Baucis and Philemon Lines 26 - 48

Interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas sentirique moram prohibent.

Meanwhile they whiled away the intervening hours with conversation and prevented the delay from being realised

Erat alveus illic fagineus dura clavo suspensus ab ansa;

There was a bathtub there made of beechwood, suspended from a nail by a sturdy handle;

; is tepidis impletur aquis artusque fovendos accipit.

; this was filled with warm water and received limbs which needed warming.

In medio torus est de mollibus ulvis inpositus lecto sponda pedibusque salignis.

In the middle (of the house) there was a mattress of soft sedge placed on a bed with a frame and feet made of willow.

Vestibus hunc velant, quas non nisi tempore festo sternere consuerant:

They covered this with a blanket which except on holiday time they were not accustomed to lay over it:

: sed et haec vilisque vetusque vestis erat, lecto non indignanda saligno

: but even this blanket was both cheap and old, not to be deemed unworthy for the willow bed.

Accubuere dei.

The gods reclined (on it).

Interea totiens haustem cratera repleri sponte sua per seque vident succrescere vina.

Meanwhile they saw the mixing bowl which had been drained so many times refilled of its own accord and the wine increasing by itself.

Attoniti novitate pavent manibusque supinis concipiunt Baucisque preces timidusque Philemon et veniam dapibus nullisque paratibus orant.

Astonished by the strangeness, they were afraid and, with hands facing upwards, both Baucis and fearful Philemon began to form prayers and begged pardon for the feast and lack of preparation

unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae:

quem dis hospitibus domini mactare parabant.

There was a single goose, guardian of the very small house which the owners were preparing to kill for the gods their guests.

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

The goose swift with its wings wore them out, slow through age, eluded them for a long time and finally seemed to have fled for refuge to the gods themselves.

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

The gods forbid it to be killed and said: ''We are gods, and the irreligious neighbourhood will pay the penalty it deserves;

; vobis inmunibus huius esse mali dabitur.

; it will be granted to you to be exempt from this destruction.