Thus she answered: “Cruel mother, forgetful of thy daughter’s fate, more hard of heart than the tawny lioness! Could’st thou be so heedless of me? Didst thou hold me cheap for that I am thy sole daughter? Dear indeed to thee must be the name of Proserpine who now, shut in this vast cavern, as thou seest, am plagued with torment! Hast thou heart to dance, cruel mother? Canst thou revel through the cities of Phrygia? If thou hast not banished the mother from thy breast, if thou, Ceres, art really my mother and ’twas no Hyrcanian tiger gave me birth, save me, I pray thee, from this prison and restore me to the upper world. If the fates forbid my return come thou down at least and visit me.” So spake she and strove to hold out her trembling hands. The iron’s ruthless strength forbade it, and the clangour of the chains awoke her sleeping mother. Ceres lay stiff with terror at the vision, rejoices that it was not true, but grieves that she cannot embrace her daughter. Maddened with fear she rushes out of the cavern and thus addresses Cybele: “No longer now will I tarry in the land of Phrygia, holy mother; the duty of protecting my dear daughter calls me back after so long an absence, for she is of an age that is exposed to many dangers. I put not * * * * * Page 354 nec mihi Cyclopum quamvis extructa caminis culmina fida satis. timeo ne fama latebras prodiderit leviusque meum Trinacria celet depositum. terret nimium vulgata locorum 120 nobilitas. aliis sedes obscurior oris exquirenda mihi; gemitu flammisque propinquis Enceladi nequeunt umbracula nostra taceri. somnia quin etiam variis infausta figuris saepe monent, nullusque dies non triste minatur 125 augurium. quotiens flaventia serta comarum sponte cadunt! quotiens exundat ab ubere sanguis! larga vel invito prorumpunt flumina vultu iniussaeque manus mirantia pectora tundunt. si buxus inflare velim, ferale gemiscunt; 130 tympana si quatiam, planctus mihi tympana reddunt. ah vereor, ne quid portendant omina veri! hae longae nocuere morae!” “Procul inrita venti dicta ferant” subicit Cybele; “nec tanta Tonanti segnities, ut non pro pignore fulmina mittat. 135 i tamen et nullo turbata revertere casu.” Haec ubi, digreditur templis. sed nulla ruenti mobilitas: tardos queritur non ire dracones inmeritasque movens alterno verbere pennas Sicaniam quaerit, cum necdum absconderit Idam. 140 cuncta pavet speratque nihil. sic aestuat ales, quae teneros humili fetus commiserit orno adlatura cibos, et plurima cogitat absens: ne gracilem ventus decusserit arbore nidum, ne furtum pateant homini, ne praeda colubris. 145 * * * * *