2. Lucan, Pharsalia, 6.424-6.434, 6.510-6.515, 6.533-6.551, 6.553, 6.555-6.559, 6.561-6.569, 6.572, 6.574-6.575, 6.579, 6.581, 6.584-6.586, 6.605, 6.651, 6.716-6.718, 6.756, 6.761-6.762, 6.772-6.779, 6.813-6.814 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
Tagged with subjects: • Erichtho • Pompey, and Erichtho's corpse-soldier
Found in books: Johnston and Struck (2005), Mantikê: Studies in Ancient Divination, 272, 273; Mcclellan (2019), Paulinus Noster: Self and Symbols in the Letters of Paulinus of Nola, 165, 166; Riess (2012), Performing interpersonal violence: court, curse, and comedy in fourth-century BCE Athens, 226; Roumpou (2023), Ritual and the Poetics of Closure in Flavian Literature. 85
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6.424 Agave bore in exile to the pyre (Grieving 'twas all she had) the head and neck of Pentheus massacred. The lake set free Flowed forth in many rivers: to the west Aeas, a gentle stream; nor stronger flows The sire of Isis ravished from his arms; And Achelous, rival for the hand of Oeneus' daughter, rolls his earthy flood To silt the shore beside the neighbouring isles. Evenus purpled by the Centaur's blood " "6.429 Agave bore in exile to the pyre (Grieving 'twas all she had) the head and neck of Pentheus massacred. The lake set free Flowed forth in many rivers: to the west Aeas, a gentle stream; nor stronger flows The sire of Isis ravished from his arms; And Achelous, rival for the hand of Oeneus' daughter, rolls his earthy flood To silt the shore beside the neighbouring isles. Evenus purpled by the Centaur's blood " '6.430 Wanders through Calydon: in the Malian Gulf Thy rapids fall, Spercheius: pure the wave With which Amphrysos irrigates the meads Where once Apollo served: Anaurus flows Breathing no vapour forth; no humid air Ripples his face: and whatever stream, Nameless itself, to Ocean gives its waves Through thee, Peneus: whirled in eddies foams Apidanus; Enipeus lingers on Swift only when fresh streams his volume swell: 6.434 Wanders through Calydon: in the Malian Gulf Thy rapids fall, Spercheius: pure the wave With which Amphrysos irrigates the meads Where once Apollo served: Anaurus flows Breathing no vapour forth; no humid air Ripples his face: and whatever stream, Nameless itself, to Ocean gives its waves Through thee, Peneus: whirled in eddies foams Apidanus; Enipeus lingers on Swift only when fresh streams his volume swell: ' "
6.510 And fires of heaven, or by victims slain, May know the fates to come; nor any source Lawful though secret. For to him was known That which excites the hate of gods above; Magicians' lore, the savage creed of Dis And all the shades; and sad with gloomy rites Mysterious altars. For his frenzied soul Heaven knew too little. And the spot itself Kindled his madness, for hard by there dwelt The brood of Haemon whom no storied witch " "
6.533 Which penetrates the furthest depths of airs Compelling e'en th' unwilling deities To hearken to its accents. Not the care of the revolving sky or starry pole Can call them from it ever. Once the sound of those dread tones unspeakable has reached The constellations, then nor BabylonNor secret Memphis, though they open wide The shrines of ancient magic and entreat The gods, could draw them from the fires that smoke " "6.540 Upon the altars of far Thessaly. To hearts of flint those incantations bring Love, strange, unnatural; the old man's breast Burns with illicit fire. Nor lies the power In harmful cup nor in the juicy pledge of love maternal from the forehead drawn; Charmed forth by spells alone the mind decays, By poisonous drugs unharmed. With woven threads Crossed in mysterious fashion do they bind Those whom no passion born of beauteous form " "6.549 Upon the altars of far Thessaly. To hearts of flint those incantations bring Love, strange, unnatural; the old man's breast Burns with illicit fire. Nor lies the power In harmful cup nor in the juicy pledge of love maternal from the forehead drawn; Charmed forth by spells alone the mind decays, By poisonous drugs unharmed. With woven threads Crossed in mysterious fashion do they bind Those whom no passion born of beauteous form " '6.550 Or loving couch unites. All things on earth Change at their bidding; night usurps the day; The heavens disobey their wonted laws; At that dread hymn the Universe stands still; And Jove while urging the revolving wheels Wonders they move not. Torrents are outpoured Beneath a burning sun; and thunder roars Uncaused by Jupiter. From their flowing locks Vapours immense shall issue at their call; When falls the tempest seas shall rise and foam 6.559 Or loving couch unites. All things on earth Change at their bidding; night usurps the day; The heavens disobey their wonted laws; At that dread hymn the Universe stands still; And Jove while urging the revolving wheels Wonders they move not. Torrents are outpoured Beneath a burning sun; and thunder roars Uncaused by Jupiter. From their flowing locks Vapours immense shall issue at their call; When falls the tempest seas shall rise and foam ' "
6.561 Moved by their spell; though powerless the breeze To raise the billows. Ships against the wind With bellying sails move onward. From the rock Hangs motionless the torrent: rivers run Uphill; the summer heat no longer swells Nile in his course; Maeander's stream is straight; Slow Rhone is quickened by the rush of Arar; Hills dip their heads and topple to the plain; Olympus sees his clouds drift overhead; And sunless Scythia's sempiternal snows " "
