Echo And Narcissus Flashcards
adspicit hunc trepidos agitantem in retia cervos
A talkative nymph catches sight of him chasing the frightened deer into the nets,
vocalis nymphe, quae nec reticere loquenti
the resounding Echo, who has learnt neither to hold her tongue to one who speaks
nec prius ipsa loqui didicit, resonabilis Echo.
nor herself to speak first.
corpus adhuc Echo, non vox, erat; et tamen usum
Echo was still a body, not a voice; and yet
garrula non alium, quam nunc habet, oris habebat,
being loquacious she had no other use of her mouth than she now has,
reddere de multis ut verba novissima posset.
so that she could give back the last words out of many.
ergo ubi Narcissum per devia rura vagantem
Therefore when she saw Narcissus wandering through the remote countryside
vidit et incaluit, sequitur vestigia furtim,
and was inflamed with love, she follows the footsteps furtively,
quoque magis sequitur, flamma propiore calescit,
and the more she follows, the closer she is inflamed with fire,
non aliter quam cum summis circumlita taedis
no differently than inflammable sulphur, smeared round the tops of torches,
admotas rapiunt vivacia sulphura flammas.
catches fire when it is brought near flames.
o quotiens voluit blandis accedere dictis
O how often she wanted to approach him with charming words
et molles adhibere preces. natura repugnat
and to use gentle entreaties. Her nature prevents it
nec sinit incipiat; sed, quod sinit, illa parata est
nor will it allow her to begin; but, she is ready for what it allows her to do,
nor will it allow her to begin; but, she is ready for what it allows her to do,
to wait for sounds, to which she can return her words.
forte puer comitum seductus ab agmine fido
By chance, the boy, separated from his faithful band of followers,
dixerat ‘ecquis adest?’ et ‘adest’ responderat Echo.
had said ‘Is anyone here?’ and ‘Here’ Echo replied.
hic stupet, utque aciem partes dimittit in omnes,
He is astonished, and sends away his glance everywhere,
voce ‘veni’ magna clamat; vocat illa vocantem.
and shouts in a loud voice ‘Come!’; she calls as he calls.
respicit et rursus nullo veniente ‘quid’ inquit
He looks back, and, no one appearing behind, says ‘why
‘me fugis?’ et totidem, quot dixit, verba recepit.
do you run from me?’ and receives the same number of words as he speaks.
perstat et alternae deceptus imagine vocis,
He stands still and deceived by the likeness to an answering voice,
‘huc coeamus’ ait nullique libentius umquam
says ‘let us meet here’ and never answering to another
responsura sono ‘coeamus’ rettulit Echo
sound more gladly Echo replies ‘let us meet’
et verbis favet ipsa suis egressaque silva
and to assist her words she herself comes out of the woods,
ibat, ut iniceret sperato bracchia collo.
and ran to him, to throw in her arms around his neck in longing.
ille fugit fugiensque ‘manus conplexibus aufer;
He ran away and, as he ran, ‘take your encircling hands’
ante’ ait ‘emoriar, quam sit tibi copia nostri.’
he said ‘may I die before what’s mine is yours.’
rettulit illa nihil nisi ‘sit tibi copia nostri.’
She answers nothing but ‘what’s mine is yours.’
spreta latet silvis pudibundaque frondibus ora
Scorned, she wanders in the woods and hides her face in shame among the leaves
protegit et solis ex illo vivit in antris;
and from that time on lives in lonely caves;
sed tamen haeret amor crescitque dolore repulsae:
But still her love endures and increases by the sadness of rejection:
