Book Read Free

Reading Ovid

Page 8

by Peter Jones


  lacert-us ī 2m. (upper) arm, embrace

  laedō 3 laesī laesum wound, hurt, injure, annoy

  laet-us a um joyful, happy

  lateō 2 lie hidden, be covered

  laus laud-is 3f. reputation, praise, merit; cf. laudō 1 praise

  leu-is e light

  membr-um ī 2n. limb

  moll-is e soft, tender, pleasant, weak

  nemus nemor-is 3n. wood, forest, grove

  nūd-us a um naked

  nūper recently

  nymph-a ae 1f. (and nymph-ē) young woman, semi-divine female spirit

  pass-us ūs 4m. step, stride, pace

  pāstor -is 3m. shepherd

  pectus pector-is 3n. breast, chest

  penn-a ae 1f. feather, wing

  percutiō 3/4 percussī percussum beat, strike

  pharetr-a ae 1f. quiver

  Phoeb-us ī 2m. Phoebus (‘bright, shining’), i.e. Apollo; used also of the sun

  potenti-a ae 1f. power

  properō 1 hurry

  prōsum prōdesse prōfuī prōfutūrum be an advantage

  prōtinus at once; straight on

  rām-us ī 2m. branch

  repugn-ō 1 fight against

  rubor rubōr-is 3m. blush, redness, modesty

  saeu-us a um savage, cruel

  spectō 1 look at, observe, see

  sustineō 2 endure, bear

  tellūs tellūr-is 3f. earth

  tēl-um ī 2n weapon

  tenu-is e thin, slim, fine, clear

  timid-us a um fearful, timid

  uēlōx uēlōc-is fast, speedy

  uelut like, as if, as

  uetō 1 uetuī uetītum forbid

  uix scarcely, hardly

  uōt-um ī 2n. prayer, desire, vow

  ūrō 3 ussī ustum burn up, set on fire, inflame

  Study section

  1. Write out and scan ll.469–73, 476–9.

  2. At 452, some manuscripts read quam for quem. To whom would that refer, and would it be preferable?

  3. At 532, some texts print Amor (the god of love) instead of amor (and again at 540). Is that god needed at this moment?

  4. Is it possible to tell whether Apollo is motivated by love or lust? Should Cupid’s part in the action be taken into account?

  5. Take any five lines, consecutive or not, and explain why they give you pleasure.

  6. ‘It is also a story about the god of knowledge’s frustrated pursuit of sexual knowledge, as the male gaze proves unable to penetrate the secrets of the female body’ (Hardie, 2002, 46). Is it?

  7. ‘It is famously unclear . . . whether Daphne in shaking her head really means to say “yes” or “no” to Apollo’s proposition . . . If [Daphne] had her voice, the matter would not be in doubt. But her voice has perished, and with it perhaps her ability to make meaning at all’ (Farrell in Hardie et al. 1999, 135). Cf. Hardie (2002, 130 note 46), who wonders ‘whether Apollo’s laurel was nodding in response to anything more than a puff of wind’. Discuss.

  8. ‘Although neither Ovid nor Apollo enjoys Daphne sexually, they could be said to collaborate in an artistic exploitation of her transformed body’ (Brown, 2005, 50). What significance can you attach to this claim?

  Vocabulary and grammar

  452 prīmus: Ovid will tell the stories of more lovers to come for Apollo, male and female, including the prophetic Sibyl and the boy Hyacinth. Understand erat as the main verb

  *Phoeb-us ī 2m. Phoebus (‘bright, shining’), i.e. Apollo; also, the sun

  Daphn-ē f. Greek nom. of Daphne, daughter of Peneus

  Pēnēi-us a um descended from the river Peneus. This means the god of the river Peneus. All physical features of the world, being of divine origin, were thought to be also personified as gods. ‘Peneus’ is the name both of the river and the river-god

  quem: note the gender, m. So it cannot refer to Daphne: that leaves amor or Phoebus. Which?

