§4.406tum variae eludent species atque ora ferarum
Then various shapes and faces of wild beasts will mock you.
§4.407Fiet enim subito sus horridus atraque tigris §4.408squamosusque draco et fulva cervice leaena, §4.409aut acrem flammae sonitum dabit atque ita vinclis §4.410excidet, aut in aquas tenues dilapsus abibit.
For suddenly he will become a bristly boar, a dreadful tiger, a scaly dragon, or a lioness with a golden neck, or he will make the fierce sound of flame and so escape from the chains, or glide away into thin water and vanish.
§4.411Sed quanto ille magis formas se vertet in omnes, §4.412tanto, nate, magis contende tenacia vincla, §4.413donec talis erit mutato corpore, qualem §4.414videris, incepto tegeret cum lumina somno. ” §4.415Haec ait et liquidum ambrosiae defundit odorem, §4.416quo totum nati corpus perduxit; at illi §4.417dulcis compositis spiravit crinibus aura §4.418atque habilis membris venit vigor.
But the more he turns himself into all shapes, the more, my son, tighten the clinging chains, until his body is changed back to such a form as you saw when he covered his eyes as sleep began." She spoke these words and poured out the clear fragrance of ambrosia, with which she anointed her son's whole body; and from his well-arranged hair a sweet breeze breathed, and a supple strength came into his limbs.
Est specus ingens §4.419exesi latere in montis, quo plurima vento §4.420cogitur inque sinus scindit sese unda reductos, §4.421deprensis olim statio tutissima nautis; §4.422intus se vasti Proteus tegit obice saxi.
There is a huge cave in the side of an eroded mountain, where many a wave by the wind is gathered and divides itself into the deep bays, once a most secure refuge for storm-caught sailors; within, Proteus hides himself behind the barrier of a huge rock.
§4.423Hic iuvenem in latebris aversum a lumine Nympha §4.424collocat; ipsa procul nebulis obscura resistit.
Here the Nymph places the youth in a hiding place away from the light; she herself stands far off, hidden in the mists.
§4.425Iam rapidus torrens sitientes Sirius Indos §4.426ardebat, caelo et medium sol igneus orbem §4.427hauserat; arebant herbae et cava flumina siccis §4.428faucibus ad limum radii tepefacta coquebant: §4.429cum Proteus consueta petens e fluctibus antra §4.430ibat; eum vasti circum gens umida ponti §4.431exsultans rorem late dispergit amarum.
Already fierce Sirius, parching the thirsty Indians, was burning, and in the sky the fiery sun had consumed the mid-orbit; the grass was dry, and the warm rays were baking and cooking the deep rivers down to the mud in their dry channels: when Proteus, seeking his accustomed caves, went from the waves; around him the wet race of the vast sea, leaping, scattered the bitter spray far and wide.
§4.432Sternunt se somno diversae in litore phocae.
The seals lay down to sleep scattered on the shore.
§4.433Ipse, velut stabuli custos in montibus olim, §4.434vesper ubi e pastu vitulos ad tecta reducit, §4.435auditisque lupos acuunt balatibus agni, §4.436considit scopulo medius numerumque recenset.
He himself, like a guardian of a sheepfold on the mountains, when evening brings the calves back from the pasture to the stalls, and the lambs sharpen the wolves' teeth with their heard bleating, sits in the midst on a rock and counts their number.
§4.437Cuius Aristaeo quoniam est oblata facultas, §4.438vix defessa senem passus componere membra §4.439cum clamore ruit magno manicisque iacentem §4.440occupat.
As soon as this opportunity was offered to Aristaeus, scarcely suffering the old man to compose his weary limbs, he rushed on with a great cry and bound him as he lay with chains.
Ille suae contra non immemor artis §4.441omnia transformat sese in miracula rerum, §4.442ignemque horribilemque feram fluviumque liquentem.
He, on the other hand, not unmindful of his art, transformed himself into all kinds of wonders, into fire, a terrible beast, and a flowing river.
§4.443Verum ubi nulla fugam reperit fallacia, victus §4.444in sese redit atque hominis tandem ore locutus: §4.445“Nam quis te, iuvenum confidentissime, nostras
But when no trickery found an escape, he was overcome and returned to himself, and at last spoke with human voice: "Who indeed, most audacious of youths, commanded you to enter our home?
