Hero Tales | Page 8

[1]Autolycus was a famous mountain chief who lived in rude state on
the slopes of Parnassus and was noted for his courage and cunning. He
was the grandfather of Odysseus (Ulysses), to whom the story is
supposed to have been related.

THE CHOICE OF HERCULES
When Hercules was a fair-faced youth, and life was all before him, he
went out one morning to do an errand for his stepfather. But as he
walked his heart was full of bitter thoughts; and he murmured because
others no better than himself were living in ease and pleasure, while for
him there was naught but a life of labor and pain.
As he thought upon these things, he came to a place where two roads
met; and he stopped, not certain which one to take.
The road on his right was hilly and rough; there was no beauty in it or
about it: but he saw that it led straight toward the blue mountains in the
far distance.
The road on his left was broad and smooth, with shade trees on either
side, where sang an innumerable choir of birds; and it went winding
among green meadows, where bloomed countless flowers: but it ended
in fog and mist long before it reached the wonderful blue mountains in
the distance.
While the lad stood in doubt as to these roads, he saw two fair women
coming toward him, each on a different road. The one who came by the
flowery way reached him first, and Hercules saw that she was as
beautiful as a summer day.
Her cheeks were red, her eyes sparkled; she, spoke warm, persuasive
words. "O noble youth," she said, "be no longer bowed down with
labor and sore trials, but come and follow me, I will lead you into

pleasant paths, where there are no storms to disturb and no troubles to
annoy. You shall live in ease, with one unending round of music and
mirth; and you shall not want for anything that makes life
joyous--sparkling wine, or soft couches, or rich robes, or the loving
eyes of beautiful maidens. Come with me, and life shall be to you a
day-dream of gladness."
By this time the other fair woman had drawn near, and she now spoke
to the lad. "I have nothing to promise you," said she, "save that which
you shall win with your own strength. The road upon which I would
lead you is uneven and hard, and climbs many a hill, and descends into
many a valley and quagmire. The views which you will sometimes get
from the hilltops are grand and glorious, but the deep valleys are dark,
and the ascent from them is toilsome. Nevertheless, the road leads to
the blue mountains of endless fame, which you see far away on the
horizon. They cannot be reached without labor; in fact, there is nothing
worth having that must not be won by toil. If you would have fruits and
flowers, you must plant them and care for them; if you would gain the
love of your fellow men, you must love them and suffer for them; if
you would enjoy the favor of Heaven, you must make yourself worthy
of that favor; if you would have eternal fame, you must not scorn the
hard road that leads to it."
Then Hercules saw that this lady, although she was as beautiful as the
other, had a countenance pure and gentle, like the sky on a balmy
morning in May.
"What is your name?" he asked.
"Some call me Labor," she answered, "but others know me as Virtue."
Then he turned to the first lady. "And what is your name?" he asked.
"Some call me Pleasure," she said, with a bewitching smile, "but I
choose to be known as the Joyous and Happy One."
"Virtue," said Hercules, "I will take thee as my guide! The road of
labor and honest effort shall be mine, and my heart shall no longer
cherish bitterness or discontent."
And he put his hand into that of Virtue, and entered with her upon the
straight and forbidding road which leads to the fair blue mountains on
the pale and distant horizon.

ALPHEUS AND ARETHUSA

In Arcadia there is a little mountain stream called Alpheus. It flows
through woods and meadows and among the hills for many miles, and
then it sinks beneath the rocks. Farther down the valley it rises again,
and dancing and sparkling, as if in happy chase of something, it hurries
onward towards the plain; but soon it hides itself a second time in
underground caverns, making its way through rocky tunnels where the
light of day has never been. Then at last it gushes once more from its
prison chambers; and, flowing thence with many windings