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WHat sort of Building is that before us, of so unusual a Figure? For I think it is round, un∣less the distance deceives my sight.
You are not deceiv'd. It is a place well deserving to be visited in this, the Queen of Cities. Let us go and view it, before we go to any other place.
What is its Name?
The Fabulous Pantheon. That is, the Temple of all the Gods, which the Religious Folly of Men hath feign'd, either through a gross Ignorance, or through a grievous Contempt, of the true and only God.
What was the Occasion of the feigning of many Gods?
Four Causes* 1.1 especially, above others, may be assign'd for it, upon which, as on so many Pillars the whole Frame of this Fabrick depends.
1. The folly† 1.2 and perverseness of the Mind of Man, which hath deny'd to Him, who is the inexhausted Fountain of all Good, the Honors that it hath attributed to muddy streams:‖ 1.3 dig∣ging, as the Holy Prophet complains, to them∣selves broken and dirty Cisterns, and neglecting and forsaking the most pure Fountain of living Waters. It ordinarily happen'd after this man∣ner. * 1.4 If any one did excel in Stature of Bo∣dy, if he was endu'd with Greatness of Mind, or Clearness of† 1.5 Wit, he first made himself to be admir'd among the ignorant Vulgar: this Admiration was by degrees turn'd into a profound Respect, till at length they paid him greater Honours than Man ought to receive, and ascrib'd the Man into the number of the Gods.* 1.6 Whilst the more Prudent were either carried away with the Torrent of the Vulgar Opinion, or were unable or at least afraid to resist it.
2. The sordid Flattery of Subjects towards their Princes, was another cause of Idolatry. For to gratifie their Vanity, to flatter their Pride, and
sooth them in their Self conceit, they erected Altars and set the Images of their Princes on them; to which they offer'd Incense in like manner as to the Gods;* 1.7 and many times also while they were yet living.
3.† 1.8 An extravagant love of Immortality in many, who studied to attain to it by leaving Effigies of themselves behind them, imagin∣ing, that their Names would still be preserv'd from the power of Death and Time, so long as they lived after their Funerals, in Brass, or breath'd in lively Statues of Marble.
4.‖ 1.9 A preposterous desire of perpetuating the Memories of extraordinary and useful Men to fu∣ture Ages.* 1.10 For to perpetuate the Memory of such Men, and to eternize their Names, they made them Gods, or rather call'd them so.
But who was the first Fictor and Asser∣tor of False Gods?
* 1.11 Ninus, the first King of the Assyrians was, as it is reported: who, to immortalize the Name of his Father Belus, or Nimrod, wor∣shipped him with Divine Honours after his Decease.
When, and in what manner do they say that happened?
I will tell you. After Ninus had con∣quer'd many Nations far and near, and had Built the City call'd after his Name, Ninive, in a publick Assembly of the Babylonians he
extoll'd his Father Belus, the Founder of the City and Empire of Babylon, extravagantly as his manner was, and represented him, not only worthy of perpetual Honour amongst all Posterity, but of Immortality also among the Gods above•• he exhibited a Statue of him that was curiously and neatly made, to which they should pay the same Reverence that they would give to Belus alive: and if at any time an Offender should fly to this Statue, he should not be forced away thence to be punished, be∣cause he appointed it to be a common San∣ctuary to the miserable. This thing easily procured an Opinion of a Divinity to the dead Prince; so that he was created a God under the Title of Iove, or as others please, Saturn of Babylon: where a most magnificent Tem∣ple was erected to him by his Son, and dedi∣cated with variety of Sacrifices, in the two thousandth Year of the World, which was the last Year but one of the Life of Noah. And from thence as from a pestilential Head the Sacrilegious Plague of Idols, passed by a kind of a Contagion into other Nations, and dispersed it self every where about.
What? Did all other Nations of the World worship Belus?
All indeed did not worship Belus; but after this beginning of Idolatry, several Na∣tions form'd to themselves several Gods; re∣ceiving into that number not only mortal and dead Men, but Brutes also, and, which is a greater wonder, inanimate things, even the most mean and pitiful. For it is evident from
the Authority of innumerable Writers, that the Africans made the Heavens a God; the Persians, Fire, Water and the Winds; the Ly∣bians, the Sun and Moon; the Thebans, Sheep and Weesels; the Babylonians of Memphis, a Whale; the Inhabitants of Mendes, a Goat; the Thessalians, Storks; the Syrophenicians, Doves; the Egyptians, Dogs, Cats, C••oco∣diles and Hawks; nay, which is more ridicu∣lous, Leeks, Onions and Garlick. Of whom Iuvenal facetiously says,
O sanctas Gentes, quibus haec nascuntur in Hortis Numina!— Religious Nations sure, and blest Abodes, Where ev'ry Orchard is o'er-run with Gods.
But certainly, the ancient Inhabitants and most wise Citizens of Rome did not so sottishly entertain these Images of Vain Gods, as those Barbarous Nations did, to whom they were superiour, not in Arms only and Hu∣manity, but in Wit and Judgment.
You are mistaken, Sir; for they ex∣ceeded even those Barbarians in this sort of Folly.
Say you so?
Indeed. For they Deified and Adored not only Beasts and things void of all sense, but which is a far greater madness, they wor∣ship'd also Murderers, Adulterers, Thieves, Drunkards, Robbers, and such like pests of Mankind.
How many and what kind of Gods did the Romans worship?
It is scarce possible to recount them: When besides their own Country Gods and Family Gods, all Strange Gods that came to the City were made Free of it. Whence it came to pass in time, that when they saw their Precincts too narrow to contain so many, ne∣cessity forc'd them to send their Gods into Colonies, as they did their Men. But you will see these things which I cursorily tell you, more conveniently and pleasantly by and by, with your own Eyes, when you come into this Pantheon with me; where we are now at the Door. Let us enter.
GOod God! What a Crowd of dea•• Deities is here, if all these are Deities, whose Figures I see painted and devised up∣on the Walls?
This is the smallest part of them. For the very Walls of the City, although it be so large, much less of this Temple, cannot con∣tain even their Titles.
Have these Gods been all of the same Order and Dignity?
By no means. But as the Roman Peo∣ple was distributed into Three Ranks, viz. into Senatorians, Knights or Gentlemen, and Plebeians (Patricii, Equites & Plebeii;) as al∣so into Noble, New-raised (Novi) and Igno∣ble;* 1.12 (The Novi, were those who did not re∣ceive their Nobility from their Ancestors; but obtain'd it themselves by their own Virtue) so the Roman Gods were divided into Three, as it were, Classes.
The First is of those called the Superiour Gods, Dii Majorum Gentium, for the People paid to them a higher degree of worship; be∣cause they imagin'd that these Gods were more eminently concern'd in the Govern∣ment of this World. These were call'd al∣so Selecti, because they had always had the Title of Celestial Gods, famous and eminent above others, of extraordinary Authority and Renown. Twelve of these Dii selecti were styled Consentes, quasi Consentientes;* 1.13 because in Affairs of great Importance, Iupiter admitted them into his Council. The Images of these were fix'd in the Forum at Rome: six of them were Males and six Females; commonly with∣out other addition called Dii Duodecim; and whose Names Ennius comprises in this Distich:
Iuno, Vesta, Minerva, Ceres, Diana, Venus, Mars, Mercurius, Iupiter, Neptunus, Vulcanus, A∣pollo.
Others read in the latter Verse not Iupiter,* 1.14 but Iovis; and rightly in my Judgment. For anciently they said Iovis in the Nominative, and in Verse they, if occasion required it,* 1.15 cut off the last Letter. These Twelve Gods were believed to preside over the Twelve Months: each of them was allotted a Month; Ianuary to Iuno, February to Neptune, March to Mi∣nerva, April to Venus, May to Apollo, Iune to Mercury, Iuly to Iupiter, August to Ceres, September to Vulcan, October to Mars, Novem∣ber to Diana, December to Vesta. They like∣wise presided over the Twelve Celestial Signs, as Manilius explains it, lib. 2. Astron. And if to these Twelve Dii Consentes, you add the Eight following, Ianus, Saturnus, Genius, Sol, Pluto, Bacchus, Tellus and Luna, you will have all the Dii Selecti, i.e. Twenty.
The Second Class is of those, called inferi∣our Gods, Dii Minorum Gentium, who shine with a less degree of Glory, and have been placed among the Gods as, says Tully, de nat. Deor. by their own Merits. Whence they are called also* 1.16 Adscriptitii, Minuscularii, Putati∣tii and† 1.17 Indigetes.‖ 1.18 Indigetes, quod nullius r••i indigerent; or because being translated from this Earth into Heaven, in Diis agerent; or being as it were fixed to certain places, com∣mitted peculiarly to their Care; they dwelt in them (in iis degerent) to perform the Duty intrusted to them.* 1.19 Thus Aeneas was made a God of the Order of the Indigetes, by his Mo∣ther Venus, in the manner described by Ovid: Metam. l. 14.
Lustratum Genitrix divino corpus odore Unxit, & Ambrosia cum dulci Nectare mixta Contigit os, fecitque Deum, quem turba quirini Nuncupat Indigetem, temploque, arisque recepit.—His Mother then his Body purifi'd, Anoints with sacred Odors, and his Lips In Nectar mingl'd with Ambrosia dips; So Deifi'd: whom Indiges Rome calls, Honor'd with Altars, Shrines and Festivals.
The Third and lowest Class among the Gods, is of the* 1.20 Minuti, Vesci or Miscellanei, com∣monly called† 1.21 Semones, quasi semi-Homines, half-Men.‖ 1.22(For the Antients, instead of Hominem, said Hemonem) whose Merits were not sufficient to gain them a place among the Celestial Gods; yet their Vertues were such that the People thought them superiour to mortal Men. Plautus in Cistell. calls them Pa∣tellarii,* 1.23 from the Vessels (Patellae) in which the Ancients offer'd to the Gods their Sacri∣fices, according to Ovid, in Fast.
Fert missos Vestae pura patella cibos. To Vesta's Deity with humble Mess, In cleanest Dish serv'd up they now address.
To these we ought to adjoin the Novensi∣les,* 1.24 the Gods which the Sabines brought to Rome by the Command of King Tatius; and which were so called, as some say, because
they were latest of all (Novissimi omnium) reckoned among the Gods: or because they were (Novitatum Praesides) Presidents over the Changes, by which the things of this World subsist. Cincius believes them to have been the strange Gods of conquered Countries:* 1.25 whereof the numbers were so vast, that it was thought fit to call them all in general No∣vensiles,* 1.26 lest they should forget any of them. And lastly, to this Class also we must refer the Gods and Goddesses, for whose sake, says Tully (de Nat. Deor.) Men come to be advan∣ced to the Dignity of Gods; of which sort are the principal Virtues, as we shall particu∣larly shew in its proper place.
I Cast my Eyes very curiously every where about me, and yet I do not see the Three Classes of the Gods, that you have de∣scribed just now.
Because there is made here another and more convenient Division of them; which we will follow also if you please in our Di∣scourse.
I cannot deny my self that useful Plea∣sure which I shall reap from your Conversa∣tion.
You see that the Three Classes, which I mentioned to you, are here divided into six, and painted upon the several parts of the Pan∣theon. 1. You see the Celestial Gods and God∣desses, upon an Arch. 2. The Terrestrial, upon the Wall on the Right Hand. 3. The Marine and River Gods, upon the Wall on the left. 4. The Infernal, in this lower A∣partment by the Pavement. 5. The Minuti, or Semones and Miscellanei, before you. 6. The Adscriptitii and Indigetes behind you. These Six parts shall compose our Discourse: each of which parts shall lay before you, whatsoe∣ver I have found most remarkable amongst the best Authors upon this Subject: if at least my Talkativeness is tolerable to you.
Sir, you jest when you call it Talkative∣ness. Can any thing that is more pleasing happen to me?
Then since it pleases you, let us sit down together a while: and since the place is free from all Company, we will take a de∣liberate View of this whole Army of Gods, and inspect them one after another; begin∣ning, as it is fit, with the Celestial, and so with Iove, according to the direction of the Poet. Virg. Ecl. 3.
THE Gods, commonly called Celestial, are these that follow: Iupiter, Apollo, Mars, Mercury, and Bacchus. The Celestial Goddesses, Iuno, Vesta, Minerva, or Pallas, Ve∣nus, Latona and Bellona. We will begin with the King of them all, Iupiter.
Where is Iupiter?
Look up to that Arch.* 1.27 You may easi∣ly know him by his Habit. That is, Divum pater atque hominum rex, the Father and King of Gods and Men, whom you see sitting in a Throne of Ivory and Gold, with the Beard, holding Thunder in his Right Hand, and throwing it against the Giants underneath him, which heretofore he conquered. Vpon his Scepter (which they say is made of Cypress, which is a Symbol of the Eternity of his Em∣pire, because that Wood is free from Corrup∣tion* 1.28) sits an Eagle: either because he was brought up by it† 1.29; or heretofore an Eagle resting upon his Head, portended his Reign; or‖ 1.30 because in his War with the Giants, an Eagle brought him his Thunder, and thence received the Title of* 1.31 Iovis Armiger, Iupi∣ter's Armour-••earer.† 1.32 He has golden Shooes
and an embroidered Cloak, diversified with various Flowers and figures of Animals: which Dionysius the Tyrant, as it is said, did take from him in Sicily, and giving him a Wool∣len Cloak instead of it, said, that that would be more convenient for him in all Seasons, since it was warmer in the Winter and much lighter in the Sum∣mer. Yet let it not seem a wonder to you, if by chance you should see him in another place in another Dress. For he uses to be decked in several Fashions, according to the various Names he assumes, and the diversity of the People amongst whom he is worshipped. Par∣ticularly you will smile when you see him a∣mongst the Lacedemonians without Ears,* 1.33 when the Cretans are so liberal therein to him, that they give him four.* 1.34 So much for the Figure of Iupiter. For if it were my design to speak of his Statue, I should repeat here what Verrius says,* 1.35 that his Face upon Holydays ought to be painted with Vermilion: as the Statues of the rest of the Gods also used to be rubbed with Ointments, and ••adorned with Garlands, accord∣ing to an Observation of Plautus in Asinar.
Was the power of darting Thunder and Lightning in the hands of Iupiter only?
The learned Hetrurians teach us,* 1.36 that this Power was committed to Nine Gods but to which of them does not plainly ap∣pear. Some, besides Iupiter,* 1.37 mention Vulcan and Minerva: whence the Phrase, Minervales Manubiae signifies Thunder (as the Books of those antient Hetrusci call Strokes of Thunder Manubias) because the noxious Constellation of
Minerva causes Tempests in the Vernal Equi∣nox.* 1.38 Others say Thunder was also attributed to Iuno, to Mars, and the South Wind: and they reckon up several kinds of Thunders;* 1.39 as Peremptalia, Pestifera, Popularia, Perversa, Renovativa, Ostentatoria, Clara, Familiaria, Bruta, Consiliaria.* 1.40 But the Romans common∣ly took notice of no more than Two.* 1.41 The Diurnal Thunder which they attributed to Iupiter; and the Nocturnal, which they at∣tributed to Pluto. Now let us go on to Iupi∣ters Birth.
Who were the Parents that Iupiter was born of?
One Answer will not fully satisfie this one Question, since there is not one Iupiter but many, who are sprang from different Fa∣milies. Three Jupiters, (says Tully de Nat. Deor. 3.) are recounted by those who are called Theologues. The first and second were born in Arcadia. The Father of the one was Aether; from whom Proserpine and Liber are said to be born. The Father of the other was Coelum. He is said to have begot Minerva. The third was a Cretan,* 1.42 the Son of Saturn; whose Tomb is yet extant in the Isle of Crete. But Varro reckons up Three hundred Iupiters: and o∣thers count almost an innumerable Company of them;* 1.43 for there was hardly any Nation,
which did not worship a Iupiter of their own, and suppose him to be born amongst them∣selves. But of all these, the famousest Iupiter in general Opinion, is He, whose Mother was Ops and whose Father was Saturn; to whom therefore is usually ascrib'd all that the Poets fabulously write about the other Iupiters.
Where, and by whom was this Iupiter educated?
He was educated where he was born,* 1.44 that is, upon the Mountain Ida in Crete: but by whom the variety of Opinions is wonder∣ful. For some affirm he was educated by the Curetes and Corybantes. Some say by the Nymphs, and some, by Amalthaea the Daughter of Melissus King of Crete. Others on the con∣trary have recorded, that the Bees fed him with Hony. Others, that a Goat gave him Milk. Not a few say, that he was nourished by Doves. Some, by an Eagle: many, by a Bear. And further, it is the Opinion of some, concerning the foresaid Amalthaea, that she was not the Daughter of Melissus, as we now mentioned; but the very Goat which suck∣led Iupiter,* 1.45 whose Horn, it is said, he gave afterwards to his Nurses, with this admirable Privilege, that whoever possessed it, should de∣sire nothing which they should not presently obtain. They add besides, that after this Goat was dead, Iupiter took her Skin and made a Shield of it; with which he singly combated the Giants: whence that Shield was called Aegis, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies a Goat, which at last he restored to live again, and,
giving her a new Skin, placed her amongst the Celestial Constellations.
WHen Iupiter was grown to be a Man, what did he perform worthy of Memory?
He overcame in War the Giants and the Titans (of whom more when we speak of Saturn) and also delivered his Father Sa∣turn from Imprisonment; but afterwards de∣posed him from the Throne and banished him, because he formed a Conspiracy against him; dividing the paternal Inheritance with his two Brothers Neptune and Pluto, as more largely will be shewn in its proper place, when we speak of each of them apart: In fine, he so assisted and obliged all Mankind by the great Favours that he did, that he not only thence obtained the Name of Iupiter,* 1.46 quasi juvans pater; but he was advanced also unto divine Honours, and was esteemed the common Father both of Gods and Men. Amongst some of his more illustrious Actions, we ought to remember the Story of Lycaon. For when Iupiter had heard a Report concerning the Wickedness and great Impiety of Men, he descended, that he might know the real truth of it, it is said, from Heaven to the Earth, and came into the House of Lycaon King of Arcadia; where declaring himself to be a God,
whilst others did prepare Sacrifices for him, Lycaon derided him; nor did he stop here, he added an abominable Wickedness to this Con∣tempt, and being desirous to try whether Iu∣piter was a God as he pretended, he kills one of his Domestick Servants, and roasts and boils the Flesh of him, and sets it before Iu∣piter for his Entertainment: who abomina∣ting the Barbarity of the Man, fired the Pa∣lace with Lightning, and turn'd Lycaon into a Wolf. Ovid. Met. l. 1.
Are there no other Exploits of his?* 1.47
Yes indeed: but they are very lewd and dishonourable; I am almost ashamed to mention them. For of what sort of Lewd∣ness in the World was he not guilty? Or what Infamy is there not branded upon his Name? I will only mention a few Actions of this sort amongst many.
1. In the Shape of a Crow he debauch'd his Sister Iuno, who was born at the same Birth with him, with pretences that he would marry her:* 1.48 as how many Ladies does that pretence delude even now?
2. He violated the Chastity of Danae, the Daughter of Acrisius King of the Argives, tho her Father had shut her up in a Tower, being admonished by the Oracle, that it should happen that he should be kild by his Grand∣son. For changing himself into a shower of gold, he slid down through the Roof and Tiles of the place into the Lady's Lap. As what place is there so fortified and guarded,* 1.49 into which Love cannot find a passage? Is there
any Heart so very hard and Iron-like, which Mony cannot soften? What Way, what Passage, what Undertaking is not open and safe (converso in pretium Deo, Horat.) to a God who turns himself into Mony to make the purchase.
3. He corrupted Leda,* 1.50 the Wife of Tynda∣rus King of Laconia, in the similitude of a Swan: Thus a fair Outside oftimes veils the foulest Temper; and is a beautiful Cover to a most deformed Mind.
4. He corrupted Antiope,* 1.51 the Wife of Lycus, King of Thebes,* 1.52 in the likeness of a Satyr.
5. He defiled Alcmena, the Wife of Amphi∣tryon in her Husband's absence, in the likeness of Amphitryon himself.
6. He inflamed Aegina,* 1.53 the Daughter of Aesopus, King of Boeotia, with Love in the similitude of Fire, (a lively representation of his Crime) and so robb'd her of her Virginity.
7. He deflowred Clytoris,* 1.54 a Virgin of Thes∣salia, of great Beauty, by metamorphosing himself into what? O ridiculous, into an Ant! And many times indeed it happens, that great Mischiefs arise from very small Beginnings.
8. He corrupted the Daughter of Lycaon,* 1.55 King of Arcadia, (her Name was Calisto) counterfeiting, which is very strange, the Mo∣desty and Countenance of Diana. And yet he did not protect her from the Disgrace that afterwards followed. For as she began to appear big, and washed her self in the Foun∣tain with Diana, and the other Nymphs, her Fault being discovered, she was ignominiously
turn'd out, and chang'd by Iuno into a Bear. But, I mistake. Her Disgrace was indeed ••aken away by Iupiter, who advanced this Bear into Heaven, and made it a Constella∣••ion; which is commonly called Ursa Major, ••nd by the Greeks, Helice.
9. By sending an Eagle,* 1.56 he snatch'd away ••he pretty Boy Ganymede, the Son of Tros, as ••••e hunted upon the Mountain Ida. Or he himself being chang'd into an Eagle, took him in his Claws and carried him up to Hea∣••en. And so he did to Asteria, the Daugh∣••er of Coeus, a young Lady of the greatest Modesty,* 1.57 whom he ravished and carried a∣way in Eagles Claws; for he seem'd to be ••n Eagle:
10. He corrupted Europa,* 1.58 the Daughter of ••genor King of Phenicia, in the form of a ••urious white Bull, and carried her into Crete with him. See how many several Beasts a ••erson resembles, who hath once put off his Modesty! And by how many various Fables ••s this one Truth represented, that the very Gods by practices of impure Lust become ••rutes. The Bull in reality was the Ship up∣••n which a Bull was painted, in which Europa ••ailed; in like manner was the Horse Pegasus, ••hat was painted upon Bellerophon's Ship, and the ••am which was painted upon that of Phryxus ••nd Helle, created ample matter of Fiction ••or the Poets. But to return to our Fable. ••admus,* 1.59 Brother to this Europa, when he had ••n vain sought her all about, and did not dare ••o go home to his Father without her, who
had banished him from his sight till he found her,
—Facto pius & sceleratus eodem. (Ov. Met.) Unnatural and pious both at once.He built the City Thebes, not far from the Mountain Parnassus: and whereas it happen∣ed that his Companions that were with him, were devoured by a certain Serpent, whilst they went abroad to fetch Water, he, to re∣venge their Deaths, slew that Serpent; whose Teeth he took out, and by the Advice of Mi∣nerva sowed them, and suddenly a Harvest of Armed Soldiers sprouted up; who quarrel∣ling amongst themselves, with the same speed that they grew up, mowed one another down again, excepting Five only, by whom that Country was Peopled afterwards. At length Cadmus and his Wife Hermione, or Harmonia when they had experienced the Inconstancy of the Fortune of this World in a great ma∣ny instances, were changed into Serpents. He is said to have invented Sixteen of the Let∣ters of the Greek Alphabet; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (to which Palamede•• in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 time of the Trojan added these Four 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) to have also taught the manner of Writing in Prose,* 1.60 and to have first among the Greeks, consecrated Statues to the Honor of the Gods.
Now the Historical meaning of this Fable perhaps is this.* 1.61 Cadmus was in truth King of Sidon, by Nation a Kadmonite, as his Name
intimates;* 1.62 of the number of those mentioned by Moses. Which Kadmonites were the same with the Hevaei, who possessed the Mountain Hermon, and were thence also called Hermo∣••aei: and so it came to pass, that the Wife of Cadmus had the Name of Harmonia, or Hermione, from the same Mountain. And why is it said that Cadmus's Companions were converted into Serpents, but because the Word Hevaeus in the Syriac signifies a Serpent? The Ambiguity of another Word in that Lan∣guage occasioned the Fable, that armed Sol∣diers sprouted forth from the Teeth of the Serpent.* 1.63 For the same Word signifies both Serpents teeth and brazen spears, with which Cadmus first of all Men armed his Soldiers in Greece, being indeed the Inventor of Brass, insomuch that the Oar of which Brass is made, is from him even now called Cadmia. As to the Five Soldiers, which are said to survive all the rest of their Brethren,* 1.64 who sprouted up out of the Teeth of the Serpent, the same Syriac Word signifies Fiv••, and also a Man ready for Battel, according as it is differently pronounced. Bochartus Geogr.
HOW many Names has Iupiter?
They can hardly be numbered; he obtained so many Names, either from the places where he lived and was worshipped, or from the things that he did. The more re∣markable I will here set down Alphabetically.
The Greeks called him Ammon,* 1.65 or Hammon Arenarius, Sandy, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, arena. Ac∣cordingly he was worshipped in Lybia under the Figure of a Ram, because when Bacchus was athirst in the fabulous Desarts of Arabia, and implored the Assistance of Iupiter, Iupiter appearing in the Form of a Ram, opened a Fountain with his Foot and discovered it to him. Others give this Reason; because Iu∣piter in War wore a Helmet whose Crest was a Rams head.
The Babylonians and Assyrians,* 1.66 whom he governed called him Belus;* 1.67 he was the impi∣ous Author of Idolatry: by reason of the un∣certainty of his Descent, they believed that he had neither Father or Mother; and there∣fore was thought the first of all the Gods: in different Places and Language he was after∣wards called Beel, Baal, Beelphegor, Beelzebub, and Belzemen.
Iupiter was called Capitolinus,* 1.68 from the Ca∣pitoline Hill; upon the top whereof he had the first Temple that ever was at Rome; which Tarquinius Priscus design'd first, but Tarquinius Superbus erected, and Horatius the Consul de∣dicated it. He was besides called Tarpeius, from the Tarpeian Rock, on which this Tem∣ple was built. He was also styled Optimus Maximus, because he both can and is willing to profit all Men. Wherefore, says Tully, thou Capitoli••e Deity, Quem propter beneficia Populus Romanus Optimum, propter vim Maxium appel∣lavit, &c.
He is called also Custos.* 1.69 There is in Nero's Coins an Image of him sitting on his Throne, he bears in his Right Hand Thunder, and in his Left a Spear, with this Inscription Iupiter Custos.
