Myths of Greece and Rome Part 16

[Sidenote: Phryxus and h.e.l.le.]

To surrender power and wealth and return to obscurity was not to be thought of; but Pelias artfully concealed his displeasure, and told his nephew that they would discuss the matter and come to an amicable understanding after the banquet, which was already spread and awaiting their presence. During the festive meal, bards sang of all the heroic deeds accomplished by great men; and Pelias, by judicious flattery, stimulated Jason to attempt similar feats. At last the musicians recited the story of Phryxus and h.e.l.le, the son and daughter of Athamas and Nephele, who, to escape the cruel treatment of their stepmother, Ino (p. 174), mounted a winged, golden-fleeced ram sent by Neptune to transport them to Colchis.

The ram flew over land and sea; but h.e.l.le, frightened at the sight of the waves tossing far beneath her, suddenly lost her hold on the golden fleece, and tumbled off the ram's back into a portion of the sea since known as the h.e.l.lespont, "Where beauteous h.e.l.le found a watery grave."

Meleager.

Phryxus, more fortunate than his sister, reached Colchis in safety, and in grat.i.tude to the G.o.ds sacrificed the ram they had sent to deliver him, and hung its golden fleece on a tree, near which he stationed a dragon to guard it night and day. The bards then went on to relate that the glittering trophy still hung there, awaiting a hand bold enough to slay the dragon and bear it off.

[Sidenote: The golden fleece.]

This tale and his liberal potations greatly excited the youth Jason; and Pelias, perceiving it, hypocritically regretted his inability to win the golden fleece, and softly insinuated that young men of the present generation were not brave enough to risk their lives in such a glorious cause. The usurper's crafty remarks had the desired effect; for Jason suddenly sprang from his seat, and vowed he would go in quest of the golden fleece. Pelias, quite certain that the rash youth would lose his life in the attempt, and thus cause no more trouble, with much difficulty restrained all expressions of joy, and dared him to make the attempt.

"With terror struck, lest by young Jason's hand His crown should be rent from him, Pelias sought By machinations dark to slay his foe. From Colchis' realm to bring the golden fleece He charged the youth."

Orphic Argonautics.

[Sidenote: The Speaking Oak.]

When Jason, sobered and refreshed by a long night's rest, perceived how foolish had been his vow, he would fain have recalled it; but, mindful of Chiron's teachings ever to be true to his word, he resolved to depart for Colchis. To secure Juno's a.s.sistance, he began by visiting her shrine at Dodona, where the oracle, a Speaking Oak, a.s.sured him of the G.o.ddess's good will and efficacious protection. Next the Speaking Oak bade him cut off one of its own mighty limbs, and carve from it a figurehead for the swift-sailing vessel which Minerva, at Juno's request, would build for his use from pine trees grown on Mount Pelion.

[Sidenote: The Argo and crew.]

Jason, having finished his figurehead, found that it too had the gift of speech, and that it would occasionally vouchsafe sage counsel in the direction of his affairs. When quite completed, Jason called his vessel the Argo (swift-sailing), and speedily collected a crew of heroes as brave as himself, among whom were Hercules, Castor, Pollux, Peleus, Admetus, Theseus, and Orpheus, who were all glad to undertake the perilous journey to lands unknown. To speed them on their way, Juno then bargained with AEolus for favorable winds, and forbade any tempest which might work them harm.

"Then with a whistling breeze did Juno fill the sail, And Argo, self-impell'd, shot swift before the gale."

Onomacritus (Elton's tr.).

[Sidenote: Story of Hylas.]

On several occasions the heroes landed, either to renew their stock of provisions or to recruit their strength, but in general every delay brought them some misfortune. Once Hercules, having landed with a youth named Hylas to cut wood for new oars, bade the youth go to a neighboring spring and draw a pitcher of water to quench the thirst produced by his exertions. The youth promptly departed; but as he bent over the fountain, the nymphs, enamored with his beauty, drew him down into their moist abode to keep them company. Hercules, after vainly waiting for Hylas' return, went in search of him, but could find no trace of him, and, in his grief and disappointment at the death of his young friend, refused to continue the expedition, and, deserting the Argonauts, made his way home alone and on foot.

