Ovids Orpheus From the Metamorphoses Books X and

Ovid’s Orpheus From the Metamorphoses, Books X and XI

• Metamorphoses X: Orpheus and Eurydice Tragedy at a wedding • Inde per inmensum croceo velatus amictu aethera digreditur Ciconumque Hymenaeus ad oras • • tendit et Orphea nequiquam voce vocatur. • adfuit ille quidem, sed nec sollemnia verba nec laetos vultus nec felix attulit omen. 5 • fax quoque, quam tenuit, lacrimoso stridula fumo • usque fuit nullosque invenit motibus ignes. exitus auspicio gravior: nam nupta per herbas • dum nova naiadum turba comitata vagatur, • occidit in talum serpentis dente recepto. 10 • • • immensum modifies aethera, a Gk accusative croceus is yellow, the color worn by Roman brides velo, velare = cover/ wrap amictus, -us = cloak digredior, digredi, digressus sum = depart/ go away Cicones, Ciconum (m pl. ) = the Cicones, people of Thrace Hymenaeus is the god of marriage Orphea in line 3 is an adjective stridulus, -a, -um = hissing; this is a predicate nominative with fax… fuit auspicio in line 8 is abl of comp naiades, naiadum (f pl. ) = water nymphs Notice the hyperbaton (the distanced placement of two words that logically should be close together) between lines 8 and 10 talus, tali = ankle Notice the abl abs in the last line

quam is a connecting relative, used to refer to something in an earlier Pleading for his wife line, in this case Eurydice; in quam satis ad superas postquam Rhodopeius auras English we tend to use a demonstrative (quam = et illam) deflevit vates, ne non temptaret et umbras, • Rhodopeius, -a, -um = of Mount ad Styga Taenaria est ausus descendere porta Rhodope (in Thrace) perque leves populos simulacraque functa sepulcro • defleo, deflere, deflevi, defletus = Persephonen adiit inamoenaque regna tenentem 15 weep for/ mourn umbrarum dominum pulsisque ad carmina nervis • vates, vatis (m) = prophet/ poet • Notice the litotes inline 12 sic ait: 'o positi sub terra numina mundi, in quem reccidimus, quicquid mortale creamur, • Taenarius, -a, -um = of Taenarus (place in Sparta for entry to Hades) si licet et falsi positis ambagibus oris • simulacrum, -i = image/ ghost vera loqui sinitis, non huc, ut opaca viderem 20 • fungor, fungi, functus sum = Tartara, descendi, nec uti villosa colubris perform/ execute/ experience; The deponent verb functa in line 14 terna Medusaei vincirem guttura monstri: takes the abl. case There is redundancy in line 19 which shoes that Orpheus is being overly cautious. Look for where this • Persephonen is irreg acc • inamoenus, -a, -um = cheerless/ changes later on. unlovely opacus, -a, -um = shaded • tendus, -i = tendon/ lyre string/ villosus, -a, -um = shaggy bowstring coluber, colubri = snake • reccido, reccidere, reccidi = fall terni, -ae, -a = three back Medusaei (line 22) is describing Cerberus, the offspring • ambages, ambagis (f) = roundabout of Medusa’s sister ways/ windings guttur, gutturis (n) = throat • •

• calcatus, -a, -um = trampled causa viae est coniunx, in quam calcata venenum • Notice the alliteration in vipera diffudit crescentesque abstulit annos. line 23 posse pati volui nec me temptasse negabo: 25 • Amor is personified, vicit Amor. supera deus hic bene notus in ora est; referring to Cupid an sit et hic, dubito: sed et hic tamen auguror esse, • an = whether famaque si veteris non est mentita rapinae, • auguror, augurari, vos quoque iunxit Amor. per ego haec loca plena timoris, auguratus sum = foretell per Chaos hoc ingens vastique silentia regni, 30 • mentior, mentiri, Eurydices, oro, properata retexite fata. mentitus sum = say falsely omnia debemur vobis, paulumque morati • Chaos is the oldest deity serius aut citius sedem properamus ad unam. who is the source of existence • properatus, -a, -um = hurried; 1 st conj verb form is used later in line 33 • retego, retegere, retexi, retectus = uncover/ reveal • paulum, adv = a little • sero, adv = late • cito, adv = swiftly

tendimus huc omnes, haec est domus ultima, vosque • humani generis longissima regna tenetis. 35 haec quoque, cum iustos matura peregerit annos, • iuris erit vestri: pro munere poscimus usum; quodsi fata negant veniam pro coniuge, certum est nolle redire mihi: leto gaudete duorum. ' • • maturus, -a, -um = mature perago, peragere, peregi, peractus = complete/ carry out iuris vestri in line 37 is predicate genitive, meaning “under your law” or “under your power” Note the “pro munere” is ambiguous; is Eurydice the gift? Or was it his songs? Quod si = But if venia, -ae = mercy/ forgiveness

