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THE 
 
 MYTHOLOGY 
 
 OP 
 
 ANCIENT GREECE AND ITALY: 
 
 FOH THE USE OF SCHOOLS 
 
 BY 
 
 THOMAS KEIGHTLEY, 
 
 AUTHOR OP 
 
 MIE “OUTLINES OP HISTORY,” IN THE CABINET CYCLOPEDIA, 
 &C. &C. 
 
 TWELFTH AMERICAN EDITION, ENLARGED 
 AND IMPROVED. 
 
 NEW YORK : , 
 
 D . APPLETON AND COMPANY, 
 
 549 & 551 BROADWAY. 
 
 1878. 
 
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1886, by 
 D. APPLETON & CO., 
 
 In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States, 
 for the Southern District of New York. 
 
THE 
 
 MYTHOLOGY 
 
 OF 
 
 ANCIENT GEEECE AND ITALY. 
 
 7C2359 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 There are things which, though they may 
 not come under the head of Useful Know- 
 ledge, require to be known. — Such are the 
 renowned histories of Whittington and his 
 Cat, Jack the Giant-killer, Bluebeard, Tom 
 Thumb, and other heroes of the nursery. 
 Every one is supposed to be familiar with 
 them, and they are frequent subjects of allu- 
 sion Doth in writing and in conversation. 
 
 The legends of Grecian Mythology have 
 at least this minor claim to attention. We 
 cannot open a Poet, ancient or modern, with- 
 out meeting them, or allusions to them; and 
 the moment we enter a picture-gallery, we 
 
 find ourselves in the midst of the gods and 
 
 5 
 
VT 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 heroes of Greece. — It is surely, then, not need- 
 less to know something about them. 
 
 But Mythology has higher claims. It is 
 closely connected with History and Philoso- 
 phy ; and an acquaintance with its principles 
 is indispensable to a philosophic historian or 
 critic, and useful even to the theologian. 
 
 And the study of Mythology is not with- 
 out its attractions. As it is in the works 
 of the Poets that its legends have chiefly 
 been preserved, the search after them is one 
 of the most agreeable occupations in which 
 we can engage ; and as very few of them 
 are devoid of meaning, the tracing out their 
 sense and origin yields adequate employ- 
 ment to the very highest powers of the mind 
 Surely no one will venture to say that the 
 early theology and history of such a people 
 as the Greeks is unworthy the attention of 
 any, however elevated in genius and in in- 
 tellect. To me, the study of Mythology is a 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 vii 
 
 source of high gratification, and I cheerfully 
 devote my humble abilities to its cultivation 
 and diffusion. 
 
 In my larger work I have endeavoured to 
 exhibit Mythology in this its more dignified 
 form, and thither I must refer those who are 
 curious to know the real origin and signifi- 
 cation of its various legends. The present 
 little volume is purely narrative and intro- 
 ductory ; for explanations, unless when given 
 orally, prove in general rather irksome to 
 young persons : — the proofs of every thing 
 advanced in it will be found in my other 
 work. 
 
 One advantage, and that no inconsiderable 
 one, I think I may venture to promise those 
 who will derive their first mythological ideas 
 from this little book — they will have nothing 
 to unlearn in their future progress. Every 
 thing is given on the best authority. 
 
 As the following pages are chiefly designed 
 
Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 for those who have not commenced reading 
 Greek, I have employed the Latin names of 
 the Deities; placing, however the Greek 
 names beside them ; and I have frequently 
 followed Ovid in preference to the Greek 
 Poets. As a further aid, I have given the 
 translation of such names as are significant ? 
 but when the meaning is only conjectural, it 
 is intimated by a mark of interrogation (?). 
 I have also accented proper names when they 
 first occur. It may be remarked as a general 
 rule, that in proper names the final e and es 
 are to be sounded ; thus, Danae and Pleiades 
 are words of three syllables. 
 
 But I have a higher object in view. Ladies 
 often complain that they are deterred from 
 the study of Mythology by the dread of 
 having their delicacy offended. In my wri- 
 tings on this subject, I can assure them, they 
 will have nothing to apprehend; and few 
 things could afford me higher gratification, 
 than the consciousness of having enabled my 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 IX 
 
 fair countrywomen to view pictures, and read 
 our own Poets and those of other countries, 
 with greater knowledge and consequently 
 with greater pleasure. 
 
 The Wood-cuts are partly taken from An- 
 tiques, and partly from the classic designs of 
 Flaxman. 
 
 Two chapters have been added in this 
 Second Edition, and all the errors in the pre- 
 ceding one corrected. It is now as perfect 
 as I believe I could make it. It has been 
 objected that I have not given explanation 
 enough. This I regard as the great merit 
 of the book ; for I should have explained on 
 some system, and it is not fair to preoccupy 
 the youthful mind with any. My own system 
 will be found in my large work : here I give 
 only the narratives and ideas of the ancient 
 poets, and each reader or teacher can apply 
 the system he deems the best. 
 
 T. K 
 
,3 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 ) i 
 
 Part I.— THE GODS. 
 
 Chip *>age 
 
 ‘ I. Introduction ... 13 
 
 II, The Grecian Gods in geneial. 14 
 
 III. Grecian Ideas of the World. 18 
 
 IV. Theogony 21 
 
 V. The Titans . . . . * 24 
 
 VI. The Titans (continued) 26 
 
 VII. Jupiter — Zeus 32 
 
 VIII. Neptune — Poseidon 40 
 
 IX. Pluto— Hades... 43 
 
 X. Juno — Herp . . . .' 48 
 
 XI. Mars — Ares 51 
 
 XII. Vulcan — Hephastus 53 
 
 XIII. Phoebus Apollo .. 55 
 
 XIV. Diana — A'rtemis 62 
 
 XV. Venus — Aphrodite 65 
 
 XVI. Cupid — Eros 68 
 
 XVII. Minerva — Pallas Athena 70 
 
 XVIII. Mercury — Hermes 73 
 
 XIX* Ceres and Proserpine — Demeter and Per - 
 
 sephone 76 
 
 XX Bacchus — Diony'sus 81 
 
 XXI. Sister-Goddesses . . 84 
 
 u 
 
Xll CONTENTS. 
 
 Chfcp. Pagj 
 
 XXII. Themis, Iris, Hebe, Paeon, and other Deities . 89 
 
 XXIII. The Rural Deities 93 
 
 XXIV. The Nymphs 97 
 
 XXV. The Water-Deities 101 
 
 XXVI. Foreign Deities 104 
 
 XXVII, Italian Deities 107 
 
 Part II.— THE HEROES. 
 
 Cfcap. Page 
 
 I. Ages of the World 113 
 
 II. Pandora - 114 
 
 III. Deucalion and Pyrrha. . 117 
 
 IV. Perseus • 119 
 
 V. Bellerophon 125 
 
 VI. Hercules 128 
 
 VII. Theseus 148 
 
 VIII. Procne and Philomela. Cephalus and Procris. 
 
 Nisus and Scylla 155 
 
 IX. Abacus, Pelops, and their Posterity. 158 
 
 X. The Calydonian Hunt 162 
 
 XI. The Argonautic Expedition 164 
 
 XII. The Theban Wars 174 
 
 XIII. The Trojan War 184 
 
 XIV. The Return of the Greeks 197 
 
 XV. The Voyage of jEneas 22] 
 
MYTHOLOGY 
 
 OF 
 
 GREECE AND ITALY. 
 
 Part I.— THE GODS. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Polytheism, or the belief in many gods, was 
 the religion of most ancient nations, and it may 
 still be witnessed in its full vigour in India. 
 Learned and ingenious as the Greeks and Romans 
 were, they were far removed from the purity and 
 simplicity of faith which distinguished the Israel- 
 ites ; and in their days of greatest refinement they 
 still worshiped at the altars of many gods. 
 
 It is not necessary at present to seek to trace 
 the origin and causes of the polytheism of man- 
 kind : that such was the religion of the ancient 
 Greeks is a simple fact. The description of the 
 
 What is Polytheism? — Where has it prevailed formerly? — Where 
 does it now ? 
 
 2 
 
14 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 objects of their worship, and the narration of the 
 principal adventures which they invented for their 
 deities, are the points to which we shall direct our 
 attention. 
 
 As the Greeks were a remarkably ingenious 
 people, who abounded with imagination, and were 
 passionately fond of poetry, which in its early ages 
 was chiefly narrative, they devised numerous tales 
 of the adventures of their gods ; for their vene- 
 ration for them was not of that awful character 
 which precludes all falsehood and fiction when 
 speaking of beings superior to man. 
 
 These tales or fables of the adventures and 
 actions of the Grecian gods are called mythes , 
 from a Greek word signifying fable ; and the 
 science which treats of them is termed Mythology. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 TIIE GRECIAN GODS IN GENERAL. 
 
 The ancient Greeks believed their gods to be of 
 the same shape and form as themselves, but of far 
 greater beauty, strength, and dignity. They also 
 regarded them as being of much larger size than 
 
 What is said of the Greeks? — What is Mythology ?•— Whai 
 did the Greeks believe concerning their gods. 
 
THE GRECIAN GODS IN GENERAL. 15 
 
 men ; for in those times great size was esteemed a 
 perfection both in man and woman, and conse- 
 quently was supposed to be an attribute of theii 
 divinities, to whom they ascribed all perfections. 
 A fluid named Ichor supplied the place of blood 
 in the veins of the gods. They were not capable 
 of death, but they might be wounded or otherwise 
 injured. They could make themselves visible or 
 invisible to men as they pleased, and assume the 
 forms of men or of animals as it suited their fancy. 
 Like men they stood in daily need of food and 
 sleep. The meat of the gods was called Ambro- 
 sia, their drink Nectar. The gods when they 
 came among men often partook of their food and 
 hospitality. 
 
 Like mankind, the gods were divided into two 
 sexes, — -namely, gods and goddesses. They mar- 
 ried and had children, just like mortals. Often a 
 god became enamoured of a mortal woman, or a 
 goddess was smitten with the charms of a hand- 
 some youth, and these love-tales form a large 
 portion of Grecian mythology. 
 
 To make the resemblance between gods and 
 men more complete, the Greeks ascribed to their 
 deities all human passions, both good and evil. 
 They were capable of love, friendship, gratitude, 
 
 What powers were ascribed to the gods? — What imper- 
 fections ? — What passions ? 
 
1G THE GRECIAN GODS IN GENERAL. 
 
 and nil the benevolent affections : — on the othei 
 hand, they were frequently envious, jealous, and 
 revengeful. They were particularly careful tc 
 exact all due respect and attention from mankind, 
 whom they required to honour them with temples, 
 prayers, costly sacrifices, splendid processions, 
 and rich gifts ; and they severely punished insult 
 or neglect. 
 
 The abode of the gods, as described by the 
 more ancient Grecian poets, such as Homer and 
 Hesiod, was on the summit of the snow-clad 
 mountains of Olympus in Thessaly. A gate of 
 clouds, kept by the goddesses named the Seasons, 
 unfolded its valves to permit the passage of the 
 Celestials to earth, or to receive them on their 
 return. The city of the gods, as we may term it, 
 was regulated on the same principle as a Grecian 
 city of the heroic ages. The inhabitants, who 
 were all the kindred or the wives and children of 
 the king of the gods, had their separate dwellings ; 
 but all, when summoned, repaired to the palace of 
 Jupiter, whither also came, when called, those dei- 
 ties whose usual abode was the earth, the waters, 
 or the under world. It was also in the great hall 
 of the palace of the Olympian king that the gods 
 feasted each day on ambrosia and nectar ; which 
 
 What honours were required by them? — Where was then 
 abode ? — Describe their supposed manner of living. 
 
THE GRECIAN GODS IN GENERAL. 17 
 
 ast precious beverage was handed round by the 
 lovely goddess Hebe ( Youth ), — maid-servants 
 being the usual attendants at meals in the houses 
 of the Grecian princes in early times. Here they 
 conversed of the affairs of heaven and earth ; and 
 as they quaffed their nectar, Apollo the god of 
 music delighted them with the tones of his lyre, 
 to which the Muses sang in responsive strains. 
 When the sun was set, the gods retired 10 sleep 
 in their respective dwellings. 
 
 The Dawn, the Sun, and the Moon, who drove 
 each day in their chariots drawn by celestial steeds 
 through the air, gave light to the gods as well as 
 to men. 
 
 With the exception, perhaps, of the robes and 
 other parts of the dress of the goddesses, which 
 were woven by Minerva and the Graces, every- 
 thing on Olympus appertaining to the gods was 
 formed of the various metals, especially brass or 
 copper, the metal which was in the greatest abun- 
 dance in Greece ; for we must always recollect, 
 that the gods being the mere creation of fancy, 
 everything relating to them was framed according 
 to the ideas and state of manners in the early ages 
 of Greece. 
 
 Vulcan was architect, smith, armourer, chariol- 
 
 What was Hebe’s office? — Apollo’s? — The Muses’? — Vui* 
 
18 THE GRECIAN GODS IN GENERAL. 
 
 ouilder, and everything in Olympus. He built 
 of brass the houses of the gods ; he made for them 
 the golden shoes, with which they trod the air or 
 the water, and moved from place to place with 
 the speed of the wind or even of thought; he 
 also, it would appear, shod with brass the celestial 
 steeds, which whirled the chariots of the gods 
 through the air or along the surface of the sea. 
 This divine artist was even able to bestow on 
 his workmanship automatism, or the power of 
 self-motion; the tripods which he formed could 
 move of themselves in and out of the celestial 
 hall. He even endowed with intelligence the 
 golden handmaidens whom he framed to wait on 
 himself. 
 
 7 , , lr / 
 
 CHAPTER in. 
 
 GRECIAN IDEAS OF THE WORLD. 
 
 In order clearly to understand the mythology 
 of the Greeks, it is necessary to have an adequate 
 conception of their notions of the world and its 
 different parts. This is called Cosmology. 
 
 The ancient Greeks believed the earth to be flat 
 
 What were some of Vulcan’s works?— What is cosmology ? 
 
GRECIAN IDEAS OF THE WORLD. 19 
 
 and circular : their own country they conceived to 
 occupy the centre of it ; the central point being 
 either Mount Olympus the abode of the gods, or 
 Delphi, so renowned for its oracle. 
 
 The circular disk of the earth was crossed from 
 west to east, and divided into two equal parts, by 
 the Sea, as they called the Mediterranean and its 
 continuation the Euxine, — the only seas with which 
 they were acquainted. 
 
 Around the earth flowed the river Ocean. Its 
 course was from south to north on the western 
 side of the earth. The steady equable current of 
 the Ocean compassed the earth, unmoved by storm 
 or tempest ; and hence it was called soft-flow* 
 mg: it was also termed back-flowing , on account 
 of its circular course. The sea and all the springs 
 and rivers on earth derived their origin from it. 
 
 The Ocean had a further bank : but only that 
 portion of it which lay to the west is spoken of by 
 the poets. Homer places there a people whom he 
 calls Kimmerians : he also makes it the abode of 
 the dead. 
 
 In the remoter part of the northern half of the 
 earth dwelt a people named Hyperboreans, sacred 
 to the god Apollo, who bestowed on them wealth 
 and happiness in abundance. The coast of the 
 
 What did the Greeks believe concerning the shape of the 
 earth? — Olympus ? — the Ocean ? — Kimmerians ? — Hyperboreans? 
 
20 GRECIAN IDEAS OF THE WORLD. 
 
 Ocean on the southern side was inhabited by the 
 swarthy ^Ethiopians. The islands and coasts of 
 the western portion of the Mediterranean Sea were 
 the abode of the various tribes visited by Ulysses 
 in his wanderings : its eastern part was inhabited 
 by the Libyans, Egyptians, and other nations well 
 known to the Greeks. 
 
 On the western extremity of the southern half 
 of the terrestrial disk was a happy place named 
 Elysium, whither the king of the gods transported 
 his favourites among men, to dwell in an eternity 
 of bliss. 
 
 It would appear that according to the ideas of 
 the ancient Greeks, the ivorld was a hollow sphere 
 or globe, divided internally into two equal portions 
 by a flat disk of the earth , with the Ocean and 
 its further bank running round it on the outside 
 like a rim : — the common armillary sphere will 
 serve to give an idea of it. The poets call the exter- 
 nal shell of the sphere brazen , and iron , to express 
 its solidity. The part above the earth was called 
 Heaven, and was illuminated by the sun, moon, 
 and stars. The portion beneath the earth was 
 named Tartarus : here perpetual darkness reigned, 
 and the vanquished or rebellious gods were con- 
 fined within its murky regions. 
 
 ^Ethiopians ? — Elysium ? — The World 1 — The Earth ? — H<*> 
 ven?- -Tartarus ? 
 
GRECIAN IDEAS OF THE WORLD. 21 
 
 The Dawn, the Sun, and the Moon rose out of 
 Ocean on the eastern side, and drove through the 
 air, giving light to gods and men. The stars also, 
 except those forming the Wain or Bear, rose out 
 of and sank into the stream of Ocean. 
 
 Such were the ideas of the universe entertained 
 by the Greeks in the time of Homer and Hesiod. 
 With the progress of physical and geographical 
 knowledge, many of these erroneous notions were 
 corrected ; but the poets still retained most of the 
 ideas of their predecessors. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THEOGONY. 
 
 The origin of the world, and its various parts and 
 inhabitants, was represented by the ancient Greeks 
 as the birth of animated beings. The gods whom 
 they worshipped formed a part of the series of 
 beings who gradually came into existence ,* and 
 hence the account of it is called Theogony , or 
 Birth of the Gods. 
 
 Chaos, or empty space , they said, existed first : 
 then came into being Earth, Tartarus, and Love. 
 
 The Dawn, the Sun, and the Moon ? When did these notions 
 prevail ? — What is Theogony ? — Chaos ? — What next came into 
 being ? 
 
22 
 
 THEOGONY. 
 
 E'rebus ( Darkness ?) and Night were the children 
 of Chaos; Night bore to Erebus, Day and jEther. 
 
 Night was, without a father, the parent of the 
 Hespe rides, or maidens who kept the golden 
 apples on the shore of Ocean ; of Momus, and of 
 Woe ; of Death, Sleep, and Dreams ; of Neme- 
 sis, of Old-age, and Discord. 
 
 Earth brought forth U'ranus or Heaven, the 
 Sea ( Pontus ), and the mountains. She bore to 
 Heaven six sons, Oceanus, Coeus, Crius, Hyperi- 
 on, Japetus, and Saturn ; and six daughters, 
 Thea, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, and 
 Tethys : and these twelve were called the Titans. 
 Earth and Heaven were likewise the parents of 
 the three Cyclopes, — Brontes, Steropes, and Ar- 
 ges ; and of the three Plundred-handed, — Cottus, 
 Briareos, and Gyges. 
 
 These children were hated by their father ; and 
 as soon as they were born he hid them in a cavern 
 of Earth ; who, indignant at his conduct, produced 
 the metal named steel, and forming from it a sickle, 
 gave it to her son Saturn, who, lying in wait for 
 his father, mutilated him. The drops of blood 
 which fell on the earth gave origin to the Giants 
 and the Melian nymphs : from what fell into the 
 sea sprang Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. 
 
 Who were the children of Night ? — Earth ? — What is related 
 of Earth’s children ? 
 
THEOGONY. 
 
 23 
 
 By her other son Pontus {the Sea), Earth was 
 the mother of Thaumas {Wonder), Nereus, Phor 
 cys, and a daughter named Ceto {Huge, or Sea- 
 monster). Thaumas married Electra ( Brightness ) 
 a daughter of Oceanus, who bore him Iris {Rain 
 bow) and the Plarpies or Wind-goddesses. Nereus 
 had by Doris, also a daughter of Oceanus, the 
 fifty sea-nymphs called the Nereides. Phorcys 
 was, by his sister Ceto, father of the Grsese, the 
 Gorgons, and the Serpent which with the Hespe- 
 rides watched the golden fruit. 
 
 When here and elsewhere we read of gods mar- 
 ried to their sisters, we must recollect, in excuse 
 of the old bards who relate such things, that in 
 the East, and among the Ionian Greeks, where 
 the female part of the family were kept secluded, 
 such marriages were not prohibited. We thus find 
 the patriarch Abraham married to his half-sister 
 Sarah ; and Cimon the great Athenian stood in a 
 similar relation to his wife Elpinice. In theogony, 
 we must also allow for the necessity of the case , 
 just as we are obliged to suppose that the children 
 of Adam and Eve espoused each other. ^ 
 
 Who were the children of the Sea ?- -Of Thaumas ? — Nero 
 so ? — Phorcys ? 
 
24 
 
 THE TITANS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE TITANS. SATURN. 
 
 Oceanus married his sister Tethys, who gave 
 birth to the Oceanides, or Ocean-nymphs, and all 
 Ihe rivers and springs. He and his wife and daugln 
 ters dwelt in a grotto-palace in the western part 
 of the stream, over which he ruled, and which 
 was named from him. 
 
 Coeus and his sister Phoebe ( Brightness ) had two 
 daughters, Latona ( Night ?) and Asteria ( Starry ). 
 
 The offspring of Crius and Eury'bia ( Wide 
 orce) were, Astrseus (Starry), Pallas (Shaker ?) 
 
 Who was the wife of Oceanus ? — The daughters ? — Who wer$ 
 the children of Crius ? 
 
THE TITANS. 
 
 25 
 
 and Perses ( Bright ?). Astrceus had by Aurora 
 (Dawn), the daughter of his brother Hyperion, 
 the winds, Zephyrus (West), Boreas (North), and 
 Notus (South). Pallas had by the Ocean-nymph 
 Styx, Envy and Victory, Strength and Force. 
 Perses was, by Asteria, father of Hecate (Far- 
 caster ), a goddess of the night. 
 
 Hyperion ( Over-going) married his sister Thea 
 (Swift ?) : their offspring were Helius (Sun), Se- 
 lena (Moon), and Aurora (Dawn). 
 
 Japetus and one of the Oceanides had four sons, 
 Atlas, Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Mena3tius. 
 
 ^ Saturn espoused his sister Rhea. They had 
 three sons and three daughters; namely, Pluto, 
 Neptune, Jupiter, and Vesta (Hestia), Ceres, and 
 Juno. The last born of these was Jupiter. Heaven 
 and Earth having told Saturn that he was fated tc 
 be deprived of his kingdom by one of his sons, — 
 to prevent the calamity he devoured his children 
 as fast as they were born. Rhea, when about to 
 become the mother of Jupiter, advised with her 
 parents on the means of saving him. Earth di- 
 rected her to give a stone swathed in linen to Sa- 
 turn instead of the child. She did so : and Saturn, 
 unsuspicious of the deceit, swallowed it. Jupiter 
 in the mean time, was reared by the Nymphs in a 
 
 Astraeus ? — Pallas ? — Perses ? — Hyperion ? — Japetus ? — Sa 
 turn ? — What was predicted of Jupiter ? — How was his life saved 
 3 
 
26 
 
 THE TITANS. 
 
 cavern of Crete. When grown up, he espoused 
 Metis ( Prudence ) who administered a draught to 
 Saturn, which caused him to cast up the stone and 
 his other children. 
 
 The children of Saturn, headed by Jupiter now 
 rebelled against their father, who was aided by 
 the other Titans, his brothers. The war, of which 
 Thessaly was the scene, — the sons of Saturn fight- 
 ing from Mount Olympus, the Titans from Mount 
 Othrys, — lasted ten years. At length Jupiter re- 
 leased the Hundred-handed, and with their aid 
 gained the victory. The vanquished Titans were 
 confined in the gloomy region of Tartarus, and 
 the Hundred-handed were set to guard them. 
 Jupiter now assumed the empire of the world. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 the titans ( continued .) 
 
 The Titans, however, were not all consigned 
 to Tartarus. The following are to be found still 
 in office, or employed under the reign of Jupiter. 
 
 Atlas, the son of Japetus, had the task (a pun- 
 ishment inflicted on him for his share in the war,) 
 
 What war took place? — Describe it —What is related of 
 Atlas ? 
 
THE TITANS. 
 
 27 
 
 of supporting the heavens on his shoulders. We 
 "shall find the hero Hercules relieving him for a 
 time of his burden. He was married to one of 
 the daughters of Oceanus, by whom he had seven 
 daughters, called the Pleiades or Atlantides ; their 
 names were Maia, Electra, Taygete, Asterope, 
 Merope, Alcy'one, and Celseno. They form the 
 constellation of the Pleiades in the sign of the 
 Bull. Atlas was also the father of the beautiful 
 nymph Calypso, who entertained Ulysses in her 
 isle Ogy'gia. 
 
 Prometheus is by some said to have been the 
 creator of man, whose benefactor he certainly was 
 He stole fire from heaven, and gave it to the new- 
 formed race, whose life might have passed away 
 in misery if left destitute of that element. Jupi- 
 ter, to punish him for this or some other offence 
 chained him to a rock on Mount Caucasus, where 
 an eagle evermore preyed on his liver. At length 
 Hercules, coming to the place of his punishment, 
 shot the eagle with his arrows, and delivered the 
 suffering Titan. 
 
 The remaining Titans were more fortunate than 
 Vtlas and Prometheus. 
 
 Oce'anus still abode in his circling stream, and 
 
 Prometheus ? — Oceanus ? 
 
48 
 
 THE TITANS. 
 
 was treated with the utmost respect by Jupiter, 
 Juno, and the other gods. 
 
 Auro'ra, or Eos, the goddess of the Dawn, 
 dwelt in a palace on the east side of the earth, 
 whence every morning she went forth in her yel- 
 low chariot drawn by four steeds of brilliant white, 
 before ber brother, the Sun, and drove through the 
 sky, shedding light abroad. In the evening she 
 sank in the west before him, and they were con- 
 veyed together round to the east during the night. 
 
 Aurora was, by Astrseus, mother of the winds, 
 Zephyrus, Boreas, and Notus. She bore him also 
 Eosphorus ( Dawn-bearer ) or Morning-star, and 
 the Stars of Heaven. 
 
 The goddess of the Dawn was at times inspired 
 with the love of mortals. She carried off Orion, 
 and kept him in the isle of Ortygia till Diana 
 slew him with her arrows. She also carried off 
 Cephalus, the son of Mercury by Hersa ( Dew ), 
 daughter of Cecrops king of Attica, and had by 
 him a son named Phaethon ( Gleaming ), whom 
 Venus, on account of his beauty, set to keep her 
 temple. Her greatest favourite, however, was 
 Tithonus, son of Laomedon king of Troy, whom, 
 after her usual fashion, she ran away with. She 
 
 Aurora ? — Tithonus ? 
 
THE TITANS. 
 
 29 
 
 prevailed on Jupiter to grant him immortality ; but 
 forgetting to have youth joined in the gift, to her 
 great mortification she began, after some tirne^ *o 
 discern the symptoms of advancing old age and 
 decrepitude. When his hair was grown white, she 
 left his society ; but he still had the range of her 
 palace, lived on ambrosial food, and was clad in 
 celestial raiment. At length he lost the power of 
 moving his limbs, and then she shut him up in his 
 chamber, whence his feeble voice might at times 
 be heard. It is also said that she turned him into 
 the noisy insect called by the Greeks Tettix (Ci- 
 cada), or Tree-hopper. 
 
 Aurora and Tithonus had two children : Mem- 
 non, a renowned hero slain at the siege of Troy, 
 and another son named iEmathion, who was killed 
 by Hercules. 
 
 He'lius, or Sol, the Sun-god, the brother of 
 Aurora, dwelt like her on the eastern side of the 
 earth. He drove after her each day in his four- 
 horse chariot along the sky. At evening they all 
 went down into a golden cup or vessel, made by 
 Vulcan, which carried them during the night round 
 the northern part of the earth, so as to be m time 
 to set out again in the morning, r ^ 
 
 Memnon ? — iEmathion ? — Helius ? 
 
30 
 
 THE TITANS. 
 
 By Persa, or Perseis ( Brightness ?), a daughter 
 of Oceanus, the Sun was the father of Circe 
 {Hawk ?), the great enchantress, and her brother 
 iEetes king of Colchis. Persa also bore him Pa- 
 siphae ( All-bright ), who married Minos king of 
 Crete. The Sun was also the sire of Augeas 
 {Bright) king of Elis, renowned for his wealth in 
 flocks and herds. 
 
 Helius, and the Oceanide Cly'mene, had a son 
 named Phaethon {Gleaming), whose claims to a 
 celestial origin being denied by E'paphus the son 
 of Jupiter and Io, he journeyed to the palace of 
 his reputed sire, from whom he drew an unwary 
 oath that he would grant him whatever he desired. 
 His request was the guidance of the solar chariot 
 for one day, that all might thereby be convinced 
 that he was the offspring of its lord. Helius, aware 
 of the consequences, made every effort to induce 
 the thoughtless youth to content himself with 
 some less perilous proof. Plis arguments and en- 
 treaties were in vain ; and at length, with a mourn- 
 ful heart, he circled his head with the glittering 
 diadem of rays, and committed the reins to his 
 hand. In the midst of his directions the impatient 
 youth lashed on the horses, who sprang along th^ 
 celestial way ; but soon aware of the feeble hand 
 
 Circe ?— Phaethon ? 
 
THE TITANS. 
 
 * 31 
 
 which guided them, they ran out of the course, 
 
 And the world was enveloped in flames. At the 
 
 prayer of Earth, Jupiter lanched his thunder, and 
 
 hurled Phaethon from his seat. He fell into the 
 
 river Eridanus and was drowned, and his sisters 
 
 the Heliades ( Sun-maidens ), weeping for his death, 
 
 were turned, as they stood on the river’s bank, into 
 
 the trees which drop amber into its waves. . 
 
 . < 
 
 Sele'na, or Luna, the moon-goddess, drove 
 along the sky in her chariot to give light, while her 
 brother and sister were reposing after the toils of 
 the day. 
 
 By Jupiter, Selena was the mother of a daughter 
 named Hersa {Dew). The god Pan gained her 
 love under the form of a beautiful white ram. 
 There was a youth named Endy'mion, on whom 
 Jupiter had bestowed the gift of perpetual youth, 
 but united with perpetual sleep : a cavern of Mount 
 Latmos in Caria was the place of his repose ; and 
 here Selena used to descend each night, and please 
 herself by gazing on his charms as he slumbered. 
 
 IIe'cate was highly honoured by Jupiter, who 
 gaxe her extensive power. She was a goddess 
 of the night, and was worshipped by men as the 
 
 Selena ? — Endymion ? — Hecate ? 
 
32 
 
 THE TITANS. 
 
 averter of evil and bestower of increase. In after- 
 time she was held to be the patron of magicl 
 There is little doubt but that Hecate was origin- 
 ally regarded, by a portion of the people of Greece 
 us a moon-goddess, like Selena. 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 Jupiter. — Zeus . 
 
 Jupiter, the son of Saturn and Rhea, when horn 
 was concealed by his mother in a cave of Mount 
 Ida in Crete. Here he was fed by the bees and 
 
 How was Jupiter educated 1 
 
JUPITER. 
 
 33 
 
 the doves, and drank the milk of he goat Amal- 
 thea. To prevent his cries reaching the ears of 
 his father, the Curetes danced their war-dances, 
 clattering their arms, around his cradle. 
 
 On the dethronement of Saturn, Jupiter divided 
 his dominions with his brothers Neptune and Plu- 
 to : the portion which he reserved for himself was 
 the Heaven ; Earth and Olympus were common 
 property. Jupiter was king of gods and men ; the 
 thunder was his weapon ; and he bore a shield 
 called iEgis, made for him by Vulcan, which 
 when shaken sent forth storm and tempest. The 
 eagle was his favourite bird, the oak his sacred 
 tree. „ j . 
 
 The king of the gods had a numerous progeny 
 both by mortal and immortal mothers. Themis 
 (Law) bore him the Fates, the Seasons, and Peace, 
 Order and Justice ; Eury'nome (Wide -dispensing), 
 the Graces ; Mnemosyne (Memory), the Muses ; 
 the nymph Maia, Mercury ; by Ceres he had Pro- 
 serpine ; by Dione Venus ; by Latona, Apollo and 
 Diana ; by Juno, who was his queen and lawful 
 wife, he was the father of Mars, Vulcan, Hebe 
 ( Youth), and the Ilithyise. 
 
 The terrestrial loves of this god gave rise to a 
 variety of adventures, and produced a copious list 
 
 How did he divide his dominions ? — Describe Jupiter — Who 
 were his children ? 
 
34 
 
 JUPITER. 
 
 of gods and heroes. — The following are a few of 
 them. 
 
 Alcmena the daughter of Electryon was be- 
 rothed to her cousin Amphitryon, but refused 
 o acknowledge him as a husband until he had 
 avenged the death of her father on the Teleboans. 
 During his absence in the war against them, Ju- 
 piter, who had fallen in love with Alcmena, as- 
 sumed his form, and by narrating a tale of victory 
 to the maiden, obtained her favour. The cele- 
 brated hero Hercules was the son of Jupiter and 
 Alcmena. 
 
 Antiope, daughter of Nycteus and niece of 
 Lycus king of Thebes, was surprised by Jupiter 
 in the form of a satyr. Dreading the anger of her 
 father, she fled to the town of Sicyon, where she 
 married Epopeus. Nycteus put an end to his life, 
 charging his brother to take vengeance on Antiope 
 and her husband. Soon afterwards Lycus slew 
 Epopeus, and led Antiope back a captive to Thebes. 
 On the way she brought forth twins, whom her 
 uncle exposed on the mountains, where they were 
 found by a shepherd, who reared them, naming 
 the one Zethus, the other Amphion. Antiope, who 
 was treated with the utmost cruelty by Dirce 
 the wife of Lycus, fled for protection to her sons 
 
 Who was the son of Alcmena? — Who were the children of 
 Antiope? — How did they revenge their mother’s wrongs? 
 
JUPITER. 
 
 «5 
 
 when they were grown tip. Tney attacked and 
 slew Lycus, and tying Dirce by the hair to a wild 
 bull, let him drag her till she expired. They 
 seized on the government of Thebes, which they 
 surrounded with walls, the stones moving of them- 
 selves to the sound of the lyre which Mercury had 
 given to Amphion. 
 
 Enamoured of the beauty of Leda the wife of 
 Ty'ndareus, Jupiter took the form of a swan, and 
 gained her love. She brought forth two eggs, from 
 one of which came Pollux and Helen, the chil- 
 dren of Jupiter ; from the other Castor and Cly- 
 tcemnestra, the mortal offspring of her husband. 
 
 A flame of fire concealed the god from iEgina 
 the daughter of the river-god Asopus, and she be- 
 came the mother of M acus, so renowned for his 
 justice that he was made one of the judges of the 
 under-world. A shower of gold was the form 
 in which Jupiter penetrated the brazen chamber 
 where Acrisius king of Argos had shut up his 
 daughter Danae, who bore to the god a son named 
 Perseus. 
 
 Io, the daughter of the river Inachus, was seen 
 and loved by Jupiter. She rejected the suit of 
 the god ; but as she fled from him, she checked 
 her flight by spreading a dense cloud around her 
 
 Who were the children of Leda ? — Who was the son of yEgr 
 ua ? — of Danae ? 
 
36 
 
 JUPITER. 
 
