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1 Scylla et Circe.

Iamque Giganteis iniectam faucibus Aetnen

arvaque Cyclopum, quid rastra, quid usus aratri

nescia nec quicquam iunctis debentia bubus,

liquerat Euboicus tumidarum cultor aquarum,

liquerat et Zanclen adversaque moenia Rhegi

navifragumque fretum, gemino quod litore pressum

Ausoniae Siculaeque tenet confinia terrae.

Inde manu magna Tyrrhena per aequora raptus

herbiferos adiit colles atque atria Glaucus

Sole satae Circes, variarum plena ferarum.

Quam simul adspexit, dicta acceptaque salute,

“diva, dei miserere, precor! nam sola levare

tu potes hunc,” dixit “videar modo dignior esse!

Quanta sit herbarum, Titani, potentia, nulli

quam mihi cognitius, qui sum mutatus ab illis.

Neve mei non nota tibi sit causa furoris:

litore in Italico, Messenia moenia contra,

Scylla mihi visa est; pudor est promissa precesque

blanditiasque meas contemptaque verba referre.

At tu, sive aliquod regnum est in carmine, carmen

ore move sacro, sive expugnantior herba est,

utere temptatis operosae viribus herbae.

Nec medeare mihi sanesque haec vulnera mando,

fineque nil opus est: partem ferat illa caloris.”

At Circe (neque enim flammis habet aptius ulla

talibus ingenium, seu causa est huius in ipsa,

seu Venus indicio facit hoc offensa paterno)

talia verba refert. “Melius sequerere volentem

optantemque eadem parilique cupidine captam.

Dignus eras ultro (poteras certeque) rogari,

et, si spem dederis, mihi crede, rogaberis ultro.

Neu dubites adsitque tuae fiducia formae:

en ego, cum dea sim, nitidi cum filia Solis,

gramine cum tantum, tantum quoque carmine possim,

ut tua sim, voveo; spernentem sperne, sequenti

redde vices unoque duas ulciscere facto!”

Talia temptanti “prius” inquit “in aequore frondes”

Glaucus “et in summis nascentur montibus algae,

sospite quam Scylla nostri mutentur amores!”

Indignata dea est, et laedere quatenus ipsum

non poterat (nec vellet amans), irascitur illi,

quae sibi praelata est, venerisque offensa repulsa

protinus horrendis infamia pabula sucis

conterit et tritis Hecateia carmina miscet

caerulaque induitur velamina perque ferarum

agmen adulantum media procedit ab aula,

oppositumque petens contra Zancleia saxa

Rhegion ingreditur ferventes aestibus undas,

in quibus ut solida ponit vestigia terra

summaque decurrit pedibus super aequora siccis.

Parvus erat gurges, curvos sinuatus in arcus,

grata quies Scyllae; quo se referebat ab aestu

et maris et caeli, medio cum plurimus orbe

sol erat et minimas a vertice fecerat umbras.

Hunc dea praevitiat portentificisque venenis

inquinat, hic pressos latices radice nocenti

spargit et obscurum verborum ambage novorum

ter noviens carmen magico demurmurat ore.

Scylla venit mediaque tenus descenderat alvo,

cum sua foedari latrantibus inguina monstris

adspicit ac primo credens non corporis illas

esse sui partes refugitque abigitque timetque

ora proterva canum, sed quos fugit, attrahit una

et corpus quaerens femorum crurumque pedumque,

Cerbereos rictus pro partibus invenit illis:

statque canum rabie subiectaque terga ferarum

inguinibus truncis uteroque exstante coercet.

Flevit amans Glaucus nimiumque hostiliter usae

viribus herbarum fugit conubia Circes;

Scylla loco mansit cumque est data copia primum,

in Circes odium sociis spoliavit Ulixen;

mox eadem Teucras fuerat mersura carinas,

ni prius in scopulum, qui nunc quoque saxeus exstat,

transformata foret: scopulum quoque navita vitat.

75 Cercopes.

Hunc ubi Troianae remis avidamque Charybdim

evicere rates, cum iam prope litus adesset

Ausonium, Libycas vento referuntur ad oras.

Excipit Aenean illic animoque domoque

non bene discidium Phrygii latura mariti

Sidonis; inque pyra sacri sub imagine facta

incubuit ferro deceptaque decipit omnes.

Rursus harenosae fugiens nova moenia terrae

ad sedes Erycis fidumque relatus Acesten

sacrificat tumulumque sui genitoris honorat;

quasque rates Iris Iunonia paene cremarat,

solvit et Hippotadae regnum terrasque calenti

sulphure fumantes Acheloiadumque relinquit

Sirenum scopulos, orbataque praeside pinus

Inarimen Prochytenque legit sterilique locatas

colle Pithecusas, habitantum nomine dictas.

Quippe deum genitor, fraudem et periuria quondam

Cercopum exosus gentisque admissa dolosae,

in deforme viros animal mutavit, ut idem

dissimiles homini possent similesque videri,

membraque contraxit naresque a fronte resimas

contudit et rugis peraravit anilibus ora

totaque velatos flaventi corpora villo

misit in has sedes nec non prius abstulit usum

verborum et natae dira in periuria linguae:

posse queri tantum rauco stridore reliquit.

100

101 Sibylla.

Has ubi praeteriit et Parthenopeia dextra

moenia deseruit, laeva de parte canori

Aeolidae tumulum et, loca feta palustribus undis,

litora Cumarum vivacisque antra Sibyllae

intrat, et ut manes veniat per Averna paternos,

105

orat. At illa diu vultum tellure moratum

erexit tandemque deo furibunda recepto

“magna petis” dixit, “vir factis maxime, cuius

dextera per ferrum est, pietas spectata per ignes.

Pone tamen, Troiane, metum: potiere petitis

110

Elysiasque domos et regna novissima mundi

me duce cognosces simulacraque cara parentis.

Invia virtuti nulla est via!” Dixit et auro

fulgentem ramum silva Iunonis Avernae

monstravit iussitque suo divellere trunco.

115

Paruit Aeneas et formidabilis Orci

vidit opes atavosque suos umbramque senilem

magnanimi Anchisae; didicit quoque iura locorum,

quaeque novis essent adeunda pericula bellis.

Inde ferens lassos adverso tramite passus

120

cum duce Cumaea mollit sermone laborem.

Dumque iter horrendum per opaca crepuscula carpit,

“seu dea tu praesens, seu dis gratissima” dixit,

“numinis instar eris semper mihi meque fatebor

muneris esse tui, quae me loca mortis adire,

125

quae loca me visae voluisti evadere mortis.

Pro quibus aerias meritis evectus ad auras

templa tibi statuam, tribuam tibi turis honores.”

Respicit hunc vates et suspiratibus haustis

“nec dea sum” dixit “nec sacri turis honore

130

humanum dignare caput; neu nescius erres,

lux aeterna mihi carituraque fine dabatur,

si mea virginitas Phoebo patuisset amanti.

Dum tamen hanc sperat dum praecorrumpere donis

me cupit, “elige” ait, “virgo Cumaea, quid optes:

135

optatis potiere tuis.” Ego pulveris hausti

ostendi cumulum: quot haberet corpora pulvis,

tot mihi natales contingere vana rogavi;

excidit, ut peterem iuvenes quoque protinus annos.

Hos tamen ille mihi dabat aeternamque iuventam,

140

si venerem paterer: contempto munere Phoebi

innuba permaneo; sed iam felicior aetas

terga dedit, tremuloque gradu venit aegra senectus,

quae patienda diu est (nam iam mihi saecula septem

acta vides): superest, numeros ut pulveris aequem,

145

ter centum messes, ter centum musta videre.

Tempus erit, cum de tanto me corpore parvam

longa dies faciet consumptaque membra senecta

ad minimum redigentur onus: nec amata videbor

nec placuisse deo; Phoebus quoque forsitan ipse

150

vel non cognoscet vel dilexisse negabit:

usque adeo mutata ferar, nullique videnda,

voce tamen noscar; vocem mihi fata relinquent.”

154 Achaemenides apud Polyphemum.

Talia convexum per iter memorante Sibylla

sedibus Euboicam Stygiis emergit in urbem

155

Troius Aeneas sacrisque ex more litatis

litora adit nondum nutricis habentia nomen.

Hic quoque substiterat per taedia longa laborum

Neritius Macareus, comes experientis Ulixei;

desertum quondam mediis e rupibus Aetnae

160

noscit Achaemeniden improvisoque repertum

vivere miratus “qui de casusve deusve

servat, Achaemenide? cur” inquit “barbara Graium

prora vehit? petitur vestra quae terra carina?”

Talia quaerenti iam non hirsutus amictu,

165

iam suus et spinis conserto tegmine nullis,

fatur Achaemenides: “Iterum Polyphemon et illos

adspiciam fluidos humano sanguine rictus,

hac mihi si potior domus est Ithacique carina,

si minus Aenean veneror genitore nec umquam

170

esse satis potero, praestem licet omnia, gratus.

Quod loquor et spiro caelumque et sidera solis

respicio, possimne ingratus et impius esse?

Ille dedit, quod non anima haec Cyclopis in ora

venit, et ut iam nunc lumen vitale relinquam,

175

aut tumulo aut certe non illa condar in alvo.

Quid mihi tunc animi (nisi si timor abstulit omnem

sensum animumque) fuit, cum vos petere alta relictus

aequora conspexi? Volui inclamare, sed hosti

prodere me timui: vestrae quoque clamor Ulixis

180

paene rati nocuit. Vidi, cum monte revulsum

inmanem scopulum medias permisit in undas;

vidi iterum veluti tormenti viribus acta

vasta Giganteo iaculantem saxa lacerto

et, ne deprimeret fluctus ventusve carinam,

185

pertimui, iam me non esse oblitus in illa.

Ut vero fuga vos a certa morte reduxit,

ille quidem totam gemebundus obambulat Aetnam

praetemptatque manu silvas et luminis orbus

rupibus incursat foedataque bracchia tabo

190

in mare protendens gentem exsecratur Achivam

atque ait: “O si quis referat mihi casus Ulixem

aut aliquem e sociis, in quem mea saeviat ira,

viscera cuius edam, cuius viventia dextra

membra mea laniem, cuius mihi sanguis inundet

195

guttur et elisi trepident sub dentibus artus:

quam nullum aut leve sit damnum mihi lucis ademptae!”

Haec et plura ferox; me luridus occupat horror

spectantem vultus etiamnum caede madentes

crudelesque manus et inanem luminis orbem

200

membraque et humano concretam sanguine barbam.

mors erat ante oculos, minimum tamen ipsa doloris:

et iam prensurum, iam nunc mea viscera rebar

in sua mersurum, mentique haerebat imago

temporis illius, quo vidi bina meorum

205

ter quater adfligi sociorum corpora terrae,

cum super ipse iacens hirsuti more leonis

visceraque et carnes cumque albis ossa medullis

semianimesque artus avidam condebat in alvum.

Me tremor invasit: stabam sine sanguine maestus;

210

mandentemque videns eiectantemque cruentas

ore dapes et frusta mero glomerata vomentem

talia fingebam misero mihi fata parari

perque dies multos latitans omnemque tremescens

ad strepitum, mortemque timens cupidusque moriri,

215

glande famem pellens et mixta frondibus herba,

solus, inops, exspes, leto poenaeque relictus

hanc procul adspexi longo post tempore navem

oravique fugam gestu ad litusque cucurri —

et movi. Graiumque ratis Troiana recepit!

220

Tu quoque pande tuos, comitum gratissime, casus

et ducis et turbae, quae tecum est credita ponto.”

223 Macareus. Ulixes et Circe.

Aeolon ille refert Tusco regnare profundo,

Aeolon Hippotaden, cohibentem carcere ventos;

quos bovis inclusos tergo, memorabile munus,

225

Dulichium sumpsisse ducem flatuque secundo

lucibus isse novem et terram adspexisse petitam;

proxima post nonam cum sese aurora moveret,

invidia socios praedaeque cupidine victos,

esse ratos aurum, dempsisse ligamina ventis;

230

cum quibus isse retro, per quas modo venerat undas,

Aeoliique ratem portus repetisse tyranni.

“Inde Lami veterem Laestrygonis” inquit “in urbem

venimus. Antiphates terra regnabat in illa.

Missus ad hunc ego sum, numero comitante duorum,

235

vixque fuga quaesita salus comitique mihique:

tertius e nobis Laestrygonis impia tinxit

ora cruore suo. Fugientibus instat et agmen

concitat Antiphates. Coeunt et saxa trabesque

coniciunt merguntque viros merguntque carinas.

240

Una tamen, quae nos ipsumque vehebat Ulixen,

effugit. Amissa sociorum parte dolentes

multaque conquesti terris adlabimur illis,

quas procul hinc cernis (procul hinc, mihi crede, videnda

insula, visa mihi!), tuque o iustissime Troum,

245

nate dea (neque enim finito Marte vocandus

hostis es, Aenea), moneo, fuge litora Circes.

Nos quoque Circaeo religata in litore pinu,

Antiphatae memores inmansuetique Cyclopis,

ire negabamus vel tecta ignota subire;

250

sorte sumus lecti, sors me fidumque Politen

Eurylochumque simul nimiique Elpenora vini

bisque novem socios Circaea ad moenia misit.

Quae simul attigimus stetimusque in limine tecti,

mille lupi mixtaeque lupis ursique leaeque

255

occursu fecere metum, sed nulla timenda

nullaque erat nostro factura in corpore vulnus.

Quin etiam blandas movere per aera caudas

nostraque adulantes comitant vestigia, donec

excipiunt famulae perque atria marmore tecta

260

ad dominam ducunt: pulchro sedet illa recessu,

sollemni solio, pallamque induta nitentem

insuper aurato circumvelatur amictu.

Nereides nymphaeque simul, quae vellera motis

nulla trahunt digitis nec fila sequentia ducunt:

265

gramina disponunt sparsosque sine ordine flores

secernunt calathis variasque coloribus herbas;

ipsa quod hae faciunt opus, exigit, ipsa, quis usus

quove sit in folio, quae sit concordia mixtis,

novit et advertens pensas examinat herbas.

270

Haec ubi nos vidit, dicta acceptaque salute,

diffudit vultus et reddidit omina voce.

Nec mora, misceri tosti iubet hordea grani

mellaque vimque meri cum lacte coagula passo,

quique sub hac lateant furtim dulcedine, sucos

275

adicit. Accipimus sacra data pocula dextra.

Quae simul arenti sitientes hausimus ore,

et tetigit summos virga dea dira capillos,

(et pudet et referam!) saetis horrescere coepi

nec iam posse loqui, pro verbis edere raucum

280

murmur et in terram toto procumbere vultu;

osque meum sensi pando occallescere rostro,

colla tumere toris, et qua modo pocula parte

sumpta mihi fuerant, illa vestigia feci,

cumque eadem passis (tantum medicamina possunt!)

285

claudor hara, solumque suis caruisse figura

vidimus Eurylochum: solus data pocula fugit.

Quae nisi vitasset, pecoris pars una manerem

nunc quoque saetigeri, nec tantae cladis ab illo

certior ad Circen ultor venisset Ulixes.

290

Pacifer huic dederat florem Cyllenius album,

moly vocant superi, nigra radice tenetur;

tutus eo monitisque simul caelestibus intrat

ille domum Circes, et ad insidiosa vocatus

pocula, conantem virga mulcere capillos

295

reppulit et stricto pavidam deterruit ense.

Inde fides dextraeque datae, thalamoque receptus

coniugii dotem sociorum corpora poscit.

Spargimur ignotae sucis melioribus herbae

percutimurque caput conversae verbere virgae,

300

verbaque dicuntur dictis contraria verbis.

Quo magis illa canit, magis hoc tellure levati

erigimur, saetaeque cadunt, bifidosque relinquit

rima pedes, redeunt umeri et subiecta lacertis

bracchia sunt: flentem flentes amplectimur ipsi

305

haeremusque ducis collo nec verba locuti

ulla priora sumus quam nos testantia gratos.

PICUS AND CANENS

Annua nos illic tenuit mora, multaque praesens

tempore tam longo vidi, multa auribus hausi,

hoc quoque cum multis, quod clam mihi rettulit una

310

quattuor e famulis ad talia sacra paratis.

Cum duce namque meo Circe dum sola moratur,

illa mihi niveo factum de marmore signum

ostendit iuvenale, gerens in vertice picum,

aede sacra positum multisque insigne coronis.

315

Quis foret et quare sacra coleretur in aede,

cur hanc ferret avem, quaerenti et scire volenti

“accipe” ait “Macareu, dominaeque potentia quae sit

hinc quoque disce meae: tu dictis adice mentem!

320 Picus et Canens.

Picus in Ausoniis, proles Saturnia terris

320

rex fuit, utilium bello studiosus equorum;

forma viro, quam cernis, erat: licet ipse decorem

adspicias fictaque probes ab imagine veram.

Par animus formae; nec adhuc spectasse per annos

quinquennem poterat Graia quater Elide pugnam.

325

Ille suos dryadas Latiis in montibus ortas

verterat in vultus, illum fontana petebant

numina, naiades, quas Albula, quasque Numici,

quas Anienis aquae cursuque brevissimus Almo

Narve tulit praeceps et opacae Farfarus umbrae,

330

quaeque colunt Scythicae stagnum nemorale Dianae

finitimosque lacus; spretis tamen omnibus unam

ille colit nymphen, quam quondam in colle Palati

dicitur Ionio peperisse Venilia Iano.

Haec ubi nubilibus primum maturuit annis,

335

praeposito cunctis Laurenti tradita Pico est,

rara quidem facie, sed rarior arte canendi,

unde Canens dicta est: silvas et saxa movere

et mulcere feras et flumina longa morari

ore suo volucresque vagas retinere solebat.

340

Quae dum feminea modulatur carmina voce,

exierat tecto Laurentes Picus in agros,

indigenas fixurus apros, tergumque premebat

acris equi, laevaque hastilia bina ferebat,

poeniceam fulvo chlamydem contractus ab auro.

345

Venerat in silvas et filia Solis easdem,

utque novas legeret fecundis collibus herbas,

nomine dicta suo Circaea reliquerat arva.

Quae simul ac iuvenem, virgultis abdita, vidit,

obstipuit: cecidere manu, quas legerat, herbae,

350

flammaque per totas visa est errare medullas.

Ut primum valido mentem conlegit ab aestu,

quid cuperet, fassura fuit: ne posset adire,

cursus equi fecit circumfususque satelles.

“Non” ait “effugies, vento rapiare licebit,

355

si modo me novi, si non evanuit omnis

herbarum virtus et non mea carmina fallunt.”

