membra senex posito jussit relevare sedili, Accubuere dei. Mensam succincta tremensque Parva mora est, epulasque foci misere calentes, nec longae rursus referuntur vina senectae, dantque locum mensis paulum seducta secundis. hic nux, hic mixta est rugosis carica palmis, 640 645 650 655 660 665 670 prunaque, et in patulis redolentia mala canistris, Super omnia vultus accessere boni, nec iners pauperque voluntas. Unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae, 675 680 685 690 Tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta 695 missa potest: flexere oculos, et mersa palude cetera prospiciunt, tantum sua tecta manere. dumque ea mirantur, dum deflent fata suorum, illa vetus, dominis etiam casa parva duobus vertitur in templum; furcas subiere columnae ; stramina flavescunt, aurataque tecta videntur, caelataeque fores, adopertaque marmore tellus. Talia tum placido Saturnius edidit ore : 'Dicite, juste senex, et femina conjuge justo digna, quid optetis.' Cum Baucide pauca locutus, judicium superis aperit commune Philemon : 'Esse sacerdotes, delubraque vestra tueri 700 705 poscimus; et quoniam concordes egimus annos, 710 715 720 XX. THE DEATH OF HERCULES. [BOOK IX. — 134–272.] [ACHELOUS, Continuing the discourse, tells of the transformations of Proteus; and of Mestra, daughter of Erysichthon, who (receiving this power from Neptune) long, by cheats and wiles, sustained her father cursed with extreme rage of hunger for the violation of a grove of Ceres (VIII. 725-884). And as Theseus inquires the cause of his broken horn, Achelous replies that contending once with Hercules for the possession of Dejanira, sister of Meleager, that horn had been wrested off, and, being filled by the Naiads with autumn fruits, became the horn of Plenty (IX. 1-100). In defence of the same Dejanira, Hercules had once slain the centaur Nessus; who, dying, gave her a tunic stained with his blood, mixed with venom of the Lernæan hydra, which (he said) would recall her husband's love if ever it should wander or cool (101-133).] Afterward, Hercules being about to wed Iole, daughter of Eurytus, Dejanira sent to him this tunic as a marriage gift. But when it took heat from the altar flames as he was about to sacrifice, Hercules, being in extreme torment, and unable to tear it off, cast into the sea the bearer of the gift, Lichas, who was converted into a rock, retaining his human form (134-227). Then Hercules, building a great funeral pile upon Mount Eta of Thessaly, burned himself thereon; and his mortal parts being purged away, was received into the company of the gods (228-272). LONGA fuit medii mora temporis, actaque magni Herculis implerant terras odiumque novercae. victor ab Oechalia Cenaeo sacra parabat vota Jovi, cum fama loquax praecessit ad aures, Deïanira, tuas, quae veris addere falsa gaudet, et e minimo sua per mendacia crescit, Amphitryoniaden Iöles ardore teneri. Credit amans, venerisque novae perterrita fama 135 140 diffudit miseranda suum. Mox deinde, 'Quid autem indulsit primo lacrimis, flendoque dolorem flemus?' ait: 'pellex lacrimis laetabitur istis. quae quoniam adveniet, properandum, aliquidque novan dum est, dum licet, et nondum thalamos tenet altera nostros. Incursus animus varios habet: omnibus illis Tura dabat primis et verba precantia flammis, vinaque marmoreas patera fundebat in aras: incaluit vis illa mali, resolutaque flammis Herculeos abiit late diffusa per artus. dum potuit, solita gemitum virtute repressit ; Nec modus est: sorbent avidae praecordia flammae, caeruleusque fluit toto de corpore sudor, 145 150 155 160 165 170 |