And lo! creeping from the rocks on either hand, angry serpents, with their long necks and sleepless eyes.

The very waters found a voice and bade her depart, in smothered cries of, Depart hence! and [86] What doest thou here?
Look around thee! and Destruction is upon thee! And then sense left her, in the immensity of her peril, as one changed to stone.
Yet not even then did the distress of this innocent soul escape the steady eye of a gentle providence.

For the bird of Jupiter spread his wings and took flight to her, and asked her, "Didst thou think, simple one, even thou! that thou couldst steal one drop of that relentless stream, the holy river of Styx, terrible even to the gods?
But give me thine urn." And the bird took the urn, and filled it at the source, and returned to her quickly from among the teeth of the serpents, bringing with him of the waters, all unwilling--nay! warning him to depart away and not molest them.
And she, receiving the urn with great joy, ran back quickly that she might deliver it to Venus, and yet again satisfied not the angry goddess.

"My child!" she said, "in this one thing further must thou serve me.

Take now this tiny casket, and get thee down even unto hell, and deliver it to Proserpine.