P. Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses 10.254–269

This page stays with Pygmalion and the ivory maiden in an extended descriptive passage. It is a lover's address and attentions and a catalogue of gifts and adornment, closing at the couch. The Latin itemizes many concrete objects (shells, flowers, gems, garments); read it for how Ovid stages each detail rather than for any turn in the story.

 

Tier 1

Pygmaliōn manūs ad statuam saepe admovēbat. estne corpus? an ebur est? saepe tangēbat, sed nōn intellegēbat. ōscula eī dabat. putābat: 'mihi ōscula reddit!' cum eā loquēbātur. eam tenēbat. putābat: 'digitī meī in corpore eius īnsīdunt!' timēbat: 'corpus eius nigrum fīet!' modo blanda verba eī dīcēbat. modo mūnera eī ferēbat. parvās avēs, flōrēs mīlle colōrum, parvōs lapidēs, et alia mūnera eī dabat. corpus eius vestibus ōrnābat. gemmās in digitīs pōnēbat. circum collum eius longa monīlia pōnēbat. omnia eam decēbant. nūda quoque pulchra erat.

 

Pygmaliōn eam in lectō purpureō posuit. eam vocāvit 'uxor mea.' caput eius in mollibus pennīs reposuit, quasi vīva.

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