Chapter IX: Prologue (8)

For, as do earth-dwelling kings, each having power and dominion over his own people, so also do the gods, each having power and dominion over his own worshippers. And, upon occasions, disputes arise among the various dynasties inhabiting the wide-rolling heavens, and wars and fearful conflicts follow, when the high gods fight among themselves for lordship over the hearts of men. In which quarrels, the divine ones of the Argive race are ever to the fore and very ready at need: seeing that the nations of the Argives are wont to stablish colonies, daughter-cities, in barbarian lands, crossing the unvintaged sea, whereto they carry a sacred fire from their mother-city; and they pray not to the strange gods of the barbarians among whom they dwell, but to the familiar gods of their dear motherland. Furthermore, the strange gods of the barbarians sometimes send solemn embassages of heroes to the king of gods and men, bearing complaints, because their rites go unrecognized by the Argives inhabiting their domains. Then, indeed, Great Zeys, having taken counsel with the olympian immortals, returns a just decision in like manner. At other times, dire complications unexpectedly arise, when the strange gods send plagues (perchance of rats or dragons), or pestilences (perchance of bad blind boils), or even famines, to punish the prepotence or the impiety of their blameless barbarians; and, by chance, one of the Argive colonists perishes by reason of the scourge. Then, indeed, loud-thundering Zeys inflames himself with mighty wrath, when his dear Argive folk fall victims to the clumsiness of the indiscriminating gods of the so-sinful barbarians; and he exacts a compensation. But the immortal gods love not to war overmuch among themselves, their battles being terrific and the issues not unusually thankless.

And it chanced that, at the time when I reached my chair in the college of the immortals and of my blissful nuptials, that there was a matter of feud between us and the theocracy of Juppiter Stator. For the Latin gods, very stolid, very bucolic, were claiming the worship of the whole Argive race throughout the earth. And they, rash and overweening, alleged that, as the fair Argive land had submitted to their bloody Romans, so, also, Olympian Zeys ought to acknowledge as his blooming suzerain their Capitoline Juppiter.

For which cause, long-enduring and tiresome and tedious conversations of high diplomacy were striving to adjust the dispute without appeal to the arbitrament of war. But a regrettable incident was likely to occur at any moment: for Ares, bane of mortals, weary of the arts of peace, paraded himself daily wearing shield and sword; and boldly-steadfast Herakles, weary of the arts of husbandry, was carving a collection of most mind-delighting clubs; and my own sweet cousin, Perseys of the sea, the most renowned of heroes, weary of the arts of love, was all agog to meet monsters more worthy than pterodactyls in deadly strife. Wherefore, the Father and King of gods and men bade me to visit, first, those strange gods who were known not to be unfriendly; and, then, to proceed to Rome: so that, returning to Olympos directly from the court of Juppiter Stator, I might bring back the very latest account of the negociations.

And, having embraced me and Queen Helen, very mighty Zeys gave us our charters fairly written out by cunning Hermes, my grandsire, who first brought letters and the art of writing into the Argive land.

Thus, as an immortal, I began to go about the work of the immortals.

THE TWENTY-EIGHTH PAPYRUS

But we ascended the silver-shining chariot inlaid with crabs and moons in mother-of-pearl, a wonder to be seen, Love being our charioteer; and we flew afar to the remote regions of the skies, gazing (from time to time, and with certain thoughts) on the grain-giving earth below.

Now there were certain dynasties of gods, such as those of Anahoyak and Nippon and Serica,[61] with whom the Olympians dealt but rarely: for they were of a secretive nature, nor did they exactly welcome guests from afar, but rather did they slam the door of divine hospitality, excepting when rare embassages brought news of very grave matters. And, indeed, no such embassage had been sent from lofty Olympos across the streams of ocean since Pantokrator Zeys sent pious Deykalion announcing his accession to the throne of Khronos. For which cause, it was not deemed necessary that I and Queen Helen should fare so far to visit divine ones whose very names cannot be written in the Argive tongue.

And, first, we came to the court of the gods of Assyria. There, indeed, we were mingled in friendship with the Seven Magnificencies, Anna who rules the Assyrian sky, Ea who rules their earth, Mulge who rules their abyss, the three rulers of their sun and their moon and their air, and Belmarduk the god. Beside those, we were mingled in courtesy with their fifty great gods, and their three hundred heavenly sprites, and their six hundred earthly sprites. Also, I held converse with their heroes, Gilgamish and Eabani, the same who came to me in Khem; and, while I admired their most artificial beards, the mind in my lordly breast grieved, because (though brave enough and strong) they seemed to me to be but curly and oily bullocks or gladiators in comparison with Herakles or Perseys or Kastor and Polydeykes, and the other well-bred heroes of Olympos. But I held very wily conversation with Belmarduk the god, gaining certain wisdom which need not be written down here.

But we journeyed on to the court of the gods of Iran, immortals who bear the strangest of names, such as Ormuzd whom we Argives call ΦΩϹ or Light, and Ashem or ΑΛΗΘΕΙΑ meaning Truth, and Vohu Mano or ΕΥΝΟΙΑ meaning Good Sense, and Khshathrem or ΕΥΝΟΜΙΑ meaning Power, and Armaiti or ϹΟΦΙΑ meaning Obedience and Haurvatat or ΠΛΟΥΤΟϹ meaning Perfection. But chiefly was the mind in my dear breast exalted with pure joy when I came, radiant in my moonlike sheen, into the presence of Great Mithra. For the unconquered god of the Iranian sun looked upon me so earnestly, with wise young eyes of such transcendent candour, that I was moved to know as much as possible from him. Wherefore, I gave him the _Sign of the Father of Warriors_. Instantly he replied, signing me with the _Sign of the Father of Bulls_. I gave him the _Sign of the Father of Lions_; and he signed me with the _Sign of the Father of Vultures_. I gave him the _Sign of the Father of Ostriches_; and he signed me with the _Sign of the Father of Ravens_. I gave him the _Sign of the Father of Gryphons_; and he signed me with the _Sign of the Father of Perses_. I gave him the _Sign of the Father of Suns_; and he signed me with the _Sign of Father of Eagles_. I gave him the _Sign of Father of Falcons_; and he signed me with the _Sign of Father of Fathers_ which is the summit of the twelve. But, because I was ware that I had come upon my master, I made myself obedient, gaining such wisdom as is not lawful to be written, nor even to be uttered, on account of a religious reason.

