THE NEW THEORY OF ACHILLES'S SHIELD. 339 



Illustrious framed him with his hands in gold. 

 Bound to his feet were sandals winged ; a sword 

 Of brass, with hilt of sable ebony, 

 Hung round him from the shoulders by a thong. 



The visage grim 



Of monstrous Gorgon all his back o'erspread ; 



the dreadful helm 



Of Pluto clasped the temples of the prince." 



I tliink tliat one may recognize a reference to the 

 twins Castor and Pollux (the wrestler and boxer of 

 mythology) in the words 



"But in another part 



Were men who wrestled, or in gymnic fight 

 Wielded the cestus." 



Orion is not mentioned by name in the " Shield of 

 Hercules," as in the other ; but Orion, Lepus, and the 

 two dogs, seem referred to : 



"Elsewhere men of chase 



Were taking the fleet hares ; two keen-toothed dogs 

 Bounded beside, these ardent in pursuit, 

 Those with like ardor doubling in their flight." 



In each "shield" we find a reference to the opera- 

 tions of the year hunting and pasturing, sowing, 

 ploughing, and harvesting. It is hardly necessary to 

 point out the connection between these operations and 

 astronomical relations. That this connection was fully 

 recognized in ancient times is shown in the " Works 

 and Days" of Hesiod. "We find also in Egyptian 



