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.

ARBORES,

Trees. The Pagan Gods, says Phaedrus, in ancient times made choice of certain Trees which they had a mind to take into their Protection: Thus Jupiter chose the Oak-tree, Venus the Myttle, Apollo the Lau∣rel, Cybele the Pine-tree, Hercules the high Pop∣lar, Minerva the Olive-tree, and Bacchus the Ivy. Men did then also reverence Trees, Woods and Plants, as being the Temples, or Bodies of some living and intelligent Divi∣nities. The Egyptians abstain'd from Onions and Leeks, because they durst not handle these Gods which grew in their Gardens, as we learn from Juvenal,

Porrum & Cape nefas violare & frangere morsa. O sanctas geutes quibus hac nascuntur in hortis Numina! Sat. 15. v. 9.

Pliny tells us, that if the Ancients ador'd Trees, it was only because they look'd upon them as the Temples of some Divinity. This Testimony of Pliny shews plainly, that if the

Romans ador'd Groves and their Silence, [Lucos & in iis ipsa silentia adoramus] this Worship was only paid to some intelligent Divinity, or to some Genius, which they believ'd to preside over, and also to have their Residence in these Trees. Ovid speaking of an impious Profaner of sacred Groves, and of a great Oak, under which the Dryades often us'd their innocent Diversions, tells us, that this Oak being struck with an Axe by the bold Pro∣faner, declar'd that a Nymph lodg'd in the Tree, who died at the same time with the Tree, but that her Death should not long remain unpunish'd. He mentions elsewhere a Mother who was chang'd into a Tree, and desir'd her Son never to touch any Trees, but look upon them as the Bodies of some-Nymphs. Horace devoted a Pine-tree to Dia∣na, at which he engag'd every Year to offer Sacrifice,

Montium custos, nemorumquc Virgo, Imminens villae tua pinus esto, Quam per exactos ego laetus annos, Verris obliquum meditantis ictum Sanguine donem. Lib. 3. od. 22.