Apuleius, Metamorphoses 4.33
Anna Potash /
- Created on 2018-11-12 18:10:17
- Modified on 2018-11-19 00:08:29
- Translated by A.S. Kline
- Aligned by Anna Potash
Latin
English
urn:cts:latinLit:phi1212.phi002.perseus-lat1:4.33
Montis in excelsi scopulo , rex , siste puellam
Ornatam mundo funerei thalami : Nec speres generum mortali stirpe creatum ,
Sed saevum atque ferum vipereumque malum , Quod pinnis volitans super aethera cuncta fatigat
Flammaque et ferro singula debilitat ; Quod tremit ipse Iovis , quo numina terrificantur ,
Fluminaque horrescunt et Stygiae tenebrae .
Rex , olim beatus , affatu sanctae vaticinationis accepto pigens tristisque retro domum pergit suaeque coniugi praecepta sortis enodat infaustae . Maeretur , fletur , lamentatur diebus plusculis : sed dirae sortis iam urget taeter effectus , iam feralium nuptiarum miserrimae virgini choragium struitur , iam taedae lumen atrae fuliginis cinere marcescit , et sonus tibiae zygiae mutatur in querulum Lydii modum , cantusque laetus hymenaei lugubri finitur ululatu , et puella nuptura deterget lacrimas ipso suo flammeo . Sic affectae domus triste fatum cuncta etiam civitas congemebat , luctuque publico confestim congruens edicitur iustitium .
Ornatam mundo funerei thalami : Nec speres generum mortali stirpe creatum ,
Sed saevum atque ferum vipereumque malum , Quod pinnis volitans super aethera cuncta fatigat
Flammaque et ferro singula debilitat ; Quod tremit ipse Iovis , quo numina terrificantur ,
Fluminaque horrescunt et Stygiae tenebrae .
Rex , olim beatus , affatu sanctae vaticinationis accepto pigens tristisque retro domum pergit suaeque coniugi praecepta sortis enodat infaustae . Maeretur , fletur , lamentatur diebus plusculis : sed dirae sortis iam urget taeter effectus , iam feralium nuptiarum miserrimae virgini choragium struitur , iam taedae lumen atrae fuliginis cinere marcescit , et sonus tibiae zygiae mutatur in querulum Lydii modum , cantusque laetus hymenaei lugubri finitur ululatu , et puella nuptura deterget lacrimas ipso suo flammeo . Sic affectae domus triste fatum cuncta etiam civitas congemebat , luctuque publico confestim congruens edicitur iustitium .
The
king
,
blessed
till
now
,
on
hearing
this
utterance
of
sacred
prophecy
went
slowly
home
in
sadness
and
told
his
wife
the
oracle’s
dark
saying
.
They
moaned
,
they
wept
,
they
wailed
for
many
a
day
.
But
the
dire
and
fatal
hour
soon
approached
.
The
scene
was
set
for
the
poor
girl’s
dark
wedding
.
The
flames
of
the
wedding
torches
grew
dim
with
black
smoky
ash
;
the
tune
of
hymen’s
flute
sounded
in
plaintive
Lydian
mode
,
and
the
marriage-hymn’s
cheerful
song
fell
to
a
mournful
wail
.
The
bride-to-be
wiped
tears
away
with
her
flame-red
bridal
veil
;
the
whole
city
grieved
at
the
cruel
fate
that
had
struck
the
afflicted
house
and
public
business
was
interrupted
as
a
fitting
show
of
mourning
.