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METAMORPHOSES BOOK VII ants in a long column, bearing heavy loads with their tiny mouths, and keeping their own path along the wrinkled bark. Wondering at their numbers, I said: O most excellent father, grant thou me just as many subjects, and fill my empty walls.' The lofty oak trembled and moved its branches, rustling in the windless air. My limbs were horror-smit with quak- Yet I kissed the earth and the oak-tree; nor did I own my hopes to myself, and yet I did hope and I cherished my desires within my mind. Night came and sleep claimed our care-worn bodies. Before my eyes the same oak-tree seemed to stand, with just as many branches and with just as many creatures on its branches, to shake with the same motion, aıd to scatter the grain-bearing column on the ground below. These seemed sud- denly to grow larger and ever larger, to raise themselves from the ground and stand with form erect, to throw off their leanness, their many feet, their black colour, and to take on human limbs and a human form. Then sleep departed. Once awake I thought lightly of my vision, bewailing that there was no help in the gods. But ther<e was a great confused noise in the palace, and I seemed to hear the voices of men to which I was ing fear and my hair stood on end. long unused. And while I half believed that this also was a trick of sleep, Telamon came running and throwing open the door, exclaimed: 'O father, more than you believed or hoped for shall you see. Come out !' I went without, and there just such men as I had seen in my dream I now saw and recognized with my waking eyes. They approached and greeted me as king. I gave thanks to Jove, and to my nevw subjects I portioned out my city and my fields, for- saken by their former occupants; and I called them 387