Heathen mythology Part 20

Strange sweet Echo, even like thee replying."

HEMANS.

This G.o.d, so adored and loved in the country, had the power of spreading terror and confusion when he pleased. The Gauls, who under Brennus, invaded Greece, when on the point of pillaging the Temple at Delphi, were seized with a sudden panic and took to flight. This terror was attributed to Pan, and they believed all panics, the cause of which was unknown, were produced by him.

It was by the counsel of Pan, that the G.o.ds at the moment of the a.s.sault of Typhon, took the figures of various animals, changing himself into a goat, the skin of which was transported to Heaven, and formed the sign of Capricorn.

"From the forests and highlands, We come, we come!

From the river-girt islands, Where the loud waves are dumb, Listening to my sweet pipings.

The wind in the reeds and the rushes, The bees in the bells of the lime, The birds in the myrtle bushes, The cicale above in the thyme, And the lizard below in the gra.s.s, Were as silent as ever old Tmolus was, Listening to my sweet pipings.

Liquid Peneus was flowing, And all dark Tempe lay In Pelion's shadow, outgrowing The light of the dying day, Speeded by my sweet pipings.

The Sileni, and Sylvans, and Fauns, And the nymphs of woods, and waves, To the edge of the moist river lawns, And the brink of the dewy caves, And all that did there attendant follow, Were silent with love, as you now, Apollo, With envy of my sweet pipings.

"I sang of the dancing stars, I sang of the daedal earth, And of heaven, and giant wars, And love, and death, and birth,-- And then I changed my pipings.

{123} Singing how down the vale of Menalus, I pursued a maiden and clasped a reed; G.o.ds and men were all deluded thus, It breaks in our bosom and then we bleed: All wept, as I think both ye now would, If envy or age had not frozen your blood, At the sorrow of my sweet pipings."

FAUNS, SYLVANS, AND SATYRS.

The Fauns were descended from Faunus, son of Picus King of Italy, who was changed by Circe into a woodp.e.c.k.e.r.

"Faunus who lov'st, thro' woodland glade, To pursue the Sylvan maid, Pa.s.s propitious now, I pray, Where my tender lambkins stray: Let each field and mountain high, Own thy genial presence nigh.

Since with each returning year, In thy presence, I appear, With the victim's votive blood, Mighty monarch of the wood, And upon thy sacred shrine, Place the love inspiring wine, And, o'er all that hallowed ground, Make the incense breathe around, Hear O Faunus, hear my prayer, My lands to bless, my flocks to spare.

When December's nones return Labour's yoke no more is borne, Sport the cattle in the meads, The blythesome dance the peasant leads, Even, 'mid that time of peace, Beasts of prey their fury cease, The lambkin roams all free and bold, Tho' feeds the wolf beside the fold, Knowing well thy potent arm Then protects from every harm.

Lo, to hail the Sylvan king, Woods their leafy honours bring, Strewing in profusion gay, Verdant foliage all the way.

Freed from toil, the labourer blythe Flings aside the spade and scythe, Glad to trip in nimble jig, The earth which he dislikes to dig."

HORACE.

They were the divinities of the woods and fields, and were represented as having the legs, feet, and ears of goats; the remainder of the body being human; the lamb and kid were offered to them by the peasants with great solemnity. {124}

The Sylvans were the children of the foster father of G.o.d Bacchus, who accompanied the latter in all his travels. Bacchus having been well received and entertained at the court of Midas, King of Phrygia, he obtained from him the choice of whatever recompense he should name. Midas demanded the power of turning all that he touched into gold.

"'Give me,' says he, (nor thought he asked too much,) 'That with my body whatsoe'er I touch, Changed from the nature which it held of old, May be converted into yellow gold:'

He had his wish: but yet the G.o.d repined, To think the fool no better wish could find.

But the brave king departed from the place, With smiles of gladness, sparkling in his face: Nor could contain, but, as he took his way, Impatient longs to make the first essay; Down from a lowly branch a twig he drew, The twig strait glittered with a sparkling hue: He takes a stone, the stone was turned to gold, A clod he touches, and the crumbling mould Acknowledged soon the great transforming power, In weight and substance like a ma.s.s of ore.

He plucked the corn, and straight his grasp appears, Filled with a bending tuft of golden ears.

An apple next he takes, and seems to hold The bright, Hesperian, vegetable gold.

His hand he careless on a pillar lays, With s.h.i.+ning gold, the fluted pillars blaze.

And while he wishes, as the servants pour, His touch converts the stream to Danae's shower."

OVID.

He was quickly brought however to repent his avarice, when the very meat which he attempted to eat, turned to gold in his mouth, and the wine to the same metal, as it pa.s.sed down his throat. He was now as anxious to be delivered from this fatal gift, as he was before to receive it, and implored the G.o.d to revoke a present so fatal to the recipient.

"The ready slaves prepare a sumptuous board, Spread with rich dainties for their happy lord, Whose powerful hands the bread no sooner hold, But its whole substance is transformed to gold: Up to his mouth he lifts the savoury meat, Which turns to gold as he attempts to eat: His patron's n.o.ble juice, of purple hue, Touched by his lips a gilded cordial grew: Unfit for drink, and wondrous to behold, It trickles from his jaws a fluid gold.

