ses of
long gray hair, their voice comes hollow from their toothless gums,
and a single eye is passed from one to the other when they wish to
look forth from their dismal dwelling. Seek them out, for these alone
can tell thee what more remaineth yet for thee to do."

When Perseus woke in the morning, the sword of Hermes lay beside him,
and he rose up with great joy, and said, "The help of Zeus fails me
not; if more is needed will he not grant it to me?" So onward he went
to the Tartessian land, and thence across the dark sea towards the
country of the Graiai, till he saw the pillars of Atlas rise afar off
into the sky. Then, as he drew nigh to the hills which lay beneath
them, he came to a dark cave, and as he stooped to look into it, he
fancied that he saw the gray hair which streamed over the shoulders of
the Graiai. Long time he rested on the rocks without the cave, till he
knew by their heavy breathing that the sisters were asleep. Then he
crept in stealthily, and took the eye which lay beside them, and
waited till they should wake. At last, as the faint light from the
far-off sun, who shines on mortal men, reached the cave, he saw them
groping for the eye which he had taken, and presently, from their
toothless jaws, came a hollow voice, which said, "There is some one
near us who is sprung from the children of men, for of old time we
have known that one should come and leave us blind until we did his
bidding." Then Perseus came forth boldly and stood before them, and
said, "Daughters of Phorkos and of Keto, I know that ye are of kin to
the Gorgon sisters, and to these ye must now guide me. Think not to
escape my craft or guile, for in my hands is the sword of Hermes, and
it slays all living things on which it may fall." And they answered,
quickly, "Slay us not, child of man, for we will deal truly by thee,
and will tell thee of the things which must be done before thou canst
reach the dwelling of the Gorgon sisters. Go hence along the plain
which stretches before thee, then over hill and vale, and forest and
desert, till thou comest to the slow-rolling Ocean stream; there call
on the nymphs who dwell beneath the waters, and they shall rise at thy
bidding and tell thee many things which it is not given to us to
know."

Onwards again he went, across the plain, and over hill and vale till
he came to the Ocean which flows lazily round the world of living men.
No ray of the pure sunshine pierced the murky air, but the