Boise news. (Bannock City, I.T. [Idaho City, Idaho]) 1863-1864, 1863-12-26
GREC1AN MYTHOLOGY.
DIANA,

r ter of Jupiter and Latona. She was. &C
cording to some accounts born before he
= brother, and aided the labor of her mother
This goddess presided over the chase sht
loved to follow with the bow and arrows thu
+ flying game over the mountains, attended by
f her train of huntress-nymphS. Diana wa
never married and she was renowned for hel
unblemlshed chastity. AS we have seen If
the instance of Callisto, she punished severely
the breach of this virtue in her nymphs
! Acteon, one Of the grandsons of Cadmus
CHANGED as he roamed through the woods du,
ring the heat of the day, to approach the cave
and fount in the vale of Gargaph!a, whittier
Diana was in the habit of retiring to battle
with her nymphs. Unfortunately for the youth
the goddess was there at the time ashamed
of being surprised in this situation by NOR
tai, and incensed at the unintentiOnal intru-
sion, she took up some water in her hand,
and fingiug it on Acteon, turned him into a
stag. His own dogs happened to catch a
sight of him, gave chase, and running him
down tore him to pieces.
Chione, the daughter of Dedalion, was
loved by both Apollo and Mercury. Her son
by the former god was Philammon, cele-
| )
tolycus, the notorious cattle-stealer. Far from
being ashamed, Chione gloried in having
gained the love of two gods, and she presum-
ed to speak disparagingly of the beauty of
Diana compared with her own. The goddess
to punish her, shot her through the tongue
with one of her arrows.
Niobt, the daughter of Tantalus and wife
of Amphion, being the mother of seven sons
and as many daughters, proudly set herself
above Latona, who had borne two children
The goddess complained to her bow-bearing
offspring and soon the seven sons Of Amhi-
on lay slain by the arrows of Apollo and his
daughters by those of Diana. Niobe stifen-
ing with grief was turned into stone.
Gneus king of Calydon, having neglected
to make offerings to Diana along With the
other gods at the termination of harvest, she
sent in revenge monstrous boar to ravage
the fields of Calydon. This gave occasion to
the celebrated Calydonian Hunt, hereafter to
be related.
The huntress-goddess was in process of
time identified with the moon-goddess, Sele-
ma or Luna with Hecate, the goddess of the
nights with Ilithya, assisted at births and
with Proserpine, queen of Erebus. Apollo |
was in like manner made one with the Sun. |
1t is, however, highly probable that Apollo
was originally sun-god, and his sister
moon-gOddess.
VENUS.
Venus, the goddess of love and beauty,
was the daughter of Jupiter and Dione.
Others say that Venus sprang from the foam
of the sea the gentle Zephyr waited her
along the waves to the ilse of Cyprus, where
she was received and attired by the Seasons.
and then led to the assembly of the gods.
Venus possessed an embroidered girdle,
called Cestus (embroidered), which had the
gift of inspiring love. Her favorite birds
we're swans doves and sparrows, teams of
which drew her chariot The plants sacred
TO her were the rose and the myrtle.
The husband of this lovely goddess was
The lame artist Vulcan but Coniugal fidelity ,
was not her virtue. Her intrigue with Mars .
has been already noticed and Baechus and i,
Mercury could, it is said, also boast of her !
owe.
Mortals, too, enjoyed the love of Venus. /
Smitten with the charms ofAnchises, hand
some Trojan youth, she visited him among !,
he sheep-cotes on Mount Ida, and became !;
he mother of the renowned Eneas. :
Offended with Myrrha daughter of king :
Jinyras, Venus inspired her with love for her =
Own father. Cinyras, to punish the guilt of
lis daughter, pursuing her with his drawn 7
word, she was changed by the gods into :.
nyrrh.tree. In course Of time the tree oCen- :,
d and gave birth to babe who was named =
Adonis. Venus gave him to PrOserpine to u
ear, who delighted with his beauty, refused - y
o part with him. The matter was referred :.
0 Jupiter, who directed that be should spend Il
part Of the year with each goddess. Adonis :,
gas ct length gOred by a wild boar, and =
led Of the wound, and Venus turned him y
lto the flower called Anemone. o. 2,
The fair maid Atalanta was warned by the a
rscle to abstain from marriage, az it would ',
e fatal 70 her. Being pressed by many suit +
r., 70 get rid OF them she proposed a race, y
nd that whoever surpassed her in switness =
hould have her hand, but those who we're 3
Anquished should be put to death. AS the :,
peed of Atlanta was unFiValed, numerous =
UuthG had paid the penalty of theiF yashness, I
Ihen Hippomenes, a son Of Neptune, chal-
enged her to trial Of swiftaess. Atlanta =
Farnsd him in vain; he persisted; and in II
oking the aid of Venus, was given BY the n
GODDESS three golden apples. In his race he 4,
brew from time to time an apple on the .,
round Atalanta ran out of the course to IS
lick them up, and Hippomenes first reached
be goal. The victorious youth forgot to sac
iiee to whom he owed his success. Venus Ia