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696. _Verba dedisse_, to have deceived.

697. Julius Caesar was slain on the Ides of March, A.U.C. 709. The senate
directed, that in future this day should be called _Parricidium_, and
that no senate should ever sit on it. Suet. Caes. 88.

698. _Locuta_, scil. to the poet.

699. _Sacerdos_, as being Pontifex Maximus. [Greek: All' outos ho pataer,
outos ho archiereus, ho asulos, ho aeros, ho theos, tethnaeken], are the
words of Antonius over him in Dion. Cass. xliv. 49.

703. _Vidit_. Two MS. read _servat_. Compare Virg. Ec. v. 56.

704. A temple was raised to Caesar. A.U.C 712. three years after his
death.

707. It was observed by the historians that all the murderers of Caesar
perished within three years after him.

710. _Caesaris_. Augustus.

711, 712. On the XVII. Kal. April is the cosmic rising of the middle of
the Scorpion.

713-790. On the following day were the Liberalia, which the poet now
sings.

716. _Parvus inermis erat_, scil. Jupiter. Most MSS. read _eras_,
applying it to Bacchus. Gierig is not satisfied with either reading, and
he thinks the passage corrupt.

7l8. _Expletum_ completed, brought to maturity.--_Onus_, most MSS.
_opus_.

719. The expedition of Bacchus.

721. Pentheus. See Met. iii. 511. _et seq_.

722. Met. iv. 22.

723. Met. iii. 597, _et seq_.

726. _Vilis anus_, a mean, or common old woman. Seven MSS. three of which
are of the best, read _Vitisator_, but the correctness of the present
text is proved by the following passage of Varro L. L. V. _Liberalia
dicta, quod per totum oppidum eo die sedent sacerdotes Liberi, hedera
coronatae anus, cum libis et foculo pro emptore sacrificantes_.

728. _Gelidis focis_, cold altars, as no fire was kindled on them.

730. _Seposuisse_. The greater number of MSS. have _supposuisse_.

733. "Mira etymologia!" Gierig. See above v. 512. The _libum_ was a kind
of cake, [Greek: plakous ek galaktos, itrion te kai melitos, on Romaioi
libon kalousi]. Athenaeus III. p. 125.

739. _Florida_. Most MSS. read _flumina_: the present, which is far
preferable, is that of three of the best and four other MSS.

741-744. Compare Virgil G. IV. 64, _et seq_. The practice is too well
known among ourselves to require any elucidation.

743. _Levis senex_, Silenus, who was bald. Most MSS. read _lenis_.

748. _Dissimulat_, conceals his discovery.

753 It was therefore a hornet's nest he had got.

763 See v. 726.--_Praestet_, "exhibeat praetereuntibus." Gierig.

769. _Nysiades_. There was a Nysa in Boeotia, in Thrace, in India, in
Arabia. It was probably the Boeotian that the poet meant. See Met. III.
3l3.--_Noverca_, Juno.

771. On the Liberalia, the youths who had attained the age of sixteen
laid aside the _praetexta_, which they had hitherto worn and assumed, the
_toga virilis_, _pura_, _recta_, or _libera_, as it was variously,
called. The poet gives four reasons for its being done on the Liberalia.

773. First reason, Bacchus, like Apollo, was ever young, See Met. iv. 17.

775. Second reason, because he was a father, (_Liber Pater_.) The Romans
however called all their gods _patres_. ex. gr. Jupiter, (Jovis pater
Zeus [Greek: pataer]), Dispiter, Mars-piter, Janus pater, Pater Neptunus,
Pater Silvanus. (Hor. Epod. ii. 21.) etc.

777. Third reason, and perhaps the true one, because his name Liber
coincided with the adjective _liber_.

779. Fourth reason, because as the people used to come from the country
into Rome on the Liberalia to see the plays, it was deemed a good
opportunity for giving a youth the _toga virilis_, when all his friends
and relations were present.

