Metamorphoses 3.339–436

Met. 3.339Ille per Āoniās fāmā celeberrimus urbēs
340inreprehēnsa dabat populō respōnsa petentī.

He [Tiresias], most famous throughout the cities of Aonia, gave answers that no one could fault to the people who consulted him.

Note. Ille is the blind prophet Tiresias, whose story Ovid has just told; this tale is the first test of his powers. Āoniās … urbēs: the cities of Aonia, i.e. Boeotia, the region of Thebes. inreprehēnsa … respōnsa: 'answers no one could fault'. petentī: present participle, 'to the people when they asked'. Ovid omits four lines (3.400–401, 415, 417) here and below that the editor of this text, Magnus, judged to be later additions; that is why the line numbers skip.

Met. 3.341Prīma fidē vōcisque ratae temptāmina sūmpsit
caerula Līriopē.

The first to make trial of his reliable voice and to test its truth was the sea-blue Liriope.

Note. Prīma … sūmpsit … Līriopē: 'Liriope was the first to take …'. fidē vōcisque ratae temptāmina: literally 'trials of his trust and his reliable voice' — a fancy way of saying she consulted him. caerula: 'sea-blue', the colour of water-nymphs.

Met. 3.342Quam quondam flūmine curvō
implicuit clausaeque suīs Cēphīsus in undīs
vim tulit.

Once Cephisus had wrapped her in his winding stream and, shutting her in his waters, taken her by force.

Note. Quam: a connecting relative, 'Her'. Cēphīsus, the river-god, rapes her: implicuit flūmine curvō, 'wrapped her in his winding stream', and clausae … vim tulit, 'used force on her (once she was) shut in'. clausae is dative, with vim tulit.

Met. 3.344Ēnīxa est uterō pulcherrima plēnō
345īnfantem, nymphīs iam tunc quī posset amārī,
Narcissumque vocat.

Big with child, the beautiful nymph gave birth to a baby who even then could have been loved by nymphs, and she called him Narcissus.

Note. Ēnīxa est: perfect of the deponent ēnītor, 'she gave birth'. uterō plēnō: 'with full womb', i.e. when her time came. quī posset amārī: a relative clause of characteristic, 'one who could be loved'; nymphīs is dative of agent, common in poetry with a passive.

Met. 3.346Dē quō cōnsultus, an esset
tempora mātūrae vīsūrus longa senectae,
fātidicus vātēs "sī sē nōn nōverit" inquit.

When the prophet was consulted about him, whether he would see the long years of a ripe old age, he said: "If he does not come to know himself."

Note. an esset … vīsūrus: indirect question, 'whether he would see'. maturae … senectae: 'of a ripe old age'. sī sē nōn nōverit: future perfect, 'if he does not get to know himself' — a twist on the famous Delphic saying 'know thyself' (gnōthi seauton).

Met. 3.349Vāna diū vīsa est vōx auguris: exitus illam
350rēsque probat lētīque genus novitāsque furōris.

For a long time the seer's words seemed empty: what happened proved them true — the outcome, the strange kind of death, and the strangeness of his madness.

Note. Vāna … vīsa est: 'seemed empty'. illam (vōcem) … probat: 'proves it true'. The four subjects of probat pile up: exitus, rēs, lētī genus, novitās furōris. lētī: 'of death' (lētum, a poetic word).

Met. 3.351Namque ter ad quīnōs ūnum Cēphīsius annum
addiderat poteratque puer iuvenisque vidērī:
multī illum iuvenēs, multae cupiēre puellae.

For the son of Cephisus had added one year to three times five, and could seem both a boy and a young man: many young men, many girls desired him.

Note. ter ad quīnōs ūnum … annum addiderat: 'had added one year to three times five', i.e. he was sixteen. Cēphīsius: 'the son of Cephisus', a patronymic. cupiēre = cupīvērunt, the poetic perfect in -ēre. Note the pattern multī … iuvenēs, multae … puellae, repeated with a twist in the next sentence.

Met. 3.354Sed fuit in tenerā tam dūra superbia fōrmā:
355nūllī illum iuvenēs, nūllae tetigēre puellae.

But in that tender beauty there was a pride so hard that no young man, no girl ever touched him.

Note. tam dūra superbia: 'such hard pride'. The line echoes the last one exactly: nūllī illum iuvenēs, nūllae tetigēre puellae — the same structure, now negated.

Met. 3.356Adspicit hunc trepidōs agitantem in rētia cervōs
vōcālis nymphē, quae nec reticēre loquentī,
nec prior ipsa loquī didicit, resonābilis Ēchō.

