Alpheus

“ All these are derived from El, the prophetic Deity, the Sun; and more immediately from his oracle, Alphi. The Greeks deduced every place from some personage: and Plutarch accordingly makes Alpheus [745] —Ἑις των το γενος αφ' ἡλιου καταγοντων, one of those who derived their race from the Sun. The term Alphi, from whence the Greeks formed Alphira, Alpheionia, and Alpheüs, is in acceptation the same as Amphi. For Ham being by his posterity esteemed the Sun, or El; and likewise Or, the same as Orus; his oracles were in consequence styled not only Amphi, and Omphi, but Alphi, Elphi, Orphi, Urphi. ”

“ Alpheus being his Greek name, and Cleopas his Hebrew, or Syriac name, according to the custom of this province, (or of the time,) where men often had two names; by one of which they were known to their friends and countrymen, by the other to the Romans or strangers.
2. Alpheus, father of Levi, or Matthew, whom Jesus took to be an Apostle and Evangelist, Mark ii, 14.
ALTAR. Sacrifices are nearly as ancient as worship, and altars are of almost equal antiquity. Scripture speaks of altars, erected by the patriarchs, without describing their form, or the materials of which they were composed. ”

“ This notion appearing, probably, to the poets not devoid of ingenuity, they accordingly founded on it the romantic story of the passion of the river God Alpheus for the Nymph Arethusa. Some of the ancient historians appear, however, in their credulity, really to have believed, at least, a part of the story, as they seriously tell us, that the river Alpheus passes under the bed of the sea, and rises again in Sicily, near the fountain of Arethusa. Even among the more learned, this fable gained credit ”

“ It empties itself into the Ionian sea. Pliny states that in ancient times it was navigable for six Roman miles from its mouth. Alpheus was recognized in cult and myth as the chief or typical river-god in the Peloponnesus, as was Achelous in northern Greece. His waters were said to pass beneath the sea and rise again in the fountain Arethusa at Syracuse; such is the earlier version from which later mythologists and poets evolved the familiar myth of the loves of Alpheus and Arethusa. ”

“ Instances which deal with literature directly are the noble lines of Alpheus on Homer, the interesting epigram on the authorship of the /Phaedo/, the lovely couplet on the bucolic poets. [2] Some are inscriptions for libraries or collections; [3] others are on particular works of art. Among these last, epigrams on statues or pictures dealing with the power of music are specially notable; the conjunction, in this way, of the three arts seems to have given peculiar pleasure to the refined and eclectic culture of the Graeco-Roman period. ”

“ These words, my sire, did so torment my mind, As had I been with Ixion [4] in hell, The ravening bird could never plague me worse; For ever since my mind hath troubled been Which way I might revenge this traitorous fact, And that recover which is ours by right. Carinus
Ah, my Alphonsus, never think on that; In vain it is to strive against the stream. The crown is lost, and now in hucksters’ hands, And all our hope is cast into the dust. Bridle these thoughts, and learn the same of me, A quiet life doth pass an empery. ”

“ To scape away without thy praise of her. I do not doubt but long or ere this time, Alphonsus’ fame unto the heavens should climb; Alphonsus’ fame, that man of Jove his seed, Sprung from the loins of the immortal gods, Whose sire, although he habit on the earth, May claim a portion in the fiery pole, As well as any one whate’er he be. But, setting by Alphonsus’ power divine, What man alive, or now amongst the ghosts, Could countervail his courage and his strength? But thou art dead, yea, Virgil, thou art gone, And all his acts drowned in oblivion. ”

“ Feed not thyself with fond persuasions, But presently come yield thy crown to me, And do me homage, or by heavens I swear I’ll force thee to it maugre all thy train. Belinus
How now, base brat! What, are thy wits thine own, That thou darest thus abraid me in my land? ‘Tis best for thee these speeches to recall, Or else by Jove I’ll make thee to repent That e’er thou settest thy foot in Naples’ soil. Alphonsus
“Base brat,” sayest thou? As good a man as thou. ”