781. Alluding to L. Quinctius Cincinnatus, _ille dictator ab aratro_,
Flor. I. 11.

782. Alluding, perhaps, to the story of Scipio, who, on shaking the hand
of a country voter, as he canvassed him, said, _Prythee, friend, dost
walk on thy hands?_ and thereby lost his election. I, however, rather
think that the poet had only in view the effeminacy of his own days.

784. _Studiis_, scil_. musices et poeseos_, taste.

786. _Taedifera dea_, Ceres.

787. _Tironem_. The youth who took the manly gown was named a _tiro_, and
the day, _dies tirocinii_. He was accompanied from the Capitol to the
Forum, and thence home by a great number of his relatives, friends and
clients.--_Celeb. freq. Frequentia me usque ad Capitolium celebravit_.
Cic. Att. vi. 1.

791, 792. See V. 621, Livy, I. 22. _Reliqua urbis loca olim discreta, ut
Argeorum sacraria in septem et viginti partes urbis sunt disposita.
Argeos dictos putant a principibus, qui cum Hercule Argivo venerunt Romam
et in Saturnia subsederunt_. Varro, L. L. iv. J. B. Fontejus (_De Prisca
Caesiorum Gente_, L. I. c. 7,) supposes that the Argei were the reputed
burial-places of some of these noble Argives.--_Sua Pagina_, its own part
of the Fasti. He means, perhaps, V. 621, _et seq_.

793, 794. On the same day (XVI. Kal. April.) the Kite rises
acronychally.--_Proclinis_ is the reading of two of the best MSS.; five
of the best read _proclivis_, some have _declivis_; the greater number
_declinis_.--_Miluus_, a trisyllable (like _Iason_, _Iulus_, _Iambus_,
_silua_, _Suevos_, etc.) is the reading of the best MSS.: the rest have
_Milvius_. The constellation of the Kite, Krebs says, is not mentioned by
any Greek writer on astronomy, before the time of Ovid. It is quite
uncertain where he got the following legend.

798. That is to slay the monster about to be described.

801. Compare Virg. aen. vi. 549.

803, 804. This reminds one strongly of the sacrifice of the horse of
Hindoo Mythology. See Southey's Curse of Kehama, viii.

805. Briareus. See Hom. Il. I. 402. According to Homer and Hesiod,
Briareus was one of the Hundred-handed, and the ally of Jupiter. Ovid
appears to make him a Titan.--_Adamante_. The _adamas_ of the poets is
iron, or rather steel. _Adamas lapis durissimus, qui nec ferro cedere
dicitur_. Pliny, H. N. xxvii. 4.

809-850. On the XIV. Kal. April, began the festival of Minerva, named the
Quinquatrus, Quinquatres, or Quinquatria.

810. _Nomina quae_. Several MSS. have _numinaque adjunctis_. _Quinquatrus:
hic dies unus a nominis errore observatur, proinde ut sint quinque dies,
dictus ab Tusculanis; post diem sextum Idus similiter vocatus Sexatrus,
et post diem septimum Septimatrus; sic hic, quod erat post diem quintum
Idus, Quinquatrus_, Varro, L. L. V. Festus gives the same derivation. It
is in favour of Ovid that the festival lasted exactly five days, but this
may have been the effect, and not the cause of the name.

811. The gladiatorial combats with which the festival of Minerva, as the
goddess of war, were celebrated, did not begin till the second day. As
the Minerva of the Romans was certainly no war-goddess, till she was
identified with the Pallas Athena of Greece, I am inclined to think that
the origin of this mode of worshiping her will be found in the account
given by Herodotus, (iv. 180, 189) of the worship of the Lybian goddess,
whom he makes to be the prototype of Pallas Athena. To shew how modes of
worship were transferred; the Athenians had, in the time of the empire,
combats of gladiators in a theatre on their Acropolis, in honour of their
patron-goddess. See Philostratus' Life of Apollonius, L. iv. c. 7. For
Pallas Athena and Minerva, see Mythology, pp. 119 and 462.

812. _Illa nata die_. "Illa die _nata Minerva_, quatenus ei templum in
Aventino dedicatum, quod notat Verrius. Etiam Calend. Vindob. _N.
Minervae_." Gierig.

