†abstrahere inde potest sed, opācā fūsus in herbā,
spectat †inexplētō mendācem lūmine fōrmam,
perque oculōs perit ipse suōs; †paulumque leuātus
440
ad †circumstantēs tendēns sua brācchia siluās
‘ecquis, †iō siluae, crūdēlius’ inquit ‘amāuit?
scītis enim et multīs †latebra opportūna fuistis.
†ecquem, cum uestrae tot agantur saecula uītae,
quī sīc †tābuerit, longō meministis in aeuō?
445
†et placet et uideō; sed quod uideōque placetque,
nōn tamen inuēnī; tantus tenet error amantem.
†quōque magis doleam, nec nōs mare sēparat ingēns,
nec uia, nec montēs, nec clausīs †moenia portīs.
†exiguā prohibēmur aquā! cupit ipse tenērī:
450
nam quotiēns liquidīs †porrēximus ōscula lymphīs,
hīc †totiēns ad mē resupīnō nītitur ōre.
posse †putēs tangī; minimum est, quod amantibus obstat.’
3.454–62: Narcissus tries to address the image
‘quisquis es, hūc exī! quid mē, puer †ūnice, fallis?
quōue petītus abīs? certē nec fōrma †nec aetās
455
est mea, quam †fugiās, et amārunt mē quoque nymphae!
spem mihi †nescioquam uultū prōmittis amīcō.
†cumque ego porrēxī tibi brācchia, porrigis ultrō;
cum †rīsī, adrīdēs; lacrimās^ quoque saepe notāuī,
mē †lacrimante, ^tuas; nūtū quoque signa remittis
460
et, †quantum mōtū fōrmōsī suspicor ōris,
uerba refers †aurēs nōn peruenientia nostrās!’
3.463–73: Narcissus realises the image is – himself
†‘iste ego sum; sēnsī, nec mē mea fallit imāgō.
ūror amōre meī; flammās moueōque ferōque.
quid †faciam? roger anne rogem? quid dēīnde rogābō?
465
quod cupiō mēcum est; †inopem mē cōpia fēcit.
†ō utinam ā nostrō sēcēdere corpore possem!
†uōtum in amante nouum, uellem quod amāmus abesset.
iamque dolor uīrēs †adimit, nec tempora^ uītae
^longa meae superant, prīmōque †exstinguor in aeuō.
470
nec mihi^ mors grauis est ^positūrō †morte dolōrēs;
hīc, quī dīligitur, †uellem diuturnior esset.
nunc duo †concordēs animā moriēmur in ūnā.’
3.474–93: Vainly Narcissus calls on his reflection, and slowly withers away
dīxit, et ad faciem rediit male †sānus eandem,
et lacrimīs turbāuit aquās, †obscūraque mōtō^
475
†reddita fōrma ^lacū est; quam cum uīdisset abīre,
‘quō refugis? remanē nec mē, crūdēlis, amantem
†dēsere!’ clāmāuit; ‘liceat, quod tangere nōn est,
adspicere, et miserō †praebēre alimenta furōrī!’
†dumque dolet, summā uestem dēdūxit ab ōrā
480
nūdaque †marmoreīs percussit pectora palmīs.
pectora trāxērunt †roseum percussa rubōrem,
nōn aliter quam †pōma solent quae, candida parte,
parte †rubent, aut ut uariīs solet ūua^ racēmīs
dūcere †purpureum nōndum ^mātūra colōrem.
485
†quae simul adspexit liquefactā rūrsus in undā,
nōn tulit †ulterius, sed ut intābēscere flāuae
igne leuī †cērae mātūtīnaeque pruīnae
sōle tepente solent, sīc †attenuātus amōre
†līquitur et tēctō paulātim carpitur ignī.
490
et neque iam color est †mixtō candōre rubōrī,
nec †uigor et uīrēs et quae modo uīsa placēbant,
nec corpus remanet, quondam quod amāuerat Ēchō.
