. Grecian and Roman mythology . c, the great prodigyOf aegis-holding Zeus. Upon her headShe placed the four-coned helmet formed of gold,Fitting the footmen of a hundred flaming car she mounted, seized the spear,Great, heavy, solid, wherewith the strong-sizedMaiden the ranks of heroes vanquisheth,With whom she is wroth. The aegis or shield of Zeus and Athena wassupposed to have been made originally of theskin of a goat, and afterwards by Hephaestos ,of brass, and rendered terrible by a Gorgons |head being sculptured upon it. Lactantius says, ithat it was made of the skin of the goat w
. Grecian and Roman mythology . c, the great prodigyOf aegis-holding Zeus. Upon her headShe placed the four-coned helmet formed of gold,Fitting the footmen of a hundred flaming car she mounted, seized the spear,Great, heavy, solid, wherewith the strong-sizedMaiden the ranks of heroes vanquisheth,With whom she is wroth. The aegis or shield of Zeus and Athena wassupposed to have been made originally of theskin of a goat, and afterwards by Hephaestos ,of brass, and rendered terrible by a Gorgons |head being sculptured upon it. Lactantius says, ithat it was made of the skin of the goat which \suckled Jupiter, and that he first used it against \the Titans., iEgis is also used for the pieces ofgoat-skin with which the warriors covered theirbreasts and shoulders as a guard against the weapons of their variety of ancient monuments attest the antiquity of this practice. Homer gives to the aegis of Zeus the power of being both offensiveand defensive, as all his deities, with whatever circumstances they are. 218 • GRECIAN AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY. endued in common with mortals, are made to possess some peculiarand supernatural power. The blood which issues from their woundsis ichor; their drink is nectar; and their food is ambrosia. This poetalways personifies the effects which the arms of his gods and heroes,and the charms of his gods and goddesses, have over mortals; placingin the girdle of Aphrodite the most attractive charms of love, whichinfluence in secret the hearts of the wisest. He who on the bucklerof Agamemnon has placed Fear and Terror, naturally added to theaegis of Zeus, Force and Discord ; and to add more honor to the armsof this most powerful god, he places the head of the terrible Gorgonwith its intertwined serpents in the middle of his breast-plate. Theseare the arms which gave to Jupiter the name of JEgiochus, the holderof the iEgis. The aegis of Athena, with which she descended into the camp of theGreeks, to excite them to battle and dissua
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectmytholo, bookyear1876
