bade them go home, and leave him alone, while his
charioteer stood by the horses and chariot in a hollow way, out of
sight. Bellerophon himself watched, lying on his face, hidden behind a
rock in the mouth of the cavern. The moment that the rising sun touched
with a red ray the dark mouth of the cave, forth came the Chimaera, and,
setting her fore paws on the rock, looked over the valley. The moment
that she opened her mouth, breathing flame, Bellerophon plunged his
leaden spears deep down her throat, and sprang aside. On came the
Chimaera, her serpent tail lashing the stones, but Bellerophon ever kept
on the further side of a great tall rock. The Chimaera ceased to pursue
him, she rolled on the earth, uttering screams of pain, for the lead was
melting in the fire that was within her, and at last the molten lead
burned through her, and she died. Bellerophon hacked off her head, and
several feet of her tail, stowed them in his chariot, and drove back to
the palace of the King of Lycia, while the people followed him with
songs of praise.

The king set him three other terrible tasks, but he achieved each of the
adventures gloriously, and the king gave him his daughter to be his
bride, and half of all the honours of his kingdom. This is the story of
Bellerophon (there were other ways of telling it), and Perseus was
determined to do as great deeds as he. But Perseus was still a boy, and
he did not know, and no man could tell him, the way to the island of the
Gorgons.

When Perseus was about sixteen years old, the King of Seriphos,
Polydectes, saw Danae, fell in love with her, and wanted to take her
into his palace, but he did not want Perseus. He was a bad and cruel
man, but Perseus was so much beloved by the people that he dared not
kill him openly. He therefore made friends with the lad, and watched him
carefully to see how he could take advantage of him. The king saw that
he was of a rash, daring and haughty spirit, though Dictys had taught
him to keep himself well in hand, and that he was eager to win glory.
The king fell on this plan: he gave a great feast on his birthday, and
invited all the chief men and the richest on the island; Perseus, too,
he asked to the banquet. As the custom was, all the guests brought
gifts, the best that they had, cattle, women-slaves, golden cups, wedges
of gold, great vessels of bronze, and other splendid things, and the
king met the guests at the door of his hall, and thanked them
graci