3.494–510: Echo pities the boy; but all that remains of him is a flower
†quae tamen ut uīdit, quamuīs īrāta memorque,
†indoluit, quotiēnsque puer miserābilis ‘ēh’
495
dīxerat, haec †resonīs iterābat uōcibus ‘ēh’
cumque suōs manibus percusserat ille lacertōs,
haec quoque reddēbat †sonitum plangōris eundem.
ultima uōx^ solitam fuit ^haec †spectantis in undam:
‘h frūstrā †dīlecte puer!’, totidemque^ remīsit
500
^uerba locus, dictōque ‘ualē’, †‘uale’ inquit et Ēchō.
ille caput †uiridī fessum submīsit in herbā,
lūmina mors clausit †dominī mīrantia fōrmam.
tum quoque sē, postquam est †īnfernā sēde receptus,
in Stygiā spectābat aquā. †planxēre sorōrēs
505
Nāides, et †sectōs frātrī posuēre capillōs,
planxērunt Dryades; plangentibus adsonat Ēchō.
iamque †rogum quassāsque facēs feretrumque parābant –
†nūsquam corpus erat. croceum prō corpore flōrem
inueniunt, †foliīs medium cingentibus albīs.
510
Learning vocabulary for Passage 8, Echo and Narcissus
adspiciō 3/4 adspexī adspectum observe, catch sight of, see
candor -is 3m. radiance, whiteness
captō 1 try to get hold of
carpō 3 carpsī carptum pick, harvest, take; plunder, devour; weaken, consume
cēr-a ae 1f. wax
cernō 3 crēuī crētum discern, perceive
claudō 3 clausī clausum enclose, trap
color -is 3m. colour, tinge, hue
cōpi-a ae 1f. control over, use of (X gen.) for sexual purposes; plenty
croce-us a um yellow
dēserō 3 dēseruī dēsertum desert, abandon
ecquis: ‘[Is] anyone?’
ēh (cf. h) a cry of anguish
exigu-us a um narrow
flāu-us a um yellow
flōs flōr-is 3m. flower
fugāx fugāc-is fleeting
haereō 2 cling on; stay put
hūc (to) here
(in)calēscō 3 incaluī become hot, excited (with desire)
mīrābil-is e admirable
miserābil-is e pitiful
mixt-us a um mixed (misceō)
Narciss-us ī 2m. Narcissus
obscūr-us a um obscured, dark
pariter equally
plangō 3 planxī mourn
porrigō 3 porrēxī porrēctum offer, stretch
quondam once (upon a time)
quotiēns how often
remittō 3 send back, return
rūrsus again
simulācr-um ī 2n. image, likeness
sit-is is 3f. thirst
son-us ī 2m. sound
totidem the same number of
turbō 1 disturb
uāt-ēs is 3m. prophet, seer
Study section
1. Write out and scan ll.365–9, 499–503.
2. 405 iūstīs: in Ovid’s or Nemesis’ eyes? Does it make any difference?
3. Do you feel pity for Narcissus? Or was he justly punished?
4. What purpose does Echo serve in the story?
5. Does Ovid push the paradoxes and ironies too far for credibility? Or does credibility not matter?
6. What would one mean if one were to say that the story has all been done by mirrors?
7. ‘Narcissus’ final dissolution is triggered by the sight of his blushing flesh compared in the simile at 483–5 to apples and grapes. The ultimate fruitlessness of Narcissus’ desire is signalled by his attempt to feed on a literary simulacrum, or simile’ (Hardie, 2002, 163). Discuss.
8. What are the parallels between the Narcissus story and the following passage (John Milton, Paradise Lost 4
.449–76)? What is the big difference? How does Milton ‘christianise’ it? (See Burrow in Hardie, 2002a, 316–17.)
Eve, who was formed out of a rib from Adam’s side, is talking to Adam of the moment she awakened and ‘came to life’:
That day I oft remember, when from sleep
I first awaked, and found myself reposed
Under a shade of flow’rs, much wond’ring where
And what I was, whence thither brought, and how.
