I f V W-* J «r i ✓ \ ’ r, f « i r i , % % # * • • . # i *■ v» *—' / iX' J if.': , Vv.;i • l *. - V 4 * » • • v :,- ^4 .;/ • ;- V •? * y •: ?w -*»•>•- . r -», • • r »' T • *-i» ?/it v : ? ^ H • >•; •■-•-rj.v-i ,, : i r. : Non;-’i> • • ', * • .A' ><*«’••* i t-u, / r ^,‘ *' *' ,* * > • ,’ i •* *7,'sV* •"*> - *'• • :.. .. ;> ? : .y&\' -v,;-: * • » .v., *. 4 ...r' ;. - • *‘ a i-*- •' •• . » •' * * f ’ ■ . ••/•*. * , _ ? % t : 1 • -iVl; ■ • ■;>• >;-• / VV-r.^W*' •.//•*•* ‘ ' ~ » n • • * \ »* • • • t r • k # * * * , T«» • - >1V ... • : * V i H J: - \ •'# \ ; v * V . • - s' • V* K' \/."\' •*;>•* t-i- T ;♦ * f .. - - :• •«.* . -*■••• • ► vs: • •*;♦ * • vr*Y 4* K-J . • • iV" „• • 'r *'X* r V r 4 . » ♦ ** * f » w/ » r -»• v rf * r M i » * \ ' X rS _ v « • 1 Explained in a Manner entirely New ; And rendered much more ui^ul thamany hitherto publifhed. * ADORNED WITH ''Figures from antient Paintings, Medals and Gems, for the Ufe cf thofe who would underfUnd Historv, Poetry, Paint¬ ing, Statuary, Coins, Medals, &c. WITH An Explanation of the Mythology of the Antients from the Writings of Mofes \ the Egyptian , Grecian , Raman , and Eaji- ern Hiftorians, Philofcphers, Poets, <£fr. The Fifth Edition, Revifed and Corrected, with large Additions, and a Diflertation on the Theology of the Heathens. By W I LLIAM COOKE, M. A. Re&or of Oldbury and Didmarton in Gloucejlerjhire , Vicar of Enford in Wiltjhire , and Chaplain to the Right Honourable the Earl ofSuFFOLK. # To which is fubjoined, AN APPENDIX, Trea their Prod es, Oracles &c Aug u R i es- Arusp i c pointed out : Altars, Sacred G hich the Origin of each is Historical Account of the Rife of ioves, Pr i ests and Temples. 4 • «. «s I 9. . rv. , * ‘‘ • , -I ' « # 4 *» ■ ‘ >' ' ■ <’ fc * ■• Such was the Attempt of the ingenious Author of this Work. It mull be admitted that he has he lived to revile great Part fucceeded Had pare it for another Edition t carefully, and to pre all foreign I- - ~ au x Ui v. iiftance had probably been needlefs is what feemed wanting or A 2 Af- Asit Effect of Inadver- DEDICATION Inadvertency and Error, I have endeavour¬ ed to fupply and amend. ♦ William Cooke. THE THE r W E have here no Defign to raife the Reputation of this Work, by depre¬ ciating the many others that have already been publifhed on this Subje&; it is fuffici- ent 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 be¬ fore it. / * ♦ As all Works of this Kind mud neceflarily con- fid of Materials colle&ed from other Authors, no Expence, no Labour has been fpared, the mod: celebrated Works on this Subje£t have been confuhed and compared with each other, and it has frequently happened, that fcattered Hints, widely difperfed, have ferved to clear up the mod difficult and intricate Meaning, to a De¬ gree of Demondration ; but amongd all the Au¬ thors. to which we have had Recourfe, we mud A 3 here VI E. here particularly acknowledge the great Ad tage we have tleman the Abbe Pincbe , in leaven But from that ingenious Gen- Hiftory of the as that learned and ble Writer feems now and then to have carried Matters a little too far ; the Reader will find lefs Ufe We have been made of him, than in the former E careful to allow all Thi E a nd Re to Conjedt Vv ha a I'o it I'ef u F from the Abbe B But it behoves us efpecially, to acknovvjedg ie as might be received fome Mythology. ? the h we W fa l gs of the Kir c her* received from the who hav ed Bochart Lip ft us, Mont} Pi o- norius, Ca Egyptia others w • ofefled to treat of the Phoenician * 9 n, Greek and R Antiq Some Acquaintance with the Heathen Gods and the ancient Fables, is a receflary Branch of polite Learning, as without this it is impofii- rde to obtain a competent Knowledge of the Clailics, impoffible to form a Judgment of An¬ tique Medals, Statues or Paintings; or even to underfland the Performances of the Moderns in thefe polite Arts. Hence thefe Studies have been generally ef- teerheef neceffary 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 mifta- ken. Some imagining that they had been Kings and Princes; others, that they were the vari¬ ous Parts of Nature. And others that they "were the Patriarchs and Heroes of the Jewilh ' \ T “ Nation. VII PREFACE. ♦ Nation. But each of thefe have been found e- qually contrary to Truth, when applied to the Pagan Theology, though fome of their Fables have been enibell idled with many Circumftances related in the Mofaic Hiftory, In Works of this Kind, no Care has hitherto been taken to give the lead Intimation of Abundance of Cir¬ cumftances necefiary to be known ; and a Per- fon reads the Hiftory of the Gods without find¬ ing any Thing added, that can help him to un¬ ravel the Myfteries he meets with in every Page, or to entertain the leaft Idea of the Religion of their W orfhi p pe rs. ginally brought from Egypt and Phoenicia , where iney had been the Objects of religious Wor- fhip before any Colonies from thefe Countries fettled in Greece . We ought then to fearch in Egypt and Phoenicia for the Origin of‘the Gods ; for the Gods whofe Worfhip was chiefly pro¬ moted by the Egyptians, and carried by the Phoe¬ nicians over all the Coafts of the World then known. The firft Egyptians , unacquainted, with Letters, gave all the. Infofrpations to the Peo¬ ple, all the Rules of their Cbndu&j by ere&ing Figures, eafily underftood, and which fe.rv.ed as Rides and Orders necefiary to regulate their Behaviour, and as Advertifements to. provide for their own Safety. A very few Figures diverfi- fied by what they held in their Hands, or car¬ ried on their Heads, were Sufficient for this Pur- pofe. Thefe were ingenious Contrivances, and fuch as were abfolutely necefiary in a Country, A 4 where viii PREFACE. where the leal! Miflake in Point of Time was fufficient to ruin all their Affairs. 4 But thefe Egyptian Symbols, giving Way to the eafy Method of reaping Infhuciion from the Ufe of Letters, which were afterwards intro¬ duced, fodn became ohfoiete, and the Memory of fome particular Virtues ftill remaining, they were revered as the Images or Reprefentations of fuperior and friendly Beings, who had fre¬ quently delivered them from impending Dan¬ gers, and foon were worshipped as the Gods of their Fathers, Their Hi (lories were wrote in Verfe, and imbeliiihed with Fi&lions founded on ancient Traditions. The rieils of different Countries increafed the Delufion ; they had read 7 j the Mofaic Hiftory, or at lead had heard that the Sons of God had Converfation with the Daughters of Men ; and from hence, influenced by Luff or Avarice, cloaked their own Debau¬ cheries, anti fometimes thofe of'Princes and great Men, under thofe of a God ; and the Poets, ^whenever a Frincefs failed in Point of -Modefly, had recourfe to the lame Method, in order to fhelter her Reputation froiii vulgar Cenfure. By this Means the Deities in alter Times were laid to live in various Countries, and even in tar diftant Ages. Thus there became three hundred Jupiter 'an Opinion derived from there being a Number of Places in which, in different Ages, Jupiter was faid to have lived, reigned, and performed tome extraordinary Ac¬ tions, which antient Fables, the FidHons of the Poets, and the Artitices of Priefts had rendered famous. But notwithftanding all thefe Fables, Jupiter was always acknowledged by the wifeft Heathens to be impeccable, immo.tal, the Au¬ thor 4 IX PREFACE. thor of Life, the univerfal Creator, and the Fountain of Goodnefs. This. Scheme is here carried on and explained with rcfpeCt to each Heathen Deity, and added to the common Hiftories and Fables of the Gods and Goddeffes. In the fhort Differtation on the Theology of the Antients, we have fhewn the Rife of Idola¬ try, and its Connection with the antient Sym¬ bols. 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 concurrent Teftimony of the Philofo- phers in various Ages, among!! the Egyptians , Greeks and Romans . And the Whole is conclud¬ ed with a fhort Account of the Progrefs of Ido¬ latry. > # In the Differtation on the Mythology of the Antients, we have endeavoured to account for the Rife of a Variety of Fables from the Licence of Poetry, imbelliihing the common Incidents of Life by perfonating inanimate Beings, intro¬ ducing fictitious CharaCt Agents. P rs, and fupernatural We have given the Kiflory of the Creation of the World, the State of Innocence, the univerfal Deluge, &c. ac the Fall o cording to tfe Traditions of different Nations and the Opinions of the Poets and moll eminent Philofophers, and compared them with the Ac¬ count given Mofes. n fhort, we have here given a View of their religious, as well as moral Sentiments. X PREFACE. To the Whole is added, by Way of Appen¬ dix, a rational Account of the various fuperfti- tious Obfervances of Aftrology, and the Man¬ ner by which Influences and Powers became a- fcribed to the Signs and Planets; of Prodigies, Auguries, the Arufpices and Oracles; of Altars, facred Groves, and Sacrifices ; of Priefts and Temples, In which the Origin of each is pointed out, and the Whole interfperfcd with fuch moral Reflexions, as have a Tendency to preferve the Minds of Youth from the InfeXion of fuperftitious Follies, and to give therp fuch fundamental Principles, as may be of the great- eft Service in helping them to fofm juft Ideas of the Manners, Principles, and ConduX of the Heathen Nations. ♦ THE THE CHAP. I. Of C h a o s. H ESIOD, the firft Author of the fabulous Syfieni of the Creation, begins his Genealogy of the Gods with Chaos . Incapable of con¬ ceiving how fomerhing could be produced from no¬ thing, he afferted the Eternity of Matter, and imagined to himfelf a confufed Mafs lying in the Womb of Na¬ ture, which contained the Principles of all Beings, and which afterwards riling by Degrees into Order and Jrh rmony, at length produced the Univerfe. Thus the Heathen Poets endeavoured to account for the On' -in of the World $ of which they knew fo little, that ir is no Wonder they difguifed rather than illuf- traied the Subject in their Writings. We find Virgil re pil Tenting Chaos as one of the infernal Deities, and Ovid, at hi::- firft fetting out in the Meiamorphofis , or I ransformaiion of the Gods, giving a very poetical Picture of that diforderly State in which all the Ele¬ ments 12 ' Fabulous HISTORY of ments lay blended without Order or DiftindUon. It is eafy to fee, under ail this Confufion and Perplexity, the Remains of Truth: The antient Tradition of the Creation being obfcured with a Multiplicity of Images and Allegories, became an inexhauftible Fund for Fidtion to improve upon, and fweiled the Heathen Theology into an unmeafurable Compafs 5 fo that in this Senfe Chaos may indeed be properly ftyled the Fa¬ ther of the Gods. Though it does not feem eafy to give a Pidlure, or graphical Reprefentation of Chaos, a modern Painter (1) 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, Smoke, Winds, &c. But he has unluckily thrown the Signs of the Zodiack into his Work, and thereby fpoiled his whole Defigm. o Our great Milton in a noble and maflerly Manner has painted the State in which Matter lay before the Creation. On heavenly Ground they flood, and from the Shore They view’d the vaft unmeafurable Abyfs Outrageous as a Sea, dark, wafleful, wild : Up from the Bottom turn’d by furious Winds And furging Waves, as Mountains, to affault Heav’ns Height, and with the Centre mix the Pole. Book VII. 1 . 