  453 *fors fort-is 3f. chance, luck, destiny (usually only in nom. or abl. forte, ‘by chance’)

  *ignār-us a um ignorant, unaware, i.e. blindly

  *saeu-us a um savage, cruel

  Cupīdō Cupīdin-is 3m. Cupid, the god of carnal lust. He is depicted as a winged (466) mischievous little boy playing with a bow, who excites sexual desire (with golden arrows) or extinguishes it (with lead) (468–9)

  454 Dēli-us a um Apollo, lit. ‘from Delos’, the Greek island where Apollo was born

  hunc: m., i.e. Cupid

  *nūper recently

  serpēns serpent-is 3m. snake, serpent, i.e. the Python, here abl. abs. with uictō, explaining why Apollo was superbus

  superb-us a um proud, haughty

  455 uīderat: note the plup., and cf. dīxerat 457. Ovid uses these tenses to indicate that all this is background to the real story. This almost begins at 474, before Ovid backtracks to tell Daphne’s story, and finally starts at 490

  addūcō 3 draw back, pull tight

  cornu-a 3n. pl.: lit. ‘horns’, i.e. bow, whose tips were often made of horn; here object of flectentem

  neru-us ī 2m. bow-string (made of sinew or horse-hair)

  456 quid . . . tibī: lit. ‘What . . . for you?’, i.e. ‘What’s your interest?’, ‘What are you doing?’

  lascīu-us a um playful, mischievous, sexually unre-strained

  457 deceō 2 (impersonal vb.) suit, fit, be proper (for + acc.), RL154, W37

  umer-us ī 2m. shoulder

  gestāmen gestāmin-is 3n. gear, ornament

  458 quī: m. pl., picking up nostrōs, i.e. ‘[we] who possumus dare certa uulnera both ferae and hostī’

  *fer-a ae 1f. wild animal

  459 pestifer -a um deadly, noxious. pestiferō . . . pre-mentem describes the Python (460), the object of strāuimus

  tot: scans heavy because the next word begins with a consonantal i

  iūger-um ī 2n. acre (= two-thirds of a modern acre)

  uenter uentr-is 3m. belly, stomach

  460 sternō 3 strāuī flatten, stretch lifeless

  innumer-us a um countless

  tumid-us a um swollen, gross (with poison, as Ovid had earlier explained)

  Pthōn -is 3m. Python

  sagitt-a ae 1f. arrow

  461 fax fac-is 3f. torch, brand, love-flame nescioqui quid some X or other (usually contemptu-ous in tone)

  estō be! (imper.). This is an archaic imperative form, RLE1: is Apollo further mocking Cupid (‘be thou!’)?

  content-us a um satisfied, content (to + inf.)

  462 irrītō 1 stir up, excite

  *laus laud-is 3f. reputation, praise, merit; cf. laudō 1 praise

  adserō 3 lay claim to

  Learning vocabulary

  fer-a ae 1f. wild animal

  fors fort-is 3f. chance, luck, destiny (usually only in nom. or abl. forte, ‘by chance’)

  ignār-us a um ignorant, unaware, i.e. blindly

  laus laud-is 3f. reputation, praise, merit; cf. laudō 1

  praise

  nūper recently

  Phoeb-us ī 2m. Phoebus (‘bright, shining’), i.e.

