section 17 of myths and legends this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Lucy Lofaro New South Wales Australia myths and legends of ancient Greece and Rome by E. M. Behrens section 17 third dynasty night and her children Hori through Asclepius Hori seasons closely allied to the graces were the Hori or seasons who were also represented as three beautiful maidens daughters of Zeus and Themis their names were Eunomia dice and Irene it may appear strange that these divinities presiding over the seasons should be but three in number but this is quite in accordance with the notions of the ancient Greeks who only recognized spring summer and autumn as seasons nature being supposed to be wrapped in death or slumber during that cheerless and unproductive portion of the year which we call winter in some parts of Greece there were but two Hori fellow goddess of the bloom and carpo of the corn and fruit bearing season the Hori are always regarded as friendly towards mankind and totally devoid of guile or subtlety they are represented as joyous but gentle maidens crowned with flowers and holding each other by the hand in a round dance when they are depicted separately as personifications of the different seasons the horror representing spring appears laden with flowers that of summer bears the sheaf of corn whilst the personification of autumn has her hands filled with clusters of grapes and other fruits they also appear in company with the graces in the train of Aphrodite and are seen with Apollo and the muses they are inseparably connected with all that is good and beautiful in nature and as the regular alternation of the seasons like all her other operations demands the most perfect order and regularity the Hori being the daughters of Themis came to be regarded as the representatives of order and the just administration of human affairs in civilized communities each of these graceful maidens took upon herself a separate function you know Mia presided more especially over state life dice guarded the interests of individuals whilst Irene the gayest and brightest of the three sisters was the light-hearted companion of Dionysus the Hori were also the diet is of the fast fleeting hours and thus presided over the smaller as well as the larger divisions of time in this capacity they assist every morning in yoking the celestial horses to the glorious chariot of the Sun which they again helped to unyoke when he sinks to rest in their original conception they were personifications of the clouds and are described as opening and closing the gates of heaven and causing fruits and flowers to spring forth when they pour down upon them they're refreshing and life-giving streams the nymphs the graceful beings called the nymphs where the presiding diaries of the woods grottoes streams meadows etc these divinities were supposed to be beautiful maidens of fairy-like form and robed in more or less shadowy garments they were held in the greatest veneration they being minor divinities they had no temples dedicated to them but were worshipped in caves or grottoes with libations of milk honey oil etc they may be divided into three distinct classes viz water mountain and tree or wood nymphs water nymphs oceanidies nerides and neyades the worship of water deities is common to most primitive nations the streams springs and fountains of a country bear the same relation to it which the blood coursing through the numberless arteries of a human being bears to the body both represent the living moving life awakening element without which existence would be impossible hence we find among most nations a deep feeling of attachment to the streams and waters of their native land the remembrance of which when absent in foreign climes is always treasured with peculiar fondness thus among the early Greeks each tribe came to regard the rivers and springs of its individual state as beneficent powers which brought blessing and prosperity to the country it is probable also that the charm whichever accompanies the sound of running water exercised its power over their imagination they heard with delight the gentle whisper of the fountain lulling the senses with its low rippling tones the soft purling of the brook as it rushes over the pebbles or the mighty voice of the waterfall as it dashes on its head long course and the beings which they pictured to themselves as presiding over all these charming sights and sounds of nature corresponded in their graceful appearance with the scenes with which they were associated oceanides the oceanides or ocean nymphs were the daughters of oceanis and tethys and like most sea divinities were endowed with the gift of prophecy they are personifications of those delicate vapor like exhalations which in warm climates are emitted from the surface of the sea more especially at sunset and are impelled forwards by the evening breeze they are accordingly represented as misty shadowy beings with graceful swaying forms and robed in pale blue gauze like fabrics the nerides the nerides were the daughters of Nereus and Doris and were nymphs of the Mediterranean Sea they are similar in appearance to the ocean it is but their beauty is of a less shadowy order and is more like that of mortals they wear a flowing pale green robe their liquid eyes resemble in their clear depths the lucid waters of the sea they inhabit their hair floats carelessly over their shoulders and assumes the greenish tint of the water itself which far from deteriorating from their beauty greatly adds to its effect the nerides either accompany the chariot of the mighty ruler of the sea or follow in his train they are told by the poets that the lonely Mariner watches the nerides with silent awe and wondering delight as they rise from their grotto palaces in the deep and dance in joyful groups over the sleeping waves some with arms entwined follow with their movements the melodies which seem to hover over the sea whilst others scatter liquid gems around these being emblematic all of the phosphorescent light so frequently observed at night by the traveler in southern waters the best known of the nerides were Thetis the wife of Pellius and Fratiti the spouse of Poseidon and Galataea the beloved of Assas the nerides the nerides were the nymphs of freshwater springs lakes brooks rivers etc as the trees plants and flowers owed their nourishment to their genial fostering care these divinities were regarded by the Greeks as special benefactors to mankind like all the nymphs they possessed the gift of prophecy for which reason many of the springs and fountains over which they presided were believed to inspire mortals who drank of their waters with the power of foretelling future events the nerides are intimately connected in idea with those flowers which are called after them Nymphae or water lilies whose broad green leaves and yellow cups float upon the surface of the water as though proudly conscious of their own grace and beauty we often hear of the nerides forming alliances with mortals and also of their being wood by the sylvan deities of the woods and dales dryads or tree nymphs the tree nymphs part took of the distinguishing characteristics of the particular tree to whose life they were wedded and were known collectively by the name of the dryads the hamer dryads or oak nymphs represent in their peculiar individuality the quiet self-reliant power which appears to belong essentially to the grand and lordly king of the forest the birch nymph is a melancholy maiden with floating hair resembling the branches of the pale and fragile looking tree which she inhabits the beach nymph is strong and sturdy full of life and joyousness and appears to give promise of faithful love and undisturbed repose whilst her rosy cheeks deep brown eyes and graceful form bespeak health vigor and vitality the nymph of the linden tree is represented as a little coy maiden whose short silver gray dress reaches a little below the knee and displays to advantage her delicately formed limbs the sweet face which is partly averted reveals a pair of large blue eyes which appear to look at you with wondering surprise and shy mistrust her pale golden hair is bound by the faintest streak of rose-coloured ribbon the tree nymph being wedded to the life of the tree she inhabited ceased to exist when it was either felled or so injured as to wither away and die nymphs of the valleys and mountains napee and oreades the napee were the kind and gentle nymphs of the valleys and glens who appear in the train of Artemis they are represented as lovely maidens with short tunics which reaching only to the knee do not impede their swift and graceful movements in the exercise of the chase their pale brown tresses are fastened in a knot at the back of the head whence a few stray curls escape over their shoulders the napee are shy as the fawns and quiet as frolicsome the oreades or mountain nymphs who are the principal and constant companions of Artemis are tall graceful maidens are tired as huntresses they are ardent followers of the chase and spared neither the gentle deer nor the timid hare nor indeed any animal they meet within their rapid course wherever their wild hunt goes the shy napee are represented as hiding behind the leaves whilst their favourites the fawns kneel tremblingly beside them looking up beseechingly for protection from the wild hunt tresses and even the bold satyrs dart away at their approach and seek safety in flight there is a myth connected with one of these mountain nymphs the unfortunate echo she became in a moor of a beautiful youth named Narcissus son of the river god Cephasus who however failed to return her love which so grieved her that she gradually pined away becoming a mere shadow of her former self till at length nothing remained of her except her voice which henceforth gave back with unerring fidelity every sound that was uttered in the hills and dales Narcissus himself also met with an unhappy fate for Aphrodite punished him by causing him to fall in love with his own image which he beheld in a neighbouring fountain whereupon consumed with unrequited love he wasted away and was changed into a flower which bears his name the limonades or meadow nymphs resemble the needies and are usually represented dancing hand-in-hand in a circle the hiades who in appearance are somewhat similar to the ocean it is a cloudy divinities and from the fact of their being invariably accompanied