Anciently in some Forms of Oaths he was commonly called Diespiter, quasi Diei pater;* 1.70 as by and by we shall further remark under the Word Lapis. Macrobius (in Saturnal.) says, that the Cretans call'd him directly Diem. And amongst the Galls also there was hereto∣fore a God, Diespiter; whence some think, that the French Word, Ouy Dea, the same with the Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hath been deriv'd down to these Times. Bochartus in Geogr.
The Title Dodonaeus was given from the City Dodona in Chaonia, which was so called from Dodona, a Nymph of the Sea. Near to which City there was a Grove sacred to Iu∣piter, which was planted with Oaks, and fa∣mous in it was the ancientest Oracle of all Greece.* 1.71 Two Doves delivered Responses there to those who consulted it. Or as others use to say, the Leaves of the Oaks themselves became vocal, and gave forth Oracles.
He was named Elicius, quod Coelo precibus e∣liciatur, Because the Prayers of Men may bring him down from Heaven. For so Ovid. in Fast. 3.
Eliciunt coelo, te Iupiter; unde Minores Nunc quoque te celebrant, Eliciumque vocant. When from high Heav'n our Prayers bring thee down, I'th' Name Elicius thy Deity we own.
The Name Feretrius, is deriv'd either à feri∣endo hoste, from his smiting of his Enemies; or à ferenda pace, according to Festus (for they fetcht the Scepter by which they swore, and the Flint-stone with which they bargain'd,* 1.72 from his Temple) or else à ferendis spoliis, be∣cause they carried the Grand Spoils (Opima Spolia) to his Temple: Romulus first presented such Spoils to Iupiter, after he had slain Acron, King of Caenina; and Cornelius Gallus offered the same Spoils after he had conquered To∣lumnius, King of Hetruria; and thirdly, M. Marcellus, when he had vanquished Viridoma∣rus, King of the Galls, of whom Virgil says,
Tertiaque arma Patri suspendes arma Quirino.* 1.73 Their vanquisht Arms thrice to the God shall give.Those Spoils were called Opima which one General took from the other in Battel.
Fulminator, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is Iupiter's Title, from hurling Thunder, which is thought to be his proper Office,* 1.74 if we believe the Poet,
—O qui res hominumque Deumque Et••rnis regis Imperiis & fulmine terres.* 1.75 Who Men and Gods by thy eternal Law Dost rule, and by thy mighty Thunder aw.
In Lycia they worshipped him under the Name of Gragus,* 1.76 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and Genitor, as we find in Lycophron.
In Aegium, about the Sea Coast, he is said to have had a Temple with the Name of Homogyn••s.
At Praeneste,* 1.77 he was called Imperator. There was a most famous Statue of him there, after∣wards translated to Rome.
Latialis was his Epithet,* 1.78 because he was worshipped in Latium, a Country of Italy: whence the Latinae feriae are denominated: to which all those Cities of Italy resorted, who desired to be partakers of the Solemnity; and brought to him divers Oblations, particular∣ly, a Bull was sacrificed at that time, in the common Name of them all, whereof every one took a part.
The Name Lapis, or as others write Lapi∣deus, was given him by the Romans, who con∣ceived that juramentum per Iovem Lapidem, an Oath by Iupiter Lapis was the most obligato∣ry Oath.* 1.79 And it is derived either from the Stone which was presented to Saturn, by his Wife Ops, who said that it was Iupiter, in which sense Eusebius (in Chronic.) says, that Lapis reign'd in Crete;* 1.80 or from Lapide silice, the Flint-stone, which in making Bargains the Swearer held in his hand, and said,* 1.81 Si sciens fallo, it a me Diespiter, salva urbe arceque, bonis ejiciat, ut ego hunc lapidem: If knowingly I deceive, so let Diespiter, saving the City and the Capitol, cast me away from all that's good, as I cast away this Stone: whereupon he threw the Stone away. The Romans had another Form, not unlike to this, of making Bargains, it will not be amiss to adjoin it here;* 1.82 Si dolo malo aliquando fallam, tu illo die, Iupiter, me sic ferito, ut ego hunc porcum hodie feriam; Tantoque magis ferito, quanto magis potes, polles∣que.
If with evil intent I at any time deceive, Thou upon that day Jupiter; so strike me, as I this Swine to day shall strike, and so much the more strike thou, as thou the more able and skilful art to do it, with which he struck down the Swine.
Lucetius,* 1.83 derived from Luce in the old Thus∣can Language, is the same as Diespiter in La∣tin. Which Title is given to Iupiter, says Gellius, quod nos die ac luce, quasi vita ipsa af∣ficeret ac juvaret: because he affects and comforts us with the light of the day, as much as with life it self. Or as Festus hath it, because he was believed to be the cause of Light.
The Peoples of Elis used to celebrate him by the Title of Martius,* 1.84 Martial, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Muscularius,* 1.85 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Muscarum abactor, the confounder of Flies: because when Hercules's Religious Exercises were interrupted by a mul∣titude of Flies, he thereupon offered a Sacri∣fice to Iupiter, which being finished, all the Flies flew away.
Nicephorius,* 1.86 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Victory-bearing, by whose Oracle, the Emperour Adrian was told that he should be promoted to the Empire. Livy often mentions him; and many Coins are extant, in which is the Image of Iupiter bearing Victory in his hand.
He was called also Opitulus and Opitulator, quasi Opus lator,* 1.87 helper. And Centipeda from his stability: because those things stand secure and firm which have many feet. He was called Stabilitor and Tigellus, because he sup∣ports the World. Almus also and Alumnus,
because he cherisheth all things: and Ruminus from Ruma, the Pap, by which he nourisheth Animals.
His Title of Olympius is either derived from his praeceptor,* 1.88 Olympus; or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Heavens in Greek, or from the City Olympia, which stood near the Mountain Olympus, and was ancietly celebrated far and near for a Temple there dedicated to Iupiter, and for Games solemnized every five years. To this Iupiter Olympus the first Cup was sacrificed in their Festivals.* 1.89
When the Galls besieged the Capitol,* 1.90 an Altar was erected to Iupiter Pistor from pin∣sendo:* 1.91 because he put it into the minds of the Romans, to make Loaves of Bread and throw them into the Gall's Tents: whereupon the Siege was raised.
The Athenians erected a Statue to him,* 1.92 and worshipped it upon the Mountain Hymettus: giving him in that place the Title of Pluvius, which is mentioned by Tibullus,
Arida nec Pluvia supplicat herba Iovi. Nor the parcht grass for Rain from Iove does call.
Praedator was also his Name. Not because he protected Robbers,* 1.93 but because out of all the Booty taken from the Enemy, one part was due to him. For when the Romans went to War, they used to devote to the Gods a part of the Spoil that they should get; and for that reason there was a Temple at Rome dedicated to Iupiter Praedator.
Quirinus, as appears by that Verse of Virgil which we cited above in the Word Teretrius.
Rex and Regnator are his common Titles in Virgil, Homer and Ennius.
Divum atque hominum Rex.* 1.94 Summi regnator Olympi.* 1.95 King of Gods and Men. Ruler of the highest heaven.
Stator comes from stando or sistendo;* 1.96 for when Romulus's Soldiers fled in the Battel with the Sabines, and Iupiter stopped their flight, Romulus consecrated a Temple to Iupiter Stator. Livy brings in Romulus thus praying to Iupiter on that occasion, lib. 1. At tu pater Deum hominumque hinc saltem arce hostem, de me terro∣rem Romanis, fugamque foedam siste, Hic ego ti∣bi templum Statori Iovi, quod monumentum sit posteris tua praesenti ope servatam urbem esse, voveo. But thou, O Father of the Gods and Man∣kind, at this place at least drive back the Enemy, take away the fear of the Romans, and stay their dishonourable flight. And I vow to build a Tem∣ple to thee upon the same, that shall bear the name of Jupiter Stator, for a monument to posterity; That it was from thy immed•••••••• ••ssistance that the City received its preservati••n.
The Greeks called him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.97 Servator, the Saviour, because he delivered them from the Medes. Conservator also was his Title, as ap∣pears from divers of Dioelesian's Coins: in which his Effigies stands with Thunder bran∣dished in his right hand, and a Spear in his left; with this Inscription, Conservatori. In others, instead of Thunder, he holds forth a little Image of Victory, with this Inscription, Iovi Conservatori Orbis, to Iupiter the Conser∣vator of the World.
The Augures called him Tonans and Fulgens.* 1.98 And the Emperour Augustus dedicated a Tem∣ple to him so called;* 1.99 wherein was a Statue of Iupiter, to which a little Bell was fastned. He is also call'd by Orpheus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.100 and by Apuleius, Tonitrualis, the Thunderer: and an Inscription is to be seen upon a Stone at Rome, Iovi Brontonti.
Trioculus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.101 was also an Epithet given him by the Grecians, who thought that he had three Eyes, with one one of which he observed the Affairs of Heaven, with a∣nother the Affairs of the Earth, and with the the third he viewed those of the Sea. There was a Statue of him of this kind in Priamus's Palace at Troy; which, beside the usual two had a third Eye in the Forehead.
Vejovis,* 1.102 or Vejupiter, and Vedius, that is little Iupiter,* 1.103 was his Title when he was de∣scribed without his Thunder; viewing angri∣ly short Spears which he held in his hand: The Romans accounted him a fatal and noxious Deity; and therefore they worshipped him only, that he might not hurt them.
Agrippa dedicated a Pantheon to Iupiter Ul∣tor, the Avenger, at Rome, according to Pliny.* 1.104 Lib. 36. c. 15.
He was likewise called Xenius,* 1.105 or Hospitalis, Hospitable;* 1.106 because he was thought the Au∣thor of the Laws and Customs concerning Hospitality.* 1.107 Whence the Greeks called Pre∣sents given to Strangers Xenia, as the Latins called them Lautia.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.* 1.108 the proper Name of Iupiter, is deri∣ved 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because he gives life to Animals.
YOU have told us the Dreams of the Poets about Iupiter; now pray Sir let us know what the Historians and Mytholo∣gists affirm concerning him.
Very willingly.* 1.109 Iupiter was King of Crete, and cotemporary, according to Euse∣bius, with the Patriarch Abraham. This Iu∣piter deposed his Father, and afterwards divi∣ded by lot the Kingdom with his two Bro∣thers, Neptune and Pluto. And because by lot the Eastern part of the Country was given to Iupiter; the Western to Pluto; and the Maritime Parts to Neptune; they took occa∣sion from hence to feign, that upiter was the King and God of the Heavens, Neptune of the Sea, and Pluto of Hell. Nay, Iupiter's Name was so honoured by Posterity, that all Kings and Princes were from him called Ioves, and their Queens Iunones, from Iuno the Wife of Iupiter.
Concerning the Mythologists, or the Inter∣preters of Fables, I shall only observe this by the by. There is in these kind of things such a vast diversity of Opinions among them; and, which yet is worse, the Accounts that many of them give are so witless and imper∣tinent, so incongruous to the very Fables which they pretend to explain, that I think
it better to write nothing from them, than ••o trouble the Reader with those things which will not probably satisfie him: which when •• cannot effect, I shall pass the Business over ••n silence, and leave it to every ones discretion ••o devise his own Interpretations. For it is ••etter that himself should be the Author of ••is Mistake, than to be led into it by ano∣••her; because a slip is more tolerable and ea∣••ie, when we our selves fall down, than when others violently push us down at unawares. Yet whenever the place requires, that I give my Expositions of these Fables, that I may ••iscover some Meaning that is not repugnant ••o common Sense, I shall not be so far want∣••ng to my Duty, as that any one should just∣••y accuse me of Negligence. By the present Fable I may justifie my words; for observe only how various are Mens Opinions concer∣ning the Signification of the Name Iupiter, you may guess at the rest.
The Natural Philosophers many times think that Heaven is meant by the Name Iupiter:* 1.110 whence come those Phrases, Iove tonante, ful∣gente, &c. signifying Thunder; and that of the Poet, Virg. Aen. 10.
Panditur interea domus omnipotentis Olympi. Mean while the Palace of th' Omnipotent Is open'd wide.
Others imagine that the Air,* 1.111 and the things that are therein contained, as Thunder, Light∣ning, Rain, Meteors and the like, are signi∣fied by the same Name. In which sense that Sentence of Horace is understood,
Iacet sub Iove frigido. Lodges in the cold A•• Or as we generally say sub Dio, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Iupiter. Some on the contrary, call the Ai•• Iuno, and the Fire Iupiter; by which the Ai•• being warmed becomes fit for the Generati∣on of things.* 1.112 Others again call the Sky Iu∣piter, and the Earth Iuno; because out of the Earth all things spring: which Virgil hath elegantly expressed in these Verses. 2. Georg••
Euripides thought so,* 1.113 when he said that th•• Sky ought to be called Summus Deus, th•• Great God. Plato's Opinion was different•• for he thought that the Sun was Iupiter; an•• Homer, together with the foresaid Euripid•• think that he is Fate; which Fate is, accor∣ding to Tully's Definition, (de Divinat.) aete••••na causa rerum, cur ea quae praeterierint facta sint & ea quae instant, fiant, & ea quae consequun∣tur, futura sint. The Cause from all Eternity•• why such things as already past were done; an•• why such things as are doing at present, be as the•• are; and why such things as are to follow here∣after, shall follow accordingly. In short, other•• by Iupiter,* 1.114 understand the Soul of the World•• which is diffused not only through all human Bodies, but likewise through all the parts o•• the Universe, as Virgil poetically sets forth•• Aen. 6.Tum pater omnipotens faecundis imbribus aether, Conjugis in gremium laetae descendit, & omn•• Magnus alit, magno commistus corpore foetus. In fruitful showers th' Almighty from above Descends i'th' lap of his delighted Iove, And great He with the mighty body join'd, Both propagates and fosters ev'ry kind.Ogilb••
—Coelum ac terras, camposque liquentes Spiritus intus alit, totamque infusa per antus Mens agitat molem, & magno se corpore miscet. The Heaven and Earth, and the vast watery Main A Spirit feeds within, which closely join'd, Acts the vast Mass with an embodied Mind.
I do not regard the moral Signification of the Fables, that would be an endless and an impertinent Labour. It is free, as I said above, for every one, to fancy what he pleases, and to abound in his own Sense, according to the Proverb.
BUT who is that beardless and unshaven Youth,* 1.115 holding a Bow and Arrows in his Right Hand, and a Harp in his Left, that is crowned with Laurel, and shining in Gar∣ments of Gold?
It is the Image of Apollo:* 1.116 who is some∣times described with a Shield in one Hand, and the Graces in the other. And because he hath a threefold Power, in Heaven where he is called Sol, in Earth where he is named Liber Pater, and in Hell where he is stiled Apollo; he is usually painted with these three things, a Harp, a Shield, and Arrows. The Harp
shews that he bears Rule in Heaven where all things are full of Harmony; the Shield describes his Office in Earth where he gives Health and Safety to terrestrial Creatures; his Arrows shew his Authority in Hell, for whomsoever he strikes with them, he sends them into Hell.
WHat Family was Apollo born of?
You shall know, after you have first heard how many Apollo's there were?
How many?
Four. The first and ancientest where∣of was born of Vulcan: The Second was a Cre∣tan, a Son of the Corybantes: the Third was born of Iupiter and Latona: the Fourth was born in Arcadi, called by the Arcades, Nomius. But tho, as Cicero says de Nat. Deor. lib. 3. there were so many Apollo's, Reliqui omnes silentur, omnesque res aliorum gestae ad unum Apollmem Iovis & Latonae filium referuntur: Yet the rest of them are all unspoken of, and all that they did is referred to the Person of one only, who is he, that was born of Jupiter and Latona.
In what Place was Apollo the Son of La∣tona born?
I will tell you more than you ask; they say the thing was thus. Latona the Daughter of Coeus the Titan, conceived of two Twins by Iupiter: Iuno incensed at it, sent the Ser∣pent
Python against her: and Latona, to escape the Serpent, betook her self into the Island Delos; where she brought forth Apollo and Dia∣na at the same Birth. Hesiod.
BY what Means was Apollo advanced to the highest degree of Honour and Worship?
By these four especially: By the Inven∣tion of Physick, Musick, Poetry, and Rhetorick; and therefore he is supposed to preside over the Muses. It is said that he taught the Arts of Divining, and Shooting with Arrows: when therefore he had gratified Mankind in∣finitely by these Favours, they deified him. Hear how gloriously he himself repeats his Accomplishments of Mind and Nature, where he magnifies himself to the flying Nymph iri Ovid, whom he passionately loved.
—Nescis, temeraria,* 1.117 nescis Quem fugias, ideoque fugis. Iupiter est genitor. Per me quod erit{que} fuitque, Estque patet. Per me concordant carmina nervis. Certa quidem nostra est, nostra tamen una sagitta. Certior in vacuo quae vulnera pectore fecit. Inventum Medicina meum est. Opifer{que} per orbem Dicor, & herbarum est subjecta potentia nobis.Perhaps thou know'st not my superior State; And from that Ignorance proceeds thy Hate.
The King of Gods begot me: What shall be, Or is, or ever was, in Fate, I see. Mine is th' Invention of the charming Lyre; Sweet Notes and heav'nly Numbers I inspire. Sure is my Bow, unerring is my Dart; But ah! more deadly his who pierc'd my Heart. Med'cine is mine; what Herbs and Simples grow In Fields or Forests, all their Pow'rs I know; And am the great Physician call'd below.
What memorable things did he perform?
Many; but especially these.
1. He destroyed all the Cyclops, the For∣gers of Iupiter's Thunderbolts with his Ar∣rows, to revenge the Death of Aesculapius his Son, whom Iupiter had killed with Thunder, be∣cause by the Help of his Physick he revived the Dead.* 1.118 Wherefore for this Fact being cast down from Heaven, and deprived of his Divinity, ex∣pos'd to the Calamities of the World, and com∣manded to live in Banishment upon Earth;* 1.119 Apollo was compelled by Want to look after Admetu••'s Cattel: where tired with Leisure, to pass away his time, it is said that he first invented and formed a Harp. After this, Mercury got an opportunity to drive away a few of the Cattel of his Herd by stealth; for which whilst Apollo complained and threatned him, unless he brought the same Cattel back again, his Harp was also stoln from him by Mercury:* 1.120 so that he could not forbear turning his Anger into Laughter.
2. He raised the Walls of the City of Troy by the Musick of his Harp alone, if we may believe the Poet; Ovid. Epist. Parid.
Ilion aspicies, firmataque turribus altis Moenia Apollineae structa canore lyrae. Troy you shall see, and divine Walls admire, Built to the Consort of Apollo's Lyre.
Some say, that there was a Stone,* 1.121 upon which Apollo only laid down his Harp, the Stone by the Touch of it alone became so me∣lodious, that whenever it was struck with a∣nother Stone, it sounded like a Harp.
3. By Misfortune he kild Hyacinthus, a pret∣ty and an ingenious Boy that he loved. For whilst Hyacinthus and he did play together at Quoits, Zephyrus being inraged because Apollo was better beloved by Hyacinthus than himself; and having an opportunity of Revenge, he puffed the Quoit that Apollo cast, against Hy∣acinthus's Head, by which blow he fell down dead; whereupon Apollo caused the Blood of the Youth that was spilt upon the Earth, to produce the Flowers of Violets. Ovid. Metam. lib. 10.
Ecce, cruor qui fusus humi signaverat herbas, Desinit esse cruor, Tyrioque nitentior ostro, Flos or itur, formam{que} capit, quam Lilia; si non Purpureus color his, argenteus esset in illis. Behold the Blood which late the Grass had dy'd, Was now no Blood, from whence a Flow'r full-blown, Far brighter than the Tyrian Scarlet shone, Which seem'd the same, or did resemble right A Lily, changing but the Red to White.Sands
He was besides a great Lover of Cyparissus, another very pretty Boy; who, when he had unfortunately kild a fine Deer which he ex∣ceedingly
loved, and had brought up from its birth, was so melancholy for the Loss thereof, that he constantly bewailed the Loss of this Deer, and refused all comfort. Apollo, in pity chang'd him into a Cypress-Tree; as be∣fore his death he had begg'd of the Gods. O∣vid. Metam. lib. 10.
For they used Cypress in Funerals.—Ut tempore lugeat omni Ingemuit, tristisque Deus, lugebere nobis Lugebisque alios, aderisque lugentibus, inquit. Implores, that he might never cease to mourn. When Phoebus sighing, I for thee will mourn, Mourn thou for others, Herses still adorn.Sands.
4. He most ardently loved the Virgin Daphne,* 1.122 so famous for her Modesty. When he pursued her, that she might secure her Chastity from the violence of his Passion, she was changed into a Laurel, the most chast of Trees; which is never corrupted with the vi∣olence of heat or cold, but remains always flourishing, always pure. There is a Story a∣bout this Virgin Tree,* 1.123 which better deserves our Admiration than our Belief. A certain Painter was about to draw the Picture of A∣pollo upon a Table made of Laurel Wood: and it is said, that the Laurel would not suf∣fer the Colours to stick to it: as though the dead Wood was sensible, and did abhor the Picture of the impure Deity, no less than if Daphne her self was alive within it.
5. He courted also a long time the Nymph Bolina;* 1.124 but never could gain her: for she chose rather to throw her self into a River
and be drowned, than yield to his lascivious Flames. Nor did her unconquerable Mode∣sty lose its reward. She gained to her self an Immortality by dying so, and sacrificing her Life in the Defense of her Virginity, not on∣ly overcame Apollo, but the very Powers of Death. She became immortal.
6. Leucothoe, the Daughter of Orchamus, King of Babylon, was not so tenacious of her Chastity: for she yielded at last to Apollo's Amour. Her Father could not bear such a Disgrace branded on his Family, and there∣fore buried her alive. Ovid. Met. lib. 4.
—defodit alta Crudus humo, tumulum{que} super gravis addit arenae. Interr'd her living Body in the Earth, And on it rais'd a Tomb of heavy Sand, Whose pondrous weight her rising might with∣stand.
Apollo was indeed much troubled at this; but since he could do nothing else for her,
Nectare odorato sparsit corpusque locumque, Multa{que} conquestus, Tanges tamen aethera, dixit. Protinus imbutum caelesti nectare corpus Delituit, terramque suo madefecit odore Virgaque per glebas, sensim radicibus actis, Thurea surrexit, tumulumque cacumine rupit. He mourn'd her loss, and sprinkled all her Herse With balmy Nectar and more precious tears. Then said, since Fate does here our joys defer, Thou shalt ascend to Heav'n and bless me there: Her Body straight, embalm'd with heav'nly art, Did a sweet Odour to the ground impart. And from the Grave a second Tree arise, That cheers the God with pleasing Sacrifice.
These Amours of Leucothoe and Apollo had been discovered to her Father by her Sister Clytie;* 1.125 whom Apollo also loved, but now he deserted; which she seeing pin'd away, with her Eyes continually looking up to the Sun, and at last was changed into a Heliotrope, or the Flower that is thence called the Turn-Sole.
7. Apollo was challenged in Musick by Marsyas a proud Musician,* 1.126 and when he had overcome him, Apollo flay'd him, because he had dared to contend with him, and afterwards converted him into the River of Phrygia, of the same Name: Ovid. Fast. lib. 6.
8. But when Midas King of Phrygia, fool∣ishly gave the Victory to the God Pan, when Apollo and he sang together: Apollo stretched his Ears to the length and shape of those of an Ass. Met. lib. 11.
—partem damnatur in unam, Induturque aures, lente gradientis aselli. Punisht in that offending part; who bears Upon his Skull a slow-pac'd Asses Ears.
Midas endeavoured to hide this Disgrace as well as he could by his hair: but however since it was impossible to conceal it from his Barber, he earnestly begg'd the Man, and prevailed with him by great Promises, not to divulge what he saw to any Person. But the Barber was not able to contain so wonderful a Secret longer, but went and digged a Hole, Met. lib. •• 1.
—Secedit, humumque Effodit; & domini quales conspexerit aures Voce refert parva—
—The Man withdraws and digs a pit, And whispers with a low voice into it, How long his Masters Ears.and whisper'd into the Ditch these words, Aures asininas habet rex Midas; King Midas hath the Ears of an Ass; then filling up the Ditch with the Earth again, he went away. But O won∣derful and strange! The Reeds that grew out of that Ditch, if they were moved by the least blast of wind, did utter the very same Words which the Barber had buried in it; Aures asininas habet rex Midas: King Midas hath the Ears of an Ass.
SOme derive the Name of Apollo from a & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.127 as they derive Sol in Latin from Solus, because there is no more than one. It is derived by some also, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from Driving away Diseases; or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from Darting Rays. Varro. Plutarc.
He is called Cynthius,* 1.128 from the Mountain Cynthus in the Island of Delos; from whence Diana also is called Cynthia too.
And Delius from the same Island: because he was born there.* 1.129 Or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because Apollo (who is Sol, the Sun) by his Light makes all things manifest, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as he is also called Phanaeus, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to appear.
He is named Delphinius••* 1.130 because he kild the Serpent Python, called Delphis. Or else be∣cause
when Castalius a Cretan,* 1.131 carried Men to the Plantations, Apollo guided him in the shape of a Dolphin.
His Title Delphicus,* 1.132 comes from the City Delphi in Boeotia A City said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the navel of the Earth: because when Iupiter had sent forth two Eagles together, the one from the East and the other f••om the West,* 1.133 they met by equal flights exactly at this place. Here, Apollo had the famousest Tem∣ple in the World; in which he uttered Ora∣cles to those who consulted him: but he re∣ceived them first from Iupiter. And they say that this famous Oracle became dumb at the birth of our Saviour;* 1.134 and, when Au∣gustus, who was a great Votary of Apollo, de∣sired to know the reason of its Silence, the Oracle answered him in these Words;
Me puer Hebraeus, divos Deus ipse gubernans, Cedere sede jubet, tristemque redire sub orcum, Aris ergo dehinc nostris abscedito Caesar. An Hebrew Child, whom the blest Gods adore Has bid me leave these Shrines and pack to Hell, So that of Oracles I've now no more; Away then from our Altar and farewel.
He was called Didymaeus,* 1.135 from the Greek, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, twins; as the Sun and Moon are sup∣posed; who enlighten the World betwixt them by day and night.
