their bodies and then attacked the race of mortals If Pandora had not shut the box so quickly, things would have gone much worse. But she closed it just in time to keep the last of the evil creatures from getting out. The name of this creature was Hope, and although he was half out of the box. If he had gone out Id. men would have known from childhood just what troubles were going to come to them every day of never have had any joy or hope so long as they lived Different Ages of man The world being thus furnished with inhabitants, the first age was an age of innocence and happiness, called the Golden Age. Truth and right prevailed, though not enforced by law, nor was there any magistrate to threaten or punish. The forest had not yet been robbed of its trees to furnish timbers for vessels, nor had men built fortifications round their towns. There were no such things as swords, spears, or Imets. The earth brought forth all things necessary for man, without his labor in ploughing or sowing. Perpetual spring reigned, flowers sprang up without seed, the rivers flowed with milk and wine, and yellow honey distilledfrom the oaks The ilver Age, inferior to the golden but better than that of brass. Jupiter shortened the spring and divided the first. men had to endure the extremes of heat and cold. and houses became were the first dwelli huts woven of twigs. Crops would no longer grow without planting farmer was obliged to the toiling ox to draw the plough. The men were utterly subject to their mothers and dared not disobey them, although they might live to be a hundred years old. They were quarrelsome and ignorant, and never sacrificed to the gods, but, at least, did not make war on one another Next came the Bronze Age, more savage of temper, and readier to the strifeof arms, yet not altogether wicked. They ate flesh as well as bread, and delighted in war being insolentand pitiless men The fourth was the continuation of the Brazen Age. or the age of Heroes. but men were noble and more generous, being begotten by the gods on mortal mothers25 their bodies, and then attacked the race of mortals. If Pandora had not shut the box so quickly, things would have gone much worse. But she closed it just in time to keep the last of the evil creatures from getting out. The name of this creature was Hope, and although he was half out of the box. If he had gone out into the world, men would have known from childhood just what troubles were going to come to them every day of their lives, and they would never have had any joy or hope so long as they lived. Different Ages of Man The world being thus furnished with inhabitants, the first age was an age of innocence and happiness, called the Golden Age. Truth and right prevailed, though not enforced by law, nor was there any magistrate13 to threaten or punish. The forest had not yet been robbed of its trees to furnish timbers for vessels, nor had men built fortifications round their towns. There were no such things as swords, spears, or helmets. The earth brought forth14 all things necessary for man, without his labor in ploughing or sowing. Perpetual spring reigned, flowers sprang up without seed, the rivers flowed with milk and wine, and yellow honey distilled15 from the oaks. Then succeeded the Silver Age, inferior to the golden, but better than that of brass. Jupiter shortened the spring, and divided the year into seasons. Then first, men had to endure the extremes of heat and cold, and houses became necessary. Caves were the first dwellings, and leafy16 coverts of the woods, and huts woven of twigs. Crops would no longer grow without planting. The farmer was obliged to sow the seed, and the toiling ox to draw the plough. The men were utterly subject to17 their mothers and dared not disobey them, although they might live to be a hundred years old. They were quarrelsome and ignorant, and never sacrificed to the gods, but, at least, did not make war on one another. Next came the Bronze Age, more savage of temper, and readier to the strife18 of arms, yet not altogether wicked. They ate flesh as well as bread, and delighted in war, being insolent19 and pitiless men. The fourth was the continuation of the Brazen Age, or the Age of Heroes, but men were noble and more generous, being begotten20 by the gods on mortal mothers