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An Explanation of the Fable of Mars and Ve∣••••••. Out of Mr. Motteux's Gentleman's Journal, Month of Ianuary, Vol: 3.
THE oldest of the Heathen Gods was Coelus, whose Son Saturn is sometimes describ'd like an old man devouring his Children, and at others with Wings and a Scyth; with which having spoilt his Father's propagating Faculty, lest he should produce other Beings, some of the Blood fell into the Sea, and mixing with the foamy Waves give birth to Venus.
By Coelus the Ancients seem to have meant the Heavens, whose motions give birth to Time, which is figured by Saturn, made old because first created; and said to devour his Children, Time devouring its Off-spring. The Wings imply its swiftness, and the Scyth that it mows down all. Saturn castrating Coelus shows, that Time soon takes from things the power of multiplying their Kind, lest they should encrease to too great a Number, and that the Destruction of one is the production of another▪ also, that even after the loss of the Power, Desire fluctuates, and creates Venus.
Fair Venus is the Wife of limping Vulcan, and Cu∣pid is her Son; Mars is the Son of Juno, who by the ad∣vice of Flora, begot him, having toucht a Flower, to be even with Jupiter, who begot Minerva out of his Brain without any other help. Mars is charm'd, courts and enjoys Venus, but Phoebus discovers this to Vulcan, who frames so artificial a Net, that he ••••cures Mars and Venus in it, who are expos'd to the laughter of the Gods.
Venus is libidinous Pleasure, which is always wed∣ded to the Fire of Lust, which is the reason that Vul∣can