And Nomius,* 1.136 not only from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Shep∣herd, because he fed the Cattel of Admetus; but because the Sun, quasi pascat omnia, as it were feeds all things that the Earth generates, by his heat and influence. Or perhaps, from
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.137 Lex, because he made very severe Laws, when he was King of Arcadia. Ma∣crobius. Cicero de Nat. Deor. lib. ••
He is called Paean,* 1.138 either, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. from allaying Sorrows; or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, fe∣rire; wherefore he is armed with Arrows. And we know that the Sun strikes us and oftentimes hurts us with its Rays, as with so many darts. Hence those Phrases 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, heal us Paean; and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, jace & immitte Paean, sc. tela in feram, discharge thy Arrows, Paean, against the Beast. For so his Mother and the Spectators cried aloud, whilst Apollo did fight with the Serpent Python. And hence the custom came that not only all Hymns in the praise of A∣pollo were called Paeanes, but also in all Songs of Triumph, and in the Celebration of all Victories, Men cried out Io Paean. After this manner the airy and wanton Lover in Ovid acteth his Triumph too: de arte amandi lib. 2.* 1.139
Dicite, Io Paean, & Io, bis dicite, Paean; Decidit in casses praeda petita meos. Sing Io Paean twice, twice Io say; My toils are pitcht and I have caught my prey.From the same Exclamation of Io Paean, A∣pollo receiveth that Epithet of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Phoebus may be derived 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 quod vi feratur,* 1.140 because the Sun moves with a great force; or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, purgo, since by the help of Physick, which was Apollo's invention, the Bodies of Mankind are purged and cured.
He was named Pythius,* 1.141 not only from the Serpent Python which he killed, but likewise 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from asking and consulting.
For none amongst the Gods was more con∣sulted, or delivered more Responses and spake Oracles than he; especially in the Temple which he had at Delphos; to which all sorts of Nations resorted,* 1.142 so that it was called, Or∣bis terrae Oraculum, the Oracle of all the Earth. The Oracles were given out by a young Vir∣gin, 'till one was debauched; whereupon a Law was made, that a very antient Woman should give the Answers, in the dress of a young Maid: who was therefore called, ab Apolline Pythio,* 1.143 Pythia; and from Phoebus, Phoebas. But as to the manner that the Woman understood the God's mind, Mens Opinions differ. Tully supposes that some Vapors exhaled out of the Earth and affected the Brain much, and rai∣sed in it a power of Divination. De Divin.
What was the Tripus in which the Pythian Lady sat?
Some say that it was a Table with three feet, on which she rested her self when she design'd to give forth Oracles: and because it was covered with the Skin of the Serpent Python, they call it also by the Name of Cor∣tina.* 1.144 But others say that it was a Vessel, in which she was plunged before she prophesied; or rather, that it was a golden Vessel, fur∣nished with Ears, and supported by three Feet, whence it was called Tripus; and on this the Lady sat down. It happened that this Tripus was lost in the Sea, and afterwards taken up in the Nets of Fishermen, who mightily con∣tended amongst themselves, which should have it; the Pythian Priestess being asked, gave
Answer, that it ought to be sent to the wisest Man in all Greece. Whereupon it was carried to Thales of Miletus: who sent it to Bias, as to a wiser Person, Bias referred it to another, and that other referred it to a Fourth; till after it had been sent backwards and forwards to all the wise Men, it return'd again to Thales, who dedicated it to Apollo at Delphos.
Who were those Wise Men of Greece?
These Seven, to whose Names I adjoin the Places of their Nativity. Thales of Mile∣tus, Solon of Athens, Chilo of Lacedaemon, Pit∣tacus of Mitylene, Bias of Priene, Cleobulus of Lindi, and Periander of Corinth. I will add some remarkable things concerning them.
Thales was reckoned among the Wise Men, because he was believed to be the first that brought Geometry into Greece. He first obser∣ved the Courses of the Times, the Motion of the Winds, the Nature of Thunder, and the Motions of the Sun and the Stars. Being ask∣ed what he thought the difficultest thing in the World, he answered, to know ones self. Which perhaps was the Occasion of the ad∣vice written on the Front of Apollo's Temple, to those who were about to enter, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Know thy self. For there are very few that know themselves. Laert.
When Solon visited Croesus, the King of Lydia, the King shew'd his vast Treasures to him; and asked him whether he knew a Man happier than he? Yes, says Solon, I know Tellus, a very poor, but a very virtuous Man at Athens, who lives in a little Tenement that he
hath there; and he is more happy than your Ma∣jesty: For neither can those things make us happy, which are subject to the changes of the times, nor is any one to be thought truly happy, till he hath died. It is said, when King Croesus was after∣wards taken Prisoner by Cyrus, and laid upon the Pile to be burnt, he remembred this Say∣ing of Solon, and often repeated his Name; so that Cyrus ask'd why he cry'd out Solon, and who the God was whose Assistance he begg'd Croesus said, I now find by Experience that which heretofore he said to me to be true; and so he told Cyrus the Story: who hearing it, was so touch'd with the Sense of the Vicissitude of Human Affairs, that he preserved Croesus from the Fire, and ever after had him in great Ho∣nour. Plutarch. Herodotus.
Chilo had this Saying continually in his Mouth, Nequid nimium cupias, desire nothing too much. Yet when his Son had got the Victory at the Olympick Games, the good Man died with Joy; and all Greece honoured his Funeral. Plin. l. 7. c. 32.
Bias, a Man famous for Learning no less than Nobility; preserved his Citizens a long time. And when at last, says Tully, his Coun∣try Priene was taken, and the rest of the Inhabi∣tants in their Escape carried away with them as much of their Goods as they could; one advised him to do the same,* 1.145 but he made Answer, Ego verò facio, nam omnia mea mecum porto. It is what I do already, for all the things that are mine I carry about me. He often said, that Friends should remember, it a amare oportere, ut aliquando
essent osuri, To love one another so, as persons who may sometime come to hate one another. Laert. Tull Paradox. De Amicit.
Of the rest nothing extraordinary is repor∣ted.
Every body agrees that Apollo signifies the Sun;* 1.146 which is the most comfortable Creature in the World, and the most necessary to the Conservation of all others. And those Herbs which are most expos'd to its Heat, are found to have the greater Power. He darts his Rays upon the Earth like so many Arrows; and dispels the Darkness, by which the Truth of Things is concealed, with his Glorious Light. His Motion in the midst of the Planets is har∣monious, and the Seven Planets about him may resemble the Seven strings of a Harp to complete the Consort. Thus the Four Pro∣perties that are attributed to Apollo, of Heal∣ing, Discovering of Secrets, Darting and Musick, agree in some measure to this Noble Star.
And from the things Sacrificed to Apollo,* 1.147 it appears that he was the Sun. As first Olives, which Fruit loves the Sun, and cannot be nourished in places distant from it. 2. The Laurel,* 1.148 a Tree of a hot nature, always flou∣rishing, never old, and conducing not a little towards Divination: because Laurel leaves put under the Pillow produce true Dreams; and
therefore the Poets are crown'd with Laurel. 3. Amongst Animals, Cygni non sine causa A∣pollini dicati sunt, quòd ab eo divinationem habere videantur; quia praevidentes quid in morte bonisit, cum cantu & voluptate moriuntur; says Tully, the Swans are, not without reason, consecrated to Apollo: because from him they are endued with a Faculty of Divination; when foreseeing the Hap∣piness in Death, they sing dying and pleased. Tuscul. 1. 4. Griffons also and Crows were sacred to him for the same reason. And the Hawk, which has Eyes as fierce as the Sun: the Cock, which foretels his Rising; and the Grashopper, a singing Creature. It was a Cu∣stom with the Athenians to fasten golden Gra∣shoppers to their Hair, in honour of Apollo. Thucyd. Schol. Aristoph.
And especially if we derive the Name of Latona, the Mother of Apollo and Diana, from the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.149 it will signifie, that before the Birth of Apollo and Diana, that is, before the Production of the Sun and the Moon, all things lay involved in darkness: from whence those Two glorious Luminaries afterwards proceeded, as out of the Womb of a Mother.
But notwithstanding all this, several Inven∣tions of the Poets agree with the Sun, but not with Apollo. And of those therefore it is necessary to treat apart.
THis Glorious Sun, which illustrates all things with his Light, is called Sol, says Tully, de Nat. Deor. Vel quia Solus ex omnibus syderibus est tantus, vel quia cum exortus est ob∣scuratis omnibus solus appareat. Either because he is the only Star that is of that Magnitude; or because when he rises, he puts out all the other Stars, and only appears himself. Yet the Poets have said, that there were Five Sols; and Tully reckons them up. But whatever they delivered concerning each of them singly, they commonly applied to one, who was the Son of Hyperion, and Nephew to Aether, begotten of an unknown Mother.
The Persians call the Sun Mithra,* 1.150 and ac∣count him the greatest of their Gods, and they worship him in a Cave. His Statue bears the Head of a Lion, drest with a Tiara, dressed with Persian Attire, and holding with both hands a mad Bull by the Horns. Those that desired to become his Priests,* 1.151 and understand his Mysteries, did first undergo a great many Hardships, Disgraces, Stripes, Colds, Heats, and other Torments, before they could attain to the Honour of that Employment. And see the Sanctimoniousness of their Religion. It was not lawful for the Kings of Persia to
drink excessively; but upon that Day, in which the Sacrifices were offered to Mithra, Greg. Naz, Orat. 1. in Iul.
The Egyptians called the Sun Horus: whence the parts,* 1.152 into which the Sun divides the Day, are called Horae Hours. They represented his Power by a Scepter, on the top of which an Eye was placed, by which they signified, that the Sun sees, and that all things are seen by his means.
These Horae were thought to be the Daugh∣ters of Sol and Chronis;* 1.153 who early in the Morning prepare the Chariot and the Horses for their Father, and open the Gates of the Day. Plutarch. Homer.
THE Actions of Sol were only Debauche∣ries, and Intrigues of Love with Mi∣stresses; with which he obscured the Honour of his Name. I will set down the most re∣markable of them.
1. He lay with Venus in the Island of Rhodes,* 1.154 at which time they said it rained Gold, and the Earth cloathed it self with Roses and Li∣lies: from whence the Island was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, rosa. 2. He begat of Clymene, Phaeton, and Phaeton's Sisters. 3. Of Neaera he begat Pa∣siphae; and of Perseis, Circe (to omit the rest of his Brood of more obscure Note.) Of each of which according to my Method I shall say something, since I have mentioned Rhodes, I have spoke a little concerning the Colossus
that was there, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
WHat were those Seven Wonders of the World?* 1.155
They were these that follow.
1. The Colossus at Rhodes; a Statue of the Sun, Seventy Cubits high, placed at the Mouth of the Harbour; one Man could not grasp its Thumb with both his Arms. Its Thighs were stretched out to such a Distance, that a large Ship sailing might easily pass into the Port betwixt them. It was Twelve Years a making, and cost Three hundred Talents (a Talent is worth Six thousand Aurei;) stood Fifty Years, and at last was thrown down in an Earthquake. And from this Coloss the People of Rhodes were called Colossenses, and every Statue since of an unusual Magnitude, is called Colossus.
2. The Temple of Diana at Ephesus;* 1.156 which was a Work of the greatest Magnificence, and infinitely admired among the Antients. Two hundred and twenty Years were spent in per∣fecting it tho' all Asia was employed. It was supported by One hundred and twenty seven Pillars, Sixty Foot high, each of them raised by as many Kings. Of these Thirty seven were engraven. The Image of the Goddess was made of Ebony, as they tell us in History.
3. The Mausoleum, or Sepulchre of Mauso∣lus, King of Caria,* 1.157 built by his Queen Artemisia of the purest Marble; and yet the Work of it was much more valuable than the Marble. It lay from North to South Sixty three Feet long, almost Four hundred and eleven Feet in com∣pass, and Twenty five Cubits high, surrounded with Thirty six Columns, that were to Ad∣miration. And from this Mausoleum, all other sumptuous Sepulchres are also called by the same Name.
4. A Statue of Iupiter,* 1.158 in the Temple of the City Olympia; made with the greatest Art by Phidias, of Ivory; and of a vast proportion.
5. The Walls of the City Babylon,* 1.159 (which was the Metropolis of Chaldea) built by the Queen Semiramis: Sixty thousand Paces in circumference, Two hundred Foot high, and Fifty broad: so that Six Chariots might con∣veniently pass upon them in a row.
6. The Pyramids of Egypt:* 1.160 Three of which, remarkable for their height, do still remain. The first has a square Basis,* 1.161 the Front consists of an hundred and two Feet. It is One hun∣dred and forty three long, and a Thousand high. Made of so great Stones, that the least of them is Thirty Foot thick. Three hun∣dred and sixty thousand Men were employed in building it, for the space of Twenty Years. The two others which are somewhat smaller, attract the Admiration of all Spectators. And in these Pyramids, it is reported, the Bodies of the Kings of Egypt lie interred.
7. The Royal Palace of Cyrus,* 1.162 King of the Medes; made by Menon, with no less Prodi∣gality than Art, for he cemented the Stones with Gold. Plin.
NOW let us change our Discourse again to Sol's Children. The famousest of which was Phaeton, who gave the Poets an ex∣cellent opportunity of exercising their Fancy by the following Action. Epaphus, one of the Sons of Iupiter, fell out with Phaeton, and said that he falsly pretended to be the Sun of Sol, since that was only a device of his adulterous Mother. He was so provoked at the Slander, that with the advice of Clymene he went to the Royal Palace of the Sun, that he might bring from thence some indubitable marks of his Nativity. The Sun received him, when he came, kindly; and owned his Son: and to take away all occasion of doubting hereafter, he gave him liberty to ask any thing, swearing by the Stygian Lake, (which sort of Oath none of the Gods dare violate) that he would not deny him. Hereupon Phaeton desired leave to govern his Fathers Chariot for one day: which was the occasion of great grief to his Father;* 1.163 who foreseeing his Son's ruin thereby.
Temerariae, dixit, Vox mea facta tua est. Utinam promissa liceret
Non dare. Confiteor, solum hoc tibi nate negarem. Dissuadere licet. Non est tua tuta voluntas. Magna petis, Phaeton, & quae non viribus istis. Munera conveniunt, nec tam puerilibus annis. Sors tua mortalis: non est mortale, quod optas. —dictis tamen ille repugnat, Propositumque premit, flagratque cupidine currus. Thou to thy ruin my rash vow dost wrest. O, would I could break promise! this request I must confess I only would deny; And yet dissuade I may. Thy death does lie Within thy wish. What's so desir'd by thee Can neither with thy strength nor youth agree, Thou mortal dost no mortal thing desire. —In vain dissuaded, he his promise claim'd, With glory of so great a charge inflam'd. Sandys.In short the Father was obliged to yield to the rashness of the Son; and instructing him to observe the middle path, he unwillingly grant∣ed what he could not deny.
Occupat ille levem juvenili corpore, currum, Statque super, manibus{que} datas contingere habenas Gaudet, & invito grates agit inde parenti. Interea volucres Pyroeis & Eous & Aethon Solis equi, quartusque Phlegon, hinnitibus auras Flammiferis implent, pedibusque repagula pulsant. He youthful vaults into the blazing seat, Glad of the reins nor doubtful of his skill, And gives his Father thanks against his will. Mean while the Suns swift Horses, hot Pyrous, Light Aethon, fiery Phlegon, bright Eous, Neighing aloud inflame the Air with heat, And with their thundring hoofs the barriers beat. S.
Immediately Phaeton unable to govern the Horses, fired Heaven and Earth; so that Iu∣piter struck him out of the Chariot with Thun∣der and cast him headlong into the River Po. His Sisters Phaethusa, Lampetia, and Phoebe, la∣menting his death incessantly upon the banks of that River, were turned by the pity of the Gods into Poplar Trees, henceforth weeping Amber instead of Tears. A great Fire that hapned in Italy near the Po, in the time of King Phaeton, was the occasion of this Fable: The Ambitious are taught hereby, what event they ought to expect, when they soar higher than they ought.
Circe, the most skilful of all Sorceresses,* 1.164 poi∣soned her Husband, a King of the Sarmatae, for which she was banished by her Subjects, and flying into Italy, fixed her Seat upon the Promon••ory Circaeum, where she mightily loved Glaucus a Sea God, who at the same time lo∣ved Sylla. Circe turned her into a Sea-Monster, by poisoning the water in which she used to wash. She entertained Ulysses, who was dri∣ven thither by the violence of storms, with great Civility; and restored his Companions, whom according to her usual Custom she had changed into Hogs, Bears, Wolves and the like Beasts, unto their former shapes again. Ulysses was armed against her Assaults, so that she set upon him in vain. It is said, she drew down the very Stars from Heaven: whence we are plainly informed, that Voluptuousness (whereof Circe is the Emblem) alters Men into ravenous and filthy Beasts; that even
those, who with the lustre of their Wit and Vertue shine in the World as Stars in the Fir∣mament, when once they addict themselves to obscene Pleasures, become obscure and in∣considerable, falling as it were headlong from the glory of Heaven.
Pasiphae was the Wife of Minos King of Crete:* 1.165 she fell in love with a Bull, and ob∣tained her desire by the Assistance of Daedalus, who for that purpose enclos'd her in a wood∣en Cow: she brought forth a Minotaur, a Monster one part of which was like a Man, the other like a Bull. Now the occasion, they say,* 1.166 of the Fable was this. Pasiphae lo∣ved a Man whose Name was Taurus, and had two Twins by him in Daedalus's House; one of which was very like her Husband Minos, and the other like the Father. But however that is, the Minotaur was shut up in the La∣byrinth, that Daedalus made by the order of King Minos This Labyrinth was a place di∣versified with abundance of windings and turnings and cross paths running into one a∣nother. How this Minotaur was kild, and by whom, I shall shew particularly in its place in the account of Theseus. Daedalus was an ex∣cellent Artificer of Athens;* 1.167 who first, as it is said, invented the Axe, the Saw, the Plum∣line, the Auger, and Glue; also he first con∣trived Masts and Yards for Ships: besides he carved Statues so admirably, that they not only seemed alive, but would never stand still in one place; and would fly away unless they were chained. This Daedalus, together with
Icarus his Son, was by Minos shut up in the Labyrinth which he had made, because he had assisted the Amours of Pasiphae: whereupon he made Wings for himself and his Son, with Wax and the Feathers of Birds; fastening these Wings to his shoulders, he flew out of Crete into Sicily; but Icarus in his flight neg∣lected his Fathers advice, and observed not his due course, but out of a juvenile wanton∣ness flew higher than he ought, whereupon the Wax being melted by the heat of the Sun, and the Wings falling in pieces, he fell into the Sea, which is since, according to Ovid, from him named the Icarian Sea.* 1.168
Icarus Icariis nomine fecit aquis, Icarian Seas from Icarus were call'd.
To these Children of the Sun, we must ad∣join his Niece and his Nephew Biblis and Cau∣nus. Biblis so far loved Caunus, tho he was her Brother, that she employed all her Charms to entice him to commit Incest; and when nothing would overcome his modesty, she fol∣lowed him so long, that at last being quite oppressed with sorrow and labour, she sat down under a Tree, and shed such a quan∣tity of Tears, that she was converted into a Fountain.
Sic lachrymis consumpta suis Phoebeia Biblis Vertitur in fontem, qui nunc quoque vallibus imis Nomen habet dominae, nigraque sub ilice manat. Thus the Phoebeian Biblis spent in tears, Becomes a living Fountain, which yet bears Her name, and under a black Holm that grows In those rank Vallies plentifully flows.Sandys
WHO is that young Man,* 1.169 with a cheerful Countenance, an honest Look, and lively Eyes; who is so fair with-out Paint? having Wings fixed to his Hat and his Shooes, and a Rod in his hand, which is winged and bound about by a couple of Ser∣pents?
It is the Image of Mercury, as the E∣gyptians paint him; whose Face is partly black and dark, and partly clear and bright; be∣cause sometimes he converses with the Cele∣stial, and sometimes with the Infernal Gods. He wears winged Shooes (which are proper∣ly called Talaria) Wings also are fastned to his Hat (which is called Petasus) because since he is the Messenger of the Gods, he ought not only to run, but flie.
Of what Parents was he born?
His Parents were Iupiter and Maia the Daughter of Atlas:* 1.170 and for that reason per∣haps they used to offer Sacrifices to him in the Month of May. They say that Iuno suck∣led awhile in his Infancy; and once while he sucked the Milk very greedily, it ran out of
his Mouth, being full, upon the Heavens; which made that white stream, which they call Via lactea, the Milky Way; and in Greek, Galaxia; from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Milk.
What were,
HE had many Offices.* 1.171 The first and chiefest of them was to carry the Commands of Iupiter, whence he is common∣ly called Deorum Nuncius, the Messenger of the Gods. 2. He swept the Room where the Gods supped and made the Beds; and did execute other the like mean Employments; hence he was styled† 1.172 Camillus or Casmillus, that is, an inferiour Servant of the Gods. For anciently * 1.173 all Boys and Girls under age were called Camilli and,‖ 1.174 Camillae: and the same Name was afterwards given to the young Men and Maids, who† 1.175 attended the Priests at their Sa∣crifices. Tho the People of* 1.176 Boeotia, instead of Camillus, say Cadmilus; perhaps from the Arabick Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chadam, to serve; or from the Phoenician Word, Chadmel, Gods Ser∣vant, or Minister sacer. 3. He‖ 1.177 attended up∣on dying Persons to unloose their Souls from the Chains of the Body, and carry them to Hell; he also revived and placed into new bo¦dies those Souls which had completed their full time in the Elysian Fields. All which things Virgil does almost comprise in these Verses, Aeneid. l. 4.
Dixerat Ille patris magni parere parabat Imperio, & primum pedibus talaria nectit Aurea, quae sublimem alis sive aequora supra Seu terram rapido pariter cum flamine portant. Tum virgam capit: hac animas ille evocat Orco, Pallentes, alias sub tristia Tartara mittit: Dat somnos adimitque & lumina morte resignat. About his Father's business Hermès goes, And first he buckles on his golden shooes: With which being wing'd o'r sea and land he flies, A swift wind counterpoising through the Skies: Then takes his charming Wand, whose power pale Ghosts Calls up, or drives to miserable coasts; Gives or breaks sleep and seals up dying eyes.Og,
His remarkable Qualities were likewise ma∣ny.* 1.178 1. They say that he was the Inventor of Letters: this is certain, he excelled in E∣loquence and the Art of Speaking well; in∣somuch that the Greeks called him Hermes, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from interpreting or explain∣ing: and therefore he is accounted the God of the Rhetoricians and Orators. 2. He is reported to have been the Inventor of Con∣tracts, Weights and Measures; and to have taught the Art of Buying, Selling and Traf∣ficking first;* 1.179 and to have received the Name of Mercury from Merces, or Mercium cura, his understanding of Merchandize. Hence he is ac∣counted the God of the Merchants, and the God of Gain;* 1.180 so that all unexpected Gain and Treasure, that comes of a sudden, is from him called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 3. In the Art of Thieving he certainly excelled all the Sharp∣ers
that ever were or will be; for he is the very Prince and God of Thieves. On that day in which he was born, he stole away some Cattel from King Admetus's Herd, al∣tho Apollo was Keeper of them; who com∣plained much of the Theft, and bent his Bow against him: but in the mean time Mercury stole even his Arrows from him. Whilst he was yet an Infant, and entertain'd by Vulcan, he stole his Tools from him. He took away by stealth Venus's Girdler, whilst she embra∣ced him; and Iupiter's Scepter: he design'd to steal the Thunder too, but he was afraid lest it should burn him. 4. He was mighty skilful in making Peace; and for that rea∣son was sometimes painted with Chains of Gold flowing from his mouth, with which he link'd together the Minds of those that heard him. And he not only pacifi'd Mortal men, but also the immortal Gods of Heaven and Hell: for whenever they quarrell'd a∣mongst themselves, he composed their diffe∣rences: as Ovid says, lib. 5. Fast.
Pacis & armorum, superis, imisque Deorum Arbiter, alato qui pede carpit iter. Thee Wing foot, all the Gods both high and low, The Arbiter of Peace and War allow.And Claudian, de raptu Proserp.
Atlantis Tegaee Nepos, commune profundis Et superis Numen, qui fas per limen utrumque Solus habes, geminoque facis compendia mundo. Fair Maias son, whose pow'r alone dos reach (beach High Heavens bright Towers and Hells dusky A••ommo•• God to both dost both the Worlds appease.
And this Pacificatory Faculty of his, is sig∣nified by the Rod that he holds in his Hand, which Apollo heretofore gave him; for he had given Apollo an Harp. This Rod had a won∣derful faculty of deciding all Controversies.* 1.181 This Virtue was first discovered by Mercury; who seeing two Serpents fighting as he tra∣velled, he put his Rod between them and reconciled them presently, and they mutual∣ly embraced each other, and stuck to the Rod which is called Caduceus;* 1.182 and from hence all Ambassadors sent to make Peace are called Cadu••eatores: for as Wars were denounced by Feciales, so they were ended by Caduceatores.
ARE any of his Actions recorded in History?
Yes, several: but such as in my Judg∣ment do not much deserve to be remembred. However the following Account is most re∣markable.
He had a Son by his Sister Venus, called Hermaphroditus; i. e. Mercuric-Venus (for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies Mercury, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Venus) Salmac•• a Nymph lived in the Woods in which he of∣ten hunted: she loved this Youth extrava∣gantly, who was very beautiful, but a great Woman hater. She often tempted the young man, but was as often repulsed; yet she did not despair. She lay in Ambush at a Foun∣tain,
where he usually came to bath, and when he was in the water, she also leapt in to him: but neither so could she overcome his extraordinary Modesty. Whereupon, it is said, she prayed to the Gods above that the Bodies of both might become one, which was granted. Hermaphroditus was amazed when he saw this change of his Body; and desired that, for his comfort, some other Per∣sons might be like him. He obtained his re∣quest; for whosoever washed himself in that Fountain (called Salmacis, in the Country Caria) became an Hermaphrodite, and was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, androgynos, that is, had both Sexes, Ovid. Met. l. 4. I was unwilling to omit the following Story.
A Herdsman whose name was Battus saw Mercury stealing Admetus's Cows from Apollo their Keeper. When Mercury perceived that his Theft was discovered, he went to Battus and desired that he would say nothing, and gave him a delicate Cow. Battus promised; Mercury, that he might try his fidelity, came in another shape to him, and asked him a∣bout the Cows; whether he saw them, or knew the place where the Thief carried them. Battus denied it, but the God prest him hard, and promised that he would give him both a Bull and a Cow, if he would discover. With the Promise he was overcome; whereup∣on Mercury was enraged, and laying aside his Disguise, turn'd him into a Stone, call'd Index; as Ovid relates so prettily in Verse, that I cannot but recite them.
