Metamorphoses 6.1–86

Met. 6.1Praebuerat dictīs Trītōnia tālibus aurēs
carminaque Āonidum iūstamque probāverat īram.

Tritonia had lent her ears to these words, and had approved the Muses' songs and their just anger.

Note. Book 6 opens straight after the Muses have told Minerva how they punished the daughters of Pierus who challenged them. Tritōnia: a title of Minerva (Pallas), from Lake Triton where she was said to be born. praebuerat … aurēs: 'had lent her ears to', with dictīs talibus as dative. Aonidum: genitive plural of Āonides, 'the Aonian sisters', the Muses of Mount Helicon in Boeotia. The pluperfects look back to what has just happened.

Met. 6.3Tum sēcum "laudāre parum est;

Then she said to herself: "To praise is not enough;

Note. sēcum: 'with herself', i.e. to herself. laudāre parum est: 'to praise is too little'. She has been praising the Muses' revenge; now she wants to be the one praised for one.

Met. 6.3laudēmur et ipsae
nūmina nec spernī sine poenā nostra sināmus"
5Maeoniaeque animum fātīs intendit Arachnēs,
quam sibi lānificae nōn cēdere laudibus artis
audierat.

let us be praised ourselves, and not allow our divinity to be scorned without punishment"; and she turned her mind to the ruin of Maeonian Arachne, who, she had heard, would not yield to her in the glory of the wool-working art.

Note. laudēmur and sināmus are jussive subjunctives, 'let us be praised … let us not allow'. ipsae: 'we ourselves' (feminine, Minerva means herself). nūmina … nostra is the accusative subject of the passive infinitive sperni: 'our divinity to be scorned'. animum fātīs intendit: 'turned her mind to the doom' of Arachne; fātīs is dative. Arachnēs: Greek genitive in -ēs. quam … audierat: 'who, she had heard, would not yield to her' — sibi refers to Minerva, the subject of audierat; lānificae laudibus artis: 'in the praises of the wool-working art'. audierat = audīverat.

Met. 6.7Nōn illa locō neque orīgine gentis
clāra, sed arte fuit.

Arachne was famous not for her place or the origin of her family, but for her art.

Note. illa = Arachne. Supply erat with clāra: 'she was famous not for her rank (locō) or birth, but for her art'. The contrast nōn … sed puts her talent against her humble background.

Met. 6.8Pater huic Colophōnius Idmōn
Phōcaicō bibulās tingēbat mūrice lānās.

Her father, Idmon of Colophon, dyed the thirsty wool with Phocaean purple.

Note. huic: dative of possession, 'her father'. Colophōnius: from Colophon in Ionia. Phōcaicō … mūrice: purple dye from Phocaea; the murex is the shellfish that gives purple. bibulās … lānās: 'thirsty wool', wool that soaks up the dye.

Met. 6.10Occiderat māter;

Her mother had died;

Note. occiderat: from occidō (short i), 'fall, die', not occīdō 'kill'.

Met. 6.10sed et haec dē plēbe suōque
aequa virō fuerat.

but she too had been of the common people, and equal to her husband.

Note. haec = her mother. dē plēbe: 'of the common people'. suōque aequa virō: 'and equal to her husband', i.e. of the same humble class.

Met. 6.11Lȳdās tamen illa per urbēs
quaesierat studiō nōmen memorābile, quamvīs
orta domō parvā parvīs habitābat Hypaepīs.

Yet Arachne had won by her skill a name worth remembering through the cities of Lydia, although she was born in a small house and lived in little Hypaepa.

Note. Lȳdās … per urbēs: 'through the cities of Lydia'. studiō: 'by her skill/devotion'. quamvīs … habitābat: 'although she lived'; quamvīs in poetry can take the indicative. ortā domō parvā: 'born of a small house', with domō abl. of origin. parvīs … Hypaepīs: Hypaepa (neuter plural) was a small Lydian town. Note the chiasmus parvā parvīs, stressing her humble beginnings.