Not distant far from thence a murmuring sound
5
Of waters issued from a cave and spread
Into a liquid plain, then stood unmoved
Pure as th’ expanse of heav’n; I thither went
With unexperienced thought, and laid me down
On the green bank, to look into the clear
10
Smooth lake, that to me seemed another sky.
As I bent down to look, just opposite,
A shape within the wat’ry gleam appeared
Bending to look on me: I started back,
It started back, but pleased I soon returned,
15
Pleased it returned as soon with answering looks
Of sympathy and love; there I had fixed
Mine eyes till now, and pined with vain desire,
Had not a voice thus warned me, ‘What thou seest,
What there thou seest fair creature is thyself,
20
With thee it came and goes: but follow me,
And I will bring thee where no shadow stays
Thy coming, and thy soft embraces, he
Whose image thou art, him thou shalt enjoy
Inseparably thine, to him shalt bear
25
Multitudes like thyself, and thence be called
Mother of human race’. What could I do,
But follow straight, invisibly thus led?
Vocabulary and grammar
339 ille: i.e. Tiresias
Aoni-us a um from Boeotia (the Aones being an aboriginal Boeotian tribe)
celeber celebr-is e thronged, famous
340 irreprehēns-us a um faultless
341 fidē: archaic gen. s. of fidēs
rat-us a um authoritative, trusted
temptāmina sūmō 3 make a trial (of)
342 caerul-us a um sea-green
Līriopē: Greek nom., Liriope, mother of Narcissus by Cephisus; caerula Līriopē makes for a lovely, liquid sound
*quondam once (upon a time)
343 implicō 1 implicuī enfold, wrap round (the subject is Cephisus)
*claudō 3 clausī clausum enclose, trap. clausaeque (dat.) refers to Liriope and depends on uim tulit
Cēphīsos: Greek nom., Cephisus, a river (god) in Boeotia
344 uim ferō bring force to bear on, rape (+ dat.)
ēnītor 3 dep. ēnīxus give birth to
uter-us ī 2m. womb
345 īnfāns īnfant-is 3 m./f. infant, baby (to be picked up by quī)
posset: generic subj. after quī, ‘the sort of baby that . . .’, RL140.1, RLQ2(a), W38
346 *Narciss-us ī 2m. Narcissus
cōnsulō 3 cōnsuluī cōnsultum consult (the subject is Tiresias, fātidicus uātēs 348)
347 mātūr-us a um ripe, mellow; an optimistic, expansive golden line
senect-a ae 1f. old age
348 fātidic-us a um oracular
*uāt-ēs is 3m. prophet, seer
349 uān-us a um hollow, foolish
augur -is 3m./f. prophet
exit-us ūs 4m. outcome
illam: = uōcem
350 rēs: i.e. the subject-matter of the prophecy (nom.)
lēt-um ī 2n. death
nouitās nouitāt-is 3f. novelty
351 ter ad quīnōs: to the three-times five, i.e. fifteen (years)
Cēphīsius: son of Cephisus, i.e. Narcissus
352 addiderat: note the ‘background’ plupf.; there will be perfs. in 353–5; in 356 we come to the present
354 tenerā tam dūra: a clever antithesis
superbi-a ae 1f. pride
356 *adspiciō 3/4 adspexī adspectum observe, catch sight of, see
trepid-us a um frightened
agitō 1 drive
rēt-e is 3n. net
357 uōcāl-is e talkative
reticeō 2 stay silent (in the presence of + dat.). reticēre and loquī are infs., dependent on didicit 358
358 discō 3 didicī learn how to (+ inf.)
