re tender, for she does not
approach the ground, but she walks over the heads of men, injuring
mankind, and one at least[624] [she] fetters. For at one time she
injured even Jove, who, they say, is the most powerful of men and gods;
but him Juno, being a female, deceived by her guile on that day when
Alemene was about to bring forth mighty Hercules in well-walled Thebes.
He indeed, boasting, had said among all the gods:

"Hear me,[625] all ye gods and all ye goddesses, whilst I speak those
things which the mind within my bosom urges. This day Ilithyia,
presiding over births, shall bring into the light a certain man, who
shall be ruler over all his neighbours,--[one] of those men of the blood
of my race!"

[Footnote 622: _I.e._ even a good speaker can do nothing without
a fair hearing.]

[Footnote 623: Cf. iii. 164. Seneca, (Ed. 1019) "Fati ista culpa
est." Cf. Duport. p. 106. AEsch. Choeph. 910: [Greek: E moira
toton, o teknon, paraitia].]

[Footnote 624: "A delicate censure of Achilles."--Oxford Transl.]

[Footnote 625: Cf. Pindar, Ol. iii. 50-105, and Il. v. iii. I
have followed Heyne's construing, supplying [Greek: tina].]

But him the august Juno addressed, devising guile: "Thou shalt lie, nor
shalt thou insure accomplishment to thy speech. But come, swear a firm
oath to me, O Olympian! that he shall indeed be ruler over all his
neighbours, who shall this day fall between the feet of a woman, among
those men, who are of the blood of thy family."

Thus she spoke, but Jove perceived not her crafty design, but he swore
the mighty oath, and afterwards was much befooled.[626] Then Juno
springing forth, quitted the top of Olympus, and came speedily to
Achaean Argos, where she knew the noble spouse of Sthenelus, the son of
Perseus. And she, indeed, was pregnant of her beloved son; and the
seventh month was at hand; and she brought him into light, being
deficient the number of months; but kept back the delivery of Alemene,
and restrained the Ilithyiae; and herself bearing the message, addressed
Jove, the son of Saturn:

[Footnote 626: Injured, vexed by his infatuation. Juno was
thinking of Eurystheus but Jove of Hercules.]

"Father Jove, hurler of the red lightning, I will put a certain matter
in thy mind. A noble man is now born, who shall rule the Argives,
Eurystheus, the son of Perseus, thy offspring; nor is it unbecoming that
he should govern the Argives."

"Thus she spoke; but