Of the incredible changes of men that Varro beleeued. CHAP. 17.
VArro, to get credite vnto this, reports a many strange tales of that famous (a) witch Circe, who turned Vlisses his fellowes into beasts: and (b) of the Arca∣dians, who swimming ouer a certaine lake became wolues, and liued with the wolues of the woods: and if they eate no mans flesh, at nine years end swimming 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the said lake they became mē againe. Nay he names one Daemonetus, who tas∣•…•… of the sacrifices, which the Arcadians (killing of a child) offered to their 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…us, was turned into a wolfe, and becomming a man againe at ten yeares 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ee grue to bee a (c) champion, and was victor in the Olympike games. Nor doth he thinke that Pan (d) and Iupiter were called Lycaei in the Arcadian history for any other reason then for their transforming of men into wolues: for this they held impossible to any but a diuine power: a wolfe is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in greeke, and thence came their name Lycaeus: and the Romane Luperci (saith hee) had ori∣ginall from their misteries.
L. VIVES.
〈◊〉〈◊〉 (a) famous witch Cyrce] Daughter to the Sun, Aunte vnto Medea. Her mother is vn∣•…•… •…•…ne, some say she was Asteria, Latona's sister. Homer saith yt Persa, Oceanus his daugh∣•…•… * 1.1 mother. But Diod. tells this tale. Perseus and A•…•…etas, were sonnes to Phaebus: Per∣•…•… •…•…ot Hecate, a cruell huntresse, who vsed to strike men in stead of beasts; with dartes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in Aconyt•…•…m, (the vse whereof shee first found): And she had Medea, Cyrce and a sonne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Aegias, by her vncle Aetas. Cyrce became an excellent Herbarist, and could make Phil∣•…•… •…•…-drinks) she married Scytha King of Sarmatia, and poysoned him when she had done. •…•…pon shee was chased into a little desert Ile in the Ocean, or as some say, vnto the pro∣•…•… that beares her name. Some thinke it is an Ile, but indeed it is but a promontory 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…insula. Strabo. It was once an Ile, but time hath knit it vnto the continent, as it hath •…•…ny more. Seruius. In the bigger Ile of the two Pharmacussae, is Circes tombe to bee 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ This is shee that turned Vlisses his consorts into beasts; Homer hath much of her. So 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…ritus, Virgill and many other poets and Historians. (b) Of the Arcadians] Euantes 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Pliny lib. 8.) a credible Greeke author writeth that the Arcadians vsed to choose one 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the family of one Anteus, and to bring him to a certaine lake, where he (putting off his 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and hanging them on an oke) swam ouer, and became presently a wolfe, running 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…o the desert, and lyuing nine yeares amongst the wolues, where if hee eate no mans 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…hat space hee returned to the lake and swimming ouer againe, became man as hee •…•…ly nine yeares elder: Fabius saith hee had the same cloathes againe also. So saith 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Neu•…•…, a people in Scythia, that they haue set times wherein they may turne wolues 〈◊〉〈◊〉 will, and wherein they may turne men againe if they will. (c) A champion] Properly a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with whirlebats: for that, wrastling, running, leaping, and quoiting were the Greekes 〈◊〉〈◊〉: and the practisers of them all were called in greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in laine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 * 1.2 Pan and] Vpon mount Lycaeus in Arcadia were three gods honored, by the name of * 1.3 〈◊〉〈◊〉, Bacchus, and hornned Pan. I thinke the place, (but some others hold their driuing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the wolues) gaue them their names. Some say they ruled in this metamorphizing of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wolues, and helped them to their natiue shapes againe.