Reading Ovid
Page 11
begged her watery sisters to transform her, so that
[705] when Pan clutched what he thought was Syrinx,
he found he was holding not her but marsh reeds;
how the frustrated sighs Pan uttered stirred the wind in these reeds,
producing a thin, plaintive sound;
how, entranced by the sweet sound of this new music,
[710] Pan said ‘I shall always be able to talk with you like this!’;
and how he fixed the reeds of different lengths together
with wax, and gave them the name of the girl.
1.713–23: Mercury kills Argus, whose eyes Juno transplants into the peacock’s tail
tālia †dictūrus, uīdit Cyllēnius omnēs^
†succubuisse ^oculōs, adopertaque lūmina somnō.
†supprimit extemplō uōcem, firmatque sopōrem,
715
†languida^ permulcēns medicātā ^lūmina uirgā.
nec mora, †falcātō^ nūtantem uulnerat ^ēnse,
quā collō est †cōnfīne caput, saxōque cruentum
†dēicit, et maculat praeruptam sanguine rūpem.
Arge, †iacēs, quodque in tot lūmina lūmen habēbās,
720
†exstinctum est, centumque oculōs nox occupat ūna.
†excipit hōs uolucrīsque suae Sāturnia pennīs
†collocat, et gemmīs caudam stellantibus implet.
1.724–33: The enraged Juno maddens Io, who begs Jupiter for release
prōtinus †exārsit, nec tempora distulit īrae,
†horriferamque^ oculīs animōque obiēcit ^Erīnyn
725
†paelicis Argolicae, stimulōsque in pectore caecōs
†condidit, et profugam per tōtum exercuit orbem.
†ultimus immēnsō^ restābās, Nīle, ^labōrī;
†quem simulac tetigit, positīsque^ in margine rīpae
†prōcubuit ^genibus, resupīnōque ardua collō,
730
†quōs potuit sōlōs, tollēns ad sīdera uultūs,
et †gemitū et lacrimīs et luctisonō mūgītū
cum Ioue †uīsa querī, fīnemque ōrāre malōrum.
1.734–46: Jupiter makes his peace with Juno, and Io becomes a woman again
coniugis^ †ille ^suae complexus colla lacertīs,
fīniat †ut poenās tandem rogat, ‘in’ que ‘futūrum
735
pōne metūs’ inquit; ‘numquam tibi causa dolōris
†haec erit,’ et Stygiās^ iubet hōc audīre ^palūdēs.
ut †lēnīta dea est, uultūs^ capit illa ^priōrēs,
†fitque quod ante fuit; fugiunt ē corpore saetae,
cornua †dēcrēscunt, fit lūminis artior orbis,
740
†contrahitur rictus, redeunt umerīque manūsque,
†ungulaque in quīnōs^ dīlāpsa absūmitur ^unguēs.
dē †boue nīl superest, fōrmae nisi candor in illā.
†officiōque pedum^ nymphē contenta ^duōrum,
†ērigitur metuitque loquī, nē mōre iuuencae
745
†mūgiat, et timidē uerba intermissa retemptat.
Learning vocabulary for Passage 3, Io and Syrinx
admīror 1 dep. be surprised, wonder at
aethēr -is 3m. upper air, heaven
aeu-um ī 2n. age
āl-a ae 1f. wing
antr-um ī 2n. cave
arbore-us a um of/from trees
ardu-us a um looking upwards, steep, difficult, high
caud-a ae 1f. tail
circumdō 1 surround, put X (acc.) round Y (dat.)
