 Belerophon or Belerophontes was the son of Glaucus, king of Corinth, and grandson of Sisyphus. In consequence of an unpremeditated murder, Belerophon fled to Tyrants, where he was kindly received by King Preetus, who purified him from his crime. Antea, the wife of Preetus, was so charmed with a comely youth that she fell in love with him, but Belerophon did not return her affection, and she, in revenge, slandered him to the king by a gross misrepresentation of the fact. The first impulse of Preetus, when informed of the conduct of Belerophon, was to kill him. But the youth, with his gentle and winning manners, had so endeared himself to his host that he felt it impossible to take his life with his own hands. He therefore sent him to his father-in-law, Yobarty's king of Lycia, with a kind of letter or tablet which contained mysterious signs indicating his desire that the bearer of the missive should be put to death. But the gods watched over the true and loyal youth, and inclined the heart of Yobartys, who was an amiable prince, towards his guest. Judging by his appearance that he was of noble birth, he entertained him, according to the hospitable custom of the Greeks in the most princely manner for nine days, and not until the morning of the tenth, did he inquire his name and errand. Belerophon now presented to him the letter entrusted to him by Preetus. Yobartys, who had become greatly attached to the youth, was horror-struck at its contents. Nevertheless he concluded that Preetus must have good reasons for his conduct, and that probably Belerophon had committed a crime which deserved death. But as he could not make up his mind to murder the guest he had grown to esteem, he decided to dispatch him upon dangerous enterprises, in which he would in all probability lose his life. He first sent him to kill the Chimera, a monster which was at this time devastating the country. The forepart of its body was that of a lion, the centre of a goat, and the hind part of a dragon, whilst out of its jaws issued flames of fire. Before starting on this difficult task, Belerophon invoked the protection of the gods, and in answer to his prayer they dispatched to his aid the immortal winged horse Pegasus, the offspring of Poseidon and Medusa. But the divine animal would not suffer himself to be caught, and at last, worn out with his fruitless exertions, Belerophon fell into a deep sleep beside the sacred spring Pirini. Here Pallas Athena appeared to him in a dream, and presented him with a magic bridle for the purpose of capturing the divine steed. On awaking Belerophon instinctively put out his hand to grasp it when, to his amazement, there lay beside him the bridle of his dream, whilst Pegasus was quietly drinking at the fountain close by. Using him by the main, Belerophon threw the bridle over his head and succeeded in mounting him without further difficulty. Then rising with him into the air, he slew the Chimera with his arrows. Yobartes next sent him on an expedition against the Sollimans, a fierce neighbouring tribe with whom he was at enmity. Belerophon succeeded in vanquishing them, and was then dispatched against the much-dreaded Amazons. But, greatly to the astonishment of Yobartes, the hero again returned victorious. Finally, Yobartes placed a number of the bravious Lyceans in ambush for the purpose of destroying him. But not one returned alive, for Belerophon bravely defended himself and slew them all. Convinced at length that Belerophon, far from deserving death, was the special favourite of the gods who had evidently protected him throughout his perilous exploits, the king now ceased his persecutions. Yobartes admitted him to a share in the government and gave him his daughter in marriage. But Belerophon, having attained the summit of earthly prosperity, became intoxicated with pride and vanity and incurred the displeasure of the gods by endeavouring to mount to heaven on his winged horse for the purpose of gratifying his idle curiosity. Zeus punished him for his impiety by sending a gadfly to sting the horse who became so restive that he threw his rider, who was precipitated to the earth, filled with remorse at having offended the gods, Belerophon fell a prey to the deepest melancholy, and wandered about for the remainder of his life in the loneliest and most desolate places. After death he was honoured in Corinth as a hero, and an altar was erected to him in the grove of Poseidon. Aegeus, king of Athens, being twice married and having no children, was so desirous of an heir to his throne that he made a pilgrimage to Delphi in order to consult the oracle. But the response being ambiguous, he repaired to Tresin to consult his wise friend Piteus, who reigned over that city by whose advice he contracted a secret marriage with his friend's daughter, Ethra. After passing some time with his bride, Aegeus prepared to take his departure for his own dominions, but before doing so he led Ethra to the seashore, where, after depositing his sword and sandals under a huge rock, he thus addressed her. Should the gods bless our union with a son, do not reveal to him the name and rank of his father, until he is old enough to possess the strength requisite for moving this stone. Then sent him to my palace at Athens, bearing these tokens of his identity. A son was born to Ethra, whom she called Thesius, and who was carefully trained and educated by his grandfather Piteus. When he had developed to a strong and manly youth, his mother conducted him to the spot where the rock had been placed by Aegeus, and at her command he rolled away the stone, and took possession of the sword and sandals which had lain there for sixteen years, and which she now desired him to convey to his father, Aegeus, king of Athens. His mother and grandfather were anxious that the youth should travel by the safe sea-root, the road between Trazene and Athens being at this time infested with robbers of a great ferocity and enormous strength. But feeling within himself the spirit of a hero, Thesius resolved to emulate the deeds of Heracles, with whose fame all Greece resounded, and therefore chose the more dangerous journey by land as calculated to afford him an opportunity of distinguishing himself by feats of valor. His first adventure occurred at Epidaurus, where he met Peraphities, a son of Hephaestus, who was armed with an iron club with which he killed all travellers. Having received from his grandfather a full description of this savage, Thesius had once recognised him, and rushing upon him with his sword succeeded after a desperate encounter in killing him. He appropriated the club as a trophy of his victory, and proceeded on his journey without hindrance, until he arrived at the Isthmus of Corinth. Here the people warned him to beware of Sinus, the robber, who forced all travellers to bend with him one of the branches of a tall pine-tree. Having dragged it to the ground, the cruel Sinus suddenly released his hold, whereupon the bow, rebounding high up into the air, the unfortunate victim was dashed to the ground and killed. When Thesius beheld Sinus advancing towards him, he steadily awaited his approach. Then, seizing his powerful club, he killed the inhuman wretch with one blow. Passing through the woody district of Cromayon, Thesius next slew a wild and dangerous sow which had long ravaged the country. He then continued his journey and approached the borders of Megara, on a narrow path overhanging the sea dwelt the wicked Sauron, another terror to travellers. It was his custom to compel all strangers who passed his abode to wash his feet during which operation he kicked them over the rock into the sea. Thesius boldly attacked the giant, overcame him, and then flung his body over the cliff where so many of his victims had perished. Thesius now journeyed on to Eleusis, where he found another adversary in the person of King Cercyon, who forced all comers to wrestle with him, and killed those whom he vanquished. But Thesius overcame the mighty wrestler, and slew him. Near Eleusis, on the banks of the river Cephisus, Thesius met with a new adventure. Here lived the giant Domastes, called Procrustes, or the Stretcher, who had two iron beds, one being long and the other short, into which he forced all strangers. In the short one he placed the tall men whose limbs he cut to the size of the bed, whilst to the short ones he assigned the large bed stretching them out to fit it, and thus he left his victims to expire in the most cruel torment. Thesius freed the country from this inhuman monster by serving him as he had done his unfortunate victims. The hero now continued his journey, and at length reached Athens without meeting with any further adventures. When he had arrived at his destination, he found his father a helpless tool in the hands of the sorceress Medea, whom he had married after her departure from Corinth. Knowing by means of her supernatural powers that Thesius was the king's son, and fearing that her influence might be weakened by his presence, she poisoned the mind of the old king against the stranger whom she represented as being a spy. It was according to their range that Thesius should be invited to a banquet, and a strong poison mixed with his wine. Now Thesius had resolved to reveal himself at this feast to the father whom he yearned to embrace. Before tasting the wine he put his plan into execution, and drew out his sword so that the eyes of the king might rest upon it. When Aegeus beheld once more the well-known weapon which he had so often wielded, he knew that it was his son who stood before him. He warmly embraced him, presented him as his heir to his courtiers and subjects, and then, no longer able to endure the sight of Medea, he banished her forever from his dominions. When Thesius was acknowledged as the rightful heir to the throne, he was opposed by the fifty sons of Pallas, the king's brother, who had confidently expected that on the demise of the old king the government of the country would devolve upon them. They therefore resolved to put Thesius to death, but their plans becoming known to him, he surprised them as they lay in ambush awaiting his approach, and destroyed them all. Fearing however lest the Athenians might entertain a prejudice against him on account of his extermination of their fellow citizens, the Palantids, Thesius resolved to perform some signal service for the state which should gain for him the hearts of the people. He accordingly decided to rid the country of the famous Bull of Marathon, which would become a terror to the cultivators of the land. He captured the animal, and brought him in chains to Athens, where, after publicly exhibiting him to the astonished multitude, he solemnly sacrificed him to Apollo. The next enterprise undertaken by Thesius far surpassed all his other feats of heroic daring, and secured to him the universal admiration and gratitude of his fellow citizens. This was the slaying of the Minotaur, which put an end forever to the shameful tribute of seven youths and seven maidens, which was exacted from the Athenians every nine years. The origin of this barbarous tribute was as follows. Androgios, the youthful son of Minos, king of Crete, having been treacherously murdered by the Athenians, his father, anxious to avenge the death of his son, declared war against their king Aegeus, and conquered Athens and the villages in its vicinity. The conqueror henceforth compelled the Athenians to send to him every nine years a tribute of seven youths and seven maidens of the noblest families in the land, who became the prey of the Minotaur, a monster, half man, half bull, whose lair was in the wonderful labyrinth, constructed by Deedalus for the Cretan king. When Thesius informed his father of his heroic determination, he was overwhelmed with grief and endeavoured