baucis translation Flashcards
(6 cards)
Latin Text (Lines 1-11):
luppiter hue specie mortali cumque parente
venit Atlantades positis caducifer alis.
mille domos adiere locum requiemque petentes,
mille domos clausere serae. tamen una recepit,
parva quidem stipulis et canna tecta palustri,
sed pia Baucis anus parilique aetate Philemon
illa sunt annis iuncti iuvenalibus, illa
consenuere casa paupertatemque fatendo
effecere levem nec iniqua mente ferendo.
nec refert, dominos illic famulosne requiras:
tota domus duo sunt, idem parentque iubentque.
Jupiter came here in human form and, with his father,
the wand-bearing descendant of Atlas (Mercury), having set aside his wings.
They approached a thousand houses, seeking a place to rest;
a thousand houses were barred against them. Yet one received them—
small indeed, roofed with straw and marsh-grown reeds,
but pious Baucis, an old woman, and Philemon, of equal age,
were united in marriage in their youth within that cottage,
grew old together there, and by acknowledging their poverty,
made it light, not bearing it with resentful hearts.
It matters not whether you seek masters or servants there:
the two are the whole household—they both obey and command.
Latin Text (Lines 12–23):
ergo ubi caelicola parvos tetigere penates
summissoque humiles intravere vertice postes,
membra senex posito iussit relevare sedili,
quo superiniciet textum rude sedula Baucis.
inde foco tepidum cinerem dimovit et ignes
suscitat hesternos foliisque et cortice sicco
nutrit et ad flammas anima producit anili,
multifidasque faces ramaliaque arida tecto
detulit et minuit parvoque admovit aeno.
quodque suis coniunx riguo collegerat horto,
truncat holus foliis; furca levat ille bicorni
sordida terga suis nigro pendentia tigno
Therefore, when the heaven-dwellers arrived at the small household
and entered the lowly doorposts with heads bowed,
the old man ordered them to rest their limbs on a couch
(which Baucis, diligent, covered with a rough-woven cloth).
Then she stirred the warm ashes in the hearth
and roused yesterday’s fires, feeding them with leaves and dry bark,
nursing the flames to life with an old woman’s breath.
She brought down from the roof torches split into many pieces and dry twigs,
broke them small, and placed them under a little bronze pot.
Next, she trimmed the cabbage leaves her husband had gathered
from their well-watered garden; he lifted with a two-pronged fork
the sooty back of a pig, long preserved, hanging from a black beam.
Interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas
sensitique moram prohibent. erat alveus illic
fagineus dura clavo suspensus ab ansa;
is tepidis impeletur aquis artusque fovendos
accipit. in medio torus est de mollibus ulvis
impositus lecto sponda pedibusque salignis;
vestibus hunc velant, quas non nisi tempore festo
sternere consuerant, sed et haec vilisque vetusque
vestis erat, lecto non indignanda saligno.
accubuere dei.
Meanwhile, they pass the intervening hours with conversation
and prevent the delay from being felt. There was a tub there,
made of beechwood, hung by a sturdy handle from a nail;
this they fill with warm water to soothe their guests’ weary limbs.
In the center (of the room), a mattress of soft sedge rests
on a bed with a willow frame and legs.
They cover it with linens they only spread on festive occasions—
yet even these were cheap and old,
though not unworthy of the willow couch.
The gods reclined there.
Latin Text (Lines 36–50):
Interea totiens haustum cratera repleri
sponte sua per seque vident succrescere vina;
attoniti novitate pavent manibusque supinis
concipiunt Baucisque preces timidusque Philemon
et veniam dapibus nullisque paratibus orant.
unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae,
quem dis hospitibus domini mactare parabant;
ille celer penna tardos aetate fatigat
eluditque diu tandemque est visus ad ipsos
confugisse deos. superi vetuere necari,
“dique sumus,” meritasque luet vicinia poenas
impia,” dixerunt; “vobis immunibus huius
esse mali dabitur. modo vestra relinquite tecta
ac nostros comitare gradus et in ardua montis
ite simul.”
Meanwhile, they see the wine-bowl—drained so many times—
refill itself, and the wine swell unbidden.
Astonished by the marvel, they raise trembling hands in prayer,
both Baucis and timid Philemon,
begging forgiveness for their meager feast.
They had one goose, guardian of their tiny home,
which they sought to slaughter for their divine guests.
But the bird, swift-winged, outran their aged grasp,
eluding them until it seemed to flee
to the gods themselves. The gods forbade its death,
declaring: “We are gods! This impious neighborhood
shall pay its deserved penalty—but you
shall be spared. Now leave your home,
follow our steps, and climb with us
to the mountain’s heights.”
parent ambo baculisque levati
nituntur longo vestigia ponere clivo.
tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta
missa potest; flexere oculos et mersa palude
cetera prospiciunt, tantum sua tecta manere.
dumque ea mirantur, dum deflent fata suorum,
illa vetus dominis etiam casa parva duobus
veritur in templum; furcas subiere columnae,
stramina flavescunt aurataque tecta videntur
caelataque fores adopertaque marmore tellus.
talia tum placido Saturnius edidit ore:
‘dicite, iuste senex et femina coniuge iusto
digna, quid optetis.’ cum Baucide pauca locutus
iudicium superis aperit commune Philemon:
Both obey and, supported by their staffs,
struggle to place their steps on the long slope.
They were as far from the summit as a single arrow-shot
when they turned their eyes and saw the rest drowned in a swamp—
only their own roof remained.
While they marveled at this and wept for their neighbors’ fate,
that old cottage, small even for its two owners,
transformed into a temple: columns replaced wooden poles,
the thatch turned golden, and the roof gleamed;
carved doors appeared, and the floor was paved with marble.
Then Jupiter spoke with serene expression:
“Tell me, just old man and woman worthy of your just husband,
what you desire.” After brief words with Baucis,
Philemon shared their joint wish with the gods:
“esse sacerdotes delubraque vestra tueri
poscimus, et quoniam concordes egimus annos,
auferat hora duos eadem, nec coniugis umquam
busta meae videam, neu sim tumulandus ab illa.”
vota fides sequitur; templi tutela fuere,
donec vita data est. annis aevoque soluti
ante gradus sacros cum starent forte locique
narrarent casus, frondere Philemona Baucis,
Baucida conspexit senior frondere Philemon.
iamque super geminos crescente cacumine vultus
mutua, dum licuit, reddebant dicta “vale”que
“o coniunx” dixere simul, simul abdita text
ora frutex.
We ask to be your priests and guard your shrine,
and since we’ve lived in harmony all our years,
let the same hour take us both. May I never see
my wife’s tomb, nor may she bury me.”
The gods granted their prayer. They kept the temple
until old age. Then, frail with time,
standing before the sacred steps, recalling
the place’s history, Baucis saw Philemon sprout leaves—
and old Philemon saw Baucis bloom green.
As bark climbed over their faces,
they cried while they could: “Farewell, O beloved!”
At once, their voices faded as bark sealed
their lips—now trees entwined.