“ More would I say, but horses that be free Do need no spurs, and soldiers which themselves Long and desire to buckle with the foe Do need no words to egg them to the same. Enter Alphonsus, with a canopy carried over him by three lords, hailing over each corner a king’s head, crowned; with him, Albinius, Laelius, Miles, with crowns on their heads, and their soldiers.
Besides the same, behold whereas our foes Are marching towards us most speedily. Courage, my lords, ours is the victory. Alphonsus
Thou pagan dog, how darest thou be so bold To set thy foot within Alphonsus’ land? ”

“ This was what always happened when Orpheus, the son of Apollo, played the lyre that his father had given him and had taught him to use. Nothing could withstand the charm of his music. Not only the farmers and shepherds, the nymphs and [Pg 243] fauns of Arcadian woods and fields were softened and drawn by his tunes, but the wild beasts as well laid by their fierceness and stood, entranced, at his strains.
Orpheus touched his lyre again and played an even lovelier song. And out of the forest glided the nymph, Eurydice, taking her place near Orpheus. ”

“ Miles, thy share the Milan Dukedom is, For, well I wot, thy sword deserved no less; Set the crown on his head.
The which Alphonsus frankly giveth thee, In presence of his warlike men at arms; And if that any stomach this my deed, Alphonsus can revenge thy wrong with speed. Sound trumpets and drums.
Now to Albinius, which in all my toils I have both faithful, yea, and friendly found: Since that the gods and friendly fates assign This present time to me to recompense The sundry pleasures thou hast done to me, Sit down by them, and on thy faithful head Take the crown from thy own head. ”

“ We hold ours to be the best on earth.’
‘Such dancing we have never seen,’ said Orpheus; ‘and your singer is a happy man, for Phoebus himself must have taught him, or else he is the son of a Muse, as I am also, and have sung once or twice, though not so well as he.’
‘Sing to us, then, noble stranger,’ said Alcinous; ‘and we will give you precious gifts.’
So Orpheus took his magic harp, and sang to them a stirring song of their voyage from Iolcos, and their dangers, and how they won the golden fleece; and of Medeia’s love, and how she helped them, and went with them over land and sea ”

“ Pardon, dear lord, the world goes very hard When womenkind are forced for to woe. If that your son had loved me so well, Why did he not inform me of the same? Carinus
Why did he not? What, have you clean forgot What ample proffers he did make to you, When hand to hand he did encounter you? Iphigina
No, worthy sir, I have not it forgot; But Cupid cannot enter in the breast Where Mars before had took possession. That was no time to talk of Venus’ games When all our fellows were pressed in the wars. Carinus
Well, let that pass: now canst thou be content To love Alphonsus, and become his spouse? ”

“ Albinius
My friend, what art thou, that so like a spy Dost sneak about Belinus’ royal camp? Alphonsus
I am a man. Fabius
A man? We know the same: But prithee, tell me, and set scoffing by, What countryman thou art, and why you come, That we may soon resolve the king thereof? ”

“ So came Orpheus to the throne of great Pluto, by whose side sat Proserpine, his Queen. And the king of the infernal gods asked: "What wouldst thou, mortal, who darest to enter unbidden this our realm of death?"
Orpheus answered, touching his lyre the while: "Not as a spy or a foe have I come where no living wight hath ventured before, but I seek my wife, slain untimely by the fangs of a serpent. Such love as mine for a maiden such as she must melt the stoniest heart. Thy heart is not all of stone, and thou too didst once love an earthly maiden. ”

“ Why, proud Alphonsus, thinkest thou Amurack, Whose mighty force doth terrify the gods, Can e’er be found to turn his heels, and fly Away for fear from such a boy as thou? No, no, although that Mars this mickle while Hath fortified thy weak and feeble arm, And Fortune oft hath viewed with friendly face Thy armies marching victors from the field, Yet at the presence of high Amurack Fortune shall change, and Mars, that god of might, Shall succor me, and leave Alphonsus quite. ”

“ Nay, virgin, stay. And if thou wilt vouchsafe To entertain Alphonsus simple suit, Thou shalt ere long be monarch of the world; All christened kings, with all your pagan dogs, Shall bend their knees unto Iphigina; The Indian soil shall be thine at command, Where every step thou settest on the ground Shall be received on the golden mines: Rich Pactolus, that river of account, Which doth descend from top of Tmolus Mount, Shall be thine own, and all the world beside, If you will grant to be Alphonsus’ bride. ”

