Favorite Greek Myths (Yesterday's Classics) by Lilian Stoughton Hyde
Authors: Lilian Stoughton Hyde
Tags: Juvenile Fiction
Ads: Link
Chimæra could not follow Pegasus into the pure upper air. Once more horse and rider dashed down, and the snake's head was severed from the Chimæra's body. Then the terrible fires burned themselves out, and that was the end of the Chimæra.
The people of that country soon learned that the Chimæra was dead, and came back to their homes. Not long after, the hills, that had been so gray and desolate, were covered with vineyards and growing crops.
After this, Bellerophon, with the help of Pegasus, performed other wonderful feats, and became very famous. He married a king's daughter, and received half of her father's kingdom.
At last he felt as if, mounted on Pegasus, he was as strong as the gods themselves, and might ascend to Olympus. One day he was foolish enough to make the attempt. Then Jupiter caused Pegasus to throw him. Blinded by the near sight of Olympus, and lamed by the fall, he wandered about, for many years, an unhappy, helpless old man.
The time came when the gods took Pegasus up to Mount Olympus, and let us hope that Bellerophon, too, reached Olympus at last.
Tithonus
E VERY day, when Helios drove his wonderful horses and his fiery chariot across the sky, it was Aurora who opened the gates of pearl and drew back the dark curtains of the night; for Aurora was the goddess of the dawn. She was so beautiful that the whole sky flushed pink with pleasure when she appeared in the east.
On the earth lived a mortal called Tithonus, who loved Aurora so well that he never failed to leave his bed while it was still dark, to watch for her coming. Aurora loved Tithonus in return, and one day she flew to the king of the gods, and begged of him that Tithonus might be given a draught of nectar, and so become immortal.
Jupiter granted this request, and Aurora took Tithonus up to Mount Olympus to live in her golden house.
The goddess had forgotten to ask that Tithonus might never grow old. Therefore, the time came when gray hairs could be seen among his golden curls. Aurora was kind to him in spite of this, and continued to give him beautiful garments, and to feed him on ambrosia. Still, Tithonus grew older and older, and in time, after several hundred years, he was so very old that he could not move at all. Little was left of him but his voice, and even that had grown high and thin. Then he withered away so much that he had to be shut up in a room, for safe-keeping. Aurora felt so sorry to see him withering away in this manner that she changed him into a little insect, and sent him down to the earth again, where men called him the grasshopper.
Very glad to be free and active once more, Tithonus hopped about in the fields all day, chirping cheerfully to Aurora.
Comatas and the Honey-Bees
L ONG, long after the days of Bellerophon, a certain goatherd, called Comatas, used to feed his goats on the lower slopes of Mount Helicon.
While watching the goats, he would lie under the pine trees, and play on his shepherd's pipe. Sometimes, when the nights were warm, instead of driving his goats home to the fold, he used to stay on the mountain with them, during the night as well as the day. He had once seen the Muses dancing round the Fountain of Hippocrene, in the moonlight.
Not far from the fountain was a small altar which belonged to the Muses. Comatas thought he should like to bring some gift to it; but he was a slave, and had not a thing in the world which he could call his own. As he spent his life in the care of the goats, he felt that they must belong to him, in part. So, one day, he took a kid from the flock, and sacrificed it on the altar.
PARNASSUS
That night the master counted the goats, and found one missing. In a violent passion, he took Comatas and put him into a great chest which stood in his palace hall. Then he shut down the lid and locked the chest, leaving the poor goatherd to die of starvation.
But the Muses had not forgotten their worshipper. They missed the sound of his piping, on the grassy slopes of
The people of that country soon learned that the Chimæra was dead, and came back to their homes. Not long after, the hills, that had been so gray and desolate, were covered with vineyards and growing crops.
After this, Bellerophon, with the help of Pegasus, performed other wonderful feats, and became very famous. He married a king's daughter, and received half of her father's kingdom.
At last he felt as if, mounted on Pegasus, he was as strong as the gods themselves, and might ascend to Olympus. One day he was foolish enough to make the attempt. Then Jupiter caused Pegasus to throw him. Blinded by the near sight of Olympus, and lamed by the fall, he wandered about, for many years, an unhappy, helpless old man.
The time came when the gods took Pegasus up to Mount Olympus, and let us hope that Bellerophon, too, reached Olympus at last.
Tithonus
E VERY day, when Helios drove his wonderful horses and his fiery chariot across the sky, it was Aurora who opened the gates of pearl and drew back the dark curtains of the night; for Aurora was the goddess of the dawn. She was so beautiful that the whole sky flushed pink with pleasure when she appeared in the east.
On the earth lived a mortal called Tithonus, who loved Aurora so well that he never failed to leave his bed while it was still dark, to watch for her coming. Aurora loved Tithonus in return, and one day she flew to the king of the gods, and begged of him that Tithonus might be given a draught of nectar, and so become immortal.
Jupiter granted this request, and Aurora took Tithonus up to Mount Olympus to live in her golden house.
The goddess had forgotten to ask that Tithonus might never grow old. Therefore, the time came when gray hairs could be seen among his golden curls. Aurora was kind to him in spite of this, and continued to give him beautiful garments, and to feed him on ambrosia. Still, Tithonus grew older and older, and in time, after several hundred years, he was so very old that he could not move at all. Little was left of him but his voice, and even that had grown high and thin. Then he withered away so much that he had to be shut up in a room, for safe-keeping. Aurora felt so sorry to see him withering away in this manner that she changed him into a little insect, and sent him down to the earth again, where men called him the grasshopper.
Very glad to be free and active once more, Tithonus hopped about in the fields all day, chirping cheerfully to Aurora.
Comatas and the Honey-Bees
L ONG, long after the days of Bellerophon, a certain goatherd, called Comatas, used to feed his goats on the lower slopes of Mount Helicon.
While watching the goats, he would lie under the pine trees, and play on his shepherd's pipe. Sometimes, when the nights were warm, instead of driving his goats home to the fold, he used to stay on the mountain with them, during the night as well as the day. He had once seen the Muses dancing round the Fountain of Hippocrene, in the moonlight.
Not far from the fountain was a small altar which belonged to the Muses. Comatas thought he should like to bring some gift to it; but he was a slave, and had not a thing in the world which he could call his own. As he spent his life in the care of the goats, he felt that they must belong to him, in part. So, one day, he took a kid from the flock, and sacrificed it on the altar.
PARNASSUS
That night the master counted the goats, and found one missing. In a violent passion, he took Comatas and put him into a great chest which stood in his palace hall. Then he shut down the lid and locked the chest, leaving the poor goatherd to die of starvation.
But the Muses had not forgotten their worshipper. They missed the sound of his piping, on the grassy slopes of
Similar Books
