HISTORIC LEGENDS.

We will now note the legends of history-stories which were formerly believed to be true, but many of which modern scholars, historians and antiquarians have demonstrated to be pure fables.

Many Grecian and Roman legends are so remarkable and extravagant that their falsity is at once apparent; as the stories of the circumstances which they narrate are so entirely out of the natural order of things that their occurrence could not have been possible. The most remarkable legend of the Middle Ages is that of William Tell and Gesler in Swiss history; and the mast famous of modern legends is that of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas in our own history.

GRECIAN LEGENDS.

Inachus, Cecrops, Lelex, Cadmus, Danaus, and Pelops.-The oldest city in Greece was Argos, the capital of Argolis, which was founded in the year 1856 B. C., by Inachus, a Phoenician. In the year 1556 B. C.-three hundred years after the founding of Argos-Cecrops, an Egyptian, founded in Attica. a city which he named Athens in honor of the Goddess Athena. The Egyptian, Lelex, is said to have founded Sparta, B. C. 1520. The Phoenician, Cadmus, is said to have founded Thebes and its famous citadel, the Cadméa, B. C. 1493. The Egyptian, Danaus, is said to have arrived at Argos B. C. 1485, with fifty daughters, and to have taught the people to dig wells. The Phrygian prince, Pelops, is said to have landed on the peninsula of Southern Greece, named in his honor Peloponnesus, or Island of Pelops, about 1350 B. C.

Hercules. A fabulous personage of Greece's Heroic Age was Hercules [Her'ku-leez], celebrated for his wonderful feats of strength. He was reputed to be the son of Zeus and Alcmena, the wife of Amphitryon, king of Thebes. While yet an infant in his cradle, Hercules is said to have strangled two huge serpents which the goddess Hera had sent to destroy him. The twelve labors which Hera exacted of Hercules were the following: 1. He killed the Nemean lion and wore his skin in the remainder of his exploits. 2. He slew the Lernean hydra, whose heads multiplied sevenfold on being severed. 3. He brought to Eurystheus upon his shoulders the Erymanthean boar. 4. He subdued the golden-horned and brazen-hoofed stag of Diana. 5. He destroyed with his arrows the foul Stymphalian birds. 6. He cleansed the Augean stables. 7. He tamed the furious bull of Crete. 8. He gave Diomedes to be devoured by his own horses. 9. He vanquished the Amazons. 10. He killed the three-headed Geryon, king of Gades [now Cadiz], in Spain, and brought his oxen to Greece. 11. He killed the hundred-headed dragon of the Hesperides, and obtained the golden apples of

his garden. 12. He dragged the three-headed dog Cerberus from the gate of Hades, into which he descended twice. Hercules killed the centaur Nessus with an arrow poisoned with the blood of the Lernean hydra, because the centaur had insulted the hero's wife, Dejanira. The dying centaur persuaded Dejanira to give a tunic dipped in his blood to her husband in reconciliation; but as soon as Hercules clothed himself in this garment he was poisoned by it, and perished in the flames of a funeral pile which he built on Mount Eta. Zeus received him as a god, and gave to him in marriage Hebe, the goddess of youth. Hercules is usually represented as a robust man, leaning on his club, wearing the skin of the Nemean lion on his shoulders, and holding the Hesperian fruit in his hands.

Theseus.-Theseus, a fabulous king of Athens, was another legendary character of early Greece, and was regarded as the civilizer of Attica. He is said to have kidnapped the beautiful Helen, daughter of Tyndarus, king of Sparta; but Helen was rescued by her brothers, Castor and Pollux, who were afterwards deified.

Argonautic Expedition.—In the time of Hercules, Jason, a prince of Thessaly, went on the celebrated Argonautic Expedition, so called from the ship Argo, in which he sailed. The following is the story of the Argonautic Expedition, according to the Greek poets. Phryxus, a Theban prince, and his sister Helle, being obliged to leave their native country to escape the cruelty of their step-mother, mounted the back of a winged ram with a golden fleece, to be conveyed to Colchis, a country on the eastern border of the Euxine, or Black Sea, where an uncle of theirs was king. While passing over the strait now called the Dardanelles, Helle became giddy, fell into the water and was drowned; whence the strait received the name of Hellespont, or Sea of Helle. Phryxus arrived safely in Colchis, and sacrified his winged ram to Jupiter in acknowledgment of Divine protection, and put the golden fleece into that deity's temple. He was afterwards murdered by his uncle, who wished to obtain the golden fleece. It was to avenge the death of Phryxus and to secure the golden fleece that Jason undertook the Argonautic Expedition. Jason obtained the golden fleece and married Media, a daughter of the king of Colchis.