  Apollo; also, the sun

  saeu-us a um savage, cruel

  463 hc: ‘to him’, dative after ait (464)

  Venus Vener-is 3f. Venus, goddess of sex. Cupid is her son

  *fīgō 3 fīxī fīxum pierce, transfix. fīgat (subj. of command [jussive], ‘let . . .’, RL152, W28) is the verb controlling fīgat tuus [arcus] omnia (463); but for tē meus arcus (464), supply fīget, future. Cupid implies that anyone can deal with creatures; it takes real power to deal with gods

  464 arc-us ūs 4m. bow

  quantō . . . tantō by how much . . . by so much. This is ablative of difference, RL100B.5, WSuppl.syntax

  animal -is 3n. mortal creature

  *cēdō 3 cess-ī cess-um yield to (+ dat.), step aside; go, withdraw, come to an end

  465 *cūnct-us a um all

  nostrā: note the case (abl.) – used of comparison after minor, RLJ5, W26/Suppl.syntax

  4
66 ēlīdō 3 ēlīsī ēlīsum remove by force, sweep aside. ēlīsō . . . āere is abl. abs., the idea being that Cupid’s wings face powerful resistance as he labours upwards

  *percutiō 3/4 percussī percussum beat, strike

  *āēr āer-is 3m. air, atmosphere, sky

  *penn-a ae 1f. wing, feather

  467 impiger impigr-a um active, energetic

  umbrōs-us a um shadowy

  Parnās-us ī 2m. Parnassus, a mountain overlooking Delphi

  468 ēque = ē(x) que

  sagittifer-us a um arrow-bearing

  prōmō 3 prōmpsī prōmptum bring out, produce

  *tēl-um ī 2n weapon

  *pharetr-a ae 1f. quiver

  469 dīuers-us a um opposite. dīuersōrum operum is genitive of description, preparing us for the description of the function of the two arrows, RL101, W40

  *hoc . . . illud: subjects, referring to the arrows, ‘the one’, ‘the other’. Note the word-play fugat . . . facit

  470 quod facit: subject, ‘the one that makes [one fall in love]’, paralleled by quod fugat (471)

  aurāt-us a um golden, gilded. This line sounds sharp and crisp

  cuspis cuspid-is 3f. point, tip

  acūt-us a um sharp

  471 obtūs-us a um blunt. This line sounds heavy and solid, full of u’s and b’s

  harundō harundin-is 3f. shaft. sub here means ‘at the tip of’

  plumb-um ī 2n. lead

  hoc: i.e. the latter (lead) arrow. illō (472) = the former (golden) arrow; hīc and ille are often used in this sense, hīc meaning ‘this one here’, i.e the nearer, i.e. the latter; ille meaning that one over there, i.e. the further away, i.e. the former

  472 *nymph-a ae 1f. young woman, semi-divine female spirit

  Pēnēis Pēnēid-is descended from Peneus (cf. Pēnēi-us, 452)

  473 *laedō 3 laesī laesum wound, hurt, injure, annoy

  Apolline-us a um of Apollo

  trāiciō 3/4 trāiēcī trāiectum pierce

  medull-a ae 1f. marrow, innermost being

  Learning vocabulary

  āēr āer-is 3n. air, atmosphere, sky

  cēdō 3 cess-ī cess-um yield to (+ dat.), step aside; go,

  withdraw, come to an end

  cūnct-us a um all

  fīgō 3 fīxī fīxum pierce, transfix

  hīc . . . ille the one (this one here, latter) . . . the

  other (that one there, former)

  laedō 3 laesī laesum wound, hurt, injure, annoy

  nymph-a ae 1f. (also nymph-ē) young woman, semi-

  divine female spirit

  penn-a ae 1f. wing, feather

  percutiō 3/4 percussī percussum beat, strike

  pharetr-a ae 1f. quiver

  tēl-um ī 2n weapon

  474 *prōtinus at once; straight on

  475 latebr-a ae 1f. hiding place, retreat. latebrīs and exuuiīs (476) are both controlled by gaudēns, ‘finding/who found pleasure/joy in’

  captīu-us a um captive

  476 exuui-ae ārum 1f. pl. spoils, prize

  *gaudeō 2 semi-dep. gāuīsus find pleasure, rejoice, be happy in (+ abl.)

  innūpt-us a um unmarried

  aemul-a ae 1f. rival. This is Daphne, whose ambition is to match Diana in hunting and avoiding sex

