Three constellations lie together, Corvus the Raven,
Hydra, and Crater, the Cup, between the two.
On the Ides they’re hidden at twilight, but risen the following night.
I’ll tell why the three as so closely linked together.
It happened that Apollo prepared a solemn feast for Zeus,
(This tale of mine will not take long to tell):
‘Go, my bird,’ he said, ‘so nothing delays the sacred rites,
And bring a little water from the running stream.’
The Raven caught up a gilded Cup in his claws,
And flew high into the air on his way.
There was a fig tree thick with unripe fruit:
The Raven tried it with his beak: but it wasn’t fit to eat.
Forgetting his orders, it’s said he perched by the tree,
To wait till the fruit should sweetly ripen.
When at last he’d taken his fill, he grasped a long Water-Snake
In his black talons, and returned to his master with a lying tale:
‘This snake caused my delay, it blocked the running water:
It prevented the stream’s flow, and my errand.’
‘Will you add to your fault with lies,’ said Apollo,
And cheat the god of prophecy with words?
As for you, you’ll drink no cool water from the springs,
Until the ripened figs cling to the trees.’
So he spoke, and as an eternal reminder of this ancient tale,
Snake, Bird and Cup, as constellations, gleam side by side.
--Ovid, Fasti Book II
Hydra, and Crater, the Cup, between the two.
On the Ides they’re hidden at twilight, but risen the following night.
I’ll tell why the three as so closely linked together.
It happened that Apollo prepared a solemn feast for Zeus,
(This tale of mine will not take long to tell):
‘Go, my bird,’ he said, ‘so nothing delays the sacred rites,
And bring a little water from the running stream.’
The Raven caught up a gilded Cup in his claws,
And flew high into the air on his way.
There was a fig tree thick with unripe fruit:
The Raven tried it with his beak: but it wasn’t fit to eat.
Forgetting his orders, it’s said he perched by the tree,
To wait till the fruit should sweetly ripen.
When at last he’d taken his fill, he grasped a long Water-Snake
In his black talons, and returned to his master with a lying tale:
‘This snake caused my delay, it blocked the running water:
It prevented the stream’s flow, and my errand.’
‘Will you add to your fault with lies,’ said Apollo,
And cheat the god of prophecy with words?
As for you, you’ll drink no cool water from the springs,
Until the ripened figs cling to the trees.’
So he spoke, and as an eternal reminder of this ancient tale,
Snake, Bird and Cup, as constellations, gleam side by side.
--Ovid, Fasti Book II
