Latin
As seen in Richard J. Tarrant's Oxford Classical Texts with the addition of macrons
iamque Palātīnae summam Prōca gentis habebat.
Rēge sub hōc Pomona fuit, quā nulla Latīnās
inter hamādryadās coluit sollertius hortōs
nec fuit arboreī studiōsior altera fētus; 625
unde tenet nōmen: nōn silvās illa nec amnēs,
ruūs amat et rāmōs fēlicia pōma ferentes;
nec iaculō gravis est, sed aduncā dextera falcē,
quā modo luxuriem premit et spatiantia passim
bracchia conpescit, fissō modo cortice lignum 630
inserit et sūcos aliēnō praestat alumnō;
nec sentīre sitim patitur bibulaeque recurvas
rādīcis fibras lābentibus inrigat undis.
hīc amor, hōc studium, Veneris quoque nulla cupīdo est;
vim tamen agrestum metuens pōmāria claudit 635
intus et accessus prohibet refugitque virīles.
quid non et Satyri, saltātibus apta iuventūs,
fecere et pīnu praecinctī cornua Pānes
Sīlēnusque, suis semper iuvenīlior annīs,
quīque deus fures vel falce vel inguine terret, 640
ut poterēntur eā? sed enim superābat amandō
hōs quoque Vertumnus neque erat felicior illis.
o quotiens habitū dūrī messōris aristās
corbe tulit vērīque fuit messōris imāgō!
tempora saepe gerēns faenō religāta recentī 645
dēsectum poterat grāmen versāsse vidērī;
saepe manu stimulōs rigidā portābat, ut illum
iurārēs fessōs modo disiūnxisse iuvencōs.
falce datā frondātor erat vītisque putātor;
induerat scālās: lēctūrum pōma putārēs; 650
[mīles erat gladiō, piscātor harundine sūmptā;]
dēnīque per multās aditum sibi saepe figūrās
repperit, ut caperet spectātae gaudia fōrmae.
Translation Notes
622 Proca: an old king of Alba, a city featured in the last story founded by Aenas. The father of Numitor and Amulius, his sons eventually lead Rhea Silvia to give birth to Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. In this story, he appears as a transition from the last one and as an indication of the time period.
623 Latinas: Accusative plural of “Latin”. Latinas goes with the gardens talked about later in the sentence, expressing Pomona’s gardens as the best Latin ones.
624 Hamadryadas: Specifically wood nymphs. By specifying Pomona is better than wood nymphs in their own expertise, he expresses her talent in cultivation.
624 coluit: coluo, coluere, colui, cultum to cultivate
625 arborei…fetus: A clever Ovidian or roundabout way to say “saplings”. Literally translates to “tree fetuses”.
626 unde tenet nomen: Pomona’s name comes from “poma” or apple. This sentence is a nod to her name being derived from the trees which she cares for so much.
628 falce: ablative of falx, falcis f. sickle, scythe
630 cortice: cortex, corticis m. bark
630 lignum: lignum, ligni n. wood
631 alieno: alienus, -a, -um foreign
631 alumno: alumnus, alumni nursling
632 sitim: sitis, sitis f. thirst
633 radicis: radix, radicis f. root
634 Veneris: antonomasia referring to Venus as a stand in for love. The sentence expresses Pomona’s lack of love for people.
637 saltātibus: saltatus m. dancing, a dance
638 Panes: nominative plural form of “Pan”. Panes likely refers to nature spirits similar to fauns or satyrs who are, in this story, also in pursuit of Pomona.
639 Silenus: a wise but drunk Satyr who was known as a companion of Bacchus. Like the text says, for an immortal figure he appears aged. He is frequently depicted as bald and potbellied. In this story, he is yet another man in pursuit of Pomona.
641 ut poterentur ea: purpose clause stating what every previously listed figure was competing for, “In order to gain possession of her”.
641 superābat: supero, -are, -avi, -atus to exceed, surpass
642 neque erat felicior illis: A comparative clause using ablative illīs to express that Vertumnus was not luckier than anybody else.
643 messoris: messor, messoris m. harvester
645 faeno: faenum, faeni n. hay
646 gramen: gramen, graminis n. Grass
647 ut…iuvencos: Ovid expresses that the reader would be convinced by Vertumnus’ disguise using 2nd person “iurares”. His word choice of “swears” emphasizes how Vertumnus is a master of disguise- anybody would believe him.
647 stimulos: stimulus, stimuli m. spur
649 falce…erat: ablative absolute describing the conditions which made Vertumnus “vitisque putator” or the pruner of the vines.
651 miles…sumpta: metaphor explaining the capabilities of Vertumnus’ disguises and his fluidity.
651 piscator: piscator, piscatoris m. fisherman
651 harundine: harundo, harundinis f. fishing rod
652 denique…repperit: Vertumnus is figuring out a way around her cautiously pushing men away. As previously described, he disguises himself and uses these secret entrances.
653 ut…formae: purpose clause explaining Vertumnus’ reasons for his actions, “So that he could catch the joys of having been seen form”.