Baucis and Philemon Translation

Iuppiter huc specie mortali cumque parente

Jupiter came here in human form and, with his father, (came) the

venit Atlantiades positis caducifer alis.

wand-bearing descendant of Atlas ,having set aside his wings.

mille domos adiere locum requiemque petentes,

They approached a thousand houses, seeking a place to rest: bars shut a

mille domos clausere serae; tamen una recepit,

thousand houses. However, one received (them), a small (one), it is

parva quidem, stipulis et canna tecta palustri,

true, covered with stalks and marshy reeds,

sed pia Baucis anus parilique aetate Philemon

but the dutiful old woman Baucis, and Philemon of similar age,

illa sunt annis iuncti iuvenalibus, illa

were united in their young years in that cottage,

consenuere casa paupertatemque fatendo

grew old in that cottage, and, by acknowledging their poverty,

effecere levem nec iniqua mente ferendo.

and bearing it with a not unfair mind, made it unimportant.

nec refert, dominos illic famulosne requiras:

And it does not matter whether you look for the masters or servants there:

tota domus duo sunt, idem parentque iubentque.

the two are the whole house, the same (people) obey and order.

ergo ubi caelicolae parvos tetigere penates

Therefore, when the heaven-dwellers arrived at the small household

summissoque humiles intrarunt vertice postes,

and entered the lowly doorposts with lowered head,

membra senex posito iussit relevare sedili,

the old man ordered (them) to relax their limbs on a couch which had been set

cui superiniecit textum rude sedula Baucis.

out (for them), over which the busy Baucis placed a rough, woven cloth.

inque foco tepidum cinerem dimovit et ignes

Then she separated the warm ash in the hearth and rouses

suscitat hesternos foliisque et cortice sicco

yesterday's fires, feeds (them) with leaves and dry bark, brings forth

nutrit et ad flammas anima producit anili,

flames with the breath of an old woman, and brought down torches

multifidasque faces ramaliaque arida tecto

split into many pieces and dry sticks from the roof,

detulit et minuit parvoque admovit aeno,

made them smaller and applied them to a small bronze pot; and she strips a

quodque suus coniunx riguo conlegerat horto

cabbage of its leaves, which her husband had gathered

truncat holus foliis; furca levat ille bicorni

from the well-watered garden; with a two-pronged fork he lifts

sordida terga suis nigro pendentia tigno

the sooty back of a pig which was hanging on a black beam,

servatoque diu resecat de tergore partem

cuts off a thin slice from the long-preserved back

exiguam sectamque domat ferventibus undis.

and having cut it up, softens it in the boiling waters.

interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas

Meanwhile, they while away the intervening hours with conversations

sentirique moram prohibent. erat alveus illic

and prevent the delay from being realised. There was a bathtub there

fagineus dura clavo suspensus ab ansa;

made of beech, suspended from a nail by a sturdy handle;

is tepidis impletur aquis artusque fovendos

this is filled with warm water and receives limbs which

accipit. in medio torus est de mollibus ulvis

need warming. In the middle (of the house) is a mattress of soft sedge

impositus lecto sponda pedibusque salignis;

placed on a bed with a frame and feet made of willow;

vestibus hunc velant quas non nisi tempore festo

they cover this with a coverlet which they were not accustomed to strew over it

sternere consuerant, sed et haec vilisque vetusque

except at holiday time, but even this coverlet was both cheap and ancient,

vestis erat, lecto non indignanda saligno.

not to be deemed unworthy of the willow couch.

accubuere dei.

The gods reclined (on it).

interea totiens haustum cratera repleri

Meanwhile they see the mixing bowl, which had been drained so many times, refilled

sponte sua per seque vident succrescere vina;

of its own accord and the wine increasing by itself;

attoniti novitate pavent manibusque supinis

astonished by the strangeness (of the event), they fear, and, with hands facing upwards,

concipiunt Baucisque preces timidusque Philemon

both Baucis and Philemon (begin to) form prayers and

et veniam dapibus nullisque paratibus orant.

beg pardon for the feast and lack of preparations.

unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae,

There was (just) one goose, guardian of the very small house,

quem dis hospitibus domini mactare parabant;

which the owners were preparing to kill for the gods, their guests;

ille celer penna tardos aetate fatigat

the goose, swift with its wings, wore (them) out as they were slow through age,

eluditque diu tandemque est visus ad ipsos

eluded them for a long time and finally seemed to have fled for refuge

confugisse deos. superi vetuere necari

to the gods themselves. The gods forbade it to be killed

'di' que 'sumus, meritasque luet vicinia poenas

and said 'we are gods and the irreligious neighbourhood will pay the penalty

inpia' dixerunt; 'vobis inmunibus huius

it deserves; it will be granted to you to be exempt

esse mali dabitur. modo vestra relinquite tecta

from this destruction. Just leave your home

ac nostros comitate gradus et in ardua montis

and accompany our steps and go together with (us) to the steep parts

ite simul!' parent ambo baculisque levati

of the mountain'. Both obey and, supported by their staffs,

nituntur longo vestigia ponere clivo.

they strive to place their footsteps on the long slope.

tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta

They were (about) as far away from the top as an arrow,

missa potest; flexere oculos et mersa palude

once discharged, can go; they turned their eyes and see the rest (of the houses) submerged

cetera prospiciunt, tantum sua tecta manere.

by a marsh, and only their house remaining.

dumque ea mirantur, dum deflent fata suorum,

And while they were marvelling at these things, while they were weeping for the destruction of their friends,

illa vetus dominis etiam casa parva duobus

that old house, small even for its two owners,

vertitur in templum; furcas subiere columnae,

is turned into a temple; columns replaced the poles,

stramina flavescunt aurataque tecta videntur

the thatch becomes yellow and a golden roof is seen,

caelataeque fores adopertaque marmore tellus.

doors engraved, and the earth is covered with marble.

talia tum placido Saturnius edidit ore:

Then the son of Saturn uttered the following (words) with calm expression:

'dicite, iuste senex et femina coniuge iusto

'honest old man and woman worthy of an honest

digna, quid optetis.'

husband, tell me what you desire.'

cum Baucide pauca locutus

Having spoken a few (words) with Baucis,

iudicium superis aperit commune Philemon:

Philemon reveals their join decision to the gods:

'esse sacerdotes delubraque vestra tueri

'we ask to be priests and to guard your shrine,

poscimus, et quoniam concordes egimus annos,

and since we have spent the years in harmony,

auferat hora duos eadem, nec coniugis umquam

may the same hour take away the two of us, and neither may I ever see

busta meae videam, neu sim tumulandus ab illa.'

the grave of my wife nor may i have to be buried by her'.

vota fides sequitur: templi tutela fuere,

Fulfilment followed the prayers; they were the guardians of the temple,

donec vita data est; annis aevoque soluti

as long as life was given (to them); when, weakened by their years and time,

ante gradus sacros cum starent forte locique

they were standing by chance in front of the sacred steps (of the temple) and

narrarent casus, frondere Philemona Baucis,

were relating the events of the place, Baucis noticed Philemon growing leaves

Baucida conspexit senior frondere Philemon.

and the aged Philemon noticed Baucis growing leaves.

iamque super geminos crescente cacumine vultus

And now, as a treetop grew over their two faces,

mutua, dum licuit, reddebant dicta 'vale' que

they exchanged words with each other, while they could, and at the same time said

'o coniunx' dixere simul, simul abdita texit

'farewell, O husband, farewell O wife' and at the same time a shrub hid and

ora frutex.

covered their faces.