Dixit et effigiem, nullo cum corpore, falsi

finxit apri praeterque oculos transcurrere regis

iussit et in densum trabibus nemus ire videri,

360

plurima qua silva est et equo loca pervia non sunt.

Haud mora: continuo praedae petit inscius umbram

Picus equique celer spumantia terga relinquit

spemque sequens vanam silva pedes errat in alta.

Concipit illa preces et verba precantia dicit

365

ignotosque deos ignoto carmine adorat,

quo solet et niveae vultum confundere Lunae

et patrio capiti bibulas subtexere nubes.

Tum quoque cantato densetur carmine caelum,

et nebulas exhalat humus, caecisque vagantur

370

limitibus comites, et abest custodia regis.

Nacta locum tempusque “per, o, tua lumina” dixit,

“quae mea ceperunt, perque hanc, pulcherrime, formam,

quae facit, ut supplex tibi sim dea, consule nostris

ignibus et socerum, qui pervidet omnia, Solem

375

accipe, nec durus Titanida despice Circen!”

Dixerat. Ille ferox ipsamque precesque relinquit

et “quaecumque es” ait, “non sum tuus: altera captum

me tenet et teneat per longum, comprecor, aevum!

Nec venere externa socialia foedera laedam,

380

dum mihi Ianigenam servabunt fata Canentem!”

Saepe retemptatis precibus Titania frustra

“non impune feres, neque” ait “reddere Canenti,

laesaque quid faciat, quid amans, quid femina disces.”

Tum bis ad occasum, bis se convertit ad ortus,

ter iuvenem baculo tetigit, tria carmina dixit.

Ille fugit, sed se solito velocius ipse

currere miratur: pennas in corpore vidit,

seque novam subito Latiis accedere silvis

390

indignatus avem duro fera robora rostro

figit et iratus longis dat vulnera ramis.

Purpureum chlamydis pennae traxere colorem,

fibula quod fuerat vestemque momorderat aurum,

pluma fit, et fulvo cervix praecingitur auro,

395

nec quicquam antiquum Pico nisi nomina restat.

Interea comites, clamato saepe per agros

nequiquam Pico nullaque in parte reperto,

inveniunt Circen (nam iam tenuaverat auras

passaque erat nebulas ventis ac sole recludi)

400

criminibusque premunt veris regemque reposcunt

vimque ferunt saevisque parant incessere telis.

Illa nocens spargit virus sucosque veneni

et Noctem noctisque deos Ereboque chaoque

convocat et longis Hecaten ululatibus orat:

405

exsiluere loco (dictu mirabile) silvae,

ingemuitque solum, vicinaque palluit arbor,

sparsaque sanguineis maduerunt pabula guttis,

et lapides visi mugitus edere raucos,

et latrare canes et humus serpentibus atris

410

squalere et tenues animae volitare videntur.

Attonitum monstris vulgus pavet: illa paventis

ora venenata tetigit mirantia virga,

cuius ab attactu variarum monstra ferarum

in iuvenes veniunt: nulli sua mansit imago.

415

Sparserat occiduus Tartessia litora Phoebus,

et frustra coniunx oculis animoque Canentis

exspectatus erat: famuli populusque per omnes

discurrunt silvas atque obvia lumina portant;

nec satis est nymphae flere et lacerare capillos

420

et dare plangorem (facit et tamen omnia) seque

proripit ac Latios errat vesana per agros.

Sex illam noctes, tetidem redeuntia solis

lumina viderunt inopem somnique cibique

per iuga, per valles, qua fors ducebat, euntem.

425

Ultimus adspexit Thybris luctuque viaque

fessam et iam longa ponentem corpora ripa.

Illic cum lacrimis ipso modulata dolore

verba sono tenui maerens fundebat, ut olim

carmina iam moriens canit exequialia cygnus.

430

Luctibus extremis teneras liquefacta medullas

tabuit inque leves paulatim evanuit auras;

fama tamen signata loco est, quem rite Canentem

nomine de nymphae veteres dixere Camenae.”

Talia multa mihi longum narrata per annum

435

visaque sunt. Resides et desuetudine tardi

rursus inire fretum, rursus dare vela iubemur.

Ancipitesque vias et iter Titania vastum

dixerat et saevi restare pericula ponti.

Pertimui, fateor, nactusque hoc litus adhaesi.”

440

441 Diomedis socii. Oleaster.

Finierat Macareus. Urnaque Aeneia nutrix

condita marmoreo tumulo breve carmen habebat:

HIC ME CAIETAM NOTAE PIETATIS ALUMNUS

EREPTAM ARGOLICO QUO DEBUIT IGNE CREMAVIT.

Solvitur herboso religatus ab aggere funis,

445

et procul insidias infamataeque relinquunt

tecta deae lucosque petunt, ubi nubilus umbra

in mare cum flava prorumpit Thybris harena;

Faunigenaeque domo potitur nataque Latini,

non sine Marte tamen: bellum cum gente feroci

450

suscipitur, pactaque furit pro coniuge Turnus.

Concurrit Latio Tyrrhenia tota, diuque

ardua sollicitis victoria quaeritur armis.

Auget uterque suas externo robore vires,

et multi Rutulos, multi Troiana tuentur

455

castra. Neque Aeneas Euandri ad moenia frustra,

at Venulus frustra profugi Diomedis ad urbem

venerat: ille quidem sub Iapyge maxima Dauno

moenia condiderat dotaliaque arva tenebat.

Sed Venulus Turni postquam mandata peregit

460

auxilium petiit, vires Aetolius heros

excusat: nec se aut soceri committere pugnae

velle sui populos, aut quos e gente suorum

armet habere ullos, “neve haec commenta putetis,

admonitu quamquam luctus renoventur amari

465

perpetiar memorare tamen. Postquam alta cremata est

Ilion et Danaas paverunt Pergama flammas,

Naryciusque heros, a virgine virgine rapta,

quam meruit poenam solus, digessit in omnes,

spargimur et ventis inimica per aequora rapti

470

fulmina, noctem, imbres, iram caelique marisque

perpetimur Danai cumulumque Capherea cladis.

Neve morer referens tristes ex ordine casus,

Graecia tum potuit Priamo quoque flenda videri.

Me tamen armiferae servatum cura Minervae

475

fluctibus eripuit, patriis sed rursus ab agris

pellor, et antiquo memores de vulnere poenas

exigit alma Venus, tantosque per alta labores

aequora sustinui, tantos terrestribus armis,

ut mihi felices sint illi saepe vocati,

480

quos communis hiems importunusque Caphereus

mersit aquis, vellemque horum pars una fuissem.

Ultima iam passi comites belloque fretoque

deficiunt finemque rogant erroris, at Acmon

fervidus ingenio, tum vero et cladibus asper,

485

“quid superest, quod iam patientia nostra recuset

ferre, viri?” dixit; “quid habet Cytherea, quod ultra

(velle puta!) faciat? Nam dum peiora timentur,

est locus in vulnus: sors autem ubi pessima rerum,

sub pedibus timor est securaque summa malorum.

490

Audiat ipsa licet, et, quod facit, oderit omnes

sub Diomede viros, odium tamen illius omnes

spernimus: et magno stat magna potentia nobis!”

Talibus iratam Venerem Pleuronius Acmon

instimulat verbis stimulisque resuscitat iram.

495

Dicta placent paucis: numeri maioris amici

Acmona corripimus; cui respondere volenti

vox pariter vocisque via est tenuata, comaeque

in plumas abeunt, plumis nova colla teguntur

pectoraque et tergum, maiores bracchia pennas

500

accipiunt, cubitusque leves sinuatur in alas.

Magna pedis digitos pars occupat, oraque cornu

indurata rigent finemque in acumine ponunt.

Hunc Lycus, hunc Idas et cum Rhexenore Nycteus,

hunc miratur Abas: et dum mirantur, eandem

505

accipiunt faciem, numerusque ex agmine maior

subvolat et remos plausis circumvolat alis.

Si volucrum quae sit dubiarum forma, requiris,

ut non cygnorum, sic albis proxima cygnis.

Vix equidem has sedes et Iapygis arida Dauni

510

arva gener teneo minima cum parte meorum.”

Hactenus Oenides. Venulus Calydonia regna

Peucetiosque sinus Messapiaque arva relinquit.

In quibus antra videt, quae multa nubila silva

et levibus cannis manantia semicaper Pan

515

nunc tenet, at quodam tenuerunt tempore nymphae.

Apulus has illa pastor regione fugatas

terruit et primo subita formidine movit,

mox, ubi mens rediit et contempsere sequentem,

ad numerum motis pedibus duxere choreas.

520

Improbat has pastor, saltuque imitatus agresti

addidit obscenis convicia rustica dictis,

nec prius os tacuit, quam guttura condidit arbor:

arbore enim sucoque licet cognoscere mores;

quippe notam linguae bacis oleaster amaris

525

exhibet: asperitas verborum cessit in illas.

527 Aeneae naves. Ardea.

Hinc ubi legati rediere, negata ferentes

arma Aetola sibi, Rutuli sine viribus illis

bella instructa gerunt, multumque ab utraque cruoris

parte datur; fert ecce avidas in pinea Turnus

530

texta faces, ignesque timent, quibus unda pepercit.

Iamque picem et ceras alimentaque cetera flammae

Mulciber urebat perque altum ad carbasa malum

ibat, et incurvae fumabant transtra carinae:

cum memor has pinus Idaeo vertice caesas

535

sancta deum genetrix tinnitibus aera pulsi

aeris et inflati complevit murmure buxi,

perque leves domitis invecta leonibus auras

“inrita sacrilega iactas incendia dextra,

Turne!” ait. “Eripiam, nec me patiente cremabit

540

ignis edax nemorum partes et membra meorum.”

Intonuit dicente dea, tonitrumque secuti

cum saliente graves ceciderunt grandine nimbi,

aeraque et tumidum subitis concursibus aequor

Astraei turbant et eunt in proelia fratres.

545

E quibus alma parens unius viribus usa

stuppea praerupit Phrygiae retinacula puppis

fertque rates pronas medioque sub aequore mergit;

robore mollito lignoque in corpora verso

in capitum facies puppes mutantur aduncae,

550

in digitos abeunt et crura natantia remi,

quodque prius fuerat, latus est mediisque carina

subdita navigiis spinae mutatur in usum,

lina comae molles, antemnae bracchia fiunt,

caerulus, ut fuerat, color est; quasque ante timebant,

555

illas virgineis exercent lusibus undas

naides aequoreae durisque in montibus ortae

molle fretum celebrant nec eas sua tangit origo.

Non tamen oblitae, quam multa pericula saepe

pertulerint pelago, iactatis saepe carinis

560

supposuere manus, nisi siqua vehebat Achivos:

cladis adhuc Phrygiae memores, odere Pelasgos

Neritiaeque ratis viderunt fragmina laetis

vultibus et laetis videre rigescere puppem

vultibus Alcinoi saxumque increscere ligno.

565

Spes erat, in nymphas animata classe marinas,

posse metu monstri Rutulum desistere bello:

perstat, habetque deos pars utraque, quodque deorum est

instar, habent animos; nec iam dotalia regna

nec sceptrum soceri, nec te, Lavinia virgo,

570

sed vicisse petunt deponendique pudore

bella gerunt, tandemque Venus victricia nati

arma videt, Turnusque cadit, cadit Ardea, Turno

sospite dicta potens. Quem postquam barbarus ensis

abstulit et tepida latuerunt tecta favilla,

575

congerie e media tum primum cognita praepes

subvolat et cineres plausis everberat alis.

Et sonus et macies et pallor et omnia, captam

quae deceant urbem, nomen quoque mansit in illa

urbis; et ipsa suis deplangitur Ardea pennis.

580

581 Aeneas Indiges.

Iamque deos omnes ipsamque Aeneia virtus

Iunonem veteres finire coegerat iras,

cum, bene fundatis opibus crescentis Iuli,

tempestivus erat caelo Cythereius heros:

ambieratque Venus superos, colloque parentis

585

circumfusa sui “numquam mihi” dixerat “ullo

tempore dure pater, nunc sis mitissimus, opto,

Aeneaeque meo, qui te de sanguine nostro

fecit avum, quamvis parvum des, optime, numen,

dummodo des aliquod: satis est inamabile regnum

590

adspexisse semel, Stygios semel isse per amnes.”

Adsensere dei, nec coniunx regia vultus

immotos tenuit placatoque adnuit ore;

tum pater “estis” ait “caelesti numine digni,

quaeque petis, pro quoque petis: cape, nata, quod optas!”

595

Fatus erat: gaudet gratesque agit illa parenti,

perque leves auras iunctis invecta columbis

litus adit Laurens, ubi tectus harundine serpit

in freta flumineis vicina Numicius undis.

Hunc iubet Aeneae, quaecumque obnoxia morti,

600

abluere et tacito deferre sub aequora cursu;

corniger exsequitur Veneris mandata suisque,

quidquid in Aenea fuerat mortale, repurgat

et respergit aquis: pars optima restitit illi.

Lustratum genetrix divino corpus odore

605

unxit et ambrosia cum dulci nectare mixta

contigit os fecitque deum, quem turba Quirini

nuncupat Indigetem temploque arisque recepit.

609 Pomona et Vertumnus. Anaxarete.

Inde sub Ascanii dicione binominis Alba

resque Latina fuit. Succedit Silvius illi.

610

Quo satus antiquo tenuit repetita Latinus

nomina cum sceptro. Clarus subit Alba Latinum.

Epytus ex illo est; post hunc Capetusque Capysque,

sed Capys ante fuit. Regnum Tiberinus ab illis

cepit et in Tusci demersus fluminis undis

615

nomina fecit aquae; de quo Remulusque feroxque

Acrota sunt geniti. Remulus maturior annis

fulmineo periit, imitator fulminis, ictu.

Fratre suo sceptrum moderatior Acrota forti

tradit Aventino, qui, quo regnarat, eodem

620

monte iacet positus tribuitque vocabula monti.

Iamque Palatinae summam Proca gentis habebat.

Rege sub hoc Pomona fuit, qua nulla Latinas

inter hamadryadas coluit sollertius hortos

nec fuit arborei studiosior altera fetus.

625

Unde tenet nomen: non silvas illa nec amnes,

rus amat et ramos felicia poma ferentes.

Nec iaculo gravis est, sed adunca dextera falce,

qua modo luxuriem premit et spatiantia passim

bracchia compescit, fisso modo cortice lignum

630

inserit et sucos alieno praestat alumno;

nec sentire sitim patitur bibulaeque recurvas

radicis fibras labentibus inrigat undis:

hic amor, hoc studium; veneris quoque nulla cupido est.

Vim tamen agrestum metuens pomaria claudit

635

intus et accessus prohibet refugitque viriles.

Quid non et satyri, saltatibus apta iuventus,

fecere et pinu praecincti cornua Panes

Silenusque, suis semper iuvenalior annis,

quique deus fures vel falce vel inguine terret,

640

ut poterentur ea? Sed enim superabat amando

hos quoque Vertumnus neque erat felicior illis.

O quotiens habitu duri messoris aristas

corbe tulit verique fuit messoris imago!

Tempora saepe gerens faeno religata recenti

645

desectum poterat gramen versasse videri;

saepe manu stimulos rigida portabat, ut illum

iurasses fessos modo disiunxisse iuvencos.

Falce data frondator erat vitisque putator;

induerat scalas: lecturum poma putares;

650

miles erat gladio, piscator harundine sumpta.

Denique per multas aditum sibi saepe figuras

repperit, ut caperet spectatae gaudia formae.

Ille etiam picta redimitus tempora mitra,

innitens baculo, positis per tempora canis,

655

adsimulavit anum cultosque intravit in hortos

pomaque mirata est “tanto” que “potentior!” inquit,

paucaque laudatae dedit oscula, qualia numquam

vera dedisset anus, glaebaque incurva resedit

suspiciens pandos autumni pondere ramos.

660

Ulmus erat contra speciosa nitentibus uvis:

quam socia postquam pariter cum vite probavit,

“at si staret” ait “caelebs sine palmite truncus,

nil praeter frondes, quare peteretur, haberet;

haec quoque, quae iuncta est, vitis requiescit in illo:

665

si non nupta foret, terrae acclinata iaceret.

Tu tamen exemplo non tangeris arboris huius

concubitusque fugis nec te coniungere curas.

Atque utinam velles! Helene non pluribus esset

sollicitata procis nec quae Lapitheia movit

670

proelia nec coniunx nimium tardantis Ulixei.

Nunc quoque, cum fugias averserisque petentes,

mille viri cupiunt et semideique deique

et quaecumque tenent Albanos numina montes.

Sed tu, si sapies, si te bene iungere anumque

675

hanc audire voles, quae te plus omnibus illis,

plus quam credis, amo, vulgares reice taedas

Vertumnumque tori socium tibi selige! pro quo

me quoque pignus habes (neque enim sibi notior ille est,

quam mihi); nec passim toto vagus errat in orbe:

680

haec loca magna colit; nec, uti pars magna procorum,

quam modo vidit, amat: tu primus et ultimus illi

ardor eris, solique suos tibi devovet annos.

Adde, quod est iuvenis, quod naturale decoris

munus habet formasque apte fingetur in omnes,

685

et quod erit iussus, iubeas licet omnia, fiet.

Quid quod amatis idem? quod, quae tibi poma coluntur,

primus habet laetaque tenet tua munera dextra?

Sed neque iam fetus desiderat arbore demptos,

nec, quas hortus alit, cum sucis mitibus herbas,

690

nec quicquam, nisi te; miserere ardentis et ipsum,

quod petit, ore meo praesentem crede precari

ultoresque deos et pectora dura perosam

Idalien memoremque time Rhamnusidis iram!

Quoque magis timeas (etenim mihi multa vetustas

695

scire dedit), referam tota notissima Cypro

facta, quibus flecti facile et mitescere possis.

698 ANAXARETE TRANSFORMED

Viderat a veteris generosam sanguine Teucri

Iphis Anaxareten, humili de stirpe creatus,

viderat et totis perceperat ossibus aestum

700

luctatusque diu, postquam ratione furorem

vincere non potuit, supplex ad limina venit

et modo nutrici miserum confessus amorem,

ne sibi dura foret, per spes oravit alumnae,

et modo de multis blanditus cuique ministris

705

sollicita petiit propensum voce favorem;

saepe ferenda dedit blandis sua verba tabellis,

interdum madidas lacrimarum rore coronas

postibus intendit posuitque in limine duro

molle latus tristisque serae convicia fecit.

710

Saevior illa freto surgente cadentibus Haedis,

durior et ferro, quod Noricus excoquit ignis,

et saxo, quod adhuc vivum radice tenetur,

spernit et inridet factisque inmitibus addit

verba superba ferox et spe quoque fraudat amantem.

