Literal translation
‘The great parent is earth: I think that stones in the body of earth to be called bones; we are ordered to throw these behind the backs.’
(395) Though Pyrrha was moved by the prediction of the spouse, hope still is uncertain: Truly they both lack confidence in the supernatural foretellings; but what would it hurt to try?
They depart: and they veil the head and unfasten the tunics and send having been ordered stones behind their footsteps. (400) The stones (who would believe this, unless it was for the witness, old age?) began to put away hardness and their rigidity and began to be softened by delay and the having been softened began to take on form. Soon when they came into being and a gentler nature befell these, as it is certain, thus the distinct figure is not able to be seen by men, (405) but as from work begun on marble blocks not made out enough and most resembling crude figures.
Yet the part which from this was wet and earthy with some moisture, it was turned into the use of a body; what is solid earth and cannot be softened, is being changed into bone, that which was the vein remained under the same name, (410) and in a brief time by the consent of the gods the having been sent stones acquired the shape of men by the hands of a man, and the woman was revived by the feminine throwing. Thereafter we are the lasting race, and the enduring of labor and we give evidence which we were born by this origin (415). The earth brought forth the rest of the animals to different forms by her own accord. After the old moisture completely warmed by the heat of the sun, both mud and wet marshes swelled with heat, and the fertile seeds of things vivacious having been raised by the soil swelled just as in the womb of a mother (420) and it takes hold of a certain shape by delaying .
So when the seven river flowing mouth of the Nile deserts the drenched fields and the her river recedes into ancient basin and by divine stars the fresh mud warmed, many farmers find living things in the having been turned soil (425), and in these they see certain ones completed through itself, just after the moment of birth, some just having been begun, and truncated of their parts; and often in the same flesh one part lives, one part is raw earth.
(430)Naturally, when moisture and heat obtain the proper mixture they conceive, and from these two all is born; And while fire is aggressive with water, heat and vapor create all things, the inharmonious union is fit for producing. Therefore when the earth muddy by the recent flood glowed warm by heavenly sun and deep heat (435), she spread countless species and partly she revived ancient figures, partly created some new and monstrous.
(395) Though Pyrrha was moved by the prediction of the spouse, hope still is uncertain: Truly they both lack confidence in the supernatural foretellings; but what would it hurt to try?
They depart: and they veil the head and unfasten the tunics and send having been ordered stones behind their footsteps. (400) The stones (who would believe this, unless it was for the witness, old age?) began to put away hardness and their rigidity and began to be softened by delay and the having been softened began to take on form. Soon when they came into being and a gentler nature befell these, as it is certain, thus the distinct figure is not able to be seen by men, (405) but as from work begun on marble blocks not made out enough and most resembling crude figures.
Yet the part which from this was wet and earthy with some moisture, it was turned into the use of a body; what is solid earth and cannot be softened, is being changed into bone, that which was the vein remained under the same name, (410) and in a brief time by the consent of the gods the having been sent stones acquired the shape of men by the hands of a man, and the woman was revived by the feminine throwing. Thereafter we are the lasting race, and the enduring of labor and we give evidence which we were born by this origin (415). The earth brought forth the rest of the animals to different forms by her own accord. After the old moisture completely warmed by the heat of the sun, both mud and wet marshes swelled with heat, and the fertile seeds of things vivacious having been raised by the soil swelled just as in the womb of a mother (420) and it takes hold of a certain shape by delaying .
So when the seven river flowing mouth of the Nile deserts the drenched fields and the her river recedes into ancient basin and by divine stars the fresh mud warmed, many farmers find living things in the having been turned soil (425), and in these they see certain ones completed through itself, just after the moment of birth, some just having been begun, and truncated of their parts; and often in the same flesh one part lives, one part is raw earth.
(430)Naturally, when moisture and heat obtain the proper mixture they conceive, and from these two all is born; And while fire is aggressive with water, heat and vapor create all things, the inharmonious union is fit for producing. Therefore when the earth muddy by the recent flood glowed warm by heavenly sun and deep heat (435), she spread countless species and partly she revived ancient figures, partly created some new and monstrous.
