§12.71Noscis? an exciderunt mecum loca? venimus illuc.
Do you recognize it? Or have the places slipped away from your memory along with me? We went there.
§12.72Orsus es infido sic prior ore loqui: §12.73'Ius tibi et arbitrium nostrae fortuna salutis §12.74Tradidit, inque tua est vitaque morsque manu.
You were the first to begin speaking thus with faithless mouth: "Fortune has delivered to you the right and decision over our safety, and in your hand is both life and death.
It is enough to be able to destroy, if anyone delights in power itself; but having been saved by you, I shall be a greater glory to you.
§12.77Per mala nostra precor, quorum potes esse levamen, §12.78Per genus, et numen cuncta videntis avi, §12.79Per triplicis vultus arcanaque sacra Dianae, §12.80Et si forte aliquos gens habet ista deos — §12.81O virgo, miserere mei, miserere meorum; §12.82Effice me meritis tempus in omne tuum!
I pray by our misfortunes, of which you can be the relief, by our lineage, and the divinity of our all-seeing grandfather, by the triple face and secret rites of Diana, and if by chance that nation of yours has any gods — O maiden, have pity on me, have pity on mine; make me yours for all time by your merits!
§12.83Quodsi forte virum non dedignare Pelasgum — §12.84Sed mihi tam faciles unde meosque deos? — §12.85Spiritus ante meus tenues vanescet in auras §12.86Quam thalamo nisi tu nupta sit ulla meo!
But if by chance you do not disdain a Pelasgian husband — but whence could I have gods so favorable and mine? — my breath will vanish into thin breezes before any bride but you is wedded to my chamber!
§12.87Conscia sit Iuno sacris praefecta maritis, §12.88Et dea marmorea cuius in aede sumus!' §12.89Haec animum — et quota pars haec sunt! — movere puellae §12.90Simplicis, et dextrae dextera iuncta meae.
Let Juno, who presides over sacred marriages, be witness, and the goddess in whose marble temple we stand!" These things moved the mind of a simple girl — and how small a part of your deceits are these! —, and your right hand was joined to my right hand.
§12.91Vidi etiam lacrimas — sua pars et fraudis in illis.
I even saw tears — they too had their share of deceit.
§12.92Sic cito sum verbis capta puella tuis.
Thus quickly was I, a girl, captured by your words.
You yoke the bronze-footed bulls with unburnt body, and split the solid ground with the commanded plough.
You fill the fields with venomous teeth instead of seed, and a soldier is born holding swords and shields.
§12.97Ipsa ego, quae dederam medicamina, pallida sedi, §12.98Cum vidi subitos arma tenere viros, §12.99Donec terrigenae, facinus mirabile, fratres §12.100Inter se strictas conseruere manus.
I myself, who had given the potions, sat pale when I saw the sudden men hold weapons, until the earth-born brothers, a wondrous deed, joined their drawn hands among themselves.
§12.101Insopor ecce vigil squamis crepitantibus horrens §12.102Sibilat et torto pectore verrit humum!
Lo, the sleepless guardian, bristling with rustling scales, hisses and sweeps the ground with his twisted breast!
§12.105Illa ego, quae tibi sum nunc denique barbara facta, §12.106Nunc tibi sum pauper, nunc tibi visa nocens, §12.107Flammea subduxi medicato lumina somno, §12.108Et tibi, quae raperes, vellera tuta dedi.
I, that woman, who have now finally become a barbarian to you, now am poor to you, now seem guilty to you, drew away those fiery eyes with medicated sleep, and gave you the safe fleece to steal.
§12.109Proditus est genitor, regnum patriamque reliqui; §12.110Munus, in exilio quod licet esse, tuli!
My father was betrayed, I left my kingdom and country; I received as my reward the permission to be in exile!
My virginity became the prey of a foreign robber; my excellent sister was left behind with my dear mother.
§12.113At non te fugiens sine me, germane, reliqui!
But, fleeing, I did not leave you behind without me, my brother!
§12.114Deficit hoc uno littera nostra loco.
My letter fails at this one place.
§12.115Quod facere ausa mea est, non audet scribere dextra.
What my right hand dared to do, it does not dare to write.
§12.116Sic ego, sed tecum, dilaceranda fui.
Thus I ought to have been torn apart, but with you.
§12.117Nec tamen extimui — quid enim post illa timerem? — §12.118Credere me pelago, femina iamque nocens.
And yet I did not fear — for what should I fear after those things? —, to entrust myself to the sea, though now a guilty woman.
Where is the divine power? Where are the gods? Let us suffer on the deep our deserved punishments, you for your deceit, I for my credulity!
§12.121Compressos utinam Symplegades elisissent, §12.122Nostraque adhaererent ossibus ossa tuis; §12.123Aut nos Scylla rapax canibus mersisset edendos — §12.124Debuit ingratis Scylla nocere viris; §12.125Quaeque vomit totidem fluctus totidemque resorbet, §12.126Nos quoque Trinacriae supposuisset aquae!
Would that the Symplegades had crushed us together, and my bones were clinging to your bones; or ravenous Scylla had submerged us to be eaten by her dogs — Scylla ought to harm ungrateful men; and she who vomits up so many waves and sucks back as many, had placed us too under the Sicilian water!
Safe and victorious you return to the Haemonian cities; the golden fleece is offered to your ancestral gods.
Why should I relate the daughters of Pelias, guilty through piety, and their father's limbs cut by maidenly hands?
Though others may blame me, you must praise me, for whose sake I have been forced so many times to be guilty.
§12.133Ausus es — o, iusto desunt sua verba dolori! — §12.134Ausus es 'Aesonia,' dicere, 'cede domo!' §12.135Iussa domo cessi natis comitata duobus §12.136Et, qui me sequitur semper, amore tui.
You dared — oh, words are lacking for a just grief! —, you dared to say, "Leave the house of Aeson!" Ordered, I left the house accompanied by our two children, and by that which always follows me, my love for you.
§12.137Ut subito nostras Hymen cantatus ad aures §12.138Venit, et accenso lampades igne micant, §12.139Tibiaque effundit socialia carmina vobis, §12.140At mihi funerea flebiliora tuba, §12.141Pertimui, nec adhuc tantum scelus esse putabam;
When suddenly the hymeneal song reached our ears, and the torches gleamed with kindled fire, and the pipe poured forth wedding songs for you, but for me songs more tearful than a funeral trumpet, I was terrified, and yet I did not yet believe there was such great wickedness;