§286quaeque ad Hesperiae iacet ora metas, §287si qua ferventi subiecta cancro, §288si qua Parrbasiae glacialis ursae §289semper errantes patitur colonos,
and whatever shore lies at the boundaries of Hesperia, and whatever land lies beneath the burning Cancer, and whatever land endures the ever-wandering inhabitants of the icy Parrhasian bear, knows these burning heats.
§290novit hos aestus, iuvenum feroces §291concitat flammas senibusque fessis §292rursus extinctos revocat calores, §293virginum ignoto ferit igne pectus §294et iubet caelo superos relicto §295vultibus falsis habitare terras.
He rouses the fierce flames of youth, and to weary old men recalls again the extinguished warmth; he strikes the breast of maidens with an unknown fire, and commands the gods above, having left heaven, to dwell on earth with false countenances.
§296Thessali Phoebus pecoris magister §297egit armentum positoque plectro §298impari tauros calamo vocavit,
Phoebus, as a herdsman of the Thessalian flock, drove the herd, and having laid aside his plectrum, called the bulls with unequal reeds.
§299induit formas quotiens minores §300ipse qui caelum nebulasque ducit: §301Candidas ales modo movit alas, §302dulcior vocem moriente cygno; §303fronte nunc torva petulans iuvencus §304virginum stravit sua terga ludo, §305perque fraternos nova regna fluctus §306ungula lentos imitante remos §307* pectore adverso domuit profundum, §308pro sua vector timidus rapina,
How often did he put on meaner forms, he himself who guides the heaven and the clouds: at one time as a bird he moved his white wings, with a voice sweeter than the dying swan; now as a wanton young bull with a stern brow, he flattened his back for the maidens' play, and through his brother's waves, a new kingdom, with hoof imitating slow oars, he subdued the deep with opposing breast, a timid carrier on behalf of his own plunder.
§309arsit obscuri dea clara mundi §310nocte deserta nitidosque fratri §311tradidit currus aliter regendos: §312ille nocturnas agitare bigas §313discit et gyro breviore flecti, §316dum tremunt axes graviore curru; §314nec suum tempus tenuere nectes §315et dies tardo remeavit ortu.
The bright goddess of the dark world burned with love, and having deserted the night, delivered her shining chariot to her brother, to be guided in another manner: he learns to drive the nightly two-horse chariots and to bend in a narrower orbit, while the axles tremble under the heavier chariot; neither did the nights keep their proper time, and day returned with a late rising.
§317natus Alcmena posuit pharetras §318et minax vasti spolium leonis, §319passus aptari digitis zmaragdos §320et^dari legem rudibus capillis; §321crura distincto religavit auro. §322luteo plantas cohibente socco; §323et manu, clavam modo qua gerebat, §324fila deduxit properante fuso: §325Vidit Persis ditique ferox §326Lydia regno §327deiecta feri terga leonis §328umerisque, quibus sederat alti §329regia caeli, §330tenuem Tyrio stamine pallam.
The son of Alcmena laid aside his quivers and the threatening spoil of the vast lion, permitting emeralds to be fitted to his fingers and order to be given to his rough hair; he bound his legs with patterned gold, while a yellow sleeper enclosed his feet; and with the hand with which he recently wielded the club, he drew out the threads with a hastening spindle: The Persian saw him, and fierce Lydia in her wealthy kingdom the skin of the wild lion's back cast aside, and on those shoulders upon which had rested the royal palace of high heaven, a thin cloak of Tyrian thread.
§330bsacer est ignis (credite laesis) §331nimiumque potens, qua terra salo §332cingitur alto quaque per ipsum §333candida mundum sidera currunt: §334haec regna tenet puer immitis, §335spicula cuius sentit in imis §336pervius undis rex Nereidum §337flammamque nequit relevare mari.
It is a sacred fire (believe those who have been hurt) and all too powerful, wherever the land is girt by the deep sea, and wherever the bright stars run through the universe itself: this kingdom the cruel boy holds, whose darts are felt in the deepest waves by the king of Nereids, accessible to the waters, nor can he relieve the flame with the sea.
