Time passed: the grandson of Lycaon, Areas,
who had no knowledge of his mother’s fate,
was close to sixteen. He was hunting game,
seeking the likeliest of lairs, and stretching
tight nets around the woods of Erymanthus,
when suddenly he chanced upon his mother.
Latin [476–500]
She froze, surprised; she seemed to recognize
her son. And Areas drew back, terrified:
her fixed eyes stared and stared—he did not know
just who that she-bear was; when she gave signs
of drawing closer, Areas poised to pierce
her chest with his death-dealing shaft, but Jove,
all-powerful, stayed Areas’ hand: he checked
that horrid crime; he snatched the two of them
and, with a swift wind, swept them up to heaven
and set them in the sky, a close-set pair
of constellations: Great and Little Bear.
But Juno, when she saw her rival shine
among the stars, was furious: she went
down to the sea, to visit white-haired Tethys
and ancient Ocean, whom the gods revere.
When they asked Juno what had brought her there,
she answered: “If you wish to know why I,
the queen of gods, have left the sky and come
down to the waves, this is the reason why:
another has usurped my place on high!
And you can say I’m feeding you some lie
if, when the world is darkened by black night,
you do not see two stars—those two have just
been honored by the highest place above
(to torment me): the point they occupy
is where the farthest, shortest circle rings
the axis’ highest point. What happens now?
What fear can I inspire if I bring
such benefits to my worst enemies?
What power can I summon if I seek
revenge and those whom I would punish end
as did that nymph—who now is made a goddess!
My Jove may even go as far as this:
to take away that bestial face, restore
the form she had before (he did just that
for Io)! And, in fact, why doesn’t he
drive Juno off and give that girl my bed?
Latin [500–526]
So easily arranged—and he’d be glad
to have Lycaon as a father-in-law!
But you who’ve nurtured me, if you are touched—
hurt by the way in which I have been scorned—
do not allow the Bear—that constellation
which gained the heavens through adultery—
ever to set into your blue-green sea;
prevent that slut from tainting your pure stream.”