COMPLETE Baucis and Philemon Translation

for that 11th hour revision - good luck

Iuppiter huc specie mortali cumque parente venit Atlantiades positis caducifer alis.

Jupiter came here in human form and, with his father, (came) the wand-bearing descendant of Atlas, having set aside his wings.

millle domos adiere locum requiemque petentes, mille domos clausere serae.

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

tamen una recepit, parva quidem stipulis et canna tecta palustri,

However, one received (them), a small (one), it is true, covered with stalks and marshy reeds,

sed pia Baucis anus parilique aetate Philemon illa sunt annis iuncti iuvenalibus, illa consenuere, casa paupertatemque fatendo effecere levem nec inqua mente ferendo

but the dutiful old woman Baucis, and Philemon of similar age, were united in their young years in that cottage, grew old in that cottage, and, by acknowledging their poverty, and bearing it with a not unfair mind, made it unimportant.

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

And it does not matter whether you look for the masters or servants there: the two are the whole house, the same (people) obey and order.

ergo ubi caelicolae parvos tetigere penates summissoque humiles intrarunt vertice postes,

Therefore, when the heaven-dwellers arrived at the small household and entered the lowly doorposts with lowered head,

membra senex posito iussit relevare sedili, cui superiniecit textum rude sedula Baucis.

the old man ordered (them) to relax their limbs on a couch which had been set out (for them), over which the busy Baucis placed a rough, woven cloth.

inde foco tepidum cinerem dimovit et ignes suscitat hesternos follisque et cortice sicco nutrit et ad flammas anima producit anili,

Then she separated the warm ash in the hearth and rouses yesterday’s fires, feeds (them) with leaves and dry bark, brings forth flames with the breath of an old woman,

multifidasque faces ramaliaque arida tecto detulit et minuit parvoque admovit aëno,

and brought down torches split into many pieces and dry sticks from the roof, made them smaller and applied them to a small bronze pot;

quodque suus coniunx riguo collegerat horto truncat holus foliis;

and she strips a cabbage of its leaves, which her husband had gathered from the well-watered garden;

furca levat ille bicorni sordida terga suis nigro pendentia tigno servatoque diu resecat de tergore partem exiguam sectamque domat feverntibus undis

with a two-pronged fork he lifts the sooty back of a pig which was hanging on a black beam, cuts off a thin slice from the long-preserved back and having cut it up, softens it in the boiling waters.

interea medias fallunt sermonibus horas sentirique moram prohibent.

Meanwhile, they while away the intervening hours with conversations and prevent the delay from being realised.

erat alveus illic fagineus dura clavo suspensus ab ansa;

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

is tepidis impletur aquis artusque fovendos accipit

this is filled with warm water and receives limbs which need warming.

in medio torus est de mollibus ulvis impositus lecto sponda pedibusque salignis;

In the middle (of the house) is 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 cover this with a coverlet which they were not accustomed to strew over it except at holiday time,

sed et haec vilisque vetusque vestis erat, lecto non indignanda saligno. accubuere dei.

but even this coverlet was both cheap and ancient, not to be deemed unworthy of the willow couch. The gods reclined (on it).

interea totiens haustum cratera repleri sponte sua per seque vident succrescere vina;

Meanwhile they see 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 of the event, they fear, and, with hands facing upwards, both Baucis and fearful Philemon begin to form prayers and beg pardon for the feast and lack of preparations.

unicus anser erat, minimae custodia villae, quem dis hospitibus domini mactare parabant;

There was just one 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 as they were 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 forbade it to be killed, and said, “We are gods, and the irreligious neighbourhood will pay the penalty it deserves;

“vobis immunibus huius esse mali dabitur.

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

modo vestra relinquite tecta ac nostros comitate gradus et in ardua montis ite simul.”

Just leave your home and accompany our steps and go together with us to the steep parts of the mountain.”

parent ambo baculisque levati nituntur longo vestigia ponere clivo.

Both obey, and supported by their staffs, they strive to place their footsteps on the long slope.

tantum aberant summo, quantum semel ire sagitta missa potest;

They were about as far away from the top as an arrow, once discharged, can go;

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

they turned their eyes and see the rest of the houses submerged by a marsh, and only their house remaining.

dumque ea mirantur, dum deflent fata suorum, illa vetus dominis etiam casa parva duobus vertitur in templum;

And while they were marvelling at these things, while they were weeping for the destruction of their friends, that old house, small even for its two owners, is turned into a temple;

furcas subiere columnae, stramina flavescunt aurataque tecta videntur caelataesque fores adopteraque mamore tellus.

columns replaced the poles, the thatch becomes yellow and a golden roof is seen, doors engraved, and the earth covered with marble.

talia tum placido Saturnius edidit ore: “dicite, iuste senex et femina coniuge iusto digna, quid optetis.”

Then the son of Saturn uttered the following words with calm expression: “Honest old man and woman worthy of an honest husband, tell me what you desire.”

cum Baucide pauca locutus iudicium superis aperit commune Philemon:

Having spoken a few words 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, nce coniguis umquam busta meae videm neu sim tumulandus ab illa.”

“We ask to be priests and to guard your shrine, and since we have spent the years in harmony, may the same hour take away the two of us, and neither may I ever see the grave of my wife, nor may I have to be buried by her.”

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

Fulfilment followed the prayers; they were the guardian of the temple, as long as life was given to them.

annis aevoque soluti ante gradus sacros cum starent forte locique narrarent casus,

When, weakened by their years and time, they were standing by chance in front of the sacred steps of the temple and were relating the events of the place,

frondere Philemona Baucis, Baucida conspexit senior frondere Philemon.

Baucis noticed Philemon growing leaves, and the aged Philemon noticed Baucis 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, as a treetop grew over their two faces, they exchanged words with each other, while they could, and at the same time said, “Farewell o husband, farewell, wife”, and at the same time a shrub hid and covered their faces.