GREEK AND ROMAN DIVINITIES.
Celestial Gods.
JUPITER, (Greek, _Zeus_.)
_Ques._ Who was Jupiter?
_Ans._ He was the king and father of gods and men. He is generally
represented as a majestic man with a beard, sitting on a throne of
gold and ivory. He brandishes the thunder in his right hand; giants
lie prostrate under his feet, and an eagle stands at his side. Jupiter
is sometimes called Jove, and as the eagle was sacred to him, it is
often called the bird of Jove.
_Ques._ Relate the story of Diony´sius and Jupiter's cloak.
_Ans._ The statues of this god were sometimes decorated with much
magnificence. It is related that Diony´sius, the tyrant of Syracuse,
visited a temple in Sicily, where he saw a statue of Jupiter arrayed
in a mantle of wrought gold. This he took possession of, and ordered
in its place a woolen cloak. Diony´sius justified the act on the plea
that the latter garment would be more comfortable for the god at all
seasons, as it was neither so heavy in summer, nor so cold in winter.
_Ques._ Of whom was Jupiter the son?
_Ans._ He was the son of Saturn and Ops. According to the fable,
Saturn promised his brother Titan, that after his death, the latter
should succeed him in his kingdom. To ensure this, Titan made Saturn
promise farther to destroy all his male children. In fulfillment of
this engagement, Saturn devoured them as soon as they were born. Ops,
or Rhea, his wife, succeeded in concealing Jupiter from him. She sent
him secretly to Crete where he was educated on Mount Ida, by the
nymphs, or, according to some, by the priestesses of Cyb´ele. The goat
which suckled him was placed afterwards amongst the constellations.
Ops saved Neptune and Pluto in the same manner.
_Ques._ What were Jupiter's first exploits?
_Ans._ Titan was so much enraged against Saturn for failing to destroy
all his male children, that he assembled the giants, generally called
Titans, to avenge the injury. They overcame Saturn, and bound him with
Ops, or Rhea, in hell. Jupiter conquered the Titans, and delivered his
father and mother. He afterwards took up arms against Saturn himself,
whom he overcame and banished. He then shared his power with his two
brothers, Neptune and Pluto; to Neptune he gave the command of the
seas and rivers, while Pluto received for his portion the
subterranean world, or infernal regions.
_Ques._ What natural phenomena were attributed to Jupiter?
_Ans._ Thunder, lightning, rain, clouds, snow, and rainbows. These
were sent by Jupiter either as signs or warnings, or else to punish
the transgressions of men, particularly the perversion of law and
justice. It seems certain that the ancients regarded Jupiter as a
righteous power, the enemy of tyrants, and the protector of the poor
and innocent. It is hard to reconcile this character with the fables
which ascribe to this god actions in the last degree base and
criminal.
_Ques._ How would you explain this seeming contradiction?
_Ans._ Many of these stories were simply allegories, illustrating the
dominion of Jupiter over the natural world. Others were invented at
later times; and all were embellished by the poets with but little
regard for moral or religious sentiment. Whatever their origin, there
can be no doubt that they had an unfavorable influence on the pagan
world, and that they contributed to weaken whatever respect remained
for public or private virtue.
_Ques._ Relate some of these fables.
_Ans._ Jupiter was married to Juno, to whom he first appeared in the
form of a crow. He constantly excited her jealousy by his admiration
of mortal women, and this gave rise to many adventures, celebrated by
the poets.
_Ques._ What was the story of Euro´pa?
_Ans._ Jupiter was struck by the beauty of Euro´pa, daughter of
Age´nor, king of Phoenicia. He took the form of a snow-white bull, and
mingled with the herd that grazed in the meadow where the young
princess was gathering flowers. Euro´pa, attracted by the beauty and
gentleness of the animal, caressed him, crowned him with flowers, and
at length fearlessly mounted on his back. He immediately plunged into
the sea, and carried her to the unknown shores of Europe, which was
named from her.
_Ques._ On what was the story of Euro´pa probably founded?
_Ans._ It is probable that some sea captain, or pirate, was attracted
by the beauty of the young princess, and carried her off. When her
father grieved at her loss, the courtiers, and perhaps the oracles,
pretended that it was a god who had taken her away. As this report was
flattering to his pride, he would of course be pleased to hear it
everywhere repeated. This, however, did not prevent Age´nor from
making every effort to recover his lost child.
_Ques._ Relate the story of Cadmus.
_Ans._ Cadmus, the son of Age´nor, was ordered by his father to go in
search of his sister Euro´pa, with the further injunction, that he
should never return to his native land without her. The search proved
fruitless, and Cadmus, not daring to appear before his father, went to
consult the oracle of Apollo as to what he should do. He was directed
by the god to follow a young heifer, which he would meet in the
fields, and to mark the place where she should lie down to rest. He
was to build a city on that spot, and call the surrounding country
Boeotia. Cadmus obeyed these instructions; while preparing to offer
sacrifice to Jupiter on the site of his intended town, the solemnity
was interrupted by a terrible event. The attendants of Cadmus, in
searching for water, had entered a grove sacred to Mars, which was
guarded by a mighty dragon. On perceiving him, they turned to fly, but
were either crushed in the serpent's folds, or suffocated by blasts of
the monster's fiery breath. Cadmus, awaiting their return, and
becoming impatient at the delay, proceeded to the spot, and found his
servants lifeless, while the dragon was basking at his ease upon the
grass. The hero, aroused to vengeance, attacked the monster. A
terrible combat ensued, in which Cadmus, through the assistance of
Minerva, was victorious. As he gazed upon his expiring foe, he heard a
frightful voice which threatened him with the vengeance of the god
whose grove he had desecrated. Cadmus was at first dismayed, but
Minerva told him to sow the dragon's teeth in the ground, and await
the result. Where the teeth were planted, armed men immediately sprung
up. Cadmus threw a stone among them, upon which they turned their
weapons against one another, and continued to fight until all were
killed except five. These assisted the hero in building his city.
Cadmus married Hermi´one, the daughter of Venus; they had four
daughters, all of whom suffered persecution, either in their own
persons, or in those of their children. Cadmus and Hermi´one were so
much afflicted by the misfortunes of their descendants, that they
petitioned the gods to deprive them of life. They were soon after
changed into serpents.
_Ques._ Relate the punishment of Lyca´on.
_Ans._ During the Iron Age the wickedness of men had grown to such a
height that Jupiter resolved to satisfy himself of the truth of the
reports that reached him. For this purpose he descended to earth, and
assuming the disguise of a poor traveller, sought hospitality of
Lyca´on, king of Arcadia. The impious prince had just received an
ambassador from the Molossians. He ordered him to be slain, and his
flesh to be served for the entertainment of his guest. Jupiter was
seized with indignation; he overturned the tables, destroyed the
palace with lightning, and when the tyrant strove to fly, he was
transformed into a savage wolf.