 Juno, looking down from heaven, and seeing the 
 cloud, and also missing her husband, suspected 
 mischief. She sprang to earth ; but Jupiter, aware 
 of her approach, had turned Io into a white cow 
 When Juno admired the animal, and asked him to 
 give it to her, he could not refuse her request. 
 The goddess, who knew well who the cow was, 
 set the hundred-eyed Argus to watch her : and as 
 only two of his eyes slept at a time, there was 
 little hope of deceiving his vigilance. At length 
 Jupiter desired Mercury to kill him, as the only 
 mode of liberating Io. Mercury, taking the guise 
 of a shepherd, came and sat by Argus, and by 
 playing on his pipe lulled all his eyes to slumber, 
 and then cut off his head with his harpe or crooked 
 sword. Juno placed the eyes of Argus in the tail 
 of her favourite bird the peacock, and sent a Fury 
 to torment Io, who fled all through the world till 
 she came to Egypt, where Jupiter restored her 
 to her original form, and she bore a son named 
 E'paphus. 
 
 Callisto, the daughter of Lycaon king of Arca- 
 dia, was one of the companions of Diana, Jupiter, 
 taking the form of that goddess, violated the mo- 
 desty of the maiden ; and Diana, on learning what 
 had happened, drove the guiltless offender from 
 
 What is related of Io ? — Callisto ? 
 
JUPITER. 
 
 37 
 
 ner society. Callisto was mother of a son named 
 Areas. Juno, then giving loose to her vengeance, 
 turned her into a bear. Her son, when he grew 
 up, meeting her in the woods, was on the point of 
 killing her with his darts, when Jupiter, transport- 
 ing both mother and son to the skies, made them 
 the constellations of the two bears. Juno obtained 
 from Oceanus and Tethys that they should never 
 be permitted to sink into their waves. 
 
 As Europa, the daughter of Agenor king of 
 Sidon, was one day amusing herself with her com 
 panions and gathering flowers in the meads on the 
 shore of the sea, Jupiter approached her in the 
 form of a beautiful white bull. The maiden ca- 
 ressed him, and at length ventured to mount upon 
 his back: the god immediately bounded on the 
 surface of the sea, and ran with his lovely burden 
 along it till he reached the isle of Crete, where he 
 resumed his proper form. Europa became the 
 mother of Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon. 
 
 Adventures more becoming a king are related 
 of Jupiter. Such are those of his descent to earth 
 to look into the conduct of men. 
 
 Hearing of the enormous wickedness of man- 
 kind, Jupiter came down to earth to ascertain if 
 what had reached his ears was true. The reality 
 
 Europa? 
 
 4 
 
JUPITER. 
 
 as 
 
 exceeded the report. He came to the palace of 
 Lycaon king of Arcadia, and made himself known 
 Lycaon derided his pretensions, and to try him 
 set human flesh before him for food. The god 
 in indignation destroyed the house with lightning, 
 and turned its impious master into a wolf. 
 
 Jupiter, accompanied by Neptune and Mercury, 
 came down one time to earth. It was late in the 
 evening when they passed by the house of a peasant 
 named Hy'rieus. Seeing that they were wayfarers, 
 Ilyrieus pressed them to enter and partake of his 
 hospitality. The gods accepted the kind invitation ; 
 and, pleased with their entertainment, they re- 
 vealed to him their rank, and asked if he had any 
 wish to gratify. The wife of the kind host was 
 dead, and he had sworn never to marry another, 
 yet he wished to have a child. The gods took 
 the hide of his only ox, which he had offered in 
 sacrifice to them, and buried it in the earth. Ten 
 months afterwards a child came to light, which he 
 named Orion, who became a mighty hunter, and 
 was at last slain by Diana. 
 
 Jupiter and his son Mercury once came in the 
 evening to a village, where they sought hospitality; 
 but every door was closed against them. At length 
 they reached a cottage, where dwelt an ancient 
 
 Lycaon l — Hyrieua ? 
 
JUPITER. 
 
 39 
 
 couple named Philemon and Baucis. By these 
 they were received and entertained as well as their 
 humble means would allow. Charmed with the 
 good old pair, the gods revealed their rank, and 
 desired them to accompany them to the summit 
 of a neighbouring hill. On looking down towards 
 their village, Philemon and his wife saw nothing 
 but a lake, with their cottage standing on its side. 
 As they gazed, it became a temple ; and on the 
 gods asking them what was their desire, they said 
 to serve them in that temple, and to die at the 
 same moment. Their wish was granted ; and one 
 day as they were standing before the temple and 
 talking over the wonderful tale, they were turned 
 into trees where they stood. 
 
 Philemon and Baucis ? 
 
NEPTUNE. 
 
 40 
 
 CHAPTER YIIL 
 
 Neptune. — Poseidon . 
 
 Neptune was the son of Saturn ar?c Rhea. The 
 sea fell to his lot on the division of the dominions 
 of his father. As god of the sea he bore the three- 
 pronged spear or trident used by fishermen, and 
 dolphins and other marine animals usually at* 
 tended him. 
 
 The queen of Neptune was Amphitrite, one of 
 the daughters of Nereus and Doris. In his suil 
 to her he was aided by a dolphin, whom in gra- 
 titude he placed among the stars. Their children 
 
 , What ia related of NepUine ? — Amphitrite t 
 
NEPTUNE. 
 
 41 
 
 were Triton, whom he made his trumpeter, and a 
 daughter named Rhoda, who was married to the 
 Sun-god. 
 
 Like his brother Jupiter, Neptune was not 
 strictly faithful to his wife ; but Amphitrite seems 
 to have been less prone to jealousy than Juno. It 
 is said that Neptune became enamoured of the 
 goddess Ceres, when one time she had taken the 
 form of a mare. The goddess gave birth to a foal, 
 which was named Anon. He was reared by the 
 Nereides, who used to yoke him to his father’s 
 chariot, which he drew along the surface of the 
 sea. Arion became the property of Adrastus 
 king of Argos, who owed his life to his fleetness 
 in the first Theban war. 
 
 Tyro, the daughter of Salmoneus, loved the 
 river Enipeus. Neptune, who was enamoured of 
 her, took the form of the river-god, and she bore 
 two sons, named Pelias and Neleus, which last 
 was the father of Nestor. — - 
 
 Neptune took the form of a dolphin to deceive 
 Melantho : as a ram he gained the love of Theo- 
 phane, who bore the gold-fleeced ram which car- 
 ried Phrixus and Helle to Colchis. By Iphimedeia 
 Neptune was the father of Otus and Ephialtes, 
 who were of such^gig^ntic size and strength, that 
 
 Arion ? — Tyro ?— Otus ? — Ephialtes ? 
 
42 
 
 NEPTUNE. 
 
 when but nine years old they attempted, by piling 
 the Thessalian mountains on each other, to scale 
 Heaven. The Cyclops Polyphemus whs the soi: 
 of Neptune and the sea-nymph Thoo'sa ; and many 
 renowned heroes likewise claimed Neptune for 
 their sire. 
 
 The origin of the horse was ascribed to Nep- 
 tune. It is said that when he and Minerva con- 
 tended for the right of naming the city built by 
 Cecrops in Attica, the gods declared that they 
 would decide in favour of the one who should 
 produce what would be most useful to mankind. 
 Neptune struck the earth with his trident, and 
 forth sprang the first horse ; Minerva caused an 
 olive to shoot up. The gods gave judgment in 
 favour of the emblem of Peace, and the god- 
 dess called the town Athens, from her own name 
 Athena. 
 
 Give an account of the origin of the name of Athena 
 
pluto. 
 
 5 
 
 43 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 Pluto — (Hades.) 
 
 Pluto, the son of Saturn and Rhea, became 
 lord of the upder- world on the dethronement of 
 his father. All the dead of mankind were under the 
 rule of this deity, who is described as gloomy and 
 inexorable ; for from the realm of Pluto there is 
 no return ; and the ancient Greeks believed it to 
 be dark and cheerless. 
 
 The queen of Pluto was Proserpine, the daughter 
 of Ceres, whom he carried off, as will be presently 
 related. 
 
 The souls of the dead were conducted down to 
 
 What is related of Pluto ? — Ilis realm ?— His wile ? 
 
44 
 
 PLUTO. 
 
 the realm of Pluto by Mercury. On reaching the 
 river which surrounded it, they found Charon with 
 his boat waiting to receive them. His fare was a 
 small piece of money, which was always, for that 
 purpose, placed in the mouth of the deceased. 
 Having disembarked on the further bank, they 
 went on till they came to the palace of Pluto, which 
 was guarded by Cerberus, a dog with three heads 
 and with serpents along his back. This monster 
 lay quiet in his den, only gazing at those who en- 
 tered ; but if any of them turned back and attempt- 
 ed to make their escape, he flew out of his cavern 
 and seized them. The dead were now brought be- 
 fore the tribunal of the judges, Minos, Rhadaman- 
 thus, and Abacus, and their dooms were assigned 
 according to the life which they had led on earth. 
 The virtuous were sent to the enjoyment of the 
 blissful region named Elysium, the wicked were 
 consigned to the endless torments of Tartarus. 
 
 According to the poets, the following five rivers 
 were to be seen in the dominions of Pluto. Styx 
 (Dread), whose waters were piercing cold. When 
 there was any dispute on Olympus, Jupiter sent 
 Iris to fill a cup with the water of Styx, and 
 bring it thither. On this the contending parties 
 swore ; and if any swore falsely, he was banished 
 
 Of the souls of the dead ? — Charon ? — Cerberus ? — The 
 judges? — the Styx? ‘ — 
 
PLUTO. 
 
 45 
 
 tor nine years from the table of /he gods. A'che- 
 ron ( Grief ), the stream over which Charon ferried 
 the dead. Cocy'tus ( Lamentation ) ; and Pyriphle- 
 gethon ( Fire-Jlaming ,) or Phlegethon (Flaming), 
 which last rolled with waves of torrent flames. 
 Finally, the quiet placid stream of Lethe (Obli- 
 vion) flowed through the fragrant valleys of Ely- 
 sium; and the souls of the good, which were 
 destined to animate other bodies on earth, were 
 led to its side to quaff oblivion of their present 
 bliss before they departed to taste once more of 
 the bitterness of life beneath the sun. 
 
 The proper name of the realm of Hades or Pluto 
 was E'rebus (Darkness ?). We term it the under - 
 or nether -world, as to modern ears the words Hell 
 and the Infernal Regions, by which it is usually 
 designated, suggest ideas of punishment alone, 
 whereas Erebus was the abode of the virtuous as 
 well as the wiCKed. The attentive reader will 
 also perceive, that in the days of Homer, Elysium 
 and Tartarus did not form parts of Erebus, and 
 that their transference thither was the work of a 
 later age. 
 
 The principal criminals who were punished in 
 Erebus were the following : 
 
 Tityus, the son of Jupiter and E'lara, was slain 
 
 Acheron ? — Cocytus ? — Phlegethon ? — Lethe ? — Erebus ?- 
 Tityus? ^ 
 
46 
 
 PLUTO. 
 
 by Apollo and Diana, for attempting to offer vio 
 lence to their mother Latona. In Erebus his huge 
 body covered nine acres of land, and an enormous 
 vulture preyed without ceasing on his liver. 
 
 Tantalus was so highly honoured by the gods, 
 as to be admitted to partake of the nectar and 
 ambrosia on which they feasted in the halls of 
 Olympus. At an entertainment given by him to 
 them, he had the cruelty and impiety to kill his 
 own son Pelops, and serve his flesh up to the Im- 
 mortals. All shrunk back from the horrid viands 
 but Ceres, who incautiously ate one of the shoul- 
 ders. Pelops was restored to life by Clotho, and 
 the missing shoulder was replaced by an ivory 
 one. To punish Tantalus for his atrocious deed, 
 the gods placed him up to his chin in a lake in 
 Erebus, with trees laden with luscious fruits sus- 
 pending the^r boughs over his head : but when 
 he essays / o quench the thirst with which he is 
 tormented, the water flies from his lips ; and when 
 he would pluck the fruit to satisfy his hunger, the 
 winds scatter it abroad. 
 
 Sisyphus king of Corinth, so renowned for his 
 craft, having contrived to outwit Pluto, was by 
 him condemned to roll a huge stone up a hill in 
 Erebus. His toil is unceasing ; for as soon as he has 
 
 Tell the story of Tantalus. — Of Sisyphus. 
 
PLUTO. 
 
 47 
 
 worked it up to the summit, it rolls back in spite 
 of him, and thunders down again into the plain. 
 
 Phlegyas, on learning that his daughter Coronis 
 had been seduced by Apollo, burnt out of revenge 
 he temple of the god at Delphi. For this offence 
 lie was placed in Erebus, where a stone hanging 
 over his head, and evermore threatening to fall, 
 keeps him in a perpetual state of terror. 
 
 Ixion the son of Phlegyas was admitted to the 
 society of the gods on Olympus. He here had 
 the audacity to aspire to the love of the celestial 
 queen; and Jupiter, to punish him, precipitated 
 him to Erebus, and fixed him on an ever-revolving 
 wheel. 
 
 Salmoneus, king of Elis, asserted himself to be 
 Jupiter, and claimed divine honours. Fastening 
 dried hides and brazen kettles to his chariot, he 
 called their clatter thunder ; and flinging lighted 
 torches against the sky, he affected to lighten like 
 the king of the gods. Jupiter hurled him to Ere- 
 bus, but his punishment there is not described. 
 
 The fifty maidens called Belides, from their 
 grandfather Bel us, and Danaides from their father 
 Danaus, having fled from Egypt to escape the 
 persecution of their cousins the sons of Egyptus, 
 came to Argos in Greece. They were followed 
 
 Of Phlegyas. — Of Ixion. — Of Salmoneus. — Of the Belidee. 
 
48 
 
 PLUTO. 
 
 thither by their cousins, to whom Danaus con- 
 sented to give them in marriage ; but on the wed- 
 ding night he gave a dagger to each of the brides, 
 directing her to plunge it into the bosom of her 
 husband. All obeyed but Hypermnestra, who 
 spared the life of Lynceus. For this crime the 
 Danaides were sentenced in Erebus to fill a pexfo- 
 rated tub with water. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 y 
 
 Juno — Hera . 
 
 Juno was a daughter of Saturn and Rhea. Her 
 brother Jupiter, falling in love with her, raised a 
 
 Who was Juno? 
 
JUNO. 
 
 49 
 
 storm, and taking the shape of a cuckoo fled to her 
 bosom for shelter and gained her love. When 
 he had dethroned his father, Juno became his 
 queen, and shared in all his honours. Her own 
 character was irreproachable ; but as we have al- 
 ready seen, she could ill brook his infidelities ; and 
 Latona, Alcmena, Semele, and others, paid dear for 
 their intimacy with the monarch of the gods. 
 
 The attendant assigned to Juno by the poets 
 was Iris, the swift goddess of the rainbow. Her 
 favourite birds were the peacock and the cuckoo. 
 Of flowers, she was most partial to the dittany, 
 the poppy, and the lily. It is said that the lily was 
 once yellow, but that the infant Hercules being 
 put to the breast of the goddess as she slept, on 
 waking she thrust the babe indignantly from her 
 with such precipitation that a part of her milk 
 was spilt. What fell on the heaven produced the 
 Galaxy, or Milky Way ; the portion which reached 
 the earth tinged the lilies white. 
 
 At the nuptials of Peleus and Thetis, which 
 the gods honoured with their presence, Discord, 
 who was uninvited, flung a golden apple in among 
 them, on which was inscribed For the fairest . The 
 claims of all were obliged to give way to those of 
 Juno, Minerva, and Venus ; and the decision was 
 
 What were her office and character? — What is said of Iris? 
 ~Oi the appIeTof Discord ? 
 
 5 
 
50 
 
 JUNO. 
 
 left to Paris, son ot Priam king of Troy, who was 
 at that time keeping herds on mount Ida. Mer- 
 cury led the goddesses thither. Juno proffered 
 the young herdsman power, if he would award 
 the prize to her; Minerva, fame in war ; Venus 
 the fairest of women. The queen of beauty was 
 awarded the apple, and Paris soon afterwards 
 carried off Helen the wife of Menelaus king of 
 Sparta. The revengeful Juno never rested till 
 Troy was taken and destroyed by the Greeks, to 
 punish the crime of Paris. 
 
 Tell the story of Pans arxl Troy. 
 
mars. 
 
 51 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Mars was the son of Jupiter and Juno. Pie was 
 the god who presided over war. The war-god- 
 dess Enyo or Bellona, his sister Strife, and his 
 sons Terror and Fear, were his companions when 
 he went to the field of battle. 
 
 It was said by some that Mars was the son of 
 Juno without a father. This goddess, angry at the 
 birth of Minerva from the head of Jupiter, took 
 i journey towards the dwelling of Oceanus and 
 Tethys, to make her complaint to them. On the 
 
 What is said of Mars ? — of Juno ? 
 
 
 Uc OF ILL LIB. 
 
52 
 
 MARS. 
 
 way she stopped to rest at the abode of Flora the 
 goddess of flowers. She told the tale of her grief? 
 to her kind hostess, who, pointing to a flower which 
 grew in her garden, desired her to touch it. June 
 did so, and became the mother of Mars. 
 
 The beautiful goddess Venus, who was married 
 to Vulcan the lame smith, carried on an intrigue 
 with the god of war. The Sun gave information 
 to the artist, who forged an invisible net, and dis- 
 posed it in such a manner as to catch the lovers. 
 Fie then called all the gods to behold the captives, 
 and would not release them till Neptune had passed 
 his word for the compensation to be made by Mars. 
 
 Terror and Fear, and Harmony, who was mar- 
 ried to Cadmus, are said to be the children of 
 Mars and Venus. 
 
 Mars had by Agraulos, daughter of Cecrops 
 king of Athens, a daughter named Alcippe ( Strong - 
 mare). Halirrhothius (Sea-wave), a son of Nep- 
 tune, having offered violence to the maiden, was 
 killed by her father. Mars was prosecuted for 
 the murder by Neptune. Twelve gods sat as 
 judges on the hill at Athens named Areopagus 
 (Mars' hill). The votes being equal, he was ac- 
 quitted ; and such became the rule of the court 
 which in after times held its sittings on this hill 
 
 Of the Areopagus? 
 
VULCAN. 
 
 53 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 V itlcan — Hephcestus . 
 
 Vulcan, liie celestial artist, was the son of Ju- 
 piter and Juno, — some said of Juno alone. He 
 was born lame ; and his mother was so displeased 
 at the sight of him, that she flung him out of hea- 
 ven. He was saved by the nymphs Thetis and 
 Eury'nome, who kept him for nine years in a 
 cavern under the ocean ; during which time he 
 fashioned for them a great variety of trinkets and 
 ornaments. 
 
 All the houses, chariots and armour, and other 
 articles in Olympus, were made by Vulcan. He 
 
 What is sa»d of Vulcan ? — His education ? — His works ? 
 
54 
 
 V|JL<’AN. 
 
 also made various wonderful things for his own 
 favourites, or those of Jupiter and the other gods, 
 among men. Alcinoiis king of the PhaBacians had 
 golden dogs, which guarded his house ; and iEetes 
 king of Colchis brass-footed bulls, which guarded 
 the Golden Fleece, — all made by Vulcan. Vulcan 
 formed for Minos king of Cre^e a brazen man 
 named Talos, who compassed the isle three times 
 a day to guard it from invasion. Talos’s mode of 
 destroying people was to make himself red-hot in 
 the fire, and then embrace them. 
 
 The servants assigned to Vulcan by the poets 
 are the three Cyclopes, — Brontes ( Thunder ), Ste- 
 ropes (. Lightning ), and Arges ( Flame ). His wife 
 was Venus, the goddess of beauty. 
 
 His servants ? — His wife ? 
 
PIICEBUS APOLLO. 
 
 55 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 Phcebus Apollo. c 
 
 ^Apollo was the god of archery, prophecy, and 
 music. He was the son of Jupiter and the Ti- 
 taness Latona, and brother of Diana. 
 
 Latona, ere she gave birth to the twins Apollo 
 and Diana, was persecuted in a most cruel manner 
 by Juno, who menaced with her wrath any coun- 
 try or island on earth which should give shelter to 
 the goddess. It was in vain that Latona implored 
 them to take pity on and relieve her ; all feared 
 too much the vengeance of the queen of heaven. 
 
 Who was Apollo ? — His parents ?^~Whnt is related of Latona 1 
 
56 
 
 PHtEBUS APOLLO, 
 
 At length the isle of Delos, which at that time 
 floated among the Cy'clades, offered her an asy- 
 lum ; and she brought forth her children in that 
 island, which thenceforth remained fixed, and 
 where Apollo had one of his principal temples. 
 
 When Apollo was grown up he went to Pytho 
 or Delphi, where he killed the enormous serpent 
 Python, which infested the surrounding country. 
 He here built a magnificent temple ; and Delphi 
 became celebrated for its oracle, by which the god 
 of prophecy announced the future to mankind. 
 
 As Phoebus Apollo was a remarkably handsome 
 and accomplished god, he had many love adven 
 tures. 
 
 The muse Calliope ( Fair-voice ) bore him a son 
 named Orpheus, who became so skilful a musician 
 that the very trees and rocks moved to the tones 
 of his lyre. Orpheus was married to Eury'dice, 
 whom he tenderly loved ; but a snake biting her 
 foot as she ran through the grass to escape the 
 pursuit of Aristoeus, she died of the wound. Her 
 disconsolate husband formed the bold resolution 
 of descending to the under-world, and imploring 
 its rulers to let her return to the light of day. He 
 struck the chords of his lyre, and drew forth tones 
 which softened the heart of the stern monarch ot 
 
 Of Python ? — Delphi ? — Orpheus ? — Eurvdice? 
 
PHCEBUS APOLLO. 
 
 57 
 
 Erebus ; and Eurydice was restored, on condition 
 that her husband should not look back till they 
 had reached the upper world. They journeyed on 
 through the gloomy regions of Erebus, and were 
 now on the confines of light, when Orpheus, fear- 
 ing that Eurydice might not be following, looked 
 back. By this imprudent act all his labour was 
 undone, and Eurydice lost for ever. He now 
 shunned all human society ; and, despising the 
 rites of Bacchus, was torn to pieces by the women 
 of Thrace, 
 
 Shortly after his victory over the Python, 
 Apollo, seeing the little Cupid bending his bow, 
 mocked at his efforts. Cupid, to punish him, shot 
 him in the heart with his golden arrow of love : 
 and at the same time discharged his leaden arrow 
 of aversion into the bosom of Daphne, the daughter 
 of the river-god Peneiis. Apollo, seeing the nymph 
 pursued her ; but she fled from him with all her 
 speed. He had nearly overtaken her, when she 
 reached the bank of her father’s stream. She cried 
 to Peneiis for aid ; and when Apollo thought to 
 grasp her, he found that his arms encircled a 
 bay -tree, into which she had been changed. 
 
 Cassandra, a daughter of Priam king of Troy, 
 attracted the love of Apollo ; and in return she 
 
 Apollo and Daphne ? — Cassandra ? 
 
58 
 
 PHCEBUS APOLLO. 
 
 demanded the gift of prophecy. The god readily 
 granted it ; but the princess broke her word when 
 become a prophetess. Unable to recall his gift> 
 Apollo rendered it useless by depriving her of 
 credit ; for though she always announced the 
 truth, no one ever believed her. 
 
 Apollo also loved Marpessa, the daughter of 
 Evenus. Her father wished her to hearken to the 
 god ; but her heart was devoted to another. The 
 favoured lover, whose name was Idas, having ob- 
 tained a fleet chariot from Neptune, carried her 
 off. Apollo, meeting the fugitives, seized Mar- 
 pessa : the dispute was referred to Jupiter, who 
 allowed the maid to choose for herself; and she 
 gave her hand to her mortal lover. 
 
 Having seen one day Cyrene the grand-daughter 
 of the river-god Peneiis engaged in combat with a 
 lion, in defence of her father’s flocks, Apollo be- 
 came enamoured of her. He carried her off in his 
 golden chariot over the sea, to that part of Libya 
 afterwards named from her ; and she gave birth 
 to a son named Aristseus, who discovered the cul- 
 ture of the olive and the mode of managing bees. 
 
 Coronis, the daughter of Phlegyas king of the 
 Lapithoe, had yielded to the suit of Apollo. She 
 however did not continue faithful to him ; and the 
 
 Marpessa ? — Cyrene ? — Coronis ? 
 
PHOEBUS APOLLO. 
 
 59 
 
 raven, having witnessed her infidelity, informed the 
 god of it, who discharged one of his inevitable 
 arrows into the bosom of Coronis. She died, de- 
 ploring, not her own fate, but that of her unborn 
 babe. Apollo repented when too late ; he laid her 
 on the funeral pyre, and, taking the babe, gave 
 him to Chiron the Centaur to rear. To punish 
 the raven, he changed his colour from white, 
 which till that time it had been, to black. 
 
 jEscula'pius. 
 
 This son of Apollo by Coronis was named JEs- 
 culapius. He became a celebrated physician ,* and 
 his skill w'as such, that he was able even to restore 
 
 iEsculapius ? 
 
60 
 
 PHCEBUS APOLLO. 
 
 the dead to life. Pluto complaining to Jupitei oi 
 him, the king of the gods struck him with thun 
 der ; and Apollo in revenge shot with his arrows 
 the Cyclops who had forged the thunderbolts. 
 For this act he was banished from Heaven. Coming 
 down to earth, he hired as a herdsman with Adme- 
 tus king of Pherae in Thessaly, and fed his flocks 
 on the banks of the Amphry'sus. The prince 
 treated his illustrious servant with the utmost 
 kindness ; and Apollo out of gratitude aided him 
 to gain the hand of the beautiful Alcestis, the 
 daughter of Pelias. He also obtained of the Fates 
 that when the appointed period of the life of Ad- 
 metus should arrive, it might be deferred by one 
 of his family dying in his stead. When the fatal 
 time was come, Admetus besought in vain his 
 aged father and mother to prolong his days. The 
 affection of his wife now shone forth, and she 
 magnanimously offered to descend to the tomb in 
 his place. When Death came to fetch her, Apollo 
 made fruitless efforts to prevail upon him to forego 
 his prey, and Alcestis was taken from her weeping 
 husband and children. But Hercules, happening 
 to come at that time to the house of Admetus, 
 engaged and overcame death, and' restored the 
 queen to her family. 
 
 Apollo ? — Admetus ? — Herculen ? 
 
PIKEBUS APOLLO. 
 
 6] 
 
 Hyacinthus, a beautiful youth, was loved by 
 Apollo. As the god and his favourite were one 
 day playing with the discus, it rebounded, and 
 struck the youth so violently as to kill him. The 
 mourning deity changed him into the flower named 
 from him — the Hyacinth. 
 
 Cyparissus, another youth whom Apollo loved, 
 pined away with grief for the loss of a favourite 
 stag which he had killed by accident, and was 
 changed into a tree of his own name. 
 
 The satyr Marsyas having found the pipe which 
 Minerva had flung away, and learned to play on 
 it, challenged Apollo to a musical contest. The 
 god accepted the challenge : Mount Tmolus was 
 chosen judge, and he decided in favour of the 
 music of the lyre. All acquiesced in the justice of 
 the sentence except Midas king of the country ; 
 and as a reward for his bad taste, Apollo bestowed 
 upon him the ears of an ass : the unhappy Mar- 
 syas he flayed alive. Midas sought to conceal 
 the altered form of his ears ; but he could not hide 
 tne secret from his barber. He strictly enjoined 
 him secrecy : but silence was almost impossible to 
 one of that loquacious fraternity. Bursting with 
 the secret, he went, and digging a hole in the earth, 
 whispered into it, “King Midas lias got asses' ears” 
 
 Hyacinthus? — Cyparissus ? — Marsyas ? — Midas ? 
 6 
 
62 
 
 PHCEBUS APOLLO. 
 
 Lo ! soon afterwards a crop of rushes sprung up 
 from this hole, and as they waved in the wind, the 
 words “ King Midas has got asses' ears ” were 
 plainly heard. 
 
 The hawk, raven and swan were birds sacred 
 to Apollo. The bay or laurel was his favourite 
 
 tree. * 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Dia'na — A' rtemis. 
 
 Diana was twin-sister of Apollo, and daughter 
 of Jupiter and Latona. She was, according to some 
 
 What is related of Diana ? 
 
DIANA. 63 
 
 accounts, born before her brother, and aided the 
 „abour of her mother. This goddess presided over 
 the chase : she loved to follow with bow and ar- 
 rows the flying game over the mountains, attend- 
 ed by her train of huntress-nymphs. Diana was 
 never married ; and she was renowned for her un- 
 blemished chastity. As we have seen in the in- 
 stance of Callisto, she punished severely the breach 
 of this virtue in her nymphs. 
 
 Actseon, one of the grandsons of Cadmus, 
 chanced, as he roamed through the woods during 
 the heat of the day, to approach the cave and 
 fount in the vale of Gargaphia, whither Diana 
 was in the habit of retiring to bathe with her 
 nymphs. Unfortunately for the youth, the goddess 
 was there at the time : ashamed of being surprised 
 in this situation by a mortal, and incensed at the 
 unintentional intrusion, she took up some water 
 in her hand, and flinging it on Actseon, turned 
 him into a stag. His own dogs happened to catch 
 a sight of him, gave chase, and running him down 
 ore him to pieces. 
 
 Chione, the daughter of Dsedalion, was loved 
 by both Apollo and Mercury Her son by the for- 
 mer god was Philammon, a celebrated musician; 
 to the latter she bore Autolycus, the notorious 
 
 Aqtaeoii-?— Chione ? 
 
64 
 
 DIANA. 
 
 cattle-stealer. Far from being ashamed, Chioiie 
 gloried in having gained the love of two gods ; 
 and she presumed to speak disparagingly of the 
 beauty of Diana compared with her own. The 
 goddess, to punish her, shot her through the tongue 
 with one of her arrows. 
 
 Niobe, the daughter of Tantalus and wife of 
 Amphion, being the mother of seven sons and as 
 many daughters, proudly set herself above Latona, 
 who had borne but two children. The goddess 
 complained to her bow-bearing offspring; and 
 soon the seven sons of Amphion lay slain by the 
 arrows of Apollo, and his daughters by those of 
 Diana. Niobe, stiffening with grief, was turned 
 into stone. 
 
 CEneus king of Calydon, having neglected to 
 make offerings to Diana along with the other 
 
 o o 
 
 gods at the termination of harvest, she sent in 
 revenge a monstrous boar to ravage the fields^of 
 Calydon. This gave occasion to the celebrated 
 Calydonian Hunt, hereafter to be related. 
 
 The huntress-goddess was in process of time 
 identified with the moon-goddess, Selena or Luna , 
 with Hecate, the goddess of the night ; with Ili- 
 hyia, who assisted at births; and witn Proser- 
 pi ne, the queen of Erebus. Apollo was in like mariner 
 
 Ni obe ? — CEneus ? — What we re j hejother names of Diana ? — 
 of Apollo. 
 
DIANA. 
 
 65 
 
 made one with the Sun. It is, however, highly 
 probable that Apollo was originally a sun-god. 
 and his sister a moon-goddess. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Venus, the goddess of love and beauty, was the 
 daughter of Jupiter and Dione. Others say that 
 Venus sprang from the foam of the sea : the gentle 
 Zephyr wafted her along the waves to the isle of 
 
 What is re lated of Venus ? 
 
VENUS. 
 
 bG 
 
 Cyprus, where she was received and attired by the 
 Seasons, and then led to the assembly of the gods, 
 
 Venus possessed an embroidered girdle, called 
 Cestus ( embroidered ), which had the gift of in- 
 spiring love. Her favourite birds were swans, 
 doves, and sparrows, teams of which drew her 
 chariot. The plants sacred to her were the rose 
 and the myrtle. 
 
 Tiie husband of this lovely goddess was the 
 lame artist Vulcan ; but conjugal fidelity was not 
 her virtue. Her intrigue with Mars has been al- 
 ready noticed ; and Bacchus and Mercury could, 
 it is said, also boast of her love. 
 
 Mortals, too, enjoyed the love of Venus. Smit- 
 ten with the charms of Anchises, a handsome 
 Trojan youth, she visited him among the sheep- 
 cotes on Mount Ida, and became the mother of 
 the renowned iEneas. 
 
 Offended with Myrrha daughter of king Cinyras, 
 Venus inspired her with love for her own father. 
 Cinyras, to punish the guilt of his daughter, pur- 
 suing her with his drawn sword, she was changed 
 by the gods into a myrrh- tree. In course of time 
 he tree opened, and gave birth to a babe who was 
 named Adonis. Venus gave him to Proserpine to 
 rear, who delighted with his beauty, refused to 
 
 The Cestus ?— Anchises ? — Myrrha 2 
 
VENUS. 
 
 67 
 
 part with him. The matter was referred to Jupi* 
 ter, who directed that he should spend a part of 
 the year with each goddess. Adonis was at 
 length gored by a wild boar, and died of the 
 wound, and Venus turned him into the flower 
 called Anemone, 
 
 The fair maid Atalanta was warned by the oracle 
 to abstain from marriage, as it would be fatal to 
 her. Being pressed by many suitors, to get rid 
 of them she proposed a race, and that whoever 
 surpassed her in fleetness should have her hand, 
 but those who were vanquished should be put to 
 death. As the speed of Atalanta was unrivalled, 
 numerous youths had paid the penalty of their 
 rashness, when Hippomenes, a son of Neptune, 
 challenged her to a trial of swiftness. Atalanta 
 warned him in vain; he persisted; and invoking 
 the aid of Venus, was given by the goddess three 
 golden apples. In his race he threw from time 
 to time an apple on the ground : Atalanta ran out 
 of the course to pick them up, and Hippomenes 
 first reached the goal. The victorious youth for- 
 got to sacrifice to the goddess to whom he owed 
 his success. Venus inspired him and his fair bride 
 with sudden passion as they passed the cavern of 
 Cy'bele, who turned them into lions for profaning it. 
 
 Adonis ? — Atalanta ? 
 
68 
 
 CUPID. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 
 Cupid — Eros. 
 
 O-JilA* 
 
 Cupid, the god of love, was the son of Venus. 
 He was her constant companion ; and armed with 
 a bow and arrows, he shot the darts of desire 
 into the bosoms of both gods and men. 
 
 This god was usually represented as a plump 
 rosy-cheeked boy, with light hair hanging on his 
 shoulders. 
 
 The god of love did not escape the influence 
 of the passion which it was his office to inspire. 
 Enamoured of a beautiful maid called Psyche 
 ( the soul), he sent a zephyr to convey her to a 
 splendid palace, where he became her husband ; 
 
 What is related of Cupid ? — Psyche ? 
 
CUPID. 
 
 69 
 
 but never let her behold his form. Her sisters, 
 who were jealous of her happiness, persuading her 
 that he must be some odious monster, the impru- 
 dent Psyche took a lamp to gaze upon him as he 
 slept. She let a drop of the oil fall upon him; 
 the god awoke and flew away, leaving her in de- 
 spair. After undergoing a long persecution from 
 Venus, who had also imprisoned Cupid, Psyche is 
 found by her lover, who had made his escape. He 
 interests Jupiter in her favour, and Venus is at 
 length prevailed on to lay aside her resentment. 
 The marriage of Cupid and Psyche is celebrated 
 in the palace of Jupiter, and Psyche bears a son 
 who is named Pleasure. 
 
 Hymexjeus, the god of marriage, was said to 
 be the son of Venus and Bacchus. Pie was re- 
 presented crowned with roses or marjoram (awia- 
 racus ), with the nuptial torch in his hand, and a 
 flame-coloured veil on his head. 
 
