Metamorphoses XIII.560-704
Memnon is transformed into a bird on his funeral pyre; Aeneas begins his journey.
atque ita correpto captivarum agmina matrum 560
invocat et digitos in perfida lumina condit
expellitque genis oculos (facit ira potentem)
inmergitque manus foedataque sanguine sonti
non lumen (neque enim superest), loca luminis haurit.
clade sui Thracum gens inritata tyranni 565
Troada telorum lapidumque incessere iactu
coepit, at haec missum rauco cum murmure saxum
morsibus insequitur rictuque in verba parato
latravit, conata loqui: locus exstat et ex re
nomen habet, veterumque diu memor illa malorum 570
tum quoque Sithonios ululavit maesta per agros.
illius Troasque suos hostesque Pelasgos,
illius fortuna deos quoque moverat omnes,
sic omnes, ut et ipsa Iovis coniunxque sororque
eventus Hecaben meruisse negaverit illos. 575
Non vacat Aurorae, quamquam isdem faverat armis,
cladibus et casu Troiaeque Hecabesque moveri.
cura deam propior luctusque domesticus angit
Memnonis amissi, Phrygiis quem lutea campis
vidit Achillea pereuntem cuspide mater; 580
vidit, et ille color, quo matutina rubescunt
tempora, palluerat, latuitque in nubibus aether.
at non inpositos supremis ignibus artus
sustinuit spectare parens, sed crine soluto
sicut erat, magni genibus procumbere non est 585
dedignata Iovis lacrimisque has addere voces:
‘omnibus inferior, quas sustinet aureus aether,
(nam mihi sunt totum rarissima templa per orbem)
diva tamen, veni, non ut delubra diesque
des mihi sacrificos caliturasque ignibus aras: 590
si tamen adspicias, quantum tibi femina praestem,
tum cum luce nova noctis confinia servo,
praemia danda putes; sed non ea cura neque hic est
nunc status Aurorae, meritos ut poscat honores:
Memnonis orba mei venio, qui fortia frustra 595
pro patruo tulit arma suo primisque sub annis
occidit a forti (sic vos voluistis) Achille.
da, precor, huic aliquem, solacia mortis, honorem,
summe deum rector, maternaque vulnera leni!’
Iuppiter adnuerat, cum Memnonis arduus alto 600
corruit igne rogus, nigrique volumina fumi
infecere diem, veluti cum flumine Nais
exhalat nebulas, nec sol admittitur infra;
atra favilla volat glomerataque corpus in unum
densetur faciemque capit sumitque calorem 605
atque animam ex igni (levitas sua praebuit alas)
et primo similis volucri, mox vera volucris
insonuit pennis, pariter sonuere sorores
innumerae, quibus est eadem natalis origo,
terque rogum lustrant, et consonus exit in auras 610
ter plangor, quarto seducunt castra volatu;
tum duo diversa populi de parte feroces
bella gerunt rostrisque et aduncis unguibus iras
exercent alasque adversaque pectora lassant,
inferiaeque cadunt cineri cognata sepulto 615
corpora seque viro forti meminere creatas.
praepetibus subitis nomen facit auctor: ab illo
Memnonides dictae, cum sol duodena peregit
signa, parentali moriturae more rebellant.
ergo aliis latrasse Dymantida flebile visum est; 620
luctibus est Aurora suis intenta piasque
nunc quoque dat lacrimas et toto rorat in orbe.
Non tamen eversam Troiae cum moenibus esse
spem quoque fata sinunt: sacra et, sacra altera, patrem
fert umeris, venerabile onus, Cythereius heros. 625
de tantis opibus praedam pius eligit illam
Ascaniumque suum profugaque per aequora classe
fertur ab Antandro scelerataque limina Thracum
et Polydoreo manantem sanguine terram
linquit et utilibus ventis aestuque secundo 630
intrat Apollineam sociis comitantibus urbem.
hunc Anius, quo rege homines, antistite Phoebus
rite colebatur, temploque domoque recepit
urbemque ostendit delubraque nota duasque
Latona quondam stirpes pariente retentas. 635
ture dato flammis vinoque in tura profuso
caesarumque boum fibris de more crematis
regia tecta petunt, positique tapetibus altis
munera cum liquido capiunt Cerealia Baccho.
tum pius Anchises: ‘o Phoebi lecte sacerdos, 640
fallor, an et natum, cum primum haec moenia vidi,
bisque duas natas, quantum reminiscor, habebas?’
huic Anius niveis circumdata tempora vittis
concutiens et tristis ait: ‘non falleris, heros
maxime; vidisti natorum quinque parentem, 645
quem nunc (tanta homines rerum inconstantia versat)
paene vides orbum. quod enim mihi filius absens
auxilium, quem dicta suo de nomine tellus
Andros habet pro patre locumque et regna tenentem?
