Philoctetes he gave the famous bow and quiver. Then, when the fire had
been kindled, he spread over all the skin of the Nemæan lion, and laid
himself down upon it, with his head resting on his club, as calmly as
a guest resting after the banquet.
Jupiter, looking down from heaven, saw the hero thus peaceful amid
the flames of the burning pile. "He who has conquered all men," he
cried, "shall conquer also these fires. Only that which is mortal and
which he received from his mother can perish there. His immortal part
I will receive into the realms above." And the other gods assented.
Even Juno, who had pursued the hero so cruelly during his life, had no
word to urge against their decision. The burning pile was shrouded in
a mist of dark smoke; and while the mortal body of Hercules fell into
ashes, him the great father, taking up among circling clouds, bore
aloft to the glittering stars in his chariot drawn by four fiery
steeds.
THE QUEST OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE
BY M. M. BIRD
The great hall was decked for a banquet. Revelers sat round the laden
board and feasted and sang and quaffed rich wines from silver goblets.
The king on his daïs toyed with his jeweled wine-cup and gazed down
the length of the hall at the flushed faces of the feasters, and heard
their gay laughter peal up to the vaulted roof. Yet the eyes of
Pelias, the king, were dark, and a settled scowl was on his brow.
Terror of Heaven's vengeance still haunted him. He had commanded this
festival in honor of Neptune, and yet he knew that the anger of
Jupiter was unappeased while the Golden Fleece still hung in the wood
at Colchis.
For Phrixus, son of Æolus, had fled on the Sacred Ram with the Fleece
of Gold, to Æetes, King of Colchis, who had protected him and given
him his daughter Chalciope to wife. Though Phrixus was now dead, Æetes
still held the Fleece in Colchis, and the line of Æolus languished
under the wrath of Jupiter till such time as it was restored to
Greece.
This was the subject of the king's meditations as he looked down on
the gay company assembled at his feast. And of a sudden his eyes
lighted on a travel-stained figure making his way up the long hall to
the steps of his throne, in spite of the soiled and tattered weeds. He
recognized his royal kinsman. It was Jason son of Æson, his own
nephew, who, determined to have speech with his uncle the king, had
now dared the crossing of the river Anaurus, although swollen by
winter rains, and had hardly won through. Till he entered the palace
he did not know of the great feast that was being held, but he stood
not on ceremony, and made his way to the foot of the throne, just as
he was. One of his sandals had stuck in the mire and been left in the
river bed.
Now an oracle had come to the king but a short time before, warning
him to beware of a man coming in from the field with one sandal
lacking. And King Pelias shrank from the sight of the innocent youth
who stood before him; and in the dark depths of his heart devised a
cruel plot for his destruction, whereby he might rid himself of the
menace and, at the same time, be restored to the favor of Jupiter.
Undaunted by the tyrant's frown, Jason stood before him and asserted
his claim to the throne. "I, Jason, son of Æson, of the line of Æolus,
live as a peasant among peasants on the banks of Anaurus," he cried,
in his brave young voice. "Restore me to my rightful place as son of
the late king."
The king dared not openly dispute the claim, but with a feigned smile
he answered: "Fetch hither the Golden Fleece held by Æetes in Colchis,
that you may thus prove worthy to boast yourself of the proud line of
Æolus. Deliver your father's house from the wrath of Jupiter, and then
come to claim your birthright!"
He devised this task, thinking that even could Jason perchance
overcome the Colchians, he must assuredly be slain by enemies or lost
in the sea ere ever he won home again. For it was well known that
Æetes had hung the Golden Fleece in an enchanted wood, and set a
sleepless serpent to guard the treasure against any who should pass
his men-at-arms.
At first Jason was cast into despair at the greatness of this task,
but strong in his own innocence and determined to vindicate his
rights, he took up the challenge. "I go," he cried, "at the ruthless
behest of a tyrannous king and the doom of a god! Who will go in my
company--who?"
And from east and west and south the heroes of a hundred deeds came
hasting to join him on his quest, for all had heard of the Golden
Fleece and its theft by the Colchian men.
