As once attentive to his pipe he play’d, The crafty Hermes from the god convey’d A drove, that separate from their fellows stray’d. The theft an old insidious peasant view’d (They call’d him Battus in the neighbourhood), Hired by a wealthy Pylian prince to feed His fav’rite mares, and watch the generous breed. The thievish god suspected him, and took The hind aside, and thus in whispers spoke: “Discover not the theft, whoe’er thou be, And take that milk-white heifer for thy fee.” “Go, stranger,” cries the clown, “securely on, That stone shall sooner tell,” and showed a stone.