 / Hymens of»? 
 
MINERVA. 
 
 to 
 
 CHAPTER XY1L 
 
 Minerva — Pallas Athena . 
 
 Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, who presided 
 over the arts and was the patroness of scientific 
 warfare, was the offspring of Jupiter without a 
 mother. It is said that he had espoused Metis 
 (. Prudence ), a daughter of Oceanus, but that when 
 she was about to give birth to her first child, he 
 devoured her ; for Heaven and Earth had told him 
 that the infant about to be born would equal him 
 in power and wisdom, and that her next born would 
 
 What is related of Minerva X 
 
MINERVA. 71 
 
 be king of gods and men. Some time aflerwrvrds 
 he felt his head afflicted with violent pains, and 
 calling Vulcan, ordered him to open it with an 
 axe. The fire-god obeyed, and forth sprang Mi- 
 nerva, completely armed. 
 
 Like Diana and Vesta, Minerva was a maiden- 
 goddess ; her virtue was respected by all. Vulcan 
 once paid dear for an attempted breach of pro- 
 priety. 
 
 The favourite bird of Minerva was the solemn 
 contemplative owl : the olive, which she caused to 
 shoot up from the earth, was the plant sacred to 
 her. 
 
 This goddess was always represented armed ; 
 on her shield or on her breastplate was the terrific 
 Gorgon’s head, which was given to her by Perseus, 
 as will be related in the sequel. 
 
 Minerva was the guardian and aider of eminent 
 heroes. She accompanied Perseus and Hercules 
 in their adventures; was the constant protector 
 and adviser of Ulysses ; and under the form of a 
 man named Mentor, travelled with Telemachus 
 the son of this hero in search of his father. 
 
 It was with the aid of Minerva that Argus built 
 the Argo for Jason, and Epeiis the wooden horse 
 by means of which Troy was taken. She excelled 
 
 Her bird? — Her arms ? — Her favountcs ? 
 
72 
 
 MINERVA. 
 
 in female accomplishments, and wove and em- 
 broidered her own robe and that of Juno. She 
 instructed her favourites among women in this 
 art. 
 
 Arachne, a Mseonian maid whom Minerva had 
 taught, was so ungrateful as to deny the obligation, 
 and to challenge the goddess to a trial of skill. 
 Having in vain sought to make her relinquish her 
 mad project, Minerva accepted the challenge. 
 Each wove a web adorned with various actions of 
 the gods. That of Minerva displayed in its centre 
 her own contest with Neptune for the naming of 
 the city of Cecrops ; the four corners contained 
 the transformations of those who had dared to con- 
 tend with the Celestials : olive-leaves formed its 
 border. The web of Arachne was filled with the 
 love-transformations of the gods ; its border was 
 flowers and ivy. Unable to find fault with the 
 work, Minerva struck the artist several blows on 
 the forehead with her shuttle. Arachne hong her- 
 self, and the goddess turned her into a spider, 
 which in Greek is call Arachne . 
 
 As Minerva was one day bathing at the fount 
 of Helicon with Chariclo, one of her favourites, 
 Tiresias the son of Chariclo, approached the 
 fount to drink, and thus unwittingly beheld the 
 
 Her weaving ? — What is said of Arachne ? — Tiresias 9 
 
MINERVA. 
 
 73 
 
 goddess. As it was a law of the Celestials, that 
 whoever saw one of them unpermitted should 
 never look upon another object, Tiresias was 
 struck with blindness. To alleviate his misfor- 
 tune, the goddess gave him the gift of prophecy. 
 
 > 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 Mercury — Hermes . 
 
 f f 
 
 Mercury was the son of Jupiter by the nymph 
 Maia, one of the daughters of Atlas. He was the 
 
 What is said of Mercury ? 
 7 
 
74 
 
 MERCURY. 
 
 god who presided over commerce, eloquence, 
 wrestling, and the other exercises of the palaestra, 
 or gymnastic school ; even over thieving, and 
 everything in short which required skill and in- 
 genuity. He was the messenger of Jupiter ; and 
 he had also the office of conducting the souls of 
 the dead to the under-world. 
 
 Mercury was usually represented with a winged 
 hat on his head, and winged shoes called taldria 
 on his feet : he bears a rod entwined by two ser- 
 pents, and named caduceus , in his hand. 
 
 A cavern in Mount Cyllene in Arcadia was the 
 birth-place of this god. Scarcely was he born, when 
 he set forth to steal some of the cattle of the gods 
 which fed in Pieria at the foot of Mount Olympus, 
 under the care of Apollo. At the door of the ca- 
 vern he met a tortoise, which he killed, and formed 
 a lyre of its shell. Arriving in Pieria, he drove 
 off fifty cows, and brought them to Arcadia un- 
 seen by any but a man named Battus. Apollo, 
 pursuing, came to the cave of the nymph Maia, 
 and threatened the babe severely if he did not 
 restore the oxen. Mercury denied all knowledge 
 of them ; but the matter being referred to Jupiter, 
 he ordered the young thief to make restitution. 
 
 The two sons of the Olympian king then became 
 
 The Talaria?— The Caduceus ? — His first adventures? 
 
MERCURY. 
 
 75 
 
 excellent friends. Mercury gave his lyre to Apollo, 
 who presented him in return with the rod, which 
 afterwards became the caiuceus. 
 
 It is said that Mercury gave Battus one of the 
 heifers as the price of his secrecy. Curious to 
 know if he would be true to his word, he changed 
 his form, and coming to him inquired if he had 
 seen any one driving cattle that way : on his 
 offering a cow as the reward of information, the 
 covetous Battus told all he knew ; and the god to 
 punish him turned him into the Index or Touch- 
 stone. 
 
 As Mercury was flying one day over the city 
 of Athens, he beheld Hersa the daughter of Ce- 
 crops walking in the procession which was return- 
 ing from the Temple of Minerva. The god was 
 instantly smitten with love, and only stopping to 
 arrange his dress, he entered the dwelling of Ce- 
 crops. He here met Aglauros, the sister of Hersa, 
 who asked him his business : the god informed 
 her of his rank, and entreated her good offices 
 with her sister. The price she set on her mediation 
 was a large sum of gold, and she made him leave 
 die house till he should have brought it. Minerva, 
 to punish Aglauros for this and other offences, sent 
 Envy to fill her bosom with her venom. Aglauros. 
 
 Of Battus ? — Hersa ? — Aglauros ? 
 
MERCURY. 
 
 7 () 
 
 jealous of her sister, sat at the door of Hersa’s 
 apartment, determined not to suffer the god to 
 enter. Having essayed prayers and entreaties in 
 vain, anger at length got the better of Mercury, 
 and he turned her into a black stone. 
 
 Ceres and Proserpine. Demeter and Perstyhc/nc. 
 
 Ceres was a daughter of Saturn and Rhea. 
 She had by Jupiter a daughter named Proserpine, 
 
 What is related of Ccree ? 
 
CERES AND PROSERPINE. 
 
 7 ? 
 
 by Neptune was mother of the fleet steed Arion : 
 Plutus, the god of wealth, was the son of Ceres 
 and a mortal named Jasion. 
 
 Ceres was the goddess who presided over corn 
 and agriculture ; and hence the allegory of the god 
 of wealth being her son, for agriculture is the true 
 source of wealth. She was usually represented 
 holding poppies in her hand, or with a garland 
 of them on her head : long yellow locks waved on 
 her shoulders, to denote the goddess who ripened 
 the corn. 
 
 The principal circumstances in the history of 
 Ceres are to be found in the tale of her search for 
 
 ,4 
 
 her daughter Proserpine when she was carried off 
 by Pluto. 
 
 As the god of the under-world was once driving 
 in his chariot through the isle of Sicily, Venus, who 
 beheld him from the summit of Mount Eryx, 
 desired her son to shoot an arrow into his bosom. 
 Cupid obeyed, and transfixed the heart of the 
 subterranean god. As Pluto drove near the 
 town of Henna, he saw Proserpine, the daughter 
 of Ceres, gathering flowers with her playfellows 
 in the meads by the transparent lake of Pergos. 
 Soon as he beheld he loved her ; and snatching 
 her up into his chariot carried her off, while she 
 
 What did he preside over ? — Relate the story of Pluto.-Pro- 
 wrpine. 
 
78 
 
 CERES AND PROSERPINE. 
 
 vainly called to her mother and her companions 
 for aid. The water-nymph Cy'ane ( Dark-blue ) 
 eesayed, but fruitlessly, to stop the god ; he hurled 
 his sceptre into her fount, and the earth opening, 
 gave him a passage to his gloomy domains. 
 
 Meantime Ceres sought her daugnter in all parts 
 of the earth. She rested not day or night ; for hav- 
 ing lighted two torches at iEtna, she searched for 
 her by their light. One day overcome with thirst 
 she approached a cottage to request something to 
 drink. An old woman, its mistress, gave her some 
 gruel ; and as the thirsty goddess swallowed it 
 eagerly, a boy who was standing by laughed at 
 her, and called her greedy. Ceres flung in his 
 face what remained in the vessel, and he was 
 changed into the spotted lizard called Stellio 
 ( Starry ). 
 
 The goddess beheld on the surface of the fount 
 of Cyane the zone of her daughter, but the nymph 
 of the fount having been turned into water, was 
 unable to give the information she possessed. At 
 length Arethusa, whose stream ran from Elis to 
 Sicily under the sea, told her that she had seen 
 Proserpine in the nether-world. Ceres immedi- 
 ately repaired to Olympus ; and Jupiter, on her 
 remonstrance, directed that his daughter should 
 
 Of Ceres ?— Arethusa ? 
 
CERES AND PROSERPINE. 
 
 79 
 
 return to heaven, provided she had eaten nothing 
 while in the palace of Pluto. The goddess de- 
 parted, quite assured of recovering her child ; but 
 unfortunately Proserpine, while walking in the 
 garden of Erebus, had plucked a pomegranate, 
 and swallowed seven of the seeds. Ascalaphus, 
 the son of Oceanus by Orphna ( Darkness ) a nymph 
 of the nether-world, who had seen her, giving in- 
 formation, disappointed the confident expectations 
 of the goddesses ; and Proserpine, as a punishment, 
 turned him into a Screech-owl (Bubo ) ; Jupiter 
 finally awarded her to spend one half of the year 
 with her husband, the other half with her mother. 
 
 Ceres gave her chariot drawn by dragons to 
 Triptolemus (Thrice -plough), son of Celeus king 
 of Eleusis in Attica, and sent him to distribute 
 corn through the earth. It is said that when Ceres 
 was roaming in search of her lost daughter, she 
 came to Eleusis, where she undertook the nursing 
 of Triptolemus the infant son of Celeus. Design- 
 ing to make him immortal, she fed him on am- 
 brosia, and laid him every night in the fire. The 
 imprudent curiosity of his mother, who watched 
 the goddess and rushed into the room, deprived 
 him of the intended blessing. 
 
 Erysichthon, an impious man, once cut down a 
 
 Jupiter ? — Tr rtolgmus ? — Erysichthon 1 
 
80 CERES AND PROSERPINE. 
 
 stately oak-tree which was sacred to Ceres. As 
 its Hamadry'ad expired with the tree, the other 
 nymphs besought Ceres to punish the author of 
 her death. The goddess afflicted him with insa- 
 tiate hunger; and to procure the means of ap- 
 peasing it, he sold all his substance, and finally his 
 only daughter. As Neptune had bestowed on this 
 maiden the power of changing her form, she al- 
 ways escaped from the purchaser in the shape of 
 some animal, and returning to her father was sold 
 by him again. Finally, even this means not suf- 
 ficing, Erysichthon devoured his own flesh and 
 died. 
 
BACCHUS. 
 
 81 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 Bacchus — Diony'sius 
 
 Bacchus, the god of wine, was the son of Jupi- 
 ter and a mortal mother Semele, the daughter of' 
 Cadmus king of Thebes. 
 
 Juno, taking the form of Semele’s nurse, and 
 affecting to disbelieve that her lover was what he 
 gave himself out to be, induced her to require of 
 him to visit her in the same manner as he visited 
 Juno. Semele followed the insidious counsel ; and 
 without naming her request, exacted a promise 
 from the god, which he voluntarily confirmed by 
 
 What is related of Bacchus? — Semele V 
 
92 
 
 BACCHUS. 
 
 an oath. She then made known her wishes. Ju- 
 piter, unable to turn her from her purpose, came 
 surrounded with thunder and lightning, and the 
 hapless Semele perished by the celestial flames. 
 Jupiter, taking the unborn babe, sewed him up in 
 his thigh, where he remained till the due time of 
 birth. He was then given to Ino, the sister of 
 Semele, and afterwards to the Nyse'ian nymphs to 
 rear ; and was finally educated by Rhea in Lydia. 
 
 When Bacchus was grown up, his father sent 
 Iris to excite him to make war on Deriades, the 
 haughty king of India. Numerous nations and 
 peoples and warriors marched beneath the banner 
 of the son of Jupiter. The Indians made gallant 
 resistance. The war was continued for seven years 
 with various success, and finally terminated in the 
 death of the Indian monarch, and the complete 
 victory of Bacchus. 
 
 Having made a triumphal progress through 
 Arabia and other parts of the east, Bacchus at 
 length came to his native city of Thebes, where 
 all the family of Cadmus and the greater part of 
 the inhabitants acknowledged him as the son of 
 Jupiter, and received the sacred rites which he 
 introduced. But Pentheus, another grandson of 
 Cadmus, who then governed the country, derided 
 
 Relate the story of Bacchus’s conquest of India. — Of Pcntheua 
 
BACCHUS. 
 
 83 
 
 his pretensions to a celestial origin, and opposed 
 his worship. To witness with his own eyes the mad 
 orgies which Bacchus had brought into Greece, 
 Pentheus went to Mount Cithseron, where his 
 mother Agave and the other Theban women were 
 celebrating them ; and there the art of Bacchus 
 making him appear as a wild beast, he was torn 
 to pieces by his mother and his aunts. 
 
 Bacchus was one time found by some Tyrrhe- 
 nian mariners on the shore of the isle of Dia. Sup- 
 posing him to be a mortal youth, they carried him 
 away, resolved to sell him for a slave. The pilot, 
 who suspected his quality, urged them in vain to 
 set him free. Suddenly the vessel stood as if rooted 
 in the open sea ; ivy and vines twined round the 
 oars, mast and sails, and the god appeared sur- 
 rounded by the forms of tigers, lynxes, and pan- 
 thers. In terror the crew jumped into the sea, 
 where they were changed into dolphins. The 
 pilot was spared, and became a follower of the 
 god. 
 
 Bacchus finding Ariadne the daughter of Minos 
 king of Crete, in the isle of Naxos where she 
 had been abandoned by Theseus, made her his 
 spouse. He gave her a splendid golden crown, 
 which was afterwards set among the stars. 
 
 Relate Bacchus’s adventure of the mariners. — With Ariadne. 
 
84 
 
 BACCHUS. 
 
 The god of wine was usually represented as 
 an effeminate youth, crowned with iyv and vine- 
 leaves. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 SISTER-GODDESSES. 
 
 The Muses were the daughters of Jupiter and 
 the Titaness Mnemosyne ( Memory ). They pre- 
 sided over song, and prompted the memory. A< 
 the banquets in Olympus, they sang to Apollo’s 
 lyre. 
 
 These goddesses were nine in number, to each 
 of whom was assigned the presidence over some 
 particular department of literature, art or science. 
 
 Their names were, — 
 
 Calliope ( Fair-voice ), who presided over Epic 
 Poetry. She held in her hand a roll of parchment, 
 or a trumpet. 
 
 Clio (Illustrious ) , presided over Plistory. She 
 held a roll half open. 
 
 Melpomene ( Singing ) was the muse of Tragedy, 
 She leaned on a club, and held a tragic mask. 
 
 Euterpe ( Well-pleasing ), the patroness of Mu- 
 sic, held two flutes. 
 
 Who were the muses ? — Describe the office and appearance 
 of Calliope. —Clio. — Melpomene. — Euterpe. 
 
SISTER-GODDESSES. 
 
 E'rato ( Loving ) presided over Love-poetry. She 
 played on a nine-stringed lyre. 
 
 Terpsichore ( Dance-loving ), as muse of the 
 Dance, appeared dancing, and holding a seven- 
 stringed lyre. 
 
 Urania ( Celestial ), the Muse of Astronomy, held 
 a globe, and traced mathematical figures with a 
 wand. 
 
 Thalia (Gay), the Muse of Comedy, held in one 
 hand a comic mask, in the other a crooked staff. 
 
 Poly'mnia, or Polyhy'mnia, (Song-full) presided 
 over Eloquence. She held her fore-finger on her 
 lips, or carried a roll. 
 
 The Muses are said to have been born in Pieria, 
 at the foot of Mount Olympus. Many hills and 
 fountains were sacred to them, whence they de- 
 rived appellations. Thus they were called Pierides 
 from Pieria, Libethrides from Libethron a fountain 
 in Macedonia, Aganippides from the fount Aga- 
 nippe, Castalides from that of Castalia. Hippo- 
 crene (Horse-fount), said to have been produced 
 by the hoof of the winged steed Pegasus, was sa- 
 cred to these goddesses ; and the mountains Pin- 
 dus, Helicon, and Parnassus, were their favourite 
 haunts. 
 
 The nine daughters of Pierus, we are told, once 
 
 Erato? — Terpsichore? — Urania? — Thalia? — Polymnia? — What 
 places were sacred to the muses? 
 
 8 
 
86 
 
 SISTER GODDESSES. 
 
 challenged the Muses to sing. The nyn,phs were 
 chosen judges. The challengers sang the war 
 of the Gods and the Giants. Calliope was ap- 
 pointed by her sisters to reply: her theme was 
 the carrying off of Proserpine by Pluto, and the 
 search of Ceres after her through the world. The 
 Nymphs decided in favour of the Muses. The 
 vanquished singers vented their rage in abuse, and 
 the goddesses turned them into magpies. 
 
 As the Muses were going to their temple on 
 Parnassus, a man named Pyreneus invited them 
 to shelter in his house from an approaching tem- 
 pest. The goddesses accepted the proffered hos- 
 pitality : and when the storm was over, they were 
 preparing to depart. Their host shut the doors, 
 and prohibited their departure ; but the Muses, 
 taking wing, flew from the roof ; and Pyreneus, 
 attempting to follow them, was dashed to pieces. 
 
 Calliope was the mother of the poets Orpheus 
 and Linus, and the Sirens were the offspring of 
 Melpomene and the river god-Achelous. 
 
 The Seasons or Hours were three in number : 
 Eunomia {Good-order ) , Dike {Justice), and Irene 
 {Peace), They were the daughters of Jupiter and 
 Themis. 
 
 What is related' of the Pierides ? — of Pyreneus ? — of CalliopeJ 
 —The Seasons or Hours ? 
 
SISTEil -GOD DESSES. 
 
 87 
 
 These goddesses presided over the seasons of 
 he year and the hours of the day, and over law, 
 justice, and peace. 
 
 The Cha'rites or Graces were goddesses pre- 
 siding over the banquet, the dance, and all social 
 enjoyments and elegant arts. They were three in 
 number, the daughters of Jupiter and Eury'nome 
 ( Wide Jaw ) a daughter of Oceanus. Their names 
 were, Aglaia ( Splendour ), Euphrosyne (Joy), and 
 Thalia (Pleasure). They were represented as 
 hree sisters dancing together. 
 
 The Fates were also three in number : Clo- 
 tho (Spinster), Lachesis (Allotter), and A'tropos 
 (Unchangeable). They were the daughters of 
 Jupiter and Themis, or, as some say, of Night. 
 Their office was to spin and allot the destinies of 
 men. 
 
 The Ilithyi'^e were the daughters of Jupiter 
 and Juno. It was their office to aid women in the 
 pains of labour. Their number is by most writers 
 reduced to one. 
 
 The Keres were the daughters of Night : they 
 
 The Graces ? — The Fates ? — The Ilythinc ? The Keres ? 
 
68 
 
 SISTER-GODDESSES. 
 
 loved battles and slaughter, and used to glut them 
 selves with the blood of the slain and the wounded. 
 
 The Eri'nnyes or Furies were three goddesses 
 who sprung from the blood of Uranus when he was 
 mutilated by his son Saturn. Their names were 
 Alecto ( Unceasing ), Megosra (Envious), and Tisi- 
 phone ( Blood-avenger ). They punished by their 
 secret stings the crimes of those men who escaped 
 or defied public justice. The heads of the Furies 
 were wreathed with serpents, and their whole ap- 
 pearance was terrific and appalling. 
 
 One of the names bestowed on these terrible 
 goddesses was that of Eumenides (Gracious), 
 under which they were worshipped at Athens. 
 This title was placatory, and intended to soothe 
 them, and make them mild towards the Athenian 
 people. 
 
 The Erinnyes ? — Euracnidt* ? 
 
THEMIS, IRIS, HEBE, PJEON. &c. 
 
 6ti 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 Themis, Iris, Hebe, Pjeon, and other Duties. 
 
 Themis was one of the daughters of Heaven and 
 Earth. Her name, which signifies Law , denotes 
 her office. She was one of the wives of Jupiter, 
 to whom she bore Peace, Order, Justice, the Fates, 
 and the seasons. 
 
 Iris was the daughter of Thaumas ( Wonder ) 
 and Electra ( Brightness ). She was goddess of the 
 rainbow, which is called in Greek Iris. Iris was 
 originally the messenger of Jupiter ; but her office 
 
 Themis ? — Iris '( 
 
90 i II EM IS j IRIS, IIEBE, PiEON. 
 
 being afterwards bestowed on Mercury, she be- 
 came appropriated to the service of Juno. When 
 women — as in the case of Dido, who slew herself 
 after the departure of iEneas — died an untimely 
 death, Iris released the struggling soul from the 
 body by cutting off a lock of the hair. 
 
 Hebe (Youth) was a daughter of Jupiter and 
 Juno. She handed round the nectar at the feasts 
 of the gods. When Hercules was admitted to Olym- 
 pus, she became his spouse. Her office of cup- 
 bearer fell to Ganymedes, son of the king of Troy. 
 
 Pj3on, a god of unknown origin, was the phy- 
 sician of the gods on Olympus. His name and 
 office were afterwards bestowed on Apollo. 
 
 Momus, the god of wit and ridicule, was the son 
 of Night without a father. 
 
 It is said that Neptune, Minerva, and Vulcan ; 
 once disputed about their respective powers as 
 artists. It was agreed that each should produce 
 a specimen of their skill, and Momus was chosen 
 judge. Neptune then made a bull, Minerva a 
 house, and Vulcan a man. The arbiter declared 
 himself dissatisfied with all. He said that the 
 
 Hebe ?— Paeon ? — Momus ? — Momus’s judgment ? 
 
AND OTHER DEITIES. 
 
 91 
 
 horns of the bull should ha e been set in his fore 
 head, that he might butt with the greater force ; 
 Minerva’s house ought to have been made move 
 able, so that one might be able to get out of a bad 
 neighbourhood ; as for Vulcan, he had shown the 
 greatest want of sense of all, by not putting a win- 
 dow in the breast of his man, that his thoughts 
 might be seen. 
 
 Ne 'mesis was a daughter of Night. This god- 
 dess distributed to men rewards and punishments, 
 according as their works were good or evil. She 
 was called Adrastea ( Inevitable ). She was also 
 named Rhamnusia, from Rhamnus a town in Attica^ 
 where she had a celebrated temple. 
 
 Death and Sleep were twin-brothers, the chil- 
 dren of Night. 
 
 When Alcestis, the affectionate wife of Admetus 
 king of Thessaly, offered to die instead of her hus- 
 band, Death came to his palace to fetch her away. 
 Apollo sought in vain to mollify him ; but Hercules 
 pursued him and rescued his captive. 
 
 The abode of Sleep was placed near the country 
 of the Kimmerians, in a silent cave, on which the 
 beams of the sun never shone. His chief minis- 
 
 Nemesis ? — Death and Sleep ? — Alcestis X 
 
92 TIIEMIS, IRIS, HEBE, PJEON, &c. 
 
 ters were, Morpheus ( Shape ), who took the form 
 of men in dreams ; I'celus ( Likeness ), who took 
 that of beasts, birds, and other animals ; and 
 Phantasos ( Appearance ) who appeared in the 
 likeness of inanimate objects. 
 
 There were two gates of Sleep, — one of ivory, 
 through which the false deceptive dreams passed ,* 
 the other was of transparent horn, at which such 
 dreams as were true came forth to' go among men. 
 
 Morpheus ? — Teelus ? — Pliantasoe 1 
 
THE RURAL DEITIES. 
 
 *J3 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 THE RURAL DEITIES 
 
 V ? (f . 
 
 Pan, the god who presided over the country, 
 was, according to the most ancient account, the 
 son of Mercury by an Arcadian nymph, the 
 daughter of Dryops. Others say, that as Pene- 
 lope, who was afterwards married to Ulysses, was 
 tending, in her youth, her father’s flocks on Mount 
 Taygetus, Mercury, taking the form of a goat, 
 gained her love, and she became the mother of 
 this god of herdsmen. 
 
 What is said of Pan ? 
 
04 
 
 THE RURAL DEITIES. 
 
 Pan had goat’s feet and a shaggy skin : he had 
 also goat’s horns, with a wrinkled face, a matted 
 beard, and a flat nose. It is said that when he 
 was born, the nurse on beholding him fled away 
 in affright ; but Mercury, wrapping him up in a 
 hare-skin, carried him to Olympus, where all the 
 gods were delighted with him. 
 
 Deficient as he was in beauty, Pan was not 
 without his love-adventures. He gained the affec- 
 tion of Selena, the beautiful goddess of the night, 
 under the form of a white ram. Another of his 
 loves was the nymph Echo, whose adventure 
 with Narcissus shall presently be narrated. The 
 nymph Pitys also listened to his love ; and Bo- 
 reas, the god of the north wind, who was his 
 rival, blew the nymph down from a rock and 
 killed her. Pan, unable to save, changed her into 
 a Pine-tree — in Greek, Pitys. 
 
 As the nymph Syrinx was one day returning 
 from the chase, she passed by Mount Lyceum. 
 Pan happening to see her, fell in love with her. 
 The nymph fled from him ; he pursued her till 
 she found her course impeded by the river Ladon. 
 She implored the aid of her sister-nymphs ; and 
 when Pan thought to seize her, he found his arms 
 filled with reeds into which she had been changed 
 
 His appearance 1 — Selena ? — Echo ? — Syrinx ? 
 
THE RURAL DEITIES. 
 
 95 
 
 He stood sighing at his disappointment, when the 
 wind agitating the reeds, they made a low musical 
 sound.* Pan, taking the hint, cut seven of them, 
 fiom which he made the instrument called Syrinx 
 or Pandean pipes. 
 
 Pan was the author of what aie called Panic 
 terrors . In this w r ay he aided the Athenians at 
 Marathon, and terrified the Gauls when they were 
 approaching to plunder the temple of Delphi. 
 
 Arcadia was the country in which Pan was most 
 honoured. 
 
 Sile'nus, a rural deity, was said to be the foster- 
 father of Bacchus, whom he usually accompanied, 
 riding on a broad-backed ass. He was generally 
 intoxicated, and was rarely seen without his can 
 ( caniharus ) in his hand. 
 
 Silenus was noted for his wisdom. We find him 
 in Virgil lecturing very learnedly on the origin 
 of the world. One of his sayings has been pre- 
 served. Being asked, we are told, what was best 
 for man, — after musing some time, he replied, 
 “It is best never to be born ; next to that, to die 
 quickly.” 
 
 Some Phrygian shepherds once found Silenus 
 in one of his drunken fits, and brought him to 
 
 Panic terrors ? — Silenus ? 
 
96 
 
 TIIE RURAL DEITIES. 
 
 king Midas, who kept and entertained him for ten 
 days, and then restored him to Bacchus. The god 
 desired Midas to ask a reward : the king, like 
 many other fools, thinking there was nothing like 
 money, requested that whatever he touched might 
 be turned to gold. The gilt was bestowed. Midas 
 laid his hand on a stone, it became a mass of gold ; 
 he touched the ears of corn, they waved in golden 
 lustre; he washed his hands, the water became 
 like the shower of gold in which Jupiter descend- 
 ed into the bosom of Danae. Midas was in rap- 
 tures. But Midas sat down to eat, and his teeth 
 could not penetrate the golden bread : fish, flesh, 
 and fowl, — all was gold. He mingled some wine 
 and water, it became pure aurum potabile , and 
 would not discharge the vulgar office of quenching 
 the thirst. In despair, he turned him to the god, 
 acknowledging his error, and prayed to be relieved 
 from the ruinous gift. Bacchus took pity, and 
 directed him to bathe in the river Pactolus. He 
 bathed, and lost the power of making gold : the 
 river began to roll over golden sands. 
 
 The Satyrs were another part of the retinue ol 
 Bacchus. They were conceived to be bald, with 
 short sprouting horns like those of kids, and goat- 
 
 Midas and Silenns? — The Satyrs? 
 
THE RURAL DEITIES. 
 
 97 
 
 footed. They were of a lively frolicsome dispo- 
 sition. 
 
 Pria'pus was the god who presided over gar- 
 dens. He was said to be the son of Bacchus and 
 Venus. Lampsacus, on the Hellespont, was the 
 chief seat of his worship. He usually bore a sickle 
 and a horn of plenty, f f# 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 The Nymphs. 
 
 The Nymphs were beautiful female deities, who 
 were supposed to inhabit all the regions of earth 
 and water. They were divided into various classes, 
 according to their abodes and their offices. Thus 
 the Mountain-nymphs, or Oreades, haunted the 
 mountains ; the Dale-nymphs, or Napsese, the val- 
 leys ; the Mead-nymphs, or Limoniades, the mea- 
 dows ; the Wood-nymphs or Dry'ades, the woods ; 
 the Tree-nymphs, or Hamadry'ades, were born 
 and died with the trees ; the Flock-nymphs, or 
 Meliades, watched over flocks of sheep ; the Water- 
 nymphs, or Naiades, dwelt in the springs and rivers , 
 
 Priapus? — The Nymphs? — Describe the different kinds of 
 Nymphs. — * 
 
 9 
 
96 
 
 THE NYMPHS. 
 
 and the Lake-nymphs, or Limmades, frequented 
 the lakes and pools. 
 
 The Nymphs formed an intermediate class be- 
 tween gods and men. They were more powerful 
 than mortals, and less so than the dwellers of 
 Olympus. They often had the charge of rearing 
 gods and heroes, and even Jupiter himself was 
 nursed by them. 
 
 Many stories are told of the Nymphs. Such are 
 the following : 
 
 Arethusa, a nymph of Arcadia, was one day re* 
 turning from the chase. Coming to the river Al- 
 pheus, she was tempted by the appearance of its 
 cool translucent waters to bathe in it. While 
 she was in the water she heard a murmuring 
 sound, and in terror sprang to land. The river- 
 god rose and pursued her. She ran all through 
 Arcadia : as evening came on she felt her strength 
 to fail, and saw her pursuer close at her heels. 
 She prayed to Diana for aid, and was instantly 
 turned into a fountain. Alpheus, resuming his 
 watery form, sought to unite himself to her. Are- 
 thusa fled under the land and sea, and rose in the 
 isle of Orty'gia near Sicily. Alpheus pursued her, 
 and rose in the same place. 
 
 Echo, another of the nymphs, was of a very lo- 
 
 What was their rank ? — Tell the story of Arethusa. 
 
THE NYMPHS. 
 
 99 
 
 quacious character. When Jupiter had any Love- 
 affair on his hands, he used to get her to keep Juno 
 in conversation. Juno, discovering the artifice, 
 told the nymph that she should in future have but 
 little use of her tongue : and Echo in fact re- 
 tained only the power of repeating what she heard. 
 There was a beautiful youth named Narcissus, 
 with whom every nymph or maiden who saw him 
 was sure to fall in love. Echo beheld him one 
 time as he was at the chase, and she shared the 
 general fate. She followed him wherever he went, 
 but was unable to accost him, as she had lost the 
 power of conversing. At length one day, having 
 lost his comrades in a wood, he called out, Is 
 any one here ? Echo instantly answered, Here . 
 Come , cried he ; Come, replied she. Why dost thou 
 fly ? Why dost thou fly ? returned the nymph. Let 
 us meet here , cried Narcissus, and Echo joyfully 
 repeating the words ran to embrace him. But 
 Narcissus fled, and the nymph out of shame and 
 grief pined away till she became nothing but bones 
 and voice : the former the gods turned into stones 
 the latter may still be heard among the hills. 
 
 Narcissus however suffered for his cruelty to 
 her and others. Happening to see his own beau- 
 tiful face in a clear fountain, he fel 1 in love with it, 
 
 Echo l — Narcissus ? 
 
100 
 
 THE NYMPHS. 
 
 and pined away, unable to leave the spot. The 
 gods, in compassion, changed him into the flower 
 which bears his name. 
 
 A man named Rhoecus happening to see an oak- 
 tree ready to fall, directed his slaves to prop it up. 
 The Hamadryad of the oak, who had been on the 
 point of losing her existence with the tree, came 
 to him, and expressing her gratitude for his kind- 
 ness in thus preserving her life, bade him ask what 
 reward he would. The mind of Rhoecus was as- 
 piring, and he desired her love ; the nymph readi- 
 ly agreed to grant it, but she told him he must 
 give up the society of all other females, and de- 
 vote himself to her alone. A bee was to be her 
 messenger whenever she wished to see him. It 
 happened one time that the bee came when Rhoecus 
 was deeply engaged in playing draughts ; and, oc- 
 cupied with his game, he made a rude reply to the 
 winged envoy. The nymph was so incensed at 
 his behaviour, that she deprived him of sight. 
 
 Rhoecus ? 
 
THE WATER -DEITIES. 
 
 10J 
 
 CHAPTER XXY. 
 
 THE WATER-DEITIES. 
 
 The Ocea'nides, or Ocean-nymphs, were three 
 tiiousand in number; they dwelt with their pa- 
 rents Oceanus and Tethys in their grotto-palace 
 beneath the waves of the Ocean-stream. The best 
 known of their names are A'sia, Cly'mene, Electra, 
 Eury'nome, Metis, Styx, and Doris. 
 
 The Nere'Ides, or Sea-nymphs, were fifty in 
 number. They were the children of Nereus by the 
 Ocean-nymph Doris. They dwelt in the Sea. 
 The principal Nereides were Amphitrite, who was 
 married to Neptune, and became queen of the sea ; 
 Thetis, the mother of Achilles ; and Galatea, who 
 was loved, but in vain, by the huge Cyclops Poly- 
 phemus. 
 
 Nereus, the father of the Nereides, was one of 
 the children of Earth, by her son Pontus. He was 
 distinguished for his wisdom and his love of truth, 
 and was endowed with the gift of prophecy. 
 
 Phorcys was also a son of Earth by Pontus, 
 
 What is said of the Ocean-Nyraphs? — The Nereides ? — Nere 
 as ? — Phorcys ? 
 
102 
 
 THE WATER-DEITIES. 
 
 He was father of the Gorgons, the Grace, Echidna, 
 and the serpent which guarded the Golden Fruit. 
 
