of white sheep from their keepers, and killed the keepers themselves. But when the citizens heard a loud noise among the cattle, while they were seated in front of the public place, immediately on swift horses mounted they arrived at the spot; and there they fought a battle by the banks of the river, and pierced one another with their brazen-pointed spears. And among the crowd were Strife, and Tumult, and deadly Fate, holding one prisoner just wounded and another unwounded; a third who was dead, she was dragging by the feet in the turmoil. And her garment about her shoulders was stained with blood. These mingled in the battle like mortals, and fought; and dragged off the dead from either side.

"And in it he made a soft fallow, a fertile arable land, spacious, thrice worked; and many ploughmen in it, driving their oxen, turned them this way and that. When the ploughmen after turning came to the end of the field, a man was ready to put in their hands a cup of honey-sweet wine; they accordingly turned their ploughs along the furrows, being eager to arrive at the end of the fertile field. And it (the field) grew black behind them, and was just like a ploughed field, though made in gold: this indeed was a marvellous piece of workmanship.

And in it he made a field of high standing corn, and reapers were cutting with sharp scythes in their hands; while some stalks were falling on the swathes, close after one another on the ground, the binders were fastening others up in sheaves. The sheaf-binders were three, and behind them children collecting the corn in bundles, and carrying it in their arms, continually

supplied the sheaf-binders. Among them stood the lord in silence, on a swathe, with a staff in his hand, well pleased. In another part of the field servants were preparing a repast under a tree, and they were dressing a large ox which they had killed; while the women were preparing supper for the reapers, and were kneading much white meal.

"And in it he made a vineyard, heavily laden with bunches of grapes, beautiful and of gold; and the grapes were black. The vines were all supported by silver props. Around the vineyard was a dark looking ditch, and also a hedge made of tin; and a single path led to the vineyard, by which the gatherers used to go, when they plucked the grapes. Merry virgins and youths were carrying in wicker branches the honey-sweet fruit. And in the midst of them a boy was playing on his sweet lute, and was singing to it the song of Linus with his soft voice; while the youths and virgins, striking the ground to the tune, with songs and shouts followed, nimbly moving their feet.

"And in it he made a herd of oxen with upright horns; and the cattle were made of gold and tin; and with lowing they were moving from the stalls to the pastures, along a murmuring brook, by the rustling leaves. Keepers of gold were following the herd: four keepers, and nine swift dogs with them. Two horrid lions seized a bellowing bull foremost among the herd, and he was dragged along roaring, while the dogs and the young men came quickly after him. The lions having torn the hide off the strong bull, were eating his entrails and lapping his blood; but the keepers in vain followed and urged on the quick

dogs; for they kept aloof from biting the lions, but stood near and barked; yet all the while kept they out of the lions' way.

"And in it skilful Vulcan made a place of pasture, a large pasture for white sheep in a beautiful valley; he made both folds and huts for the shepherds, and pens with roofs.

66 And in it skilful Vulcan made a dance like that which Dedalus once made in spacious Gnossus for Ariadne with beautiful hair. There youths, and virgins to be bought with large dowries, were dancing, holding one another by the hand: the virgins were clothed in fine linen, and the youths in well-spun vests, smooth and shining like oil. And the girls had beautiful chaplets on their heads, while the youths had golden knives fastened with silver chains. At one time they would move lightly with their feet (running in a circle) just as a potter who is seated tries the wheel well fitted to his hands, to see if it will run; at another time they would move in lines toward one another. And a large crowd delighted stood around the happy troop, while two active dancers among them began the song, and moved quickly in the midst.

"And in it he placed the great strength of Ocean, along the outer border of the well-made shield.

THE PARTHENON.

PARTHENON is a Greek word, signifying a virgin, and hence the name given to the magnificent temple at Athens, dedicated to Minerva, who was worshipped as a virgin, with the most profound adoration. This splendid edifice was built during the reign, and by command of Per

icles, whose munificent patronage of the arts and learning, has rendered his name dear to every lover of the fine arts. It was built upon a mount within an ancient fortification, and overlooked the whole town. The material of which it was built was Pentelican marble; its order, the pure Grecian Doric; and its expense of construction is estimated at six thousand talents of silver, a sum a little upward of five millions of dollars.

The Parthenon was built by Callicrates, the reputed inventor of the Corinthian order, and Ictinus. It was two hundred feet in length, one hundred in breadth, and sixty-nine in height. Its portico was double at the two fronts, and single at the sides. On the exterior facade of the nave was represented a procession in honour of MinIn the interior was a colossal statue of

erva.

the goddess.

For more than twenty-two centuries this magnificent temple withstood the ravages of time and the mutations consequent upon the series of revolutions which that country had experienced within that period; and had been alternately a heathen temple, a Christian church, and a Moslem mosque, when in 1687, the Venetians be sieged the citadel of Athens, and the most beau tiful monuments of art in its vicinity were buried in chaotic ruin. At that time the Parthenon was almost as perfect as in the days when the warriors, orators, and the hoary Areopagii bowed in adoration to the virgin deity within. But during the siege of the citadel, a bomb fell upon the Parthenon, the powder which the Turks had deposited within was ignited, the roof was blown off, and the whole edifice was nearly reduced to ruins.

The statue of the goddess was uninjured,