by every means in his power to shake his son's resolution, but confident of success, Thesius assured his father that he would slay the Minotaur and return home victorious. It was customary for the vessel bearing its unhappy freight of human victims to use on this voyage black sails only, but Thesius promised his father that should he return in safety, he would hoist white ones in their place. Before leading Athens, Thesius, by the advice of an oracle, chose Aphrodite as his guardian and protractress, and accordingly offered up a sacrifice to her. When he arrived in the presence of King Minos, the goddess of love inspired Ariadne, the beautiful daughter of the king, with an ardent attachment for the noble young hero. During a secret interview in which a mutual confession of affection took place, Ariadne furnished him with a sharp sword and a clew of thread, the end of which she desired him to fasten at the entrance to the labyrinth and to continue to unwind it till he reached the lair of the Minotaur. Full of hope as to the successful issue of his undertaking, Thesius took leave of the kind maiden after expressing his gratitude for her timely aid. At the head of his companions he was now conducted by Minos to the entrance of the labyrinth. Strictly adhering to the injunctions of the fair Ariadne, he succeeded in finding the Minotaur whom, after a fierce and violent struggle, he defeated and killed. Then carefully feeling his way by means of the clew of thread, he led his companions safely out of the labyrinth. They then fled to their ship, taking with them the lovely maiden to whose affection for their deliverer they owed their safety. Arrived at the island of Naxos, Thesius had a dream in which Dionysus, the wine-god, appeared to him and informed him that the fates had decreed that Ariadne should be his bride, at the same time menacing the hero with all kinds of misfortunes should he refuse to resign her. Now Thesius, having been taught from his youth to reverence the gods, feared to disobey the wishes of Dionysus. He accordingly took a sad farewell of the beautiful maiden who so tenderly loved him, and left her on the lonely island, where she was found and wooed by the wine-god. Thesius and his companions felt keenly the loss of their benefactress, and in their grief at parting with her forgot that the ship still bore the black sails with which she had left the Attic Coast. As she neared the port of Athens, Aegeus, who was anxiously awaiting the return of his son on the beach, caught sight of the vessel with its black sails, and concluding that his gallant son had perished, threw himself in despair into the sea. With the unanimous approval of the Athenians, Thesius now ascended the vacant throne, and soon proved himself to be not only a valiant hero, but also a wise prince and prudent legislator. Athens was at this time but a small city, surrounded by a number of villages, each of which possessed its own separate form of government. But by means of kind and conciliatory measures, Thesius induced the heads of these different communities to resign their sovereignty, and to entrust the administration of public affairs to a court, which should sit constantly at Athens, and exercise jurisdiction over all the inhabitants of Attica. The result of these judicious measures was that the Athenians became a united and powerful people, and that numbers of strangers and foreigners flocked to Athens, which became a flourishing maritime port and a commercial centre of great importance. Thesius renewed the Ismian games, and also instituted numerous festivals, the principle of which was the Panathena, held in honour of Athena Polyas. It is related that Thesius, upon one occasion, arrived during a voyage at the Amazonian coast. Anxious to ascertain the object of his visit, the Amazons sent Hippolyta, one of their number, with presence to the stranger. But no sooner did the Fair Herald set foot on board his vessel than Thesius set sail and carried her off to Athens, where he made her his queen. Enranged at this indignity, the Amazons determined to be avenged. Some time afterwards, when the whole affair would appear to have been forgotten, they seized the opportunity when the city of Athens was in a defenceless condition and landed an army in Attica. So sudden was their attack that they had penetrated into the very heart of the city before the Athenians could organise their forces. But Thesius expeditiously collected his troops, and commenced such a furious onslaught upon the invaders that, after a desperate encounter, they were driven from the city. This was then concluded, whereupon the Amazons vacated the country. During this engagement, Hippolyta, forgetful of her origin, fought valiantly by the side of her husband against her own kinsfolk, and perished on the field of battle. It was soon after this sad event that Thesius joined the world-renowned Caledonian boar hunt, in which he took a leading part. He also formed one of the brave band who shared in the perils of the Argonautic expedition. The remarkable friendship which existed between Thesius and Peritherus originated under such peculiar circumstances that it is worthy of mention. Hearing upon one occasion that his herds, pasturing in the plains of Marathon, had been carried off by Peritherus, Thesius collected together an armed force and sallied forth to punish the plunderer. But when the two heroes met face to face, both were seized with an impulse of sympathetic admiration for each other. Peritherus, holding out his hand in a token of peace, said, What satisfaction shall I render thee, Thesius? Be thou thyself the judge. Thesius seized the prophet hand and replied, I ask not to save thy friendship, whereupon the heroes embrace each other and swore eternal fidelity. When soon afterwards Peritherus became united to Hippodamia, a Thessalian princess, he invited Thesius to the wedding-feast which was also attended among other guests by a large number of centaurs who were friends of Peritherus. Towards the end of the banquet, Irithion, a young centaur, heated and flushed with wine, seized the lovely bride and sought by force to carry her off, the other centaurs following his example each endeavored to capture a maiden. Peritherus and his followers, aided by Thesius, who rendered most valuable assistance, attacked the centaurs and, after a violent hand-to-hand struggle in which many perished, forced them to relinquish their prey. After the death of Hippodamia, Thesius sought the hand of Phaedra, the sister of his former bride Ariadne, to whom he became united. For some years they lived happily together and their union was blessed by the birth of two sons. During this time Hippodamia, the son of the Amazonian queen, had been absent from home having been placed under the care of the king's uncles in order to be educated. When, having grown to manhood, he now returned to his father's palace, his young stepmother Phaedra fell violently in love with him. But Hippolitus failed to return her affection, and treated her with contempt and indifference. Filled with rage and despair at his coldness, Phaedra put an end to her existence, and when she was discovered by her husband, she held in her hand a letter accusing Hippolitus of being the cause of her death, and of having conspired against the honour of the king. Now Poseidon had, upon one occasion, promised to grant Theseus whatever request he should demand. He therefore called upon the sea-god to destroy Hippolitus, whom he cursed in the most solemn manner. The father's awful malediction fell but too soon upon his innocent son, for, as the latter was driving his chariot along the seashore between Trazine and Athens, a monster sent by Poseidon rose out of the deep and so frightened the horses that they became altogether unmanageable. As they rushed on in their mad career, the chariot was dashed to pieces, and the unfortunate youth, whose feet had become entangled in the rains, was dragged along until life was nearly extinct. In this condition he was found by the unhappy Theseus, who, having ascertained the true facts of the case from an old servant of Phaedra, had hastened to prevent the catastrophe. But he arrived too late, and was only able to soothe the last moments of his dying son by acknowledging the sad mistake which he had committed, and declaring his firm belief in his honour and innocence. After these events, Theseus was persuaded by his friend Peruthus, who had also about this time lost his young wife, Hippodamia, to join him in a journey through Greece with the object of carrying off by force the most beautiful maidens whom they should chance to meet. Arrived at Sparta they beheld in the temple of Artemis Helen, the daughter of Zeus and Leda, who was engaged in performing sacred dances in honour of the goddess. Although the maiden was only nine years old, the fame of her beauty which was destined to play so important a part in the history of Greece had already spread far and wide. Theseus and Peruthus forcibly abducted her, and then, having cast lots for her, she fell to Theseus, who placed her under the charge of his mother, Aethra. Peruthus now requested Theseus to assist him in his ambitious scheme of descending to the lower world and carrying off Persephone, the queen of Hades. Though fully alive to the perils of the undertaking, Theseus would not forsake his friend, and together they sought the gloomy realm of shades. But Aedes had been forewarned of their approach, and scarcely had the two friends set foot within his dominions when, by his orders they were seized, bound with chains, and secured to an enchanted rock at the entrance of Hades. Here the two friends languished for many years until Heracles passed by in his search for Cerberus when he released Theseus, but in obedience to an injunction of the gods left Peruthus to endure forever the punishment of his too-daring ambition. While Theseus was imprisoned in the underworld, Castor and Pollux, the brothers of Helen, invaded Athens and demanded the restoration of their young sister. Seeing his country threatened with the horrors of warfare, an Athenian citizen named Akademus, who knew of Helen's place in the concealment, repaired to the camp of the Diascuri and informed them where they would find her. Aethra at once resigned her charge, whereupon the brothers took leave of Athens and accompanied by Helen returned to their native country. But the prolonged absence of Theseus gave rise to other troubles of a more serious character. Thinking the opportunity favourable for a revolt, a faction headed by Menestheus, a descendant of Erectheus, retreated to themselves supreme power and seized the reigns of government. Returned to Athens, Theseus at once took active measures to quell the insubordination which existed on all sides. He expelled Menestheus from office, rigorously punished the ringleaders of the revolt, and placed himself once more upon the throne. But his hold upon the people was gone. His former services were all forgotten, and finding at length that dissensions and revolts were rife, he voluntarily abdicated the throne and retired to his estates in the island of Cyros. Here, like comedies, king of the island, feigned to receive him with the utmost friendship. But being, as it is supposed, in league with Menestheus, he led the old king to the summit of a high rock under pretense of showing him his estates, and treacherously killed him by pushing him over the cliff. Many centuries after his death, by the command of the Oracle of Delphi, Simon, the father of Militiades, at the conclusion of the Persian War, brought the remains of Theseus, the great benefactor of Athens, to that city. And at his honor, a temple was erected, which exists to the present day, and serves as a museum of art. Section 27 