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023 - Legends Cadmus and Perseus · Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome

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  Speaker 1: Section twenty two of Myths and Legends. This is a
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: Recording by Graham Redman. Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece
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  Speaker 1: and Rome by E. M. Berons Legends Cadmus. The following
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  Speaker 1: is the legendary account of the founding of Thebes after
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  Speaker 1: the abduction of his daughter Europa by Zeus, Aegina, king
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  Speaker 1: of Phoenicia. Unable to reconcile himself to her loss, despatched
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  Speaker 1: his son Cadmus in search of her, desiring him not
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  Speaker 1: to return without his sister. For many years, Cadmus pursued
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  Speaker 1: his search through various countries, but with us success. Not
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  Speaker 1: daring to return home without her, he consulted the oracle
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  Speaker 1: of Apollo at Delphi, and the reply was that he
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  Speaker 1: must desist from his task and take upon himself a
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  Speaker 1: new duty, i e. That of founding a city, the
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  Speaker 1: sight of which would be indicated to him by a
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  Speaker 1: heifer which had never borne the yoke, and which would
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  Speaker 1: lie down on the spot whereon the city was to
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  Speaker 1: be built. Scarcely had Cadmus left the sacred fane when
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  Speaker 1: he observed a heifer who bore no marks of servitude
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  Speaker 1: on her neck, walking slowly in front of him. He
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  Speaker 1: followed the animal for a considerable distance, until at length
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  Speaker 1: on the site where thebes afterwards stood, she looked towards heaven, and, gently, lowing,
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  Speaker 1: lay down in the long grass. Grateful for this mark
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  Speaker 1: of divine favor, Catmus resolved to offer up the animal
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  Speaker 1: as a sacrifice, and accordingly sent his followers to fetch
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  Speaker 1: water for the libation from a neighboring spring. This spring,
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  Speaker 1: which was sacred to Ares, was situated in a wood
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  Speaker 1: and guarded by a fierce dragon, who, at the approach
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  Speaker 1: of the retainers of Cadmus, suddenly pounced upon them and
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  Speaker 1: killed them. After waiting some time for the return of
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  Speaker 1: his servants, Cadmus grew impatient, and hastily, arming himself with
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  Speaker 1: his lance and spear, set out to seek them. On
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  Speaker 1: reaching the spot, the mangled remains of his unfortunate followers
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  Speaker 1: met his view, and near them he beheld the frightful monster,
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  Speaker 1: dripping with the blood of his victims. Seizing a huge rock,
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  Speaker 1: the hero hurled it with all his might, upon the dragon,
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  Speaker 1: but protected by his tough black skin and steely scales
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  Speaker 1: as by a coat of mail, he remained unhur Cadmus
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  Speaker 1: now tried his lance, and with more success for it
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  Speaker 1: pierced the side of the beast, who, furious with pain,
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  Speaker 1: sprang at his adversary, when Cadmus, leaping aside, succeeded in
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  Speaker 1: fixing the point of his spear within his jaws, which
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  Speaker 1: final stroke put an end to the encounter. While Cadmus
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  Speaker 1: stood surveying his vanquished foe, pallis Athene appeared to him
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  Speaker 1: and commanded him to sow the teeth of the dead
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  Speaker 1: dragon in the ground. He obeyed, and out of the
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  Speaker 1: furrows there arose a band of armed men, who at
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  Speaker 1: once commenced to fight with each other, until all except
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  Speaker 1: five were killed. These last surviving warriors made peace with
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  Speaker 1: each other, and it was with their assistance that Cadmus
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  Speaker 1: now built the famous city of Thebes. In later times,
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  Speaker 1: the noblest thebon Fe families proudly claimed their descent from
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  Speaker 1: these mighty earth born warriors. Aries was furious with rage
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  Speaker 1: when he discovered that Cadmus had slain his dragon, and
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  Speaker 1: would have killed him had not Zeus interfered and induced
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  Speaker 1: him to mitigate his punishment to that of servitude for
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  Speaker 1: the term of eight years. At the end of that time,
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  Speaker 1: the god of war became reconciled to Cadmus, and in
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  Speaker 1: token of his forgiveness, bestowed upon him the hand of
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  Speaker 1: his daughter Harmonia in marriage. Their nuptials were almost as
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  Speaker 1: celebrated as those of Peleus and Thetis. All the gods
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  Speaker 1: honored them with their presence and offered rich gifts and congratulations.
