June 11 | Fastorum Liber Sextus: Iunius
B • MATR • N | III Eid. | VI.473-648, the Matralia festival and the anniversary of the consecration of the temple of Mater Matuta.
Iam, Phryx, a nupta quereris, Tithone, relinqui,
et vigil Eois Lucifer exit aquis:
ite, bonae matres (vestrum Matralia festum) 475
flavaque Thebanae reddite liba deae.
pontibus et magno iuncta est celeberrima Circo
area, quae posito de bove nomen habet:
hac ibi luce ferunt Matutae sacra parenti
sceptriferas Servi templa dedisse manus. 480
quae dea sit, quare famulas a limine templi
arceat (arcet enim) libaque tosta petat,
Bacche, racemiferos hedera redimite capillos,
si domus illa tua est, derige vatis opus.
arserat obsequio Semele Iovis: accipit Ino 485
te, puer, et summa sedula nutrit ope.
intumuit Iuno, raptum quod paelice natum
educet: at sanguis ille sororis erat.
hinc agitur furiis Athamas et imagine falsa,
tuque cadis patria, parve Learche, manu. 490
maesta Learcheas mater tumulaverat umbras
et dederat miseris omnia iusta rogis.
haec quoque, funestos ut erat laniata capillos,
prosilit et cunis te, Melicerta, rapit.
est spatio contracta brevi, freta bina repellit 495
unaque pulsatur terra duabus aquis:
huc venit insanis natum complexa lacertis
et secum e celso mittit in alta iugo.
excipit illaesos Panope centumque sorores,
et placido lapsu per sua regna ferunt. 500
nondum Leucothea, nondum puer ille Palaemon
verticibus densi Thybridis ora tenent.
lucus erat; dubium Semelae Stimulaene vocetur:
maenadas Ausonias incoluisse ferunt.
quaerit ab his Ino, quae gens foret: Arcadas esse 505
audit et Euandrum sceptra tenere loci.
dissimulata deam Latias Saturnia Bacchas
instimulat fictis insidiosa sonis:
“o nimium faciles, o toto pectore captae!
non venit haec nostris hospes amica choris. 510
fraude petit sacrique parat cognoscere ritum;
quo possit poenas pendere, pignus habet.”
vix bene desierat, complent ululatibus auras
Thyiades effusis per sua colla comis,
iniciuntque manus puerumque revellere pugnant. 515
quos ignorat adhuc, invocat illa deos:
“dique virique loci, miserae succurrite matri!”
clamor Aventini saxa propinqua ferit.
appulerat ripae vaccas Oetaeus Hiberas:
audit et ad vocem concitus urget iter. 520
Herculis adventu, quae vim modo ferre parabant,
turpia femineae terga dedere fugae.
“quid petis hinc” (cognorat enim) “matertera
Bacchi? an numen, quod me, te quoque vexat?” ait.
illa docet partim, partim praesentia nati 525
continet, et furiis in scelus isse pudet.
Rumor, ut est velox, agitatis pervolat alis,
estque frequens, Ino, nomen in ore tuum.
hospita Carmentis fidos intrasse penates
diceris et longam deposuisse famem; 530
liba sua properata manu Tegeaea sacerdos
traditur in subito cocta dedisse foco.
nunc quoque liba iuvant festis Matralibus illam:
rustica sedulitas gratior arte fuit.
“nunc,” ait “o vates, venientia fata resigna, 535
qua licet. hospitiis hoc, precor, adde meis.”
parva mora est, caelum vates ac numina sumit
fitque sui toto pectore plena dei;
vix illam subito posses cognoscere, tanto
sanctior et tanto, quam modo, maior erat. 540
“laeta canam. gaude, defuncta laboribus Ino,”
dixit “et huic populo prospera semper ades.
numen eris pelagi, natum quoque pontus habebit.
in vestris aliud sumite nomen aquis:
Leucothea Grais, Matuta vocabere nostris; 545
in portus nato ius erit omne tuo,
quem nos Portunum, sua lingua Palaemona dicet.
