by Peter Jones
*fāt-um ī 2n. fate, destiny. Here dat. pl., ‘from destiny’ (i.e. death)
fuissēs: plupf. subj., ‘you had (been) . . . ’. This starts a long sequence of conditional thoughts, ‘if X had happened, what would the situation be now?’, ending at 362; RL139, 173, W33
359 miserand-us a um pitiable, piteous. Gerundive of miseror 1 dep. ‘pity’, RL161, W39
foret: impf. subj., ‘would [now] be’, RLE1
quō . . . modō how
360 possēs: impf. subj., on the pattern of foret above quō cōnsōlante: abl. abs., lit. ‘with whom consoling . . . ?’ i.e. ‘who would there be to console you as’ dolēres: see on possēs above, and cf. the subjunctives in 361–2
361 tē quoque . . . habēret: this half-line is repeated at 362, with mē for tē. It is a common device in Ovid; here it emphasises the determination of Deucalion to align himself with his wife, even in death. The two are devoted to each other
363 ō: note the emotional hiatus with utinam (hiatus is quite common after such interjections; perhaps the effect is to give special emphasis to the cry)
*utinam would that, O that (+ subj., RL153) reparō 1 restore
*patern-us a um father’s, paternal. At artibus, it looks as if Deucalion is lamenting the fact that there is no way the two of them can repopulate the whole world by the time-honoured methods (paternīs artibus), cf. 355, 365. But 364 indicates that paternus refers specifically to his father Prometheus, who moulded humans from clay and breathed life into them – a rather less demanding and certainly speedier solution to the problem, if only they had the know-how
364 *anim-a ae 1f. soul, spirit, breath
*fōrmō 1 shape, form, mould
īnfundō 3 pour; inf. after possim (364)
365 restō 1 survive, hang on
*mortāl-is e mortal, human
366 uīsum: supply est; uideor here means ‘seem good’
*super-ī ōrum 2m. powers above, gods
exempl-um ī 2n. (sole) model, example, pattern, copy
Learning vocabulary
anim-a ae 1f. soul, spirit, breath
fāt-um ī 2n. fate, destiny
fōrmō 1 shape, form, mould
mortāl-is e mortal, human
patern-us a um father’s, paternal
super-ī ōrum 2m. powers above, gods
utinam + subj. would that, o that
367 *fleō 2 flēuī flētum weep
placuit: impersonal verb, RL154, RLF2, W37
*precor 1 dep. pray to, entreat
368 *nūmen nūmin-is 3n. power, divinity (here = Themis, 379)
*sors sort-is 3f. oracle, lot
369 pariter equally, together, side by side
Cēphīsidas: Greek acc. pl. ‘of the river Cephisus’ (Ovid means the sacred Castalian spring at Delphi, into whose waters there was a tradition that the Cephisus flowed)
*und-a ae 1f. wave, water
370 ut . . . sīc as . . . so, though . . . but
liquid-us a um clear, limpid. It is still muddy because of the effects of the flood
uad-um ī 2n. course, channel
*nōt-us a um familiar, well-known, usual
secō 1 cut through
371 *inde (if taken with lībātōs . . . liquōrēs) from there; or as a result, hence. Begin translating with ubi
lībō 1 draw (of water). One had to be physically pure to approach a god; a ritual sprinkling of water was enough. Since lībō also means ‘pour’ and is used of making libations (liquid offerings poured out to the gods, usually wine), Ovid might be suggesting that the couple also make a libation with some of the water before using the rest to purify themselves. They are a very pious pair
irrōrō 1 sprinkle X (acc.) over Y (dat.). irrōrāuēre = irrōrāuērunt, RLA4; so also tetigēre 375, trāxēre 412
liquor -is 3m. water
372 *uest-is is 3f. clothes, dress, cloth
*flectō 3 flexī flexum bend, curve, avert, steer
*uestīgi-um ī 2n. footstep, footprint, track, walk, trace
*sānct-us a um sacrosanct, sacred, holy, blessed, upright, pure
373 dēlūbr-um ī 2n. shrine, temple. Presumably readers were supposed to think of the great temple of Apollo at Delphi, though he did not have an oracle there at this time, and the deity to whom they are appealing is in fact Themis (see below)
*de-a ae 1f. goddess
fastīgi-um ī 2n. roof, summit, tip (here, ‘pediment’?). Subject of pallēbant
374 palleō 2 be yellow, sallow
musc-us ī 2m. moss. There is no one looking after this holy place
Learning vocabulary
de-a ae 1f. goddess
flectō 3 flexī flexum bend, curve, avert, steer
fleō 2 flēuī flētum weep
inde from there
nōt-us a um familiar, well-known, usual
nūmen nūmin-is 3n. power, divinity
precor 1 dep. pray to, entreat
sānct-us a um sacrosanct, sacred, holy, blessed, upright, pure
sors sort-is 3f. oracle, lot
uestīgi-um ī 2n. footstep, footprint, track, walk, trace
uest-is is 3f. clothes, dress, cloth
und-a ae 1f. wave, water
