Egeria, the wife of Numa, while lamenting the loss of her husband, is changed by Apollo into a fountain.
But others’ woes were useless to appease Egeria’s grief, or set her mind at ease: Beneath the hill fill comfortless she laid; The dropping tears her eyes incessant shed, Till pitying Phoebus eased her pious wo, Thaw’d to a spring, whose streams for ever flow.
The nymphs and Virbius like amazement fill’d, As seized the swains who Tyrrhene furrows till’d, When heaving up, a clod was seen to roll, Untouch’d, self-moved, and big with human soul. The spreading mass, in former shape deposed, Began to shoot, and arms and legs disclosed, Till, form’d a perfect man, the living mould Oped its new mouth, and future truths foretold; And, Tages named by natives of the place, Taught arts prophetic to the Tuscan race.