815. See Juvenal. Sat. x. 118.--_Ornate_, scil. with garlands.

816. _Doctus_, skilful.

817. 818. Spinning.

819, 820. Weaving.--_Stantes telas_, the _stamina_ or warp.

821-826. The fuller, the dyer, the shoemaker and the carpenter. For
Tychius, see Hom. II. vii. 221, for Epeus. Id. Od. viii. 492, Virg. aen.
II. 264.

827, 828. The Physicians. There is an inscription in Gruter _Minervae
Medicae_. The reader needs not to be reminded of the medical character of
Phoebus Apollo.

829. This is a sadly perplexing line. Seven MSS. read _censu fraudante_;
others _sensu fraudante_; four _sensus fraudata_; one of the best _censu
fraudata_; two of the best _sensu fraudare_; one of the best _turba ferae
sensus fraudare_; two _verba feri_; three _deam, censu fraudata_, which
Burmann and Gierig have adopted. The present reading is the common one,
with a slight change of _feri_, which gives no good sense, to _fere_.
Matthiae conjectured, and gave the same reading. I think the poet meant
the bad payment and bad treatment which the school-masters so frequently
met with at Rome.

831, 832. The sculptors, painters and statuaries.--_Tabulam_, etc. The
Encaustae, as they were called, who burned-in wax, spread over the place
to be painted.--_Mollia_, smooth or soft, as it were, to the eye.

835. There was a small temple of Minerva Capta on the rise of the Coelian
hill, of which name the poet now tries, but in vain, to discover the
origin.--_Captae_, Six MSS. _capitae_; others _castae_. This shews the
negligence and temerity of the transcribers.

838. See on v. 812.

843. It was the custom when a town was taken, to bring its gods to the
abode of the conquerors.--Falerii was captured by Camillus, A.U.C. 361.
See Livy, v. 24.

844. _Littera prisca_, the old name of the goddess, or the old books, the
Annals.

845, 846. This passage is difficult. For _ex illo_ most MSS. have
_exilio_; many for _reperta_, read _recepta_. It is the _fures_, and not
the _furta_, which should be punished. _Capitalis lucus, ubi si quid
violatum est, capite violatoris_, (two MSS. _vigilatoris_) _expiatur_.
Festus.

849, 850. On the last day of the Quinquatrus, the Kal. Apr. was the
_Tubilustrum_. According to Varro and Festus, the trumpets were purified
in the Atrium Sutorium. On the X. Kal. Jun. there was a Tubilustrum to
Vulcan. For _deae_ in this place, three of the best MSS. read _deo_, which
Heinsius adopts, and understands it of Mars. Gesenius also prefers this
reading. In Verrius, we find _Feriae Martis_, and Laur. Lydus (de
Mensibus, p. 85,) says, [Greek: tae pro deka kalandon Aprillion katharmos
salpingos kai kinaesis ton oplon, kai timai Areos kai Nerinaes, haen
aexioun einai taen Athaenan nerinae gar (en tae Sabinon glossae) hae
andria esti]. This Nerine-Minerva was probably the _fortis dea_.

851-876. The sun enters the Ram, and the poet takes the occasion of
telling the story of Phrixus and Helle. See Mythology, p. 296.--_Nunc_,
on the last day of the Quinquatrus, as it was the day after the XI. Kal.
Apr. which last was that of the entrance of the sun into the Ram. See the
Kalendarium.

863. _Pependerat_. Their mother was Nephele, cloud. See also v. 805.

865. Thebes was built by the Sparti (_Sown_) who sprang from the
serpent's teeth.

870. The Hellespont, Helle's-sea.

874. _Caeruleo deo_. Neptune.

877. The vernal equinox on the VII. Kal. Apr.--_Eos_, Aurora.

879. Four days after the VII. Kal. Apr. was a festival of Janus, Concord,
Health and Peace. Augustus raised statues to these three last-named
deities.

