And now its own evening-star had shone upon the underworld. The maiden is led into the bridal chamber. Night, clad in starry raiment, stands by her as her brideswoman; she touches the couch and blesses the union of marriage with a bond that cannot be broken. The blessed shades raise their voices and beneath the palace roof of Dis thus begin their song with sleepless acclaim: “Proserpine, queen of our realm, and thou, Pluto, at once the brother and the son-in-law of Jove, the Thunderer, be it yours to know the alliance of conjoined sleep; pledge mutual troth as ye hold each other in intertwining arms. Happy offspring shall be yours; joyous Nature awaits gods yet to be born. Give the world a new divinity and Ceres the grandchildren she longs for.” BOOK III (XXXVI.) Meanwhile Jove bids cloud-girt Iris go gather the gods from the whole universe. She, outstripping the breezes in her rainbow flight, calls to the sea-deities, chides the Nymphs for their delay, and summons forth the river-gods from their moist * * * * * Page 346 ancipites trepidique ruunt, quae causa quietos excierit, tanto quae res agitanda tumultu. ut patuit stellata domus, considere iussi, nec confusus honor: caelestibus ordine sedes prima datur; tractum proceres tenuere secundum 10 aequorei, placidus Nereus reverendaque Phorci canities; Glaucum series extrema biformem accipit et certo mansurum Protea vultu. nec non et senibus Fluviis concessa sedendi gloria; plebeio stat cetera more iuventus, 15 mille Amnes. liquidis incumbunt patribus udae Naides et taciti mirantur sidera Fauni. Tum gravis ex alto genitor sic orsus Olympo: “abduxere meas iterum mortalia curas iam pridem neglecta mihi, Saturnia postquam 20 otia et ignavi senium cognovimus aevi; sopitosque diu populos torpore paterno sollicitae placuit stimulis impellere vitae, incultis ne sponte seges grandesceret arvis, undaret neu silva favis, neu vina tumerent 25 fontibus et totae fremerent in pocula ripae (haud equidem invideo--neque enim livescere fas est vel nocuisse deos--sed, quod dissuasor honesti luxus et humanas oblimat copia mentes), provocet ut segnes animos rerumque remotas 30 ingeniosa vias paulatim exploret egestas utque artes pariat sollertia, nutriat usus. “Nunc mihi cum magnis instat Natura querellis * * * * * Page 347