Quī postquam niveīs flexērunt sēdibus artūs,
largē multiplicī cōnstrūctae sunt dape mēnsae,
cum intereā īnfirmō quatientēs corpora mōtū 305
vēridicōs Parcae coepērunt ēdere cantūs.
Hīs corpus tremulum complectēns undique vestis
candida purpureā tālōs incīnxerat ōrā,
at roseae niveō residēbant vertice vittae,
aeternumque manūs carpēbant rīte labōrem. 310
Laeva colum mollī lānā retinēbat amictum,
dextera tum leviter dēdūcēns fīla supīnīs
fōrmābat digitīs, tum prōnō in pollice torquēns
lībrātum teretī versābat turbine fūsum,
atque ita dēcerpēns aequābat semper opus dēns, 315
lāneaque āridulīs haerēbant morsa labellīs
quae prius in lēvī fuerant exstantia fīlō.
Ante pedēs autem candentis mollia lānae
vellera virgātī cūstōdībant calathiscī.
Haec tum clārisonā vellentēs vellera vōce 320
tālia dīvīnō fūdērunt carmine fāta,
carmine perfidiae quod post nūlla arguet aetās.
vocabulary
niveus –a –um: snowy, white
flectō flectere flēxī flexus: bend; turn, avert
artus artūs m.: joint; limb; part of the body, member
largus –a –um: ample; spacious, expansive; plentiful, copious, flowing; bountiful, free; w. gen., lavish
multiplex –plicis: having many twists and turns; varied
cōnstruō –ere –strūxī –strūctus: pile up
daps dapis f.: a sacrificial meal; any feast or meal; food
intereā: in the meantime; with adversative force, in these circumstances 305
īnfīrmus –a –um: feeble, weak
quatiō quatere quassī quassum: shake
mōtus mōtūs m.: motion, movement
vēridicus –a –um: truth telling
Parca –ae f.: a Roman goddess of birth; one of the Fates or Moirai
cantus –ūs m.: song; sound of instruments
tremulus –a –um: shaky, trembling; shaking (voluntarily, as one dandling an infant)
complector complectī complexus sum: embrace, surround
purpureus –a –um: purple
tālus –ī m.: anklebone; ankle
incingō –ere –cīnxī –cīnctus: wrap
ōra –ae f.: edge, border; region, district, land
roseus –a –um: rosy, red
resideō residēre resēdī ressus: remain seated; persist
vertex verticis m.: whirlpool, whirlwind; top of the head; summit
vitta vittae f.: headband
carpō carpere carpsī carptum: pluck, pull at; press on along (a way, journey, period of time, etc.); carp at, criticize 310
rīte: properly, duly
laeva –ae f. (sc. manus): the left hand
colus –ī and –ūs f.: distaff, a short staff for holding wool that is being spun into thread
lāna –ae f.: wool
amiciō –īre –icuī (–ixī) –ictus: cover, cloak
leviter: lightly
fīlum –ī n.: thread, string, filament
supīnus –a –um: lying on the back; facing upwards; flat; helpless
fōrmō fōrmāre fōrmāvī fōrmātus: shape, form
digitus digitī m.: finger
prōnus –a –um: leaning forward, angling or sloping toward the ground; sloping; face down, prone; flat
pollex –icis m.: thumb
torqueō torquēre torsī tortum: twist, whirl, spin in an eddy
lībrō librāre librāvī librātus: make level; hold suspended; balance, poise
teres –etis: smooth; rounded
versō versāre versāvī versātus: keep turning; pass. with middle force, toss and turn
turbō (turben) turbinis m.: anything that spins; whirlwind, tornado; maelstrom; a weight used in spinning
fūsus –ī m.: a weighted spindle on which yarn is wound and twisted
dēcerpō –ere –sī –tus: pluck off, snatch 315
aequō aequāre aequāvī aequātus: make level, even, or smooth
dēns dentis m.: tooth
lāneus –a –um: woolly
āridulus –a –um: dry (dim. of aridus)
haereō haerēre haesī haesus: stick, cling
mordeō mordēre momordī morsus: bite
labellum labellī n.: lip (dim. of labrum)
ex(s)tō ex(s)tāre ex(s)tāvī ex(s)tātus: stand out
candeō candēre –uī: shine, gleam, glisten, sparkle
vellus –eris n.: fleece; a piece of wool
virgātus –a –um: made of twigs; wicker
custōdiō custōdīre custōdīvī custōdītus: keep safe, hold
calathiscus –ī m.: a small basket
clārisonus –a –um: clear-sounding, loud, shrill 320
dīvīnus –a –um: divine
perfidia perfidiae f.: treachery, lying, perfidy
arguō arguere arguī argūtus: show, reveal; prove wrong