Haec vestis prīscīs hominum variāta figūrīs 50
hērōum mīrā virtūtēs indicat arte.
Namque fluentisonō prōspectāns lītore Dīae
Thēsea cēdentem celerī cum classe tuētur
indomitōs in corde gerēns Ariadna furōrēs,
necdum etiam sēsē quae vīsit vīsere crēdit, 55
ut pote fallācī quae tunc prīmum excita somnō
dēsertam in sōlā miseram sē cernat harēnā.
Immemor at iuvenis fugiēns pellit vada rēmīs,
irrita ventōsae linquēns prōmissa procellae.
Quem procul ex algā maestīs Mīnōis ocellīs 60
saxea ut effigiēs bacchantis prōspicit, ēheu,
prōspicit et magnīs cūrārum fluctuat undīs,
nōn flāvō retinēns subtīlem vertice mitram,
nōn contēcta levī vēlātum pectus amictū,
nōn teretī strophiō lactentīs vīncta papillās, 65
omnia quae tōtō dēlāpsa ē corpore passim
ipsius ante pedēs flūctūs salis adlūdēbant.
Sīc neque tum mitrae neque tum fluitantis amictūs
illa vicem cūrāns tōtō ex tē pectore, Thēseu,
tōtō animō, tōtā pendēbat perdita mente. 70
vocabulary
priscus –a –um: ancient, olden, old-fashioned, archaic 50
variō variāre variāvī variātus: adorn with contrasting colors; embroider; mottle, bruise
figūra figūrae f.: form, shape, aspect, appearance
hērōs –ōis m.: a hero
mīrus –a –um: extraordinary, remarkable
fluentisonus –a –um: resounding with the noise of the sea
prōspectō prōspectāre prōspectāvī prōspectātus: gaze out
Dīa –ae f.: an Aegean island, usu. identified with Naxos
Thēseus –ī m.: son of Aegeus, seducer of Ariadne (later husband of her sister Phaedra), slayer of the Minotaur
tueor tuērī tūtus sum: look at, view, observe
indomitus –a –um: untamed; indomitable; violent
Ariadna (Ariadnē) –ae f.: Ariadne, daughter of Minos and Pasiphae, half-sister of the Minotaur
necdum: conj., and not yet, but not yet 55
vīsō vīsere vīsī vīsus: go to see; look at, gaze at, view
utpote: part., as one might expect, as is natural
fallax –ācis: treacherous, deceptive
exciō (excieō) –īre –īvī (–iī) –ītus (–itus): rouse (from sleep)
arēna (harēna) –ae f.: sand, beach
immemor –oris: forgetful, heedless, feckless
vadum –ī n.: a shallow piece of water, shoal; (pl.) the waters of the sea
rēmus rēmī m.: oar
irritus (inritus) –a –um: not ratified, null and void; empty, unfulfilled, vain
ventōsus –a –um: windy
linquō linquere līquī: leave, quit
prōmissum –ī n.: a promise; a thing promised; prize
procella –ae f.: storm, gale
alga –ae f.: seaweed 60
Mīnōis –idis f.: a female descendant of Minos, Ariadne
ocellus ocellī m.: eye; as term of endearment, darling (dim. of oculus)
saxeus –a –um: made of stone
effigiēs –eī or effigia –ae f.: statue, effigy
bacchor bacchārī bacchātus: celebrate rites of Bacchus; act like a Bacchant, rave
prōspiciō prōspicere prōspexī prōspectum: look forth or out
ēheu: interj., Alas!
fluctuō fluctuāre fluctuāvī fluctuātus: surge like a wave; be in turmoil
flāvus –a –um: yellow, gold-colored, blonde
subtīlis –e: fine-textured, delicate
vertex verticis m.: whirlpool, whirlwind; top of the head; summit
mitra –ae f.: an oriental headdress tied under the chin with ribbons
contegō –ere –tēxī –tēctus: cover up; shelter
nūdō nūdāre nūdāvī nūdātus: make naked, denude, bare
amictus –ūs m.: a mantle or cloak
teres –etis : smooth; rounded 65
strophium –iī n.: a twisted band supporting a woman's breast
lactēns –entis: milky; milk-white
vinciō vincīre vīnxī vīnctum: fasten, tie, bind
papilla –ae f.: nipple; breast
dēlābor –lāpsus sum: fall, slip down
passim: dispersedly, all over the place
sāl salis m.: salt; fig., of a quality that gives character and flavor, wit; by metonymy, the sea
allūdō (adl-) –ere –lūsī –lūsus (alludiō -āre): play with
fluitō fluitāre fluitāvī fluitātus: flow; float, drift
vicis vicis f.: a recurring occasion for action, turn; plight or situation
pendeō pendēre pependī: hang; depend, rely 70
perditus –a –um: ruined; depraved