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. Oedipus. Laus, king of Thebes, the son of Lapticus, and a direct descendant of Cadmus, was married to Jocast, the daughter of a noble Theban. An oracle having foretold that he would perish by the hand of his own son, he determined to destroy the infant whom Jocast had just given birth. With the consent of his wife, whose affection for her husband overcame her love for her child, he pierced the feet of the babe, bound them together, and handed the infant over to a servant with instructions to expose him on Mount Scytheron to perish. But instead of obeying this cruel command, the servant entrusted him to a shepherd who was tending the flocks of Polybus, king of Corinth, and then returned to Laus and Jocast, and informed them that their orders had been obeyed. The parents were satisfied with the intelligence, and quieted their conscience by the reflection that they had thus prevented their son from committing the crime of parasite. Meanwhile, the shepherd of king Polybus had unbound the feet of the infant, and in consequence of their being much swollen, he called him Oedipus, or swollen foot. He then carried him to the king, his master, who pitting the poor little waf and listed for him the kind offices of his wife, Merope. Oedipus was adopted by the king and queen as their own son, and grew up in the belief that they were his parents, until one day a Corinthian noble taunted him at a banquet with not being the son of the king. Long at the reproach, the youth appealed to Merope, but receiving an equivocal, though kindly answer, he repaired to Delphi to consult the oracle. The pithia vouchsafed no reply to his inquiry, but informed him, to his horror, that he was fated to kill his father and to marry his own mother. Filled with dismay for he was tenderly attached to Polybus and Merope, Oedipus determined not to return to Corinth, and took instead the road leading to Biosha. On his way a chariot passed him, in which sat an old man with two servants, who rudely pushed the pedestrian out of the path. In the scuffle which ensued, Oedipus struck the old man with his heavy stick, and he fell back dead on the seat of the chariot. Struck with dismay at the unpremeditated murder which he had committed, the youth fled, and left the spot without learning that the old man whom he had killed was his father, Leus, king of Thebes. Not long after this occurrence the Sphinx, full details of whom have already been given, was sent by the goddess Hera as a punishment to the Thebans. Stationed on a rocky height just outside the city, she propounded to the passers by riddles which she had been taught by the Muses, and whoever failed to solve them was torn in pieces and devoured by the monster, and in this manner great numbers of the inhabitants of Thebes had perished. Now on the death of the old king Leus, Creon, the brother of the widowed queen, had seized the reins of government and mounted the vacant throne, and when at length his own son fell a victim to the Sphinx he resolved that all costs to rid the country of this fearful scourge. He accordingly issued a proclamation that the kingdom and the hand of the sister, Jocast, should be awarded to him who should succeed in solving one of the riddles of the Sphinx, it having been foretold by an oracle that only then would the country be freed from the monster. Just as this proclamation was being made in the streets of Thebes, Oedipus with his pilgrim's staff and his hand entered the city. Tempted by the prospect of so magnificent a reward, he repaired to the rock and boldly requested the Sphinx to propound to him one of her riddles. She proposed to him one which she deemed impossible of solution, but Oedipus had once solved it, where upon the Sphinx, full of rage and despair, precipitated herself into the Abyss and perished. Oedipus received the promised reward. He became king of Thebes and the husband of Jocast, the widow of his father, King Leus. For many years Oedipus enjoyed the greatest happiness and tranquility. Four children were born to him, two sons, Itiocles and Polyneses, and two daughters, Antigone and Izmin. At last the gods afflicted the country with a grievous pestilence which made terrible havoc among the people. In their distress they entreated the help of the king who was regarded by his subjects as a special favorite of the gods. Oedipus consulted an oracle, and the response was that the pestilence would continue to rage until the land was purified of the blood of King Leus, whose murderer was living unpunished at Thebes. The king now invoked the most solemn implications on the head of the murderer, and offered a reward for any information concerning him. He then sent for the blind old Sear, Tirsius, and implored him by means of his prophetic powers to reveal to him the author of the crime. Tirsius had first hesitated, but yielding to the earnest solicitations of the king, the old prophet thus addressed him. Thou thyself art the murderer of the old king Leus, who was thy father, and thou art wedded to his widow, thine own mother. In order to convince Oedipus of the truth of his words, he brought forward the old servant who had exposed him as a babe on Mount Scytheron, and the shepherd who had conveyed him to King Polybus. Horrified at this awful revelation, Oedipus, in a fit of despair, deprived himself of sight and the unfortunate jocast unable to survive her disgrace, hanged herself. Accompanied by his faithful and devoted daughter, Antigon, Oedipus quitted thieves and became a miserable and homeless outcast, begging his bread from place to place. At length, after long and painful pilgrimage, he found a place of refuge in the grove of the Humanities, at Colonus, near Athens, where his last moments were soothed and tended by the care and devotion of the faithful Antigon. The Seven Against Thieves After the voluntary abdication of Oedipus, his two sons, Aetiochles and Polyneses, took possession of the crown and reigned over the city of Thebes. But Aetiochles, being an ambitious prince, soon seized the reins of government himself and expelled his brother from the throne. Polyneses now repaired to Argos, where he arrived in the dead of night. Outside the gates of the royal palace, he encountered Tidius, the son of Enus, king of Caledon. Having accidentally killed a relative in the chase, Tidius was also a fugitive. But being mistaken by Polyneses and the darkness for an enemy, a quarrel ensued, which might have ended fatally had not king Adrastus, aroused by the clamor, appeared on the scene, and parted the combatants. By the light of the torches borne by his attendants, Adrastus observed to his surprise that on the shield of Polyneses a lion was depicted, and on that of Tidius a boar. The former bore this insignia in honor of the renowned hero Heracles, the latter in memory of the famous Caledonian boar hunt. This circumstance reminded the king of an extraordinary oracular prediction concerning his two beautiful daughters, Argia and Depeil, which was to the effect that he would give them in marriage to a lion-ended boar. Hailing with delight what he regarded as an auspicious solution of the mysterious prophecy, he invited the strangers into his palace, and when he heard their history and had convinced himself that they were of noble birth, he bestowed upon Polyneses his beautiful daughter, Argia, and upon Tidius the fair Depeil, promising at the same time that he would assist both his sons-in-law to regain their rightful patrimony. The first care of Adrastus was to aid Polyneses in regaining possession of his lawful share in the government of Thebes. He accordingly invited the most powerful chiefs in his kingdom to join in the expedition, all of whom readily obeyed the call with the exception of the king's brother-in-law, Amphiarus the Seer. As he foresaw a disastrous termination to the enterprise and knew that not one of the heroes save Adrastus himself would return alive, he earnestly dissuaded the king from carrying out his project and declined to take any part in the undertaking. But Adrastus, seconded by Polyneses and Tidius, was obstinately bent on the achievement of his purpose, and Amphiarus, in order to escape from their importunities, concealed himself in a hiding-place known only to his wife Eryphile. Now on the occasion of the marriage of Amphiarus, it had been agreed that if he ever differed in opinion with the king, his wife should decide the question. As the presence of Amphiarus was indispensable to the success of the undertaking, and moreover, as Adrastus would not enter upon it without the eye of the army, as he called his brother-in-law, Polyneses, bent on securing his services, determined to briar Eryphile to use her influence with her husband, and to decide the question in accordance with his wishes. He bethought himself of the beautiful necklace of Harmonia, wife of Cadmus, which he had brought with him in his flight from Thebes. Without loss of time he presented himself before the wife of Amphiarus, and held up to her admiring gaze, the glittering bobble, promising that if she revealed the hiding-place of her husband, and induced him to join the expedition, the necklace would be hers. Eryphile, unable to withstand the tempting bait, accepted the bribe, and thus Amphiarus was compelled to join the army. But before leaving his home, he extorted a solemn promise from his son Alcmion that, should he perish on the field of battle, he would avenge his death on his mother, the perfidious Eryphile. Seven leaders were now chosen, each at the head of a separate detachment of troops. These were Adrastus the king, his two brothers Hippomiran and Parthenopias, Capannus his nephew, Polyneses and Tidius, and Amphiarus. When the army was collected they set out for Anemia, which was at this time governed by King Lysergus. Here the Argives, being short of water, halted on the outskirts of a forest in order to search for a spring, when they saw a majestic and beautiful woman seated on the trunk of a tree nursing an infant. They concluded from her noble and queenly appearance that she must be a goddess, but were informed by her that she was Hypsiphaly, queen of the Lemnians who had been carried away captive by pirates and sold as a slave to King Lysergus, and that she was now acting as nurse to his infant son. When the warriors told her that they were in search of water, she laid the child down in the grass and led them to a secret spring in the forest with which she alone was acquainted. But on their return they found to their grief that the unfortunate babe had been killed during their absent by a serpent. They slew the reptile and then, collecting the remains of the infant, they buried them with funeral honors and proceeded on their way. The warlike hosts now appeared before the walls of Thebes, and each leader placed himself before one of the seven gates of the city in readiness for the attack. Aetiochles, in conjunction with Creeon, had made due preparations to repel the invaders and had stationed troops under the command of trusty leaders to guard each of the gates. Then, according to the practice of the ancients of consulting soothsayers before entering upon any undertaking, the blind old seer Tirsius was sent for, who, after carefully taking the auguries from the flight of birds, declared that all efforts to defend the city would prove unavailing unless the youngest descendant of the house of Cadmus would offer himself as a voluntary sacrifice for the good of the state. When Creeon heard the words of the seer, his first thought was of his favorite son, Menocius, the youngest scion of the royal house who was present at the interview. He therefore earnestly implored him to leave the city and to repair for safety to Delphi, but the gallant youth heroically resolved to sacrifice his life