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[Illustration: _DIANA_]
_Life Stories for Young People_
GODS AND HEROES
_Translated and adapted from the German of
Ferdinand Schmidt and Carl Friedrich Becker_
BY
GEORGE P. UPTON
_Author of "Musical Memories," "Standard Operas," etc.
Translator of "Memories," "Immensee," etc._
WITH FRONTISPIECE
[Illustration: A · C · M^cCLURG]
CHICAGO
A. C. McCLURG & CO.
1912
Copyright
A. C. McClurg & Co.
1912
Published September, 1912
THE·PLIMPTON·PRESS
[W·D·O]
NORWOOD·MASS·U·S·A
Translator's Preface
In a rare little volume in my possession, written by William Sheldon,
F.A.S., and published by Isaiah Thomas, Jr., at Worcester, Mass., in
1810, over a century ago, the author introduces his "History of the
Heathen Gods and Heroes of Antiquity" in the following quaint manner:
"People of weak minds and of little learning, who have tasted the
Pierian spring but not drunk deep at it, when they read an account of
the Heathen Gods and Goddesses and of the images dedicated to them, and
hear that the heathens were Idolators, or worshippers of Images, give
credit to these stories, without any further inquiry or trouble. It may
not, therefore, be unnecessary to inform persons of this description,
that the people of all the nations which ever existed under heaven have
believed that there existed one God, who is Almighty and the Maker of
all things. But there have been people who believed also in inferior or
subordinate gods, who were agents or mediators between God and man; and
who were employed in carrying on the works of Providence and of the
creation or Nature."
This quaint effort to show the impropriety of treating any description
of religion with unnecessary disrespect applies to this volume, which
the translator has adapted from the German. Our old author might have
added to his statement that there is rare beauty and fascination in many
of these Grecian myths and that many a one has wished with Wordsworth
that he might
"Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea,
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn."
The old gods and minor deities in these "short stories" also appeal to
us by their human qualities, and many an important moral lesson may be
read in the fate of unfortunate minor deities who offended the higher
gods. The sketches are in story form and are told in a refined and
entertaining manner. Several of the higher gods and goddesses are not
included in this volume, as they appear most interesting in the other
volumes in this series--"Achilles," "Ulysses," "Argonauts' Expedition
and Labors of Hercules."
G. P. U.
Chicago, _May_, 1912.
Contents
Chapter Page
I Prometheus 13
II Deucalion and Pyrrha 25
III Hermes (Mercury) 33
IV Phaëthon 39
V Orpheus 49
VI Atalanta 53
VII Tantalus 57
VIII Salmoneus, Sisyphus, Ixion, and Phlegyas 61
IX Niobe 65
X Bellerophon 73
XI Perseus 77
XII Cadmus 83
XIII Dionysus (Bacchus) 89
XIV Actæon 95
XV Dædalus and Icarus 101
XVI Philemon and Baucis 109
XVII Arachne 115
XVIII Hyacinthus 121
_The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not.--Great God! I'd rather be
A pagan suckled in a creed outworn;
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea,
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn._
Wordsworth
Gods and Heroes
Chapter I
Prometheus
Zeus (Jupiter), the mighty divinity, overcame the Titans[1] and became
the master of the heavens and the earth. But notwithstanding his hard
struggle, he would not have been victor had not Prometheus, the Titan,
aided him. At last Zeus, ruler in the skies, became the enemy of
Prometheus, who originated the hated race of the Titans, and only
awaited an opportunity to punish him. He soon found the opportunity, for
Prometheus was attached to mankind, whom Zeus intended to destroy, in
order to people the earth with a race of older creation. Prometheus
endeavored to dissuade him, but Zeus persisted in his purpose. Then
Prometheus said: "Have you forgotten that the curse of the dethroned
Cronus[2] rests upon you and that by the decrees of destiny a mortal
only can deliver you from that curse?"
When Zeus heard this, he decided to spare the race of mortals. They were
leading a wretched life and were unconscious of the spiritual or
intellectual gifts conferred upon them by their creator. They knew not
how to fell the trees and build houses to protect them against wind,
rain, and the heat of the sun. Like the beasts, they lived in dens and
caves which no ray of light penetrated. They knew none of the signs of
the approach of the fruit-bringing Autumn, nor of Winter, nor blooming
Spring. Destitute of purpose or perception, they lived like strangers in
a barren world.
