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Eacus addressed his prayer to Jupiter, who hearkened to him, and then, out of ants there grew men, who made an industrious, vigorous population, and received from Eacus the name of Myrmidons. All this befell while Minos, king of Crete, was preparing for war against Athens, in order to take vengeance for the murder of his son Androgeos. He obtained assistance from many of the neighbouring islands, and amongst them his ambassadors came to Egina, to request its aid against Athens. Eacus, however, rejected them on account of his intimate alliance with Athens. Scarcely had they withdrawn, when ambassadors came from Athens also, who claimed the aid of Eacus against Minos. At their head was Cephălus, who delivered to King Æacus the message of the Athenians. (Herewith begins the tale, v. 1.) Cephălus was by origin from Phocis, but had taken to wife the daughter of the Athenian king, Erechtheus, and was dwelling in Attica. His request for auxiliaries was favorably received by Eacus, who admitted to him that he at present possessed such forces, that he could make no excuse for refusing the request (inexcusabile tempus, v. 10). Cephalus, who, from the friendly connexion between Athens and gīna, had previously been often in the island, had now met many young men who were unknown to him, and missed others whom he had seen there formerly, before the pestilence; he accordingly expressed his surprise at this circumstance to acus, who related to him the ravages of the pestilence, and the already mentioned origin of the Myrmidons.

The name of this race of people probably gave occasion to the fable, for in Greek (viz. Doric) μvoμndwv is the word for an ant and an ant-hill.—Whence nec origine nomina fraudo, v. 153.

Cecropidum Cephalus peragit mandata, rogatque Auxilium, fœdusque refert et jura parentum, Imperiumque peti totius Achaïdos addit. Sic ubi mandatum juvit facundia causam ; 5 Eacus in capulo sceptri nitente sinistra

505

"Ne petite auxilium, sed sumite," dixit, "Athenæ, Nec dubie vires, quas hæc habet insula, vestras Ducite; et omnis eat rerum status iste mearum! Robora non desunt: superat mihi miles et hosti. 510 10 Gratia dîs, felix et inexcusabile tempus!"

"Immo ita sit!" Cephalus, "Crescat tua civibus opto Urbs;" ait, "Adveniens equidem modo gaudia cepi, Cum tam pulchra mihi, tam par ætate juventus, Obvia processit. Multos tamen inde requiro, 15 Quos quondam vidi vestra prius urbe receptus." Eacus ingemuit, tristique ita voce locutus:

66

Flebile principium melior fortuna sequuta est.

515

Hanc utinam possem vobis memorare sine illo ! Ordine nunc repetam; neu longa ambage morer vos, 20 Ossa cinisque jacent, memori quos mente requiris. 521 Et quota pars illi rerum periere mearum ! Dira lues ira populis Junonis iniquæ Incidit, exosæ dictas a pellice terras.

Dum visum mortale malum, tantæque latebat

525

535

25 Caussa nocens cladis, pugnatum est arte medendi ;-
Exitium superabat opes, victæque jacebant.
Principio cœlum spissa caligine terras
Pressit, et ignavos inclusit nubibus æstus,
Dumque quater junctis implevit cornibus orbem 530
30 Luna, quater plenum tenuata retexuit orbem,
Letiferis calidi spirarunt flatibus Austri.
Constat, et in fontes vitium venisse lacusque,
Milliaque incultos serpentum multa per agros
Errasse, atque suis fluvios temerasse venenis.
35 Strage canum primo volucrumque oviumque boumque
Inque feris subiti deprensa potentia morbi.
Concidere infelix validos miratur arator
Inter opus tauros, medioque recumbere sulco;
Lanigeris gregibus, balatus dantibus ægros,
40 Sponte sua lanæque cadunt et corpora tabent;
Acer equus quondam, magnæque in pulvere famæ,
Degenerat palmas, veterumque oblitus honorum
Ad præsepe gemit, leto moriturus inerti;
Non aper irasci meminit, non fidere cursu
45 Cerva, nec armentis incurrere fortibus ursi:

Omnia languor habet, silvisque agrisque viisque
Corpora fœda jacent, vitiantur odoribus auræ.
Mira loquor: non illa canes avidæque volucres,
Non cani tetigere lupi: dilapsa liquescunt,
50 Afflatuque nocent, et agunt contagia late.

Pervenit ad miseros damno graviore colonos
Pestis, et in magnæ dominatur manibus urbis.
Viscera torrentur primo flammisque fatiscunt:
Indicium rubor est et ductus anhelitus ægre.
55 Aspera lingua tumet, tepidisque arentia venis
Ora patent, auræque graves captantur hiatu.
Non stratum, non ulla pati velamina possunt,
Dura sed in terra ponunt præcordia; nec fit

540

545

550

555

N

Corpus homo gelidum, sed humus de corpore fervet. 60 Nec moderator adest, inque ipsos sæva medentes 561 Erumpit clades, obsuntque auctoribus artes.

