are seen from the Isthmus between the two seas.
Who could have believed it? You, Athens, alone omitted it. A war
prevented this act of humanity; and barbarous troops[55] brought
{thither} by sea, were alarming the Mopsopian walls. The Thracian Tereus
had routed these by his auxiliary forces, and by his conquest had
acquired an illustrious name. Him, powerful both in riches and men, and,
as it happened, deriving his descent from the mighty Gradivus, Pandion
united to himself, by the marriage of {his daughter} Progne.

Neither Juno, the guardian of marriage rites, nor yet Hymeneus, nor the
Graces,[56] attended those nuptials. {On that occasion}, the Furies
brandished torches, snatched from the funeral pile. The Furies prepared
the nuptial couch, and the ill-boding owl hovered over the abode, and
sat on the roof of the bridal chamber. With these omens were Progne and
Tereus wedded; with these omens were they made parents. Thrace, indeed,
congratulated them, and they themselves returned thanks to the Gods, and
they commanded the day, upon which the daughter of Pandion was given to
the renowned prince, and that upon which Itys was born, to be considered
as festivals. So much does our true interest lie concealed {from us}.
Now Titan had drawn the seasons of the repeated year through five
autumns, when Progne, in gentle accents, said to her husband, "If I have
any influence {with thee}, either send me to see my sister, or let my
sister come hither. Thou shalt promise thy father-in-law that she shall
return in a short time. As good as a mighty God {wilt thou be} to me, if
thou shalt allow me to see my sister."

He {thereupon} ordered ships to be launched;[57] and with sails and oars
he entered the Cecropian harbor, and landed upon the shores of the
Piraeus.[58] As soon as ever an opportunity was given of {addressing} his
father-in-law, and right hand was joined to right hand, with evil omen
their discourse began. He had commenced to relate the occasion of his
coming, {and} the request of his wife, and to promise a speedy return
for {Philomela, if} sent. {When} lo! Philomela comes, richly adorned in
costly apparel; richer {by far} in her charms; such as we hear {of} the
Naiads and Dryads {as they} haunt the middle of the forests, if you were
only to give them the like ornaments and dress. Tereus was inflamed upon
seeing the virgin, no otherwise than if one were to put fire beneath the
whitening ears of corn, or were to burn lea