883, 884. Servius Tullius built a temple to Diana on the Aventine, Livy,
I. 45. Tac. An. xv. 41. Ovid, like the other poets, makes Diana and Luna,
as they really were, identical. See Mythology, p. 463.

LIBER IV.

Alma, fave, dixi, geminorum mater Amorum.
Ad vatem vultus rettulit illa suos.
Quid tibi, ait, mecum? certe majora canebas.
Num vetus in molli pectore vulnus habes?
Scis dea, respondi, de vulnere.--Risit, et aether 5
Protinus ex illa parte serenus erat.--
Saucius, an sanus, numquid tua signa reliqui?
Tu mihi propositum, tu mihi semper opus.
Quae decuit, primis sine crimine lusimus annis:
Nunc teritur nostris area major equis. 10
Tempora cum causis annalibus eruta priscis,
Lapsaque sub terras ortaque signa cano.
Venimus ad quartum, quo tu celeberrima, mensem;
Et vatem, et mensem scis, Venus esse tuos.
Mota Cytheriaca leviter mea tempora myrto 15
Contigit, et, Coeptum perfice, dixit, opus.
Sensimus, et subito causae patuere dierum.
Dum licet, et spirant flamina, navis eat.
Si qua tamen pars te de fastis tangere debet,
Caesar, in Aprili, quo tenearis, habes. 20
Hic ad te magna descendit imagine mensis,
Et fit adoptiva nobilitate tuus.
Hoc pater Iliades, quum longum scriberet annum,
Vidit, et auctores rettulit ipse suos.
Utque fero Marti primam dedit ordine sortem, 25
Quod sibi nascenti proxima causa fuit;
Sic Venerem gradibus multis in gente repertam
Alterius voluit mensis habere locum;
Principiumque sui generis revolutaque quaerens
Saecula, cognatos venit ad usque deos. 30
Dardanon Electra nesciret Atlantide cretum?
Scilicet Electran concubuisse Jovi?
Hujus Erichthonius: Tros est generatus ab illo:
Assaracon creat hic, Assaracusque Capyn.
Proximus Anchisen, cum quo commune parentis 35
Non dedignata est nomen habere Venus,
Hinc satus aeneas, pietas spectata per ignes,
Sacra, patremque humeris altera sacra, tulit.
Venimus ad felix aliquando nomen Iuli,
Unde domus Teucros Julia tangit avos. 40
Postumus huic, qui, quod silvis fuit ortus in altis,
Silvius in Latia gente vocatus erat;
Isque, Latine, tibi pater est: subit Alba Latinum:
Proximus est titulis Epytos, Alba, tuis,
Ille dedit Capyi recidiva vocabula Troiae, 45
Et tuus est idem, Calpete, factus avus.
Quumque patris regnum post hunc Tiberinus haberet,
Dicitur in Tuscae gurgite mersus aquae.
Jam tamen Agrippam genitum, Remulumque nepotem
Viderat; in Remulum fulmina missa ferunt. 50
Venit Aventinus post hos, locus unde vocatus,
Mons quoque. Post illum tradita Procae.
Quem sequitur diri Numitor germanus Amuli.
Ilia cum Lauso de Numitore sati.
Ense cadit patrui Lausus: placet Ilia Marti; 55
Teque parit, gemino juncte Quirine Remo.
Ille suos semper Venerem Martemque parentes
Dixit, et emeruit vocis habere fidem.
Neve secuturi possent nescire nepotes,
Tempora dîs generis continuata dedit. 60
Sed Veneris mensem Graio sermone notatum
Auguror: a spumis est dea dicta maris.
Nec tibi sit mirum Graio rem nomine dici:
Itala nam tellus Graecia major erat.
Venerat Evander plena cum classe suorum: 65
Venerat Alcides, Graius uterque genus.
Hospes Aventinis armentum pavit in herbis
Claviger, et tanto est Albula pota deo.
Dux quoque Neritius. Testes Laestrygones exstant:
Et quod adhuc Circes nomina litus habet. 70
Et jam Telegoni, jam moenia Tiburis udi
Stabant, Argolicae quod posuere manus.
Venerat Atridae fatis agitatus Halesus,
A quo se dictam terra Falisca putat.
Adjice Trojanae suasorem Antenora pacis, 75
Et generum Oeniden, Appule Daune, tuum.
Serus ab Iliacis, et post Antenora, flammis
Attulit aeneas in loca nostra deos.
Hujus erat Solymus Phrygia comes unus ab Ida:
A quo Sulmonis moenia nomen habent, 80
Sulmonis gelidi, patriae, Germanice, nostrae.
Me miserum! Scythico quam procul illa solo est!
Ergo ego tam longe?--sed supprime, Musa, querelas;
Non tibi sunt maesta sacra canenda lyra.
Quo non livor abit? Sunt qui tibi mensis honorem 85
Eripuisse velint, invideantque, Venus.
Nam, quia ver aperit tunc omnia, densaque cedit
