Myths of Greece and Rome Part 23

[Sidenote: Death of Dido.]

Concealing her grief, and pretending an anger she did not feel, she bade her servants make a funeral pyre, and place upon it all the objects AEneas had used during his sojourn in her palace; then, on top of it all, she set an effigy of her false lover, set fire to the pyre, sprang into the midst of the flames, and there stabbed herself.

"'Yet let me die: thus, thus I go Exulting to the shades below. Let the false Dardan feel the blaze That burns me pouring on his gaze, And bear along, to cheer his way, The funeral presage of to-day.'"

Virgil (Conington's tr.).

From the mast of his vessel AEneas saw the rising column of smoke, and his heart sank within him; for he suspected its fatal import, and honestly mourned the death of the beautiful queen.

[Sidenote: Funeral games.]

The Trojans sailed onward until the threatening clouds made them take refuge in the Sicanian port, where they celebrated the usual games to commemorate Anchises' death, which had occurred there just one year previous. While the men were engaged in the customary naval, foot, and horse races, boxing, wrestling, and archery matches, the women gathered together, and, instigated by Juno, began to bewail the hard lot which compelled them to encounter again the perils of the sea. Their discontent ultimately reached such a pitch that they set fire to the vessels. When AEneas heard of this new misfortune, he rushed down to the sh.o.r.e, tore his costly festal garments, and cried to Heaven for a.s.sistance in this his time of direst need.

"'Dread Sire, if Ilium's lorn estate Deserve not yet thine utter hate, If still thine ancient faithfulness Give heed to mortals in distress, Oh, let the fleet escape the flame! Oh, save from death Troy's dying name!'"

Virgil (Conington's tr.).

[Sidenote: Apparition of Anchises.]

This prayer was instantly answered by a sudden severe shower, which quenched the devouring flames. Soon after this miracle, Anchises appeared to AEneas, and bade him leave the women, children, and aged men in Sicily, and travel on to c.u.mae, where he was to consult the Sibyl, visit the Infernal Regions, and there receive further advice from him.

"First seek the halls of Dis below, Pa.s.s deep Avernus' vale, and meet Your father in his own retreat."

Virgil (Conington's tr.).

AEneas again dutifully obeyed; but when Venus saw him afloat once more, she hastened to Neptune, and bade him watch over her unfortunate son. Neptune listened very graciously to her appeal, and promised to take but one of all the many lives intrusted to his care. That one was AEneas' pilot, Palinurus, who, falling asleep at the helm, fell overboard and was drowned.

[Sidenote: The c.u.maean Sibyl.]

As for the fleet, it reached the c.u.maean sh.o.r.e in safety; and AEneas hastened off to the Sibyl's cave, made known his wish to visit Hades, and entreated her to serve as his guide in that perilous journey. She consented, but at the same time informed him that he must first obtain a golden twig, which grew in a dark forest.

"None may reach the shades without The pa.s.sport of that golden sprout."

Virgil (Conington's tr.).

[Ill.u.s.tration: c.u.mAEAN SIBYL.--Domenichino. (Borghese Gallery, Rome.)]

Almost despairing, AEneas now prayed for a.s.sistance; for how could he find a tiny golden sprig in the midst of the dense forest foliage without the G.o.ds' aid? In answer to this appeal, Venus, ever mindful of her son, sent two of her snowy doves to lead the way and alight on the tree, where AEneas readily found the object of his search.

Armed with this branch as key, he and the Sibyl boldly entered the Lower Regions, where all the ghastly sights and sounds we have already described (p. 167) met them on every side. Charon quickly ferried them over the Acheron, on whose bank they saw the wandering shade of Palinurus, who had no obolus to pay his way across, and that of Dido, with a gaping wound in her breast.

They did not pause, however, until they reached the Elysian Fields, where they found Anchises, gravely considering among the unborn souls those who were destined to animate his race and make it ill.u.s.trious in the future. These he carefully pointed out to AEneas, foretelling their future achievements, and called by name Romulus, Brutus, Camillus, the Gracchi, Caesar,--in fact, all the heroes of Roman history.

"Anchises showed AEneas, in long line, The ill.u.s.trious shades of those who were to shine One day the glory of the Italian sh.o.r.e."

Tomas de Iriarte.

[Sidenote: Arrival in Latium.]

