2.20: 3.708–18

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monte fere medio est, cingentibus ultima silvis,
purus ab arboribus, spectabilis undique, campus:
hic oculis illum cernentem sacra profanis 710
prima videt, prima est insano concita cursu,
prima suum misso violavit Penthea thyrso
mater et ‘o geminae’ clamavit ‘adeste sorores!
ille aper, in nostris errat qui maximus agris,
ille mihi feriendus aper’. ruit omnis in unum 715
turba furens; cunctae coeunt trepidumque sequuntur,
iam trepidum, iam verba minus violenta loquentem,
iam se damnantem, iam se peccasse fatentem.

Study Questions

What is the subject of the sentence starting monte fere medio est... (708–09)?
What kind of construction is cingentibus ultima silvis (708)? How does ultima fit in?
What is the subject of the sentence starting hic oculis... (710–13)?
What kind of construction does videt (711) govern?
What kind of construction is misso … thyrso (712)?
What type of dative is mihi (715)?
What construction does fatentem introduce (718)?

Stylistic Appreciation

How does Ovid rhetorically embellish the final show down between Pentheus and his mother (as well as the rest of the Maenads)?

Discussion Points

Discuss the drama of sight that plays itself out in these lines: who sees whom seeing what from where? Should the transformative visions induced by madness and hallucination count as types of metamorphosis?

mons, -ntis, m.	mountain
cingo, -ere, -xi, -nctum	to circle, surround, encompass
purus, -a, -um	clean, free, clear; undefiled, unstained
spectabilis, -is, -e	that may be seen; visible
undique (adverb)	from all parts, on all sides
hîc (adverb of place)	in this place, here
concieo, -ciere, -civi, -citum	to urge, bring or assemble together to move violently, shake, stir up, rouse
thyrsus, -i, m.	Bacchic staff, thyrsus
geminus, -a, -um	born at the same time, twin-born paired, double, both, *two
aper, -pri, m.	boar
ferio, -ire	to knock, strike; to slay, kill
pecco, -are, -avi, -atum	to transgress, commit a fault, offend
fateor, -eri, fassus	to confess, own, grant