some churlish peasants, who could not believe in a goddess if she
appeared in humble guise and travel-worn. But these men were all
changed into frogs.

It needed no word from Latona herself to rouse her children to
vengeance. Swift as a thought, the two immortal archers, brother and
sister, stood in Thebes, upon the towers of the citadel. Near by, the
youth were pursuing their sports, while the feast of Latona went
neglected. The sons of Queen Niobe were there, and against them Apollo
bent his golden bow. An arrow crossed the air like a sunbeam, and
without a word the eldest prince fell from his horse. One by one his
brothers died by the same hand, so swiftly that they knew not what had
befallen them, till all the sons of the royal house lay slain. Only the
people of Thebes, stricken with terror, bore the news to Queen Niobe,
where she sat with her seven daughters. She would not believe in such a
sorrow.

"Savage Latona," she cried, lifting her arms against the heavens,
"never think that you have conquered. I am still the greater."

At that moment one of her daughters sank beside her. Diana had sped an
arrow from her bow that is like the crescent moon. Without a cry, nay,
even as they murmured words of comfort, the sisters died, one by one.
It was all as swift and soundless as snowfall.

Only the guilty mother was left, transfixed with grief. Tears flowed
from her eyes, but she spoke not a word, her heart never softened; and
at last she turned to stone, and the tears flowed down her cold face
forever.