round him at the sound of his lyre; and, among
others, the pine, into which Atys has been changed; and the cypress,
produced from the transformation of Cyparissus. Orpheus sings of the
rape of Ganymede; of the change of Hyacinthus, who was beloved and slain
by Apollo, into a flower; of the transformation of the Cerastae into
bulls; of the Propoetides, who were changed into stones; and of the
statue of Pygmalion, which was changed into a living woman, who became
the mother of Paphos. He then sings, how Myrrha, for her incestuous
intercourse with her father, was changed into the myrrh tree; and how
Adonis (to whom Venus relates the transformation of Hippomenes and
Atalanta into lions) was transformed into an anemone.

BOOK XI.

Orpheus is torn to pieces by the Thracian women; on which, a serpent,
which attacks his face, is changed into stone. The women are transformed
into trees by Bacchus, who deserts Thrace, and betakes himself to
Phrygia; where Midas, for his care of Silenus, receives the power of
making gold. He loathes this gift; and bathing in the river Pactolus,
its sands become golden. For his stupidity, his ears are changed by
Apollo into those of an ass. After this, that God goes to Troy, and aids
Laomedon in building its walls. Hercules rescues his daughter Hesione,
when fastened to a rock, and his companion Telamon receives her as his
wife; while his brother Peleus marries the sea Goddess, Thetis. Going to
visit Ceyx, he learns how Daedalion has been changed into a hawk, and
sees a wolf changed into a rock. Ceyx goes to consult the oracle of
Claros, and perishes by shipwreck. On this, Morpheus appears to
Halcyone, in the form of her husband, and she is changed into a
kingfisher; into which bird Ceyx is also transformed. Persons who
observe them, as they fly, call to mind how AEsacus, the son of Priam,
was changed into a sea bird, called the didapper.

BOOK XII.

Priam performs the obsequies for AEsacus, believing him to be dead. The
children of Priam attend, with the exception of Paris, who, having gone
to Greece, carries off Helen, the wife of Menelaues. The Greeks pursue
Paris, but are detained at Aulis, where they see a serpent changed into
stone, and prepare to sacrifice Iphigenia to Diana; but a hind is
substituted for her. The Trojans hearing of the approach of the Greeks,
in arms await their arrival. At the first onset, Cygnus, dashed by
Achilles against a stone, is changed by Neptune into the s