And there is a yet stranger story of how Theseus, after he was king, had the very wildest of all adventures--nothing less than an attempt to rescue from Hades the goddess Proserpine, and other imprisoned souls. But what happened to him there, and how he escaped the punishment of his daring, belongs to another story. It is as the hero and champion of Athens that he is remembered: and as such we will leave him. THE HERO OF HEROES. PART I.--THE ORACLE. Perseus and Andromeda had two sons, Alcæus, King of Thebes, and Electryon, King of Argos and Mycenæ. Alcæus had a son named Amphitryon, and Electryon had a daughter named Alcmena. These two cousins--Amphitryon and Alcmena--married; and Jupiter resolved that they should have a son who should be the greatest and most famous of men. But Juno was in one of her jealous moods; and she was especially jealous that such favor should be shown to Alcmena. Having considered how she should spoil his plan, she came to Jupiter in seeming good-humor, and said:-- "I have a question to ask you. Of two first cousins, which shall rule the other, and which shall serve--the elder or the younger?" "Why, of course, the elder must rule the younger," answered Jupiter. "You swear that--by the Styx?" asked Juno. "By the Styx," Jupiter answered, wondering what she could mean by what seemed so trifling a question, and then thinking no more of the matter. But Juno knew what she meant very well. Alcmena had a brother, Sthenelus, who had married the Princess Nicippe of Phrygia. And Juno said to herself, "They also may have a son as well as Alcmena. Then the two boys would be first cousins; and Jupiter has sworn that the first-born shall rule the other. So if Nicippe has a son first, Alcmena's son will have to serve him and obey him: and then, O Jupiter, there will be a greater man than Alcmena's son; for he who rules must be greater than he who obeys." Now it is Juno herself who settles when children shall come into the world. It was easy, therefore, for her to manage so that Nicippe's son should be born two whole months before Alcmena's. Jupiter was enraged when, too late, he found what a trick had been played upon him; but he had sworn by the Styx--the oath which could not be broken. Thus it became the will of heaven that the son of Alcmena should be the servant of the son of Nicippe. The son of Nicippe was named Eurystheus: the son of Alcmena was named Hercules.