1 y J I ♦ - r - a » i * 1 * i i v » 9 r ♦ fc « # r , * a j 4 11 •* t M ^ - , ^ j #< • ' % * i • » U ' T H E N E W 0 w « o ^ « L* < > a * % - * f i TH* N #V r * G O D ' % T* % t - h V r * ^ . l « •* / « r > » *1* I % HEROES, &c ^ ^ ^ * « • - ft _ ft 4 - • - * ' . ^ « • U ft ft • - * v * • ft ► « Explained in a Manner entirely new> ♦ft <* \* • » ft« a « S ' < * ♦ I 0 + 0* « % ft And rendered much more ufefulthan any hitherto publiflied. * - *V- ^ U *• ft V- . « A DOR N ED WIT H t: « ✓ - • *. • ft ft* - and > 4 rft# would underhand History, ♦ * ». . _ ; \ . • "-» % l s% POETRY, P A tN TIN G v ST A T UARtt COINS, s - -J, “ 'ft. ^ WIT H on of the Heathens, ..Egyptian, Gr^ecian, •Roman, TORIANS* PHILOSOPHERS, POETS, 1 •.\ r V .* . 1 .* * . *- • ^ . # '*V ; f .* l v ’• V • ■•* ‘.ft r • 'J* i » • - v % . , -J - V ^ * p -ft ' •* - »* . » ***»-« » ^ ^ ± ^ ^ ; 1 » of Oldbury and Did mart on of Enford, in Wilt(hire> and' Chaplain * ^ € ? ■ » ? < 4 ^ \ ft • • ^ t w 4 r- ' L .* p^ ♦ r - ,» - > • % “* 1* U ♦ v . •: r - r ‘ '? . *' - * ; - ) 0*\\' V t * To which is added, ft. ^ •> . f » 4 * * i ^ - 4 * -a. - J / I ft of their Astrology, Prodigies, , ?OrAcles, &c. in which the Origin of each ii pointed out5 and an Historical Account - - M * * j£‘ ' s _ .w » * ^ *1 ' j ■> ^ » • i _* : ^ ft ■ ' ' V . >•* $ S : i,«v> ^ • •- '• ■ : - ft A P I Altars, Sacred Groves," Priests, and Temples.--^!":. &Z-L x t. .v/»* i . • j* * ^ ' .v • 'v* - -*- 4 ?!t‘T ¥fV *•; ■ •; - r v' , . -ft » */ < ' * -■ - - -.* » . ♦ 4 . . r S V. . ftft I • ft ft»Hfc * •, ♦.* ; -* j * 'T\S : * ^ • s A l i s B .u-R y : . fentti : ffiC^NiiN:cai»dat the^Bible . t d^wDER,dri Paten^r^ and ^rAstON, '-Court, Liidgate-Street, London 5 and B. 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C .r*i » - *■ «-r** ► % » * . «.• ♦ - > i '* - r -' ». *v v 4 Y'*> . ..;; ’* . * * * r /_^ 4 V * « - 4 * * ■ *•••<«* c y* «... . •% * - 1 V ->«••**: ^ • *? ' y', '.■. . -•* -. .*,•*'. *^ v . , ' "t.' x - j. J -v **•*' iv D E D I C A T I O N. « ♦ " / ly dived: It of the marvellous, leaving it rational and accountable, and, at the fame time, make the whole fubfervient to the caufe of virtue * * * %» and true religion, will be allowed % to have rendered an acceptable fer- vice to mankind. Such was the attempt of the in¬ genious author of this work. It muft be admitted, that he has in great fucceeded. Had he lived to re- • f yife it and to prepare it For another edition, all foreign affif tance had probably been needlefs As it is, what feemed wanting, or the effe& of inadvertency and error, have endeavoured to fupply and amend. Having thus done what I could for this adopted offspring, it is time that I recommend it to a better and - ' . • * • more D D AT O N. v more able benefactor, whofe fur ther fupport may be of ufe towards its fettlement in the world And 5 my acquaintance with the goodnefs of your Grace’s fpirit on many oc- cafions j leaves me no room to doubt, that you will take this or phan alfo into your protection* Indebted to your Grace’s illuf- trious houfe for all that I am, thi¬ ther every grateful confederation is wont to direct my views and affec¬ tions. An apprehenfion w;hich then ftruck me, that fuch a performance might be particularly ferviceable to your Grace, firft inclined me to liften to the overtures which were % made for preparing another and more complete edition of this work; againft which my little leifure, from other important avocations, had elfe determined me. When, therefore, ' A 3 I fat vi DEDICATION. 1 V I fat down to examine the contents • • t of it, and faw evidently the gene¬ ral ufefulnefs of the defign, I could with-hold no longer the little affif- tance which I was capable of giv¬ ing. Your Grace’s name will bring it to the public teft. If then it fhall appear in fome fort to anfwer the intent, and be poffefled of intrinfic worth enough to fave it, I fhall find my great and leading expec¬ tation anfwered in the fame degree; which was, that it might be im¬ proved into fomething agreeable and ufeful to your Grace; an end, which will ever principally com¬ mand the attention of, ' % - 1 - May it pleafe your Grace* ♦ * Your Grace’s mod dutiful. And devoted humble Servant, THE J E have here no defign to raife the re- W||| putation of this work, by depreciating k jd the many others that have already been publifhed on this fubjedt; it is fufficient for us to fay, that we have followed a plan entirely new, and, at the fame time, fuch an one as appeared to us much more ufeful, more rational, and lefs dry than any that has gone before it. As all works of this kind muft neceftarily confift of materials collected from other authors, no expence, no labour has been fpared 5 the moll celebrated works on this fubjeft have been con- fulted and compared with each other, and it has frequently happened, that fcattered hints, widely difperfed, have ferved to clear up the moll dif¬ ficult and intricate meanings, to a degree of de- monftration; but amongft all the authors to which we have had recourfe, we muft here par¬ ticularly acknowledge the great advantage we have received from that ingenious gentleman the Abbe Pluche, in his hiftory of the heavens. But as that learned and valuable writer Teems now Vlll PREFACE. now and then to have carried matters a little too far, the reader will find lefs ufe made of him, than in the firft edition. We have been care¬ ful to allow all things to evidence and reafon ; but as little as might be to conjecture. We have alfo received fome ufeful hints from the Abbe / Banier’s mythology. But it behoves us efpe- cially, to acknowledge the great fervice which we have received from the writings of the learned Bochart, Pignorius, Cafaliur, Kircher, Lipfius, Montfaucon, and others, who have profefled to treat of the Phoenician, Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities. % Some acquaintance with the heathen gods and the antient fables, is a neceflary branch of polite learning, as without this it is impoflible to obtain a competent knowledge of the daffies, impoffible to form a judgment of antique medals, fiatues or paintings 5 or even to underftand the perfor¬ mances of the moderns in thefe polite arts. $ •i • * Hence thefe Audies have been generally ef- teemed neceflary for the improvement of youth ; but in works of this kind, fufficient care has not been taken to unfold the origin of the heathen gods, which has generally been miftaken. Seme imagining that they had been kings and princes % o Jiers, that they were the various parts of nature \ and others, that they were the patriarchs and heroes of the Jewilh nation. But each of thefe have been found equally contrary to truth, when applied to the Pagan theology, though fome of their P R E F A C E. ix their fables have been embellifhed with many circumftances related in the Mofaic hiftory. In works of this kind, no care has hitherto been taken to give the leaft intimation of abundance of circumftances necefiary to be known; and a perfon reads the hiftory of the gods without finding any thing added, that can help him to unravel the myfteries he meets with in every page, or to entertain the leaft idea of the religion of their worfhipers. 4 m • The Greeks were entirely ignorant as to the origin of-their gods, and incapable of tranfmit- ting their hiftory to pofterity. Herodotus in¬ forms us, that the gods of the Greeks were ori¬ ginally brought from Egypt and Phoenicia, where they-had been the obje&s of religious worfhip before any colonies from thefe countries fettled in Greece. We ought then to fearch in Egypt and Phoenicia i%r the origin of the godsj for the gods whofe worfhip was chiefly promoted by the Egyptians, and carried by the Phoenicians over all the coafts of the world then known. • ♦ The firft Egyptians, unacquainted with letters, gave all the informations to the people, all the rules of their conduct, by erecting figures, cafily underftood, and which ferved as rules and orders necefiary to regulate their behaviour, and as ad- vertifements to provide for their own fafety. A very few figures deverfified by what they held in their hands, or carried on their heads, were fuf- ficient for this purpofe. Thefe were ingenious contrivances, and fuch as were abfolutely necef. fary X PREFACE * fary in a country, where the leaft miftake in point of time was fufiicient to ruin all their affairs. But thefe Egyptian fymbols, giving way to the eafy method of reaping inftruftion from the ufe of letters, which were afterwards introduced, foon became obfolete, and the memory of fome par¬ ticular virtues ftill remaining, they were revered- as the images or reprelentations of fuperior and friendly beings, who had frequently delivered them from impending dangers, and foon were worfhiped as the gods of their fathers. Their hiftories were wrote in verfe, and embellifhed with fi&ians founded on antient traditions. The priefts of different countries increafed the delu- lion j they had read the Mofaic hiftory, or, at leaft, had heard that the Tons of God had con- verfation with the daughters of men, and from hence, influenced by Tuft or avarice, cloaked their own debaucheries, and fbmetimes thofe of god princes and great men, under thofe of a and the poets, whenever a princefs failed in point of modefty, had recourfe to the fame method, in order to fhelter her reputation from vulgar cenfure. By this means the deities in after times were faid to live in various countries, and even in far diftant ages. Thus there became three hundred Jupiters, an opinion derived from there being a number of places in which, in different ages, Jupiter was laid to have lived, reigned, and performed fome extraordinary actions, which an¬ cient fables, the fictions- of the poets, and the artifices of the priefts had rendered famous. But notwith- i PREFACE* notwithftanding all thefe fables, Jupiter was al¬ ways acknowledged by the wifeft heathens to be impeccable, immortal, the author of life, the uni¬ versal creator, and the fountain of goodnefs* < • _ - - .J This Scheme is here carried on and explained, with refpeCt to each heathen deity, and added to the common hi dories and fables of the gods and ^roddeffes. « , 4 In the fiiort Diflertation on the Theology of the Antients, we have fhewn the rife of idolatry, and its connexion with the antient Symbols. We have there exhibited the Sentiments of the Pagans with regard to the unity of the deity, and the perfections they afcribe to him, from the con¬ current teftimony of the philoSophers in various ages, amongft the Egyptians, Greeks and Ro¬ mans. And the whole is concluded with a fhort account of the progrefs of idolatry. In the Diflertation on the Mythology of the Antients, we have endeavoured to account for the rife of a variety of fables from the licence of poe¬ try, embellishing the common incidents of life, by perfonating inanimate -beings,, introducing fic¬ titious characters, and Supernatural agents. We have given the hiftory of the creation of the world, the date of innocence, the fall of man, the univerfal deluge, &c. according to the tra¬ ditions of different nations, and the opinions of the poets and moft eminent phiiofophers, and compared them with the account given by Mofes* In . In fliort, we have here given a view of their re ligious, as well as moral fentiments. r To the whole is added, by way of Appendix^ a rational account of the various i'uperftitious ob* ▼ ► • JL fervances of aftrology, and the manner by which influences and powers became afcribed to ‘ the figns and planets 5 of prodigies, auguries, the aufpices and oracles; of altars, facred groves, and facrifices; of priefts and temples, &c. In which the origin of each is pointed out, and the whole mterfperfed with fuch moral reflections, as have a tendency to'preferve the minds of youth from the infection of fuperftitious follies, and to give as may be of the greateft fervice in helping them to form juft ideas of the mariners, principles, and condu• - * >* % *+ M . * > 4 u ' ^ 1 » • » Y Illustrated. ; 7 9 4 » ft- CHAP. 1 ^ Of Chaos. *% * V, • % ‘ author fabulous w X fyftern of the creation, \ begins his .genealogy, H X °f the gods with Chaos. ; incapable of coii- J^CKjd ceiving how fomething could be', produced om" nothing, he afferted; the eternity of matter, ’and nagined to himfejf a confuted mafs lying in the, worn]? f nature,: which contained the principles of all __ id which afterwards rifing: by degrees into, order and ? * •* “the univerie. Thus the ' \>r* trmony, at length eat hen poets e ndeayou red ’to accoun t for thb origh the world s , of which 'they Jknew fo little, tKaf .it > wonder they difguife.d rather: than illulirated the bjeft in their writings;. .W e fine! Virgil repre fen ting laos as one of the infernal deities, and Ovid, at his * v # » , % ^ ^ ^ 1 ft fitting out in the' Me» amorphpfis, or eiansfoiTna- n of the Gods, giving a - v ery poet teal t pidure pf that orderly ftate in which alithe elements' lay blended B without 2 FABULOUS HISTORY OF * without order or diftin&ion. It is eafy to fee, under all this confufion and perplexity, the remains of truth : the antient tradition of the creation being obfcufed with a multiplicity of images iand allegories, became an in- exhauftible fund for fidtion to improve upon, and fwelled the heathen theology into an unmeafurable compafs ; fo that, in this fenfe, Chaos may indeed be properly ftiled the father of the gods. Though it does not feem eafy to give a p : £ture, or graphical reprefentation of Chaos, a modern painter (ij has been fo bold to attempt it. Beyond the clouds, which compofe the body of his piece, he has repre- fented an immenfe abyfs of darknefs, and in the clouds an odd medley of water, earth, fire, fmoke, winds, &c. Jjftt he has unluckily thrown the figns of the Zodiac into his work, and thereby Tpoiled ,his whole defign. Our great Milton in a noble and mafterly manner has painted the ftate in which matter lay before the creation. 4 « On beanj’nly ground they flood, and from the Jhore Whey ’vienv’d the r vafl unmeafurable abyfs Outrageous as a fea y dark, ivaflefuly nvild, •Up from the bottom turn’d by furious winds And furging waves , as mountains , to ajfau.lt Heav ns height , and with the center mix the pole. Book VII. 1 . 215. c CHAP. II, • • Of Cjelus and Terra. 1 1 jELUS, or Uranus, as he was called by the Greeks, is faid to be the offspring of Gaia or Terra. This goddefs' had given rounded and covered by him. him birth, that fhe might be fur- that he might afford and * (1) The painter’s name was Abraham Diepenbeke. He was born at Bois le Due, and for fome time ftudied under Peter Paul Rubens. M. Meyfens, in his book entitled De Images dt Paintres, gives him the character of a great artift*, efpecialiy in painting on glafs. The piece abovementioned has been conikleied by mod people as a very ingenious jumble, and ’tis plain the painter him- ielf was fond of it 3 Tor he wrote his name in tire mafs to complete the confufion,. a manfioh A v ' I THE HEATHEN GODS. 5 a manfion fdr the gods. She next bore Ourea, or the mountains, the refidence of the wood-nymphs; and, laftly, (he became the mother of Pelagus, or the ocean. After this fhe married her fon Uranus, and had by him a numerous offspring, among whom _ were Oceanus, Cams, Creus, Hyperion, Japhet,. Theia, Rhea, The¬ mis, Mnemofyne, Phoebe, Tethys, Saturn, the three cvclops, viz. Brontes, Steropes,; and. Arges and the cyciops, viz. Brontes, fcteropes,; ana arges ana tne giants Cottes, : Gyges, and Briareus. Terra, however, was not fo ftri&ly bound by her conjugal vow, for by Tartarus (he had Typhasus, or Typhon, the great enemy of Jupiter. Caelus having, for fome offence, imprifoned' the cyciops, his wife, to revenge herfelf, incited her fon Saturn, who by - her afiiftance took the opportunity to calf rate his. father with an inffrument fhe furnifhed him with. The blood of the wound produced the three fu¬ ries, the giants and the wood-nymphs. The genital parrs, which fell into rlie fea, impregnating the waters, formed Venus, the moff potent, and charming of the goddeffes. According to La&antius, Caelus was an ambitious and mighty prince, who, affefting grandeur, called him- felf the fon of the Jky> which tide his fon Saturn alfo affirmed in his turn. But Diodorus makes Uranus the / % i f ^ # ' s k firft monarch of the Atlantides, a nation inhabiting the weffern coaft of Africa, and famous for commerce and hofpitality. From his fkill in aftronomy, the Parry heavens were called by his name, and for his equity and jbeneficence he w r as denominated king of the univerfe. iNpr: was his queen Titea lefs e deemed for her wifdom |and'good fiefs', Which after her death procured Her the Ihonour of .being deified by the name of Terrd. She is ireprefented in the fame mariner as Veffa, of whom we i (hall have occafion to/pCakftnore particularly. the univerfe. i ' 'us' x * * /\ \ * G H A P. Iir. * V? ^ ) Of . Hyper ion. aud Theia, r * % ^T^HEIA, or Bafilea, fucceeded hor parents, Callus " Jt and Terra, in the throne-: fhe'was remarkable for her mod eft y and chaftity.j but, being defirous of heirs B 3 (h 4 FABULOUS HISTORY OF 4 (he married Hyperion her brothe'rr^crwbom fhe bore Helios and Selene (the fun and moon), as al/b a fecond daughter, called Aurora (or the morning) $ but the bro¬ thers of Theia confpiring. againft her hufband, caufed him to be afiafiinated, and drowned her fon Helios in the river Eridanus (2). SeJejne, who; was extremely fond of her brother, on hearing his fate, precipitated herfelf from a high tower. They were both railed to the flcies, and Theia, after wandering diftradied, at laft difappeared in a ftorm of thunder and lightening. After her death the confpirators divided the kingdom. Hiftorians fay, that Hyperion was a famous aftrono- tner, who, on account of his difcovering the motions of the ccleftial bodies, and particularly the two great luminaries of Heaven, was called the father of thofe planets. ' ’ . CHAP. IV. Of Oceakvs and Tethys. f * * ' ’ . * * l T HIS deity was one of the eldeft Tons of Ctelus and Terra, and married his fitter Tethys, befides whom he had feveral other wives. Each of them pof- felTed an hundred woods and as many fivers. By Tethys he had Ephyre, who was matched to Epime- theus, and Pleione the wife of Atlas. He had feveral other daughters and fons, whole names it would be endlefs te-enumerate, and indeed they : are only thofe. of the principal rivers of the world. ' ■ Two of the wives of Oceanus were Parriphyloge and ( Parthenope. By the firft he had two daughters,' Alia; and Lybia; and by the laft, two more called Europa and Thracia,. who gave their names to the count lies fo denominated. He had alfo a daughter, called Cephyra, who educated Neptune, and three Tons, viz. Tripto- of Ceres, Nereus, who prefided and Achelous, the deity of fountains 1 lemus, the favourite over fait waters, and rivers. » 1 (2) This feems copied from the ftory of Phaeton. The! THE HEATHEN GODS. S % The ancients regarded Oceanus as the father of gOd» and men, on account of the ocecan’s encompafling the earth with his waves, and becaufe he was the principle of that radical moifture diffufed through univerfal matter, without which, according to Thales, nothing could either be produced or fubfift. Homer makes Juno vifit him at the remoteft limits of the earth, and acknowledge him and Tethys as the parents of the gods, adding that flie herfelf had been brought up under their tuition. Oceanus was depicted wth a bull’s head, to reprefent the rage and bellowing of the ocean when agitated by ftorms. C H A P. V, r f # Of Auroa and Tithonus. W E have already obferved, that this goddefs was the youngeft daughter of Hyperion and Theia. By the Greeks (he was (tiled ; and by the Latins Aurora, on account of her bright or golden. colour, and the dew which attends her. Orpheus calls her the harbinger of Titan, becaufe the dawn befpeaks the approach of the Sun ; others make her the daughter of Titan and the earth. She fell in love with a beautiful % youth named Cephalus, (whom feme feppofe to be the fame with fun) by whom fhe had Phaeton. She had alfo an amour with Orion, whom fhe firft faw a hunting in the woods, and carried him with her to Delos. By Aftreas her hufband, one of the Titans, fee had the (tars* and the four winds, Argeftes, Ze- phyrus, Boreas, and Notus.' But her greatefl favourite was Tithonus, to whom fee bore .^Emathion and Memnon. This young Prince fee tranfported to Delos, thence to Ethiopia, and laft into Heaven, where fee obtained for him, from the deftinies, the gift of immor¬ tality ; but at the fame time forgot to add youth, which alone could render the prefent valuable. Tithonus grew old, and fo decripit as to be rocked to deep like an infant. His miftrefs, not being able to procure B % death. 6 FABULOUS HISTORY OF * » * death, to end his mifery changed him into a grafs-hopper; an infedf which by calling its fkin renews its youth, and in its chirping ftill retains the loquacity of old age. The hiftorians fay, that Tithonus was a great im¬ prover of aftronomy, and ufed to rife before morning to whom they carried tor mount ; Caucafus, where they chajn’d - him - to a rock, and an eagle or vulture was commiflioned to prey on his liver, which every night was. renewed in proportion as it was confumed by day. But Hercules foon after killed the vulture and delivered him. Others fay, Jtipiter reflor’d him his freedom for difcovering his father Saturn’s confpiracy f/j), and dif- fuading his intended marriage with Thetis. Nicander, to this fable of Prometheus, lends an additidnal cir- cumlfance. He fells us fome ungrateful men difcover- ed the theft- of Prometheus fir ft to Jupiter, who re¬ warded them with perpetual youth. This prefent they loaded on rhe back of an afs, who flopping at a foun¬ tain to quench - his thirfl, was hindered by a water fuake, who would not Jet him drink ’till he gave him the 'burthen he carried. Hence the Serpent renews his youth upon changing his fkin. ; had an altar ih the academy at Athens, f p ^ mm ^ » « 9 +* » 4 in common with Vulcan and Pallas. His flames are reprefen ted with a fcepter in the hand. There is a very ingenious explanation of this fable j it is faid Prometheus was a wile prince, who reclaim¬ ing his fubjedls from a fayage to a focial life, was faid to haye animated men out of clay : he firfl iiiflituted facrifices(according to (5), Pliny) which gave rife to the flory of the two oxen. Being expelled his domi¬ nions, by Jupiter, he fled to Scythia, where he retir’d to mount Caucafus, either to make aflronomical obferva- tions, or to indulge his melancholy for the lofs of his dominions. This occafioned the fable of the vulture feeding upon his liver. As he was alfo the firfl inven¬ tor ot forging metals by fire, he was faid to have Hole the element-from heaven. In fhort, -as the firft know^ •• > . ^ , f* , 1 ledge of agriculture, and even navigation, is afcribed to him, it is no wonder if he was celebrated for form¬ ing a living man from an in^nimated fubflance. - Some authors imagine Prometheus to be the fame with Noah. The learned Bochart imagines him to be 4 - . L - - * , ^ (4) Lucian has a way fine Dialogue between Prometheus and iter on . this lubjech - (5) Pliny, Book 7, cap. 56. Magog. (r/fsm 25?'?'* fY/AVl/l'* THE HEATHEN GODS. i3 Magog. Each opinion is fupported by argument?, which do not want a fhew of probability. The fiory of Pandora affords very diftindl traces of the tradition of the fall of our firft parents, and the fe- duaion of Adam by his wife Eve. C H A P. VIII. 0 » \ Of Deucalion and Pyrrha. * • * D E U C A LI O N was the fon of Prometheus, and had married his coufm german Pyrrha the daugh¬ ter of Epimetheus, who bore him a fon, called Helenes, who gave his name to Greece. Deucalion reign¬ ed in Thefialy (6 ), which he governed with equity and juftice ; but his country, for the wickednefs of the in¬ habitants, being deftroy’d by a flood, he and his queen only efcaped by faving themfelves on mount ParnafTus. After the decreaf^ of the waters, this illuftrious pair confulted the oracle of Themis in their diftrefi. The anfwer was in thefe terms, Depart the temple , veil your heads and faces , unloofe your girdles y and throng behind your backs the bones of your grandmother . Pyrrha was fhock’d at an advice, which her piety made her regard with horror: but Deucalion penetrating the myftical fenfe, reviv’d her, by telling her the earth was their grandmother, and that the bones were only ftones. They immediately obey the oracle, and behold its ef¬ fect : the Hones which Deucalion threw, became liv- ing men; thofe caft by Pyrrha rofe into women. With thefe, returning into Theffaly, that prince repeopled his kingdom, and was honour’d as the reftorer of man¬ kind. To explain th : s fable it is necefiary to obferve, there were five deluges, of which the one' in queftion wasjhe fourth, in order of time, and lafted, according to Ari- ftotle’s account, the whole winter. It is therefore need- efs to wafte time in drawing a parallel between this (6) By the Arundel inn marbles, Deucalion ruled at Lycerea, in the neighbourhood of Parnaffus, about the beginning of the reign of Cecrops king of Athens. * 14 FABULOUS. H STORY OF ♦ The circumftance of the ftory and the Mofaic flood. The circumftance of the ftones (7) feems occasioned by the fame word bearing two ftgnificalions; fo that thefe myfterious ftones are only the children of fuch as efcaped the general inun¬ dation. CHAP. IX. « • Of Saturn. S ATURN was the younger fon of Cselus and Terra, and married his After Vefta. Under tire ar¬ ticle of • Caelus, we have taken notice how he treated his Father. We his ambition in his endeavouring, by the afliftance of his mother, to ex¬ clude his elder brother Titan from the throne, in which he fo far fucceeded, that this prince was obliged to re- fign his birthright, on thefe terms, that-Saturn fhould not bring up any male children, fo that the fucceflion might devolve to the right male line again. Saturn, it is faid, obfcrved thefe conditions fo faith¬ fully, that he devoured all the fens he had by his wife, as loon as born. But his exa&nefs in this point was at laft fruftrated by the artifice of Vefta, Having brought Jupiter and Juno, file prefented the forth the twins. however. latter to her hufband, and concealing the boy, fen.t him to be nurfed on mount Ida in Crete, committing the care of him to the Curetes and Corybantes. Saturn, however, getting feme intelligence of the Affair, de¬ manded the child, in whofe ftead his wife gave him a ftone Twaddled up, which he /wallowed. This ftone had the name of Ab-addir (or the potent father) and re¬ ceiv’d divine honours. This fiftion, of Saturn’s devouring his fens, accord- ing to Mr. Le Clerc (8), was founded upon a cuftom which he -had of baniihing or confining his children, for fear they fhould one day rebel againft him. As to the ftone which Saturn is faid to fwallow, this is ano- ( 7 ) The 1 and a child} or a people. The Phcenician' word Aben, or Eben, fignifies both :hild; and the Greek word Aeeet? Aafe? denotes either a ftone a ftone (8) Remarks upon Hefted. th e r THE HEATHEN GODS. i 5 ther fi£Hon founded bn the doable meaning of the word Eben, which lignifies both a ftone and a. child, and means no more than, that Saturn was deceiv’d by Rhea’s fubftituting another child in the room of Jupiter. Titan finding the mutual compact made between him and his brother thus violated, took arms to revenge the injury, and not only defeated Saturn, but made him and his wife Vefta prifoners, whom he confined in Tarta¬ rus, a place fo dark and difmal, that it afterwards be¬ came one of the apellations of the infernal regions. In the mean time Jupiter being grown up, raifed an army in Crete for his father’s deliverance. He alfo hired the % Cecrops to aid him in his expedition; but on their re- fufal to join him after taking the money, he turned them into Apes After this he-marched againft the Titans, and obtained a complete vidtory. The Eagle which ap¬ peared before the engagement, as an aufpicious omen, was ever after chofen to carry his thunder. From the blood bf the Titans, flain in the battle, proceeded fer- pents, fcorpions, and all venomous reptiles. Having lay this fuccefs freed his parents, the young Prince cau£ ed all the gods aflembled, to renew thtir oath of fidelity to Saturn, on an altar, which on that account has been raifed to a conftellation in the heavens. Jupiter after this married Metis daughter of Oceanus, who, it is re¬ ported, gave Saturn a potion, which caufed him to bring up. Neptune and Pluto, with