Baucis and Philemon

Section 3 (Lines 26-35): Arrangements for the Unexpected Guests

Subj. Obj. Verb Gen. Dat. Abl. Prep. Conj. Adv. Gdv.
Latin
26
1intereā 3mediās 2fallunt 5sermōnibus 4hōrās
27
9sentīrī 6-que 8moram 7prohibent. 1erat 3alveus 2illic
28
4fāgineus 8dūrā 6clāvō 5suspēnsus 7ab 9ānsā;
29
1is 3tepidīs 2implētur 4aquīs 7artūs 5-que 8fovendōs
30
6accipit. 1in 2mediō 4torus 3est 5dē 6mollibus 7ulvīs
31
8impositus 9lectō 10spondā 12pedibus 11-que 13salignīs;
32
3vestibus 2hunc 1vēlant 4quās 5nōn 8nisi 10tempore 9fēstō
33
7sternere 6cōnsuērant, 11sed 12et 13haec 17vīlis 16-que 19vetus 18-que
34
14vestis 15erat, 23lectō 20nōn 21indignanda 22salignō.
35
2accubuēre 1deī.
English
26
Meanwhile they while away the intervening hours with conversations
27
and prevent the delay from being realised. There was there a bathtub
28
made of beech, suspended from a nail by a sturdy handle;
29
this is filled with warm water and
30
receives limbs which need warming. In the middle is a mattress
31
of soft sedge placed on a bed with a frame and feet made of willow;
32
they cover this with a coverlet which not
33
they were accustomed to spread over it except at holiday time, but even this
34
coverlet was both cheap and ancient, not to be deemed unworthy of
35
the willow couch. The gods reclined.

