The music for this podcast was generously provided by Dr. Stefan Hagel.
Cover illustration and voice of Ovid provided by Lu (twitter: @DRScomics, instagram: @dead_romans_society, tumblr: @ovidiana).
Foley sounds for soundscape provided by zapsplat.com.
Hosting, English sections, and editing provided by Margrethe.
Transcript
Mar: Salve aveque. This is Margrethe from Ovid Daily, for our podcast special: “Evenings with Ovid”. Joining me today from the far-off shores of the Black Sea is the eminent Latin poet Publius Ovidius Naso, (given voice by the excellent Lu), here to read one of his most moving works: Tristia. Last week, we heard Carmina Decima, where you praised the ship which sailed you eastward, and gave a loose itinerary of your voyage. It was a compelling tour through foreign lands and waters. Are you ready to share the last installment?
Lu/Ovid: Ita. Gratiam tibi ago, lector: per te vivo.
Lu/Ovid:
Littera quaecumque est toto tibi lecta libello,
est mihi sollicito tempore facta uiae.
aut haec me, gelido tremerem cum mense Decembri,
scribentem mediis Hadria uidit aquis;
aut, postquam bimarem cursu superauimus Isthmon,
alteraque est nostrae sumpta carina fugae,
quod facerem uersus inter fera murmura ponti,
Cycladas Aegaeas obstipuisse puto.
ipse ego nunc miror tantis animique marisque
fluctibus ingenium non cecidisse meum.
seu stupor huic studio siue est insania nomen,
omnis ab hac cura cura leuata mea est.
saepe ego nimbosis dubius iactabar ab Haedis,
saepe minax Steropes sidere pontus erat,
fuscabatque diem custos Atlantidos Vrsae,
aut Hyadas seris hauserat Auster aquis,
saepe maris pars intus erat; tamen ipse trementi
carmina ducebam qualiacumque manu.
nunc quoque contenti stridunt Aquilone rudentes,
inque modum cumuli concaua surgit aqua.
ipse gubernator tollens ad sidera palmas
exposcit uotis, inmemor artis, opem.
quocumque aspexi, nihil est nisi mortis imago,
quam dubia timeo mente timensque precor.
attigero portum, portu terrebor ab ipso:
plus habet infesta terra timoris aqua;
nam simul insidiis hominum pelagique laboro,
et faciunt geminos ensis et unda metus.
ille meo uereor ne speret sanguine praedam,
haec titulum nostrae mortis habere uelit.
barbara pars laeua est auidaeque adsueta rapinae,
quam cruor et caedes bellaque semper habent,
cumque sit hibernis agitatum fluctibus aequor,
pectora sunt ipso turbidiora mari.
quo magis his debes ignoscere, candide lector,
si spe sunt, ut sunt, inferiora tua.
non haec in nostris, ut quondam, scripsimus hortis,
nec, consuete, meum, lectule, corpus habes.
iactor in indomito brumali luce profundo
ipsaque caeruleis charta feritur aquis.
improba pugnat hiems indignaturque quod ausim
scribere se rigidas incutiente minas.
uincat hiems hominem! sed eodem tempore, quaeso,
ipse modum statuam carminis, illa sui.
Mar: Gratias tibi ago, Ovidi. I have here the English translation of our guest’s poem, originally translated by A.L. Wheeler in 1924.
“Every letter that you have read in my whole book was formed by me during the troubled days of my journey. Either the Adriatic saw me writing these words in the midst of his waters, while I shivered in cold December, or when I had passed in my course the Isthmus with its two seas and had taken the second ship of my journey into exile, my writing of verses amid the wild roar of the sea brought wonder, I think, to the Aegean Cyclades. I myself now marvel that amid such turmoil of my soul and of the sea my powers did not fail. But whether “trance” or “madness” be the name for this pursuit, 'twas by such pains that all my pain was lightened. Often my perilous tossing was caused by the storm-bringing Kids, often the constellation of Sterope made the sea to threaten, or the day was darkened by the guardian of the Atlantian bear, or Auster had drawn from the Hyades an autumnal flood. Often part of the sea was within our ship; nevertheless, with shaking hand I continued to spin my verses such as they were. Now too the ropes drawn taut by Aquilo are shrieking, and like a hill swells the curving surge. The very helmsman lifts his hands to the stars imploring aid with prayer and forgetful of his skill. Wherever I gaze there is naught but the presentment of death that with wavering mind I fear and pray for in my fear. Should I reach the harbour, the very harbour will affright me: there is more to dread upon the land than on the hostile sea. For the snares of men and of the sea unite in causing my woe; the sword and the waves produce twin fears. The one may look for booty through my blood, I fear, whilst the other may wish to win renown from my death. Wild is the shore on my left, accustomed to the greed of robbers, ever filled with bloodshed and murder and war, and though the sea is shaken by stormy billows my breast is more turbulent than the sea.
“And so, kindly reader, you should grant me the more indulgence if these verses are as they are poorer than your hopes. They were not written, as of old, in my garden or while you, my familiar couch, supported my frame. I am tossing of a winter's day on the stormy deep, and my paper is sprayed by the dark waters. The vicious storm battles, indignant that I dare to write whilst he is brandishing against me his stern threats. Let the storm vanquish the man ; but at the same time that I end my verse, let him, I pray, reach his own end.”
Mar: Thank you so much for listening, and for joining Ovid Daily for our inaugural podcast “Evenings with Ovid: Tristia Book One.” Be sure to keep an eye out for our forthcoming newsletter: Ovid’s Fasti: a tour through six months of the Roman calendar, coming January 2023. Vale beneque placideque quiescas!
Mar: A transcript for this podcast is available at oviddaily.substack.com. Our text comes from the 1924 Loeb Classical Library edition of the Tristia, edited and translated by A.L. Wheeler. Our music is performed by Dr. Stefan Hagel on the Hellenistic Aulos, a link to which is available in the description, and on our website on our “Resources” page. Foley sounds for our soundscape are provided by zapsplat.com. Our lovely cover art was illustrated by Lu, and you can see more of Lu’s art on Twitter @DRScomic, or on Tumblr @ovidiana. If you wish to contact Ovid Daily, you may email me at oviddaily@substack.com.
Tristia 1.11