These
lines from the early part of book X give a little idea of the incredible
felicity with words and technique that Ovid displays with such seeming ease.
Reading the Metamorphoses aloud to enraptured company or to oneself in a quiet
bower shaded arbor or in the lamplight of your poor insula room, must have been
as engrossing and enjoyable as it is today. See you all tomorrow…
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
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
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:
vicit Amor.’
Metamorphoses
Liber X 11-25
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