Mythology

["that\t whatever\t he\t touched\t would\t turn\t into\t gold.\t Of\t course\t Bacchus\t in\t granting the\t favor\t foresaw\t what\t would\t happen\t at\t the\t next\t meal,\t but\t Midas\t saw\t nothing until\t the\t food\t he\t lifted\t to\t his\t lips\t became\t a\t lump\t of\t metal.\t Dismayed\t and\t very hungry\tand\tthirsty,\the\twas\tforced\tto\thurry\toff\tto\tthe\tgod\tand\timplore\thim\tto\ttake his\t favor\t back.\t Bacchus\t told\t him\t to\t go\t wash\t in\t the\t source\t of\t the\t river\t Pactolus and\t he\t would\t lose\t the\t fatal\t gift.\t He\t did\t so,\t and\t that\t was\t said\t to\t be\t the\t reason why\tgold\twas\tfound\tin\tthe\tsands\tof\tthe\triver. Later\t on,\t Apollo\t changed\t Midas\u2019\t ears\t into\t those\t of\t an\t ass;\t but\t again\t the punishment\twas\tfor\tstupidity,\tnot\tfor\tany\twrongdoing.\tHe\twas\tchosen\tas\tone\tof the\tumpires\tin\ta\tmusical\tcontest\tbetween\tApollo\tand\tPan.\tThe\trustic\tgod\tcould play\tvery\tpleasing\ttunes\ton\this\tpipes\tof\treed,\tbut\twhen\tApollo\tstruck\this\tsilver lyre\tthere\twas\tno\tsound\ton\tearth\tor\tin\theaven\tthat\tcould\tequal\tthe\tmelody\texcept only\t the\t choir\t of\t the\t Muses.\t Nevertheless,\t although\t the\t umpire,\t the\t mountain- god\tTmolus,\tgave\tthe\tpalm\tto\tApollo,\tMidas,\tno\tmore\tintelligent\tmusically\tthan in\tany\tother\tway,\thonestly\tpreferred\tPan.\tOf\tcourse,\tthis\twas\tdouble\tstupidity\ton his\t part.\t Ordinary\t prudence\t would\t have\t reminded\t him\t that\t it\t was\t dangerous\t to side\t against\t Apollo\t with\t Pan,\t infinitely\t the\t less\t powerful.\t And\t so\t he\t got\t his asses\u2019\tears.\tApollo\tsaid\tthat\the\twas\tmerely\tgiving\tto\tears\tso\tdull\tand\tdense\tthe proper\tshape.\tMidas\thid\tthem\tunder\ta\tcap\tespecially\tmade\tfor\tthat\tpurpose,\tbut the\t servant\t who\t cut\t his\t hair\t was\t obliged\t to\t see\t them.\t He\t swore\t a\t solemn\t oath never\t to\t tell,\t but\t the\t secrecy\t so\t weighed\t upon\t the\t man\t that\t he\t finally\t went\t and dug\ta\thole\tin\ta\tfield\tand\tspoke\tsoftly\tinto\tit,\t\u201cKing\tMidas\thas\tasses\u2019\tears.\u201d\tThen he\tfelt\trelieved\tand\tfilled\tthe\thole\tup.\tBut\tin\tthe\tspring\treeds\tgrew\tup\tthere,\tand when\t stirred\t by\t the\t wind\t they\t whispered\t those\t buried\t words\u2014and\t revealed\t to men\t not\t only\t the\t truth\t of\t what\t had\t happened\t to\t the\t poor,\t stupid\t King,\t but\t also that\twhen\tgods\tare\tcontestants\tthe\tonly\tsafe\tcourse\tis\tto\tside\twith\tthe\tstrongest.","AESCULAPIUS There\t was\t a\t maiden\t in\t Thessaly\t named\t Coronis,\t of\t beauty\t so\t surpassing\t that Apollo\t loved\t her.\t But\t strangely\t enough\t she\t did\t not\t care\t long\t for\t her\t divine lover;\t she\t preferred\t a\t mere\t mortal.\t She\t did\t not\t reflect\t that\t Apollo,\t the\t God\t of Truth,\twho\tnever\tdeceived,\tcould\tnot\thimself\tbe\tdeceived. The\tPythian\tLord\tof\tDelphi, He\thas\ta\tcomrade\the\tcan\ttrust, Straightforward,\tnever\twandering\tastray. It\tis\this\tmind\twhich\tknows\tall\tthings, Which\tnever\ttouches\tfalsehood,\twhich\tno\tone Or\tgod\tor\tmortal\tcan\toutwit.\tHe\tsees, Whether\tthe\tdeed\tis\tdone,\tor\tonly\tplanned. Coronis\t was\t foolish\t indeed\t to\t hope\t that\t he\t would\t not\t learn\t of\t her faithlessness.\t It\t is\t said\t that\t the\t news\t was\t brought\t to\t him\t by\t his\t bird,\t the\t raven, then\tpure\twhite\twith\tbeautiful\tsnowy\tplumage,\tand\tthat\tApollo\tin\ta\tfit\tof\tfurious anger,\tand\twith\tthe\tcomplete\tinjustice\tthe\tgods\tusually\tshowed\twhen\tthey\twere angry,\t punished\t the\t faithful\t messenger\t by\t turning\t his\t feathers\t black.\t Of\t course Coronis\t was\t killed.\t Some\t say\t that\t the\t god\t did\t it\t himself,\t others\t that\t he\t got Artemis\tto\tshoot\tone\tof\ther\tunerring\tarrows\tat\ther. In\tspite\tof\this\truthlessness,\the\tfelt\ta\tpang\tof\tgrief\tas\the\twatched\tthe\tmaiden placed\ton\tthe\tfuneral\tpyre\tand\tthe\twild\tflames\troar\tup.\t\u201cAt\tleast\tI\twill\tsave\tmy child,\u201d\the\tsaid\tto\thimself;\tand\tjust\tas\tZeus\thad\tdone\twhen\tSemele\tperished,\the snatched\taway\tthe\tbabe\twhich\twas\tvery\tnear\tbirth.\tHe\ttook\tit\tto\tChiron,\tthe\twise and\tkindly\told\tCentaur,\tto\tbring\tup\tin\this\tcave\ton\tMount\tPelion,\tand\ttold\thim\tto call\t the\t child\t Aesculapius.\t Many\t notables\t had\t given\t Chiron\t their\t sons\t to\t rear, but\t of\t all\t his\t pupils\t the\t child\t of\t dead\t Coronis\t was\t dearest\t to\t him.\t He\t was\t not like\tother\tlads,\tforever\trunning\tabout\tand\tbent\ton\tsport;\the\twanted\tmost\tof\tall\tto learn\t whatever\t his\t foster-father\t could\t teach\t him\t about\t the\t art\t of\t healing.\t And that\t was\t not\t a\t little.\t Chiron\t was\t learned\t in\t the\t use\t of\t herbs\t and\t gentle incantations\t and\t cooling\t potions.\t But\t his\t pupil\t surpassed\t him.\t He\t was\t able\t to give\t aid\t in\t all\t manner\t of\t maladies.\t Whoever\t came\t to\t him\t suffering,\t whether","from\twounded\tlimbs\tor\tbodies\twasting\taway\twith\tdisease,\teven\tthose\twho\twere sick\tunto\tdeath,\the\tdelivered\tfrom\ttheir\ttorment. A\tgentle\tcraftsman\twho\tdrove\tpain\taway, Soother\tof\tcruel\tpangs,\ta\tjoy\tto\tmen, Bringing\tthem\tgolden\thealth. He\t was\t a\t universal\t benefactor.\t And\t yet\t he,\t too,\t drew\t down\t on\t himself\t the anger\t of\t the\t gods\t and\t by\t the\t sin\t the\t gods\t never\t forgave.\t He\t thought\t \u201cthoughts too\tgreat\tfor\tman.\u201d\tHe\twas\tonce\tgiven\ta\tlarge\tfee\tto\traise\tone\tfrom\tthe\tdead,\tand he\t did\t so.\t It\t is\t said\t by\t many\t that\t the\t man\t called\t back\t to\t life\t was\t Hippolytus, Theseus\u2019\tson\twho\tdied\tso\tunjustly,\tand\tthat\the\tnever\tagain\tfell\tunder\tthe\tpower of\t death,\tbut\t lived\tin\tItaly,\timmortal\tforever,\twhere\the\twas\tcalled\tVirbius\tand worshiped\tas\ta\tgod. However,\tthe\tgreat\tphysician\twho\thad\tdelivered\thim\tfrom\tHades\thad\tno\tsuch happy\t fate.\t Zeus\t would\t not\t allow\t a\t mortal\t to\t have\t power\t over\t the\t dead\t and\t he struck\tAesculapius\twith\this\tthunderbolt\tand\tslew\thim.\tApollo,\tin\tgreat\tanger\tat his\t son\u2019s\t death,\t went\t to\t Etna,\t where\t the\t Cyclopes\t forged\t the\t thunderbolts;\t and killed\t with\t his\t arrows,\t some\t say\t the\t Cyclopes\t themselves,\t some\t say\t their\t sons. Zeus,\tgreatly\tangered\tin\this\tturn,\tcondemned\tApollo\tto\tserve\tKing\tAdmetus\tas\ta slave\u2014for\t a\t period\t which\t is\t differently\t given\t as\t one\t or\t nine\t years.\t It\t was\t this Admetus\twhose\twife,\tAlcestis,\tHercules\trescued\tfrom\tHades. But\t Aesculapius,\t even\t though\t he\t had\t so\t displeased\t the\t King\t of\t Gods\t and Men,\t was\t honored\t on\t earth\t as\t no\t other\t mortal.\t For\t hundreds\t of\t years\t after\t his death\t the\t sick\t and\t the\t maimed\t and\t the\t blind\t came\t for\t healing\t to\t his\t temples. There\t they\t would\t pray\t and\t sacrifice,\t and\t after\t that\t go\t to\t sleep.\t Then\t in\t their dreams\t the\t good\t physician\t would\t reveal\t to\t them\t how\t they\t could\t be\t cured. Snakes\tplayed\tsome\tpart\tin\tthe\tcure,\tjust\twhat\tis\tnot\tknown,\tbut\tthey\twere\theld to\tbe\tthe\tsacred\tservants\tof\tAesculapius. It\t is\t certain\t that\t thousands\t upon\t thousands\t of\t sick\t people\t through\t the centuries\t believed\t that\t he\t had\t freed\t them\t from\t their\t pain\t and\t restored\t them\t to health.","","THE\tDANA\u00cfDS These\t maidens\t are\t famous\u2014far\t more\t so\t than\t anyone\t reading\t their\t story\t would expect.\t They\t are\t often\t referred\t to\t by\t the\t poets\t and\t they\t are\t among\t the\t most prominent\t sufferers\t in\t the\t hell\t of\t mythology,\t where\t they\t must\t forever\t try\t to carry\t water\t in\t leaking\t jars.\t Yet\t except\t for\t one\t of\t them,\t Hypermnestra,\t they\t did only\twhat\tthe\tArgonauts\tfound\tthe\twomen\tof\tLemnos\thad\tdone:\tthey\tkilled\ttheir husbands.\t Nevertheless,\t the\t Lemnians\t are\t hardly\t ever\t mentioned,\t while everyone\twho\tknows\teven\ta\tlittle\tabout\tmythology\thas\theard\tof\tthe\tDana\u00efds. There\t were\t fifty\t of\t them,\t all\t of\t them\t daughters\t of\t Dana\u00fcs,\t one\t of\t Io\u2019s descendants,\twho\tdwelt\tby\tthe\tNile.