 Triton was a son of Neptune and Amphitrite. 
 He was his father’s trumpeter . a conch-shell was 
 his instrument. At the time of Deucalion’s Flood 
 the waters, we are told, retired from the land, when 
 by his father’s orders he sounded the retreat for 
 them. 
 
 Proteus, another son of Neptune, had the of- 
 fice of keeping the seals, or sea-calves, whom he 
 drove up every day from the bottom of the sea to 
 sleep on the rocks and shores. Like the marine- 
 gods in general, he was renowned for knowledge 
 When the nymphs, to punish Aristseus for having 
 caused the death of Eurydice, had destroyed all his 
 bees, Proteus instructed him in the best means of 
 recovering them. He also, as we shall see in the 
 sequel, instructed Menelaiis how to obtain a fa- 
 vourable wind for his return to Greece. Proteus, 
 on these occasions, always assumed a variety of 
 forms, in order to make his escape, if possible, 
 without giving the required information. 
 
 Glaucus was said to have been originally a 
 
 Triton ? — Proteus ? — Glaucus ? 
 
THE WATER-DEITIES. 
 
 ioy 
 
 fisherman of the town of Anthedon in Boeotia. 
 One day he saw the fish which he had caught and 
 thrown on the grass bite it, and instantly jump 
 back into the water. Out of curiosity he tasted 
 the grass, and it so affected him that he followed 
 their example. On the prayer of the sea-gods, 
 Oceanus and Tethys made him a god of the sea. 
 
 There was a beautiful maiden named Scylla, 
 who delighted in conversing on the margin of the 
 sea with the Nereides. Glaucus happening to see 
 her fell deeply in love ; but as Scylla would not 
 give ear to his addresses, he besought the great 
 enchantress Circe to exercise her magic art in his 
 favour. Circe, however, wished him to transfer his 
 affections to herself; and, filled with rage at his 
 refusal, she made the innocent Scylla her victim ; 
 for infecting the water, in which she was wont to 
 bathe, with noxious juices, she turned her into 
 the monster hereafter to be described. ) 
 
 Leucothea ( White-goddess ) and Paljemon 
 [Champion), like Glaucus, had been mortals. Ino, 
 he daughter of Cadmus, flying from the rage of 
 her husband A'thamas, with her little son Melh 
 certes in her arms, sprang from a cliff into the sea. 
 The gods in pity made them both deities of the 
 
 Scylla ? — Leucothea ? — Palcmon ? 
 
J 04 
 
 THE WATER-DEITIES. 
 
 sea, under the above names. They were invoked 
 by sailors to save them from shipwreck. 
 
 The River-Gods also claimed the homage of 
 men for each river had its presiding deity, who 
 dwelt within it, and directed its waters. These 
 gods, with their wives and children, resided in 
 grottos beneath the water. The most celebrated 
 of them were I'nachus, Peneiis, Alpheus, and 
 Achelous, whose own adventures, or those of their 
 children, we have already related, or shall relate 
 in the sequel. These deities were all children 
 of Oceanus and Tethys. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVL 
 FOREIGN deities. 
 
 The preceding deities, nearly all of whom are 
 mentioned in the poems of Homer and Hesiod, the 
 most ancient portions of Grecian literature, may 
 he regarded as the original objects of Grecian 
 worship. But when the Greeks settled their co- 
 lonies on the coast of Asia, they found other dei- 
 
 The River-Gods? 
 
FOREIGN DEITIES. 
 
 10 f» 
 
 ties, whom they identified with some of their own, 
 and whose worship they adopted. These were 
 Cybele and Diana of Ephesus. 
 
 Cy'bele, called also the Great Mother, was a 
 peity worshipped by the Phrygians. She was re- 
 garded by them as the goddess of nature or of the 
 earth. Her temples stood on the summits of hills, 
 from some of which, such as Ida, Dindymene, and 
 Berecynthus, she derived appellations. 
 
 The worship of Cybele, unlike that of the Gre- 
 cian deities in general, was what is termed enthu- 
 siastic , — that is, of a noisy, extravagant, and wild 
 character. Her priests, when celebrating it, ran 
 about yelling and howling, clashing cymbals, 
 beating on drums, and cutting themselves with 
 knives. 
 
 Cybele was usually represented crowned with 
 towers, and sitting in a chariot drawn by lions : 
 she is beating a drum, or holds a sceptre in hex 
 hand. 
 
 The Romans, as well as the Greeks, adopted 
 the worship of this goddess. Under the direction 
 of their Sybilline books, and the oracle of Apollo 
 at Delphi, they sent a solemn embassy to A'ttalus, 
 king of Pergamus, to request the statue of the 
 
 What is said of the foreign gods ? — Of Cybele ? — Her appear 
 once? 
 
106 
 
 FOREIGN DEITIES. 
 
 goddess, which was kept at Pessinus. The king 
 hesitated to comply ; but Cybele herself spoke in 
 audible tones from the interior of her temple, de- 
 claring that it was her will to depart and take hei 
 permanent abode in Rome. Attalus feared to dis- 
 obey the goddess : the statue was embarked ; and 
 the vessel which conveyed it safely reached the 
 mouth of the river Tiber, whither the senate and 
 people advanced to receive the goddess. The 
 ship was here grounded on a sand-bank, and all 
 the efforts of the people were unable to move it. 
 There was a maiden of the illustrious family of 
 the Claudii, whose chastity was suspected on ac- 
 count of the gaiety of her manners and her dress. 
 She boldly seized the present occasion of appeal- 
 ing to the goddess for her vindication. Having 
 sprinkled herself with water from the river and 
 prayed aloud, she laid hold on the rope at which 
 the men had been so long pulling in vain. The 
 ship was instantly in motion, amidst the joyful 
 acclamations of the people. On arriving at Rome, 
 the statue of Cybele was committed, till a temple 
 should be erected for its reception, to the care of 
 Scipio Nasica, as being by general consent the 
 best and most virtuous man in the city. 
 
 The Greeks esteemed Cybele to be the same 
 
 Tell the whole story of the removal of her statue to Rome. 
 
FOREIGN DEITIES. 
 
 107 
 
 with Rhea, the spouse of their god Kronus (Sa- 
 turn). The Romans identified her with their Ops, 
 the female deity of the earth, who was usually 
 joined with Saturnus. 
 
 / 
 
 Diana of Ephesus was a goddess of nature, like 
 Cybele, or else the moon-goddess of the people of 
 Ephesus. The Greeks considered her to be the 
 same as their own Artemis or Diana. Her statue 
 was covered with breasts and the heads of beasts, 
 to denote the fecundity and nutritive power of the 
 earth. 
 
 Isis was an Egytian goddess, similar to the 
 Demeter or Ceres of the Greeks. She was the 
 wife of Osiris, the principal deity of Egypt. Her 
 worship was introduced into Greece in the time 
 of the Ptolemies. $ 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 ITALIAN DEITIES. 
 
 Though the deities worshipped in Italy differed 
 ill general but little from those of Greece, we yet 
 
 Of Diana of Ephesus. — Of Isis. 
 
108 
 
 ITALIAN DEITIES. 
 
 find some beings adored by the Romans which 
 seem to have been unknown to the Greeks. 
 Such were most of the following. 
 
 Janus was most probably the Sun in the ancient 
 Italian religion. By some he was thought to re- 
 present the year. He had two faces, and held a 
 key in his hand. Doors ( Januce ) were sacred to 
 him. His temple at Rome was open during war, 
 and shut in times of peace: it is said to have 
 been closed but three times, so insatiable of wai 
 were the Romans. 
 
 Vesta, the same as the Hestia of the Greeks, 
 was a goddess presiding over the hearth or fire- 
 place, the symbol of social and domestic union. 
 Her temple at Rome was round, and within it 
 blazed a perpetual fire, tended by six virgins, 
 named Vestals. If they let the fire go out, they 
 were severely punished, and the flame was re 
 kindled by the rays of the sun. There was no 
 statue of this goddess. 
 
 Quiri'nus was a god of war, similar to Mars, 
 with whom he is sometimes identified. When the 
 fable was devised of Romulus having been taken 
 
 Of Janus. — Of Vesta. — Of Quirinus. 
 
ITALIAN DEITIES 
 
 109 
 
 up unto heaven and made a god, he was called 
 CJuirinus. 
 
 Bello'na was a war-goddess, like the Eny'o of 
 the Greeks. Her priests used to gash themselves 
 with knives, and offer to her the blood which flowed 
 from the wounds. 
 
 Libiti'na was the goddess who presided over 
 funerals. She was by some thought to be the same 
 with Venus, — a goddess who differed very much 
 from the Aphrodite of the Greeks. 
 
 Vertumnus, whose name appears to come from 
 verto (to change), seems to have been a god pre- 
 siding over the seasons, or changes of the year. 
 He is thought by some to have been, like Mercury, 
 a god of commerce. 
 
 Te'rminus presided over boundaries. His statue 
 was a rude stone or post set in the ground as a 
 land-mark. When the different chapels which oc- 
 cupied the Capitoline Hill were removed to make 
 room for the splendid temple of Jupiter, the con- 
 sent of the gods to whom they belonged was Sought 
 by the augurs. 1 erminus and Youth alone refused 
 
 Of Bel Iona ? — Of Libitina?— Of Vertumnus ? — Of Terminus? 
 
 10 
 
110 
 
 ITALIAN DEITIES 
 
 it. There was always therefore an altar of this 
 god on the Capitol. The roof of the temple was 
 open over it. 
 
 Silva'nus was the god who presided over the 
 woods ; and Faunus was a rural deity similar to 
 the Grecian Pan. 
 
 Pales was the goddess of cattle and of pasturage 
 Her festival, called the Palilia, was celebrated on 
 the 21st of April, and was regarded as the birth- 
 day of Rome. 
 
 Flora was the goddess of flowers. Her fes- 
 tival, the Floralia, was of a very indecorous cha- 
 racter. 
 
 Fero'nia was said to be a goddess of the woods. 
 There was a fountain sacred to her about three 
 miles from Anxur. 
 
 Pomo'na was the goddess of fruit trees. It i3 
 said that she was wooed in vain by all the rural 
 deities. At length Vertumnus became enamoured 
 of her, and taking the form of an old woman, and 
 representing the advantages of the married ovei 
 
 Of Sylvanus ? — Of Pales ? — Of Flora ? — Of Feronia ? — Of Po 
 Ktona. 
 
ITALIAN DEITIES. 
 
 Ill 
 
 the single life, lie produced such a change in her 
 sentiments, that when he resumed his own form 
 she responded to his love. 
 
 The Pena'tes and Lakes were domestic dei- 
 ties. The former presided over the interior of the 
 house, where their statues were placed. The sta 
 tues of the Lares stood on the hearth, where small 
 offerings were made to them every day. 
 
 Of the Penates and Lares. 
 
/ 
 
MYTHOLOGY 
 
 OF 
 
 GREECE AND ITALY. 
 
 Part II.— THE HEROES. 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 AGES OF THE WORLD. 
 
 The first inhabitants whom the gods placed on 
 the earth was the Golden race. This was in the 
 time when Saturn reigned in heaven. Astrsea, or 
 Justice, lived familiarly among them, teaching 
 them what was right and good. They enjoyed 
 the greatest abundance of everything; eternal 
 spring spread the earth with fruits and flowers for 
 them; and when they died, they became good 
 spirits to watch over mortal men. 
 
 The silver race next succeeded. They were 
 far inferior to the preceding one, but not utterly 
 
 Give an account of the Golden-race.— The silver race. 
 
114 AGES OF THE WORLD. 
 
 wicked. In their time the division of /he seasons 
 took place. Justice did not yet altogether aban- 
 don mankind ; but she retired to the mountains* 
 whence she used to come down in the evenings, 
 and approaching their dwellings upbraid them 
 with their evil doings. Jupiter, who now had the 
 supremacy of Heaven, destroyed this race. 
 
 The Brazen race came next. They fed on the 
 flesh of the labouring ox, and they forged deadly 
 arms, and earth now first saw war and battles. 
 Justice, wearied of their wickedness, flew up to 
 heaven, and there became the sign of the Virgin. 
 This race perished by each other’s hands, and left 
 no fame behind them. 
 
 The Iron race was last. As Justice was no 
 longer on earth, they were under no restraint, and 
 gave loose to every species of crime. Incensed 
 at their wickedness, Jupiter destroyed them by a 
 flood of water. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 PANDORA. 
 
 Jupiter, angry at the theft of fire from heaven 
 committed by Prometheus for the sake of man- 
 
 The Brazen race. — The Iron race. — Tell the story of Pan* 
 iora’s jar. 
 
PANDORA. 
 
 115 
 
 kind, resolved to give them a corresponding evil 
 Hitherto men had lived happy and contented, 
 without any women among them. All evils were 
 inclosed in a jar which stood in the house occu- 
 pied by Prometheus ( Forethought ) and his brother 
 Epimetheus ( Afterthought ), who were careful 
 never to raise the lid and let them escape. This 
 blissful state, however, was not long to continue. 
 Jupiter calling Vulcan to him, directed him to 
 take some earth and knead it into a form resem- 
 bling that of the immortal goddesses, and endow 
 it with speech. Minerva was desired to inspire 
 it with the knowledge of female works ; Venus tc 
 bestow on it beauty and desire ; and Mercury a 
 thieving disposition. 
 
 When formed and endowed with these gifts of 
 the gods, the new creature was named Pandora 
 (All-gift) ; and being attired by the Graces, and 
 crowned with flowers by the Seasons, she was led 
 by Mercury to the house of Epimetheus. Though 
 warned by his brother to be on his guard, and to 
 receive no presents from Jupiter, Epimetheus could 
 not resist the charms of Pandora. He received 
 ner into his house, and made her his wife. The 
 jar soon caught the attention of the bride : she 
 burned with curiosity to know its contents ; she 
 
 Of Pandora’s jar ? 
 
116 
 
 TAJSDOR A. 
 
 raised the lid, and instantly evils of every species 
 flew forth, and spread over the earth. Terrified at 
 what she had done, Pandora clapped down the lid, 
 but only in time to prevent the escape of Hope, 
 who thus remained in the abode of men. 
 
 Such is the more correct account of the manner 
 in which Pandora was the introducer of evil into 
 the world. According to the more usual one, she 
 brought the evils from heaven with her, shut up 
 in a box. But this last supposition has been shown 
 to be clearly at variance with the original narra- 
 tive, as it is given by the poet Hesiod. 
 
 It is said, that when Prometheus stole the ce- 
 lestial fire for the use of mankind, they were so 
 ungrateful as to inform Jupiter of the thefi. As 
 a reward, the god bestowed on them a remedy 
 against old-age. It being summer-time, and the 
 gift a little heavy, they put it on the back of an 
 ass, and let him trot on before them. The ass 
 being thirsty, went up to a spring to drink ; but 
 a snake who was there refused to permit him to 
 approach it unless he gave him the burden which 
 be was carrying. The ass was forced to comply ; 
 and thus the cunning snake became possessed of 
 the precious gift of Jupiter : but by way of punish- 
 ment he got with it the thirst of the ass. Hence 
 
 What is the usual story of Pandora? — Of Promotheus ? — Of the, 
 snakes ? 
 
PANDORA. 
 
 in 
 
 snakes renew their youth by casting their skins, 
 while men are oppressed with all the evils of old 
 age : and the malignant snakes, moreover, com- 
 municate their thirst to men by biting them when 
 ever they have an opportunity. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 DEUCALION AND PYRRIIA. 
 
 Deuca'lion, the son of Prometheus, who was 
 married to Pyrrha the daughter of Epimetheus and 
 Pandora, reigned over the southern part of Thes~ 
 saly at the time when Jupiter resolved to destroy 
 mankind by a flood. Warned by his father, he 
 made an ark, and having filled it with provisions, 
 he and his wife went ^nto it. The flood imme- 
 diately came on ; all the land was under water, 
 and the tops of the highest mountains alone were 
 visible. For nine days and nights the ark was 
 carried along by the waves : at length it rested 
 on Mount Parnassus. The rain had now ceased 
 to fall, and Deucalion and his wife came out of 
 their ark and offered a sacrifice to Jupiter. When 
 they looked around and saw the earth desolate 
 
 Tell the story of Deucalion and Pyrrha. 
 
118 DEUCALION AND PVRR1IA. 
 
 and devoid of inhabitants, they were filled with 
 grief and sorrow. There was an ancient oracle 
 of the goddess Themis at that time on Mount 
 Parnassus ; and thither they repaired, in the hope 
 of obtaining advice and consolation. On entering 
 the solitary temple, and imploring the aid of the 
 gods, they received the following response : — 
 
 “ From the fane depart, 
 
 And veil your heads, and loose your girded clothes, 
 
 And cast behind you your great parent’s bones !” 
 
 Horror-struck at the seeming impiety which the^ 
 were ordered to commit, they gazed on each other 
 in silence. At length it occurred to Deucalion 
 that it must be stones, which may be called the 
 bones of the earth, the great parent of all, that 
 were meant by the oracle. They therefore flung 
 stones behind their backs ; and those cast by 
 Deucalion became men, those thrown by his wife 
 rose up women from the ground. 
 
 The more distinguished persons of the race 
 which occupied Greece after the restoration of 
 mankind by Deucalion and Pyrrha, were named 
 by posterity the Heroes. Our remaining pages 
 shall be devoted to the narrative of their most 
 remarkable deeds and adventures. 
 
 Who were the Heroes ? 
 
PERSEUS. 
 
 Ill) 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 AcrTsius, one of the ancient kings of Argos, had 
 but one child, a daughter, named Danae. Anxious 
 for male issue, he consulted the oracle of Apollo : 
 the god told him that he himself should never have 
 a son, but that he was fated to perish by the hand 
 of the son whom his daughter should bear. 
 
 To escape the fate which menaced him, Acri- 
 sius resolved that his daughter should never be- 
 come a mother ; and having constructed a brazen 
 subterranean chamber, he shut her up in it along 
 with her nurse. But vainly does man seek to shun 
 his fate : the king of the gods had become ena- 
 moured of Danae, and under the form of a shower 
 of gold he poured through the roof of the cham- 
 ber. The daughter of Acrisius brought forth a 
 son, whom she reared in her brazen dwelling till 
 he had attained his fourth year. At this period 
 her father chanced one day to hear the voice of 
 the child at his play. Filled with rage, he called 
 forth his daughter and her nurse, and putting the 
 latter instantly to death, drew the former to the 
 altar of Jupiter, and interrogated her on oath re* 
 
 Who were the parents of Perseus ? Tell his story. 
 
120 
 
 PERSEUS. 
 
 specting the child. Danae related the whole truth, 
 but was unable to obtain credence with her father * 
 and to punish her for the danger and dishonoui 
 she had brought on him, he inclosed her and her 
 innocent child in a coffer, which he cast into the 
 sea to the mercy of the winds and the waves. 
 
 The chest containing the mother and child was 
 carried along the sea to the little island of Seri- 
 phus, where a man named Dictys, brother to the 
 king of the place, drew it out in his nets. On 
 opening it he found to his surprise Danae and her 
 son, whom he took out, and treated with the ut- 
 most kindness. 
 
 When Perseus — for so the child was named — 
 was grown up, Polydectes, the brother of Dictys, 
 having seen Danae, fell in love with her. Finding 
 in her son an obstacle to his wishes, he planned 
 removing him from the island, and if possible 
 preventing his return. Accordingly, feigning an 
 intention of becoming a suitor to Hippodamia, 
 daughter of (Enomaiis king of Pisa, whose hand 
 was to be the reward of the victor in a chariot- 
 race with her father, he invited his vassals to a 
 banquet, and there disclosing to them his inten- 
 tions, asked them to contribute towards the ac- 
 complishment of his object. Perseus, who was 
 
 Of Polydectes. — How did Perseus involve himself in a di- 
 emma? — - 
 
PERSEUS. 
 
 1 21 
 
 present, asked what it was he desired. On being 
 told horses, he said he would bring him even the 
 head of the Gorgon if he desired it. Next day 
 each guest brought his horse : all the others were 
 accepted, but the king insisted on Perseus’ fulfil- 
 ling his promise. 
 
 The Gorgons were three sisters, daughters of 
 Phorcys and Ceto. They dwelt by the Ocean- 
 stream. Their looks turned all who beheld them 
 to stone ; and their heads were covered with 
 snakes. 
 
 Filled with terror and grief at the prospect of 
 such a perilous adventure, Perseus retired to the 
 extremity of the island to bemoan his hard fate. 
 Here he was met by Mercury, who bade him be 
 of good courage, for that he and Minerva would 
 be his guides and advisers. The young hero 
 therefore set forth ; and Mercury having con- 
 ducted him tc the coast of the Ocean, brought 
 him to the fair Grsese, or Old Maids, sisters of 
 the Gorgons, who were gray from their births, 
 and had but one eye and one tooth between them. 
 Perseus, by the direction of Mercury, contrived 
 to get the eye and tooth as they were handing 
 them from one to the other, and would only re- 
 store them on condition of their directing him 
 
 Who helped him out of it X — How ; 
 
 11 
 
122 
 
 ERSEUS. 
 
 (which they alone could do,) o the abode of /he 
 Nymphs who possessed the winged shoes, the ma- 
 gic wallet, and the helmet of Pluto, which made 
 its wearer invisible. The Grasse were obliged to 
 comply ; and the Nymphs readily agreed to lend 
 their precious possessions to the 'protege of the 
 gods. Perseus slung the wallet over his shoulder, 
 placed the helmet on his head, and the shoes or 
 his feet ; then mounting into the air, and accom- 
 panied by the protecting deities, he flew to where 
 the Gorgons dwelt. He found the three sisters 
 lying fast asleep : and fearing to gaze on their petri- 
 fying visages, he turned towards them the brilliant 
 shield which he bore, and looking on the head of 
 Medusa (the only mortal of the sisters,) as it was 
 reflected in it, and Minerva guiding his hand, he 
 cut it off with the adamantine scymitar which Mer- 
 cury had given him. The blood spouted high 
 from the body of the slain Gorgon, and with it 
 sprang forth the winged steed Pegasus ( Spring - 
 horse ) , and Chrysaor ( Gold-sivord ), who becaroe 
 the father of the three-bodied Geryon. The Gor- 
 gons awaking, pursued Perseus, who was carrying 
 off the head of their sister in his wallet, but the 
 helmet of Pluto enabled him to elude their view. 
 
 Perseus pursued his journey through the air 
 
 How did he reach the residence of the Gorgons?— What took 
 place then? — How did he escape? 
 
PERSEUS. 
 
 123 
 
 till he came to the country of the ^Ethiopians, 
 where he beheld a beautiful maiden, naked, and 
 chained to a rock overhanging the sea. This was 
 Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopea, 
 king and queen of the country. Vain of her beauty, 
 the ^Ethiopian queen had presumed to set herself 
 above the Nereides. The sea-maidens complained 
 to Neptune of the insult, and he sent a huge sea- 
 monster to ravage the realm of Cepheus. The 
 oracle of Ammon being consulted, declared that 
 the evil was only to be removed by giving the 
 daughter of Cassiopea as food to the monster. 
 The paternal affection of Cepheus was obliged to 
 give way to the determination of his subjects, and 
 Andromeda was exposed on a rock. Perseus on 
 beholding her was smitten with love ; and he 
 offered to Cepheus to attempt her deliverance on 
 condition of receiving her for his wife in the event 
 of success. The proposal was accepted with joy ; 
 and the winged warrior engaged and slew the 
 monster. Andromeda was cheerfully bestowed 
 upon him ; but her uncle Phineus, to whom she 
 had been betrothed, entering the hall where the 
 wedding-feast was held with a train of warriors, 
 attempted to destroy his triumphant rival. Per- 
 
 What adventure happened on his way back ? — At the wed 
 iirig feast l 
 
124 
 
 PERSEUS. 
 
 seus displayed the head of Medusa, and Phineus 
 and his friends stiffened into stone. 
 
 Perseus now proceeded to Seriphus, where he 
 found that his mother and Dictys had been obliged 
 to seek refuge at the altar from the violence of 
 Polydectes. He proceeded to the palace, where 
 the king and his friends were assembled ; and dis- 
 playing the formidable Gorgon’s head, each per- 
 son present was converted into a statue. He now 
 returned to Mercury the shoes, the wallet, and the 
 helmet, by whom they were brought back to the 
 Nymphs ; and he gave the Gorgon’s head to Mi- 
 nerva, who set it in the middle of her shield. 
 
 Having made Dictys king over the island, Per- 
 seus, taking with him his mother and his wife, set 
 out for Argos. Acrisius, fearing the fulfilment of 
 the oracle, retired to Larissa in Thessaly, leaving 
 the throne to be occupied by his grandson. Some 
 time afterwards, funeral games being proclaimed 
 in honour of the king of Larissa, Perseus went 
 thither to contend at them. As he was throwing 
 the discus, it happened to fall on and bruise the 
 foot of an old man among the spectators. The 
 old man was Acrisius, who died of the injury ; 
 and thus Perseus unwittingly accomplished the 
 
 How did he revenge his mother’s wrongs ? — What was the 
 ond of all his adventures ? 
 
PERSEUS. 
 
 125 
 
 prediction of the oracle. Having buried his grand- 
 father with all due honour, he returned to Argos, 
 and thence removed to Tiryns, where he reigned 
 many years, and became the father of a line of 
 princes. 
 
 CHAPTER V. ) 
 
 BELLEROPHON. 
 
 A grandson of Sisyphus king of Corinth, named 
 Bellerophon, having had the misfortune to kill one 
 of his relatives, fled, as was usual in such cases, 
 and sought refuge with Proetus king of Argos. 
 He was purified from the guilt of the homicide by 
 his host, and abode for some time at his house. 
 Bellerophon being handsome, and accomplished in 
 all martial exercises, Sthenoboea the wife of Prcetus 
 fixed her love upon him. But the virtuous youth 
 refusing to meet her amorous advances, her bosom 
 was filled with rage, and she accused him to her 
 husband of an attempt on her honour. The cre- 
 dulous king gave ear to what she said, and re- 
 solved to take vengeance on the ungrateful stran- 
 ger. But as Bellerophon was his guest and his 
 suppliant, he feared to violate the rights of hos« 
 
 Who was Bellerophon? — What caused his flight from Co- 
 rinth ? — His departure from Arws ? 
 
120 
 
 BELLEROPHON. 
 
 pitality by putting him to death. He therefore 
 sent him to his father-in-law Jobates king of Ly- 
 cia, giving him sealed tablets for that monarch, in 
 which his wishes were expressed. 
 
 Under the guidance of the gods, Bellerophon 
 reached the banks of the Xanthus in Lycia. The 
 king feasted him for nine days, and slew an ox 
 each day. On the tenth he asked to see the tablets 
 of which he was the bearer. Finding that Proetus 
 demanded the death of his guest, he resolved, 
 without breach of hospitality, to comply with his 
 wishes, and to destroy him by engaging him in 
 perilous expeditions. 
 
 The first task enjoined by the Lycian king was 
 to destroy the Chimsera, a monster born of Typhon 
 and Echidna, which had the upper part of a lion 
 the lower of a serpent, with the body of a goat, 
 and belched forth flaming fire. Bellerophon, hav- 
 ing had recourse to a prophet named Polyides 
 (Much-knowing) for advice, was directed by him 
 to go and sleep in the temple of Minerva. He 
 obeyed ; and, as he lay, the goddess appeared to 
 him, and, giving him a bridle, directed him to sa- 
 crifice a bull to Neptune, and then to repair to a 
 certain spring at which the winged steed Pegasus 
 was wont to drink, to approach him boldly, and 
 
 IIow did Jobates proceed? — How did Bellerophon acccmplisb 
 hi* first feat ? 
 
BELLEROPHON. 
 
 127 
 
 put the bridle on his head. Belierophon did as 
 desired ; and mounting the steed, rode him through 
 the air, and by his aid overcame the monster.^ 
 Jobates next sent him to combat a people named 
 the Solymi : these also he vanquished, though 
 with difficulty. He was then sent to make w ar on 
 the race of female warriors named Amazons, over 
 whom he likewise proved victorious. As he was 
 returning, a band of Lycian warriors fell on him 
 from an ambush, where they had been placed ; 
 but not one of them returned to tell the tale of 
 the fight, for they all fell by the hand of the hero. 
 Jobates perceiving by such evident signs that he 
 was akin to the gods, gave him his daughter in 
 marriage, and shared with him his royal dignity. 
 Sthenoboea hearing of his good fortune, hung her- 
 self in rage and despair. Belierophon lived for a 
 long time happily, till at length he conceived the 
 insane project of ascending to heaven by means 
 of Pegasus. Jupiter, incensed at his boldness, 
 sent an insect to sting the steed, who flung his rider 
 to the earth, where he roamed in melancholy the 
 remainder of his life. The winged horse flew up 
 to heaven, where his office was to bear the thun- 
 ders of Jupiter. 
 
 His second? — His third? — How did Jobates reward him?— 
 How did he offend Jupiter? — What was the consequence ? 
 
-28 
 
 HERCULES- 
 
 CHAPTER VL 
 
 Amphitryon : his sire was the king of the gods 
 His twin-brother was I'phicles the son of Amphi- 
 tryon. The city of Thebes had the honour of his 
 birth, as has been already related. 
 
 Juno, who hated all the illegitimate offspring of 
 her lord, determined to destroy the two babes in 
 their cradle. With this design she sent two mon- 
 strous serpents into the chamber where they lay. 
 
 Who was Hercules ? — What was his first feat ? 
 
HEliCULES. 
 
 129 
 
 Alcmena, terrified at the sight of them, shriekeo 
 out to her husband for aid. Iphicles screamed 
 aloud with fear, but Hercules raised himself up on 
 his feet, caught the two monsters by the throat, 
 and strangled them. 
 
 As he grew up, Amphitryon had him instructed 
 in the various exercises and accomplishments of 
 the heroic age. He himself taught him to drive 
 the chariot. The celebrated Linus was his master 
 of music; but chancing one day to correct his 
 pupil rather severely, he was killed by him with 
 a blow of the lyre. For this act Amphitryon sent 
 him away into the country, where his flocks and 
 herds were feeding; and while here, the future 
 hero achieved his first adventure. 
 
 On Mount Cithseron abode an enormous lion, 
 who frequently fell upon and destroyed the herds 
 of Amphitryon and of Thestius king of Thespire. 
 Hercules resolved to engage and if possible de- 
 stroy this formidable animal ; and accordingly 
 seeking his lair on the mountain, he attacked, and 
 after a severe struggle succeeded in killing him. 
 He stript off his hide, which he wore ever after- 
 wards by way of armour, the skin of the head 
 orming his helmet. The gods gave him arms : 
 ne cut for himself a huge club in the woods. 
 
 Who were his teachers? — What was his feat on Mount Ci- 
 diacron 1 
 
130 
 
 HERCULES. 
 
 Soon aftei wards he freed the Thebans from a 
 tribute which they paid to the king of the Mi 
 nyans, a neighbouring people. As a reward for 
 this action Creon king of Thebes gave him his 
 daughter Megara in marriage, and he gave her 
 younger sister to Iphicles. But Juno, still hostile 
 to the son of Jupiter, caused him to fall into a fit 
 of insanity, during which he flung his own three 
 children, and two of his brother Iphicles’, into the 
 fire, where they perished. For this deed he went 
 into voluntary exile. Thestius, on his coming to 
 Thespise, purified him, and he then proceeded to 
 Delphi to consult the oracle as to what he should 
 further do in expiation of his guilt. The Pythia, 
 or priestess, directed him to go to Tiryns in the 
 Peloponnesus, where he was to serve king Eury- 
 stheus for a space of twelve years, and perform 
 twelve tasks which should be imposed by him. 
 She added, that after accomplishing these he would 
 be made immortal. 
 
 This service to Eurystheus was the accomplish- 
 ment of the fate which had been destined for the 
 son of Jupiter from his birth. On the day on 
 which Alcmena was to give birth to him, Jupiter 
 announced to the gods that a man of his race was 
 that day to be born who should rule over all his 
 
 How did he obtain his wife ? — How did he lose his children ? 
 •—How came he in the service of Eurystheus? 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 131 
 
 neighbours. Juno exacting from him an oath that 
 it should be so, went down to Argos, where she 
 caused the premature delivery of the wife of 
 Sthenelus the son of Perseus; and Eurystheus 
 was born ; while she checked the parturition of 
 Alcmena. Hercules was therefore fated to be the 
 servant of the son of Sthenelus. (fa 
 
 The first task which Eurystheus imposed on the 
 son of Jupiter, was to bring him the skin of the 
 Nemsean lion. This animal, the progeny of Ty- 
 phon and Echidna, was of huge size and strength, 
 and moreover invulnerable by any weapon. He 
 dwelt in a den of the Nemsean wood on the way 
 from Argos to Corinth. On reaching the wood the 
 hero sought his formidable enemy, and as soon as 
 he discovered him began to ply him with his ar- 
 rows ; but finding that these took no effect, he 
 assailed him with his club, and forced him to fly 
 to his den, whither he pursued him. The den was 
 pervious, so that escape was easy to the lion. 
 Hercules therefore collecting stones, built up one 
 of the entrances, and then going in at the other 
 grasped the lion by the throat, and held him till 
 he was suffocated. He then placed the dead lion 
 on his shoulder and set cut for Mycense. Eury- 
 stheus on seeing this convincing proof of his enor« 
 
 What was the first labour or task imposed by Eurystheus ?— 
 describe it. 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 1232 
 
 mous strength, was so terrified that he prohibited 
 his entrance m future into the town, directing that 
 he should announce the accomplishment of his 
 tasks before the gates. His terror of the hero was 
 so great, that he had a brazen vessel made, in 
 which he used to conceal himself under ground, 
 while his herald Copreus, the son of Pelops, set 
 him his tasks. 
 
 The second task imposed by Eurystheus was to 
 destroy the Hydra or Water-snake which infested 
 the marsh of Lerna, whence she used to come forth 
 on the land and ravage the country, and destroy 
 the cattle. This monster had a huge body with 
 nine heads, eight of which were mortal ; but the 
 ninth, which was in the middle, was immortal. 
 Hercules mounted his chariot, which was driven 
 by his nephew Iolaiis the son of Iphicles, and 
 proceeded towards Lerna. On arriving there he 
 dismounted, and went in quest of the hydra, which 
 he found on a rising ground near the spring of 
 Amymone, where her hole was. He shot fiery 
 arrows into the cavern until he made her come out ; 
 and he then grasped and held her fast. She twined 
 her tail round his legs, and a huge crab which 
 aided her kept biting at his feet. Hercules killed 
 he crab, and crushed several of the heads of the 
 
 What was the second task ? — How was it accomplished ? 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 1 3o 
 
 hydra with his club ; but to no purpose, for as fast 
 as one was crushed two others sprang up in its 
 stead. Seeing no end to his toil, he called his 
 charioteer Iolaiis to his assistance. Iolaus imme- 
 diately set fire to the neighbouring wood, and with 
 the flaming brands searing the necks of the hy- 
 dra as the heads were cut off, effectually checked 
 their growth. Hercules then cut off the immortal 
 head, which he buried under a large stone. The 
 body of the hydra he cut in pieces, and he dipped 
 his arrows in her poisonous gall. When the ad- 
 venture was narrated to Eurystheus, he refused to 
 allow this task to be reckoned as one of the twelve, 
 alleging that Hercules had not succeeded m 
 destroying the hydra without the assistance of 
 Iolaus. 
 
