The Greatest Hero in Mythology VS The Hydra: Herakles & The Twelve Labours Ch IV-2!
It was strange but where the Kings of other lands had taken to treating Herakles as something of an underling, or worse a criminal, the King of Lérnē had a considerably different view of the youth. He was a man to be respected in his eyes, not only for having put Neméa in its place and ridding the world of the terrible Dire Lion that had once haunted her, but on account of Amphitryon.
Hardly taking notice of this he was to throw himself forward inside. As the warrior did so he ignored with some difficulty the song that the monarch requested from the musicians of his court. The song in question was that of Herakles’ own ancestor, the noble Perseus.
“Sing as all do, Muse,
Of the glories of Perseus the Intrepid!
He whom didst make use
Of a bronze-shimmering blade that the Gorgon didst resent,
He who in tender years,
Knew precious little of tears,
Ere all was torn asunder,
For his uncle didst thunder
From hall to hall,
Past high stone walls,
In summer years he travers’d,
Whither across wide seas intrepid,
His blade was swift,
The ladies he hew’d filth,
And his love deep,
On feet most fleet
He didst render them to Hades,
Whom judged them as only he couldst,
Yet the minstrels do still sing,
Even as melancholy dost seize e’ery king,
That dost hear his song
As none in right or wrong
May e’er equal his glory,
For none may e’er know it as fully
As he the mightiest of Zeus’ sons’,
Who in the Gorgon’s hour, shone more brightly than the suns’
Sing as all do, Muse,
Of the glories of Perseus the Intrepid!
He whom didst make use
Of a bronze-shimmering blade that the Gorgon didst resent,
For I wouldst know,
In the future and now,
How oh how,
Might I or any other,
Be he enemy or brother!
E’er come to combat as swiftly,
Or as knowing of valour as fully
As noble Perseus!
I wouldst know,
As wouldst any and e’ery other man,
Here and now!
How wouldst he handle our burdens as a man?
I wouldst know, How might the Gorgon-slayer,
Sing and dance,
And how might the Evil-flayer,
Combat and love and lance
Through life’s many travesties?
How O Muse, might I equal a quarter of his deeds?
Oh I wouldst know indeed!
Sing as all do, Muse,
Of the glories of Perseus the Intrepid!
He whom didst make use
Of a bronze-shimmering blade that the Gorgon didst resent.”