Met. 6.14Huius ut adspicerent opus admīrābile, saepe
15dēseruēre suī nymphae vīnēta Timōlī,
dēseruēre suās nymphae Pactōlidēs undās.

To look at her wonderful work, the nymphs often left the vineyards of their own Tmolus; the nymphs of Pactolus left their own waters.

Note. Huius … opus admīrābile: 'her wonderful work'; ut adspicerent is a purpose clause. dēseruēre = dēseruērunt. The repetition dēseruēre … dēseruēre (anaphora) and suī … suās stress how much the nymphs gave up to watch: the vineyards of their Tmolus, the waters of their Pactolus. Tmolus is the mountain, Pactolus the gold-bearing river below it.

Met. 6.17Nec factās sōlum vestēs spectāre iuvābat;

And it was a pleasure not only to look at the finished cloth;

Note. factās … vestēs: 'the finished cloth'. iuvābat: 'it was a pleasure' (impersonal), with spectāre as subject.

Met. 6.18tum quoque, cum fierent: tantus decor adfuit artī.

it was a pleasure too while it was being made: such grace there was in her art.

Note. Supply spectāre iuvābat: it was a pleasure to watch the cloth also while it was being made (cum fierent). tantus decor adfuit artī: 'such grace was present in her art'.

Met. 6.19Sīve rudem prīmōs lānam glomerābat in orbēs,
20seu digitīs subigēbat opus repetītaque longō
vellera mollībat nebulās aequantia tractū,
sīve levī teretem versābat pollice fūsum,
seu pingēbat acū, scīrēs ā Pallade doctam.

Whether she was winding the rough wool into its first balls, or working the stuff with her fingers and softening the fleece, drawn out again and again in long pulls till it was like a cloud, or turning the smooth spindle with a light thumb, or embroidering with the needle, you would know she had been taught by Pallas.

Note. A list of the stages of wool-work, each introduced by sīve or seu: winding the raw wool into balls (glomerābat), working it with the fingers, drawing out the fleece in long pulls (longō … tractū) until it is soft as clouds (nebulās aequantia), spinning with the spindle (fūsum), and embroidering with the needle (pingēbat acū). scīrēs: 'you would know', potential subjunctive. ā Pallade doctam: 'taught by Pallas', the goddess of weaving.

Met. 6.24Quod tamen ipsa negat, tantāque offēnsa magistrā
25"certet" ait "mēcum: nihil est, quod victa recūsem."

Yet she herself denied it, and, offended at the thought of so great a teacher, said: "Let her compete with me: there is nothing I would refuse if I lose."

Note. Quod … negat: 'but she denies this', i.e. that Pallas taught her. tantā … offēnsa magistrā: 'offended at so great a teacher', ablative of cause. certet: jussive, 'let her compete'. nihil est quod … recūsem: 'there is nothing I would refuse' as a penalty if beaten (victa).

Met. 6.26Pallas anum simulat falsōsque in tempora cānōs
addit et īnfirmōs, baculō quōs sustinet, artus.

Pallas takes the form of an old woman: she puts false grey hair on her temples, and gives herself weak limbs, which she props on a stick.

Note. Pallas simulates an old woman (anum). in tempora: 'onto her temples'. cānōs: 'white hairs'. baculō: 'with a stick'. Ovid gives the disguise in three quick details: hair, weak limbs, stick.

Met. 6.28Tum sīc ōrsa loquī: "Nōn omnia grandior aetās,
quae fugiāmus, habet: sērīs venit ūsus ab annīs.

Then she began to speak thus: "Not everything that great age brings is to be shunned: experience comes with late years.

Note. ōrsa: from ōrdior, 'begin'. Nōn omnia … habet: 'old age (grandior aetās) does not have everything that we should flee'; quae fugiāmus is a relative clause of characteristic. sērīs … ab annīs: 'from late years', i.e. with age comes experience (ūsus).

Met. 6.30Cōnsilium nē sperne meum.

Do not despise my advice.

Note. nē spernē: a poetic negative imperative, = nōlī spernere.