But we journeyed on to the court of Benares; and, having shewn my charters, we departed as speedily as possible. For it would have been a shameful deed, to have exposed Queen Helen to the evil communications of a horde of riotous brutes, apes, reptiles, abortions, frightful malformations, greasy with rancid butter, dripping with fresh blood and mildewed with stale, interminably-headed illimitably-armed innumerably-nippled smirking bestialities, at whose amorous activities even Olympians were wont to say Phy. For which cause, we just went to Benares, and we just came from Benares.

But we journeyed on to the mountain of Sinai. There, at its foot, we stood silently, during the space of a night and a day and a night, revering unmentioned and unthought-of mystery.

But we journeyed on to the court of the gods of Khem. And Mother Isis being amazed to greet one of her priests and a master of masters of magic in one who had risen to the rank of a hero and immortal of Olympos, of her own free will released me from the oath which I swore to her before Amenemhat the priest of Tanis: for (as she said) it seemed that the Supreme had dispositions regarding me otherwhere. And Ptah the Pain-lessener explained why he neglected my torments in the ordeal of the scorching staff: saying that there was a law in Khem, made by Ra himself, which ordained that no alleviation of pain should be due to a mage who, willingly, should accept the ordeals of wisdom’s way. To whom I answered wilily (reserving a private opinion of my own); and I said that the laws of the master were good in the eyes of the servant, and that this law was particularly to be praised: for, had I been rendered able to hold the scorching staff, I should not have fallen backward through the rolling wheels of time, regaining Golden Helen, the Treasure of Hades, nor Love, the Crown of all Wisdom. Which answer was greatly admired. And so, for a little space, we dwelled with the well-mannered gods of Khem, amid the groves and fountains of Duät, hunting with holy cats and kittens by night on the banks of the Nile, and by day among the dark hills of Amentet. Moreover, having withdrawn our shapes from the gaze of mortals we visited the temple at Tanis, where, formerly, I had done many wily deeds. But my friend Amenemhat had submitted himself to white Death; and I saw his form at Philai, conveniently mummied in the manner which I myself had invented. For the eyes of immortals, peers of Pan, obey their particular desires, seeing (at will) through stone or wood or any other substance, excepting the substances whose names and virtues and properties are known only to masters who have the proper spells for using them. But I obtained as a sweet guest-gift from the gods of Khem, that they would deal kindly with dead Amenemhat (till I myself could provide for him), lightening his dreary lot in tedious Amentet as with frequent cups of cream. And, I must not omit to mention that, while we were still over Egypt, Queen Helen would have me go with her one day to Nilemouth: for, having once innocently slain me there, with the kiss of an immortal goddess given in honourable love to a mortal man, the gentle mind in her fragrant breast persuaded me that she owed me an amend. And there, indeed, having openly kissed me on the lips, she hid her rose-red face on mine while she whispered a secret joy. For I lived again in another.

But we journeyed on to find the court of the gods of the sea-girt island, the kingdom of Victory queen of the stalwart stately Anglicans. And, at length, we found, indeed, the sea-girt island: but there were no Anglicans, nor venerable Victory the queen, nor any gods at all. Instead, we saw the place to be infested with a rabble of pygmies, some black-hairy, others sandy-hairy, all cannibals, obscenely naked, painted blue, inarticulately howling, whose hag-toothed breastless females mutilated their innumerable slain abominably. Moreover, they were worshipping very bad devils, dwarves, giants, furies, hobgoblins, and other dubious monsters, with hekatombs of idiot boys and girls, bandy-legged, hairy, knock-kneed, stunted, scraggy, whose throats they tore with sharp stones, stretching them out stark on cyclopean boulders, or else with twisted-ozier baskets of human shape, fifty cubits high, which they stuffed full of babies and enemies, burning them alive with fire, to the music of screeching. From which horrors we flew away with Love, having laid hideous inchantments on those barbarians in relief of the earth which sustained them.[62]

But we journeyed on to the court of the gods of Scandinavia. For I was very desirous of seeing Baldur the Beautiful, and of lifting the hammer of their Thor; and my desire was not ungratified. Baldur, indeed, was a comely youth in a crude gaunt-boned pink-fleshy way, such as I have seen a many of among the Argives: but he could not be named with Hermes of the golden wand, or with any of the olympian immortals, lacking the effulgent limpidity and transcendent agility of mind without which a fair body and sprightly limbs are merely dull and devoid of spiritual quality. And, as for the so-called ponderous hammer of Thor, it was as a feather in the wily knack-knowing hands of the man who had burst the fetters of Hades. But the other gods and goddesses of Scandinavia offered us a disgusting banquet of fishes and bones of beeves half-charred, half-raw, whereon they themselves browsed, gnawing interminably, and washing down the gobbets with bucketfuls of fiery potions, wherewith (anon) they drowned themselves in drunkenness, stertorously dropping on sleep in the slime where they fell. For which cause we left them while the night was dark.

