spake winged words:

"Who art thou and whence, old woman, of ancient folk, and why wert thou
wandering apart from the town, nor dost draw nigh to the houses where are
women of thine own age, in the shadowy halls, even such as thou, and
younger women, too, who may kindly entreat thee in word and deed?"

So spake they, and the lady Goddess answered:

"Dear children, whoever ye be, of womankind I bid you hail, and I will
tell you my story. Seemly it is to answer your questions truly. Deo is
my name that my lady mother gave me; but now, look you, from Crete am I
come hither over the wide ridges of the sea, by no will of my own, nay,
by violence have sea-rovers brought me hither under duress, who
thereafter touched with their swift ship at Thoricos where the women and
they themselves embarked on land. Then were they busy about supper
beside the hawsers of the ship, but my heart heeded not delight of
supper; no, stealthily setting forth through the dark land I fled from
these overweening masters, that they might not sell me whom they had
never bought and gain my price. Thus hither have I come in my wandering,
nor know I at all what land is this, nor who they be that dwell therein.
But to you may all they that hold mansions in Olympus give husbands and
lords, and such children to bear as parents desire; but me do ye maidens
pity in your kindness, till I come to the house of woman or of man, that
there I may work zealously for them in such tasks as fit a woman of my
years. I could carry in mine arms a new-born babe, and nurse it well,
and keep the house, and strew my master's bed within the well-builded
chambers, and teach the maids their tasks."

So spake the Goddess, and straightway answered her the maid unwed,
Callidice, the fairest of the daughters of Celeus:

"Mother, what things soever the Gods do give must men, though sorrowing,
endure, for the Gods are far stronger than we; but this will I tell thee
clearly and soothly, namely, what men they are who here have most honour,
and who lead the people, and by their counsels and just dooms do
safeguard the bulwarks of the city. Such are wise Triptolemus, Diocles,
Polyxenus, and noble Eumolpus, and Dolichus, and our lordly father. All
their wives keep their houses, and not one of them would at first sight
contemn thee and thrust thee from their halls, but gladly they will
receive thee: for thine aspect is divine. So, if thou wilt, abide here,
that we may go to the