• On one condition… Talia dicentem nervosque ad verba moventem 40 • • exsangues flebant animae; nec Tantalus undam captavit refugam, stupuitque Ixionis orbis, • nec carpsere iecur volucres, urnisque vacarunt • Belides, inque tuo sedisti, Sisyphe, saxo. tunc primum lacrimis victarum carmine fama est 45 • Eumenidum maduisse genas, nec regia coniunx sustinet oranti nec, qui regit ima, negare, • • Eurydicenque vocant: umbras erat illa recentes inter et incessit passu de vulnere tardo. • hanc simul et legem Rhodopeius accipit heros, 50 ne flectat retro sua lumina, donec Avernas • exierit valles; aut inrita dona futura. • • • Notice the zeugma (the use of a verb in two parallel phrases, even though it is written in only one) in line 50 lumen, luminis (n) = light/ eye exierit in line 52 is a perfect subjunctive valles, vallis (f) = valley inritus, -a, -um = useless/ in vain/ ineffective • exsanguis, -e = bloodless refugus, -a, -um = fleeing back carpo, carpere, carpsi, carptus = pick at/ pluck at iecur, iecuris (n) = liver vaco, vacare = be empty (takes the abl) Belides, Belidum (f pl) = granddaughters of Belus, usually referred to as Danaids Notice the apostrophe in line 44 Eumenides, -um (f) = Euemenides/ Furies madeo, madere, madui = be wet/ drip gena, -ae = cheek sustineo, sustinere, sustinui, sustentus = hold up/ sustain/ (with an inf) have the heart… Notice the use of anastrophe (inversion of the natural word order) at the end of line 48 and the beginning of line 49, and how it is used to mimic Eurydice’s awkward step

Ixion, king of the Lapiths in Thessaly • First Greek to murder a kinsman (his father-in-law for failing to pay a dowry); Ixion pushed his father in law into a fire. • Also, at a banquet of the gods, Ixion desired Hera; Zeus caught him by turning into a cloud in the shape of Hera. • Ixion was punished by being bound to a burning solar wheel for all eternity.

Tityos, the Phokian giant • Assaulted the goddess Leto as she journeyed to Delphi. • Was staked to the ground in the Underworld; two vultures would eternally feed on his ever-regenerating liver.

The Danaids, the fifty daughters of Daunus (Egyptian king) • They were supposed to marry their fifty cousins (the twin brother of Daunus, Aegyptus, had fifty sons), but instead they were ordered by their father to murder them all. 49 of the sisters murdered their husbands on their wedding night. Hypermnestra spared her husband Lynceus because he respected her desire to remain a virgin. • The 49 Danaids were punished in the Underworld by being forced to carry water eternally into a bathtub to wash away their sins. But the bathtub had a constant leak.

Sisyphus, the first king of Corinth • Murdered sailors and travelers; conspired to kill his brother; seduced his own niece; betrayed Zeus’ secrets to a river-god; tricked Thanatos (god of death) and chained him for a brief period (until Ares freed him); tricked Persephone into letting him out of the Underworld (had to be brought back by Mercury). • Was punished by being forced to eternally roll a huge rock up a hill, only to have it fall back down again.

Eumenides/ Furies/ Erinyes/ Dirae, goddesses of vengeance • Born from the blood of Uranus, Alecto (unnameable), Megaera (grudging), and Tisiphone (vengeful destruction); wear serpents as belts; eyes are oozing with blood, and with the wings of a bat.

• The journey back carpitur adclivis per muta silentia trames, • arduus, obscurus, caligine densus opaca, nec procul afuerunt telluris margine summae: 55 • hic, ne deficeret, metuens avidusque videndi • flexit amans oculos, et protinus illa relapsa est, • bracchiaque intendens prendique et prendere certans nil nisi cedentes infelix arripit auras. • iamque iterum moriens non est de coniuge quicquam 60 • questa suo (quid enim nisi se quereretur amatam? ) • supremumque 'vale, ' quod iam vix auribus ille acciperet, dixit revolutaque rursus eodem est. • • Notice the oxymoron in line 53 adclivus, -a, -um = rising/ sloping trames, tramitis (m) = footpath/ track arduus, -a, -um = steep caligo, caliginis (f) = mist/ gloom opacus, -a, -um = shaded tellus, telluris (f) = earth/ land deficio, deficere, defeci, defectus = let down/ fail vivendi is a gerund in the genitive, literally, “eager of seeing”, but in better English, “eager to see” prendo, prendere, prendi, prensus = catch/ take hold of; notice the chaismus here in line 58 queror, queri, questus sum = complain supply est with revoluta.

