by Peter Jones
280–97: Pygmalion returns home and gives the statue a loving kiss (cf. 256). So far, so usual. But – what if . . . ? She (uīsa, f.) seems to be warm (280–1). This is new. He kisses her again and runs his hands over her breasts (282, cf. 254); this time the ivory is actually softened, her flesh does actually yield to his fingers (282–4, cf. 257–8). A suitably artistic simile accompanies this dramatic moment: her flesh is like wax which softens in the sun and can be worked into many shapes. Pygmalion, joyful and doubtful and afraid that he is being deceived (287 – a cleverly judged combination of feelings at such a time), runs a loving hand over his uōta (the object of his prayer) again (288) – to find that the statue is made real flesh, blood pumping through the veins (a close observation, 289). Immediate thanks to Venus are the mark of the truly pious man (290–1), and further kisses follow – not falsa any longer (292). But what of Galatea (the name given much later to his wife)? She is so modest (cf. 251) that, although she has had no experience of the real world at all, she blushes to feel Pygmalion’s kiss (293, a lovely Ovidian touch); then, looking for the source of the illumination (another fine touch: she does not know what ‘light’ is), she opens her timidum eyes (cf. Pygmalion, 274) to see the man who is in love with her, and the sky, all at once (293–4). Venus attends the marriage, and a child soon follows who will give his name to Paphos on Cyprus: a happy ending, for a change. But not so happy for the descendants, as will become apparent in the next passage . . .
18 Venus and Adonis, Metamorphōsēs 10.519–739
Background
Having sung of Pygmalion (passage 17), Orpheus continues his tales on various sexual themes with the story of Myrrha. She was the daughter of Paphos’ son Cinyras, and fell in love, and committed incest, with her father. Pregnant, and appalled by what she had done, she prayed for transformation and became a tree. Even so, with the help of Lucina (goddess of child-birth) who split the tree-trunk for her, she gave birth to a son Adonis, a boy of outstanding beauty.
10.519–28: Time passes, Adonis’ beauty increases, and Venus falls for him
‘lābitur †occultē fallitque uolātilis aetās,
et nihil est annīs †uēlōcius. ille, sorōre
520
nātus auōque suō, quī conditus †arbore nūper,
nūper erat †genitus, modo fōrmōsissimus īnfāns,
iam iuuenis, iam uir, iam sē fōrmōsior ipsō est.
iam placet et Venerī, †mātrisque ulcīscitur ignēs.
namque †pharetrātus dum dat puer ōscula mātrī,
525
†īnscius exstantī dēstrinxit harundine pectus.
laesa manū nātum dea †reppulit: altius āctum
uulnus erat †speciē prīmōque fefellerat ipsam.’
10.529–41: Venus abandons her usual haunts and practices to be with Adonis
‘capta uirī fōrmā nōn iam †Cytherēia^ cūrat
†^lītora, nōn altō repetit Paphon aequore cīnctam
530
†piscōsamque Cnidon grauidamue Amathunta metallīs.
†abstinet et caelō; caelō praefertur Adōnis.
hunc tenet, hc comes est; adsuētaque semper in †umbrā
†indulgēre sibī fōrmamque augēre colendō,
per †iuga, per siluās dūmōsaque saxa uagātur,
535
†fīne genūs uestem rītū succīncta Diānae.
hortāturque canēs, †tūtaeque animālia praedae
aut †prōnōs leporēs aut celsum in cornua ceruum
aut †agitat dammās; ā fortibus abstinet aprīs,
†raptōrēsque lupōs armātōsque unguibus ursōs
540
†uītat et armentī saturātōs caede leōnēs.’
10.542–59: Venus warns Adonis against fierce animals, and relaxes to tell him a story
‘tē quoque, ut hōs timeās, sī quid prōdesse monendō
possit, †Adōni, monet, “fortis” que “fugācibus estō”
inquit; “in audācēs nōn est audācia tūta.
parce †meō, iuuenis, temerārius esse perīclō,
545
nēue ferās, quibus arma dedit nātūra, †lacesse,
†stet mihi nē magnō tua glōria. nōn mouet aetās
nec faciēs nec quae Venerem mōuēre leōnēs
†saetigerōsque suēs oculōsque animōsque ferārum.
fulmen habent ācrēs in †aduncīs dentibus aprī,
550
†impetus est fuluīs et uasta leōnibus īra,
†inuīsumque mihī genus est.” quae causa rogantī,
“dīcam,” ait “et ueteris †mōnstrum mīrābere culpae.
sed labor †īnsolitus iam mē lassāuit, et, ecce,
†opportūna suā blandītur pōpulus umbrā,
555
datque torum †caespes; libet hāc requiēscere tēcum”
(et requiēuit) “humō”, pressitque et †grāmen et ipsum,
inque †sinū iuuenis positā ceruīce reclīnis
sic ait, ac mediīs †interserit ōscula uerbīs:’
10.560–74: ‘Atalanta decided to marry no one unless they could out-run her’
†‘ “forsitan audierīs aliquam certāmine cursūs
560
uēlōcēs superāsse uirōs. nōn fābula rūmor
ille fuit; superābat enim. nec dīcere possēs,
laude pedum fōrmaene †bonō praestantior esset.
