Catullus 64.132-201: Ariadne's Soliloquy | Dickinson College Commentaries

“sicine me patriis avectam, perfide, ab aris,

perfide, deserto liquisti in litore, Theseu?

sicine discedens neglecto numine divum

immemor ah devota domum periuria portas?

nullane res potuit crudelis flectere mentis

consilium? tibi nulla fuit clementia praesto

immite ut nostri vellet miserescere pectus?

at non haec quondam blanda promissa dedisti

voce mihi, non haec miserae sperare iubebas,

sed conubia laeta, sed optatos hymenaeos:

quae cuncta aerii discerpunt irrita venti.

nunc iam nulla viro iuranti femina credat,

nulla viri speret sermones esse fideles:

quis dum aliquid cupiens animus praegestit apisci,

nil metuunt iurare, nihil promittere parcunt:

sed simul ac cupidae mentis satiata libido est,

dicta nihil meminere, nihil periuria curant.

certe ego te in medio versantem turbine leti

eripui et potius germanum amittere crevi

quam tibi fallaci supremo in tempore deessem:

pro quo dilaceranda feris dabor alitibusque

praeda neque iniecta tumulabor mortua terra.

quaenam te genuit sola sub rupe leaena,

quod mare conceptum spumantibus exspuit undis.

quae Syrtis, quae Scylla rapax, quae vasta Charybdis,

talia qui reddis pro dulci praemia vita?

si tibi non cordi fuerant conubia nostra,

saeva quod horrebas prisci praecepta parentis,

at tamen in vestras potuisti ducere sedes

quae tibi iucundo famularer serva labore

candida permulcens liquidis vestigia lymphis

purpureave tuum constemens veste cubile.

sed quid ego ignaris nequiquam conqueror auris

exsternata malo, quae nullis sensibus auctae

nec missas audire queunt nec reddere voces?

ille autem prope iam mediis versatur in undis,

nec quisquam adparet vacua mortalis in alga.

sic nimis insultans extremo tempore saeva

fors etiam nostris invidit questibus auris.

Iuppiter omnipotens, utinam ne tempore primo

Gnosia Cecropiae tetigissent litora puppes,

indomito nec dira ferens stipendia tauro

perfidus in Creta religasset navita funem,

nec malus hic celans dulci crudelia forma

consilia in nostris requiesset sedibus hospes!

nam quo me referam? quali spe perdita nitor?

Idaeosne petam montes? ah, gurgite lato

discernens ponti truculentum ubi dividit aequor?

an patris auxilium sperem, quemne ipsa reliqui

respersum iuvenem fraterna caede secuta?

coniugis an fido consoler memet amore,

quine fugit lentos incurvans gurgite remos?

praeterea nullo litus, sola insula, tecto,

nec patet egressus pelagi cingentibus undis:

nulla fugae ratio, nulla spes: omnia muta,

omnia sunt deserta, ostentant omnia letum.

non tamen ante mihi languescent lumina morte,

nec prius a fesso secedent corpore sensus

quam iustam a divis exposcam prodita multam

caelestumque fidem postrema comprecer hora.

quare, facta virum multantes vindice poena

Eumenides, quibus anguino redimita capillo

frons exspirantis praeportat pectoris iras,

huc huc adventate, meas audite querelas,

quas ego, vae miserae, extremis proferre medullis

cogor inops, ardens, amenti caeca furore.

quae quoniam verae nascuntur pectore ab imo,

vos nolite pati nostrum vanescere luctum,

sed quali solam Theseus me mente reliquit,

tali mente, deae, funestet seque suosque.”

notes

Catullus knew Medea's rhetorical tour de force at 4.355-90 very well indeed. Ariadne's soliloquy (64.132-201) constantly echoes it:

132-201: Ariadnes lament. She begins with reproaches against Theseus (132-63): then surveys her own desperate situation (164-87): and ends with a prayer to heaven for vengeance (188–201). The first part is reminiscent of Medeas lament in Euripides (Medea 465ff.) and in Apollonius (iv. 355 ff.); in its turn it has been used by Virgil (Aen. iv. 305 ff.) and Ovid (Heroides 10, Fasti iii. 459 ff.).

132 sicine: in an indignant, disillusioned question-"you have left me like this, have you?"

132 patriis: i.e. the altars of her ancestral gods, as in Virg. Aen. xi. 269 inuidisse deos patriis ut redditus aris / coniugium optatum et pulchram Calydona uiderem.

134 neglecto numine diuum: "indifferent to the will of the gods, by whom he had sworn."

135 portas: he carries a freight of broken promises: there is a curious parallel in Demosthenes, de Falsa Leg. 220 ὑμεῖς τὴν ἄραν καίτην έπιορκίαν οίκάδε ἐσηνέγκατε.

135 deuota: “under curse”: deuouere is to make over to the gods of the underworld: cf. Hor. Od. iii. 4. 27 deuota arbos, Epod. xvi. 9 deuoti sanguinis aetas.

138 uellet miserescere: “was prepared to pity, felt like pitying.”

139 at non haec: the same formula in Nonnus xlvii. 368–9(spoken by Ariadne), οὐ τάδε μοι κατέλεξεν έμόν μίτον είσέτι πάλλων, οὐτάδε μοι κατέλεξε παρ ήμετέρῳ λαβυρίνθῳ, indicates that Catullus words had the same Alexandrian original behind them (cf. 160).

