Part 14 (1/2)
[Ill.u.s.tration: HERCULES AT THE FEET OF OMPHALE.--Gleyre.]
However unworthy these effeminate tasks may seem for such a hero, they proved very agreeable indeed to Hercules, who, having fallen in love with his new mistress, seemed to wish nothing better than to remain her slave forever, and end his days in idleness and pleasure. Great labors were awaiting his mighty arm, however; and the G.o.ds, at the appointed time, freed him from his bondage to the Lydian queen, and bade him go forth and do all the good in his power.
[Sidenote: Hercules and Deianeira]
In the course of his wanderings, Hercules next met Deianeira, daughter of Oeneus, and, having fallen in love with her, expressed a desire to marry her. But unfortunately another suitor, the river G.o.d Achelous, had already won the father's consent.
”Achelous came, The river G.o.d, to ask a father's voice, And s.n.a.t.c.hed me to his arms.”
Sophocles (Francklin's tr.).
So sure was this suitor of his attractions, that he did not even deem it necessary to secure the maiden's good graces; and when Hercules made known his love, she immediately promised to marry him, if he would only free her from the lover her father would fain force upon her. Delighted to be able to win his bride and punish his rival at the same time, Hercules challenged Achelous; and now began a wrestling match, the fame of which has come down to us through all the intervening centuries.
Achelous was an opponent worthy of Hercules, and, besides, took advantage of his power to change his form at will, further to perplex and hara.s.s the st.u.r.dy hero. At last he a.s.sumed the shape of a bull, and with lowered horns rushed toward Hercules, intending to toss him aside. The hero, skillfully avoiding his first onset, seized him by one of his great thickset horns, and held it so firmly that all the bull's efforts to free himself from his powerful grasp were vain, until the horn broke.
The G.o.ddess of Plenty, the Attican Fortuna, a witness of this strange combat, appropriated the broken horn, stuffed her treasures in its hollow, and was so well pleased with the effect, that she decreed it should henceforth be one of her attributes. The fight, only temporarily suspended, was now resumed with redoubled ardor, for each of the lovers was intent upon winning the hand of the fair Deianeira.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FORTUNA. (Vatican, Rome.)]
”Warm, and more warm the conflict grows: Dire was the noise of rattling bows, Of front to front opposed, and hand to hand: Deep was the animated strife For love, for conquest, and for life.”
Sophocles (Francklin's tr.).
The victory, though long uncertain, finally rested with Hercules, who triumphantly departed with his hard-won bride, for his destiny would not permit him to tarry long in any place. Instead of wandering alone now, with none to cheer or sympathize, Hercules had Deianeira ever at his side; and after many days they came to the river Evenus, whose usually shallow and peaceful waters were swollen and turbid, for violent rainstorms had recently swept over that portion of the country.
[Sidenote: Story of Nessus.]
Hercules paused for a moment to contemplate the stream, and glanced about for some safe mode to transport Deianeira across. While he was thus considering, a Centaur by the name of Nessus came to his a.s.sistance, and proposed to carry the fair young bride to the other sh.o.r.e in complete safety, if she would but consent to mount upon his broad back.
”The h.o.a.ry centaur, who was wont for hire To bear the traveler o'er the rapid flood Of deep Evenus: not with oars or sail He stemm'd the torrent, but with nervous arm Opposed and pa.s.s'd it; me, when first a bride, I left my father's hospitable roof With my Alcides, in his arms he bore Athwart the current.”
Sophocles (Francklin's tr.).
Hercules, only too glad to avail himself of the Centaur's kind offer of a.s.sistance, quickly helped Deianeira to mount, saw them descend into the water, and prepared to follow, holding his bow and arrows aloft in one hand, and breasting the waves with the other.
Now, the Centaur Nessus did not often have the good fortune to carry such a pretty pa.s.senger as Deianeira over the river, and as he swam he made up his mind to gallop off with her as soon as he reached the opposite sh.o.r.e. All his strength and energy, therefore, were called into requisition; and when he reached the sh.o.r.e, instead of pausing to allow his fair burden to dismount, he set off as fast as he could run.
[Sidenote: Nessus' robe.]
A loud shriek from Deianeira attracted Hercules' attention, and a second later one of his poisoned arrows had brought the would-be ravisher to the ground, pierced through the heart. With dying accents the Centaur Nessus professed repentance, and bade Deianeira take his robe,--but slightly stained with the blood which gushed from the wound inflicted by the poisoned arrow,--and keep it carefully, for it had magic power; and if she ever found her husband's love waning, he a.s.sured her, that, could she but induce him to put it on, all his early affection would revive, as pure and fervent as during their honeymoon.
”'Take This white robe. It is costly. See, my blood Has stained it but a little. I did wrong: I know it, and repent me. If there come A time when he grows cold--for all the race Of heroes wander, nor can any love Fix theirs for long--take it and wrap him in it, And he shall love again.'”
Lewis Morris.