  Phoebēs: Greek gen. s. of Phoebe, i.e. Diana, goddess of chastity and the hunt (Greek Artemis); she was sister of Apollo

  477 uitt-a ae 1f. headband

  coerceō 2 hold back

  sine lēge: upper-class Roman women usually took great care to see that their hair was done properly

  *capill-us ī 2m. hair

  478 multī: i.e. many suitors. For other examples of suitors seeking the hand of a girl, see e.g. 10.569–74 (passage 18, Atalanta), and cf. e.g. Penelope in Homer’s Odyssey

  petiēre = petīuērunt RLA4, W12(footnotes)

  āuersor 1 dep. āuersātus turn from, reject

  479 impatiēns impatient-is intolerant, impatient (of) expers expert-is inexperienced, lacking knowledge (of)

  *nemus nemor-is 3n. wood, forest, grove

  āui-us a um trackless, out of the way

  lūstrō 1 rove, move through

  480 quid . . . quid . . . quid: indirect question in the form of a tricolon, with anaphora, after cūrat

  Hymen Hymen-is 3m. marriage hymn, god of marriage

  *cōnūbi-um ī 2n. marriage, right to marry

  cūrat: we might expect ‘know’ – we get ‘care’!

  481 saepe . . . dīxit: here the repeated clause mimics her father’s insistence. An unmarried child was a useless child in the ancient world

  gener -ī 2m. son-in-law

  482 nepōs nepōt-is 3m. grandchild

  483 *uelut like, as if, as

  *crīmen crīmin-is 3n. crime, scandal, offence

  taed-a ae 1f. torch (accompanying marriage-ceremony)

  exōs-us a um hating, loathing

  iugāl-is e to do with marriage, nuptial

  484 uerēcund-us a um bashful, shy

  suffundō 3 suffūdī suffuse

  *rubor rubōr-is 3m. blush, redness, modesty

  485 inque: begin with haerēns, take in with ceruīce

  *bland-us a um coaxing, flattering, charming

  *haereō 2 haesī haesum cling (to), be fixed to; doubt, hesitate

  ceruīx ceruīc-is 3f. neck (controlled by inque)

  *lacert-us ī 2m. (upper) arm, embrace

  486 dā mihi: ‘grant to me to/that I should’ + inf. (fruī)

  perpetu-us a um eternal, perpetual

  genitor -is 3m. parent

  cār-us a um dear, beloved

  487 uirginitās uirginitāt-is 3f. virginity

  fruor 3 dep. frūctus/fruitus enjoy (+ abl.)

  pater: i.e. Jupiter

  ante: adverbial, i.e. ‘previously’

  *Diān-a ae 1f. Diana, goddess of chastity and the hunt

  488 obsequor 3 dep. obsecūtus give in, agree

  tē: object of uetat (489). Note the ‘apostrophe’ (moving into the second person to address Daphne)

  *decor decōr-is 3m. beauty, grace, charm

  quod optās/esse ‘to be what you desire’

  489 *uetō 1 uetuī uetītum forbid

  *uōt-um ī 2n. prayer, desire, vow

  tuō tua: a pointed contrast

  *repugn-ō 1 fight against (+ dat.)

  Learning vocabulary

  bland-us a um coaxing, flattering, charming

  capill-us ī 2m. hair

  cōnūbi-um ī 2n. marriage, right to marry

  crīmen crīmin-is 3n. crime, scandal, offence

  decor decōr-is 3m. beauty, grace, charm

  Diān-a ae 1f. Diana, goddess of chastity and the hunt

  gaudeō 2 semi-dep. gāuīsus find pleasure, rejoice, be happy in (+ abl.)

  haereō 2 haesī haesum cling (to), be fixed to; doubt, hesitate

  lacert-us ī 2m. (upper) arm, embrace

  nemus nemor-is 3n. wood, forest, grove

  prōtinus at once; straight on

  *repugn-ō 1 fight against (+ dat.)

