by Unknown
All who failed to answer the riddle, she ate immediately, and no one found the correct answer until young Oedipus came to Thebes. He replied: ‘The creature is a man. For as a child, in the morning of his days, he goes on all fours and yet is weakest. In the middle of his life he walks upon his two legs, and is strongest; but in old age he needs the aid of a stick, and so three legs support him.’
At this the Sphinx screamed with fury, and cast herself down from the rock and was killed. Then Oedipus ruled well and wisely at Thebes, until a curse fell upon the land because of crimes which he had committed unintentionally, and he wandered away as a blind beggar, leaving his uncle Creon as king.
When Amphitryon came to Thebes he found that another curse had descended on that unlucky city. For the Teumessian Fox, which was as large and savage as a wolf, had been sent by Dionysus to plague the land, catching children and carrying them away to its lair, as a punishment for the things he had suffered in Thebes.
Now this was an enchanted fox which nobody could catch, for it ran faster than the fastest creature in the world.
‘If you can rid us of this fox,’ said Creon, ‘I will lend you an army to take vengeance on the robbers.’
Amphitryon agreed to this, for he knew of a magic hound which was fated to catch whatever it pursued. With the help of Artemis, he was able to borrow this dog, and he set it upon the trail of the fox. The uncatchable was being chased by the inescapable; but Zeus saw what was happening, and made haste to turn both fox and dog into stone. Then Amphitryon set out to punish the robbers (with the aid of Creon’s men) and Alcmena got ready to marry him the moment he returned victorious.
But the time was growing short now. Already the Giants were stirring under the dark northern hills, and still the Hero was not born who was to save both men and Immortals. Zeus looked about him anxiously, and on a sudden realized that the time had come. For the Hero, he believed, was to be born in Thebes – and was also to be a member of the royal family of Argolis, descended from Danae whom he had visited in the shower of gold.
Alcmena, the granddaughter of Perseus, dwelt at Thebes, waiting but for the return of Amphitryon to be her husband: surely here indeed was the mother of the Hero?
Alcmena was the loveliest woman alive at that time, though her beauty could not compare with that of Helen, who would be born not many years later. She was taller than other women, wiser and more noble. Her face and her dark eyes seemed like those of Immortal Aphrodite herself; she was good and virtuous, one who would always be true to Amphitryon.
This being so, how was Zeus to marry Alcmena? For long he pondered, and a pang of regret passed through his heart as he thought how he must cheat her. Yet it had to be done, for the Hero must be born, to free mankind from many evils, and the Immortals from the unconquerable Giants.
While Zeus pondered, Amphitryon overcame the robbers, punished them thoroughly for what they had done, and set out rejoicing for Thebes, having sent a messenger before him to bid Alcmena make ready for the wedding.
Then Zeus came down swiftly from Olympus, and by his powers put on the very shape and voice and likeness of Amphitryon. He arrived at Thebes, dusty from travel, and Alcmena welcomed him without any shadow of suspicion, and the wedding was celebrated that very evening.
That night was the longest the world has known, for by command of Zeus the Sun-Titan, Helios, did not drive forth his flaming chariot next day, and Hermes visited the Silver Lady, Selene, begging her to linger in her course across the sky with the pale Moon in her cloud-washed boat. Kindly Sleep leant his aid also, making mankind so drowsy and sending them such sweet dreams that no one suspected that this one night was the length of three.
Whether Amphitryon was overtaken by sleep or not, he failed to reach Thebes until the rosy-fingered Morning was awake in the east – Eos, who harnesses the golden horses to the chariot of the Sun. He came straight to Alcmena, but maybe Zeus met him on the way and told him of what had chanced: for it was long before she knew that she was doubly wedded on that triple night.
The months passed, and the time drew near when the child was to be born, and Zeus, certain that he would be the Hero destined to save the Immortals, could not contain his satisfaction.