the reft of the chil¬ dren he had formerly devoured (9). The merit of the fon, (as it often happens) only ferved to increafe the father’s jealoufy, which received new ftength from an ancient oracle or tradition, that he fhould be dethroned by one of his Tons. Jupiter therefore fecretly informed of the meafures taken to de- ftroy him, fuffered his ambition to get the afeendant over his' duty, and taking up arms, depofed his father, whom, by the advice of Piometheus, he bound in woollen fet¬ ters, and threw into Tartarus with Japetus his uncle. Here Saturn fuffered the. fame barbarous puniftiment of caftration he had inflicted on his father Cselirs. (9) By tills, Jupiter fhould be the yoimgeff fon of Saturn. V * * ‘ I Macrobius x6 FABULOUS HISTORY OF % Macrobias, fearches into the reafon why this god was bound with fetters of wool, and adds from the teftimony of Apolidorus, that he broke thefe cords once a .year at the celebration of the Safurnlia (i). This he explains by faying, that this fable alluded to the corn, which be¬ ing Ihut up in the earth, and detained by chains, foft and eafily broken, fprung forth and annurlly arrived at maturity. The Abbe Banier fays (2), that the Greeks looked upon the places fituated to the eaft as higher than thole that lay weftward; and from hence con¬ cludes, that by Tartarus or hell, they only meant Spain, As to the caftration of Saturn, Mr. Le Cleic conjec¬ tures (3), that it only means that Jupiter had corrupt¬ ed his father’s council, and prevailed upon the moft con- fiderable perfons of his court to defert him. The manner in which Saturn efcaped from his prifon is not related. He fled to Italy, where he was. kindly received by Janus, then king of that country, who allb- ciated him in the government. From hence that part of the world obtained the name of Saturnia Tellus, as alfo that of laiium , from lateo to lie hid, becaufe he found a refuge here in his diftrefs. On this account money was coined with a lhip on one fide, to flgnify his arrival, and a Janus with a double head on the other, to denote his lharing the regal authority. The reign of Saturn was lo mild and happy, that the poets have given it the name of the Golden Age l and celebrated it with all the pomp and luxuriancy of ima¬ gination (4). According to Varro, this deity, from his inftruding the people in agriculture and tillage, obtained his name (5) of Saturn. The fickle which he ufed in reaping being caft into Sicily, gave that ifland its antient name of Lrepanon, which in Greek fignifies that in- flrument The hiftorians givens a very different pidure of Sa¬ turn. Diodorus reprefents him, as a tyrannical, co¬ vetous, and cruel prince, who reigned over Italy and (O Sat. Lib. x. c. 8. (2) Banier’s Mythology, vol. a. 185. (3; Remarks upon Heiiod. * (4.) The reader will fee more on this head under the fucceeding article. {5) From Satus, that, is, Lowing dr feed time. - ^ A» M Sicily, THE HEATHEN GODS. *7 Sicily, and enlarged his dominions by conqueft: he adds, that he opprefs’d his fubjedls by fevere taxes, and kept them in awe by ftrong garrifons This account agrees very well with thofe who make Saturn the firft who inftituted human facrifices, whieh probably gave rife to the fable of his devouring his own children. Cer^ offer’d young and amongfl the Romans, his that the Carthaginians (6) tain it is, childern to this deity; priefts were cloath’d in red, and at his feftivals gladiators were employed to killeach other The feafts of this deity were celebrated with great folemnity amongfl the Romans about the middle of De¬ cember. They were firft inftituted by Tullus Hoftilius, though Livy dates them from the confulfhip of Mani- lius and Sempronius. They lafted but one day till the time of Julius Cajfar, who ordered them to be protract¬ ed to three days; and in procefs of time they were ex¬ tended to five. During thefe all public bufinefs was flopp’d, the fenate never affetnbled, no war could be proclaimed, or offender executed. Mutual prefents of all kinds, (particularly wax lights) were fent and re¬ ceiv’d, fervauts wore the pileus or cap of liberty, and were waited on by their mafters at table. All which was defign’d to fhew the equality and happinefs of man¬ kind under the Golden Age, The Romans kept in the temple of Saturn the libri ehphantini , .or rolls, containing the names of the Ro¬ man citizens, as alfo the public treafure. This cuftora they borrowed from the Egyptians, who in the temple of Sudec, or Chrone, depofned their genealogies of fa¬ milies ana the public money. Saturn, like the other heathen deities, had his amours. He fell in love with the nymph Phyllyra, the daughter of Oceanus, and was by his wife Rhea fo near being furprifed in her company, that he was forced to af- fume the form of a horfe. This fudden transformation (6) Mr. Selden in his treatifeof the Syrian gods, fpeaking of Mo¬ loch, imagines from the ciudty of his facrifices, he was the fame as Saturn. In the reign of Tiberius, that prince crucify’dthe priefts of Saturn for offering young infants at his altars. This idea of Sa,- turp’s malignity is, perhaps, the rcafon why the planet, which bears this name, was thought fo inaufpicious and unfriendly to mankind. had 18 l FABULOUS I H I ST O R Y had fuch an effeft on his miftrefs, that Ihe bore a crea. ture whofe upper part was like a man, and the reft like a horfe. This Ton of Saturn became famous for his . fkill in mufic and furgery. - A modern author, M. La Pluche, has very juftly ac¬ counted for this fabulous hiftory of Saturn, which cer¬ tainly derived its origin from Eygpt. The annual meet¬ ing of the judges in that country was notified by an image with a long beard, and a fcythe in his hand. The firft denoted the age and gravity of the magiftrates, and the latter pointed out the feafon of their affembling, juft before the firft hay-making or harveft. This figure they call’d by the names of Sudec (7), Chrone (8), Chiun (g) y and Saterin (1); and in company with it,, always expofed another ftatue reprefenting Ifis, with feveral breafts, and furrounded with the heads of animals, which they call’d Rhea (^), as thefe images continued expofed till the beginning of the new folar year, or the return of the Ofiris (the Sun), fo Saturn became regard¬ ed as the father of time. Upon other occafions the Egyptians depi&ed him with eyes before and behind, fome of them open, others afleep; and with four wings, two (hut and two expanded (3'., The Greeks took thefe pictures in the literal fen fe, and turned into fabu¬ lous hiftory what was only allegorical. Bochart, and fome other learned antiquaries, con¬ ceived Saturn to be the fame with Noah, and drew a parallel, in many inftances, which feem to favour their opinion. Saturn was ufually reprefented as an old man, bare¬ headed and bald, with all the marks of age and infirmi¬ ty in his face. In his right hand they fometimes placed a fickle, or fcythe, at others a key, and a fcrpent biting its own tail, and circumflex’d in his left. He fome- * . (7) From Tfadic, or Sudec, juftice, or the juft. (8) From Keren, Splendor, the name given to Mofes defcent from the mount; hence the greek ^pevo? (9) From Choen a prieft, is deriv’d Keimah, or the fac office. - (1) From Seter, a judge, is the plural Seterim, or the judges. (2) Frpm Rah^h, to feed, corhes Rehea, or Rhea, a nurfe. (3) This figure feems borrowed from the Cherubim of the Hebrews. times ♦ * T HEATHEN GODS. r 9 rimes was pictured with fix wings, and feet of wcibl, to sw how infenfibly and fwiftly time pafies. The fcythe enoted his cutting down and impairing all things, and ‘qjitur Annus . Quod in fefe CHAP. X. 0 Of the Golden Age. 0 0 9 D IFFICULT as it is, to reconcile, the incon- fifiencies between the poets and hiftorians in the ^preceding account of Saturn, yet the concurrent tefti- mony of the former in placing the Golden Age in his times, feems to determine the point in his favour j and to prove that he was a benefa&or and friend to mankind, fince they enjoy’d fuch felicity under his adminiftration. never fufficiently the mafterly defcrip- We tion given by Virgil of thefe halcyon days, when peace and innocence adorned the world, and fweeten’d all the bleffings, of untroubled life. Ovid has yet heightened the defcription with thole touches of imagination pecu¬ liar to him. Amongft the Greek poets, Hefiod has touched this fubjedT with that agreeable fimplicity which diftinguilhes all his writings. By the Golden Age might be figured out the happi- nefs of the primaeval ftate before the fir ft and univerfal deluge, when the earth, remaining in the fame pofition in which it was firft created, fiourifhed with perpetual fpring, and the air. always temperate and ferene, was neither difcompofed by fiorms, nor darkened by clouds. The reafon of affixing this time to the reign of Saturn, was probably this: the Egyptians held the firft annual aflembjy of their judges in the month of February, and as the decifions of thele fages were always attended with the higheft equity, lo the people regarded that feafon as a time of general jby and happinefs, rather as all nature with them was then in bloom, and the whole country looked like one enamelled garden or carpet. But after ail it appears, that thefe halcyon times were but of a fhort duration, fince the character Plato, Py¬ thagoras, and ethers, give of this age, can only relate 4 20 FABULOUS HISTORY OF to that Rate of perfect innocence which ended with the fall. ► -— — - 1-- —»-- —-~ . . i m . --* • * * “ CHAP. XL 4 _ ' ^ • Of the Giants,. V ^ » « T HE giants were produced fas has been already obferv’d) of the the blood--which flow’d from the wound of Saturn, when caftrated by his fon Jupiter,, Proud of their own ftrength, and fired with a daring ambition, they entered into an afTociation to dethrone Jupiter j for which purpofe they piled rocks on rocks, in order to fcale the ikies. This engagement is diffe- renrly related by authors, both as to the place where it happened and the circumftances which attended it; fome writers laying the fcene in Italy (4), others in Greece (5). It feems the father of the gods was ap. prized of the danger, as there was a prophetical rumour amongft the deities, that the giants fhould not be over- come, unlefs a mortal aflifted in the war. For this feafon Jove, by the advice of Pallas, call’d up Her¬ cules, and being aflifted by the reft of the gods, gain’d a complete victory over the rebels, moft of whom pe- rilhed in the conflict. Hercules full flew Alcyon with an arrow, but he ftill furviv’d and grew ftronger, till Minerva drew him out of the moon’s orb, when he expired. This goddefs alfo cut off the heads of Ence* ladus and Pailantes, and afterwards encountering Al- cyoneus at the Corinthinan iftbmus, kill’d him in fpite of his monfterous bulk. Porphyris, about to ravifh Juno, fell by the hands of Jupiter and Hercules. Apollo and Hercules difpatcfr’d Ephialtes, and Hercules flew Eu- rytus, by darting an oak at him. Clytius was flain by Hecate, and Polybotes flying through the fea, came to the ifle of Coos, where Neptune, tearing off part of the land, hurl’d it at him, and form’d the ifle of Nilyros. (4) In thePhlegrasan plains, in Campania, near mount Vefuvius, which abounded -with fubterraneous fires, and hot mineral fprings. (5) Where they fet mount Ofla on Pelion, in order to'jaicend the ikies. - Mercury THE HEATHEN GODS. 21 (Mercury (lew Hyppolitus, Gratian was vanquifli’d by ; Diana, and the Parcae claim’d their fbare in the vidtory, by the deftrudtion of Agryus and Thoan. Even Si- lenus his afs, by his opportune braying, contributed to put the giants in confufion, and complete their ruin. During this war, of which. Ovid has left us a fhort defcription, Pallas diftinguiih’d herfelf by her wifdom, Hercules by his flrength, Pan by his trumpet, which ftruck a terror in the enemy, and Bacchus by 'his afti- vity and courage. Indeed their affiftance was no more than feafonable ; for when the giants firft made their audacious attempt, the gods were fo aftonifhed, that they fled into Egypt, where they conceal’d themfelves in various Shapes But the mod dreadful of thefe mongers, and the moft difficult to fubdue, was Typhon or Typhaeus; whom, when he had alinofl difeomfited all the gods, Jupiter purfued to mount Caucaufu's, where he wounded him with his thunder; but Typhon turning upon him, took him prifoner; and after cutting with his own fickle the nerves of his hands and feet, threw him on his back, carried him into Cilicia, and impiifon’d him in a cave, whence he was deliver’d by Mercury, who reftor’d him to his former vigour. After this, Jove had a fecond engagement with Typhon, who flying into Sicily, was overwhelm’d by mount AEtna. The giants are reprefented by the poeis as men of huge Stature and horrible afpedi, their lower parts be¬ ing of a Terpentine form. But above all, Typhon, or Typhaeus, is deferibed iri the moll Blocking manner. Hefiod has given him an hundred heads of dragons, uttering dreadful founds, and having eyes that darted fire. He makes him, by Echidna, the father of the dog Grthus, or Cerberus, Hydra, Chimaera, Sphinx, the Nemaean lion, the Hefperian dragon, and of llorms and ternpefls. Hiftorians fay, Typhaeus was the brother of Ofiris, king of Egypt, who in the abfence of this rhonaicb, form’d a conspiracy to dethrone him at his return ; for which end he invited him to a feaft, at the conclufion ^ 1 p ^ of which, a cheft of eyquifite workmanfhip was brought in, and offer’d to him who lying down in it fhould be found 22 FABULOUS HISTORY OF ♦ found to fit it bell. Ofiris not diftrufting the contri¬ vance, had no fooner got in but the lid was clofed upon him, and the unhappy king thrown into the Nile, lfis, his queen, to revenge the death of her beloved huftnndj rais’d' an army, the command of which (he gave to her fon Onus, who, after vanquifhing the ufurper,, put him to death. Hence the Egyptians, who defefted his me¬ mory, painted him in their hieroglyphic charafters in fo frightful a manner. The length and multiplicity of his arms denoted his power: the ferpents which form’d his heads, fignify’d his addrefs and cunning: the cro¬ codile fcales which cover’d his body, exprefs’d his cru¬ elty and difiimulation ; and the flight of the gods into Egypt, (hew’d the precautions taken by the great men to (belter themfelves from his fury and refentment. It is eafy in this (lory of the giants to trace the. Mofaic hiftory, which informs us how the earth was afflidled with men of uncommon (lature and great wickednefs. The tradition of the tower of. Babel, and the defeat of that impious defign, might naturally give rife to the attempt of thefe monfters, to infult the (kies and make war on the gods. But there is another explication of this fable, which feems both more rational and curious. Amonp-ft the names of the giants we find thofe of Briareus (6), Roechus (7), Othus { 3 ), Ephialtes (9), Prophyrion (1), Eneeladus (2), anti, Mimas (3). Now the literal fig- nification of thefe leads us to the fenfe of the allegory, which was defign’d to point out the fatal confequences of the flood, and the confiderable changes it introduced (6) .From Beri, ferenity 5 and- Harcus, loft, to ftiew the ! tem¬ perature of the air deftrayed. \ ■ , • J (y') From Reuach, the winds. (8) From Ouitta, or Othus, the times, to tipify the viciffitude or feafons. (9) From Evi, or Ephi, clouds 5 and Altah, darknefs,; i. e; dark gloomy clouds, ;; i . i: .: (1) From Phau, to break, comes Pharpher, to fcparater minute¬ ly ; to denote the general difTohition of the primaeval fyltem. , -(2) From Enceled, violent fprings or torrents. (3) From Maim, great and heavy rains. Now all thefe were phasnomena hew, and unknown before the flood. See La Pliiche’s •hiftory of the heavens, .vol. 1, p. 66. & \ \ t * with THE HEATHEN GODS. 23 with regard to the face of nature. This is fuFther confirm’d by their tradition, that their Ofiris vanquifhed the giants, and that Orus, his fon, in particular, Hopp’d the purfuit of Rcechus, by appearing before him in the form of a lion. By which they meant, that that in- duftrious people had no way of fecuring themfelves againft the bad effects' of the vernal winds, which brought on their annual inundation, but by exactly obferving the fun’s, entrance into Leo, and then retir¬ ing to the high grounds, to wait the going off of the wafers. It may not be improper to add, that from the blood of the giants defeated by Jupiter, were produced fer- peots and all kinds of venomous creatures. 1 C H A P. XII. ft Of Janus. 0 r ^pHE connexion between Saturn and Janus, renders X the account of the latter a proper fupplement to the hiftory of the former. Writers vary as to the birth of this deity, fome making him the fon of Caelus and Hecate, others the offspring of Apollo, by Creufa, daughter of EriCtheus, king of Athens Hefiod is filent about him in his Theogany , and indeed Janus was .a god little known to the Greeks. According to Cato, he was a Scythian prince, who, at the head of a victorious army, fubdued and depopulated Italy. But the molt . probable opinion is that he was an Etrurian king, and one of the. earlieft monarchs of that country, which he governed with gredt wifdom, according to the tefti- mony of Plutarch; who fays, 'whatever he was, whether \ a king or a god, he was a great politician , who tempered the manners of his fubjedls , and taught them civility , on S which account he was regarded as the god of peace, and never invoked during the time of war . The Romans held him in peculiar veneration. . From Fabius PiCtor, one of the oldeft Roman hilto- rians, we learn, that the antient Tufcans were firlt t taught by this good king to improve the vine, to fovv ' corn. u I' -H * F ABTJ L A U.S ,H4ST O R Y O F • ; •' '. • . ’v : ^ i. I- . * -* 1 : J + * -* *• “ ^ * • v-t* . ^ * : ^ * — .- • t i * *» — •* f. corn, and 1 * to make tread, and: that, he firft raifed tem- * * * > * ■* ^ “. • ^ ,1. . -> -7- I ' * * < > * V> € . * .- * *— ♦, V. g. • * * ' . « * 1 and altars to, the gods, whq were before worthippta in groves, W'e have already ^mentioned Saturn ast the introducer of thefe arts -info Italy, where Janus aflb- ciated him into- a (hare of hii power. Some fay he was married to the. yourigefi Vefta, the^goddefs of /r^ j ; others make his wife.'the goddels Cama, or Carmack 4 , It is certain thatyhe early? obtained divme.dvqnours at inftituted, ah annual 1 I * ' ''5 Ronrte, where in umg rompmus le Rival' to him in - January, ..which was celebrated with , w r * * -» *v j/ I a , % w M 1 • , ' k 4 # * ' ' manly exercifes. .Romulus and Tatius had. before erefted him a temple, upon occafion of the union of the; S Romans with the Sabines.- Nmna ordained it (hould • f be opened in time ofwar,. and (ljitt in time of peace (5), which happened but ftfi^ice for feveral/Tcenturies. 1. in the reign of. Nuroa^.2.- Jri the.; ; confulate of . Attilius. Balbus, and ManliusVTorquar us; and,; 3. By Augulius , Ctefar, -after the death'df Anth'onvf and - redudion of ?■ + +W? ^ • % * + J * ► • * V A - f. Janus was the god \?hp takings.. Hence in all' f vvine ; a nd r wheat word ' 'off< ^-. • • % * * r a • .. ' i over ^alPnew under* * * praVers were, prefa ce d/ wi t ha ih bit add refs .to: h: mV, .T he peculiar orcermgs at his rejlival yvere cakes :or new meal and fait, with new wirie andy : ji ; artkincenfe. '{ 6 ). Then all artificers arid tradefmen began their works, and the on . Roman Cjpnfuls;’vf^t• - the' .newr year Joiemniy entered their ^office. . 'Aii^'ttarreiS/ wtfre : laid afidei- mutual pre- fents were made;, and the -day concluded with joy and mtnh : : l'.* • V ; •- • # * .1 iiiirib; ' Janus was represented with two faces, and, called Bifrons, Byceps, : -a n d.Didyriiieus; 1 as forming another image of himfelf'btiVthe difk of the, modn, and looking to the paft antf approachihg year j vvith keys, as open¬ ing and (hutting -'J:He' is laid -to have \ *. * - T' * ** --»* ' ' ** ^____ r «._ ^ _ 1 • y - •; ***• ! <’ 1 parts fc) Hence Janus toolethemames of rPatuleitis and Clufiu>. (6) Xoofce contradiil& Ovid) and uippofes p]iny to prove, that the aintientsdid not ufe this gum in their facn^ces^ but tlie paflage of that ailthor, only fays itwas not ufed in the time of the Trojan war. - '(f) Qua/i itiri}if)jaitu<* c&lejiis pofentetn^ qui exoriens aperiat diem y uciaens claudaU Macrob. 1. i, cV 9 . . regulated -v. H N G 25 emulated the months, the firft of which is diftinguifhed his name, as the firft day of every month was alfo 'acred to him. He was therefore feated in the center of welvc altars ; and bad on his hands figures to the .mount .of days m the year. Sometimes his image had bur faces, to exprefs the four feafons of the year over hich he prefided. Though Janus be properly a Roman deity, yet it is imongft the Egyptians, we muft feek for the true ex- lanation of his hiftory. That heir folar year by ai prefented the with a key in King Picns i two faces, one old and the other 0 tipily or mark the old and new year, ith a hawk's head, who is ufually drawn near Janus, ;aves no doubt but ^that the fymbol of this deity was orrowed from that people. The reader, after putting 11 this together, will reafonably conclude, that by this pure could only be intended the fun, the great ruler f the year. CHAP. XIII. Of the Elder Vesta, Cybele Wife Satuen T is highly neceffary, in claffmg the Heathen divi¬ nities, to diftinguifh between this goddefs, who is lfo called Rhea and Ops, from another Vefta, their aughter, becaule the poets have been faulty in con¬ founding them, and afcribing the attributes and actions >f the one to the other. % % % The elder Vella, commonly called Eftia by the reeks, was the daughter cf Cslus and Terra, and arried to her brother Saturn, to whom fhe bore a nu- icrous offspring. She had a multiplicity of names be- ■*'" of which the principal were Cybele, Magna Mater, r the great mother of the gods; and Bona Dea, or ie good goddefs, &c. under different facrifices. Vefta is generally reprefenfed upon antient coins fit- n g, though fometimes Handing, with a lighted torch one hand, and a fphere in the other. • P C Unde r * z6 FABULOUS HISTORY OF w • ~ m y I Under the character of Cybele fhe makes a more mag nificent appearance, being feated on a lofty chariot ctaawr by lions, crowned with towers, and having a key ex tended in her hand. Some indeed make the Phrygian Cybele a different per. Ion from Vefla : they fay fhe wtis the daughter of Mce- ones,- an. autient king of Phrygia and Dyndima, and that her mother, for fome reafons, expofed. her on mount Cybelus, where fhe was noqrifhed by lions. Her parents afterwards owned her, and (lie fell in love with Atys, by whom conceivings her father caufed her lover to be (lain, and his body thrown to the wild bea'fts; Cybele upon this ran mad;, and, filled the woods with her lamentations. Soon after a plague and. famine laying wafle the country, the oracle was confulted, who advifed them to bury Atys with great pomp, and to worfhip Cybele as a goddefs. Accordingly ,they erefted a temple to her honour at Peflinus, and placed lions at her feet, to denote her being educated by thefe animals. Ovid relates the {lory a-little more in the marvellous way: Atys was a boy fo called by Cybele, whom fhe ap> pointed to prefide in her. rites, enjoining him inviolate chaflity ; but the yohth happening to forget his vow, in refentment the goddefs deprived him of his fenfes: but at laft, p.itying his mifery, five turned him into a fine-tree , which, as well as the box , was held facred to her. The animal commonly facrificed to Cybele was the fow, on account of its fecundity. The priefls of this deity were the. Corybantes, Cu- retes, Icfei, Dadtyli, and Telchines, who in their my- ftical rites made great ufe of cymbals and other inflrn- ments of brafs, attended with extravagant cries and ^ \ |) * ^ j m a if hovvlings. They facrificed fitting on the earth, andi of¬ fered only the hearts .of the victims. The goddefs Cybele was unknown' to the Romans till the time of Hannibal, when confulting the Sybilline oracles, they found that formidable enemy could not be expelled till they fent for the Idcean mother to Rome. Attalus, then king of Phrygia, at the requeft of their embafladors, Tent her flatue, which was of flone. But 9 * 4 ' . t the veflel .which carried it arriving in the Tyber, was miraculouily THE HEAT H E N GOD S, z 7 miraculoufly flopped, till Claudia, one of the Veflal- Virgins, drew it afhore with her girdle. This Vefla, to whom the living flame, was facred, is the fame with the ^Egyptian Ifis, and reprefented the pure tether, inclofmg, containing and pervading all things. [ Their exprefiions and attributes are alike. She was con- [ fidered as the caufe of generation and motion, the pa¬ rent of all the luminaries, and is confounded with na¬ ture and the world. She obtained the name of Eftia, as .being the life or efience of all things ( 8 ). As to the priefls of Cybele, the Corybantes, Curetes, &c. they are of the fame original. Crete was a colony of the Egyptians, confifting of three clafles of people, i. The Corybantes or priefls (9). 2. The Curetes (1), or. hufbandmen, and inhabitants of towns. 3. TheDac- tyli (2), or artificers and labouring poor. All which names are of Egyptain derivation. Cybele was honoured at Rome by the title of Bona Dea, or good goddefs. But this devotion was only paid her by the matrons, and the rites were celebrated in To fecret a manner, that it was no lefs than death for any man to be prefent at the aflembly (3). Whence they were called Opertoria. The Roman farmers and fhepherds worfhipped Cybele or Vefla, by the title of Magna Pales, or the goddefs of cattle and paflure. • Her feftival was in April, at which .time they purified their flocks and herds with the fumes of rofemary, laurel, and fulphur, offered fa- crifices of milk and millet cakes, and concluded the cere¬ mony by dancing round flraw fires. Thefe annual feafts were called Palilia, and were the fame with. the 0£ As Vefla was the goddefs of fire, the Romans had no images in her temple to reprefent her, the reafon of which we learn in Ovid (c). Yet as file was the guardian of houfes or hearths, her image was ufually placed in the porch or entry, and daily facrifice offered: her (6 ) It is certain nothing could be a flronger or more lively fymbol of the fupreme being, than fire. Accordingly we find this emblem in early ute throughout all the eaft. The Perfia-ns held it in veneration long before Zoroafter, who, in the reign of Darius Hyftafpes reduced the wor- fhip of it to a certain plan. The Prytanei of the Greeks were perpetual and holy fires. We find .ALnea* bringing with him to Italy his Penates, (or houfhold gods) the Palladium and the facred fire. The Vefla of the Etrurians, Sabines, and Romans, was the fame. CHAP. XV. N Of J>UF J IT£Rv • ' W E come now to the great king, or mailer of the- gods. This deity was the Ion of Saturn, and Rhea, or Vefla, at leaft this is that Jupiter to whom the adlions of all the others were chiefly afcribed. For there were fo many princes called by his name, that it teems to have been a common appellation In early times for a powerful or vi&orious prince (7). The moft considerable of thefe was certainly the Cretan Jove above mentioned, of whofe education we have very va- (5) His words are thefe^ Effigtem mullam Fejla nec ignis babet . Fafli, Kb. VI.. No image Vefta’s femblance can exprefs. Fire is too fribtile to admit of drels. (6) Hence the word veftibulirm, for a porch or entry; and the Romans called their round tables veftae, as the Greeks ufed the common word E~t% to fignify chimneys in altars. (7) Varro reckoned up 3Q0 Jupiters, and each nation feems to have hadjone peculiar to itfelf. c 3 nous- 3 ° FABULOUS HISTORY! OF - ' * various accounts, as well as the the "place ofliis birth. The MefTenians pretended to fhew in the neighbour¬ hood of rheir city a fountain called Clepfydfa, where Jupiter was educated by the nymphs Ithomc and Neda, others fay he was born at Thebes in Bceotta ; but the moll general and received opinion is, .that he was brought Up near mount Ida in Crete. Virgil tells us he was fed by the bees, out of gratitude, for which he changed them from an iron to a golden colour. Some fay his nu rfes were Amalthosa and Mellila, daughters of MeliHeus king of Crete, who gave him goats milk and honey; others, that Amalthcea was the name of the goat that nurled him, whofe horn he prefented to thofe princeffes with- this privilege annexed, that whoever pof* Teffed it fhould immediately have whatever they defired ; whence it came to be calied the horn of plenty. After this the goat dying,- Jupiter placed her amongfl the liars, and by the advice of Themis covered his fhield with her fkin to flrike terror in the giants, whence it obtain¬ ed the name of Aigis. According to others, he and his filler Juno fucked the breafts of fortune. Some alledge his mother Vella fuckled him ;'Tome, that he was fed -by wild pigeons, who brought him ambrofia from Oce- ■anus, ” and by an eagle, who carried nedtar in his beak from a fleep rock^ in recompence of which fervices, he made the former the- fore-tellers of winter and fummer, and gave the latter the reward of immortality, and the office of bearing his thunder. In fhort the nymphs and the bears claim a fhare in the honour of his education, nor is it yet decided which has the bell title to it. Let us now come to the adlions of Jupiter, firft, and indeed the mofl memorable of his exploits, was his expedition againfl the Titans, for his father’s deliverance and refloration, of which we have already ffioken under the article of Saturn. After this lie de¬ throned his father, and..having pofTcffed himfelf of his throne, was acknowledged by all the gods in quality of their fupreme... Apollo,, himfelf, crowned wirh laurel, and robed wirh purple, condefcended to fing his praifes tQ his lyre. Hercules, in order to perpetuate the me¬ mory of his triumphs, inllituted the Olympic games, where The THE HEATHEN GODS. 3 1 4 - 9 feized, his perfoh. Hearing of the prevailing wickednefs of who he ft * where it is faid that Phoebus carried off the firft prize, by overcoming Mercury at the race. After this, Jupiter being fully fettled, divided his dominions with his brothers Neptune and Pluto, as will be (hewn in the fequel. Jupiter, however, is thought to ufe his power in a little too tyrannical a manner, for which we find'Juno, Neptune, and Pallas, confpired againft, and actually But the giants Cottus, Gyges and Briareus, who were then his guards, and whom Thetis called to his afliftance, fet him at liberty. How thefe giants, with others of their race, afterwards revolted' againft him:, and were overthrown, has been already mentioned in its place. • The ftory of-Lycaon is not the leaft diftinguifhing of his aftiehS. mankind, Jove defcended to the earth, and arriving at the palace of this mon3fch, king of Arcadia, declared was*, on which the people prepared facrifices, and the other-'honours due to him. But. Lycaon, both impious and incredulous, killed one of his doroefticks, arid ferved/ up. the flefh drafted at the entertainment he gave the grid,'who deteftihg fuch horrid inhumanity, im¬ mediately confumed the palate’ with lightening', and turn¬ ed the barbarian into a wolf. OVid has related this ftory with his ufual art.