649–65: No surprise, then, that she finally collapses – Ovid moves sympathetically into the second person with tū (apostrophe) – and, using leaves as a pillow against the hard ground, she indicates that she has had enough (649–51). Her search has been in vain, as it would have been even if she had found Caunus. All efforts to stir her or to help her fail (652–4). She is past human reach – dumb, inert, gripping the earth, weeping copiously. Time, then, for her transformation. The Naiades feed a channel under her to draw her tears away – they are water-nymphs: that is their job (658) – and gradually Byblis, grandchild of Apollo, is ‘naturalistically’ turned into a spring (663–5; the presence of an īlex hints that it is an agreeable spot; cf. Arethusa at 5.632–6). If this is her ‘punishment’, it could perhaps have been a lot worse. It is clear that, by now, she can take no more anyway (cf. 616–17), and Ovid’s comment on the intervention of the Naiads (658) suggests he sees it that way too (Ovid gives us an alternative version at Ars Amatōria 1.283–4 in a passage emphasising women’s lust for sex on any terms, where he says that Byblis atoned by bravely (fortiter) hanging herself). The three naturalistic similes that accompany the metamorphosis – pitch from cut pines, tar oozing from the ground and melting ice (659–62) – attempt to show how she was consumed by her tears (663). With the exception of the last, it is not at all obvious how these are meant to work.
16 Orpheus, Metamorphōsēs 10.8–63, 11.1–66
Background
The story of Byblis is followed by a happier story of sexual crisis. Iphis, born a girl, is brought up as a boy to mollify her father. When Iphis grows up and (to her horror) is given a bride, a god intervenes, turns Iphis into a boy, and everyone lives happily ever after. The god of marriage, Hymen, who has been attending Iphis’ wedding, is then summoned to oversee the marriage of the famous Thracian singer Orpheus to Eurydice, but the omens that attend the ceremony are not good. Orpheus was renowned for his ability to charm with his singing all humanity, living or dead, and all nature, animate or inanimate.
10.8–17: Orpheus makes his way to Hades after Eurydice is bitten by a snake
†exitus auspiciō grauior; nam nūpta per herbās
dum noua †Nāiadum turbā comitāta uagātur,
occidit, in †tālum serpentis dente receptō.
10
†quam satis ad superās postquam Rhodopēius^ aurās
†dēflēuit ^uātēs, nē nōn temptāret et umbrās,
ad †Styga Taenariā est ausus dēscendere portā,
perque leuēs populōs simulācraque †fūncta sepulcrō
†Persephonēn adiīt, inamoenaque rēgna tenentem^
15
umbrārum †^dominum, pulsīsque ad carmina neruīs,
sīc ait:
10.17–24: ‘I have come here for my wife and nothing else’
†‘ō positī sub terrā nūmina mundī,
in quem reccidimus, †quicquid mortāle creāmur,
sī licet, et falsī positīs †ambāgibus ōris
uēra loquī sinitis, nōn hūc, ut †opāca uidērem
20
†Tartara, dēscendī, nec utī uillōsa colubrīs
†terna Medūsaeī uincīrem guttura mōnstrī.
causa uiae est coniunx, in quam †calcāta uenēnum
†uīpera diffūdit crēscentēsque abstulit annōs.’
10.25–39: ‘Love drove me on; since we are all yours eventually, give her back’
‘posse patī uoluī, nec mē temptāsse negābō:
25
uīcit Amor. superā deus hīc bene nōtus in ōrā est;
an sit et hīc, dubitō. sed et hīc tamen †auguror esse,
fāmaque sī ueteris nōn est †mentīta rapīnae,
uōs quoque iūnxit Amor. per ego haec loca plēna timōris,
per †Chaos hoc ingēns uastīque silentia rēgnī,
30
†Eurydicēs, ōrō, properāta retexite fāta.
†omnia dēbēmur uōbīs, paulumque morātī
†sērius aut citius sēdem properāmus ad ūnam.
