s."

Then, last of all, men spake in whispers of a sin yet more fearful,
which Tantalos had sinned, and the tale was told that Zeus and all the
gods came down from Olympos to feast in his banquet-hall, and how,
when the red wine sparkled in the golden goblets, Tantalos placed
savory meat before Zeus, and bade him eat of a costly food, and, when
the feast was ended, told him that in the dish had lain the limbs of
the child Pelops, whose sunny smile had gladdened the hearts of mortal
men. Then came the day of vengeance, for Zeus bade Hermes bring back
Pelops again from the kingdom of Hades to the land of living men, and
on Tantalos was passed a doom which should torment him for ever and
ever. In the shadowy region where wander the ghosts of men, Tantalos,
they said, lay prisoned in a beautiful garden, gazing on bright
flowers and glistening fruits and laughing waters, but for all that
his tongue was parched, and his limbs were faint with hunger. No drop
of water might cool his lips, no luscious fruit might soothe his
agony. If he bowed his head to drink, the water fled away; if he
stretched forth his hand to pluck the golden apples, they would vanish
like mists before the face of the rising sun, and in place of ripe
fruits glistening among green leaves, a mighty rock beetled above his
head, as though it must fall and grind him to powder. Wherefore men
say, when the cup of pleasure is dashed from the lips of those who
would drink of it, that on them has fallen the doom of the Phrygian
Tantalos.

[Illustration: ANCIENT SCULPTURING ON TANTALOS.]

THE TOILS OF HERAKLES.

By the doom of his father Zeus, Herakles served in Argos the false and
cruel Eurystheus. For so it was that Zeus spake of the birth of
Herakles to Here, the Queen, and said, "This day shall a child be born
of the race of Perseus, who shall be the mightiest of the sons of
men." Even so he spake, because Ate had deceived him by her evil
counsel. And Here asked whether this should be so in very deed, and
Zeus bowed his head, and the word went forth which could not be
recalled. Then Here went to the mighty Eileithyiai, and by their aid
she brought it about that Eurystheus was born before Herakles the son
of Zeus.

[Illustration: URANIA (_Muse of Astronomy_).]

So the lot was fixed that all his life long Herakles should toil at
the will of a weak and crafty master. Brave in heart and stout of
body, so that no man might be matched with him for str