Mythology

["HEBE\twas\tthe\tGoddess\tof\tYouth,\tthe\tdaughter\tof\tZeus\tand\tHera.\tSometimes\tshe appears\tas\tcupbearer\tto\tthe\tgods;\tsometimes\tthat\toffice\tis\theld\tby\tGanymede,\ta beautiful\t young\t Trojan\t prince\t who\t was\t seized\t and\t carried\t up\t to\t Olympus\t by Zeus\u2019s\t eagle.\t There\t are\t no\t stories\t about\t Hebe\t except\t that\t of\t her\t marriage\t to Hercules. IRIS\t was\t the\t Goddess\t of\t the\t Rainbow\t and\t a\t messenger\t of\t the\t gods,\t in\t the\t Iliad the\tonly\tmessenger.\tHermes\tappears\tfirst\tin\tthat\tcapacity\tin\tthe\tOdyssey,\tbut\the does\tnot\ttake\tIris\u2019\tplace.\tNow\tthe\tone,\tnow\tthe\tother\tis\tcalled\tupon\tby\tthe\tgods. There\t were\t also\t in\t Olympus\t two\t bands\t of\t lovely\t sisters,\t the\t Muses\t and\t the Graces. THE\t GRACES\t were\t three:\t Aglaia\t (Splendor),\t Euphrosyne\t (Mirth),\t and\t Thalia (Good\t Cheer).\t They\t were\t the\t daughters\t of\t Zeus\t and\t Eurynome,\t a\t child\t of\t the Titan,\t Ocean.\t Except\t in\t a\t story\t Homer\t and\t Hesiod\t tell,\t that\t Aglaia\t married Hephaestus,\tthey\tare\tnot\ttreated\tas\tseparate\tpersonalities,\tbut\talways\ttogether,\ta triple\t incarnation\t of\t grace\t and\t beauty.\t The\t gods\t delighted\t in\t them\t when\t they danced\tenchantingly\tto\tApollo\u2019s\tlyre,\tand\tthe\tman\tthey\tvisited\twas\thappy.\tThey \u201cgive\t life\t its\t bloom.\u201d\t Together\t with\t their\t companions,\t the\t Muses,\t they\t were \u201cqueens\tof\tsong,\u201d\tand\tno\tbanquet\twithout\tthem\tcould\tplease. THE\t MUSES\t were\t nine\t in\t number,\t the\t daughters\t of\t Zeus\t and\t Mnemosyne, Memory.\t At\t first,\t like\t the\t Graces,\t they\t were\t not\t distinguished\t from\t each\t other. \u201cThey\t are\t all,\u201d\t Hesiod\t says,\t \u201cof\t one\t mind,\t their\t hearts\t are\t set\t upon\t song\t and their\t spirit\t is\t free\t from\t care.\t He\t is\t happy\t whom\t the\t Muses\t love.\t For\t though\t a man\thas\tsorrow\tand\tgrief\tin\this\tsoul,\tyet\twhen\tthe\tservant\tof\tthe\tMuses\tsings,\tat once\t he\t forgets\t his\t dark\t thoughts\t and\t remembers\t not\t his\t troubles.\t Such\t is\t the holy\tgift\tof\tthe\tMuses\tto\tmen.\u201d In\t later\t times\t each\t had\t her\t own\t special\t field.\t Clio\t was\t Muse\t of\t history, Urania\t of\t astronomy,\t Melpomene\t of\t tragedy,\t Thalia\t of\t comedy,\t Terpsichore\t of the\tdance,\tCalliope\tof\tepic\tpoetry,\tErato\tof\tlove-poetry,\tPolyhymnia\tof\tsongs\tto the\tgods,\tEuterpe\tof\tlyric\tpoetry.","","Hesiod\t lived\t near\t Helicon,\t one\t of\t the\t Muses\u2019\t mountains\u2014the\t others\t were Pierus\tin\tPieria,\twhere\tthey\twere\tborn,\tParnassus,\tand,\tof\tcourse,\tOlympus.\tOne day\tthe\tNine\tappeared\tto\thim\tand\tthey\ttold\thim,\t\u201cWe\tknow\thow\tto\tspeak\tfalse things\t that\t seem\t true,\t but\t we\t know,\t when\t we\t will,\t to\t utter\t true\t things.\u201d\t They were\t companions\t of\t Apollo,\t the\t God\t of\t Truth,\t as\t well\t as\t of\t the\t Graces.\t Pindar calls\t the\t lyre\t theirs\t as\t well\t as\t Apollo\u2019s,\t \u201cthe\t golden\t lyre\t to\t which\t the\t step,\t the dancer\u2019s\t step,\t listens,\t owned\t alike\t by\t Apollo\t and\t the\t violet-wreathed\t Muses.\u201d The\tman\tthey\tinspired\twas\tsacred\tfar\tbeyond\tany\tpriest. As\t the\t idea\t of\t Zeus\t became\t loftier,\t two\t august\t forms\t sat\t beside\t him\t in Olympus.\tTHEMIS,\twhich\tmeans\tthe\tRight,\tor\tDivine\tJustice,\tand\tDIKE,\twhich\tis Human\tJustice.\tBut\tthey\tnever\tbecame\treal\tpersonalities.\tThe\tsame\twas\ttrue\tof two\tpersonified\temotions\testeemed\thighest\tof\tall\tfeelings\tin\tHomer\tand\tHesiod: NEMESIS,\t usually\t translated\t as\t Righteous\t Anger,\t and\t AIDOS,\t a\t difficult\t word\t to translate,\t but\t in\t common\t use\t among\t the\t Greeks.\t It\t means\t reverence\t and\t the shame\t that\t holds\t men\t back\t from\t wrongdoing,\t but\t it\t also\t means\t the\t feeling\t a prosperous\t man\t should\t have\t in\t the\t presence\t of\t the\t unfortunnate\u2014not compassion,\tbut\ta\tsense\tthat\tthe\tdifference\tbetween\thim\tand\tthose\tpoor\twretches is\tnot\tdeserved. It\tdoes\tnot\tseem,\thowever,\tthat\teither\tNemesis\tor\tAidos\thad\ttheir\thome\twith the\t gods.\t Hesiod\t says\t that\t only\t when\t men\t have\t finally\t become\t completely wicked\t will\t Nemesis\t and\t Aidos,\t their\t beautiful\t faces\t veiled\t in\t white\t raiment, leave\tthe\twide-wayed\tearth\tand\tdepart\tto\tthe\tcompany\tof\tthe\timmortals. From\ttime\tto\ttime\ta\tfew\tmortals\twere\ttranslated\tto\tOlympus,\tbut\tonce\tthey\thad been\t brought\t to\t heaven\t they\t vanished\t from\t literature.\t Their\t stories\t will\t be\t told later.","THE\tGODS\tOF\tTHE\tWATERS POSEIDON\t(Neptune)\twas\tthe\tLord\tand\tRuler\tof\tthe\tSea\t(the\tMediterranean)\tand the\tFriendly\tSea\t(the\tEuxine,\tnow\tthe\tBlack\tSea).\tUnderground\trivers,\ttoo,\twere his. OCEAN,\t a\t Titan,\t was\t Lord\t of\t the\t river\t Ocean,\t a\t great\t river\t encircling\t the\t earth. His\twife,\talso\ta\tTitan,\twas\tTethys.\tThe\tOceanids,\tthe\tnymphs\tof\tthis\tgreat\triver, were\ttheir\tdaughters.\tThe\tgods\tof\tall\tthe\trivers\ton\tearth\twere\ttheir\tsons. PONTUS,\twhich\tmeans\tthe\tDeep\tSea,\twas\ta\tson\tof\tMother\tEarth\tand\tthe\tfather\tof Nereus,\ta\tsea-god\tfar\tmore\timportant\tthan\the\thimself\twas. NEREUS\twas\tcalled\tthe\tOld\tMan\tof\tthe\tSea\t(the\tMediterranean)\u2014\u201cA\ttrusty\tgod and\t gentle,\u201d\t Hesiod\t says,\t \u201cwho\t thinks\t just\t and\t kindly\t thoughts\t and\t never\t lies.\u201d His\t wife\t was\t Doris,\t a\t daughter\t of\t Ocean.\t They\t had\t fifty\t lovely\t daughters,\t the nymphs\t of\t the\t Sea,\t called\t NEREIDS\t from\t their\t father\u2019s\t name,\t one\t of\t whom, Thetis,\twas\tthe\tmother\tof\tAchilles.\tPoseidon\u2019s\twife,\tAMPHITRITE,\twas\tanother. TRITON\twas\tthe\ttrumpeter\tof\tthe\tSea.\tHis\ttrumpet\twas\ta\tgreat\tshell.\tHe\twas\tthe son\tof\tPoseidon\tand\tAmphitrite. PROTEUS\twas\tsometimes\tsaid\tto\tbe\tPoseidon\u2019s\tson,\tsometimes\this\tattendant.\tHe had\tthe\tpower\tboth\tof\tforetelling\tthe\tfuture\tand\tof\tchanging\this\tshape\tat\twill. THE\t NAIADS\t were\t also\t water\t nymphs.\t They\t dwelt\t in\t brooks\t and\t springs\t and fountains. LEUCOTHEA\t and\t her\t son\t PALAEMON,\t once\t mortals,\t became\t divinities\t of\t the\t sea, as\tdid\talso\tGLAUCUS,\tbut\tall\tthree\twere\tunimportant.","THE\tUNDERWORLD The\tkingdom\tof\tthe\tdead\twas\truled\tby\tone\tof\tthe\ttwelve\tgreat\tOlympians,\tHades or\t Pluto,\t and\t his\t Queen,\t Persephone.\t It\t is\t often\t called\t by\t his\t name,\t Hades.\t It lies,\tthe\tIliad\tsays,\tbeneath\tthe\tsecret\tplaces\tof\tthe\tearth.\tIn\tthe\tOdyssey,\tthe\tway to\t it\t leads\t over\t the\t edge\t of\t the\t world\t across\t Ocean.\t In\t later\t poets\t there\t are various\tentrances\tto\tit\tfrom\tthe\tearth\tthrough\tcaverns\tand\tbeside\tdeep\tlakes. Tartarus\tand\tErebus\tare\tsometimes\ttwo\tdivisions\tof\tthe\tunderworld,\tTartarus the\t deeper\t of\t the\t two,\t the\t prison\t of\t the\t Sons\t of\t Earth;\t Erebus\t where\t the\t dead pass\tas\tsoon\tas\tthey\tdie.\tOften,\thowever,\tthere\tis\tno\tdistinction\tbetween\tthe\ttwo, and\teither\tis\tused,\tespecially\tTartarus,\tas\ta\tname\tfor\tthe\tentire\tlower\tregion. In\t Homer\t the\t underworld\t is\t vague,\t a\t shadowy\t place\t inhabited\t by\t shadows. Nothing\t is\t real\t there.\t The\t ghosts\u2019\t existence,\t if\t it\t can\t be\t called\t that,\t is\t like\t a miserable\t dream.\t The\t later\t poets\t define\t the\t world\t of\t the\t dead\t more\t and\t more clearly\tas\tthe\tplace\twhere\tthe\twicked\tare\tpunished\tand\tthe\tgood\trewarded.\tIn\tthe Roman\tpoet\tVirgil\tthis\tidea\tis\tpresented\tin\tgreat\tdetail\tas\tin\tno\tGreek\tpoet.\tAll the\t torments\t of\t the\t one\t class\t and\t the\t joys\t of\t the\t other\t are\t described\t at\t length. Virgil,\ttoo,\tis\tthe\tonly\tpoet\twho\tgives\tclearly\tthe\tgeography\tof\tthe\tunderworld. The\t path\t down\t to\t it\t leads\t to\t where\t Acheron,\t the\t river\t of\t woe,\t pours\t into Cocytus,\t the\t river\t of\t lamentation.\t An\t aged\t boatman\t named\t Charon\t ferries\t the souls\t of\t the\t dead\t across\t the\t water\t to\t the\t farther\t bank,\t where\t stands\t the adamantine\t gate\t to\t Tartarus\t (the\t name\t Virgil\t prefers).\t Charon\t will\t receive\t into his\tboat\tonly\tthe\tsouls\tof\tthose\tupon\twhose\tlips\tthe\tpassage\tmoney\twas\tplaced when\tthey\tdied\tand\twho\twere\tduly\tburied. On\tguard\tbefore\tthe\tgate\tsits\tCERBERUS,\tthe\tthree-headed,\tdragon-tailed\tdog, who\t permits\t all\t spirits\t to\t enter,\t but\t none\t to\t return.\t On\t his\t arrival\t each\t one\t is brought\t before\t three\t judges,\t Rhadamanthus,\t Minos,\t and\t Aeacus,\t who\t pass sentence\t and\t send\t the\t wicked\t to\t everlasting\t torment\t and\t the\t good\t to\t a\t place\t of blessedness\tcalled\tthe\tElysian\tFields. Three\t other\t rivers,\t besides\t Acheron\t and\t Cocytus,\t separate\t the\t underworld from\t the\t world\t above:\t Phlegethon,\t the\t river\t of\t fire;\t Styx,\t the\t river\t of\t the unbreakable\toath\tby\twhich\tthe\tgods\tswear;\tand\tLethe,\tthe\triver\tof\tforgetfulness. Somewhere\t in\t this\t vast\t region\t is\t Pluto\u2019s\t palace,\t but\t beyond\t saying\t that\t it\t is many-gated\t and\t crowded\t with\t innumerable\t guests,\t no\t writer\t describes\t it. Around\tit\tare\twide\twastes,\twan\tand\tcold,\tand\tmeadows\tof\tasphodel,\tpresumably","strange,\t pallid,\t ghostly\t flowers.\t We\t do\t not\t know\t anything\t more\t about\t it.\t The poets\tdid\tnot\tcare\tto\tlinger\tin\tthat\tgloom-hidden\tabode. THE\t ERINYES\t (the\t FURIES)\t are\t placed\t by\t Virgil\t in\t the\t underworld,\t where\t they punish\t evildoers.\t The\t Greek\t poets\t thought\t of\t them\t chiefly\t as\t pursuing\t sinners on\tthe\tearth.\tThey\twere\tinexorable,\tbut\tjust.\tHeraclitus\tsays,\t\u201cNot\teven\tthe\tsun will\ttransgress\this\torbit\tbut\tthe\tErinyes,\tthe\tministers\tof\tjustice,\tovertake\thim.\u201d They\twere\tusually\trepresented\tas\tthree:\tTisiphone,\tMegaera,\tand\tAlecto. SLEEP,\tand\tDEATH,\this\tbrother,\tdwelt\tin\tthe\tlower\tworld.\tDreams,\ttoo,\tascended from\t there\t to\t men.\t They\t passed\t through\t two\t gates,\t one\t of\t horn\t through\t which true\tdreams\twent,\tone\tof\tivory\tfor\tfalse\tdreams.","THE\tLESSER\tGODS\tOF\tEARTH Earth\t herself\t was\t called\t the\t All-Mother,\t but\t she\t was\t not\t really\t a\t divinity.\t She was\t never\t separated\t from\t the\t actual\t earth\t and\t personified.\t The\t Goddess\t of\t the Corn,\t DEMETER\t (CERES),\t a\t daughter\t of\t Cronus\t and\t Rhea,\t and\t the\t God\t of\t the Vine,\tDIONYSUS,\talso\tcalled\tBACCHUS,\twere\tthe\tsupreme\tdeities\tof\tthe\tearth\tand of\tgreat\timportance\tin\tGreek\tand\tRoman\tmythology.\tTheir\tstories\twill\tbe\tfound in\t the\t next\t chapter.\t The\t other\t divinities\t who\t lived\t in\t the\t world\t were comparatively\tunimportant. PAN\twas\tthe\tchief.\tHe\twas\tHermes\u2019\tson;\ta\tnoisy,\tmerry\tgod,\tthe\tHomeric\tHymn in\t his\t honor\t calls\t him;\t but\t he\t was\t part\t animal\t too,\t with\t a\t goat\u2019s\t horns,\t and goat\u2019s\thoofs\tinstead\tof\tfeet.\tHe\twas\tthe\tgoatherds\u2019\tgod,\tand\tthe\tshepherds\u2019\tgod, and\t also\t the\t gay\t companion\t of\t the\t woodland\t nymphs\t when\t they\t danced.\t All wild\tplaces\twere\this\thome,\tthickets\tand\tforests\tand\tmountains,\tbut\tbest\tof\tall\the loved\tArcady,\twhere\the\twas\tborn.\tHe\twas\ta\twonderful\tmusician.\tUpon\this\tpipes of\treed\the\tplayed\tmelodies\tas\tsweet\tas\tthe\tnightingale\u2019s\tsong.\tHe\twas\talways\tin love\twith\tone\tnymph\tor\tanother,\tbut\talways\trejected\tbecause\tof\this\tugliness. Sounds\t heard\t in\t a\t wilderness\t at\t night\t by\t the\t trembling\t traveler\t were supposed\tto\tbe\tmade\tby\thim,\tso\tthat\tit\tis\teasy\tto\tsee\thow\tthe\texpression\t\u201cpanic\u201d fear\tarose. SILENUS\t was\t sometimes\t said\t to\t be\t Pan\u2019s\t son;\t sometimes\t his\t brother,\t a\t son\t of Hermes.