urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg002.perseus-eng2
and I fled secretly across the dark country and escaped my masters, that they should not take me unpurchased across the sea, there to win a price for me. And so I wandered and am come here: and I know not at all what land this is or what people are in it.
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg002.perseus-eng2
But may all those who dwell on Olympus give you husbands and birth of children as parents desire, so you take pity on me, maidens,
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and show me this clearly that I may learn, dear children, to the house of what man and woman I may go,
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg002.perseus-eng2
to work for them cheerfully at such tasks as belong to a woman of my age. Well could I nurse a new born child, holding him in my arms, or keep house, or spread my masters' bed in a recess of the well-built chamber, or teach the women their work.”
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg002.perseus-eng2
So said the goddess. And straightway the unwed maiden Callidice, goodliest in form of the daughters of Celeus, answered her and said: “Mother, what the gods send us, we mortals bear perforce, although we suffer; for they are much stronger than we. But now I will teach you clearly,
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0013.tlg002.perseus-eng2
telling you the names of men who have great power and honor here and are chief among the people, guarding our city's coif of towers by their wisdom and true judgements: there is wise Triptolemus and Dioclus and Polyxeinus and blameless Eumolpus
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and Dolichus and our own brave father. All these have wives who manage in the house, and no one of them, so soon as she had seen you, would dishonor you and turn you from the house, but they will welcome you; for indeed you are godlike.
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But if you will, stay here; and we will go to our father's house and tell Metaneira, our deep-bosomed mother, all this matter fully, that she may bid you rather come to our home than search after the houses of others. She has an only son,
