vanquished the Persians; it is the gods and heroes.”  In “OEdipus at Colonus,” a tragedy of Sophocles, OEdipus at the point of death receives the visit of the king of Athens and of the king of Thebes, both of whom as gods request him to have his body interred in their territory, and to become a protecting hero.  OEdipus at last consents to be buried in the soil of the Athenians, and says to the king, “Dead, I shall not be a useless inhabitant of this country, I shall be a rampart for you, stronger than millions of warriors.”  In himself alone a hero was as efficient as a whole army; his spirit was mightier than all living men.

WORSHIP

=Principles of Worship of the Gods.=—­Gods and heroes, potent as they were, bestowed on men all good or evil fortune according to their will.  It was dangerous to have them against you, wise to have them on your side.  They were conceived as like men, irritated if they were neglected, contented if they were venerated.  On this principle worship was based.  It consisted in doing things agreeable to the gods to obtain their favor.  Plato expresses as follows[55] the thought of the common man, “To know how to say and do those things that are pleasing to the gods, either in prayers or in offerings, this is piety which brings prosperity to individuals and to states.  The reverse is impiety which ruins everything.”  “It is natural,” says Xenophon at the end of his treatise on Cavalry, “that the gods should favor those especially who not only consult them in need, but honor them in the day of prosperity.”  Religion was first of all a contract; the Greek sought to delight the gods and in return required their services.  “For a long time,” says a priest of Apollo to his god, “I have burned fat bullocks for you; now grant my petitions and discharge your arrows against my enemies.”

=The Great Festivals.=—­Since the gods had the feelings of men they were to be pleased in the same way as men.  Wine, cakes, fruits, food were brought to them.  Palaces were built for them.  Festivals were given in their honor, for they were “joyous gods” who loved pleasure and beautiful spectacles.  A festival was not, as with us, purely an occasion of rejoicing, but a religious ceremony.  On those days free from the daily toil men were required to rejoice in public before the god.  The Greek, without doubt, delighted in these fetes; but it is for the god and not for himself that he celebrates them.  “The Ionians,” says an ancient hymn to Apollo, “delight thee with trial of strength, the hymn, and the dance.”

=The Sacred Games.=—­From these diversions offered to the gods originated the solemn games.  Each city had them to the honor of its gods; ordinarily only its citizens were admitted to them; but in four districts of Greece were celebrated games at which all Greeks could be present and participate.  These are called the Four Great Games.

The principal of these four festivals was that at Olympia.  This was given every four years in honor of Zeus and continued five or six days.  The multitude coming from all parts of Greece filled the amphitheatre.  They commenced by sacrificing victims and addressing prayers to Zeus and the other gods.  Then came the contests; they were: