METAMORPHOSES OOK V on the other bank. So much the more he pressed on and burned with love; naked I seemed readier for his taking. So did I flee and so did he hotly press after me, as doves on fluttering pinions flee the hawk, as the hawk pursues the frightened doves. Even past Orchomenus, past Psophis and Cyllene, past the combs of Maenalus, chill Erymanthus and Elis, I kept my fAight; nor was he swifter of foot than I. But I, being ill-matched in strength, could not long keep up my speed, while he could sustain a long pursuit. Yet through level plains, over mountains covered with trees, over rocks also and cliffs, and where there was no way at al, I ran. The sun was at my back. I sav my pursuer's long shadow stretching out ahead of me-unless it was fear that saw it-but surelv I heard the terrifying sound of feet, and his deep-pant ing breath fanned my hair. Then, forspent with the toil of flight, I cried aloud: O help me or I am caught, help thy armour-bearer, goddess of the nets, to whom so often thou hast given thy bow to bear and thy quiver, with all its arrows!' The goddess heard, and threw an impenetrable cloud of mistabout me. The river-god circled around me, wrapped in the darkness, and at fault quested about the hollow mist. And twice he went round the place where the god- dess had hidden me, unknowing, and twice he called, ' Arethusa! O Arethusa' How did I feel then, poor wretch! Was I not as the lamb, when it hears the wolves howling around the fold? or the hare whicb, hiding in the brambles, sees the dogs' deadly muzzles and dares not make the slightest motion? But he went not far away, for he saw no traces of my feet further on; he watched the cloud and the place. Cold sweat poured down my beleaguered limbs and the dark drops rained down from my whole body. 281