for the benefit of his country, and after taking leave of his old father, mounted the city walls and plunging a dagger into his heart perished in the sight of the contending hosts. Adrastus now gave his troops the word of command to storm the city, and they rushed forward to the attack with great valor. The battle raged long and furiously, and after heavy losses on both sides, the argives were routed and put to flight. After the lapse of some days they reorganized their forces and again appeared before the gates of Thebes, when Atiocles, grieved to think that there should be such a terrible loss of life on his account, sent a herald into the opposite camp with a proposition that the fate of the campaign should be decided by single combat between himself and his brother, Palanissis. The challenge was readily accepted, and in the duel which took place outside the city walls, in the sight of the rival forces, Atiocles and Palanissis were both fatally wounded and expired on the field of battle. Both sides now claimed the day, and the result was that hostilities recommenced and soon the battle raged with greater fury than ever. But victory at last declared itself for the Thebans. In their flight the argives lost all their leaders, Adrastus accepted, who owed his safety to the fleetness of his horse Arianne. By the death of the brothers, Creon became once more king of Thebes, and in order to show his abhorrence of the conduct of Palanissis in fighting against his country, he strictly forbade anyone to bury either his remains or those of his allies. But the faithful Antigon, who had returned to Thebes on the death of her father, could not endure that the body of her brother should remain unburied. She therefore bravely disregarded the orders of the king, and endeavored to give sepulchure to the remains of Palanissis. When Creon discovered that his commands had been set at defiance, he unhumanly condemned the devoted maiden to be entombed alive in a subterranean vault. But retribution was at hand. His son Heman, who was betrothed to Antigon, having contrived to an effect and entrance into the vault, was horrified to find that Antigon had hanged herself by her veil. Knowing that life without her would be intolerable, he threw himself in despair on his own sword, and after solemnly invoking the malediction of the gods on the head of his father, expired beside the dead body of his betrothed. Hardly had the news of the tragic fate of his son reached the king before another messenger appeared, bearing the tidings that his wife, Eurydice, on hearing of the death of Heman, had put an end to her existence, and thus the king found himself in his old age both widowed and childless. Nor did he succeed in the execution of his vindictive designs, for a drastus, who after his flight from Thebes had taken refuge at Athens, induced the theseus to lead an army against the Thebans to compel them to restore the dead bodies of the Argyr warriors to their friends in order that they might perform due funeral rites in honor of the slain. This undertaking was successfully accomplished, and the remains of the fallen heroes were interred with due honors. One Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by E. M. Barons The Epigoni 10 years after these events, the sons of the slain heroes who were called Epigoni, or Descendants, resolved to avenge the death of their fathers, and with this object entered upon a new expedition against the city of Thebes. By the advice of the Delphic Oracle, the command was entrusted to Alchmion, the son of Amphiarus, but remembering the injunction of his father, he hesitated to accept this post before executing vengeance on his mother Eryphyle. Thersander, however, the son of Polyneses, adopting similar tactics to those of his father, bribed Eryphyle with the beautiful veil of Harmonia, bequeathed to him by Polyneses to induce her son, Alchmion, and his brother, Amphilochus, to join in the second war against Thebes. Now the mother of Alchmion was gifted with that rare fascination, which renders its possessor irresistible to all whom a chance to come within its influence, nor was her own son able to withstand her blandishments. Yielding therefore to her wily representations, he accepted the command of the troops, and at the head of a large and powerful army advanced upon Thebes. Before the gates of the city, Alchmion encountered the Thebans under the command of Laodomus, the son of Etyocles, a fierce battle ensued in which the Theban leader, after performing prodigies of valor, perished by the hand of Alchmion. After losing their chief and the flower of their army, the Thebans retreated behind the city walls, and the enemy now pressed them hard on every side. In their distress they appealed to the blind old seer, Tiresius, who was over one hundred years old. With trembling lips and in broken accents, he informed them that they could only save their lives by abandoning their native city with their wives and families. Upon this they dispatched ambassadors into the enemy's camp, and whilst these were protracting negotiations during the night, the Thebans, with their wives and children, evacuated the city. Next morning the Argyves entered Thebes and plundered it, placing Thursander, the son of Polyneses, who was a descendant of Cadmus, on the throne which his father had so vainly contested. Alchmion and the Necklace When Alchmion returned from his expedition against the Thebans, he determined to fulfill the last injunction of his father Amphiarus, who had desired him to be revenged on his mother Eryphile, for her perfidy in accepting a bribe to betray him. This resolution was further strengthened by the discovery that his unprincipled mother had urged him also to join the expedition in return for the much coveted veil of Harmonia. He therefore put her to death, and, taking with him the ill-fated necklace and veil, abandoned forever the home of his fathers. But the gods, who could not suffer so unnatural a crime to go unpunished, afflicted him with madness and sent one of the Furies to pursue him unceasingly. In this unhappy condition he wandered about from place to place, until at last having reached Sophus in Arcadia. Thegas, king of the country, not only purified him of his crime, but also bestowed upon him the hand of his daughter Arseno, to whom Alchmion presented the necklace and veil, which had already been the cause of so much unhappiness. Though now released from his mental affliction, the curse which hung over him was not entirely removed, and on his account the country of his adoption was visited with a severe drought. On consulting the Oracle of Delphi, he was informed that any land which offered him shelter would be cursed by the gods, and that the malediction would continue to follow him till he came to a country which was not in existence at the time he had murdered his mother. Bereft of hope, and resolved no longer to cast the shadow of his dark fate over those he loved, Alchmion took a tender leave of his wife and little son, and became once more an outcast and wanderer. Arrived after a long and painful pilgrimage at the river Acolyse, he discovered to his unspeakable joy a beautiful and fertile island which had but lately emerged from beneath the water. Here he took up his abode, and in this haven of rest he was at length freed from his sufferings, and finally purified of his crime by the river god Acolyse. But in his newfound home where prosperity smiled upon him, Alchmion soon forgot the loving wife and child he had left behind, and wooed Callerot, the beautiful daughter of the river god, who became united to him in marriage. For many years Alchmion and Callerot lived happily together and two sons were born to them. But unfortunately for the peace of her husband, the daughter of Acolyse had heard of the celebrated necklace and veil of harmonia, and became seized with a violent desire to become the possessor of these precious treasures. Now the necklace and veil were in the safekeeping of Arsenault, but as Alchmion had carefully concealed the fact of his former marriage from his young wife, he informed her when no longer able to combat her importunities that he had concealed them in a cave in his native country, and promised to hasten thither and procure them for her. He accordingly took leave of Callerot and his children, and proceeded to Sophus where he presented himself before his deserted wife and her father, King Fegus. To them he excused his absence by the fact of his having suffered from a fresh attack of madness, and added that an oracle had foretold him that his malady would only be cured when he had deposited the necklace and veil of harmonia in the temple of Apollo at Delphi. Arsenault, deceived by his artful representations unhesitatingly restored to him his bridal gifts, whereupon Alchmion set out on his homeward journey well satisfied with the successful issue of his expedition. But the fatal necklace and veil were doomed to bring ruin and disaster to all who possessed them. During his sojourn at the court of King Fegus, one of the servants who had accompanied Alchmion betrayed the secret of his union with the daughter of the river god, and when the king informed his sons of his treacherous conduct, they determined to avenge the wrongs of their sister Arsenault. They accordingly concealed themselves at a point of the road which Alchmion was compelled to pass, and as he neared the spot they suddenly emerged from their place of ambush, fell upon him, and dispatched him. When Arsenault, who still loved her faithless husband, heard of the murder, she bitterly reproached her brothers for the crime which they had perpetrated, at which they were so incensed that they placed her in a chest and conveyed her to Agapenor, son of Ancius at Tygia. Here they accused her of the murder for which they themselves were guilty, and she suffered a painful death. Calero, on learning the sad fate of Alchmion, implored Zeus that her infant sons might grow at once to manhood and avenge the death of their father. The ruler of Olympus heard the petition of the bereaved wife, and in answer to her prayer the children of yesterday became transformed into bearded men full of strength and courage and thirsting for revenge. Hastening to Tygia, they there encountered the sons of Fegus who were about to repair to Delphi in order to deposit the necklace and veil in the sanctuary of Apollo, and before the brothers had time to defend themselves, the stalwart sons of Calero rushed upon them and slew them. They then proceeded to Sophus where they killed King Fegus and his wife, after which they returned to their mother with the necklace and veil, which by the command of her father, Acholus, were deposited as sacred offerings in the temple of Apollo at Delphi. The Heraclidae After the apotheosis of Heracles, his children were so cruelly persecuted by Eurystheus that they fled for protection to King Sykes at Trachene, accompanied by the aged Aeolus, the nephew and lifelong friend of their father who constituted himself their guide and protector. But on Eurystheus' demanding surrender of the Fugitives, the Heraclidae, knowing that the small force at the disposal of King Sykes would be altogether inadequate to protect them against the powerful King of Argos, abandoned his territory and sought refuge at Athens, where they were hospitably received by King Damofun, the son of the great hero Thesius. He warmly espoused their cause and determined to protect them at all costs against Eurystheus, who had dispatched a numerous force in pursuit of them. When the Athenians had made all necessary preparations to repel the invaders, an oracle announced that the sacrifice of a maiden of noble birth was necessary to ensure to them victory, whereupon Micaria, the beautiful daughter of Heracles and