As he drove the frightened deer into the nets, he was seen by a talking nymph who had learned neither to keep silent when another speaks nor to speak first herself, Echo who answers back.

Note. Adspicit hunc: the object comes first; the subject (vōcālis nymphē … Echō) is held back to the end of the sentence. trepidōs … cervōs: deer driven into nets, the usual way of hunting. nymphē is a Greek nominative (= nympha). nec reticēre loquentī nec prior ipsa loquī: 'neither to stay silent when someone speaks, nor to speak first herself' — the whole nature of an echo in one line.

Met. 3.359Corpus adhūc Ēchō, nōn vōx erat;

Echo was still a body, not a voice;

Note. Corpus … Echō … erat: 'Echo was (still) a body', i.e. she still had a body then; she will lose it later in the tale.

Met. 3.359et tamen ūsum
360garrula nōn alium, quam nunc habet, ōris habēbat,
reddere dē multīs ut verba novissima posset.

and yet, chatterer that she was, she had no other use of her mouth than she has now: she could give back, out of many words, only the last.

Note. ūsum … nōn alium … quam nunc habet: 'no other use (of her mouth) than she has now'. garrula: 'chatterbox' — the gossiping is how she got into trouble. reddere … ut … posset explains that use: 'to be able to give back the last words out of many'.

Met. 3.362Fēcerat hoc Iūnō, quia, cum dēprendere posset
cum Iove saepe suō nymphās in monte iacentēs,
illa deam longō prūdēns sermōne tenēbat,
365dum fugerent nymphae.

Juno had done this, because often, when she might have caught the nymphs lying on the mountain with her Jupiter, Echo would cleverly keep the goddess busy with long talk until the nymphs could escape.

Note. Fēcerat hoc Iūnō: 'Juno had done this', i.e. limited her voice. cum dēprendere posset: 'whenever she might have caught'. cum Iove … suō: Jupiter, Juno's husband, and his affairs with nymphs. illa: Echo. dum fugerent: 'until they could escape', subjunctive of purpose/expectation.

Met. 3.365Postquam Sāturnia sēnsit
"huius" ait "linguae, quā sum dēlūsa, potestās
parva tibi dabitur vōcisque brevissimus ūsus":
rēque minās firmat.

When the daughter of Saturn realised this, she said: "Small power will be given you over this tongue by which I have been tricked, and the briefest use of your voice"; and she made good her threats in deed.

Note. Sāturnia: 'the daughter of Saturn', i.e. Juno. huius … linguae … potestās parva tibi dabitur: 'little power over this tongue will be given you'. quā sum dēlūsa: 'by which I have been tricked'. rēque minās firmat: 're' is ablative of rēs, 'she confirms her threats in fact'.

Met. 3.368Tamen haec in fīne loquendī
ingeminat vōcēs audītaque verba reportat.

Even so, at the end of speaking, Echo doubles the sounds and carries back the words she has heard.

Note. haec: Echo. in fīne loquendī: 'at the end of speaking', i.e. she can only repeat the end of what she hears. loquendī is a gerund (genitive) of the deponent loquor.

Met. 3.370Ergō ubi Narcissum per dēvia rūra vagantem
vīdit et incaluit, sequitur vestīgia fūrtim,
quōque magis sequitur, flammā propiōre calēscit,
nōn aliter, quam cum summīs circumlita taedīs
admōtās rapiunt vīvācia sulphura flammās.

So when she saw Narcissus wandering through the pathless countryside and grew hot with love, she follows his footsteps secretly, and the more she follows, the nearer the flame that warms her, just as lively sulphur smeared on the tops of torches catches a flame brought near it.

Note. per dēvia rūra vagantem: 'wandering through the pathless countryside'. quōque magis sequitur: quō + que, 'and the more she follows', answering flammā propiōre calēscit, 'the nearer the flame (by which) she grows hot'. The simile: sulphur smeared on the tips of torches (summīs … taedīs) snatches a flame that is brought near (admōtās … flammās).

Met. 3.375Ō quotiēns voluit blandīs accēdere dictīs
et mollēs adhibēre precēs: nātūra repugnat
nec sinit incipiat.

Oh, how often she wanted to approach him with flattering words and to use soft entreaties! Her nature fights against it and does not let her begin.

Note. Ō quotiēns voluit: 'Oh, how often she wanted'. blandīs … dictīs: 'with coaxing words'. nec sinit incipiat: 'and does not allow her to begin'; sinō with a bare subjunctive (no ut) is common in poetry.