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  Speaker 1: Catmus himself presented his lovely bride with a splendid necklace
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  Speaker 1: fashioned by Hyphaestus, which, however, after the death of Harmonia,
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  Speaker 1: always proved fatal to its possessor. The children of Cadmus
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  Speaker 1: and Harmonia were one son, Polydorus and four daughters, Ortoinoe, Io, Simile,
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  Speaker 1: and Agave. For many years, the founder of Thebes reigned happily,
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  Speaker 1: but at length a conspiracy was formed against him, and
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  Speaker 1: he was deprived of his throne by his grandson Pentheus.
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  Speaker 1: Accompanied by his faithful wife Harmonia, he retired into Illyria,
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  Speaker 1: and after death they were both changed by Zeus into
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  Speaker 1: serpents and transferred to Elysium. Perseus Perseus, one of the
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  Speaker 1: most renowned of the legendary heroes of antiquity, was the
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  Speaker 1: son of Zeus and Danie, daughter of Acrisius, King of Argos.
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  Speaker 1: An oracle having foretold to Acrisius that a son of
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  Speaker 1: danny E would be the cause of his death, he
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  Speaker 1: imprisoned her in a tower of brass in order to
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  Speaker 1: keep her secluded from the world. Zeus, however, descended through
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  Speaker 1: the roof of the tower in the form of a
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  Speaker 1: shower of gold, and the lovely Danye became his bride.
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  Speaker 1: For four years. Acrisius remained in ignorance of this union,
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  Speaker 1: but one evening, as he chanced to pass by the
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  Speaker 1: brazen chamber, he heard the cry of a young child
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  Speaker 1: proceeding from within, which led to the discovery of his
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  Speaker 1: daughter's marriage with Zeus. Enraged at finding all his precautions unavailing,
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  Speaker 1: Acrisius commanded the mother and child to be placed in
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  Speaker 1: a chest and thrown into the sea. But it was
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  Speaker 1: not the will of Zeus that they should perish. He
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  Speaker 1: directed Poseidon to calm the troubled waters and caused the
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  Speaker 1: chest to float safely to the island of Seriphus Dictys,
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  Speaker 1: brother of Polydectes, king of the d Island was fishing
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  Speaker 1: on the sea shore when he saw the chest stranded
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  Speaker 1: on the beach, and, pitying the helpless condition of its
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  Speaker 1: unhappy occupants, he conducted them to the palace of the king,
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  Speaker 1: where they were treated with the greatest kindness. Polydectes eventually
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  Speaker 1: became united to danny E and bestowed upon Perseus an
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  Speaker 1: education befitting a hero. When he saw his steps undevelop
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  Speaker 1: into a noble and manly youth, he endeavored to instill
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  Speaker 1: into his mind a desire to signalize himself by the
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  Speaker 1: achievement of some great and heroic deed, And after mature deliberation,
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  Speaker 1: it was decided that the slaying of the gorgon Medusa
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  Speaker 1: would bring him the greatest renown. For the successful accomplishment
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  Speaker 1: of his object, it was necessary for him to be
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  Speaker 1: provided with a pair of winged sandals, a magic wallet,
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  Speaker 1: and the helmet of Aedes, which rendered the wearer invisible,
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  Speaker 1: all of which were in the keeping of the nymphs,
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  Speaker 1: the place of whose abode was known only to the
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  Speaker 1: gree Purcus started on his expedition, and, guided by Hermes
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  Speaker 1: and Pallias, Athene arrived after a long journey in the
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  Speaker 1: far off region on the borders of Oceanus, where dwelt
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  Speaker 1: the gree daughters of Forces and Seto. He at once
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  Speaker 1: applied to them for the necessary information, and on their
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  Speaker 1: refusing to grant it, he deprived them of their single
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  Speaker 1: eye and tooth, which he only restored to them when
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  Speaker 1: they gave him full directions with regard to his route.
