Pyramus and Thisbe Part 1: Lines 55-90

55-56

Pyramus et Thisbe, iuvenum pulcherrimis alter,

altera, quas Oriens habuit, praelata puellis,

Pyramus and Thisbe, the one, the most handsome of young men, the other, preferred to the girls which the Orient contained,

57-58

contiguas tenuere domos, ubi dicitur altam

coctilibus muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem.

occupied adjoining houses, where Semiramis is said to have surrounded the lofty city with walls of burnt bricks.

59-60

notitiam primosque gradus vicinia fecit;

tempore crevit amor. taedae quoque iure coissent,

Their proximity created familiarity and the first approaches; in time, love grew; they would also have joined by the right of marriage,

61-62

sed vetuere patres; quod non poyuere vetare,

ex aequo captis ardebant mentibus ambo.

but their fatehrs forbade it; what they could not forbid, both bured (with love) with minds equally captivated.

63-64

conscius omnis abest; nutu signisque loquuntur,

quoque magis tegitur, tectus magis aestuat ignis.

Every confidant was lacking. They communicated with a nod and signs, and the more it was concelaed, the more the concealed fire was enflamed.

65-66

fissus erat tenui rima, quam duxerat olim

cum fieret, paries domui communis utrique.

The wall which was common to each house had been split with a slender crack, which it had produced some time ago, when it was being made.

67-68

id vitium nulli per saecula longa notatum

(quid non sentit amor?) primi vidistis amantes

That fault, noticed by no one during the long ages, (what does love not perceive?), you lovers were first to see

69-70

et vocis decistis iter, tutaeque per illud

murmure blanditiae minimo tansire solebant.

and create a passage for speech, and fond words were accustomed to pass safely through that (gap) with the slightest sound.

71-72

saepe, uni constiterant hinc Thisbe, Pyramus illinc,

inque vices fuerat catatus anhelitus oris,

Often, when they had taken up position, Thisbe on this side and Pyramus on that, and their mouth’s breath had been caught alternately, they used to say,

73-74

‘invide’ dicebant ‘paries, quid amantibus obstas?

quantam erat, ut sineres toto nos corpore iungi?

‘envious wall, why do you stand in the way of lovers? How much would it be for you to allow us to be united with our whole body,

75-76

aut, hoc si nimium est, vel ad oscula danda pateres!
nec sumus ingrati; tibi nos debere fatemur

or, if this is too much, at least to open (enough) to give kisses? We are not ungrateful; we acknowledge that we owe it to you

77

quod datus est verbis as amicas transitus aures.’

that a passageway to friendly ears has been given for words.’

78-80

talia diversa nequiquam sede locuti

sub noctem dixere ‘vale’ partique dedere

oscula quisque suae non pervenientia contra.

Having spoken such (words) in vain from their different dwellings, just before nightfall they said ‘Farefell’ and each gave kisses to their own side which did not reach the opposite (side).

81-82

postera nocturnos Aurora removerat ignes

solque pruinosas radiis siccaverat herbas:

the next day’s Dawn had driven away the fires of the night and the sun had dried the frosty grasses with its rays.

83-85

ad solitum coiere locum. tum murmure parvo

multa prius questi statuunt ut nocte silenti

fallere custodes foribusque excedere temptent,

They met at the usual place. The, having made many complaints beforehand, in a tiny murmur they decide that in the slident night they should try to decieve the guards and go out of doors,

86-87

cumque domo exierint, urbis quoque tecta reliquant,

neve sit errandum lato spatiantibus arvo,

and when they had departed from the house, they should leave behind the buildings of the city, and so that they should not have to wander about as they proceeded in the wide countryside,

88-90

conveniant ad busta Nini lateantque sub umbra

arboris; arbor ibi niveis uberrima pomis,

ardua morus, erat, gelido contermina fonti.

they should meet at the tomb of Ninus and lie hidden beneath the shade of a tree; there was a tree there, very fertile with snow-white berries, a lofty mulberry, adjoining an icy cold fountain.