y 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."

=Th