by rain are represented as incessantly weeping the melliades were the nymphs who presided over fruit trees before concluding this subject attention should be drawn to the fact that in more modern times this beautiful idea of animating all nature in detail reappears under the various local traditions extent in different countries thus to the ocean it is and Nereides live again in the mermaids whose existence is still believed in by mariners whilst the flower and the meadow nymphs assume the shape of those tiny elves and fairies who were formerly believed to hold their midnight revels in every wood and on every common indeed even at the present day the Irish peasantry especially in the West firmly believe in the existence of the fairies or good people as they are called the winds according to the oldest accounts Eolus was a king of the Eolian islands to whom Zeus gave the command of the winds which he kept shut up in a deep cave and which he freed at his pleasure or at the command of the gods in later times the above belief underwent a change and the winds came to be regarded as distinct divinities whose aspect accorded with the respective winds with which they were identified they were depicted as wind youths in full vigor in the act of flying through the air the principal winds were Boreus the Northwind Eurus the Eastwind Zephyrus the Westwind and notice the Southwind who were said to be the children of Eos and Astreus there are no myths of interests connected with these divinities Zephyrus was united to Chloris Flora the goddess of flowers of Boreus it is related that while flying over the river Elysis he beheld on the banks Eurythia the charming daughter of Eurekthus king of Athens whom he carried off to his native Thrace and there made her his bride Boreus and Eurythia were the parents of Zetis and Calais afterwards famous in the expedition of the Argonauts there was an altar erected at Athens in honor of Boreus in commemoration of his having destroyed the Persian fleet sent to attack the Greeks on the Acropolis at Athens there was a celebrated octagonal temple built by Pericles which was dedicated to the winds and on its sides were their various representations the ruins of this temple are still to be seen pan forness pan was the god of fertility and the special patron of shepherds and huntsmen he presided over all rural occupations was chief of the satyrs and head of all rural divinities according to the common belief he was the son of Hermes and a wood nymph and came into the world with horns sprouting from his forehead a goat's beard and a crooked nose pointed ears and the tail and feet of a goat and presented altogether so repulsive an appearance that at the side of him his mother fled in dismay Hermes however took up his curious little offspring wrapped him in a hair skin and carried him in his arms to Olympus the grotesque form and merry antics of the little stranger made him a great favorite with all the immortals especially Dionysus and they bestowed upon him the name of Pan all because he had delighted them all his favorite haunts were grottoes and his delight was to wander in uncontrolled freedom over rocks and mountains following his various pursuits ever cheerful and usually very noisy he was a great lover of music singing dancing and all pursuits which enhanced the pleasures of life and hence in spite of his repulsive appearance we see him surrounded with nymphs of the forests and dales who loved to dance around him to the cheerful music of his pipe the syrinx the myth concerning the origin of pans pipe is as follows Pan became an amour of a beautiful nymph called syrinx who appalled at his terrible appearance fled from the pertenacious attentions of her unwelcome suitor he pursued her to the banks of the river ladon when seeing his near approach and feeling escape impossible she called on the gods for assistance who in answer to her prayer transformed her into a reed just as Pan was about to seize her whilst the lovesick Pan was sighing and lamenting his unfortunate fate the winds gently swayed the reeds and produced a murmuring sound as of one complaining charmed with the soothing tones he endeavoured to reproduce them himself and after cutting seven of the reeds of unequal length he joined them together and succeeded in producing the pipe which he called the syrinx in memory of his lost love Pan was regarded by shepherds as their most valiant protector who defended their flocks from the attacks of wolves the shepherds of these early times have no penfolds we're in the habit of gathering together their flocks in mountain caves to protect them against the inclementcy of the weather and also to secure them at night against the attacks of wild animals these caves therefore which were very numerous in the mountain districts of Arcadia Boatia etc were all consecrated to Pan as it is customary in all tropical climates to repose during the heat of the day Pan is represented as greatly enjoying his afternoon sleep in the cool shelter of a tree or cave and also as being highly displeased at any sound which disturbed his slumbers for which reason the shepherds were always particularly careful to keep unbroken silence during these hours whilst they themselves indulged in a quiet siesta Pan was usually beloved by Huntsman being himself a great lover of the woods which afforded to his cheerful and active disposition for scope and in which he loved to range at will he was regarded as the patron of the chase and the rural sportsmen returning from an unsuccessful day sport beat in token of their displeasure the wooden image of Pan which always occupied a prominent place in their dwellings all sudden and unaccountable sounds which startled travelers in lonely spots were attributed to Pan who possessed a frightful and most discordant voice hence the term panic terror to indicate sudden fear the Athenians ascribed their victory at Marathon to the alarm which he created among the Persians by his terrible voice Pan was gifted with the power of prophecy which he is said to have imparted to Apollo and he possessed a well-known and very ancient Oracle in Arcadia in which state he was more especially worshipped the artists of later times have somewhat toned down the original very unattractive conception of Pan as above described and merely represent him as a young man hardened by the exposure to all weathers which a rural life involves and bearing in his hand the shepherd's crook and syrinx these being his usual attributes whilst small horns project from his forehead he is either undraped or wears merely a light cloak called the clammy's the usual offerings to Pan were milk and honey in shepherd's bowls cows lambs and rams were also sacrificed to him after the introduction of Pan into the worship of Dionysus we hear of a number of little pans Penisci who are sometimes confounded with the satyrs forness the Romans had an old Italian divinity called forness who as the god of shepherds was identified with the Greek Pan and represented in a similar manner forness is frequently called innuas or the fertilizer and lepercus or the one who wards off wolves like Pan he possessed the gift of prophecy and was the presiding spirit of the woods and fields he also shared with his Greek prototype the faculty of alarming travelers in solitary places bad dreams and evil apparitions were attributed to forness and he was believed to enter houses stealthily at night for this purpose forna was the wife of forness and participated in his functions the satyrs the satyrs were a race of woodland spirits who evidently personified the free wild and untrammeled life of the forest their appearance was both grotesque and repulsive they had flat broad noses pointed ears and little horns sprouting from their foreheads a rough shaggy skin and small goat's tails they led a life of pleasure and self-indulgence followed the chase reveled in every description of wild music and dancing were terrible wine and addicted to the deep slumbers which follow heavy potations they were no less dreaded by mortals than by the gentle woodland nymphs who always avoided their coarse rough sports the satyrs were conspicuous figures in the train of Dionysus and as we have seen selenus their chief was tutored to the wine god the older satyrs were called silence and are represented in antique sculpture as more nearly approaching the human form in addition to the ordinary satyrs artists delighted in depicting little satyrs young imps frolicking about the woods in a marvellous variety of droll attitudes these little fellows greatly resemble their friends and companions the paneshi in rural districts it was customary for the shepherds and peasants who attended the festivals of Dionysus to dress themselves in the skins of goats and other animals and under this disguise they permitted themselves all kinds of playful tricks and excesses to which circumstance the conception of the satyrs is by some authorities attributed in Rome the old Italian wood divinities the fawns who had goats feet and or other characteristics of the satyrs greatly exaggerated were identified with them priapis priapis the son of Dionysus and Aphrodite was regarded as the god of fruitfulness the protector of flocks sheep goats bees the fruit of the vine and all garden produce his statues which were set up in gardens and vineyards acted not only as objects of worship but also as scarecrows the appearance of this god being especially repulsive and unsightly these statues were formed of wood or stone and from the hips downwards were merely rude columns they represent him as having a red and very ugly face he bears in his hand a pruning knife and his head is crowned with a wreath of vine and laurel he usually carries fruit in his garments or a cornucopia in his hand always however retaining his singularly revolting aspect it is said that Hera wishing to punish Aphrodite sent her this misshapen and unsightly son and that when he was born his mother was so horrified at the sight of him that she ordered him to be exposed on the mountains where he was found by some shepherds who taking pity on him saved his life this divinity was chiefly worshipped at Lamp Sacus his birthplace asses were sacrificed to him and he received the first fruits of the fields and gardens with a libation of milk and honey the worship of Priapus was introduced into Rome at the same time as that of Aphrodite and was identified with