Once upon a time, when Hercules was quite young, and of just about the same age as yourselves, he was debating within himself which of the two ways he should choose, the one leading through toil to virtue, the other which is the easiest of all.  There approached him two women.  They were Virtue and Vice, and though they said not a word they straightway shewed by their appearance what was the difference between them.  One was tricked out to present a fair appearance with every beautifying art.  Pleasure and delights were shed around her and she led close after her innumerable enjoyments like a swarm of bees.  She showed them to Hercules, and, promising him yet more and more, endeavoured to attract him to her side.  The other, all emaciated and squalid, looked earnestly at the lad, and spoke in quite another tone.  She promised him no ease, no pleasure, but toils, labours, and perils without number, in every land and sea.  She told him that the reward of all this would be that he should become a god (so the narrator tells it).  This latter Hercules followed even to the death.  Perhaps all those who have written anything about wisdom, less or more, each according to his ability, have praised Virtue in their writings.  These must be obeyed, and the effort made to show forth their teaching in the conduct of life.  For he alone is wise who confirms in act the philosophy which in the rest goes no farther than words.  They do but flit like shadows. cf. Hom., Od. x. 494, where it is said of Teiresias: Τῷ καὶ τεθνηῶτι νόον πόρε Περσεφόνεια, Οἴ& 251· πεπνῦσθαι· τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀ& 188·σσουσι.