715

Non tulit impatiens longi tormenta doloris

Iphis et ante fores haec verba novissima dixit:

“Vincis, Anaxarete, neque erunt tibi taedia tandem

ulla ferenda mei: laetos molire triumphos

et Paeana voca nitidaque incingere lauru!

720

Vincis enim, moriorque libens: age, ferrea, gaude!

Certe aliquid laudare mei cogeris amoris,

Non tamen ante tui curam fugisse memento,

quam vitam, geminaque simul mihi luce carendum est.

725

Nec tibi fama mei ventura est nuntia leti:

ipse ego, ne dubites, adero praesensque videbor,

corpore ut exanimi crudelia lumina pascas.

Si tamen, o superi, mortalia facta videtis,

este mei memores (nihil ultra lingua precari

730

sustinet) et longo facite ut narremur in aevo,

et, quae dempsistis vitae, date tempora famae!”

Dixit, et ad postes ornatos saepe coronis

umentes oculos et pallida bracchia tollens,

cum foribus laquei religaret vincula summis,

735

“haec tibi serta placent, crudelis et impia?” dixit,

inseruitque caput, sed tum quoque versus ad illam,

atque onus infelix elisa fauce pependit.

Icta pedum motu est adapertaque ianua factum

prodidit. Exclamant famuli frustraque levatum

(nam pater occiderat) referunt ad limina matris;

accipit illa sinu complexaque frigida nati

membra sui postquam miserarum verba parentum

edidit et matrum miserarum facta peregit,

745

funera ducebat mediam lacrimosa per urbem

luridaque arsuro portabat membra feretro.

Forte viae vicina domus, qua flebilis ibat

pompa, fuit, duraeque sonus plangoris ad aures

venit Anaxaretae, quam iam deus ultor agebat:

750

mota “tamen videamus” ait “miserabile funus”

et patulis iniit tectum sublime fenestris;

vixque bene impositum lecto prospexerat Iphin,

deriguere oculi, calidusque e corpore sanguis

inducto pallore fugit, conataque retro

755

ferre pedes haesit, conata avertere vultus

hoc quoque non potuit, paulatimque occupat artus,

quod fuit in duro iam pridem pectore, saxum.

Neve ea ficta putes, dominae sub imagine signum

servat adhuc Salamis: Veneris quoque nomine templum

760

Prospicientis habet. — Quorum memor, o mea, lentos

pone, precor, fastus et amanti iungere, nymphe.

Sic tibi nil vernum nascentia frigus adurat

poma nec excutiant rapidi florentia venti!'

Haec ubi nequiquam formae deus aptus anili

765

edidit, in iuvenem rediit et anilia demit

instrumenta sibi talisque apparuit illi,

qualis ubi oppositas nitidissima solis imago

evicit nubes nullaque obstante reluxit,

vimque parat: sed vi non est opus, inque figura

770

capta dei nymphe est et mutua vulnera sensit.

772 Romulus et Hersilia.

Proximus Ausonias iniusti miles Amuli

rexit opes, Numitorque senex amissa nepotis

munere regna capit, festisque Palilibus urbis

moenia conduntur, Tatiusque patresque Sabini

775

bella gerunt, arcisque via Tarpeia reclusa

dignam animam poena congestis exuit armis.

Inde sati Curibus tacitorum more luporum

ore premunt voces et corpora victa sopore

invadunt portasque petunt, quas obice firmo

780

clauserat Iliades: unam tamen ipsa reclusit

nec strepitum verso Saturnia cardine fecit.

Sola Venus portae cecidisse repagula sensit

et clausura fuit, nisi quod rescindere numquam

dis licet acta deum. Iano loca iuncta tenebant

785

naides Ausoniae gelido rorantia fonte:

has rogat auxilium, nec nymphae iusta petentem

sustinuere deam venasque et flumina fontis

elicuere sui; nondum tamen invia Iani

ora patentis erant, neque iter praecluserat unda:

790

lurida supponunt fecundo sulphura fonti

incenduntque cavas fumante bitumine venas.

Viribus his aliisque vapor penetravit ad ima

fontis, et Alpino modo quae certare rigori

audebatis aquae, non ceditis ignibus ipsis!

795

Flammifera gemini fumant adspergine postes,

portaque, nequiquam rigidis promissa Sabinis,

fonte fuit praestructa novo, dum Martius arma

indueret miles; quae postquam Romulus ultro

obtulit, et strata est tellus Romana Sabinis

800

corporibus strata estque suis, generique cruorem

sanguine cum soceri permiscuit impius ensis,

pace tamen sisti bellum nec in ultima tantum

decertare placet Tatiumque accedere regno.

Occiderat Tatius, populisque aequata duobus,

805

Romule, iura dabas, posita cum casside Mavors

talibus adfatur divumque hominumque parentem:

“Tempus adest, genitor, quoniam fundamine magno

res Romana valet et praeside pendet ab uno,

praemia (sunt promissa mihi dignoque nepoti!)

810

solvere et ablatum terris imponere caelo.

Tu mihi concilio quondam praesente deorum

(nam memoro memorique animo pia verba notavi)

“unus erit, quem tu tolles in caerula caeli”

dixisti: rata sit verborum summa tuorum!”

815

Adnuit omnipotens et nubibus aera caecis

occuluit tonitruque et fulgure terruit orbem:

quae sibi promissae sensit rata signa rapinae

innixusque hastae pressos temone cruento

impavidus conscendit equos Gradivus et ictu

820

verberis increpuit pronusque per aera lapsus

constitit in summo nemorosi colle Palati

reddentemque suo non regia iura Quiriti

abstulit Iliaden: corpus mortale per auras

dilapsum tenues, ceu lata plumbea funda

825

missa solet medio glans intabescere caelo.

Pulchra subit facies et pulvinaribus altis

dignior, est qualis trabeati forma Quirini.

Flebat ut amissum coniunx, cum regia Iuno

Irin ad Hersiliam descendere limite curvo

830

imperat et vacuae sua sic mandata referre:

“O et de Latio, o et de gente Sabina

praecipuum, matrona, decus, dignissima tanti

ante fuisse viri, coniunx nunc esse Quirini,

siste tuos fletus et, si tibi cura videndi

835

coniugis est, duce me lucum pete, colle Quirini

qui viret et templum Romani regis obumbrat.”

Paret et in terram pictos delapsa per arcus

Hersilien iussis compellat vocibus Iris.

Illa verecundo vix tollens lumina vultu

840

“o, dea, namque mihi nec, quae sis, dicere promptum est,

et liquet esse deam, duc, o duc” inquit “et offer

coniugis ora mihi, quem si modo posse videre

fata semel dederint, caelum accepisse fatebor.”

Nec mora, Romuleos cum virgine Thaumantea

845

ingreditur colles: ibi sidus ab aethere lapsum

decidit in terras, a cuius lumine flagrans

Hersilie crines cum sidere cessit in auras.

Hanc manibus notis Romanae conditor urbis

excipit et priscum pariter cum corpore nomen

850

mutat Horamque vocat, quae nunc dea iuncta Quirino est.

Metamorphoses. P. Ovidius Naso. ed. Hugo Magnus. Gotha. 1892.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Current edition Perseus

Metamorphoses (Ovid. Die Metamorphosen des P. Ovidius Naso, Volume 1-3. Magnus, Hugo, editor. Gotha, Germany: F.A. Perthes. 1892-1919.)

Translations (2)

Metamorphoses Perseus (Ovid. Metamorphoses. More, Brookes, translator. Boston: Cornhill Publishing Co., 1922.) — 14 focus

Book 14

Scylla et Circe. SCYLLA TRANSFORMED TO A ROCK

Now the Euboean dweller in great waves,

Glaucus, had left behind the crest of Aetna ,

raised upward from a giant's head; and left

the Cyclops ' fields, that never had been torn

by harrow or by plough and never were

indebted to the toil of oxen yoked;

left Zancle , also, and the opposite walls

of Rhegium , and the sea, abundant cause

of shipwreck, which confined with double shores

bounds the Ausonian and Sicilian lands.

All these behind him, Glaucus, swimming on

with his huge hands through those Tyrrhenian seas,

drew near the hills so rich in magic herbs

and halls of Circe, daughter of the Sun,—

halls filled with men in guise of animals.

After due salutations had been given—

received by her as kindly—Glaucus said,

“You as a goddess, certainly should have

compassion upon me, a god; for you

alone (if I am worthy of it) can

relieve my passion. What the power of herbs

can be, Titania, none knows more than I,

for by their power I was myself transformed.

To make the cause of my strange madness known,

I have found Scylla on Italian shores,

directly opposite Messenian walls.

“It shames me to recount my promises,

entreaties, and caresses, and at last

rejection of my suit. If you have known

a power of incantation, I implore

you now repeat that incantation here,

with sacred lips—If herbs have greater power,

use the tried power of herbs. But I would not

request a cure—the healing of this wound.

Much better than an end of pain, let her

share, and feel with me my impassioned flame.”

But Circe was more quick than any other

to burn with passion's flame. It may have been

her nature or it may have been the work

of Venus, angry at her tattling sire.

“You might do better,” she replied, “to court

one who is willing, one who wants your love,

and feels a like desire. You did deserve

to win her love, yes, to be wooed yourself.

In fact you might be. If you give some hope,

you have my word, you shall indeed be wooed.

That you may have no doubt, and so retain

all confidence in your attraction's power—

behold! I am a goddess, and I am

the daughter also, of the radiant Sun!

And I who am so potent with my charms,

and I who am so potent with my herbs,

wish only to be yours. Despise her who

despises you, and her who is attached

to you repay with like attachment—so

by one act offer each her just reward.”

But Glaucus answered her attempt of love,

“The trees will sooner grow in ocean waves,

the sea-weed sooner grow on mountain tops,

than I shall change my love for graceful! Scylla.”

The goddess in her jealous rage could not

and would not injure him, whom she still loved,

but turned her wrath upon the one preferred.

She bruised immediately the many herbs

most infamous for horrid juices, which,

when bruised, she mingled with most artful care

and incantations given by Hecate.

Then, clothed in azure vestments, she passed through

her troop of fawning savage animals,

and issued from the center of her hall.

Pacing from there to Rhegium , opposite

the dangerous rocks of Zancle , she at once

entered the tossed waves boiling up with tides:

on these as if she walked on the firm shore,

she set her feet and, hastening on dry shod,

she skimmed along the surface of the deep.

Not far away there was an inlet curved,

round as a bent bow, which was often used

by Scylla as a favorite retreat.

There, she withdrew from heat of sea and sky

when in the zenith blazed the unclouded sun

and cast the shortest shadows on the ground.

Circe infected it before that hour,

polluting it with monster-breeding drugs.

She sprinkled juices over it, distilled

from an obnoxious root, and thrice times nine

she muttered over it with magic lips,

her most mysterious charm involved in words

of strangest import and of dubious thought.

Scylla came there and waded in waist deep,

then saw her loins defiled with barking shapes.

Believing they could be no part of her,

she ran and tried to drive them back and feared

the boisterous canine jaws. But what she fled

she carried with her. And, feeling for her thighs,

her legs, and feet, she found Cerberian jaws

instead. She rises from a rage of dogs,

and shaggy backs encircle her shortened loins.

The lover Glaucus wept. He fled the embrace

of Circe and her hostile power of herbs

100

and magic spells. But Scylla did not leave

the place of her disaster; and, as soon

as she had opportunity, for hate

of Circe, she robbed Ulysses of his men.

She would have wrecked the Trojan ships, if she

105

had not been changed beforehand to a rock

which to this day reveals a craggy rim.

And even the rock awakes the sailors' dread.

Cercopes. THE CERCOPES TRANSFORMED TO APES

After the Trojan ships, pushed by their oars,

had safely passed by Scylla and the fierce

110

Charybdis, and with care had then approached

near the Ausonian shore, a roaring gale

bore them far southward to the Libyan coast.

And then Sidonian Dido, who was doomed

not calmly to endure the loss of her

115

loved Phrygian husband, graciously received

Aeneas to her home and her regard:

and on a pyre, erected with pretense

of holy rites, she fell upon the sword.

Deceived herself, she there deceived them all.

120

Aeneas, fleeing the new walls built on

that sandy shore, revisited the land

of Eryx and Acestes, his true friend.

There he performed a hallowed sacrifice

and paid due honor to his father's tomb.

125

And presently he loosened from that shore

the ships which Iris, Juno's minister,

had almost burned; and sailing, passed far off

the kingdom of the son of Hippotas,

in those hot regions smoking with the fumes

130

of burning sulphur, and he left behind

the rocky haunt of Achelous' daughters,

the Sirens. Then, when his good ship had lost

the pilot, he coasted near Inarime ,

near Prochyta, and near the barren hill

135

which marks another island, Pithecusae ,

an island named from strange inhabitants.

The father of the gods abhorred the frauds

and perjuries of the Cercopians

and for the crimes of that bad treacherous race,

140

transformed its men to ugly animals,

appearing unlike men, although like men.

He had contracted and had bent their limbs,

and flattened out their noses, bent back towards

their foreheads; he had furrowed every face

145

with wrinkles of old age, and made them live

in that spot, after he had covered all

their bodies with long yellow ugly hair.

Besides all that, he took away from them

the use of language and control of tongues,

150

so long inclined to dreadful perjury;

and left them always to complain of life

and their ill conduct in harsh jabbering.

Sibylla. THE SIBYL BECOMES GRAY AND DECREPIT

After Aeneas had passed by all those

and seen to his right hand the distant walls

155

guarding the city of Parthenope ,

he passed on his left hand a mound,

grave of the tuneful son of Aeolus.

Landing on Cumae 's marshy shore, he reached

a cavern, home of the long lived Sibylla,

160

and prayed that she would give him at the lake,

Avernus, access to his father's shade.

She raised her countenance, from gazing on

the ground, and with an inspiration given

to her by influence of the god, she said,

165

“Much you would have, O man of famous deeds,

whose courage is attested by the sword,

whose filial piety is proved by flame.

But, Trojan, have no fear. I grant your wish,

and with my guidance you shall look upon

170

the latest kingdom of the world, shall see

Elysian homes and your dear father's shade,

for virtue there is everywhere a way.”

She spoke, and pointed out to him a branch

refulgent with bright gold, found in the woods

175

of Juno of Avernus, and commanded him

to pluck it from the stem. Aeneas did

what she advised him. Then he saw the wealth

of the dread Orcus, and he saw his own

ancestors, and beheld the aged ghost

180

of great Anchises. There he learned the laws

of that deep region, and what dangers must

be undergone by him in future wars.

Retracing with his weary steps the path

up to the light, he found relief from toil

185

in converse with the sage Cumaean guide.

While in thick dusk he trod the frightful way,

“Whether you are a deity,” he said,

“Or human and most favored by the gods,

to me you always will appear divine.

190

I will confess, too, my existence here

is due to your kind aid, for by your will

I visited the dark abodes of death,

and I escaped the death which I beheld.

For this great service, when I shall emerge

195

into the sunlit air, I will erect

for you a temple and will burn for you

sweet incense kindled at the altar flame.”

The prophetess looked on him and with sighs,

“I am no goddess,” she replied, “nor is

200

it well to honor any mortal head

with tribute of the holy frankincense.

And, that you may not err through ignorance,

I tell you life eternal without end

was;offered to me, if I would but yield

205

virginity to Phoebus for his love.

And, while he hoped for this and in desire

offered to bribe me for my virtue, first

with gifts, he said, ‘Maiden of Cumae choose

whatever you may wish, and you shall gain

210

all that you wish.’ I pointed to a heap

of dust collected there, and foolishly

replied, ‘As many birthdays must be given

to me as there are particles of sand.’

“For I forgot to wish them days of changeless youth.

215

He gave long life and offered youth besides,

if I would grant his wish. This I refused,

I live unwedded still. My happier time

has fled away, now comes with tottering step

infirm old age, which I shall long endure.

220

You find me ending seven long centuries,

and there remain for me, before my years

equal the number of those grains of sand,

three hundred harvests, three hundred vintages!

The time will come, when long increase of days

225

will so contract me from my present size

and so far waste away my limbs with age

that I shall dwindle to a trifling weight,

so trifling, it will never be believed

I once was loved and even pleased a god.

230

Perhaps, even Phoebus will not recognize me,

or will deny he ever bore me love.

But, though I change till eye would never know me,

my voice shall live, the fates will leave my voice.”

Achaemenides apud Polyphemum. ULYSSES WITH POLYPHEMUS AND CIRCE

Sibylla with such words beguild their way

235

from Stygian realms up to the Euboean town.

Trojan Aeneas, after he had made

due sacrifice in Cumae , touched the shore

that had not yet been given his nurse's name.

There Macareus of Neritus had come,

240

companion of long tried Ulysses, there

he rested, weary of his lengthened toils.

He recognized one left in Aetna 's cave,

greek Achaemenides, and, all amazed

to find him yet alive, he said to him,

245

“What chance, or what god, Achaemenides,

preserves you? Why is this barbarian ship

conveying you a Greek? What land is sought?”

No longer ragged in the clothes he wore

and his own master, wearing clothes not tacked

250

with sharp thorns, Achaemenides replied,

“Again may I see Polyphemus' jaws

out-streaming with their slaughtered human blood;

if my own home and Ithaca give more

delight to me than this barbarian bark,

255

or if I venerate Aeneas less

than my own father. If I should give my all,

it never could express my gratitude,

that I can speak and breath, and see the heavens

illuminated by the gleaming sun—

260

how can I be ungrateful and forget all this?

Because of him these limbs of mine were spared

the Cyclops ' jaws; and, though I were even now

to leave the light of life, I should at worst

be buried in a tomb—not in his maw.

265

“What were my feelings when (unless indeed

my terror had deprived me of all sense) left there,

I saw you making for the open sea?

I wished to shout aloud, but was afraid

it would betray me to the enemy.

270

The shoutings of Ulysses nearly caused

destruction of your ship and there I saw

the Cyclops , when he tore a crag away

and hurled the huge rock in the whirling waves;

I saw him also throw tremendous stones

275

with his gigantic arms. They flew afar,

as if impelled by catapults of war,

I was struck dumb with terror lest

the waves or stones might overwhelm the ship,

forgetting that I still was on the shore!

280

“But when your flight had saved you from that death

of cruelty, the Cyclops , roaring rage,

paced all about Mount Aetna, groping through

its forests with his outstretched arms. Deprived

of sight, he stumbled there against the rocks,

285

until he reached the sea; and stretching out

his gore stained arms into its waters there,

he cursed all of the Grecian race, and said,

‘Oh! that some accident would carry back

Ulysses to me, or but one of his

290

companions; against whom my rage

might vent itself, whose joints my hand might tear

whose blood might drench my throat, whose living limbs

might quiver in my teeth. How trifling then,

how insignificant would be the loss,

295

of my sight which he took from me!’