a native Italian divinity named Metunus Asclepius Asculapius Asclepius the son of the healing art was the son of Apollo and the nymph Coronus he was educated by the noble centaur Chiron who instructed him in all knowledge but more especially in that of the properties of herbs Asclepius searched out the hidden powers of plants and discovered cures for the various diseases which afflict the human body he brought his art to such perfection that he not only succeeded in warding off death but also restored the dead to life it was popularly believed that he was materially assisted in his wonderful cures by the blood of the Medusa given to him by Pallas Athene it is well to observe that the shrines of this divinity which were usually built in healthy places on hills outside the town or near wells which were believed to have healing powers offered at the same time means of cure for the sick and suffering thus combining religious with sanitary influences it was the custom for the sufferer to sleep in the temple when if he had been earnest in his devotions Asclepius appeared to him in a dream and revealed the means to be employed for the cure of his melody on the walls of these temples were hung tablets inscribed by the different pilgrims with the particulars of their melodies the remedies practiced and the cures worked by the god a custom undoubtedly productive of most beneficial results groves temples and altars were dedicated to Asclepius in many parts of Greece but Epidaurus the chief seat of his worship where indeed it is said to have originated contained his principal temple which served at the same time as a hospital the statue of Asclepius in the temple at Epidaurus was formed of ivory and gold and represented him as an old man with a full beard leaning on a staff round which a serpent is climbing the serpent was the distinguishing symbol of this divinity partly because these reptiles were greatly used by the ancients in the cure of diseases and partly also because all the prudence and wisdom of the serpent were deemed indispensable to the judicious physician his usual attributes are a staff a bowl a bunch of herbs a pineapple a dog and a serpent his children inherited for the most part the distinguished talents of their father two of his sons Machaeon and Prudelyris accompanied Agamemnon to the Trojan war in which expedition they became renowned not only as military heroes but also as skillful physicians their sisters Hygia health and Penacea or healing had temples dedicated to them and received divine honors the function of Hygia was to maintain the health of the community which great blessing was supposed to be brought by her as a direct and beneficial gift from the gods Asculapius the worship of Asculapius was introduced into Rome from Epidaurus whence the statue of the god of healing was brought at the time of a great pestilence grateful for their deliverance from this plague the Romans erected a temple in his honor on an island near the mouth of the Tiber end of section 17 section 18 of myths and legends this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org myths and legends of ancient Greece and Rome by E. M. Barons Roman Divinities Janus from the earliest ages Janus was regarded by the Romans with the utmost affection and veneration as a divinity who ranked only second to Jupiter himself and through whom all prayers and petitions were transmitted to the other gods he was believed to preside over the beginnings of all things hence it was he who inaugurated the years months and seasons and in course of time came to be considered as specially protecting the beginnings of all human enterprises the great importance which the Romans attached to an auspicious commencement as contributing to the ultimate success of an enterprise accounts for the high estimation in which Janus was held as the god of beginnings this divinity would appear to have been the ancient sun god of the Italian tribes in which capacity he opens and closes the gates of heaven every morning and evening hence he was regarded as the doorkeeper of heaven and also as the presiding deity over all gates entrances etc on earth the fact of his being the god of city gates which were called Jani after him is ascribed however to the following myth after the abduction of their women by the Romans the Sabines in revenge invaded the roman state and were already about to enter the gates of the city when suddenly a hot sulfur spring which was believed to have been sent by Janus for their special preservation gushed forth from the earth and arrested the progress of the enemy c footnote 179 in his character as guardian of gates and doors he was also regarded as a protecting deity of the home for which reason little shrines were erected to him over the doors of houses which contained an image of the god having two faces Janus possessed no temples in the ordinary acceptation of the world but all the gates of cities were dedicated to him close to the forum of Rome stood the so-called temple of Janus which however was merely an arched passage closed by massive gates this temple was only open in time of war as it was supposed that the god had then taken his departure with the roman army over whose welfare he personally presided it is worthy of notice as an evidence of the many wars in which the romans were engaged that the gates of this sanctuary were only closed three times during seven hundred years as the god who ushers in the new year the first month was called after him and on the first of january his most important festival was celebrated on which occasion all entrances of public and private buildings were decorated with laurel branches and garlands of flowers his sacrifices consisting of cakes wine and barley were offered to him at the beginning of every month and before sacrificing to the other gods his name was always invoked and a libation poured out to him janus is usually represented with two faces in his special function as doorkeeper of heaven he stands erect bearing a key in one hand and a rod or scepter in the other it is supposed that janus was the most ancient king of italy who during his life governed his subjects with such wisdom and moderation that in gratitude for the benefits conferred upon them his people deified him after death and placed him in the foremost rank among their divinities we have already seen in the history of chronus that saturn who was identified with the greek chronus god of time was the friend and colleague of janus anxious to prove his gratitude to his benefactor chronus endowed him with the knowledge of past and future events see footnote 180 which enabled him to adopt the wisest measures for the welfare of his subjects and it is on this account that janus is represented with two faces looking in opposite directions the one to the past the other to the future flora flora was the goddess of flowers and was regarded as a beneficent power who watched over and protected the early blossoms she was held in the highest estimation by the romans and a festival called the flora lia was celebrated in her honor from the 28th of april to the first of may this festival was a season of universal merriment in which flowers were used profusely in adorning houses streets etc and were worn by young girls in their hair flora who typify the season of spring is generally represented as a lovely maiden garlanded with flowers robigus in opposition to flora we find an antagonistic divinity called robigus a worker of evil who delighted in the destruction of the tender herbs by mildew and whose wrath could only be averted by prayers and sacrifices when he was invoked under the title of avarunkis or the avertor the festival of robigus the robigalia was celebrated on the 25th of april pamona pamona was the goddess of orchards and fruit trees who according to ovid cares not for woods or streams but loves her gardens and the boughs that bear the thriving fruit pamona who typifies autumn is represented as a lovely maiden laden with branches of fruit trees see footnote 181 vertumnus vertumnus was the god of garden and field produce he personifies the change of seasons and that process of transformation in nature by means of which the leaf buds become developed into blossoms and the blossoms into fruit the change of seasons is symbolized in a myth which represents vertumnus as metamorphosing himself into a variety of different forms in order to gain the affection of pamona who so loved her vocation that she endured all thoughts of marriage he first appears to her as a plowman typifying spring then as a reaper to represent summer afterwards as a vine gatherer to indicate autumn and finally as a gray-haired old woman symbolical of the snows of winter but it was not until he assumed his true form that of a beautiful youth that he succeeded in his suit vertumnus is generally represented crowned with wheat sheaves and bearing in his hand a cornucopia pales pales a very ancient italian divinity is represented sometimes as a male sometimes as a female power as a male divinity he is more particularly the god of shepherds and flocks as a female deity pales presides over husbandry and the fruitfulness of herds her festivals the palilia were celebrated on the 21st of april the day on which the city of rome was founded during this festival it is customary for shepherds to ignite a massive straw through which they rushed with their flocks believing that this ordeal would purify them from sin the name palatine which originally signified a pastoral colony is derived from this divinity her offerings were cakes and milk seafoot note 182 pikus pikus the son of saturn and father of faunus was a woodland divinity gifted with prophetic powers an ancient myth relates that pikus was a beautiful youth united to a nymph called canons the source was sirsi infatuated by his beauty endeavor to secure his love but he rejected her advances and she and revends changed him to a woodpecker under which form he still retained his powers of prophecy pikus is represented as a youth with a woodpecker perched upon his head which bird became henceforth regarded as possessed of the power of prophecy pikumnis and pylunus pikumnis and pylunus were two household divinities of the romans who were the special presiding deities of newborn infants silvanus silvanus was a woodland divinity who like faunus greatly resembled the greek pan he was the presiding deity of plantations and forests