The Gordian Knot.—While Alexander the Great was conquering Asia Minor, he found in the citadel of Gordium a very ancient chariot with a knot twisted in the most intricate manner, respecting which an oracle had declared that whoever should loosen this knot should conquer Asia. Alexander is said to have cut the knot with his sword, considering that sufficient to make him master of Asia.

Diogenes.-The eccentric philosopher, Diogenes, is said to have lived in a tub and to have worn but a single garment. His only worldly possessions were his tub, a garment, a staff, and a wooden bowl for drinking. One day observing a boy drinking from the hollow of his hand, he dashed his bowl to pieces, saying: "That boy has taught me that I still have something unnecessary." Being seen

at one time with a lighted lantern in mid-day in the streets of Athens, and being asked what he was hunting, he replied: "An honest man." One day, while mending his tub, he is said to have been visited by Alexander the Great, who asked the philosopher what he could do to better his condition. Diogenes replied: “Nothing except to get out of the sunshine." Alexander thereupon remarked: "Were I not Alexander, I would be Diogenes."

ROMAN LEGENDS.

Legend of Eneas.-According to the Roman legend, Æneas, a famous Trojan warrior, left his native country immediately after the fall of Troy, and made his way to the western shores of Italy, where he founded the city of Lavinium. After slaying in battle Latinus, king of Latium, Eneas united the Latins with his own followers; and thereafter the united people were called Latins. Thirty years afterwards, the Latins removed to the Alban Mount, where they built the city of Alba.

Legend of Romulus and Remus.-Several centuries after the events just related, there reigned at Alba a king named Procas, who had two sons, Numitor and Amulius. When Procas died Numitor was to succeed to the throne of Alba; but Amulius seized the throne and made himself king and afterwards caused the son of Numitor to be slain and made his daughter Sylvia become a Vestal Virgin. Sylvia married Mars, the god of war, with whom she had twin sons, Romulus and Remus. Amulius ordered the two infants to be drowned in the Tiber, but the basket which contained them floated to the foot of the Palatine Hill, where they were found by a she-wolf, which carried them to her den and nursed them as her own offspring. Some time afterward the two children were taken to the house of a shepherd on the Palatine Hill, where they were brought up. At length Remus was taken to Alba and brought before Amulius. Romulus and his friends went to Alba and rescued Remus, killing Amulius, and placed Numitor on the throne of Alba.

Founding of Rome by Romulus.-Romulus and Remus prepared to return to the Palatine Hill, where they resolved to build a city, and they inquired of the gods by divination which should give his name to the city. They watched the heavens for one day and one night; and at sunrise Remus saw six vultures, and soon afterward Romulus saw twelve. It was decided that the favor of the gods was on the side of Romulus, who accordingly began to build a city on the Palatine Hill. When Remus, who was mortified and angry, saw the low wall and the ditch which inclosed the space for the new city, he scornfully leaped over and exclaimed, "Will this keep out an enemy?" Upon this insulting conduct, Remus was slain, either by Romulus or by one of his followers. The city, which was named Rome, in honor of Romulus, is thought to have been founded 753 years before Christ. Rome at first contained a thousand dwellings; and its population was rapidly increased by exiles, criminals, fugitives from

justice, and desperate characters of all sorts, who fled to the new city for refuge.

Romulus, first King of Rome.-Seizure of the Sabine women.-Romulus was chosen the first King of Rome, and a Senate, of one hundred members, was established. But the Romans, as the inhabitants of the new city were called, were without wives; and as the neighboring people refused to give their daughters in marriage to such desperate characters, Romulus determined upon securing by stratagem what he could not obtain by force. He therefore arranged some games and shows at Rome and invited the neighboring people to attend. The Sabines and Latins came in great numbers, bringing their wives and daughters with them. When the shows began, Romulus gave a signal, whereupon the Roman youth rushed upon the unsuspecting strangers, seized the most beautiful maidens, and carried them off for wives.

