ths of flowers upon
their heads; and the youths wore daggers banging from silver sword-belts.
They whirled round, with lightly tripping feet, swift as the potter's
wheel, holding each other by the wrist; and then they ran, in lines, to
meet each other. A crowd of friends stood round and joyfully watched the
dance, and a divine minstrel made sweet music with his harp, while a pair
of tumblers diverted the crowd.

Lastly, around the margin of the shield, Vulcan made the stream of the
mighty river Oceanus, which encircleth the earth.

And when he had finished this strong and splendid shield, he wrought the
breastplate, glowing with blazing fire; and he made a heavy helmet for the
head, beautiful, and adorned with curious art; upon it was a crest of
gold. But the goodly greaves he made of flexible tin. When he had
completed the whole suit of glorious armor, he laid it before the
silver-footed Thetis, the mother of Achilles; and she darted, swift as a
hawk, from snowy Olympus, bearing the brightly glittering arms to her dear
son.

THE SLAYING OF HECTOR

By Walter C. Perry

Meantime, Achilles went on slaughtering the Trojans; and the aged Priam
stood on the sacred tower, and saw the son of Peleus driving the Trojans
before him. And he shouted aloud to the brave warders of the gates, "Open
the gates, that the fugitives may enter!" And the Far-Darter went to the
front, to save the Trojans who were fleeing to the sheltering walls, with
Achilles behind them in hot pursuit.

Then would the Achaians have stormed the lofty gates of Troy, had not
Phoebus Apollo roused Agenor, a brave and noble prince, son of Antenor.
Apollo stood by this man's side, leaning on an oak, and shrouded in mist,
and put courage into his heart, that he might ward off fate from the
Trojans. And when Agenor saw Achilles, he stood irresolute, and said to
his mighty heart, "If I too flee before Achilles, he will catch me and
slay me as a coward. Or shall I fly by another way, and hide me in the
spurs of Ida? How, then, if I go forth to meet him? for his flesh, too,
may surely be pierced by the keen bronze, and he has but one life, like
other mortals."

And his heart grew strong within him, to stay and fight. And he cried out
aloud to Achilles, "Surely, thou thinkest this very day to sack the proud
city of Troy? Fool! many terrible things will happen before _that_; for
there are many of us--many and brave--to protect our dear parents and
wives a