And, panting, thrice desisted from his pain. A pointed flinty rock, all bare and black, Grew gibbous from behind the mountain's back; Owls, ravens, all ill omens of the night, Here built their nests, and hither winged their flight. The leaning head hung threatening o'er the flood, And nodded to the left. The hero stood Averse, with planted feet, and, from the right, Tugged at the solid stone with all his might. Thus heaved, the fixed foundations of the rock Gave way; heaven echoed at the rattling shock. Tumbling, it choked the flood: on either side The banks leap backward, and the streams divide; The sky shrunk upward with unusual dread, And trembling Tyber dived beneath his bed. The court of Cacus stands revealed to sight; The cavern glares with new-admitted light. So the pent vapours, with a rumbling sound, Heave from below, and rend the hollow ground; A sounding flaw succeeds; and, from on high, The gods with hate behold[3] the nether sky: The ghosts repine at violated night, And curse the invading sun, and sicken at the sight. The graceless monster, caught in open day, Inclosed, and in despair to fly away, Howls horrible from underneath, and fills His hollow palace with unmanly yells. The hero stands above, and from afar Plies him with darts, and stones, and distant war. He, from his nostrils and huge mouth, expires Black clouds of smoke, amidst his father's fires, Gathering, with each repeated blast, the night, To make uncertain aim, and erring sight. The wrathful god then plunges from above, And, where in thickest waves the sparkles drove, There lights; and wades through fumes, and gropes his way, Half singed, half stifled, till he grasps his prey. The monster, spewing fruitless flames, he found; } He squeezed his throat; he writhed his neck around, } And in a knot his crippled members bound; } Then, from their sockets, tore his burning eyes. Rolled on a heap, the breathless robber lies. The doors, unbarred, receive the rushing day, And thorough lights disclose the ravished prey. The bulls, redeemed, breathe open air agen. Next, by the feet, they drag him from his den. The wondering neighbourhood, with glad surprise, } Beheld his shagged breast, his giant size, } His mouth that flames no more, and his extinguished eyes. } From that auspicious day, with rites divine, We worship at the hero's holy shrine. Potitius first ordained these annual vows: As priests, were added the Pinarian house, Who raised this altar in the sacred shade, Where honours, ever due, for ever shall be paid. For these deserts, and this high virtue shown, Ye warlike youths, your heads with garlands crown: Fill high the goblets with a sparkling flood, And with deep draughts invoke our common god."