Page:The Music of the Spheres.djvu/196

against the advance of Orion, for did we not see him clamber backwards up the slope in the east only an hour and a half ahead of the giant who rose with his star club lifted menacingly above his head?

"Thy hoofs, unwilling, climb the sphery vault; Thy red eye trembles in an angry glare, When the hounds follow, and in fierce assault Bay through the fringes of the lion's hair."—Bayard Taylor.

If thus engaged, why was Taurus placed in the sky with a little cross-section of the sea about him? It was quite likely, we find, to preserve a note on the following legend:

Jupiter, the great ruler of Olympus, once changed himself into a snow-white bull. Such baffling disguises were the delight of this god when he had some particular object in view. This particular time he wished to carry off Europa, Princess of Phœnicia. He found the Princess playing in the meadow

"joyous, fresh, with roses boundAbout her sunny head, and on her cheek The glow of morn."

and placing himself conspicuously amongst the scenery, he soon caught her attention.

As soon as Europa spied this strange, white, gentle-appearing creature, she ran over to it, caressed it, and finally climbed upon its back. No sooner had she done this, than the bull, gathering the speed of the wind, ran to the sea-shore, plunged into the waves, and swam to the Island of Crete.

"Sweet Europa's mantle blew unclasp'dFrom off her shoulders backward borne;

"From one hand droop'd a crocus; one hand clasp'dThe mild bull's golden horn."—Tennyson.

[182]