Now the Euboean dweller in great waves,Glaucus, had left behind the crest of Aetna,raised upward from a giant's head; and leftthe Cyclops' fields, that never had been tornby harrow or by plough and never wereindebted to the toil of oxen yoked;left Zancle, also, and the opposite wallsof Rhegium, and the sea, abundant causeof shipwreck, which confined with double shoresbounds the Ausonian and Sicilian lands.All these behind him, Glaucus, swimming onwith his huge hands through those Tyrrhenian seas,drew near the hills so rich in magic herbsand halls of Circe, daughter of the Sun,—halls filled with men in guise of animals.After due salutations had been given—received by her as kindly—Glaucus said,“You as a goddess, certainly should havecompassion upon me, a god; for youalone (if I am worthy of it) canrelieve my passion. What the power of herbscan be, Titania, none knows more than I,for by their power I was myself transformed.To make the cause of my strange madness known,I have found Scylla on Italian shores,directly opposite Messenian walls.“It shames me to recount my promises,entreaties, and caresses, and at lastrejection of my suit. If you have knowna power of incantation, I imploreyou now repeat that incantation here,with sacred lips—If herbs have greater power,use the tried power of herbs. But I would notrequest a cure—the healing of this wound.Much better than an end of pain, let hershare, and feel with me my impassioned flame.”But Circe was more quick than any otherto burn with passion's flame. It may have beenher nature or it may have been the workof Venus, angry at her tattling sire.“You might do better,” she replied, “to courtone who is willing, one who wants your love,and feels a like desire. You did deserveto win her love, yes, to be wooed yourself.In fact you might be. If you give some hope,you have my word, you shall indeed be wooed.That you may have no doubt, and so retainall confidence in your attraction's power—behold! I am a goddess, and I amthe daughter also, of the radiant Sun!And I who am so potent with my charms,and I who am so potent with my herbs,wish only to be yours. Despise her whodespises you, and her who is attachedto you repay with like attachment—soby one act offer each her just reward.”But Glaucus answered her attempt of love,“The trees will sooner grow in ocean waves,the sea-weed sooner grow on mountain tops,than I shall change my love for graceful! Scylla.”The goddess in her jealous rage could notand would not injure him, whom she still loved,but turned her wrath upon the one preferred.She bruised immediately the many herbsmost infamous for horrid juices, which,when bruised, she mingled with most artful careand incantations given by Hecate.Then, clothed in azure vestments, she passed throughher troop of fawning savage animals,and issued from the center of her hall.Pacing from there to Rhegium, oppositethe dangerous rocks of Zancle, she at onceentered the tossed waves boiling up with tides:on these as if she walked on the firm shore,she set her feet and, hastening on dry shod,she skimmed along the surface of the deep.Not far away there was an inlet curved,round as a bent bow, which was often usedby Scylla as a favorite retreat.There, she withdrew from heat of sea and skywhen in the zenith blazed the unclouded sunand cast the shortest shadows on the ground.Circe infected it before that hour,polluting it with monster-breeding drugs.She sprinkled juices over it, distilledfrom an obnoxious root, and thrice times nineshe muttered over it with magic lips,her most mysterious charm involved in wordsof strangest import and of dubious thought.Scylla came there and waded in waist deep,then saw her loins defiled with barking shapes.Believing they could be no part of her,she ran and tried to drive them back and fearedthe boisterous canine jaws. But what she fledshe carried with her. And, feeling for her thighs,her legs, and feet, she found Cerberian jawsinstead. She rises from a rage of dogs,and shaggy backs encircle her shortened loins.The lover Glaucus wept. He fled the embraceof Circe and her hostile power of herbsand magic spells. But Scylla did not leavethe place of her disaster; and, as soonas she had opportunity, for hateof Circe, she robbed Ulysses of his men.She would have wrecked the Trojan ships, if shehad not been changed beforehand to a rockwhich to this day reveals a craggy rim.And even the rock awakes the sailors' dread.
Iamque Giganteis iniectam faucibus Aetnenarvaque Cyclopum, quid rastra, quid usus aratrinescia nec quicquam iunctis debentia bubus,liquerat Euboicus tumidarum cultor aquarum,liquerat et Zanclen adversaque moenia Rheginavifragumque fretum, gemino quod litore pressumAusoniae Siculaeque tenet confinia terrae.Inde manu magna Tyrrhena per aequora raptusherbiferos adiit colles atque atria GlaucusSole satae Circes, variarum plena ferarum.Quam simul adspexit, dicta acceptaque salute,“diva, dei miserere, precor! nam sola levaretu potes hunc,” dixit “videar modo dignior esse!Quanta sit herbarum, Titani, potentia, nulliquam mihi cognitius, qui sum mutatus ab illis.Neve mei non nota tibi sit causa furoris:litore in Italico, Messenia moenia contra,Scylla mihi visa est; pudor est promissa precesqueblanditiasque meas contemptaque verba referre.At tu, sive aliquod regnum est in carmine, carmenore