And the fame of its quest was noised abroad so that all who loved a
bold venture came to proffer Jason their aid; and with others it was
the lust of gold that drew them; and with others, again, love of
justice and pity for the youth robbed of his birthright by an unjust
king. Thus there came to Iolcus the mighty Hercules, and the twin sons
of Jupiter, Castor and Pollux, Orpheus with his magic lute, Idmon the
seer, and Tiphys the steersman, and others all famous for their
prowess in war, the sons of gods and heroes, too many to name.
Then Jason set himself to prepare for his great enterprise, gathering
stores and arms, and eagerly seeking information of those who had
traveled afar off of the Colchians and their king Æetes, and the famed
Fleece of Gold, while the good ship _Argo_ was daily growing under the
fashioning hands of Argus and his men, who, instructed by Minerva,
built so gallant a ship as had never before sailed the seas. And daily
there were added to Jason's company valiant warriors and men of
renown, young and old, till at last the day came when the _Argo_ was
launched for her great enterprise, and the last sacrifices were paid
to the protecting gods, and the last feast was eaten on the Pagasæan
shore. Then the heroes cast lots for their places at the oars--for all
but the place of honor at the middle thwart, which was given to
Hercules and his companion Ancæus. Tiphys, by common consent, was set
at the helm, while Jason was proclaimed captain and chief, in peace
and in war, of all the goodly band.
And thus it came that such a company of heroes as had never before
been gathered together on one quest sailed forth from Iolcus in the
_Argo_ in search of the Golden Fleece.
For many days they pursued their way, braving the storms of those
dangerous seas, landing on strange coasts where sometimes they found
shelter and kindness, but oftener had to fight for life and honor. But
ever the glorious quest inspired them, the Golden Fleece brightened
their dreams, and they strove loyally together to win through all
temptations and dangers. But not all of them survived to reach their
goal. Great Hercules was left on the Mysian hills seeking his lost
armor-bearer Hylas; and Idmon the seer, faring across a marshy plain,
was suddenly attacked by a wild boar and so wounded that he died. For
three whole days the heroes mourned his loss; and while they mourned,
Tiphys the steersman fell sick, and his sickness was unto death. For
grief then the band had gone no farther on the quest had not Ancæus
rekindled their courage with brave words and offered himself as their
steersman. And by general acclamation he was elected to the post, and
they set forth on their way with renewed faith.
But at last the gallant _Argo_ won through the Pontus Sea and the
dreadful Dark Blue Crags, and the voyagers knew themselves to be near
to Colchis and the end of their journeying. Picture to yourselves the
storm-tossed _Argo_ flying over the seas, and great eagles swooping
and wheeling overhead, by which Jason, the captain, knew that they
approached the island of Mars, where those winged messengers of the
gods were wont to attack any who dared effect a landing. But by his
command the heroes armed themselves, and the oarsmen were protected by
the shields of their comrades from the feathered darts rained down
upon them by the furious birds. And with loud clashing and clanging of
their harness the creatures were scared away. So the heroes reached
the shore and rested there in peace after their battling with the
storm. And as they lay on the shore they saw in the waves a great
spar, and four young men clinging to it, tossed hither and thither,
till at length it was cast up on to the beach. These proved to be the
four sons of Phrixus, who had been thrust out of Colchis by their
stern grandsire Æetes, and sent away in a little boat. Their skiff had
been too frail to withstand the storm that the good ship _Argo_ had
outlived.
When these heard of the quest, they offered Jason their allegiance,
and begged him to accept their aid in his perilous venture, which he
gladly did. So, in calm weather, they sailed gaily on to Colchis,
elated to have thus escaped all the perils and to be within sight of
their goal.
The Golden Fleece burned ever brighter before the longing eyes of that
hero band; courage and loyalty inspired each heart and nerved each
arm; they were ready to give life itself, if need be, to achieve their
task and bring again the miraculous Fleece to Greece--and such a
spirit is unconquerable.
Now Æetes, King of Colchis, dwelt in his city by the sea. He had but
two daughters, the elder, Chalciope, was the widow of that Phrixus who
had come hither riding on the Golden Ram, while the younger was Medea,
a sorceress. She was a priestess of Hecate, and served the dreadful
mysteries of the goddess. She was versed in all poisons and philters,
and would wander out into wild places beyond the city to gather herbs
for the brewing of her mystic potions. She lived with her brothers,
the sons of Æetes, and Chalciope her sister, in a palace in the city,
and beside it stood a temple to Hecate.
