Myths, Gods, and Men
Fall 2006 Readings - Week 7
Daphne and Phoebus
Ovid's Metamorphoses 1.452 - 1.565
Read October 17, 2006 by Elisa Scipioni and Daniel Lofgren
| Primus amor Phoebi Daphne Peneia, quem non fors ignara dedit, sed saeva Cupidinis ira. Delius hunc, nuper victa serpente superbus, viderat adducto flectentem cornua nervo [455] "quid" que "tibi, lascive puer, cum fortibus armis?" dixerat, "ista decent umeros gestamina nostros, qui dare certa ferae, dare vulnera possumus hosti, qui modo pestifero tot iugera ventre prementem stravimus innumeris tumidum Pythona sagittis. [460] Tu face nescio quos esto contentus amores inritare tua, nec laudes adsere nostras." Filius huic Veneris "figat tuus omnia, Phoebe, te meus arcus:" ait "quantoque animalia cedunt cuncta deo tanto minor est tua gloria nostra." [465] |
Daphne, the daughter of a River God was first beloved by Phoebus, the great God of glorious light. 'Twas not a cause of chance but out of Cupid's vengeful spite that she was fated to torment the lord of light. For Phoebus, proud of Python's death, beheld that impish god of Love upon a time when he was bending his diminished bow, and voicing his contempt in anger said; "What, wanton boy, are mighty arms to thee, great weapons suited to the needs of war? The bow is only for the use of those large deities of heaven whose strength may deal wounds, mortal, to the savage beasts of prey; and who courageous overcome their foes.-- it is a proper weapon to the use of such as slew with arrows Python, huge, whose pestilential carcase vast extent covered. Content thee with the flames thy torch enkindles (fires too subtle for my thought) and leave to me the glory that is mine." |
| Dixit et eliso percussis aere pennis inpiger umbrosa Parnasi constitit arce eque sagittifera prompsit duo tela pharetra diversorum operum: fugat hoc, facit illud amorem. Quod facit, auratum est et cuspide fulget acuta; [470] quod fugat, obtusum est et habet sub harundine plumbum. Hoc deus in nympha Peneide fixit, at illo laesit Apollineas traiecta per ossa medullas. Protinus alter amat, fugit altera nomen amantis silvarum tenebris captivarumque ferarum [475] exuviis gaudens innuptaeque aemula Phoebes. Vitta coercebat positos sine lege capillos. Multi illam petiere, illa aversata petentes inpatiens expersque viri nemora avia lustrat, nec quid Hymen, quid Amor, quid sint conubia curat. [480] Saepe pater dixit "generum mihi, filia, debes," saepe pater dixit "debes mihi nata, nepotes:" illa, velut crimen taedas exosa iugales, pulchra verecundo suffunditur ora rubore, inque patris blandis haerens cervice lacertis [485] "da mihi perpetua, genitor carissime," dixit "virginitate frui: dedit hoc pater ante Dianae." Ille quidem obsequitur, sed te decor iste quod optas esse vetat. Votoque tuo tua forma repugnat: Phoebus amat visaeque cupit conubia Daphnes, [490] quodque cupit, sperat, suaque illum oracula fallunt. Utque leves stipulae demptis adolentur aristis, ut facibus saepes ardent, quas forte viator vel nimis admovit vel iam sub luce reliquit, sic deus in flammas abiit, sic pectore toto [495] uritur et sterilem sperando nutrit amorem. Spectat inornatos collo pendere capillos et "quid, si comantur?" ait. Videt igne micantes sideribus similes oculos, videt oscula, quae non est vidisse satis; laudat digitosque manusque [500] bracchiaque et nudos media plus parte lacertos. Siqua latent, meliora putat. Fugit ocior aura illa levi neque ad haec revocantis verba resistit: |
To him, undaunted, Venus, son replied; "O Phoebus, thou canst conquer all the world with thy strong bow and arrows, but with this small arrow I shall pierce thy vaunting breast! And by the measure that thy might exceeds the broken powers of thy defeated foes, so is thy glory less than mine." No more he said, but with his wings expanded thence flew lightly to Parnassus, lofty peak. There, from his quiver he plucked arrows twain, most curiously wrought of different art; one love exciting, one repelling love. The dart of love was glittering, gold and sharp, the other had a blunted tip of lead; and with that dull lead dart he shot the Nymph, but with the keen point of the golden dart he pierced the bone and marrow of the God. Immediately the one with love was filled, the other, scouting at the thought of love, rejoiced in the deep shadow of the