 The third task, was to catch and bring alive to 
 Mycenae the horned hind, an animal sacred to 
 Diana, which had horns of gold, and was of sur- 
 passing fleetness. During the space of an entire 
 year the hero pursued her through the hills and 
 dales of Arcadia. At length he had nearly tired 
 her out ; and as she was crossing the river Landon 
 he struck her with an arrow, which so impeded 
 her flight that he came up with and caught her. 
 He flung her over his shoulder, and was proceed- 
 
 What was the third task ? — How was it done ? 
 12 
 
134 
 
 HERCULES. 
 
 mg towards Mycenae with his burden when lit 
 met Diana and her brother Apollo. The goddess, 
 incensed at seeing her sacred animal treated in 
 such a manner, took her from him, and reproached 
 him severely with his conduct : but Hercules ex- 
 cusing himself on the plea of necessity, Diana was 
 mollified, and allowed him to carry his prize to 
 Mycenae and exhibit it to Eurystheus. 
 
 As a fourth task, the hero was to bring to Eu- 
 rystheus the Erymanthian boar, also alive. This 
 animal haunted Mount Erymanthus, and ravaged 
 the surrounding country. On his way thither Her- 
 cules was entertained in his cavern by Pholus, one 
 of the Centaurs. After making an abundant re- 
 past, — for Hercules had an appetite in proportion 
 to his strength, — he asked his host if he could sup- 
 ply him with wine. Pholus said that he had but 
 one jar, which being the common property of the 
 Centaurs he feared to open ; but Hercules urged 
 him, till at length he overcame his fears and un- 
 closed the vessel. The fragrant smell of the wine 
 immediately spread over the mountain, and the 
 Centaurs were soon seen hastening to the cave of 
 Pholus, armed with stones and pine-sticks. The 
 first two who entered were driven back by Her- 
 cules with the burning brands which he snatched 
 
 What was the fourth task ? — Describe it 
 
HEROD LES. 
 
 1 3^7 
 
 up from the hearth. Then seizing his bow and 
 arrows he shot at them, killing some and wounding 
 others, till he had put them to flight. They sought 
 refuge at Malea, where Chiron the Centaur, the 
 son of Saturn and the nymph Phillyra, dwelt. The 
 hero, however, pursued, and still plied them with 
 his arrows. Unfortunately one of the poisoned 
 darts, having gone through the arm of a Centaur, 
 wounded Chiron in the knee. All remedies were 
 in vain, and retiring to his cave he lay groaning 
 with agony, and wishing in vain to die, — for as the 
 offspring of the gods he was immortal. Returning 
 to Pholoe, Hercules found his host also lying among 
 the dead ; for Pholus having drawn an arrow out 
 of one of the slain Centaurs, let it fall on his foot, 
 and died instantly of the wound. The hero buried 
 him, and then set forth to hunt the boar. He 
 roused him from his lair, and pursuing him with 
 loud shouts, drove him into a snow-drift, where 
 he caught and bound him, and then carried him 
 to MycensB. 
 
 The Centaurs thus destroyed by Hercules were 
 a savage race, the offspring of Ixion by the cloud 
 which Jupiter had sent to him in place of Juno. 
 Their upper parts were those of a man, their lower 
 those o r a horse. They had originally dwelt on 
 
 What is said of the CentaurB ? 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 Mount Pelion in Thessaly, but being invited to 
 the wedding of Pirithoiis, prince of their neigh' 
 hours the Lapithse, they had, when heated with 
 wine, attempted to offer violence to the bride. 
 .Several of them were slain, and the rest driven 
 from Pelion. 
 
 For his ffth task, Hercules was ordered to clean 
 out in one day the stables of Augeas king of Elis. 
 This prince, who was son to the Sun-god, exceeded 
 all the men of his time in the number of his flocks 
 and herds, and many years had passed since his 
 stables had been cleansed. Hercules on arriving 
 at Elis offered, if the king would give him a tentli 
 of his herds, to clean out all his stables in one day. 
 Augeas thinking the thing impossible readily as- 
 sented, and his son Phyleus witnessed the agree- 
 ment. Hercules then broke down a part of the 
 stable wall, and turning in the rivers Peneiis and 
 Alpheus, swept away all the collected filth before 
 evening. But Augeas refused to stand to his agree- 
 ment ; and when his son Phyleus honestly bore 
 testimony in favour of Hercules, he drove him out 
 of the country. Eurystheus also refused to al- 
 low for this task, alleging that it had been done 
 
 for ^ hire \ . . . 
 
 The sixth task, was to drive away the birds wh’ch 
 
 What was the fifth task of Hercules ? — Describe it. — Tbf* 
 suth ? — Describe it. 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 137 
 
 haunted lake Stymphalis in Arcadia, whither they 
 nad fled to seek refuge from the wolves. The lake 
 !ay embosomed in woods, and the hero knew 
 not how he should get within reach of the birds. 
 While he stood deliberating, Minerva, his pro- 
 tectress, brought him a pair of brazen clappers 
 made by Vulcan. He took his stand under a neigh- 
 bouring hill and rattled them : the birds terrified 
 at the unusual sound rose, and when they were on 
 the wing he shot them with his arrows. 
 
 All the difficulties which the Peloponnesus af- 
 forded being thus overcome, the hero was enjoined 
 for his seventh task, to fetch to Mycenae the Cre- 
 tan bull. This animal had been sent up out of 
 the sea by Neptune at the desire of Minos king 
 of Crete ; but when Minos neglected to sacrifice 
 it, as he had vowed, Neptune caused it to run 
 wild. Minos gave Hercules permission to catch 
 the bull if he could ; and the animal was soon on 
 ship-board and conveyed to Eurystheus, who turned 
 him loose : he roamed on to Attica, where he fixed 
 himself at Marathon, and became the plague of 
 the country. 
 
 His eighth task, was to bring to Mycenae the 
 mares of Diomedes, king of the Bistonians in 
 Thrace. Tnese mares devoured human flesh, and 
 
 Tho seventh ? — Describe it. — The eighth ? — Describe it. 
 
138 
 
 HERCULES. 
 
 were exceedingly fierce. Hercules collected a 
 band of volunteers, and sailed to Thrace ; and 
 having overcome the grooms of Diomedes, and 
 the Bistonians who came to their aid, carried off 
 the mares. Eurystheus, having seen them, turn- 
 ed them loose ; and they strayed on to Mount 
 Olympus, where they were devoured by the wild 
 beasts. 
 
 To procure for the daughter of Eurystheus the 
 belt of Hippolyta queen of the Amazons was the 
 ninth task assigned by that prince. The Amazons 
 were a nation of female warriors who dwelt on the 
 banks of the river Thermodon, near the Black Sea ; 
 and allowed no men to live among them. They 
 reared only female children, and cut off their right 
 breasts that they might not impede them in draw- 
 ing the bow-string. When Hercules, and the heroes 
 who accompanied him, arrived at the mouth of the 
 Thermodon, Hippolyta came down to the port to 
 inquire the cause of their appearance ; and it being 
 explained to her, she readily consented to give her 
 belt. But Juno, taking the form of an Amazon, 
 persuaded the others that the strangers were car- 
 rving off their queen. They mounted their horses, 
 and came down in arms to the port : a battle en- 
 sued, in which the Amazons were worsted ; and 
 
 The ninth ? — Describe it 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 139 
 
 Hercules, suspecting treachery on the part of 
 Hippolyta, slew her, and sailed away with her 
 girdle. 
 
 On his return ne passed by Troy, whose king, 
 Laomedon* he found in great affliction ; for having 
 agreed with Neptune and Apollo to build a wall 
 round his town, when the work was completed he 
 refused to pay them. To punish nim, Apollo sent 
 a pestilence, and Neptune a huge sea-monster, 
 which carried off the people. The oracle being 
 consulted, declared that the plague would never 
 cease till Laomedon had given his daughter He- 
 sione for food to the monster. The hapless prin- 
 sess had just been exposed on a rock when Her- 
 cules arrived. He offered to deliver her on con- 
 dition of receiving from Laomedon the horses 
 which Jupiter had given to* his grandfather Tros. 
 The king consented : Hercules killed the monster v 
 but Laomedon broke his word, and the hero de- 
 parted vowing vengeance. — 
 
 The tenth task of Hercules, was to cross the 
 Ocean-stream and bring from the isle of Erythea 
 {Ruddy -isle) the purple oxen of Geryon the son 
 of Chrysaor {Gold-stoord), and the ocean-nymph 
 Callirrhoe {Fair -flowing), who had the bodies of 
 three men which were united above and divided 
 
 How did he serve Laomedon? — What was his reward?— 
 What was t^e tenth task?- -How was it accomplished ? 
 
140 
 
 HERCULES. 
 
 below. Geryon had also the strength of thm 
 men of mortal birth. 
 
 When Hercules was come to the extremities of 
 Europe and Africa he set up two pillars, one on 
 each side of the strait. Being here greatly an- 
 lioyed by the heat of the sun, he shot his arrows 
 against the Sun-god, who admiring his courage 
 lent him his golden cup to cross the Ocean-stream. 
 As he was passing over, Oceanus rose, and agita- 
 ting his waters and tossing the cup, endeavoured 
 to frighten him and make him return. But the 
 hero bent his bow at him, and he retired in terror. 
 It being evening when he arrived at Erythea, he 
 passed the night on a hill called Mount Abas. 
 Next morning, on his attempting to drive off the 
 cattle, he was furiously attacked by Geryon’s dog 
 Orthrus : the herdsman Eury'tion came to the 
 assistance of his dog, Dut both were slain by the 
 hero, who drove off the purple oxen. Geryon 
 having been informed by Pluto’s herdsman of what 
 had taken place, pursued the robber, and came up 
 with him as he was driving the cattle along the 
 banks of the river A'nthemus ( Flowery ), where 
 attacking him he was slain by his arrows. Her- 
 cules then placing the oxen in the cup, sailed with 
 them over to Tartessus, where he returned his 
 
 What did ho set up at Gibraltar? — What feat did he perform 
 there? — What difficulties did he encountci ? — IIovv did he get 
 the oxen? — How did he ferry them over the river ? 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 141 
 
 vessel to the Sun-god. He drove his cattle through 
 Spain and Italy, and at length delivered them tc 
 Eurystheus. 
 
 The eleventh task, was to fetch the apples of the 
 Hesperides, which grew in the country of the 
 Hyperboreans, where they were guarded by an 
 enormous serpent, and by the Hesperides (West- 
 ern Maids), the daughters of Atlas. These apples 
 were of gold ; they had been given by Earth to 
 Tuno on her wedding-day. 
 
 Hercules, uncertain in what country the golden 
 apples were to be found, roamed on till he came 
 to the river Eridanus, where he met the nymphs, 
 who were the daughters of Jupiter and Themis. 
 By them he was directed to the sea-god Nereus, 
 and told how to proceed in order to obtain an an* 
 swer from him. He found Nereus asleep, and 
 bound him as he lay. On awaking, the Sea-god 
 changed himself into a variety of forms ; but Hei - 
 cules held him fast, and would not let him go till 
 he had told him where the apples were. His journey 
 lay through Libya (Africa), and as he was pur- 
 suing it he came to the country over which An- 
 taeus, a son of Neptune and Earth, reigned. He 
 was challenged to wrestle by Antaeus, whom he 
 threw several times ; till finding that he rose each 
 
 What countries did he go through ? — What was the eleventh 
 cask ? — Describe its accomplishment. 
 
142 
 
 HERCULES. 
 
 time from the ground with renewed vigour (reuo 
 vated by the touch of his mother), he held him in 
 his arms and squeezed him to death. 
 
 He came next to Egypt, where a king named 
 Eusiris, who sacrificed all strangers that arrived 
 in the country, then reigned. Hercules let him- 
 self be seized and led to the altar; then bursting 
 the cords which held him, he slew Busiris, his son, 
 and his herald. 
 
 In Arabia he killed iEmathion the son of Au- 
 rora and Tithonus ; and coming to the eastern ex 
 tremity of Libya the Sun-god again lent him his 
 radiant cup, in which he sailed to where Prome- 
 theus lay chained on the rock. He shot with his 
 arrows the vulture which preyed on the Titan’s 
 liver, and set him at liberty. At length he arrived 
 at the country of the Hyperboreans ; and by the 
 advice of Prometheus he went to Atlas, and offered 
 to support the heavens for him if he would go and 
 pluck the apples. Atlas did as required ; and Her- 
 cules then pretending that he wanted to make a 
 pad to put on his head, Atlas threw down the 
 apples and resumed his burden. The hero picked 
 up the apples and went away. Eurystheus having 
 seen them, gave them back to him, and he pre- 
 sented them to Minerva. 
 
 The twelfth and last task, was to bring to the 
 light Cerberus the dog of Pluto. Before under* 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 143 
 
 taking this most perilous adventure, Hercules 
 went to Eleusis, and was initiated in the mysteries 
 by Eumolpus. He then proceeded to Tee narum 
 in Laconia, where there was an entrance to the 
 under-world, and went down. At the sight of him 
 all the shades fled away in terror. Arrived at the 
 gate of Pluto’s palace, he found Theseus and his 
 friend Pirithoiis sitting on the enchanted rock, 
 where they had been placed by Pluto. They im- 
 plored his aid, and he took Theseus by the hand 
 and raised him up ; but when he would do the same 
 for his friend, the earth quaked, and he left him. 
 
 As it was requisite that he should give the 
 shades blood to drink, he killed one of Pluto’s 
 oxen for that purpose. Menoetius their keeper 
 immediately began to wrestle with him ; but Her- 
 cules flung him and broke his ribs, and would have 
 killed him but for the entreaties of Proserpine. 
 Pluto then gave him leave to take Cerberus if he 
 could without wounding or injuring him ; and the 
 heio, grasping him in his arms, carried him after 
 a long struggle to the upper- world. After having 
 6hown the dog to Eurystheus, he brought him 
 back to his master. 
 
 His tasks being all accomplished, he now re- 
 turned to Thebes. But soon afterwards he again 
 
 What was the twelfth task ? — Plow was it accomplished ? 
 
; 
 
 144 HERCULES 
 
 fell into madness, and m a paioxysm killed one 
 of his friends named I'phitus. Being seized with 
 sickness in consequence of this deed, he consulted 
 the oracle, and was told that it could only be re- 
 moved by his suffering himself to be sold as a 
 slave for three years. Accordingly Mercury, lead- 
 ing him to Lydia, sold him to O'mphale, queen 
 of that country. It is said that the Lydian queen 
 clad her illustrious slave in female habiliments, 
 and set him to spin with the distaff and spindle, 
 while she arrayed herself in the lion’s skin and 
 carried the club. 
 
 After the expiration of his servitude he col- 
 lected a fleet, and took his long-threatened ven- 
 geance on Laomedon king of Troy. He took ihe 
 town, killed the king and all his sons but Priam, 
 and gave Hesione to his comrade Telamon. Shortly 
 afterwards he took a similar vengeance on Au^eas 
 king of Elis, and set his friend Phyleus on me 
 throne. 
 
 Hercules, after his expedition to Troy, went, at 
 the call of Minerva, to aid the Gods in their pe- 
 rilous conflict with the Giants on the plain of 
 Phlegra (Burning). 
 
 Earth, it is said, incensed at the defeat of the 
 Titans, brought forth the Giants. They were of 
 
 How came he to be a slave? — How was he treated? — IIow 
 did he treat Laomedon and Augeas ? 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 145 
 
 enormous size, with terrific visages, and snake- 
 feet. In the battle they hurled huge rocks and 
 burning trees against heaven. The gods believing 
 that they could not destroy them without the aid 
 of a mortal, Jupiter summoned Hercules to his 
 assistance. The hero slew Halcy'oneus, the great- 
 est of the Giants, with his arrows, and dispatched 
 the others as fast as they were wounded by the 
 Gods. The Giants were put to flight ; and as En- 
 eeladus, one of the principal among them, was fly- 
 ing, Minerva flung the isle of Sicily atop of him. 
 
 But Earth now mingled with Tartarus, and pro- 
 duced the monstrous Typhon, the direst of her 
 offspring. His stature reached the stars ; with 
 one hand he touched the East, with the other the 
 West ,* his feet were snakes ; feathers covered his 
 body ; his hair and beard streamed in the blast * 
 fire flashed from his eyes. The Gods in dismay 
 fled into Egypt, and concealed themselves under 
 the forms of various animals. Jupiter however 
 at length vanquished the monster, and whelmed 
 him beneath Mount iEtna, which thenceforth 
 emitted flames. 
 
 Hearing of the beauty of Deianeira, daughter of 
 CEneus king of Calydon, Hercules resolved to seek 
 her hand. His rival w T as the river-god Acheioiis, 
 
 Describe his battle^ \vith the Giants. — Who conquered Ty 
 'Aon ? — Describe him. — Tell the story of Deianeira and Aeheloua 
 13 
 
i 46 HERCULES. 
 
 witli whom he was to contend for the maiden. In 
 the combat between them, Achelous changed him- 
 self into a variety of forms ; and while he was 
 under that of a bull, the hero tore off one of his 
 horns, and he had to redeem it by giving him that 
 of Amalthea, called the Horn of Plenty, which 
 produced everything that its owner desired. 
 
 As he was departing from Calydon with his 
 bride, he came to the river Evenus, which was 
 deep and rapid. The Centaur Nessus, who had 
 taken up his abode there, and used to carry people 
 across, offered to take Deianeira over. Hercules 
 consented : but when he had reached the other 
 side he heard the screams of his wife, to whom 
 the Centaur was offering violence. He drew his 
 bow, and shot Nessus ; who, when dying, told 
 Deianeira to keep the blood which flowed from 
 his wound, as a charm by which she could always 
 recover the affection of her husband. 
 
 Hercules had long meditated vengeance on Eu- 
 rytus king of CEchalia, who had refused to give 
 him his daughter Tola after he had won her by 
 shooting with the bow He now collected an 
 army and invaded his country. Eurytus and his 
 sons were slain, and Iola made a captive. Wish- 
 ing to offer a sacrifice, he sent to his wife for a 
 
 What happened at the river Evenus? — How did Hercules 
 treat Eurytus 
 
HERCULES. 
 
 147 
 
 splendid robe to wear ; and De'ianeira, hearing of 
 the beauty of Iola, tinged the tunic which she 
 sent with the blood of Nessus. Hercules arrayed 
 himself, and prepared to sacrifice ; but as the tunic 
 warmed, the effect of the hydra’s blood began to 
 appear. He endeavoured to tear it off, but the 
 flesh came with it. In his rage he seized Lichas, 
 who had brought it to him, by the foot, and flung 
 him into the sea. Finding death inevitable, he 
 caused himself to be conveyed from the isle of 
 Euboea, where he then was, over to Mount (Eta. 
 De'ianeira, when she perceived what she had done, 
 hanged herself; and the hero, causing a pyre to 
 be constructed, lay down upon it, and desired his 
 friends to set fire to it. All refused to obey ; but 
 Pceas, the father of Philoctetes, happening to come 
 that way in search of his cattle, did as Hercules 
 desired, and received his bow and arrows as a re- 
 ward. While the pyre was flaming, a thunder- 
 cloud conveyed the sufferer to heaven, where he 
 was endowed with immortality, and espoused Hebe 
 the daughter of Juno, who was at length recon- 
 ciled to him. 
 
 Describe tire death of Hercules 
 
US 
 
 THESEUS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THESEUS. 
 
 Theseus was the son of ^Egeus king of Athens, 
 by ^Ethra daughter of Pittheus king of Troezene 
 When taking leave of iEthra, Aegeus put his sword 
 and shoes under a large stone, and told her if her 
 child should be a boy, to send him to Athens as 
 soon as he was able to raise the stone and take 
 them from under it. 
 
 When Theseus had nearly attained manhood, 
 his mother led him to the stone, and he lifted it 
 with ease. He was now to set out for Athens ; 
 and his grandfather counselled him, as the land- 
 journey was dangerous, to go by sea; but the 
 young hero was not to be daunted by perils, and 
 he persisted in going by land. 
 
 The first danger he encountered was at Epidau- 
 rus, where a man called from his weapon the Club- 
 bearer resided : he was the terror of all passen- 
 gers, as he lived by robbery. Seeing Theseus 
 approach, he advanced to attack him : but he fell 
 beneath the blows of the hero, who ever afterwards 
 Do re the club as a memorial of his first victory. 
 
 Who was Theseus ? — What was his first feat ? 
 
THESEUS. 
 
 149 
 
 At the Isthmus of Corinth he found a man named 
 Sinis, called also the Pine-bender, from being able 
 to take pine-trees by the head and bend them to 
 the ground. Pie obliged all passers-by to attempt 
 the same feat ; and if they failed, hung them upon 
 the trees. Theseus bent down the pines with ease, 
 and then hung Sinis from the boughs. In this 
 neighbourhood he also killed a huge sow which 
 did great mischief to the inhabitants. 
 
 On the narrow road overhanging the sea, on the 
 way to Megara, dwelt a man named Sciron. His 
 practice was to make strangers wash his feet on 
 the edge of the pass, and while thus engaged to 
 give them a kick into the sea, where a huge tor- 
 toise waited to devour them. Theseus, however, 
 threw Sciron himself down, and made the passage 
 safe. 
 
 At Eleusis dwelt Cercyon the son of Neptune, 
 who forced all strangers to wrestle with him, and 
 killed them when vanquished. Theseus paid him 
 in his own coin. 
 
 On the banks of the Cephissus he met a man 
 named Damastes, called the Stretcher ( Procrustes ) 
 on the following account : — He had two iron bed- 
 steads, one long and the other short. When a 
 stranger came to him who happened to be short. 
 
 His second?— How did he treat Sciron ?— Cercyon? — Dt> 
 
150 
 
 THESEUS. 
 
 he took him to the long bed, and pulled him to 
 make him fit it, he said, till life had left him. If 
 the stranger should be tall, he gave him the short 
 bed, and cut so much off him as reduced him to 
 the same length with it. Theseus also punished 
 him as he deserved. 
 
 All the perils of the road being surmounted, he 
 arrived at Athens, where Medea the Oolchian en- 
 chantress was living with Aegeus. By her insi- 
 nuations the king conceived such suspicions of the 
 young stranger, that he was handing him a cup 
 of poison when the sword which he bore attracted 
 his attention, and he recognised and acknowledged 
 his son. Medea fled to Colchis in her winged 
 chariot. 
 
 The Marathonian bull was at this time com- 
 mitting great ravages, and Theseus resolved tc 
 deliver the country of him. He went to Mara- 
 thon, caught the bull, and having exhibited him 
 in chains to the astonished people, offered him in 
 sacrifice to his protecting goddess Pallas Athena. 
 
 The Athenians were at this time in great afflic- 
 tion on account of the annual tribute whicli they 
 were obliged to pay to Minos king of Crete. The 
 cause of it was this : — Androgeiis, son of Minos 
 having come to the public games at Athens, where 
 
 How was Medea baffled ? — What was Theseus’ first exploit 
 hi Attica? — How was the tribute to Minos incurred ? 
 
THESEUS. 
 
 151 
 
 he vanquished all his competitors iEgeus, jealous 
 of his success, laid an ambush for him as he was 
 going to Thebes, and had him slain. To avenge 
 his son, Minos invaded Attica with a large fleet 
 and army. Athens was reduced by famine ; and 
 the terms imposed by Minos were, that seven 
 youths and as many maidens of the most beautiful 
 which Athens contained should be sent annually 
 to Crete, to be devoured by a monster named the 
 Minotaur, the offspring of Pasiphae, Minos’s queen, 
 and the bull sent out of the sea by Neptune, fit 
 The third year was now arrived, and the youths 
 and maids were departing amid the tears of their 
 parents and friends, when Theseus resolved to go, 
 and either be one of the victims or deliver his 
 country from the odious tribute. iEgeus having 
 vainly attempted to prevent his departure, charged 
 him, if successful, to change to white on his return 
 the black sails under which the ship departed. 
 On arriving in Crete, the Athenian youths and 
 maidens were, as usual, led before the king, whose 
 daughter, Ariadne, instantly conceived a violent 
 affection for Theseus. She furnished the hero 
 with a clue of thread, which enabled him to trace 
 with safety the mazes of the labyrinth in which 
 /he Minotaur lay ; and having slain the monster, 
 
 What was it? — Who undertook to deliy£i„his country from 
 this tribute ? — What happened to him in Crete ? 
 
152 
 
 THESEUS. 
 
 he and his companions made their escape from 
 it and got on ship-board. Ariadne accompanied 
 their flight; but in the isle of Naxos, Minerva 
 appeared to Theseus in a dream, and desired him 
 to set sail and leave the princess asleep on the 
 shore. On awaking and finding herself abandoned, 
 Ariadne was filled with despair and wept bitterly ; 
 but Venus appeared and consoled her ; Bacchus 
 soon after made her his bride, and Jupiter be- 
 stowed on her immortality. 
 
 Theseus pursuing his voyage arrived off the 
 coast of Attica ; but having forgotten to change 
 his sails, his anxious father, who spent each day 
 upon a cliff looking out to sea, thinking that his son 
 had perished, flung himself down from it into the 
 sea, which was named from him the yEgean. 
 
 Theseus was at the Calydonian hunt, on the 
 Argonautic expedition, and he accompanied Her- 
 cules to the country of the Amazons. In the en- 
 gagement with these female-warriors, Theseus dis- 
 tinguished himself so much that Hercules gave 
 him Antiope, the sister of Hippolyta, by whom 
 he had a son named Hippolytus, a youth of the 
 fairest piomise and most virtuous mind. . 
 
 The Athenian hero was the intimate friend of 
 Pirithous, king of the Lapithse ; yet their friend- 
 
 How did he treat Ariadne ? — What befel his father ? — Wliut 
 adventures did he have with Hercules? — With Pirithous? 
 
THESEUS. 
 
 15 
 
 ship had commenced in the midst of arms. Piri- 
 hous once made an irruption into the plain of 
 Marathon, and drove off the herds of the king of 
 Athens. Theseus hearing of what had happened, 
 hastened to the rescue: but the moment Piri- 
 thoiis beheld the Athenian prince, he was seized 
 with secret admiration : he stretched out his hand 
 as a token of peace, and cried, “ Be judge thyself 
 — -What satisfaction dost thou require V 9 “ Thy 
 friendship,” replied the Athenian : and they swore 
 inviolable fidelity. Their deeds corresponded to 
 their professions, and they ever continued true 
 brothers in arms. Each of them wished to 
 espouse a daughter of Jupiter. Theseus fixed 
 his choice on Helen, then but a child ; and with 
 the aid of his friend, he carried her off. Pirithoiis 
 aspired to the wife of the monarch of Erebus ,* 
 and Theseus, though aware of the danger, ac- 
 companied the ambitious lover in his descent to 
 the under- wo rid ; but Pluto seized and set them 
 on an enchanted rock at his palace-gate, where 
 they remained till Hercules arrived and liberated 
 Theseus. 
 
 Theseus was married to Phsedra, the sister of 
 Ariadne ; and Venus inspired this princess with 
 an unhappy passion for the son of the Amazon 
 
 In Erebus ? — Who was his wife ? 
 
154 
 
 THESEUS. 
 
 During the absence of her husband she made 
 known her feelings to their object, but the vir- 
 tuous youth repelled her advances with indig- 
 nation. Filled with fear and hate, on the return 
 of Theseus she accused His innocent son of an 
 attempt on her honour. Without inquiry, the 
 blinded prince banished his son; and calling to 
 mind that Neptune had promised him the accom- 
 plishment of any wish he should form, implored 
 the god to destroy him. As Hippolytus, on leav- 
 ing Troezene, where they then were, was driving 
 his chariot along the shore of the sea, there issued 
 from it a huge monster, which terrified his horses 
 so that he lost all command over them. They 
 dashed the chariot to pieces against the rocks, and 
 dragged their hapless master along entangled in 
 the reins, till life abandoned him. Theseus, when 
 too late, learned the innocence of his son, — and 
 Phaedra ended her days by her own hand. 
 
 In his old days Theseus was banished from 
 Athens. He retired to the isle of Scyros, where 
 his friend Lycomedes reigned. Here, as he one 
 day mounted a lofty rock, with his host, to take 
 a view of the island, he either fell or was pushed 
 down by his companion, and lost his life in the 
 
 tall. y$ 
 
 Who was his son ? — What was his son’s fate ? — IIow r did The 
 *eus end his days ? 
 
PROCNE AND PHILOMELA. 
 
 155 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 PROCNE AND PHILOMELA. CEPHALUS AND 
 PROCRIS. NI3US AND SCYLLA. 
 
 In the time of Pandion, one of its early kings, 
 Attica was invaded by a fleet and army of barba- 
 rians. Tereus, the son of Mars and king of Thrace, 
 came to aid the Athenians, and by their united 
 arms the invaders were put to flight. Pandion 
 bestowed his daughter Procne in marriage on his 
 valiant ally ; and Tereus departed with his bride, 
 and returned to Thrace. 
 
 After five years, Procne felt an earnest longing 
 to see her sister Philomela ; and she prevailed on 
 her husband to make a voyage to Athens, and en- 
 deavour to persuade her father to let her come 
 and spend some time in Thrace. Tereus, on be- 
 holding the beauty of his sister-in-law, fell vio- 
 lently in love with her ; and on their arriving in 
 Thrace, instead of conveying her to his palace, 
 brought her to a remote farm-house in the woods, 
 and there gratified his wicked passion. To pre- 
 vent her disclosing what had happened, he cut cut 
 the tongue of his innocent victim. His wife lie 
 deceived by a false tale of the death of her sister. 
 Procne put on mourning for her whom she be- 
 
 Who was Philomela? — How was she injured ? — By whom? 
 
156 rROCNE AND PHILOMELA. 
 
 lieved to be dead, and Tereus deemed his secret 
 secure. 
 
 The hapless Philomela meantime employed her. 
 self in weaving a web, in which she pictured her 
 story. This web she sent to her sister, who at 
 once understood what it was designed to tell. It 
 was now the season when the triennial rites of 
 Bacchus were celebrated by the women of Thrace, 
 to whose cries the mountains resounded as they 
 ran about covered with fawn-skins, crowned with 
 ivy, and swinging their thyrsi or vine-wreathed 
 spears. Procne, taking advantage of the season, 
 went to the place where her sister was confined, 
 and putting on her the ivy and fawn-skin of a 
 Bacchante, brought her to the palace. She then 
 killed her own son Itys, and served up the flesh 
 for his father to feed on. When Tereus had con- 
 cluded his meal, he called for his son ; Philomela 
 then rushed from an adjoining room, and flung 
 down the head of Itys before his face. The two 
 sisters fled pursued by Tereus with his drawn 
 sword. All three were changed by the Gods into 
 birds ; — Procne became a swallow, Philomela a 
 nightingale, and Tereus a hoopoo. 
 
 Erechtheus, the successor of Pandion, gave his 
 daughter Procris ir marriage to Cephalus, a Thes- 
 
 How did she inform Procne ? — What was the revenge ?■— Into 
 A’hat were all of them changed ? 
 
CEPHALUS AND PROCRIS. 
 
 157 
 
 salian prince. They long lived in perfect concord 
 and happiness. At length Procris hearing that 
 her husband, who was passionately fond of the 
 chase, was in the habit of retiring, when exhausted 
 by heat and fatigue, to the shady covert of the 
 woods, and crying aloud 44 Come, Aura (Air) !” 
 she fancied that Aura must be the name of some 
 nymph with whom he was enamoured. Filled 
 with jealousy she went to the designated spot, and 
 concealed herself in a thicket; and when Cepha- 
 lus as usual cried 44 Come, Aura !” Procris made a 
 rustling among the leaves. Cephalus, thinking it 
 must be some wild beast, flung his never-failing 
 dart — a gift of Procris herself — and pierced the 
 bosom of his beloved wife. Procris, when too 
 late, learned her error ; and she died, leaving her 
 husband overwhelmed with grief. 
 
 Procris had also given to her husband a dog of 
 marvellous fleetness, named Lcelaps ( Whirlwind ). 
 Thebes being at this time infested by a fox which 
 nothing could overtake, Cephalus went thither 
 with his wonderful dart and dog. Lcelaps soon ran 
 the fox down ; but just as he was about to seize 
 the animal, Jupiter turned them both into stone. 
 
 In the war waged by Minos of Crete against 
 ASgeus king of Athens, to avenge the death of his 
 son Androgens, the Cretan monarch laid siege to 
 
 Tell the story of Cephalus and Procris. 
 
 14 
 
158 NISUS AND SCYLLA. 
 
 Megara, then governed by Nisus, the brother ot 
 iEgeus. On the head of Nisus grew a purple lock 
 of hair, and as long as it remained uncut, so long 
 would Megara be impregnable. The siege had 
 continued for some time, when Scylla, the daugh- 
 ter of Nisus, who had become enamoured of Minos, 
 treacherously stole in the night to her father’s 
 chamber, and shore him of his strength. She 
 hastened to the camp of Minos, and boasting of 
 what she had done, demanded his love ; but the 
 Cretan repelled her with abhorrence, and granted 
 favourable terms to the town. The gods changed 
 Scylla into the bird named Ciris, and Nisus into a 
 sea-eagle, and the father evermore pursues the 
 daughter to punish her crime. 
 
 — — 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 ABACUS, PELOPS, AND THEIR POSTERITY. 
 
 Abacus was the son of Jupiter by Angina the 
 daughter of the river-god Asopus. He abode in 
 the isle named from his mother. A pestilence 
 having swept away all his people, Abacus preferred 
 his prayer to his celestial sire, and the god changed 
 the ants which abode under an oak-tree into men, 
 wno were thence called Myrmidons, from myrmex 
 
 Of Nisus and Scylla ? — Who was iEacue ? 
 
JEACUS, FEL0FS, AND THEIR POSTERITY'. 159 
 
 the Greek term for ‘ ant.’ After his death, Abacus 
 was for his uprightness made one of the judges 
 of Erebus. 
 
 The children of iEacus were Telamon, Peleus, 
 and Pliocus. The two former having killed their 
 brother were banished from the island by their 
 father. Telamon retired to the neighbouring isle 
 of Salamis, the daughter of whose king he mar- 
 ried. He assisted Hercules against Troy, and was 
 engaged in most expeditions of the time. 
 
 Peleus went to Thessaly, where he married the 
 daughter of Eury'tion the son of Actor. At the 
 Calydonian Hunt he killed his father-in-law by 
 accident : he was purified of the guilt by Acastus 
 son of Pelias. The wife of Acastus having seen 
 him fell in love with him, and when he rejected 
 her advances she accused him to her husband of 
 an attempt on her honour. Acastus, believing her, 
 took him to hunt on Mount Pelion ; and when Pe- 
 leus fell asleep, he hid his sword and left him there, 
 hoping that the Centaurs would slay him. He was 
 saved from them by Chiron, who then taught him 
 how to win the sea-nymph Thetis. 
 
 Peleus, as instructed, lay in wait for the nymph 
 and seized her. She in vain changed herseff suc- 
 cessively into fire, water, and a wild beast : he 
 
 What is his history ? — Who were ms children? — What is said 
 of Telamon? — Of’Peleui ? 
 
160 JEACUS, PELOFS, AND THEIR POSTERITY. 
 
 neld her fast, and she was forced to marry him. 
 The gods honoured the wedding with their pre- 
 sence, and bestowed their gifts on Peleus. 
 