\tHe\twas\ta\tjovial\tfat\told\tman\twho\tusually\trode\tan\tass\tbecause\the\twas\ttoo drunk\tto\twalk.\tHe\tis\tassociated\twith\tBacchus\tas\twell\tas\twith\tPan;\the\ttaught\thim when\t the\t Wine-god\t was\t young,\t and,\t as\t is\t shown\t by\t his\t perpetual\t drunkenness, after\tbeing\this\ttutor\the\tbecame\this\tdevoted\tfollower. Besides\tthese\tgods\tof\tthe\tearth\tthere\twas\ta\tvery\tfamous\tand\tvery\tpopular\tpair\tof brothers,\t CASTOR\t and\t POLLUX\t (Polydeuces),\t who\t in\t most\t of\t the\t accounts\t were said\tto\tlive\thalf\tof\ttheir\ttime\ton\tearth\tand\thalf\tin\theaven. They\t were\t the\t sons\t of\t LEDA,\t and\t are\t usually\t represented\t as\t being\t gods,\t the special\tprotectors\tof\tsailors, Saviors\tof\tswift-going\tships\twhen\tthe\tstorm\twinds\trage","Over\tthe\truthless\tsea. They\twere\talso\tpowerful\tto\tsave\tin\tbattle.\tThey\twere\tespecially\thonored\tin Rome,\twhere\tthey\twere\tworshiped\tas The\tgreat\tTwin\tBrethren\tto\twhom\tall\tDorians\tpray. But\tthe\taccounts\tof\tthem\tare\tcontradictory.\tSometimes\tPollux\talone\tis\theld to\tbe\tdivine,\tand\tCastor\ta\tmortal\twho\twon\ta\tkind\tof\thalf-and-half\timmortality merely\tbecause\tof\this\tbrother\u2019s\tlove. LEDA\twas\tthe\twife\tof\tKing\tTyndareus\tof\tSparta,\tand\tthe\tusual\tstory\tis\tthat she\tbore\ttwo\tmortal\tchildren\tto\thim,\tCastor\tand\tClytemnestra,\tAgamemnon\u2019s wife;\tand\tto\tZeus,\twho\tvisited\ther\tin\tthe\tform\tof\ta\tswan,\ttwo\tothers\twho\twere immortal,\tPollux\tand\tHelen,\tthe\theroine\tof\tTroy.\tNevertheless,\tboth\tbrothers, Castor\tand\tPollux,\twere\toften\tcalled\t\u201csons\tof\tZeus\u201d;\tindeed,\tthe\tGreek\tname they\tare\tbest\tknown\tby,\tthe\tDioscouri,\tmeans\t\u201cthe\tstriplings\tof\tZeus.\u201d\tOn\tthe other\thand,\tthey\twere\talso\tcalled\t\u201csons\tof\tTyndareus,\u201d\tthe\tTyndaridae. They\tare\talways\trepresented\tas\tliving\tjust\tbefore\tthe\tTrojan\tWar,\tat\tthe\tsame time\tas\tTheseus\tand\tJason\tand\tAtalanta.\tThey\ttook\tpart\tin\tthe\tCalydonian\tboar- hunt;\tthey\twent\ton\tthe\tQuest\tof\tthe\tGolden\tFleece;\tand\tthey\trescued\tHelen\twhen Theseus\tcarried\ther\toff.\tBut\tin\tall\tthe\tstories\tthey\tplay\tan\tunimportant\tpart except\tin\tthe\taccount\tof\tCastor\u2019s\tdeath,\twhen\tPollux\tproved\this\tbrotherly devotion. The\ttwo\twent,\twe\tare\tnot\ttold\twhy,\tto\tthe\tland\tof\tsome\tcattle\towners,\tIdas and\tLynceus.\tThere,\tPindar\tsays,\tIdas,\tmade\tangry\tin\tsome\tway\tabout\this\toxen, stabbed\tand\tkilled\tCastor.\tOther\twriters\tsay\tthe\tcause\tof\tthe\tdispute\twas\tthe\ttwo daughters\tof\tthe\tking\tof\tthe\tcountry,\tLeucippus.\tPollux\tstabbed\tLynceus,\tand Zeus\tstruck\tIdas\twith\this\tthunderbolt.\tBut\tCastor\twas\tdead\tand\tPollux\twas inconsolable.\tHe\tprayed\tto\tdie\talso,\tand\tZeus\tin\tpity\tallowed\thim\tto\tshare\this life\twith\this\tbrother,\tto\tlive, Half\tof\tthy\ttime\tbeneath\tthe\tearth\tand\thalf Within\tthe\tgolden\thomes\tof\theaven. According\tto\tthis\tversion\tthe\ttwo\twere\tnever\tseparated\tagain.\tOne\tday\tthey dwelt\tin\tHades,\tthe\tnext\tin\tOlympus,\talways\ttogether. The\tlate\tGreek\twriter\tLucian\tgives\tanother\tversion,\tin\twhich\ttheir\tdwelling places\tare\theaven\tand\tearth;\tand\twhen\tPollux\tgoes\tto\tone,\tCastor\tgoes\tto\tthe other,\tso\tthat\tthey\tare\tnever\twith\teach\tother.\tIn\tLucian\u2019s\tlittle\tsatire,\tApollo\tasks Hermes:\t\u201cI\tsay,\twhy\tdo\twe\tnever\tsee\tCastor\tand\tPollux\tat\tthe\tsame\ttime?\u201d \u201cWell,\u201d\tHermes\treplies,\t\u201cthey\tare\tso\tfond\tof\teach\tother\tthat\twhen\tfate decreed\tone\tof\tthem\tmust\tdie\tand\tonly\tone\tbe\timmortal,\tthey\tdecided\tto\tshare immortality\tbetween\tthem.\u201d","immortality\tbetween\tthem.\u201d \u201cNot\tvery\twise,\tHermes.\tWhat\tproper\temployment\tcan\tthey\tengage\tin,\tthat way?\tI\tforetell\tthe\tfuture;\tAesculapius\tcures\tdiseases;\tyou\tare\ta\tgood\tmessenger \u2014but\tthese\ttwo\u2014are\tthey\tto\tidle\taway\ttheir\twhole\ttime?\u201d \u201cNo,\tsurely.\tThey\u2019re\tin\tPoseidon\u2019s\tservice.\tTheir\tbusiness\tis\tto\tsave\tany\tship in\tdistress.\u201d \u201cAh,\tnow\tyou\tsay\tsomething.\tI\u2019m\tdelighted\tthey\u2019re\tin\tsuch\ta\tgood\tbusiness.\u201d Two\tstars\twere\tsupposed\tto\tbe\ttheirs:\tthe\tGemini,\tthe\tTwins. They\twere\talways\trepresented\tas\triding\tsplendid\tsnow-white\thorses,\tbut Homer\tdistinguishes\tCastor\tabove\tPollux\tfor\thorsemanship.\tHe\tcalls\tthe\ttwo Castor,\ttamer\tof\thorses,\tPolydeuces,\tgood\tas\ta\tboxer. THE\tSILENI\twere\tcreatures\tpart\tman\tand\tpart\thorse.\tThey\twalked\ton\ttwo\tlegs,\tnot four,\tbut\tthey\toften\thad\thorses\u2019\thoofs\tinstead\tof\tfeet,\tsometimes\thorses\u2019\tears, and\talways\thorses\u2019\ttails.\tThere\tare\tno\tstories\tabout\tthem,\tbut\tthey\tare\toften\tseen on\tGreek\tvases. THE\tSATYRS,\tlike\tPan,\twere\tgoat-men,\tand\tlike\thim\tthey\thad\ttheir\thome\tin\tthe wild\tplaces\tof\tthe\tearth. In\tcontrast\tto\tthese\tunhuman,\tugly\tgods\tthe\tgoddesses\tof\tthe\twoodland\twere all\tlovely\tmaiden\tforms,\tthe\tOREADS,\tnymphs\tof\tthe\tmountains,\tand\tthe\tDryads, sometimes\tcalled\tHAMADRYADS,\tnymphs\tof\ttrees,\twhose\tlife\twas\tin\teach\tcase bound\tup\twith\tthat\tof\ther\ttree.","","AEOLUS,\tKing\tof\tthe\tWinds,\talso\tlived\ton\tthe\tearth.\tAn\tisland,\tAeolia,\twas his\thome.\tAccurately\the\twas\tonly\tregent\tof\tthe\tWinds,\tviceroy\tof\tthe\tgods.\tThe four\tchief\tWinds\twere\tBOREAS,\tthe\tNorth\tWind,\tin\tLatin\tAQUILO;\tZEPHYR,\tthe West\tWind,\twhich\thad\ta\tsecond\tLatin\tname,\tFavonius;\tNotus,\tthe\tSouth\tWind, also\tcalled\tin\tLatin\tAUSTER;\tand\tthe\tEast\tWind,\tEURUS,\tthe\tsame\tin\tboth\tGreek and\tLatin. There\twere\tsome\tbeings,\tneither\thuman\tnor\tdivine,\twho\thad\ttheir\thome\ton the\tearth.\tProminent\tamong\tthem\twere:\u2014\tTHE\tCENTAURS.\tThey\twere\thalf\tman, half\thorse,\tand\tfor\tthe\tmost\tpart\tthey\twere\tsavage\tcreatures,\tmore\tlike\tbeasts than\tmen.\tOne\tof\tthem,\thowever,\tCHIRON,\twas\tknown\teverywhere\tfor\this goodness\tand\this\twisdom. THE\tGORGONS\twere\talso\tearth-dwellers.\tThere\twere\tthree,\tand\ttwo\tof\tthem\twere immortal.\tThey\twere\tdragonlike\tcreatures\twith\twings,\twhose\tlook\tturned\tmen\tto stone.\tPhorcys,\tson\tof\tthe\tSea\tand\tthe\tEarth,\twas\ttheir\tfather. THE\tGRAIAE\twere\ttheir\tsisters,\tthree\tgray\twomen\twho\thad\tbut\tone\teye\tbetween them.\tThey\tlived\ton\tthe\tfarther\tbank\tof\tOcean. THE\tSIRENS\tlived\ton\tan\tisland\tin\tthe\tSea.\tThey\thad\tenchanting\tvoices\tand\ttheir singing\tlured\tsailors\tto\ttheir\tdeath.\tIt\twas\tnot\tknown\twhat\tthey\tlooked\tlike,\tfor no\tone\twho\tsaw\tthem\tever\treturned. Very\timportant\tbut\tassigned\tto\tno\tabode\twhether\tin\theaven\tor\ton\tthe\tearth were\tTHE\tFATES,\tMoirae\tin\tGreek,\tParcae\tin\tLatin,\twho,\tHesiod\tsays,\tgive\tto men\tat\tbirth\tevil\tand\tgood\tto\thave.\tThey\twere\tthree,\tClotho,\tthe\tSpinner,\twho spun\tthe\tthread\tof\tlife;\tLachesis,\tthe\tDisposer\tof\tLots,\twho\tassigned\tto\teach\tman his\tdestiny;\tAtropos,\tshe\twho\tcould\tnot\tbe\tturned,\twho\tcarried\t\u201cthe\tabhorr\u00e8d shears\u201d\tand\tcut\tthe\tthread\tat\tdeath.","","THE\tROMAN\tGODS The\t Twelve\t great\t Olympians\t mentioned\t earlier\t were\t turned\t into\t Roman\t gods also.\tThe\tinfluence\tof\tGreek\tart\tand\tliterature\tbecame\tso\tpowerful\tin\tRome\tthat ancient\tRoman\tdeities\twere\tchanged\tto\tresemble\tthe\tcorresponding\tGreek\tgods, and\t were\t considered\t to\t be\t the\t same.\t Most\t of\t them,\t however,\t in\t Rome\t had Roman\t names.\t These\t were\t Jupiter\t (Zeus),\t Juno\t (Hera),\t Neptune\t (Poseidon), Vesta\t (Hestia),\t Mars\t (Ares),\t Minerva\t (Athena),\t Venus\t (Aphrodite),\t Mercury (Hermes),\t Diana\t (Artemis),\t Vulcan\t or\t Mulciber\t (Hephaestus),\t and\t Ceres (Demeter). Two\t kept\t their\t Greek\t names:\t Apollo\t and\t Pluto;\t but\t the\t latter\t was\t never called\tHades,\tas\twas\tusual\tin\tGreece.\tBacchus,\tnever\tDionysus,\twas\tthe\tname\tof the\twine-god,\twho\thad\talso\ta\tLatin\tname,\tLiber. It\t was\t a\t simple\t matter\t to\t adopt\t the\t Greek\t gods\t because\t the\t Romans\t did\t not have\t definitely\t personified\t gods\t of\t their\t own.\t They\t were\t a\t people\t of\t deep religious\tfeeling,\tbut\tthey\thad\tlittle\timagination.\tThey\tcould\tnever\thave\tcreated the\t Olympians,\t each\t a\t distinct,\t vivid\t personality.\t Their\t gods,\t before\t they\t took over\t from\t the\t Greeks,\t were\t vague,\t hardly\t more\t than\t a\t \u201cthose\t that\t are\t above.\u201d They\t were\t THE\t NUMINA,\t which\t means\t the\t Powers\t or\t the\t Wills\u2014the\t Will- Powers,\tperhaps. Until\t Greek\t literature\t and\t art\t entered\t Italy\t the\t Romans\t felt\t no\t need\t for beautiful,\tpoetic\tgods.\tThey\twere\ta\tpractical\tpeople\tand\tthey\tdid\tnot\tcare\tabout \u201cViolet-tressed\t Muses\t who\t inspire\t song,\u201d\t or\t \u201cLyric\t Apollo\t making\t sweet melodies\t upon\t his\t golden\t lyre,\u201d\t or\t anything\t of\t that\t sort.\t They\t wanted\t useful gods.\t An\t important\t Power,\t for\t example,\t was\t One\t Who\t Guards\t the\t Cradle. Another\twas\tOne\tWho\tPresides\tover\tChildren\u2019s\tFood.\tNo\tstories\twere\tever\ttold about\tthe\tNumina.\tFor\tthe\tmost\tpart\tthey\twere\tnot\teven\tdistinguished\tas\tmale\tor female.\tThe\tsimple\tacts\tof\teveryday\tlife,\thowever,\twere\tclosely\tconnected\twith them\t and\t gained\t dignity\t from\t them\t as\t was\t not\t the\t case\t with\t any\t of\t the\t Greek gods\texcept\tDemeter\tand\tDionysus. The\t most\t prominent\t and\t revered\t of\t them\t all\t were\t the\t LARES\t and\t PENATES. Every\t Roman\t family\t had\t a\t Lar,\t who\t was\t the\t spirit\t of\t an\t ancestor,\t and\t several Penates,\t gods\t of\t the\t hearth\t and\t guardians\t of\t the\t storehouse.\t They\t were\t the family\u2019s\town\tgods,\tbelonging\tonly\tto\tit,\treally\tthe\tmost\timportant\tpart\tof\tit,\tthe protectors\tand\tdefenders\tof\tthe\tentire\thousehold.\tThey\twere\tnever\tworshiped\tin","temples,\tbut\tonly\tin\tthe\thome,\twhere\tsome\tof\tthe\tfood\tat\teach\tmeal\twas\toffered to\tthem.\tThere\twere\talso\tpublic\tLares\tand\tPenates,\twho\tdid\tfor\tthe\tcity\twhat\tthe others\tdid\tfor\tthe\tfamily. There\twere\talso\tmany\tNumina\tconnected\twith\tthe\tlife\tof\tthe\thousehold,\tsuch as\t TERMINUS,\t Guardian\t of\t Boundaries;\t PRIAPUS,\t Cause\t of\t Fertility;\t PALES, Strengthener\t of\t Cattle;\t and\t SYLVANUS,\t Helper\t of\t Plowmen\t and\t Woodcutters.\t A long\tlist\tcould\tbe\tmade.\tEverything\timportant\tto\tthe\tfarm\twas\tunder\tthe\tcare\tof a\tbeneficent\tpower,\tnever\tconceived\tof\tas\thaving\ta\tdefinite\tshape. SATURN\t was\t originally\t one\t of\t the\t Numina,\t the\t Protector\t of\t the\t Sowers\t and the\tSeed,\tas\this\twife\tOPS\twas\ta\tHarvest\tHelper.\tIn\tlater\tdays,\the\twas\tsaid\tto\tbe the\tsame\tas\tthe\tGreek\tCronus\tand\tthe\tfather\tof\tJupiter,\tthe\tRoman\tZeus.\tIn\tthis way\t he\t became\t a\t personality\t and\t a\t number\t of\t stories\t were\t told\t about\t him.\t In memory\t of\t the\t Golden\t Age,\t when\t he\t reigned\t in\t Italy,\t the\t great\t feast\t of\t the Saturnalia\t was\t held\t every\t year\t during\t the\t winter.\t The\t idea\t of\t it\t was\t that\t the Golden\tAge\treturned\tto\tthe\tearth\tduring\tthe\tdays\tit\tlasted.\tNo\twar\tcould\tbe\tthen declared;\tslaves\tand\tmasters\tate\tat\tthe\tsame\ttable;\texecutions\twere\tpostponed;\tit was\t a\t season\t for\t giving\t presents;\t it\t kept\t alive\t in\t men\u2019s\t minds\t the\t idea\t of equality,\tof\ta\ttime\twhen\tall\twere\ton\tthe\tsame\tlevel. JANUS,\t too,\t was\t originally\t one\t of\t the\t Numina,\t \u201cthe\t god\t of\t good\t beginnings,\u201d which\t are\t sure\t to\t result\t in\t good\t endings.\t He\t became\t personified\t to\t a\t certain degree.\t His\t chief\t temple\t in\t Rome\t ran\t east\t and\t west,\t where\t the\t day\t begins\t and ends,\t and\t had\t two\t doors,\t between\t which\t stood\t his\t statue\t with\t two\t faces,\t one young\t and\t one\t old.\t These\t doors\t were\t closed\t only\t when\t Rome\t was\t at\t peace.