men's heads shook together as they tried to warm themselves before the fire.

59. And Jason fell down at his father's knees, and wept, and called him by his name. And the old man stretched his hands out, and felt him, and said, "Do not mock me, young hero. My son Jason is dead long ago at sea."

60. "I am your son Jason, whom you trusted to the Centaur upon Pelion; and I have brought home the golden fleece, and a princess of the Sun's race for my bride. So now give me up the kingdom, Pelias my uncle, and fulfil your promise as I have fulfilled mine."

61. Then his father clung to him like a child, and wept, and would not let him go; and cried, "Now I shall not go down lonely to my grave. Promise me never to leave me till I die."

PART VI

What Was the End of the Heroes

1. And now I wish that I could end my story pleasantly; but it is no fault of mine that I can not. The old songs end it sadly, and I believe that they are right and wise; for though the heroes were purified at Malea, yet sacrifices can not make bad hearts good, and Jason had taken a wicked wife, and he had to bear his burden to the last.

2. And first she laid a cunning plot to punish that poor old Pelias instead of letting him die in peace.

3. For she told his daughters, "I can make old things young again; I will show you how easy it is to do." So she took an old ram and killed him, and put him into a cauldron with magic herbs; and whispered her spells over him, and he leapt out again a young lamb.

4. Then she said to Pelias' daughters, "Do to your father as I did to this ram, and he will grow young and strong again." But she only told them half the spell; so they failed, while Medea mocked them; and poor old Pelias died, and his

daughters came to misery. But the songs say she cured Eson, Jason's father, and he became young and strong again.

5. But Jason could not love her, after all her cruel deeds. So he was ungrateful to her, and wronged her; and she revenged herself on him. And a terrible revenge she tookbut you will hear of it yourselves when you grow up, for it has been sung in noble poetry and music; and whether it be true or not, it stands forever as a warning to us not to seek for help from evil persons, or to gain good ends by evil means. For if we use an adder even against our enemies, it will turn again and sting us.

6. But of all the other heroes there is many a brave tale left, which I have no space to tell you, so you must read them for yourselves; of the hunting of the boar in Calydon,* which Meleager killed; and of Hercules' twelve famous labors; and of the seven who fought at Thebes; and of the noble love of Castor and Pollux, the twin brothers-how when one died the other would not live without him, so they shared their immortality between them; and Zeus changed them into the two twin stars which never rise both at once.

7. And what became of Chiron, the good immortal beast? That, too, is a sad story; for the heroes never saw him more. He was wounded by a poisoned arrow, when Hercules opened the fatal wine-jar, which Chiron had warned him not to touch. And the Centaurs smelt the wine, and flocked to it, and fought for it with Hercules; but he killed them all with his poisoned arrows, and Chiron was left alone. Then Chiron took up one of the arrows, and dropped it by chance upon his foot; and the poison ran like fire along his veins, and he lay down and longed to die; and cried, "Through wine I perish, the bane of all my race. Why should I live forever in this agony? Who will take my immortality, that I may die?"?

8. Then Prometheus answered, the good Titan, whom Hercules had set free from Caucasus, "I will take your immortality and live forever, that I may help poor mortal men." So

Chiron gave him his immortality, and died, and had rest from pain. And Hercules and Prometheus wept over him, and went to bury him on Pelion; but Zeus took him up among the stars, to live forever, grand and mild, low down in the far southern sky.

9. And in time the heroes died, all but Nestor, the silvertongued old man; and left behind them valiant sons, but not so great as they had been. Yet their fame, too, lives till this day, for they fought at the ten years' siege of Troy: and their story is in the book which we call Homer, in two of the noblest songs on earth-the "Iliad," which tells us of the siege of Troy; and the "Odyssey" which tells the wanderings of Ulysses after the fall of Troy in his efforts to return home to Ithaca* his beloved island, and to Penelope* his faithful wife, and Telemachus his son.

-Charles Kingsley

STUDY-PLAN OF "THE ARGONAUTS"

PART I

"HOW THE CENTAUR TRAINED THE HEROES ON PELION"

Paragraphs 1-10-Phrixus and the Wonderful Ram Words: renown, adventure, wondrous, bore, cloud-nymph,' sacrificed, altar, madness, dolphin, fulfilled, straits, kinsfolk.

Questions: In what country were Phrixus and Helle born? Where do we now think Colchis was situated? What was the Black Sea called in those days? What was the golden fleece? What does "the Oracle in Delphi" mean?3 What god had his temple built there? (For a picture of Apollo, see Guerber, p. 66; for one of Apollo slaying the Python, see "Story of the Golden Age," p. 43.) What answer did the Oracle give Athamas? Why was the Hellespont so named? (The Hellespont is now called the Dardanelles. Find it on the map of Europe.) What prompted Phrixus to offer the ram as a sacrifice? To what god was the offering made? What had to be done that the spirit of Phrixus might find rest? Memorize: "The noblest deeds which have been done on earth have not been done for gold."