“All this

and more he said. A ghastly horror took

possession of me when I saw his face

and every feature streaming yet with blood,

300

his ruthless hands, and the vile open space

where his one eye had been, and his coarse limbs,

and his beard matted through with human blood.

“It seemed as if Death were before my eyes,

yet that was but the least part of my woe.

305

I seemed upon the point of being caught,

my flesh about to be the food of his.

Before my mind was fixed the time I saw

two bodies of my loved companions

dashed three or four times hard against the ground,

310

when he above them, like a lion, crouched,

devouring quickly in his hideous jaws,

their entrails and their flesh and their crushed bones,

white marrowed, and their mangled quivering limbs.

A trembling fear seized on me as I stood

315

pallid and without power to move from there,

while I recalled him chewing greedily,

and belching out his bloody banquet from

his huge mouth—vomiting crushed pieces mixed

with phlegmy wine—and I feared such a doom

320

in readiness, awaited wretched me.

“Most carefully concealed for many days,

trembling at every sound and fearing death,

although desiring death; I fed myself

on grass and acorns, mixed with leaves; alone

325

and destitute, despondent unto death,

awaiting my destruction I lost hope.

In that condition a long while, at last

I saw a ship not far off, and by signs

prayed for deliverance, as I ran in haste,

330

down to the shore. My prayers prevailed on them.

A Trojan ship took in and saved a Greek!

“And now, O dearest to me of all men,

tell me of your adventures, of your chief

and comrades, when you sailed out on the sea.”

335

Macareus. Ulixes et Circe.

Then Macareus told him of Aeolus,

the son of Hippotas, whose kingdom is

the Tuscan sea, whose prison holds the winds,

and how Ulysses had received the winds

tied in a bull's hide bag, an awesome gift,

340

how nine days with a favoring breeze they sailed

and saw afar their longed for native land.

How, as the tenth day dawned, the crew was moved

by envy and a lust for gold, which they

imagined hidden in that leathern bag

345

and so untied the thong which held the winds.

These, rushing out, had driven the vessel back

over the waves which they had safely passed,

back to the harbor of King Aeolus.

“From there,” he said, “we sailed until we reached

350

the ancient city of Lamus, Laestrygon.—

Antiphates was reigning in that land,

and I was sent with two men of our troop,

ambassadors to see him. Two of us

escaped with difficulty, but the third

355

stained the accursed Lestrygonian's jaws

with his devoted blood. Antiphates

pursued us, calling out his murderous horde.

They came and, hurling stones and heavy beams,

they overwhelmed and sank both ships and men.

360

One ship escaped, on which Ulysses sailed.

“Grieving, lamenting for companions lost,

we finally arrived at that land which

you may discern far off, and, trust my word,

far off it should be seen—I saw it near!

365

And oh most righteous Trojan, Venus ' son,

Aeneas, whom I call no more a foe,

I warn you now: avoid the shores of Circe.

“We moored our ship beside that country too;

but, mindful of the dangers we had run

370

with Laestrygons and cruel Polyphemus,

refused to go ashore. Ulysses chose

some men by lot and told them to seek out

a roof which he had seen among the trees.

The lot took me, then staunch Polytes next,

375

Eurylochus, Elpenor fond of wine,

and eighteen more and brought us to the walls

of Circe's dwelling.

“As we drew near and stood

before the door, a thousand wolves rushed out

380

from woods near by, and with the wolves there ran

she bears and lionesses, dread to see.

And yet we had no cause to fear, for none

would harm us with the smallest scratch.

Why, they in friendship even wagged their tails

385

and fawned upon us, while we stood in doubt.

“Then handmaids took us in and led us on

through marble halls to the presence of their queen.

She, in a beautiful recess, sat on her throne,

clad richly in a shining purple robe,

390

and over it she wore a golden veil.

Nereids and nymphs, who never carded fleece

with motion of their fingers, nor drew out

a ductile thread, were setting potent herbs

in proper order and arranging them

395

in baskets—a confusing wealth of flowers

were scattered among leaves of every hue:

and she prescribed the tasks they all performed.

“She knew the natural use of every leaf

and combinations of their virtues, when

400

mixed properly; and, giving them her close

attention, she examined every herb

as it was weighed. When she observed us there,

and had received our greetings and returned them,

she smiled, as if we should be well received.

405

At once she had her maidens bring a drink

of parched barley, of honey and strong wine,

and curds of milk. And in the nectarous draught

she added secretly her baleful drugs.

“We took the cups presented to us by

410

her sacred right hand; and, as soon as we,

so thirsty, quaffed them with our parching mouths,

that ruthless goddess with her outstretched wand

touched lightly the topmost hair upon our heads.

(Although I am ashamed, I tell you this)

415

stiff bristles quickly grew out over me,

and I could speak no more. Instead of words

I uttered hoarse murmurs and towards the ground

began to bend and gaze with all my face.

I felt my mouth take on a hardened skin

420

with a long crooked snout, and my neck swell

with muscles. With the very member which

a moment earlier had received the cup

I now made tracks in sand of the palace court.

Then with my friends, who suffered a like change

425

(charms have such power!) I was prisoned in a stye.

“We saw Eurylochus alone avoid

our swinish form, for he refused the cup.

If he had drained it, I should still remain

one of a bristly herd. Nor would his news

430

have made Ulysses sure of our disaster

and brought a swift avenger of our fate.

“Peace bearing Hermes gave him a white flower

from a black root, called Moly by the gods.

With this protection and the god's advice

435

he entered Circe's hall and, as she gave

the treacherous cup and with her magic wand

essayed to touch his hair, he drove her back

and terrified her with his quick drawn sword.

She gave her promise, and, right hands exchanged,

440

he was received unharmed into her couch,

where he required the bodies of his friends

awarded him, as his prized marriage gift.

“We then were sprinkled with more favored juice

of harmless plants, and smitten on the head

445

with the magic wand reversed. And new charms were

repeated, all conversely to the charms

which had degraded us. Then, as she sings,

more and yet more we raise ourselves erect,

the bristles fall off and the fissures leave

450

our cloven feet, our shoulders overcome

their lost shape and our arms become attached,

as they had been before. With tears of joy

we all embrace him, also weeping tears;

and we cling fondly to our chieftain's neck;—

455

not one of us could say a single word

till thus we had attested gratitude.”

PICUS AND CANENS

“The full space of a year detained us there,

and I, remaining that long stretch of time,

saw many things and heard as much besides:

460

and this among the many other things,

was told me secretly by one of the four

handmaidens of those rites. While Circe passed

her time from all apart except my chief,

she brought me to a white marble shape, a youth

465

who bore a woodpecker upon his head.

It stood erected in a hallowed place,

adorned with many wreaths. When I had asked

the statue's name and why he stood revered

in that most sacred temple, and what caused

470

that bird he carried on his head; she said:—

‘Listen, Macareus, and learn from this tale too

the power of Circe, and weigh the knowledge well!’

Picus et Canens.

“Picus, offspring of Saturn , was the king

of the Ausonian land, one very fond

475

of horses raised for war. The young man's form

was just what you now see, and had you known

him as he lived, you would not change a line.

His nature was as noble as his shape.

He could not yet have seen the steeds contend

480

four times in races held with each fifth year

at Grecian Elis. But his good looks had charmed

the dryads born on Latin hills, Naiads

would pine for him—both goddesses of spring

and goddesses of fountains, pined for him,

485

and nymphs that live in streaming Albula,

Numicus, Anio's course, brief flowing Almo ,

and rapid Nar and Farfarus, so cool

in its delightful shades; all these and those

which haunt the forest lake of Scythian

490

Diana and the other nearby lakes.

“ ‘But, heedless of all these, he loved a nymph

whom on the hill, called Palatine , 'tis said,

Venilia bore to Janus double faced.

When she had reached the age of marriage, she

495

was given to Picus Laurentine, preferred

by her above all others—wonderful

indeed her beauty, but more wonderful

her skill in singing, from which art they called

her Canens. The fascination of her voice

500

would move the woods and rocks and tame wild beasts,

and stay long rivers, and it even detained

the wandering bird. Once, while she sang a lay

with high, clear voice, Picus on his keen horse

rode in Laurentian fields to hunt the boar,

505

two spears in his left hand, his purple cloak

fastened with gold. The daughter of the Sun

wandered in woods near by to find new herbs

growing on fertile hills, for she had left

Circaean fields called so from her own name.

510

“ ‘From a concealing thicket she observed

the youth with wonder. All the gathered herbs

dropped from her hands, forgotten, to the ground

and a hot fever-flame seemed to pervade

her marrow. When she could collect her thought

515

she wanted to confess her great desire,

but the swift horse and his surrounding guards

prevented her approach. “Still you shall not

escape me,” she declared, “although you may

be borne on winds, if I but know myself,

520

and if some potency in herbs remains,

and if my art of charms does not deceive.”

“ ‘Such were her;thoughts, and then she formed

an image of a bodiless wild swine

and let it cross the trail before the king

525

and rush into a woodland dense with trees,

which fallen trunks made pathless for his horse.

Picus at once, unconscious of all harm,

followed the phantom-prey and, hastily

quitting the reeking back of his good steed,

530

he wandered in pursuit of a vain hope,

on foot through that deep wood. She seized the chance

and by her incantation called strange gods

with a strange charm, which had the power to hide

the white moon's features and draw thirsty clouds

535

about her father's head. The changing sky

then lowered more black at each repeated tone

of incantation, and the ground exhaled

its vapours, while his people wandered there

along the darkened paths until no guard

540

was near to aid the imperiled king.

“ ‘Having now gained an opportunity

and place, she said, “ O, youth most beautiful!

By those fine eyes, which captivated mine,

and by that graceful person, which brings me,

545

even me, a goddess, suppliant to you,

have pity on my passion; let the Sun,

who looks on all things, be your father-in-law;

do not despise Circe, the Titaness.”

“But fiercely he repelled her and her prayer,

550

“Whoever you may be, you are not mine,”

he said. “Another lady has my heart.

I pray that for a lengthening space of time

she may so hold me. I will not pollute

conjugal ties with the unhallowed loves

555

of any stranger, while the Fates preserve

to me the child of Janus, my dear Canens.”

“‘Titan's daughter, when many pleas had failed,

said angrily, “You shall not leave me with

impunity, and you shall not return

560

to Canens; and by your experience

you shall now learn what can be done by her

so slighted—what a woman deep in love

can do— and Circe is that slighted love.”

“ ‘Then twice she turned herself to face the west

565

and twice to face the East; and three times then

she touched the young man with her wand,

and sang three incantations. Picus fled,

but, marvelling at his unaccustomed speed,

he saw new wings, that spread on either side

570

and bore him onward. Angry at the thought

of transformation—all so suddenly

added a strange bird to the Latian woods,

he struck the wild oaks with his hard new beak,

and in his rage inflicted many wounds

575

on the long waving branches his wings took

the purple of his robe. The piece of gold

which he had used so nicely in his robe

was changed to golden feathers, and his neck

was rich as yellow gold. Nothing remained

580

of Picus as he was except the name.

“ ‘While all this happened his attendants called

on Picus often but in vain throughout

surrounding fields, and finding not a trace

of their young king, at length by chance they met

585

with Circe, who had cleared the darkened air

and let the clouds disperse before the wind

and clear rays of the sun. Then with good cause

they blamed her, they demanded the return

of their lost king, and with their hunting spears

590

they threatened her. She, sprinkling baleful drugs

and poison juices over them, invoked

the aid of Night and all the gods of Night

from Erebus and Chaos, and desired

the aid of Hecat with long, wailing cries.

595

“ ‘Most wonderful to tell, the forests leaped

from fixed localities and the torn soil

uttered deep groans, the trees surrounding changed

from life-green to sick pallor, and the grass

was moistened with besprinkling drops of blood;

600

the stones sent forth harsh longings, unknown dogs

barked loudly, and the ground became a mass

of filthy snakes, and unsubstantial hosts

of the departed flitted without sound.

The men all quaked appalled. With magic rod

605

she touched their faces, pale and all amazed,

and at her touch the youths took on strange forms

of wild animals. None kept his proper shape.

“ ‘The setting sun is resting low upon

the far Tartessian shores, and now in vain

610

her husband is expected by the eyes

of longing Canens. Her slaves and people run

about through all the forest, holding lights

to meet him. Nor is it enough for that

dear nymph to weep and frenzied tear her hair

615

and beat her breast—she did all that and more.

Distracted she rushed forth and wandered through

the Latin fields. Six nights, six brightening dawns

found her quite unrefreshed with food or sleep

wandering at random over hill and dale.

620

The Tiber saw her last, with grief and toil

wearied and lying on his widespread bank.

In tears she poured out words with a faint voice,

lamenting her sad woe, as when the swan

about to die sings a funereal dirge.

625

Melting with grief at last she pined away;

her flesh, her bones, her marrow liquified

and vanished by degrees as formless air

and yet the story lingers near that place,

fitly named Canens by old-time Camenae!.’

630

“Such things I heard and saw through a long year.

Sluggish, inactive through our idleness,

we were all ordered to embark again

out on the deep, again to set our sails.

The Titaness explained the doubtful paths,

635

the great extent and peril, of wild seas.

I was alarmed, I will confess to you;

so, having reached these shores, I have remained.”

Diomedis socii. Oleaster. DIOMED'S FOLLOWERS TRANSFORMED

Macareus finished. And Aeneas' nurse,

now buried in a marble urn, had this

640

brief, strange inscription on her tomb:—

“My foster-child of proven piety,

burned me Caieta here: although

I was at first preserved from Argive fire,

I later burned with fire which was my due.”

645

The cable loosened from the grassy bank,

they steered a course which kept them well away

from ill famed Circe's wiles and from her home

and sought the groves where Tiber dark with shade,

breaks with his yellow sands into the sea.

650

Aeneas then fell heir to the home and won

the daughter of Latinus, Faunus' son,

not without war. A people very fierce

made war, and Turnus, their young chief,

indignant fought to hold a promised bride.

655

With Latium all Etruria was embroiled,

a victory hard to win was sought through war.

By foreign aid each side got further strength:

the camp of Rutuli abounds in men,

and many throng the opposing camp of Troy .

660

Aeneas did not find Evander's home

in vain. But Venulus with no success

came to the realm of exiled Diomed.

That hero had marked out his mighty walls

with favor of Iapygian Daunus and

665

held fields that came to him as marriage dower.

When Venulus, by Turnus' orders, made

request for aid, the Aetolian hero said

that he was poor in men: he did not wish

to risk in battle himself nor any troops

670

belonging to his father-in-law and had

no troops of his that he could arm for battle.

“Lest you should think I feign,” he then went on

“Although my grief must be renewed because

of bitter recollections of the past,

675

I will endure recital now to you:—

“After the lofty Ilion was burnt

and Pergama had fed the Grecian flames,

and Ajax, the Narycian hero, had

brought from a virgin, for a virgin wronged,

680

the punishment which he alone deserved

on our whole expedition, we were then

dispersed and driven by violent winds

over the hostile seas; and we, the Greeks,

had to endure in darkness, lightning, rain,

685

the wrath both of the heavens and of the sea,

and Caphareus, the climax of our woe.

Not to detain you by relating such

unhappy things in order, Greece might then

have seemed to merit even Priam's tears.

690

“Although well armed Minerva's care preserved

me then and brought me safe through rocks and waves,

from my native Argos I was driven again,

for outraged Venus took her full revenge

remembering still that wound of long ago;

695

and I endured such hardships on the deep,

and hazards amid armies on the shore,

that often I called those happy whom the storm—

an ill that came on all, or Cephareus had drowned.

I even wished I had been one of them.

700

“My best companions having now endured

utmost extremities in wars and seas,

lost courage and demanded a swift end

of our long wandering. Acmon, by nature hot,

and much embittered by misfortune, said,

705

‘What now remains for you, my friends,

that patience can endure? What can be done

by Venus (if she wants to) more than she

already has done? While we have a dread

of greater evils, reason will be found

710

for patience; but, when fortune brings her worst,

we scorn and trample fear beneath our feet.

Upon the height of woe, why should we care?

Let Venus listen, let her hate Diomed

more than all others—as indeed she does,

715

we all despise her hate. At a great price

we have bought and won the right to such contempt!’

“With language of this kind Pleuronian Acmon.

Provoking Venus further than before,

revived her former anger. His fierce words

720

were then approved of by a few, while we

the greater number of his real friends,

rebuked the words of Acmon: and while he

prepared to answer us, his voice, and even

the passage of his voice, were both at once

725

diminished, his hair changed to feathers, while

his neck took a new form. His breast and back

covered themselves with down, and both his arms

grew longer feathers, and his elbows curved

into light wings, much of each foot was changed

730

to long toes, and his mouth grew still and hard

with pointed horn.

“Amazed at his swift change

were Lycus, Abas, Nycteus and Rhexenor.

And, while they stared, they took his feathered shape.

735

The larger portion of my company

flew from their boat, resounding all around

our oars with flapping of new-fashioned wings.

If you should ask the form of these strange birds

they were like snowy swans, though not the same.

740

“Now as Iapygian Daunus' son-in-law

I scarcely hold this town and arid fields

with my small remnant of trustworthy men.”

So Diomed made answer. Venulus

soon after left the Calydonian realms,

745

Peucetian bays, and the Messapian fields.

Among those fields he saw a darkened cave

in woods and waving reeds. The halfgoat Pan

now lives there, but in older time the nymphs

possessed it. An Apulian shepherd scared

750

them from that spot. At first he terrified

them with a sudden fear, but soon in scorn,

as they considered what the intruder was,

they danced before him, moving feet to time.

The shepherd clown abused them, capering,

755

grotesquely imitating graceful steps,

and railed at them with coarse and foolish words.

He was not silent till a tree's new bark

had closed his mouth for now he is a tree.

And the wild olive's fruit took bitterness

760

from him. It has the tartness of his tongue.

Aeneae naves. Ardea.

When the ambassadors returned and told

their tale about Aetolian arms refused,

the bold Rutulians carried on the war

without those forces, and much blood was shed.

765

Then Turnus with a greedy torch drew near

the Trojan fleet, well built of close-knit pine.

What had escaped the waves, now feared the flame.

Soon Mulciber was burning pitch and wax

and other food of fire, up the high masts

770

he ran and fed upon the tight furled sails,

and even the benches in the curved hull smoked.

When the holy mother of the gods, recalling

how those same pines were felled on Ida's crest,

filled the wind with a sound of cymbals clashed

775

and trill of boxwood flutes. Borne through light air

by her famed lion yoke, she came and said,

“In vain you cast the fire with impious hand,

Turnus, for I will save this burning fleet.