- But as ambition, when arrived at the height of its wifhes ? feldorri ftridlly adheres to the rules of moderation', fo the air of a court is always in a peculiar manner fatal to virtue. If any monarch deferved the character of encou- raging-gallantry by his example, it was certainly Jupiter, whole amours are as numberlefs as the metamorphofes he affumed to accomplifh them-, and have afforded ah exten- five. field of defcription to the poets and painters, both antient and'modern. - - Jupiter had feveral wives. Metis, or Prudence, bis firft, he is faid to have devoured, when big with child, by which himfelf becoming pregnant, Minerva iffued out . of his head adult and compleatly armed. His fecond was Themis, or Juftice, by whom'he had the hours, meaning regulation of time , Eunomia or ; good order, Diche or Law, Eirene or Peace, and the Deftinies. He alfo married Juno, his fifter, whom it , is . reported he deceived under the C 4 form 32 FABULOUS HISTORY OF form of a cuckoo, who, to fhun the violence of a ftorm, fled for fhelter to her lap (8). bhe bore to him Hebe, Mars, Lucina and Vulcan. By Eurynome he had the three Graces; by Ceres, Proferpine; Mnmolyne, the nine Mufes; by Latona, Apollo and Diana; by Maia, Mer- cury. ' . Of his intrigues we have a pretty curious detail. One of his firft miftreffes was Califto the daughter of Lycaon, one of the nymphs of Diana. To deceive her, he affum- ed the form of the goddefs of chaftity, and fucceeded fo far as to make the virgin violate her vow. But her difgrace being revealed, as fhe was bathing with her patronefs, the incenfed deity not only difgraced her, but (9) turned her into a bear. Jove, in companion to her punifhment and fufferings, raifed her to a conftellation in the heavens (1). Caliito, however, left a fon called Areas, who having inftrnfted the Pelafgians in tillage and the foeial arts, they from him took the name of Ar¬ cadians, and after his death he was by his divine father, allotted alfb (2) a feat in the fkies. There is fcarce any form which Jupiter did not at fbme time or other affume to gratify his defires. Un¬ der the figure of a fatyr he violated Antiope the wife of Lycus king of Thebes, by whom he had two fons, Zethus and Amphion. In the refemblance of a fwan he corrupted Leda the fpoufe of Tyndarus, king of La¬ conia. Under the appearance of a white bull he carried off Europa the daughter of Agenor king of Phaenicia, in¬ to Crete, where he enjoyed her. In the fhape of ail eagle he furprifed Afteria the daughter of Caeus, and bore her away in his talons in fpite of her modeily. Aided by the fame difguife, he feized the beauteous Ga¬ nymede fon of Tros, as he was hunting on mount Ida, and raifed him to the joint functions of his cupbearer and catamite. It was indeed difficult to efcape the purfuits of a god, who by his unlimited power made all nature fubfervient to his purpofes. Of this we have a remarkable inftance (8) At a mountain near Corinth, hence called Coceyx. (9) Sone fay it was Juno turned her into that animal. {1) Called Urfa Major by the Latins, and Helice by the Greeks. {2) The Urfa Minor of the Latins, and Cynofura of the Greeks, I THE HEATHEN GODS. 35. in Danae, whofe father, Acrifius, jealous of her con- du£l, had fecured her in a brazen tower; but Jupiter defending in a golden fhower, found means to elude all the vigilance of her keepers He inflamed JEgina, the daughter of ^Efopus, king of Bceotia, in the fimi- litade of a lambent fi e, and then carried her from iEpidaurus to a defert ifle called Oenope, to which fhe Igave her own name (3). Clytoris, a fair virgin of iThefialy, he debauched in the lhape of an ant; but to I corrupt Alcmena, the wife of Amphytrion,. he was oblig¬ ed to afiume the form of her hufband* under- which, the fair one deceived, innocently yielded to his defires. By Thalia he had two ions, called the Pallaci, and two. by Protogenia, viz. ^Ethlius the father of Endymions, and Epaphus the founder of Memphis in Egypt, and fa- ther of Libya, who gave her name to the continent of Africk. Ele&ra bore him Dardahus, Laodamia, Sarpe- don and Argus,. Jodama, Deucalion, with many others., too tedious to enumerate, though mentioned by the r poets. It is very evident that mofir, if not all the ftbries ref¬ lating to the amours of the gods, were invented by their.; refpe&ive priefts, to cover their corruption or debauche-, ry. Of which this of Danae feems at leafi a palpable inftance, and may ferve to give fome idea of the reft;:; Acrifius was informed by an oracle,, that, his grandfon would one day deprive him of his crown and life ; or which he fhut up his daughter Danae in a brazen tow¬ er of the temple of Apollo at Delphos, the priefts of which oracle^ probably gave him this information,., with, no other view than to forward their fcbeme, which tend¬ ed to gratify the luft of Praeteus the king's brother, who being let through the roof, pretending to be Jupiter, and throwing large quantities of gold anjtfngft. he^doraeftfcks,* obtained his willies. Two particular adventures of his. are too remarkable to be pafted in filence. He had deluded by his arts Se- inele daughter of Cadmus, king of Thebes, who proved; with child. Juno hearing of it, and intent on revenge, inder the dilguife of Beroe, nurfe to the princefs, was. C3) The ille of /Egina in the Archipelago, c 5 / ad mit ted 34 FABULOUS HISTORY OF admitted to her prefence, and artfully infinuating to her that fhe might not be deceived in her lover, fhe advifed her the next time he vifited her, to requeft as a proof of his love, that fhe might fee him in the fame majefty with which he embraced Juno. Jupiter granted, not without reludance, a favour he knew would be fo fatal to his miftrefs. The unhappy fair-one unable to bear the dazzling effulgence, perifhed in the flames, and with her, her offspring muft have dene fo too, if the god had not taken it out and inclofed it in his thigh, where it lay the full time, when he came into the world and was nam¬ ed Bacchus. Jupiter next fell enamoured with Io the daughter of Inachus, and, as fome fay, the prieftefs of Juno ; hav¬ ing one day met this virgin returning from her father’s grotro, he ’ endeavoured to feduce her to an adjacent foreft; but the nymph flying his embraces, he involved her in fo thick a miff, that fhe loft her way, fo that lie ea¬ sily overtook and enjoyed her. Juno, whole jealoufy al¬ ways kept her watchful, miffing her hufband, and per¬ ceiving a thick darknefs on the earth, defended, dif- pelled the cloud, and had certainly difcovered the in- trigue, had not Jupiter fuddenly transformed Io into a white heifer. Juno pleafed with the beauty of the ani¬ mal, begged her, and to allay her jealoufy, he was obliged to yield her up. The goddefs immediately gave her in charge to Argus, who had a hundred eyes, two of which only flept at a time. Her lover pitying the mifery of Io in fo ftritt a confinement, fent Mercury. who with . his flute down difguifed like a fhepherd, to fleep, fealed his eyes with his cadu- Juno m regard tail of dhe pea- charmed Argus ceus or rod, and then cut off his head, to his memory,’placed his eyes in the cocky a bird facred to her, and then turning her rage againft Io, fent the furies to purfue her where-ever fhe went (6); fo that the wretched fugitive, weary of life, (6) Dr. King relates this ftory a little differently.^ Io purlued by T-ifiphone, (one of the furies) fell .into the lea and was carried flurft to Thracian Bofphorus, and . thence into Egypt, where the mohfter ftill purfuingher, was repelled by the Nile. After this fhe was deified By Jupiter, and appointed to pfefide over winds and navigation. It is eafy to fee this agrees better with the .Egyptian mythology. t , implored THE HEATHEN GODS. 35 implored Jove to end her mifery. Accordingly the god intreats his fpoufe to fhew her companion, fwearing by Styx never to give her further caufe of jealoufy. Juno on this becomes appeafed, and Io. being reftored to her former fhape, is worfhipped in Egypt by the name of J fi s • The fable of Io and Argus is certainly of Egyptian birth, and the true mythology is this : the art of weaving firft invented in Egypt, was by the colonies of that nation carried to Greece and Cholchis, where it was pradiifed .with this difference,, that the feafons for working were varied in each country according to the nature of the climate. The months of February, March, April and May, they employed in Egypt:in cultivating their lands ; whereas thefe being winter months with the Grecians, they kept the looms bufy. Now the Ifis, which pointed out the neomenies or monthly feftivals in Egypt, was al¬ ways attended .with an horus or figure expreffive of the labour peculiar to the feafon. Thus the horus of the weaving months was a little figure ftuck. over with eyes, to denote the many lights neceflary. for working by night. -This image was called Argos (7), to fignify his; inten¬ tion. Now the vernal Ifis being depidted'the head of a heifer, to exemplify the fertility and pleafantnefs of Egypt on the Tun’s entrance into, Taurus, at the ap¬ proach of winter fhe quitted this form, and fo was faid to be taken into cuftody of Argo.s, from whom fhe was next feafon delivered, by the horus reprefenting Anubis., (or Mercury) that is the riling of the dog-ftar. The taking thefe Tymbolical repreferitations* in a literal fenfe, gave rife to the fable. , ,. . . , :. . It is no wonder if the number of Jupiter’s gallan¬ tries made him the lubjedl of deteftation. among the pri¬ mitive chriffians, as well as the ridicule of the wifer amongft the heathens. Tertullian .obferves with judg- % * 7 * » « » *• * ’ > (7) From argotb, or argos,' weaver’s work j whence fhe Greeks borrowed their EfV w, opus or a work. Hence the ifle of Amorgos, one of the AEgean, ifles, derives its name from Am, mother ; and Orgin, weavers, or the, mother or colony of weavers, being firfl planted from Egypt. 4 .» ' ■% - - ' •' * * * ' . mentj 3 6 % * FABULO U S HISTORY OF - t w m w merit-, -That it was no way Jirange to fee all ranis fo de bauched, when they were' encouraged in the mojl infamous crimes by the example of thofe ' they worjhipped, and fro whom they were to expedt rewards andpunijhments . Lucian in his dialogues introduces Momus pleafantly rallyin Jove .with regard to his amorous metamorphofes. 1 ha^\ often trembled for you, fays he, left when you appeare like a bull , they Jhould have carried you to the Jhambles , cfj clapped ytu in the plough ; had a goldfmith catched you nvbe •you v if ted Danae , he would have melted down your god* Jhip in his crucible. Or when you courted Leda like a fwant what if her father had put you on the fpit ? * Jupiter had a multiplicity of names, either from th places where he was worfhipped, or the attributes cribed to him. He had the epithets of Xenius, or thf hofpitable j Elicious on account of his goodnefs clemency; and Dodonaeus on account of the oracula grove at Dodona, confecrated to him, and famous thro|i all Greece. Amongft the Romans he had the apellat-ions of Opti . mus Maximus, on account of his beneficence and power t Almus, from his cherifhing all things; Stabilitor, his fupporting the world; Opitulator from his helpin the diftrefled ; Stator from his fufpending the flight o the Romans at the prayer of Romulus ; and Fraedato on account of part of the plunder being facred to him| in all vidtories. From the temple at the Capitol, the Tarpeian rock, he was called Capitolinus and Tar-< peius. When a Roman king or general flew an enemyf of the fame quality, the fpoils were offered: to him the name of Fererrius. The reign of Jupiter, having not been fb- agreeabl to his fubjedts as that of Saturn, gave occafion to th notion of the Silver Age; by which is meant an age|j inferior in happinefs to that which preceded, thp* fugerio’*- to thofe which followed. This Father of Gods and Men is commonly figured as] a majeftic man with a beard, enthroned. In his lefi hand he holds a vidtory, and in his right-hand grafps th thunder. At his feet an eagle with his wings difplayed.| The Greeks called him Zv* and Aia as the caufe o£ ! life « r f HE H E A T H E N GQ I> ♦ f * ^ 37 8 ), the Romans, r Jap mg father. • . ^ . .. * N • Tfieheathens had amongft their deities different repre- fen tatives of the fame thing.- What Vefta, or the Idzeam mother, was to the Phrygians, and Ifis to the Egyptians? the fame was Jupiter to the Greeks and‘Romans, the great fymbcl of Writer. So the author of the life of HOmer, fuppofed to be the elder'Dionyfius of Halidarnaflus, and the poet himfelf (o). So. Ennius, as quoted by Cicero t - \ * ' s. .. / * . %* •’ - * - ' i ' ' “• *. - « T 1 ■ ^ ^ ^ • • l h _ ^ Heav'n* which all invoke as % - .* a - / ■ ■ —r See thefublhme expanfei bound left JBtherfwhich enfold* i hold for 7 0ve i the God Jupret •; '• - y _ • • .• t -. *• t— * • * . / • — \ » ^ * , f • ' , \ ' i * . • *7 ’ * To conclude with the words of Orpheus? Jove is omm tty he is the firji and the lad ; the head and the middle j ver of all- things ; the foundation of the earth and Jfla the d female 7 thing i. fierce ' of : enlivening ' fre t - and the Jiit.it of dll *-* ^ • - * M -W V * *■ V » »*■ ' f I <\ • * 4 ' * .? v V< * * • t I / >* v V - : -S . t H XVI t’ I * -'«? * J U N *** * A * / * /* ’ ■: P h . , \ g/ • ft . t 7 • (q; o* o y.oli • '■ ry t * -i »• \ j > n / \ K o x • ey cuifEgt kc&l vz* - t ♦ Though the poetical hiftorians agree flie came into the world at a birth with her hufband, yet they differ as to the place, Tome placing her nativity at Argos, others at Samos near the river Imbrafus. Some fay (he was nurfed by Eu- baea, Porfymna, and Araea,, daughters of the river Afire- -rion; others by the Nymphs of the ocean. Otes, an * * I m w + « M , v ,1 ’ * » antient poet, tells us fhe was educated by the,,-Hotce. or hours: and Homer affigps this poft to Oceanus.and Tethys themfelves. 4 ' J It is faid that this goddefs, by bathing annually in the fountain of Canatho near Argos, renewed; her virginity. The places where fhe was principally honoured were Sparta, Mycene, and Argos. At this place the facrifice offered to her confided of 100 oxen. J ' ’ 1 over marriage and child-birth ; on the firff occafibn, in facrificing to her, the . gall of. the viblim was always thrown behind, the ^ltar, to fhould m Women J guardian genius. Numa ordered,, that if any. unchafte woman fhould approach her tbmple, fhe fhould offer a fe¬ male lamb to expiate her offence. The Lacedemonian s'dy'led her Algophaga,' from the goat which Hercules fabrificed to heril At Elis fhe was called Hoplofmia % ftatue being compleatly armed. At Co¬ rinth fhe was termed Buncea, from Buno, who erebled a temple to her there. She had another at Eubsea, to which the emperor Adrian prefented a magnificent offering, .confiding of a crown of . gold, and a purple/mantle embroidered with the marriage ,of Hercules anb Hebe in filver, and a large peacock whole body was gbld, and 'his tail compofed of precious ftones refembling the natural colours. . i. .. Amongft the Romans, who held her in high venera¬ tion, fhe had a multiplicity of'names. The chief- were Lucina, from her firft (hewing- the light* to infants; • Pronuba, becaufe no : marriage was lawful without pre- ~ iga drom her. in- motin? matrimo- vioufly invoking her; Socigena troaucinp- tn j nial union. Domiduca on account of her bringing .... home * 1 THE HEATHEN GODS. 39 lioine the bride; Uqxia from the anointing the door polls at the ceremony. Cinxia from her unlcofing the virgin- zone, or girdle ; Perfe&a, becaufe marriage completes the fexes; Opigena and Obttetrix from the affifting women in labour; Populo r a, becaufe procreation peoples the world ; and Sofpita from her preferving the. female fex. She was alfo named Quiritis or Curitis, from a fpear reprefented in her ttatues and medals ; Kalendaris, becaufe of the facrifices oifered her the firft day of every month ; and Moneta from her being regarded as the goddefs of riches and wealth. It is faid when the gods fled into Egypt, Juno difguifed berfelf in the form of a white cow, which animal was, on that account, thought to be acceptable to her in her facrifices^ # Juno, as the queen of heaven, preferved a good deal of Hate. Her ufual attendants were .terror and boldnefs, Caftor and Pollux, and fourteen nymphs ; but her moft faithful and infeparable conhpanion was Iris, the daughter of Thau- mas, who, for her furprifing beauty, was reprefented with wings, borne upon her own rainbow, to defiote her fwiftnefs. She was the rnefienger of Juno, as Mercury was of Jove; and at deatli feparated the fouls of women from their corporeal chains. This goddefs was not the moll: complaifant of wives. We find in Homer, that Jupiter was fometimes obliged to make ufe of his authority to keep her in due fub- jeftion. When Ihe entered into that famous confpiracy again!! him, the fame author relates, that, by way of punilhment, Ihe had two anvils tied to her feet, golden manacles fattened to her hands, arid fo was fufpended in ■the air or Iky, where Hie hovered, on account of her levity, while all the.deities looked on without a pottibility of help¬ ing her. By this the rhythologitts fay is meant the harmo¬ ny and connexion of the air with the earth, and the inabili¬ ty of the gods to relieve her, fignifies that no force, human or divine, can diflolve the frame or textureof theuniverfe. According fo Paufanias, the temple of Juno at Athens had neither doors nor roof, to denote that Juno, being the air in which we breathe, can be inclofed in no certain bounds. . The 4© FABULOUS HISTORY OF zfc? The Implacable arrogant temper of Juno once made her abandon her throne in heaven, and fly into Eubasa. Jupiter in vain fought a reconciliation, till he confulted Cilheron, king of the Platoeans, then accoun‘ed the wifefl: of men. By his advice the god drefled up a magnificent image, feated it in a chariot, and gave out it was Plataea, the daughter of Aifopus, whom he deflgned to make his queem Juno upon this refu- -Jc ming her ancient jealpufy, attacked the mock bride, and by tearing off its ornaments found the deceit, quieted her ill humour, and was glad to make up the matter with her hufband. Though none ever felt her refentment more fenfibly than* Hercules, he was indebted to her'for his immortality; for Pallas brought him to Jupiter while an infant, who, while Juno was afleep, put him to her hreaft. But the goddefs waking haftily, fome of her milk falling upon heaven for¬ med the milky way. The reft dropped on the earth, where it made the lillies white, which before were of a faffron colour. Juno is reprefented by Homer as drawn in a chariot adorn* ed with precious ftones, the wheels of ebony nailed with fllver, and drawn by horfes with reins of gold ; but mod commonly her car is drawn by peacocks, her favourite bird. At Corinth fhe was depi&ed in her temple as feated on her throne, crowned with a pomegranate in one hand, and in. the other a fceptre wiih a cuckoo at top. This ftatue was of gold and ivory. That at Hierapolis was fupported by lions, and fo contrived as to participate of Minerva, Venus,,. Luna, Rhea, Diana, Nemefis, and the Deftinies, according to the different points in view. She held in one hand a, fceptre, in the other a diftaff. Her head was crowned with rays and a tower; and fhe was girt with the ceftus of Venus. As Jupiter is the 1 fc: w. V: £ W-* £ Sr * £ fc* rd &4 fw.~ THE HEATHEN GODS. 47 M V - « t % • m 7 -\ V*;. i> • .i •. r * * - IV,. i : K .* ‘ 1 \ • * •-.*■'♦ J •f- I JK* f 1 V.v - • >' v I-** . l£v« ;i•: • lift*- i;-i v,\ *■*"4 fceptre to denote his power, at others’a 'ivand, with which he commands and drives the ghofts. - Homer fpeaks of his helmet, as having.the quality of rendering the wear in vifible; and tells us, that Minerva borrow¬ ed it when file fought again# the Trojans, to be conceal¬ ed from Mars. i Let us now feek the mythology of the, fable in that country where it firft Pprung, and we fhall find that the myilerious fymbols of truth became, in the Pequel, through abufe, the very fources of-idolatry and error. Pluto-was indeed the funeral Ofiris of the Egyptians. Thefe people (2) every year, at an appointed feafon, affembled to mourn over and offer facrifices for their dead., The image that was expofed, to denote the approach of this Polemnity, had the name of Peloutah (3or the Deliverance, be- caufe they regarded the death of the good, as a deliverance from evil. This figure was represented with a radiant was represented with a radiant crown, his body being entwined with a ferpent, accom¬ panied with the figns of the Zodiac, to fignify the dura¬ tion of one fun, or Polar year. C H A P. XIX. Of Proserpine. T J JL and educated in Sicily ; from whence (lie was ftole by Pluto, as is related in the preceding chapter. . Some.fay fhe was brought up with Minerva and Diana, and being Mars who could neither of them obtain .her mother’s content. Jupiter, it is Paid, was more fuccefsful, and ravifhed her in the form of a dragon. The Phamici.ans, on the other hand affirm with more reafon, that (he was earlier known to them than to the Greeks or Romans; and that it MoPes. that fhe $2 & ♦ » J 4 * • • ♦ v ^ • « was carried off by Aidoneus lofiians. Mo (2) The J evvs retained this cuftom, as we., find, by lamentations of the virgins over Jeptha’s daughter. (3) From Palat , to^ free or deliver, ^omes Ptfou ranee, which is eafily by conniption made Pluto. the annual ah , delive- t 4 Jupiter, FABULOUS HISTORY OF Jupiter, on her marriage with Piuto, gave her the ifle of Sicily as a dowry,; but (he had, not been long in the infernal regions, when the fame of her charms in¬ duced Thefeus and Pirithous to form an affociation to carry her off. They defcended by way of Taenarus, but fitting to reft themfelves on a rock in the infernal regions, they eould not fife again, but continued fixed, till Hercules delivered Thefeus, becaufe his crime con- fifted only in aflifting his friend, as bound by oath (4); but Pirithous was left in durance, becaufe he had en¬ dangered himfelf through his own wilfulnefs and ralh- nefs. Others make Proferpine the fame with Luna, Hecate, and Diana, the fame goddefs being called Luna in hea¬ ven, Diana on earth, and Hecate in hell, when fhe had the name of Triformis or Tergemina. The Greeks call¬ ed her Defpoina, or the Lady, on account of her being queen of the dead. Dogs and barren cows were the facrifices ufually offered to her. She is reprefented under the form of a beautiful woman enthroned, having fomething ftern and melancholy in her afpeft. The mythological fenfe of the fable is this : The name of Proferpine or Porfephone, amongft the Egyptians, was ufed to denote the change produced in the earth by the deluge (5); which deftroyed its former fertility, and rendered tillage and agriculture neceffary to mankind. % % C.H A P. XX. * • # Of the Infernal Regions. • « * I T is evident that the Heathens had a notion of fu¬ ture punifhments and rewards, from the defcrip- tions their poets have given of Tartarus and Elyfium, ( 4 ) They agreed to affift each other in gaining a miftrefs. Piri- thous had helped Thefeus to get Helena, who in return attended him in this expedition. ... (5) From Peri, fruit, and Patat, to perifh, comes Perephattah, or tne fruit loft ; from Peri, fruit, and Saphon, to hide, comes Perfephoneh, or the Corn deftroyed or hid. though fr.Z.Jtmlh'!' 5 \ THE HEATHEN GODS. 49 Accord- though the whole is overloaded with fidtion. ing to ,Pla>o, Apollo and Ops brought certain brazen tablets from the Hyperboreans to Delos, defcribing the eourt of Pluto as little; inferior to that of Jove; but that the approach to it was exceeding difficult on account of the rivers Acheron, Cocytus, Styx and Phlegethon, which it was neceffary to pafs in order to reach thefe infernal ♦ regions. > ■ Acheron was, according to fome, the fon of Titan and Terra, or, as others fay, born of Ceres in a cave, with¬ out a father. The reafon afligned for his being lent to hell is, that,he furnifhed the Titans with water, during their war with the gods. This fhews it was a river not a perfon-; but the place of it is. not afcertained. Some fixing it among!! the Cimmerians near mount Circe. (6 ), and in the neighbourhood of Cocytus; others making it that fulphureous. and .{linking lake near Cape Mifenum in the bay of Naples (7), and not a few tracing its rife from the Acherufion fen in. Epirus, near the city of Pan- dofia ; from whence it flows till it falls into the gulph of Ambracia. . The next river of the Plutonian manfions is Styx, though whether, the daughter of OceanUs or Terra, is uncertain. She was married to Pallas or Piras, by To Acheron ,!he bore Vidlory, he re- whom fhe had . Hydra. jwho having aflifled Jupiter again!! the, giants, .warded her mother (8) with this privilege, that the moil folemn oath among!! the gods- Ihould be by her ddty, viz. the river Styx; fo that when any of them were fufpedted of falfliood. Iris was difpatched to bring the Stygian water in a golden cup, by which he fwore ; and if . he afterwards proved perjured, he was deprived for a year of his nedtar and ambrofia, and for nine years more feparated from the celeflial aflembly.. Some place Styx near the lake of Avernus in Italy 4 others make it a fountain near Nonacris in Arcadia, of fo poi- ( 6 ) On the coafl: of Naples. (7) ‘Near Cuma. , 0 Q Some faj r it was on her own account, for difcovering.the com- .U. 1.