Baucis and Philemon

context of the text

• set in Phrygia

• story told to a group of heroes

• pirithious is critical about the power of the gods

• so lelex tells the story of Baucis and Philemon so that they show more respect to the gods

Iuppiter huc species mortali cumque parente

Juppiter came here in the disguise of a mortal and with his father came Mercury the staff bearer with his wings layed aside

venit Atlantiades posits caducifer alis

came Mercury the staff bearer with his wings laid aside

mille domos adiere locum requiemque petentes,

They went to a thousand homes looking for a room and rest

mille domos clausere serae

but bolts closed a thousand homes.

tamen una recepit, parva quidem,

however one house received them, indeed a small one

stipulis et canna tecta plaustri

covered with staw and the reeds of a marsh

sed pia Baucis anus parilique aetate Philemon

but a dutiful old woman named Baucis and her husband Philemon of equal age

illa sunt anis iuncti iuevnalibus

were joined in marriage in that house in their youthful years.

illa consenuere casa

and they had grown old together in that house

paupertatemque fatendo

and by admitting their poverty

effecere levem

they made it unimportant.

nec iniqua mente ferendo

and by not enduring it with a discontented mind

nec refert, dominos illic famulosne requiras:

it doesn’t matter whether you ask for masters or slaves:

tota domus duo sunt, idem parentque iubentque.

the two of them are the whole house, the same people obey and give orders

ergo ubi caelicolae parvos tetigere penates

Therefore when the gods arrived at the little house

summissoque humiles intrarunt vertice postes

and entered the low door with their heads bowed,

membra senex … iussit relevare

the old man ordered them to relax their limbs

posito…sedili

with a couch brought out;

cui superiniecit textum rude sedula Baucis.

on which the bustling Baucis threw a rough covering.

inde foco tepidum cinerem dimovit

Then she stirred up the warm ash in the hearth

et ignes suscitat hesternos

and re-kindled yesterday’s fire

foliisque et cortice sicco nutrit

and fed it with leaves and with dried bark

et ad flammas anima producit anili,

and the breath of the old woman coaxed the flames

multifidasque faces ramaliaque arida tecto detulit

and she brought down finely split sticks and dry twigs from the roof spaces.

et minuit parvoque admovit aeno

and she choped them up and put them under a small pot and the vegetables

quodque suus coniux riguo coniegerat horto…holus

and the vegetables which her husband had collected from the well watered garden,

truncat…foliis;

she stripped away the leaves from;

furca levat ille bicorni

he lifted down with a two-pronged fork

sodida terga suis

a smoked back of bacon

nigro pendentia tigno servatoque

which was hanging from a blackened beam

servatoque dui resecat de tergore partem exiguam sectamque

and he cut off a very small slice from the back that had been saved for a long time and

domat ferventibus undis

he made it tender in the boiling water

interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas

Meanwhile they whiled away the intervening hours with conversation

sentirique moram prohibent.

and they prevented any delay from being felt.

erat alveus illic fagineus

There was a bowl made of beechwood there

dura clauo suspensus ab ansa;

hung up on a nail by a hard handle;

is tepidis impletur aquis artusque fovendos accipit.

it was filled with warm water and it received their limbs to refresh them.

In medio torus est de mollibus ulvis inpositus lecto

Out in the middle of the room there was a couch complete with a mattress made of soft sedge,

sponda pedibusque salignis;

its frame and feet made of willow;

vestibus hunc velant,

they covered this with coverlets, which they were accustomed to spread out only on special occasions

quas non nisi tempore festo stenere consuerant

which they were accustomed to spread out only on special occasions

sed et haec vilisque vetusque vestis erat,

but even this was both cheap and old

lecto non indignanda saligno. adcubuere dei.

and a coverlet not unworthy for a willow couch. The gods reclined.

interea totiens haustum cratera repleri sponte sua

Meanwhile they saw that as often as the mixing bowl was emptied, it was refilled of its own accord.

per seque vident succrescere vina:

And they saw that the wine was being supplied spontaneously;

attoniti novitate pavent… Baucisque … timidusque Philemon

astonished by the strangeness Baucis and frightened Philemon were fearful

manibusque supinis concipiunt … preces

and with their hands facing upwards, they uttered prayers

et veniam dapibus nullisque paratibus orant

and they begged for pardon for their non existent banquet and preparations

unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae,

there was just one goose, the guard of the little house

quem dis hospitibus domini mactare parabant;

whom the masters were preparing to sacrifice for their divine guests;

ille celer penna tardos aetate fatigate eluditque dui

it swift in it’s wing wore them out slow with age and it elluded them for a long time

tandemque est visus ad ipsos confugisse deos:

and at last it seemed to have fled for refuge to the god’s themselves.

superi vetuere necari ‘di’ que ‘sumus, …’ dixerunt;

The gods forbade it to be killed and they said “We are gods and this wicked neighbourhood will pay the deserved penalty.

meritasque luet vicinia poenas inipa”

and this wicked neighbourhood will pay the deserved penalty.

‘vobis inmunibus huius esse mali dabitur;

you will be allowed to escape this disaster.

modo vestra relinquite tecta ac nostros comitate gradus et in ardua montis ite simul!’

Only leave your home and accompany our steps

et in ardua montis ite simul!’

and together go to the heights of the mountain.”

parent ambo baculisque levati

Both obeyed and supported by sticks,

nituntur longo vestigia ponere clivo.

they struggled to place their footsteps up the long hillside.

tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta missa potest:

When they were as far from the top as an arrow is able to go having been fired in one shot,

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

they turned their eyes and they saw in the distance all the rest of their country submerged by a marsh, only their house remained.

dumque ea mirantur dum deflent fata suorum,

While they were gazing in wonder at it, while they wept at the fates of their neighbours,

illa vetus dominis etiam casa parva duobus vertitur in templum:

that small house, small even for its two occupants was turned into a temple:

furcas subiere columnae, stramina flavescunt

columns took the place of forked poles, the straw turned yellow

aurataque tecta videntur caelataeque fores adopertaque marmore tellus

and the house seemed guilded and the door seemed carved and the ground seemed covered in marbel.

talia tum placido saturnius edidit ore:

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

‘dicite, iuste senex et femina coniuge iusto digna, quid opetitis.’

“Tell me honest old man and you who are a woman worthy of your honest husband, what you would like”

cum Baucide pauca locutus iudicium superis aperit commune Philemon:

Philemon having spoken a few words with Baucis revealed to the gods their joint decision.

‘esse sacerdotes delubraque vestra tueri poscimus,

“We ask to be your priests and we ask to watch over your sanctuary,

et quoniam concordes egimus annos, auferat hora duos eadem

and since we have spent our years together, let the same hour carry us both off,

nec coniugis umquam busta meae videam, neu sim tumulandus ab illa.”

so that I may never see the tomb of my wife and may I not have to be buried by her.”

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

Fulfilment followed their prayers; they became guardians of the temple, as long as life was given to them.

annis aevoque soluti ante gradus sacros

worn out by years and by old age

cum starent forte locique narrarent casus,

when they were standing by chance in front of the sacred steps and they were talking of the events of the place,

frondere Philemona Baucis, Baucida conspexit senior frondere Philemon.

Baucis notices Philemon growing leaves, the older Philemon notices Baucis growing leaves.

iamque super geminos crescente cacumine vultus mutua,

And now with a tree top growing over both their faces,

dum licuit, reddebant dicta

they were exchanging words in turn, while it was still possible

‘vale’ que ‘O coniunx’ dixere simul, siml abdita texit ora frutex:

and they said at the same time “Goodbye O partner” at the same time greenery covered and hid their faces.