Accipe nunc," inquit, "nostri quoque sanguinis haustus!" Quoque erat accinctus, demisit in ilia ferrum. Ecce metu nondum posito, ne fallat amantem, Illa redit, juvenemque oculis animoque requirit, 95 Quantaque vitarit narrare pericula gestit; 120 125 130 Utque locum et visam cognoscit in arbore formam— Sic facit incertam pomi color-hæret, an hæc sit. Dum dubitat, tremebunda videt pulsare cruentum Membra solum, retroque pedem tulit, oraque buxo 100 Pallidiora gerens, exhorruit æquoris instar, 135 Quod tremit, exigua cum summum stringitur aura. Sed postquam remorata suos cognovit amores; Percutit indignos claro plangore lacertos, Et, laniata comas, amplexaque corpus amatum, 105 Vulnera supplevit lacrimis, fletumque cruori Miscuit, et gelidis in vultibus oscula figens "Pyrame," clamavit, 140 quis te mihi casus ademit? Pyrame, responde: tua te carissima Thisbe Nominat! Exaudi, vultusque attolle jacentes!" 110 Ad nomen Thisbes oculos jam morte gravatos 145 Pyramus erexit, visaque recondidit illa. Quæ postquam vestemque suam cognovit, et ense Vidit ebur vacuum; "Tua te manus," inquit, 66 66 amorque Perdidit, infelix. Est et mihi fortis in unum 115 Hoc manus; est et amor; dabit hic in vulnera vires. Persequar exstinctum, letique miserrima dicar 150 155 Ut, quos certus amor, quos hora novissima junxit, 160 At tu, quæ ramis arbor miserabile corpus Nunc tegis unius, mox es tectura duorum, 125 Signa tene cædis, pullosque et luctibus aptos Semper habe fetus, gemini monumenta cruoris." Dixit, et aptato pectus mucrone sub imum Incubuit ferro, quod adhuc a cæde tepebat. Vota tamen tetigere deos, tetigere parentes : 130 Nam color in pomo est, ubi permaturuit, ater; 165 Quodque rogis superest, una requiescit in urna. 389 Finis erat dictis; et adhuc Minyeïa proles Urget opus, spernitque deum festumque profanat ; Tympana cum subito non apparentia raucis 135 Obstrepuere sonis, et adunco tibia cornu Tinnulaque æra sonant. Redolent myrrhæque crocique; Resque fide major, cœpere virescere telæ, Inque hederæ faciem pendens frondescere vestis. 395 Pars abit in vites, et, quæ modo fila fuerunt, 140 Palmite mutantur; de stamine pampinus exit; Purpura fulgorem pictis accommodat uvis. Jamque dies exactus erat, tempusque subibat, Quod tu nec tenebras nec possis dicere lucem, 400 Sed cum luce tamen dubiæ confinia noctis. 145 Tecta repente quati, pinguesque ardere videntur Lampades, et rutilis collucere ignibus ædes, Falsaque sævarum simulacra ululare ferarum. Fumida jamdudum latitant per tecta sorores, Diversæque locis ignes ac lumina vitant; 150 Dumque petunt tenebras, parvos membrana per artus Porrigitur, tenuesque includunt brachia pennæ. 405 Nec, qua perdiderint veterem ratione figuram, 155 Conatæque loqui, minimam pro corpore vocem XX. INO AND ATHAMAS. (IV. 416-542.) After Pentheus had been torn to pieces by his own mother, (s. XIX.), and the Minyans changed into bats (s. XX.); then ('tum,' v. 1) the divinity of Bacchus was acknowledged at Thebes and throughout the whole country of Boeotia. Ino, the sister of Semělê, the mother of Bacchus (whence she is styled 'matertera novi dei,' v. 2) loudly praised the might of the god, who himself in his tender childhood had been entrusted to her care (thence alumnus,' v. 6). She alone with her consort Athămas continued in undisturbed happiness, while all her sisters,-Semělê (XVII.), Autonoe (XVI.), and Agavê (XIX.),—had been struck by the hard blows of fate. Juno, however, who hated Bacchus, with his mother Semělê (the paramour of Jupiter), and her whole house, was bent on destroying the happiness of Ino also. To effect this, she goes down to the under-world, where dwell the three terrible sisters ('sorores nocte genitæ,' v. 37), the punishment-inflicting Erinnyes, and demands of them the destruction of all the descendants of Cadmus. Tisiphonê, one of the sisters, is instantly ready to fulfil her wish. In terrific form she approaches the house of Athămas, and excites in him and his consort Ino a destructive frenzy. While