Translation
Latin
Forsitan audieris aliquam certāmine cursūs 560 vēlōcēs superāsse virōs: nōn fābula rūmor ille fuit; superābat enim. nec dīcere possēs, laude pedum fōrmaene bonō praestantior esset. scītantī deus hūīc dē coniuge 'coniuge' dīxit 'nīl opus est, Atalanta, tibī: fuge coniugis ūsum. 565 nec tamen effugiēs tēque ipsā vīva carēbis.' territa sorte dei per opācās īnnuba silvās vivit et instantem turbam violenta procōrum condiciōne fugat, 'ne' c 'sum potīunda, nīsī' inquit 'victa prius cursū. pedibus contendite mecum: 570 praemia vēlōcī coniunx thalamique dabuntur, mors pretium tardīs: ea lēx certāminis estō.' illa quidem inmītis, sed (tanta potentia fōrmae est) vēnit ad hanc lēgem temerārīa turba procōrum. sēderat Hippomenes cursūs spectator iniqui 575 et 'petitur cūīquam per tanta pericula conīunx?' dīxerat ac nimiōs iuvenum damnārat amōrēs; ut faciem et positō corpus vēlāmine vīdit, quāle meum, vel quāle tuum, sī fēmina fiās, obstīpuit tollēnsque manūs 'ignōscite,' dīxit 580 'quōs modo culpāvī! nōndum mihi praemia nōta, quae peterētis, erant.' laudandō concipit ignēs et, nē quis iuvenum currat vēlōcius, optat invidiāque timet. 'sed cūr certaminis huius intemptāta mihi fortūna relinquitur?' inquit 585 'audentēs deus ipse iuvat!' dum tālia sēcum exigit Hippomenēs, passū volat ālite virgō. quae quamquam Scythicā nōn sētius ire sagittā Āoniō vīsa est iuvenī, tamen ille decōrem mīrātur magis: et cursus facit ipse decōrem. 590 aura refert ablāta citīs tālāria plantīs, tergaque iactantur crīnēs per eburnea, quaeque poplitibus suberant pictō genuālia limbō; inque puellārī corpus candōre rubōrem trāxerat, haud aliter, quam cum super ātria vēlum 595 candida purpureum simulātās īnficit umbrās. |
English
Perhaps you have heard that (of) 560 a certain girl who surpassed the swift men at running competition: that was no hearsay tale, she in fact surpassed. You were not able to say (whether she) was lauded for her foot (speed) or her more excellent good body. Asking the God about this pairing, “a pairing” he said, “is nothing necessary to you, Atalanta, run from the use of a pairing” 565 However, you will not get away, and you, yourself alive, you will be free.” Frightened by the omen of the God, unmarried, she lives in the shaded forest and she flees from the crowd of urgent demanding suitors, and not yet “I will not be won(made a slave)” she said, “if not first beaten in running. Contend in a foot [race] with me: 570 the prize, marriage and bedroom will be given to the swift, the reward for the late is death: those will be the law of this competition.” Certainly, that [is] harsh, but (such is the force of her beauty) the rash crowd of suitors came to this law. Hippomenes had sat [as a] spectator at the unfair running and 575 “the marriage anyone would seek through such danger?” he said, and he condemned the young for their excess of love; when he saw [her] form and her body putting aside her clothes, of the sort of me, or of the sort of you, if you were made a woman, he was stunned and lifting up his hand “pardon” he says, “that I blamed! The prize was not known to me, 580 what was being desired.” Lauding [her], he catches up the flames and, lest the youths run swiftly, he wished and feared the hatred. “But why would she leave this game untried?” 585 He says, ‘God helps he who dares!’ while Hippomenes examines the extent with himself, the virgin flies (by) with quick pace. She seemed to pass not less than a Scythian arrow to the Aonion youth, however he was more amazed by that beauty: and the running makes a beauty itself. 590 The breeze draws back the quick winged sandals, and throws her hair across [her] ivory back, and [blew] embroidered robe leggings underneath the knees; and draws a blush on youthful whiteness of [her] body, by no means otherwise, how the dark red awning 595 corrupts the bright atrium with faint shadows. |
Artwork
Engraving from book Les Metamorphoses d'Ovide, En Latin Et François, Magdelena van de Passe
Engraving, 1677
Engraving from book Les Metamorphoses d'Ovide, En Latin Et François, Magdelena van de Passe
Engraving, 1677