Met. 15.552Et nymphās tetigit nova rēs, et Amāzone nātus
haud aliter stupuit, quam cum Tyrrhēnus arātor
fātālem glaebam mediīs adspexit in arvīs
555sponte suā prīmum nūllōque agitante movērī,
sūmere mox hominis terraeque āmittere fōrmam
ōraque ventūrīs aperīre recentia fātīs
(indigenae dīxēre Tagēn, quī prīmus Etrūscam
ēdocuit gentem cāsūs aperīre futūrōs);And the strange event touched the nymphs, and the son of the Amazon was astonished just as when the Etruscan ploughman saw in the middle of his fields a fateful clod first move of its own accord with no one stirring it, then take on human form and lose that of earth, and open its newly made mouth to the fates to come (the natives called him Tages, who first taught the Etruscan race to disclose future events); Met. 15.560utvē Palātīnīs haerentem collibus ōlim
cum subitō vīdit frondēscere Rōmulus hastam,
quae rādīce novā, nōn ferrō stābat adāctō
et iam nōn tēlum, sed lentī vīminis arbor
nōn exspectātās dabat admīrantibus umbrās;or as when Romulus once saw the spear fixed on the Palatine hill suddenly put forth leaves, which stood by a new root, not by the iron driven in, and, no longer a weapon but a tree of pliant wood, gave unexpected shade to those marvelling; Met. 15.565aut sua flūmineā cum vīdit Cipus in undā
cornua (vīdit enim) falsamque in imāgine crēdēns
esse fidem, digitīs ad frontem saepe relātīs,
quae vīdit, tetigit, nec iam sua lūmina damnāns
restitit, ut victor domitō veniēbat ab hoste,
570ad caelumque manūs et eōdem lūmina tollēns "quidquid" ait, "superī, mōnstrō portenditur istō,
seu laetum est, patriae laetum populōque Quirīnī,
sīve mināx, mihi sit!"or when Cipus saw his horns in the river water (for he did see them) and, believing the image false, often raised his fingers to his forehead and touched what he saw, and no longer condemning his eyes he halted, as he was coming victorious from a conquered enemy, and raising his hands and eyes to the sky said: 'Gods above, whatever is foretold by this portent, if it is happy, let it be happy for my country and the people of Quirinus; if threatening, let it fall on me!' Met. 15.573viridīque ē caespite factās
plācat odōrātīs herbōsās ignibus ārās
575vīnaque dat paterīs mactātārumque bidentum,
quid sibi significent, trepidantia cōnsulit exta.and he propitiates grassy altars made of green turf with fragrant fires, and offers wine from bowls, and consults the quivering entrails of slaughtered sheep as to what they signify for him.
Met. 15.577Quae simul adspexit Tyrrhēnae gentis haruspex,
magna quidem rērum mōlīmina vīdit in illīs,
nōn manifesta tamen.As soon as the soothsayer of the Etruscan race looked at them, he saw in them great upheavals of affairs, yet not clearly. Met. 15.579Cum vērō sustulit ācre
580ā pecudis fībrīs ad Cipī cornua lūmen,
"rēx" ait, "ō salvē!But when he raised his keen gaze from the sheep's entrails to the horns of Cipus, he said: 'Hail, O king! Met. 15.581Tibi enim, tibi, Cipe, tuīsque
hic locus et Latiae pārēbunt cornibus arcēs.For to you, to you, Cipus, and to your horns this place and the Latin citadels will be subject. Met. 15.583Tū modo rumpe morās portāsque intrāre patentēs
adproperā!Only break off delay and hasten to enter the gates that stand open! Met. 15.584sīc fāta iubent;so the fates command; Met. 15.584namque urbe receptus
585rēx eris et scēptrō tūtus potiēre perennī."for once received into the city you will be king and will hold an everlasting sceptre in safety.' Met. 15.586Rettulit ille pedem torvamque ā moenibus urbis
āvertēns faciem "procul ā!He drew back his foot and, turning his stern face away from the walls of the city, said: 'Far, ah!
