Ovidius Naso, Publius; Picart, Bernard [Ill.]; Banier, Antoine [Komm.]: Ovid's Metamorphoses In Latin And English: [Two Volumes] (Band 2) (Amsterdam, 1732)

PHOSEON. Lib. IX.

ffnplcratquc uterum generofo germine. cut
fie 280
Incipt Alcmene: Faveant tibi numina faltem;
Corripiantque moras, turn cum matura vocabis
Praepofitam timidis parientibus Ilithyiam
Quam mihi dijficilem Junonis gratia fecit.
Namque laboriferi cum jam natalis adef-

kierculis, & decimum premeretur fidere fi-
gnum :

Tendebat gravitas uterum mihi: quodque fe-
rebam,

Tantum erat, ut pojfes audi or em dicer e teffi
Ponder is ejfejovem. nec jam> tolerare lab ores
^Jlterius poteram: quin nunc quoque frigidus

artus, 290
Dum loquor, horror habet7 parsque eji me-

miniffe doloris.
Septem ego per nodes, totidem cruciata diebus,
Feffa malts , tendensque ad coelum brachia,

magno

Lucinam Nixosque pares , clamore vocabam.
Ilia quidem venit} fed praecorrupta, meum-
que 295
Quae donare caput Junoni vellet iniquae.
Vtq ue meos audit gemitus fubjedit in ilia
Ante fores ara, dextroque a poplite laevum
Prejfa genu, digitis inter fe pecline junclis
Suf inuit nixus. tacita quoque carmina vo-
ce 300
Dixit: & inceptos tenuerunt carmina partus.
Nit or, & ingrato facio convict a demens
Vana Jovi ,• cupioque mori > moturaque duras
Verba queror filices. matres Cadmeides ad-
funt i

Votaque jufcipiunt >• exhortanturque dolen-
tem. 305
\Jna minifrarum, media de plebe, Galanthis,
Flava comas, aderat 3faciendis Jlrenua jujjis ;
Qfficiis dilecla fuis. ea fenft iniqua
Nefcio quid Junone geri: dumque exit} &
intrat

Saepe fores > Divam reftdentem vidit in
arki 310
Brachiaque ingenibus digitis connexa tenentem:
&j Quaecumque es, ait, dominae gratare >
levata efi

Argolis Alcmene ipotiturque puerpera voto.
Exfduit3 junBasque manus pate facia remifit
Diva potens uteri, vinclis levor ipfa remif-
fis. 315
Tom. II. Nu-

PHOSES. Book IX. 303

Her fwelling Womb the teeming Birth confefs'd,
To whom Alcmena thus her Speech addrefs'd.
33 Oy may the Gods protect thee in that Hour,
33 When, 'midft thy Throws , thou call'ft th'

Ilithyian Pow'r!
„ May no Delays prolong thy racking Pain,
„ As when I fu'd for Juno's Aid in vain.

33 When now Alcides mighty Birth drew nigh,
33 And the tenth Sign roll'd forward on the Sky,
33 My Womb extends with fuch a mighty Load,

As Jove the Parent of the Burthen Ihow'd.

I could no more th' increafing Smart fuftain,
3, My Horror kindles to recount the Pain;
,, Cold chills my Limbs while I the Tale purfue,
„ And now methinks I feel my Pangs anew.
„ Seven Days and Nights amidft inceflant Throws,
„ Fatigu'd with Ills I lay, nor knew Repofe >
„ When lifting high my Hands, in Shrieks I
pray'd,

Implor'd the Gods, and call'd Lucina's Aid.
She came, but prejudiced, to give my Fate
„ A Sacrifice to vengeful Juno's Hate.
„ She hears the groaning Anguifli of my Fits,
„ And on the Altar at my Door flic fits.
„ O'er her left Knee her croiTino; Leg; {he caft,
33 Then knits her Fingers clofe, and wrings them
fall:

„ This ftay'd the Birth; in mutt'ring Verfe flic
pray'd,

The mutt'ring Verfe th' unfinifli'd Birth delay'd
Now with fierce Struggles, raging with my
Pain,

At Jove's Ingratitude I rave in vain :
How did I wifli for Death ! fuch Groans I lent,
As might have made the flinty Heart relent.
,, Now the Cadmeian Matrons round me prefs,
,, Offer their Vows, and leek to bring Redrels;
Among the Theban Dames Galanthis ftands,
Strong limb'd, red hair'd, and jufl to my

Commands:
She firft perceiv'd that all thele racking Woes
From the perfifting Hate of Juno role.
As here and there lhe pafs'd, by chance fliefees
The feated Goddefs; on her clofe prefs'd Knees
„ Her fait, knit Hands (he leans; with chearful
Voice

„ Galanthis cries, Whoe'er thou art, rejoice,
„ Congratulate the Dame, ihe lies at Reft,
„ At length the Gods Alcmena s Womb have bleft.
„ Swift from her Seat the ftartled Goddefs fprings,
„ No more conceal'd, her Hands abroad (he
flings;

G 33 The

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