Met. 3.377Sed, quod sinit, illa parāta est
exspectāre sonōs, ad quōs sua verba remittat.

But what it does allow, she is ready for: to wait for sounds to which she may send back her own words.

Note. quod sinit: 'what it (her nature) does allow'. parāta est exspectāre: 'she is ready to wait for'. ad quōs … remittat: relative clause of purpose, 'to which she may send back'.

Met. 3.379Forte puer comitum sēductus ab agmine fīdō,
380dīxerat "ecquis adest?"

By chance the boy, separated from his loyal band of companions, had said: "Is anyone here?"

Note. Forte: 'by chance'. sēductus ab agmine fīdō: 'separated from his loyal band (of companions)'. ecquis adest?: 'is anyone here?' — and the echo can only give back the last word, adest, which turns it into an answer.

Met. 3.380et "adest!"

and "Here!"

Note. The joke of the whole episode: by repeating only the end of his question, Echo seems to reply to it.

Met. 3.380responderat Ēchō.

Echo had answered.

Note. respōnderat: pluperfect, matching dīxerat in the previous sentence: 'he had said …, she had answered'.

Met. 3.381Hic stupet, utque aciem partēs dīmittit in omnēs,
vōce "venī!"

He is amazed, and as he sends his gaze in every direction, "Come!"

Note. Hic: 'he' (Narcissus). stupet: 'is amazed'. utque aciem partēs dīmittit in omnēs: 'and as he sends his gaze in all directions'. aciēs here means 'sight, gaze', not 'battle line'.

Met. 3.382magnā clāmat: vocat illa vocantem.

he shouts in a loud voice: she calls the one who calls.

Note. vōce … magnā clāmat: the phrase runs across the sentence break, 'he shouts in a loud voice'. vocat illa vocantem: a neat polyptoton (the same verb in two forms): 'she calls the caller'.

Met. 3.383Respicit et rūrsus nūllō veniente "quid" inquit
"mē fugis?"

He looks back and, again when no one comes, says: "Why do you run from me?"

Note. nūllō veniente: ablative absolute, 'with no one coming'. quid … mē fugis?: 'why do you avoid me?' — and Echo's 'mē fugis' back to him is exactly true of him.

Met. 3.384et totidem, quot dīxit, verba recēpit.

and gets back as many words as he spoke.

Note. totidem, quot dīxit, verba recēpit: 'he got back as many words as he said'.

Met. 3.385Perstat et, alternae dēceptus imāgine vōcis,
"hūc coeāmus!"

He persists and, deceived by the image of the answering voice, says: "Here, let us meet!"

Note. Perstat: 'he persists'. alternae … imāgine vōcis: 'by the image (i.e. the illusion) of a voice answering in turn'. coeāmus: hortatory subjunctive, 'let us meet', which can also mean 'let us come together' in love — Echo hears it that way.

Met. 3.386ait: nūllīque libentius umquam
respōnsūra sonō "coeāmus" rettulit Ēchō,
et verbīs favet ipsa suīs ēgressaque silvā
ībat, ut iniceret spērātō bracchia collō.

Echo, who would never answer any sound more gladly, replied "Let us meet!" and, helping her own words, she came out of the wood and went to throw her arms around the neck she longed for.

Note. nūllī … libentius umquam respōnsūra sonō: 'she who would never answer any sound more gladly'; respōnsūra is a future participle. verbīs favet ipsa suīs: 'she herself supports her own words', i.e. acts on them. ut iniceret … bracchia collō: purpose clause, 'to throw her arms round the neck', with collō dative; spērātō, 'hoped-for'.

Met. 3.390Ille fugit fugiēnsque "manūs complexibus aufer:
ante" ait "ēmoriar, quam sit tibi cōpia nostrī."

He runs away, and as he runs he says: "Take your hands off me, no embraces! I would die before I would let you have me."

Note. manūs complexibus aufer: 'take your hands away from (these) embraces'. ante … ēmoriar, quam sit tibi cōpia nostrī: antequam split in two (tmesis): 'I will die before you have power over me'. nostrī is the genitive of nōs used for 'me'.

Met. 3.392Rettulit illa nihil nisi "sit tibi cōpia nostrī."

She answered nothing except "I would let you have me."

Note. Echo can only repeat the last words, sit tibi cōpia nostrī, and so she turns his rejection into an offer: 'let you have power over me'.

Met. 3.393Sprēta latet silvīs pudibundaque frondibus ōra
prōtegit et sōlīs ex illō vīvit in antrīs.

