Metrum 2

Meter: Anapestic dimeter, with diaeresis between the metra.

line 1

Quantas: Quantas . . . quibus: introducing indirect questions (through nexu, line 5) governed by promere (line 6).

line 2

quibus: Quantas . . . quibus: introducing indirect questions (through nexu, line 5) governed by promere (line 6).

line 3

prouida: "foresightful," sc. natura.

line 4

stringat: here, "draws together."
ligans: sc. natura (takes as object singula).

line 5

arguto: "melodious."

line 6

fidibus lentis: "slow lyres," i.e., lyres being played slowly.

line 7

leones: Lions were kept for the bloody shows of the amphitheater.

line 10

soliti: sc. leones.
magistrum: here translate as "tamer."

line 12

resides: (< reses, "calm")
olim: "once calm [but no longer]."

line 13

meminere sui: "they remember themselves," i.e., come to their senses.

line 15

15: Lines 15-16: The tamer is the first victim, lacer dente cruento ("torn by a bloody tooth").

line 17

garrula: "chattering, twittering."

line 18

caueae: caueae . . . antro: "in the recess of a cage."
antro: caueae . . . antro: "in the recess of a cage."

line 19

inlita: < illino, "smear over, bedaub"; inlita pocula is one object of ministret.

line 22

arto: arto . . . texto: "from the tight web," i.e., from the cage.
texto: arto . . . texto: "from the tight web," i.e., from the cage.

line 24

sparsas: < spargo, "scatter, disperse."
proterit: < protero, "trample on."

line 25

tantum: "only," to be taken closely with siluas.
maesta: sc. ales (line 18).

line 26

susurrat: "murmurs, whispers."

line 27

27: Lines 27-30: A tree-limb (uirga: "twig, branch") can be bent and bowed but once freed resumes its posture.

line 34

recursus: "returns, reversions."

line 36

ulli: dative, "anything."

line 37

quod: antecedent is ulli.

line 38

orbem: an abstract symbol of completed symmetry; B. may have used orbem here to echo ordo and ortum in lines 36-37.