It happened on a certain day that Medea, as was her wont, went into
the hall of the temple, and as she stood there she saw a crowd
approaching up the street. Foremost in the throng she saw her sister's
four sons, who had been mourned as lost for ever. She cried aloud, and
the waiting-women in the palace heard her cry and dropped their
broideries, and with Chalciope her sister came running to learn the
cause of her fear. And Chalciope saw her sons and clasped them to her
with tears of joy. But Medea stood gazing at the splendid strangers
who came with them--Jason and his two friends, Telamon and Augias. And
as she gazed, Cupid let fly one of his burning shafts, and it pierced
the maiden's bosom and there burned with a dull flame. And her eyes
were fastened on Jason's comely face, and the conscious blushes flamed
in the whiteness of her cheeks, and she stood as if bound by one of
her own spells.
Hearing the commotion, the king and queen inquired the cause; and when
they saw the handsome strangers they gave them fair welcome, and
invited them to join their banquet. Though Æetes looked sourly on the
sons of Phrixus, of whom he had thought to have rid himself for ever,
he was constrained to receive them also with their rescuers.
When seated at the banquet, Argus, one of Phrixus' sons, explained to
the king all the circumstances of Jason's coming, and the quest on
which he came. "Not to take the Fleece by force he comes," pleaded
Argus, "but is minded to pay a fair price for thy gift. He has heard
of the bitter enmity of the Sauromatæ: these rebels he will subdue for
thee, and put them under thy sway."
The king's wrath waxed hot, and chiefly with his daughter's sons, for
he deemed that they had stirred up Jason to this quest. "Not for the
Fleece come ye!" he cried; "but my scepter and my kingly honor ye come
to steal! Now, if ye had not broken bread at my table before ye spoke,
your tongues had I surely cut out, and had hewn your hands from your
wrists, and had sent you forth with naught but your feet to fare
through the land! So should ye refrain hereafter from coming on such
like quest."
But Jason made gentle answer to the angry king, assuring him that no
such wild dream had brought him to this land, but the ruthless behest
of a tyrannous king and the doom of a god.
Then the king inly pondered whether to fall on the heroes and do them
to death or put their might to the test. And this he decided to be the
better way, for they were mighty men and renowned for valor, and he
saw that he should have to overcome them by subtlety. So he set Jason
this impossible task: On the plain of Mars were two brazen-hoofed
bulls, breathing flames of fire; these Jason must yoke, and by them
drive four plowshares across the plain from dawn to dusk. And in the
furrows sow the teeth of a dragon, from which out of the earth armed
warriors should spring, and these he must smite and conquer!
The hero sat speechless in his despair, for he deemed no man
sufficient for so terrible a task. But Argus went out with him, and
knowing his own and his brothers' fate to hang on him, implored him to
consult his mother's sister, Medea, the sorceress. Jason, for
kindness, consented, but with little hope of the issue.
So Argus returned to his mother, to beg her to intercede with Medea.
Medea, torn with love for Jason, spent the night in mourning over his
certain fate unless he craved her aid in his gigantic task, and was
longing, yet ashamed, to proffer it. It was, therefore, to the relief
of her indecision that her sister Chalciope came to her at length, and
begged her to interfere to save her four sons from the doom that
threatened them. Medea was glad, for she was thus enabled to save her
dignity, and in obeying the dictates of her heart seem only to be
concerned with the safety of her sister's sons.
Next morning, therefore, she called her maidens and went out in her
chariot to the fane of Hecate on the plain beyond the city, a place
where she was often wont to go to gather herbs. There Jason met her,
and he sacrificed his pride to beg her assistance. She was torn
between love for him and a sense of duty to her father; but yet love
was the stronger, and she promised him her aid. Long they talked
together in that wilderness till the shades of evening fell and her
attendants became uneasy at her long tarrying. She gave him a magic
drug that would render his body and arms invulnerable against all
attack, and gave him also minute directions for his guidance in his
dreadful conflict. And Jason saw how beautiful and tender she was,
and love for her awoke in his heart, and he wooed her with gentle
words, and vowed that if she would go with him to Greece she should
there be made his honored wife.
Evening drew on, and Medea went sadly back to her night of anguished
vigil in her palace in the city, while Jason prepared himself for his
doubtful conflict. At midnight he bathed alone in the sacred river.