woods, and as the virgin Phoebe (who denies the joys of love and loves the joys of chase) a maiden's fillet bound her flowing hair,-- and her pure mind denied the love of man. Beloved and wooed she wandered silent paths, for never could her modesty endure the glance of man or listen to his love. Her grieving father spoke to her, "Alas, my daughter, I have wished a son in law, and now you owe a grandchild to the joy of my old age." But Daphne only hung her head to hide her shame. The nuptial torch seemed criminal to her. She even clung, caressing, with her arms around his neck, and pled, "My dearest father let me live a virgin always, for remember Jove did grant it to Diana at her birth." But though her father promised her desire, her loveliness prevailed against their will; for, Phoebus when he saw her waxed distraught, and filled with wonder his sick fancy raised delusive hopes, and his own oracles deceived him.--As the stubble in the field flares up, or as the stacked wheat is consumed by flames, enkindled from a spark or torch the chance pedestrian may neglect at dawn; so was the bosom of the god consumed, and so desire flamed in his stricken heart. He saw her bright hair waving on her neck;-- "How beautiful if properly arranged! " He saw her eyes like stars of sparkling fire, her lips for kissing sweetest, and her hands and fingers and her arms; her shoulders white as ivory;--and whatever was not seen more beautiful must be. Swift as the wind from his pursuing feet the virgin fled, and neither stopped nor heeded as he called. |
| "Nympha, precor, Penei, mane! Non insequor hostis: nympha, mane! sic agna lupum, sic cerva leonem, [505] sic aquilam penna fugiunt trepidante columbae, hostes quaeque suos: amor est mihi causa sequendi. Me miserum! ne prona cadas indignave laedi crura notent sentes et sim tibi causa doloris. Aspera, qua properas, loca sunt. Moderatius, oro, [510] curre fugamque inhibe; moderatius insequar ipse. Cui placeas, inquire tamen. Non incola montis, non ego sum pastor, non hic armenta gregesque horridus observo. Nescis, temeraria, nescis quem fugias, ideoque fugis. Mihi Delphica tellus [515] et Claros et Tenedos Patareaque regia servit, Iuppiter est genitor; per me quod eritque fuitque estque patet; per me concordant carmina nervis. Certa quidem nostra est, nostra tamen una sagitta certior, in vacuo quae vulnera pectore fecit. [520] Inventum medicina meum est, opiferque per orbem dicor, et herbarum subiecta potentia nobis: ei mihi, quod nullis amor est sanabilis herbis nec prosunt domino, quae prosunt omnibus, artes." |
"O Nymph! O Daphne! I entreat thee stay, it is no enemy that follows thee-- why, so the lamb leaps from the raging wolf, and from the lion runs the timid faun, and from the eagle flies the trembling dove, all hasten from their natural enemy but I alone pursue for my dear love. Alas, if thou shouldst fall and mar thy face, or tear upon the bramble thy soft thighs, or should I prove unwilling cause of pain! "The wilderness is rough and dangerous, and I beseech thee be more careful--I will follow slowly.--Ask of whom thou wilt, and thou shalt learn that I am not a churl-- I am no mountain dweller of rude caves, nor clown compelled to watch the sheep and goats; and neither canst thou know from whom thy feet fly fearful, or thou wouldst not leave me thus. "The Delphic Land, the Pataraean Realm, Claros and Tenedos revere my name, and my immortal sire is Jupiter. The present, past and future are through me in sacred oracles revealed to man, and from my harp the harmonies of sound are borrowed by their bards to praise the Gods. My bow is certain, but a flaming shaft surpassing mine has pierced my heart-- untouched before. The art of medicine is my invention, and the power of herbs; but though the world declare my useful works there is no herb to medicate my wound, and all the arts that save have failed their lord.," |