\tTheir\tfifty\tcousins,\tsons\tof\tDana\u00fcs\u2019\tbrother Aegyptus,\twanted\tto\tmarry\tthem,\twhich\tfor\tsome\tunexplained\treason\tthey\twere absolutely\topposed\tto\tdoing.\tThey\tfled\twith\ttheir\tfather\tby\tship\tto\tArgos,\twhere they\t found\t sanctuary.\t The\t Argives\t voted\t unanimously\t to\t maintain\t the\t right\t of the\t suppliant.\t When\t the\t sons\t of\t Aegyptus\t arrived\t ready\t to\t fight\t to\t gain\t their brides,\t the\t city\t repulsed\t them.\t They\t would\t allow\t no\t woman\t to\t be\t forced\t to marry\t against\t her\t will\t they\t told\t the\t newcomers,\t nor\t would\t they\t surrender\t any suppliant,\tno\tmatter\thow\tfeeble,\tand\tno\tmatter\thow\tpowerful\tthe\tpursuer. At\t this\t point\t there\t is\t a\t break\t in\t the\t story.\t When\t it\t is\t resumed,\t in\t the\t next chapter,\t so\t to\t speak,\t the\t maidens\t are\t being\t married\t to\t their\t cousins\t and\t their father\t is\t presiding\t at\t the\t marriage\t feast.\t There\t is\t no\t explanation\t of\t how\t this came\tabout,\tbut\tat\tonce\tit\tis\tclear\tthat\tit\twas\tnot\tthrough\tany\tchange\tof\tmind\tin either\t Dana\u00fcs\t or\t his\t daughters,\t because\t at\t the\t feast\t he\t is\t represented\t as\t giving each\tgirl\ta\tdagger.\tAs\tthe\tevent\tshows,\tall\tof\tthem\thad\tbeen\ttold\twhat\tto\tdo\tand had\t agreed.\t After\t the\t marriage,\t in\t the\t dead\t of\t night,\t they\t killed\t their bridegrooms\u2014everyone\t except\t Hypermnestra.\t She\t alone\t was\t moved\t by\t pity. She\tlooked\tat\tthe\tstrong\tyoung\tman\tlying\tmotionless\tin\tsleep\tbeside\ther,\tand\tshe could\t not\t strike\t with\t her\t dagger\t to\t change\t that\t glowing\t vigor\t into\t cold\t death. Her\tpromise\tto\ther\tfather\tand\ther\tsisters\twas\tforgotten.\tShe\twas,\tthe\tLatin\tpoet Horace\t says,\t splendidly\t false.\t She\t woke\t the\t youth\u2014his\t name\t was\t Lynceus\u2014 told\thim\tall,\tand\thelped\thim\tto\tflee. Her\tfather\tthrew\ther\tinto\tprison\tfor\ther\ttreachery\tto\thim.\tOne\tstory\tsays\tthat she\t and\t Lynceus\t came\t together\t again\t and\t lived\t at\t last\t in\t happiness,\t and\t that their\tson\twas\tAbas,\tthe\tgreat-grandfather\tof\tPerseus.\tThe\tother\tstories\tend\twith the\tfatal\twedding\tnight\tand\ther\timprisonment.","All\t of\t them,\t however,\t tell\t of\t the\t unending\t futility\t of\t the\t task\t the\t forty-nine Dana\u00efds\t were\t compelled\t to\t pursue\t in\t the\t lower\t world\t as\t a\t punishment\t for murdering\ttheir\thusbands.\tAt\tthe\triver\u2019s\tedge\tthey\tfilled\tforever\tjars\triddled\twith holes,\tso\tthat\tthe\twater\tpoured\taway\tand\tthey\tmust\treturn\tto\tfill\tthem\tagain,\tand again\tsee\tthem\tdrained\tdry.","GLAUCUS\tAND\tSCYLLA Glaucus\twas\ta\tfisherman\twho\twas\tfishing\tone\tday\tfrom\ta\tgreen\tmeadow\twhich sloped\t down\t to\t the\t sea.\t He\t had\t spread\t his\t catch\t out\t on\t the\t grass\t and\t was counting\tthe\tfish\twhen\the\tsaw\tthem\tall\tbegin\tto\tstir\tand\tthen,\tmoving\ttoward\tthe water,\tslip\tinto\tit\tand\tswim\taway.\tHe\twas\tutterly\tamazed.\tHad\ta\tgod\tdone\tthis\tor was\t there\t some\t strange\t power\t in\t the\t grass?\t He\t picked\t a\t handful\t and\t ate\t it.\t At once\t an\t irresistible\t longing\t for\t the\t sea\t took\t possession\t of\t him.\t There\t was\t no denying\tit.\tHe\tran\tand\tleaped\tinto\tthe\twaves.\tThe\tsea-gods\treceived\thim\tkindly and\tcalled\ton\tOcean\tand\tTethys\tto\tpurge\this\tmortal\tnature\taway\tand\tmake\thim one\t of\t them.\t A\t hundred\t rivers\t were\t summoned\t to\t pour\t their\t waters\t upon\t him. He\tlost\tconsciousness\tin\tthe\trushing\tflood.\tWhen\the\trecovered\the\twas\ta\tsea-god with\thair\tgreen\tlike\tthe\tsea\tand\ta\tbody\tending\tin\ta\tfish\u2019s\ttail,\tto\tthe\tdwellers\tin the\t water\t a\t fine\t and\t familiar\t form,\t but\t strange\t and\t repellent\t to\t the\t dwellers\t on earth.\tSo\the\tseemed\tto\tthe\tlovely\tnymph\tScylla\twhen\tshe\twas\tbathing\tin\ta\tlittle bay\t and\t caught\t sight\t of\t him\t rising\t from\t the\t sea.\t She\t fled\t from\t him\t until\t she stood\ton\ta\tlofty\tpromontory\twhere\tshe\tcould\tsafely\twatch\thim,\twondering\tat\tthe half-man,\thalf-fish.\tGlaucus\tcalled\tup\tto\ther,\t\u201cMaiden,\tI\tam\tno\tmonster.\tI\tam\ta god\t with\t power\t over\t the\t waters\u2014and\t I\t love\t you.\u201d\t But\t Scylla\t turned\t from\t him and\thastening\tinland\twas\tlost\tto\this\tsight. Glaucus\twas\tin\tdespair,\tfor\the\twas\tmadly\tin\tlove;\tand\the\tdetermined\tto\tgo\tto Circe,\tthe\tenchantress,\tand\tbeg\ther\tfor\ta\tlove-potion\tto\tmelt\tScylla\u2019s\thard\theart. But\t as\t he\t told\t her\t his\t tale\t of\t love\t and\t implored\t her\t help\t Circe\t fell\t in\t love\t with him.\tShe\twooed\thim\twith\ther\tsweetest\twords\tand\tlooks,\tbut\tGlaucus\twould\thave none\t of\t her.\t \u201cTrees\t will\t cover\t the\t sea\t bottom\t and\t seaweed\t the\t mountain\t tops before\t I\t cease\t to\t love\t Scylla,\u201d\t he\t told\t her.\t Circe\t was\t furiously\t angry,\t but\t with Scylla,\t not\t Glaucus.\t She\t prepared\t a\t vial\t of\t very\t powerful\t poison\t and,\t going\t to the\t bay\t where\t Scylla\t bathed,\t she\t poured\t into\t it\t the\t baleful\t liquid.\t As\t soon\t as Scylla\tentered\tthe\twater\tshe\twas\tchanged\tinto\ta\tfrightful\tmonster.\tOut\tfrom\ther body\tgrew\tserpents\u2019\tand\tfierce\tdogs\u2019\theads.\tThe\tbeastly\tforms\twere\tpart\tof\ther; she\tcould\tnot\tfly\tfrom\tthem\tor\tpush\tthem\taway.\tShe\tstood\tthere\trooted\tto\ta\trock, in\ther\tunutterable\tmisery\thating\tand\tdestroying\teverything\tthat\tcame\twithin\ther reach,\t a\t peril\t to\t all\t sailors\t who\t passed\t near\t her,\t as\t Jason\t and\t Odysseus\t and Aeneas\tfound\tout.","ERYSICHTHON One\t woman\t had\t power\t given\t her\t to\t assume\t different\t shapes,\t power\t as\t great\t as Proteus\t had.\t She\t used\t it,\t strangely\t enough,\t to\t procure\t food\t for\t her\t starving father.\tHer\tstory\tis\tthe\tonly\tone\tin\twhich\tthe\tgood\tgoddess,\tCeres,\tappears\tcruel and\tvindictive.\tErysichthon\thad\tthe\twicked\taudacity\tto\tcut\tdown\tthe\ttallest\toak in\t a\t grove\t sacred\t to\t Ceres.\t His\t servants\t shrank\t from\t the\t sacrilege\t when\t he ordered\t them\t to\t fell\t it;\t whereupon\t he\t seized\t an\t ax\t himself\t and\t attacked\t the mighty\t trunk\t around\t which\t the\t dryads\t used\t to\t hold\t their\t dances.\t Blood\t flowed from\tthe\ttree\twhen\the\tstruck\tit\tand\ta\tvoice\tcame\tfrom\twithin\twarning\thim\tthat Ceres\t would\t surely\t punish\t his\t crime.\t But\t these\t marvels\t did\t not\t check\t his\t fury; he\t struck\t again\t and\t again\t until\t the\t great\t oak\t crashed\t to\t the\t ground.\t The\t dryads hastened\t to\t Ceres\t to\t tell\t her\t what\t had\t happened,\t and\t the\t goddess,\t deeply offended,\ttold\tthem\tshe\twould\tpunish\tthe\tcriminal\tin\ta\tway\tnever\tknown\tbefore. She\tsent\tone\tof\tthem\tin\ther\tcar\tto\tthe\tbleak\tregion\twhere\tFamine\tdwells\tto\torder her\t to\t take\t possession\t of\t Erysichthon.\t \u201cBid\t her\t see\t to\t it,\u201d\t Ceres\t said,\t \u201cthat\t no abundance\t shall\t ever\t satisfy\t him.\t He\t shall\t starve\t in\t the\t very\t act\t of\t devouring food.\u201d Famine\t obeyed\t the\t command.\t She\t entered\t Erysichthon\u2019s\t room\t where\t he slept\t and\t she\t wrapped\t her\t skinny\t arms\t around\t him.\t Holding\t him\t in\t her\t foul embrace\t she\t filled\t him\t with\t herself\t and\t planted\t hunger\t within\t him.\t He\t woke with\ta\traging\tdesire\tfor\tfood\tand\tcalled\tfor\tsomething\tto\teat.\tBut\tthe\tmore\the\tate the\t more\t he\t wanted.\t Even\t as\t he\t crammed\t meat\t down\t his\t throat\t he\t starved.\t He spent\tall\this\twealth\ton\tvast\tsupplies\tof\tfood\twhich\tnever\tgave\thim\ta\tmoment\u2019s satisfaction.\tAt\tlast\the\thad\tnothing\tleft\texcept\this\tdaughter.\tHe\tsold\ther,\ttoo.\tOn the\t seashore,\t where\t her\t owner\u2019s\t ship\t lay,\t she\t prayed\t to\t Poseidon\t to\t save\t her from\tslavery\tand\tthe\tgod\theard\ther\tprayer.\tHe\tchanged\ther\tinto\ta\tfisherman.