- —., Jupiter. ' • D fonous 50 FABULOUS HISTORY GF fonous and cold a nature, that it would diflolve all meta! (9), and could be contained in no veflel. Cocytus and Phlegethon are faid to flow out of Sty by contrary ways, and re-unite to increafe the vaft chaml of Acheron. The waters of Phlegethon were reprefente as ffreams of fire, probably on account of their hot an fulphureous nature. CHAP. XXL Of the Parcje or Destinies. T HESE infernal deities, who prefided over hunra life, were in number three, and had each their pf culiar province afiigned, Clotho held the diftaff, Lacked drew or fpun off the thread, and Atropos flood ready vvitl her fciflars to cut it afunder. Thefe were three filters, the daughters of Jupiter anc Themis, and filters to the Horae or hours ; according i< others, the children of Erebus and Nox. They werefc cretaries to the gods, whofe decrees they wrote. We are indebted to a late ingenious writer for (hi true mythology of thefe characters. They were no¬ thing more originally than the myftieal figure or fyra bols, which reprefented the months of January, Pe< bruary, and March, amongft the Egyptians. They de piCted thefe in female drefles, with the inftruments 0 fpinning and weaving, which was the great bufinef carried on in that feafon. Thefe images they called (0 Parc, which fignifies linen cloth, to denote the mami failure produced by this induftry. The Greeks, wli( knew nothing of the true fenfe of thefe allegorical figures gave them a turn fuitable to their genius, fertile in 661 ion The Parcas were defcribed or reprefented in robes 0 white, bordered with purple, and feated on the thrones with crowns on their heads^ compofed of the flowers 0 the Narciflus. * • * * (9) It is' reported Alexander was poifoned with it at Babylon and that it was carried for this purpoie in an afs’s hcof. {j) From Parc, or Paroket, a cloth, curtain or fail. C H A? V THE HEATHEN GODS CHAP. xxir. si Of the Harpyes. T ♦ - > H E next group of figures vve meet in the flta- dowy realms are number, Celeno, Aello the Harpyes and OcvDet who were three in Ocypete, the daughters of i D . Oceanus, and Terra. They lived in Thrace, had the faces of vire;ins s the ears of bears, the bodies of vul¬ tures. r v;rgins s tne ear with human arms and feet, and long claws. Pheneus king of Arcadia, for revealing the myfteries of Jupiter, was fo tormented by them, that he was ready to perilh for hunger' they devouring whatever was fet before him, till the Tons of Boreas, who attended Jalon in his expedition to Colchis, delivered the good old king, and drove thefe monfters to the iflands called Echin- ades, compelling them to fwear to return no more. This fable is of the fame original with the former one. During the months of April, May, and June, efpeciaUy the two latter, Egypt was greatly fubjedt to ftormy winds, which laid wafte their olive grounds, and brought numerous fwarms of graflioppers and other troublefome infedls from, the fhores of the red fea, which did infinite damage to the country. The Egyptians therefore gave figures which pro¬ claimed thefe three months, a female face, with the bodies and claws of birds, and called them Harop (ij, and a name which fufficiently denoted the true fenle of the fym- bol. All this the Greeks realized, and einbellifihed in their All this the Greeks realized, and embellished in way. CHAP. XXIII. Of Charon and Cerberus. C HARON, according to Hefiod’s theogony, was the fon of Erebus and Nox, the parents of the gwateft part of the infernal monfiers. His poffc was to ferry the fouls of the deceafed over the waters of Ache- H A R O N, according to A'* £ M 00 From Haroph, or Harop, a noxious fly 5 or from Arbeh, a ID 2 ron 1 32 FAULOUS HISTORY OF ron. His fare was never under one halfpenny, norex* ceeding three, which were put in the mouth of the per- fons interred; for as to inch bodies who were denied funeral rites, their ghofts were forced to wander an hun¬ dred years on the banks of the river, Virgil’s ^Eneid VI. 330, >efore they could be admitted to a paflage. The Herihonienfes alone claimed a tree paflage, becaufe their country lay fo near Hell. Some mortal heroes alfo, by the favour of the gods, were allowed to vifit the infer, ltal realms, and return to light; f'uch as Hercules, Orphe* us, Ulyfles, Thefeus arid JSneas. This venerable boatman ot the lower world, is repre* fented as a fat fqualid old man, with a bufhy grey beard and rheumatic eyes, his tattered rags fcarce covering his nakednefs. His difpofition is mentioned as rough and] morpfe, treating all his pattengers with the fame impar l tial rudenefs, without regard to rank, age or fex. We I fhall in the fequel fee that Charon was indeed a real! perfon, and juftly merited this charadler. I After eroding the Acheron, in a den adjoining to the! entrance of Pluto’s palace, was placed Cerberus, or the I three headed dog, born of Typhon and Echidna, and I the dreadful maftifF, who guarded thefe gloomy abodes. I He fawned upon all who entered, but devoured all v\ ho I attempted to get back ; yet Hercules once mattered him,I and dragged him up to earth, where in ftruggling, a fomm dropped from his mouth, which produced the poifonousl Herb, called aconite or wolf-bane. - I Hefiod gives Cerberus fifty, and fome a hundred heads;! but he is more commonly reprefented with three. As I to the reft, he had a tail ot a dragon, and inftead of I hair, his body was covered with ferpents of.all kinds, 1 The dreadfulnefs of his bark or howl, Virgil’s Aineiiil VI, 416, and the intolerable ftench of his breath, heigh- 1 tened the deformity of the picture, which of itfelf was! Sufficiently difagreeable, I 4 T HE HEAT H E N GOD S 53 * * CHAP XXIV. * 9 9 Of Nox and her Progeny-, Death, Sleep, Sec - \ N OX was the moll antient of the deities, and Orpheus afetibes to her; the generation of gods and men. She was even reckoned older than Chaos. She had a numerous offspring of imaginary children, as Lyfla, or Madnefs, Frys, or Contention, Death, Sleep, and Dreams, all wtiich (he bore vvi.hout a father. her wi h Erebus proceeded^old Age, Labour, Love, Fear, De- Emulation, Mifery, Darknels, Complaint, Obfii- Care, Difappointment, Dif- fhort all the evils which at- c.eit, and Want nacy, eafe,-War and Hu tend life, and which wait round the palace of Pluto to re¬ ceive his commands. Death brings down all mortals to the infernal ferry. It is faid that her mother Nox bellowed a peculiar care in her education^ and that Deatfi had a great affe&ion for ^ ^ 4 » J • ■ » 4* J , * /■ W ' * her brother Somnus.or Sleep, of whofe palace Virgil has given us a fine defcription, jEneid VI. 894. Somnus had leveral children, of whom Morpheus,was the moft remark^ able for his fatyrical humour, and excellent talent in mi¬ micking the actions of mankind. Amongft the Eleans, I Nox reprefented by a woman holding in each hand a boy afleep, with their legs diftortedthat in her right was white, to fignify deep, that in her left black, to figure, or reprefent death. The facrifice offered .to her was a cock, becaufe . * ' • . r • . * • ' * » univerfal fway. U * denote his i~ : : ’ C-H A P. XXV. Of the Infernal Judges, Minos, Rhadam'anthus and ^Eacus. * A FTER entering the infernal regions, jufl at the reparation of the two roads which lead to Tarta, rus and Elyfium, is placed the tribunal of the three in- D 3 exorable 54 FABULOUS HISTORY OF #xorable judges, who examine the dead, and pafs a final fentence on departed fouls. The chief of thefe was Minos the fon of Jupiter by Europa, and brother of Rha- damanthus arid Sarpedori. After his father’s death the Cretans would not admit him to fucceed in the kingdom, till praying to Neptune to give him a fign, that god cauf- eti a hbrfe to rife out of the fea, on which, he obtained the kingdom. Some think this alludes to his reducing thefe iflanders to fuhje&ion, by means of a powerful fleet. It is added, that Jove kept him nine years concealed in a cave, to teach him laws and the art of government. Rhadamant has his brother was alfo a great legiflator. It is faid that having killed his brother, he fled to Oecha- lia in-Bs'otia, where he married Alcmena the widow of Amphy.rion. His province was to judge fuch as died impenitent. . yEacus was the fon of Jupiter by y£gina. When the ifle of ^Egina (fo called from his mother) was depopu¬ lated by a plague, his father in companion to his grief, changed all the ants there into men and women. The that , when the pyrates had meaning of which fable is depopulated the country, arid forced the people to fly to caves, JEiacus encouraged them to come out, and by commerce arid induftry recover what they had lofl. His character, for juftice was fuch, that in a time of univer- fal drought he was nominated by the Delphic oracle to interceded for Greece, and his prayer was anfwered. ■ Rhadamanthus and .ZEacus were only inferior judges, of whom examined the Afiaticks, the latter the , and bore 1 only plain rods as a mark of their office. But all difficult cafes were referred to Minos, t ' * ’ wno'fat over them with a fcepter of gold. Their court was held in a large meadow, called the field of truth, Plato and Tully add Triptolemus to thefe as a fourth « tu | judge. cans C HAP. * 55 the heathen gods. 4 * CHAP. XXVI, r > Of Tartarus, and the Eumenides or Furies. v • % r N the recedes of the infernal regions lay the feat of j_ abode of the wicked fouls, called Tartarus, repre- ;nted by the poets as a vaft deep pit, furrounded with rails and gates of brafs, and totally deprived of light, rhis dreadful prifon is furrounded by the waters of Phle- ethon, which emit continual flames. The cuftody of he unfortunate wretches doomed to this place of punifh-’ nent, is given to the Eumenides or Furies, who are at ince their gaolers and executioners. The names of thefe avengeful lifters were Tifiphone, Uedto, and Megaera ; but they went by the general ap- lellation of the Furiae, on account of the rage and dif- raftion attending a guilty conference : of Erynnite or irynnyes, becaufe of- the feverity of their punilhment ; ind Eumenides, becaufe though cruel they were capa- >le of fupplication, as Orefters found by following the idvice of Pallas. Their birth is fo differently related, hat it is imppffi'ble to fix their genealogy or parentage, ndeed the theogony of the Greeks and Romans requires in uncommon clue to get out of the labyrinth which i&ion has contrived.. Though the Furies were implacable, they were fuf- eptible of love. We find an inftance of this in Tifi- ihone,-who growing enamoured with Cythaeron, an a- liable youth-, and fearing to affright him by her form, ot a third perfon to difclofe her ilame. He was fo un¬ aptly to reject her fuit, on which fl\e threw one of her lakes at him, which twining round his body ftrangled im. All the cdnfolation he had in death was to be chang- d into a mountain, which ftill bears his name. Thefe goddefles were fo terrible, that it was in fome egree facrilegious to invoke their name. Yet however ie ohjeds of terror, they had their temples, as at uhens near the Areopagus, at Cafma in Arcadia, and t Carmia in the Peloponnefus. But their higheft fo- annities were at Telphufia in Arcadii, where their rieftefles went by the name of Hefychidce, and the D 4 facrifices. S 6 FABULOUS HISTORY OF facrifices were performed at midnight, amidft a profound filence, a black ewe burnt whole being the vidtim. No wine was ufed in the libations, but only limpid water, or a liquor made of honey ; and the wreaths ufed were of the flowers of the NarcifTus and Crocus intermixed. The mythologifts have afligned each of thefe tor- mentrefles their particular department. Tifiphone is faid to punifh the fins arifing from hatred and anger; Mag^ra thofe occafioned by envy ; and Ale&o the crimes owing to ambition and luft. Some make but one fury, called Adraflia, the daughter of Jupiter and bJeceffity, and the avenger of all vice. The Furies are depidled with hair compofed of fnakes, and eyes inflamed with madnefs, carrying in one hand w hips and iron chains, and in the other flaming torches, yielding a difmal light. Their robes are black, and their feet of brafs, to-fliew their purfuit, though flow, is Heady and certain. • 0 i Is it poflible to conceive, that after this folemn and hor¬ rid reprefentation, the Eumenidts, or Furies, ihonld be quite harmlefs beings ? And the very deformities afcribed to them the lymbols of national joy and repofe. The Egyptians ufed thefe figures to denote the three months of autumn. The ferpent was with that people, the hiero¬ glyphic of life, light and happinefs. the torch was the pub¬ lic indication of a facrifice, and they placed two quails at the feet of the figure, to fignify that the general lecurity was owing to the plenty of the fiafon, All this is eluci¬ dated by the names of thefe vifionary beings, Tifiphone (3), Ale&o (4), and Megsera (5) ; which are all derived Irom ciicumftances relating to the vintage. (3) From Tfaphan to inclofe of putting wine into pitchers. (4) From Leket, to gather. (5) From Migherah the finki the'wine. CHAP. the heathen gods. £7 C H A P. XXVII. Of the fabulous Perfons punifhed in Tartarus. H E poets, in order to people this difmal region, have placed here fhe Giants or Titans, who re¬ belled againft Jupiter, and who are bound in everlafting chains. They alfo mention feveral other notorious cri¬ minals condemned to fuffer here, the chief of whom follow : Tityus was the fon of Jupiter and T , o the river Orchomenius in Theflaly. His father, ap- prehenfive of Juno's jealoufy, it is faid, concealed him in the earth, where he grew to a monfirohs bulk. where he became formidable for He refided in Panopoea, rapine and cruelty, till Apo 3 o killed him for endeavour¬ ing to ravifh Latona ; though others fay, he was flain by Diana for an attempt on her chattily He was next fent to Tartarus, and chained down on his back, his body taking up fuch a compafs as to cover nine’ acres. In this potture a vulture continually preyed on his liver,, which ftill grew again as fa ft as it was confumed. Phlegyas was the fon of Mars, and king of the La- pithoe, a people of Theflaly : Apollo having debauched his daughter Coronis, to revenge the injury he fet fire to the temple of Delphos ; for which facrilege that god kill¬ ed him with his arrows, and ttiruft him into Tartarus, where he is fentenced to fit under a huge rock, which longing over his head, threatens him with perpetual de- ftruction. - : Ixion was Mars 1 ^ r lay, of .dirhon and Pifione. Having married Dia, the laughter of Dioneus, he promifed very confiderable irefents' to her father for' his content;'but to elude the performance, he invited him to a feaft, and murdered Stung with ; remorfe for the crime, he run mad, 0 that Jupiter in companion hot only forgave him, but ook him up into heaven, where he had the impiety to • - A, . - . . / * • - ■ 1* • “ mdeavour to corrupt Juno. Jupiter, to be the better iffured of his wickednefs, formed a cloud in the fhape of tis wife, upon which Ixion begot the Centaurs. But £ 5 boafting 58 FABULOUS HISTORY OF boafling of his happinefs, Jove hurled him down to Tar- tarus, where he lies fixed on a wheel encompafied with ferpents, and which turns without ceafing. Sifiphus was a defcendant of ^Bolus, and married Me- rope, one of the Pleiades, who bore him Glaueus. His refidence was at Epyra in Peioponnefus, and he was a crafty man. , The reafons given for his punifhment are various, though all the poets agree as to its nature, which was to roll a great flone to the top of a hill, from whence it conftantly fell down again, fo that his labour was in- ceilantly renewed (6). .Tantalus, a Phrygian monarch, the fon of Jupiter, and the nymph Plota, had the impiety in an entertain, ment he gave.the gods to kill his fon Pelops and fervehim up as one of. the diflies. All the deities perceived the fi'aud but Ceres, who eat one of his fhoulders; but in companion to his fate, fhe reflored him to life by boiling him in a cauldron, and gave him an ivory arm to fupply the defe£l. The crime of the father did not pals unpun. nlfhed. He was placed in Tartarus, where he was afiMed with,eternal thirll and hunger, having water and the moft delicious fruits (till within his reach ; but not being able to tafte either, becaufe they vaniflied before his touch, Ovid. IV. 44.4. , Salmoneus, king of Elis, Virgil, yEn. VT. 585, hsd the. prefumption to perfonate Jupiter, by driving a cha¬ riot* over^a bridge of brafs, and calling flaming torches amongil the fpedhators, to imitate thunder and lightning. For. this he was doomed to the tortures of this infernal ‘ • V* » ‘ ' . dungeon. CJ 4 „ *. * * • • « r * <* __ The Belides complete this fabulous catalogue.. They were the daughters of Danaus ■ the fon of Bel’us, who was cotemporary with Cecrops king of Athens. This prince, who came from Egypt into Greece, expelled vitheneins king of the Argives out of his kingdom, and by different wives had thefe fifty, fillers. His brother Egyptus, with whom he had fome difference,, propofed a reconciliation, by marrying his fifty ions with their ' ' * - { j (6) Some make Syfyphus'a Trojan fecretary, who waspumlnea for difcovering fecrets of ftate. Others fay he was a notorious robber killed by Theleus. fair * * * * I THE HEATHEN GODS. $9 fair coufin germans. The wedding was agreed,sbut Da- naus perfidioufly dire&ed each of his daughters to murder their hufbands on the marriage . night. Hypermneftra alone fuffered Linceus to efcape to Lyrcea near Argos [ (7'. The Belides, for this, unnatural crime, were con- i demned to draw water out of a well with fieves, and pour ; it into a, certain veflVl; fo that their labour was without I • ; end or fuccefs. CHAP. XXVIII Of the El ysian Fields, and Lethe. J l.i. - * * » ♦ B Y way of contrail; fo Tartarus, or the prifon of the wicked, let us place the Elyfian fields, or the happy abo'des of the juft and good; of which Virgil, of all the antient poets, has given us the moft agreeable pi&ure, Virgil’s vEneid VI. 635. It were endlefs to give all the variety of defcriptions, which a fubjett of this nature affords room for. An eternal fprine of flowers and ver- afiords room for. An eternal fpring of flowers and ver¬ dure, a Iky always ferene, and fanned by ambrofial breez¬ es, an univerfal harmony and uninterrupted joy enbalmed thefe delightful regions. /_But at the end of a certain period the fouls placed here returned to the world tore-animate new bodies, before which they were obliged to drink at the river Lethe (8), whofe waters had the virtue to create an oblivion of all that had palled in the former part of \ * • »*' J \** .a,* Jr their lives'. • ■ 1 * ) To jlluftrate, all this complexed. chaos of fable, let us once more have recourfe ip the.Egyptian mythology, where we (hall find the whole fecret of Tartarus and the Elyfian fields unravelled. There was near each of the Egyptian towns certain ground appointed for a common burial-place. That at Memphis, as defcribed by Diodorus, lay on the other fide of the lake Ache- rufia (9). to the Ihofe of which the deceafed perfon was- t K 1 . (7) He aftewards dethroned Danaus (<0 or Oblivion, (9) From Acharei, after, and ifh, isitftate of man, or Acheron, that is. ran, comes Achariis, or the the ultimate condition. brought. 6o FABULOUS HISTORY OF brought and fet before a tribunal of judges appointed to examine into his condudt. his body was delivered to his creditors, till his rela¬ tions releafed it, by collecting the fums due. If he had not faithfully obferved the laws his body was left unburi. ed, or probably thrown into a kind of common Ihore called Tartarus (1). The fame,hiftorian informs us, that 1 f he had not paid his debts his creditors, till his rtla. delivered to his creditors. lus rtla- If he had ed. •. called Tartarus (i). The fame,hiftorian informs us, that near Memphis there was a leaking vefiel into which they inceflantly poured Nile water, which circumftance gives ace were call out, was furrounded with emblems exprefiive of torture or remorfe, fuch as a man tied on a wheel always in motion ; another whofe heart was the prey of a vul. ture ; and a third rolling a ftone up a hiil with fruiilefs toil. Hence the fables of Ixion, Prometheus and Syfi. phus. When no accufer appeared againft the deceafed, or Jake, to the accufer was convi&ed of falfhood, they ceafed to • lament him, and his panegyrick was made ; after which he was delivered to a certain fevere ferryman, who by order of the judges, and never without it, received the body into his boat (i) and tranfported it a-crofs the Jake, to a plain embellilhtd with groves, brooks, and other rural ornaments. This place was called Elizout, (3), or the habitation of joy. At the entrance of it, was placed the figure of a dog with three pair! of jaws, which they called Cerberus (4 ); and the ceremony of interment was ended by thrice (5) fprinkling fand over the aperture of the vault, and thrice bidding the de¬ ceafed adieu. All thefe wife lymbols addrelfed as fo many inftrudions to the people, became the fources of endlels fidion, when transplanted to Greece and Rome. * « * I / ’ J * V * (1) From the Chaldaick Tarah, admonition, doubled comes Tartarah, or Tartarus, that is, an extraordinary warning. (2) Sometimes the judges denied even their kings funeral rites on account of their mif-government. 1 3) From Elizout, full fatisfa&ion, or a place of repofe andjoy.t (4) They placed this image bn account of that animaf s known ■fidelity to man.' The three heads denoted the three'funeral cries over the corpfe, which is the meaning of the name;: from Ceri or Cri, an exclamation $ and Ber the grave or vault, comes Cerber, . or Cerberus, the cries of die grave. (5) Injeffo ter j>ide *F . {fiiri'ths sjif/fedtf&lm. - A - boar of tranfportation they, called Bens (7), or litvzand the waterman who was impartial, in the lulbex* :r*V. T _ , . -ui- t - '- 2 rY-:? , t . - -y. * V - >»- * • , >• ••-’•-.ry*/'- ecimon of his office* they;,ftyled Charon,‘ which figmifes inflexibility or —^ ' ‘ ' 1 *^. > . . < ^ , 4 -.f 1 • * •' *.♦?:’*. *.*■•■ • ' r '< -i* * y * - %t ► * . 1 -:* A - 1 .'-Vi ‘ VV V! ' f' • t ! f* • V *.<• s- . v.- . •; A P. * * - •-> f . ► ' \ <■ !*■ Sn XXIX/ r * , I > *.r « < ► / ‘ *vj * 4 - v - «. % - * I*- . 1 . ’ * . 1 Of: AroLLO. -X J •- ■ r-f • r one > ■ ; tb isnamb/th e /molt hifnrit . ' r '-A >*£ . * ?« ?'? ./ Y ; > ' ? - * t ,• dn’iieirr of w hem was the foil of -*.-0 1 ^' l “a # ^ r • # ✓****• 4 , -1 , and commanded where (he was i .1 - > * ailed Diana and Apollo, the latter of whbhv/foonF: ^ftci:^ ? liis/^4^1^i ; 'j:-iieftHayed,-7t3&je tnoriftef Python- with %b : afhdfw^^lX)V:^V l *k^ f°me defer the time T of this 'vfSfoi y till ’he came tb 'riper, years. 'Btit Latona’s troubles did not end here^ for flying into Lycla with her children .rtf'” ~“■ “ J Melh, by "the (h||)Kerd‘ NfocleS aiid^hi? ^ J 4 Upon 3 turnecf thiefh ih^o (rogs' , fettling her fon , “ * ‘ . •*' .* -V r ' , * • .-** . . ' : ‘r.-* • ‘ - H * .-* v ' - 5 \ri ' ' r - - ■' «*.»*• -- s- - , i . * ^ r %-• ^ ^ K - # * *r t ^j.r # ^. v • - , * » , ‘ 1 •* ../r: 4 . : •- *' - vr- ^ :" •• 1-1 _IlUl 2 _L‘^ 2 j. • *: - . r; < ' ^ (7) fieri, quiet, fefenity; whei^e Diodbrus-Sienlus calls Cha¬ ron’s bark Bads. / •■' • -• ■>'^ ; ' ■ ■ • ^ v ' t*\ ^ c'~j t-'i - - v ’1 (8) The daughter of 0 ®us the|lJtan,“ and Phoebe. r*« ryg-ia,; Neptune raifed it out of the Tea to give h?r’ refuge, (1) Some aflert that Diana allifted him in liis fight. 4 - Apollo 6z THE HEAT H E N' GOD S. Apollo in Lycia, fhe returned to Delos, and Diana~went to refide in Crete The adventures of Apollo are pretty numerous. The moft remarkable, are his quarrels with Jupiter, on account of the death of his foil ./Efculapius, .Killed by that deity on the complaint of Pluto, that he decreafed the number of the dead by the cures..he performed. Apollo fo..re¬ venge this injury killed the Cyclops, who forged Jove’s thunderbolts, for which he was bahifhed. heaven, and en-' dured great fufferings on earth, being forced to hire him- felf as a fhepherd to (z) Ad met us, king of Theflaly, during his exercifing which office, he is faid to have in¬ vented the lyre or lute, to footh his trouble. In this m ’ t retirement an odd incident happened to .him’; ,’Meccury was born in the morning, by noon he had learned' mu- fick, and compofed the tefiudo; and in, the evening coming to Apollo he fo amufed him with this new fick, and compofed the teftudo; and in, the evening coming to Apollo he fo amufed him with this new inftrument, that he found an opportunity to ideal his car- tie. Apollo difeovering the theft, and infilling on refii- tle. Apollo difeovering the theft, and infilling on refii- tutio'n, the fly deity Hole his bow and arrows ; fo that he was forced to change his. revenge into laughter (3). From Thelfaly, Apollo removed to Sparta, and fet¬ tled near the river Eurotas, where he fell in love with J . - * ' 1 , •/ i * ’ a fair boy called Hyacinthus, with whom beipg at play, Zephyrus through envy blew Apollo’s q'uqif at 'his head, and killed hiqn on the fpot. To prelefve Jiis me- mory, the god from his blood railed the flower which Though according to. others he mory, . tne goa iron: bears his name (4}. only tinged with it the violet (which was white before) into a purple. . [ f < :• V f : Cyparillus, a beautiful :b'oy, a favourite of Apollo, being, excelfively grieved for the death, of . a. fawn op (2) Some give this hiftory another turn, and tell 11s that Apollo being king of the Arcadians, and depoled for his tyranny, fled- to Admetus, who gave him the command of the country lying near the river Arilphryfas, inhabited'by fhepherds. , -. (3) bonjes olim, nijireddiaiffes - • : - '• Per dolum amotas, quertrn miaaci . • . " l Voce dum ter ret', Viduus Pharetra -y ' Rifit Aoollo. Horat. Lib. I. Ode X, 1 . 10. Rilit Apollo. (4) The Hyacinth or viole deer -the HEATHEN GODS. 6 $ deer he loved, was changed by him into a cyprefs tree, which is fince facred to funeral rites. Apollo next vifited Laomeden king of Troy, where finding Neptune in the fame condition with himfelf, and exiled from heaven, they agreed with that king to furnifh bricks to build the walls of his capital: he alio aflifted Al- cathous in building a labyrinth, in which was a ftone whereon be ufed to depofit his lyre, and which emitted an harmonious found on the flighYefi: ftroke. Though Apollo was diftinguiflied for his excellency in inufic, yet he was extremely jealous of rivalfhip on this head. The Mufes were under his immediate proteftion* and the grafhopper was confecrated to him by the Athe¬ nians on account of its harmony (5). We find Midas king of Phrygia being conftituted judge between.him and Pan, who, pretended to vie with him in .harmony, and giving judgment for the latter, was rewarded with a pair of afs’s ears, to point out his bad tafle (6). Ovid has deferibed this ftory in an agreeable manner. Linus, who excelled all mortals in mufick, pYefuming to fing with Apollo, was punifhed with death; nor did Mariyas the fatyr efcape much better, for having found a flute or pipe,: which Minerva threw away (7), he had the vanity to dif- pute the prize with Apollo, who being decreed viftor, hung up his antagonift on the next pine tree, and flayed him alive; but afterwards changed him into a river, which falls into the Meander. . , This deity was fo {killed in the bow, that his arrows were always fatal. Python and the Cyclops experienced their force. When the giant Tityus endeavoured to ravifh Diana, he transfixed and^ threw him into hell, where the vultures preyed on his liver. Niob,e the daugh¬ ter of Tantalus, and wife of Amphion, being happy in (5) The Grecian poets celebrate the grafliopper as a very mu- fical in left, that Tings amongft the highell branches of the trees; fo that it muft have been a very different creature from the grai- liopper known to us. Sec the notes in Cook’s Hefiod. (6) Ovid, Book XI. Fab. III. line 90. (7) Becaufe as fire blew it, feeing herfelf in a fountain, fire found it deformed her face. * Teven 64 FABULOUS HISTORY OF feven Tons and as many daughters, was fo foolifh as to prefer herfelf to Latona. This fo enraged Apollo and Diana, that the former flew her fons with his darts, and the latter killed her daughters in the embraces of their mother, whom Jupiter in compafiion to her inceflant grief, turned into a ftone, which ftiil emits moifture inftead of tears (8 h The true meaning of the-fable of Niobe is this; it fjg- nined the annual inundation of Egypt. The affront fhe offered to Latona was a fymbol, to denote the neceflity fhe laid that people under of retreating to the higher grounds. The fourteen children of Niobe are the fourteen cubits, that marked the increafe of the Nile (9). Apollo and Diana killing them with their arrows, reprefenrs la¬ bour arid induftry, with the affiftance of the fun’s warm influence, overcoming rhefe difficulties, after the retreat of the flood. Niobe’s being turned to a ftone, was owing to an equivocation. The continuance of Niobe was the prefervation or Egypt. But the word Selau, which fig- nified fafety, by a fmall alteration (Selaw) exprtlfed a ftone. Thus Niobe became a real perfon metamorphofed to a rock. Apollo refembled his father Jupiter, in his great pro- penflty ro love. He fj)ent fome time with Venus in the ifle of Rhodes, and during their interview it is faid the fky rained gold, and the earth was covered with lillies and rofes. His moft celebrated amour was with Daphne, (the daughter of the' river Peneus), a virgin of Thcf- faly, who was herfclf prepoflefied in favour of Lucip- pus, a youth of her own age. Apollo, to be revenged on his rival, put it in his head to dkguife himfelf a- mongft the virgins who went a bathing, who difeo- vering the deceit, ftabbed him. After this the god pur- fued Daphne, who flying to preferve her cl afiity, was, on her intreaties to the gods, changed into a laurel (1), (8) Ovid, Book VI. 1 . 