Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
The Peasants of Lycia transform'd to Frogs
6:453 Then all, reclaim'd by this example, show'd
6:454 A due regard for each peculiar
God:
6:455 Both men, and women their devoirs
express'd,
6:456 And great Latona's awful pow'r
confess'd.
6:457 Then, tracing instances of older
time,
6:458 To suit the nature of the present
crime,
6:459 Thus one begins his tale.-Where
Lycia yields
6:460 A golden harvest from its fertile
fields,
6:461 Some churlish peasants, in the
days of yore,
6:462 Provok'd the Goddess to exert
her pow'r.
6:463 The thing indeed the meanness
of the place
6:464 Has made obscure, surprizing
as it was;
6:465 But I my self once happen'd to
behold
6:466 This famous lake of which the
story's told.
6:467 My father then, worn out by length
of days,
6:468 Nor able to sustain the tedious
ways,
6:469 Me with a guide had sent the
plains to roam,
6:470 And drive his well-fed stragling
heifers home.
6:471 Here, as we saunter'd thro' the
verdant meads,
6:472 We spy'd a lake o'er-grown with
trembling reeds,
6:473 Whose wavy tops an op'ning scene
disclose,
6:474 From which an antique smoaky
altar rose.
6:475 I, as my susperstitious guide
had done,
6:476 Stop'd short, and bless'd my
self, and then went on;
6:477 Yet I enquir'd to whom the altar
stood,
6:478 Faunus, the Naids, or some native
God?
6:479 No silvan deity, my friend replies,
6:480 Enshrin'd within this hallow'd
altar lies.
6:481 For this, o youth, to that fam'd
Goddess stands,
6:482 Whom, at th' imperial Juno's
rough commands,
6:483 Of ev'ry quarter of the Earth
bereav'd,
6:484 Delos, the floating isle, at
length receiv'd.
6:485 Who there, in spite of enemies,
brought forth,
6:486 Beneath an olive's shade, her
great twin-birth.
6:487 Hence too she fled the furious stepdame's
pow'r,
6:488 And in her arms a double godhead
bore;
6:489 And now the borders of fair Lycia
gain'd,
6:490 Just when the summer solstice
parch'd the land.
6:491 With thirst the Goddess languishing,
no more
6:492 Her empty'd breast would yield
its milky store;
6:493 When, from below, the smiling
valley show'd
6:494 A silver lake that in its bottom
flow'd:
6:495 A sort of clowns were reaping,
near the bank,
6:496 The bending osier, and the bullrush
dank;
6:497 The cresse, and water-lilly,
fragrant weed,
6:498 Whose juicy stalk the liquid
fountains feed.
6:499 The Goddess came, and kneeling
on the brink,
6:500 Stoop'd at the fresh repast,
prepar'd to drink.
6:501 Then thus, being hinder'd by
the rabble race,
6:502 In accents mild expostulates
the case.
6:503 Water I only ask, and sure 'tis
hard
6:504 From Nature's common rights to
be debar'd:
6:505 This, as the genial sun, and
vital air,
6:506 Should flow alike to ev'ry creature's
share.
6:507 Yet still I ask, and as a favour
crave,
6:508 That which, a publick bounty,
Nature gave.
6:509 Nor do I seek my weary limbs
to drench;
6:510 Only, with one cool draught,
my thirst I'd quench.
6:511 Now from my throat the usual
moisture dries,
6:512 And ev'n my voice in broken accents
dies:
6:513 One draught as dear as life I
should esteem,
6:514 And water, now I thirst, would
nectar seem.
6:515 Oh! let my little babes your
pity move,
6:516 And melt your hearts to charitable
love;
6:517 They (as by chance they did)
extend to you
6:518 Their little hands, and my request
pursue.
6:519 Whom would these soft perswasions not subdue,
6:520 Tho' the most rustick, and unmanner'd
crew?
6:521 Yet they the Goddess's request
refuse,
6:522 And with rude words reproachfully
abuse:
6:523 Nay more, with spiteful feet
the villains trod
6:524 O'er the soft bottom of the marshy
flood,
6:525 And blacken'd all the lake with
clouds of rising mud.
6:526 Her thirst by indignation was suppress'd;
6:527 Bent on revenge, the Goddess
stood confess'd.
6:528 Her suppliant hands uplifting
to the skies,
6:529 For a redress, to Heav'n she
now applies.
6:530 And, May you live, she passionately
cry'd,
6:531 Doom'd in that pool for ever
to abide.
6:532 The Goddess has her wish; for now they chuse
6:533 To plunge, and dive among the
watry ooze;
6:534 Sometimes they shew their head
above the brim,
6:535 And on the glassy surface spread
to swim;
6:536 Often upon the bank their station
take,
6:537 Then spring, and leap into the
cooly lake.
6:538 Still, void of shame, they lead
a clam'rous life,
6:539 And, croaking, still scold on
in endless strife;
6:540 Compell'd to live beneath the
liquid stream,
6:541 Where still they quarrel, and
attempt to skream.
6:542 Now, from their bloated throat,
their voice puts on
6:543 Imperfect murmurs in a hoarser
tone;
6:544 Their noisy jaws, with bawling
now grown wide,
6:545 An ugly sight! extend on either
side:
6:546 Their motly back, streak'd with
a list of green,
6:547 Joyn'd to their head, without
a neck is seen;
6:548 And, with a belly broad and white,
they look
6:549 Meer frogs, and still frequent
the muddy brook.
