Heathen mythology Part 29

DEMI-G.o.dS.

The demi-G.o.ds are those, who, sprung from the union of a mortal with a divinity, have taken their place among the Immortals; and "Fabulous History" is the name given to the recital of their deeds.

CASTOR AND POLLUX.

From the love of Jupiter for Leda, wife of Tyndarus, king of Sparta, sprang these twin-brothers. Under the form of a swan, pursued by Venus: in the shape of an eagle, the G.o.d sought refuge in Leda's arms, who in due time produced two eggs, from one of which came Pollux and Helena, and from the other, Castor and Clytemnestra.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Scarcely had Pollux emerged from childhood, when, being on an expedition with the Argonauts, they stopped in the domains of Amycus, (famous for his skill in the management of the cestus,) who challenged all strangers seeking his dominions to a trial of strength. Pollux accepted his challenge, and surpa.s.sed him in skill, on which Amycus attempting to conquer by fraud, Pollux slew him on the spot; and became the patron of athletic exercises.

Castor was skilful in the art of guiding chariots, and subduing the most fiery coursers. These brothers fought Theseus for outraging their sister Helena; they destroyed the pirates who infested {168} h.e.l.lespont and the neighbouring seas, and from this have always been considered as G.o.ds favourable to sailors. During the Argonautic expedition, in which they had accompanied Jason, when a violent storm was raging, a couple of names were seen playing over their heads, and immediately the tempest was appeased, and the sea became calm.

They were invited to a marriage feast, in which Lynceus and Idas were to be wedded to Phoebe and Talaria the daughters of Leucippus, who was brother to Tyndarus. Becoming enamoured of the two women whose nuptials they had met to celebrate, they resolved to carry them off. This violence provoked the bridegrooms: a combat ensued, in which Castor killed Lynceus, and was slain in return by Idas--Pollux revenged the death of his brother, by slaying Idas, but was unable after this to support life, so devotedly was he attached to his brother: and implored Jupiter either to restore him to life, or that he might be deprived himself of his immortality. His prayers were granted, and the two brothers pa.s.sed in turn six months in the infernal regions, and six months on earth. This fraternal affection Jupiter rewarded by turning the two brothers into constellations, under the name of Gemini.

Sparta, celebrated in honour of them, a fete called Dioscuria, which was observed with jovial festivity: and in which free use was made of the gifts of Bacchus, accompanied with sports, in which wrestling matches always formed an important part.

JASON.

This celebrated hero was the son of Alcemede, by aeson; the education of the youthful Jason, whose right of succession to the throne of Iolchos had been wrested from him by Pelias, was entrusted to the care of the centaur Chiron, and he was removed from the presence of the usurper of the kingdom of Iolchos, because the latter had been informed by an oracle that one of the descendants of aeolus, (from whom Jason had come) would dethrone him.

After he had distinguished himself by the most rapid success in every branch of science, Jason left the country, and by the advice of his preceptor, went to consult the oracle. He was ordered to {169} go to Iolchos, his native country, covered with the spoils of a leopard, and dressed in the garments of a Magnesian. In his journey he was stopped by the inundation of a river, over which, however, he was carried by Juno, in the character of an old woman. In crossing the stream, he lost one of his sandals, and on his arrival at Iolchos, the singularity of his dress, and the fairness of his complexion, attracted the notice of the people, and drew a crowd round him in the market place. Pelias came to see him with the others, and, as he had been warned by the oracle, to beware of a man who should appear at Iolchos with one foot bare, and the other shod, the appearance of Jason, who as we have seen, had lost one of his sandals, alarmed him, and his terrors were soon after augmented, as Jason, accompanied by his friends repaired to the palace of Pelias, and demanded the kingdom of which he had been unjustly deprived. The boldness of Jason intimidated Pelias; he was unwilling to abdicate the crown, yet he feared the resentment of his adversary.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

As Jason was young and desirous of glory, Pelias reminded him that their common relation, Phryxus, had been inhumanly murdered by aeetes, king of Colchis, in order to obtain possession of the golden fleece which belonged to the murdered man; observing, that, the deed merited punishment, and was one which would produce a crown of glory to him who should inflict it; adding, that if Jason, were to undertake it, he would resign his own crown and kingdom to him, immediately on his return. Burning with the desire of {170} military fame, Jason readily undertook an expedition which seemed to promise so much glory. The expedition was bruited about all Greece, and the young and ardent of the nation were called upon to join him in the glory and the danger.

They set sail in a s.h.i.+p called Argo and after a series of adventures arrived at Colchis. Alarmed at an invasion which appeared so formidable, aeetes promised to restore the golden fleece for the possession of which he had slain Phryxus, provided the invaders consented to the conditions he should propose, and which were as follows: Jason was to tame bulls whose breath were fierce flames, with feet and horns of bra.s.s, and to plough with them, when subdued, a field sacred to Mars. He was then to sow in the ground the teeth of a serpent, from which armed men would spring up, whose rage would be directed against him who should be daring enough to plough the field; and as a conclusion to his arduous tasks, he was to kill a frightful dragon which remained ever on the watch at the tree where the golden fleece was suspended. All were in fear for the fate of the Argonauts, but Juno watched over their safety, and extricated them from their difficulties. Medea, the king's daughter, fell in love with Jason, and in an interview with her lover in the temple of Hecate, in which they swore a mutual fidelity, and bound themselves by the most solemn oaths, she pledged herself to deliver her lover from all his dangers. Her knowledge of herbs, enchantments and incantations, was uncommon, and he received from her whatever instruments and herbs could protect him against the coming dangers.

"She then retires to Hecate's shrine, that stood Far in the covert of a shady wood: She finds the fury of her flames a.s.sauged, But, seeing Jason there, again they raged.

Blushes and paleness did by turns invade Her tender cheeks, and secret grief betrayed; As fire, that sleeping under ashes lies, Fresh blown and roused, does up in blazes rise, New kindled by her lover's sparkling eyes, So flamed the virgin's breast.

For chance, that day, had with uncommon grace;, Adorned the lovely youth, and thro' his face Displayed an air so pleasing, as might charm A G.o.ddess, and a vestal's bosom warm.

Her ravished eyes survey him o'er and o'er, As some gay wonder never seen before; Transported to the skies she seems to be And thinks she gazes on a deity, {171} But when he spoke and pressed her trembling hand, And did with tender words her heart demand, With vows and oaths to make her soon his bride, She wept a flood of tears, and thus replied.

'I see my error, yet to ruin move, Nor owe my fate to ignorance, but love: Your life I'll guard, and only crave of you To swear once more--and to your oath be true.'

He swears by Hecate, he would all fulfil, And by her grandfather's prophetic skill By everything that doubting love could press, His present danger and desired success.

She credits him, and kindly does produce Enchanted herbs, and teaches him their use, Their mystic names, and virtues he admires.

And with his booty joyfully retires."

OVID.

He made his appearance in the field of Mars, he tamed the fury of the oxen, he ploughed the earth, and he sowed the teeth of the dragon. Immediately a band of armed men arose and rushed towards Jason: nothing daunted, the hero threw a stone amongst them, and they fell one upon the other till they were entirely destroyed. He lulled to sleep the watchfulness of the dragon, by the power of herbs, and grasped in triumph the golden fleece which was the the object of his expedition.

"Impatient for the wonders of the day, Aurora drives the loitering stars away.

Now Mars's mount the pressing people fill, The crowd below, the n.o.bles crown the hill: The king himself, high throned above the rest, With ivory sceptre, and in purple drest.

Forthwith the bra.s.s hoofed bulls are set at large, Whose furious nostrils sulphurous flames discharge, The blasted herbage by their breath expires, As forges rumble with excessive fires, And furnaces with fiercer fury glow, When water in the panting ma.s.s ye throw, With such a noise from their convulsive breast, Through bellowing throats the struggling vapour pressed.

Yet Jason marches up without concern, While on the adventurous youth the monsters turn Their glaring eyes, and eager to engage, Brandish their steel-tipt horns in threatening rage: With brazen hoofs they beat the ground, and choke The ambient air, with clouds of dust and smoke.

Each gazing Grecian for his champion shakes, While bold advances he securely makes Through singeing blasts: such wonders magic art Can work, when love conspires and plays his part.

The pa.s.sive savages like statues stand, While he their dewlap strokes with soothing hand; {172} To unknown yokes their brawny necks they yield, And like tame oxen, plough the wondering field.

The Colchians state, the Grecians shout, and raise Their champion's courage with inspiring praise.

Emboldened now, in fresh attempts he goes, With serpent's teeth the fertile furrows sows; The glebe, fermenting with enchanted juice, Makes the snakes' teeth a human crop produce, And from the labouring earth, no single birth But a whole troop of l.u.s.ty youths rush forth, And what's more strange, with martial fury warmed, And for encounter all completely armed; In rank and file, as they were sowed, they stand Impatient for the signal of command, No foe, but the aemonian youth appears, As there they level their steep pointed spears.

Wonders ensue, among his gazing foes The fragment of a ma.s.sy rock he throws, This charm in civil war engaged them all, By mutual wounds these earth-born brothers fall.

One labour more remains, and, though the last, In danger far surmounting all the past; That enterprize by fate in store was kept To make the dragon sleep, that never slept, Whose crest shoots dreadful l.u.s.tre; from his jaws A triple tier of forked stings he draws, With fangs and wings of a prodigious size; Such was the guardian of the golden prize.

Yet him besprinkled with Lethean dew The fair enchantress into slumber threw; While the soft guest his drowsy eyelids seals, Th' unguarded golden fleece the stranger steals; Proud to possess the purchase of his toil, Proud of his royal bride, the richer spoil, To sea both prize and patroness he bore, And lands triumphant on his native sh.o.r.e."

OVID.

