Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1861-10-23
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CLEORA:
THE VIRGIN SACRIFICE.

war, long ana ueauly, TaSeu oet"eeu Tue |
Spartans and Messenians.
Polydorus, the Spartan king, led an army
of heroes. Euph@s, king of Messina, had
defended his country with skill and courage.
Greek met Greek but who could withstand
the Spartan warriors
The world has never seen men so formed
for confiict--so trained to victory. The laws
of Lycurgus had made nation Of soldiers.
He who was not soldier was a helot-a
slave The free citizen, relieved from every
toll. devoted himself to athletic and military
exercises, the chase and war.
The women were trained to be the moth
ers of heroes. Neither domestic tolls nor
luxurious idleness hindered the vigorous de-
yelopment of their bodies or their minds
The great law -giver knew that tpuny and triv-
olous women could never give birth to heroic
men and he ordained that the Lacedemonian
women should have an education which
should fit them to be the mothers of soldiers;
and they were strong, and brave and beauti-
full. The antique type of the ''strong mind
ed women" was the spartan mother-who,
when she had dressed her beautiful son for
battle, with his long, curling hair, his GRIM
son tunic, and his glittering armor, said to
him: Go, my brave boy; the gods be with
theel Return with thy shield, or upon it I!
victorious or corpse.
The sons of these mothers were trained
from infancy to hardihood, privation, courage
in danger, patience, fortitude, and every art
and accomplishment that could fit them for
that hand-to-h hand warfare in which every
battle was an aggregation OF as many desper-
ate duels as there were soldiers in the oppo-
sing armies. The Spartan was citizen and
soldier. All other qualities were sunk in
occ e. de h,rt 1o,
ing deeds-Aovoi, 1eliherate and yet impetC-
Gus and deadly, he was the beau ideal OF the
ancient warrior His whole life was train
ing for battle and victory. He scorned to
pursue flying foe he scorned more to re-
treat. Dressed in his gayest garments, his
perfumed hair decked with garlands OF flow
crs, singing joyous melodies, he attacked the
enemy as he would have engaged in dance
Poiydorus and his Spartans pressed hard
the brave and scarcely less warliks Messe-
mans. They had conquered city after city
plundered their goods, and carried men and
women. citizens and slaves, into captivity
King Euphss had made his stand in his stron-
eest CITY of Ithome 1t was besieged by
Polydorus-bravelya attacked and desperate
ly defended.
Kings, princes army and people of Ithome
met in grand assembly of all of the people.
1t was the custom of the Greeks, in every
matter of grave importance. Ephebolus, the
priest, stood near and advised the king-who
in his sovereign capacity, in Greece as in
Egypt, was high-priest, and offered sacrifice
to the gods.
1t was proposed and decided, in this assem-
bly, to send delegation to the oracle at Del.
phi to ask Apollo what sacrifice would ap
pease his vengeance, and render him tavora-
BILE to the Messenan cause.
An offering was taken from the deeply
drained treasury for the Delphian shrine.-
The pvthoness assembled the tripod; the va
nors Of the cavern circled around her. Her
strange cries were translated by the atten
dant priests.
Saw to Euphas, king of Messena, that
Anollo demands a sacrifice of pure virgin
of the royal blood, when his anger will be
appeased !
when this answer was made to the gather
ed warriors and people of 1thome, thrill
ran through the assembly; but no one though
of questioning, much less opposing, the sen
tonce of the oracle The names of all tht
fair Young princesses- descendants o
TIercules4were placed in the sacred urn, ant
with a solemn invocation one was drawn
forth. The princes of Messena were there
there were the lovely maidens their daugh
ters. and one of them the little white shel
drawn from the urn by the hand of Ephe
bolous-would devote to death.
The shell which he drew forth was handle
to the King. He glanced at the name writ
ten upon it, and then at beautiful girl al
rayed in robes of virgin white, and pronour
ced the name of Corsica.
Corsica, daughter Of Lyciscus, sank int
the arms OF her father. A murmur wen
through the crowd. They were ready t
sacrifice themselves or their children to Apo
10: Still human hearts were beating in the
bosoms and they could not but feel pan
of pity for the innocent child and doting f
ther
The priest Ephebolus was seen to whispt
to Prince Lyciscus, the father of the fate
Corsica A gleam Of light darted from tt