Curiosities & wonders > History of the heathen gods and heroes of antiquity, very necessary for understanding the writings of the ancients, and the modern English poets

THE HEATHEN GODS. 147
moved with compaffion, and afraid to imbrue his
hands in the royal blood of the innocent, having
pierced his feet with iron, hung him upon a tree,
to be killed with hunger. One of the Ihepheids of
Polybius, king of Corinth, found him, and brought
him to the queen, who, wanting children, educat¬
ed him as her own fon. When he grew up, being
informed that he was not the fon of Polybius, re-
folved to find his parents; and having confulted
the Oracle, he heard, that he would find his father
in Phocis. While he goes thither, he met :ome
travellers, among whom a quarrel arifing, he kil-
ed his father unknown to him : then going to A-
thens, he married his own mother Jocaila, and by
her had two fons, Eteocles and Polynices, and as
many daughters, Antigona and Ifmena. At length,
when by clear proofs, he difcovercd, that he had
killed his father, and married his mother, he was
feized with lb great madnefs, that he pulled out
his own eyes, and had laid violent hands on him-
felf. but that his daughter Antigona prevented,
and led him about, being then blind.
Eteocles and Polymces, fons of Oedipus and Jo-
cafta, fucceeded their father in the government, on
this condition, that they fliould reign by turns.
But l-teocles, the elder, after he had governed the
firft year, reful'ed to give place to his brother Po¬
lynices- Hence a grievous war broke out, in which
the two brothers engaging in a fingle combat, kil¬
led one another by mutual wounds. They fay that
their enmity lafted in their bodies alter death,
which being placed on the fame pile, to be burnt
by the fame fire, the flames refuted to unite, but
were divided into two parts.
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