Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome 20

Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome 20

4. THE ERYMANTIAN BOAR.--The fourth task imposed upon Heracles by

Eurystheus was to bring alive to Mycenæ the Erymantian boar, which had laid

waste the region of Erymantia, and was the scourge of the surrounding

neighbourhood.

 

On his way thither he craved food and shelter of a Centaur named Pholus,

who received him with generous hospitality, setting before him a good and

plentiful repast. When Heracles expressed his surprise that at such a

well-furnished board {241} wine should be wanting, his host explained that

the wine-cellar was the common property of all the Centaurs, and that it

was against the rules for a cask to be broached, except all were present to

partake of it. By dint of persuasion, however, Heracles prevailed on his

kind host to make an exception in his favour; but the powerful, luscious

odour of the good old wine soon spread over the mountains, and brought

large numbers of Centaurs to the spot, all armed with huge rocks and

fir-trees. Heracles drove them back with fire-brands, and then, following

up his victory, pursued them with his arrows as far as Malea, where they

took refuge in the cave of the kind old Centaur Chiron. Unfortunately,

however, as Heracles was shooting at them with his poisoned darts, one of

these pierced the knee of Chiron. When Heracles discovered that it was the

friend of his early days that he had wounded, he was overcome with sorrow

and regret. He at once extracted the arrow, and anointed the wound with a

salve, the virtue of which had been taught him by Chiron himself. But all

his efforts were unavailing. The wound, imbued with the deadly poison of

the Hydra, was incurable, and so great was the agony of Chiron that, at the

intercession of Heracles, death was sent him by the gods; for otherwise,

being immortal, he would have been doomed to endless suffering.

 

Pholus, who had so kindly entertained Heracles, also perished by means of

one of these arrows, which he had extracted from the body of a dead

Centaur. While he was quietly examining it, astonished that so small and

insignificant an object should be productive of such serious results, the

arrow fell upon his foot and fatally wounded him. Full of grief at this

untoward event, Heracles buried him with due honours, and then set out to

chase the boar.

 

With loud shouts and terrible cries he first drove him out of the thickets

into the deep snow-drifts which covered the summit of the mountain, and

then, having at length wearied him with his incessant pursuit, he captured

the exhausted animal, bound him with a rope, and brought him alive to

Mycenæ.

 

{242}

 

5. CLEANSING THE STABLES OF AUGEAS.--After slaying the Erymantian boar

Eurystheus commanded Heracles to cleanse in one day the stables of Augeas.

 

Augeas was a king of Elis who was very rich in herds. Three thousand of his

cattle he kept near the royal palace in an inclosure where the refuse had

accumulated for many years. When Heracles presented himself before the

king, and offered to cleanse his stables in one day, provided he should

receive in return a tenth part of the herds, Augeas, thinking the feat

impossible, accepted his offer in the presence of his son Phyleus.

 

Near the palace were the two rivers Peneus and Alpheus, the streams of

which Heracles conducted into the stables by means of a trench which he dug

for this purpose, and as the waters rushed through the shed, they swept

away with them the whole mass of accumulated filth.

 

But when Augeas heard that this was one of the labours imposed by

Eurystheus, he refused the promised guerdon. Heracles brought the matter

before a court, and called Phyleus as a witness to the justice of his

claim, whereupon Augeas, without waiting for the delivery of the verdict,

angrily banished Heracles and his son from his dominions.

 

6. THE STYMPHALIDES.--The sixth task was to chase away the Stymphalides,

which were immense birds of prey who, as we have seen (in the legend of the

Argonauts), shot from their wings feathers sharp as arrows. The home of

these birds was on the shore of the lake Stymphalis, in Arcadia (after

which they were called), where they caused great destruction among men and

cattle.

 

On approaching the lake, Heracles observed great numbers of them; and,

while hesitating how to commence the attack, he suddenly felt a hand on his

shoulder. Looking round he beheld the majestic form of Pallas-Athene, who

held in her hand a gigantic pair of brazen clappers made by Hephæstus, with

which she {243} presented him; whereupon he ascended to the summit of a

neighbouring hill, and commenced to rattle them violently. The shrill noise

of these instruments was so intolerable to the birds that they rose into

the air in terror, upon which he aimed at them with his arrows, destroying

them in great numbers, whilst such as escaped his darts flew away, never to

return.