condō 3 condidī conditum hide; build, found; compose
cōnspiciō 3 cōnspexī cōnspectum catch sight of, see, observe
dēprendō 3 dēprēndī dēprēnsum catch out, catch red-handed (often dēprehendō)
dīu-us a um divine; as noun, god(dess)
dōnec until
fīniō 4 end, finish
fīn-is is 3f. end
firmō 1 reinforce, strengthen
fulmen fulmin-is 3n. thunderbolt
gemit-us ūs 4m. groan
gemm-a ae 1f. gem
genu gen-ūs 4n. knee
ignōrō 1 be ignorant, not know
illīc there
illinc from there; from that/one point of view
immēns-us a um immeasurable
impleō 2 implēuī implētum fill
īnfēlīx īnfēlīc-is unhappy, unfortunate
ingeminō 1 repeat, intensify
IūnōIūnōn-is 3 f.Juno (Greek Hera), wife of Jupiter
iuuenc-a ae 1f. cow, heifer
lāt-us a um wide, broad
leu-is e light, trivial, capricious, inconstant
luct-us ūs 4m. cause of grief, mourning, lamentation
lūmen lūmin-is 3n. eye, light
margō margin-is 3m. edge, border
marīt-us a um married; husband; marīta wife
metuō 3 metuī metūtum fear
mīror 1 dep. wonder, be amazed at
Nāis Nāid-is 3f. water nymph
nepōs nepōt-is 3m./f. grandchild
nesci-us a um ignorant (of)
nīl nothing
nōsset=nōuisset
paelex paelic-is 3f. mistress
patri-us a um paternal, of one’s father
pendeō 2 pependī hang on, be uncertain; depend on
pertimēscō 3 pertimuī be afraid of
potēns potent-is powerful
procul at a distance
referō referre rettulī relātum bring/carry/put back, tell, answer, record, pay
refugiō 3 refūgī recoil from
retineō 2 retinuī retentum hold back, keep
rīp-a ae 1f. bank
sanguis sanguin-is 3m. blood
Sāturni-a ae 1f. daughter of Saturn, i.e. Juno; Sāturnius = Jupiter
sedeō 2 sēdī sessum sit
Stygi-us a um Stygian, (of the) underworld, hellish
supersum superesse superfuī remain, be left over, survive
tantum only
tendō 3 tetendī tēnsum stretch out, draw, proceed, reach, aim (at)
thalam-us ī 2m. marriage (bed)
tor-us ī 2m. bed, marriage-bed
uacc-a ae 1f. cow
uirg-a ae 1f. rod, wand
ultim-us a um final, last
Study section
1. Write out and scan ll.724–33.
2. Compare and contrast the stories of Daphne and Io in terms of character and the structure and complexity of the story. In what respects, for example, are Apollo and Jupiter similar and different? What sort of a woman is Juno, and how does her entry into the story affect it? Are Daphne and Io merely foils for the depiction of divine passions?
3. ‘From Io’s point of view Argus’ boredom is a grim reminder that male violence against women is an everyday occurrence, not worth staying awake for’ (Brown, 2005, 30–1). Justify, or attack, this claim.
4. Give a feminist and anti-feminist perspective on this story.
5. Take any five lines, consecutive or not, and explain why they give you pleasure.
Vocabulary and grammar
583 īm-us a um deep, bottom (of)
recondit-us a um hidden away
*antr-um ī 2n. cave. Abl. of place
584 flēt-us ūs 4m. weeping. This is an abl. of means, showing how he increased his own waters
augeō 2 increase
Īō: Greek acc. s. of Io
585 lūgeō 2 grieve, mourn for
ut: ‘as one āmissam’
nescit: note that ‘whether’ in the following indir. q. is expressed by -ne
fruor 3 dep. enjoy (+ abl.). Io is the subject
486 mān-ēs ium 3m. pl. shades, spirits of the dead
sed quam: ‘but [she] whom . . . [her] putat esse nusquam’
usquam anywhere
587 nusquam nowhere
animō: abl. of place
pēiōra: i.e. ‘the
worse’ of the two options on offer (life and death)
uereor 2 dep. fear
588 uīderat: note the plupf. Ovid goes back in time to establish the background to the tale
*patri-us a um of one’s father, paternal
beāt-us a um happy, blessed, fortunate
590 nescioquī/quae/quod someone or other
*tor-us ī 2m. bed, marriage-bed
591 mōnstrō 1 show, point out. Ovid commonly repeats himself in this chatty, spontaneous way, as if giving a stage direction, cf. 597
592 caleō 2 grow warm
593 latebr-a ae 1f. hiding place, lair
594 praeses praesid-is 3m. guardian. Take this with tūta ‘safe with deō praeside’. Note the hypocrisy of Jupiter, claiming to protect her from the beasts in the woods when in fact he intends to rape her there
sēcrēt-us a um set apart, remote, withdrawn, secluded. This is n. pl., used as a noun, RL14.7, W4
sub-eō īre pass into
