her home, and sets before them meat and wine. But in her viands she mixes enchantments, that can alter the shape of men. And when they have eaten and drunk, she strikes the banqueters with her wand, and forthwith they lose the shape of men, and are endued with the form of beasts. Thus she hath charmed thy companions, and they are now hairy swine. If thou goest to save them, thou wilt lose thyself; for Circe is irresistible by man."

"Is there no help?" asked patient Ulysses. "Is there no antidote to her drugs?"

"There is," said Hermes, giver of wealth ; "but the gods only know of it. Nevertheless I will bestow it on thee: for thou art beloved by blue-eyed Athene.”

So saying, he stooped down, and pulled a plant from the earth: the root was dark, the flower milk-white, and Moly was the name it bore.

"Hold this, son of Laertes," said Hermes, "and Circe's charms cannot enchant thee. Eat and drink as she bids thee: thou mayest do it now with safety. But when she strikes thee with her wand, draw thy sword from thy thigh, and rush in on the goddess. Pity not her tears or her prayers, but demand that she disenchants thy companions."

He spake, and departed to Olympus, where they say is the abode of the gods. There the wind howls not, and the rain falls not, and the sun dulls not there is a cloudless sky and a brilliant splendour around: there the immortal gods pass day by day in bliss.

Ulysses, stormer of cities, went on his way with joy. And he came to the Palace of Circe, and presented himself at the gate. And the goddess came forth to meet him; and prayed him to be seated at the banquet. He entered, and obeyed her words, and feasted on her viands and wine.

But when he had eaten enough, the goddess stretched forth her wand: "Go now to the sty, son of Laertes, and mingle among the swine thy companions."

enchantment failed:

He drew his sword

She spake; but her Ulysses remained himself. and rushed on the goddess; and the palace echoed with her shrieks. "Who art thou?" said treacherous Circe; "how hast thou escaped my wiles? Never mortal man avoided them before; but thou hast thy wisdom from the gods."

"Disenchant my companions, O goddess," said Ulysses of a thousand counsels, "else thy punish

ment is at hand; and thou shalt not be treacherous again."

The goddess trembled and obeyed. She went forth into the court, and Ulysses followed her. With her wand she touched his companions, and spoke the mystic word, and their shape came again, and they stood before their mighty leader. Then was there joy in their hearts, and they gave the night to the feast.

We also, like Ulysses, are thrown into a world of dangers. They are many, and of many kinds; and we cannot resist them of ourselves. Chiefly we have to fear a Circe, whose name is Selfindulgence. If we once taste of her pleasures, trusting in our own strength, we shall forget our home above, our hopes, our struggles, our duties: we shall be like the beasts that perish; and have pleasures no higher than theirs. But grace is given us as an antidote, lest we listen to the voice of the charmer. With that we may meet her boldly; and her enchantments cannot harm us. Our Moly is called Self-denial, unsightly perhaps to look upon; but it will deliver us from the power of our enemy, and preserve us from the ruin of so many that once "did run well."

:

"SPREAD the sails to the wind," said Ulysses of a thousand counsels. "Spread the sails to the wind, and let the ship bend her course to Ithaca." The breeze sang in the shrouds above,-the waves foamed to the oars below and swiftly and steadily they cleft the deep. And the shores of beautiful Circe grew dim in the distance ;-of beautiful Circe, who could not make Ulysses forget his home. But when she saw that he would leave her, and that her charms availed not to stay him, she spoke a word in his ear, and gave him prudent counsel. "Avoid the Sirens," she said, "that dwell in the island of Pelorus. Their voice is sweet, but deadly,-none ever listened to it and lived. He that tarries to hear that song, can never tear himself from it. He is rooted as a tree to the island, till he pines and dies of

hunger. But since thou must needs pass their dwelling, I will show thee a refuge from destruction. Fill the ears of thy comrades with wax, and bid them lean on the oars. Thyself, if thou willest it, listen to the song; but first be bound to the mast. For this is the fate of the Sirens; and they know it well of old. When one voyager has passed them unharmed, their life draws to an end."

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Night came down on the sea, and Ulysses spake to his companions. He told them of the wiles of the Sirens, and of the counsel of the heavenly goddess. And if," he said, "the melody beguiles me also, so that I make signs to you to stay your speed, I charge you to disobey my words, and to bend more strongly to your I myself am a mortal man; and may err like mortal men."

oars.

So saying, he laid him down to sleep, and his comrades were stretched in the hold. But when Aurora drove forth her chariot from the glorious gates of the day, up sprang, from his hard couch, the holy strength of Ulysses. He called his companions around him, and gave pure wax to each. Then they bound him to the strong mast, fastened him with thongs and cables, lest he should yearn for the melody of the Sirens, and