Baucis et Philemon — Section 4

Latin

English

1intereā 5totiēns 4haustum 3crātēra 6replērī

8sponte 9suā 11per 13sē 9-que 2vident 11succrēscere 10vīna;

1attonitī 2novitāte 3pavent 5manibus 4-que 6supīnīs

12concipiunt 8Baucis 7-que 13precēs 10timidus 9-que 11Philēmōn

14et 16veniam 17dapibus 19nullīs 18-que 20parātibus 15ōrant.

2ūnicus 3ānser 1erat, 5minimae 4cūstōdia 6vīllae,

7quem 11dīs 12hospitibus 8dominī 10mactāre 9parābant;

1ille 2celer 3pennā 5tardōs 6aetāte 4fatīgat

8ēlūdit 7-que 9diū 11tandem 10-que 12est 14vīsus 16ad 17ipsōs

13cōnfūgisse 15deōs. 1superī 2vetuēre 3necārī.

4'dī' 1-que 3'sumus, 10meritās 5-que 8luet 7vīcīnia 9poenās

6impia' 2dīxērunt; 2'vōbīs 4immūnibus 5huius

3esse 6malī 1dabitur. 1modo 3vestra 2relinquite 4tēcta

5ac 7nostrōs 6comitāte 8gradūs 9et 12in 13ardua 14montis

10īte 11simul.'

Meanwhile they see the mixing bowl which had been drained so many times refilled

of its own accord and the wine increasing by itself;

Astonished by the strangeness, they fear with hands facing upwards,

both Baucis and timid Philemon (begin) to form prayers

and beg pardon for the feast and lack of preparations.

There was (just) one goose, guardian of the very small house,

which the owners were preparing to kill for the gods, their guests;

the goose, swift with its wings, wore them out as they were slow with age,

and eluded them for a long time and finally seemed to have fled for refuge

to the gods themselves. The gods forbade it to be killed

and said 'We are gods, and the irreligious neighbourhood

will pay the penalty it deserves; it will be granted to you to be exempt from this

destruction. Just leave your home

and accompany our steps and go together (with us) to the steep parts

of the mountain.

Content — what is happening

The first miracle: Baucis and Philemon notice that the wine-bowl, drained so many times, keeps refilling itself of its own accord. Thunderstruck by the strangeness, they raise their hands in prayer.
Realising their guests are divine, the couple beg pardon for the poor meal and resolve to sacrifice their one possession — a single goose, the guardian of their tiny home.
A comic chase follows: the swift goose tires out the aged couple and finally takes refuge with the gods themselves, who forbid its killing.
The gods reveal their identity (“we are gods”), announce that the impious neighbourhood will be punished, promise the couple will be spared, and order them to leave their home and climb the mountain with them.