375 grad-us ūs 4m. step. One worshipped the god outside at the altar, not inside the temple
prōcumbō 3 prostrate oneself, fall down
*uterque utriusque both, each (cf. uter utr-a um)
376 prōn-us a um flat, prone. The -us is short because the following h does not count for metrical purposes
*humī on the ground
*gelid-us a um cold
*paueō 2 be frightened, fear
*ōscul-um ī 2n. kiss
*sax-um ī 2n. stone
377 sī . . . sī: ancient prayers are full of ‘ifs’. In fact, the ‘ifs’ represent the reasons why a human thinks a god ought to act; but since humans cannot know for certain what persuades a god to act in any situation, ‘if’ is used rather than e.g. ‘since’
*prec-ēs –um 3f. pl. prayers. precibus is abl. of means after uicta, RL100A(b), W14
*iūst-us a um just, righteous, lawful, fair
378 remollēscō 3 be softened
*īr-a ae 1f. anger, rage, wrath
379 Themi: Greek voc. of Themis, Greek god of the earth and prophecy, embodying order and justice. Prior to the establishment of Apollo’s oracle there was an ancient sanctuary to Earth-Themis at Delphi, a circle of rocks surrounding a cleft in the ground
damn-um ī 2n. loss
reparābil-is e retrievable, recoverable
380 sit: subj. in indir. q. beginning dīc . . . quā
mergō 3 mersī mersum submerge, deluge, drown. rēbus = ‘the world’
*ops op-is 3f. help, aid
mīt-is e gentle, kind. Prayers are always intended to flatter the god
Learning vocabulary
gelid-us a um cold
humī on the ground
īr-a ae 1f. anger, rage, wrath
iūst-us a um just, righteous, lawful, fair
ops op-is 3f. help, aid
ōscul-um ī 2n. kiss
paueō 2 be frightened, fear
prec-ēs -um 3f. pl. prayers
sax-um ī 2n. stone
uterque utriusque both, each (cf. uter utr-a um)
381 templō: a ‘true’ ablative, indicating the point from which an action moves; RL100A,Survey(a)
382 *uēlō 1 veil, cover, conceal. The head being considered sacred, and therefore to be respected, Romans veiled their heads on some ritual occasions, e.g. sacrifice. But Deucalion and Pyrrha were Greeks, who did not. Ovid was not alone among Roman writers in foisting Roman customs on others
*cingō 3 cīnxī cīnctum surround, encircle, gird up
resoluō 3 undo, untie. Knots in anything (rope, hair, clothes) were thought to impede divine powers, perhaps because they were bindings and could therefore bind, i.e. prevent or hinder, divine interventions
383 *os oss-is 3n. bone
*ter
g-um ī 2n. back, rear, far side
magnae: -ae counts metrically because the next letter is consonantal i; cf. the scansion of laedere 387, dīcī 394, fēmina 413
iact-ō 1 throw
parentis: the last word of the god’s command – making the orders utterly baffling. But note magnae, feminine. This is the clue, which Pyrrha fails to understand by interpreting too literally (māternās, 387)
384 obstipescō 3 obstipuī be dumbfounded, struck dumb
rumpō 3 break
silenti-um ī 2n. silence (note ‘poetic’ pl. again)
385 *prior -is earlier (of two), former, having prior place, elder
*iuss-um ī 2n. injunction, order, command
recūsō 1 refuse
386 detque: subj., ‘Themis’ understood as subject – indirect command after rogat, with ut suppressed: ‘[Pyrrha] asks that [Themis] . . .’, RL134, W36
ueni-a ae 1f. pardon, forgiveness
*pauid-us a um terror-struck, fearful
387 laedō 3 harm, hurt, offend
*mātern-us a um mother’s, maternal
388 *repetō 3 repetīuī repetītum return/go back to, recall, repeat, attack again
caec-us a um blind, dark
obscūr-us a um puzzling
latebr-a ae 1f. obscure expression, hidden recess. This is abl. of cause after obscūra, i.e. puzzling because of . . ., RL108.2, RLL(f)4(iii), WSuppl.syntax. Even though this is the temple of Themis, the latter meaning hints at the recess in Apollo’s temple at Delphi where the prophetess gave her oracles
389 sēcum inter sēque: i.e. each with him/her self, and then between them
uolutō 1 turn over
390 Promēthīdēs: Greek nom., son of Prometheus (= Deucalion). Such ‘patronymics’ (calling a son by the father’s name) are regularly found in epic. Pro-metheus means ‘before-thinker’; Deucalion has inherited his father’s intelligence
placid-us a um gentle, soothing. With dictīs, this is abl. of means, RL84, RLL(f)4(ii), W22
Epimēthida: Greek acc., daughter of Epimetheus (= Pyrrha). Epi-metheus means ‘after-thinker’, i.e. slow to catch on. Pyrrha is daughter of her father
*dict-um ī 2n. word, saying
391 mulceō 2 calm
fallāx fallāc-is misleading, deceptive
sollerti-a ae 1f. cleverness, skill
nōbīs: dat. indicating possession, RL48.2, 88.1(b), WSuppl.syntax. Is this the royal ‘we’, or is the kindly Deucalion also crediting Pyrrha?
