Metamorphoses by Ovid

The son of AEgeus begs the cause to know Whence spring those groans, and whence that wounded front? And thus the stream of Calydon replies; -- (His uncomb'd locks with marshy reeds entwin'd). "A mournful task, O, warrior! you impose; -- "For who, when vanquish'd, joys to tell the fight "Where he was worsted? yet will I relate "In order all: vanquish'd, the shame was small; "The honor great, for such a prize to strive: "And such a conqueror more the mind relieves. "Has e'er the beauteous Dejanira's name "Reach'd to your ears? her charms the envy'd hope "Of numerous wooers form'd; mine with the rest. "As o'er the threshold of my wish'd-for sire "I stepp'd, I hail'd him.--O, Parthaoen's son, "For thine accept me.--So Alcides spoke, "And all the rest to our pretensions bow'd. "Of Jove, his sire, he boasts; and all the fame "His acts deserv'd; and stepdame's cruel laws "Final completed. I (who shameful thought "That gods should yield to mortals; then a god "Alcides was not) thus his claim oppos'd: "A king of floods behold me; floods which roll "With winding current through the land you sway; "A son in me accept, no stranger sent "From distant regions; of your country one, "Part of your rule. Let it not hurt my claim, "That Juno hates me not; that all the toil "Of slavish orders I have ne'er perform'd. "Alcmena was his mother, let him boast! "Jove is a sire but feign'd, or if one true, "Is criminally so. He claims a sire "To prove his mother's infamy: then chuse-- "Say feign'd thy origin from Jove, or fruit "Of intercourse adulterous, own thou art.-- "Me, speaking thus, with furious eyes he view'd, "Nor rul'd his swelling rage, replying fierce; -- "More than my tongue I on my arm depend: "Whilst I in fighting gain the palm, be thou "Victor in talking.--Furious on he rush'd. "So proudly boasting, to submit I scorn'd; "But stript my sea-green robe, my arms oppos'd, "And held my firm-clench'd hands before my breast; "For stout resistance every limb prepar'd, "To meet the fight. He in his hollow palms "The dust collecting, sprinkled me all o'er, "And then the yellow sand upon me threw. "Now on my neck he seizes; now he grasps "My slippery thighs: but only thinks to hold, "In every part assailing. Still secure "In bulk I stand, and he assails in vain. "Thus stands a rock, which waves with thundering roar "Surround; it stands unhurt in all its strength. "A little we recede, then rush again "To join the war: stoutly our ground we hold, "Steady resolv'd to yield not. Foot to foot "Fixt firm: I prone press with my ample breast, "And hand with hand, with forehead forehead joins. "So have I seen two mighty bulls contend, "When each the fairest heifer of the grove "Expects the arduous struggle to reward: "The herds behold and tremble, witless which "The powerful contest shall successful gain. "Thrice while I clasp'd him close, Alcides strove "To throw me from his breast, in vain,--the fourth "He shook me from him, and my clasping arms "Unloosing, instant turn'd me with his hand; "(Truth must I speak,) and heavy on my back "He hung. If credence may my words demand, "Nor seek I fame through tales of false deceit, "A mighty mountain on me seem'd to weigh: "Scarce were my arms, with trickling sweat bedew'd, "Loos'd from his grasp; scarce was my body freed "From his hard gripe, when panting hard for breath, "Ere I could strength regain, my throat he seiz'd. "Then on the earth my knee was press'd; my mouth "Then bit the sand. Inferior prov'd in strength, "To arts I next betook me. Slipp'd his hands "In form a long round serpent; while I roll'd "In winding spires my body; while I shook "My forked tongue with hisses dire, he laugh'd, "And mock'd my arts; exclaiming,--snakes to kill "I in my cradle knew; grant thou excel'st, "O, Acheloues! others far in size, "What art thou mated with the Hydra's bulk? "He fertile from his wounds, his hundred heads "Ne'er felt diminish'd, for straightway his neck, "With two successors, brav'd the stroke again: "Yet him I vanquish'd with his branching heads "From blood produc'd: from every loss more stout, "Him prostrate I o'erthrew. What hope hast thou, "In form fallacious, who with borrow'd arms "Now threaten'st? whom a form precarious hides? "He said, and fast about my throat he squeez'd "His nervous fingers; choaking, hard I strove, "As pincer-like he press'd me, to unloose "From his tight grasp my neck. Conquer'd in this, "Still a third shape, the furious bull remain'd: "Chang'd to a bull, again I wag'd the war. "Around my brawny neck his arms he threw "To left, and spite of every effort try'd "To 'scape, he dragg'd me down; the solid earth "Deep with my horn he pierc'd, and stretch'd me prone "On the wide sand. Unsated yet his rage, "His fierce hand seiz'd my stubborn horn, and broke "From my maim'd front the weapon. Naiaed nymphs "This consecrated, fill'd with fruits, and flowers "Of odorous fragrance, and the horn is priz'd "By Plenty's goddess as her favorite care."

He spoke, a nymph close-girt like Dian's train, Her ample tresses o'er each shoulder spread, Enter'd, supporting all of Autumn's fruit In the rich horn, and mellowest apples came The second course to grace. Now day appear'd: The youths when light the loftiest summits touch'd Of the high hills, departed; waiting not Till the rough floods in peaceful channels flow'd; The troubled currents smooth'd. Profound his head Of rustic semblance, Acheloues hides 'Reft of his horn, beneath his deepest waves. His forehead's honor lost sore gall'd him: all Save that was perfect. Ev'n his forehead's loss With willow boughs and marshy reeds was hid.