I will not let the greedy flame consume

780

trees that were part and members of my grove.”

It thundered while she spoke, and heavy clouds,

following the thunder, brought a storm

of bounding hail. The Astraean brothers filled

both air and swollen waters with their rage

785

and rushed to battle. With the aid of one

of them the kindly mother broke the ropes

which held the Phrygian ships, and, drawing all

prow foremost, plunged them underneath the wave.

Softening quickly in the waters quiet depth,

790

their wood was changed to flesh, the curving prows

were metamorphosed into human heads,

blades of the oars made feet, the looms were changed

to swimming legs, the sides turned human flanks,

each keel below the middle of a ship

795

transformed became a spine, the cordage changed

to soft hair, and the sail yards changed to arms.

The azure color of the ships remained.

As sea-nymphs in the water they began

to agitate with virgin sports the waves,

800

which they had always dreaded. Natives of

the rugged mountains they are now so changed,

they swim and dwell in the soft flowing sea,

with every influence of birth forgot.

Never forgetful of the myriad risks

805

they have endured among the boisterous waves,

they often give a helping hand to ships

tossed in the power of storms—unless, of course,

the ship might carry men of Grecian race.

Never forgetful of the Phrygians and

810

catastrophe, their hatred was so great

of all Pelasgians, that they looked with joy

upon the fragments of Ulysses' ship;

and were delighted when they saw the ship

of King Alcinous growing hard upon

815

the breakers, as its wood was turned to stone.

Many were hopeful that a fleet which had

received life strangely in the forms of nymphs

would cause the chieftain of the Rutuli

to feel such awe that he would end their strife.

820

But he continued fighting, and each side

had its own gods, and each had courage too,

which often can be as potent as the gods.

Now they forgot the kingdom as a dower,

forgot the scepter of a father-in-law,

825

and even forgot the pure Lavinia:

their one thought was to conquer, and they waged

war to prevent the shame of a defeat.

But Venus finally beheld the arms

of her victorious son; for Turnus fell,

830

and Ardea fell, a town which, while he lived,

was counted strong. The Trojan swords

destroyed it.—All its houses burned and sank

down in the heated embers: and a bird

not known before that time, flew upward from

835

a wrecked heap, beating the dead ashes with

its flapping wings. The voice, the lean pale look,

the sorrows of a captured city, even

the name of the ruined city, all these things

remain in that bird— Ardea 's fallen walls

840

are beaten in lamentation by his wings.

Aeneas Indiges.

The merit of Aeneas now had moved

the gods. Even Juno stayed her lasting hate,

when, with the state of young Iulus safe,

the hero son of Cytherea was

845

prepared for heaven. In a council of the gods

Venus arose, embraced her father's neck,

and said: “ My father, ever kind to me,

I do beseech your kind indulgence now;

grant, dearest, to Aeneas, my own son

850

and also your own grandson, grant to him

a godhead power, although of lowest class,

sufficient if but granted. It is enough

to have looked once upon the unlovely realm.

And once to have gone across the Stygian streams.”

855

The gods assented, and the queen of Jove

nodded consent with calm, approving face.

The father said, “You well deserve the gift,

both you who ask it, and the one for whom

you ask it: what you most desire is yours,

860

my daughter.” He decreed, and she rejoiced

and thanked her parent. Borne by harnessed doves

over and through the light air, she arrived

safe on Laurentine shores: Numicius there

winds through his tall reeds to the neighboring sea

865

the waters of his stream: and there she willed

Numicius should wash perfectly away

from her Aeneas every part that might

be subject unto death; and bear it far

with quiet current into Neptune's realm.

870

The horned Numicius satisfied the will

of Venus; and with flowing waters washed

from her Aeneas every mortal part,

and sprinkled him, so that the essential part

of immortality remained alone,

875

and she anointed him, thus purified,

with heavenly essence, and she touched his face

with sweetest nectar and ambrosia mixt,

thereby transforming him into a god.

The throng of the Quirini later named

880

the new god Indiges, and honored him.

Pomona et Vertumnus. Anaxarete. VERTUMNUS AND POMONA

Under the scepter of Ascanius

the Latin state, transferred, was Alban too.

Silvius ruled after him. Latinus then,

wearing the crown, brought back an older name.

885

Illustrious Alba followed after him,

Epytus next in time, and Capys next,

then Capetus. And reigning after them

King Tiberinus followed. He was drowned

in waves of that Etrurian stream, to which

890

he gave his name. His sons were Remulus

and fierce Acrota—each in turn was king.

The elder, Remulus, would imitate

the lightning, and he perished by a flash

of lightning. Then Acrota, not so rash,

895

succeeded to his brother, and he left

his scepter to the valiant Aventinus,

hill-buried on the very mountain which

he ruled upon and which received his name.

And Proca ruled then—on the Palatine .

900

Under this king, Pomona lived, and none

of all the Latin hamadryads could

attend her garden with more skill, and none

was more attentive to the fruitful trees,

because of them her name was given to her.

905

She cared not for the forests or the streams,

but loved the country and the boughs that bear

delicious fruit. Her right hand never felt

a javelin's weight, always she loved to hold

a sharp curved pruning-knife with which she would

910

at one time crop too largely growing shoots,

or at another time reduce the branch

that straggled; at another time she would

engraft a sucker in divided bark,

and so find nourishment for some young, strange

915

nursling. She never suffered them to thirst,

for she would water every winding thread

of twisting roots with freshly flowing streams.

All this was her delight, her chief pursuit;

she never felt the least desire of love;

920

but fearful of some rustic's violence,

she had her orchard closed within a wall;

and both forbade and fled the approach of males.

What did not satyrs do to gain her love,

a youthful crew expert at every dance?

925

And also Pans their brows wreathed with the pine,

Silenus too, more youthful than his years,

and that god who is ever scaring thieves

with pruning-hook or limb—what did they not

to gain her love? And though Vertumnus did

930

exceed them in his love, yet he was not

more fortunate than they.

How often disguised

as a rough reaper he brought her barley ears—

truly he seemed a reaper to the life!

935

Often he came, his temples wreathed with hay,

as if he had been tossing new mown grass.

He often held a whip in his tough hand,

you could have sworn he had a moment before

unyoked his wearied oxen. When he had

940

a pruning-knife, he seemed to rear fine fruit

in orchard trees or in the well kept vines.

When he came with a ladder, you would think

he must be gathering fruit. Sometimes he was

a soldier with a sword—a fisherman,

945

the rod held in his hand.—In fact by means

of many shapes he often had obtained

access to her and joyed in seeing her beauty.

At length he had his brows bound with a cap

of color, and then leaning on a stick,

950

with white hair round his temples, he assumed

the shape of an old woman. Entering so

the cultivated garden, he admired

the fruit and said, “But you are so much lovelier!”

And, while he praised her, gave some kisses too,

955

such as no real beldame ever gave.

The bent old creature then sat on the grass.

Gazing at branches weighed down with their fruit

of autumn. Opposite to them there was

an elm-tree beautiful with shining grapes;

960

and, after he had praised it with the vine

embracing it, he said,

“But only think,

if this trunk stood unwedded to this vine,

it would have nothing to attract our hearts

965

beyond its leaves, and this delightful vine,

united to the elm tree finds its rest;

but, if not so joined to it, would fall down,

prostrate upon the ground. And yet you find

no warning in the example of this tree.

970

You have avoided marriage, with no wish

to be united—I must wish that you

would change and soon desire it. Helen would

not have so many suitors for her hand, nor she

who caused the battles of the Lapithae,

975

nor would the wife of timid, and not bold,

Ulysses . Even now, while you avoid

those who are courting you, and while you turn

in your disgust, a thousand suitors want

to marry you—the demigods and gods,

980

and deities of Alba's mountain-tops.

“But you, if you are wise, and wish to make

a good match, listen patiently to me,

an old, old woman (I love you much more

than all of them, more than you dream or think).

985

Despise all common persons, and choose now

Vertumnus as the partner of your couch,

and you may take me as a surety for him.

He is not better known even to himself,

than he is known to me. And he is not

990

now wandering everywhere, from here to there

throughout the world. He always will frequent

the places near here; and he does not, like

so many of your wooers, fall in love

with her he happens to have seen the last.

995

You are his first and last love, and to you

alone will he devote his life. Besides

all—he is young and has a natural gift

of grace, so that he can most readily

transform himself to any wanted shape,

1000

and will become whatever you may wish—

even though you ask him things unseen before.

“And only think, have you not the same tastes?

Will he not be the first to welcome fruits

which are your great delight? And does he not

1005

hold your gifts safely in his glad right hand?

But now he does not long for any fruit

plucked from the tree, and has no thought of herbs

with pleasant juices that the garden gives;

he cannot think of anything but you.

1010

Have pity on his passion, and believe

that he who woos you is here and he pleads

with my lips.

“You should not forget to fear

avenging deities, and the Idalian,

1015

who hate all cruel hearts, and also dread

the fierce revenge of her of Rhamnus-Land.

And that you may stand more in awe of them,

(old age has given me opportunities

of knowing many things) I will relate

1020

some happenings known in Cyprus , by which you

may be persuaded and relent with ease.

ANAXARETE TRANSFORMED

“Iphis, born of a humble family,

had seen the famed Anaxarete, who

was of the race of ancient Teucer.—He

1025

had seen her and felt fire inflame his bones.

Struggling a long time, he could not subdue

his passion by his reason, so he came

a suppliant to her doors. And having now

confessed his ardent passion to her nurse,

1030

besought her by the hopes reposed in her

by the loved girl, not to give him a cold heart

and at another time, with fair words given

to each of many servants he besought

their kindest interest with an anxious voice.

1035

He often gave them coaxing words engraved

on tablets of soft wax; and sometimes he

would fasten garlands, wet with dew of tears,

upon the door-posts; and he often laid

his tender side nightlong on the hard threshold,

1040

sadly reproaching the obdurate bolt.

“Deafer than the deep sea that rises high

when the rainy Constellation of the Kids

is setting; harder than the iron which

the fire of Noricum refines; more hard

1045

than rock which in its native state is fixed

firm rooted; she despised and laughed at him,

and, adding to her cruel deeds and pride,

she boasted and deprived him of all hope.

“Iphis, unable to endure such pain prolonged,

1050

spoke these, his final words, before her door:

‘Anaxarete, you have conquered me,

and you shall have no more annoyances

to bear from me. Be joyful and prepare

your triumph, and invoke god Paean, crown

1055

yourself with shining laurel. You are now

my conqueror, and I resigned will die.

Woman of iron, rejoice in victory!

“At least, you will commend me for one thing,

one point in which I must please even you,

1060

and cause you to confess my right of praise.

Remember that my star crossed love for you

died only with the last breath of my life.

And now in one short moment I shall be

deprived a twofold light; and no report

1065

will come to you, no messenger of death.

But doubt not, I will come to you so that

I can be seen in person, and you may

then satiate your cruel eyesight with

my lifeless body. If, you gods above!

1070

You have some knowledge of our mortal ways

remember me, for now my tongue can pray

no longer. Let me be renowned in times

far distant and give all those hours to Fame

which you have taken from my life on earth.’

1075

“Then to the doorpost which he often had

adorned with floral wreaths he lifted up

his swimming eyes and both his pallid arms,

and, when he had fastened over the capital

a rope that held a dangling noose, he said,—

1080

“Are these the garlands that delight your heart?

You cruel and unnatural woman?”—Then,

thrust in his head, turning even then towards her,

and hung a hapless weight with broken neck.

“The door, struck by the motion of his feet

1085

as they were quivering, seemed to utter sounds

of groaning, and, when it flew open, showed

the sad sight. All the servants cried aloud,

and after they had tried in vain to save him,

carried him from there to his mother's house,

1090

(to her because his father was then dead).

“She held him to her bosom and embraced

the cold limbs of her dead child. After she

had uttered words so natural to the grief

of wretched mothers—after she had done

1095

what wretched mothers do at such sad times,

she led a tearful funeral through the streets,

the pale corpse following high upon the bier,

on to a pyre laid in the central square.

By chance, Anaxarete's house was near

1100

the way through which the mournful funeral

was going with the corpse, and the sad sound

of wailing reached the ears of that proud girl—

hardhearted, and already goaded on

by an avenging god. Moved by the sound,

1105

she said; “Let me observe their sniveling rites.”

And she ascended to an upper room,

provided with wide windows. Scarcely had

she looked at Iphis, laid out on the bier,

when her eyes stiffened, and she turned all white,

1110

as warm blood left her body. She tried then

to turn back from the window, but she stood

transfixed there. She then tried to turn her face

away from that sad sight, but could not move;

and by degrees the stone, which always had

1115

existed, petrified in her cold breast,

and took possession of her heart and limbs.

“This is not fiction, and that you may know,

Salamis keeps that statue safe today,

formed of the virgin and has also built

1120

a temple called, ‘Venus the watchful Goddess.’

Warned by her fate, O sweet nymph, lay aside

prolonged disdain, and cheerfully unite

yourself to one who loves you. Then may frost

of springtime never nip your fruit in bud,

1125

nor rude winds strike the blossom.”

When the god,

fitted for every shape, had said these words in vain,

he laid the old woman's form aside and was

again a youth. On her he seemed to blaze,

1130

as when the full light of the brilliant Sun,

after it has dispelled opposing clouds,

has shone forth with not one to intercept.

He purposed violence, but there was then

no need of force. The lovely nymph was charmed,

1135

was captivated by the god's bright form

and felt a passion answering to his love.

Romulus et Hersilia. TALES ABOUT ROMULUS

At Proca's death unjust Amulius

seized with his troops the whole Ausonian wealth.

And yet old Numitor, obtaining aid

1140

from his two grandsons, won the land again

which he had lost; and on the festival

of Pales were the city walls begun.

King Tatius with his Sabines went to war;

Tarpeia, who betrayed the citadel,

1145

died justly underneath the weight of arms.

Then troops from Cures crept, like silent wolves,

without a word toward men subdued by sleep

and tried the gates that Ilia 's son had barred.

Then Saturn's daughter opened wide a gate,

1150

turning the silent hinge. Venus alone

perceived the bars of that gate falling down.

She surely would have closed it, were it not

impossible for any deity

to countervail the acts of other gods.

1155

The Naiads of Ausonia occupied

a spring that welled up close to Janus' fane.

To them she prayed for aid. The fountain-nymphs

could not resist the prayer of Venus, when

she made her worthy plea and they released

1160

all waters under ground. Till then the path

by Janus' fane was open, never yet had floods

risen to impede the way. But now they laid

hot sulphur of a faint blue light beneath

the streaming fountain and with care applied

1165

fire to the hallowed ways with smoking pitch.

By these and many other violent means

hot vapors penetrated to the source

of the good fountain.—Only think of it!

Those waters which had rivalled the cold Alps ,

1170

now rivalled with their heat the flames themselves!

And, while each gate post steamed with boiling spray,

the gate, which had been opened (but in vain)

to hardy Sabines just outside, was made

impassable by the heated fountain's flood,

1175

till Roman soldiers had regained their arms.

After brave Romulus had led them forth

and covered Roman ground with Sabines dead

and its own people; and the accursed sword

shed blood of father-in-law and son-in-law,

1180

with peace they chose at last to end the war,

rather than fight on to the bitter end:

Tatius and Romulus divide the throne.

Tatius had fallen, and you, O Romulus,

were giving laws to peoples now made one,

1185

when Mars put off his helmet and addressed

the father of gods and men in words like these:

“The time has come, for now the Roman state

has been established on a strong foundation

and no more must rely on one man's strength

1190

the time has come for you to give the prize,

promised to me and your deserving grandson,

to raise him from the earth and grant him here

a fitting place in heaven. One day you said

to me before a council of the gods,

1195

(for I recall now with a grateful mind

how I took note of your most gracious speech)

‘Him you shall lift up to the blue of heaven.’

Now let all know the meaning of your words!”

The god all-powerful nodded his assent,

1200

and he obscured the air with heavy clouds

and on a trembling world he sent below

harsh thunder and bright lightning. Mars at once

perceived it was a signal plainly given

for promised change—so, leaning on a spear,

1205

he mounted boldly into his chariot,

and over bloodstained yoke and eager steeds

he swung and cracked the loud-resounding lash.

Descending through steep air, he halted on

the wooded summit of the Palatine

1210

and there, while Ilia 's son was giving laws—

needing no pomp and circumstance of kings,

Mars caught him up. His mortal flesh dissolved

into thin air, as when a ball of lead

shot up from a broad sling melts all away

1215

and soon is lost in heaven. A nobler shape

was given him, one more fitted to adorn

rich couches in high heaven, the shape divine

of Quirinus clad in the trabea.

His queen, Hersilia, wept continually,

1220

regarding him as lost, till regal Juno

commanded Iris to glide down along

her curving bow and bring to her these words:

“O matron, glory of the Latin race

and of the Sabines, worthy to have been

1225

the consort chosen by so great a man

and now to be his partner as the god

Quirinus, weep no more. If you desire

to see your husband, let me guide you up

to a grove that crowns the hill of Quirinus,

1230

shading a temple of the Roman king.”

Iris obeyed her will, and, gliding down

to earth along her tinted bow, conveyed

the message to Hersilia; who replied,

with modest look and hardly lifted eye,

1235

“Goddess (although it is not in my power

to say your name, I am quite certain you

must be a goddess), lead me, O lead me

until you show to me the hallowed form

of my beloved husband. If the Fates

1240

will but permit me once again to see

his features, I will say I have won heaven.”

At once Hersilia and the virgin child

of Thaumas, went together up the hill

of Romulus . Descending through thin air

1245

there came a star, and then Hersilia

her tresses glowing fiery in the light,

rose with that star, as it returned through air.

And her the founder of the Roman state

received with dear, familiar hands. He changed

1250

her old time form and with the form her name.

He called her Hora and let her become

a goddess, now the mate of Quirinus.

Metamorphoses Perseus (Ovid. The XV bookes of P. Ouidius Naso, entytuled Metamorphosis. Golding, Arthur, translator. London: W. Seres (printer), 1567.) — 14 focus

Now had th'Ewboyan fisherman (whoo lately was becomme

A God of sea to dwell in sea for ay,) alreadye swomme

Past Aetna which uppon the face of Giant Typho lyes,

Toogither with the pasture of the Cyclops which defyes

Both Plough and harrowe, and by teemes of Oxen sets no store:

And Zancle , and crackt Rhegion which stands a tother shore:

And eeke the rough and shipwrecke sea which being hemmed in

With two mayne landes on eyther syde, is as a bound betwin

The frutefull Realmes of Italy and Sicill. From that place

He cutting through the Tyrrhene sea with both his armes apace,

Arryved at the grassye hilles and at the Palace hye

Of Circe, Phoebus imp, which full of sundry beastes did lye.

