Great Perseus then: “With me you shall prevail, Worth the relation, to relate a tale. Medusa once had charms; to gain her love A rival crowd of envious lovers strove. They who have seen her own, they ne’er did trace More moving features in a sweeter face: Yet, above all, her length of hair, they own, In golden ringlets waved, and graceful shone. Her Neptune saw, and with such beauties fired, Resolved to compass what his soul desired. The bashful goddess turn’d her eyes away, Nor durst such bold impurity survey; But on the lovely virgin vengeance takes, Her shining hair is changed to hissing snakes. These, in her aegis, Pallas joys to bear: The hissing snakes her foes more sure insnare, Than they did lovers once, when shining hair.”