\t In the\tfirst\tseven\thundred\tyears\tof\tthe\tcity\u2019s\tlife\tthey\twere\tclosed\tthree\ttimes,\tin\tthe reign\t of\t the\t good\t king,\t Numa;\t after\t the\t first\t Punic\t War\t when\t Carthage\t was defeated\tin\t241\tB.C.;\tand\tin\tthe\treign\tof\tAugustus\twhen,\tMilton\tsays, No\twar\tor\tbattle\u2019s\tsound Was\theard\tthe\tworld\taround. Naturally\this\tmonth,\tJanuary,\tbegan\tthe\tnew\tyear. FAUNUS\twas\tSaturn\u2019s\tgrandson.\tHe\twas\ta\tsort\tof\tRoman\tPan,\ta\trustic\tgod.\tHe was\ta\tprophet\ttoo,\tand\tspoke\tto\tmen\tin\ttheir\tdreams. THE\tFAUNS\twere\tRoman\tsatyrs.","QUIRINUS\twas\tthe\tname\tof\tthe\tdeified\tRomulus,\tthe\tfounder\tof\tRome. THE\tMANES\twere\tthe\tspirits\tof\tthe\tgood\tdead\tin\tHades.\tSometimes\tthey\twere regarded\tas\tdivine\tand\tworshiped. THE\tLEMURES\tor\tLARVAE\twere\tthe\tspirits\tof\tthe\twicked\tdead\tand\twere\tgreatly feared. THE\tCAMENAE\tbegan\tas\tuseful\tand\tpractical\tgoddesses\twho\tcared\tfor\tsprings\tand wells\tand\tcured\tdisease\tand\tforetold\tthe\tfuture.\tBut\twhen\tthe\tGreek\tgods\tcame to\tRome,\tthe\tCamenae\twere\tidentified\twith\tthose\timpractical\tdeities\tthe\tMuses, who\tcared\tonly\tfor\tart\tand\tscience.\tEgeria\twho\ttaught\tKing\tNuma\twas\tsaid\tto\tbe a\tCamena. LUCINA\twas\tsometimes\tregarded\tas\ta\tRoman\tEILEITHYIA,\tthe\tgoddess\tof childbirth,\tbut\tusually\tthe\tname\tis\tused\tas\tan\tepithet\tof\tboth\tJuno\tand\tDiana. POMONA\tAND\tVERTUMNUS\tbegan\tas\tNumina,\tas\tPowers\tProtecting\tOrchards\tand Gardens.\tBut\tthey\twere\tpersonified\tlater\tand\ta\tstory\twas\ttold\tabout\thow\tthey\tfell in\tlove\twith\teach\tother.","II For\tthe\tmost\tpart\tthe\timmortal\tgods\twere\tof\tlittle\tuse\tto\thuman\tbeings\tand\toften they\twere\tquite\tthe\treverse\tof\tuseful:\tZeus\ta\tdangerous\tlover\tfor\tmortal\tmaidens and\tcompletely\tincalculable\tin\this\tuse\tof\tthe\tterrible\tthunderbolt;\tAres\tthe\tmaker of\twar\tand\ta\tgeneral\tpest;\tHera\twith\tno\tidea\tof\tjustice\twhen\tshe\twas\tjealous\tas she\t perpetually\t was;\t Athena\t also\t a\t war\t maker,\t and\t wielding\t the\t lightning\u2019s sharp\tlance\tquite\tas\tirresponsibly\tas\tZeus\tdid;\tAphrodite\tusing\ther\tpower\tchiefly to\t ensnare\t and\t betray.\t They\t were\t a\t beautiful,\t radiant\t company,\t to\t be\t sure,\t and their\t adventures\t made\t excellent\t stories;\t but\t when\t they\t were\t not\t positively harmful,\t they\t were\t capricious\t and\t undependable,\t and\t in\t general\t mortals\t got\t on best\twithout\tthem. There\twere\ttwo,\thowever,\twho\twere\taltogether\tdifferent\u2014who\twere,\tindeed, mankind\u2019s\t best\t friends:\t Demeter,\t in\t Latin\t Ceres,\t the\t Goddess\t of\t the\t Corn,\t a daughter\t of\t Cronus\t and\t Rhea;\t and\t Dionysus,\t also\t called\t Bacchus,\t the\t God\t of Wine.\tDemeter\twas\tthe\tolder,\tas\twas\tnatural.\tCorn\twas\tsowed\tlong\tbefore\tvines were\t planted.\t The\t first\t cornfield\t was\t the\t beginning\t of\t settled\t life\t on\t earth. Vineyards\t came\t later.\t It\t was\t natural,\t too,\t that\t the\t divine\t power\t which\t brought forth\tthe\tgrain\tshould\tbe\tthought\tof\tas\ta\tgoddess,\tnot\ta\tgod.\tWhen\tthe\tbusiness of\tmen\twas\thunting\tand\tfighting,\tthe\tcare\tof\tthe\tfields\tbelonged\tto\tthe\twomen, and\tas\tthey\tplowed\tand\tscattered\tthe\tseed\tand\treaped\tthe\tharvest,\tthey\tfelt\tthat\ta","woman\tdivinity\tcould\tbest\tunderstand\tand\thelp\twoman\u2019s\twork.\tThey\tcould\tbest understand\t her,\t too,\t who\t was\t worshiped,\t not\t like\t other\t gods\t by\t the\t bloody sacrifices\t men\t liked,\t but\t in\t every\t humble\t act\t that\t made\t the\t farm\t fruitful. Through\t her\t the\t field\t of\t grain\t was\t hallowed.\t \u201cDemeter\u2019s\t holy\t grain.\u201d\t The threshing-floor,\t too,\t was\t under\t her\t protection.\t Both\t were\t her\t temples\t where\t at any\tmoment\tshe\tmight\tbe\tpresent.\t\u201cAt\tthe\tsacred\tthreshing-floor,\twhen\tthey\tare winnowing,\t she\t herself,\t Demeter\t of\t the\t corn-ripe\t yellow\t hair,\t divides\t the\t grain and\tthe\tchaff\tin\tthe\trush\tof\tthe\twind,\tand\tthe\theap\tof\tchaff\tgrows\twhite.\u201d\t\u201cMay it\tbe\tmine,\u201d\tthe\treaper\tprays,\t\u201cbeside\tDemeter\u2019s\taltar\tto\tdig\tthe\tgreat\twinnowing fan\t through\t her\t heaps\t of\t corn,\t while\t she\t stands\t smiling\t by\t with\t sheaves\t and poppies\tin\ther\thand.\u201d Her\tchief\tfestival,\tof\tcourse,\tcame\tat\tthe\tharvest\ttime.\tIn\tearlier\tdays\tit\tmust have\tbeen\ta\tsimple\treapers\u2019\tthanksgiving\tday\twhen\tthe\tfirst\tloaf\tbaked\tfrom\tthe new\tgrain\twas\tbroken\tand\treverently\teaten\twith\tgrateful\tprayers\tto\tthe\tgoddess from\t whom\t had\t come\t this\t best\t and\t most\t necessary\t gift\t for\t human\t life.\t In\t later years\t the\t humble\t feast\t grew\t into\t a\t mysterious\t worship,\t about\t which\t we\t know little.\t The\t great\t festival,\t in\t September,\t came\t only\t every\t five\t years,\t but\t it\t lasted for\tnine\tdays.\tThey\twere\tmost\tsacred\tdays,\twhen\tmuch\tof\tthe\tordinary\tbusiness of\t life\t was\t suspended.\t Processions\t took\t place,\t sacrifices\t were\t held\t with\t dances and\t song,\t there\t was\t general\t rejoicing.\t All\t this\t was\t public\t knowledge\t and\t has been\t related\t by\t many\t a\t writer.\t But\t the\t chief\t part\t of\t the\t ceremony\t which\t took place\tin\tthe\tprecincts\tof\tthe\ttemple\thas\tnever\tbeen\tdescribed.\tThose\twho\tbeheld it\t were\t bound\t by\t a\t vow\t of\t silence\t and\t they\t kept\t it\t so\t well\t that\t we\t know\t only stray\tbits\tof\twhat\twas\tdone. The\t great\t temple\t was\t at\t Eleusis,\t a\t little\t town\t near\t Athens,\t and\t the\t worship was\t called\t the\t Eleusinian\t Mysteries.\t Throughout\t the\t Greek\t world\t and\t the Roman,\ttoo,\tthey\twere\theld\tin\tespecial\tveneration.\tCicero,\twriting\tin\tthe\tcentury before\t Christ,\t says:\t \u201cNothing\t is\t higher\t than\t these\t mysteries.\t They\t have sweetened\t our\t characters\t and\t softened\t our\t customs;\t they\t have\t made\t us\t pass from\tthe\tcondition\tof\tsavages\tto\ttrue\thumanity.\tThey\thave\tnot\tonly\tshown\tus\tthe way\tto\tlive\tjoyfully,\tbut\tthey\thave\ttaught\tus\thow\tto\tdie\twith\ta\tbetter\thope.\u201d And\tyet\teven\tso,\tholy\tand\tawesome\tthough\tthey\twere,\tthey\tkept\tthe\tmark\tof what\tthey\thad\tsprung\tfrom.\tOne\tof\tthe\tfew\tpieces\tof\tinformation\twe\thave\tabout them\tis\tthat\tat\ta\tvery\tsolemn\tmoment\tthe\tworshipers\twere\tshown\t\u201can\tear\tof\tcorn which\thad\tbeen\treaped\tin\tsilence.\u201d In\t some\t way,\t no\t one\t knows\t clearly\t how\t or\t when,\t the\t God\t of\t the\t Vine, Dionysus,\tcame\tto\ttake\this\tplace,\ttoo,\tat\tEleusis,\tside\tby\tside\twith\tDemeter.","Beside\tDemeter\twhen\tthe\tcymbals\tsound Enthroned\tsits\tDionysus\tof\tthe\tflowing\thair. It\t was\t natural\t that\t they\t should\t be\t worshiped\t together,\t both\t divinities\t of\t the good\tgifts\tof\tearth,\tboth\tpresent\tin\tthe\thomely\tdaily\tacts\tthat\tlife\tdepends\ton,\tthe breaking\tof\tbread\tand\tthe\tdrinking\tof\twine.\tThe\tharvest\twas\tDionysus\u2019\tfestival, too,\twhen\tthe\tgrapes\twere\tbrought\tto\tthe\twine-press. The\tjoy-god\tDionysus,\tthe\tpure\tstar That\tshines\tamid\tthe\tgathering\tof\tthe\tfruit. But\the\twas\tnot\talways\ta\tjoy-god,\tnor\twas\tDemeter\talways\tthe\thappy\tgoddess of\t the\t summertime.\t Each\t knew\t pain\t as\t well\t as\t joy.\t In\t that\t way,\t too,\t they\t were closely\tlinked\ttogether;\tthey\twere\tboth\tsuffering\tgods.\tThe\tother\timmortals\twere untouched\t by\t lasting\t grief.\t \u201cDwelling\t in\t Olympus\t where\t the\t wind\t never\t blows and\t no\train\t falls\t ever\t nor\t the\tleast\t white\tstar\tof\t snow,\tthey\tare\t happy\tall\t their days,\t feasting\t upon\t nectar\t and\t ambrosia,\t rejoicing\t in\t all\t glorious\t Apollo\t as\t he strikes\this\tsilver\tlyre,\tand\tthe\tsweet\tvoices\tof\tthe\tMuses\tanswer\thim,\twhile\tthe Graces\t dance\t with\t Hebe\t and\t with\t Aphrodite,\t and\t a\t radiance\t shines\t round\t them all.\u201d\tBut\tthe\ttwo\tdivinities\tof\tEarth\tknew\theart-rending\tgrief. What\thappens\tto\tthe\tcorn\tplants\tand\tthe\tluxuriant\tbranching\tvines\twhen\tthe grain\t is\t harvested,\t the\t grapes\t gathered,\t and\t the\t black\t frost\t sets\t in,\t killing\t the fresh\tgreen\tlife\tof\tthe\tfields?\tThat\tis\twhat\tmen\tasked\tthemselves\twhen\tthe\tfirst stories\twere\ttold\tto\texplain\twhat\twas\tso\tmysterious,\tthe\tchanges\talways\tpassing before\ttheir\teyes,\tof\tday\tand\tnight\tand\tthe\tseasons\tand\tthe\tstars\tin\ttheir\tcourses. Though\t Demeter\t and\t Dionysus\t were\t the\t happy\t gods\t of\t the\t harvest,\t during\t the winter\t it\t was\t clear\t that\t they\t were\t altogether\t different.\t They\t sorrowed,\t and\t the earth\twas\tsad.\tThe\tmen\tof\tlong\tago\twondered\twhy\tthis\tshould\tbe,\tand\tthey\ttold stories\tto\texplain\tthe\treason.","DEMETER\t (CERES) This\t story\t is\t told\t only\t in\t a\t very\t early\t poem,\t one\t of\t the\t earliest\t of\t the\t Homeric Hymns,\t dating\t from\t the\t eighth\t or\t the\t beginning\t of\t the\t seventh\t century.\t The original\thas\tthe\tmarks\tof\tearly\tGreek\tpoetry,\tgreat\tsimplicity\tand\tdirectness\tand delight\tin\tthe\tbeautiful\tworld. Demeter\thad\tan\tonly\tdaughter,\tPersephone\t(in\tLatin\tProserpine),\tthe\tmaiden\tof the\t spring.\t She\t lost\t her\t and\t in\t her\t terrible\t grief\t she\t withheld\t her\t gifts\t from\t the earth,\t which\t turned\t into\t a\t frozen\t desert.\t The\t green\t and\t flowering\t land\t was\t ice- bound\tand\tlifeless\tbecause\tPersephone\thad\tdisappeared. The\tlord\tof\tthe\tdark\tunderworld,\tthe\tking\tof\tthe\tmultitudinous\tdead,\tcarried her\t off\t when,\t enticed\t by\t the\t wondrous\t bloom\t of\t the\t narcissus,\t she\t strayed\t too far\t from\t her\t companions.\t In\t his\t chariot\t drawn\t by\t coal-black\t steeds\t he\t rose\t up through\ta\tchasm\tin\tthe\tearth,\tand\tgrasping\tthe\tmaiden\tby\tthe\twrist\tset\ther\tbeside him.\tHe\tbore\ther\taway\tweeping,\tdown\tto\tthe\tunderworld.\tThe\thigh\thills\techoed her\t cry\t and\t the\t depths\t of\t the\t sea,\t and\t her\t mother\t heard\t it.\t She\t sped\t like\t a\t bird over\tsea\tand\tland\tseeking\ther\tdaughter.\tBut\tno\tone\twould\ttell\ther\tthe\ttruth,\t\u201cno man\t nor\t god,\t nor\t any\t sure\t messenger\t from\t the\t birds.\u201d\t Nine\t days\t Demeter wandered,\tand\tall\tthat\ttime\tshe\twould\tnot\ttaste\tof\tambrosia\tor\tput\tsweet\tnectar to\ther\tlips.\tAt\tlast\tshe\tcame\tto\tthe\tSun\tand\the\ttold\ther\tall\tthe\tstory:\tPersephone was\tdown\tin\tthe\tworld\tbeneath\tthe\tearth,\tamong\tthe\tshadowy\tdead. Then\t a\t still\t greater\t grief\t entered\t Demeter\u2019s\t heart.\t She\t left\t Olympus;\t she dwelt\t on\t earth,\t but\t so\t disguised\t that\t none\t knew\t her,\t and,\t indeed,\t the\t gods\t are not\t easily\t discerned\t by\t mortal\t men.\t In\t her\t desolate\t wanderings\t she\t came\t to Eleusis\tand\tsat\tby\tthe\twayside\tnear\ta\twell.\tShe\tseemed\tan\taged\twoman,\tsuch\tas in\t great\t houses\t care\t for\t the\t children\t or\t guard\t the\t storerooms.\t Four\t lovely maidens,\t sisters,\t coming\t to\t draw\t water\t from\t the\t well,\t saw\t her\t and\t asked\t her pityingly\t what\t she\t did\t there.\t She\t answered\t that\t she\t had\t fled\t from\t pirates\t who had\tmeant\tto\tsell\ther\tas\ta\tslave,\tand\tthat\tshe\tknew\tno\tone\tin\tthis\tstrange\tland\tto go\tto\tfor\thelp.\tThey\ttold\ther\tthat\tany\thouse\tin\tthe\ttown\twould\twelcome\ther,\tbut that\tthey\twould\tlike\tbest\tto\tbring\ther\tto\ttheir\town\tif\tshe\twould\twait\tthere\twhile they\twent\tto\task\ttheir\tmother.\tThe\tgoddess\tbent\ther\thead\tin\tassent,\tand\tthe\tgirls, filling\ttheir\tshining\tpitchers\twith\twater,\thurried\thome.\tTheir\tmother,\tMetaneira,","bade\tthem\treturn\tat\tonce\tand\tinvite\tthe\tstranger\tto\tcome,\tand\tspeeding\tback\tthey found\t the\t glorious\t goddess\t still\t sitting\t there,\t deeply\t veiled\t and\t covered\t to\t her slender\t feet\t by\t her\t dark\t robe.