But we journeyed on to the court of the gods of Rome, where Great Zeys maintained Nestor of Gerenia, lord of chariots, that very wise and ancient hero, as his embassador. And, in the vast palace of Capitoline Juppiter was the abode of the Olympian embassage, where, for a time, I dwelled with Queen Helen, being Nestor’s guests. But it seemed that nothing could stay the division of counsels among the immortals any longer. For the Latin gods, implacable, boundless in audacity, persisted in claiming the sacrifices of all pious persons who dwell on the wide-bosomed earth: nor would they listen to most interesting conversations, being tribeless lawless homeless fanulloni, disguised in the shape of their betters, having not the most rudimentary notion of the difference between meum and tuum, and loving nothing better than strife. And day by day they inflated themselves to bursting with overweening fury, desiring to obtain a monopoly, spurning the just and moderate claim for supremacy by prescriptive right made by Olympian Zeys. Yet knightly Nestor, pleasant of speech, the clear-voiced orator of the Pylians, from whose tongue flowed discourses sweeter than honey, bravely strove to find some ground of agreement. For he still hoped that his conversations would avert war.

And, being over Rome, it seemed to me fitting that I should pass certain words with that blameless senator whom I once had seen at Tanis. Him, indeed, I found (by certain simple magic) to be called Gajus Gargilius Gnipho;[63] and to him I addressed myself without delay, entering his palace on a moonbeam, at midnight, radiant in my silver splendour, in stature and in aspect very much more than mortal. For the fellow had comported himself rather too superciliously, when he saw me as a stranger in the land of Khem and not very flourishing of appearance. But, when he saw me in Rome, he fell flat before me, quaking with terror, babbling obsequious deprecations with a rust-hot tongue. But I, having twitted him with his former blindness to my divinity, so severely that he wished himself unborn, gave him sundry comfortable words: whereat, of his own free will, he vowed a blooming shrine to me at his villa near Caere, with a flamen and two casmilli of free birth, and a weekly sacrifice of two white sea-gulls and a crab, as long as the world should endure men. For thus anxious are rich mortals to purchase the inattention of the immortals.

And, by chance, one day, it happened that, when I returned from going to and fro, alone and unseen, among mortals in the city, hearing the speech of men, on entering the palace I found old Nestor lying stunned in my antechamber. And, instantly, terrible Fear invaded the mind in my breast on account of Golden Helen.

But, rushing forward, inflaming myself by the way, I found her in her chamber, gagged with a silken cincture, and struggling in the arms of truculent Mars. Him, indeed, I dragged about the room, as one drags an impatient bullock from the altar before his bloody turn, twisting him; and I dashed the blameless god to the floor with not-innocuous concussion. But, having released my faithful wife, I bade her to go to Nestor in his need, and to heal his ill: for she herself was unharmed, excepting for certain bruises of her lily-like skin which she took from the grip of the ruffian. And, for these, I made him pay a just price. First, indeed, he rose from the floor, black in the face with rage. But I cursed him thereto in good and concise Latin, while he stood all amazed, being too stupid to think of me as aught but an Olympian speaking the limpid language of gods and Argives. And I rejoiced in my lordly mind, at my faculty of venomously-scathing invective, when I saw how I could exasperate him with my tongue. For the language of immortals is voluble, and the discourses in it are numerous and varied; and vast is the distribution of words here and there. Moreover, whatsoever word one shall speak, such also shall one hear; and, whatsoever deed one shall do to another shall be repeated with interest upon oneself. But, when my lickerish swashbuckler had winced sufficiently, we took to our swords. Now Mars was a war-god whose habit was to supervise slaughter from his cloudy citadel, descending to massacre fugitives, and to glut himself with human gore: but he personally was no more than a slow and clumsy warrior, able (certainly) to overcome mortals by sheer weight, but no match whatever for an immortal hero skilled in wiles and expert in all the arts of war. Wherefore, having dug him well in head and foot, I began to beat him, abominably bruising his paps. But he bellowed with pain; and fought wildly, exposing his tender places so that I carved him at my pleasure. And, when, hacked to shreds, he was ready to fall apart, he took a great toss from me, hideous in immensity, being pitched from the window of the palace into the city beneath. But his atoms fell sprawling in the forecourt of his own temple, crushing the Flamen Martialis as flat as a corn-cake. But the Romans took it for a portent; and were filled with forebodings of evil.

Then, Queen Helen begged me to bear her away from the sullen court of the blameless Latin divinities, returning to the peak of Olympos, where the star-crowned Twins would guard her honour during my absence, if absent I was obliged to be. Even wise old Nestor agreed that conversations must end here, and war begin.

But, first, I demanded audience of Juppiter Stator (the most righteous of gods): whom I told of the crime of his son, and the penalty paid, demanding also the usual compensations. Whereat the blooming pretender was very angry, and made a menacing pass at me with his thunder. But, him, indeed, I mocked most shockingly, flinging at his feet a bunch of fat fingers hewed off blameless Mars, and giving him warning, on the part of all the immortals of Olympos, to prepare for war. But he, too late, cowered, and was for offering satisfaction, saying that he would make an agreement concerning the heavenly dispute, desiring not the enmity but the friendship of us Olympians.

Whom I superbly answered, saying: “Talk now no more of agreements, O thrice-and-four-times accused pretender and new god. For, as there are not faithful leagues between lions and men, neither have lambs and wolves an according mind, but ever meditate evils each against other, so it is impossible for us and you to contract a friendship. Long, indeed, have we striven to treat your pretensions leniently, in accordance with reason: but ye have presumed on our forbearance, mistaking our gentleness for weakness, and crowning your bloody folly with a crime, an outrage wrought by a dastard on a daughter and on an embassador of the king of gods and men. But now it is time to make an end of you. And I go forthwith to lofty Olympos, to rally against you the hosts of the splendour of Zeys.”

