HERACLES 195
Accomplished he such labor, toiling so
For Mukenaiau tyrant ; ay, and more —
He crossed the Melian shore 4m
And, by the sources of Amauros, shot
To death that strangers'-pest
Kuknos, who dwelt in Amphanaia : not
Of fame for good to guest !
And next, to the melodious maids he came, 435
Inside the Hesperian court-yard : hand must aim
At plucking gold fruit from the appled leaves.
Now he had killed the dragon, backed like flame,
Who guards the unapproachable he weaves
Himself all round, one spire about the same. 440
And into those sear troughs of ocean dived
The hero, and for mortals calm contrived,
Whatever oars should follow in his wake.
And under heaΛ'en's mid-seat his hands thrust he.
At home with Atlas : and, for valor's sake, 445
Held the gods up their star-faced mansionry.^
Also, the rider-host of Amazons
About Maiotis many-streamed, he went
To conquer through the billowy Euxine once,
Having collected what an armament 450
Of friends from Hellas, all on conquest bent
Of that gold-garnished cloak, dread girdle-chase ! ^
So Hellas gained the girl's barbarian grace
And at Mukenai saves the trophy still —
Go wonder there, who will I 455
to his country. Heracles OTercame the king, and took the horses to Mycenae. See the Alcestis, page 221, line 7oG.
^ While Atlas went to get the apples of the Hesperides for Hera- cles that hero undertook the giant's task of holding the heavens on his shoulders.
2 Eurystheus required Heracles to hring home the girdle of Hippo- lyta, queen of the Amazons.