139 blanda: since the anaphora non haec . . . non haec requires that mihi belong to the first clause, nobis is not wanted. On the other hand uoce needs an epithet in this context and blanda uoce is a familiar combination (Ennius 50 V. blanda voce vocabam, Ov. A.A. і. 703, Virg. Aen. i. 670 blandis vоcibus).

140 miserae: the dative after iubere is a doubtful construction for which Cic. Att, ix. 13. 2 hae mihi litterae Dolabellae iubent ad pristinas cogitationes reuerti, provides insufficient support, since there mihi can be taken as an ethic dative (I find Dolabella’s letters telling me . . .); the earliest certain examples are in Tacitus. misere sperare might be supported by misere cupere (desire desperately) but hardly suits this context, and the old correction miseram may well be right, the corruption being due to assimilating miseram to mihi.

140 sperare iubebas: cf. Virg. Georg. iv. 325 (the disappointed Aristaeus) quid me caelum sperare iubebas?

141 conubia ... hymenaeos: cf. Virg. Aen. iv. 316 per conubia nostra, per inceptos hymenaeos: Catullus has the plural conubia(perhaps suggested by the common γάμοι, λέκτρα) again in 158, 62. 27.

142 irrita: “tear them into nothingness”: for the proleptic use cf. 30. 10 irrita ferre, Virg. Aen. ix. 313 aurae /... omnia discerpunt et nubibus irrita donant.

143 nunc iam: Ovid borrows this line for his Ariadne (addressing Dionysus, who she thinks has deserted her, not Theseus), Fastiiii. 473 ff. dicebam, memini, “periure et perfide Theseu ": / ille abiit; eadem crimina Bacchus habet: / nunc quoque "nulla uiro" clamabo“ femina credat".

145 quis: the antecedent is to be understood out of the singular uiro. For the dative cf. 193, 203, 263, 307, 63. 37.

145 praegestit: the prefix is intensive as in praetrepidans, 46. 7.

145 apisci: the simple verb, normal in comedy, was displaced in later usage by the compound adipisci but survives as a mannered archaism as late as Tacitus: cf..150 creui.

146 nil metuunt iurare: there is no oath they scruple to take, no promise they forbear to make.

148 metuere: the change from metuunt (146) to metuere and the combination of the gnomic perfect metuere with the present curant are awkward and dicta metuere is a surprising phrase.

149 in medio...turbine leti: for the metaphorical use of turbo cf. Ov. Met. vii. 614 attonitus tanto miserarum turbine rerum, Sil. ix. 287 fati tam saeuo in turbine. This intensive use of medius is common in poetry: so Virg. Aen. vi. 339 mediis effusus in undis, 342 medio sub aequore mersit, iv. 620 media inhumatus harena, vii. 372 mediae Mycenae, Prop. i. II. I mediis cessantem ... Baiis, iv. 2. 40 medio puluere ferre rosam, Juv: 3. 80 mediis sed natus Athenis (a thorough Athenian); in non-spatial contexts, Virg. Ecl. 10,65 frigoribus mediis, Aen. ii. 533 in media iam morte tenetur, Georg. i. 230 ad medias sementem extende pruinas (right into the frosts); similarly in prose medius is idiomatically applied to what is essential or genuine, as opposed to what is marginal, Cic. Or. 11 ingressionem e media philosophia repetitam (genuine philosophy), Tusc. iii. 70 in media stultitia haerere, Leg. ii. 53 hoc e medio est iure ciuili (essential law), Off. i. 63 quae sunt ex media laude iustitiae.

150 germanum is not strictly true: the Minotaur was her half-brother, the unnatural offspring of Pasiphae and the bull.

150 creui: decided: the old use of the simple verb (cf. Lucil. 122 M. praesidium castris educere creuit), later supplanted by decerno, survived in legal language (e.g. Cic. Leg. iii. 6 quodcumque senatus creuerit agunto).

151 supremo in tempore: for tempus of a critical point of time cf. 169 extremo tempore, Hor. Od. ii. 7. 1. o saepe mecum tempus in ultimum / deducte.

152 feris ... alitibusque: cf. Hom. Il. i. 4 αὐτοὺς δὲ ἐλώρια τεύχε κύνεσσι | οἰωνοΐσί τε πάσι, Soph. An . 29 άκλαυστον άταφον οἰωνοῖς γλυκύν | θησαυρόν εἰσορῶσι πρός χάριν βορᾶς , Ovid characteristically makes his Ariadne enumerate the likely fauna: Her. 10. 83 ff. iam iam uenturos aut hac aut suspicor illac /qui lanient auido uiscera dente lupos; / forsitan et fuluos tellus alat ista leones; / quis scit an et saeuam tigrida Dia ferat?

153 iniacta ... terra: without burial-or at least the token burial of the scattering of earth-the spirit has no rest.

154-6 to the lioness and themonstrous legendary whirlpools, types of heartless cruelty, the Syrtes, the dreaded shallows off the African coast, are added here as they are in Ov. Met. viii. 120.

154 sola sub rupe: so Virg. Ecl. 10. 14

156 uasta Carybdis: Lucretius has the same phrase (i. 722) and Virgil uses the whole line, Aen. vii. 302 quid Syrtes aut Scylla mihi, quid uasta Charybdis / profuit? The basic implication of uastus (a cognate of uacuus and uanus) is the emptiness or desolation which repels or appals the beholder. It is a favourite word with Virgil, who uses it in a great variety of contexts, always charged with an emotional suggestion of awe or horror: so of the sea, Aen, i. 118 rari nantes in gurgite uasto, iii. 191 uastum aequor, iii. 421 uastos fluctus, vi.296 uasta uoragine; of beasts, viii. 295 uastum leonem; of sounds, i. 245 uasto cum murmure montis, x. 716 uasto clamore lacessunt. Similarly in common speech uastus expresses a repellent uncouthness without any suggestion of size: so uastus homo (Cic. de Or. i. I17), uasta littera (Cic, Or. 153, of the repulsive sound of x), uasta oratio (ad Her, ιω. 18).

