DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9260#0060
24 P.OVIDII METAMOR-
P. OVID'S METAMOR-
Percaluit Soils , coenumque, udaeque paludis
Intumuere aefu: fecundaque femina rerum,
Vivaci nutrita folo,ceu matris in afoo 420
Crcverunt, faciemque aliquam cepere morando.
Sic ubi deferuit madidos feptemfluus agros
Milus y & antiquo fua jlumina reddidit alveo,
Aetherioque recens exarfit fidere limus >
Plurima cult ores 'verfis animalia glebis 4^5
Iwveniunt, & in his quae dam modo coepta
fub ipfum
Nafcendi fpatium ; quaedam imperfecta ,
fuisque
T^runca evident numeris: & eodem in corpore
faepe
Altera pars vivit; rudis eft pars altera tellus,
Quippe ubi temperiem fumfere humorque ca-
lorque, 450
Concipiunt: & ab his oriuntur cunffa duobus :
Cumque fit ignis aquae pugnax >• 'vapor humi-
dus omnes
Rex ere at, & discors concordiafoetibus apt a ejl.
Ergo ubi dilwvio tellus lutulenta recenti
Solibus aetheriis,almoque recanduit aejlw 435
Edidit mnumeras jpecies; partimque figuras
Retulit antiquas; partim no'va monflra crearvit.
Ilia quidem nollet, fed te quoque, maxime
Python,
Turn genuit: populisque novis, incognita fer-
pens,
Terror eras, tantum fpatii de monte tene-
bas. 44°
Hanc Deus arcitenens} & numquam talibus
armis
Ante, nifi in damis capreisque fugacibus, ufus}
JMille gra'vem telis, exhaufa pene pharetra,
Perdidit, ejfufo per 'vulnera nigra <veneno.
JSfeve opens famam pojfit delere cuetuflas3 445
Inflituit facros celebn cert amine ludos,
Pjthia, de domitae ferpentis nomine dittos.
His jwvenum qukumque manu$pedibusve,
rotarve
Vicerati aesculeae capiebat frondis honorem.
Nondum laurus erat > longoque decentia
crine 45°
Tempora cingebat de qualibet arbore Phoebus.
THE EXPLICATION OF
THe Waters of that great Inundation , which I
have fpoken of in the Explication of the fore-
going Fable , left a Slime upon the Earth , from
whence a great many Infeds proceeded , among
others the Serpent Python which did a great deal
of mischief in the neighbourhood of 'Parnafus.
Apollo armed with his Bow and Arrows flew him:
Which being philofophically explain'd imports that
The native moifture, in its clofe retreat,
Digefted by the Sun's yEtherial Heat,
As in a kindly Womb, began to breed;
Then lweli'd, and quickend by the vital Seed.
And fome in lels, and fome in longer Ipace,
Were ripen'd into form, and took a fev'ral Face.
Thus when the Nile from Pharian Fields is fled,
And fecks, with Ebbing Tides, his ancient Bed,
The fat Manure with Heav'nly Fire is warm'd;
And crufted Creatures, as in Wombs, are form'd;
Thefe, when they turn the Glebe, the Peafants find;
Some rude, and yet unfinifh'd in their kind :
Short; of their Limbs, a lame imperfect Birth :
One half alive; and one of lifelefs Earth.
For heat, and moifture, when in Bodies join'd,
The temper that remits from either Kind
Conception makes; and fighting till they mix,
Their mingled Atoms in each other fix.
Thus Nature's hand the Genial Bed prepares
With friendly Discord, and with fruitful Wars.
From hence the furface of the Ground with Mud,
And Slime befmear'd, (the feces of the Flood)
Receiv'd the Rays of Heav'n; and fucking in '
The Seeds of Heat, new Creatures did begin:
Some were of fev'ral Sorts produe'd before,
But of new Monfters, Earth created more.
Unwillingly, but yet Ihe brought to light
Thee, Python too, the wondring World to fright, ?
And the new Nations, with fo dire a fight: ^
So monftrous was his bulk, fb large a (pace
Did his vaft Body, and long Train embrace.
Whom Phoebus basking on a Bank efpy'd;
E'er now the God his Arrows had not try'd
But on the trembling Deer, or Mountain Goat;
At this new Quarry he prepares to moot.
Though ev'ry Shaft took place,he fpent the Store-
Of his full Quiver •, and't was long before £
Th' expiring Serpent wallow'd in his Gore.
Then, to preferve the Fame of fiich a deed,
For Python flain, he Pythian Games decreed.
Where Noble Youths for Maftermip fhou'd ftrive,
To Quoit, to Run,and Steeds, and Chariots drive.
The Prize was Fame: In witnefs of Renown
An Oaken Garland did the Vidor crown.
The Lawrel was not yet for Triumphs born; "\
But every Green alike by Phcebus worn, £
Did, with promiscuous Grace,his flowingLocksf
adorn. J
THE ELEVENTH FABLE.
the Heat of the Sun having dillipated the bad Ex-
halations , thofe Monfters immediatly difappear'd.
If we refer this Fable to Hiftory •, this Serpent was
a Robber who eftablifh'd himlelf near Tarnaffusy
and extremely molefted all thofe who pafs'd that
way to offer Sacrifice. A Prince , who bore the
name of Apollo, or a Prieft of that God, freed the
Country or him. This Event gave occafion to the
Inftitution
P. OVID'S METAMOR-
Percaluit Soils , coenumque, udaeque paludis
Intumuere aefu: fecundaque femina rerum,
Vivaci nutrita folo,ceu matris in afoo 420
Crcverunt, faciemque aliquam cepere morando.
