Upon her nearer approach to Hercules,
she stepped before the other lady, who came forward with a regular,
composed carriage, and running up to him, accosted him after the
following manner:--
"My dear Hercules!" says she, "I find you are very much divided in your
thoughts upon the way of life that you ought to choose; be my friend,
and follow me; I will lead you into the possession of pleasure, and out
of the reach of pain, and remove you from all the noise and disquietude
of business. The affairs of either war or peace shall have no power to
disturb you. Your whole employment shall be to make your life easy, and
to entertain every sense with its proper gratifications. Sumptuous
tables, beds of roses, clouds of perfume, concerts of music, crowds of
beauties, are all in readiness to receive you. Come along with me into
this region of delights, this world of pleasure, and bid farewell for
ever to care, to pain, to business." Hercules, hearing the lady talk
after this manner, desired to know her name, to which she answered--"My
friends, and those who are well acquainted with me, call me Happiness;
but my enemies, and those who would injure my reputation, have given me
the name of Pleasure."
By this time the other lady was come up, who addressed herself to the
young hero in a very different manner:--"Hercules," says she, "I offer
myself to you because I know you are descended from the gods, and give
proofs of that descent by your love of virtue and application to the
studies proper for your age.
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