453Yet (so true is it that no pleasure is unmixed, and some anxiety intrudes upon joys) Aegeus did not enjoy carefree happiness at his son's recovery. 456Minos is preparing war. 456Although he is strong in soldiers, strong in his fleet, yet he is strongest in a father's anger, and avenges the death of Androgeos with just arms. 459But before the war he gathers friendly forces, and roams the seas with his swift fleet, where he was thought powerful. 461On this side he joins to himself Anaphe and the kingdom of Astypalaea, Anaphe by promises, the kingdom of Astypalaea by war; 463on this side low Myconos and the chalky fields of Cimolus, and Cythnos, flowering with thyme, and little Seriphos, and marble Paros, and the place where the impious Sithonian woman betrayed Arne (having received the gold which she had greedily demanded, she was changed into a bird which even now loves gold, the jackdaw, black-footed and clad in black feathers).
469But Oliaros and Didyme and Tenos and Andros and Gyaros and Peparethos, rich in the gleaming olive, did not help the Cnossian ships. 471Then on the left Minos makes for Oenopia, the realm of the Aeacids: the ancients called it Oenopia, but Aeacus himself named it Aegina after his mother. 475The crowd rushes out, eager to meet a man of such great fame. 476Telamon goes to meet him, and Peleus, younger than Telamon, and Phocus, the third son. 478Aeacus himself also comes out, slow with the heaviness of age, and asks what is the reason for his coming. 480Reminded of his grief as a father, the ruler of a hundred peoples sighs, and replies to him in such words: 'I beg you to help the arms I have taken up for my son, and to be a part of a dutiful campaign; 483I ask consolation for a tomb.' 484To him the grandson of Asopus said: 'You ask in vain, and for what my city must not do: for no land is more closely joined to the descendants of Cecrops than this one: such is our treaty.' 487He goes away gloomy, and says, 'Your treaty will cost you dear,' and thinks it more useful to threaten war than to wage it and use up his strength there beforehand.
490The Lyctian fleet could still be seen from the walls of Oenopia, when an Attic ship, driven under full sail, arrives and enters the friendly harbour, bringing Cephalus and at the same time the instructions of his country. 494The young Aeacids, though they had not seen Cephalus for a long time, still recognised him, gave him their right hands, and led him into their father's house. 496The hero, a sight to behold and still keeping tokens of his former beauty, enters holding a branch of his country's olive, and, older himself, has on his right and left two men younger in age, Clytus and Butes, sons of Pallas. 501After the first meeting had exchanged its greetings, Cephalus delivers the instructions of the descendant of Cecrops, asks for help, recalls the treaty and the compacts of their fathers, and adds that dominion over all Achaea is the aim.
505When eloquence had thus aided the cause entrusted to him, Aeacus, his left hand resting on the shining hilt of his sceptre, said, 'Do not ask for help, Athens, but take it; 508and without hesitation count as your own the forces which this island has; 509and it has everything (such is the state of my affairs). 510Strength is not lacking; I have soldiers to spare even against an enemy: thanks to the gods, it is a fortunate time, and one that allows no excuse.' 512'Indeed, may it be so,' Cephalus — 'I pray your city may grow in citizens!' 513said. 513'For my part, on arriving just now I felt joy, when youth so handsome and so equal in age came out to meet me.
515Yet I miss many among them whom I once saw when I was received in your city before.' 517Aeacus groaned and spoke thus in a sad voice: 'A happier fortune has followed a pitiful beginning. 519Would that I could tell you of the one without the other! 520Now I shall go back over it in order. 520And not to delay you with a long circuit of words: they lie as bones and ashes, those whom you seek with your remembering mind. 522And how great a part of my fortunes were those who perished! 523A dreadful plague fell upon the peoples through the anger of unjust Juno, who hated the land named after her rival.
525While the evil seemed one of human origin, and the harmful cause of so great a disaster lay hidden, it was fought with the art of healing: destruction overcame help, which lay defeated. 528At first the sky pressed down on the earth with thick darkness and shut in a sluggish heat beneath the clouds; 530and while the moon four times filled out her orb with joined horns, and four times, waning, unwove her full orb, the hot south winds blew with deadly heat. 533It is agreed too that the infection came into springs and lakes, and that many thousands of snakes wandered through the untilled fields and polluted the rivers with their poisons.
536The power of the sudden disease was first detected in the slaughter of dogs and birds and sheep and cattle, and among the wild beasts. 538The unlucky ploughman marvels that his strong bulls collapse at their work and lie down in the middle of the furrow; 540from the woolly flocks, as they utter sick bleatings, the wool falls of its own accord and their bodies waste away. 542The horse, once spirited and of great fame on the dusty track, disgraces his palms, and, forgetting his old honours, groans at the manger, about to die an idle death. 545The boar does not remember to rage, nor the deer to trust in its running, nor bears to charge the strong herds.
547Languor holds everything; 547in woods and fields and roads foul bodies lie, and the air is tainted by the stench. 549I shall tell of wonders: dogs and greedy birds did not touch them, nor grey wolves; 550falling apart, they melt away and harm with their breath and spread contagion far and wide.