20 25 Paete, quid aetatem numeras? quid cara natanti omnia detrito vincula fune cadunt. sunt Agamemnonias testantia litora curas, reddite corpus humo: posita est in gurgite vita: 22. quae FV qua NLD. notat O natat F2 nota w. Argynni V2 Agynni N Arginni L Argivum DV Argium F Argynnus Waardenburg Argynnum Otto. poena minantis aquae O praeda morantis Thompson praeda minantis Enk Athamantiadae Hertzberg Mimantis aquae Ellis. "royal plural"; cf. 4, 9, 34: pandite defessis hospita fana viris (of Hercules), and Verg. Aen. 7. 98: externi venient generi (of Aeneas). 17. aetatem numeras: 'plead thy youth' (C. S.). 18. non . . . deos: i.e. Aquilo and Neptunus, just addressed, must be mere myths; the world is too much out of joint to accept theism. Cf. Ennius, Telamo, fr. 1, (Ribbeck): nam si curent, bene bonis sit, male malis, quod nunc abest. But cf. vv. 57 and 62. 19. nam proof of the foregoing assertion; the poet thinks it incredible that real gods should violate the helpless trustfulness of pious men. ad saxa ligata: cf. But 1, 20, 20 has scopulis adplicuisse ratem. 4. I, IIO. 20. detrito . . . fune: i.e. an essential part of the vincula was worn away by the storm during the night. 21. sunt: emphatic. — testantia: that can call to witness,' i.e. can witness to the treachery of water, as expressed in v. 18. curas: 'grief.' 22. 'Which gained notoriety through the penalty that Argynnus paid to the threatening waters.' The penalty was for the same misplaced confidence that Paetus had in the waters. The circumstances were different, for Argynnus, the youth beloved of Agamemnon, was drowned in the Cephisus River. Agamemnon was said to have founded there a temple in memory of the beautiful youth. Argynni: obj. gen. aquae subj. gen. 24. Cf. 4, I, III-112. 25. reddite: Propertius is addressing the waves, but does not 30 35 Paetum sponte tua, vilis arena, tegas: et quotiens Paeti transibit nauta sepulcrum, dicat et audaci tu timor esse potes.' ite, rates curvas et leti texite causas : ista per humanas mors venit acta manus. terra parum fuerat fatis: adiecimus undas, fortunae miseras auximus arte vias. ancora te teneat, quem non tenuere penates? quid meritum dicas, cui sua terra parumst? ventorum est quodcumque paras: haut ulla carina consenuit, fallit portus et ipse fidem. natura insidians pontum substravit avaris : 29. curvas Passerat curvae 0. feel it necessary to specify them to the reader; cf. 2, 11, 1, n. 26. vilis: the poet does not hesitate to address the sand by this bitter expression of his feelings, because he does not think it necessary to conciliate, but assumes the service asked as due. 28. timor: cf. v. 13. 29. ite... texite: here the address is to the fatuous children of men. Cf. 3, 18, 17. For the rapid change of persons cf. Tib. I, 7, 55, n. -et: cf. 1, 8, 36, n. leti. causas: i.e. rates. - 31. Cf. Sen. Q. N. 5, 18, 8: parum videlicet ad mortes nostras terra late patet; Hor. Car. 1, 3, 21-26; Tib. 1, 3, 50. 32. fortunae: evil fortune, in this case. She has been biased to their harm by human folly (C. S.). The expression is only a variation on mortis . . iter (v. 2) and fatis (v. 31). 33. te: the singular is used merely to individualize the address. The poet is still speaking to the foolish men who venture upon the sea. 34. sua terra: cf. Ovid, Am. 2, 11, 30: et felix' dicas, quem sua terra tenet!" 35. haut ulla carina: not so much of a hyperbole then as it would be now. But commentators recall the yacht of Catullus; and even Propertius himself draws the picture he here refuses to recognize in 2, 25, 7: putris et in vacua requiescit navis arena. 36. Cf. 2, 25, 23: an quisquam in mediis persolvit vota procellis, cum saepe in portu fracta carina natet. 40 45 ut tibi succedat, vix semel esse potest. in mare cui soliti non valuere doli. pauper, at in terra, nil ubi flere potest. 42. soliti o soli O solum w. 46. flere O flare Jacob. hunc DVL hoc F. 47. hic o haec N 50 55 sed Chio thalamo aut Oricia terebintho et fultum pluma versicolore caput. et miser invisam traxit hiatus aquam; flens tamen extremis dedit haec mandata querellis, 49. Chio O Thyio Santen Thyiae Itali. 49. A positive verb to correspond with the negative non tulit must be supplied, in the Propertian manner; the editors suggest amabat. Cf. 1, 2, 30, n. -- Chio terebintho: in a chamber finished in marble from Chios or turpentine-wood from Oricum; cf. "I dreamt I dwelt in marble halls." Propertius is again reckless of his syntax, and we can speculate as to whether Oricia terebintho is thought of as expressing material, quality, or place. Note the hiatus before the caesura; cf. Intr. § 43. 50. pluma versicolore: i.e. a feather pillow with a brightcolored cover. 51. huic from so delicate a youth as this! '— vivo: to enhance the horror of the contrast, the poet imagines that instead of losing his nails from the disintegrating effect 60 65 70 attulimus longas in freta vestra manus. vos decuit lasso supponere bracchia mento: non poterat vestras ille gravare manus. at tu, saeve Aquilo, numquam mea vela videbis : 60. longas O sanctas Waardenburg. 61. adfligar NFL affligor DV affigar w. 63. evehat O advehat w. 60. longas: a mark of beauty and gentility; cf. 2, 2, 5: fulva coma est longaeque manus; Cat. 43, 3 longis digitis. 61. alcyonum: i.e. the cliffs about which they fly. Cf. 1, 17, 2, n. 62. caeruleo... deo: Neptune; cf. Ovid, Trist. 1, 2, 59: viridesque dei, quibus aequora curae. 63. evehat: 'yield me up.' Cf. Ovid, Her. 18, 197: optabo tamen ut partis expellar in illas et teneant portus naufraga membra tuos. 64. hoc de me my corpse; cf. 3, 12, 13: neve aliquid de te flendum referatur; Verg. Aen. 9, 491: hoc mihi de te, nate, refers? hoc sum terraque marique secuta?. 68. tacta V2 tracta O fracta Heinsius. sat: i.e. all that can be expected under the circumstances, and as such affording satisfaction to his mother.matris erit: i.e. shall come into her hands. 67. centum: the orthodox number was fifty; cf. Hygin. Fab., where the names are given. But there are some variations; cf. Ovid, Fast. 6, 499: Panope centumque sorores; Plato, Critias, 116 E. 68. materno ... dolore: i.e. for Achilles. 69. lasso... mento: cf. Ovid, Ex P. 2, 3, 39: mitius est lasso digitum supponere mento. 72. iners: even though it involve a life of inactivity (C. S.). Cf. Tib. 1, 1, 58. |