h
grief at their death, loads her son with execrations; and,
remembering the torch which she received from the Fates at his
birth, and on which the preservation of his life depends, she throws
it into the fire. As soon as it is consumed, Meleager expires in the
greatest torments. His sisters mourn over his body, until Diana
changes them into birds.

And now the AEtnaean land received Daedalus in his fatigue; and
Cocalus,[23] taking up arms for him as he entreated, was commended for
his kindness. {And} now Athens has ceased to pay her mournful tribute,
through the exploits of Theseus. The temples are decked with garlands,
and they invoke warlike Minerva, with Jupiter and the other Gods, whom
they adore with the blood {of victims} vowed, and with presents offered,
and censers[24] of frankincense. Wandering Fame had spread the renown of
Theseus throughout the Argive cities, and the nations which rich Achaia
contained, implored his aid amid great dangers. Calydon, {too}, although
it had Meleager,[25] suppliantly addressed him with anxious entreaties.
The occasion of asking {aid} was a boar, the servant and the avenger of
Diana in her wrath.

For they say that Oeneus, for the blessings of a plenteous year, had
offered the first fruits of the corn to Ceres, to Bacchus his wine, and
the Palladian juice[26] {of olives} to the yellow-haired Minerva. These
invidious honours commencing with the rural {Deities}, were continued to
all the Gods above; they say that the altars of the daughter of Latona,
who was omitted, were alone left without frankincense. Wrath affects
even the Deities. "But {this}," says she, "I will not tamely put up
with; and I, who am thus dishonoured, will not be said to be unrevenged
{as well}:" and she sends a boar as an avenger throughout the lands of
Oeneus, than which not even does verdant Epirus[27] possess bulls of
greater size; even the fields of Sicily have them of less magnitude. His
eyes shine with blood and flames, his rough neck is stiff; bristles,
too,[28] stand up, like spikes, thickly set; like palisades[29] do those
bristles project, just like high spikes. Boiling foam, with a harsh
noise, flows down his broad shoulders; his tusks rival the tusks of
India. Thunders issue from his mouth; the foliage is burnt up with the
blast. One while he tramples down the corn in the growing blade, and
crops the expectations of the husbandman, doomed to lament, as yet
unripe, and he intercepts th