The queen of heaven, to gratify her hate, And sooth immortal wrath, forgets her state; Down from the realms of day to realms of night, The goddess swift precipitates her flight. At hell arrived, the noise hell’s porter heard, The enormous dog his triple head uprear’d: Thrice from three grisly throats he howl’d profound, Then suppliant couch’d, and stretch’d along the ground. The trembling threshold, which Saturnia press’d, The weight of such divinity confess’d.

Before a lofty adamantine gate, Which closed a tower of brass, the Furies sate; Misshapen forms, tremendous to the sight, The implacable foul daughters of the night. A sounding whip each bloody sister shakes, Or from her tresses combs the curling snakes. But now great Juno’s majesty was known; Through the thick gloom all heavenly bright she shone; The hideous monsters their obedience show’d, And, rising from their seats, submissive bow’d.