Metamorphoses 11.85–145

Met. 11.85Nec satis hoc Bacchō est: ipsōs quoque dēserit agrōs
cumque chorō meliōre suī vīnēta Timōlī
Pactōlonque petit, quamvīs nōn aureus illō
tempore nec cārīs erat invidiōsus harēnīs.

This was not enough for Bacchus: he leaves the very fields themselves, and with a better company makes for the vineyards of his own Tmolus and for the Pactolus, although at that time it was not golden, nor envied for its precious sands.

Note. Bacchus has just punished the Thracian women who killed Orpheus by turning them into trees; hoc refers to that punishment. ipsōs … agrōs: 'the very fields' of Thrace. chorō meliōre: 'with a better company' than the murderous women. suī … Tmōlī: 'of his own Tmolus', the Lydian mountain famous for vines. Pactōlon: Greek accusative of Pactolus, the river whose gold this story explains: quamvīs … nōn aureus illō tempore, 'although it was not golden at that time'. cārīs … harēnīs: 'for its precious sands', ablative of cause with invidiōsus, 'envied'.

Met. 11.89Hunc adsuēta cohors satyrī bacchaeque frequentant,
90at Sīlēnus abest: titubantem annīsque merōque
rūricolae cēpēre Phrygēs vīnctumque corōnīs
ad rēgem dūxēre Midān, cui Thrācius Orpheus
orgia trādiderat cum Cecropiō Eumolpō.

His usual band, satyrs and bacchants, crowds round him, but Silenus is missing: tottering with years and wine, he had been captured by Phrygian farmers, who bound him with garlands and led him to King Midas, to whom Thracian Orpheus, with Eumolpus of Athens, had taught the sacred rites.

Note. adsuēta cohors: 'his usual band', in apposition to satyrī bacchaeque. Silēnus, Bacchus' old tutor, was usually drunk: titubantem annīsque merōque, 'tottering from years and wine'. cēpēre, dūxēre = cēpērunt, dūxērunt. Phryges: 'Phrygians', in apposition to rūricolae. cui … orgia trādiderat: 'to whom Orpheus had handed down the rites' of Bacchus, together with Eumolpus of Athens (Cecropiō: 'Athenian', from Cecrops).

Met. 11.94Quem simul agnōvit socium comitemque sacrōrum,
95hospitis adventū fēstum geniāliter ēgit
per bis quīnque diēs et iūnctās ōrdine noctēs.

As soon as Midas recognised him as a friend and companion of the rites, he held a merry festival in honour of the guest's arrival for twice five days and as many nights in a row.

Note. simul = simul atque, 'as soon as'. comitemque sacrōrum: 'a companion of the rites'. hospitis adventū: 'for the guest's arrival'. fēstum … ēgit: 'celebrated a festival'. bis quīnque diēs: ten days, and as many nights joined in order (iūnctās ōrdine noctēs).

Met. 11.97Et iam stellārum sublīme coēgerat agmen
Lūcifer ūndecimus, Lȳdōs cum laetus in agrōs
rēx vēnit et iuvenī Sīlēnum reddit alumnō.

And now the eleventh morning star had driven off the high host of the stars, when the king came joyfully into the fields of Lydia and returned Silenus to his young foster-son.

Note. Lūcifer undecimus: 'the eleventh morning star', i.e. the eleventh dawn. coēgerat agmen: 'had driven off the column (of stars)', as the last soldier brings up a marching column. iuvenī … alumnō: 'to his young foster-son', Bacchus, whom Silenus had raised.

Met. 11.100Huic deus optandī grātum, sed inūtile, fēcit
mūneris arbitrium, gaudēns altōre receptō.

The god, glad to have his foster-father back, gave Midas the choice of a reward, a welcome gift but a useless one.

Note. Huic = Midas. optandī … mūneris arbitrium: 'the choice of choosing a gift', with optandī a gerund. grātum, sed inūtile: 'welcome, but useless', Ovid's foreshadowing. altōre receptō: ablative absolute, 'his foster-father recovered'.

Met. 11.102Ille male ūsūrus dōnīs ait "effice, quidquid
corpore contigerō fulvum vertātur in aurum."

Midas, who would make bad use of the gift, said: "Make whatever I touch with my body turn into yellow gold."

Note. male ūsūrus: 'who would make bad use', future participle of the deponent ūtor, which takes the ablative (dōnīs). effice … vertātur: 'bring it about that … be turned', with ut omitted. quidquid … contigerō: 'whatever I touch', future perfect, since the touching comes before the turning.

Met. 11.104Adnuit optātīs nocitūraque mūnera solvit
105Līber, et indoluit, quod nōn meliōra petīsset.