Non aliter stupuit gemina nece coniugis Orpheus, • quam tria qui timidus, medio portante catenas, 65 colla canis vidit, quem non pavor ante reliquit, • quam natura prior saxo per corpus oborto, • quique in se crimen traxit voluitque videri • Olenos esse nocens, tuque, o confisa figurae, infelix Lethaea, tuae, iunctissima quondam 70 pectora, nunc lapides, quos umida sustinet Ide. • • What was that rhetorical device called when you see non aliter? Notice the abl abs in line 65 collum, colli = neck The quem in line 66 refers to an unknown man terrified upon seeing Cerberus, turned to stone What rhetorical device is being employed in line 69? lapis, lapidis (m) = stone umidus, -a, -umm = damp Lethaea was punished because of her hubris (her excessive pride about her own beauty); Her husband Olenus chose to share in her punishment, and they were both turned to stone near Mt. Ida.

• No second chances orantem frustraque iterum transire volentem • portitor arcuerat: septem tamen ille diebus • squalidus in ripa Cereris sine munere sedit; cura dolorque animi lacrimaeque alimenta fuere. 75 • • esse deos Erebi crudeles questus, in altam se recipit Rhodopen pulsumque aquilonibus Haemum. Tertius aequoreis inclusum Piscibus annum • finierat Titan, omnemque refugerat Orpheus femineam Venerem, seu quod male cesserat illi, 80 • sive fidem dederat; multas tamen ardor habebat iungere se vati, multae doluere repulsae. ille etiam Thracum populis fuit auctor amorem • in teneros transferre mares citraque iuventam aetatis breve ver et primos carpere flores. 85 • • • ardor, ardoris (m) = fire/ flame/ love vates, vatis (m) = prophet tener, tenera, tenerum = tender mas, maris, adj = male citra, adv = on this side of • • • portitor, portitoris (m) = ferryman arceo, arcere, arcui = keep off Cereris munere in line 74 is a metonymy for grain alimentum, -i = nourishment Erebus = god of darkness; here though, it’s being used as another name for the Underworld aquilonibus refers to the North Wind Haemus = once a man, turned into a mountain in Thrace after having tried to impersonate a god Piscibus refers to a constellation of fishes signifying the end of the solar year (vernal equinox) Titan refers to the god of the sun Venerem in line 80 is a metonymy for love cedo, cedere, cessi, cessus = yield/ withdraw

• Metamorphoses XI: The Death of Orpheus Carmine dum tali silvas animosque ferarum Threicius vates et saxa sequentia ducit, • ecce nurus Ciconum tectae lymphata ferinis pectora velleribus tumuli de vertice cernunt • Orphea percussis sociantem carmina nervis. 5(90) e quibus una leves iactato crine per auras, • 'en, ' ait 'en, hic est nostri contemptor!' et hastam vatis Apollinei vocalia misit in ora, quae foliis praesuta notam sine vulnere fecit; • • • Notice the personfication/ hyperbole in line 87 nurus, nurus (f) = daughter -in-law Cicones were a Thracian tribe lympho, lymphare, lymphavi, lymphatus = drive crazy/ be in a state of frenzy lymphata pectora is acc of respect vellus, velleris (n) = fleece socio, sociare = unite/ join en = behold contemptor, contemptoris (m) = despiser praesutus, -a, -um = sewn over in front

