madness she fled from the
pastures of Inachos, past the city of Erechtheus into the land of
Kadmos, the Theban. On and on still she went, resting not by night or
day, through the Dorian and Thessalian plains, until at last she came
to the wild Thrakian land. Her feet bled on the sharp stones, her body
was torn by the thorns and brambles, and tortured by the stings of the
fearful gad-fly. Still she fled on and on, while the tears streamed
often down her cheeks, and her moaning showed the greatness of her
agony. "O Zeus," she said, "dost thou not see me in my misery? Thou
didst tell me once of thy love, and dost thou suffer me now to be
driven thus wildly from land to land, without hope of comfort or rest?
Slay me at once, I pray thee, or suffer me to sink into the deep sea,
that so I may put off the sore burden of my woe."

But Io knew not that, while she spake, one heard her who had suffered
even harder things from Zeus. Far above her head, towards the desolate
crags of Caucasus, the wild eagle soared shrieking in the sky, and the
vulture hovered near, as though waiting close to some dying man till
death should leave him for its prey. Dark snow-clouds brooded heavily
on the mountain, the icy wind crept lazily through the frozen air, and
Io thought that the hour of her death was come. Then, as she raised
her head, she saw far off a giant form, which seemed fastened by nails
to the naked rock, and a low groan reached her ear, as of one in
mortal pain, and she heard a voice which said, "Whence comest thou,
daughter of Inachos, into this savage wilderness? Hath the love of
Zeus driven thee thus to the icy corners of the earth?" Then Io gazed
at him in wonder and awe, and said, "How dost thou know my name and my
sorrows? and what is thine own wrong? Tell me (if it is given to thee
to know) what awaits thee and me in the time to come, for sure I am
that thou art no mortal man. Thy giant form is as the form of gods or
heroes, who come down sometimes to mingle with the sons of men, and
great must be the wrath of Zeus, that thou shouldst be thus tormented
here." Then he said, "Maiden, thou seest the Titan Prometheus, who
brought down fire for the children of men, and taught them how to
build themselves houses and till the earth, and how to win for
themselves food and clothing. I gave them wise thoughts and good laws
and prudent counsel, and raised them from the life of beasts to a life
which was fit for speaking men. But the so