157 qui reddis: the indicative in a relative clause of this type is the original usage; in Plautus indicative and subjunctive are interchangeable (Men. 309 insanit hic quidem qui ipse male dicit sibi but 312 tu ... non sanus satis . . . qui nunc ipsus male dicas tibi) and the indicative is the commoner; even Cicero sometimes chooses to use an indicative attributive clause instead of emphasizing the causal relation with the subjunctive (Att. xiii. 29. 3 o te ferreum qui illius periculis non moueris, 18). but Att. x. 10. I me caecum qui haec antea non uiderim; Acad, i. 18 sumne sanus qui haec uos doceo?).

158 fuerant: the appearance of the pluperfect where the imperfect might be expected can often be explained by the fact that it expresses a remote past state not in relation to the present but in relation to an intermediate event or state which is implied: e.g. Ter. Hec. 648 si dudum fuerat ambiguum hoc mihi, nunc non est (if it had been doubtful before I learned better), Virg. Aen. v. 397 si mihi quae quondam fuerat . . . foret illa iuuentus (which I had had before I grew old), Prop. i. 12. 11 non sum ego qui fueram (the man I had been before Cynthia left me), Ov. Am. epig. I qui modo Nasonis fueramus quinque libelli, / tres sumus (who had been five before two were removed). But in many cases, as here, such precision of thought cannot be read into.it: the pluperfect encroached on the imperfect in colloquial speech, and poets (espeçially Propertius and Ovid) found its metrical convenience tempting.

159 prisci: old-fashioned, with the implication of severity: cf. Hor. Od. iii. 21. 2. prisci Catonis, Copa 34 pereat cui sunt prisca supercilia.

160 ff. attamen . . . cubile: the turn is as old as Euripides: fr.132 Ν. (Αndromeda) ἄγου δέ μ᾽, ὦ ξέν᾽, είτε πρόσπολον θέλεις | εἴτ᾽ ἄλοχονεἴτε δμωίδα. The resemblance in phrasing to Nonnus version of Ariadnes lament (xlvii. 390 ff,) suggests that Catullus and he were using the same Hellenistic source (cf.139):

δέξό με σῶν λεχέων θαλαμηπόλον, ἢν ἐθελήσῃς:

καὶ στορέσω σέο λέκτρα... μετὰ Κρήτην Ἀριάδνη,

οἷά τε ληισθεῖσα: καὶ ὀλβίστῃ σέο νύμφῃ

τλήσομαι, ὡς θεράπαινα, πολύκροτον ἱστὸν ὑφαίνειν

καὶ φθονεροῖς ὤμοισιν ἀήθεα κάλπιν ἀείρειν,

395καὶ γλυκερῷ Θησῆι φέρειν ἐπιδόρπιον ὕδωρ:

161 quae: the antecedent is me understood with ducere,

162 permulcens . . . lymphis: cf. Pacuvius, fr. 244 R. (Euryclea speaks to the disguised Ulysses) cedo tuum pedem mi lymphis flauis fuluum ut puluerem / manibus isdem quibus Ulixi saepe permulsi abluam.

162 uestigia: feet: first here in this use in which later poets find a convenient synonym for pedes: e.g. Virg. Aen. v. 566 uestigia primi / alba pedis frontemque ostentans ... albam.

164 sed quid ego: Ariadne breaks off her vain reproaches with the same formula with which the poet interrupts himself at 116.

165 nullis sensibus auctae: endowed with no feelings: cf. Lucr. iii. 630 sic animas intro duxerunt sensibus auctas.

166 audire ... reddere: can neither hear words uttered nor give them in reply: cf. Virg. Aen. i. 409 ueras audire et reddere uoces, vi. 689.

169 insultans . . . saeua fors: cf. Hor. Od, iii. 29. 49 Fortunas aeuo laeta negotio et / ludum insolentem ludere pertinax.

169 extremo tempore: see on 151.

170 etiam with inuidit: “even grudges my plaint a hearing.”

171 utinam ne ...: cf. Ennius, Medea 246 V. utinam ne in nemore Pelio securibus / caesa accedisset abiegna ad terram trabes / neue inde nauis incohandi exordium / coepisset, &c., a passage itself suggested by the opening lines of Euripides Medea, Εἴθ᾽ ὤφελ᾽Ἀργοῦς μὴ διαπτάσθαι σκάφος, κτλ . Virgil varies the motif, Aen. iv, 657-8 heu nimium felix si litora tantum / numquam Dardaniae tetigissent nostra carinae.

172 Cnosia: Minos palace was indeed at Cnossus, but the adjective is no doubt used here, as often elsewhere (e.g. Virg. Georg. i. 222), as equivalent to Cretan: so Gortynia 75.

173 dira . . . stipendia: the grim tribute, i.e. the human tribute paid to the Minotaur (75 ff.): stipendia implies a regular payment.