At Battus, postquam est merces geminata, sub illis•• Montibus, inquit, erant: & erant sub montibus illis. Risit Atlantiades: & me mihi perfide prodis? Me mihi prodis, ait? perjuraque pectora a vertit In durum silicem, qui nunc quoque dicitur Index. Battus, upon the double proffer, tells him, there, Beneath those hills, beneath those hills they were. Then Hermes laughing loud; what knave I say, Me to my self, to my self me betray? Then to a Touchstone turn'd his perjur'd breast, Whose Nature now is in that Name exprest.
The Antients used to set up Statues called Indices, where the Roads crossed each other; because with an Arm and a Finger held out, they indicated the way to this or that place•• The Romans placed Statues in all Publick pla∣ces and Highways: the Athenians placed them at their Doors for their security, to drive a¦way Thieves; and they called these Statue•• Hermae, from Mercury, whose Greek Name •• Hermes. Concerning which Hermae, it is to be observed.
1. These Images had neither Hands no•• Feet, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Herod. l. 1. and from hence Mercury was called Cyllenius, and, b•• Syncope, Cyllius; for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greek, signi∣fies a Man without hands or feet: and not from Cyllene, a Mountain in Arcadia, in which h•• was educated. Vid. Lil. Gyr.
2. A Purse was usually hung to the Statue of Mercury,* 1.183 to signifie, that he was the Go•• of Gain and Profit, and presided over Me••∣chandising; in which because many time•• things are done by Fraud and Treachery, the•• gave him the Name of Dolius.
3. The Romans used to join the Statues of Mercury and Minerva together,* 1.184 and these I∣mages they called Hermathenae: and sacrificed to both Deities upon one and the same Altar. Those who had escaped any great danger al∣ways offered Sacrifices to Mercury;* 1.185 they offer∣ed up a Calf, and Milk and Hony, and espe∣cially the Tongues of the Sacrifices, which with a great deal of Ceremony they cast in∣to the Fire, and then the Sacrifice was fini∣shed; it is said that the Megarenses first used this Ceremony.
WHY do you laugh, Palaeophilus?
Who can forbear, when he sees that filthy, shameless and immodest God pla∣ced next to Mercury;* 1.186 with a Body naked, red Face, lascivious Looks, in an effeminate Po∣sture, dispirited with Luxury and overcome with Wine. His swoln Cheeks resemble Bot∣tles; his great Belly and fat Breasts, his di∣stended swelling Paunch, make me think that a Hogshead rather than a God is carried in that Chariot.
That is no wonder, for it is Bacchus himself, the God of Wine, and the Captain and Emperour of Drunkards. He is crowned with
Ivy and Vine Leaves.* 1.187 He has a Thyrsus instead of a Scepter; that is,* 1.188 a Javelin with an Iron Head, incircled by Ivy or Vine-Leaves in his hand. He is carried in a Chariot, sometimes drawn by Tygers and Lions, and sometimes by Lynxes and Panthers. And like a King he is surrounded with a drunken Band of Satyrs, of Cobali,* 1.189 or Demons, of Lenae, Nymphs that preside over the Wine-Presses, and of Naia∣des and Bacchae; And Silenus comes last sitting upon a crooked Ass.
But what's here? This Bacchus has got Horns, and is a young man without a Beard: I have heard, the Elienses paint him like an old man with a Beard.
It is true. He is sometimes painted an old Man, and sometimes a smooth an beard∣less Boy. For thus Ovid speaks of him. Met.
—Tibi inconsumpta juventa? Tu puer aeternus, tu formosissimus, alto Conspiceris coelo; Tibi, cum sine cornibus adstas, Virgineum caput est. Still dost thou enjoy Unwasted Youth; eternally a Boy Thou'rt seen in Heaven, whom all perfections grace; And when unhorn'd thou hast a Virgins Face.And likewise Tibullus,
Solis aeterna est Phaebo Bacchoque juventa.
Phoebus and Bacchus only have eternal Youth. Ovid speaks of his Horns,
Accedant capiti cornua, Bacchus eris. Clap to thy Head a pair of Horns and Bacchus thou shalt be.
I will give you the reason of the Horns, and of all the other things about the end of the Fable.
BAcchus's Birth was both wonderful and ri∣diculous, if the Poets may be heard; as they must when we treat of Fables.
They tell us that when Iupiter was in love with Semele, it raised Iuno's jealousie higher than ever before. Iuno therefore endeavoured to destroy her; and in the shape of an old Wo∣man, visited Semele, wished her much joy from her acquaintance with Iupiter, and ad∣vised her to oblige him, when he came, by an inviolable Oath, to grant her a request; and then, says she to Semele, ask him to come to you as he is wont to come to Juno. And he will come cloathed in all his Glory, and Majesty, and Honour. Semele was enflamed hereby, and when Iupiter came next, she desired,
—sine nomine munus. Cui Deus,* 1.190 elige, ait: nullam patiere repulsam. Quoque magis credas, Stygii quoque conscia sunto Numina torrentis: Timor, & Deus ille Deorumest. Laeta malo, nimium{que} petens, peritura{que} amantis Obsequio, Semele: Qualem Saturnia, dixit, Te solet amplecti, Veneris cum foedus initis, Da mihi te talem. —A Gift unnam'd: When thus the kind consenting God reply'd, Speak but thy choice it shall not be deny'd; And to confirm thy Faith, let Stygian Gods,
And all the Tenants of Hells dark abodes, Witness my Promise; these are Oaths that bind, And Gods that keep even Jove himself confin'd. Transported with the sad Decree, she feels Ev'n mighty Satisfaction in her Ills; And just about to perish by the Grant And kind compliance of her fond Gallant, Says, Take Joves Vigor as you use Joves Name; The same the strength and sinewy force the same, As when you mount the great Saturnias Bed, And lock'd in her embrace diffusive Glories shed.Iupiter was very sorry, for he could not recal his Words nor annul his Vows. So he cloaths himself with the Terrors of his Majesty, and enters into the House of Semele. But
—Corpus mortale, tumultus Non tulit aethereos, donisque jugalibus arsit. Nor could her mortal body bear the sight Of glaring beams and strong Celestial light; But scorch'd all o'er, with Joves embrace expir'd, And mourn'd the Gift so eagerly desir'd.She was struck down and stupified by the Thunder, and burnt to Ashes by the Light∣ning. Thus we may see what comes from Rashness and Ambition. But when you hear what became of the Child it will make you laugh.
—Gene••ricis ab alvo Eripitur, patrioque tener (si credere dignum est) Insuitur femori, maternaque tempora complet. Th'imperfect Babe that in the Womb doth lie Was ta'n by Jove, and sew'd into his Thigh, His Mothers time accomplishing.—
Thus Bacchus was enclos'd within Iupiter's Thigh, and in fulness of time he was born; and then delivered into the hands of Mercury,* 1.191 to be carried into Euboea, to Macris the Daugh∣ter of Aristaeus; who immediately anointed his Lips with Hony, and brought him up with great care,* 1.192 in a certain Cave which had two Gates.
WE will first speak of his proper Name, and then come to his Titles and Sur∣names.
Bacchus is derived 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.193 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ab inaniendo, from revelling. For, for the same reason the wild Women, his Companions, be cal∣led Bacchae,* 1.194 and sometimes Thyades, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, furore: and Maenades from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, insanio, de∣sipio, to be mad or foolish. They were also called Mimallones, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to imitate, because they imitated all Bacchus's Actions.
Biformis, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because he was reckoned both a young and an old Man;* 1.195 with a Beard and without a Beard: or because Wine, whereof Bacchus is the Emblem, makes People some∣times chearful and pleasant, sometimes peevish and morose.
He was named Brisaeus, either, (as some think) from the Nymph his Nurse;* 1.196 or from the use of Grapes and Hony, which he in∣vented; for Brisa signifies a Bunch of prest
Grapes; or else from the Promontory Brisa, in the Island Lesbos, where he was worshipped.
Bromius,* 1.197 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from the cracking of Fi∣re, and noise of Thunder that was heard when his Mother was kild with the Embrace of Iupiter.
Bimater or Bimetor,* 1.198 because he had two Mothers: the first was Semele, who conceiv'd him in the Womb; and the other the Thigh of Iupiter, into which he was received after he was saved from the Fire.
He is called by divers of the Greeks Buge∣nes,* 1.199 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, è bove genitus, and from thence Tauriformis or Tauriceps, and he is supposed to have Horns, because he first plough'd with Oxen, or because he was the Son of Iupiter Ammon, who had the Head of a Ram.
Daemon bonus,* 1.200 the good Angel: and in Feasts, after the Tables were removed, the last Glass was drank round to his Honour.
Dithyrambus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, à bis in januam ingrediendo:* 1.201 which signifies either that he was born twice, of Semele and of Iove; or the double Gate, which the Cave had in which he was brought up; or perhaps it means that Drunkards cannot keep Secrets: but whatever is in the Heart comes into the Mouth, and then bursts forth, quasi per gemi∣nam portam; as it usually said, that Wine makes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. sets both the doors of the mouth open.
Dionysius or Dionysus,* 1.202 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (his Fa∣ther Iupiter) and Nisa the Nymph, by whom he was nursed as they say: or from the word
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, pungo; because he prick'd his Father's side with his Horns when he was born: or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.203 morbus, for Iupiter limped when Bacchus was in his Thigh. Or from an I∣sland among the Cyclades called Dia or Naxos, which was dedicated to him when he married Ariadne. Or lastly from the City of Nisa, in which Bacchus reign'd.
Evobus or Evius.* 1.204 For in the War of the Giants, when Iupiter did not see Bacchus, he thought that he was kild,* 1.205 and cried out, Eheu, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Alas, Son. Or because when he found that Bacchus had overcome the Giant,* 1.206 by changing himself into a Lion,* 1.207 he cried out again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Euge fili.
Evan,* 1.208 from the Acclamations of the Bac∣chantes, who were therefore called Evantes
Euchius is derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.209 largiter fundo, because Bacchus loves Brimmers.
Eleleus and Eleus,* 1.210 from the Acclamation 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 used to encourage the Soldiers to fight, and in the Celebration of Bacchus's Sacrifices,* 1.211 call'd Orgia: it was used also in the fight it∣self.
Iacchus, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, clamo vociferor. And it is used by Claudian de rapt. Proserp. l. 1. where he says,
—laetusque simul procedit Iacchus, Crinali florens hedera: quem Parthica Tigris Velat, & auratos, in nodum colligit ungues. —The jolly God comes in, His Hair with Ivy twin'd, his Cloaths a Ty∣gers Skin, Whose golden Claws are clutcht into a Knot.
For he did not always go naked. He was sometimes cloathed with the Skin of a Tygre.
Donatus derives his Name Lenaeus from hence,* 1.212 quòd leniat mentem vinum.* 1.213 But Servius does with reason reject that Etymology; be∣cause Lenaeus is a Greek Word, and lenire a Latin one; therefore others derive 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Vat or Press in which Wine is made.
Liber and Liber Pater,* 1.214 from liberando, as in Greek they call him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.215 the Deli∣verer: for he is the Symbol of Liberty,* 1.216 and is worshipped in all Cities that are free.* 1.217
Lyaeus and Lysius,* 1.218 signifie the same with Liber: for Wine frees the Mind from Cares; and those who have drank plentifully, speak whatsoever comes into their minds, as Ovid says,
Cura fugit multo, diluiturque mero. The plenteous bowl all Cares dispels.
The Sacrifices of Bacchus were celebrated in the night;* 1.219 wherefore he is called Nyctileus, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.220 nocte perficio.
Because he was educated upon the Moun∣tain Nisa,* 1.221 he is called Nysaeus.
He taught a certain King of Athens to di∣lute his Wine with Water; so that Men, who through much drinking staggered before, by mixing Water with their Wine began to go rectà, streight; and from thence Bacchus was called Rectus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
His Mother Semele and his Nurse were sometimes called Thyo: therefore from thence they called him Thyonaeus.* 1.222
Lastly, He was called Triumphus,* 1.223 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because when in Triumph the Conquerours went into the Capitol, the Soldiers cried out Io Triumphe.
BAcchus invented so many things useful to Mankind,* 1.224 either in finishing Controver∣sies, in building Cities,* 1.225 in making Laws and obtaining Victories, that he was declared a God by the joint Suffrages of the whole World. And indeed what could not Bacchus himself do, when his Priestesses, by striking the Earth with their Thyrsus's. drew forth Rivers of Milk and Honey, and Wine, and wrought several such Miracles without the least Labour. And yet they received their whole Power from Bacchus: Who
1. Invented the use of Wine;* 1.226 and first taught the Art of planting the Trees from whence it is made; as also the Art of ma∣king Honey, and tilling the Earth. This he did amongst the People of Egypt; who there∣fore honoured him as a God,* 1.227 and called him Osiris.* 1.228 Let Bacchus have honour, because he invented the Art of Planting Vines; but let him not refuse to the Ass of Nauplia its Prai∣ses, who by gnawing Vines taught the Art of Pruning them.
2. He invented Commerce and Merchan∣dise,* 1.229 and found out Navigation when he was King of Phoenicia.
3. Whereas Men wandred about unsettled like Beasts,* 1.230 he reduced them into Society and U∣nion: he taught them to worship the Gods,* 1.231 and was excellent in Prophesying.
4. He subdued India, and many other Na∣tions; riding on an Elephant: he victoriously subdued all Egypt, Syria, Phrygia, and all the East;* 1.232 where he erected Pillars, as Hercules did in the West: he first invented Triumphs and Crowns for Kings.
5. Bacchus was desirous to reward Midas, the King of Phrygia (of whose Asses Ears we spake before) because he had done some Ser∣vice to him; and bid him ask what he would, and Midas desired that whatsoever he touchd might become Gold; Bacchus consented. O∣vid. Met. l. 11.
Annuit optatis, nocituraque munera solvit Liber, & indoluit, quod non meliora petisset. To him his harmful wish Lyaeus gives, And at the weakness of's Request he grieves. Laetus abit, gaudetque malo, Glad he departs, and joys in's Misery;So that whatsoever Midas touches becomes Gold; nay when he touched his Meat or Drink, they also became Gold: when there∣fore he saw that he could not escape Death by hunger or thirst, he then perceived that he had foolishly begg'd a destructive Gift, and repenting his Bargain, he desired Bacchus to take his Gift to himself again. Bacchus con∣sented, and bid him bath in the River Pacto∣lus: Midas obeyed; and from hence the Sand of that River became golden, and the River was called Chrysorrhoas, or Aurifluus.
6. When he was yet a Child, some Tyrrhe∣nian Mariners found him asleep and carried him into a Ship: wherefore he first stupified them, stopping the Ship in such a manner, that it was unmoveable; afterwards he caused Vines to spring up in the Ship on a sudden, and Ivy twining about the Oars; and when the Seamen were almost dead with the fright he threw them headlong into the Sea and chang'd them into Dolphins. Ovid. Met. l. 3.
IN Sacrifices Three things are to be consi∣dered: the Creatures that are offered, the Priests and the Sacrifices themselves, which are celebrated by such and such Ceremonies
Oscophoria, in which the Boys,* 1.235 carrying Vine-leaves in their hands, went in ranks praying, from the Temple of Bacchus to the Chappel of Pallas.
The Trieterica were celebrated in the Win∣ter by night,* 1.236 by the Bacchae, who went about armed, making a great noise, and foretelling, as it was believed, things to come. These Sacrifices were intituled Trieterica, because Bacchus returned from his Indian Expedition after three years.
The Epilenaea were Games celebrated in the time of Vintage (after that the Press for squeezing Grapes was invented) they dispu∣ted with one another,* 1.237 in treading the Grapes, who should soonest press out most Must; and in the mean time they sung the Praises of Bacchus, begging that the Must might be very sweet and good.
The Canephoria,* 1.238 amongst the antient Athe∣nians were performed by Marriageable Vir∣gins, who carried golden Baskets filled with the First Fruits of the Year. Nevertheless some think that these Sacrifices were institu∣ted to the Honour of Diana;* 1.239 and that they did not carry Fruit in the Baskets, but Pre∣sents wrought with their own hands, which they offered to this Goddess; to testifie that
they were desirous to quit their Virginity and Marry.
The Apaturia,* 1.240 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Feasts amongst the Athenians to the Honour of Bacchus: so called from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, fallo.* 1.241
The Ambrosia, observed in Ianuary, a Month sacred to Bacchus; for which reason this Month was called Lenaeus or Lenaeo, be∣cause the Wine was brought into the City a∣bout that time. But the Romans called these Feasts Brumalia, from Bruma,* 1.242 one of the Names of Bacchus amongst them: and they celebrated them twice a year in the Months of February and August.
The Ascolia,* 1.243 so called from the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, utris, a Leathern Bottle; several of which were produced filled with Air,* 1.244 or as others say with Wine. The Athenians were wont to leap upon them with one foot, so that they would sometimes fall down; however they thought they did a great Honour to Bacchus hereby; because they trampled upon the Skin of the Goat, who is the greatest Enemy to the Vines. But amongst the Romans Rewards were distributed to those, who by artificially leaping upon these Leathern Bottles overcame the rest. And then all of them together calling aloud upon Bacchus confusedly, and in Verses unpolished, they carried his Statue about their Vineyards in Masquerade, dawbing their Faces with Barks of Trees and the Dregs of Wine. So returning to his Altar again, from whence they came, they presented their Oblations in Basons to him, and burnt them. And in the
last place they hung upon the highest Trees, little wooden or earthen Images of Bacchus, which they called Oscilla; from the smalness of the Heads, that out of them, as out of Perspectives, the God might look to the Vines that they suffer no injury. Virgil hath elegant∣ly expressed all this, where he says, Georg. l. 2.
—Atque inter pocula laeti, Mollib••s & pratis, unctos saliere per utres. Versibus incomptis ludunt, nisuque soluto Oraque corticibus sumunt horrenda cavatis. Et te, Bacche, vocant per carmina laeta, tibique Oscilla, ex alta, suspendunt mollia, pinu. Hinc omnis largo pubescit vinea foetu, &c. They to soft meads heightned with wine advance, And joyfully o'er nointed Bottles dance, And merry, at their slippery sport they play Some rustick Madrigal or Roundelay, In vizards of rough Bark conceal their Face, And with glad numbers thee, great Bacchus, grace, Hanging soft Pictures on thy lofty Pine, Then Vineyards swell pregnant with chearful Wine.
Lastly the Bacchanalia,* 1.245 or Dionysia, or Or∣gya, were the Feasts of Bacchus among the Romans, which at first were solemnized in Fe∣bruary at mid-day by Women only; but af∣terwards perform'd by Men and Women to∣gether, and young Boys and Girls; who, in a word, left no sort of Lewdness and Extra∣vagancy uncommitted. For upon this occa∣sion, Rapes, Whoredoms, Poison, Murder, and such abominable Impieties were promo∣ted, under a sacrilegious pretence of Religion.
Till the Senate by an Edict abrogated this Festival;* 1.246 as Diagondas did at Thebes, says Ci∣cero, because of their Lewdnesses; which also Pentheus King of Thebes attempted,* 1.247 but with ill success; for the Bacchae barbarously killed him: whence came the Story, that his Mo∣ther and Sisters tore him in pieces, fancying that he was a Boar: There is a Story besides that Alcithoe, the Daughter of Mineus, and her Sisters,* 1.248 because despising the Sacrifices of Bacchus, they did stay at home and spin whilst the Orgya were celebrating, were changed in∣to Bats. There is an idle Story, that Lycur∣gus, who attempted many times to hinder these Bacchanalia in vain, cut off his own Legs,* 1.249 because he had rooted up the Vines, to the dishonour of Bacchus.
I Find two meanings applyed to this Fable.* 1.250 For some say that Bacchus is the same with Nimrod: the reasons of which Opinion are, 1. The similitude of the Words Bacchus and Ba••chus; which signifies the Son of Chus, that is Nimrod. 2. They think the Name of Nim∣rod may allude to the Hebrew word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Na∣mur; or the Chaldee, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Namer, a Tyger. And accordingly the Charriot of Bacchus was drawn by Tygres,* 1.251 and himself cloathed with the Skin of a Tygre. 3. Bacchus is sometimes
called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which is the very same with Nimrodus. 4. Moses stiles Nimrod a great Hunter, and we find that Bacchus is styled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. great Hunter. (this Name of Bac∣chus is not mentioned above, for I design not a nicely complete account of every thing) 5. Nor is it absurd to say, that Nimrod presi∣ded over the Vines, since he was the first King of Babylon,* 1.252 where was the most excellent Wines, as the Antients often say.
Others think that Bacchus is Moses; because many things in the Fable of the one,* 1.253 seem derived from the History of the other. For first, some feign that he was born in Egypt, and presently shut up in an Ark, and thrown upon the Waters as Moses was. 2. The Sur∣name of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Bimater, which belongs to Bacchus may be ascribed to Moses: who be∣sides his Mother by Nature, had another by Adoption, King Pharaoh's Daughter. 3. They were both handsom Men, brought up in A∣rabia, good Soldiers, and had Women in their Armies. 4. Orpheus calls Bacchus directly Móon, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Legislator; and further at∣tributes to him,* 1.254 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the two Tables of the Law. 5. Besides Bacchus was called Bicornis: and accordingly the Face of Moses appeared double-horned, when he came down from the Mountain, where he had spoken to God; the Rays of Glory that darted from his Brow, resembling the sprouting out of Horns. 6. As Snakes were sacrificed,* 1.255 and a Dog given to Bacchus as a Companion, so Moses had his Caleb, which in Hebrew signifies a Dog.
7. And as the Bacchae brought Water from a Rock, by striking it with their Thyrsus, and the Country wherever they came flow'd with Milk, Wine, and Honey; so the Land of Can••••n, into which Moses conducted the Israe∣lites, not only flowed with Milk and Honey, but with Wine also: as appears from that no∣ble Bunch of Grapes, which two Men carried upon a Staff betwixt them, (Numb. 13.) 8. Bacchus dryed up the Rivers Orontes and Hydaspes,* 1.256 by striking them with his Thyrsus, and passed through them, as Moses passed thro' the Red Sea. 9. It is said also, that a little I∣vy stick,* 1.257 thrown down by one of the Bacchae upon the Ground, crept like a Dragon, and twisted itself about an Oak. And 10. That the Indians once were all covered with Dark∣ness, whilst those Bacchae enjoyed a perfect Day. Nonnius. Vossius apud Bochart in Chan.
From whence you may collect,* 1.258 that the anti∣ent Inventors of Fables, have borrowed many things from the Holy Scriptures, to patch up their Conceits. Thus Homer says that Bacchus wrestled with Pallene, to whom he yielded, like the Story of the Angel wrestling with Iacob. In like manner Pausanias reports, that the Greeks at Troy found an Ark which was sacred to Bacchus; which when Euripilus had opened, and viewed the Statue of Bacchus laid therein, he was presently struck with Madriess. For this is taken from the Second Book of Kings, where the Bethshemites were destroyed by God, because they looked with too much curiosity into the Ark of the Cove∣nant.
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Again,* 1.259 Bacchus was angry with the Athenians because they despised his Solemni∣ties, and received them not with due respect when first they were brought by Pegasus 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Boeotia into Attica. He afflicted them, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 says, with a grievous Disease in the Secret Parts, for which there was no Cure, till by the ad∣vice of the Oracle they performed the Reve∣rences due to the God, and erected Phallo's that is, Images of the afflicted Parts, to hi•• Honour: whence the Feasts and Sacrifice•• called Phallica, were yearly celebrated among the Athenians.* 1.260 Is one Egg more like another than this Fable is like the History of the Phi∣listines? whom God punished with the E••∣rods, for their Irreverence to the Ark; an•• when they consulted the Diviners thereupon, they were told that they could no ways be cu∣red unless they made Golden Images of Em∣rods, and consecrated them to God.
WINE, and its Effects are understood in this Fable of Bacchus. Let us be∣gin with Bacchus's Birth. When I imagine Bacchus in Iupiters Thigh, and Iupiter limp∣ing therewith, it brings to my mind the I••mage of a Man that is burthened and over••come with Drink; who not only halts, b••••reels and stumbles, and madly rushes where••ever the force of the Wine carries him.
Was Bacchus taken out of the Body of his Mother Semele in the midst of Thunder and Lightning? So is the Wine drawn from the Butt attended with Quarrels, and Fighting, and Noise.
Bacchus was educated by the Naiades, Nymphi of the Rivers and Fountains, which may di∣rect Men to dilute their Wine with Water.
But Bacchus is an eternal Boy. And do not the oldest Men become Children by too much Drink? Does not Excess deprive us of that Reason that distinguishes Men from Boys?
Bacchus is naked, as is he who hath lost his Senses by Drinking.* 1.261 He cannot dissemble, he cannot hide any thing. In vino veritas, the Wine speaks truth; ••opens all the Secrets of the Mind and Body too; witness Noah.
Bacchus is horned, according to Ovid. Epist. Sapph.
Accedant capits cornua, Bacchus eris. Cornuted be thy Crest and Bacchus thou shalt be.And let the Poet decide whether Bacchus makes fewer horned than Venus.
Cura fugit multo, diluiturque mero.* 1.262 Full bowls or chase or else dissolve our cares. Tuuc veniunt risus, tunc pauper cornua sumit. Then enters mirth, and th' Beggar grows a King.That is, Wine creates a Boldness, a Forward∣ness,* 1.263 and Fierceness even in poor People. I know very well that ••ome say,* 1.264 that Bacchus was horned, because formerly the Cups were Horn; whence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, poculum, quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, is derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, cornu.
He is crowned with Ivy, because that Plant (being always green and flourishing, and as it were young) by its natural coolness asswa∣ges the heat occasioned by too much Wine.
He is both a young and an old Man, be∣cause as a moderate quantity of Wine increa∣ses the Strength of the Body, so excess of Wine destroys it.
Women only celebrate the Sacrifices of Bacchus; and of them only those who are en∣raged, and entoxicated, and abandon them∣selves to all sorts of Wickedness. According∣ly Wine effeminates the most masculine minds, and disposes them to Luxury. It begets ••••∣ger, and stirs them up to madness; and there∣fore Lions and Tyg••es draw the Chariot of Bacchus.