  rubor rubōr-is 3m. blush, redness, modesty

  uelut like, as if, as

  uetō 1 uetuī uetītum forbid

  uōt-um ī 2n. prayer, desire, vow

  490 Phoebus: the background has been filled in; now the action begins with Apollo’s pursuit of Daphne

  Daphnēs: Greek gen. s. of Daphne

  491 quodque: = quod + que ‘and what’

  ōrācula: Apollo was god of prophecy

  *fallō 3 fefellī falsum cheat, deceive, fail

  492 utque: ‘and as’, to be followed by two similes (the second, beginning ut, at 493), the similes finally referred back to the subject with sīc (495): ‘as . . . as . . . so . . .’

  *leu-is e light

  stipul-a ae 1f. stalk, stubble

  dēmō 3 dēmpsī dēmptum take away, i.e. harvest

  adoleō 2 burn

  arist-a ae 2f. ear (of corn). The grain havin
g being harvested, the stubble is now burnt to increase soil-fertility

  493 fax fac-is 3f. torch (i.e. ‘because of the torches which [quās] . . .’)

  saep-ēs is 3f. hedge

  ardeō 2 arsī arsum burn, blaze; be in turmoil

  uiātor -is 3m. traveller

  494 nimis: i.e. too close

  *admoueō 2 admōuī admōtum move, bring

  sub lūce: i.e. at daybreak. The torch has been used as a night-light (there was no street-lighting in Rome) and abandoned

  ōscula: ‘poetic’ pl. for s., ‘little mouth’

  495 *pectus pector-is 3n. breast, chest

  496 *ūrō 3 ussī ustum burn up, set on fire, inflame

  steril-is e fruitless, sterile

  nūtriō 4 suckle, foster, feed

  497 *spectō 1 look at, observe, see

  inōrnāt-us a um not made up; cf. 477

  pendeō 2 pependī hang, hang down, be uncertain. This is an inf. in an acc. and inf. after spectat

  498 cōmō 1 do up, arrange. The understood subject is capillī (488)

  micō 1 flash

  500 *digit-us ī 2m. finger

  501 *brācchi-um ī 2n. arm, fore-arm

  *nūd-us a um naked

  mediā plūs parte: ‘more than by the middle part [of the arm]’, i.e. almost to the shoulder. plūs is used here adverbially, with quam (as often) omitted, and mediā parte an abl. of difference, RL100B.5, WSuppl.syntax

  502 qua anywhere

  *lateō 2 lie hidden, be covered. Understand as subject ‘features of her body’, and take meliōra (object of putat) to refer to them

  ōcior -is faster, swifter

  *aur-a ae 1f. breeze, wind. It is abl. of comparison

  503 reuocō 1 call back. reuocantis = ‘of the one (i.e. Apollo) calling [her] back’

  Learning vocabulary

  admoueō 2 admōuī admōtum move, bring

  aur-a ae 1f. breeze, wind

  brācchi-um ī 2n. arm, fore-arm

  fore-arm digit-us ī 2m. finger

  fallō 3 fefellī falsum cheat, deceive, fail

  lateō 2 lie hidden, be covered

  leu-is e light

  nūd-us a um naked

  pectus pector-is 3n. breast, chest

  spectō 1 look at, observe, see

  ūrō 3 ussī ustum burn up, set on fire, inflame

  504 Pēnēi (voc.) daughter of Peneus. Note the slightly panting quality, in rhythm and sound, to the whole nympha . . . manē clause

  *īnsequor 3 dep. follow, pursue

  hostis: in apposition to understood ego of īnsequor, RL17B, W3; cf. 511 ipse, 562 custōs

  505 agn-a ae 1f. lamb. agna . . . cerua . . . columbae (505–6) are all subjects of fugiunt, a splendid ‘rising’ tricolon with anaphora (sīc), climaxing with the strong contrast of Apollo’s motive (507)

 

‹ Prev