he wished to embrace
him once more before dying; but fearful lest he should, in so doing,
infect his friend with the deadly poison that was consuming him, he
cried in his agony: "Alas, I am not even permitted to embrace thee!"

Then he gathered together the trees he had uprooted and made a huge
funeral pyre, such as was used by the ancients in burning their dead.
Climbing to the top of the heap, he spread out the skin of the Nemean
lion, and, supporting himself upon his club, gave the signal for
Philoctetes to kindle the fire that was to reduce him to ashes.

In return for this service he gave Philoctetes a quiver full of those
deadly arrows that had been dipped in the blood of the Hydra of Lerna.

He further enjoined his friend to let no man know of his departure
from life, to the intent that the fear of his approach might prevent
fresh monsters and new robbers from ravaging the earth.

Thus died Hercules, and after his death he was received as a god
amongst the Immortals on Mount Olympus, where he married Hebe, Jove's
cupbearer. In his honor mortals were commanded to build altars and to
raise temples.

THE PERILOUS VOYAGE OF AENEAS

ADAPTED BY ALICE ZIMMEKN

Once upon a time, nearly three thousand years ago, the city of Troy
in Asia Minor was at the height of its prosperity. It was built on a
fortified hill on the southern slopes of the Hellespont, and encircled
by strong walls that the gods had helped to build. Through their
favor Troy became so strong and powerful that she subdued many of
the neighboring states and forced them to fight for her and do her
bidding. Thus it happened that when the Greeks came to Asia with an
army of 100,000 men, Troy was able to hold out against them for nine
years, and in the tenth was only taken by a trick.

In the "Iliad" of Homer you may read all about the quarrel between the
Trojans and Greeks, the fighting before Troy and the brave deeds done
by Hector and Achilles, and many other heroes. You will see there how
the gods took part in the quarrel, and how Juno, who was the wife of
Jupiter and queen of heaven, hated Troy because Paris had given the
golden apple to Venus as the fairest among goddesses. Juno never
forgave this insult to her beauty, and vowed that she would not rest
till the hated city was destroyed and its very name wiped from the
face of the earth. You shall now hear how she carried out her threat,
and overwhelmed AEneas with disasters.

After a si