The poetical histories being a compleat collection of all the stories necessary for a perfect understanding of the Greek and Latine poets and other ancient authors / written originally in French, by the learned Jesuite, P. Galtruchius ; now Englisht and enricht with observations concerning the gods worshipped by our ancestors in this island, by the Phœnicians, and Syrians in Asia ... ; unto which are added two treatises, one of the curiosities of old Rome, and of the difficult names relating to the affairs of that city, the other containing the most remarkable hieroglyphicks of Ægypt, by Marius d'Assigny ...

CHAP. VIII.

Of Mercurius.

HE was esteemed one of the most remark∣able of the Gods, as well for the No∣bility of his Birth, as for divers Offices attri∣buted to him, and which are very pleasantly described in the tenth Ode in the first Book of Horace.

He was the Son of Jupiter and Maia Daugh∣ter of Atlas, who bears up the Heavens with his Shoulders, he was born upon the Moun∣tain Cyllene, which is in Arcadia.

His ordinary Office was Ambassador and Interpreter of the Gods, in this quality, he had Wings at his Heels, and at his Head, and in his Hand a Caduceus, which was a Rod with two Serpents twisting about it their Tails, in

token of peace and amity. It is thought that Mercurius is the discourse which interprets our mind and thoughts, it flies as he did, for there is nothing more quick and speedy than the discourse, which hath the power of gain∣ing and uniting hearts.

Another of his Offices was to shew the ways, and to guide the deceased Souls into hell; therefore the Poets do say, that none can die until Mercurius comes with his Rod to break the tye that unites the soul to the body. When these souls have passed many years in the Elysean Fields, and after that they have drunk of the River Lethe, as we shall see in the following Chapters, the same Mercu∣rius, by the virtue of his Rod, doth cause them to pass into other bodies to live again, according to the judgment of those that be∣lieve the Metempsycosis.

He invented the Lute, and a kind of Harp, which he presented to Apollo: He was also the God of Eloquence, it did serve him mightily in his Embassies and Negotiations: He was also the God of Thieves, because he had been a very subtil Thief himself, as may appear by what he did to Apollo when he fed the sheep of King Admetus, for he stole from him a great many, and was not discovered by any but only by the Shepherd Battus, who was changed afterwards into a Rock by Mercurius, because he did reveal him, not∣withstanding his promise to the contrary.

Mercurius had one Son by the Goddess Ve∣nus

his Sister, who was named Hermaphro∣dite: This Child happened to meet with the Nymph Salmacis at a Fountain; the Gods at her earnest request made of both their bodies but One, in such a manner, that both Sexes were conserved entire. By this the Poets do give us to understand the union that should be between married persons; they ought to be but one body, and one heart.

Some say that this Mercurius made Daedalus so excellent an Architect, and taught him so many rare inventions, that they rendred him famous all over the World. This Daedalus left the City of Athens to offer his service to King Minos in the Isle of Crete, or Candia, where he built the Labyrinth with so much art, and with so many windings, that those that did enter in could scarce get out again. He was shut into it himself, with his Son Ica∣rus, because he had offended the King; but he made wings for himself, and his Son, to fly through the air out of prison. All things suc∣ceeded well to him, but for Icarus, because he ventured too near the Sun, notwithstand∣ing the admonition of his experienced Fa∣ther, the Wax that did unite his Wings to his shoulders melted by the heat of the beams, and he fell into the Sea, which since bears his Name.

Mercurius was admired for his nimbleness, which he expressed in several occasions; when he stole from Mars his Sword, from Vulcan a

pair of Tongs, from Apollo his Arrows, and his Beasts, from Venus her girdle, and from Neptunus his Trident: He had also undertaken to convey away the Thunderbolts of Jupiter, but the fear of his displeasure hindred him: He was much reverenced by the Egyptians, who did worship him in the Image of a Dog, called Anu∣bis; and by the Gauls, who did cause several men to bleed at his Altars: It is reported of him, that he taught the Arts and Sciences in Egypt: It is probable, that the famous Trismegistus, who flourished in the first Ages of the World, was worshipped under this name of Mercuri∣us. As he was the God of Eloquence, they did consecrate unto him Tongues: His Statue was usually placed in the Market, therefore he is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. He was painted with yellow hair, and a purse in his hand, to intimate the advantage we may expect by diligence and learn∣ing.

Mercurius was also the God of Merchants, of Shepherds, and of Dreams; the Egyptians re∣ceived from him their Arts and Sciences, and therefore they did honour him more than other people; he was painted with the characters of an ingenious man, because that they prove very in∣genious that are born when the Star of Mercu∣rius g verns. He was named Cyllenicus from the Mountain Cyllene, where he was bred and born; and Camillus, which signifies an Officer; his Statues was placed in the ways unto which they did offer their first fruits; he and Mi∣nerva were worshipped in one Temple together;

the Greeks placed his Image over the door of their houses, because as he was the God of Thieves, he was best able to protect the house from their violence.

His Image was sometimes made as that of Hercules Gallicus, mentioned by Caesar, out of whose mouth came forth chains of gold, which were joyned to the ears of several little men that stood at his feet: This expresseth the power of E∣loquence, that enslaves and governs the Auditors, and makes men more able to command than strength and valour.

Notes

• In Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quia interpres er at & Nun∣cius Deorum, Mercurius quasi mercium curans.
• Addit. Not. He is said to be a watchful God.
• Egypt painted his face half black, and half of gold.
• Some think him to be Moses.
• Called there∣fore 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.