Part 17

Thus far the watery deity, and ceas'd. The wondrous tale all mov'd, save one, the son Of bold Ixion; fierce of soul, he laugh'd To scorn their minds so credulous, the gods Impious contemning, as he thus exclaim'd;-- "What tales, O, Acheloüs, you relate! "Too much of potence to the gods you grant, "To give and change our figures."--All struck dumb, Discourage this bold speech, and Lelex first, Mature in age, and in experience old Beyond the rest, thus spoke:--"Celestial power, "In range is infinite, in sway immense; "What the gods will, completion instant finds. "To clear your doubts, upon the Phrygian hills "An ancient oak, and neighbouring linden stand, "Girt by a low inclosure; I the spot "Survey'd, when into Phrygia's realms dispatch'd "By Pittheus, when those realms his father rul'd. "Not far a lake extends, a space once fill'd "With human 'habitants, whose waves now swarm "With fenny coots, and cormorants alone. "Here Jove in human shape, and with his sire, "The son of Maiä, came; the last his rod "Shorn of its wings, still bore. A thousand doors, "Seeking repose, they knock'd at; every door "Firm barr'd repuls'd them: one at length flew wide; "A lowly cot, whose humble roof long reeds, "And straw firm-matted, cover'd. Baucis there, "A pious dame, and old Philemon match'd "In age, had dwelt, since join'd in springtide youth; "And there grew old together: Full content, "Their poverty they hid not, and more light "Their poverty on souls unmurmuring weigh'd. "Here nor for lord, nor servant, was there need "To seek; beneath the roof these only dwelt; "Each order'd, each obey'd. The heaven-born guests "The humble threshold crossing, lowly stoop'd, "And entrance gain'd: the ancient host bade sit "And rest their weary'd limbs: the bench was plac'd, "Which Baucis anxious for their comfort, spread "With home-made coverings: then with careful hand "The scarce warm embers on the hearth upturn'd; "And rous'd the sleeping fires of yestern's eve, "With food of leaves and bark dry-parch'd, and fann'd "To flame the fuel with her aged breath: "Then threw the small-slit faggots, and the boughs "Long-wither'd, on the top, divided small: "And plac'd her brazen vase of scanty size, "O'er all. Last stripp'd the coleworts' outer leaves, "Cull'd by her husband from the water'd ground, "Which serv'd as garden. He meantime reach'd down, "With two-fork'd prong, where high on blacken'd beam "It hung, a paltry portion of an hog, "Long harden'd there; and from the back he slic'd "A morsel thin, which soon he soften'd down "In boiling steam. The intermediate hours "With pleasing chat they cheat; the short delay "To feel avoiding. On a nail high hung "A beechen pail for bathing, by its hand "Deep-curv'd: with tepid water this he fill'd, "And plac'd before his guests their feet to lave. "A couch there stood, whose feet and frame were form'd "Of willow; tender reeds the centre fill'd, "With coverings this they spread, coverings which saw "The light not, but when festal days them claim'd: "Yet coarse and old were these, and such as well "With willow couch agreed. The gods laid down. "The dame close-girt, with tremulous hand prepar'd "The board; two feet were perfect, 'neath the third "She thrust a broken sherd, and all stood firm. "This sloping mended, all the surface clean "With fragrant mint she rubb'd: and plac'd in heaps "The double-teinted fruit of Pallas, maid "Of unsoil'd purity; autumnal fruits, "Cornels, in liquid lees of wine preserv'd; "Endive, and radish, and the milky curd; "With eggs turn'd lightly o'er a gentle heat: "All serv'd in earthen dishes. After these "A clay-carv'd jug was set, and beechen cups, "Varnish'd all bright with yellow wax within. "Short the delay, when from the ready fire "The steaming dish is brought; and wine not long "Press'd from the grape, again went round, again "Gave place to see the third remove produc'd. "Now comes the nut, the fig, the wrinkled date, "The plumb, the fragrant apple, and the grape "Pluck'd from the purple vine; all plac'd around "In spreading baskets: snow-white honey fill'd "The central space. The prime of all the feast, "Was looks that hearty welcome gave, and prov'd "No indigence nor poverty of soul. "Meantime the empty'd bowls full oft they see "Spontaneously replenish'd; still the wine "Springs to the brim. Astonish'd, struck