When Glaucus in her presence came, and had her greeted, and

Receyved freendly welcomming and greeting at her hand,

He sayd: O Goddesse, pitie mee a God, I thee desyre.

Thou only (if at least thou think mee woorthy so great hyre)

Canst ease this love of myne. No wyght dooth better know than I

The powre of herbes, whoo late ago transformed was therby.

And now to open unto thee of this my greef the ground,

Uppon th'Italyan shore ageinst Messene walls I found

Fayre Scylla. Shame it is to tell how scornfull shee did take

The gentle woordes and promises and sute that I did make.

But if that any powre at all consist in charmes, then let

That sacret mouth of thyne cast charmes: or if more force bee set

In herbes to compasse things withall, then use the herbes that have

Most strength in woorking. Neyther think, I hither come to crave

A medcine for to heale myself and cure my wounded hart:

I force no end. I would have her bee partener of my smart.

But Circe (for no natures are more lyghtly set on fyre

Than such as shee is) (whither that the cause of this desyre

Were only in herself, or that Dame Venus bearing ay

In mynd her fathers deede in once disclosing of her play,

Did stirre her heereunto) sayd thus: It were a better way

For thee to fancye such a one whoose will and whole desyre

Is bent to thine, and whoo is sindgd with selfsame kynd of fyre.

Thou woorthye art of sute to thee. And (credit mee) thou shouldst

Bee woode in deede, if any hope of speeding give thou wouldst.

And therefore dowt not. Only of thy beawtye lyking have.

Lo, I whoo am a Goddesse and the imp of Phoebus brave,

Whoo can so much by charmes, whoo can so much by herbes, doo vow

My self to thee. If I disdeine, disdeine mee also thow.

And if I yeeld, yeeld thou likewyse: and in one only deede

Avenge thy self of twayne. To her intreating thus to speede,

First trees shall grow (quoth Glaucus) in the sea, and reeke shall thryve

In toppes of hilles, ere I (as long as Scylla is alyve)

Doo chaunge my love. The Goddesse wext ryght wroth: and sith she could

Not hurt his persone beeing falne in love with him, ne would:

Shee spyghted her that was preferd before her. And uppon

Displeasure tane of this repulse, shee went her way anon.

And wicked weedes of grisly jewce toogither shee did bray,

And in the braying, witching charmes shee over them did say.

And putting on a russet cloke, shee passed through the rowt

Of savage beastes that in her court came fawning round abowt,

And going unto Rhegion cliffe which standes ageinst the shore

Of Zancle , entred by and by the waters that doo rore

With violent tydes, uppon the which shee stood as on firme land,

And ran and never wet her feete a whit. There was at hand

A little plash that bowwed like a bowe that standeth bent,

Where Scylla woonted was to rest herself, and thither went

From rage of sea and ayre, what tyme the sonne amid the skye

Is hotest making shadowes short by mounting up on hye.

This plash did Circe then infect ageinst that Scylla came,

And with her poysons which had powre most monstrous shapes to frame

Defyled it. Shee sprincled there the jewce of venymd weedes,

And thryce nyne tymes with witching mouth shee softly mumbling, reedes

A charme ryght darke of uncouth woordes. No sooner Scylla came

Within this plash, and to the waast had waded in the same,

But that shee sawe her hinderloynes with barking buggs atteint.

And at the first, not thinking with her body they were meynt

As parts therof, shee started back, and rated them. And sore

Shee was afrayd the eager curres should byght her. But the more

Shee shonned them, the surer still shee was to have them there.

In seeking where her loynes, and thyghes, and feet and ancles were,

Chappes like the chappes of Cerberus in stead of them shee found.

Nought else was there than cruell curres from belly downe to ground.

So underneathe misshaped loynes and womb remayning sound,

Her mannish mastyes backes were ay within the water drownd.

Her lover Glaucus wept therat, and Circes bed refusde

That had so passing cruelly her herbes on Scylla usde.

But Scylla in that place abode. And for the hate shee bore

To Circeward, (assoone as meete occasion servde therfore)

Shee spoyld Ulysses of his mates. And shortly after, shee

Had also drownd the Trojane fleete, but that (as yit wee see)

Shee was transformd to rock of stone, which shipmen warely shonne.

When from this Rocke the Trojane fleete by force of Ores had wonne,

And from Charybdis greedye gulf, and were in manner readye

To have arryvde in Italy , the wynd did ryse so heady,

And that it drave them backe uppon the coast of Affricke. There

The Tyrian Queene (whoo afterward unpaciently should beare

The going of this Trojane prince away) did enterteine

Aenaeas in her house, and was ryght glad of him and fayne.

Uppon a Pyle made underneathe pretence of sacrifyse

Shee goard herself upon a swoord, and in most wofull wyse

As shee herself had beene beguyld: so shee beguyled all.

Eftsoone Aenaeas flying from the newly reered wall

Of Carthage in that sandy land, retyred backe agen

To Sicill, where his faythfull freend Acestes reignd. And when

He there had doone his sacrifyse, and kept an Obit at

His fathers tumb, he out of hand did mend his Gallyes that

Dame Iris, Junos messenger, had burned up almost.

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And sayling thence he kept his course aloof along the coast

Of Aeolye and of Vulcanes lies the which of brimston smol

And passing by the Meremayds rocks, (His Pilot by a stroke

Of tempest being drownd in sea) he sayld by Prochite, and

Inarime , and (which uppon a barreine hill dooth stand)

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The land of Ape Ile, which dooth take that name of people s'ie

There dwelling. For the Syre of Goddes abhorring utterly

The leawdnesse of the Cercops, and theyr wilfull perjurye,

And eeke theyr guylefull dealing did transforme them everyclone

Into an evillfavored kynd of beast: that beeing none

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They myght yit still resemble men. He knit in lesser space

Theyr members, and he beate mee flat theyr noses to theyr face,

The which he filled furrowlike with wrinckles every where.

He clad theyr bodyes over all with fallow coulourd heare,

And put them into this same Ile to dwell forever there.

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But first he did bereeve them of the use of speeche and toong,

Which they to cursed perjurye did use bothe old and yoong.

To chatter hoarcely, and to shreeke, to jabber, and to squeake,

He hath them left, and for to moppe and mowe, but not to speake.

Aenaeas having past this Ile, and on his ryght hand left

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The towne of Naples , and the tumb of Mysen on his left,

Toogither with the fenny grounds: at Cumye landed, and

Went unto longlyvde Sybills house, with whom he went in hand

That he to see his fathers ghoste myght go by Averne deepe.

Shee long uppon the earth in stownd her eyes did fixed keepe,

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And at the length as soone as that the spryght of prophesye

Was entred her, shee raysing them did thus ageine reply:

O most renowmed wyght, of whom the godlynesse by fyre

And valeantnesse is tryde by swoord, great things thou doost requyre.

But feare not, Trojane: for thou shalt bee lord of thy desyre.

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To see the reverend image of thy deerebeeloved syre,

Among the fayre Elysian feeldes where godly folke abyde,

And all the lowest kingdoomes of the world I will thee guyde.

No way to vertue is restreynd. This spoken, shee did showe

A golden bowgh that in the wood of Proserpine did growe,

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And willed him to pull it from the tree. He did obey:

And sawe the powre of dreadfull hell, and where his graundsyres lay

And eeke the aged Ghost of stowt Anchises. Furthermore

He lernd the customes of the land arryvd at late before,

And what adventures should by warre betyde him in that place.

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From thence retyring up ageine a slow and weery pace,

He did asswage the tediousnesse by talking with his guyde.

For as he in the twylyght dim this dreadfui way did ryde,

He sayed: Whither present thou thyself a Goddesse bee,

Or such a one as God dooth love most dearly, I will thee

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For ever as a Goddesse take, and will acknowledge mee

Thy servant, for saufguyding mee the place of death to see,

And for thou from the place of death hast brought me sauf and free.

For which desert, what tyme I shall atteyne to open ayre,

I will a temple to thee buyld ryght sumptuous, large, and fayre,

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And honour thee with frankincence. The prophetisse did cast

Her eye uppon Aenaeas backe, and syghing sayd at last:

I am no Goddesse. Neyther think thou canst with conscience ryght,

With holy incence honour give to any mortall wyght.

But to th'entent through ignorance thou erre not, I had beene

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Eternall and of worldly lyfe I should none end have seene,

If that I would my maydenhod on Phebus have bestowde.

Howbeeit whyle he stood in hope to have the same, and trowde

To overcome mee with his gifts: Thou mayd of Cumes (quoth he)

Choose what thou wilt, and of thy wish the owner thou shalt bee.

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I taking full my hand of dust, and shewing it him there,

Desyred like a foole to live as many yeeres as were

Small graynes of cinder in that heape. I quight forgot to crave

Immediately, the race of all those yeeres in youth to have.

Yit did he graunt mee also that, uppon condicion I

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Would let him have my maydenhod, which thing I did denye.

And so rejecting Phebus gift a single lyfe I led.

But now the blessefull tyme of youth is altogither fled,

And irksome age with trembling pace is stolne uppon my head,

Which long I must endure. For now already as you see

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Seven hundred yeares are come and gone and that the number bee

Full matched of the granes of dust, three hundred harvestes mo,

I must three hundred vintages see more before I go.

The day will come that length of tyme shall make my body small,

And little of my withered limbes shall leave or naught at all.

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And none shall think that ever God was tane in love with mee.

Even out of Phebus knowledge then perchaunce I growen shall bee,

Or at the least that ever he mee lovde he shall denye,

So sore I shall be altered. And then shall no mannes eye

Discerne mee. Only by my voyce I shall bee knowen. For why

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The fates shall leave mee still my voyce for folke to know mee by.

As Sybill in the vaulted way such talk as this did frame,

The Trojane knyght Aenaeas up at Cumes fro Limbo came.

And having doone the sacrifyse accustomd for the same,

He tooke his journey to the coast which had not yit the name

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Receyved of his nurce. In this same place he found a mate

Of wyse Ulysses, Macare of Neritus, whoo late

Before, had after all his long and tediouse toyles, there stayd.

He spying Achemenides (whom late ago afrayd

They had among mount Aetnas Cliffs abandond when they fled

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From Polypheme): and woondring for to see he was not dead,

Sayd thus: O Achemenides, what chaunce, or rather what

Good God hathe savde the lyfe of thee? What is the reason that

A barbrous shippe beares thee a Greeke? Or whither saylest thou?

To him thus, Achemenides, his owne man freely now

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And not forgrowen as one forlorne, nor clad in bristled hyde,

Made answer: Yit ageine I would I should in perrill byde

Of Polypheme, and that I myght those chappes of his behold

Beesmeared with the blood of men, but if that I doo hold

This shippe more deere than all the Realme of wyse Ulysses, or

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If lesser of Aenaeas I doo make account than for

My father, neyther (though I did as much as doone myght bee,)

I could ynough bee thankfull for his goodnesse towards mee.

That I still speake and breathe, that I the Sun and heaven doo see,

Is his gift. Can I thanklesse then or myndlesse of him bee,

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That downe the round eyed gyants throte this soule of myne went not?

And that from hencefoorth when to dye it ever be my lot

I may be layd in grave, or sure not in the Gyants mawe?

What hart had I that tyme (at least if feare did not withdrawe

Both hart and sence) when left behynd, you taking shippe I sawe?

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I would have called after you but that I was afrayd

By making outcrye to my fo myself to have beewrayd.

For even the noyse that you did make did put Ulysses shippe

In daunger. I did see him from a cragged mountaine strippe

A myghty rocke, and into sea it throwe midway and more.

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Ageine I sawe his giants pawe throwe huge big stones great store

As if it were a sling. And sore I feared lest your shippe

Should drowned by the water bee that from the stones did skippe,

Or by the stones themselves, as if my self had beene therin.

But when that flyght had saved you from death, he did begin

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On Aetna syghing up and downe to walke: and with his pawes

Went groping of the trees among the woodes. And forbycause

He could not see, he knockt his shinnes ageinst the rocks eche where.

And stretching out his grisly armes (which all beegrymed were

With baken blood) to seaward, he the Greekish nation band,

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And sayd: O if that sum good chaunce myght bring unto my hand

Ulysses or sum mate of his, on whom to wreake myne ire,

Uppon whose bowells with my teeth I like a Hawke myght tyre:

Whose living members myght with theis my talants teared beene:

Whoose blood myght bubble down my throte: whose flesh myght pant between

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My jawes: how lyght or none at all this losing of myne eye

Would seeme. Theis woordes and many mo the cruell feend did cry.

A shuddring horror perced mee to see his smudged face,

And cruell handes, and in his frunt the fowle round eyelesse place,

And monstrous members, and his beard beslowbered with the blood

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Of man. Before myne eyes then death the smallest sorrow stood.

I loked every minute to bee seased in his pawe.

I looked ever when he should have cramd mee in his mawe.

And in my mynd I of that tyme mee thought the image sawe

When having dingd a doozen of our fellowes to the ground

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And lying lyke a Lyon feerce or hunger sterved hownd

Uppon them, very eagerly he downe his greedy gut

Theyr bowwels and theyr limbes yit more than half alive did put,

And with theyr flesh toogither crasht the bones and maree whyght.

I trembling like an aspen leaf stood sad and bloodlesse quyght.

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And in beholding how he fed and belked up againe

His bloody vittells at his mouth, and uttred out amayne

The clottred gobbets mixt with wyne, I thus surmysde: Like lot

Hangs over my head now, and I must also go to pot.

And hyding mee for many dayes, and quaking horribly

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At every noyse, and dreading death, and wisshing for to dye,

Appeasing hunger with the leaves of trees, and herbes and mast,

Alone, and poore, and footelesse, and to death and pennance cast,

A long tyme after I espyde this shippe afarre at last,

And ronning downeward to the sea by signes did succour seeke.

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Where fynding grace, this Trojane shippe receyved mee, a Greeke.

But now I prey thee, gentle freend, declare thou unto mee

Thy Capteines and thy fellowes lucke that tooke the sea with thee.

He told him how that Aeolus, the sonne of Hippot, he

That keepes the wyndes in pryson cloce did reigne in Tuskane sea.

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And how Ulysses having at his hand a noble gift,

The wynd enclosde in leather bagges, did sayle with prosperous drift

Nyne dayes toogither: insomuch they came within the syght

Of home: but on the tenth day when the morning gan give lyght,

His fellowes being somewhat toucht with covetousenesse and spyght,

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Supposing that it had beene gold, did let the wyndes out quyght.

The which returning whence they came, did drive them backe amayne

That in the Realme of Aeolus they went aland agayne.

From thence (quoth he) we came unto the auncient Lamyes towne

Of which the feerce Antiphates that season ware the crowne.

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A cowple of my mates and I were sent unto him: and

A mate of myne and I could scarce by flyght escape his hand.

The third of us did with his blood embrew the wicked face

Of leawd Antiphate, whoo with swoord us flying thence did chace,

And following after with a rowt threw stones and loggs which drownd

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Both men and shippes. Howbeeit one by chaunce escaped sound,

Which bare Ulysses and my self. So having lost most part

Of all our deare companions, we with sad and sory hart

And much complayning, did arryve at yoonder coast which yow

May ken farre hence. A great way hence (I say) wee see it now

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But trust mee truly over neere I saw it once. And thow

Aenaeas, Goddesse Venus sonne, the justest knight of all

The Trojane race (for sith the warre is doone, I can not call

Thee fo) I warne thee get thee farre from Circes dwelling place.

For when our shippes arryved there, remembring eft the cace

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Of cruell king Antiphates, and of that hellish wyght

The round eyed gyant Polypheme, wee had so small delyght

To visit uncowth places, that wee sayd wee would not go.

Then cast we lotts. The lot fell out uppon myself as tho,

And Polyte, and Eurylocus, and on Elpenor who

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Delyghted too too much in wyne, and eyghteene other mo.

All wee did go to Circes houses. As soone as wee came thither,

And in the portall of the Hall had set our feete toogither,

A thousand Lyons , wolves and beares did put us in a feare

By meeting us. But none of them was to bee feared there.

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For none of them could doo us harme: but with a gentle looke

And following us with fawning feete theyr wanton tayles they shooke.

Anon did Damzells welcome us and led us through the hall

(The which was made of marble stone, floore, arches, roof, and wall)

To Circe. Shee sate underneathe a traverse in a chayre

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Aloft ryght rich and stately, in a chamber large and fayre.

Shee ware a goodly longtreynd gowne: and all her rest attyre

Was every whit of goldsmithes woork. There sate mee also by her

The Sea nymphes and her Ladyes whoose fyne fingers never knew

What toozing wooll did meene, nor threede from whorled spindle drew.

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They sorted herbes, and picking out the flowers that were mixt,

Did put them into mawnds, and with indifferent space betwixt

Did lay the leaves and stalks on heapes according to theyr hew,

And shee herself the woork of them did oversee and vew.

The vertue and the use of them ryght perfectly shee knew,

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And in what leaf it lay, and which in mixture would agree.

And so perusing every herb by good advysement, shee

Did wey them out. Assoone as shee us entring in did see,

And greeting had bothe given and tane, shee looked cheerefully,

And graunting all that we desyrde, commaunded by and by

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A certeine potion to bee made of barly parched drye

And wyne and hony mixt with cheese. And with the same shee slye

Had meynt the jewce of certeine herbes which unespyde did lye

By reason of the sweetenesse of the drink. Wee tooke the cup

Delivered by her wicked hand, and quaft it cleerely up

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With thirstye throtes. Which doone, and that the cursed witch had smit

Our highest heare tippes with her wand, (it is a shame, but yit

I will declare the truth) I wext all rough with bristled heare,

And could not make complaint with woordes. In stead of speech I there

Did make a rawghtish grunting, and with groveling face gan beare

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My visage downeward to the ground. I felt a hooked groyne

To wexen hard uppon my mouth, and brawned neck to joyne

My head and shoulders. And the handes with which I late ago

Had taken up the charmed cup, were turnd to feete as tho.

Such force there is in Sorcerie. In fyne wyth other mo

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That tasted of the selfsame sawce, they shet mee in a Stye.

From this missehappe Eurilochus alonly scapte. For why

He only would not taste the cup, which had he not fled fro,

He should have beene a bristled beast as well as we. And so

Should none have borne Ulysses woorde of our mischaunce, nor hee

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Have come to Circe to revenge our harmes and set us free.

The peaceprocurer Mercurie had given to him a whyght

Fayre flowre whoose roote is black, and of the Goddes it Moly hyght

Assurde by this and heavenly hestes, he entred Circes bowre.

And beeing bidden for to drink the cup of baleful powre,

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As Circe was about to stroke her wand uppon his heare,

He thrust her backe, and put her with his naked swoord in feare.

