Page:Hesiod, and Theognis.djvu/93

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THE THEOGONY.
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this goddess, as described by Hesiod, are so discrepant from those ascribed to her by later poets, as to afford strong proof of the antiquity of this poem. She is not, as in later poetry, the patron of magic arts, but the goddess who blesses labour and energy, in field, senate, and forum:—

"When the mailed men riseTo deadly battle, comes the goddess promptTo whom she wills, bids rapid victoryAwait them, and extends the wreath of fame.She sits upon the sacred judgment-seatOf venerable monarchs. She is foundPropitious when in solemn games the youthContending strive; there is the goddess nighWith succour: he whose hardiment and strengthVictorious prove, with ease the graceful palmAchieving, joyous o'er his father's age,Sheds a bright gleam of glory. She is knownTo them propitious, who the fiery steedRein in the course, and them who labouring cleaveThrough the blue watery waste the untractable way."—E. 581-595.

The other goddess, Styx, a daughter of Oceanus, is memorable not more for her own prominent position in ancient fable, than for having amongst her off-spring those iron-handed ministers of Jove, Strength (Kratos) and Force (Bia), whom the classical reader meets again in the opening of the 'Prometheus' of Æschylus. Their nearness to Zeus is ascribed by Hesiod to the decision with which their mother espoused his cause in the struggle with Cronus and the Titans:—

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