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Tam subitæ matrem certam fecere ruinæ,

Mirantem potuisse, irascentemque quod ausi

Hoc essent Superi, quod tantum juris haberent. 270 125 Nam pater Amphion ferro per pectus adacto Finierat moriens pariter cum luce dolorem.

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Heu, quantum hæc Niobe Niobe distabat ab illa, Quæ modo Latoïs populum submoverat aris, Et mediam tulerat gressus resupina per urbem, 275 130 Invidiosa suis! At nunc miseranda vel hosti Corporibus gelidis incumbit, et ordine nullo Oscula dispensat natos suprema per omnes. A quibus ad cœlum liventia brachia tendens, "Pascere, crudelis, nostro, Latona, dolore, 135 [Pascere," ait, "satiaque meo tua pectora luctu,] Corque ferum satia!" dixit: Per funera septem Efferor exsulta, victrixque inimica triumpha! Cur autem victrix? Miseræ mihi plura supersunt, Quam tibi felici: post tot quoque funera vinco." 285 Dixerat; et sonuit contento nervus ab arcu, Qui præter Nioben unam conterruit omnes; Illa malo est audax. Stabant cum vestibus atris Ante toros fratrum demisso crine sorores. E quibus una, trahens hærentia viscere tela, 145 Imposito fratri moribunda relanguit ore.

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Altera, solari miseram conata parentem, Conticuit subito, duplicataque vulnere cæco est, Oraque non pressit, sibi postquam spiritus exit. Hæc frustra fugiens collabitur; illa sorori 150 Immoritur; latet hæc; illam trepidare videres. Sexque datis leto diversaque vulnera passis, Ultima restabat; quam toto corpore mater, Tota veste tegens, "Unam minimamque relinque ! De multis minimam posco," clamavit, "et unam.' 300 Dumque rogat, pro qua rogat, occidit. Orba resedit

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Exanimes inter natos natasque virumque,

Diriguitque malis: nullos movet aura capillos, In vultu color est sine sanguine, lumina mæstis Stant immota genis, nihil est in imagine vivum; 305 160 Ipsa quoque interius cum duro lingua palato Congelat, et venæ desistunt posse moveri;

Nec flecti cervix, nec brachia reddere gestus, Nec pes ire potest; intra quoque viscera saxum est. Flet tamen, et validi circumdata turbine venti 310 165 In patriam rapta est: ubi fixa cacumine montis Liquitur, et lacrimas etiam nunc marmora manant.

XXVI. THE FROGS.

(VI. 313-381.)

After the severe punishment of Niŏbê (s. XXV.), all with greater reverence acknowledged the divinity of Latōna. The sad fate of Niobê reminded people of earlier events, and a person on one occasion related how once on a time inhospitable countryfolks in Lycia had been changed into frogs. The tale was this :— As Latōna persecuted by Juno (regia conjux, v. 20) came to Lycia, with her new-born twins, Apollo and Diana, and, tormented by thirst, was about to drink at a little lake) lacum mediocris aqua) in a valley of Lycia, the inhospitable country-people attempted to hinder her, and met with severe chastisement.

Tum vero cuncti manifestam numinis iram Femina virque timent, cultuque impensius omnes Magna gemelliparæ venerantur numina divæ ; 315 Utque fit, a facto propiore priora renarrant. 5 E quibus unus ait: "Lyciæ quoque fertilis agris Non impune deam veteres sprevere coloni. Res obscura quidem est ignobilitate virorum; Mira tamen. Vidi præsens stagnumque locumque Prodigio notum. Nam me jam grandior ævo

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10 Impatiensque viæ genitor deducere lectos
Jusserat inde boves, gentisque illius eunti
Ipse ducem dederat; cum quo dum pascua lustro,
Ecce lacu medio sacrorum nigra favilla
Ara vetus stabat, tremulis circumdata cannis.
15 Restitit et pavido, "Faveas mihi!" murmure dixit
Dux meus, et simili, "Faveas!" ego murmure dixi.
Naïadum Faunine foret, tamen, ara, rogabam,
Indigenæve dei; cum talia retulit hospes :

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Non hac, o juvenis, montanum numen in ara est;

20 Illa suam vocat hanc, cui quondam regia conjux Orbem interdixit, quam vix erratica Delos

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Orantem accepit tunc, cum levis insula nabat. Illic incumbens cum Palladis arbore palmæ Edidit invita geminos Latona noverca. 25 Hinc quoque Junonem fugisse puerpera fertur, Inque suo portasse sinu duo numina, natos. Jamque Chimæriferæ cum sol gravis ureret arva Finibus in Lyciæ; longo dea fessa labore Sidereo siccata sitim collegit ab æstu, Uberaque ebiberant avidi lactantia nati. 30 Forte lacum mediocris aquæ prospexit in imis Vallibus; agrestes illic fruticosa legebant Vimina cum juncis gratamque paludibus ulvam. 345 Accessit positoque genu Titania terram

35 Pressit, ut hauriret gelidos potura liquores; Rustica turba vetat. Dea sic affata vetantes: "Quid prohibetis aquis? Usus communis aqua

rum:

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Nec solem proprium Natura nec aera fecit Nec tenues undas; ad publica munera veni. 40 Quæ tamen ut detis, supplex peto. Non ego nostros Abluere hic artus lassataque membra parabam, Sed relevare sitim: caret os humore loquentis, Et fauces arent, vixque est via vocis in illis. Haustus aquæ mihi nectar erit, vitamque fatebor 45 Accepisse simul; vitam dederitis in undis.