The Men and Women both celebrate the Bacchanalia in Masques. It is well that they be ashamed of their Faults. Their Modesty hath not quite left them; some remains of it are yet hid under those Disguises, lest they should be utterly oppressed by the Impudence of ill Words and Actions. And does not VVine mask and disguise us strangely? Does it not make Men Beasts; and turn one into a Lion, another into a Bear, another into a Swine, or an Ass?
I had almost forgot to tell you, that Bacchus is sometimes merry, and sometimes sad and morose. For indeed what cherishes the Heart of Man so much us Wine? What more delight∣fully refreshes the Spirits of the mind, than that natural Nectar, that divine Medicine, which when we have taken
Tunc dolor,* 1.265 & curae, rugaque frontis abest. Then far away are banisht griefs and fears, No thoughtful wrinkle in the face appears.
The Vine is so beneficial to this Life, that in vite vitam hominis esse diceres; and therefore many say, that the Happiness of one consists in the Enjoyment of the other. But do not consider, that if Wine be the Cradle of Life, yet it is the Grave of the Reason: for if Men do constantly sail in the Red Sea of Claret, their Souls are oftimes drowned therein. It blinds them, and leaves them under Darkness, especially when it begins to draw the Sparkles and little Stars from their Eyes. Then the Body being drowned in Drink, the Mind floats, or else is stranded: thus too great love of the Vine is pernicious to Life; for from it come more Faults than Grapes, and it breeds more Mischiefs than Clusters. Would you see an instance of the truth of what you read, observe a drunken Man: O Beast! See how his Head totters, his Hams sink, his Feet fail, his Hands tremble, his Mouth froths, his Cheeks are flabby, his Eyes sparkle and wa∣ter, his Words are unintelligible, his Tongue falters and stops, his Throat sends forth a nasty loathsom stench; but what do I do? It is not my Business now to tell Truths, but Fables.
AS far as I see, we must tarry in thi•• place all night.
Do not fear it; for I shall not say so much of the other Gods as I have said of Bacchus. And especially Mars, whose Image is next, I hope will not keep us so long.
Do you call him Mars, that is so fierce and sowr in his look? Terror is every where in his looks as well as in his d••ess; and he is drawn by a pair of Horses, in a Chariot gui∣ded by I know not what mad Woman. He is covered with Armour, and brandisheth a Spear in his Right Hand, as though he breath∣ed Fire and Death, and threatned every Bo∣dy with Ruin and Destruction.
It is Mars himself, the God of War•• whom I have often seen also on Horseback, in a formidable manner, with a Whip and a Spear together. But that you may understand every thing in that Picture; observe, that the Creatures which draw the Chariot are not Horses, but Fear and Terror, Discord goes be∣fore them in tatter'd Garments, and Cla•••••• and Anger go behind. Yet some say that Fear and Terror are Servants to Mars. Hear how imperiously he commands them. Claud. in Ruf.
Fer galeam Bellona mihi, nexusque rotarum Tende Pavor; fraena rapidos Formido jugales. My Helmet let Bellona bring, Terror my traces fit, And panick Fear do thou the rapid Driver sit.As soon as they receive his Orders. Virgil. Aen. l. 8.
Where is that Bellona?* 1.266
It is Bellona who drives the Chariot. The Goddess of War,* 1.267 the Companion of Mars; or as others say, his Sister, or Wife, or both. She prepares for him his Chariot and Horses when he goes to fight. It is plain that she is called Bellona, from Bellum. She is otherwise called Duellona from Duellum, or from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Needle, whereof she is said to be the Inventress. Her Priests, the Bellona∣••ii, sacrificed to her in their own Blood: Se∣ctisque humeris, says Lactantius, & utraque ma∣nu districtos gladios exerentes,* 1.268 currunt offeruntur, insaniunt. Cutting their Shoulders, and holding out drawn Swords in both their hands, they run and are transported and mad;* 1.269 and People thought, that, after the Sacrifice was ended, they were able to foretel future Events. Clau¦dian
introduces Bellona combing Snakes.* 1.270 A∣nother describes her thus.
Ipsa facem quatiens, & flavam sanguine multo Sparsa comam, medias acies Bellona pererrat. Stridit tartareae nigro sub pectore Divae Lethiferum murmur. Her torch Bellona waving through the Air, Sprinkles with clotted gore her flaming Hair, And through both Armies up and down does fly, Whilst from her horrid breast Tisiphone A deadly murmur se••ds.
Before the Temple of this Goddess there stood a Pillar called Bellica,* 1.271 over which the Herald threw a Spear, when he proclaimed War.
MARS is said to be the Son of Iupiter and Iuno;* 1.272 tho according to Ovid's Story,* 1.273 he is the Child of Iuno only. For says he, when Iuno did admire how it was possi∣ble that her Husband Iupiter had conceived Minerva, and begot her himself, without the concurrence of a Mother. (as we shall see in the Account of Minerva) When her a∣masement ceased; she being desirous of per∣forming the like, went to Oceanus to ask his Advice; whether she could have a Child with∣out her Husbands concurrence: she was tired in her Journey, and sat down at the Door of the Goddess Flora; who understanding the
Occasion of her Journey, desired her to be of good Heart, for she had in her Garden a Flower, and if she did only touch it with the tips of her fingers, the smell of it would make her conceive a Son presently. So Iuno was carried into the Garden, the Flower shown her, she touched it, and conceived Mars; who afterwards took to Wife Ner••o,* 1.274 or Nerione; (which Word in the Sabine Language signifies Virtus and Robur;) and from her the Claudian Family formerly derived the Name of Nero.
HE is called Mars, quod maribus in bello praesit;* 1.275 because he presides over the Men in War: as likewise Mavors by the Poets, quod magna vertat, because he manages great things.
He is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in Greek;* 1.276 either from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, tollere; Or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, interficere: O says Sui∣das, from a not,* 1.277 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to speak: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, because in War deeds not words are necessary.* 1.278 But from whatsoever words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is derived, it is certain those fa∣mous Names Areopagus and Areopagita, are derived from it. The Areopagus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (that is, the Hill or Mount of Mars) was a place at Athens, in which, when Mars was accused of Murther and Incest, as tho he had kild Halirothius, Neptunes Son, and debauch'd his Daughter Alcippa: he was forced to de∣fend himself in a Tryal before Twelve Gods,
and was acquitted by Six Voices: from which time that place became a Court wherein were tryed Capital Causes, and the things belong∣ing to Religion. The Areopagitae were the Judges,* 1.279 whose Integrity and good Credit was so great, that no Person could be admitted into their Society, unless when he deliver'd in publick an Account of all his Life past, he was found in every part thereof blameless. And that the Lawyers, who pleaded, might not blind the Eyes of the Judges by the Charms of Eloquence, they were obliged to plead their Causes without any Ornament of Speech; if they did otherwise, they were immediately commanded to be silent. And lest they should be moved to Compassion by seeing the mise∣rable Condition of the Prisoners, they gave Sentence in the dark, without Lights; not by Words,* 1.280, but in a Paper: whence arose the Proverb of Areopagita taciturnior, one that speaks little or nothing.
His Name Gradivus comes à gradiendo, from marching; or from brandishing the Spear, which in Greek is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
He is called Quirinus,* 1.281 from Curis or Quiris, signifying a Spear: whence comes Securis, quasi Semicuris, a piece of a Spear. And this Name was afterward attributed to Romulus, because he was esteemed the Son of Mars; from whom the Romans were called Quirites. Gravidus is the Name of Mars when he rages;* 1.282 and Quirinus, when he is quiet. And accord∣ingly there were two Temples at Rome dedi∣cated to him;* 1.283 one within the City which was
dedicated to Mars Quirinus, the Keeper of the Cities Peace; the other without the City, near the Gate, to Mars Gradivus, the Warri∣our, and the Defender of the City against all outward Enemies.
The antient Latins applyed to him the Title of Salisubsulus,* 1.284 or Dancer, from salio, because his Temper is very inconstant and uncertain, inclining sometimes to this side, and some∣times to that in Wars: whence we say,* 1.285 Mar∣tem belli communem esse, that the issue of Battels is uncertain, and the Chance dubious. But we must not think that Mars is the only God of War;* 1.286 for Bellona, Victoria, Sol, Luna and Pluto, use to be reckoned in the number of Martial Deities. It was usual with the Lace∣demonians to shackle the Feet of the Image of Mars, that he should not fly from them: and amongst the Romans, the Priests, Salii, were instituted to look after the Sacrifices of Mars, and go about the City dancing with their Shields.
He was called Enyalius,* 1.287 from Enyo, id est, Bellona, and by other the like Names; but it is not worth my time to insist upon them longer.
IT is strange that the Poets relate only one Action of this terrible God, which deser∣ved to be concealed in darkness, if the light
of the Sun had not discovered it; and if a good Kernel was not contained in a bad Shell Every body knows the Story of Mars and Venus's Adultery;* 1.288 (from whence Hermione, a Tutelar Deity, according to Plutarch, was born) thus Ovid says,
Fabula narratur, toto notissima coelo, Mulciberis, capti Marsque Venusque dolis. The Tale is told thro Heav'n far and wide, How Mars and Venus were by Vulcan ty'd.
When Sol discovered them both, he told it to Vulcan, Venus's Husband: who thereupon made a Net of Iron, whose links were so small and slender, that it was invisible; and spread it over the Bed of Venus. By and by the Lovers return to their Sport; and were caught in the Net. Vulcan calls all the Gods together to the Shew,* 1.289 who jeered them ex∣tremely. After they had long been expo∣sed to the Jests and the Hisses of the Compa∣ny, Vulcan, at the request of Neptune, unlooses their Chains, and gives them their Liberty. But Alectryon, Mars's Favourite, suffered the Punishment that his Crime deserved; because when he was appointed to watch he fell asleep, and so gave Sol an opportunity to slip into the Chamber. Therefore Mars changed him into a Cock, a Bird of his own Name, in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Which to this day is so mindful of his old Fault, that he constantly gives no∣tice of the Approach of the Sun by his Crow∣ing.
LET us explain this Fable. Indeed when a Venus is married to a Vulcan, that is, a very handsom Lady to a very ugly Man, it is a great occasion of Adultery. But nei∣ther can that Dishonesty, nor any other, es∣cape the knowledge of the Sun of Righteousness, although it be done in the obscurest Darkness; though it be with the utmost care guarded by the trustiest Pimps in the World; tho they be committed in the privatest Retirement and concealed with the greatest a••••, they will all at one time be exposed to both the Infernal and Celestial Regions, in the brightest Light: when the Offenders shall be set in the midst, bound by the Chains of their Consciences by that faln Vulcan, who is the Instrument of the Terrors of the true. Iupiter; and then they shall hear and suffer the Sentence that was formerly threatned to David in this Life, Thou didst this thing secretly, but I will raise up evil against thee, in the sight of all Israel, and before the Sun: 2 Sam. 12. 12.
But let us return again to Mars, or rather to the Son of Mars, Tereus; who learnt Wick∣edness from his Fathers Example, as a bad Father makes a bad Child, says the Proverb.
TEreus was the Son of Mars,* 1.290 begotten of the Nymph Bistonis. He married Progne the Daughter of Pandion, King of Athens, when he himself was King of Thrace. This Progne had a Sister called Philomela, a Virgin: in Modesty and Beauty inferior to none. She lived with her Father at Athens. Progne being desirous to see her Sister, asked Tereus to fetch Philo∣mela to her; he comply'd, and went to Athens and brought Philomela with her Fathers leave to Progne. Upon this Occasion, Tereus falls in love with Philomela to distraction; and as they travell'd together, because she re∣fused him, he overpower'd her, and cut out her Tongue, and threw her into a Goal. And returning afterwards to his Wife, pre∣tended with the greatest Assurance, that Phi∣lomela died in her Journey; and that his Story might appear true, he shed many Tears, and put on Mourning. But Philomela, though she was dumb, found out a way to tell her Sister the villany of Tereus.
—Grande doloris Ingenium est, miserisque venit solertia rebus. Desire of Vengeance makes th' Invention quick, When miserable, help with craft we seek.She describes the Story of the Violences which she had received from Tereus, as well as she could, in Embroidery, and sends the Work
folded up to her Sister; who no sooner view'd it but she boiled with rage.
Et (mirum potuisse) silet; dolor ora repressit, Varbaque quaerenti satis indignantia linguae Defuerant, nec flere vacat, sed fasque nefasque Confusura ruit, poenaeque in imagine tota est. She held her peace, 'twas strange, grief struck her mute. No language could with such a passion sute: Nor had she time to weep. Right, wrong were mix'd In her fell thoughts, her soul on vengeance fix'd.Then she hastned to her Sister, and brought her home without Tereus's knowledge. Whilst she meditated revenge, her young Son Itys came and embraced his Mother: but she car∣ried him aside into the remote parts of the House,
Et mater, mater, clamantem & colla petentem, Ense ferit: —He Mother, Mother, cries, And on her clings, whilst by her Sword he dyes.When she had kild him, she cut him into pie∣ces, and dressed the Flesh, and gave it Tereus for Supper.
Vescitur, inque suam sua viscera congerit alvum. —does eat, And his own Flesh and Blood does make his meat.And when Tereus sent for his Son Itys, says Progne,
Intus habes, quod poscis, ait. Circumspicit ill•• Atque ubi sit, quaerit: quaerenti, iterumque vo∣canti,
Prosiluit, Ityosque caput Philomela cruentum Misit in ora patris. Thou hast, said she, within thee thy desire. He looks about, asks where. And while again He asks and calls, all bloody with the slain Forth like a Fury Philomela flew, And at his Face the Head of Itys threw.Tereus incensed with rage, rush'd on them both with his drawn Sword; but they flew away, and Fear added Wings to their flight; so that Progne became a Swallow, and Philomela a Nightingale. Fury gave Wings to Tereus him∣self: he was changed into a Hoopo••, (Upupa) which is one of the filthiest of all Birds. The Gods out of Pity changed Itys into a Pheasant.
TO Mars were Sacrificed the Wolf for his Fierceness;* 1.291 the Horse for his usefulness in VVar; the VVoodpecker and the Vultu••, for their Ravenousness; the Cock for his Vi∣gilance, which Virtue Soldiers ought chiefly to have. And Grass; because it grows in Towns that the VVar leaves without an In∣habitant; and is thought to come up the thick∣er in such places as have been irrigated with human Blood.
Amongst the most ancient Rites belonging to Mars, I do not know a more memorable one than the following. Qui Belli alicujus sus∣ceperit curam (says Servius) Sacrarium Martis
ingressus, primò Ancilia commovebat post hastam simulacri ipsius; dicens, Mars, Vigila. Whoever had undertook the Business of any War, he went into the Vestry of the Temple of Mars; and first stirred the Ancilia, (which were a sort of holy Shields) afterwards the Spear of the Image of Mars it self; and said, Mars, Watch.
YOU have viewed the Five Celestial Gods; now look upon the Celestial Goddesses that follow them there in order. ••irst observe Iuno carried in a Golden Cha∣••iot,* 1.292 which is drawn by Peacocks; She is ••dorned with a Crown beset with Roses and ••ilies; nor is her Scepter less beautiful. For ••he is the Queen of the Gods.
—Iovisque Et soror & conjux:* 1.293••he Sister and Wife too of Jupiter, and the Daugh∣••er of Saturn by Ops. She was born in the Island ••amos; where she lived till she was Married.
Really she seems very august. How ••right, how majestical, how charming is that ••ace, how comely are her Shapes? How well ••oes a Scepter become those Hands, and a Crown that Head? How tempting and ra∣••ishing are the Beauty of her Smile, and the
Gracefulness of her Breasts? Her Presence is generous and fine. Her Dress the same. She is full of Majesty, and worthy of Admiration. But what pretty Damsel is that which stands near her, as if she were her Servant.
It is Iris,* 1.294 the Daughter of Thaumas and Electra, and Sister to the Harpyae. She is Iuno's Messenger,* 1.295 as Mercury is Iupiter's: tho Iupiter and the other Gods, the Furies, nay sometimes Men have sent her on a Message.* 1.296 Because of her swiftness she is painted with Wings,* 1.297 riding upon her Rainbow:* 1.298 as Ovid says.* 1.299
Effugit, & remeat per quos, modò venerat, arcus. By the same Bow she went she soon returns.
It is her Office besides to unloose the Souls of Women from the Chains of the Body, as Mercury unlooses the Mens. We have an ex∣ample of this in Dido, who laid violent Hands on her self; for when she was almost dead.
Tum Iuno omnipotens longum miserata dolorem Difficilesque obitus,* 1.300 Irim demisit Olympo, Quae luctantem animam, nexosque resolveretartus. Ergo Iris croceis per coelum roscida pennis, Mille trahens varios adverso sole colores, Devolat, & supra caput astitit. Hunc ego Diti Sacrum jussa fero, teque isto corpore solvo: Sic ait, & dextrâ crinem secat, omnis & unâ Dilapsus calor, atque in ventos vita recessis.But Juno, who her Misery bemoan'd, And lingring Death, sent Iris from the Pole, To loose Lifes Bonds, and free her strugling Soul•• Since neither Death deserv'd, nor Doom of Fates, But sudden rage her Time anticipates;
Nor Proserpine her Golden Hair did take, Dooming her Head down to the Stygian Lake. From Heaven then dewy Rose wing'd Iris flew, And with Sun-Beams a thousand Colors drew: When hovering near, I bear this second Charge To Pluto's Court, and thee from Flesh inlarge. With her Right Hand, thus saying she cuts her Hair, And vital Breath mix'd with Aetherial Air.
But herein Iris differs from Mercury;* 1.301 for whereas he is sent both from Heaven and from Hell, she is sent from Heaven only. He oftentimes was employed in Messages of Peace, whence he was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Peace-maker:* 1.302 But Iris always was sent to promote Strife and Dissention: so that Servius says, she was called Iris, quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. Contention, the Goddess of Discord: tho others rather think that she is called so, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to speak.
WHAT Children had Iuno by Iu∣piter?
Altho some write that Hebe was the Child of Iuno alone,* 1.303 in this manner; Before Iuno had any Chil∣dren: she eat some wild Lettices, set before her at a Feast in Iupiters House, being on sud∣dain Bigbellyed she brought forth Hebe: who for her extraordinary Beauty was by Iupiter made Goddess of Youth: and had the office of Cupbearer to Iupiter given her. But when by an
unlucky unhappy fall she made all the Guests laugh: Iupiter was enraged, and turned her out from her Office, and put Ganimede in her stead.
Which was Iuno's most notorious fault.
I will give one or two of the many instances of it. Iupiter loved Iö the Daughter of Inachus: and enjoy'd her. When Iuno observed Iupiter to be absent from Hea∣ven, she justly suspected that the pursuit of his Amours was the cause of his absence. There∣fore she immediately flew down to the Earth after him, and luckily found the very place where Iupiter and Iö entertain'd themselves in private. As soon as Iupiter perceived her coming, fearing a Chiding: he turned the young Lady into a white Cow. Iuno seeing the Cow, asked, whose she was, and from what Bull she came. Says Iupiter, she was born of a sudden out of the Earth. The cun∣ning Goddess suspecting the Matter, desired the Cow, which Iupiter could not refuse, lest he should encrease her Suspition. So Iuno taking the Cow.
—Servandum tradidit Argo Centum luminibus cinctum caput Argos habebat,* 1.304 Inde suis vicibus, capiebant bina quietem: Caetera servabat, atque in statione manebant. Constiterat quocunque laco, spectabat ab Iö, Ante oculos Iö, quamvis aversus, habebat. —The Goddess then to Argus streight convey'd Her gift, and him the watchful Keeper made. Argus's Head an hundred eyes possest, And only two at once declined to rest:
The others watch'd and in a constant round, Refreshment in alternate courses found. Where'r he turn'd he always Iö viewd', Iö he saw tho she behind him stood.
Besides her troublesom confinement; she was forced to eat insipid Leaves and bitter Herbs: Which hardship Iupiter could not endure to see. Wherefore he sent Mercury to Argus, to set Iö free. Mercury under the disguise of a Shepherd came to Argus, and with the Musick of his Pipe lulled him asleep: and then cut off his Head.
—Centumque oculos nox occupat una, Excipit hos, volucrisque suae Saturnia pennis Collocat, & gemina caudam stellantibus implet. There Argus lies; and all that wondrous Light Which gave his hundred Eyes their useful sight Lies buried now in one Eternal Night. But Juno that she might his Eyes retain. Soon fix'd them in her gaudy Peacocks Train.
For Iuno hereupon turned Argus into a Pea∣cock, and scattered his hundred Eyes about the Tail of that Bird. And she committed Iö to the Furies to be tormented. And being driven into Aegypt she prayed to Iupiter to be restored to her pristin Form, and her Request granted, she thenceforth took the Name of Isis, the Goddess of the Aegyptians, and was worshipped with Divine Honour.
Iuno gave another clear mark of her Jea∣lousie.* 1.305 For when her Anger against Iupiter was so violent, that nothing could pacifie her; King Cithaeron advised Iupiter to pretend that he was about to take another Wife.* 1.306 The Con∣trivance
pleased him, wherefore he takes an Oaken Image dressed very fine, and puts it into a Chariot: and declares publickly, that he was about to marry Plataea the Daughter of Aesopus. The Report spread, and came to Iuno's Ears: who immediately running thither, fell furiously upon the Image, and tore all the Cloaths, till she discovered the Jest: and laughing very much, she was reconciled to her Husband: and from the King Cithaeron, the Adviser of the Artifice, she was afterwards called Citheronia. The rest of the most consi∣derable of her Names, follow:
ANthia,* 1.307 i. e. Florida, Flowry, Pausanias mentions her Temple.
Argiva from the People Argivi, amongst whom the Sacrifices, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 were celebrated to her Honor; in which an Hecatomb, that is, an Hundred Oxen were sacrificed to her; They made her Image of Gold and Ivory; holding a Pomegranate in one Hand,* 1.308 and a Scepter in the other: upon the top of which stood a Cuckow; because Iupiter changed himself into that Bird, when he loved her.
Bunaea,* 1.309 from Buno the Son of Mercury, who built a Temple to this Goddess at Corinth.
Calendaris (from the old Word Calo,* 1.310 to call,) for she was called upon by the Priests
upon the first days of every Month: which Days are thence called Calendae.
Caprotina.* 1.311 Her Festival was observed by Maid-servants, upon the Nones of Iuly, which on the same day with several Free Women,* 1.312 sacrificed to Iuno under a Wild Fig-tree (Caprificus) in memory of that extraordinary Virtue, which guided the Maid-Servants of Rome to those Counsels, which did preserve the Honour of the Roman Name. For after the City was taken and the Gallick tumults quieted; the Borderers having an oportunity almost to oppress the Romans who had already suffered so much. They sent an Herald to tell the Romans, that if they desired to save the remainder of their City from Ruin, they must send all their Wives and Daughters. The Senate being strangely distracted hereat: a Maid-servant, whose name was Philotis or Iutela, telling her design to the Senate; took with her several other Maid-servants, dressed them like Mistres∣ses of Families and like Virgins, and went with them to the Enemy. Livy the Dictator dis∣persed them about the Camp; and they inci∣ted the Men to Drink much, because they said that was a Festival day: The Wine made the Souldiers Sleep soundly: whereupon a Sign being given from a Wild Fig-Tree; the Ro∣mans came and slew all the Souldiers. The Ro∣mans were not forgetful of this great Service, for they made all these Maid-servants Free•• and gave them Portions out of the Publick Trea∣sury: they ordered that the Day should be called Nonae Caprotinae, from that Wild Fig-Tree
from whence they had the sign: and they ordered an anniversary Sacrifice, to Iuno Caprotina, to be celebrated under a Wild Fig-Tree, the Juice of which was mix'd with the Sacrifices in memory of this Action.
Curis or Curitis,* 1.313 from her Spear, called Curis in the Language of the old Sabines. The Matrons were understood to be under her Guardianship. Whence, says Plutarch, the Spear is sacred to her,* 1.314 and many of her Statues lean upon Spears, and she her self is called Quiritus and Curitis. Hence springs the custom that the Bride combs her Hair with hasta celibari, a Spear taken out of the body of a dead Gladiator.
Cinxia,* 1.315 from Cingulum the Girdle, which the Bride wore when about to Marry; for this Girdle was unloosed with Iuno's good leave, who was thought the Patroness of Marriages.
Domiduca and Interduca, à ducenda uxore in domum maritis,* 1.316 from bringing home the Bride to her Husband's House.
Egeria,* 1.317 quòd eam partui egerendo opitulari cre∣derent: because she assisted, as they believed, to the Facility of the Birth.
Februalis,* 1.318 Februata, Februa, or Februla, be∣cause they sacrificed to her in the Month of February. Her Festival was celebrated upon the same Day with the Lupercalia, when the Luperci,* 1.319 the Priests of Pan, the God of Shepherds, running naked through the City, and striking the Hands and Bellies of Breeding Women with Iuno's Cloak,* 1.320 that is, the Skin of a Goat, februabant eas, purified them: and they thought that this ceremony caused to the Women Fruit∣fulness,
and easie Labors. All sorts of purga∣tions in any Sacrifice were called Februa: And the Animals sacrificed to Iuno were a white Cow,* 1.321 a Swine, and a Sheep.* 1.322 The Goose also and the Peacock were sacred to her.
Fluonia, quòd fluoribus menstruis adest: be∣cause she assisted them in their Courses.
Hoplosmia, that is, armed compleatly, she was Worshipped at Elis:* 1.323 and from hence Iu∣piter is called Hoplosmius.
Iuga,* 1.324 and in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from jugum and conjugium, because she is the Goddess of Mar∣riages. A street in Rome where her Altar stood was called Iugarius from thence. And anciently People used to enter into the Iugum, the Yoke of Marriage at the Altar: she is also by some called Socigena, quod nubentes associet.
Lacinia,* 1.325 from the Temple Lacinium, built and dedicated to her by Lacinius.
Lucina and Lucelia is either à luco, the Grove,* 1.326 in which she had a Temple; or from luce, the Light of this World, into which Infants are brought by her. Ovid comprises both these Significations of Lucina in a Distich.* 1.327
Gratia Lucinae: dedit haec tibi nomina Lucus, Vel quia principium, tu Dea, lucis habes. Lucina, hail, so nam'd from thy own Grove, Or from the Light thou giv'st us from above.
