Reading Ovid

by Peter Jones

  545

  cōgor, opemque tuam timidīs †exposcere uōtīs.’

  9.547–63: ‘I want to be closer to you; forget convention; no one need know’

  †‘tū seruāre potes, tū perdere sōlus amantem:

  †ēlige, utrum faciās. nōn hōc inimīca precātur,

  sed quae, cum tibi sit †iūnctissima, iūnctior esse

  †expetit, et uinclō tēcum propiōre ligārī.

  550

  iūra senēs †nōrint, et quid liceatque nefāsque

  fāsque sit, †inquīrant, lēgumque exāmina seruent.

  †conueniēns Venus est annīs temerāria nostrīs.

  quid liceat, nescīmus adhūc, et cūncta licēre

  crēdimus, et sequimur magnōrum †exempla deōrum.

  555

  nec nōs aut dūrus pater aut †reuerentia fāmae

  aut timor impediet (†tantum sit causa timendī!);

  dulcia †frāternō sub nōmine fūrta tegēmus.

  est mihi lībertās tēcum †sēcrēta loquendī,

  et damus †amplexūs, et iungimus ōscula cōram;

  560

  †quantum est, quod dēsit? miserēre fatentis amōrem,

  et †nōn fassūrae, nisi cōgeret ultimus ardor,

  †nēue merēre meō subscrībī causa sepulchrō.’

  9.564–73: Sealing the tablets, she tells a slave to deliver them

  tālia †nēquīquam perarantem plēna relīquit

  cēra manum, summusque in †margine uersus adhaesit.

  565

  prōtinus †impressā signat sua crīmina gemmā,

  quam †tīnxit lacrimīs (linguam dēfēcerat ūmor);

  dēque suīs ūnum †famulīs pudibunda uocāuit,

  et †paulum blandīta ‘fer hās, fīdissime, nostrō’

  dīxit, et †adiēcit longō post tempore ‘frātrī.’

  570

  cum daret, †ēlāpsae manibus cecidēre tabellae.

  †ōmine turbāta est, mīsit tamen. apta minister

  tempora †nactus adit, trāditque latentia uerba.

  9.574–84: The slave tells Byblis of Caunus’ appalled reaction

  †attonitus subitā iuuenis Maeandrius īrā

  †prōicit acceptās lectā sibi parte tabellās,

  575

  uixque manūs retinēns †trepidantis ab ōre ministrī,

  ‘dum licet, ō uetitae †scelerāte libīdinis auctor,

  effuge!’ ait ‘quī, sī †nostrum tua fāta pudōrem

  nōn traherent †sēcum, poenās mihi morte dedissēs.’

  ille fugit pauidus, dominaeque †ferōcia Caunī

  580

  dicta refert. †pallēs audītā, Bybli, repulsā,

  et pauet †obsessum glaciālī frīgore corpus.

  mēns tamen ut rediit, pariter rediēre furōrēs,

  linguaque †uix tālēs ictō dedit āere uōcēs:

  9.585–600: ‘Fool! I should have tested his feelings first!’

  ‘et †meritō! quid enim temerāria uulneris hus

  585

  †indicium fēcī? quid, quae cēlanda fuērunt,

  tam †cito commīsī properātīs uerba tabellīs?

  †ante erat ambiguīs animī sententia dictīs

  †praetemptanda mihī. nē nōn sequēretur euntem,

  parte aliquā †uēlī, quālis foret aura, notāre

  590

  dēbueram, tūtōque marī †dēcurrere, quae nunc

  nōn †explōrātīs implēuī lintea uentīs.

  auferor in †scopulōs igitur, subuersaque tōtō

  †obruor ōceanō, neque habent mea uēla recursūs.

  †quid quod et ōminibus certīs prohibēbar amōrī

  595

  †indulgēre meō, tum cum mihi ferre iubentī

  †excidit et fēcit spēs nostrās cēra cadūcās?

  nōnne uel illa †diēs fuerat, uel tōta uoluntās,

  sed potius mūtanda diēs? deus ipse monēbat

  †signaque certa dabat, sī nōn male sāna fuissem.’

