266 The Honey-Makers 



accompanied by bees, which usually are near him upon the 

 horn of plenty. 



The oak-tree, sacred to the father of the gods, is also 

 related to the bees, and in a somewhat curious manner. 

 Because the bees fed Zeus, the tree dedicated to him 

 returns honey to them. 



At certain seasons the leaves of the oak are covered 

 with honey-dew, believed by the ancients, as we know, to 

 be an ethereal downfall from heaven, and from this circum- 

 stance came the saying, "Zeus rains honey." 



Hesiod tells us, referring, doubtless, to swarms of bees 

 living in hollow oaks : — 



" Nor scythe nor famine on the righteous prey ; 

 Feasts, strewn by earth, employ their easy day ; 

 The oak is on their hills ; the topmost tree 

 Bears the rich acorn, and the trunk the bee." 



During the golden age, when all were happy and all had 

 enough, honey was, as it still is, distilled from the leaves of 

 plants, particularly from oaks, and was frequently noticed 

 by the ancient writers. Ovid, in his '' Metamorphoses," 

 thus refers to that blessed time : — 



" With milk and nectar were the rivers filled, 

 And Honey from green Holly-okes distilled." 



Virgil, promising the return of the golden age at the birth 

 of a certain youth, gives the following beautiful description 

 of the earth at that fortunate time : — 



'' The very cradle shall pour thee forth attractive flowers. 

 The serpent also shall die ; and the poison's fallacious 

 plant shall die ; the Assyrian spikenard shall grow in every 

 soil. But soon as thou shalt be able to read the praises of 

 heroes, and the achievements of thy sire, and to understand 

 what virtue is, the field shall by degrees grow yellov/ with 

 soft ears of corn ; blushing grapes shall hang on the rude 

 brambles, and hard oaks shall distil the dewy honey." 



