Metamorphoses 3.437–510

Met. 3.437Nōn illum Cereris, nōn illum cūra quiētis
abstrahere inde potest, sed opācā fūsus in herbā
spectat inexplētō mendācem lūmine fōrmam,
440perque oculōs perit ipse suōs;

No thought of food, no thought of rest can draw him away from there; stretched on the shady grass he gazes with unsatisfied eyes at the false form, and through his own eyes he is destroyed;

Note. Cereris … cūra: 'thought of Ceres', i.e. of food (Ceres = grain, bread). opācā fūsus in herbā: 'stretched out on the shady grass'. inexplētō … lūmine: 'with unsatisfied eye'. per … oculōs perit ipse suōs: 'he perishes through his own eyes'.

Met. 3.440paulumque levātus
ad circumstantēs tendēns sua bracchia silvās
"ecquis, iō silvae, crūdēlius" inquit "amāvit?

and raising himself a little, stretching out his arms to the woods that stood around, he says: "Oh woods, has anyone ever loved more cruelly?

Note. paulumque levātus: 'raising himself a little'. iō silvae: 'oh, you woods!' — he appeals to the woods as witnesses. ecquis … crūdēlius … amāvit?: 'has anyone loved more cruelly?', i.e. with more suffering.

Met. 3.443Scītis enim, et multīs latebra opportūna fuistis.

For you know, and you have been a convenient hiding place for many.

Note. multīs latebra opportūna fuistis: 'you have been a convenient hiding place for many (lovers)'.

Met. 3.444Ecquem, cum vestrae tot agantur saecula vītae,
445quī sīc tābuerit, longō meministis in aevō?

In all the long ages of your life, do you remember anyone who wasted away like this?

Note. cum … tot agantur saecula vītae: concessive cum, 'though so many ages of your life have passed'. Ecquem … quī sīc tābuerit … meministis?: 'do you remember anyone who wasted away like this?'; tābuerit is perfect subjunctive in a relative clause of characteristic.

Met. 3.446Et placet et videō;

I am pleased and I see;

Note. Et placet et videō: 'he pleases me and I see him'. The subject of placet is the image.

Met. 3.446sed quod videōque placetque,
nōn tamen inveniō: tantus tenet error amantem.

but what I see and what pleases me I still cannot find: so great a delusion holds the lover.

Note. quod videōque placetque: 'what I both see and (what) pleases me'. tantus tenet error amantem: 'so great a delusion grips the lover'.

Met. 3.448Quōque magis doleam, nec nōs mare sēparat ingēns,
nec via nec montēs nec clausīs moenia portīs:
450exiguā prohibēmur aquā.

And to make me grieve more, no huge sea separates us, no road, no mountains, no walls with closed gates: we are kept apart by a little water.

Note. Quōque magis doleam: quō + que, 'and to make me grieve more'. nec … mare … nec via nec montēs nec … moenia: the usual obstacles between lovers in poetry — here there are none. exiguā prohibēmur aquā: 'we are kept apart by a little water'.

Met. 3.450Cupit ipse tenērī:
nam quotiēns liquidīs porrēximus ōscula lymphīs,
hic totiēns ad mē resupīnō nītitur ōre.

He himself wants to be held: for as often as I have stretched out kisses to the clear water, so often he strives towards me with upturned face.

Note. Cupit ipse tenērī: 'he himself wants to be held'. liquidīs … lymphīs: 'to the clear waters'. porrēximus: the poetic plural for 'I'. resupīnō … ōre: 'with face turned up (towards me)'.

Met. 3.453Posse putēs tangī: minimum est, quod amantibus obstat.

You would think he could be touched: it is the smallest thing that stands in the way of the lovers.

Note. Posse putēs tangī: 'you would think he could be touched'; putēs is a potential subjunctive. minimum est, quod amantibus obstat: 'it is the smallest thing that stands between lovers'.

Met. 3.454Quisquis es, hūc exī!

Whoever you are, come out here!

Note. Quisquis es: 'whoever you are'. exī: imperative of exeō, 'come out'.

Met. 3.454quid mē, puer ūnice, fallis,
455quōve petītus abīs?