ite, precor, nostris aequus uterque locis!”
adnuerat, promissa fides. posuere labores,
nomina mutarunt: hic deus, illa dea est. 550
cur vetet ancillas accedere, quaeritis? odit,
principiumque odii, si sinat illa, canam.
una ministrarum solita est, Cadmeï, tuarum
saepe sub amplexus coniugis ire tui.
improbus hanc Athamas furtim dilexit; ab illa 555
comperit agricolis semina tosta dari.
ipsa quidem fecisse negas, sed fama recepit.
hoc est, cur odio sit tibi serva manus.
non tamen hanc pro stirpe sua pia mater adoret:
ipsa parum felix visa fuisse parens. 560
alterius prolem melius mandabitis illi:
utilior Baccho quam fuit ipsa suis.
hanc tibi, “quo properas?” memorant dixisse, Rutili,
“luce mea Marso consul ab hoste cades.”
exitus accessit verbis, flumenque Toleni 565
purpureum mixtis sanguine fluxit aquis.
proximus annus erat: Pallantide caesus eadem
Didius hostiles ingeminavit opes.
Lux eadem, Fortuna, tua est auctorque locusque;
sed superiniectis quis latet iste togis? 570
Servius est, hoc constat enim, sed causa latendi
discrepat et dubium me quoque mentis habet.
dum dea furtivos timide profitetur amores,
caelestemque homini concubuisse pudet
(arsit enim magno correpta cupidine regis 575
caecaque in hoc uno non fuit illa viro),
nocte domum parva solita est intrare fenestra;
unde Fenestellae nomina porta tenet.
nunc pudet, et voltus velamine celat amatos,
oraque sunt multa regia tecta toga. 580
an magis est verum post Tulli funera plebem
confusam placidi morte fuisse ducis,
nec modus ullus erat, crescebat imagine luctus,
donec eum positis occuluere togis?
tertia causa mihi spatio maiore canenda est, 585
nos tamen adductos intus agemus equos.
Tullia coniugio sceleris mercede peracto
his solita est dictis exstimulare virum:
“quid iuvat esse pares, te nostrae caede sororis
meque tui fratris, si pia vita placet? 590
vivere debuerant et vir meus et tua coniunx,
si nullum ausuri maius eramus opus.
et caput et regnum facio dotale parentis:
si vir es, i, dictas exige dotis opes.
regia res scelus est. socero cape regna necato, 595
et nostras patrio sanguine tingue manus.”
talibus instinctus solio privatus in alto
sederat: attonitum volgus in arma ruit.
hinc cruor et caedes, infirmaque vincitur aetas:
sceptra gener socero rapta Superbus habet. 600
ipse sub Esquiliis, ubi erat sua regia, caesus
concidit in dura sanguinulentus humo.
filia carpento patrios initura penates
ibat per medias alta feroxque vias.
corpus ut aspexit, lacrimis auriga profusis 605
restitit. hunc tali corripit illa sono:
“vadis, an exspectas pretium pietatis amarum?
duc, inquam, invitas ipsa per ora rotas.”
certa fides facti: dictus Sceleratus ab illa
vicus, et aeterna res ea pressa nota. 610
post tamen hoc ausa est templum, monumenta parentis,
tangere: mira quidem, sed tamen acta loquar.
signum erat in solio residens sub imagine Tulli;
dicitur hoc oculis opposuisse manum,
et vox audita est “voltus abscondite nostros, 615
ne natae videant ora nefanda meae.”
veste data tegitur, vetat hanc Fortuna moveri
et sic e templo est ipsa locuta suo:
“ore revelato qua primum luce patebit
Servius, haec positi prima pudoris erit.” 620
parcite, matronae, vetitas attingere vestes
(sollemni satis est voce movere preces),
sitque caput semper Romano tectus amictu,
qui rex in nostra septimus urbe fuit.
arserat hoc templum: signo tamen ille pepercit 625
ignis; opem nato Mulciber ipse tulit.
namque pater Tulli Volcanus, Ocresia mater
praesignis facie Corniculana fuit.
hand secum Tanaquil sacris de more peractis
iussit in ornatum fundere vina focum: 630
hic inter cineres obsceni forma virilis
aut fuit aut visa est, sed fuit illa magis.
iussa foco captiva sedet: conceptus ab illa
Servius a caelo semina gentis habet.
signa dedit genitor tum cum caput igne corusco 635
contigit, inque comis flammeus arsit apex.
