Heathen mythology Part 16

Mars was the presider over gladiators, and was the G.o.d of all exercises, which have in them a manly or spirited character.

[Ill.u.s.tration] {99}

NEPTUNE,

--------"The G.o.d whose potent hand Shakes the tumultuous sea, and solid land: The Ocean Lord, o'er Helicon who reigns, O'er s.p.a.cious aegae's wide extended plains; To whom the G.o.ds, with equal skill concede, To guide the bark and tame the fiery steed,"

HORACE.

was the son of Saturn, and brother to Jupiter, Pluto, and Juno; being restored to life by the draught administered to Saturn, the portion of the kingdom allotted to him was that of the sea. This, however, did not seem equivalent to the empire of heaven and earth, which Jupiter had claimed; he therefore conspired with the other G.o.ds to dethrone his brother. The conspiracy was discovered, and Jupiter condemned Neptune to a.s.sist in building the walls of Troy, and to be subservient to his sceptre for a year. When the work was completed, Laomedon refused to reward the labours of the G.o.d, and in retribution, his territories were soon afterwards laid waste by the G.o.d of the sea, and his subjects visited with a pestilence sent by Apollo.

Besides the dispute this deity had with Minerva, related in her history, he claimed the isthmus of Corinth from Apollo; and Briareus, the Cyclops, who was mutually chosen umpire, gave the isthmus to Neptune, and the promontory to Apollo.

Neptune, as G.o.d of the sea, was ent.i.tled to more power than any of the other deities, except Jupiter. Not only the oceans, rivers, and fountains, were subjected to him, but he could also cause earthquakes at pleasure, and raise islands from the sea by a blow of his trident.

----------------"King of the stormy sea!

Brother of Jove, and co-inheritor Of elements Eternally before Thee, the waves awful bow. Fast, stubborn rock; At thy feared trident, shrinking, doth unlock Its deep foundations, hissing into foam.

All mountain-rivers, lost, in the wide home Of thy capacious bosom, ever flow.

Thou frownest, and old aeolus, thy foe, Skulks to his cavern, mid the gruff complaint Of all his rebel tempests. Dark clouds faint When, from thy diadem, a silver gleam Slants over blue dominion. Thy bright team Gulfs in the morning light, and scuds along To bring thee nearer to that golden song {100} Apollo singeth, while his chariot Waits at the door of heaven. Thou art not For scenes like this; an empire stern hast thou; And it hath furrowed that large front: yet now, As newly come of heaven, dost thou sit, To blend and inter-knit Subdued majesty with this glad time.

O sh.e.l.l born king sublime!

We lay our hearts before thee evermore-- We sing and we adore!"

KEATS.

He obtained Amphitrite, daughter of Ocean, in marriage, through the skill of a dolphin, although she had made to herself a vow of perpetual celibacy; and had by him, Triton, one of the sea deities. To the story of Neptune, may be attached the beautiful fable of Arion, the ill.u.s.trious rival of Amphion and Orpheus.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

This famous lyric poet and musician, having gone into Italy, with Periander, tyrant of Corinth, he obtained immense treasures through his profession. On his return to his native country with his riches, the sailors of the vessel in which he had embarked, resolved to murder him, that they might obtain possession of his wealth; when the poet discovered their intention, he endeavoured to outwit them. {101}

"Allow me," said Arion, with all the earnestness of an enthusiast. "Ere I leave this world, oh! allow me to touch once more, and for the last time, the strings of the lyre which has so often cheered me: let the last moments of my life, be soothed by its gentle influence."

The boon was granted, and the divine strains of the master, issued in solemn beauty over the deep. At the sound, the traitors were struck silent, and hesitated in their course, but they had gone too far: it was too late to recede, and the poet was thrown into the deep. When lo! the dolphins, attracted by the sweet tones which they had heard, gathered round him; and Arion, mounted on the back of one, and accompanied by the remainder arrived safely at the end of his voyage. It is added, as an instance of the ingrat.i.tude of mortals, that the dolphin, having proceeded too far upon the sand, was unable to get back to the water, and the ungrateful Arion allowed his liberator to perish.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The wors.h.i.+p of Neptune was established in almost every part of the earth, and the Libyans in particular, venerated him above all other G.o.ds.