 When Thetis brought forth her first child, the 
 renowned Achilles, she wished to render him im- 
 mortal. Every night she placed him in the fire: 
 by day she anointed him with ambrosia. But 
 Peleus, happening to see the babe panting in the 
 flames, cried cut, and the goddess returned to the 
 sea. She had however made Achilles invulner- 
 able, except in the heel, by dipping him in the 
 river Styx. 
 
 Pelops, the son of Tantalus, when the gods, as 
 has been already related, had restored him to life, 
 became the favourite of Neptune, who gave him 
 a chariot and fleet horses to win Hippodamia > 
 daughter of CEnomaiis king of Pisa, who had pro- 
 mised her in marriage to him who could beat him 
 in the chariot-race. Pelops bribed Myrtilus that 
 prince’s charioteer to leave out one of theiinch-pins, 
 and CEnomaiis was in consequence flung out and 
 killed. When Pelops had thus gained the prize, he 
 sought to defraud Myrtilus of the promised reward, 
 and when he urged him he threw him into the sea. 
 
 The most distinguished of the sons of Pelops 
 were Pittheus, renowned for wisdom, Atreus, and 
 
 Who was his son ? — What is said of him ? — Tell the story at 
 r’elops. 
 
iEACUS, PELOPS, AND THEIR POSTERITY. 16 1 
 
 Thyestes. Thyestes seduced the wife of \treus, 
 who, to be revenged, affected to have forgiven him, 
 and invited him to a feast. The food set before 
 him was the flesh of his own children, whom Atreus 
 had slain, and when he had finished his meal the 
 heads and hands were shown him. The Sun stopt 
 his chariot in mid-day at this atrocious deed. Thy* 
 estes fled from his brother to Thesprotia. 
 
 Some time afterwards Thyestes violated, with- 
 out knowing her, his own daughter Pelopia. She 
 drew his sword and kept it. Atreus soon after 
 married Pelopia, and the son whom she had by her 
 father was given to be exposed ; but the herdsmen 
 took pity on him, and reared him on the milk of a 
 goat ( ( ex ), whence he was called iEgisthus. Atreus, 
 hearing he was alive, sent for him, and acknow- 
 ledged him for his son. 
 
 Having made a prisoner of Thyestes, Atreus 
 sent ^Egisthus to put him to death. The sword 
 he bore was that which Pelopia had taken from 
 her father. Thyestes recognised it. Pelopia at his 
 desire came ; the deed of darkness was revealed, 
 and Pelopia in horror plunged the sword into her 
 own bosom. iEgisthus brought it covered with 
 blood to Atreus, who thinking the blood to be that 
 ffTnyestes offered a sacrifice to the gods, and 
 
 Of Thyestes. — Of Pelopia. 
 
162 
 
 THE CALYDONTAN HUNT. 
 
 while thus engaged was fallen on and slain by Thy- 
 estes and his son. 
 
 Atreus left two sons, Agamemnon and Menelaus 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE CALYDONIAN HUNT. 
 
 (Eneus ( Viny ) king of Calydon was a prince 
 greatly devoted to agriculture. At the conclusion 
 of every harvest he made due offerings to the gods 
 as the authors of his prosperity. On one of these 
 occasions he inadvertently neglected Diana ; and 
 the goddess, to punish him, sent a monstrous boar 
 to ravage the lands of Calydon. 
 
 As the lands could not be cultivated as long as 
 the monster lived, Meleager, the gallant son of the 
 king, proclaimed a general hunt, and invited to it 
 the most famous heroes of the age. At his call 
 came Castor and Pollux, the sons of Leda ; and 
 their cousins, Idas renowned for fleetness, and 
 L^nceus for piercing sight ; Telamon and Peleus, 
 the sons of iEacus ; Jason, the son of iEson ; Am- 
 phiaraus, the renowned soothsayer ; Admetus, 
 whom Apollo had served ; Theseus and his friend 
 Pirithous ; Laertes, the father of Ulysses ; Nestor 
 
 What was the origin of the Calydonian hunt? — Who were 
 the banters ? 
 
THE CALYDOXIAN HUNT. 163 
 
 of Pylos, and many others. With these came 
 Atalanta, a fair huntress-maid, from Arcadia. 
 
 The hunters, provided with dogs, nets and spears, 
 proceeded to a densely wooded valley, the usual 
 haunt of the boar. Having roused him from his 
 lair, the hunt began. Loud was the shouting ol 
 the men, the baying of the dogs : the boar rushed 
 like a thunderbolt, and scattered his foes ; some 
 were wounded, and others killed by his tusks : 
 Nestor escaped only by climbing a tree. At length 
 Atalanta drew the first blood, having pierced the 
 boar in the ear with an arrow. Meleager trans- 
 fixed his back with a spear, and then following up 
 his success despatched him. He presented the 
 head and hide of the slain monster to the Arca- 
 dian maid of whom he was secretly enamoured. 
 His uncles, the two sons of Thestius, insolently 
 took the prize from her, which so incensed Mele- 
 ager, that he slew them both, and restored the 
 spoils to the maiden. 
 
 At the birth of Meleager, the Fates had come 
 to the chamber of his mother Althaea, and casting 
 a billet into the fire which burned on the hearth, 
 said, “ We give, new-born babe, the same dura- 
 tion to thee and to the wood.” Althaea instantly 
 snatched the brand from the flames, and quenching 
 t with water laid it up carefully. But now, filled 
 
 Describe the hunt. 
 
164 THE ARGONAUTIC EXPEDITION. 
 
 with grief and anger for the fate of her brother^ 
 she brought it forth and cast it into the fire. As 
 .t burned, the vigour of Meleager wasted away, and 
 when it was consumed he lay a corpse. Great was 
 the grief which overwhelmed the king and people 
 at the hapless fate of their hero. Althaea repented 
 when too late, and put an end to her life ; and the 
 sisters of Meleager, grieving without ceasing, were 
 by the compassion of Diana changed into birds. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 THE ARGONAUTIC EXPEDITION. 
 
 jEson, king of lolcos, in Thessaly, having been 
 driven from his throne by his half-brother Pelias, 
 committed his infant son Jason to the care of the 
 Centaur Chiron. Pelias, having consulted the ora- 
 cle, was directed to beware of the one sandaled man. 
 
 Time flowed on, and there was no appearance 
 of the oracle being fulfilled. At length Jason, 
 having arrived at his twentieth year, secretly left 
 the mountain-cave of the Centaur, and proceeded 
 to lolcos to claim his rights. As he was crossing 
 the rapid river Anauros, he lost one of his sandals, 
 and was obliged to proceed without it. He arrived 
 at length in the market-place of lolcos, where all 
 
 What was the fate of Maleager ? — Who was iEson ? — Jason ? 
 
THE ARGON A.UTIC EXPEDITION, 165 
 
 the people gazed* on him with amazement, doubting 
 whether he was not a god ; and Pelias, who hap- 
 pened to come by at the time, shuddered when he 
 saw that he had but one sandal. Jason went to 
 the house of his father, and thither his uncles and 
 cousins came to meet him ; and after feasting for 
 the space of five days, they accompanied him to 
 the dwelling of Pelias, who agreed to resign the 
 kingdom to him, on condition that he would sail 
 to Colchis and fetch home the Golden Fleece. 
 
 The story of the Golden Fleece was this. — 
 A'thamas, a prince of Bceotia, was married to Ne- 
 phela (Cloud), by whom he had two children, 
 named Phrixus and Helle. On the death of Ne- 
 phela he married Ino the daughter of Cadmus, 
 who, jealous of her step-children, resolved to de- 
 stroy them. She accordingly persuaded the wo- 
 men to parch the seed-corn unknown to their hus- 
 bands. The land consequently yielded no increase ; 
 and when the oracle was consulted, Ino bribed the 
 messengers to say that the evil could only be re- 
 moved by sacrificing Phrixus to Jupiter. A'thamas 
 reiuctantly placed his son before the altar ; but 
 Nephela suddenly snatched away both her son 
 and daughter, and placing them on a gold-fleeced 
 ram, which had been given her by Hermes, and 
 which, like the celestial steeds, could run through 
 
 What b his story ? — Tell the story of the Golden Fleere 
 
166 THE ARGOXAUTIC EXPEDITION 
 
 the air or along the water, directed them to fly to 
 Colchis. They reached in safety the strait between 
 Europe and Asia ; but here Helle, through fright 
 or giddiness, fell off and was drowned, and the sea 
 was named from her, Hellespont (Helle' s Sea). 
 Phrixus pursued his journey till he arrived at 
 Colchis, where he was kindly received by king 
 jEetes, who gave him his daughter Calciope in mar- 
 riage. Phrixus sacrificed his ram to Jupiter, and 
 AEetes nailed the Golden Fleece to an oak in the 
 grove of Mars, where it was guarded by a serpent. 
 
 Jason undertook the adventure ; and Argus the 
 son of Phrixus built for him, with the aid of Mi- 
 nerva, a fiAy-oared ship, named from himself, the 
 Argo. In her prow Minerva placed a plank cut 
 from the speaking oak at Dodona. 
 
 The expedition was proclaimed throughout 
 Greece, and every hero who panted for fame has- 
 tened to share in it. The number of the heroes was 
 fifty ; the most distinguished among whom were 
 Hercules, Theseus, Castor and Pollux, Telamon 
 and Peleus, Admetus, Idas and Lynceus, Laertes, 
 Amphiaraiis, Zetes and Calais, Polyphemus, Au- 
 gcas, Poeas, Meleager, and the fair maid Atalanta. 
 Orpheus was soothsayer, Aesculapius surgeon, and 
 Tiphys pilot. T 
 
 What was the origin of the name Hellespont? — How was J* 
 son’s ship built ? — What heroes accompanied him ? 
 
THE ARGONAUTIC EXPEDITION. 167 
 
 All things being prepared, and the sacrifices 
 having proved favourable, they got on board and 
 put to sea. The first land at which they touched 
 was the isle of Lemnos, where the women had 
 lately murdered all the men, Hypsipyla their queen 
 having alone saved her father Thoas. The Ar- 
 gonauts were hospitably entertained by the Lem- 
 nian women, and after stopping a few days they 
 again put to sea. 
 
 On arriving at the coast of Mysia, they went 
 ashore ; and here a beautiful youth named Hylas, 
 a favourite of Hercules, having gone to a spring 
 to draw water, was seized, as he stooped to dip 
 his urn, by its nymphs, who were enamoured of 
 his beauty, and dragged down into it. Polyphemus 
 hearing his cries, and thinking he was assailed by 
 robbers, drew his sword and went to his aid. Her- 
 cules followed, but Hylas was nowhere to be found, 
 and while they were engaged in searching for 
 him, the Argo departed, leaving them behind. 
 
 The Argonauts next arrived at Bebry'cia, where 
 A'mycus, a son of Neptune, reigned. It was the 
 custom of this prince to make all strangers who 
 arrived in his country engage with him in the 
 combat cf the cestus. On perceiving the Argo, 
 he came down to the shore, and challenged the 
 
 Describe the voyage to Mysia. — The adventure there . — At 
 Bcbrycia. 
 
168 THE ARGONAUTIC EXPEDITION. 
 
 heroes. Pollux, who was renowned as a pugilist 
 was deputed by his companions to act as theii 
 champion, and he terminated the combat by the 
 death of the Bebrycian prince. The subjects of 
 Amycus fell on the victor; but his companions 
 came to his aid, and the Bebrycians were repelled 
 with great loss. 
 
 Sailing thence they came to Salmydessus, on 
 the European coast, where Phineus the prophet- 
 prince dwelt in blindness and in misery. He had 
 married the daughter of the wind-god Boreas and 
 Oreithyia, who bore him two sons. On her death 
 he married Idaea, the daughter of Dardanus, who, 
 jealous of her step-sons, maligned them to theii 
 father. The credulous prince believing the ca- 
 lumny, deprived his innocent children of sight; 
 and the gods, to punish him, struck him blind, 
 and sent the Harpies to torment him. These were 
 monsters, with the faces of women, and the bodies, 
 wings and tails of birds, greedy, ravenous, and 
 filthy. As soon as food was set before the un- 
 happy prince, the Harpies came on the wing, 
 snatched and devoured a portion of the viands, 
 and so defiled the remainder, that no mortal could 
 endure to touch them. 
 
 The heroes having gone on shore, proceeded 
 Co the palace of Phineus, to consult him as to 
 
 At Salmydessus. — Tell the story of the Harpies. 
 
THE ARGONAUTIC EXPEDITION. 169 
 
 heir further course. He promised to give them 
 ample directions, provided they would deliver him 
 from the Harpies. They undertook the task : the 
 rabies were spread forthwith, and the viands laid 
 as for a banquet : instantly the clapping of wings 
 was heard, and the Harpies descended and began 
 their usual work of destruction. Zetes and Calais, 
 the winged sons of Boreas, drew their swords, and 
 attacked the feathered monsters ; the Harpies 
 rose in the air, the sons of the Wind-god spread 
 their pinions, and pursued them : the chase con- 
 tinued, over the sea and Greece, to the islands 
 named Strophades, beyond the Peloponnesus. 
 Here at length the Boreades came up with the 
 Harpies and seized them ; but on their swearing 
 never more to molest Phineus, the captors gave 
 them their liberty and returned to join their com- 
 panions. 
 
 Phineus now joyfully instructed his deliverers 
 how to pursue their course in safety to Colchis, 
 and they once more put to sea. They soon reached 
 the entrance of the Euxine ; and here they en- 
 countered the greatest danger they had to meet. 
 This was the rocks named Symplegades ( Knockers - 
 together ), which floated about, and as they were 
 driven by the wind crushed everything that came 
 oetween them : they were always enveloped in 
 
 Describe the passage through 'he Symplegades. 
 
 To 
 
170 THE ARGONAUTIC EXPEDITION. 
 
 mist; dreadful was the crash when they met; 
 and even the birds could not then pass through 
 Phineus had told the Argonauts to let fly a pi- 
 geon, and to mark if she came safely through, for 
 in that case the Argo might venture to follow. 
 They did as directed ; the pigeon passed through 
 with the loss of her tail : as the rocks receded, 
 the Argo, urged by oar and sail, and aided by 
 Juno, boldly rushed on, and escaped with some 
 damage to her stern- works. The rocks now be- 
 came fixed, for so it was fated to be when a ship 
 had passed through uninjured. 
 
 After a prosperous course along the Asiatic 
 coast, the Argo entered the river Phasis in Col- 
 chis. Jason lost no time in informing king iEtes 
 of the cause of his coming ; and that monarch 
 readily consented to his taking the Golden Fleece 
 back to Greece, provided he could perform the 
 necessary conditions. These were, to yoke to a 
 plough the brass-footed fire-breathing bulls which 
 Vulcan had given to iEtes ; to plough with them 
 a piece of land ; to sow in it the teeth of the ser- 
 pent slain by Cadmus, a part of which Minerva 
 had given to iEtes ; and, finally, to overcome the 
 armed crop which would spring up. 
 
 Jason was in great perplexity when he found 
 the dangers and difficulties which he had to en 
 What terms were offered to Jason 7 
 
THE ARGONAUTIC EXPEDITION. 171 
 
 counter ; but Juno and Fortune stood his friends 
 Medea, the daughter of the king, a potent en- 
 chantress, fell in love with him the instant she 
 beheld him ; and on his promising to marry her, 
 and take her with him to Greece, engaged to give 
 him her assistance. She accordingly gave him a 
 salve to rub his body, shield, and spear, which 
 would preserve them against fire during an entire 
 day. Thus prepared he boldly entered the grove 
 of Mars, where the bulls were feeding : — uninjured 
 by the flames which they respired, he seized and 
 yoked them. He ploughed the field and sowed 
 the serpent’s teeth : up sprang a crop of armed 
 men, who with protruded spears advanced to at- 
 tack him. Following the advice of Medea, he 
 threw stones among them : they turned their arms 
 against each other ; and as they were fighting, the 
 hero fell upon and slew them. The tasks were 
 thus accomplished ; but iEetes refused to give the 
 Fleece, and even formed a plan for burning' the 
 Argo and slaughtering her crew. But Medea led 
 Jason by night to the oak on which hung the Golden 
 Fleece : with her magic drugs she charmed to 
 sleep the serpent which guarded it ; then taking 
 her little brother Absyrtus with her, ascended the 
 Argo with Jason, and the ship was soon at sea. 
 
 Who assisted him ? — How? — How did he proceed? — Wliat 
 was the result ? 
 
172 T1IE ARGOTS AUTIC EXPEDITION. 
 
 With morning-dawn iEetes finding the Argo 
 gone, and at the same time missing his daughter, 
 was filled with rage. He instantly got on ship- 
 board and pursued the fugitives. When Medea 
 saw him approaching, she laid hold on her brother, 
 killed him, cut his body into pieces, and scattered 
 them on the waves ; and while Aretes was engaged 
 in collecting them, the Argo escaped. The king 
 returned to bury his son. He sent a part of his 
 subjects in pursuit of his unnatural daughter, 
 threatening to inflict on them the punishment due 
 to her if they returned without her. 
 
 It is uncertain in what manner the Argonauts 
 came round to the Mediterranean, through which 
 they returned to Greece. Some say they sailed up 
 the Phasis, down the Ocean-stream to the coast 
 of Libya, over which they carried the Argo to the 
 Mediterranean ; others, that they went from the 
 Ocean up the Nile. Others, again, hold, that they 
 went up the Tanais, and so into the northern part 
 of the Ocean, and round by the straits of Gades. 
 Another set of writers maintain, that their course 
 was up the Ister or Danube, and that they carried 
 the Argo overland to the Eridanus, down which 
 they sailed into the Keltic or Tyrrhenian sea. 
 
 As the Argonauts were sailing by the Absyrtian 
 
 How was AEetes prevented from overtaking the Argo? — How 
 lid they return? 
 
THE AKGONAUTIC EXPEDITION. 173 
 
 islands they were assailed by a storm ; and the 
 Argo spoke, and told them that fhe wrath of Ju* 
 piter would not be appeased till they went to Au 
 sonia and were purified by Circe from the guilt of 
 the murder of Absyrtus. 
 
 By Circe, who was aunt to Medea, they were 
 kindly received. Leaving her island they passed 
 by that of the Syrens, against whom Orpheus sang. 
 They escaped Scylla and Charybdis, and at length 
 reached Scheria, the isle of the Phaeacians. Here 
 Jason married Medea. They sailed thence to 
 Crete, where their landing was opposed by Talos 
 the brazen man, but Medea by her art caused his 
 death. After an absence of four months, the 
 Argo at length arrived safely at Iolcos. 
 
 During the absence of Jason, Pelias had caused 
 the death of his father and mother and their re- 
 maining child. Jason concealed his resentment 
 for the time, and delivered to him the precious 
 Fleece ; but he secretly committed his vengeance 
 to his potent wife. Medea used every art to in- 
 gratiate herself with the daughters of Pelias, whom 
 she assured that she possessed the secret of restor- 
 ing youth to the aged. To convince them, she cut 
 up an old ram, put him into a pot with some magic 
 herbs, and forth came a bleating lamb. The silly 
 
 What happened near the Absyrtian islands? — Describe the 
 rest of the voyage. — What was done with the Fleece ? 
 
m 
 
 THE ARGONAUTIC EXPEDITION. 
 
 maidens at her persuasion killed their father in 
 order to renovate his youth ; but their treacherous 
 adviser deserted them, and thus Pelias perished. 
 
 For this deed, both Jason and Medea were 
 forced to go into exile. They retired to Corinth, 
 where they lived happily, till Jason falling in love 
 with Creiisa the daughter of the king, put Medea 
 away and espoused that princess. Medea dissem- 
 bled her rage, and sent a splendid robe as a pre- 
 sent to the bride ; but the robe was poisoned, and 
 caused the death of both Creiisa and her father. 
 She then put to death the two children whom she 
 had borne to Jason ; and mounting her chariot 
 drawn by serpents fled to Athens, where she mar- 
 ried iEgeus, to whom she bore a son named Me- 
 dus. Having failed in an attempt on the life of 
 Theseus she fled to Colchis, and her son became 
 the conqueror of the country, which he named 
 from himself Media. 
 
 When his daughter Europa had been carried off 
 by Jupiter, Agenor despatched his son Cadmus 
 m quest of her, ordering him never to return till 
 
 How did Medea revenge this ? — What was the close of Mo 
 lea's career? — Who wa° Cadmus Describe his career 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE THEBAN WARS 
 
THE THEBAN WARS. 
 
 175 
 
 he had found her. Having searched iu vain over 
 land and sea, Cadmus went to inquire of the ora- 
 cle at Delphi. The god directed him to give over 
 the search, to follow a cow as his guide, and build 
 a town where she should lie down. Quitting the 
 temple he went through Phocis, and meeting there 
 a cow followed her along the valley. His guide 
 went on through the future Breotia, and at length 
 lay down. Cadmus prepared to offer her in sacri- 
 fice to Minerva, his protecting deity, and sent 
 some of his companions to a neighbouring fount 
 to draw water for that purpose. The fount was 
 guarded by a serpent sacred to Mars, who killed 
 the greater part of them. Cadmus then went 
 himself, and after a severe conflict destroyed the 
 serpent. By the direction of Minerva he sowed 
 in the ground the teeth of the dead monster, and 
 instantly there arose a crop of armed men, who 
 prepared to attack him. Minerva desired him to 
 fling stones among them : — they instantly turned 
 their arms against each other, and all perished 
 but five. These joined with Cadmus to build the 
 town which was named Thebes, and their poste- 
 rity were called the Sparti, i. e. the Sown. 
 
 Cadmus espoused Harmonia the daughter of 
 Mars and Venus. The gods honoured the wed- 
 
 Pescribe the origin of Thebes. — The marriage of Cadmuo 
 
176 
 
 THE TIIEBAN WARS. 
 
 ding with their presence. He presented his bride 
 with a robe, and a golden collar the work of Vul- 
 can ; and she became the mother of four daugh- 
 ters, Semele, Agave, Ino, and Autonoe, whose 
 fates have been already related ; and of a sou 
 named Polydorus. 
 
 In his old age Cadmus, in consequence of the 
 misfortunes of his family, abandoned Thebes, and 
 he and his wife retired to the country of the En 
 cheleans near Illyria. Here Jupiter turned them 
 both into serpents, and finally sent them to the 
 Elysian Plain to enjoy an eternity of bliss. — 
 
 Laius, the third in descent from Cadmus, on 
 mounting the throne married Jocasta the daughter 
 of Menceceus, one of the Sparti. The oracle, on 
 being consulted, told him he should meet his death 
 from the hand of his own son. Accordingly, when 
 a child was born to him, he took the innocent babe, 
 and piercing its heels gave it to one of his herds- 
 men to expose on Mount Cithoeron : but the herds- 
 man, moved to compassion, gave it to the neatherd 
 of Polybus king of Corinth, who brought it to his 
 master. Polybus, who was childless, reared the in- 
 fant as his son, and named it CE'dipus, i. e. Swoln- 
 foot. 
 
 When CEdipus was grown up, it chanced one day 
 
 The fate of Cadmus. — Who was CEdipus ? — What caused hip 
 being sent to Corinth ? 
 
THE THEBAN WARS. 
 
 177 
 
 that at a banquet some one reproached him with 
 being a supposititious child. He besought his mo- 
 ther to inform him of the truth, but she would give 
 him no satisfaction. To clear his doubts, he had 
 recourse to the oracle of Apollo ; and the god di- 
 rected him to shun his native country, or he should 
 be the slayer of his father and the husband of his 
 mother. He forthwith resolved never to return to 
 Corinth, where as he thought such crimes awaited 
 him, and he directed his course through Phocis. 
 Here in a narrow road he chanced to meet an old 
 man and a herald driving in a chariot, and on his 
 refusing to make way for them the herald killed 
 one of his horses. Filled with rage he slew both 
 the strangers, and then pursued his journey. /' 
 CEdipus some time afterwards came to Thebes, 
 where, La’ius being now dead, the throne was occu- 
 pied by Creon the son of Menoeceus. The The- 
 bans were at this time greatly afflicted by a mon- 
 ster called the Sphinx. She had the face of a 
 woman, the breast, feet, and tail of a lion, and the 
 wings of a bird. She sat on a hill, and proposed a 
 riddle to the people; and when they failed to an- 
 swer it, she carried off and devoured one of them. 
 Pier riddle was this : “ What is that which has one 
 
 What caused his leaving Corinth ? — Tell about his coming to 
 Thebes. — Who reigned there? — Describe the Sphinx. —Hei 
 riddle. 
 
178 
 
 THE THEBAN WAKS. 
 
 voice, is four-footed, two-footed, and at last three- 
 footed ?” Creon offered his throne and the hand 
 of his sister Jocasta to whoever could solve it. 
 JEdipus hearing of such a reward, came forward 
 
 nd told the Sphinx that it was a man ; who when 
 an infant creeps on all-fours, when a man goes on 
 two feet, and when old uses a staff — a third foot. 
 The Sphinx cast herself down from the rock and 
 was killed ; and CEdipus became the husband of 
 Jocasta, and king of Thebes. Jocasta had two 
 sons, Eteocles and Polynices ; and two daughters, 
 Antigone and Ismene. 
 
 After some years Thebes was afflicted with 
 famine and pestilence ; and the oracle on being 
 applied to, directed the land to be purged of the 
 blood that defiled it. Inquiry was set on foot ; 
 and a variety of concurring circumstances proved, 
 that CEdipes was the child of Laius which had 
 been exposed, that the old man whom he had killed 
 was Laius, and that thus unwittingly he had com- 
 mitted the two great crimes allotted to him by fate. 
 On this discovery being made, Jocasta terminated 
 her existence by a cord, and her wretched son and 
 husband in despair put out his own eyes. He was 
 banished from Thebes, and accompanied by his 
 daughters wandered about till he came to the grove 
 
 Who ''Solved it ? — How ? — What followed ? — What was db 
 covered ? — What was the consequence ? 
 
TIIE THEBAN WARS 
 
 179 
 
 of the Eumenides at Colonos neai Athens, and 
 here his wretched *ife terminated in a miraculous 
 manner. 
 
 The sons of CEdipus agreed to reign year and 
 year about Eteocles, as the elder, first ascended 
 the throne ; but at the expiration of the year he 
 refused to resign it to his brother. Polynices, 
 taking with him the robe and collar of Harmonia, 
 fled to Argos to seek the aid of its king Adrastus. 
 It was night when he arrived before the palace- 
 gate; and there he met another stranger, Tydeus 
 the son of CEneus, from iEtolia. A quarrel arose 
 between them ; the noise brought forth Adrastus, 
 who when he looked on the strangers beheld the 
 accomplishment of an oracle which had been given 
 him, — namely, that he should marry his daughters 
 to a lion and a bear ; for such were the ensigns on 
 the shields of the combatants. He gave them his 
 daughters in marriage, and engaged to restore 
 each of them to his country, 
 
 The Theban expedition was the first resolved 
 on, and all the valiant chiefs of the country were 
 invited to share m it. One of the most important 
 persons was Amphiaraus, the brother-in-law of 
 Adrastus, and a celebrated soothsayer : but know- 
 ing by his art that Adrastus alone would escape 
 
 The sons of CEdipus? — The Theban expedition? 
 
180 
 
 THE TIIEBAN WARS. 
 
 from the war, he refused to share in it. It having 
 been agreed between him and Adrastus, that when- 
 ever there should be a difference in their opinions, 
 he would be decided by the advice of his wife 
 Eriphy'le, Polynices was advised, if possible, to 
 gain her over to his side. He presented her with 
 the collar of Harmonia, and Amphiaraiis with a 
 sorrowing heart led forth his troops. Ere he de- 
 parted, he charged his sons to avenge his death, 
 if it should occur, on their mother. 
 
 The army marched under the conduct of seven 
 chiefs, Adrastus, Amphiaraiis, Capaneus, and Hip- 
 pomedon, Argives ; the Arcadian Parthenopoeus, 
 the son of Atalanta ; the iEtolian Tydeus, and 
 the Theban Polynices. They passed the Isthmus 
 and encamped on the banks of the Asopus at the 
 foot of Mount Cithseron. Here they despatched 
 Tydeus as an envoy to Thebes, to demand the 
 restitution of the rights of Polynices. Pie chal 
 lenged the Thebans to a trial of skill and strength, 
 and vanquished them with ease. As he returned, 
 they laid an ambush of fifty men for him, all of 
 whom save one he slew. 
 
 The Argive host appeared before Thebes. Each 
 chief chose one of its seven gates as the object of 
 his attack ; Eteocles set as many in number to op* 
 
 What is said of Polynices ? — Of the army ? — Of Tydeus and 
 his exploits? — Of the Argive host ? 
 
THE THEBAN WARS. 
 
 18J 
 
 pose them. Tiresias the Theban seer declared 
 that victory would fall to Thebes, if Menoeoeus 
 the son of Creon offered himself a voluntary vic- 
 tim ; and the heroic youth slew himself before one 
 of the gates. The fight began, and the Thebans 
 were driven back into the town. Capaneus placed 
 a ladder against the wall, and was mounting it, 
 when Jupiter, to punish his impious language, struck 
 him with a thunderbolt. The Argives fell back, 
 and many were slain. It was now agreed that the 
 two brothers should decide their quarrel by single 
 combat. They joyfully accepted the proposal, and 
 fought with such animosity that they perished by 
 mutual wounds. On their fall the battle was re- 
 newed, and victory declared for the Thebans. 
 The Argive leaders were all slain except Adrastus, 
 who escaped by the fleetness of his steed Arion. 
 Tydeus being wounded, Minerva was hastening 
 with a medicine to his relief; but Amphiaraiis, who 
 hated him as a chief cause of the war, cut off the 
 head of Melanippus the Theban, who had given 
 [lim his wound, and brought it to him. The savage 
 warrior opened it and devoured the brain, and the 
 goddess withdrew in disgust. As Amphiaraiis fled 
 in his chariot along the banks of the Ismenus, 
 Jupiter lanched a thunderbolt ; and the ground 
 
 Of Tiresias? — The figh t? — The sipple combat? — 1 13 result? 
 —Of Tydeus ? — Amphiaraus ? — Minerva ? 
 
 16 
 
THE THEBAN WARS 
 
 opening, engulphed him, his chariot, and his Uni 
 noteer. 
 
 Creon, who was now king, forbade the bodies 
 of the Argives to be buried. Antigone, despising 
 his menaces, gave sepulture to the remains of Po 
 lynices ; and the ruthless monarch entombed her 
 alive. Adrastus flying to Athens sought aid of 
 Theseus, who led an army to Thebes, and com- 
 pelled Creon to give up the bodies of the slain. 
 Evadne the wife of Capaneus flung herself amid 
 the flames of the pyre on which his remains were 
 consumed, and perished. 
 
 Ten years afterwards the Epigoni, i. e. the sons 
 of the chiefs who had fallen before Thebes, re- 
 solved to avenge the fate of their sires. The oracle 
 being consulted, said they would be victorious if 
 led by Alcmteon the son of Amphiaraiis ; and 
 Thersander the son of Polynices giving to Eri- 
 phyle the robe of Harmonia, she induced Alcmseon 
 not only to abandon his design of punishing her 
 for the death of his father, but to take the com- 
 mand of the expedition. Diomedes the son of 
 Tydeus, and Sthenelus the son of Capaneus, were 
 the most distinguished of the other chiefs. AAW 
 
 The Thebans were defeated in the first engage- 
 ment, and by the advice of Tiresias they aban* 
 
 I Cr eon ? — Antigone ? — Adrastus ? — Evadne ? — The Epigoni ?— 
 The oracle 1 — Alemaeon ? — Diomedes ? 
 
THE THEBAN WARS. 
 
 183 
 
 doned the city and fled away during the night. 
 The aged soothsayer, who had now lived through 
 seven generations, and had seen the rise, the for- 
 tunes and the fall of Thebes, was not fated to 
 outlive the city, and that very night he expired at 
 the fount of Tilphussa. The Argives plundered 
 the town, and placed Thersander on the throne. 
 
 Alcmseon now consulted the oracle of Apollo, to 
 know how he should punish his mother for her 
 cupidity and her treachery to his father and him- 
 self ; and he was directed by the god to put her 
 to death. He obeyed, but was instantly assailed 
 by her Erinnys. He roamed in madness through 
 Arcadia, and at length was purified by Phegeus 
 of Psophis, who gave him his daughter Arsinoe in 
 marriage ; and he presented his bride with the fa- 
 tal robe and collar of Harmonia. But a dearth 
 oppressed the land on his account ; and the oracle 
 directed him to go and build a town on the river 
 Acheloiis. Alcmseon set forth, and at the springs 
 of the Achelous was purified by the river-god 
 himself, who gave* him in marriage his daughter 
 Callirrhoe {Fair -flowing), and he built his town on 
 the soil deposited by the stream at its mouth. ^ 
 
 Callirrhoe now longed for the robe and collar 
 of Harmonia ; and Alcmoeon returning to Arcadia, 
 
 What was the success of the Epigoni at Thebes ?— Relate the 
 subsequent fortunes of Alcmaeon. — Of Callirrhoe. 
 
184 THE THEBAN WARS. 
 
 and telling Phegeus that his madness would never 
 depart till he had deposited them in the temple of 
 Apollo at Delphi, obtained them from him. But 
 his servant betrayed his secret ; and the sons of 
 Phegeus, by the direction of their father, lay in 
 wait and slew him. Callirrhoe on learning the fate 
 of her husband, prayed to Jupiter that her two 
 young sons might at once attain to manly age. 
 Her prayer was granted, and the youths hastened 
 to avenge their sire. They met and slew the sons 
 of Phegeus, who were on their way to dedicate the 
 robe and collar to Apollo at Delphi, and then went 
 to Psophis and killed Phegeus and his wife. They 
 brought to their mother the fatal treasures, and by 
 the direction of Acheloiis the robe and collar were 
 deposited in the temple of the Delphian god. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 Electra the daughter of Atlas bore to Jupiter 
 a son named Dardanus. He dwelt in Samothrace, 
 but afterwards passed over to the adjoining coast 
 of Asia, where Teucer the son of the river-god 
 Scamander reigned. Teucer gave him his daugh- 
 ter in marriage, and left him his throne. 
 
 Her sons. — Who was Dardanus’s mother? 
 
THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 185 
 
 Tros the grandson of Dardanus had three sont>, 
 Ilus, Assaracus, and Ganymedes. The last wat 
 for his beauty carried off by the gods to be the 
 cup-bearer of Jupiter, who gave Tros in recom- 
 pense some horses of the Olympian breed. Assa- 
 racus married a daughter of the river-god Simo'is, 
 and had a son named Capys, who was the fatner 
 of Anchises, to whom the goddess Venus bore a 
 son named iEneas. 
 
 Ilus was directed by the oracle to follow a spot- 
 ted cow, and build a town where she should lie 
 down. The cow led him to a hill called the Hill 
 of Mischief (Ate), where he built a town named 
 from himself Ilion, and Troy from his father On 
 the prayer of Ilus, Jupiter sent him from heaven 
 an image of Minerva called the Palladium. It 
 was three ells long : in one hand it held a spear, 
 in the other a distaff and spindle. The safety of 
 Troy depended on its preservation. 
 
 Laomedon succeeded his father Ilus. He had 
 several children by his queen, the daughter of the 
 river-god Scamander, of whom the principal were, 
 Tithonus, who was carried off by Aurora ; Priam, 
 who succeeded his father; and Hesione, whom 
 Hercules delivered from the sea-monster. 
 
