Jove, or exalted to heaven by the blaze of inborn worth,
themselves sprung from the gods, who have had the power.
The whole intervening space is possessed by woods,
and lapped round by the black windings of Cocytus’[211] 10
stream. And now, if your heart’s yearning is so great,
your passion so strong, twice to stem the Stygian pool,
twice to gaze on the night of Tartarus—if it be your joy
to give scope to a madman’s striving—hear what must
first be done. Deep in the shade of a tree lurks a branch, all 15
of gold, foliage alike and limber twig, dedicated to the