Page 359
Two Festivals (a), one of which was celebrated in Crete, in honour of Europa, call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which was either a Phoenician Name, or deriv'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. from Europa's ravishment by Iupiter in the form of a Bull. At this time Europa's Bones were car∣ry'd in Procession, with a Myrtle Garland call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which was no less than twenty Cubits in Circumference.
The other Festival was celebrated by the Corinthians with solemn Games, and Races, wherein young Men contended, running with lighted Torches in their hands. It was instituted in honour of Miner∣va, Sirnam'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. from a certain Pond in Marathon, where one of her Statues was erected: Or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. because by her assistance Bellerophon caught Pegasus, the winged Horse, and brought him under command, which some take to be the first reason of the Celebration of this Festival; others are of opinion, that this Name was given to the Goddess from one Hellotis, a Corinthian Woman; the Story runs thus: The Dorians, being assisted by the posterity of Hercules, made an Invasion upon Pe∣••••ponnesus, where they took, and burn'd Corinth; most of the Wo∣men took care to secure themselves by an early Flight, only some ••ew, amongst whom were Hellotis, and Eurytione, betook themselves to Minerva's Temple, hoping, that the sanctity of the Place would be sufficient protection for them: No sooner had this reach'd the Dorians Ears, but they set Fire to the Temple, and all the rest making a shift to escape, Hellotis, and Eurytione perish'd in the Flames. Upon this ensu'd a dreadful Plague, which prov'd very fatal to the Dorians; and the remedy prescrib'd by the Goddess, was, to appease the Ghosts of the two deceas'd Sisters; whereupon they instituted this Festival in memory of them, and erected a Temple to Min••rva, sirnam'd, from on•• of them, Hellotis.