The Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidus Naso in English blank verse Part 1

The Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidus Naso in English blank verse.

by Ovid.

THE *First Book* OF THE METAMORPHOSES OF OVID.

From bodies various form'd, mutative shapes My Muse would sing:--Celestial powers give aid!

From you those changes sprung,--inspire my pen; Connect each period of my venturous song Unsever'd, from old Chaos' rude misrule, Till now the world beneath Augustus smiles.

While yet nor earth nor sea their place possest, Nor that cerulean canopy which hangs O'ershadowing all, each undistinguish'd lay, And one dead form all Nature's features bore; Unshapely, rude, and Chaos justly nam'd.

Together struggling laid, each element Confusion strange begat:--Sol had not yet Whirl'd through the blue expanse his burning car: Nor Luna yet had lighted forth her lamp, Nor fed her waning light with borrowed rays.

No globous earth pois'd inly by its weight, Hung pendent in the circ.u.mambient sky: The sky was not:--Nor Amphitrite had Clasp'd round the land her wide-encircling arms.

Unfirm the earth, with water mix'd and air; Opaque the air; unfluid were the waves.

Together clash'd the elements confus'd: Cold strove with heat, and moisture drought oppos'd; Light, heavy, hard, and soft, in combat join'd.

Uprose the world's great Lord,--the strife dissolv'd, The firm earth from the blue sky plac'd apart; Roll'd back the waves from off the land, and fixt Where pure ethereal joins with foggy air.

Defin'd each element, and from the ma.s.s Chaotic, rang'd select, in concord firm He bound, and all agreed. On high upsprung The fiery ether to the utmost heaven: The atmospheric air, in lightness next, Upfloated:--dense the solid earth dragg'd down The heavier ma.s.s; and girt on every side By waves circ.u.mfluent, seiz'd her place below.

This done, the ma.s.s this deity unknown Divides;--each part dispos'd in order lays: First earth he rounds, in form a sphere immense, Equal on every side: then bids the seas, Pent in by banks, spread their rude waves abroad, By strong winds vext; and clasp within their arms The tortuous sh.o.r.es: and marshes wide he adds, Pure springs and lakes:--he bounds with shelving banks The streams smooth gliding;--slowly creeping, some The arid earth absorbs; furious some rush, And in the watery plain their waves disgorge; Their narrow bounds escap'd, to billows rise, And lash the sandy sh.o.r.es. He bade the plains Extend;--the vallies sink;--the groves to bloom;-- And rocky hills to lift their heads aloft.

And as two zones the northern heaven restrain, The southern two, and one the hotter midst, With five the G.o.dhead girt th' inclosed earth, And climates five upon its face imprest.

The midst from heat inhabitable: snows Eternal cover two: 'twixt these extremes Two temperate regions lie, where heat and cold Meet in due mixture; 'bove the whole light air Was hung:--as water floats above the land, So fire 'bove air ascends. Here he bade lodge, Thick clouds and vapors; thunders bellowing loud Terrific to mankind, and winds; which mixt Sharp cold beget. But these to range at large The air throughout, his care forbade. E'en now Their force is scarce withstood; but oft they threat Wild ruin to the universe, though each In separate regions rules his potent blasts.

Such is fraternal strife! Far to the east Where Persian mountains greet the rising sun Eurus withdrew. Where sinking Phbus' rays Glow on the western sh.o.r.es mild Zephyr fled.

Terrific Boreas frozen Scythia seiz'd, Beneath the icy bear. On southern climes From constant clouds the showery Auster rains.

The liquid ether high above he spread, Light, calm, and undefil'd by dregs terrene.

Scarce were those bounds immutable arrang'd, When upward sprung the stars so long press'd down Beneath the heap chaotic, and along The path of heaven their blazing courses ran.

Next that each separate element might hold Appropriate habitants,--the vault of heaven, Bright constellations and the G.o.ds receiv'd.

To glittering fish allotted were the waves: To earth fierce brutes:--to agitated air, Light-plumag'd birds. A being more divine, Of soul exalted more, and form'd to rule The rest was wanting. Then he finish'd MAN!

Or by the world's creator, power supreme, Form'd from an heavenly seed; or new-shap'd earth Late from celestial ether torn, and still Congenial warmth retaining, moisten'd felt, Prometheus' fire, and moulded took the form Of him all-potent. Others earth behold p.r.o.nely;--to man a face erect was given.

