Heathen mythology Part 39

OVID.

[Ill.u.s.tration] {228}

AGAMEMNON AND MENELAUS.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Agamemnon and Menelaus were educated with Atreus, until banished the kingdom by Thyestes, they went to Calydonia, and they were treated with great kindness, and from thence to Sparta, where, like the remainder of the Greek princes, they sought the hand of Helen. By the advice and artifice of Ulysses, Menelaus became her husband, Agamemnon marrying Clytemnestra; and Tyndarus, their father, monarch of Sparta, a.s.sisted in recovering for them their father's kingdom.

Menelaus succeeded to his father in law's throne, and became King of Sparta, and Paris, son of Priam, King of Troy, was one of the numerous visitors at his court. To this prince Venus had promised the possession of the finest woman in Greece. The absence of Menelaus in Crete gave to Paris every opportunity, and he succeeded in corrupting the fidelity of Helen, who abandoned herself to her seducer, and followed him to his palace at Troy. Vainly were amba.s.sadors sent to Priam, to make known to him the infamous conduct of his son. Not only did he refuse all reparation, but he embittered the interview by recalling all the ancient grievances of the two kingdoms.

This unjust conduct gave birth to a terrible war; Agamemnon embraced the cause of his brother with fervour, awoke all Greece {229} to the wrongs of Menelaus, and was proclaimed the chief of the kings, who united their armies beneath the walls of Argos; and showed his personal zeal by furnis.h.i.+ng one hundred s.h.i.+ps, and lending sixty more for her a.s.sistance.

The Greek army amounted to sixty thousand soldiers, and their fleet to twelve hundred vessels, but at the very moment that they reckoned on starting, a deep calm settled on the waters.

The oracle was consulted, which declared that nothing less than the sacrifice of Iphigenia, the daughter of Agamemnon, could suffice, as the latter had excited the wrath of Diana, by killing a favourite stag. The father heard the decree with the greatest horror and indignation, and, as chief of the forces, ordered his herald to command them all to retire to their separate homes.

Ulysses and the other generals interfered; and at last Agamemnon was persuaded to sacrifice a daughter so tenderly beloved but as she was a great favourite with Clytemnestra, her mother, the Greeks sent for Iphigenia, pretending that they sought her hand in marriage for Achills.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Clytemnestra gladly gave her consent; but when they came to Aulis, Iphigenia saw the b.l.o.o.d.y preparation for her sacrifice. In vain did she implore the protection of her father: tears and entreaties were alike unavailing, but as the fatal blow was about to be struck, a goat of great beauty was found in her place for the {230} sacrifice. The supernatural change animated the Greeks, the wind suddenly became favourable, and the combined fleet set sail.

"Fair Iphigenia, the devoted maid, Was by the weeping priests in linen robes arrayed, All mourn her fate; but no relief appeared: The royal victim bound, the knife already reared When that offended power who caused their woe, Relenting, ceased her wrath, and stopped the coming blow.

A mist before the ministers she cast, And in the virgin's room a hind she placed."

After the fall of Troy the beautiful Ca.s.sandra came to the share of Agamemnon, and she foretold that his wife Clytemnestra would put him to death. He, however, returned with Ca.s.sandra to Argos, where the sad prediction was fulfilled. One day as he came from the bath, Clytemnestra gave him a tunic, the sleeves of which were sewn together, and as he was embarra.s.sed with the folds, she brought him to the ground with the stroke of a hatchet, while Egisthus, with whom she had dishonoured herself during Agamemnon's absence, gave him the finis.h.i.+ng blow.

"_Clytemnestra._ What have I done?-- Where am I?

_Egisthus._ Hast thou slain the tyrant? Now At length thou art worthy of me.

_Cly._ See with blood The dagger drops:--my hands--my face--my garment, All, all are blood. Ah! for a deed like this What vengeance shall be wreaked? I see already, Already to my breast that very sword I see hurled back--and by what hand! I freeze, I faint, I shudder, I dissolve with horror!

My strength, my utterance fail me. Where am I, What have I done? Alas!

_Egis._ Tremendous cries Resound on every side throughout the palace.

_Cly._ He had no power to escape, or to resist, Entangled in the gorgeous robe that shone Fatally rich. I struck him twice, and twice He groaned, then died. A third time as he lay I gored him with a wound; a grateful present To the stern G.o.d that in the realms below Reigns o'er the dead.

There let him take his seat, He lay, and spouting from his wounds a stream Of blood, bedewed me with these crimson drops."

aeSCHYLUS.

