he could scarcely stand upright; and within a bowshot of him was a
glen in the sand, and marble rocks, and date-trees, and a lawn of
gay green grass. And through the lawn a streamlet sparkled and
wandered out beyond the trees, and vanished in the sand.

The water trickled among the rocks, and a pleasant breeze rustled
in the dry date-branches and Perseus laughed for joy, and leapt
down the cliff, and drank of the cool water, and ate of the dates,
and slept upon the turf, and leapt up and went forward again: but
not toward the north this time; for he said, 'Surely Athene hath
sent me hither, and will not have me go homeward yet. What if
there be another noble deed to be done, before I see the sunny
hills of Hellas?'

So he went east, and east for ever, by fresh oases and fountains,
date-palms, and lawns of grass, till he saw before him a mighty
mountain-wall, all rose-red in the setting sun.

Then he towered in the air like an eagle, for his limbs were strong
again; and he flew all night across the mountain till the day began
to dawn, and rosy-fingered Eos came blushing up the sky. And then,
behold, beneath him was the long green garden of Egypt and the
shining stream of Nile.

And he saw cities walled up to heaven, and temples, and obelisks,
and pyramids, and giant Gods of stone. And he came down amid
fields of barley, and flax, and millet, and clambering gourds; and
saw the people coming out of the gates of a great city, and setting
to work, each in his place, among the water-courses, parting the
streams among the plants cunningly with their feet, according to