Page:Statius (Mozley 1928) v1.djvu/297

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SILVAE, IV. viii. 23–49

home. Long live that house, I pray, in fruitfulness and never robbed of its hallowed gifts! A blessing on thee also, that thy issue was increased more often by the strength of males, yet the girl too must needs delight her youthful father—for them is prowess more fitting, while she will the sooner bear him grandsons;—so fair a child was Helen, as she walked between her Amyclaean brethren, yet ripe already for her mother’s wrestling-bouts;[1] so fair is the face of heaven, when on a tranquil night two radiant stars draw near to the moon that shines between them.

But I have a complaint, O rarest of youths, and no gentle one, ay, angry am I even, so far as love admits of anger. Was it right that common report should tell me of such joys? and when thy third infant was wailing, did no letter straightway haste full speed to bid me heap the altar with festal flames and entwine my lyre and wreathe my portals, and bring out a cask sooted with Alban smoke and mark the day with song, but only now, a tardy laggard, do I celebrate my vows? Thine is the fault, thine is the shame of it! But I cannot further prolong my plaint; lo! in a merry crowd thy children surround thee, and defend their sire. Whom wouldst thou not conquer with such a troop?

Gods of our land, whom with mighty omens the Abantian[2] fleet conveyed o’er the sea to the Ausonian shore, and thou, Apollo, guide of thy far-wandering folk, whose bird seated on thy left shoulder prosperous Eumelis[3] lovingly beholds and worships, and thou,

  1. ↑ i.e., for the wrestling-bouts in Sparta, the home of Leda, in which the Spartan girls took part. Statius probably has Propertius iii. 14 in mind.
  2. ↑ According to Homer the Abantes inhabited Euboea.
  3. ↑ i.e., Parthenope, daughter of Eumelus (who was perhaps the warrior at Troy so-called, the son of Admetus); she was guided to Italy by a dove sent by Apollo, cf. iii. 5. 80. The reference is to the founding of Cumae by emigrants from Chalcis in Euboea, who probably brought with them the deities mentioned here, Apollo, Ceres, Castor and Pollux.

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