Statius, P. Papinius (Publius Papinius), Thebais

et saltum dux alter habet.’ sic fata gelatis

and the other leader holds the glade.' Having spoken thus, with frozen

vultibus et Baccho iam demigrante quievit.

features, and Bacchus now departing from her, she fell silent.

At trepidus monstro et variis terroribus impar

But trembling at the portent and unequal to his many terrors,

longaevi rex vatis opem tenebrasque sagaces

the king, the help of the long-lived seer and the knowing darkness

Tiresiae, qui mos incerta paventibus, aeger

of Tiresias (the custom of those who fear what is uncertain), sick at heart

ille citus sublime petit similisque cadenti

It swiftly seeks the heights and, like a falling thing,

crescit in adversum, tandemque exhaustus ab alto

rises the other way, and at last, spent, from on high

tardior ad terram redit atque immergitur arvis.

returns more slowly to the earth and sinks into the field.

sic cadit, attonitis quotiens avellitur astris,

So falls, whenever she is torn from the astonished stars,

Solis opaca soror; procul auxiliantia gentes

the Sun’s darkened sister; far off, the peoples clash helping

aera crepant frustraque timent, at Thessala victrix

bronzes and fear in vain, but the victorious Thessalian

ridet anhelantes audito carmine bigas.

laughs at the panting pair of horses once her spell is heard.

conlaudant Danai, sed non tibi molle tuenti,

The Danaans applaud, but to you, as you watch, it is no comfort,

Hippomedon, maiorque manus speratur in aequo.

Hippomedon, and a mightier arm is hoped for on equal ground.

Tisiphone; iamque inflexo Tritonia patre

Tisiphone. And now, her father won over, Tritonia

venerat et misero decus immortale ferebat,

had come, and was bringing undying glory to the wretched man,

atque illum effracti perfusum tabe cerebri

and him, soaked with the gore of the shattered brain,

aspicit et vivo scelerantem sanguine fauces —

she sees, polluting his jaws with living blood

nec comites auferre valent — : stetit aspera Gorgon

(and his comrades cannot take it from him): the fierce Gorgon stood erect,

saepta globos, primumque leves furata sagittas

the throngs, wrapped [in it]; and first, having stolen the light arrows

audacis tergo pueri caelestibus implet

from the bold boy's back, she fills with heavenly

coryton telis, quorum sine sanguine nullum

shafts his quiver, of which not one without blood

decidit; ambrosio tum spargit membra liquore,

falls; then she sprinkles his limbs with ambrosial liquid,

spargit equum, ne (pio videtur vulnere corpus

sprinkles his horse, so that his body be not violated by a wound

ante necem, cantusque sacros et conscia miscet

before his death, and she mingles sacred chants and knowing

murmura, secretis quae Colchidas ipsa sub antris

murmurs, which she herself, in secret caves, teaches the Colchian women

nocte docet monstratque feras quaerentibus herbas.

by night, showing the wild herbs to those who seek them.

Tunc vero exserto circumvolat igneus arcu

Then indeed, with bow bared, he flies around, all fire,

nec se mente regit, patriae matrisque suique

and does not govern himself by reason; of his country, his mother and himself