and specially protected the boundaries of fields silvanus is represented as a hail old man carrying a cypress tree for according to roman mythology the transformation of the youth syparisus into the tree which bears his name was attributed to him his sacrifices consisted of milk meat wine grapes wheat ears and pigs terminus terminus was the god who presided over all boundaries and landmarks he was originally represented by a simple block of stone which in later times became surmounted by a head of this divinity see footnote 183 pneumo pompilius the great benefactor of his people anxious to inculcate respect for the rites of property specially enjoined the erection of these blocks of stone as a durable monument to mark the line dividing one property from another he also caused altars to be raised determinus and instituted his festival the terminalia which was celebrated on the 23rd of February upon one occasion when tarquin wished to remove the altars of several deities in order to build a new temple it is said that terminus and juventus alone objected to being displaced this obstinate refusal on their part was interpreted as a good omen signifying that the city of rome would never lose her boundaries and would remain ever young and vigorous consis consis was the god of secret council the romans believed that when an idea developed itself spontaneously within the mind of an individual it was consis who had prompted the suggestion this applied however more particularly to plans which resulted satisfactorily an altar was erected to this divinity on the circus maximus which was kept always covered except during his festival the consualia which was celebrated on the 18th of august libitina libitina was the goddess who presided over funerals this divinity was identified with venus possibly because the ancients considered that the power of love extended even to the realms of death her temple in rome which was erected by servius tullius contained all the requisites for funerals and these could either be bought or hired there a register of all deaths which occurred in the city of rome was kept in this temple and in order to ascertain the rate of mortality a piece of money was paid by command of servius tullius on the demise of each person see footnote 184 laverna laverna was the presiding goddess of thieves and of all artifice and fraud there was an altar erected to her near the port of lavernalis which was called after her and she possessed a sacred grove on the via salavia comas comas was the presiding genius of banquets festive scenes revelry and all joyous pleasures and reckless gait he is represented as a young man crowned with flowers his face heated and flushed with wine leaning against the post in a half sleepy and drunken attitude with a torch falling from his hand the came in a the came in a were prophetic nymphs held in high veneration by the ancient italians they were foreign number the best known of whom are carmenta and egeria carmenta was celebrated as being the mother of evander who led an arcadian colony into italy and founded a town on the river tiber which became afterwards incorporated with the city of rome evander said to have been the first who introduced greek art and civilization into italy and also the worship of greek divinities a temple was erected to carmenta on the capital lion hill and a festival called the carmentalia was celebrated in her honor on the 11th of january egeria is said to have initiated dumma pompilius in the forms of religious worship which he introduced among his people she was regarded as the giver of life and was therefore invoked by women before the birth of their children c footnote 185 the came in a are frequently identified by roman writers with the muses a comforting and assuring belief existed among the romans that each individual was accompanied through life from the hour of his birth to that of his death by protecting spirit called his genius who prompted him to good and noble deeds and acted towards him as a guardian angel comforting him in sorrow and guiding him throughout his earthly career in the course of time a second genius was believed to exist of an evil nature who as the instigator of all wrongdoing was ever at war with the beneficent genius and on the issue of the conflict between these antagonistic influences depended the fate of the individual the geni were depicted as winged beings greatly resembling our modern representations of guardian angels every state town or city as well as every man possessed its special genius the sacrifices to the geni consisted of wine cakes and incense which were offered to them on birthdays the genius which guided a woman was called after the queen of heaven Juno among the greeks beings called daemons were regarded as exercising similar functions to those of the roman geni they were believed to be the spirits of the righteous race which existed in the golden age who watched over mankind carrying their prayers to the gods and the gifts of the gods to them mains lemurs larvae and laurice the mains were the spirits of the departed and were of two kinds vis-a-vis lemurs or larvae and laurice see footnote 186 the lemurs were those mains who haunted their former abodes on earth as evil spirits appearing at night under awful forms and hideous shapes greatly to the alarm of their friends and relatives they were so feared that a festival called the lemuralia was celebrated in order to propitiate them it appears extremely probable that the superstitions with regard to ghosts haunted houses etc which exist even at the present day owe their origin to this very ancient pagan source the laurice familiaris were a much more pleasing conception they were the spirits of the ancestors of each family who exercised after death a protecting power over the well-being and prosperity of the family to which they had in life belonged the place of honor beside the hearth was occupied by the statue of the laur of the house who was supposed to have been the founder of the family this statue was the object of profound veneration and was honored on all occasions by every member of the family a portion of each meal was laid before it and it was believed to take an active part in all family affairs and domestic events whether of a sad or joyful nature before starting on any expedition the master of the house saluted the statue of the laur and on his return a solemn thanksgiving was offered to this the presiding deity of his hearth and home in grateful acknowledgement of his protection where upon the statue was crowned with garlands of flowers these being the favorite offerings of the laurice on all occasions of a special family rejoicing the first act of a bride on entering her new abode was to do homage to the laur in the belief that he would exercise over her a protecting influence and shield her from evil in addition to those above enumerated there were also public laurice who were guardians of the state high roads country and sea their temples were always open for any pious worshiper to enter and on their altars public sacrifices were offered for the welfare of the state or city c-footnote 187 penates the penates were deities selected by each family and frequently by its individual members as a special protector various causes led to this selection if for instance a child were born on the festival of vesta it was thought that that deity would hence forward act as its special guardian if a youth possessed great business talents he adopted mercury as his tutelary deity should he on the other hand develop a passion for music apollo was selected as his patron god and so forth these became regarded as the special divinities of the household small images of them adorn the surroundings of the hearth and honors similar to those paid to the laurice were accorded to them just as there were public laurice so there were public penates which were worshiped by the roman people under the form of two youthful warriors who in later times were regarded as identical with castor and pollux they are generally represented on horseback with conical caps on their heads and bearing long spears in their hands c-footnote 188 end of section 18 recorded by anthony wilson section 19 of myths and legends this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org myths and legends of ancient Greece and Rome by em barons public worship of the ancient Greeks and Romans temples in very remote times the Greeks had no shrines or sanctuaries devoted to public worship but perform their devotions beneath the vast and boundless canopy of heaven in the great temple of nature itself believing that their divinities thrown above the clouds pious worshipers naturally sought the highest available points in order to place themselves in the closest communion possible with their gods hence the summits of high mountains were selected for devotional purposes and the more exalted the rank and importance of the divinity invoked the more elevated was the site selected for his or her worship but the inconvenience attending this mode of worship gradually suggested the idea of erecting edifices which would afford means of shelter from the inclemancy of the weather these structures were in the first instance of the most simple form and without decoration but when with the progress of civilization the Greeks became a wealthy and powerful people see footnote 189 temples were built and adorned with the greatest splendor and magnificence talent labor and wealth being lavished unsparingly on their erection and decoration indeed so massively where they constructed that some of them have to a certain extent withstood the ravages of time the city of Athens especially contains numerous remains of these buildings of antiquity on the acropolis we may still behold among other monuments of ancient art the temple of Athenopolius and that of Theseus the latter of which is the most entire ancient edifice in the world in the island of Delos also are to be seen the ruins of the temples of Apollo and Artemis both of which are in a wonderful state of preservation these ruins are most valuable being sufficiently complete to enable us to study by their aid the plan and character of the original structure among the Lassodemonians however we find no vestiges of these stately temples for they were especially enjoined by a law of Lysergis to serve the gods with as little outlay as possible when the great law giver was