ble by a deep respiration, vulgarly called a snore t
from the sleeping Hercules.

It was finally decided that the whole nation
of Pygmies should set to work to destroy Her-
cules; not, be it understood, from any doubt
that a single champion would be capable of
putting him to the sword, but because he was a
public enemy, and all were desirous of sharing
in the glory of his defeat. There was a debate
whether the national honor did not demand
that a herald should be sent with a trumpet, to
stand over the ear of Hercules, and, after blow-
ing a blast right into it, to defy him to the com-
bat by formal proclamation. But two or three
venerable and sagacious Pygmies, well versed in
state affairs, gave it as their opinion that war
already existed, and that it was their rightful
privilege to take the enemy by surprise. More-
over, if awakened, and allowed to get upon his
feet, Hercules might happen to do them a mis-
chief before he could be beaten down again.
For, as these sage counsellors remarked, the
stranger's club was really very big, and had rat-
tled like a thunderbolt against the skull of An-
taeus. So the Pygmies resolved to set aside all

[[101]]

p100 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p101w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p102

v?