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  Speaker 1: He then proceeded to the abode of the Nymphs, from
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  Speaker 1: whom he obtained the objects indispensable for his purpose. Equipped
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  Speaker 1: with the magic helmet and wallet, and armed with a
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  Speaker 1: sickle the gift of Hermes, atached to his feet the
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  Speaker 1: winged sandals, and flew to the abode of the Gorgons,
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  Speaker 1: whom he found fast asleep. Now, as Pursus had been
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  Speaker 1: warned by his celestial guides that whoever looked upon these
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  Speaker 1: weird sisters would be transformed into stone, he stood with
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  Speaker 1: averted face before the sleepers and caught on his bright
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  Speaker 1: metal shield their triple image. Then, guided by Pallas Athene,
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  Speaker 1: he cut off the head of the Medusa, which he
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  Speaker 1: placed in his wallet. No sooner had he done so
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  Speaker 1: than from the headless trunk than sprang forth the winged
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  Speaker 1: steed Pegasus and Chrysaor, the father of the winged giant Gerione.
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  Speaker 1: He now hastened to elude the pursuit of the two
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  Speaker 1: surviving sisters, who aroused from their slumbers eagerly rushed to
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  Speaker 1: avenge the death of their sister. His invisible helmet and
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  Speaker 1: winged sandals. Here stood him in good stead, for the
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  Speaker 1: former concealed him from the view of the gorgons, whilst
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  Speaker 1: the latter bore him swiftly over land and sea, far
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  Speaker 1: beyond the reach of pursuit. In passing over the burning
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  Speaker 1: plains of Libya, the drops of blood from the head
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  Speaker 1: of the Medusa oozed through the wallet, and, falling on
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  Speaker 1: the hot sands below, produced a brood of many colored snakes,
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  Speaker 1: which spread all over the country. Perseus continued his flight
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  Speaker 1: until he reached the kingdom of Atlas, of whom he
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  Speaker 1: begged rest and shelter. But as this king possessed a
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  Speaker 1: valuable orchard in which every tree bore golden fruit, he
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  Speaker 1: was fearful lest the slayer of the Medusa might destroy
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  Speaker 1: the dragon which guarded it, and then rob him of
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  Speaker 1: his treasures. He therefore refused to grant the hospitality, which
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  Speaker 1: the hero demanded, whereupon Perseus exaspered rated at the churlish repulse,
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  Speaker 1: produced from his wallet the head of the Medusa, and,
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  Speaker 1: holding it towards the king, transformed him into a stony mountain.
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  Speaker 1: Beard and hair erected themselves into forests. Shoulders, hands and
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  Speaker 1: limbs became huge rocks, and the head grew up into
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  Speaker 1: a craggy peak which reached into the clouds. Perseus then
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  Speaker 1: resumed his travels. His winged sandals bore him over deserts
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  Speaker 1: and mountains until he arrived at Ethiopia, the kingdom of
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  Speaker 1: King Cephius. Here he found the country inundated with disastrous floods,
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  Speaker 1: towns and villages destroyed, and everywhere signs of desolation and ruin.