Idiomatic translation
Earth is our great mother: I think that she [Themis] calls the stones in the body of the earth bones: It is these we are ordered to throw behind our backs.
(395) Though Pyrrha was moved by Deucalion’s interpretation, she is still doubtful: In truth, they both lack confidence in the oracle: but what is the harm in trying? They depart the temple: and they veil their heads and unfasten their tunics and throw the stones behind them as ordered. (400) The stones began to lose their hardness and their rigidity and began to soften with time, and as they were softened, began to take on form (Who would believe this if not for old age as a witness?). Soon when they came into being and acquired a gentler nature, and though the exact figure cannot be seen, just as a recently begun marble statue most resembles a crude figure and cannot be made out fully.
Yet the earthly part was wet with moisture turned into flesh; what was solid earth and immutable is being changed into bone, the veins remained veins, and at once by the will of the gods the stones thrown by the hands of man acquired the shapes of men, and the feminine form was revived by the throws of the woman. Thence we are a durable race, the enduring of our labor gives evidence that this origin is where we were born (415). The earth brought forth the rest of the animals to different forms by her own accord. After the moisture was dried by the heat of the sun, both the mud and the wetlands swelled with heat, and the fertile seeds of the growing things were raised by the soil and swelled just as in the womb of a mother we take hold of a certain shape by remaining (420).
So when the seven-mouthed flowing Nile deserts the drenched fields and her rivers return into the former basin and the fresh mud is warmed by divine sunlight, many farmers find living things in the turned soil (425) and in these they see some just completed, some just after the moment of birth, some just began and some lacking their parts; and often in the same flesh one part is alive, the other is raw earth.
(430) Of course, when moisture and heat attain with the proper mixture- they fertilize, and from these two all is born; And while fire and water clash, heat and vapor create all things, this inharmonious union is fit for creation. So when after the recent flood the earth is muddy, she is warmed by heavenly heat and fiery heat (435); she spreads countless species; partly she revived ancient figures, and some are new and monstrous.
(395) Though Pyrrha was moved by Deucalion’s interpretation, she is still doubtful: In truth, they both lack confidence in the oracle: but what is the harm in trying? They depart the temple: and they veil their heads and unfasten their tunics and throw the stones behind them as ordered. (400) The stones began to lose their hardness and their rigidity and began to soften with time, and as they were softened, began to take on form (Who would believe this if not for old age as a witness?). Soon when they came into being and acquired a gentler nature, and though the exact figure cannot be seen, just as a recently begun marble statue most resembles a crude figure and cannot be made out fully.
Yet the earthly part was wet with moisture turned into flesh; what was solid earth and immutable is being changed into bone, the veins remained veins, and at once by the will of the gods the stones thrown by the hands of man acquired the shapes of men, and the feminine form was revived by the throws of the woman. Thence we are a durable race, the enduring of our labor gives evidence that this origin is where we were born (415). The earth brought forth the rest of the animals to different forms by her own accord. After the moisture was dried by the heat of the sun, both the mud and the wetlands swelled with heat, and the fertile seeds of the growing things were raised by the soil and swelled just as in the womb of a mother we take hold of a certain shape by remaining (420).
So when the seven-mouthed flowing Nile deserts the drenched fields and her rivers return into the former basin and the fresh mud is warmed by divine sunlight, many farmers find living things in the turned soil (425) and in these they see some just completed, some just after the moment of birth, some just began and some lacking their parts; and often in the same flesh one part is alive, the other is raw earth.
(430) Of course, when moisture and heat attain with the proper mixture- they fertilize, and from these two all is born; And while fire and water clash, heat and vapor create all things, this inharmonious union is fit for creation. So when after the recent flood the earth is muddy, she is warmed by heavenly heat and fiery heat (435); she spreads countless species; partly she revived ancient figures, and some are new and monstrous.