80. _MEDEA KILLS HER SONS_

Vix vestem induerat Glauce cum dolorem gravem per omnia membra sensit, et
paulo post crudeli cruciatu adfecta e vita excessit. His rebus gestis
Medea furore atque amentia impulsa filios suos necavit; tum magnum sibi
fore periculum arbitrata si in Thessalia maneret, ex ea regione fugere
constituit. Hoc constituto solem oravit ut in tanto periculo auxilium
sibi praeberet. Sol autem his precibus commotus currum misit cui erant
iuncti dracones alis instructi. Medea non omittendam tantam occasionem
arbitrata currum ascendit, itaque per aera vecta incolumis ad urbem
Athenas pervenit. Iason ipse brevi tempore miro modo occisus est. Accidit
sive casu sive consilio deorum ut sub umbra navis suae, quae in litus
subducta erat, dormiret. Mox navis, quae adhuc erecta steterat, in eam
partem ubi Iason iacebat subito delapsa virum infelicem oppressit.

[Illustration: MEDEA MEDITATING THE MURDER OF HER SONS]




ULYSSES


_Ulysses, a famous Greek hero, took a prominent part in the long siege of
Troy. After the fall of the city, he set out with his followers on his
homeward voyage to Ithaca, an island of which he was king; but being
driven out of his course by northerly winds, he was compelled to touch at
the country of the Lotus-eaters, who are supposed to have lived on the
north coast of Africa. Some of his comrades were so delighted with the