Why do you deceive me, matchless boy, or where do you go when I seek you?

Note. puer ūnice: 'unique boy'. quōve petītus abīs?: 'or where do you go when you are sought?'

Met. 3.455certē nec fōrma nec aetās
est mea quam fugiās, et amārunt mē quoque nymphae.

Surely it is not my looks or my age that you run from, and the nymphs have loved me too.

Note. nec fōrma nec aetās est mea quam fugiās: 'it is not my looks or my age that you should run from'; quam fugiās is a relative clause of characteristic. amārunt = amāvērunt.

Met. 3.457Spem mihi nesciō quam vultū prōmittis amīcō,
cumque ego porrēxī tibi bracchia, porrigis ultrō:
cum rīsī, adrīdēs;

You promise me some hope with your friendly face, and when I stretch out my arms to you, you stretch yours out in return: when I laugh, you smile back;

Note. Spem … nescio quam: 'some sort of hope'; nescio quis, nescio quī is a fixed phrase meaning 'some … or other'. porrigis ultrō: 'you hold yours out in return'. adrīdēs: 'you smile back'.

Met. 3.459lacrimās quoque saepe notāvī
460mē lacrimante tuās, nūtū quoque signa remittis,
et quantum mōtū fōrmōsī suspicor ōris,
verba refers aurēs nōn pervenientia nostrās.

I have often seen your tears too when I weep; you return my signs with a nod as well, and, as far as I can guess from the movement of your lovely lips, you answer words that do not reach my ears.

Note. mē lacrimante: ablative absolute, 'when I weep'. quantum … suspicor: 'as far as I guess'. verba refers aurēs nōn pervenientia nostrās: 'you send back words that do not reach my ears'.

Met. 3.463Iste ego sum: sēnsī, nec mē mea fallit imāgō.

I am that one: I have realised it, and my own image does not deceive me.

Note. Iste ego sum: the turning point, 'I am he!' He finally recognises his reflection: sēnsī, 'I have realised'.

Met. 3.464Ūror amōre meī, flammās moveōque ferōque.

I burn with love of myself: I both stir the flames and bear them.

Note. Ūror amōre meī: 'I burn with love of myself'; meī is the objective genitive. flammās moveōque ferōque: 'I both kindle the flames and suffer them'.

Met. 3.465Quid faciam?

What am I to do?

Note. Quid faciam?: deliberative subjunctive, 'what am I to do?'

Met. 3.465roger, anne rogem?

Should I be asked, or should I ask?

Note. roger, anne rogem?: 'should I be wooed, or should I woo?' rogō here is the lover's 'asking'. anne: an + -ne, introducing the second half of a double question.

Met. 3.465quid deinde rogābō?

And what will I ask for then?

Met. 3.466quod cupiō mēcum est: inopem mē cōpia fēcit.

What I desire is with me: my plenty has made me poor.

Note. quod cupiō mēcum est: 'what I want is with me'. inopem mē cōpia fēcit: a famous paradox, 'plenty has made me poor'.

Met. 3.467Ō utinam ā nostrō sēcēdere corpore possem!

Oh, if only I could leave my own body!

Note. Ō utinam … possem!: a wish for the present that cannot come true, imperfect subjunctive. sēcēdere: 'to withdraw, separate'.

Met. 3.468Vōtum in amante novum: vellem quod amāmus abesset!

A strange prayer in a lover: I wish that what I love were away from me!

Note. Vōtum in amante novum: 'a strange prayer in a lover' (supply est). vellem quod amāmus abesset: 'I would wish that what I love were absent'.

Met. 3.468—
Iamque dolor vīrēs adimit, nec tempora vītae
470longa meae superant, prīmōque exstinguor in aevō.

Now grief is taking my strength away, the time of my life that remains is not long, and I am dying in my youth.

Note. dolor vīrēs adimit: 'grief takes away my strength'. nec tempora vītae longa meae superant: 'and no long time of life remains for me'. prīmō … in aevō: 'in my youth'.

Met. 3.471Nec mihi mors gravis est positūrō morte dolōrēs:
hic, quī dīligitur, vellem diūturnior esset.

Death is not heavy for me, since in death I will lay down my griefs: I wish the one who is loved could live longer.