174 in Cretam religasset must mean unmoored his ship for the voyage to Crete: but while religare can mean untie, with funem, nauem, and the like as object it is so regular in the sense of tie up that Catullus is unlikely to have used it otherwise here and Creta should probably be preferred, tied up his cable in Crete: cf. Ov. Met. xiv. 248 Circaeo religata in litore pinu, xiii. 439 litore Threicio classem religarat Atrides.

177 nam: the connexion is “I wish he had never come here: for he has left me in a desperate plight.” Ariadnes analysis of her dilemma recalls Medea’s in Euripides (502 ff )

νῦν ποῖ τράπωμαι; πότερα πρὸς πατρὸς δόμους,

οὓς σοὶ προδοῦσα καὶ πάτραν ἀφικόμην;

ἢ πρὸς ταλαίνας Πελιάδας; καλῶς γ᾽ ἂν οὖν

505δέξαιντό μ᾽ οἴκοις ὧν πατέρα κατέκτανον.

178 Idaeos: the mountains of her native Crete (Call. Hymn. 1.51 Ἰδαίοις ἐν ὄρεσσι), where Mount Ida (mons Idaeus in Virg. Aen. iii. 105) dominates the island.

180 an ... reliqui?: “or am I to hope for help from my father ? The father that I left of my own free will?” The relative clause is put as a question (so quine 183), as often in the dialogue of comedy: e.g. Ter. Ph. 921-3 illud mihi / argentum rursum iube rescribi, Phormio. /porro illis quibus debui? (you mean the money I paid out?).

181 caede: “blood.”

182 consoler: Ariadne’s rhetoric is better than her logic when she speaks of finding comfort in a husband’s love for a husbands desertion.

183 lentos: the basic meaning of lentus seems to be yielding under pressure: so, as one or other half of that definition is emphasized, it means on the one hand (1) flexible, pliant and on the. . . (2) sticky, tough, viscous (and metaphorically slow, phlegmatic ). That the meaning here is (1), lentos repeating the notion of incuruans, is shown by Virg. Aen. iii.384 Trinacria lentandus ("must be made lentus", i.e. bent) remus in unda.

184 nullo colitur . . . tecto: is inhabited by no dwelling: so Ovid’s Ariadne says (Her. 10. 59) uacat insula cultu..

186 nullâ spes: cf. Prop. iv. 3. 53 omnia surda tacent, Virg. Aen. i. 91 praesentemque uiris intentant omnia mortem.

190 multam: properly a legal fine or forfeit: a prosaic word, not elsewhere used in elevated verse.

192-3 Ariadne appeals to the Furies, in Homer the punishers of perjury: II. xix . 259 ff. Ἐρινύες, αἵ θ᾽ ὑπὸ γαῖαν / ἀνθρώπους τίνυνται, ὅτις κ᾽ ἐπίορκον ὀμόσσῃ

192 uindice: here first used adjectivally: again in Ov. Met, i.230 uindice flamma. Note the threefold repetition of the same idea in multantes uindice poena.

193 anguino ... capillo: in literature as in art the Furies are depicted with snakes for hair (or with snakes entwined in their hair): Pausanias (i. 28. 6) says that Aeschylus was the first so to represent them (Cho. 1049 πεπλεκτανημέναι / πυκνοῖς δράκουσιν): cf. Virg._Georg. iv. 482 caeruleosque implexae crinibus angues / Eumenides, Tib. 1. 3. 69 Tisiphoneque impexa feros pro crinibus angues.

194 exspirantis: with iras: whose brows wreathed with snaky hair display the blast of wrath from their hearts

194 praeportat: in the sense of prae se fert; elsewhere only in Catullus contemporaries Lucretius (ii. 621 telaque praeportant violenti signa furoris) and Cicero (Arat. 430 prae se /scorpius infestus praeportans flebile acumen).

195 huc huc: marking the summons to the goddesses.

196 uae, usually accompanied by a dative (though in 8. 15 Catullus uses it with an accusative), is here used absolutely as in Ov. Am. iii. 6. 101 uae demens narrabam, Hor. Od. i.13. 3 uae meum tumet iecur, Virg. Ecl. 9. 28.

196 extremis ... medullis: for extremus in this context cf. Ov. Her. 4. 70 acer in extremis ossibus haesit amor.

197 cogor: i.e. by destiny; this use of the verb is a mannerism in Propertius (e.g. i. 16. 13 grauibus cogor deflere querellis).

198 quae quoniam: a favourite connective formula in Lucretius (e.g. i. 21).

198 pectore ab imo: Lucretius has the same verse ending in iii. 57.

vocabulary

perfidus –a –um faithless, treacherous, false

a ab abs(away) from; by (agency) + abl.

ara arae f. altar

perfidus –a –um faithless, treacherous, false

desertus –a –um desolate; abandoned; uninhabited, solitary, lonely

linquo linquere liqui to leave, relinquish

litus litoris n. sea–shore

Theseus –i m. Theseus

sicine sic + interrog. –ne: is this the way?

