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occupat aversum, neu saeva retorqueat ora,
squamigeris avidos figit cervicibus ungues:
sic celer immisso praeceps per inane volatu
terga ferae pressit, dextroque frementis in armo
Inachides ferrum curvo tenus abdidit hamo.
vulnere laesa gravi, modo se sublimis in auras
attollit, modo subdit aquis, modo more ferocis
versat apri, quem turba canum circumsona terret.
ille avidos morsus velocibus effugit alis;

720

730

quaque patent, nunc terga cavis super obsita conchis, nunc laterum costas, nunc qua tenuissima cauda desinit in piscem, falcato verberat ense. belua puniceo mixtos cum sanguine fluctus ore vomit: maduere graves aspergine pennae. Nec bibulis ultra Perseus talaribus ausus credere, conspexit scopulum, qui vertice summo stantibus exstat aquis, operitur ab aequore moto. nixus eo, rupisque tenens juga prima, sinistra ter quater exegit repetita per ilia ferrum. litora cum plausu clamor superasque deorum implevere domos. Gaudent, generumque salutant, auxiliumque domus servatoremque fatentur Cassiope Cepheusque pater. Resoluta catenis incedit virgo, pretiumque et causa laboris.

Ipse manus hausta victrices abluit unda : anguiferumque caput dura ne laedat arena, mollit humum foliis, natasque sub aequore virgas sternit, et imponit Phorcynidos ora Medusae. virga recens bibulaque etiamnum viva medulla vim rapuit monstri, tactuque induruit hujus, percepitque novum ramis et fronde rigorem. at pelagi nymphae factum mirabile temptant pluribus in virgis, et idem contingere gaudent, seminaque ex illis iterant jactata per undas.

735

740

745

IV. 784.]

The Marriage Festival.

nunc quoque curaliis eadem natura remansit,
duritiam tacto capiant ut ab aëre, quodque
vimen in aequore erat, fiat super aequora saxum.
Dis tribus ille focos totidem de cespite ponit,
laevum Mercurio, dextrum tibi, bellica Virgo;
ara Jovis media est: mactatur vacca Minervae,
alipedi vitulus, taurus tibi, summe deorum.
protinus Andromedan et tanti praemia facti
indotata rapit. Taedas Hymenaeus Amorque
praecutiunt; largis satiantur odoribus ignes,
sertaque dependent tectis, et ubique lyraeque
tibiaque et cantus, animi felicia laeti

argumenta, sonant. Reseratis aurea valvis
atria tota patent, pulchroque instructa paratu
Cepheni proceres ineunt convivia regis.

47

750

755

760

Postquam epulis functi generosi munere Bacchi 765 diffudere animos, cultusque genusque locorum

quaerit Lyncides, moresque animumque virorum ; qui simul edocuit, Nunc, O fortissime,' dixit

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fare precor, Perseu, quanta virtute, quibusque artibus abstuleris crinita draconibus ora.' narrat Agenorides gelido sub Atlante jacentem esse locum solidae tutum munimine molis, cujus in introitu geminas habitasse sorores Phorcidas, unius partitas luminis usum : id se sollerti furtim, dum traditur, astu subposita cepisse manu; perque abdita longe deviaque et silvis horrentia saxa fragosis Gorgoneas tetigisse domos; passimque per agros perque vias vidisse hominum simulacra ferarumque in silicem ex ipsis visa conversa Medusa : se tamen horrendae clipei, quod laeva gerebat, aere repercusso, formam aspexisse Medusae ;

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775

dumque gravis somnus colubrasque ipsamque tenebat,

eripuisse caput collo; pennisque fugacem
Pegason et fratrem, matris de sanguine natos.
addidit et longi non falsa pericula cursus:
quae freta, quas terras sub se vidisset ab alto,
et quae jactatis tetigisset sidera pennis.
ante exspectatum tacuit tamen. Excipit unus

Clarissima forma

ex numero procerum, quaerens, cur sola sororum
gesserit alternis inmixtos crinibus angues.
Hospes ait, Quoniam scitaris digna relatu,
accipe quaesiti causam.
multorumque fuit spes invidiosa procorum
illa; nec in tota conspectior ulla capillis
pars fuit. Inveni, qui se vidisse referret.
hanc pelagi rector templo vitiasse Minervae
dicitur. Aversa est et castos aegide vultus
nata Jovis texit; neve hoc impune fuisset,
Gorgoneum crinem turpes mutavit in hydros.
nunc quoque, ut attonitos formidine terreat hostes,
pectore in adverso quos fecit, sustinet angues.'

