dened under the influence of the drink. As for Ikarius, at all events, to whom he first gave the vine-shoot, his boon companions themselves destroyed him by striking him with their spades.1 Zeus. That is nothing to the purpose; for it's not the wine nor Dionysus that does this, but immoderateness in drinking, and filling oneself with unmixed wine beyond what is becoming.2 But a man, who should drink within the bounds of moderation, will be of a more jovial and genial disposition. And as to the fate of Ikarius, he [Dionysus] could not have designed any harm to any of his boon companions. But you seem to me to be still jealous, Hera, and to remember Semele, since you calumniate the finest and fairest gifts of Dionysus. XIX. EROS EXPLAINS TO HIS MOTHER WHY HE DOES NOT ASSAIL Aphrodite. Pray, why in the world, my dear Eros, have you completely subdued to yourself all the rest of the Gods-Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, Rhea, me, your motherand kept your hands off Athena alone; and why, as far as she is concerned, is your torch without a spark, your quiver empty of arrows, and yourself without a bow and without practice ? Eros. I am afraid of her, mother, for she is terrible, and 1 See Apollod. iii. 14, for the fate of Ikarius, who-by a cause opposite to that of the death of Pentheus-fell a victim to Bacchic fury, and for the adventures of his daughter Erigone and her faithful dog Mæra, who, after death, were translated to the heavens. 2 The Greeks usually drank their wine diluted with water, and it was a mark of intemperance and barbarism to drink it unmixed. The Spartans, according to Herodotus, believed that their king Kleomenes had become mad in this way (vi. 84); Cf. Plato, Nóμ., i.; Athenæus, Aɛπ. vi. Alian, Ιστ. Ποικ, ii. 37. * Cf. Plutarch, Περί τῆς Σαρκοφαγίας, i. 2. τὶ καταψεύδεσθε τῆς γῆς; K.T.A. Even " half and half" was held to be intoxicating, nor was wine ever drunk during eating. her eyes burn with a fierce brightness,' and she is dreadfully masculine. At all events, whenever I advance towards her with bent bow, she shakes her crest at me, and frightens me out of my wits, and I am all of a tremble, and my arrows slip from my hands. Aphrodite. Why, was not Ares more alarming? and yet you disarmed him in a moment, and have conquered him. Eros. Yes, but he readily allows me to approach him, and invites me of his own accord, while Athena is always watching me suspiciously and secretly: and once I flew by her, casually, with my torch, and said she, "If you come near me, by my father, I will run you through in a moment with my pretty spear, or I will seize you by the foot and pitch you into Tartarus, or tear you in pieces with my own hand, and be the death of you.' Many such threats has she uttered, and she puts on sour looks, and has on her breast a frightful sort of face, with snakes all over for hair, which is my especial horror, for it frightens me like a very, Mormo, and I flee whenever I catch a glimpse of it. Aphrodite. But you fear Athena, as you say, and the Gorgon, and that, though you are not afraid of the thunderbolt of Zeus! And the Muses—why are they unwounded and out of reach of your darts? Do they, too, shake crests, and exhibit Gorgons in front of them? . Eros. I have an awe of them, mother, for they are grave. and respectable, and are always in some profound medita 1 Xaporn. Lit., "joyous-eyed" (xápa-w). Applied to the Goddess of (scientific) War, it denoted an extraordinary combination of brilliancy and fierceness. Cf. Homeric Hymn to Hermes (Shelley's version), Hesiod, Oɛoy. 321; Lucian, O. A. vii.; Neкp. Avaλ. i. 3. 2 MoрμoλúтTεтai (Mopμú). Mormo, Empusa, the Lamia, and other monsters and goblins of the Greek nursery, apparently, were almost as much used to keep children in order as similar objects of popular superstition are (or lately were), employed in the English nursery. Cf. Aristoph. Εἰρήνη, 466. 'Αχαρν. 557. Βατρ. 285-296 ; Theok. Είδ. xv. 40, where Praxinoa tells her baby that Mormo "bites." "We relate to children," says Strabo, "pleasing tales to incite them to [any course of] action, and frightful ones to deter them, such as those of Lamia, Gorgo, Ephialtes, and Mormolyca [Mormo-wolf]," i. 2 (Bohn's Transl.). Lamia was a sort of witch, said to suck children's blood (Hor. Ars Poet. 340), Ephialtes an "incubus" or "nightmare." For a forcible representation of the Medusa-head, see the picture of Lionardo da Vinci. tion or other, and are occupied in song, and I often stand by them, beguiled by their melody. Aphrodite. Well, leave them out of the question, too, as they are grave and respectable. But Artemis-why don't you inflict a wound on her? 1 Eros. In a word, it is impossible even to come up with her, as she is always fleeing through the mountains. Then, too, she has already her own peculiar kind of love. Aphrodite. For what, child? Eros. The hunting of stags and fawns, pursuing them for the purpose of capturing them or shooting them down, and she is entirely devoted to that sort of thing. When, however, her brother, although an archer himself and a far-shooter 2. Aphrodite. I know, child, you have shot your arrow at him often