Note. posītūrō morte dolōrēs: 'for me, who will lay down my griefs in death'; posītūrō is a future participle agreeing with mihi. hic, quī dīligitur: 'this one who is loved', i.e. the reflection. vellem diūturnior esset: 'I could wish he lived longer'.

Met. 3.473Nunc duo concordēs animā moriēmur in ūnā."

As it is, we two shall die together in one breath."

Note. duo concordēs animā … in ūnā: 'two in harmony, in one breath (life)' — an ironic echo of lovers' vows to die together.

Met. 3.474Dīxit et ad faciem rediit male sānus eandem
475et lacrimīs turbāvit aquās, obscūraque mōtō
reddita fōrma lacū est.

He spoke, and, hardly in his right mind, went back to the same face and troubled the water with his tears, and when the pool was stirred the image was made dim.

Note. male sānus: 'hardly sane'. obscūraque mōtō reddita fōrma lacū est: 'and when the pool was stirred, the image was made dim'; mōtō lacū is an ablative absolute.

Met. 3.476Quam cum vīdisset abīre,
"quō refugis?

When he saw it going away, he cried: "Where are you fleeing?

Note. Quam: connecting relative, 'it' (the image). quō refugis?: 'where are you running away to?'

Met. 3.477remanē, nec mē, crūdēlis, amantem
dēsere!"

Stay, and do not desert me, cruel one, who loves you!"

Note. crūdēlis: vocative. mē … amantem: 'me, who love you'.

Met. 3.478clāmāvit: "liceat, quod tangere nōn est,
adspicere et miserō praebēre alimenta furōrī."

he cried. "Let me look at what I may not touch, and feed my wretched passion."

Note. liceat … adspicere: 'let me be allowed to look at'. quod tangere nōn est: 'what it is not possible to touch'; est with the infinitive means 'it is possible'. misero … alimenta furōrī: 'food for my wretched passion'.

Met. 3.480Dumque dolet, summā vestem dēdūxit ab ōrā
nūdaque marmoreīs percussit pectora palmīs.

And as he grieved, he pulled his robe down from its upper edge and beat his bare breast with palms white as marble.

Note. summā … ab ōrā: 'from its top edge'; ōra here is 'edge, border', not ōs. marmoreīs … palmīs: 'with marble-white hands'.

Met. 3.482Pectora trāxērunt tenuem percussa rubōrem,
nōn aliter quam pōma solent, quae candida parte,
parte rubent, aut ut variīs solet ūva racēmīs
485dūcere purpureum nōndum mātūra colōrem.

His breast, when struck, took on a faint blush, just as apples do which are white on one side and red on the other, or as a grape on its many-coloured clusters takes on a purple colour before it is ripe.

Note. percussa: 'when struck'. nōn aliter quam: 'just as'. pōma … quae candida parte, parte rubent: 'apples which are white in part and red in part'. ut variīs solet ūva racēmīs dūcere purpureum … colōrem: 'as a grape on mottled clusters usually takes on a purple colour'.

Met. 3.486Quae simul adspexit liquefacta rūrsus in undā,
nōn tulit ulterius, sed ut intābēscere flāvae
igne levī cērae mātūtīnaeque pruīnae
sōle tepente solent, sīc attenuātus amōre
490līquitur et tēctō paulātim carpitur ignī.

As soon as he saw this in the water, now clear again, he could bear it no longer, but as yellow wax melts with a gentle fire, and the morning frost in the warming sun, so he, worn away by love, melts and is slowly consumed by a hidden fire.

Note. Quae simul adspexit: 'as soon as he saw this'; quae is a connecting relative, and simul here means 'as soon as'. liquefacta rursus in undā: 'in the water, clear again'. ut intābēscere … cērae … pruīnaeque … solent, sīc …: a double simile — wax melting before a fire, frost in the morning sun. tēctō … ignī: 'by a hidden fire'.

Met. 3.491Et neque iam color est mīxtō candōre rubōrī,
nec vigor et vīrēs et quae modo vīsa placēbant,
nec corpus remanet, quondam quod amāverat Ēchō.

And now there is no longer the colour of the blush mixed with white, nor the vigour and strength and the things which, seen just now, used to please, nor does the body remain which Echo once had loved.

