int light in the eastern
sky when they led Danae to the sea-shore, and put her in a chest, with
a loaf of bread and a flask of water. Her child slept in her arms, and
the rocking of the waves, as they bore the chest over the heaving sea,
made him slumber yet more sweetly, and the tears of Danae fell on him
as she thought of the days that were past and the death which she must
die in the dark waters. And she prayed to Zeus, and said, "O Zeus, who
hast given me my child, canst thou hear me still and save me from this
terrible doom?" Then a deep sleep came over Danae, and, as she slept
with the babe in her arms, the winds carried the chest at the bidding
of Poseidon, and cast it forth on the shore of the island of Seriphos.

Now it so chanced that Diktys, the brother of Polydektes, the King of
the Island, was casting a net into the sea, when he saw something
thrown up by the waves on the dry land, and he went hastily and took
Danae with her child out of the chest, and said, "Fear not, lady, no
harm shall happen to thee here, and they who have dealt hardly with
thee shall not come nigh to hurt thee in this land." So he led her to
the house of King Polydektes, who welcomed her to his home, and Danae
had rest after all her troubles.

[Illustration: THEMIS (_Goddess of Law_).]

Thus the time went on, and the child Perseus grew up brave and strong,
and all who saw him marveled at his beauty. The light of early morning
is not more pure than was the color on his fair cheeks, and the golden
locks streamed brightly over his shoulders, like the rays of the sun
when they rest on the hills at midday. And Danae said, "My child, in
the land where thou wast born, they called thee the Son of the Bright
Morning. Keep thy faith, and deal justly with all men; so shalt thou
deserve the name which they gave thee." Thus Perseus grew up, hating
all things that were mean and wrong, and all who looked on him knew
that his hands were clean and his heart pure.

But there were evil days in store for Danae--for King Polydektes
sought to win her love against her will. Long time he besought her to
hearken to his prayer, but her heart was far away in the land of
Argos, where her child was born, and she said, "O King, my life is sad
and weary; what is there in me that thou shouldst seek my love? There
are maidens in thy kingdom fairer far than I; leave me, then, to take
care of my child while we dwell in a strange land." Then Polydektes
said, hast