Classical Theology, Lxxxvii.

CLASSICAL THEOLOGY , LXXXVII .

LONDON , SATURDAY , AVGVST 10 , 1867 .

XII . —NEPTUNE AND EEBBUAEY . Tros , whence Troy , or rather Troja , was the father of Ilus , whence Ilium , the fourth king of Troy , AVIIO was the father of Laomeclon , who AA'as the father of Priam . It will be remembered that

Jupiter gave Ilus the celebrated statue of Minerva , called the Palladium , with the promise that , so longas it remained in Troy , the city should be impregnable . This place was first built on a small ascent near Mount Ida , about four miles from the

promontory of Sigaum . Its original name is said to have been Dardania , from Dardanus , Avho was the first king of the country of Troas . In stating IIOAV its city's walls Avere built by Apollo and Neptune , we have to point out IIOAV some have gone widely

astray in accounting for it . In the first place , they take an altogether mythological rather than a psychological view of it ¦ in the second place , the labour is adjudged to them as a mild sentence of punishment for an outrageous act of illimitable

treason and indomitable rebellion , respecting Avhich more authentic records have no agreement . It is said in the battle of the giants against the gods of Heaven , the giants were all utterly overthrown

either by the thunder of Jupiter , the arrows of Apollo , or by the other arms of the celestial host , consequently neither Neptune or Apollo took any part in , or lent any encouragement to , this rebellion , and Apollo Avas not sent

or exiled from Heaven for conspiring with Neptune and other gods to depose Jupiter , but for killing the Cyclops , out of revenge of their having forged the thunder Avith . which Jupiter struck dead Apollo ' s son , / Esculapius , at

the complaining instigation of Pluto that his kingdom was diminished through the help afforded by the physic and skill of iEsculapius in reviving the dying . But to accept tho fable for which it may be Avorth , we are therein informed that

Neptune shared with his brothers the empire of Saturn , receiving as his portion the dominion of the seas . This not seeming equivalent to the empire of heaven and earth which had been claimed by Jupiter , he conspired with Apollo ,

assisted by the other gods , to dethrone him , for Avhich act Neptune and Apollo Avere banished from heaven , or as it may be read , deprived of their divinity , and condemned to be submissive to the will of Laomedon for the term of one year .

Neptune disputed Avith Minerva the right of giving a new name to Cecropia , the original city of Athens , Athena being one of Minerva ' s names , as Cecropia Avas so called iu honour of Cecrops , and the ancient Athenians , Cecropkke . Cecrops

Avas a native of Sais , now Sa , a toAvn in the Delta of Egypt , who led a colony to that part of Greece named after him , or otherwise Attica , about 1556 years before the C . E ., ancl reigned over it . He administered civilising laws and ennobling habits ,

customs , and regulations . He introduced his rude subjects to , aud instructed them in , the worship of those deities , of engraven traditions , held in the highest adoration among the Egyptians . The olive Minerva produced of a sudden out of

the earth Avas deemed more serviceable to mankind than the horse produced by Neptune striking the ground Avith his trident . We cannot tell AA'hat substitute for a horse the inventive genius of man , aided by the beneficent care of the gods ,

might have discovered . The horse is the emblem , of war , the olive the emblem of peace . Doubtless the horse has been made to do much in aid of

man ; and the olive has been a Avonderful preservative and use to the human races . This decision of the gods did not satisfy Nej } tune . In part , Ave may presume Jupiter himself withheld his decision . The god compromised the

miraculous combat . It Avas permitted them conjointly to be AVOI-shipped . Under the name of Polias , Minerva Avas to be the guardian of the city ; and the title of the King of Trozene Avas to be conferred upon Neptune .

Perhaps , ivith tlie exception of Jupiter and Apollo , Neptune as the god of the sea , Avas invested Avith . more independent poAver than any other of the deities . At least his worshi p

Avas established m almost every inhabited place . The Libyans in particular held him in the highest veneration . The Greeks and the Eomans attached mighty attributes to his godship , At his pleasure , it Avas believed , he could have caused clouds ,

earthquakes , and thunder , Avith the power also of raising up islands from the bottom of tho sea . And they instituted and celebrated their Isthmian and Consualia games and festivals in honour of him , Avith the greatest display and solemnity .

Having been the reputed creator of the horse he was made the president of horse-racing , or at least , having produced the horse he has been entitled to preside more or less over it . Yet , still , all games in which horses took part , wore not