§4.446iussit adire domos? Quidve hinc petis?” inquit.
Or what do you seek from here?" he said.
But he replied: "You know, Proteus, you know yourself; nor can anyone deceive you, but cease to wish it.
Following the commands of the gods, we have come to seek an oracle for our ruined affairs." Thus much he spoke.
Ad haec vates vi denique multa §4.451ardentes oculos intorsit lumine glauco §4.452et graviter frendens sic fatis ora resolvit. §4.453“Non te nullius exercent numinis irae; §4.454magna luis commissa: tibi has miserabilis Orpheus §4.455haudquaquam ob meritum poenas, ni fata resistant, §4.456suscitat et rapta graviter pro coniuge saevit.
In response, the seer at last with great force turned his burning eyes with a sea-green light, and heavily gnashing his teeth, he thus opened his mouth to reveal the fates: "It is not the anger of no deity that harasses you; you are paying for great crimes: on your account wretched Orpheus arouses these punishments—by no means deserved, unless the fates resist— and rages fiercely for his snatched wife.
§4.457Illa quidem, dum te fugeret per flumina praeceps, §4.458immanem ante pedes hydrum moritura puella §4.459servantem ripas alta non vidit in herba.
She indeed, while fleeing headlong from you along the rivers, the girl doomed to die, did not see before her feet a huge water-snake guarding the banks in the deep grass.
§4.460At chorus aequalis Dryadum clamore supremos §4.461implerunt montes; flerunt Rhodopeiae arces §4.462altaque Pangaea et Rhesi mavortia tellus §4.463atque Getae atque Hebrus et Actias Orithyia.
But the companion band of Dryads filled the mountain peaks with their cry; the heights of Rhodope wept, and high Pangaea, and the martial land of Rhesus, and the Getae, and Hebrus, and Athenian Orithyia.
§4.464Ipse cava solans aegrum testudine amorem §4.465te, dulcis coniunx, te solo in litore secum, §4.466te veniente die, te decedente canebat.
He himself, consoling his sick love with his hollow lute, sang of you, sweet wife, of you by himself on the lonely shore, of you as day approached, of you as it departed.
§4.467Taenarias etiam fauces, alta ostia Ditis, §4.468et caligantem nigra formidine lucum §4.469ingressus manesque adiit regemque tremendum §4.470nesciaque humanis precibus mansuescere corda.
He even entered the jaws of Taenarus, the deep gates of Dis, and the grove dark with black terror, and approached the shades, and the terrible king, and the hearts that know not how to soften at human prayers.
§4.471At cantu commotae Erebi de sedibus imis §4.472umbrae ibant tenues simulacraque luce carentum, §4.473quam multa in foliis avium se milia condunt §4.474vesper ubi aut hibernus agit de montibus imber, §4.475matres atque viri defunctaque corpora vita §4.476magnanimum heroum, pueri innuptaeque puellae, §4.477impositique rogis iuvenes ante ora parentum, §4.478quos circum limus niger et deformis harundo §4.479Cocyti tardaque palus inamabilis unda §4.480alligat et noviens Styx interfusa coercet.
But moved by his song, from the lowest depths of Erebus the thin shades and phantoms of those lacking light came forth, as many as the thousands of birds that hide themselves in the leaves, when evening or a wintry storm drives them from the mountains: mothers and husbands, and the bodies of great-souled heroes bereft of life, boys and unwedded girls, and youths placed on funeral pyres before the eyes of their parents; around whom the black mud and unsightly reed of Cocytus and the unlovely marsh with its sluggish water bind them, and Styx flowing nine times between imprisons them.
§4.481Quin ipsae stupuere domus atque intima Leti §4.482tartara caeruleosque implexae crinibus angues §4.483Eumenides, tenuitque inhians tria Cerberus ora §4.484atque Ixionii vento rota constitit orbis.
Nay, the very homes and innermost depths of Tartarus, and the Eumenides who have blue snakes woven in their hair, were astounded, and Cerberus held his three mouths agape, and the rotation of Ixion's wheel stopped with the wind.
§4.485Iamque pedem referens casus evaserat omnes;
And now, retracing his steps, he had escaped all dangers;