Fabula 29. Alcimena — “Alcmena”: Jupiter in Amphitryon’s shape, the long night, and the birth of Hercules. Latin from the standard text, with a new English translation below each paragraph. View:
1
Amphitryon cum abesset ad expugnandam Oechaliam, Alcimena aestimans Iouem coniugem suum esse, eum thalamis recepit. qui cum in thalamos uenisset et ei referret quae in Oechalia gessisset, ea credens coniugem esse cum eo concubuit.
While Amphitryon was away to take Oechalia by storm, Alcmena, thinking Jupiter was her husband, received him in her chamber. When he had come into the chamber and told her what he had done in Oechalia, she, believing him to be her husband, lay with him.
2
qui tam libens cum ea concubuit ut unum diem usurparet, duas noctes congeminaret, ita ut Alcimena tam longam noctem ammiraretur. postea cum nuntiaretur ei coniugem uictorem adesse, minime curauit, quod iam putabat se coniugem suum uidisse.
He lay with her so gladly that he took one day for his own and doubled two nights, so that Alcmena marvelled at so long a night. Afterwards, when it was announced to her that her husband was present as victor, she paid it no mind, because she already thought she had seen her husband.
3
qui cum Amphitryon in regiam intrasset et eam uideret neglegentius securam, mirari coepit et queri quod se aduenientem non excepisset; cui Alcimena respondit: Iam pridem uenisti et mecum concubuisti et mihi narrasti quae in Oechalia gessisses.
When Amphitryon had entered the palace and saw her rather unconcerned, he began to wonder and complain that she had not welcomed him on his arrival; to him Alcmena answered: “You came some time ago and lay with me and told me what you had done in Oechalia.”
4
quae cum signa omnia diceret, sensit Amphitryon numen aliquod fuisse pro se, ex qua die cum ea non concubuit. quae ex Ioue compressa peperit Herculem.
When she told him all the tokens, Amphitryon realised that some divine power had been there in his place, and from that day he did not lie with her. She, having lain with Jupiter, bore Hercules.
Notes
- Convention: the Latin gives the editor’s supplied letters in full, without brackets; the notes record them as < > for a supplement, [ ] for a deletion, and † for a corrupt word.
- Para 1–3: Amphitr<y>on is supplied in the text.
- Para 2: “took one day for his own and doubled two nights” is unum diem usurparet, duas noctes congeminaret — the famous lengthening of the night at Hercules’ conception; the English keeps the Latin’s shape rather than explaining it.
- Para 4: signa are “tokens”, proofs. “Some divine power” is numen aliquod. Compressa is sexual union, here by deception, and “having lain with Jupiter” keeps it plain; cf. comprimere, “ravish”, in Fabula 28, para 3 — one rendering family for the verb throughout the project.
Next fabula: not yet translated. See the Hyginus index. Corrections are welcome via the contact form; please say which paragraph you mean.