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  Speaker 1: On a projecting cliff close to the shore, he beheld
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  Speaker 1: a lovely maiden chained to a rock. This was Andromeda,
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  Speaker 1: the King's daughter. Her mother Cassio appear, having boasted that
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  Speaker 1: her beauty surpassed that of the Neriides. The angry sea
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  Speaker 1: nymphs appealed to Poseidon to avenge their wrongs, whereupon the
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  Speaker 1: sea god devastated the country with a terrible inundation, which
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  Speaker 1: brought with it a huge monster who devoured all that
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  Speaker 1: came in his way. In their distress, the unfortunate Ethiopians
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  Speaker 1: applied to the oracle of Jupiter Ammon in the Libyan desert,
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  Speaker 1: and obtained the response that only by the sacrifice of
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  Speaker 1: the king's daughter to the monster could the country and
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  Speaker 1: people be saved. Cepheus, who was tenderly attached to his child,
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  Speaker 1: at first refused to listen to this dreadful proposal, but
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  Speaker 1: overcome at length by the prayers and solicitations of his
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  Speaker 1: unhappy subjects, the heartbroken father gave up his child for
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  Speaker 1: the welfare of his country, and Romida was a callingly
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  Speaker 1: chained to a rock on the sea shore to serve
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  Speaker 1: as a prey to the monster, whilst her unhappy parents
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  Speaker 1: bewailed her sad fate on the beach below. On being
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  Speaker 1: informed of the meaning of this tragic scene, Persus proposed
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  Speaker 1: to sea Fuse to slay the dragon, on condition that
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  Speaker 1: the lovely victim should become his bride. Overjoyed at the
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  Speaker 1: prospect of Andromeda's release, the king gladly acceded to the stipulation,
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  Speaker 1: and Persus hastened to the rock to breathe words of
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  Speaker 1: hope and comfort to the trembling maiden. Then, assuming once
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  Speaker 1: more the helmet of ads, he mounted into the air
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  Speaker 1: and awaited the approach of the monster. Presently, the sea opened,
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  Speaker 1: and the shark's head of the gigantic beast of the
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  Speaker 1: Deep raised itself above the waves, lashing his tail furiously
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  Speaker 1: from side to side. He leapt forward to seize his victim,
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  Speaker 1: but the gallant hero, watching his opportunity, suddenly darted down and,
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  Speaker 1: producing the head of the medusa from his wallet, held
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  Speaker 1: it before the eyes of the dragon, whose hideous body
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  Speaker 1: became gradually transformed into a huge black rock, which remained
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  Speaker 1: for ever a silent witness of the miraculous deliverance of Andromeda.
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  Speaker 1: Pursus then led the maiden to her now happy parents, who,
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  Speaker 1: anxious to evince their gratitude to her deliverer, ordered immediate
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  Speaker 1: preparations to be made for the nuptial feast. But the
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  Speaker 1: young hero was not to bear away his lovely bride uncontested,
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  Speaker 1: for in the midst of the banquet, Finius, the king's
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  Speaker 1: brother to whom Andromeda had previously been betrothed, returned to
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  Speaker 1: claim his bride, followed by a band of armed warriors.
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  Speaker 1: He forced his way into the ho and a desperate
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  Speaker 1: encounter took place between the rivals, which might have terminated
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  Speaker 1: fatally for Perseus had he not suddenly bethought himself of
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  Speaker 1: the Medusa's head, Calling to his friends to avert their faces.
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  Speaker 1: He drew it from his wallet and held it before
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  Speaker 1: Finius and his formidable bodyguard, whereupon they all stiffened into stone.
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  Speaker 1: Perseus now took leave of the Ethiopian king, and, accompanied
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  Speaker 1: by his beautiful bride, returned to Seriphus, where a joyful
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  Speaker 1: meeting took place between dany E and her son. He
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  Speaker 1: then sent a messenger to his grandfather, informing him that
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  Speaker 1: he intended returning to Argos. But Acrsius, fearing the fulfillment
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  Speaker 1: of the oracular prediction, fled for protection to his friend Tutemius,
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  Speaker 1: king of Larissa. Anxious to induce the Abegid monarch to
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  Speaker 1: return to Argos, Perseus followed him thither, but here a
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  Speaker 1: strange fatality occurred. Whilst taking part in some funereal games
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  Speaker 1: celebrated in honor of the king's father, Perseus, by an
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  Speaker 1: unfortunate throw of the discuss, accidentally struck his grandfather, and
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  Speaker 1: thereby was the innocent cause of his death. After celebrating
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  Speaker 1: the funereal rites of Ecrisius with due solemnity, Perseus returned
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  Speaker 1: to Argos, but, feeling loath to occupy the throne of
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  Speaker 1: one whose death he had caused, he exchanged kingdoms with Megapenthes,
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  Speaker 1: king of Tyrians, and in course of time founded the
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  Speaker 1: cities of Mycene and Media. The head of the Medusa
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  Speaker 1: he presented to his divine patroness Pallas Athene, who placed
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  Speaker 1: it in the center of her shield. Many great heroes
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  Speaker 1: were descended from Perseus and Andromeda, foremost among whom was Heracles,
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  Speaker 1: whose mother Alcmene was their granddaughter. Heroic honors were paid
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  Speaker 1: to Persus not only throughout Argos, but also at Athens
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  Speaker 1: and in the island of Seriphus. End of section twenty two.
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  Speaker 1: Recording by Graham Redman