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Notes Display Latin text | translated by Theodore C. Williams Book III Chapter 26: Polyphemus | Next chapter Return to index Previous chapter |
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He [Note 1] scarce had said, when moving o'er the crest of a high hill a giant shape we saw: that shepherd Polyphemus, with his flocks down-wending to the well-known water-side; huge, shapeless, horrible, with blinded eye, bearing a lopped pine for a staff, he made his footing sure, while the white, fleecy sheep, sole pleasure now, and solace of his woes, ran huddling at his side. Soon to the vast flood of the level brine he came, and washed the flowing gore away from that out-hollowed eye; he gnashed his teeth, groaning, and deep into the watery way stalked on, his tall bulk wet by scarce a wave. We fled in haste, though far, and with us bore the truthful suppliant; cut silently the anchor-ropes, and, bending to the oar, swept on with eager strokes clean out to sea. Aware he was, and toward our loud halloo whirled sudden round; but when no power had he to seize or harm, nor could his fierce pursuit o'ertake the Ionian surges as they rolled, he raised a cry incredible; the sea with all its billows trembled; the wide shore of Italy from glens and gorges moaned, and Aetna roared from every vaulted cave. Note 1: shape = Achaemenides Events: Polyphemus, The wanderings of Aeneas |
655-691 Vix ea fatus erat summo cum monte uidemus ipsum inter pecudes uasta se mole mouentem pastorem Polyphemum et litora nota petentem, monstrum horrendum, informe, ingens, cui lumen ademptum. trunca manum pinus regit et uestigia firmat; lanigerae comitantur oues; ea sola uoluptas solamenque mali. postquam altos tetigit fluctus et ad aequora uenit, luminis effossi fluidum lauit inde cruorem dentibus infrendens gemitu, graditurque per aequor iam medium, necdum fluctus latera ardua tinxit. nos procul inde fugam trepidi celerare recepto supplice sic merito tacitique incidere funem, uertimus et proni certantibus aequora remis. sensit, et ad sonitum uocis uestigia torsit. uerum ubi nulla datur dextra adfectare potestas nec potis Ionios fluctus aequare sequendo, clamorem immensum tollit, quo pontus et omnes intremuere undae, penitusque exterrita tellus Italiae curuisque immugiit Aetna cauernis. at genus e siluis Cyclopum et montibus altis excitum ruit ad portus et litora complent. cernimus astantis nequiquam lumine toruo Aetnaeos fratres caelo capita alta ferentis, concilium horrendum: quales cum uertice celso aeriae quercus aut coniferae cyparissi constiterunt, silua alta Iouis lucusue Dianae. praecipitis metus acer agit quocumque rudentis excutere et uentis intendere uela secundis. contra iussa monent Heleni, Scyllamque Charybdinque inter, utrimque uiam leti discrimine paruo, ni teneam cursus: certum est dare lintea retro. ecce autem Boreas angusta ab sede Pelori missus adest: uiuo praeteruehor ostia saxo Pantagiae Megarosque sinus Thapsumque iacentem. talia monstrabat relegens errata retrorsus litora Achaemenides, comes infelicis Vlixi. |