Moneta,* 1.328 either because she gives wholesome Counsel (Salutaria monita) to those who consult her, or because she was believed to be the Goddess of Money.
Nuptialis, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, And when they Sacri∣ficed to her under this Name, they took the
Gall out of the Victims, and cast it behind the Altar: to signifie, that there ought to be no Gall or Anger betwixt those who are married together.* 1.329
Opigena, because she gives help (opem) to Women in labour.
Parthenos;* 1.330 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Virgin or Virginity. Pausanias tells us that she was called so from hence. There was a Fountain amongst the Argivi, called Canathus; where Iuno washing herself every year, was thought to recover her Virginity anew.
Perfecta,* 1.331 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, for Marriage is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and married people 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, when therefore she married Iupiter, she became 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is perfecta and adulta.* 1.332
Populona or Populonia, because people pray to her, or because they are procreated from marriage, of which she is Goddess.
And for the same Reason she was called Pronuba:* 1.333 neither indeed were any marriages lawful, unless Iuno was first called upon.
Regina, Queen, thus she calls her self, in Virgil, Aen. 1.
Ast ego, quae Divûm, in coelo Regina, Iovisque Et Soror, & Conjux. Whilst I, Heaven's Queen, Sister and Wife to Jove.
Sospita, à sospitando: because all the Wo∣men were supposed to be under her Safe-guard:* 1.334 every one of which had a Iuno, as every Man had a Genius.
Unxia was another, ah unguendo: for the Posts of the Door were anointed;* 1.335 where a new married Couple lived, whence the Wife was called Uxor, quasi Unxor.
IF we heed Varro's account, by Iuno was signified the Earth, and by Iupiter the Heavens: by the Marriage of which two, that is, by the Commixtion of the Influences of the Heavens with the Vapours of the Earth, all things almost are generated.
But if we believe the Stoicks, Iuno is the Air:* 1.336 thus the Greek words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 have an af∣finity and likeness. Qui interjectus inter coelum & terram; Iunonis nomine consecratus est,* 1.337 says Tully; which lying betwixt the Earth and the Heaven is consecrated by the Name of Juno. Iuno is called Iupiters Wife, because the Air being naturally cold is warmed by Iupiter,* 1.338 that is, by Fire, She is called Aeria, because she is from the Air it self or rules in the Air. And hence arises the story that Iuno is bound by Iupiter with Golden Chains, Iron Anvils being hung at her feet. Hereby the Ancients signified, that the Air was naturally more like Fire, yet it was sometimes mingled with Earth and Water the heaviest Elements.* 1.339
I must not omit that every Woman had a Iuno. as every Man had a Genius: which were their tutelar or guardian Angels.
THis is a threatning Goddess. She de∣nounces Terror altogether.
It is Minerva, who derives her Name, as some think, from Minae, the Threats of her stern and fierce Look.
But why is she Cloathed with Armour, rather than with Womens Cloaths; What means that Headpiece of Gold, and the Crests that glitter so?* 1.340 To what purpose has she a Gol∣den Breast-Plate, and a Lance in her Right Hand, and a terrible Shield in her Left Hand: on which Shield I see a Grisly Head beset with Snakes, which she holds? And what means the Cock and the Owl, that are painted there?
I will satisfie all your demands. She ought to be Armed rather than dressed in Womens Cloaths, because she is the President and Inventress of War.* 1.341 The Cock is sacred to her, because it is a fighting Bird, and is often painted sitting upon her Headpiece; as is the Owl, of which by and by. But as for that Head looking so formida∣ble with Snakes, she not only carries upon the Shield, but sometimes also in the midst of her Breast: it is the Head of Medusa, one of the
••orgones. Virgil writes thus concerning it.
Aegidaque horrificum,* 1.342 turbatae Palladis arma, Certatim squammis serpentem, auroque polibat; Connexosque angues, ipsamque in pectore Divi Gorgona, desecto vertentem lumina collo. These angry Pallas dreadful Target mold, And wrought her Arms with Dragons Scales and Gold. This Gorgon's Head with twisted Serpents plies, Rolling in Deaths Convulsions dying Eyes.••ut you do not observe, I believe, an Olive Crown upon the Head of this Goddess.
It escaped my notice. Nor do I yet see, ••hy the Goddess of War should be Crowned ••ith an Olive, which is an Emblem of Peace. ••or I remember I have read in Virgil.
Paciferaeque manu ramum praetendit Olivae. And in her hand a Branch of peaceful Olive bears.* 1.343
Now, for that very reason, because it is ••he Emblem of Peace,* 1.344 it ought to be attributed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Goddess of War. For War is only made, ••at Peace may follow. Tho there is another ••eason too why she wears the Olive. For she ••rst taught Mankind the use of that Plant: ••hen Cecrops built a new City. Neptune and Minerva contended about the name of that City: it was resolved that whichsoever of the ••wo Deities found out the most useful Creature •• Man, should give the name to the City. Neptune brought a Horse, and Minerva caused ••n Olive to spring out of the Earth, which was ••dged a more useful Creature for Man than ••he Horse: therefore Minerva named the City, ••nd called it Athenae, after her own Name, in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
HIstory mentions five Minerva's.* 1.345 We sha•• speak but of that one which was born 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Iupiter, and to whom the rest are referre•• P. But how was she born? M. I will tell yo•• if you do not know; tho it is ridiculous. Whe•• Iupiter saw that his Wife Iuno was Barren•••• thro greif struck his Forehead, and after Thre•• Months brought forth Minerva;* 1.346 from whence as some say, she was called Tritonia qua•••• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.* 1.347 Vulcan was his Midwife, who ope∣ning his Brain with the Blow of an Hatche•• was amazed,* 1.348 when he saw an armed Virag•• leaping out of the Brain of her Father, instea•• of a tender little naked Girl, as Ovid spea•• of Minerva.
—De capitis fertur sine matre paterni Vertice, cum clypeo prosiluisse suo: Out of her Father's Scull, as they report, Without a Mother, all in Arms, leapt forth.
Some have said, that Iupiter conceived th•••• Daughter, when he had devoured Metis, one o•• his Wives;* 1.349 and with that Me••t he presently grew big, and brought forth the armed Palla••
They say besides,* 1.350 that it rained Gold in the Island of Rhodes, when Minerva was born•• Which observation Claudian makes.
Auratos Rhodiis imbres, nascente Minerva, Induxisse Iovem ferunt. At Pallas Birth great Jupiter, we're told, Bestrew'd the Rhodians with a Shower of Gold••
LET us first examin whence the Names Minerva and Pallas are derived.
Minerva,* 1.351 says Cicero, is derived from hence, quòd vel minuit, vel minuatur. And it is very true, being the Goddess of War, she diminishes the Number of Men,* 1.352 and deprives both Fa∣milies of their Heads, and Cities of their Mem∣bers. But it may be derived from Minae, as I said before; because her Looks threaten Vio∣lence, and strike the Beholders with Terror. You may derive it too from monere, her good Admonitions,* 1.353 because she is the Goddess of Wis∣dom. She is Wisdom it self in the common esteem; whence comes the common Proverb, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.354 Sus Minervam; which Proverb is spoken of Men who would teach those that are wiser than themselves. And from this Name of Minerva comes Minerval, or Mi∣nervale, in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifying the Sala∣ry that is given by the Scholars to the Masters.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greek, is by some derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to suck or suckle by the Breast; for she never sucked the Breast; because she was born out of her Father's Head in full strength, and was therefore call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Motherless. Plato thinks she was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.355 quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, skilful in Divine Affairs. Others from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.356 to be enslaved, be∣cause no Philosopher or Student in Wisdom is
obnoxious to Servitude; according to the Sen∣tence of the Stoicks in Tully, Liberum esse ne∣minem,* 1.357 nisi sapientem. The Philosopher, or the wise Man, is the only Free-Man.
Pallas is derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.358 the Bran∣dishing of her Spear, which Minerva does in War; or from a certain Giant called Pallas, which she slew; or from the Lake Pallas where she was first seen by Men.
Now we pass to her other Names, and be∣cause a great many of them are insignificant and useless, I will speak of two or three on∣ly; after I have first treated of the Palladium.
The Palladium was an Imge of Pallas, pre∣served in the Castle of the City of Troy; for while the Castle and Temple of Minerva was building, they say this Image fell from Hea∣ven into the Temple, before it was covered with a Roof. This stirred up every bodies Ad∣miration; and when Apollo was consulted, he answered, That the City should be safe so long as that Image remained within the City. Therefore when the Grecians besieged Troy,* 1.359 they found that it was impossible to take the City, unless the Palladium was taken out of it. The business was left to Ulysses and Dio∣medes, who undertook to creep into the City through the Common-Shores, and bring away this fatal Image.* 1.360 When they had performed this, Troy was taken without any difficulty. Some say,* 1.361 it was not lawful for any Person to remove the Palladium, or even to look upon it, Others add,* 1.362 that it was made of Wood, so that it was a wonder how it could move the
Eyes, and shake the Spear. Others on the contrary, report, that it was made of the Bones of Pelops, and sold to the Trojans by the Scy∣thians: That Aeneas recovered it, after it had been taken by the Greeks, from Diomedes, and carried it with him into Italy, where it was laid up in the Temple of Vesta,* 1.363 as a Pledg of the Stability of the Roman Empire, as it had been before a Token of the Security of Troy. And lastly, others write, that there were two Palladiums; one Diomedes took, and another Aeneas carried away with him.
Parthenos,* 1.364 i. e. Virgin, and the Temple at Athens, where she was most religiously wor∣shipped, was called Parthenon. For Minerva, like Vesta and Diana, was a perpetual Virgin, and such a Lover of Chastity, that the depriv∣ed Tiresias of the sight of his Eyes, because he saw her bathing in the Fountain Helicon: But Tiresias's Mother,* 1.365 by her humble Petitions, obtained,* 1.366 that since her own Son had lost the Eyes of his Body, the Sight of his Mind might be brighter and clearer, by having the Art of Prophesie.* 1.367 I know that Ovid assigns another cause of his Blindness; to wit, When Iupiter and Iuno in a merry Dispute made him Judg, because when he killed a She Serpent, he was turned into a Woman, and after seven Years, when he killed a He Serpent, he was again turned into a Man; he pronounced for Iu∣piter, wherefore Iuno deprived him of his sight.
This is another illustrious Instance of the Chastity of Minerva;* 1.368 When Neptune had en∣joyed the beautiful Medusa, (whose Hair was
Gold) in her Temple, she changed into Snakes that Hair which had tempted him; and caus∣ed, that those that looked upon her hereafter, should be turned into Stones.
Her Name of Tritonia is taken from the Lake Triton,* 1.369 where she was educated, upon which Lake thus Lucan writes:
Hanc & Pallas amat, patrio quod vertice nata Terrarum primam Lybien (nam proxima coelo est, Ut probat ipse calor) tetigit, stagnique quietâ Vult••s vidit aquâ, posuitque in margine plantas, Et se dilectâ Tritonida dixit ab undâ. This Pallas loves, born of the Brain of Jove, Who first on Lybia trod: (the heat does prove This Land next Heaven) she standing by the side, Her Face within the quiet water spy'd, And gave her self from the lov'd Pool, a Name, Tritonia.—Or from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which word signifies the Head in the old Boeotian and AEolick Lan∣guage; because she was born there. Yet be∣fore we leave the Lake Triton, let me tell you the Ceremonies that were performed upon the Banks of it, in Honour of Minerva.* 1.370 A great Concourse of People out of all the neighbour∣ing Towns assembled, to see the following Performance: All the Virgins came in several Companies, armed with Clubs and Stones; and a Sign being given, they assaulted each other; she who was first killed, was not e∣steemed a Virgin, and therefore her Body was disgracefully thrown into the Lake; but she, who received the most and the deepest Wounds, and did not give over, was carried
home in Triumph in a Chariot, attended with the Acclamations and Praises of the whole Company.* 1.371
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.372 Operaria, Workwoman; she was thus called by the Samians,* 1.373 her Worshippers; because she invented divers Arts,* 1.374 especially the Art of Spinning, as the Poet teaches us;
—No•• illa colo,* 1.375 calathisque Minervae Foemineas assueta manus. To Pallas Arts her Hands were never train'd.The Distaff is sometimes called Minerva, be∣cause she invented it; as in Virgil. Aen. 8.
Cui tolerare colo vitam tenuique Minerva. By th' Spinsters Trade she gets her Livelyhood.Although Minerva so much excelled all others in spinning; yet Arachne, a young Lady of Lydia, very skilful at spinning, challenged Minerva in this Art; but she was ruined by it; for the Goddess tore her Work, and with a Spoke of the Wheel struck her Forehead.* 1.376
—Frontem percussit Arachnes, Non tulit infelix, laqueoque animosa ligavit Guttura, pendentem Pallas miserata levavit, At{que}ita, Vive quidem, pende tamen improba, dixit. Arachne thrice upon the Forehead smote; Whose great Heart brooks it not; about her Throat A Rope she ties;* 1.377 remorseful Pallas staid Her falling Weight. Live, wretch, yet hang, she said.And afterwards turned her into a Spider.
—Et antiqu••s exercet Aranea telas. And now a Spider turn'd, she still spins on.The Art of Building, especially of Castles, was Minerva's Invention; and therefore she was believed to preside over them.
She is called Musica;* 1.378 because, says Pliny, Dracones in ejus Gorgone ad ictus citharae tin∣nitu resonabant. The Dragons about her Gorgon-Head tingled at the noise of a Harp. But more especially because she first found out the Use of the Pipe; but when she plaid with her Pipe by a River side, and saw her Face in the Wa∣ter, swell'd and deform'd by blowing, she threw it away, saying,
I procul hinc,* 1.379 duxit, non est mihi tibia tanti, Ut vidit vultus, Pallas in amne suos. Away, thou art not so much worth, she cry'd, Dear Pipe; when she her Face i'th' stream espy'd.
Glaucopis,* 1.380 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an Owl; for her Eyes, like the Eyes of an Owl, were grey or sky-colour'd, that is, of a green colour mixed with white. Others think that she was not call'd so from the Colour of her Eyes, but from the Terror and Formidableness of her Mien; for which reason Lions and Dragons are also cal∣led Glauci and Caesii.* 1.381
Pylotis,* 1.382 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Gate; for as Mars his Image was set up in the Suburbs, so her Ef∣figies or Picture was placed on the City Gates or Doors of Houses: whereby they signified, that we ought to use our Weapons abroad to keep the Enemy from entring our Towns; but in the Town we must use the Assistance of Minerva, not of Mars; that is, the State ought to be governed at home by Prudence, Counsel, and Law.
BY this Story of Minerva,* 1.383 the Poets in∣tended to represent Wisdom; that is, true and skilful Knowledge joyn'd with discreet and prudent Practice. They hereby signifyed also, the understanding of the noblest Arts, and the Accomplishments of the Mind, the Virtues, and especially Chastity. Nor indeed without reason; for
1. Minerva is said to be born out of Iupiter's Brain; because the Wit and Ingenuity of Man did not invent the useful Sciences, which for the Use of Man were derived from the Brain of Iupiter; that is, from the inexhausted Foun∣tain of the Divine Wisdom, from whence, not only the Arts and Sciences, but the Blessings of Wisdom and Virtue also proceed.
2. Pallas was born armed;* 1.384 because, a wise Man's Soul being fortified with Wisdom and Virtue is invincible. He is prepar'd and arm'd against Fortune: In Dangers he is intrepid; ••n Crosses unbroken; in Calamities impreg∣nable. Quemadmodum enim non colliquescit Iu∣piter, dum simulacrum ejus liquefit,* 1.385 as Seneca said; Though the Image of Jupiter sweats in ill weather, yet as Jupiter himself is dry and uncon∣cerned with it; so a wise Man's Mind is har∣••ened against all the Assaults that Fortune can make upon his Body.
3. Minerva is a Virgin,* 1.386 as all the Muses are; and accordingly the sight of God is promised to pure and undefiled Eyes;* 1.387 for even the Heathens thought that chast Eyes could see God; and Wisdom and Modesty has often appear'd in the Visions of Holy Men, in the form and habit of Virgins.
4. Minerva has a stern Look, and a frow∣ard Countenance; because, a wise and modest Mind gains not its Reputation and Esteem from outward Beauty and Finery, but from inward Honour and Virtue; for Wisdom and plain Modesty, though clothed with Rags, yet sends forth a glorious shining Lustre; she has as much Beauty in tattered Garments, as when she is clothed with Purple; and has as much Majesty when she sits on a Dunghil, as when she is placed on a Throne; she is as beautiful and charming when joyned to the Infirmities and Decays of old Age, as when she is united to the Vigour and Comeliness of Youth.
5. She invented and exercised the Art of Spinning. From hence other Virgins may learn, if they would preserve their Chastity, to em∣ploy themselves continually in some Work, and never to indulge Idleness; after the Ex∣ample of Lucretia, a noble Roman Lady, who was found late at Night spinning amongst the Maids, working, and sitting in the middle of the House, when the young Gentlemen came thither from the King. Livy.
6. As the Spindle and the Distaff were the Invention of Minerva, so they are the Arms
of every virtuous Woman. Provided with these she will despise the Enemy of her Honour, and drive away Cupid from her with the great∣est ease: For which Reason, those Instru∣ments were formerly carryed before the Bride,* 1.388 when she was brought to her Husbands House. And somewhere it is a Custom, at the Fune∣rals of Women, to throw the Distaff and Spin∣dle into the Grave with them.
7. As soon as Tiresias had seen Minerva naked, he lost his sight; was it for a punishment, or for a reward? Surely he never saw things so acutely before; for then he became a Prophet, knew future things, long before they were acted. Which is an excellent Precept to us, That he, who hath once beheld the Beauty of true Wisdom clearly, may without repining, lose his bodily sight, and want the view of corporal things, since he beholds the things that are to come, and enjoys the contemplati∣on of eternal heavenly things, which are not visible to the Eye.
8. An Owl, a Bird seeing in the dark, was sacred to Minerva, and painted upon her I∣mages, which is a representation of a wise Man; who scattering and dispelling the Clouds of Ignorance and Error, is clear-sighted where others are stark blind.
9. What can the Palladium mean, an Image which gave Security to those Cities, in which it was placed, unless that those Kingdoms flourish and prosper where Wisdom Counsels. It is supposed to have fallen down from Hea∣ven, that we may understand, (what we find
confirmed by the Scripture) That every the best and perfect Gift comes from above,* 1.389 and descends from the Father of Lights.
To this, I add the Inscription, which was heretofore to be seen in the Temples of Mi∣nerva, written in Golden Letters, amongst the Egyptians.* 1.390 Ego sum, quae sunt, quae erunt, quae fuerunt. Velum meum revelavit nemo. Quem ego fructum peperi, Sol est natus. I am what is, what shall be, what hath been. My Veil hath been unveiled by none. Whatever Fruit I have brought forth, there is the Sun born. Which are Words, as I think, full of Mysteries, and con∣tain a great deal of Sense. Let every one in∣terpret them according to this own mind.
TUrn your Eyes now to a sweeter Ob∣ject, and view that Goddess, on whose countenance the most refined Charms of the Graces sit and play. You see a Pleasantness, a Mirth and Joy in every part of her Face: you see a thousand pretty Beauties and A∣mours, sporting wantonly in her snowy Bosom. Observe with what a becoming pride she holds up her Head and views her self, where she finds nothing but Joys and soft Delights. She is
crown'd with Roses,* 1.391 and cloath'd with a purple Mantle glittering with Diamonds: by her side stand two Cupids,* 1.392 and round her are the three Graces:* 1.393 after follows the lovely beautiful Adonis, who holds up the Goddess's Train. Near her stands an empty Ivory Chariot,* 1.394 cu∣riously wrought in the shape of an Escallop Shell;* 1.395 which is drawn by Doves,* 1.396 or Swans, or Swallows, as Venus orders when she rides in it.
Is that Venus, the Goddess of Love? the Patroness of Strumpets, the vile promoter of Impudence and Lust; infamous for so many Whoredoms, Rapes, and Incests?
Yes, that is Venus: whom in more ho∣nourable terms Men stile the Goddess of the Graces, the Author of Finery, Beauty, Neat∣ness, Delight, and Cheerfulness. But in rea∣lity, she is, as you say, an impudent, Strumpet, and the Mistress and President of Obscenity.
Why then is she so beautifully painted? Why is her Dress so glorious? Why is not her Chariot rather drawn by Swine, and Dogs, and Goats, than Swans and Doves, the purest and chastest of Birds? Infernal Spirits and black Spirits, are attendants more suitable to her than the Graces.
What do you say? Blind foolish Men used formerly to erect Altars and deifie their Vices, they hallowed the grossest Impurities with Frankincense, and thought to ascend in∣to Heaven by the steps of their Iniquities. But let us not inveigh against the times, but rather proceed in our Story of Venus.
You will in other places see her painted, sometimes like a young Lady rising from the Sea, and riding in a Shell: again like a Wo∣man holding the Shell in her Hand, her Head being Crowned with Roses: Sometimes her Picture has a Silver Looking-glass in her Hand,* 1.397 and on her Feet are Golden Sandals and Buckles.* 1.398 In the Pictures of the Sicyonian•• she holds Poppy in one Hand and an Apple in the other: They consecrated to her the Thighs of all Sacrifices except Swine; for Ve∣nus, altho' she her self be filthy and unclean, abominates Swine for their uncleanness, or ra∣ther because a Boar killed Adonis her Gallant.* 1.399 At Elis she was painted treading on a Tor∣toise; shewing thereby that Virgins ought not to ramble abroad; and that married Women ought to keep silence and love their own home, and order their Family. She wore a Girdle or Belt called Cestus (from which some derive Incestus, Incest,)* 1.400 in which all kinds of Pleasures, Delights, and Gratifications were folded up.* 1.401 Some give her Arrows; and make Python or Suada, the Goddess of Eloquence, her Companion.
which Froth was made, when they cut off the Secrets of Coelum, or of his Son Saturn, and threw them into the Sea. Therefore she was called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Spu∣ma; unless,* 1.404 as others say, it comes from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to be mad. As soon as she was born, she was laid like a Pearl,* 1.405 in a Shell instead of a Cradle; and was driven by Zephyrus upon the Island Cyprus: where the Horae received her, and took her into their Bosoms; educated, accomplish∣ed, and adorned her, and when she came to Age, carried her to Heaven, and presented her to the Gods: who being taken with her Beauty, all desired to marry her: but at last she was betrothed to Vulcan, and afterwards married him.
HER Name Venus, says Tully, comes from veniendo,* 1.406 quòd ad omnes res veniat: All things are subject to Love. Or, quòd per eam omnia proveniant, ac progignantur; All things are produced 〈◊〉〈◊〉 begotten by Love. Or, as o∣thers say, she is called Venus, quasi venusta, since she is the Goddess of Beauty:* 1.407 or Venus, quasi Adventitia. For she was first worshipped by the Egyptians, and from the Egyptians she was translated to the Greeks, and from them to the Romans; who always called all that came from Greece,* 1.408 Adventitia and Transmarina. Thus Tully calls the Learning of the Greeks Transmarinam and Adventitiam. Let us now proceed to her other Names.
Amica Venus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For so the Athenians styled her; quòd amicos & amic••s jungeret, be∣cause she joyns Lovers together.* 1.409 This word is used both in a good and a bad sense: thus the Greeks called both Sweethearts and Whores 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.410 from which word the Latin Pullus, sig∣nifies a Boy whom Men caress.
Armata.* 1.411 Because when the Spartan Wo∣men ••allied out of their Town, besieged by the Messenians, and beat them; their Husbands who were ignorant of it, went out to Fight, and met their Wives returning from the pur∣suit. The Men believing them Enemies, made themselves ready to Fight: but the Women shewed both by Words and by Deeds, that they were their Wives, (Modesty forbids a plainer explanation) and for this reason a Temple was dedicated to Venus Armata.
The Sidonians called her Astarte,* 1.412 or Dea Syria (which Goddess others think was the Moon) and worshipped her in the Figure of a Star.* 1.413
Apaturia from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.414 fallo: for neither is any thing more deceitful than a Lover, no∣thing more fraudulent than Love. Which flat∣ters the Eyes,* 1.415 and pleases like Roses in their finest Colours; but it leaves a Thorn in the Heart, it torments the Mind, and wounds the Conscience.
She was called by the Romans Barbata,* 1.416 be∣cause when the Roman VVomen were so trou∣bled with a violent Itching,* 1.417 that all their Hair fell off; they entreated Venus and their Hair grew again: whereupon they made an Image
of Venus with a Comb, and gave it a Beard, that she might have the signs of both Sexes, and be thought to preside over the Generation of both. That this thing might be expressed more plainly; the uppermost part of the I∣mage represented a Man, and the lower part a Woman.
Cypris, Cypria, and Cyprogenia, because she was worshipped in the Island of Cyprus: Cythe∣ris and Cytherea, from the Island Cythera, whither she was first carried in the Shell-Fish. Festus.
There was a Temple at Rome dedicated to Venus Calva,* 1.418 because when the Galls possessed that City, Ropes for the Engines were made with the Womens Hair.
Cluacina,* 1.419 from cluo, to purge: her Image be∣ing set up in the place, in which the Peace was concluded betwixt the Romans and Sabines.
Erycina,* 1.420 from the Mountain Eryce, in the Island of Sicily:* 1.421 upon which Aeneas built a splendid and famous Temple to her Honour,* 1.422 because she was his Mother.* 1.423 Horace speaks of her thus. Od. 2. l. 1.* 1.424
Sive tu mavis, Erycina ridens, Quam Iocus circumvolat & Cupid••. If you, blith Goddess, will our side defend, Whom Mirth and brisk Desire still attend.The Epithet Ridens is properly applyed to her thus.* 1.425 In Homer she is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,* 1.426 amans risus.* 1.427 For she is said to be born laughing, and from thence was made the Goddess of Mirth.
••ortensis. Because she looks after the pro∣duction of Seed and Plants in Gardens. And
Festus tells us, that the word Venus, is by Nae∣vius put for Herbs, as Ceres is for Bread, and Neptunus is for Fish.