  600

  9.601–12: ‘Had I told him personally, I could have persuaded him’

  ‘et tamen ipsa loquī, nec mē committere cērae

  dēbueram, †praesēnsque meōs aperīre furōrēs.

  uīdisset lacrimās, uultum uīdisset amantis;

  †plūra loquī poteram, quam quae cēpēre tabellae.

  inuītō potuī circumdare brācchia collō,

  605

  et, sī †rēicerer, potuī moritūra uidērī

  amplectīque pedēs, †adfūsaque poscere uītam.

  omnia fēcissem, quōrum sī singula dūram^

  †flectere nōn poterant, potuissent omnia, ^mentem.

  †forsitan et missī sit quaedam culpa ministrī:

  610

  nōn †adiīt aptē, nec lēgit idōnea, crēdō,

  tempora, nec †petiīt hōramque animumque uacantem.’

  9.613–19: ‘But my brother can still be won over!’

  ‘haec nocuēre mihī. neque enim est dē †tigride nātus

  nec †rigidās silicēs solidumue in pectore ferrum

  aut †adamanta gerit, nec lac bibit ille leaenae.

  615

  uincētur! repetendus erit, †nec taedia coeptī

  ūlla meī capiam, dum †spīritus iste manēbit.

  nam †prīmum, sī facta mihī reuocāre licēret,

  nōn coepisse fuit: coepta †expugnāre secundum est.’

  9.620–9: ‘If I give up now, he will think I did not mean it; I am guilty anyway’

  †‘quippe nec ille potest, ut iam mea uōta relinquam,

  620

  †nōn tamen ausōrum semper memor esse meōrum.

  et, †quia dēsierim, leuiter uoluisse uidēbor,

  aut etiam †temptāsse illum īnsidiīsque petīsse,

  †uel certē nōn hōc^, quī plūrimus urget et ūrit

  †pectora nostra, ^deō, sed uicta libīdine crēdar;

  625

  dēnique iam †nequeō nīl commīsisse nefandum.

  et scrīpsī et petiī: †reserāta est nostra uoluntās;

  ut nihil †adiciam, nōn possum innoxia dīcī.

  †quod superest, multum est in uōta, in crīmina paruum.’

  9.630–40: Caunus flees from her advances; she follows him

  dīxit, et (incertae tanta est †discordia mentis),

  630

  †cum pigeat temptāsse, libet temptāre. modumque

  exit, et īnfēlīx †committit saepe repellī.

  mox ubi †fīnis abest, patriam fugit ille nefāsque,

  inque †peregrīnā pōnit noua moenia terrā.

  tum uērō maestam tōtā †Mīlētida mente

  635

  †dēfēcisse ferunt, tum uērō ā pectore uestem

  †dēripuit, planxitque suōs furibunda lacertōs.

  iamque palam est †dēmēns, inconcessaeque fatētur

  spem Veneris, †siquidem patriam inuīsōsque penātēs

  dēserit, et †profugī sequitur uestīgia frātris.

  640

  9.641–8: Byblis’ journey across Asia

  †utque tuō mōtae, prōlēs Semelēia, thyrsō

  †Ismariae celebrant repetīta triennia bacchae,

  †Byblida nōn aliter lātōs ululāsse per agrōs

  †Būbasides uīdēre nurūs. quibus illa relictīs

  †Cāras et armiferōs Lelegas Lyciamque pererrat.

  645

  iam †Cragon et Limyrēn Xanthīque relīquerat undās,

  †quōque Chimaera iugō mediīs in partibus ignem,

  pectus et ōra †leae, caudam serpentis habēbat.

  9.649–65: Byblis collapses and, consumed with tears, changes into a fountain

  dēficiunt siluae, cum tū †lassāta sequendō

  †concidis, et dūrā positīs tellūre capillīs,

  650

  †Bybli, iacēs, frondēsque tuō premis ōre cadūcās.

  saepe illam nymphae^
tenerīs †^Lelegēides ulnīs

  tollere cōnantur, saepe †ut medeātur amōrī

  †praecipiunt, surdaeque adhibent sōlācia mentī.

  †mūta iacet, uiridēsque suīs tenet unguibus herbās

  655

  Byblis, et †ūmectat lacrimārum grāmina rīuō.