 Priam married Hecuba the daughter of Cisseus. 
 
 His father-in-law ? — Relate the story of Tros. — Of Ilus. — OI 
 ihe Palladium. — Of Laomedon. 
 
186 
 
 THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 Their children were Hector, Paris or Alexandei 
 De'i'phobus, Helenus, Tro'ilus, Cassandra, Creiisa, 
 Poly'xena, and others. The entire number of Pri, 
 am’s children, legitimate and illegitimate, was fifty. 
 
 When Hecuba was about to give birth to Paris 
 she had a dream, m which it appeared to her that 
 she brought forth a torch which set all Ilion in 
 flames. Priam sent for his son iE'sacus, who had 
 been taught the interpretation of dreams by his 
 grandfather Merops, in order to learn what this 
 might portend ; and iEsacus declared that the child 
 about to be born would be the destruction of his 
 country. Pie recommended that it should be ex- 
 posed ; and accordingly the babe as soon as it came 
 into the world was given to a servant to be left 
 upon Mount Ida. The man obeyed his orders ; but 
 curiosity leading him back to the place five days 
 afterwards to see what was become of the babe, 
 he found a bear engaged in suckling it. Struck 
 with the sight he took it home and reared it as his 
 own, and named it Paris. When Paris grew up, 
 he distinguished himself by his strength and cou- 
 rage in repelling robbers from the flocks, and the 
 shepherds called him Alexander ( Man-aider ). Pie 
 married the nymph CEnone, daughter of the river- 
 god Kebren, whom Rhea had taught prophecy. It 
 was while Paris was in the mountains that the three 
 
 Of Priam. — His children. — Of Hecuba. — Of Paris 
 
THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 187 
 
 goddesses chose him as the judge of their beauty , 
 and being shortly afterwards recognised by his 
 father, he at the instigation of Venus sailed to 
 Greece and carried off Helen. CEnone warned him 
 in vain of the fatal consequences of his enterprise 
 • Jupiter, it is said, had, under the form of a 
 beautiful white swan, gained the love of Leda the 
 wife of Ty'ndareus. She produced from two eggs 
 four children ; c£ whom Pollux and Helen were of 
 celestial, Castor and Clytcemnestra of mortal de- 
 scent. Clytasmnestra was married to Agamemnon 
 king of Mycenoe ; and to Helen, who was unrivalled 
 in beauty, all the princes of Greece came a-wooing. 
 Tyndareus was uncertain what to do, fearing to 
 make a choice. At length Ulysses, one of the 
 suitors, thinking he had but a slender chance of 
 success, told him, that if he would engage to obtain 
 for him the hand of his niece Penelope, he would 
 relieve him from his embarrassment. Tyndareus 
 gladly consented ; and Ulysses then told him, that 
 he had only to exact an oath from all the suitors, 
 that in case of any violence or injury being offered 
 to the fortunate candidate they would all aid in 
 procuring him satisfaction. They readily swore ; 
 and then Tyndareus declared that he accepted Mene- 
 laus the brother of Agamemnon for his son-in-law. 
 
 Paris, the son of Priam king of Troy, came 
 
 His adventures.— Helen.— What is related of Ulysses? 
 
188 
 
 THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 some time afterwards to the house of Meneiaus it 
 Laconia. He was received with the greatest kind 
 ness, — a hospitality which he ungenerously repaid 
 by seducing the affections of the wife of his host. 
 Helen fled with him to Troy; and Meneiaus in- 
 stantly calling on his former rivals to aid him in 
 the recovery of his wife, they began to assemble 
 men in all parts of Greece. Meneiaus himself and 
 Ulysses were sent to Troy to demand the restitu- 
 tion of Helen ; but Priam, swayed by his affection 
 for Paris, refused to give her up, and the Greeks 
 prepared to invade his dominions. — - 
 
 The troops assembled at Aul is in Boeotia. The 
 principal chiefs were the venerable Nestor king of 
 Pylos, and his sons Antilochus and Thrasymedes ; 
 Ulysses son of Laertes king of Ithaca ; Diomedes 
 son of Tydeus, and his friend Sthenelus the son 
 of Capaneus, came from Argos ; Ajax and Teucer 
 the sons of Telamon, from the isle of Salamis; 
 Achilles son of Peleus, and his friend Patroclus, 
 from Phthia in Thessaly ; Protesilaiis also from 
 Thessaly ; Philoctetes the son of Pceas (to whom 
 his father had given the bow and arrows of Her- 
 cules), from Melibcea in the same country ; Ma- 
 ch aon and Podalirius the sons of Aesculapius, re* 
 nowned for their skill in treating wounds, led the 
 
 Meneiaus ? — Paris ? — Helen ? — Meneiaus and Priam ? — The 
 Greeks ? — Their chiefs ? 
 
THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 189 
 
 troops of Tricca and Ithome : ldomeneus, those 
 of Crete. Many other valiant chiefs were presenl 
 from all parts of Greece. Calchas was the sooth- 
 sayer. The chief command was given to Aga- 
 memnon king of Mycenae : and the number of 
 ships collected exceeded a thousand. 
 
 While the Greeks were preparing to set sail, 
 Agamemnon chanced, when hunting, to kill a hind 
 sacred to Diana. The goddess in her wrath sent 
 an adverse wind, and the fleet was unable to stir. ' 
 Calchas declaring that the goddess could only be 
 appeased by the blood of one of the children of 
 the offender, Agamemnon was obliged to send 
 for his daughter Iphigenia, under the pretence 
 of marrying her to Achilles. When the innocent 
 maiden arrived at the camp, she was led as a vic- 
 tim to the altar of Diana : she knelt down, and the 
 priest struck her with his knife ; but found to his 
 surprise that it was a hind he had slain ; for the 
 goddess relenting, had snatched Iphigenia away, 
 and substituted a hind in her place. She carried 
 her off to the Tauric Chersonesus, and there set 
 her to officiate at her altars, on which were sacri- 
 ficed all the strangers who arrived on the coast. 
 
 All impediments being now removed, the fleet 
 set sail, and a favouring wind carried it to the isle 
 of Lemnos. Here Philoctetes in displaying his 
 
 Who had th e chief command ? -Tell the story of Iphigenia. 
 
190 
 
 THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 skill in archery chanced to let one of the arrows 
 fall upon his foot ; and the stench of the wound 
 and his horrible cries were so annoying to the 
 Greeks that they sailed away, leaving him alone, 
 in the island. 
 
 The Trojans led by Hector came down to op- 
 pose their landing; and Protesilaiis, the first whc 
 leaped ashore, fell by his spear. The landing, 
 however, was effected ; and the Greeks drew up 
 their ships on the beach, and erected huts and 
 booths for themselves along the shore. 
 
 The war continued for the space of ten years, 
 for the Trojans were powerfully assisted from 
 Thrace, and from Mysia, Lycia, Phrygia, and the 
 surrounding countries. In the tenth year Apollo 
 sent a plague among the Greeks, in punishment of 
 the insult offered to his priest Chryses by Aga- 
 memnon, who refused to restore to him his daugh 
 ter for ransom. This produced a quarrel between 
 Agamemnon and Achilles, the bravest chief in 
 the Grecian host. Achilles refusing to take any 
 further part in the war, success was on the side of 
 the Trojans. At length his friend Patroclus being 
 slain by Hector, he resumed his arms, and the 
 Trojan chief fell by his might. Pie ungenerously 
 fastened the body of the noble Hector to his cha- 
 
 Of Philoctetes. — Of the landing. — How long did the war last 
 '-What is said of Apollo ? — of Achilles ? — Patroclus ? 
 
THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 191 
 
 riot, and dragged him round the walls of Troy in 
 sight of his afflicted parents and kindred. Moved 
 at length by the supplications of Priam, who came 
 in person to his tent, he restored the body for a 
 ransom; and the Trojans celebrated with mourti- 
 ing hearts the obsequies of him who had been the 
 hope and stay of Troy. \ 
 
 Shortly after the funeral of Hector, Penthesilea 
 daughter of Mars, the warlike queen of the Ama- 
 zons, arrived at Troy with a troop of her female 
 warriors. Her appearance raised the hopes of the 
 dispirited Trojans ; the chief command was con- 
 ferred upon her, and victory was once more taking 
 the side of Troy, when Achilles coming into the 
 field slew the Amazonian queen, and her com- 
 panions fell by the hand of Ajax. Achilles, struck 
 with her beauty as she lay sunk in death, lamented 
 his deed and restored her body to the Trojans. 
 
 An illustrious ally now appeared on the side of 
 Troy. Scarcely had the funeral flames consumed 
 the remains of Penthesilea, when Memnon, the son 
 of Tithonus and the goddess of the Dawn, arrived 
 from the eastern shore of Ocean with an army of 
 h:s swarthy ^Ethiopians to assist the kindred of his 
 father. Memnon was received with the greatest 
 honours by king Priam, who listened with admi- 
 ration to his narrative of the wonders of the shore 
 
 Penthesilea ? — Memnon ? 
 
THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 19 3 
 
 of Ocean, and the perils of the road thither ; and 
 the aged monarch felt hope revive in his bosom 
 as he viewed the numbers and the strength of the 
 /Ethiopian warriors. 
 
 The very day after his arrival, Memnon impa- 
 tient of repose led his troops to the field. Anti- 
 lochus the brave son of Nestor fell by his hand, 
 and the Greeks were put to flight, when Achilles 
 appeared and restored the battle. A long and du- 
 bious conflict ensued between him and the son of 
 Aurora : at length victory declared for the son of 
 Thetis; Memnon fell, and the Trojans fled in 
 dismay. 
 
 Aurora, who from her station in the sky had 
 viewed with apprehension the danger of her son, 
 when she saw him fallen directed his brothers the 
 Winds to convey his body to the banks of the river 
 iEsepus in Paphlagonia. The troops of Memnon 
 vanished, to the amazement of both Greeks and 
 Trojans, and shrouded in mist followed the corpse 
 of their prince through the air. In the evening 
 Aurora came accompanied by the Hours and the 
 Pleiades, and wept and lamented over her son : 
 Night, in sympathy with her grief, spread the hea- 
 ven with clouds, — all nature mourned for the off- 
 spring of the Dawn. The ^Ethiopians raised his 
 tomb on the banks of the stream in the grove of 
 
 His fate ? — Aurora ? 
 
THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 193 
 
 he Nymphs, and the goddess then turned them 
 into the birds named Memnons, which fight con- 
 tinually over the tomb of their master. , 
 
 The days of Achilles himself now drdw to their 
 close. He had been given the choice of a long and 
 inglorious life in Phthia, or a glorious death before 
 Troy, and he had magnanimously chosen the latter 
 He had pursued the flying Trojans to the Sca)aii 
 Gate, when Apollo descended from heaven and 
 warned him to retire. He replied with threats, 
 and the god in anger shot him in the heel with one 
 of his arrows. Although thus mortally wounded, 
 he continued to slay the Trojans ; but at length 
 he fell lifeless to the earth. A furious conflict 
 arose for the possession of his body, but the 
 Greeks brought it off, chiefly through the prowess 
 of Ajax the son of Telamon. Thetis, accompa- 
 nied by the Muses and the Nereides, came and 
 mourned over her son, and his obsequies were 
 performed as became those of the bravest of the 
 Greeks. Funeral games were celebrated at the 
 desire of Thetis, in which the principal heroes 
 contended. The goddess then proposed the arms 
 which Vulcan had made for Achilles as the prize 
 of him who should be judged to have been most 
 instrumental in saving his body, and to be the 
 bravest warrior. The claimants were Ulysses, and 
 
 Tell the story of Achilles’ death. — Of his arms. 
 
194 
 
 THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 Ajax son of Telamon. Some captive Trojans were 
 appointed to sit as judges ; each chief pleaded his 
 cause before them, and the celestial arms were 
 awarded to the son of Laertes. Ajax lost his senses 
 with rage ; and in his frenzy taking a flock of sheep 
 for the Greeks, he fell upon and slaughtered them. 
 On recovering his reason and seeing what he had 
 done, he slew himself with his own hand, -p 
 The Greeks having now lost their two bravest 
 chiefs, began to despair of taking Troy. But Cal- 
 chas reminding them that Achilles had left a son, 
 advised that they should invite him to the war. 
 For Thetis, anxious to keep her son from going to 
 Troy, where he was fated to perish, had concealed 
 him in female apparel at the court of Lycomedes 
 king of the isle of Scyros, and here he espoused 
 the princess Deidamia the daughter of his host 
 Ulysses hearing he was there, went disguised as a 
 merchant to the palace, and offered for sale female 
 ornaments, among which he had placed some 
 arms. These last drew the attention of Achilles : 
 the fictitious merchant recognised him, and by his 
 arguments induced him to accompany the Greeks 
 to Troy. It was now determined to send Ulysses 
 and Diomedes to fetch Neoptolemus the son of 
 Achilles to the aid of the Greeks. 
 
 . Meantime Eury'pylus, son of Telephus and 
 
 Of Aiax. — Tell the story of Achilles at the court of Lvcomedes. 
 
THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 19 . 
 
 grandson of Hercules, had arrived in Troy with 
 an army of Mysians. In the first engagement the 
 Greeks were routed, and the Trojans and their 
 allies encamped before the ships. After a truce 
 for burying the dead the conflict was renewed ; and 
 while it was raging, the ship which bore Neoptc- 
 emus arrived. The chiefs arrayed him instantly 
 ji the arms of his father, and his deeds proclaimed 
 his origin. Night put a period to the conflict. 
 Next morning the two hosts engaged anew : Eury- 
 pylus fell by the arms of Neoptolemus ; the Tro- 
 jans were routed, and the Greeks assailed the 
 town ; but Jupiter, at the prayer of Ganymedes, 
 spread a cloud over it, and they retired. 
 
 Still Troy could not be taken without the ar- 
 rows of Hercules, for so it was decreed by the 
 Fates. By the advice of Calchas, Ulysses and 
 Diomedes were sent to fetch Philoctetes from the 
 isle of Lemnos. On his arriving at the camp his 
 wound was cured by Podalirius, and the chiefs 
 apologized for their former ill treatment of him. 
 Philoctetes when restored to vigour was eager for 
 war. The Trojans on their side came boldly forth 
 to meet their enemies. 
 
 In the battle which ensues, Paris is wounded 
 by one of the fatal arrows of Philoctetes. Recol- 
 lecting the words of his deserted CEnone, — that 
 
 Of Neoptolemus. — His exploits.— Philoctetes. 
 
196 
 
 THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 she alone could cure him, — he causes himself tc 
 be borne to her dwelling on Mount Ida. He im- 
 plores her compassion ; but she is deaf to his en- 
 treaties, and he returns to Ilion to die. But when 
 GEnone heard that he was dead, her tenderness 
 revived ; and secretly quitting her abode, she tra- 
 velled in the night through the mountains. With 
 morning she reached Troy ; and beholding the 
 burning pyre of Paris, flung herself into the flames, 
 and was consumed with him whom she had loved. 
 
 The fatal day of Troy was now at hand. The 
 Greeks by the advice of Ulysses, and with the 
 aid of Minerva, construct a huge horse of wood 
 within which the bravest of their warriors conceal 
 themselves. Then feigning to depart, they burn 
 their huts and booths, and sail away for the isle of 
 Tenedos. A Greek named Sinon remained be- 
 hind ; and throwing himself in the way of the Tro- 
 jans when they came forth next morning from the 
 city, told them that the horse was sacred to Mi- 
 nerva, and would be the preservation of the city, 
 if admitted into it. Laocoon maintained that Si- 
 non was an impostor, and advised to burn the 
 horse. Minerva struck him with blindness ; but 
 he still persisted in his remonstrances, when two 
 enormous serpents came out of the sea and de- 
 voured his two children. Struck by these prodi- 
 
 Paris and (Enone. — The wooden horse — S\non. — Laocoon. 
 
THE TROJAN WAR. 
 
 197 
 
 gies. the Trojans drew the horse into the town 
 In the night Sinon displayed a lighted torch (the 
 appointed signal), and opened the fatal horse. The 
 warriors descend, the fleet returns, the gates are 
 opened, the Trojans massacred in their sleep, and 
 the city taken. De’iphobus the bravest of the re- 
 maining sons of Priam, who had married Helen 
 after the death of Paris, is slain by Menelaiis. 
 The aged monarch himself perishes by the hand 
 of Neoptolemus at the altar of Jupiter. Asty'anax 
 the orphan child of Hector is flung from the sum- 
 mit of a tower, and his mother Andromache re- 
 duced to slavery : the same fate befalls Hecuba 
 and her daughters. Troy is no more ! 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 When Troy was burned, and the booty and cap- 
 tives collected and divided, the Grecian chiefs be- 
 gan to prepare for their return to their long-left 
 homes. While they were thus engaged, the ghost 
 of Achilles appeared on his tomb, and menacing 
 them with his wrath in case of refusal, demanded 
 the sacrifice of Poly'xena one of the daughters of 
 king Priam. The hapless virgin was torn from the 
 
 The fall of Troy. — Tell the story of Polyxena 
 
198 TIIE RETURN OF THE GREEKS 
 
 army of her aged mother, and immolated at the 
 tomb of the ruthless Achilles. Hecuba losing hei 
 senses with grief, was turned into a dog, and 
 finally changed by the gods into a stone. 
 
 All being now ready, the Greeks set sail in dif 
 ferent divisions. They encountered tremendous 
 tempests on their voyage, and but few of them 
 reached their homes in safety. They had also an 
 enemy in their own country, who contributed all 
 in his power to their destruction. This was Nau- 
 plius, the son of Neptune and father of Palamedes. 
 The cause of his enmity was this : — 
 
 When the Grecian army was assembling for the 
 war with Troy, Ulysses to avoid sharing in it 
 feigned madness ; he ploughed the ground with a 
 horse and an ox, and sowed it with salt. Palame- 
 des one of the Grecian chiefs, taking Telemachus, 
 the infant son of Ulysses, placed him in the way 
 of the plough, and Ulysses turned aside to avoid 
 injuring him. It being now evident that his mad- 
 ness was not real, he was obliged to follow to the 
 war. Pie resolved to be revenged on Palamedes, 
 and during the siege he secretly caused gold to be 
 buried in his tent, and then accused him of being 
 bribed by the Trojans. The Grecian chiefs be- 
 lieving the calumny put Palamedes to death. 
 
 Nauplius out of revenge now kindled fires on 
 
 Of Naupliut*. — Ilis revenge. 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 199 
 
 !he heights during the storm, and thus caused 
 several of the Grecian ships to run ashore and be 
 wrecked. 
 
 The venerable Nestor reached his native land 
 in safety. Diomedcs on arriving in Argos found 
 that his wife had proved faithless to him, and he 
 was obliged to retire and form a settlement in 
 Italy. Philoctetes also established himself in that 
 country. Idomeneus vowed during the tempest 
 that if he escaped he w r ould offer as a victim to 
 the gods whatever first met him on his arrival in 
 Crete. His own son was the first he met : he ful- 
 filled his vow, and the Cretans in indignation drove 
 him from their island ; and he too retired to Italy. 
 Teucer the son of Telamon was driven from Sala- 
 mis by his father, for not having avenged the death 
 of his brother Ajax. He went to the isle of Cy- 
 prus and built a town, which he named Salamis, 
 Ajax Oileus the Locrian, having in the capture of 
 Troy profaned the temple of Minerva, the goddess 
 struck his ship with lightning ; and as he grasped 
 a rock to save himself, Neptune split it with a blow 
 of his trident, and precipitated him into the waves, 
 where he perished. Neoptolemus, to whose share 
 of the captives Helenus the son of Priam and An- 
 dromache the widow of Hector had fallen, reached 
 
 Of Nestor. — Diomedfis.— Philoctetes. — Idomeneus. — Teucer. — 
 \jax Oileus — Neoptolemus. 
 
200 THE RETURN OF TI1E GREEKS. 
 
 his home in safety ; but having married Hernrione 
 the daughter of Menelaus, he was slain at Delphi 
 by Orestes the son of Agamemnon, to whom she 
 had been engaged. 
 
 Agamemnon accompanied by his captive Cas- 
 sandra reached his native realm in safety. But 
 during his absence his wife Clytsemnestra had 
 lost sight of her conjugal duties, and had trans- 
 ferred her affection to iEgisthus the son of hi? 
 uncle Thyestes. The guilty pair had resolved on 
 the death of the injured monarch, whom Cassan- 
 dra warned in vain of his impending fate. 
 
 On his arrival Agamemnon was received with 
 all the marks of respect and affection by his faith- 
 less spouse. But at the banquet held in the even- 
 ing to celebrate his safe return, he and his com- 
 panions were fallen on by iEgisthus and his con- 
 federates, and all after a bloody contest were mas- 
 sacred. Cassandra also shared their fate. JSgis- 
 thus now espoused the partner of his crime, and 
 took possession of the throne. 
 
 Their guilt, however, did not go unpunished. 
 Orestes the young son of Agamemnon had been 
 saved by his sister Electra, and conveyed to the 
 house of Strophius king of Phocis. As he grew 
 up he formed a strict friendship with Py'lades the 
 son of his protector. The two friends, urged by 
 
 Agamemnon. — Orestes ar.d Pylades. 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 201 
 
 the messages of Electra and by the oracle of 
 Delphi, proceeded secretly to Mycense and slew 
 iEgisthus and his wife. When Orestes had slain 
 his mother, he was assailed by the Furies, whose 
 office it is to punish guilt. In frenzy he roamed 
 over various countries, accompanied by the faith- 
 ful Pylades. Happening to arrive in the Taurio 
 Chersonesus, they were seized, and led to be sacri- 
 ficed at the blood-stained altar at w hich Iphigenia 
 officiated ; but having recognised her brother, she 
 fled to Greece with him and his friend, carrying 
 with her the image of the goddess. Orestes at 
 length went by the advice of Apollo to Athens, 
 and stood his trial before the court of Areopagus. 
 A sentence of acquittal being pronounced, the 
 Furies left him ; and he returned to Mycenae and 
 occupied the throne of his fathers. His sister 
 Electra became the wife of Pylades. 
 
 Menelaiis having become reconciled to Helen, 
 embarked his share of the booty and set sail home- 
 wards in company with Nestor. They reached in 
 safety the promontory of Sunium in Attica. Here 
 the pilot of Menelaiis’s ship died, and he w^as 
 obliged to stay and bury him. Having performed 
 the funeral rites, he again put to sea ; but as he w r as 
 doubling cape Malea in Laconia, a violent storm 
 arose w T hich dispersed his fleet ; one part was 
 
 1 pi i i ge n i a . — El ec tra. — Menela iw. 
 
202 THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 driven to Crete, — five ships, one of which was Me 
 nelaus’s own, were carried by the winds to Egypt 
 Menelaiis spent eight years in these parts, sail 
 mg from place to place and collecting wealth Be- 
 sides Egypt, he visited Cyprus and Phoenicia, and 
 the countries of the Erembians and ^Ethiopians. 
 He also was in Libya, the land westwards of Egypt 
 where the sheep yean three times a-year, and the 
 lambs are born horned, and milk, cheese, and flesh 
 are in abundance, for king and shepherd alike, jr 
 He now began to think of returning home ; and 
 sailing from Egypt, he reached the island of Pha- 
 ros, w r hich was a day’s sail distant. But he had 
 neglected offering sacrifices to the gods, who, to 
 punish him, sent an adverse wind, which detained 
 them at this island. They had been there now 
 twenty days, their provisions were nearly ex- 
 hausted, and they were obliged to pass the day in 
 endeavouring to catch fish for their support, — 
 when, as Menelaiis was wandering about by him- 
 self, he met the sea-nymph Eidothea the daughter 
 of Proteus, who told him that from her father 
 alone he could learn what he was to do to obtain 
 a favourable wind. But as Proteus never gave 
 his information unconstrained, she brought him 
 fresh-stript seal-skins, and directed him to dis- 
 guise himself and three of his companions in them, 
 
 His travels - -Of Eidothea. — Proteus. 
 
THE RETURN OF TIIE GREEKS. 20c) 
 
 and lying in ambush, to seize the sea-god when 
 he came ashore, and holding him fast, never to let 
 him go till he had revealed the means of escape. 
 
 Menelaus did as desired by the nymph ; and in 
 the heat of the day he saw the marine herds rising 
 up out of the sea, and lying to sleep on the rocks 
 and shores. Proteus having counted them lay 
 down also to repose. As soon as he was asleep, 
 Menelaus rushed from his ambush and seized him. 
 The god changed himself successively into a lion, 
 a serpent, a pard, a boar, water, and a tree, — but 
 in vain ; the hero still held him fast. Finding he 
 could not escape, he resumed his own form, and 
 told Menelaus to return to Egypt and offer sacri- 
 fices to the gods. The hero obeyed his direc- 
 tions ; and a southerly wind sprang up, which 
 carried him home ; and he arrived in Greece the 
 very day that Orestes was giving the funeral-feast 
 for his mother and iEgisthus. 
 
 All that befell the other Grecian chiefs was as 
 nothing in comparison with the wonderful adven- 
 tures of Ulysses, the prudent son of Laertes, on 
 his return to his native isle of Ithaca. 
 
 On leaving Troy, Ulysses directed his course to 
 he coast of Thrace ; and landing in the country of 
 the Oiconhns, he took and burnt their town of 
 
 His adventir.e with Menelaus. — Menelaus’s subsequent fur 
 titne. — XJlysRt-s. —Tell his adventure in Thrace 
 
204 TIIE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 I'smarus. But as the Greeks stayed on the coast 
 feasting, they were attacked by the Ciconians, and 
 driven to their ships with loss. Sailing thence, 
 they were assailed by a storm, from which they 
 took refuge on shore. On the third day they 
 again put to sea, and reached the formidable Cape 
 Malea ; when a violent north-east wind rose, and 
 drove them for nine days along the sea, till they 
 reached the country of the Lotus-eaters westwards 
 of Libya. 
 
 Being ignorant of the country, Ulysses sent 
 three of his men to examine it. These, on meet- 
 ing the inhabitants, were very kindly treated by 
 them, and given some of their own food, the lotus, 
 to eat. But the effect of this fruit was such, that 
 those who had once tasted of it lost all thoughts 
 of home, and desired to remain for ever in that 
 country. Ulysses found it necessary to drag these 
 men away by main force, and to tie them under 
 the benches of his ship. 
 
 Leaving the country of the Lotus-eaters, they 
 sailed on further, and came to that of the Cyclo- 
 pes. These were a wild savage race of gigantic 
 beings, inhabiting a rich fertile country, but un- 
 acquainted with agriculture and commerce, and 
 ignorant of laws and social institutions. They 
 
 In the country of the Lolus-eaters. — In the country of the 
 Cyclopes. 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 205 
 
 had but one eye, which was in the middle of their 
 forehead. 
 
 In front of their land lay an islet well wooded and 
 stocked with goats. Here Ulysses landed ; and 
 then leaving there the rest of his ships, sailed with 
 his own to the opposite coast. He found the cave 
 of one of the Cyclopes named Polyphemus, a son 
 of Neptune ; and going into it, saw that it was 
 abundantly supplied with milk and cheese, the 
 shepherd’s wealth. The Greeks remained there 
 awaiting the return of its master. In the evening 
 they heard the approach of the flocks, and looking 
 out were terrified to death when they beheld the 
 huge monster who was driving them. It was now ' 
 too late to think of escape, and they therefore en- 
 deavoured to conceal themselves in the cavern. 
 Polyphemus having closed the door with a rock 
 which twenty-two teams could not remove, milked 
 his sheep and goats, and then kindled a fire. By 
 its light he discerned the trembling Greeks, and 
 demanded who they were. Ulysses coming for- 
 wards, said that they were Greeks who had been 
 shipwrecked, and implored his compassion and 
 hospitality. The answer of the Cyclops was his 
 seizing two of them and dashing out their brains. 
 He dressed and ate them for his supper, and then 
 
 Of Polyphemus. 
 18 
 
206 THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 went to sleep. Ulysses was about to kill him, but 
 recollecting the rock which closed the door he 
 refrained. 
 
 Next morning the Cyclops drove out his flocks, 
 and shut his captives up in the cave. During the 
 day Ulysses taking the staff of the Cyclops, which 
 was as large as the mast of a ship, cut a piece off 
 it, which he made sharp at one end, and then con- 
 cealed it. When Polyphemus returned, he dressed 
 two more of the Greeks for supper. Ulysses then 
 came forward with a skin of wine which he had 
 brought with him, and offered it to the Cyclops. 
 Polyphemus, who was ignorant of that liquor, was 
 in raptures with it ; and to show his gratitude, be- 
 nignantly promised that the donor of it should be 
 the last whom he would devour. The wine soon 
 took effect, and overcome by its fumes he fell fast 
 asleep. 
 
 Ulysses now prepared for action. He took the 
 piece of the giant’s staff, and made the sharp end 
 of it red-hot in the fire ; then, aided by four of his 
 companions, he bored out with it the eye of the 
 sleeping Cyclops. Polyphemus roared aloud with 
 pain, and the other Cyclopes came to inquire what 
 had befallen him. He told them that Nobody 
 { Outis , the name Ulysses had given himself) w r as 
 
 How Ulysses managed Polyphemus. 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 207 
 
 killing him ; and they, thinking it was some dis- 
 ease, went away advising him to pray to his 
 father. 
 
 The next morning Polyphemus opening the 
 door turned out his flocks, and sitting in the door- 
 way felt them with his hands, that his prisoners 
 might not escape. But Ulysses had tied his com- 
 panions under the bellies of the sheep, and then 
 himself grasping the wool of the leader-ram, held 
 fast under his belly. Having thus escaped from 
 the cave, they went on board of their ship ; and 
 Ulysses then calling out his real name, the Cy- 
 clops flung huge rocks, which nearly sunk the 
 vessel. f3 
 
 Quitting the inhospitable country of the Cy- 
 clopes, Ulysses and his companions sailed still on- 
 wards, and came to the floating island in which 
 dwelt iE'olus, to whom Jupiter had given rule 
 over the winds. This island was surrounded by a 
 wall of brass ; and jEolus, his wife, and his six 
 sons and six daughters, lived in continual joy and 
 festivity. He entertained Ulysses for an entire 
 month, and at his departure gave him all the 
 winds, except the West, tied up in a bag made 
 of ox-hide. The ships ran merrily before the 
 wind for nine days and nights : on the tenth they 
 
 How he escaped. — What followed ? — His adventure v, ith 
 dSoliis. 
 
208 THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 were within sight of Ithaca ; when Ulysses, who 
 had hitherto held the helm himself, falling asleep, 
 his companions, fancying that iEolus had giver, 
 him treasure in the bag, opened it to see what it 
 contained. Instantly the winds rushed out, and 
 swept them back to iEolia. The director of the 
 winds drove them with reproaches frorrf his isle, 
 deeming them to be odious to the gods. 
 
 During six days and nights they sailed on still 
 westwards, till they came to the country of the 
 Lsestrygonians, where finding a well-sheltered 
 harbour, they brought into it all the ships except 
 that of Ulysses, who, suspicious of danger kept 
 his vessel without. They sent a herald with two 
 others into the country, who meeting the daughter 
 of the king Antiphates at a fountain, were by her 
 directed to the abode of her father. On entering 
 it they beheld to their dismay the queen, who was 
 as huge as the top of a mountain. She instantly 
 called her husband from the market-place; and 
 he, seizing one of them, dressed him for dinner. 
 The other two fled, pursued by the Lsestrygonians, 
 who hurling huge rocks at the ships, destroyed 
 them, and all the crews perished of those which 
 were in the harbour. Ulysses cutting his cables 
 got out to sea and escaped. 
 
 The wind-bag. — What befel the companions cf UJyases in the 
 country of the Lsestrygonians ? *. 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 209 
 
 UJysses and his surviving companions sailed on 
 till they reached the isle of iEsea. They remained 
 two days in the harbour where they had landed, 
 fearing to quit the shore. On the third day U ys- 
 ses ventured to make a short excursion of dis- 
 covery, and ascending an eminence he had a view 
 over the whole island. It was small, and covered 
 with wood, out of the midst of which he saw a 
 smoke ascending. Returning to his companions 
 he selected twenty-two of them by lot, whom he 
 sent, under the command of Eury'lochus, to ascer- 
 tain who inhabited the place. They found in the 
 wood a mansion built of hewn stone, around which 
 were troops of wolves and lions, which came and 
 fawned upon them. Within the building they 
 heard the voice of a woman singing at the loom. 
 They stood and called aloud : the mistress of the 
 house, who was Circe the daughter of the Sun, 
 instantly threw open the doors, and invited them 
 in : they all entered but Eurylochus ; and Circe 
 set food before them, of which as soon as they 
 had partaken, she struck them w r ith her wand, 
 and changing them into swine drove them into a 
 sty. 
 
 Eurylochus returned in dismay to the ship, 
 and Ulysses, on learning the fate of his friends, 
 
 What happened at ^Eaea ? 
 
HO THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 resolved to liberate them or perish in the attempt 
 He set out alone. On the way Mercury met him 
 and giving him a plant, called in the language oi 
 the gods Moly , which would preserve him from 
 the enchantments of Circe, directed him how to 
 act. The hero then proceeded to the abode of 
 Circe, and standing at the door called aloud. The 
 goddess came forth, and invited him to enter : 
 she placed food before him ; and when he had 
 tasted of it, striking him with her wand, desired 
 him to go and join his comrades in the sty. But 
 Ulysses declined the civility, and drawing his 
 sword threatened to kill her. The goddess in 
 terror grasped his knees, and prayed him to spare 
 her and become her husband. He consented, on 
 her taking a solemn oath not to do him any in- 
 jury. At his desire she then restored his com- 
 panions to their former state : and the hero having 
 brought up the remainder of his crew from the 
 ship, they all abode in the house of Circe. 
 
 At the end of a year they became impatient to 
 return home, and at their desire Ulysses asked 
 the consent of the goddess to their departure. 
 She yielded to his request ; but told him he must 
 previously visit the domains of Pluto and Proser- 
 pine, and consult the spirit of the Theban prophet 
 
 How did Ulysses liberate his friends ? — How did they escape 
 from Circe? 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 211 
 
 Tiresias. The hero was overwhelmed with dis- 
 may at the intelligence : but the goddess re-assured 
 him, and gave him ample instructions for his 
 conduct. 
 
 Embarking early in the morning, Ulysses and 
 liis companions sailed with a favouring wind along 
 the sea ; and entering the Ocean-stream crossed to 
 its further shore, which lay enveloped in perpetual 
 darkness. Here they landed, and proceeded to 
 the place which Circe had described ; where 
 Ulysses, digging a hole with his sword, poured 
 into it mead, wine, water and flour, and the blood 
 of a lamb and a black ewe ; and with his sword 
 drawn sat down beside it. Instantly the dead 
 came trooping around : but the hero kept them 
 off with his sword, although he discerned among 
 them his own mother, whom he had left alive in 
 Ithaca. At length Tiresias drew near, and hav- 
 ing tasted of the blood, instructed the hero re- 
 specting his return. y- 
 
 Tiresias having retired, Ulysses permitted the 
 other ghosts to approach. His mother, when she 
 tasted the blood, recognised him, and gave him 
 tidings of his family. In vain he essayed to em 
 brace her, — the spirit eluded his grasp like a 
 shadow or a dream. The shades of the heroines 
 
 Describe his next adventure. 
 
