e, by the side of Zeus, sat Hermes, ever bright and
youthful, the spokesman of the gods, with staff in hand, to do the
will of the great father. There sat Hephaistos, the lord of fire, and
Hestia, who guards the hearth. There, too, was Ares, who delights in
war, and Dionysos, who loves the banquet and the wine-cup, and
Aphrodite, who rose from the sea-foam, to fill the earth with laughter
and woe.

Before them all stood the great rivals, awaiting the judgment of Zeus.
High in her left hand, Athene held the invincible spear, and on her
aegis, hidden from mortal sight, was the face on which no man may gaze
and live. Close beside her, proud in the greatness of his power,
Poseidon waited the issue of the contest. In his right hand gleamed
the trident, with which he shakes the earth and cleaves the waters of
the sea.

Then, from his golden seat, rose the spokesman, Hermes, and his clear
voice sounded over all the great council. "Listen," he said, "to the
will of Zeus, who judges now between Poseidon and Athene. The city of
Erechtheus shall bear the name of that god who shall bring forth out
of the earth the best gift for the sons of men. If Poseidon do this,
the city shall be called Poseidonia, but if Athene brings the higher
gift it shall be called Athens."

Then King Poseidon rose up in the greatness of his majesty, and with
his trident he smote the earth where he stood. Straightway the hill
was shaken to its depths, and the earth clave asunder, and forth from
the chasm leaped a horse, such as never shall be seen again for
strength and beauty. His body shone white all over as the driven snow,
his mane streamed proudly in the wind as he stamped on the ground and
scoured in very wantonness over hill and valley. "Behold my gift,"
said Poseidon, "and call the city after my name. Who shall give aught
better than the horse to the sons of men?"

But Athene looked steadfastly at the gods with her keen gray eye, and
she stooped slowly down to the ground, and planted in it a little
seed, which she held in her right hand. She spoke no word, but still
gazed calmly on that great council. Presently they saw springing from
the earth a little germ, which grew up and threw out its boughs and
leaves. Higher and higher it rose, with all its thick green foliage,
and put forth fruit on its clustering branches. "My gift is better, O
Zeus," she said, "than that of King Poseidon. The horse which he has
given shall bring war and strife and an