sign and execution. It exhibits the death of Laocoon (who was a priest of Apollo) and his two sons. On the promontory of Actium there stood a colossal statue of Apollo Pythias, which served as a mark for mariners to avoid the dangerous rocks that lay near the coast. Augustus, before the battle of Actium, addressed himself to it for victory, which having obtained, he built a superb temple to Apollo on the Palatine hill, which was adorned with a remarkably fine statue, and enriched with a valuable library. The famous Colossus of Rhodes, which was reckoned one of the seven principal wonders of the world, was an Apollo Pythias. One of the most splendid temples in the city of Athens was consecrated to Apollo Pythias, It was built by order of Pisistratus. The ruins of this noble edifice excited the curiosity and wonder of travellers for many ages. In Amiclea, a city of Laconia, was a statue of Apollo Pythias in bronze, thirty cubits high. The Spartans wished to gild this statue, but were never able to procure a sufficient quantity of gold for that purpose. In the Florentine Gallery is an admirable Apollo Pythias in a sitting posture, with the serpent at his feet; and there is another exactly like it in the royal palace at Versailles. Note-1 Apollo. Cicero enumerates five divinities or heroes who bore the name of Apollo, of whom all the various achievements and qualities have been attributed to the god who presided over the temple and oracle of Delphi, the son of Jupiter and Latona. Apollo was considered as the god of day, of music, of poetry and the fine arts, of medicine, of archery, &c. His worship was universally established, and his temples were innumerable. Some of the mythologists have confounded Apollo with Sol or Phebus; and others have considered them as distinct personages. The statues that represent this god, under the various characters above-mentioned, are distinguished by the names of Apollo Pythias, Apollo Medicus, Apollo Musagetes, &c. The muses acknowledged him as their chief. 2 Pythia. The most celebrated of all the oracles was that of Delphi. Its answers were delivered by a priestess called the Pythia, who was supposed to receive divine inspiration by being seated on a sacred tripod, or hollow triangular stool placed over a chasm or hole in the earth, from whence exhaled a sulphureous vapour which soon threw her into a sort of delirium, during which she howled, cried, and uttered divers incoherent and unintelligible expressions. These were noted down by an attendant priest, of whom there were five attached to the service of the temple; and being arranged and put in order, were delivered to the inquirer, for the most part in hexameter verse. The oracular responses were commonly very ambiguous, and in many instances concealed a double meaning; so that, in whatever way the subject of inquiry might terminate, the truth of the prediction could not be impeached or called in question. Cræœsus, meditating a hostile incursion, an invasion on the territories of another prince, hastened to consult the oracle respecting the success of his projected enterprise, and was told, that if he crossed the Halys, he would overthrow a great empire. Flushed with the hope of conquest, he passed the river, was defeated, and found that the empire thus overthrown was his own. 3 Pythian Games. Some authors assert that the exercises at these games were merely a strife of music. It is even said that Hesiod was refused admittance to them because he could not play on the harp, which was required of all such as entered the lists. The musical composition, sung on these occasions, was called the Pythian Modes. It was divided into five parts, expressing the fight and victory of Apollo over Python-1st, The preparation for the fight; 2d, the attack; 3d, taking breath and collecting courage; 4th, the insulting sarcasms of the god over his vanquished enemy; 5th, imitation of the hissings of the expiring serpent. A dance was also introduced. The Romans are said to have adopted these games, which they called Apollinares Ludi. APOLLO AND DAPHNE. APOLLO, triumphing in the glory of his conquest over the serpent Python, had the temerity to laugh at Cupid,' and to dispute with him the power of his arrows. "Poor child!" said he, "how canst thou think of bearing arms so much superior to thy strength? That quiver would suit my shoulders better than thine. Hast thou not heard of the fame I have acquired by slaying the terrible Python? Take my advice: be content to use thy torch, and never think to emulate me in the use of the bow." 66 Thy arrows, O Apollo !" replied Cupid, “may carry death in every direction. Thou mayest with unerring hand wound animals and men. But I shall wound even thee. Thy glory and thy triumphs are as much inferior to mine as the animals thou hast pursued are inferior to thy |