After a prolonged conversation with his father, AEneas returned to his companions, and led them to the mouth of the Tiber, whose course they followed until they reached Latium, where their wanderings were to cease. Latinus, king of the country, received them hospitably, and promised the hand of his daughter Lavinia in marriage to AEneas.

Lavinia was very beautiful, and had already had many suitors, among whom Turnus, a neighboring prince, boasted of the most exalted rank. The queen, Amata, specially favored this youth's suit; and the king would gladly have received him for a son-in-law, had he not twice been warned by the G.o.ds to reserve his daughter for a foreign prince, who had now appeared.

In spite of all the years which had elapsed since Paris scorned her attractions and bribes (p. 307), Juno had not yet forgotten her hatred of the Trojan race, and, afraid lest her enemy's course should now prove too smooth, she sent Alecto, the Fury, down upon earth to stir up war, and goad Amata to madness. The Fury executed both commands, and Amata fled to the woods, where she concealed her daughter Lavinia, to keep her safe for Turnus, whom she preferred to AEneas.

[Sidenote: War with the Latins.]

As Iulus and some companions had unfortunately wounded the pet stag of Silvia, daughter of the head shepherd, a brawl ensued, which, fomented by Alecto, soon developed into a b.l.o.o.d.y war. Hostilities having thus begun, Turnus, with the various Latin chiefs, immediately besought Latinus to open the gates of Ja.n.u.s' temple. He refused; but Juno, afraid lest even now her plans might be set at naught, came down from Olympus, and with her own hand flung wide the brazen doors. This unexpected apparition kindled a general ardor; new troops enlisted; and even Camilla, the Volscian warrior-maiden, came to proffer her aid to Turnus.

"Last marches forth for Latium's sake Camilla fair, the Volscian maid, A troop of hors.e.m.e.n in her wake In pomp of gleaming steel arrayed; Stern warrior queen!"

Virgil (Conington's tr.).

[Sidenote: Story of Camilla.]

When but a babe in arms, Camilla had been carried off by her father, as he fled before the Volscian troops. When he came to the Amasenus River, he found his pursuers close at his heels. Tying his infant daughter to his spear, he hurled her to the opposite bank, which, thanks to Diana's aid, she reached unharmed, while her father plunged into the waves to join her. In his grat.i.tude to find her safe, he dedicated her to Diana, who trained her to love the chase and all manly pursuits.

Surprised to see Latinus' friendly offers of hospitality so suddenly withdrawn, AEneas made rapid preparations for war, and sailed farther up the Tiber to secure the aid of Evander, king of the Tuscans, the hereditary foe of the Latins. This monarch, too old to lead his troops in person, nevertheless promised his aid, and sent his beloved son Pallas in his stead to command the troops he supplied.

[Sidenote: Nisus and Euryalus.]

Juno, still implacable, had in the mean while sent Iris to apprise Turnus of AEneas' departure, and to urge him to set fire to the remainder of the fleet,--a suggestion which Turnus joyfully obeyed. The Trojans, headed by young Iulus, AEneas' son, defended themselves with their usual courage; but, seeing the enemy would soon overpower them, they dispatched Nisus and Euryalus, two of their number, to warn AEneas of their danger, and entreat him to hasten up with his reenforcements. These unfortunate youths pa.s.sed through the camp unseen, but farther on fell into the hands of a troop of Volscian hors.e.m.e.n, who cruelly put them to death, and then hurried with the Rutules to lend a.s.sistance to Turnus. Next some of the Trojan vessels were fired by the enemy; but, instead of being consumed by the flames, they were changed into water nymphs by the intervention of the G.o.ds, and, sailing down the Tiber, met AEneas, and warned him to hasten to his son's rescue.

"His vessels change their guise, And each and all as Nereids rise."

Virgil.

[Sidenote: The armor.]

In the mean while, Venus, who befriended the Trojans, had sought Vulcan's detested abode, and had prevailed upon him to forge a beautiful armor for AEneas. On the shield, which is minutely described in one of the books of Virgil's celebrated epic poem, the AEneid, were depicted many of the stirring scenes in the lives of the future descendants of AEneas, the heroes of Roman history. As soon as this armor was completed, Venus brought it to her son, who donned it with visible pleasure, and, encouraged by his mother's words, prepared to meet the Latins and hold his own.