with dread, "To view the novel scene, the timid pair "Their hands upraise devoutly, and with prayers "Excuses utter for their homely treat, "At unawares requir'd. A lonely goose "They own'd, the watchman of their puny farm; "Him would the hosts, to their celestial guests "A sacred offering make, but swift of wing, "Their toiling chace with age retarded, long "He mock'd; at length the gods themselves he seeks "For sheltering care. The gods his death forbid, "And speak:--Celestials are we both; a fate "Well-earn'd, your impious neighbouring roofs shall feel. "To you, and unto you alone is given "Exemption from their lot. Your cottage leave "And tread our footsteps, while of yonder mount "We seek the loftiest summit. Each obeys; "The gods precede them, while their tottering limbs "A trusty staff supports; tardy from years, "Slowly they labor up the long ascent. "Now from the summit wanted they not more "Than what an arrow, shot with strenuous arm, "At once could gain; when back their view they bent: "Their house alone they saw,--that singly stood: "All else were buried in a wide-spread lake. "Wondring at this, and weeping at the doom "Their hapless neighbours suffer'd; lo! they see "Their mouldering cot, e'en for the pair too small, "Change to a temple; pillars rear on high, "In place of crotchets; yellow turns the straw, "The roof seems gilded; sculptur'd shine the gates; "And marble pavement covers all the floor. "Then Saturn's son, in these benignant words "The pair address'd;--O, ancient man, most just! "And thou, O woman! worthy of thy spouse, "Declare your wishes.--Baucis spoke awhile "With old Philemon; then their joint desire "The latter to the deities declar'd.-- "To be your ministers, your sacred fane "To keep we ask: and as our equal years "In concord we have pass'd, let the same hour "Remove us hence: may I her tomb not see, "Nor be by her interr'd.--The gods comply; "These guard the temple through succeeding life. "Fill'd now with years, as on the temple's steps "They stood, conversing on the wondrous change, "Baucis beheld Philemon shoot in leaves, "And leaves Philemon saw from Baucis sprout; "And from their heads o'er either's face they grew. "Still while they could with mutual words they spoke; "At once exclaim'd,--O, dearest spouse, farewell!-- "At once the bark, their lips thus speaking, clos'd. "Ev'n yet a Tyanæan shews two trees "Of neighbouring growth, form'd from the alter'd pair. "Nor dotard credulous, nor lying tongue "The fact to me related. On the boughs "Myself have seen the votive garlands hung; "And whilst I offered fresher, have I said-- "Heaven guards the good with care; and those who give "The gods due honors, honors claim themselves."

He ceas'd: the deed and author all admire, But Theseus most; whom anxious still to hear More wondrous actions of the mighty gods, The stream of Calydon, as on his arm Reclin'd, he rested, in these words address'd:-- "There are, O, valiant youth! of those once chang'd, "Still in the new-form'd figures who remain: "Others there are whose power more wide extends "To many shapes to alter.--Proteus, thou "Art one; thou 'habitant of those wide waves "Which earth begird: now thou a youth appear'st; "And now a lion; then a furious boar; "A serpent next we tremble to approach; "And then with threatening horns thou seem'st a bull. "Oft as a stone thou ly'st; oft stand'st a tree: "Sometimes thy countenance veil'd in fluid streams, "Thou flow'st a river; sometimes mount'st in flames. "Nor less of power had Erisichthon's maid, "Spouse of Autolycus. Her impious sire "All the divinities of heaven despis'd, "Nor on their slighted altars offerings burn'd. "He too, 'tis said, the Cerealean grove "With axe prophan'd: his violating steel "The ancient trees attacking. 