grew fiercer and fiercer, but at last it died down as the burning
billet of wood sank down into the ashes. The heroes of the quest stood
around, all overcome with woe. In the street they heard the
lamentations for Plexippus and Toxeus, for Prince Meleagrus, and for
the passing of the kingdom founded by Oeneus. Atalanta left the temple,
and attended by the two brothers on the white horses, Polydeuces and
Castor, she went back to Arcady.

II. PELEUS AND HIS BRIDE FROM THE SEA

I

Prince Peleus came on his ship to a bay on the coast of Thessaly. His
painted ship lay between two great rocks, and from its poop he saw a
sight that enchanted him. Out from the sea, riding on a dolphin, came a
lovely maiden. And by the radiance of her face and limbs Peleus knew
her for one of the immortal goddesses.

Now Peleus had borne himself so nobly in all things that he had won the
favor of the gods themselves. Zeus, who is highest amongst the gods,
had made this promise to Peleus he would honor him as no one amongst
the sons of men had been honored before, for he would give him an
immortal goddess to be his bride.

She who came out of the sea went into a cave that was overgrown with
vines and roses. Peleus looked into the cave and he saw her sleeping
upon skins of the beasts of the sea. His heart was enchanted by the
sight, and he knew that his life would be broken if he did not see this
goddess day after day. So he went back to his ship and he prayed: "O
Zeus, now I claim the promise that you once made to me. Let it be that
this goddess come with me, or else plunge my ship and me beneath the
waves of the sea."

And when Peleus said this he looked over the land and the water for a
sign from Zeus.

Even then the goddess sleeping in the cave had dreams such as had never
before entered that peaceful resting place of hers. She dreamt that she
was drawn away from the deep and the wide sea. She dreamt that she was
brought to a place that was strange and unfree to her. And as she lay
in the cave, sleeping, tears that might never come into the eyes of an
immortal lay around her heart.

But Peleus, standing on his painted ship, saw a rainbow touch upon the
sea. He knew by that sign that Iris, the messenger of Zeus, had come
down through the air. Then a strange sight came before his eyes. Out of
the sea rose the head of a man; wrinkled and bearded it was, and the
eyes were very old. Peleus knew that he who was there before him was
Ne