ovid: baucis and philemon

Iuppiter huc specie mortali cumque parentevenit Atlantiades positis caducifer alis.

Jupiter came here in mortal disguise, and with his parent came Mercury the rod bearer after his wings had been set aside,

mille domos adiere locum requiemque petentes, mille domos clausere serae; tamen una recepit

They approached a thousand homes, seeking a place for rest, bars closed a thousand homes; however one received them,

parva quidem, stipulis et canna tecta palustri,

small indeed, covered with straw and reeds of the marsh,

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

But the pious old woman Baucis and Philemon of equal age were joined in youthful years in that house, in that house

consenuere casa paupertatemque fatendo effecere levem nec iniqua mente ferendo

they grew old together and by admitting their poverty and by bearing it with not an uneven mind they made it light.

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

Nor does it matter, that you should ask for masters or servants there; the two are the whole house, they both obey and order the same.

ergo ubi caelicolae parvos tetigere penatessummissoque humiles intrarunt vertice postes,

therefore when the heaven dwellers arrived at this humble home, and with lowered head entered the lowly doorposts,

membra senex posito iussit relevare sediliquo superiniecit textum rude sedula Baucis

the old man bid them rest their limbs, having placed a couch, on which attentive Baucis threw a rough cloth

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 revives yesterday's fires, and feeds them with leaves and dry bark and coaxes them into flames with old woman's breath,

multifidasque faces ramaliaque arida tecto detulit et minuit parvoque admovit aeno

and she brought down finely split torches and dry twigs from the roof and cut them up and put them under a small pot

quodque suus coniunx riguo conlegerat horto truncat holus follis; furca levat ille bicorni

and the produce, which her spouse had collected from a well-watered garden, she strips from its foliage; he lifts down with a two-pronged fork

sordida terga suis nigro pendentia tigno servatoque diu resecat de tergore partem exiguam sectamque domat ferventibus undis

dirty backs of a pig hanging from a black rafter and cuts back a meagre piece from the back which had been preserved for a long time and tenderises the cut [piece] in boiling water

interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas sentirique moram prohibent. erat alveus illic fagineus dura clavo suspensus ab ansa;

Meanwhile they beguile the middle hours with conversations and prevent the delay being noticed. There was a bowl there made of beech hung from a nail by a strong handle

is tepidis impletur aquis artusque fovendos accipit. in medio torus est de mollibus ulvis inpositus lect sponda pedibusque salignis

This is filled with warm waters and receives limbs to be refreshed. In the middle there is a mattress made from soft marsh grasses placed on a couch with a frame and feet of willow

vestibus hunc velant, quas non nisi tempore festo sternere consuerant, sed et haec vilisque vetusque

they cover this with cloths, which, except in festive time, they were not accustomed to spread out, but even this cloth

vestis erat, lecto non indignanda saligno. accubuere dei.

was cheap and old, not unworthy of the willow couch. The gods reclined.

interea totiens haustum cratera repleri
sponte sua per seque vident succrescere vina;                                                                                                      
attoniti novitate pavent manibusque supinis
concipiunt Baucisque preces timidusque Philemon
et veniam dapibus nullisque paratibus orant.

Meanwhile they see that as many times as it was emptied the mixing-bowl was replenished of its own accord and that the wine sprung up by itself; amazed by the strange phenomenon they are terrified and, with hands upraised, both Baucis and fearful Philemon utter prayers and beg forgiveness for the meal and for the insignificant things they had prepared.

unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae,
quem dis hospitibus domini mactare parabant;                                                                                                        
ille celer penna tardos aetate fatigat
eluditque diu tandemque est visus ad ipsos
confugisse deos. superi vetuere necari

There was a single goose, the protection of the very small house, which the masters were preparing to sacrifice to the gods their guests; but he, swift of wing, tires out the ones slow with age and it escapes them for a long time and at last it seemed to have fled for refuge to the gods themselves. The gods forbade it to be killed

"di" que "sumus, meritasque luet vicinia poenas
inpia" dixerunt; "vobis inmunibus huius                                                                                                             
esse mali dabitur; modo vestra relinquite tecta
ac nostros comitate gradus et in ardua montis
ite simul!" parent ambo baculisque levati
nituntur longo vestigia ponere clivo.

and they said, "We are gods, and the wicked neighbourhood will pay the penalties it deserves; it will be granted to you to be exempt from this evil. Only leave your roofs (house) and accompany our steps and go together into the heights of the mountain!" Both obey and supported on sticks they struggle to place their footsteps on the long slope.

tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta                                                                                                
missa potest: flexere oculos et mersa palude
cetera prospiciunt, tantum sua tecta manere,
dumque ea mirantur, dum deflent fata suorum,

They were as far away from the summit, as an arrow is able to go having once been shot: they turned their eyes and they see in the distance that the other roofs have been submerged in a swamp, and that only their roofs remain,

and while they are amazed at these things, while they weep for the fates of their neighbours,

illa vetus dominis etiam casa parva duobus
vertitur in templum; furcas subiere columnae, 
stramina flavescunt aurataque tecta videntur
caelataeque fores adopertaque marmore tellus

that old hut, small even for two masters,

is turned into a temple; columns replaced poles,

the straw turns golden, and the roof seems gilded,

the doors carved, and the ground covered with marble.

talia tum placido Saturnius edidit ore:
"dicite, iuste senex et femina coniuge iusto
digna, quid optetis." cum Baucide pauca locutus                                                                                                              
iudicium superis aperit commune Philemon:

Then from a calm mouth the son of Saturn (Jupiter) uttered the following: Say, honest old man and woman worthy of her honest husband, what you wish for!" Having spoken a little with Baucis, Philemon reveals their joint decision to the gods:

"esse sacerdotes delubraque vestra tueri
poscimus, et quoniam concordes egimus annos,
auferat hora duos eadem, nec coniugis umquam
busta meae videam neu sim tumulandus ab illa."                                                                                                               

"We ask to be priests and to watch over your shrines,

and since we have lived our years together,

may the same hour take the two of us, and let me not ever see the tomb of my wife nor let me have to be buried by her."

vota fides sequitur; templi tutela fuere,
donec vita data est. annis aevoque soluti
ante gradus sacros cum starent forte locique
narrarent casus, frondere Philemona Baucis,
Baucida conspexit senior frondere Philemon.                                                                                                               

Fulfilment follows their prayers; they were guardians of the temple, for as long as life was given them. Worn out by years and by old age, while they were standing by chance before the sacred steps and were telling about the events of the place, Baucis noticed that Philemon was growing leaves, aged Philemon noticed that Baucis was growing leaves.

iamque super geminos crescente cacumine vultus
mutua, dum licuit, reddebant dicta "vale" que
"o coniunx" dixere simul, simul abdita texit
ora frutex. 

And now, with a treetop growing over their twin faces, while it was still possible, they were giving back words in turn and they said at the same time, “O my spouse, farewell,” and at the same time the greenery covered their hidden faces.