Friday, November 07, 2014

Deianira to Heracles - Ovid's Heroides




Next time, we'll pause our reading of Sophocles' Women of Trachis to have a look at Deianira's letter to Heracles from Ovid's Heroides. A few sources:

Grant Showerman's translation (used in the Loeb edition).


The Perseus site: English and hyperlinked Latin, as well as notes.


The Latin Library has the Latin text on one page.


Tony Kline's translation, which early on sounds the queen's dismay:

Gratulor Oechaliam titulis accedere nostris,
victorem victae succubuisse queror. 
fama Pelasgiadas subito pervenit in urbes
decolor et factis infitianda tuis,
quem numquam Iuno seriesque inmensa laborum
fregerit, huic Iolen inposuisse iugum.
 
I give thanks that Oechalia is added to our titles,
I lament that the victor succumbs to his victory.  
A sudden rumour spreads through the Pelasgian cities
tarnishing, and denying, your deeds:
you, whom neither Juno nor her succession of mighty labours
could crush: Iole has placed the yoke on you.

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