215. (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. Mey[feiis in his Book entitled Des Images des. Peintres , gives him the Character of a gr<.at Artift, eipeciaiiy in painting on Giafs. The Piece above mentioned has been confidered by molt People as a very ingenious Jumble, and Jis plain the Painter himi'elf was fond of it; for he wrote his Name in the Mate to. complete the Confufion. ‘Terra. eathen Gods. Terra. This Goddefs had given him Birth that fbe might be furrounded and covered by him, and that he might affoid a Manfion for the Gods. She next bore Ourea , or the Mountains, the Refidence of the Wood "Nymphs ; and laftiy, ihe became the Mother of Pela - gus, or the Ocean. After this fhe married Tier Son Uranus, and had by him a numeious Offspring, among whom were Oceanus , Cceus, Creus , Hyperion , Japbet, Tbeia, RlJeaft~Themis , Mnemofyne, Phoebe, Tetbys, Saturn, the three Cyclops, •viz. Brontes , Ste- ropes , and Arges ; and the Giants Cot/us, Gygesj and Briareus. Teira , however, was not ftri&ly bound by her conjugal Vow, for by Tartarus fhe had Ty¬ phosus, or Typhon , the great Enemy oi Jupiter. Coelus, having for fome Offence imprifoned the Cyclops , his Wife, to revenge hedelf, incited her Son Saturn , who by her Affftanv.e took the Opportunity, to caftrate his Father with an Inftrument fhe Fnrniilied him with. The Blood of the Wound produced the three Furies, the Giants, and the Wood Nymphs. The Genital Parts, which fell into the Sea, impregnating the Wa¬ ters, formed Venus , the moft potent and charming of the Goddeffes. According to Laftantius, Ctelus „ was an ambitious and mighty Pr who affecting Grandeur, called Q / ' As o . -7 - himfelf the Son of the Sky , which Title his Son-Saturn alfo affu his 7 the fir ft Monarch of But Diodorus makes Ut : Atlantiiies, a Nation i habiting the Weftern Coaft of Africa /^)nd famous for Commerce and Hofpitality From Skill in Aftro nomy, the ft any Heavens were called by his Name and for his Equity and Beneficence he was denomi nated King of the Univerfe Nor wa y his Queeh Titea lefs efteemed for her Wifdom and Gocdnefs, which after her Death procuied her the Honour of being deified by the Name of Terra. She is fented epre fame Manner as Vella, of whom we ihall have Occafton to fpeak more particularly 9 CHAP. Fabulous HISTORY of C II A P. III. Of Hyperion aWTheia. H EI A,- or B a flea , fucceeded her Parents* Ceelas and Terra % in the Throne 5 Hie was re- niaikable for her Modeity and Chaftity ; but being de- firousof Heirs, ihe married Hyperion her Brother, to whom ihe bore Helios and Selene (the Sun and.Moon,) as alfo a fecond Daughter, called Aurora (or the Morning) but the Brothers of Theta confpiring again ft her Hulband caufed him to be aifallinated, and drowned her Son Helios in the River Eridatius (1). Selene , who was extremely fond of her Brother, on hearing his Fate, precipitated herfelf from a high Power. They were both railed to the Skies, and Theta after wan* dering dift ranted, at la ft dif.ippeared in a Storm of Thunder and Lightning. After her Death the Con- fpirators divided the Kingdom. Hiftorians fay, that Hyperion was a famous Ailro- nomer, who, on Account*of his difcovering the Mo¬ tions of the celeftiai Bodies, and particularly the two great Luminaries of Heaven, was called the Father of thofe Planets. C H A P. IV. 0/ OcEANUS «niTETHYS. i O CEANUS was one of the eldeft Sons of Calm I and Terra , and married his Sifter Tethys , be- fides whom he had feveral o'her Wives. Each of them pofttfted a hundred Woods, and as many Rivers. By Tethys he had liphyre , who was matched to Epi - metheus % and Pleione the Wife of Atlas . He had'fe- _ • _ verai other Daughters and Sons, whole Names it would be endlefs to enumerate, and indeed they are only thofe of the principal Rivers of the World. Two of the Wives of Oceanus where Pamphyloge and Parthenote. By the firft, he had .two Daughters A fa and Lybia ; and by ‘the laft, two more, called ( 1 ) This feems copied from the Story of Phaeton. Europa 1 The Heathen Go I) s. 1 5 Europa and Thracia , who gave their Names to the Countries To denominated. He had ailo a Daughter, called Cephyra who educated Neptune , and three Sons, viz. 7 'riplolemus, the Favourite of Ceres , Nereus, who refided over Salt-Waters, and Acbelous , the Deity of 'ountains and Rivers. The Antients regarded Oceattus as the Father of Gods and Men, on Account of the Ocean’s encom- pafling the Earth with his Waves, and becaufe he was the Principle of that radical Moifture diffufed through univeifal Matter, without which, according to Thales, nothing could either be produced or fuhfift. 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 flic herfelf had been brought up under their Tuition. Oceanus was depicted wifch a Bull's Head, to re¬ present the Rage and Bellowing of the Ocean when agitated by Storms. CHAP. V. Of Aurora rt??*/TiTHONUS, W E have already obferved, that this Goddefs was the youngeft Daughter of Hyperion and Theia. By the Greeks fhe was ftyled ESf. 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 Daugh¬ ter of Titan and the Earth. She fell in Love with a beautiful Youth named Cephalus (whom fome fuppofe to be the fame with the Sun,) by whom fhe had Phaeton. She had alfo an Amour with Orion , whom flie firft faw a Hunting in the Woods, and carried him with her to Delos. By Afireas her Hufband, one of the Titans, >fhe had the Stars, and the four Winds, Ar- f efies y Zephyrus , Boreas , and Nolus But her greeted avourite was Tithonus , to whom fhe bore ZEmathion and Memnon , This young Piince flie tranfported to Delos, * 16 Delos Fabulous HISTORY thence to Aftbiopia, and Jaft into Heaven /lie obtained for him from the Defti the Giit of Jmmoratlit y but add Youth vaiii Me. the fame Time forgot Fill h alone could render the Prefe grew old, and fo decrepit to be rocked to Sleep like an Infant. His iVlftrefs not being able to procure D-.-ath, to end his Mii'ery changed him into a Grafshopper ; an Infedt which by calling its Skin renews its Youth, and in its chirping dill re¬ tains the Loquacity of old Age. The Hiftorians fay prover of Aftronomy ing to make a n d Tit bonus was a great Im jfed to rife before Morn to make his Obfervations. They add, that his Vigilance and Temperance were rewarded with a long Life i lad, A him to He but when the Infirmities of old Ag by the Help of oriental Drugs, reftored a n d V igour. T they "h done Juflice to the Salubrity of the Morning. This Prince is fa id to have re the City of Si/fa 01 g in Med ta . where he founded • * % * River Choafpes y which became rerwards the Seat of the Perfian Emp 1 Story of Cephalus is related differently. He Nephew of /Eolus> and had married Procris Aurora fee- Woods, intent on his Sport, d a violent Paflton for him. and carried him Daughter of Ericbiheus Kins of Athens * * , « _o ing him often early in her to Heaven die in vain ufed all her s Art Prince him, i engage him to violate his conjugal Vow. The fond of ned W the Godd & was of bly faithful. Aurora therefore to undeceive him, fent him P Difguife of a Merchant, to tempt her Co.ndancy by large Pre fent fh o o Artifice fucceeded, and jufl wh ?n his Spoufe was on the Point of yielding, the unhappy Hufband difcovered himfelf, and Procris fled to the Wood hide her S B being afterwards conciled, die made Cephalus a Prefent of an unerring Dart A Prefent like this increafed Inclination Hunting, and proved doubly fatal to the Donor, happened the young Prince, one Day weatied with hi It fat dow the Woods and called for Auroi or * The Heathen Go'ds, 17 or the gentle Breeze to cool him (4) ; this being over¬ heard was carried to Procris y who though inconflant? was Woman enough to be jealous ; influenced by this Paflion {he followed her Hufband, and concealed her- feIf in a Thicket, where {he could obferve his Mo¬ tions. Unluckily, the Noife {lie made alarmed her Idulband, who thinking Tome wild Bealt lay concealed., difcharged the unerring Arrow, and pierced her to the Heart. Mr. Pope in fome Lines upon a Lady’s Fan of his own Defign, painted with this Story, has with his wonted Delicacy and Judgment applied it ; Come, gentle Air! th’ ^Tolian Shepherd laid, While rrocris panted in the fecret Shade j Come, gentle Air, the fairer Delia cries, While at her Feet her Swain expiring lies. Lo the glad Gales o’er all her Beauties ftray. Breathe on her Lips, and in her Bofom play ! In Delia’s Hand this Toy is fatal found, Nor cou’d that fabled Dart more furely wound. Both Gifts deftru&ive to the Giver's prove ; Alike both Lovers fall by thofe they love. Yet guiltlefs too this bright Deft rover lives,. At random wounds, nor knows the Wounds die gives ; She views the Story with attentive Eyes, And pities Procris while her Lover dies. \ * There is no Goddefs of whom we have fo many beautiful Defcriptions in the Poets as Aurora . Indeed it is no Wonder they are luxuriant on the Subject, as there is perhaps no Theme in Nature, which, affords fuch an extenlive Field for Poetry or Painting as the varied Beauties of the Morning whofe Approach feems to exhilarate and enliven the whole inanimate Creation. * (4) In a capital Pi&ure near the Hague, the Grddefs is re- pre ented in a golden Chariot drawn by white Horfes winged; on her Head is the Morning Star, and (he is attended by Phoebus and the Dawn, A 5 CHAP, Fabulous HISTORY of CHAP. VI. Of Atlas. V A TLAS was the Son of Japetus and Clymene % and the Brother of Prometheus. In the Divifion of his Father’s Dominions, Mauritania fell to his Share, where he gave his own Name to that Mountain, which ftili bears it. As he was greatly fkilled in Aftronomy, he became the firft Inventor of the Sphere, which gave Rife to the Fable, of his fupporring the Heavens on his Shoulders. He had many Children. Of his Sons the moft famous was Hefperus , "Tooke calls him his Brother, p. 325, who reigned fome Time in Italy, which from him was called Hefperia. It is faid this Prince being on Mount Atlas to obfetve the Mo¬ tion of the Stars, was carried away by a Tempeft, and in Honour to his Memory the Morning-Star was afterwards called by his Naftie. He left three Daugh¬ ters, dEg/e, Arethufa and Hefperithufa, who went by the general Appellation of Hefperid.es , and were pof- feffed of rhofe famous Gardens which bore golden Fruit, and were guarded by the Vigilance of a formi¬ dable Dragon. Atlas had fevcn Daughters, called after his own Name Atlantides , viz Mai a, EleBra, laygete. After ope y Merope y Haylcyone and Celano . All thefe were match¬ ed either to Gods or Heroes, by whom they left a numerous Pofterity. Thefe from their Mother Pleione y were alfo ftyled Pleiades (1). Bufiris^ King of Egypt, carried them off by Violence ; but