with busy hand Plying the bellows. He was fashioning Tripods, a score, to stand beside the wall Of his fair palace. All of these he placed On wheels of gold, that, of their own accord, They might roll in among the assembled gods, And then roll back, a marvel to behold. So far they all were finished; but not yet Were added the neat handles, and for these The god was forging rivets busily. While thus he labored, with a mind intent Upon his skilful task, on silver feet Came Thetis. Charis, of the snowy veil, The beautiful, whom the great god of fire, Vulcan, had made his wife, beheld, and came Forward to meet her, seized her hand, and said:—
“O Thetis of the flowing robe, beloved And honored, what has brought thee to our home Thou dost not often visit us. Come in, That I may pay the honors due a guest.”
So the bright goddess spake, and led the way, And seated Thetis on a sumptuous throne, With silver studs divinely wrought, and placed A footstool, and called out to Vulcan thus: “Come, Vulcan; Thetis here hath need of thee.”
And the great artist, Vulcan, thus replied: “Then of a truth a goddess is within Whom I must ever honor and revere; Who from the danger of my terrible fall Saved me, what time my shameless mother sought To cast me from her sight, for I was lame. Then great had been my misery, had not Eurynomè and Thetis in their laps Received me as I fell—Eurynomè, Daughter of billowy Ocean. There I dwelt Nine years, and many ornaments I wrought Of brass—clasps, buckles, bracelets, necklaces— Within a vaulted cave, round which the tides Of the vast ocean murmured and flung up Their foam; nor any of the gods or men Knew of my hiding-place, save only they Who saved me, Thetis and Eurynomè. And now, as she is with us, I must make To fair-haired Thetis some thank-offering For having rescued me. Haste, spread the board Amply with generous fare, while I shall lay Aside my bellows and my implements.”