ORANGE-TREE. 319 



cules to obtain some of these golden apples : he succeeded, 

 but, as they could not be preserved elsewhere, it is said 

 they were carried back again by Minerva. 



Lucan is particularly earnest that no one should doubt 

 this story : 



' e Here by the wakeful dragon kept of old, 

 Hesperian fruits grew rich with living gold ; 

 Long since the fruit was from the branches torn, 

 And now the gardens their lost honours mourn. 

 Such was in ancient times the tale received, 

 Such by our good forefathers was believed : 

 Nor let inquirers the tradition wrong, 

 Or dare to question now the poet's sacred song. 

 Then take it for a truth, the wealthy wood 

 Here under golden boughs low-bending stood : 

 On some large tree his folds the serpent wound, 

 The fair Hesperian virgins watched around, 

 And joined to guard the rich forbidden ground. 

 But great Alcides came to end their care, 

 Stript the gay grove, and left the branches bare ; 

 Then back returning, sought the Argive shore, 

 And the bright spoil to proud Eurystheus bore." 



ROWE'S LUCAN, Book 9. 



These, too, were the golden apples by means of which 

 Hippomenes won the Arcadian Atalanta ; who halted in 

 the race to pick them up, when he artfully dropped them 

 at three several times, in the hope of her so doing : he 

 having received them for that purpose from the goddess 

 Venus. 



And probably this may be the golden apple, the bestowal 

 of which first gave origin to the Grecian war. 



The Orange-tree is mentioned both by Cowley and 

 Rapin ; but the poems being originally written in Latin, 

 and the translations very poor, they will not admit of 

 quotation. It has been celebrated by poets ancient and 

 modern ; and well has it deserved its fame, not only for its 