Hercules travelling through Africa conquered him, and delivering the Princeffes, refiored them to their Father, who to re¬ quite his Kindnefs taught-him Allronomy, whence arofe the Fable, of that Hero’s fupporting the Hea¬ vens for a Day to eafe Atlas of his Toil. The Pleiades , however, endured a new Perfecution from Orion , who purfued them five Years, till Jove pre¬ vailed on by their Prayers took them up into the Hea- (1) So.called from a Greek Word, which fign’fies Sailing? becaufe they were reckoned favourable to Navigation. - The Heathen Gods. ig vens, where they form the Conftellation , which bears their N ;me. By /Ethra , Allas was the Father of feven Daughters, called Ambrojia , Endora , Pafithoe, Coronis , Pfexarts, Pyiho , arid Tyche, who bore one common Appellation Oi the Hyades (2). TJiefe Virgins grieved fo immo¬ derately for the Death of their B-p^ther Hyas, de¬ voured by a Lion, that Jupiter, out of T?om pa fh on, changed them into Stars, and placed thhm in the Head of Taurus, where they Hill retain their Grief, their Rifing and Setting being attended with extraor- dina r y Rain. Others make thefe laft the Daughters of Lycurgus, born in the Ifle of Naxos , and tranilated to the Skies, for their Care in the Education of Bacchus, probably becaufe thefe Showers are of great Benefit in forwarding the Vintage. According to Hyginus , Atlas having affiled the Giants in their War againft Jupiter , was by the victo¬ rious God doomed as a Punifhment, to fuftain the- Weight of the Heavens. Ovid gives a very different Account of Atlas , who, as he fays, was the Son of Japetus and Afia . He reprefents him as a powerful and wealthy Monarch, Proprietor of the Gardens which bore golden Fruit 5 but tells us, that being warned by the Oracle of Themis , that he fhould fuffer fome great Injury fio m a Son of Jupiter, he ftridtly forbad all Foreigners Accefs to his Court or Prefence. Perfeus however, had the Courage to appear before him, but was or¬ dered to retire, with ftrong Menaces in Cafe, of'Dis¬ obedience. But the Hero prefenting his Shield with the dreadful Head of Medufa to him, turned him into the Mountain which ftill bears his Name. The Ahhe La Pluche has given a very clear and in¬ genious Explication of this "Fable. Of ail'Nations the Egyptians had with the greateft Afliduity cultivated Ajlronomy. To point out the Difficulties which at- (1) From the Greek Verb to Rain, the Latins called them Suculs, from the Greek Work or Sv/ine, becaufe they feemed to delight in wet and dirty Weather. • tend 20 Fabulous HISTORY of tend the Study of this Science, they reprefented it by an Image bearing a Globe or Sphere on its Back, and which they called Atlas, a Word Signifying (3) great Toil or Labour , But the Word alfo hgnifying fupport (4), the Phanicians, led by the Representa¬ tion, took it in this lull Senfe ; and in their Voyages to Mauritania, feeing the high Mountains of that Country covered with Snow, and lofing rheir Tops in the Clouds, gave them the Name of Atlas, and fo produced the Fable, by which the Symbol of Agro¬ nomy ufed among the Egyptians, became a Maurita¬ nian King,-transformed into a Mountain, whofe Head fupports the Heavens. The reft of the Fable is equally eafy to account for. The annual Inundations of the Nile obliged that Peo¬ ple to be very exa£t in obferving the Motions of the heavenly Bodies. The Hyades or Huades > took their Name from the Figure V which they form in the Head of Taurus . The Pleiades were a remarkable Conftellation, and of great Ufe to the Egyptians in regulating the Seafons. Hence they became the Daughters of Atlas : And Orion , who rifes juft as they fet, was called their Lover. By the golden Apples which grew in the Gardens of the Hefperides , the Phoenicians exprefled the rich and beneficial Com¬ merce they had in the Mediterranean ; which being carried on during three Months of the Year only, gave Rife to the Fable of the Hejperian Sifters (5). (3) From Telaah. to ftrive, comes Atlah Toil; whence the Greeks derived their a wtXoc, or Labour, and the Romans exantlo to furmount great Difficulties. (4) From Telah , to iufpend, is derived Atlah , Support, whence the Greek Word EwX for a Column or Pillar. (5) From Efper, the gocd Share, or the belt Lot. > CHAP. The Heathen Gods. 21 # % CHAP. VII. Of Japetus, and his Sons Epime- theus and Prometheus ; ^Pandora’* Box, and the Story of Deucalion and Pyrrha. J A PET US was the Offspring of C&lus and Terra, and one of* the Giants who revolted againtl Jupi¬ ter. He was a powerful and haughty Prince, who lived fo long, that his Age became a Proverb. Before the War he had a Daughter, called Anchiale , who founded a City of her own Name in Cilicia. He had feveral Sons, the chief of whom were Atlas , (mention¬ ed in the preceding Chapter) Buphagus , Prometheus (6) and Epimetheus . Of thefe, Prometheus became remarkable, by being the Objedt of Jupiter's Refent- ment. The Occafion is related thus : Having facri- ficed two Bulls to that Deity, he put all the Flefh of both in one Skin, and the Bones in the other, and gave the God his Choice, whofe Wifdom for once failed him fo, that he pitched upon the word Lot. Jupiter incenfed at the Trick put upon him, took away Fire from the Earth, 'till Prometheus , bv the Affiltance of Minerva, ftole into Heaven, and light¬ ing a Stick at the Chariot of the Sun, recovered the Blefling, and brought it down again to Mankind. Others fay the Caule of Jupiter' s Anger was different, Prometheus being a great Artifl, had- formed a Man of Clay of fuch exquilite Workmanfhip, that Pallas, charmed with his Ingenuity, offered him whatever in Heaven could contribute to finifli his Defign : For this End Ihe took him up with her to the celeftial Man- fions, where, in a Ferula, he hid fome of the Fire of the Sun's Chariot Wheel, and ufed it to animate his Image (7). Jupiter , either to revenge his Theft, or the former Affront, commanded Vulcan to make a Woman, which, when he had done, fhe was intro¬ duced into the AfTembiy of the Gods, each of whom (6) So called from tjj? or Providence, that is, his Skill in Divination. (7) Some lay his Clime was not the enlivening- .a Man of Clay 9 but the Formation of Woman, bellowed 22 Fabulous HISTORY of beftowed on her fome additional Charm or Perfection- Venus gave her Beauty, Pallas Wifdom, Juno Riches, Mercury taught her Eloquence, and Apollo Mufick : From all thefe Accomplifhments, fhe was ftyled Pan¬ dora (8), and was the firft of her Sex. Jupiter , to complete his Deligns, prefented her a Box, in which he had enclofed Age % Difeafes y War y Famine , Pejli - lence , Difcord , Envy, Calumny , and in fhort, all the Evils and Vices which he intended to affliCt the World with. Thus equipped, fhe was fent down to Prome¬ theus^ who wifely was on his Guard againft the Mif- chief defigned him. Epimetheus his Brother, though forewarned of the Danger, had lefs Refolution ; for enamoured with the Beauty of Pandora (9), he mar¬ ried her, and opened the fatal Box, the Contents of which foon overfpread the World. Hope alone retted at the Bottom. But Jupiter , npt yet fatisfied, dip- patched. Mercury and Vulcan to feize Prometheus , whom they carried to Mount Caucafus , where they chained him to a Rock, and an Eagle or Vulture was committioned to prey on his Liver, which every Night was renewed in Proportion as it was confumed by Day. But Hercules loon after killed the Vulture and delivered him. Others fay, Jupiter reftored him his Freedom for difcovering his Father Saturn's Confpi- racy, (10) and dilTuading his intended Marriage with Thetis. Nicander y to this Fable of Prometheus , lends an additional Circumftance. He tells us fome un¬ grateful* Men difcovered the Theft of Prometheus firft to Jupiter , who rewarded them with perpetual Youth. This Prefent they loaded on the Back of an Afs, who (lopping at a Fountain to quench his Thirft, was hin¬ dered by a Water Snake, who would not let him (8) So called from ?rav'$agov /. e. loaded with Gifts or Ac- complifhments. Heftod has given a fine Defcription of her in his < Tkeag or the good Goddefs, &c. Under different Chaiaders ilie had different Reprefentations, and dif¬ ferent Sacrifices. . Vefia is generally reprefented upon ancient Coins fitting, though fome times (landing, with a lighted Torch in one Hand, and a Sphere in the other. Under the Character of Cybele (lie makes a more magnificent Appearance, being feated on a lofty Cha¬ riot drawn by Lions, crowned with Towers, and hav¬ ing a Key extended in her Hand. Some indeed make the Phrygian Cybele a different Perfon from Vefia : They fay ihe was the Daughter of Mceones an antient King of Phrygia and Dyndima , and that her Mother, for fome Reafons, expofed her on Mount Cybelus , where (lie was nouriflied by Lions. Her Parents afterwards owned her, and (lie fell in Love with Atys , by whom conceiving, her Father caufed her Lover to be (lain, and his Body thrown to the wild Beads; Cyhele upon this ran mad, and filled the Woods with hei Lamentations. Soon after a Plague and Fa¬ mine laying wade the Country, the Oracle was con- fulted, who advifed them to bury Atys with great Pomp, and to woifhip Cyhele as a Goddefs. Accord¬ ingly they ere&ed a Temple to her Honour at Pejfinus , and placed Lions at her Feet, to denote her being educated by the Animals. 0 F iom Corbariy a Sacrifice nr Oblation. (4} From Kerrty a City or Town, comes the Plural Keretim y to fi&nify the Inhabitants. (5) From dac , poor*, and tul or tyl y a Migration: Hence our ultima Thule. The Greeks for the lame Reafon call the Fingers Da J 7 j/ U, becaufe they are the Indruments of Labour. Death The Heathen God s. 39 Death for any Man to he prefent at the Affenibly'(6). Whence they were called Opert or in. I he Roman Fanners and Shepherds worfhipped Cy- bele or Vefia , by the 'l’itle of Magna Pales , or the Goddefs ot Cattle and Failures. Her Felliva 1 was in April , at which Time they purified their Flocks and Herds with the Fumes of Rofemary, Laurel, and Sul¬ phur,, offered Sacrifices of Milk and Millet Cakes, and concluded the Ceremony by dancing round Straw- Fires. Thele annual Feafls were called Palilia , and. were the fame with the ®tc(Ao$ofla of the Greeks , and probably of Phoenician or Egyptian Original. The great Feflival of Cyhelc , called Megaleft a , was always celebrated in April, and Jailed eight Days at Rome. C H A I XIV. Of Vesta, the younger. OLLECT ED Fire is the Offspring of /Ether. Hence we have another Vejla, laid to be the Daughter of the other, by Saturn, or Time, and the Siller of Ceres, Juno , Pluto , Neptune , and Jupiter* She was fo fond of a fingle Life, that when her Bro¬ ther Jupiter afeended the Throne, and offered to grant whatever fhe afked, fhe defired only the Prefervaiioa of her Virginity, and that fhe might have the firfl Ob¬ lation in all Sacrifices (7), which lire obtained, cording to Laftantius , the Chaftity of Vefta is meant to exprefs the Nature of Fire, which is incapable of Mixture, producing, nothing, but converting all Things into