58o LIFE : OUTLINES OF GENERAL BIOLOGY 



inspired too; hence honoured as giver of great arts of peace, from 

 weaving the web to growing the oHve. 



But woman normally mates; whence the lovely Hera, the full- 

 bosomed Juno, magnificent upon her peacock throne, in full attain- 

 ment of her queendom. In time she matures, and to the matron, 

 Demeter or Ceres, watchful of the cornfields and dispenser of their 

 bread; and one day she loses her beloved daughter, as mothers 

 must ever do; and often, like her, to some suitor not easily approved 

 or come to terms with. Later, indeed last, woman sits as type of 

 venerable age, richest of all in memories, keenest also in discernment 

 of characters, events and their latencies, a veritable Sibyl. Sibyls, 

 it must be confessed, were not in the Greek Olympus; nor were they 

 usually old; but since Michelangelo put them in heaven, and 

 humanity has ever honoured matriarchal old age (and above all 

 since myths also grow and develop!), we may thus complete these 

 Seven Ages of Woman. 



Mas as Olympian. — Place now these phases of woman's life 

 upon the curve for man, conveniently opposite this. Who here first 

 appears? Obviously Eros (Cupid), whom woman so deeply desires 

 and rejoices in. And next? Hermes (Mercury), in his bright boyhood. 

 Then the adolescent, Dionysos, rejoicing in his new strength, and 

 thrilling towards woman, wine, and song. Then comes manly per- 

 fection and expression, Apollo with his lyre, facing Pallas herself. 

 The struggle for existence has next its expressive type, so Ares 

 (Mars) with lance or sword. Next comes elder maturity, as Hephestos 

 (Vulcan), standing by his anvil as master of craft and skill, yet 

 growing worn, even lamed thereby. Finally, in patriarchal seat, of 

 authority and influence, sits Father Zeus, Jupiter Olympus. Here, 

 then, are the "Seven Ages of Man", in their idealisation to divine 

 images. From these Shakespeare's seven ages are the fallen analogues; 

 though these we have ever seen more of, since ideals themselves fell 

 away. 



These old Hellenic presentments of the phases of life, and at their 

 highest, thus need recalling; for may they not increasingly reward 

 retaining, even renewing? So the evolutionary garden of our college 

 cannot be wholly given to geologist and naturalist, to botanist and 

 florist. It plainly also needs its cavern for introduction and recapi- 

 tulation of primitive life; and with this, the ancient olive-tree of 

 Pallas, duly honoured, even with temple in first outline. Farther on, 

 the full Olympian circle, with seven pedestals on either side, for the 

 ideal types of each sex in its life-phases. Within and around these 

 needs space for meditation — and even for dance— each in its due 

 time. 



The contrasts so manifest in human life with its rises and falls still 

 lack explanation: but the life-cycle of each sex offers indication of 