 

7. THE CRETAN BULL.--The seventh labour of Heracles was to capture the

Cretan bull.

 

Minos, king of Crete, having vowed to sacrifice to Poseidon any animal

which should first appear out of the sea, the god caused a magnificent bull

to emerge from the waves in order to test the sincerity of the Cretan king,

who, in making this vow, had alleged that he possessed no animal, among his

own herds, worthy the acceptance of the mighty sea-god. Charmed with the

splendid animal sent by Poseidon, and eager to possess it, Minos placed it

among his herds, and substituted as a sacrifice one of his own bulls.

Hereupon Poseidon, in order to punish the cupidity of Minos, caused the

animal to become mad, and commit such great havoc in the island as to

endanger the safety of the inhabitants. When Heracles, therefore, arrived

in Crete for the purpose of capturing the bull, Minos, far from opposing

his design, gladly gave him permission to do so.

 

The hero not only succeeded in securing the animal, but tamed him so

effectually that he rode on his back right across the sea as far as the

Peloponnesus. He now delivered him up to Eurystheus, who at once set him at

liberty, after which he became as ferocious and wild as before, roamed all

over Greece into Arcadia, and was eventually killed by Theseus on the

plains of Marathon.

 

8. THE MARES OF DIOMEDES.--The eighth labour of Heracles was to bring to

Eurystheus the mares of Diomedes, a son of Ares, and king of the

Bistonians, a warlike Thracian tribe. This king possessed a breed of wild

horses of tremendous size and strength, whose food consisted of human

flesh, and all strangers who had the {244} misfortune to enter the country

were made prisoners and flung before the horses, who devoured them.

 

When Heracles arrived he first captured the cruel Diomedes himself, and

then threw him before his own mares, who, after devouring their master,

became perfectly tame and tractable. They were then led by Heracles to the

sea-shore, when the Bistonians, enraged at the loss of their king, rushed

after the hero and attacked him. He now gave the animals in charge of his

friend Abderus, and made such a furious onslaught on his assailants that

they turned and fled.

 

But on his return from this encounter he found, to his great grief, that

the mares had torn his friend in pieces and devoured him. After celebrating

due funereal rites to the unfortunate Abderus, Heracles built a city in his

honour, which he named after him. He then returned to Tiryns, where he

delivered up the mares to Eurystheus, who set them loose on Mount Olympus,

where they became the prey of wild beasts.

 

It was after the performance of this task that Heracles joined the

Argonauts in their expedition to gain possession of the Golden Fleece, and

was left behind at Chios, as already narrated. During his wanderings he

undertook his ninth labour, which was to bring to Eurystheus the girdle of

Hippolyte, queen of the Amazons.

 

9. THE GIRDLE OF HIPPOLYTE.--The Amazons, who dwelt on the shores of the

Black Sea, near the river Thermodon, were a nation of warlike women,

renowned for their strength, courage, and great skill in horsemanship.

Their queen, Hippolyte, had received from her father, Ares, a beautiful

girdle, which she always wore as a sign of her royal power and authority,

and it was this girdle which Heracles was required to place in the hands of

Eurystheus, who designed it as a gift for his daughter Admete.

 

Foreseeing that this would be a task of no ordinary difficulty the hero

called to his aid a select band of brave companions, with whom he embarked

for the Amazonian {245} town Themiscyra. Here they were met by queen

Hippolyte, who was so impressed by the extraordinary stature and noble

bearing of Heracles that, on learning his errand, she at once consented to

present him with the coveted girdle. But Hera, his implacable enemy,

assuming the form of an Amazon, spread the report in the town that a

stranger was about to carry off their queen. The Amazons at once flew to

arms and mounted their horses, whereupon a battle ensued, in which many of

their bravest warriors were killed or wounded. Among the latter was their

most skilful leader, Melanippe, whom Heracles afterwards restored to

Hippolyte, receiving the girdle in exchange.

 

On his voyage home the hero stopped at Troy, where a new adventure awaited

him.

 

During the time that Apollo and Poseidon were condemned by Zeus to a

temporary servitude on earth, they built for king Laomedon the famous walls

of Troy, afterwards so renowned in history; but when their work was

completed the king treacherously refused to give them the reward due to

them. The incensed deities now combined to punish the offender. Apollo sent

a pestilence which decimated the people, and Poseidon a flood, which bore

with it a marine monster, who swallowed in his huge jaws all that came

within his reach.