†tendimus hūc omnēs, haec est domus ultima, uōsque
†hūmānī generis longissima rēgna tenētis.
35
†haec quoque, cum iūstōs mātūra perēgerit annōs,
†iūris erit uestrī: prō mūnere poscimus ūsum;
quodsī fāta negant †ueniam prō coniuge, certum est
nōlle redīre mihī: †lētō gaudēte duōrum.’
10.40–52: Eurydice is returned – on one condition
tālia dīcentem neruōsque ad uerba mouentem
40
†exsanguēs flēbant animae; nec Tantalus undam
captāuit †refugam, stupuitque Ixīonis orbis,
nec carpsēre †iecur uolucrēs, urnīsque uacārunt
†Bēlides, inque tuō sēdistī, Sīsyphe, saxō.
†tunc prīmum lacrimīs uictārum^ carmine fāma est
45
†^Eumenidum maduisse genās, nec rēgia coniunx
†sustinet ōrantī nec, quī regit īma, negāre,
†Eurydicēnque uocant. umbrās erat illa recentēs
†inter, et incessit passū dē uulnere tardō.
†hanc simul et lēgem Rhodopēius accipit hērōs,
50
exierit †uallēs; aut irrita dōna futūra.
10.53–63: Orpheus looks back, and Eurydice disappears
carpitur †adclīuis per mūta silentia trāmes,
arduus, obscūrus, †cālīgine dēnsus opācā,
nec procul āfuerunt †tellūris margine summae.
55
hīc, nē †dēficeret metuēns, auidusque uidendī,
flexit amāns oculōs, et prōtinus illa relāpsa est,
brācchiaque †intendēns, prendīque et prendere certāns,
nīl nisi cēdentēs īnfēlīx arripit aurās.
iamque iterum †moriēns nōn est dē coniuge quicquam
60
questa suō (quid enim nisi sē quererētur amātam?)
†suprēmumque ‘ualē’ – quod iam uix auribus ille
acciperet – dīxit, †reuolūtaque rūrsus eōdem est . . .
[Orpheus retreats into the Thracian mountains, abjures the love of women but thoughtfully introduces the Thracians to the love of boys instead. Drawing all nature after him, he sings a number of songs about love and its effects – including those of Pygmalion (passage 17) and of Venus and Adonis (passage 18) – but is then spotted by some Maenads who, enraged at his rejection of the female sex, ferociously attack him.]
11.1–19: Furious Maenads attack Orpheus; their missiles finally get through
carmine dum tālī siluās animōsque ferārum
†Thrēicius uātēs et saxa sequentia dūcit,
†ecce nurūs^ Ciconum, ^tēctae lymphāta ferīnīs
pectora †uelleribus, tumulī dē uertice cernunt
†Orphea percussīs sociantem carmina neruīs.
5
ē quibus ūna, leuēs †iactātō crīne per aurās,
†‘en,’ ait ‘en, hīc est nostrī contemptor!’, et hastam^
uātis †Apollineī uōcālia mīsit in ōra,
^quae, †foliīs praesūta, notam sine uulnere fēcit.
alterius tēlum †lapis est, quī missus in ipsō
10
āere †concentū uictus uōcisque lyraeque est,
ac uelutī †supplex prō tam furiālibus ausīs
ante pedēs iacuit. †sed enim temerāria crēscunt
bella, modusque †abiīt, īnsānaque rēgnat Erīns.
cūnctaque tēla †forent cantū mollīta, sed ingēns
15
†clāmor, et īnfrāctō Berecyntia tībia cornū,
†tympanaque et plausūs et Bacch ululātūs
†obstrepuēre sonō citharae; tum dēnique saxa
nōn †exaudītī rubuērunt sanguine uātis.
