The Metamorphoses of Publius Ovidus Naso in English blank verse Part 30

And streams that late might vie with Alpine cold, To flames themselves, not now in heat would yield.

The porches of the deity two-fac'd Smok'd with the fiery sprinkling; and the gate, Op'd to the hardy Sabine troops in vain, Was by the new-sprung fountain guarded, 'till The sons of Mars had girt them in their arms.

Soon Romulus attack'd them, and Rome's soil Was strew'd with Sabine bodies and her own: And impious weapons mingled blood of sires With blood of sons-in-law; yet so it pleas'd, War settled into peace, nor rag'd the steel To ultimate destruction; in the realm Tatius as equal sovereign was receiv'd.

Tatius deceas'd, thou, Romulus, dispens'd, To the joint nations, equitable laws.

When Mars, his helmet thrown aside, the sire Of G.o.ds and men, in words like these, address'd.-- "O parent! (since the Roman realm has gain'd "A strong and wide foundation, nor should look "To one protector only) lo! the time "To grant the favor, promis'd me so long, "To thy deserving grandson. s.n.a.t.c.h'd from earth "Let him in heaven he plac'd. Time was, long since, "In a full council of the G.o.ds thou said'st, "Well I remember, well my mindful breast "The tender words remark'd; a son of mine "By thee should in the azure sky be plac'd: "Now be the fulness of thy words complete."

Th' Omnipotent consented; with black clouds Darken'd the air; and frighten'd all the town With flaming thunders. When the martial G.o.d Perceiv'd this fiat of the promis'd change, Propp'd on his spear he fearless mounts the steeds, Press'd by the b.l.o.o.d.y yoke; loud sounds the lash, And p.r.o.ne the air he cleaves, lights on the top Of shady Palatine. There Ilia's son Delivering regal laws to Romans round, He saw, and swept him thence: his mortal limbs Waste in the empty air, as b.a.l.l.s of lead Hurl'd from a sling, melt in the midmost sky: More fair his face appears, and worthy more Of the high shrines: such now appears the form Of great Quirinus, clad in purple robe.

His spouse him wept as lost, when heaven's high queen Bade Iris on her sweeping bow descend, And thus her orders to Hersilia speak:-- "O matron! glory of the Latian land; "Pride of the Sabine race; most worthy spouse "Of such an hero once; spouse worthy now "Of G.o.d Quirinus, cease thy tears: if wish "To see thy husband warms thee, led by me, "To yonder grove upon Quirinus' hill "Which flourishes, and overshades the fane "Of Rome's great monarch, haste."--Iris obeys; Upon her painted bow to earth slides down, And hails Hersilia in the bidden words.

Her eyes scarce lifting, she with blushing face Replies--"O G.o.ddess! whom thou art, to me "Unknown; that thou a G.o.ddess art is plain.

"Lead me, O lead! shew me my spouse's face: "Which if fate grant I may once more behold, "Heaven I'll allow I've seen." Nor waits she more, But with Thaumantian Iris, to the hill Of Romulus proceeds. There, shot from heaven, A star tow'rd earth descended; from its rays Bright flam'd Hersilia's hair, and with the star Mounted aloft. Rome's founder's well-known arms Receive her. Now her former name is chang'd, As chang'd her body: known as Ora, now, A G.o.ddess, with her great Quirinus join'd.

*The Fifteenth Book.*

Numa's journey to Crotona. The Pythagorean philosophy of transmigration of the soul, and relation of various transformations. Death of Numa, and grief of Egeria. Story of Hippolytus. Change of Egeria to a fountain. Cippus. Visit of Esculapius to Rome, in the form of a snake. a.s.sa.s.sination and apotheosis of Julius Caesar. Praise of Augustus. Prophetic conclusion.

THE *Fifteenth Book* OF THE METAMORPHOSES OF OVID.

Meantime they seek who may the mighty load Sustain; who may succeed so great a king.