asked the reason of this injunction he replied that the Lassodemonians being a poor nation might otherwise abstain altogether from the observance of their religious duties and wisely added that magnificent edifices and costly sacrifices were not so pleasing to the gods as the true piety and unfeigned devotion of their worshipers the most ancient temples known to us served a double purpose they were not only consecrated to the service of the gods but were at the same time venerable monuments in honor of the dead thus for instance the temple of palisthen in the tower of the city of Larissa served as the sepulcher of a chrisias and the acropolis at Athens received the ashes of sea crops founder of the city a temple was frequently dedicated to two or more gods and was always built after the manner considered most acceptable to the particular divinities to whom it was consecrated for just as trees birds and animals of every description were held to be sacred to certain deities see footnote 190 so almost every god had a form of building peculiar to himself which was deemed more acceptable to him than any other thus the Doric style of architecture was sacred to Zeus Aris and Heracles the ionic to Apollo Artemis and Dionysus and the Corinthian to Hestia in the porch of the temple stood a vessel of stone or brass containing holy water which had been consecrated by putting into it a burning torch taken from the altar with which all those admitted to take part in the sacrifices were besprinkled in the inmost recess of the sanctuary was the most holy place into which none but the priests were suffered to enter temples in the country were usually surrounded with groves of trees the solitude of these shady retreats naturally tended to inspire the worshipper with awe and reverence added to which the delightful shade and coolness afforded by tall leafy trees is peculiarly grateful in hot countries indeed so general did this custom of building temples and groves become that all places devoted to sacred purposes even where no trees existed were called groves that this practice must be a very remote antiquity is provided by the biblical injunction having for its object the separation of the Jews from all idolatrous practices thou shalt not plant the agrova trees near unto the altar of the lord thy god statues the Greeks worship their gods without any visible representations of them until the time of sea crops the most ancient of these representations consisted of square blocks of stone upon which the name of the deity intended to be represented was engraved the first attempts at sculpture were rude stocks with a head at one end and a shapeless trunk at the other tapering slightly down to the feet which however were not divided the limbs being in no way defined but the artists of later times devoted all their genius to the successful production of the highest ideals of their gods some of which are preserved to this day and are regarded as examples of purest art see footnote 191 on a pedestal in the center of the edifice stood the statue of the divinity to whom the temple was dedicated surrounded by images of other gods all of which were fenced off by rails altars the altar in a greek temple which stood in the center of the building and in front of the statue of the presiding deity was generally of a circular form and constructed of stone it was customary to engrave upon it the name or distinguishing symbol of the divinity to whom it was dedicated and it was held so sacred that if any mal factor fled to it his life was saved from his pursuers and it was considered one of the greatest acts of sacrilege to force him from this asylum the most ancient altars were adorned with horns which in former times were emblems of power and dignity as wealth and consequently importance consisted among most primitive nations in flocks and herds in addition to those erected in places of public worship altars were frequently raised in groves on highways or in the marketplaces of cities the gods of the lower world had no altars whatever ditches or trenches being dug for the reception of the blood of the sacrifices offered to them priests in ancient times the priests were recognized as a special social cast and were distinguished not only by their sacerdotal vestments but also by their piety wisdom and blameless life they were the chosen mediators between gods and men and offered prayers and sacrifices in the name of the people whom they also instructed as to what vows gifts and offerings would be most acceptable to the gods see footnote 192 every deity had a different order of priests consecrated to his worship and in every place a high priest was appointed whose duty it was to superintend the rest of his order and also to carry out the more sacred rites and religious observances priests and priestesses were permitted to marry but not a second time some however voluntarily adopted a life of celibacy sacrifices there is no doubt that a feeling of gratitude to the gods for their protecting care and the abundance with which they were believed to bless mankind has induced men of all nations and in all countries to feel a desire to sacrifice to their divinities some portion of the gifts so generously lavished upon them among the Greeks sacrifices were of various kinds they consisted of free will offerings propitiatory offerings etc free will offerings were grateful acknowledgments for benefits received and usually consisted of the first fruits of the field or the finest of the flocks and herds which were required to be without spot or blemish propitiatory offerings were brought with the object of appeasing the anger of the gods in addition to those above enumerated sacrifices were made either with a view of obtaining success in an enterprise about to be undertaken or in a fulfillment of a vow or at the command of an oracle every sacrifice was accompanied by salt and also by a libation which usually consisted of wine the cup being always filled to the brim indicating that the offering was made without stint when sacrificing to the infernal gods the cup containing the libation was filled with blood the animals offered to the olympian divinities were white whilst those to the gods of the lower world were black when a man offered a special sacrifice for himself or his family it partook of the nature of his occupation see footnote 193 thus a shepherd brought a sheep a vine grower his grapes and so forth but in the case of public sacrifices the supposed individuality of the deity was always consulted for instance to Demeter a sow was offered because that animal is apt to root up the seed corn to Dionysus a goat on account of its being destructive to vineyards etc the value of offerings depended greatly upon the position of the individual it being regarded as a contempt of the gods for a rich man to bring a sordid offering whilst from a poor man the smallest oblation was considered acceptable hecatooms consisted of a hundred animals and were offered by entire communities or by wealthy individuals who either deserved or had obtained some special favor from the gods when a sacrifice was to be offered a fire was kindled on the altar into which wine and frankincense were poured in order to increase the flame in very ancient times the victim was laid upon the altar and burned whole but after the time of Prometheus portions only of the shoulders thighs and trails etc were sacrificed the remainder becoming the perquisites of the priests the officiating priests wore a crown composed of the leaves of the tree sacred to the deity they invoked thus when sacrificing to Apollo the crowns were of laurel when to Heracles of Poplar this practice of wearing crowns was at a later period adopted by the general public at banquets and other festivities on occasions of special solemnity the horns of the victim were overlaid with gold and the altars decked with flowers and sacred herbs the mode of conducting the sacrifices was as follows all things being prepared a salt cake a sacrificial knife and the crowns were placed in a small basket and carried to the sanctuary by a young maiden where upon the victim was conducted into the temple frequently to the accompaniment of music if a small animal it was driven loose to the altar if a large one it was led by a long trailing rope in order to indicate that it was not an unwilling sacrifice see footnote 194 when all were assembled the priest after walking in solemn state around the altar be sprinkled it with a mixture of meal and holy water after which he also be sprinkled the assembled worshipers and exhorted them to join with him in prayer the service being ended the priest first tasted the libation and after causing the congregation to do the like poured the remainder between the horns of the victim after which frankincense was strewn upon the altar and a portion of the meal and water poured upon the animal which was then killed if by any chance the victim escaped the stroke or became in any way restless it was regarded as an evil omen if on the contrary it expired without a struggle it was considered auspicious at the sacrifices to the aerial divinities music was added whilst dances were performed around the altar and sacred hymns sung these hymns were generally composed in honor of the gods and contained an account of their famous actions their clemency and beneficence and the gifts conferred by them on mankind in conclusion the gods were invoked for a continuance of their favor and when the service was ended a feast was held oracles the desire to penetrate the dark veil of futurity and thereby to avert if possible threatened danger has animated mankind in all ages of the world prophetic knowledge was sought by the Greeks at the mouth of oracles whose predictions were interpreted to the people by priests specially appointed for the purpose the most famous of these institutions was the oracle of Apollo at Delphi which was held in general repute all over the world people flocked from far and near to consult this wonderful mouthpiece of the gods one month in the year being specially set apart for the purpose see footnote 195 the priestess who delivered the oracles was called the pithia after the serpent python which was killed by Apollo having first bathed in the waters of the castilian spring she was conducted into the temple by the priests and was seated on a sort of three-legged stool or table called a tripod which was placed over