Be roused and come to aid, their flaming locks Aglow with maddening fire, their savage hands The horrid snaky scourges brandishing. Go now, thou proud one, seek the seats of heaven, And scorn the lot of men. And dost thou think, 90 O hero brave, that thou hast fled the Styx And gloomy shades? Here will I show thee hell; Here will I summon up the goddess dire Of Discord, deep in darkness thick confined Far down below the abode of guilty souls. A cavern huge within a mountain's hold Is her dark prison. Her will I call forth, 95 And from the deepest realms of Dis bring up Whate'er thou hast escaped: base Crime shall come; Impiety that fiercely stains its hands In kindred blood; the shape of Error, too, And Fury ever armed against itself. This, this assistance shall my grief employ. Come then, ye ever-faithful slaves of Dis, 100 Begin your task. Shake high the blazing torch; And let Megaera lead her dreadful band Of sisters viperous. With deadly hand Let her from off the blazing funeral pyre A burning brand snatch up. Now to your task; Thus seek revenge for violated Styx: Distract his heart with madness; let his soul 105 More fiercely burn than that hot fire which glows On Aetna's forge. But first, that Hercules May be to madness driven, smitten through With mighty passion, I must be insane. Why rav'st thou not, O Juno? Me, Oh, me, 110 Ye sisters, first of sanity deprive, That something worthy of a stepdame's wrath I may prepare. Let all my hate be changed To favor. Now I pray that he may come To earth again, and see his sons unharmed; May he return with all his old-time strength. Now have I found a day when Hercules May help me with his strength that I deplore. 115 Now let him equally o'ercome himself And me; and let him, late escaped from death, Desire to die. Now let it profit me That he is born of Jove. I'll stand by him And nicely poise his hand, that so his darts May with more deadly aim be hurled. I'll guide The madman's arms. And so at last I help 120 Alcides in his wars. The crime complete, Then let his father to the heavens admit Those guilty hands. Now must the attack begin. The day is breaking, and with saffron light The rising sun dispels the gloom of night. * * * * *