Idalia and Acidalia,* 1.428 from the Mountain Ida∣lus, in the Island Cyprus, and the Fountain Acidalius in Boeotia. Marina, because she was born of the Sea (as we said) and begotten of the Froth of the Waters: which Ausonius hath elegantly signified in that Verse,
Orta salo, suscepta solo, patre edita coelo. Heaven gave her life, the Sea a Cradle gave, And Earths wide Regions her with joy receive.From hence she is called Aphroditis, and Ana∣dyomene; that is,* 1.429 emerging out of the Waters, as Apelles painted her. And Pontia from Pon∣tus.* 1.430 Hence came the Custom that those who had escaped any Danger by Water,* 1.431 used to Sacrifice to Venus. Hence also the Mariners observed those Solemnities called Aphrodisia, which Plutarch describes in a Treatise against Epicurus.
Melanis or Melaenis;* 1.432 nigra, tenebrosa, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 because of nocturnal Amours, both law∣ful and unlawful.* 1.433 For omne amoris opus amat tenebras: the Works of Love do all of them seek the dark. Whence the Egyptians worshipped a Venus,* 1.434 called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, tenebrosa, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Goddess to be admired in the night, that is, in Marriage.
Meretrix,* 1.435 because she first taught the Wo∣men in Cyprus to prostitute themselves for Mony.
Migonitis,* 1.436 from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, misceo, signifies her Power in the Affairs of Love. And Paris,
after he had mix'd Embraces with Helena, de∣dicated the first Temple Veneri Migonitidi. Virgil uses the word misceo, speaking of the Affairs of Love.* 1.437
—quem Rhea Sacerdos Furtivo partu, sub luminis edidit auras, Mixta Deo mulier. —Him Priestess Rhea bore Into the lightsome World, for by stoln Ioy, Mixt with a Deity she got the Boy.
She is called Murcia in Livy and Pliny, qua∣si Myrtea, because the Myrtle was sacred to Venus, and her Temple, upon the Aventine Mountain at Rome, was antiently called Mur∣cus.
Paphia, from the City Paphos in the Island Cyprus, where they Sacrificed Flowers and Frankincense to her. Thus Catullus speaks of her, de coma Beren. l. 2.
Ipsa Paphum sublimis adit, sedesque revisit Laeta suas, ubi templum illi, centumque Sabaeo Thure calent arae, sertisque recentibus halant. She with a stately gate to Paphos goes, Her antient Seat, her Fane and Altars views, Of which a hundred stand in rising steams Of Frankincense, and Flowers fragrant smell.This Image had not an human shape, but as Tacitus says, Erat continuus orbis, latiore initio, tenuem in ambitum, metae modo exurgens; & ra∣tio in obscuro. Lib. 3. It was from the top to the bottom an orbicular Figure; a little broad be∣neath, the circumference but small, and sharpen∣ing as it went up like a Sugar loaf. The reason unknown. Lucan observes, that it was usual
to worship other Gods in con••used shapeless Figures.
—simulacraque moesta Deorum Arte carent, caesisque extant informia truncis. All artless, plain, mishapen Trunks they are, Their moss and mouldiness procures a Fear.
For certain the Goddess Pessinuntia (of whom we shall say more, when we speak of Cybele) was nothing but a shapeless Stone, which fell down from Heaven, as we find by Herodian.* 1.438 •• Et Pallas Attica, says Tertulian, & Ceres farrea sine effigie, rudi palo, & informi lig∣no prostant. Even ••allas the Athenian Goddess, and Ceres the God••••ss of Corn, both of them without any certain Effigies to them, but mere rugged stakes, and shapeless pieces of Wood, are things that are bought and sold.* 1.439 And Arnobius adds,* 1.440 Arabas informem coluisse lapidem; The Arabians worshipped a Stone without form or shape of a Deity.
Her Name Verticordi••, quasi corda vertens, signifies the power of Love to change the Hearts, and ease the Minds of Men from the Cares that perplex them. Ovid says thus of her:
Templa jubet fieri Veneri,* 1.441 quibus ordine factis, l••de Venus verso nomina corde tenet. Temples are rais'd to Venus, whence the Name, From changing minds, of Verticordia came.
And for the same reason Venus is called in Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.* 1.442
WHat Deeds can you expect from an impudent and powerful Strumpet, but those which are full of Lewdness, and Mis∣chief, and Plagues? It were endless only to repeat the Names of all those whom she hath armed to the Ruin of one another; whom she hath turned into Beasts, by inciting them to commit such monstrous Wickednesses, as Modesty will not let me mention.
For who without blushing can hear of the Story of Nyctimene?* 1.443 who inspired by impure Lust, and raging with cursed Flames, is said
—Patrium temerasse cubile. —To have defiled her Fathers bed.And was therefore changed into an Owl, an ugly dismal Bird of the Night, who
—Conscia culpae* 1.444 Conspectum, lucem{que} fugit, tenebris{que} pudorem Celat, & à cunctis expellitur aere toto. Still conscious of her shame avoids the Light, And strives to shroud her guilty head in Night, Expell'd the winged Quire.
Who does not abhor the Fact of Myrrha,* 1.445 which was contrived and committed by the encouragement and the assistance of Venus? She committed Incest with her own Father, by the Assistance of Cynaras, her old Nurse (may such Practices of Old Women receive their just reward) but her Sin prov'd her ru∣in, for she was turned into a Tree.
Quae quanquam amisit veteres cum corpore sensus Flet tamen, & tepidae manant ex arbore guttae. Tho Sense with Shape she lost, still weeping she Sheds bitter tears which trickle from her Tree.
Why should I mention the Propoetides,* 1.446 the chief of Strumpets, who denied that Venus was a Goddess.
—pro quo, sua, Numinis ira, Corpora, cum forma, primae vulgasse feruntur; Utque pudor cessit, sanguisque induruit oris In rigidum, parvo, silicem, discrimine versae. The first that ever gave themselves for hire To Prostitution, urg'd by Venus Ire, Their Looks emboldned, Modesty now gone, Convert at length to little differing Stone.
Why should I set before you Pygmalion a Statua••y?* 1.447 who considering the great Incon∣veniences of Marriage,* 1.448 resolved to live single. But when he had made a most elegant and artificial Image of Venus, he fell in love with his own Workmanship; so that he begged Venus, that she would turn it into a Woman, and enliven the Ivory: his wishes were gran∣ted, and he begot of this Image Paphus.
—de quo tenet insula nomen. From whom the Island does its Name receive.
Let us a little relate the Stories of Pyramus and Thisbe, Atalanta and Hippomenes, Paris and Helena, three Couples of the most unfor∣tunate Lovers.
Pyramus and Thisbe were both Inhabitants of the City of Babylon; equals in Beauty, Age, Conditions and Fortune. They begin to love from their Cradles. Their Houses were con∣tiguous,
so that their love proceeded from their Neighbourhood, encreased by their mutual Play, and was perfected by their singular Beauty. This love encreased with their years, and when they were Marriageable they beg∣ged their Parents consent; which was refu∣sed, because of some former Quarrels between the two Families. And that the Children might not attempt any thing against their Parents will, they were not permitted to se•• each other, or to speak together. VVhat could Pyramus do? or how could Thisbe bea•• this? There was a Partition VVall between both Houses, in which VVall was a small Crack never discovered by any of the Ser∣vants. Ovid. Met. l. 4.
Quid non sentit amor? —Illam, primi, vidistis, amantes, Et vocis fecistis iter, tutaeque per illud Murmure blanditiae minimo transire solebant. This for so many Ages undescry'd, (What cannot love find out?) the Lovers spy'd, By which their whispering voices softly trade, And Passions amorous Embass••es convey'd.Their Sighs went through; but Kisses could not pass: which, when they parted, they printed on the VVall.
Parti quisque suae non pervenientia contra. —Their Kisses greet The senseless Stones with Lips that cannot meet••But what a fatal rupture in their Hearts did this small breach in the VVall produce? For their Love was too great to be confined to such narrow bounds: the next night there∣fore
they resolved to enjoy that Liberty a∣broad which they could not receive at home, by escaping into a neighbouring VVood; where they intended to meet under the shade of a large Mulberry-Tree, which stood close to a Fountain. They agree, and Night comes, Thisbe deceives her Keepers, and escapes the first, and flies into the VVood; for Love ad∣ded wings to her. VVhen she came to the appointed place, a Lioness came fresh from the slaughter of some Cattel, to drink at the Fountain,
Depositura sitim vicini fontis in unda.Thisbe was so frighted that she ran into a Den, and in her flight her Veil fell from her head; the Lioness returning from the Fountain, found the Veil, and tore it with his Jaws, smeered with the Cattels blood. Afterward comes Pyramus, and sees the Prints of a wild Beast's Foot in the Gravel, and by and by finds the Veil of Thisbe bloody and torn. He immediately concluded that she was kild and devoured by the Beast; he presently grew distracted, and hastned to the appointed Tree, and when he could not find Thisbe, he threw himself upon his Sword and died. Thisbe in the mean time recovered from her Fright, and came to the Mulberry-Tree; where she sees when she came near a dead Body lie.
—tremebunda videt pulsare cruentu•• Membra solum. —Sees his panting Limbs Strike the stain'd Earth—She was amazed at the first, and stop'd, and went back frighted.
Sed postquam remorata suos cognovit amores, But when sh•• saw it was her dearest Love.She ran into the Embraces of her dying Lo∣ver, and mingling her Tears with his Blood, and folding her Arms about him,
Pyrame, clamavit, quis te mihi casus ademit? Pyrame, responde, tua te charissima Thisbe Nom••at; exaudi vultusque at••olle jacentes. Ad nomen Thisbes, oculos in morte gravatos Pyramus erexit•• visaque recondidit illa. —Wo's me, she said, What cursed Fate hath this division made! O speak my Pyramus! O look on me! Thy dear, thy desperate Thisbe calls to thee! At Thisbe's Name he opens his dim Eyes, And having seen her shuts them up and dies:And now Thisbe was almost dead with Grief. She tore her Cheeks, and beat her Breast, and rent her Hair, and shed a deluge of Tears upon his cold Face; nor ceased to mourn, till she perceived her Veil bloody and torn, in Pyramus's Hand. She then under∣stood the occasion of his Death: and with all her Strength, she draws the Sword out of the Body of her Lover, and strikes it deep into her own; and falling accidentally on him, gave him a cold Kiss, and breathed her last Breath into his Bosom. The Tree was warmed with the blood of the slain, so that it became sensible of their Misfortune and mourn'd. Its Berries, which were before white, became red with Grief, and blushed
for the Death of Pyramus: when Thisbe also died, the Berries became black and dark, as if they had put on Mourning.
In the next place hear the Story of Ata∣lanta and Hippomenes. She was the Daughter of King Schoeneus, or Coeneus. It was doubt∣ful whether her Beauty or Swiftness in run∣ning were greatest. When she consulted the Oracle, whether she should Marry or no, she received this Answer, that Marriage would be fatal to her. Hereupon the Virgin hid her self in the Woods, and liv'd in places re∣mote from the Conversation of Men. But, the more she avoided them, they courted her the more eagerly. Her Disdain inflam'd their Desires, and her Pride rais'd their Adoration•• At last, when she saw she could not other∣wise deliver her self from the Importunity of her Lovers, she made this Agreement with them.
You court me in vain, says she, he who beats me at Running shall be my Hus∣band; but they who•• are beaten by me shall suffer death: I will be the Victors Prise but the Vanquisheds Punishment. If these Conditions please, come, go with me into the Field.They went.
Venit ad hanc legem temeraria turba procorum. All her mad Wooers take the Terms propos'd.They all strive, and were all beaten, and put to death according to the Agreement; suffer∣ing for the fault of their Feet, the loss of their Heads. Yet the Example of these Gen∣tlemen did not deter Hippomenes from under∣taking the Race, He entertain'd Hopes of
winning the Victory, because Venus had giv∣en him three golden Apples, gathered in the Gardens of the Hesperides; and did advise him what he should do. Hippomenes briskly set out and began the Race; and when he saw that Atalanta overtook him, he threw down a golden Apple: the beauty of it enticed her, so that,
Declinat cursus, aurumque volubile tollit. She greedy of the shining Fruit steps back To catch the rolling Gold.—Afterwards he threw down another, and she stopp'd again to reach it, and again a third; so that while Atalanta was busied in gather∣ing them up Hippomenes reach'd the Goal, and took the Lady as the Price of his Victory.
But how inconstant is Venus? and how base Ingratitude? Hippomenes being drunk with Love, gave not due thanks to Venus, but was forgetful of her Kindness. The Goddess re∣sented it, and inflam'd them with such strong impatient Desires, that in their Journey they dared to satisfie their Passion in a Temple: for which Sacrilege they were immediately punished, for they were turned into Lyons.
Lastly, let Paris and Helena now come up∣on the Stage. Paris was the Son of Priamus, King of Troy, by Hecuba: his Mother, when she was big-belly'd, dreamt that she brought forth a burning Torch: and asking the Oracles the Interpretation of it, they answer'd, that it did portend the Burning of Troy, and that the Fire should be kindled by that Boy that she had in her Belly. Therefore, as soon as
the Child was born, by the Command o•• Priamus, he was expos'd upon the Mountain Ida; where the Shepherds brought him pri∣vately up, and nourished him, and call'd him Paris. When he became a Man, many ex∣cellent Endowments and good Qualities shi∣ned in him; and particularly he gave such great Tokens of singular Prudence and Equity in deciding Controversies, that when a great difference arose amongst the Goddesses, they referr'd it to his Judgment to be determin'd. The Goddess Discordia was the occasion of this Contention: for,* 1.449 because all the Gods and Goddesses were invited,* 1.450 except her self to the Marriage of Peleus, she was angry, and resolv'd to revenge the Disgrace: wherefore when they all met and sat down at the Table, she came in privately, and threw down upon the Table an Apple of Gold, on which was this Inscription, Pulchrior accipiat, or (which is the same) Detur pulchriori; Let the Fairest take it. Hereupon arose a Quarrel amongst the Goddesses; for every one thought her∣self the handsomest. But at last all the other Goddesses yielded to the three superior God∣desses, Iuno, Pallas and Venus: who disputed so eagerly, that Iupiter himself was not able to bring them to Agreement. He resolved therefore to leave the final determination of it to the Judgment of Paris; so that she should have the Apple, to whom Paris should appoint it. The Goddesses consent, and call for Paris, who did then feed Sheep upon a Mountain. They tell him the Business; they
every one court his Favour with great Promi∣ses. Iuno promised to reward him with Power; Pallas with Wisdom; and Venus promis'd him the most Beautiful Woman in the World. In short, he observ'd them all very curiously: but Nature guided him to pronounce Venus the Fairest, and to assign to her the Apple of Gold. Nor did Venus break her Promise to Paris: for in a little time Paris was own'd to be King Priam's Son; and sail'd into Greece with a great Fleet, under colour of an Em∣bassy, to fetch away Helena, the most Beautiful Virgin in the World; who was betroth'd to Menelaus, King of Sparta, and liv'd in his House. When he came Menelaus was absent from home; and in his absense Paris carried Helena to Troy: Menelaus demanded her, but Paris refus'd to send her back; whereupon that fatal War between the Grecians and Tro∣jans brake out, in which Troy, the Metropolis of all Asia, was taken and miserably burnt, in the Year of the World, 2871. There were kild 886000 of the Grecians; amongst whom Achilles their General lost his life by the Trea∣chery of Paris himself. There were slain 676000 of the Trojans; from the beginning of the War, to the Betraying the City. (for it was thought that Aeneas and Antenor be∣tray'd it) amongst whom Paris himself was kild by Pyrrhus or Philoctetes; and his Brother Hector, Patriae Columen, the Pillar of his Country, was kild by Achilles. And when the City was taken and burnt, King Priamus, the Father of Paris and Hector, at once lost all his Chil∣dren,
Hecuba his Queen, his Kingdom, and his Life. Helena, after Paris was kild, mar∣ried his Brother Deiphobus. Yet she at last be∣tray'd the Castle to the Grecians, and admit∣ted Menelaus into her Chamber to kill Deipho∣bus; whereby, it is said, she was reconciled to the Favour of Menelaus again. But these things belong rather to History than to Fable, to which let us return.
MAny different Parents are ascribed to the God of Love,* 1.451 Cupid, because there were many Cupids.* 1.452 Plato says he was born of Penia, the Goddess of Poverty, and Porus, the Son of Counsel and Plenty. Hesiod relates that he was born of Chaos and Terra. Sappho derives him from Venus and Coelum Alcaeus says he was the Son of Lite and Zephyrus. Si∣monides attributes him to Mars and Venus; and Alcmaeon to Zephyrus and Flora. But whatso∣ever Parents Cupid had, this is plain, he al∣ways accompanies Venus, either as a Son or as a Servant. Cic•• de Nat. Deor.
The Poets speak of two Cupids.* 1.453 One of which is an ingenious Youth, the Son of Ve∣nus and Iupiter, a celestial Deity, and often called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the other an obscene Debauchee, the Son of Nox and Erebus (Hell and the Night) a vulgar God, whose Companions
are, Drunkenness, Sorrow, Enmity, Conten∣tion, and such kind of Plagues: one of these Cupids is called Eros, and the other Anteros. Both of them are Boys, and naked, and win∣ged, and blind; and armed with a Bow and Arrows, and a Torch.* 1.454 They have two Darts of different Natures; a Golden Dart which procures Love,* 1.455 and a Leaden Dart which causes Hatred. Anteros is also the God who avenges slighted Love.
Altho this be the youngest of all the Gods in Heaven,* 1.456 yet his Power is so great,* 1.457 that he is esteemed the strongest of them; for he subdues them all Without his assistance, his Mistress Venus is weak and can do nothing, as she confesses when she accosts him after this manner. Virg. Aen. 1.
Nate, meae vires, mea magna potentia, solus. My Son, my strength and power thou art alone.
But wherefore is Cupid naked?
He is naked, because the Lover has nothing his own, but deprives himself of all that he has for his Mistress's sake; he can co∣ver nor conceal any thing from her, of which Sampson is a witness: for he discovered to his beloved Mistress, even the Secret on which his safety did depend; and herein his Under∣standing was blinded before his Eyes. Ano∣ther gives the following reason of Cupids Blind∣ness.
Quare nuda Venus? nudi pinguntur amores? Nuda quibus placeat, nudos dimittat oportet. Why's Venus naked, and the Loves are so? Those that like Nakedness should naked go.
Cupid is a Boy, because he is void of Judg∣ment; for violent Love is extravagant and Madness. And he is blind, because a Lover does not see the Faults of his beloved Object, nor considers in his Mind the Mischiefs pro∣ceeding from that Passion. He is winged, because nothing flies swifter than Love; for he that loves to day, will hate to morrow; and the space of one day does oftimes see Love and Aversion in their turns reigning in the same Person: nay Amnon, King David's Son, both loved and hated the same Woman in a shorter space of time; for with the great∣est degree of hatred he turned her out of his Chamber, whom he just before enticed in with the highest marks of Love. Lastly, the Boy is armed with Arrows, because he strikes afar off.
The Graces, Gratiae, Charites, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Gaudium, were three Sisters, the Daugh∣ters of Iupiter and Eurynome, or Eunomia; as Orpheus says: or, as others rather say, the Daughters of Bacchus and Venus. The first was called Aglaia, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Gloria, Hilaritas, venustas; because Kindnesses ought to be per∣formed freely and generously. The second Thalia, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (with an Iota, for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with the Diphthong is the Name of a Muse) from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, vireo; because Kindness ought never to die, but to remain fresh always in the Re∣ceivers memory. The third Euphrosyne, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Laetitia; because we ought to be free and cheerful, as well in doing as in receiving a Kindness. Hesiod. in Theog.
These Sisters were painted naked (or in transparent and loose Garments) young and merry, and all Virgins, with hands joyned. One turned from the Beholder, as if she was going from him; the two other turned their Faces, as if they were coming to him: where∣by we may understand, that when one Kind∣ness is done, Thanks are twice due; once when received, and again when it is repaid. The Graces are naked, because Kindnesses ought to be done in Sincerity and Candor, and without Disguise. They are Young, be∣cause the memory of Kindnesses received ought never to grow old. They are Virgins, because Kindness ought to be pure, without expectation of requital: or because we ought neither to give or receive a base or immodest Kindness. Their Hands are joined, because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, one good turn requires another: there ought to be a perpetual intercourse of Kindness and Assistance amongst Friends.
Adonis was the Son of Cynaras, King of Cyprus, and Myrrha. He was mighty hand∣som, wherefore Venus took great delight in him, and loved his Company. When he Hunted, a Boar struck his Groin with his Tusks and kild him. Venus bewailed his death with much sorrow and concern, and changed his Blood which was shed on the ground into the Flower Anemone, which ever since has retained the colour of Blood. And while she ran to assist him, being led by his dying Voice, she prickt her Foot with a Thorn, and the Blood which came from thence made the Rose red, which was before white.
Some add another pleasant Conceit. They say that Venus and Proserpina contended before Iupiter which should have Adonis. Iupiter directed them to Calliope, whom he appointed Judge of their Quarrel Calliope gave this Sen∣tence: that Adonis should serve Venus every year six Months, and Proserpina the other six. The meaning of which Fable is this: Venus is the Earth, and her Adonis is the Sea. She reigns with him six months, attired with beau∣teous Flowers, and enriched with Fruit and Corn; the other six months the Sun leaves us, and goes as it were to live with Proserpina. Lastly, from Adonis comes the Proverb Ado∣nidis Horti, which signifies all those things which are fine and gay, but useless and trifling.
THE Graces, Cupid and Adonis, are Ve∣nus's Companions, whereby is described, the ungovernable appetite and inclination to∣wards Obscenity.
1. She is called the Goddess of Beauty and Comeliness: for Beauty is the greatest fomenter of impure Desires. She sitting on a frail cor∣poreal Throne, subdues the Soul; she by her Flattery and Enticement steals into the Affe∣ctions and drives Virtue from thence, and basely enslaves the whole Man. The Cythe∣••••ans worshipped Venus armed. Beauty needs
no Weapons: she who possesses that is suffici∣••ntly armed. Anacreon ingeniously tell us, ••hat Nature gave Women Beauty, that they ••••ight use it instead of Spears and Shields, and Conquer with greater speed and force than ••ither Iron or Fire can. Helena, Phryne, and ••nnumerable others, are witnesses of this truth: One Lady, when she was bound to the Stake ••o be stoned, with the lightning of her Eyes ••••isarmed her Executioners: Another, when ••er Crime was proved, and tho' she had often offended before, when she tore her Garments ••nd opened her Breast, stopped the Judges mouth, and when her Beauty pleaded her Cause, every body acquitted her.
2. Beauteous Venus rides in a Chariot, as it were to triumph over her subdued Enemies, whom Love, rather than Force has conquered. She has her Ambushes, but they are composed of Pleasure and Enjoyment; she Skirmishes with Delights, and not with Fire and Bullets; ••he Wounds she gives are bloodless and gentle; she uses no other Flames than what she kindles with her Eyes, and draws them which she shoots from no other Quiver. And if she ••ights thus, it is no wonder if she makes the Enemy fly to her rather than from her.
3. She wears a Crown because she is always Victorious. Beauty never wants success: be∣cause she fights leasurely and Conquers in time of Peace, and Triumphs with her Eyes: Thunder is contained in her Silence, and Lightning in her Looks. She seizes the Breast, storms the Mind, and takes it captive with
one Assault, nay with one Look. Beauty speaks without a Voice, forces us without Violence; tyes us down without Fetters, en∣chants us without Witchcraft, and in her to see is to Overcome, and to be seen is to Tri∣umph. Augustus refused to see her in Cleopa∣tra, lest himself should be taken, and the Con∣queror of the World submit to a Woman. When therefore she pleaded and made her de∣fence, he opened his Ears but shut his Eyes.
4. She carries a Looking glass, that the brit∣tleness of the Glass may remind her of the frailty of her Beauty. She is crowned with flowery Garlands, because nothing is more fading than Beauty, which like a Flower is blasted by the least breath, and broken by the least accident, and dies in the smallest mo∣ment.
5. She is born from the Sea, because more Storms and Tempests afflict the Lover, than disturb the Sea: Nothing but bitterness is his portion, so that we may say that amare to Love, is derived from amarus bitter. This is certainly true, that the bitterness of the Sea is sweet, if compared with the bitterness of Love. But suppose Love has some sweetness, yet like the Sea from whence Venus sprung, it is full of tempestuous desires and stormy disappointments; how many Vessels have beed shipwreck'd there, how many Goods lost? What destructions not only of Mens Estates, but of the Understandings also, have happen∣ed here? Instances of which, every body who is not blind has observed.
6. Consider the Adulteries, Rapes, Incests, of which Venus is accused, and you will find whitherward her Beauty tends. Those are the Precipices, into which that Ignis fatu••s in her Eyes betrays its Admirers. Tho her Face appears pure, and cool as the Ice, it creates a Passion both impure, and hot as Fire. From that stream of sparkling Fire which comes from her Eyes, are engendred Clouds of dark and hellish Impurity, and black mists of Lust. Thus by a strange contradiction, many are blinded by others Eyes, and find Tumults rai∣sed in their breasts from the calm serenity of anothers looks, grow pale at the redness in their Cheeks; loose their own Beauty in ad∣miring the Beauty of others, and grow im∣modest by loving their Modesty.
How far I prithee will the Fervour and the flowing Tide of your Wit and Fancy car∣ry you? The Beauty of this Goddess, I see, hath raised your Admiration.
My Choler rather. But however you do well in stopping me. She hath detained us longer than I expected. Tho' not without Reason; because she is one of the greatest of all the Goddesses. The rest are less illustri∣ous, and will by no means detain us so long.
LAtona,* 1.458 whom you see standing next to Venus, was the Daughter of Phoebe, and Coeus the Titan.* 1.459 She was so beautiful a Lady, that Iupiter fell in love with her, and deflow∣red her: when Iuno perceived, that she was big with Child by him, she cast her out of Heaven to the Earth; and obliged Terra by an Oath, not to give her any where a habita∣tion to bring forth in: and besides, she set the Serpent Python upon her,* 1.460 to persecute her all over the World. Iuno however was disap∣pointed in every thing: for the Island Delos received Latona; where under a Palm, or an Olive-Tree, she brought forth Diana: who as soon as she was born, performed the Office of a Midwife to her Mother, and brought Apollo into the world.