Te quoque magnifica, Concordia, dedicat aede
Livia, quam caro praestitit ipsa viro.
disce tamen, veniens aetas: ubi Livia nunc est
porticus, immensae tecta fuere domus; 640
urbis opus domus una fuit, spatiumque tenebat,
quo brevius muris oppida multa tenent.
haec aequata solo est, nullo sub crimine regni,
sed quia luxuria visa nocere sua.
sustinuit tantas operum subvertere moles 645
totque suas heres perdere Caesar opes.
sic agitur censura et sic exempla parantur,
cum vindex, alios quod monet, ipse facit.
473 Now, Phrygian Tithonus, thou dost complain that thou art abandoned by thy spouse, and the watchful Morning Star comes forth from the eastern waters. Go, good mothers (the Matralia is your festival), and offer to the Theban goddess1 the yellow cakes that are her due. Adjoining the bridges and the great Circus is an open space of far renown, which takes its name from the statue of an ox2: there, on this day, it is said, Servius consecrated with his own sceptered hands a temple to Mother Matuta. Who the goddess is, why she excludes (for exclude she does) female slaves from the threshold of her temple, and why she calls for toasted cakes, do thou, O Bacchus, whose locks are twined with clustered grapes and ivy, (explain and) guide the poet’s course, if the house of the goddess is also thine. Through the compliance of Jupiter with her request Semele was consumed with fire:3 Ino received thee, young Bacchus, and zealously nursed thee with the utmost care. Juno swelled with rage that Ino should rear the son who had been snatched from his leman mother; but that son was of the blood of Ino’s sister. Hence Athamas was haunted by the furies and by a delusive vision, and little Learchus, thou didst fall by thy father’s hand. His sorrowful mother committed the shade of Learchus to the tomb and paid all the honours due to the mournful pyre. She, too, after tearing her rueful hair, leaped forth and snatched thee, Melicertes, from thy cradle. A land there is, shrunk with narrow limits, which repels twin seas, and, single in itself, is lashed by twofold waters. Thither came Ino, clasping her son in her frenzied embrace, and hurled herself and him from a high ridge into the deep. Panope and her hundred sisters received them scatheless, and smoothly gliding bore them through their realms. They reached the mouth of thick-eddying Tiber before Ino had yet received the name of Leucothea and before her boy was called Palaemon. There was a sacred grove; it is doubtful whether it should be called the grove of Semele or the grove of Stimula: they say that it was inhabited by Ausonian Maenads. Ino inquired of them what was their nation; she learned that they were Arcadians and that Evander was king of the place.4 Dissembling her godlabel, the daughter of Saturn slily incited the Latian Bacchanals by glozing words: “Too easy souls! O blinded hearts! This stranger comes no friend to our assemblies. Her aim is treacherous, she would learn our sacred rites. Yet she has a pledge by which we can ensure her punishment.” Scarce had she ended, when the Thyiads, with their locks streaming down their necks, filled the air with their howls, and laid hands on Ino, and strove to pluck the boy from her. She invoked the gods whom still she knew not: “Ye gods and men of the land, succour a wretched mother!” The cry reached the neighbouring rocks of the Aventine. The Oetaean hero5 had driven the Iberian kine to the river bank; he heard and hurried at full speed towards the voice. At the approach of Hercules the women, who but a moment before had been ready to use violence, turned their backs shamefully in womanish flight. “What would’st thou here, O sister of Bacchus’ mother6?” quoth Hercules, for he recognized her; “doth the same deity7 