\tHer master,\t who\t had\t been\t but\t a\t little\t behind\t her,\t saw\t on\t the\t long\t stretch\t of\t beach only\t the\t figure\t of\t a\t man\t busy\t with\t his\t fishing\t lines.\t He\t called\t to\t him,\t \u201cWhere has\tthat\tgirl\tgone\twho\twas\there\ta\tmoment\tago?\tHere\tare\ther\tfootprints\tand\tthey suddenly\t stop.\u201d\t The\t supposed\t fisherman\t answered,\t \u201cI\t swear\t by\t the\t God\t of\t the Sea\t that\t no\t man\t except\t myself\t has\t come\t to\t this\t shore,\t and\t no\t woman\t either.\u201d When\t the\t other,\t completely\t bewildered,\t had\t gone\t off\t in\t his\t boat,\t the\t girl returned\t to\t her\t own\t shape.\t She\t went\t back\t to\t her\t father\t and\t delighted\t him\t by telling\thim\twhat\thad\thappened.\tHe\tsaw\tan\tendless\topportunity\tof\tmaking\tmoney","by\ther.\tHe\tsold\ther\tagain\tand\tagain.\tEach\ttime\tPoseidon\tchanged\ther,\tnow\tinto\ta mare,\t now\t into\t a\t bird,\t and\t so\t on.\t Each\t time\t she\t escaped\t from\t her\t owner\t and came\tback\tto\ther\tfather.\tBut\tat\tlast,\twhen\tthe\tmoney\tshe\tthus\tearned\tfor\thim\twas not\tenough\tfor\this\tneeds,\the\tturned\tupon\this\town\tbody\tand\tdevoured\tit\tuntil\the killed\thimself.","POMONA\tAND\tVERTUMNUS These\ttwo\twere\tRoman\tdivinities,\tnot\tGreek.\tPomona\twas\tthe\tonly\tnymph\twho did\t not\t love\t the\t wild\t woodland.\t She\t cared\t for\t fruits\t and\t orchards\t and\t that\t was all\t she\t cared\t for.\t Her\t delight\t was\t in\t pruning\t and\t grafting\t and\t everything\t that belongs\t to\t the\t gardener\u2019s\t art.\t She\t shut\t herself\t away\t from\t men,\t alone\t with\t her beloved\ttrees,\tand\tlet\tno\twooer\tcome\tnear\ther.\tOf\tall\tthat\tsought\ther\tVertumnus was\tthe\tmost\tardent,\tbut\the\tcould\tmake\tno\theadway.\tOften\the\twas\table\tto\tenter her\t presence\t in\t disguise,\t now\t as\t a\t rude\t reaper\t bringing\t her\t a\t basket\t of\t barley- ears,\tnow\tas\ta\tclumsy\therdsman,\tor\ta\tvine-pruner.\tAt\tsuch\ttimes\the\thad\tthe\tjoy of\tlooking\tat\ther,\tbut\talso\tthe\twretchedness\tof\tknowing\tshe\twould\tnever\tlook\tat such\ta\tone\tas\the\tseemed\tto\tbe.\tAt\tlast,\thowever,\the\tmade\ta\tbetter\tplan.\tHe\tcame to\ther\tdisguised\tas\ta\tvery\told\twoman,\tso\tthat\tit\tdid\tnot\tseem\tstrange\tto\tPomona when\t after\t admiring\t her\t fruit\t he\t said\t to\t her,\t \u201cBut\t you\t are\t far\t more\t beautiful,\u201d and\tkissed\ther.\tStill,\the\tkept\ton\tkissing\ther\tas\tno\told\twoman\twould\thave\tdone, and\tPomona\twas\tstartled.\tPerceiving\tthis\the\tlet\ther\tgo\tand\tsat\tdown\topposite\tan elm\ttree\tover\twhich\tgrew\ta\tvine\tloaded\twith\tpurple\tgrapes.\tHe\tsaid\tsoftly,\t\u201cHow lovely\tthey\tare\ttogether,\tand\thow\tdifferent\tthey\twould\tbe\tapart,\tthe\ttree\tuseless and\tthe\tvine\tflat\ton\tthe\tground\tunable\tto\tbear\tfruit.\tAre\tnot\tyou\tlike\tsuch\ta\tvine? You\tturn\tfrom\tall\twho\tdesire\tyou.\tYou\twill\ttry\tto\tstand\talone.\tAnd\tyet\tthere\tis one\u2014listen\t to\t an\t old\t woman\t who\t loves\t you\t more\t than\t you\t know\u2014you\t would do\twell\tnot\tto\treject,\tVertumnus.\tYou\tare\this\tfirst\tlove\tand\twill\tbe\this\tlast.\tAnd he,\t too,\t cares\t for\t the\t orchard\t and\t the\t garden.\t He\t would\t work\t by\t your\t side.\u201d Then,\t speaking\t with\t great\t seriousness,\t he\t pointed\t out\t to\t her\t how\t Venus\t had shown\tmany\ta\ttime\tthat\tshe\thated\thard-hearted\tmaidens;\tand\the\ttold\ther\tthe\tsad story\t of\t Anaxarete,\t who\t had\t disdained\t her\t suitor\t Iphis,\t until\t in\t despair\t he hanged\t himself\t from\t her\t gate-post,\t whereupon\t Venus\t turned\t the\t heartless\t girl into\ta\tstone\timage.\t\u201cBe\twarned,\u201d\the\tbegged,\t\u201cand\tyield\tto\tyour\ttrue\tlover.\u201d\tWith this,\t he\t dropped\t his\t disguise\t and\t stood\t before\t her\t a\t radiant\t youth.\t Pomona yielded\tto\tsuch\tbeauty\tjoined\tto\tsuch\teloquence,\tand\thenceforward\ther\torchards had\ttwo\tgardeners.","II","AMALTHEA According\t to\t one\t story\t she\t was\t a\t goat\t on\t whose\t milk\t the\t infant\t Zeus\t was\t fed. According\t to\t another\t she\t was\t a\t nymph\t who\t owned\t the\t goat.\t She\t was\t said\t to have\ta\thorn\twhich\twas\talways\tfull\tof\twhatever\tfood\tor\tdrink\tanyone\twanted,\tthe Horn\t of\t Plenty\t (in\t Latin\t Cornu\t copiae\u2014also\t known\t as\t \u201cthe\t Cornucopia\u201d\t in Latin\tmythology).\tBut\tthe\tLatins\tsaid\tthe\tCornucopia\twas\tthe\thorn\tof\tAchelous which\tHercules\tbroke\toff\twhen\the\tconquered\tthat\triver-god,\twho\thad\ttaken\tthe form\tof\ta\tbull\tto\tfight\thim.\tIt\twas\talways\tmagically\tfull\tof\tfruits\tand\tflowers.","THE\tAMAZONS Aeschylus\t calls\t them\t \u201cThe\t warring\t Amazons,\t men-haters.\u201d\t They\t were\t a\t nation of\t women,\t all\t warriors.\t They\t were\t supposed\t to\t live\t around\t the\t Caucasus\t and their\tchief\tcity\twas\tThemiscryra.\tCuriously\tenough,\tthey\tinspired\tartists\tto\tmake statues\t and\t pictures\t of\t them\t far\t more\t than\t poets\t to\t write\t of\t them.\t Familiar though\tthey\tare\tto\tus\tthere\tare\tfew\tstories\tabout\tthem.\tThey\tinvaded\tLycia\tand were\t repulsed\t by\t Bellerophon.\t They\t invaded\t Phrygia\t when\t Priam\t was\t young, and\t Attica\t when\t Theseus\t was\t King.\t He\t had\t carried\t off\t their\t Queen\t and\t they tried\tto\trescue\ther,\tbut\tTheseus\tdefeated\tthem.\tIn\tthe\tTrojan\tWar\tthey\tfought\tthe Greeks\tunder\ttheir\tQueen,\tPenthesilea,\taccording\tto\ta\tstory\tnot\tin\tthe\tIliad,\ttold by\t Pausanias.\t He\t says\t that\t she\t was\t killed\t by\t Achilles,\t who\t mourned\t for\t her\t as she\tlay\tdead,\tso\tyoung\tand\tso\tbeautiful.","AMYMONE She\t was\t one\t of\t the\t Dana\u00efds.\t Her\t father\t sent\t her\t to\t draw\t water\t and\t a\t satyr\t saw her\t and\t pursued\t her.\t Poseidon\t heard\t her\t cry\t for\t help,\t loved\t her,\t and\t saved\t her from\tthe\tsatyr.\tWith\this\ttrident\the\tmade\tin\ther\thonor\tthe\tspring\twhich\tbears\ther name.","ANTIOPE A\t princess\t of\t Thebes,\t Antiope,\t bore\t two\t sons\t to\t Zeus,\t Zethus\t and\t Amphion. Fearing\ther\tfather\u2019s\tanger\tshe\tleft\tthe\tchildren\ton\ta\tlonely\tmountain\tas\tsoon\tas they\twere\tborn,\tbut\tthey\twere\tdiscovered\tby\ta\therdsman\tand\tbrought\tup\tby\thim. The\t man\t then\t ruling\t Thebes,\t Lycus,\t and\t his\t wife\t Dirce,\t treated\t Antiope\t with great\tcruelty\tuntil\tshe\tdetermined\tto\thide\therself\tfrom\tthem.\tFinally\tshe\tcame\tto the\tcottage\twhere\ther\tsons\tlived.\tSomehow\tthey\trecognized\ther\tor\tshe\tthem,\tand gathering\t a\t band\t of\t their\t friends\t they\t went\t to\t the\t palace\t to\t avenge\t her.\t They killed\t Lycus\t and\t brought\t a\t terrible\t death\t upon\t Dirce,\t tying\t her\t by\t her\t hair\t to\t a bull.\tThe\tbrothers\tthrew\ther\tbody\tinto\tthe\tspring\twhich\twas\tever\tafter\tcalled\tby her\tname.","ARACHNE (This\tstory\tis\ttold\tonly\tby\tthe\tLatin\tpoet\tOvid.\tTherefore\tthe\tLatin\tnames\tof\tthe gods\tare\tgiven.) The\t fate\t of\t this\t maiden\t was\t another\t example\t of\t the\t danger\t of\t claiming equality\t with\t the\t gods\t in\t anything\t whatsoever.\t Minerva\t was\t the\t weaver\t among the\tOlympians\tas\tVulcan\twas\tthe\tsmith.\tQuite\tnaturally\tshe\tconsidered\tthe\tstuffs she\t wove\t unapproachable\t for\t fineness\t and\t beauty,\t and\t she\t was\t outraged\t when she\theard\tthat\ta\tsimple\tpeasant\tgirl\tnamed\tArachne\tdeclared\ther\town\twork\tto\tbe superior.\t The\t goddess\t went\t forthwith\t to\t the\t hut\t where\t the\t maiden\t lived\t and challenged\t her\t to\t a\t contest.\t Arachne\t accepted.\t Both\t set\t up\t their\t looms\t and stretched\t the\t warp\t upon\t them.\t Then\t they\t went\t to\t work.\t Heaps\t of\t skeins\t of beautiful\t threads\t colored\t like\t the\t rainbow\t lay\t beside\t each,\t and\t threads\t of\t gold and\tsilver,\ttoo.\tMinerva\tdid\ther\tbest\tand\tthe\tresult\twas\ta\tmarvel,\tbut\tArachne\u2019s work,\t finished\t at\t the\t same\t moment,\t was\t in\t no\t way\t inferior.\t The\t goddess\t in\t a fury\t of\t anger\t slit\t the\t web\t from\t top\t to\t bottom\t and\t beat\t the\t girl\t around\t the\t head with\t her\t shuttle.\t Arachne,\t disgraced\t and\t mortified\t and\t furiously\t angry,\t hanged herself.