'Festa dies Veneris tota celeberrima Cypro               270

venerat, et pandis inductae cornibus aurum

conciderant ictae nivea cervice iuvencae,

turaque fumabant, cum munere functus ad aras

constitit et timide "si, di, dare cuncta potestis,

sit coniunx, opto," non ausus "eburnea virgo"               275

dicere, Pygmalion "similis mea" dixit "eburnae."

 

The holiday of Venus famous throughout all Cyprus had come, and snowy cows were brought by their horns, incense burned, and offerings were made to the correct altar, and timidly, “If, God, you’re able to give a wife of choice,” not prepared to say “ivory girl,” Pygmalion said “resembling my ivory.”

 

sensit, ut ipsa suis aderat Venus aurea festis,

vota quid illa velint et, amici numinis omen,

flamma ter accensa est apicemque per aera duxit.

 

And golden Venus herself was near the festival and knew the want of his vow, a friendly divine omen, and the flames leapt thrice to their highest point through the air. 

 

ut rediit, simulacra suae petit ille puellae               280

incumbensque toro dedit oscula: visa tepere est;

admovet os iterum, manibus quoque pectora temptat:

 

Upon return, he sought her own small likeness in that girl

and leaning on the couch, gave her a kiss: and saw she was warm;

moving his mouth again, he tried her chest with his hands also:

 

temptatum mollescit ebur positoque rigore

subsidit digitis ceditque, ut Hymettia sole 

cera remollescit tractataque pollice multas               285

flectitur in facies ipsoque fit utilis usu.

 

Having been tried, the ivory became soft, the stiffness subsided and made way for fingers, as Hymettian wax is accustomed to grow soft having being smeared by a thumb and is bent into shapes, becoming practical from its own use. 

 

dum stupet et dubie gaudet fallique veretur,

rursus amans rursusque manu sua vota retractat.

corpus erat! saliunt temptatae pollice venae.

 

while astounded he rejoices doubtfully and dreading he was deceived, he again falls in love and again withdraws his hand from the prayer.

It is a body! The touched blood vessels twitch under his thumb.

 

tum vero Paphius plenissima concipit heros               290

verba, quibus Veneri grates agat, oraque tandem

ore suo non falsa premit, dataque oscula virgo 

sensit et erubuit timidumque ad lumina lumen

attollens pariter cum caelo vidit amantem.

 

moreover truly the satisfied Paphian hero takes up words, 

with which he drives thanks to Venus, at last

presses his own mouth to the not-false mouth, the girl felt the kisses given and blushed timidly; looking to the light, she saw her beloved together with the sky.

 

coniugio, quod fecit, adest dea, iamque coactis               295

cornibus in plenum noviens lunaribus orbem

illa Paphon genuit, de qua tenet insula nomen.

 

The marriage was attended by the goddess who brought it about, now 

round up the lunar horns in full circle nine times

Paphon was born, after whom the island takes its name.

 

Cinyras and Myrrha

 

Editus hac ille est, qui si sine prole fuisset, 

inter felices Cinyras potuisset haberi.

 

[In] this which I put forth, if he had had no offspring,

Cinyras could have had happiness.

 

dira canam; procul hinc natae, procul este parente               300

aut, mea si vestras mulcebunt carmina mentes,

 

This awful song; go away from here, away parents, 

if my song strokes your mind,

 

desit in hac mihi parte fides, nec credite factum,

vel, si credetis, facti quoque credite poenam.

 

Fail to put faith in my part, do not trust my [singing],

even, if you trust, trust also the punishment.