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Reading Ovid

Page 20

by Peter Jones


  †abstrahere inde potest sed, opācā fūsus in herbā,

  spectat †inexplētō mendācem lūmine fōrmam,

  perque oculōs perit ipse suōs; †paulumque leuātus

  440

  ad †circumstantēs tendēns sua brācchia siluās

  ‘ecquis, †iō siluae, crūdēlius’ inquit ‘amāuit?

  scītis enim et multīs †latebra opportūna fuistis.

  †ecquem, cum uestrae tot agantur saecula uītae,

  quī sīc †tābuerit, longō meministis in aeuō?

  445

  †et placet et uideō; sed quod uideōque placetque,

  nōn tamen inuēnī; tantus tenet error amantem.

  †quōque magis doleam, nec nōs mare sēparat ingēns,

  nec uia, nec montēs, nec clausīs †moenia portīs.

  †exiguā prohibēmur aquā! cupit ipse tenērī:

  450

  nam quotiēns liquidīs †porrēximus ōscula lymphīs,

  hīc †totiēns ad mē resupīnō nītitur ōre.

  posse †putēs tangī; minimum est, quod amantibus obstat.’

  3.454–62: Narcissus tries to address the image

  ‘quisquis es, hūc exī! quid mē, puer †ūnice, fallis?

  quōue petītus abīs? certē nec fōrma †nec aetās

  455

  est mea, quam †fugiās, et amārunt mē quoque nymphae!

  spem mihi †nescioquam uultū prōmittis amīcō.

  †cumque ego porrēxī tibi brācchia, porrigis ultrō;

  cum †rīsī, adrīdēs; lacrimās^ quoque saepe notāuī,

  mē †lacrimante, ^tuas; nūtū quoque signa remittis

  460

  et, †quantum mōtū fōrmōsī suspicor ōris,

  uerba refers †aurēs nōn peruenientia nostrās!’

  3.463–73: Narcissus realises the image is – himself

  †‘iste ego sum; sēnsī, nec mē mea fallit imāgō.

  ūror amōre meī; flammās moueōque ferōque.

  quid †faciam? roger anne rogem? quid dēīnde rogābō?

  465

  quod cupiō mēcum est; †inopem mē cōpia fēcit.

  †ō utinam ā nostrō sēcēdere corpore possem!

  †uōtum in amante nouum, uellem quod amāmus abesset.

  iamque dolor uīrēs †adimit, nec tempora^ uītae

  ^longa meae superant, prīmōque †exstinguor in aeuō.

  470

  nec mihi^ mors grauis est ^positūrō †morte dolōrēs;

  hīc, quī dīligitur, †uellem diuturnior esset.

  nunc duo †concordēs animā moriēmur in ūnā.’

  3.474–93: Vainly Narcissus calls on his reflection, and slowly withers away

  dīxit, et ad faciem rediit male †sānus eandem,

  et lacrimīs turbāuit aquās, †obscūraque mōtō^

  475

  †reddita fōrma ^lacū est; quam cum uīdisset abīre,

  ‘quō refugis? remanē nec mē, crūdēlis, amantem

  †dēsere!’ clāmāuit; ‘liceat, quod tangere nōn est,

  adspicere, et miserō †praebēre alimenta furōrī!’

  †dumque dolet, summā uestem dēdūxit ab ōrā

  480

  nūdaque †marmoreīs percussit pectora palmīs.

  pectora trāxērunt †roseum percussa rubōrem,

  nōn aliter quam †pōma solent quae, candida parte,

  parte †rubent, aut ut uariīs solet ūua^ racēmīs

  dūcere †purpureum nōndum ^mātūra colōrem.

  485

  †quae simul adspexit liquefactā rūrsus in undā,

  nōn tulit †ulterius, sed ut intābēscere flāuae

  igne leuī †cērae mātūtīnaeque pruīnae

  sōle tepente solent, sīc †attenuātus amōre

  †līquitur et tēctō paulātim carpitur ignī.

  490

  et neque iam color est †mixtō candōre rubōrī,

  nec †uigor et uīrēs et quae modo uīsa placēbant,

  nec corpus remanet, quondam quod amāuerat Ēchō.

