_Theseus:_ The father knew long since his son had died; But now the adulterer has met his end. Tell me, I pray, the manner of his death. _Messenger:_ When, fleeing forth, he left the city's walls, 1000 With maddened speed he hurried on his way, And quickly yoked his chargers to his car, And curbed them to his will with close-drawn reins. And then, with much wild speech, and cursing loud His native land, oft calling on his sire, 1005 He fiercely shook the reins above his steeds; When suddenly, far out the vast sea roared, And heaved itself to heaven. No wind was there To stir the sea, no quarter of the sky Broke in upon its peace; the rising waves Were by their own peculiar tempest raised. 1010 No blast so great had ever stirred the straits Of Sicily, nor had the deep e'er swelled With such wild rage before the north wind's breath, When high cliffs trembled with the shock of waves, And hoary foam smote high Leucate's top. The sea then rose into a mighty heap, 1015 And, big with monstrous birth, was landward borne. For no ship's wrecking was this swelling pest Intended; landward was its aim. The flood Rolled shoreward heavily, something unknown Within its laden bosom carrying. What land, new born, will lift its head aloft? 1020 Is some new island of the Cyclades Arising? Now the rocky heights are hid, Held sacred to the Epidaurian god, And those high crags well known for Sciron's crime; No longer can be seen that land whose shores Are washed by double seas. While in amaze 1025 We look in fear and wonder, suddenly The whole sea bellows, and on every side The towering cliffs re-echo with the roar; While all their tops the leaping spray bedews. The deep spouts forth and vomits up its waves In alternating streams, like some huge whale 1030 Which roves the ocean, spouting up the floods. Then did that mound of waters strongly heave And break itself, and threw upon the shore A thing more terrible than all our fears. The sea itself rushed landward, following That monstrous thing. I shudder at the thought. What form and bearing had the monster huge! 1035 A bull it was in form, with dark-green neck Uplifted high, its lofty front adorned With verdant mane. Its ears with shaggy hair Were rough; its horns with changing color flashed, Such as the lord of some fierce herd would have, Both earth and ocean-born. He vomits flames; 1040 With flames his fierce eyes gleam. His glossy neck Great couch-like muscles shows, and as he breathes, His spreading nostrils quiver with the blast Of his deep panting. Breast and dewlap hang All green with clinging moss; and on his sides Red lichens cling. His hinder parts appear 1045