A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

MERCURY

(according to Macrobius) is the same as the Sun or Apollo, and the Reason why Wings are given to Mercury, is to denote the swift Motion of the Sun. Apollo presides over the Quire of Muses, and Mercury is the Fa∣ther of Eloquence and good Literature. The Sun is the Mind and Understanding of the World, which agrees well with Mercury, whose Name is derived 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ab interpretando: Mercury is the Messenger of the Gods, being often sent by the Coelestial to the Infernal Dei∣ties; because the Sun in its Course passes thro' the Superior and Iuferior Signs: Mercury killed Argus, who had 100 Eyes to watch Io, that was transformed into a Cow: That is, that the Sun ecclipses the Light of the Stars and the Hea∣vens by its Presence, these Stars having been as so many Eyes in the Night, to watch and mind the Earth which by the Egyptians was represen∣ted by the Symbol of a Cow: Lastly, Mercury's Caduceus which was beset with Two Serpents twisted together and kissing one another, signi∣fied the Four Deities that presided over the Na∣tivities of Mankind, viz. the Sun, Moon, Love and Necessity. The Two Serpents are the Sun and Moon; the Knot is Necessity, and their Kissing denotes Love: Mercury may also be seen pictured sitting upon a Cray-fish, holding a Caduceus in his Right hand and one of the Claws of the Fish in the other: Farther; He is grawn on Medals, like a beardless Youth with Wings, and holding a Purse in his Left-hand, and a Cock upon his Fist. He has an He-goat at his Feet, with a Scorpion and a Fly. The Germans adored him as the Sovereign of the Gods; and as Tacitus reports, offered Humane Sacrifices to him: Dev∣rum maximum Merturium colunt, cui certis diebus

humanis quoque hostiis litare fas habent. The Greeks and Romans sacrificed a Calf unto him; they made him an Oblation of Milk and Honey, as unto a God of Sweetness, by Reason of his Elo∣quence. Callistratus and Homer say, it was a Custom to present him with Neat's-Tongues, by throwing them into the Fire, and sprink∣ling a little Wine thereon, because he was the God of Speech, whereof the Tongue is the Organ. See Hermes, which is Mercury.