the mouth of a cave once issued sulfurous vapors here she gradually became affected in a remarkable manner and fell into an ecstatic condition in which she uttered wild and extraordinary phrases which were held to be the utterance of Apollo himself these the priests interpreted to the people but in most cases in so ambiguous a manner that the fulfillment of the prediction could not easily be disputed during the ceremony clouds of incense filled the temple and hid the priestess from the view of the uninitiated and at its conclusion she was reconducted in a fainting condition to her cell the following is a striking instance of the ambiguity of oracular predictions Croesus the rich king of Lydia before going to war with Cyrus king of Persia consulted an oracle as to the probable success of the expedition the reply he received was that if he crossed a certain river he would destroy a great empire interpreting the response as being favorable to his design Croesus crossed the river and encountered the Persian king by whom he was entirely defeated and his own empire being destroyed the prediction of the oracle was said to have been fulfilled soothsayers augurs in addition to the manifestation of the will of the gods by means of oracles the Greeks also believe that certain men called soothsayers were gifted with the power of foretelling future events from dreams from observing the flight of birds the entrails of sacrificed animals and even the direction of the flames and smoke from the altar etc see footnote 196 augurs the roman soothsayers were called augurs and played an important part in the history of the romans as no enterprise was ever undertaken without first consulting them with regard to its ultimate success festivals festivals were instituted as seasons of rest rejoicing and thanksgiving and also as anniversaries to commemorate events of national importance the most ancient festivals were those held after the in-gathering of the harvest or vintage and were celebrated with rejoicings and merry makings which lasted many days during which time the first fruits of the fields were offered to the gods accompanied by prayers and thanksgiving the festivals held in cities in honor of special divinities or in commemoration of particular events were conducted with an elaborate ceremonial gorgeous processions games chariot races etc were conspicuous features on these occasions and dramatic performances representing particular episodes in the lives of the gods and heroes frequently took place we subjoin a few of the most interesting of the greek and roman festivals end of section 19 recording by anthony wilson section 20 of myths and legends this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit librivox.org myths and legends of ancient greek and rom by em barons greek festivals elusinian mysteries one of the most ancient and important among the festivals observed by the greeks was that of the elusinian mysteries which was celebrated in honor of demeter and persephony the name was derived from elusis a town in attica where the mysteries were first introduced by the goddess herself they were divided into the greater and lesser mysteries and according to the general account were held every five years the greater which were celebrated in honor of demeter and lasted nine days were held in autumn the lesser dedicated to persephony who at these festivals was affectionately called kora or the maiden were held in spring it is supposed that the secrets taught to the initiated by the priests the expounders of the mysteries were moral meanings elucidated from the myths concerning demeter and persephony but the most important belief inculcated was the doctrine of the immortality of the soul that the lessons taught were of the highest moral character is universally admitted the souls of those who participated in them were filled with the sweetest hopes both as to this and the future world and it was a common saying among the athenians in the mysteries no one is sad the initiation into the solemn rites which was originally the exclusive privilege of the athenians was accompanied with awe-inspiring ceremonies and secrecy was so strictly enjoined that its violation was punished by death at the conclusion of the initiation great rejoicings took place chariot races wrestling matches etc were held and solemn sacrifices offered the initiation into the lesser mysteries served as a preparation for the greater thesmaphoria the thesmaphoria was another festival held in honor of demeter in her character as presiding over marriage and social institutions resulting from the spread of agriculture this festival was celebrated exclusively by women Dionysia a joyous spring festival was held in honor of Dionysias in the month of march and lasted several days this festival which was called the greater Dionysia was celebrated with a particular splendor at Athens when strangers flocked from all parts of the world to take part in the ceremonies the city was gaily decorated the houses were garlanded with ivy leaves crowds perambulated the streets everything more its holiday garb and wine was freely indulged in in the processions which took place during these festivities the statue of Dionysus was carried and men and women crowned with ivy and bearing the therces were dressed in every description of grotesque costume and played on drums pipes flutes symbols etc some representing solinas wrote on asses others wearing fawn skins appeared as pan or the sadders and the whole multitude saying pions to the honor of the wine god public shows games and sports took place and the entire city was full of revelry what lent additional interest to these festivals was the custom of introducing new comedies and tragedies to the public representations of which were given and prizes awarded to those which elicited the greatest admiration the lesser Dionysia were vintage festivals celebrated in rural districts in the month of november and were characterized by drinking feasting and joviality of all kinds in connection with some of the festivals in honor of Dionysus were certain mystic observances into which only women called menities or Bacchantes were initiated clad and fawn skins they assembled by night on the mountain sides some carrying blazing torches others therce and all animated with religious enthusiasm and frenzy they shouted clapped their hands danced wildly and worked themselves up to such a pitch of excitement and fury that in their mad frenzy they tore in pieces the animal brought as a sacrifice to nine Isis under the name of Bacchanalia these mystic rites were introduced into Rome where men also were allowed to participate in them but they were attended with such frightful excesses that the state authorities at length intervened and prohibited them Panathenaea the Panathenaea was a famous festival celebrated in Athens in honor of Athenian polius the guardian of the state there were two festivals of this name the lesser and the greater Panathenaea the former was held annually and the latter which lasted several days was celebrated every fourth year for the greater Panathenaea a garment embroidered with the gold called the peplus was specially woven by Athenian maidens on which was represented the victory gained by Athenia over the giants this garment was suspended to the mast of a ship which stood outside the city and during the festival which was characterized by a grand procession the ship with the peplus on its mass was impelled forward by means of invisible machinery and formed the most conspicuous feature of the pageant the whole population bearing olive branches in their hands took part in the procession and amidst music and rejoicings this imposing pageant when did its way to the temple of Athenia polius where the peplus was deposited on the statue of the goddess at this festival Homer's poems were declaimed loud and poets also introduced their own works to the public musical contests foot and horse races and wrestling matches were held and dances were performed by boys in armor men who had deserved well of their country were presented at the festival with a crown of gold and the name of the person so distinguished was announced publicly by a herald the victors in the races and athletic games received as a prize a vase of oil supposed to have been extracted from the fruit of the sacred olive tree of Athenia the Daphnaphoria the Daphnaphoria was celebrated at Thebes in honor of Apollo every ninth year the distinguishing feature of this festival was a procession to the temple of Apollo in which a young priest the Daphnaphoria of noble descent splendidly attired in wearing a crown of gold was preceded by a youth carrying an emblematical representation of the sun moon stars in days of the year and followed by beautiful maidens bearing laurel branches and singing hymns in honor of the gods end of section 20 section 21 of myths and legends this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Kirsten Ferrari myths and legends of ancient Greece and Rome by E. M. Barons section 21 Roman festivals Saturnalia the Saturnalia a national festival held in December in honor of Saturn was celebrated after the in-gathering of the harvest and lasted several days it was a time of universal rejoicing cessation from labor and merry making school children had holidays friends sent presents to each other the law courts were closed and no business was transacted crowds of people from the surrounding country flocked to Rome for this festival attired in every variety of masquerade dress practical jokes were given and received with the utmost good humor shouts of exultation filled the air all classes abandoned themselves to enjoyment and unrestrained hilarity reigned supreme social distinctions were for a time suspended or even reversed and so heartily was the spirit of this festival entered into that masters waited upon their slaves at banquets which they provided for them the slaves being dressed upon these occasions in the garments of their masters there appears little doubt that the modern carnival is a survival of the ancient Saturnalia this festival was celebrated in honor of Cirrus it was solemnized exclusively by women who dressed in white garments wandered about with tortures in their hands to represent the search of the goddess for her daughter proserpina during this festival games were celebrated in the circus maximus to which none were admitted unless