Heathen mythology Part 28

CAMPBELL.

According to the more received opinions of others, Hymenaeus was a young Athenian of extraordinary beauty, but of low origin. Becoming enamoured of one of the richest and n.o.blest of his countrywomen, he worshipped her at a distance, and followed her, though respectfully, wherever she went: and, on one occasion, joined the nations of Athens in a religious procession, disguising his s.e.x by women's clothes. When they reached Eleusis, a great part of the procession were seized by a band of pirates, who suddenly appeared amongst them: Hymenaeus shared the captivity of his mistress, and encouraging the captives, they slew their ravishers while they slept.

Immediately after this, Hymenaeus repaired to Athens, and promised to deliver them if he were allowed to marry the one he might choose from amongst them.

The Athenians consented; and the lover received so much happiness in the marriage state, that festivals were inst.i.tuted in his honour, and he was solemnly invoked at their nuptials.

"Hail, wedded love, mysterious law, true source Of human offspring, sole propriety, In paradise of all things common else!

By thee adulterous l.u.s.t was driven from men Among the b.e.s.t.i.a.l herds to range; by thee Founded in reason, loyal, just, and pure, Relations dear, and all the charities Of father, son, and brother, first were known, Far be it that I should write thee sin or blame, Or think thee unbefitting holiest place; Perpetual fountain of domestic sweets, Whose bed is undefiled, and chaste p.r.o.nounced, Present, or past, as saints and patriarchs used.

Here love his golden shafts employs, here lights His constant lamp, and waves his purple wings, Reigns here and revels, not in the bought smile Of harlots, loveless, joyless, unendeared, Casual fruition; nor in court amours, Mixed dance or wanton mask, or midnight ball, Or serenade, which the starved lover sings To his proud fair, best quitted with disdain."

MILTON

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It was supposed that he always attended at nuptials; if not, matrimonial connections were fatal, and ended unhappily, and therefore people ran about calling aloud, Hymen! Hymen!

"G.o.d of the torch, whose soul-illuming flame Beams brightest radiance o'er the human heart, Of many a woe the cure, Of many a joy the source.

Friend to each better feeling of the soul, I sing to thee, for many a joy is thine, And many a virtue comes To join thy happy train.

Parent of every bliss, the busy hand Of Fancy, oft will paint in brightest hues How calm, how clear thy torch Illumes the wintry hour.

We'll paint the well-trimmed fire, the frugal meal, Prepared with good solicitude to please, The ruddy children round, Climbing the father's knee.

And oft will fancy rise above the lot Of honest poverty, and dream how man Nor rich, nor poor, enjoys His best and happiest state.

When toil no longer irksome, and restrained By hard necessity, but comes to please, To vary the still hour Of tranquil happiness,

Lured by the splendour of thy sacred torch, The beacon light of bliss, young Love draws near, And leads his willing slaves To wear thy flowery chain."

SOUTHEY.

"Hymen, late, his love-knots selling, Called at many a maiden's dwelling; None could doubt, who saw, or knew them, Hymen's call was welcome to them.

'Who'll buy my love-knots?

Who'll buy my love knots?'

Soon as that sweet cry resounded, How his baskets were surrounded!

Maids, who now first dreamt of trying Those gay knots of Hymen's tying; Dames, who long had sat to watch him Pa.s.sing by, but ne'er could catch him, 'Who'll buy my love-knots?

Who'll buy my love-knots?'

All at that sweet cry a.s.sembled; Some laughed, some blushed, and others trembled.

{164} 'Here are knots,' said Hymen, taking Some loose flowers of Love's own making; 'Here are good ones, you may trust 'em,'

(These, of course, found ready custom,) 'Come buy my love-knots, Come buy my love-knots!

Some are labelled-knots to tie men, Love, the maker--Bought of Hymen.'

Scarce their bargains were completed, When the nymphs all cried, 'We're cheated; 'See these flowers, they're drooping sadly, This gold-knot, too, ties but badly'-- 'Who'll buy my love-knots, Who'll buy my love-knots!'

Even this tie, with Love's name round it, All a sham, he never bound it!

Love, who saw the whole proceeding, Would have laughed, but for good breeding; While old Hymen, who was used to, Cries like that these dames gave loose to, 'Take back our love-knots, Take back our love-knots!'

Coolly said, 'There's no returning Wares on Hymen's hands--Good morning!'"

MOORE.

PLUTUS

--------------"All bountiful, who roams Earth, and the expanded surface of the sea; And him that meets him on his way, whose hands He grasps, him gifts he with abundant gold, And large felicity."

HESIOD.

Plutus is the G.o.d of Riches, and as the minister of the deity of the dead, inhabits the court of Pluto, thereby indicating that the precious metals are in the bowels of the earth. He was brought up by the G.o.ddess of peace, and the Greeks spoke of him as a fickle divinity, because represented as blind, he spreads by chance in his rapid course, the gold, silver, and precious stones, which escape from a box he holds in his hands; as lame, because he came slow and gradually; and with wings, to intimate that he flew away with greater velocity than he approached mankind.

Fortuna was the G.o.ddess of Fortune, and from her hands were derived riches and poverty, pleasures and misfortunes, blessings and pains.

Governed by Destiny, she guides by Occasion; and before her marches Necessity, the inflexible G.o.ddess. {165}

In Boeotia she had a statue, represented as holding Plutus in her arms, to intimate that fortune is the source whence wealth and honours flow. She is blind-folded, and her hand rests on a wheel, to intimate her inconstancy.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

HARPOCRATES.

Harpocrates, the son of Isis and Osiris, is the G.o.d of Silence. He is represented, in his statues as young, but with a countenance calm and severe, and on his brow a mitre, divided into two equal portions. His finger is placed upon his lip, to intimate the silence he maintains, and hence, all modern works of art adopt the same sign, when they wish to represent the quality over which Harpocrates is supposed to preside.

The Romans placed his statue at the entrance of their temples, to intimate that the mysteries of religion should never be revealed to the people.

"There is a lake that to the North Of Memphis, stretches grandly forth, Upon whose silent sh.o.r.e the dead Have a proud city of their own, With shrines and pyramids o'erspread-- Where many an ancient, kingly head Slumbers, immortalized in stone; And where, through marble grots beneath, The lifeless, ranged like sacred things, Nor wanting aught of life, but breath, Lie in their painted loveliness, {166} And in each new successive race, That visit their dim haunts below, Look with the same unwithering face, They wore three thousand years ago.

There Silence, thoughtful G.o.d, who loves The neighbourhood of death, in groves Of Asphodel lies hid, and weaves His hushing spell among the leaves-- Nor ever noise disturbs the air, Save the low, humming, mournful sound Of priests, within their shrines at prayer, For the fresh dead, entombed around."

MOORE.

THEMIS, ASTRaeA.

Themis, daughter of heaven and of earth, was the G.o.ddess of Justice, She wears a bandage over her eyes, and holds in her hands a sword, scales, and the mirror of truth. Her temple is always open.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Astraea, with Law and Peace, are her children, the former of whom was worshipped as Justice on the earth during the golden age; but the wickedness of mankind drove her from the world, during the succeeding periods of bra.s.s and iron, and she was placed among the constellations of the Zodiac, under the name of Virgo. She is represented as a maiden, with a stern but majestic countenance, holding a pair of scales in one hand, and a sword in the other.

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