as would have the means of construing alone supplied, the English renderings of the several Latin words are printed in Italic type; so that what is in this case needed readily meets the eye. For those, however, who regard etymology as an essential much has been done to carry out their wishes. all cases the origin of a word is stated, when known, at the commencement of the article, if connected with another Latin word; at the end of it, if derived from any other source. While further still, the primary or etymological meaning is always given, within inverted commas, in Roman type, and so much also of each word's history as is needful to bring down its chain of meanings to the especial force, or forces, attaching to it in any particular "Text."
OVIDII METAMORPHOSEON LIBRIS
DEUCALION ET PYRRHA.
Redditus orbis erat: quem postquam vidit inanem, Et desolatas agere alta silentia terras,
Deucalion, lacrimis ita Pyrrham affatur obortis;
"O soror, o conjux, o femina sola superstes,
Quam commune mihi genus, et patruelis origo,
Deinde torus junxit, nunc ipsa pericula jungunt;
Terrarum, quascunque vident occasus et ortus,
Nos duo turba sumus; possedit cetera pontus.
Nunc quoque adhuc vitæ non est fiducia nostræ
Certa satis; terrent etiamnum nubila mentem.
Quid tibi, si sine me fatis erepta fuisses,
Nunc animi, miseranda, foret? Quo sola timorem
Ferre modo posses? quo consolante, dolores?
Namque ego, crede mihi, si te modo pontus haberet,
Te sequerer, conjux, et me quoque pontus haberet.
O utinam possem populos reparare paternis 16
Artibus, atque animas formatæ infundere terræ !
Nunc genus in nobis restat mortale duobus,
Sic visum superis, hominumque exempla manemus.”
Dixerat, et flebant. Placuit cœleste precari
Numen, et auxilium per sacras quærere sortes.
Nulla mora est: adeunt pariter Cephisidas undas,
Ut nondum liquidas, sic jam vada nota secantes.
Inde ubi libatos irroravêre liquores
Vestibus et capiti, flectunt vestigia sanctæ
Ad delubra deæ, quorum fastigia turpi
Squalebant musco, stabantque sine ignibus aræ.
Ut templi tetigêre gradus, procumbit uterque
Pronus humi, gelidoque pavens dedit oscula saxo:
Atque ita, "Si precibus," dixerunt, "numina justis
Victa remollescunt, si flectitur ira deorum, 31
Dic, Themi, quã generis damnum reparabile nostri
Arte sit; et mersis fer opem, mitissima, rebus.”
Mota dea est, sortemque dedit; "Discedite templo;
Et velate caput; cinctasque resolvite vestes;
Ossaque post tergum magnæ jactate parentis."
Obstupuêre diu; rumpitque silentia voce
Pyrrha prior; jussisque deæ parere recusat;
Detque sibi veniam, pavido rogat ore; pavetque
Lædere jactatis maternas ossibus umbras.
Interea repetunt cæcis obscura latebris
Verba datæ sortis secum, inter seque volutant.
Inde Promethides placidis Epimethida dictis
Mulcet, et, "Aut fallax," ait, "est sollertia nobis,
Aut pia sunt nullumque nefas oracula suadent. 45
Magna parens terra est; lapides in corpore terræ
Ossa reor dici; jacere hos post terga jubemur."
|