So exclaiming she smote with her threatening shield the horses who sought to advance and barred their way with the bulk of her targe, thrusting them back with the hissing snake-hair of Medusa’s head and o’ershadowing them with its outstretched plumes. She poised for throwing her beechen shaft whose radiance met and illumed Pluto’s black chariot. Almost had she cast it had not Jove from heaven’s height hurled his red thunderbolt on peaceful wings, acknowledging his new son; mid the riven clouds thunders the marriage-paean and attesting fires confirm the union. All unwilling the goddesses yielded, and weeping Diana laid aside her weapons and thus spake: “Fare well, a long farewell; forget us not. Reverence for our sire forbade our help, and against his will we cannot defend thee. We acknowledge defeat by a power greater than our own. The Father hath conspired against thee and betrayed thee to the realms of silence, no more, alas! to behold the sisters and companions who crave sight of thee. What fate hath reft thee from the upper air and condemned the heavens to so deep mourning? Now no more * * * * * Page 336 iam neque Partheniis innectere retia lustris nec pharetram gestare libet: securus ubique spumet aper saevique fremant impune leones. te iuga Taygeti, posito te Maenala flebunt venatu maestoque diu lugebere Cyntho. 245 Delphica quin etiam fratris delubra tacebunt.” Interea volucri fertur Proserpina curru caesariem diffusa Noto planctuque lacertos verberat et questus ad nubila tendit inanes: “Cur non torsisti manibus fabricata Cyclopum 250 in nos tela, pater? sic me crudelibus umbris tradere, sic toto placuit depellere mundo? nullane te flectit pietas nihilumque paternae mentis inest? tantas quo crimine movimus iras? non ego, cum rapido saeviret Phlegra tumultu, 255 signa deis adversa tuli; non robore nostro Ossa pruinosum vexit glacialis Olympum. quod conata nefas aut cuius conscia culpae exul ad inmanes Erebi detrudor hiatus? o fortunatas alii quascumque tulere 260 raptores! saltem communi sole fruuntur. sed mihi virginitas pariter caelumque negatur, eripitur cum luce pudor, terrisque relictis servitum Stygio ducor captiva tyranno. o male dilecti flores despectaque matris 265 consilia! o Veneris deprensae serius artes! mater, io! seu te Phrygiis in vallibus Idae Mygdonio buxus circumsonat horrida cantu, * * * * * Page 337