Deonira, magnanimously offered herself as a sacrifice and, surrounded by the noblest matrons and maidens of Athens, voluntarily devoted herself to death. While these events were transpiring in Athens, Hylas, the eldest son of Heracles and Deonira, had advanced with a large army to the assistance of his brothers, and having sent a messenger to the king announcing his arrival, Damofun, with his army, joined his forces. In the thick of battle which ensued, Iolus, following a sudden impulse, borrowed the chariot of Hylas and earnestly entreated Zeus and Hib to restore to him, for this one day only, the vigor and strength of his youth. His prayer was heard. A thick cloud descended from heaven and enveloped the chariot, and when it disappeared, Iolus, in the full plentitude of manly vigor, stood revealed before the astonished gaze of the combatants. He then led on his valiant band of warriors, and soon the enemy was in headlong flight, and Eurystheus, who was taken prisoner, was put to death by the command of King Damofun. After greatly acknowledging the timely aid of the Athenians, Hylas, accompanied by the faithful Iolus and his brothers, took leave of King Damofun, and proceeded to invade the Peloponnesus, which they've regarded as their lawful patrimony. For according to the will of Zeus, it should have been the rightful possession of their father, the great hero Heracles, had not Hera maliciously defeated his plans by causing his cousin, Eurystheus, to proceed him into the world. For the space of twelve months, the Heraclidae contrived to maintain themselves in the Peloponnesus. But at the expiration of that time a pestilence broke out, which spread over the entire peninsula, and compelled the Heraclidae to evacuate the country, and return to Attica, where for a time they settled. After the lapse of three years, Hylas resolved on making another effort to obtain his paternal inheritance. Before setting out on the expedition, however, he consulted the Oracle of Delphi, and the response was that he must wait for the third fruit before the enterprise would prove successful. Interpreting this ambiguous reply to signify the third summer, Hylas controlled his impatience for three years, when having collected a powerful army, he once more entered the Peloponnesus. At the iths-ness of Corinth, he was opposed by Aetrus, the son of Pelops, who at the death of Eurystheus had inherited the kingdom. In order to save bloodshed, Hylas offered to decide his claims by single combat, the conditions being that if he were victorious, he and his brothers should obtain undisputed possession of their rights, but if defeated, the Heraclidae were to desist for fifty years from attempting to press their claim. The challenge was accepted by Ecumen, king of Tigea, and Hylas lost his life in the encounter, where upon the sons of Heracles, in virtue of their agreement, abandoned the Peloponnesus, and retired to Marathon. Hylas was succeeded by his son Cleodeus, who at the expiration of the appointed time, collected a large army and invaded the Peloponnesus, but he was not more successful than his father had been, and perished there with all his forces. Twenty years later, his son, Aristomachus, consulted an oracle which promised him victory if he went by way of the defile. The Heraclidae once more set out, but were again defeated and Aristomachus shared the fate of his father and grandfather, and fell on the field of battle. Then at the expiration of thirty years, the sons of Aristomachus, Teminus, Cresfantes, and Aristodemus again consulted the oracle. The answer was still the same, but this time the following explanation accompanied the response. The third fruit signified the third generation to which they themselves belonged, and not the third fruit of the earth, and by the defile was indicated not the isthmus of Corinth, but the straits on the right of the isthmus. Teminus lost no time in collecting an army and building ships of war, but just as all was ready and the fleet about to sail, Aristodemus, the youngest of the brothers, was struck by lightning. To add to their misfortunes, Hippolytes, a descendant of Heraclides who had joined in the expedition, killed the soothsayer whom he mistook for a spy, and the gods in their displeasure sent violent tempests by means of which the entire fleet was destroyed, whilst famine and pestilence decimated the ranks of the army. The oracle, on being again consulted, advised that Hippolytes, being the offender, should be banished from the country for ten years, and that the command of the troops should be delegated to a man having three eyes. A search was at once instituted by the Heraclidae for a man answering to this description, who was found at length in the person of Auxilus, a descendant of the Aetolan race of kings. In obedience to the command of the oracle, Hippolytes was banished, an army and fleet once more equipped, and Auxilus elected commander-in-chief. And now a success at length crowned the efforts of the long-suffering descendants of the great hero. They obtained possession of the Peloponnesus, which was divided among them by lot. Argos fell to Teminus, Lassidamon to Aristodemus, and Messin to Cresfantes. In gratitude for the services of their able leader, Auxilus, the kingdom of Elis was conferred upon him by the Heraclidae. End of section 28, recording by Anthony Wilson. Section 29 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 LaFaro, Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome by E. M. Barons. Section 29, The Siege of Troy. Troy, or Ileon, was the capital of a kingdom in Asia Minor, situated near the Hellespont, and founded by Illus, son of Tross. At the time of the famous Trojan War, this city was under the government of Priam, a direct descendant of Illus. Priam was married to Hecuba, daughter of Daimus, king of Thrace, and among the most celebrated of their children were the renowned and valiant Hector, the prophetess Cassandra, and Paris, the cause of the Trojan War. Before the birth of her second son, Paris, Hecuba dreamt that she had given birth to a flaming brand, which was interpreted by Issacus, the seer, a son of Priam by a former marriage, to signify that she would bear a son who would cause the destruction of the city of Troy. Anxious to prevent the fulfilment of the prophecy, Hecuba caused her newborn babe to be exposed on Mount Ida to perish. But being found by some kind-hearted shepherds, the child was reared by them and grew up unconscious of his noble birth. As the boy approached manhood, he became remarkable, not only for his wonderful beauty of form and feature, but also for his strength and courage, which he exercised in defending the flocks from the attacks of robbers and wild beasts. Hence he was called Alexander, or Helper of Men. It was about this time that he settled the famous dispute concerning the golden apple, thrown by the goddess of discord into the assembly of the gods. As we have already seen, he gave his decision in favour of Aphrodite, thus creating for himself two implacable enemies for Hera and Athene never forgave the slight. Paris became united to a beautiful nymph named Sononi, with whom he lived happily in the seclusion and tranquility of a pastoral life. But to her deep grief, this peaceful existence was not fated to be of long duration. Hearing that some funereal games were about to be held in Troy in honour of a departed relative of the king, Paris resolved to visit the capital and take part in them himself. There he so greatly distinguished himself in a contest with his unknown brothers, Hector and Defobus, that the proud young princes, enraged that an obscure shepherd should snatch from them the prize of victory, were about to create a disturbance, when Cassandra, who had been a spectator of the proceedings, stepped forward and announced to them that the humble peasant, who had so signally defeated them, was their own brother, Paris. He was then conducted to the presence of his parents, who joyfully acknowledged him as their child and amidst the festivities and rejoicings in honour of their newfound son, the ominous prediction of the past was forgotten. As a proof of his confidence, the king now entrusted Paris with a somewhat delicate mission. As we have already seen in the legend of Heracles, that great hero conquered Troy and after killing King Lea Meadon, carried away captive his beautiful daughter, Hesioni, whom he bestowed in marriage to his friend, Telemon. But although she became Princess of Salamis and lived happily with her husband, her brother Priam never ceased to regret her loss and the indignity which had been passed upon his house. And it was now proposed that Paris should be equipped with a numerous fleet and proceed to Greece in order to demand the restoration of the king's sister. Before setting out on this expedition, Paris was warned by Cassandra against bringing home a wife from Greece and she predicted that if he disregarded her injunction, he would bring inevitable ruin upon the city of Troy and destruction to the house of Priam. Under the command of Paris, the fleet set sail and arrived safely in Greece. Here the young Trojan Prince first beheld Helen, the daughter of Zeus and Lida, and sister of the Dioscuri, who was the wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta, and the loveliest woman of her time. The most renowned heroes in Greece had sought the honour of her hand, but her stepfather, Tindarius, King of Sparta, fearing that if he bestowed her in marriage on one of her numerous lovers, he would make enemies of the rest, made it a stipulation that all suitors should solemnly swear to assist and defend the successful candidate with all the means at their command in any feud which might hereafter arise in connection with the marriage. He at length conferred the hand of Helen upon Menelaus, a warlike prince, devoted to martial exercises and the pleasure of the chase to whom he resigned his throne and kingdom. When Paris arrived at Sparta and sought hospitality at the royal palace, he was kindly received by King Menelaus. At the banquet given in his honour, he charmed both host and hostess by his graceful manner and varied accomplishments, and specially ingratiated himself with the fair Helen, to whom he presented some rare and chaste trinkets of Asiatic manufacture, whilst Paris was still a guest at the court of the King of Sparta. The latter received an invitation from his friend Idominius, King of Crete, to join him in a hunting expedition, and Menelaus, being of an unsuspicious and easy temperament, accepted the invitation, leaving to Helen the duty of entertaining the distinguished stranger. Captivated by her surpassing loveliness, the Trojan prince forgot every sense of honour and duty and resolved to rob his absent host of his beautiful wife. He accordingly collected his followers and, with their assistance, stormed the royal castle, possessed himself of the rich treasures which he contained, and succeeded in carrying off its beautiful and not altogether unwilling mistress. They at once set sail, but were driven by stress of weather to the island of Crania, where they cast anchor, and it was not until some years had elapsed during which time home and country were forgotten that Paris and Helen proceeded to Troy. In the early days of the war, when Menelaus heard of the violation of his hearth and home, he proceeded to Pylos, accompanied by his brother Agamemnon, in order to consult the wise old King Nestor, who was renowned for his great experience and statecraft. On hearing the facts of the case, Nestor expressed it as his opinion that only by means of the combined efforts of all the states of Greece could Menelaus hope to regain Helen in defiance of so powerful a kingdom as that of Troy. Menelaus and Agamemnon now raised the war cry, which