quam commune mihi genus et patruelis origo, deinde torus junxit, nunc ipsa pericula jungunt: terrarum, quascumque vident occasus et ortus, nos duo turba sumus; possedit cetera pontus. haec quoque adhuc vitae non est fiducia nostrae certa satis; terrent etiam nunc nubila mentem. quid tibi, si sine me fatis erepta fuisses, 355 nunc animi, miseranda, foret? quo sola timorem ferre modo posses? quo consolante doleres? 360 namque ego, crede mihi, si te quoque pontus haberet, te sequerer, conjunx, et me quoque pontus haberet. 365 370 sic visum superis; hominumque exempla manemus.' Dixerat, et flebant; placuit caeleste precari numen, et auxilium per sacras quaerere sortes. nulla mora est; adeunt pariter Cephisidas undas, ut nondum liquidas, sic jam vada nota secantes. inde ubi libatos inroravere liquores vestibus et capiti, flectunt vestigia sanctae ad delubra deae, quorum fastigia turpi pallebant musco, stabantque sine ignibus arae. ut templi tetigere gradus, procumbit uterque pronus humi, gelidoque pavens dedit oscula saxo. atque ita: Si precibus' dixerunt numina justis victa remollescunt, si flectitur ira deorum, dic, Themi, qua generis damnum reparabile nostri arte sit, et mersis fer opem, mitissima, rebus.' 375 380 Mota dea est, sortemque dedit: Discedite templo, et velate caput, cinctasque resolvite vestes, ossaque post tergum magnae jactate parentis.' obstupuere diu, rumpitque silentia voce Pyrrha prior, jussisque deae parere recusat, 385 detque sibi veniam, pavido rogat ore, pavetque laedere jactatis maternas ossibus umbras. interea repetunt caecis obscura latebris 6 verba datae sortis secum, inter seque volutant. Conjugis augurio quamquam Titania mota est, spes tamen in dubio est; adeo caelestibus ambo diffidunt monitis: - sed quid temptare nocebit? descendunt, velantque caput, tunicasque recingunt, et jussos lapides sua post vestigia mittunt. saxa 390 395. quis hoc credat, nisi sit pro teste vetustas? — ponere duritiem coepere suumque rigorem, mollirique mora, mollitaque ducere formam. mox, ubi creverunt, naturaque mitior illis contigit, ut quaedam, sic non manifesta, videri forma potest hominis, sed uti de marmore coepto, 405 non exacta satis, rudibusque simillima signis. quae tamen ex illis aliquo pars humida suco et terrena fuit, versa est in corporis usum : quod solidum est flectique nequit, mutatur in ossa; quae modo vena fuit, sub eodem nomine mansit; inque brevi spatio superorum numine saxa missa viri manibus faciem traxere virorum, et de femineo reparata est femina jactu. 410 inde genus durum sumus experiensque laborum, et documenta damus, qua simus origine nati. 415 II. THE ADVENTURE OF PHAETHON. [AMONG the creatures generated from the soil of the earth after the Deluge, had been the serpent Python, slain by Apollo, who thereon instituted the Pythian games: the prize of victory, first the oak-leaf, was afterwards the laurel, sacred to Apollo, being the nymph Daphne, loved by him, and changed to that form to escape his pursuit. Io, daughter of the river-god Inachus, beloved by Jupiter, is changed into a heifer by him, to escape the jealousy of Juno; but is put by her in charge of Argus of the hundred eyes, who being soothed to sleep by Mercury- who sings the story of Syrinx converted to a water-reed to avoid the pursuit of Pan - is slain by him, and his hundred eyes are set in the peacock's tail. Io, fleeing to Egypt, becomes the goddess Isis, and the mother of Epaphus; who denies against Phaëthon his boast to be son of the Sun-god, as avouched by his mother Clymene (I. 416-779).] The palace of the Sun described (II. 1–18). Phœbus, the god of Day, receives Phaëthon with affection, and owns him as his son, promising by oath to give him whatever boon he should desire (19-46). Phaëthon demands the charge of the chariot and horses of the Sun for a single day, persisting in spite of his father's warning and appeal (47-102). He mounts, and attempts the celestial way: dread forms of the Zodiac: the steeds dash wildly from the path (103-205). Terror and devastation caused by the fiery chariot : blasting of mountains and rivers, and alarm of Neptune himself; Earth appeals to Jupiter, who blasts Phaëthon with a thunderbolt (206-324). His sisters are converted to poplars, and their tears to amber (325-366); while his kinsman Cygnus, bewailing the calamity, becomes a Swan (367-380). The Sun, in grief and wrath, hides his head from the earth; but, entreated by the gods and commanded by Jupiter, collects again his scattered steeds, to resume their wonted course (381-400). REGIA Solis erat sublimibus alta columnis, clara micante auro flammasque imitante pyropo, cujus ebur nitidum fastigia summa tegebat; argenti bifores radiabant lumine valvae. materiam superabat opus; nam Mulciber illic aequora caelarat medias cingentia terras, 5 terrarumque orbem, caelumque, quod imminet orbi. caeruleos habet unda deos, Tritona canorum, Proteaque ambiguum, balaenarumque prementem Aegaeona suis immania terga lacertis, Doridaque et natas; quarum pars nare videtur, IO 15 20 21 30 35 Sol oculis juvenem, quibus aspicit omnia, vidit: Quae' que viae tibi causa? quid hac' ait arce petisti, progenies, Phaëthon, haud infitianda parenti?' ille refert: O lux inmensi publica mundi, Phoebe pater, si das hujus mihi nominis usum, nec falsa Clymene culpam sub imagine celat: pignora da, genitor, per quae tua vera propago credar, et hunc animis errorem detrahe nostris.' Dixerat. At genitor circum caput omne micantes deposuit radios, propiusque accedere jussit, Vix bene desierat, currus rogat ille paternos, inque diem alipedum jus et moderamen equorum. paenituit jurasse patrem: qui terque quaterque concutiens illustre caput, Temeraria' dixit 'vox mea facta tua est; utinam promissa liceret non dare confiteor, solum hoc tibi, nate, negarem: dissuadere licet. Non est tua tuta voluntas: magna petis, Phaëthon, et quae nec viribus istis munera conveniant, nec tam puerilibus annis. sors tua mortalis; non est mortale, quod optas. plus etiam, quam quod superis contingere fas est, nescius affectas. Placeat sibi quisque licebit : non tamen ignifero quisquam consistere in axe me valet excepto. Vasti quoque rector Olympi, qui fera terribili jaculatur fulmina dextra, non agat hos currus: et quid Jove majus habemus? 'Ardua prima via est, et qua vix mane recentes enituntur equi: medio est altissima caelo, unde mare et terras ipsi mihi saepe videre fit timor, et pavida' trepidat formidine pectus: ultima prona via est, et eget moderamine certo: tunc etiam quae me subjectis excipit undis, ne ferar in praeceps, Tethys solet ipsa vereri. adde quod assidua rapitur vertigine caelum, sideraque alta trahit, celerique volumine torquet. nitor in adversum, nec me qui cetera, vincit impetus, et rapido contrarius evehor orbi. 6 Finge datos currus: quid ages? poterisne rotatis 45 50 55 60 65 70 |