Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome

Myths and Legends of Ancient
Greece and Rome, by

E.M. Berens This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost
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Title: Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome
Author: E.M. Berens
Release Date: August 23, 2007 [EBook #22381]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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A HAND-BOOK OF MYTHOLOGY.
* * * * *
THE

MYTHS AND LEGENDS
OF
ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME.
BY
E. M. BERENS.
ILLUSTRATED FROM ANTIQUE SCULPTURES.
[Illustration]
NEW YORK:
MAYNARD, MERRILL, & CO.,
43, 45 AND 47 EAST TENTH STREET.
* * * * *
{i}
PREFACE.
* * * * *
The want of an interesting work on Greek and Roman mythology,
suitable for the requirements of both boys and girls, has long been
recognized by the principals of our advanced schools. The study of the
classics themselves, even where the attainments of the pupil have
rendered this feasible, has not been found altogether successful in
giving to the student a clear and succinct idea of the religious beliefs of
the ancients, and it has been suggested that a work which would so deal
with the subject as to render it at once interesting and instructive would
be hailed as a valuable introduction to the study of classic authors, and
would be found to assist materially the labours of both master and
pupil.

In endeavouring to supply this want I have sought to place before the
reader a lifelike picture of the deities of classical times as they were
conceived and worshipped by the ancients themselves, and thereby to
awaken in the minds of young students a desire to become more
intimately acquainted with the noble productions of classical antiquity.
It has been my aim to render the Legends, which form the second
portion of the work, a picture, as it were, of old Greek life; its customs,
its superstitions, and its princely hospitalities, for which reason they are
given at somewhat greater length than is usual in works of the kind.
In a chapter devoted to the purpose some interesting particulars have
been collected respecting the public worship of the ancient Greeks and
Romans (more especially of the former), to which is subjoined an
account of their principal festivals.
I may add that no pains have been spared in order that, without passing
over details the omission of which would have {ii} marred the
completeness of the work, not a single passage should be found which
could possibly offend the most scrupulous delicacy; and also that I
have purposely treated the subject with that reverence which I consider
due to every religious system, however erroneous.
It is hardly necessary to dwell upon the importance of the study of
Mythology: our poems, our novels, and even our daily journals teem
with classical allusions; nor can a visit to our art galleries and museums
be fully enjoyed without something more than a mere superficial
knowledge of a subject which has in all ages inspired painters,
sculptors, and poets. It therefore only remains for me to express a hope
that my little work may prove useful, not only to teachers and scholars,
but also to a large class of general readers, who, in whiling away a
leisure hour, may derive some pleasure and profit from its perusal.
E. M. BERENS.
* * * * *
{iii}

CONTENTS.
PART I.--MYTHS. Page Introduction, 7
FIRST DYNASTY. ORIGIN OF THE WORLD-- URANUS AND
GÆA (Coelus and Terra), 11
SECOND DYNASTY. CRONUS (Saturn), 14 RHEA (Ops), 18
DIVISION OF THE WORLD, 19 THEORIES AS TO THE ORIGIN
OF MAN, 21
THIRD DYNASTY. OLYMPIAN DIVINITIES-- ZEUS (Jupiter), 26
HERA (Juno), 38 PALLAS-ATHENE (Minerva), 43 THEMIS, 48
HESTIA (Vesta), 48 DEMETER (Ceres), 50 APHRODITE (Venus), 58
HELIOS (Sol), 61 EOS (Aurora), 67 PHOEBUS-APOLLO, 68
HECATE, 85 SELENE (Luna), 86 ARTEMIS (Diana), 87
HEPHÆSTUS (Vulcan), 97 POSEIDON (Neptune), 101
{iv} SEA DIVINITIES-- OCEANUS, 107 NEREUS, 108 PROTEUS,
108 TRITON AND THE TRITONS, 109 GLAUCUS, 109 THETIS,
110 THAUMAS, PHORCYS, AND CETO, 111 LEUCOTHEA, 111
THE SIRENS, 112 ARES (Mars), 112 NIKE (Victoria), 117 HERMES
(Mercury), 117 DIONYSUS (Bacchus or Liber), 124 AÏDES (Pluto),
130 PLUTUS, 137
MINOR DIVINITIES-- THE HARPIES, 137 ERINYES,
EUMENIDES (Furiæ, Diræ), 138 MOIRÆ OR FATES (Parcæ), 139
NEMESIS, 141
NIGHT AND HER CHILDREN-- NYX (Nox), 142 THANATOS
(Mors), HYPNUS (Somnus), 142 MORPHEUS, 143 THE GORGONS,
144 GRÆÆ, 145 SPHINX, 146 TYCHE (Fortuna) and ANANKE
(Necessitas), 147 KER, 149 ATE, 149 MOMUS, 149 EROS (Cupid,
Amor) and PSYCHE, 150 HYMEN,