who harasses me harass thee also?” She told him her story in part, but part the presence of her son induced her to suppress; for she was ashamed to have been goaded into crime by the furies. Rumour—for she is fleet—flew far on pulsing wings, and thy name, Ino, was on many lips. It is said that as a guest thou didst enter the home of loyal Carmentis and there didst stay thy long hunger.8 The Tegean priestess is reported to have made cakes in haste with her own hand and to have quickly baked them on the hearth. Even to this day she loves cakes at the festival of the Matralia. Rustic civility was dearer to her than the refinements of art. “Now,” said Ino, “reveal to me, O prophetess, my future fate, so far as it is lawful; I pray thee, add this favour to the hospitality I have already received.” A brief pause ensued, and then the prophetess assumed her heavenly powers, and all her bosom swelled with majesty divine. Of a sudden you could hardly know her again; so holier, so taller far was she than she had been but now. “Glad tidings I will sing: rejoice, Ino, thy labours are over,” said she. “O come propitious to this people evermore! Thou shalt be a divinity of the sea: thy son, too, shall have his home in ocean. Take ye both different names in your own waters. Thou shalt be called Leucothea by the Greeks and Matuta by our people: thy son will have all authority over harbours; he whom we name Portunus9 will be named Palaemon in his own tongue. Go, I pray ye, be friendly, both of ye, to our country!” Ino bowed assent, she gave her promise. Their troubles ceased: they changed their names: he is a god and she a goddess.
551 You ask why she forbids female slaves to approach her? She hates them, and the source of her hatred, with her leave, I will tell in verse. One of thy handmaids, daughter of Cadmus,10 used often to submit to the embraces of thy husband. The caitiff Athamas loved her secretly, and from her he learned that his wife gave toasted seed-corn to the husbandmen. You yourself, indeed, denied it, but rumour affirmed it. That is why you hate the service of a woman slave. Nevertheless let not an affectionate mother pray to her on behalf of her own offspring: she herself proved to be no lucky parent. You will do better to commend to her care the progeny of another; she was more serviceable to Bacchusthan to her own children. They relate that she said to thee, Rutilius, “Whither dost thou hasten? On my day in thy consulship thou shalt fall by the hand of a Marsian foe.” Her words were fulfilled, and the stream of the Tolenus flowed purple, its water mingled with blood.11 When the next year was come, Didius, slain on the same day,12 doubled the forces of the foe.
569 The same day, Fortune, is thine, and the same founder, and the same place.13 But who is yonder figure that is hidden in robes thrown one upon the other? It is Servius: so much is certain, but different causes are assigned for this concealment, and my mind, too, is haunted by a doubt. While the goddess timidly confessed her furtive love, and blushed to think that as a celestial being she should mate with a mere man (for she burned with a deep, an overmastering passion for the king, and he was the only man for whom she was not blind), she was wont to enter his house by a small window (fenestra); hence the gate14 bears the name of Fenestella (“the Little Window”). To this day she is ashamed and hides the loved features beneath a veil, and the king’s face is covered by many a robe. Or is the truth rather that after the murder of Tullius the common folk were bewildered by the death of the gentle chief, there were no bounds to their grief, and their sorrow increased with the sight of his statue, until they hid him by putting robes on him?