\t Then\t a\t little\t repentance\t entered\t Minerva\u2019s\t heart.\t She\t lifted\t the\t body from\tthe\tnoose\tand\tsprinkled\tit\twith\ta\tmagic\tliquid.\tArachne\twas\tchanged\tinto\ta spider,\tand\ther\tskill\tin\tweaving\twas\tleft\tto\ther.","ARION He\tseems\tto\thave\tbeen\ta\treal\tperson,\ta\tpoet\twho\tlived\tabout\t700\tB.C.,\tbut\tnone of\this\tpoems\thave\tcome\tdown\tto\tus,\tand\tall\tthat\tis\tactually\tknown\tof\thim\tis\tthe story\tof\this\tescape\tfrom\tdeath,\twhich\tis\tquite\tlike\ta\tmythological\tstory.\tHe\thad gone\tfrom\tCorinth\tto\tSicily\tto\ttake\tpart\tin\ta\tmusic\tcontest.\tHe\twas\ta\tmaster\tof the\tlyre\tand\the\twon\tthe\tprize.\tOn\tthe\tvoyage\thome\tthe\tsailors\tcoveted\tthe\tprize and\t planned\t to\t kill\t him.\t Apollo\t told\t him\t in\t a\t dream\t of\t his\t danger\t and\t how\t to save\this\tlife.\tWhen\tthe\tsailors\tattacked\thim\the\tbegged\tthem\tas\ta\tlast\tfavor\tto\tlet him\t play\t and\t sing,\t before\t he\t died.\t At\t the\t end\t of\t the\t song\t he\t flung\t himself\t into the\t sea,\t where\t dolphins,\t who\t had\t been\t drawn\t to\t the\t ship\t by\t the\t enchanting music,\tbore\thim\tup\tas\the\tsank\tand\tcarried\thim\tto\tland.","ARISTAEUS He\t was\t a\t keeper\t of\t bees,\t the\t son\t of\t Apollo\t and\t a\t water\t nymph,\t Cyrene.\t When his\tbees\tall\tdied\tfrom\tsome\tunknown\tcause\the\twent\tfor\thelp\tto\this\tmother.\tShe told\t him\t that\t Proteus,\t the\t wise\t old\t god\t of\t the\t sea,\t could\t show\t him\t how\t to prevent\t another\t such\t disaster,\t but\t that\t he\t would\t do\t so\t only\t if\t compelled. Aristaeus\tmust\tseize\thim\tand\tchain\thim,\ta\tvery\tdifficult\ttask,\tas\tMenelaus\ton\this way\t home\t from\t Troy\t found.\t Proteus\t had\t the\t power\t to\t change\t himself\t into\t any number\t of\t different\t forms.\t However,\t if\t his\t captor\t was\t resolute\t enough\t to\t hold him\t fast\t through\t all\t the\t changes,\t he\t would\t finally\t give\t in\t and\t answer\t what\t he was\t asked.\t Aristaeus\t followed\t directions.\t He\t went\t to\t the\t favorite\t haunt\t of Proteus,\t the\t island\t of\t Pharos,\t or\t some\t say\t Carpathos.\t There\t he\t seized\t Proteus and\t did\t not\t let\t him\t go,\t in\t spite\t of\t the\t terrible\t forms\t he\t assumed,\t until\t the\t god was\t discouraged\t and\t returned\t to\t his\t own\t shape.\t Then\t he\t told\t Aristaeus\t to sacrifice\t to\t the\t gods\t and\t leave\t the\t carcasses\t of\t the\t animals\t in\t the\t place\t of sacrifice.\t Nine\t days\t later\t he\t must\t go\t back\t and\t examine\t the\t bodies.\t Again Aristaeus\t did\t as\t he\t was\t bid,\t and\t on\t the\t ninth\t day\t he\t found\t a\t marvel,\t a\t great swarm\tof\tbees\tin\tone\tof\tthe\tcarcasses.\tHe\tnever\tagain\twas\ttroubled\tby\tany\tblight or\tdisease\tamong\tthem. The\tstory\tof\tthese\ttwo\tis\talluded\tto\tin\tthe\tIliad:\u2014 Now\tfrom\ther\tcouch\twhere\tshe\tlay\tbeside\thigh-born\tTithonus,\tthe\tgoddess Dawn,\trosy-fingered,\tarose\tto\tbring\tlight\tto\tthe\tgods\tand\tto\tmortals. This\t Tithonus,\t the\t husband\t of\t Aurora,\t the\t Goddess\t of\t the\t Dawn,\t was\t the father\tof\ther\tson,\tthe\tdark-skinned\tprince\tMemnon\tof\tEthiopia\twho\twas\tkilled\tat Troy,\tfighting\tfor\tthe\tTrojans.\tTithonus\thimself\thad\ta\tstrange\tfate.\tAurora\tasked Zeus\t to\t make\t him\t immortal\t and\t he\t agreed,\t but\t she\t had\t not\t thought\t to\t ask\t also that\the\tshould\tremain\tyoung.\tSo\tit\tcame\tto\tpass\tthat\the\tgrew\told,\tbut\tcould\tnot die.\tHelpless\tat\tlast,\tunable\tto\tmove\thand\tor\tfoot,\the\tprayed\tfor\tdeath,\tbut\tthere was\t no\t release\t for\t him.\t He\t must\t live\t on\t forever,\t with\t old\t age\t forever\t pressing upon\thim\tmore\tand\tmore.\tAt\tlast\tin\tpity\tthe\tgoddess\tlaid\thim\tin\ta\troom\tand\tleft him,\tshutting\tthe\tdoor.\tThere\the\tbabbled\tendlessly,\twords\twith\tno\tmeaning.\tHis mind\thad\tgone\twith\this\tstrength\tof\tbody.\tHe\twas\tonly\tthe\tdry\thusk\tof\ta\tman.","There\t is\t a\t story,\t too,\t that\t he\t shrank\t and\t shrank\t in\t size\t until\t at\t last\t Aurora with\t a\t feeling\t for\t the\t natural\t fitness\t of\t things\t turned\t him\t into\t the\t skinny\t and noisy\tgrasshopper. To\t Memnon,\t his\t son,\t a\t great\t statue\t was\t erected\t in\t Egypt\t at\t Thebes,\t and\t it was\tsaid\tthat\twhen\tthe\tfirst\trays\tof\tdawn\tfell\tupon\tit\ta\tsound\tcame\tfrom\tit\tlike the\ttwanging\tof\ta\tharpstring.","BITON\tAND\tCLEOBIS Biton\tand\tCleobis\twere\tthe\tsons\tof\tCydippe,\ta\tpriestess\tof\tHera.\tShe\tlonged\tto see\t a\t most\t beautiful\t statue\t of\t the\t goddess\t of\t Argos,\t made\t by\t the\t great\t sculptor Polyclitus\t the\t Elder,\t who\t was\t said\t to\t be\t as\t great\t as\t his\t younger\t contemporary, Phidias.\tArgos\twas\ttoo\tfar\taway\tfor\ther\tto\twalk\tthere\tand\tthey\thad\tno\thorses\tor oxen\t to\t draw\t her.\t But\t her\t two\t sons\t determined\t that\t she\t should\t have\t her\t wish. They\tyoked\tthemselves\tto\ta\tcar\tand\tdrew\ther\tall\tthe\tlong\tway\tthrough\tdust\tand heat.\t Everyone\t admired\t their\t filial\t piety\t when\t they\t arrived,\t and\t the\t proud\t and happy\tmother\tstanding\tbefore\tthe\tstatue\tprayed\tthat\tHera\twould\treward\tthem\tby giving\t them\t the\t best\t gift\t in\t her\t power.\t As\t she\t finished\t her\t prayer\t the\t two\t lads sank\t to\t the\t ground.\t They\t were\t smiling,\t and\t they\t looked\t as\t if\t they\t were peacefully\tasleep;\tbut\tthey\twere\tdead.","CALLISTO She\twas\tthe\tdaughter\tof\tLycaon,\ta\tking\tof\tArcadia\twho\thad\tbeen\tchanged\tinto\ta wolf\t because\t of\t his\t wickedness.\t He\t had\t set\t human\t flesh\t on\t the\t table\t for\t Zeus when\t the\t god\t was\t his\t guest.\t His\t punishment\t was\t deserved,\t but\t his\t daughter suffered\t as\t terribly\t as\t he\t and\t she\t was\t innocent\t of\t all\t wrong.\t Zeus\t saw\t her hunting\t in\t the\t train\t of\t Artemis\t and\t fell\t in\t love\t with\t her.\t Hera,\t furiously\t angry, turned\tthe\tmaiden\tinto\ta\tbear\tafter\ther\tson\twas\tborn.\tWhen\tthe\tboy\twas\tgrown and\tout\thunting,\tthe\tgoddess\tbrought\tCallisto\tbefore\thim,\tintending\tto\thave\thim shoot\this\tmother,\tin\tignorance,\tof\tcourse.\tBut\tZeus\tsnatched\tthe\tbear\taway\tand placed\t her\t among\t the\t stars,\t where\t she\t is\t called\t the\t Great\t Bear.\t Later,\t her\t son Arcas\t was\t placed\t beside\t her\t and\t called\t the\t Lesser\t Bear.\t Hera,\t enraged\t at\t this honor\t to\t her\t rival,\t persuaded\t the\t God\t of\t the\t Sea\t to\t forbid\t the\t Bears\t to\t descend into\t the\t ocean\t like\t the\t other\t stars.\t They\t alone\t of\t the\t constellations\t never\t set below\tthe\thorizon.","CHIRON He\t was\t one\t of\t the\t Centaurs,\t but\t unlike\t the\t others\t who\t were\t violent\t fierce creatures,\t he\t was\t known\t everywhere\t for\t his\t goodness\t and\t wisdom,\t so\t much\t so that\tthe\tyoung\tsons\tof\theroes\twere\tentrusted\tto\thim\tto\ttrain\tand\tteach.\tAchilles was\t his\t pupil\t and\t Aesculapius,\t the\t great\t physician;\t the\t famous\t hunter\t Actaeon, too,\t and\t many\t another.\t He\t alone\t among\t the\t Centaurs\t was\t immortal\t and\t yet\t in the\t end\t he\t died\t and\t went\t to\t the\t lower\t world.\t Indirectly\t and\t unintentionally Hercules\t was\t the\t cause\t of\t his\t dying.\t He\t had\t stopped\t in\t to\t see\t a\t Centaur\t who was\ta\tfriend\tof\this,\tPholus,\tand\tbeing\tvery\tthirsty\the\tpersuaded\thim\tto\topen\ta\tjar of\t wine\t which\t was\t the\t common\t property\t of\t all\t Centaurs.\t The\t aroma\t of\t the wonderful\tliquor\tinformed\tthe\tothers\twhat\thad\thappened\tand\tthey\trushed\tdown to\ttake\tvengeance\ton\tthe\toffender.\tBut\tHercules\twas\tmore\tthan\ta\tmatch\tfor\tthem all.\t He\t fought\t them\t off,\t but\t in\t the\t fight\t he\t accidentally\t wounded\t Chiron,\t who had\t taken\t no\t part\t in\t the\t attack.\t The\t wound\t proved\t to\t be\t incurable\t and\t finally Zeus\tpermitted\tChiron\tto\tdie\trather\tthan\tlive\tforever\tin\tpain.","CLYTIE Her\t story\t is\t unique,\t for\t instead\t of\t a\t god\t in\t love\t with\t an\t unwilling\t maiden,\t a maiden\tis\tin\tlove\twith\tan\tunwilling\tgod.\tClytie\tloved\tthe\tSun-god\tand\the\tfound nothing\tto\tlove\tin\ther.