worthy to have lived! And if I had been
more fortunate; and if the vexatious Divinities had not denied me {the
blessings of} marriage, thou wast one with whom I could have shared my
bed.' Thus she said; and as one inexperienced, and smitten by Cupid for
the first time, not knowing what she is doing, she is in love, and {yet}
does not know that she is in love.

"{And} now, both the people and her father, demanded the usual race,
when Hippomenes, the descendant of Neptune, invoked me with anxious
voice; 'I entreat that Cytherea may favour my undertaking, and aid the
passion that she has inspired {in me}.' The breeze, not envious, wafted
to me this tender prayer; I was moved, I confess it; nor was any long
delay made in {giving} aid. There is a field, the natives call it by
name the Tamasenian {field},[59] the choicest spot in the Cyprian land;
this the elders of former days consecrated to me, and ordered to be
added as an endowment for my temple. In the middle of this field a tree
flourishes, with yellow foliage, {and} with branches tinkling with
yellow gold. Hence, by chance as I was coming, I carried three golden
apples, that I had plucked, in my hand; and being visible to none but
him, I approached Hippomenes, and I showed him what {was to be} the use
of them. The trumpets have {now} given the signal, when each {of them}
darts precipitately from the starting place, and skims the surface of
the sand with nimble feet. You might have thought them able to pace the
sea with dry feet, and to run along the ears of white standing corn
{while} erect. The shouts and the applause of the populace give courage
to the youth, and the words of those who exclaim, 'Now, now, Hippomenes,
is the moment to speed onward! make haste. Now use all thy strength!
Away with delay! thou shalt be conqueror.' It is doubtful whether the
Megarean hero, or the virgin daughter of Schoeneus rejoiced the most at
these sayings. O how often when she could have passed by him, did she
slacken her speed, and {then} unwillingly left behind the features that
long she had gazed upon.

"A parched panting is coming from his faint mouth, and the goal is
{still} a great way off. Then, at length, the descendant of Neptune
throws one of the three products of the tree. The virgin is amazed, and
from a desire for the shining fruit, she turns from her course, and
picks up the rolling gold. Hippomenes passes her. The theatres ring[60]
with applause. She makes amends for h