  †Nāidas hīs uēnam, quae numquam ārēscere posset,

  †subposuisse ferunt. quid enim dare māius habēbant?

  prōtinus, †ut sectō piceae dē cortice guttae,

  utue †tenāx grauidā mānat tellūre bitūmen;

  660

  utue, sub †aduentū spīrantis lēne Fauōnī,

  †sōle remollēscit quae frīgore cōnstitit unda;

  sīc, lacrimīs †cōnsūmpta suīs, Phoebēia Byblis

  †uertitur in fontem, quī nunc quoque uallibus illīs

  nōmen habet dominae, nigrāque sub †īlice mānat.

  665

  Learning vocabulary for Passage 15, Byblis

  apt-us a um suitable, proper

  cadūc-us a um fallen

  dēficiō 3/4 dēfēcī fail in, lose control of (+ abl.); fade out, come to an end

  fateor 2 dep. fassus confess, admit to

  frīgus frīgor-is 3n. chill

  libīdō libīdin-is 3f. lust

  mānō 1 ooze, drip, flow

  minister ministr-ī 2m. slave, attendant

  notō 1 write; realise; mark, notice

  ōmen ōmin-is 3n. omen, sign

  temerāri-us a um rash

  uēl-um ī 2n. sail

  Study section

  1. At 522, Ovid uses ferrum to denote Byblis’ stylus. ferrum can also mean ‘sword’. Brown writes ‘ . . . in carving her confessional letter she seals her doom as surely as though she had stabbed herself’ (2005, 17–18). Do you agree? Does she seal her doom with this act?

  2. At 569 paulum is printed. Some editors prefer pauidum. To whom would that refer, and what would it mean? Should pauidum be in the acc.? If it were an adverbial acc. (RLL(c)6), what would it mean? Line 580 may – or may not – be relevant.

  3. At 584, should we read mox in place of uix?

  4. At 627, temerāta (from temerō 1 violate, pollute) is preferred by some editors to reserāta. Your choice?

  5. Trace the stages by which Byblis’ resistance to her feelings collapses.

  6. Do you feel sympathy for Byblis? Does that sympathy wane at any stage?

  7. How important was realism to Ovid?

  Vocabulary and grammar

  517 hoc placet: i.e. her decision to write to Caunus and reveal all

  dubi-us a um*

  518 latus later-is 3n. side

  ērigor 3 pass. prop oneself up

  cubit-um ī 2n. elbow

  innītor 3 dep. innīxus lean

  sinister sinistr-a um left. She will hold the writing tablet in her left hand, the stylus in the right (522)

  519 uīderit: uideō here has the meaning ‘see to it’, ‘make what one will of it’, casting the responsibility for action on the subject (in this case, Caunus); uīderit is a jussive perf. subj., RL152, W28

  īnsan-us a um*

  *fateor 2 dep. fassus confess, admit to

  520 mihi alas for me

  lābor: note the long ā

  concipiō 3/4 catch (as in ‘catch fire’)

  quem: take with ignem

  521 meditāt-us a um (pass.)*. Note the golden line

  compōnō 3*

  522 ferrum: lit. iron, i.e. the metal stylus; a finely balanced line

  523 incipiō 3/4 begin

  damnō 1 condemn

  524 *notō 1 write; realise; mark, notice

  525 in uicem in turns

  resūmō 3*

  527 displicet 2* (impersonal)

  529 corrēctīs (corrigō 3)*. Note the golden line

  incīdō 3 cut (in the wax)

  530 quam . . . amāns: take in the order amāns mittit tibi hanc salūtem quam nōn est habitūra, nisi tū dederis

  salūtem: ‘good health!’ will translate this ambiguously enough both as a greeting and as an indication of Byblis’ problem; for the significance of this word at the start of a letter, see Comment

  531 pudet*: impersonal verb; cf. pudor

  ēdō 3 publish, announce

  532 uellem: ‘I should wish [that]’ + subj. (mea causa posset agī and cognita forem), RLL-V(a)3–4

