Lives of Alcyone

made along the line of inner development, and how at last he had
died heroically, defending his master from the attack of a party of
robbers. Even though Alcyone had long ago made up her mind to
give up her son, the news of his death was a great shock to her, and
caused her deep grief, but Herakles comforted her by reciting again
and again the praised of his nobility of life, his courage and his
devotion, and explained the good karma that such a life and such a
death could not but make for his own future advancement.
Herakles had half-doubted whether the sad news that he
brought would not make him an unwelcome guest to Alcyone; but
instead of that she was more strongly drawn to him than ever, and
begged him to make his home in Tiraganga, persuading her son the
raja to provide for him such modest establishment as he was willing
to accept—though indeed he needed little persuasion, for he himself
also felt deep reverence for him. Alcyone herself visited him daily
and learnt much from him, trusting much to his advice in the
education of her grandchildren, to whom she principally devoted the
closing years of her life. The king and Queen fully recognised how
much they owed to her loving care and prudent management, so
that the concluding years of her life were passed in calm happiness,
and she was regarded by all with great reverence and affection
gratitude. She finally passed away peacefully in the cold weather of
the year 4901, at the age of sixty-nine.
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