discedo discedere discessi discessum to go away, depart

neglego neglegere neglexi neglectus to disregard, neglect, ignore

numen numinis n. divine power/will, divinity, divine spirit, num en

divus (dius) divi m. god, deity; the sky

immemor unmindful, forgetful

a expletive of distress, pity, or entreaty

devotus –a –um accursed; vowed as an offering; devoted, zealously attached

periurium (peiurium ) –i n. false oath, lie

porto portare portavi portatus to carry a load, transport

res rei f. thing; property; matter, affair; activity; situation

possum posse potui to be able, can

crudelis crudelecruel, hardhearted, unmerciful, severe, bloodthirsty, savage, inhum an; harsh, bitter

flecto flectere flexi flexus to bend, curve, bow; turn, curl; persuade, prevail on, soften

mens mentis f. mind; intention, purpose; attitude

consilium consilii n. deliberation; plan, advice; judgment

clementia –ae f. mildness, gentleness, mercy

praesto ready, available, at hand, waiting, on the spot, at one's service

immitis –ehard, harsh, cruel

volo velle volui to be willing, want, wish; mean, signify

miseresco –ereto feel pity, alone, or w. genit. (> misereo)

pectus pectoris n. chest, breast; heart

quondam formerly, once, at one time

blandus –a –um flattering, charming, pleasant; attractive

promissum –i n. a promise; a thing promised; prize

vox vocis f. voice; word

miser misera miserum wretched, pitiable, miserable

spero sperare speravi speratus to hope (for)

iubeo iubere iussi iussus to order/tell/command/direct; enjoin/command; decree/enact; request/ask/bid; pray

conubium –ii n. marriage

laetus –a –um joyful, cheerful, glad, joyous, rejoicing, happy, pleased, delighted, full of joy

optatus –a –um desired, longed for, much desired; (adv.), optato, according to one's wish; in good time

hymenaeus –i m. the Greek wedding refrain, hymeneal; personified as god of marriage; pl. marriage

cunctus –a –um all, entire, all together

aerius –a –um pertaining to the air; airy, aerial; rising into the air; towering, lofty; air–cleaving

discerpo –ere –cerpsi –cerptus to pluck asunder, to tear in pieces; disperse (> dis– and carpo)

irritus (inritus) –a –um invalid, void

ventus venti m. wind

iuro iurare iuravi iuratus to swear; call to witness; vow obedience to; [jus jurandum => oath]; conspire

femina feminae f. woman; wife

credo credere credidi creditus to trus t, believe (+ dat.); entrus t

spero sperare speravi speratus to hope (for)

sermo sermonis m. conversation, discussion; rum or; diction; speech; talk; the word

fidelis fidelefaithful/loyal/devoted; true/trus tworthy/dependable/reliable; constant/lasting

cupio cupere cupii/cupivi cupitus to wish/long/be eager for; desire/want, covet; desire as a lover; favor, wish well

animus animi m. (rational) soul, mind; spirit; pl., strong feelings

praegestio –ireto have an overpowering desire, be especially eager for

apiscor –apisci aptus sum to seize, grasp; obtain

metuo metuere metui to fear, dread

iuro iurare iuravi iuratus to swear; call to witness; vow obedience to; [jus jurandum => oath]; conspire

promitto promittere promisi promissus to send forth, let loose; let (hair etc) grow long; promise

parco parcere peperci parsus to forbear, refrain from; spare; show consideration; be economical/thrifty with (+ dat.)

simulac or simul acas soon as, the moment that

cupidus –a –um desirous (+ gen. )

mens mentis f. mind; intention, purpose; attitude

satio satiare satiavi satiatum to satisfy, sate

libido libidinis f. desire/longing/wish/fancy; lus t, wantonness; will/pleasure; passion/lus ts (pl.)

dictum dicti n. word; saying

metuo metuere metui to fear, dread

periurium (peiurium ) –i n. false oath, lie

curo curare curavi curatus to arrange/see/attend to; take care of; provide for; worry/care about; heal/cure; undertake; procure; regard w/anxiety/interest; take trouble/interest; desire

certo or certe (certius)without doubt, certainly, definitely

medius –a –um middle (of); as subst., midst; in the middle, in half

versor versari versatus to be involved

turbo (turben) turbinis m. whirlpool, whirlwind; spinning top (child’s toy or magic bull-roarer, rhombus)

letum leti n. death

eripio eripere eripui ereptus to tear away, snatch away

potius rather, more

germanus –i m. brother

amitto amittere amisi amissus to lose; lose by death; send away, dismiss; part with; let go/slip/fall, drop

cerno cernere crevi certus to sift, separate, distinguish, discern, resolve, determine; see; examine; decide

fallax –acisdeceitful, treacherous, false

superus –a –um above, high; higher, upper, of this world; greatest, last, highest; (masc. pl. as subst.) the gods

tempus temporis n. time

desum deesse defui to be wanting/lacking; fail/miss; abandon/desert, neglect; be away/absent/missing

proon behalf of, for, instead of, in accordance with (+ abl.); in order to (LL)

dilacero –are –avi –atum to tear to pieces

fera ferae f. wild animal

ales –itis m. /f. large bird, bird of prey; an omen or augury (from watching birds)

–que and; both…and

praeda praedae f. booty, loot, spoils, plunder, prey

inicio –ere –ieci –iectum to throw, lay hands on; bring into, instill

tum ulo –areto cover with a burial mound; bury

mortuus –a –um dead

terra terrae f. land, earth

quisnam (quinam) quaenam quidnam who, pray? what, pray? who? what?

gigno gignere genui genitus to create, bring forth, beget, bear

solus –a –um alone, only

sub under; at the foot of; near; up to (+ abl.)