------"Great Neptune! I would be Advanced to the freedom of the main, And stand before your vast creation's plain, And roam your watery kingdom thro' and thro'

{102} And see your branching woods and palace blue, Spar-built and domed with crystal: aye and view The bedded wonders of the lonely deep; And see on coral banks, the sea-maids sleep, Children of ancient Nereus, and behold Their streaming dance about their father old, Beneath the blue Egean; where he sate, Wedded to prophecy, and full of fate!

Or rather, as Arion harped, indeed, Would I go floating on my billow-steed, Over the billows, and triumphing there, Call the white syren from her cave to share My joy, and kiss her willing forehead fair."

KEATS.

To him was consecrated the horse, and in his honour were celebrated the Isthmian games. His throne was a chariot drawn by four fiery steeds; his stature is grand, and his appearance imposing; he wears the look of an old man, his long beard and hair, wet with the vapour of the water.

In his hand he holds the trident, which bids the waves of ocean to rise, and causes the thunder of its tempests. With this trident also, he shakes the world, and bids the earth to tremble.

During the _Consualia_ of the Romans, horses were led through the streets, finely equipped, and crowned with garlands, as the G.o.d in whose honour the festivals were inst.i.tuted, had produced the horse, an animal so beneficial for the use of mankind.

As monarch of the sea, he is supposed to have had possession of the deep, and all the treasures which the stormy winds sent to his domain.

"What hid'st thou in thy treasure-caves and cells?

Thou hollow-sounding, and mysterious main!

Pale glistening pearls, and rainbow-coloured sh.e.l.ls, Bright things which gleam unrecked of, and in vain; Keep, keep thy riches, melancholy sea.

We ask not such from thee!

"Yet more, the depths have more! what wealth untold, Far down, and s.h.i.+ning thro' their stillness lies; Thou hast the starry gems, the burning gold, Won from ten thousand royal argosies; Sweep o'er thy spoils, thou wild and wrathful main; Earth claims not these again!

"Yet more, the depths have more! thy waves have rolled, Above the cities of a world gone by!

Sand hath filled up the palaces of old, Sea-weed o'er-grown the halls of revelry.

Dash o'er them, ocean! in thy scornful play!

Man yields them to decay

{103} Yet more! the billows and the depths have more!

High hearts and brave are gathered to thy breast!

They hear not now the booming waters roar, The battle thunders will not break their rest; Keep thy red gold and gems, thou stormy grave, Give back the true and brave!

"Give back the lost and lovely! those for whom The place was kept at board and hearth so long; The prayer went up thro' midnight's breathless gloom, And the vain yearning woke midst festal song!

Hold fast thy buried isles, thy towers o'erthrown, But all is not thine own!

"To thee the love of woman hath gone down, Dark flow thy tides o'er manhood's n.o.ble head, O'er youth's bright locks, and beauty's flowery crown, Yet must thou hear a voice--restore the dead!

Earth shall reclaim her precious things from thee!

Restore the dead thou sea!"

HEMANS.

PLUTO.

The name of Pluto, as G.o.d of the kingdom of h.e.l.l, and whatever is under the earth, where

"------------Cerberus, the cruel worm of death, Keeps watchful guard, and with his iron throat, Affrights the spirits in their pale sojourn,"

THURLOW.

is as well known to the readers of Mythology as that of his brother Jupiter.

The place of his residence being gloomy, and consequently unbearable to those G.o.ddesses whose hand he sought in marriage, and who looked for a gayer life than he could offer them, they all refused to become the sharer of his possessions. Pluto, however, was by no means willing to sit quietly down in single blessedness, thinking, perhaps, that the very reason which they a.s.signed for their refusal, was an additional one in his favour for wis.h.i.+ng a soother of his lot.

It was in his visit to the island of Sicily, that the G.o.d saw and became enamoured of Proserpine, as she gathered flowers in the plains of Enna.

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