Liber granted the wish and gave him the gift that would harm him, and was sorry that he had not asked for something better.

Note. Adnuit optātīs: 'he nodded assent to the wishes'. nocitūra: 'that would do harm', future participle of noceō. solvit: 'paid, granted'. indoluit quod … petīsset: 'he was sorry that he had not asked for better'; the subjunctive gives Bacchus' own thought. petīsset = petīvisset.

Met. 11.106Laetus abit gaudetque malō Berecyntius hērōs
pollicitīque fidem tangendō singula temptat
vixque sibi crēdēns nōn altā fronde virentem
īlice dētrāxit virgam: virga aurea facta est.

The Berecyntian hero goes away happy and delights in his misfortune, and tests the truth of the promise by touching one thing after another; scarcely believing himself, he pulled a twig, green with leaves, from a low holm-oak: the twig became gold.

Note. Berecyntius hērōs: Midas, named from Mount Berecyntus in Phrygia, sacred to Cybele, his mother in some stories. gaudet malō: 'rejoices in his misfortune', a pointed paradox. pollicitī … fidem: 'the truth of what was promised'. tangendō: 'by touching', ablative of the gerund. The edition has a full stop missing after temptat; read 'and scarcely believing himself …' as a new sentence. nōn altā … īlice: 'from a holm-oak that was not tall'.

Met. 11.110Tollit humō saxum: saxum quoque palluit aurō.

He picks up a stone from the ground: the stone too turned pale with gold.

Note. Tollit humō: 'he lifts from the ground'. palluit aurō: 'grew pale with gold'.

Met. 11.111Contigit et glaebam: contāctū glaeba potentī
massa fit.

He touched a clod as well: at his powerful touch the clod becomes a lump of gold.

Note. contāctū … potentī: 'at his powerful touch'. massa: 'a lump' of gold.

Met. 11.112Ārentēs Cereris dēcerpsit aristās:
aurea messis erat.

He plucked the dry ears of Ceres' corn: the harvest was golden.

Note. Cereris … aristās: 'ears of Ceres', ears of corn; Ceres stands for grain. ārentēs: 'dry, ripe'. aurea messis erat: 'the harvest was golden'. Ovid keeps the sentences short as each touch follows the last.

Met. 11.113Dēmptum tenet arbore pōmum:
Hesperidas dōnāsse putēs.

He holds an apple he has picked from a tree: you would think the Hesperides had given it.

Note. Dēmptum … pōmum: 'an apple picked from a tree'. Hesperidās dōnāsse putēs: 'you would think the Hesperides had given it'; the Hesperides guarded the golden apples. dōnāsse = dōnāvisse. putēs: potential subjunctive.

Met. 11.114Sī postibus altīs
115admōvit digitōs, postēs radiāre videntur.

If he laid his fingers on the high doorposts, the doorposts seemed to shine.

Note. postibus altīs: 'to the high doorposts', dative with admōvit.

Met. 11.116Ille etiam liquidīs palmās ubi lāverat undīs,
unda fluēns palmīs Danaēn ēlūdere posset.

Even when he had washed his hands in clear water, the water flowing from his hands could have deceived Danaë.

Note. liquidīs … undīs: 'in clear water'. Danaēn ēlūdere posset: 'could have deceived Danaë', because Jupiter came to her as a shower of gold.

Met. 11.118Vix spēs ipse suās animō capit aurea fingēns
omnia.

He can scarcely contain his hopes in his mind, imagining everything golden.

Note. spēs … suās animō capit: 'he takes in his hopes with his mind', i.e. his mind can hardly hold them. aurea fingēns omnia: 'imagining everything golden'.

Met. 11.119Gaudentī mēnsās posuēre ministrī
120exstrūctās dapibus nec tostae frūgis egentēs.

As he rejoiced, servants set before him tables piled with food and not lacking in toasted grain.

Note. Gaudentī: dative, 'for him as he rejoiced'. posuēre = posuērunt. exstrūctās dapibus: 'piled with dishes'. tostae frūgis: 'toasted grain', i.e. bread; genitive with egentēs, 'lacking'.

Met. 11.121Tum vērō, sīve ille suā Cereālia dextrā
mūnera contigerat, Cereālia dōna rigēbant,
sīve dapēs avidō convellere dente parābat,
lammina fulva dapēs admōtō dente premēbat.

But then, whether he touched the gifts of Ceres with his hand, the gifts of Ceres grew stiff, or whether he tried to tear the food with greedy teeth, a yellow sheet of gold covered the food as his teeth came near it.

