by Peter Jones
†uirgineōs artūs liquidō perfundere rōre.
quō postquam †subiit, nymphārum trādidit ūnī^
165
†^armigerae iaculum pharetramque arcūsque retentōs,
†altera dēpositae subiēcit brācchia pallae,
†uincla duae pedibus dēmunt; nam, doctior illīs,
†Ismēnis Crocalē sparsōs per colla capillōs
colligit in †nōdum, quamuīs erat ipsa solūtīs.
170
excipiunt †laticem Nephelēque Hyalēque Rhanisque
et Psecas et Phialē, funduntque †capācibus urnīs.
3.173–85: Actaeon comes onto the scene and the nymphs raise the cry
dumque ibi †perluitur solitā Tītānia lymphā,
†ecce nepōs Cadmī, dīlātā parte labōrum,
per nemus †ignōtum nōn certīs passibus errāns,
175
peruenit in †lūcum; sīc illum fāta ferēbant.
quī †simul intrāuit rōrantia fontibus antra,
†sīcut erant, nūdae* uīsō^ sua pectora *nymphae
percussēre ^uirō, †subitīsque ululātibus omne^
implēuēre ^nemus, †*circumfūsaeque Diānam
180
corporibus tēxēre suīs. tamen altior illīs
ipsa dea est, collōque †tenus superēminet omnēs.
†quī color, īnfectīs^ aduersī sōlis ab ictū
^nūbibus, esse †solēt, aut purpureae Aurōrae,
is fuit in uultū uīsae sine ueste Diānae.
185
3.186–97: Diana turns Actaeon into a deer
quae, quamquam comitum turbā est †stīpāta suārum,
in †latus oblīquum tamen astitit, ōraque retrō
flexit et, †ut uellet prōmptās habuisse sagittās,
†quās habuit sīc hausit aquās, uultumque uirīlem
perfūdit, spargēnsque †comās ultrīcibus undīs,
190
addidit haec †clādis praenūntia uerba futūrae:
‘nunc †tibi mē positō uīsam uēlāmine nārrēs,
si poteris nārrāre, licet!’ nec plūra †mināta,
dat sparsō capitī †uīuācis cornua ceruī,
dat †spatium collō, summāsque cacūminat aurēs,
195
cum pedibusque manūs, cum longīs^ brācchia mūtat
†^crūribus, et uēlat maculōsō uellere corpus.
3.198–206: The terrified and helpless Actaeon flees
additus et †pauor est; fugit Autonoēius hērōs,
et sē tam celerem cursū mīrātur in ipsō.
ut uēro uultūs et cornua uīdit in undā,
200
‘mē miserum!’ dictūrus erat: uōx nūlla secūta est.
†ingemuit: uōx illa fuit, lacrimaeque per ōra
nōn sua †fluxērunt; mēns tantum prīstina mānsit.
quid †faciat? repetatne domum et rēgālia tēcta
an lateat siluīs? pudor †hoc, timor impedit illud.
205
dum dubitat, uīdēre canēs . . .
[Ovid enumerates the catalogue of Actaeon’s dogs and their names]
3.228–41: Actaeon is caught by his dogs
ille fugit †per quae^ fuerat ^loca saepe secūtus,
†h, famulōs fugit ipse suōs. clāmāre libēbat:
‘Actaeōn ego sum! dominum cognōscite uestrum!’
230
uerba animō †dēsunt; resonat lātrātibus aethēr.
prīma †Melanchaetēs in tergō uulnera fēcit,
proxima Thēridamās, Oresītrophos haesit in †armō
(tardius †exierant, sed per compendia montis
†anticipāta uia est). dominum retinentibus illīs,
235
cētera turba coit, †cōnfertque in corpore dentēs.
iam †loca uulneribus dēsunt; gemit ille, sonumque^
etsī nōn hominis – †quem nōn tamen ēdere possit
ceruus – ^habet, †maestīsque replet iuga nōta querēlīs,
et genibus †prōnīs supplex similisque rogantī
240
†circumfert tacitōs tamquam sua brācchia uultūs.