Then he digged a pit in the plain as Medea had directed him, and
offered a lamb by the pit's brink, and kindled a pyre and burned the
carcase. Mingled libations he also poured, and then, calling on
Hecate, drew back and strode from the place, and looked not once
behind him at the awful queen he had invoked, nor the shapes of fear
that accompanied her, nor turned at the wild baying of the hounds of
hell.
Then he sprinkled his corslet, his helm, and his arms with the drug
Medea gave him, and his comrades proved his harness with all their
might and main, whose ringing blows fell harmless upon it. Then he
sprinkled his own limbs with the magic drug and fared forth
invincible.
At dawn, the heroes sailed in the _Argo_ up the river till they came
near to the plain of Mars, and there anchored. King Æetes came out
from the city in procession to the lists, and all the men of Colchis
were gathered on the one hand and the heroes on the other to watch the
outcome of this terrible strife.
So Jason set to his task. Bearing with him his helm full of the
dragon's teeth he crossed the field, and there saw the brazen yoke
lying, and the plow of massive stone. Suddenly, from their lair, the
bulls rushed out together and bore down upon him. Jason, setting his
feet wide, caught their charge on his shield and withstood the shock.
Mightily he seized the horn of one of the monsters, haled with all his
strength, and striking its hoof with his foot cast it down on its
knees. And, to the amazement of all, he did likewise to its fellow.
Then he cast away his shield, and holding them down set the brazen
yoke on their necks. All marveled at his superhuman strength. The brow
of Æetes was black, but the heroes rejoiced and cheered their leader
right lustily.
Then he took with him the helm full of dragon's teeth, and his spear
for a goad, and forced those frantic beasts to draw the massive plow
across the plain, and sowed his baneful seed as he went. All day long
he drove his resisting team across the stony plain; and as the granite
plowshare tore its way through the earth he cast the dragon's teeth
among the upturned clods.
And at length the evening fell, and he unloosed the yoke, and with
smiting and shouting scared the bulls across the plain to their caves.
Then he gladly returned to the _Argo_, plunged his helm into the river,
and was about to slake his terrible thirst, when he turned to see the
whole earth bristling with armed warriors, row on row of shields and
spears and helms. The words of Medea came to his remembrance then, and
ere he fell upon them he took up from the earth a great round boulder
such as four strong men of to-day scarce could move, and flung it in
their midst.
Loudly the Colchians shouted, but speechless fear seized on their king
when he saw the flight of that massive crag and beheld the earthborn
slaying each other. And among them stood Jason, beautiful as a god,
hewing them down with his sword, till not one was left alive.
Then the night fell and Jason slept, for he knew that his task was
accomplished. Æetes and his princes went silently back to their city,
for the superhuman power of the hero inspired them with nameless
fears.
And in the palace Medea was smitten with terror, for she knew that it
must come to the ears of the king her father, that by her arts Jason
had been helped to victory, and she dreaded his vengeance. She knew
not where to turn for aid but to Jason himself; so she veiled herself,
and thrusting her secret drugs and poisons into her bosom, she fled in
the darkness from her palace. Through the night she hastened, weeping
piteously, torn between love and duty to her parents and her passion
for the man her spells had helped, till she saw the gleam of the fire
where the heroes were feasting on the river bank. And through the
noise of their revelry and the ringing of their gay laughter a bitter
cry was heard--a woman's cry. And the sons of Phrixus, her nephews,
and Jason, her lover, knew her voice, and they hastily thrust out from
the bank and rowed to the place where she stood, and Jason leaped to
the bank beside her.
Then Medea clung to his knees and besought him to carry her away lest
her father's vengeance should fall heavy upon her. Therefore, before
them all, he swore to take her to Greece and wed her there.
Then she adjured them to go in haste, wasting no more precious hours
in revelry, to fetch the Golden Fleece before Æetes came in pursuit of
them. "Speed," she cried, "while darkness covers your deeds!"
So they went in all haste, till they came to the enchanted wood where
the Fleece was hanging on an oak tree. And Medea landed there with
Jason, and together they sped through the wood till they saw the
Fleece shining like flame through the dusk, while before it, in coil
on coil, loathsome, with open, watchful eyes, the awful serpent reared
its head.