The tradition of the meeting of Iphigenia with her father in the lower regions, after his death, when the latter was ignorant of the {231} infamy of her mother, and the cause of her father's death, is thus beautifully described:--

"_Iphigenia._ Father! I now may lean upon your breast, And you with unreverted eyes will grasp Iphigenia's hand.

We are not shades Surely! for yours throbs yet, And did my blood Win Troy for Greece?

Ah! 'twas ill done to shrink; But the sword gleamed so sharp; and the good priest Trembled, and Pallas frowned above, severe.

_Agamemnon._ Daughter!

_Iphig._ Beloved father! is the blade Again to pierce a bosom now unfit For sacrifice? no blood is in its veins, No G.o.d requires it here; here are no wrongs To vindicate, no realms to overthrow.

You standing as at Aulis in the fane, With face averted, holding (as before) My hand; but yours burns not, as then it burned.

This alone shews me we are with the blest, Nor subject to the sufferings we have borne.

I will win back past kindness.

Tell me then, Tell how my mother fares who loved me so, And grieved, as 'twere for you, to see me part.

Frown not, but pardon me for tarrying Amid too idle words, nor asking how She praised us both (which most?) for what we did.

_Aga._ Ye G.o.ds who govern here! do human pangs Reach the pure soul thus far below? do tears Spring in these meadows?

_Iphig._ No, sweet father, no.

I could have answered that; why ask the G.o.ds?

_Aga._ Iphigenia! O my child! the Earth Has gendered crimes unheard of heretofore, And nature may have changed in her last depths, Together with the G.o.ds and all their laws.

_Iphig._ Father! we must not let you here condemn; Not, were the day less joyful: recollect We have no wicked here; no king to judge.

Poseidon, we have heard, with bitter rage Lashes his foaming steeds against the skies, And, laughing with loud yell at winged fire, Innoxious to his fields and palaces Affrights the eagle from the sceptred hand; While Pluto, gentlest brother of the three And happiest in obedience, views sedate His tranquil realm, nor envies their's above.

No change have we, not even day for night, Nor spring for summer, All things are serene, Serene too be your spirit! none on earth {232} Ever was half so kindly in his house, And so compliant, even to a child.

Never was s.n.a.t.c.hed your robe away from me, Though going to the council. The blind man Knew his good king was leading him in doors, Before he heard the voice that marshal'd Greece.

Therefore all praised you.

Proudest men themselves In others praise humility, and most Admire it in the sceptre and the sword.

What then can make you speak thus rapidly And briefly? in your step thus hesitate?

Are you afraid to meet among the good Incestuous Helen here?

_Aga._ Oh! G.o.ds of h.e.l.l!

_Iphig._ She hath not past the river.

We may walk With our hands linked, nor feel our house's shame.

_Aga._ Never may'st thou, Iphigenia! feel it!

Aulis had no sharp sword, thou would'st exclaim, Greece no avenger--I, her chief so late, Through Erebus, through Elysium, writhe beneath it.

_Iphig._ Come, I have better diadems than those Of Argos and Mycenai--come away, And I will weave them for you on the bank.

You will not look so pale when you have walked A little in the grove, and have told all Those sweet fond words the widow sent her child.

_Aga._ Oh Earth! I suffered less upon thy sh.o.r.es!

(_Aside_) The bath that bubbled with my blood, the blows That spilt it (O worse torture) must she know?

Ah! the first woman coming from Mycenai Will pine to pour this poison in her ear, Taunting sad Charon for his slow advance.

Iphigenia!

_Iphig._ Why thus turn away?

Calling me with such fondness! I am here, Father! and where you are, will ever be.

_Aga._ Thou art my child--yes, yes, thou art my child.

All was not once what all now is! Come on, Idol of love and truth! my child! my child!

(_Alone_) Fell woman! ever false! false was thy last Denunciation, as thy bridal vow; And yet even that found faith with me! the dirk Which severed flesh from flesh, where this hand rests, Severs not, as thou boasted'st in thy scoffs, Iphigenia's love from Agamemnon: The wife's a spark may light, a straw consume, The daughter's not her hearts whole fount hath quenched, 'Tis worthy of the G.o.ds, and lives for ever.

_Iphig._ What spake my father to the G.o.ds above?

Unworthy am I then to join in prayer?

If, on the last, or any day before, {233} Of my brief course on earth, I did amiss, Say it at once, and let me be unblest; But, O my faultless father! why should you?