Met. 6.30Tibi fāma petātur
inter mortālēs faciendae maxima lānae:
cēde deae veniamque tuīs, temerāria, dictīs
supplice vōce rogā: veniam dabit illa rogantī."

Seek for yourself the greatest fame among mortals for working wool; but yield to the goddess, and ask pardon for your words, rash girl, in a humble voice: she will give pardon to one who asks."

Note. tibi … petātur: 'let fame be sought for yourself', jussive. faciendae … lānae: 'for working wool', gerundive. cēde deae: 'yield to the goddess' (dative). temerāria: vocative. veniam … rogā: 'ask for pardon'. rogantī: dative of the present participle, 'to one who asks'.

Met. 6.34Adspicit hanc torvīs inceptaque fīla relinquit,
35vixque manum retinēns cōnfessaque vultibus īram
tālibus obscūram resecūta est Pallada dictīs:
"Mentis inops longāque venīs cōnfecta senectā.

Arachne looks at her with a scowl, and leaves the threads she has begun; hardly holding back her hand, and showing her anger in her face, she answered the disguised Pallas with these words: "You come here witless and worn out by long old age.

Note. torvīs: supply oculīs, 'with grim eyes'. vixque manum retinēns: 'scarcely holding back her hand', from striking the old woman. cōnfessa vultibus īram: 'showing her anger in her face'. obscūram … Pallada: 'Pallas in disguise'; Pallada is a Greek accusative. resecūta est: 'answered'. Mentis inops: 'lacking in mind', i.e. witless.

Met. 6.38Et nimium vīxisse diū nocet.

Living too long does harm.

Note. nimium vīxisse diū: 'to have lived too long' is the subject of nocet. A cruel line to address to an old woman.

Met. 6.38Audiat istās,
sīqua tibi nurus est, sīqua est tibi fīlia, vōcēs.

Let your daughter-in-law, if you have one, or your daughter, if you have one, listen to such talk.

Note. Audiat: jussive, 'let her listen'. sīqua: 'if (you have) any' daughter-in-law or daughter. istās … vōcēs: 'that talk of yours', with iste's contemptuous tone.

Met. 6.40Cōnsiliī satis est in mē mihi.

I have advice enough of my own.

Note. Cōnsiliī satis: 'enough advice', partitive genitive with satis. in mē mihi: 'in me, for me': I have my own counsel.

Met. 6.40Nēve monendō
prōfēcisse putēs, eadem est sententia nōbīs.

And so that you do not think your warning has done any good, my opinion is the same.

Note. nēve … putēs: 'and so that you do not think'. monendō: 'by warning', ablative of the gerund. eadem est sententia nōbīs: 'my opinion is the same' (nōbīs = mihi, dative of possession).

Met. 6.42Cūr nōn ipsa venit?

Why does she not come herself?

Note. venit here is present: 'why does she not come herself?'

Met. 6.42cūr haec certāmina vītat?"

Why does she avoid this contest?"

Met. 6.43Tum dea "vēnit" ait, fōrmamque remōvit anīlem
Palladaque exhibuit.

Then the goddess said, "She has come," and put off the old woman's shape and showed Pallas.

Note. venit now is perfect (vēnit): 'she has come'. The goddess answers Arachne's question in one word. anīlem: 'of an old woman'. Pallada: Greek accusative.

Met. 6.44Venerantur nūmina nymphae
45Mygdonidēsque nurūs: sōla est nōn territa virgō.

The nymphs and the Mygdonian women worship the goddess: the girl alone is not frightened.

Note. Venerantur: deponent, 'worship'. Mygdonidēs … nurūs: 'Mygdonian (Phrygian) women'. sōla … virgō: 'only the girl' was not afraid.

Met. 6.46Sed tamen ērubuit, subitusque invīta notāvit
ōra rubor rūrsusque ēvānuit, ut solet āēr
purpureus fierī, cum prīmum aurōra movētur,
et breve post tempus candēscere sōlis ab ortū.