785

790

795

800

V.j

The Wandering of Cercs.

49

VII. THE WANDERING OF CERES.

[Book V.-341-661.]

[AT the marriage feast of Perseus and Andromeda, her uncle Phineus, to whom she had been betrothed, out of jealousy caused a quarrel among the guests; and a violent quarrel arising thence, with bloodshed on both sides, Perseus, by showing the Gorgon's head, suddenly turned into stone Phineus himself, with two hundred of his companions (V. 1–235). And by the same means, after his return to Argos, his enemies Prœtus and Polydectes were likewise converted into stone (236-249). Minerva (who had attended Perseus thus far), coming to Helicon and inquiring of the Muses, is told the following: that having taken refuge from a tempest with Pyreneus of Daulia, in Phocis, and he offering them violence, they were changed to birds; and he, attempting flight after them, was dashed in pieces (250-293). The Pierides, daughters of king Pierus, of Macedonia, having challenged them to a trial of skill, begin with the tale of the giant sons of Earth, who attempted to scale Olympus; the terror of the gods before Typhoeus, and the various shapes they assumed in their flight; to which the Muses respond by relating the Wandering of Ceres in her search for her daughter Proserpine (294-340).]

When the monster Typhoeus had been buried beneath Mount Ætna, Pluto, god of the world below, alarmed at the convulsions caused by his agony, came forth to view. Now Venus had been jealous at the virginity of Proserpine, Ceres' daughter; and at her bidding Cupid shot the king of Shadows with his dart. He then, beholding Proserpine, as she sported with her maidens in the vale of Enna, seized her, and bore her away in his chariot, driving his way through the fount of Cyane, who thereon was herself converted into water (341-437). Seeking her daughter in vain, by the light of torches kindled from Etna, Ceres turned into a spotted lizard (stellio) the boy Stelles, who had mocked her eager thirst; and into a horned owl Ascalaphus, who testified to having seen Proserpine in Hades eat seven pomegranate-seeds, whereby she was compelled to remain in her new abode. Meanwhile, the virgin-companions of Proserpine became winged Sirens. And, by favor of Jupiter, Proserpine was permitted to pass half the year with her mother, and half with her wedded lord (438–567).

Ceres, comforted that her daughter is thus partially estored to her, asks of the nymph Arethusa of her flight and transformation; who relates that, being pursued by the river-god Alpheus, in Elis of Greece, Diana, whose attendant nymph she was, provided for her escape by a passage beneath the sea, whereby she came to the isle of Ortygia, sacred to Diana, on the coast of Sicily (569–641).

Ceres then, proceeding to Athens, gave her chariot to Triptolemus, that he might instruct mankind in the sowing and gathering of corn; and Lyncus, seeking to kill him out of envy, is converted to a lynx (642–661).

[So ends the tale sung by the Muses. And the Pierides, being adjudged defeated in their rivalry, are transformed to chattering magpies (662-678)]

PRIMA Ceres unco glebam dimovit aratro,

prima dedit fruges alimentaque mitia terris, prima dedit leges: Cereris sunt omnia munus. illa canenda mihi est. Utinam modo dicere possem carmina digna dea: certe dea carmine digna est. Vasta giganteis ingesta est insula membris. Trinacris, et magnis subjectum molibus urguet aetherias ausum sperare Typhoëa sedes.

nititur ille quidem, pugnatque resurgere saepe ;
dextra sed Ausonio manus est subjecta Peloro,
laeva, Pachyne, tibi; Lilybaeo crura premuntur;
degravat Aetna caput, sub qua resupinus arenas
ejectat, flammamque fero vomit ore Typhoëus.
saepe remoliri luctatur pondera terrae,
oppidaque et magnos devolvere corpore montes.
inde tremit tellus; et rex pavet ipse silentum,
ne pateat, latoque solum retegatur hiatu,
immissusque dies trepidantes terreat umbras.

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Hanc metuens cladem, tenebrosa sede tyrannus

exierat, curruque atrorum vectus equorum

363

ambibat Siculae cautus fundamina terrae.

postquam exploratum satis est, loca nulla labare,

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