6.572 Melt in mid-winter; the inflowing tides Driven onward by the moon, at that dread chant Ebb from their course; earth's axes, else unmoved, Have trembled, and the force centripetal Has tottered, and the earth's compacted frame Struck by their voice has gaped, till through the void Men saw the moving sky. All beasts most fierce And savage fear them, yet with deadly aid Furnish the witches' arts. Tigers athirst For blood, and noble lions on them fawn " "
6.581 With bland caresses: serpents at their word Uncoil their circles, and extended glide Along the surface of the frosty field; The viper's severed body joins anew; And dies the snake by human venom slain. Whence comes this labour on the gods, compelled To hearken to the magic chant and spells, Nor daring to despise them? Doth some bond Control the deities? Is their pleasure so, Or must they listen? and have silent threats " "
6.605 The light bestowed by heaven; nor freshly shines Until descending nearer to the earth She sheds her baneful drops upon the mead. These sinful rites and these her sister's songs Abhorred Erichtho, fiercest of the race, Spurned for their piety, and yet viler art Practised in novel form. To her no home Beneath a sheltering roof her direful head Thus to lay down were crime: deserted tombs Her dwelling-place, from which, darling of hell, " "
6.651 Where lay a corpse upon the naked earth On ravening birds and beasts of prey the hag Kept watch, nor marred by knife or hand her spoil, Till on his victim seized some nightly wolf; Then dragged the morsel from his thirsty fangs; Nor fears she murder, if her rites demand Blood from the living, or some banquet fell Requires the panting entrail. Pregt wombs Yield to her knife the infant to be placed On flaming altars: and whene'er she needs " 6.716 Extort the truth, or, if thou spare the gods, Force it from hell itself. Fling back the gates That bar th\' Elysian fields; let Death confess Whom from our ranks he seeks. No humble task I bring, but worthy of Erichtho\'s skill of such a struggle fought for such a prize To search and tell the issue." Then the witch Pleased that her impious fame was noised abroad Thus made her answer: "If some lesser fates Thy wish had been to change, against their wish 6.718 Extort the truth, or, if thou spare the gods, Force it from hell itself. Fling back the gates That bar th\' Elysian fields; let Death confess Whom from our ranks he seeks. No humble task I bring, but worthy of Erichtho\'s skill of such a struggle fought for such a prize To search and tell the issue." Then the witch Pleased that her impious fame was noised abroad Thus made her answer: "If some lesser fates Thy wish had been to change, against their wish ' "
6.756 Whole ranks of warriors, the laws had failed of Erebus; and, summoned up from Styx, Its ghostly tets had obeyed her call, And rising fought once more. At length the witch Picks out her victim with pierced throat agape Fit for her purpose. Gripped by pitiless hook O'er rocks she drags him to the mountain cave Accursed by her fell rites, that shall restore The dead man's life. Close to the hidden brink The land that girds the precipice of hell " "
6.761 Sinks towards the depths: with ever falling leaves A wood o'ershadows, and a spreading yew Casts shade impenetrable. Foul decay Fills all the space, and in the deep recess Darkness unbroken, save by chanted spells, Reigns ever. Not where gape the misty jaws of caverned Taenarus, the gloomy bound of either world, through which the nether kings Permit the passage of the dead to earth, So poisonous, mephitic, hangs the air. " "6.762 Sinks towards the depths: with ever falling leaves A wood o'ershadows, and a spreading yew Casts shade impenetrable. Foul decay Fills all the space, and in the deep recess Darkness unbroken, save by chanted spells, Reigns ever. Not where gape the misty jaws of caverned Taenarus, the gloomy bound of either world, through which the nether kings Permit the passage of the dead to earth, So poisonous, mephitic, hangs the air. " 6.772 Nay, though the witch had power to call the shades Forth from the depths, \'twas doubtful if the cave Were not a part of hell. Discordant hues Flamed on her garb as by a fury worn; Bare was her visage, and upon her brow Dread vipers hissed, beneath her streaming locks In sable coils entwined. But when she saw The youth\'s companions trembling, and himself With eyes cast down, with visage as of death, Thus spake the witch: "Forbid your craven souls
6.813 Her cursed mouth had slimed. Last came her voice More potent than all herbs to charm the gods Who rule in Lethe. Dissot murmurs first And sounds discordant from the tongues of men She utters, scarce articulate: the bay of wolves, and barking as of dogs, were mixed With that fell chant; the screech of nightly owlRaising her hoarse complaint; the howl of beast And sibilant hiss of snake — all these were there; And more — the waft of waters on the rock, 6.814 Her cursed mouth had slimed. Last came her voice More potent than all herbs to charm the gods Who rule in Lethe. Dissot murmurs first And sounds discordant from the tongues of men She utters, scarce articulate: the bay of wolves, and barking as of dogs, were mixed With that fell chant; the screech of nightly owlRaising her hoarse complaint; the howl of beast And sibilant hiss of snake — all these were there; And more — the waft of waters on the rock, '" None |
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