Page:The battle of the books - Guthkelch - 1908.djvu/116

42 stealing close, aimed his flail at Phalaris's breast; but then the goddess Affright, interposing, caught the Modern in her icy arms, and dragged him from the danger she foresaw, for both the dormant heroes happened to turn at the same instant though soundly sleeping and busy in a dream. For Phalaris was just that minute dreaming how a most vile poetaster had lampooned him, and how he had got him roaring in his Bull. And Æsop dreamed that as he and the Ancient chiefs were lying on the ground, a wild ass, broke loose, ran about trampling, and kicking, and dunging in their faces. B-ntl-y, leaving the two heroes asleep, seized on both their armours, and withdrew in quest of his darling W-tt-n.

He, in the meantime, had wandered long in search of some enterprise, till at length he arrived at a small rivulet that issued from a fountain hard by, called in the language of mortal men, Helicon. Here he stopped, and, parched with thirst, resolved to allay it in this limpid stream. Thrice with profane hands he essayed to raise the water to his lips, and thrice it slipped all through his fingers. Then he stopped prone on his breast, but e'er his mouth had kissed the