Metamorphoses XII.182-270
Nestor tells of the transformation of Caeneus, as well as recounts the bloody wedding of Pirithoüs and Hippodame.
tum senior: ‘quamvis obstet mihi tarda vetustas,
multaque me fugiant primis spectata sub annis,
plura tamen memini. nec quae magis haereat ulla
pectore res nostro est inter bellique domique 185
acta tot, ac si quem potuit spatiosa senectus
spectatorem operum multorum reddere, vixi
annos bis centum; nunc tertia vivitur aetas.
‘Clara decore fuit proles Elateia Caenis,
Thessalidum virgo pulcherrima, perque propinquas 190
perque tuas urbes (tibi enim popularis, Achille),
multorum frustra votis optata procorum.
temptasset Peleus thalamos quoque forsitan illos:
sed iam aut contigerant illi conubia matris
aut fuerant promissa tuae, nec Caenis in ullos 195
denupsit thalamos secretaque litora carpens
aequorei vim passa dei est (ita fama ferebat),
utque novae Veneris Neptunus gaudia cepit,
“sint tua vota licet” dixit “secura repulsae:
elige, quid voveas!” (eadem hoc quoque fama ferebat) 200
“magnum” Caenis ait “facit haec iniuria votum,
tale pati iam posse nihil; da, femina ne sim:
omnia praestiteris.” graviore novissima dixit
verba sono poteratque viri vox illa videri,
sicut erat; nam iam voto deus aequoris alti 205
adnuerat dederatque super, nec saucius ullis
vulneribus fieri ferrove occumbere posset.
munere laetus abit studiisque virilibus aevum
exigit Atracides Peneiaque arva pererrat.
‘Duxerat Hippodamen audaci Ixione natus 210
nubigenasque feros positis ex ordine mensis
arboribus tecto discumbere iusserat antro.
Haemonii proceres aderant, aderamus et ipsi,
festaque confusa resonabat regia turba.
ecce canunt Hymenaeon, et ignibus atria fumant, 215
cinctaque adest virgo matrum nuruumque caterva,
praesignis facie; felicem diximus illa
coniuge Pirithoum, quod paene fefellimus omen.
nam tibi, saevorum saevissime Centaurorum,
Euryte, quam vino pectus, tam virgine visa 220
ardet, et ebrietas geminata libidine regnat.
protinus eversae turbant convivia mensae,
raptaturque comis per vim nova nupta prehensis.
Eurytus Hippodamen, alii, quam quisque probabant
aut poterant, rapiunt, captaeque erat urbis imago. 225
femineo clamore sonat domus: ocius omnes
surgimus, et primus “quae te vecordia,” Theseus
“Euryte, pulsat,” ait, “qui me vivente lacessas
Pirithoum violesque duos ignarus in uno?”
[neve ea magnanimus frustra memoraverit ore, 230
submovet instantes raptamque furentibus aufert.]
ille nihil contra, (neque enim defendere verbis
talia facta potest) sed vindicis ora protervis
insequitur manibus generosaque pectora pulsat.
forte fuit iuxta signis exstantibus asper 235
antiquus crater; quem vastum vastior ipse
sustulit Aegides adversaque misit in ora:
sanguinis ille globos pariter cerebrumque merumque
vulnere et ore vomens madida resupinus harena
calcitrat. ardescunt germani caede bimembres 240
certatimque omnes uno ore “arma, arma” loquuntur.
vina dabant animos, et prima pocula pugna
missa volant fragilesque cadi curvique lebetes,
res epulis quondam, tum bello et caedibus aptae.
‘Primus Ophionides Amycus penetralia donis 245
haut timuit spoliare suis et primus ab aede
lampadibus densum rapuit funale coruscis
elatumque alte, veluti qui candida tauri
rumpere sacrifica molitur colla securi,
inlisit fronti Lapithae Celadontis et ossa 250
non cognoscendo confusa relinquit in ore.
exsiluere oculi, disiectisque ossibus oris
acta retro naris medioque est fixa palato.
hunc pede convulso mensae Pellaeus acernae
stravit humi Pelates deiecto in pectora mento 255
cumque atro mixtos sputantem sanguine dentes
vulnere Tartareas geminato mittit ad umbras.
‘Proximus ut steterat spectans altaria vultu
fumida terribili “cur non” ait “utimur istis?”
cumque suis Gryneus inmanem sustulit aram 260
ignibus et medium Lapitharum iecit in agmen
depressitque duos, Brotean et Orion: Orio
mater erat Mycale, quam deduxisse canendo
saepe reluctanti constabat cornua lunae.