 

In his distress Laomedon consulted an oracle, and was informed that only by

the sacrifice of his own daughter Hesione could the anger of the gods be

appeased. Yielding at length to the urgent appeals of his people he

consented to make the sacrifice, and on the arrival of Heracles the maiden

was already chained to a rock in readiness to be devoured by the monster.

 

When Laomedon beheld the renowned hero, whose marvellous feats of strength

and courage had become the wonder and admiration of all mankind, he

earnestly implored him to save his daughter from her impending fate, and to

rid the country of the monster, holding out to him as a reward the horses

which Zeus had presented to {246} his grandfather Tros in compensation for

robbing him of his son Ganymede.

 

Heracles unhesitatingly accepted the offer, and when the monster appeared,

opening his terrible jaws to receive his prey, the hero, sword in hand,

attacked and slew him. But the perfidious monarch once more broke faith,

and Heracles, vowing future vengeance, departed for Mycenæ, where he

presented the girdle to Eurystheus.

 

10. THE OXEN OF GERYONES.--The tenth labour of Heracles was the capture of

the magnificent oxen belonging to the giant Geryon or Geryones, who dwelt

on the island of Erythia in the bay of Gadria (Cadiz). This giant, who was

the son of Chrysaor, had three bodies with three heads, six hands, and six

feet. He possessed a herd of splendid cattle, which were famous for their

size, beauty, and rich red colour. They were guarded by another giant named

Eurytion, and a two-headed dog called Orthrus, the offspring of Typhon and

Echidna.

 

In choosing for him a task so replete with danger, Eurystheus was in hopes

that he might rid himself for ever of his hated cousin. But the indomitable

courage of the hero rose with the prospect of this difficult and dangerous

undertaking.

 

After a long and wearisome journey he at last arrived at the western coast

of Africa, where, as a monument of his perilous expedition, he erected the

famous "Pillars of Hercules," one of which he placed on each side of the

Straits of Gibraltar. Here he found the intense heat so insufferable that

he angrily raised his bow towards heaven, and threatened to shoot the

sun-god. But Helios, far from being incensed at his audacity, was so struck

with admiration at his daring that he lent to him the golden boat with

which he accomplished his nocturnal transit from West to East, and thus

Heracles crossed over safely to the island of Erythia.

 

No sooner had he landed than Eurytion, accompanied by his savage dog

Orthrus, fiercely attacked him; but Heracles, with a superhuman effort,

slew the dog and {247} then his master. Hereupon he collected the herd, and

was proceeding to the sea-shore when Geryones himself met him, and a

desperate encounter took place, in which the giant perished.

 

Heracles then drove the cattle into the sea, and seizing one of the oxen by

the horns, swam with them over to the opposite coast of Iberia (Spain).

Then driving his magnificent prize before him through Gaul, Italy, Illyria,

and Thrace, he at length arrived, after many perilous adventures and

hair-breadth escapes, at Mycenæ, where he delivered them up to Eurystheus,

who sacrificed them to Hera.

 

Heracles had now executed his ten tasks, which had been accomplished in the

space of eight years; but Eurystheus refused to include the slaying of the

Hydra and the cleansing of the stables of Augeas among the number, alleging

as a reason that the one had been performed by the assistance of Iolaus,

and that the other had been executed for hire. He therefore insisted on

Heracles substituting two more labours in their place.

 

11. THE APPLES OF THE HESPERIDES.--The eleventh task imposed by Eurystheus

was to bring him the golden apples of the Hesperides, which grew on a tree

presented by Gæa to Hera, on the occasion of her marriage with Zeus. This

sacred tree was guarded by four maidens, daughters of Night, called the

Hesperides, who were assisted in their task by a terrible hundred-headed

dragon. This dragon never slept, and out of its hundred throats came a

constant hissing sound, which effectually warned off all intruders. But

what rendered the undertaking still more difficult was the complete

ignorance of the hero as to the locality of the garden, and he was forced,

in consequence, to make many fruitless journeys and to undergo many trials

before he could find it.

