It was the most sultry of the dog-days--Jupiter sat lolling in his arm
chair vainly endeavouring to get a quiet nap, and a little further sat
Minerva, lulling her father to sleep, as _she_ thought, and keeping him
awake, as _he_ thought, by the whirring noise of her spinning-wheel. At
length Venus entered the saloon in which they were sitting, and the noise
she made effectually aroused the Thunderer. "Venus, my darling, where's
your mother-in-law?" said Jupiter raising himself on his elbow.
"In her dressing room," replied Venus, "trying on some of my new
beautifying inventions."
"Ah," smiled Jupiter, "you women are never easy but when you're
beautifying yourselves: well, go and tell her I think we may as well take
a trip down to Tempe, by way of employment this hot day; and send Iris to
tell all the other gods to meet us there."
Away tripped Venus to execute her commission, and the Thunderer turned
again to doze; but suddenly a thought struck him: "Here, Pallas, go and
borrow Mars's curricle for Juno and myself to ride in, for it is much too
hot to think of walking, such a day as this, and tell him to put some
bottles of nectar in the driving box, d'ye hear?"
In a short time the curricle made its appearance, and Jove and Juno
mounted. But Mars's vehicle was constructed for a single gentleman, and
not for man and wife, who being rather too heavy for it, broke it down as
they descended Olympus, and rolled to the foot of the mountain amidst the
suppressed laughter of the other gods, who were winging their way down.
Iris was despatched to procure a fresh supply of nectar, which Bacchus
declared would nearly exhaust his stock. At last the table was spread in
the most delightful part of Tempe, and the top of Ossa was occupied by
Hercules with his club to see that no mortal intruded on the revels of the
gods, when Jupiter discovered something at a distance running at full
speed towards them. "Heyday! what have we here?" he exclaimed; "as I live,
my old friend Cerberus, with a note in his jaws; why what _can_ Pluto have
got to say? Here, Cer! Cer! Cer! good dog!" The breathless animal dropped
the letter at Jupiter's feet and then took his seat on the ground, panting,
as well he might, after so long a journey.
"Here's a pretty note," said Jupiter, and he proceeded to read it aloud
for the amusement of the company--
"Dear Jove,
"Knowing you are going to have a feast at Tempe I have sent my
favourite Cerberus to pick up the crumbs as he gets but poor
living in the shades here at Tartarus. Proserpine sends her love
to Ceres.
"Yours ever,
"PLUTO."