Prayer
to Isis
“The Love Books of Ovid”
Translated
by J. Lewis May
Elegy XIII
He Beseeches Isis to Come to the
Aid of Corinna in Her Confinement.
My
rash Corinna, seeking to rid herself of the burden she bears in her
womb, hath risked the loss of her own life. For having
thus, unknown to me, courted so great a
danger, she merits all my wrath; but wrath gives way to fear. Howbeit it
was by me
that she conceived, or such, at least, is my
belief; for oftentimes my facts are only peradventures.
Isis,
thou
who in Parætonium dost dwell, and in Canopus'
kindly meads and Memphis and palm-bearing Pharos and those plains
where the Nile, quitting its mighty bed,
flows and bears through seven channels its hurrying waters to the sea.
By thy timbrels
I entreat thee, and by the head of dread
Anubis--so may the pious Osiris ever accept thy offerings, so may the
drowsy serpent
glide round about thine altars, and the
hornèd Apis march in the procession; look mercifully on Corinna, and
spare
two lives in one, for thou to my mistress
wilt give life; she will give life to me. Full often, on days appointed
for thy
worship, hath she sat within thy temple at
the hour when thy priests enwreathe their brows with laurel.
And
thou
who takest pity on women who are suffering
the pangs of childbirth when they seek to be delivered of the burden
that stirs
within them, come, propitious Ilithyia, and
hearken to my prayers. She merits that thou shouldst count her among thy
favoured
ones; and I, apparelled all in white, will
offer incense at thine altars. I at thy feet will lay my votive gifts,
and this
inscription will I add: "Ovid for Corinna's
safety makes this offering." And all I pray thee is to justify these
same offerings and inscription.
And as for thee, Corinna, if, in my panic, I may give thee such advice, I'll
say to thee, once safely out of the wood this time, take heed thou enter not again therein.
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