Thus I spoke; and having by magic called my silver-shining chariot, I led to it Queen Helen, and Nestor the Argive, who was not to be left to the mercy of Juppiter Stator; and, when they had mounted to their places, I placed on the floor the sword of atrocious Mars, intending to take it as a trophy and a perpetual memorial. But I, also, was about to ascend beside them, when there came heavily prancing certain blameless divine ones, squalid of demeanour and agitated of aspect, offering gifts on the part of the Capitoline god, and begging for a little respite. And I, having relieved my blooming mind by speaking fierce opinions to them, and being not at all times implacable but rather inclined to urbanity, actually did delay for an instant, revolving the whole matter in my mind, and waiting to hear what might be proposed. But, even while I tarried thus, my godly eyes clearly saw revengeful Bellona, sister and pander of Mars, beginning to harness the hounds of war to her chariot round the corner.

Then, indeed, I turned upon thievish Mercury the messenger, an ape-like imitator of my wing-footed grandsire, saying: “Return, O messenger, to Capitoline Juppiter, to whom do thou tell all things openly as I charge thee: so that all the gods of all the wide-rolling heavens also may be indignant, even if he (clad in impudence) still dares to deceive any of the immortals. Let him not (doglike as he is and not godlike) ever hope to look in my face again as an equal. I neither will join in counsel nor in action with him: for having already offended me, now he will try to deceive me. He shall not again over-reach me with lying words. Enough for him once to do so. But let him perish in quiet: for Great Zeys, no doubt, has deprived him of reason. Hateful to me are his gifts, and himself I value not a hair.”

Thus I spoke: but my heart and noble mind were delighted in my breast. And, having ascended my silver-shining chariot, Queen Helen pulled the chain; and faithful Love flew away with us as swiftly as a bird or a thought. But my great black bow began to sing very gloriously of war, as we left the Super-Capitol, making bright the eyes, hardening the body, and kindling flames within the mind: for fierce-hearted Bellona pursued us, over the breadth of Apulia to the unvintaged sea. But being loathe to fight with a bloody female and (moreover) a blameless Latin one armed with a bow which to mine was but as a toy, I loosed my death-bringing shafts backward against the hackles of her blooming war-hounds, throwing them into confusion. And she, cursing obscenely, turned, retracing her difficult way.

In this manner I did deeds, wily, and also audacious, visiting the courts of strange gods who bear rule over barbarians.

FOOTNOTES:

[61] Mexico, Japan, and China, I presume. A. H.

[62] The writer would seem to have hit upon some remote parts of Wales, or perhaps Scotland, to which Roman civilization had not penetrated. This is rather unfortunate. For the general condition of the “sea-girt island” _cf._ Codrington, _Roman Roads in Britain_, and Mr. Haverfield’s amazingly luminous monographs on _Roman Britain_. At the same time, we must not forget that the Scotch did really worship demons originally, which is why their descendants have jumped at Puritan theology, as Mr. Chesterton expressly demonstrates. A. H.

[63] This is valuable for testing the authenticity of these documents. _Cf._ Hor. _Ep._ I. vi. 59-63: “Gargilius ... Ithacensis Ulixi.” The importance of this can hardly be minimized. A. H.

THE TWENTY-NINTH PAPYRUS

But the way in which we Olympians went forth to war was on this wise.

King Zeys, armed with black clouds and white thunder, sat throned in the areiopagos of the immortals, collecting his forces, assigning commands and stations. For, as when some hairy barbarian (devoid of reason) was wont to prance minaciously in the vicinity of the flowing-haired ingenuous Akhaians, or as when some city (jealous, or what-not) warred against its neighbour or some bumptious young colony against its staid and respectable mother-city, all the other Argives were wont to mingle themselves hilariously together against the foe, so, also, when the Olympian gods are menaced, each one (from the highest to the lowest) and including the heroes takes up arms in defence of his dear motherland.

But King Zeys, whose joy is in the thunder, bade golden-wanded Hermes to summon from the house of shady Hades the shades of innumerable heroes who had not attained immortality; and these were as unnumbered as are leaves and flowers in their season: nor could I number them, did not the Muses, daughters of Zeys of the dark and holy Aigis, put into my mind the names of some who came at call to lofty Olympos. For, when the Olympians go forth to war, then the shades of heroes are called from the netherworld, and are endowed with bodies. But, if they stolidly permit themselves to be slaughtered in battle, they lose an opportunity of attaining immortality and return as shades to the house of Hades for at least another hundred years. Such, indeed, is the law. But I remember that these were called from the netherworld, to wit, yellow-haired fleet-footed Akhilleys, and daring Patroklos his dear comrade, and red-haired Neoptolemos his son as brave as his father, and horse-taming Diomedes, and Phoinix dear to Zeys, and blameless Telamonian Aias the Great, and Lokrian Aias the Little, and great-hearted Iphitos, and Abantian Elephenor breathing fury (whose hair flowed behind), and high-hearted Erekhtheys, and godly Eyryalos, and Agamemnon shepherd of the people, and warlike Agapenor, and stalwart Diores, and pious Polyxeinos, and Meges peer of Ares, and large-souled Oineys, and gold-haired Meleagros, and Idomeneys the famous spearman fierce as flame, and Meriones peer of the man-slaying war-god, and goodly tall Tlepolemos the Rhodian son of Herakles, and Philoktetes the cunning archer, and glorious Eyrypylos, and unflinching Polypoites, and fleet Prothoos, and sage Antenor, and high-stepping Pandaros, and fluent Talthybios the herald, and comely Sthenelos, and the lusty cheerful stripling Simoeisios, and well-greaved Tydeys, and noble Hypsenor, and glancing-eyed Diokles, and innocent Pylaimenes, and Mydon the squire, and that nymph-born shepherd Boykolion, and haughty Bellerophon. And these, being summoned, gathered with speed.

