Apuleius, Metamorphoses 4.34
Anna Potash /
- Created on 2018-11-19 17:46:22
- Modified on 2018-11-19 18:20:12
- Translated by A.S. Kline
- Aligned by Anna Potash
Latin
English
Sed monitis caelestibus parendi necessitas misellam Psychen ad destinatam poenam efflagitabat : perfectis igitur feralis thalami cum summo maerore sollemnibus toto prosequente populo vivum producitur funus et lacrimosa Psyche comitatur non nuptias sed exequias suas . Ac dum maesti parentes et tanto malo perciti nefarium facinus perficere cunctantur , ipsa illa filia talibus eos adhortatur vocibus : Quid infelicem senectam fletu diutino cruciatis ? Quid spiritum vestrum , qui magis meus est , crebris eiulatibus fatigatis ? Quid lacrimis inefficacibus ora mihi veneranda foedatis ? Quid laceratis in vestris oculis mea lumina ? Quid canitiem scinditis ? Quid pectora , quid ubera sancta tunditis ? Haec erunt vobis egregiae formositatis meae praeclara praemia ? Invidiae nefariae letali plaga percussi sero sentitis . Cum gentes et populi celebrarent nos divinis honoribus , cum novam me Venerem ore consono nuncuparent , tunc dolere , tunc flere , tunc me iam quasi peremptam lugere debuistis : iam sentio , iam video solo me nomine Veneris perisse . Ducite me , et cui sors addixit scopulo sistite : festino felices istas nuptias obire , festino generosum illum maritum meum videre . Quid differo ? Quid detrecto venientem qui totius orbis exitio natus est ?
But
the
need
to
obey
the
divine
command
sent
poor
Psyche
to
meet
the
sentence
decreed
,
the
ritual
preparations
for
the
fatal
marriage
were
completed
in
utter
sorrow
,
and
the
living
corpse
was
led
from
the
house
surrounded
by
all
the
people
.
Tearful
Psyche
walked
along
,
not
in
wedding
procession
,
but
in
her
own
funeral
cortege
.
Her
parents
saddened
and
overcome
by
this
great
misfortune
hesitated
to
carry
out
the
dreadful
deed
,
but
their
daughter
herself
urged
them
on
:
"
Why
torment
a
sorrowful
old
age
with
endless
weeping
?
Why
exhaust
your
life’s
breath
,
which
is
my
own
,
with
this
constant
wailing
?
Why
drown
in
vain
tears
those
faces
I
love
?
Why
wound
my
eyes
by
wounding
your
own
?
Why
tear
your
white
hair
?
Why
beat
the
breasts
that
fed
me
?
Let
this
be
your
glorious
reward
for
my
famous
beauty
.
Too
late
you
see
the
blow
that
falls
is
dealt
by
wicked
Envy
.
When
nations
and
countries
granted
me
divine
honours
,
when
with
one
voice
they
named
me
as
the
new
Venus
,
that’s
when
you
should
have
mourned
,
and
wept
,
and
grieved
as
if
I
were
dead
.
I
know
now
,
I
realise
that
her
name
alone
destroys
me
.
Lead
me
now
to
that
cliff
the
oracle
appointed
.
I
go
swiftly
towards
this
fortunate
marriage
,
I
go
swiftly
to
meet
this
noble
husband
of
mine
.
Why
delay
,
why
run
from
the
coming
of
one
who’ll
be
born
for
the
whole
world’s
ruin
?
"