his mother's claim.
Him Phaeton, bright Phoebus' youthful son,
In years and spirit equall'd,--whose proud boasts,
To all his sire preferring, Ioe's son
Thus check'd: "O simple! thee thy mother's arts
"To ought persuade. A feigned sire thou boast'st."
Deep blush'd the youth, but shame his rage repress'd,
And each reproach to Clymene he bore.
"This too," he says, "O mother, irks me more,
"That I so bold, so fierce, urg'd no defence:
"Which shame is greater? that they dare accuse,
"Or that accus'd, we cannot prove them false?
"Do thou my mother,--if from heaven indeed
"Descent I claim,--prove from what stock I spring.
"My race divine assert." He said,--and flung
Around her neck his arms; and by his life,
The life of Merops, and his sisters' hopes
Of nuptial bliss, adjures her to obtain
Proofs of his birth celestial. Prayers like these
The mother doubtless mov'd;--and rage no less
To hear the defamation. Up to heaven
Her arms she raises, gazing on the sun,
And cries,--"My child! by yon bright rays I swear
"In brilliance glittering, which now hear and view,
"Our every word and action--thou art sprung
"From him, the sun thou see'st;--the sun who rules
"With tempering sway the seasons:--If untrue
"My words, let me his light no more behold!
"Nor long the toil to seek thy father's dome,
"His palace whence he rises borders close
"On our land's confines.--If thou dar'st the task,
"Go forth, and from himself thy birth enquire."
Elate to hear her words, the youth departs
Instant, and all the sky in mind he grasps.
Through AEthiopia's regions swiftly went,
With India plac'd beneath the burning zone:
And quickly reach'd his own paternal east.

*The Second Book.*

Palace of the Sun. Phaeton's reception by his father. His request
to drive the chariot. The Sun's useless arguments to dissuade him
from the attempt. Description of the car. Cautions how to perform
the journey. Terror of Phaeton, and his inability to rule the
horses. Conflagration of the world. Petition of Earth to Jupiter,
and death of Phaeton by thunder. Grief of Clymene, and of his
sisters. Change of the latter to poplars, and their tears to
amber. Transformation of Cycnus to a swan. Mourning of Phoebus.
Jupiter's descent to earth; and amour with Calistho. Birth of
Arcas, and transformation of Calistho to a bear; and afterwards
with Arcas