The Story of Troy | Page 3

of the gods. One of the most famous was the Parê1the-non, at Athens. At the shrines of the gods costly gifts in gold and silver were presented, and on their altars, often built in the open air, beasts were killed and burned as sacrifices, which were thought to be very pleasing to the divine beings to whom they were offered.
[Illustration: THE PARTHENON.
From model in Metropolitan Museum, New York.]
The greatest and most powerful of the gods was Juê1pi-ter, also called Jove or Zeus. To him all the rest were subject. He was the king of the gods, the mighty Thunderer, at whose nod Olympus shook, and at whose word the heavens trembled. From his great power in the regions of the sky he was sometimes called the "cloud-compelling Jove."
He, whose all-conscious eyes the world behold, The eternal Thunderer sat, enthroned in gold. High heaven the footstool of his feet he makes, And wide beneath him all Olympus shakes.
POPE, Iliad, Book VIII.
The wife of Jupiter, and the queen of heaven, was Juê1no, who, as we shall see, was the great enemy of Troy and the Trojans. One of the daughters of Jupiter, called Veê1nus, or Aph-ro-diê1te, was the goddess of beauty and love. Nepê1tune was the god of the sea. He usually carried in his hand a trident, or three-pronged scepter, the emblem of his authority.
His sumptuous palace-halls were built Deep down in ocean, golden, glittering, proof Against decay of time.
BRYANT, Iliad, Book XIII.
Mars was the god of war, and Pluê1to, also called Dis and Haê1des, was god of the regions of the dead. One of the most glorious and powerful of the gods was Apollo, or Ph?“ê1bus, or Sminê1theus, for he had many names. He was god of the sun, and of medicine, music, and poetry. He is represented as holding in his hand a bow, and sometimes a lyre. Homer calls him the "god of the silver bow," and the "far-darting Apollo," for the ancients believed that with the dart of his arrow he sent down plagues upon men whenever they offended him.
The other principal deities mentioned by Homer are Mi-nerê1va, or Palê1las, the goddess of wisdom; Vulê1can, the god of fire; and Merê1cu-ry, or Herê1mes, the messenger of Jupiter. Vulcan was also the patron, or god, of smiths. He had several forges; one was on Mount Olympus, and another was supposed to be under Mount ??tê1na in Sicê1i-ly. Here, with his giant workmen, the Cyê1clops, he made thunderbolts for Jupiter, and sometimes armor and weapons of war for earthly heroes.
The gods, it was believed, made their will known to men in various ways,--sometimes by the flight of birds, frequently by dreams, and sometimes by appearing on earth under different forms, and speaking directly to kings and warriors. Very often men learned the will of the gods by consulting seers and soothsayers, or augurs,--persons who were supposed to have the power of foretelling events. There were temples also where the gods gave answers through priests. Such answers were called Orê1a-cles, and this name was also given to the priests. The most celebrated oracle of ancient times was in the temple of Apollo at Delê1phi, in Greece. To this place people came from all parts of the world to consult the god, whose answers were given by a priestess called Pythê1i-a.
The ancients never engaged in war or any other important undertaking without sacrificing to the gods or consulting their oracles or soothsayers. Before going to battle they made sacrifices to the gods. If they were defeated in battle they regarded it as a sign of the anger of Jupiter, or Juno, or Minerva, or Apollo, or some of the other great beings who dwelt on Olympus. When making leagues or treaties of peace, they called the gods as witnesses, and prayed to Father Jupiter to send terrible punishments on any who should take false oaths, or break their promises. In the story of the Trojan War we shall find many examples of such appeals to the gods by the chiefs on both sides.
"O Father Jove, who rulest from the top Of Ida, mightiest one and most august! Whichever of these twain has done the wrong, Grant that he pass to Pluto's dwelling, slain, While friendship and a faithful league are ours.
"O Jupiter most mighty and august! Whoever first shall break these solemn oaths, So may their brains flow down upon the earth,-- Theirs and their children's."
BRYANT, Iliad, Book III.
[Illustration: OFFERING TO MINERVA.
Painting by Gaudemaris.]

THE STORY OF TROY.

I. TROY BEFORE THE SIEGE.
[Illustration: Design by Burne-Jones.]
That part of Asia Minor which borders the narrow channel now known as the Dar-da-nellesê1, was in ancient times called Troê1as. Its capital was the city of Troy, which stood about three miles from the shore of the ??-geê1an Sea, at the foot of Mount Ida, near the