present, and to come.  He can tell you, my son, the cause of the mortality among your bees, and how you may remedy it.  But he will not do it voluntarily, however you may entreat him.  You must compel him by force.  If you seize him and chain him, he will answer your questions in order to get released, for he cannot by all his arts get away if you hold fast the chains.  I will carry you to his cave, where he comes at noon to take his midday repose.  Then you may easily secure him.  But when he finds himself captured, his resort is to a power he possesses of changing himself into various forms.  He will become a wild boar or a fierce tiger, a scaly dragon or lion with yellow mane.  Or he will make a noise like the crackling of flames or the rush of water, so as to tempt you to let go the chain, when he will make his escape.  But you have only to keep him fast bound, and at last when he finds all his arts unavailing, he will return to his own figure and obey your commands.”  So saying she sprinkled her son with fragrant nectar, the beverage of the gods, and immediately an unusual vigor filled his frame, and courage his heart, while perfume breathed all around him.

The nymph led her son to the prophet’s cave and concealed him among the recesses of the rocks, while she herself took her place behind the clouds.  When noon came and the hour when men and herds retreat from the glaring sun to indulge in quiet slumber, Proteus issued from the water, followed by his herd of sea-calves which spread themselves along the shore.  He sat on the rock and counted his herd; then stretched himself on the floor of the cave and went to sleep.  Aristaeus hardly allowed him to get fairly asleep before he fixed the fetters on him and shouted aloud.  Proteus, waking and finding himself captured, immediately resorted to his arts, becoming first a fire, then a flood, then a horrible wild beast, in rapid succession.  But finding all would not do, he at last resumed his own form and addressed the youth in angry accents:  “Who are you, bold youth, who thus invade my abode, and what do yot want of me?” Aristaeus replied, “Proteus, you know already, for it is needless for any one to attempt to deceive you.  And do you also cease your efforts to elude me.  I am led hither by divine assistance, to know from you the cause of my misfortune and how to remedy it.”  At these words the prophet, fixing on him his gray eyes with a piercing look, thus spoke:  “You receive the merited reward of your deeds, by which Eurydice met her death, for in flying from you she trod upon a serpent, of whose bite she died.  To avenge her death, the nymphs, her companions, have sent this destruction to your bees.  You have to appease their anger, and thus it must be done:  Select four bulls, of perfect form and size, and four cows of equal beauty, build four altars to the nymphs, and sacrifice the animals, leaving their carcasses in the leafy grove.  To Orpheus and Eurydice you shall pay such funeral honors as may allay their resentment.