CHAP. Xni.] THE FABLE OF PEKSEUS INTERPRETED. Ill 



war. For in the issue of contests the shield of Pallas is of 

 gi'eater consequence than the sword of Mars. 



But though Perseus may now seem extremely well pre- 

 pared, there still remains the most important thing of all, — 

 before he enters upon the war he must of necessity consult 

 the Greae. These Greae are treasons, half but degenerate 

 sisters of the Gorgons, who are representatives of wars ; for 

 wars are generous and noble, but treasons base and vile. 

 The Greae are elegantly described as hoary-headed, and like 

 old women from their birth, on account of the perpetual 

 cares, fears, and trepidations attending traitors. Their force 

 also, before it breaks out into open revolt, consists either in 

 an eye or a tooth ; for all faction alienated from a state is 

 both watchful and biting, and this eye and tooth is as it 

 were common to all the disaifected, because whatever they 

 learn and know is transmitted from one to another, as by 

 the hands of faction. And for the tooth they all bite with 

 the same, and clamour Avith one throat, so that each of them 

 singly expresses the multitude. 



These Greae, therefore, must be prevailed upon by Perseus 

 to lend him their eye and their tooth, — the eye to give 

 him indications and make discoveries, the tooth for sowing 

 rumours, raising envy, and stirring up the minds of the 

 people. And when all these things are thus disposed and 

 prepared, then follows the action of the war. 



He finds Medusa asleep ; for whoever undertakes a war 

 with prudence generally falls upon the enemy unprepared, 

 and nearly in a state of security ; and here is the occasion 

 for Pallas's mirror, for it is common enough, before the 

 danger presents, to see exactly into the state and posture of 

 the enemy; but the principal use of the glass is in the very 

 instant of danger, to discover the manner thereof and pre- 

 vent consternation, which is the thing intended by Per- 

 seus's turning his head aside and viewing the enemy in the 

 glass.** 



Two effects here follow the conquest, — 1. The darting 

 forth of Pegasus, which evidently denotes fame, that flies 

 abroad, proclaiming the victory far and near. 2. The beai*- 



^ Thus it is the excellence of a general early to discover what turn 

 the battle is likely to take, and looking prudently behind, as well an 

 before, to pursue a victory so as not to be unprovided for a retreat. 



