"Quondam funera conjugis Vates Threicius gemens, Postquam flebilibus modis Silvas currere, mobiles Amnes stare coegerat, Junxitque intrepidum latus Sævis cerva leonibus, Nec visum timuit lepus Jam cantu placidum canem; Cum flagrantior intima Fervor pectoris ureret, Nec qui cuncta subegerant Mulcerent dominum modi; Immites superos querens, Infernas adiit domos. Illic blanda sonantibus Chordis carmina temperans, Quidquid praecipuis Deæ Matris fontibus hauserat, Quod luctus dabat impotens, Quod luctum geminans amor, Deflet Tartara commovens, Et dulci veniam prece Umbrarum dominos rogat. Stupet tergeminus novo Captus carmine janitor; Quæ sontes agitant metu Ultrices scelerum Deæ Jam mœstæ lacrymis madent. Non Ixionium caput Velox præcipitat rota, Et longa site perditus Spernit flumina Tantalus. Vultur dum satur est modis Non traxit Tityi jecur. Tandem, vincimur, arbiter Umbrarum miserans ait. Donemus comitem viro, Emptam carmine conjugem. Sed lex dona coerceat, Nec, dum Tartara liquerit, Fas sit lumina flectere. Quis legem det amantibus! Major lex fit amor sibi. Heu! noctis prope terminos Orpheus Eurydicem suam Vidit, perdidit, occidit. Vos hæc fabula respicit, Quicunque in superum diem Mentem ducere quæritis. Nam qui tartareum in specus Victus lumina flexerit, Quidquid præcipuum trahit Perdit, dum videt inferos." --_Book III. Metre 12._ The English translation follows: "It happened formerly that there was a harper in the country called Thrace, which was in Greece. The harper was inconceivably good. His name was Orpheus. He had a very excellent wife, called Eurydice. Then began men to say concerning the harper, that he could harp so that the wood moved, and the stones stirred themselves at the sound, and wild beasts would run thereto, and stand as if they were tame; so still, that though men or hounds pursued them, they shunned them not. Then said they, that the harper's wife should die, and her soul should be led to hell. Then should the harper become so sorrowful that he could not remain among the men, but frequented the wood, and sat on the mountains, both day and night, weeping and harping, so that the woods shook, and the rivers stood still, and no hart shunned any lion, nor hare any hound; nor did cattle know any hatred, or any fear of others, for the pleasure of the sound. Then it seemed to the harper that nothing in this world pleased him. Then thought he that he would seek the gods of hell, and endeavor to allure them with his harp, and pray that they would give him back his wife. When he came thither, then should there come towards him the dog of hell, whose name was Cerberus--he should have three heads—and began to wag his tail, and play with him for his harping. Then was there also a very horrible gatekeeper, whose name should be Charon. He had also three heads, and he was very old. Then began the harper to beseech him that he would protect him while he was there, and bring him thence again safe.