I

To the gods themselves is due the discovery, to Apollo and Artemis,
patrons of the chase and protectors of the hound.[1] As a guerdon they
bestowed it upon Cheiron,[2] by reason of his uprightness, and he took
it and was glad, and turned the gift to good account. At his feet sat
many a disciple, to whom he taught the mystery of hunting and of
chivalry[3]--to wit, Cephalus, Asclepius, Melanion, Nestor,
Amphiaraus, Peleus, Telamon, Meleager, Theseus and Hippolytus,
Palamedes, Odysseus, Menestheus, Diomed, Castor and Polydeuces,
Machaon and Podaleirius, Antilochus, Aeneas and Achilles: of whom each
in his turn was honoured by the gods. And let none marvel that of
these the greater part, albeit well-pleasing to the gods, nevertheless
were subject to death--which is the way of nature,[4] but their fame
has grown--nor yet that their prime of manhood so far differed. The
lifetime of Cheiron sufficed for all his scholars; the fact being that
Zeus and Cheiron were brethren, sons of the same father but of
different mothers--Zeus of Rhea, and Cheiron of the nymph Nais;[5] and
so it is that, though older than all of them, he died not before he
had taught the youngest--to wit, the boy Achilles.[6]

[1] Or, "This thing is the invention of no mortal man, but of Apollo
and Artemis, to whom belong hunting and dogs." For the style of
exordium L. Dind. cf (Ps.) Dion. "Art. rhet." ad in.; Galen,
"Isagog." ad in.; Alex. Aphrodis. "Probl." 2 proem.

[2] The wisest and "justest of all the centaurs," Hom. "Il." xi. 831.
See Kingsley, "The Heroes," p. 84.