Ovid 511-563

Question 1

Spernit Echionides tamen hunc ex omnibus unus, contemptor superum Pentheus, praesagaque ridet verba senis tenebrasque et cladem lucis ademptae obicit. [513-516]

Answer 1

However the son of Echion alone of all men scorns this man, Pentheus the despiser of the gods above, and he laughs at the old man’s ominous words and he taunts him with blindness and the disaster of his lost sight.

Question 2

Ille movens albentia tempora canis ‘quam felix esses, si tu quoque luminis huius orbus’ ait ‘fieres, ne Bacchica sacra videres. [516-518]

Answer 2

He, shaking his temples white with grey hair says ‘How happy you would be, if you too became deprived of this light, so that you would not see the sacred rites of Bacchus.

Question 3

Namque dies aderit, quam non procul auguror esse, qua novus huc veniat, proles Semeleia, Liber; [519-520]

Answer 3

For the day will come, which I predict is not far off, on which a new god shall come here, the offspring of Semele, Bacchus;

Question 4

Quem nisi templorum fueris dignatus honore, mille lacer spargere locis et sanguine silvas foedabis matremque tuam matrisque sorores. [521-523]

Answer 4

If you do not think him worth honouring with temples then you will be scattered, torn to pieces, in a thousand places and you will pollute the woods with your blood and your mother and your mother’s sisters.

Question 5

Eveniet; neque enim dignabere numen honore, meque sub his tenebris nimium vidisse quereris.’ [524-525]

Answer 5

It will happen; for you will not think the divine spirit worthy of honour, and you will complain that I have seen too much in my darkness.’

Question 6

Talia dicentem proturbat Echione natus. Dicta fides sequitur responsaque vatis aguntur: Liber adest, festisque fremunt ululatibus agri: [526-528]

Answer 6

The son of Echion pushes him out of the way as he says such things. The fulfilment of the prophecy follows the words and the prophet’s responses are fulfilled. Bacchus is present and the fields roar with festal cries;

Question 7

Turba ruit, mixtaeque viris matresque nurusque vulgusque proceresque ignota ad sacra feruntur. [529-530]

Answer 7

The crowd rushes forth, men and mothers and daughters-in-law and the common folk and the leaders, mixed together, rush to the unfamiliar rites.

Question 8

‘Quis furor, anguigenae, proles Mavortia, vestras attonuit mentes?’ Pentheus ait; [531-532]

Answer 8

‘What madness, o Thebans, o offspring of Mars, has distracted your minds?’ Said Pentheus:

Question 9

‘Aerane tantum aere repulsa valent et adunco tibia cornu et magicae fraudes, ut, quos non bellicus ensis, non tuba terruerit, non strictis agmina telis, femineae voces et mota insania vino obscenique greges et inania tympana vincant? [532-537]

Answer 9

‘Can so much bronze clashing against bronze be strong enough and the pipe with a curved horn and magic tricks that those whom the sword of war, the trumpet, the ranks of troops with their weapons drawn did not frighten, the womanly voices and madness caused by wine and filthy animals and hollow drums conquer?

Question 10

Vosne, senes, mirer, qui longa per aequora vecti hac Tyron, hac profugos posuistis sede penates, nunc sinitis sine Marte capi? [538-540]

Answer 10

Am I to admire you, old men, who having sailed across the far seas set up Tyre in this place, set up your fugitive household gods on this site, but now allow yourselves to be conquered without a fight?

Question 11

Vosne, acrior aetas, o iuvenes, propiorque meae, quos arma tenere, non thyrsos, galeaque tegi, non fronde, decebat? [540-542]

Answer 11

Or you, a fiercer age-group, o young men, closer to my age, to whom it was more fitting to hold arms, not thyrsi, to be protected by a helmet, not foliage?

Question 12

Cognita res meritam vati per Achaidas urbes attulerat famam nomenque erat auguris ingens. [511-512]

Answer 12

The discovery of the matter had brought the prophet deserved fame throughout the Greek cities and the augur’s renown was huge.

Question 13

Este, precor, memores, qua sitis stirpe creati, illiusque animos, qui multos perdidit unus, sumite serpentis. Pro fontibus ille lacuque interiit; at vos pro fama vincite vestra. [543-546]

Answer 13

Remember, I entreat you, from what stock you have been formed, and adopt the mind of the dragon who alone killed many people. He perished fighting for his springs and his lake; but you win fighting for your reputation.

Question 14

Ille dedit leto fortes, vos pellite molles et patrium retinete decus. Si fata vetabant stare diu Thebas, utinam tormenta virique moenia diruerent, ferrumque ignisque sonarent. [547-550]

Answer 14

He slew brave men, you drive off the effeminates and hold on to the glory of your ancestors. If the fates were going to forbid Thebes to stand any longer, would that it were siege engines and men who were destroying the walls and that both sword and fire would resound.

Question 15

Essemus miseri sine crimine, sorsque querenda, non celanda foret, lacrimaeque pudore carerent. [551-552]

Answer 15

We would be wretched but blameless, and complaining of our fate, not concealing it, and our tears would be free from shame.

Question 16

At nunc a puero Thebae capientur inermi, quem neque bella iuvant nec tela nec usus equorum, sed madidus murra crinis mollesque coronae purpuraque et pictis intextum vestibus aurum, quem quidem ego actutum (modo vos absistite) cogam assumptumque patrem commentaque sacra fateri. [553-558]

Answer 16

But now Thebes will be captured by an unarmed boy, to whom neither wars are pleasing nor weapons nor the use of horses, but hair dripping wet with myrrh and soft garlands and purple cloth and gold woven into his decorated clothes. Whom indeed I at once - only you stop - shall force to admit his falsely-claimed father and invented rites.

Question 17

An satis Acrisio est animi, contemnere vanum numen et Argolicas venienti claudere portas, Penthea terrebit cum totis advena Thebis? [559-561]

Answer 17

Or does Acrisius have enough spirit to despise his empty godhead and to lock the gates of Argos in his face, but the stranger will terrify Pentheus and the whole of Thebes?

Question 18

Ite citi’ (famulis hoc imperat), ‘ite ducemque attrahite huc vinctum. Iussis mora segnis abesto.’ [562-563]

Answer 18

Go quickly’ (this he orders his servants), ‘Go and drag the leader here in chains. Let sluggish delay stay away from my orders.