spemque suam metis avidus circumvolat alis:
Sic super Actceas agilis Cyllenius arces
Inclinat cursus; et easdem circinat auras.
Quantb splendidior, quam CEetera sidera, fulget
Lucifer; et quantb te, Lucifer, aurea Phcebe;
Tant& virginibus prcestantior omnibus Herse
Ibat; eratque decus pompse, comitumque suarum.
Ob.-tupuit forma Jove natus; et sethere pendens
Non secfis exarsit, quam cum Balearica plumbum
Funda jacit: volat illud, et incandescit eundo;
Et, quos non habuit, sub nubibus invenit ignes.
Vertit iter, cccloque petit diversa relicto:
Nee se dissimulat: tanta est fiducia forniEe.
Q.UEB quanquam justa est; cura tamen adjuvat illam
Permulcetque comas; chlamydemque, ut pendeat apte,
Collocat: ut limbus, totumque appareat aurum:
CJt teres in dextra, qua somnos ducit et arcet,
Virga sit: ut tersis niteant talaria plantis. *
Pars secreta domus ebore, et testudine cultos, 30
Trcs habuit thalamos: quorum tu, Pandrose, dextrum,
Agraulos laevum, medium possederat Herse.
NOTJE.
9. Miluui. This is a very beautiful
similitude. The circular flight of the kite
ia well known.
But cawing rooks, and kites that swim sublime
in still repeated circles, screaming loud.
COWPEB.
10. Sum timet. While the kite is afraid
to make n swoop upon the entrails.
10. Circnmstaitt: stand around, inspect
ing the entrails. We have just been told
that the entrails were laid open to view;
exlis visis.
12. Spem: his hope; the thing hoped
for, viz. the entrails.
12. Molls alis: with flapping wings.
13. Artfts arces: the Actsean towers;
the Athenian towers. Attica is so called,
from am, shore, because much of its terri
tory lies upon the sea.
13. Lucifer. The planet Venus is called
Lucifer when it is the morning star, and
Hesperus when it is the evening star.
18. Pampas: of the pomp; of the pro
cession.
19. Qtslupuit forma : was struck wilh
her form.
20. Bnlearica funda: the Balearic sling.
The Baleares were two islands in the Me
diterranean sea, near Spain, now called
Majorca and Minorca. The inhabitants
Were celebrated in the use of the sling, from
which ihey threw stones and balls of lead.
21. Incandescit eundo: becomes healed
10
15
20
25
15. Qunnto I.ucifer
fulget splendidior
quam CEetera sidera,
et quanto aurea Phee-
ue fulget splenrlidior te
OLucifer; tamo Herse
ibat prcestantior omni
bus virginilius.
25. Qute forma,
quanquam est justa,
tamen adjuvat illam
cura: permulcetque
comas, collocatque
clilamyden ut pendeat
apte.
31. Quorum tu Pan
drose possederas dex.
tjum, Agraulos posse-
as it goes. Virgil, in his account of the
games at the tomb of Anchises, represents
the arrow of Acestes as shot with a force
which caused it to ignite.
The feathered arrow gave a dire portent
And latter Augurs judge from this event.
Chafed by the speed it fir d, and as H flew,
A trail of following flames, ascending drew .
Kindling they mount; and mark the shining way,
Across ihe skies as falling meteors play,
And vanish into "wind; or In a blaze decay,
A?w«>
24. Nee se dissimulat: nor does he dis
guise himself. He does not conceal who
he is.
26. Clilamyden collocat: he adjusts his
mantle. The chlamys was a Grecian outer
garment, something like a scarf, being
about twice as long as broad. It was
woollen, of fine material, variegated in
color, and susceptible of great ornament.
It was generally worn by passing one of
the shorter sides round the neck, and con
fining it by a. f hula, or brooch.
27. Umbus totumque; the border, and
all its gold embroidery.
29. V irga: his wand; the cadilccus.
29. Nileant talaria: that his winged
shoes may glisten.
30. Testudine: with tortoise-shell. It
was customary to decorate bedposts with
ivory and shell.
Nee varios inhiant pulchra testurline postes,
Illusasque auro vestcs. VIEOIL, Georgic ii.
FAEULA XI. METAMORPHOSED N.