Prometheus pitied them. He explained to them the rising and setting of
the stars and taught them how to recognize their orbits. He computed for
them their numbers, a marvellous feat, gave them the power of
recollection and the gift of writing, that highest of the sciences. He
made the ox a useful servant to the race by placing the yoke upon it and
harnessing it to the cart. He bridled the wild horse and showed them how
to use it for riding and drawing the wagon. They also learned from him
how to build vessels and manage sails. He disclosed the depths of the
earth to them with its treasures of iron, silver, and gold. Up to this
time, men had no knowledge of plants or their healing qualities.
Prometheus taught them how to avail themselves of this knowledge so as
to relieve pain and cure disease. He also imparted to them a knowledge
of what was transacted in the councils of the gods and taught them to
observe the flight of the eagle.
One element of comfortable living, however, was lacking for mankind. It
was fire. Prometheus resolved to bring it to them from heaven, but the
ruler of the skies ordered him to desist. Watching his opportunity,
Prometheus soared aloft, approached the chariot of the sun, and stuck a
rod which he carried in his hand in its blazing wheels. Then descending
like a falling star, he brought to men the blessing of the fire.
Hermes (Mercury), the swift messenger of the gods, saw this and at once
brought the news to the god father, Zeus. The all-powerful one
wrathfully directed Hermes: "Up, hasten to Hephaestus (Vulcan)[3] and
say that the ruler of the gods needs his service." Vulcan, god of fire,
was also god of all the artificers who are engaged with fire. He was
honored as the discoverer of all the implements of the chase, the house,
the field, and war, and was also famous as the builder of the
gold-gleaming dwellings of the gods. So great was his skill that he
constructed bellows which could make the flame stronger or weaker, as he
wished, as well as sumptuous couches which, at a sign from him, were
placed in the assemblies of the gods for their use.
When Hephaestus appeared before the ruler of the skies, he was requested
to make a maiden of gold. He set about the work at once and when Apollo,
the next morning, mounted his flaming chariot to shed the heavenly light
both upon gods and men, a splendid image was finished which in
appearance, speed, and movement resembled a beautiful mortal. Zeus then
ordered the other deities to adorn the maiden, who was called Pandora,
most sumptuously. The celestial ones came at once bearing gifts. From
Athene (Minerva) she received a girdle. The Horae (Hours) crowned her
with flowers and the Graces adorned her with exquisite rings and
bracelets. Mercury brought her a pernicious gift, that of flattery and
unfaithfulness, which was to bring misfortune to men. Thus fitted out
with deluding charms and seductive graces, Pandora was conducted to
earth by the beautiful winged messenger. From Zeus she had received a
golden box, which contained a multitude of evils dangerous to men, and
from which they had suffered before Prometheus relieved them. Pandora
offered it to him as a gift from Zeus. The watchful son of Titan,
however, rejected the gift of the god. Thereupon Pandora offered it to
Epimetheus, a brother of Prometheus. He was deluded, forgot his
brother's warning, and married the fascinating Pandora. The false one
immediately opened the golden box and the multitude of evils from which
Prometheus had saved mortals spread themselves abroad once more and men
found themselves again plunged into the very miseries from which they
had been saved by the son of the Titan. Thus it happened that the
seductive charm of woman brought misery to mortals.[4]
Zeus again summoned Hephaestus and the two giants, Kratos and Bia, and
said to them: "Seize Prometheus, conduct him to the limit of earth, and
fasten him to one of the loftiest cliff walls of the Caucasus." The
giants undertook the task willingly, but not so Hephaestus, who had
compassion for Prometheus. But at last he had to submit to the will of
the ruler of gods and men. Prometheus was seized and taken to the
desolate cliff. Reluctantly Hephaestus went to work to fasten the son of
Titan with adamantine fetters to the cliff, while Kratos and Bia helped
in the task.
"Noble Prometheus," said Hephaestus, "it pains my soul to lend my skill
to such a deed as this. What wretchedness awaits thee! Thousands of
years must pass and no end to thy suffering! Never wilt thou have sight
of one human being to comfort thee. The strength of thy limbs will wane
in the heat of the sun and longingly thou wilt yearn for the star-sown
night to cover thee with its mantle and bring coolness to thy burning
wounds."