rupes –is f. a rock, cliff, crag, ledge, freq.; quarry (> rum po)

leaena –ae f. lioness

mare maris n. sea

concipio concipere concepi conceptum to hold, conceive, become fertilized, germinate, commit; verba concepta, “a solemn utterance”

spumo spumare spum avi spumatus to foam (> spuma)

exspuo –uere –ui –utum to spit out

unda undae f. wave

Syrtis –is f. shoals on the N. African coast between Carthage and Cyrene

Scylla –ae f. Scylla, dangerous rock on the Italian side of the Straits of Messana opposite Charybdis; personified as a monster, half woman and half fish; Scylla, one of the ships of Aeneas

rapax –acis predatory, rapacious

vastus –a –um empty, devastated

Charybdis –is f. Charybdis, a whirlpool near the Sicilian coast, in the Straits of Messina, opposite the rock of Scylla; personified as a monster

reddo reddere reddidi redditus to return; restore; deliver; hand over, pay back, render, give back; translate; reproduce, render; repeat

pro on behalf of, for, instead of, in accordance with (+ abl.); in order to (LL)

dulcis dulce sweet, pleasant

praemium –(i)i n. prize, reward; gift; recompense

vita vitae f. life

cor cordis n. heart; mind/soul/spirit; intellect/judgment; sweetheart; souls/persons (pl.)

conubium –ii n. marriage

noster nostra nostrum our, ours

saevus –a –um cruel, savage

quodbecause, the fact that

horreo horrere horrui to dread, shrink from, shudder at; stand on end, bristle; have rough appearance

priscus –a –um ancient, antique

praeceptum praecepti n. teaching, lesson, precept; order, command

parens parentis m. or f. parent, father, mother

attamen nevertheless

vester vestra vestrum your (pl.), yours (pl.)

possum posse potui to be able, can

duco ducere duxi ductus to lead; consider; draw out, pull out; lead off for punishment

sedes sedis f. seat, chair; home, residence; settlement, habitation

iucundus –a –um pleasant, delightful, agreeable, pleasing

famulor –ari –atus sum to be a servant

serva servae f. female slave

labor laboris m. work; effort, hardship

candidus –a –um shining white, clear, bright; fair; kind

permulceo –ere –mulsi –mulsus (–mulctus)to stroke; calm, soothe, cheer

liquidus –a –um clear, liquid, melodious

vestigium vestigi(i) n. step, track; trace; footstep

lympha –ae f. clear spring water; water

purpureus –a –um purple

ve or (postpositive enclitic)

consterno –ere –stravi –stratus to strew over; cover, strew

vestis vestis f. garment, clothing, blanket; clothes; robe

cubile cubilis n. place of rest, couch, bed

ignarus –a –um ignorant; unaware, having no experience of; senseless; strange

nequiquam in vain

conqueror –queri –questus sum to complain, lament

aura aurae f. breeze, breath (of air), wind; gleam; odor, stench; vapor; air (pl.), heaven

externo –are –avi –atum to drive out of one's wits, madden, panic

malum mali n. evil, misfortune, calamity

sensus sensus m. perception, feeling; sense

augeo augere auxi auctus to increase, enlarge, augment; spread; honor, promote, raise; exalt; make a lot of

mitto mittere misi missus to send; release, let go; omit, leave off (+ inf. )

audio audire audivi auditus to hear, listen (to)

queo quire quivi/quii quitus to be able

reddo reddere reddidi redditus to return; restore; deliver; hand over, pay back, render, give back; translate; reproduce, render; repeat

vox vocis f. voice; word

prope propius proximenearly, almost/nearest, next, immediately following; prep. + acc.

iamnow, already, by/even now; besides; [non ~ => no longer; ~ pridem => long ago];

medius –a –um middle (of); as subst., midst; in the middle

versor versari versatus to be involved

unda undae f. wave

quisquam quicquam someone, something; anyone, anything

appareo apparere apparui apparitus to appear; be evident/visible/noticed/found; show up, occur; serve

vacuus –a –um empty, vacant, unoccupied; devoid of, free of; available; free from romantic entanglements, fancy-free

mortalis –esubject to death, mortal; of mortal nature, lineage, or descent; earthly, hum an; made by man, mortal; subst., mortales, ium , c., mortals, men, mankind; mortalia, ium , n. , hum an affairs; fortunes, woes (> mors)

alga –ae f. seaweed

nimis very much; too much; exceedingly

insulto insultare insultavi insultatus to (w. dat.), to leap upon, bound upon, gallop over, trample on; (w. acc.), bound, dance, rush through; absol., prance,; insult, be insolent, mock; exult (> insilio, leap upon)

exter extera exterum outer/external; outward; on outside, far; of another country, foreign; strange

tempus temporis n. time

saevus –a –um cruel, savage

fors fortis f. chance, luck

etiam also, even; still

noster nostra nostrum our, ours

invideo invidere invidi invisus to envy, regard with envy/ill will; be jealous of; begrudge, refuse (+ dat.)

questus –us m. a complaining; moaning; groans; mournful sound (> queror)

auris auris f. ear

Iuppiter Iovis m. Jupiter; (in poetry) the sky, the heavens

omnipotens –entisall–powerful, almighty; supreme, sovereign; subst., The Almighty (> omnis and potens)

utinam introduces an Optative subjunctive; would that! if only!