'Mid the rest, "A huge-grown oak, in yearly strength robust, "Itself a wood, uprose: garlands hung round, "And wreaths, and grateful tablets, proofs of vows "For prospering favors paid. The Dryad nymphs "Oft in its shade their festal dances held; "Oft would they, clasping hand in hand, surround "The mighty trunk: its girth around to mete, "Full thrice five cubits ask'd. To every tree "Lofty it seem'd; as every tree appear'd "Lofty, when measur'd with the plants below. "Yet not for that, did Erisichthon hold "The biting steel; but bade his servants fell "The sacred oak; lingering he saw them stand, "His orders unobey'd; impious he snatch'd "From one his weapon, and in rage, exclaim'd;-- "What though it be the goddess' favorite care! "Were it the goddess' self, down should it fall, "And bow its leafy summit to the ground. "He said;--and pois'd his axe, and aim'd oblique. "Deep shudderings shook the Cerealian tree, "And groans were utter'd; all the leaves grew pale, "And pale the acorns; while the wide-spread boughs "Cold sweats bedew'd. When in the solid trunk "His blow ungodly pierc'd, blood flow'd in streams "From out the shatter'd bark: not flows more full, "From the deep wound in the divided throat, "The gore, when at the sacred altar's foot "A mighty bull, an offer'd victim drops. "Dread seizes all; and one most bold attempts "To check his horrid wickedness, and check "The murderous weapon: him the villain saw, "And,--take,--he cries,--the boon thy pious soul "Merits so well.--And from the trunk the steel "Turns on the man, and strikes his head away: "Then with redoubled blows the tree assails. "Deep from the oak, these words were heard to sound:-- "A nymph am I, within this trunk enclos'd, "Most dear to Ceres; in my dying hours, "Prophetic I foresee the keen revenge "Which will thy deed pursue; and this solace "Grants comfort ev'n in death.--He, undismay'd, "His fierce design still follows: now the tree, "Tottering with numerous blows, by straining cords, "He drags to earth; and half the wood below, "Crush'd by its weight, lies prostrate. All astound, "Of her depriv'd, and at their own sad loss, "The sister Dryads, clad in sable robes, "To Ceres hasten; and for vengeance call, "On Erisichthon. To their urgent prayers "The beauteous goddess gave assent, and shook "Her locks; the motion shook the yellow ears, "Which fill'd the loaded fields; and straight conceiv'd "A torture piteous, if for pity he "For acts like these might look:--to tear his form "By Famine's power pestiferous. There, herself "Approach forbidden (fate long since had doom'd "Ceres and Famine far remov'd should dwell) "A mountain-nymph she calls, and thus directs;-- "A region stretches on th' extremest bounds "Of icy Scythia; dreary seems the place; "Sterile the soil; nor trees, nor fruits are seen; "But sluggish cold, and pale affright, and fear: "Still-craving Famine, there her dwelling holds. "Bid her within the inmost vitals hide "Of this most daring, and most impious wretch. "The proudest plenty shall not make her yield: "For in the contest, all the power I boast "To her shall stoop: nor let the lengthen'd way "Appal thy mind; my car receive; receive "My dragons; through the air their course direct "By these long reins.--Speaking, the reins she gave. "She, borne through ether in the granted car, "To Scythia's realm is carried: on the ridge "A rugged mountain offer'd, first she eas'd "The dragons' necks; as Caucasus 'twas known. "There she the sought-for Famine soon espy'd, "Eagerly searching on the stony fields, "At once with teeth and fangs, for thin-sown herbs. "Rough matted were her locks; deep sunk her eyes; "Pale bleach'd her face; her lips with whiten'd slime "O'erspread; with furry crust her mouth was rough: "Hard was her skin; and through it might be seen "Her inwards: 'bove her hollow loins, upstood "The arid bones: a belly's place supply'd "A belly's form: her breasts to hang appear'd "Held only by the chine: her fleshless shape "Each joint in bulk increas'd: rigidly large "The knees were swol'n, and each protruding part "Immod'rately was big. Then as the nymph "From far beheld her,--for a nigh approach "She dreaded, what the goddess bade she told. "Though brief her stay; though distant far she stood; "Though instant there arriv'd; she felt the power "Of Famine at the sight, and turning quick "Her reins, she urg'd her dragons to their speed "In retrogade direction; still on high, "Till Thessaly they gain'd. Famine performs "The wish of Ceres (though her anxious aim "Is still to thwart her power) and borne on winds "Swift through the air, the fated house she finds "And instant enters, where the inmost walls "The sacrilegious wretch inclose; in sleep "Deep bury'd, for night reign'd; and with her wings "Him clasping close, in all the man she breath'd "Her inspiration: in his throat, his mouth, "His chest, and in his unreplenish'd