\t She\t followed\t them,\t and\t as\t she\t crossed\t the threshold\t to\t the\t hall\t where\t the\t mother\t sat\t holding\t her\t young\t son,\t a\t divine radiance\tfilled\tthe\tdoorway\tand\tawe\tfell\tupon\tMetaneira. She\t bade\t Demeter\t be\t seated\t and\t herself\t offered\t her\t honey-sweet\t wine,\t but the\tgoddess\twould\tnot\ttaste\tit.\tShe\tasked\tinstead\tfor\tbarley-water\tflavored\twith mint,\t the\t cooling\t draught\t of\t the\t reaper\t at\t harvest\t time\t and\t also\t the\t sacred\t cup given\tthe\tworshipers\tat\tEleusis.\tThus\trefreshed\tshe\ttook\tthe\tchild\tand\theld\thim to\t her\t fragrant\t bosom\t and\t his\t mother\u2019s\t heart\t was\t glad.\t So\t Demeter\t nursed Demopho\u00f6n,\t the\t son\t that\t Metaneira\t had\t borne\t to\t wise\t Celeus.\t And\t the\t child grew\t like\t a\t young\t god,\t for\t daily\t Demeter\t anointed\t him\t with\t ambrosia\t and\t at night\t she\t would\t place\t him\t in\t the\t red\t heart\t of\t the\t fire.\t Her\t purpose\t was\t to\t give him\timmortal\tyouth. Something,\t however,\t made\t the\t mother\t uneasy,\t so\t that\t one\t night\t she\t kept watch\t and\t screamed\t in\t terror\t when\t she\t saw\t the\t child\t laid\t in\t the\t fire.\t The goddess\t was\t angered;\t she\t seized\t the\t boy\t and\t cast\t him\t on\t the\t ground.\t She\t had meant\tto\tset\thim\tfree\tfrom\told\tage\tand\tfrom\tdeath,\tbut\tthat\twas\tnot\tto\tbe.\tStill, he\t had\t lain\t upon\t her\t knees\t and\t slept\t in\t her\t arms\t and\t therefore\t he\t should\t have honor\tthroughout\this\tlife. Then\t she\t showed\t herself\t the\t goddess\t manifest.\t Beauty\t breathed\t about\t her and\t a\t lovely\t fragrance;\t light\t shone\t from\t her\t so\t that\t the\t great\t house\t was\t filled with\t brightness.\t She\t was\t Demeter,\t she\t told\t the\t awestruck\t women.\t They\t must build\ther\ta\tgreat\ttemple\tnear\tthe\ttown\tand\tso\twin\tback\tthe\tfavor\tof\ther\theart. Thus\t she\t left\t them,\t and\t Metaneira\t fell\t speechless\t to\t the\t earth\t and\t all\t there trembled\t with\t fear.\t In\t the\t morning\t they\t told\t Celeus\t what\t had\t happened\t and\t he called\t the\t people\t together\t and\t revealed\t to\t them\t the\t command\t of\t the\t goddess. They\tworked\twillingly\tto\tbuild\ther\ta\ttemple,\tand\twhen\tit\twas\tfinished\tDemeter came\tto\tit\tand\tsat\tthere\u2014apart\tfrom\tthe\tgods\tin\tOlympus,\talone,\twasting\taway with\tlonging\tfor\ther\tdaughter. That\t year\t was\t most\t dreadful\t and\t cruel\t for\t mankind\t over\t all\t the\t earth. Nothing\tgrew;\tno\tseed\tsprang\tup;\tin\tvain\tthe\toxen\tdrew\tthe\tplowshare\tthrough the\tfurrows.\tIt\tseemed\tthe\twhole\trace\tof\tmen\twould\tdie\tof\tfamine.\tAt\tlast\tZeus saw\tthat\the\tmust\ttake\tthe\tmatter\tin\thand.\tHe\tsent\tthe\tgods\tto\tDemeter,\tone\tafter another,\tto\ttry\tto\tturn\ther\tfrom\ther\tanger,\tbut\tshe\tlistened\tto\tnone\tof\tthem.\tNever would\t she\t let\t the\t earth\t bear\t fruit\t until\t she\t had\t seen\t her\t daughter.\t Then\t Zeus realized\t that\t his\t brother\t must\t give\t way.\t He\t told\t Hermes\t to\t go\t down\t to\t the","underworld\tand\tto\tbid\tthe\tlord\tof\tit\tlet\this\tbride\tgo\tback\tto\tDemeter.","","PLATE\tII The\trape\tof\tPersephone\t(Proserpine)","Hermes\t found\t the\t two\t sitting\t side\t by\t side,\t Persephone\t shrinking\t away, reluctant\t because\t she\t longed\t for\t her\t mother.\t At\t Hermes\u2019\t words\t she\t sprang\t up joyfully,\teager\tto\tgo.\tHer\thusband\tknew\tthat\the\tmust\tobey\tthe\tword\tof\tZeus\tand send\t her\t up\t to\t earth\t away\t from\t him,\t but\t he\t prayed\t her\t as\t she\t left\t him\t to\t have kind\tthoughts\tof\thim\tand\tnot\tbe\tso\tsorrowful\tthat\tshe\twas\tthe\twife\tof\tone\twho was\t great\t among\t the\t immortals.\t And\t he\t made\t her\t eat\t a\t pomegranate\t seed, knowing\tin\this\theart\tthat\tif\tshe\tdid\tso\tshe\tmust\treturn\tto\thim. He\t got\t ready\t his\t golden\t car\t and\t Hermes\t took\t the\t reins\t and\t drove\t the\t black horses\t straight\t to\t the\t temple\t where\t Demeter\t was.\t She\t ran\t out\t to\t meet\t her daughter\tas\tswiftly\tas\ta\tMaenad\truns\tdown\tthe\tmountainside.\tPersephone\tsprang into\ther\tarms\tand\twas\theld\tfast\tthere.\tAll\tday\tthey\ttalked\tof\twhat\thad\thappened to\t them\t both,\t and\t Demeter\t grieved\t when\t she\t heard\t of\t the\t pomegranate\t seed, fearing\tthat\tshe\tcould\tnot\tkeep\ther\tdaughter\twith\ther. Then\tZeus\tsent\tanother\tmessenger\tto\ther,\ta\tgreat\tpersonage,\tnone\tother\tthan his\trevered\tmother\tRhea,\tthe\toldest\tof\tthe\tgods.\tSwiftly\tshe\thastened\tdown\tfrom the\theights\tof\tOlympus\tto\tthe\tbarren,\tleafless\tearth,\tand\tstanding\tat\tthe\tdoor\tof the\ttemple\tshe\tspoke\tto\tDemeter. Come,\tmy\tdaughter,\tfor\tZeus,\tfar-seeing,\tloud-thundering,\tbids\tyou. Come\tonce\tagain\tto\tthe\thalls\tof\tthe\tgods\twhere\tyou\tshall\thave\thonor, Where\tyou\twill\thave\tyour\tdesire,\tyour\tdaughter,\tto\tcomfort\tyour\tsorrow As\teach\tyear\tis\taccomplished\tand\tbitter\twinter\tis\tended. For\ta\tthird\tpart\tonly\tthe\tkingdom\tof\tdarkness\tshall\thold\ther. For\tthe\trest\tyou\twill\tkeep\ther,\tyou\tand\tthe\thappy\timmortals. Peace\tnow.\tGive\tmen\tlife\twhich\tcomes\talone\tfrom\tyour\tgiving. Demeter\t did\t not\t refuse,\t poor\t comfort\t though\t it\t was\t that\t she\t must\t lose Persephone\tfor\tfour\tmonths\tevery\tyear\tand\tsee\ther\tyoung\tloveliness\tgo\tdown\tto the\t world\t of\t the\t dead.\t But\t she\t was\t kind;\t the\t \u201cGood\t Goddess,\u201d\t men\t always called\ther.\tShe\twas\tsorry\tfor\tthe\tdesolation\tshe\thad\tbrought\tabout.\tShe\tmade\tthe fields\t once\t more\t rich\t with\t abundant\t fruit\t and\t the\t whole\t world\t bright\t with flowers\tand\tgreen\tleaves.\tAlso\tshe\twent\tto\tthe\tprinces\tof\tEleusis\twho\thad\tbuilt her\t temple\t and\t she\t chose\t one,\t Triptolemus,\t to\t be\t her\t ambassador\t to\t men, instructing\tthem\thow\tto\tsow\tthe\tcorn.\tShe\ttaught\thim\tand\tCeleus\tand\tthe\tothers her\t sacred\t rites,\t \u201cmysteries\t which\t no\t one\t may\t utter,\t for\t deep\t awe\t checks\t the tongue.\t Blessed\t is\t he\t who\t has\t seen\t them;\t his\t lot\t will\t be\t good\t in\t the\t world\t to come.\u201d","Queen\tof\tfragrant\tEleusis, Giver\tof\tearth\u2019s\tgood\tgifts, Give\tme\tyour\tgrace,\tO\tDemeter. You,\ttoo,\tPersephone,\tfairest, Maiden\tall\tlovely,\tI\toffer Song\tfor\tyour\tfavor. In\t the\t stories\t of\t both\t goddesses,\t Demeter\t and\t Persephone,\t the\t idea\t of\t sorrow was\tforemost.\tDemeter,\tgoddess\tof\tthe\tharvest\twealth,\twas\tstill\tmore\tthe\tdivine sorrowing\t mother\t who\t saw\t her\t daughter\t die\t each\t year.\t Persephone\t was\t the radiant\tmaiden\tof\tthe\tspring\tand\tthe\tsummertime,\twhose\tlight\tstep\tupon\tthe\tdry, brown\thillside\twas\tenough\tto\tmake\tit\tfresh\tand\tblooming,\tas\tSappho\twrites, I\theard\tthe\tfootfall\tof\tthe\tflower\tspring\u2026 \u2014Persephone\u2019s\t footfall.\t But\t all\t the\t while\t Persephone\t knew\t how\t brief\t that beauty\twas;\tfruits,\tflowers,\tleaves,\tall\tthe\tfair\tgrowth\tof\tearth,\tmust\tend\twith\tthe coming\tof\tthe\tcold\tand\tpass\tlike\therself\tinto\tthe\tpower\tof\tdeath.\tAfter\tthe\tlord\tof the\t dark\t world\t below\t carried\t her\t away\t she\t was\t never\t again\t the\t gay\t young creature\t who\t had\t played\t in\t the\t flowery\t meadow\t without\t a\t thought\t of\t care\t or trouble.\tShe\tdid\tindeed\trise\tfrom\tthe\tdead\tevery\tspring,\tbut\tshe\tbrought\twith\ther the\t memory\t of\t where\t she\t had\t come\t from;\t with\t all\t her\t bright\t beauty\t there\t was something\tstrange\tand\tawesome\tabout\ther.\tShe\twas\toften\tsaid\tto\tbe\t\u201cthe\tmaiden whose\tname\tmay\tnot\tbe\tspoken.\u201d The\t Olympians\t were\t \u201cthe\t happy\t gods,\u201d\t \u201cthe\t deathless\t gods,\u201d\t far\t removed from\tsuffering\tmortals\tdestined\tto\tdie.\tBut\tin\ttheir\tgrief\tand\tat\tthe\thour\tof\tdeath, men\t could\t turn\t for\t compassion\t to\t the\t goddess\t who\t sorrowed\t and\t the\t goddess who\tdied.","DIONYSUS\t OR\tBACCHUS This\t story\t is\t very\t differently\t told\t from\t the\t story\t of\t Demeter.\t Dionysus\t was\t the last\tgod\tto\tenter\tOlympus.\tHomer\tdid\tnot\tadmit\thim.\tThere\tare\tno\tearly\tsources for\t his\t story\t except\t a\t few\t brief\t allusions\t in\t Hesiod,\t in\t the\t eighth\t or\t ninth century.\tA\tlast\tHomeric\tHymn,\tperhaps\teven\tas\tlate\tas\tthe\tfourth\tcentury,\tgives the\t only\t account\t of\t the\t pirates\u2019\t ship,\t and\t the\t fate\t of\t Pentheus\t is\t the\t subject\t of the\t last\t play\t of\t Euripides,\t in\t the\t fifth\t century,\t the\t most\t modern\t of\t all\t Greek poets. Thebes\t was\t Dionysus\u2019\t own\t city,\t where\t he\t was\t born,\t the\t son\t of\t Zeus\t and\t the Theban\t princess\t Semele.\t He\t was\t the\t only\t god\t whose\t parents\t were\t not\t both divine. At\tThebes\talone\tdo\tmortal\twomen\tbear Immortal\tgods. Semele\twas\tthe\tmost\tunfortunate\twoman\tof\tall\tthose\tZeus\tfell\tin\tlove\twith,\tand in\ther\tcase,\ttoo,\tthe\treason\twas\tHera.\tZeus\twas\tmadly\tin\tlove\twith\ther\tand\ttold her\t that\t anything\t she\t asked\t of\t him\t he\t would\t do;\t he\t swore\t it\t by\t the\t river\t Styx, the\t oath\t which\t not\t even\t he\t himself\t could\t break.\t She\t told\t him\t that\t what\t she wanted\tabove\tall\telse\twas\tto\tsee\thim\tin\this\tfull\tsplendor\tas\tKing\tof\tHeaven\tand Lord\tof\tthe\tThunderbolt.\tIt\twas\tHera\twho\thad\tput\tthat\twish\tinto\ther\theart.\tZeus knew\tthat\tno\tmortal\tcould\tbehold\thim\tthus\tand\tlive,\tbut\the\tcould\tdo\tnothing.\tHe had\tsworn\tby\tthe\tStyx.\tHe\tcame\tas\tshe\thad\tasked,\tand\tbefore\tthat\tawful\tglory\tof burning\tlight\tshe\tdied.\tBut\tZeus\tsnatched\tfrom\ther\ther\tchild\tthat\twas\tnear\tbirth, and\t hid\t it\t in\t his\t own\t side\t away\t from\t Hera\t until\t the\t time\t had\t come\t for\t it\t to\t be born.\t Then\t Hermes\t carried\t it\t to\t be\t cared\t for\t by\t the\t nymphs\t of\t Nysa\u2014the loveliest\t of\t earth\u2019s\t valleys,\t but\t no\t man\t has\t ever\t looked\t upon\t Nysa\t or\t knows where\t it\t lies.\t Some\t say\t the\t nymphs\t were\t the\t Hyades,\t whom\t Zeus\t afterwards placed\tin\tthe\tsky\tas\tstars,\tthe\tstars\twhich\tbring\train\twhen\tthey\tnear\tthe\thorizon. So\tthe\tGod\tof\tthe\tVine\twas\tborn\tof\tfire\tand\tnursed\tby\train,\tthe\thard\tburning heat\tthat\tripens\tthe\tgrapes\tand\tthe\twater\tthat\tkeeps\tthe\tplant\talive. Grown\tto\tmanhood,\tDionysus\twandered\tfar\tto\tstrange\tplaces.","The\tlands\tof\tLydia\trich\tin\tgold, Of\tPhrygia\ttoo;\tthe\tsun-struck\tplains Of\tPersia;\tthe\tgreat\twalls\tof\tBactria. The\tstorm-swept\tcountry\tof\tthe\tMedes; And\tAraby\tthe\tBlest. Everywhere\t he\t taught\t men\t the\t culture\t of\t the\t vine\t and\t the\t mysteries\t of\t his worship\t and\t everywhere\t they\t accepted\t him\t as\t a\t god\t until\t he\t drew\t near\t to\t his own\tcountry. One\t day\t over\t the\t sea\t near\t Greece\t a\t pirates\u2019\t ship\t came\t sailing.\t On\t a\t great headland\t by\t the\t shore\t they\t saw\t a\t beautiful\t youth.\t His\t rich\t dark\t hair\t flowed down\tover\ta\tpurple\tcloak\tthat\tcovered\this\tstrong\tshoulders.\tHe\tlooked\tlike\ta\tson of\t kings,\t one\t whose\t parents\t could\t pay\t a\t great\t ransom.\t Exulting,\t the\t sailors sprang\t ashore\t and\t seized\t him.\t On\t board\t the\t ship\t they\t fetched\t rude\t bonds\t to fetter\thim\twith,\tbut\tto\ttheir\tamazement\tthey\twere\tunable\tto\tbind\thim;\tthe\tropes would\t not\t hold\t together;\t they\t fell\t apart\t when\t they\t touched\t his\t hands\t or\t feet. And\the\tsat\tlooking\tat\tthem\twith\ta\tsmile\tin\this\tdark\teyes. Alone\tamong\tthem\tthe\thelmsman\tunderstood\tand\tcried\tout\tthat\tthis\tmust\tbe a\tgod\tand\tshould\tbe\tset\tfree\tat\tonce\tor\tdeadly\tharm\twould\tcome\tto\tthem.\tBut\tthe captain\t mocked\t him\t for\t a\t silly\t fool\t and\t bade\t the\t crew\t hasten\t to\t hoist\t the\t sail. The\t wind\t filled\t it\t and\t the\t men\t drew\t taut\t the\t sheets,\t but\t the\t ship\t did\t not\t move. Then\t wonder\t upon\t wonder\t happened.