Part 13 (1/2)
[Sidenote: Temple of AEolus.]
The ancients, and especially the Athenians, paid particular attention to the winds, to whom they dedicated a temple, which is still extant, and generally known as the Tower of the Winds, or the Temple of AEolus. This temple is hexagonal, and on each side a flying figure of one of the winds is represented.
Eurus, the east wind, was generally depicted ”as a young man flying with great impetuosity, and often appearing in a playful and wanton humor.” Notus, or Auster, the southwest wind, ”appeared generally as an old man, with gray hair, a gloomy countenance, a head covered with clouds, a sable vesture, and dusky wings,” for he was considered the dispenser of rain and of all sudden and heavy showers. Zephyrus, mild and gentle, had a lapful of flowers, and, according to the Athenian belief, was wedded to Flora, with whom he was perfectly happy, and visited every land in turn. Corus, the northwest wind, drove clouds of snow before him; while Aquilo, dreadful in appearance, caused cold s.h.i.+vers to run down one's back at his mere sight. Boreas, rough and s.h.i.+vering too, was the father of rain, snow, hail, and tempests, and was therefore generally represented as veiled in impenetrable clouds. His favorite place of abode was in the Hyperborean Mountains, from whence he sallied forth on wild raids. During one of these excursions he carried off Orithyia, who always fled at his approach. But all her fleetness could not save her: she was overtaken, and borne away to the inaccessible regions of snow and ice, where he detained her, and made her his wife. She became the mother of Zetes and Calais,--who took part in the Argonautic expedition, and drove away the Harpies (p. 267),--and of two daughters, Cleopatra and Chione.
On another occasion, Boreas, having changed himself into a horse and united himself to the mares of Darda.n.u.s, King of Troy, became the father of twelve steeds so swift that none could overtake them.
CHAPTER XIX.
HERCULES.
”Unto this thy son it shall be given, With his broad heart to win his way to heaven; Twelve labors shall he work; and all accurst And brutal things o'erthrow, brute men the worst; And in Trachinia shall the funeral pyre Purge his mortalities away with fire; And he shall mount amid the stars, and be Acknowledg'd kin to those who envied thee, And sent these den-born shapes to crush his destiny.”
Theocritus (Hunt's tr.).
The ancients were not content to wors.h.i.+p the G.o.ds only, but also offered up sacrifices to a few mortals, who, by their heroic deeds and virtuous lives, had won both admiration and respect. Foremost among these heroes--generally designated by the t.i.tle of demiG.o.ds--is Hercules (Heracles, Alcides), son of Jupiter and Alcmene, a mortal princess.
[Sidenote: Juno persecutes Hercules.]
As soon as the tidings of Hercules' birth reached Olympus, Juno began to plot how to destroy her rival's child. Two colossal serpents with poisonous fangs were therefore dispatched by her orders to attack the babe in its cradle. The monsters crept along noiselessly, entered the palace unseen, twined themselves around the cradle, and were about to crush the child to death in their folds, when, to the utter astonishment of the helpless attendants, little Hercules caught them fast by the neck in each tiny hand and strangled them, thus giving the first proof of the marvelous strength which was to make him famous.
[Ill.u.s.tration: HERCULES AN INFANT. (Louvre, Paris.)]
”First two dread Snakes at Juno's vengeful nod Climb'd round the cradle of the sleeping G.o.d; Waked by the shrilling hiss, and rustling sound, And shrieks of fair attendants trembling round, Their gasping throats with clenching hands he holds; And Death untwists their convoluted folds.”
Darwin.
When Juno perceived how easily Hercules had escaped from the danger which threatened him, she deemed it useless to make another attempt to take his life, but decided to vex his proud spirit by inflicting many petty annoyances, and to prevent his enjoying any lasting peace or happiness.
To achieve this purpose, she first extorted from Jupiter a decree that condemned Hercules to serve his cousin Eurystheus--a mean and cowardly prince who ruled over the kingdom of Argos--for a certain number of years.
Hercules' education was carefully attended to by Chiron, a learned Centaur, who taught him how to use all the different weapons, and trained him in all kinds of athletic sports. The years pa.s.sed by happily and swiftly, until at last the time came when Hercules' education was completed, and the whole world lay before him, full of pleasant possibilities, and rich with many attractions.
[Sidenote: Hercules' choice.]
The youthful hero, dismissed by his instructor, now set out to seek his fortunes. He had not gone very far, however, before he met two beautiful women, who immediately entered into conversation with him, and drew from him a confession that he was in search of adventures. The women, Arete (Virtue) and Kakia (Vice), each offered to be his guide, but bade him choose which he preferred to follow.
Kakia, to induce him to follow her guidance, promised riches, ease, consideration, and love; while Arete, a modest maiden, warned him that in her wake he would be obliged to wage incessant war against evil, to endure hards.h.i.+ps without number, and spend his days in toil and poverty.
Silently Hercules pondered for a while over these two so dissimilar offers, and then, mindful of his tutor's oft-repeated instructions, rose from his seat by the wayside, and, turning to Arete, declared himself ready to obey any command she might choose to give him.
”Young Hercules with firm disdain Braved the soft smiles of Pleasure's harlot train; To valiant toils his forceful limbs a.s.sign'd, And gave to Virtue all his mighty mind.”
Darwin.
Courageously he then trod along the rough and th.o.r.n.y path she pointed out, and patiently performed the various tasks she a.s.signed him, delivering the oppressed, defending the weak, and redressing all wrongs.
[Sidenote: Hercules' madness.]
