The Life of Ascelpius

     Ascelpius has a strange life story.  When he was born, he was interested in becoming a doctor and when he was older, he did become one.  He had a lot of fun with this kind of job and he was also good at it.  He was so good, that he was able to restore lives from the dead.  Some say that Athena, his aunt came to his office and gave him two vials of gorgon blood.  One would kill anyone, and the other would restore them to life.   Ascelpius said he only needed the second one, for the first would do him no good.   Others say he had so much talent, he brought people back to life on his own. In fact, he brought so many people back from the dead, that Hades began to be angry with him.  He was stealing his patients right back from the gate of Tartarus. 

     Hades complained about Ascelpius to his brother Zeus.  Zeus agreed to stop Ascelpius.  He did this by throwing a thunderbolt at him, which killed Ascelpius and a patient.  When Apollo heard of this, he was enraged.  He went to Olympus and there he slew all the Cyclopes that had forged the thunderbolt.  Upon hearing of this, Zeus banished Apollo to Tartarus.  But Athena pleaded with Zeus so much that Zeus eventually agreed to restore Ascelpius and his patient, and to bring Apollo back.  However, he suggested Ascelpius be more tactful about his cures and be careful about offending the gods.

     Later on in Ascelpius' life, Apollo asked Zeus if Ascelpius could be given eternal life.  Zeus agreed and Ascelpius was brought to Mount Olympus, where he was fed ambrosia and nectar and then became immortal.

The End