Metamorphoses

Ovid

Ovid. Metamorphoses. More, Brookes, translator. Boston: Cornhill Publishing Co., 1922.

  1. But when he saw his strength
  2. was yielding to the multitude, he said,
  3. “Since you have forced disaster on yourselves,
  4. why should I hesitate to save myself?—
  5. O friends, avert your faces if ye stand
  6. before me!” And he raised Medusa,s head.
  7. Thescelus answered him; “Seek other dupes
  8. to chase with wonders!” Just as he prepared
  9. to hurl the deadly javelin from his hand,
  10. he stood, unmoving in that attitude,
  11. a marble statue.
  12. Ampyx, close to him,
  13. exulting in a mighty spirit, made
  14. a lunge to pierce Lyncides in the breast;
  15. but, as his sword was flashing in the air,
  16. his right arm grew so rigid, there he stood
  17. unable to draw back or thrust it forth.
  18. But Nileus, who had feigned himself begot
  19. by seven-fold Nile, and carved his shield with gold
  20. and silver streams, alternate seven, shouted;
  21. “Look, look! O Perseus, him from whom I sprung!
  22. And you shall carry to the silent shades
  23. a mighty consolation in your death,
  24. that you were slain by such a one as I.”
  25. But in the midst of boasting, the last words
  26. were silenced; and his open mouth, although
  27. incapable of motion, seemed intent
  28. to utter speech.
  29. Then Eryx, chiding says;
  30. “Your craven spirits have benumbed you, not
  31. Medusa's poison.—Come with me and strike
  32. this youthful mover of magician charms
  33. down to the ground.”—He started with a rush;
  34. the earth detained his steps; it held him fast;
  35. he could not speak; he stood, complete with arms,
  36. a statue.
  37. Such a penalty was theirs,
  38. and justly earned; but near by there was one,
  39. aconteus, who defending Perseus, saw
  40. medusa as he fought; and at the sight
  41. the soldier hardened to an upright stone.—
  42. Assured he was alive, Astyages
  43. now struck him with his long sword, but the blade
  44. resounded with a ringing note; and there,
  45. astonished at the sound, Astyages,
  46. himself, assumed that nature; and remained
  47. with wonder pictured on his marble face.
  48. And not to weary with the names of men,
  49. sprung from the middle classes, there remained
  50. two hundred warriors eager for the fight—
  51. as soon as they could see Medusa's face,
  52. two hundred warriors stiffened into stone.
  53. At last, repentant, Phineus dreads the war,
  54. unjust, for in a helpless fright he sees
  55. the statues standing in strange attitudes;
  56. and, recognizing his adherents, calls
  57. on each by name to rescue from that death.
  58. Still unbelieving he begins to touch
  59. the bodies, nearest to himself, and all
  60. are hard stone.
  61. Having turned his eyes away,
  62. he stretched his hands and arms obliquely back
  63. to Perseus, and confessed his wicked deeds;
  64. and thus imploring spoke;
  65. “Remove, I pray,
  66. O Perseus, thou invincible, remove
  67. from me that dreadful Gorgon: take away
  68. the stone-creating countenance of thy
  69. unspeakable Medusa! For we warred
  70. not out of hatred, nor to gain a throne,
  71. but clashed our weapons for a woman's sake.—
  72. “Thy merit proved thy valid claim, and time
  73. gave argument for mine. It grieves me not
  74. to yield, O bravest, only give me life,
  75. and all the rest be thine.” Such words implored
  76. the craven, never daring to address
  77. his eyes to whom he spoke.
  78. And thus returned
  79. the valiant Perseus; “I will grant to you,
  80. O timid-hearted Phineus! as behoves
  81. your conduct; and it should appear a gift,
  82. magnanimous, to one who fears to move.—
  83. Take courage, for no steel shall violate
  84. your carcase; and, moreover, you shall be
  85. a monument, that ages may record
  86. your unforgotten name. You shall be seen
  87. thus always, in the palace where resides
  88. my father-in-law, that my surrendered spouse
  89. may soften her great grief when she but sees
  90. the darling image of her first betrothed.”
  91. He spoke, and moved Medusa to that side
  92. where Phineus had turned his trembling face:
  93. and as he struggled to avert his gaze
  94. his neck grew stiff; the moisture of his eyes
  95. was hardened into stone.—And since that day
  96. his timid face and coward eyes and hands,
  97. forever shall be guilty as in life.
  98. After such deeds, victorious Perseus turned,
  99. and sought the confines of his native land;
  100. together with his bride; which, having reached,
  101. he punished Proetus—who by force of arms
  102. had routed his own brother from the throne
  103. of Argos. By his aid Acrisius,
  104. although his undeserving parent, gained
  105. his citadels once more: for Proetus failed,
  106. with all his arms and towers unjustly held,
  107. to quell the grim-eyed monster, snake-begin.
  108. Yet not the valour of the youth, upheld
  109. by many labours, nor his grievous wrongs
  110. have softened you, O Polydectes! king
  111. of Little Seriphus; but bitter hate
  112. ungoverned, rankles in your hardened heart—
  113. there is no limit to your unjust rage.
  114. Even his praises are defamed by you
  115. and all your arguments are given to prove
  116. Medusa's death a fraud.—Perseus rejoined;
  117. “By this we give our true pledge of the truth,
  118. avert your eyes!” And by Medusa's face
  119. he made the features of that impious king
  120. a bloodless stone.