The rich, poor fool confounded with surprize, Staring on all his various plenty lies: {125} Sick of his wish, he now detests the power For which he asked so earnestly before: Amidst his gold with pinching famine curst, And justly tortured with an equal thirst.

At last his s.h.i.+ning arms to heaven he rears And, in distress, for refuge flies to prayers.

'O father Bacchus, I have sinned,' he cried, 'And foolishly thy gracious gift applied, Thy pity now, repenting, I implore; Oh! may I feel the golden plague no more!'"

OVID.

He was told to wash himself in the river Pactolus; he performed the necessary ablution, and the very sands were turned into gold by the touch of Midas. Divine honours were given to Silenus in Arcadia, and from him the Fauns and Satyrs are often called Sileni.

The Satyrs, also G.o.ds of the Country, were considered as mischievous, and inspired by their appearance, great fright in the shepherds--although they bore with them a flute or tambourine, to make the nymphs dance, when they inflamed their senses by the burning nature of their harmony, and the rapid measure with which they trod to the music of these demi-G.o.ds.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

To them were offered the first fruits of everything, and they attended chiefly upon Bacchus, rendering themselves conspicuous in his orgies, by their riot and lasciviousness. It is said, that a Satyr was brought to Sylla, as that general returned from Thessaly; the monster had been surprised asleep in a cave; his voice was inarticulate, when brought into the presence of the Roman {126} general, and Sylla was so disgusted with the sight, that he ordered it instantly to be removed. The creature is said to have answered the description which poets and painters have given of the Satyrs.

Priapus was the most celebrated among them, as the the son of Venus, who meeting Bacchus on his return from his Indian expedition, was enamoured of him, and with the a.s.sistance of Juno, became the mother of Priapus. Juno having vowed vengeance against the G.o.ddess of beauty, took that opportunity to deform her son in all his limbs; notwithstanding which, as he grew up, his inclinations and habits became so vicious, that he was known as the G.o.d of lewdness. His festivals took place princ.i.p.ally at Lampsacus, where they consecrated the a.s.s to him; and the people naturally indolent, gave themselves up to every impurity during the celebration. When however his wors.h.i.+p was introduced into Rome, he became more the G.o.d of Orchards and Gardens, than the patron of licentiousness. He was there crowned with the leaves of the vine, and sometimes with laurel or rocket, the last of these plants, which is said to raise the pa.s.sions and excite love, being sacred to him.

The Sylvans, were, like the Fauns and Satyrs, the guardian deities of the woods and wild places of the earth.

Terminus was a somewhat curious divinity, presiding over bounds and limits, and punis.h.i.+ng all usurpation. His wors.h.i.+p was first introduced by Numa Pompilius, who persuaded his subjects that the limits of their lands and states, were under the immediate inspection of heaven. His temple was on the Tarpeian rock, and he was represented with a human head, though without feet or arms, to intimate that he never moved, wherever he might be placed.

The people of the country a.s.sembled once a year with their families, and crowned with garlands and flowers, the stones which divided their different possessions. It is said that when Tarquin the proud, wished to build a temple on the Tarpeian rock to Jupiter, the G.o.d Terminus refused to give place, though the other G.o.ds resigned theirs with cheerfulness, and the oracles declared from this, that the extent of the Empire should never be lessened.

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HEBE

was the daughter of Jupiter and Juno; though by many she is said to be the daughter of Juno only, who conceived her after eating lettuces.

Being fair, and always possessed of the bloom of beauty and youth, she was termed the G.o.ddess of youth, and made by her mother the cup-bearer to all the G.o.ds.

She was dismissed from her office by Jupiter, however, because she fell down as she was pouring nectar to the G.o.ds, at a grand festival, and Ganymedes, a favourite of Jupiter, succeeded to her office.

"'Twas on a day When the immortals at their banquet lay, The bowl Sparkled with starry dew, The weeping of those myriad urns of light, Within whose orbs, the almighty Power At nature's dawning hour Stored the rich fluid of ethereal soul.

But oh!

Bright Hebe, what a tear, And what a blush were thine, When, as the breath of every Grace Wafted thy feet along the studded sphere With a bright cup, for Jove himself to drink, Some star, that shone beneath thy tread, Raising its amorous head To kiss those matchless feet, And all heaven's host of eyes.

Checked thy career so fleet: Entranced, but fearful all, Saw thee, sweet Hebe, prostrate fall.

But the bright cup? the nectared draught Which Jove himself was to have quaffed!

Alas, alas, upturned it lay By the fallen Hebe's side; While in slow lingering drops, th' ethereal tide, As conscious of its own rich essence, ebbed away,"

MOORE.

Her mother employed her to prepare her chariot, and to harness her peac.o.c.ks, when required. To her was granted the power of restoring to age the vigour of youth; and after Hercules was elevated to the rank of a G.o.d, he became reconciled to Juno by marrying her daughter Hebe.

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THE CENTAURS.