Boise news. (Bannock City, I.T. [Idaho City, Idaho]) 1863-1864, 1864-02-06
GRECIAN MYTHOLOGY.
THE RURAL DEIT1Es.

was, according to the most ancient account
the son of Mercury by an Arcadian nymub
the daughter of Dryops. Others say, that a
, Penelope, who was afterwards married +,
. Ulysses, was tending, in her youth, her faith
:. er's tioeks on Mount Taygetus, Mercury, tax
ing the form of goat, gained her love, anC
, she became the mother of this god of herds
men.
Pan had goats feet and shaggy skin he
had also goats horns, with a wrinkIed face
a matted beard and fiat nose. I. is said that
when he was born, the nurse on behoIding
| him fed away in alright; but Mercury, wrap,
ping him up in hare-skin, carried him to
Olympus, where all the gods were delighted
with him.
Deficient as he was in beauty, Pan was not
without his love-adventures. He gained the
affection Of Selena, the beautiful goddess of
the night, under the form of white RAM
Another of his loves was his nymph Echo,
whose adventure with n arcissus shall present
! ~ be narrated. The nymph PHYS also listen
ed to his love; and Boreas, the god of the
north wind, who was his rival, blew the nyraph
down from rock and killed her. Pan, una
Die to save, changed her into Pine-tree-in
Greek, PHYS.
AS the nymph Syrinx was one day return
ing from the chase, she passed bv Mount
Lyceum. Pan happening to see her,
ieII IN love with her. The nymph fed from
him; he pursued her till she found her course
lmpeded by the river Ladon. She implored
the aid of her Sister-nymphs; and when Pan
thought to seize her, he found his arms filed |
with reeds into which she had been changed. |
lie stood signing at his disappointment, when
the wind agitating the reeds, they made a
low musical sound. Pan, taking the hint, cut
seven of them, from which he made the in
Strument called Syrinx, or Pandean pipes.
Fan was author of what are called Panic
'erTOrS. In this way he aided the Athenians
at Marathon, and terrified the GauIs when
-hey were approaching to plumber the temple
Of Delphi.
Arcadia was the country in which Pan was =
most honored. .
Silenus, rural deity, was said to be the =
oster-father Of Bacchus, whom he usually &C. E
riding on a brOad-backed ass. He
vas generally intoxicated, and was rarely seen
Without his can (cantharus) in his hand.
Sllenus was noted for his wisdom. We
ind him in Virgil lecturing very learnedIy on !,
he origin of the world. One of his savings /
as been preserved. Being asked, we are i
old, what was best for man,-after musing II
ONE time, he replied, Z" 1t is best never to be :,
orny next to that, to die quickly" =!
Some Phrygian shepherds once found Sile- 81
us in one Of his drunken fits, and brought -
i'm to king Midas. who kept him for ten =,
avs, and then restored him to Bacchus. The =.
ID desired Midas to ask reward the king. - -
re many other fools, thinking there was =
othing like money, requested that whatever ~ ~
touched might be turned to gold. The -,
# was bestowed. Midas laid his hand on '''
one, it became a mass of gold; he touched i,
e ears OF corn, they waved in golden lustre 40 40
washed his hands, the water became Ike ~
e shower of gold in which Jupiter descend :.
into the bosom of Danae. Midas was in S.l
ptures. But Midas sat down to eat, and =:
} teeth could not penetrate the golden IL
cad: fish, flesh, and fOwl,-all was gold. -
mingled some wine and water, it became la Ia
re Guruno potable, and would not discharge ~ -,
vulgar office Of quenching the thirst. In 49, 49,
5palr, he turned him to the god, acknowl-
ging his error. and prayed to be relieved -.
m the ruinous gift. Bacchus took pity, and ~. JoS
ected him to battle in the river Paetolus. 49,. 49,
bathed, and lost the power of making NJ
d the river began to roll over golden 80
DIS. n nls
he Satyrs were another part of the reti- -'O
Of Bacehus. They were conceived to be
4, with short horns like those of kids and T
t-footed. They were of lively frolicsome for
position. lady
'riapus was the god who presided over con
dens. He was said to be the son of BAG by
s and Venus Lampasous, on the Heles- thea
t, was the chief seat of his worship. He Writ
ally bore sickle and horn of plenty. riou
mall
HE Thin PARTITION BETWEEN LIFE AND stup