Worldly Honours

Atalanta, a beautiful princess of Scyrus, determined to live in a state of perpetual celibacy. Many admirers gathered around her. Being swift of foot, she challenged them to meet her upon a course, and the one who out ran her to the goal was to be rewarded with her hand. But those whom she out ran she was to slay with a dart which she held in her hand as she fled along the course. Most of her suitors perished. But there was one to whom it is said Venus had given golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides. He threw these apples artfully along the road, so that she might be tempted to pick them up, and thus lose time in the race. While stooping to the tempting fruit he out ran her and won the race. Many a Christian has out run a multitude who have sought to overtake him on the road to heaven; until a more subtle adversary has strewn golden apples in his pathway—prizes, preferments, honours—and he has been out run and compelled at last to give the world his heart and hand.--Anon