And with her wailings and her mournful sighs,
The rites impeded in Diana's fane.
How oft the nymphs who dwelt in lakes and groves,
Kind admonitions gave her not to mourn,
And sooth'd her with consolatory words!
How oft the son of Theseus weeping, said;
"Cease thus to grieve, nor think your fate alone
"Is hard. Look round awhile on others' woes;
"More mild your own you'll bear. Would that not mine
"Were such as might assuage your woe; but mine,
"When heard, to calm your grief may something yield.

"Haply report has sounded in your ears
"Of one Hippolytus the fate, destroy'd
"Through his most impious step-dame's treacherous fraud,
"And sire's credulity. With much surprize
"You'll hear,--nay scarcely will you trust my words,
"But he am I! Pasiphae's daughter me
"Accus'd, that I with vain endeavour try'd
"To violate my parent's nuptial couch:
"Me feigning guilty of the crime she wish'd;
"On me th' offence retorting, or through fear
"I might accuse, or rage at her repulse.
"My sire, me guiltless from the city drove,
"And curs'd me going with most hostile prayers.
"To Pitthean Traezen I my exil'd flight
"Directed: and now drove along the shore
"Of Corinth's sea; when ocean sudden heav'd;
"A mighty heap of waters bent appear'd,
"Like an huge hill, and increase seem'd to gain;
"Then roaring loud was at its summit cleft.
"Thence, from the bursting waves a horned bull
"Rush'd forth, breast-high uprearing in the air;
"Spouting the waves through his capacious mouth
"And nostrils. Terror seiz'd my comrades' breasts:
"Fill'd with the thoughts of exile, mine alone
"Unmov'd remain'd. While my impatient steeds,
"Turn'd to the main their heads; with ears erect
"Affrighted stood; then by the beast appall'd,
"Rush'd rapid with the car o'er lofty rocks.
"With a vain hand I strive to gird the curb,
"Besmear'd with foaming whiteness; bending back
"With all my might I pull the pliant reins.
"Nor had my horses' furious madness mock'd
"My strength, save that the fast-revolving wheel
"A tree opposing struck, and shatter'd: wide
"The fragments flew. I from the car was thrown,
"Entangled in the harness: plain to view
"Were seen my living bowels dragg'd along;
"My sinews twisted round the stump; my limbs
"Part swept away, and part entangled left:
"Loud crash'd my fractur'd bones; my weary'd soul
"At length exhal'd; my body nought r