At parte ex aliā flōrēns volitābat Iacchus
cum thiasō satyrōrum et Nȳsigenīs sīlēnīs
tē quaerēns, Ariadna, tuōque incēnsus amōre.
Quae tum alacrēs passim lymphātā mente furēbant
euhoe bacchantēs, euhoe capita īnflectentēs. 255
Hārum pars tēctā quatiēbant cuspide thyrsōs,
pars ē dīvulsō iactābant membra iuvencō,
pars sēsē tortīs serpentibus incingēbant,
pars obscūra cavīs celebrābant orgia cistīs,
orgia quae frūstrā cupiunt audīre profānī, 260
plangēbant aliae prōcērīs tympana palmīs
aut teretī tenuīs tinnītūs aere ciēbant,
multīs raucisonōs efflābant cornua bombōs
barbaraque horribilī strīdēbat tībia cantū.
Tālibus amplificē vestis decorāta figūrīs 265
pulvīnar complexa suō vēlābat amictū.
vocabulary
florens –entis: flowering; in the flower of one's youth; fresh, vigorous
volitō volitāre volitāvī volitātus: fly about; move about rapidly; dart swiftly
Iaachus –ī m.: Bacchus
thiasus –ī m.: an orgiastic dance; a group that performs such dances
Satyrus –ī m.: a Satyr, demigod of wild places, frequent companion of Bacchus/Dionysus
Nÿsigena –ae: born on Mt. Nysa, birthplace of Bacchus / Dionysus
Sīlēnus –ī m.: an attendant of Bacchus, usually represented as old, fat, and drunken
Ariadna (Ariadnē) –ae f.: Ariadne, daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, half-sister of the Minotaur
incendō incendere incendī incensus: set of fire; inflame
alacer alacris alacre: moving nimbly, lively; eager
passim: dispersedly, all over the place
lymphātus (lymphāticus) –a –um: frenzied, frantic
furō furere: be mad or crazed; rage with passion, rave
euhoe : interj., the ritual cry of Bacchants 255
bacchor bacchārī bacchātus: celebrate rites of Bacchus; act like a Bacchant, rave
īnflectō –ere –flexī –flexus: bend
quatiō quatere quassī quassum: shake
cuspis –idis f.: sharp point or tip; spear; pointed stick
thyrsus –ī m.: a pole tipped with a pinecone, ivy, or vine leaves, as carried by bacchants
dīvellō –ere –vellī –vulsus: tear apart
iactō iactāre iactāvī iactātus: throw; toss about, torment
iuvencus –ī m.: young bull or ox, bullock
torqueō torquēre torsī tortum: twist, whirl, spin in an eddy
serpēns –entis (gen. pl. serpentum) m./f.: snake
incingō –ere –cīnxī –cīnctus: wrap
obscūrus –a –um: dark; unknown, secret
cavus –a –um: hollow; deep
orgia –ōrum n.: secret rites, mysteries
cista –ae f.: wicker box for sacred objects in mystery cults
profānus –a –um: not dedicated to religious use; not initiated into a cult 260
plangō –ere –plānxī –planctus: beat, strike
procērus –a –um: tall, long
tympanum –ī n.: a small drum or tom-tom, usu. as used in the worship of Cybele or Bacchus
palma palmae f.: the front of the hand; the palm or palm leaf; the palm of victory; an oar
teres –etis: smooth; rounded
tenuis tenue: thin
tinnītus –ūs m.: a ringing or clanging sound
cieō ciēre cīvī citus: move, set in motion; rouse, raise, produce
raucisonus –a –um: harsh-sounding
efflō efflāre efflāvī efflātus: breathe out, emit, blast out
bombus –ī m.: a low, booming sound
horribilis horribile: fearful, dreadful; rough, uncouth
strīdeō strīdēre or strīdō strīdere strīdī: make a shrill, strident sound
tībia tībiae f.: pipe, flute
cantus –ūs m.: song; sound of instruments
amplificē: magnificently, splendidly 265
decorō decorāre decorāvī decorātus: embellish, adorn
figūra figūrae f.: form, shape, aspect, appearance
pulvīnar –āris n.: a couch on which images of gods were placed at a banquet offered to the gods
complector complectī complexus sum: embrace, surround
vēlō vēlāre vēlāvī vēlātus: cover, clothe, veil
amictus –ūs m.: a mantle or cloak