The heavens he bade him view, and raise his eyes High to the stars. Thus earth of late so rude, So shapeless, man, till now unknown, became.

First sprung the age of gold. Unforc'd by laws Strict rect.i.tude and faith, spontaneous then Mankind inspir'd. No judge vindictive frown'd; Unknown alike were punishment and fear: No strict decrees on brazen plates were seen; Nor suppliant crowd, with trembling limbs low bent, Before their judges bow'd. Unknown was law, Yet safe were all. Unhewn from native hills, The pine-tree knew the seas not, nor had view'd Regions unknown, for man not yet had search'd Sh.o.r.es distant from his own. The towns ungirt By trenches deep, laid open to the plain; Nor brazen trump, nor bended horn were seen, Helmet, nor sword; but conscious and secure, Unaw'd by arms the nations tranquil slept.

The teeming earth by barrows yet unras'd, By ploughs unwounded, plenteous pour'd her stores.

Content with food unforc'd, man pluck'd with ease Young strawberries from the mountains; cornels red; The th.o.r.n.y bramble's fruit; and acorns shook From Jove's wide-spreading tree. Spring ever smil'd; And placid Zephyr foster'd with his breeze The flowers unsown, which everlasting bloom'd.

Untill'd the land its welcome produce gave, And unmanur'd its h.o.a.ry crop renew'd.

Here streams of milk, there streams of nectar flow'd; And from the ilex, drop by drop distill'd, The yellow honey fell. But, Saturn down To dusky Tartarus banish'd, all the world By Jove was govern'd. Then a silver age Succeeded; by the golden far excell'd;-- Itself surpa.s.sing far the age of bra.s.s.

The ancient durance of perpetual spring He shorten'd, and in seasons four the year Divided:--Winter, summer, lessen'd spring, And various temper'd autumn first were known.

Then first the air with parching fervor dry, Glow'd hot;--then ice congeal'd by piercing winds Hung pendent;--houses then first shelter'd man; Houses by caverns form'd, with thick shrubs fenc'd, And boughs entwin'd with osiers. Then the grain Of Ceres first in lengthen'd furrows lay; And oxen groan'd beneath the weighty yoke.

Third after these a brazen race succeeds, More stern in soul, and more in furious war Delighting;--still to wicked deeds averse.

The last from stubborn iron took its name;-- And now rush'd in upon the wretched race All impious villainies: Truth, faith, and shame, Fled far; while enter'd fraud, and force, and craft, And plotting, with detested avarice.

To winds scarce known the seaman boldly loos'd His sails, and ships which long on lofty hills Had rested, bounded o'er the unsearch'd waves.

The cautious measurer now with s.p.a.cious line Mark'd out the land, in common once to all; Free as the sun-beams, or the lucid air.

Nor would the fruits and aliments suffice, The rich earth from her surface threw, but deep Within her womb they digg'd, and thence display'd, Riches, of crimes the prompter, hid far deep Close by the Stygian shades. Now murderous steel, And gold more murderous enter'd into day: Weapon'd with each, war sallied forth and shook With b.l.o.o.d.y grasp his loud-resounding arms.

Now man by rapine lives;--friend fears his host; And sire-in-law his son;--e'en brethren's love Is rarely seen: wives plot their husbands' death; And husbands theirs design: step-mothers fierce The lurid poisons mix: th' impatient son Enquires the limits of his father's years:-- Piety lies neglected; and Astraea, Last of celestial deities on earth, Ascends, and leaves the sanguine-moisten'd land.

Nor high-rais'd heaven was more than earth secure.

Giants, 'tis said, with mad ambition strove To seize the heavenly throne, and mountains pile On mountains till the loftiest stars they touch'd.

But with his darted bolt all-powerful Jove, Olympus shatter'd, and from Pelion's top Dash'd Ossa. There with huge unwieldy bulk Oppress'd, their dreadful corses lay, and soak'd Their parent earth with blood; their parent earth The warm blood vivify'd, and caus'd a.s.sume An human form,--a monumental type Of fierce progenitors. Heaven they despise, Violent, of slaughter greedy; and their race From blood deriv'd, betray.

Saturnian Jove This from his lofty seat beheld, and sigh'd; The recent b.l.o.o.d.y fact revolving deep, The Lycaonian feast, to few yet known.

