VIII. 724.] They are transformed to Trees. Vota fides sequitur: templi tutela fuere, donec vita data est. Annis aevoque soluti, ante gradus sacros cum starent forte, locique inciperent casus, frondere Philemona Baucis, Baucida conspexit senior frondere Philemon. jamque super geminos crescente cacumine vultus mutua, dum licuit, reddebant dicta, Vale que O conjunx dixere simul, simul abdita texit ora frutex. Ostendit adhuc Thineïus illic incola de gemino vicinos corpore truncos. 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 XIII. THE DEATH OF HERCULES. [Book IX. — 134–272.] [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 Meleager, 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). ONGA fuit medii mora temporis, actaque magni Herculis implerant terras, odiumque novercae. victor ab Oechalia Cenaeo sacra parabat vota Jovi, cum fama loquax praecessit ad aures, Deïanira, tuas, quae veris addere falsa gaudet, et e minimo sua per mendacia crescit, Amphitryoniaden Iöles ardore teneri. Credit amans, venerisque novae perterrita fama indulsit primo lacrimis, flendoque dolorem 140 diffudit miseranda suum. Mox deinde, Quid autem IX. 176.] The Poisoned Shirt of Nessus. 93 flemus?' ait: 'pellex lacrimis laetabitur istis. quae quoniam adveniet, properandum, aliquidque novandum est, 145 dum licet, et nondum thalamos tenet altera nostros. conquerar, an sileam? repetam Calydona, morerne? excedam tectis? an, si nihil amplius, obstem? quid si me, Meleagre, tuam memor esse sororem forte paro facinus, quantumque injuria possit femineusque dolor, jugulata pellice testor?' Incursus animus varios habet: omnibus illis praetulit imbutam Nesseo sanguine vestem mittere, quae vires defecto reddat amori. ignaroque Lichae, quid tradat nescia, luctus ipsa suos tradit, blandisque miserrima verbis, dona det illa viro, mandat. Capit inscius heros, induiturque humeris Lernaeae virus echidnae. Tura dabat primis et verba precantia flammis, vinaque marmoreas patera fundebat in aras: incaluit vis illa mali, resolutaque flammis Herculeos abiit late diffusa per artus. dum potuit, solita gemitum virtute repressit; 150 155 160 165 170 ipse cruor, gelido ceu quondam lamina candens tincta lacu, stridit, coquiturque ardente veneno. Nec modus est: sorbent avidae praecordia flammae, caeruleusque fluit toto de corpore sudor, ambustique sonant nervi, caecaque medullis tabe liquefactis tendens ad sidera palmas, 'Cladibus' exclamat, Saturnia, pascere nostris : 175 pascere, et hanc pestem specta, crudelis, ab alto, corque ferum satia. Vel si miserandus et hosti hoc aestu tibi sum, diris cruciatibus aegram invisamque animam natamque laboribus aufer. 180 mors mihi munus erit: decet haec dare dona novercam. ergo ego foedantem peregrino templa cruore Busirin domui? saevoque alimenta parentis Antaeo eripui? nec me pastoris Hiberi 190 195 forma triplex, nec forma triplex tua, Cerbere, movit? vosne, manus, validi pressistis cornua tauri? vestrum opus Elis habet, vestrum Stymphalides undae, Partheniumque nemus? vestra virtute relatus Thermodontiaco caelatus balteus auro, pomaque ab insomni concustodita dracone? nec mihi Centauri potuere resistere, nec mi Arcadiae vastator aper? nec profuit hydrae crescere per damnum, geminasque resumere vires? quid, cum Thracis equos humano sanguine pingues plenaque corporibus laceris praesepia vidi, visaque dejeci, dominumque ipsosque peremi? his elisa jacet moles Nemeaea lacertis ; hac caelum cervice tuli. Defessa jubendo est saeva Jovis conjunx: ego sum indefessus agendo. sed nova pestis adest, cui nec virtute resisti, nec telis armisque potest. Pulmonibus errat ignis edax imis, perque omnes pascitur artus. at valet Eurystheus! Et sunt, qui credere possint esse deos?' Dixit, perque altum saucius Oeten haud aliter graditur, quam si venabula taurus corpore fixa gerat, factique refugerit auctor. saepe illum gemitus edentem, saepe frementem, saepe retemptantem totas refringere vestes, sternentemque trabes, irascentemque videres montibus, aut patrio tendentem bracchia caelo. 200 205 210 IX. 243.] The Funeral Pile. Ecce Lichan trepidum latitantem rupe cavata aspicit; utque dolor rabiem collegerat omnem, Tune, Licha,' dixit feralia dona dedisti? 95 215 220 tune meae necis auctor eris?' Tremit ille, pavetque pallidus, et timide verba excusantia dicit. dicentem genibusque manus adhibere parantem corripit Alcides, et terque quaterque rotatum mittit in Euboïcas tormento fortius undas. ille per aërias pendens induruit auras ; utque ferunt imbres gelidis concrescere ventis, inde nives fieri, nivibus quoque molle rotatis astringi, et spissa glomerari grandine corpus : sic illum validis actum per inane lacertis exsanguemque metu nec quicquam humoris habentem, in rigidos versum silices prior edidit aetas. nunc quoque in Euboïco scopulus brevis emicat alto gurgite, et humanae servat vestigia formae, quem, quasi sensurum, nautae calcare verentur, appellantque Lichan. At tu, Jovis inclita proles, arboribus caesis, quas ardua gesserat Oete, 225 230 inque pyram structis, arcum pharetramque capacem regnaque visuras iterum Trojana sagittas ferre jubes Poeante satum, quo flamma ministro subdita; dumque avidis comprenditur ignibus agger, congeriem silvae Nemeaeo vellere summam sternis, et imposita clavae cervice recumbis, haud alio vultu, quam si conviva jaceres inter plena meri redimitus pocula sertis. Jamque valens et in omne latus diffusa sonabat, securosque artus contemptoremque petebat flamma suum. Timuere dei pro vindice terrae : quos ita, sensit enim, laeto Saturnius ore Juppiter adloquitur: Nostra est timor iste voluptas, 235 240 |