P. Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses 8.201–209
With the work now complete, the passage turns from the finished wings to a speech of instruction the craftsman gives his son. Three star-figures are named as markers of the sky to steer by: Boötes, Helice (the Great Bear), and Orion.
Tier 1
opus iam perfectum erat. tum Daedalus ipse ālās temptāvit. corpus suum in ālīs posuit et in āere pependit.
deinde Daedalus fīlium docuit. 'Īcare,' inquit, 'moneō tē: in mediā viā volā. nōlī nimis prope mare volāre: unda pennās gravābit. nōlī nimis prope sōlem volāre: ignis pennās exūret. inter mare et sōlem volā. nōlī stēllās spectāre. mē sequere!'
tum Daedalus ālās corporī Īcarī accommodāvit.
Tier 2
postquam manus ultima operī imposita est, artifex suum corpus in geminās ālās lībrāvit et in mōtā aurā pependit.
tum fīlium īnstruit. 'Īcare,' ait, 'moneō ut mediō līmite currās. nē, sī dēmissior ībis, unda pennās gravet; sī celsior, ignis adūrat. inter utrumque volā. nec tē iubeō spectāre Boōtēn aut Helicēn aut Orīonis ēnsem: mē duce carpe viam!'
pariter praecepta volandī trādit et ignōtās ālās umerīs accommodat.
Tier 3
postquam manus ultima coeptō imposita est, opifex suum corpus in geminās ālās lībrāvit ipse, et in mōtā aurā pependit; et nātum īnstruit. '[tē] moneō,' ait, 'Īcare, ut mediō līmite currās, nē, sī dēmissior ībis, unda pennās gravet, sī celsior, ignis adūrat: inter utrumque volā. nec tē iubeō spectāre Boōten aut Helicēn strictumque Orīonis ēnsem: mē duce carpe viam!'
pariter praecepta volandī trādit et ignōtās ālās umerīs accommodat.
Tier 4 - Carmen Ipsum
- postquam manus ultima coeptō
- imposita est, geminās opifex librāvit in ālās
- ipse suum corpus mōtāque pependit in aurā;
- īnstruit et nātum 'mediō' que 'ut līmite currās,
- Īcare,' ait 'moneō, nē, sī dēmissior ībis,
- unda gravet pennās, sī celsior, ignis adūrat:
- inter utrumque volā. nec tē spectāre Boōten
- aut Helicen iubeō strictumque Orīonis ēnsem:
- mē duce carpe viam!' pariter praecepta volandī
- trādit et ignōtās umerīs accommodat ālās.