Leaf from The metamorphoses / by Ovid. English translation of: The metamorphoses by Ovid, printed by Helisabeth de Rusconibus. Sumner, Brian. (OBVERSE, CENTER OF PAGE) Pallas imitated old age: and she added deceptive gray hairs onto her temples and also supported her feeble arms with a stick. Then she began to speak as follows: "Greater age holds not only what you flee, experience comes with your later years. Do not scorn my advice, you should seek great fame among mortals for making weavings. Cede to the goddess, rash girl, and with a humble voice you should ask forgiveness for your words. She will give forgiveness to those asking.": Arachne gazed upon her with a fierce face and abandoned the threads she had started, barely restraining her hand: and showing anger with her expressions she responded to disguised Pallas with these words. "You are weak of mind, and you come here exhausted by your long old age: And it harms you greatly to have lived a long time: if you have a daughter-in-law: if you have a daughter she should hear your voice, my advice is enough for me: you do not think that you had an effect by advising me: my opinion is the same. Why does she (Pallas) not come herself? Why does she avoid the contest?" Then the old woman said "The Goddess came" and removed her old woman form: and she revealed Pallas, and the nymphs adored her divinity: and so did the Mygdonian women, only the girl was unafraid. But nevertheless she blushed: and sudden redness inscribed her unwilling face: and it vanished again: just as the purple sky is accustomed to be, when Aurora is first moved, and after a short time it becomes white from the Sun in the east: She stands firm in the beginning: and eager for a foolish award rushed into her fate. Nor also did the daughter of Jove decline, nor act differently: nor now does she postpone the contest. By no means did either stop in a delay in their separate places: and they stretched twin looms in slender thread. The warp has been joined to a loom, it separates the warp with a reed. It is inserted below the middle covering with sharp rods: which their fingers made ready: and notched teeth in a struck comb push the threads between the guided warp. And both hurry: and their garments are bound below their breasts, their skilled arms move the work with deceiving enthusiasm. And here purple is seen, which is made in copper Tyrian pots: and thin shades of a small distinction such as from a rainstorm an arc struck by the sun is accustomed to dye the tall sky with a great curve: in which diverse colors shine with a thousand others: Yet the transition deceives observing eyes. Up to a point it touches the same color. Yet the farthest parts are different and there gold clinging to thread is added: And an ancient story is drawn in the web. Cecropian Pallas paints the rock in the citadel of Mars, and the ancient quarrel about the name of the land: the twelve divinities on their high seats with Jove are in the middle. (OBVERSE COMMENTARY, both wrap-around texts.) (margin: Raphael. Pallas into age) Pallas imitates old age: The transformation of Minerva into an old woman is plainly described. | Deceptive: imitated. | Feeble arms. Limbs, which were shaped to be weak. | Greater age. A periphrasis of old age. | Experience: knowledge of things. Rightly however she takes on old age, so that she appears more trustworthy. | Cede to the Goddess: you should not contend with a goddess. | And barely restraining her hand. Understood: from striking the goddess | Showing anger: because of how she was bearing herself and displaying anger. | With her expressions: her face with changes. | Obscured Pallas: hiding under the shape of an old woman. | She responded : she followed up, and answered. | Weak of mind: stupid and raving. | Exhausted: exhausted: empty of all strengths of the mind and body. | And it harms you greatly to have lived for a long time. She (Arachne) indicates that she (Pallas) is deranged. | and she revealed Pallas. She speaks and reveals that she is Pallas. | (Margin: Mygdonia) And the Mygdonian women. Migdonia is a part of Macedonia, and is named for Migon of Troy: truly many women from Troy gathered here: in order to see the work of Arachne: who seeing Pallas, except for one, Arachne: they adore the goddess. | her unwilling face: this is a hypallage: for the face of unwilling Arachne is understood. Embarrassed Arachne does not want to be seen. | (margin: to vanish) Vanished: departed suddenly and unexpectedly. | When Aurora is first moved: when Aurora first begins to rise. | To become white: to be bright. | She stands firm in the beginning. Her determination stands firm in the beginning, just as when she contends with Pallas. | For a foolish award. Foolish itself is not a hypallage. | Into her fate. Into the end established for her by the law of the fates. | They stretch: they arrange, they begin. | (margin: the loom) In slender thread. delicate: fine-spun. | (margin: the warp of Pallas) The warp has been joined to a loom: Each show their wondrous speed at the loom and they give that wood to the threads which are suspended and bound. | It separates: it divides: it distinguishes. | Below the covering. in which the warp is inserted: they call this the weft. | (margin: Rod) With sharp rods: a radins is an tool: which weavers insert below a covering of cloth. However the poet elegantly describes all things which are usually used in the making of weaves. | Make ready: they adapt: they adjust. | And the threads between the guided warp. This is a periphrase for the weft. it is indeed pushed with the teeth of a comb. However the comb is an instrument of the weaver which is too well known to be described. (margin: comb) | And their garments are bound below their breasts: This portrays a custom of weavers: they put their clothes up to their breast. | With enthusiasm: with an eagerness to succeed. | (margin: Tyrus) And there is Tyre: He says that the most noble Tyrian purple is woven. For Tyre is an island of Phoenicia named for the son Tyrus of Phoenicia: where once the most expensive purple dye was made. | And thin shades. Shades are made out of various colors: in which the images seem to exist. This is thought to be most difficult in painting. | From a rainstorm: after rain. This however shows these weavings have a distinct appearance with various colors. | By the sun: by the rays of the sun. | Arc: A rainbow. | The tall sky. A long part of the sky | Transition: it says the transition of one color to another deceives the eyes. Because although they are different, they nevertheless seem to be the same. | Up to a point: what it touches is the same: He says if some color is placed beside a color that is very similar, then they seem to be the same: And when it is distant it looks different. It is however an approval of the artist containing amazement. | Clinging gold. Flexible. | An ancient story. An ancient fable. | (margin: Contest of Arachne with Pallas) Is drawn: is molded. Properly however that which is drawn and the threads and the song are declared: and each is revealed into the length of cloth. ₡ The competition of Minerva under one chapter. The plot of the first story of the contest of Minerva. ₡ (margin: the contest of Neptune with Pallas) Cecropian Pallas and others. Minerva begins: and thus in her weaving she embroidered the contest to inhabit Athens between her and Neptune: who making a false lake in the high citadel was claiming it his property: that olive tree was found by herself. The plot of the second story. ₡ Thrace and others. Likewise Thrace of Rhodes and Hemum: who with cruel foolishness and love of their spouse usurped the names of Jupiter and Juno: they were transformed. Of the story. b10 Text