§5.1“At o deorum quidquid in caelo regit §5.2terras et humanum genus, §5.3quid iste fert tumultus aut quid omnium §5.4voltus in unum me truces?
"But oh, whatever power of the gods in heaven rules the earth and the human race, what means this noise, or why are the fierce looks of everyone directed at me alone?
§5.5per liberos te, si vocata partubus §5.6Lucina veris adfuit, §5.7per hoc inane purpurae decus precor, §5.8per inprobaturum haec Iovem, §5.9quid ut noverca me intueris aut uti §5.10petita ferro belua?” §5.11ut haec trementi questus ore constitit §5.12insignibus raptis puer, §5.13inpube corpus, quale posset inpia §5.14mollire Thracum pectora: §5.15Canidia, brevibus illigata viperis §5.16crinis et incomptum caput, §5.17iubet sepulcris caprificos erutas, §5.18iubet cupressos funebris §5.19et uncta turpis ova ranae Sanguine §5.20plumamque nocturnae strigis §5.21herbasque, quas Iolcos atque Hiberia §5.22mittit venenorum ferax, §5.23et ossa ab ore rapta ieiunae canis §5.24flammis aduri Colchicis.
I beseech you by your children, if indeed Lucina, summoned at births, was present at a true one, by this empty honor of my purple, by Jupiter who will disapprove of these things, why do you look at me like a stepmother, or like a wild beast pursued with iron?" When the boy, having complained of these things with trembling lips, stood there, his insignias torn away, a youthful body, such as could soften the impious hearts of the Thracians: Canidia, having bound her hair and uncombed head with short vipers, orders wild fig trees torn up from graves, orders funeral cypresses, and eggs smeared with the blood of a loathsome toad, and the feather of a screech-owl of the night, and herbs which Iolcos and fertile Iberia send, rich in poisons, and bones snatched from the mouth of a starving dog, to be burned in Colchian flames.
§5.25at expedita Sagana, per totam domum §5.26spargens Avernalis aquas, §5.27horret capillis ut marinus asperis §5.28echinus aut Laurens aper.
But Sagana, ready for action, sprinkling Avernal waters throughout the whole house, bristles with rough hair like a sea urchin or a Laurentine boar.
§5.29abacta nulla Veia conscientia §5.30ligonibus duris humum §5.31exhauriebat, ingemens laboribus, §5.32quo posset infossus puer §5.33longo die bis terque mutatae dapis §5.34inemori spectaculo, §5.35cum promineret ore, quantum exstant aqua §5.36suspensa mento corpora; §5.37exsucta uti medulla et aridum iecur §5.38amoris esset poculum, §5.39interminato cum semel fixae cibo §5.40intabuissent pupulae.
Veia, deterred by no conscience, was digging out the ground with hard spades, groaning at her labors, so that the buried boy, through a long day, at the sight of food changed two or three times, might die gazing at it, when he projected with his face as much as bodies suspended by the chin stand out of the water; so that his sucked-out marrow and dry liver might be a cup of love, when once his pupils, fixed on the forbidden food, had wasted away.
§5.41non defuisse masculae libidinis §5.42Ariminensem Foliam §5.43et otiosa credidit Neapolis §5.44et omne vicinum oppidum, §5.45quae sidera excantata voce Thessala §5.46lunamque caelo deripit.
That Folia of Ariminum, of masculine lust, was not absent both idle Naples believed, and every neighboring town, she who drags down the stars and the moon from the sky, charmed by Thessalian voice.
Here, gnawing her untrimmed thumb with a livid tooth, the cruel Canidia, what did she say, or what did she keep silent?
§5.49quid dixit aut quid tacuit? “o rebus meis §5.50non infideles arbitrae, §5.51Nox et Diana, quae silentium regis, §5.52arcana cum fiunt sacra, §5.53nunc, nunc adeste, nunc in hostilis domos §5.54iram atque numen vertite.
"O faithful witnesses to my affairs, Night and Diana, who rule the silence when secret sacred rites are performed, now, now be present, now turn your anger and divine power against hostile houses.
§5.55formidulosis cum latent silvis ferae §5.56dulci sopore languidae, §5.57senem, quod omnes rideant, adulterum §5.58latrent Suburanae canes §5.59nardo perunctum, quale non perfectius §5.60meae laborarint manus.
While the wild beasts lie hidden in the frightening woods, languid with sweet sleep, let the Suburan dogs bark at the old adulterer, so that everyone may laugh, anointed with nard, than which my hands could not have fashioned any more perfect.
§5.61quid accidit? cur dira barbarae minus §5.62venena Medeae valent, §5.63quibus Superbam fugit ulta paelicem, §5.64magni Creontis filiam, §5.65cum palla, tabo munus imbutum, novam §5.66incendio nuptam abstulit?
What has happened? Why do the dreadful poisons of barbarian Medea have less power, with which she fled, having avenged herself on her proud rival, the daughter of great Creon, when the robe, a gift soaked in poison, took away the new bride in a conflagration?
And yet, neither herb nor hidden root in rough places escaped me.
Does he sleep in the anointed beds of everyone, with oblivion of his mistresses?
Ah, ah! He walks free by the spell of a more skilled sorceress.
§5.73non usitatis, Vare, potionibus, §5.74o multa fleturum caput, §5.75ad me recurres nec vocata mens tua §5.76Marsis redibit vocibus.
By no customary potions, O Varus, O head destined to weep much, will you run back to me, nor will your mind return, recalled by Marsic chants.
§5.77maius parabo, maius infundam tibi §5.78fastidienti poculum §5.79priusque caelum Sidet inferius mari §5.80tellure porrecta super §5.81quam non amore sic meo flagres uti §5.82bitumen atris ignibus. ” §5.83sub haec puer iam non, ut ante, mollibus §5.84lenire verbis inpias, §5.85sed dubius unde rumperet silentium, §5.86misit Thyesteas preces: §5.87“venena maga non fas nefasque, non valent §5.88convertere humanam vicem.
I will prepare a greater thing, I will pour a greater cup for you who reject me; and heaven shall sink lower than the sea, with the earth stretched out above, before you do not burn with love for me, just as bitumen burns with black fires." Upon these words, the boy no longer, as before, tried to soften the impious women with mild words, but doubtful whence to break the silence, uttered Thyestean prayers: "Magical poisons have no power to turn right and wrong, nor to change human retribution.
I will pursue you with curses: a dreadful curse is expiated by no victim.
§5.91quin, ubi perire iussus exspiravero, §5.92nocturnus occurram Furor §5.93petamque voltus umbra curvis unguibus, §5.94quae vis deorum est Manium, §5.95et inquietis adsidens praecordiis §5.96pavore somnos auferam.
Nay, when, ordered to die, I shall have expired, I will meet you as a nocturnal Fury, and as a shade I will attack your faces with curved claws, which is the power of the Manes gods, and sitting upon your restless hearts, I will take away your sleep with terror.
§5.97vos turba vicatim hinc et hinc saxis petens §5.98contundet obscaenas anus; §5.99post insepulta membra different lupi §5.100et Esquilinae alites §5.101neque hoc parentes, heu mihi superstites, §5.102effugerit spectaculum. ”
You, the mob pursuing from street to street from this side and that with stones, will crush, filthy hags; afterwards, the wolves and the birds of the Esquiline will tear apart your unburied limbs, nor shall my parents, alas surviving me, fail to see this spectacle."