Thus she upbraids them all. But they, obedient to the Father’s word, keep silence or say they know nothing, and make tears their answer to the mother’s questionings. What can she do? She ceases, beaten, and in turn descends to humble entreaty. “If a mother’s love swelled too high or if I have done aught more boldly than befitted misery, oh forgive! A suppliant and wretched I fling me at your feet; grant me to learn my doom; grant me at least this much--sure knowledge of my woes. Fain would I know the manner of this ill; whatsoever fortune ye have visited upon me that will I bear and account it fate, not injustice. Grant a parent the sight of her child; I ask her not back. Whosoever thou art, possess in peace what thine hand has taken. The prey is thine, fear not. But if the ravisher has thwarted me, binding you by some oath, yet do thou, at least, Latona, tell me his name; to thee mayhap Diana hath confessed her knowledge. Thou hast known childbirth, the anxiety * * * * * Page 368 pro genitis et quantus amor, partusque tulisti tu geminos: haec una mihi. sic crine fruaris semper Apollineo, sic me felicior aevum 310 mater agas.” Largis tunc imbribus ora madescunt. “quid? tantum dignum fleri dignumque taceri? hei mihi, discedunt omnes. quid vana moraris ulterius? non bella palam caelestia sentis? quin potius natam pelago terrisque requiris? 315 accingar lustrare diem, per devia rerum indefessa ferar. nulla cessabitur hora, non requies, non somnus erit, dum pignus ademptum inveniam, gremio quamvis mergatur Hiberae Tethyos et Rubro iaceat vallata profundo. 320 non Rheni glacies, non me Riphaea tenebunt frigora; non dubio Syrtis cunctabitur aestu. stat finem penetrare Noti Boreaeque nivalem vestigare domum; primo calcabitur Atlas occasu facibusque meis lucebit Hydaspes. 325 impius errantem videat per rura, per urbes Iuppiter; extincta satietur paelice Iuno. insultate mihi, caelo regnate superbi, ducite praeclarum Cereris de stirpe triumphum!” Haec fatur notaeque iugis inlabitur Aetnae 330 noctivago taedas informatura labori. Lucus erat prope flumen Acin, quod candida praefert saepe mari pulchroque secat Galatea natatu, densus et innexis Aetnaea cacumina ramis qua licet usque tegens. illic posuisse cruentam 335 * * * * * Page 369 and love for children; to offspring twain hast thou given birth; this was mine only child. So mayest thou ever enjoy Apollo’s locks, so mayest thou live a happier mother than I.”