Venus and Juno were not the only deities interested in the coming struggle; for all the G.o.ds, having watched AEneas' career, were anxious about his fate. Seeing this, and fearful lest their interference should still further endanger the hero whom he favored, Jupiter a.s.sembled the G.o.ds on high Olympus, and sternly forbade their taking any active part in the coming strife, under penalty of his severe displeasure.

[Sidenote: AEneas' arrival.]

AEneas and his Tuscan allies arrived on the battle scene just in time to give the necessary support to the almost exhausted Trojans; and now the fight raged more fiercely than ever, and prodigies of valor were accomplished on both sides, until finally young Pallas fell, slain by Turnus. When aware of the death of this promising young prince, AEneas' heart was filled with grief, for he could imagine the sorrow of the aged Evander when he saw his son's corpse brought home for burial; and he then and there registered a solemn vow to avenge Pallas' death by slaying Turnus, and immediately hastened forth to keep his word.

[Sidenote: Juno's treachery.]

In the mean while, Juno, suspecting what his purpose would be, and afraid to allow Turnus to encounter such a formidable antagonist as AEneas, had determined to lure her favorite away from the field. To compa.s.s this, she a.s.sumed the form of AEneas, challenged Turnus, and, as soon as he began the fight, fled toward the river, and took refuge on one of the vessels, closely pursued by him. No sooner did she see the Rutule chief safe on board, than she loosed the vessel from its moorings, and allowed it to drift down the stream, bearing Turnus away from the scene of battle. Aware now of the delusion practiced, Turnus raved, and accused the G.o.ds, and then eagerly watched for an opportunity to land, and make his way, alone and on foot, back to the scene of conflict.

[Sidenote: AEneas' prowess.]

During Turnus' involuntary absence, AEneas had ranged all over the battlefield in search of him, and had encountered and slain many warriors, among others Lausus and his aged father Mezentius, two allies of Latinus, who had specially distinguished themselves by their great valor. The dead and dying covered the field, when Latinus, weary of bloodshed, summoned a council, and again vainly tried to make peace. But his efforts were of no avail. The war was renewed more fiercely than ever; and in the next encounter, Camilla, the brave Volscian maiden, fell at last, breathing a fervent entreaty that Turnus should hasten to the succor of his despairing people if he would not see them all slain and the town in the hands of the Trojans.

"'Go: my last charge to Turnus tell, To haste with succor, and repel The Trojans from the town--farewell.'"

Virgil (Conington's tr.).

[Sidenote: AEneas' wound.]

Shortly after her death, in the very midst of the fray, AEneas suddenly felt himself wounded by an arrow sent by some mysterious hand. He hastened to seek the aid of the leech Iapis; but, in spite of his ministrations, the barb could not be removed nor the wound dressed, until Venus brought a magic herb, which instantly healed the hero, and enabled him to return to the fight with unabated strength and energy.

The tide was now decidedly turning in favor of the Trojans; for Amata, the Latin queen, sorry for her ill-advised opposition to her daughter's marriage with AEneas, brought Lavinia home and hung herself in a fit of remorse.

[Sidenote: Death of Turnus.]

AEneas, appearing once more on the battlefield, finally encountered the long-sought Turnus, who had made his way back, and was now driving about in his chariot, jealously guarded by his sister Juturna, who, the better to watch over his safety, had taken the place of his chariot driver. The two heroes, having met, instantly closed in deadly fight; but, in spite of Turnus' bravery, he was finally obliged to succ.u.mb, and sank to the ground, frankly acknowledging himself beaten as he exhaled his last sigh.

"'Yours is the victory: Latian bands Have seen me stretch imploring hands: The bride Lavinia is your own: Thus far let foeman's hate be shown.'"

Virgil (Conington's tr.).

[Sidenote: AEneas' progeny.]

With the death of Turnus the war came to an end. A lasting peace was made with Latinus; and the brave Trojan hero, whose woes were now over, was united in marriage with Lavinia. In concert with Latinus, he ruled the Latins, and founded a city, which he called Lavinia in honor of his bride, and which became for a time the capital of Latium.

AEneas, as the G.o.ds had predicted, became the father of a son named AEneas Silvia, who founded Alba Longa, where his descendants reigned for many a year, and where one of his race, the Vestal Virgin Ilia, after marrying Mars, gave birth to Remus and Romulus, the founders of Rome (p. 142).

CHAPTER x.x.x.

a.n.a.lYSIS OF MYTHS.

"I shall indeed interpret all that I can, but I cannot interpret all that I should like."--Grimm.

