Earth-circling Pow'r; came Hermes friend of man, And, regent of the far-commanding bow, 400 Apollo also came; but chaste reserve Bashful kept all the Goddesses at home. The Gods, by whose beneficence all live, Stood in the portal; infinite arose The laugh of heav'n, all looking down intent On that shrewd project of the smith divine, And, turning to each other, thus they said. Bad works speed ill. The slow o'ertakes the swift. So Vulcan, tardy as he is, by craft Hath outstript Mars, although the fleetest far 410 Of all who dwell in heav'n, and the light-heel'd Must pay the adult'rer's forfeit to the lame. So spake the Pow'rs immortal; then the King Of radiant shafts thus question'd Mercury. Jove's son, heaven's herald, Hermes, bounteous God! Would'st _thou_ such stricture close of bands endure For golden Venus lying at thy side? Whom answer'd thus the messenger of heav'n Archer divine! yea, and with all my heart; And be the bands which wind us round about 420 Thrice these innumerable, and let all The Gods and Goddesses in heav'n look on, So I may clasp Vulcan's fair spouse the while. He spake; then laugh'd the Immortal Pow'rs again. But not so Neptune; he with earnest suit The glorious artist urged to the release Of Mars, and thus in accents wing'd he said. Loose him; accept my promise; he shall pay Full recompense in presence of us all. Then thus the limping smith far-famed replied. 430 Earth-circler Neptune, spare me that request. Lame suitor, lame security.[31] What bands Could I devise for thee among the Gods, Should Mars, emancipated once, escape, Leaving both debt and durance, far behind? Him answer'd then the Shaker of the shores. I tell thee, Vulcan, that if Mars by flight Shun payment, I will pay, myself, the fine. To whom the glorious artist of the skies. Thou must not, canst not, shalt not be refused. 440 So saying, the might of Vulcan loos'd the snare, And they, detain'd by those coercive bands No longer, from the couch upstarting, flew, Mars into Thrace, and to her Paphian home The Queen of smiles, where deep in myrtle groves Her incense-breathing altar stands embow'r'd. Her there, the Graces laved, and oils diffused O'er all her form, ambrosial, such as add Fresh beauty to the Gods for ever young, And cloath'd her in the loveliest robes of heav'n. 450 Such was the theme of the illustrious bard. Ulysses with delight that song, and all The maritime Phæacian concourse heard. Alcinoüs, then, (for in the dance they pass'd All others) call'd his sons to dance alone, Halius and Laodamas; they gave The purple ball into their hands, the work