move sacro, sive expugnantior herba est,utere temptatis operosae viribus herbae.Nec medeare mihi sanesque haec vulnera mando,fineque nil opus est: partem ferat illa caloris.”At Circe (neque enim flammis habet aptius ullatalibus ingenium, seu causa est huius in ipsa,seu Venus indicio facit hoc offensa paterno)talia verba refert. “Melius sequerere volentemoptantemque eadem parilique cupidine captam.Dignus eras ultro (poteras certeque) rogari,et, si spem dederis, mihi crede, rogaberis ultro.Neu dubites adsitque tuae fiducia formae:en ego, cum dea sim, nitidi cum filia Solis,gramine cum tantum, tantum quoque carmine possim,ut tua sim, voveo; spernentem sperne, sequentiredde vices unoque duas ulciscere facto!”Talia temptanti “prius” inquit “in aequore frondes”Glaucus “et in summis nascentur montibus algae,sospite quam Scylla nostri mutentur amores!”Indignata dea est, et laedere quatenus ipsumnon poterat (nec vellet amans), irascitur illi,quae sibi praelata est, venerisque offensa repulsaprotinus horrendis infamia pabula sucisconterit et tritis Hecateia carmina miscetcaerulaque induitur velamina perque ferarumagmen adulantum media procedit ab aula,oppositumque petens contra Zancleia saxaRhegion ingreditur ferventes aestibus undas,in quibus ut solida ponit vestigia terrasummaque decurrit pedibus super aequora siccis.Parvus erat gurges, curvos sinuatus in arcus,grata quies Scyllae; quo se referebat ab aestuet maris et caeli, medio cum plurimus orbesol erat et minimas a vertice fecerat umbras.Hunc dea praevitiat portentificisque venenisinquinat, hic pressos latices radice nocentispargit et obscurum verborum ambage novorumter noviens carmen magico demurmurat ore.Scylla venit mediaque tenus descenderat alvo,cum sua foedari latrantibus inguina monstrisadspicit ac primo credens non corporis illasesse sui partes refugitque abigitque timetqueora proterva canum, sed quos fugit, attrahit unaet corpus quaerens femorum crurumque pedumque,Cerbereos rictus pro partibus invenit illis:statque canum rabie subiectaque terga feraruminguinibus truncis uteroque exstante coercet.Flevit amans Glaucus nimiumque hostiliter usaeviribus herbarum fugit conubia Circes;Scylla loco mansit cumque est data copia primum,in Circes odium sociis spoliavit Ulixen;mox eadem Teucras fuerat mersura carinas,ni prius in scopulum, qui nunc quoque saxeus exstat,transformata foret: scopulum quoque navita vitat.
After the Trojan ships, pushed by their oars,had safely passed by Scylla and the fierceCharybdis, and with care had then approachednear the Ausonian shore, a roaring galebore them far southward to the Libyan coast.And then Sidonian Dido, who was doomednot calmly to endure the loss of herloved Phrygian husband, graciously receivedAeneas to her home and her regard:and on a pyre, erected with pretenseof holy rites, she fell upon the sword.Deceived herself, she there deceived them all.Aeneas, fleeing the new walls built onthat sandy shore, revisited the landof Eryx and Acestes, his true friend.There he performed a hallowed sacrificeand paid due honor to his father's tomb.And presently he loosened from that shorethe ships which Iris, Juno's minister,had almost burned; and sailing, passed far offthe kingdom of the son of Hippotas,in those hot regions smoking with the fumesof burning sulphur, and he left behindthe rocky haunt of Achelous' daughters,the Sirens. Then, when his good ship had lostthe pilot, he coasted near Inarime,near Prochyta, and near the barren hillwhich marks another island, Pithecusae,an island named from strange inhabitants.The father of the gods abhorred the fraudsand perjuries of the Cercopiansand for the crimes of that bad treacherous race,transformed its men to ugly animals,appearing unlike men, although like men.He had contracted and had bent their limbs,and flattened out their noses, bent back towardstheir foreheads; he had furrowed every facewith wrinkles of old age, and made them livein that spot, after he had covered alltheir bodies with long yellow ugly hair.Besides all that, he took away from themthe use of language and control of tongues,so long inclined to dreadful perjury;and left them always to complain of lifeand their ill conduct in harsh jabbering.
Hunc ubi Troianae remis avidamque Charybdimevicere rates, cum iam prope litus adessetAusonium, Libycas vento referuntur ad oras.Excipit Aenean illic animoque domoquenon bene discidium Phrygii latura maritiSidonis; inque pyra sacri sub imagine factaincubuit ferro deceptaque decipit omnes.Rursus harenosae fugiens nova moenia terraead sedes Erycis fidumque relatus Acestensacrificat tumulumque sui genitoris honorat;quasque rates Iris Iunonia paene cremarat,solvit et Hippotadae regnum terrasque calentisulphure fumantes Acheloiadumque relinquitSirenum scopulos, orbataque praeside pinusInarimen Prochytenque legit sterilique locatascolle Pithecusas, habitantum nomine dictas.Quippe deum genitor, fraudem et periuria quondamCercopum exosus gentisque admissa dolosae,in deforme viros animal mutavit, ut idemdissimiles homini possent similesque videri,membraque contraxit naresque a fronte resimascontudit et rugis peraravit anilibus oratotaque velatos flaventi corpora villomisit in has sedes nec non prius abstulit usumverborum et natae dira in periuria linguae:posse queri tantum rauco stridore reliquit.
