Baucis and Philmon version 3

Obstipuēre omnēs

All were astonished

nec tālia dicta probārunt

and they did not approve of such words

ante omnēs Lelex sīc ait

Before everyone, Lelex said thus

animō mātūrus et aevō

mature in mind and in age

immēnsa est potentia caelī

The power of heaven is boundless

et fīnem nōn habet

and it has no end

et quicquid superī voluēre, perāctum est

and whatever the gods above have wished, has been done

Quōque minus dubitēs

And so you may doubt less

tiliae contermina quercus est

an oak adjacent to a linden tree

collibus Phrygiīs modicō mūrō circumdata est

By the Phrygian hills, surrounded by a modest wall

ipse locum vīdī

I myself saw the place

procul mē Pelopēia Pitthēus mīsit in arva

Pittheus of Pelops’ land sent me far away into the fields.

suō quondam parentī rēgnāta

once ruled by his own parent

haud procul hinc stāgnum est

Not far from here there is a pool

tellūs habitābilis ōlim

land once habitable

nunc undae celebrēs mergīs fulicīsque palūstribus

now waters crowded with marsh-dwelling seagulls and coots

Iuppiter hūc vēnit

Jupiter came here

speciē mortālī

in mortal guise

cum parente Atlantiade

with the relative, Mercury

positīs ālīs cādūcifer

with the wings having been set aside, the caduceus-bearer

mīlle domōs adiēre

They approached a thousand homes

locum requiemque petentēs

seeking a place and rest

mīlle domōs serae clausēre

bolts closed a thousand houses

tamen ūna recēpit

however one (house) received them

parva quidem

small indeed

stipulīs et cannā tēcta palūstrī

roofed with marsh reed and straw

sed pia Baucis anūs erat

but pious Baucis was an old woman

parilī aetāte Philēmōn

and Philemon was of equal age

illā sunt iūnctī annīs iuvenālibus

in that house they are joined in youthful years

illā cōnsenuēre casā

in that house they grew old

paupertātem fatendō effēcēre levem

by confessing their poverty they made it light

nec inīquā mente ferendō

and by bearing it with a not unfair mind

nec rēfert

nor does it matter

dominōs illīc famulōsne requīrās

Would you seek there masters or servants

tōta domus duo sunt

the whole house is two people

īdem pārentque iubentque

they both obey and command alike

ergō ubi caelicolae parvōs tetigēre penātēs

Therefore, when the heaven-dwellers touched the small household gods

summissō vertice intrārunt postēs

they entered the doorposts with lowered heads

membra senex iussit relevāre sedīlī

the old man ordered them to rest their limbs on a seat

positō sedīlī

with the seat having been placed

cui sēdula Baucis superiniēcit textum rude

over which diligent Baucis threw a rough covering

in focō tepidum cinerem dimōvit

in the hearth she moved aside the warm ashes

et ignēs suscitat hesternōs

and she rekindled the fires of yesterday

foliīs et cortice siccō nūtrit

and she nourished them with dry leaves and bark

ad flammās animā anīlī prōdūcit

she blows forth her breath of an old woman to the flame

multifidās facēs rāmāliaque ārida tēctō dētulit

she brought split firebrands and dry twigs from the roof

et minuit

and she broke them into smaller pieces

parvōque admōvit aēnō

and she placed them near a small bronze pot

quod suus coniūnx riguō hortō collēgerat

what her own husband had gathered from the well-watered garden

truncat holus foliīs

she trimmed the cabbage of its leaves

furcā bicornī levat ille sordida terga suis nigrō pendentia tignō

he lifts with a two-pronged fork the greasy flitches of bacon hanging from a black beam

servātō diū resecat dē tergore partem exiguam

from the side long preserved he cuts off a small piece

sectamque domat ferventibus undīs

and softens the cut piece in boiling water

intereā fallunt sermōnibus mediās hōrās

meanwhile they pass the midday hours with conversation

concutiunt torum dē mollī flūminis ulvā

they shake the couch made from soft river-sedge

impositum lectō spondā pedibusque salignīs

placed on a bed, with a frame and legs of willow

vestibus hunc vēlant

they cover this with cloths

quās nōn nisi tempore fēstō sternere cōnsuērant

which they were not accustomed to spread unless at festive time.

sed et haec vīlis vetusque vestis erat

but even this garment was cheap and old

lectō nōn indignanda salignō

not to be disdained by the willow bed

adcubuēre deī

The gods reclined

mēnsam succīncta tremēnsque pōnit anus

The old woman, girded up and trembling, sets the table

mēnsae erat pēs tertius impār

the third leg of the table was uneven

testa parem fēcit

A potsherd made it equal

quae postquam subdita clīvum sustulit

Which, after it was placed beneath, raised the slope.

aequātam tersēre virentēs mentae

Green mint leaves wiped (the table) that had been made even.

pōnitur hīc bicolor sincērae bāca Minervae

Here were set the two-colored berries of pure Minerva (olives)

conditaque in liquidā corna autumnālia faece

and autumn cornel-berries preserved in clear brine

intibaque et rādīx et lactis massa coāctī

and endive, radish, and a mass of curdled milk

ōva leviter versāta nōn ācrī favīllā

and eggs lightly turned in not harsh ashes

omnia fictilibus

all in earthenware

post haec sistitur caelātus crātēr eōdem argentō

After this a bowl engraved from the same silver was placed down

pōcula fabricāta fāgō

cups made from beechwood

quā cava sunt flāventibus illita cērīs

where they were hollow, they were coated with yellow wax

parva mora est

There is a short delay

epulās focī mīsēre calentēs

They sent hot dishes from the hearth

nec referuntur vīna longae senectae rūrsus

And again, wine of not long age is brought back

dant locum mēnsīs paulum sēducta secundīs

(The table), drawn aside a little, gives place to the second courses.

hīc nux est

Here are nuts

hīc rūgōsīs cārica mixta est palmīs

Here are figs mixed with wrinkled dates

prūnaque et māla redolentia in patulīs canistrīs

and plums and fragrant apples in open baskets

et ūvae collēctae dē purpureīs vītibus

and grapes collected from purple vines

candidus favus est in mediō

In the middle is a shining honeycomb

super omnia accessēre vultūs bonī

above all came good faces

nec iners pauperque voluntās

nor was their will idle and poor

intereā crātēra haustum totiēns replērī vident

Meanwhile they see the bowl, so often drained, being refilled

et vīna per sē sponte suā succrēscere

and the wine to rise again by itself of its own accord

attonitī novitāte pavent

Astonished by the wonder, they tremble

manibus supīnīs concipiunt precēs

they utter prayers with hands raised

Baucis et timidus Philēmōn

Baucis and scared Philemon

ōrant veniam dapibus nūllīs parātibusque

they beg forgiveness for the feast with no preparations

ūnicus ānser erat

There was one goose

minimae vīllae cūstōdia

the guard of their small house

quem dominī hospitibus dīs mactāre parābant

which the masters were preparing to sacrifice to their divine guests

ille celer pennā fatīgat tardōs aetāte

that bird, quick by wing, tires them slow with age

ēlūditque diū

and for a long time it escaped them

tandemque vīsus est cōnfūgisse ad ipsōs deōs

and at last it seemed to have taken refuge with the gods themselves

superī vetuēre necārī

The gods forbade it to be killed

dī sumus, dīxērunt

“We are gods,” they said

vīcīnia inpia luet meritās poenās

“The impious neighborhood will pay the deserved penalty”