Incens'd with mighty rage, rage worthy Jove, He calls the council;--none who hear delay.

A path sublime, in cloudless skies fair seen, They tread when tow'rd the mighty thunderer's dome, His regal court, th' immortals bend their way.

On right and left by folding doors enclos'd, Are halls where G.o.ds of rank and power are set; Plebeians far and wide their place select: More potent deities, in heaven most bright, Full in the front possess their shining seats.

This place, (might words so bold a form a.s.sume) I'd term Palatium of the lofty sky.

Here in his marble niche each G.o.d was plac'd And on his eburn sceptre leaning, Jove O'er all high tower'd; the dread-inspiring locks Three times he shook; and ocean, earth, and sky, The motion felt and trembled. Then in rage The silence thus he broke:--"Not more I fear'd "Our kingdom's fate in those tempestuous times, "When monsters serpent-footed furious strove, "To clasp within their hundred arms the heavens, "Already captive deem'd. Though fierce our foe, "One race alone warr'd with us, sprung from one.

"Now all must perish; all within the bounds "By Nereus circled with his roaring waves.

"I swear by Styx, by those infernal streams, "Through shades slow creeping. All I could I've try'd.

"But lest to parts unsound the taint should spread, "What baffles cure, the knife must lop away.

"Our demi-G.o.ds we have,--we have our nymphs, "Our rustic deities,--our satyrs,--fawns, "And mountain sylvans--whose deserts we grant "Celestial honors claim not,--yet on earth, "By us a.s.sign'd, they safely sure should rest.

"But, oh! ye sacred powers,--but oh! how safe "Are these, when fierce Lycaon plots for me!

"Me! whom the thunders and yourselves obey?"

Loud murmurs fill the skies--swift vengeance all With eager voice demand. When impious hands With Caesar's blood th' immortal fame of Rome, Rag'd to extinguish--all the world aghast, With horror shook, and trembled through its frame.

Nor was thy subjects' loyalty to thee More sweet, Augustus, than was theirs to Jove.

His hand and voice, to still their noise he rais'd: Their clamors loud were hush'd, all silence kept; When thus the thunderer ends his angry tale: "Dismiss your care, his punishment is o'er; "But hear his crimes, and hear his well-earn'd fate.

"Of human vice the fame had reach'd mine ear, "With hop'd exaggeration; gliding down, "From proud Olympus' brow, I veil'd the G.o.d, "And rov'd the world in human form around.

"'Twere long to tell what turpitude I saw "On every side, for rumor far fell short, "Of what I witness'd. Through the dusky woods "Of Maenalus I pa.s.s'd, where savage lurk "Fierce monsters; o'er the cold Lycean hill, "With pine-trees waving; and Cyllene's height.

"Thence to th' Arcadian monarch's roof I came, "As dusky twilight drew on sable night.

"Gave signs a G.o.d approach'd. The people crowd "In adoration: but Lycaon turns "Their reverence and piety to scorn.

"Then said,--not hard the task to ascertain, "If G.o.d or mortal, by unerring test: "And plots to slay me when oppress'd with sleep.

"Such proof his soul well suited. Impious more, "An hostage from Molossus sent he slew; "His palpitating members part he boil'd, "And o'er the glowing embers roasted part: "These on the board he serves. My vengeful flames "Consume his roof;--for his deserts, o'erwhelm "His household G.o.ds. Lycaon trembling fled "And gain'd the silent country; loud he howl'd, "And strove in vain to speak; his ravenous mouth "Still thirsts for slaughter; on the harmless flocks "His fury rages, as it wont on man: "Blood glads him still; his vest is s.h.a.ggy hair; "His arms sink down to legs; a wolf he stands.

"Yet former traits his visage still retains; "Grey still his hair; and cruel still his look; "His eyes still glisten; savage all his form.

"Thus one house perish'd, but not one alone "The fate deserves. Wherever earth extends, "The fierce Erinnys reigns; men seem conspir'd "In impious bond to sin; and all shall feel "The scourge they merit: fixt is my decree."

Part loud applaud his words, and feed his rage; The rest a.s.sent in silence; yet to all, Man's loss seems grievous; anxious all enquire What form shall earth of him depriv'd a.s.sume?

Who then shall incense to their altars bring?

And if those rich and fertile lands he means A spoil for beasts ferocious? Their despair He bade them banish, and in him confide For what the future needed; held them forth The promise of a race unlike the first; Originating from a wonderous stock.