[Sidenote: Phineus and the Harpies.]

On another occasion, when Jason visited Phineus, the blind king of Thrace, he heard that this monarch's life was imbittered by the Harpies, vile monsters, part woman, part bird, who ate or befouled all the food placed before him, and never let him eat a mouthful in peace. Having repeated this tale to his companions, the two sons of Boreas, who were also in the Argo, begged permission to drive them away. Jason could not refuse their request; and the two youths, with drawn swords, pursued the Harpies to the Strophades Islands, where the birds promised to remain.

Jason, sailing on in the mean while, was attacked by a flock of brazen-feathered birds, which rained their sharp plumage down upon the Argonauts, wounding many of them sorely. The captain of the expedition, seeing weapons were of no avail against these foes, consulted the figurehead, and, in obedience to its directions, clashed his arms against his shield, until, terrified by the din, the brazen-feathered birds flew rapidly away, uttering discordant cries of terror.

[Sidenote: The Symplegades.]

Some time during the course of their journey the Argonauts came to the Symplegades,--floating rocks which continually crashed together, and ground to powder all objects caught between them. Jason knew he was obliged to pa.s.s between these rocks or give up the expedition: so, calculating that the speed of his vessel was equal to that of a dove on the wing, he sent one out before him. The dove flew safely between the rocks, losing only one of its tail feathers as they again clashed together. Watching his opportunity, therefore, Jason bade his men row swiftly. The Argo darted through the opening, and, when the rocks again came into contact, they merely grazed the rudder. As a vessel had pa.s.sed between them unharmed, their power for evil left them, and they were chained fast to the bottom of the sea, near the mouth of the Bosporus, where they remained immovable like any other rocks.

[Sidenote: Arrival at Colchis.]

The Argonauts, after other adventures far too numerous to recount in detail, reached the Colchian sh.o.r.es, and presented themselves before AEetes, the king, to whom they made known their errand. Loath to part with his golden treasure, AEetes declared, that, before Jason could obtain the fleece, he must catch and harness two wild, fire-breathing bulls dedicated to Vulcan, and make use of them to plow a stony piece of ground sacred to Mars. This done, he must sow the field with some dragon's teeth, as Cadmus had done (p. 48), conquer the giants which would spring up, and, last of all, slay the guardian dragon, or the fleece would never be his.

[Sidenote: Medea's aid.]

One of these tasks would have sufficed to dismay many a brave youth; but Jason was of the dauntless kind, and merely hastened down to his vessel to ask the figurehead how he had better proceed. On his way to the seash.o.r.e he met the king's daughter, Medea, a beautiful young sorceress, who had been charmed by his modest but firm bearing, and who was quite ready to bring her magic to his aid if he would but promise to marry her. Jason, susceptible to her attractions, and free from any conflicting ties, readily agreed to her proposal, and, carrying out her directions, caught and harnessed the fiery bulls, plowed the field, and sowed it with the dragon's teeth.

"And how he yoked the bulls, whose breathings fiery glow'd, And with the dragons' teeth the furrow'd acres sow'd."

Onomacritus (Elton's tr.).

But when he saw glittering spears and helmets grow out of the ground, and beheld the close ranks of giants in full armor, he was filled with dismay, and would have fled had it been possible. However, aware that such a performance would insure his ruin, he stood his ground, and, when the phalanx was quite near him, threw a handful of dust full in the giants' faces. Blinded with the sand, the giants attacked one another, and in a short time were exterminated.

"They, like swift dogs, Ranging in fierceness, on each other turn'd Tumultuous battle. On their mother earth By their own spears they sank; like pines, or oaks, Strew'd by a whirlwind in the mountain dale."

Apollonius Rhodius (Elton's tr.).

[Sidenote: The fleece captured.]

