us,
the brother of Amphion, by whom she had one son, who was named Itylus.
Envying the more numerous family of Niobe, her sister-in-law, she
resolved to despatch the eldest of her nephews; and, as her son was
brought up with his cousin, and was his bedfellow, she bade him change
his place in the bed, on the night on which she intended to commit the
crime. Itylus forgot her commands, and consequently his mother killed
him by mistake for her nephew.

FABLE VII. [VI.677-721]

Boreas, not obtaining the consent of Erectheus, king of Athens, for
the marriage of his daughter, Orithyia, takes that princess in his
arms, and carries her away into Thrace. By her he has two sons, Calais
and Zethes, who have wings, like their father, and afterwards embark
with Jason in search of the Golden Fleece.

Erectheus[72] received the sceptre of {that} country, and the government
of the state; it is a matter of doubt whether he was more powerful
through his justice, or by his mighty arms. He had, indeed, begotten
four sons, and as many of the female sex: but the beauty of two {of
them} was equal. Of these, Cephalus,[73] the son of AEolus, was blessed
with thee, Procris, for his wife; Tereus and the Thracians were an
obstacle to Boreas; and long was {that} God without his much-loved
Orithyia, while he was entreating, and choosing rather to use prayers
than force. But when nothing was effected by blandishments, terrible
with that rage which is his wont, and but too natural with that wind, he
said, "And {this is} deservedly {done}; for why did I relinquish my own
weapons, my violence, my strength, my anger, and my threatening spirit,
and turn to prayers, the employment of which ill becomes me? Violence is
suitable for me; by violence do I dispel the lowering clouds, by
violence do I arouse the seas, and overthrow the knotted oaks, and
harden the snow, and beat the earth with hail. I too, when I have met
with my brothers in the open air (for that is {peculiarly} my field),
struggle with efforts so great, that the intermediate sky thunders again
with our onset, and fires flash, struck forth from the hollow clouds.
I too, when I have descended into the hollow recesses of the earth, and
in my rage have placed my back against its lowest depths, disturb the
shades below, and the whole globe with earthquakes. By these means
should I have sought this alliance; and Erectheus ought not to have been
entreated {to be} my father-