All these deeds being performed in the presence of the monarch and his subjects, they were struck with surprise at the boldness and success of the young hero, who immediately embarked for Europe with Medea, the great instrument of his preservation. Enraged at the desertion of his daughter, Oeetes sent his son Absyrtus to bring back the fugitives. Absyrtus overtook them, but was slain by Medea, who scattered his limbs upon the path of his father, trusting that Oeetes' paternal affection, would make him anxious to render due homage to the remains of his son, and prevent him from following with success.

On the return of the expedition to Thessaly, they were received with unusual festivity; but Oeson, Jason's father was unable to be there, owing to the infirmities of age, and Medea at her husband's desire, restored him to all the power and vigour of youth.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Jason and Medea.]

{173}

With looks averted backward they advance, Who strike and stab, and leave the blows to chance Waking in consternation, he essays, Weltering in blood, his feeble arms to raise; Environed by so many swords; 'From whence This barbarous usage? what is my offence?

What fatal fury, what infernal charm, 'Gainst a kind father does his daughter arm?'

Hearing his voice, as thunderstruck they stopped Their resolution, and their weapons dropped: Medea then the mortal blow bestows."

The subjects of the deceased king, when they were informed of the cause of his death, were anxious to avenge it, and Medea found herself compelled to fly with Jason to Corinth, in which place they resided forty years.

Unhappily their matrimonial happiness was disturbed by Jason's infidelity with Glaucus, the daughter of the King of the Country, for whom Medea was divorced, that he might follow his amour in comfort. This infidelity was severely avenged by Medea, who after destroying the children of Glaucus in her presence, presented to her a poisoned gown, and induced her to put it on; it immediately set her whole body on fire, and she died in the most painful torments.

This deed was followed by one still more revolting to the mind, for Medea slew two of her own children in their father's presence, and when the incensed Jason attempted to avenge their murder on the barbarous mother, she escaped by flying through the air in a chariot drawn by dragons.

"When Medea left her native soil, Unawed by danger, unsubdued by toil: Her weeping sire, and beckoning friends withstood, And launched enamoured in the boiling flood; One ruddy boy her gentle lips caressed, And one fair girl was pillowed on her breast; While high in air the golden treasure burns, And Love and Glory guide the prow by turns.

But when Thessalia's inauspicious plain, Received the matron-heroine from the main; While hours of triumph sound, and altars burn.

And shouting nations hail their Queen's return: Aghast, she saw new-decked the nuptial bed, And proud Creusa to the temple led; Saw her in Jason's mercenary arms.

Deride her virtues and insult her charms: Saw her dear babes from fame and empire torn, In foreign realms deserted and forlorn: Her love rejected, and her vengeance braved By him, her beauties won, her virtues saved.

{174} To the stern King of Ghosts she next applied.

And gentle Proserpine, his ravished bride, That for old aeson with the laws of fate; They would dispense, and lengthen his short date.

Thus with repeated prayers she oft a.s.sails, The infernal tyrant, and at last prevails; Then calls to have decrepid aeson brought, And stupifies him with a sleeping draught; This done, th' enchantress, with her locks unbound About her altar trips a frantic round; Piecemeal the consecrated wood she splits, And dips the splinters in the gory pits, Then hurls them on the piles; the sleeping sire She l.u.s.trates thrice, with sulphur, water, fire.

His feeble frame resumes a youthful air, A glossy brown his h.o.a.ry head of hair, The meagre paleness from his aspect fled, And in its room sprung up a florid red: Through all his limbs a youthful vigour flies, His emptied arteries swell with fresh supplies.

Gazing spectators scarce believe their eyes.

But aeson is the most surprised to find A happy change in body and in mind, In sense and const.i.tution the same man, As when his fortieth active year began."

OVID.

Pelias the usurper, was desirous of following so pleasant an example, and his daughters persuaded by Medea, who was anxious to avenge her husband's wrongs, destroyed him with their own hands. Their credulity met with a severe punishment, for Medea refused to restore him to life.

Meanwhile Pelias with his guards lay bound In magic sleep, scarce that of death so sound: The daughters now are by the Sorceress led, Into his chamber and surround his bed, 'Your fathers health's concerned and can ye stay?

Unnatural nymphs, why this unkind delay?

Unsheath your swords, dismiss his lifeless blood, And I'll recruit it with a vital flood: Your father's life and health are in your hand, And can ye thus, like idle gazers stand?

Unless you are of common sense bereft, If yet one spark of piety is left, Dispatch a father's cure, and disengage The monarch from his loathsome load of age.

Thus urged, the poor deluded maids proceed Betrayed by zeal to an inhuman deed, And in compa.s.sion, make a father bleed.

Yes, she who has the kindest, tenderest heart, Is foremost to perform the b.l.o.o.d.y part.

Yet, though to act the butchery betrayed, They could not bear to see the wounds they made, {175} With stern regard she eyed the traitor king, And felt ingrat.i.tude, the keenest sting; "Nor Heaven" she cried, "nor earth, nor h.e.l.l can hold A heart abandoned to the thirst of gold!

Stamped with wild foot and shook her torrent brow, And called the furies from their dens below!"