Georg. 4.415Haec ait et liquidum ambrosiae dēfundit odōrem,
quō tōtum nātī corpus perdūxit;So she speaks, and pours out the liquid fragrance of ambrosia, with which she anointed the whole body of her son; Georg. 4.416at illī
dulcis compositīs spīrāvit crīnibus aura
atque habilis membrīs vēnit vigor.and a sweet scent breathed from his ordered hair, and a supple vigour came into his limbs. Georg. 4.418Est specus ingēns
exēsī latere in montis, quō plūrima ventō
420cōgitur inque sinūs scindit sēsē unda reductōs,
dēprēnsīs ōlim statiō tūtissima nautīs;There is a huge cave in the side of a hollowed mountain, into which many a wave is driven by the wind and splits itself into receding inlets, at times a very safe anchorage for sailors caught by storms; Georg. 4.422intus sē vāstī Prōteus tegit obice saxī.inside, Proteus shelters behind the barrier of a vast rock. Georg. 4.423Hīc iuvenem in latebrīs āversum ā lūmine Nympha
collocat;Here the Nymph places the young man in hiding, turned away from the light; Georg. 4.424ipsa procul nebulīs obscūra resistit.she herself stands at a distance, veiled in mist.
Georg. 4.425Iam rapidus torrēns sitientēs Sīrius Indōs
ārdēbat, caelō et medium sōl igneus orbem
hauserat;Now the scorching Dog Star, parching the thirsty Indians, was blazing, and the fiery sun had consumed half his circuit of the sky; Georg. 4.427ārēbant herbae et cava flūmina siccīs
faucibus ad līmum radiī tepefacta coquēbant:
cum Prōteus cōnsuēta petēns ē flūctibus antra
430ībat;the grass was withering, and the rays were baking the hollow rivers, their channels dry, heated down to the mud: when Proteus came from the waves, making for his accustomed cave; Georg. 4.430eum vāstī circum gēns ūmida pontī
exsultāns rōrem lātē dispergit amārum.around him the watery race of the vast sea, leaping, scatters the bitter spray far and wide. Georg. 4.432Sternunt sē somnō dīversae in lītore phōcae.The seals stretch out to sleep here and there on the shore. Georg. 4.433Ipse, velut stabulī custōs in montibus ōlim,
vesper ubi ē pāstū vitulōs ad tēcta redūcit,
435audītīsque lupōs acuunt bālātibus agnī,
cōnsīdit scopulō medius numerumque recēnset.He himself, like the keeper of a fold on the mountains at times, when evening brings the calves home from pasture, and the lambs whet the wolves with the sound of their bleating, sits on a rock in their midst and counts them over.
Georg. 4.437Cuius Aristaeō quoniam est oblāta facultās,
vix dēfessa senem passus compōnere membra
cum clamōre ruit magnō manicīsque iacentem
440occupat.Since the chance of seizing him was offered to Aristaeus, barely letting the old man settle his weary limbs, he rushes on him with a great shout and pins him with manacles as he lies. Georg. 4.440Ille suae contrā nōn immemor artis
omnia trānsfōrmat sēsē in mīrācula rērum,
ignemque horribilemque feram fluviumque liquentem.He in turn, not forgetful of his art, transforms himself into all wondrous things, into fire and a fearsome beast and a flowing river. Georg. 4.443Vērum ubi nūlla fugam reperit fallācia, victus
in sēsē redit atque hominis tandem ōre locūtus:
445"Nam quis tē, iuvenum cōnfīdentissime, nostrās
iussit adīre domōs?But when no trick finds an escape, he is beaten and returns to himself, and at last speaks with a man's voice: 'Who, then, most presumptuous of young men, bade you approach our home? Georg. 4.446Quidve hinc petis?"Or what do you seek here?' Georg. 4.446inquit.he said. Georg. 4.446At ille:
"Scīs, Prōteu, scīs ipse;And he replied: 'You know, Proteus, you know yourself; Georg. 4.447neque est tē fallere quicquam
sed tū dēsine velle.nor is it possible to deceive you in anything; but cease to wish it.
Georg. 4.448Deum praecepta secūtī
vēnimus hinc lapsīs quaesītum ōrācula rēbus."Following the gods' instructions, we have come here to seek an oracle for my failing fortunes.' Georg. 4.450Tantum effātus.So much he said. Georg. 4.450Ad haec vātēs vī dēnique multā
ārdentēs oculōs intorsit lūmine glaucō
et graviter frendēns sīc fātīs ōra resolvit.At this the seer, with great force at last, rolled his eyes blazing with grey-green light, and, gnashing his teeth heavily, thus opened his lips to tell the fates.