Mystagogvs poeticvs, or, The muses interpreter explaining the historicall mysteries and mysticall histories of the ancient Greek and Latine poets : here Apollo's temple is opened, the muses treasures discovered and the gardens of parnassus disclosed whence many flowers of usefull delightfull and rare observations never touched by any other mythologist are collected / by Alexander Ross.

The INTERPRITER.

1. PE••seus is called the son of Jupiter because he w•• an excellent man, and had done great and bra•• exploits in subduing the Gorgones, either wil•• b••asts, or cruell women in Africa; in warring with th•• Ethiopians; in rescuing of Andromeda; in subduing the Kingdome of the Argivi; in erecting a Colledge o•• Schoole in Helicon, for which fact he was said to be place•• among the starres, that is extolled by mens praises unto the starres.

2. In that Jupiter in the forme of gold getts within Da••aes brasen tower; we see that no place Is so strong to hold out, where ther is a golden key to open the gates, or a golden ram to batter the walles; wherefore it was said that Philip of Macedon subdued more townes with hi•• gold, then with his sword.

3. Perseus was sayd to be begot of gold; either because

perhapps his haire was yellow and of the colour of gold or because his Mother was hired for gold to prostitute h••t body to Jupiter, or because his parents left him great store of wealth and gold; which is as it were a second Parent; for poore Parents bestow on their Children but the life of nature, rich Parents bestow on their sonnes, the life of honour, and worldly delights; for the life of a poore man in wan•• is little better then death.

4. That Jupiter did fall into the lap of Danae in a golden showre is but a fabl••; yet it is most certaine that the Ho∣ly Ghost descends into the hearts of the faithfull, like a showre of raine, to make them bring forth the fruits of a good life, or spirituall Children to God.

5. When Perseus over came Medusa, and her Gorgous he covered his head with Orcus his helmet, by which he was made invisible, he that will overcome the world and the Gorgones of envie and malice must be content to live an obscure and private life; for no men are sooner over∣come by such, then they that live in publike and eminent places.

6. The Gorgones which Perseus killed, are thought to be the basilisks a kind of beasts in Africa alone, which kill with their ey called Catoblepae, because they looke still downeward; they are described by Mela, Pli∣ni•• and Aclian; if we will be like Perseus, good Souldiers indeed, and deserve a place among the starres with him, we must kill the Gorgones or Catoblepae within us, even those covetous affections that are still loooking downe∣ward, and fastned on earth and earthly things.

7. Perseus was so brave and excellent a man, that not onely was he himselfe made a constellation; but like wise his wife Andromeda, his Father in law, Cepheus, and his Mother in law Cassiopcia, for his sake; by which we may see, how one worthy person doth innoble a whole family.

8. Perseus could not obtain the fair Andiomeda, untill he had first killed Medusa, and then the Sea monsters: nei∣ther can we attain true content and happinesse, untill we have subdued the monsters of our lusts and affections.

9. Out of the dropps of blood which fell from Medu∣sae's head, which Perseus cutt off, there ar••se multitudes of serpents in Africa; this may represent the nature of he∣resie, which when it is slain by the sword of truth, and of authority, yet out of it springs up new heresies, like so many serpents from the blood of Medusae's head.

10. Our blessed Saviour is the true Perseus, the sonne of the true God, and of a pure Virgin, exposed in his in∣fancie, and all his life after to many dangers; he hath subdued all our spirituall Gorgones, and hath delivered the Church his faire spouse, from the Devill that great monster; who was ready to devoure her; at last having conquered all his enemies, he hath ascended into glo∣ry, and there hath prepared a place for h••s Andromeda the Church.