resonābil-is e able [only] to repeat sounds
Ēchō: Greek nom. s., Echo
360 garrul-us a um chatty
nōn alium quam: ‘no different from that [ūsum . . . ōris] which’
361 ut: ‘namely, that [she] . . .’; the ‘explanatory’ ut clause enlarges on ūsum
dē multīs: supply uerbīs
nouissima: i.e. ‘the very last/final’
362 Iūnō: as usual, she blames the women whom Jupiter seduces as much as Jupiter (cf. Comment on Semele, passage 6, second para., pp. 103–4)
364 illa: i.e. Echo
365 prudēns prudent-is deliberate(ly), i.e. Echo was acting in the interests of her fellow-nymphs (and, whether intentionally or not, of Jupiter too)
fugerent: note the subj. with dum, RL165.2
366 dēlūs-us a um tricked (dēlūdō)
potestās potestāt-is 3f. power. It controls hus . . . linguae
368 rēque: ‘and by action’ (rēs)
min-a ae 1f. threat
tantum only
haec: Echo, subject
369 reportō 1 repeat
370 rūs rūr-is 3n. countryside
371*(in)calēscō 3 incaluī become hot, excited (with desire)
372 quō-que magis: + ind., ‘by how much the more’, ‘the more’; quō is abl. of difference, RL100B.5, WSuppl.syntax
373 circumlit-us a um smeared, daubed onto (+ dat.)
taed-a ae 1f. torch
374 uīuāx uīuāc-is tenacious, lively
sulphur -is 3n. sulphur (subject), i.e. when a flame is brought near a torch smeared with sulphur, the sulphur immediately catches fire
375 *quotiēns how often
bland-us a um winning
376 adhibeō 2 apply, use
377 sinō 3 allow (sc. ‘her’) to + subj.
incipiō 3/4 begin, initiate (the conversation)
quod sinit: i.e. what her nātūra does allow
illa: she, i.e. Echo
378 *son-us ī 2m. sound (i.e. words)
*remittō 3 send back, return. This is subj. because the ad quōs clause indicates the purpose that Echo has in mind
Learning vocabulary
adspiciō 3/4 adspexī adspectum observe, catch sight of, see
claudō 3 clausī clausum enclose, trap
(in)calēscō 3 incaluī become hot, excited (with desire)
Narciss-us ī 2m. Narcissus
quondam once (upon a time)
quotiēns how often
remittō 3 send back, return
son-us ī 2m. sound
uāt-ēs is 3m. prophet, seer
379 sēduct-us a um separated (sēdūcō). Note the prefix sē-, ‘apart’
agmen agmin-is 3n. line, column
fīd-us a um trusty, loyal
380 *ecquis : ‘[Is] anyone?’; note the effective chiastic chiastic line – A dīxerat/B adest/B adest/A responderat, helping create an ‘echo’ effect
381 stupeō 2 be amazed, startled
382 uōce . . . uocantem: note the cleverly ‘responding’ play on uōx/uocō
383 respiciō 3/4 look back
*rūrsus again
384 *totidem the same number of [uerba]
385 perstō 1 persist
altern-us a um alternating, reciprocating
386 *hūc (to) here
libentius more willingly
388 faueō 2 back up, act in support of (+ dat.)
siluā: i.e. from the wo
od (‘true’ ablative, RL100A, survey of uses [a])
389 iniciō 3/4 throw X (acc.) round Y (abl.). Note that in- scans heavy because it is treated as if it is iniiciō (i.e. in + iaciō, whose first i is consonantal)
390 complex-us ūs 4m. embracing
391 ante . . . quam: take these two words together, controlling the result-type clause beginning sit, RL165.3
ēmorior 3/4 dep. die. Is this subj. here or fut.? What would be the difference in meaning?
*cōpi-a ae 1f. control over, use of (X gen.) for sexual purposes. Note how Echo cleverly turns the sit of Narcissus’ antequam clause into a wish (RL153) by omitting the antequam
393 sprēt-us a um rejected (spernō)
pudibund-us a um embarrassed
frōns frond-is 3f. leaf
394 prōtegō 3 cover
ex illō: ‘from then on’
395 *haereō 2 cling on; stay put
repulsa-a ae 1f. rejection
396 extenuō 1 make thin
uigil -is keeping [her] awake
*miserābil-is e pitiful
397 addūcō 3 tighten, shrink, contract
cut-is is 3f. skin
maci-ēs -ēī 5f. thinness
sūc-us ī 2m. juice
399 manet: i.e. only her voice remained unaltered
lapis lapid-is 3f. stone