\t Fragrant\t wine\t ran\t in\t streams\t down\t the deck;\t a\t vine\t with\t many\t clusters\t spread\t out\t over\t the\t sail;\t a\t dark\t green\t ivy-plant twined\t around\t the\t mast\t like\t a\t garland,\t with\t flowers\t in\t it\t and\t lovely\t fruits. Terror-stricken,\tthe\tpirates\tordered\tthe\thelmsman\tto\tput\tin\tto\tland.\tToo\tlate,\tfor as\t they\t spoke\t their\t captive\t became\t a\t lion,\t roaring\t and\t glaring\t terribly.\t At\t that, they\t leaped\t overboard\t and\t instantly\t were\t changed\t into\t dolphins,\t all\t except\t the good\t helmsman.\t On\t him\t the\t god\t had\t mercy.\t He\t held\t him\t back\t and\t bade\t him take\tcourage,\tfor\the\thad\tfound\tfavor\twith\tone\twho\twas\tindeed\ta\tgod\u2014Dionysus, whom\tSemele\tbore\tin\tunion\twith\tZeus.","","When\t he\t passed\t through\t Thrace\t on\t his\t way\t to\t Greece,\t the\t god\t was\t insulted by\t one\t of\t the\t kings\t there,\t Lycurgus,\t who\t bitterly\t opposed\t this\t new\t worship. Dionysus\t retreated\t before\t him\t and\t even\t took\t refuge\t from\t him\t in\t the\t depths\t of the\t sea.\t But\t later\t he\t came\t back,\t overpowered\t him,\t and\t punished\t him\t for\t his wickedness,\tthough\tmildly,\tby Imprisoning\thim\twithin\ta\trocky\tcave Until\this\tfirst\tfierce\tmaddening\trage Passed\tslowly\tand\the\tlearned\tto\tknow The\tgod\twhom\the\thad\tmocked. But\tthe\tother\tgods\twere\tnot\tmild.\tZeus\tstruck\tLycurgus\tblind\tand\the\tdied soon\tafter.\tNone\tlived\tlong\twho\tstrove\twith\tgods. Some\ttime\tduring\this\twanderings,\tDionysus\tcame\tupon\tthe\tprincess\tof\tCrete, Ariadne,\twhen\tshe\twas\tutterly\tdesolate,\thaving\tbeen\tabandoned\ton\tthe\tshore\tof the\tisland\tof\tNaxos\tby\tthe\tAthenian\tprince,\tTheseus,\twhose\tlife\tshe\thad\tsaved. Dionysus\thad\tcompassion\tupon\ther.\tHe\trescued\ther,\tand\tin\tthe\tend\tloved\ther. When\tshe\tdied\tDionysus\ttook\ta\tcrown\the\thad\tgiven\ther\tand\tplaced\tit\tamong\tthe stars. The\tmother\twhom\the\thad\tnever\tseen\twas\tnot\tforgotten.\tHe\tlonged\tfor\ther\tso greatly\tthat\tat\tlast\the\tdared\tthe\tterrible\tdescent\tto\tthe\tlower\tworld\tto\tseek\ther. When\the\tfound\ther,\the\tdefied\tthe\tpower\tof\tDeath\tto\tkeep\ther\tfrom\thim;\tand Death\tyielded.\tDionysus\tbrought\ther\taway,\tbut\tnot\tto\tlive\ton\tearth.\tHe\ttook\ther up\tto\tOlympus,\twhere\tthe\tgods\tconsented\tto\treceive\ther\tas\tone\tof\tthemselves,\ta mortal,\tindeed,\tbut\tthe\tmother\tof\ta\tgod\tand\ttherefore\tfit\tto\tdwell\twith\timmortals. The\tGod\tof\tWine\tcould\tbe\tkind\tand\tbeneficent.\tHe\tcould\talso\tbe\tcruel\tand\tdrive men\ton\tto\tfrightful\tdeeds.\tOften\the\tmade\tthem\tmad.\tThe\tMAENADS,\tor\tthe BACCHANTES,\tas\tthey\twere\talso\tcalled,\twere\twomen\tfrenzied\twith\twine.\tThey rushed\tthrough\twoods\tand\tover\tmountains\tuttering\tsharp\tcries,\twaving\tpine- cone-tipped\twands,\tswept\taway\tin\ta\tfierce\tecstasy.\tNothing\tcould\tstop\tthem. They\twould\ttear\tto\tpieces\tthe\twild\tcreatures\tthey\tmet\tand\tdevour\tthe\tbloody shreds\tof\tflesh.\tThey\tsang, Oh,\tsweet\tupon\tthe\tmountain The\tdancing\tand\tthe\tsinging, The\tmaddening\trushing\tflight. Oh,\tsweet\tto\tsink\tto\tearth\toutworn When\tthe\twild\tgoat\thas\tbeen\thunted\tand\tcaught,","Oh,\tthe\tjoy\tof\tthe\tblood\tand\tthe\traw\tred\tflesh! The\tgods\tof\tOlympus\tloved\torder\tand\tbeauty\tin\ttheir\tsacrifices\tand\ttheir temples.\tThe\tmadwomen,\tthe\tMaenads,\thad\tno\ttemples.\tThey\twent\tto\tthe wilderness\tto\tworship,\tto\tthe\twildest\tmountains,\tthe\tdeepest\tforests,\tas\tif\tthey kept\tto\tthe\tcustoms\tof\tan\tancient\ttime\tbefore\tmen\thad\tthought\tof\tbuilding houses\tfor\ttheir\tgods.\tThey\twent\tout\tof\tthe\tdusty,\tcrowded\tcity,\tback\tto\tthe\tlean purity\tof\tthe\tuntrodden\thills\tand\twoodlands.\tThere\tDionysus\tgave\tthem\tfood and\tdrink:\therbs\tand\tberries\tand\tthe\tmilk\tof\tthe\twild\tgoat.\tTheir\tbeds\twere\ton the\tsoft\tmeadow\tgrass;\tunder\tthe\tthick-leaved\ttrees;\twhere\tthe\tpine\tneedles\tfall year\tafter\tyear.\tThey\twoke\tto\ta\tsense\tof\tpeace\tand\theavenly\tfreshness;\tthey bathed\tin\ta\tclear\tbrook.\tThere\twas\tmuch\tthat\twas\tlovely,\tgood,\tand\tfreeing\tin this\tworship\tunder\tthe\topen\tsky\tand\tthe\tecstasy\tof\tjoy\tit\tbrought\tin\tthe\twild beauty\tof\tthe\tworld.\tAnd\tyet\talways\tpresent,\ttoo,\twas\tthe\thorrible\tbloody\tfeast. The\tworship\tof\tDionysus\twas\tcentered\tin\tthese\ttwo\tideas\tso\tfar\tapart\u2014of freedom\tand\tecstatic\tjoy\tand\tof\tsavage\tbrutality.\tThe\tGod\tof\tWine\tcould\tgive either\tto\this\tworshipers.\tThroughout\tthe\tstory\tof\this\tlife\the\tis\tsometimes\tman\u2019s blessing,\tsometimes\this\truin.\tOf\tall\tthe\tterrible\tdeeds\tlaid\tto\this\taccount\tthe worst\twas\tdone\tin\tThebes,\this\tmother\u2019s\tcity. Dionysus\tcame\tto\tThebes\tto\testablish\this\tworship\tthere.\tHe\twas accompanied,\tas\twas\this\tcustom,\tby\ta\ttrain\tof\twomen\tdancing\tand\tsinging exultant\tsongs,\twearing\tfawn-skins\tover\ttheir\trobes,\twaving\tivy-wreathed wands.\tThey\tseemed\tmad\twith\tjoy.\tThey\tsang, O\tBacchanals,\tcome, Oh,\tcome. Sing\tDionysus, Sing\tto\tthe\ttimbrel, The\tdeep-voiced\ttimbrel. Joyfully\tpraise\thim, Him\twho\tbrings\tjoy. Holy,\tall\tholy Music\tis\tcalling. To\tthe\thills,\tto\tthe\thills, Fly,\tO\tBacchanal Swift\tof\tfoot. On,\tO\tjoyful,\tbe\tfleet. Pentheus,\tthe\tKing\tof\tThebes,\twas\tthe\tson\tof\tSemele\u2019s\tsister,\tbut\the\thad\tno idea\tthat\tthe\tleader\tof\tthis\tband\tof\texcited,\tstrange-acting\twomen\twas\this\town cousin.\tHe\tdid\tnot\tknow\tthat\twhen\tSemele\tdied\tZeus\thad\tsaved\ther\tchild.\tThe","cousin.\tHe\tdid\tnot\tknow\tthat\twhen\tSemele\tdied\tZeus\thad\tsaved\ther\tchild.\tThe wild\tdancing\tand\tthe\tloud\tjoyous\tsinging\tand\tthe\tgenerally\tqueer\tbehavior\tof these\tstrangers\tseemed\tto\thim\thighly\tobjectionable,\tand\tto\tbe\tstopped\tat\tonce. Pentheus\tordered\this\tguards\tto\tseize\tand\timprison\tthe\tvisitors,\tespecially\tthe leader,\t\u201cwhose\tface\tis\tflushed\twith\twine,\ta\tcheating\tsorcerer\tfrom\tLydia.\u201d\tBut\tas he\tsaid\tthese\twords\the\theard\tbehind\thim\ta\tsolemn\twarning:\t\u201cThe\tman\tyou\treject is\ta\tnew\tgod.\tHe\tis\tSemele\u2019s\tchild,\twhom\tZeus\trescued.\tHe,\twith\tdivine Demeter,\tis\tgreatest\tupon\tearth\tfor\tmen.\u201d\tThe\tspeaker\twas\tthe\told\tblind\tprophet Teiresias,\tthe\tholy\tman\tof\tThebes\twho\tknew\tas\tno\tone\telse\tthe\twill\tof\tthe\tgods. But\tas\tPentheus\tturned\tto\tanswer\thim\the\tsaw\tthat\the\twas\ttricked\tout\tlike\tthe wild\twomen:\ta\twreath\tof\tivy\ton\this\twhite\thair,\this\told\tshoulders\tcovered\tby\ta fawn-skin,\ta\tqueer\tpine-tipped\tstick\tin\this\ttrembling\thand.\tPentheus\tlaughed mockingly\tas\the\tlooked\thim\tover\tand\tthen\tordered\thim\twith\tcontempt\tout\tof\this sight.\tThus\the\tbrought\tupon\thimself\this\tdoom;\the\twould\tnot\thear\twhen\tthe\tgods spoke\tto\thim. Dionysus\twas\tled\tin\tbefore\thim\tby\ta\tband\tof\this\tsoldiers.\tThey\tsaid\the\thad not\ttried\tto\tflee\tor\tto\tresist,\tbut\thad\tdone\tall\tpossible\tto\tmake\tit\teasy\tfor\tthem\tto seize\tand\tbring\thim\tuntil\tthey\tfelt\tashamed\tand\ttold\thim\tthey\twere\tacting\tunder orders,\tnot\tof\ttheir\town\tfree\twill.\tThey\tdeclared,\ttoo,\tthat\tthe\tmaidens\tthey\thad imprisoned\thad\tall\tescaped\tto\tthe\tmountains.\tThe\tfetters\twould\tnot\tkeep fastened;\tthe\tdoors\tunbarred\tthemselves.\t\u201cThis\tman,\u201d\tthey\tsaid,\t\u201chas\tcome\tto Thebes\twith\tmany\twonders\u2014\u201d Pentheus\tby\tnow\twas\tblind\tto\teverything\texcept\this\tanger\tand\this\tscorn.\tHe spoke\troughly\tto\tDionysus,\twho\tanswered\thim\twith\tentire\tgentleness,\tseeming to\ttry\tto\treach\this\treal\tself\tand\topen\this\teyes\tto\tsee\tthat\the\twas\tface\tto\tface\twith divinity.\tHe\twarned\thim\tthat\the\tcould\tnot\tkeep\thim\tin\tprison,\t\u201cfor\tGod\twill\tset me\tfree.\u201d \u201cGod?\u201d\tPentheus\tasked\tjeeringly. \u201cYes,\u201d\tDionysus\tanswered.\t\u201cHe\tis\there\tand\tsees\tmy\tsuffering.\u201d \u201cNot\twhere\tmy\teyes\tcan\tsee\thim,\u201d\tPentheus\tsaid. \u201cHe\tis\twhere\tI\tam,\u201d\tanswered\tDionysus.\t\u201cYou\tcannot\tsee\thim\tfor\tyou\tare\tnot pure.\u201d Pentheus\tangrily\tordered\tthe\tsoldiers\tto\tbind\thim\tand\ttake\thim\tto\tthe\tprison and\tDionysus\twent,\tsaying,\t\u201cThe\twrongs\tyou\tdo\tto\tme\tare\twrongs\tdone\tto\tthe gods.\u201d But\tthe\tprison\tcould\tnot\thold\tDionysus.\tHe\tcame\tforth,\tand\tgoing\tto Pentheus\tagain\the\ttried\tto\tpersuade\thim\tto\tyield\tto\twhat\tthese\twonders\tplainly showed\twas\tdivine,\tand\twelcome\tthis\tnew\tworship\tof\ta\tnew\tand\tgreat\tgod. When,\thowever,\tPentheus\tonly\theaped\tinsults\tand\tthreats\tupon\thim,\tDionysus","When,\thowever,\tPentheus\tonly\theaped\tinsults\tand\tthreats\tupon\thim,\tDionysus left\thim\tto\this\tdoom.\tIt\twas\tthe\tmost\thorrible\tthat\tthere\tcould\tbe. Pentheus\twent\tto\tpursue\tthe\tgod\u2019s\tfollowers\tamong\tthe\thills\twhere\tthe maidens\thad\tfled\twhen\tthey\tescaped\tfrom\tprison.\tMany\tof\tthe\tTheban\twomen had\tjoined\tthem;\tPentheus\u2019\tmother\tand\ther\tsisters\twere\tthere.\tAnd\tthere Dionysus\tshowed\thimself\tin\this\tmost\tterrible\taspect.\tHe\tmade\tthem\tall\tmad.\tThe women\tthought\tPentheus\ta\twild\tbeast,\ta\tmountain\tlion,\tand\tthey\trushed\tto destroy\thim,\this\tmother\tfirst.\tAs\tthey\tfell\tupon\thim\the\tknew\tat\tlast\tthat\the\thad fought\tagainst\ta\tgod\tand\tmust\tpay\twith\this\tlife.\tThey\ttore\thim\tlimb\tfrom\tlimb, and\tthen,\tonly\tthen,\tthe\tgod\trestored\ttheir\tsenses,\tand\this\tmother\tsaw\twhat\tshe had\tdone.\tLooking\tat\ther\tin\ther\tagony\tthe\tmaidens,\tall\tsobered\tnow,\tthe\tdancing over\tand\tthe\tsinging\tand\tthe\twild\twand-waving,\tsaid\tto\tone\tanother, In\tstrange\tways\thard\tto\tknow\tgods\tcome\tto\tmen. Many\ta\tthing\tpast\thope\tthey\thad\tfulfilled, And\twhat\twas\tlooked\tfor\twent\tanother\tway. A\tpath\twe\tnever\tthought\tto\ttread\tGod\tfound\tfor\tus. So\thas\tthis\tcome\tto\tpass. The\tideas\tabout\tDionysus\tin\tthese\tvarious\tstories\tseem\tat\tfirst\tsight contradictory.\tIn\tone\the\tis\tthe\tjoy-god\u2014 He\twhose\tlocks\tare\tbound\twith\tgold, Ruddy\tBacchus, Comrade\tof\tthe\tMaenads,\twhose Blithe\ttorch\tblazes. In\tanother\the\tis\tthe\theartless\tgod,\tsavage,\tbrutal\u2014 He\twho\twith\ta\tmocking\tlaugh Hunts\this\tprey, Snares\tand\tdrags\thim\tto\this\tdeath With\this\tBacchanals. The\ttruth\tis,\thowever,\tthat\tboth\tideas\tarose\tquite\tsimply\tand\treasonably\tfrom the\tfact\tof\this\tbeing\tthe\tgod\tof\twine.\tWine\tis\tbad\tas\twell\tas\tgood.\tIt\tcheers\tand warms\tmen\u2019s\thearts;\tit\talso\tmakes\tthem\tdrunk.\tThe\tGreeks\twere\ta\tpeople\twho saw\tfacts\tvery\tclearly.\tThey\tcould\tnot\tshut\ttheir\teyes\tto\tthe\tugly\tand\tdegrading side\tof\twine-drinking\tand\tsee\tonly\tthe\tdelightful\tside.\tDionysus\twas\tthe\tGod\tof the\tVine;\ttherefore\the\twas\ta\tpower\twhich\tsometimes\tmade\tmen\tcommit\tfrightful and\tatrocious\tcrimes.\tNo\tone\tcould\tdefend\tthem;\tno\tone\twould\tever\ttry\tto defend\tthe\tfate\tPentheus\tsuffered.\tBut,\tthe\tGreeks\tsaid\tto\teach\tother,\tsuch\tthings","defend\tthe\tfate\tPentheus\tsuffered.\tBut,\tthe\tGreeks\tsaid\tto\teach\tother,\tsuch\tthings really\tdo\thappen\twhen\tpeople\tare\tfrenzied\twith\tdrink.\tThis\ttruth\tdid\tnot\tblind them\tto\tthe\tother\ttruth,\tthat\twine\twas\t\u201cthe\tmerry-maker,\u201d\tlightening\tmen\u2019s hearts,\tbringing\tcareless\tease\tand\tfun\tand\tgaiety. The\twine\tof\tDionysus, When\tthe\tweary\tcares\tof\tmen Leave\tevery\theart. We\ttravel\tto\ta\tland\tthat\tnever\twas. The\tpoor\tgrow\trich,\tthe\trich\tgrow\tgreat\tof\theart. All-conquering\tare\tthe\tshafts\tmade\tfrom\tthe\tVine. The\treason\tthat\tDionysus\twas\tso\tdifferent\tat\tone\ttime\tfrom\tanother\twas\tbecause of\tthis\tdouble\tnature\tof\twine\tand\tso\tof\tthe\tgod\tof\twine.\tHe\twas\tman\u2019s benefactor\tand\the\twas\tman\u2019s\tdestroyer. On\this\tbeneficent\tside\the\twas\tnot\tonly\tthe\tgod\tthat\tmakes\tmen\tmerry.