XII. PHILEMON AND BAUCIS. [Book VIII.-622-724] [HERCULES, returning from the Calydonian Hunt, is entertained with his friends by the river-god Achelous, who recounts the fate of certain nymphs, turned into rocks and islands. These prodigies are mocked by Pirithous, son of Ixion, who is among them. To silence his cavil, Lelex relates the following tale (589-619).] Jupiter and Mercury, journeying once in Phrygia, were refused hospitality by all the inhabitants of a certain place, except two pious rustics, Philemon and his wife Baucis, who provide such entertainment as they are able (620-688). While the inhospitable town was drowned in a marsh, the poor hut of Philemon became a temple, of which he and his wife were made attendants; until in a good old age they were both transformed to trees, he to an oak and she to a linden (689-724). ILIAE contermina quercus TILIAE collibus est Phrygiis, modico circumdata muro. haud procul huic stagnum est, tellus habitabilis olim, nunc celebres mergis fulićisque palustribus undae. 625 Juppiter huc specie mortali, 'cumque parente venit Atlantiades, positis caducifer alis. mille domos adiere, locum requiemque petentes : 630 635 VIII. 676.] Their Humble Hospitality. quo superinjecit textum rude sedula Baucis, 89 640 645 650 655 665 Accubuere dei. Mensam succincta tremensque 660 ponit anus: mensae, sed erat pes tertius impar: testá parem fecit. Quae postquam subdita clivum sustulit, aequatam mentae tersefe virentes) ponitur hic bicolor sinéerae baca Minervae; (conditaque in liquida corna autumnalia faece intibaque, et radix, et lactis massa coacti, ovaque non acri leviter versata favilla, omnia fictilibus. Post haec caelatus eodem sistitur argento crater, fabricataque fago pocula, qua cava sunt, flaventibus illita ceris. Parva mora est, epulasque foci' miseré calentes, nec longae rursus referuntur vina senectae, dantque locum mensis paulum seducta secundis. hic nux, hic mixta est rugosis carica palmis, prunaque, et in patulis redolentia mala canistris, et de purpureis collectae vitibus uvae. 670 675 candidus in medio favus est. Super omnia vultus • Di' que sumus, meritasque lueť vicinia poenas 680 685 690 Tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta 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 poscimus; et quoniam concordes egimus annos, auferat hora duos eadem, nec conjugis umquam busta meae videam, neu sim tumulandus ab illa.' 700 710 VIII. 724. They are transformed to Trees. Vota fides sequitur: templi tutela fuere, Dustunthy haec mihi non vani,- neque erat cur fallere vellent narravere senes: equidem pendentia vidi serta super ramos; ponensque recentia, dixi: Cura pii dis sunt, et qui coluere coluntur. 91 715 720 [ACHELOUS, continuing the discourse, tells of the transformations of Proteus; and of Metra, daughter of Eresichthon, 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 Mcleager, that horn had been wrested off, and, being filled by the Naiads with autumn fruits, became the horn of Plenty (IX. I-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 victor ab Oechalia Cenaeo sacra parabat gaudet, et e minimo sua per mendacia crescit, Credit amans, venerisque novae perterrita fama indulsit primo lacrimis, flendoque dolorem 6 140 diffudit miseranda suum. Mox deinde, Quid autem |