Thereupon Hephaestus and the two servants of Zeus left the fettered one,
who cried out: "Thou sacred sky! Ye swift-winged winds! Thou billowy
thundering ocean! Earth, thou all-giver! Sun, thou all-seer, I cry to
you. Behold the fate which has overtaken me, a deity. By the decree of
the ruler of all I must endure constant bitter pain a thousand years.
But I will submit to the decree, knowing that the power of fate is
irresistible."
His groans were heard by the winged Oceanides in the crystalline grotto
of their father, Oceanus.[5] They hurried to him and when they witnessed
the fate of the son of Titan, they filled the air with lamentation.
Sorrowfully they turned away. Soon appeared their father, the gray
Oceanus, upon his winged sea horse, inquiring what Prometheus had done
that he should be exposed to such a dreadful penalty. When he was told,
he promised Prometheus to entreat mercy from Zeus. But Prometheus
admonished him, saying: "Well I know you have always been my friend,
worthy Oceanus, but I pray you do not appeal to Zeus for me. It would
avail me nothing and only prejudice Zeus against you."
Concealing his deep grief in his heart, Oceanus left the tortured one.
A long time passed. Zeus, believing that the Titan's obstinate spirit
had been broken, sent his winged messenger, Hermes, to him, who said:
"Zeus desires to know what you heard from your brother about that
marriage which, if he enters into it, will some time precipitate his
ruin. You know it and have found how severely he punishes the theft of
the fire. So anger him no longer, but tell him what he wishes to know."
Prometheus replied: "Never shall Zeus know what he desires to learn
until I am freed from my fetters and relieved of my torments."
Hermes returned to the ruler of the skies and told him that Prometheus,
in spite of his unspeakable torments, still remained obstinate. Zeus
stormed wrathfully and decided to subject his victim to still more
dreadful punishment. All at once black clouds gathered over Caucasus,
fiery thunderbolts, hurled by his hand, shook the lofty jagged cliffs,
and the roar of the hurricane filled all the space between the sky and
earth.
"Wrathful, implacable deity," cried Prometheus, "I know this is the
manifestation of thy power, but thou canst not move me."
Then he heard a fearful bellowing issuing from the depths, the earth
shook, and great waves hurled themselves upon him and the cliff to which
he was fastened. A year ran its course, and when finished, Zeus again
dispelled the darkness about the cliff, but with no intention of
mitigating Prometheus' punishment. On the other hand, he determined to
make it harder. He sent a vulture who attacked his body and devoured his
liver. This torment was renewed daily, for every night his liver grew
again. Zeus also vowed that as Prometheus, being a god, could not die,
he should hang on the cliffs of Caucasus forever. And thus it happened
through many generations of men.
At last the spirit of Titan's son was broken and he longed for peace and
freedom. The other Titans who were once overcome by Zeus and hurled into
Tartarus, had long regained their freedom. Reconciliation, however,
seemed impossible, for Zeus had once vowed he would not send away the
vulture and strike off his fetters unless a deity should undertake to
descend into dark Tartarus.
At this time Heracles (Hercules), a son of Zeus by a mortal, was
traversing the world, fighting every monster which was endangering the
human race. In his travels he came to Caucasus. To his utter
astonishment he saw the son of a god fastened there and asked him why he
had to endure such agonies. Thereupon Prometheus told him of his fate
and Hercules determined to rescue him. Throwing aside his lion skin and
club, and taking a poisoned arrow from his quiver, he shot the vulture,
tore his claws from the Titan's groin, and threw him into an abyss. Then
Hercules released him from his chains and conducted him to Zeus.
Prometheus unwillingly announced to him that a marriage with the
beautiful sea nymph Thetis would be his ruin. The reconciliation,
however, was not complete, for Zeus' vow was not yet satisfied. He gave
Prometheus a gold ring in which Hephaestus had set a little stone from
the Caucasus. "Promise me always to wear this ring," said Zeus, "and my
vow may be accomplished." Prometheus took the ring and made the promise.
Then Hercules fetched Cheiron, whom he had unintentionally wounded with
a poisoned arrow, to the deity. Cheiron, who was suffering unspeakable
torments and longed to die, gladly descended into Tartarus. Thus the
conciliation was complete.
Warned by Prometheus, Zeus married Thetis to a mortal, King Peleus. At
once a multitude of lovely sea nymphs came to escort the bride and groom
in festal procession. Zeus and the other divinities also joined in the
festivities and celebrated the marriage of the beautiful sea nymph.