Tales about the Mythology of Greece and Rome Volume 1839 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1839 Excerpt: ...were, however, intended to denote power, or whether they were for the convenience of binding to them the victims about to be sacrificed, is a matter of doubt. When any one ran into a temple, which had the privilege of being a place of refuge, he took hold of the horns of the altar, and it might be for this, as well as other reasons, that horns were provided. 5. But though many altars and temples among the Greeks and Romans were places of refuge for slaves who were cruelly used by their hard-hearted masters, as well as for criminals and debtors; and though it was reckoned an act of impiety to touch them; yet there were not wanting ways, on particular occasions, of forcing such from their asylum. Sometimes combustible matter was heaped round the place, and set on fire, and sometimes temples were even unroofed, that those at the altar might be said to be driven away by the gods having dominion over the elements, and not by men. 4. Had altars horns? 6. When Pausanias, king of Sparta, fled to the temple of Minerva Chalcisecus, the Lacedsemonians uncovered it, that he might perish with cold and hunger. 7. Still, it was generally considered, that when any one took refuge at the altar, it was impious to do him an injury, and on this account Grecian temples were at times filled with the worst of characters. Many of those who did injury to persons who had fled to the sanctuary were, it is said, afterwards visited for their crime. 8. The followers of Cylon, who had robbed the Temple of Minerva, were killed hanging to the altar, but their destroyers were regarded as profane. When Laodamia was killed at Diana's altar, a fearful famine and civil war followed, and Milo, who killed Laodamia, went mad, and tore out his bowels with his teeth. 6. What of Pausanias, king of Sp...