And, as the many tribes of well-plumed birds, wild geese, or swans or long-necked cranes, or even blooming bustards, on the Asian meadow by River Kaystros, fly hither and thither enjoying their plumage, and (with loud cries) settle ever onward, and the meadow resounds, so poured forth the many tribes of warriors, with Theseys the most righteous of men, from the house of Hades; and they joined with the immortal heroes, lion-hearted Herakles, and my own cousin Perseys of the sea (the most renowned of heroes), and Kastor the tamer of horses, and Polydeykes the pugilist, and magnanimous Iason with his nine-and-forty generous marine Argonayts, and with others quite innumerable whose names I have not written for a religious reason: all mingled together manning the walls of lofty Olympos.

Then came forth from their well-built golden palaces, Ares the lordly stormer of battlements, and Phoibos Apollon lord of the silver bow, and his chaste sister Artemis the Archer wearing the moon. And bright-eyed Pallas Athene cast off her rainbow-hued garments which she herself had woven; and did on her armour for battle. And, about her shoulders, she put the terrible Aigis, which knows neither age nor death, whereon wave a hundred taslets of pure gold, all deftly twisted, and each worth a hundred oxen: whereon, also, is Panic as a crown round about, and Strife, and Valour, and horrible Onslaught withal; and thereon, also, is the grisly snake-haired head of Medoysa the Gorgon, a portent dreadful and grim. And upon her virginal head, she set the two-crested golden casque of fourfold plates bedecked with the men-at-arms of a hundred cities. And she brandished the great stout spear, wherewith she vanquishes and demolishes all with whom her immortal sire is wrath. But Hephaistos, the glorious lame god, sweated in toil, busy about the bellows and the anvil in his house of bronze, imperishable, star-like, far-seen among the abodes of the immortals: for he was forging thunderbolts, with arms, and armour.

And, anon, came running the Hora Dike, warden of the cloudy gate, bringing news that the Latins were approaching in battle-array.

But, instantly, we were pouring out, like wasps who dwell by the roadside: whom silly boys are wont to irritate, incessantly harassing creatures possessing cells by the wayside, and causing a common evil to many. And, as when thick snow-flakes flutter down, born in the æther and chilled by the blasts of Boreas, so, thickly streamed forth brightly-glittering helms and bossy shields, with strong-plated corslets and nastily-pointed spears. And the sheen thereof filled the heavens near; and the world underneath winked at the flashing of gold and silver and at the noise of the trampling; and our teeth gnashed together; and our eyes blazed like so many flaming fires.

But wing-footed Hermes and wind-borne Iris flew, like unseen arrows, the one to azure-haired Poseidon lord of the ocean, the other to blameless Hades lord of the netherworld, always collecting reinforcements. And gallant young Love, ruddy, naked and invulnerable, rushed with me into the mellay. For no shafts are more deadly than Love’s.

And the war-chariot of King Zeys the Scarer thundered, awfully rolling along by the polished colonnades of palaces, bearing the father and king of gods and men to the forefront of the fray.

But King Quirinus was leading the heroes of the Latins, all blameless of course, with Aulus master of knights on the left and Furius on the right, with Herminius in the rear. Turnus served under King Quirinus, with Mamilius prince of the Latian name. Under Aulus, served Metius of Anxur and Astur lord of Luna. Under Furius, served showy Curtius, the forlorn hope. These were all the most righteous of heroes. But the Latin gods preferred to look on, sullen, from the rear, in what they fondly deemed to be security.

Thus, immortals were matched against pseud-immortals.

THE THIRTIETH PAPYRUS

Then the Father and King of gods and men thundered appallingly from above, and, from beneath, the sea-king Poseidon set the vast earth shaking, even to the tops of her blooming mountains. And the brazen voice of impetuous Ares resounded through the press of battle; and bravely-steadfast Herakles strewed the Latin heroes in swathes, sweeping his club here and there, shattering shins, causing the marrow to spurt from spines, so that knees became loosened; and sweet Death in a white cloud enveloped them while life left their bones. But the lord and lady of the silver bows rained down their hot arrows, which hissed into wet eye-sockets, forcing-in the pupils, and going forward into the backs of the heads: so that many heroes sat down without warning or thrones, stretching out both their hands for nothing. And blissful Pallas Athene smote many, with her spear, where a puncture is particularly painful: so that they panted, spinning round and round upon the point like cockchafers, writhing, holding their interiors in their hands, until white Death veiled their two eyes wanting life.

But I, on the battlements, saw naught but brave Horatius, heard naught save his personal challenge to me, felt naught save the blows which he delivered to my address, touched naught save him, smelt naught save his delicious blood and sweat mingling with ichor of the immortals. For I drove my bloody spear into his shield; and pinned it to his arm. But his spear tore away my silver helmet crested with the prides of nine white peacocks. Then, indeed, I leaped upon him with my sword, protecting my head with my fluttering targe. Nor did he abide my onslaught: but he retired pace by pace; and a shower of sparks burst out of his armour as I shattered it bit by bit. But, perceiving that he was on the very verge of the wall, I hustled him so horribly with my great glittering shield, that, stepping back, he fell for nineteen days, reaching the bountiful earth at length in the form of a thin red rain. But I recovered my silver helmet, running sidewise at Furius, who was pressing the red-haired boy Neoptolemos son of implacable Akhilleys; and him, too, we hustled from the summit of the wall. But the stripling laughed; and he fought beside me, fighting as I did, shoving with very weighty shields, till we had cleared a little space: for the assault was keen.

But Pallas Athene of the terrible Aigis came whirling along the open way in her war-chariot, shouting aloud and frightfully in the Orthian strain. And scores of the blameless Latins she squashed to pulp, or hurled from the height. But then, indeed, when one might have begun to think about victory, suddenly I heard the voice of Queen Helen calling me by name. To whom I revolved like a flash of white thunder.

