Then Zeus, the mighty son of Kronos, bowed his head in sign of judgment that the city should be called by the name of Athene. From his head the immortal locks streamed down, and the earth trembled beneath his feet as he rose from his golden throne to return to the halls of Olympus. But still Athene stood gazing over the land which was now her own; and she stretched out her spear toward the city of Erechtheus, and said: “I have won the victory and here shall be my home. Here shall my children grow up in happiness and freedom; and hither shall the sons of men come to learn of law and order. Here shall they see what great things may be done by mortal hands when aided by the gods who dwell on Olympus; and when the torch of freedom has gone out at Athens, its light shall be handed on to other lands, and men shall learn that my gift is still the best, and they shall say that reverence for law and the freedom of thought and deed has come to them from the city of Erechtheus, which bears the name of Athene.”
[2] In this Greek tale, the Greek names are preserved. In the Latin mythology Zeus is Jupiter, Poseidon is Neptune, Athene is Minerva, Artemis is Diana, Hermes is Mercury, Hephaistos is Vulcan, Dionysos is Bacchus, Hestia is Vesta, Ares is Mars, and Aphrodite is Venus.
DAPHNE, CHILD OF THE MORNING
By Sir George W. Cox
In the vale of Tempe, where the stream of Peneios flows beneath the heights of Olympus towards the sea, the beautiful Daphne passed the days of her happy childhood. She climbed the crags to greet the first rays of the rising sun, and when he had driven his fiery horses over the sky, she watched his chariot sink behind the western mountains. Over hill and dale she roamed, free and light as the breeze of spring. Other maidens round her spoke each of her love, but Daphne cared not to listen to the voice of man, though many a one sought her to be his wife.
One day, as she stood on the slopes of Ossa in the glow of early morning, she saw before her a glorious form. The light of the new-risen sun fell on his face with a golden splendor, and she knew that it was Phœbus Apollo. Hastily he ran towards her, and said, “I have found thee, Child of the Morning. Others thou hast cast aside, but from me thou canst not escape. I have sought thee long, and now will I make thee mine.” But the heart of Daphne was bold and strong; and her cheek flushed and her eye sparkled with anger, as she said, “I know neither love nor bondage. I live free among the streams and hills; and to none will I yield my freedom.” Then the face of Apollo grew dark with anger, and he drew near to seize the maiden; but swift as the wind she fled away. Over hill and dale, over crag and river, the feet of Daphne fell lightly as falling leaves in autumn; but nearer yet came Phœbus Apollo, till at last the strength of the maiden began to fail. Then she stretched out her hands, and cried for help to the goddess Ceres; but she came not to her aid. Her head was dizzy, and her limbs trembled in utter feebleness as she drew near to the broad river which gladdens the plains of Thessaly. She almost felt the breath of Phœbus, and her robe was almost in his grasp. With a wild cry, she said, “Father Peneios, receive thy child,” and she rushed into the stream, whose waters closed gently over her.
She was gone; and Apollo mourned for his madness in chasing thus the free maiden. And he said, “I have punished myself by my folly; the light of the morning is taken out of the day. I must go on alone till my journey shall draw towards its end.” Then he spake the word, and a laurel came up on the bank where Daphne had plunged into the stream; and the green bush with its thick clustering leaves keeps her name forever.