iifelf. Numa Pompilius , the great Founder of Religion among the Romans, is fa id firft to have refrored the aqtient Rites, and ^Worfiup of this Goddefs, to whom he erected a circular Temple, which in fucceeding Ac (6) So we learn from Tibullus Bonce maribus non adeunda Des (7) It is a Queltion if this Privilege the elder Vefta, in common with Janus rather belong to Ages, 4 o Fabulous HISTORY of Ages, was much embeliiflied. He alfo appointed four Prieltefles to be chofen out of the noblefl Families in Rome, and of Ipotiefs Character, whofe Office was to attend the facred Fire kept continually burning near her Altar. Thefe Vejlal Virgins continued in their Charge for thirty Years, and had very great Privileges annexed to their Dignity. This Fire was annually renewed, with great Ceremony, from the Rays of the Sun, on the Kalends of March. It was preferved in Earthen Pots fufpended in the Air, and efteemed fo facred, that if by any Misfortune it became extinguished, (as hap¬ pened once) a CelTation enfued from all Bufinefs, till they had expiated the Prodigy. If this Accident ap¬ peared owing to the Negleft of the l^eftals^ they were ieverely punifhed ; and if they violated their Vow of Chaflity, they were interred alive. As Vejla was the Goddefs of Fire, the Romans had no Images in her Temple to reprefent N her, the Reafon of which we learn in Ovid (8). Yet as flie was the Guardian of Houles or Hearths, her Image was ufu- ally placed in the Porch or Entry, and a daily Sacrifice her (9). It is certain nothing could be a ftronger or more lively Symbol of the Supreme Being, than Fire. Ac¬ cordingly we find this Emblem in early Ufe through¬ out ail the Ealt. The Perfans held it in Veneration long before Hyjiafpes reduced the Worfihip of it to a certain Plan. The Prytanei of the Greeks were perpetual and holy Fires. We find JEtieas bringing with him to Italy his Penates (or Houfliold Gods) the Palladium and t he fa¬ cred Fire . The Veft a of the Etrurians, Sabines, and Romans , was the fame. Zoroafter , who, in the Reign of Darius (8) His Words are thefe : Effigiem nullam Vejla nec Ignis habet. Fajli, Lib. VI. Flo Image VeftaV Semblance can exprefs, Fire is too fubtile to admit of Drefs. (9) Hence the Word Vejlibulum , for a Porch or Entry; and the Romans called their round Table Vzft who gave feis Goats Milk and Honey $ others, that Amalthcea was the Name of the Goat that nurfed him* whofe Horn he prefented to thofe Princefles with this Privilege annexed, that whoever poflefTed it fbould immediately have whatever they defied 5 whence it came to be called the Horn of Plenty . After this the Goat dying, Jupiter placed her amongft the Stars, and by the Ad of Themis covered hir Shield WJ hep Skin to ftrike Terror in the Giants, whence it obtain¬ ed the Name of A£gis. According to others, he and his Sifter Juno fucked the Breads of Fortune. Some dledge his Mother Vefla fuckled him ; fome, that he was fed by wild Pig from Oceanus , and by who brought him Ambrofi Eagi who carried Nedar in his Beak from a fteep Rock ; in Recompenfe of (10) Varro reckoned up 300 Jupite'rs , and each Nation feems to have had one peculiar 10 itfelf. which 42 Fabulous HISTORY of which Services, he made the Former the Fore-tellers of Winter and Summer, and gave the Latter the Re¬ ward of Immortality, and the Office of bearing his Thunder. In fhort,the Nymphs and the Bears claim a Share in the Honour of his Education, nor is it yet decided which has the belt Title to it, Let us now come to the Actions of Jupiter. The firft, and indeed the mod memorable of his Exploits, was his Expedition againft the Titans , for his Father’s Deliverance and Reftoiatio”, of which we have already fpoken under the Article of Saturn. After this he de¬ throned his Father, and having poffefTed himfelfofhis Throne, was acknowledged by all the Gods in Qua¬ lity of their fupreme Apollo , himfelf crowned with Laurel, and robed with Purple, condefcended to fing his Praifes to his Lyre. Hercules , in order to perpe¬ tuate the Memory of his Triumphs, inllituted the Olympic Games, where it is faid that Pbcebus carried off the firft Prize, by overcoming Mercury at the Race. After this, Jupiter being fully fettled, divided his Do¬ minions with his Brothers Neptune and Pluto , as will be ihewn in the Sequel. Jupiter y 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 ac¬ tually feized, his Perfon. But the Giants Coitus, Gyges. and Briareus , who were then his Guards, and whom Thetis called to his' Affiftance, fet him af Liberty. How thefe Giants, with others of their Race, after¬ wards revolted againft him, and were overthrown, has been already mentioned in its Place. The Story of Lycaon is not the leaft diftinguifhed of his Actions. Hearing of the prevailing Wickednefs of Mankind, Jove defcended to Earth, and arriving at the Palace of this Monarch, King of Arcadia, declared* who he was, on which the People prepared Sacrifices, and the other Honours due to him. But Lycaon, both- impious and incredulous, killed one of his Domefticks, and ferved up the Flefii drefTed at the Entertainment he gave the God, who detefting fuch horrid Inhuma¬ nity, immediately confumed the Palace with Lighten- The Heathen Gods. 43 ing, and turned the Barbarian into a Wolf. Ovid has related this Story with his ufual Art. liut as Ambition, when arrived at the Height of its Wiflies, feldom ftridtly adheres to the Rules of Mo¬ deration, fo the Air of a Court is always in a peculiar Manner fatal to Virtue. If any Monarch deferved the Chara&er of encouraging Gallantry by his Example, it was certainly Jupiter t whofe Amours are as num- bedefs as the Metamorphofes he affumed to accompliflx them, and have afforded an extenfive Field ofDefcrip- tion to the Poets and Painters, both antient and mo¬ dern. Jupiter had feveral Wives, Metis , or Prudence , his fir It, he is fa id to have devoured, when big with Child, by which himfelf becoming pregnant, Minerva iffued cut of his Head adult and completely armed. His fe- cond was Themis , or Juflice , by whom he had the Hours , meaning the Regulation of Time y Eunomia or Good Order , Die he or Law, Eirene or Peace , and the- Defiinies . He alfo married Juno , his Sifter, whom it is repoited he deceived under the Form of a Cuckoo y who, to /hun the Violence of a Storm, fled for Shelter to her Lap (1}. She bore to him Hebe , Mars, Lucina , and Vulcan. By Eurynome he had the three Graces y by Ceres , Proferpine ; by Mnemofyne , the nine Mufes j by Latona , Apollo and Diana ; by Maia , Mercury. Of his Intrigues we have a pretty curious DetaiL One of his firfb Miftrefles was Culiflo the Daughter of Lycaorty one of the Nymphs of Diana. To deceive her, he alfumed 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 flie was bathing with her Patronefs, the incenfed Deity not only difgraced her,, but (2) turned her into a Bear. Jove* in Companion to her Punifliment and Sufferings, raifed her to a Conftelkt-ion in the Heavens (3). CaliJlo y however, left a Son called Areas, who having inftru£t~ ♦ (1) At a Mountain near Corinth, thence called Coceyx. (z) Some (av it was "Juno turned her into that Animal. (3) Called Urfa Major by the Latins , and licit ce by the Greeks . cd 44 Fabulous HISTORY of ed the Pelafgians in Tillage and the Social Arts, they from him took the Name of Arcadians , and after his Death he was by his divine Father, allotted alfo (4) a Seat in the Skies. There is fcarce any Form which Jupiter did not at fome Time or other afiume to gratify his Defires. Un¬ der the Figure of a Satyr he violated Antiope the Wife of Lycus King of Thebes^ by whom he had two Sons, Zethus and Amphion, In the Refemblance of a Swan he corrupted Leda , the Spoufe of Tyndarus, King of Laconia . Under the Appearance of a white Bull he carried off Europa, Daughter of Agenor King of nicia , into Crete , where he enjoyed her. Jn the Shape of an Eagle he furprifed AJleria the Daughter of C&us 9 and bore her away in his Talons in fpite of her Mo- defty. Aided by the fame Difguife, he feized the beauteous Ganymede Son of Tros ) as he was hunting on Mount Ula y and raifed him to the joint Functions of his Cup-bearer and Catamite. It was indeed difficult to efcap'e the' Purfuits of a God, who by his unlimited Power made all N,arure fubfervient to his Furpofes. Of this we have a re¬ markable Infiance in Danae , whofe Father, Acrijius y jealous of her Conduct, had fecured her in a Brazen Tower 5 but Jupiter defcending in a golden Shower, found Means to elude all; the Vigilance of her Keepers. He found Means to inflame JEgina the Daughter of JEfopus, King of Bceotia, in the Similitude of a lam¬ bent Fire, and then carried her from Epidaurus to a defert Ifle called OErnpe , to which fhe gave her own Name (5). Clytoris % a fair Virgin of 7 bejfaly y he de¬ bauched in the Shape of an Ant ; but to corrupt Ale - mena the Wife of Amphytrion y he was obliged to af¬ fume the Form of her Hufband, under which the fair one being deceived, innocently yielded to his Defires. By Thalia he had two Sons, called the Pallaciy and two by Protogenia, J Jupiter had a Multiplicity of Names, either from the Places where he was worshipped, or the Attributes afcribed to him. He had the Epithets of Xenius , or the Holpitable ; Elicius on account of his Goodnefs and Clemency ; and Dodonceus on Account of the oracular Grove at . Dodona , conlecrated to him, and famous through all Greece. Amongft the Romans he had the Appellations of op - timus maximus , on Account of his Beneficence and Power : Almus , from his cheriiliing all Things; Stabi - litor , from his fupporting the World ; Opitulator from his helping the didreffed ; Stator from his fufpending the Flight of the Romans at the Prayer of Romulus ; and Predator on Account of the Part of the Plunder being facred to him in all Vidtories. From his Temple at the Capitol, on the Tarpeian Rock, he ,was called Capitolinus and Tarpeius. When a Rotnan King or General flew an Enemy of the fame Quality, the Spoils were offered to him by the Name of Feretrius. The Reign of Jupiter , having not been fo agreeable to his Subjects as that of Saturn , gave Occafion to the Notion of the Silver Age * by which is meant an Age inferior in Happinefs to that which preceded, tho* fuperior to thofe which followed. This Father of Gods and Men is Commonly figured as a majeftic Man with a Beard, enthroned. In his left Hands he holds a Viftory , and his Right-Hand grafps the Thunder. At his Feet an Eagle with his Wings difplayed. The Greeks called him z>jva and am as the Caufe of Life (3), the Romans , Jupiter , i. e. juwans pater , the aflifting Father. The Heathens had among!! their Deities different Reprefentatives of the fame Thing. What Vefta , or the Idcean Mother , was to the Phrygians , and Ifis to the Egyptians ; the fame was Jupiter to the Greeks and Romans , the great Symbol o 1 /Ether. So the Au¬ thor of the Life of Ho??ier, fuppofed to be the Elder {3) Plato in Cratylo. The Heat hen Gods 49 * Dionyfius of HalicarnaJJus , and the Poet himfelf (4}. So Ennius , as quoted by Cicero (5), Lo, the bright Heav’n, which All invoke as Jove ! and Euripides (6). See the fublime Expanfe, The boundlefs /Elber^ which enfolds this Ball ; That hold for Jove, the God fupreme o’er All ! To conclude with the Words of Orph ii potent, he is the Fir It and the Laft 7 “ Head and the Middle ; the Giver of all Th 4< Foundation of the Earth and Starry He the the He << both Male and Fern and immortal. Jupi a the Source of enlivening Fire, and the Spirit ot hings.” CHAP. XVI. Of Juno. J UNO the Sifter and Confort of Jupiter , was on that Account ftyled the Queen of Heaven, and in¬ deed we find her in the Poets fupporting that Dignity with an Ambition and Pride fuitable to the Rank Ihe bore. Though the Poetical Hiftorians agree flie came into the World at a Birth with her Huiband, yet they dif¬ fer as to the Place, fome placing her Nativity at Argos, others at Samos near the River Imbrajus . Some lay Ihe was nurfed by Euheea, Porfymna , and Arcea, Daughters of the River Ajlerion ; others by the Nymphs of the Ocean. Otes> an antient Poet, tells us fihe was ' 7rvgd$v$ K&i hiEgf/.0S &1TICC. ; iv cU&bpi xai Opufc. Mythoiog. p. 32.6 Si 327. {$) Afpice hoc fublime candens , quern invocant omnes Jovera. ( 6 ) V^ides fublime fujum, imvioderatum cetkerct, Qui tetter0 terrain ctrcumjedlu ampledlitur. Hu tic fummum labetc divurn ; butte pethibete Jcverp, Cicero Ue Nat. Deorum, 1 . 