rial of thy passage to all mortals.
These hast thou as tokens of my intelligence, how that it perceives
somewhat beyond what appears.

The rest I shall tell both to you and to her in common, after reaching
the very identical track of my former narrative. There is on the land's
utmost verge a city Canopus, hard by the Nile's very mouth and alluvial
dike; on this spot Jupiter at length makes thee sane by merely soothing
and touching thee with his unalarming hand. And named after the
progeniture of Jupiter[65] thou shalt give birth to swarthy Epaphus, who
shall reap the harvest of all the land which the wide-streaming Nile
waters. But fifth in descent from him a generation of fifty virgins
shall again come to Argos, not of their own accord, fleeing from
incestuous wedlock with their cousins; and these with fluttering hearts,
like falcons left not far behind by doves, shall come pursuing marriage
such as should not be pursued, but heaven shall be jealous over their
persons;[66] and Pelasgia shall receive them after being crushed by a
deed of night-fenced daring, wrought by woman's hand; for each bride
shall bereave her respective husband of life, having dyed in their
throats[67] a sword of twin sharp edge. Would that in guise like this
Venus might visit my foes! But tenderness shall soften one[68] of the
maidens, so that she shall not slay the partner of her couch, but shall
be blunt in her resolve; and of the two alternatives she shall choose
the former, to be called a coward rather than a murderess. She in Argos
shall give birth to a race of kings. There needs a long discourse to
detail these things distinctly; but from this seed be sure shall spring
a dauntless warrior renowned in archery, who shall set me free from
these toils. Such predictions did my aged mother the Titaness Themis
rehearse to me; but how and when--to tell this requires a long detail,
and thou in knowing it all wouldst be in nought a gainer.

IO. Eleleu! Eleleu! Once more the spasm[69] and maddening frenzies
inflame me--and the sting of the hornet, wrought by no fire,[70]
envenoms me; and with panic my heart throbs violently against my breast.
My eyes, too, are rolling in a mazy whirl, and I am carried out of my
course by the raging blast of madness, having no control of tongue, but
my troubled words dash idly against the surges of loathsome calamity.

[_Exit_ IO.

CH. Wise was the man, ay, wise indeed, who first weighed well this
maxim, and with