| Plura locuturum timido Peneia cursu fugit cumque ipso verba inperfecta reliquit, tum quoque visa decens. Nudabant corpora venti, obviaque adversas vibrabant flamina vestes, et levis inpulsos retro dabat aura capillos, auctaque forma fuga est. Sed enim non sustinet ultra [530] perdere blanditias iuvenis deus, utque monebat ipse Amor, admisso sequitur vestigia passu. Ut canis in vacuo leporem cum Gallicus arvo vidit, et hic praedam pedibus petit, ille salutem: alter inhaesuro similis iam iamque tenere [535] sperat et extento stringit vestigia rostro, alter in ambiguo est, an sit conprensus, et ipsis morsibus eripitur tangentiaque ora relinquit: sic deus et virgo est hic spe celer, illa timore. Qui tamen insequitur pennis adiutus Amoris, [540] ocior est requiemque negat tergoque fugacis inminet et crinem sparsum cervicibus adflat. Viribus absumptis expalluit illa citaeque victa labore fugae spectans Peneidas undas "fer pater" inquit "opem si flumina numen habetis. [545] Qua nimium placui, mutando perde figuram!" Vix prece finita torpor gravis occupat artus: mollia cinguntur tenui praecordia libro, in frondem crines, in ramos bracchia crescunt, pes modo tam velox pigris radicibus haeret, [550] ora cacumen habet; remanet nitor unus in illa. Hanc quoque Phoebus amat, positaque in stipite dextra sentit adhuc trepidare novo sub cortice pectus conplexusque suis ramos, ut membra, lacertis oscula dat ligno: refugit tamen oscula lignum. [555] |
But even as he made his plaint, the Nymph with timid footsteps fled from his approach, and left him to his murmurs and his pain. Lovely the virgin seemed as the soft wind exposed her limbs, and as the zephyrs fond fluttered amid her garments, and the breeze fanned lightly in her flowing hair. She seemed most lovely to his fancy in her flight; and mad with love he followed in her steps, and silent hastened his increasing speed. As when the greyhound sees the frightened hare flit over the plain:--With eager nose outstretched, impetuous, he rushes on his prey, and gains upon her till he treads her feet, and almost fastens in her side his fangs; but she, whilst dreading that her end is near, is suddenly delivered from her fright; so was it with the god and virgin: one with hope pursued, the other fled in fear; and he who followed, borne on wings of love, permitted her no rest and gained on her, until his warm breath mingled in her hair. Her strength spent, pale and faint, with pleading eyes she gazed upon her father's waves and prayed, "Help me my father, if thy flowing streams have virtue! Cover me, O mother Earth! Destroy the beauty that has injured me, or change the body that destroys my life." Before her prayer was ended, torpor seized on all her body, and a thin bark closed around her gentle bosom, and her hair became as moving leaves; her arms were changed to waving branches, and her active feet as clinging roots were fastened to the ground-- her face was hidden with encircling leaves.-- Phoebus admired and loved the graceful tree, (For still, though changed, her slender form remained) and with his right hand lingering on the trunk he felt her bosom throbbing in the bark. He clung to trunk and branch as though to twine. His form with hers, and fondly kissed the wood that shrank from every kiss. |
| Cui deus "at quoniam coniunx mea non potes esse, arbor eris certe" dixit "mea. Semper habebunt te coma, te citharae, te nostrae, laure, pharetrae: tu ducibus Latiis aderis, cum laeta triumphum vox canet et visent longas Capitolia pompas: [560] postibus Augustis eadem fidissima custos ante fores stabis mediamque tuebere quercum, utque meum intonsis caput est iuvenale capillis, tu quoque perpetuos semper gere frondis honores." Finierat Paean: factis modo laurea ramis [565] adnuit utque caput visa est agitasse cacumen. |
And thus the God; "Although thou canst not be my bride, thou shalt be called my chosen tree, and thy green leaves, O Laurel! shall forever crown my brows, be wreathed around my quiver and my lyre; the Roman heroes shall be crowned with thee, as long processions climb the Capitol and chanting throngs proclaim their victories; and as a faithful warden thou shalt guard the civic crown of oak leaves fixed between thy branches, and before Augustan gates. And as my youthful head is never shorn, so, also, shalt thou ever bear thy leaves unchanging to thy glory.," Here the God, Phoebus Apollo, ended his lament, and unto him the Laurel bent her boughs, so lately fashioned; and it seemed to him her graceful nod gave answer to his love. |
Source Information
Latin: Ovid. Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892.
[Via Perseus]
English: Ovid. Metamorphoses. Brookes More. Boston. Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922.
[Via Perseus]