‘Today,’ he told the other Immortals as they sat on their golden thrones on Olympus, drinking nectar and eating ambrosia – the wine and food, made only in heaven, which keeps those who partake of it for ever young and fair to look on. ‘Today,’ repeated Zeus with a sigh of pleasure, ‘there will be born a boy, a descendant of Perseus, who will be lord over all the people of Argolis.’
He would have said more, but jealous Hera interrupted quickly, saying:
‘Of Argolis? Of the land which is my special care? Well, so be it! But swear an oath now that what you have said will surely happen.’
Surprised, but anxious to please her, Zeus swore the unbreakable oath by Styx, the Black River of Hades, and changed the subject quickly.
Hera hastened in triumph to Argos, accompanied by her daughter Eilithyia who presides over the birth of children. By witchcraft she made sure that Heracles was not born until next day, but that his cousin Eurystheus, the son of King Sthenelus, was born instead, much earlier than was expected.
While these things were happening on earth, Zeus sat happily on Olympus chatting with Ate, another daughter whom Hera had instructed to keep him occupied while she and Eilithyia were busy in Argolis and Thebes.
When she returned to Olympus she cried in triumph:
‘Now your promise is performed, great Zeus, for Eurystheus, grandson of Perseus, has just been born at Tiryns – and today is ended!’
In his fury, Zeus seized Ate by the hair and flung her out of heaven:
‘Go and wander over the earth!’ he cried, ‘and stir up trouble among men! Wherever you go there shall be wars and troubles, caused by you!’
Ate landed in Phrygia, near the city of Troy, which became the scene of the greatest war in all the history of ancient Greece.
But Zeus could not break his oath, so it came about that Heracles became the slave of Eurystheus in after years.
In the meantime, he was born a day late in Thebes, and with him a twin brother, the son of Amphitryon, who was named Iphicles, and who came into the world an hour later than Heracles – but very far indeed behind him in courage.
When they were no more than ten months old, Heracles performed his first feat of valour.
It happened on a summer’s evening when Alcmena had bathed the two babies, given them their milk and rocked them to sleep in a cradle made out of a big bronze shield which Amphitryon had brought back as a prize from his campaign against the robbers.
‘Sleep, my little ones!’ crooned Alcmena. ‘Sleep softly, and pass safely through the dark night and into the gentle morning, my twin babes!’
Darkness fell, and all the house grew still. But at the hour of midnight Hera sent two monstrous snakes with scales of azure blue, to slay the infant Heracles. Writhing and curling along the ground they came, shining with a strange, baleful light, and spitting deadly venom.
But when they drew near the children (for all the doors flew open before them), Zeus caused the babes to wake. Iphicles, seeing the serpents curling up to strike with their cruel fangs, screamed with fright, and kicking off his coverlet rolled out on to the floor.
Heracles, however, sat up smiling in the brazen shield, and grasped a snake in either hand, gripping them by their necks and keeping the poisoned fangs well away from him. The serpents hissed horribly, and twined their cruel coils about the child. But Heracles held on, squeezing and squeezing with his tiny hands, trying to throttle them with his strong little fingers.
Then Alcmena heard the screams of Iphicles and, running to the room, saw the unearthly light flickering through the open door which she had closed so carefully.
‘Arise, Amphitryon!’ she cried. ‘Do you not hear how loud our younger child is wailing? Do you not see the light flickering on the walls? Surely some terrible creat
ure has come into the house!’
Amphitryon sprang up, seized his sword, and rushed into the nursery, with Alcmena close behind him carrying a lamp.
There they found Heracles grasping a dead snake in either hand, shaking them fiercely, and crowing with delight. But Iphicles lay on the floor, his eyes wide with terror, too scared even to cry any more.
Proudly the baby Heracles showed the serpents to Amphitryon and Alcmena, then flinging them from him, snuggled down once more and went quietly to sleep.
In the morning Alcmena, feeling that there must be something strange about her child Heracles, went to consult the ancient prophet Tiresias, the wisest man in Thebes.