Then fell they to agreement streyght, and fayth in hand was plyght.

And beeing made her bedfellowe, he claymed as in ryght

Of dowrye, for to have his men ageine in perfect plyght.

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Shee sprincled us with better jewce of uncowth herbes, and strake

The awk end of her charmed rod uppon our heades, and spake

Woordes to the former contrarie. The more shee charmd, the more

Arose wee upward from the ground on which wee daarde before.

Our bristles fell away, the clift our cloven clees forsooke.

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Our shoulders did returne agein: and next our elbowes tooke

Our armes and handes theyr former place. Then weeping wee enbrace

Our Lord, and hing about his necke whoo also wept apace.

And not a woord wee rather spake than such as myght appeere

From harts most thankfull to proceede. Wee taryed theyr a yeere.

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I in that whyle sawe many things, and many things did heere.

I marked also this one thing with store of other geere

Which one of Circes fowre cheef maydes (whoose office was alway

Uppon such hallowes to attend) did secretly bewray

To mee. For in the whyle my Lord with Circe kept alone,

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This mayd a yoongmannes image sheawd of fayre whyght marble stone

Within a Chauncell. On the head therof were garlonds store

And eeke a woodspecke. And as I demaunded her wherfore

And whoo it was they honord so in holy Church, and why

He bare that bird uppon his head: shee answeering by and by

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Sayd: Lerne hereby, sir Macare, to understand the powre

My lady hathe, and marke thou well what I shall say this howre.

There reignd erewhyle in Italy one Picus, Saturnes sonne,

Whoo loved warlike horse and had delyght to see them ronne.

He was of feature as yee see. And by this image heere

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The verry beawtye of the man dooth lyvelely appeere.

His courage matcht his personage. And scarcely had he well

Seene twentye yeeres. His countnance did allure the nymphes that dwell

Among the Latian hilles. The nymphes of fountaines and of brookes,

As those that haunted Albula were ravisht with his lookes

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And so were they that Numicke beares, and Anio too, and Alme

That ronneth short, and heady Nar, and Farfar coole and calme.

And all the nymphes that usde to haunt Dianas shadye poole,

Or any lakes or meeres neere hand, or other waters coole.

But he disdeyning all the rest did set his love uppon

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A lady whom Venilia bare (so fame reporteth) on

The stately mountayne Palatine by Janus that dooth beare

The dowble face. Assoone as that her yeeres for maryage were

Thought able, shee preferring him before all other men,

Was wedded to this Picus whoo was king of Lawrents then.

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Shee was in beawtve excellent, but yit in singing, much

More excellent: and theruppon they naamd her Singer. Such

The sweetenesse of her musicke was, that shee therwith delyghts

The savage beastes, and caused birdes to cease theyr wandring flyghts,

And moved stones and trees, and made the ronning streames to stay.

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Now whyle that shee in womans tune recordes her pleasant lay

At home, her husband rode abrode uppon a lustye horse

To hunt the Boare, and bare in hand twoo hunting staves of force.

His cloke was crymzen butned with a golden button fast.

Into the selfsame forest eeke was Phebus daughter past

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From those same feeldes that of herself the name of Circe beare,

To gather uncowth herbes among the fruteful hillocks there.

As soone as lurking in the shrubbes shee did the king espye,

Shee was astrawght. Downe fell her herbes to ground. And by and by

Through all her bones the flame of love the maree gan to frye.

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And when shee from this forced heate had cald her witts agen,

Shee purposde to bewray her mynd. But unto him as then

Shee could not come for swiftnesse of his horse and for his men

That garded him on every syde. Yit shalt thou not (quoth shee)

So shift thee fro my handes although the wynd should carrye thee,

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If I doo knowe myself, if all the strength of herbes fayle not,

Or if I have not quyght and cleene my charmes and spelles forgotte.

In saying theis same wordes, shee made the likenesse of a Boare

Without a body, causing it to swiftly passe before

King Picus eyes, and for to seeme to get him to the woode,

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Where for the thickenesse of the trees a horse myght do no good.

Immediatly the king unwares a hote pursute did make

Uppon the shadowe of his pray, and quikly did forsake

His foming horses sweating backe: and following vayne wan hope,

Did runne afoote among the woodes, and through the bushes crope.

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Then Circe fell a mumbling spelles, and praying like a witch

Did honour straunge and uncowth Goddes with uncowth charmes, by which

Shee usde to make the moone looke dark, and wrappe her fathers head

In watry clowdes. And then likewyse the heaven was overspred

With darknesse, and a foggye mist steamd upward from the ground.

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And nere a man about the king to gard him could bee found,

But every man in blynd bywayes ran scattring in the chace,

Through her inchauntments. At the length shee getting tyme and place,

Sayd: By those lyghtsum eyes of thyne which late have ravisht myne,

And by that goodly personage and lovely face of thyne,

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The which compelleth mee that am a Goddesse to enclyne

To make this humble sute to thee that art a mortall wyght,

Asswage my flame, and make this sonne (whoo by his heavenly syght

Foresees all things) thy fathrinlawe: and hardly hold not scorne

Of Circe whoo by long discent of Titans stocke am borne.

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Thus much sayd Circe. He ryght feerce rejecting her request,

And her, sayd: Whooso ere thou art, go set thy hart at rest.

I am not thyne, nor will not bee. Another holdes my hart:

And long God graunt shee may it hold, that I may never start

To leawdnesse of a forreigne lust from bond of lawfull bed,

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As long as Janus daughter, my sweete Singer, is not dead.

Dame Circe having oft renewd her sute in vayne beefore,

Sayd: Dearely shalt thou bye thy scorne. For never shalt thou more

Returne to Singer. Thou shalt lerne by proof what one can doo

That is provoked, and in love, yea and a woman too.

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But Circe is bothe stird to wrath, and also tane in love,

Yea and a woman. Twyce her face to westward she did move,

And twyce to Eastward. Thryce shee layd her rod uppon his head.

And therwithall three charmes shee cast. Away king Picus fled.

And woondring that he fled more swift than earst he had beene woont,

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He saw the fethers on his skin, and at the sodein brunt

Became a bird that haunts the wooddes. Wherat he taking spyght,

With angrye bill did job uppon hard Okes with all his myght,

And in his moode made hollowe holes uppon theyr boughes. The hew

Of Crimzen which was in his cloke, uppon his fethers grew.

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The gold that was a clasp and did his cloke toogither hold,

Is fethers, and about his necke goes circlewyse like gold.

His servants luring in that whyle oft over all the ground

In vayne, and fynding no where of theyr kyng no inkling, found

Dame Circe. (For by that tyme shee had made the ayer sheere,

455

And suffred both the sonne and wyndes the mistye steames to cleere)

And charging her with matter trew, demaunded for theyr kyng,

And offring force, began theyr darts and Javelings for to fling.

Shee sprincling noysom venim streyght and jewce of poysoning myght,

Did call togither Eribus and Chaos, and the nyght,

460

And all the feendes of darknesse, and with howling out along

Made prayers unto Hecate. Scarce ended was her song,

But that (a woondrous thing to tell) the woodes lept from theyr place.

The ground did grone: the trees neere hand lookt pale in all the chace:

The grasse besprent with droppes of blood lookt red: the stones did seem

465

To roare and bellow horce: and doggs to howle and raze extreeme:

And all the ground to crawle with snakes blacke scaalde: and gastly spryghts

Fly whisking up and downe. The folke were flayghted at theis syghts.

And as they woondring stood amaazd, shee strokte her witching wand

Uppon theyr faces. At the touche wherof, there out of hand

470

Came woondrous shapes of savage beastes uppon them all. Not one

Reteyned still his native shape. The setting sonne was gone

Beyond the utmost coast of Spaine, and Singer longd in vayne

To see her husband. Bothe her folke and people ran agayne

Through all the woodes. And ever as they went, they sent theyr eyes

475

Before them for to fynd him out, but no man him espyes.

Then Singer thought it not ynough to weepe and teare her heare,

And beat herself (all which shee did). Shee gate abrode, and there

Raundgd over all the broade wyld feelds like one besyds her witts.

Six nyghts and full as many dayes (as fortune led by fitts)

480

She strayd mee over hilles and dales, and never tasted rest,

Nor meate, nor drink of all the whyle. The seventh day, sore opprest

And tyred bothe with travell and with sorrowe, downe shee sate

Uppon cold Tybers bank, and there with teares in moorning rate

Shee warbling on her greef in tune not shirle nor over hye,

485

Did make her moane, as dooth the swan: whoo ready for to dye

Dooth sing his buriall song before. Her maree molt at last

With moorning, and shee pynde away: and finally shee past

To lither ayre. But yit her fame remayned in the place.

For why the auncient husbandmen according to the cace,

490

Did name it Singer of the nymph that dyed in the same.

Of such as these are, many things that yeere by fortune came

Bothe to my heering and my sight. Wee wexing resty then

And sluggs by discontinuance, were commaunded yit agen

To go aboord and hoyse up sayles. And Circe told us all

495

That long and dowtfull passage and rowgh seas should us befall.

I promis thee those woordes of hers mee throughly made afrayd:

And therfore hither I mee gate, and heere I have mee stayd.

This was the end of Macars tale. And ere long tyme was gone,

Aenaeas Nurce was buryed in a tumb of marble stone,

500

And this short verse was set theron: In this same verry place

My Nurcechyld whom the world dooth know to bee a chyld of grace

Delivering mee, Caieta , quicke from burning by the Grayes,

Hathe burnt mee dead with such a fyre as justly winnes him prayse.

Theyr Cables from the grassye strond were loosde, and by and by

505

From Circes slaunderous house and from her treasons farre they fly.

And making to the thickgrowen groves where through the yellow dust

The shady Tyber into sea his gusshing streame dooth thrust,

Aenaeas got the Realme of king Latinus, Fawnus sonne,

And eeke his daughter, whom in feyght by force of armes he wonne.

510

He enterprysed warre ageinst a Nation feerce and strong.

And Turne was wrothe for holding of his wyfe away by wrong.

Ageinst the Shyre of Latium met all Tyrrhene, and long

With busye care hawlt victorie by force of armes was sought.

Eche partie to augment theyr force by forreine succour wrought.

515

And many sent the Rutills help, and many came to ayd

The Trojanes: neyther was the good Aenaeas ill apayd

Of going to Evanders towne. But Venulus in vayne

To outcast Diomeds citie went his succour to obteine.

This Diomed under Dawnus, king of Calabrye, did found

520

A myghtye towne, and with his wyfe in dowrye hild the ground.

Now when from Turnus, Venulus his message had declaard,

Desyring help: th'Aetolian knyght sayd none could well bee spaard.

And in excuce, he told him how he neyther durst be bold

To prest his fathers folk to warre of whom he had no hold,

525

Nor any of his countrymen had left as then alyve

To arme. And lest yee think (quoth hee) I doo a shift contryve,

Although by uppening of the thing my bitter greef revyve

I will abyde to make a new rehersall. After that

The Greekes had burned Troy and on the ground had layd it flat,

530

And that the Prince of Narix by his ravishing the mayd

In Pallas temple, on us all the pennance had displayd

Which he himself deservd alone: then scattred heere and there

And harryed over all the seas, wee Greekes were fayne to beare

Nyght, thunder, tempest, wrath of heaven and sea, and last of all

535

Sore shipwrecke at mount Capharey to mend our harmes withall.

And lest that mee to make too long a processe yee myght deeme

In setting forth our heavy happes, the Greekes myght that tyme seeme

Ryght rewfull even to Priamus. Howbee't Minerva, shee

That weareth armour, tooke mee from the waves and saved mee.

540

But from my fathers Realme ageine by violence I was driven.

For Venus bearing still in mynd the wound I had her given

Long tyme before, did woork revendge. By meanes wherof such toyle

Did tosse mee on the sea, and on the land I found such broyle

By warres, that in my hart I thought them blist of God whom erst

545

The violence of the raging sea and hideous wynds had perst,

And whom the wrathfull Capharey by shipwrecke did confound:

Oft wisshing also I had there among the rest beene drownd.

My company now having felt the woorst that sea or warre

Could woorke, did faynt, and wisht an end of straying out so farre.

550

But Agmon hot of nature and too feerce through slaughters made

Sayd: What remayneth, sirs, through which our pacience cannot wade?

What further spyght hath Venus yit to woork ageinst us more?

When woorse misfortunes may be feard than have beene felt before,

Then prayer may advauntadge men, and vowwing may then boote.

555

But when the woorst is past of things, then feare is under foote.

And when that bale is hyghest growne, then boote must next ensew.

Although shee heere mee, and doo hate us all (which thing is trew)

That serve heere under Diomed: Yit set wee lyght her hate.

And deerely it should stand us on to purchase hygh estate.

560

With such stowt woordes did Agmon stirre dame Venus unto ire

And raysd ageine her settled grudge. Not many had desyre

To heere him talk thus out of square. The moste of us that are

His freendes rebukte him for his woordes. And as he did prepare

To answere, bothe his voyce and throte by which his voyce should go,

565

Were small: his heare to feathers turnd: his necke was clad as tho

With feathers: so was brist and backe. The greater fethers stacke

Uppon his armes: and into wings his elbowes bowwed backe.

The greatest portion of his feete was turned into toes.

A hardened bill of horne did growe uppon his mouth and noze,

570

And sharpened at the neather end. His fellowes, Lycus, Ide,

Rethenor, Nyct, and Abas all stood woondring by his syde.

And as they woondred, they receyvd the selfsame shape and hew.

And finally the greater part of all my band up flew,

And clapping with theyr newmade wings, about the ores did gird.

575

And if yee doo demaund the shape of this same dowtfull bird,

Even as they bee not verry Swannnes: so drawe they verry neere

The shape of Cygnets whyght. With much adoo I settled heere,

And with a little remnant of my people doo obteyne

The dry grownds of my fathrinlaw, king Dawnus, whoo did reigne

580

In Calabry. Thus much the sonne of Oenye sayd. Anon

Sir Venulus returning from the king of Calydon,

Forsooke the coast of Puteoll and the feeldes of Messapie,

In which hee saw a darksome denne forgrowne with busshes hye,

And watred with a little spring. The halfegoate Pan that howre

585

Possessed it: but heertofore it was the fayryes bowre.

A shepeherd of Appulia from that countrye scaard them furst.

But afterward recovering hart and hardynesse they durst

Despyse him when he chaced them, and with theyr nimble feete

Continewed on theyr dawncing still in tyme and measure meete.

590

The shepeherd fownd mee fault with them: and with his lowtlike leapes

Did counterfette theyr minyon dawnce, and rapped out by heapes

A rabble of unsavery taunts even like a country cloyne,

To which, most leawd and filthy termes of purpose he did joyne.

And after he had once begon, he could not hold his toong,

595

Untill that in the timber of a tree his throte was cloong.

For now he is a tree, and by his jewce discerne yee may

His manners. For the Olyf wyld dooth sensibly bewray

By berryes full of bitternesse his rayling toong. For ay

The harshnesse of his bitter woordes the berryes beare away.

600

Now when the kings Ambassadour returned home without

The succour of th'Aetolian prince, the Rutills being stout

Made luckelesse warre without theyr help: and much on eyther syde

Was shed of blood. Behold king Turne made burning bronds to glyde

Uppon theyr shippes, and they that had escaped water, stoode

605

In feare of fyre. The flame had sindgd the pitch, the wax, and wood,

And other things that nourish fyre, and ronning up the maste

Caught hold uppon the sayles, and all the takling gan to waste,

The Rowers seates did also smoke: when calling to her mynd

That theis same shippes were pynetrees erst and shaken with the wynd

610

On Ida mount, the moother of the Goddes, dame Cybel, filld

The ayre with sound of belles, and noyse of shalmes. And as shee hilld

The reynes that rulde the Lyons tame which drew her charyot, shee

Sayd thus: O Turnus, all in vayne theis wicked hands of thee

Doo cast this fyre. For by myself dispoynted it shall bee.

615

I wilnot let the wasting fyre consume theis shippes which are

A parcell of my forest Ide of which I am most chare.

It thundred as the Goddesse spake, and with the thunder came

A storme of rayne and skipping hayle, and soodeyne with the same

The sonnes of Astrey meeting feerce and feyghting verry sore,

620

Did trouble bothe the sea and ayre and set them on a rore.

Dame Cybel using one of them to serve her turne that tyde,

Did breake the Cables at the which the Trojane shippes did ryde,

And bare them prone, and underneathe the water did them dryve.

The Timber of them softning turnd to bodyes streyght alyve.

625

The stemmes were turnd to heades, the ores to swimming feete and toes,

The sydes to ribbes, the keele that through the middle gaily goes

Became the ridgebone of the backe, the sayles and tackling, heare:

And into armes on eyther syde the sayleyards turned were.

Theyr hew is duskye as before, and now in shape of mayd

630

They play among the waves of which even now they were afrayd.

And beeing Sea nymphes, wheras they were bred in mountaynes hard,

They haunt for ay the water soft, and never afterward

Had mynd to see theyr natyve soyle. But yit forgetting not

How many perills they had felt on sea by lucklesse lot,

635

They often put theyr helping hand to shippes distrest by wynd,

Onlesse that any caryed Greekes. For bearing still in mynd

The burning of the towne of Troy , they hate the Greekes by kynd.

And therfore of Ulysses shippes ryght glad they were to see

The shivers, and as glad they were as any glad myght bee,

640

To see Alcinous shippes wex hard and turned into stone.

Theis shippes thus having gotten lyfe and beeing turnd each one

To nymphes, a body would have thought the miracle so greate

Should into Turnus wicked hart sum godly feare have beate,

And made him cease his wilfull warre. But he did still persist.

645

And eyther partye had theyr Goddes theyr quarrell to assist,

And courage also: which as good as Goddes myght well be thought.

In fyne they neyther for the Realme nor for the scepter sought,

Nor for the Lady Lavine: but for conquest. And for shame

To seeme to shrinke in leaving warre, they still prolongd the same.

650

At length dame Venus sawe her sonne obteyne the upper hand.

King Turnus fell, and eeke the towne of Ardea which did stand

Ryght strong in hygh estate as long as Turnus lived. But

Assoone as that Aenaeas swoord to death had Turnus put,

The towne was set on fyre: and from amid the embers flew

655

A fowle which till that present tyme no persone ever knew,

And beete the ashes feercely up with flapping of his wing.

The leanenesse, palenesse, dolefull sound, and every other thing

That may expresse a Citie sakt, yea and the Cities name

Remayned still unto the bird. And now the verrye same

660

With Hernesewes fethers dooth bewayle the towne wherof it came.