Deianeira gratefully accepted the proffered gift, and promised to treasure it up carefully, although she sincerely hoped she would never be called upon to make use of it. Years pa.s.sed by. Hercules often left Deianeira to deliver the oppressed and relieve the suffering, for people came from great distances to ask for his aid; and although his absences were sometimes prolonged, he always returned to her side, as loving as ever, and she had no cause for complaint. Finally duty took him back to the court of Eurytus, where he beheld Iole, whom he had seen and loved in the beginning of his career, but whom he had been obliged to leave to fulfill his arduous tasks. She was still young and charming, and his first glance into her sweet face rekindled all his former pa.s.sion. Day after day he lingered by her side, forgetful of duty, Deianeira, and all but his first dream of love and happiness. When absent, Deianeira was wont to hear rumors of his heroic achievements; but on this occasion the only report which reached her ear was that he had returned to his allegiance to his first love, and this roused her jealousy, so long dormant.
[Sidenote: Deianeira's jealousy.]
Finally she heard that Hercules was wending his way homeward again, and her heart bounded with joy, but only to sink more heavily when told that he was accompanied by Iole and a numerous train. Then she remembered the long-forgotten gift of the Centaur. With trembling hands she sought the glittering robe, gave it to a messenger, and bade him hasten to meet Hercules, and prevail upon him to wear it for his triumphant return. The messenger, Lichas, hastened to do her bidding, and Deianeira waited with fast-beating heart for the success of her venture.
”I only wish the charm may be of power To win Alcides from this virgin's love, And bring him back to Deianeira's arms.”
Sophocles (Francklin's tr.).
Lichas acquitted himself faithfully of his errand; and Hercules, viewing the costly garment, and anxious to appear to his best advantage before the bright eyes of Iole, immediately donned the richly embroidered robe.
[Sidenote: Hercules' death.]
He had no sooner put it on, than the Centaur's poisoned blood began its deadly work. First he experienced a burning, stinging sensation, which ran like fire through every vein. Vainly he tried to tear off the fatal garment. It clung to his limbs, and the poison ate its way into his flesh, until the pain was greater than he could bear.
[Ill.u.s.tration: FARNESE HERCULES. (National Museum, Naples.)]
In his rage at the trick which had been played upon him, he seized Lichas--the unfortunate bearer of the poisoned robe--by the foot, and flung him from the heights of Mount Oeta down into the sea, where he perished.
”And Lichas from the top of Oeta threw Into th' Euboic Sea.”
Milton.
Then, resolved to end these unendurable torments by a death worthy of his whole life, Hercules called his servants, and bade them build his funeral pyre on the mountain peak; but they, in tears, refused to obey, for they could not bear the thought of parting with their beloved master. Commands and entreaties alike failed to move them: so Hercules climbed up the mountain side alone, tore up the huge oaks by their roots, flung them one upon the other until he had raised a mighty pile, upon which he stretched his colossal, pain-racked limbs, and bade his friend Philoctetes set fire to the stupendous ma.s.s.
At first Philoctetes also refused to do his bidding; but, bribed by the promise of the world-renowned poisoned arrows, he finally consented to do as Hercules wished, and the red flames rose higher and higher, the wood crackled and burned, and the hero was soon enveloped in sheets of flame, which purged him from all mortality.
Then Jupiter came down from his glorious abode, caught the n.o.ble soul in his mighty arms, and bore it off to Olympus, there to dwell in happiness forever with Hebe, the fair G.o.ddess of youth, whose hand was given him in marriage.
”Till the G.o.d, the earthly part forsaken, From the man in flames asunder taken, Drank the heavenly ethers' purer breath. Joyous in the new, unwonted lightness, Earth's dark, heavy burden lost in death. High Olympus gives harmonious greeting To the hall where reigns his sire adored; Youth's bright G.o.ddess, with a blush at meeting, Gives the nectar to her lord.”
Schiller (S. G. B.'s tr.).
[Sidenote: Wors.h.i.+p of Hercules.]
Hercules, the special divinity of athletic sports and of strength, was princ.i.p.ally wors.h.i.+ped by young men. He is generally represented in art as a tall, powerfully built man, with a small, bearded head, a lion's skin carelessly thrown over his shoulder, and leaning upon a ma.s.sive club.
”Great Alcides, stooping with his toil, Rests on his club.”
Pope.
It is said that some of the games celebrated at Olympia were held in his honor, although originally inst.i.tuted by him in honor of Jupiter, his father. The Nemean Games, celebrated in the forest of Nemea, the scene of his first great labor, were the princ.i.p.al games held in Greece in commemoration of his n.o.ble deeds and early death.
CHAPTER XX.
PERSEUS.
[Sidenote: Acrisius and Danae.]
The life of Acrisius, King of Argos, had been a burden to him ever since the unfortunate day when an oracle had predicted that he would be killed by his grandson. Until then the king had been very fond of his only child, Danae, and until then, too, had thought with pride of the time when he would bestow her hand in marriage upon the n.o.blest of all who came to woo.