Vulcan fixed his desires on Minerva; the Goddess of Wisdom, however, laughed his suit to scorn, and Vulcan is represented as having been very violent at his rejection. Juno then pressed the suit of her son on Venus, whose power was already established at the celestial court. […] Miserable, but not cast down, by the many refusals he met with, Vertumnus took a thousand shapes to influence the success of his suit. […] A bridled dolphin, oft fair Thetis bore To this her loved retreat, her favourite shore: Here Peleus seized her slumbering where she lay, And urged his suit, with all that love could say: The nymph o’erpowered, to art for succour flies, And various shapes the eager youth surprize. […] The mother, still anxious for his preservation, prevailed upon Vulcan to make him a suit of armour; but after it was done, she refused to fulfil the promise she had made to the god.