Sore wept the centaur, and to Phoebus prayed; But how could Phoebus give the centaur aid? Degraded of his power by angry Jove, In Elis then a herd of beeves he drove; And wielded in his hand a staff of oak, And o'er his shoulders threw the shepherd's cloak; On seven compacted reeds he used to play, And on his rural pipe to waste the day. As once, attentive to his pipe, he played, The crafty Hermes from the god conveyed _10 A drove, that separate from their fellows strayed. The theft an old insidious peasant viewed, (They called him Battus in the neighbourhood,) Hired by a wealthy Pylian prince to feed His favourite mares, and watch the generous breed. The thievish god suspected him, and took The hind aside, and thus in whispers spoke: 'Discover not the theft, whoe'er thou be, And take that milk-white heifer for thy fee.' 'Go, stranger,' cries the clown, 'securely on, _20 That stone shall sooner tell;' and showed a stone. The god withdrew, but straight returned again, In speech and habit like a country swain; And cries out, 'Neighbour, hast thou seen a stray Of bullocks and of heifers pass this way? In the recovery of my cattle join, A bullock and a heifer shall be thine.' The peasant quick replies, 'You'll find 'em there, In yon dark vale:' and in the vale they were. The double bribe had his false heart beguiled: _30 The god, successful in the trial, smiled; 'And dost thou thus betray myself to me? Me to myself dost thou betray?' says he: Then to a touchstone turns the faithless spy, And in his name records his infamy. THE STORY OF AGLAUROS, TRANSFORMED INTO A STATUE.