tempus temporis n. time

Gnosius (Gnosiacus) –a –um of or belonging to Gnosus, Gnosian; Cretan

Cecropius –a –um of Cecrops, Athenian

tango tangere tetigi tactus to touch, strike; border on, influence; mention

litus litoris n. sea–shore

puppis puppis f. stern of a ship; (by metonymy) ship

indomitus –a –um untamed, ungovernable, wild

dirus –a –um accursed; portentous; fearful, dreadful, awful, dire, cruel, horrible

fero ferre tuli latus to bring, bear, carry; endure; report (feritur it is said; ferunt they say)

stipendium stipendi(i) n. pay, tax

taurus tauri m. bull

perfidus –a –um faithless, treacherous, false

Creta –ae (or Crete –es) f. Crete, a large island south of the Aegean Sea, now Candia

religo religare religavi religatus to tie up, bind fast

nauta nautae m. sailor

funis funis m. rope, line

malus –a –um bad, evil; unfavorable; (of battles) unsuccessful

celo celare celavi celatus to hide, conceal, keep secret; disguise; keep in the dark/ignorance; shield

dulcis dulcesweet, pleasant

crudelis crudelecruel, hardhearted, unmerciful, severe, bloodthirsty, savage, inhum an; harsh, bitter

forma formae f. form, figure, appearance; beauty; mold, pattern

consilium consilii n. deliberation; plan, advice; judgment

requiesco requiescere requievi requietum to rest

sedes sedis f. seat, chair; home, residence; settlement, habitation

hospes hospitis m. host; guest, visitor, stranger; soldier in billets; one who billets soldiers

namfor

refero referre rettuli relatus to bring back; report

qualis quale what sort of; of which sort, as

spes spei f. hope

perditus –a –um ruined, desperate, depraved

nitor niti nixus sum to press/lean upon; struggle; advance; depend on (with abl.); strive, labor

Idaeus –a –um of Mount Ida (either in Crete or in the Troad), Idaean; pertaining to Cybele, goddess of the Trojan Ida

peto petere petii/petivi petitus to ask for, seek; attack; make for, go towards

mons montis m. mountain, hill

a expletive of distress, pity, or entreaty

gurges –itis m. a whirlpool, gulf; flood; wave, billow; rolling, raging sea, abyss; sea, ocean

latus –a –um broad, wide

discerno –ere –crevi –cretus to distinguish one thing from another; determine, distinguish, decide; perceive; mark, set off; work, embroider

pontus ponti m. the open sea, the deep

truculentus –a –um ferocious; n. pl. as subst., ferocity

divido dividere divisi divisus to divide; separate, break up; share, distribute; distinguish

aequor aequoris n. level surface; sea; plain

auxilium auxili n. aid, help; pl. auxiliary troops

spero sperare speravi speratus to hope (for)

relinquo relinquere reliqui relictus to leave (behind), abandon

respergo –ere –spersi –spersus to sprinkle over; besprinkle, stain (> re and spargo)

iuvenis iuvenis m. youth; young man

fraternus –a –um of a brother, brotherly, fraternal

caedes caedis f. murder, slaughter, massacre; assassination; feuding; slain, victims; blood, gore

sequor sequi secutus sum to follow; come next, come later

coniunx coniugis f. spouse, mate, consort; husband, wife, bride

anintroduces an alternative question, or; introduces an Indirect Question, whether, if

fidus –a –um faithful, trus tworthy

consolor consolari consolatus sum to comfort, console

amor amoris m. love; Cupid

–ne(added to the first word of a question); whether

fugio fugere fugi fugitus to flee, escape; avoid (+inf. )

lentus –a –um pliant, flexible, tough, tenacious, sticky; slow

incurvo incurvare incurvavi incurvatus to bend in; bend

gurges –itis m. a whirlpool, gulf; flood; wave, billow; rolling, raging sea, abyss; sea, ocean

remus remi m. oar

praeterea besides, thereafter; in addition

litus litoris n. sea–shore

solus –a –um alone, only

insula insulae f. island; apartment block

tectum –i n. bed canopy; roof; building, house; bed canopy

pateo patere patui to stand open, be open; extend; be well known; lie open, be accessible

egressus –us m. escape, egress, exit

pelagus pelagi m. sea, ocean

cingo cingere cinxi cinctus to surround, encircle; gird (on oneself)

unda undae f. wave

fuga fugae f. flight

ratio rationis f. account, reckoning, invoice; plan; prudence; method; reasoning; rule; regard

spes spei f. hope

mutus –a –um inarticulate, mute, dum b, silent

desertus –a –um desolate; abandoned; uninhabited, solitary, lonely

ostento ostentare ostentavi ostentatus to exhibit, display

letum leti n. death

languesco –ere langui to become faint, grow weak, droop (> langueo)

lum en lum inis n. light; lamp, torch; eye (of a person); life; day, daylight; ad lum ina: by torchlight

mors mortis f. death

prius earlier, preceding, before; in preference, to, rather

fessus –a –um tired, exhaus ted, weary

secedo secedere secessi secessus to withdraw, detach, dissociate

corpus corporis n. body

sensus sensus m. perception, feeling; sense

ius tus –a –um jus t, fair, equitable; right, lawful, jus tified; regular, proper

divus (dius) divi m. god, deity; the sky

exposco –ere –poposcito ask importunately; to beg, entreat, seek

prodo prodere prodidi proditus to project, thrus t forward; bring forth, produce, give birth to; create; nominate; institute; extend, prolong; hand down (lore); publish/record, reveal, uncover; put out; assert; betray; give up, abandon, forsake

multa –ae f. penalty

caelestis –is m. or f. a god or goddess

fides fidei f. faith, trust; trustworthiness; confidence; truth of the matter

posterus –a –um coming after, following, next; in pl. descendants, posterity, the future

comprecor –ari –atus sum to pray to, invoke, supplicate

hora horae f. with the Romans, the twelfth part of the period from sunrise to sunset, an hour, in an indefinite sense, personif. , Horae, arum , f. , the Hours

