Latin and Textual Criticism Notes
Orpheus and Eurydice 11-48
quam satis ad superās postquam Rhodopēius aurās
dēflēvit vātēs, nē nōn temptāret et umbrās,
ad Styga Taenariā est ausus dēscendere portā
perque levēs populōs simulācraque fūncta sepulcrō
Persephonēn adiit inamoenaque rēgna tenentem 15
umbrārum dominum pulsīsque ad carmina nervīs
sīc ait: 'ō positī sub terrā nūmina mundī,
in quem reccidimus, quicquid mortāle creātur,
sī licet et falsī positīs ambāgibus ōris
vēra loquī sinitis, nōn hūc, ut opāca vidērem 20
Tartara, dēscendī, nec utī villōsa colubrīs
terna Medūsaeī vincīrem guttura mōnstrī:
causa viae est coniūnx, in quam calcāta venēnum
vīpera diffūdit crēscentēsque abstulit annōs.
posse patī voluī nec mē temptāsse negābō: 25
vīcit Amor. superā deus hic bene nōtus in ōra est;
an sit et hic, dubitō: sed et hic tamen auguror esse,
fāmaque sī veteris nōn est mentīta rapīnae,
vōs quoque iūnxit Amor. per ego haec loca plēna timōris,
per Chaos hōc ingēns vastīque silentia rēgnī, 30
Eurydicēs, ōrō, properāta retexite fīla.
omnia dēbēmur vōbīs, paulumque morātī
sērius aut citius sēdem properāmus ad ūnam.
tendimus hūc omnēs, haec est domus ultima, vōsque
hūmānī generis longissima rēgna tenētis. 35
haec quoque, cum iūstōs mātūra perēgerit annōs,
iūris erit vestrī: prō mūnere poscimus ūsum;
quodsī fāta negant veniam prō coniuge, certum est
nōlle redīre mihī: lētō gaudēte duōrum.'
Tālia dīcentem nervōsque ad verba moventem 40
exsanguēs flēbant animae; nec Tantalus undam
captāvit refugam, stupuitque Ixīonis orbis,
nec carpsēre iecur volucrēs, urnīsque vacārunt
Bēlidēs, inque tuō sēdistī, Sīsyphe, saxō.
tunc prīmum lacrimīs victārum carmine fāma est 45
Eumenidum maduisse genās, nec rēgia coniūnx
sustinet ōrantī nec, quī regit īma, negāre,
Eurydicēnque vocant:
Textual Criticism Notes:
Line 18, creātur: creātur is in the 3rd. In Original and RJ Tarrant manuscript, "creāmur", the 3rd person form is used. However,
Orpheus has a way with words, and his speech is more persuasive when calling into question the mortality of all living things, not just himself.
Line 19, sī licet: The RJ Tarrant manuscript suggested "scīlicet" as a potential alternative. This would translate to "naturally" or "doubtless", which sounds very confident. It makes much more sense that Orpheus is asking permission ("if it is allowed...") from the gods, or at least pretending to abide by common courtesy.
Line 21, villōsa: The RJ Tarrant manuscript suggests "velutī" as a potential alternative. However, "villosa", or "hairy"/"shaggy" is more contextually fitting when describing the canine qualities of Cerberus.
Line 31, fīla: The Original and RJ Tarrant manuscript use "fāta", or "fate". However, fila's reference to the thread of fate neatly pairs with retexite's potential translation as unravel. The idea of unraveling a tangled thread implies that Eurydice's fate/death was out of order. It's only natural that Orpheus would incorporate this imagery into his speech.