“How is it that thou darest, shameless one, Resist me? Thou wilt find it hard, though trained In archery, to match thy strength with mine, Though Jove has made thee among womankind A lioness, and though he gives thee power To slay whomever of thy sex thou wilt; Yet wilt thou find it easier to strike down The mountain beasts of prey, and forest deer, Than combat with thy betters. If thou choose To try the event of battle, then put forth Thy strength against me, and thou shalt be taught How greatly I excel in might of arm.”

Thus Juno spake, and grasped in her left hand Both Dian’s wrists, and, plucking with her right The quiver from her shoulders, beat with it Her ears, and smiled as under her quick blows The sufferer writhed. To earth the arrows fell, And Dian weeping fled. As when a dove, Not fated to be overtaken yet, Flees from a hawk to find her hiding-place, The hollow rock, so Dian fled in tears, And left her arrows. To Latona, then, Heaven’s messenger, the Argus-queller, spake:⁠—