Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
Europa's Rape
2:1035 When now the God his fury had allay'd,
2:1036 And taken vengeance of the
stubborn maid,
2:1037 From where the bright Athenian
turrets rise
2:1038 He mounts aloft, and re-ascends
the skies.
2:1039 Jove saw him enter the sublime
abodes,
2:1040 And, as he mix'd among the
crowd of Gods,
2:1041 Beckon'd him out, and drew
him from the rest,
2:1042 And in soft whispers thus his
will exprest.
2:1043 "My trusty Hermes, by whose ready aid
2:1044 Thy sire's commands are through
the world convey'd.
2:1045 Resume thy wings, exert their
utmost force,
2:1046 And to the walls of Sidon speed
thy course;
2:1047 There find a herd of heifers
wand'ring o'er
2:1048 The neighb'ring hill, and drive
'em to the shore."
2:1049 Thus spoke the God, concealing his intent.
2:1050 The trusty Hermes, on his message
went,
2:1051 And found the herd of heifers
wand'ring o'er
2:1052 A neighb'ring hill, and drove
'em to the shore;
2:1053 Where the king's daughter,
with a lovely train
2:1054 Of fellow-nymphs, was sporting
on the plain.
2:1055 The dignity of empire laid aside,
2:1056 (For love but ill agrees with
kingly pride)
2:1057 The ruler of the skies, the
thund'ring God,
2:1058 Who shakes the world's foundations
with a nod,
2:1059 Among a herd of lowing heifers
ran,
2:1060 Frisk'd in a bull, and bellow'd
o'er the plain.
2:1061 Large rowles of fat about his
shoulders clung,
2:1062 And from his neck the double
dewlap hung.
2:1063 His skin was whiter than the
snow that lies
2:1064 Unsully'd by the breath of
southern skies;
2:1065 Small shining horns on his
curl'd forehead stand,
2:1066 As turn'd and polish'd by the
work-man's hand;
2:1067 His eye-balls rowl'd, not formidably
bright,
2:1068 But gaz'd and languish'd with
a gentle light.
2:1069 His ev'ry look was peaceful,
and exprest
2:1070 The softness of the lover in
the beast.
2:1071 Agenor's royal daughter, as she plaid
2:1072 Among the fields, the milk-white
bull survey'd,
2:1073 And view'd his spotless body
with delight,
2:1074 And at a distance kept him
in her sight.
2:1075 At length she pluck'd the rising
flow'rs, and fed
2:1076 The gentle beast, and fondly
stroak'd his head.
2:1077 He stood well-pleas'd to touch
the charming fair,
2:1078 But hardly could confine his
pleasure there.
2:1079 And now he wantons o'er the
neighb'ring strand,
2:1080 Now rowls his body on the yellow
sand;
2:1081 And, now perceiving all her
fears decay'd,
2:1082 Comes tossing forward to the
royal maid;
2:1083 Gives her his breast to stroke,
and downward turns
2:1084 His grizly brow, and gently
stoops his horns.
2:1085 In flow'ry wreaths the royal
virgin drest
2:1086 His bending horns, and kindly
clapt his breast.
2:1087 'Till now grown wanton and
devoid of fear,
2:1088 Not knowing that she prest
the Thunderer,
2:1089 She plac'd her self upon his
back, and rode
2:1090 O'er fields and meadows, seated
on the God.
2:1091 He gently march'd along, and by degrees
2:1092 Left the dry meadow, and approach'd
the seas;
2:1093 Where now he dips his hoofs
and wets his thighs,
2:1094 Now plunges in, and carries
off the prize.
2:1095 The frighted nymph looks backward
on the shoar,
2:1096 And hears the tumbling billows
round her roar;
2:1097 But still she holds him fast:
one hand is born
2:1098 Upon his back; the other grasps
a horn:
2:1099 Her train of ruffling garments
flies behind,
2:1100 Swells in the air, and hovers
in the wind.
2:1101 Through storms and tempests
he the virgin bore,
2:1102 And lands her safe on the Dictean
shore;
2:1103 Where now, in his divinest
form array'd,
2:1104 In his true shape he captivates
the maid;
2:1105 Who gazes on him, and with
wond'ring eyes
2:1106 Beholds the new majestick figure
rise,
2:1107 His glowing features, and celestial
light,
2:1108 And all the God discover'd
to her sight.