Metamorphoses (Books I-XIV)
The Peasants of Lycia transform'd to Frogs
6:453 Then all, reclaim'd by this example, show'd
6:454 A due regard for each peculiar
God:
6:455 Both men, and women their devoirs
express'd,
6:456 And great Latona's awful pow'r
confess'd.
6:457 Then, tracing instances of older
time,
6:458 To suit the nature of the present
crime,
6:459 Thus one begins his tale.-Where
Lycia yields
6:460 A golden harvest from its fertile
fields,
6:461 Some churlish peasants, in the
days of yore,
6:462 Provok'd the Goddess to exert
her pow'r.
6:463 The thing indeed the meanness
of the place
6:464 Has made obscure, surprizing
as it was;
6:465 But I my self once happen'd to
behold
6:466 This famous lake of which the
story's told.
6:467 My father then, worn out by length
of days,
6:468 Nor able to sustain the tedious
ways,
6:469 Me with a guide had sent the
plains to roam,
6:470 And drive his well-fed stragling
heifers home.
6:471 Here, as we saunter'd thro' the
verdant meads,
6:472 We spy'd a lake o'er-grown with
trembling reeds,
6:473 Whose wavy tops an op'ning scene
disclose,
6:474 From which an antique smoaky
altar rose.
6:475 I, as my susperstitious guide
had done,
6:476 Stop'd short, and bless'd my
self, and then went on;
6:477 Yet I enquir'd to whom the altar
stood,
6:478 Faunus, the Naids, or some native
God?
6:479 No silvan deity, my friend replies,
6:480 Enshrin'd within this hallow'd
altar lies.
6:481 For this, o youth, to that fam'd
Goddess stands,
6:482 Whom, at th' imperial Juno's
rough commands,
6:483 Of ev'ry quarter of the Earth
bereav'd,
6:484 Delos, the floating isle, at
length receiv'd.
6:485 Who there, in spite of enemies,
brought forth,
6:486 Beneath an olive's shade, her
great twin-birth.
6:487 Hence too she fled the furious stepdame's
pow'r,
6:488 And in her arms a double godhead
bore;
6:489 And now the borders of fair Lycia
gain'd,
6:490 Just when the summer solstice
parch'd the land.
6:491 With thirst the Goddess languishing,
no more
6:492 Her empty'd breast would yield
its milky store;
6:493 When, from below, the smiling
valley show'd
6:494 A silver lake that in its bottom
flow'd:
6:495 A sort of clowns were reaping,
near the bank,
6:496 The bending osier, and the bullrush
dank;
6:497 The cresse, and water-lilly,
fragrant weed,
6:498 Whose juicy stalk the liquid
fountains feed.
6:499 The Goddess came, and kneeling
on the brink,
6:500 Stoop'd at the fresh repast,
prepar'd to drink.
6:501 Then thus, being hinder'd by
the rabble race,
6:502 In accents mild expostulates
the case.
6:503 Water I only ask, and sure 'tis
hard
6:504 From Nature's common rights to
be debar'd:
6:505 This, as the genial sun, and
vital air,
6:506 Should flow alike to ev'ry creature's
share.
6:507 Yet still I ask, and as a favour
crave,
6:508 That which, a publick bounty,
Nature gave.
6:509 Nor do I seek my weary limbs
to drench;
6:510 Only, with one cool draught,
my thirst I'd quench.
6:511 Now from my throat the usual
moisture dries,
6:512 And ev'n my voice in broken accents
dies:
6:513 One draught as dear as life I
should esteem,
6:514 And water, now I thirst, would
nectar seem.
6:515 Oh! let my little babes your
pity move,
6:516 And melt your hearts to charitable
love;
6:517 They (as by chance they did)
extend to you
6:518 Their little hands, and my request
pursue.
6:519 Whom would these soft perswasions not subdue,
6:520 Tho' the most rustick, and unmanner'd
crew?
6:521 Yet they the Goddess's request
refuse,
6:522 And with rude words reproachfully
abuse:
6:523 Nay more, with spiteful feet
the villains trod
6:524 O'er the soft bottom of the marshy
flood,
6:525 And blacken'd all the lake with
clouds of rising mud.
6:526 Her thirst by indignation was suppress'd;
6:527 Bent on revenge, the Goddess
stood confess'd.
6:528 Her suppliant hands uplifting
to the skies,
6:529 For a redress, to Heav'n she
now applies.
6:530 And, May you live, she passionately
cry'd,
6:531 Doom'd in that pool for ever
to abide.
6:532 The Goddess has her wish; for now they chuse
6:533 To plunge, and dive among the
watry ooze;
6:534 Sometimes they shew their head
above the brim,
6:535 And on the glassy surface spread
to swim;
6:536 Often upon the bank their station
take,
6:537 Then spring, and leap into the
cooly lake.
6:538 Still, void of shame, they lead
a clam'rous life,
6:539 And, croaking, still scold on
in endless strife;
6:540 Compell'd to live beneath the
liquid stream,
6:541 Where still they quarrel, and
attempt to skream.
6:542 Now, from their bloated throat,
their voice puts on
6:543 Imperfect murmurs in a hoarser
tone;
6:544 Their noisy jaws, with bawling
now grown wide,
6:545 An ugly sight! extend on either
side:
6:546 Their motly back, streak'd with
a list of green,
6:547 Joyn'd to their head, without
a neck is seen;
6:548 And, with a belly broad and white,
they look
6:549 Meer frogs, and still frequent
the muddy brook.