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... exspectatas dabat admirantibus umbras; aut sua fluminea cum vidit...


'aut (..) ': here begins the section on Cipus; vss 565 - 573 show Ovid as (again) a magnificant poet/author : Cipus discoveres, he is 'maimed', wearing horns on his head; the several stages of the discovery and the sequel are marvelously well written by Ovid: 1) Cipus discoveres the horns, when he looks into the water 2) he can't/doesn't want to believe this 3) again and again he feels on his forehead 4) finallly he succumbs and accepts ('non iam lumina damnans/restitit) 5) he goes with his burden to the gods and vows 'if anything good comes from this, let it be for the roman people, if bad things arise from this, let me bear them. - There is some chauvinism in this, at least it seems 'everything for the Romans'; but also I see another aspect: people in modern times might recognise something of Cipus in their own lives : Cipus discoveres, he is a 'monstrum' and he tries to make sense to the monstre, that he apparently is; how to go on with life with such a burden, etc. Finally, after wrestling with this not-asked-for-gift he comes out as a 'victor'; how well put by Ovid: (vs. 569) restitit, etc.


 
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