†scītantī deus hc dē coniuge ‘coniuge’ dīxit
‘nīl †opus est, Atalanta, tibī; fuge coniugis ūsum.
565
nec tamen effugiēs, tēque ipsā uīua †carēbis.’
territa sorte deī per †opācās innuba siluās
uīuit, et †īnstantem turbam uiolenta procōrum
†condiciōne fugat, ‘nec sum potienda, nisi’ inquit
‘uicta prius cursū. †pedibus contendite mecum.
570
†praemia uēlōcī coniunx thalamīque dabuntur,
mors †pretium tardīs. ea lēx certāminis estō.’
illa quidem †immītis, sed (tanta potentia fōrmae est)
uēnit ad hanc lēgem temerāria turba procōrum.” ’
10.575–99: ‘Initially scornful, Hippomenes fell for her when he saw her running’
†‘ “sēderat Hippomenēs, cursūs spectātor inīquī,
575
et ‘petitur †cquam per tanta perīcula coniunx?’
dīxerat, ac nimiōs iuuenum †damnārat amōrēs.
ut faciem et positō corpus †uēlāmine uīdit,
†quāle meum, uel quāle tuum, sī fēmina fīās,
†obstipuit, tollēnsque manūs ‘ignōscite,’ dīxit
580
‘quōs modo culpāuī! nōndum mihi praemia †nōta,
quae peterētis, erant.’ laudandō †concipit ignēs
et, nē quis iuuenum currat uēlōcius optat,
†inuidiāque timet. ‘sed cūr certāminis hus
†intemptāta mihī fortūna relinquitur?’ inquit.
585
‘audentēs deus ipse †iuuat!’ dum tālia sēcum
†exigit Hippomenēs, passū uolat ālite uirgō.
quae quamquam †Scythicā nōn sētius īre sagittā
†Āoniō uīsa est iuuenī, tamen ille decōrem
mīrātur magis; et cursus facit ipse decorum –
590
aura refert ablāta^ †citīs ^tālāria plantīs,
tergaque †iactantur crīnēs per eburnea, quaeque
†poplitibus suberant pictō genuālia limbō;
inque †puellārī corpus candōre rubōrem
trāxerat, haud aliter quam cum super †ātria^ uēlum
595
†^candida purpureum simulātās īnficit umbrās.
dum †notat haec hospes, dēcursa nouissima mēta est,
et tegitur †festā uictrīx Atalanta corōnā.
dant gemitum uictī, †penduntque ex foedere poenās.” ’
10.600–8: ‘Hippomenes declared his ancestry’
‘ “nōn tamen †ēuentū iuuenis dēterritus hōrum,
600
cōnstitit in mediō, uultūque in uirgine fīxō,
†‘quid facilem titulum superandō quaeris inertēs?
mēcum †cōnfer’ ait. ‘seū mē fortūna potentem
fēcerit, ā tantō nōn †indignābere uincī.
namque mihī †genitor Megareus Onchestius, illī
605
est Neptūnus †auus, pronepōs ego rēgis aquārum,
nec uirtūs †citrā genus est. seū uincar, habēbis
†Hippomenē uictō magnum et memorābile nōmen.’ ” ’
10.609–22: ‘Atalanta, moved by the young man, wondered whether to race him’
‘ “ tālia dīcentem mollī †Schoenēia uultū
†aspicit et dubitat, superārī an uincere mālit,
610
atque ita ‘quis deus^ †hunc fōrmōsīs’ inquit ‘^inīquus
perdere uult, †cāraeque iubet discrīmine uītae
†coniugium petere hoc? nōn sum, mē iūdice, tantī.
nec fōrmā tangor (poteram tamen hāc quoque tangī),
sed quod adhūc puer est; nōn mē mouet ipse, sed aetās.
615
†quid, quod inest uirtūs et mēns interrita lētī?
quid, quod ab †aequoreā numerātur orīgine quārtus?
quid, quod amat, tantīque putat cōnūbia †nostra
ut pereat, sī mē fors illī dūra negārit?
dum licet, hospes, abī, thalamōsque relinque †cruentōs.
620
coniugium crūdēle meum est, tibi †nūbere nūlla
nōlet, et optārī potes ā sapiente puellā. ’ ” ’
10.623–37: ‘Regretfully, denying all blame, Atalanta decided to race’
‘ “ ‘cūr tamen est mihi cūra tuī, †tot iam ante perēmptīs?
†uīderit! intereat, quoniam tot caede procōrum
†admonitus nōn est agiturque in taedia uītae.—
625
occidet hīc igitur, uoluit quia uīuere mēcum,
†indignamque necem pretium patiētur amōris?
†nōn erit inuidiae uictōria nostra ferendae.
sed nōn culpa mea est! utinam †dēsistere uellēs,
aut, quoniam es †dēmēns, utinam uēlōcior essēs!