Stylistic Features

Transition — intereā Personification — fallunt hōrās Passive infinitive — sentīrī Material adjective — fāgineus Hyperbaton — dūrā... ānsā Gerundive — artūs fovendōs Sensory detail — mollibus ulvīs Repetition — lectō... salignō Temporal marker — tempore fēstō Polysyndeton — vīlis-que vetus-que Litotes — nōn indignanda Syncopated perfect — accubuēre Revelation — deī
Transition — intereā
Line 26: intereā mediās fallunt sermōnibus hōrās
What's happening: Intereā ("meanwhile") is a classic Ovidian transition word that shifts the scene smoothly. It creates a sense of simultaneous action — while the food is being prepared elsewhere, this is happening. It's a gentle "cut" in the narrative, like a film director moving between scenes.
In an exam: "The adverb intereā ('meanwhile') provides a temporal transition, indicating simultaneous action and moving the narrative focus from food preparation to the hosts' entertainment of their guests."
Personification — fallunt hōrās
Line 26: mediās fallunt sermōnibus hōrās
What's happening: Fallunt literally means "to deceive" — they're deceiving the hours, tricking time into passing without being noticed. It's a lovely bit of personification: time becomes something that can be fooled or cheated. This captures that wonderful feeling when good company makes time fly.
In an exam: "The verb fallunt ('they deceive') personifies time as something that can be tricked. The phrase mediās... hōrās ('the intervening hours') emphasises how conversation makes the waiting period pass unnoticed — a warm detail highlighting the couple's hospitable nature."
Passive Infinitive — sentīrī moram
Line 27: sentīrī-que moram prohibent
What's happening: The passive infinitive sentīrī ("to be perceived") with moram ("the delay") creates an elegant construction. They prevent the delay from being felt — not just by themselves, but by their guests. It's thoughtful hosting: making sure nobody notices how long things take.
In an exam: "The accusative and infinitive construction moram sentīrī ('the delay to be perceived') with prohibent ('they prevent') emphasises the couple's attentive hospitality — they ensure their guests don't notice the wait while food is prepared."
Material Adjective — fāgineus
Line 28: erat alveus illic fāgineus
What's happening: Fāgineus ("made of beech") is a material adjective — it tells us exactly what the bathtub is made from. Ovid loves these specific details. Beech is a humble, everyday wood; this isn't a marble bath. Every detail reinforces the couple's modest circumstances.
In an exam: "The material adjective fāgineus ('made of beech') adds realistic detail while emphasising the couple's humble circumstances. Beech is a common, inexpensive wood — contrasting with the luxury a rich household might offer to divine guests."
Hyperbaton — dūrā... ānsā
Line 28: dūrā clāvō suspēnsus ab ānsā
What's happening: The adjective dūrā ("sturdy") is separated from its noun ānsā ("handle") by several words. This is hyperbaton — the deliberate separation of words that belong together. It creates a kind of suspense and draws attention to both words: the handle is STURDY, it can take the weight.
In an exam: "The hyperbaton separating dūrā ('sturdy') from ānsā ('handle') emphasises the functionality of this humble item. The arrangement creates suspense — we wait to discover what quality dūrā describes — while highlighting the practical, hard-wearing nature of the couple's possessions."
Gerundive — artūs fovendōs
Lines 29-30: artūs-que fovendōs accipit
What's happening: Fovendōs is a gerundive — it expresses necessity or purpose. The limbs "needing to be warmed" or "which must be warmed" suggests the gods have been travelling and are cold and tired. It's a lovely detail: even disguised gods need a warm bath after a long journey!
In an exam: "The gerundive fovendōs ('needing to be warmed') with artūs ('limbs') implies the guests' weariness from travel. This detail humanises the disguised gods — they have physical needs like any tired traveller — while showcasing the couple's thoughtful care."
Sensory Detail — mollibus ulvīs
Line 30: torus est dē mollibus ulvīs
What's happening: Mollibus ("soft") appeals to touch — we can almost feel this mattress. Ulvīs ("sedge") is a type of marsh grass used as cheap bedding. Again, humble materials, but Ovid emphasises their comfort. The couple make the best of what they have.
In an exam: "The tactile adjective mollibus ('soft') creates sensory appeal, making the humble ulvīs ('sedge') sound inviting. Ovid balances the poverty of the materials with the comfort they provide — the couple's care compensates for their lack of luxury."
Repetition — lectō... salignō
Lines 31 & 34: lectō spondā pedibusque salignīs / lectō nōn indignanda salignō
What's happening: The phrase lectō salignō ("willow couch") appears twice — first describing the bed's construction (line 31), then when saying the coverlet isn't unworthy of it (line 34). This repetition creates a frame around the description, and the willow becomes a symbol of the couple's humble but adequate hospitality.
In an exam: "The repetition of lectō... salignō ('willow couch') in lines 31 and 34 creates a framing effect, bookending the description of their bedding. The humble willow becomes symbolic of the couple's modest but genuine hospitality."
Temporal Marker — tempore fēstō
Lines 32-33: nōn nisi tempore fēstō sternere cōnsuērant
What's happening: This coverlet isn't everyday bedding — they only bring it out for tempore fēstō ("at holiday time"). By using it for their unknown guests, they're treating this visit like a special occasion. They don't know they're hosting gods, but they're pulling out all the stops anyway. That's genuine pietas.
In an exam: "The ablative tempore fēstō ('at holiday time') reveals that the coverlet is normally reserved for special occasions. By using it for strangers, the couple demonstrate exceptional hospitality — treating unknown travellers like honoured festival guests."
Polysyndeton — vīlis-que vetus-que
Lines 33-34: haec vīlis-que vetus-que vestis erat
What's happening: The repeated -que... -que ("both... and") is polysyndeton — the piling up of conjunctions. It emphasises both qualities: cheap AND old. There's no pretence here. Ovid is almost apologising on the couple's behalf, but also showing their honesty. What you see is what you get.
In an exam: "The polysyndeton vīlis-que vetus-que ('both cheap and old') emphasises the coverlet's humble nature through the accumulation of adjectives. This honest assessment reflects the couple's lack of pretension — they give their best, even knowing it's meagre."
Litotes — nōn indignanda
Line 34: lectō nōn indignanda salignō
What's happening: Nōn indignanda means "not to be deemed unworthy" — a double negative that's softer than saying "worthy." This is litotes, understatement through negation. Ovid's being diplomatic: the coverlet isn't grand, but it's not embarrassing for the humble bed it covers. Everything matches; everything is appropriate to their means.
In an exam: "The litotes nōn indignanda ('not to be deemed unworthy') is a gentle understatement — Ovid doesn't claim the coverlet is fine, merely that it's appropriate for the willow bed. This understated phrasing reflects the couple's modest self-assessment while implying the coverlet is, in fact, fitting."
Syncopated Perfect — accubuēre
Line 35: accubuēre deī
What's happening: Accubuēre is a syncopated (contracted) form of accubuērunt — a poetic shortening often used for metrical convenience. But it also makes the action feel quick and decisive. After all that preparation, boom — the gods recline. Done.
In an exam: "The syncopated perfect accubuēre (for accubuērunt, 'they reclined') is a poetic form that creates a crisp, decisive ending to the preparation scene. The brevity contrasts with the extended description of humble furnishings."
Revelation — deī
Line 35: accubuēre deī
What's happening: For the first time in this passage, Ovid calls them deī ("gods") rather than "guests" or "strangers." This is a narratorial wink to the audience — we know who they really are, even if Baucis and Philemon don't. It reminds us of the dramatic irony running through the whole scene: these humble preparations are being made for gods.
In an exam: "The word deī ('gods') in the final line is the narrator's reminder to readers of the guests' true identity. After describing humble preparations, this revelation creates dramatic irony — the couple unknowingly provide divine hospitality, making their pietas all the more impressive."