quare because of which thing; therefore; why

factum facti n. deed

multo multare multavi multatus to punish one with any thing; used mostly of judicial punishment

vindex –icis m. champion, defender; avenger

poena poenae f. punishment, penalty

Eumenides –um f. the well–disposed, a deprecatory title given by the Greeks to the Furies, the Eumenides, the Furies

anguineus (anguinus) –a –um snaky, made of snakes

redimio –imire –imii –imitum to encircle (with a garland)

capillus capilli m. hair

frons frontis f. forehead, brow; front

exspiro exspirare exspiravi exspiratus to breathe out; to expire, die

praeporto –are –avi –atum to carry before one, carry in front

pectus pectoris n. chest, breast; heart

advento adventare adventavi adventatus to come rapidly nearer; to approach, draw near (> advenio)

audio audire audivi auditus to hear, listen (to)

querela querelae f. complaint

vaealas, woe to

miser misera miserum wretched, pitiable, miserable

exter extera exterum outer/external; outward; on outside, far; of another country, foreign; strange

profero proferre protuli prolatus to bring forward; advance; defer; discover; mention

medulla medullae f. marrow, kernel; innermost part

cogo cogere coegi coactus to collect, gather, round up, restrict, confine; force, compel; convene; congeal

inops inopis lacking, poor; destitute of (+ gen. )

ardens –entisburning, hot, sparkling, flaming; bright; impassioned, ardent, eager; spirited, fiery; glowing, lofty; fierce, furious; angry (> ardeo)

amens amentismad, insane

caecus –a –um blind; hidden, secret, dark

furor furoris m. madness, rage, fury, frenzy; passionate love

verus –a –um real, true, actual, genuine

nascor nasci natus sum to be born, come into being, be formed

pectus pectoris n. chest, breast; heart

inferus –a –um below, beneath, underneath; of hell; vile; lower, further down; lowest, last; inferī, inferōrum or inferum , m. pl. the inhabitants of the underworld (the dead and the gods of the underworld)

nolo nolle nolui to be unwilling, not want, not wish (+ inf. )

patior pati passus sum to experience, suffer, endure; permit, allow

vanesco –ere –ereto disappear, vanish

luctus luctus m. mourning, grief

qualis qualewhat sort of; of which sort, as

solus –a –um alone, only

mens mentis f. mind; intention, purpose; attitude

relinquo relinquere reliqui relictus to leave (behind), abandon

talis tale such, of such a sort

mens mentis f. mind; intention, purpose; attitude

dea deae f. goddess

funesto –are –avi –atum to pollute with death

translation

“Thus then, having borne me afar from my father’s home, thus hast thou left me, faithless, faithless Theseus, on the lonely shore? thus departing, unmindful of the will of the gods, forgetful, ah! dost thou carry to thy home the curse of perjury? could nothing bend the purpose of thy cruel mind? was no mercy present in thy soul, to bid thy ruthless heart incline to pity for me? Not such were the promises thou gavest me once with winning voice, not this didst thou bid me hope, ah me!1 no, but a joyful wedlock, but a desired espousal; all which the winds of Heaven now blow abroad in vain. Henceforth let no woman believe a man’s oath, let none believe that a man’s speeches can be trustworthy. They, while their mind desires something and longs eagerly to gain it, nothing fear to swear, nothing spare to promise; but as soon as the lust of their greedy mind is satisfied, they remember not their words, they heed not their perjuries. I—thou know-est it—when thou wert tossing in the very whirl of death, saved thee, and set my heart rather to let my brother go than to fail thee, now faithless found, in thy utmost need. And for this I shall be given to beasts and birds to tear as a prey; my corpse shall have no sepulture, shall be sprinkled with no earth. What lioness bore thee under a desert rock? what sea conceived thee and vomited thee forth from its foaming waves? what Syrtis, what ravening Scylla, what waste Charybdis bore thee, who for sweet life returnest such meed as this? If thou hadst no mind to wed with me for dread of the harsh bidding of thy stern father, yet thou couldst have led me into thy dwellings to serve thee as a slave with labour of love, laving thy white feet with liquid water, or with purple coverlet spreading thy bed.

” But why should I, distracted with woe, cry in vain to the senseless airs—the airs that are endowed with no feeling, and can neither hear nor return the messages of my voice? He meanwhile is now tossing almost in mid-sea, and no human being is seen on the waste and weedy shore. Thus fortune too, full of spite, in this my supreme hour has cruelly grudged all ears to my complaints. Almighty Jupiter, I would the Attic ships had never touched Cnosian shores, nor ever the faithless voyager, bearing the dreadful tribute to the savage bull, has fastened his cable in Crete, nor that this evil man, hiding cruel designs under a fair outside, had reposed in our dwellings as a guest! For whither shall I return, lost, ah, lost? on what hope do I lean? Shall I seek the mountains of Crete? But barring them with broad flood the stormy, waters of the sea lie in between. Shall I hope for the aid of my father, the father I deserted of my own will, to follow a lover stained with my brother’s blood? Or shall I console myself with the faithful love of my spouse, who is flying from me, bending his tough oars in the wave? Besides all that, the island is remote, and unfurnished with any dwelling; no way to depart opens for me; about me are the waters of the sea; no means of flight, no hope; all is dumb, all is desolate; all shows me the face of death. Yet my eyes shall not grow faint in death, nor shall the sense fail from my wearied body, before I demand from the gods just vengeance for my betrayal, and call upon the faith of the heavenly ones in my last hour.

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