  3.494–510: Echo pities the boy; but all that remains of him is a flower

  †quae tamen ut uīdit, quamuīs īrāta memorque,

  †indoluit, quotiēnsque puer miserābilis ‘ēh’

  495

  dīxerat, haec †resonīs iterābat uōcibus ‘ēh’

  cumque suōs manibus percusserat ille lacertōs,

  haec quoque reddēbat †sonitum plangōris eundem.

  ultima uōx^ solitam fuit ^haec †spectantis in undam:

  ‘h frūstrā †dīlecte puer!’, totidemque^ remīsit

  500

  ^uerba locus, dictōque ‘ualē’, †‘uale’ inquit et Ēchō.

  ille caput †uiridī fessum submīsit in herbā,

  lūmina mors clausit †dominī mīrantia fōrmam.

  tum quoque sē, postquam est †īnfernā sēde receptus,

  in Stygiā spectābat aquā. †planxēre sorōrēs

  505

  Nāides, et †sectōs frātrī posuēre capillōs,

  planxērunt Dryades; plangentibus adsonat Ēchō.

  iamque †rogum quassāsque facēs feretrumque parābant –

  †nūsquam corpus erat. croceum prō corpore flōrem

  inueniunt, †foliīs medium cingentibus albīs.

  510

  Learning vocabulary for Passage 8, Echo and Narcissus

  adspiciō 3/4 adspexī adspectum observe, catch sight of, see

  candor -is 3m. radiance, whiteness

  captō 1 try to get hold of

  carpō 3 carpsī carptum pick, harvest, take; plunder, devour; weaken, consume

  cēr-a ae 1f. wax

  cernō 3 crēuī crētum discern, perceive

  claudō 3 clausī clausum enclose, trap

  color -is 3m. colour, tinge, hue

  cōpi-a ae 1f. control over, use of (X gen.) for sexual purposes; plenty

  croce-us a um yellow

  dēserō 3 dēseruī dēsertum desert, abandon

  ecquis: ‘[Is] anyone?’

  ēh (cf. h) a cry of anguish

  exigu-us a um narrow

  flāu-us a um yellow

  flōs flōr-is 3m. flower

  fugāx fugāc-is fleeting

  haereō 2 cling on; stay put

  hūc (to) here

  (in)calēscō 3 incaluī become hot, excited (with desire)

  mīrābil-is e admirable

  miserābil-is e pitiful

  mixt-us a um mixed (misceō)

  Narciss-us ī 2m. Narcissus

  obscūr-us a um obscured, dark

  pariter equally

  plangō 3 planxī mourn

  porrigō 3 porrēxī porrēctum offer, stretch

  quondam once (upon a time)

  quotiēns how often

  remittō 3 send back, return

  rūrsus again

  simulācr-um ī 2n. image, likeness

  sit-is is 3f. thirst

  son-us ī 2m. sound

  totidem the same number of

  turbō 1 disturb

  uāt-ēs is 3m. prophet, seer

  Study section

  1. Write out and scan ll.365–9, 499–503.

  2. 405 iūstīs: in Ovid’s or Nemesis’ eyes? Does it make any difference?

  3. Do you feel pity for Narcissus? Or was he justly punished?

  4. What purpose does Echo serve in the story?

  5. Does Ovid push the paradoxes and ironies too far for credibility? Or does credibility not matter?

  6. What would one mean if one were to say that the story has all been done by mirrors?

  7. ‘Narcissus’ final dissolution is triggered by the sight of his blushing flesh compared in the simile at 483–5 to apples and grapes. The ultimate fruitlessness of Narcissus’ desire is signalled by his attempt to feed on a literary simulacrum, or simile’ (Hardie, 2002, 163). Discuss.

  8. What are the parallels between the Narcissus story and the following passage (John Milton, Paradise Lost 4
.449–76)? What is the big difference? How does Milton ‘christianise’ it? (See Burrow in Hardie, 2002a, 316–17.)

  Eve, who was formed out of a rib from Adam’s side, is talking to Adam of the moment she awakened and ‘came to life’:

  That day I oft remember, when from sleep

  I first awaked, and found myself reposed

  Under a shade of flow’rs, much wond’ring where

  And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.

  Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound

  5

  Of waters issued from a cave and spread

  Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved

  Pure as th’ expanse of heav’n; I thither went

  With unexperienced thought, and laid me down

  On the green bank, to look into the clear

  10

  Smooth lake, that to me seemed another sky.

  As I bent down to look, just opposite,

  A shape within the wat’ry gleam appeared

  Bending to look on me: I started back,

  It started back, but pleased I soon returned,

  15

  Pleased it returned as soon with answering looks

  Of sympathy and love; there I had fixed

  Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire,

  Had not a voice thus warned me, ‘What thou seest,

  What there thou seest fair creature is thyself,

  20

  With thee it came and goes: but follow me,

  And I will bring thee where no shadow stays

  Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he

  Whose image thou art, him thou shalt enjoy

  Inseparably thine, to him shalt bear

  25

  Multitudes like thyself, and thence be called

  Mother of human race’. What could I do,

  But follow straight, invisibly thus led?

  Vocabulary and grammar

  339 ille: i.e. Tiresias

  Aoni-us a um from Boeotia (the Aones being an aboriginal Boeotian tribe)

  celeber celebr-is e thronged, famous

  340 irreprehēns-us a um faultless

  341 fidē: archaic gen. s. of fidēs

  rat-us a um authoritative, trusted

  temptāmina sūmō 3 make a trial (of)

  342 caerul-us a um sea-green

  Līriopē: Greek nom., Liriope, mother of Narcissus by Cephisus; caerula Līriopē makes for a lovely, liquid sound

  *quondam once (upon a time)

  343 implicō 1 implicuī enfold, wrap round (the subject is Cephisus)

  *claudō 3 clausī clausum enclose, trap. clausaeque (dat.) refers to Liriope and depends on uim tulit

  Cēphīsos: Greek nom., Cephisus, a river (god) in Boeotia

  344 uim ferō bring force to bear on, rape (+ dat.)

  ēnītor 3 dep. ēnīxus give birth to

  uter-us ī 2m. womb

  345 īnfāns īnfant-is 3 m./f. infant, baby (to be picked up by quī)

  posset: generic subj. after quī, ‘the sort of baby that . . .’, RL140.1, RLQ2(a), W38

  346 *Narciss-us ī 2m. Narcissus

  cōnsulō 3 cōnsuluī cōnsultum consult (the subject is Tiresias, fātidicus uātēs 348)

  347 mātūr-us a um ripe, mellow; an optimistic, expansive golden line

  senect-a ae 1f. old age

  348 fātidic-us a um oracular

  *uāt-ēs is 3m. prophet, seer

  349 uān-us a um hollow, foolish

  augur -is 3m./f. prophet

  exit-us ūs 4m. outcome

  illam: = uōcem

  350 rēs: i.e. the subject-matter of the prophecy (nom.)

  lēt-um ī 2n. death

  nouitās nouitāt-is 3f. novelty

  351 ter ad quīnōs: to the three-times five, i.e. fifteen (years)

  Cēphīsius: son of Cephisus, i.e. Narcissus

  352 addiderat: note the ‘background’ plupf.; there will be perfs. in 353–5; in 356 we come to the present

  354 tenerā tam dūra: a clever antithesis

  superbi-a ae 1f. pride

  356 *adspiciō 3/4 adspexī adspectum observe, catch sight of, see

  trepid-us a um frightened

  agitō 1 drive

  rēt-e is 3n. net

  357 uōcāl-is e talkative

  reticeō 2 stay silent (in the presence of + dat.). reticēre and loquī are infs., dependent on didicit 358

  358 discō 3 didicī learn how to (+ inf.)

  resonābil-is e able [only] to repeat sounds

  Ēchō: Greek nom. s., Echo

  360 garrul-us a um chatty

  nōn alium quam: ‘no different from that [ūsum . . . ōris] which’

  361 ut: ‘namely, that [she] . . .’; the ‘explanatory’ ut clause enlarges on ūsum

  dē multīs: supply uerbīs

  nouissima: i.e. ‘the very last/final’

  362 Iūnō: as usual, she blames the women whom Jupiter seduces as much as Jupiter (cf. Comment on Semele, passage 6, second para., pp. 103–4)

  363 sub Ioue . . . suō: in the open air and literally!

