_He entreats the aid of Isis and Lucina in behalf of Corinna, in her
labour._
|While Corinna, in her imprudence, is trying to disengage the burden of
her pregnant womb, exhausted, she lies prostrate in danger of her life.
She, in truth, who incurred so great a risk unknown to me, is worthy
of my wrath; but anger falls before apprehension. But yet, by me it was
that she conceived; or so I think. That is often as a fact to me, which
is possible.
Isis, thou who dost [422] inhabit Parætonium, [423] and the genial
fields of Canopus, [424] and Memphis, [425] and palm-bearing Pharos,
[426] and where the rapid. Nile, discharged from its vast bed, rushes
through its seven channels into the ocean waves; by thy 'sistra' [428]
do I entreat thee; by the faces, _too_, of revered Anubis; [429] and
then may the benignant Osiris [430] ever love thy rites, and may the
sluggish serpent [431] ever wreath around thy altars, and may the horned
Apis [432] walk in the procession as thy attendant; turn hither thy
features, [433] and in one have mercy upon two; for to my mistress wilt
thou be giving life, she to me. Full many a time in thy honour has she
sat on thy appointed days, [434] on which [435] the throng of the Galli
[436] wreathe _themselves_ with thy laurels. [437]
Thou, too, who dost have compassion on the females who are in labour,
whose latent burden distends their bodies slowly moving; come,
propitious Ilithyia, [438] and listen to my prayers. She is worthy for
thee to command to become indebted to thee. I, myself, in white array,
will offer frankincense at thy smoking altars; I, myself, will
offer before thy feet the gifts that I have vowed. I will add _this_
inscription too; "Naso, for the preservation of Corinna, _offers
these_." But if, amid apprehensions so great, I may be allowed to give
you advice, let it suffice for you, Corinna, to have struggled in this
_one_ combat.