“non impune feres, teli modo copia detur!” 265
dixerat Exadius telique habet instar, in alta
quae fuerant pinu votivi cornua cervi.
figitur hinc duplici Gryneus in lumina ramo
eruiturque oculos, quorum pars cornibus haeret,
pars fluit in barbam concretaque sanguine pendet. 270
Then said the old man: “Though time has blurred my memory, though many things which I saw in my young years have quite gone from me, still can I remember much; nor is there anything, midst so many deeds of war and peace, that clings more firmly in my memory than this. And, if long-extended age could have made anyone an observer of many deeds, I have lived for two centuries and now am living in my third.
“Famous for beauty was Elatus’ daughter, Caenis, most lovely of all the maids of Thessaly, both throughout the neighbouring cities and your own (for she was of your city, Achilles), a maid vainly yearned for by many suitors. Peleus, too, perchance, would have tried to win her; but he had either already wed your mother or she was promised to him. And Caenis would not consent to any marriage; but, so report had it, while walking along a lonely shore she was ravished by the god of the sea. When Neptune had tasted the joys of his new love, he said: ‘Make now your prayers without fear of refusal. Choose what you most desire.’ This, also, was a part of the same report. Then Caenis said: ‘The wrong that you have done me calls for a mighty prayer, the prayer that I may never again be able to suffer so. If you grant that I be not woman, you will grant me all.’ She spoke the last words with a deeper tone which could well seem to be uttered by a man. And so it was; for already the god of the deep ocean had assented to her prayer, and had granted her besides that she should be proof against any wounds and should never fall before any sword. Atracides1 went away rejoicing in his gift, spent his years in manly exercises, and ranged the fields of Thessaly.
“Bold Ixion’s son2 had wed Hippodame and had invited the cloud-born centaurs to recline at the tables, set in order in a well-shaded grotto. The Thessalian chiefs were there and I myself was there. The palace, in festal array, resounded with the noisy throng. Behold, they were singing the nuptial song, the great hall smoked with the fires, and in came the maiden escorted by a throng of matrons and young wives, herself of surpassing beauty. We congratulated Pirithoüs upon his bride, an act which all but undid the good omen of the wedding. For your heart, Eurytus, wildest of the wild centaurs, was inflamed as well by the sight of the maiden as with wine, and it was swayed by drunken passion redoubled by lust. Straightway the tables were overturned and the banquet in an uproar, and the bride was caught by her hair and dragged violently away. Eurytus caught up Hippodame, and others, each took one for himself according as he fancied or as he could, and the scene looked like the sacking of a town. The whole house resounded with the women’s shrieks. Quickly we all sprang up and Theseus first cried out: ‘What madness, Eurytus, drives you to this, that while I still live you dare provoke Pirithoüs and, not knowing what you do, attack two men in one?’ [The great-souled hero, that he might justify his threat, thrust aside the opposing centaurs and rescued the ravished maid from their mad hands.] The other made no reply, for with words he could not defend such deeds; but with unruly hands he rushed upon the avenger and beat upon his face and noble breast. There chanced to stand near by an antique mixing-vat, rough with high-wrought figures; this huge crater, Theseus, huger still himself, caught up and hurled full into the other’s face. He, spouting forth gouts of blood along with brains and wine from wound and mouth alike, stumbled backward upon the reeking ground. His twi-formed brothers, inflamed with passion at his death, cried all with one accord, ‘To arms! to arms!’ vying with one another. Wine gave them courage, and in the first onslaught wine-cups and brittle flasks went flying through the air, and deep rounded basins, utensils once meant for use of feasting, but now for war and slaughter.
“First Amycus, Ophion’s son, scrupled not to rob the inner sanctuary of its gifts, and first snatched from the shrine a chandelier thick hung with glittering lamps. This, lifted on high, as when one strives to break a bull’s white neck with sacrificial axe, he dashed full at the head of Celadon, one of the Lapithae, crushing his face past recognition. His eyes leaped from their sockets, the bones of his face were shattered, and his nose driven back and fastened in his throat. But Pelates of Pella, wrenching off the leg of a table of maple-wood, hurled Amycus to the ground, his chin driven into his breast; and, as he spat forth dark blood and teeth commingled, his enemy with a second blow dispatched him to the shades of Tartara.
“Then Gryneus, gazing with wild eyes upon the smoking altar near which he stood, cried out, ‘Why not use this?’ and, catching up the huge altar, fire and all, he hurled it amidst a throng of Lapithae and crushed down two, Broteas and Orios. Now Orios’ mother was Mycale, who, men said, had by her incantations oft-times drawn down the horns of the moon, despite her struggles. ‘You shall not escape unscathed, if I may but lay hand upon a weapon.’ So cried Exadius, and found for weapon the antlers of a stag hung on a tall pine-tree as a votive offering. Gryneus’ eyes were pierced by the double branching horns and his eyeballs gouged out. One of these stuck to the horn and the other rolled down upon his beard and hung there in a mass of clotted blood.
i.e. the Thessalian, Caeneus, the transformed Caenis.
Pirithoüs.