He sang the stings of a step-dame’s ire[122] and the deeds of Hercules, the monsters overcome by his strong right arm; how while yet a child he had shown the strangled snakes to his terrified mother, and had laughed, fearlessly scorning such dangers. “Thee nor the bull that shook with his bellowing the cities of Crete alarmed, nor the savagery of the hound of Hell; thee not the lion, soon to become a constellation in the heavens, nor the wild boar that brought renown to Erymanthus’ height. Thou hast stripped the Amazons of their girdles, shot with thy bow the birds of Stymphalus, and driven home the cattle of the western clime. Thou hast o’erthrown the many limbs of the triple-headed monster and returned thrice victorious from a single foe. Vain the falls of Antaeus, vain the sprouting of the Hydra’s new heads. Its winged feet availed not to save Diana’s deer from thy hand. Cacus’ flames were quenched and Nile ran rich with Busiris’ blood. Pholoë’s slopes reeked with the slaughter of the [122] Juno is called the stepmother of Hercules. * * * * * Page 318 te Libyci stupuere sinus, te maxima Tethys 45 horruit, imposito cum premerere polo: firmior Herculea mundus cervice pependit; lustrarunt umeros Phoebus et astra tuos.” Thracius haec vates. sed tu Tirynthius alter, Florentine, mihi: tu mea plectra moves 50 antraque Musarum longo torpentia somno excutis et placidos ducis in orbe choros. LIBER SECUNDUS (XXXV.) Impulit Ionios praemisso lumine fluctus nondum pura dies; tremulis vibratur in undis ardor et errantes ludunt per caerula flammae. iamque audax animi fidaeque oblita parentis fraude Dionaea riguos Proserpina saltus 5 (sic Parcae iussere) petit. ter cardine verso praesagum cecinere fores; ter conscia fati flebile terrificis gemuit mugitibus Aetna, nullis illa tamen monstris nulloque tenetur prodigio. comites gressum iunxere sorores. 10 Prima dolo gaudens et tanto concita voto it Venus et raptus metitur corde futuros, iam dirum flexura chaos, iam Dite subacto ingenti famulos Manes ductura triumpho. * * * * * Page 319 cloud-born Centaurs. Thee the curving shore of Libya held in awe; thee the mighty Ocean gazed at in amaze when thou laidst the world’s bulk on thy back; on the neck of Hercules the heaven was poised more surely; the sun and stars coursed over thy shoulders.” So sang the Thracian bard. But thou, Florentinus,[123] art a second Hercules to me. ’Tis thou causest my quill to stir, ’tis thou disturbest the Muses’ cavern long plunged in sleep and leadest their gentle bands in the dance. BOOK II (XXXV.)