Inaugural Address.

able Faith may illumine the darkness of death , and cuide us to that celestial conclave of saints ancl ana-els where the Rose of Sharon ancl the lily of the valley shall bloom for everlasting in the presence of the Most High .

Classical Theology.—Lxxxvi.

CLASSICAL THEOLOGY . —LXXXVI .

XII . —NEPTUNE AXD FEBETJAEY . Concisely , in relation with the commencement -of Grecian history , Ave find the most ancient war was that of the Argonauts , or those princes of Greece AVIIO , under the command of Jason ,

embarked for Colchis to possess themselves of the Golden Fleece . On arriving upon the coast of Troy , Hercules , Avho Avas one of them , rescued the -daughter of Laomedon , the king , from a terrible sea-ogre , or monster of the dee ]? , pertaining to

that age . The adventure , Ave surmise , is not short of a direct trespass on the Book of Jonah . The sea-monster in question , like the large fish that swallowed Jonah , has been called from being KTJTWSIJJ , cetocles , a whale- Laomedon , king of the

Trojans , the father of Priamus and Hesione , had been co unpolled to expose the latter on the seashore to be devoured by that monster , sent by Neptune ancl Apollo , for attempting to defraud them of some charge of their contract for building the walls of Troy , to which Ave shall presently

make some further allusion . Hercules , in this manner , became her deliverer . He caused , of a sudden , a bank to rise between Hesione ancl the big creature coming up from the ocean , described in respect to its size , like a Phalaina , or Avhale , and

stood armed before it . Then , as the enormous trailing , lifting , and mighty animal came seeking his delicate repast , the hero then of heroes , sprang into its mouth , plunged down its throat , ancl for the space of three successive days attacked the

creature ' s inside , until '' with only the loss of his hair , " he made his Avay safely through . Her father had promised him his royal daughter , with some high-bred , beautiful horses , for this timely exploit . These Hercules left behind him to be

claimed on his return , Avhich event , on the successful termination of Jason ' s expedition , being accomplished , Laomedon , reckless of his honour , withheld the proffered reward , whereupon , as it is recorded , Hercules took by force the city , consigned it to plunder , bestowed the crown on Priamus , and conferred , as a part of the booty , the

Classical Theology.—Lxxxvi.

royal maiden on Telamon , for his having been the first Avho mounted the Avails . The date of this expedition is computed at about 1262 years before the birth of Christ . The next Avar that took place will bring us to

the second assault , dowufal , or great siege of Troy . Transactingly we Avill mention , that among the heroes whose deeds emulated the prowess of Hercules , eminently appeared the distinguished Theseus , the son of iEgens , king of Athens . This

king had assassinated Androgeos , the son of Minos the Cretan king , in Attica ; upon which outrage Minos waged Avar with the Athenians , whom , at the time , Avere severely suffering and reduced through famine . In this strait advice was sought

of the oracle . They Avere informed that there would be no help for their misery until they had rendered atonement to Minos for the cause of his revengement . The demand of that monarch , on their applying for terms , was , that they should

send to Crete , yearly , seven young men and as many young maidens , as food to be devoured by the half-man beast Minotaur , kept in the labyrinth

made by Daedalus . In the third year , among the number of these noble victims , Avent Theseus , who , by the assistance of Minos's daughter , Ai'iadne , who , at first sight as by chance she saw him , fell in love with him , killed the Minotaur ,

and so delivered his country . About this time , B . C . 1224 , the celebrated Theban war commenced . CEdipus , the son of Laiiis , king of Thebes , having accidentally slain his father , and , in utter ignorance of the crime ,

attained , by way of recompense for having killed the . monster Sphinx , that Avas the terror of the neighbourhood , his own mother , Jocasta , in marriage , getting by her two sons , Eteocles and

Polyncus , and two daughters , Antigone and Ismena . Laius , his father , the husband of Jocasta , daughter of a king of Thebes , soon after the birth of CEdipus , commanded a soldier to convey him to some distant place and make away with

him , on account of the oracle foreAvarning him that he should meet Avith his death by the hand of his son . The soldier disliking to murder an infant , or , it may be , shed'the blood of his young prince , left him in the wood with his feet hung upwards

and his head downwards in a tree . In this plight one of the shepherds of Polybins found him , and carried him to his ladyj the queen , who Avas pleased , because she had no child of her OAVU , to adopt him as her son , and in allusion to the