veins, "Her hunger she infus'd. The bidden deed "Complete, she vanish'd from those verdant fields, "And turn'd her to the needy roofs again, "And well-accustom'd caverns. Gentle sleep "Fann'd Erisichthon still with soothing wings. "Ev'n in his sleep imagin'd food he craves, "And vainly moves his mouth; tires jaw on jaw "With grinding; his deluded throat with stores "Impalpable he crams; the empty air "Greedy devouring, for more solid food. "But soon his slumbers vanish'd, then fierce rag'd "Insatiate hunger; ruling through his throat, "And ever-craving stomach. Instant he "Demands what produce, ocean, earth, and air "Can furnish: still of hunger he complains, "Before the full-spread tables: still he seeks "Victuals to heap on victuals. What might serve "A city's population, seems for him "Too scant; whose stomach when it loads had gorg'd, "For loads still crav'd. The ocean thus receives "From all earth's regions every stream; all streams "United, still requiring; greedy fire "On every offer'd aliment thus feeds, "Countless supplies of wood consuming;--more "Nutrition craving, still the more it gains; "More greedy growing from its large increase. "So Erisichthon's jaws prophane, rich feasts "At once devour, at once still more demand. "All food but stimulates his gust for food "In added heaps; and eating only seems "To leave his maw more empty. Lessen'd now, "In the deep abyss of his stomach huge, "Were all the riches which his sire's bequest "Had given: the direful torment still remain'd "In undiminish'd strength; his belly's fire "Implacable still rag'd. Exhausted now "On the curst craving all his wealth was spent. "One daughter sole remaining; of a sire "Less impious, worthy: her the pauper sold. "Her free-born soul, a master's sway disclaim'd. "Her hands extending, to the neighbouring main, "O thou!--she cry'd--who gain'd my virgin spoil "Snatch me from bondage.--Neptune had the maid "Previous enjoy'd: nor spurn'd her earnest prayer. "She whom her master following close, had seen "In her own shape but now, in manly guise "Appears,--in garments such as fishers clothe. "The master sees, and speaks:--O, thou! who rul'st "The trembling reed; whose bending wire thy baits "Conceal; so may thy wiles the water aid; "So may the fish deceiv'd, beneath the waves, "Thy hooks detect not, till too firmly fixt. "Say thou but where she is, who stood but now "Upon this beach, in humble robes array'd, "With locks disorder'd; on this shore she stood; "I saw her,--but no further mark her feet.-- "The aid of Neptune well the maid perceiv'd, "And joys that of herself herself is sought, "Thus his enquiries answering;--Whom thou art "I know not; studious bent, the deep alone, "And care to drag my prey, my eyes employ. "More to remove thy doubts, so may the god "Who rules the ocean, aid my toiling art, "As here I swear, no man upon this shore, "Nor female, I excepted, has appear'd. "These words the owner credits, and the sand "Treads with returning steps; deluded goes, "And as he goes, her former shape returns. "Soon as this changing power the sire perceiv'd, "The damsel oft he sold. Now she escapes "Beneath a mare's resemblance: now a bird, "An heifer now, and now a deer she seem'd. "Her greedy parent's maw with food ill-gain'd "Supplying. When at last his forceful plague "Had every aid consum'd, and every aid "Fresh food afforded to his fierce disease, "Then he commenc'd with furious fangs to tear "For nurture his own limbs; life to support, "By what his body and his life destroy'd.

"But why on others' transformations dwell? "Myself, O youths! enjoy a power, my form "To alter; not unlimited my range. "Now in the shape at present I assume; "Anon I writhe beneath a serpent's form; "Or take the figure of a lordly bull, "And wear my strength in horns, while horns I had: "Disfigur'd now, my forehead's side laments "One weapon ravish'd, as you well may see."-- He spoke, and heavy sighs his words pursu'd.

*The Ninth Book.*

Combat of Acheloüs and Hercules for Dejanira. Death of Nessus. Torments and death of Hercules. His deification. Story of the change of Galanthis to a weasel. Of Dryopè to a Lotus-tree. Iölaüs restored to youth. Murmuring of the Gods. The incestuous love of Byblis. Her transformation to a fountain. Story of Iphis and Iänthe.

THE *Ninth Book* OF THE METAMORPHOSES OF OVID.