[Sidenote: Early theories.]

In attempting an a.n.a.lysis of the foregoing myths, and an explanation of their origin, it is impossible, in a work of this kind, to do more than give a very superficial idea of the scientific theories of various eminent mythologists, who, on this subject, like doctors, are sure to disagree.

These myths, comprising "the entire intellectual stock of the age to which they belonged," existed as "floating talk among the people" long ere they pa.s.sed into the literature of the nation; and while to us mythology is merely "an affair of historical or antiquarian study, we must remember that the interpretation of myths was once a thing full of vital interest to men whose moral and religious beliefs were deeply concerned." Received at first with implicit faith, these myths became a stumbling block as civilization advanced. Cultured man recoiled from much of the grossness which had appeared quite natural to his ancestors in a savage state, and made an attempt to find out their primitive meaning, or an explanation which would satisfy his purer taste.

With the latter object in view, the sages and writers of old interpreted all that seemed "silly and senseless" in mythology as physical allegories,--a system subsequently carried to extremes by many heathen philosophers in the vain hope of evading Christian satire.

Learned men have also explained these selfsame myths as historical facts disguised as metaphors, or as moral allegories, which the choice of Hercules (p. 218) undoubtedly is. Euhemerus (316 B.C.) was the pioneer of the former theory, and Bacon an exponent of the latter. Euhemerus' method was exaggerated by his disciples, who declared Zeus was merely a king of Crete; his war with the giants, an attempt to repress a sedition; Danae's shower of gold (p. 240), the money with which her guards were bribed; Prometheus, a maker of clay images, "whence it was hyperbolically said he created man out of clay;" and Atlas, an astronomer, who was therefore spoken of as supporting the weight of the heavens. This mode of interpretation was carried to such an extreme that it became ridiculous, and the inevitable reaction took place. In the course of time, however, the germ of truth it contained was again brought to light; and very few persons now refuse to believe that some of the heroic myths have some slight historical basis, the "silly and senseless" element being cla.s.sed as accretions similar to the fabulous tales attached to the indubitably historical name of Charlemagne. During the seventeenth century, some philosophers, incited by "the resemblance between biblical narrative and ancient myths, came to the conclusion that the Bible contained a pure and the myths a distorted form of an original revelation." But within the past century new theories have gradually gained ground: for the philologists have attempted to prove that the myths arose from a "disease of language;" while the anthropologists, basing their theory on comparative mythology, declare "it is man, it is human thought and human language combined, which naturally and necessarily produced the strange conglomerate of ancient fable."

[Sidenote: Modern theories.]

As these two last-named schools have either successfully confuted or incorporated the theories of all their predecessors, a brief outline of their respective beliefs will not be out of place. While philology compares only the "myths of races which speak languages of the same family" (as will shortly be demonstrated), anthropology resorts to all folklore, and seeks for the origin of myths, not in language, which it considers only as a subordinate cause, but in the "condition of thought through which all races have pa.s.sed."

[Sidenote: Anthropological theory.]

The anthropologists, or comparative mythologists, do not deny that during the moderate allowance of two hundred and fifty thousand years, which they allot to the human race on earth, the myths may have spread from a single center, and either by migration, or by slave or wife stealing, or by other natural or accidental methods, may have "wandered all around the globe;" but they princ.i.p.ally base their arguments on the fact that just as flint arrowheads are found in all parts of the world, differing but slightly in form and manufacture, so the myths of all nations "resemble each other, because they were formed to meet the same needs, out of the same materials."

