Chapter Teirtu's Harp to Tellus's Son of T by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Teirtu's Harp to Tellus's Son

Teirtu’s Harp, which played of itself, merely by being asked to do so, and when desired to cease playing did so.—The Mabinogion (“Kilhwch and Olwen,” twelfth century).

St. Dunstan’s harp discoursed most enchanting music without being struck by any player.

The harp of the giant, in the tale of Jack and the Bean-Stalk, played of itself. In one of the old Welsh tales, the dwarf named Dewryn Fychan stole from a giant a similar harp.

Telemachos, the only so n of Ulysses and Penelopê. When Ulysses had been absent from home nearly twenty years, Telemachos went to Pylos and Sparta to gain in formation about him. Nestor received him hospitably at Pylos, and sent him to Sparta, where Menelaos told him the prophecy of Proteus concerning Ulysses. Telemachos then returned home, where he found his father, and assisted him in slaying the suitors. Telemachos was accompanied in his voyage by the goddess of wisdom, under the form of Mentor, one of his father’s friends. (See Télémaque.) — Greek Fable.

Télémaque (Les Aventures de), a French prose epic, in twe nty-fou r books, by Fénelon (1699). The first six books contain t he story of the hero’s adventur es told to Calyp so, as Æneas told the story of the burning of Troy and his travels from Troy to Carthage to queen Dido. Télémaque says to the goddess that he started with Mentor fr om Ithaca in search of his father, who had been absent from home for nearly twenty years. He first went to inquire of old Nestor if he could give him any information on the subject, and Nestor told him to go to Sparta, and have an intervie w with Menelaos. On leaving Lacedæmonia, he got shipwrecked off the coast of Sicily, but was kindly entertained by king Acestês, who furnished him with a ship to take him home (bk. i.). This ship falling into the hands of some Egyptians, he was parted from Mentor, and sent to feed sheep in Egypt. King Sesost ris, who conceived a high opinion of the young man, would have sent him home, but he died; and Télémaque was incarcerated by his successor in a dungeon overlooking the sea (bk. ii.). After a time, he was released, and sent to Tyre. Here he would h ave been put to death by Pygmalion, had he not been rescued by Astarbê, the king’s mistress (bk. iii.). Again he embarked, reached Cyprus, and sailed thence to Crete. In this passage he saw Amphitritê, the wife of the sea-god, in her magnificent chariot drawn by sea-horses (bk. iv.). On landing in Crete, he was told the tale of king Idomeneus , who made a vow if he reached home in safety after the siege of Troy, to offer in sacrifice the first living being that came to meet him. This happened to be his own son; but when Idomeneus proceeded to do according to his vow, the Cretans were so indignant that they drove him from the island. Being without a ruler, the islanders asked Télémaque to be their king (bk. v.). This he declined, but Mentor advised the Cretans to place the reins of government in the hands of Aristodemos. On leaving Crete, the vessel was again wrecked, and Télémaque with Mentor was cast on the island of Calypso (bk. vi.). Calypso fell in love with the young prince, and, in order to detain him in her island, burnt the ship which Mentor had built to carry him home. Mentor, however, being resolved to quit the island, threw Télémaque from a crag into the sea, and then leaped in after him. They had now to swim for their lives, and keep themselves afloat till they were picked up by some Tyrians (bk. vii.). The captain of the ship was very friendly to Télémaque, and promised to take him to Ithaca, but the pilot by mistake landed him on Salentum (bk. ix.). Here Télémaque, being told that his father was dead, determined to go down to the infernal regions to see him (bk. xviii.). In hadês he was informed that Ulysses was still alive (bk. xix.). So he returned to the upper earth (bk. xxii.), embarked again, and this time reached Ithaca, where he found his father; and Mentor left him.

Tell (Guglielmo or William), chief of the confederates of the forest cantons of Switzerland, and son-in- law of Walter Furst. Having refused to salute the Austrian cap which Gessler, the governor, had set up in the market-place of Altorf, he was condemned to shoot an apple from the head of his own son. Tell succeeded in this perilous task, but, letting fall a concealed arrow, was asked by Gessler with what intent he had secreted it. “To kill thee, tyrant,” he replied, “if I had failed.” The governor now ordered him to be carried in chains across lake Lucerne to Küssnacht Castle, “there to be devoured alive by reptiles;” but, a violent storm having arisen on the lake, he was unchained, that he might take the helm. Gessler was on board, and when the vessel neared the castle, Tell leapt ashore, gave the boat a push into the lake, and shot the governor. After this he liberated his country from the Austrian yoke (1307).