Re: Ovid, Metamorphoses I.679-684
"Whoever you are, you may sit with me on this rock,"
said Argus, "For there are not lusher grasses for flocks
in any place, and you see a shade suited for shepherds."
Atlas' grandson sat and detained the passing day with talk of many things,
with conversation and by playing on his joined
pipes he tried to overcome the vigilant eyes.
A cartoon for Ovid's version of the tale of Io from his Metamorphoses. Io, having been raped by Jupiter, gets turned into a cow by him in hopes of hiding his infidelity from Juno. Not fooled, Juno slyly asks Jupiter for the cow--which it would be suspicious not to give--and thereupon puts her rival (paelex) under the watch of Argus, a one-hundred eyed monster. At length, Jupiter sends Mercury to free Io.
The translated quote above is from the point at which Mercury, disguised as a shepherd, comes up playing on his pipes. Argus invites him to rest with him in the shade. He seemed like a very decent chap, who would have offered Mercury cup of tea if the Greeks had had it. But he winds up beheaded by Mercury all the same. : \
No comments:
Post a Comment