Sic ubi deferuit madidos feptemfluus agros
Milus y & antiquo fua jlumina reddidit alveo,
Aetherioque recens exarfit fidere limus >
Plurima cult ores 'verfis animalia glebis 4^5
Iwveniunt, & in his quae dam modo coepta
fub ipfum
Nafcendi fpatium ; quaedam imperfecta ,
fuisque
T^runca evident numeris: & eodem in corpore
faepe
Altera pars vivit; rudis eft pars altera tellus,
Quippe ubi temperiem fumfere humorque ca-
lorque, 450
Concipiunt: & ab his oriuntur cunffa duobus :
Cumque fit ignis aquae pugnax >• 'vapor humi-
dus omnes
Rex ere at, & discors concordiafoetibus apt a ejl.
Ergo ubi dilwvio tellus lutulenta recenti
Solibus aetheriis,almoque recanduit aejlw 435
Edidit mnumeras jpecies; partimque figuras
Retulit antiquas; partim no'va monflra crearvit.
Ilia quidem nollet, fed te quoque, maxime
Python,
Turn genuit: populisque novis, incognita fer-
pens,
Terror eras, tantum fpatii de monte tene-
bas. 44°
Hanc Deus arcitenens} & numquam talibus
armis
Ante, nifi in damis capreisque fugacibus, ufus}
JMille gra'vem telis, exhaufa pene pharetra,
Perdidit, ejfufo per 'vulnera nigra <veneno.
JSfeve opens famam pojfit delere cuetuflas3 445
Inflituit facros celebn cert amine ludos,
Pjthia, de domitae ferpentis nomine dittos.
His jwvenum qukumque manu$pedibusve,
rotarve
Vicerati aesculeae capiebat frondis honorem.
Nondum laurus erat > longoque decentia
crine 45°
Tempora cingebat de qualibet arbore Phoebus.
THE EXPLICATION OF
THe Waters of that great Inundation , which I
have fpoken of in the Explication of the fore-
going Fable , left a Slime upon the Earth , from
whence a great many Infeds proceeded , among
others the Serpent Python which did a great deal
of mischief in the neighbourhood of 'Parnafus.
Apollo armed with his Bow and Arrows flew him:
Which being philofophically explain'd imports that
The native moifture, in its clofe retreat,
Digefted by the Sun's yEtherial Heat,
As in a kindly Womb, began to breed;
Then lweli'd, and quickend by the vital Seed.
And fome in lels, and fome in longer Ipace,
Were ripen'd into form, and took a fev'ral Face.
Thus when the Nile from Pharian Fields is fled,
And fecks, with Ebbing Tides, his ancient Bed,
The fat Manure with Heav'nly Fire is warm'd;
And crufted Creatures, as in Wombs, are form'd;
Thefe, when they turn the Glebe, the Peafants find;
Some rude, and yet unfinifh'd in their kind :
Short; of their Limbs, a lame imperfect Birth :
One half alive; and one of lifelefs Earth.
For heat, and moifture, when in Bodies join'd,
The temper that remits from either Kind
Conception makes; and fighting till they mix,
Their mingled Atoms in each other fix.
Thus Nature's hand the Genial Bed prepares
With friendly Discord, and with fruitful Wars.
From hence the furface of the Ground with Mud,
And Slime befmear'd, (the feces of the Flood)
Receiv'd the Rays of Heav'n; and fucking in '
The Seeds of Heat, new Creatures did begin:
Some were of fev'ral Sorts produe'd before,
But of new Monfters, Earth created more.
Unwillingly, but yet Ihe brought to light
Thee, Python too, the wondring World to fright, ?
And the new Nations, with fo dire a fight: ^
So monftrous was his bulk, fb large a (pace
Did his vaft Body, and long Train embrace.
Whom Phoebus basking on a Bank efpy'd;
E'er now the God his Arrows had not try'd
But on the trembling Deer, or Mountain Goat;
At this new Quarry he prepares to moot.
Though ev'ry Shaft took place,he fpent the Store-
Of his full Quiver •, and't was long before £
Th' expiring Serpent wallow'd in his Gore.
Then, to preferve the Fame of fiich a deed,
For Python flain, he Pythian Games decreed.
Where Noble Youths for Maftermip fhou'd ftrive,
To Quoit, to Run,and Steeds, and Chariots drive.
The Prize was Fame: In witnefs of Renown
An Oaken Garland did the Vidor crown.
The Lawrel was not yet for Triumphs born; "\
But every Green alike by Phcebus worn, £
Did, with promiscuous Grace,his flowingLocksf
adorn. J
THE ELEVENTH FABLE.
the Heat of the Sun having dillipated the bad Ex-
halations , thofe Monfters immediatly difappear'd.
If we refer this Fable to Hiftory •, this Serpent was
a Robber who eftablifh'd himlelf near Tarnaffusy
and extremely molefted all thofe who pafs'd that
way to offer Sacrifice. A Prince , who bore the
name of Apollo, or a Prieft of that God, freed the
Country or him. This Event gave occafion to the
Inftitution