Note. Tum vērō: 'but then indeed'. Cereālia … mūnera: 'the gifts of Ceres', bread. rigēbant: 'grew stiff'. avidō … dente: 'with greedy tooth'. lammina fulva … premēbat: 'a yellow plate (of gold) covered the food'; lammina is a spelling of lāmina.

Met. 11.125Miscuerat pūrīs auctōrem mūneris undīs:
fūsile per rictūs aurum fluitāre vidērēs.

He had mixed the giver of the gift with pure water: you could see molten gold flowing through his jaws.

Note. auctōrem mūneris: 'the giver of the gift', i.e. Bacchus = wine, a playful metonymy: he mixed wine with water, as Romans did. fūsile … aurum: 'molten gold'. vidērēs: 'you could have seen'.

Met. 11.127Attonitus novitāte malī, dīvesque miserque,
effugere optat opēs et, quae modo vōverat, ōdit.

Stunned by this strange calamity, both rich and wretched, he longs to escape his wealth, and hates what he had just prayed for.

Note. Attonitus novitāte malī: 'stunned by the strangeness of the misfortune'. dīvesque miserque: 'both rich and wretched', a paradox. quae modo vōverat: 'what he had just prayed for'.

Met. 11.129Cōpia nūlla famem relevat;

No abundance relieves his hunger;

Note. Cōpia nūlla: 'no abundance'. relevat: 'relieves'.

Met. 11.129sitis ārida guttur
130ūrit, et invīsō meritus torquētur ab aurō
ad caelumque manūs et splendida bracchia tollēns
"dā veniam, Lēnaee pater!

a parching thirst burns his throat, and he is tormented, as he deserves, by the hateful gold; raising his hands and shining arms to the sky, he cries: "Forgive me, father Lenaeus!

Note. sitis ārida: 'parching thirst'. meritus: 'deservedly', as he deserved. The edition omits a stop after aurō; the new sentence begins at ad caelum. Lēnaee pater: 'father Lenaeus', a title of Bacchus as god of the wine-press. da veniam: 'forgive'.

Met. 11.132peccāvimus," inquit,
"sed miserēre, precor, speciōsōque ēripe damnō."

I have sinned," he says, "but have pity, I beg you, and rescue me from this splendid ruin."

Note. peccāvimus: 'I have sinned' (plural for singular). miserēre: imperative of the deponent misereor. speciōsō … damnō: 'from this splendid ruin', an oxymoron.

Met. 11.134Mīte deum nūmen: Bacchus peccāsse fatentem
135restituit factīque fidē datā mūnera solvit
"Nēve male optātō maneās circumlitus aurō,
vāde" ait "ad magnīs vīcīnum Sardibus amnem
perque iugum rīpae lābentibus obvius undīs
carpe viam, dōnec veniās ad flūminis ortūs,
140spūmigerōque tuum fontī, quā plūrimus exit,
subde caput corpusque simul, simul ēlue crīmen."

The divinity of the gods is kind: Bacchus restored him when he confessed his fault, and took back the gift he had given to keep his word. "So that you may not stay coated in the gold you wished for so badly," he said, "go to the river that is neighbour to great Sardis, and make your way along the ridge of the bank, against the flowing water, until you come to the river's source; and where the spring gushes out most fully, plunge your head and body together into the foaming fountain, and at the same time wash away your guilt."

Note. Mīte: supply est, 'the divinity of the gods is gentle'. peccāsse fatentem: 'him confessing that he had sinned'. factīque fide: 'to keep his word about what was done' (fidēs = good faith). Nēve … maneās: 'and so that you may not remain'. male optātō … aurō: 'with the gold you wished for so badly'. magnīs vīcīnum Sardibus amnem: 'the river neighbouring great Sardis', the Pactolus. lābentibus obvius undīs: 'meeting the flowing water', going upstream. quā plūrimus exit: 'where it gushes out most fully'. simul, simul: 'at the same time … and at the same time'.

Met. 11.142Rēx iussae succēdit aquae: vīs aurea tīnxit
flūmen et hūmānō dē corpore cessit in amnem.

The king went into the water as he was told: the golden power coloured the river and passed from his human body into the stream.

Note. iussae … aquae: 'into the water he was told to enter', dative with succēdit. vīs aurea: 'the golden power'.

Met. 11.144Nunc quoque iam veteris perceptō sēmine vēnae
145arva rigent aurō madidīs pallentia glaebīs.

Even now, having taken in the seed of the old vein, the fields are hard with gold, pale with clods soaked in it.

Note. This explains why the Pactolus carries gold. veteris percepto sēmine vēnae: ablative absolute, 'the seed of the old vein having been taken in'. madidīs pallentia glaebīs: 'pale with soaked clods'.