The heated water's fatty ooze is borne
Up to the surface; and with foamy flakes
Over the level top a tawny skin
Is woven. They whose function is to catch
210 That ware put to, tilting their smooth skin down
With balance of their sides, to teach the film,
Once o'er the gunnel, to float in: for, lo!
Raising itself spontaneous, it will swim
Up to the edge of the unmoving craft;
215 And will, when pressed, [1238] for guerdon large, ensure
Immunity from the defiling touch
Of weft which female monthly efflux clothes.
Behold another portent notable,
Fruit of that sea's disaster: all things cast
220 Therein do swim: gone is its native power
For sinking bodies: if, in fine, you launch
A torch's lightsome [1239] hull (where spirit serves
For fire) therein, the apex of the flame
Will act as sail; put out the flame, and 'neath
225 The waters will the light's wrecks ruin go!
Such Sodom's and Gomorrah's penalties,
For ages sealed as signs before the eyes
Of unjust nations, whose obdurate hearts
God's fear have quite forsaken, [1240] will them teach
230 To reverence heaven-sanctioned rights, [1241] and lift
Their gaze unto one only Lord of all.
------------------------
[1214] Maris æquor.
[1215] See Gen. ix. 21, 22; x. 8-17.
[1216] Comp. 2 Pet. iii. 5-14.
[1217] The expression, "sinners against their own souls," in Num. xvi. 38--where, however, the LXX. have a very different version--may be compared with this; as likewise Prov. viii. 36.
[1218] Whether the above be the sense of this most obscure triplet I will not presume to determine. It is at least (I hope) intelligible sense. But that the reader may judge for himself whether he can offer any better, I subjoin the lines, which form a sentence alone, and therefore can be judged of without their context:-- "Tempore sed certo Deus omnia prospectulatus, Judicat injustos, patiens ubi criminis ætas Cessandi spatium vis nulla coëgerit iræ."
[1219] Comp. Heb. i. 14. It may be as well here to inform the reader once for all that prosody as well as syntax is repeatedly set at defiance in these metrical fragments; and hence, of course, arise some of the chief difficulties in dealing with them.
[1220] "Divinos;" i.e., apparently "superhuman," as everything heavenly is.
[1221] Of hospitality--bread and salt, etc.
[1222] "Mensa;" but perhaps "mensæ" may be suggested--"the sacred pledges of the board."
[1223] "Dispungit," which is the only verb in the sentence, and refers both to pia pignora and to amicos. I use "quit" in the sense in which we speak of "quitting a debtor," i.e., giving him his full due; but the two lines are very hard, and present (as in the case of those before quoted) a jumble of words without grammar; "pia pignora mensa Officiisque probis studio dispungit amicos;" which may be somewhat more literally rendered than in our text, thus: "he zealously discharges" (i.e., fulfils) "his sacred pledges" (i.e., the promised hospitality which he had offered them) "with (a generous) board, and discharges" (i.e., fulfils his obligations to) "his friends with honourable courtesies."
[1224] Altera =alterna. But the statement differs from Gen. xix. 4.
[1225] "Istam juventam," i.e., the two "juvenes" (ver. 31) within.
[1226] "Fas" =hosion, morally right; distinct from "jus" or "licitum."
[1227] i.e., Lot's race or family, which had come from "Ur of the Chaldees." See Gen. xi. 26, 27, 28.
[1228] I use "preventing" in its now unusual sense of "anticipating the arrival of."
[1229] Segor in the LXX., "Zoar" in Eng. ver.
[1230] "Simul exoritur sol." But both the LXX. and the Eng. ver. say the sun was risen when Lot entered the city.
[1231] So Oehler and Migne. But perhaps we may alter the pointing slightly, and read:-- "Down pours a novel shower, sulphur mixt With blazing flames: the ether seethes: the air Crackles with liquid exust."
[1232] The story of Phaëthon and his fate is told in Ov., Met., ii. 1-399, which may be compared with the present piece. His two sisters were transformed into white poplars, according to some; alders, according to others. See Virg., Æn., x. 190 sqq., Ec., vi. 62 sqq. His half-brother (Cycnus or Cygnus) was turned into a swan: and the scene of these transformations is laid by Ovid on the banks of the Eridanus (the Po). But the fable is variously told; and it has been suggested that the groundwork of it is to be found rather in the still-standing of the sun recorded in Joshua.