Then Medea called the magic of sleep to her aid. She anointed the
serpent's head with her drugs, and rained her spells on its unsleeping
eyes, and it sank down upon the earth in lazily undulating folds,
until at length it slept.
Then Jason cast the great Fleece across his shoulder, and it fell down
all his height and trailed upon the ground. And he caught it up about
him and hastened from the spot. The Argonauts, watching anxiously, saw
it come flaming through the trees. They greeted the achieving of their
quest with shouts of joy, and strove among themselves to touch the
glorious Fleece. But Jason was seized with fear lest some god or man
should arrive to wrest his treasure from him, so he covered the
shimmering Fleece with a mantle, and it lay in the stern of the
_Argo_, with the maiden beside it, and Jason stood above them with his
harness on his back and his great sword in his hand.
And the rowers bent to their oars, and the strong blades beat the
waves, and swifter than a flying bird the good ship sped down the
tide.
By this King Æetes and the Colchians knew of Medea's love and her
deeds of rebellion. They swarmed on the river banks, and Æetes on his
white charger pursued the flying boat. But he could not reach his
disobedient daughter nor stay the flight of the hero band who had
escaped the death he plotted, by the aid of love. And in his wrath the
king sent ships after them and charged his captains: "Except ye lay
hands on the maiden and bring her so that I may pour the fury with
which I burn upon her, on your heads shall all these things light,
and ye shall learn the full measure of my wrath."
But far across the seas the good ship _Argo_ flew, and though the
Colchians pursued, Medea was never taken, but after all adventure
reached Iolcus with Jason, her lover and her lord.
For it was ordained of the high gods that the Golden Fleece should be
brought back to Greece by the might of Jason and his brotherhood of
heroes, that the wrath of Jupiter might be appeased. For the heroes
went on the quest armed with the strength of innocence, and love
fought on their side that they might prove mightier than a ruthless
king or the doom of an offended god.
HOW THESEUS FOUND HIS FATHER
BY NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
In the old city of Troezene, at the foot of a lofty mountain, there
lived, a very long time ago, a little boy named Theseus. His
grandfather, King Pittheus, was the sovereign of that country, and was
reckoned a very wise man; so that Theseus, being brought up in the
royal palace, and being naturally a bright lad, could hardly fail of
profiting by the old king's instructions. His mother's name was Æthra.
As for his father, the boy had never seen him. But, from his earliest
remembrance, Æthra used to go with little Theseus into a wood, and sit
down upon a moss-grown rock, which was deeply sunken into the earth.
Here she often talked with her son about his father, and said that he
was called Ægeus, and that he was a great king, and ruled over Attica,
and dwelt at Athens, which was as famous a city as any in the world.
Theseus was very fond of hearing about King Ægeus, and often asked his
good mother Æthra why he did not come and live with them at Troezene.
"Ah, my dear son," answered Æthra, with a sigh, "a monarch has his
people to take care of. The men and women over whom he rules are in
the place of children to him; and he can seldom spare time to love his
own children as other parents do. Your father will never be able to
leave his kingdom for the sake of seeing his little boy."
"Well, but, dear mother," asked the boy, "why cannot I go to this
famous city of Athens, and tell King Ægeus that I am his son?"
"That may happen by and by," said Æthra. "Be patient, and we shall
see. You are not yet big and strong enough to set out on such an
errand."
"And how soon shall I be strong enough?" Theseus persisted in
inquiring.
"You are but a tiny boy as yet," replied his mother. "See if you can
lift this rock on which we are sitting."
The little fellow had a great opinion of his own strength. So,
grasping the rough protuberances of the rock, he tugged and toiled
amain, and got himself quite out of breath, without being able to stir
the heavy stone. It seemed to be rooted into the ground. No wonder he
could not move it; for it would have taken all the force of a very
strong man to lift it out of its earthy bed.
His mother stood looking on, with a sad kind of a smile on her lips
and in her eyes, to see the zealous and yet puny efforts of her little
boy. She could not help being sorrowful at finding him already so
impatient to begin his adventures in the world.
"You see how it is, my dear Theseus," said she. "You must possess far
more strength than now before I can trust you to go to Athens, and
tell King Ægeus that you are his son. But when you can lift this rock,
and show me what is hidden beneath it, I promise you my permission to
depart."