alterius telum lapis est, qui missus in ipso 10(95) • • aere concentu victus vocisque lyraeque est ac veluti supplex pro tam furialibus ausis • ante pedes iacuit. sed enim temeraria crescunt bella modusque abiit insanaque regnat Erinys; cunctaque tela forent cantu mollita, sed ingens 15(100) • clamor et infracto Berecyntia tibia cornu tympanaque et plausus et Bacchei ululatus • obstrepuere sono citharae, tum denique saxa • non exauditi rubuerunt sanguine vatis. • • Remember that ululatus in line 102 is an example of onomatopeia • tympanum, tympani = a small drum used in the worship of Cybele • obstrepo, obstrepere, obstrepui, obstrepitus = roar against/ clamor against (takes the dat) • cithara, -ae = cithara/ lyre • rubesco, rubescere, rubui = turn red • • • telum, teli = weapon concentus, concentus = singing Scan line 96. How does the meter reflect what is happening in the line? What rhetorical device begins in line 97? furialis, -e = frenzied/ furious temerarius, -a, -umm = rash/ reckless modus in line 99 means moderation Where else have we seen the Erinys from line 99? mollio, mollire, mollivi, mollitus = soften Berecynthus = a mountain in Phrygia; Berecynthia then became another name for Cybele, the Phrygian mother of the gods

ac primum attonitas etiamnum voce canentis 20(105) • innumeras volucres anguesque agmenque ferarum • maenades Orphei titulum rapuere triumphi; • inde cruentatis vertuntur in Orphea dextris • et coeunt ut aves, si quando luce vagantem noctis avem cernunt, structoque utrimque theatro 25(110) ceu matutina cervus periturus harena • praeda canum est, vatemque petunt et fronde virentes coniciunt thyrsos non haec in munera factos. • Notice the contrasting juxtaposition of the words luce in line 109, noctis in line 110, and matutina in line 111 • virens, virentis = green • thyrsus, -i = Bacchic wand tipped with a fir cone, or a tuft of ivy, or vine leaves/ thrysus (pl = thrysi) • munera in line 113, which means gifts is better translated here as services. • • etiamnum = even now volucris, -is (f) = bird anguis, -is (m) = snake Maenas, Maenadis = Bacchante/ frenzied woman Notice the ironic juxtaposition of the massacre of birds in line 106 followed almost immediately by the simile in line 109 utrimque, adv = on both sides ceu, adv = as/ in the same way matutinus, -a, -um = early/ in the morning cervus, cervi = deer/ stag

• hae glaebas, illae direptos arbore ramos, pars torquent silices; neu desint tela furori, 30(115) • forte boves presso subigebant vomere terram, • nec procul hinc multo fructum sudore parantes • dura lacertosi fodiebant arva coloni, • agmine qui viso fugiunt operisque relinquunt arma sui, vacuosque iacent dispersa per agros 35(120) • sarculaque rastrique graves longique ligones; • • • glaeba, -ae = clod/ lump of earth diripio, diripere, diripui, direptus = tear apart silex, silicis (m) = flint Notice the zeugma in lines 114 -115 neu = or not/ and not desum, desse, defui, defuturus = be lacking/ be absent furori is dat of poss subigo, subigere, subegi, subactus = subjugate/ compel vomer, vomeris (m) = plowshare sudor, sudoris (m) = sweat lacertosus, -a, -um = muscular colonus, -i = farmer/ colonist sarculum, -i = hoe rastrus, -i = drag-hoe/ rake ligo, ligonis (m) = mattock Notice how prepositions sometimes fall in between the adjectives and nouns that go with them (i. e. line 14 = empty through fields)

• quae postquam rapuere ferae cornuque minaces divulsere boves, ad vatis fata recurrunt tendentemque manus et in illo tempore primum inrita dicentem nec quicquam voce moventem 40(125) • sacrilegae perimunt, perque os, pro Iuppiter! illud auditum saxis intellectumque ferarum • sensibus in ventos anima exhalata recessit. • • The relative pronoun quae is used to refer to the Maeneds from the previous sentences. minax, minacis, adj = threatening sacrilegus, -a, -um = sacrilegious/ impious inritus, -a, -um= ineffective/ useless/ in vain perimo, perimere, peremi, peremptus = kill/ destroy exhalo, exhalare, exhalavi, exhalatus = breathe out Notice the constant emphasis on Orpheus’ voice and mouth throughout the passage.

