Strength.

18.

A mighty pile of wood the God then heaped,

And having soon conceived the mystery

Of fire, from two smooth laurel branches stripped

The bark, and rubbed them in his palms;—on high

Suddenly forth the burning vapour leaped

And the divine child saw delightedly.—

Mercury first found out for human weal

Tinder-box, matches, fire-irons, flint and steel.

19.

And fine dry logs and roots innumerous

He gathered in a delve upon the ground—

And kindled them—and instantaneous

The strength of the fierce flame was breathed around:

And whilst the might of glorious Vulcan thus

Wrapped the great pile with glare and roaring sound,

Hermes dragged forth two heifers, lowing loud,

Close to the fire—such might was in the God.

Percy Bysshe Shelley, from "Hymn to Mercury"