\tShe\tpined\taway\tsitting\ton\tthe\tground\tout-of-doors\twhere she\t could\t watch\t him,\t turning\t her\t face\t and\t following\t him\t with\t her\t eyes\t as\t he journeyed\tover\tthe\tsky.\tSo\tgazing\tshe\twas\tchanged\tinto\ta\tflower,\tthe\tsunflower, which\tever\tturns\ttoward\tthe\tsun.","DRYOPE Her\t story,\t like\t a\t number\t of\t others,\t shows\t how\t strongly\t the\t ancient\t Greeks disapproved\tof\tdestroying\tor\tinjuring\ta\ttree. With\ther\tsister\tIole\tshe\twent\tone\tday\tto\ta\tpool\tintending\tto\tmake\tgarlands\tfor the\t nymphs.\t She\t was\t carrying\t her\t little\t son,\t and\t seeing\t near\t the\t water\t a\t lotus tree\tfull\tof\tbright\tblossoms\tshe\tplucked\tsome\tof\tthem\tto\tplease\tthe\tbaby.\tTo\ther horror\t she\t saw\t drops\t of\t blood\t flowing\t down\t the\t stem.\t The\t tree\t was\t really\t the nymph,\t Lotis,\t who\t fleeing\t from\t a\t pursuer\t had\t taken\t refuge\t in\t this\t form.\t When Dryope,\t terrified\t at\t the\t ominous\t sight,\t tried\t to\t hurry\t away,\t her\t feet\t would\t not move;\tthey\tseemed\trooted\tin\tthe\tground.\tIole\twatching\ther\thelplessly\tsaw\tbark begin\t to\t grow\t upward\t covering\t her\t body.\t It\t had\t reached\t her\t face\t when\t her husband\tcame\tto\tthe\tspot\twith\ther\tfather.\tIole\tcried\tout\twhat\thad\thappened\tand the\t two,\t rushing\t to\t the\t tree,\t embraced\t the\t still\t warm\t trunk\t and\t watered\t it\t with their\t tears.\t Dryope\t had\t time\t only\t to\t declare\t that\t she\t had\t done\t no\t wrong intentionally\t and\t to\t beg\t them\t to\t bring\t the\t child\t often\t to\t the\t tree\t to\t play\t in\t its shade,\t and\t some\t day\t to\t tell\t him\t her\t story\t so\t that\t he\t would\t think\t whenever\t he saw\tthe\tspot:\t\u201cHere\tin\tthis\ttree-trunk\tmy\tmother\tis\thidden.\u201d\t\u201cTell\thim,\ttoo,\u201d\tshe said,\t \u201cnever\t to\t pluck\t flowers,\t and\t to\t think\t every\t bush\t may\t be\t a\t goddess\t in disguise.\u201d\tThen\tshe\tcould\tspeak\tno\tmore;\tthe\tbark\tclosed\tover\ther\tface.\tShe\twas gone\tforever.","EPIMENIDES A\t figure\t of\t mythology\t only\t because\t of\t the\t story\t of\t his\t long\t sleep.\t He\t lived around\t600\tB.C.\tand\tis\tsaid\tas\ta\tboy\twhen\tlooking\tfor\ta\tlost\tsheep\tto\thave\tbeen overcome\t by\t a\t slumber\t which\t lasted\t for\t fifty-seven\t years.\t On\t waking\t he continued\t the\t search\t for\t the\t sheep\t unaware\t of\t what\t had\t happened,\t and\t found everything\t changed.\t He\t was\t sent\t by\t the\t oracle\t at\t Delphi\t to\t purify\t Athens\t of\t a plague.\t When\t the\t grateful\t Athenians\t would\t have\t given\t him\t a\t large\t sum\t of money\the\trefused\tand\tasked\tonly\tthat\tthere\tshould\tbe\tfriendship\tbetween\tAthens and\this\town\thome,\tCnossus\tin\tCrete.","ERICTHONIUS He\t is\t the\t same\t as\t Erechtheus.\t Homer\t knew\t only\t one\t man\t of\t that\t name.\t Plato speaks\t of\t two.\t He\t was\t the\t son\t of\t Hephaestus,\t reared\t by\t Athena,\t half\t man,\t half serpent.\t Athena\t gave\t a\t chest\t in\t which\t she\t had\t put\t the\t infant\t to\t the\t three daughters\tof\tCecrops,\tforbidding\tthem\tto\topen\tit.\tThey\tdid\topen\tit,\thowever,\tand saw\tin\tit\tthe\tserpent-like\tcreature.\tAthena\tdrove\tthem\tmad\tas\ta\tpunishment,\tand they\tkilled\tthemselves,\tjumping\tfrom\tthe\tAcropolis.\tWhen\tEricthonius\tgrew\tup he\t became\t King\t of\t Athens.\t His\t grandson\t was\t called\t by\t his\t name,\t and\t was\t the father\tof\tthe\tsecond\tCecrops,\tProcris,\tCre\u00fcsa,\tand\tOrithyia.","HERO\tAND\tLEANDER Leander\t was\t a\t youth\t of\t Abydus,\t a\t town\t on\t the\t Hellespont,\t and\t Hero\t was Priestess\t of\t Aphrodite\t in\t Sestus\t on\t the\t opposite\t shore.\t Every\t night\t Leander swam\t across\t to\t her,\t guided\t by\t the\t light,\t some\t say\t of\t the\t lighthouse\t in\t Sestus, some\tof\ta\ttorch\tHero\talways\tset\tblazing\ton\tthe\ttop\tof\ta\ttower.\tOne\tvery\tstormy night\t the\t light\t was\t blown\t out\t by\t the\t wind\t and\t Leander\t perished.\t His\t body\t was washed\tup\ton\tthe\tshore\tand\tHero,\tfinding\tit,\tkilled\therself.","THE\tHYADES The\tHyades\twere\tdaughters\tof\tAtlas\tand\thalf\tsisters\tof\tthe\tPleiades.\tThey\twere the\t rainy\t stars,\t supposed\t to\t bring\t rain\t because\t the\t time\t of\t their\t evening\t and morning\t setting,\t which\t comes\t in\t early\t May\t and\t November,\t is\t usually\t rainy. They\t were\t six\t in\t number.\t Dionysus\t as\t a\t baby\t was\t entrusted\t to\t them\t by\t Zeus, and\tto\treward\tthem\tfor\ttheir\tcare\the\tset\tthem\tamong\tthe\tstars.","IBYCUS\tAND\tTHE\tCRANES He\t is\t not\t a\t mythological\t character,\t but\t a\t poet\t who\t lived\t about\t 550\t B.C.\t Only\t a very\t few\t fragments\t of\t his\t poems\t have\t come\t down\t to\t us.\t All\t that\t is\t known\t of him\tis\tthe\tdramatic\tstory\tof\this\tdeath.\tHe\twas\tattacked\tby\trobbers\tnear\tCorinth and\t mortally\t wounded.\t A\t flock\t of\t cranes\t flew\t by\t overhead,\t and\t he\t called\t on them\t to\t avenge\t him.\t Soon\t after,\t over\t the\t open\t theater\t in\t Corinth\t where\t a\t play was\tbeing\tperformed\tto\ta\tfull\thouse,\ta\tflock\tof\tcranes\tappeared,\thovering\tabove the\tcrowd.\tSuddenly\ta\tman\u2019s\tvoice\twas\theard.\tHe\tcried\tout\tas\tif\tpanic-stricken, \u201cThe\t cranes\t of\t Ibycus,\t the\t avengers!\u201d\t The\t audience\t in\t turn\t shouted,\t \u201cThe murderer\thas\tinformed\tagainst\thimself.\u201d\tThe\tman\twas\tseized,\tthe\tother\trobbers discovered,\tand\tall\tput\tto\tdeath.","LETO\t(LATONA) She\twas\tthe\tdaughter\tof\tthe\tTitans\tPhoebe\tand\tCoeus.\tZeus\tloved\ther,\tbut\twhen she\twas\tabout\tto\tbear\ta\tchild\the\tabandoned\ther,\tafraid\tof\tHera.\tAll\tcountries\tand islands,\t afraid\t for\t the\t same\t reason,\t refused\t to\t receive\t her\t and\t give\t her\t a\t place where\ther\tchild\tcould\tbe\tborn.\tOn\tand\ton\tshe\twandered\tin\tdesperation\tuntil\tshe reached\ta\tbit\tof\tland\twhich\twas\tfloating\ton\tthe\tsea.\tIt\thad\tno\tfoundation,\tbut\twas tossed\t hither\t and\t thither\t by\t waves\t and\t winds.\t It\t was\t called\t Delos\t and\t besides being\tof\tall\tislands\tthe\tmost\tinsecure\tit\twas\trocky\tand\tbarren.\tBut\twhen\tLeto\tset foot\t on\t it\t and\t asked\t for\t refuge,\t the\t little\t isle\t welcomed\t her\t gladly,\t and\t at\t that moment\t four\t lofty\t pillars\t rose\t from\t the\t bottom\t of\t the\t sea\t and\t held\t it\t firmly anchored\t forever.\t There\t Leto\u2019s\t children\t were\t born,\t Artemis\t and\t Phoebus Apollo;\t and\t in\t after\t years\t Apollo\u2019s\t glorious\t temple\t stood\t there,\t visited\t by\t men from\tall\tover\tthe\tworld.\tThe\tbarren\trock\twas\tcalled\t\u201cthe\theaven-built\tisle,\u201d\tand from\tbeing\tthe\tmost\tdespised\tit\tbecame\tthe\tmost\trenowned\tof\tislands.","LINUS In\t the\t Iliad\t a\t vineyard\t is\t described\t with\t youths\t and\t maidens\t singing,\t as\t they gather\tthe\tfruit,\t\u201ca\tsweet\tLinus\tsong.\u201d\tThis\twas\tprobably\ta\tlament\tfor\tthe\tyoung son\t of\t Apollo\t and\t Psamathe\u2014Linus,\t who\t was\t deserted\t by\t his\t mother,\t brought up\t by\t shepherds,\t and\t before\t he\t was\t full-grown\t torn\t to\t pieces\t by\t dogs.\t This Linus\twas,\tlike\tAdonis\tand\tHyacinthus,\ta\ttype\tof\tall\tlovely\tyoung\tlife\tthat\tdies or\tis\twithered\tbefore\tit\thas\tborne\tfruit.\tThe\tGreek\tword\tailinon!,\tmeaning\t\u201cwoe for\tLinus!\u201d\tgrew\tto\tmean\tno\tmore\tthan\tthe\tEnglish\t\u201calas!\u201d\tand\twas\tused\tin\tany lament.\t There\t was\t another\t Linus,\t the\t son\t of\t Apollo\t and\t a\t Muse,\t who\t taught Orpheus\tand\ttried\tto\tteach\tHercules,\tbut\twas\tkilled\tby\thim.","MARPESSA She\twas\tmore\tfortunate\tthan\tother\tmaidens\tbeloved\tof\tthe\tgods.\tIdas,\tone\tof\tthe heroes\t of\t the\t Calydonian\t Hunt\t and\t also\t one\t of\t the\t Argonauts,\t carried\t her\t off from\ther\tfather\twith\ther\tconsent.\tThey\twould\thave\tlived\thappily\tever\tafter,\tbut Apollo\t fell\t in\t love\t with\t her.\t Idas\t refused\t to\t give\t her\t up;\t he\t even\t dared\t to\t fight with\t Apollo\t for\t her.\t Zeus\t parted\t them\t and\t told\t Marpessa\t to\t choose\t which\t she would\thave.