3.242–52: Actaeon’s friends urge the dogs on, wondering where Actaeon is
at comitēs^ †rapidum solitīs hortātibus agmen
^ignārī †īnstīgant, oculīsque Actaeona quaerunt,
et uelut absentem †certātim Actaeona clāmant
(ad nōmen caput ille †refert), et abesse queruntur
245
nec capere †oblātae segnem spectācula praedae.
uellet abesse quidem, sed adest; uelletque uidēre,
nōn etiam sentīre canum †fera facta suōrum.
†undique circumstant, mersīsque in corpore rōstrīs,
†dīlacerant falsī dominum sub imāgine ceruī,
250
nec, nisi fīnītā^ per plūrima uulnera ^uītā,
īra †pharetrātae fertur satiāta Diānae.
Learning vocabulary for Passage 5, Diana and Actaeon
addō 3 addidī additum add
arc-us ūs 4m. arch; bow
art-us ūs 4m. limb
aur-is is 3f. ear
Aurōr-a ae 1f. Dawn
caed-ēs is 3f. slaughter
ceru-us ī 2m. stag
clāmō 1 shout, cry out for
coeō coīre gather, come together; be united (often sexually)
com-a ae 1f. hair
comes comit-is 3m. comrade
cruor-is 3m. gore
dēsum dēesse to be unforthcoming, offer no access to, lack, fail (+ dat.)
dēui-us a um remote, out of the way
Diān-a ae Diana (Artemis), goddess of virginity and the hunt
distō 1 be distant from (+ abl.)
ecce behold! look!
error-is 3m. mistake
exeō exīre exiī set out, leave
fals-us a um fake, counterfeit
fer-us a um savage, wild
fess-us a um tired
fōns font-is 3m. spring, fountain
frōns front-is 3f. forehead
fundō 3 fūdī fūsum pour
h alas!
imāgō imāgin-is 3f. image, guise
īnfect-us a um stained, tinged
līn-um ī 2n. net, thread
liquid-us a um clear, fluid
maest-us a um anguished, unhappy
mergō 3 mersī mersum plunge, bury, overwhelm
mēt-a ae 1f. turning-point
nam moreover, again (indicating a transition)
perfundō 3 bathe; fundō 3 fūdī fūsum pour
repetō 3 repeat, take up again, seek again
satiō 1 satisfy, fill with
simul as soon as, once
simulō 1 imitate
spars-us a um loose, streaming; scattered (spargō 3 sparsī sparsum sprinkle, scatter)
uagor 1 dep. wander, roam
uirgine-us a um virgin
Study section
1. Write out and scan ll.163–6, 242–6.
2. How does Ovid attempt to manipulate our feelings about Actaeon? Bring in the location as well as the portrayal of Diana and of Actaeon’s comrades.
3. Take any five lines, consecutive or not, and explain why they give you pleasure (you can enjoy being chilled to the marrow).
4. How closely – or not – has Francesco Mosca been reading his Ovid?
Figure 1 Francesco Mosca, ‘Diana and Actaeon’.
Vocabulary and grammar
138 prīma: the first reason for Cadmus’ grief, as Ovid now explains, is that his grandson Actaeon grew horns and was killed by his own dogs; the second will involve his daughter Semele (next story). nepōs, cornua and uōsque (canēs) (note the tricolon) are complements of the subject, prīma . . . causa
Cadme: note the ‘apostrophe’
secundās: because, as Ovid has just explained, Cadmus had won Harmonia (daughter of Mars and Venus) as his bride, producing a glorious dynasty of four daughters, eac
h with at least one son. Actaeon was son of Autonoe, who had married Aristaeus. Is there a verbal joke here – prīma . . . secundās?
139 aliēn-us a um strange, unnatural
*frōns front-is 3f. forehead
140 *addō 3 addidī additum add
*satiō 1 glut, fill with
erīl-is e master’s, of one’s master
141 at: strongly sympathetic, as is the coming apostrophe
quaerās: note subj.; the main clause is fut. ind. (inueniēs), RLS2(c), W33
in illō: i.e. in Actaeon, applicable to Actaeon
142 *error-is 3m. mistake. The word means basically ‘wander’, and Actaeon’s ‘mistake’ will turn out to be precisely that (175, errāns)
143 *īnfect-us a um stained, darkened (īnficiō)
*caed-ēs is 3f. slaughter
144 rērum: take with umbrās
contrahō 3 contrāxī shorten
145 ex aequō equally
*mēt-a ae 1f. turning-point. This is a metaphor from the chariot-racing track, which had two mētae, one at either end of the central reservation round which the teams raced. In the case of the sun, its two mētae are the East and the West
*distō 1 be distant from (+ abl.)
