Gynaikeion: or, Nine bookes of various history. Concerninge women inscribed by ye names of ye nine Muses. Written by Thom: Heywoode.

CERES.

THe Goddesse of fruites and graine, and daughter to Saturne and Ops, a Law-giuer to the Sicilians: therefore by Virgill called Segifera. In Eleu∣sis, a cittie of Attica, she had diuine worship; because she there taught

plantation and agriculture; and of that place had the name of Elusina: she was honoured in the mount Aetna: in Aenna and Catana, two citties of Cicilie, From whence, as Claudian relates, she had the name of Aetnaea, Aennaea, and Ca∣tanensi••: the like doth Selius, &c. Lactantius reports, that into these her Tem∣ples erected in these citties, it was not lawfull for any man to enter. The man∣ner of the rights among the Phigalenses were, that no Sacrifices should bee slayne, onely the fruits of planted trees, Hony-combs, and new shorne wooll, were laide vpon the Altar, and sprinkled with sweete oyle, and were set a fire, burnt and offered: these Customes were priuatelie and publikelie obserued yearelie, as Pausanias left recorded. The Argiues sacrifice to this goddesse by the name of Ceres Clithonia, vpon certaine set dayes in the Summer, after this manner: Their Sacrificiall pompe is attended by the chiefe Magistrates of the cittie: after which companie, the women and children next followed, the boyes all in white roabes with chaplets about their browes of Hiacinthes interwouen: and in the lagge end of the same troope were driuen a certaine number of faire and goodlie oxen, but bound in strict bands, and drag'd tow∣ards the Temple: being thither come, one of these beasts with his cords loo∣sed was driuen in, the rest of the people standing without the gates, and loo∣king on; who, no sooner see him entred, but shut the gates vpon him: with∣in the Temple, are foure olde women priests with hatchets and kniues, by whom he is slaine, and one of them hath by lot the office to cut off the head of the sacrifice. This done, the doores are againe set open, and the rest, one by one forc't in, and so in order by the same women slayne and offered. In a booke of the scituation of Sicilie, composed by Cl. Marius Aretius, a Patriti∣an, and of Syracusa: Intituled Chorographia Siciliae; In the cittie Aenna, saith he (as Strabo consenting with him) were borne Ceres, and her daughter Libera, whom some call Proserpina; From which place shee was rap't, and therefore is this cittie to her sacred. Neere to this cittie is a riuer of an infi∣nite depth, whose mouth lyeth towards the North, from whence it is said Dis, or Pluto, with his chariot made ascent, and harrieng the virgin thence, to haue penetrated the earth againe not farre from Syracusa. This is that most ancient Ceres whom not Sicilia onely, but all other nations whatsoeuer celebrated. Most certaine it is, that she was Queene of the Sicilians, and gaue them lawes, taught them the vse of tillage and husbandrie; and that her daughter Libera was transported thence by Orcus, or Dis, king of the Molossians. In her Tem∣ple (part of which, not many yeares since was standing) were two statues of Marble; one sacred to her, another to Proserpina; another of brasse, beautifull and faire, but wondrous antient. At the entrance into the Church in an open place without, were two other faire portraitures; one of her, another of Trip∣tolemus, large and of exquisite workemanship: In Ceres right hand was the image of Victorie most curiouslie forged. This Historie with many other, is with much nimble and dextrous witte fabulated by Ouid: to whose Metamor∣phesis I referre you.

In Ceres is figured to vs,* 1.1 an exhortation to all men to bee carefull in the manuring and tilling of the Earth, since Ceres is taken for the Earth, the trea∣suresse of all riches whatsoeuer; and iust is that vsurie and commendable which arriseth from thence: for the fertilitie that growes that way, is begot by the temperature of the weather, and the industrie of mans labours. Shee is therefore sayd to wander round about the earth, and ouer the spatious Vni∣uerse, because of the obliquitie of the signe-bearing circle, and the pro∣gresse

of the Sunne beneath that, by which Sommer is in some parts of the world at all seasons of the yeare, and elsewhere when not here. Besides from hence this moralitie may bee collected, No man vnpunished can despise the gods: for miseries are the hand-maides of dishonestie, therefore of force a wicked and irreligious man is subiect and incident to fall into many distresses and casualties: therefore Pietie towards heauen, Wisedome in managing our affaires, and Thriftinesse in the disposing of our priuat fortunes are all requi∣site in an honest, religious, a parsimonious, and well disposed man.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Morall.