Frigoris asperitas, fetaque terra patet;
Aprilem memorant ab aperto tempore dictum,
Quem Venus injecta vindicat alma manu. 90
Illa quidem totum dignissima temperat orbem:
Illa tenet nullo regna minora deo:
Juraque dat coelo, terrae, natalibus undis,
Perque suos initus continet omne genus.
Illa deos omnes--longum est narrare--creavit: 95
Illa satis causas arboribusque dedit:
Illa rudes animos hominum contraxit in unum,
Et docuit jungi cum pare quemque sua.
Quid genus omne creat volucrum, nisi blanda voluptas?
Nec coëunt pecudes, si levis absit amor. 100
Cum mare trux aries cornu decertat: at idem
Frontem dilectae laedere parcit ovis.
Deposita taurus sequitur feritate juvencam,
Quem toti saltus, quem nemus omne tremit.
Vis eadem, lato quodcumque sub sequore vivit, 105
Servat, et innumeris piscibus implet aquas.
Prima feros habitus homini detraxit: ab illa
Venerunt cultus mundaque cura sui.
Primus amans carmen vigilatum nocte negata
Dicitur ad clausas concinuisse fores; 110
Eloquiumque fuit duram exorare puellam:
Proque sua causa quisque disertus erat.
Mille per hanc artes motae, studioque placendi,
Quae latuere prius, multa reperta ferunt.
Hanc quisquam titulo mensis spoliare secundi 115
Audeat? a nobis sit procul iste furor.
Quid? quod ubique potens, templisque frequentibus aucta,
Urbe tamen nostra jus dea majus habet?
Pro Troja, Romane, tua Venus arma ferebat;
Quum genuit teneram cuspide laesa manum, 120
Coelestesque duas Trojano judice vicit;
--Ah! nolim victas hoc meminisse deas!--
Assaracique nurus dicta est, ut scilicet olim
Magnus Iuleos Caesar haberet avos.
Nec Veneri tempus, quam ver, erat aptius ullum. 125
Vere nitent terrae: vere remissus ager.
Nunc herbae rupta tellure cacumina tollunt;
Nunc tumido gemmas cortice palmes agit.
Et formosa Venus formoso tempore digna est,
Utque solet, Marti continuata suo. 130
Vere monet curvas materna per aequora puppes
Ire, nec hibernas jam timuisse minas.
Rite deam Latiae colitis matresque nurusque;
Et vos, quîs vittae longaque vestis abest.
Aurea marmoreo redimicula solvite collo: 135
Demite divitias: tota lavanda dea est.
Aurea siccato redimicula reddite collo:
Nunc alii flores, nunc nova danda rosa est.
Vos quoque sub viridi myrto jubet illa lavari;
Causaque, cur jubeat,--discite--certa subest. 140
Litore siccabat rorantes nuda capillos:
Viderunt Satyri, turba proterva, deam.
Sensit, et opposita texit sua corpora myrto.
Tuta fuit facto: vosque referre jubet.
Discite nunc, quare Fortunae tura Virili 145
Detis eo, calida qui locus humet aqua.
Aspicit ille locus posito velamine cunctas,
Et vitium nudi corporis omne patet.
Ut tegat hoc, celetque viros, Fortuna Virilis
Praestat, et hoc parvo ture rogata facit. 150
Nec pigeat niveo tritum cum lacte papaver
Sumere, et expressis mella liquata favis.
Quum primum cupido Venus est deducta marito,
Hoc bibit; ex illo tempore nupta fuit.
Supplicibus verbis illam placate: sub illa 155
Et forma, et mores, et bona fama manet.
Roma pudicitia proavorum tempore lapsa est:
Cumaeam, veteres, consuluistis anum.
Templa jubet Veneri fieri: quibus ordine factis,
Inde Venus verso nomina corde tenet. 160
Semper ad Aeneadas placido, pulcherrima, vultu
Respice, totque tuas, diva, tuere nurus.
Dum loquor, elatae metuendus acumine caudae
Scorpios in virides praecipitatur aquas.
Nox ubi transient, coelumque rubescere primo 165
Coeperit, et tactae rore querentur aves,
Semustamque facem vigilata nocte viator
Ponet, et ad solitum rusticus ibit opus:
Pliades incipiunt humeros relevare paternos,
Quae septem dici, sex tamen esse solent; 170
Seu, quod in araplexum sex hinc venere deorum:
Nam Steropen Marti concubuisse ferunt:
Neptuno Halcyonen, et te, formosa Celaeno:
Maian, et Electran, Taygetenque Jovi:
Septima mortali Merope tibi, Sisyphe, nupsit: 175
Poenitet, et facti sola pudore latet;
Sive, quod Electra Trojae; spectare ruinas
Non tulit, ante oculos opposuitque manum.