392 *pi-us a um holy, dutiful, faithful, just
*nefās n. wrong, crime, sacrilege, horror
*ōrācul-um ī 2n. oracle
*suādeō 2 suāsī suāsum recommend, urge, advocate
393 terra: ‘mother’ earth (Greek Gaia). Greek myth told how in the beginning the empty world was filled when Sky (Ouranos) mated with Gaia, who gave birth to everything in it – mountains, rivers, night, day, gods, etc.
lapis lapid-is 3m. stone
394 reor dep. believe, suppose. Note the following acc. and inf., ‘reor the ossa dīcī [to be] the lapidēs’, i.e. ‘reor by ossa she means . . .’
*iaciō 3 iēcī iactum throw (away), hurl; pile up
395 auguri-um ī 2n. prediction, interpretation
Tītāni-a ae 1f. daughter of the Titan (Epimetheus), i.e. Pyrrha
396 *in dubiō = in doubt; dubi-us a um uncertain, doubtful, ambiguous
*adeō to such an extent, so
ambō (nom.) both
397 diffīdō 3 mistrust, distrust (+ dat.)
*monit-a ōrum 2n. pl. advice, warning, precepts
*temptō 1 try out, test, investigate, examine, try
Learning vocabulary
adeō to such an extent, so
cingō 3 cīnxī cīnctum surround, encircle, gird up;
pass. be situated, lie round
dict-um ī 2n. word, saying
iaciō 3 iēcī iactum throw (away), hurl; pile up
in dubiō = in doubt; dubi-us a um uncertain,
doubtful, ambiguous
iuss-um ī 2n. injunction, order, command
mātern-us a um mother’s, maternal
monit-a ōrum 2n. pl. advice, warning, precepts
nefās n. wrong, crime, sacrilege, horror
ōrācul-um ī 2n. oracle
os oss-is 3n. bone
pauid-us a um terror-struck, fearful
pi-us a um holy, dutiful, faithful, just
prior -is earlier (of two), former, having prior place,
elder
repetō 3 repetīuī repetītum return/go back to, recall,
repeat, attack again
suādeō 2 suāsī suāsum recommend, urge, advocate
temptō 1 try out, test, investigate, examine, try
terg-um ī 2n. back, rear, far side
uēlō 1 veil, cover, conceal
398 *dēscendō 3 dēscendī dēscēnsum descend, go down
tunic-a ae 2f. robe, tunic. They now carry out the divine orders (382)
recingō 3 ungirdle, loosen
399 lapis lapid-is 3m. stone
400 crēdat: note the conditional pres. subj., and the following sit; see RL139, 173, W33
prō teste ‘for/as witness, testimony [to it]’
uetustās uetustāt-is 3f. ancient tradition, antiquity
401 dūriti-a ae 1f. hardness
coepēre = coepērunt, the subject being saxa (l. 400). coepēre explains the inf. pōnere, mollīrī and dūcere
rigor -is 3m. rigidity. Here it is acc. of respect after mollīrīque, RL6.3
402 *molliō 4 soften, calm, weaken, appease, allay, tame. mollīta refers to saxa. Note the ‘soft’ ms and ls in the first half of this line
morā: lit. ‘with delay’, i.e. gradually
dūcō 3 take on, assume
403 *crēscō 3 crēuī crētum grow, be born, increase, swell, advance mīt-is e gentle
illīs: dat. (referring to saxa)
404 contingō 3 contigī come about, happen to
ut quaedam: ‘as a certain fōrma potest uidērī’. sīc = though
manifest-us a um clear, well-defined, distinct
405 utī = ut as, just as
marmor -is 3m. marble
406 exāct-us a um finished, exact
rud-is e rough (-hewn)
sign-um ī 2n. statue
407 quae . . . pars ‘what part’, better ‘the part which’. Continue translating with ex illīs fuit ūmida aliquō sūcō
ex illīs: i.e. the rocks
ūmid-us a um moist
sūc-us ī 2m. juice, sap, vigour
408 terrēn-us a um earthy, of the earth/soil
*ūs-us ūs 4m. use, employment, function, utility, need. in corporis ūsum means ‘to serve as flesh’ (see the Comment on this issue)
409 solid-us a um solid
nequeō irr. be unable
410 uēn-a ae 1f. vein
411 spati-um ī 2n. space
412 *faci-ēs – 5f. looks, appearance, sight, beauty, face
*trahō 3 trāxī tractum attract, bring in one’s wake; drag, draw after, carry off, acquire, extend
413 *fēmine-us a um woman’s, feminine, female
reparō 1 reconstruct
iact-us ūs 4m. throw
414 *dūr-us a um hard, tough, robust, harsh, severe, strict
experiēns experient-is enterprising, active in (+ gen.)
