Baucis and Philemon

Iuppiter huc specie mortali cumque parente venit Atlantiades positis caducifer alis.

Jupiter came here in the form of a human, and with his father came Mercury the staff-bearer, with his wings laid aside.

mille domos adiere locum requiemque petentes, mille domos clausere serae.

They approached a thousand homes, seeking a place and rest, bolts shut a thousand homes.

tamen una recepit, parva quidem stipulis et canna tecta palustri,

However one house received them, a small one indeed, covered with straw and marsh reeds,

sed pia Baucis anus parilique aetate Philemon illa sunt annis iuncti iuvenalibus,

but a dutiful old woman, Baucis, and Philemon, of equal age, were joined (in marriage) in that house in their youthful years,

illa consenuere casa paupertatemque fatendo effecere levem nec iniqua mente ferendo.

in that house they grew old together, and by admitting their poverty, and by enduring it with a positive attitude, they made it unimportant.

nec refert, dominos illic famulosne requiras: tota domus duo sunt, idem parentque iubentque.

Nor does it matter whether you seek masters or slaves there: The two are the whole house, the same people both obey and order.

ergo ubi caelicolae parvos tetigere penates summissoque humiles intrarunt vertice postes,

Therefore when the heaven-dwellers arrived at the small house and entered the low door with their head lowered,

membra senex posito iussit relevare sedili, cui superiniecit textum rude sedula Baucis.

The old man ordered them to relax their limbs, having put out a seat, on top of which the bustling Baucis threw a rough covering.

inde foco tepidum cinerem dimovit et ignes suscitat hesternos foliisque et cortice sicco nutrit et ad flammas anima producit anili,

Then she stirred up the warm ash in the hearth and rekindled yesterday's fire, and fed it with leaves and dry bark, and she coaxes it to flames with the breath of an old woman,

multifidasque faces ramaliaque arida tecto detulit et minuit parvoque admovit aeno,

and she brought down finely split sticks and dry twigs from the roof-space and chopped them up and put them under a little pot,

quodque suus coniunx riguo conlegerat horto truncat holus foliis;

and the cabbage which her husband had collected from the well-watered garden she strips of its leaves;

furca levat ille bicorni sordida terga suis nigro pendentia tigno

with a two-pronged fork he lifts down a smoked back of a pig, hanging from a blackened beam,

servatoque diu resecat de tergore partem exiguam sectamque domat ferventibus undis.

and he cuts off a very small piece from the back, which had been kept for a long time, and he softens the piece in boiling water.

interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas sentirique moram prohibent.

Meanwhile they while away the intervening hours with conversations and they prevent the delay from being noticed.

erat alveus illic fagineus dura clavo suspensus ab ansa;

There was a bowl there made of beechwood hung on a nail by its sturdy handle;

is tepidis impletur aquis artusque fovendos accipit.

It is filled with warm water and receives the limbs to be refreshed.

in medio torus est de mollibus ulvis inpositus lecto sponda pedibusque salignis;

In the middle there is a mattress of soft sedge placed on a bed with its frame and feet made of willow;

vestibus hunc velant quas non nisi tempore festo sternere consuerant, sed et haec vilisque vetusque vestis erat, lecto non indignanda saligno.

They cover this with coverings which they had become accustomed to spread out, only at festival times, but even this covering was both cheap and old, and not unworthy for a willow couch.

adcubuere dei.

The gods reclined.

interea totiens haustum cratera repleri sponte sua per seque vident succrescere vina;

Meanwhile they see that as often as the mixing-bowl has been drained, it is refilled of its own accord and they see the wine increase on its own;

attoniti novitate pavent manibusque supinis concipiunt Baucisque preces timidusque Philemon

Astonished by this strangeness they are afraid and with hands facing upwards both Baucis and the timid Philemon utter prayers,

et veniam dapibus nullisque paratibus orant.

and beg for mercy for the meal and non-existent preparation.

unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae, quem dis hospitibus domini mactare parabant;

There was just one goose, the guardian of the very small house, which its masters were preparing to sacrifice for their divine guests;

ille celer penna tardos aetate fatigat eluditque diu tandemque est visus ad ipsos confugisse deos.

Quick with its wing it wears them out slow from their age, and for a long time it escapes them and at last it seemed to have fled for refuge to the gods themselves.

superi vetuere necari 'di' que 'sumus, meritasque luet vicinia poenas impia' dixerunt;

The gods prevented it from being killed and they said, 'We are gods and the wicked neighbourhood will pay deserved punishments.

'vobis inmunibus huius esse mali dabitur.

It will be granted to you to be free of this disaster.

modo vestra relinquite tecta ac nostros comitate gradus et in ardua montis ite simul.'

Just leave behind your home and accompany our steps and go to the heights of the mountain together.'

parent ambo baculisque levati nituntur longo vestigia ponere clivo.

They both obey and supported by their sticks they struggle to place their steps on the long hill-side.

tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta missa potest;

They were as far away from the top as an arrow that has been fired is able to go in one shot;

flexere oculos et mersa palude cetera prospiciunt, tantum sua tecta manere.

they turned their eyes and they see everything else submerged by a marsh, only their home was remaining.

dumque ea mirantur, dum deflent fata suorum,

And while they are marvelling at these things, and while they are weeping for the fates of their neighbours,

illa vetus dominis etiam casa parva duobus vertitur in templum;

that old cottage, small even for its two masters, is turned into a temple;

furcas subiere columnae, stramina flavescunt aurataque tecta videntur caelataeque fores adopertaque marmore tellus.

columns replaced supports, the straw becomes yellow, and the roof seems to be golden and the doors (seem to be) engraved and the earth covered in marble.

talia tum placido Saturnius edidit ore:

Then the son of Saturn (Jupiter) uttered such words from his calm mouth:

'dicite, iuste senex et femina coniuge iusto digna, quid optetis.'

'Honest old man, and woman worthy of an honest husband, say what you desire.'

cum Baucide pauca locutus iudicium superis aperit commune Philemon:

Having spoken a few words with Baucis, Philemon reveals the joint decision to the gods:

'esse sacerdotes delubraque vestra tueri poscimus, et quoniam concordes egimus annos,

'We ask to be priests and to guard your shrines, and since we have spent years together,

auferat hora duos eadem, nec coniugis umquam busta meae videam neu sim tumulandus ab illa.'

may the same hour take away the two of us, neither may I ever see the tomb of my wife, nor may I have to be buried away from her.'

vota fides sequitur; templi tutela fuere, donec vita data est.

Fulfilment follows their prayers; they were guardians of the temple, as long as life was granted to them.

annis aevoque soluti ante gradus sacros cum starent forte locique narrarent casus,

Worn out by years and old age, when they were by chance standing in front of the sacred steps and talking about the events of the place,

frondere Philemona Baucis, Baucida conspexit senior frondere Philemon.

Baucis caught sight of Philemon growing leaves, and the older Philemon caught sight of Baucis growing leaves.

iamque super geminos crescente cacumine vultus mutua, dum licuit, reddebant dicta

And now, with the tree-tops growing over their two faces, they exchanged mutual words, while it was allowed, and

'vale' que 'o coniunx' dixere simul, simul abdita texit ora frutex.

and at the same time they said 'Goodbye, my spouse!', and at the same time greenery covered their hidden faces.