sic aquilam penna fugiunt trepidante columbae, non ego sum pastor, non hic armenta gregesque fugit cumque ipso verba imperfecta reliquit, et levis impulsos retro dabat aura capillos; 510 515 520 525 auctaque forma fuga est. Sed enim non sustinet ultra 530 perdere blanditias juvenis deus, utque movebat ipse amor, admisso sequitur vestigia passu. ut canis in vacuo leporem cum Gallicus arvo vidit, et hic praedam pedibus petit, ille salutem; alter inhaesuro similis jam jamque tenere sperat, et extento stringit vestigia rostro; alter in ambiguo est, an sit comprensus, et ipsis morsibus eripitur tangentiaque ora relinquit : 535 sic deus et virgo, est hic spe celer, illa timore. 540 'Fer pater' inquit 'opem! Tellus,' ait, 'hisce, vel istam, 545 quae facit, ut laedar, mutando perde figuram!' Vix prece finita, torpor gravis occupat artus, mollia cinguntur tenui praecordia libro, in frondem crines, in ramos bracchia crescunt: hanc quoque Phoebus amat, positaque in stipite dextra cui deus At quoniam conjunx mea non potes esse, 547 550 555 560 565 III. THE ADVENTURE OF PHAËTHON. [lo, daughter of the river-god Inachus, beloved by Jupiter, is changed into a heifer by him, to escape the jealousy of Juno; but is put by her in charge of Argus of the hundred eyes, who being soothed to sleep by Mercury—who sings the story of Syrinx converted to a water-reed to avoid the pursuit of Pan—is slain by him, and his hundred eyes are set in the peacock's tail. Io, fleeing to Egypt, becomes the goddess Isis, and the mother of Epaphus ;. who denies against Phaethon his boast to be son of the Sun-god, as avouched by his mother Clymene (I. 568-779).] The palace of the Sun described (II. 1-18). Phoebus, the god of Day, receives Phaethon with affection, and owns him as his son, promising by oath to give him whatever boon he should desire (19-46). Phaëthon demands the charge of the chariot and horses of the Sun for a single day, persisting in spite of his father's warning and appeal (47-102). He mounts, and attempts the celestial way: dread forms of the Zodiac: the steeds dash wildly from the path (103-205). Terror and devastation caused by the fiery chariot : blasting of mountains and rivers, and alarm of Neptune himself; Earth appeals to Jupiter, who blasts Phaethon with a thunderbolt (206-324). His sisters are converted to poplars, and their tears to amber (325-366); while his kinsman Cygnus, bewailing the calamity, becomes a Swan (367-380). The Sun, in grief and wrath, hides his head from the earth; but, entreated by the gods and commanded by Jupiter, collects again his scattered steeds, to resume their wonted course (381-400). REGIA Solis erat sublimibus alta columnis, clara micante auro flammasque imitante pyropo, cujus ebur nitidum fastigia summa tegebat; argenti bifores radiabant lumine valvae. materiam superabat opus; nam Mulciber illic aequora caelarat medias cingentia terras, terrarumque orbem, caelumque, quod imminet orbi. caeruleos habet unda deos, Tritona canorum, Proteaque ambiguum, balaenarumque prementem 5 Aegaeona suis immania terga lacertis, ΙΟ 15 20 25 30 35 Inde loco medius, rerum novitate paventem Sol oculis juvenem, quibus aspicit omnia, vidit : 'Quae' que 'viae tibi causa ? quid hac' ait 'arce petisti, progenies, Phaethon, haud infitianda parenti?' ille refert: O lux inmensi publica mundi, Phoebe pater, si das hujus mihi nominis usum, nec falsa Clymene culpam sub imagine celat : pignora da, genitor, per quae tua vera propago credar, et hunc animis errorem detrahe nostris.' Dixerat. At genitor circum caput omne micantes 40 deposuit radios, propiusque accedere jussit, amplexuque dato, 'Nec tu meus esse negari dignus es, et Clymene veros' ait 'edidit ortus. Vix bene desierat, currus rogat ille paternos, inque diem alipedum jus et moderamen equorum. paenituit jurasse patrem : qui terque quaterque concutiens illustre caput, 'Temeraria' dixit vox mea facta tua est ; utinam promissa liceret non agat hos currus: et quid Jove majus habemus? 45 50 55 60 65 70 impetus, et rapido contrarius evehor orbi. Finge datos currus: quid ages? poterisne rotatis obvius ire polis, ne te citus auferat axis? 75 |