But beyond her fellows she, the one hope of the corn-bearing goddess, burned with a fierce desire to gather flowers. Now she fills with the spoil of the fields her laughing baskets, osier-woven; now she twines a wreath of flowers and crowns herself therewith, little seeing in this a foreshadowing of the marriage fate holds in store for her. E’en Pallas herself, goddess of the trumpets and of the weapons of war, devotes to gentler pursuits the hand wherewith she o’erwhelms the host of battle and throws down stout gates and city walls. She lays aside her spear and wreaths her helmet with soft flowers--strange aureole! The iron peak is gay, o’ershadowed the fierce martial glint, and the plumes, erstwhile levin bolts, now nod with blossoms. Nor does Diana, who scours Mount Parthenius with her keen-scented hounds, disdain this company but would fain bind her free-flowing tresses with a flowery crown. But while the maidens so disport themselves, wandering through the fields, a sudden roar is heard, towers crash and towns, shaken to their foundations, totter and fall. None knows whence comes the tumult; Paphus’ goddess alone recognized the sound that set her companions in amaze, and fear mixed with joy fills her heart. For now the king of souls was pricking his way through the dim labyrinth of the underworld and crushing Enceladus, groaning * * * * * Page 330 Enceladum calcabat equis: inmania findunt membra rotae pressaque Gigas cervice laborat Sicaniam cum Dite ferens temptatque moveri 160 debilis et fessis serpentibus impedit axem: fumida sulphureo praelabitur orbita dorso. ac velut occultus securum pergit in hostem miles et effossi subter fundamina campi transilit inclusos arcano limite muros 165 turbaque deceptas victrix erumpit in arces terrigenas imitata viros: sic tertius heres Saturni latebrosa vagis rimatur habenis devia, fraternum cupiens exire sub orbem. ianua nulla patet; prohibebant undique rupes 170 oppositae duraque deum compage tenebant: non tulit ille moras indignatusque trabali saxa ferit sceptro. Siculae sonuere cavernae; turbatur Lipare; stupuit fornace relicta Mulciber et trepidus deiecit fulmina Cyclops. 175 audiit et si quem glacies Alpina coërcet et qui te, Latiis nondum praecincte tropaeis Thybri, natat missamque Pado qui remigat alnum. Sic, cum Thessaliam scopulis inclusa teneret Peneo stagnante palus et mersa negaret 180 arva coli, trifida Neptunus cuspide montes impulit adversos: tunc forti saucius ictu dissiluit gelido vertex Ossaeus Olympo; carceribus laxantur aquae factoque meatu redduntur fluviusque mari tellusque colonis. 185 * * * * *