Fame, harbinger of truth, the realm decreed To n.o.ble Numa. Not content to know The laws and customs of the Sabine race, His mind capacious grasp'd a larger field.

He sought for nature's laws. Fir'd by this wish, His country left, he journey'd to the town Of him, who erst was great Alcides' host: And as he sought to learn what founder first These Grecian walls rear'd on Italia's sh.o.r.e, Thus an old 'habitant, well vers'd in tales Of yore, reply'd.--"Jove's son, rich in the herds "Iberia bred, his prosperous journey bent "By ocean unto fair Lacinia's sh.o.r.es: "Enter'd himself the hospitable roof "Of mighty Croto, while his cattle' stray'd "Amid the tender gra.s.s; and his long toil "Reliev'd by rest. Departing, thus he spoke-- "Here in thy grandson's age a town shall rise.-- "And true the promis'd words; for Myscelos, "Argive Alemon's son, dear to the G.o.ds, "Beyond all mortals of that time, now liv'd.

"The club-arm'd G.o.d, as press'd with heavy sleep, "He lay, hung o'er him, and directed thus.-- "Haste leave thy native land;--where distant flows "The rocky stream of aesaris, go seek.-- "And threaten'd much if disobedient found: "Then disappear'd the G.o.d and sleep at once.

"Alemon's son arose; with silent care "Revolv'd the new-seen vision in his soul, "And undetermin'd waver'd long his mind.

"The G.o.d commands,--the laws forbid to go: "Death is the punishment to him decreed "Who would his country quit. Now glorious Sol "Had in the ocean hid his glittering face, "And densest night shew'd her star-studded head; "Again the G.o.d was seen to come; again "Admonish, and with threats more stern demand "Obedience. Terror-struck he now prepar'd "His property and household G.o.ds to move "To this new seat. Quick through the city flies "The rumor; as a slighter of the laws "Is he denounc'd. The trial ends at once; "Th' acknowledg'd crime without a witness prov'd.

"The wretched culprit lifts his eyes and hands "To heaven, exclaiming;--Thou whose toils twice six "Have given thee claim to glory, lend thy aid; "Thou art the cause that I offence have given.-- "Sentence in old, by stones of white and black "Was shewn: by these th' accus'd was clear'd, by those "Condemn'd. Thus is the heavy doom now pa.s.s'd, "And in the fatal urn each flings a stone "Of sable hue. Inverted then to count "The pebbles, lo! their color all is chang'd "From black to white; and thus, the doom revers'd, "Alemon's son by Hercules is freed.

"Thanks to Alcmena's son, his kinsman, given, "He o'er th' Ionian sea with favoring winds "Sail'd, and Tarentum, Sparta's city, pa.s.s'd, "And Sybaris, Neaethus Salentine, "The gulph of Thurium, and j.a.pygia's fields, "With Temeses; which sh.o.r.es at distance seen "By him, were scarcely pa.s.s'd, when he beheld "The mouth of aesaris, the destin'd flood: "And thence not far a lofty heap of earth, "Where Croto's hallow'd bones were safe inhum'd.

"There he as bidden rais'd the walls, which took "From the high sepulchre their lasting name.

"Plain then the city's origin appears "By fame, thus built upon Italia's sh.o.r.es."

Here dwelt a sage whom Samos claim'd by birth, But Samos and its masters he had fled; A willing exile from tyrannic rule.

Though from celestial regions far remov'd His mind to heaven could soar; with mental eyes He things explor'd which to the human ken Nature deny'd. When all with watchful care Was learnt in secret, to the listening crowd He public spoke. Told to their wondering ears The primal origin of this great world; The cause of things; what nature is; what G.o.d; Whence snow; and whence tremendous thunder springs,-- From Jove, or from the rattling of rent clouds; What shakes earth's pillars; by what law the stars Wander; and what besides lies hid from man.

And first that animals should heap the board For food, he strict forbade; and first in words Thus eloquent, but unbeliev'd he spoke.