Notes: 'Cloud-nymph-According to the old classical mythology, nymphs were goddesses of the mountains, forests, meadows, waters, and clouds. They had not the power of the goddesses on Olympus. (See the picture of a nymph, Guerber, p. 191.) Colchis-The country at the eastern end of the Black Sea, which was then called the Euxine Sea. (See the map, Guerber, p. 8.) Oracle in Delphi-At Delphi, near Mount Parnassus in Greece, where Apollo slew the Python, stood the beautiful temple of that god. It was built over a cleft in the rocks from which at times rose intoxicating fumes. When the priestess of Apollo inhaled these fumes, she was given power to read the future. Many people in distress came to the temple seeking knowledge of future happenings. The replies of the priestess to their inquiries were termed oracles, and finally the temple itself became known as the Oracle of Apollo in Delphi.

Suggestions: For the proper development of this work on "The Argonauts," the following books should be on the teacher's desk: Guerber's "Myths of Greece and Rome," Baldwin's "Story of the Golden Age," Baldwin's "Old Greek Stories," Hall's "Homeric Stories," and Haaren and Poland's "Famous Men of Greece."

In connection with this lesson the teacher may read to the class "Old Greek Stories," pp. 7-13; and the children may read for themselves "Famous Men of Greece," pp. 9-19, "Old Greek Stories," pp. 4652, and "Story of the Golden Age," pp. 37-46.

Paragraphs 11-29-Eson's Visit to Chiron

Words: lawless, heir, torrent, down, magic, ether,' virtues, prophecy, sieges, befallen, entreat, avenge, gallant, glory, fancy.

Questions: Ask your teacher to show you on the map of Greece where the ancient kingdoms of Iolcos and Beotia were located. (See Guerber pp. 8-9.) Did the kings in those days have large or small kingdoms? Do you think king meant more or less than it does now? Why did Eson wish to hide his son? Where did he take the boy? Find this mountain on the map. What was a Centaur? (See the picture, Guerber, p. 222.) Name some of the "hidden jewels of the mine." Explain hidden things to come. What part of Chiron's song do you think the boy liked best? Why did Eson wish his boy trained? What did Chiron mean when he advised Eson to "bend before the storm"? What promise did Chiron make Eson?

Note: 'Ether-Here simply the air.

Paragraphs 30-40-Jason at Chiron's School

Words: resound, game, deserts, vale, venison, plot, measure, glen, bay, marjoram, thyme, cunning, virtues.

Peleus ?3

Asclepius?*

Questions: Who was Eneas?1 Hercules ?2 Which one of the boys do you think had done the finest thing during

the day? Who was Athene? (See Guerber, pp. 55-57.) What city was named in her honor? (See Suggestion below.) By what name was this goddess known to the Romans? What did Chiron teach the new boy to do? What name did he give him?

Notes: 'Eneas-A hero of Troy who escaped when that city was captured by the Greeks. After many wanderings he reached Italy and founded the Roman nation. "Hercules-One of the greatest heroes of mythology. If you would like to know about his interesting adventures, read "Famous Men of Greece," pp. 41-51, and "The Three Golden Apples" in Hawthorne's "Wonder Book." See the pictures in Guerber, pp. 217; 222; 231; 237. Peleus-The hero who married the sea-nymph Thetis. It was at their wedding that the famous golden apple that later caused the Trojan War was thrown. Read Baldwin's "Story of the Golden Age," pp. 95-101. 'Asclepius-Generally written Esculapius. He was the son of Apollo and Coronis. He is considered the first physician among mortals. Read "Old Greek Stories," pp. 61-74.

Suggestion: Read to the class the story of Athene and Arachne in "Old Greek Stories," pp. 40-45, and of Athene and Neptune, pp. 137146.

PART II

"HOW JASON LOST HIS SANDAL IN ANAUROS"

Paragraphs 1-12-Jason's Promise to Chiron Words: mighty, fellows, proverb, seat, heir, woe, fledged, prophet, fortune.

Questions: How many years have now passed in our story? Who were the parents of Asclepius? How did Asclepius finally meet his death? (Read "Old Greek Stories," pp. 61-74.) What is the Peloponnese? How many famous labors were performed by Hercules? What were some of them? What was the name of the sea-nymph whom Peleus married? (Read "Story of the Golden Age," pp. 95101.) What does the last clause in the first paragraph mean? Ask your teacher to point out on a map Troy and the other places mentioned in paragraph 2. (See map in Guerber, pp. 8-9.) Over what sea did Jason look toward the east? Why was that sea so named? (Read the story of Theseus in "Famous Men of Greece," pp. 62-70, or in Kingsley's "Greek Heroes," the book from which "The Argonauts" is taken.) Why did Chiron say, "The eaglet must leave the nest when it is fledged"? What did Jason promise Chiron before leaving Pelion? Note: 'Peloponnese-That part of Greece south of the Gulf of Corinth. It is usually written Peloponnesus. See the map.