28 Atlas and Perseus

After the killing of Medusa，Perseus，carrying her head with him，flew far and wide，over land and sea．As night came on，he reached the western limit of the earth ，where the sun goes down．Here he would gladly have rested till morning．It was the kingdom of King Atlas，who was bigger than all other men．He was rich in flocks and herds and had no neighbor or rival to invade his country．But his chiefpride was in his gardens，whose fruit was of gold，hanging fromg olden branches，half hid with golden leaves．Perseus said tohim，“I come as a guest．I claim Zeus for my father and I killedMedusa．I seek rest and food．”But Atlas remembered that anancient prophecy had warned him that a son of Zeus should one day rob him of his golden apples ．So he answered，“Go away！Or neither your false claims of glory or parentage shall protect you” ；and he attempted to drive him out．Perseus，finding thegiant too strong for him，said，“Since you value my ...