or reprisals must involve a conflict with herself. But the god, sore at his bereavement, heeds not her word, and with violent effort hurls his brazen spear at the huge shield of his antagonist. In vain; for Pallas diverts the javelin's force. Ares rushes upon Hercules, and he, having watched his opportunity,—
Wounded with all his strength, and thrusting rived
The shield's large disk, and cleft it with his lance,
And in the midway threw him to the earth
Prostrate."
—E. 624-628.
a curious dénouement, wherein an immortal is in bitter need of a Deus ex machina. The author of the 'Shield,' however, has provided for the contingency. Fear and Consternation had sat as helpers in the chariot of Cycnus, as Pallas in that of Hercules. They hurry the vanquished god into his car, and, lashing the steeds, transport him without more ado to Olympus. Here the poem should have ended; but a later chronicler seems to have felt, like many a modern novelist, that the minor dramatis personæ, must be accounted for. And so we have a few lines about the victor spoiling Cycnus, whose obsequies were afterwards duly performed by his respectable father-in-law Ceyx at Iolchos. But the tomb erected over the brigand and fane-robber was not suffered to remain in honour. In requital for repeated sacrilege—
Swept it from sight away. Apollo thus