2. C educated * educated by the Hone or Hours: And Homer afiigns this Port to Oceania and Pethys themfelves. It is (aid that this Goddels, by bathing annually in the Fountain of Canatho near Argos , renewed her Vir¬ ginity. The Places where fhe was principally honour¬ ed were Sparta, Mycene , and Argos. At this Place the Sacrifice offered to her confided of t oo Oxen. Juno in a peculiar Manner prefided over Marriage and Childbirth ; on the firft Occafion, in facrificingto her, the Gall of the Victim was always thrown behind the Altar, to denote no Spleen (hould fubfift between married Fetfons. Women were peculiarly thought to be tinder her Protection, of whom every one had her Juno , as every Man had his Guardian Genius. Numa ordered, that if any unchafte Woman fhould approach her Temple, fhe iliould oifera female Lamb to expiate her Offence. The Lacedemonians ftyled her /Fgophaga , from the Goat which Hercules facrificed to her. At Elis (he was called Hoploftma , her Statue being completely armed. At Corinth (he was termed Bunas a, from Burn, who ereCted a Temple to her there. She had another at Euboea, 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 and Hebe in Silver, and a large Peacock whofe Body was Gold, and his Tail compofed of precious Stones refembling the natural Colours. Amongd the Romans, who held her in high Venera¬ tion, die had a Multiplicity of Names. The chief were Lucina, from her fird (hewing the Light to In¬ fants 5 Pronuba, hecaufe no Marriage was lawful with¬ out previoufly invoking her ; Socigena and Juga from her introducing the conjugal Yoke, and promoting matrimonial Union. Domiduca on Account of her bringing home the Bride j Unxiii from the anointing the Door Pods at that Ceremony. Cinxia from her tinloofing the Virgin-Zone, or Girdle 9 Per fed a y be caufe Marriage completes the Sexes ; Opigena and Ob- Jletrix from her shilling Women in Labour ; Pop u lof a, becauie Procreation peoples the World and So/pita from The Heathen Gods. § i from her preferving the Female Sex. She was alfo named Quiritis or Cur it is , from a Spear reprefented in her Statues and Medals $ Kalendaris, becaufe of the Sacrifices offered her the fir ft 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 dif- guif'ed herfelf in the Form of a white Cow, which Animal was, on that Account, thought to be accepta¬ ble to her in her Sacrifices. Juno , as the Queen of Heaven, preferred a good deal of State. Her ufual Attendants were Terror and Boldnefs, Caflor and Pollux, and fourteen Nymphs ; but her moil faithful and infepar-able Companion was Iris the Daughter of ‘ Ihaumas, who for her furprizing Beauty was reprefented with Wings, borne upon her own Rainbow, to denote her Swiftnefs. She was the MelFenger of Juno, as Mercury was of Jove; and at Death feparated the Souls of Women from their cor¬ poreal Chains. This Goddefs was not the raoft complaifant of Wives. We find in Homer , that Jupiter was fqme- times obliged to make ufe of all his Authority to keep her in due Subjection. When ihe entered into that famous Confpiiacy againft him, the fame Author re¬ lates that by Way of Punifliment, fhe had two Anvils tied to her Feet, golden Manacles fattened to her Hands, and fo was fufpended in the Air or Sky, where fhe hovered on Account of her Levity, while all the Deities looked on without a Poflibiiity of helping her. By this the Mythologies fay is meant the Harmony 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 diffolve the Frame or Texture of the Univerfe. According to 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 incioted in no certain Bounds. The implacable and arrogant Temper of Juno once made her abandon her Throne in Heaven and fly into Euhcea. Jupiter in vain fought a Reconciliation, till C 2 he 52 Fabulous H I O R Y lie confulied Citberon King of the Platceans , then ac¬ counted the wifeft of Men. By his Advice the God dreifed up a magnificent Image, feated it in a Chariot, and gave out it was Platcea the Daughter of ALfopusy whom he defigned to make his Queen. Juno upon this refuming her antient Jealoufy, attacked the mock Bride, and by tearing off its Ornaments found the De¬ ceit, quieted h£r ill Humour, and was glad to make up the Matter with her Hufband. Though none ever felt her Refentment more fenfi- bly than Hercules , he was indebted to her for his Im¬ mortality; for Pallas brought him to Jupiter while an Infant, who, while Juno 'was afleep, put him to her Breaft. But the Goddefs waking haftily, fome of her Milk fallingupon Heaven formed the Miiky Way. The reft dropt on the Earth, where it made the Lillies white, which before were of a Saffron Colour. Juno is reprefented by Ilomer as drawn in a Chariot adorned with precious Stones, the Wheels of Ebony nailed with Silver, and drawn by Horfes with Reins of Gold ; but molt commonly her Car is drawn by Pea¬ cocks, her favourite Bird. At Corinth Hie was depic ted in her Temples as feated on a Throne, crowned, with a Pomegranate in one Hand, and in the other a Sceptre with a Cuckoo at Top. This Statue was of Gold and Ivory. That at Hicrapalis was fupported by Lions, and fo contrived as to participate of Miner - / iliould apply themfelves to Navigation or Agriculture, unci as they naturally inclined ro the fiiff, it was necel- lary to llicw them their Millake, by convincing them that Huibandry was preierable to Sailing. However, that rltiibandry was preierable to Sailing. However, it is certain Neptune had fome Skill in the Management ol Horfes: For we find in Pamphus , the moll antient VVliter of divine Hymns, this Encomium of him, 4 That he was the Benefactor of Mankind in bellow- ‘ ing on them Horfes, and Ships with Decks refem- 4 bling Towers.’ When Neptune was expelled Heaven for his Confpi- racy againll Jupiter , he fled with Apollo to Laomedon King of ‘Troy ; but he treated them differently: For having employed them in railing Walls round this City, in which the Lyre of Apollo was highly ferviceable, he paid that Deity divine Honours, wheteas he difmiffed Neptune unrewarded, who, ; n Revenge, fent a vail Sea Monlter to lay walle the Coirntry, to appeafe which Laomedon was forced to expofe his Daughter He [tone. On another Occafion this Deity Had a Contell with Vulcan and Minerva in regard to their Skill. The Goddefs as a Proof of herVmade a Houle, Vulcan erected a Man, and Neptune a Bull: whence that Ani¬ mal was ufed in the Sacrifices paid him. But it is pro¬ bable, that as the Victim was to be black, the Defign was to point out the raging Quality and Fuiy^of the Sea, over which he prefided. Neptune fell little lltort of his Brother Jupiter in Point of Gallantry. Ovid in his Epiltles has given a Catalogue of his MiftrefTefc. By Venus he had a Son called Eryx. Nor did he aflume lefs different Shapes to fiicceed in his Amours. Ceres fled from him in the Form of a Mare ; he purfued in that of a Horfe : but it is uncertain whe¬ ther this Union produced the Centaur, called Orion % or a Daughter. Under the Refemblance of the River Enipeus , he debauched Tyro the Daughter of Salma - neus , who bore him Felias and Neleus. In the fame Difguife he begot Oil?us and Ephialtes , by Ephimedia , Wife of the Giant Aloces . Melantho Daughter of Pro¬ teus often diverting herfelf by riding on a Dolphin , Neptune in that Figure fur prized and enjoyed her He changed The Heathen G c d s. 55 changed 1 'be opiums, a beautiful Virgin, into an Ewe, and aifuming the Fonn of a Ram# begot the golden fleeced Ram, which carried Phryxus to C/olcis. In the Likends of a Biid he had Pegafus by Medufa. He was not only fond of his Power of transforming himiclf, but he took a Pleafure in bellowing it on his Favourites , Pioteus his bon polfeffed it in a high De¬ gree. He conferred it on Periclimenus the Brother of Ncjhr y who was at la ft killed by Hercules , as he watched him in the Form of a Fiy. He even obliged his MiftreiTes with it. We find an In ha nee of this in Metera the Daughter of Erijichton. Her Father for cutting down an Oak Grove confecrated to Ceres , was punifhed with fuch an infatiable Hunger, that to fupply it he was forced to fell all he had. His Daughter up¬ on this entreated of her Lover the Power of changing her Form at Pleafure ; fo that becoming fometimes a Mare, a Cow, or a Sheep, her Father fold her to re¬ lieve his Wants, while the Buyers were ftill cheated in their Purehafe. Having raviflied Canis , to appeafe her he promifed her any Sttisfa&ion, on which fhe de¬ fined to be turned into a. Man, that fhe might no more fuffer the like Injury. Her Requeft was granted, and. by the Name o fC emeus ihe became a famous Warrior.. Neptune was aconfiderable Deity amongft the Greeks . He had a Temple in* Arcadia by the Name of Rtroclyf- tius •, or, the Over-flower ; becaufe at Juno's Requeft he delivered that Country from an Inundation. He was* called Hippiusy Hippocourius, and Taraxippus, from his Regulation of Horfemanfhip. The Places moft ce¬ lebrated for his Worfhip were Tcenarusy Corinth , and Calabria , which laft Country was peculiarly dedicated to him. He had aifo a celebrated Temple at Rome en¬ riched with many naval Trophies 5 but received a fignal Affront from Auguftus Cxrfar 9 who pulled down, his Statue, in Refentment for a Tempeft, which had difpe&fed his Fleet and endangered his Life. Some think Neptune the fame with the antient God Cenftis worfhipped at Rame* arid fo called from his, advifmg Romulus to the. Rape of the Sabines. C 4 Let 5 6 Fabulous H I STORY of Let us now examine the mythological Senfe of the Fable. The Egyptians to denote Navigation, and the annual Return of the Phoenician Fleet which vifited their