Dai Fasti di Ovidio
Book VI: June 1: Kalends
Carna, the first day’s yours. Goddess of the hinge:
She opens the closed, by her power, closes the open.
The story of how she gained the powers she has is obscured
By time, but you’ll still learn of it from my verse.
There’s an ancient grove of Alernus near the Tiber:
And the priests still make sacrifices there.
A nymph was born there (men of old called her Cranaë)
Who was often sought in vain by many suitors.
She used to hunt the land, chasing wild beasts with spears,
Stretching her woven nets in the hollow valleys.
She’d no quiver, yet considered herself Apollo’s
Sister: nor need you, Apollo, have been ashamed of her.
If any youth spoke words of love to her,
She gave him this answer right away:
‘There’s too much light here, it’s too shameful
In the light: if you’ll lead to a darker cave, I’ll follow.’
While he went in front, credulously, she no sooner reached
The bushes than she hid: and was nowhere to be found.
Janus saw her, and the sight raised his passion.
He used soft words to the hard-hearted nymph.
She told him to find a more private cave,
Followed him closely: then deserted her leader.
Foolish child! Janus can see what happens behind him:
You gain nothing: he looks back at your hiding place.
Nothing gained, as I said, you see! He caught you, hidden
Behind a rock, clasped you, worked his will, then said:
‘In return for our union, the hinges belong to you:
Have them as recompense for your maidenhead.’
So saying he gave her a thorn (it was white-thorn)
With which to drive away evil from the threshold.
Translated by A. S. Kline ã2004 All Rights Reserved
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