A narrative approach to translating 6.24 of Apuleius’s Metamorphoses
The best way to translate this passage is in small pieces, looking for pairings of subjects, verbs and direct objects. Conjunctions and prepositions are also important to keep in mind since they add direction and meaning. The first sentence begins with an idiom of sorts. “Nec mora”. This literally means “not with delay” but is best translated “without delay”. The next thing to do is look for a nominative noun and anything describing it and agreeing with it. This will be cena, nuptialis and affluens which all fit into the translation of “a luxurious dinner of marriage”. The verb here is the passive “exhibetur”. In the piece we look again for a nominative noun and any modifiers. We identify Maritus, who in this case is Cupid. Maritus is the subject of the active verb accumbebat. We then find that summum is an accusative adjective paired with the direct object torum. Maritus is further described with the nominative participle complexus. This agrees in case and gender with the noun. As a participle, complexus also has verbal function which makes it have Psychen as its direct objects. Gremia and suo appear to as two ablatives which provide further description to the scene. The conjunction sic helps continue the flow of the story. It implies that Jupiter and his wife Juno are also sitting in this manner and that the rest of the gods are in line. We must look to breakdown the next few phrases in the same way, by trying to identity subjects, direct objects, and verbs. This shortness of the following phrases allows for quick identification. As we translate, we start to get a detailed picture. We see which gods and divine figures are attending the wedding and how they are contributing. Details come through in phrases such as rosis et ceteris floribus and words such as citharam and saltavit. The story ends with the final statement of marriage between Cupid and Psyche. The idea contained inside of rite is that the lovers marriage was done in a proper manner. The official nature of their marriage is furthered by the phrase of in manum. This phrase has the legal context of since “manus” refers to the power a Roman man would have over his wife. The last phrase of the story describes the birth of their daughter. Filia is in the nominative with the passive verb of nascitur, meaning to be born. The daughter is further described by the relative clause: quam Voluptatem nominamus which translates to “whom we call Pleasure”.
Translation:
And there is no delay when a luxurious marriage dinner is held , the husband was sitting at the top of the couch, embracing Psyche on his lap; thus sat Jupiter with his Juno and then next in order (sat) all the gods. Then Liber was serving a cup of nectar which was the wine of the gods, Vulcan was cooking dinner, the Horae made everything bright with roses and other flowers, the Graces scattered balsam, and the Muses sang, Apollo played the lyre, Venus having entered beautifully danced to the sweet music: she set the scene in this way (lit. with the scene having been set by her) with the result that the Muses indeed were singing the chorus and they were playing the flutes, and a satyr and Pan played the pipe. Thus Psyche duly came into marriage with Cupid and a daughter was born to them in timely birth whom we call Pleasure.