Delius augurium dedit huic, dedit altera Liber 650
femineae stirpi voto maiora fideque
munera: nam tactu natarum cuncta mearum
in segetem laticemque meri canaeque Minervae
transformabantur, divesque erat usus in illis.
hoc ubi cognovit Troiae populator Atrides, 655
(ne non ex aliqua vestram sensisse procellam
nos quoque parte putes), armorum viribus usus
abstrahit invitas gremio genitoris alantque
imperat Argolicam caelesti munere classem.
effugiunt, quo quaeque potest: Euboea duabus 660
et totidem natis Andros fraterna petita est.
miles adest et, ni dedantur, bella minatur:
victa metu pietas consortia corpora poenae
dedidit; et timido possis ignoscere fratri:
non hic Aeneas, non, qui defenderet Andron, 665
Hector erat, per quem decimum durastis in annum.
iamque parabantur captivis vincla lacertis:
illae tollentes etiamnum libera caelo
bracchia “Bacche pater, fer opem!” dixere, tulitque
muneris auctor opem,Æsi miro perdere more 670
ferre vocatur opem, nec qua ratione figuram
perdiderint, potui scire aut nunc dicere possum;
summa mali nota est: pennas sumpsere tuaeque
coniugis in volucres, niveas abiere columbas.’
Talibus atque aliis postquam convivia dictis 675
inplerunt, mensa somnum petiere remota
cumque die surgunt adeuntque oracula Phoebi,
qui petere antiquam matrem cognataque iussit
litora; prosequitur rex et dat munus ituris,
Anchisae sceptrum, chlamydem pharetramque nepoti, 680
cratera Aeneae, quem quondam transtulit illi
hospes ab Aoniis Therses Ismenius oris:
miserat hunc illi Therses, fabricaverat Alcon
Hyleus et longo caelaverat argumento.
urbs erat, et septem posses ostendere portas: 685
hae pro nomine erant, et quae foret illa, docebant;
ante urbem exequiae tumulique ignesque rogique
effusaeque comas et apertae pectora matres
significant luctum; nymphae quoque flere videntur
siccatosque queri fontes: sine frondibus arbor 690
nuda riget, rodunt arentia saxa capellae.
ecce facit mediis natas Orione Thebis
hac non femineum iugulo dare vulnus aperto,
illac demisso per fortia pectora telo
pro populo cecidisse suo pulchrisque per urbem 695
funeribus ferri celebrique in parte cremari.
tum de virginea geminos exire favilla,
ne genus intereat, iuvenes, quos fama Coronas
nominat, et cineri materno ducere pompam.
hactenus antiquo signis fulgentibus aere, 700
summus inaurato crater erat asper acantho.
nec leviora datis Troiani dona remittunt
dantque sacerdoti custodem turis acerram,
dant pateram claramque auro gemmisque coronam.
Then did her rising wrath boil over, and, calling the captive women to the attack, she seized upon him, dug her fingers into his lying eyes and gouged his eyeballs from their sockets—so mighty did wrath make her. Then she plunged in her hands and, stained with his guilty blood, she plucked out, not his eyes, for they were gone, but the places of his eyes. The Thracians, incensed by their king’s disaster, began to set upon the Trojan with shafts and stones. But she, with hoarse growls, bit at the stones they threw and, though her jaws were set for words, barked when she tried to speak. The place still remains and takes its name1 from this incident, where she, long remembering her ancient ills, still howled mournfully across the Sithonian plains. Her sad fortune touched the Trojans and her Grecian foes and all the gods as well; yes, all, for even Juno, sister and wife of Jove, declared that Hecuba had not deserved such an end.
But Aurora, though she had lent her aid to the Trojan arms, had no time to lament the ruin and the fall of Troy and Hecuba. A nearer care, grief for her own son, harassed her, the loss of Memnon, whom she, his bright mother, had seen dead by Achilles’ spear on the Phrygian plain. She saw and those bright hues by which the morning skies flush rosy red grew dull, and the heavens were overcast with clouds. And when his corpse was laid upon the funeral pyre his mother could not look upon it, but, with streaming hair, just as she was, she disdained not to throw herself at the knees of mighty Jove and with many tears to pray: “Though I am least of all whom the golden heaven upholds (for in all the world but few and scattered temples rise to me), still as a goddess I come. I ask not that thou give me shrines and sacred days and altars to flame with sacrificial fires. And yet, shouldst thou consider what service I, though but a woman, render thee, when each new dawn I guard the borders of the night, then wouldst thou deem that I should have some reward. But that is not my care nor is that Aurora’s errand, to demand honours which she may have earned. Bereft of my Memnon I come, who bore brave arms (though all in vain) in his uncle’s service, and in his early years has fallen by Achilles’ warlike hand (for so you willed it). Grant then, I beg, some honour to him as solace for his death, O most high ruler of the gods, and soothe a mother’s wounded heart.” Jove nodded his consent, when Memnon’s lofty pyre, wrapped in high-leaping flames, crumbled to earth, and the day was darkened by the thick black smoke, as when from her river the water-nymph sends forth fogs, beneath whose pall the sunlight cannot come. Dark ashes whirled aloft and there, packed and condensed, they seemed to take on form, drew heat and vitality from the fire. (Its own lightness gave it wings.) At first, ’twas like a bird; but soon, a real bird, it flew about on whirring pinions. And along with it were countless sisters winging their noisy flight; and all were sprung from the same source. Thrice round the pyre they flew and thrice their united clamour rose into the air. At the fourth flight the flock divided and in two warring bands the fierce contestants fought together, plying beak and hooked talons in their rage, wearying wing and breast in the struggle. At last these shapes kin to the buried ashes fell down as funeral offerings and remembered that they were sprung from that brave hero. The author of their being gave his name to the new-sprung birds, and they were called Memuonides from him; and still, when the sun has completed the circuit of his twelve signs, they fight and die again in customary ceremony for their dead father. And so others wept while the daughter of Dymas bayed; but Aurora was all absorbed in her own grief; and even to this day she weeps pious tears and bedews the whole world with them.
