Metamorphoses Quotes
"A lifeless lump, unfashion’d, and unfram’d, Of jarring seeds; and justly Chaos nam’d."
"No certain form on any was imprest; All were confus’d, and each disturb’d the rest."
"Thus air was void of light, and earth unstable, And water’s dark abyss unnavigable."
"Then earth from air, and seas from earth were driv’n, And grosser air sunk from aetherial Heav’n."
"The force of fire ascended first on high, And took its dwelling in the vaulted sky."
"The next of kin, contiguously embrace; And foes are sunder’d, by a larger space."
"The sun with rays, directly darting down, Fires all beneath, and fries the middle zone."
"Man looks aloft; and with erected eyes Beholds his own hereditary skies."
"Unforc’d by punishment, un-aw’d by fear, His words were simple, and his soul sincere."
"Mark well the place where first she lays her down, There measure out thy walls, and build thy town."
"Cadmus salutes the soil, and gladly hails The new-found mountains, and the nameless vales."
"The Tyrians drop their vessels in the fright, All pale and trembling at the hideous sight."
"Strikes home the jav’lin, his retiring foe Shrinks from the wound, and disappoints the blow."
"Then sends his servants to a neighb’ring grove For living streams, a sacrifice to Jove."
"In vain he oft endeavour’d to proclaim His new misfortune, and to tell his name."
"But no frail man, however great or high, Can be concluded blest before he die."
"We loath thy lyre, and scorn thy peaceful lay."
"His harp he held, tho’ sinking on the ground."
"Of all thy spacious plain, This spot thy only property remains."
"Their shrieks confounded with the din of war."
"Their numbers to resist, against the wall He guards his back secure, and dares them all."
"O happy Muses! who, safe from cares, on this fair hill reside."
"But maids are frighten'd with the least alarms, And none are safe in this licentious time."
"Pray make my house your own, and void of fear."
"O thou, who art to life a friend, Cease here thy search, and let thy labour end."
"But thoughts are free, and fancy unconfin'd."
"One labour more remains, and, tho’ the last, In danger far surmounting all the past."
"Committed to a double guard of fame, Aw’d by a virgin’s, and a princess’ name."
"But her, who felt the tenderest concern, Honour condemns in secret flames to burn."
"The Greeks, transported with the strange success."
"Your favours to so vast a sum amount, ’Tis past the pow’r of numbers to recount."
"The morning of my life is just begun, But my declining father’s race is run."
"How cou’d the thought of such inhuman wrong Escape (said she) from pious Jason’s tongue?"
"Yet she that grants not what you do implore, Shall yet essay to give her Jason more."
"Bid her this miscreant with her sharpest pains chastise, and sheath herself into his veins."
"Guide the rein'd dragons thro’ the parting sky."
"Her elfelock hair in matted tresses grew, sunk were her eyes, and pale her ghastly hue."
"Her muscles with a furious bite she tore, gorg'd her own tattered flesh, and gulph'd her gore."
"And she my softest suit and prayers has borne."
"Be unsubdu’d by plenty’s baffled store, reject my empire, and defeat my pow’r."
"The very bloodless shades attention keep, and silent, seem compassionate to weep."
"Myrrha was joy’d the welcome news to hear; but clog'd with guilt, the joy was unsincere."
"The bending bole sends out a hollow sound, and trickling tears fall thicker on the ground."
"By her sweet pow’r I felt this am’rous fire, Still may she succour, whom she did inspire."
"A soft, unenvious wind, with speedy care, Wafted to Heav’n the lover’s tender pray’r."
"Pity, I own, soon gain’d the wish’d consent, And all th’ assistance he implor’d I lent."
"That field of old was added to my shrine, And its choice products consecrated mine."
"Gold are the leafs, the crackling branches gold."
"The signal sounding by the king’s command, Both start at once, and sweep th’ imprinted sand."
"So swiftly mov’d their feet, they might with ease, Scarce moisten’d, skim along the glassy seas."
"The nymph stop’d sudden at th’ unusual sight, Struck with the fruit so beautifully bright."
"Unkindly she corrects the short delay, And to redeem the time fleets swift away."
"Fair author of the precious gift, he said, Be thou, O Goddess, author of my aid!"
"Her speed I lessen’d, and encreas’d her load."
"But he nor grateful thanks, nor incense paid."
"The silent fanes, the sanctify’d abodes, Of Cybele, great mother of the Gods."
"His faithful hounds, led by the tainted wind, Lodg’d in thick coverts chanc’d a boar to find."
"On the discolour’d grass Adonis lay, The monster trampling o’er his beauteous prey."
"For thee, lost youth, my tears, and restless pain Shall in immortal monuments remain."
"And drooping trees their leafy glories shed."
"His mangled limbs lay scatter’d all around, His head, and harp a better fortune found."
"His suff’rings, and our baseness he bemoans: And wishes (so may Heav'n his wish fulfill) The due reward to him, who caus’d his ill."
"Now he, with us to Troy’s destruction sworn, Our brother of the war, by whom are born Alcides’ arrows, pent in narrow bounds, With cold and hunger pinch’d, and pain’d with wounds."
"Yet still he lives, and lives from treason free, Because he left Ulysses’ company."
"The coward bore the man immortal spight, Who sham’d him out of madness into fight."
"Great, for what greatness is in words, and sound, Ev’n faithful Nestor less in both is found."
"The Gods with equal eyes on mortal look, He justly was forsaken, who forsook."
"I heard, I ran, I found him out of breath, Pale, trembling, and half dead with fear of death."
"With my broad buckler hid him from the foe (Ev’n the shield trembled as he lay below)."
"Let him lie wounded, let the foe be near, And let his quiv’ring heart confess his fear."
"Hector came on, and brought the Gods along; Fear seiz’d alike the feeble, and the strong."
"Think it no boast, o Grecians, if I deem These arms want Ajax, more than Ajax them."
"Night is indeed the province of his reign: Yet all his dark exploits no more contain Than a spy taken, and a sleeper slain."
"With proffer’d wares to this pretended dame; She, not discover’d by her mien, or voice, Betray’d her manhood by her manly choice."
"Never was cause more difficult to plead, Than where the judge against himself decreed."
"But now self-banish’d from his native shore, Because he hated tyrants, nor cou’d bear The chains, which none but servile souls will wear."
"He, tho’ from Heav’n remote, to Heav’n cou’d move, With strength of mind, and tread th’ abyss above."
"And penetrate, with his interior light, Those upper depths, which Nature hid from sight."
"O mortals, from your fellows’ blood abstain, Nor taint your bodies with a food profane."
"Ill habits gather by unseen degrees, As brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas."
"Not so the Golden Age, who fed on fruit, Nor durst with bloody meals their mouths pollute."
"Then let not piety be put to flight, To please the taste of glutton appetite."
"And when you eat the well-deserving beast, Think, on the lab’rour of your field you feast!"
"Time was, when we were sow’d, and just began, From some few fruitful drops, the promise of a man."
"Thus all things are but alter'd, nothing dies; And here, and there th’ unbody’d spirit flies."
"Ev’n times are in perpetual flux, and run, Like rivers from their fountain, rowling on."
"For all things have an equal right to live. Kill noxious creatures, where ’tis sin to save."