595 dē . . . sed quī: ‘nor [am I a god] from [one of the] plēbs gods . . . but [a god] who . . .’ Note the dismissive air of plēbs (as if some gods were patricians – patricians and plebs were contrasted in Roman society – and others not!), the repeated sed quī and grand pomposity of tone (compare Apollo’s boasting in passage 2, 1.504–24). Here are the two sides of Jupiter: mighty ruler of the universe and cynical serial adulterer, all in one
plēbs plēb-is f. common (people), mob
596 scēptr-um ī 2n. sceptre
uag-us a um free-moving, wide-ranging
*fulmen fulmin-is 3n. thunderbolt
597 nē fuge: an amusing change of tone – all Jupiter can do is utter this comically bewildered protest as Io races off before he can finish (like Daphne, 1.503, 526). nē with the imperative is common in poetry, RLL-V(a)3
pāscu-um ī 2n. pasture
Lern-a ae 1f. Lerna (a town near Argos in Southern Greece)
598 cōnsit-us a um sown, planted (cōnserō)
Lyrce-us a um of Mt. Lyrceus (near Argos)
599 indūcō 3 spread, bring over
*lāt-us a um wide, broad
cālīg-ō -inis 3f. darkness, gloom, mist
600 occulō 3 occuluī hide
Learning vocabulary
antr-um ī 2n. cave
fulmen fulmin-is 3n. thunderbolt
lāt-us a um wide, broad
patri-us a um of one’s father, paternal
tor-us ī 2m. bed, marriage-bed
601 *Iūnō Iūnōn-is 3f. Juno (in Greek, Hera), wife of Jupiter
dēspiciō 3 dēspexī look down
Arg-ī ōrum 2m. pl. Argos (an important town in southern Greece, a major cult centre for the worship of Hera/Juno in the Greek world)
602 nebul-a ae 1f. cloud, mist
fēcisse: the verb in an acc. and inf. construction after mīrāta (603), with nebulās . . . uolucrēs as its subject
uolucer uolucr-is e sudden, swift, flying
603 nitid-us a um bright, shining
*mīror 1 dep. wonder, be amazed at
flūminis illās: i.e. [that] illās (i.e. the clouds – still acc. and inf. after mīrāta) [were not] flūminis, lit. ‘of the river’, i.e. arising from the river (like e.g. morning mists emerging out of it), a gen. of origin/source, RL6.5; ‘clouds’ are still the subject of remittī (acc. and inf. after sēnsit, 604)
604 ūmeō 2 be wet, moist
remittō 3 send up (from)
605 suus coniunx : subject of ubi sit
circumspiciō 3 look around
ut quae: ut qui/quae/quod, lit. ‘[she/Juno] as one who, being the sort of person who’ takes the subj. (nōsset), RL166, W38
606 *dēprendō 3 dēprēndī dēprēnsum catch out, catch red-handed (often dēprehendō)
totiēns so often
*nōsset=nōuisset, RLA5
fūrt-um ī 2n. deceit (especially in sexual escapades), theft
*marīt-us a um married; husband; marīta wife
607 quem: connecting relative, RL107. Begin with postquam
caelō: abl. of place
608 dēlābor 3 dep. dēlāpsus glide down
*aethēr -is 3m. upper air, heaven
609 nebul-a ae 1f. cloud, mist
recēdō 3 depart, recede
610 aduent-us ūs 4m. arrival
praesentiō 4 praesēnsī praesēnsum sense in advance. Jupiter is the subject
niteo 2 shine
611 Īnachid-os: Greek gen. s. of Īnachis, ‘daughter of Inachus’, i.e. Io
*iuuenc-a ae 1f. cow, heifer. Note consonantal i
612 bōs bou-is 3 m./f. bull, ox; cow
fōrmōs-us a um beautiful, shapely
speci-ēs ēī 5f. look, sight, appearance
*Sāturni-a ae 1f. daughter of Saturn, i.e. Juno. Sāturnius = Jupiter
*uacc-a ae 1f. cow
613 probō 1 approve of, prove
nec nōn and also (= ‘nor . . . not’)
cus. . . unde . . . quōue: indirect questions after quaerit (614), all with sit as the main verb
614 arment-um ī 2n. herd
*nesci-us a um ignorant (of)
615 genit-us a um born. This is f., referring to the cow, and supply esse, acc. and inf. after mentītur. To be ‘born from the earth’ meant that one’s origin was unknown
mentior 4 dep. lie
ut: explains Jupiter’s purpose in lying
auctor -is 3m. inventor (of the cow’s origin, i.e. Jupiter)
616 dēsinō 3 stop, cease
inquīrō 3 examine, inquire into
mūnus: in apposition to hanc = the cow
617 faciat: ‘deliberative’ subj. (Jupiter is the subject), RL152. Ovid here signals that we are about to see Jupiter’s thought-processes at work
addīcō 3 surrender. This is inf. after crūdēle (est). Since Jupiter is reflecting what to do, translate ‘it would be cruel to . . .’ Jupiter knows that if he lets Juno have the cow, that would be the end of his affair with Io
618 nōn dare: ‘[but] not to hand it over’
suspect-us a um suspicious
*illinc from there; from that/one point of view
619 hinc: from this/another point of view
dissuādeō 2 hold back, dissuade
esset . . . uictus: note the conditional plupf. subj., ‘would have been . . .’