630
at quam †uirgineus puerīlī uultus in ōre est!
a! miser †Hippomenē, nōllem tibi uīsa fuissem!
uīuere dignus erās. quodsī fēlīcior essem,
nec mihi coniugium fāta †importūna negārent,
ūnus erās, cum quō †sociāre cubīlia uellem.’
635
dīxerat, †utque rudis prīmōque cupīdine tācta,
quod facit ignōrāns, amat et nōn sentit amōrem. ” ’
10.638–51: ‘Hippomenes asked me (Venus) for help; I gave him three golden apples’
‘ “iam solitōs †poscunt cursūs populusque paterque,
†cum mē sollicitā prōlēs Neptūnia uōce
†inuocat Hippomenēs ‘Cytherēa,’ que ‘comprecor, ausīs
640
adsit’ ait ‘nostrīs, et †quōs dedit adiuuet ignēs.’
dētulit aura precēs ad mē nōn †inuida blandās.
mōtaque sum, †fateor, nec opis mora longa dabātur.
est ager (†indigenae Tamasēnum nōmine dīcunt),
tellūris †Cypriae pars optima, quem mihi prīscī
645
†sacrāuēre senēs, templīsque accēdere dōtem
hanc †iussēre meīs. mediō nitet arbor in aruō,
fulua comās, fuluō rāmīs †crepitantibus aurō.
hinc tria forte meā^ ueniēns †dēcerpta ferēbam
†aurea pōma ^manū, nūllīque uidenda nisi ipsī
650
†Hippomenēn adiī, docuīque quis ūsus in illīs. ” ’
10.652–80: ‘Hippomenes used the apples to delay Atalanta and win the race’
‘ “signa †tubae dederant, cum carcere prōnus uterque
†ēmicat, et summam celerī pede lībat harēnam.
posse †putēs illōs siccō freta rādere passū
et †segetis cānae stantēs percurrere aristās.
655
adiciunt animōs iuuenī †clāmorque fauorque
uerbaque dīcentum ‘nunc, nunc †incumbere tempus!
†Hippomenē, properā! nunc uīribus ūtere tōtīs!
†pelle moram: uincēs!’ dubium, Megarēius hērōs
gaudeat an uirgō magis hīs Schoenēia dictīs.
660
ō quotiēns, cum iam posset †trānsīre, morāta est
spectātōsque diū uultūs inuīta relīquit!
āridus ē †lassō ueniēbat anhēlitus ōre,
mētaque erat longē. tum dēnique dē tribus ūnum
†fētibus arboreīs prōlēs Neptūnia mīsit.
665
obstipuit uirgō, †nitidīque cupīdine pōmī
†dēclīnat cursūs, aurumque uolūbile tollit.
praeterit Hippomenēs; †resonant spectācula plausū.
illa moram †celerī cessātaque tempora cursū
†corrigit, atque iterum iuuenem post terga relinquit;
670
et rūrsus pōmī †iactū remorāta secundī
†cōnsequitur trānsitque uirum. pars ultima cursūs
†restābat; ‘nunc’ inquit ‘adēs, dea mūneris auctor!’
inque †latus campī, quō tardius illa redīret,
iēcit †ab oblīquō nitidum iuuenāliter aurum.
675
an peteret, uirgō uīsa est dubitāre. †coēgī
tollere, et adiēcī sublātō pondera †mālō,
impediīque oneris pariter †grauitāte morāque.
nēue †meus sermō cursū sit tardior ipsō,
praeterita est †uirgō, dūxit sua praemia uictor. ” ’
680
10.681–95: ‘Angry that Hippomenes did not thank me, I incited him to sacrilege’
†‘ “dignane^, c grātēs ageret, c tūris honōrem
ferret, Adōni, ^fuī? nec grātēs immemor ēgit,
nec mihi tūra dedit. subitam †conuertor in īram,
†contemptūque dolēns, nē sim spernenda futūrīs,
†exemplō caueō, mēque ipsa exhortor in ambōs.
685
templa^, †deum Mātrī ^quae quondam clārus Echīōn
fēcerat †ex uōtō, nemorōsīs ^abdita siluīs,
trānsībant, et †iter longum requiēscere suāsit.
illīc †concubitūs intempestīua cupīdō^
†occupat Hippomenēn, ā nūmine ^concita nostrō.
690
lūminis exiguī fuerat prope templa †recessus,
†spēluncae similis, nātīuō pūmice tēctus,
†rēligiōne sacer prīscā, quō multa^ sacerdōs
†^lignea contulerat ueterum ^simulācra deōrum;
hunc init et uetitō †temerat sacrāria probrō.” ’
695
10.696–707: ‘Shocked, Cybele turned them both into lions – you, too, Adonis, watch out for wild animals’
†‘ “sacra retorsērunt oculōs, turrītaque Māter
†an Stygiā sontēs dubitāuit mergeret undā.
poena †leuis uīsa est; ergō modo lēuia fuluae
colla †iubae uēlant, digitī curuantur in unguēs,
ex umerīs †armī fīunt, in pectora tōtum
700
pondus abit, summae caudā †uerruntur harēnae.
īram uultus habet, prō uerbīs †murmura reddunt,
†prō thalamīs celebrant siluās, aliīsque timendī
