Publius Ovidius Naso
8 CE (over 2,000 years ago)
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Augustan Age)
Prima nepos inter tot res tibi, Cadme, secundas causa fuit luctus, alienaque cornua fronti addita, vosque, canes satiatae sanguine erili.
(Your grandson was the first cause of grief for you, Cadmus, among so many, and all you dogs, sating yourselves with the blood of your master, on whose forehead inhuman horns were added;)
at bene si quaeras, Fortunae crimen in illo, non scelus invenies; quod enim scelus error habebat?
(But if you really look, his crime was one of Fortune, nor will you not find a wicked deed; for what wickedness did his carelessness merit?)
Mons erat infectus variarum caede ferarum, iamque dies medius rerum contraxerat umbras et sol ex aequo meta distabat utraque, cum iuvenis placido per devia lustra vagantes participes operum compellat Hyantius ore:
(There was a mountain, soaked with the slaughter of all kinds of game, and already noon had shortened the shadows of things, and the sun began to sink from its equator on both sides, when Hyantius urged on the wandering hunters along out-of-the-way thickets, with the tranquil voice of a young man:)
'lina madent, comites, ferrumque cruore ferarum, fortunaeque dies habuit satis;
('Comrades, the ropes and steel soak from the slaughter of wild beasts, and the day has been fortunate enough;)
altera lucem cum croceis invecta rotis Aurora reducet, propositum repetemus opus: nunc Phoebus utraque distat idem meta finditque vaporibus arva.
(When the next Dawn leads her light back, carried along on her saffron chariot, we will begin our planned task again: now the Sun stands moves away from both sides and sprinkles the fields with mists;)
sistite opus praesens nodosaque tollite lina!'
(Now, stop your work and carry up the knotted linen!')
iussa viri faciunt intermittuntque laborem.
(The men obeyed his orders and broke from their hunt;)
I N F I N I T A
