ramis: ramus,branch.
159. tegis…es tectura: sc. et, as both vbs. belong to the rel. cl.
unius…duorum: cp. una duos…nox perdet amantes (108); Thisbe’s response to Pyramus’ suicide echoes his response to what he thought was her death.
es tectura: sc. corpora; FUT. ACT. PERIPHRASTIC.
160. pullos: dark.
luctibus: luctus,grief, sorrow.
162. aptato: aptare, to place, adapt.
mucrone: mucro,point of a sword.
sub imum:at the lowest part of.
163. incubuit: incumbere, to lean on; with ferro, fall on.
adhuc: adv., still.
tepebat: tepere,be warm.
164. vota: votum, prayer; ANAPHORA, ASYNDETON, and the resounding ALLITERATION make this line a very effective introduction to the story’s two, highly dramatic closing verses.
165. nam…ater: this verse, with the metamorphosis of the tree’s berries from snowy-white (niveis, line 89) to black, reveals the gods’ response (tetigere deos) to Thisbe’s prayer in 158–61, while the following verse shows the parents’ response (tetigere parentes) to the entreaty of 154–57.
166. quod: sc. id (i.e., their ashes) as antecedent of quod and subj. of requiescit.
rogis: rogus,funeral pyre; sc. ex.
superest: superesse,to be left over, survive.
una…in urna: the ASSONANCE especially, and the ALLITERATION of r, add a charming sound effect to the tale’s closing line.
183. Daedalus: a legendary Athenian inventor and craftsman (which is the meaning of his name, Greek daidalos), he was regarded as the earliest sculptor. Having murdered his nephew in a jealous rage over the young man’s talents, he fled to the court of King Minos in Crete, where he constructed the fabulous labyrinth to contain the Minotaur. Later, when Minos imprisoned him and his son Icarus in the labyrinth, Daedalus contrived to fly away as we read in the following story.
Creten: Greek acc. of Creta.
perosus:hating, loathing.
185. pelago: pelagus, sea. Either Daedalus was shut in by the sea (which barred his escape) or he was shut off (excluded) from the sea (i.e., Minos denied him access to the sea); in view of undas obstruat in the next sent., the latter option may have more to recommend it.
licet…obstruat (186): licet, here although, may be used with the inf. or with the subjunct., as here, he (i.e., Minos) may block.
186. illac: adv., by that route.
187. omnia possideat…possidet aera: CHIASMUS underscores the contrast.
possideat: sc. licet, although he may possess.
aera: Greek acc. of aer, air.
188. ignotas: unknown, unfamiliar.
189. novat: novare, to make new, change, alter.
pennas: penna,feather.
190. a minima coeptas: sc. penna; we would say, beginning with….
longam breviore sequenti: i.e., breviore penna sequenti longam pennam; although the entire description is somewhat impressionistic, Ovid may mean that long feathers were alternated with shorter ones, giving the wing’s edge a serrated effect.
191. ut…putes: RESULT CL., (in such a way) that….
clivo: clivus,slope; sc. in.
rustica…fistula (192):a rustic pipe = a Pan’s pipe, or primitive harmonica, made of several small pipes of graduated lengths, each producing a different note.
quondam: i.e., from ancient times.
192. disparibus: unequal, varying.
paulatim: adv., gradually.
surgit:rises or, here, tapers.
avenis: avena,reed.