But the divine one of goddesses was flying toward me in the pleasure-chariot of white-armed Hera the queen, woven of golden thongs plaited tightly, with pole and wheels and yoke and harness of gold. And peacocks drew it, flying on large wings coloured of cinnamon and ebony, with quivering crests and necks of shining blue, and waving golden prides which gleamed each with a hundred purple eyes. She cried to me as she came: for a faithful wife (being troubled) thinks that no one but her dear husband can relieve her. And she said that constant Regulus, and Scipio the African, and Gajus Martius of Corioli, were attacking on the north, having scaled the wall: whom Queen Hera and the goddesses were withstanding, as best they might, with golden tiles and paving-stones and jars and bowls and stairs, hurled from the blooming towers.

And I heard the saying of Queen Helen, with those who fought near me; and, instantly, we ran roaring to repel the invaders. And yellow-haired Akhilleys the bravest of heroes ran with me, and red-haired Neoptolemos his son, and Idomeneys strong as flame, and Diomedes of the loud war-cry, and magnanimous Iason, and glancing-eyed Diokles, and golden-haired Meleagros, and my own cousin Perseys of the sea (the most renowned of heroes), nine in all. But we, ravening with fury, fell upon the Latins; and I myself engaged Titus son of Tarquinius, a gallant enough hero, who (after some striving) took a toss from me into the sea, the abode of fishes, where eels might eat him, nibbling the white fat round his kidneys. But only implacable Akhilleys remained alive beside me, having his breath upon the height of Olympos, with glancing-eyed Diokles who became my sweet friend, and also Perseys the immortal hero. And all the might of the Latins was surging round to the north wall; and Titus Manlius of the golden collar was leading them. But we three fought grimly on.

Then leaped-up in her might Strife the rouser of hosts. Then Pallas Athene sent forth a cry. And Ares shouted, terrible as the blackness of storms. Then came Artemis of the silver arrows and the echoing chase, and Phoibos Apollon darting afar. Then the Father and King of gods and men came lamping and toning terrifically from above. Then came Hermes the Helper.

And shady Hades, lord of the netherworld, leaped from his black throne, bursting his bandages, in terror lest the earth should again be riven by King Poseidon irascibly rolling great billows about: so loud was the din made by us immortals. And, at King Zeys’ behest, King Hades gave up a new host of heroes to Hermes the Helper, Lysander and Leonidas those dirty-knuckled Lakonians, and Alkibiades and Nikias the Athenians, and Makedonian Alexandros, and lacerated Prometheys, and thirsty Tantalos, and wise Telemakhos my son and prudent Penelope’s, and unknowing Telegonos my son and Kirke’s of the awful braided tresses, and Teykros the bowman, and belted Orion, and gigantic Tityros, and even the blameless Dardanian heroes of Ilion to fight for the gods of lofty Olympos, to wit, Hektor of the glancing helm, and pious runaway Aineias, and Amphios of the linen corslet, and Asios prince of men, and Hippothoos skilled with the spear, and well-legged Phorkys, and uncouth Nastes, and Sarpedon counseller of the Lykians, and noble Glaykos, and naked Lykaon, and equal-handed Asteropaios, and Polydoros the runner, all the most righteous of heroes, thirsty for bloodshed and buzzing like shameless mosquitoes.

And now the heavens were filled with gods and heroes, and ablaze with arms; and the earth below rang with the noise of the feet of them, as they rushed together for the fray. For we, the Olympians, like ravening lions, were leaping out, fulfilling the will of loud-thundering Zeys ordaining a backward chase of the Latins. They, indeed, of necessity were compelled to give way; and many fair brands, dark-scabbarded and dark-hilted, fell to the earth, some from the hands and some with the severed hands of warriors, so that the black earth was splashed with a hail of the juices of heroes.

But, scattering, the Latins broke, and fled in confusion, driven in utter rout; and hero called after hero to engage in single combat, slaying each his own. And, wherever the king of gods and men saw them thickest in flight, thither did he guide his blooming chariot with resounding cries; and, under his axle-trees, the Latins fell prone and were ground up, till not one remained in life: but they were pushed into the land of the shades.

And, even as tempests oppress the black earth in autumn, when Zeys pours forth rain most vehemently, being wrath against men who judge crooked judgments forcibly and drive justice out: so, mightily, then, we followed the blameless gods of the Romans; and they fled as men flee before lions and bloody unicorns. For Panic and Terror and terrible Fear bounded behind them yelling hideously: so that they fled, over the mountains of Makedonia, and woody Epiros, and the Ionian Sea, and also over Apulia, never staying, till (at length) they cowered above the Capitol of Rome, expecting the doom of the vanquished.

In this manner, was there war in the wide-rolling heavens.

THE THIRTY-FIRST PAPYRUS

But King Zeys called together the areiopagos of the immortals.

And, when the twelve great gods were standing round, in their well-carved lofty war-chariots, the Latin gods crouched, miserable, whimpering, chained, in the midst before them. And it was openly manifest that they, presumptuous ones, overweening in arrogance, had the audacity to shape themselves (as far as they were able) after the manner of the divine ones who inhabit olympian palaces: as the barbarians, Egyptians, or Sikels, or Thrakians, or Bithynians, whom the Argives take for slaves, mimic the manners of their masters, clumsily counterfeiting their aspect. Yet, as the Argives are mortal and so are the barbarians, being alike in that respect but not in anything else, in the same way both the Olympian and the Latin gods were immortal, agreeing in no other similitude. But all the company of heaven marvelled exceedingly, and none knew the counsels of King Zeys.

