Bythistimetheotherfairwomanhaddrawnnear, andshenowspoketothelad.“Ihavenothingtopromiseyou,”saidshe,“, andclimbsmanyahill, , butthedeepvalleysaredark, , theroadleadstothegreenmountainsofendlessfame, ; infact, , youmustplantthemandcareforthem; ifyouwouldgaintheloveofyourfellowmen, youmustlovethemandsufferforthem; ifyouwouldenjoythefavorofheaven, youmustmakeyourselfworthyofthatfavor; ifyouwouldhaveeternalfame, youmustnotscornthehardroadthatleadstoit.”
ThenHerculessawthatthislady, althoughshewasasbeautifulastheother, hadacountenancepureandgentle, liketheskyonabalmymorninginMay.
“Whatisyourname?”heasked.
“SomecallmeLabor,”sheanswered,“butothersknowmeasVirtue.”
Thenheturnedtothefirstlady.“Andwhatisyourname?”heasked.
“SomecallmePleasure,”shesaid, withbewitchingsmile,“butIchoosetobeknownastheJoyousandHappyOne.”
“Virtue,”saidHercules,“Iwilltaketheeasmyguide! Theroadoflaborandhonesteffortshallbemine, andmyheartshallnolongercherishbitternessordiscontent.”
AndheputhishandintothatofVirtue, andenteredwithheruponthestraightandforbiddingroadwhichledtothefairgreenmountainsonthepaleanddistanthorizon.
赫拉克勒斯在做出选择劳作而非享乐这一著名选择时，他明白了大多数人都不能发现的一点。他明白，选择劳作就是选择了美德，也选择了幸福。然而，值得注意的是，幸福并不是他的目标，而更像是对他辛勤劳作的一种回报。这一点至关重要。许多人视追求快乐为终极目标，是因为他们相信，正如这个故事中快乐的化身所说的那样，安逸是一种“为享受生活无所求”的状态。但是，即使你得到了这样的快乐，你也失去了一些基本的东西——人类只有通过拼搏争取才能获得的精神满足感。我们知道，当赫拉克勒斯走上美德和劳作的道路时，真正的幸福就会来到他身边。
当赫拉克勒斯还是个英俊的小伙子时，他就要自己面对生活了。一天早晨，他出门为继父办事。但是，越走他心里的酸楚就越多。他埋怨起来，因为那些并不比他好的人都安逸而快乐地生活着，而他却一无所有，只能天天辛劳而痛苦地过活。
想着这些，他来到了一个交叉路口。他停了下来，不确定应该选择哪条路。
