she went among the cities and rich fields of men. Now no man knew her
that looked on her, nor no deep-bosomed woman, till she came to the
dwelling of Celeus, who then was Prince of fragrant Eleusis. There sat
she at the wayside in sorrow of heart, by the Maiden Well whence the
townsfolk were wont to draw water. In the shade she sat; above her grew
a thick olive-tree; and in fashion she was like an ancient crone who
knows no more of child-bearing and the gifts of Aphrodite, the lover of
garlands. Such she was as are the nurses of the children of
doom-pronouncing kings. Such are the housekeepers in their echoing
halls.

Now the daughters of Celeus beheld her as they came to fetch the fair-
flowing water, to carry thereof in bronze vessels to their father's home.
Four were they, like unto goddesses, all in the bloom of youth,
Callidice, and Cleisidice, and winsome Demo, and Callithoe the eldest of
them all, nor did they know her, for the Gods are hard to be known by
mortals, but they stood near her and spake winged words:

"Who art thou and whence, old woman, of ancient folk, and why wert thou
wandering apart from the town, nor dost draw nigh to the houses where are
women of thine own age, in the shadowy halls, even such as thou, and
younger women, too, who may kindly entreat thee in word and deed?"

So spake they, and the lady Goddess answered:

"Dear children, whoever ye be, of womankind I bid you hail, and I will
tell you my story. Seemly it is to answer your questions truly. Deo is
my name that my lady mother gave me; but now, look you, from Crete am I
come hither over the wide ridges of the sea, by no will of my own, nay,
by violence have sea-rovers brought me hither under duress, who