But the Father and King of gods and men, whose joy is in the thunder, spoke, saying: “Hearken to me, O all gods and all ye blooming goddesses, hearing that which my mind within my breast commandeth me. And one thing let none assay, be it goddess or be it god, to thwart my opinion: but approve it, ye, unanimously, that I may quickly accomplish it. For ye know how far I am made the mightiest of all gods. Go to, now, ye gods, make trial that ye may know. Fasten ye a golden rope from heaven; and all ye gods lay hold thereof and all goddesses: yet could ye not drag me from heaven to earth, even Zeys, the counsellor of The Supreme, not though ye toiled sorely. But, an I were minded to drag it, then I should draw you up, with the blooming earth and the sea withal: by so much more am I beyond gods, and beyond men, and all the rest of it.”

Thus he spoke: but we all kept silence and were still, marvelling at his saying, for he spoke very masterfully. But, at last, the bright-eyed goddess Pallas Athene said: “O our father Zeys, well we know (even we) that thy might is unyielding. Yet we have piety for these thy prisoners, fools, who now shall perish and fulfil an evil fate.”

Then Zeys the Cloud-gatherer smiled at her, saying: “Be of good comfort, dear child: for I am not minded to be unkindly. But, hearken, O all gods and all ye goddesses; and see the justice of Zeys. For these cringing immortals (from what part of the heavens they come, I know not), having taken shapes similar to ours on some false pretences, audacious ones, have not been content with the worship of their Romans, but, bursting with arrogance, they have presumed to claim also the worship of the rolling-eyed Argives. Long, indeed, have I been patient with them, with fair words and deeds: but they have ventured to bring war to lofty Olympos. Witless that they are, to be wrath in their folly against Zeys, who (sitting all by himself) careth not, nor taketh any thought about them: for I deem that I, among immortal gods, am manifestly preeminent in power and might etcetera. Wherefore, let them content themselves with whatsoever sorrows I shall send on each one of them.”

But fierce impetuous Ares stood high in his war-chariot; whereto were yoked his horses Fear and Dread; and he slapped his strong thighs with his hands flatwise, saying: “O lord of the lightning and the dark cloud, smite them with the thunderbolts; and let them lie among the dead in dust and blood.”

But, when they heard this awful word, the Latin gods leaped up to touch the beard and the knees of Zeys, crying aloud in a panic-terror as they bobbed up and down, saying: “We supplicate thee by thy beard, and by thy knees, and by thy parents, to take good store of gold and korinthic bronze (which is platinum and better than gold) as a ransom, and to let us go in peace.”

But, unto them, the Father and King of gods and men, with grimmer gaze, responded, saying: “Dogs, dogs, supplicate me not by beard or knees or parents: for neither a tenfold nor a twentyfold ransom can make amends for rebellion. Nevertheless, seeing that ye be immortal, even as are also we others, white Death may not come anigh you. But let us hear much-contriving Odysseys, the Peer of Zeys in counsel: for perchance he hath some apt unwinged sentence of judgment in his wily mind.”

Then, indeed, I stood up before all the blooming company of heaven, in my silver-shining chariot inlaid with crabs and moons in mother-of-pearl, but Love was my charioteer; and thus I said: “Immortality to immortals, and nothings to nothingness.”

And all the gods and goddesses (bestowers of good things) stood in their own war-chariots; and inextinguishable laughter arose among the blessed gods, when they heard my wily words.

But great Zeys said: “It pleaseth us; and, so, of our own free will, we command that it shall be done.”

And, immediately, all the gods and goddesses of Olympos leaped upon all the blameless gods and goddesses of Rome, Zeys upon Juppiter, and Hera upon Juno, Helios Hyperion upon Sol, and Selene upon Luna, Phoibos Apollon upon Apollo, and Artemis upon Diana, Ares upon Mars, and Iakkhos Dionysos upon Bacchus, Eros upon Cupid, and Aphrodite upon Venus, Hermes upon Mercury, and Pallas Athene upon Minerva, Demeter upon Ceres, and Hephaistos upon Vulcan, Hades upon Pluto, and Persephone upon Proserpina, Kastor and Polydeykes upon Castor and Pollux, Herakles upon Hercules, and Poseidon upon Neptune, and innumerable others upon others innumerable, pouncing upon them, like falcons biting the bloody brains of baser birds, buzzards, and such, sucking out their immortality.

And the forms of the Latin gods, like flies in the webs of assiduous spiders, lifeless, and very void, fell back, dropping from heaven to earth; and the speed of their falling ground them to powder, so that they became as red dust, and a most awful portent for their Romans on whom they fell. For, by chance, at this same time, the Romans were perturbed by a political crisis, connected with that Gajus Julius Cæsar, a king of men and a shepherd of the people. For, when they saw fierce fiery warriors fighting on the clouds, in ranks and squadrons and right forms of war, which drizzled blood of heroes on the Capitol, and, when they heard the neighing of horses and the groans of ghosts of heroes, slain, shrieking, squealing, going to the land of shades, then, indeed, blind madness entered into them; and they slew their precious Cæsar. Thus, the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.[64]

But the immortal gods, more amply immortal than ever (if that were possible), returned to their dear motherland bearing the spoils of victory; and the divine ones inhabiting olympian palaces began to receive the worship of the Romans, as was due.

In this manner, was there peace in the wide-rolling heavens.

FOOTNOTES:

[64] This, I take for a somewhat Shakespearian reminiscence (or prevision) on the part of Mr. C. Cf. _Julius Cæsar_, Act II., Scene ii. A. H.

THE THIRTY-SECOND PAPYRUS

But King Zeys lavished rich rewards, dividing the Roman territories among gods and heroes, giving temples to some and altars to others, to say nothing of blank walls eligible for immortal effigies. But, because I was by no means anxious to have assigned to me the worship of mortal men (for, having been myself a man more than once, I know something about the value of men’s worship; and I care as little for suitors who adulate as for enemies who feel bound to propitiate), then, the Father and King of gods and men deigned to give me a wish, confirming the same with his nod, which is the surest pledge among the immortals. And I said that I would treasure this wish in my heart, so that I might use it on occasion: for I desired, at that moment, nothing more than to live in peace and love with Golden Helen. And that, I did.

