12. And the people stood wailing and weeping, as the lot fell on this one and on that; but Theseus strode into the midst, and cried,

· Here is a youth who needs no lot. I myself will be one of the seven."

13. And the herald asked in wonder, "Fair youth, know you whither you are going?"

And Theseus said, "I know. Let us go down to the black-sailed ship."

So they went down to the black-sailed ship; seven maidens and seven youths, and Theseus before them all, and the people following them lamenting.

14. But Theseus whispered to his companions, "Have hope, for the monster is not immortal." Then their hearts were comforted a little; but they wept as they went on board, and the cliffs of Sunium rang, and all the isles of the Egean Sea, with the voice of their lamentation, as they sailed on toward their deaths ir Crete.

53.-HOW THESEUS SLEW THE MINOTAUR.

PART II.

Dæd'a-lus, an artificer.

A-ri-ad'ne, daughter of Minos.

clew, a ball of thread to guide a Ic'a-rus, son of Dædalus.

person in a labyrinth.

pon'dered, thought, reflected.

1. AND at last they came to Crete, and to the palace of Minos the great king. He was the wisest of all mortal kings, and conquered all the Ægean isles; and his ships were as many as the sea-gulls, and his palace like a marble hill. And he sat among the pillars of the hall, upon his throne of beaten gold, and around him stood the speaking statues which Dædalus had made by his skill.

2. For Dædalus was the most cunning of all Athenians, and he first invented the plumb-line, and the

auger, and glue, and many a tool with which wood is wrought. And he first set up masts in ships, and yards, and his son made sails for them. But Perdix his nephew excelled him: for he first invented the saw and its teeth, copying it from the back-bone of a fish; and invented, too, the chisel, and the compasses, and the potter's wheel which molds the clay.

3. Therefore Dædalus envied him, and hurled him headlong from the temple of Athene; but the goddess pitied him (for she loves the wise), and changed him into a partridge, which flits for ever about the hills. And Dædalus fled to Crete, to Minos, and worked for him many a year, till he did a shameful deed, at which the sun hid his face on high.

4. Then he fled from the anger of Minos, he and Icarus his son having made themselves wings of feathers, and fixed the feathers with wax. So they flew over the sea toward Sicily; but Icarus flew too near the sun, and the wax of his wings was melted, and he fell into the Icarian Sea.

5. But Theseus stood before Minos, and they looked each other in the face; and Minos bade take them to prison, and cast them to the monster one by one, that the death of Androgeos might be avenged. Then Theseus cried,

"A boon, O Minos! Let me be thrown first to the beast; for I came hither for that very purpose, of my own will, and not by lot."

6. "Who art thou, then, brave youth?"

"I am the son of him whom of all men thou hatest most, Ægeus, the king of Athens, and I am come here to end this matter."

And Minos pondered awhile, looking steadfastly at him, and he thought, "The lad means to atone by his own death, for his father's sin;" and he answered at last, mildly,

7. "Go back in peace, my son. It is a pity that one so brave should die.”

But Theseus said, "I have sworn that I will not go back till I have seen the monster face to face."

And at that Minos frowned, and said, "Then thou shalt see him: take the madman away."

8. And they led Theseus away into the prison, with the other youths and maids.

But Ariadne, Minos's daughter, saw him as she came out of her white stone hall; and she loved him for his courage and his majesty, and said, "Shame that such a youth should die!" And by night she went down to the prison, and told him all her heart; and said,

9. "Flee down to your ship at once, for I have bribed the guards before the door. Flee, you and all your friends, and go back in peace to Greece; and take me, take me with you! for I dare not stay after you are gone, for my father will kill me miserably if he knows what I have done."

10. And Theseus stood silent awhile, for he was astonished and confounded by her beauty; but at last he said, "I can not go home in peace, till I have seen and slain this Minotaur, and avenged the deaths of the youths and maidens, and put an end to the terrors of my land."

"And will you kill the Minotaur? How, then?"

"I know not, nor do I care; but he must be strong if he be too strong for me."

11. Then she loved him all the more, and said, "But when you have killed him, how will you find your way out of the labyrinth?"

"I know not, neither do I care; but it must be a strange road, if I do not find it out before I have eaten up the monster's carcass."

"Fair youth, you are too bold; but I can help you, weak as I am. I will give you a sword, and with that perhaps you may slay the beast; and a clew of silk, and