Lives of Alcyone

on the astral—a man of commanding presence, hardly past the
prime of life. Alcyone, on the other hand, was young and
comparatively untried; he had none of the scientific knowledge, and
his mantras, though effective in their way, were only of the orthodox
kind. His will, however, was strong, and he was absolutely
determined at all costs to save his brother. He took counsel with
Mercury who urged him to undertake the struggle and promised him
victory in spite of all appearances. The contrast between the two
opponents was still further emphasised by the splendid robes in
which Aries appeared, and the fact that he was surrounded by all
his temple servants whereas Alcyone had simply presented himself
unattended, and in the creamy white dress of a priest of his temple.
Ulysses was in his usual condition of partial obsession, and
seemed somewhat dazed and hesitating in his speech, as he
opened the proceedings by calling upon his friend and teacher Aries
to state his case. Aries had had a tripod brought in, a sort of
temporary altar, upon which he burnt great quantities of some
special kind of incense, upon the stupefying effects of which he
evidently calculated. He produced a number of his best miracles and
worked up his auditors to a condition of great excitement and
enthusiasm, though it must be admitted that some of them were also
badly frightened. Finally he ended a long diatribe by calling Mizar
out of the crowd of his followers to stand by his side, and asking him
publicly to swear allegiance to him, which Mizar, being quite
obviously under hypnotic influence, forthwith proceeded to do. Aries
then called upon Ulysses and the courtiers present to witness this,
and then, turning to where Alcyone was seated alone at the opposite
side of the dais upon the upper part of which the King’ s throne was
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