After Aeneas had passed by all thoseand seen to his right hand the distant wallsguarding the city of Parthenope,he passed on his left hand a mound,grave of the tuneful son of Aeolus.Landing on Cumae's marshy shore, he reacheda cavern, home of the long lived Sibylla,and prayed that she would give him at the lake,Avernus, access to his father's shade.She raised her countenance, from gazing onthe ground, and with an inspiration givento her by influence of the god, she said,“Much you would have, O man of famous deeds,whose courage is attested by the sword,whose filial piety is proved by flame.But, Trojan, have no fear. I grant your wish,and with my guidance you shall look uponthe latest kingdom of the world, shall seeElysian homes and your dear father's shade,for virtue there is everywhere a way.”She spoke, and pointed out to him a branchrefulgent with bright gold, found in the woodsof Juno of Avernus, and commanded himto pluck it from the stem. Aeneas didwhat she advised him. Then he saw the wealthof the dread Orcus, and he saw his ownancestors, and beheld the aged ghostof great Anchises. There he learned the lawsof that deep region, and what dangers mustbe undergone by him in future wars.Retracing with his weary steps the pathup to the light, he found relief from toilin converse with the sage Cumaean guide.While in thick dusk he trod the frightful way,“Whether you are a deity,” he said,“Or human and most favored by the gods,to me you always will appear divine.I will confess, too, my existence hereis due to your kind aid, for by your willI visited the dark abodes of death,and I escaped the death which I beheld.For this great service, when I shall emergeinto the sunlit air, I will erectfor you a temple and will burn for yousweet incense kindled at the altar flame.”The prophetess looked on him and with sighs,“I am no goddess,” she replied, “nor isit well to honor any mortal headwith tribute of the holy frankincense.And, that you may not err through ignorance,I tell you life eternal without endwas; offered to me, if I would but yieldvirginity to Phoebus for his love.And, while he hoped for this and in desireoffered to bribe me for my virtue, firstwith gifts, he said, ‘Maiden of Cumae choosewhatever you may wish, and you shall gainall that you wish.’ I pointed to a heapof dust collected there, and foolishlyreplied, ‘As many birthdays must be givento me as there are particles of sand.’“For I forgot to wish them days of changeless youth.He gave long life and offered youth besides,if I would grant his wish. This I refused,I live unwedded still. My happier timehas fled away, now comes with tottering stepinfirm old age, which I shall long endure.You find me ending seven long centuries,and there remain for me, before my yearsequal the number of those grains of sand,three hundred harvests, three hundred vintages!The time will come, when long increase of dayswill so contract me from my present sizeand so far waste away my limbs with agethat I shall dwindle to a trifling weight,so trifling, it will never be believedI once was loved and even pleased a god.Perhaps, even Phoebus will not recognize me,or will deny he ever bore me love.But, though I change till eye would never know me,my voice shall live, the fates will leave my voice.”
Has ubi praeteriit et Parthenopeia dextramoenia deseruit, laeva de parte canoriAeolidae tumulum et, loca feta palustribus undis,litora Cumarum vivacisque antra Sibyllaeintrat, et ut manes veniat per Averna paternos,orat. At illa diu vultum tellure moratumerexit tandemque deo furibunda recepto“magna petis” dixit, “vir factis maxime, cuiusdextera per ferrum est, pietas spectata per ignes.Pone tamen, Troiane, metum: potiere petitisElysiasque domos et regna novissima mundime duce cognosces simulacraque cara parentis.Invia virtuti nulla est via!” Dixit et aurofulgentem ramum silva Iunonis Avernaemonstravit iussitque suo divellere trunco.Paruit Aeneas et formidabilis Orcividit opes atavosque suos umbramque senilemmagnanimi Anchisae; didicit quoque iura locorum,quaeque novis essent adeunda pericula bellis.Inde ferens lassos adverso tramite passuscum duce Cumaea mollit sermone laborem.Dumque iter horrendum per opaca crepuscula carpit,“seu dea tu praesens, seu dis gratissima” dixit,“numinis instar eris semper mihi meque fatebormuneris esse tui, quae me loca mortis adire,quae loca me visae voluisti evadere mortis.Pro quibus aerias meritis evectus ad aurastempla tibi statuam, tribuam tibi turis honores.”Respicit hunc vates et suspiratibus haustis“nec dea sum” dixit “nec sacri turis honorehumanum dignare caput; neu nescius erres,lux aeterna mihi carituraque fine dabatur,si mea virginitas Phoebo patuisset amanti.Dum tamen hanc sperat dum praecorrumpere donisme cupit, “elige” ait, “virgo Cumaea, quid optes:optatis potiere tuis.” Ego pulveris haustiostendi cumulum: quot haberet corpora pulvis,tot mihi natales contingere vana rogavi;excidit, ut peterem iuvenes quoque protinus annos.Hos tamen ille mihi dabat aeternamque iuventam,si venerem paterer: contempto munere Phoebiinnuba permaneo; sed iam felicior aetasterga dedit, tremuloque gradu venit aegra senectus,quae patienda diu est (nam iam mihi saecula septemacta vides): superest, numeros ut pulveris aequem,ter centum messes, ter centum musta videre.Tempus erit, cum de tanto me corpore parvamlonga dies faciet consumptaque membra senectaad minimum redigentur onus: nec amata videbornec placuisse deo; Phoebus quoque forsitan ipsevel non cognoscet vel dilexisse negabit:usque adeo mutata ferar, nullique videnda,voce tamen noscar; vocem mihi fata relinquent.”
