as he held her:
by turns she changed into a fountain of water, into a cloud of mist,
into a burning flame, and into a senseless rock. But Peleus held her
fast; and she changed then into a tawny lion, and then into a tall
tree, and lastly she took her own matchless form again.

"Then Peleus held the lovely Thetis by the hand, and they walked long
time together upon the beach, while the birds sang among the trees on
Pelion's leafy slopes, and the dolphins sported in the waters at their
feet. Thus Peleus wooed the silver-footed lady, and won her love, and
she promised to be his bride. Then the immortals were glad; and they
fitted up the great cavern on Mount Pelion for a banquet hall, and made
therein a wedding feast, such as was never seen before. The vaulted
roof of the cavern was decked with gems which shone like the stars of
heaven; a thousand torches, held by lovely mountain nymphs, flamed from
the niches in the high walls; and upon the floor of polished marble,
tables for a thousand guests were ranged.

"When the wedding feast was ready, all those who live on high Olympus,
and all the immortals who dwell upon the earth, came to rejoice with
King Peleus and his matchless bride; and they brought rich presents for
the bridegroom, such as were never given to another man. One gave him
a suit of armor, rich and fair, a wonder to behold, which lame Vulcan
with rare skill had wrought and fashioned. One bestowed on him the
peerless horses, Ballos and Xanthos, and a deftly wrought chariot with
trimmings of gold. And I, one of the least of the guests, gave him an
ashen spear which I had cut on the mountain top and fashioned with my
own hands.

"At the tables sat Zeus, the father of gods and men; and his wife, the
white-armed Hera; and smile-loving Aphrodite; and gray-eyed Athena; and
all the wisest and the fairest of the immortals. The nymphs of the sea
danced in honor of Thetis their sister; and the Muses sang their
sweetest songs; and Apollo played upon the lyre. The Fates, too, were
there: sad Clotho, twirling her spindle; unloving Lachesis, with
wrinkled lips ready to speak the fatal word; and pitiless Atropos,
holding in her hand the unsparing shears. And around the table passed
the youthful and joy-giving Hebe, pouring out rich draughts of nectar
for the guests.

"But there was one among all the immortals who had not been invited to
the wedding; it was Eris, the daughter of War and Hate. Her scowling
feat