146 placid-us a um peaceful, friendly
*dēui-us a um remote, out of the way
lūstr-um ī 2n. haunt
*uagor 1 dep. wander, roam
147 particeps particip-is sharing in, partners in
compellō 1 call to
Hyanti-us a um offspring of Hyas (founder of the Hyantes, a Boeotian tribe) i.e. Actaeon
148 *līn-um ī 2n. net, thread. Roman hunters staked out areas with nets, drove the beasts into them and killed them there
madeō 2 be soaked, wet
*comes comit-is 3m. comrade
*cruor-is 3m. gore
149 altera: begin translating this clause with cum ‘when’ (150), which controls redūcet, RLT(d), W31
150 croce-us a um yellow
inuehō 3 inuexī inuectum ride, drive
rot-a ae 1f. wheel (Dawn rides a chariot; so does the Sun, but he appears on the horizon later than Dawn)
*Aurōr-a ae 1f. Dawn
151 redūcō 3 bring back
*repetō 3 repeat, take up again, seek again
Phoebus: here meaning ‘sun’ (phoibos in Greek means ‘bright, shining’)
152 findō 3 crack, split. The earth ‘splitting’ with the heat is a striking image
uapor-is 3m. heat, burning rays of the sun
153 sistō 3 stop
praesēns praesent-is present
nōdōs-us a um knotted
154 intermittō 3 lay off
Learning vocabulary
addō 3 addidī additum add
Aurōr-a ae 1f. Dawn
caed-ēs is 3f. slaughter
comes comit-is 3m. comrade
cruor-is 3m. gore
dēui-us a um remote, out of the way
distō 1 be distant from (+ abl.)
error-is 3m. mistake
frōns front-is 3f. forehead
īnfect-us a um stained, darkened
līn-um ī 2n. net, thread
mēt-a ae 1f. turning-point
repetō 3 repeat, take up again, seek again
satiō 1 glut, fill with
uagor 1 dep. wander, roam
155 uall-is is 3f. valley
pice-a ae 1f. spruce
acūt-us a um tapering
dēns-us a um thick, crowded
cupress-us ūs 4f. cypress
156 Gargaphiē: name of a spring near Plataea in Greece, here called a valley
succīnct-us a um girded up (i.e. gathered and tied at the waist, so as not to entangle her legs in the chase)
*Diān-a ae Diana (Artemis), goddess of virginity and the hunt
157 cus: take with in extrēmō . . . recessū
nemorāl-is e wooded
recess-us ūs 4m. recess, corner
158 labōrō 1 work, construct
*simulō 1 imitate
159 pūmex pūmic-is 3m. pumice
uīu-us a um natural
160 dūxerat: nātūra is the subject
tōf-us ī 2m. tufa
nātīu-us a um natural
*arc-us ūs 4m. arch; bow
161 *fōns font-is 3m. spring, fountain
sonō 1 sound, tinkle
perlūcid-us a um transparent, clear
162 grāmine-us a um grassy
patul-us ī 2m. spreading
incīnct-us a um surrounded (incingō)
hiāt-us ūs 4m. pool (acc. of respect after incīnctus)
163 uēnāt-us ūs 4m. hunting
*fess-us a um tired
164 *uirgine-us a um virgin
*art-us ūs 4m. limb
*liquid-us a um clear, fluid
*perfundō 3 soak, bathe (fundō 3 fūdī fūsum pour)
rōs rōr-is 3m. dew, i.e. water like dew
165 subeō subīre subiī enter
166 armiger-a ae 2f. armour-bearer, squire (here in apposition to ūnī)
iacul-um ī 2n. spear
retent-us a um unstrung, slackened (retineō)
167 altera (167) . . . duae (168): ‘while another [nymph] . . . [and] two [others] . . .’
dēposit-us a um taken off, removed (dēpōnō)
subiciō 3/4 subiēcī place X (acc.) under Y (dat.)