Rejected, she hides in the woods, covers her shamed face with leaves, and from that time on lives in lonely caves.

Note. Sprēta: 'spurned', from spernō. pudibunda … ōra prōtegit: 'she covers her ashamed face'. ex illō (tempore): 'from that time on'. sōlīs … antrīs: 'in lonely caves', where echoes live.

Met. 3.395Sed tamen haeret amor crēscitque dolōre repulsae.

But still her love clings to her, and grows with the pain of rejection.

Note. repulsae: genitive of repulsa, 'rejection'. haeret amor: 'her love clings', it will not leave her.

Met. 3.396Extenuant vigilēs corpus miserābile cūrae,
addūcitque cutem maciēs et in āera sūcus
corporis omnis abit.

Sleepless cares waste her pitiful body away, thinness shrivels her skin, and all the moisture of her body vanishes into the air.

Note. vigilēs … cūrae: 'sleepless cares'. addūcit cutem maciēs: 'thinness draws her skin tight'. in āera … abit: 'goes off into the air'; āera is the Greek accusative of āēr.

Met. 3.398Vōx tantum atque ossa supersunt:
vōx manet;

Only her voice and bones remain: her voice remains;

Note. Vōx tantum atque ossa supersunt: 'only her voice and her bones remain' — and then the bones go too.

Met. 3.399ossa ferunt lapidis trāxisse figūram.

her bones, they say, took on the shape of stone.

Note. ossa ferunt lapidis trāxisse figūram: indirect statement after ferunt, 'they say that her bones took on the shape of stone' — the rocks from which echoes come.

Met. 3.402Sīc hanc, sīc aliās undīs aut montibus ortās
lūserat hic nymphās, sīc coetūs ante virīlēs.

So he had mocked her, so other nymphs born in the waters or the mountains, so before them the company of men.

Note. hanc: Echo. lūserat hic: 'he (Narcissus) had mocked'. ortās: 'born', from orior. coetūs … virīlēs: 'the gatherings of men', his male admirers.

Met. 3.404Inde manūs aliquis dēspectus ad aethera tollēns
405"sīc amet ipse licet sīc nōn potiātur amātō!"

Then someone scorned by him, raising his hands to the sky, said: "So may he himself love, and so may he not win what he loves!"

Note. aliquis dēspectus: 'someone scorned', one of his rejected admirers. sīc amet ipse licet: licet with the subjunctive, 'may he himself love so'; nōn potiātur amātō, 'not gain what he loves' (potior takes the ablative).

Met. 3.406dīxerat.

So he had prayed.

Met. 3.406Adsēnsit precibus Rhamnūsia iūstīs.

The goddess of Rhamnus granted his just prayer.

Note. Rhamnūsia: Nemesis, goddess of retribution, who had a famous temple at Rhamnus in Attica. adsēnsit precibus … iūstīs: 'agreed to the just prayers'; adsentiō takes the dative.

Met. 3.407Fōns erat inlīmis, nitidīs argenteus undīs,
quem neque pāstōrēs neque pāstae monte capellae
contigerant aliudve pecus, quem nūlla volucris
410nec fera turbārat nec lāpsus ab arbore rāmus.

There was a clear spring, silver with shining waters, which neither shepherds nor goats grazing on the mountain nor any other flock had touched, which no bird or beast had disturbed, nor any branch fallen from a tree.

Note. A set-piece description of an untouched place (a locus amoenus), the first thing in it a spring. inlīmis: 'without mud, clear'. The list of negatives (neque … neque … aliudve … nūlla … nec … nec) stresses its purity. turbārat = turbāverat.

Met. 3.411Grāmen erat circā, quod proximus ūmor alēbat,
silvaque sōle locum passūra tepēscere nūllō.

Around it was grass, fed by the moisture nearby, and a wood that would never let the place grow warm in the sun.

Note. quod proximus ūmor alēbat: 'which the nearby moisture nourished'. silvaque sōle locum passūra tepēscere nūllō: 'and a wood that would let the place grow warm in no sun', i.e. always shady; passūra is the future participle of patior.

Met. 3.413Hīc puer, et studiō vēnandī lassus et aestū,
prōcubuit faciemque locī fontemque secūtus.

Here the boy, tired from the hunt and the heat, lay down, drawn by the look of the place and the spring.

Note. Hic: here an adverb, 'here'. studiō vēnandī lassus: 'tired from his enthusiasm for hunting'. faciem locī fontemque secūtus: 'drawn by the look of the place and the spring'.

