The Fables of Florian (tr. Phelps)/Hercules in Heaven
FABLE XXVI.
HERCULES IN HEAVEN.
When Hercules, his labors done,
For his reward had Heaven won,
The gods pressed forward to salute
A hero of such wide repute.
Minerva, Mars, and Venus came
To show their rev'rence for his name;
E'en Juno's self was quite polite
Which fill'd the hero with delight.
But when with those assembled there
God Plutus came with lofty air,
And gave his hand with haughty pride,
Our hero turn'd his head aside.
"My son!" said Jupiter, "say why
Such anger flashes from thine eye.
What has this god e'er done to thee
That thou with him so wroth shouldst be?"
"It is because I know him well:
When I upon the earth did dwell,
I saw him going hand in hand,
With the worst knaves of all the land."