Quo propior quisque est servitque fidelius ægro,
In partem leti citius venit. Utque salutis

565

Spes abiit, finemque vident in funere morbi; 65 Indulgent animis, et nulla, quid utile, cura est— Utile enim nihil est :-passim positoque pudore Fontibus et fluviis puteisque capacibus hærent, Nec prius est exstincta sitis, quam vita, bibendo. Inde graves multi nequeunt consurgere, et ipsis 570 70 Immoriuntur aquis; aliquis tamen haurit et illas. Tantaque sunt miseris invisi tædia lecti:

Prosiliunt, aut, si prohibent consistere vires,

580

Corpora devolvunt in humum, fugiuntque Penates
Quisque suos: sua cuique domus funesta videtur, 575
75 Et, quia causa latet, locus est in crimine. Notis
Semanimes errare viis, dum stare valebant,
Adspiceres, flentes alios terraque jacentes
Lassaque versantes supremo lumina motu;
Membraque pendentis tendunt ad sidera cœli,
80 Hic illic, ubi mors deprenderat, exhalantes.
Quid mihi tunc animi fuit? an, quod debuit esse,
Ut vitam odissem, et cuperem pars esse meorum ?
Quo se cumque acies oculorum flexerat, illic
Vulgus erat stratum, veluti cum putria motis
85 Poma cadunt ramis, agitataque ilice glandes.
Templa vides contra, gradibus sublimia longis:
Jupiter illa tenet. Quis non altaribus illis
Irrita tura dedit? Quoties, pro conjuge conjux,
Pro gnato genitor dum verba precantia dicit,
90 Non exoratis animam finivit in aris,

Inque manu turis pars inconsumta reperta est!
Admoti quoties templis, dum vota sacerdos
Concipit, et fundit purum inter cornua vinum,
Haud exspectato ceciderunt vulnere tauri!
95 Ipse ego sacra Jovi pro me patriaque tribusque
Cum facerem natis; mugitus victima diros
Edidit, et subito collapsa sine ictibus ullis
Exiguo tinxit subjectos sanguine cultros.

585

590

595

Fibra quoque ægra notas veri monitusque deorum 600

100 Perdiderat : tristes penetrant ad viscera morbi. Ante sacros vidi projecta cadavera postes, Ante ipsas, quo mors foret invidiosior, aras. Pars animam laqueo claudunt, mortisque timorem Morte fugant, ultroque vocant venientia fata. 105 Corpora missa neci nullis de more feruntur

605

Funeribus: neque enim capiebant funera portæ ; Aut inhumata premunt terras, aut dantur in altos Indotata rogos. Et jam reverentia nulla est, Deque rogis pugnant alienisque ignibus ardent. 610 110 Qui lacriment, desunt, indefletæque vagantur Natorumque virûmque animæ juvenumque senumque;

Nec locus in tumulos nec sufficit arbor in ignes.
Attonitus tanto miserarum turbine rerum

"Jupiter, o," dixi, "si te non falsa loquuntur 615 115 Dicta sub amplexus Æginæ Asopidos isse,

Nec te, magne pater, nostri pudet esse parentem ; Aut mihi redde meos, aut me quoque conde sepulcro !"

Ille notam fulgore dedit tonitruque secundo.

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Accipio, sintque ista precor felicia mentis

620

120 Signa tuæ!" dixi: " quod das mihi, pigneror omen.' Forte fuit juxta patulis rarissima ramis Sacra Jovi quercus de semine Dodonæo : Hic nos frugilegas adspeximus agmine longo Grande onus exiguo formicas ore gerentes, 125 Rugosoque suum servantes cortice callem.

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625

Dum numerum miror, "Totidem, pater optime," dixi,

"Tu mihi da cives, et inania moenia supple!" Intremuit, ramisque sonum sine flamine motis Alta dedit quercus. Pavido mihi membra timore 630 130 Horruerant, stabantque comæ ; tamen oscula terræ Roboribusque dedi: nec me sperare fatebar; Sperabam tamen, atque animo mea vota fovebam. Nox subit, et curis exercita corpora somnus Occupat: ante oculos eadem mihi quercus adesse 635 135 Et rami totidem, totidemque animalia ramis Ferre suis visa est, pariterque tremiscere motu, Graniferumque agmen subjectis spargere in arvis,

640

Crescere quod subito et majus majusque videri, Ac se tollere humo rectoque assistere trunco, 140 Et maciem numerumque pedum nigrumque colorem Ponere, et humanam membris inducere formam. Somnus abit: damno vigilans mea visa, querorque

In Superis opis esse nihil. At in ædibus ingens Murmur erat, vocesque hominum exaudire videbar 645 145 Jam mihi desuetas. Dum suspicor has quoque somni, Ecce venit Telamon properus, foribusque reclusis, "Speque fideque, pater," dixit, "majora videbis. Egredere!"-" Egredior, qualesque in imagine

somni

650

Visus eram vidisse viros, ex ordine tales 150 Adspicio noscoque. Adeunt regemque salutant. Vota Jovi solvo, populisque recentibus urbem Partior et vacuos priscis cultoribus agros, Myrmidonasque voco, nec origine nomina fraudo. Corpora vidisti; mores, quos ante gerebant,

655

155 Nunc quoque habent: parcum genus est patiensque laborum

Quæsitique tenax, et quod quæsita reservet.

Hi te ad bella, pares annis animisque, sequentur,
Cum primum, qui te feliciter attulit, Eurus
Eurus enim attulerat―" fuerit mutatus in Austros."

XXXII. CEPHALUS AND PROCRIS.

(VII. 666-865.)

When Cephalus came from Athens to the island of Ægina, to request from King Excus assistance against Minos (s. Introd. XXXI.) Eăcus gave him a friendly reception. On the morning of the second day, Cephalus with his companions (Pallante creati, v. 1) came to the apartments of Eăcus, who was yet asleep (regem sopor habebat, v. 2). On this occasion Phocus, the son of Æăcus, conversed with the strangers, and questioned Cephalus about the beautiful javelin which he had in his hands. Cephalus was the consort of Procris, daughter of Erechtheus, who, after Pandion, was king of Athens. The fate of Orithyia, the beautiful sister of Procris, has already been told (s. Introd. XXIX.). In answer to Phocus, Cephalus now relates, from whom he had obtained the

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