620 *leu-is e light, trivial, capricious, inconstant. With mūnus, it is in apposition to uacca (621), RL17B, W3
soci-a ae 1f. partner of (+ gen.), i.e. Juno. sociae is dative after negārētur, ‘should be denied to . . .’
generis: genus, not gener!
negārētur: note conditional subj., RL139, 173, W33
621 poterat: possum is often used in conditions in the ind., where we would expect the subj.: ‘it would be possible to seem [to be] nōn uacca’, RLS2(c)Notes(6)
622 *paelex paelic-is 3f. mistress (Io)
dōnō 1 give as a gift, donate
exuō 3 exuī cast off, lose. Note the tricolon of Juno’s fears – nōn exuit . . . timuit . . . anxia
623 *dīu-us a um divine; (when used as a noun) god(dess)
ānxi-us a um worried, uneasy about (+ gen.)
fūrt-um ī 2n. theft (of the cow); deceitfulness
624 *dōnec until
Arestoridae: Greek dat. s. of Arestoridēs = son of Arestor (an Argive hero of some sort), i.e. Argus; dative of agent with a gerundive, RLL(e)1(iv), W24
seruandam: f., referring to Io. Note the gerundive idiom ‘hand over X to be -ed’, RL161, W39
Arg-us ī 2m. Argus (the hundred-eyed guardian)
Learning vocabulary
aethēr -is 3m. upper air, heaven
dēprendō 3 dēprēndī dēprēnsum catch out, catch red-handed (often dēprehendō)
dīu-us a um divine; as noun, god(dess)
dōnec until
illinc from there; from that/one point of view
Iūnō Iūnōn-is 3f. Juno (in Greek, Hera), wife of Jupiter
iuuenc-a ae 1f. cow, heifer
&n
bsp; leu-is e light, trivial, capricious, inconstant
marīt-us a um married; husband; marīta wife
mīror 1 dep. wonder, be amazed at
nesci-us a um ignorant (of)
nōsset=nōuisset
paelex paelic-is 3f. mistress
Sāturni-a ae 1f. daughter of Saturn, i.e. Juno;
Sāturnius = Jupiter
uacc-a ae 1f. cow
625 *lūmen lūmin-is 3n. eye, light
626 inde: i.e. ‘of these [eyes]’
suīs uicibus: ‘by turns’, ‘in their turn’
bīn-us a um two at a time (understand lūmina as subject; so too with cētera, 627)
627 statiō statiōn-is 3f. guard-duty
628 quōcumque modō: ‘in whatever position [Argus cōnstiterat]’
Īō: Greek acc. of Io in 628 and 629
629 āuers-us a um turned away. This line makes for an amusing paradox!
630 lūce by daylight
sinō 3 allow, permit (understand ‘Io’ as object)
pāscor 3 dep. graze
631 claudō 3 close up, enclose
indign-us a um innocent, blameless, undeserving
*circumdō 1 put X (acc.) round Y (dat.), surround
uincul-um ī 2n. halter, binding, chain
632 frōns frond-is 3f. leaf. Ovid now describes (632–4) what might in other circumstances be a locus amoenus for Io (see Introduction, p. 8) – but not in her present transformed state as a cow
*arbore-us a um of/from trees
amār-us a um bitter
pāscor 3 dep. graze on (+ abl.)
633 grāmen grāmin-is 3n grass
634 incubō 1 lie down on (dat.)
*īnfēlīx īnfēlīc-is unhappy, unfortunate
līmōs-us a um muddy
pōtō 1 drink
635 supplex supplic-is supplicating, entreating
636 *tendō 3 tetendī tēnsum stretch out, draw, proceed, reach, aim (at)
quae brācchia: ‘arms which she could’, ‘arms to’. Note tenderet, subj. in a relative clause of purpose, RL145(3); a repetition full of pathos
637 cōnātō . . . ōre: abl. abs., ‘when her mouth tried . . .’
mūgīt-us ūs 4m. mooing (listen to the sound of the word!)
ēdō 3 ēdidī utter, give out