18 THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 of former days now advanced ; and as each tasted 
 of the blood, she acquired the power of conversing 
 with the living man. He there saw Tyro and 
 Antiope, and Alcmena and Leda, and Phaedra and 
 Ariadne, and Pricris and Eriphy'le, and other wo- 
 men famous in times of old. 
 
 The heroes now came forward. Ulysses saw 
 and conversed with Agamemnon, and cheered the 
 gloom of Achilles by telling of the fame of his 
 son. The shade of Ajax stood aloof, and would 
 not listen to the excuses of his former rival. Pie 
 now beheld Minos judging, Orion hunting, Her- 
 cules bending his bow, Tityus, Tantalus and Sisy- 
 phus suffering the penalty of their crimes. Ter- 
 ror at last came over him ; he hastened away, and 
 getting on board his ship returned to the island 
 of Circe. 
 
 Having stayed one day with Circe, and re- 
 ceived ample information from her respecting his 
 homeward voyage, Ulysses departed, taking a final 
 leave of the goddess, who sent a favouring wind 
 after the ship. 
 
 The wind carried them merrily along till they 
 came near the island of the Sirens : it then fell ; 
 and Ulysses, as directed by Circe, stopped the ears 
 of his companions with wax, and had himself 
 
 Whom did he see of the heroes? — What happened at the is! 
 and of the Sirens ? 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 213 
 
 bound hand and foot to the mast. They then 
 rowed the ship along the shore of the isle, on 
 which lay whitening the bones of men : for who 
 ever landed there, seduced by the melodious song 
 of the Sirens, never again saw his home. The 
 Sirens when they heard the dashing of the oars, 
 raised their song in praise of Ulysses, inviting 
 him to land, and promising him knowledge. The 
 hero struggled to get free ; but his comrades bound 
 him still faster, and he alone heard the song of the 
 Sirens and escaped. 
 
 They now heard the roaring of the waves, and 
 beheld the smoke ascending from the Wandering 
 Rocks, which no ship but the Argo had ever 
 escaped. To avoid these it was necessary to pass 
 between two cliffs ; in one of which dwelt Scylia, 
 a monster with twelve feet and six heads, each of 
 which took a man out of every ship that passed. 
 Beneath the other was a whirlpool, which three 
 times a day absorbed and regorged the water. 
 The ship went through with the loss of six men, 
 whom Scylia seized; and in the evening they 
 came to the island of Thrinakia, which belonged 
 to the Sun, and where his flocks and herds fed, 
 under the charge of his daughters Phaethusa 
 (Gleaming) and Lampetia (Shining). 
 
 In passing Scylia ? 
 
214 THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 Ulysses had been warned both by Tiresias and 
 Circe to shun this island. He therefore urged his 
 companions to row on and pass it ; but they in- 
 sisted on landing for the night, promising to put, 
 to sea again early in the morning. Their chief 
 was obliged to content himself with their oath 
 that they would on no account violate the sacred 
 cattle. 
 
 During the night there came on a tempest, and 
 the wind changed. They were detained an entire 
 month in the island : their provisions were all con- 
 sumed ; and they lived on what fish and birds they 
 could catch. One day when Ulysses had gone 
 apart to pray to the gods for relief, and had fallen 
 asleep, Eurylochus proposed to the rest to sacri- 
 fice some of the sacred oxen to the Gods, and vow 
 a splendid temple to„ the Sun. Instantly they 
 slaughtered some of the best of them. Lampetia 
 brought the tidings to her father, on whose com- 
 plaint Jupiter promised to punish the transgres- 
 sors. The hides meantime, to their dismay, 
 crept along the ground, and the flesh lowed on 
 the spits. _ 
 
 Six days they fed on the oxen of the Sun. On 
 the seventh the storm ceased, and they put to sea. 
 But scarcely were they out of sight of land, when 
 
 What happened at Thrinakia ? — Relate Ulysses’s shipwreck 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 215 
 
 Jupiter sent a tempest which destroyed the ship 
 and drowned all the crew. Ulysses, fastening to- 
 gether the mast and keel, got astride on them. 
 A south wind sprung up, which carried him along 
 during the whole night, and in the morning he 
 found himself at Scylla and Charybdis. This last 
 absorbed his raft ; but he caught hold of a wild 
 olive-tree, and held by it till his raft reappeared. 
 He then mounted upon it, and was carried along 
 for nine days : and on the tenth night he landed 
 on the isle of Ogy'gia. — — • y 
 
 Ogygia was the abode of the goddess Calypso, 
 the daughter of Atlas, who received the wanderer 
 with great kindness, but would never consent to 
 his departure. She wished to bestow immortality 
 upon nim, and make him her husband ; but he 
 longed to return to his wife Penelope, and passed 
 all his days mourning on the sea-shore. At length 
 after seven years, at the prayer of Minerva, Ju- 
 piter sent Mercury to command Calypso to permit 
 the hero to depart. The nymph gave a reluctant 
 consent, and furnished him with tools to build a 
 light bark or raft. In four days he had built, 
 rigged, and launched his vessel. Calypso gave 
 him clothes and provisions ; and having taken a 
 last leave of him, sent a favouring gale to convey 
 
 His adventures in Ogvgia. 
 
216 THE RETURN OF THE GREERS. 
 
 him homewards. On the eighteenth day he came 
 within sight of Scheria, the island of the Phsea- 
 cians. Neptune, who was returning through the 
 air from the country of the ^Ethiopians, happen- 
 ing to perceive him, and being resolved to avenge 
 on him the blinding of his son Polyphemus, raised 
 a tremendous storm. The raft went to pieces; 
 but the sea-goddess Leucothea had during the 
 tempest given her veil to Ulysses, to tie around 
 his waist as a means of safety ; and after floating 
 about for two days and nights, he at last entered 
 the mouth of a river in Scheria and got to shore. 
 He threw the veil of the goddess, as desired, into 
 the water: and then making himself a bed of 
 leaves in a thicket, he fell asleep. 
 
 During the night Minerva appeared in a dream 
 to Nausicaa, the daughter of Alcinous king of 
 the island, advising her to take her clothes down 
 to the river in the morning, and wash them pre- 
 paratory to her wedding. Her father, at her re- 
 quest, gave her a mule-cart, and she and her maids 
 drove to the spot where Ulysses had landed. 
 Having washed their clothes, and hung them to 
 dry, they began to play at ball ; their joyous cla- 
 mour awoke the sleeping hero, and coming forth, 
 he implored the protection of the princess. Nau- 
 
 His next shipwreck. — Ilis adventures in Scheria. 
 
TIIE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 2J.7 
 
 sicaa gave him both food and clothes, and directed 
 him to follow her to the town. Minerva met him 
 on the way, and spread a shroud of mist around 
 him, that he might reach the royal abode unpei- 
 ceived. (f) 
 
 The beauty and splendour of the palace and 
 garden of Alcinoiis fill the stranger with amaze- 
 ment. He craves the protection of the queen 
 Arete, and is promised by Alcinous a ship to con- 
 vey him home. At a banquet which is given, he 
 relates to the Phscacians all his preceding adven- 
 tures. They give him a great number of rich pre- 
 sents, and put him on board one of their wonder- 
 ful ships, which moved with the velocity of the 
 birds, and required not a pilot. The hero takes 
 leave, and embarks in the evening. Ere dawn, 
 the vessel is at Ithaca. The Phseacians taking out 
 Ulysses, who is fast asleep, lay him and his pro 
 perty on the shore, and depart. 
 
 On awaking, the hero recognises not his own 
 island. As he is bemoaning his fate, Minerva 
 comes in the form of a young shepherd and in- 
 forms him where he is. She then discovers herself 
 to him ; and Ulysses having by her direction con' 
 coaled his treasures in a cave, she touched hin: 
 with her wand, and gave him the appearance of an 
 
 How did he get to Ithaca ? — What happened on his awaking r * 
 
218 THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 
 
 old beggar-man. She then directed him to go tc 
 the house of his swine-herd Eumseus, and remain 
 there till the arrival of his son Telemachus. 
 
 During the long absence of Ulysses, his wife 
 Penelope had been harassed by the solicitations oi 
 the noblest men of Ithaca and the adjacent islands, 
 who sought her in marriage. In daily banquets 
 they consumed all the substance of the absent 
 prince, and they menaced the life of his son. Pe- 
 nelope employed various artifices to free herself 
 from them, but in vain. Among other devices, 
 she feigned to be weaving a burial dress for La- 
 ertes, and declared that as soon as it was finished 
 she would make a choice among them : but every 
 night she undid what she had done in the day. 
 One of her maids betrayed her, and she was now 
 reduced to extremity. Telemachus had at the 
 suggestion of Minerva, who accompanied him 
 under the form of a man named Mentor, gone to 
 Pylos and Sparta, to try if Nestor or Menelaiis 
 could give him any tidings of his father ; and the 
 suitors had placed a ship to intercept him on his 
 return. — Such was the state of things when Ulys- 
 ses arrived in Ithaca. 
 
 Ulysses on reaching the dwelling of Eumseus 
 is attacked by the dogs ; but Eumseus saves and 
 
 What is said of Penelope? — Telemachus? — Ulysses and Eu 
 macus? 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS- 219 
 
 entertains him. He spends the remainder of the 
 day and the night there ; and next morning Tele- 
 machus arrives from Pylos. Eumseus goes to the 
 town to inform Penelope of the safe arrival of her 
 son ; and Ulysses is then restored to his former 
 shape by Minerva : he discovers himself to Tele- 
 machus, and they plan the death of the suitors. 
 Towards evening, when the return of Eumseus is 
 expected, Minerva again gives Ulysses the appear- 
 ance of a mendicant. 
 
 The next day Ulysses accompanies Eumseus to 
 the town. As he enters his own house, his faith- 
 ful dog Argus recognises and fawns upon him, 
 and then expires. When the hour of repast ar- 
 rives, Ulysses goes round begging food from his 
 son and the suitors, one of whom, Antinous, 
 treats him with great brutality. A public beggar 
 named Irus attempts to drive him away ; but Ulys- 
 ses challenges him to box ; the suitors force him 
 to accept the challenge, and he is half killed by 
 the disguised hero. 
 
 During the night, Ulysses and his son remove 
 all the arms from the hall. Penelope sends for 
 him, and he gives her a fictitious account of him- 
 self, His ancient nurse Euryclea is directed to 
 wash his feet, and she discovers him by the scar 
 
 Telemachus’s arrival ? — What passed next day ? — During the 
 'light ? 
 
220 THE RETURN CF THE GREEKS. 
 
 upon his leg of a wound which he received in his 
 youth from a boar, when hunting on Mount Par- 
 nassus ; but he enjoins her secrecy* Penelope 
 then tells him that it is her design to propose to 
 the suitors a feat of archery, which Ulysses was 
 in the habit of performing ; and he approves of it. 
 
 In the morning Penelope brings forth the bow 
 of Ulysses, and tells the suitors that she will 
 marry the "one who, like Ulysses, can drive an 
 arrow from it through twelve iron axes. They 
 essay their strength in vain ; no one can even 
 bend the bow. Ulysses goes out, and reveals him- 
 self to Eumseus and his neatherd Philoetius ; and 
 directing them to fasten the doors, returns to the 
 hall. He now prays to be allowed to try to bend 
 the bow : the suitors deride him ; but Telemachus 
 interferes, and it is handed to him by Eumseus. 
 
 Instantly the arrow flies through the axes. He 
 then transfixes Antinoiis, shouting out who he is. 
 Telemachus having neglected to shut fast one of the 
 doors, the suitors get arms and fight with despe- 
 ration against Ulysses, his son, and his two herds- 
 men ; but at length they are all slain. He then 
 punishes his goatherd Melanthius, who had been 
 faithless to him, and hangs the twelve maid-ser- 
 vants who had been the mistresses of the suitors. 
 
 The contest in archcry? — The fight? — Punishment of the 
 
THE RETURN OF THE GREEKS. 221 
 
 At length he discovers himself to his \v ; fe, and 
 .he night passes away in the narration of his ad- 
 ventures. 
 
 The next morning Ulysses goes into the coun- 
 try to see his aged father Laertes. While he is 
 absent, an assembly of the people is held ; and 
 Eupithes, the father of one of the slain suitors, 
 stimulates them to avenge their death. A part 
 of them take arms and follow him, Dut Eupithes 
 is slain by Laertes. Minerva, under the form of 
 Mentor, aids the hero. At length Jupiter thun- 
 ders, and ends the conflict, and Minerva esta- 
 blishes peace between Ulysses and his subjects. 
 
 \T 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE VOYAGE OF J2NEA3. 
 
 On the night that Troy was taken by the Greeks, 
 ^Eneas the son of the goddess Venus, one of the 
 bravest of the Trojan warriors, departed from the 
 city, by the direction of his divine mother, carry 
 ing on his shoulders his father Anchises, now old 
 and blind, and leading his little son lulus, or Asca- 
 uius, by the hand. Anchises bore the Penates 
 
 What happened after this ? — What is said of the escppe of 
 tineas from Troy ? 
 
22 2 THE VOYAGE OF JENEAS. 
 
 and the sacred things of Vesta, the pledges of the 
 safety of Troy. iEneas sought refuge in the re- 
 cesses of Mount Ida, where he remained till the 
 Greeks had departed. 
 
 The following summer, having built a fleet, he 
 embarked wkh such of the Trojans as were willing 
 to go in search of new settlements. They first 
 directed their course to Thrace, and were preparing 
 to build a city, when as iEneas went to pluck some 
 twigs from a myrtle that was growing on a mound, 
 to his horror blood gushed forth and a voice came 
 from the myrtle which told him that it was Poly- 
 dorus, a son of Priam, whom Polymnestor king 
 of Thrace, to whose care he had been committed, 
 had put to death for the sake of the gold which 
 Priam had sent with him. 
 
 Appalled by this prodigy, the Trojans quitted the 
 coast of Thrace and directed their course to the isle 
 of Delos. Here iEneas consulted the oracle of 
 Apollo, and the god directed them to seek their 
 original country. This Anchises declared to be the 
 isle of Crete, whither they sailed ; and landing 
 there, they began to build a town ; but a pestilence 
 soon broke out among them, and while they were in 
 perplexity, the Penates appeared one night tc 
 iEneas, and told him that Hesperia, or Italy, was 
 
 What befel him in Thrace?— In Delos?— In Crete?— What 
 induced him to seek Italy ? 
 
THE VOYAGE OF J2NEAS. 22il 
 
 he ancient country which the god had meant. 
 Anchises called to mind an old tradition and a 
 prophecy of Cassandra relating to that country, 
 and it was resolved to sail for it without delay. 
 
 Scarcely were the Trojans out of sight of land 
 when they were assailed by a storm. After 
 being driven about for three days, they came at 
 last to the islands named Strophades, which were 
 then the abode of the Harpies. They found the 
 islands abounding in cattle, some of which they 
 killed, and were preparing to feast on them when 
 the Harpies came flying and seized and defiled all 
 the meats. Again they spread the feast in another 
 place, and again the foul virgin-birds came on the 
 wing. The Trojans drew their swords on them 
 in vain : their feathers were impervious to steel ; 
 but they fled, and Celseno, one of them, perching 
 on a lofty rock, foretold that though they would 
 reach Italy, they would not be able to found a city 
 till famine should have forced them to eat the very 
 tables off which they fed. 
 
 They sailed thence northwards till they came to 
 Epirus, where, landing at Buthrotum, they learned 
 that Helenus one of the sons of king Priam was 
 ruling over that part of the country, and was 
 married to Andromache the widow of his brothei 
 
 What befel him at the Strophades? — At Buthrotum ? 
 
224 TIIE VOYAGE OF JENE A.S. 
 
 Hector, whom Pyrrhus had given to him when he 
 himself sought the hand of the daughter of Menc- 
 Iaiis. The Trojans naturally met a most hospitable 
 reception from the prophetic son of Priam, and 
 when they were about to depart he loaded them 
 with gifts ; and telling iEneas the part of Italy he 
 was to sail for, he gave him ample directions how 
 to proceed. 
 
 Leaving Buthrotum, they sailed across the Adri- 
 atic to Italy, along the coast of which they di- 
 rected their course southwards. They landed at 
 the foot of Mount iEtna in Sicily, where the Cy- 
 clopes dwelt, and here meeting one of the com- 
 panions of Ulysses, who had been left behind and 
 had led a most wretched life during more than two 
 months in the woods, they took him on board, and 
 sailing thence went round Sicily. They landed 
 at Drepanum, on the west coast of the island, and 
 here Anchises died. 
 
 When they put to sea again a violent tempest, 
 sent forth by ^Eolus at the request of Juno who 
 hated the Trojans, scattered them over the sea. 
 Some of the ships were lost ; the remainder were 
 driven to the coast of Africa where Dido was then 
 building the city of Carthage. This princess was 
 sister to Pygmalion king of Tyre, who had secretly 
 
 In Sicily ? — At Drepanum ? — In Carthage ? — What is said ot 
 Dido? 
 
THE VOYAGE OF JENFAS. 225 
 
 murdered her husband Sichseus for his wealth ; but 
 the ghost of Sichseus had appeared to her and re- 
 vealed the deed and counselled flight. She was 
 joined by her friends, and by those who feared or 
 hated the tyrant, and she founded the future rival 
 city of Rome. 
 
 Jupiter, at the request of Venus, had sent Mer- 
 cury to predispose Dido and her subjects in fa- 
 vour of the Trojans. Their reception therefore 
 was kind in the extreme, and Dido conceived a 
 passion for the Trojan prince which proved to her 
 a source of woe, for Fame having divulged the 
 tidings through Africa they reached the ears of 
 Iarbas king of Mauritania, one of her rejected 
 suitors. Jupiter, his sire, sent Mercury at his 
 prayer once more to Carthage to reproach AEneas 
 with his delay and to urge his departure for Italy. 
 In obedience to the god, iEneas secretly prepared 
 to depart. When it came to the ears of Dido, she 
 employed prayers and reproaches in vain to detain 
 him, and when she found that he finally had got- 
 ten on board and sailed away in the night, she as- 
 cended a funeral pyre which she had previously 
 had constructed, and slew herself with a sword he 
 had left behind him. 
 
 -Eneas returned to Drepanum, and as it was 
 
 Or his second visit to Drepanum, what happened ? 
 
22 6 
 
 THE VOX AGE OF .ENEAS. 
 
 now exactly a year since his father had died, he 
 celebrated in his honour funeral games, consisting 
 of a ship-race, a foot-race, boxing with the ccestus , 
 shooting with the bow, and a sham-fight of Trojan 
 boys on horseback. But while the games were 
 going on, the Trojan women, instigated by Iris, set 
 fire to the ships in order to compel the men to stay 
 and settle in Sicily ; and, but for a storm of rain 
 sent by Jupiter at the prayer of iEneas, the whole 
 fleet would have been consumed. In the night the 
 spirit of his father appeared to iEneas, and telling 
 him of the wars that awaited him in Italy, directed 
 him to leave with Acestes, a Trojan prince who 
 reigned in that part of the island, the women, the 
 aged and the useless part of his people. 
 
 This was done, and the remaining ships put to 
 sea, and by the favour of Neptune the Trojans 
 arrived in safety at Cumse in Italy, the abode of 
 one of the prophetic women named Sibyls. Helenus 
 had directed iEneas to consult her, and Anchises 
 had told him that she would conduct him down to 
 the under-world, where he was abiding in bliss. 
 The Sibyl, inspired by Apollo, foretold to the hero 
 the wars he had to wage, and added that his safety 
 would first come from a Grecian town. She di- 
 rected him to procure a golden bough, the gift to 
 
 What happened at Cumae ? — Tell the whole story of /Eneas s 
 Visit to the lower world. 
 
THE VOYAGE OF ENEAS. 
 
 227 
 
 Proserpine, in the neighbouring wood. His mo- 
 ther’s doves lead him to the bough, which he 
 plucks with ease — a sign that he was called by 
 Destiny to visit the realm of Pluto alive. The 
 Sibyl offers the appointed sacrifices, the ground 
 rocks, the howling of dogs announces the presence 
 of the goddess of the night, iEne&s draws his 
 sword ; they enter the dark descent, and proceed 
 in gloom till they come to Acheron, over which 
 they are ferried by Charon. The Sibyl throws to 
 Cerberus a medicated cake prepared for the pur- 
 pose, and he falls asleep when he has swallowed 
 it. They enter the gate and come to where Mi- 
 nos sits judging : they pass through the abode of 
 those who had died by their own hand, and here 
 iEneas sees Dido, but she flies from him. They 
 next come to the abode of the heroes, and leaving 
 Tartarus, round which Phlegethon flows, on the 
 left, they at length reach the blissful plains of Ely- 
 sium, the abode of the peculiar favourites of the 
 gods. Here, in a fragrant valley, iEneas finds his 
 father, who shows him the souls which were to 
 return to earth to animate the bodies of the future 
 great of Rome, and tells the deeds they were to 
 perform. He finally dismisses him and the Sibyl 
 through the ivory gate of dreams, and they return 
 to Cumce. v 
 
 The Trojans now pursued their voyage along 
 
228 
 
 THE VOYAGE OF /ENEAS. 
 
 the Italian coast, and at length they reached the 
 mouth of the river Tibur, in Latium, the country 
 in which they were to settle. Here, as they made 
 their first meal on shore, they used their cakes for 
 trenchers, and when all the other food was consumed 
 they began to eat up them also. “ Ho !” cried out 
 lulus in sport, “ we are eating our tables too.” 
 /Eneas caught the words, which so well explained 
 the direful prophecy of the Harpy. He worshipped 
 Jupiter and the other gods, and the king of Hea- 
 ven thundered aloud and shook a glittering cloud 
 in the sky to assure them of his favour. 
 
 The country around was at this time governed 
 by a prince named Latinus, the son of Faunus 
 and the nymph Marica. He had only one child 
 living, a daughter named Lavinia, who was sought 
 in marriage by all the neighbouring princes. The 
 queen Amata was urgent in behalf of Turnus 
 prince of the Rutulians, but prodigies sent by the 
 gods deterred the king from giving his assent In 
 his perplexity he sought counsel of his prophetic 
 sire, whose oracle was the guide of Italy. He 
 slew a hundred sheep, and lay upon them, as was 
 the custom, in the grove of Albunea, and in the 
 gloom of the night he heard the voice of his sire 
 
 To what country of Italy did he sail after leaving Cunue ?— 
 What happened on landing? — What is said of Latin; s ? — Lav*» 
 nia ? — Turnus ? 
 
THE VOYAGE OF JSNEAS. 229 
 
 from the depths of the wood telling him that his 
 son-in-law was to come from afar, and was to be 
 no Italian. Fame soon spread the report, and all 
 the country was in expectation at the time the 
 Trojans landed. 
 
 The envoys whom Eneas sent to Latinus, re- 
 questing permission to settle in the country, were 
 received with the greatest favour ; the king told 
 them the response of the oracle, and expressing 
 his belief that -Eneas was his destined son-in-law, 
 invited him to his palace. But as the envoys were 
 joyously returning, mounted on the horses which 
 Latinus sent to Eneas, Juno, who was passing 
 over Sicily in her way from Argos, beheld the 
 Trojan fleet at anchor in the Tibur. Filled with 
 rage, she summoned the Fury Alecto from Ere- 
 bus, and charged her to break the peace and stir 
 up war. 
 
 Alecto first seeks the palace of Latinus, where 
 she casts one of her snakes into the bosom of 
 Amata, and fills her with rage. She then enters 
 the palace of Turnus at Ardea, in the form of an 
 old woman, the priestess of Juno, and telling him 
 the news, flings her torch into his bosom and ex- 
 cites him to war. Then mounting on her dusky 
 wings she comes to where lulus and his com- 
 
 Of the embassy to Latinus?— Of Juno ? — Afccto — Amata?— 
 fumus ? 
 
 20 
 
230 THE VOYAGE OF JENEAS. 
 
 parnons are hunting, and inspiring the dogs with 
 a sudden madness, makes them hunt a pet stag be- 
 longing to Silvia the daughter of Tyrrheus, chief 
 herdsman of king Latinus. lulus wounds the stag 
 which flies home and dies at the feet of its mis- 
 tress. Tyrrheus with his sons and friends attack 
 the- Trojans ; and Alecto, having completed her 
 task, returns to her native gloom. 
 
 War against the Trojans was now resolved on, 
 Latinus in vain opposing it. All the tribes and 
 people south of the Tibur, as far as the Vultur- 
 nus, joined by allies from Etruria and the Apen- 
 nines, took arms. Envoys were even sent to in- 
 vite Diomedes, who had settled in Apulia, to come 
 and assist in the war. 
 
 As jEneas, anxious about the approaching war, 
 lay asleep one night on the banks of the Tibur, the 
 god of the river appeared to him, and bade him not 
 to fear. As a sign, he told him that he would find 
 next morning, lying beneath the trees on the banks 
 of the river, a white sow and thirty white young 
 ones. He informed him that higher up the river a 
 colony led by Evander from Arcadia had settled, 
 whom he advised him to visit and seek to gain 
 their alliance. 
 
 In the morning iEneas found the white sow and 
 
 lulus? — Tyrrheus? — Of the warlike preparations? — ^Eneas’ 
 vision ? — The white sow ? 
 
THE VOYAGE OF -Ex\EA5. 231 
 
 her young, which he sacrificed to Juno. He then 
 sailed with two ships up the river to Pallenteum, 
 the city of Evander, which stood on one of the hills 
 (the Palatine) where Rome afterwards rose. The 
 Arcadian prince receives him most kindly, and 
 promises to aid him with four hundred horsemen 
 led by his son Pallas. He also tells him that there 
 was at that moment a large army of Tuscans ^as- 
 sembled, eager to take vengeance on Mezentius 
 their tyrannical prince, who had sought refuge with 
 Turnus ; but that a soothsayer detained them, de- 
 claring that they could only be victorious if led 
 by a foreigner. iEneas repairs to the camp of the 
 Tuscans, and they joyfully embark on the Tibur, 
 deeming themselves now certain of victory. 
 
 Meantime Turnus had made a furious attack on 
 he camp of the Trojans, and he was preparing to 
 Durn the fleet when, at the request of the Mother 
 of the Gods, of whose pines'they were built, Jupi- 
 ter changed them into nymphs. In the midst of 
 the conflict, iEneas and the Tuscans arrive, the 
 battle is renewed with vigour, Pallas is slain by 
 Turnus, and Mezentius falls by the hand of iEneas, 
 who is clad in armour forged for him by Vulcan 
 at the request of his mother Venus. 
 
 After the funeral rites of the slain had been per 
 
 Of Evander? — The Tuscans ? — Of Turnus ? — Of the conflict? 
 
232 THE VOYAGE OF .EJVEAS. 
 
 formed iEneas led his army against the Latin ca- 
 pital. A battle is fought under its walls, in which 
 the female warrror Camilla, who led a troop of 
 Volscian horse, is slain, and the Latins defeated. 
 
 Turnus now challenges iEneas to a single com- 
 bat. The Trojan warrior joyfully accepts his in- 
 vitation ; the truce is made by king Latinus in 
 person ; but ere the heroes engage, the Latins, in- 
 stigated by the goddess Juturna, Turnus’ sister, 
 who comes among them at Juno’s instigation, in 
 the form of a man, break the truce. ^Eneas, 
 who is unarmed, is wounded, but he is miracu- 
 lously cured by the aid of his mother, and then 
 encountering Turnus in the fray, slays him and 
 ends the war. 
 
 iEneas espouses Lavinia, and from him were 
 descended the founders of Ro3ie. 
 
 Tho battle before the city? — The duel ? — The marriage?— 
 What city was founded by the descendants of JSneas? 
 
 4 1 Si - 
 
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I D. Appleton & Company's, Juvenile Work*. 
 
 J'^OUIS’S SCHOOL DAYS. By E. J. Mat. Illustrated, lduo 
 
 L OUISE; or, THE BEAUTY OF INTEGRITY, AND OTHJEH 
 TALES. 16mo, cloth, 
 
 M CINTOSH’S NEW JUYENILE LIBRARY. 7 beautiful rote 
 with illustrations. In a case. 
 
 \/foINTOSH’S META GRAY; or, WHAT MAXES HOM1 
 111 HAPPY. 16mo, cloth. 
 
 M CINTOSH’S (Maria J.) A YEAR WITH MAGGIE AND 
 EMMA. A true story. 18mo, illustrated, cloth. 
 
 JJ^JARTHA’S HOOKS AND EYES. 18mo, frontispiece, cloth. 
 
 j^JARY LEE. By Kate Livermore. 18mo, illus., cloth 
 
 M ARRYAT’S SETTLERS IN CANADA. 2 vols. in one, col- 
 ored. 
 
 SCENES IN AFRICA 2 vols. in one, colored. 
 MASTERMAN READY. 8 vols. in one, colored. 
 
 M ORTIMER’S COLLEGE LIFE. With neat illustrations, lftmo, 
 cloth. 
 
 M YSTERIOUS STORY BOOK; or, THE GOOD STEP- 
 MOTHER. Illustrated, 16mo, gilt edges. 
 
 N IGHTCAP SERIES. By Aunt Fanny. 6 vols., 18mo, uniform 
 neatly illustrated. In extra cloth. 
 
 1. NIGHTCAPS. 
 
 2. NEW NIGHTCAPS. 
 
 3. BABY NIGHTCAPS. 
 
 4. LITTLE NIGHTCAPS. 
 
 5. BIG NIGHTCAPS. 
 
 6. FAIRY NIGHTCAPS. 
 
 FAIRY NIGHTCAPS. Illustrated with colored engraving* 
 Extra cloth, glit edges. 
 
 N EW FAIRY STORIES FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN, B; 
 
 George Keit. Translated by S. W. Lander. 18mo, illo* 
 crated, cloth. 
 
 P ARLEY’S PRESENT FOR ALL SEASONS. By S. G. Goo© 
 rich (Peter Parley). Illustrated with 16 fine engraving* 
 llmo, elegantly bound iii a now style. 
 
 P HILIP RANDOLPH. A Tale of Virginia. By Mary Girtifu* 
 18mo, 
 
D. Appleton Sf Company's Juvenile Works. 
 
 P ICTURE SERIES OF STORY BOOKS FOR CHILDREN 
 10 vols., uniform square 12mo., in a case. With 654 enpaving* 
 tnd the text printed in large clear type. Extra cloth, gilt edge* 
 
 1. THE CHILDREN’S BIBLE PICTURE BOOK. Illut 
 trated with 80 engravings. 
 
 2. THE CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK OF ENGLISH 
 HISTORY. Illustrated with 50 engravings. 
 
 8. THE CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK OF GOOD AND 
 GREAT MEN. Illustrated with 50 engravings. 
 
 4 . A PICTURE BOOK OF MERRY TALES. Illustrated 
 with 47 plates. 
 
 & THE HOME TREASURY OF OLD STORY BOOKS 
 Illustrated with 50 engravings. 
 
 6. THE CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK OF COUNTRY 
 SCENES. Illustrated with 55 engravings. 
 
 7. THE CHILDREN’S PICTURE FABLE BOOK. Illus- 
 trated with 60 engravings. 
 
 rs. A TREASURY OF PLEASURE BOOKS FOR YOUNG 
 PEOPLE. Illustrated with 140 engravings. 
 
 9. THE CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOKS OF BIRD& 
 Illustrated with 61 engravings. 
 
 10. THE CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK OF QUADRU- 
 PEDS. Illustrated with 61 engravings. 
 
 
 BIRDS, AND OTHER STORIES, 
 vol., illustrated 
 
 By Cousin Alice- 1 
 
 P LEASURE AND PROFIT; or, LESSONS ON THE LORD'S 
 PRAYER. By Mrs. Richards. 1 vol., illustrated. 
 
 P RINCE CHARLIE, THE YOUNG CHEVALIER. By Mere- 
 dith Johnes. 18mo, illustrated, cloth. 
 
 P USS IN BOOT3. Finely illustrated by Otto Speckter. Square 
 18mo- 
 
 J^OBINSON CRUSOE Pictorial edition. 800 plates. 8vo. 
 
 OSE AND LILLIE STANHOPE; or, THE POWER OF CON- 
 SCIENCE. By Maria J. McIntosh. 1vol. 
 
 R 
 
 By Mrs. Manners. 1 6roa 
 
 O EDGEMOOR; or HOME LESSONS. 
 
 O illustrated, cloth. 
 
 S EVEN CHAMPIONS OF CHRISTENDOM. Re-writtcn by 
 W. H. G. Kingston. Illustrated by Franklin. 12mo, eitn 
 sloth. 
 
 By Madamb a* Gi&ardul 
 
 S TORIES OF AN OLD MAID. 
 16mo, illustrated, cloth. 
 
 
 
 
 vw 
 
8 
 
 D. Appleton Jt Company's Juvenile Work s. 
 
 S UNSHINE IN GREYSTONE. By the author of u Louis'l 
 School Days.” 16mo, illustrated, 
 
 U NCLE JOHN’S FIRST BOOK. Illustrated with numerous 
 pretty engravings. Square lGmo, neat cloth, 
 
 U NCLE JOHN’S SECOND BOOK. Illustrated with numerctti 
 pretty engravings. Square 18mo, in neat cloth. 
 
 V ICAR OF WAKEFIELD. A Tale. By Oliyeb Goldsmith. 
 1 vol., 12mo, with numerous illustrations. 
 
 T HE LITTLE BUILDEE; or, How a Child may Make a Card* 
 board Village, without using any adhesive material. A new 
 «md excellent toy book for children. The various buildings are beau- 
 tifully colored, and supplied ready for cutting p it. 
 
 T HE LITTLE ENGINEEK; or, How a Child may make a Card- 
 board Eailway Station, with Engine, Tender, Carriages, Station. 
 Bridges, Signal Posts, Passengers, Porters, &c. Folio. Colored. 
 By the Designer of the “ Little Builder.” 
 
 %* The success of this very beautiful and interesting toy book ia 
 likely to exceed even that pf the “ Little Builder,” and the effect 
 produced, when carefully put together, is charming in the extreme. 
 
 rpiIE WANDEEEES BY SEA AND LAND, WITH OTHEB 
 JL TALES. By Petek Parley. Illustrated with exquisite de- 
 signs. 1 vol., 12mo. 
 
 T HE WEEK’S DELIGHT'; or, GAMES AND STOEIES FOB 
 THE PAELOE AND FIEESIDE. 1 neat volume, 16mo. 
 Engravings. 
 
 TYTILLIAM TELL. THE PATRIOT OF SWITZERLAND ; to 
 V V which is added; Andreas Hofer, the “ Tell ” of the Tyrol 
 Cloth. 
 
 W INTER (A) WREATH OF SUMMER FLOWERS. By 8. 
 
 G. Goodrich. Illustrated with splendid colored plates by 
 french artists. 1 superb volume, Svo, extra cloth, gilt edges. 
 
 Y oung American’s picture gallery, containing ooe 
 
 beautiful engravings. 4to, fancy boards. The same, ool 
 
 »retL 
 
 Y OUNG STUDENT (The); or, RALPH AND VICTOR. Bj 
 Madame Guizot. 1 volume of 500 pages, with illustration* 
 
 OUTH’S BOOK OF NATURE. New edition. 1 yoJ m* 
 16mo, cloth. 
 
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