Accompanied by Medea, Jason next hastened to the tree where the dragon kept guard over his treasure. An opiate prepared by Medea's magic skill soon made the dragon forget his charge in a profound sleep, and enabled Jason to draw near enough to sever his frightful head from his hideous trunk. Jason then tore the coveted fleece from the branch where it had hung for many a year, and bore it in triumph to the Argo.

"Exulting Jason grasped the shining hide, His last of labors, and his envied pride. Slow from the groaning branch the fleece was rent."

Flaccus (Elton's tr.).

His companions, who had made ready for a hasty departure, were already seated at their oars; and, as soon as he had embarked with Medea and her attendants, the Argo shot out of the Colchian harbor.

[Ill.u.s.tration: JASON AND THE DRAGON.--Salvator Rosa.]

"How softly stole from home the luckless-wedded maid, Through darkness of the night, in linen robe array'd; By Fate to Argo led, and urged by soft desire, Nor yet regarding aught her father's furious ire."

Onomacritus (Elton's tr.).

When morning dawned and AEetes awoke, he heard that the dragon was slain, the fleece stolen, his daughter gone, and the Grecian ship far out of sight. No time was lost in useless wailing, but a vessel was hurriedly launched and manned, and the king in person set out in pursuit of the fugitives, who had, moreover, taken his most precious treasure, his only son and heir, Absyrtus. Although the Colchian men were good sailors and skillful rowers, they did not catch sight of the Argo until they came near the mouth of the Danube, and AEetes wildly called to his daughter to return to her home and to her father.

"'Stay thy rash flight! and, from the distant main,-- For oh! thou canst, my daughter,--turn again. Whither depart? the vessel backward steer; Thy friends, thy still fond father, wait thee here.'"

Flaccus (Elton's tr.).

[Sidenote: Death of Absyrtus.]

But Medea had no wish to be torn away from Jason's arms, and, instead of listening to her father's entreaties, urged the Argonauts to redoubled efforts. Little by little the distance between the two vessels grew less; the Colchian rowers were gaining upon the Greek; and Medea saw, that, unless she found means to delay her father, he would overtake her and compel her to return. With her own hands she therefore slew her little brother, Absyrtus, and cut his body into pieces, which she dropped over the side of the vessel one by one. AEetes, a helpless witness of this cruel, awful deed, piously collected his son's remains, and, in pausing to do so, lost sight of the Argo, and all hope of recovering his unnatural daughter: so he returned sadly to Colchis, where he buried his son's remains with due solemnity.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MEDEA.--Sichel.]

[Sidenote: Pelias dethroned.]

In the mean while, Pelias had reigned contentedly over Thessaly, confident that Jason would never return. Imagine his dismay, therefore, when he heard that the Argo had arrived, bearing Jason, now the proud possessor of the renowned golden fleece. Ere he could take measures to maintain his usurped authority, Jason appeared, and compelled him to resign the throne in favor of the rightful king, AEson.

Unfortunately, AEson was now so old and decrepit, that power had no charms for him: so Jason begged Medea to use her magic in his behalf, and restore him to the vigor and beauty of his early manhood. To gratify Jason, Medea called all her magic into play, and by some mysterious process restored AEson to all his former youth, strength, activity, and grace.

"Medea's spells dispersed the weight of years, And AEson stood a youth 'mid youthful peers."

Wordsworth.

[Sidenote: The magic recipe.]

As soon as Pelias' daughters heard of this miraculous transformation, they hastened to Medea and implored her to give them the recipe, that they might rejuvenate their father also. The sorceress maliciously bade them cut their father's body into small pieces, and boil them in a caldron with certain herbs, declaring that, if the directions were carefully carried out, the result would be satisfactory; but, when the too credulous maidens carried out these instructions, they only slew the father whom they had so dearly loved.

Days and years now pa.s.sed happily and uneventfully for Jason and Medea; but at last their affection for each other cooled, and Jason fell in love with Glauce, or Creusa. Frantic with jealousy, Medea prepared and sent the maiden a magic robe, which she no sooner donned than she was seized with terrible convulsions, in which she died. Medea, still full of resentment against Jason, then slew her own children, and, mounting her dragon car, departed, leaving a message for Jason, purporting that the Argo would yet cause his death.

