editating guiles, addressed: "Most shameless
son of Saturn, what word hast thou spoken? If now thou desire to recline
in love upon the summit of Ida, where all places are exposed, how will
it be, if any of the immortal gods should perceive us sleeping, and,
going amongst all the gods, disclose it? I for my part could never
return to thy mansion, arising from the couch; for surely it would be
unbecoming. But if in truth thou desirest it, and it be agreeable to thy
soul, there is a chamber of thine which Vulcan, thy beloved son, formed
for thee, and fitted its secure doors to its lintels. Thither let us
repair, about to recline, since an embrace is indeed thy desire."

But her cloud-collecting Jove, answering, addressed:

"Fear not, O Juno, that any of either gods or men shall behold this.
Such a golden cloud will I spread around, that not even the Sun may see
us through it, although his eye is very keen to behold." [478]

Thus he spake, and the son of Saturn encircled his wife in his arms. And
the divine earth produced[479] fresh herbage under them, the dewy lotus,
and the crocus, and the hyacinth, close and soft, which elevated them
from the earth. Upon this [couch] they reclined, and clothed themselves
above with a beautiful golden cloud; and lucid dew-drops fell from it.

[Footnote 478: On the god Helios, and his overseeing influence,
the student should compare Grote, vol. i. p. 466.]

[Footnote 479: So Milton, describing the couch of our first
parents, P. L. iv. 700:--

----"underfoot the violet,
Crocus, and hyacinth with rich inlay,
Broider'd the ground."]

Thus quietly slumbered the sire upon the summit of Gargarus, subdued by
sleep and love, and held his spouse in his arms. But sweet Sleep
hastened to run to the ships of the Greeks, that he might deliver a
message to Neptune, the shaker of the earth. And, standing near, he
addressed to him winged words:

"Now, Neptune, heartily give aid to the Greeks, and bestow glory upon
them, at least for a little, whilst yet Jove sleeps; since I have
enveloped him in a veil[480] of soft slumber, and Juno hath deceived
[him], that he might sleep in love."

[Footnote 480: Observe the force of [Greek: perikalypsa].]

So saying, he indeed departed to the illustrious tribes of men; but he
still more impelled [Neptune] to assist the Greeks, and immediately
springing forward far into the van, he exhorted them:

"O Gre