Met. 2.833Hās ubi verbōrum poenās mentisque profānae
cēpit Atlantiadēs, dictās ā Pallade terrās
835linquit et ingreditur iactātīs aethera pennīs.When Atlas' grandson had exacted this punishment for her words and her profane mind, he leaves the land named after Pallas and enters the ether on beating wings. Met. 2.836Sēvocat hunc genitor.His father calls him aside. Met. 2.836Nec causam fassus amōris
"fīde minister" ait "iussōrum, nāte, meōrum,
pelle moram solitōque celer dēlābere cursū,
quaeque tuam mātrem tellūs ā parte sinistrā
840suspicit (indigenae Sīdōnida nōmine dīcunt),
hanc pete, quodque procul montānō grāmine pāscī
armentum rēgāle vidēs, ad lītora verte."Not confessing love as the reason, 'Faithful minister of my commands, my son,' he says, 'put off delay and glide down swiftly in your usual course, and make for the land that looks up at your mother from the left side (the natives call it by the name of Sidon), and the royal herd which you see grazing far off on the mountain grass, drive it to the shore.' Met. 2.843Dīxit, et expulsī iamdūdum monte iuvencī
lītora iussa petunt, ubi magnī fīlia rēgis
845lūdere virginibus Tyriīs comitāta solēbat.He spoke, and at once the bullocks, driven from the mountain, make for the shore as ordered, where the great king's daughter, accompanied by Tyrian maidens, used to play.
Met. 2.846Nōn bene conveniunt nec in ūnā sēde morantur
maiestās et amor: scēptrī gravitāte relictā
ille pater rēctorque deum, cui dextra trisulcīs
ignibus armāta est, quī nūtū concutit orbem,
850induitur faciem taurī mīxtusque iuvencīs
mūgit et in tenerīs fōrmōsus obambulat herbīs.Majesty and love do not go well together, nor do they linger in one dwelling: laying aside the dignity of the sceptre, that father and ruler of the gods, whose right hand is armed with three-forked fire, who shakes the world with a nod, puts on the appearance of a bull, and, mingling with the bullocks, he lows and wanders handsome over the tender grass. Met. 2.852Quippe color nivis est, quam nec vestīgia dūrī
calcāvēre pedis nec solvit aquāticus auster.For his colour is that of snow which neither the tracks of a hard foot have trodden nor the rainy south wind has melted. Met. 2.854Colla torīs exstant, armīs paleāria pendent,
855cornua parva quidem, sed quae contendere possīs
facta manū, pūraque magis perlūcida gemmā.His neck stands out with muscles, dewlaps hang from his shoulders, his horns are small, it is true, but such as you could argue were made by hand, and more translucent than a pure jewel.
Met. 2.857Nūllae in fronte minae, nec formīdābile lūmen;There are no threats on his brow, and no fearsome eye; Met. 2.858pācem vultus habet.his face holds peace. Met. 2.858Mīrātur Agēnore nāta,
quod tam fōrmōsus, quod proelia nūlla minētur.Agenor's daughter marvels that he is so handsome, that he threatens no fights. Met. 2.860Sed quamvīs mītem metuit contingere prīmō:
mox adit et flōrēs ad candida porrigit ōra.But though he is gentle, she fears to touch him at first: soon she approaches and holds out flowers to his white mouth. Met. 2.862Gaudet amāns et, dum veniat spērāta voluptās,
ōscula dat manibus;The lover rejoices, and until the hoped-for pleasure comes, he gives kisses to her hands; Met. 2.863vix iam, vix cētera differt.scarcely now, scarcely does he put off the rest. Met. 2.864Et nunc adlūdit viridīque exsultat in herbā,
865nunc latus in fulvīs niveum dēpōnit harēnīs;And now he frolics and leaps about in the green grass, now lays his snowy side down on the yellow sand; Met. 2.866paulātimque metū dēmptō modo pectora praebet
virgineā plaudenda manū, modo cornua sertīs
impedienda novīs.and gradually, her fear removed, now he offers his breast to be patted by the maiden's hand, now his horns to be entwined with fresh garlands.
Met. 2.868Ausa est quoque rēgia virgō
nescia quem premeret, tergō cōnsīdere taurī,
870cum deus ā terrā siccōque ā lītore sēnsim
falsa pedum prīmīs vestīgia pōnit in undīs:
inde abit ulterius mediīque per aequora pontī
fert praedam.The royal maiden even dared, not knowing whom she was pressing, to sit on the bull's back, when the god, little by little, from the land and the dry shore, sets the false prints of his feet in the edge of the waves: from there he goes further and carries his prize through the waters of mid-sea. Met. 2.873Pavet haec lītusque ablāta relictum
respicit, et dextrā cornum tenet, altera dorsō
875imposita est;She is terrified, and, carried off, looks back at the shore left behind, and holds a horn with her right hand; the other is placed on his back; Met. 2.875tremulae sinuantur flāmine vestēs.her fluttering garments billow in the wind.