d mares of the rich Neleus.[80]

{Mercury} was afraid of him, and took him aside with a gentle hand, and
said to him, "Come, stranger, whoever thou art, if, perchance any one
should ask after these herds, deny that thou hast seen them; and, lest
no requital be paid thee for so doing, take a handsome cow as thy
reward;" and {thereupon} he gave {him one}. On receiving it, the
stranger returned this answer: "Thou mayst go in safety. May that stone
first make mention of thy theft;" and he pointed to a stone. The son of
Jupiter feigned to go away. {But} soon he returned, and changing his
form, together with his voice, he said, "Countryman, if thou hast seen
any cows pass along this way, give me thy help, and break silence about
the theft; a female, coupled together with its bull shall be presented
thee as a reward." But the old man,[81] after his reward was {thus}
doubled, said, "They will be beneath those hills;" and beneath those
hills they {really} were. The son of Atlas laughed and said, "Dost thou,
treacherous man, betray me to my own self? Dost betray me to myself?"
and {then} he turned his perjured breast into a hard stone, which even
now is called the "Touchstone;"[82] and this old disgrace is {attached}
to the stone that {really} deserves it not.

[Footnote 77: _Philyrean._--Ver. 676. Chiron was the son of
Philyra, by Saturn.]

[Footnote 78: _Messenian._--Ver. 679. Elis and Messenia were
countries of Peloponnesus; the former was on the northwest, and
the latter on the southwest side of it.]

[Footnote 79: _Plains of Pylos._--Ver. 684. There were three
cities named Pylos in Peloponnesus. One was in Elis, another in
Messenia, and the third was situate between the other two. The
latter is supposed to have been the native place of Nestor, though
they all laid claim to that honor.]

[Footnote 80: _Neleus._--Ver. 689. He was the king of Pylos, and
the father of Nestor.]

[Footnote 81: _The old man._--Ver. 702. Clarke quaintly translates
'at senior,' 'but then the old blade.']

[Footnote 82: _The 'Touchstone.'_--Ver. 706. It is a matter of
doubt among commentators whether 'index' here means a general term
for the touchstone, by which metals are tested; or whether it
means that Battus was changed into one individual stone, which
afterwards was called 'index.' Lactantius, by his words, seems to
imply that the latter was the case. He says,