Met. 3.416Dumque bibit, vīsae correptus imāgine fōrmae
adstupet ipse sibi, vultūque inmōtus eōdem
haeret, ut ē Pariō fōrmātum marmore signum.

And while he drinks, captured by the image of the beauty he sees, he stares in wonder at himself and hangs there motionless with the same expression, like a statue carved from Parian marble.

Note. Dumque bibit: dum with the present, 'while he drinks'. vīsae correptus imāgine fōrmae: 'seized by the image of the beauty he saw'. adstupet ipse sibi: 'he is astounded at himself'. ut … signum: 'like a statue carved from Parian marble', the finest white marble, from the island of Paros.

Met. 3.420Spectat humī positus geminum, sua lūmina, sīdus
et dignōs Bacchō, dignōs et Apolline crīnēs
impūbēsque genās et eburnea colla decusque
ōris et in niveō mīxtum candōre rubōrem,
cūnctaque mīrātur, quibus est mīrābilis ipse.

Lying on the ground he gazes at the twin stars, his own eyes, and at hair worthy of Bacchus, worthy of Apollo too, at his beardless cheeks and ivory neck and the beauty of his face, and the blush mixed in its snowy whiteness, and he admires everything for which he himself is admired.

Note. geminum, sua lūmina, sīdus: 'the twin star — his own eyes'; sua lūmina is in apposition. dignōs Bacchō … Apolline crīnēs: dignus takes the ablative; both gods were famous for their beautiful hair. in niveō mixtum candōre rubōrem: 'the blush mixed with snowy whiteness'. cūncta mīrātur, quibus est mīrābilis ipse: 'he admires all the things for which he himself is admired'.

Met. 3.425Sē cupit imprūdēns et quī probat, ipse probātur,
dumque petit, petitur, pariterque accendit et ārdet.

Unknowingly he desires himself: the one who approves is himself approved, and while he seeks he is sought, and at once he kindles the fire and burns.

Note. A string of paradoxes: subject and object are the same person. quī probat, ipse probātur: 'the one who approves is himself approved'. accendit et ārdet: 'he sets on fire and burns'.

Met. 3.427Inrita fallācī quotiēns dedit ōscula fontī!

How often he gave useless kisses to the deceiving spring!

Note. Inrita … ōscula: 'useless kisses'. fallācī … fontī: 'to the deceptive spring'. quotiēns with an exclamation: 'how often!'

Met. 3.428In mediīs quotiēns vīsum captantia collum
bracchia mersit aquīs, nec sē dēprendit in illīs!

How often he plunged his arms into the middle of the water to catch the neck he saw, and did not catch himself in it!

Note. vīsum captantia collum bracchia: 'his arms trying to catch the neck he saw'. nec sē dēprendit in illīs (aquīs): 'and did not catch himself in them'.

Met. 3.430Quid videat, nescit: sed quod videt, ūritur illō,
atque oculōs īdem, quī dēcipit, incitat error.

He does not know what he sees, but what he sees sets him on fire, and the same illusion that deceives his eyes excites them.

Note. Quid videat, nescit: indirect question. quod videt, ūritur illō: 'what he sees, he burns for it'. idem … error: 'the same delusion', subject of both decipit and incitat.

Met. 3.432Crēdule, quid frūstrā simulācra fugācia captās?

Credulous boy, why do you vainly grasp at fleeting images?

Note. The narrator suddenly addresses Narcissus (an apostrophe). Crēdule: vocative, 'gullible boy'. frūstrā (the edition misprints frusta). simulācra fugācia: 'fleeting images'.

Met. 3.433quod petis, est nusquam;

What you seek is nowhere;

Note. quod petis, est nūsquam: 'what you seek is nowhere'.

Met. 3.433quod amās, āvertere, perdēs.

turn away, and you will lose what you love.

Note. āvertere: passive imperative used as a middle, 'turn yourself away'. perdēs: future, 'you will lose'.

Met. 3.434Ista repercussae, quam cernis, imāginis umbra est:
435nīl habet ista suī;

What you see is the shadow of a reflected image: it has nothing of its own;

Note. repercussae … imāginis umbra: 'the shadow of a reflected image'. nīl habet ista suī: 'it has nothing of its own'.

Met. 3.435tēcum venitque manetque,
tēcum discēdet, sī tū discēdere possīs.

it comes and stays with you, it will go away with you — if you can go away.

Note. tēcum venitque manetque: 'it comes and stays with you'. sī tū discēdere possīs: 'if you could leave' — but he cannot.