Living in peace and love, thus, we entertained ourselves with hunting bears, dragons, and urchins,[65] on the long slopes of lofty Olympos, or with delicate banquets in the halls of various gods. I, also, went frequently to and fro among mortal men, generally invisibly, amusing myself with their affairs. Also, I was wont to disport myself in my well-benched galley, a wonder to be seen, being drawn by Love over the grey-green sea at my will. For Hermes my grandsire, and bravely-steadfast Herakles, and my own cousin Perseys of the sea (the most renowned of heroes), used to accompany me in my jaunts; and, when these immortals saw my faithful slaves Neandros and Thalos, being cognizant of their fidelity and their fearlessness, and, also, having observed the ingenious mind and the stalwart form of Neandros and the luminous innocence of Thalos, then, indeed, they shewed them signal favours, putting into their minds a knowledge of many secrets which the gods and heroes find useful at times. Nor were the slaves afraid to have to do with these divine ones, having already braved the terrors of the netherworld with me, than which there is nothing more terrible, excepting a really horrid woman. But, because I (by magic art) had bound their lives to mine, and, because Great Zeys, in reward of my endurance and my wiles, had indued me with immortality, so Neandros and Thalos, being immortal as well (though they were neither gods nor heroes, but only the most comely and most faithful and most clever of slaves), became habituated to mingle themselves as conveniently with immortals as with mortals. Which is a wonderful and blessed thing.

But, after a few moons, when I from time to time returned to lofty Olympos, it seemed to me that Queen Helen was less cheerful than heretofore. And, when, one day, I found her sitting alone in her close chamber, weaving a white and silver shirt for me to wear at banquets, and the lids of her amber eyes were reddened as though with weeping, then, indeed, I required her to declare to her dear husband the cause of her grief. But she laid her head on my breast, letting fall a round tear: nor did she hide aught from me.

For, the long-smouldering jealousy of blameless Queen Aphrodite (the lady of the dog-star) had been breaking forth; and she was quite unable to remember good manners in the presence of Queen Helen. But it was plain to us all, that, as Queen Helen was far lovelier than she, Queen Aphrodite was no longer the goddess of beauty, though she still was the goddess of certain kinds of love. Yet, even on the last count, she complained, being shockingly jealous and upset. For she was aggrieved because ruddy young Love gave her little of his blooming company, having bound himself (with a silver chain) in service to me and to Queen Helen, flying here and there through air and shy for our exclusive diversion, neglecting her (his mamma) and other divine ones inhabiting olympian palaces. Which, indeed, was not altogether untrue: though hitherto we had not given the matter a thought.

Furthermore, white-armed Queen Hera (the most righteous of goddesses), had been speaking unpleasant words. For that prim matron, being jealous also, because King Zeys the Swan had procreated Golden Helen and her Great Twin Brothers out of matrimony, was wont to sneeze more or less covertly, giggling, flinging the names of victorious Theseys and sandy-haired impotent old Menelaos and woman-mad Paris at my stainless wife, designing to shame her and to deprive her mind of ease.

And all this was a very dreadful thing for a chaste and loving wife to bear. For, though bright-eyed Pallas Athene, and silvan Artemis (that wise athletic maiden), and fruitful Demeter and powerful Persephone (those noble matrons), and fair-ankled Hebe, and Iris of the rainbow, and all the other lady goddesses, being well-bred as well as well-born, behaved themselves to Queen Helen as to an equal, peerless in beauty and admirable for her faithful love, nevertheless, the unconcealed jealousy of the two flawed the fair apricock of her perfect joy. And, moreover, it must not be denied that the pique of Queen Aphrodite and the spleen of Queen Hera (both quite blameless) was, or would be, a cause of wrath, and secret stirring up of strife, and wordy bickering, and malice, and hinted lies, and curious reservations, and careful slightings, which would set all heaven by its blooming ears. And that is what no honest goddess can endure with a calm and holy mind.

Now, because of my unalloyed happiness, and because of my light-hearted absences, I had been ignorant of all these matters. But, when I understood them, having reproached myself sufficiently on account of my selfishness, then, indeed, divine Fury inflamed the mind in my noble breast with desire of bloody head-cuttings and eye-diggings and revenges and slaughters and maimings and stonings and spine-impalings. But, first, I consoled Queen Helen properly.

Then I began to bethink me of most shocking things, to wit, of certain cunning wiles whereby those two blameless goddesses might be made laughing-stocks, ridiculous among the divine ones who have never lost their faces. For I remembered that this would not be very difficult, for, once upon a time, Great Zeys himself had occasion to dangle white-armed Hera (the most righteous of goddesses) between heaven and earth for several months, having fastened anvils to her fat ankles, because she was excessively offensive. And even Hephaistos of the strong arm once caught blameless Aphrodite, his wife, diverting herself gaily with Ares; and he cast a magic web about them so that all the gods and goddesses might go and gibe at them at pleasure. And, indeed, it would not be difficult for anyone to make Queen Aphrodite look absurd: as most of the gods and heroes, and very many articulately-speaking men well know.

But Queen Helen was averse from all unkindness, and, as aforetime, when persecuted, she begged me to take her away from the netherworld, and from Khalkis, and likewise from Rome, so, now, indeed, she implored me to take her away from the height of Olympos, going (she said) peacefully, to seek some distant little kingdom on the wide-bosomed earth, where we (divine ones and immortal), having ourselves endured unmentioned and unthought-of pains, and possessing the secret wisdom of the gods, might live in peace and love with ourselves, doing good and kindly deeds among mortal men.