enough. XX. THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS. Zeus, Hermes, Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, Paris or Alexander. Zeus. Take this apple here, Hermes, and hie to Phrygia, to the presence of the son of Priam, the cowherd—he is tending his cows on the Gargarus 3-summit of Ida-and say to him: "Paris, Zeus bids you, since you are yourself a good-looking youth, and clever in love-matters, to decide for the Goddesses here which is the most beautiful. And let the winner receive the apple as the prize of the contest." And now, Goddesses, it is quite time for yourselves to set off to the presence of your judge. For, for my part, I decline, for myself, the office of arbitrator, loving you, as I do, with equal affection; and, if it were only possible, I would with pleasure see you all three winners. Especially do I decline, 1 "Qualis in Eurotæ ripis, aut per juga Cynthi, 2 'Ernẞólov. See 'IX. passim. Aphrodite supplies the verb for Eros. 3 Gargarus, one of the three mountains of which Ida consists. In Strabo's time they still shewed the scene of the famous Judgment upon the mountain, which at that time was called Alexandria.-Wieland. The Idæan range formed the southern boundary of the Troad. Gargara or Gargarus has a height of some 5,000 ft. as in giving the prize of beauty to one, I must certainly incur the hatred of the rest. For this reason I am myself no suitable umpire for you-but this Phrygian youth, to whom you are going, is of princely birth, and is a relative of Ganymedes here. In other respects, he is simple and mountain-bred. No one would think him unworthy of such a spectacle. Aphrodite. As far as I am concerned, Zeus, even though you should appoint Momus' himself our judge, I will cheerfully go to the exhibition; for, indeed, what could he have to find fault with in me? The man, however, will have to satisfy these goddesses, too. Hera. Oh! it's not we, Aphrodite, who have to fear—no, not though your own Ares should be entrusted with the arbitration. May we, also, accept this Paris, whoever he may be. Zeus. And does this content you, daughter, too? What say you? You turn away and blush ? It is the privilege of you virgins, indeed, to be shy about' such matters; but you nod assent, however. Away with you all, then, and see that you are not hard upon your judge you who have been vanquished, and don't have any mischief inflicted on the youth. For it's not possible for you to be all equally beauties. Hermes. Let us start off straight for Phrygia, I leading the way, and do you follow me without loitering, and keep up your spirits. I am personally acquainted with Paris; he is a good-looking youth, and amorous into the bargain, and very competent to judge in all such matters. would not give a bad judgment. He Aphrodite. That is all fair, and you speak quite after my mind-that he is the right judge for us. [Confidentially] But is he a bachelor, or has he some wife or other living with him ? Hermes. Not absolutely a bachelor, Aphrodite. 1 See 0. A. iv. v. 2 Momus, who acted as Censor and Critic in ordinary at the Olympian Court, according to Hesiod, derived his obscure parentage from the Goddess Nu. He does not appear in the Homeric epics. See Lucian's Zɛós Tpayudós (" Zeus the Tragedian "), where Momus takes a prominent part, and uses his privilege very much à propos. Hermes. Some lady of Ida1 appears to be keeping company with him-well enough in her way, but countrified and dreadfully boorish. However, he does not seem to be excessively attached to her. But, pray, why do you put these questions ? Aphrodite. I asked quite indifferently. Athena. Holloa! you Sir, there, you are exceeding your commission in communicating with her in private. Hermes. It was nothing extraordinary, Athena, and nothing against you. She only asked me if Paris is a bachelor. Athena. And pray, why is she so inquisitive about that? Hermes. I don't know. But she says it occurred to her quite casually, and she had no purpose in asking. Athena. Well, is he unmarried? Hermes. I think not. Athena. What then? Has he a desire for the military life, and is he at all ambitious for glory, or is he altogether devoted to his herds? Hermes. The exact truth I am unable to say: but one must suppose that a young fellow like him would be eager to acquire fame in these things, and would like to be first in fighting. Aphrodite (pouting). Do you see? I don't find fault, nor charge you with talking to her on the sly-for such sort of querulousness is peculiar to people not over much pleased with themselves: it's not Aphrodite's way. Hermes. Indeed she asked me almost exactly the same question as she did you: so don't be in a pet, and don't imagine you are worse treated, if I answered her somewhat frankly and simply. But while we are talking, we have already advanced far on our road, and taken leave of the stars, and, in fact, are almost opposite Phrygia. And now, in fact, I see Ida and the whole of Gargarus distinctly, and, if I am not deceived, Paris himself, your umpire. Hera. But where is he? For he is not visible to my eyes. 1 Hermes. Look carefully there to the left, Hera—not near Enone, the Naiad or river-nymph. See Ovid, Enone Paridi, and Tennyson's poem. 2 ̓Απεσπάσαμεν τῶν ἀστέρων. Cf. Ικάρο-Μενίππος. xi. |