  364 illa: i.e. Echo

  365 prudēns prudent-is deliberate(ly), i.e. Echo was acting in the interests of her fellow-nymphs (and, whether intentionally or not, of Jupiter too)

  fugerent: note the subj. with dum, RL165.2

  366 dēlūs-us a um tricked (dēlūdō)

  potestās potestāt-is 3f. power. It controls hus . . . linguae

  368 rēque: ‘and by action’ (rēs)

  min-a ae 1f. threat

  tantum only

  haec: Echo, subject

  369 reportō 1 repeat

  370 rūs rūr-is 3n. countryside

  371*(in)calēscō 3 incaluī become hot, excited (with desire)

  372 quō-que magis: + ind., ‘by how much the more’, ‘the more’; quō is abl. of difference, RL100B.5, WSuppl.syntax

  373 circumlit-us a um smeared, daubed onto (+ dat.)

  taed-a ae 1f. torch

  374 uīuāx uīuāc-is tenacious, lively

  sulphur -is 3n. sulphur (subject), i.e. when a flame is brought near a torch smeared with sulphur, the sulphur immediately catches fire

  375 *quotiēns how often

  bland-us a um winning

  376 adhibeō 2 apply, use

  377 sinō 3 allow (sc. ‘her’) to + subj.

  incipiō 3/4 begin, initiate (the conversation)

  quod sinit: i.e. what her nātūra does allow

  illa: she, i.e. Echo

  378 *son-us ī 2m. sound (i.e. words)

  *remittō 3 send back, return. This is subj. because the ad quōs clause indicates the purpose that Echo has in mind

  Learning vocabulary

  adspiciō 3/4 adspexī adspectum observe, catch sight of, see

  claudō 3 clausī clausum enclose, trap

  (in)calēscō 3 incaluī become hot, excited (with desire)

  Narciss-us ī 2m. Narcissus

  quondam once (upon a time)

  quotiēns how often

  remittō 3 send back, return

  son-us ī 2m. sound

  uāt-ēs is 3m. prophet, seer

  379 sēduct-us a um separated (sēdūcō). Note the prefix sē-, ‘apart’

  agmen agmin-is 3n. line, column

  fīd-us a um trusty, loyal

  380 *ecquis : ‘[Is] anyone?’; note the effective chiastic chiastic line – A dīxerat/B adest/B adest/A responderat, helping create an ‘echo’ effect

  381 stupeō 2 be amazed, startled

  382 uōce . . . uocantem: note the cleverly ‘responding’ play on uōx/uocō

  383 respiciō 3/4 look back

  *rūrsus again

  384 *totidem the same number of [uerba]

  385 perstō 1 persist

  altern-us a um alternating, reciprocating

  386 *hūc (to) here

  libentius more willingly

  388 faueō 2 back up, act in support of (+ dat.)

  siluā: i.e. from the wo
od (‘true’ ablative, RL100A, survey of uses [a])

  389 iniciō 3/4 throw X (acc.) round Y (abl.). Note that in- scans heavy because it is treated as if it is iniiciō (i.e. in + iaciō, whose first i is consonantal)

  390 complex-us ūs 4m. embracing

  391 ante . . . quam: take these two words together, controlling the result-type clause beginning sit, RL165.3

  ēmorior 3/4 dep. die. Is this subj. here or fut.? What would be the difference in meaning?

  *cōpi-a ae 1f. control over, use of (X gen.) for sexual purposes. Note how Echo cleverly turns the sit of Narcissus’ antequam clause into a wish (RL153) by omitting the antequam

  393 sprēt-us a um rejected (spernō)

  pudibund-us a um embarrassed

  frōns frond-is 3f. leaf

  394 prōtegō 3 cover

  ex illō: ‘from then on’

  395 *haereō 2 cling on; stay put

  repulsa-a ae 1f. rejection

  396 extenuō 1 make thin

  uigil -is keeping [her] awake

  *miserābil-is e pitiful

  397 addūcō 3 tighten, shrink, contract

  cut-is is 3f. skin

  maci-ēs -ēī 5f. thinness

  sūc-us ī 2m. juice

  399 manet: i.e. only her voice remained unaltered

  lapis lapid-is 3f. stone

 

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