METAMORPHOSES BOOK V the earth this fellow and his magic arms!"He had begun the rush, but the floor held his feet fast and there he stayed, a motionless rock, an image in full arinour. l'hese, indeed, deserved the punishment they received. But there was one, Aconteus, a soldier on Perseus' side, who, while fighting for his friend, chanced to look upon the Gorgon's face and hardened into stone. Astyages, thinking him still a living man, smote upon him with his long sword. The sword gave out a sharp clanging sound; and while Astyages stood amazed, the same strange power got hold on him, and he stood there still with a look or wonder on his marble face. It would take too lon g to tell the names of the rank and file who perished. Two hundred men survived the fight; two hundred saw the Gorgon and turned to stone. But now at last Phineus repents him of this uin righteous strife. But what is he to do? He sees images in various attitudes and knows the men for his own; he calls each one by name, prays for his aid, and hardly believing his eyes, he touches those w ho are nearest him: marble, all! He turns his face away, and so stretching out sideways suppliant hands that confess defeat, he says: " Perseus, you are my conqueror. Remove that dreadful thing that petrifying Medusa-head of yours-whosoever she may be, oh, take it away, I beg. It was not hate of you and lust for the kingly power that drove me to this war. It was my wife I fought for. Your clain was better in merit, mine in time. I am content to ield. Grant me now nothing, O bravest of men, save this my life. All the rest be yours." As he thus spoke, not daring to look at him to whom he prayed, Perseus replied: " Most craven Phineus, dismiss your 258
