Ovid, Baucis and Philemon

• Jupiter came here with a mortal appearance, and with his parent came the staff bearer, grandson of Atlas, with his wings laid aside. They went to a thousand homes, seeking a room and rest; bolts closed a thousand homes. However, one received them, a small house indeed, and covered with straw and marsh reeds, but Baucis, the dutiful old woman and Philemon, with equal age, in that house were joined from youthful years, in that house grew old together and by admitting their poverty they made it unimportant and by not bearing it with an impatient mind.
• And it doesn’t matter, whether you ask for masters or slaves there; the whole household it two; the same ones both obey and give orders. Therefore when the gods reached the small home and entered the low door with their heads lowered, the old man, having set down a seat, instructed them to rest their limbs; for the attentive Baucis threw over a rough blanket and then in the hearth separated the warm ash and rekindled yesterdays fire and fed it with leaves and dry bark and coaxed it to flames with an old woman’s breath.