was unanimously responded to from one end of Greece to the other. Many of those who volunteered their services were former suitors of the Fair Helen, and were therefore bound by their oath to support the cause of Menelaus. Others joined from pure love of adventure, but one and all were deeply impressed with the disgrace which would attach to their country should such a crime be suffered to go unpunished. Thus a powerful army was collected in which few names of note were missing. Only in the case of two great heroes, Odysseus, Ulysses, and Achilles, did Menelaus experience any difficulty. Odysseus, famed for his wisdom and great astuteness, was at this time living happily in Ithaca with his fair young wife Penelope and his little son, Telemachus, and was loath to leave his happy home for a perilous foreign expedition of uncertain duration. When therefore his services were solicited, he feigned madness. But the shrewd Palomides, a distinguished hero in the suit of Menelaus, detected and exposed the ruse, and thus Odysseus was forced to join in the war. But he never forgave the interference of Palomides, and, as we shall see, eventually revenged himself upon him in a most cruel manner. Achilles was the son of Pellius and the sea goddess Thetis, who he said to have dipped her son when a babe in the river stikes, and thereby rendered him invulnerable, except in the right heel by which she held him. When the boy was nine years old, it was foretold to Thetis that he would either enjoy a long life of inglorious ease and inactivity, or that after a brief career of victory, he would die the death of a hero, naturally desirous of prolonging the life of her son. The fond mother devoutly hoped that the former fate might be allotted to him. With this view she conveyed him to the island of Skyros in the Aegean Sea, where, disguised as a girl, he was brought up among the daughters of Lycomedes, king of the country. Now that the presence of Achilles was required, owing to an irracula prediction that Troy could not be taken without him, Menelaus consulted Calcas the soothsayer, who revealed to him the place of his concealment. Odysseus was accordingly dispatched to Skyros, where, by means of a clever device, he soon discovered which among the maidens was the object of his search. Disguising himself as a merchant, Odysseus obtained an introduction to the royal palace, where he offered to the king's daughters various trinkets for sale. The girls, with one exception, all examined his wares with unfaigned interest. Observing this circumstance, Odysseus shrewdly concluded that the one who held aloof must be none other than the young Achilles himself, but in order further to test the correctness of his deduction, he now exhibited a beautiful set of warlike accoutrements, whilst, at a given signal, stirring strains of martial music were heard outside, whereupon Achilles, fired with warlike ardour, seized the weapons, and thus revealed his identity. He now joined the cause of the Greeks, accompanied at the request of his father by his kinsmen, Patroclus, and contributed to the expedition a large force of the salient troops, or memydans, as they were called, and also 50 ships. For ten long years, Agamemnon and the other chiefs devoted all their energy and means in preparing for the expedition against Troy. But during these warlike preparations, an attempt at a peaceful solution of the difficulty was not neglected. An embassy consisting of Menelaus, Odysseus, et cetera, was dispatched to King Priam, demanding the surrender of Helen. But though the embassy was received with the utmost pomp and ceremony, the demand was nevertheless rejected, upon which the ambassadors returned to Greece, and the order was given for the fleet to assemble at Aulis in Boatia. Never before in the annals of Greece had so large an army been collected, a hundred thousand warriors were assembled at Aulis, and in its bay floated over a thousand ships, ready to convey them to the Trojan coast. The command of this mighty host was entrusted to Agamemnon, King of Argos, the most powerful of all the Greek princes. Before the fleet set sail, solemn sacrifices were offered to the gods on the seashore, when suddenly a serpent was seen to ascend a plain tree, in which was a sparrow's nest, containing nine young ones. The reptile first devoured the young birds and then their mother, after which it was turned by Zeus into stone. Calcass the soothsayer, on being consulted, interpreted the miracle to signify that the war with Troy would last for nine years, and that only in the tenth would the city be taken. Departure of the Greek fleet. The fleet then set sail, but mistaking the Mesian coast for that of Troy, they landed troops and commenced to ravage the country. Telephus, King of the Mesians, who had a son of the great hero Heracles, opposed them with a large army and succeeded in driving them back to their ships, but was himself wounded in the engagement by the spear of Achilles. Petroclus, who fought valiantly by the side of his kinsmen, was also wounded in this battle. But Achilles, who was a pupil of Chiron, carefully bound up the wound, which he succeeded in healing, and from this incident dates the celebrated friendship which ever existed between the two heroes, who even in death remained united. The Greeks now returned to Orlus. Meanwhile, the wound of Telephus, proving incurable, he consulted an oracle, and the response was that he alone who had inflicted the wound possessed the power of curing it. Telephus accordingly proceeded to the Greek camp, where he was healed by Achilles, and at the solicitation of Odysseus, consented to act as guide in the voyage to Troy. Just as the expedition was about to start for the second time, Agamemnon had the misfortune to kill a hind sacred to Artemis, who, in her anger, sent continuous calms, which prevented the fleet from setting sail. Calcas, on being consulted, announced that the sacrifice of Iphigenia, the daughter of Agamemnon, would alone appease the incensed goddess. How Agamemnon, at length, overcame his feeling as a father, and how Iphigenia was saved by Artemis himself, has been already related in a previous chapter. A fair wind, having at length sprung up, the fleet once more set sail. They first stopped at the island of Tenedos, where the famous archer Philoctetes, who possessed the bow and arrows of Heracles, given to him by the dying hero, was bitten in the foot by a venomous snake. So unbearable was the odor emitted by that wound, that, at the suggestion of Odysseus, Philoctetes was conveyed to the island of Lesbos, where, to his great chagrin, he was abandoned to his fate, and the fleet proceeded on their journey to Troy. Commencement of hostilities. Having received early intelligence of the impending invasion of their country, the Trojans sought the assistance of their neighbouring states, who all gallantly responded to their call for help, and thus ample preparations were made to receive the enemy. King Priam, being himself to advanced in years for active service, the command of the army devolved upon his eldest son, the brave and valiant Hector. At the approach of the Greek fleet, the Trojans appeared on the coast in order to prevent their landing. But great hesitation prevailed among the troops, as to who should be the first to set foot on the enemy's soil. It having been predicted that whoever did so would fall a sacrifice to the fates. Protesileus, of Phyllis, however nobly disregarding the ominous prediction, leapt on shore and fell by the hand of Hector. The Greeks then succeeded in affecting a landing, and in the engagement which ensued, the Trojans were signally defeated and driven to seek safety behind the walls of their city. With Achilles at their head, the Greeks now made a desperate attempt to take the city by storm, but were repulsed with terrible losses. After this defeat, the invaders for seeing a long and wearisome campaign drew up their ships on land, erected tents, huts, et cetera, and formed an entrenched camp on the coast. Between the Greek camp and the city of Troy was a plain watered by the rivers Skamander and Samoas, and it was on this plain, afterwards so renowned in history, that the ever-memorable battles between the Greeks and Trojans were fought. The impossibility of taking the city by storm was now recognized by the leaders of the Greek forces. The Trojans on their side, being less numerous than the enemy, did not venture on a great battle in the open field. Hence the war dragged on for many weary years without any decisive engagement taking place. It was about this time that Odysseus carried out his long meditated revenge against Palomedes. Palomedes was one of the wisest, most energetic, and most upright of all the Greek heroes, and it was in consequence of his unflagging zeal and wonderful eloquence that most of the chiefs had been induced to join the expedition. But the very qualities which endeared him to the hearts of his countrymen rendered him hateful in the eyes of his implacable enemy, Odysseus, who never forgave his having detected his scheme to avoid joining the army. In order to effect the ruin of Palomedes, Odysseus concealed in his tent a vast sum of money. He next wrote a letter purporting to be from King Priam to Palomedes, in which the former thanks to the Greek hero effusively for the valuable information received from him, referring at the same time to a large sum of money which he had sent to him as a reward. This letter, which was found upon the person of a Phrygian prisoner, was read aloud in a council of the Greek princes. Palomedes was arraigned before the chiefs of the army and accused of betraying his country to the enemy, whereupon a search was instituted and a large sum of money being found in his tent. He was pronounced guilty and sentenced to be stoned to death. They fully aware of the base treachery practised against him, Palomedes offered not a word in self-defence, knowing but too well that in the face of such damning evidence, the attempt to prove his innocence would be vain. Defection of Achilles. During the first year of the campaign, the Greeks ravaged the surrounding country and pillaged the neighbouring villages. Upon one of these foraging expeditions, the city of Pardassus was sacked and Agamemnon, as commander-in-chief, received as his share of the spoil, the beautiful Chrysias, daughter of Chrysias, the priest of Apollo, whilst to Achilles was allotted another captive, the fair Bricias. The following day, Chrysias, anxious to ransom his daughter, repaired to the Greek camp, but Agamemnon refused to accede to his proposal and, with rude and insulting words, drove the old man away. Full of grief at the loss of his child, Chrysias called upon Apollo for vengeance on her captor. His prayer was heard and the gods sent a dreadful pestilence which raged for 10 days in the camp of the Greeks. Achilles, at length, called together a council and inquired of Kalkas, the soothsayer, how to arrest this terrible visitation of the gods. The seer replied that Apollo, incensed at the insult offered to his priest, had sent the plague and that only by the surrender of Chrysias could his anger be appeased. On hearing this, Agamemnon agreed to resign the maiden, but, being already embittered against Kalkas for his prediction with regard to his own daughter, Ephigenia, he now heaped insults upon the soothsayer and accused him of plotting against his interests. Achilles espoused the cause of Kalkas and a violent dispute arose in which the son of Thetis would have killed his chief but for the timely interference of Pallas Athene, who suddenly appeared beside him, unseen by the rest, and recalled him to a sense of the duty he owed to his commander. Agamemnon revenged himself on Achilles by depriving him of his beautiful