310. (9) The ftatue of Nile in the Tuilleries at'Paris, has fourteen children placed by it, to denote thefe cubits. (1) Ovid, Book I. 1 . 556. ■- K ra fp in s ai em P*y P rai f e He finatched at Law, andfilled his arms 'with bays. Waller.. * whofe THE HEATHEN GODS. 65 \vhofe leaves Apollo immediately confecrated to bind his [ temples, and made that tree the reward of poetry. The nymph Bolma, rather than yield to his fait, threw l berfelf into the fea, for which he rendered her immortal: | nor was he much more fuccefsful in his courtfhip of the [ nymph Caftalia, who vanifhed from him in the form of ; a fountain, which was afterwards facrtd to the mufes (2). He debauched Leucothoe, daughter of Orchanus, king of Babylon, in the fhape of her mother Eurynome. Clytia, her lifter, jealous of her happinefs, difcovered the amour to their father, who ordered Leucothoe to be buried a- live. Her lover, in pity to her fate, poured neftar on the grave, which turned the body into the tree which weeps the gum called frankincenfe. He then abandoned Clytia, vsho pined away, continually looking on the fun, till fhe became the Heliotrope or fun flower (3). Of the children of Apollo, we fhall fpeak more at large in the following fediion o > Apollo had a great variety of names, either taken from his principal attributes, or the chief places where he was worfhipped. He was called the Healer, from his enliven¬ ing warmth and cheering influence, and Paean (4), from the peftilential heats; to fignify the former, the antients placed the graces in his right hand, and for the latter a bow and arrows in his left ; Norr.ius, or the fhepherd, from his fertilizing the earth,: and thence fuftaining the animal creation;, Delius (5), from his rendering all things irtanifeft ; Pythias, from his vidtory over Python; Lycius, Phcebus. and Phaneta, from his purity and fplendor. The principal places where he was worfhipped were Chryfus, Tenedos, Smyntha, Cylla, Cyrrha, Patrcea, Claros, Cynthius, Abaea, a city in Lycia, at Miletus, and amongft the Masonians, from all which places he was denominated. He had an oracle and temple at Tegyra, near which were two temarkable fountains. (2) Thence called Caftalian lifters. (3) Ovid, Book IV. 1 . 205. 1 4 ) ’A«-o t 5 fTx'.i.v (5) ’A To rj A Aa TTUllTCi 710 IW, called 66 FABULOUS HISTORY OF called the Palm and the Olive, on account of the fvveet. nefs and tranfparency of the water. He had aK oracle at Delos, for fix months in the fumtner feafon, which for the reft of the year was removed to Patara in Lycia, and thefe removals were made with great folemnity. But his moft celebrated temple was at Delphos, the original of which was thus: Apollo being inftru&ed in the art of divination by Pan, the fon of Jupiter, and the nymph Thymbris, went to this o/acle, where at that time The¬ mis gave her anfwers ; but the ferpent Python hinder¬ ing him from approaching the oracle, he flew him, and fo took pofieftion of it. His temple, here, in pro. e'efs of time, became fo frequented^ that, it was called the oracle of the earth, and all the nations and princes in the world vied with each other in their munificence, • 1 * 1 to it. Cfcefus, king of Lyciia, gave at one time a thou-, fand talents of gold to make an altar there, befides pre- fents of immenfe value at other times. Phalaris., the tyrant of Agrigentum, prefented it a brazen bull, a mafter-piece of art. The refponfes here were delivered by a virgin prieftefs (6) called Pythia, or Phceb’as, placed on a tripos (7) or ftool with three feet, called alfo cortina, from, the fkin of the Python with which it was covered. It is. uncertain after what manner thefe oracles were delivered,, though Cicero fuppofes the Pithonefs was infpired, or ra¬ ther intoxicated by certain vapours which afeended from the cave. In Italy, Apollo had a celebrated fhrine at mount Soradte, where .his priefts were fo remarkable for fanttity, that they could walk on burning coals. un¬ hurt. The Romans eredled to him many temples. Af¬ ter the. battle of Aftium, w'bich decided’the fate of the world, and fecured the empire to Auguflqs, this prince not only built him a chapel on that promontory, and renewed the folemn games to him, but foon after railed a moft magnificent temple to him on mount Palatine in Rome, the whole of Clarian marble. The gates were (6) Some fay that the Pythonefs being once debauched, the ora¬ cles were afterwards delivered by an olclwoman in the drefs of a young maid. (7) Authors vary as to the tripos, fome making it a velfel in which the prieftefs bathed. or I ! THE HEATHEN G O D S. 67 % of ivory exquifirely carved, and over the frontifpeice were the folar chariot and horfes of mafly gold. The portico contained a noblejibrary of (he Greek and Latin authors. Within, the place was decorated with noble paintings, and a ftatue of the god by the famous Scopas, attended by a gigantic figure in brafs fifty feet high. In the area were four brazen cows, reprefenting the daughters of Praetus, Iking of the Argives, who were charged into that form for I prefuming to lival Juno in beauty. 7 hefe flatues were | wrought by Myron. [ The ufual facrifices to Apollo, were lambs, bulls, and [ oxen. The animals facred to.him were the wolf, from his | acutenefs of fight; the crow from her augury, or foretelling [the weather; the fwan, from its divining its own death; [thehawk, from its boldnefs in flight ; and the cock, from ! its foretelling his rife. The grafhopper was alfo reckoned [agreeable to him on account of its mufic. Of trees, the [laurel, palm, olive and juniper, were mofl: in efteem with [him. All young men, when their beards grew, confecrat- | cd their locks in his temple, as the virgins did theirs in the | temple of Diana. ' The four great attributes of Apollo were divination , ! healing , jnufic, and archery ; all which manifeftly refer to the fun. Light difpelling darknefs is a ftrong emblem of truth diflipating ignorance; what conduces more to life and health than the folar warmth, or can there be a jufter fymbol of the planetary harmony than Apollo’s (7) lyre? As his darts are Did to have deftroyed the monfter Python, fo his rays dry up the noxious nioifture, which is perni¬ cious to vegetation and fruitfulnefs. The Perfians, who had a high veneration for this planet, adored it, and the light proceeding from it, by the names of Mirhra and Orofmanes ; the Egyptians by thofe of Ofi- ris and Orus ; .and from their antiquities, let us now feek fume iiluflration of the birth and adventures of Apollo. The Ifis which pointed out the neomenia , or monthly kftival, before their annual inundation, was the fyrn- (7) The fevers planets. firings of which are faid to reprefent the feven. bolicai 68 FABULOUS HISTORY OF bolicai figure of a creature with the upper part of a woman, and the hinder of a lizard, placed in a reclining pofture. This they called Leto (8 , and ufed it to fignity to the people the neceflity of laying in the provifions of olives, patched corn, and fuch other kinds of dry food, for their fubflflence, during the flood. Now when the waters of the Nile decreafed time enough to allow them a month, before the entrance of the fun into Sagittarius, the Egyptian farmer was fure of leifure enough to survey and fow his ground, and of remaining in abfolute fecurity till harveft. This conqueft of the Nile was reprefented by an Orus, or image, armed with arrows, and fubduing the monfler Python. This they called Ores (9), or the monfler Python. This they called Ores (9), or Apollo (1). The figure of Ifis above-mentioned, they alio Ailed Deione, or Diana (2), and they put in her hand the quail, a bird which with them was the emblem of fecurity (3). Thefe emblems, carried by the Phoenicians into Greece, gave rife to all the fable of Latona perfecuted by the Python, and flying to Delos in the form of a quail, where fhe bore Orus and Dione, or Apollo and Diana. Thus (as on former occafions) the hieroglyphicks only defigned to point out the regular feftivals r and to inftrudt the people in what they were to do, became in the end the obje&s of a fenfe> lefs and grofs idolatry. When Tyre was befieged by Alexander, the citizens bound the flame of Apollo with chains of gold ; but when that conqueror took the place, he releafed the diety, who thence obtained the name of Philalexandrus, or the friend of Alexander. At Rhodes, where he was wnrfhinnpH in a nec.uliar manner, there was a col offal the citizens gold ; but releafed the worfhipped in peculiar manner, there was image of him at the mouth of the harbour feventy cubits high (4). (1) 8J hence Salus From Leto, orLetoah, a lizard. * From Horesi adeftroyer or waiter. Apollo figmfies the fame. From Dei, fufficiency, comes Deione, abundance Selave in the Phasnician fignifies fecurity, as alfoaquair? they ufed'the quail to figniry the thing. The Latin words and Salvo are derived from hence. (4) 'Wefliall fpeak of this hereafter. • > Phoebus J I THE HEATHEN GODS. 69 | phcebus (5) was very differently reprefented in different [countries arid times, according to the character he affum- 'ed. To depidt the folar light, the Perfians ufed a figure with the head of a lion covered wiih a Tiara, in the Per- fian garb, arid holding a mad bull by the horns, a fym- bol plainly of Egyptian original. The latter people ex- prefied him fometimes by a circle with rays j at other times by a fceptre with an eye over it; but their great em- Iblem of the folar light, as difiinguifhed from the orb itfelf, was the golden feraph, or fiery flying ferpent (6). The Hicropolitans {hewed him with a pointed beard, thereby exprefling the ftrong emifflon of his rays down¬ ward ; over his head was a bafket of gold, reprefenting the ethereal light: he had a breafl-plate on, and in his right-hand held a fpear, on the f'ummit of which flood the image of victory (fo that Mars is but one of his at¬ tributes ); this befpoke him irrefiftable and ruling all things: in his left hand was a flower, intimating the ve¬ getable creation nouriflied, matured, and continued by his beams; around his fhou’ders he wore avert, depidted with gorgons and fnakes ; this takes in Minerva, and by it is exprefled the virtue and vigour of the folar warmth, en¬ livening the apprehenfion and promoting wifdom ; whence alfo he is with great propriety the prefident of the mufes : clots by were the expanded wings of the eagle, repre¬ fenting the aether,-ftretched. out from him as from its pro¬ per center : at his feet were three female figures encircled by a feraph, that in the midrt being the emblem of the earth rifing in beauty from the midft of nature and confu¬ sion (the other two) by the emanation of his lights ftgni- fitd by the feraph or dragon. Under the character of the fun, Apollo was depidled in a chariot drawn by four horfes, whole names the poets have taken care to give us as well as thofe of Pluto. The poets feigned each night that he went to rert with Thetis in the ocean, and that the next morn¬ ing the Hours got ready his horfes for him to renew his (5) From Pheob, the fource, and ob the overflowing, or the fource of the inundation , the Egyptians exprefling the annual ex - cels of the Nile by a fun, with a river proceeding from its mouth. '( 6 ) Vide Macrob, Saturn. 1 . 1, c. 17. courfe. r ;o FABULOUS HISTORY, OF I courfe, (fee Cambray’s Telemaqne for a picture) and un¬ barred the gates of day.-' It is no wonder they have been Javifh on a fubjedt, which affords fuch extenfive room for the imagination to difplay itfelf, as the beauties - of the fun-riling. When reprefented as Liber Pater (7), he bore,a fhield to fhew his protection of mankind. At other times he was drawn as a beardlefs youth, his locks . - difhevelied, and crowned with laurel,'holding a bow in his right hand with his arrows, and the lyre in his left. The palace of the Sun has been admirably defcribed by , Ovid, as well as his carr, in the fecond book of his Me* tamorphofis. CHAP. XXX. * ; Of the Sons or Offspring of Apollo, ^Esculapius, Phaeton, Orpheus, Idmon, Arist^us, &c. A S Apollo was a very gallant deity, fo he had a very numerous iffue, of which it is neceffary to give fome account, as,they make a confiderable figure in poe¬ tical hiftory. The firft and -molt noted of his fons was .^fculapius, whom he had by the nymph Coronis. Some fay that Apollo fhot his mother, when big with child of him, on account of her infidelity ; but repenting the fad faved the infant, and gave him to Chiron to be inftruc- ted (8) in phyfic. Others report, that as King Phiegyas, her father, was carrying her with him into Pelopormefus, her pains furprifed her on the confines of Epidauria, where, to conceal her fhame, fhe expofed the infant on a mountain. However this be, under the care of this new mafter he made fuch a progrefs in the medical art, as. gained him a high reputation ; fo that he was even re¬ ported to have raifed the dead. His firfl cures were wrought upon Afcles, king of Epidaurus, and Aunes, . ^ (7) Virgil gives him this name in his firft Georgic. - Ftos, O clarijjima ?nundi Ltonina, labentem c bol, peculiar to the bufinefs of the months, as a pair of compafles, a fltpte, a mafk, a trumpet, &c. All thefe images were purely hitroglyphical, to point out to the people what they were to do, and to afceFtain their .ufe,. (3) From Heaven. (4) The virginity or chaftity of the Mufes, is a point dilputed by the antient writers, though the majority inclines in their favour. (5) Thamyris wrote a poem on the wars of the gods with the Titans, which exceeded every thing that appeared or the kind be¬ fore. (6) Perhaps becaufe it was confecrated to their mailer Apollo. ♦ they THE HEAT H'E N GOD S, 81 they were called the nine Mufes (7). The Greeks, who adopted this groupeof emblems as fo many real divinities* took care to give each a particular name, fuired to rhe- inflruments they bore, and which threw a new difguife ov er the truth. The Graces are alfo attendants of the Mufes, though placed in the train of Venus (8). Some make them the daughter of Jupiter and Eurynome, others of Bacchus and Venus. They were three, Aglaia, Thalia and | Euphrofyne, names relative to their nature (9), The Lacedemonians and Athenians knew but two, to whom. | they gave different appellations (1). Eteoclts, king of | the Orcbomenians, was the fir ft who ereffed a temple I to them. j Pegaftts was a winged horfe produced by the blood l which fell from Medula’s head, when fhe was killed by. 1 Perfeus. He fiew to mount Helicon, the feat of the *7 J Mules, where, with a ftroke of his hoof,- he opened a? | futmrain called Hippocrene, or the horfes fpring (2;.. thefe figures, will convince us how¬ to this article, as they complete its , -- Near the nine'female figures which be¬ tokened the dry feafon, were placed three others repre- | fenting the three months of inundation, and were drawn: . fometimes fwathed, as incapable of ufing their hands and'; •feet. Thefe were called Charitout (3?, or the divorce. refemhlance of this word to the Greek Charites, The unravelling juftly they belong illuftration. The which fignihes thankfgivings- or favours, gave rife to the (7) From the word Mofe, that is, faved or difengaged from the waters; whence the name of Mofes given to the Hebrew lawgiver, fo near did the Phaeniciao and Egyptian languages agree, which with fome final! difference of* pronunciation only,'made two dii-- tiuft tongues. (8) f chufe to place them here on account of the explanation of the fable under one view. (9) Aglaia, or honefty, to fliew that benefits fhould be bellowed freely: Thalia, or flourifhing, to denote that the fenfe of kindnefs ought never .to die; Euphrofyne, or chearfulnefs, to fignify that favours fhould be conferred and received with mutual pleafure. (1) The Spartan graces were Clito and Phaena; thole of Athens,. Au.ro and Hegemo. (2) Fons Caballinus. See Perfius, Satyr I. (3) From Charat, to divide, comes Charitout the reparation of; commerce.. E 5 fable 82 FABULOUS HISTORY OF fable of the Graces, or thiee goddefles prefiding over benefits and outward charms. Yet, as during the inundation, all parts could not be fo fully fupplied, but that fome commerce was neceflary, they had recourfe to fmall barks, to fail from one ciry to the other. Now the emblematical figure of a fhip or veffel, in Egypt and Phoenicia, was a winged horfe (6), by which name the inhabitants of Cadiz, a Phoenician colo¬ ny, called their veflVls. Now if the Mules and Graces are the goddefles which prefide o er arts and gratitude, this emblem becomes unintelligible. But if we rake the nine Mufes for the months oi afiion and induftry, an 1 the th:ee Graces for the three months of inundation and rdf, the vvingtd horfe, or boat with fails, is a true pic¬ ture of the end of navigation, and the return of rural toils. To this figure the Egyptians gave the name of Pegaftts (j), exprt-fiive of i s true meaning. A 11 rhefe images transplanted to Greece, became the foutce of end- lefs confufion and fable. ♦ By the Latin and Greek poet?, the Graces are repre- fented as beautiful young virgins, naked, or bur very ilightjy cloathed (8/, and having wings on their feet. They are alfo joined hand in hand, to denote their unity. The Syrens were the daughters of Achelous. Their lower parts were like fifties, and their upper like wo¬ men ; but they, were fo Ikilled in mufic, that they in¬ frared all who heard them to definition. Prduming to contend with the Mufcs, they were vanquifhed and flap¬ ped at once of their feathers and voices, as a punifhment for their folly. The Egyptians fometimes reprefented the three months of inundation by figures half female and half fifh, to de¬ note to the inhabitants their living in the midft of the waters. One of thefe images bore in her hand the fif- trum, or Egyptian lyre, to fhew the general joy at the f6) Strabo Geograph. Lib. II. p. 99. Edit. Reg. Paris. (7) Fron Pag to" ceafe, and Sus a fiiip, Pegafus, or theceffation ef navigation. (8) Solutis Gratis? Zonis. Ode XXX. 5. Juitflaque nymphis Gratia dcctntes Alterno ter ram quatiunt pede. Horace, Lib. I. Cdeiv. 5- flood’s the heathen gods. 8 J flood’s arriving to its due height, which was the affurar.ee of a fucceedir-g year of plenty. To thefe fymbols they gave the name of Syrens (9), exprelfive of their real meaning. The Phoenicians, who carried them into Greece, reprelented them as real perfons, and the Greeks and Romans had too ftrong a tafhe for the fabulous, not to embellifh the flory (1.. S3 I $ r .T 4 / I w >* ^ S 1 $ Jr I CHAP, xxxir s Of D iana, Luna, or Hecate - . % H A V IN G treated of the god of wit and har¬ mony, with his offspring anc! train, let us now come to his twine lifter Diana, the goddefs of chaftity. J Her father, at her lequeff, granted her perpetual virginity, bellowed her a bow and arrows, appointed her queen of the on ner a woods and foielts (2), and afiigned her a guard of f nymphs to attend her (3). She became the patronefs of hunting thus; Britomarns, a huntrefs-nymph, being one day entangled in her own nets, while the wild boar was approaching her, vowed a temple to Diana, and fo was prefervtd. Hence Diana had the name of Di&yn- na. Others relate the llory differently, and fay that Pritomartis, whom Diana favoured on account of her pa Hi on for the chafe, flying from Minos her lover,, fell' into the lea, and was by her made a goddefs.. The adventures of Diana make a pretry confiderable- figure in poetical hiflory, and ferve to fliew that the virtue of this goddefs, if inviolable, was alfo very vere. Aflseon experienced this truth to his cofl. fe- He young prince, the fon of Arillaens and A'utonoe*. die daughter of Cadmus, pallionately fond of the fport, was a king of Thebes. he had the As he was misfortune one day to difeover Diana bathing with her nymphs-. fxng. (9) From Shur, a hymn, and'ranan to (0 Hence our imaginary form of the Mermaid. (2) Montium cujtos nemorumque virgo. Horat. Lib. III. (3) Sixty Nymphs, called- Oceaninte,, and twenty of the Afiae.. 'i he 84 FABULOUS HISTORY OF ~ * The goddefs incenfed at the intrufion, changed him into a flag ; To that his own dogs miffaking him lor their game, purfued and tore him in pieces. Ovid lias wrought up this fcene with great art and imagina¬ tion ('4). The truth of this fable is faid to be as follows j A&seon was a man of Arcadia, a great lover of dogs and hunting, and by keeping many dogs, and fpending his time in hunting on the mountains, he entirely neg- ledled his domtffic affairs, and being brought to ruin, was generally called the wretched Adiaeon, who was de¬ voured by his own dogs. Meleager was another unhappy vi£lim of her refent- ment, and the more fo as his punifhment was owing to no crime of his own. Oeneus his lather king of iEto- lia, in offering faciifices to the rural deities, had forgot Diana. The goddefs was not of a character to put up fuch a negledt. She fent a huge wild boar into the fields cf Caledon, who laid every thing waffe before him. Meleager, with Thefeus and the virgin Atalanta, undertook to encounter it. The virgin gave the mon- fter the fiift wound, and Meleager, who killed it, pre- fented her the fkin, vvhich his uncles took from her, for which he flew them. Althaea, h’s mother, hearing her two brothers had perifhed in this quarrel, took an un¬ common revenge. She remembered at the birth of her fon the Fates had thrown a billet in o the chamber, with an affurance the boy would live, as that remain¬ ed unconfumed. The mother had till now carefully f'aved a pledge on which fo much depended ; but infpir- ed by her prefent fury, fhe threw it in the flames, and Meleager inffantly feized with a confuming riifeafe, ex¬ pired as foon as it was burnt. His fillers, who exctf*. lively mourned his death, were turned into hen-turkies. Ovid has not forgot to embeilifli his collection with this ftory (5), Others relate the ftory of Meleager thus: Diana had, to avenge herfelf of Oeneus, raifed a tvar between the Curetes and /Stolians. Meleager, who fought at the head of his father’s troops, had always the (4) Ovid, Lib. III. 131. ( 5 ) Ovid, Lib. Vril. 261 , l advantage the heathen gods. 85 advantage, tiil killing two of his mother’s brothers, mother Althaea loaded him with fuch his that he retired from the field. The advanced, and attacked Oeneus prelTes hts fon vain his mother forgives flexible till Cleopatra his imprecations, Curetes upon this In vain the capital of JEtoVta. to arm and repel the foe; in and intreats him. He is in- % wife falls at his feet, and re- prefents calls for their mutual danger. Touched at this, he his armour, iflues to the fight, and repels the enemy. Nor was Diana lefs rigorous to her own fex. Chi- one the daughter of Deedalion, being rarefied both by Apollo and Mercury, bore twins, Pntlamon .the fon of Apollo, a famous mufician, and Autolicus the fon of Mercury, a fkilful juggler or cheat. The mother was fo imprudent to boafl: of her fiiame, and prefer the honour of being miftrefs to two deities, to the modefty of Diana, which file afcribed to her want of beauty: tor this the goddefs pierced her tongue with an arrow, and deprived her of the power of future boailing or caln mr.y. The river Alpheus fell violently enamoured of Diana, and having no hopes of fuccefs, had recoutfe to force. 7 l he goddefs fled to the Letrini, where the amufed herfelf with dancing, and with fbme art fo difgubed herfelf and her nymphs, that Alpheus no longer knew them. For this, thefe people eredled a temple to her. During the chafe one day, Diana accidentally fbotChen- chrius, fon of the nymph Pryene, who bewailed him fo much that fhe was turned inoa fountain. Diana had a great vaiiety of names, fhe was called Cynthia and Delia, from the place of her birth ; Arte¬ mis, on account of her honour and modefly. By the Arcadians, fhe was named Orrhofia; and by the Spar¬ tans, Orihia. Her temples were many, both in Greece and Italy; but the moft c.onfiderable was at Ephefiis. where fhe. was held in the high eft veneration. The plan of this magnificent edifice was laid by Ctefiphon, and the ftruflure of it employed for 220 years the ablefl: archire&s and flatuaries in the world. It was let on fire by Eroflrratus, on the day that Alexander the great came into the woild ; but was foon rebuilt with equal fplendor 86 FABULOUS HISTORY OF fplendor under Dinocrates, who alfo built the city of Alex¬ andria. ♦ The facrifices offered to Diana, were the firft fruits of the earth, oxen, rams, and white hUds; human vi&ims were fometimes devoted to her in Greece, as we find in the cafe of Iphigenia. Her fettival was on the idts of Auguft, after which time all hunting was prohibited. Diana, was reprefented of an uncommon high ttature, her hair diihevelled, a bow in her hand, and a quiver at her back, a deer-fkin fattened to her breatt, and her pur¬ ple robe tucked up at the knees, with gold buck’es or c!afp«, and atrendcd by nymphs in a hunting drefs, with nets and hounds. Diana was alfo called Dea Triformis, or Tergemina, on account of her triple character of Luna in heaven, Diaia on earth, and Hecate in the infernal regions, though the actions of the firft and laft, are afcribed to her under the fecond name (6 . Luna was thought to be the daughter of Heperion and Theia. The Egyptians worlhiped this deity both as male and female, the men ficrificing to it as Luna, the women as Lunus. and each fex on thefe occafions a (Turning the drefs of the other. Indeed this goddefs was no other than the Venus Urania, or Caeleftis of the A (Tyrians, whofe weir, fbip and rites the Phoenicians introduced into Greece. Under this character Diana was alfo called Lucina, (a name fhe held in common with Juno) and had the prote&ion of women in labour (7), though fome make Lucina a dittind goddefs from either (8). By this name"fhe was adored by the ^Eginenfes and Eleans. Jf Diana was fo rigid in point of chattity on earth, her viitue grew a little more relaxed when Ihe got to the Ikies. She bore Jupiter a daughter there, called Erfa, or the Dew, and Pan, who was not the moft pleating (6) Hefiod makes Luna, Diana, and Hecate, three diftind god- dtli'es. (7} It is faid (he affifted Latona her mother at the birth of Apollo j but was fo terrified at the pains* that (lie vowed perpetual virginity. (8 ) Some make Lucina the daughter cf Jupiter and Juno, and born in Crete, of i THE "HEATHEN GODS. 8 ? of the gods, deceived her in the fhape of a wh ite ram But her moft celebrated amour was* with Endymion (i). the fon of iEthlius, and grandfon of Jupiter, who took him up into heaven, where he had the infolence to fo- hcit Juno, for which he was cart into a profound fleep. Luna had :he kindmfs to conceal him in a cave of mount Latmos in Caria, where ihe had fifty daughters by him, and a fon called ALtolus, alter which he was again ex¬ alted to the fkies. ' 1 he fable of Endymion had its origin in Egypt. Thefe people in the neomenia, or feaft, in which they cele¬ brat'd the antient flare of mankind, cho r e a grove, or fome retired ihady grotto, where they placed an tfis, with her'crefcent or moon, and by her fide an Horus afieep, to denote the fecurity and repol'e which mankind then enjoyed. This figure they called Endymion (2', and rhefe fymbolica! figures, like the reft, degenerated in¬ to idolatry, and became the materials for fabulous hi (lory As the moon, Diana was represented with a credent on her head, in a filver chariot drawn by white hinds, with gold harnefs, which fome change to mules, be* ciufe that animal is barren (3). Some make htr con¬ ductors a white and black horfe (4', others oxen, on ac¬ count of the lunar horns. Hecate was the daughter of Jupiter and Ceres. As to the origin of the tume there is fome vaiiation (5). She was ihe goddefs of the infernal regions, and on that account is often confounded with Proferpine. She prefided over ftreets and highways ; for which caufe fhe was called Trivia, as alfo Propyla, becaufe the doors (1) Others affirm, that Endymion was a king of Elis, much giv¬ en to altronomy and lunar ohfervations, for which he was laid to be in love with the moon, and carefled by her. (2) From En, a grotto or fountain, and Dimion, refemblance, is N made Enduruon, or the grotto of the representation . (3) Toexprefs that the moon had no light of her own, but what fte borrowed from the fun. (4) To exprefs the wane and full of the moon. (5) Either from at a diftance, becaufe the moon darts her rays afar off j or from a hundred, becaufe a hecatomb was the uiual viftim* Of 88 FABULOUS HISTORY OF of houfes were under her prote&ion (6J. The appella¬ tion of Brimo was given her on account of her dreadful fhrieks, when Mars, Apollo, and Mercury meeting tier in the woods, attempted to ravifh her. She was al(b fa¬ mous for botany, c/pecially in difcovering baneful and poifonous herbs and roots; as alfo for her fkill in en¬ chantments and magical arts, in the pradtice of which her name was conflantly invoked (7). Heiiod has givtn a very pompous defcription of '.he extent of her power { 8 ). She was ftiled in Egypt, Bubaftis. As Hecate, Diana was reprefented of an excefiive height, her head covered wirh frightful fnakes, and her feet of a Terpentine form, and furrounded with dogs, an animal facred to her, and under vvhofe form fhe was fometimes reprefented. She was alfo efteemed the god- cefs of inevitable fatei If we have recourfe to the Egyptian key, we fhali find this threefold goddefs the fame fymbol vvhh the Juno and C'ybele we have already treated of. The Greek fculptors had too good a tafte to endure the head of the bull or goat on their deit.es, which they borrow¬ ed from that country. They therefore altered thele hieroglyphical figures to their own mode ; but took care to preferve the attributes by di'poling them in a more elegant manner. The lunar fymbol among!! the Egyp¬ tians was called Hecate, or (9I Achete, and by the Syrians, Achot. The latter alfo ftiled her Deio, or Deione (1), and Demeter. The crefeent and full moon over her head at the momenta, made her miftaken for that planet, and the time of the interlunia, during which fhe remained invifible, file was fuppofed to take a turn to the invifible world, and fo got the name of Hecate. Thus the tripartite goddefs arofe. The meaning of the antient fymbols was confounded and forgot, and a 1 | (6) At every new moon the Athenians made a flipper for her in- the open ftreet, which in the night was eaten up by the the poor people. (7) So Dido in Virgil, calls on 'Tergeminam Hecaten , tria virginis ora Diante* JEneid IV, (8) Theogony, 1 . 