 

He first travelled through Thessaly and arrived at the river Echedorus,

where he met the giant Cycnus, the son of Ares and Pyrene, who challenged

him to single combat. In this encounter Heracles completely vanquished

{248} his opponent, who was killed in the contest; but now a mightier

adversary appeared on the scene, for the war-god himself came to avenge his

son. A terrible struggle ensued, which had lasted some time, when Zeus

interfered between the brothers, and put an end to the strife by hurling a

thunderbolt between them. Heracles proceeded on his journey, and reached

the banks of the river Eridanus, where dwelt the Nymphs, daughters of Zeus

and Themis. On seeking advice from them as to his route, they directed him

to the old sea-god Nereus, who alone knew the way to the Garden of the

Hesperides. Heracles found him asleep, and seizing the opportunity, held

him so firmly in his powerful grasp that he could not possibly escape, so

that notwithstanding his various metamorphoses he was at last compelled to

give the information required. The hero then crossed over to Libya, where

he engaged in a wrestling-match with king Anteos, son of Poseidon and Gæa,

which terminated fatally for his antagonist.

 

From thence he proceeded to Egypt, where reigned Busiris, another son of

Poseidon, who (acting on the advice given by an oracle during a time of

great scarcity) sacrificed all strangers to Zeus. When Heracles arrived he

was seized and dragged to the altar; but the powerful demi-god burst

asunder his bonds, and then slew Busiris and his son.

 

Resuming his journey he now wandered on through Arabia until he arrived at

Mount Caucasus, where Prometheus groaned in unceasing agony. It was at this

time that Heracles (as already related) shot the eagle which had so long

tortured the noble and devoted friend of mankind. Full of gratitude for his

deliverance, Prometheus instructed him how to find his way to that remote

region in the far West where Atlas supported the heavens on his shoulders,

near which lay the Garden of the Hesperides. He also warned Heracles not to

attempt to secure the precious fruit himself, but to assume for a time the

duties of Atlas, and to despatch him for the apples. {249}

 

On arriving at his destination Heracles followed the advice of Prometheus.

Atlas, who willingly entered into the arrangement, contrived to put the

dragon to sleep, and then, having cunningly outwitted the Hesperides,

carried off three of the golden apples, which he now brought to Heracles.

But when the latter was prepared to relinquish his burden, Atlas, having

once tasted the delights of freedom, declined to resume his post, and

announced his intention of being himself the bearer of the apples to

Eurystheus, leaving Heracles to fill his place. To this proposal the hero

feigned assent, merely begging that Atlas would be kind enough to support

the heavens for a few moments whilst he contrived a pad for his head. Atlas

good-naturedly threw down the apples and once more resumed his load, upon

which Heracles bade him adieu, and departed.

 

When Heracles conveyed the golden apples to Eurystheus the latter presented

them to the hero, whereupon Heracles placed the sacred fruit on the altar

of Pallas-Athene, who restored them to the garden of the Hesperides.

 

12. CERBERUS.--The twelfth and last labour which Eurystheus imposed on

Heracles was to bring up Cerberus from the lower world, believing that all

his heroic powers would be unavailing in the Realm of Shades, and that in

this, his last and most perilous undertaking, the hero must at length

succumb and perish.

 

[Illustration]

 

Cerberus was a monster dog with three heads, out of whose awful jaws

dripped poison; the hair of his head and back was formed of venomous

snakes, and his body terminated in the tail of a dragon.

 

After being initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries, and {250} obtaining

from the priests certain information necessary for the accomplishment of

his task, Heracles set out for Tænarum in Lacolia, where there was an

opening which led to the under-world. Conducted by Hermes, he commenced his

descent into the awful gulf, where myriads of shades soon began to appear,

all of whom fled in terror at his approach, Meleager and Medusa alone

excepted. About to strike the latter with his sword, Hermes interfered and

stayed his hand, reminding him that she was but a shadow, and that

consequently no weapon could avail against her.

 

Arrived before the gates of Hades he found Theseus and Pirithöus, who had

been fixed to an enchanted rock by Aïdes for their presumption in

endeavouring to carry off Persephone. When they saw Heracles they implored

him to set them free. The hero succeeded in delivering Theseus, but when he

endeavoured to liberate Pirithöus, the earth shook so violently beneath him

that he was compelled to relinquish his task.