• Te maestae volucres, Orpheu, te turba ferarum, te rigidi silices, te carmina saepe secutae 45(130) • fleverunt silvae, positis te frondibus arbor tonsa comas luxit; lacrimis quoque flumina dicunt • increvisse suis, obstrusaque carbasa pullo naides et dryades passosque habuere capillos. membra iacent diversa locis, caput, Hebre, lyramque 50(135) • excipis: et (mirum!) medio dum labitur amne, flebile nescio quid queritur lyra, flebile lingua • murmurat exanimis, respondent flebile ripae. • • • Hebrus – a river in Thrace labor, labi, lapsus sum = slip amnis, -is (m) = river/ stream flebile, adv = lamentably; notice the anaphora • • • Notice the apostrophe in line 129 rigidus, -a, -um = rigid/ hard tondeo, tondere, totondi, tonsus = cut/ shear lugeo, lugere, luxi, luctus = mourn/ lament obstrusus, -a, -um = mournful carbasus, -a, -um = linen pullus, -a , -um = blackish [wool] A Naiad is a water nymph; a Dryad is a tree nymph patior, pati, passus sum = suffer (with capillos it is translated as disheveled/ let loose

• • iamque mare invectae flumen populare relinquunt et Methymnaeae potiuntur litore Lesbi: 55(140) hic ferus expositum peregrinis anguis harenis • os petit et sparsos stillanti rore capillos. tandem Phoebus adest morsusque inferre parantem • arcet et in lapidem rictus serpentis apertos • congelat et patulos, ut erant, indurat hiatus. 60(145) • • popularis, -e = popular Methymnaeus, -a, -um = of Methymna, one of the cities of Lesbos potior, potitus sum = obtain (takes the abl) expono, exponere, exposui, expositus = put out/ expose peregrinus, -i = foreigner stillo, stillare, stillavi, stillatus = drip ros, roris (m) = dew rictus, -us = jaws congelo, -are = freeze patulus, -a, -um = wide open/ gaping hiatus, -us = opening/ chasm The repetition of turning the rictus into stone and hardening the hiatus could be interpreted as an example of hendiadys (two nouns connected by a conjunction redundantly for emphasis even though it would be more logical to subordinate one to the other either by using an adjective or a preposition)

• ulna, -ae = forearm/ Umbra subit terras, et quae loca viderat ante, the span of cuncta recognoscit quaerensque per arva piorum outstretched arms/ invenit Eurydicen cupidisque amplectitur ulnis; arm hic modo coniunctis spatiantur passibus ambo, • spatior, spatiari, nunc praecedentem sequitur, nunc praevius anteit 65(150) spatiatus sum = walk Eurydicenque suam iam tuto respicit Orpheus. • praevius, -a, -um = going before/ leading the way Non inpune tamen scelus hoc sinit esse Lyaeus • anteeo, anteire, anteivi, amissoque dolens sacrorum vate suorum anteitus = go before protinus in silvis matres Edonidas omnes, • impune, adv = with quae videre nefas, torta radice ligavit; 70(155) impunity/ without punishment; notice the litotes here • Lyaeus = epithet for Bacchus • The Edoni are another name for Thracian • ligo, -are = nind/ fasten

• quippe pedum digitos via, quam tum est quaeque secuta, • traxit et in solidam detrusit acumina terram, utque suum laqueis, quos callidus abdidit auceps, crus ubi commisit volucris sensitque teneri, • plangitur ac trepidans adstringit vincula motu: 75(160) • • quippe = of course/ indeed detrudo, detrudere, detrusi, detrusus = push/ drive acumen, acuminis (n) = sharpened point How could lines 156 and 157 be interpreted as hendiadys? laqueus, laquei = snare/ trap auceps, aucipis (m) = bird -catcher/ spy commito, commitere, commisi, commissus = bring together/ commit plango, plangere, planxi, planctus = strike/ beat adstringo, adstringere, adstrinxi, adstrinctus = tie up/ tighten Why the use of this particular simile in line 158?

• sic, ut quaeque solo defixa cohaeserat harum, exsternata fugam frustra temptabat, at illam • lenta tenet radix exsultantemque coercet, dumque ubi sint digiti, dum pes ubi, quaerit, et ungues, • aspicit in teretes lignum succedere suras 80(165) et conata femur maerenti plangere dextra • robora percussit, pectus quoque robora fiunt, • robora sunt umeri; nodosaque bracchia veros • esse putes ramos, et non fallare putando. • • cohaereo, cohaerere, cohaesi, cohaesus = stick/ cling/ adhere exsterno, -are = terrify greatly exsulto, -are = rejoice/ exalt/ jump about coerceo, coercere, coercui, coercitus = confine/ restrain unguis, unguis (m) = nail Notice the anaphora and indirect questions in line 164; where else do you see anaphora? teres, teretis, adj = smooth lignum, -i = wood succedo, succedere, successi, successus = climb sura, -ae = calf of the leg maereo, maerere = grieve/ be sad robur, roboris (n) = oak nodosus, -a, -um = full of knots Notice the gerundive in the abl in line 169