Est dea, quse vacuo sublimis in aëre pendens It nimbo succincta latus, sed candida pallam, Sed radiata comam, ac stridentibus insonat alis. Haec spes immodicas premit, haec infesta superbis Imminet, huic celsas hominum contundere mentes Incessusque datum et nimios turbare paratus. Quam veteres Nemesin genitam de nocte silenti Oceano discere patri. Stant sidera fronti. Frena manu pateramque gerit, semperque verendum Ridet et insanis obstat contraria coeptis. Improba vota domans ac summis ima revolvens Miscet et alterna nostros vice temperat actus. Atque hue atque illuc ventorum turbine fertur. There is a goddess, who, aloft in the empty air, advances girdled about with a cloud, but with a shining white cloak and a glory in her hair, and makes a rushing with her wings. She it is who crushes extravagant hopes, who threatens the proud, to whom is given to beat down the haughty spirit and the haughty step, and to confound over-great possessions. Her the men of old called Nemesis, born to Ocean from the womb of silent Night. Stars stand upon her forehead. In her hand she bears bridles and a chalice, and smiles for ever with an awful smile, and stands resisting mad designs. Turning to nought the prayers of the wicked and setting the low above the high she puts one in the other's place and rules the scenes of life with alternation. And she is borne hither and thither on the wings of the whirlwind. If this suggestion is a good one it shows us that Dürer was no more consistently literal than he was realistic. The most striking features of his illustration are just those to which his text offers no counterpart, i.e., the nudity and physical maturity of his goddess. Neither has he girdled her about with cloud nor stood stars upon her forehead. I must confess that I find it hard to believe that there was any close connection present to his mind between his engraving and these verses.