The son of Ægeus begs the cause to know Whence spring those groans, and whence that wounded front? And thus the stream of Calydon replies;-- (His uncomb'd locks with marshy reeds entwin'd). "A mournful task, O, warrior! you impose;-- "For who, when vanquish'd, joys to tell the fight "Where he was worsted? yet will I relate "In order all: vanquish'd, the shame was small; "The honor great, for such a prize to strive: "And such a conqueror more the mind relieves. "Has e'er the beauteous Dejanira's name "Reach'd to your ears? her charms the envy'd hope "Of numerous wooers form'd; mine with the rest. "As o'er the threshold of my wish'd-for sire "I stepp'd, I hail'd him.--O, Parthaön's son, "For thine accept me.--So Alcides spoke, "And all the rest to our pretensions bow'd. "Of Jove, his sire, he boasts; and all the fame "His acts deserv'd; and stepdame's cruel laws "Final completed. I (who shameful thought "That gods should yield to mortals; then a god "Alcides was not) thus his claim oppos'd:-- "A king of floods behold me; floods which roll "With winding current through the land you sway; "A son in me accept, no stranger sent "From distant regions; of your country one, "Part of your rule. Let it not hurt my claim, "That Juno hates me not; that all the toil "Of slavish orders I have ne'er perform'd. "Alcmena was his mother, let him boast! "Jove is a sire but feign'd, or if one true, "Is criminally so. He claims a sire "To prove his mother's infamy: then chuse-- "Say feign'd thy origin from Jove, or fruit "Of intercourse adulterous, own thou art.-- "Me, speaking thus, with furious eyes he view'd, "Nor rul'd his swelling rage, replying fierce;-- "More than my tongue I on my arm depend: "Whilst I in fighting gain the palm, be thou "Victor in talking.--Furious on he rush'd. "So proudly boasting, to submit I scorn'd; "But stript my sea-green robe, my arms oppos'd, "And held my firm-clench'd hands before my breast; "For stout resistance every limb prepar'd, "To meet the fight. He in his hollow palms "The dust collecting, sprinkled me all o'er, "And then the yellow sand upon me threw. "Now on my neck he seizes; now he grasps "My slippery thighs: but only thinks to hold, "In every part assailing. Still secure "In bulk I stand, and he assails in vain. "Thus stands a rock, which waves with thundering roar "Surround; it stands unhurt in all its strength. "A little we recede, then rush again "To join the war: stoutly our ground we hold, "Steady resolv'd to yield not. Foot to foot "Fixt firm: I prone press with my ample breast, "And hand with hand, with forehead forehead joins. "So have I seen two mighty bulls contend, "When each the fairest heifer of the grove "Expects the arduous struggle to reward: "The herds behold and tremble, witless which "The powerful contest shall successful gain. "Thrice while I clasp'd him close, Alcides strove "To throw me from his breast, in vain,--the fourth "He shook me from him, and my clasping arms "Unloosing, instant turn'd me with his hand; "(Truth must I speak,) and heavy on my back "He hung. If credence may my words demand, "Nor seek I fame through tales of false deceit, "A mighty mountain on me seem'd to weigh: "Scarce were my arms, with trickling sweat bedew'd, "Loos'd from his grasp; scarce was my body freed "From his hard gripe, when panting hard for breath, "Ere I could strength regain, my throat he seiz'd. "Then on the earth my knee was press'd; my mouth "Then bit the sand. Inferior prov'd in strength, "To arts I next betook me. Slipp'd his hands "In form a long round serpent; while I roll'd "In winding spires my body; while I shook "My forked tongue with hisses dire, he laugh'd, "And mock'd my arts; exclaiming,--snakes to kill "I in my cradle knew; grant thou excel'st, "O, Acheloüs! others far in size, "What art thou mated with the Hydra's bulk? "He fertile from his wounds, his hundred heads "Ne'er felt diminish'd, for straightway his neck, "With two successors, brav'd the stroke again: "Yet him I vanquish'd with his branching heads "From blood produc'd: from every loss more stout, "Him prostrate I o'erthrew. What hope hast thou, "In form fallacious, who with borrow'd arms "Now threaten'st? whom a form precarious hides? "He said, and fast about my throat he squeez'd "His nervous fingers; choaking, hard I strove, "As pincer-like he press'd me, to unloose "From his tight grasp my neck. Conquer'd in this, "Still a third shape, the furious bull remain'd: "Chang'd to a bull, again I wag'd the war. "Around my brawny neck his arms he threw "To left, and spite of every effort try'd "To 'scape, he dragg'd me down; the solid earth "Deep with my horn he pierc'd, and stretch'd me prone "On the wide sand. Unsated yet his rage, "His fierce hand seiz'd my stubborn horn, and broke "From my maim'd front the weapon. Naiäd nymphs "This consecrated, fill'd with fruits, and flowers "Of odorous fragrance, and the horn is priz'd "By Plenty's goddess as her favorite care."

He spoke, a nymph close-girt like Dian's train, Her ample tresses o'er each shoulder spread, Enter'd, supporting all of Autumn's fruit In the rich horn, and mellowest apples came The second course to grace. Now day appear'd: The youths when light the loftiest summits touch'd Of the high hills, departed; waiting not Till the rough floods in peaceful channels flow'd; The troubled currents smooth'd. Profound his head Of rustic semblance, Acheloüs hides 'Reft of his horn, beneath his deepest waves. His forehead's honor lost sore gall'd him: all Save that was perfect. Ev'n his forehead's loss With willow boughs and marshy reeds was hid.