37. Let us examine, then, what is
said in this way. In the grove of Henna, my opponent says, the
maiden Proserpine was once gathering flowers: this is as yet
uncorrupted, and has been told in a straightforward manner, for all
know without any doubt what a grove and flowers are, what Proserpine
is, and a maiden. Summanus sprung forth from the earth, borne
along in a four-horse chariot: this, too, is just as simple, for
a team of four horses, a chariot, and Summanus need no
interpreter. Suddenly he carried off Proserpine, and bore her
with himself under the earth: the burying of the seed, my
opponent says, is meant by the rape of Proserpine. What has
happened, pray, that the story should be suddenly turned to something
else? that Proserpine should be called the seed? that she who was for
a long time held to be a
maiden gathering flowers, after that she was taken away and carried off
by violence, should begin to signify the seed sown? Jupiter,
my opponent says, having turned himself into a bull, longed to
have intercourse with his mother Ceres: as was explained before,
under these names the earth and falling rain are spoken of. I see
the law of allegory expressed in the dark and ambiguous terms.
Ceres was enraged and angry, and received the parts4517
of a ram as the penalty demanded
by
4518
| 4518
Lit., “for penalty and.” |
vengeance: this again I see to be expressed in common
language,
for both
anger and (
testes and) satisfaction are spoken of in
their usual circumstances.
4519
| 4519
Lit., “in their customs and conditions.” |
What, then, happened
here,—that from Jupiter, who was named
for the rain, and
Ceres, who was named
for the earth, the story passed to the true
Jove, and to a most straightforward account of
events?
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