Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume VI. Fancy. 1904. | | | | Poems of Fancy: III. Mythical: Mystical: Legendary | | A Transformation | | Ovid (43 B.C.–18 A.D.) |
| | From the Latin by Henry King
From “The Metamorphoses”
WEARY and travel-worn,—her lips unwet | |
| With water,—at a straw-thatched cottage door | |
| The wanderer knocked. An ancient crone came forth | |
| And saw her need, and hospitable brought | |
| Her bowl of barley-broth, and bade her drink. | 5 |
| Thankful she raised it; but a graceless boy | |
| And impudent stood by, and, ere the half | |
| Was drained, “Ha! ha! see how the glutton swills!” | |
| With insolent jeer he cried. The goddess’s ire | |
| Was roused; and as he spoke, what liquor yet | 10 |
| The bowl retained, full in his face she dashed. | |
| His cheeks broke out in blotches; what were arms | |
| Turned legs, and from the shortened trunk a tail | |
| Tapered behind. Small mischief evermore | |
| Might that small body work: the lizard’s self | 15 |
| Was larger now than he. With terror shrieked | |
| The crone, and weeping, stooped her altered child | |
| To raise; the little monster fled her grasp | |
| And wriggled into hiding. Still his name | |
| His nature tells, and, from the star-light spots | 20 |
| That mark him, known as Stellio, crawls the Newt. | | | | |
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