And now Aenaeas prowesse had compelled all the Goddes

And Juno also (whoo with him was most of all at oddes)

To cease theyr old displeasure quyght. And now he having layd

Good ground wheron the growing welth of July myght be stayd,

665

Was rype for heaven. And Venus had great sute already made

To all the Goddes, and cleeping Jove did thus with him perswade:

Deere father, whoo hast never beene uncurtuous unto mee,

Now shewe the greatest courtesie (I pray thee) that may bee.

And on my sonne Aenaeas (whoo a graundchyld unto thee

670

Hath got of my blood) if thou wilt vouchsafe him awght at all)

Vouchsafe sum Godhead to bestowe, although it bee but small.

It is ynough that once he hathe alreadye seene the Realme

Of Pluto utter pleasurelesse, and passed Styxis streame.

The Goddes assented: neyther did Queene Juno then appeere

675

In countnance straunge, but did consent with glad and merry cheere.

Then Jove: Aenaeas woorthy is a saynct in heaven to bee.

Thy wish for whom thou doost it wish I graunt thee frank and free.

This graunt of his made Venus glad. Shee thankt him for the same.

And glyding through the aire uppon her yoked doves, shee came

680

To Lawrent shore, where clad with reede the river Numicke deepe

To seaward (which is neere at hand) with stealing pace dooth creepe.

Shee bade this river wash away what ever mortall were

In good Aenaeas bodye, and them under sea to beare.

The horned brooke fulfilld her hest, and with his water sheere

685

Did purge and clenze Aenaeas from his mortall body cleere.

The better porcion of him did remayne unto him sownd.

His moother having hallowed him did noynt his bodye rownd

With heavenly odours, and did touch his mouth with Ambrosie

The which was mixt with Nectar sweete, and made him by and by

690

A God to whom the Romanes give the name of Indiges,

Endevering with theyr temples and theyr altars him to please.

Ascanius with the dowble name from thence began to reigne,

In whom the rule of Alba and of Latium did remayne.

Next him succeeded Silvius, whoose sonne Latinus hild

695

The auncient name and scepter which his graundsyre erst did weeld.

The famous Epit after this Latinus did succeede.

Then Capys and king Capetus. But Capys was indeede

The formest of the two. From this the scepter of the Realme

Descended unto Tyberine, whoo drowning in the streame

700

Of Tyber left that name thereto. This Tyberine begat

Feerce Remulus and Acrota. By chaunce it hapned that

The elder brother Remulus for counterfetting oft

The thunder, with a thunderbolt was killed from aloft.

From Acrota whoose stayednesse did passe his brothers skill,

705

The crowne did come to Aventine , whoo in the selfsame hill

In which he reygned buryed lyes, and left therto his name.

The rule of nation Palatine at length to Proca came.

In this Kings reigne Pomona livd. There was not to bee found

Among the woodnymphes any one in all the Latian ground

710

That was so conning for to keepe an Ortyard as was shee,

Nor none so paynefull to preserve the frute of every tree.

And theruppon shee had her name. Shee past not for the woodes

Nor rivers, but the villages and boughes that bare bothe buddes

And plentuous frute. In sted of dart a shredding hooke shee bare,

715

With which the overlusty boughes shee eft away did pare

That spreaded out too farre, and eft did make therwith a rift

To greffe another imp uppon the stocke within the clift.

And lest her trees should die through drought, with water of the springs

Shee moysteth of theyr sucking roots the little crumpled strings.

720

This was her love and whole delyght. And as for Venus deedes,

Shee had no mynd at all of them. And forbycause shee dreedes

Enforcement by the countrye folke, shee walld her yards about,

Not suffring any man at all to enter in or out.

What have not those same nimble laddes so apt to frisk and daunce

725

The Satyrs doone? Or what the Pannes that wantonly doo praunce

With horned forheads? And the old Silenus whoo is ay

More youthfull than his yeeres? And eeke the feend that scares away

The theeves and robbers with his hooke, or with his privy part

To winne her love? But yit than theis a farre more constant hart

730

Had sly Vertumnus, though he sped no better than the rest.

O Lord, how often being in a moawers garment drest,

Bare he in bundells sheaves of come? And when he so was dyght,

He was the verry patterne of a harvest moawer ryght.

Oft bynding newmade hay about his temples he myght seeme

735

A haymaker. Oft tymes in hand made hard with woork extreeme

He bare a goade, that men would sweere he had but newly then

Unyoakt his weerye Oxen. Had he tane in hand agen

A shredding hooke, yee would have thought hee had a gardener beene,

Or proyner of sum vynes. Or had you him with ladder seene

740

Uppon his necke, a gatherer of frute yee would him deeme.

With swoord a souldier, with his rod an Angler he did seeme.

And finally in many shapes he sought to fynd accesse

To joy the beawty but by syght, that did his hart oppresse.

Moreover, putting on his head a womans wimple gay,

745

And staying by a staffe, graye heares he foorth to syght did lay

Uppon his forehead, and did feyne a beldame for to bee,

By meanes wherof he came within her goodly ortyards free.

And woondring at the frute, sayd: Much more skill hast thou I see

Than all the Nymphes of Albula. Hayle, Lady myne, the flowre

750

Unspotted of pure maydenhod in all the world this howre.

And with that woord he kissed her a little: but his kisse

Was such as trew old women would have never given ywis.

Then sitting downe uppon a bank, he looked upward at

The braunches bent with harvests weyght. Ageinst him where he sat

755

A goodly Elme with glistring grapes did growe: which after hee

Had praysed, and the vyne likewyse that ran uppon the tree:

But if (quoth hee) this Elme without the vyne did single stand,

It should have nothing (saving leaves) to bee desyred: and

Ageine if that the vyne which ronnes uppon the Elme had nat

760

The tree to leane unto, it should uppon the ground ly flat.

Yit art not thou admonisht by example of this tree

To take a husband, neyther doost thou passe to maryed bee.

But would to God thou wouldest. Sure Queene Helen never had

Mo suters, nor the Lady that did cause the battell mad

765

Betweene the halfbrute Centawres and the Lapythes, nor the wyfe

Of bold Ulysses whoo was eeke ay fearefull of his lyfe,

Than thou shouldst have. For thousands now (even now most cheefly when

Thou seemest suters to abhorre) desyre thee, both of men,

And Goddes and halfgoddes, yea and all the fayryes that doo dwell

770

In Albane hilles. But if thou wilt bee wyse, and myndest well

To match thy self, and wilt give eare to this old woman heere,

(To whom thou more than to them all art (trust mee) leef and deere,

And more than thou thyself beleevst) the common matches flee,

And choose Vertumnus to thy make. And take thou mee to bee

775

His pledge. For more he to himself not knowen is, than to mee.

He roves not like a ronneagate through all the world abrode,

This countrye heerabout (the which is large) is his abode.

He dooth not (like a number of theis common wooers) cast

His love to every one he sees. Thou art the first and last

780

That ever he set mynd uppon. Alonly unto thee

Hee vowes himself as long as lyfe dooth last. Moreover hee

Is youthfull, and with beawtye sheene endewd by natures gift,

And aptly into any shape his persone he can shift.

Thou canst not bid him bee the thing, (though al things thou shouldst name)

785

But that he fitly and with ease will streyght becomme the same.

Besydes all this, in all one thing bothe twayne of you delyght,

And of the frutes that you love best the firstlings are his ryght:

And gladly he receyves thy gifts. But neyther covets hee

Thy Apples, Plommes, nor other frutes new gathered from the tree,

790

Nor yit the herbes of pleasant sent that in thy gardynes bee:

Nor any other kynd of thing in all the world, but thee.

Have mercy on his fervent love, and think himself to crave

Heere present by the mouth of mee, the thing that he would have.

And feare the God that may revenge: as Venus whoo dooth hate

795

Hard harted folkes, and Rhamnuse whoo dooth eyther soone or late

Expresse her wrath with myndfull wreake. And to th'entent thou may

The more beware, of many things which tyme by long delay

Hathe taught mee, I will shewe thee one which over all the land

Of Cyprus blazed is abrode, which being ryghtly skand

800

May easly bow thy hardned hart and make it for to yild.

One Iphis borne of lowe degree by fortune had behild

The Ladye Anaxarete descended of the race

Of Tewcer, and in vewwing her the fyre of love apace

Did spred it self through all his bones. With which he stryving long,

805

When reason could not conquer rage bycause it was too strong,

Came humbly to the Ladyes house: and one whyle laying ope

His wretched love before her nurce, besought her by the hope

Of Lady Anaxarete her nurcechylds good successe,

Shee would not bee ageinst him in that cace of his distresse.

810

Another whyle entreating fayre sum freend of hers, he prayd

Him earnestly with carefull voyce, of furthrance and of ayd.

Oftymes he did preferre his sute by gentle letters sent.

Oft garlonds moysted with the deawe of teares that from him went

He hanged on her postes. Oft tymes his tender sydes he layd

815

Ageinst the threshold hard, and oft in sadnesse did upbrayd

The locke with much ungentlenesse. The Lady crueller

Than are the rysing narrowe seas, or falling Kiddes, and farre

More hard than steele of Noricum, and than the stonny rocke

That in the quarrye hath his roote, did him despyse and mock.

820

Besyde her dooings mercylesse, of statelynesse and spyght

Shee adding prowd and skornefull woordes, defrauds the wretched wyght

Of verry hope. But Iphis now unable any more

To beare the torment of his greef, still standing there before

Her gate, spake theis his latest woordes: Well, Anaxarete,

825

Thou hast the upper hand. Hencefoorth thou shalt not neede to bee

Agreeved any more with mee. Go tryumph hardely:

Go vaunt thy self with joy: go sing the song of victorye:

Go put a crowne of glittring bay uppon thy cruell head.

For why thou hast the upper hand, and I am gladly dead.

830

Well, steely harted, well: rejoyce. Compeld yit shalt thou bee

Of sumwhat in mee for to have a lyking. Thou shalt see

A poynt wherein thou mayst mee deeme most thankfull unto thee,

And in the end thou shalt confesse the great desert of mee.

But yit remember that as long as lyfe in mee dooth last,

835

The care of thee shall never from this hart of myne be cast.

For bothe the lyfe that I doo live in hope of thee, and tother

Which nature giveth, shall have end and passe away toogither.

The tydings neyther of my death shall come to thee by fame.

Myself (I doo assure thee) will bee bringer of the same.

840

Myself (I say) will present bee that those same cruell eyen

Of thyne may feede themselves uppon this livelesse corce of myne.

But yit, O Goddes, (if you behold mennes deedes) remember mee.

(My toong will serve to pray no more) and cause that I may bee

Longtyme heerafter spoken of: and length the lyfe by fame

845

The which yee have abridgd in yeeres. In saying of this same

He lifted up his watrye eyes and armes that wexed wan

To those same stulpes which oft he had with garlondes deckt ere than,

And fastning on the topps therof a halter thus did say:

Thou cruell and ungodly wyght, theis are the wreathes that may

850

Most pleasure thee. And with that woord he thrusting in his head,

Even then did turne him towards her as good as being dead,

And wretchedly did totter on the poste with strangled throte.

The wicket which his feerefull feete in sprawling maynely smote,

Did make a noyse: and flying ope bewrayd his dooing playne.

855

The servants shreekt, and lifting up his bodye, but in vayne,

Conveyd him to his moothers house, his father erst was slayne.

His moother layd him in her lappe, and cleeping in her armes

Her sonnes cold bodye, after that shee had bewayld her harmes

With woordes and dooings mootherlyke, the corce with moorning cheere

860

To buryall sadly through the towne was borne uppon a beere.

The house of Anaxarete by chaunce was neere the way

By which this piteous pomp did passe. And of the doolefull lay

The sound came to the eares of her, whom God alreadye gan

To strike. Yit let us see (quoth shee) the buryall of this man.

865

And up the hygh wyde windowde house in saying so, shee ran.

Scarce had shee well on Iphis lookt that on the beere did lye,

But that her eyes wext stark: and from her limbes the blood gan flye.

In stead therof came palenesse in. And as shee backeward was

In mynd to go, her feete stacke fast and could not stirre. And as

870

Shee would have cast her countnance backe, shee could not doo it. And

The stonny hardnesse which alate did in her stomacke stand,

Within a whyle did overgrow her whole from sole to crowne.

And lest you think this geere surmysde, even yit in Salamin towne

Of Lady Anaxarete the image standeth playne.

875

The temple also in the which the image dooth remayne,

Is unto Venus consecrate by name of Looker Out.

And therfore weying well theis things, I prey thee looke about

Good Lady, and away with pryde: and be content to frame

Thy self to him that loveth thee and cannot quench his flame.

880

So neyther may the Lentons cold thy budding frutetrees kill

Nor yit the sharp and boystous wyndes thy flowring Gardynes spill.

The God that can uppon him take what kynd of shape he list

Now having sayd thus much in vayne, omitted to persist

In beldames shape, and shewde himself a lusty gentleman,

885

Appeering to her cheerefully, even like as Phebus whan

Hee having overcomme the clowdes that did withstand his myght,

Dooth blaze his brightsum beames agein with fuller heate and lyght.

He offred force, but now no force was needfull in the cace.

For why shee beeing caught in love with beawty of his face,

890

Was wounded then as well as hee, and gan to yeeld apace.

Next Proca, reignd Amulius in Awsonye by wrong,

Till Numitor, the ryghtfull heyre, deposed verry long,

Was by his daughters sonnes restorde. And on the feastfull day

Of Pale, foundation of the walles of Rome they gan to lay.

895

Soone after Tacye, and the Lordes of Sabine stird debate:

And Tarpey for her traytrous deede in opening of the gate

Of Tarpey towre was prest to death according to desert

With armour heapt uppon her head. Then feerce and stowt of hart

The Sabines like to toonglesse woolves without all noyse of talke

900

Assayld the Romanes in theyr sleepe, and to the gates gan stalke

Which Ilias sonne had closed fast with lockes and barres. But yit

Dame Juno had set open one, and as shee opened it

Had made no noyse of craking with the hindges, so that none

Perceyvd the opening of the gate but Venus all alone.

905

And shee had shet it up, but that it is not lawfull to

One God to undoo any thing another God hath doo.

The water nymphes of Awsonie hild all the groundes about

The Church of Janus where was store of springs fresh flowing out.

Dame Venus prayd theis nymphes of help. And they considering that

910

The Goddesse did request no more but ryght, denyde it nat.

They opened all theyr fountayne veynes and made them flowe apace.

Howbee't the passage was not yit to Janus open face

Forclosed: neyther had as yit the water stopt the way.

They put rank brimstone underneathe the flowing spring that day,

915

And eeke with smokye rozen set theyr veynes on fyre for ay.

Through force of theis and other things, the vapour perced lowe

Even downe unto the verry rootes on which the springs did growe.

So that the waters which alate in coldnesse myght compare

Even with the frozen Alpes , now hot as burning furnace are.

920

The two gate posts with sprinkling of the fyry water smoakt.

Wherby the gate beehyghted to the Sabines quyght was choakt

With rysing of this fountaine straunge, untill that Marsis knyght

Had armed him. Then Romulus did boldly offer fyght.

The Romane ground with Sabines and with Romanes bothe were spred.

925

And with the blood of fathrinlawes which wicked swoord had shed

Flowde mixt the blood of sonneinlawes. Howbee't it seemed best

To bothe the partyes at the length from battell for to rest,

And not to fyght to uttrance: and that Tacye should becoome

Copartner with king Romulus of sovereintye in Rome .

930

Within a whyle king Tacye dyde: and bothe the Sabines and

The Romanes under Romulus in equall ryght did stand.

The God of battell putting off his glittring helmet then,

With such like woordes as theis bespake the syre of Goddes and men:

The tyme, father (in as much as now the Romane state

935

Is wexen strong uppon the good foundation layd alate,

Depending on the stay of one) is comme for thee to make

Thy promis good which thou of mee and of thy graundchyld spake:

Which was to take him from the earth and in the heaven him stay.

Thou once (I markt thy gracious woordes and bare them well away)

940

Before a great assembly of the Goddes didst to mee say

There shalbee one whom thou shalt rayse above the starry skye.

Now let thy saying take effect. Jove graunting by and by

The ayre was hid with darksom clowdes, and thunder foorth did fly,

And lyghtning made the world agast. Which Mars perceyving to

945

Bee luckye tokens for himself his enterpryse to do,

Did take his rist uppon his speare and boldly lept into

His bloodye charyot. And he lent his horses with his whippe

A yirking lash, and through the ayre full smoothely downe did slippe.

And staying on the woody toppe of mountayne Palatine ,

950

He tooke away king Romulus whoo there did then defyne

The pryvate caces of his folk unseemly for a king.

And as a leaden pellet broade enforced from a sling

Is woont to dye amid the skye: even so his mortall flesh

Sank from him downe the suttle ayre. In sted wherof a fresh

955

And goodly shape more stately and more meete for sacred shryne

Succeeded, like our Quirin that in stately robe dooth shyne.

Hersilia for her feere as lost, of moorning made none end,

Untill Queene Juno did commaund dame Iris to discend

Uppon the Raynebowe downe, and thus her message for to doo:

960

O of the Latian country and the Sabine nacion too

Thou peerlesse perle of womanhod, most woorthy for to bee

The wyfe of such a noble prince as heertofore was hee,

And still to bee the wyfe of him canonized by name,

Of Quirin: cease thy teares. And if thou have desyre the same

965

Thy holy husband for to see, ensew mee to the queache

That groweth greene on Quirins hill, whoose shadowes overreache

The temple of the Romane king. Dame Iris did obey.

And slyding by her paynted bowe, in former woordes did say

Her errand to Hersilia. Shee scarce lifting up her eyes

970

With sober countnance answerd: O thou Goddesse (for surmyse

I cannot whoo thou art, but yit I well may understand

Thou art a Goddesse) leede mee, O deere Goddesse, leede mee, and

My husband to mee shewe. Whom if the fatall susters three

Will of theyr gracious goodnesse graunt mee leave but once to see,

975

I shall account mee into heaven receyved for to bee.

Immediatly with Thawmants imp to Quirins hill shee went.

There glyding from the sky a starre streyght downe to ground was sent,

The sparkes of whoose bryght blazing beames did burne Hersilias heare.

And with the starre the ayre did up her heare to heavenward beare.

980

The buylder of the towne of Rome receyving streyght the same

Betweene his old acquaynted handes, did alter both her name

And eeke her bodye, calling her dame Ora. And by this

Shee joyntly with her husband for a Goddesse woorshipt is.

Notes on the current edition

Metamorphoses

rebus, ait, sed amans et laesa et femina Circe.

385

quo tibi sim gratus, meritumque fatebere nostrum

icta pedum motu trepidantem et multa timentem

visa dedisse sonum est adapertaque ianua factum

740

P. Ovidius Naso Metamorphoses 14

ed. Hugo Magnus

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