Gluae tenuit Icevum, venientem prima notavit
Mercurium ; nomenque dei scitarier ausa est,
Et causam adventfls. Cui sic respondit Atlantis 35
Ple'ionesque nepos: Ego sum, qui jussa per auras
Verba patris porto. Pater est mihi Jupiter ipse:
Herse causa vise, faveas oramus amanti.
Adspicit hunc oculis isdem, quibus abdita nuper
Viderat Agraulos fiavse secreta Minerva : 40
Proque ministerio magni sibi ponderis aurum
Postulat: interea tectis excedere cogit.
Vertit ad hanc torvi dea bellica luminis orbem,
Et tanto penitus traxit suspiria motu,
Ut pariter pectus, positamque in pectore forti 45
.ffigida concuteret. Subit, hanc arcana profana
Detexisse manu turn, cum sine matre creatam
Lemnicolae stirpem contra data foedera vidit;
Et gratamque dec fore jam, gratamque sorori;
Et ditem sumpto, quod avara poposcerit, auro. 50
Protinus Invidise nigro squallentia tabo
Tecta petit. Domus est imis in vallibus antri
Abdita, sole carens, non ulli pervia vento;
Tristis, et ignavi plenissima frigoris; et quae
Igne vacet semper, caligine semper abundet. 55
Hue ubi pervenit belli metuenda virago;
Oonstitit ante domum, (neque enim succedere tectis
Fas habet) et postes extrema cuspide pulsat.
33. Qua tenuit: who had the bed-cham-
oer on the left, viz. Agraulos.
34. Sritarier. "For scilari by paragoge.
36. Plewnes. Pleione was one of the
Oceanides, who married Atlas, king of
Mauritania, by whom she had twelve
daughters. Seven of them were changed
into the constellation Pleiade*.
36. Jussa per auras. The termination
of this line is a good deal like one in Vir
gil: El celeres defer mea dicta per auras.
^ENEID iv. 220.
37. Verba patris. Mercury was not only
the messenger of Jupiter, but of all the
Te canam magni Jovis et Deorum
Nuncium. HOR. Lib. i. Od. x.
"AyycXov dSavarw tpiovvtav ov TCKC Mma.
HOM. Hymn, in Mercur.
39. Oculis isdem. She had beheld with
profane eyes the secret contents of the
basket committed to her by Minerva ) with
the same unholy eyes she looks haughtily
at Mercury.
41. Pro ministerio. For her service in
favoring the suit of Mercury.
42. Interea. Until he produces the gold
she will not permit him to enter the house.
43. Dea bellica. Minerva, the goddess
of war.
NOTjE.
187
derat Irevum, Hers*
medium.
36. Ego sum ille qui
pqrlo jussa verba pa
tris per auras: Jupiter
ipse est pater mihi.
46. Subtt, hanc de-
texisse arcana ejtts
profanft man u turn,
cum con Ira data foe-
dent, vidit stirpem
LemnicoUe, creatam
sine matre
56. TJlil metuenda
virago belli pervenit
hue, constitit ante do
mum (neque enim ha-
46. JEgida. The agis was originally a
goatskin, whence its name, used as a pro
tection for the breast, and was peculiar to
Jupiter and Minerva. It was afterwards
made of brass, and had in the centre the
terrible gorgon's head.
4G. Subit: it occurs to her.
48. Lemnicolce stirpem. Erichthonius,
the son of Vulcan, who was called Lemni-
cola, because he lived in the island of
Lemnos.
51. Inmdite: Envy. This is a fine per
sonification, and is sustained throughout
with much ability.
52. Imis in vulhlns: in the lowest re-
53. Sole carens: void of sunlight.
See'st thou yon dreary plain, forlorn and wild,
The seat of desolation, void oflight. MILTON.
56. Metuenda virago: the dread heroine.
Pallas was tremendous principally for the
head of the Gorgon which she bore upon
her shield.
Pallas
Insedit, nimbo eflulgens et Gorgone srcva.
ti. 015
57. Neque enim. There is a good mora.
here ; for it is the part of wisdom and pu
rity to avoid all haunts of vice.
58. Pulsal. To express the abhorrence
of Minerva for Envy, she does not knock