86. tecta: tectum, roof, building.
87. neve: = et ne, and so that…not, here introducing sit errandum, a PASS. PERIPHRASTIC vb. in the negative PURPOSE CL.
spatiantibus: spatiari,to walk (about); sc. eis, DAT. OF AGENT.
88. busta: bustum, often pl. for sg., tomb.
Nini:Ninus, king of Assyria and husband of Semiramis.
lateant: latere,to lie hidden, hide.
The lovers plan a rendezvous in the night.
Aurora, from the tomb of Lorenzo, duke of Urbino Michelangelo, 1521–34 Medici Chapel, S. Lorenzo, Florence, Italy
Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY.
Talia diversa nequiquam sede locuti, sub noctem dixere, “Vale,” partique dedere 80 oscula quisque suae non pervenientia contra. Postera nocturnos Aurora removerat ignes, Solque pruinosas radiis siccaverat herbas; ad solitum coiere locum. Tum, murmure parvo multa prius questi, statuunt ut nocte silenti 85 fallere custodes foribusque excedere temptent, cumque domo exierint, urbis quoque tecta relinquant, neve sit errandum lato spatiantibus arvo, conveniant ad busta Nini lateantque sub umbra arboris (arbor ibi niveis uberrima pomis, 90 ardua morus, erat gelido contermina fonti). Pacta placent, et lux tarde discedere visa, praecipitatur aquis, et aquis nox exit ab isdem.
89. ibi: syllables normally short were sometimes lengthened (DIASTOLE), when occurring, as here, under the ictus as the first syllable of a foot.
niveis: the fruit of the mulberry tree (morus) is imagined here as white, before its metamorphosis later in the story.
uberrima:very rich.
90. ardua: tall, high; the gender of Lat. words for trees is regularly f.
gelido:cool, cold.
contermina:adjacent (to), near, + dat.
fonti: fons,spring, fountain.
91. pacta: pactum, agreement; poetry often uses pl. for sg.
lux:daylight; the rest of the day seemed to drag because of the lovers’ eagerness.
92. praecipitatur aquis…aquis…exit: sc. in with the first noun, ex with the second; Ovid aptly employs CHIASMUS to describe the opposing actions and dactyls to suggest the rapidity of the sun’s setting.
93. callida: skillful, clever; here, perhaps, with adv. force.
tenebras: tenebrae,shadows, darkness, gloom; the imagery of darkness permeates the rest of the tale.
cardine: cardo,door-hinge; with versato, lit., with the hinge turned = opening the door.
94. suos: her parents; cp. fallere custodes in 85 above.
adoperta…vultum:having covered her face; the pass. form adoperta (adoperire) is employed as a reflexive with a dir. obj. vultum, a common poetic usage (cp. oblita rictus in 97).
96. audacem faciebat amor: sc. eam; Ovid was a master of the short, epigrammatic statement, which he liked to alternate with longer, more complex sents.
ecce: interj., look, behold.
97. caede: caedes, cutting, slaughter, murder; note the deliberately harsh ALLITERATION with recenti caede.
leaena:lioness.
boum: gen. pl. of bos, bull, ox, cow.
spumantes: spumare,to foam.
oblita: oblinere,to smear; for the construction with rictus (open mouth, jaws), see note on adoperta…vultum (94).
98. depositura: intending to quench (lit., put aside); the fut. partic. frequently expresses purpose.
sitim: sitis,thirst; for this acc. sg. form, cp. vim from vis.
unda:wave, water.
99. quam: = leaenam.
procul: adv., far off, at a distance.
ad: here, by.
