e moon. Whom, O King, will thou set against
this man?"

Then the King made reply, "I tremble not at any man's adorning, and a
device woundeth not. And, indeed, as for the night that thou tellest to
be on his shield, haply it signifieth the night of death that shall fall
upon his eyes. Over against him will I set the son of Astacus, a brave
man and a modest. Also he is of the race of the Dragon's Teeth, and men
call him Melanippus."

And the messenger said, "Heaven send him good fortune! At the gate of
Electra standeth Capaneus, a man of great stature, and his boastings are
above all measure, for he crieth out that he will destroy this city
whether the Gods will or no, and that Zeus with his thunder shall not
stay him, for that the thunder is but as the sun at noon. And on his
shield he hath a man bearing a torch, and these words, 'I WILL BURN THIS
CITY.' Who now shall stand against this boaster and fear not?"

Then the King said, "His boastings I heed not. They shall turn to his
own destruction. For as he sendeth out swelling words against Zeus, so
shall Zeus send against him the thunder, smiting him, but not of a truth
as the sun smiteth. Him shall Polyphantus encounter, a valiant man and
dear to Queen Artemis."

"He that is set against the gate of Neis is called Eteoclus by name. He
driveth a chariot with four horses, in whose nostrils are pipes making a
whistling noise, after the fashion of barbarians. And on his shield he
hath this device: a man mounting a ladder that is set against a tower
upon a wall, and with it these words, 'NOT ARES' SELF SHALL DRIVE ME
HENCE.' See that thou set a fit warrior against him."

"Megareus, son of Creon, of the race of the Dragon, shall fight against
him, who will not leave the gate for any whistling noise of horses; for
either he will die as a brave man dieth for his country, or will take a
double spoil, even this boaster and him also that he beareth upon his
shield."

"At the next gate to this, even the gate of Athene, standeth Hippomedon.
A great shield and a terrible he hath, and on it this device, which no
mean workman hath wrought: Typhon breathing out a great blast of black
smoke, and all about it serpents twined together. And the man also is
terrible as his shield, and seemeth to be inspired of Ares. Whom wilt
thou set against this man, O King?"

"First shall Pallas stand against him and drive him from this city, even
as a bird driveth a snake from her young ones. And