But if Terra swore,* 1.461 that she would al∣low no place to Latona, how could she bring forth in Delos?* 1.462
Very well. For they say, that that Island heretofore floated in the Sea, and was then hid under the Waters, when Terra took her Oath; but emerged afterwards by the Order of Neptune, and became fix'd and
immoveable for Latona's use: from which time it was called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, conspicua, because it was now visible like other places
But why did the Island Delos emerge for Latona's use?
That is not strange. For this Island was Sister to Latona: some say that her name formerly was Asteria, whom Iupiter loved and courted, but she was converted into an Island; but others report, that she was converted into a Quail, and flew into this Island; which was therefore, amongst other Names, called Orty∣gia from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Quail.* 1.463 Niobe's Pride and the Barbarity of the Country-men of Lycia, en∣crease the Fame of this Goddess.
Niobe was the Daughter of Tantalus,* 1.464 and the Wife of Amphion, King of Thebes. She was so blessed with all the gifts of Nature and For∣tune, her happiness was so great that she could not bear it: wherefore puffed up with Pride and full of Self-conceit, she began to despise Latona, and to esteem her self greater than her, saying;
Major sum, quam cui possit fortuna nocere. Multaque ut eripiat, multò mihi plura relinquet. In quancunque domus adverti lumina partem, Immensae spectantur opes. Accedit eodem Digna Deo facies. Huc natas adjice septem, Et totidem Iuvenes: & mox Generos{que} Nurusq, Quaerite nunc habeat quam nostra superbia cau∣sam? My state too great for fortune to bereave: Tho much she ravish, she much more must leave.
Throughout my Court, behold in every place Infinite Riches! add to this, a Face Worthy a Goddess. Then, to crown my Ioys, Seven beauteous Daughters, and as many Boys: All these by marriage, to be multiply'd. Behold, have we not reason for our Pride?
For she had brought to her Husband seven Sons, and as many Daughters, who were all very ingenious and very handsom. But her mad Pride deprived her of all the Blessings which she possessed in a short time, and reduced her from the Heighth of good Fortune to the low∣est degree of Misery. For when Latona saw her self so despised, and her Sacrifices disturb∣ed by Niobe, she left it to Apollo and Diana to punish the Injury that was offered to their Mother. Immediately they two go with their Quivers well filled with Arrows, to Niobe's House; where first they kill the Sons, then the Daughters, and next the Father, in the sight of Niobe: who by that means
—Orba resedit Exanimes inter natos, natasque virumque, Diriguitque malis. She, by her Husband, Sons, and Daughters, sits A childless Widow; waxing stiff with woes.Till at length she was turned into Marble: which because of this misfortune sheds many Tears to this day.* 1.465
The Rusticks of the Country Lycia, in Asia, did also experience the Anger of Latona, with their Ruine: for when she wandered in the Fields, very big with Twins, the heat of the Weather and the toil of her Journey, brought
such a Drought upon her, that she almost fainted for Thirst. At last she discovered a Spring in the Bottom of the Valley, she ran to it with great Joy, and fell on her Knees;
—gelidos potura liquores.The neighbouring Country-men seeing her, forbade her, tho she begged of them leave to; drink in this manner:
Quid prohibetis aquas? usus communis aquarum est Quas tamen ut detis, supplex peto. Non ego nostros Abluere hic artus lassataque membra parabam, Sed relevare sitim. Caret os humore loquentis. Et fauces arent, vixque est via vocis in illis. Haustus aquae mihi Nectar erit, vitamque fatebor Accepisse. Quem non blanda Deae potuissent verba movere? Hi tamen orantem perstant prohibere; minasque Ni procul abscedat, convitiaque insuper addunt; Nec satis est; ipsos etiam pedibusque manuque Turbavere lacus: imoque è gurgite mollem Huc illuc limum, saltu movere maligno. —Why hinder you, said she, The use of Water, that to all is free? The Sun, Air, Water, Nature did not frame Peculiar; a publick Gift I claim. Yet humbly I intreat it: not to drench My weary limbs, but killing thirst to quench. My tongue wants moisture, and my jaws are dry: Scarce is there way for speech. For drink I die. Water to me were Nectar. If I live, 'Tis by your favour:— With whom would not such gentle words prevail? But they, persisting to prohibit, rail;
The place with threats command her to forsake. Then with their hands and feet disturb the Lake: And leaping with malicious motions, move The troubled mud; which rising, flotes above.Latona could no longer bear such barbarous Treatment, wherefore cursing them,
AEternum stagno, dixit, vivatis in isto: Eveniunt optata Deae. Ever, said she, may y' in this water dwell. And as the Goddess wish'd it hap'd.Immediately they were turn'd into Frogs, and leapt into the muddy waters.
DO you see a stately Goddess drawn in a Chariot of Gold* 1.466 by White Horses,* 1.467 who do you think she is?
Is it not Aur••ra,* 1.468 the Daughter of Terra and Titan,* 1.469 the Sister of the Sun and the Moon, and the Mother of the Stars and the Winds? I fancy so, because her Countenance shines like Gold, and her Fingers are red like Roses: and Homer describes Aurora after that manner.
Your Observation is very right. It is, as you say, Aurora: who in Greek is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, whence come the words Eous and Heous:* 1.470 And Aurora, quasi Aurea, because sh••
is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the golden Messenger of the Sun. You have named her Parents right, yet some say that she was the Daughter of Hyperion and Thia, or else Pallas:* 1.471 from whom, amongst the Poets, frequently she is called Pallantias.
Does History relate nothing done by her?
She carried by force two beautiful young Men, Cephalus and Tithonus,* 1.472 into Heaven.
Cephalus married Procris the Daughter of the King of Athens:* 1.473 when Aurora could by no perswasion move him to violate his Marriage Vow, she carried him into Heaven, but even there she could not shake his Constancy. Therefore she sent him again to his Wife Procris, disguised in the habit of a Merchan••; who being desirous to try her Fidelity to her absent Husband, tempted her with much Court∣ship and many Presents, to yield to his de∣sires. And when she almost consented, he cast off his Disguise and chid his Wife for her Inconstancy. She was greatly ashamed and hid her self in the Woods: but afterwards was reconciled to her Husband, and gave him a Dart•• which never mis••ed the Mark, which she had receiv'd from Minoe. When Cephalus had this Dart, he spent his whole time in Hunting, and pursuing Wild Beasts. Procris, suspecting that her Husband loved some Nymphs, went before and lay hid in a Bush, to discover the Truth. But when she moved carelesly in the Bush, her Husband heard the rustling, and thinking that some Wild Beast was there, he drew his Bow and shot his Wife with his uner∣ring Dart. Ovid. Metam. l. 7.
Tithonus was the Son of Laomedon,* 1.474 and Bro∣ther of Priamus: Aurora for his singular Beau∣ty, carried him to Heaven and married him, and instead of a Portion, obtained from the Fates immortality for him; she had Memnon by him. But she forgot to ask the Fates to grant him perpetual Youth, so that he became so old and decrepid, that like an Infant he was rocked to sleep in a Cradle. Wherefore he began to be weary of Life, and wish for Death; and therefore asked Aurora to grant him power to die. She said that it was not in her power to grant it; but that she would do what she could; and therefore turned her Husband into a Grashopper: which they say moults when it is old, and grows young again. Ovid. Met. l. 9.
And what became of Memnon?
Memon,* 1.475 their Son, went to Troy to assist King Priam, where, in a Duel, with Achilles, he was killed; and in the place where he fell, a Fountain arose, which every year on the same day on which he died, sends forth Blood instead of Water. But as his Body lay upon the Funeral Pile to be burnt, by his Mother Aurora's inter∣cession it was changed into a Bird; and many other Birds of the same kind flew out of the Pile with him: which were called Memnoniae from his name; these Birds divided themselves into two Troops: and furiously fighting with their Beaks and Claws, with their own Blood appeased the Ghost of Memnon, from whom they sprang.
What they report concerning a Statue of this Memnon,* 1.476 which was made of black Marble,
and set up in the Temple of Serapis at Thebes in Egypt, is almost incredible.* 1.477 They say, that the Mouth of this Statue, when first touched by the Rays of the rising Sun, did send forth a sweet and harmonious sound, as tho' it re∣joyced when its Mother Aurora came. But when the Sun did set, it used a low melancho∣ly Tune, as tho' it lamented his Mothers de∣parture.
And thus I have told you, Paleophilus, all things which I thought useful, concerning the Celestial Gods and Goddesses.
How much am I indebted to you for this, my most kind Friend. But what now? I think you are going away. Will you not keep your word? Did you not promise to ex∣plain all the Images in the fabulous Pantheon?
Never trouble your self: what I under∣take, I will be sure to perform. But would you have us stay here all day without our Dinner? Let us dine, and we will soon return again to our Business. Come, you shall dine with me at my House.
Excuse me, Sir, I will not give you that trouble, I had rather dine in my own Inn.
What do you talk of Trouble? I know no person, whose Company is more obliging and grateful. Let us go, I say: you are not your own Master to day. Obey then.
I do so, I wait upon you.
Vid. Eu∣seb. La∣ctant. Clem. A. lex. Au∣gust. Plat. Cicer.
Sap. 14.
Jerem. 9. 13.
Diodor. lib. 17. Plutarch. in Lysand.
Val. Max. l. 8. c. ult. Cic. de rep. ap.
Aug. 3. de civ c. 15.
Athen: lib. 6. dip∣nosoph. cap. 6. de Demetrio Poliorcete. Sueton. in Julio c. 76. & 84.
Pontan. l. 1. c. de Saturn.
Thucy∣did. l. 7. Plutarch. Apopht. Lacon. Cic. 1. de nat. Deor. 1 Sap. 14.
Vid. An∣nal. Salian∣a. m. 2000. Hier. in Ezech. & in Oseam.
Vid. An∣nal. Salian∣a. m. 2000. Hier. in Ezech. & in Oseam.
Cic. pro Mur.
Sen••••. l. 2. quaest. nat. Lucian. Dial. de Deorum concil. Plaut. in Epidico.
Dempster paralip. ad c. 3.
Liv. l. 1.
Var. ap. Aug.
Lucian. Dial. de Deor. con.
Serv. i••. 1••. Aen.
Liv. l. 1.
Horat. l. 3. carm.
Ap. Gu∣ther. l. 1. c. 4. de jur. man.
Lips. l. ••. ant. lect. c. 18.
Fulgent. Plac••d. ad Chalcid.
Liv. l. 8 Varr. de ling. lat.
Ap. Gy∣rald. synt. 1.
Arnob. 3. adv. Dent.
Virg. Aen. 1. Pausan. ••n Eliac. Lucian. de sacrif.
Apud Laert. l. 8.
Maero ap Nat. Com.
Serv. in Aen. 1.
Virg. 5. Aen.
Cic. 3. de nat.
Plut. de Osir. & Isid.
Ap. Gu∣ther. de Jur. man.
Plin. l. 33. c. 7. in A∣sinar.
Plin. l. 2. c. 51.
Serv. 1. & 2. Aen.
Idem 8. Aen.
Plin. l. 2. c. 43. 51. 52. Fes. Amm.
Marc. l. 2.
Ex Guth. de jur. man. l. 1. c. 3.
Ap. Aug. de Civ. Euseb.
Caes. l. 3. praep. E∣vang.
Vid. Nat. Com. in Jove.
Corn•• A∣malthaeae.
Cic. 2. de nat. Deor.
Apollon. 4. Argon.
Doroth. 2 Metam.
Ovid. 4. Metam.
Arat. in Phaenom.
Ovid. 6. Metam.
Id. ibid.
Ibid.
Arnob. ap. Gyr.
Boocat l. 5. de Gen. Deor.
Vir. 5. Aen. Ovid. Me∣tam. 10.
Fulgent. Plac.
Ovid. 6. Metam.
Ovid. 3. Met••m.
Plin. l. 5. c. 29. Cael. 39. c. 24.
Bochart. 2. P Geog. c. 19.
Genes. 15. 19:
Hygin. c. 274.
Plin. l. 34. c. 1. 10.
Plut. in O∣fir. V. Cur. l. 4.
Beros. l. 4.
Euseb. l. 1. praep. Eu. Hier. 1. in Oseam.
Ci••. 1. de nat. Plin. Liv. Plut. Tacit. 19.
Apul. de mundo Senec. 2. qu. nat.
Varr. de ling. lat.
Alex. ab Al. 6. c. 2.
Plut. in Rom. Dion. 2.
6. Aen. & Serv. ibid.
Horat. 3. Carm.
Vir. Aen.
Ap. Ly∣coph. ••irg. 1. & 4. Aen.
Pausan. & Hesych. Liv. l. 6.
Cic. pro Mil. 86. Dion. l. 4.
Cic. 7. Epist. 12.
In Chron.
Fest. ap. Lil.
Liv l. 1.
Serv. 9. Aen.
Plut. in Pyrrho.
Pausan. 5. Eliac.
Ael. Spart. in ejus vi∣ta.
Fest. Aug. 7. de civit.
Paus. Att. & Eliac. Liv. l. 4. dec. 3.
Pollux
Ovid. 6. Fast.
Lact. l. 12. Liv. l. 5.
Phurnut. in Jovin.
Serv. 5. Aen.
Aen. 1. &. 10.
Aen. 7.
Lib. 1.
Strabo l. 9. Arrian. 8. de gest. Alex.
Cic. 1 de nat.
Dio. l. 50.
Ap. Lyl. Gyr. fine. 2.
Pausan. ap. eund.
Cic. 5. de nar.
Gell. l. 5. Ovid. in Fast.
Lib. 36. 15.
Ser. 1. Ae•• Cic. pro Deir.
Plu••. qu. Rom.
Demost. or de le••gation.
Phurnut. de Jov.
Apud Sa∣lian. ••n Ann. & Epi••ome Tursell••
Ci••. 2 de nat•• deor••
Theor. Eccl. 4••
Lucret. l. 1.
Ap. Cic. 2. de nat. In Phaedr. Odyss. ••. In supp. & Troad. 1. de div.
Arat. init. Astron.
Horat. l. ad Calli∣mach.
Porphyr. l. de sole.
Ovid. Me∣tam.
Lucian. Dial. mor.
Pausan. in Eliac.
Horat. 1. Carm.
Pausan. in Attic.
Ovid. 10. Metam.
Liban. in progym.
Pau••. l. 7.
Ovid. Metam. 4.
Ovid. Fast. 6.
Chrysip. ap. Gyr. Varr. de ling. lat. Plut. ap. Phurnut.
Festus.
Macrob & Phurn.
Pausan. in Attic.
Pausan.
Phurnut. Lactant.
Aescul. in sacerd.
Niceph. hist. l. 1.
Macrob. ap. Gyr.
Macrob. Phurnut.
Cic. 3. de nat. Deor.
Fest.
Ovid. 2 de arte aman.
L. Gyr.
Hygin. in fab. c. 50.
Cic. pro Font. Diodor. 1. Stat. Theb. Diod. ib. V. Orig. 7. adv.
Cels. Epit. 1. De Di∣vin. 114. Ap. Lil. Gyr.
Plutarch. in Solon.
Val••r. 7. c. 2.
Cic. 3. de nat.
Theocrit. in Herc.
Ac••ius.
Vid. 1. Gyrald. in Apol.
Hesych. & Lact. Gramm. ap. Lil. Gyr.
Doris. 7. ap. Athen.
Plut. In Is. & Osir.
Homer. Iliad. & Odyss. 4. V. Boccat. l. 4. c. 4.
Pindar. in Olymp.
Plin. 34. c. 17.
Plin. l. 7. c. 38. & l. 16. 40.
Plin. l. 36. c. 5.
Plin. l. 36. c. 5.
Idem l. 6. c. 26.
Plin. l. 36. c. 12.
Belo. l. 2. c. 32. sing. observat.
Calepin. V. mira∣culum.
Ovid. 2. Metam.
Ovid. 14. Metam.
Ovid. 1. Metam.
Serv. ap. Boccat. l. 4
Ovid. Me∣tam. & Pausan. in Attic.
Ovid. 9. Metam.
Galen. ap. Nat. Com. l. 5.
Hesiod. in Theogon. Horat. 1. Carm. Macrob. & Suidas.
Lucian. dial. Maiae & Mercur.
Stat. Tullian. 2. de vocab. rerum.
Serv. in 12. Aen.
Pac••v. in Medea de Dion. Halic. l. 2. Macrob. sat. 3.
Boch. l. 1. c. 12. suae Geog.
Sophoc. in Oedip.
Homer. Odyss. ••.
Tertull. l. decoronis.
Festus. Fulgen.
Philostr. in soph. 3. Lucian. Dial. Ap. & Vulc.
Hom. in. hymn.
Lexic. lat. hoc v.
Macrob. & Suid. ap. Lil.
Cic.
Pausan. in Attio. 4 Metam. Callistrat. Homer.
Euripid. in Bacch ••
Ovid. l. de arte.
Aristoph. Scholiast. in Plu∣rum. Strab. l. 20.
Ovid. 4. Metam. & 3.
Ovid. Met. 3.
Nat. com. l. 4. venat.
Apollon. 4. Argon.
Eustath. ap. Lil.
Virg. Aen. 4.
Diodor. ap. Lil.
Cornut. in Pers. Sat. 1.
Ovid. 4. Metam.
Idem. ib.
Clem. in strom. Eu∣seb. l. 2. praep. E∣vang. Dio∣dor. l. 5.
Idem l. 3. Aristop. in Equit.
Diog. O∣rig. Eu∣seb.
Phurnut: in fab. Lu∣••••an. Dial.
Nonn. l. 9.
Eurip. in Bacch.
Virg. Aen. 7.
Cornut. in Pers.
Acron. in Horat.
Vir. 6. aen. Ovid. 4.
Metam. Nat Com. l. 5.
Ovid. 4. Metam.
Aeschyl. in Prometh.
Virg. 2. Georg.
Ovid. 4. Metam. in 2. Georg.
Vir. 7. Ecl.
Plutar. in probl.
Pausan. in Attic.
Ovid. 4. Metam.
Vir. aen. 4.
Phurn. in. Bacch.
Ovid. 4. Metam.
I••. ibid.
Her. l. 1. Carm.
Varr. de ling. lat.
Diod•• l. 5. hist. & Oros. l. 2.
Horat. 2. Epist.
Ovid. 3. Fast.
Dion. de situ orb.
Vid. Nat. Com.
Idem. ib.
Ovid. 3. Fast.
Eurip l. in Bacch. Dion. ib.
Idem eod. lib. de situ orbis.
Xenoph. in Sacerd. Plutar. in probl. symp. Euripid in Bacch. Herodot. Euterpe.
Vid. Nat. Com. l. 5.
Pausan. in Attic.
Ovid. Fast. & 6. Met.
Scholiast. Aristoph.
Demarat. in certam. Dionys.
Doroth. Sydon. ap. Nat. Com.
Vid, Nat Com. in Bacch.
Idem ib.
Cael. Rho. l. 18. c. 25.
Tzetz. in Hesiod.
Menand. l. de my∣ster.
Vir. 4. Georg. 6. & 7. Aen.
Liv. l. 9. Aug. 6. de Civit.
Cic. c. 11. 2. de leg.
Idem. 4. Met.
Ap. Nat. Com.
Bochart. in suo Phaleg.
Anthol. 1. c. 38. ep. 1.
Ex Athe∣naeo.
Vossius a∣pud Bo∣chart. in suo Cana∣an.
Exod. 34. 29.
Eurip. in Bacchis.
Nonn. in Dionysiac l. 23. & 25. & 35. & 45.
Apud E∣und.
Iliad. 48.
Aristoph. Schol. in Acharn. act 3. sc. 1.
1. Reg. c. 6
Erasm. in adag.
Ovid. de arte
Porphyr. in 2. car.
Hora••. Lil. Gyr.
Ovid. de Art.
Bellona Silius l. 4.
Stat. 7. Theb.
L. 1. c. 1••.
Juvenal. Sat. 4. & Lucan. l. 1. x. Eutrop.
Sil. l. 5.
Alex. ab Alex. l. 3. c. 12••
Homer. Iliad. 5.
Hesiod. in Theog.
Vid. Cerd. 8. Virg.
Varro de l. lat.
Cic. 5. de nat.
Phurnut.
Pausan. in Attic.
Budae in pandect. l. ult. de. len.
Cic. ad Attic. l. 1.
Serv. in 1. Aen.
Ser. 1. 27.
Serv. ib.
Pacuv. ap. Nonn.
Cic. l. 6. ep. 4.
Serv. in. 11. Aen.
Vid. Lit. Gyr.
In Pelopi∣da.
Vir. 2. Aen.
Ovid. 1. Metam.
Virg. Aen. 9.
Ovid. 2. Metam. Ap••lei. l. 10.
Vir. 1. Aen. Apollon. 1 Argon.
IRIS:
Virg. 9. Aen.
Nonn. 20.
Ibid. 31.
Homer.
Iliad. 23. 2. Metam.
Vir. 4 Aen.
Hesiod in Theog
Vid. Cer. in 4. Aen.
HEBE•• Pausan in Corint.
Ovid. 1. Metam.
Doroth. in. 2. nar. fa∣bul.
Plutarch. in Arist.
In Corin.
Doroth. lib. 2. Met. & Paus.
Paus. in Corinth.
Macrob in Sat.
Plutarch. & Ovid. de arte.
Var. de ling. lat.
Fest.
In Rom. Arnob. 2. contra Gent.
Marian. de nupt.
August. 7. de ••iv.
Festus.
Ex. Sext. Pomp.
Ovid. 2. Fast.
Cic. 2. Phil.
Virg. 4. Aen.
Idem 8. Idem 4. Ovid. ibi.
Lil. Gyr.
Serv. 4. Aen. Fest.
Strab. l. 6. Liv. l. 24.
Varr. de. ling lat.
In fast.
Liv. l. 7. Suid. Ov. ep. Parid. Euseb. 3. praep. ••vang. Plutar. in Sympos.
Ex Lil. Gy.
Pindar. in Hymn. Olymp. in Corint.
Jul. Pol∣lux, l. 3.
Aug. 6. de Civ. Ma∣crob. 6. Sat
Senec. in Med.
Cic. de nat.
Lil. Gyr.
Ap. Cic. 2. de nat.
Planciad.
Hellanic. in. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Homer. Iliad. 5. Phurnut.
Sep. ep. 310.
Apoll. l. 90.
Virgil. 11. Aen. Cic. 3. de nat. D.
Aen.
Plutar. in Themist.
Herod. in Terpsich.
Cic. 3. de Nat.
Sthena. ap. Gyr.
Lucian. in Dial.
Deor.
Hesiod. in Theog.
Strab. l. 14.
2 de nat.
Cornific. ap. Gyr.
Festus.
Cic. 9. Epist. 18.
Pollux Phurnut.
In Cratylo
In Parad.
Serv. in 2. Aen.
Ovid. 5. Fast.
Herodian. I. 1. Plut. in Paral.
Serv. in 2 Aen.
Clem. in Protrep.
Dion. Hal. l. 1. Antiq.
Homer. in hymn. in Vener.
Hom. l. 10.
Odyss.
L. 3. Met.
Nat. Com•• l. 7. c. 18.
Pausan. in Boeot. l. 9.
Herodot. in Melp.
Ex Hes c.
Isid. I. 10.
Ovid. 6. Metam.
Virg. 7. Aen.
Theocrit. Eccl. 34.
Ovid. 6. Metam.
Virg Eccl••
L. 34. c. l. 2.
Ovid.
Pausan in Attic.
Phurnut.
AEschyl. in Eumenid.
Cic. 1. Off.
Cic. in pa∣rad.
Senec.
Nyss. de Virg. init. c. 4. & 5.
Serv. in 2. Aen.
Bellof. l. ult c. 1••.
Jac. Ep. 1. c. 1.
V. Lil. Gyr. Synt. 11.
Philostr. 12. Imag.
Ovid. Met. 15.
Apul. l. 6.
Horat. 3.
Od. Ovid. 10. Met.
Sappho poet.
Philostr. in Imag.
Pausan. in Corinth.
Plut. in praec. con∣nub. & l. de Isid. & Osir.
Homer. II. ••.
Eurip in Medea. ex Phurn.
Cic. 3. de nat.
Hesiod. in Theog.
Ex Eurip. & Phurn.
Homer. in hym. ad Ven.
3 de nat.
Pausan. in Attic.
1 de O••
Festus.
Ex Apol. & Hesych.
Pausan. in Lacon. & in Attic.
Epiph. contr. Haeres.
Euseb. 1. de praep.
Evang. Lucian. de Dea Syr.
Strab. l. 11.
Serv. Ma∣crob.
Suidas & alii.
Lactant. I. 1. div. Instit.
Veget. l. 4. de re mi∣lit.
Plin. l. 15.
Polyb. l. 2.
Serv. 1.
Aen.
Varr. 1. de re rust.
Suidas.
Phurnut.
Iliad. 20. ab Hesiod.
Vir. 1. Aen. & Serv. Horat. saepe.
Plin. 15. c. 10. A∣cuil.
Alex. 2.
Clit. & Leucippe
Pausan. in Arcad.
Od. 9. ••yr. ex•• Hesyc.
Eurip. in Hippol.
Lact. & Serv.
Pausan. in Lacon.
Aen. 7.
In Apolog.
Lib. 6.
Val. Max. lib. 8.
•• Fast.
Pausan•• in Att.
Nyctimen
Ovid 2. Metam.
Ovid. 10. Metam. Myrrha,
Idem ib. Propoeti∣des.
Idem ibid.
Pygmali∣on.
Dio. Chrys. or. 20.
Philostr. in Icon.
Philostr. in Icon.
In sympos. Vid. Nat. & Lil.
Plat. in Phaedro.
Plut. ap. Stobae. Schol.
Theocr. 10 Idyl.
Pausan. in Boeot.
Plut. in sympos.
Apollod. l. 1.
Ovid. 6. Metam.
Orph. in hymn.
Lucian. in dial.
Iridis. & Neptuni.
Ovid. 15. Metam.
Ovid. 6. Metam.
Id. ibid.
Virg. 6. Aen.
Theocrit. in Hyla.
Apollod. l. 1. ibid.
Hymn. in Vener.
Orph. in Hymn.
Hesiod. in Theog.
Ovid. 7. Metam.
Pausan. in Lacon.
Horat. l. 2. Carm.
Ovid. 13. Metam.
Lucian. in Philopseu.
Tzetzes. Chil. 6.