Ovid 582-691

Question 1

Ille metu vacuus ‘nomen mihi’ dixit ‘Acoetes, patria Maenoia est, humili de plebe parentes. Non mihi quae duri colerent pater arva iuvenci, lanigerosve greges, non ulla armenta reliquit. [582-585]

Answer 1

He, free from fear, said ‘My name is Acoetes, my homeland is Maeonia, my parents were of the humble lower orders. My father did not leave me fields for tough bullocks to cultivate, or wool-bearing flocks, nor any cattle.

Question 2

Pauper et ipse fuit linoque solebat et hamis decipere et calamo salientes ducere pisces. Ars illi sua census erat. Cum traderet artem, ‘accipe, quas habeo, studii successor et heres,’ dixit ‘opes’. [586-590]

Answer 2

He himself was poor too and he used to trick the fish with a line and hooks and land them with his rod as they flailed. His skill was his income. When he handed down the skill as a legacy he said ‘Receive whatever wealth I have, successor and heir to my pursuit’.

Question 3

moriensque mihi nihil ille reliquit praeter aquas: unum hoc possum appellare paternum. [590-591]

Answer 3

And dying he left me nothing except the waters; this one thing I can call my legacy.

Question 4

mox ego, ne scopulis haererem semper in isdem, addidici regimen dextra moderante carinae flectere et Oleniae sidus pluviale Capellae Taygetenque Hyadasque oculis Arctonque notavi ventorumque domos et portus puppibus aptos.

Answer 4

Soon I, lest I always be stuck on the same rocks, also learned the knowledge of turning the steering of a ship with my guiding right hand, and I studied the rainy Olenian Goat Star from observation and Taygetes and the Hyades and the Great Bear and the abodes of the winds and the ports which were suitable for ships.

Question 5

mox ego, ne scopulis haererem semper in isdem, addidici regimen dextra moderante carinae flectere et Oleniae sidus pluviale Capellae Taygetenque Hyadasque oculis Arctonque notavi ventorumque domos et portus puppibus aptos.

Answer 5

Soon I, lest I always be stuck on the same rocks, also learned the knowledge of turning the steering of a ship with my guiding right hand, and I studied the rainy Olenian Goat Star from observation and Taygetes and the Hyades and the Great Bear and the abodes of the winds and the ports which were suitable for ships.

Question 6

mox ego, ne scopulis haererem semper in isdem, addidici regimen dextra moderante carinae flectere et Oleniae sidus pluviale Capellae Taygetenque Hyadasque oculis Arctonque notavi ventorumque domos et portus puppibus aptos. [592-596]

Answer 6

Soon I, lest I always be stuck on the same rocks, also learned the knowledge of turning the steering of a ship with my guiding right hand and I studied the rainy Olenian Goat Star from observation and Taygetes and the Hyades and the Great Bear and the abodes of the winds and the ports which were suitable for ships.

Question 7

forte petens Delum Chiae telluris ad oras applicor et dextris adducor litora remis doque leves saltus udaeque inmittor harenae. nox ibi consumpta est. Aurora rubescere primo coeperat; exsurgo laticesque inferre recentes admoneo monstroque viam, quae ducat ad undas. [597-602]

Answer 7

By chance, when making for Delos, I put in at the shores of the Chian land and I brought myself to shore with skillful use of the oars and I gave a light leap and sank into the wet sand. There we spent the night. Dawn had begun at first to grow red; I got up and bade my men to bring fresh water and I showed them the path which would lead them to the water.

Question 8

ipse quid aura mihi tumulo promittat ab alto prospicio comitesque voco repetoque carinam. “adsumus en” inquit sociorum primus Opheltes,
utque putat, praedam deserto nactus in agro, virginea puerum ducit per litora forma. [603-607]

Answer 8

I myself, to see what the wind holds for me, look out from a high hill and I call my companions and I make for the ship. ‘Look, we are here,’ says Opheltes, the first of my comrades, and, having obtained booty, as he thought, in a deserted field he leads a boy with the young girl’s appearance along the shore.

Question 9

ille mero somnoque gravis titubare videtur vixque sequi; specto cultum faciemque gradumque: nil ibi, quod credi posset mortale, videbam.
et sensi et dixi sociis: “quod numen in isto corpore sit, dubito; sed corpore numen in isto est! [608-612]

Answer 9

He, heavy with unmixed wine and sleep, seems to be staggering and only just following. I look at his dress and his face and his gait; I saw nothing there which could be believed to be mortal. I both saw what was what and I said to my companions: ‘What sort of divine power is in that body, I don’t know; but a divine power is in that body.

