VII. 280.]

The Magic Cauldron.

aeneaque invergens tepidi carchesia lactis, verba simul fudit, terrenaque numina civit, umbrarumque rogat rapta cum conjuge regem, ne properent artus anima fraudare senili.

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Quos ubi placavit, precibusque et murmure longo, Aesonis effoetum proferri corpus ad auras

jussit, et in plenos resolutum carmine somnos, exanimi similem stratis porrexit in herbis.

hinc procul Aesoniden, procul hinc jubet ire ministros,
et monet arcanis oculos removere profanos.
diffugiunt jussi; passis Medea capillis,
bacchantum ritu, flagrantes circuit aras:
multifidasque faces in fossa sanguinis atra

tinguit, et intinctas geminis accendit in aris;
terque senem flamma, ter aqua, ter sulfure lustrat.
Interea validum posito medicamen aëno
fervet, et exsultat spumisque tumentibus albet.
illic Haemonia radices valle resectas
seminaque floresque et sucos incoquit acres.
adicit extremo lapides Oriente petitos,
et quas Oceani refluum mare lavit arenas.
addit et exceptas luna pernocte pruinas,
et strigis infames ipsis cum carnibus alas,
inque virum soliti vultus mutare ferinos
ambigui prosecta lupi; nec defuit illic

squamea Cinyphii tenuis membrana chelydri,
vivacisque jecur cervi, quibus insuper addit
ora caputque novem cornicis saecula passae.
His et mille aliis postquam sine nomine rebus
propositum instruxit remorari Tartara munus,
arenti ramo jampridem mitis olivae
omnia confudit, summisque immiscuit ima.
ecce vetus calido versatus stipes aëno

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275

fit viridis primo, nec longo tempore frondes

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induit, et subito gravidis oneratur olivis.

285

at quacumque cavo spumas ejecit aëno ignis, et in terram guttae cecidere calentes, vernat humus, floresque et mollia pabula surgunt. Quae simul ac vidit, stricto Medea recludit ense senis jugulum, veteremque exire cruorem passa, replet sucis. Quos postquam conbibit Aeson, aut ore acceptos aut vulnere, barba comaeque canitie posita nigrum rapuere colorem ; pulsa fugit macies, abeunt pallorque situsque, adjectoque cavae supplentur corpore rugae, membraque luxuriant. Aeson miratur, et olim ante quater denos hunc se reminiscitur annos.

290

[DECEIVING the daughters of Pelias, Jason's enemy, by a similar miracle wrought upon an aged ram, Medea brings about their father's death (VII. 297-349). Escaping by means of winged dragons, and passing over the scene of many transformations, Medea comes to Athens; whence (her attempted poisoning of Theseus being foiled by the recognition of his father Ægeus) she suddenly vanishes (350-424). A feast is celebrated in honor of Theseus' exploits; and hostility ensuing with Minos (Europa's son) of Crete, Cephalus is sent as envoy to Ægina; to whom the aged Æacus relates the marvellous transformation of ants to men (called Myrmidons), after his realm had been ravaged by pestilence (425660). Now Cephalus had received from his wife Procris a hound and a dart that never missed its aim; and, as he delighted greatly in hunting, Procris being jealous watched him from a thicket; and he, taking it for the movement of some wild creature, shot her with that dart which was her own gift (661-865). Minos, making war on Athens to avenge the slaying of his son Androgeos, comes first to Megara; where Scylla, daughter of the king Nisus, out of love for Minos cuts the purple lock on which her father's kingdom and life depend. Disdained by Minos, she is changed to a sea-mew, and Nisus to an osprey (VIII. 1–151).]

Theseus, in his escape from the Cretan labyrinth, had borne away Ariadne, daughter of Minos; who, forsaken by him, is comforted by Bacchus, who sets her coronet among the stars (152-182). Dædalus, builder of the labyrinth, being imprisoned, escapes with his son Icarus by means of wings fastened with wax; but Icarus, soaring too near the sun, and the wax melting, falls into the sea named for him (183-234). His fall is gladly seen by Perdix, once sister's son to Dædalus, and slain by him out of envy, but changed by Minerva to a partridge (235-259).

