Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/452

416 her the untouched virgin Callidice, most beauteous in form of the daughters of Celeus, forthwith answered:

"O nurse, we mortals must needs endure the lot given us by the gods, although grieving, for they indeed are much more powerful [than we]. But this will I clearly suggest to thee, and will name the men to whom there is here great power of dignity, and who take the lead among the people, and by counsels and upright judgments guard the battlements of the city. There is shrewd-counselling Triptolemus, and Diocles, and Polyxeines, and blameless Eumolpus, and Dolichus, and our noble sire, all whose wives tend their houses; not one of whom at first sight despising thy appearance, would dismiss thee from her dwellings, but they will receive thee, for truly thou art godlike. But if thou wilt, remain, that we may go to the abode of our sire, and tell all these matters thoroughly to our deep-bosomed mother Metaneira, if perchance she will bid thee come to our dwelling and not seek for the house of another. And a darling son is nurtured by her in the well-built house, a subject of many prayers, and beloved. If thou couldst train him up, and he should reach the measure of youth, with reason indeed would any one of the race of women, seeing, envy thee; such great rewards for thy nursing would he give thee." Thus she spoke, but [the goddess] nodded assent; and they, having filled the vessels with water, bore them rejoicing. And quickly they reached the great house of their sire, and soon told their mother what they had both seen and heard. But she immediately bade them go and call her with [a promise of] boundless hire. And they, like as hinds or heifers gambol through the meadow in the season of spring, having satiated their mind with food, so they, uplifting the folds of their beauteous robes, sped along