were born seven fair daughters and seven beautiful
and gallant sons, and it was not because of her own beauty, nor her
husband's fame, nor their proud descent and the greatness of their
kingdom, that the Queen of Thebes was arrogant in her pride. Very sure
she was that no woman had ever borne children like her own children,
whose peers were not to be found on earth nor in heaven. Even in our
own day there are mortal mothers who feel as Niobe felt.

But amongst the Immortals there was also a mother with children whom
she counted as peerless. Latona, mother of Apollo and Diana, was
magnificently certain that in all time, nor in eternity to come, could
there be a son and daughter so perfect in beauty, in wisdom, and in
power as the two that were her own. Loudly did she proclaim her proud
belief, and when Niobe heard it she laughed in scorn.

"The goddess has a son and a daughter," she said. "Beautiful and wise
and powerful they may be, but I have borne seven daughters and seven
sons, and each son is more than the peer of Apollo, each daughter more
than the equal of Diana, the moon-goddess!"

And to her boastful words Latona gave ear, and anger began to grow in
her heart.

Each year the people of Thebes were wont to hold a great festival in
honour of Latona and her son and daughter, and it was an evil day for
Niobe when she came upon the adoring crowd that, laurel-crowned, bore
frankincense to lay before the altars of the gods whose glories they
had assembled together to celebrate.

"Oh foolish ones!" she said, and her voice was full of scorn, "am I
not greater than Latona? I am the daughter of a goddess, my husband,
the king, the son of a god. Am I not fair? am I not queenly as Latona
herself? And, of a surety, I am richer by far than the goddess who has
but one daughter and one son. Look on my seven noble sons! behold the
beauty of my seven daughters, and see if they in beauty and all else
do not equal the dwellers in Olympus!"

And when the people looked, and shouted aloud, for in truth Niobe and
her children were like unto gods, their queen said, "Do not waste thy
worship, my people. Rather make the prayers to thy king and to me and
to my children who buttress us round and make our strength so great,
that fearlessly we can despise the gods."

In her home on the Cynthian mountain top, Latona heard the arrogant
words of the queen of Thebes, and even as a gust of wind blows
smouldering ashes into a consuming fire,