[Sidenote: Death of Jason.]

Jason, a victim of remorse and despair, now led a weary and sorrowful life, and every day he wandered down to the sh.o.r.e, where he sat under the shade of the Argo's hulk, which was slowly rotting away. One day, while he was sitting there musing over his youthful adventures and Medea's strange prophecy, a sudden gale detached a beam, which, falling on his head, fractured his skull and caused instantaneous death.

The Argonautic expedition is emblematic of the first long maritime voyage undertaken by the Greeks for commercial purposes; while the golden fleece which Jason brought back from Colchis is but a symbol of the untold riches they found in the East, and brought back to their own native land.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE CALYDONIAN HUNT.

[Sidenote: Birth of Meleager.]

Oeneus and Althaea, King and Queen of Calydon, in AEtolia, were very happy in the possession of a little son, Meleager, only a few days old, until they heard that the Fates had decreed the child should live only as long as the brand then smoking and crackling on the hearth. The parents were motionless with grief, until Althaea, with true mother's wit, s.n.a.t.c.hed the brand from the fire, plunged it into an earthen jar filled with water, quenched the flames which were consuming it, and, carefully laying it aside, announced her intention to keep it forever.

Meleager, thus saved from an untimely death by his mother's presence of mind, grew up a brave and handsome youth, and joined the Argonautic expedition. While he was absent, his father omitted the yearly sacrifice to Diana, who, enraged at his neglect, sent a monstrous boar to devour his subjects and devastate his realm. Meleager, on his return, gathered together all the brave men of the country, and inst.i.tuted a great hunt, whose main object was the capture or death of the obnoxious boar.

[Sidenote: The hunters.]

Jason, Nestor, Peleus, Admetus, Theseus, Pirithous, and many other noted heroes, came at his call; but the attention of all the spectators was specially attracted by Castor and Pollux, and by the fair Atalanta, daughter of Iasius, King of Arcadia. This princess had led a very adventurous life; for when but a babe, her father, disappointed to see a daughter instead of the longed-for son, had exposed her on Mount Parthenium to the fury of the wild beasts. Some hunters, pa.s.sing there shortly after this, found the babe fearlessly nursing from a she-bear, and in compa.s.sion carried her home, where they trained her to love the chase.

The grand Calydonian Hunt was headed by Meleager and Atalanta, who were very fond of each other, and who boldly led the rest in pursuit of the boar. From one end of the Calydonian forest to the other the boar fled, closely pursued by the hunt, and was at last brought to bay by Atalanta, who succeeded in dealing him a mortal wound. But even in his dying struggles the boar would have killed her, had not Meleager come to her rescue and given him his deathblow.

[Sidenote: Meleager slays his uncles.]

All the hunt now gathered around the boar's corpse, and watched Meleager take its spoil, which he gallantly bestowed upon Atalanta. Althaea's two brothers were present at the hunt; and, as they wished to possess the skin, they bitterly reproved their nephew on their way home for giving it to a stranger. They added taunts to this reproof, which so angered Meleager, that, in a sudden fit of pa.s.sion, he slew them both. When Althaea saw her brothers' corpses, and heard that they had been slain by her son, she vowed to avenge their death, drew the carefully cherished brand from its hiding place, and threw it upon the fire burning brightly on her hearth. When the last bit of the precious wood crumbled away into ashes, Meleager died. All Althaea's affection for her son returned when his lifeless corpse was brought to her, and in her despair she committed suicide.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ATALANTA'S RACE.--Poynter.]

[Sidenote: Atalanta's race.]