\tShe\tchose\tthe\tmortal,\tfearing,\tcertainly\tnot\twithout\treason,\tthat\tthe god\twould\tnot\tbe\tfaithful\tto\ther.","MARSYAS The\tflute\twas\tinvented\tby\tAthena,\tbut\tshe\tthrew\tit\taway\tbecause\tin\torder\tto\tplay it\tshe\thad\tto\tpuff\tout\ther\tcheeks\tand\tdisfigure\ther\tface.\tMarsyas,\ta\tsatyr,\tfound\tit and\t played\t so\t enchantingly\t upon\t it\t that\t he\t dared\t to\t challenge\t Apollo\t to\t a contest.\tThe\tgod\twon,\tof\tcourse,\tand\tpunished\tMarsyas\tby\tflaying\thim.","MELAMPUS He\tsaved\tand\treared\ttwo\tlittle\tsnakes\twhen\this\tservants\tkilled\tthe\tparent\tsnakes, and\tas\tpets\tthey\trepaid\thim\twell.\tOnce\twhen\the\twas\tasleep\tthey\tcrept\tupon\this couch\t and\t licked\t his\t ears.\t He\t started\t up\t in\t a\t great\t fright,\t but\t he\t found\t that\t he understood\t what\t two\t birds\t on\t his\t windowsill\t were\t saying\t to\t each\t other.\t The snakes\t had\t made\t him\t able\t to\t understand\t the\t language\t of\t all\t flying\t and\t all creeping\t creatures.\t He\t learned\t in\t this\t way\t the\t art\t of\t divination\t as\t no\t one\t ever had,\t and\t he\t became\t a\t famous\t soothsayer.\t He\t saved\t himself,\t too,\t by\t his knowledge.\t His\t enemies\t once\t captured\t him\t and\t kept\t him\t a\t prisoner\t in\t a\t little cell.\tWhile\tthere,\the\theard\tthe\tworms\tsaying\tthat\tthe\troof-beam\thad\tbeen\talmost gnawed\t through\t so\t that\t it\t would\t soon\t fall\t and\t crush\t all\t beneath\t it.\t At\t once\t he told\t his\t captors\t and\t asked\t to\t be\t moved\t elsewhere.\t They\t did\t as\t he\t said\t and directly\tafterward\tthe\troof\tfell\tin.\tThen\tthey\tsaw\thow\tgreat\ta\tdiviner\the\twas\tand they\tfreed\tand\trewarded\thim.","MEROPE Her\t husband,\t Cresphontes,\t a\t son\t of\t Hercules,\t and\t king\t of\t Messenia,\t was\t killed in\t a\t rebellion\t together\t with\t two\t of\t his\t sons.\t The\t man\t who\t succeeded\t him, Polyphontes,\t took\t her\t as\t his\t wife.\t But\t her\t third\t son,\t Aepytus,\t had\t been\t hidden by\ther\tin\tArcadia.\tHe\treturned\tyears\tlater\tpretending\tto\tbe\ta\tman\twho\thad\tslain Aepytus\t and\t was\t kindly\t received\t therefore\t by\t Polyphontes.\t His\t mother, however,\t not\t knowing\t who\t he\t was,\t planned\t to\t kill\t her\t son\u2019s\t murderer,\t as\t she thought\t him.\t However,\t in\t the\t end\t she\t found\t out\t who\t he\t was\t and\t the\t two together\tbrought\tabout\tPolyphontes\u2019\tdeath.\tAepytus\tbecame\tking.","THE\tMYRMIDONS These\t were\t men\t created\t from\t ants\t on\t the\t island\t of\t Aegina,\t in\t the\t reign\t of Aeacus,\t Achilles\u2019\t grandfather,\t and\t they\t were\t Achilles\u2019\t followers\t in\t the\t Trojan War.\t Not\t only\t were\t they\t thrifty\t and\t industrious,\t as\t one\t would\t suppose\t from their\t origin,\t but\t they\t were\t also\t brave.\t They\t were\t changed\t into\t men\t from\t ants because\tof\tone\tof\tHera\u2019s\tattacks\tof\tjealousy.\tShe\twas\tangry\tbecause\tZeus\tloved Aegina,\t the\t maiden\t for\t whom\t the\t island\t was\t named,\t and\t whose\t son,\t Aeacus, became\t its\t king.\t Hera\t sent\t a\t fearful\t pestilence\t which\t destroyed\t the\t people\t by thousands.\tIt\tseemed\tthat\tno\tone\twould\tbe\tleft\talive.\tAeacus\tclimbed\tto\tthe\tlofty temple\t of\t Zeus\t and\t prayed\t to\t him,\t reminding\t him\t that\t he\t was\t his\t son\t and\t the son\tof\ta\twoman\tthe\tgod\thad\tloved.\tAs\the\tspoke\the\tsaw\ta\ttroop\tof\tbusy\tants.\t\u201cOh Father,\u201d\the\tcried,\t\u201cmake\tof\tthese\tcreatures\ta\tpeople\tfor\tme,\tas\tnumerous\tas\tthey, and\tfill\tmy\tempty\tcity.\u201d\tA\tpeal\tof\tthunder\tseemed\tto\tanswer\thim\tand\tthat\tnight he\t dreamed\t that\t he\t saw\t the\t ants\t being\t transformed\t into\t human\t shape.\t At daybreak\t his\t son\t Telamon\t woke\t him\t saying\t that\t a\t great\t host\t of\t men\t was approaching\tthe\tpalace.\tHe\twent\tout\tand\tsaw\ta\tmultitude,\tas\tmany\tas\tthe\tants\tin number,\t all\t crying\t out\t that\t they\t were\t his\t faithful\t subjects.\t So\t Aegina\t was repopulated\tfrom\tan\tant\thill\tand\tits\tpeople\twere\tcalled\tMyrmidons\tafter\tthe\tant (myrmex)\tfrom\twhich\tthey\thad\tsprung.","NISUS\tAND\tSCYLLA Nisus,\tKing\tof\tMegara,\thad\ton\this\thead,\ta\tpurple\tlock\tof\thair\twhich\the\thad\tbeen warned\t never\t to\t cut.\t The\t safety\t of\t his\t throne\t depended\t upon\t his\t preserving\t it. Minos\tof\tCrete\tlaid\tsiege\tto\this\tcity,\tbut\tNisus\tknew\tthat\tno\tharm\twould\tcome to\tit\tas\tlong\tas\the\thad\tthe\tpurple\tlock.\tHis\tdaughter,\tScylla,\tused\tto\twatch\tMinos from\t the\t city\t wall\t and\t she\t fell\t madly\t in\t love\t with\t him.\t She\t could\t think\t of\t no way\t to\t make\t him\t care\t for\t her\t except\t by\t taking\t her\t father\u2019s\t lock\t of\t hair\t to\t him and\tenabling\thim\tto\tconquer\tthe\ttown.\tShe\tdid\tthis;\tshe\tcut\tit\tfrom\ther\tfather\u2019s head\tin\this\tsleep\tand\tcarrying\tit\tto\tMinos\tshe\tconfessed\twhat\tshe\thad\tdone.\tHe shrank\tfrom\ther\tin\thorror\tand\tdrove\ther\tout\tof\this\tsight.\tWhen\tthe\tcity\thad\tbeen conquered\tand\tthe\tCretans\tlaunched\ttheir\tships\tto\tsail\thome,\tshe\tcame\trushing\tto the\tshore,\tmad\twith\tpassion,\tand\tleaping\tinto\tthe\twater\tseized\tthe\trudder\tof\tthe boat\t that\t carried\t Minos.\t But\t at\t this\t moment\t a\t great\t eagle\t swooped\t down\t upon her.\tIt\twas\ther\tfather,\twhom\tthe\tgods\thad\tsaved\tby\tchanging\thim\tinto\ta\tbird.\tIn terror\tshe\tlet\tgo\ther\thold,\tand\twould\thave\tfallen\tinto\tthe\twater,\tbut\tsuddenly\tshe, too,\t became\t a\t bird.\t Some\t god\t had\t pity\t on\t her,\t traitor\t though\t she\t was,\t because she\thad\tsinned\tthrough\tlove.","ORION He\t was\t a\t young\t man\t of\t gigantic\t stature\t and\t great\t beauty,\t and\t a\t mighty\t hunter. He\t fell\t in\t love\t with\t the\t daughter\t of\t the\t King\t of\t Chios,\t and\t for\t love\t of\t her\t he cleared\t the\t island\t of\t wild\t beasts.\t The\t spoils\t of\t the\t chase\t he\t brought\t always home\t to\t his\t beloved,\t whose\t name\t is\t sometimes\t said\t to\t be\t Aero,\t sometimes Merope.\t Her\t father,\t Oenopion,\t agreed\t to\t give\t her\t to\t Orion,\t but\t he\t kept\t putting the\t marriage\t off.\t One\t day\t when\t Orion\t was\t drunk\t he\t insulted\t the\t maiden,\t and Oenopion\t appealed\t to\t Dionysus\t to\t punish\t him.\t The\t god\t threw\t him\t into\t a\t deep sleep\tand\tOenopion\tblinded\thim.\tAn\toracle\ttold\thim,\thowever,\tthat\the\twould\tbe able\tto\tsee\tagain\tif\the\twent\tto\tthe\teast\tand\tlet\tthe\trays\tof\tthe\trising\tsun\tfall\ton\this eyes.\t He\t went\t as\t far\t east\t as\t Lemnos\t and\t there\t he\t recovered\t his\t sight.\t Instantly he\t started\t back\t to\t Chios\t to\t take\t vengeance\t on\t the\t king,\t but\t he\t had\t fled\t and Orion\t could\t not\t find\t him.\t He\t went\t on\t to\t Crete,\t and\t lived\t there\t as\t Artemis\u2019 huntsman.\tNevertheless\tin\tthe\tend\tthe\tgoddess\tkilled\thim.\tSome\tsay\tthat\tDawn, also\tcalled\tAurora,\tloved\thim\tand\tthat\tArtemis\tin\tjealous\tanger\tshot\thim.\tOthers say\t that\t he\t made\t Apollo\t angry\t and\t that\t the\t god\t by\t a\t trick\t got\t his\t sister\t to\t slay him.\t After\t his\t death\t he\t was\t placed\t in\t heaven\t as\t a\t constellation,\t which\t shows him\twith\ta\tgirdle,\tsword,\tclub,\tand\tlion\u2019s\tskin.","THE\tPLEIADES They\t were\t the\t daughters\t of\t Atlas,\t seven\t in\t number.\t Their\t names\t were\t Electra, Maia,\t Taygete,\t Alcyone,\t Merope,\t Celaeno,\t Sterope.\t Orion\t pursued\t them\t but they\tfled\tbefore\thim\tand\the\tcould\tnever\tseize\tany\tof\tthem.\tStill\the\tcontinued\tto follow\tthem\tuntil\tZeus,\tpitying\tthem,\tplaced\tthem\tin\tthe\theavens\tas\tstars.\tBut\tit was\t said\t that\t even\t there\t Orion\t continued\t his\t pursuit,\t always\t unsuccessful,\t yet persistent.\t While\t they\t lived\t on\t earth\t one\t of\t them,\t Maia,\t was\t the\t mother\t of Hermes.\t Another,\t Electra,\t was\t the\t mother\t of\t Dardanus,\t the\t founder\t of\t the Trojan\t race.\t Although\t it\t is\t agreed\t that\t there\t were\t seven\t of\t them,\t only\t six\t stars are\t clearly\t visible.