Monday, September 29, 2008

Callisto translation

Callisto
Part 1
Often the poets invoked the Muses to narrate a story. “Narrate, Muse, the story of the nymph Callisto and her son, Arcas.” “View the stars in the heavens,” said the Muse. “Behold the seven stars, Ursa Major, and the other seven stars, Ursa Minor. Ursa Major is Callisto, and Ursa Minor is Arcus, her son. Because of the wrath of the queen goddess, Jupiter transformed the nymph and her son into stars in the heavens.” Callisto was a nymph whose form was beautiful. She lived in Arcadia. While Jupiter was in the forests and fields of Arcadia, land dear to the god, that he cared for, he saw a nymph in a beautiful form and immediately he was in love. Surely Callisto was in form. She held back her garment with a pin and a band held back her careless locks. Though Callisto was in the forest with Diana and other nymphs. She was carrying a javelin and arrows. Once Callisto was alone and asleep lying at rest on the grassy earth, Jupiter looked at her. The nymph was pleasing to the god. “Surely Juno will not see this,” he said, “however if she sees, they will delight in the price but a worthy price.” Immediately Jupiter simulated the form of Diana and approached the nymph in secret. Jupiter was victorious, Callisto however, the miserable nymph, was well known in the forest and well known by friends and avoided the goddess Diana.
Part 2
Juno the queen goddess was very angry. She awaited a time for a suitable punishment. When the boy Arcas was born to the nymph Juno said, “The cause was not delay. See my injury, adulteress! But Jupiter is away. He cannot save you. I change your beautiful form.” She said and held to the nymph’s hair and threw her down on the earth. With that the miserable Callisto stretched out her arms pleading, arms growing rough with shaggy hair. No words remained in the nymph; only a hoarse voice. Callisto was now a wild bear, but her human senses remained in the bear. A! how often she would wander in her own field! A! How often she, terrified, would flee from men and wild animals in the forest, herself, an animal. Behold Arcas, after fifteen years, almost a man. He was a hunter and was often present in the forest. While he was hunting Arcas saw the bear. The bear was Callisto and she recognized her son. Arcas’ unmoving eyes avoided her and was tempted to kill the bear. But omnipotent Jupiter was kind to his son. He prohibited the matricide. The bear and her son were transported into the sky, with the neighboring stars.

No comments: