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398 fight bravely with thy betters. But if thou desirest to have a knowledge of battle, come on, that thou mayest well know how much the better I am; since thou opposest strength to me."

She spoke, and with her left hand seized both her (Diana's) hands at the wrist, and with her right plucked the bow from her shoulders. Smiling, she beat her about the ears with it, while she writhed herself; and the fleet arrows fell out [of her quiver, as she moved]. Then the goddess fled, weeping, like a dove which flies from a hawk to a hollow rock, her hiding-place (for neither was it fated that she should be taken by it); so she fled, weeping, and left her arrows there.

But the messenger (Mercury), the slayer of Argos, addressed Latona:

"O Latona, I will by no means fight with thee; for difficult indeed would it be to combat with the wives of cloud-compelling Jove; but rather, very forward among the immortal gods, boast that thou hast conquered me by violent force."

Thus indeed he spoke; but Latona collected together the bent bow and the arrows which had fallen here and there amid the whirl of dust. She, having taken the arrows, followed her daughter. But the daughter had arrived at Olympus, and at the brazen-floored palace of Jove, and had sat down at the knees of her father, weeping, while her ambrosial robe trembled around; and her the Saturnian father drew toward him, and, sweetly smiling, interrogated her:

"Which now of the heavenly inhabitants, my dear child, has rashly done such things to thee, as if having done some evil openly?"

But him the fair-crowned mistress of the chase addressed in turn: "Thy spouse, the white-armed Juno, has injured