Then down before the aweless Maid he cast Swift lightning, thunder, and deadly thunderbolt; And her heart leapt, and gladdened was her soul. She donned the stormy Aegis flashing far, Adamantine, massy, a marvel to the Gods, Whereon was wrought Medusa's ghastly head, Fearful: strong serpents breathing forth the blast Of ravening fire were on the face thereof. Crashed on the Queen's breast all the Aegis-links, As after lightning crashes the firmament. Then grasped she her father's weapons, which no God Save Zeus can lift, and wide Olympus shook. Then swept she clouds and mist together on high; Night over earth was poured, haze o'er the sea. Zeus watched, and was right glad as broad heaven's floor Rocked 'neath the Goddess's feet, and crashed the sky, As though invincible Zeus rushed forth to war. Then sped she Iris unto Acolus, From heaven far-flying over misty seas, To bid him send forth all his buffering winds O'er iron-bound Caphereus' cliffs to sweep Ceaselessly, and with ruin of madding blasts To upheave the sea. And Iris heard, and swift She darted, through cloud-billows plunging down-- Thou hadst said: "Lo, in the sky dark water and fire!" And to Aeolia came she, isle of caves, Of echoing dungeons of mad-raging winds With rugged ribs of mountain overarched, Whereby the mansion stands of Aeolus Hippotas' son. Him found she therewithin With wife and twelve sons; and she told to him Athena's purpose toward the homeward-bound Achaeans. He denied her not, but passed Forth of his halls, and in resistless hands Upswung his trident, smiting the mountain-side Within whose chasm-cell the wild winds dwelt Tempestuously shrieking. Ever pealed Weird roarings of their voices round its vaults. Cleft by his might was the hill-side; forth they poured. He bade them on their wings bear blackest storm To upheave the sea, and shroud Caphereus' heights. Swiftly upsprang they, ere their king's command Was fully spoken. Mightily moaned the sea As they rushed o'er it; waves like mountain-cliffs From all sides were uprolled. The Achaeans' hearts Were terror-palsied, as the uptowering surge Now swung the ships up high through palling mist, Now hurled them rolled as down a precipice To dark abysses. Up through yawning deeps Some power resistless belched the boiling sand From the sea's floor. Tossed in despair, fear-dazed, Men could not grasp the oar, nor reef the sail About the yard-arm, howsoever fain, Ere the winds rent it, could not with the sheets Trim the torn canvas, buffeted so were they By ruining blasts. The helmsman had no power To guide the rudder with his practised hands, For those ill winds hurled all confusedly. No hope of life was left them: blackest night, Fury of tempest, wrath of deathless Gods, Raged round them. Still Poseidon heaved and swung The merciless sea, to work the heart's desire