IV. 163-] Death of both the Lovers. quantaque vitarit narrare pericula gestit. 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 hoc manus, est et amor; dabit hic in vulnera vires. 41 130 135 140 145 155 160 vota tamen tetigere deos, tetigere parentes : nam color in pomo est, ubi permaturuit, ater; quodque rogis superest, una requiescit in urna. 165 VI. PERSEUS AND ANDROMEDA. [Book IV.-615-803.] [A second sister tells of Leucothoë, an eastern princess, beloved by the sun-god, who is by him changed after her burial into the herb frankincense; and of Clytie, who, pining with hopeless love of the same divinity, becomes a sun-flower (IV. 167-270). The third sister, Leuconoë, tells the fable of the fountain-nymph Salmacis, to whose waters was given the power to unman whosoever might bathe in them (271-388). But the three sisters, who had despised the rites of Bacchus, are themselves converted into bats (389415). Ino also, daughter of Cadmus and nurse of Bacchus, having affronted Juno, is with her husband Athamas maddened by a Fury, despatched from Tartarus; so that, while he slays their eldest son, taking him for a wild beast, Ino casts herself with Melicerta into the sea, becoming the sea divinity Leucothea, and her companions are changed to stones and birds (416-562). Cadmus and his wife Hermione, in great age, having witnessed these sorrows of their house, are at length converted into serpents, consoled only by the glories of their grandson Bacchus (563-614).] Perseus, returning from the slaying of Medusa, is refused hospitality by the Titan Atlas, whom by the Gorgon's head he converts into a mountain (615-662). Flying over Æthiopia, he discovers the princess Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, fastened to a cliff to be devoured by a sea-monster, which he attacks and slays, and so wins Andromeda for his bride (663-739). The marvellous effect of Medusa's head, which changes leaves and twigs to coral; and the tale told at Perseus' wedding feast, of Medusa, daughter of Phorcus, whose golden locks were by the wrath of Minerva changed to serpents. IV. 648.] The Giant Atlas. VIPEREI referens spolium memorabile monstri aëra carpebat tenerum stridentibus alis; cumque super Libycas victor penderet arenas, Gorgonei capitis guttae cecidere cruentae, quas humus exceptas varios animavit in angues: unde frequens illa est infestaque terra colubris. Inde per immensum ventis discordibus actus nunc huc, nunc illuc, exemplo nubis aquosae fertur, et ex alto seductas aethere longe despectat terras, totumque supervolat orbem. ter gelidas Arctos, ter Cancri bracchia vidit : saepe sub occasus, saepe est ablatus in ortus. jamque cadente die, veritus se credere nocti, constitit Hesperio, regnis Atlantis, in orbe; exiguamque petit requiem, dum Lucifer ignes evocet Aurorae, currus Aurora diurnos. Hic hominum cunctos ingenti corpore praestans Iapetionides Atlas fuit. Ultima tellus 43 620 625 630 rege sub hoc et pontus erat, qui Solis anhelis aequora subdit equis, et fessos excipit axes. mille greges illi, totidemque armenta per herbas errabant; et humum vicinia nulla premebant. arboreae frondes auro radiante virentes, 635 ex auro ramos, ex auro poma tegebant. 6 Hospes,' ait Perseus illi, seu gloria tangit te generis magni, generis mihi Juppiter auctor; sive es mirator rerum, mirabere nostras: hospitium requiemque peto.' Memor ille vetustae sortis erat; Themis hanc dederat Parnasia sortem: Tempus, Atla, veniet, tua quo spoliabitur auro arbor, et hunc praedae titulum Jove natus habebit.' id metuens, solidis pomaria clauserat Atlas moenibus, et vasto dederat servanda draconi, arcebatque suis externos finibus omnes. 640 huic quoque Vade procul, ne longe gloria rerum, quam mentiris,' ait longe tibi Juppiter absit; ' vimque minis addit, manibusque expellere temptat cunctantem, et placidis miscentem fortia dictis. Viribus inferior-quis enim par esset Atlanti viribus? At quoniam parvi tibi gratia nostra est, accipe munus,' ait; laevaque a parte Medusae ipse retroversus squalentia prodidit ora... - et omne 650 655 660 665 quantus erat, mons factus Atlas: nam barba comaeque in silvas abeunt, juga sunt humerique manusque ; quod caput ante fuit, summo est in monte cacumen; ossa lapis fiunt. Tum partes auctus in omnes crevit in immensum - sic di statuistis. cum tot sideribus caelum requievit in illo. Clauserat Hippotades aeterno carcere ventos, admonitorque operum caelo clarissimus alto Lucifer ortus erat. Pennis ligat ille resumptis parte ab utraque pedes, teloque accingitur unco, et liquidum motis talaribus aëra findit. gentibus innumeris circumque infraque relictis, Aethiopum populos Cepheaque conspicit arva. illic immeritam maternae pendere linguae Andromedan poenas immitis jusserat Ammon. Quam simul ad duras religatam bracchia cautes vidit Abantiades, nisi quod levis aura capillos moverat, et tepido manabant lumina fletu, marmoreum ratus esset opus et stupet, et visae correptus imagine formae, paene suas quatere est oblitus in aëre pennas. ut stetit, 'O' dixit 'non istis digna catenis, sed quibus inter se cupidi junguntur amantes, pande requirenti nomen terraeque tuumque, et cur vincla geras.' Primo silet illa, nec audet appellare virum virgo; manibusque modestos - - trahit inscius ignes, 670 680 IV. 715.] Approach of the Sea-monster. 45 685 690 celasset vultus, si non religata fuisset. hanc ego si peterem Perseus Jove natus et illa, accipiunt legem-quis enim dubitaret? - et orant, tantum aberat scopulis, quantum Balearica torto 700 705 710 715 |