Strange things were told of Tiresias, who was blind, and who had already lived three times as long as any ordinary man. It was said that when he was a boy two enchanted snakes turned him into a woman, and that a year later they made him a man again. And that once, when Zeus and Hera had an argument, Hera saying that Zeus had a much better time than she did, they had consulted Tiresias, who replied that it was nine times as pleasant to be a woman as to be a man.
Hera was furious at this, and struck Tiresias blind in that instant. Zeus could not undo what another Immortal had done, but he gave Tiresias the gift of prophecy and decreed that he should live for more than three generations.
‘Tell me what all this means,’ Alcmena begged Tiresias, when she had related the adventure with the serpents. ‘It is not natural that a child of ten months should do all that Heracles has done. So tell me the truth, I beg, even if you see much suffering and sorrow in the future for me and mine.’
‘Be of good cheer, granddaughter of Perseus,’ answered the old prophet solemnly, ‘for your son is destined to be the most famous mortal who ever trod the soil of Greece. He shall rid the land of monsters, and do many labours of which poets will tell in song and story for ever. Many things shall he suffer also and the long enmity of Hera, Queen of the Immortals, who sent those serpents against him. But in the end he shall stand beside the Immortals in their direst need, and afterwards shall become one of them and sit on Olympus for ever. For know that he is the Hero, the son of Zeus, whose coming was foretold at the beginning of the world by Prometheus, the good Titan.’
Then Tiresias went on to tell Alcmena what had happened on her wedding-night, and how she was in reality the bride of Zeus, and the most honoured among mortal women, to be the mother of Heracles.
After this Heracles grew quickly and in safety, well tended by Alcmena and her husband, who was not in the least jealous of Zeus.
At first Heracles learnt all the gentle arts: how to sing, how to play sweetly on the lyre and how to read and write. Then Amphitryon taught him how to drive a chariot skilfully; and he learnt also the use of sword and spear, and the whole art of boxing and wrestling. None could throw a dart more truly than Heracles, and of all archers he was the best, sending an arrow further than any other mortal, more swiftly, and with deadly aim.
It was plain to see, even when he was young, that Heracles was the son of an Immortal. For he was a head taller than any other man, and broad in proportion, while his eyes flashed fire.
But his temper was very violent, and when he was still only a boy he killed Linus who was teaching him to play the lyre. For Linus struck him angrily one day when he played a false note, and Heracles struck back so violently with the instrument which he held in his hand that Linus fell dead immediately.
Heracles was pardoned for this deed; but Amphitryon, fearing lest some such mischance might happen again, sent him away from Thebes, to tend the cattle on Mount Cithaeron. And here Heracles increased in strength and skill; and at last he drew near to manhood.
CHAPTER NINE
THE CHOICE OF HERACLES
First, then, he made the wood
Of Zeus a solitude,
Slaying its lion-tenant; and he spread
The tawniness behind – his yellow head
Enmuffled by the brute’s, backed by that grin of
dread.
EURIPIDES
Heracles (Translated by Robert Browning)
9
While Heracles was guarding the cattle of Amphitryon on the lonely slopes of Mount Cithaeron, and still ignorant of his high destiny, a strange thing befell him.
As he sat alone on the hillside one day, wondering if he was fated to be a cow-herd all his life, or whether it would not be better to become a wild robber of the mountains, he saw two lovely maidens coming towards him. One of them was dressed in simple white, and had modest, down-cast eyes and a calm, gentle face from which seemed to shine both goodness and wisdom; but the other wore bright colours, and came striding along glancing boldly about her – now admiring herself, and now looking to others for admiration. She was decked with rich jewels, and her face was artfully touched with paint and with powder.
As they drew near to Heracles, the second, as if anxious to forestall her companion, pushed eagerly ahead and spoke to him:
‘Dear Heracles,’ she said, ‘I see that you have reached the age when you must choose what kind of life yours is to be. So I have come to urge you to take me as your friend and let me guide you on your way. I promise that if you do I will lead you by the easiest and most delightful paths. You shall taste every pleasure, and no troubles or toils shall come near you. Your life shall be passed in the pursuit and enjoyment of pleasant things, with no labour of body or mind, except to please yourself without any thought for the cares of others.’