\t The\t seventh\t is\t invisible\t except\t to\t those\t who\t have\t specially keen\tsight.","RHOECUS Rhoecus\t seeing\t an\t oak\t about\t to\t fall\t propped\t it\t up.\t The\t dryad\t who\t would\t have perished\t with\t it\t told\t him\t to\t ask\t anything\t he\t desired\t and\t she\t would\t give\t it.\t He answered\tthat\the\twanted\tonly\ther\tlove\tand\tshe\tconsented.\tShe\tbade\thim\tkeep\ton the\talert\tfor\tshe\twould\tsend\thim\ta\tmessenger,\ta\tbee,\tto\ttell\thim\ther\twishes.\tBut Rhoecus\t met\t some\t companions\t and\t forgot\t all\t about\t the\t bee,\t so\t much\t so\t that when\the\theard\tone\tbuzzing\the\tdrove\tit\taway\tand\thurt\tit.\tReturning\tto\tthe\ttree\the was\tblinded\tby\tthe\tdryad,\twho\twas\tangry\tat\tthe\tdisregard\tof\ther\twords\tand\tthe injury\tto\ther\tmessenger.","SALMONEUS This\t man\t was\t another\t illustration\t of\t how\t fatal\t it\t was\t for\t mortals\t to\t try\t to emulate\tthe\tgods.\tWhat\the\tdid\twas\tso\tfoolish,\thowever,\tthat\tin\tlater\tyears\tit\twas often\t said\t that\t he\t had\t gone\t mad.\t He\t pretended\t that\t he\t was\t Zeus.\t He\t had\t a chariot\t made\t in\t such\t a\t way\t that\t there\t was\t a\t loud\t clanging\t of\t brass\t when\t it moved.\t On\t the\t day\t of\t Zeus\u2019s\t festival\t he\t drove\t it\t furiously\t through\t the\t town, scattering\tat\tthe\tsame\ttime\tfirebrands\tand\tshouting\tto\tthe\tpeople\tto\tworship\thim because\t he\t was\t Zeus\t the\t Thunderer.\t But\t instantly\t there\t came\t a\t crash\t of\t actual thunder\tand\ta\tflash\tof\tlightning.\tSalmoneus\tfell\tfrom\this\tchariot\tdead. The\t story\t is\t often\t explained\t as\t pointing\t back\t to\t a\t time\t when\t weather-magic was\tpracticed.\tSalmoneus,\taccording\tto\tthis\tview,\twas\ta\tmagician\ttrying\tto\tbring on\ta\trainstorm\tby\timitating\tit,\ta\tcommon\tmagical\tmethod.","SISYPHUS Sisyphus\t was\t King\t of\t Corinth.\t One\t day\t he\t chanced\t to\t see\t a\t mighty\t eagle, greater\t and\t more\t splendid\t than\t any\t mortal\t bird,\t bearing\t a\t maiden\t to\t an\t island not\t far\t away.\t When\t the\t river-god\t Asopus\t came\t to\t him\t to\t tell\t him\t that\t his daughter\tAegina\thad\tbeen\tcarried\toff,\the\tstrongly\tsuspected\tby\tZeus,\tand\tto\task his\t help\t in\t finding\t her,\t Sisyphus\t told\t him\t what\t he\t had\t seen.\t Thereby\t he\t drew down\t on\t himself\t the\t relentless\t wrath\t of\t Zeus.\t In\t Hades\t he\t was\t punished\t by having\t to\t try\t forever\t to\t roll\t a\t rock\t uphill\t which\t forever\t rolled\t back\t upon\t him. Nor\t did\t he\t help\t Asopus.\t The\t river-god\t went\t to\t the\t island\t but\t Zeus\t drove\t him away\t with\t his\t thunderbolt.\t The\t name\t of\t the\t island\t was\t changed\t to\t Aegina\t in honor\t of\t the\t maiden,\t and\t her\t son\t Aeacus\t was\t the\t grandfather\t of\t Achilles,\t who was\tcalled\tsometimes\tAeacides,\tdescendant\tof\tAeacus.","TYRO Tyro\t was\t the\t daughter\t of\t Salmoneus.\t She\t bore\t twin\t sons\t to\t Poseidon\u2014but fearing\t her\t father\u2019s\t displeasure\t if\t he\t learned\t of\t the\t children\u2019s\t birth,\t she abandoned\t them.\t They\t were\t found\t by\t the\t keeper\t of\t Salmoneus\u2019\t horses,\t and brought\t up\t by\t him\t and\t his\t wife,\t who\t called\t one\t Pelias\t and\t the\t other\t Neleus. Tyro\u2019s\t husband\t Cretheus\t discovered,\t years\t later,\t what\t her\t relations\t with Poseidon\thad\tbeen.\tIn\tgreat\tanger\the\tput\ther\taway\tand\tmarried\tone\tof\ther\tmaids, Sidero,\t who\t ill-treated\t her.\t When\t Cretheus\t died\t the\t twins\t were\t told\t by\t their foster-mother\twho\t their\t real\tparents\twere.\tThey\twent\tat\tonce\tto\tseek\tout\t Tyro and\t discover\t themselves\t to\t her.\t They\t found\t her\t living\t in\t great\t misery\t and\t so they\tlooked\tfor\tSidero,\tto\tpunish\ther.\tShe\thad\theard\tof\ttheir\tarrival\tand\tshe\thad taken\t refuge\t in\t Hera\u2019s\t temple.\t Nevertheless\t Pelias\t slew\t her,\t defying\t the goddess\u2019s\tanger.\tHera\trevenged\therself,\tbut\tonly\tafter\tmany\tyears.\tPelias\u2019\thalf- brother,\tthe\tson\tof\tTyro\tand\tCretheus,\twas\tthe\tfather\tof\tJason,\twhom\tPelias\ttried to\tkill\tby\tsending\thim\tafter\tthe\tGolden\tFleece.\tInstead,\tJason\twas\tindirectly\tthe cause\tof\this\tdeath.\tHe\twas\tkilled\tby\this\tdaughters\tunder\tthe\tdirection\tof\tMedea, Jason\u2019s\twife.","PART VII","","INTRODUCTION\tTO NORSE\tMYTHOLOGY The\t world\t of\t Norse\t mythology\t is\t a\t strange\t world.\t Asgard,\t the\t home\t of\t the gods,\tis\tunlike\tany\tother\theaven\tmen\thave\tdreamed\tof.\tNo\tradiancy\tof\tjoy\tis\tin it,\t no\t assurance\t of\t bliss.\t It\t is\t a\t grave\t and\t solemn\t place,\t over\t which\t hangs\t the threat\tof\tan\tinevitable\tdoom.\tThe\tgods\tknow\tthat\ta\tday\twill\tcome\twhen\tthey\twill be\tdestroyed.\tSometime\tthey\twill\tmeet\ttheir\tenemies\tand\tgo\tdown\tbeneath\tthem to\t defeat\t and\t death.\t Asgard\t will\t fall\t in\t ruins.\t The\t cause\t the\t forces\t of\t good\t are fighting\t to\t defend\t against\t the\t forces\t of\t evil\t is\t hopeless.\t Nevertheless,\t the\t gods will\tfight\tfor\tit\tto\tthe\tend. Necessarily\t the\t same\t is\t true\t of\t humanity.\t If\t the\t gods\t are\t finally\t helpless before\t evil,\t men\t and\t women\t must\t be\t more\t so.\t The\t heroes\t and\t heroines\t of\t the early\t stories\t face\t disaster.\t They\t know\t that\t they\t cannot\t save\t themselves,\t not\t by any\t courage\t or\t endurance\t or\t great\t deed.\t Even\t so,\t they\t do\t not\t yield.\t They\t die resisting.\tA\tbrave\tdeath\tentitles\tthem\u2014at\tleast\tthe\theroes\u2014to\ta\tseat\tin\tValhalla, one\tof\tthe\thalls\tin\tAsgard,\tbut\tthere,\ttoo,\tthey\tmust\tlook\tforward\tto\tfinal\tdefeat and\t destruction.\t In\t the\t last\t battle\t between\t good\t and\t evil\t they\t will\t fight\t on\t the side\tof\tthe\tgods\tand\tdie\twith\tthem. This\tis\tthe\tconception\tof\tlife\twhich\tunderlies\tthe\tNorse\treligion,\tas\tsomber\ta conception\t as\t the\t mind\t of\t man\t has\t ever\t given\t birth\t to.\t The\t only\t sustaining support\tpossible\tfor\tthe\thuman\tspirit,\tthe\tone\tpure\tunsullied\tgood\tmen\tcan\thope to\t attain,\t is\t heroism;\t and\t heroism\t depends\t on\t lost\t causes.\t The\t hero\t can\t prove what\t he\t is\t only\t by\t dying.\t The\t power\t of\t good\t is\t shown\t not\t by\t triumphantly conquering\tevil,\tbut\tby\tcontinuing\tto\tresist\tevil\twhile\tfacing\tcertain\tdefeat. Such\t an\t attitude\t toward\t life\t seems\t at\t first\t sight\t fatalistic,\t but\t actually\t the decrees\tof\tan\tinexorable\tfate\tplayed\tno\tmore\tpart\tin\tthe\tNorseman\u2019s\tscheme\tof existence\tthan\tpredestination\tdid\tin\tSt.\tPaul\u2019s\tor\tin\tthat\tof\this\tmilitant\tProtestant followers,\t and\t for\t precisely\t the\t same\t reason.\t Although\t the\t Norse\t hero\t was","doomed\t if\t he\t did\t not\t yield,\t he\t could\t choose\t between\t yielding\t or\t dying.\t The decision\t was\t in\t his\t own\t hands.\t Even\t more\t than\t that.\t A\t heroic\t death,\t like\t a martyr\u2019s\t death,\t is\t not\t a\t defeat,\t but\t a\t triumph.\t The\t hero\t in\t one\t of\t the\t Norse stories\twho\tlaughs\taloud\twhile\this\tfoes\tcut\this\theart\tout\tof\this\tliving\tflesh\tshows himself\t superior\t to\t his\t conquerors.\t He\t says\t to\t them,\t in\t effect,\t You\t can\t do nothing\t to\t me\t because\t I\t do\t not\t care\t what\t you\t do.\t They\t kill\t him,\t but\t he\t dies undefeated. This\tis\tstern\tstuff\tfor\thumanity\tto\tlive\tby,\tas\tstern\tin\tits\ttotally\tdifferent\tway as\t the\t Sermon\t on\t the\t Mount,\t but\t the\t easy\t way\t has\t never\t in\t the\t long\t run commanded\tthe\tallegiance\tof\tmankind.\tLike\tthe\tearly\tChristians,\tthe\tNorsemen measured\ttheir\tlife\tby\theroic\tstandards.\tThe\tChristians,\thowever,\tlooked\tforward to\t a\t heaven\t of\t eternal\t joy.\t The\t Norseman\t did\t not.\t But\t it\t would\t appear\t that\t for unknown\tcenturies,\tuntil\tthe\tChristian\tmissionaries\tcame,\theroism\twas\tenough. The\t poets\t of\t the\t Norse\t mythology,\t who\t saw\t that\t victory\t was\t possible\t in death\tand\tthat\tcourage\twas\tnever\tdefeated,\tare\tthe\tonly\tspokesmen\tfor\tthe\tbelief of\t the\t whole\t great\t Teutonic\t race\u2014of\t which\t England\t is\t a\t part,\t and\t ourselves through\tthe\tfirst\tsettlers\tin\tAmerica.