_Eros_. Ah, he is only too glad to have me; he calls me to him. Athene always eyes me so! once when I flew close past her, quite by accident, with my torch, 'If you come near me,' she called out, 'I swear by my father, I will run you through with my spear, or take you by the foot and drop you into Tartarus, or tear you in pieces with my own hands'—and more such dreadful things. And she has such a sour look; and then on her breast she wears that horrid face with the snaky hair; that frightens me worst of all; the nasty bogy—I run away directly I see it. _Aph_. Well, well, you are afraid of Athene and the Gorgon; at least so you say, though you do not mind Zeus's thunderbolt a bit. But why do you let the Muses go scot free? do _they_ toss their plumes and hold out Gorgons' heads? _Eros_. Ah, mother, they make me bashful; they are so grand, always studying and composing; I love to stand there listening to their music. _Aph_. Let them pass too, because they are grand. And why do you never take a shot at Artemis? _Eros_. Why, the great thing is that I cannot catch her; she is always over the hills and far away. But besides that, her heart is engaged already. _Aph_. Where, child? _Eros_. In hunting stags and fawns; she is so fleet, she catches them up, or else shoots them; she can think of nothing else. Her brother, now, though he is an archer too, and draws a good arrow— _Aph_. I know, child, you have hit _him_ often enough. H. XX. THE JUDGEMENT OF PARIS _Zeus. Hermes. Hera. Athene. Aphrodite. Paris_ _Zeus_. Hermes, take this apple, and go with it to Phrygia; on the Gargaran peak of Ida you will find Priam's son, the herdsman. Give him this message: 'Paris, because you are handsome, and wise in the things of love, Zeus commands you to judge between the Goddesses, and say which is the most beautiful. And the prize shall be this apple.'—Now, you three, there is no time to be lost: away with you to your judge. I will have nothing to do with the matter: I love you all exactly alike, and I only wish you could all three win. If I were to give the prize to one of you, the other two would hate me, of course. In these circumstances, I am ill qualified to be your judge. But this young Phrygian to whom you are going is of the royal blood—a relation of Ganymede's,—and at the same time a simple countryman; so that we need have no hesitation in trusting his eyes. _Aph_. As far as I am concerned, Zeus, Momus himself might be our judge; _I_ should not be afraid to show myself. What fault could he find with _me_? But the others must agree too. _Hera_. Oh, we are under no alarm, thank you,—though your admirer Ares should be appointed. But Paris will do; whoever Paris is.