Ter sine perpetuo coelum versetur in axe;
Ter jungat Titan, terque resolvat equos; 180
Protinus inflexo Berecyntia tibia cornu
Flabit, et Idaeae festa Parentis erunt.
Ibunt semimares et inania tympana tundent,
Aeraque tinnitus sere repulsa dabunt.
Ipsa sedens molli comitum cervice feretur 185
Urbis per medias exululata vias.
Scena sonat, ludique vocant. Spectate, Quirites!
Et fora Marte suo litigiosa vacent.
Quaerere multa libet: sed me sonus aeris acuti
Terret, et horrendo lotos adunca sono. 190
Da, dea, quas sciter, doctas, Cybeleïa, neptes.
Audit, et has curae jussit adesse meae.
Pandite mandati memores, Heliconis alumnae,
Gaudeat assiduo cur dea Magna sono.
Sic ego. Sic Erato:--mensis Cythereïus illi 195
Cessit, quod teneri nomen Amoris habet.--
Reddita Saturno sors haec erat: Optime regum.
A nato sceptris excutiere tuis.
Ille suam metuens, ut quaeque erat edita, prolem
Devorat, immersam visceribusque tenet. 200
Saepe Rhea questa est toties fecunda, nec umquam
Mater, et indoluit fertilitate sua.
Jupiter ortus erat.--Pro magno teste vetustas
Creditur; acceptam parce movere fidem.--
Veste latens saxum coelesti gutture sedit. 205
Sic genitor fatis decipiendus erat.
Ardua jam dudum resonat tinnitibus Ide,
Tutus ut infanti vagiat ore puer.
Pars clypeos rudibus, galeas pars tundit inanes:
Hoc Curetes habent, hoc Corybantes opus. 210
Res latuit patrem: priscique imitamina facti
aera deae comites raucaque terga movent.
Cymbala pro galeis, pro scutis tympana pulsant:
Tibia dat Phrygios, ut dedit ante, modos.
Desierat: coepi: Cur huic genus acre leonum 215
Praebeat insolitas ad juga curva jubas?
Desieram: coepit: Feritas mollita per illam
Creditur. Id curru testificata suo est.
At cur turrita caput est ornata corona?
An primis turres urbibus illa dedit? 220
Annuit. Unde venit, dixi, sua membra secandi
Impetus? Ut tacui, Pieris orsa loqui:
Phryx puer in silvis facie spectabilis Attis
Turrigeram casto vinxit amore deam.
Hunc sibi servari voluit, sua templa tueri: 225
Et dixit, _Semper fac puer esse velis_.
Ille fidem jussis dedit; et, _Si mentiar_, inquit,
_Ultima, qua fallam, sit Venus illa mihi_.
Fallit, et in Nympha Sagaritide desinit esse,
Quod fuit. Hinc poenas exigit ira deae. 230
Naïda vulneribus succidit in arbore factis.
Illa perit. Fatum Naïdos arbor erat.
Hic furit: et credens thalami procumbere tectum,
Effugit et cursu Dindyma summa petit.
Et modo, _Tolle faces! Remove_, modo, _verbera!_ clamat. 235
Saepe Palaestinas jurat adesse deas.
Ille etiam saxo corpus laniavit acuto,
Longaque in immundo pulvere tracta coma est;
Voxque fuit, Merui: meritas do sanguine poenas:
Ah pereant partes, quae nocuere mihi! 240
Ah pereant! dicebat adhuc: onus inguinis aufert;
Nullaque sunt subito signa relicta viri.
Venit in exemplum furor hic, mollesque ministri
