Part 8 (2/2)

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_A_ DAY came when Heracles left the _Argo_ and went on the Lemnian land.

He gathered the heroes about him, and they, seeing Heracles come amongst them, clamored to go to hunt the wild bulls that were inland from the sea.

So, for once, the heroes left the Lemnian maidens who were their friends. Jason, too, left Hypsipyle in the palace and went with Heracles.

And as they went, Heracles spoke to each of the heroes, saying that they were forgetting the Fleece of Gold that they had sailed to gain. Jason blushed to think that he had almost let go out of his mind the quest that had brought him from Iolcus. And then he thought upon Hypsipyle and of how her little hand would stay in his, and his own hand became loose upon the spear so that it nearly fell from him. How could he, he thought, leave Hypsipyle and this land of Lemnos behind?

He heard the clear voice of Atalanta as she, too, spoke to the Argonauts. What Heracles said was brave and wise, said Atalanta.

Forgetfulness would cover their names if they stayed longer in Lemnos-forgetfulness and shame, and they would come to despise themselves.

Leave Lemnos, she cried, and draw _Argo_ into the sea, and depart for Colchis.

All day the Argonauts stayed by themselves, hunting the bulls. On their way back from the chase they were met by Lemnian maidens who carried wreaths of flowers for them. Very silent were the heroes as the maidens greeted them. Heracles went with Jason to the palace, and Hypsipyle, seeing the mighty stranger coming, seated herself, not on the couch where she was wont to sit looking into the face of Jason, but on the stone throne of King Thoas, her father. And seated on that throne she spoke to Jason and to Heracles as a queen might speak.

In the hall that night the heroes and the Lemnian maidens who were with them were quiet. A story was told; Castor began it and Polydeuces ended it. And the story that Helen's brothers told was:

The Golden Maid

Epimetheus the t.i.tan had a brother who was the wisest of all beings-Prometheus called the Foreseer. But Epimetheus himself was slow-witted and scatter-brained. His wise brother once sent him a message bidding him beware of the gifts that Zeus might send him. Epimetheus heard, but he did not heed the warning, and thereby he brought upon the race of men troubles and cares.

Prometheus, the wise t.i.tan, had saved men from a great trouble that Zeus would have brought upon them. Also he had given them the gift of fire.

Zeus was the more wroth with men now because fire, stolen from him, had been given them; he was wroth with the race of t.i.tans, too, and he pondered in his heart how he might injure men, and how he might use Epimetheus, the mindless t.i.tan, to further his plan.

While he pondered there was a hush on high Olympus, the mountain of the G.o.ds. Then Zeus called upon the artisan of the G.o.ds, lame Hephaestus, and he commanded him to make a being out of clay that would have the likeness of a lovely maiden. With joy and pride Hephaestus worked at the task that had been given him, and he fas.h.i.+oned a being that had the likeness of a lovely maiden, and he brought the thing of his making before the G.o.ds and the G.o.ddesses.

All strove to add a grace or a beauty to the work of Hephaestus. Zeus granted that the maiden should see and feel. Athene dressed her in garments that were as lovely as flowers. Aphrodite, the G.o.ddess of love, put a charm on her lips and in her eyes. The Graces put necklaces around her neck and set a golden crown upon her head. The Hours brought her a girdle of spring flowers. Then the herald of the G.o.ds gave her speech that was sweet and flowing. All the G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses had given gifts to her, and for that reason the maiden of Hephaestus's making was called Pandora, the All-endowed.

She was lovely, the G.o.ds knew; not beautiful as they themselves are, who have a beauty that awakens reverence rather than love, but lovely, as flowers and bright waters and earthly maidens are lovely. Zeus smiled to himself when he looked upon her, and he called to Hermes who knew all the ways of the earth, and he put her into the charge of Hermes. Also he gave Hermes a great jar to take along; this jar was Pandora's dower.

Epimetheus lived in a deep-down valley. Now one day, as he was sitting on a fallen pillar in the ruined place that was now forsaken by the rest of the t.i.tans, he saw a pair coming toward him. One had wings, and he knew him to be Hermes, the messenger of the G.o.ds. The other was a maiden.

Epimetheus marveled at the crown upon her head and at her lovely garments.

There was a glint of gold all around her. He rose from where he sat upon the broken pillar and he stood to watch the pair. Hermes, he saw, was carrying by its handle a great jar.

In wonder and delight he looked upon the maiden. Epimetheus had seen no lovely thing for ages. Wonderful indeed was this Golden Maid, and as she came nearer the charm that was on her lips and in her eyes came to the Earth-born One, and he smiled with more and more delight.

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Hermes came and stood before him. He also smiled, but his smile had something baleful in it. He put the hands of the Golden Maid into the great soft hand of the t.i.tan, and he said, ”O Epimetheus, Father Zeus would be reconciled with thee, and as a sign of his good will he sends thee this lovely G.o.ddess to be thy companion.”

Oh, very foolish was Epimetheus the Earth-born One! As he looked upon the Golden Maid who was sent by Zeus he lost memory of the wars that Zeus had made upon the t.i.tans and the Elder G.o.ds; he lost memory of his brother chained by Zeus to the rock; he lost memory of the warning that his brother, the wisest of all beings, had sent him. He took the hands of Pandora, and he thought of nothing at all in all the world but her. Very far away seemed the voice of Hermes saying, ”This jar, too, is from Olympus; it has in it Pandora's dower.”

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