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Hi quoque vos moveant, qui nostro brachia tendunt
Parva sinu."- et casu tendebant brachia nati.

Quem non blanda deæ potuissent verba movere ? Hi tamen orantem perstant prohibere, minasque, 361 50 Ni procul abscedat, conviciaque insuper addunt; Nec satis est ipsos etiam pedibusque manuque Turbavere lacus, imoque e gurgite mollem Huc illuc limum saltu movere maligno. Distulit ira sitim: neque enim jam filia Coi 55 Supplicat indignis nec dicere sustinet ultra Verba minora dea, tollensque ad sidera palmas "Eternum stagno," dixit, "vivatis in isto!"

Eveniunt optata deæ: juvat esse sub undis,
Et modo tota cava submergere membra palude,
60 Nunc proferre caput, summo modo gurgite nare,
Sæpe super ripam stagni consistere, sæpe

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In gelidos resilire lacus. Sed nunc quoque turpes
Litibus exercent linguas, pulsoque pudore,

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Quamvis sint sub aqua, sub aqua maledicere tentant. 65 Vox quoque jam rauca est, inflataque colla tumescunt, Ipsaque dilatant patulos convicia rictus;

Terga caput tangunt; colla intercepta videntur;
Spina viret; venter, pars maxima corporis, albet; 380
Limosoque novæ saliunt in gurgite ranæ.

XXVII. MARSYAS.

(VI. 383-400.)

Minerva, having invented the flute, threw it away, because playing on it disfigured her countenance, and drew upon her the ridicule of the ather goddesses. The flute thus cast away by Minerva (arundinem Tritonicam,' v. 2) was found by the Satyr, Marsyas, who, devoting himself to flute-playing, became a proficient in the art, and even taught the renowned performer, Olympus. His success rendered him so conceited, that he even ventured to challenge Apollo, the inventor and skilful master of the lyre. In this contest Marsyas played so excellently, that his adversary gained the victory only by accompanying the lyre with song, which it was impossible for Marsyas to unite with his fluteplaying. On being thus overcome, he underwent the cruel punishment of having his skin stripped by Apollo from his whole body (whence the words of Marsyas, 'quid me mihi detrahis?' v. 3). In after-ages there was still shown in the Phrygian town Celænæ, in Asia Minor, the grotto in which the contest took place, and which contains the source of the river Marsyas, so named from the occurrence. This river, which soon becomes united with the Mæander, arose, says Ovid, from the tears which the Nymphs, Fauns, and Satyrs, shed for Marsyas. Among the Romans there stood in the market-places of the free towns (municipia) a statue of Marsyas, as an emblem of the severe doom which awaited debtors according to the stern provisions of the Roman municipal law. Marsyas is regarded as having been a companion of Bacchus and Cybělê, and the Myth appears to signify that the worship of Bacchus and Cybělê which previously prevailed in Asia, and was attended with the notes of the flute and enthusiastic excesses, was obliged to give way to the worship of Apollo, which tended to calm and refine the feelings.

Exitio infelix Satyrus periit miserando,
Quem Tritoniaca Latous arundine victum
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pœna. Quid me mihi detrahis?" inquit. 385

"Ah piget! Ah non est," clamabat, "tibia tanti!" 5 Clamanti cutis est summos direpta per artus; Nec quicquam nisi vulnus erat: cruor undique manat, Detectique patent nervi, trepidæque sine ulla Pelle micant venæ; salientia viscera posses Et perlucentes numerare in pectore fibras.

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Illum ruricolæ silvarum numina, Fauni Et Satyri fratres, et tunc quoque clarus Olympus, Et Nymphæ flerunt, et quisquis montibus illis Lanigerosque greges armentaque bucera pavit. Fertilis immaduit madefactaque terra caducas 15 Concepit lacrimas, ac venis perbibit imis: Quas ubi fecit aquam, vacuas emisit in auras. Inde petens rapidum ripis declivibus æquor, Marsya nomen habet Phrygiæ liquidissimus amnis.

XXVIII. PROCNE AND PHILOMÊLA.

(VI. 423-674.)

Procné is changed into a swallow, Philomela into a nightingale, and Têreus into a hoopoo.-Pandion, king of Athens, having received aid from Têreus, king of Thrace, when the Boeotians (according to Ovid "hordes of barbarians," barbara agmina, v. 1) were keeping him in constant alarm, rewarded his services by giving him his daughter Procnê in marriage. The nuptials were concluded under unfavorable omens, and Procnê left her old home for the land of the savage Thracians, where she bore her husband a son, the unfortunate Itys. After she had resided there five years, she prevailed upon her husband to repair again to Athens, and bring back with him her sister Philomêla. But the wild Thracian no sooner beheld the beautiful damsel, than he conceived for her the most violent passion; and on his landing in Thrace, conveyed her, not to his palace, but to a remote hut, where he dishonoured her person, and then, stung by her reproaches, cut out her tongue, and left her in strict confinement. His tale to Procnê was, that her sister was dead; but Philomêla contrived to communicate to her sister the tale of her wrongs by weaving a description of them with purple threads on a white ground. Procnê, burning with the desire of revenge, effected the release of her sister on the great triennial festival of Bacchus, which was celebrated by women in the open air. On returning with her to the palace, she slew her own son in a fit of bacchanalian frenzy, and served him up to his father to be eaten; and, upon his asking for his son in the course of the meal, threw down before him the head of the

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