An interesting story of Codrus, the last king of Athens, is handed down by the historian. When the Heraclidæ made war against Athens, one of the oracles, in which the Grecians placed great confidence, and which they were accustomed to consult on important occasions, declared that victory would be granted to them provided they abstained from injuring the Athenian king.
Codrus was a man of noble soul, and preferred the happiness of his country to everything else. Accordingly, he determined to sacrifice his life in order to secure success to the Athenians. With this view, he dressed himself as a common person and entered the enemy’s camp. He provoked a quarrel with a soldier, and was immediately slain.
The Heraclidæ soon discovered that they had killed the Athenian king, and, knowing that they had violated the condition upon which the oracle promised them success, became alarmed, and discontinued the war.
The Wooden Horse.
One of the most famous poems ever produced, is that entitled the Iliad. This was written by a man called Homer, who composed it in several different fragments, and went about the country reciting them to the people. He lived about nine hundred years before Christ.
The scene of the Iliad is laid along the north-eastern shore of the Mediterranean sea. It gives an account of a terrible war, carried on by the Greeks against the city of Troy. This lasted for ten years, and resulted in the overthrow of that city. The events, as related by Homer, are, many of them, curious and remarkable. He not only describes the deeds of military heroes, but he represents the gods and goddesses,—such as Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Juno, Venus, and others, as taking part in the struggle; at one time aiding and animating their friends, and, at another, baffling or overthrowing their enemies.
The principal leaders, on the part of the Greeks, are Ajax, Achilles and Ulysses. Those on the part of the Trojans, were Hector, Priam and Paris. The characters of these heroes are drawn with great power and skill by the poet, though we cannot but shudder at the bloody and savage acts which they perform. The manner in which Troy was at last taken, is thus related by Homer. It seems that Ulysses, who was a very artful and contriving man, caused an immense wooden horse to be made, capable of holding a considerable number of people. This was filled with soldiers, and offered, as a present, to the Trojans. These, having no suspicion of what was in the horse, accepted the present with great pleasure. A part of the walls, which surrounded and defended the city, was removed, and the immense horse was rolled in, amid the acclamations of the crowd. The breach in the wall was then closed up, and the Trojans were left with their admired, but dangerous present.
In the middle of the night, when the people of Troy were wrapped in profound sleep, the soldiers, who were locked up in the bowels of the horse, stole out and spread themselves over the city. They then set fire to it in various places, and opened the gates to their friends, the Greeks, without. These were waiting for the opportunity, and rushed into the city.