clothed in white vestalia the vestalia was a festival held in honor of Vesta on the ninth of june and was celebrated exclusively by women who walked barefooted in procession to the temple of the goddess the priestesses of Vesta called vestales or vestal virgins played a conspicuous part in these festivals they were six in number and were chosen between the ages of six and ten from the noblest families in Rome their term of office was thirty years during the first ten years they were initiated in their religious duties during the second ten they performed them and during the third they instructed novices their chief was watch and feed the ever burning flame on the altar of Vesta the extinction of which was regarded as a national calamity of ominous import great honors and privileges were accorded to them the best seats were reserved for their use at all public spectacles and even the consuls and praetors made way for them to pass if they met a criminal on his way to execution they had the power to pardon him provided it could be proved that the meeting was accidental the vestales were vowed to chastity a violation of which was visited by the frightful punishment of being buried alive end of section twenty one section twenty two of myths and legends this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Graham Redman myths and legends of ancient Greece and Rome by E. M. Behrens legends Cadmus the following is the legendary account of the founding of Thebes after the abduction of his daughter Europa by Zeus Agena king of Phoenicia unable to reconcile himself to her loss dispatched his son Cadmus in search of her desiring him not to return without his sister for many years Cadmus pursued his search through various countries but without success not daring to return home without her he consulted the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi and the reply was that he must desist from his task and take upon himself a new duty i.e. that of founding a city the sight of which would be indicated to him by a heifer which had never borne the yoke and which would lie down on the spot where on the city was to be built scarcely had Cadmus left the sacred vein when he observed a heifer who bore no marks of servitude on her neck walking slowly in front of him he followed the animal for a considerable distance until at length on the site where Thebes afterwards stood she looked towards heaven and gently lowing lay down in the long grass grateful for this mark of divine favor Cadmus resolved to offer up the animal as a sacrifice and accordingly sent his followers to fetch water for the libation from a neighboring spring this spring which was sacred to Ares was situated in a wood and guarded by a fierce dragon who at the approach of the retainers of Cadmus suddenly pounced upon them and killed them after waiting some time for the return of his servants Cadmus grew impatient and hastily arming himself with his lance and spear set out to seek them on reaching the spot the mangled remains of his unfortunate followers met his view and near them he beheld the frightful monster dripping with the blood of his victims seizing a huge rock the hero hurled it with all his might upon the dragon but protected by his tough black skin and steely scales as by a coat of mail he remained unhurt Cadmus now tried his lance and with more success for it pierced the side of the beast who furious with pain sprang at his adversary when Cadmus leaping aside succeeded in fixing the point of his spear within his jaws which final stroke put an end to the encounter while Cadmus stood surveying his vanquished foe Palistheni appeared to him and commanded him to sew the teeth of the dead dragon in the ground he obeyed and out of the furrows there arose a band of armed men who at once commenced to fight with each other until all except five were killed these last surviving warriors made peace with each other and it was with their assistance that Cadmus now built the famous city of Thebes in later times the noblest Theban families proudly claimed their descent from these mighty earth-born warriors Ares was furious with rage when he discovered that Cadmus had slain his dragon and would have killed him had not Zeus interfered and induced him to mitigate his punishment to that of servitude for the term of eight years at the end of that time the god of war became reconciled to Cadmus and in token of his forgiveness bestowed upon him the hand of his daughter Harmonia in marriage their nuptials were almost as celebrated as those of Pilius and Thetis all the gods honored them with their presence and offered rich gifts and congratulations Cadmus himself presented his lovely bride with a splendid necklace fashioned by Hephaestus which however after the death of Harmonia always proved fatal to its possessor the children of Cadmus and Harmonia were one son Polydorus and four daughters Auto-Noe, Ino, Simile and Agave for many years the founder of Thebes reigned happily but at length a conspiracy was formed against him and he was deprived of his throne by his grandson Pentheus accompanied by his faithful wife Harmonia he retired into Illyria and after death they were both changed by Zeus into serpents and transferred to Elysium Perseus, Perseus one of the most renowned of the legendary heroes of antiquity was the son of Zeus and Danii daughter of Acrisius king of Argos an oracle having foretold to Acrisius that a son of Danii would be the cause of his death he imprisoned her in a tower of brass in order to keep her secluded from the world Zeus however descended through the roof of the tower in the form of a shower of gold and the lovely Danii became his bride for four years Acrisius remained in ignorance of this union but one evening as he chanced to pass by the brazen chamber he heard the cry of a young child proceeding from within which led to the discovery of his daughter's marriage with Zeus enraged at finding all his precautions unavailing Acrisius commanded the mother and child to be placed in a chest and thrown into the sea but it was not the will of Zeus that they should perish he directed Poseidon to calm the troubled waters and caused the chest to float safely to the island of Serifus Dictus brother of Polydectes king of the island was fishing on the seashore when he saw the chest stranded on the beach and pitying the helpless condition of its unhappy occupants he conducted them to the palace of the king where they were treated with the greatest kindness Polydectes eventually became united to Danii and bestowed upon Poseus an education befitting a hero when he saw his stepson develop into a noble and manly youth he endeavored to instill into his mind a desire to signalize himself by the achievement of some great and heroic deed and after mature deliberation it was decided that the slaying of the Gorgon Medusa would bring him the greatest renown for the successful accomplishment of his object it was necessary for him to be provided with a pair of winged sandals a magic wallet and the helmet of Aides which rendered the wearer invisible all of which were in the keeping of the nymphs the place of whose abode was known only to the griii Poseus started on his expedition and guided by Hermes and Palacithini arrived after a long journey in the far off region on the borders of Oceania's where dwelt the griii daughters of forces and Ceto he at once applied to them for the necessary information and on their refusing to grant it he deprived them of their single eye and tooth which he only restored to them when they gave him full directions with regard to his route he then proceeded to the abode of the nymphs from whom he obtained the objects indispensable for his purpose equipped with the magic helmet and wallet and armed with a sickle the gift of Hermes he attached to his feet the winged sandals and flew to the abode of the gorgons whom he found fast asleep now as Poseus had been warned by his celestial guides that whoever looked upon these weird sisters would be transformed into stone he stood with averted face before the sleepers and caught on his bright metal shield their triple image then guided by Palacithini he cut off the head of the Medusa which he placed in his wallet no sooner had he done so than from the headless trunk there sprang forth the winged steed Pegasus and Chryséor the father of the winged giant Geryon he now hastened to elude the pursuit of the two surviving sisters who aroused from their slumbers eagerly rushed to avenge the death of their sister his invisible helmet and winged sandals here stood him in good stead for the former concealed him from the view of the gorgons whilst the latter bore him swiftly overland and sea far beyond the reach of pursuit in passing over the burning plains of Libya the drops of blood from the head of the Medusa oozed through the wallet and falling on the hot sands below produced a brood of many coloured snakes which spread all over the country Pursus continued his flight until he reached the kingdom of Atlas of whom he begged rest and shelter but as this king possessed a valuable orchard in which every tree bore golden fruit he was fearful lest the slayer of the Medusa might destroy the dragon which guarded it and then rob him of his treasures he therefore refused to grant the hospitality which the hero demanded whereupon Pursus exasperated at the churlish repulse produced from his wallet the head of the Medusa and holding it towards the king transformed him into a stony mountain beard and hair erected themselves into forests shoulders hands and limbs became huge rocks and the head grew up into a craggy peak which reached into the clouds Pursus then resumed his travels his winged sandals bore him over deserts and mountains until he arrived at Ethiopia the kingdom of king Cepheus here he found the country inundated with disastrous floods towns and villages destroyed and everywhere signs of desolation and ruin on a projecting cliff close to the shore he beheld a lovely maiden chained to a rock this was Andromeda the king's daughter her mother Cassiopeia having boasted that her beauty surpassed that of the Nerides the angry sea nymphs appealed to Poseidon to avenge their wrongs whereupon the sea god devastated the country with a terrible inundation which brought with it a huge monster who devoured all that came in his way in their distress the unfortunate Ethiopians applied to the oracle of Jupiter Ammon in the