Coalt, ufed the Figure of an Ofiris carried on a winged Horfe, or holding a three-forked Spear or Har¬ poon in his Hand. To this Image they gave the Names o f Pofeielon (2) or Neptune (3), which the Greeks and Romans afterwards adopted ; but which fufficiently prove this Deity had his Birth here. Thus the Mari¬ time Ofiris of the Egyptians became a new Deity with thofe who knew not the Meaning of the Symbol. But Herodotus , lib. 2. is pofitive that the Greeks received not their Knowledge of Neptune from the Egyptians , but from the Lyhians. The former received him not till afterwards •, and even then, however they might apply the Figure to civil Purpofes, paid him no divine Ho¬ nors. However according to Plutarch , they called the maritime Coalt Nepbtben. Bocbart thinks that he has found the Origin of this God in the Perfon of jfa- phet; and has given Realons which render the Opinion very probable. Neptune reprefented as God of the Sea, makes a considerable Figure. He is defcribed with black or dark Hair, his Garment of an Azure or Sea-green Co¬ lour, feated in a large Shell drawn by Whales or Sea- Horfes, with his Trident in his hand (4), attended by the Sea Gods Palaemon , Glaucus, and Phorcys; the Sea GoddefTes, Fhetis , Me lit a and Pampas a, and a long Train of Tritons and Sea Nymphs. In fome antient Gems he appears on Shore j but always holding in his Hand the three-forked Trident, the Emblem of his Power, as it is called by Homer and Virgil , who have given us a fine Contrail with regard to its Ufe. The (2,) From Pajb , Plenty, or Provifions, and fedaim y the Sea- coaft ; or the Provifion of the maritime Countries, (3) From Nouph , to difturb or agitate ;and Oni a Fleet^which forms Neptoni , the Arrival of the Fleet. (4) Some by far-fetched Allufion, imagine the triple Forks of the Trident rep refen t the three-fold Power of Neptune in dif- turbingy moderatings or calming the Seas. Others, his Power over fait Water, frelh Water, and that of Lakes or Pools. antient T/Je Heathen God s. 57 antient Poets all make this Inftrument of Brafs ; the modern Painters of Silver. CHAP. XVIII. Of Pluto.' ♦ E now come to the third Brother of Jupiter^ and not the lead: formidable, if we confider his Power and Dominion. He was alfo the Son of Saturn and Ops , and when his victorious Brother had eftablifhed himfelf in the Throne, he was rewarded with a Share in his Father’s Dominions, which, as fome Authors fay, was the Eafern Continent and lower Part of Ajia. Others make his Divifion lie in the Weft, and that he fixed his Refidence in Spain , which being a fertile Country, and abounding in Mines, he was efteemed the God of Wealth (5). Some imagine that his being regarded as the Ruler of the Dead , and King of the infernal Regions, pro¬ ceeded from his firft teaching Men to bury the De- ceafed, and inventing Funeral Rites to their Honour. Others fay he was a King of the Moloffans in Epirus , called Aidoneus or Orcus , that he ftole Proferpindz teaching Men to bury the De- called Aidoneus or Orcus , that he ftole Preferpina's, ■ Wife, and kept a Dog called Cerberus , who devoured Piritbous , and would have ferved Tbefeus in the fame ■ Manner, if Hercules had no.M.ime!y interpofed to fave- him. The Poets relate the Matter differently : They tell us that Pluto, chagrin’d to fee himfelf chiidlefs and unmarried, while his two Brothers had large Families,, mounted his Chariot to vifit the World, and arriving in Sicily , chanced to view Proferpine , with her Com¬ panions, gathering Flowers (6). Urged by his Pa (lion he forced her into his Chariot, and drove her to the' River Cb'emarus , through which he opened himfelf a Paftage back to the Realms of Night. Ceres dificon- Woild, and arriving '-?! Ceres dificon- (5) Some Poets confound Pluto the Gcd of Hell with Plutus the God of Riches ; whereas they are two very diOinft Deities, and ■were always fo conhdered by the Antients (6) la the Valley of JEnna near Mount JEtnci, c 5 folate * * * 58 Fabulous HISTORY of folate for the Lofs of her beloved Daughter, lighted two Torches at the Flames of Mount /Etna , and wandered through the World in Search of her; till hearing at lalt where fhe was, Ihe carried her Com¬ plaint to Jupiter , who on her repeated Solicitations, promifed that Proferpine fhould be reflored to her, provided die had not yet tafted any Thing in Hell. Ceres joyfully bore this Commiflion, and her Daughter was preparing to return, when Afcalaphus the Son of Acheron and Gorgyra gave Information, that he faw Proferpine eat fome Grains of a Pomegranate fhe had gathered in Pluto's Orchard, l’o that her Return was immediately countermanded. Afcalaphus was for this malicious Intelligence transformed into a Toad. But Jupiter , in order to mitigate the Grief of Ceres , for her Difappointment, granted that her Daughter fhould Half the Year refide with her, and the other Half continue in Hell with her Hufband. It is eafy to fee, that this Part of the Fable alludes to the Corn, which muft remain all the Winter hid in the Ground, in or¬ der to fprout forth in the Spring and produce the Har- veil. Pluto was extremely revered both amongft the Greeks and Romans. He had a magnificent Temple at Pylosy near which was a Mountain, that derived its Name from the Nymph Menthe , whom Proferpine , out of Jealouly at Pluto's Familiarity with her, changed into the Herb called Mint. Near the River Corellus in Bceotia this Deity had alfo an Altar in common wish Pallas , for fome myftical Reafon. The Greeks called him Agelefus , becaufe all Mirth and Laughter were banifhed his Dominions ; as alfo Hades , on Account of the Gloominefs of his Dominions. Among the Romans he had the Name of Februus , from the Luf- trations ufed at Funerals, and Summanus becaufe he was the chief of Ghofts, or rather the Prince of the infernal Deities.; He was alfo called the terreflrial or infernal Jupiter. His chief Feftival was in February , and called Cbarifiiay becaufe then Oblations were made for the Dead, at which Relations afilfted, and all Quar¬ rels I The' ETe a t hen God s. 59 rels were amicably adjufled. Black Bulls were the Victims offered up, and the Ceremonies were per¬ formed in the Night, it not being lawful to facrifice to him in the Day-time (7). Pluto is ufually represented in an Ebony Chariot drawn by four Black Horfes, whofe Names the Poets have been.careful to tranfmit (8) tp us. Sometimes he holds a SceptFe to denote his Power, at others a Wand with which he commands and drives the Ghofts. Ho¬ mer fpeaks of his Helmet, as having the Quality of rendering the Wearer invifibie $ and tells us that Mi¬ nerva borrowed it when fhe fought againft the Tro¬ jans , to be concealed from Mars. Let us now feek the Mythology of the Fable in that Country where it firft.fprung, and we iliall find that the mylcerious Symbols of Truth became, in the -Sequel, through Abufe, the very Sources of Idolatry and Error. Pluto was indeed the Funeral Qfir is of tne Egyptians. Thefe People (9) every Year, at an ap¬ pointed Seafon, aiTembled to mourn over and offer Sacrifices for their Dead. The Image that was ex- poled, to denote the Approach of this Solemnity, had the Name of Pelontab (to), or the Deliverance , becaufe they regarded the Death of the Good, as a Deliver¬ ance from Evil This Figure was reprelented with a radiant Crown, his Body being entwined with a Ser¬ pent, accompanied with the Signs of the Zodiac to* dignify the Duration of one Sun, or Sol,ar Year. % (7) On Account of his A^erfion to the Light. '(B) OrpbticeuS) JEthott, Nyfleus, and Alafior. ( 9 ) The Jews retained this Cuftcm, as we find by the annual Larnen ations of the Virgins over J?.ptka y s Daughter. (10) From Palat y to free or deliver, comes PeUutab Delive¬ rance, "which is eafily by Corrupt icn made Flu to, , Chapter. Chapter. Some fay fhe was brought up by Minerva and Diana, and being extremely beautiful was court¬ ed both by Mars and Apollo > who could neither of them obtain her Mother’s Confent: 'Jupiter , it is faid, was more fuccefsful, and ravifhed her in the Form of a Dragon. The Phoenicians on the other Hand affirm with more Reafon, that ihe was earlier known to them than to the Greeks or Romans ; and that it was about 200 Years after the Time of Mofes 9 that fhe was car¬ ried off by Aid&neus or Orcus King of the MoloJJians . Jupiter , on her Marriage with Pluto, gave her the Ifle of Sicily - as a Dowry ; but fhe had not been long in the infernal Regions, when the Fame of her Charms induced Phefeus and Pirithous , to form an Affociation to carry her off. They delcended by Way of Poena- rus, but fitting to reft tbemfelves on a Rock in the infernal Regions, they could not rife again, but con¬ tinued fixed, till Hercules deliveied PhefeuSy becaufe his Grime confided only in affifting his Friend, as bound by Oath (i) ; but Pirithous was left in Durance, becaufe he had endangered himfelf through his own Wilfulnefs and Rafhnefs. Others make Proferpine the fame with Luna , He¬ cate, and Diana , the fame Goddefs being called Lu¬ na in Heaven, Diana on Earth, and Hecate in Hell , 9 when fhe had the Name of Prtformis or Pergemina. The Greeks called her Defpoina , or the Ladyy on Ac¬ count of her being Queen of the Dead. Dogs and barren Cows were the Sacrifices ufual offered to her. She is reprefented under the Form of a beautiful Woman enthroned, having fomethiDg ftern and me¬ lancholy in her Afpedt. The mythological Senfe of the Fable is this : The Name of Proferpine or Porfephone , amongft the Egyp¬ tians, was ufed to denote the Change produced in the* Earth by the Deluge (2), which deftroyed its former (1) They agreed to afltft each other in gaining a Mifhrefs. Pirithous had helped Pkejeus to get Helena , who in Return at* tended him in this Expedition. (2) From Periy Fruit, and Pat at, to perifh, comes Perephat - tab, or the Fruit lojl: From Peri, Fiuit, and Saphon, to hide. comes or the Corn deftroyed or hid. Fertility, "The HeathenGods. -61 Fertility, and rendered Tillage and Agriculture ne* ceflary to Mankind. I T is evident that the Heathens had a Notion of future Punifhnients and Rewards, from the De- fcriptions their Poets have given of Tartarus and Ely - Jtum, though the whole is incumbered with Fidtion. According to Plato, Apollo and Ops brought certain brazen Tablets from the Hyperboreans to Delos , de¬ ferring the Court of Pluto as little inferior to that of Jove ; but that the Approach to it was exceeding dif¬ ficult on Account of the Rivers Acheron, Cocytus y Styx and Phlegethon,' which it was neceffary to pafs in order to reach thefe infernal Regions. Acheron was, accoiding to fome, the Son of Titan and Terra, or as others fay, born of Ceres- in a Cave, without a Father. The Reafon afllgned for his being fent to Hell is, that he furnifhed the Titans with Wa¬ ter, during their War with the Gods. This fliews it was a River, not a Perfon ; but the Place of it is not afeertained. Some fixing it amongfl the Cimmerians 9 near Mount Circe (3), and in the Neighbourhood of Cocytus • others making it that fulphureous