\tEverywhere\telse\tin\tnorthwestern\tEurope\tthe early\trecords,\tthe\ttraditions,\tthe\tsongs\tand\tstories,\twere\tobliterated\tby\tthe\tpriests of\t Christianity,\t who\t felt\t a\t bitter\t hatred\t for\t the\t paganism\t they\t had\t come\t to destroy.\t It\t is\t extraordinary\t how\t clean\t a\t sweep\t they\t were\t able\t to\t make.\t A\t few bits\t survived:\t Beowulf\t in\t England,\t the\t Nibelungenlied\t in\t Germany,\t and\t some stray\tfragments\there\tand\tthere.\tBut\tif\tit\twere\tnot\tfor\tthe\ttwo\tIcelandic\tEddas\twe should\tknow\tpractically\tnothing\tof\tthe\treligion\twhich\tmolded\tthe\trace\tto\twhich we\t belong.\t In\t Iceland,\t naturally\t by\t its\t position\t the\t last\t northern\t country\t to\t be Christianized,\tthe\tmissionaries\tseem\tto\thave\tbeen\tgentler,\tor,\tperhaps,\tthey\thad less\t influence.\t Latin\t did\t not\t drive\t Norse\t out\t as\t the\t literary\t tongue.\t The\t people still\t told\t the\t old\t stories\t in\t the\t common\t speech,\t and\t some\t of\t them\t were\t written down,\talthough\tby\twhom\tor\twhen\twe\tdo\tnot\tknow.\tThe\toldest\tmanuscript\tof\tthe Elder\t Edda\t is\t dated\t at\t about\t 1300,\t three\t hundred\t years\t after\t the\t Christians arrived,\t but\t the\t poems\t it\t is\t made\t up\t of\t are\t purely\t pagan\t and\t adjudged\t by\t all scholars\t to\t be\t very\t old.\t The\t Younger\t Edda,\t in\t prose,\t was\t written\t down\t by\t one Snorri\t Sturluson\t in\t the\t last\t part\t of\t the\t twelfth\t century.\t The\t chief\t part\t of\t it\t is\t a technical\t treatise\t on\t how\t to\t write\t poetry,\t but\t it\t also\t contains\t some\t prehistoric mythological\tmaterial\twhich\tis\tnot\tin\tthe\tElder\tEdda. The\t Elder\t Edda\t is\t much\t the\t more\t important\t of\t the\t two.\t It\t is\t made\t up\t of separate\tpoems,\toften\tabout\tthe\tsame\tstory,\tbut\tnever\tconnected\twith\teach\tother. The\tmaterial\tfor\ta\tgreat\tepic\tis\tthere,\tas\tgreat\tas\tthe\tIliad,\tperhaps\teven\tgreater,","but\tno\tpoet\tcame\tto\twork\tit\tover\tas\tHomer\tdid\tthe\tearly\tstories\twhich\tpreceded the\tIliad.\tThere\twas\tno\tman\tof\tgenius\tin\tthe\tNorthland\tto\tweld\tthe\tpoems\tinto\ta whole\tand\tmake\tit\ta\tthing\tof\tbeauty\tand\tpower;\tno\tone\teven\tto\tdiscard\tthe\tcrude and\tthe\tcommonplace\tand\tcut\tout\tthe\tchildish\tand\twearisome\trepetitions.\tThere are\t lists\t of\t names\t in\t the\t Edda\t which\t sometimes\t run\t on\t unbroken\t for\t pages. Nevertheless\t the\t somber\t grandeur\t of\t the\t stories\t comes\t through\t in\t spite\t of\t the style.\tPerhaps\tno\tone\tshould\tspeak\tof\t\u201cthe\tstyle\u201d\twho\tcannot\tread\tancient\tNorse; but\t all\t the\t translations\t are\t so\t alike\t in\t being\t singularly\t awkward\t and\t involved that\tone\tcannot\tbut\tsuspect\tthe\toriginal\tof\tbeing\tresponsible,\tat\tleast\tin\tpart.\tThe poets\tof\tthe\tElder\tEdda\tseem\tto\thave\thad\tconceptions\tgreater\tthan\ttheir\tskill\tto put\t them\t into\t words.\t Many\t of\t the\t stories\t are\t splendid.\t There\t are\t none\t to\t equal them\t in\t Greek\t mythology,\t except\t those\t retold\t by\t the\t tragic\t poets.\t All\t the\t best Northern\t tales\t are\t tragic,\t about\t men\t and\t women\t who\t go\t steadfastly\t forward\t to meet\tdeath,\toften\tdeliberately\tchoose\tit,\teven\tplan\tit\tlong\tbeforehand.\tThe\tonly light\tin\tthe\tdarkness\tis\theroism.","I I\thave\tselected\tthese\ttwo\tstories\tto\ttell\tbecause\tthey\tseem\tto\tme\tto\tpresent\tbetter than\t any\t other\t the\t Norse\t character\t and\t the\t Norse\t point\t of\t view.\t Sigurd\t is\t the most\t famous\t of\t Norse\t heroes;\t his\t story\t is\t largely\t that\t of\t the\t hero\t of\t the Nibelungenlied,\t Siegfried.\t He\t plays\t the\t chief\t part\t in\t the\t Volsungasaga,\t the Norse\tversion\tof\tthe\tGerman\ttale\twhich\tWagner\u2019s\toperas\thave\tmade\tfamiliar.\tI have\tnot\tgone\tto\tit,\thowever,\tfor\tmy\tstory,\tbut\tto\tthe\tElder\tEdda,\twhere\tthe\tlove and\tdeath\tof\tSigurd\tand\tBrynhild\tand\tGudrun\tare\tthe\tsubject\tof\ta\tnumber\tof\tthe poems.\tThe\tsagas,\tall\tprose\ttales,\tare\tof\tlater\tdate.\tSigny\u2019s\tstory\tis\ttold\tonly\tin the\tVolsungasaga. Signy\twas\tthe\tdaughter\tof\tVolsung\tand\tthe\tsister\tof\tSigmund.\tHer\thusband\tslew Volsung\t by\t treachery\t and\t captured\t his\t sons.\t One\t by\t one\t he\t chained\t them\t at night\tto\twhere\tthe\twolves\twould\tfind\tthem\tand\tdevour\tthem.\tWhen\tthe\tlast,\twho was\t Sigmund,\t was\t brought\t out\t and\t chained,\t Signy\t had\t devised\t a\t way\t to\t save him.\tShe\tfreed\thim\tand\tthe\ttwo\ttook\ta\tvow\tto\tavenge\ttheir\tfather\tand\tbrothers. Signy\tdetermined\tthat\tSigmund\tshould\thave\tone\tof\ttheir\town\tblood\tto\thelp\thim and\tshe\tvisited\thim\tin\tdisguise\tand\tspent\tthree\tnights\twith\thim.\tHe\tnever\tknew who\tshe\twas.\tWhen\tthe\tboy\twho\twas\tborn\tof\ttheir\tunion\twas\tof\tan\tage\tto\tleave her,\tshe\tsent\thim\tto\tSigmund\tand\tthe\ttwo\tlived\ttogether\tuntil\tthe\tlad\u2014his\tname","was\t Sinfiotli\u2014was\t grown\t to\t manhood.\t All\t this\t time\t Signy\t was\t living\t with\t her husband,\tbearing\thim\tchildren,\tshowing\thim\tnothing\tof\tthe\tone\tburning\tdesire\tin her\theart,\tto\ttake\tvengeance\tupon\thim.\tThe\tday\tfor\tit\tcame\tat\tlast.\tSigmund\tand Sinfiotli\t surprised\t the\t household.\t They\t killed\t Signy\u2019s\t other\t children;\t they\t shut her\t husband\t in\t the\t house\t and\t set\t fire\t to\t it.\t Signy\t watched\t them\t with\t never\t a word.\t When\t all\t was\t done\t she\t told\t them\t that\t they\t had\t gloriously\t avenged\t the dead,\tand\twith\tthat\tshe\tentered\tthe\tburning\tdwelling\tand\tdied\tthere.\tThrough\tthe years\twhile\tshe\thad\twaited\tshe\thad\tplanned\twhen\tshe\tkilled\ther\thusband\tto\tdie with\t him.\t Clytemnestra\t would\t fade\t beside\t her\t if\t there\t had\t been\t a\t Norse Aeschylus\tto\twrite\ther\tstory. The\tstory\tof\tSiegfried\tis\tso\tfamiliar\tthat\tthat\tof\this\tNorse\tprototype,\tSigurd,\tcan be\t briefly\t told.\t Brynhild,\t a\t Valkyrie,\t has\t disobeyed\t Odin\t and\t is\t punished\t by being\tput\tto\tsleep\tuntil\tsome\tman\tshall\twake\ther.\tShe\tbegs\tthat\the\twho\tcomes\tto her\tshall\tbe\tone\twhose\theart\tknows\tno\tfear,\tand\tOdin\tsurrounds\ther\tcouch\twith flaming\t fire\t which\t only\t a\t hero\t would\t brave.\t Sigurd,\t the\t son\t of\t Sigmund,\t does the\t deed.\t He\t forces\t his\t horse\t through\t the\t flames\t and\t wakens\t Brynhild,\t who gives\t herself\t to\t him\t joyfully\t because\t he\t has\t proved\t his\t valor\t in\t reaching\t her. Some\tdays\tlater\the\tleaves\ther\tin\tthe\tsame\tfire-ringed\tplace. Sigurd\tgoes\tto\tthe\thome\tof\tthe\tGiukungs\twhere\the\tswears\tbrotherhood\twith the\t king,\t Gunnar.\t Griemhild,\t Gunnar\u2019s\t mother,\t wants\t Sigurd\t for\t her\t daughter Gudrun,\t and\t gives\t him\t a\t magic\t potion\t which\t makes\t him\t forget\t Brynhild.\t He marries\t Gudrun;\t then,\t assuming\t through\t Griemhild\u2019s\t magical\t power\t the appearance\t of\t Gunnar,\t he\t rides\t through\t the\t flames\t again\t to\t win\t Brynhild\t for Gunnar,\t who\t is\t not\t hero\t enough\t to\t do\t this\t himself.\t Sigurd\t spends\t three\t nights there\twith\ther,\tbut\the\tplaces\this\tsword\tbetween\tthem\tin\tthe\tbed.\tBrynhild\tgoes with\thim\tto\tthe\tGiukungs,\twhere\tSigurd\ttakes\this\town\tshape\tagain,\tbut\twithout Brynhild\u2019s\t knowledge.\t She\t marries\t Gunnar,\t believing\t that\t Sigurd\t was\t faithless to\t her\t and\t that\t Gunnar\t had\t ridden\t through\t the\t flames\t for\t her.\t In\t a\t quarrel\t with Gudrun\t she\t learns\t the\t truth\t and\t she\t plans\t her\t revenge.\t She\t tells\t Gunnar\t that Sigurd\t broke\t his\t oath\t to\t him,\t that\t he\t really\t possessed\t her\t those\t three\t nights when\the\tdeclared\tthat\this\tsword\tlay\tbetween\tthem,\tand\tthat\tunless\tGunnar\tkills Sigurd\tshe\twill\tleave\thim.\tGunnar\thimself\tcannot\tkill\tSigurd\tbecause\tof\tthe\toath of\tbrotherhood\the\thas\tsworn,\tbut\the\tpersuades\this\tyounger\tbrother\tto\tslay\tSigurd in\this\tsleep,\tand\tGudrun\twakes\tto\tfind\ther\thusband\u2019s\tblood\tflowing\tover\ther."]