\tHis cup\twas Life-giving,\thealing\tevery\till. Under\this\tinfluence\tcourage\twas\tquickened\tand\tfear\tbanished,\tat\tany\trate\tfor\tthe moment.\tHe\tuplifted\this\tworshipers;\the\tmade\tthem\tfeel\tthat\tthey\tcould\tdo\twhat they\thad\tthought\tthey\tcould\tnot.\tAll\tthis\thappy\tfreedom\tand\tconfidence\tpassed away,\tof\tcourse,\tas\tthey\teither\tgrew\tsober\tor\tgot\tdrunk,\tbut\twhile\tit\tlasted\tit\twas like\tbeing\tpossessed\tby\ta\tpower\tgreater\tthan\tthemselves.\tSo\tpeople\tfelt\tabout Dionysus\tas\tabout\tno\tother\tgod.\tHe\twas\tnot\tonly\toutside\tof\tthem,\the\twas\twithin them,\ttoo.\tThey\tcould\tbe\ttransformed\tby\thim\tinto\tbeing\tlike\thim.\tThe momentary\tsense\tof\texultant\tpower\twine-drinking\tcan\tgive\twas\tonly\ta\tsign\tto show\tmen\tthat\tthey\thad\twithin\tthem\tmore\tthan\tthey\tknew;\t\u201cthey\tcould themselves\tbecome\tdivine.\u201d To\tthink\tin\tthis\tway\twas\tfar\tremoved\tfrom\tthe\told\tidea\tof\tworshiping\tthe\tgod by\tdrinking\tenough\tto\tbe\tgay\tor\tto\tbe\tfreed\tfrom\tcare\tor\tto\tget\tdrunk.\tThere were\tfollowers\tof\tDionysus\twho\tnever\tdrank\twine\tat\tall.\tIt\tis\tnot\tknown\twhen the\tgreat\tchange\ttook\tplace,\tlifting\tthe\tgod\twho\tfreed\tmen\tfor\ta\tmoment\tthrough drunkenness\tto\tthe\tgod\twho\tfreed\tthem\tthrough\tinspiration,\tbut\tone\tvery remarkable\tresult\tof\tit\tmade\tDionysus\tfor\tall\tfuture\tages\tthe\tmost\timportant\tof the\tgods\tof\tGreece. The\tEleusinian\tMysteries,\twhich\twere\talways\tchiefly\tDemeter\u2019s,\thad\tindeed great\timportance.\tFor\thundreds\tof\tyears\tthey\thelped\tmen,\tas\tCicero\tsaid,\t\u201cto\tlive with\tjoy\tand\tto\tdie\twith\thope.\u201d\tBut\ttheir\tinfluence\tdid\tnot\tlast,\tvery\tlikely","with\tjoy\tand\tto\tdie\twith\thope.\u201d\tBut\ttheir\tinfluence\tdid\tnot\tlast,\tvery\tlikely because\tnobody\twas\tallowed\tto\tteach\ttheir\tideas\topenly\tor\twrite\tabout\tthem.\tIn the\tend\tonly\ta\tdim\tmemory\tof\tthem\twas\tleft.\tIt\twas\tquite\totherwise\twith Dionysus.\tWhat\twas\tdone\tat\this\tgreat\tfestival\twas\topen\tto\tall\tthe\tworld\tand\tis\ta living\tinfluence\ttoday.\tNo\tother\tfestival\tin\tGreece\tcould\tcompare\twith\tit.\tIt\ttook place\tin\tthe\tspring\twhen\tthe\tvine\tbegins\tto\tput\tforth\tits\tbranches,\tand\tit\tlasted for\tfive\tdays.\tThey\twere\tdays\tof\tperfect\tpeace\tand\tenjoyment.\tAll\tthe\tordinary business\tof\tlife\tstopped.\tNo\tone\tcould\tbe\tput\tin\tprison;\tprisoners\twere\teven released\tso\tthat\tthey\tcould\tshare\tin\tthe\tgeneral\trejoicing.\tBut\tthe\tplace\twhere people\tgathered\tto\tdo\thonor\tto\tthe\tgod\twas\tnot\ta\twild\twilderness\tmade\thorrible by\tsavage\tdeeds\tand\ta\tbloody\tfeast;\tit\twas\tnot\teven\ta\ttemple\tprecinct\twith ordered\tsacrifices\tand\tpriestly\tceremonies.\tIt\twas\ta\ttheater;\tand\tthe\tceremony was\tthe\tperformance\tof\ta\tplay.\tThe\tgreatest\tpoetry\tin\tGreece,\tand\tamong\tthe greatest\tin\tthe\tworld,\twas\twritten\tfor\tDionysus.\tThe\tpoets\twho\twrote\tthe\tplays, the\tactors\tand\tsingers\twho\ttook\tpart\tin\tthem,\twere\tall\tregarded\tas\tservants\tof\tthe god.\tThe\tperformances\twere\tsacred;\tthe\tspectators,\ttoo,\talong\twith\tthe\twriters and\tthe\tperformers,\twere\tengaged\tin\tan\tact\tof\tworship.\tDionysus\thimself\twas supposed\tto\tbe\tpresent;\this\tpriest\thad\tthe\tseat\tof\thonor. It\tis\tclear,\ttherefore,\tthat\tthe\tidea\tof\tthe\tgod\tof\tholy\tinspiration\twho\tcould\tfill men\twith\this\tspirit\tto\twrite\tgloriously\tand\tto\tact\tgloriously\tbecame\tfar\tmore important\tthan\tthe\tearlier\tideas\tof\thim.\tThe\tfirst\ttragic\tplays,\twhich\tare\tamong the\tbest\tthere\tare,\tnever\tequaled\texcept\tby\tShakespeare,\twere\tproduced\tin\tthe theater\tof\tDionysus.\tComedies\twere\tproduced\tthere,\ttoo,\tbut\ttragedies\tfar outnumbered\tthem,\tand\tthere\twas\ta\treason\twhy. This\tstrange\tgod,\tthe\tgay\treveler,\tthe\tcruel\thunter,\tthe\tlofty\tinspirer,\twas\talso the\tsufferer.\tHe,\tlike\tDemeter,\twas\tafflicted,\tnot\tbecause\tof\tgrief\tfor\tanother,\tas she\twas,\tbut\tbecause\tof\this\town\tpain.\tHe\twas\tthe\tvine,\twhich\tis\talways\tpruned as\tnothing\telse\tthat\tbears\tfruits;\tevery\tbranch\tcut\taway,\tonly\tthe\tbare\tstock\tleft; through\tthe\twinter\ta\tdead\tthing\tto\tlook\tat,\tan\told\tgnarled\tstump\tseeming incapable\tof\tever\tputting\tforth\tleaves\tagain.\tLike\tPersephone\tDionysus\tdied with\tthe\tcoming\tof\tthe\tcold.\tUnlike\ther,\this\tdeath\twas\tterrible:\the\twas\ttorn\tto pieces,\tin\tsome\tstories\tby\tthe\tTitans,\tin\tothers\tby\tHera\u2019s\torders.\tHe\twas\talways brought\tback\tto\tlife;\the\tdied\tand\trose\tagain.\tIt\twas\this\tjoyful\tresurrection\tthey celebrated\tin\this\ttheater,\tbut\tthe\tidea\tof\tterrible\tdeeds\tdone\tto\thim\tand\tdone\tby men\tunder\this\tinfluence\twas\ttoo\tclosely\tassociated\twith\thim\tever\tto\tbe forgotten.\tHe\twas\tmore\tthan\tthe\tsuffering\tgod.\tHe\twas\tthe\ttragic\tgod.\tThere\twas none\tother. He\thad\tstill\tanother\tside.\tHe\twas\tthe\tassurance\tthat\tdeath\tdoes\tnot\tend\tall.","He\thad\tstill\tanother\tside.\tHe\twas\tthe\tassurance\tthat\tdeath\tdoes\tnot\tend\tall. His\tworshipers\tbelieved\tthat\this\tdeath\tand\tresurrection\tshowed\tthat\tthe\tsoul lives\ton\tforever\tafter\tthe\tbody\tdies.\tThis\tfaith\twas\tpart\tof\tthe\tmysteries\tof Eleusis.\tAt\tfirst\tit\tcentered\tin\tPersephone\twho\talso\trose\tfrom\tthe\tdead\tevery spring.\tBut\tas\tqueen\tof\tthe\tblack\tunderworld\tshe\tkept\teven\tin\tthe\tbright\tworld above\ta\tsuggestion\tof\tsomething\tstrange\tand\tawful:\thow\tcould\tshe\twho\tcarried always\tabout\ther\tthe\treminder\tof\tdeath\tstand\tfor\tthe\tresurrection,\tthe\tconquest\tof death?\tDionysus,\ton\tthe\tcontrary,\twas\tnever\tthought\tof\tas\ta\tpower\tin\tthe kingdom\tof\tthe\tdead.\tThere\tare\tmany\tstories\tabout\tPersephone\tin\tthe\tlower world;\tonly\tone\tabout\tDionysus\u2014he\trescued\this\tmother\tfrom\tit.\tIn\this resurrection\the\twas\tthe\tembodiment\tof\tthe\tlife\tthat\tis\tstronger\tthan\tdeath.\tHe and\tnot\tPersephone\tbecame\tthe\tcenter\tof\tthe\tbelief\tin\timmortality. Around\tthe\tyear\t80\tA.D.,\ta\tgreat\tGreek\twriter,\tPlutarch,\treceived\tnews,\twhen he\twas\tfar\tfrom\thome,\tthat\ta\tlittle\tdaughter\tof\this\thad\tdied\u2014a\tchild\tof\tmost gentle\tnature,\the\tsays.\tIn\this\tletter\tto\this\twife\the\twrites:\t\u201cAbout\tthat\twhich\tyou have\theard,\tdear\theart,\tthat\tthe\tsoul\tonce\tdeparted\tfrom\tthe\tbody\tvanishes\tand feels\tnothing,\tI\tknow\tthat\tyou\tgive\tno\tbelief\tto\tsuch\tassertions\tbecause\tof\tthose sacred\tand\tfaithful\tpromises\tgiven\tin\tthe\tmysteries\tof\tBacchus\twhich\twe\twho are\tof\tthat\treligious\tbrotherhood\tknow.\tWe\thold\tit\tfirmly\tfor\tan\tundoubted\ttruth that\tour\tsoul\tis\tincorruptible\tand\timmortal.\tWe\tare\tto\tthink\t(of\tthe\tdead)\tthat they\tpass\tinto\ta\tbetter\tplace\tand\ta\thappier\tcondition.\tLet\tus\tbehave\tourselves accordingly,\toutwardly\tordering\tour\tlives,\twhile\twithin\tall\tshould\tbe\tpurer, wiser,\tincorruptible.\u201d","","III With\tthe\texception\tof\tthe\tstory\tof\tPrometheus\u2019\tpunishment,\ttold\tby\tAeschylus\tin the\t fifth\t century,\t I\t have\t taken\t the\t material\t of\t this\t chapter\t chiefly\t from\t Hesiod, who\t lived\t at\t least\t three\t hundred\t years\t earlier.\t He\t is\t the\t principal\t authority\t for the\t myths\t about\t the\t beginning\t of\t everything.\t Both\t the\t crudity\t of\t the\t story\t of Cronus\tand\tthe\tna\u00efvet\u00e9\tof\tthe\tstory\tof\tPandora\tare\tcharacteristic\tof\thim. First\tthere\twas\tChaos,\tthe\tvast\timmeasurable\tabyss, Outrageous\tas\ta\tsea,\tdark,\twasteful,\twild. These\t words\t are\t Milton\u2019s,\t but\t they\t express\t with\t precision\t what\t the\t Greeks thought\t lay\t back\t of\t the\t very\t first\t beginning\t of\t things.\t Long\t before\t the\t gods appeared,\t in\t the\t dim\t past,\t uncounted\t ages\t ago,\t there\t was\t only\t the\t formless confusion\tof\tChaos\tbrooded\tover\tby\tunbroken\tdarkness.\tAt\tlast,\tbut\thow\tno\tone ever\ttried\tto\texplain,\ttwo\tchildren\twere\tborn\tto\tthis\tshapeless\tnothingness.\tNight was\t the\t child\t of\t Chaos\t and\t so\t was\t Erebus,\t which\t is\t the\t unfathomable\t depth where\tdeath\tdwells.\tIn\tthe\twhole\tuniverse\tthere\twas\tnothing\telse;\tall\twas\tblack,","empty,\tsilent,\tendless. And\t then\t a\t marvel\t of\t marvels\t came\t to\t pass.\t In\t some\t mysterious\t way,\t from this\thorror\tof\tblank\tboundless\tvacancy\tthe\tbest\tof\tall\tthings\tcame\tinto\tbeing.\tA great\t playwright,\t the\t comic\t poet\t Aristophanes,\t describes\t its\t coming\t in\t words often\tquoted:\u2014 \u2026\tBlack-winged\tNight Into\tthe\tbosom\tof\tErebus\tdark\tand\tdeep Laid\ta\twind-born\tegg,\tand\tas\tthe\tseasons\trolled Forth\tsprang\tLove,\tthe\tlonged-for,\tshining,\twith\twings\tof\tgold. From\tdarkness\tand\tfrom\tdeath\tLove\twas\tborn,\tand\twith\tits\tbirth,\torder\tand beauty\tbegan\tto\tbanish\tblind\tconfusion.\tLove\tcreated\tLight\twith\tits\tcompanion, radiant\tDay. What\ttook\tplace\tnext\twas\tthe\tcreation\tof\tthe\tearth,\tbut\tthis,\ttoo,\tno\tone\tever tried\tto\texplain.\tIt\tjust\thappened.\tWith\tthe\tcoming\tof\tlove\tand\tlight\tit\tseemed natural\tthat\tthe\tearth\talso\tshould\tappear.\tThe\tpoet\tHesiod,\tthe\tfirst\tGreek\twho tried\tto\texplain\thow\tthings\tbegan,\twrote, Earth,\tthe\tbeautiful,\trose\tup, Broad-bosomed,\tshe\tthat\tis\tthe\tsteadfast\tbase Of\tall\tthings.\tAnd\tfair\tEarth\tfirst\tbore The\tstarry\tHeaven,\tequal\tto\therself, To\tcover\ther\ton\tall\tsides\tand\tto\tbe A\thome\tforever\tfor\tthe\tblessed\tgods. In\tall\tthis\tthought\tabout\tthe\tpast\tno\tdistinction\thad\tas\tyet\tbeen\tmade\tbetween places\tand\tpersons.\tEarth\twas\tthe\tsolid\tground,\tyet\tvaguely\ta\tpersonality,\ttoo. Heaven\twas\tthe\tblue\tvault\ton\thigh,\tbut\tit\tacted\tin\tsome\tways\tas\ta\thuman\tbeing would.\tTo\tthe\tpeople\twho\ttold\tthese\tstories\tall\tthe\tuniverse\twas\talive\twith\tthe same\tkind\tof\tlife\tthey\tknew\tin\tthemselves.\tThey\twere\tindividual\tpersons,\tso they\tpersonified\teverything\twhich\thad\tthe\tobvious\tmarks\tof\tlife,\teverything which\tmoved\tand\tchanged:\tearth\tin\twinter\tand\tsummer;\tthe\tsky\twith\tits\tshifting stars;\tthe\trestless\tsea,\tand\tso\ton.\tIt\twas\tonly\ta\tdim\tpersonification:\tsomething vague\tand\timmense\twhich\twith\tits\tmotion\tbrought\tabout\tchange\tand\ttherefore was\talive. But\twhen\tthey\ttold\tof\tthe\tcoming\tof\tlove\tand\tlight\tthe\tearly\tstorytellers\twere setting\tthe\tscene\tfor\tthe\tappearance\tof\tmankind,\tand\tthey\tbegan\tto\tpersonify more\tprecisely.\tThey\tgave\tnatural\tforces\tdistinct\tshapes.\tThey\tthought\tof\tthem as\tthe\tprecursors\tof\tmen\tand\tthey\tdefined\tthem\tfar\tmore\tclearly\tas\tindividuals than\tthey\thad\tearth\tand\theaven.\tThey\tshowed\tthem\tacting\tin\tevery\tway\tas","human\tbeings\tdid;\twalking,\tfor\tinstance,\tand\teating,\tas\tEarth\tand\tHeaven obviously\tdid\tnot.\tThese\ttwo\twere\tset\tapart.\tIf\tthey\twere\talive,\tit\twas\tin\ta\tway peculiar\tto\tthem\talone. The\tfirst\tcreatures\twho\thad\tthe\tappearance\tof\tlife\twere\tthe\tchildren\tof Mother\tEarth\tand\tFather\tHeaven\t(Gaea\tand\tOuranos).\tThey\twere\tmonsters.\tJust as\twe\tbelieve\tthat\tthe\tearth\twas\tonce\tinhabited\tby\tstrange\tgigantic\tcreatures,\tso did\tthe\tGreeks.\tThey\tdid\tnot,\thowever,\tthink\tof\tthem\tas\thuge\tlizards\tand mammoths,\tbut\tas\tsomewhat\tlike\tmen\tand\tyet\tunhuman.\tThey\thad\tthe shattering,\toverwhelming\tstrength\tof\tearthquake\tand\thurricane\tand\tvolcano.\tIn the\ttales\tabout\tthem\tthey\tdo\tnot\tseem\treally\talive,\tbut\trather\tto\tbelong\tto\ta\tworld where\tas\tyet\tthere\twas\tno\tlife,\tonly\ttremendous\tmovements\tof\tirresistible\tforces lifting\tup\tthe\tmountains\tand\tscooping\tout\tthe\tseas.\tThe\tGreeks\tapparently\thad some\tsuch\tfeeling\tbecause\tin\ttheir\tstories,\talthough\tthey\trepresent\tthese creatures\tas\tliving\tbeings,\tthey\tmake\tthem\tunlike\tany\tform\tof\tlife\tknown\tto man. Three\tof\tthem,\tmonstrously\thuge\tand\tstrong,\thad\teach\ta\thundred\thands\tand fifty\theads.\tTo\tthree\tothers\twas\tgiven\tthe\tname\tof\tCyclops\t(the\tWheel-eyed), because\teach\thad\tonly\tone\tenormous\teye,\tas\tround\tand\tas\tbig\tas\ta\twheel,\tin\tthe middle\tof\tthe\tforehead.