411. (9) Achate, the only or excellent, or Achet (in the Syriac) the filler. . ^ Deio, or Deione, from Dei, fufficiency; or Demeter, from Dei and Mater, rain, i. e. plenty of rain. ’ ' fenfe- THE HEATHEN GODS. go fenfelefs jargon of fable and fuperftition introduced in irs place, a point which can never be too exactly at¬ tended to on this occafiuu. • CHAP. XXX 1 H. 0 ^ 0 Of Mercury. 0 P ASS we now to a deity neither famous for his truth or honefty, though he makes no inconfiderable figure in the celeilial catalogue. * Mercury was the fon of Jupiter and Maia, daughter of Atlas, and born on mount Cyllene in Aicadia. He was fuckled by Juno, fome of whefe milk falling befides his mouth on the heavens, produced the Galaxy. He began rq difplay early his talent for theft, as we have observed under the article of Apollo. Being careffed, when an infarit in Vulcan’s arms, he ftole away his tools. The fame day he defeated Cupid at wreffling, and while Venus praifed him after his viftory, he found means to convey away her ceflus. He pilfered Jupiter’s feepter, and had done the fame thing by his thunderbolts, but they were too hot for his fingers. Heferved Battus a very flippery trick. This man faw him dealing king Ad- metus’s cows from Apollo his lierdfman. To bribe him to filence he gave' him a fine cow, and the clown pro- mifed to keep it fecret. Mercury, to try him, affirmed another fhape, and offering a higher reward, the fel¬ low told all he knew, on which (2) the god turned him into a touch-ftone. Mercury had feveral appellations. He was called Her¬ mes (3) and Cyllenius, from his temple upon mount Cyl¬ lene. Nor were his enployments lefs various. He was the cupbearer of Jupiter till Ganymede took his place. He was the meflenger of the gods, and the tutelar god °( toads and crofs-ways (4), the inventor of weights and ‘-- - - ■ , __ _ _____ _ __ ■ ( 2 ) Ovid has given a fine defeription of this incident. Metam. lib* II.- 680. . S 1 (3) the interpreter, becaufe he interpreted the minds of the gods and men. (3) Where the Greeks and Romans placed certain figures, called Herman, from him, being of marble or brafs, with the head w a Mercury, but downwards of a fquare figure. meafures. 4 go FABULOUS HISTORY OF » • ^ meafiires, and the guardian of all merchandize and com¬ merce, though this office feerns but ill to agiee with the a&kms afcrihed to him. He was in a peculiar manner the prote&or of learning, being the firft difcoverer of letters, and the god of rhetoric and oratory. He was allb famous for his fkill in mufic, and fo eloquent, that he was not only the arbitrator in all quarrels amongft the gods, and in all leagues and negociations particular regard was paid (5) to him. Together with Tell us and Pluto, Mercury was" invok¬ ed among# the terrefixi'al gods. In conjun&ion with Hercules he prefided over wreflling and the gymnaftic exercifes, to fhew that addrefs on thefe occafions fliould always be joined to force. He was alfo believed to pre- fide over dreams, though Morpheus claims a fhare with him in this department. Annually, in the middle of May, a feftival was cele¬ brated to his honour at Rome, by the merchants and traders, who facriflced a fow to him intreating he would profper their buflnefs, and forgive their frauds. In all facrifices offered to him, the tongues of the viftims were burnt, which cuftom was borrowed from the Megaren- fes. Perfons who efcaped imminent danger facrinced to him a calf with milk and honey. The animals facred to him were the dog, the goat, and the cock. By his fitter Venus he had a fon called Hermaphro- ditus, a great hunter; a wood nymph, called Salmacis, fell in love whh him, but had the mortification to be repulfed. Upon this, inflamed by her paflion, fhe watched near a fountain where he ufed to bathe, and when fhe faw him naked In the water, rufhed to em¬ brace him j but the youth ftill avoiding her, fhe prayed the gods their bodies might become one, which was immediately granted ; and what was yet more wonder¬ ful, the fountain retained the virtue of making ail thole Hermaphrodites who uted its waters (6). (5) As the Feciales, or priefts of Mars, proclaimed war; fo the Caduceatores, or priefts of Mercury, were employed in all embsllies and treaties of peace. (6) See Ovid’s defcription of this adventure. Metam. book IV. A !« THE HEATHEN GODS. 91 A late author gives this ftory another turn. He fays* the fountain Sa'macs (7) being inclofed with high walls* very indecent fcenes palled there ; but that a certain Greek of that colony budding an inn there for the en¬ tertainment of Jtliangers, the barbarians, who reforted -to it, by their intercourfe with the Greeks, became foftened and civilized; which gave rife to the fable of their chang¬ ing their fex. Mercury had other children, particularly Pan, DoIop c , Fchion, Caicus, Erix, Bunu«, Phares, and the Lares, with ftveral others. Such was the Mercury of the Greeks and Romans. But the origin of this deity muft be looked for amongffc the Phoenicians, whofe image is the fymbolical figure of their great ana ft ir and founder, and the proper aims of that people. By the bag of money which he held, was intimated, the gains of merchandize. By the wings with which his head and feet w«re furnifhed, was fliadow- ed the Hupping of that people, their extenfive commerce and navigation. The caduceus, with which ( 8 ) he was faid to condudl the fpirits of the deceafed to Hades, pointed out the great principles of the foul’s immorta¬ lity, a ftate of (9) rewards and punishments (1) after death, and a (2) refufeitation of the body. It is deferibed as producing three leaves together; hence called by Ho¬ mer the golden three-lea-ued wand. The doflrine alluded toby this, was more diftin&ly taught by the emblems adorning the hermetic wand : for to the extremity of it was annexed the ball or circle. Two Seraphs entwined the rod ; over which were the expanded wings, forming the complete hieroglyphic of the mighty ones. The name of Mercury is a compound of the Celtic Merc, merchandize (3), and Ur, a man; and correfponds very ex3 / I-US TO R Y OF renderargiStbe.meanineyaLitlfe^-Word CiVaaa- or Caiiaan, a t m ~'Tt ■ — »" v - J - * •'•s'* * * V •*•' * - - -v nierchanfeDi^ttader: ■/'-'■ •\- ; .- -v.-ss ;tvRicb; af? firfl we reiver^ in hocen i *He--'d15je£l of ido- latrofiiWorfhip to moll nationsst-i^Be" are nor to wonder that;,the Egypiiafis particularly^'^mfe.country was. the land Ihould do honour to -_* % #%r ♦ %- -- * - *-' '- — +1+ - Ca n a a a," of Ham, the father of this‘figure, and apply it to theiipporpo'es : fof•'if is'.more than probable, that-, 0 -being lb near at handy fie might.-be greatly afiifhng to his brothe^ Mijzraim Iti' ; tHe Ifietlkrrieht of that country; befides the confhjbration of , ■■■ • % * ^ ^ ^ ¥ ^ ^ ^ v 1^ deitv that offbfs. is that nowerful s-odd > ‘I •i ft ■: t »?3 i?r —4 i n ^ t ♦ 4 ♦ JL . ^hbre^fnfluenCieilis r % by Gods add mtn^:f Cicero mentions ,four ; bf this ;pame ( 4 ) j. bwt.the,; '■I 4 : Saturntvwheri cutnfF by Kxs fon. Jupita^ ahd : thrown Into^ll the fea/:' vrT - r “— As embelHfhed with ptarl, arid by gentle:zephyrs wafted to the ifle of Gythera, in the ^gean fea/ from whence Ihe failed to Cyprus, which fhe feached in Apnl. ; 'Heft, as fodn as' ; ? ihe landedfrfiqwers rofe' beneath hec feet^ the' Hours - re-; :Zl . t »' ' ' ’ t" t ' ?• 1 ’ i t'J U' " t_• ^ ; . ii m . it_ • * fn JL_ A'-V/Tii *: appeared fq attradHVe; in .the' afiembly of the gods, that i|; fcarcje; ohbot the.nt butwhat defired her irr hia rriage. 1 Vul; , 4 ,' hir ,tnp Ar I imifpr * mtf vrnnnntr ’ m n^r Hi •’1 $r v* n ' can, by the v advice of Jupiter,vput poppy in her nedtar,' ■' and, by iatoxiciting, her, gained poileffion.; 1 ■• * r V . ■ v>> . ■ - r •J. (4) The ‘firft tthe daughter ^ r :pf Caelum; the fecond the Venus Aphrodttn 5 -the third born of - jupiter and Dione, and the wife of. r: Vulcan 5 and the foiii;th Aftafte, or the Syrian Venus, the mifh'ris of Adbnis. (5) From *A power of the mind ; and crowned with rofes, to fhew the delightful but tranfirory pleafures he beftows. Sometimes he is de¬ picted blind , to denote that love fees no faults in the ohjeft beloved ; at others he appears with a rofe in one hand, and a dolphin in the other ; fometimes he is feen (landing between Hercules and Mercury, to fignify the prevalence of eloquence and valour in love ; at others he is . placed near Fortune, to exprefs how much the fuccefs of lovers depends on that inconftant goddefs. He is always drawn with wings, to typify, that nothing is more'fleeting than the pafiion he excites. The Egyptian Horus, which attended the terreftrial . Ifis, or the Venus Popularis, or Pandemos, was, ac¬ cording to the cuftom of the with different attributes ; fometimes with the wings of the Etefian wind, at others with the club of Hercules (2) , the arrows of Apollo, fitting on a lion, driving a hull, tying a ram, or having a large fifti in his nets. Tiiefe figns of tne different feafons of the year, gave rife to as many fables. The empire of Eros, or Love, was made to extend to heaven and earth, and even to the depths of the ocean ; and this little but powerful child, difarmed gods and men. Hymen, the fecond attendant of Venus, was the god . of marriage, and the fon of Bacchus and that goddefs (3) . He is faid to be'born in Attica^ where he made it his bufinefs to refcue virgins carried off by robbers, and to reftore them to their parents. On this account all maids newly married offered facrifices to him ; as alfo to the goddefs of concord. He was invoked in the nuptial ceremony (4) in a particular manner. This god was reprefented of a fair complexion, crowned with amaricus, or the herb fweet maijoram, and robed in a veil of faffron colour, (-reprefentative of the bridal blufhes) with a torch lighted in his hand. (2) There is a gem in Mr. Ogle anfwering this delcription. (3) Hymen is thought to be the fon of the goddefs Venus Urania or the celeftiat Venus. (4) They repeated often the words, O Hymen ! O Hymens? ! F 2 becaufe TOO FABULOUS HISTORY OF ; becaufe the bride was carried always heme, by torch- light. Every one knows it was a conftant cuftom of the ori¬ ental nations, on the wedding-day, to attend the bride¬ groom and bride with torches and lamps. The chorus on thefe occafions was Hu t Humeneh! Here he comes! This is the fejli'ual (5)/ The figure exhibited on this ©ccafioQ in Egypt, was a young man bearing a lamp or torch, placed near, the female figure, which denoted the day of the month fixedYor the ceremony. ~ The Graces, who always attended Venus, have been already deferibed with the Mufts under the article of Apollo. ' The Horse, or Hours, were the daughters of Jupiter and Themis, and the harbingers of Apollo. They were alfo the nurfes of Venus, as well as her dreflers, and made a neceflary part of her train. CHAP, xxxvr. Of Vulcan. T HOUGH the hufband fhould ufually precede the wife, yet Vulcan was too unhappy in wedlock to obtain this diftindion. There were ftVeral of the name (6), the principal, who arrived at the honour of being deified, was the fon of Jupiter and Juno, or, as others fay, of Juno alone : however this be, he was fo remark¬ ably deformed, that his father threw him down Irom heaven to the ifle of Lemnos, 1 ' and in the fall he broke his leg (7). Others report, that Juno herfelf, difgufted at his fight, hurled him into the fea, where he was nurf- «d by Thetis (8). -f 4 I 9 f r (5) From Hu ! lol or here he is, and Meneh, the feaft or lam* slice, comes Hymenseus. (6) The firft, faid to be the fon of Caelus j the fecond, the Jon of Nilus, called Opas.5 tire third the Vulcan, fon of Jupiter ana Juno, mentioned above 5 and the fourth, the fon of Maenahus, who reOded in the Vulcanian or Liparean ifles- . , (7) He was caught by the Lemnians, or lie had broke his neck. It is added, he was a whole day in falling. (8) Others report that he fell on the land, and was mined ny apes 5 and that Jupiter expelled him the Ikies for attempting 10 sefeue Juno, whenfhe conJpired again It him. THE HEATHEN GODS. ro? • ' The firft lefidence of Vulcan on earth, was the ifle cf Lemnos (9), where he fet up his forge, and taught men how to foften and polifh brafs and iron. Prom thence he removed to the Liparean iiles, near Sicily, where, with the afliftance of the Cyclops, he made Jupiter frefh thunderbolts, as the old grew decayed. He alfo- wrought an helmet for Pluto, which rendered him invi - fible, a trident for Neptune that ftiakes both land and fea r and a dog of brafs for Jupiter, which he animated fa as to perform (1) all the natural fun&ions of the animal.. Nor is this a wonder, when we conftder, that, at the defire of the fame god, he formed Pandora, who was fent with ft he fatal box to Prometheus, as has been related in its place. In fhort, Vulcan was the general armourer of the gods. He made Bacchus a.golden croyvn to prefent Ariadne, a chariot for the fun, and another for Mars. At the requtft of Thetis, he fabricated the divine armour of Achilles, whofe fhield is fo beautifully defcribed by Homer (2); as alfo the invincible armour of iEneas, at the intreaty of Venus. To conclude,, with an inftance of his (kill this way, in revenge for his mother Juno’s linkindnefs, he prefented her a golden chair, managed by fuch unfeen fprings, that when fhe fat down in it fhe way not able to move, till fhe was forced, to beg her deli¬ verance from him. Vulcan, like the reft of the gods, had' feveral names or appellations: he was called Lemnius, from the.ifle of Lemnos, confecrated to him ; Mulciber, or Mulci- fer, from his art of foftening fteel and- iron. By the Greeks, Hephaiftos, from his delighting in flames, or fire; and ^Etneus and Lipareus, from the places fup- pofed to be his forges (3). As to his worfhip, he had an altar in common with Prometheus (4), and was one (9) Becaufe: Lemnos abounds in minerals and hot fprings. (1) Jupiter gave this dog to Europa, (he to Procris, and by her it was given to Cephalus her hufband, and by Jupiter after turned to a (tone. (2) See Iliad, Lib. 1?. (3) On account of the volcanos and fiery eruptions there. Or) Prometheus firft invented fire, Vulcan the ufe of it, in- making arms and utenfils. F 3 of 102 FABULOUS HISTORY OF 4 of the gods who prefided over marriage, becaufe he firft introduced the ufe of torches at the nuptial rites. It was euftomary with many nations after victory, to gather the enemy’s arms in a heap, and offer them to Vulcan. His principal temple was in a confecrated grove at the foot of Mount ^rna, guarded by dogs, who had the difcernment to diftinguifh his votaries, to tear the vicious, and fawn upon the virtuous. The proper facrifice to this deity was a lion, to denote the relilfltls fury of fire. His feftiyals were different: at thofe called Protervia, (amongfl the Romans) they ran about with lighted torches.. The Vulcania were ce-. lebrated. by throwing living animals into the fire. ; The Lampadophoria were races performed to his honour,, where the contention was to carry lighted torches' to the gaol; but whoever overtook the perfon before him, had the privilege of delivering him his torch to carry, and to retire with honour. Vulcan, however difagreeable his perfon was, was ; fenfible of love : his firfi: pafiion was for Minerva, and he had Jupiter’s confent to make his addrefies to her; but his courtihip was too ill placed to be fuccefsful. He was more fortunate in his fuit to Venus, though he had no great reafon to boaft his lot. The goddefs was too great a beauty to be confiant, and Vulcan too difagreeable to be happy. She chofe, Mars for her gal¬ lant, and, the intrigue for fome time went on fwimming- ly. As Apollo, or the Sun, had a friend fhip for the hufband. Mars was particularly fearful of his difcoyer- ing the affair, and therefore fet a boy called Alefb yon, or Gallus, to warn him and his fair miftrefs of the Sun’s approach. . The fennnel unluckily fell'afleep, and fo the Sun faw them together, and let Vulcan prefently into the fecret. The blackfmith-god to revenge the injury, againft their next meeting, contrived fo fine and imperceptible a net-work, that they were taken in their guilt, and expofed to the ridicule of the gods, till releafed at the inter- cefiion of Neptune. Mars, to punilh Aleflryon for his negleft, changed him into a cock, who to atone for ° his i THE HEATHEN GODS. TO ] his fault, .by his crowing, gives eonftant notice of the fun-rife (5). This deity., as the god of fire, oufly in different nations. The Egyptians depi&ed him prefented of an proceeding out piter, to denote the through all created beings, one of the firft Egyptian kings, was deified : and add, that king egg, placed in the mouth of Ju- radical or natural heat difFufed Some hiftorians make him who for his goodnefs w Menes eredted a noble temple to him at Thebes with a colofial ftratue feventy- five feet high. The Phoenicians adored him by the name of Cryfor, and thought him the author and caufe of lightning, and- ail confound him with the Tubal Cain of fcrinture. fiery exhalations. Some writers In antient gems and medals of the Greeks and Romans, lie is figured as a lame, deformed, and fquallid man men wotking at the anvil, and ufuahy attended by his the Cyclops, or by fome god or. goddrTs who come to afk his affiftance. To examine have The gure fons into the ground of this fable, we muft once more recourfe to the Egyptian antiquities. Horus of the Egyptians was the moft mutable fi- on earth ; for he aflumed fhapes fuitable to all fea- of time and ranks of people : to direft the huf- at- bandman, he wore a rural drefs. By a change of tributes, he became the* inftrudtor of the fmiths and orher artificers, whofe inftruments he appeared adorned with. This Horus of the fmiths had a fhort or lame leg, to fignify, that agriculture or hufbandry halt with¬ out the affiftance of the handicraft or mechanic arts. * In this apparatus he was called Mulciber (6), Hephaif- tos (7), and Vulcan (8), all which names the Greeks and Romans adopted with the figure, which as ufual they converted from a fymbol to a god. Now as this Horus was removed from the fide of the beautiful Ifis (s) See Ovid, Lib IV. 167. (6) From Malac, to direft and manf cave or mine, comes Mulciber, the king o (7) From Aph, father, and Elto, fire, Hepheftion, the father of fire. (8) From Wall, to woik, and Canan, can, or work fimJlied. F 4 e; and Ber or Beer, a the mines or forges. .. is formed Ephaifto, or to haften, comes Wol- (or 104 FABULOUS HISTORY OF (or the Venus Pandemos) to make room for the martin Horus, expofed in time of war, it occafioned thejeft of the afiiftants, and gave rife to the fable of Vulcan’s being fupplanted in his wife’s affe&ions by the god of war. CHAP. XXXVII. Of the Offspring of Vulcan. T HOUGH Vulc3n had no iffue with Venus, yet he had a pretty numerous offspring. We have already mentioned his paffion for Minerva: this goddefs coming one day to befpeak fome armour of him, he attempted to. ravifh her, and in the flruggle his feed fell on the ground, and produced the monfter Erichthonius (9). Minerva nourished him in her thigh, and afterwards gave him to be nurled by Aglauros, Pan- drofus and Herfe, but with a ftrjdl caution not to look in the cradle or coffer which held him. The firft: and laft t 1 neglecting this advice ran mad. Erichthonius being born with deformed, or, as fome fay. Terpentine legs, was the fir ft inventor of chariots to lide in. He was the 4th king of Athens, and a prince of great juftice and equity. Cacus, another fon of Vulcan, was of a different character. He was a notorious robber, and received his name from his confummate villainy (1). He fixed him- feIf on mount Aventine, and from thence infefted all Italy with his depredations; but having ftolen fome oxen from Hercules, he dragged them backwards to his cave (2), that the robbery might not be difcovered by the track. Hercules, however, palling that way, heard the lowing of his cattle, broke open the doors, and feizing the wretch, put him to death. (9) Derived from E »A>5 and ov or Earth and Contention (1) From xax®- bad or wicked. (2) Virgil has given a fine difcription of this cave, makes him but half' a man. See iEneid VIII. 194-. but he A THE HEATHEN GODS. iq* ' - ^ A third Ton of Vulcan, Cseculus (3), fo called from his little eyes, refemblefi his brother Cacus, and lived by prey. It is laid his mother fitting by the fire, a fpark flew into her lap, upon which Ihe conceived. Others fay fome Ihepherds found him in the fire as foon as born. He founded the city Praenefte. By his wife Aglaia, one of the Graces, Vulcan had leve- ralfons, as Aidalus, the inventor of the pipe, called Tibia. Brotheus, who being deformed like his father, deftroyed himfelt in the fire, to avoid the reproaches he met with. iEthiops, who gave his name to the ^Ethiopians, before called vEthereans, Olenus the founder of a city of his own name in Baeotia, ^Egyptus from whom Egypt was called,/Albion, Periphenus, Morgion, Acus, and l'everal others,; , * « \ _ CHAP, xxxvnr. Of the Cyclops and Polyphemus. 4 T H E Cyclops were the fons of Neptune and AmpHi - trite. The principal were Brontes, Steropesand Py- racmon, though their whole number was above a hundred* They were the journeymen of Vulcan. It is faid, foon as they were born Jupiter threw them into Tartarus, but that they were delivered at the interceffion of Tellus, and fo became the affiflants of our god. They had each but one eye (4) placed in the middle of their foreheads,. and lived on fuch fruits and herbs as the earth brought forth without cultivation. They are reported to have built the walls of Mycenae and Tyrinthe with fuch mafiy Bones* that the fmallef! required two yoke of oxen to draw it. The dealers in mythology fay, that the Cyclops fignify the vapours raifed in the air, which occafion thunder and; lightning. With thefe we may clafs Polyphemus, though he was the fon of Neptune, having like the Cyclops but ' (.3) It is thought the noble Roman family of Caecilii derive VH ego 1 ” 6 fr ° m hlm ' See VirgiJ ’ Mndd X ‘ 544, and- iEneid: (4) Fiom Kv*x-^ Circulus,. and wiL Oculus, that is the one- eyed men. r 5 one io 6 \ ^ ; F A B U LOUS HI S T O R Y O F; ^ . * / ^ •i^V- **» • *' 7 t. • - -= •* *y> ^ ir*w/ ► - * *'-^ £4 * V one eye'; :but of fo. giganticlc,- £■ ftatifire, that his very aft) pea was rerrible. \His abpd^-waslia Sicily, /where he- fur prized Ulyfles and his companions, of whom he de- voured fix.; but v Ulyfies m a king h im d funk, b.l i n.ded him. with a firebrand, and To efcaped with/thereft;:'.Yirgil has given us a find defcriptionof this fcene (5:^; T V # * t-* 4 +J* » It /i , 4 'jz .t ? ' Us w C H A P. XXXIX. J • • m 4 % - ' /• l 4 A # * A > # ;/ Of* Minerva ..or PalLAs., r -* V » • • * ' / ’• i . • * 1 * » .. * O .* w. • C / . 1 .* ' . , • r » « / ^ l « '* . ■ * y * f - i* • u ~-:u #*• 4 •%' •/E .come next td Minerva or Pallas, one of/the:mb§ k/ • ■ 1 :-• !n. .J ••• - ** TYrr ;ii;» •.-~- r - _ _ • .i? >r:. • • . * vi..* .. diftinguilhed oft {the... JJtfdVI a jo res, , as , being the) goddefs of fciences and wifddin*: Cicero mentions five . L'r of this name j but the molt confiderable was the daughter or Jupiter, not by art infamous, .amour, nor eveu by the conjugal bed, - : but the cHiW of hTs^l>rain'i- : ^Jt is faid tier' father, feeing Juno barren,/ through grief, ftfnck his lore* head, and three months'kfter cairie'fdfthMmerva y}. ;On the d^y of her nativity it. rained gold, at Rhodes^^ft/ Pierv £rft appeafanxe on the earthjvas in Libya, where behold¬ ing her own beauty in the lake Triton, file from thencer gained the name of Tntonis , s . ~ t t ‘ * f '' . .: • * « •* % * 4 ^ ^ - j ^ s • , T L f % # • • / > V -* ( 5 ) See Virgil’s ^ffineidj Lib. HI. 6 ao, hut the \yhole delcription> though admirable, is too loiig to he copied.. . *(p) The fit ft, the mother of Apoliop or Latona j .the fecoiid, produced from: the Nile,- and woifhipped at Sais in Egypt ; the third; the child/of Jupiter’^brain ; th^ fouith, the daughter;pf Ju-/ piter 1 and Croypha, who invented chariots with four t wheels/; - and the fifth, the child of Pallas, whom, the killed, becaufe : he.4ft«npt-V C( { her chaftity 1 / ' r? ' : : r (7)'it is faid Yulcah was" the n) id wife, 'bvcleaving hi sflcull vvith • a hatchet.; .hut /that feeing an armed/yiraghichfrie puft ihhead of a ^rsjrepqrtfe/yhat y^ehjjdpiteflwal lovved Meits, one of his wives the was witll child oLPaflas. > /. r (8) -Hence/the.Rhgdiahs were the.:fii i ft r who vvorihippd ♦ A j * 4 t 4 4 . 1 T 4 » ♦ ♦ ■at os ^ ^ ^ #* i - ■ Mifierva. . .. - «••• s'y- s Some: fay at was becaufe Hie taught thefrif h#art of ntakirtg coldflal. flr*+&ar’ie'f- '"w V ! -‘ c..,' • ;• . ' =* -"i - ' ‘ ’ ' / -vtA _* r .i. .1 •_ L.. .xUa : (9) ejins, who in diftin£l bodies attacked each other with various weapons. The firft that fell was efteemed not a maid, and thrown into the' lake v but fire who received nioft wounds was carried off in triumph. ' * She •--•••- - .c\,. , ; , ; '- ■ -_•■ •■ ■ ■-**£.-• ^^■’ •r- rr~i ■ ^"^-•£1"» 'jdR&SG88£it-A& -;«f. • *f». / 'i *i .- i>T-% EW' r* 0 r/y. V*£ : S'Z} i *tf %\> sags ^.v E 5 & i v«* - // ^ ;. ‘- ^: wS&sjmr "A - •; (’t*?/ F,>'V.*^ * v? V: « 4 *4 fc. %6E ®E :zm is! L- ft ,rl i K :•/ -5:!v tifeVi I V w - Wj pv ~-*A vrr 0 v- sr* >» *> // 4. kg . : ,-:r sSS 0 Sfi ?°XjpwrfS Ki ’» K> ^■^EXtV>i ■ ■ X SI ui-ii .4 HBN '/<.■? m rsf * w * i? p «-fzmmk mmmmM m Y2Z ?*i£S •* •:»* .-• lUl i mill i % ifS «* ti\r %*■ v>:*sgp^ fa f/ ');f;/: 1 i YfJ&fJ r+f*»n s.'’ >0* »*• Pf^%? SjZv - ' “'^ gsfr ' : ►£%>/ / j- ^ ^ /:•1 •/J 1 t" "» "er fes¬ tival, called Minervalia or Quinquatria, was celebrated for five days fueceflively in the month of March. She had fometimes her altars in common with Vulcan, fome times with Mercury. The ufual victim offered her was a white heifer never yoked. The animals facred to her were the cock, the owl, and the bafililk. (4) See Ovid, lib. VI. 1. -(5) See the preface to Mr. Pope’s Homer. We £ N GODS. 109 means to 9 We tmift not here omit the Palladium ( 6 ), or that facred ftatue of her which fell down from heaven, and was preferved in Troy, as a treafure on whofe fafety that of the cny depended. Diomedes and Ulyffes found Real it, and the city was loon after taken and deftroyed (7) However, it is certain that ^Eneas brought either this or another of the fame kind with him into Italy, and depofited it at Lavinium, from whence it was removed to Rome, and placed in the temple of Vefla. When this edifice was confumed by fire, Merellus, a noble Roman, rulhed in and brought it off, though with the lofs of his eyes, in recompence for which heroic adion, he had the privilege of coming to the fenate in a chariot, that the honour might in fome degree allay the fenfe of his misfortune. The Romans indeed, vain of their Trojan defcent, regarded the Palla¬ dium in the fame light with their anceftors, and thought the fecupty and duration of their empire were annex¬ ed to the pofleflion of this guardian image. Come we next to enquire into the mythological birth and origin of this fabled goddefs, who is no other than the Egyptian Ifis under a new drefs or form, and the fame with the Pales, or rural goddefs of the Sabines ( 8 ). The Athenians, who were an Egyptian followed the cufloms of their anceftors. m — colony from Sais, ticularly applying themfelves to raifmg flax and the cultivation of the Olive (9). figure worfhipped at Sais, prefiding over thefe by par- for linen cloth. Now the arts, was a female in compleat armour. This, as Diodorus tells us, was becaufe the inhabitants of this Dynafty, were both the beft hufbandmen and foldiers in Egypt. f (6) Authors diffei; as to this Palladium, fome making it of wood, and adding, it could' move its eyes and fhake its fpear. Others fay, it was compofed of the bones of Pelops, and fold by the Scythians to the Trojans. (7) Some aftertit a was counterfeit Palladium the Greek generals Hole away, and that AEneas faved the true one. Others make two Palladiums. (8) To whofe honour the feafts called Pal ilia were celebrated. Now this word is manifeftly of Egyptian derivation, being taken from Pillel, to govern the city 9 whence comes Pelilah, the public order. (9) The city of Sais derived its name from this tree, Zaith or Sais fignifying the olive. In no FABULOUS HISTORY OF ♦ * « In the hand of this image they placed a fhield with a full moon depi&ed on i.r, furrounded by ferpents, the emblems of life and happinefs. And at the feet of this fymbol they placed an owl, to Blew it was a nodtumal fac.rifice. To this they gave the name of Medufa (i), exprefiive of what Bie was defigned to rcprefent. The Greeks who, were -ignorant, of the true meaning of all this, did not think fit to put fuch a favourable fenfe on the head of Medufa, which feemed to them an object ©f horror, and opened a fine Held for poetical imagina¬ tion. The prefling of the olives did indeed turn fruit into (tones, in a literal fenfe; hence they made the asgis or (hield of Minerva petrify all who beheld it. To remind the people of the importance of their linen manufactory, the Egyptians expofed in their feftivals another image, bearing in her right hand the beam or inftrument round which the weavers rolled the warp of their cloth. This image they called Minerva (2). Now, there are antient figures of Pallas extant, which cor- refpond with this idea (3). .What (till heightens the probability of this is,, that the name of Athene, given to this goddefs, is the very word in Egypt for the flaxen thread (4) iifed in their looms. Near this figure, which was to warn the inhabitants of the approach of the weaving, or winter feafon, they placed another of an infedf, whole induflry feems to have given rife to this art, and to which they gave the name of Arachne (5), to denote its application. All thefe emblems, tranf- planted to Greece by the genius of that people, fond of the marvellous, were converted into real objeds, and indeed afforded room enough for the imagination of their poets to invent the fableetf the transformation of Arachne into a fpider. Minerva, by the poets and fculptors, is ufually re- prefented iq a (landing attitude compleatly armed, with a compofed but fmiling countenance, beating a golden r (1) From Dufh, to prefs, comes Metlufha or Medufa, the prefling. See I faiah XXV. 10. (z) From Manevra, a weaver’s loom. (3) In the collection of prints made by M. de Crozat. (4) Atona, linen thread. See Proverbs vii. 16, (5) Erom Afacb, to make linen doth. bread- III THE HEATHEN GODS. * ' * breaft plate, a fpear in her right-hand, and her terrible jegis in her left, having on it the head of Medufa en¬ twined with /hakes. Her helmet was ufually entwined with olives,, to denote peace is the end of war, or ra¬ ther beca,ufe that tree was facred to her. See her pic¬ ture in Cambray’s Telemaque At her feet is general¬ ly placed the owl, or the cock ; the former being the emblem of wifdom, the latter of war. . ^ * I • CHAP. XL. Of Mars and Bellona. r • * • # ♦ M ARS was the fon of Juno alone, who being chagrined that Jupiter fhould bear Minerya with¬ out her help, to be even with him confulred Flora, who fhewed her a flower in the Olenian fields, on touching of which (he conceived, and became the mo¬ ther of this dreadful deity (6). Thero, or fiercenefs, was his nurfe, and he received his education amongft the Scythians, the mod barbarous nation in the world, amongfl whom he was adored in a particular manner, though they acknowledged no other god. This deity had .different appellations. The Greeks called him Ares {7), from the deftruflion he caufes. He had the name of Gradivus from his majeffic port; of Quirinus, when on the defenfive, or at reft.- By the antient Latins he was (tiled Salifubfuius, or the dancer, • from the uncertainty that attends all martial enterprizes. Mars was the god of war, and in high veneration with the Romans, both on account of his being ’ the father of Romulus their founder, and becaufe ot their own genius always inclined to conqueff. Numa, though otheiwife a pacific prince, having implored the gods, during a great peffilence, received a fmall brafs buckler, called ancile, from hsav en, which the nymph Egeria (6) Others make him the Ton of Jupiter and Juno, or of Jupiter 2nd Erys. (7) From ct;stv y to kill. advifed £12 FABULOUS HISTORY OF, ^ > % advifed him to keep with the utmoft care, the fate of the Roman people and empire depending on its con- fervation. To fecure lo valuable a pledge, Numa cauf- ed eleven more fhields of the fame form to be made, and intruded the care of thefe to an order of priefls he inftiruted, called Salii, or the priefls of Mars, in whofe temple the twelve ancilia were depofired. The number of thefe priefls was alfo twelve, chofen out of the no- blefl familes, who, on the firfl of March annually, the feflival of Mars, carried the ancilia with great ceremony round the city, clafhing their bucklers, and flnging hymns to the gods, in which they were joined by a chorus of virgins chofen to alhil on this occafion, and drefl'cd like themfelves. This feflival. was concluded with a grand fuppdr (8). Auguflus erefted a magnificent temple to Mars at Rome, by the title of Ultor, which he vowed to him, when he implored his affiflance againfl the murderers of Julius Caefar. The victims facrificed to him were the wolf for his fiercenefs, the horfe on account of its ufe- fulnefs in war, the woodpecker and vulture for their ravenoufnefs, the cock for his vigilance. He was crown¬ ed with grafs, becaufe it grows in cities depopulated by war, and thickeft in places moifhned with human blood. The hiflory of Mars furnifhes few adventures. We have already related his amour with Venus, by w'hom he had Hennione, contracted to Orefles, and afterwards married to Pyrrhus, king of Epirus. By the nymph Biflonis, Mars had Tereus, who reign¬ ed in Thrace, and mariied Progne, the daughter of Pandion, king of Athens. This princefs had a filler called Philomela, a great beauty ; and being defirous to fee her, fhe requefled her hufband to go to Athens, and bring her fitter, with her father’s permiflion, to her, Tereus, by the way, fell in love with his charge, and on her jejeCting his folicitations, ravifhed her, cut out her tongue, and enclofed her in a flrong , tower, pre¬ tending to his wife fhe died in the journey. In this condition the unhappy princefs found means to 'em- r (8) Called Csena Saliaris. broider . THE HEATHEN GODS. 113 * t broider her ftory, and fend it to her fitter, who tranf* ported with rage, contrived how to revenge the injury, Firtt file brought her fitter home privately; next fhe killed her fon Itys, and ferved up his flefh to his father, for fupper : after he had eat it, fhe expofed the bead and told him what fhe had done; Tereus, mad with fury, purfued the fitters, who in their flight became transformed, Progne to a fwallow, and Philomela to a nightingale. Itys was by the gods changed into a pheafant, and Tereus himfelf into a lapwing. Ovid has (9) given us this flory with his ufual embellifhments. Mars married a wife called Nerio, or Nerione (1), which in the Sabine tongue fignifies valour or ftrength. He had feveral children, the principal of whom were Bythis, who gave his name to Bythinia ; Thrax, from whom Thrace was fo called ; .Enomaus, Afcalaphus, Bifton, Chalybs, Strymon, Parthenopaeus, Tmolus, Pylus, Euenus, Calydon, &c. This deity having killed Halirothus, the fon of Nep¬ tune, was indicted before the aflembly of the gods for the murder, as well as for the crime of debauching Alcippe, fitter to the deceafed.. - Twelve gods were pre- fent, of whom fix were for acquitting him ; fo that, by the cuttcm of the court, when the voices were equal, the favourable fide carrying it, he came off. Some fay this trial was in the'famous Areopagus, or hill of Mars, at Athens, a court which, in fucceeding time, gained the highett reputation, for the juftice and impartiality of jfs proceedings (2). Mars was neither invulnerable nor invincible, for we find him in Homer both wounded and purfued by Dio- medes; but then it mutt be confidered, that Homer was fo good a patriot, that he always affe&s to dilgrace the gods who took the Trojan’s part. _ (9) See Ovid, Lib. VI. 413. (1) ffence the C&udian family at Rome are faid to derive the lii'name of Nero. , (-) Thele judges were chofen out of perfons of the moft blame- els chai acters- They fuffered no verbal pleadings before them, bit a falfe eloquence might varnifh a bad caufe ; and all their ♦ententes were given in writing, and delivered in the dark. Mars, 114 FABULOUS HISTORY OF Mars whatever his appearance be, was of Egyptian original. This 'nation was divided into three cla fifes, the priefts, the hufbandmen, and the artificers $ of thefe, the firft were by their profeffion exempt from, war, and the latter reckoned too mean to be employed in delence of the ftate ; fo that their militia was wholly, taken from the fecond body. V’e have already obferved, that in the facrifices which preceded their military expeditions, their Ifis appeared in a warlike drefs, and gave rite to the Greek Pallas, or Minerva. The Horns which ac¬ companied this figure, was alfo equipped with this hel¬ met and buckler,, and called by the name of Harits (3', or the formidable. The Syrians fo.-tened this word to Hazis (4); the Greeks changed it to Aies; the Gauls, pronounced it Hefus ; and the Romans and Sabines, Warets or Mars. Thus the military Horus of the Egyp¬ tians became perfonified, and made the god of com¬ bats or war. Mars is ufually defcribed in a chariot drawn by fu¬ rious horfes, compleatly armed, and extending his fpear with one hand, while with the other hand he grafps. a fword .embrued in blood. His afpe& is fierce and favage. Sometimes Difcord is reprefented as preceding his car, while Clamour, Fear and Terror appear in his train. Virgil has given a defeription of this god pretty much agreeable to this idea (5). Bellona is ufually reckoned the filler of Mars, though forrie call her both his filler and wife. As her inclina- % tions were equally cruel and favage, fhe took a pleafure in fharing his dangers, and is commonly depifted as driving his chariot with a bloody whip in her hand. Appius Claudius built her a temple at Rome, where, in her facrifices called Bellonaria, her priells ufed to flafh themfelves with knives. Juft oppofite flood the Collumna Bellica, a pillar from whence the herald threw a fpear, when war was proclaimed again!! any (3) Frrom Harits, violent or enraged. See Job 1 xv. 20. (4) Hazis, (Syr) tire terrible in war, Pfalm xxiv. 8. The Sy¬ rians alfo called him Ab Gueroth, or the father of combats; whence the Romans borrowed their Gradivns Pater. (5) Virgil, JEneid VIII. 700.. nation. i THE HEATHEN GODS. ”5 nation. She is faid to be the inventrefs of the needle (6), from which fhe took her name. This goddefs is represented Sometimes holding a light¬ ed torch or brand, at others with a trumpet, her hair ompofed of Snakes clotted with meats ilained with blood, -in a attitude. gore, furious and her and gar- diftratted CHAP. XU. Of Ceres. 9 0 T may not be improper now to pafs to Softer pic¬ tures, whofe agreeabienefs may ferve has a coritraft' to the ftronger images juft difplayed." As plenty and abundance repair the walte and havock of war, we fhall next to Mars introduce Ceres, a divinity friendly and beneficent to mankind. This goddefs was the daughter of Saturn and Rhea. | Sicily, Attica, Crete, and Egypt, claim the honour of f her birth, each country producing its reafons, though the fir ft has the general fuffrage. In her youth fhe was fo beautiful, that her brother Jupiter fell in love with her, by whom fhe had Proferpine. Neptune next en¬ joyed her ; but the fruit of this amour is controverted, fome making it a daughter called Hira, others a horfe called Arion. Indeed, as this laft deity careffed her in that form, the latter opinion fee,rns beft founded. How¬ ever this be, fhe' was fo afhamed of this laft affair, that fhe put on mourning garments, and retired to a cave, where fhe continued fo long, that the world was in danger of perifhing for want (7). At laft Pari difcovered her re¬ treat, and informed Jupiter, who, by the interceflion of the Parc®, or Fates, appeafed her, and prevailed on her to return to the w'orid. ' For fome time fits took up her abode in Corcyra, to Sicily, where the misfor- her of the rape of Proferpine her daughter. from whence fhe removed tune befell (0) From BiXicij, a,needle. (7) Becaufe during Her abfence milts. the earth produced no corn or by 116 FABULOUS HISTORY OF ■ by Pluto. The difconfolate mother immediately carried her complaints to Jupiter, upbraiding him with his permitting fuch an injuftice to be committed, efpecially on the perfon of his own daughter. But obtaining little on the perfon of his own daughter. But obtaining little fatisfa&ion, (he lighted her torches at mount iEtna, and out in mounting her < in fearch of her her car drawn by winged wingea aragons, let hter. As her adven- remarkable, we (lull beloved daughter. tures in this journey were mention them urney were pretty in their order. Her firfl (lop was at Athens, where being hofpitabty received by Celeus, (lie in return taught him to fow corn, and nouri(hed his fon Triptolemus with celeltial milk by day, at night covering him with fire, to rendu him immortal. Celeus. out of curiofitv, difcoverin? him immortal. Celeus, out of curiofity, difcovering this lad particular, was fo affrighted, that he cried out and revealed it himfelf, on which the goddefs killed him. As to his fon, Ceres lent him her chariot, and fent him through the world to inftruft mankind in the art of agriculture. She was next entertained by Hypothoon and Mega- nira (8) his wife, who fet wine before her. which (he refufed, as unfuitable tocher mournful condition ; but (he prepared herfelf a drink from an infufion of meal or corn, which (he afterwards ufed. lambe (9.1, an at- tendant of Meganira, ufed to divert the goddefs with (lories and jells, which file repeated in a certain kind of verfe. It happened, during a facrifice made her here, that Abas, fon to Meganira, derided the ceremony, and ufed the goddefs with opprobrious language ; where¬ upon fprinkling him with a certain mixture (he held in her cup, he became a newt or water lizard. Erifichton alfo, for cutting down a grove confecrated to her, was Diinifhed with fuch an infatiable huneer. that nothing lambe (9I, an at. Meganira, ufed to divert the goddefs with a grove confecrated to her, was punifhed with fuch an could fatisfy him, but flefh. infatiable hunger, he was forced to that nothing to gnaw his own From thence Ceres palled into Lycia, where being thirfty, and defiring to drink at a fpring, the clowns not only hindered her, but fullied and difturbed the wa¬ ter, reviling her for her misfortunes; upon which ( 3 ) Hypothoon was the fon of Neptune and Afope. (9) The daughter of Pan and Echo, and the inventrefs ofhuu- bic verfe. (he I the he at He n gods. m? 0 ie turned them into frogs. Thefe frogs, though al- jeady punifhed for affronting his lifter, had . the folly to alk Jupiter to grant them a king. He fent them a frog, whom they rejedted, and defired another; upon which the god fent them a water ferpent, who devoured them, and effectually convinced them of their weaknefs. It is difputed, who firft informed Ceres where her daughter was; fome afcribe the intelligence to Tripto- lemus, and his brother Eubuleus ; but the moft part agree in giving the honour of it to the nymph Arethufa [ (a fountain in Sicily) (i), who flying the purfuit of | the river Alpheus, faw this goddefs in the infernal re- j gions. | VVe have but one amour of Ceres recorded. Find¬ ing Jafion, the fon of Jupiter and EleCtra afleep in a field newly ploughed up, Ihe acquainted him with her paffion, and bore him Plurus the god of riches; but Jove, incenfed to fee his fon become his rival, killed him with a thunderbolt. Ceres had feveral names ; fhe was called Magna Dea, or the great goddefs, from her bounty in fupporting mankind ; Melaina, from her black cloathing ; Eu- chlasa, from her verdure ; Alma, Altrix, and Mammofa, from her nourilhing and impregnating all feeds and ve¬ getables, and being as it were the common mother of the world. The Arcadians, by way of excellence, ftiled her Defpoina, or ihe Lady. She was alfo honoured with the peculiar epithet of Thefmophoris, or the Le- giflatrefs, becaufe hulbandry firft taught the ufe of land¬ marks, and the value of ground, the fource of all pro¬ perty and law. It muft be owned this goddefs was not undeferving the higheft titles given her, confidered as the deity who firft taught men to plough and fow, to reap and houfe their corn, to yoke oxen, to make bread, to cultivate all forts of pulfe and garden-ftuff (except beans), though fome make Bacchus the firft inventor of agriculture. She alfo inftru&ed mankind to fix limits or boundaries, to afcertain their poffefllons. (i) The daughter Diana. of Nereus and Doris, and a companion of There J18 FABULOUS HISTORY OF 4 There was none of the celeftial alTembly to whom more folemn facrifices were inftituted than to Ceres, The place where Ihe was principally worfhipped was at Eleufis, where her rites were performed in the molt folemn and myfterious manner. They were celebrated only once in five years all the matrons initiated, were to vow a perpetual chaftity. At the commencement of the feftival, a feaft was kept for feveral days, during which wine was banifhed the altars. After this the proceflion began, which confifted in the carriage of the lacred bafkets or canifters, in one of which was inclofed a child with , a golden feraph, a van, grains, cakes, &c. The reprefemation of the myfteries, during which a profound filence (2) was to be obferved, concluded thus: after a horrid darknefs, thunder, lightning, and what¬ ever is moll awful in nature, fucceeded a calm and bright illumination, which difcovered four perfbns fplendidly habited. The fit ft was called the Hierophant, or the expounder of /acred things, and reprefented the Demiurgus, or fupreme being; the fecond bore a torch, arid fig/ii- fied Ofiris ; the third Hood near the altar, and fignified ills; the fourth, whom they called the Holy Meflenger, per¬ sonated Mercury (3}. To thefe rites none v/ere admit¬ ted but perfons of the firfi: character, for probity or e- minence. Only the priells were fuffered to fee the 11a- tue of the goddefs. All the afiembly ufed lighted torches, and the folemnity concluded with games, in which the victors were crowned with ears of barley. According to Herodotus, thefe rites were brought from Egypt to Greece, by the daughters of Danaus. Ci¬ thers lay, that Eumolpus, the fon of Triptoiemus and Driope, transferred them from Eleufis to Athens. The Thefmophoria, or lefier feftivals of Ceres, were celebrated annually at Argos, and in many points re- fembled the Eleufinian myfteries, though they fell ilioit (2) It was death to fpeak, or to reveal what palled in thefe reli¬ gious rites. (3) The whole purport of this reprefentation, was defignedto allegorize the defolate ftate of mankind after the flood, and /he"' the benefits of agriculture and induftry. THE HEATHEN GODS. 119 of them very much in the dignity and grandeur of the celebration. Q. Memmius the sdile firffc introduced thefe rites into Rome by the title of Cerealia (4). None were ad¬ mitted to the facrifices guilty of any crime j fo that when Nero attempted it, the Roman matrons exprefied their relentmenr,. by going into mourning. This fef- tival was clofed by a banquet and public horfe-races. The Ambarvalia were feafts celebrated by the Roman hulbandmeni in fpring, to render Ceres propitious, by luitrating their fields. Each mafter of a family furnifh- ed a vidtiin with an oaken wreath round its neck, which he led thrice round his ground, followed by his family Tinging hymns, and dancing in honour of the goddefs. The offerings ufed in the luftration were milk and new wine. At the clofe of the harveft there was a fecond ftftival, in which the goddefs was prefented with the firft fruits of the feafon, and an entertainment provided for the relations and - neighbours. The beginning of April the gardeners facrificed to Ceres, to obtain a plentiful produce of their grounds, which were under Her"protection. Cicero mentions sn antient temple of. hers at Catanea in Sicily, in which the offices were performed by matrons and virgins only, no man being admitted. The ufual facrifices to this godde's were a fow with pig, or a ram. The garlands ufed by her in her facrifices were of myrtle or rape- weed : but flowers were prohibited, becaufe Proftrpine was loft as file gathered them. The poppy alone was facred to her, not only becaufe it grows amongft corn, but becaufe in her.diftrefs Jupiter gave it her to eat, that fhe might fleep and forget her troubles. Let 11s now endeavour to find Lome explanation of this hifiory of Ceres. If we have recourfe to our for¬ mer key, we fhall find the Ceres of Sicily and Eleufis, or of Rome and Greece, is no other than the Egyptian Ifis, brought by the Phaenicians into thofe countries. The very name of myftery (5) given to the Eleufinian (4) This appears from a medal of this magiftrate, on which is the effigies of Ceres holding in one hand three ears of corn ; in the other a torch, and with her left foot treading on a ferpent. (5) From Miftor, a veil or covering. rites. 120 FAULOUS HISTORY OF % % rites, fhews they are of Egyptian origin. The Ifis, which appeared at the feaft appointed for the comme¬ moration of the ftate of mankind after the flood, bore the name of Ceres (6), fuitable to her intention. She was figured in mourning, and with a torch, to denote the grief lhe felt for the lofs of Perfophene (7 ) her fa¬ vourite daughter, and the pains file was at to recover her. The poppies with which this Ifis was crowned, flgnified the joy men received at their firft abundant crop (8). Triptolemus was only the attendant Horns (9), bearing in his hand the handle of a plough, and Celeus his father was no more than (1) the name of the tools ufed in the forming this ufeful inftrument of agricul¬ ture. Eumolpus exprefled (2) the regulation or forma¬ tion of the people to induftry and tillage ; and Profer- pina or Perlephoneh being found again, was a lively fymbol of the recovery of corn a’molf loft in the deluge, and its cultivation with fuccefs Thus the emblems, almoft quite Ample, of the moft important event which ever happened in the world, became, when tranfplant- ed to Greece and Rome, the fources of the moft ridicu- v lous fable and grofleft idolatry. Ceres was ufually reprefen ted of a tall majeftic fta- ture, fair complexion, languifhing eyes, and yellow or flaxen hair; her head crowned with poppies, or ears of corn, her breafts full and fwelling, holding in her right- hand a bunch of the fame materials with her garland, and.in her left alighted torch. When in a car or cha¬ riot, lhe is drawn by winged dragons, or lions, ( 6 ) From Ceret?, diflblution or overthrow, Jeremiah xlvi. 30. (7) From Peri, fruit or corn, and Saphan loft, comes Perfepho- neh, or the corn loft. _ ( 8 ) Bobo figniftes a double crop, and is alfo the name for the poppy. . (9) From Tarap, to break, and Telem a furrow, comes Inp- tolem, or the a< 5 t of ploughing. (1) Celeus, from Celi, a tool or vefiel. Virgea prat ere a Celei 'vilifque fupellex , _ Virgil Geo. (2) From Warn, people, and Alep to learn, is derived Eumo- lep or Eumolpus i. e. the people regulated or inftrutted. C H A P. TH E' h:e a t he n g ods. A +> > tzt • l. V. ' < J J . ■*/ i ' -A* * * . <> * „ J C H A P. XLII. .t • a »' • ♦ * , * I ; r: OF Bac'chvs. li S corn and wine are the nobleft gifts of nature, fa it... is no wonder, , in \the progrcfs of idolatry. If hey became deified,. and • had their altars. It is there¬ fore no unnatural tranfitioq, if from Ceres we pals, to Jacchus. . • ' -’.v, 5 '• ‘ r l This deity was the fonL of- Jupiter and Semele, (as ias been oblerved^JtY thr-article of Jupiter) and was I 10m at Thebes. > Cicero ;mentions five (5) of-the name, t is faid the nymphs took care of his education, though pine afcribe this. office; tb thepHorae or Hours i others carried him into p the Naiades. Mercury after- this carried him into fubtea. to Maoris, the daughter of r Arifteus 14), who I oiuted his lips with honey ; but rj'uno, incenfed at i finding protection in a placet facred to her, baniflied n thence ; fo that ; Maciis fled with him into the Lintry of the Phoenicians, and npurifhed him in a cave. hers fay, that Cadmus, father’ to Semele, difcovering r crime, put her and the child into a wooden ark rich by the tides was carried to Oreatse, a town of iconia, where Semele being found dead, 'was buried th great pomp, and the infant nurfed by. I no in a ye. During this perfecutionj being tired in his flight, fell afleep, and ah - Arophifbena, or two-headed fer- nt, of the . moil: poifonous kind, bit his leg ; but a- tking, he- ftruck it with a vine twig, and that kil- 1 it. • . ' a In his infancy fome Tyrrhenian merchants found him leep on the Ihore, and attempted. to carry him away J it fuddenly he transformed vhimfelf into -monftfpus a pes; at the fame time their; malts were ericompafled ith vines, and their : oarsv wjrb ivy, -and, ftruck with adnefs, they jumped into'the fea, where, the god chang- ‘ s ■\! * - * >*• l 5 D T ^ e f^efon °f Jupiter and Pi'oferpinej the ad the Egyp- n ^ accut (’ fbe fon-of Nile, who killed. Nyfa ; the 3d the fon of C u ?» who reigned in Alia* the^th the fon of Jupiter and L"b an< l the 5th born of Nilus; and Thione. L;; 4 ' Uthers % Mercury carried him to Nyfa,. a citv of Arabia, fai isgypt. * G ed %22 FABULOUS HISTORY OF ed them into dolphins. Homer has made this the fut je£i of one of his hymns. Bacchus, during the giants war, diftinguiftied himfe greatly by bis valour in the form of a lion, while J u piter, to encourage his fon, ufed the word Euhoe, whic hecame afterwards frequently ufed in his facrifices 0 thers fay, that in. this, rebellion the Titans cut our deit to pieces but that Pallas took his heart, while ye panting, and carried it to her-father, w.ho col left ed thi limbs, and re animated the body, after it had Hept threi nights with Proferpine (5). The rnoft memorable exploit of Bacchus was his ex pedition to India, which employed him three years. Hf fet out from Egypt, where, he left Mercurius Trifme. gift us to aflift his wife in quality of co-regent, and ap. pointed Hercules his. viceroy. Bufiris he conformed pre- fident of Phoenicia, and Antceus of. Lybia ; after Which he marched with a prodigious armyj carrying with him Triptoleovus and Maro, to teach mankind the arts of tillage and planting the vine. His fhft: progrefs was weftward (toJ, and during his courfe he was joined by Pan and Lufus-,. who gave their names to different parts of Iberia. Altering his views he returned through E- itliiopia,, where the; Satyrs and Mufes increafed his army, and from thence crofting the red fea, he penetrated through Affa to the remoteft parts of India, in the mountains of which-country, near the fource of the Ganges, he erected two pillars, to fhew that he had vifited the utmoft limits, of the habitable world (7). After this, returning home with glory, he made a tri¬ umphant entry into Thebes, offered part of his fpoils to Jupiter, and facrificed to him the richeft: fpices of the eaft. He then applied bimfelf folely to affairs of go- c or (5) The Mythologifts fay, that this is to denote the cuttings vines will grow, but that they will be three years before tucj come to bear. ^ (6) Pan gave his name to Spain* or Hifpania, Lulus, to Lu- fitania, or Portugal. , (7) 'In his return he built Nyfa, and other cities, ana pamn^ the Hellefpont he came into Thrace, where he left Maro, ' vnn founded the city Maroncea. To Macedo he gave the coun from him called Macedonia, and left Triptolpmus in Attica mftruft. the people • ver THE HEATHEN GODS. IZ3 ft vernment, to reform abufes, ena& good laws, and con¬ fide the happinefs of his people, for which, he not only obtained the title of the law-giver, by way of excel¬ lence, but was deified after death. . Juno having ftruck. him with madnefs, he had before this wandered through Dart of the world. part fir ft who Proteus, received him kindly.; king of Egypt, was the He next went to Cybella in Phrygia, where being ex¬ piated by Rhea, he was initiated in the myfteries of Cybele. Lycurgus, king of the Bdoni, near the river ! 