he mistakes his son Learchus, and savagely dashes him against a rock, Ino, with her other son, Melicertes, plunges from the rock into the sea. Neptune, however, on the entreaty of Venus, takes pity on her, and changes both mother and son into beneficent sea-deities, whose delight it is to aid seamen in distress on the sea. These two deities, Leucothea and Palemon, were worshipt in Boeotia in old time before the introduction of navigation into that country. Cadmus, who came by sea from Phoenicia, had probably introduced their worship, and hence is explained the myth, that these patron deities of seamen were descended from the family of Cadmus. 416 Tum vero totis Bacchi memorabile Thebis Numen erat, magnasque novi matertera vires Narrat ubique dei, de totque sororibus expers Una doloris erat, nisi quem fecere sorores. 5 Adspicit hanc, natis thalamoque Athamantis haben tem Sublimes animos et alumni numine, Juno, 420 425 430 10 Et triplices operire novis Mynieïdas alis : Mille capax aditus et apertas undique portas 25 Urbs habet; utque fretum de tota flumina terra: 440 Sic omnes animas locus accipit ille, nec ulli Exiguus populo est turbamve accedere sentit. Errant exsangues sine corpore et ossibus umbræ, Parsque forum celebrant, pars imi tecta tyranni, 30 Pars alias artes, antiquæ imitamina vitæ, Illa Sorores [Exercent, aliam partem sua pœna coercet.] Sustinet ire illuc cœlesti sede relictaTantum odiis iræque dabat-Saturnia Juno. Quo simul intravit, sacroque a corpore pressum 35 Ingemuit limen; tria Cerberus extulit ora, Et tres latratus simul edidit. Nocte vocat genitas, grave et implacabile numen. Carceris ante fores clausas adamante sedebant, Deque suis atros pectebant crinibus angues. 40 Quam simul agnorunt inter caliginis umbras, Surrexere deæ. Sedes Scelerata vocatur : 445 450 455 460 Viscera præbebat Tityos lanianda, novemque Jugeribus distractus erat; tibi, Tantale, nullæ Deprenduntur aquæ, quæque imminet, effugit arbos; 45 Aut petis aut urges ruiturum, Sisyphe, saxum ; Volvitur Ixion, et se sequiturque fugitque; Molirique suis letum patruelibus ausæ, Assiduæ repetunt, quas perdant, Belides undas. Quos omnes acie postquam Saturnia torva 50 Vidit, et ante omnes Ixiona; rursus ab illo 465 Sisyphon adspiciens, "Cur hic e fratribus," inquit, Perpetuas patitur pœnas; Athamanta superbum Regia dives habet, qui me cum conjuge semper Sprevit?" et exponit causas odiique viæque, 55 Quidque velit. Quod vellet, erat, ne regia Cadmi 470 Staret, et in facinus traherent Athamanta Sorores. Imperium, promissa, preces confundit in unum, Sollicitatque deas. Sic hæc Junone locuta, Tisiphone canos, ut erat turbata, capillos 475 60 Movit, et obstantes rejecit ab ore colubras, Atque ita, "Non longis opus est ambagibus:" in quit, "Facta puta quæcumque jubes; inamabile regnum Desere, teque refer cœli melioris ad auras.' 480 485 Læta redit Juno; quam cœlum intrare parantem 65 Roratis lustravit aquis Thaumantias Iris. Nec mora, Tisiphone madefactam sanguine sumit Importuna facem, fluidoque cruore rubentem Induitur pallam, tortoque incingitur angue, Egrediturque domo. Luctus comitatur euntem, 70 Et Pavor et Terror trepidoque Insania vultu. Limine constiterat: postes tremuisse feruntur Æolii, pallorque fores infecit acernas, Solque locum fugit. Monstris exterrita conjux, Territus est Athamas, tectoque exire parabant. 75 Obstitit infelix aditumque obsedit Erinnys, Nexaque vipereis distendens brachia nodis, Cæsariem excussit: motæ sonuere colubræ, Parsque jacent humeris, pars circum tempora lapsæ Sibila dant, saniemque vomunt, linguasque corus cant, 490 495 80 Inde duos mediis abrumpit crinibus angues, Pestiferaque manu raptos immisit; at illi Inoosque sinus Athamanteosque pererrant, Inspirantque graves animas, nec vulnera membris Ulla ferunt mens est, quæ diros sentiat ictus. 85 Attulerat secum liquidi quoque monstra veneni, 500 Oris Cerberei spumas et virus Echidnæ Erroresque vagos cæcæque oblivia mentis Et scelus et lacrimas rabiemque et cædis amorem, |