virginitatis honos? tantum mutata voluntas? 280 iam Veneri iunctae, sociis raptoribus, itis? o templis Scythiae atque hominem sitientibus aris utraque digna coli! tanti quae causa furoris? quam mea vel tenui dicto Proserpina laesit? scilicet aut caris pepulit te, Delia, silvis 285 aut tibi commissas rapuit, Tritonia, pugnas. an gravis eloquio? vestros an forte petebat importuna choros? atqui Trinacria longe, esset ne vobis oneri, deserta colebat. quid latuisse iuvat? rabiem livoris acerbi 290 nulla potest placare quies.” His increpat omnes vocibus. ast illae (prohibet sententia patris) aut reticent aut nosse negant responsaque matri dant lacrimas. quid agat? rursus se victa remittit inque humiles devecta preces: “Ignoscite, si quid 295 intumuit pietas, si quid flagrantius actum quam miseros decuit. supplex miserandaque vestris advolvor genibus: liceat cognoscere sortem: hoc tantum liceat--certos habuisse dolores. scire peto, quae forma mali; quamcumque dedistis 300 fortunam, sit nota: feram fatumque putabo, non scelus. adspectum, precor, indulgete parenti; non repetam. quaesita manu securus habeto quisquis es; adfirmo praedam; desiste vereri. quodsi nos aliquo praevenit foedere raptor, 305 tu certe, Latona, refer; confessa Diana forte tibi. nosti quid sit Lucina, quis horror * * * * * Page 367 Have ye so changed your counsel? Do ye now go allied with Venus and her accomplice ravishers? Worthy each of you to be worshipped in Scythian temples and at altars that lust after human blood. What hath caused such great anger? Which of you has my Proserpine wronged even in her slightest word? Doubtless she drove thee, Delian goddess, from thy loved woods, or deprived thee, Triton-born, of some battle thou hadst joined. Did she plague you with talk? Break rudely upon your dances? Nay, that she might be no burden to you, she dwelt far away in the solitudes of Sicily. What good hath her retirement done her? No peace can still the madness of bitter jealousy.”