\tThe\tCyclopes,\ttoo,\twere\tgigantic,\ttowering\tup\tlike mighty\tmountain\tcrags\tand\tdevastating\tin\ttheir\tpower.\tLast\tcame\tthe\tTitans. There\twere\ta\tnumber\tof\tthese\tand\tthey\twere\tin\tno\tway\tinferior\tto\tthe\tothers\tin size\tand\tstrength,\tbut\tthey\twere\tnot\tpurely\tdestructive.\tSeveral\tof\tthem\twere even\tbeneficent.\tOne,\tindeed,\tafter\tmen\thad\tbeen\tcreated,\tsaved\tthem\tfrom destruction. It\twas\tnatural\tto\tthink\tof\tthese\tfearful\tcreations\tas\tthe\tchildren\tof\tMother Earth,\tbrought\tforth\tfrom\ther\tdark\tdepths\twhen\tthe\tworld\twas\tyoung.\tBut\tit\tis extremely\todd\tthat\tthey\twere\talso\tthe\tchildren\tof\tHeaven.\tHowever,\tthat\twas what\tthe\tGreeks\tsaid,\tand\tthey\tmade\tHeaven\tout\tto\tbe\ta\tvery\tpoor\tfather.\tHe hated\tthe\tthings\twith\ta\thundred\thands\tand\tfifty\theads,\teven\tthough\tthey\twere\this sons,\tand\tas\teach\twas\tborn\the\timprisoned\tit\tin\ta\tsecret\tplace\twithin\tthe\tearth. The\tCyclopes\tand\tthe\tTitans\the\tleft\tat\tlarge;\tand\tEarth,\tenraged\tat\tthe maltreatment\tof\ther\tother\tchildren,\tappealed\tto\tthem\tto\thelp\ther.\tOnly\tone\twas bold\tenough,\tthe\tTitan\tCronus.\tHe\tlay\tin\twait\tfor\this\tfather\tand\twounded\thim terribly.\tThe\tGiants,\tthe\tfourth\trace\tof\tmonsters,\tsprang\tup\tfrom\this\tblood.\tFrom this\tsame\tblood,\ttoo,\tthe\tErinyes\t(the\tFuries)\twere\tborn.\tTheir\toffice\twas\tto pursue\tand\tpunish\tsinners.\tThey\twere\tcalled\t\u201cthose\twho\twalk\tin\tthe\tdarkness,\u201d and\tthey\twere\tterrible\tof\taspect,\twith\twrithing\tsnakes\tfor\thair\tand\teyes\tthat\twept","tears\tof\tblood.\tThe\tother\tmonsters\twere\tfinally\tdriven\tfrom\tthe\tearth,\tbut\tnot\tthe Erinyes.\tAs\tlong\tas\tthere\twas\tsin\tin\tthe\tworld\tthey\tcould\tnot\tbe\tbanished. From\tthat\ttime\ton\tfor\tuntold\tages,\tCronus,\the\twhom\tas\twe\thave\tseen\tthe Romans\tcalled\tSaturn,\twas\tlord\tof\tthe\tuniverse,\twith\this\tsister-queen,\tRhea\t(Ops in\tLatin).\tFinally\tone\tof\ttheir\tsons,\tthe\tfuture\truler\tof\theaven\tand\tearth,\twhose name\tin\tGreek\tis\tZeus\tand\tin\tLatin\tJupiter,\trebelled\tagainst\thim.\tHe\thad\tgood cause\tto\tdo\tso,\tfor\tCronus\thad\tlearned\tthat\tone\tof\this\tchildren\twas\tdestined some\tday\tto\tdethrone\thim\tand\the\tthought\tto\tgo\tagainst\tfate\tby\tswallowing\tthem as\tsoon\tas\tthey\twere\tborn.\tBut\twhen\tRhea\tbore\tZeus,\ther\tsixth\tchild,\tshe succeeded\tin\thaving\thim\tsecretly\tcarried\toff\tto\tCrete,\twhile\tshe\tgave\ther husband\ta\tgreat\tstone\twrapped\tin\tswaddling\tclothes\twhich\the\tsupposed\twas\tthe baby\tand\tswallowed\tdown\taccordingly.\tLater,\twhen\tZeus\twas\tgrown,\the\tforced his\tfather\twith\tthe\thelp\tof\this\tgrandmother,\tthe\tEarth,\tto\tdisgorge\tit\talong\twith the\tfive\tearlier\tchildren,\tand\tit\twas\tset\tup\tat\tDelphi\twhere\teons\tlater\ta\tgreat traveler,\tPausanias\tby\tname,\treports\tthat\the\tsaw\tit\tabout\t180\tA.D.:\t\u201cA\tstone\tof\tno great\tsize\twhich\tthe\tpriests\tof\tDelphi\tanoint\tevery\tday\twith\toil.\u201d There\tfollowed\ta\tterrible\twar\tbetween\tCronus,\thelped\tby\this\tbrother\tTitans, against\tZeus\twith\this\tfive\tbrothers\tand\tsisters\u2014a\twar\tthat\talmost\twrecked\tthe universe. A\tdreadful\tsound\ttroubled\tthe\tboundless\tsea. The\twhole\tearth\tuttered\ta\tgreat\tcry. Wide\theaven,\tshaken,\tgroaned. From\tits\tfoundation\tfar\tOlympus\treeled Beneath\tthe\tonrush\tof\tthe\tdeathless\tgods, And\ttrembling\tseized\tupon\tblack\tTartarus. The\tTitans\twere\tconquered,\tpartly\tbecause\tZeus\treleased\tfrom\ttheir\tprison the\thundred-handed\tmonsters\twho\tfought\tfor\thim\twith\ttheir\tirresistible\tweapons \u2014thunder,\tlightning,\tand\tearthquake\u2014and\talso\tbecause\tone\tof\tthe\tsons\tof\tthe Titan\tIapetus,\twhose\tname\twas\tPrometheus\tand\twho\twas\tvery\twise,\ttook\tsides with\tZeus. Zeus\tpunished\this\tconquered\tenemies\tterribly.\tThey\twere Bound\tin\tbitter\tchains\tbeneath\tthe\twide-wayed\tearth, As\tfar\tbelow\tthe\tearth\tas\tover\tearth Is\theaven,\tfor\teven\tso\tfar\tdown\tlies\tTartarus. Nine\tdays\tand\tnights\twould\ta\tbronze\tanvil\tfall","And\ton\tthe\ttenth\treach\tearth\tfrom\theaven. And\tthen\tagain\tfalling\tnine\tdays\tand\tnights, Would\tcome\tto\tTartarus,\tthe\tbrazen-fenced. Prometheus\u2019\tbrother\tAtlas\tsuffered\ta\tstill\tworse\tfate.\tHe\twas\tcondemned To\tbear\ton\this\tback\tforever The\tcruel\tstrength\tof\tthe\tcrushing\tworld And\tthe\tvault\tof\tthe\tsky. Upon\this\tshoulders\tthe\tgreat\tpillar That\tholds\tapart\tthe\tearth\tand\theaven, A\tload\tnot\teasy\tto\tbe\tborne. Bearing\tthis\tburden\the\tstands\tforever\tbefore\tthe\tplace\tthat\tis\twrapped\tin clouds\tand\tdarkness,\twhere\tNight\tand\tDay\tdraw\tnear\tand\tgreet\tone\tanother.\tThe house\twithin\tnever\tholds\tboth\tNight\tand\tDay,\tbut\talways\tone,\tdeparting,\tvisits the\tearth,\tand\tthe\tother\tin\tthe\thouse\tawaits\tthe\thour\tfor\ther\tjourneying\thence, one\twith\tfar-seeing\tlight\tfor\tthose\ton\tearth,\tthe\tother\tholding\tin\ther\thands\tSleep, the\tbrother\tof\tDeath. Even\tafter\tthe\tTitans\twere\tconquered\tand\tcrushed,\tZeus\twas\tnot\tcompletely victorious.\tEarth\tgave\tbirth\tto\ther\tlast\tand\tmost\tfrightful\toffspring,\ta\tcreature more\tterrible\tthan\tany\tthat\thad\tgone\tbefore.\tHis\tname\twas\tTyphon. A\tflaming\tmonster\twith\ta\thundred\theads, Who\trose\tup\tagainst\tall\tthe\tgods. Death\twhistled\tfrom\this\tfearful\tjaws, His\teyes\tflashed\tglaring\tfire. But\tZeus\thad\tnow\tgotten\tthe\tthunder\tand\tlightning\tunder\this\town\tcontrol. They\thad\tbecome\this\tweapons,\tused\tby\tno\tone\telse.\tHe\tstruck\tTyphon\tdown with The\tbolt\tthat\tnever\tsleeps, Thunder\twith\tbreath\tof\tflame. Into\this\tvery\theart\tthe\tfire\tburned. His\tstrength\twas\tturned\tto\tashes. And\tnow\the\tlies\ta\tuseless\tthing By\tAetna,\twhence\tsometimes\tthere\tburst Rivers\tred-hot,\tconsuming\twith\tfierce\tjaws The\tlevel\tfields\tof\tSicily, Lovely\twith\tfruits.","And\tthat\tis\tTyphon\u2019s\tanger\tboiling\tup, His\tfire-breathing\tdarts. Still\tlater,\tone\tmore\tattempt\twas\tmade\tto\tunseat\tZeus:\tthe\tGiants\trebelled. But\tby\tthis\ttime\tthe\tgods\twere\tvery\tstrong\tand\tthey\twere\thelped,\ttoo,\tby\tmighty Hercules,\ta\tson\tof\tZeus.\tThe\tGiants\twere\tdefeated\tand\thurled\tdown\tto\tTartarus; and\tthe\tvictory\tof\tthe\tradiant\tpowers\tof\tHeaven\tover\tthe\tbrutal\tforces\tof\tEarth was\tcomplete.\tFrom\tthen\ton,\tZeus\tand\this\tbrothers\tand\tsisters\truled,\tundisputed lords\tof\tall. As\tyet\tthere\twere\tno\thuman\tbeings;\tbut\tthe\tworld,\tnow\tcleared\tof\tthe\tmonsters, was\tready\tfor\tmankind.\tIt\twas\ta\tplace\twhere\tpeople\tcould\tlive\tin\tsome\tcomfort and\tsecurity,\twithout\thaving\tto\tfear\tthe\tsudden\tappearance\tof\ta\tTitan\tor\ta\tGiant. The\tearth\twas\tbelieved\tto\tbe\ta\tround\tdisk,\tdivided\tinto\ttwo\tequal\tparts\tby\tthe Sea,\tas\tthe\tGreeks\tcalled\tit\u2014which\twe\tknow\tas\tthe\tMediterranean\u2014and\tby what\twe\tcall\tthe\tBlack\tSea.\t(The\tGreeks\tcalled\tthis\tfirst\tthe\tAxine,\twhich\tmeans the\tUnfriendly\tSea,\tand\tthen,\tperhaps\tas\tpeople\tbecame\tfamiliar\twith\tit,\tthe Euxine,\tthe\tFriendly\tSea.\tIt\tis\tsometimes\tsuggested\tthat\tthey\tgave\tit\tthis pleasant\tname\tto\tmake\tit\tfeel\tpleasantly\tdisposed\ttoward\tthem.)\tAround\tthe earth\tflowed\tthe\tgreat\triver,\tOcean,\tnever\ttroubled\tby\twind\tor\tstorm.\tOn\tthe farther\tbank\tof\tOcean\twere\tmysterious\tpeople,\twhom\tfew\ton\tearth\tever\tfound their\tway\tto.\tThe\tCimmerians\tlived\tthere,\tbut\twhether\teast,\twest,\tnorth,\tor\tsouth, no\tone\tknew.\tIt\twas\ta\tland\tcloud-wrapped\tand\tmisty,\twhere\tthe\tlight\tof\tday\twas never\tseen;\tupon\twhich\tthe\tshining\tsun\tnever\tlooked\twith\this\tsplendor,\tnot when\the\tclimbed\tthrough\tthe\tstarry\tsky\tat\tdawn,\tnor\twhen\tat\tevening\the\tturned toward\tthe\tearth\tfrom\tthe\tsky.\tEndless\tnight\twas\tspread\tover\tits\tmelancholy people. Except\tin\tthis\tone\tcountry,\tall\tthose\twho\tlived\tacross\tOcean\twere exceedingly\tfortunate.\tIn\tthe\tremotest\tNorth,\tso\tfar\taway\tit\twas\tat\tthe\tback\tof the\tNorth\tWind,\twas\ta\tblissful\tland\twhere\tthe\tHyperboreans\tlived.\tOnly\ta\tfew strangers,\tgreat\theroes,\thad\tever\tvisited\tit.\tNot\tby\tship\tnor\tyet\ton\tfoot\tmight\tone find\tthe\troad\tto\tthe\tmarvelous\tmeeting\tplace\tof\tthe\tHyperboreans.\tBut\tthe Muses\tlived\tnot\tfar\tfrom\tthem,\tsuch\twere\ttheir\tways.\tFor\teverywhere\tthe\tdance of\tmaidens\tswayed\tand\tthe\tclear\tcall\tof\tthe\tlyre\tsounded\tand\tthe\tringing\tnotes\tof flutes.\tWith\tgolden\tlaurel\tthey\tbound\ttheir\thair\tand\tthey\tfeasted\tmerrily.\tIn\tthat holy\trace,\tsickness\tand\tdeathly\told\tage\thad\tno\tpart.\tFar\tto\tthe\tsouth\twas\tthe","country\tof\tthe\tEthiopians,\tof\twhom\twe\tknow\tonly\tthat\tthe\tgods\theld\tthem\tin such\tfavor\tthey\twould\tsit\tat\tjoyful\tbanquets\twith\tthem\tin\ttheir\thalls. On\tOcean\u2019s\tbank,\ttoo,\twas\tthe\tabode\tof\tthe\tblessed\tdead.\tIn\tthat\tland,\tthere was\tno\tsnowfall\tnor\tmuch\twinter\tnor\tany\tstorm\tof\train;\tbut\tfrom\tOcean\tthe West\tWind\tsang\tsoft\tand\tthrillingly\tto\trefresh\tthe\tsouls\tof\tmen.\tHere\tthose\twho kept\tthemselves\tpure\tfrom\tall\twrong\tcame\twhen\tthey\tleft\tthe\tearth. Their\tboon\tis\tlife\tforever\tfreed\tfrom\ttoil. No\tmore\tto\ttrouble\tearth\tor\tthe\tsea\twaters With\ttheir\tstrong\thands, Laboring\tfor\tthe\tfood\tthat\tdoes\tnot\tsatisfy. But\twith\tthe\thonored\tof\tthe\tgods\tthey\tlive A\tlife\twhere\tthere\tare\tno\tmore\ttears. Around\tthose\tblessed\tisles\tsoft\tsea\twinds\tbreathe, And\tflowers\tof\tgold\tare\tblazing\ton\tthe\ttrees, Upon\tthe\twaters,\ttoo. By\tnow\tall\twas\tready\tfor\tthe\tappearance\tof\tmankind.\tEven\tthe\tplaces\tthe good\tand\tbad\tshould\tgo\tto\tafter\tdeath\thad\tbeen\tarranged.\tIt\twas\ttime\tfor\tmen\tto be\tcreated.\tThere\tis\tmore\tthan\tone\taccount\tof\thow\tthat\tcame\tto\tpass.\tSome\tsay\tit was\tdelegated\tby\tthe\tgods\tto\tPrometheus,\tthe\tTitan\twho\thad\tsided\twith\tZeus\tin the\twar\twith\tthe\tTitans,\tand\tto\this\tbrother,\tEpimetheus.\tPrometheus,\twhose name\tmeans\tforethought,\twas\tvery\twise,\twiser\teven\tthan\tthe\tgods,\tbut Epimetheus,\twhich\tmeans\tafterthought,\twas\ta\tscatterbrained\tperson\twho invariably\tfollowed\this\tfirst\timpulse\tand\tthen\tchanged\this\tmind.\tSo\the\tdid\tin this\tcase.\tBefore\tmaking\tmen\the\tgave\tall\tthe\tbest\tgifts\tto\tthe\tanimals,\tstrength and\tswiftness\tand\tcourage\tand\tshrewd\tcunning,\tfur\tand\tfeathers\tand\twings\tand shells\tand\tthe\tlike\u2014until\tno\tgood\twas\tleft\tfor\tmen,\tno\tprotective\tcovering\tand no\tquality\tto\tmake\tthem\ta\tmatch\tfor\tthe\tbeasts.\tToo\tlate,\tas\talways,\the\twas\tsorry and\tasked\tfor\this\tbrother\u2019s\thelp.\tPrometheus,\tthen,\ttook\tover\tthe\ttask\tof\tcreation and\tthought\tout\ta\tway\tto\tmake\tmankind\tsuperior.\tHe\tfashioned\tthem\tin\ta\tnobler shape\tthan\tthe\tanimals,\tupright\tlike\tthe\tgods;\tand\tthen\the\twent\tto\theaven,\tto\tthe sun,\twhere\the\tlit\ta\ttorch\tand\tbrought\tdown\tfire,\ta\tprotection\tto\tmen\tfar\tbetter than\tanything\telse,\twhether\tfur\tor\tfeathers\tor\tstrength\tor\tswiftness. And\tnow,\tthough\tfeeble\tand\tshort-lived,","Mankind\thas\tflaming\tfire\tand\ttherefrom Learns\tmany\tcrafts. According\tto\tanother\tstory,\tthe\tgods\tthemselves\tcreated\tmen.\tThey\tmade first\ta\tgolden\trace.\tThese,\talthough\tmortal,\tlived\tlike\tgods\twithout\tsorrow\tof heart,\tfar\tfrom\ttoil\tand\tpain.\tThe\tcornland\tof\titself\tbore\tfruit\tabundantly.\tThey were\trich\talso\tin\tflocks\tand\tbeloved\tof\tthe\tgods.\tWhen\tthe\tgrave\tcovered\tthem they\tbecame\tpure\tspirits,\tbeneficent,\tthe\tguardians\tof\tmankind. In\tthis\taccount\tof\tthe\tcreation\tthe\tgods\tseemed\tbent\ton\texperimenting\twith the\tvarious\tmetals,\tand,\toddly\tenough,\tproceeding\tdownward\tfrom\tthe\texcellent to\tthe\tgood\tto\tthe\tworse\tand\tso\ton.\tWhen\tthey\thad\ttried\tgold\tthey\twent\tto\tsilver. This\tsecond\trace\tof\tsilver\twas\tvery\tinferior\tto\tthe\tfirst.