Sibylla with such words beguild their wayfrom Stygian realms up to the Euboean town.Trojan Aeneas, after he had madedue sacrifice in Cumae, touched the shorethat had not yet been given his nurse's name.There Macareus of Neritus had come,companion of long tried Ulysses, therehe rested, weary of his lengthened toils.He recognized one left in Aetna's cave,greek Achaemenides, and, all amazedto find him yet alive, he said to him,“What chance, or what god, Achaemenides,preserves you? Why is this barbarian shipconveying you a Greek? What land is sought?”No longer ragged in the clothes he woreand his own master, wearing clothes not tackedwith sharp thorns, Achaemenides replied,“Again may I see Polyphemus' jawsout-streaming with their slaughtered human blood;if my own home and Ithaca give moredelight to me than this barbarian bark,or if I venerate Aeneas lessthan my own father. If I should give my all,it never could express my gratitude,that I can speak and breath, and see the heavensilluminated by the gleaming sun—how can I be ungrateful and forget all this?Because of him these limbs of mine were sparedthe Cyclops' jaws; and, though I were even nowto leave the light of life, I should at worstbe buried in a tomb—not in his maw.“What were my feelings when (unless indeedmy terror had deprived me of all sense) left there,I saw you making for the open sea?I wished to shout aloud, but was afraidit would betray me to the enemy.The shoutings of Ulysses nearly causeddestruction of your ship and there I sawthe Cyclops, when he tore a crag awayand hurled the huge rock in the whirling waves;I saw him also throw tremendous stoneswith his gigantic arms. They flew afar,as if impelled by catapults of war,I was struck dumb with terror lestthe waves or stones might overwhelm the ship,forgetting that I still was on the shore!“But when your flight had saved you from that deathof cruelty, the Cyclops, roaring rage,paced all about Mount Aetna, groping throughits forests with his outstretched arms. Deprivedof sight, he stumbled there against the rocks,until he reached the sea; and stretching outhis gore stained arms into its waters there,he cursed all of the Grecian race, and said,‘Oh! that some accident would carry backUlysses to me, or but one of hiscompanions; against whom my ragemight vent itself, whose joints my hand might tearwhose blood might drench my throat, whose living limbsmight quiver in my teeth. How trifling then,how insignificant would be the loss,of my sight which he took from me!’“All thisand more he said. A ghastly horror tookpossession of me when I saw his faceand every feature streaming yet with blood,his ruthless hands, and the vile open spacewhere his one eye had been, and his coarse limbs,and his beard matted through with human blood.“It seemed as if Death were before my eyes,yet that was but the least part of my woe.I seemed upon the point of being caught,my flesh about to be the food of his.Before my mind was fixed the time I sawtwo bodies of my loved companionsdashed three or four times hard against the ground,when he above them, like a lion, crouched,devouring quickly in his hideous jaws,their entrails and their flesh and their crushed bones,white marrowed, and their mangled quivering limbs.A trembling fear seized on me as I stoodpallid and without power to move from there,while I recalled him chewing greedily,and belching out his bloody banquet fromhis huge mouth—vomiting crushed pieces mixedwith phlegmy wine—and I feared such a doomin readiness, awaited wretched me.“Most carefully concealed for many days,trembling at every sound and fearing death,although desiring death; I fed myselfon grass and acorns, mixed with leaves; aloneand destitute, despondent unto death,awaiting my destruction I lost hope.In that condition a long while, at lastI saw a ship not far off, and by signsprayed for deliverance, as I ran in haste,down to the shore. My prayers prevailed on them.A Trojan ship took in and saved a Greek!“And now, O dearest to me of all men,tell me of your adventures, of your chiefand comrades, when you sailed out on the sea.”
Talia convexum per iter memorante Sibyllasedibus Euboicam Stygiis emergit in urbemTroius Aeneas sacrisque ex more litatislitora adit nondum nutricis habentia nomen.Hic quoque substiterat per taedia longa laborumNeritius Macareus, comes experientis Ulixei;desertum quondam mediis e rupibus Aetnaenoscit Achaemeniden improvisoque repertumvivere miratus “qui de casusve deusveservat, Achaemenide? cur” inquit “barbara Graiumprora vehit? petitur vestra quae terra carina?”Talia quaerenti iam non hirsutus amictu,iam suus et spinis conserto tegmine nullis,fatur Achaemenides: “Iterum Polyphemon et illosadspiciam fluidos humano sanguine rictus,hac mihi si potior domus est Ithacique carina,si minus Aenean veneror genitore nec umquamesse satis potero, praestem licet omnia, gratus.Quod loquor et spiro caelumque et sidera solisrespicio, possimne ingratus et impius esse?Ille dedit, quod non anima haec Cyclopis in oravenit, et ut iam nunc lumen vitale relinquam,aut tumulo aut certe non illa condar in alvo.Quid mihi tunc animi (nisi si timor abstulit omnemsensum animumque) fuit, cum vos petere alta relictusaequora conspexi? Volui inclamare, sed hostiprodere me timui: vestrae quoque clamor Ulixispaene rati nocuit. Vidi, cum monte revulsuminmanem scopulum medias permisit in undas;vidi iterum veluti tormenti viribus actavasta Giganteo iaculantem saxa lacertoet, ne deprimeret fluctus ventusve carinam,pertimui, iam me non esse oblitus in illa.Ut vero fuga vos a certa morte reduxit,ille quidem totam gemebundus obambulat Aetnampraetemptatque manu silvas et luminis orbusrupibus incursat foedataque bracchia taboin mare protendens gentem exsecratur Achivamatque ait: “O si quis referat mihi casus Ulixemaut aliquem e sociis, in quem mea saeviat ira,viscera cuius edam, cuius viventia dextramembra mea laniem, cuius mihi sanguis inundetguttur et elisi trepident sub dentibus artus:quam nullum aut leve sit damnum mihi lucis ademptae!”Haec et plura ferox; me luridus occupat horrorspectantem vultus etiamnum caede madentescrudelesque manus et inanem luminis orbemmembraque et humano concretam sanguine barbam.mors erat ante oculos, minimum tamen ipsa doloris:et iam prensurum, iam nunc mea viscera rebarin sua mersurum, mentique haerebat imagotemporis illius, quo vidi bina meorumter quater adfligi sociorum corpora terrae,cum super ipse iacens hirsuti more leonisvisceraque et carnes cumque albis ossa medullissemianimesque artus avidam condebat in alvum.Me tremor invasit: stabam sine sanguine maestus;mandentemque videns eiectantemque cruentasore dapes et frusta mero glomerata vomentemtalia fingebam misero mihi fata parariperque dies multos latitans omnemque tremescensad strepitum, mortemque timens cupidusque moriri,glande famem pellens et mixta frondibus herba,solus, inops, exspes, leto poenaeque relictushanc procul adspexi longo post tempore navemoravique fugam gestu ad litusque cucurri —et movi. Graiumque ratis Troiana recepit!Tu quoque pande tuos, comitum gratissime, casuset ducis et turbae, quae tecum est credita ponto.”
