Crowds ran back at the appearance of it,and cried out,"Death!"The spectre that guarded the other road was Envy.She was not armed with weapons of destruction,like the former,but by dreadful hissings,noises of reproach,and a horrid distracted laughter;she appeared more frightful than Death itself,insomuch that abundance of our company were discouraged from passing any further,and some appeared ashamed of having come so far.As for myself,I must confess my heart shrunk within me at the sight of these ghastly appearances;but,on a sudden,the voice of the trumpet came more full upon us,so that we felt a new resolution reviving in us,and in proportion as this resolution grew the terrors before us seemed to vanish.Most of the company,who had swords in their hands,marched on with great spirit,and an air of defiance,up the road that was commanded by Death;while others,who had thought and contemplation in their looks,went forward in a more composed manner up the road possessed by Envy.The way above these apparitions grew smooth and uniform,and was so delightful,that the travellers went on with pleasure,and in a little time arrived at the top of the mountain.They here began to breathe a delicious kind of ether,and saw all the fields about them covered with a kind of purple light,that made them reflect with satisfaction on their past toils,and diffused a secret joy through the whole assembly,which showed itself in every look and feature.In the midst of these happy fields there stood a palace of a very glorious structure.It had four great folding-doors that faced the four several quarters of the world.On the top of it was enthroned the goddess of the mountain,who smiled upon her votaries,and sounded the silver trumpet which had called them up,and cheered them in their passage to her palace.
They had now formed themselves into several divisions,a band of historians taking their stations at each door,according to the persons whom they were to introduce.
On a sudden the trumpet,which had hitherto sounded only a march,or a point of war,now swelled all its notes into triumph and exultation.The whole fabric shook,and the doors flew open.The first who stepped forward was a beautiful and blooming hero,and,as I heard by the murmurs round me,Alexander the Great.He was conducted by a crowd of historians.The person who immediately walked before him was remarkable for an embroidered garment,who,not being well acquainted with the place,was conducting him to an apartment appointed for the reception of fabulous heroes.The name of this false guide was Quintus Curtius.But Arrian and Plutarch,who knew better the avenues of this palace,conducted him into the great hall,and placed him at the upper end of the first table.My good demon,that I might see the whole ceremony,conveyed me to a corner of this room,where I might perceive all that passed without being seen myself.The next who entered was a charming virgin,leading in a venerable old man that was blind.Under her left arm she bore a harp,and on her head a garland.Alexander,who was very well acquainted with Homer,stood up at his entrance,and placed him on his right hand.The virgin,who it seems was one of the Nine Sisters that attended on the Goddess of Fame,smiled with an ineffable grace at their meeting,and retired.
Julius Caesar was now coming forward;and though most of the historians offered their service to introduce him,he left them at the door,and would have no conductor but himself.
The next who advanced was a man of a homely but cheerful aspect,and attended by persons of greater figure than any that appeared on this occasion.Plato was on his right hand,and Xenophon on his left.
He bowed to Homer,and sat down by him.It was expected that Plato would himself have taken a place next to his master Socrates:but on a sudden there was heard a great clamour of disputants at the door,who appeared with Aristotle at the head of them.That philosopher,with some rudeness,but great strength of reason,convinced the whole table that a title to the fifth place was his due,and took it accordingly.
He had scarce sat down,when the same beautiful virgin that had introduced Homer brought in another,who hung back at the entrance,and would have excused himself,had not his modesty been overcome by the invitation of all who sat at the table.His guide and behaviour made me easily conclude it was Virgil.Cicero next appeared,and took his place.He had inquired at the door for Lucceius to introduce him,but not finding him there,he contented himself with the attendance of many other writers,who all,except Sallust,appeared highly pleased with the office.