In reward for these good actions he received the hand of Megara, daughter of Creon, King of Thebes, in marriage, and by her had three children, whom he tenderly loved. But Juno was not at all satisfied to see him leading such a peaceful and prosperous life, and to interrupt its even course drove the hero mad.
In a fit of delirium he threw his offspring into the fire, and, we are told, slew his dearly beloved wife. Then only he recovered his senses, and suffered agonies of sorrow and remorse for the terrible crimes he had unwittingly committed. In his grief he withdrew to the mountain solitudes, where he would probably have lingered all the remainder of his life, had not Mercury come to get him, and announced that he was to serve Eurystheus, King of Argos, for a twelvemonth.
[Sidenote: Hercules in servitude.]
The messenger G.o.d then offered to lead him to his appointed taskmaster. But when Hercules learned he was doomed to be a slave, he fell into such a pa.s.sion, that he nearly lost his reason again; and instead of killing noxious beasts, and winning the people's blessings by his deeds of kindness, he wandered about stupidly and aimlessly, until he finally perceived how vain was his attempt to struggle against fate, and urged by his chosen adviser, Arete, voluntarily offered his services to Eurystheus, who informed him that he must accomplish twelve great labors ere he could again be free.
[Sidenote: Nemean lion.]
Eager to begin the appointed tasks, Hercules set out first to find and destroy a monstrous lion, whose den was in the Nemean Forest. Far and wide, throughout the whole neighborhood, this monster committed his depredations, carrying off cattle and sheep, men, women, and children, to devour at his ease. All warned Hercules of the danger and difficulty of the undertaking, described the failure of countless previous attempts to slay the monster, and prophesied that he would never return alive. The hero would not be dissuaded, but entered the forest, tracked the lion to his den, grasped him by the throat, and strangled him as he had strangled the snakes in his infancy. He then skinned the monster, whose s.h.a.ggy pelt became his favorite covering.
”So from Nemea's den Alcides strode, The lion's yellow spoil around his shoulders flow'd.”
Flaccus (Elton's tr.).
[Sidenote: Hydra of Lerna.]
On his return to Argos to report the successful termination of his first task, Hercules was told to repair to the marshes of Lerna, where lurked a seven-headed serpent, the Hydra, and put an end to its career of rapacity, for this snake devoured man and beast. Armed with a great sword, Hercules succeeded in cutting off one of the seven heads; but he had no sooner done so, than, to his dismay, he saw seven other heads suddenly spring from the bleeding stump. To prevent a repet.i.tion of this unpleasant miracle, Hercules bade his friend Iolaus, who had accompanied him thither to view his prowess, take a lighted brand and sear the wounds as soon as inflicted. Thanks to this wise plan, the monster was finally slain, although a friendly crab sent by Juno to defend Hydra continually pinched Hercules' feet. The hero, angry at this intervention, crushed the crab, which, however, received its reward, for the Queen of Heaven placed it in the sky as the constellation of Cancer (the Crab). The country was thus freed from its long state of thraldom; but, before leaving the scene of his second labor, Hercules dipped his arrows in the Hydra's venomous blood, knowing well that any wound they inflicted, however slight, would be sure to prove fatal.
[Sidenote: Stag of Cerynea.]
The third task appointed by Eurystheus was the capture of the golden-horned, brazen-footed stag of Cerynea, whose fleetness was such that he seemed scarcely to touch the ground. Hercules was obliged to pursue this animal for many a weary mile before he could overtake him; and he only managed the capture by driving him into a deep snowdrift, in a distant northern land, from which he extricated him, and carried him home in triumph.
[Sidenote: Erymanthian boar.]
The same success crowned his fourth labor, the capture of the wild boar of Erymanthus in Arcadia. Attacked by the Centaurs during the performance of this labor, Hercules turned his deadly arrows upon them, and accidentally wounded his beloved tutor Chiron, who was coming to settle the dispute. Vainly the hero applied every healing herb. The wound was mortal, and Chiron died; but in reward for his good offices the G.o.ds transferred him to the sky, where he is known as the constellation Sagittarius.
[Sidenote: Augean stables.]
Hercules was next sent to Augeas, King of Elis, who had immense droves of cattle. The stables usually occupied by these animals were in an incredibly filthy state, as they had not been cleaned in years; and now Hercules was given the task to remove the acc.u.mulated filth, and make a complete purification of the premises.
Close by these stables rushed a torrent, or rather a river, the Alpheus. Hercules, with one glance, saw the use he could make of this rus.h.i.+ng stream, which he dammed and turned aside from its course, so that the waters pa.s.sed directly through the stables, carrying away all impurities, and finally was.h.i.+ng them perfectly clean.
[Ill.u.s.tration: HERCULES AND CENTAUR.--Bologna. (Florence.)]
”Nothing else Could clean the Augean stables.”
Wordsworth.
When Hercules saw that the work of purification was thoroughly accomplished, he guided the stream back to its original bed, and returned home to announce that the fifth labor was accomplished. The fabulous filth of the Augean stables, and the radical methods employed for their cleansing, have given rise to proverbial expressions still in current use.
[Sidenote: Cretan bull.]
Hercules next journeyed off to Crete to accomplish his sixth task, the capture of a mad bull given by Neptune to Minos, king of the island. The G.o.d had sent the animal with directions that he should be offered up in sacrifice; but Minos, charmed with his unusual size and beauty, resolved to keep him, and subst.i.tuted a bull from his own herds for the religious ceremony.
Angry at seeing his express command so wantonly disobeyed, Neptune maddened the bull, which rushed wildly all over the island, causing great damage. This was the animal that Hercules, with his usual strength and skill, caught and bound fast, thus finis.h.i.+ng the sixth task.