Question 10

quisquis es, o faveas nostrisque laboribus adsis. his quoque des veniam!” “pro nobis mitte precari” Dictys ait, quo non alius conscendere summas ocior antemnas prensoque rudente relabi. [613-616]

Answer 10

Whoever you are, o please would you support our endeavours. Forgive these men too.’ ‘Stop praying on our behalf,’ says Dictys, than whom no one was swifter at climbing the topmost yard arms and sliding back down after grasping the rope.

Question 11

hoc Libys, hoc flavus, prorae tutela, Melanthus, hoc probat Alcimedon, et qui requiemque modumque voce dabat remis, animorum hortator, Epopeus,
620 hoc omnes alii; praedae tam caeca cupido est. [617-620]

Answer 11

Libys seconded this, so too yellow-haired Melanthus, the forward lookout, and Alcimedon, and the man who used to give the rest and the rhythm to the oars with his voice, the encourager of their spirits, Epopeus, all the others approve this; so blind was their lust for booty.

Question 12

“non tamen hanc sacro violari pondere pinum perpetiar” dixi: “pars hic mihi maxima iuris”,inque aditu obsisto. furit audacissimus omni de numero Lycabas, qui Tusca pulsus ab urbe exilium dira poenam pro caede luebat. is mihi, dum resto, iuvenali guttura pugno rupit et excussum misisset in aequora, si non haesissem, quamvis amens, in fune retentus. impia turba probat factum [621-629]

Answer 12

‘No matter - I will not allow this pinewood ship to be defiled with its holy cargo,’ I said: ‘I have the greatest authority in this matter’; and I stand in the way of the gangplank. The boldest of all their number rages, Lycabus, who driven into exile from the Etruscan city as a punishment was atoning for the dire crime of murder. As I stood my ground, he shattered my throat with his young fist and would have launched me, hurled me into the sea if I had not clung fast, however stunned, to a rope which held me back. The impious crowd approved the deed.

Question 13

tum denique Bacchus (Bacchus enim fuerat), veluti clamore solutus sit sopor aque mero redeant in pectora sensus,
“quid facitis? quis clamor?” ait; “qua, dicite, nautae, huc ope perveni? quo me deferre paratis?” [629-633]

Answer 13

Then finally Bacchus (for it had been Bacchus), as if his sleep had been released by the shouting and his senses were returning to his breast from the wine, said ‘What are you doing? What is this shouting? By what means, tell me, sailors, have I arrived here? Where are you preparing to take me?’

Question 14

“pone metum” Proreus “et quos contingere portus ede velis” dixit; “terra sistere petita.” “Naxon” ait Liber “cursus advertite vestros. illa mihi domus est, vobis erit hospita tellus.” per mare fallaces perque omnia numina iurant sic fore meque iubent pictae dare vela carinae. [634-639]

Answer 14

‘Put aside your fear,’ said Proreus, ‘and tell us which ports you would like to reach; you will be landed on the desired land.’ ‘Turn your course towards Naxos,’ said Bacchus. ‘That is my home, it will be a welcoming land for you.’ The treacherous liars swear by the sea and by all the gods that it will be so, and they order me to put up the sails of the painted ship.

Question 15

dextera Naxos erat; dextra mihi lintea danti “quid facis, o demens? quis te furor” inquit “Acoete,” pro se quisque “tenet? laevam pete.” maxima nutu pars mihi significat, pars quid velit aure susurrat. obstipui “capiat” que “aliquis moderamina” dixi meque ministerio scelerisque artisque removi. [640-645]

Answer 15

Naxos was on the right; as I am directing the sails to the right each man, shouting for himself, said ‘What are you doing, you madman? What madness has you Acoetes? Seek the left side.’ The greatest part indicate to me with a nod, part whisper what they want in my ear. I was astounded and I said ‘Let someone else take the helm’ and I detached myself from being the servant of their crime and my skill.

Question 16

increpor a cunctis, totumque inmurmurat agmen; e quibus Aethalion “te scilicet omnis in uno nostra salus posita est” ait et subit ipse meumque explet opus Naxoque petit diversa relicta. tum deus illudens, tamquam modo denique fraudem senserit, e puppi pontum prospectat adunca et flenti similis “non haec mihi litora, nautae, promisistis” ait, “non haec mihi terra rogata est. [646-653]

Answer 16

I was rebuked by them all and the whole company was muttering; One of them, Aethalion, said ‘No doubt all our safety is placed in you alone’ and he took my place himself and he completed my task and, leaving Naxos behind, he sought the opposite direction. Then the god, mocking them, as if he had just noticed at last their deceit, gazed out at the sea from the curved ship and feigning to be weeping, he said ‘You promised me not this land. Not this land was asked for by me.’