 

Proceeding further Heracles recognized Ascalaphus, who, as we have seen in

the history of Demeter, had revealed the fact that Persephone had swallowed

the seeds of a pomegranate offered to her by her husband, which bound her

to Aïdes for ever. Ascalaphus was groaning beneath a huge rock which

Demeter in her anger had hurled upon him, and which Heracles now removed,

releasing the sufferer.

 

Before the gates of his palace stood Aïdes the mighty ruler of the lower

world, and barred his entrance; but Heracles, aiming at him with one of his

unerring darts, shot him in the shoulder, so that for the first time the

god experienced the agony of mortal suffering. Heracles then demanded of

him permission to take Cerberus to the upper-world, and to this Aïdes

consented on condition that he should secure him unarmed. Protected by his

breastplate and lion's skin Heracles went in search of the monster, whom he

found at the mouth of the river Acheron. Undismayed by the hideous barking

which proceeded from his three heads, he seized the {251} throat with one

hand and the legs with the other, and although the dragon which served him

as a tail bit him severely, he did not relinquish his grasp. In this manner

he conducted him to the upper-world, through an opening near Troezen in

Argolia.

 

When Eurystheus beheld Cerberus he stood aghast, and despairing of ever

getting rid of his hated rival, he returned the hell-hound to the hero, who

restored him to Aïdes, and with this last task the subjection of Heracles

to Eurystheus terminated.

 

MURDER OF IPHITUS.--Free at last Heracles now returned to Thebes; and it

being impossible for him to live happily with Megara in consequence of his

having murdered her children he, with her own consent, gave her in marriage

to his nephew Iolaus. Heracles himself sought the hand of Iole, daughter of

Eurytus, king of Oechalia, who had instructed him when a boy in the use of

the bow. Hearing that this king had promised to give his daughter to him

who could surpass himself and his three sons in shooting with the bow,

Heracles lost no time in presenting himself as a competitor. He soon proved

that he was no unworthy pupil of Eurytus, for he signally defeated all his

opponents. But although the king treated him with marked respect and honour

he refused, nevertheless, to give him the hand of his daughter, fearing for

her a similar fate to that which had befallen Megara. Iphitus, the eldest

son of Eurytus, alone espoused the cause of Heracles, and essayed to induce

his father to give his consent to the marriage; but all to no purpose, and

at length, stung to the quick at his rejection, the hero angrily took his

departure.

 

Soon afterwards the oxen of the king were stolen by the notorious thief

Autolycus, and Heracles was suspected by Eurytus of having committed the

theft. But Iphitus loyally defended his absent friend, and proposed to seek

out Heracles, and with his assistance to go in search of the missing

cattle. {252}

 

The hero warmly welcomed his staunch young friend, and entered cordially

into his plan. They at once set out on their expedition; but their search

proved altogether unsuccessful. When they approached the city of Tiryns

they mounted a tower in hopes of discovering the missing herd in the

surrounding country; but as they stood on the topmost summit of the

building, Heracles became suddenly seized with one of his former attacks of

madness, and mistaking his friend Iphitus for an enemy, hurled him down

into the plain below, and he was killed on the spot.

 

Heracles now set forth on a weary pilgrimage, begging in vain that some one

would purify him from the murder of Iphitus. It was during these wanderings

that he arrived at the palace of his friend Admetus, whose beautiful and

heroic wife (Alcestes) he restored to her husband after a terrible struggle

with Death, as already related.

 

Soon after this event Heracles was struck with a fearful disease, and

betook himself to the temple of Delphi, hoping to obtain from the oracle

the means of relief. The priestess, however, refused him a response on the

ground of his having murdered Iphitus, whereupon the angry hero seized upon

the tripod, which he carried off, declaring that he would construct an

oracle for himself. Apollo, who witnessed the sacrilege, came down to

defend his sanctuary, and a violent struggle ensued. Zeus once more

interfered, and, flashing his lightnings between his two favourite sons,

ended the combat. The Pythia now vouchsafed an answer to the prayer of the

hero, and commanded him, in expiation of his crime, to allow himself to be

sold by Hermes for three years as a slave, the purchase-money to be given

to Eurytus in compensation for the loss of his son.

 

HERACLES BECOMES THE SLAVE OF OMPHALE.--Heracles bowed in submission to the

divine will, and was conducted by Hermes to Omphale, queen of Lydia. The

three talents which she paid for him were given {253} to Eurytus, who,

however, declined to accept the money, which was handed over to the children of Iphitus.