Then Macareus told him of Aeolus,the son of Hippotas, whose kingdom isthe Tuscan sea, whose prison holds the winds,and how Ulysses had received the windstied in a bull's hide bag, an awesome gift,how nine days with a favoring breeze they sailedand saw afar their longed for native land.How, as the tenth day dawned, the crew was movedby envy and a lust for gold, which theyimagined hidden in that leathern bagand so untied the thong which held the winds.These, rushing out, had driven the vessel backover the waves which they had safely passed,back to the harbor of King Aeolus.“From there,” he said, “we sailed until we reachedthe ancient city of Lamus, Laestrygon.—Antiphates was reigning in that land,and I was sent with two men of our troop,ambassadors to see him. Two of usescaped with difficulty, but the thirdstained the accursed Lestrygonian's jawswith his devoted blood. Antiphatespursued us, calling out his murderous horde.They came and, hurling stones and heavy beams,they overwhelmed and sank both ships and men.One ship escaped, on which Ulysses sailed.“Grieving, lamenting for companions lost,we finally arrived at that land whichyou may discern far off, and, trust my word,far off it should be seen—I saw it near!And oh most righteous Trojan, Venus' son,Aeneas, whom I call no more a foe,I warn you now: avoid the shores of Circe.“We moored our ship beside that country too;but, mindful of the dangers we had runwith Laestrygons and cruel Polyphemus,refused to go ashore. Ulysses chosesome men by lot and told them to seek outa roof which he had seen among the trees.The lot took me, then staunch Polytes next,Eurylochus, Elpenor fond of wine,and eighteen more and brought us to the wallsof Circe's dwelling.“As we drew near and stoodbefore the door, a thousand wolves rushed outfrom woods near by, and with the wolves there ranshe bears and lionesses, dread to see.And yet we had no cause to fear, for nonewould harm us with the smallest scratch.Why, they in friendship even wagged their tailsand fawned upon us, while we stood in doubt.“Then handmaids took us in and led us onthrough marble halls to the presence of their queen.She, in a beautiful recess, sat on her throne,clad richly in a shining purple robe,and over it she wore a golden veil.Nereids and nymphs, who never carded fleecewith motion of their fingers, nor drew outa ductile thread, were setting potent herbsin proper order and arranging themin baskets—a confusing wealth of flowerswere scattered among leaves of every hue:and she prescribed the tasks they all performed.“She knew the natural use of every leafand combinations of their virtues, whenmixed properly; and, giving them her closeattention, she examined every herbas it was weighed. When she observed us there,and had received our greetings and returned them,she smiled, as if we should be well received.At once she had her maidens bring a drinkof parched barley, of honey and strong wine,and curds of milk. And in the nectarous draughtshe added secretly her baleful drugs.“We took the cups presented to us byher sacred right hand; and, as soon as we,so thirsty, quaffed them with our parching mouths,that ruthless goddess with her outstretched wandtouched lightly the topmost hair upon our heads.(Although I am ashamed, I tell you this)stiff bristles quickly grew out over me,and I could speak no more. Instead of wordsI uttered hoarse murmurs and towards the groundbegan to bend and gaze with all my face.I felt my mouth take on a hardened skinwith a long crooked snout, and my neck swellwith muscles. With the very member whicha moment earlier had received the cupI now made tracks in sand of the palace court.Then with my friends, who suffered a like change(charms have such power!) I was prisoned in a stye.“We saw Eurylochus alone avoidour swinish form, for he refused the cup.If he had drained it, I should still remainone of a bristly herd. Nor would his newshave made Ulysses sure of our disasterand brought a swift avenger of our fate.“Peace bearing Hermes gave him a white flowerfrom a black root, called Moly by the gods.With this protection and the god's advicehe entered Circe's hall and, as she gavethe treacherous cup and with her magic wandessayed to touch his hair, he drove her backand terrified her with his quick drawn sword.She gave her promise, and, right hands exchanged,he was received unharmed into her couch,where he required the bodies of his friendsawarded him, as his prized marriage gift.“We then were sprinkled with more favored juiceof harmless plants, and smitten on the headwith the magic wand reversed. And new charms wererepeated, all conversely to the charmswhich had degraded us. Then, as she sings,more and yet more we raise ourselves erect,the bristles fall off and the fissures leaveour cloven feet, our shoulders overcometheir lost shape and our arms become attached,as they had been before. With tears of joywe all embrace him, also weeping tears;and we cling fondly to our chieftain's neck;—not one of us could say a single wordtill thus we had attested gratitude.”“The full space of a year detained us there,and I, remaining that long stretch of time,saw many things and heard as much besides:and this among the many other things,was told me secretly by one of the fourhandmaidens of those rites. While Circe passedher time from all apart except my chief,she brought me to a white marble shape, a youthwho bore a woodpecker upon his head.It stood erected in a hallowed place,adorned with many wreaths. When I had askedthe statue's name and why he stood reveredin that most sacred temple, and what causedthat bird he carried on his head; she said:—‘Listen, Macareus, and learn from this tale toothe power of Circe, and weigh the knowledge well!’