and (link¬ ing Lake near Cape Mifenum in the Bay of Naples (4), * and not a few tracing its Rife from the Acherufian Fen in Epirus, near the City of Pandojia \ from whence it flows till it falls into the Gulf of Amhracia. The next River of the Plutonian Manfions is Styx r . though whether the Daughter of Oceanus or Terra , . is uncertain. She was married to Pallas or Piras , by whom fhe had Hydra. To Acheron fhe bore Vittory who having aflifted Jupiter againfl the Giants, he re¬ warded her Mother (5) with this Privilege, that the xnoft foie am Oath amongfl tine Gods flhould be by her (3) "On the Coaft of Naples. (4) Near Cuma . (3) Some fay it was on her own Account-, for difeovering the Combination of the Giants agaihil Jupiter , Deity,. • Fabulous HISTORY Deity, viz. the River Styx ; fo that when any of them were fufpeCted of Falfhood, Iris was difpatched to bring the Stygian Water in a golden Cup, by which he fwore j and if he afterwards proved perjured, he was deprived for a Year of his Neffar and Amhrofea , and for nine Years more, feparated from the celellial Aflembly. Some place Styx near the Lake of Avernus in Italy ; others make it a Fountain near Nonacris in Arcadia , of fo poifonous and cold a Nature, that it would,diffolve all Metals (6), and could be contained in no Veflel. Cocytus and Pblegethon are faid to flow out of Styx by contrary Ways, and re unite to increafe the vafl: Channel of Acheron. The Waters of Pblegethon were represented as Streams of Fi e, probably on Account of their hot and fulphureous Nature. CHAP, XXL Of the Parc,®- or Destinies. i T HESE infernal Deities, who prefided over hu¬ man Life, were in Number ‘Three, and had each their peculiar Province afllgned, Clotho held the DiftafF, Lachefis drew or fpun off the Thread, and Atropos Hood ready with her Sciflars to cut it afunder. Thefe were three Sillers, the Daughters of Jupi - % ter and Themis, and Sifters to the, Horae or Hours ; according to others, the Children of Erebus and A 7 ox. O ' They were Secretaries to the Gods, whofe Decrees they wrote. We are indebted to a late ingenious Writer for the true Mythology of thefe Characters. They were no¬ thing more originally than the myftical Figures or Symbols, which reprefented the Months of January , February , and March amongfl the Egyptians. They depicted thefe in Female Dreffes, with the Inftru- ments of Spinning and Weaving, which was the great JBufinefs carried on in that Seafon. Thefe Images % (<5) It is reported Alexander was poifoned with it at Babylon , and that it was carried for this Purpofe in_an Aft’s Hoof, they The Heathen Gods. they call’d (7) Parc , which fignifies Linen Cloth , to denote the Manufacture produced by this Industry The Greeks , who knew nothing of the thefe allegorical Figures, gave them a Senfe of Turn fuitable their G fertile in FiCtion The Parcee were defcrtbed or reprefented in Robes of Wh Throne and feated on , border’d with Purple, with Crowns on their Heads, compofed of the Flowers of the Narciffi CHAP. XXII. Of the Harpyes. ^T'HE next Group of Figures we meet in the § fhadowy Realms are the Hurpyes, who were Three in Number, Celeno, Aello and Ocypete, the Daughters of Oceanus , and Terra. They lived in Th race , had the Faces of Virgins, the Ears of Bears, the Bodies of Vultures, with human Arms and Feet, and long Claws. Phene us King of Arcadia, for re¬ vealing the Myfteries of Jupiter , was fo tormented by them, that he was ready to peiifh for Hunger, they devouring whatever was fet before him, till the Sons of Boreas , who attended Jafon in his Expedition to Colchis , delivered the good old King, and drove thefe Mongers to the Blands called Echinades , 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 , ef'pecially the two latter, Egypt was greatly fubjeCl to Itorniy Winds, which laid wafte their Olive Grounds, and brought numerous Swarms of Graihoppers and other troublefome InfeCls from the Shores of the Red Sea, which did infinite Damage to the Country. The Egyptians therefore gave Figures which proclaimed thefe three Months, a Female Face, with the Bodies (7) From Parc f or Parcket , a Cloth, Curtain or Sail. 64 Fabulous HISTORY of and Claws of Birds, and called them Harop (8), a Name which fufHciently denoted the true S.nfe of the Symbol. All this the Greeks realized, and embel- lifhed in their Way. CHAP. XXIII. Of Charon Cerberus. C HARON, according to Hefiod’s Theology, was the Son of Erebus and Nox> the Parents of the greateft Part of the infernal Mongers. His Poll was to ferry the Souls of the deceafed over the Wa¬ ters-of Acheron. His Fare was never under one Half¬ penny, nor exceeding Three, which were put in the Mouths of the Perfons interred ; for as to fuch Bodies * who were denied Funeral Rites, their Ghofts were forced to wander an hundred Years on the Banks of % the River, Virgil's Eneid VI. 330, before they could be admitted to a Paffage. The Hermonienfes alone claimed a free Paffage, hecaufe their Country lay fo near Hell. Some mortal Heroes alfo, by the Favour of the Gods, were allowed to vifit the infernal Re¬ gions, and return to Light ; fuch as Hercules y Orphsus y Ulyfes , Tbefeus and /Eneas, This venerable Boatman of the lower World, is reprefented as a fat fqualid old Man, with a bufhy grey Beard and rheumatick Eyes, his tattered Rags fcarce covering his Nakednefs. His Difpolition is mentioned as rough and morofe, treating all his Paf- fengers with the fame impartial Rudenefs, without Regard to Rank, Age, or Sex. We ilia 11 in the Se¬ quel fee that Charon was indeed a Real Perfon, and juftly merited this Charadter. After croffing the Acheron , in a Den adjoining to the Entrance of Pluto's Palace, was placed Cerberus , or the three-headed Dog, born of Typhon and Echid- na y and the dreadful MaflifF, who guarded thefe gloomy Abodes. He fawned upon all who entered, » (8) From Haroph , or Harop ? a noxious Fly*, or from Arbeh i .. a Locuft. but The Heathen Gods. 65 but devoured ^11 who attempted to get back ; yet Hercules once mattered him, and dragged him up to Earth, where in ftruggling, a Foam dropped from his Mouth, which produced the poifonous Herb, called Aconite , or Wolf-Bane. Hefiod gives Cerberus fifty, and fome a hundred Heads ; but he is more commonly reprefented with Three. As to the reft, he had the Tail of a Dra¬ gon, and inftead of Hair, his Body was covered with Serpents of all Kinds. The dreadfulnefs of his Bark or Howl, Virgil's EneidVl. 416, and the intolerable Stench of his Breath, heightened the Deformity of the Pi&ure, which of itfelf was fufKciently difagree- able.' CHAP. XXIV. Of Nox and her Progeny, Death, Sleep, &c. w N O X was the moft antient of the Deities, and Orpheus afcribes to her the Generations of Gods and Men. She was even reckoned older than Chaos. She had a numerous Offspring of imaginary Children, as Lyffa, or Madnefs, Erys , or Contention, Death , Sleep , and Dreams , all which {he bore with¬ out a Father. From her Marriage with Erebus , pro¬ ceeded Old Age, Labour , Love , Fear , Deceit , Emu - lation , Mifery, Darknefs, Complaint , Objlinacy , and Partiality , Want , Care, DiJ appointment, Difeafe , War and ILlinger In fhort, all the Evils which at¬ tend Life, and which wait round the Palace of Pluto to receive his Commands. Death brings down all Mortals to the infernal Ferry. It is faid that her Mother, Nox , beftowed a peculiar Care in her Education, and that Death had a great Affection for he-r Brother Somnus , or Sleep , of whofe Palace Virgil has given us a fine Defcription, Mneid VI. 894. Somnus had feveral Children, of whom Morpheus was the ntoft remarkable, for his fatiricai Humour, and excellent Talent in mimicking the Ac¬ tions of Mankind. # 66 Fabulous HISTORY of Amongft the Eleans , the Goddefs Nox, or Night* was reprefented by a Woman holding in each Hand a Boy afleep, with their Legs diftorted ; that in her Right was White , to fignify Sleep, that in her left Black , to figure or reprefen l Death, The Sacrifice offered to her was a Cock , becaufe of its Enmity to Darknels, and rejoicing at the Light, Somnus was ufually reprefented with Wings, to denote his univer- fal Sway. P- XXV. Of the Infernal Judges, Minos Rh a daman thus, and /Eacus. 9 F T F.R entering the Infernal Regions, juft Tartarus a no Separation of the two Roads which lead to m, is placed the Tribunal of the orable judges, who examine the Dead, and pafs a final Sentence on departed Souls. .. The chief Euro pa. After his Father’s Death the Cretans would not admit him to fucceed him in the Kingdom, till praying to Nep- , that God caufed a Horfe to which he obtained the King- of thefe was Minos' the Son of Jupiter and Brother of Rhadamanthus and Sarpedon tune to give him a Sig life out of the Sea, 01 dom Some think that this alludes to his reducing thefe Iflanders to Subje&ioo, by means of a powerful Fleet It is added, that Jove kept him nine Years a Cave, to teach him Laws, and^the concealed Art of Government Rhadamanthus his Brother was alfo a great Legif- lator. fled to OEchalia in Besot It is faid, that having killed his Brother, he where he married Alcme na y Widow of Amphyt judge fuch as died impenitent His Prov was to Macus was the Son of Jupiter , by Mg the Ifle of Mg na. When called from his Mother) was pulated by a Plague, his Fathe in Compaflion to his Grief, changed all the Ants there into Men and Women. The Meaning of which Fable is, that when « 67 when the Pyrates had depopulated the Country, and forced the People to fly to Caves, JEacus encouraged them to come out, and by Commerce and lndultry re¬ cover what they had loft. His Character for Jultice was fuch, that in a Time of univeifal Drought, he was nominated by the Delphic Oracle to intercede for Greece , and his Prayer was anfwertd. Rhadamnntbas and ALacus were only inferior Judges* the fir It of whom examined the Afiaticks , the latter the Europeans , and bore only Rods as a Mark of their Office. But all difficult Cafes were referred to Minos , who fat over them with a Scepter of Gold. "I heir Court was held in a large Meadow, called the Field of Truth. Plato and Tully add Triptolemus to thefe as a Fouith Judge. CHAP. XXVf. O/Tartarus, and the Eume- nides or Furies. I N the Recedes of the infernal Regions lay the Seat or Abode of the wicked Souls, called Tartarus , jeprefented by .the Poets, as a vail deep Pit, furround- ed with Walls and Gates of Brafs, and totally de>- prived of Light. This dreadful Prifon is.furrounded by the Waters of Phlegethon , which emit continual F'lames. The Cuflody of the unfortunate Wretches doomed to this Place of Puniflmient, is given to the Eumenides, or Furies , who are at once their Gaolers and Executioners. The Names of thefe avengeful Sillers were 77 /*- phone , Aiedo , and Megger a • but they went by the general Appellation of the Furi begot hurled him down to Tartar where he fixed a Wheel encompalfed with Serpents, and which without cealing Sr ifiph us was a Defendant of AEolus . and ried Merope , or Piis Re fide f the Pleiades ho bore him Glaucus was at Epira in Peloponnefus , and Natui fry Man. The Reafons given for his Punifli- various, though all the Poets agree as'to its hich was of a Hill, from whence great Stone to the Top ftantly fell down again fo that his Labour was inceiTantly renewed ( 4 ) Tantalus a Phrygian Monarch, the Son of Jupiter in an Enter and the Nymph Plot a, had Impiety he gave the Gods, to kill his Son Pelops and ferve him up as one of Diih All the D perceived the Fraud but Ceres , who eat one of his Shoulders ; but in Compallion to his Fate, fhe reftored (4) Some make Sjftphtis a Trojan Secretary, who was pu- nilhed for diicovering Secrets of State. Others fay he was a no¬ torious Robber killed by Thefeus . him Jhe Heathen Gods. 71 him to Life by boiling him in a Cauldron, and gave him an l were condemned to draw Wa¬ ter out of a Well with' Sieves, and pour it into a cer¬ tain Veffel ; fo that their Labour was without End or Succefs. CHAP. XXVIII. Of the Elysian Fields, and Lethe. . * s B Y Way of Contrail to Tartarus, or the Prifon of the Wicked, let us place the Elyftan Fields, or the happy Abodes of the Juft and Good, of which (5) He afterwards dethroned Danaus. 