Libyan desert and obtained the response that only by the sacrifice of the king's daughter to the monster could the country and people be saved Cepheus who was tenderly attached to his child at first refused to listen to this dreadful proposal but overcome at length by the prayers and solicitations of his unhappy subjects the heartbroken father gave up his child for the welfare of his country Andromeda was accordingly chained to a rock on the seashore to serve as a prey to the monster whilst her unhappy parents bewailed her sad fate on the beach below on being informed of the meaning of this tragic scene Perseus proposed to Cepheus to slay the dragon on condition that the lovely victim should become his bride overjoyed at the prospect of Andromeda's release the king gladly acceded to the stipulation and Perseus hastened to the rock to breathe words of hope and comfort to the trembling maiden then assuming once more the helmet of Aedes he mounted into the air and awaited the approach of the monster presently the sea opened and the shark's head of the gigantic beast of the deep raised itself above the waves lashing his tail furiously from side to side he leapt forward to seize his victim but the gallant hero watching his opportunity suddenly darted down and producing the head of the Medusa from his wallet held it before the eyes of the dragon whose hideous body became gradually transformed into a huge black rock which remained forever a silent witness of the miraculous deliverance of Andromeda Perseus then led the maiden to her now happy parents who anxious to evince their gratitude to her deliverer ordered immediate preparations to be made for the nuptial feast but the young hero was not to bear away his lovely bride uncontested for in the midst of the banquet Phineus the king's brother to whom Andromeda had previously been betrothed returned to claim his bride followed by a band of armed warriors he forced his way into the hall and a desperate encounter took place between the rivals which might have terminated fatally for Perseus had he not suddenly bethought himself of the Medusa's head calling to his friends to avert their faces he drew it from his wallet and held it before Phineus and his formidable bodyguard whereupon they all stiffened into stone Perseus now took leave of the Ethiopian king and accompanied by his beautiful bride returned to Seraphus where a joyful meeting took place between Danae and her son he then sent a messenger to his grandfather informing him that he intended returning to Argos but a crissus fearing the fulfillment of the oracular prediction fled for protection to his friend Tutimias king of Larissa anxious to induce the aged monarch to return to Argos Perseus followed him thither but here a strange fatality occurred whilst taking part in some funereal games celebrated in honor of the king's father Perseus by an unfortunate throw of the discourse accidentally struck his grandfather and thereby was the innocent cause of his death after celebrating the funereal rites of a crissus with due solemnity Perseus returned to Argos but feeling loath to occupy the throne of one whose death he had caused he exchanged kingdoms with Megapenthes king of Tirins and in course of time founded the cities of Mycenae and Midia the head of the Medusa he presented to his divine patroness Pallas Athene who placed it in the center of her shield many great heroes were descended from Perseus and Andromeda foremost among whom was Heracles whose mother Alcmini was their granddaughter heroic honors were paid to Perseus not only throughout Argos but also at Athens and in the island of Seraphus end of section 22 recording by Graham Redman section 23 of myths and legends this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Sarah Williams myths and legends of ancient Greece and Rome by E. M. Barons chapter 23 legends Aeon and Daedalus and Icarus Aeon Aeon was the son of Creosa the beauteous daughter of Eric theus king of Athens and the sun god Phoebus Apollo to whom she was united without the knowledge of her father fearing the anger of Eric theus Creosa placed her newborn babe in a little wicker basket and hanging some golden charms around his neck invoked for him the protection of the gods and concealed him in a lonely cave Apollo pitting his deserted child sent Hermes to convey him to Delphi where he deposited his charge on the steps of the temple next morning the Delphic priestess discovered the infant and was so charmed by his engaging appearance that she adopted him as her own son the young child was carefully tended and reared by his kind foster mother and was brought up in the service of the temple where he was entrusted with some of the minor duties of the holy edifice and now to return to Creosa during a war with the Eubians in which the latter were signally defeated Zuthis son of Aeolus greatly distinguished himself on the side of the Athenians and as a reward for his valuable services the hand of Creosa the king's daughter was bestowed upon him in marriage their union however was not blessed with children and as this was a source of great grief to both of them they repaired to Delphi in order to consult the great oracle the response was that Zuthis should regard the first person who met him on leaving the sanctuary as his son now it happened that Ion the young guardian of the temple was the first to greet his view and when Zuthis beheld the beautiful youth he gladly welcomed him as his son declaring that the gods had sent him to be a blessing in comfort to his old age Creosa however who concluded that the youth was the offspring of a secret marriage on the part of her husband was filled with suspicion and jealousy when an old servant observing her grief begged her to be comforted assuring her that the cause of her distress should be speedily removed when upon the occasion of the public adoption of his son Zuthis gave a grand banquet the old servant of Creosa contrived to mix a strong poison in the wine of the unsuspecting Ion but the youth according to the pious custom of the ancients of offering a libation to the gods before partaking of any repast poured upon the ground a portion of the wine before putting it to his lips when suddenly as if by a miracle a dove flew into the banquet hall and sipped of the wine of the libation whereupon the poor little creature began to quiver in every limb and in a few moments expired Ion's suspicions at once fell upon the obsequious servant of Creosa who with such officious attention had filled his cup he violently seized the old man and accused him of his murderous intentions unprepared for this sudden attack he admitted his guilt but pointed to the wife of Zuthis as the instigator of the crime Ion was about to avenge himself upon Creosa when by means of the divine intervention of Apollo his foster mother the Delphic priestess appeared on the scene and explained the true relationship which existed between Creosa and Ion in order to set all doubts at rest she produced the charms which he had found around the neck of the infant and also the wicker basket in which he had been conveyed to Delphi mother and son now became reconciled to each other and Creosa revealed to Ion the secret of his divine origin the priestess of Delphi foretold that he would become the father of a great nation called after him the Ionians and also that Zuthis and Creosa would have a son called Doris who would be the progenitor of the Dorian people both of which predictions were in due time verified Dettolus and Icarus Dettolus a descendant of Eric Theus was an Athenian architect sculptor and mecanician he was the first to introduce the art of sculpture in its higher development for before his time statues were merely rude representations having the limbs altogether undefined but great as was his genius still greater was his vanity and he could broke no rival now his nephew and pupil Talus exhibited great talent having invented both the saw and the compass and Dettolus fearing lest he might overshadow his own fame secretly killed him by throwing him down from the citadel of Palacithene the murder being discovered Dettolus was summoned before the court of the Aeropagus and condemned to death but he made his escape to the island of Crete where he was received by King Minos in a manner worthy of his great reputation Dettolus constructed for the king the world-renowned labyrinth which was an immense building full of intricate passages intersecting each other in such a manner that even Dettolus himself is said upon one occasion to have nearly lost his way in it and it was in this building the king placed the Minotaur a monster with the head and shoulders of a bull and the body of a man in the course of time the great artist became weary of his long exile more especially as the king under the guise of friendship kept him almost a prisoner he therefore resolved to make his escape and for this purpose ingeniously contrived wings for himself and his young son Icarus who be diligently trained how to use them having awaited a favorable opportunity father and son commenced their flight and were well on their way when Icarus pleased with the novel sensation forgot altogether his father's oft-repeated injunction not to approach too near the son the consequence was that the wax by means of which his wings were attached melted and he fell into the sea and was drowned the body of the unfortunate Icarus was washed up by the tide and was buried by the bereaved father on an island which he called after his son Icaria after this sad event Dettolus winged his flight to the island of Sicily where he met with a kind welcome from King Kokalis for whom he constructed several important public works but no sooner did Minos receive the intelligence that his great architect had found an asylum with Kokalis then he sailed over to Sicily with a large army and sent messengers to the Sicilian king demanding the surrender of his guest Kokalis feigned compliance and invited Minos to his palace where he was treacherously put to death in a warm bath the body of their king was brought to egregent by the Cretans where it was buried with great pomp and over his tomb a temple to Aphrodite was erected Dettolus passed the remainder of his life tranquilly in the island of Sicily where he occupied himself in the construction of various beautiful works of art end of section 23 recording by Sarah Williams Germantown Maryland June 2008