The Story of Diana and Actaeon
hic dea silvārum vēnātū fessa solēbat
virgineōs artus liquidō perfundere rōre.
quō postquam subiit, nympharum tradidit ūnī 165
armigerae iaculum pharetramque arcusque retentōs,
altera dēpositae subiēcit bracchia pallae,
vincla duae pedibus dēmunt; nam doctior illīs
Ismenis Crocale sparsōs per colla capillos
colligit in nodum, quamvis erat ipsā solutīs. 170
excipiunt laticem Nepheleque Hyaleque Rhanisque
et Psecas et Phiale funduntque capācibus urnīs.
dumque ibi perluitur solitā Titania lymphā,
ecce nepōs Cadmi dīlātā parte labōrum
per nemus ignōtum nōn certīs passibus errāns 175
pervēnit in lūcum: sīc illum fāta ferēbant.
quī simul intrāvit rōrāntia fontibus antra,
sīcut erant, nūdae vīsō sua pectora nymphae
percussēre virō subītisque ululātibus omne
inplēvēre nemus circumfusaeque Dianam 180
corporibus tēxēre suīs; tamen altior illīs
ipsa dea est collōque tenus superēminet omnis.
quī color īnfectīs adversī sōlis ab ictū
nubibus esse solet aut purpureae Aurorae,
is fuit in vultu visae sine veste Dianae. 185
quae, quamquam comitum turba est stīpāta suārum,
in lātus oblīquum tamen adstitit ōraque retrō
flexit et, ut vellet prōmptās habuisse sagittās,
quās habuit sīc hausit aquās vultumque virīlem
perfūdit spargēnsque comās ultrīcibus undīs 190
addidit haec clādis praenuntiā verba futūrae:
'nunc tibi mē positō vīsam vēlāmine nārrēs,
sī poteris nārrāre, licet!' nec plūra mināta
dat sparsō capitī vīvācis cornua cervi,
dat spatium collō summāsque cacūminat aurēs 195
cum pedibusque manus, cum longīs bracchia mūtat
crūribus et vēlat maculōsō vellere corpus;
additus et pavor est: fugit Autonoeius hērōs
et sē tam celerem cursū mīrātur in ipsō.
ut vērō vultus et cornua vīdit in unda, 200
'mē miserum!' dictūrus erat: vōx nūlla secūta est!
ingemuit: vōx illa fuit, lacrimaeque per ōra
nōn sua fluxērunt; mēns tantum pristina mansit.
quid faciat? repetatne domum et rēgālia tēcta
an lateat silvīs? pudor hoc, timor inpedit illud.
Textual Notes
Richard J. Tarrant's text does not differ from this one other than semi-colon, colon, comma discrepancies.
163: vēnātū is an ablative of means or ablative of preposition without a preposition
vēnātū is also a supine, which is a verbal noun
164: artus, artūs, m = limbs
rōs, rōris, m = dew
166: armiger, armigerī, f = weapon bearer
167: palla are garments worn by Roman women and fastened by brooches
168: pedibus is ablative of separation
173: perluō, perluere, perlui, perlutum = to bathe
Titiana refers to Diana
174: nepōs, nepotis, m = grandson
dīlātā parte is an ablative absolute
176: lūcus, lūcī, m = a grove sacred to a deity
179/180: percussere and inplevere are syncopated perfect verbs
180: Alternate form of impleō, implēre, implēvī, implētum = to fill up
nemus, nemoris, n = a grove
182: tenus, preposition = up to
tenus takes the ablative and modifies collō
superēmineō, superēminēre, superēminuī = to appear above
184: nūbēs, nūbis, f = cloud
187: latus, lateris, n = flank
188: vellet is subjunctive because it is a purpose clause
sagitta, sagittae, f = arrow
189: hauriō, haurīre, hausī, haustum = to draw (especially water)
190: ultrīx, ultrīcis, f = avenger
192: nārrēs is substantive clause of result, which takes licet ut. Ovid has left out the ut
193: Licet takes the dative, which refers to tibi
minātus, minātī, m = threats
194: vīvāx, vīvācis, 3rd declension = long living
194-196: What attributes of Actaeon are changed?
195: cacūminō, cacūmināre, cacūmināvī, cacūminātum = to make pointed
197: crūs, crūris, n = leg
maculōsus, maculōsī, 1st and 2nd declension: spotted
maculōsō velerre are ablatives of description
198: Do some research about why Actaeon is referred to as Autonoë's hero. Who is Autonoë's nephew?
201: O is implied
dicturus erat = active periphrastic (about to say)
202: ingemō, ingemere, ingemuī, ingemitum = to groan
204/205: faciat, repetat, and lateat are deliberative subjunctives
205: lateō, latēre, latuī = to hide
What two feelings limit Actaeon's actions?
Discussion Questions:
Why did Ovid decide to have Diana turn Actaeon into a deer rather than killing him with arrows?
What do you think Actaeon's ultimate fate will be? Think like a Roman would!
Is Actaeon's punishment justified?
Can you relate this story broadly to humans and the human/God relationship?