56. _THE DEATH OF HERCULES_

Hercules nihil mali suspicans vestem quam Lichas attulerat statim induit;
paulo post tamen dolorem per omnia membra sensit, et quae causa esset
eius rei magnopere mirabatur. Dolore paene exanimatus vestem detrahere
conatus est; illa tamen in corpore haesit, neque ullo modo abscindi
potuit. Tum demum Hercules quasi furore impulsus in montem Octam se
contulit, et in rogum, quem summa celeritate exstruxit, se imposuit. Hoc
cum fecisset, eos qui circumstabant oravit ut rogum quam celerrime
succenderent. Omnes diu recusabant; tandem tamen pastor quidam ad
misericordiam inductus ignem subdidit. Tum, dum omnia fumo obscurantur,
Hercules densa nube velatus a Iove in Olympum abreptus est.




THE ARGONAUTS


_The celebrated voyage of the Argonauts was brought about in this way.
Pelias had expelled his brother Aeson from his kingdom in Thessaly, and
had determined to take the life of Jason, the son of Aeson. Jason,
however, escaped and grew up to manhood in another country. At last he
returned to Thessaly; and Pelias, fearing that he might attempt to
recover the kingdom, sent him to fetch the Golden Fleece from Colchis,
supposing this to be an impossible feat. Jason with a band of heroes set
sail in the ship Argo (called after Argus, its builder), and after many
adventures reached Colchis. Here Aeetes, king of Colchis, who was
unwilling to give up the Fleece, set Jason to perform what seemed an
impossible task, namely to plough a field with certain fire-breathing