“‘When Arethusa’s tale had reached its end,
the goddess of fertility prepared
her chariot; she yoked her sacred pair
of dragons. With their bits held tight, she rides
upon the air, between the earth and sky.
Once at Athena’s town, on touching ground,
she gives her chariot as well as seeds
of grain to young Triptolemus, and these
she’d have him scatter wide in many lands.
The youth flies over Europe and the breadth
of Asia; reaching Scythia, he descends.
Latin [628–49]
The ruler of that land is Lyncus, and
he enters the king’s palace. When he’s asked
to tell how he had come, and what and why
might be his name and country, he replies:
“My home is famous Athens; and my name,
Triptolemus. No ship has brought me here
across the waves; my feet did not cross land:
the air disclosed its roads to me; I bring
the gifts of Ceres; if you scatter these
across your spacious fields, they’re sure to yield
rich harvests—cultivated, peaceful food.”
And Lyncus, that barbarian, was struck
by envy; but that he might come to be
far-famed as a great benefactor, he
received his guest with hospitality.
“‘Yet when his guest was fast asleep, the king
attacked; his blade was just about to pierce
the chest of the Athenian when Ceres
transformed the Scythian king into a lynx,
then had Triptolemus ride off; across
the air, he drove her sacred dragon pair.’