11.20–43: The Maenads atta
ck animals, then Orpheus himself, with everything they can find
ac prīmum †attonitās etiamnum uōce canentis
20
†innumerās uolucrēs anguēsque agmenque ferārum
†Maenades Orphēī titulum rapuēre theātrī;
inde †cruentātīs uertuntur in Orphea dextrīs,
et coeunt †ut auēs, sī quandō lūce uagantem
noctis auem cernunt, †strūctōque utrimque theātrō
25
†ceu mātūtīnā ceruus peritūrus harēnā
†praeda canum est, uātemque petunt, et fronde uirentēs
cōniciunt †thyrsōs, nōn haec in mūnera factōs.
†hae glaebās, illae dīreptōs arbore rāmōs,
pars †torquent silicēs. neu dēsint tēla furōrī,
30
forte †bouēs pressō subigēbant uōmere terram,
nec procul hinc multō †frūctum sūdōre parantēs^
dūra †^lacertōsī fodiēbant arua ^colōnī;
†agmine quī uīsō fugiunt, operisque relinquunt
arma suī, uacuōsque iacent †dīspersa per agrōs
35
†sarculaquē rāstrīque grauēs longīque ligōnēs.
quae postquam rapuēre †ferae, cornūque minācī
†dīuulsēre bouēs, ad uātis fāta recurrunt,
†tendentemque^ manūs, et in illō tempore prīmum
irrita ^dīcentem, nec quicquam uōce ^mouentem
40
†sacrilegae perimunt, perque ōs, prō Iuppiter! illud,
audītum saxīs intellēctumque ferārum
†sēnsibus, in uentōs anima exhālāta recessit.
11.44–60: Nature laments Orpheus; his head still sings as it floats down a river
†tē maestae uolucrēs, Orph, tē turba ferārum,
tē †rigidī silicēs, tē carmina saepe secūtae
45
flēuērunt siluae, positīs tē frondibus arbor
†tōnsa comās lūxit. lacrimīs quoque flūmina dīcunt
†incrēuisse suīs, obstrūsaque carbasa pullō
Nāides et †Dryades passōsque habuēre capillōs.
membra iacent †dīuersa locīs, caput, Hebre, lyramque
50
†excipis; et (mīrum!) mediō dum lābitur amne,
†flēbile nescioquid queritur lyra, flēbile lingua
†murmurat exanimis, respondent flēbile rīpae.
iamque mare †inuectae flūmen populāre relinquunt
et †Methymnaeae potiuntur lītore Lesbī.
55
hīc ferus †expositum^ peregrīnīs anguis harēnīs
^ōs petit et sparsōs †stillantī rōre capillōs.
tandem Phoebus adest, †morsūsque īnferre parantem
[he holds it back, and into stone the snake’s open jaws]
†congelat, et patulōs, ut erant, indūrat hiātūs.
60
11.61–6: Orpheus and Eurydice are reunited in Hades
umbra †subit terrās, et quae loca uīderat ante,
cūncta †recognōscit, quaerēnsque per arua piōrum
inuenit Eurydicēn †cupidīsque amplectitur ulnīs.
hīc modo †coniūnctīs spatiantur passibus ambō,
nunc †praecēdentem sequitur, nunc praeuius antt,
65
Eurydicēnque suam iam †tūtō respicit Orpheus.
Learning vocabulary for Passage 16, Orpheus
agmen agmin-is 3n. body, group, column
angu-is is 3m. snake
bōs bou-is 3m. ox
carmen carmin-is 3n. music, song
flēbil-is e lamentable, piteous
frōns frond-is 3f. leaves, foliage
harēn-a ae 1f. sand
irrit-us a um (in) vain
lyr-a ae 1f. lyre
neru-us ī 2m. string (of a lyre)
pass-us ūs 4m. pace, steps
rēgnum ī 2n. kingdom
Rhodopēi-us ī 2m. (man from) Mount Rhodope in Thrace, i.e. Thracian
silenti-um ī 2n. silence
silex silic-is 3m./f. pebble, stone
theātr-um ī 2n. audience
uolucr-is is 3f. bird
Study section
Compare Ovid’s account of Orpheus’ descent to the underworld (10.11–16) with Virgil’s (Georgics 4.464–70, below). Look also for metrical differences (numbers of dactyls and spondees, extent of elision, cf. Metre, note 12).
ipse, cauā sōlāns aegrum testūdine amōrem,
tē, dulcis coniunx, tē sōlō in lītore sēcum,
tē ueniente diē, tē dēcēdente canēbat.