And now his lightenings were already shot, And earth in flames, but that a fire so vast, He fear'd might reach Olympus, and consume The heavenly axis. Also call'd to mind What fate had doom'd, that all in future times By fire should perish, earth, and sea, and heaven; And all th' unwieldy fabric of the world Should waste to nought. The Cyclops' labor'd bolts Aside he laid. A different vengeance now, To drench with rains from every part of heaven, And whelm mankind beneath the rising waves, Pleas'd more th' immortal. Straightway close he pent The dry north-east, and every blast to showers Adverse, in caves aeolian, and unbarr'd The cell of Notus. Notus rushes forth On pinions dropping rain; his horrid face A pitchy cloud conceals; pregnant with showers His beard; and waters from his grey hairs flow: Mists on his forehead sit; in dews dissolv'd His arms and bosom, seem to melt away.

With broad hands seizing on the pendent clouds He press'd them--with a mighty crash they burst, And thick and constant floods from heaven pour down.

Iris meantime, in various robe array'd, Collects the waters and supplies the clouds.

Prostrate the harvest lies, the tiller's hopes Turn to despair. The labors of an year, A long, long year, without their fruit are spent.

Nor Jove's own heaven his anger could suffice, His brother brings him his auxiliar waves.

He calls the rivers,--at their monarch's call His roof they enter, and in brief he speaks: "Few words we need, pour each his utmost strength, "The cause demands it; ope' your fountains wide, "Sweep every mound before you, and let gush "Your furious waters with unshorten'd reins."

He bids--the watery G.o.ds retire,--break up Their narrow springs, and furious tow'rd the main Their waters roll: himself his trident rears And smites the earth; earth trembles at the stroke, Yawns wide her bosom, and upon the land A flood disgorges. Wide outspread the streams Rush o'er the open fields;--uproot the trees; Sweep harvests, flocks, and men;--nor houses stood; Nor household G.o.ds, asylums hereto safe.

Where strong-built edifice its walls oppos'd Unlevell'd in the ruin, high above Its roof the billows mounted, and its towers Totter'd, beneath the watery gulf oppress'd.

Nor land nor sea their ancient bounds maintain'd, For all around was sea, sea without sh.o.r.e.

This seeks a mountain's top, that gains a skiff, And plies his oars where late he plough'd the plains.

O'er fields of corn one sails, or 'bove the roofs Of towns immerg'd;--another in the elm Seizes th' intangled fish. Perchance in meads The anchor oft is thrown, and oft the keel Tears the subjacent vine-tree. Where were wont The nimble goats to crop the tender gra.s.s Unwieldy sea-calves roll. The Nereid nymphs, With wonder, groves, and palaces, and towns, Beneath the waves behold. By dolphins now The woods are tenanted, who furious smite The boughs, and shake the strong oak by their blows.

Swims with the flock the wolf; and swept along, Tigers and tawny lions strive in vain.

Now not his thundering strength avails the boar; Nor, borne away, the fleet stag's slender limbs: And land, long sought in vain, to rest her feet, The wandering bird draws in her weary wings, And drops into the waves, whose uncheck'd roll The hills have drown'd; and with un'custom'd surge Foam on the mountain tops. Of man the most They swallow'd; whom their fierce irruption spar'd, By hunger perish'd in their bleak retreat.

Between th' Aonian and Actaeian lands Lies Phocis; fruitful were the Phocian fields While fields they were, but now o'erwhelm'd, they form A region only of the wide-spread main.

Here stands Parna.s.sus with his forked top, Above the clouds high-towering to the stars.

To this Deucalion with his consort driven O'er ridgy billows in his bark clung close; For all was sea beside. There bend they down; The nymphs, and mountain G.o.ds adore, and she Predicting Themis, then oraculous deem'd.

No man more upright than himself had liv'd; Than Pyrrha none more pious heaven had seen.

Now Jove beheld a mighty lake expand Where late was earth, and from the swarming crowds But one man sav'd--of woman only one: Both guiltless,--pious both. He chas'd the clouds And bade the dry north-east to drive the showers Far distant, and display the earth to heaven, And unto earth the skies. The ocean's rage Remains no more. Mild Neptune lays aside His three-fork'd weapon, and his surges smoothes; Then calls blue Triton from the dark profound.