Caedunt jactatis vilia membra comis.
Talibus Aoniae facunda voce Camenae; 245
Reddita quaesiti causa furoris erat.
Hoc quoque, dux operis, moneas, precor, unde petita
Venerit, an nostra semper in urbe fuit?
Dindymon, et Cybelen, et amoenam fontibus Iden
Semper, et Iliacas Mater amavit opes. 250
Quum Trojam. aeneas Italos portaret in agros,
Est dea sacriferas paene secuta rates.
Sed nondum fatis Latio sua numina posci
Senserat, assuetis substiteratque locis.
Post, ut Roma potens opibus jam saecula quinque 255
Vidit, et edomito sustulit orbe caput;
Carminis Euboici fatalia verba sacerdos
Inspicit. Inspectum tale fuisse ferunt:
_Mater abest; Matrem jubeo, Romane, requiras.
Quum veniet, casta est accipienda manu_. 260
Obscurae sortis Patres ambagibus errant,
Quaeve parens absit, quove petenda loco.
Consulitur Paean, _Divûm_ que _arcessite Matrem_,
Inquit, _et Idaeo est invenienda jugo_.
Mittuntur proceres. Phrygiae tum sceptra tenebat 265
Attalus: Ausoniis rem negat ille viris.
Mira canam: longo tremuit cum murmure tellus,
Et sic est adytis diva locuta suis:
_Ipsa peti volui. Ne sit mora: mitte volentem.
Dignus Roma locus, quo deus omnis eat_. 270
Ille soni terrore pavens, Proficiscere, dixit;
Nostra eris: in Phrygios Roma refertur avos.
Protinus innumerae caedunt pineta secures
Illa, quibus fugiens Phryx pius usus erat.
Mille manus coëunt: et picta coloribus ustis 275
Coelestum Matrem concava puppis habet.
Illa sui per aquas fertur tutissima nati,
Longaque Phrixeae stagna sororis adit,
Rhoeteumque rapax, Sigeaque litora transit,
Et Tenedum, et veteres Eëtionis opes. 280
Cyclades excipiunt, Lesbo post terga relicta,
Quaque Carysteis frangitur unda vadis.
Transit et Icarium, lapsas ubi perdidit alas
Icarus, et vastae nomina fecit aquae.
Tum laeva Creten, dextra Pelopeïdas undas 285
Deserit, et Veneri sacra Cythera petit.
Hinc mare Trinacrium, candens ubi tingere ferrum
Brontes, et Steropes, Acmonidesque solent:
aequoraque Afra legit, Sardoaque regna sinistris
Prospicit a remis, Ausoniamque tenet. 290
Ostia contigerat, qua se Tiberinus in altum
Dividit, et campo liberiore natat:
Omnis eques, mixtaque gravis cum plebe senatus
Obvius ad Tusci fluminis ora venit;
Procedunt pariter matres, nataeque, nurusque. 295
Quaeque colunt sanctos virginitate focos.
Sedula fune viri contento brachia lassant.
Vix subit adversas hospita navis aquas,
Sicca diu tellus fuerat: sitis usserat herbas:
Sedit limoso pressa carina vado. 300
Quisquis adest operi, plus quam pro parte laborat,
Adjuvat et fortes voce sonante manus.
Illa velut medio stabilis sedet insula ponto.
Attoniti monstro stantque paventque viri.
Claudia Quinta genus Clauso referebat ab alto: 305
Nec facies impar nobilitate fuit.
Casta quidem, sed non et credita. Rumor iniquus
Laeserat, et falsi criminis acta rea est.