captive, the fair Brysias, who had become so attached to her kind and noble captor that she wept bitterly on being removed from his charge. Achilles, now fairly disgusted with the ungenerous conduct of his chief, withdrew himself to his tent and obstinately declined to take further part in the war. Hartsall and dejected, he repaired to the seashore and there invoked the presence of his divine mother. In answer to his prayer, Thetis emerged from beneath the waves and comforted her gallant son with the assurance that she would entreat the mighty Zeus to avenge his wrongs by giving victory to the Trojans so that the Greeks might learn to realise the great loss which they had sustained by his withdrawal from the army. The Trojans being informed by one of their spies of the defection of Achilles became emboldened by the absence of this brave and intrepid leader whom they feared above all the other Greek heroes. They accordingly sallied forth and made a bold and eminently successful attack upon the Greeks who, although they most bravely and obstinately defended their position, were completely routed and driven back to their entrenchments. Agamemnon and most of the other Greek leaders being wounded in the engagement. Encouraged by this marked and signal success, the Trojans now commenced to besiege the Greeks in their own camp. At this juncture, Agamemnon, seeing the danger which threatened the army, sunk for the moment all personal grievances and dispatched an embassy to Achilles consisting of many noble and distinguished chiefs, urgently entreating him to come to the assistance of his countrymen in this their hour of peril, promising that not only should the fair Bricius be restored to him but also that the hand of his own daughter should be bestowed on him in marriage with seven towns as her dowry. But the obstinate determination of the proud hero was not to be moved, and though he listened courteously to the arrangements and representations of the messengers of Agamemnon, his resolution to take no further part in the war remained unshaken. In one of the engagements which took place soon afterwards, the Trojans under the command of Hector penetrated into the heart of the Greek camp and had already commenced to burn their ships when Patroclus, seeing the distress of his countrymen, earnestly besought Achilles to send him to the rescue at the head of the Mimidans. The better nature of the hero prevailed and he not only entrusted to his friend the command of his brave band of warriors but lent him also his own suit of armour. Patroclus, having mounted the war chariot of the hero, Achilles lifted on high a golden goblet and poured out a libation of wine to the gods, accompanied by an earnest petition for victory and the safe return of his beloved comrade. As a parting injunction, he warned Patroclus against advancing too far into the territory of the enemy and entreated him to be content with rescuing the galleys. At the head of the Mimidans, Patroclus now made a desperate attack upon the enemy, who, thinking that the invincible Achilles was himself in command of his battalions, became disheartened and were put to fight. Patroclus followed up his victory and pursued the Trojans as far as the walls of their city, altogether forgetting in the excitement of the battle that injunction of his friend Achilles but his temerity cost the young hero his life for he now encountered the mighty Hector himself and fell by his hands. Hector stripped the armour from his dead foe and would have dragged the body into the city, had not Menelaus and Ajax the greater rushed forward and, after a long and fierce struggle, succeeded in rescuing it from desecration, death of Hector. And now came the mournful task of informing Achilles of the fate of his friend. He wept bitterly over the dead body of his comrade and solemnly vowed that the funeral rites should not be solemnised in his honour until he had slain Hector with his own hands and captured 12 Trojans to be emulated on his funeral pyre or other considerations vanished before the burning desire to avenge the death of his friend. And Achilles, now thoroughly aroused from his apathy, became reconciled to Agamemnon and rejoined the Greek army. At the request of the goddess Thetis, Hephaestus forged for him a new suit of armour which far surpassed in magnificence that of all the other heroes. Thus, gloriously arrayed, he was soon seen striding along, calling the Greeks to arms. He now led the troops against the enemy who were defeated and put to fight until, near the gates of the city, Achilles and Hector encountered each other. But here, for the first time throughout his whole career, the courage of the Trojan hero deserted him. At the near approach of his redoubtable antagonist, he turned and fled for his life. Achilles pursued him, and thrice round the walls of the city was the terrible race run in sight of the old king and queen who had mounted the walls to watch the battle. Hector endeavoured, during each course, to reach the city gates so that his comrades might open them to admit him or cover him with their missiles. But his adversary, seeing his design, forced him into the open plain, at the same time calling to his friends to hurl no spear upon his foe. But to leave to him the vengeance he had so long painted for. At length, wearied with the hot pursuit, Hector made a stand and challenged his foe to single combat. A desperate encounter took place in which Hector succumbed to his powerful adversary at the skiing gate. And with his last dying breath, the Trojan hero foretold to his conqueror that he himself would soon perish on the same spot. The infuriated victor bound the lifeless corpse of his fallen foe to his chariot and dragged it three times round the city walls and thence to the Greek camp. Overwhelmed with horror at this terrible scene, the aged parents of Hector uttered such heart-rending cries of anguish that they reached the ears of Andromache, his faithful wife, who, rushing to the walls, beheld the dead body of her husband bound to the conqueror's car. Achilles now solemnised the funeral rites in honour of his friend Petroclus. The dead body of the hero was born to the funeral pile by the Mermidans in full panoply. His dogs and horses were then slain to accompany him in case he should need them in the realm of shades, after which Achilles, in fulfilment of his savage vow, slaughtered 12 brave Trojan captives who were laid on the funeral pile, which was now lighted. When all was consumed, the bones of Petroclus were carefully collected and enclosed in the golden urn. Then followed the funereal games, which consisted of chariot races, fighting with the cestus, a sort of boxing glove, wrestling matches, foot races, and single combats with shield and spear, in all of which the most distinguished heroes took part and contended for the prizes. Penthesilia, after the death of Hector, their great hope and bulwark, the Trojans did not venture beyond the walls of their city, but soon their hopes were revived by the appearance of a powerful army of Amazons, under the command of their queen Penthesilia, a daughter of Arries, whose great ambition was to measure swords with the renowned Achilles himself and to avenge the death of the valiant Hector. Hostilities now recommenced in the open plain. Penthesilia led the Trojan host, the Greeks on their side, being under the command of Achilles and Ajax. Whilst the latter succeeded in putting the enemy to flight, Achilles was challenged by Penthesilia to single combat. With heroic courage she went forth to the fight, but even the strongest men failed before the power of the great Achilles, and though a daughter of Arries, Penthesilia was but a woman. With generous chivalry, the hero endeavoured to spare the brave and beautiful maid Maria, and only when his own life was in imminent danger did he make a serious effort to vanquish his enemy. When Penthesilia shared the fate of all who ventured to oppose the spear of Achilles and fell by his hand. Feeling herself fatally wounded, she remembered the desecration of the dead body of Hector and earnestly entreated the forbearance of the hero. But the petition was hardly necessary. For Achilles, full of compassion for his brave but unfortunate adversary, lifted her gently from the ground, and she expired in his arms. Unbeholding the dead body of their leader in the possession of Achilles, the Amazons and Trojans prepared for a fresh attack in order to wrest it from his hands. But observing their purpose, Achilles stepped forward and loudly called upon them to halt. Then in a few well-chosen words he praised the great valor and intrepidity of the fallen queen and expressed his willingness to resign the body at once. The chivalrous conduct of Achilles was fully appreciated by both Greeks and Trojans. Thirst cities, alone, a base and cowardly wretch, attributed unworthy motives to the gracious proceedings of the hero. And, not content with these insinuations, he savagely pierced with his lance the dead body of the Amazonian queen, whereupon Achilles, with one blow of his powerful arm, felled him to the ground and killed him on the spot. The well-merited death of Thirst cities excited no commiseration. But his kinsmen, Diomedes, came forward and claimed compensation for the murder of his relative, and as Agamemnon, who, as commander-in-chief, might easily have settled the difficulty, refrained from interfering. The proud nature of Achilles resented the implied condemnation of his conduct, and he once more abandoned the Greek army and took a ship for Lev's boss. Odysseus, however, followed him to the island and, with his usual tact, succeeded in inducing the hero to return to the camp. Death of Achilles. A new ally of the Trojans now appeared on the field in the person of Memnon, the Ethiopian, a son of Eos and Tithonus, who brought with him a powerful reinforcement of Negros. Memnon was the first opponent who had yet encountered Achilles on an equal footing. For like the great hero himself, he was the son of a goddess, and possessed also like Achilles, a suit of armour made for him by Hephaestus. Before the heroes encountered each other in single combat, the two goddesses, Thetis and Eos, hastened to Olympus to intercede with its mighty ruler for the life of their sons. Resolved even in this instance, not to act in opposition to the Moire, Zeus seized the golden scales in which he weighed the lot of mortals and placed it in the respective fates of the two heroes, whereupon that of Memnon weighed down the balance, thus pretending his death. Eos abandoned Olympus in despair. Arrived on the battlefield, she beheld the lifeless body of her son, who, after a long and brave defence, had at length succumbed to the awe-conquering arm of Achilles. At her command, her children, the winds, flew down to the plane and seizing the body of the slain hero, conveyed it through the air safe from the desecration of the enemy. The triumph of Achilles was not of long duration. Intoxicated with success, he attempted, at the head of the Greek army, to storm the city of Troy, when Paris, by the aid of Phoebus, Apollo, aimed a well-directed dart at the hero, which pierced his vulnerable heel and he fell to the ground fatally wounded before the skein gate. But though face to face with death, the intrepid hero, raising himself from the ground, still performed prodigies of valor, and not until his tottering limbs refused their office, was the enemy aware that the wound was mortal. By the combined efforts of Ajax and Odysseus, the body of Achilles was rested from the enemy after a long and terrible fight and conveyed to the Greek camp. Weeping bitterly over the untimely fate of her gallant son, Thetis came to embrace him for the last time and mingled her regrets and lamentations with those of the