They argue that this similarity exists, "not because the people came from the same stock" (which is the philologist's view), "but because they pa.s.sed through the same savage intellectual condition." By countless examples taken from the folklore of all parts of the earth, they prove that the savage considers himself akin to beasts (generally to the one whose image is used as a tribal or family badge or totem), and "regards even plants, inanimate objects, and the most abstract phenomena, as persons with human parts and pa.s.sions." To the savage, "sun, moon, and stars are persons, but savage persons;" and, as he believes "many of his own tribe fellows to have the power of a.s.suming the form of animals," he concedes the same privilege and power to sun, moon, and stars, etc. This school further prove that all pre-Christian religions have idols representing beasts, that all mythologies represent the G.o.ds as fond of appearing in animal forms, and declare, that, although the Greeks were a thoroughly civilized people, we can still find in their mythology and religion "abundant survivals of savage manners and savage myths." They claim, that, during the myth-making age, the ancestors of the Greeks were about on an intellectual level with the present Australian Bushmen, and that "everything in civilized mythologies which we regard as irrational, seems only part of the accepted and rational order of things to the contemporary savages, and in the past seemed equally rational and natural to savages concerning whom we have historical information." Of course it is difficult, not to say impossible, for civilized man to put himself in the savage's place, and regard things from his point of view. The nearest approach to primitive intelligence which comes under our immediate observation is the working of the minds of small children, who, before they can talk intelligibly, whip the table or chair against which they have b.u.mped their heads, and later on delight in weaving the most extraordinary tales. A little four-year-old seized a book and began to "read a story;" that is to say, to improvise a very improbable and highly colored tale of a pony. Forced to pause from lack of breath, she resumed the thread of her narrative with the words, "Now, this dog;" and, when it was suggested that the story was about a pony, she emphatically replied, "Well, this pony was a dog," and continued. Now, either because she perceived that the transformation had attracted attention, or to satisfy the childish inborn taste for the marvelous, in the course of the next few minutes the pony underwent as many transformations as Proteus, all of which apparently seemed perfectly natural to her. The anthropologists explain the tales of the various transformations of Jupiter and his animal progeny "as in many cases survivals of the totemistic belief in descent from beasts," while the mythologists explain them as "allegories of the fruitful union of heaven and earth, of rain and grain." The former school also declare that the myth of Cupid and Psyche, which has its parallel in stories found in all parts of the world, was invented to explain curious marriage customs (for in some countries it is unlawful for the husband to see his wife's face until after she has given birth to her first child, and in others a wife may not speak her husband's name): the latter school interpret the same myth as a beautiful allegory of the soul and the union of faith and love.

[Sidenote: Philological theory.]

The philologists' interpretation of myths is not only the most accredited at the present time, but also the most poetical. We therefore give a brief synopsis of their theory, together with an a.n.a.lysis, from their point of view, of the princ.i.p.al myths told at length in the course of this work. According to this school, "myths are the result of a disease of language, as the pearl is the result of a disease of the oyster;" the key to all mythologies lies in language; and the original names of the G.o.ds, "ascertained by comparative philology, will be found, as a rule, to denote elemental or physical phenomena," that is, phenomena of the sunshine, the clouds, rain, winds, fire, etc.

To make their process of reasoning plain, it should be explained, that as French, Spanish, and Italian are derived from the Latin, even so Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit have a common source in a much older language; that, even if Latin were entirely lost, the similarity of the word "bridge," for instance (pons in Latin), in French (pont), in Spanish (puente), and in Italian (ponte), would justify the conclusion that these terms had their origin in a common language, and that the people who spoke it were familiar with bridges, which they evidently called by some name phonetically the same.

Further to prove their position, they demonstrate the similarity of the most common words in all the languages of the same family, showing (as is the case with the word "father" in the accompanying table) that they undergo but few changes in sixteen different languages.

Sanskrit, pitri. Zend, paitar. Persian, pader. Erse, athair. Italian, padre. Spanish, padre. French, pere. Saxon, faeder. Latin, pater. Greek, p.r.o.nounced patair. Gothic, vatar. German, vater. Dutch, fader. Danish, fader. Swedish, fader. English, father.

The most learned of all these philologists argues that during the first or Rhematic period, there existed a tribe in Central Asia which spoke a monosyllabic language, in which lay the germs of the Turanian, Aryan, and Semitic forms of speech. This Rhematic period was followed by the Nomadic or Agglutinative age, when, little by little, the languages "received once for all that peculiar impress of their formative system which we still find in all the dialects and national idioms comprised under the name of Aryan or Semitic;" that is to say, in the Hindoo, Persian, Greek, Roman, Celt, Slav, and Teutonic languages, and in some three thousand kindred dialects.

After the Agglutinative period, and previous to the National era and "the appearance of the first traces of literature," he places "a period represented everywhere by the same characteristic features, called the Mythological or Mythopoeic age."

