Et scelerata fero consumite viscera morsu, O quicumque sub hac habitatis rupe, leones. 115 Sed timidi est optare necem❞— velamina Thisbes Tollit, et ad pactae secum fert arboris umbram. Utque dedit notae lacrimas, dedit oscula vesti, 66 'Accipe nunc" inquit "nostri quoque sanguinis haustus!" Quoque erat accinctus, demisit in ilia ferrum, 120 Nec mora, fervénti moriens e vulnere traxit. Ut iacuit resupinus humo, cruor emicat alte: Non aliter, quam cum vitiato fistula plumbo Scinditur, et tenui stridente foramine longas Eiaculatur aquas atque ictibus aëra rumpit. 125 Arborei fetus aspergine caedis in atram Vertuntur faciem. Madefactaque sanguine radix. Puniceo tinguit pendentia mora colore. Ecce metu nondum posito, ne fallat amantem, Illa redit, iuvenemque oculis animoque requirit, 130 Quantaque vitarit narrare pericula gestit. Utque locum et visa cognoscit in arbore formam, Sic facit incertam pomi color. Haeret, an haec sit. Dum dubitat, tremebunda videt pulsare cruentum Membra solum, retroque pedem tulit, oraque buxo 135 Pallidiora gerens exhorruit aequoris instar, Quod tremit, exigua cum summum stringitur aura. Sed postquam remorata suos cognovit amores, Percutit indignos claro plangore lacertos, Et laniata comas amplexaque corpus amatum 140 Vulnera supplevit lacrimis fletumque cruori Miscuit, et gelidis in vultibus oscula figens "Pyrame," clamavit "quis te mihi casus ademit? Pyrame, responde: tua te carissima Thisbe Nominat. Exaudi, vultusque attolle iacentes!" 145 Ad nomen Thisbes oculos iam morte gravatos Quae postquam vestemque suam cognovit, et ense 150 Hoc manus, est et amor: dabit hic in vulnera vires. [The second sister tells of the sun god's passion for Leucothoë. Her father, hearing of this amour through the information of her jealous rival, Clytie, buries Leucothoë alive. Apollo, unable to save his mistress, causes to spring from her grave a beautiful incense-bearing tree; while Clytie, scorned by the god, is changed into a heliotrope, which ever turns its face towards the sun (167-270). Alcithoë herself tells the next tale of how the maid Salmacis and the youth Hermaphroditus were changed by the gods into one body (271-388). But while the sisters thus beguile the time, the presence and power of Bacchus are manifested in that their threads are suddenly changed to ivy and vines, and they themselves become bats and seek the darkest caves (389-415). The power of Bacchus is now fully acknowledged in Thebes. But the boastful pride of his foster mother, Ino, once more arouses Juno's hate (416-431). In quest of vengeance she proceeds to the lower world to fetch one of the Furies for the destruction of Ino's house.] Est via declivis funesta nubila taxo, Ducit ad infernas per muta silentia sedes. Styx nebulas exhalat iners, umbraeque recentes 435 Descendunt illac simulacraque functa sepulcris. Pallor hiemsque tenent late loca senta. Novique Qua sit iter, manes, Stygiam qua ducat ad urbem, Ignorant, ubi sit nigri fera regia Ditis. Mille capax aditus et apertas undique portas Tantum odiis iraeque dabat, Saturnia Iuno. Viscera praebebat Tityos lanianda, novemque Iugeribus distentus erat. Tibi, Tantale, nullae Deprenduntur aquae; quaeque imminet, effugit arbos. 460 Aut petis, aut urgues ruiturum, Sisyphe, saxum. Volvitur Ixion et se sequiturque fugitque. |