THE INFANT HERCULES AND THE FROM THE SAME. JUNO, jealous of the child which Jupiter has had by Alcmena, sends two dreadful serpents to devour the boy. The serpents come upon him, while he and his half-brother Iphiclus, the son of Amphitryon, are sleeping together. Iphiclus, the child of the mortal father, is terrified: Hercules, the infant demi-god, seizes and destroys them, as if they were living playthings. His mother consults the prophet Tiresias on the occasion, and is told of her son's future renown. YOUNG Hercules had now beheld the light Sleep, sleep, my boys, a light and pleasant sleep; My little souls, my twins, my guard and keep! Sleep happy, and wake happy!" And she kept Rocking the mighty buckler, and they slept. At midnight, when the Bear went down, and broad Orion's shoulder lit the starry road, There came, careering through the opening halls, Serpents; whom Juno, threatening as she drove, An evil fire out of their eyes came lamping; And now they have arriv'd, and think to fall The other, grappling, seized them by the nape Buckled and bound he held them, struggling wild; Tir'd out at length, they trail their spires and gasp, Lock'd in that young indissoluble grasp. Alcmena heard the noise, and" Wake," she cried, Amphitryon, wake; for terror holds me tied! Up; stay not for the sandals: hark! the child, The youngest-how he shrieks! The babe is wild: And see, the walls and windows! 'Tis as light As if 'twere day, and yet 'tis surely night. There's something dreadful in the house; there is Indeed, dear husband!" He arose at this; And seiz'd his noble sword, which overhead Was always hanging at the cedar-bed : The hilt he grasp'd in one hand, and the sheath In t'other; and drew forth the blade of death. All in an instant, like a stroke of doom, Returning midnight smote upon the room. Amphitryon call'd; and woke from heavy sleep His household, who lay breathing hard and deep; 'Bring lights here from the hearth! lights, lights; and guard 66 The doorways; rise, ye ready labourers hard!” He said; and lights came pouring in, and all The busy house was up, in bower and hall; But when they saw the little suckler, how He grasp'd the monsters, and with earnest brow Kept beating them together, plaything-wise, They shriek'd aloud; but he with laughing eyes, Soon as he saw Amphitryon, leap'd and sprung Childlike, and at his feet the dead disturbers flung. Then did Alcmena to her bosom take Her feebler boy, who could not cease to shake.i The other son Amphitryon took and laid Beneath a fleece; and so return'd to bed. Soon as the cock, with his thrice-echoing cheer, Told that the gladness of the day was near, Alcmena sent for old, truth-uttering Tiresias; and she told him all this thing, And bade him say what she might think and do; "Nor do thou fear," said she, "to let me know, Although the mighty gods should meditate Aught ill; for man can never fly from Fate. And thus thou seest" (and here her smiling eyes Look'd through a blush) "how well I teach the wise." So spoke the queen. Then he with glad old tone; "Be of good heart, thou blessed bearing one, Shall sing of thee and thy beloved name; With his broad heart to win his way to heaven; And he shall mount amid the stars, and be And sent these den-born shapes to crush his destiny." GREEK PRETENDERS TO PHILOSOPHY DESCRIBED. FROM THE ANTHOLOGY. (The original is in similar compound words.) LOFTY-brow-flourishers, Nose-in-beard-wallowers, Bag-and-beard-nourishers, Dish-and-all-swallowers; Old-cloak-investitors, Barefoot-lookfashioners, Night-private-feasteaters, Youth-cheaters, word-catchers, vaingloryosophers, T'OTHER day as I was twining Of my wine I plung'd and sank him, CATULLUS'S RETURN HOME TO THE PENINSULA OF SIRMIO. O BEST of all the scatter'd spots that lie |