BOOK THE THIRD
Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
Europa's Rape
2:1035 When now the God his fury had allay'd,
2:1036 And taken vengeance of the
stubborn maid,
2:1037 From where the bright Athenian
turrets rise
2:1038 He mounts aloft, and re-ascends
the skies.
2:1039 Jove saw him enter the sublime
abodes,
2:1040 And, as he mix'd among the
crowd of Gods,
2:1041 Beckon'd him out, and drew
him from the rest,
2:1042 And in soft whispers thus his
will exprest.
2:1043 "My trusty Hermes, by whose ready aid
2:1044 Thy sire's commands are through
the world convey'd.
2:1045 Resume thy wings, exert their
utmost force,
2:1046 And to the walls of Sidon speed
thy course;
2:1047 There find a herd of heifers
wand'ring o'er
2:1048 The neighb'ring hill, and drive
'em to the shore."
2:1049 Thus spoke the God, concealing his intent.
2:1050 The trusty Hermes, on his message
went,
2:1051 And found the herd of heifers
wand'ring o'er
2:1052 A neighb'ring hill, and drove
'em to the shore;
2:1053 Where the king's daughter,
with a lovely train
2:1054 Of fellow-nymphs, was sporting
on the plain.
2:1055 The dignity of empire laid aside,
2:1056 (For love but ill agrees with
kingly pride)
2:1057 The ruler of the skies, the
thund'ring God,
2:1058 Who shakes the world's foundations
with a nod,
2:1059 Among a herd of lowing heifers
ran,
2:1060 Frisk'd in a bull, and bellow'd
o'er the plain.
2:1061 Large rowles of fat about his
shoulders clung,
2:1062 And from his neck the double
dewlap hung.
2:1063 His skin was whiter than the
snow that lies
2:1064 Unsully'd by the breath of
southern skies;
2:1065 Small shining horns on his
curl'd forehead stand,
2:1066 As turn'd and polish'd by the
work-man's hand;
2:1067 His eye-balls rowl'd, not formidably
bright,
2:1068 But gaz'd and languish'd with
a gentle light.
2:1069 His ev'ry look was peaceful,
and exprest
2:1070 The softness of the lover in
the beast.
2:1071 Agenor's royal daughter, as she plaid
2:1072 Among the fields, the milk-white
bull survey'd,
2:1073 And view'd his spotless body
with delight,
2:1074 And at a distance kept him
in her sight.
2:1075 At length she pluck'd the rising
flow'rs, and fed
2:1076 The gentle beast, and fondly
stroak'd his head.
2:1077 He stood well-pleas'd to touch
the charming fair,
2:1078 But hardly could confine his
pleasure there.
2:1079 And now he wantons o'er the
neighb'ring strand,
2:1080 Now rowls his body on the yellow
sand;
2:1081 And, now perceiving all her
fears decay'd,
2:1082 Comes tossing forward to the
royal maid;
2:1083 Gives her his breast to stroke,
and downward turns
2:1084 His grizly brow, and gently
stoops his horns.
2:1085 In flow'ry wreaths the royal
virgin drest
2:1086 His bending horns, and kindly
clapt his breast.
2:1087 'Till now grown wanton and
devoid of fear,
2:1088 Not knowing that she prest
the Thunderer,
2:1089 She plac'd her self upon his
back, and rode
2:1090 O'er fields and meadows, seated
on the God.
2:1091 He gently march'd along, and by degrees
2:1092 Left the dry meadow, and approach'd
the seas;
2:1093 Where now he dips his hoofs
and wets his thighs,
2:1094 Now plunges in, and carries
off the prize.
2:1095 The frighted nymph looks backward
on the shoar,
2:1096 And hears the tumbling billows
round her roar;
2:1097 But still she holds him fast:
one hand is born
2:1098 Upon his back; the other grasps
a horn:
2:1099 Her train of ruffling garments
flies behind,
2:1100 Swells in the air, and hovers
in the wind.
2:1101 Through storms and tempests
he the virgin bore,
2:1102 And lands her safe on the Dictean
shore;
2:1103 Where now, in his divinest
form array'd,
2:1104 In his true shape he captivates
the maid;
2:1105 Who gazes on him, and with
wond'ring eyes
2:1106 Beholds the new majestick figure
rise,
2:1107 His glowing features, and celestial
light,
2:1108 And all the God discover'd
to her sight.
BOOK THE THIRD