IV. 163.] Death of both the Lovers. quantaque vitarit narrare pericula gestit. · 6 4I 130 135 140 145 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. persequar exstinctum, letique miserrima dicar causa comesque tui; quique a me morte revelli heu sola poteras, poteris nec morte revelli. hoc tamen amborum verbis estote rogati, O multum miseri, meus illiusque parentes, ut quos certus amor, quos hora novissima junxit, componi tumulo non invideatis eodem. at tu, quae ramis arbor miserabile corpus 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. 43 620 625 630 Hic hominum cunctos ingenti corpore praestans Iapetionides Atlas fuit. Ultima tellus rege sub hoc et pontus erat, qui Solis anhelis aequora subdit equis, et fessos excipit axes. mille greges illi, totidemque armenta per herbas 635 errabant; et humum vicinia nulla premebant. arboreae frondes auro radiante virentes, ex auro ramos, ex auro poma tegebant. 6 Hospes,' ait Perseus illi, seu gloria tangit te generis magni, generis mihi Juppiter auctor; 640 6 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. 6 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. 650 655 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 - et omne 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 - trahit inscius ignes, 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 660 665 670 680 IV. 715.] Approach of the Sea-monster. 45 celasset vultus, si non religata fuisset. 685 690 lumina, quod potuit, lacrimis implevit obortis. hanc ego si peterem Perseus Jove natus et illa, 700 accipiunt legem quis enim dubitaret? et orant, 705 710 praebentem Phoebo liventia terga draconem, 715 |