ēt prīmō sĭmĭlīs vŏlŭcrī, mōx vēră vŏlūcrīs.
Elision occurs when a word that ends in a vowel or in the case ending “-um,” “-am,” or “-em” is followed by a word that begins with a vowel or an “h.” When this happens, the vowel or the “-um,” “-am,” or “-em” drops out (omnem hominem).
The meter of Ovid’s Metamorphoses is the meter of Greek and Latin epic: dactylic hexameter. It consists of six feet, which can contain dactyls (– ˘˘) or spondees (– –). A spondee may occur in any of the first four feet, the fifth foot is normally a dactyl, and the final foot is scanned as a spondee regardless of the quantity of the last syllable.
In contrast to Vergil, Ovid uses more dactyls than spondees (a ratio of 20 to 12), which allows his lines to move more rapidly than Vergil’s, whose cadence is generally graver. This befits Ovid’s tone, which is often playful and humorous. He also employs elision much less frequently than Vergil.
vi. Suggestions for Further Reading
1 Galinsky, G.K. 1975. Ovid’s Metamorphoses: An Introduction to the Basic Aspects. University of California Press: Berkeley.
2 Green, P. 1989. Classical Bearings. University of California Press: Berkeley.
3 Halporn, J., M. Ostwald, and T. Rosenmeyer. 1963. The Meters of Greek and Latin Poetry. Hackett: Indianapolis, IN.
4 Hardie, P. 2002. The Cambridge Companion to Ovid. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
5 Knox, P. 2009. A Companion to Ovid. Wiley Blackwell: Oxford.
6 Solodow, J. 1988. The World of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. University of North Carolina Press: Chapel Hill.
7 Weiden Boyd, B. 2002. Brill’s Companion to Ovid. Brill: Leiden.
Glossary of Terms
AnaphoraThe repetition of a word at the beginning of successive lines or phrases. See lines 121–123.CaesuraA break between words within a foot. E.g. | īndĕ || pĕr |.ChiasmusThe repetition of a grammatical structure in reverse order. E.g. nunc arbor, puer ante (adverb–noun, noun–adverb).EmphasisThe use of a word that has both an obvious and an implicit meaning.EnjambmentThe continuation of a sentence or clause into the next line, often for emphasis. E.g. fessus in herbosa posuit sua corpora terra | cervus (128–129).Figura etymologicaThe use of two etymologically related words in close proximity to each other. E.g. voce vocatur.Hapax legomenonA word that occurs only once in the extant records of a language.HyperbatonThe separation of a noun from its adjective by several words.MetonymyThe substitution of an attribute or property for a related entity. E.g. the use of “crown” for “king.”ParataxisThe avoidance of subordinate clauses in favor of coordinate clauses.PleonasmThe use of more words than is necessary to convey an idea. E.g. muta silentia.ProlepticA reference to something that has not yet occurred. E.g. Pygmalion is called “Paphian hero” before his daughter, Paphos, has been born.Transferred epithetThis occurs when an adjective that describes one noun is transferred to another. E.g. copia digna procorum instead of copia dignorum procorum.TricolonThree parallel words or phrases in immediate succession. E.g. iam iuvenis, iam vir, iam se formosior ipso.ZeugmaA rhetorical device in which a literal and a figurative meaning are linked. E.g. hanc [feminam] simul et legem Rhodopeius accipit heros.
Text of Book 10
inde per inmensum croceo velatus amictu
aethera digreditur Ciconumque Hymenaeus ad oras
tendit et Orphea nequiquam voce vocatur.
adfuit ille quidem, sed nec sollemnia verba
nec laetos vultus nec felix attulit omen. 5
fax quoque quam tenuit lacrimoso stridula fumo
usque fuit nullosque invenit motibus ignes.
exitus auspicio gravior. nam nupta per herbas
dum nova Naiadum turba comitata vagatur,
occidit in talum serpentis dente recepto. 10
quam satis ad superas postquam Rhodopeius auras
deflevit vates, ne non temptaret et umbras,
ad Styga Taenaria est ausus descendere porta
perque leves populos simulacraque functa sepulcro
Persephonen adiit inamoenaque regna tenentem 15
umbrarum dominum pulsisque ad carmina nervis
sic ait: ‘o positi sub terra numina mundi,
in quem reccidimus, quicquid mortale creamur,
si licet et falsi positis ambagibus oris
vera loqui sinitis, non huc ut opaca viderem 20
Tartara descendi, nec uti villosa colubris
terna Medusaei vincirem guttura monstri.
causa viae est coniunx, in quam calcata venenum
vipera diffudit crescentesque abstulit annos.
posse pati volui nec me temptasse negabo:25
vicit Amor. supera deus hic bene notus in ora est.
an sit et hic, dubito. sed et hic tamen auguror esse,
famaque si veteris non est mentita rapinae,
vos quoque iunxit Amor. per ego haec loca plena timoris,
per Chaos hoc ingens vastique silentia regni, 30
Eurydices, oro, properata retexite fata.
omnia debemur vobis, paulumque morati
serius aut citius sedem properamus ad unam.
tendimus huc omnes, haec est domus ultima, vosque
humani generis longissima regna tenetis. 35
haec quoque, cum iustos matura peregerit annos,
iuris erit vestri. pro munere poscimus usum;
quod si Fata negant veniam pro coniuge, certum est
nolle redire mihi. leto gaudete duorum.’
talia dicentem nervosque ad verba moventem 40
exsangues flebant animae. nec Tantalus undam
captavit refugam, stupuitque Ixionis orbis,
nec carpsere iecur volucres, urnisque vacarunt
Belides, inque tuo sedisti, Sisyphe, saxo.
tunc primum lacrimis victarum carmine fama est 45
Eumenidum maduisse genas. nec regia coniunx
sustinet oranti nec qui regit ima negare,
Eurydicenque vocant. umbras erat illa recentes
inter et incessit passu de vulnere tardo.
hanc simul et legem Rhodopeius accipit heros, 50
ne flectat retro sua lumina donec Avernas
exierit valles aut inrita dona futura.
carpitur adclivis per muta silentia trames,
arduus, obscurus, caligine densus opaca,
nec procul afuerunt telluris margine summae. 55
hic, ne deficeret metuens avidusque videndi,
flexit