Heathen mythology, Illustrated by extracts from the most celebrated writers, both ancient and modern. Various

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      —— "Jealous of the infant's future power,

      A stone the mother gave him to devour;

      Greedy he seized the imaginary child,

      And swallowed heedless, by the dress beguiled;

      Nor thought the wretched god of aught to fear,

      Nor knew the day of his disgrace was near;

      Invincible remains his Jove alive,

      His throne to shake, and from his kingdom drive

      The cruel parent; for to him 'tis given

      To rule the gods, and mount the throne of heaven."

      Hesiod.

      Saturn devoured this, as he had the previous offerings; and emboldened by her success, Cybele delivered in the same manner Pluto and Neptune, and afterwards, by administering a potion, compelled him to yield up those he had already swallowed. Jupiter, the first whom the Goddess had saved by her artifice, was brought up secretly in the Isle of Crete, by the Corybantes, or warrior priests, who, making a deafening noise with their drums and cymbals, prevented for a period the cries of the infant from reaching the ears of Titan: when, however, the latter discovered, as he eventually did, that his hopes had been deceived, and his agreement broken, he assembled an army, marched against Saturn, (who by this time was made aware of the deception, but refused to destroy his children), took him prisoner, and threw him into Tartarus, from whence he was delivered by Jupiter, and replaced upon his throne. But the fears of Saturn rendered him ungrateful to his deliverer, for Destiny having prophesied that Saturn should be dethroned by his son, the God attacked Jupiter in ambush, and finished, by declaring open war against him. Jupiter, however, again proved conqueror, chasing from heaven his father and his king, who took refuge in that part of Italy known as Latium; Janus, monarch of this city of refuge, succoured and received him, and Saturn, to recompense his hospitality, granted to him the gift of memory, and of looking into the future. From this cause, Janus is represented with a double face. The time which Saturn passed on earth is known as the age of gold.

      "Ere Saturn's rebel son usurped the skies;

      When beasts were only slain in sacrifice;

      While peaceful Crete enjoyed her ancient lord;

      Ere sounding hammers forged the inhuman sword;

      Ere hollow drums were beat; before the breath

      Of brazen trumpets rung the peals of death,

      The good old God his hunger did assuage

      With roots and herbs, and gave the golden age."

      Virgil.

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       Table of Contents

      "The Golden age was first; when man yet new,

      No rule but uncorrupted reason knew,

      And with a native bent did good pursue!

      Unforced by punishment, unawed by fear,

      His words were simple, and his soul sincere.

      Needless was written law, when none oppressed,

      The law of man was written in his breast;

      No suppliant crowds before the judge appeared,

      No court erected yet, nor cause was heard;

      But all was safe, for conscience was their guard:

      The mountain trees in distant prospects please,

      Ere yet the pine descended to the seas;

      Ere sails were spread new oceans to explore,

      And happy mortals unconcerned for more,

      Confined their wishes to their native shore:

      No walls were yet, nor fence, nor moat, nor mound,

      Nor drum was heard, nor trumpets' angry sound;

      Nor СКАЧАТЬ