§338ignes sentit genus aligerum; §339Venere instinctus suscipit audax §340grege pro toto bella iuvencus; §341si coniugio timuere suo, §342poscunt timidi proelia cervi.
The winged race feels his fires; incited by Venus, the bold young bull undertakes wars for the whole herd; if they fear for their own mates, the timid stags demand battle.
The Punic lions shake their manes when Love has moved them.
And they give with their roaring the signs of the madness they have conceived.
§344tunc virgatas India tigres §345decolor horret; §346tunc vulnificos acuit dentes §347aper et toto est spumeus ore; §350tum silva gemit murmure saevo.
Then India dreads her striped tigers, losing her color; then the wild boar sharpens his wounding teeth and is foaming all over his mouth; then the forest groans with a savage murmur.
§351amat insani belua ponti §352Lucaeque boves: vindicat omnes §353natura, sibi nihil immune est, §354odiumque perit, cum iussit Amor: §355veteres cedunt ignibus irae.
The beast of the wild sea loves, and the Lucanian oxen: nature claims everyone, nothing is immune to itself, and hatred perishes when Love commands: old angers yield to the fires.
§356quid plura canam?
Why should I sing more?
§357vincit saevas cura novercas.
Care conquers cruel stepmothers.
§358altrix, profare quid feras; quonam in loco est
Nurse, speak out what you bring; in what place is the queen?
§359regina? saevis ecquisest flammis modus?.
Is there any limit to her savage flames?
There is no hope that so great an evil can be mitigated, and there will be no end to her mad flames.
§362torretur aestu tacito et inclusus quoque, §363quamvis tegatur, proditur vultu furor; §364erumpit oculis ignis et lassae genae §365lucem recusant, nil idem dubiae placet §366artusque varie iactat incertus dolor,
She is burned by a silent heat, and even when shut in, although it is hidden, her madness is betrayed by her face; fire breaks out from her eyes and her weary cheeks refuse the light, nothing pleases her doubtful mind for long and an uncertain pain tosses her limbs in various ways.
§367nunc ut soluto labitur moriens gradu §368et vix labante sustinet collo caput, §369nunc se quieti reddit et. somni immemor, §370noctem querelis ducit; attolli iubet §371iterumque poni corpus et solvi comas §372rursusque fingi: semper impatiens sui §373mutatur habitus, nulla iam Cereris subit §374cura aut salutis; vadit' incerto pede, §375iam viribus defecta: non idem vigor, §376non ora tinguens nitida purpureus rubor; §379et qui ferebant signa Phoebeae facis §380oculi nihil gentile nec patrium micant.
Now she slips with a loose, dying step and scarcely supports her head on her drooping neck, now she returns to rest, and unmindful of sleep, she passes the night in lamentations; she orders her body to be raised, and again to be laid down, and her hair to be let loose, and again to be arranged: always impatient with herself, her state changes, and no care for Ceres or health now enters her mind; she walks with an uncertain step, already depleted of strength: there is no longer the same vigor, nor the crimson blush staining her bright face; and those eyes which used to bear the signs of Phoebus' torch shine with nothing of her race or of her father.
§381lacrimae cadunt per ora et assiduo genae §382rore irrigantur, qualiter Tauri iugis §383tepido madescunt imbre percussae nives.
Tears fall down her face, and her cheeks are irrigated with a constant dew, just as on the ridges of Taurus the snows melt, struck by a warm rain.
Set aside your complaints: grief does not relieve the wretched; appease the wild divinity of the virgin goddess.
§384Sed en, patescunt regiae fastigia.
But behold, the portals of the palace open.
She herself, reclining on the cushion of her golden seat, with an unsound mind, rejects her usual attire.
§387Removete, famulae, purpura atque auro inlitas
Remove, handmaids, those garments painted with purple and gold...