Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

MODESTINUSreason before the avenging husband was alreadybringing the chains. He reaches the grove, unseenby Love himself, unseen by any Grace : to his arthe had entrusted all his rage.'^ Then with lightsoft touch he bound the chains upon the sleepers'hands, linking their arms with gentle movement.''Mars shakes himself free of sleep : so too the fairCytherean. Gradivus well might burst asunder thestrong bonds, but love restrained him lest he hurt\ enus' arms. Then did you lurk hidden 'neathMars' helmet, then did you lurk among his weapons,cruel Cupid, in cowardice. Mavors stands sullenof look, chafmg because he is an adulterer caught.But the Paphian feels no grief that her guilty deedhas turned awry : instead, she thinks of what revengeis hers, revolving point by point, and feels itwere fit penalty if Phoebus fell in love : and now,hastening forward her guile, she set to ornamentthe horns of the bull which would mean Pasiphae'sguilt and the wrath involved in blended lust.*^MODESTINUSCupid AsleepYouxG Love lay once with winged sleep o'ercomeMid myrtle shrubs where pale dew soaked the grass.* The fable ran that Venus took revenge on Phoebus throughhis offspring. Pasiphae, daughter of the Sun-god, and wife ofMinos, king of Crete, was the victim of Venus, who caused herto become enamoured of the bull :cf. Virg. Aen. VI. 25,PasipJuie mixtumque genus prolesque biformis (in reference tothe Minotaur).Here, as occasionally elsewhere, cupido (= "desire") ismasculine: there is no need to personify it as "Cupid," norto adopt the suggestion in Burman of mixtaeque libidinis.539