Aeolon ille refert Tusco regnare profundo,Aeolon Hippotaden, cohibentem carcere ventos;quos bovis inclusos tergo, memorabile munus,Dulichium sumpsisse ducem flatuque secundolucibus isse novem et terram adspexisse petitam;proxima post nonam cum sese aurora moveret,invidia socios praedaeque cupidine victos,esse ratos aurum, dempsisse ligamina ventis;cum quibus isse retro, per quas modo venerat undas,Aeoliique ratem portus repetisse tyranni.“Inde Lami veterem Laestrygonis” inquit “in urbemvenimus. Antiphates terra regnabat in illa.Missus ad hunc ego sum, numero comitante duorum,vixque fuga quaesita salus comitique mihique:tertius e nobis Laestrygonis impia tinxitora cruore suo. Fugientibus instat et agmenconcitat Antiphates. Coeunt et saxa trabesqueconiciunt merguntque viros merguntque carinas.Una tamen, quae nos ipsumque vehebat Ulixen,effugit. Amissa sociorum parte dolentesmultaque conquesti terris adlabimur illis,quas procul hinc cernis (procul hinc, mihi crede, videndainsula, visa mihi!), tuque o iustissime Troum,nate dea (neque enim finito Marte vocandushostis es, Aenea), moneo, fuge litora Circes.Nos quoque Circaeo religata in litore pinu,Antiphatae memores inmansuetique Cyclopis,ire negabamus vel tecta ignota subire;sorte sumus lecti, sors me fidumque PolitenEurylochumque simul nimiique Elpenora vinibisque novem socios Circaea ad moenia misit.Quae simul attigimus stetimusque in limine tecti,mille lupi mixtaeque lupis ursique leaequeoccursu fecere metum, sed nulla timendanullaque erat nostro factura in corpore vulnus.Quin etiam blandas movere per aera caudasnostraque adulantes comitant vestigia, donecexcipiunt famulae perque atria marmore tectaad dominam ducunt: pulchro sedet illa recessu,sollemni solio, pallamque induta nitenteminsuper aurato circumvelatur amictu.Nereides nymphaeque simul, quae vellera motisnulla trahunt digitis nec fila sequentia ducunt:gramina disponunt sparsosque sine ordine floressecernunt calathis variasque coloribus herbas;ipsa quod hae faciunt opus, exigit, ipsa, quis ususquove sit in folio, quae sit concordia mixtis,novit et advertens pensas examinat herbas.Haec ubi nos vidit, dicta acceptaque salute,diffudit vultus et reddidit omina voce.Nec mora, misceri tosti iubet hordea granimellaque vimque meri cum lacte coagula passo,quique sub hac lateant furtim dulcedine, sucosadicit. Accipimus sacra data pocula dextra.Quae simul arenti sitientes hausimus ore,et tetigit summos virga dea dira capillos,(et pudet et referam!) saetis horrescere coepinec iam posse loqui, pro verbis edere raucummurmur et in terram toto procumbere vultu;osque meum sensi pando occallescere rostro,colla tumere toris, et qua modo pocula partesumpta mihi fuerant, illa vestigia feci,cumque eadem passis (tantum medicamina possunt!)claudor hara, solumque suis caruisse figuravidimus Eurylochum: solus data pocula fugit.Quae nisi vitasset, pecoris pars una maneremnunc quoque saetigeri, nec tantae cladis ab illocertior ad Circen ultor venisset Ulixes.Pacifer huic dederat florem Cyllenius album,moly vocant superi, nigra radice tenetur;tutus eo monitisque simul caelestibus intratille domum Circes, et ad insidiosa vocatuspocula, conantem virga mulcere capillosreppulit et stricto pavidam deterruit ense.Inde fides dextraeque datae, thalamoque receptusconiugii dotem sociorum corpora poscit.Spargimur ignotae sucis melioribus herbaepercutimurque caput conversae verbere virgae,verbaque dicuntur dictis contraria verbis.Quo magis illa canit, magis hoc tellure levatierigimur, saetaeque cadunt, bifidosque relinquitrima pedes, redeunt umeri et subiecta lacertisbracchia sunt: flentem flentes amplectimur ipsihaeremusque ducis collo nec verba locutiulla priora sumus quam nos testantia gratos.Annua nos illic tenuit mora, multaque praesenstempore tam longo vidi, multa auribus hausi,hoc quoque cum multis, quod clam mihi rettulit unaquattuor e famulis ad talia sacra paratis.Cum duce namque meo Circe dum sola moratur,illa mihi niveo factum de marmore signumostendit iuvenale, gerens in vertice picum,aede sacra positum multisque insigne coronis.Quis foret et quare sacra coleretur in aede,cur hanc ferret avem, quaerenti et scire volenti“accipe” ait “Macareu, dominaeque potentia quae sithinc quoque disce meae: tu dictis adice mentem!
“Picus, offspring of Saturn, was the kingof the Ausonian land, one very fondof horses raised for war. The young man's formwas just what you now see, and had you knownhim as he lived, you would not change a line.His nature was as noble as his shape.He could not yet have seen the steeds contendfour times in races held with each fifth yearat Grecian Elis. But his good looks had charmedthe dryads born on Latin hills, Naiadswould pine for him—both goddesses of springand goddesses of fountains, pined for him,and nymphs that live in streaming Albula,Numicus, Anio's course, brief flowing Almo,and rapid Nar and Farfarus, so coolin its delightful shades; all these and thosewhich haunt the forest lake of ScythianDiana and the other nearby lakes.“‘But, heedless of all these, he loved a nymphwhom on the hill, called Palatine, 'tis said,Venilia bore to Janus double faced.When she had reached the age of marriage, shewas given to Picus Laurentine, preferredby her above all others—wonderfulindeed her beauty, but more wonderfulher skill in singing, from which art they calledher Canens. The fascination of her voicewould move the woods and rocks and tame wild beasts,and stay long rivers, and it even detainedthe wandering bird. Once, while she sang a laywith high, clear voice, Picus on his keen horserode in Laurentian fields to hunt the boar,two spears in his left hand, his purple cloakfastened with gold. The daughter of the Sunwandered in woods near by to find new herbsgrowing on fertile hills, for she had leftCircaean fields called so from her own name.“‘From a concealing thicket she observedthe youth with wonder. All the gathered herbsdropped from her hands, forgotten, to the groundand a hot fever-flame seemed to pervadeher marrow. When she could collect her thoughtshe wanted to confess her great desire,but the swift horse and his surrounding guardsprevented her approach. “Still you shall notescape me,” she declared, “although you maybe borne on winds, if I but know myself,and if some potency in herbs remains,and if my art of charms does not deceive.”“‘Such were her; thoughts, and then she formedan image of a bodiless wild swineand let it cross the trail before the kingand rush into a woodland dense with trees,which fallen trunks made pathless for his horse.Picus at once, unconscious of all harm,followed the phantom-prey and, hastilyquitting the reeking back of his good steed,he wandered in pursuit of a vain hope,on foot through that deep wood. She seized the chanceand by her incantation called strange godswith a strange charm, which had the power to hidethe white moon's features and draw thirsty cloudsabout her father's head. The changing skythen lowered more black at each repeated toneof incantation, and the ground exhaledits vapours, while his people wandered therealong the darkened paths until no guardwas near to aid the imperiled king.“‘Having now gained an opportunityand place, she said, “O, youth most beautiful!By those fine eyes, which captivated mine,and by that graceful person, which brings me,even me, a goddess, suppliant to you,have pity on my passion; let the Sun,who looks on all things, be your father-in-law;do not despise Circe, the Titaness.”“But fiercely he repelled her and her prayer,“Whoever you may be, you are not mine,”he said. “Another lady has my heart.I pray that for a lengthening space of timeshe may so hold me. I will not polluteconjugal ties with the unhallowed lovesof any stranger, while the Fates preserveto me the child of Janus, my dear Canens.”“‘Titan's daughter, when many pleas had failed,said angrily, “You shall not leave me withimpunity, and you shall not returnto Canens; and by your experienceyou shall now learn what can be done by herso slighted—what a woman deep in lovecan do— and Circe is that slighted love.”“‘Then twice she turned herself to face the westand twice to face the East; and three times thenshe touched the young man with her wand,and sang three incantations. Picus fled,but, marvelling at his unaccustomed speed,he saw new wings, that spread on either sideand bore him onward. Angry at the thoughtof transformation—all so suddenlyadded a strange bird to the Latian woods,he struck the wild oaks with his hard new beak,and in his rage inflicted many woundson the long waving branches his wings tookthe purple of his robe. The piece of goldwhich he had used so nicely in his robewas changed to golden feathers, and his neckwas rich as yellow gold. Nothing remainedof Picus as he was except the name.“‘While all this happened his attendants calledon Picus often but in vain throughoutsurrounding fields, and finding not a traceof their young king, at length by chance they metwith Circe, who had cleared the darkened airand let the clouds disperse before the windand clear rays of the sun. Then with good causethey blamed her, they demanded the returnof their lost king, and with their hunting spearsthey threatened her. She, sprinkling baleful drugsand poison juices over them, invokedthe aid of Night and all the gods of Nightfrom Erebus and Chaos, and desiredthe aid of Hecat with long, wailing cries.“‘Most wonderful to tell, the forests leapedfrom fixed localities and the torn soiluttered deep groans, the trees surrounding changedfrom life-green to sick pallor, and the grasswas moistened with besprinkling drops of blood;the stones sent forth harsh longings, unknown dogsbarked loudly, and the ground became a massof filthy snakes, and unsubstantial hostsof the departed flitted without sound.The men all quaked appalled. With magic rodshe touched their faces, pale and all amazed,and at her touch the youths took on strange formsof wild animals. None kept his proper shape.“‘The setting sun is resting low uponthe far Tartessian shores, and now in vainher husband is expected by the eyesof longing Canens. Her slaves and people runabout through all the forest, holding lightsto meet him. Nor is it enough for thatdear nymph to weep and frenzied tear her hairand beat her breast—she did all that and more.Distracted she rushed forth and wandered throughthe Latin fields. Six nights, six brightening dawnsfound her quite unrefreshed with food or sleepwandering at random over hill and dale.The Tiber saw her last, with grief and toilwearied and lying on his widespread bank.In tears she poured out words with a faint voice,lamenting her sad woe, as when the swanabout to die sings a funereal dirge.Melting with grief at last she pined away;her flesh, her bones, her marrow liquifiedand vanished by degrees as formless airand yet the story lingers near that place,fitly named Canens by old-time Camenae!.’“Such things I heard and saw through a long year.Sluggish, inactive through our idleness,we were all ordered to embark againout on the deep, again to set our sails.The Titaness explained the doubtful paths,the great extent and peril, of wild seas.I was alarmed, I will confess to you;so, having reached these shores, I have remained.”
