g waters. The glad music of the waves fell upon his ear and
filled his soul with a wild joy. His dark locks streamed gloriously
over his shoulders, and his purple robe rustled in the soft summer
breeze. Before him on the blue waters the ships danced merrily in the
sparkling sunlight, as they hastened from shore to shore on the
errands of war and peace. Presently a ship drew near to the beach. Her
white sail was lowered hastily to the deck, and five of her crew
leaped out and plunged through the sea-foam to the shore, near the
rock on which stood Dionysos. "Come with us," they said, with rough
voices, as they seized him in their brawny arms; "it is not every day
that Tyrrhenian mariners fall in with youths like thee." With rude
jests they dragged him into the ship, and there made ready to bind
him. "A brave youth and fair he is," they said; "we shall not lack
bidders when we put forth our goods for sale." So round his limbs they
fastened stout withy bands, but they fell from off him as withered
leaves fall from off trees in autumn, and a careless smile played on
his face as he sat down and looked calmly on the robbers who stood
before him. Then on a sudden the voice of the helmsman was heard, as
he shouted, "Fools, what do ye? The wrath of Zeus is hurrying you to
your doom. This youth is not of mortal race; and who can tell which of
the undying gods has put on this beautiful form? Send him straightway
from the ship in peace, if ye fear not a deadly storm as we cross the
open sea." Loud laughed the crew, as their chief answered, jeeringly,
"Look out for the breeze, wise helmsman, and draw up the sail to the
wind. That is more thy task than to busy thyself with our doings. Fear
not for the boy. The withy bands were but weak; it is no great marvel
that he shook them off. He shall go with us, and before we reach Egypt
or Cyprus or the land of the Hyperboreans, doubtless he will tell us
his name and the name of his father and mother. Fear not, we have
found a godsend."

So the sail was drawn up to the mast, and it swelled proudly before
the breeze as the ship dashed through the crested waves. And still the
sun shone brightly down on the water, and the soft white clouds
floated lazily in the heavens, as the mighty Dionysos began to show
signs and wonders before the robbers who had seized him. Over the deck
ran a stream of purple wine, and a fragrance as of a heavenly banquet
filled the air. Over mast and sailyard clambered the