War with the Sabines-Treachery and death of Tarpeia.-The outrage just mentioned led to a war between the Romans and Sabines. A large army under Titus Tatius, the Sabine king, laid siege to Rome. The Romans garrisoned and fortified the Capitoline Hill. Tarpeia, the daughter of the Roman commander, agreed to open the gates of the fortress to the Sabines if they would give her the golden bracelets which they wore on their arms. She accordingly opened the gates; but as soon as the Sabines entered the fortress, they killed the traitress with their brazen shields. Having gained possession of the Capitoline Hill, the Sabines were able to defy the Romans for a long time.

The Temple of Janus.-Many battles were fought between the Romans and the Sabines in the valleys which divide the Capitoline and Palatine Hills. At length, when the Sabines advanced near the city, the Romans retired inside the city walls and shut the gates. As the Sabines were about to enter the city, the gates flew open; the Romans again shut them; but they opened a second time; a mighty stream of water burst forth from the Temple of Janus, and swept away the Sabines who had entered the city. Ever afterward the gates of the Temple of Janus stood open when Rome was at war, that the gods might come out to aid the Romans; but in time of peace the gates were always closed.

Peace between the Romans and the Sabines-Union of the two nations.-The Romans made great efforts to retake the Capitoline Hill. At length, while the two armies were combatting, the Sabine wives of the Romans rushed between the contending forces, and, by their earnest entreaties and supplications, induced both parties to suspend hostilities. A treaty of peace followed, by which the Romans and the Sabines were to be united as one nation and Romulus and Titus Tatius were to reign jointly at Rome. Soon afterward Titus Tatius was killed at Lavinium, and Romulus thereafter reigned alone.

Death of Romulus.-After a reign of thirty-seven years, Romulus came to his death in an unknown manner. The Roman legend states that, while he was present at a public meeting in the Field of Mars, there arose a great tempest

and whirlwind, while at the same time the sun was eclipsed, and it was as dark as night. When the storm was over, and the light of the sun returned, Romulus was not to be found. It was believed by the superstitious Romans that his father, Mars, the god of war, had carried him to heaven in a fiery chariot. The Romans built a temple to Romulus, and worshiped him as a god by the name of Quirinus. (B. C. 716.)

Tullus Hostilius.-Fight between the Horatii and the Curiatii.-The peaceful Numa Pompilius was succeeded as king of Rome by the warlike Tullus Hostilius, during whose reign the Romans engaged in a war with the Albans. Just as the armies of the Romans and the Albans were about to engage in conflict, they agreed to have the contest decided by a combat to be fought by six champions, three from each side; and the defeated nation was to become subject to the victorious one. In the Roman army there were three brothers named Horatii, and in the Alban army there were three brothers named Curiatii. These, being fixed upon as the champions, took their places between the two armies and engaged in combat. After two of the Horatii had fallen, the other Horatius began to flee; but suddenly turning, he fell upon the three wounded Curiatii, and killed them in succession. When the victorious Horatius returned to Rome, he met his sister Horatia, who had been betrothed to one of the Curiatii. Horatia shrieked aloud, and reproached her brother for his bloody deed, which so enraged Horatius that he plunged a knife into his sister's heart, and she fell dead. For this crime Horatius was condemned to death, but he was afterward pardoned, because by his victory over the Curiatii he had saved the Romans from slavery. By the terms of the agreement made just before the combat, the Albans became subject to the Romans.

Expulsion of Tarquin the Proud and Abolition of Monarchy.—While the Romans were besieging the town of Ardea, Tarquin's sons, Sextus, Titus and Aruns, and their cousin Collatinus, got into a dispute about the good qualities of their wives, and all agreed to visit their homes by surprise. They found the wives of Sextus, Titus and Aruns feasting and making merry, while Lucretia, the wife of Collatinus, was found working at her loom. They all agreed that Lucretia was the worthiest lady. Sextus fell into a violent passion for Lucretia, and shortly afterward he behaved toward her in such a manner that she committed suicide. Lucius Junius Brutus, a relative of the royal family, bound himself by an oath to avenge the wicked act of Sextus. The outrage of Sextus roused the indignation of the Roman people; and Brutus, showing them the bloody corpse of Lucretia and haranguing them, induced them to expel the royal family from the throne of Rome, and to abolish monarchy altogether. Tarquin the Proud and his family, finding themselves abandoned, retired into voluntary exile (B. C. 510).

War with Porsenna, King of Clusium-Horatius Cocles.-Porsenna, King of Clusium, also took the field in favor of the deposed Tarquin the Proud, and advanced against Rome with a large army. The Romans were driven across