pall-a ae 1f. cloak
168 uincl-um ī 2n. binding, thong
dēmō 3 remove
*nam moreover, again (indicating a transition)
169 Ismēnis: Greek nom. f., ‘to do with the [unidentified] river Ismenus’ near Thebes, i.e. Theban
Crocal-ē Greek nom., ‘Crocale’, the skilled coiffeuse
*spars-us a um loose, streaming; scattered (spargō 3 sparsī sparsum sprinkle, scatter)
170 nōd-us ī knot. This makes for a homely observation about the bathing habits of the mighty goddess
solūtīs: sc. capillīs, abl. of description referring to Crocale, RLL(f)3(i), W40; cf. Daphne at 1.497, 542
171 latex latic-is 3m. water, liquid
Nephelēque Hyalēque Rhanisque . . . Psecas . . . Phialē: Greek noms., names of Diana’s nymphs (all suitably watery – ‘Cloud’, ‘Crystal’, ‘Raindrop’, ‘Drizzle’, ‘Bowl’)
172 capāx capāc-is large, capacious
urn-a ae 1f. urn, jug
Learning vocabulary
arc-us ūs 4m. arch; bow
art-us ūs 4m. limb
Diān-a ae Diana (Artemis), goddess of virginity and the hunt
fess-us a um tired
fōns font-is 3m. spring, fountain
liquid-us a um clear, fluid
nam moreover, again
perfundō 3 soak, bathe (fundō 3 fūdī fūsum pour)
simulō 1 imitate
spars-us a um loose, streaming; scattered (spargō 3 sparsī sparsum sprinkle, scatter)
uirgine-us a um virgin
173 perluō 3 wash
Tītāni-a ae 1f. Diana (grand-daughter of the Titan god Coeus)
lymph-a ae 1f. bath, water
174 *ecce behold! look!
dīlāt-us a um put off, postponed (differō), i.e. Actaeon, after his rest (154), has not re-joined his friends to continue the labor of hunting but has wandered off on his own
175 ignōt-us a um unknown
176 lūc-us ī 2m. grove
177 *simul as soon as, once
rōrō 1 be wet
178 sīcut just as
nūdae . . . uirō: heavy hyperbaton and suggestive interlacing of words here, with uīsō next to sua pectora and percussēre next to uirō; and is sua pectora acc. of respect after nūdae or object of percussēre? Logic and grammar make it clear, of course
179 subit-us a um sudden
ululāt-us ūs 4m. shriek, cry
180 circumfūs-us a um surrounding (circumfundō)
182 tenus + abl. up to, by as much as (with collō)
superēmineō 2 be taller than
> 183 quī color . . . [185] is fuit: ‘what colour/the colour which . . . [185] this was [the colour]’
ict-us ūs 4m. impact, blow, strike
184 solēt: -ēt scans heavy. The final syllable of the 3rd s. pres. ind. act. originally did scan heavy (such scansion appears commonly in early Latin, e.g. the comic poet Plautus), but later poets used that scansion only rarely, usually when it was followed by a strong pause
purpureae Aurōrae: ‘rosy Dawn’, gen. after ictū. Note the metrical hiatus and rare (in Ovid) fifth-foot spondee
186 stīpō 1 press round
187 latus later-is 3n. side, flank
oblīqu-us a um angled, sideways, i.e. Diana turns her body away, so as to shield her front from Actaeon, and then turns her head back to look at him
adstō 1 adstitī stand, turn
retrō back
188 ut . . . sīc: ‘though . . . yet’
uellet: implying a wish on Diana’s part, ‘would that I had my arrows..’, i.e. ‘much as she would have liked . . . ’, RL153
prōmpt-us a um to hand, ready
sagitt-a ae 1f. arrow
189 quās . . . aquās: take in order hausit aquās quās habuit. Ovid teases us again: it looks as if quās should pick up sagittās (188), but it refers forward to aquās
hauriō 4 hausī pour
uirīl-is e man’s
190 *com-a ae 1f. hair
ultrīx ultrīc-is avenging. But how will mere water avenge Diana? We shall soon find out
191 clād-ēs is 3f. death, disaster
praenūnti-us a um prophetic of (+ gen.)
192 tibi . . . nārrēs . . . licet: ‘it is permitted for you that (note: no ut) you tell of mē . . . uīsam’; for licet + subj., see RLF2
uelāmen uelāmin-is 3n. covering
193 minor 1 dep. threaten