Page:Greek and Roman Mythology.djvu/119

 THE GREEK HEROES 105 Bellerophon : Homer, II. vi. 155 sq. ; Hyginus, Fab. Ivii. Pegasus: Ovid, Met. iv. 786; Hyginus, Fab. Ivii. ; Spenser, F. Q. i. ix. 21 ; Shak., King Henry V. iii. 7, 11. Chimaera : Homer, II. vi. 179 ; Ovid, Met. ix. 647 : Quoque Chimaera jugo mediis in partibus ignem, Pectus et ora leae, caudam serpentis habebat. Vergil, Aen. vi. 288 ; Hyginus, Fab. Ivii. 4. LACONIAN LEGENDS 134. Before the Dorian migration the most important place in Laconia was Amyclae, situated south of Sparta, and one of the chief seats of the worship of Apollo. Here, or in Sparta, ruled Tyndaretis and his wife Leda. The latter became by Zeus, who was enthroned upon the neighboring mountain Taygetus, the mother of the Dios- curi ('sons of Zeus'), Pollux (G-k. Polydeukes) and Cas- tor. Afterwards, when Zeus in the form of a swan had approached her, she bore Helen also. To Tyndaretis she bore Clytaemnestra ; and in the later version Castor also, who was a mortal, was regarded as his son. 135. The Dioscuri, who were perhaps ancient divini- ties of light, had their chief abode in Laconia, Messenia, and Argos, but after a while their worship spread over the whole Grecian world, so that they were everywhere invoked as rescuers in danger (Soteres), or as rulers (Ana- Jces), particularly in battle or in storms at sea. Some- times their sister Helen was worshiped as a protecting goddess with them. She may be considered a moon goddess, and was in later times called the daughter of avenging Nemesis only on account of her fatal signifi- cance for Troy and the Greek people. Both Dioscuri were believed to ride upon white horses ; and, besides being a master of horsemanship, Pollux was regarded as