who loved the pacings to and fro before the loom, neither the delights
of feastings with her fellows within the house, but with bronze
javelins and a sword she fought against and slew wild beasts of prey;
yea and much peace and sure she gave thereby to her father's herds,
but for sleep, the sharer of her bed, short spent she it and sweet,
descending on her eyelids as the dawn drew near.

Once as she struggled alone, without spear, with a terrible lion, he
of the wide quiver, far-darting Apollo, found her: and straightway he
called Cheiron from his hall and spake to him aloud: 'Son of Philyra,
come forth from thy holy cave, and behold and wonder at the spirit of
this woman, and her great might, what strife she wageth here with soul
undaunted, a girl with heart too high for toil to quell; for her mind
shaketh not in the storm of fear. What man begat her? From what tribe
was she torn to dwell in the secret places of the shadowing hills? She
hath assayed a struggle unachievable. Is it lawful openly to put forth
my hand to her, or rather on a bridal-bed pluck the sweet flower?'

To him the Centaur bold with a frank smile on his mild brow made
answer straightway of his wisdom: 'Secret are wise Lovecraft's keys
unto love's sanctities, O Phoibos, and among gods and men alike all
deem this shame, to have pleasure of marriage at the first openly. Now
even thee, who mayest have no part in lies, thy soft desire hath led
to dissemble in this thy speech.

The maiden's lineage dost thou, O king, enquire of me--thou who
knowest the certain end of all things, and all ways? How many leaves
the earth sendeth forth in spring, how many grains of sand in sea and
river are rolled by waves and the winds' stress, what shall come to
pass, and whence it shall be, thou discernest perfectly. But if even
against wisdom I must match myself, I will speak on. To wed this
damsel camest thou unto this glen, and thou art destined to bear her
beyond the sea to a chosen garden of Zeus, where thou shalt make her a
city's queen, when thou hast gathered together an island-people to
a hill in the plain's midst. And now shall queenly Libya of broad
meadow-lands well-pleased receive for thee within a golden house thy
glorious bride, and there make gift to her of a portion in the land,
to be an inhabiter thereof with herself, neither shall it be lacking
in tribute of plants bearing fruit after all kinds, neither a stranger
to the beasts of chase. There shall sh