  534 ante forem quam: take in the order forem, ante-quam, RLE1, RL165

  535 index indic-is 3m. evidence

  536 maciēs maci-ēī 5f. loss of weight

  ūmid-us a um wet

  537 suspīri-um ī 2n. sigh

  patēns patent-is obvious

  538 amplex-us ūs 4m.*

  quae: take in order et ōscula quae, sī forte notāstī, nōn possent sentīrī esse sorōria

  notāstī: = notāuistī, RLA4

  539 sorōri-us a um*

  540 ipsa: i.e. ego ipsa

  uulnus: cf. her battle against her feelings, 543

  541 intus inside

  furor: an admission of irrationality, cf. sānior 542

  igne-us a um*

  542 test-is is 3m. witness

  sān-us a um*

  543 Cupīdō Cupīdin-is 3f. the god Cupid (Desire)

  545 putēs: subj. ‘you would think’

  dūra: n. pl. used as a noun, RL14.7, W4

  546 exposcō 3 implore, beg for

  547 tū . . . amantem: fine verbal and emotional balance – sōlus amantem is a very powerful word-placement at the end of the line

  548 ēligō 3 choose

  nōn inimīca: ‘no [female] enemy [of yours]’ – Byblis refers to herself

  549 iūnctissima* (iungō)

  550 expetō 3*

  uinc(u)l-um ī 2n. bond, tie

  propior -is closer

  ligō 1 bind

  551 nō(ue)rint: (very dismissive) jussive subj. of nōscō (so inquīrant and seruent 552)

  552 inquīrō 3*

  exāmen exāmin-is 3n. balance, niceties

  553 conueniēns conuenient-is fitting, appropriate

  *temerāri-us a um rash

  555 exempl-um ī 2n.*

  556 reuerenti-a ae 1f.*

  557 tantum sit: lit. ‘let there only be . . . !’, ‘if only there were . . . !’

  558 frātern-us a um*

  fūrt-um ī 2n. theft

  559 sēcrēt-us a um*

  560 amplexus -ūs 4m.*

  cōram publicly

  561 quantum est quod: ‘how much is there that . . .’ misereor 2 dep. have pity on (+ gen., here fatentis ‘the one who . . .’)

  562 nōn fassūrae: ‘and would not confess [it]’ – ‘would’, because of the subj., cōgeret, in the nisi clause ‘unless ultimus ardor were to . . .’

  ardor -is 3m.*

  563 nēue and don’t (+ imper.)

  merēre: 2s. pass. imper. of mereō 2, think worthy to (+ inf.), RLB1 (pres. imper. pass.)

  subscrībō 3 inscribe

  causa: ‘[as] the reason for’ + dat. (in apposition to understood tū, RL17B, W3)

  564 nēquīquam in vain

  perarō 1 furrow (as a metaphor of the stylus ploughing through the wax on the tablet)

  plēna relīquit cēra: ‘the full wax/tablet left her hand’, i.e. the tablet was full when she put it down

  565 margō margin-is 3m./f. edge

  adhaereō 2 adhaesī cling on

  566 imprīmō 3 impressī impressus*

  signō 1*

  gemm-a ae 1f. signet-ring. The two sides of the tablet are closed and sealed with a blob of hot wax, which is then impressed with the signet ring (the ring was usually moistened to prevent the wax sticking to it, 567). If anyone subsequently interfered with the tablets, the impress made by the signet would be destroyed

  567 tingō 3 tīnxī moisten

  dēficiō 3/4 dēfēcī fail, leave

  ūmor -is 3m. moisture. Note the tears vs. dry tongue antithesis

  568 famul-us ī 2m. slave

 
pudibund-us a um blushing, shame-faced

  569 paulum a little

  blandior 4 ingratiate oneself (with + dat.)

  fīd-us a um*

  570 adiciō 3/4 adiēcī add. Note the lovely delay to the word frātrī

  post: here used adverbially ‘later’, ‘after’, how much later being expressed by the abl., RL100B5, WSuppl.syntax

  571 ēlābor*

  572 *ōmen ōmin-is 3n. omen, sign

  *apt-us a um suitable, proper

  *minister ministr-ī 2m. slave

  573 nancīscor 3 dep. nactus find, get

  574 attonit-us a um astonished

  subit-us a um*

  Maeandrius i.e. Caunus, grandson of the river (god) Meander

  575 prōiciō 3/4*

  576 trepidō 1 be terrified

  577 scelerāt-us a um wicked

  *libīdō libīdin-is 3f. lust

  auctor -is 3m. agent, initiator

  578 nostrum . . . pudōrem: i.e. shame on me

  579 sēcum: reflexive, referring to tua fāta (the slave’s death)