Met. 15.587procul ōmina" dīxit
"tālia dī pellant!far away may the gods drive such omens! Met. 15.588Multōque ego iūstius aevum
exsul agam, quam mē videant Capitōlia rēgem!"Much more justly shall I spend my life in exile than have the Capitol see me as king!' Met. 15.590Dīxit et extemplō populumque gravemque senātum
convocat, ante tamen pācālī cornua laurō
vēlat;He spoke, and at once calls together the people and the grave senate, but first veils his horns with peaceful laurel; Met. 15.592et aggeribus factīs ā mīlite fortī
īnsistit prīscōsque deōs ē mōre precātus
"est" ait "hīc ūnus, quem vōs nisi pellitis urbe,
595rēx erit.and he stands on a mound built by his brave soldiers, and having prayed to the ancient gods in the customary way, says: 'There is one man here who, unless you drive him from the city, will be king. Met. 15.595Is quī sit, signō, nōn nōmine dīcam:
cornua fronte gerit.Who he is I shall tell you by a sign, not by name: he wears horns on his brow. Met. 15.596Quem vōbīs indicat augur,
sī Rōmam intrārit, famulāria iūra datūrum.The augur declares to you that, if he enters Rome, he will impose the laws of slavery.
Met. 15.598Ille quidem potuit portās inrumpere apertās,
sed nōs obstitimus, quamvīs coniūnctior illō
600nēmō mihi est.He could indeed have burst through the open gates, but I have stood in his way, although no one is more closely joined to me than he. Met. 15.600Vōs urbe virum prohibēte, Quirītēs,
vel, sī dignus erit, gravibus vincīte catēnīs,
aut fīnīte metum fātālis morte tyrannī!"Keep the man from the city, Quirites, or, if he deserves it, bind him in heavy chains, or end your fear with the death of the fated tyrant!' Met. 15.603Quālia succīnctīs, ubi trux īnsībilat eurus,
murmura pīnētīs fīunt, aut quālia flūctūs
605aequoreī faciunt, sīquis procul audiat illōs,
tāle sonat populus;As murmurs arise in close-girt pine woods when the fierce east wind whistles through them, or as the waves of the sea make if one hears them from afar, such is the sound of the people; Met. 15.606sed per cōnfūsa frementis
verba tamen vulgī vōx ēminet ūna "quis ille est?",
et spectant frontēs praedictaque cornua quaerunt.but through the confused words of the roaring crowd one voice stands out: 'Who is he?', and they look at foreheads and search for the foretold horns.
Met. 15.609Rūrsus ad hōs Cipus "quem poscitis" inquit, "habētis"
610et dēmptā capitī, populō prohibente, corōnā
exhibuit geminō praesignia tempora cornū.Again Cipus says to them: 'You have the one you demand,' and, taking the garland from his head though the people tried to stop him, he displayed his temples marked out with twin horns. Met. 15.612Dēmīsēre oculōs omnēs gemitumque dedēre
atque illud meritīs clārum (quis crēdere possit?)
invītī vīdēre caput;All lowered their eyes and gave a groan, and (who could believe it?) unwillingly looked upon that head illustrious for its merits; Met. 15.614nec honōre carēre
615ulterius passī, fēstam imposuēre corōnam.and not allowing it to lack honour any longer, they placed on it a festive garland. Met. 15.616At procerēs, quoniam mūrōs intrāre vetāris,
rūris honōrātī tantum tibi, Cipe, dedēre,
quantum dēpressō subiectīs būbus arātrō
complectī possēs ad fīnem lūcis ab ortū,
620cornuaque aerātīs mīram referentia fōrmam
postibus īnsculpunt, longum mānsūra per aevum.But the leading men, Cipus, since you were forbidden to enter the walls, gave you as much land, in honour, as you could encircle with a plough pressed down behind yoked oxen from dawn to the end of day, and they carve horns reproducing the wondrous shape on the bronze door-posts, to remain through long ages.