VOTA Jovi Minos taurorum corpora centum

solvit, ut, egressus ratibus, Curetida terram

contigit, et spoliis decorata est regia fixis.
creverat opprobrium generis, foedumque patebat
matris adulterium monstri novitate biformis.

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destinat hunc Minos thalamis removere pudorem,

multiplicique domo caecisque includere tectis.

Daedalus ingenio fabrae celeberrimus artis

ponit opus, turbatque notas, et lumina flexum
ducit in errorem variarum ambage viarum.
non secus ac liquidus Phrygiis Maendros in arvis
ludit, et ambiguo lapsu refluitque fluitque,
occurrensque sibi venturas aspicit undas,

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et nunc ad fontes, nunc ad mare versus apertum 165 incertas exercet aquas: ita Daedalus implet innumeras errore vias; vixque ipse reverti

ad limen potuit, tanta est fallacia tecti.

Quo postquam geminam tauri juvenisque figuram clausit, et Actaeo bis pastum sanguine monstrum tertia sors annis domuit repetita novenis; (utque ope virginea nullis iterata priorum janua difficilis filo est inventa relecto, protinus Aegides rapta Minoïde Diam vela dedit, comitemque suam crudelis in illo litore destituit. Desertae et multa querenti amplexus et opem Liber túlit, utque perenni sidere clara foret, sumptam de fronte coronam immisit caelo. Tenues volat illa per auras;

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.

dumque volat, gemmae nitidos vertuntur in ignes, 180 consistuntque loco, specie remanente coronae, qui medius Nixique genu est, Anguemque tenentis.. Daedalus interea Creten longumque perosus exsilium, tactusque loci natalis amore,

clausus erat pelago.

Terras licet' inquit et undas

obstruat, at caelum certe patet: ibimus illac.
omnia possideat, non possidet aëra Minos.'
dixit; et ignotas animum dimittit in artes,
naturamque novat: nam ponit in ordine pennas,
a minima coeptas, longam breviore sequenti,

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VIII. 224.] His Warning to Icarus.

ut clivo crevisse putes. Sic rustica quondam
fistula disparibus paulatim surgit avenis.
tum lino medias et ceris adligat imas,
atque ita compositas parvo curvamine flectit,
ut veras imitetur aves. Puer Icarus una
stabat, et, ignarus sua se tractare pericla,
ore renidenti modo quas vaga moverat aura,
captabat plumas, flavam modo pollice ceram
mollibat, lusuque suo mirabile patris

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195

impediebat opus. Postquam manus ultima coeptis 200 imposita est, geminas opifex libravit in alas

ipse suum corpus, motaque pependit in aura.

6

Instruit et natum, 'Medio' que ut limite curras,

Icare,' ait moneo, ne, si demissior ibis,

unda gravet pennas, si celsior, ignis adurat:
inter utrumque vola. Nec te spectare Boöten
aut Helicen jubeo, strictumque Orionis ensem:
me duce carpe viam.' Pariter praecepta volandi
tradit, et ignotas humeris adcommodat alas:
inter opus monitusque genae maduere seniles,
et patriae tremuere manus. Dedit oscula nato
non iterum repetenda suo; pennisque levatus
ante volat, comitique timet, velut ales, ab alto
quae teneram prolem produxit in aëra nido;
hortaturque sequi, damnosasque erudit artes,
et movet ipse suas et nati respicit alas.

Hos aliquis tremula dum captat arundine pisces,

aut pastor baculo, stivave innixus arator,
vidit, et obstupuit, quique aethera carpere possent,
credidit esse deos. Et jam Junonia laeva
parte Samos fuerat, Delosque Parosque relictae,
dextra Lebinthos erat, fecundaque melle Calymne,
cum puer audaci coepit gaudere volatu,
deseruitque ducem, caelique cupidine tractus

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