“Ye powers, who under earth your realms extend, To whom all mortals must one day descend, If here ’tis granted sacred truth to tell, I come not curious to explore your hell, Nor come to boast (by vain ambition fired) How Cerberus at my approach retired; My wife alone I seek, for her loved sake These terrors I support, this journey take: She, luckless wandering, or by fate misled, Chanced on a lurking viper’s crest to tread; The vengeful beast, inflamed with fury, starts, And through her heel his deathful venom darts. Thus was she snatch’d untimely to her tomb. Her growing years cut short, and springing bloom. Long I my loss endeavour’d to sustain, And strongly strove; but strove, alas! in vain: At length I yielded, won by mighty love; Well known is that omnipotence above: But here, I doubt, his unfelt influence fails; And yet a hope within my heart prevails, That here, ev’n here, he has been known of old, At least if truth be by tradition told. If fame of former loves belief may find, You both by love, and love alone, were join’d.