1 Stiymon, affronted him in this journey,'for which Bac¬ chus deprived him of his reafon ; fo that when he-thought to prune-his vines,, he cut off the legs of his fon Dryas and his own. By command of the oracle, his fubjetts imprifoned him, and he was torn in pieces by ,.wiid - horfes. It is ealy to fee how inconfiftent tliefe accounts of the feme perfon are, and that the actions • of diffe¬ rent Bacchufes are afcribed to one. * 4 4 1 v ' We have two other inftances recorded of the relent-, ment of this deity. Alcithoe, a Theban lady, derided his priefteffes, and was transformed into a bat; Pep- theus, the fon of Echion and Agave, for ridiculing his folemnities, called Orgia, was torn in pieces by his own mother and filters (8), who in their madnefs took him for a wild hoar. • .* * ' * * 1 * The favourite wife of Bacchus was Ariadne, , whom. he found in the ifl.e of Naxos, abandoned by Thefeus ; he loved her fo paffionately, that he-placed the crown (he wore as a conftellation in the, Ikies. By her he had Staphilus, Thyoneus, Hymenaeus, Scc._ t Ciffus, a youth whom he greatly. efteemed, fporting with the Satyrs, was accidentally killed. Bacchus chang¬ ed him into the plant ivy, which became 'in a pecu¬ liar manner confecrated' to his worfiiip. Silenus, another of his favourites, wandering from his matter. came to Midas, king of Phrygia, at . whofe;court he was well received. To reauite this favour, Bacchus pro- The monarch. * mifed to grant i o requite whatever he requefteff. whnfe-ruling paflion-wa; avarice, defired all he touched njight be turned to gold ; but he Toon felt the inconve- jniency of having his wifh granted, when he found his J 4 (8) Ovid, Lib. II. 630. . G 2 meat 324 FABULOUS HISTORY OF meat and- drink converted into metalHe therefore prayed the god to recall his bounty, and releafe him from his mifery. He was commanded to wafh in the river Pa&olus, which, from that time, had golden Lands (9)., (1) Bacchus had a great variety of names; he was ^called Dionyfius (2), from his father’s lemenefs while he carried him in his thigh : the appellation of Biformis was given him, becaufe he fometimes was reprefented as old, fometimes as J young ; that of Brifoeus, from his inventing the wine-prefs {3); that of Bromius, from the crackling of fire heard when Semele perifhed by the lightning of Jupiter ; that of Bimater, from his having two mothers, or being twice born. The Greeks ftiled him Bugenes, or born of an ox, becaufe he was drawn with horns ; and for the fame reafon the Latins called him Tauriformis. He was named Daemon Bonus, be- •caufe in all feafts the Iaft glafs was drank to his honour. Evius, Evous, and Evan, were names ufed by the Bac¬ chanals in their wild proceffions, as were thofe of Eleus and iEleleus. He was ftiled lacchus, frOm the noife (4) made by his votaries in their drunken frolicks; Lenceus, -becaufe wine aftuages the forrows and troubles of life f 5) ; Liber, and Liber Pater, becaufe he fets men free from conftraint, and puts them on an equality; and on the fame account he was firnamed Lyceus, and Lycceus (6) ; Nyftilius was an appellation given him, becaufe his facrifices were often celebrated in the night; from his education on mount Nyfa, he gained the epithet of Nifoeus, as alfo that of Thyoneus, from Thyo his (9) Qvid, Lib. xi.^SS. From B«*%»", to run mad, becaufe wine inflames, and ■deprives men of their reafon. (2) From A; 1 ©-, God, and yu (7), celebrated in remembrance of his three years ex¬ pedition to India. The Epilosnea were- games appointed at the time of vintage, in which they contended who- Ihould tread out molt muft or wine, and fung hymns to the deity. The Athenians obferved a certain feaffc called Apaturia; as alfo others called Afcolia and Am- brofia. The latter were celebrated in January, the month facred to Bacchus; the Romans, called them « x _ Brumalia, and kept them in February and Auguft (8), but the ,moft confiderable of the Romans, with regard to this god,, were the Bacchanal!, Dionyfia or Orgia, folemnized at mid-day in February, by women only at firft, but afterwards by both fexes.* Thefe rites were, attended with fuch abominable excefTes and wicked- nefs, that the fenate abolifhed them by a publick de¬ cree (9). The victims, agreeable to Bacchus, were tKe goat and fwine, becaufe thefe animals are deftruftive to the vines ; the dragon, and the pye on account of its chat¬ tering. The Trees and plants ufed in his garlands were the ivy, the fir, the oak, and the herb rapeweed ; as^ alfo the flower^ Daffodil or Narciffus. Bacchus was the god of mirth, wine, and good cheer and as fuch the poets have not been fparing in his praifes. On all occafions of pleafure and facial joy they never failed' to invoke his prefence, and to thank him for the blef- fings he beftowed. To him they afcribed the forgetful- nefs of their cares,. and the foft tranfports of mutual friendfhip and chearful converfation. It would, be end- lefs to repeat the compliments paid him by the Greek and Latin poets, who, for the mo ft part, were hearty devotees to his worfhip. (7) Virgil, JEneid IV. 303. (8) See Ccel. Rhodog. Lib XVII. cap. (?) See Horace, Book II. Ode XIX prade. G 3 . wholly confecrated to his • . ‘ % * * Bacchus* 4 126 FABULOUS HISTORY OF t. _ Bacchus, by the poets and painters, is rep reft n ted as a corpulent youth (i) naked, with a ruddy face, wanton look, and effeminate air. He is crowned with ivy and vine leaves, and bears in his hand a thyrfus (2), encir¬ cled with the fame. His car is drawn fometimes by lions, at others by tigers, leopards, or panthers, and furrounded by a band of Satyrs and Maenades, or wood- nymphs, in frantick poftures ; and, to clofe the mad proceflion, appears old Silenus riding on an afs, which was fcarcely able to carry fo fat and jovial a compa. nion. But on the great farcopnagus of his Grace the Duke •of Beaufort, at Badminton, he is exprefled as a young man mounted on a tiger; and habited in a long robe. He .holds a thyrfus in one hand, and with the other pours wine into a horn. His foot refis upon a bafket. His attendants are the feafbns properly reprefented, and intermingled with Fauns, Genies, &c. To arrive at the true original of this fabled deity, we muft once more revifit Egypt, the mother-country of the gods, where he was indeed no other than the Ofiris of that people. Whence fprung another Bacchus, dif- tinguifhed from him, -will prefently appear. We have already had fufficient occafion to remark how their Horus changed his name and attributes, according to the fea- fons, and the circumflances or operations he was in. tended to direct. To commemorate the antieot ftate of mankind, he_ appeared under the fymbol of a child, with feraph by his fide, and aflumed the name of Bcn- Semele (3). This was an image of the weaknefs and imperfection of hufbandry after the deluge. The Greeks, who knew' nothing of the true meaning of the figure, called it the fon of Semele, and to heighten its ho¬ nour made Jupiter his father, or, according to the eaf- tern flile ■produced him out of his thigh. They I • (1) "Bacchus was fometimes depifled as an old man with abeaitl as at Elis in Greece, and it was only then he had horns given him} fometimes he was cloathed with a tiger’sJkin. (2-) The thyrfus was a wooden javelin with an iron head, (*) Ben-Semele, or the child'of the reprefen tation. (4) See Genefis xlvi. z 6 , Ipeaking of Jacob’s children, or who came out of his thigh. * even THE HEATHEN G- O D S. T2 7 K even embellifhed the fbory with all the marvellous cir- cum (lances of his mother’s death, and fo effectually cumpleated the fable. Let us add to this, that in all the antient forms of invocation to the fupreme being, they ufed the exprffi* fions afterwards appropriated to Bacchus, fuch as Io Terombe (5)! Io Eacch'e (6)! or Io Baccoth! Jehova! Hevan, Hevoe, and Eloah (7)! and Hu Elh! Etta Elh (8). Thefe exclamations were repeated in afrer-agbs by the'people, who had no longer any fenfe of their true ftgnification, hut applied them to the objeCls of their ido atry. In their huntings they ufed the outcries of Io Saboi (9)! Io Nifli! Wi.ich, w.i(h a httle altera tion, became the titles of the deity we are fpeaking of. The Romans or' Latins, of all thefe, preferred the namb of Baccoth, out of which they cbmpofed Bacchus. The more delicate ear of the Greeks chofe the wold Io Nifli, out of which they formed Dionyfius. Hence it is plain, that no real Bacchus ever exifted, but that he was only a mafque or figure bf fome concealed truth. In fhort, whoever attentively reads Horace’s inimitable ode to Bacchus (1), will fee that Bacchus meant no more than the improvement of the world, by the cultivation of agriculture, and the planting of the vine. CHAP. XL lit. * * to • Of the Attendants of Bacchus ; Silenus, Svlvanus, and the M^enades or Bacche, the Satyrs,Fau ffr and Sileni. - • A S Bacchus was the god of good-humour and fel¬ low (hip, fo none of the deities appeared with a more numerous or fplendid retinue. * " « - * * « t (5) Io Terombe ! let us cry to the Lord ; hence Dithyi*ambus. (6) Io Baccoth ! God fee our tears! whence Bacchus. (7) Jehova! Hevan or Hevoe, the author of exigence j Eloch, the mighty God! hence Evoe, Evous, Sec. (8) Hu Efh! thou-art the fire! Atla Efh! thou• art the life! hence Attes and Ves. (9) Io Sabot! Lord thou art an Hoft to me! Io Nifli! Lord be my guide! hence Sabafius and Dionyfius, the names of Bacchus.' (1) Horace, Lib.. H. Ode XIX.- G. 4 Silenus> 128 FABULOUS HISTORY OF Silenus, the principal his preceptor, and a very for the old man had a very hearty afFe&ion for his bot¬ tle ; yet Silenus diftinguilht-d himfelf in the giants war "by appearing on his afs, whofe braying put thole daring rebels into confufion (z). Some lay he was born at Malea, a city of Sparta; others, at Nyfa in Arabia; but the moft probable conje&ure is, that he was a prince of Caria, noted for his equity and wifdom (3), However this be, he was a conftant attendant and com¬ panion of his pupil in all his expeditions. Silenus was a-notable good moralift in his cups, as we find in Virgil, who has given us a beautiful oration of his on the no- bleft fubje&s (4.), in the fine eclogue which bears his same. # $ « Silenus is depi&ed as a fhort corpulent old man, bald- headed, with a flat nofe, prominent, forehead, and big ears. He is ufually defcribed as over-loaden with wine, and feated on a faddle-backed afs, upon which he fup- ports himfelf with a long ftaff; and in the other hand carries a cantharus or jug, with the handle worn out almoft by frequent ufe. Silvanu,s was a rural deity, who often appears in the train of Bacchus; fome fuppofe him the fon of Saturn, others of Faunus. He was unknown to the Greeks; but the Latins received the worfhip of him from the Pelafgi, who, upon their migration into Italy, confe- crared groves to his honour, and appointed lolemn fef- tivals, in which milk was offered to him. Indeed the worfhip of this imaginary deity feems wholly to have rifen out of the antient facred ufe of woods and groves. The Msenades were the priefteffes and nymphs who attended Bacchus, and were alfo called Thyades; from their fury; Bacchae, from their intemperance; and Mimallones, from their difpofition to ape and mimic others, which is one of the qualities of drunken people. perfpn in his train, had been fuitable one for f'uch a deitv- (z) For which it was raifed to the Ikies, and made a conftellation. (3) On this account arofe the fable cf Midas lending him hi3 ears. It is faid, that being once taken prilbner, he purchafed bis .liberty with this remarkable fentence, ’That it nvas bejinot toot born ; and, next to that , tnofl eligible to die quicklj. (4) Virgil, Eclogue VI. 14. Thefe THE HEATHEN GODS. 129’, Thefe bore thyrfufes bound with ivy, and in their pro- ceifion (hocked the ear and eye with their extravagant cries and ridiculous and indecent coritorfions. The life-guards or trained-bands of Bacchus were: the Satyrs. It is uncertain whence thefe half creatures, fprung; but their ufual refidence was in the woods and forefts, and they were of a very wanton and \uftful drf- pofition ; fo that it was very dangerous for aftray nymph’ to fall into their hands. Indeed it was natural for them to ufe compullion, for their form was none of the moft inviting, having deformed heads, armed with^ fhort horns, crooked hands, rough, and hairy, bodies,, goats feet and legs, and tails as long as horfes. We are now to feek fome explanation of this groupe- of figures, and to do this we muft have recourfe to the Egyptian key. As idolatry improved, the feafts or re- prefentations of thofe people grew more pompous and folemn, (how degenerated into mafquerade, ancL religion into farce or frenzy. The Ben Semele, or child - of -re- prefenration, mentioned in the explanation of Bacchus,, became a jolly rofy youth, who, to adorn the pomp, was placed in a chariot, drawn by aftors in tigers or leopards fkins, while others, drefied in thofe of bucks or goats, furrounded. him ; and, to (hew the dangers- they had gone through in hunting, they fmeered- their faces wirh dregs of wine, or juice of mulberries; to imitate the blood of the beads they killed. Thefe af- fiftants were called Satyrs (5), Fauns (6), and Thyades (7), and Maenades (8), and Baflaridas (9). To clofe the proceffion, appeared an old man on an afe, offer¬ ing wine to the tired youth, who had returned from- aprofperous chafe, and inviting them to take fome reft... This perfon they caded Sylen (1), or Sylvan, and his drets was defigned to fhew, that old men were exempt' from thofe foils of youth, which,, by extirpating beafts - °f prey, fecured the- approaching harveft. > ^ rom Satur, hidden or difguifed.' S’< F rom Phanim, a mafque or {life face. From Thouah, to wander or run about wildly*;. (o) From intoxicate or drive mad.. (9) From Batfar, to gather the grapes.. I*/ Froa Selau^ fafety or repofe. G 5, All 130 -FAB ULOUS HISTORY OF All thefe fymbols were by the Greeks and Romans adopted in their way, and the adtors of mafks of Egypt, became the real divinities of nations, whole inclination to the marvellous made them greedily embrace what¬ ever flattered that prepoflefiion. - CHAP. XLIV. • 4 Of Hercules, and his Labours! Jt H AVI.NG gone through the Dii Majores, or ce- leftial deities of the firft rank; we fhall proceed to the demi gods, who were either thofe heroes whofe eminent, actions and fuperior virtues railed them to the Ikies, or thofe ter re (trial divinities, who for their bounty and goodnefs to mankind, were clafled with the gods. To begin with the former, Hercules undoubtedly claims the foremoft place. There were feveral of this name (2) ; but he to whom, amongft the Greeks, the greateft glory is attributed, was the fon of Jupiter and Alcmena, wife of Amphitryon kmg of Thebes. This monarch being gone On an expedition againfl the JEtoYu ans, Jove afiumed his form, and under that fafe dil- guifie eafily enjoyed his defires. It is faid he was fo enamoured, that he prolonged .the darknefs for three days arid three nights fucceffively. Hercules was the fruit of this extraodinary amour, and at the fame time Alcmena bore twins to her hulband, Laodamia and Iphicltis, who was remarkable for his extraordinary fwiltnefs. This intrigue of, Jupiter, as ufual, foon came to the ears of his jealous wife, who from that moment medi¬ tated the deftrudtion of Hercules. A favourable ojea- fion offered to her refentment. Archippe, the wife of Sthenelus, king of Mycene, being pregnant at the fame time with Alcmena, Jupiter had ordained, that the child fifft'born fhould have the fuperiority, or command over the other. Juno caufed Archippe to be delivered, • - - » Egyptian Hercules is reckoned theeldeft of tlielevyu Ignalized Himfelf in the giants war, and was one of the principal fmaities of that country. at * THE FTE“A T H E N GOD S. < i 3 t at the end of feven months, of a fon, called Euryftheusj snd to retard the labour of Alcmena, in the form of an eld woman (he fat at the gate of Amphy.tryon’s palace- vvirh her legs acrofs, and her fingers interwoven. By this fecret inchantmenf, that piincefs was (even days- and nights in extreme, pains, til? Galanthis, one of her attendants, feeing Juno ih this ..fufpicious pofture, and conjecturing the caufe, ran haflily out with the news that her miftrefs was. delivered. The goddefs ftarting up at the news, A'cmena was that moment freed of her burthen;, but Juno was fo incenled at Galanthis^ that (lie changed her into a weefel. During his infancy, Juno fent two ferpents to deftroy him in his cradle, but the undaunted child ftrangled them both with his hands. After this, as he grew up, he difcovered an uncommon ftatufe and ftrength of body (3), as well as heroic ardour of mind. lhefe great qualities of nature were improved by (uitable care, his education being intruded to the greateft matters (4.); fo that it is no wonder if, with fuch confiderable advanta- » • ges, he made fuch a-fhining figure; in the world. ., His extraordinary virtues were early : put to the trial', and the talks impofed on him by Euryftheus, On ac¬ count of the danger and difficulty which attended their execution, received the name of the Labours of Her¬ cules, and aie. commonly, reckoned- to be twelve ill number. i. The firft labour, or . triumph of Hercules, was-the death of the Nemseon lion. It is faid this furious ant- mal, by Juno’s direction, fell from the orb of the .moon,, and was invulnerable. It infefted the Nemasan wood?, between. Phlius and Gleone, and did infinite mifehief. The hero .attacked it both with his arrov/s and club, but in vain, till perceiving his error, he firft ftrangled, _ • ■ •! , ’ ‘ • , 1 # ’ > . 4 (3) Some fay when he arrived at manhood he was four cubits high, and had.three rows, of teeth. ... . .. (4) Linus the fon of Apollo inftru&ed him in philofophy; Eury- tus taught, him archery ; Eumalpus,< muficj particularly the art of touching the lyre; from Harpalychus the fon of Mercury,.lie learnt wie [fling and. the gymnaftic exercifes;, Caflor die wed him the art or managing his weapons;'and to complete all, Chiron initiated 111111111 the principles of aftrononiy and medicine. % ~ A and 132 FABULOUS HISTORY OF and then tore it in pieces with his hands. The fkin he preferved, and conftantly wore, as a token of his victory. 2. His next enterprife was againft a formidable fer- pent, or monfter, which harboured in the fens of Ler- na, and infe&ed the r^ion of Argos with his poifonous exhalations. The number of heads afligned this crea- ture is various (5); but all authors agree, that when one was cut off another fucceeded in its place, unlefs the wound was immediately cauterifed. Hercules, not dif. couraged, attacked this dragon, and having caufed Io> laus to cut down wood fufficient for flaming brands, as he cut off the heads, applied them to the wounds, and by that means obtained the conqueft, and dtflroyed the Hydra. Some explain this fable, by fuppofing Lerna a marfli, much troubled with fnakes and other-poifonous animals, which Hercules and his companions deftroyed, by fetting. fire to the reeds. Others imagine he only drained this fen, which was before unpayable. Others make Lerna, a fort or caftle of robbers, under a leader called Hydra, whom Hercules extirpated. However this be, in confideration of the fervice of Iolaus on this oceafion, when he grew decriped with old age, his ma¬ iler, by his prayers, obtained him a renewal of his youth. 3. The next talk impofed on him by Euryflheus, was to bring him alive a huge wild-boar, which ravaged the foreft of Erymanthus, and had been fent to Phocis by Diana, to punifh Oeneus s for neglt Cling her facrificei (6). In his way he defeated the Centaurs, who had provoked him by infulting Pholus his hoft. After this be Lized the fierce animal in a thicket, furrounded with i'now, and, purfuant to his injunction, carried him bound to Euryflheus, who had like to have fainted at the fight. 4. This monarch, after fuch experience of the force and valour of Hercules, was refolved to try his agility: (5) Some make the heads of the Lernsean Hydra to befeven; others nine; others fifty. * (6) This ftory has a near refemblance with the boar of Calydon, meritidned in the article of Diana. 4 for THE HEATHEN GODS. 133 » for this end he was commanded to take a hind which frequented mount Maenalus, and had brazen feet and golden horns. As (he was facred to Diana, Hercules durft not wound her. and it was not eafy to run her down: his chafe cod him a whole year’s foot-fpeed. Ac ]aft, being tired out, the hind took to the recedes of mount Artemefius, but was in her way overtaken, as (lie eroded the river Ladon, and brought to Mycene. 5. Near the lake Stymphalus, in Arcadia, harboured certain birds of prey, with wings, beaks, and talons of iron, who preyed bn human flcfh, and devoured all who padtd that way. Thefe Euryftheus fent Hercules to de- ftroy. Some lay he killed them wirh his arrows (7!; others, that Pallas lent him fome brazen rattles made by Vulcan, the found of which frightened them to the ifiand of Aretia. Some fuppofe the birds called Stym- phalides, a gang of defperate banditti, who had their haunts near that lake. 6. His next expedition was againft the Cretan bull. Minos, king of that ifland, being formidable at fea, had forgot to pay Neptune the wor/hip due to him, the deity, to punilh his neglett, fent a furious bull, whole noftrils breathed fire, to deftroy the country. Hercules brought this terrible animal bound to Euryftheus, who, on ac¬ count of his being facred, let him loole in the territory of Marathon, where he was afterwards (lain by Thefeus. Some reduce the ftory to this, that Hercules only was lent to Crete, to procure Euryftheus a bull for breed¬ ing out of.- 7. Diomede, king of Thrace, the (on of Mars and Cyrene, was a tyrant poflefled of a ftud of horles, fo wild and fierce, that they breathed fire, and were con- ftahtly fed with human ifielh, their mailer killing all ftrangers he could meet with for provender for his cattle. Hercules having vanqnifhed him, gave him as a prey to them, and killing fome, brought the reil to Euryf¬ theus. 8. The next employment of Hercules (eems a little too mean for a hero, but he was obliged to obey a fevere . (7) There is an antient gem expreffive of this. . See Ogle’s an¬ tiquities. f talk- FABULOUS HISTORY OF tafk-mafter, who was fo fenfible of his own injuftice in thefe injunctions, that he did not care to truft himfelf in the power of the perfon he commanded (8). Au- geas king of Elis, had. a ftable intolerable, from the ftench arifing from the dung and filth it contained, which is not very furprifing, if it be true, that it fhei- tered three thoufand oxen, and had mot been cleaned * * • / * ♦ ♦ for thirty years. This place Euryftheus ordered Her¬ cules to clear in one day ; and Augeas, promifed hint, if he performed it to give him a tenth part of the cat¬ tle. Hercules, by turning the courfe of the river AI- pheus through it, executed his defignwhich Augeus feeing, refuted to Hand by his engagement.; The hero, ■to reward his perfidy,, flew him with his arrows, and gave his kingdom to Phyleus his fon, who had fhewed his abhorrence of his father’s treachery. Some add, that, from the fpoils taken at Elis, Hercules inflituted the Olympic games of Jupiter, celebrated every fifth year, and which afterwards gave rife to the Grecian sera. ; • . 9, Euryftheus defirous. to s prefent his daughter Ad- meta with the belt or girdle worn by Hippolyta queen of the Amazons, Hercules was fent on this expedition; he was but flenderiy provided, having but one fhip; but valour like his was never deftitute of refourfes in dif- trefs. In his way lie defeated and killed Mygdon and Amycus, two brothers, who oppofed his paffage, and fubduing Bebrycia, gave it to. Lycus, one of his com¬ panions, who changed its name to Heraclea, in-me¬ mory of his benefactor. ; On his approach to Themif- cyra, he learnt that the Amazons had collected all their forces to meet him. The firXt engagement was waun on both fides, feveral of the brave# of thefe viragos were killed, and others made prifoners. , The victory was followed by the total extermination of that female .nation, and Hippolyta, their queen, was by the con¬ queror given to Thefeus, as a reward for his valour. Her belt he brought to Euryftheus. ' . * _ (8). It is faid Euryftheus never would fuffer Hercules to enter Mycene, but notified his commands to him over the walls, by Ca* preas' an-herald, ■■ : ■ > ' 10. His d THE HEATHEN GODS. ,13$ 10. His fucceeding exploit was again# Geryon, king of Spain, who had three bodies, and was the fon of Chryfaoris and Calirrhoe. This monarch had a breed of oxen, of a purple colour, who devoured all ftrangers ca ft to them, and were guarded by a dog with two heads, a dragon with feven, b'efides a very watchful and fevere keeper. 1 Hercules killed both the monarch and his guards, and carried the oxen to Gadira, or Cadiz, from whence he brought them to Euryflheus. It was during this expedition, that our hero, as eternal mo¬ numents of his glory, ereCted two pillars at Calpe and Abyie, upon the "utmoft limits of Africa and Europe. Some give a more fimple turn to the whole, by faying Geryon was a king of Spain, who governed by means of three Tons famous for valour and prudence, and that Hercules having raifed an army of mercenary troops in Crete, fhft overcame them, and fubdued that country. 11. The next talk enjoined him by* Euyfiheus, was to fetch him the golden apples of the Helperides (9), which were guarded by a dragon with an hundred heads. The injunction was not eafy, fmce Hercules was even ignorant of the place where they grew. The nymphs of Eiidanus, whom he confulted, advifed him to go to Prometheus (t), who gave him the information and direction, he wanted, after which he vanquilhed the dra¬ gon, and brought the precious fruit to his mailer. 12. The laft command of Euryftheus was for him to go down to hell, and bring away Cerberus, Pluto’s maftiff. Hercules, having facrificed to the gods, en-. tered the infernal regions, by a cavity of. mount Taj- narus, and on the banks of Acheron found a white poplar-tree, of which he made him a wrearh, and the tree was ever after confecrated to,him ; palling that river he di/coveied Thefeus and Pirithous chained to a ftone. The former he releafed, but left the latter confined. _ ♦ TVI