wishes, she herself wishes, and {so does} my destined father-in-law; but
nature, more powerful than all these, wills it not; she alone is an
obstacle to me. Lo, the longed-for time approaches, and the wedding-day
is at hand, when Iaenthe should be mine; and {yet} she will not fall to
my lot. In the midst of water, I shall be athirst. Why, Juno, guardian
of the marriage rites, and why, Hymenaeus, do you come to this
ceremonial, where there is not the person who should marry {the wife},
{and} where both {of us females}, we are coupled in wedlock?"

After {saying} these words, she closes her lips. And no less does the
other maid burn, and she prays thee, Hymenaeus, to come quickly.
Telethusa, dreading the same thing that she desires, at one time puts
off the time {of the wedding}, and then raises delays, by feigning
illness. Often, by way of excuse, she pretends omens and visions. But
now she has exhausted all the resources of fiction; and the time for the
marriage {so long} delayed is {now} at hand, and {only} one day remains;
whereon she takes off the fillets for the hair from her own head and
from that of her daughter,[74] and embracing the altar with dishevelled
locks, she says, "O Isis, thou who dost inhabit Paraetonium,[75] and the
Mareotic fields,[76] and Pharos,[77] and the Nile divided into its seven
horns, give aid, I beseech thee, and ease me of my fears. Thee, Goddess,
thee, I once beheld, and these thy symbols; and all {of them} I
recognized; both thy attendants, and thy torches, and the sound of the
sistra, and I noted thy commands with mindful care. That this {girl}[78]
{now} sees the light, that I, myself, am not punished, is {the result
of} thy counsel, and thy admonition; pity us both, and aid us with thy
assistance."

Tears followed her words. The Goddess seemed to move, (and she {really}
did move) her altars; and the doors of her temple shook. Her horns,
too,[79] shone, resembling {those of} the moon, and the tinkling sistrum
sounded. The mother departs from the temple, not free from concern
indeed, still pleased with this auspicious omen. Iphis follows her, her
companion as she goes, with longer strides than she had been wont; her
fairness does not continue on her face; both her strength is increased,
and her features are more stern; and shorter is the length of her
scattered locks. There is more vigour, also, than she had {as} a female.
{And} now thou art a male, who so lately wast a female. Bring o