To their surprise, upon the road to Styx,

They found old Patreus, still wandering,

Across the barren waste. After the tears

And joy of their reunion, Briam asked,

"Wherefore this aimless wandering, my lord,

Why have you not yet crossed the River Styx

And entered the Elysian Fields?" The king

Replied in sorrowed tones: "I cannot cross.

My ticket was purloined by gypsy dogs,

And Cesaron won�t ferry me across."

Our heroes looked around, but saw no threat,

No gypsies could be seen, but Patreus

Exclaimed, "Do not be fooled by their disguise!

Gypsies are everywhere... you cannot hide.

That tree, that cat, they shift their shape at will

To strike when backs are turned!" Our heroes gave

Old Patreus an extra ticket that

They bought at a tabacchi when they left.

They crossed the Styx with Cesaron as guide,

And sailed across the Stygian abyss.

Now in the realm of Hoy, they reached the fork

Where to the right, Elysium did lay,

A land of plenty, where the just do rest.

And on the other side: dark Tartarus,

A place of torture and incessant pain

Where scholars read "Encounters" for all time

And live like weasels underneath the earth.

Before the fork did sit the throne of Hoy,

The regent of this realm of walking dead.

At Briam did the King of Hades point

And ask what end our tired travelers sought.

At this the young prince seemed a mite confused.

Had they come here to save Melinaus

From torturous readings at the hands of Hoy?

Or maybe just to find the antidote

To that insidious orange that lay waste

To Patreus� daughter. Why this quest?

What did young Briam search for in this world?

He set off on the road to Tartarus

To find his tortured friend.