205 Et silvas moveo, jubeoque tremiscere montes Et mugire solum, Manesque exire sepulcris ; Te quoque, Luna, traho, quamvis Temesæa labores 210 Vos mihi taurorum flammas hebetastis, et unco 220 215 Nunc opus est sucis, per quos renovata senectus Multa quoque Apidani placuerunt gramina ripis, 230 Nec non Peneos, nec non Spercheïdes undæ Constitit adveniens citra limenque foresque, 245 Conjicit, et patulas perfundit sanguine fossas. Tum super invergens liquidi carchesia mellis Æreaque invergens tepidi carchesia lactis, Verba simul fundit, terrenaque numina poscit, Umbrarumque rogat rapta cum conjuge regem, 250 Ne properent artus anima fraudare seniles. Quos ubi placavit precibusque et murmure longo; Jussit, et in plenos resolutum carmine somnos, 255 Hinc procul Æsoniden, procul hinc jubet ire ministros, Et monet arcanis oculos removere profanos. 265 Seminaque floresque et sucos incoquit acres ; 275 Squamea Cinyphii tenuis membrana chelydri His et mille aliis postquam sine nomine rebus Omnia confudit, summisque immiscuit ima. 285 Quod simul ac vidit, stricto Medea recludit 290 Pulsa fugit macies, abeunt pallorque situsque, 295 Liber, et, admonitus juvenes nutricibus annos Neve doli cessent: odium cum conjuge falsum Phasias assimulat, Peliæque ad limina supplex Confugit; atque illam, quoniam gravis ipse senecta, 300 Excipiunt natæ. Quas tempore callida parvo Colchis amicitiæ mendacis imagine cepit: Dumque refert inter meritorum maxima, demtos Esonis esse situs, atque hac in parte moratur ; Spes est virginibus Pelia subjecta creatis, 305 Arte suum parili revirescere posse parentem ; Idque petunt, pretiumque jubent sine fine pacisci. Illa brevi spatio silet, et dubitare videtur, Suspenditque animos ficta gravitate rogantum, Mox, ubi pollicita est, "Quo sit fiducia major 310 Muneris hujus:" ait, "qui vestras maximus ævo est Dux gregis inter oves, agnus medicamine fiet." Protinus innumeris effetus laniger annis Attrahitur, flexo circum cava tempora cornu. Cujus ut Hæmonio marcentia guttura cultro 215 Fodit, et exiguo maculavit sanguine ferrum ; Membra simul pecudis validosque venefica sucos Obstupuere satæ Pelia; promissaque postquam 325 Demserat, et quarta radiantia nocte micabant Ambierantque torum: “Quid nunc dubitatis inertes? orem, Ut repleam vacuas juvenili sanguine venas! 335 In manibus vestris vita est ætasque parentis : Si pietas ulla est, nec spes agitatis inanes; Officium præstate patri, telisque senectam Exigite, et saniem conjecto emittite ferro!" His, ut quæque pia est, hortatibus impia prima est, 340 Et, ne sit scelerata, facit scelus. Haud tamen ictus Ulla suos spectare potest, oculosque reflectunt Cæcaque dant sævis aversæ vulnera dextris. Ille cruore fluens cubito tamen allevat artus, Semilacerque toro tentat consurgere, et inter 345 Tot medius gladios pallentia brachia tendens 350 'Quid facitis, gnatæ ? quis vos in fata parentis 391 Quod nisi pennatis serpentibus isset in auras; Non exemta foret pœnæ. Fugit atque tetendit Tandem vipereis Ephyren Pirenida pennis. Sed postquam Colchis arsit nova nupta venenis, Flagrantemque domum regis mare vidit utrumque, 355 Sanguine natorum perfunditur impius ensis; Ultaque se male mater Iasonis effugit arma, Palladiasque arces ablata draconibus intrat. 396 Excipit hanc Ægeus, facto damnandus in uno; 402 Nec satis hospitium est, thalami quoque fœdera jungit. 360 Jamque aderat Theseus, proles ignara parenti, Qui virtute sua bimarem pacaverat Isthmon. Hujus in exitium miscet Medea, quod olim 405 Attulerat secum Scythicis aconiton ab oris. Et sparsit virides spumis albentibus agros. Has concresse putant, nactasque alimenta feracis Fecundique soli, vires cepisse nocendi. Quæ, quia nascuntur dura vivacia caute, 375 Agrestes aconita vocant.-Ea conjugis astu Ipse parens geus nato porrexit, ut hosti. Sumserat ignara Theseus data pocula dextra; Cum pater in capulo gladii cognovit eburno Signa sui generis, facinusque excussit ab ore. 380 Effugit illa necem nebulis per carmina motis. XXXI. THE MYRMIDONS. (VII. 502-660.) 410 415 420 When Ægeus, the father of Theseus, ruled at Athens, a son of King Minos came to Athens from Crete. He was called Androgeos, and his name seems of itself to indicate that he was an improver of agriculture. It is probable that he gave agricultural precepts and directions, which in Attica excited opposition and provoked enmity against him; at any rate the legend says, that he perished by a treacherous ambush of the Athenians. Upon his death, there followed, as is said, a general drought and desolation of the tilled lands, which spread itself over all Greece, and which Jupiter removed only at the intercession of Eacus. Eacus was a son of Jupiter, and Ægīna, daughter of Asōpus. He was born in the island of Ægīna, the earlier name of which was Enopia or Enōne, but which Æacus called Ægina in honour of his mother. Through his wisdom and justice, as well as through the intercession with Jupiter just mentioned, acus stood in high respect in all Greece. Juno hated him alone, as the son of a paramour; and so too she hated the whole island, which from that paramour had received its name Ægīna (terras a pellice dictas, v. 23). Under the influence of this feeling she sent a pestilence on the land, which destroyed the whole population of Ægina, so that the land was nearly without inhabitants. On this |