DRYOPE

IN

ARBOREM.

IXIT: et,

D niftrae,

admonitu veteris commota mi

Ingemuit; quam fic nurus est adfata dolentem:
Te tamen, o genitrix, alienae fanguine vestro
Rapta movet facies, quid fi tibi mira fororis
Fata meae referam? quamquam lacrymaeque dolor-

que

Impediunt, prohibentque loqui. fuit unica matri
(Me pater ex alia genuit) notiffima forma

Oechalidum Dryope: quam virginitate carentem,
Vimque Dei passam, Delphos Delonque tenentis,
Excipit Andraemon; et habetur conjuge felix.

NOTES.

10

DRYOPE.] Upon occafion of the death of Hercules, his Mother Alcmena recounts her misfortunes to Iole, who answers with a relation of those of her own family, in par

:

THE

FABLE

OF

DRYOPE.

From the NINTH Book of

OVID'S METAMORPHOSES.

S

HE faid, and for her loft Galanthis sighs,
When the fair Confort of her fon replies.
Since you a servant's ravish'd form bemoan,
And kindly sigh for forrows not your own;
Let me (if tears and grief permit) relate
A nearer woe, a sister's stranger fate.

No Nymph of all Œchalia could compare
For beauteous form with Dryope the fair,

Her tender mother's only hope and pride,
(Myself the offspring of a second bride.)
This Nymph compress'd by him who rules the day,
Whom Delphi and the Delian isle obey,
Andræmon lov'd; and, bless'd in all those charms

That pleas'd a God, succeeded to her arms.

NOTES.

5

10

ticular the Transformation of her sister Dryope, which is the subject of the ensuing Fable. P.

VOL. II.

N

15

Est lacus, acclivi devexo margine formam
Littoris efficiens: fummum myrteta coronant.
Venerat huc Dryope fatorum nefcia; quoque
Indignere magis, Nymphis latura coronas.
Inque finu puerum, qui nondum impleverat annum,
Dulce ferebat onus: tepidique ope lactis alebat.

Haud procul a stagno, Tyrios imitata colores,
In spem baccarum florebat aquatica lotos.
Carpferat hinc Dryope, quos oblectamina nato
Porrigeret flores: et idem factura videbar;
Namque aderam. vidi guttas e flore cruentas
Decidere; et tremulo ramos horrore moveri.
Scilicet, ut referunt tardi nunc denique agrestes,
Lotis in hanc Nymphe, fugiens obscoena Priapi,
Contulerat verfos, servato nomine, vultus.

20

25

30

Nescierat foror hoc; quae cum perterrita retro 35

Ire et adoratis vellet difcedere Nymphis;
Haeferunt radice pedes. convellere pugnat:

40 20

A lake there was, with shelving banks around, 15 Whose verdant summit fragrant myrtles crown'd. These shades, unknowing of the fates, she sought, And to the Naiads flow'ry garlands brought; Her smiling babe (a pleasing charge) she prest Within her arms, and nourish'd at her breast. Not distant far, a watry Lotos grows, The spring was new, and all the verdant boughs Adorn'd with blossoms promis'd fruits that vie In glowing colours with the Tyrian die : Of these she crop'd to please her infant fon, And I myself the same rash act had done : But lo! I saw (as near her fide I ftood)

25

The violated blossoms drop with blood;
Upon the tree I cast a frightful look;

The trembling tree with fudden horror fhook.

30

Lotis the nymph (if rural tales be true)

As from Priapus' lawless lust she flew,

Forsook her form; and fixing here became
A flow'ry plant, which still preferves her name.

This change unknown, astonish'd at the fight 35

My trembling sister strove to urge her flight,

And first the pardon of the nymphs implor'd,

And those offended fylvan pow'rs ador'd:

But when she backward would have fled, she found

Her stiff'ning feet were rooted in the ground:

40

Nec quidquam, nisi summa, movet, succrefcit ab imo,
Totaque paulatim lentus premit inguina cortex.
Ut vidit; conata manu laniare capillos,

Fronde manum implevit: frondes caput omne tene

bant.

45

50

At puer Amphissos (namque hoc avus Eurytus illi
Addiderat nomen) materna rigefcere sentit
Ubera: nec sequitur ducentem lacteus humor.
Spectatrix aderam fati crudelis; opemque
Non poteram tibi ferre, foror: quantumque valebam,
Crefcentem truncum ramosque amplexa, morabar:
Et (fateor) volui fub eodem cortice condi.
Ecce vir Andraemon, genitorque miserrimus, adfunt:
Et quaerunt Dryopen: Dryopen quaerentibus illis
Oftendi loton. tepido dant ofcula ligno:

Adfufique suae radicibus arboris haerent.
Nil nisi jam faciem, quod non foret arbor, habebas,
Cara foror. lacrymae verso de corpore factis

60

Irrorant foliis: ac, dum licet, oraque praeftant 65 Vocis iter, tales effundit in aëra questus: