5 EPISTVLARVM HEROIDVM LIBER 13 LAODAMIA PROTESILAO Mittit et optat amans, quo mittitur, ire salutem Aulide te fama est vento retinente morari: HEROIDES, 13. For the Heroides cf. Intr. § 39; Prop. 4, 3, Intr. For the story of Laodamia cf. Cat. 68, 73, n; Hom. Il. 2, 698-702; Lucian, Dial. Mort. 23. The tradition that Protesilaus, allowed to return to earth to visit his wife, found her embracing his image, is here utilized by Ovid in another form (vv. 151-158). 1-2 Loving greetings! 3-10: Why did you sail, against unwilling winds? 11-28: I said, "Goodbye," watched you out of sight, and swooned away; why did I not die? 29-42: Since then I mourn; 43-64: Paris, Menelaos, ye gods, spare my husband! How I dread those Trojan places and men! 65-92 : Be careful! you have no need to risk your life; and the omens were unpropitious on your departure; 93-106: And that dreadful oracle! see that you don't fulfill it! but hurry back to comfort me. 107122: Why in my visions are you sad? When shall I see you in very truth, and embrace you as I listen to the story of your deeds? 123-136: Troy! gloomy thought! why should the Greeks hurry thither for such a cause? 137-150: How I envy the women of Troy and their happy husbands, who can cheer each other before and after battle! 151-158: I can only comfort myself with your image. 159-164: I will follow you in life or death. 165-166: Again I say, be careful!' 2. Haemonis = Thessala; cf. Prop. 2, 10, 2. 6. saevis i.e. esse saevis ('forbidding'). 7. dedissem: sc. si freta obsti tissent. 10 15 20 25 30 et sunt quae volui dicere multa tibi. quem cuperent nautae, non ego, ventus erat. solvor ab amplexu, Protesilae, tuo, linguaque mandantis verba inperfecta reliquit : incubuit Boreas abreptaque vela tetendit, at postquam nec te, nec vela fugacia vidi, et quod spectarem, nil nisi pontus erat, vix socer Iphiclus, vix me grandaevus Acastus, ut, quas pampinea tetigisse Bicorniger hasta, 13. mandantis: sc. mei (mea). 16. erat = aberat. 23. obortis: sc. mihi oculis). meis 25. Iphiclus king of Phylace; cf. v. 28. indignor: I feel abused.' 29. rediit it is in compounds of eo in Ovid that the long quantity is often found. 30. Cf. Prop. 4, 3, 49. 33. quas: the Bacchantes. pampinea. Bicorniger hasta: the thyrsus; cf. Am. 3, 15, 17. 35 40 45 50 creditur, huc illuc, qua furor egit, eo. conveniunt matres Phylaceides et mihi clamant 'indue regales, Laodamia, sinus!' scilicet ipsa geram saturatas murice lanas, bella sub Iliacis moenibus ille gerat? ipsa comas pectar, galea caput ille prematur : aut illi vellem displicuisse tuam. tu, qui pro rapta nimium, Menelae, laboras, 13. 37-40 are mostly lost from P. 37. lanas o vestes vulg. 38. gerat vulg. geret Gw. 40. ferat vulg. feret GV. 35. Phylaceides: Laodamia is naturally in her husband's home at Phylace. 37. scilicet: ironical. 38. ille Protesilaus; cf. Prop. 1, 8, 28, n. on illa. 41. qua = quoquo modo 43. Dyspari: 'Paris, ill-omened son of Priam'; cf. Hom. I. 3, 39; Δύσπαρι εἶδος ἄριστε, γυναιμανές ἠπεροπευτά. 41. qua vulg. quo w. 55 60 65 70 75 nec rapere ausurus, nisi se defendere posset, quique suo Phrygias corpore ferret opes, suspicor haec Danais posse nocere puto. hunc ubi vitaris, alios vitare memento et multos illic Hectoras esse puta si cadere Argolico fas est sub milite Troiam, 80 85 90 95 100 parcite, Dardanidae, de tot, precor, hostibus uni, saevaque in oppositos pectora ferre viros; nunc fateor volui revocare, animusque ferebat; cum foribus velles ad Troiam exire paternis, ut vidi, ingemui tacitoque in pectore dixi: 'signa reversuri sint, precor, ista viri!' haec tibi nunc refero, ne sis animosus in armis: iamque fatigatas ultima verset aquas! hoc quoque praemoneo: de nave novissimus exi! 81. est sc. Protesilaus. 86. Laodamia hesitated to speak, for fear she might add some ill-omened word. 88. Cf. Tib. 1, 3, 19-20. 90. Laodamia tried to interpret the omen as favorable. 93. sors: an oracular response.' The word is used loosely, as if one sort of divination was essentially the same as another. 97. mille: 1186 in Homer; cf. Prop. 2, 26, 38, n. 104. dolor almost the same as cura, i.e. a cause for worry. — venises. |