The Boys' Book of Rulers

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Farmer Lydia Hoyt. The Boys' Book of Rulers

AGAMEMNON. 1184 B.C

CYRUS THE GREAT. 599-529 B.C

ALEXANDER THE GREAT. 356-323 B.C

JULIUS CÆSAR. 100-44 B.C

CHARLEMAGNE. 742-814 A.D

ALFRED THE GREAT. 849-901 A.D

RICHARD CŒUR DE LION. A.D. 1157-1199

ROBERT BRUCE. 1274-1329 A.D

FERDINAND V. OF SPAIN. 1452-1516 A.D

PHILIP II. OF SPAIN. 1527-1598 A.D

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS. 1594-1632 A.D

LOUIS XIV. OF FRANCE. 1638-1715 A.D

PETER THE GREAT. A.D. 1672-1725

FREDERICK THE GREAT. A.D. 1712-1786

NAPOLEON I. 1769-1821 A.D

Отрывок из книги

FOR nine years the Greeks had besieged the city of Troy. This famous Trojan War, which is said to have occurred about 1184 B.C., has been embellished by romance and poetry; and although the real events have been much distorted by fabulous tales, it holds an important place in ancient Grecian history.

The marvellous Greek poet Homer has immortalized the wonderful story of this contest, in which, according to the old Grecian belief, gods and heroes fought for mastery; and it seems more fitting to the subject that we should view these events through the eyes of those ancient Greeks, whose weird yet fascinating fables peopled the mountains and seas with gods and goddesses; over whom proud Zeus or Jupiter ruled on the dread Mount of Olympus, from whence he hurled his awful thunderbolts, and shook the earth and heavens in his wrathful moods, when gods or mortals had dared to defy his imperial will. Agamemnon, king of Mycenæ, was the commander of all the Grecian hosts which for these nine years had surrounded the walls of Troy. The cause of the quarrel may be thus briefly stated: —

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But Athené answered: “Heed not Ares! drive thy chariot at him and hurl thy spear. This morning did stern Mars promise to aid the Greeks, and now he joins with our Trojan foes.”

So saying, the goddess pushed the charioteer of Diomed from his place, and herself mounted and seized the reins and lashed the horses furiously. With swift speed they drove together till they found the god Mars, or Ares, where he had just slain Periphas the Ætolian. Minerva was even invisible to the god, for she had donned the helmet of Hades; and so Ares, not seeing her, cast his spear at Diomed; but the goddess caught the spear and turned it aside. Then Diomed thrust forth his spear, and Minerva leaned upon it, so that it even pierced the side of the god Mars, who shouted so loudly with the pain that the Greeks and Trojans trembled with fear; while the god of war, wounded by the fair goddess Athené, covered himself with a thunder-cloud, and in much rage ascended to Olympus.

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