Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
The Story of Pentheus
3:630 This sad event gave blind Tiresias fame,
3:631 Through Greece establish'd in
a prophet's name.
3:632 Th' unhallow'd Pentheus only durst deride
3:633 The cheated people, and their
eyeless guide.
3:634 To whom the prophet in his fury
said,
3:635 Shaking the hoary honours of
his head:
3:636 "'Twere well, presumptuous
man, 'twere well for thee
3:637 If thou wert eyeless too, and
blind, like me:
3:638 For the time comes, nay, 'tis
already here,
3:639 When the young God's solemnities
appear:
3:640 Which, if thou dost not with
just rites adorn,
3:641 Thy impious carcass, into pieces
torn,
3:642 Shall strew the woods, and hang
on ev'ry thorn.
3:643 Then, then, remember what I now
foretel,
3:644 And own the blind Tiresias saw
too well."
3:645 Still Pentheus scorns him, and derides his
skill;
3:646 But time did all the prophet's
threats fulfil.
3:647 For now through prostrate Greece
young Bacchus rode,
3:648 Whilst howling matrons celebrate
the God:
3:649 All ranks and sexes to his Orgies
ran,
3:650 To mingle in the pomps, and fill
the train.
3:651 When Pentheus thus his wicked
rage express'd:
3:652 "What madness, Thebans,
has your souls possess'd?
3:653 Can hollow timbrels, can a drunken
shout,
3:654 And the lewd clamours of a beastly
rout,
3:655 Thus quell your courage; can
the weak alarm
3:656 Of women's yells those stubborn
souls disarm,
3:657 Whom nor the sword nor trumpet
e'er could fright,
3:658 Nor the loud din and horror of
a fight?
3:659 And you, our sires, who left
your old abodes,
3:660 And fix'd in foreign earth your
country Gods;
3:661 Will you without a stroak your
city yield,
3:662 And poorly quit an undisputed
field?
3:663 But you, whose youth and vigour
should inspire
3:664 Heroick warmth, and kindle martial
fire,
3:665 Whom burnish'd arms and crested
helmets grace,
3:666 Not flow'ry garlands and a painted
face;
3:667 Remember him to whom you stand
ally'd:
3:668 The serpent for his well of waters
dy'd.
3:669 He fought the strong; do you
his courage show,
3:670 And gain a conquest o'er a feeble
foe.
3:671 If Thebes must fall, oh might
the fates afford
3:672 A nobler doom from famine, fire,
or sword.
3:673 Then might the Thebans perish
with renown:
3:674 But now a beardless victor sacks
the town;
3:675 Whom nor the prancing steed,
nor pond'rous shield,
3:676 Nor the hack'd helmet, nor the
dusty field,
3:677 But the soft joys of luxury and
ease,
3:678 The purple vests, and flow'ry
garlands please.
3:679 Stand then aside, I'll make the
counterfeit
3:680 Renounce his god-head, and confess
the cheat.
3:681 Acrisius from the Grecian walls
repell'd
3:682 This boasted pow'r; why then
should Pentheus yield?
3:683 Go quickly drag th' impostor
boy to me;
3:684 I'll try the force of his divinity."
3:685 Thus did th' audacious wretch
those rites profane;
3:686 His friends dissuade th' audacious
wretch in vain:
3:687 In vain his grandsire urg'd him
to give o'er
3:688 His impious threats; the wretch
but raves the more.
3:689 So have I seen a river gently glide,
3:690 In a smooth course, and inoffensive
tide;
3:691 But if with dams its current
we restrain,
3:692 It bears down all, and foams
along the plain.
3:693 But now his servants came besmear'd with
blood,
3:694 Sent by their haughty prince
to seize the God;
3:695 The God they found not in the
frantick throng,
3:696 But dragg'd a zealous votary
along.
Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
The Story of Pentheus
3:630 This sad event gave blind Tiresias fame,
3:631 Through Greece establish'd in
a prophet's name.
3:632 Th' unhallow'd Pentheus only durst deride
3:633 The cheated people, and their
eyeless guide.
3:634 To whom the prophet in his fury
said,
3:635 Shaking the hoary honours of
his head:
3:636 "'Twere well, presumptuous
man, 'twere well for thee
3:637 If thou wert eyeless too, and
blind, like me:
3:638 For the time comes, nay, 'tis
already here,
3:639 When the young God's solemnities
appear:
3:640 Which, if thou dost not with
just rites adorn,
3:641 Thy impious carcass, into pieces
torn,
3:642 Shall strew the woods, and hang
on ev'ry thorn.
3:643 Then, then, remember what I now
foretel,
3:644 And own the blind Tiresias saw
too well."
3:645 Still Pentheus scorns him, and derides his
skill;
3:646 But time did all the prophet's
threats fulfil.
3:647 For now through prostrate Greece
young Bacchus rode,
3:648 Whilst howling matrons celebrate
the God:
3:649 All ranks and sexes to his Orgies
ran,
3:650 To mingle in the pomps, and fill
the train.
3:651 When Pentheus thus his wicked
rage express'd:
3:652 "What madness, Thebans,
has your souls possess'd?
3:653 Can hollow timbrels, can a drunken
shout,
3:654 And the lewd clamours of a beastly
rout,
3:655 Thus quell your courage; can
the weak alarm
3:656 Of women's yells those stubborn
souls disarm,
3:657 Whom nor the sword nor trumpet
e'er could fright,
3:658 Nor the loud din and horror of
a fight?
3:659 And you, our sires, who left
your old abodes,
3:660 And fix'd in foreign earth your
country Gods;
3:661 Will you without a stroak your
city yield,
3:662 And poorly quit an undisputed
field?
3:663 But you, whose youth and vigour
should inspire
3:664 Heroick warmth, and kindle martial
fire,
3:665 Whom burnish'd arms and crested
helmets grace,
3:666 Not flow'ry garlands and a painted
face;
3:667 Remember him to whom you stand
ally'd:
3:668 The serpent for his well of waters
dy'd.
3:669 He fought the strong; do you
his courage show,
3:670 And gain a conquest o'er a feeble
foe.
3:671 If Thebes must fall, oh might
the fates afford
3:672 A nobler doom from famine, fire,
or sword.
3:673 Then might the Thebans perish
with renown:
3:674 But now a beardless victor sacks
the town;
3:675 Whom nor the prancing steed,
nor pond'rous shield,
3:676 Nor the hack'd helmet, nor the
dusty field,
3:677 But the soft joys of luxury and
ease,
3:678 The purple vests, and flow'ry
garlands please.
3:679 Stand then aside, I'll make the
counterfeit
3:680 Renounce his god-head, and confess
the cheat.
3:681 Acrisius from the Grecian walls
repell'd
3:682 This boasted pow'r; why then
should Pentheus yield?
3:683 Go quickly drag th' impostor
boy to me;
3:684 I'll try the force of his divinity."
3:685 Thus did th' audacious wretch
those rites profane;
3:686 His friends dissuade th' audacious
wretch in vain:
3:687 In vain his grandsire urg'd him
to give o'er
3:688 His impious threats; the wretch
but raves the more.
3:689 So have I seen a river gently glide,
3:690 In a smooth course, and inoffensive
tide;
3:691 But if with dams its current
we restrain,
3:692 It bears down all, and foams
along the plain.
3:693 But now his servants came besmear'd with
blood,
3:694 Sent by their haughty prince
to seize the God;
3:695 The God they found not in the
frantick throng,
3:696 But dragg'd a zealous votary
along.