heard this. This happy success so transported Bellerophon, that he endeavoured to fly upon Pegasus to heaven; for which Jupiter struck him with madness, and he fell from his horse into a field called Aleius Campus, *because in that place Bellerophon wandered up and down blind, to the end of his life : but Pegasus was placed among the stars. Some say that this was the occasion of the fable of the Chimæra. There was a famous pirate, who used to sail in a ship in whose prow was painted a lion, in the stern a dragon, and by the body of the ship a goat was described; and this pirate was killed by Bellerophon, in a long boat that was called Pegasus. From the letters which Bellerophon carried Jobates, tcomes the proverb, "Bellerophon's letters ;" when any one carries letters, which he imagines are wrote in his favour, but are sent to procure his ruin: and such letters are frequently called "Letters of Uriah," for the same reason. Esculapius is represented as a bearded old man, leaning on his jointed cane, adorned with a crown of laurel, and encompassed with dogs. He is the god of the physicians and physic, and the son of Apollo by the nymph Ceronis. He improved the art of physic, which before was little understood; and for that reason they accounted him a god. Apollo shot the nymph his mother when she was pregnant, because she admitted the addresses of another young man after he had become enamoured of her. But he repented after he had killed her, took out the child alive, and delivered him to be educated by the physician Chiron, who taught him his own art: the youth made so great a progress in it, that because he restored health to the sick, and gave safety * Ab aλsvw erro. * Βελλεροφοντος γραμματα, Bellerophontis litera usitatius dicta, Litere Uria. Ovid Met. 1. to those whose condition was desperate, he was thought to have a power of recalling the dead to life again. Upon this Pluto, the king of hell, *complained to Jupiter that his revenue was very much diminished, and his subjects taken from him by means of Esculapius; and at length, by his persuasion, Jupiter killed him with a stroke of thunder. He wears a crown of laurel, because that tree is powerful in curing many diseases. By the knots in his staff, is signified the difficulty of the study of physic. He has dogs painted about him, and dogs in his temple; because many believe that he was born of uncertain parents, and exposed, and afterward nourished by a bitch. Others say, that a goat, which was pursued by a dog, gave suck to the forsaken infant; and that the shepherds saw a lambent flame playing about his head, which was a prognostication of his future divinity. The Cyrenians used to offer a goat to him in the sacrifices; either because he was nourished by a goat, as was said, for because a goat is always in a fever; and therefore a goat's constitution is very contrary to health. Plato says, that they used to sacrifice dung-hill cocks to him, which are deemed the most vigilant of all birds; for of all virtues, watchfulness is chiefly necessary to a physician. Esculapius was worshipped first at Epidaurus, where he was born; afterward at Rome, because, on being sent for thither, he delivered the city from a dreadful pestilence. For which reason, a temple was dedicated to him in an island in the mouth of the Tiber, where he was worshipped under the form of a great serpent; for when the Romans came to Epidaurus to transport the god thence; a great ser * Virg. Æn. 7. ↑ Lactant. de fals. Religo. Paean. in Corinth. Didym. 1. 3. Nat. Cam. § In Phædone. لم pent entered the ship, which they believed was Esculapius; and brought it to Rome with them. Others tell the story thus: when the Romans were received by the people of Epidaurus with all kindness, and were carried into the temple of Æsculapius; the serpent, under whose image they worshipped that god, went voluntarily into the ship of the Romans. I can tell you nothing of the children of Æsculapius, except their names. He had two sons, called Machaon and Podalirius, both famous physicians, who followed Agamemnon, the general of the Grecians, to the Trojan war, and were very serviceable among the soldiers; and two daughters, Hygioa (though some think this was his wife) and Jaso. Chiron, his master, was a Centaur, and the son of Saturn and Phillyra; for when Saturn embraced that nymph, he suddenly changed himself into a horse, because his wife Ops came in. Phillyra was born a creature, in its upper parts like a man, in its lower parts like a horse. She called it Chiron ; when he grew up, he betook himself to the woods; and there, learned the virtues of herbs, he became a most excellent physician. For his skill in physic, and for his other virtues, which were many, he was appointed tutor to Achilles; he also instructed Hercules in astronomy, and taught Esculapius physic. At last, when he handled Hercules' arrows, one of them dipped in the poisonous blood of the Lernæan hydra, fell upon his foot, and gave him a wound that was incurable, and pains that were intolerable; insomuch that he desired to die, but could not, because he was born of immortal parents. Therefore, at length the gods translated him into the firmament, where he now remains; for he became a constellation called Sagittarius, which is placed in the zodiac. QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION. Who was Perseus? What order did Acrisius give with regard to his grandson, and how was the child saved? What were the exploits of Perseus? What is said of Medusa's head, and what happened when it was cut off? How is Pegasus described? For what was Bellerophon famous? Give the circumstances attending his history. What is meant by "Bellerophon's letters;" and what else are they called? Who was Esculapius? What became of his mother? Under whose care was Æsculapius brought up? What complaint was made against him? Why does he wear a crown of laurel; and what do the staff and dogs signify? Why were goats and cocks sacrificed to him? Where was he first worshipped; and why was he adored upder the form of a serpent? Who were Esculapius's children? CHAPTER II. PROMETHEUS. ATLAS. PROMETHEUS, the son of Japetus, and the father of Deucalion, was the first, as we find in history, that formed man out of clay; which he did with such art and skill, that Minerva was amazed, and proffered to procure him any thing from heaven; which would complete his work. Prometheus answered, that he did not know what in heaven would be useful to him, since he had never seen heaven. Therefore Minerva carried him up into heaven, and showed him all its wonders. He observed that the heat of the sun would be very useful in animating the man which he had formed; therefore he lighted a stick by the wheel of the sun's chariot, and carried it lighted with him to the earth. This theft displeased Jupiter so much, that he sent Pandora into the world to Pro metheus, with a box filled with all sorts of evils. Prometheus, fearing and suspecting the matter, refused to accept it; but his brother Epimetheus was not so cautious; for he took it and opened it, and all the evils that were in it flew abroad among mankind. When he perceived what he had done, he immediately shut the box again, and by good fortune hindered Hope from flying away, which stuck to the bottom of the box. You may remember how sweetly Horace speaks of this theft of Prometheus. "Audax omnia perpeti Genus humana ruit per vetitum nefas. Ignem fraude mala gentibus intulit; Lethi corripuit gradum." Carm. 1. 1. No pow'r the pride of mortals can control: Prone to new crimes, by strong presumption driv'n, Celestial fire, and bore it down from heav'n: The fatal present brought on mortal race An army of diseases; death began With vigour then, to mend its halting pace, And found a more compendious way to man. Jupiter punished Prometheus in this manner: he commanded Mercury to bind him to the mountain Caucasus; and then he sent an eagle to him there, which continually gnawed his liver. Yet some say, that he was not punished because he stole fire from heaven, but because he had made a woman, which, they say, is the most pernicious creature in the world. Prometheus had been serviceable to Jupiter, for he discovered to him his father Saturn's conspiracy, and prevented the marriage of Jupiter and Thetis, which he foresaw would be fatal; therefore Jupiter suffered Hercules to shoot the eagle, and set Prometheus at liberty. |