dam plangebat pectore matrem, t Thebae: poteras jam, Cadme, videri Soceri tibi Marsque Venusque huc adde genus de conjuge tanta, sque, et pignora cara, nepotes: 125 130 am juvenes. Sed scilicet ultima semper lies homini, dicique beatus nemo supremaque funera debet. V. PYRAMUS AND THISBE. [Book IV. - 55–166.] [OF the family of Cadmus, Acteon, having beheld she was bathing with her nymphs, was changed by her in and torn in pieces by his own hounds (III. 138-252). became the mother of Bacchus, but was destroyed by the of Jupiter, whom she desired to see clothed with flames an (253-315). Tiresias, the Theban seer, is made blind, but with prophecy (316-338). The nymph Echo, pining wit Narcissus, becomes a rock, her voice alone surviving (3 while Narcissus, gazing on his image in a fountain, peris by the water-nymphs is converted to a flower (402-510) theus, having denied the god Bacchus, and forbidden hi nities, and caused him to be seized, is torn in pieces by Ba his mother and sisters aiding: Bacchus meanwhile (in the Acætes) relates the miracle wrought by himself upon a Ty crew, whose ship's tackle he had converted to serpents, an selves to dolphins (511-733). Three Theban sisters (M likewise refrain from the rites of Bacchus of whom one rel tale of Pyramus and Thisbe (IV. 1–54)]. : These young lovers, dwelling in Babylon, had appo meeting at the tomb of king Ninus (55-92). Thisbe, first, is terrified by a lion and so escapes. Pyramus, soon a finds tracks of the beast and the torn mantle of Thisbe; a ceiving that she is slain, stabs himself with his sword, his reddening the fruit of the mulberry, at whose foot he lies (9) Thisbe, soon returning, finds him dying, and slays herself w sword yet warm (128-166). PYRAMUS et Thisbe, juvenum pulcherrimus altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis, contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem. notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit: tempore crevit amor; taedae quoque jure coïssent sed vetuere patres. Quod non potuere vetare nis abest; nutu signisque loquuntur. ulli per saecula longa notatum entit amor? - primi vidistis, amantes, istis iter; tutaeque per illud landitiae minimo transire solebant. constiterant, hinc Thisbe, Pyramus illinc, s fuerat captatus anhelitus oris, licebant paries, quid amantibus obstas? as est verbis ad amicas transitus aures.' em dixere vale, partique dedere isque suae non pervenientia contra. 65 70 75 80 a nocturnos aurora removerat ignes, ruinosas radiis siccaverat herbas: m coïere locum. Tum murmure parvo ius questi, statuunt ut nocte silenti custodes foribusque excedere temptent, 85 domo exierint, urbis quoque tecta relinquant; errandum lato spatiantibus arvo, ant ad busta Nini, lateantque sub umbra : arbor ibi niveis uberrima pomis morus erat, gelido contermina fonti. a placent; et lux, tarde discedere visa, 90 95 40 Pyramus and Thisbe. audacem faciebat amor. Venit ecce recenti caede leaena boum spumantes oblita rictus, Serius egressus, vestigia vidit in alto pulvere certa ferae, totoque expalluit ore [METAM. Pyramus. Ut vero vestem quoque sanguine tinctam repperit, Una duos' inquit 'nox perdet amantes : e quibus illa fuit longa dignissima vita, nostra nocens anima est: ego te, miseranda, peremi, in loca plena metus qui jussi nocte venires, nec prior huc veni. Nostrum divellite corpus, et scelerata fero consumite viscera morsu, O quicumque sub hac habitatis rupe, leones. 100 105 sed timidi est optare necem.'-Velamina Thisbes 115 tollit, et ad pactae secum fert arboris umbram. utque dedit notae lacrimas, dedit oscula vesti, 'Accipe nunc' inquit 'nostri quoque sanguinis haustus !` quoque erat accinctus, demisit in ilia ferrum; nec mora, ferventi moriens e vulnere traxit. Ut jacuit resupinus humo, cruor emicat alte : non aliter, quam cum vitiato fistula plumbo. scinditur, et tenui stridente foramine longas ejaculatur aquas, atque ictibus aëra rumpit. arborei fetus aspergine caedis in atram vertuntur faciem, madefactaque sanguine radix puniceo tinguit pendentia mora colore. Ecce metu nondum posito, ne fallat amantem, illa redit, juvenemque oculis animoque requirit, 120 125 IV. 163.] Death of both the Lovers. quantaque vitarit narrare pericula gestit. 6 6 Pyrame!' clamavit quis te mihi casus ademit? Pyrame, responde: tua te carissima Thisbe nominat: exaudi, vultusque attolle jacentes!' Ad nomen Thisbes oculos jam morte gravatos Pyramus erexit, visaque recondidit illa ; quae postquam vestemque suam cognovit, et ense vidit ebur vacuum, Tua te manus' inquit amorque perdidit, infelix. Est et mihi fortis in unum 6 hoc manus, est et amor; dabit hic in vulnera vires. 4I 130 135 140 145 155 160 |