4.374–385

Cyrene entertains Aristaeus in her home. 

Aristaeus enters Cyrene’s cave, and the nymphs begin to prepare a feast. They wash their hands, bring out towels, spread a feast upon the tables, fill cups with wine, and light the altars. Cyrene then prays to the Ocean, and her sister nymphs, and pours an offering of wine on the altar three times. Three times a flame leaps to the top of the roof as a good omen.

374  est: take with perventum in line 375: “he reached” (an impersonal construction; literally, “there was an arrival”). 

374  pendentia pūmice tecta: the roof is made of pumice stone (pūmice is an ablative of material, AG 403.2). pendentia suggests that the ceiling is vaulted. Some commentators have suggested that the pumice may instead suggest stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

375  flētūs: accusative plural masculine, modified by inānēs. Notice the heaviness of the line due to the spondees. His tears are fruitless, both because they accomplish nothing, but also, as Page notes, because Cyrene already has a plan.

376  manibus: dative of advantage; that is, for his hands to be washed. 

376  ōrdine: “in turn.” 

376  fontēs: “water.” The feast is modeled on Homeric feasts, which always proceed in a fixed order: washing, drying, then food and drink.

377  germānae: nominative plural feminine, subject of dant. 

377  tōnsīs…villīs: “with close-cut nap,” ablative of quality with mantēlia, (AG 415). That is, these are smooth towels.

378  pars: although pars is singular, because it is a collective noun (that is, it refers to more than one of the sisters), it can take a plural verb. 

378  plēna: take as a predicate; they continuously replenish the cups so they are full.

379  Panchaeīs…ārae: ārae is the subject of adolēscunt. Panchaeīs refers to Panchaea, a mythical island located east of Arabia in the Indian Ocean. Thus, these are probably fires scented with spices imported from the East. 

379  adolēscunt: “blaze.” 

380  cape…Bacchi: Cyrene enjoins Aristaeus to take up a cup of wine to be used for a libation to Ocean and the nymphs. On Bacchus, see lines 128-129. 

380  Maeoniī: Maeonia is a more ancient name from the kingdom of Lydia, in the western part of modern-day Turkey. 

380  carchēsia: the carchesium was an oblong drinking cup with a handle at either end. 

381  lībēmus: present active subjunctive, hortatory (AG 439).

382  patrem rērum: the Ocean is a primordial, original elemental force, and thus the father or originator of all things.

383  centum…servant = quae servant centum silvās, quae <servant> centum flūmina.  Some take centum with quae, though it comes to the same thing, since each naiad or dryad protects her own forest or river. 

384-385: Wine is poured on the hearth three times, and after each pour, a flame flares up to the ceiling of the chamber. 

384  Vestam: Vesta is the Roman goddess of the hearth, here used as a metonym for the āra. Nectar is, of course, a substance that only a divinity would have access to, and so ought to enhance the power both of the fire and of Cyrene’s prayer. It here is poured out as a thank-offering at the end of a meal (as wine typically was). The flaring of the fire three times suggests a good omen. The seriousness of the ritual is heightened by the heavily spondaic rhythm at 383 and 385.