"Cease, mortals, cease your bodies to pollute "With food unhallow'd: plentiful is grain; "The apples bend the branches with their load; "The vines bear swelling heaps of cl.u.s.tering grapes; "Bland herbs you have; and such as heat require "To mollify for use. Nor do you lack "The milky fluid, or the honey sweet, "Fragrant of thyme. The lavish earth supplies "Mild aliments, her riches and affords "Dainties, with nought of slaughter or of blood.

"Their hunger beasts alone with flesh allay, "And beasts not all; the generous steed, the flock, "The herd, on gra.s.s subsist. But lions grim, "Armenian tigers, bears, and wolves, delight "In b.l.o.o.d.y feasts. How impious to behold "Bowels in bowels bury'd! greedy limbs "Fatten on limbs digested, and prolong'd "One's animation by another's death.

"In vain the earth, benignant mother, gives "Her copious stores, if nought can thee delight, "Save with a savage tooth this living food "To chew, and Cyclopean feasts renew.

"Can'st thou not cloy the appet.i.te's keen rage, "Deprav'd desire! unless another die?

"That early age, to which we give the name "Of golden, happy was in mellow fruits, "And plants, by earth produc'd; nor e'er did gore "The mouth defile. In safety through the air "Fowls way'd their feathers: fearless through the fields "Wander'd the hare: nor, on the barb'd hook hung "By his credulity, was snar'd the fish.

"Fraud was not, none suspicious of deceit; "And all was fill'd with harmony and peace.

"But soon some wretch (whatever wretch was he) "Such food disliking, in his greedy maw "Bury'd what animation once possess'd.

"He led the way to wickedness. And first "The weapon smok'd with blood of ravenous beasts: "And there it should have stay'd. Just is the plea "To take their lives that follow us for prey; "But not devour them when destroy'd. From thence "Wide spread the horrid practice, and the sow, "Doom'd the first victim, is decreed to die, "For digging up with crooked snout the seed; "And blasting all the prospect of the year.

"The goat had gnaw'd the vine;--the culprit bled "On Bacchus' altars to appease his ire.

"These two their fate deserv'd. But how, O sheep!

"Ye harmless flocks, have ye this merited, "Form'd to receive protection from mankind?

"Who in your swelling dugs bland liquors bear, "Who give your fleecy coverings, garments soft "For us to form; and more in life than death "a.s.sist our wants. What has the ox deserved?

"A simple harmless beast, and born for toil, "Of guile and fraud devoid? Forgetful man!

"And undeserving of the harvest's boon, "Who could, the crooked joke just from his neck "Remov'd, his faithful tiller sacrifice; "Smite with the axe that neck with labor worn, "With which so oft he had the soil renew'd; "Which had so many crops on him bestow'd.

"Nor is this all, the savage deed perform'd, "They implicate the heavenly G.o.ds themselves, "Pretend th' almighty deities delight "To see the slaughter of laborious steers.

"Spotless must be the victim; in his form "Perfection: (fatal thus too much to please!) "With gold and fillets gay, the beast is led "Before the altar, hears the unknown prayers, "And sees the meal, the product of his toil, "Betwixt his horns full in his forehead flung: "Then struck, he stains the weapon with his blood, "The weapon in reflecting waves beneath "Haply beheld before. Next they inspect "His torn-out living entrails, and from thence "Learn what the bosoms of the G.o.ds intend.

"Whence, man, such pa.s.sion for forbidden food?

"How dar'st thou, mortal man! in flesh indulge?

"O! I conjure you, do it not; my words "Deep in your minds revolve, when to your mouth "The mangled members of the ox you raise, "Know, and reflect, your laborer you devour.

"And now the G.o.d inspires my tongue, my tongue "Shall follow what th' inspiring G.o.d directs, "My truths I will disclose, display all heaven, "And oracles of mind divine reveal.

"I sing of mighty things, by none before "Investigated; what has long lain hid.