She paused, and Heracles asked: ‘Lady, tell me your name.’
Then she answered softly: ‘Heracles, those who love me call me Happiness, but my enemies, it is true, have another name which I do not care to mention.’
Meanwhile the modest maiden had come up, and now she spoke:
‘I too, noble Heracles, am come to offer you a way of life. I know of what a worthy line you come, that you are descended from Perseus the Gorgon-slayer, and are yourself the son of Zeus. I know how well you have learnt all the accomplishments necessary for the path which I trust that you will take, in my company. Follow me, and you will do great deeds and leave a name which will never be forgotten. But you cannot win what is glorious and excellent in the world without care and labour: the gods give no real good, no true happiness to men on earth on any other terms. If you would bring happiness to others and be remembered in Greece, you must strive for the service of Greece – as you well may with your strength and your skill, if you do but use them rightly. As for my companion, who is called Vice and Folly and other such names, do not be misled by her: there is no pleasure and no happiness like those which you earn by strife and labour and with the sweat of your brow.’
‘Do not believe this foolish girl, who is called Virtue!’ interrupted Vice hastily. ‘My way to happiness is short and pleasant; hers is hard, and long, and the end is doubtful.’
‘Come, Heracles,’ said Virtue quietly, ‘choose which of us you will follow. Her path leads through easy, worthless pleasures that grow stale and horrible and yet are craved after more and more. But follow me through toil and suffering to the great heritage which Zeus has planned for you.’
‘Lady!’ cried Heracles, ‘I choose your path! Tell me how to set my foot on it, and I will not turn back however hard it prove, and whatever I have to endure on the way.’
‘You have chosen worthily,’ she said in her calm, gentle voice. ‘And for the beginning – look yonder! What is it that disturbs your cattle so?’
Heracles looked across the valley, and saw a great yellow lion leaping down the slope with open jaws towards the cows, who fled this way and that, lowing piteously in terror.
With a shout of fury Heracles sprang to his feet and went charging down the valley and up the other side. But by the time he got there, the lion had gone, and one of the cows lay dead.
‘I’ll kill that lion, or perish in the attempt!’ cried Heracles angrily, and he turned back towards the two strange maidens – but there was no one to be seen.
He
racles returned to Thebes for his brother Iphicles, who took charge of the cattle, and he himself set out to trail the lion to its den. He did not succeed in this, however, and after a night and a day on Cithaeron he came down into a distant valley where dwelt King Thestius with his fifty beautiful daughters.
He was welcomed at the palace, and there he stayed for fifty nights, entertained kindly by the fifty lovely princesses who took it in turns to attend upon the young man, who spent each day hunting upon the mountain.
After fifty days Heracles at length tracked the great lion to its lair, a cave in a dark, evil-smelling crevice of the rocks. Armed with a great club of olive wood cut roughly from a tree which he had torn up by the roots, Heracles strode boldly into the cave.
The great yellow lion came at him, roaring horribly, and Heracles retreated so as to have more light. In the entrance to the cave he stood at bay, and as the lion leapt, he struck it on the head with the club, bringing it to the ground, where it stood, trembling all over while its head swayed from side to side from the force of the blow.
Heracles struck once more, and the great beast lay dead before him. Then he pulled a knife from his belt and tried to skin it, but the hide was too tough. In vain he sharpened the knife on a stone, and even tried with the stone itself. It was only when he had cut out one of the terrible claws that he had an instrument keen enough for his task.
When the skin was off, Heracles dried and cured it carefully, and wore it ever afterwards tied over his shoulders and round his waist, with the scalp over his head like a helmet, so that it served both as clothing and armour.
On his way back to Thebes, Heracles met with a messenger from a certain King Eriginus, who was on his way to collect tribute from the Thebans whom he had conquered in war some years before this and robbed of all their weapons and armour.