Note. nec color est mixtō candōre rubōrī: 'there is no longer colour for the blush mixed with white', i.e. his complexion has gone. quae modo vīsa placēbant: 'the things which, when seen, pleased just now'.

Met. 3.494Quae tamen ut vīdit, quamvīs īrāta memorque,
495indoluit, quotiēnsque puer miserābilis "ēheu"
dīxerat, haec resonīs iterābat vōcibus "ēheu";

But when she saw it, although angry and remembering, she grieved, and as often as the pitiful boy had said "Alas!", she repeated "Alas!" with answering voice;

Note. Quae: Echo. quamvīs īrāta memorque: 'though angry and remembering (how he treated her)'. indoluit: 'she felt pain'. ēheu: 'alas!', the one word she can give back as true grief.

Met. 3.497cumque suōs manibus percusserat ille lacertōs,
haec quoque reddēbat sonitum plangōris eundem.

and when he had beaten his arms with his hands, she too gave back the same sound of mourning.

Note. cumque … percusserat: cum with the pluperfect indicative, 'whenever he had struck'. plangōris: 'of beating the breast', the gesture of mourning.

Met. 3.499Ultima vōx solitam fuit haec spectantis in undam,
500"heu frūstrā dīlēcte puer!"

His last words as he gazed into the familiar water were these: "Alas, boy loved in vain!"

Note. Ultima vōx … haec: 'these were his last words'. spectantis in undam: 'of (him) gazing into the water'. heu frūstrā dīlēcte puer: 'alas, boy loved in vain' — and Echo returns the whole phrase.

Met. 3.500totidemque remīsit
verba locus, dictōque valē "valē!"

and the place gave back just as many words, and when he said "Farewell!", "Farewell!"

Note. dictōque valē: ablative absolute, 'and when “farewell” had been said'. valē is the usual Latin goodbye.

Met. 3.501inquit et Ēchō.

said Echo too.

Note. et: 'also', 'Echo too said “farewell”'.

Met. 3.502Ille caput viridī fessum submīsit in herbā;

He laid his weary head down on the green grass;

Note. submīsit in herbā: 'laid down on the grass'.

Met. 3.503lūmina mors clausit dominī mīrantia fōrmam.

death closed the eyes that admired their master's beauty.

Note. lūmina … dominī mīrantia fōrmam: 'the eyes that admired their master's beauty'; mīrantia is the present participle of the deponent mīror.

Met. 3.504Tunc quoque sē, postquam est īnfernā sēde receptus,
505in Stygiā spectābat aquā.

Even then, after he had been received into the house of the underworld, he kept gazing at himself in the waters of the Styx.

Note. Even in the underworld (īnfernā sēde) he keeps gazing at himself in the water of the Styx. spectābat: imperfect, 'he kept looking'.

Met. 3.505Plānxēre sorōrēs
nāidēs et sectōs frātrī posuēre capillōs,
plānxērunt dryadēs: plangentibus adsonat Ēchō.

His sisters the naiads mourned and laid their cut hair as an offering for their brother; the dryads mourned: Echo echoes the mourners.

Note. Planxēre = planxērunt: 'they beat their breasts', the gesture of mourning. sorōrēs nāides: his sisters the naiads, since his mother was a water-nymph. sectōs … capillōs: cutting one's hair was an offering to the dead. plangentibus adsonat Echō: 'Echo sounds back to the mourners'.

Met. 3.508Iamque rogum quassāsque facēs feretrumque parābant:
nusquam corpus erat;

And now they were preparing the pyre, the brandished torches and the bier: the body was nowhere;

Note. rogum quassāsque facēs feretrumque: the pyre, the torches brandished at a funeral, and the bier. nūsquam corpus erat: the body has vanished — the metamorphosis.

Met. 3.509croceum prō corpore flōrem
510inveniunt, foliīs medium cingentibus albīs.

instead of the body they find a yellow flower, with white petals surrounding its centre.

Note. croceum … flōrem: 'a saffron-yellow flower', the narcissus. foliīs medium cingentibus albīs: ablative absolute, 'with white petals surrounding its centre'.