Picus in Ausoniis, proles Saturnia terrisrex fuit, utilium bello studiosus equorum;forma viro, quam cernis, erat: licet ipse decoremadspicias fictaque probes ab imagine veram.Par animus formae; nec adhuc spectasse per annosquinquennem poterat Graia quater Elide pugnam.Ille suos dryadas Latiis in montibus ortasverterat in vultus, illum fontana petebantnumina, naiades, quas Albula, quasque Numici,quas Anienis aquae cursuque brevissimus AlmoNarve tulit praeceps et opacae Farfarus umbrae,quaeque colunt Scythicae stagnum nemorale Dianaefinitimosque lacus; spretis tamen omnibus unamille colit nymphen, quam quondam in colle Palatidicitur Ionio peperisse Venilia Iano.Haec ubi nubilibus primum maturuit annis,praeposito cunctis Laurenti tradita Pico est,rara quidem facie, sed rarior arte canendi,unde Canens dicta est: silvas et saxa movereet mulcere feras et flumina longa morariore suo volucresque vagas retinere solebat.Quae dum feminea modulatur carmina voce,exierat tecto Laurentes Picus in agros,indigenas fixurus apros, tergumque premebatacris equi, laevaque hastilia bina ferebat,poeniceam fulvo chlamydem contractus ab auro.Venerat in silvas et filia Solis easdem,utque novas legeret fecundis collibus herbas,nomine dicta suo Circaea reliquerat arva.Quae simul ac iuvenem, virgultis abdita, vidit,obstipuit: cecidere manu, quas legerat, herbae,flammaque per totas visa est errare medullas.Ut primum valido mentem conlegit ab aestu,quid cuperet, fassura fuit: ne posset adire,cursus equi fecit circumfususque satelles.“Non” ait “effugies, vento rapiare licebit,si modo me novi, si non evanuit omnisherbarum virtus et non mea carmina fallunt.”Dixit et effigiem, nullo cum corpore, falsifinxit apri praeterque oculos transcurrere regisiussit et in densum trabibus nemus ire videri,plurima qua silva est et equo loca pervia non sunt.Haud mora: continuo praedae petit inscius umbramPicus equique celer spumantia terga relinquitspemque sequens vanam silva pedes errat in alta.Concipit illa preces et verba precantia dicitignotosque deos ignoto carmine adorat,quo solet et niveae vultum confundere Lunaeet patrio capiti bibulas subtexere nubes.Tum quoque cantato densetur carmine caelum,et nebulas exhalat humus, caecisque vaganturlimitibus comites, et abest custodia regis.Nacta locum tempusque “per, o, tua lumina” dixit,“quae mea ceperunt, perque hanc, pulcherrime, formam,quae facit, ut supplex tibi sim dea, consule nostrisignibus et socerum, qui pervidet omnia, Solemaccipe, nec durus Titanida despice Circen!”Dixerat. Ille ferox ipsamque precesque relinquitet “quaecumque es” ait, “non sum tuus: altera captumme tenet et teneat per longum, comprecor, aevum!Nec venere externa socialia foedera laedam,dum mihi Ianigenam servabunt fata Canentem!”Saepe retemptatis precibus Titania frustra“non impune feres, neque” ait “reddere Canenti,laesaque quid faciat, quid amans, quid femina disces.”Tum bis ad occasum, bis se convertit ad ortus,ter iuvenem baculo tetigit, tria carmina dixit.Ille fugit, sed se solito velocius ipsecurrere miratur: pennas in corpore vidit,seque novam subito Latiis accedere silvisindignatus avem duro fera robora rostrofigit et iratus longis dat vulnera ramis.Purpureum chlamydis pennae traxere colorem,fibula quod fuerat vestemque momorderat aurum,pluma fit, et fulvo cervix praecingitur auro,nec quicquam antiquum Pico nisi nomina restat.Interea comites, clamato saepe per agrosnequiquam Pico nullaque in parte reperto,inveniunt Circen (nam iam tenuaverat auraspassaque erat nebulas ventis ac sole recludi)criminibusque premunt veris regemque reposcuntvimque ferunt saevisque parant incessere telis.Illa nocens spargit virus sucosque veneniet Noctem noctisque deos Ereboque chaoqueconvocat et longis Hecaten ululatibus orat:exsiluere loco (dictu mirabile) silvae,ingemuitque solum, vicinaque palluit arbor,sparsaque sanguineis maduerunt pabula guttis,et lapides visi mugitus edere raucos,et latrare canes et humus serpentibus atrissqualere et tenues animae volitare videntur.Attonitum monstris vulgus pavet: illa paventisora venenata tetigit mirantia virga,cuius ab attactu variarum monstra ferarumin iuvenes veniunt: nulli sua mansit imago.Sparserat occiduus Tartessia litora Phoebus,et frustra coniunx oculis animoque Canentisexspectatus erat: famuli populusque per omnesdiscurrunt silvas atque obvia lumina portant;nec satis est nymphae flere et lacerare capilloset dare plangorem (facit et tamen omnia) sequeproripit ac Latios errat vesana per agros.Sex illam noctes, tetidem redeuntia solislumina viderunt inopem somnique cibiqueper iuga, per valles, qua fors ducebat, euntem.Ultimus adspexit Thybris luctuque viaquefessam et iam longa ponentem corpora ripa.Illic cum lacrimis ipso modulata doloreverba sono tenui maerens fundebat, ut olimcarmina iam moriens canit exequialia cygnus.Luctibus extremis teneras liquefacta medullastabuit inque leves paulatim evanuit auras;fama tamen signata loco est, quem rite Canentemnomine de nymphae veteres dixere Camenae.”Talia multa mihi longum narrata per annumvisaque sunt. Resides et desuetudine tardirursus inire fretum, rursus dare vela iubemur.Ancipitesque vias et iter Titania vastumdixerat et saevi restare pericula ponti.Pertimui, fateor, nactusque hoc litus adhaesi.”