Wild courage, clashing on her brandish’d shield:
Earth groan’d around. That moment with like pace
E’en as a flame or tempest came they on,
Cygnus the tamer of the steed, and Mars
Unsated with the roar of war. And now
The coursers mid-way met, and face to face
Neigh’d shrill: the broken echoes rang around.
Then him the first stern Hercules bespake.
“Oh soft of nature! why dost thou obstruct
The rapid steeds of men, who toils have proved