In the mean while, Atalanta, proud of her skill and of her spoil, had returned to her father's court, where, no other heir having appeared, she was joyfully received, and entreated to marry. Many suitors came to woo the fair princess, but most of them refrained from pressing their suit when they heard what conditions were imposed upon all who would obtain her hand; for Atalanta disapproved of marriage, and, anxious to keep her freedom, decreed that she should marry only on condition that her suitor would beat her in a foot race. If he were beaten, however, he must pay for his defeat by forfeiting his life.

[Sidenote: The golden apples.]

In spite of these barbarous terms, a few youths had tried to outrun her; but they failed, and their lifeless heads were exposed on the racing ground to deter all other suitors. Undaunted by these ghastly trophies, Hippomenes, or Milanion, once came to Atalanta and expressed a desire to race with her. This youth had previously obtained Venus' protection, and concealed under his garment her gift of three golden apples. Atalanta prepared for her race as usual, and, as usual, pa.s.sed her rival; but just as she did so, one of the golden apples rolled at her feet. For a moment she paused, then stooped and picked it up ere she resumed the race. Her adversary had pa.s.sed her and won some advance; but she soon overtook him, when a second golden apple caused a second delay. She was about to reach the goal first, as usual, when a third golden treasure tempted her to pause, and enabled Hippomenes to win the race.

"Hippomenes turns her astray By the golden illusions he flings on her way."

Moore.

Atalanta could now no longer refuse to marry, and her nuptials were soon celebrated. In his happiness at having won such a peerless bride, Hippomenes forgot to pay the promised thanks to Venus, for which offense he and his wife were severely punished by being transformed into a pair of lions, and doomed to drag Cybele's car (p. 19).

[Sidenote: Castor and Pollux.]

The twin brothers Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri, or Gemini, who had greatly distinguished themselves by their daring in the Calydonian Hunt, were made the deities of boxing, wrestling, and all equestrian exercises.

"Leda's sons I'll sound, Ill.u.s.trious twins, that are For wrestling this, and for the race renown'd."

Horace.

One of these twins, Castor, was a mortal, and in a combat with the sons of Aphareus was slain. Pollux, who was immortal, then implored Jupiter to allow him to die also, that he might not be parted from his brother,--a proof of brotherly affection which so touched the father of the G.o.ds, that he permitted Castor to return to life on condition that Pollux would spend half his time in Hades.

Later on, satisfied that even this sacrifice was none too great for their fraternal love, he translated them both to the skies, where they form a bright constellation, one of the signs of the zodiac. Castor and Pollux are generally represented as handsome youths, mounted on snowy chargers.

"So like they were, no mortal Might one from other know: White as snow their armor was: Their steeds were white as snow."

Macaulay.

Their appearance under certain circ.u.mstances foretold success in war, and the Romans believed that they fought at the head of their legions at the celebrated battle of Lake Regillus. Their name was also given to meteors, sometimes seen at sea, which attach themselves like b.a.l.l.s of fire to the masts of ships,--a sure sign, according to the sailors, of fine weather and an auspicious journey.

"Safe comes the ship to haven, Through billows and through gales, If once the Great Twin Brethren Sit shining on the sails."

Macaulay.

Festivals celebrated in honor of these twin brethren, and called the Dioscuria, were held in many places, but specially in Sparta, their birthplace, where they had world-renowned wrestling matches.

CHAPTER XXIV.

OEDIPUS.

Laius and Jocasta, King and Queen of Thebes, in Boeotia, were greatly delighted at the birth of a little son. In their joy they sent for the priests of Apollo, and bade them foretell the glorious deeds their heir would perform; but all their joy was turned to grief when told that the child was destined to kill his father, marry his mother, and bring great misfortunes upon his native city.

"Laius once, Not from Apollo, but his priests, receiv'd An oracle, which said, it was decreed He should be slain by his own son."

Sophocles (Francklin's tr.).

To prevent the fulfillment of this dreadful prophecy, Laius bade a servant carry the new-born child out of the city, and end its feeble little life. The king's mandate was obeyed only in part; for the servant, instead of killing the child, hung it up by its ankles to a tree in a remote place, and left it there to perish from hunger and exposure if it were spared by the wild beasts.