\tThey\thad\tso\tlittle intelligence\tthat\tthey\tcould\tnot\tkeep\tfrom\tinjuring\teach\tother.\tThey\ttoo\tpassed away,\tbut,\tunlike\tthe\tgold\trace,\ttheir\tspirits\tdid\tnot\tlive\ton\tafter\tthem.\tThe\tnext race\twas\tof\tbrass.\tThey\twere\tterrible\tmen,\timmensely\tstrong,\tand\tsuch\tlovers\tof war\tand\tviolence\tthat\tthey\twere\tcompletely\tdestroyed\tby\ttheir\town\thands.\tThis, however,\twas\tall\tto\tthe\tgood,\tfor\tthey\twere\tfollowed\tby\ta\tsplendid\trace\tof godlike\theroes\twho\tfought\tglorious\twars\tand\twent\ton\tgreat\tadventures\twhich men\thave\ttalked\tand\tsung\tof\tthrough\tall\tthe\tages\tsince.\tThey\tdeparted\tfinally\tto the\tisles\tof\tthe\tblessed,\twhere\tthey\tlived\tin\tperfect\tbliss\tforever. The\tfifth\trace\tis\tthat\twhich\tis\tnow\tupon\tthe\tearth:\tthe\tiron\trace.\tThey\tlive\tin evil\ttimes\tand\ttheir\tnature,\ttoo,\thas\tmuch\tof\tevil,\tso\tthat\tthey\tnever\thave\trest from\ttoil\tand\tsorrow.\tAs\tthe\tgenerations\tpass,\tthey\tgrow\tworse;\tsons\tare\talways inferior\tto\ttheir\tfathers.\tA\ttime\twill\tcome\twhen\tthey\thave\tgrown\tso\twicked\tthat they\twill\tworship\tpower,\tmight\twill\tbe\tright\tto\tthem,\tand\treverence\tfor\tthe\tgood will\tcease\tto\tbe.\tAt\tlast\twhen\tno\tman\tis\tangry\tany\tmore\tat\twrongdoing\tor\tfeels shame\tin\tthe\tpresence\tof\tthe\tmiserable,\tZeus\twill\tdestroy\tthem,\ttoo.\tAnd\tyet even\tthen\tsomething\tmight\tbe\tdone,\tif\tonly\tthe\tcommon\tpeople\twould\tarise\tand put\tdown\trulers\tthat\toppress\tthem. These\ttwo\tstories\tof\tthe\tcreation\u2014the\tstory\tof\tthe\tfive\tages,\tand\tthe\tstory\tof Prometheus\tand\tEpimetheus\u2014different\tas\tthey\tare,\tagree\tin\tone\tpoint.\tFor\ta long\ttime,\tcertainly\tthroughout\tthe\thappy\tGolden\tAge,\tonly\tmen\twere\tupon\tthe earth;\tthere\twere\tno\twomen.\tZeus\tcreated\tthese\tlater,\tin\this\tanger\tat\tPrometheus for\tcaring\tso\tmuch\tfor\tmen.\tPrometheus\thad\tnot\tonly\tstolen\tfire\tfor\tmen;\the\thad also\tarranged\tthat\tthey\tshould\tget\tthe\tbest\tpart\tof\tany\tanimal\tsacrificed\tand\tthe gods\tthe\tworst.\tHe\tcut\tup\ta\tgreat\tox\tand\twrapped\tthe\tgood\teatable\tparts\tin\tthe","gods\tthe\tworst.\tHe\tcut\tup\ta\tgreat\tox\tand\twrapped\tthe\tgood\teatable\tparts\tin\tthe hide,\tdisguising\tthem\tfurther\tby\tpiling\tentrails\ton\ttop.\tBeside\tthis\theap\the\tput another\tof\tall\tthe\tbones,\tdressed\tup\twith\tcunning\tand\tcovered\twith\tshining\tfat, and\tbade\tZeus\tchoose\tbetween\tthem.\tZeus\ttook\tup\tthe\twhite\tfat\tand\twas\tangry when\the\tsaw\tthe\tbones\tcraftily\ttricked\tout.\tBut\the\thad\tmade\this\tchoice\tand\the had\tto\tabide\tby\tit.\tThereafter\tonly\tfat\tand\tbones\twere\tburned\tto\tthe\tgods\tupon their\taltars.\tMen\tkept\tthe\tgood\tmeat\tfor\tthemselves. But\tthe\tFather\tof\tMen\tand\tof\tGods\twas\tnot\tone\tto\tput\tup\twith\tthis\tsort\tof treatment.\tHe\tswore\tto\tbe\trevenged,\ton\tmankind\tfirst\tand\tthen\ton\tmankind\u2019s friend.\tHe\tmade\ta\tgreat\tevil\tfor\tmen,\ta\tsweet\tand\tlovely\tthing\tto\tlook\tupon,\tin the\tlikeness\tof\ta\tshy\tmaiden,\tand\tall\tthe\tgods\tgave\ther\tgifts,\tsilvery\traiment\tand a\tbroidered\tveil,\ta\twonder\tto\tbehold,\tand\tbright\tgarlands\tof\tblooming\tflowers and\ta\tcrown\tof\tgold\u2014great\tbeauty\tshone\tout\tfrom\tit.\tBecause\tof\twhat\tthey\tgave her\tthey\tcalled\ther\tPandora,\twhich\tmeans\t\u201cthe\tgift\tof\tall.\u201d\tWhen\tthis\tbeautiful disaster\thad\tbeen\tmade,\tZeus\tbrought\ther\tout\tand\twonder\ttook\thold\tof\tgods\tand men\twhen\tthey\tbeheld\ther.\tFrom\ther,\tthe\tfirst\twoman,\tcomes\tthe\trace\tof\twomen, who\tare\tan\tevil\tto\tmen,\twith\ta\tnature\tto\tdo\tevil.","","Another\tstory\tabout\tPandora\tis\tthat\tthe\tsource\tof\tall\tmisfortune\twas\tnot\ther wicked\tnature,\tbut\tonly\ther\tcuriosity.\tThe\tgods\tpresented\ther\twith\ta\tbox\tinto which\teach\thad\tput\tsomething\tharmful,\tand\tforbade\ther\tever\tto\topen\tit.\tThen they\tsent\ther\tto\tEpimetheus,\twho\ttook\ther\tgladly\talthough\tPrometheus\thad warned\thim\tnever\tto\taccept\tanything\tfrom\tZeus.\tHe\ttook\ther,\tand\tafterward when\tthat\tdangerous\tthing,\ta\twoman,\twas\this,\the\tunderstood\thow\tgood\this brother\u2019s\tadvice\thad\tbeen.\tFor\tPandora,\tlike\tall\twomen,\twas\tpossessed\tof\ta lively\tcuriosity.\tShe\thad\tto\tknow\twhat\twas\tin\tthe\tbox.\tOne\tday\tshe\tlifted\tthe\tlid \u2014and\tout\tflew\tplagues\tinnumerable,\tsorrow\tand\tmischief\tfor\tmankind.\tIn\tterror Pandora\tclapped\tthe\tlid\tdown,\tbut\ttoo\tlate.\tOne\tgood\tthing,\thowever,\twas\tthere \u2014Hope.\tIt\twas\tthe\tonly\tgood\tthe\tcasket\thad\theld\tamong\tthe\tmany\tevils,\tand\tit remains\tto\tthis\tday\tmankind\u2019s\tsole\tcomfort\tin\tmisfortune.\tSo\tmortals\tlearned that\tit\tis\tnot\tpossible\tto\tget\tthe\tbetter\tof\tZeus\tor\tever\tdeceive\thim.\tThe\twise\tand compassionate\tPrometheus,\ttoo,\tfound\tthat\tout. When\tZeus\thad\tpunished\tmen\tby\tgiving\tthem\twomen\the\tturned\this\tattention to\tthe\tarch-sinner\thimself.\tThe\tnew\truler\tof\tthe\tgods\towed\tPrometheus\tmuch\tfor helping\thim\tconquer\tthe\tother\tTitans,\tbut\the\tforgot\this\tdebt.\tZeus\thad\this servants,\tForce\tand\tViolence,\tseize\thim\tand\ttake\thim\tto\tthe\tCaucasus,\twhere they\tbound\thim To\ta\thigh-piercing,\theadlong\trock In\tadamantine\tchains\tthat\tnone\tcan\tbreak, and\tthey\ttold\thim, Forever\tshall\tthe\tintolerable\tpresent\tgrind\tyou\tdown. And\the\twho\twill\trelease\tyou\tis\tnot\tborn. Such\tfruit\tyou\treap\tfor\tyour\tman-loving\tways. A\tgod\tyourself,\tyou\tdid\tnot\tdread\tGod\u2019s\tanger, But\tgave\tto\tmortals\thonor\tnot\ttheir\tdue. And\ttherefore\tyou\tmust\tguard\tthis\tjoyless\trock\u2014 No\trest,\tno\tsleep,\tno\tmoment\u2019s\trespite. Groans\tshall\tyour\tspeech\tbe,\tlamentation\tyour\tonly\twords. The\treason\tfor\tinflicting\tthis\ttorture\twas\tnot\tonly\tto\tpunish\tPrometheus,\tbut also\tto\tforce\thim\tto\tdisclose\ta\tsecret\tvery\timportant\tto\tthe\tlord\tof\tOlympus.\tZeus knew\tthat\tfate,\twhich\tbrings\tall\tthings\tto\tpass,\thad\tdecreed\tthat\ta\tson\tshould some\tday\tbe\tborn\tto\thim\twho\twould\tdethrone\thim\tand\tdrive\tthe\tgods\tfrom\ttheir","home\tin\theaven,\tbut\tonly\tPrometheus\tknew\twho\twould\tbe\tthe\tmother\tof\tthis son.\tAs\the\tlay\tbound\tupon\tthe\trock\tin\tagony,\tZeus\tsent\this\tmessenger,\tHermes, to\tbid\thim\tdisclose\tthe\tsecret.\tPrometheus\ttold\thim:\u2014 Go\tand\tpersuade\tthe\tsea\twave\tnot\tto\tbreak. You\twill\tpersuade\tme\tno\tmore\teasily. Hermes\twarned\thim\tthat\tif\the\tpersisted\tin\this\tstubborn\tsilence,\the\tshould suffer\tstill\tmore\tterrible\tthings. An\teagle\tred\twith\tblood Shall\tcome,\ta\tguest\tunbidden\tto\tyour\tbanquet. All\tday\tlong\the\twill\ttear\tto\trags\tyour\tbody, Feasting\tin\tfury\ton\tthe\tblackened\tliver. But\tnothing,\tno\tthreat,\tnor\ttorture,\tcould\tbreak\tPrometheus.\tHis\tbody\twas\tbound but\this\tspirit\twas\tfree.\tHe\trefused\tto\tsubmit\tto\tcruelty\tand\ttyranny.\tHe\tknew\tthat he\thad\tserved\tZeus\twell\tand\tthat\the\thad\tdone\tright\tto\tpity\tmortals\tin\ttheir helplessness.\tHis\tsuffering\twas\tutterly\tunjust,\tand\the\twould\tnot\tgive\tin\tto\tbrutal power\tno\tmatter\tat\twhat\tcost.\tHe\ttold\tHermes:\u2014 There\tis\tno\tforce\twhich\tcan\tcompel\tmy\tspeech. So\tlet\tZeus\thurl\this\tblazing\tbolts, And\twith\tthe\twhite\twings\tof\tthe\tsnow, With\tthunder\tand\twith\tearthquake, Confound\tthe\treeling\tworld. None\tof\tall\tthis\twill\tbend\tmy\twill. Hermes,\tcrying\tout, Why,\tthese\tare\travings\tyou\tmay\thear\tfrom\tmadmen, left\thim\tto\tsuffer\twhat\the\tmust.\tGenerations\tlater\twe\tknow\the\twas\treleased,\tbut why\tand\thow\tis\tnot\ttold\tclearly\tanywhere.\tThere\tis\ta\tstrange\tstory\tthat\tthe Centaur,\tChiron,\tthough\timmortal,\twas\twilling\tto\tdie\tfor\thim\tand\tthat\the\twas allowed\tto\tdo\tso.\tWhen\tHermes\twas\turging\tPrometheus\tto\tgive\tin\tto\tZeus\the spoke\tof\tthis,\tbut\tin\tsuch\ta\tway\tas\tto\tmake\tit\tseem\tan\tincredible\tsacrifice:\u2014 Look\tfor\tno\tending\tto\tthis\tagony Until\ta\tgod\twill\tfreely\tsuffer\tfor\tyou, Will\ttake\ton\thim\tyour\tpain,\tand\tin\tyour\tstead","Descend\tto\twhere\tthe\tsun\tis\tturned\tto\tdarkness, The\tblack\tdepths\tof\tdeath. But\tChiron\tdid\tdo\tthis\tand\tZeus\tseems\tto\thave\taccepted\thim\tas\ta\tsubstitute. We\tare\ttold,\ttoo,\tthat\tHercules\tslew\tthe\teagle\tand\tdelivered\tPrometheus\tfrom\this bonds,\tand\tthat\tZeus\twas\twilling\tto\thave\tthis\tdone.\tBut\twhy\tZeus\tchanged\this mind\tand\twhether\tPrometheus\trevealed\tthe\tsecret\twhen\the\twas\tfreed,\twe\tdo\tnot know.\tOne\tthing,\thowever,\tis\tcertain:\tin\twhatever\tway\tthe\ttwo\twere\treconciled, it\twas\tnot\tPrometheus\twho\tyielded.\tHis\tname\thas\tstood\tthrough\tall\tthe centuries,\tfrom\tGreek\tdays\tto\tour\town,\tas\tthat\tof\tthe\tgreat\trebel\tagainst\tinjustice and\tthe\tauthority\tof\tpower. There\tis\tstill\tanother\taccount\tof\tthe\tcreation\tof\tmankind.\tIn\tthe\tstory\tof\tthe\tfive ages\tmen\tare\tdescended\tfrom\tthe\tiron\trace.\tIn\tthe\tstory\tof\tPrometheus,\tit\tis uncertain\twhether\tthe\tmen\the\tsaved\tfrom\tdestruction\tbelonged\tto\tthat\trace\tor\tthe bronze\trace.\tFire\twould\thave\tbeen\tas\tnecessary\tto\tthe\tone\tas\tto\tthe\tother.\tIn\tthe third\tstory,\tmen\tare\tdescended\tfrom\ta\trace\tof\tstone.\tThis\tstory\tbegins\twith\tthe Deluge. All\tover\tthe\tearth\tmen\tgrew\tso\twicked\tthat\tfinally\tZeus\tdetermined\tto destroy\tthem.\tHe\tdecided To\tmingle\tstorm\tand\ttempest\tover\tboundless\tearth And\tmake\tan\tutter\tend\tof\tmortal\tman. He\tsent\tthe\tflood.\tHe\tcalled\tupon\this\tbrother,\tthe\tGod\tof\tthe\tSea,\tto\thelp him,\tand\ttogether,\twith\ttorrents\tof\train\tfrom\theaven\tand\trivers\tloosed\tupon\tthe earth,\tthe\ttwo\tdrowned\tthe\tland. The\tmight\tof\twater\toverwhelmed\tdark\tearth, over\tthe\tsummits\tof\tthe\thighest\tmountains.\tOnly\ttowering\tParnassus\twas\tnot quite\tcovered,\tand\tthe\tbit\tof\tdry\tland\ton\tits\tvery\ttopmost\tpeak\twas\tthe\tmeans\tby which\tmankind\tescaped\tdestruction.\tAfter\tit\thad\trained\tthrough,\tnine\tdays\tand nine\tnights,\tthere\tcame\tdrifting\tto\tthat\tspot\twhat\tlooked\tto\tbe\ta\tgreat\twooden chest,\tbut\tsafe\twithin\tit\twere\ttwo\tliving\thuman\tbeings,\ta\tman\tand\ta\twoman. They\twere\tDeucalion\tand\tPyrrha\u2014he\tPrometheus\u2019\tson,\tand\tshe\this\tniece,\tthe daughter\tof\tEpimetheus\tand\tPandora.\tThe\twisest\tperson\tin\tall\tthe\tuniverse, Prometheus\thad\twell\tbeen\table\tto\tprotect\this\town\tfamily.\tHe\tknew\tthe\tflood","would\tcome,\tand\the\thad\tbidden\this\tson\tbuild\tthe\tchest,\tstore\tit\twith\tprovisions, and\tembark\tin\tit\twith\this\twife. Fortunately\tZeus\twas\tnot\toffended,\tbecause\tthe\ttwo\twere\tpious,\tfaithful worshipers\tof\tthe\tgods.\tWhen\tthe\tchest\tcame\tto\tland\tand\tthey\tgot\tout,\tto\tsee\tno sign\tof\tlife\tanywhere,\tonly\ta\twild\twaste\tof\twaters,\tZeus\tpitied\tthem\tand\tdrained off\tthe\tflood.\tSlowly\tlike\tthe\tebbing\ttide\tthe\tsea\tand\tthe\trivers\tdrew\tback\tand the\tearth\twas\tdry\tagain.\tPyrrha\tand\tDeucalion\tcame\tdown\tfrom\tParnassus,\tthe only\tliving\tcreatures\tin\ta\tdead\tworld.\tThey\tfound\ta\ttemple\tall\tslimy\tand\tmoss- grown,\tbut\tnot\tquite\tin\truins,\tand\tthere\tthey\tgave\tthanks\tfor\ttheir\tescape\tand prayed\tfor\thelp\tin\ttheir\tdreadful\tloneliness.\tThey\theard\ta\tvoice.\t\u201cVeil\tyour\theads and\tcast\tbehind\tyou\tthe\tbones\tof\tyour\tmother.\u201d\tThe\tcommands\tstruck\tthem\twith horror.\tPyrrha\tsaid,\t\u201cWe\tdare\tnot\tdo\tsuch\ta\tthing.\u201d\tDeucalion\twas\tforced\tto agree\tthat\tshe\twas\tright,\tbut\the\ttried\tto\tthink\tout\twhat\tmight\tlie\tbehind\tthe words\tand\tsuddenly\the\tsaw\ttheir\tmeaning.\t\u201cEarth\tis\tthe\tmother\tof\tall,\u201d\the\ttold his\twife.\t\u201cHer\tbones\tare\tthe\tstones.\tThese\twe\tmay\tcast\tbehind\tus\twithout\tdoing wrong.\u201d\tSo\tthey\tdid,\tand\tas\tthe\tstones\tfell\tthey\ttook\thuman\tshape.\tThey\twere called\tthe\tStone\tPeople,\tand\tthey\twere\ta\thard,\tenduring\trace,\tas\twas\tto\tbe expected\tand,\tindeed,\tas\tthey\thad\tneeded\tto\tbe,\tto\trescue\tthe\tearth\tfrom\tthe desolation\tleft\tby\tthe\tflood."]