“To raise our standards against the gods, my sisters, is neither right nor, methinks, possible; but hurt the world we may, if such our wish, and bring an universal destruction upon its inhabitants. I have a monster more savage than the hydra brood, swifter than the mother tigress, fiercer than the south wind’s blast, more treacherous than Euripus’ yellow flood--Rufinus. I was the first to gather him, a new-born babe, to my bosom. Often did the child nestle in mine embrace and seek my breast, his arms thrown about my neck in a flood of infant tears. My snakes shaped his soft limbs licking them with their three-forked tongues. I taught him guile whereby he learnt the arts of injury and deceit, how to conceal the intended menace and cover his treachery with a smile, full-filled with savagery and hot with lust of gain. Him nor the sands of rich Tagus’ flood by Tartessus’ town could satisfy nor the golden waters of ruddy Pactolus; should he drink all Hermus’ stream he would parch with the greedier thirst. How skilled to deceive and wreck friendships with hate! Had that old generation of men produced such an one as he, Theseus had fled Pirithous, Pylades deserted Orestes in wrath, Pollux hated Castor. I confess myself his inferior: his quick genius has outstripped [49] Athamas, king of Orchomenus, murdered his son Learchus in a fit of madness. * * * * * Page 34 praevenit ingenio; nec plus sermone morabor: 110 solus habet scelerum quidquid possedimus omnes. hunc ego, si vestrae res est accommoda turbae, regalem ad summi producam principis aulam. sit licet ipse Numa gravior, sit denique Minos, cedet et insidiis nostri flectetur alumni.” 115 Orantem sequitur clamor cunctaeque profanas porrexere manus inventaque tristia laudant. illa ubi caeruleo vestes conexuit angue nodavitque adamante comas, Phlegethonta sonorum poscit et ambusto flagrantis ab aggere ripae 120 ingentem piceo succendit gurgite pinum pigraque veloces per Tartara concutit alas. Est locus extremum pandit qua Gallia litus Oceani praetentus aquis, ubi fertur Ulixes sanguine libato populum movisse silentem. 125 illic umbrarum tenui stridore volantum flebilis auditur questus; simulacra coloni pallida defunctasque vident migrare figuras. hinc dea prosiluit Phoebique egressa serenos infecit radios ululatuque aethera rupit 130 terrifico: sentit ferale Britannia murmur et Senonum quatit arva fragor revolutaque Tethys substitit et Rhenus proiecta torpuit urna. tunc in canitiem mutatis sponte colubris longaevum mentita senem rugisque seueras 135 persulcata genas et ficto languida passu invadit muros Elusae, notissima dudum * * * * *