585 A third reason must be expounded in my verse at greater length, though I will rein in my steeds. Having accomplished her marriage by means of crime, Tullia used to incite her husband by these words: “What boots is that we are well matched, thou by my sister’s murder, and I by thy brother’s, if we are content to lead a life of virtue? Better that my husband and thy wife had lived, if we do not dare attempt some greater enterprise. I offer as my dower the head and kingdom of my father: if thou art a man, go to, exact the promised dower. Crime is a thing for kings. Kill thy wife’s father and seize the kingdom, and dye our hands in my sire’s blood.” Instigated by such words, he, private man though he was, took his seat upon the lofty throne; the mob, astounded, rushed to arms. Hence blood and slaughter, and the weak old man was overpowered: his son-in-law (Tarquin) the Proud snatched the sceptre from his father-in-law. Servius himself, at the foot of the Esquiline hill, where was his palace, fell murdered and bleeding on the hard ground. Driving in a coach to her father’s home, his daughter passed along the middle of the streets, erect and haughty. When he saw her father’s corpse, the driver burst into tears and drew up. She chode him in these terms: “Wilt thou go on, or dost thou wait to reap the bitter fruit of this thy loyalty? Drive, I say, the reluctant wheels across his very face!” A sure proof of the deed is the name of the street called Wicked after her; the event is branded with eternal infamy. Yet after that she dared to touch the temple, her father’s monument: strange but true the tale I’ll tell. There was a statue seated on a throne in the likeness of Tullius: it is said to have put its hand to its eyes, and a voice was heard, “Hide my face, lest it should see the execrable visage of my own daughter.” The statue was covered by a robe lent for the purpose: Fortune forbade the garment to be moved, and thus she spoke from her own temple: “That day on which the statue of Servius shall be laid bare by unmuffling his face will be the first day of modesty cast to the winds.”15 Ye matrons, refrain from touching the forbidden garments; enough it is to utter prayers in solemn tones. Let him who was the seventh king in our city always keep his head covered with Roman drapery. This temple was once burnt,16 yet the fire spared the statue: Mulciber himself rescued his son. For the father of Tullius was Vulcan, his mother was the beautiful Ocresia of Corniculum.17 After performing with her the sacred rites in due form, Tanaquil ordered Ocresia to pour wine on the hearth, which had been adorned. There among the ashes there was, or seemed to be, the shape of the male organ; but rather the shape was really there. Ordered by her mistress, the captive Ocresia sat down at the hearth. She conceived Servius, who thus was begotten of seed from heaven. His begetter gave a token of his paternity when he touched the head of Servius with gleaming fire, and when on the king’s hair there blazed a cap of flame.
637 To thee, too, Concordia, Livia dedicated a magnificent shrine, which she presented to her dear husband. But learn this, thou age to come: where Livia’s colonnade now stands, there once stood a huge palace.18 The single house was like the fabric of a city; it occupied a space larger than that occupied by the walls of many a town. It was levelled with the ground, not on a charge of treason, but because its luxury was deemed harmful. Caesar brooked to overthrow so vast a structure, and to destroy so much wealth, to which he was himself the heir. That is the way to exercise the censorship; that is the way to set an example, when an upholder of law does himself what he warns others to do.
Mater Matuta, wrongly identified with Ino.
Forum Boarium.
See iii. 715, note. Ino is sister of Semele, and wife of Athamas. In consequence of Juno’s resentment, Athamas went mad, and murdered his son Learchus; upon which Ino cast herself into the sea, with her other son Melicertes, from the Isthmus of Corinth. Panope and the other sea-nymphs caught her; and the two became sea-divinities with the names of Leucothea and Palaemon. See Met. iv. 512–519.
Hercules, burnt on his pyre on Mount Oeta.
Ino.
Juno.
P. Rutilius Lupus, slain by the Marsians at the river Tolenus, 90 B.C. In 89 B.C. L. Porcius Cato was slain by the same tribe. T. Didius served in the Marsic war.
Pallantis, for Aurora.
King Servius Tullius dedicated a temple to Fortune and one to Matuta on the same day and place. The muffled image was probably Fortune herself.
Unknown.
Ovid seems to allude to the opinion that this was a statue of Chastity or Modesty.
In the great conflagration of 213 B.C.
Ocresia, or Ocrisia, was the wife of a prince of Corniculum named Tullius. When Tarquin took that city, the wife was given as a handmaid to Tanaquil. She was with child and Servius was her son. But his great fortunes suggested the magical story here told. When the boy was young, his head was once seen to be aflame, and this was taken for an omen (Livy, i. 39).
Bequeathed by Vedius Pollio to Augustus, who destroyed it and built this colonnade on the site, and named it after Livia, 7 B.C.