Yet she did blush: a sudden flush marked her face against her will and faded again, as the sky turns crimson when the dawn first stirs, and a short time later grows white at the rising of the sun.

Note. invīta: 'against her will', with Arachne as subject of notāvit understood from ōra. The simile: as the sky (āēr) turns crimson when dawn first stirs, and a little later turns white (candēscere) when the sun rises. Her blush comes and goes just as quickly.

Met. 6.50Perstat in inceptō stolidaeque cupīdine palmae
in sua fāta ruit: neque enim Iove nāta recūsat,
nec monet ulterius, nec iam certāmina differt.

She persists in what she has begun, and in her desire for a foolish victory rushes on her own doom: for Jupiter's daughter does not refuse, nor warn her any more, nor put off the contest now.

Note. stolidae … palmae: 'of a foolish victory', genitive with cupīdine. in sua fāta ruit: 'she rushes to her doom'. Iove nāta: 'Jupiter's daughter', Minerva; Iove abl. of origin. The three nec clauses show the goddess has given up warning her.

Met. 6.53Haud mora, cōnstituunt dīversīs partibus ambae
et gracilī geminās intendunt stāmine tēlās
55(tēla iugō iūncta est, stāmen sēcernit harundō);

Without delay they set up two looms in different places, and stretch the fine warp on them: the web is tied to the beam, the reed separates the threads of the warp;

Note. Haud mora: 'no delay'. ambae: 'both of them'. geminās … tēlās: 'two looms' (tēla, -ae f. can be the web or the loom, not tēlum 'weapon'). The parenthesis describes the loom: tēla iugō iūncta est, 'the web is tied to the cross-beam'; stāmen sēcernit harundō, 'the reed separates the warp threads'.

Met. 6.56īnseritur medium radiīs subtēmen acūtīs,
quod digitī expediunt, atque inter stāmina ductum
percussō paviunt īnsectī pectine dentēs.

the weft is threaded through the middle with the pointed shuttles, and once the fingers have drawn it through between the threads of the warp, the notched teeth of the striking comb beat it into place.

Note. The weaving process: the weft (subtēmen) is passed through the middle with pointed shuttles (radiīs); the fingers draw it through, and the notched teeth (īnsectī … dentēs) of the comb (pectine), struck against it (percussō), beat it into place (paviunt). Ovid enjoys the technical vocabulary.

Met. 6.59Utraque festīnant cinctaeque ad pectora vestēs
60bracchia docta movent, studiō fallente labōrem.

Both of them hurry, with their clothes girt up under their breasts, and move their skilled arms, their eagerness making the labour seem light.

Note. Utraque … festīnant: 'each of the two hurries', with a plural verb by sense. cīnctae … vestēs: 'girt up as to their clothes', vestēs is accusative of respect. studiō fallente labōrem: ablative absolute, 'their eagerness beguiling the labour'.

Met. 6.61Illīc et Tyrium quae purpura sēnsit aēnum
texitur et tenuēs parvī discrīminis umbrae,
quālis ab imbre solet percussīs sōlibus arcus
īnficere ingentī longum curvāmine caelum:
65in quō dīversī niteant cum mīlle colōrēs,
trānsitus ipse tamen spectantia lūmina fallit;

There is woven purple that has been dyed in Tyrian bronze cauldrons, and fine shades of colour with little difference between them, as when, after a rain shower, a rainbow, its curve struck by the sun's rays, colours a long stretch of sky with its huge arch: though a thousand different colours shine in it, the passing from one to the next deceives the watching eyes;

Note. Tyrium … aēnum: the bronze dye-cauldron of Tyre, famous for purple; quae purpura sēnsit aēnum = 'purple that has felt the Tyrian cauldron', i.e. been dyed in it. The rainbow simile: as a rainbow (arcus), when the sun's rays strike the rain (percussīs sōlibus), colours the sky with its curve (curvāmine). in quō … cum: 'although in it'. trānsitus ipse: 'the change from one colour to the next' deceives the eye.