Cultus et ornatis varie prodisse capillis
Obfuit, ad rigidos promptaque lingua senes. 310
Conscia mens recti famae mendacia risit:
Sed nos in vitium credula turba sumus.
Haec ubi castarum processit ab agmine matrum,
Et manibus puram fluminis hausit aquam,
Ter caput irrorat, ter tollit in aethera palmas; 315
--Quicumque adspiciunt, mente carere putant.--
Submissoque genu vultus in imagine divae
Figit, et hos edit crine jacente sonos:
Supplicis, alma, tuae, genitrix fecunda deorum,
Accipe sub certa conditione preces. 320
Casta negor. Si tu damnas, meruisse fatebor;
Morte luam poenas judice victa dea.
Sed, si crimen abest, tu nostrae pignora vitae
Re dabis, et castas casta sequere manus.
Dixit, et exiguo funem conamine traxit. 325
Mira, sed et scena testificata loquar.
Mota dea est, sequiturque ducem, laudatque sequendo.
Index laetitiae fertur in astra sonus.
Fluminis ad flexum veniunt: Tiberina priores
Ostia dixerunt, unde sinister abit. 330
Nox aderat: querno religant a stipite funem,
Dantque levi somno corpora functa cibo.
Lux aderat: querno solvunt a stipite funem;
Ante tamen posito tura dedere foco:
Ante coronatam puppim sine labe juvencam 335
Mactarunt operum conjugiique rudem.
Est locus, in Tiberin qua lubricus influit Almo,
Et nomen magno perdit ab amne minor.
Illic purpurea canus cum veste sacerdos
Almonis dominam sacraque lavit aquis. 340
Exululant comites, furiosaque tibia flatur,
Et feriunt molles taurea terga manus.
Claudia praecedit, laeto celeberrima vultu;
Credita vix tandem teste pudica dea.
Ipsa sedens plaustro porta est invecta Capena: 345
Sparguntur junctae flore recente boves.
Nasica accepit. Templi non perstitit auctor;
Augustus nunc est; ante Metellus erat.
Substitit hic Erato. Mora fit, si cetera quaeram.
Dic, inquam, parva cur stipe quaerat opes? 350
Contulit aes populus, de quo delubra Metellus
Fecit, ait; dandae mos stipis inde manet.
Cur vicibus factis ineant convivia, quaero,
Tum magis, indictas concelebrentque dapes.
Quod bene mutarit sedem Berecyntia, dixit, 355
Captant mutatis sedibus omen idem.
Institeram, quare primi Megalesia ludi
Urbe forent nostra, quum dea,--sensit enim--
Illa deos, inquit, peperit. Cessere parenti,
Principiumque dati Mater honoris habet. 360
Cur igitur Gallos, qui se excidere, vocamus,
Quum tanto Phrygia Gallica distet humus?
Inter, ait, viridem Cybelen altasque Celaenas,
Amnis it insana, nomine Gallus, aqua.
Qui bibit inde, furit. Procul hinc discedite, quis est 365
Cura bonae mentis. Qui bibit inde, furit.
Non pudet herbosum, dixi, posuisse moretum
In dominae mensis? an sua causa subest?
Lacte mero veteres usi memorantur et herbis,
Sponte sua si quas terra ferebat, ait. 370
Candidus elisae miscetur caseus herbae,
Cognoscat priscos ut dea prisca cibos.

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