Or, if thou fearest that the earth Shall to the light new shapes of terror bring, Let them make haste to come, whate'er they be, 35 While still the earth beholds her Hercules. For who will e'er again these fearsome things Attack, or who, throughout the towns of Greece, Will e'er be worthy of great Juno's hate? In truth, my praises have I safe bestowed, Since now there is no land but sings of me. The Scythian, dwelling in the frozen North, 40 The Indian, smitten by the burning rays Of Phoebus, and the tropic African: All know my fame. O glowing Sun, I thee As witness call: I have encountered thee Where'er thou shin'st; nor have thy darting beams Availed to follow my triumphant course. I've gone beyond the reaches of the sun, And daylight halted far within my bounds. 45 The world of nature yielded; for my steps No earth remained. She was exhausted first. But night and utter chaos met me there. From that dark realm whence no one e'er returns, Have I come back to earth. Old Ocean's threats Have I endured; no raging storm of his 50 Has e'er prevailed to overcome the bark In which I fared. How small a part I tell![25] Exhausted is the air and can no more Suffice to feed the hatred of thy wife; The earth in fear brings forth no monster more For me to conquer, no wild beasts of prey. These are denied to me, and in the stead 55 Of monster have I come myself to be. How many evils have I overcome, Though all unarmed! Whatever monstrous thing Opposed, these empty hands have overthrown; Nor did there ever live a savage beast Which I as boy or infant feared to meet. My bidden labors have seemed always light, And no day ever dawned that brought to me 60 No strenuous toil. How many monstrous tasks Have I fulfilled which no king set to me! A harder master has my courage been Than ever Juno was. But what avails That I have saved the human race from fear? The gods in consequence have lost their peace. The freed earth sees whatever she has feared 65 Now set in heaven; for Juno thitherward Hath borne the beasts I slew. Restored to life, The Crab fares safely in his torrid path, A constellation now in southern skies, And ripens Libya's waving fields of grain. The Lion to the heavenly Virgin gives The flying year; but he, with beaming mane 70 Upon his wild neck tossing, dries the winds Which drip with moisture, and the clouds devours. Behold, the beasts have all invaded heaven, Forestalling me. Though victor, here I stand Upon the earth, and view my labors there. For Juno to the monsters and the beasts Has given stars, that so the heavenly realm 75 Might be for me a place of terror made.