Met. 6.67usque adeō quod tangit idem est, tamen ultima distant.

so alike is each to the one it touches, and yet the furthest apart are different.

Note. ūsque adeō: 'to such an extent'. quod tangit idem est: 'what touches (its neighbour) is the same', but the furthest colours (ultima) differ.

Met. 6.68Illīc et lentum fīlīs inmittitur aurum
et vetus in tēlā dēdūcitur argūmentum.

There pliant gold is worked into the threads, and an old story is drawn out on the web.

Note. lentum … aurum: 'pliant gold', gold thread. argūmentum: 'subject, story'. dēdūcitur: 'is drawn out', a weaving word also used of composing poetry.

Met. 6.70Cecropiā Pallas scopulum Māvortis in arce
pingit et antīquam dē terrae nōmine lītem.

Pallas paints the rock of Mars on the citadel of Cecrops, and the ancient quarrel over the naming of the land.

Note. Cecropiā … in arce: on the Acropolis of Athens, city of Cecrops. scopulum Māvortis: the Areopagus, 'hill of Mars'. antīquam … lītem: the old dispute between Minerva and Neptune over who would give Athens its name.

Met. 6.72Bis sex caelestēs mediō Iove sēdibus altīs
augustā gravitāte sedent.

Twelve heavenly gods sit on high thrones in august majesty, with Jupiter in the middle.

Note. Bis sex: 'twice six', the twelve Olympian gods. mediō Iove: ablative absolute, 'with Jupiter in the middle'.

Met. 6.73Sua quemque deōrum
īnscrībit faciēs: Iovis est rēgālis imāgō.

Each god is marked by his own appearance: Jupiter's figure is regal.

Note. Sua quemque … faciēs: 'his own appearance marks each one of the gods'. Iovis … imāgō: 'Jupiter's figure'.

Met. 6.75Stāre deum pelagī longōque ferīre tridente
aspera saxa facit, mediōque ē vulnere saxī
exsiluisse fretum, quō pignore vindicet urbem;

She makes the god of the sea stand and strike the rough rocks with his long trident, and from the middle of the wound in the rock a spring of salt water leap out, the token by which he would claim the city;

Note. Stāre … facit: 'she makes the god of the sea stand' — facit + infinitive, 'portrays him standing'. The infinitives ferīre and exsiluisse depend on facit too: a salt spring leapt from the rock. quō pignore: 'by which token' he would claim the city.

Met. 6.78at sibi dat clipeum, dat acūtae cuspidis hastam,
dat galeam capitī, dēfenditur aegide pectus,
80percussamque suā simulat dē cuspide terram
ēdere cum bācīs fētum canentis olīvae
mīrārīque deōs: operis Victōria fīnis.

to herself she gives a shield, a spear with a sharp point, a helmet for her head; her breast is protected by the aegis; and she shows the earth, struck by her spear, bringing forth a shoot of the grey olive with its berries, and the gods marvelling: Victory crowns the work.

Note. at sibi: 'but to herself' she gives her own attributes: shield, spear, helmet and aegis. percussam … terram ēdere: 'the earth, struck by her spear, bringing forth' the olive. cānentis olīvae: 'of the grey olive' (olive leaves are silvery). operis Victōria fīnis: 'Victory (a figure of Victory) is the end of the work'. Minerva's design shows her own victory in the contest for Athens.

Met. 6.83Ut tamen exemplīs intellegat aemula laudis,
quod pretium spēret prō tam furiālibus ausīs,
85quattuor in partēs certāmina quattuor addit,
clāra colōre suō, brevibus distīncta sigillīs.

Yet so that her rival for glory may learn from examples what reward to expect for her mad daring, she adds four contests in the four corners, bright in their own colours, set off with small figures.

Note. Ut … intellegat: purpose clause. aemula laudis: 'rival for glory', i.e. Arachne. quod pretium: 'what reward'. ausīs: 'daring deeds'. In the four corners she adds four contests in which mortals who challenged gods were punished, a pointed warning. sigillīs: 'little figures'.