Question 17

quo merui poenam facto? quae gloria vestra est, si puerum iuvenes, si multi fallitis unum?”iamdudum flebam; lacrimas manus impia nostras
ridet et impellit properantibus aequora remis. per tibi nunc ipsum (nec enim praesentior illo
est deus) adiuro, tam me tibi vera referre quam veri maiora fide: stetit aequore puppis haud aliter quam si siccum navale teneret. [654-661]

Answer 17

By what deed have I deserved this punishment? What glory is yours if young men deceive a boy, if many deceive one?’ Already for some time I had been weeping; the impious bunch laughed at my tears and struck the waves with hurrying oars. I swear to you now by the god himself (for there is no god more effective than that god), I am telling you a tale as true as it seems beyond belief. The ship stood still in the sea no different than if the dry dock were holding it.

Question 18

illi admirantes remorum in verbere perstant velaque deducunt geminaque ope currere temptant. impediunt hederae remos nexuque recurvo serpunt et gravidis distinguunt vela corymbis. [662-665]

Answer 18

In their amazed surprise, they persist in flogging the oars and they unfurl the sails and they try to speed on with the twin power. Fronds of ivy impede the oars and they creep with twisting coil and they embellish the sails with heavy clusters of ivy-berries.

Question 19

ipse racemiferis frontem circumdatus uvis pampineis agitat velatam frondibus hastam; quem circa tigres simulacraque inania lyncum
pictarumque iacent fera corpora pantherarum. exsiluere viri, sive hoc insania fecit sive timor, primusque Medon nigrescere coepit corpore et expresso spinae curvamine flecti. [666-672]

Answer 19

He himself, his forehead wreathed with clusters of grapes, shakes a spear wreathed with vine leaves. Around him lie tigers and unreal phantoms of lynxes and the wild bodies of spotted panthers. The men jumped, whether it was madness that made this happen or fear I don’t know, and first Medon began to grow dark in body and to be bent as the curve of his spine was forced out.

Question 20

incipit huic Lycabas: “in quae miracula” dixit “verteris?” et lati rictus et panda loquenti naris erat, squamamque cutis durata trahebat. at Libys obstantes dum vult obvertere remos, in spatium resilire manus breve vidit et illas iam non esse manus, iam pinnas posse vocari. [673-678]

Answer 20

Lycabas begins to speak to this man: ‘Into what sort of monster are you being changed?’ he said and while he was speaking he had broad gaping jaws and a rounded nose, and his hardened skin took on scales. But while Libys was trying to park the oars which are in the way, he saw his hands shrink into a small compass and saw that they were not now hands, now they could be called fins.

Question 21

alter ad intortos cupiens dare bracchia funes bracchia non habuit truncoque repandus in undas corpore desiluit: falcata novissima cauda est, qualia dimidiae sinuantur cornua lunae. undique dant saltus multaque aspergine rorant
emerguntque iterum redeuntque sub aequora rursus inque chori ludunt speciem lascivaque iactant corpora et acceptum patulis mare naribus efflant. [679-686]

Answer 21

A second man, wanting to stretch his arms to the plaited ropes did not have arms and arching backwards he leapt down with his limbless body into the waves; the end of his tail is curved just as the horns of the half-moon are curved. On all sides they make leaps and they are drenched with much spray and they emerge again and return below the surface and they play, looking like a dancing group, and they toss about their frisky bodies and they snort the swallowed sea-water from their spreading nostrils.

Question 22

de modo viginti (tot enim ratis illa ferebat) restabam solus. pavidum gelidoque trementem corpore vixque meo firmat deus “excute” dicens “corde metum Diamque tene!” delatus in illam
accessi sacris Baccheaque sacra frequento.’ [687-691]

Answer 22

From what was only a short time ago twenty (for that is how many that vessel was carrying) I alone remained. Fearful and trembling with a cold body scarcely my own, the god encourages me, saying ‘Shake off the fear from your heart and make for Dia.’ Carried to that place I joined the rites and I celebrate the sacred rites of Bacchus assiduously.’