[1233] i.e., as she had been before in the case of Eve. See Gen. iii. 1 sqq.
[1234] I have hazarded the bold conjecture--which I see others (Pamelius at all events) had hazarded before me--that "feritas" is used by our author as ="fertilitas." The word, of course, is very incorrectly formed etymologically; but etymology is not our author's forte apparently. It will also be seen that there is seemingly a gap at this point, or else some enormous mistake, in the mss. An attempt has been made (see Migne) to correct it, but not a very satisfactory one. For the common reading, which gives two lines, "Occidit illa prior feritas, quam prospiciens Loth Nullus arat frustra piceas fuligine glebas," which are evidently entirely unconnected with one another, it is proposed to read, "Occidit illa prior feritas, quam prospiciens Loth, Deseruisse pii fertur commercia fratris. Nullas arat," etc. This use of "fratris" in a wide sense may be justified from Gen. xiii. 8 (to which passage, with its immediate context, there seems to be a reference, whether we adopt the proposed correction or no), and similar passages in Holy Writ. But the transition is still abrupt to the "nullus arat," etc.; and I prefer to leave the passage as it is, without attempting to supply the hiatus.
[1235] This use of "easely" as a dissyllable is justifiable from Spenser.
[1236] This seems to be the sense, but the Latin is somewhat strange: "mors est maris illa quieti," i.e., illa (quies) maris quieti mors est. The opening lines of "Jonah" (above) should be compared with this passage and its context.
[1237] Inque picem dat terræ hærere marinam.
[1238] "Pressum" (Oehler); "pretium" (Migne): "it will yield a prize, namely, that," etc.
[1239] Luciferam.
[1240] Oehler's pointing is disregarded.
[1241] "De cælo jura tueri;" possibly "to look for laws from heaven."
3. Genesis.
(Author Uncertain.)
In the beginning did the Lord create
The heaven and earth: [1242] for formless was the land, [1243]
And hidden by the wave, and God immense [1244]
O'er the vast watery plains was hovering,
5 While chaos and black darkness shrouded all:
Which darkness, when God bade be from the pole [1245]
Disjoined, He speaks, "Let there be light;" and all
In the clear world [1246] was bright. Then, when the Lord
The first day's work had finished, He formed
10 Heaven's axis white with nascent clouds: the deep
Immense receives its wandering [1247] shores, and draws
The rivers manifold with mighty trains.
The third dun light unveiled earth's [1248] face, and soon
(Its name assigned [1249] ) the dry land's story 'gins:
15 Together on the windy champaigns rise
The flowery seeds, and simultaneously
Fruit-bearing boughs put forth procurvant arms.
The fourth day, with [1250] the sun's lamp generates
The moon, and moulds the stars with tremulous light
20 Radiant: these elements it [1251] gave as signs
To th' underlying world, [1252] to teach the times
Which, through their rise and setting, were to change.
Then, on the fifth, the liquid [1253] streams receive
Their fish, and birds poise in the lower air
25 Their pinions many-hued. The sixth, again,
Supples the ice-cold snakes into their coils,
And over the whole fields diffuses herds
Of quadrupeds; and mandate gave that all
Should grow with multiplying seed, and roam
30 And feed in earth's immensity.
All these
When power divine by mere command arranged,
Observing that things mundane still would lack
A ruler, thus It [1254] speaks: "With utmost care,
Assimilated to our own aspect, [1255]
35 Make We a man to reign in the whole orb."
And him, although He with a single word [1256]
Could have compounded, yet Himself did deign
To shape him with His sacred own right hand,
Inspiring his dull breast from breast divine.
40 Whom when He saw formed in a likeness such
As is His own, He measures how he broods
Alone on gnawing cares. Straight way his eyes
With sleep irriguous He doth perfuse;
That from his left rib woman softlier
45 May formed be, and that by mixture twin
His substance may add firmness to her limbs.
To her the name of "Life"--which is called "Eve" [1257] --
Is given: wherefore sons, as custom is,
Their parents leave, and, with a settled home,
50 Cleave to their wives.
The seventh came, when God
At His works' end did rest, decreeing it
Sacred unto the coming ages' joys.
