And whilst the might of glorious Vulcan And every wish to put such morsels XX And on the earth upon their backs he threw sweet Down his most sacred throat, he did repress; But soon within the lofty portalled stall He placed the fat and flesh and bones and all. XXIII And every trace of the fresh butchery And cooking, the God soon made disappear, The panting beasts, and rolled them As if it all had vanished through the o'er and o'er, And bored their lives out. Without more ado sky; He burned the hoofs and horns and head and hair, He cut up fat and flesh, and down The before The fire, on spits of wood he placed the For the sweet savour of the roasted meat He insatiate fire devoured them hungrily ; And when he saw that everything was clear, quenched the coals and trampled the black dust, And in the stream his bloody sandals Tempted him though immortal. Right through the temple of the spacious Nathelesse He checked his haughty will and did cave He went with soft light feet-as if his tread Though what it cost him words can Fell not on earth; no sound their falling not eat, scarce express, gave; Then to his cradle he crept quick, Which whilst the sacred stars round and spread The swaddling-clothes about him; and the knave Heaven are rolled Will profit you and me-nor shall our lot Lay playing with the covering of the Be as you counsel, without gifts or food, bed With his left hand about his knees-the right Held his beloved tortoise-lyre tight. XXVI There he lay innocent as a new-born child, As gossips say; but though he was a god, To spend our lives in this obscure abode. XXIX "But we will leave this shadow-peopled cave And live among the Gods, and pass each day In high communion, sharing what they have Of profuse wealth and unexhausted prey; The goddess, his fair mother, unbeguiled And from the portion which my father Knew all that he had done being abroad: "Whence come you, and from what adventure wild, You cunning rogue, and where have you abode All the long night, clothed in your impudence? What have you done since you departed hence? XXVII "Apollo soon will pass within this gate And bind your tender body in a chain Inextricably tight, and fast as fate, Unless you can delude the God again, Even when within his arms—ah, runa- | gate! A pretty torment both for gods and men gave To Phoebus, I will snatch my share Which if my father will not-nathelesse Who am the king of robbers, can but try. XXX "And, if Latona's son should find me out, I'll countermine him by a deeper plan; I'll pierce the Pythian temple-walls, though stout, And sack the fane of every thing I can Cauldrons and tripods of great worth no doubt, Each golden cup and polished brazen pan, Your father made when he made you!" All the wrought tapestries and garments -"Dear mother," Replied sly Hermes, "Wherefore scold So they together talked ;-meanwhile and bother? XXVIII "As if I were like other babes as old, And understood nothing of what is what; And cared at all to hear my mother scold. Ethereal born arose out of the flood men. Apollo past toward the sacred wood, Which from the inmost depths of its green glen I in my subtle brain a scheme have Echoes the voice of Neptune,-and there On the same spot in green Onchestus Thus much alone I certainly can say, then way, XXXV "And then I thought I saw, but dare not speak With certainty of such a wondrous thing, A child, who could not have been born a week, Those fair-horned cattle closely following, All heifers with crooked horns? for And in his hand he held a polished stick : they have been Stolen from the herd in high Pieria, Where a black bull was fed apart, between Two woody mountains in a neighbour ing glen, And, as on purpose, he walked wavering From one side to the other of the road, And with his face opposed the steps he trod." XXXVI And four fierce dogs watched there, Apollo hearing this, past quickly on unanimous as men. XXXIII No winged omen could have shown more clear "And what is strange, the author of this That the deceiver was his father's son. theft Has stolen the fatted heifers every one, But the four dogs and the black bull are So the God wraps a purple atmosphere Around his shoulders, and like fire is gone To famous Pylos, seeking his kine there, And found their track and his, yet hardly cold, cried--“What wonder do mine eyes behold! XXXVII Have you seen any one pass with the "Here are the footsteps of the horned Why come you here to ask me what is done Whatever things cows are, I do not know, With the wild oxen which it seems For I have only heard the name.' you miss ? I have not seen them, nor from any one Have heard a word of the whole business; If you should promise an immense reward, I could not tell more than you now have heard. XLV "An ox-stealer should be both tall and strong, And I am but a little new-born thing, Who, yet at least, can think of nothing| wrong: My business is to suck, and sleep, and fling The cradle-clothes about me all day long, Or half asleep, hear my sweet mother sing, This said, He winked as fast as could be, and his brow Was wrinkled, and a whistle loud gave he, Like one who hears some strange absurdity. XLVIII Silent as night, in night; and many a day In the wild glens rough shepherds will deplore That you or yours, having an appetite, And to be washed in water clean and Met with their cattle, comrade of the |
