The poem, entitled the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, bears some slight resemblance to an heroic poem. Its subject is heroic, for it imbodies a legend of the heroic age. The characters of mythology play a part in it, similar to that which they support in the poems of Homer or Virgil. But it is unconnected and deficient in unity; and the plan is far too extensive for the dimensions by which it is circumscribed. Nevertheless, with all these faults, it is pleasing on account of the luxuriance of its fancy and the brilliancy of its genius. The most beautiful passage, perhaps, is the episode relating the story of Theseus and Ariadne, which is introduced into the main body of the poem as being woven and embroidered on the hangings of the palace of Holeus. The following verses are taken from this episode,[509] and form part of the complaint of Ariadne for the perfidious desertion of Theseus:— Siccine discedens, neglecto numine Divûm, Immemor ah! devota domum perjuria portas? Nullane res potuit crudelis flectere mentis Consilium? tibi nulla fuit clementia præsto, Immite ut nostri vellet mitescere pectus? At non hæc quondam nobis promissa dedisti Voce; mihi non hoc miseræ sperare jubebas; Sed connubia læta, sed optatos hymenæos; Quæ cuncta aërii discerpunt irrita venti. Jam jam nulla viro juranti fœmina credat, Nulla viri speret sermones esse fideles; Qui, dum aliquid cupiens animus prægestit apisci, Nil metuunt jurare, nihil promittere parcunt; Sed simul ac cupidæ mentis satiata libido est, Dicta nihil metuere, nihil perjuria curant. Certe ego te in medio versantem turbine leti Eripui, et potius germanum amittere crevi, Quam tibi fallaci supremo in tempore deessem. Pro quo dilaceranda feris dabor, alitibusque Præda, neque injecta tumulabor mortua terra. Quænam te genuit sola sub rupe leæna? Quod mare conceptum spumantibus exspuit undis? Quæ Syrtis, quæ Scylla vorax, quæ vasta Charybdis, Talia qui reddis pro dulci præmia vitæ? Si tibi non cordi fuerant connubia nostra, Sæva quod horrebas prisci præcepta parentis; Attamen in vestras potuisti ducere sedes, Quæ tibi jucundo famularer serva labore, Candida permulcens liquidis vestigia lymphis, Purpureave tuum consternens veste cubile. Sed quid ego ignaris nequicquam conqueror auris, Externata malo? quæ nullis sensibus auctæ Nec missas audire queunt, nec reddere voces.—132–161.