Cox, George - Aryan Mythology Vol 2.pdf

42 MYTHOLOGY OF THE ARYAN NATIONS.
BOOK
II.
Character
of Hera-
kles.
essentially the myth of Orpheus who like Admetos must be
parted from his lovely bride, and who differs from Admetos
only in this, that he must go and seek for her himself. In
the one story the serpent stings and causes the death of
Eurydike : in the other, when Admetos enters his bridal
chamber on the day of his marriage, he sees on the bed a
knot of twisted snakes, the omen of the grief that is coming.
But although Alkestis may die, death cannot retain dominion
over her ; and thus we have again the story of the simple
phrases that the beautiful dawn or twilight, who is the bride
of the sun, must die after sunset, if the sun himself is to live
on and gladden the world with his light,—must die, if she
herself is to live again and stand before her husband in all
her ancient beauty. At this point the myth of Admetos stops
short, just as the Odyssey leaves the chief, after his toil is
ended, with the faithful Penelope, although it hints at a
coming separation which is to end in death. The legend of
Admetos carries on the tale a step further, and the vanishing
of Eurydike just as she reaches the earth is the vanishing
of Daphne from Apollon, of Arethousa from Alpheios, or it
is the death of Prokris slain by the unwitting Kephalos.
But this idea of servitude which is thus kept in the back-
ground in the myths of Apollon serves as the links which
connect together all the phases and scenes of the life of
Herakles. He is throughout the toiling, suffering hero, who
is never to reap any fruit of his labour, and who can be
cheered even by the presence and the love of Iole, only when
the fiery garment is eating deep into his flesh. When this
idea once became prominent, a series of tasks and of suc-
cessful achievements of these tasks was the inevitable sequel.
What is there which the sun-god in his majesty and power
cannot accomplish? What part of the wide universe is
there which his light cannot penetrate ? It mattered not
whither or against what foes Eurystheus might send him
he must assuredly return triumphant over every adversary.
On this fruitful stem would grow up a wealth of stories which
mythographers might arrange according to any system sug-
gested by their fancy, or which might be modified to suit
any passing whim or local tradition and association ;
and so