Had not Saturnian Jove with sudden note
Perceived his purpose; with compassion touch'd
Of the devoted Frogs the Sov'reign shook
His brows, and thus the Deities address'd, 340
I see a prodigy, ye Pow'rs divine!
And, with no small amazement smitten, hear
Prince Meridarpax menacing the Frogs
With gen'ral extirpation. Haste—be quick—
Dispatch we Pallas terrible in sight, 345
Nor her alone, but also Mars, to quell
With force combined the sanguinary Chief.
So spake the Thund'rer, and thus Mars replied.
Neither the force of Pallas, nor the force
Of Mars, O Jove! will save the destin'd Frogs 350
From swift destruction. Let us all descend
To aid them, or, lest all suffice not, grasp
And send abroad thy biggest bolt, thy bolt
Tempestuous, terrour of the Titan race,
By which those daring enemies thou flew'st, 355
And didst coerce with adamantine chains
Enceladus, and all that monstrous brood.
He said, and Jove dismiss'd the smould'ring bolt.
At his first thunder, to its base he shook
The vast Olympian. Then—whirling about 360
His forky fires, he launch'd them to the ground,
And, as they left the Sov'reign's hand, the heart
Of ev'ry Mouse quaked, and of ev'ry Frog.
Yet ceas'd not, even at that shock, the Mice
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