The Story of Troy | Page 6

way of saving the life of his daughter,
Laomedon consented. Hercules then went down to the seashore,
bearing in his hand the huge club which he usually carried, and wearing
his lion-skin over his shoulders. This was the skin of a fierce lion he
had strangled to death in a forest in Greece, and he always wore it when
going to perform any of his heroic feats.
When Hesione had been bound to the rock, the hero stood beside her
and awaited the coming of the serpent. In a short time its hideous form
emerged from beneath the waves, and darting forward it was about to
seize the princess, when Hercules rushed upon it, and with mighty
strokes of his club beat the monster to death. Thus was the king's
daughter saved and all Troy delivered from a terrible scourge. But
when the hero claimed the reward that had been agreed upon, and
which he had so well earned, Laomedon again proved himself to be a
man who was neither honest nor grateful. Disregarding his promise,
and forgetful, too, of what he and his people had already suffered as a
result of his breach of faith with the two gods, he refused to give
Hercules the horses.
The hero at once went away from Troy, but not without resolving to
return at a convenient time and punish Laomedon. This he did, not long
afterwards, when he had completed the celebrated "twelve labors" at
which he had been set by a Grecian king, whom Jupiter commanded
him to serve for a period of years because of an offense he had
committed. One of these labors was the killing of the lion. Another was
the destroying of the Lerʹnæ-an hydra, a frightful serpent with many
heads, which for a long time had been devouring man and beast in the
district of Lerʹna in Greece.
Having accomplished his twelve great labors and ended his term of
service, Hercules collected an army and a fleet, and sailed to the shores
of Troas. He then marched against the city, took it by surprise, and slew
Laomedon and all his sons, with the exception of Po-darʹces,
afterwards called Priam. This prince had tried to persuade his father to
fulfill the engagement with Hercules, for which reason his life was
spared. He was made a slave, however, as was done in ancient times

with prisoners taken in war. But Hesione ransomed her brother, giving
her gold-embroidered veil as the price of his freedom. From this time
he was called Priam, a word which in the Greek language means
"purchased." Hesione also prevailed upon Hercules to restore Priam to
his right as heir to his father's throne, and so he became king of Troy.
Hesione herself was carried off to Greece, where she was given in
marriage to Telʹa-mon, king of Salʹa-mis, a friend of Hercules.
Priam reigned over his kingdom of Troas many years in peace and
prosperity. His wife and queen, the virtuous Hecʹu-ba, was a daughter
of a Thracian king. They had nineteen children, many of whom became
famous during the great siege. Their eldest son, Hecʹtor, was the
bravest of the Trojan heroes. Their son Parʹis it was, as we shall see,
who brought upon his country the disastrous war. Another son,
Helʹe-nus, and his sister Cas-sanʹdra, were celebrated soothsayers.
Cassandra was a maiden of remarkable beauty. The god Apollo loved
her so much that he offered to grant her any request if she would accept
him as her husband. Cassandra consented and asked for the power of
foretelling events, but when she received it, she slighted the god and
refused to perform her promise. Apollo was enraged at her conduct, yet
he could not take back the gift he had bestowed. He decreed, however,
that no one should believe or pay any attention to her predictions, true
though they should be. And so when Cassandra foretold the evils that
were to come upon Troy, even her own people would not credit her
words. They spoke of her as the "mad prophetess."
Cassandra cried, and cursed the unhappy hour; Foretold our fate; but by
the god's decree, All heard, and none believed the prophecy.
VERGIL.
The first sorrow in the lives of King Priam and his good queen came a
short time before the birth of Paris, when Hecuba dreamed that her next
child would bring ruin upon his family and native city. This caused the
deepest distress to Priam and Hecuba, especially when the soothsayer
Æsʹa-cus declared that the dream would certainly be fulfilled. Then,
though they were tender and loving parents, they made up their minds

to sacrifice their own feelings rather than that such a calamity should
befall their country. When the child was born, the king, therefore,
ordered it to be given