Straightway--the crowds of living things deployed
Before him--Adam's cunning skill (the gift
55 Of the good Lord) gives severally to all
The name which still is permanent. Himself,
And, joined with him, his Eve, God deigns address
"Grow, for the times to come, with manifold
Increase, that with your seed the pole and earth [1258]
60 Be filled; and, as Mine heirs, the varied fruits
Pluck ye, which groves and champaigns render you,
From their rich turf." Thus after He discoursed,
In gladsome court [1259] a paradise is strewn,
And looks towards the rays of th' early sun. [1260]
65 These joys among, a tree with deadly fruits,
Breeding, conjoined, the taste of life and death,
Arises. In the midst of the demesne [1261]
Flows with pure tide a stream, which irrigates
Fair offsprings from its liquid waves, and cuts
70 Quadrified paths from out its bubbling fount
Here wealthy Phison, with auriferous waves,
Swells, and with hoarse tide wears [1262] conspicuous gems,
This prasinus, [1263] that glowing carbuncle, [1264]
By name; and raves, transparent in its shoals,
75 The margin of the land of Havilath.
Next Gihon, gliding by the Æthiops,
Enriches them. The Tigris is the third,
Adjoined to fair Euphrates, furrowing
Disjunctively with rapid flood the land
80 Of Asshur. Adam, with his faithful wife,
Placed here as guard and workman, is informed
By such the Thunderer's [1265] speech: "Tremble ye not
To pluck together the permitted fruits
Which, with its leafy bough, the unshorn grove
85 Hath furnished; anxious only lest perchance
Ye cull the hurtful apple, [1266] which is green
With a twin juice for functions several."
And, no less blind meantime than Night herself,
Deep night 'gan hold them, nor had e'en a robe
90 Covered their new-formed limbs.
Amid these haunts,
And on mild berries reared, a foamy snake,
Surpassing living things in sense astute,
Was creeping silently with chilly coils.
He, brooding over envious lies instinct
95 With gnawing sense, tempts the soft heart beneath
The woman's breast: "Tell me, why shouldst thou dread
The apple's [1267] happy seeds? Why, hath not
All known fruits hallowed? [1268] Whence if thou be prompt
To cull the honeyed fruits, the golden world [1269]
100 Will on its starry pole return." [1270] But she
Refuses, and the boughs forbidden fears
To touch. But yet her breast 'gins be o'er come
With sense infirm. Straightway, as she at length
With snowy tooth the dainty morsels bit,
105 Stained with no cloud the sky serene up-lit!
Then taste, instilling lure in honeyed jaws,
To her yet uninitiated lord
Constrained her to present the gift; which he
No sooner took, then--night effaced!:--their eyes
110 Shone out serene in the resplendent world. [1271]
When, then, they each their body bare espied,
And when their shameful parts they see, with leaves
Of fig they shadow them.
By chance, beneath
The sun's now setting light, they recognise
115 The sound of the Lord's voice, and, trembling, haste
To bypaths. Then the Lord of heaven accosts
The mournful Adam: "Say, where now thou art."
Who suppliant thus answers: "Thine address,
O Lord, O Mighty One, I tremble at,
120 Beneath my fearful heart; and, being bare,
I faint with chilly dread." Then said the Lord:
"Who hath the hurtful fruits, then, given you?"
"This woman, while she tells me how her eyes
With brilliant day promptly perfused were,
125 And on her dawned the liquid sky serene,
And heaven's sun and stars, o'ergave them me!"
Forthwith God's anger frights perturbed Eve,
While the Most High inquires the authorship
Of the forbidden act. Hereon she opes
130 Her tale: "The speaking serpent's suasive words
I harboured, while the guile and bland request
Misled me: for, with venoms viperous
His words inweaving, stories told he me
Of those delights which should all fruits excel."
135 Straightway the Omnipotent the dragon's deeds
Condemns, and bids him be to all a sight
Unsightly, monstrous; bids him presently
With grovelling beast to crawl; and then to bite
And chew the soil; while war should to all time
140 'Twixt human senses and his tottering self
Be waged, that he might creep, crestfallen, prone,
Behind the legs of men, [1272] --that while he glides
Close on their heels they may down-trample him.