“ Alphon. Thanks, mighty prince; but yet I seek not this:
It is not words must recompense my pain,
But deeds. When first I took up arms for you,
Your promise was, whatever my sword did win
In fight, as his Alphonsus should it crave.
See, then, where lies thy foe Flaminius,
Whose crown my sword hath conquer'd in the field;
Therefore, Belinus, make no long delay,
But that discharge you promis'd for to pay.
Beli. Will nothing else satisfy thy conquering mind
Besides the crown? Well, since thou hast it won,
Thou shalt it have, though far against my will. ”

“ How now, Alphonsus! You which have so long Been trained up in bloody broils of Mars, What know you not, that castles are not won At first assault, and women are not wooed When first their suitors proffer love to them? As for my part, I should account that maid A wanton wench, unconstant, lewd and light, That yields the field, before she venture fight, Especially unto her mortal foe, As you were then unto Iphigina. ”

“ No strength of the flesh can win her, Orpheus, but the strength of a faith unfaltering. I will send for her, and when thou seest her stand within the hall, holding out her hands towards thee, thou must harden thy heart, and turn and flee before her by the way thou camest. For the love of thee she will follow, and she will entreat thee to look at her and give her thy hand over the stony way. ”

“ Orpheus, who felt by his own experience, perhaps, the great disadvantage that he had here, of presenting the truth to men before they might be in condition to receive it, instituted the divine mysteries; an admirable school where the initiate, conducted from one degree to another, slowly prepared and tried, received the share of light in proportion to the strength of his intelligence, and gently enlightened, without risk of being dazzled, attained to virtue, wisdom, and truth. ”

“ In the country of Thrace, surrounded by all the best gifts of the gods, Orpheus was born. His father was Apollo, the god of music and of song, his mother the muse Calliope. Apollo gave his little son a lyre, and himself taught him how to play it. It was not long before all the wild things in the woods of Thrace crept out from the green trees and thick undergrowth, and from the holes and caves in the rocks, to listen to the music that the child's fingers made. ”

“ Introduction.—The fable of Orpheus, though trite and common, has never been well interpreted, and seems to hold out a picture of universal philosophy; for to this sense may be easily transferred what is said of his being a wonderful and perfectly divine person, skilled in all kinds of harmony, subduing and drawing all things after him by sweet and gentle methods and modulations. For the labors of Orpheus exceed the labors of Hercules, both in power and dignity, as the works of knowledge exceed the works of strength. ”

“ Then hie, Alphonsus, hie, To try thy fortune where thy fates do call. A noble mind disdains to hide his head, And let his foes triumph in his overthrow. Alphonsus starts to go out, but Albinius enters and speaks. ”

“ ALPIS, or ALPAIS, (DE CUDOT) a pious French Woman, who flourished in the Diocese of Sens, at the End of the Twelfth Century.
This young woman is mentioned in L'Histoire Litteraire de la France, as having, in a sort of vision or ecstacy, an idea of the form of the globe, similar to those of late geographers. She reported, that she saw the whole world as one compact body. The sun appeared larger to her than the earth, which hung like an egg suspended in the middle of the air, and was on all sides surrounded with water. ”

“ But both father and priest were united in Alphege; and after the Chapter Mass he sought the good infirmarer, and craved of his charity to make his confession.
Will it be believed? his father did not know him. It was indeed years since they had met, and it was perhaps difficult to recognise the child in this young warrior, now come to man's estate—at least to man's height and stature.
Alphege marked the tear-bedewed cheek, the choking voice; he knew the signs of penitence; he hesitated not for a moment. ”

“ The Greeks, simple souls, were astonished at the powers of Orpheus, who made the woods and rocks dance to his lyre—of Amphion, who converted crotchets into bricks, and quavers into mortar—and of Arion, who won upon the compassion of the fishes. In the fervency of admiration, their poets fabled that Apollo had lent them his lyre, and inspired them with his own spirit of harmony. ”

“ Orpheus, killed thro' too great love and longing.
I had a son. He was Asklepios,
Could he be of my being and not know?
His wisdom girdled life and death in one;
Life smiled on him, because he smiled on death
And said: "Life is less conquerable than death." ”