his mother earth, and therefore,
lifting him up in those mightiest of arms, the hero squeezed the breath
out of him. By-and-by he came to Mount Caucasus, where he found the
chained Prometheus, and, aiming an arrow at the eagle, killed the
tormentor, and set the Titan free. In return, Prometheus gave him much
good counsel, and indeed seems to have gone with him to Atlas, who,
according to this story, was still able to move, in spite of the
petrifaction by Hercules' grandfather. Atlas undertook to go to his
daughters, and get the apples, if Hercules would hold up the skies for
him in the meantime. Hercules agreed, and Atlas shifted the heavens to
his shoulders, went, and presently returned with three apples of gold,
but said he would take them to Eurystheus, and Hercules must continue to
bear the load of the skies. Prometheus bade Hercules say he could not
hold them without a pad for them to rest on his head. Atlas took them
again to hold while the pad was put on; and thereupon Hercules picked up
the apples, and left the old giant to his load.

One more labour remained--namely, to bring up the three-headed watch-dog,
Cerberus, from the doors of Tartarus. Mercury and Pallas both came to
attend him, and led him alive among the shades, who all fled from him,
except Medusa and one brave youth. He gave them the blood of an ox to
drink, and made his way to Pluto's throne, where he asked leave to take
Cerberus to the upper world with him. Pluto said he might, if he could
overcome Cerberus without weapons; and this he did, struggling with the
dog, with no protection but the lion's skin, and dragging him up to the
light, where the foam that fell from the jaws of one of the three mouths
produced the plant called aconite, or hellebore, which is dark and
poisonous. After showing the beast to Eurystheus, Hercules safely
returned him to the underworld, and thus completed his twelve great
labours.

[Picture: Decorative chapter heading]

CHAP. VI.--THE ARGONAUTS.

You remember that Cadmus founded Thebes. One of his daughters was named
Ino. She married a son of King AEolus, who had been married before, and
had two children, Phryxus and Helle. Ino was a cruel stepmother, and
deceived her husband into thinking that the oracle at Delphi required him
to sacrifice his son to Jupiter; but as the poor boy stood before the
altar, down from the skies came a ram with a golden fleece, which took
both the c