XXI. THE WISDOM OF KING NUMA. [Book XV. - 1-487.] [ÆNEAS had passed, on the coast of Italy, the isle of the Cercopes, turned by Jupiter into apes (XIV. 75-100), and coming to Cumæ, finds the Sibyl Amalthea, daughter of Scylla, who relates that, being loved by Apollo, he had granted her wish to live so many years as the grains of sand in her hand (101-153). Arriving at Cajetas, he meets Macareus, an old companion of Ulysses, who relates the adventure of the Cyclops and the enchantments of Circe, at whose palace they had remained a full year (154–312). During this time, Circe tells of Picus, son of Saturn, whom, not returning her love, she had converted to a woodpecker, and his companions to various beasts, while his wife Canens wasted into air (313-440). In the wars which followed Æneas' arrival in Latium, Diomed refuses aid to Turnus, but his companions, desiring to grant it, are changed to white hinds (441-511). Various transformations follow: of the shepherd Apulus to a wild olive ; of Æneas' ships to water-nymphs; of the ashes of the city Ardea to a heron; and at length of Æneas himself to one of the gods Indigetes; of Tiberinus to a river; of Vertumnus to sundry shapes, with the tales by which he at length won the love of Pomona ; lastly of Romulus, who at his death became the god Quirinus, and his wife Hersilia the goddess Ora (512-851).] Guided by an ancient sage, Numa seeks wisdom among the Greeks of Southern Italy; [whereby violating the Sabine law, he is accused, but acquitted, the black lots being changed by miracle to white in the urn (XV. 1–59)]. At Croton Pythagoras, exiled from Samos, instructs him in the doctrine of metempsychosis, and the law which forbids all shedding of blood. This was unknown in the golden age, but began with the slaughter of animals for food (75-142). Pythagoras recalling his own former existence as Euphorbas (slain by Menelaus before Troy)—teaches that all life incessantly passes from one to another form; all things are in flux and change the heavenly bodies, the seasons types of human life, the elements with their transmutations, the vast changes on the face of the earth (237-277). [These changes detailed: waters that disappear, or overflow regions once dry; islands formed from mainland, and plains uplifted into hills; springs alternately - XV. 71.] Doctrine of Pythagoras. 137 hot and cold, or strangely affecting those who drink of them; Delos and the Symplegades; Ætna, which did not always flame. Earth herself lives and breathes, and suffers all these changes; life springs from decay, and shows strange metamorphoses, as of worms to butterflies, tadpoles to frogs, and shapeless cubs to bears; fable of the Phoenix, hyæna, and chameleon, and the growth of coral; States change and pass away, Sparta, Mycenæ, Thebes, — while new Rome is rising from ancient Troy (278-453) ] The lesson of mercy is reinforced; and, fortified with this doctrine, Numa rules peacefully the state of Rome until his death (454-457). [Egeria, grieving at his loss, listens to the tale of Hippolytus, son of Theseus (banished by the false accusations of Phædra, and dashed to pieces on the shores of Corinth), but changed to the Italian Virbius, and is changed by Diana to a fountain (488-551). Tale of the Etruscan Tages, who sprang from a clod; and of Cipus, on whose brow grew horns, and who refused the sovereignty of his city portended thereby (532-621).] DESTINAT imperio clarum praenuntia veri Fama Numam. Non ille satis cognosse Sabinae gentis habet ritus: animo majora capaci 5 60 65 70 et quodcumque latet; primusque animalia mensis Parcite, mortales, dapibus temerare nefandis 75 80 suggerit, atque epulas sine caede et sanguine praebet. carne ferae sedant jejunia, nec tamen omnes : quippe equus et pecudes armentaque gramine vivunt ; at quibus ingenium est inmansuetumque ferumque, 85 Armeniaeque tigres iracundique leones, cumque lupis ursi, dapibus cum sanguine gaudent. Heu quantum scelus est in viscera viscera condi, congestoque avidum pinguescere corpore corpus, alteriusque animantem animantis vivere leto! Scilicet in tantis opibus, quas optima matrum Terra parit, nil te nisi tristia mandere saevo vulnera dente juvat, rictusque referre Cyclopum? nec, nisi perdideris alium, placare voracis et male morati poteris jejunia ventris? · At vetus illa aetas, cui fecimus aurea nomen, fetibus arboreis et quas humus educat herbis fortunata fuit, nec polluit ora cruore. tunc et aves tutae movere per aëra pennas, nec sua credulitas piscem suspenderat hamo; 90 95 100 corporeasque dapes avidam demersit in alvum, 105 XV. 139.] The Guilt and Cruelty of Bloodshed. 139 fecit iter sceleri. Primaque e caede ferarum sed quam danda neci, tam non epulanda fuerunt. quid meruistis, oves, placidum pecus, inque tuendos 110 115 quid meruere boves, animal sine fraude dolisque, 120 innocuum, simplex, natum tolerare labores? immemor est demum, nec frugum munere dignus, qui potuit curvi dempto modo pondere aratri ruricolam mactare suum, qui trita labore illa, quibus totiens durum renovaverat arvum, condiderat messes, percussit colla securi. 125 130 Nec satis est, quod tale nefas committitur: ipsos inscripsere deos sceleri, numenque supernum caede laboriferi credunt gaudere juvenci. victima labe carens et praestantissima forma nam placuisse nocet — vittis praesignis et auro sistitur ante aras, auditque ignara precantem, imponique suae videt inter cornua fronti quas coluit, fruges, percussaque sanguine cultros inficit in liquida praevisos forsitan unda. protinus ereptas viventi pectore fibras inspiciunt, mentesque deum scrutantur in illis. unde fames homini vetitorum tanta ciborum est? audetis vesci, genus O mortale? quod (oro) 137 ne facite, et monitis animos advertite nostris : cumque boum dabitis caesorum membra palato, mandere vos vestros scite et sentite colonos. 140 145 Et, quoniam deus ora movet, sequar ora moventem rite deum, Delphosque meos ipsumque recludam aethera et augustae reserabo oracula mentis. magna, nec ingeniis evestigata priorum, quaeque diu latuere, canam. Juvat ire per alta astra; juvat terris et inerti sede relicta nube vehi, validique humeris insistere Atlantis ; palantesque homines passim ac rationis egentes despectare procul, trepidosque obitumque timentes sic exhortari, seriemque evolvere fati. "O genus attonitum gelidae formidine mortis ! quid Styga, quid tenebras et nomina vana timetis, materiem vatum, falsique pericula mundi? corpora sive rogus flamma, seu tabe vetustas abstulerit, mala posse pati non ulla putetis. morte carent animae, semperque, priore relicta sede, novis domibus vivunt habitantque receptae. ipse ego nam memini — Trojani tempore belli Panthoïdes Euphorbus eram, cui pectore quondam haesit in adverso gravis hasta minoris Atridae. cognovi clipeum, laevae gestamina nostrae, nuper Abanteïs templo Junonis in Argis. 150 155 160 • Omnia mutantur: nihil interit. Errat, et illinc 165 huc venit, hinc illuc, et quoslibet occupat artus spiritus, eque feris humana in corpora transit, inque feras noster, nec tempore deperit ullo. utque novis facilis signatur cera figuris, nec manet ut fuerat, nec formas servat easdem, 170 sed tamen ipsa eadem est, animam sic semper eandem esse, sed in varias doceo migrare figuras. ergo nec pietas sit victa cupidine ventris — |