re I to choose, I should prefer the life of
yonder swan, that moves so smoothly and inoffensively along the river;
he is strong enough to defend himself from injury, without opposing
others, and therefore he is neither feared nor insulted by other
animals.'

"While Sophron was yet speaking, the eagle, who had been hovering in the
air, darted suddenly down at some distance, and seizing a lamb, was
bearing it away in his cruel talons; when, almost in the same instant, a
shepherd, who had been watching all his motions from a neighbouring
hill, let fly an arrow with so unerring an aim, that it pierced the body
of the bird, and brought him headlong to the ground, writhing in the
agonies of death.

"'This,' said Sophron, 'I have often heard, is the fate of ambitious
people; while they are endeavouring to mount beyond their fellows they
are stopped by some unforeseen misfortune.' 'For my part,' said
Tigranes, 'I had rather perish in the sky than enjoy an age of life,
basely chained down and grovelling upon the surface of the earth.' 'What
we either may enjoy,' answered Sophron, 'is in the hand of Heaven; but
may I rather creep during life than mount to commit injustice, and
oppress the innocent.'

"In this manner passed the early years of the two friends. As they grew
up to manhood the difference of their tempers became more visible, and
gradually alienated them from each other. Tigranes began to despise the
uniform labours of the shepherd and the humble occupations of the
country; his sheep were neglected, and frequently wandered over the
plains without a leader to guard them in the day, or bring them back at
night; and the greater part of his time was employed in climbing rocks,
or in traversing the forest, to seek for eagles' nests, or in piercing
with his arrows the different wild animals which inhabit the woods. If
he heard the horn of the hunter, or the cry of the hound, it was
impossible to restrain his eagerness; he regarded neither the summer's
sun nor the winter's frost while he was pursuing his game; the thickest
woods, the steepest mountains, the deepest rivers, were unable to stop
him in his career, and he triumphed over every danger and difficulty,
with such invincible courage as made him at once an object of terror and
admiration to all the youth in the neighbourhood. His friend Sophron
alone beheld his exploits neither with terror nor admiration. Of all
his comrades, Sophron was the only one whom Tigranes st