"It glads me through the lofty heavens to go; "To sail amid the clouds, the sluggish earth "Left far below; and on the shoulders mount "Of mighty Atlas; thence from far look down, "On wandering souls of reasoning aid depriv'd, "Shivering and trembling at the thoughts of death.

"I thus exhort, and scenes of fate unfold.

"O race! whom terror of cold death affrights, "Why fear ye Styx? why darkness? why vain names, "The dreams of poets? why in fancy'd worlds "Severe atonements? Whether slow disease, "Or on the pile the body flames consume, "Think not that any suffering it can feel.

"The soul from death is free, and one seat left, "Another habitation finds and lives.

"Well I remember I was Pantheus' son, "Euphorbus, in the fatal war of Troy, "Whose breast the young Atrides' ma.s.sive spear "Transpierc'd in fight. I lately knew the shield "My left arm bore, in Juno's temple hung, "In Abantean Argos. All is chang'd, "But nothing dies. The spirit roams about "From that to this, from this to that again; "And enters vacant bodies at its will.

"Now from a beast's to human frame it goes, "Now from the man it pa.s.ses to a beast; "And never perishes. As yielding wax "Is with new figures printed, nor remains "Long in one form, nor holds its pristine shape; "And yet is still the same: so do I teach, "The soul the same, though vary'd are its seats.

"Hence, lest thy belly's keen desire o'ercome "All piety, (and prophet-like I speak) "Forbear by impious slaughter to disturb "The souls of kindred friends; and let not blood "With blood be fed. Now on the boundless sea "Since I am borne, and to the breeze have loos'd "My swelling sail, this more:--Nought that the world "Contains, is in appearance still the same "All moving alters; changeable is form'd "Each image. And with constant motion flows "Ev'n time itself, just like a pa.s.sing stream; "For nor the river, nor the flying hour "Can be detain'd. As wave by wave impell'd, "The foremost prest by that behind; itself "Urging its predecessor; so time flies, "And so is follow'd, ever seeming new.

"For what has been, is lost; what is, no more "Shall be, and every moment is renew'd.

"You see the night emerge to glorious day, "And the bright sun in shady darkness sink.

"Nor shews the sky one hue when nature all "Worn out, in midnight quiet rests; and when "Bright Lucifer dismounts his snowy steed: "Varying again when fair Aurora comes "Of light fore-runner, and the world, to Sol "About to yield, dyes deep. The orbed G.o.d, "When from earth's margin rising, in the morn "Blushing appears, and blushing seems at eve "Descending to the main, but at heaven's height "Shines in white splendor; there th' ethereal air "Is purest, earth's contagion distant far.

"Nor can nocturnal Phbe always shew "Her form the same, nor equal: less to-day, "If waxing, than to-morrow she'll appear; "If waning, greater. Note you not the year "In four succeeding seasons pa.s.sing on?

"A lively image of our mortal life.

"Tender and milky, like young infancy "Is the new spring: then gaily shine the plants, "Tumid with juice, but helpless; and delight "With hope the planter: blooming all appears, "And smiles in varied flowers the feeding earth; "But delicate and pow'rless are the leaves.

"Robuster now the year, to spring succeeds "The summer, and a st.u.r.dy youth becomes: "No age is stronger, none more fertile yields "Its stores, and none with heat more fervid glows.

"Next autumn follows, all the fire of youth "Allay'd, mature in mildness, just between "Old age and youth a medium temper holds; "Some silvery tresses o'er his temples strew'd.

"Then aged winter, frightful object! comes "With tottering step, and bald appears his head; "Or snowy white the few remaining hairs.

"Our bodies too themselves submit to change "Without remission. Nor what we have been, "Nor what we are, to-morrow shall we be.