whole Greek army. The funeral pyre was then lighted and the voices of the muses were heard, chanting his funeral dirge. When, according to the custom of the ancients, the body had been burned on the pyre, the bones of the hero were collected, enclosed in a golden urn and deposited beside the remains of his beloved friend, Petroclus. In the funeral games celebrated in honour of the fallen hero, the property of her son was offered by Thetis as the prize of victory. But it was unanimously agreed that the beautiful suit of armour made by Hephaestus should be awarded to him who had contributed the most to the rescue of the body from the hands of the enemy. Popular opinion unanimously decided in favour of Odysseus, which verdict was confirmed by the Trojan prisoners who were present at the engagement. Unable to endure the slight, the unfortunate Ajax lost his reason and in this condition put an end to his existence. Final measures. Thus were the Greeks deprived at one and the same time of their bravest and most powerful leader and of him also who approached the nearest to his distinction. For a time operations were at a standstill until Odysseus at length contrived by means of a cleverly arranged ambush to capture Hellenus, the son of Priam. Like his sister Cassandra, Hellenus possessed the gift of prophecy and the unfortunate youth was now coerced by Odysseus into using his gift against the welfare of his native city. The Greeks learned from the Trojan prince that three conditions were indispensable to the conquest of Troy. In the first place, the son of Achilles must fight in their ranks. Secondly, the arrows of Heracles must be used against the enemy. And thirdly, they must obtain possession of the wooden image of Pallas Atheme, the famous Palladium of Troy. The first condition was easily fulfilled, ever ready to serve the interests of the community. Odysseus repaired to the island of Skyros, where he found Neptolomus, the son of Achilles. Having succeeded in arousing the ambition of the fiery youth, he generously resigned to him the magnificent armour of his father and then conveyed him to the Greek camp where he immediately distinguished himself in single combat with Eurypilus, the son of Telophus, who had come to the aid of the Trojans. To procure the poisoned dipped arrows of Heracles was a matter of greater difficulty. They were still in the possession of the much-aggrieved phyloctetes, who had remained in the island of Lemnos. His wounds still unhealed, suffering the most abject misery. But the judicious zeal of the indefatigable and ever-active Odysseus, who was accompanied in this undertaking by Diomedes, at length gained the day and he induced phyloctetes to accompany him to the camp where the skilful leech Makaon, the son of Asclepius, healed him of his wound. Phyloctetes became reconciled to Agamemnon and in an engagement which took place soon after, he mortally wounded Paris, the son of Priam. But though pierced by the fatal arrow of the demigod, death did not immediately ensue and Paris, calling to mind the prediction of an oracle that his deserted wife, Sononi could alone cure him if wounded, caused himself to be transported to her abode on Mount Ida, where he implored her by the memory of their past love to save his life. But mindful only of her wrongs, Sononi crushed out of her heart every womanly feeling of pity and compassion and sternly bade him depart. Soon, however, all her former affection for her husband awoke within her. With frantic haste she followed him, but on her arrival in the city she found the dead body of Paris already laid on the lighted funeral pile and in her remorse and despair, Sononi threw herself on the lifeless form of her husband and perished in the flames. The Trojans were now shut up within their walls and closely besieged. But the third and most difficult condition, being still unfulfilled, all efforts to take the city were unavailing. In this emergency, the wise and devoted Odysseus came once more to the aid of his comrades. Having this figured himself with self-inflicted wounds, he assumed the disguise of a wretched old men-dickened and then crept stealthily into the city in order to discover where the palladium was preserved. He succeeded in his object and was recognised by no one save the fair Helen, who after the death of Paris had been given in marriage to his brother Diphobus. But since death had robbed her of her lover, the heart of the Greek princess had turned yearningly towards her native country and her husband Menelaus, and Odysseus now found in her a most unlookedful ally. On his return to the camp, Odysseus called to his aid the valiant Diomedes, and with his assistance the perilous task of abstracting the palladium from its sacred precincts was, after some difficulty, affected. The conditions of conquest being now fulfilled, a council was called to decide on final proceedings. A Pios, a Greek sculptor, who had accompanied the expedition, was desired to construct a colossal wooden horse large enough to contain a number of able and distinguished heroes. On its completion, a band of warriors concealed themselves within, whereupon the Greek army broke up their camp and then set fire to it. As though worried of the long and tedious ten-year siege, they had abandoned the enterprise as hopeless. Accompanied by Agamemnon and the Sage Nestor, the fleet set sail for the island of Tenedos, where they cast anchor, anxiously awaiting the torch signal to hasten back to the Trojan coast. Destruction of Troy. When the Trojans saw the enemy depart and the Greek camp in flames, they believed themselves safe at last and streamed in great numbers out of the town in order to view the site where the Greeks had so long encamped. Here they found the gigantic wooden horse, which they examined with wondering curiosity, various opinions being expressed with regard to its utility. Some supposed it to be an engine of war and were in favour of destroying it. Others regarded it as a sacred idol and proposed that it should be brought into the city. Two circumstances which now occurred induced the Trojans to incline towards the latter opinion. Chief among those who suspected a treacherous design in this huge contrivance was Leocoon, a priest of Apollo, who, in company with his two young sons, had issued from the city with the Trojans in order to offer a sacrifice to the gods. With all the eloquence at his command, he urged his countrymen not to place confidence in any gift of the Greeks, and even went so far as to pierce the side of the horse with a spear, which he took from a warrior beside him, whereupon the arms of the heroes were heard to rattle. The hearts of the brave men concealed inside the horse quailed within them, and they had already given themselves up for lost when Pallas Athene, who ever watched over the cause of the Greeks, now came to their aid and a miracle occurred in order to blind and deceive the devoted Trojans, for the fall of Troy was decreed by the gods. Whilst Leocoon and his two sons stood prepared to perform the sacrifice, two enormous serpents suddenly rose out of the sea and made direct for the altar. They entwined themselves first around the tender limbs of the helpless youths, and then encircled their father, who rushed to their assistance, and thus all three were destroyed in sight of the horrified multitude. The Trojans naturally interpreted the fate of Leocoon and his sons to be a punishment sent by Zeus for his sacrilege against the wooden horse, and were now fully convinced that it must be consecrated to the gods. The crafty Odysseus had left behind his trusty friend Sinon with full instructions as to his course of action. Assuming the role assigned to him, he now approached King Priam with vetted hands and piteous entreaties, alleging that the Greeks, in obedience to the command of an oracle, had attempted to emulate him as a sacrifice, but that he had contrived to escape from their hands and now sought protection from the king. The kind-hearted monarch, believing his story, released his bonds, assured him of his favour, and then begged him to explain the true meaning of the wooden horse. Sinon willingly complied. He informed the king that Pallas Athene, who had he there too been the hope and stay of the Greeks throughout the war, was so deeply offended at the removal of her sacred image, the Palladium, from her temple in Troy, that she had withdrawn her protection from the Greeks and refused all further aid till it was restored to its rightful place. Hence, the Greeks had returned home in order to seek fresh instructions from an oracle. But before leaving, Calcas the sea had advised they're building this gigantic wooden horse as a tribute to the offended goddess, hoping thereby to appease her just anger. He further explained that it had been constructed of such colossal proportions in order to prevent its being brought into the city, so that the favour of Pallas Athene might not be transferred to the Trojans. Hardly had the crafty Sinon see-speaking when the Trojans, with one accord, urged that the wooden horse should be brought into their city without delay. The gates being too low to admit its entrance, a breach was made in the walls and the horse was conveyed in triumph into the very heart of Troy, whereupon the Trojans, overjoyed at what they deemed the successful issue of the campaign, abandoned themselves to feasting and rioting. Amidst the universe rejoicing, the unhappy Cassandra, for seeing the result of the admission of the wooden horse into the city, was seen rushing through the streets with wild gestures and dishevelled hair, warning her people against the dangers which awaited them. But her eloquent words fell on deaf ears, for it was ever the fate of the unfortunate prophetess that her predictions should find no credence. When, after the day's excitement, the Trojans had retired to rest and all was hushed and silent, Sinon, in the dead of night, released the heroes from their voluntary imprisonment. The signal was then given to the Greek fleet lying off Tenedos and the whole army in unbroken silence once more landed on the Trojan coast. To enter the city was now an easy matter, and a fearful slaughter ensued. Aroused from their slumbers, the Trojans under the command of their bravest leaders made a gallant defence, but were easily overcome. All their most valiant heroes fell in the fight, and soon the whole city was wrapped in flames. Priam fell by the hand of Nettolimus, who killed him as he lay prostrate before the altar of Zeus, praying for divine assistance in this awful hour of peril. The unfortunate Andromache, with her young son Asteanex, had taken refuge on the summit of a tower, where she was discovered by the victors, who, fearing less the son of Hector, might one day rise against them to avenge the death of his father, tore him from her arms and hurled him over the battlements. Innaeus alone, the son of Aphrodite, the beloved of gods and men, escaped the universal carnage with his son and his old father, Anchesis, whom he carried on his shoulders out of the city. He first sought refuge on Mount Ida, and afterwards fled to Italy, where he became the ancestral hero of the Roman people. Menelaus now sought Helen in the royal palace, who, being immortal, still retained all her former beauty and fascination. A reconciliation took place, and she accompanied her husband on his homeward voyage. Andromache, the widow of the brave Hector, was given in marriage to Nettolimus, Cassandra fell to the share of Agamemnon, and her Cuba, the grey-haired and widowed queen, was made prisoner by Odysseus. The boundless treasures of the wealthy Trojan king fell into the hands of the Greek heroes, who, after having levelled the city of Troy to the ground, prepared for their homeward voyage. End of section 29