It was during this period that the main part of the vast fund of mythic lore is supposed to have crystallized; for primitive man, knowing nothing whatever of physical laws, cause and effect, and the "necessary regularity of things," yet seeking an explanation of the natural phenomena, described them in the only way possible to him, and attributed to all inanimate objects his own sentiments and pa.s.sions, fancying them influenced by the same things, in the same way. This tendency to personify or animate everything is universal among savages, who are nothing but men in the primitive state; and "in early philosophy throughout the world, the sun, moon, and stars are alive, and, as it were, human in their nature." "Poetry has so far kept alive in our minds the old animative theory of nature, that it is no great effort in us to fancy the waterspout a huge giant or a sea monster, and to depict, in what we call appropriate metaphor, its march across the field of ocean."

As the names of the Greek G.o.ds and heroes have in a great measure been found to correspond with the Sanskrit names of physical things, we have been able to read some of the first thoughts of primitive man; and "the obvious meaning" of many words "did much to preserve vestiges of plain sense in cla.s.sic legend, in spite of all the efforts of the commentators."

According to the philologists, therefore, these thoughts had already a.s.sumed a definite form in the remote epoch when many nations, now scattered over the face of the earth, occupied the same country, spoke the same language, and formed but one people. Of course, "as long as such beings as Heaven or Sun are consciously talked of in mythic language, the meaning of their legends is open to no question, and the action ascribed to them will as a rule be natural and appropriate;" but with the gradual diffusion of this one people to various parts of the earth, the original meaning of these words was entirely lost, and they came to be looked upon eventually simply as the names of deities or heroes--very much in the way that the word "good-by" has long survived its original form as a conscious prayer, "G.o.d be with you!" and the word "ostracism" has lost all connection with an oyster sh.e.l.l.

The primitive meaning of a myth died away with the original meaning of a word; and it is because "the Greek had forgotten that Zeus (Jupiter) meant 'the bright sky,' that he could make him king" over a company of manlike deities on Olympus.

We can best explain how the many anomalies occur, and how the myths got so tangled up together that now it is almost impossible to disentangle them and trace them back to their original meanings, by comparing their descent through the ages to the course of a s...o...b..ll, which, rolling down a mountain side, gathers to itself snow, earth, rocks, etc., until, in the vast agglomeration of kindred and foreign substances, the original nucleus is entirely lost to sight.

The fact that there are many different myths to explain the same phenomenon can readily be accounted for by the old saying, "circ.u.mstances alter cases." Thus the heat of the sun, for example, so beneficial at certain times, may prove baleful and injurious at others.

The philologists, who believe that all myths (except the imitative myths, of which the tale of Berenice is a fair example) were originally nature myths, have divided them into a few large cla.s.ses, which include the myths of the sky, the sun, dawn, daylight, night, moon, earth, sea, clouds, fire, wind, and finally those of the underworld and of the demons of drought and darkness.

SKY MYTHS.

[Sidenote: Ura.n.u.s.]

Taking them in the order in which they are presented in this work, we find among the myths of the sky, Ura.n.u.s, whose name, like that of the old Hindoo G.o.d Varuna, is derived from the Sanskrit root var ("to veil, conceal, or cover"). This G.o.d was therefore a personification of the heavens, which are spread out like a veil, and cover all the earth; and we are further told that he hurled the thunder and lightning, his Cyclop children, down from his abode into the abyss called Tartarus.

[Sidenote: Jupiter.]

Zeus (or Jupiter), whose name is the same as the Hindoo Dyaus Pitar, the G.o.d and personification of the bright sky or the heavens, has likewise been traced to the Sanskrit root div or dyu, meaning "to shine;" and there is also a noun dyu in that language which means either "sky" or "day." In early times the name was applied to the one G.o.d, and was therefore "retained by the Greeks and all other kindred people to express all they felt toward G.o.d;" but as the word also meant the visible sky, with its ever-changing aspect, some of the phrases used to describe it came, in the course of time, to denote vile and fickle actions, and apparently inconsistent behavior.

[Sidenote: Juno.]

The name of Hera (or Juno), the heavenly light, and therefore the complement and consort of the sky, is supposed to be derived from the Sanskrit soar ("the bright sky") and surya ("the sun"); and all the manifold changes which at first merely denoted the varying atmosphere, by being personified, gradually gave the impression of the jealous, capricious, vengeful person whom poets and writers have taken pleasure in depicting ever since.

[Sidenote: Argus.]

Another personification of the sky, this time under the nocturnal and starry aspect, is Argus, whose many bright eyes never closed all at once, but kept constant watch over the moon (Io)--confided to his care by the heavenly light (Juno)--until at last their beams were quenched by the wind and rain (Mercury).