"The day has been when we were but as seed, "And in his mother's womb the future man "Dwelt. Nature with her aiding power appear'd, "Bade that the embryo bury'd deep within "The pregnant mother, should not rack her more: "And from its dwelling to the free drawn air "Produc'd it. To the day the infant brought, "Lies sinewless; then quadruped he crawls "In beast-like guise; then trembling, by degrees "He stands erect, but with a leg unfirm, "His knees a.s.sisting with some strong support.

"Now is he strong and swift, and youth's brisk stage "Quick pa.s.ses; then, the flower of years o'ergone, "He slides down gradual to descending age: "This undermines, demolishes the strength "Of former years. And ancient Milo weeps, "When he beholds those aged feeble arms "Hang dangling by his side, once like the limbs "Of Hercules; so muscular, so large.

"And Helen weeps when in her gla.s.s she views "Her aged wrinkles, wondering to herself "Why she was ravish'd twice. Consuming time!

"And envious age! all substance ye destroy; "All things your teeth decay; and you consume "By gradual progress, but by certain death.

"These also, which the elements we call, "Their varying changes know: lo! I explain "Their regular vicissitudes,--attend.

"Four elements th' eternal world contains; "Two, earth and water, which their ponderous weight "Sinks low; and two, the air and purer fire, "Void of dense gravity, soar up on high, "Free, unconfin'd. Though distant far in s.p.a.ce, "Yet from these four are all things form'd, and all "To them resolve again. The earth dissolv'd "Melts into liquid dew; more subtile grown "It pa.s.ses to the breezes and the air; "And air again, when in its thinest form, "Depriv'd of weight, springs to the fires on high.

"Thence retrogade they come, inverting all "This order: fire is thicken'd to dense air; "Air into water; water to hard earth; "Nor aught retains its form. Nature, of things "Renewer, figures from old figures makes.

"Nought that the world contains (doubt not my truth) "E'er perishes, but changes; and receives "An alter'd shape. What to be born we call, "Is to begin in different guise to seem "Than what we were; and what we call to die, "Is but to cease to wear our wonted form.

"Though haply some part hither may be mov'd, "Some thither, still the aggregate's the same.

"Nor can I think that aught can long endure "Unalter'd. Soon the primal ages came "From gold to iron. Quite transform'd is oft "The state of places. I have seen what once "Was earth most solid, chang'd to fluid waves.

"Land have I seen from ocean form'd; and sh.e.l.ls "Marine, lie scatter'd distant from all sh.o.r.e: "Old anchors bury'd in the mountain tops.

"The rush of waters hollow vallies forms "Where once were plains; and level lie the hills "Beneath the deluge: dry the marshy ground "With barren sand becomes; and what was parch'd "Is soak'd, a marshy fen. Here nature opes "New fountains; there she closes up the old.

"Rivers have bursted forth, when earthquakes shook "The globe; some chok'd have disappear'd below.

"Thus Lycus, swallow'd by the yawning earth, "Bursts far from thence again, another stream: "The mighty Erasinus, now absorb'd, "Now flows, to Argive fields again restor'd.

"And Myssus, they relate, who both his stream "And banks disliking, as Cacus now "'Twixt others flows. With Amenane who rolls "O'er sands Sicilian, flowing oft, and oft "With clos'd-up fountains dry. Anigros, once "Sweet to the thirsty, now his waters pours "Untouch'd by lips, since (save we must deny "To poets faith) the double-body'd race "There bath'd the wounds Alcides' arrows gave.

"And is not Hypanis, the flood that springs "From Scythia's hills, once sweet, with bitter salts "Now tainted? By the waves begirt were once "Antissa, Pharos, and Phnician Tyre; "And not a spot an island now remains.

"The ancient clowns, Leucadia to the land "Saw join'd; now surges beat around its base; "And Zancle, they relate, was once conjoin'd "To Italy, 'till ocean burst his bounds, "And rent the land, and girt it with his waves.

"For Helice or Buris should you seek, "Achaan towns, o'erwhelm'd beneath the waves "You'll find them: boatmen oft are wont to shew "The tottering cities, and their walls immers'd.