With fragrant clouds, they found Saturnian Jove The Thunderer, and in his presence stood.190 He, nought displeased that they his high command Had with such readiness obey’d, his speech To Iris, first, in accents wing’d address’d Swift Iris, haste—to royal Neptune bear My charge entire; falsify not the word.195 Bid him, relinquishing the fight, withdraw Either to heaven, or to the boundless Deep. But should he disobedient prove, and scorn My message, let him, next, consider well How he will bear, powerful as he is,200 My coming. Me I boast superior far In force, and elder-born; yet deems he slight The danger of comparison with me, Who am the terror of all heaven beside. He spake, nor storm-wing’d Iris disobey’d,205 But down from the Idæan summit stoop’d To sacred Ilium. As when snow or hail Flies drifted by the cloud-dispelling North, So swiftly, wing’d with readiness of will, She shot the gulf between, and standing soon210 At glorious Neptune’s side, him thus address’d. To thee, O Neptune azure-hair’d! I come With tidings charged from Ægis-bearing Jove. He bids thee cease from battle, and retire Either to heaven, or to the boundless Deep.215 But shouldst thou, disobedient, set at nought His words, he threatens that himself will haste To fight against thee; but he bids thee shun That strife with one superior far to thee, And elder-born; yet deem’st thou slight, he saith,220 The danger of comparison with Him, Although the terror of all heaven beside. Her then the mighty Shaker of the shores Answer’d indignant. Great as is his power, Yet he hath spoken proudly, threatening me225 With force, high-born and glorious as himself. We are three brothers; Saturn is our sire, And Rhea brought us forth; first, Jove she bore; Me next; then, Pluto, Sovereign of the shades. By distribution tripart we received230 Each his peculiar honors; me the lots Made Ruler of the hoary floods, and there I dwell for ever. Pluto, for his part, The regions took of darkness; and the heavens, The clouds, and boundless æther, fell to Jove.235 The Earth and the Olympian heights alike Are common to the three. My life and being I hold not, therefore, at his will, whose best And safest course, with all his boasted power, Were to possess in peace his proper third.240 Let him not seek to terrify with force Me like a dastard; let him rather chide His own-begotten; with big-sounding words His sons and daughters govern, who perforce Obey his voice, and shrink at his commands.245 To whom thus Iris tempest-wing’d replied, Cœrulean-tress’d Sovereign of the Deep! Shall I report to Jove, harsh as it is, Thy speech, or wilt thou soften it? The wise Are flexible, and on the elder-born250 Erynnis, with her vengeful sisters, waits.[7] Her answer’d then the Shaker of the shores. Prudent is thy advice, Iris divine! Discretion in a messenger is good At all times. But the cause that fires me thus,255 And with resentment my whole heart and mind Possesses, is the license that he claims