Taenariās etiam faucēs, alta ostia Dītis
et cālīgantem nigrā formīdine lūcum
ingressus Mānēsque adiit rēgemque tremendum,
nesciaque hūmānīs precibus mānsuēscere corda.
‘He himself, consoling his sick love with his hollow tortoise-shell (lyre),
You, sweet wife, you on the desolate shore alone
He sang, you at return, you at decline of day.
Even the jaws of Taenarum, the high gates of Pluto,
And the grove shrouded in black terror
And the shades of the dead he approached and entered, and their shuddersome
king,
And hearts that do not know how to soften at human prayers.’
Now compare Virgil’s account of Orpheus’ death (Georgics 4.520–7, below) with Ovid’s (11.1–53)! What do words like mirum! (51), nescioquid (52) and exanimis (53) suggest about Ovid’s ‘take’ on that scene?
sprētae Ciconum quō mūnere mātrēs
inter sacra deum nocturnīque orgia Bacchī
discerptum lātōs iuuenem sparsēre per agrōs.
tum quoque marmoreā caput ā ceruīce reuulsum
gurgite cum mediō portāns Oeagrius Hebrus
uolueret, ‘Eurydicēn!’ uōx ipsa et frīgida lingua,
‘ā miseram Eurydicēn!’ animā fugiente uocābat:
‘Eurydicēn’ tōtō referēbat flūmine rīpae.
‘The mothers of the Cicones, insulted by such devotion [sc. to Eurydice*],
amid their rituals for the gods and orgies to Bacchus at night,
tore the young man apart and scattered him across the broad fields.
Then, as for the head ripped from its marble neck,
as Oeagrian Hebrus carrying it rolled it along the middle of the stream,
“Eurydice!” the voice itself and frozen tongue,
“Ah, poor Eurydice”, it cried, as the spirit left it:
“Eurydice” echoed back the banks all along the river.’
*It is not at all certain what mūnere means here, or whether it is the right reading.
Virgil did not record for us the song he thought Orpheus sang to woo the spirits of the dead. Ovid does (10.17–39). Is it plain or elaborate? Is it eloquent? Ironic? Does it work?
Vocabulary and grammar
Book 10
8 exit-us ūs 4m. outcome
auspici-um ī 2n. omens (the bad omens that attended Orpheus’ wedding)
nūpta . . . noua: ‘the new bride’ (subject), i.e. Eurydice
per herbās: take with uagātur
9 Nāiadum: gen. pl. of Naiads (take with turbā)
comitor 1 dep. accompany (+ abl.)
10 tāl-us ī 2m. ankle
dēns dent-is 3m. tooth
11 quam: i.e. Eurydice; begin with postquam
*Rhodopēi-us ī 2m. (man from) Mount Rhodope in Thrace (i.e. Thracian)
12 dēfleō 2*
nē nōn: ‘in case he should not’, ‘in case he should fail to’. Orpheus will try anything to get Eurydice back
13 Styga: Greek acc. of Styx, the underworld river
Taenari-us a um of Taenarus. This is in the far south of Greece where it was believed there was an entrance to the underworld
port-a ae 1f. gate
14 fungor 3 dep. fūnctus experience (+ abl.)
15 Persephonēn: Greek acc.
of Persephone (Proserpina), goddess of the underworld
adiīt: note heavy -īt; compare solēt, 3.184
inamoen-us a um charmless
*rēgnum ī 2n. kingdom
16 dominum: i.e. Pluto
pellō 3 pepulī pulsum pluck, strike
*carmen carmin-is 3n. music, song
*neru-us ī 2m. string (of a lyre)
17 ō: appealing to nūmina