And yet the fates did not permit Troy’s hopes to perish with her walls. The heroic son2 of Cytherea bore away upon his shoulders her sacred images and, another sacred thing, his father, a venerable burden. Of all his great possessions, he dutifully chose that portion, and his son, Ascanius. Then with his fleet of refugees he set sail from Antandros, left behind the sinful homes of Thrace and the land dripping with Polydorus’ blood, and, with favouring winds and tides assisting, reached with his friends the city3 of Apollo. Him Anius, who ruled over men as king and served Phoebus as his priest, received in the temple and his home. He showed him his city, the celebrated shrine and the two sacred trees4 beneath which Latona had once brought forth her children. There they burned incense in the flames, poured out wine upon the incense and, according to the customary rite, they slaughtered cattle and burned their entrails in the altar-fire; then sought the palace-hall and, reclining on the high couches, they partook of Ceres’ bounty and the wine of Bacchus. Then pious Anchises said: “O chosen priest of Phoebus, am I mistaken, or did you have, when first I saw your city, a son and four daughters as I recall?” And Anius, shaking his head bound with snowy fillets, sadly replied: “No, mightiest of heroes, you are not mistaken; you did see me the father of five children, whom now, such is the shifting nature of men’s fates, you see well-nigh bereft. For of what help to me is my absent son, whom the land of Andros, named from him, holds in place of his father; for he rules the land as king. The Delian gave him the power of augury; but to my daughters Bacchus gave other gifts, greater than they could pray or hope to gain. For at my daughters’ touch all things were turned to corn and wine and the oil of grey-green Minerva,5 and there was rich profit in them. When Agamemnon, ravager of Troy, learned this (that you may know that we also have felt some share of your destructive storm), using armed force, he dragged my unwilling daughters from their father’s arms, and bade them feed the Grecian army with their heavenly gift. They escaped, each as she could. Two sought Euboea; two fled to their brother’s Andros. Armed bands pursued and threatened war unless they were surrendered. Fear conquered brotherly affection, and he gave up to punishment the persons of his kindred. And you could forgive the timid brother; for Aeneas was not here to succour Andros, nor Hector, through whom you held your own for ten years. And now they were preparing fetters for the captives’ arms, when they, stretching their still free arms to heaven, cried: ‘O father Bacchus, help!’ And he who gave their gift did bring them aid—if you call it aid, in some strange sort to lose their human form. For never did I know, nor can I now describe, how they lost it. But the outcome of my sad mishap I do know: covered with plumage, they were changed to snow-white doves, your consort’s birds.”
With such and other themes they filled up the feast, then left the banquet board and retired to rest; and on the morrow they rose and sought the oracle of Phoebus. He bade them seek their ancient mother and kindred shores. On their departure the king went forth with them and gave them parting gifts: a sceptre to Anchises, a robe and quiver to his grandson, and a goblet to Aeneas which Ismenian Therses, a guest, had once brought to the king from the Aonian coast. Therses had sent him the cup, but ’twas the handiwork of Hylean Alcon, who had engraved upon it a long pictured story. There was a city, on which you could discern seven gates. These served to name it and tell you what it was.6 Before the city funeral rites were seen, with sepulchres and blazing funeral pyres; and women with dishevelled hair and naked breasts, proclaiming grief. Nymphs also seemed to weep and bewail their dried-up springs. The trees stood bare and leafless; goats nibbled in the parched and stony fields. See, in the Theban streets he represents Orion’s daughters, here dealing wounds of more than maidenly courage to their bared throats, there, with the weapons plunged into their valiant breasts, lying dead for the sake of their folk; then borne in funeral pomp through the town and burned to ashes midst the mourning throngs. Then, that their race may not perish with them, from their virgin ashes spring two youths, whom fame has named Coronae. These join in the solemn rites due to their mother’s dust. Such was the story told in figures gleaming on the antique bronze. Round the goblet’s top, rough-carved, golden acanthus ran. The Trojans make presents in return of no less worth: an incense-casket for the priest, a libation-saucer and a crown, gleaming with gems and gold.
Cynosseina (κυνὸς σῆμα), the Sign (or Monument) of the Dog.
Aeneas.
In Delos.
See VI. 335.
i.e. olives.
i.e. Thebes.