Page:The Odyssey of Homer, with the Hymns, Epigrams, and Battle of the Frogs and Mice (Buckley 1853).djvu/460

424 plucking them with joy, when the earth yawned beneath and out leaped the strong king, the Many-receiver, and went bearing me beneath the earth in his golden chariot, grieving much, and I cried aloud with my voice. These things have I told thee all truly, although grieving."

Thus then indeed they, having a concordant mind, mutually fondling each other, greatly appeased the heart and mind of each other, and the mind [of both] was rested from sorrows. And they received and gave delights mutually. But near to them came delicately-veiled Hecate, and much she fondled the chaste daughter of Ceres, because the queen had been her attendant and servant. But to them loud-thundering, far-seeing Jove sent a messenger, fair-haired Rhea, to bring dark-robed Ceres to the tribes of the gods, and he pledged himself to give her honours, whatever she might choose among the immortal gods. And he granted to her that her daughter should pass the third part of the revolving year under the murky darkness, but the two [other parts] with her mother and the other immortals. Thus he spake, nor did the goddess disobey the message of Jove, but she quickly sprang forth from the heights of Olympus, and she came to the Rarian [plain], heretofore the life-bearing udder of corn-land, but then no longer affording sustenance, but it remained idle and leafless, and concealed the white barley, by the contrivance of fair-ancled Ceres; but it was then destined forthwith to bloom with long ears, as the spring advanced, and the rich furrows to abound in ears, and there to be bound in bundles. Here she first descended from the unfruitful air. But gladly they beheld each other, and rejoiced in mind; and her fair-veiled Rhea first addressed: "Hither, child, loud-thundering, far-seeing Jove calls thee to come to the tribes of the gods, and he has pledged himself to give thee honour, whatsoever thou mayest choose amongst the immortal gods. And he has consented that thy daughter [shall pass] the third part of the revolving year beneath the