§21.81Et iam transieram Myconon, iam Tenon et Andron, §21.82Inque meis oculis candida Delos erat; §21.83Quam procul ut vidi, 'quid me fugis, insula,' dixi,
And now I had passed Myconos, now Tenos and Andros, and before my eyes was white Delos; which when I saw from afar, I said, "Why do you flee from me, island?
§21.84'Laberis in magno numquid, ut ante, mari?' §21.85Institeram terrae, cum iam prope luce peracta §21.86Demere purpureis sol iuga vellet equis.
Are you perhaps drifting in the great sea, as before?" I had set foot upon the land, when, now with the light almost spent, the sun wished to remove the yokes from his purple horses.
After the same sun recalled them to their accustomed risings, my hair was combed at my mother's command.
She herself placed gems on my fingers and gold in my hair, and she herself put the garments upon my shoulders.
§21.91Protinus egressae superis, quibus insula sacra est, §21.92Flava salutatis tura merumque damus; §21.93Dumque parens aras votivo sanguine tingit, §21.94Sectaque fumosis ingerit exta focis, §21.95Sedula me nutrix altas quoque ducit in aedes, §21.96Erramusque vago per loca sacra pede.
Immediately going forth, to the gods to whom the island is sacred, having saluted them, we offer yellow incense and pure wine; and while my parent stains the altars with votive blood, and throws the cut entrails into the smoking hearths, my diligent nurse also leads me into the high temple, and we wander with straying foot through the sacred places.
§21.97Et modo porticibus spatior modo munera regum §21.98Miror et in cunctis stantia signa locis; §21.99Miror et innumeris structam de cornibus aram, §21.100Et de qua pariens arbore nixa dea est, §21.101Et quae praeterea — neque enim meminive libetve §21.102Quidquid ibi vidi dicere — Delos habet.
And now I stroll in the porticoes, now the gifts of kings I admire, and the statues standing in every place; I admire too the altar built of countless horns, and the tree leaning on which the goddess gave birth, and whatever besides Delos has — for I do not care nor does it please me to say whatever I saw there.
§21.103Forsitan haec spectans a te spectabar, Aconti, §21.104Visaque simplicitas est mea posse capi.
Perhaps while looking at these things I was looked at by you, Acontius, and my simplicity seemed able to be captured.
I return to the temple of Diana, lofty with steps — ought any place to have been safer than this?
An apple is thrown before my feet with such a verse — ah me, I almost swore to you just now as well!
My nurse took this up, and wondering, said, "Read it through!" I read your snare, great poet!
§21.111Nomine coniugii dicto confusa pudore, §21.112Sensi me totis erubuisse genis, §21.113Luminaque in gremio veluti defixa tenebam — §21.114Lumina propositi facta ministra tui.
Confused with shame at the mention of the name of marriage, I felt myself blush in all my cheeks, and I was keeping my eyes fixed as if on my lap — eyes that were made the handmaids of your purpose.
§21.115Inprobe, quid gaudes? aut quae tibi gloria parta est?
Shameless one, why do you rejoice? Or what glory has been won by you?
§21.116Quidve vir elusa virgine laudis habes?
Or what praise do you have as a man who has deceived a virgin?
§21.117Non ego constiteram sumpta peltata securi, §21.118Qualis in Iliaco Penthesilea solo; §21.119Nullus Amazonio caelatus balteus auro, §21.120Sicut ab Hippolyte, praeda relata tibi est.
I had not stood armed with a crescent shield and a took up battle-axe, like Penthesilea on the Trojan soil; no belt engraved with Amazonian gold, as from Hippolyte, was brought back to you as a spoil.
§21.121Verba quid exultas tua si mihi verba dederunt, §21.122Sumque parum prudens capta puella dolis?
Why do you exult if your words have deceived me, and if I, a girl with too little prudence, have been captured by your guiles?
An apple captured Cydippe, an apple captured the daughter of Schoeneus; you will now, forsooth, be another Hippomenes!
§21.125At fuerat melius, si te puer iste tenebat, §21.126Quem tu nescio quas dicis habere faces, §21.127More bonis solito spem non corrumpere fraude;
But it would have been better, if that boy was holding you, whom you say has I know not what torches, not to ruin hope with fraud in the manner usual for good men.
§21.128Exoranda tibi, non capienda fui!
I was to be won by entreaty, not to be captured by snare!
§21.129Cur, me cum peteres, ea non profitenda putabas, §21.130Propter quae nobis ipse petendus eras?
Why, when you sought me, did you think those things were not to be declared because of which you yourself were to be sought by me?
Why did you wish to compel rather than to persuade, if I could have been won had the condition been heard?
What does the formula of the sworn oath profit you now, and the tongue that witnessed the goddess who was present?
§21.135Quae iurat, mens est.
It is the mind that swears.
sed nil iuravimus illa; §21.136Illa fidem dictis addere sola potest.
But we swore nothing with that; it alone can add faith to words.
Prudent counsel and the judgment of the mind swear, and no bonds except those of judgment have force.
§21.139Si tibi coniugium volui promittere nostrum, §21.140Exige polliciti debita iura tori; §21.141Sed si nil dedimus praeter sine pectore vocem, §21.142Verba suis frustra viribus orba tenes.
If I wished to promise our marriage to you, demand the due rights of the promised bed; but if we gave nothing except a voice without a heart, you hold in vain words bereft of their own power.
I did not swear — I read words that make one swear; a husband was not to be chosen by me in that manner.
§21.145Decipe sic alias — succedat epistula pomo!
Deceive other women thus — let a letter succeed the apple!
§21.146Si valet hoc, magnas ditibus aufer opes; §21.147Fac iurent reges sua se tibi regna daturos, §21.148Sitque tuum toto quidquid in orbe placet!
If this has force, take away great wealth from the rich; make kings swear that they will give their kingdoms to you, and let whatever pleases in the whole world be yours!
You are much greater by this than Diana herself, believe me, if your writing has such immediate divine power.
§21.151Cum tamen haec dixi, cum me tibi firma negavi, §21.152Cum bene promissi causa peracta mei est, §21.153Confiteor, timeo saevae Latoidos iram §21.154Et corpus laedi suspicor inde meum.
Yet when I have said these things, when I have firmly denied myself to you, when the case of my promise has been well pleaded, I confess, I fear the wrath of the cruel daughter of Latona, and I suspect that my body is harmed thereby.
For why, as often as the social sacred rites are prepared, do the languid limbs of the bride-to-be fall as often?
§21.157Ter mihi iam veniens positas Hymenaeus ad aras §21.158Fugit, et a thalami limine terga dedit, §21.159Vixque manu pigra totiens infusa resurgunt §21.160Lumina, vix moto corripit igne faces.
Three times already Hymenaeus, coming to the set altars, has fled, and turned his back from the threshold of the chamber, and as many times the lights poured in with a sluggish hand scarcely rise again, and he scarcely kindles the torches with the moved fire.
Often ointments drip from crowned hair, and the splendid cloak bright with much saffron is trailed.
§21.163Cum tetigit limen, lacrimas mortisque timorem §21.164Cernit et a cultu multa remota suo, §21.167Et pudet in tristi laetum consurgere turba, §21.168Quique erat in palla, transit in ora rubor.
When he touched the threshold, tears and the fear of death he sees, and many things far removed from his own worship, and he is ashamed to rise up joyful in a sad crowd, and the blush which was in his cloak passes into his face.