415 document-um ī 2n. proof, example (often of something implying some sort of warning or instruction)
*nāscor 3 dep. nātus be born, arise, come into being, be suited. sīmus nātī is subj. of indirect question, RLR3, W30. nāt-us a um son/daughter of (lit. ‘born from’ + ‘true’ abl. of source/origin, RL108.1); also = (x years) old
Learning vocabulary
crēscō 3 crēuī crētum grow, be born, increase, swell, advance
dēscendō 3 dēscendī dēscēnsum descend, go down
dūr-us a um hard, tough, robust, harsh, severe, strict
faci-ēs – 5f. looks, appearance, s
ight, beauty, face
fēmine-us a um woman’s, feminine, female
molliō 4 soften, calm, weaken, appease, allay, tame
nāscor 3 dep. nātus be born, arise, come into being, be
suited; nāt-us a um son/daughter of; = (x years) old
trahō 3 trāxī tractum attract, bring in one’s wake;
drag, draw after, carry off, acquire, extend
ūs-us ūs 4m. use, employment, function, utility, need
Notes
348–57: The scene is initially focussed through the eyes of Deucalion (uīdit, 348) as he reacts to the world’s emptiness and silence (348–9); and tearful emotions run high throughout (350, cf. flēbant 367). Note that he does not begin by lamenting the destruction of the human race; he knows that the gods have been at work (366, cf. their assumed anger, 378) and they can do no wrong (392 – there is a charming innocence to Deucalion’s piety); but lovingly, his first thoughts and fears turn to his wife, not himself. The ō tricolon (351) makes for an emotional start to the speech: Pyrrha is kin, wife and womankind – three categories, she the sole representative of them all. He begins by pointing out that they are now linked not only by their relationship but also by the dangers they jointly face (353): note the increasing intimacy of genus, orīgō and torus – family (in general), birth (more particular), bed. Their adversity binds them yet closer, and it needs to – not only are they all that is left (354–5), but even now they still cannot be certain that they will survive (356–7).
359–62: Deucalion now contemplates how his wife could possibly handle his death (358) with a tricolon of unanswerable questions quis (358) . . . quō (359) . . . quō . . . (360), each beginning with a form of quis (‘polyptoton’), with asyndeton, the subjunctives emphasising how unreal the situation would be. He hints from the example he proposes for himself that suicide would be her best option (361–2).
363–6: But immediately he pulls himself together: it may be impossible to imagine how they can solve the world’s problems (363–4), but they are the world’s last hope, and this is the will of the gods (365–6).
367–74: They must therefore try to discover what the divine will now is (367–8). What else, after all, can they do? This is indeed a devout couple, an impression reinforced by the measures they take to carry out the correct rituals (371–2). There is no sign of human activity at the temple: it has not been cleaned, nor do altar-fires burn (373–4). Nor do they have any sacrifice to offer.
375–80: All they can do is prostrate themselves at the temple steps – a most dramatic gesture, emphasising their sense of helplessness – kiss the cold stone (375–6 – cold because the powerful Greek sun has not been shining on it) and offer prayers (377). Observe too their prayer – not for themselves, but for a just cause, as they see it (377), the restoration of the human race (‘submerged’ indeed, 379–80). Further, observe who the prayer is directed at: the couple can hardly appeal to Jupiter, whose anger at human wickedness caused the destruction in the first place.