72 Fabulous HISTORY of Virgil , of all the antient Poets has given us the moft agreeable Pidlure, Virgil's JEneid VI. 635. It were endleis to give all the Variety of Defcriptions, which a Subject of this Nature affords Room for. An eter¬ nal Spring of Flowers or Verdure, a Sky always fe- rene, and fanned by ambrofial Breezes, an univerfal Harmony and uninteriupted Joy enbalmed thefe de¬ lightful Regions. But at the End of a certain Period, the Souls placed here returned to the World to re¬ animate new Bodies, before which they were obliged to drink at the River Lethe { 6), whofe Waters had the Virtue to create an Oblivion of all that had paffed in the former Parts of their Lives. To illuftrate all this complexed Chaos of Fable, let us once more have recourie to the Egyptian Mytno- logy, where we {hall find the whole Secret of 'Tartarus and the Elyfian Fields unravelled. There was near each of the Egyptian Towns a certain Ground ap¬ pointed for a common Burial Place. That at Mem~ phis, as defcribcd by Diodorus, lay on the other Side of the Lake Ackerufia (7) to the Shore of which the deceafed Perfon was brought, and fet before a Tri¬ bunal of Judges appointed to examine into his Con¬ duct. If he had not paid his Debts his Body was de¬ livered to his Creditors, till his Relations Tekafed it, by collecting the Sums due. If he had not faithfully obferved the Laws, his Body was left unburied, or probably thrown into a Kind of common Shore Called Tartarus (8). The fame Hiftorian informs us, that near Memphis there was a leaking Veifel into which they inceffantly poured Nile Water, which Circum- ftance gives ground to imagine, that the Place where unburied Bodies were caft out, was furrounded with Emblems expreifive of Torture or Remorfe, fuch as a Man tied on a Wheel always in Motion; another whofe Heart was the prey of a Vulture ; and a Third (6) Atto ny; X»;9>sf, or Oblivion (7) From Acharei, after, an Aijb, Man, comes Achariis, or the lajl Slate of Man , or Acheron , that is, the ultimate Condition . (87 From the Chaldaick Torah, Admonition, doubled, comes Tar iarah, or Tartarus , that is, an extraordinary IVarni The Heathen Go d s. 73 rolling a Stone up a Hill with fruitlefs Toil. Hence the Fables of Ixior ?, Prometheus , and Syftpbus. When no Accufer appeared againil the Decenfed, or the Accufer was convidled 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 (9) and tranfported it acrofs the Lake, to a Plain embellished with Groves, Brooks, and other rural Ornaments. This Place was called Elizout y (io), 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 (1) ; and the Ceremony of Interment was ended by thrice (2) fprinkling Sand over the Aperture of the Vault, and thrice bidding the Deceafed Adieu. All thefe wife Symbols addreffed as fo many Inftru&ions to the People, became the Sources of endlefs Fi6h'on, Egyp - tians regarded Death as a Deliverance (3). The Boat of Tranfportation they called Berts (4), or Tranquil¬ lity ard the Waterman, who was impartial in the juft Execution of his Office, they (tiled Charon t which (ignifies Inflexibility or Wrath. when tranfplanted to Greece and Rome. The (9) Sometimes the Judges denied even to their Kings Funeral Rites on Account of heir Mil-government. (10) From Eli&outy full Satisfaction, or a Place of Repofe and J°y- (1) They placed this Image on Account of that Animal’s known Fidelily to Man. The three Heads denoted the three Funeral Cries over the Corpfe, which is the Meaning of the Name, from Cert or Cri, an Exclamation ; and fromBer iheGrave or Vau : t, comes Cerber , or Cerberus , the Cries of (he Grave. (2) Injeflo ter pulvtre. Horace, Be ok I. Ode 2,8. (3) They call it Felouiahy Alleviation or Deliverance, i/;- race has ihe fame Thought. Levare funclum pauperemLaboribus . Carm. I. 2. Od 18. (4) From Beriy Quiet, Serenity ; whence Diodorus Siculus calls Charon's Ba.k Ba/ is. D C H A P. 74 % Fabulous HISTORY of 4 C H A P. XXIX. Of Apollo. § A HIS Deity makes one of the mod confp’cuous A ,. Figures in the Heathen Theology, indeed not oinjuftly, from the glorious Attributes afcribed to him of being the God of Light , Medicine , Verfe and Pro - fhecy. Fully mentions four of this Name, the molt undent of whom was the -Son of Vulcan , and tutelary God of the Athenians ; the Second a Son of %oryhas and born in Crete ; the Third an Arcadian , called Nomion , from his being a great Legiflator; and the to whom the greateil Honour is afcribed, the Son of Jupiter and Latova (5), whole Beauty having gain¬ ed the Affection of the King of the Gods, Juno, on ■difcovering her Pregnancy, drove her out of Heaven, and commanded the Serpent Python to deftroy her, •from whole Pur fait Latona fled to the I fie of Delos In .the Shape of a Qjail (6), where die was delivered of Twins, called Diana and Apollo , the Latter of whom foon after his Birth,deltroyed theMonfter Python with his Arrows (7), though fome defer the Time of this Vi£tory till he came to riper Years. But Latona 's • Troubles did not end here, for flying into Lycia with her Children, die was denied the Water of the Foun¬ tain Mela , by the Shepherd Niocles and his Clowns, upon which die turned them into Frogs. After fet¬ tling her Son Apollo in Lycia , die returned to Delos , and Diana went Xo refide in Crete. The Adventures of Apollo are pretty numerous. The mod remarkable, are his Quarrels with Jupiter , on Account of the Death of his Son Mfculapius , killed by that Deity on the Complaint of Pluto , that he de- creafed the Number of the Dead by the Cures he per¬ formed. Apollo * to revenge this Injury, killed the Cyclops , who forged Jove's Thunderbolts, for \yhich (5) The Daughter of Cans the Titan. and Phoebe. ( 6 ) Whence the Hie was called Ortygia , though fome fay (hat Neptune railed it out of (he Sea to give her Refuge. (7) Some alfert that Diana affifted him in this Fight. he . 1 * t r m 4 The Heathen G o r> s barn'Hied Heaven, and endured great tt * /3 u fFer ings on Earth, being forced to hire himfelf as a Shep herd to (g) Ad. ercifing which Olfi Lyre or Lute King of Thejfaly , during ex he footh faid to have invented the Trouble. In this Retire- odd Incident happened to him; Mercury was born in the Morning fic k, and compofed Noon he had learned Mu Tefludo and the Evening coming to Apollo he fo amufed him with this new In ftrumeht, that he found an Opportunity to fteal his Cattle. Re Hi lu lo that Apollo difcovering the Theft, and infiftin^ that he Laughter (9) fly Deity dole his Bow and Arrows forced to change his Refentment into From Tbeffeily, Apollo removed to Sparta, and fet tied near the River Ear where he fell in Love with a at play fair Boy called Hyacinthus , with whom being Zephyrus through Envy blew Apollo's Qr Head, and killed him the Spot To pre ferve his Memory, the God from his Blood raifed the Flower which bears his Name (10). Though accord¬ ing to others, he only tinged it with the Violet (which was white before) into a Purple. Cyparijfi beautiful Boy, a Favourite of Apollo Fawn or being exceflively grieved for the Death of Deer he loved, was changed by him to a Cyprefs Tree which is flncefacred to Funeral Rites. ApoL finding Nept next vifatdLaomedon King of Troy, where in the fame Condit with himfelf, and exiled from Heaven, they agreed with that King to furnifh Bricks to build the Walls of his Capital : He alfo afliited Alcathous in building a Labyrinth, in (8) Some give this Hiftory another Turn, and tell us that Apollo being King of the Arcadians , and depol'ed for his Tyranny, fled to Admetus , who gave him the Command of the Country ly¬ ing near the River Amphryjas, inhabited by Shepherds. i 9 ) 'Te loves dim, nijt reddidifles Per dolutr. amotas, puerum mined Vice dum terret , Yiduus Pharetra Rifit Apollo. Horat. Lib. I. Ode X. !. 10. (10) The Hyacinth or Violet. D 2 which 76 Fabulous HISTORY of which was a Stone whereon he ufed to depofit his Lyre y and which emitted an harmonious Sound on the ilightetl Stroke. O m Though Apollo wasdillinguimcd for his Excellency in Mufick, yet he was extremely jealous of Rivallhip on this Head. The Mufes were under his immediate Protection, and the Gralshopper was confecratcd to him by the Athenians on Account of its Harmony (i). We find Midas King of Phrygia being con di¬ luted 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 Affes Eair, to point out his bad Talte (2). Ovid has deferibed this Story in an agreeable Manner. Linus , who ex¬ celled all Mortals in Mufick, prefuming to fing with Apollo , was puniihed with Death ; nor did Marfyas the Satyr cfcape much better, for having found a Flute or Pipe, -which Minerva threw away (3), he had the Vanity todifpute the Prize with Apollo , who being decreed Victor, hung his Antagonist on the next Pine Tree, and fleaed him alive ; but afterwards changed him into a River, which falls into the Me¬ ander. This Deity was fo (killed in the Bow, that his Ar¬ rows were always fatal. Python and the Cyclops experi¬ enced their Force. When the Giant Tityus endea¬ voured to ravilli Diana , he transfixed and threw him into Hell, where the Vultures preyed on his Liver. Niobe the Daughter of Tantalus , and Wife of Am - phson , being happy in feven Sons and as many Daughters, was fo foolifii as to prefer herfclf to Latona. This fo enraged Apollo and Diana , that the former (lew her Sons with his Darts, and the latter killed her (i) The Grecian Poets celebrate the Grafs’iopper as a very mufica! In left, that fings amongft the higheft Branches of the Trees ; fo that it mult have been a very different Creature fiom the Graf hopper known to us. See the Notes id Cooke's Hcfiod. (1) O'vtdy Book XI. Fab. Ill 1 . 90. (3) Becaufe as fhe blew it, feeing herfeif in a Fountain, Hie found it deformed her Face. Jupiter, The Heathen Gods; 77 'Jupiter, in companion to her incelTant Grief, turned into a Stone, which Hill emits JVioilture* inllead of Teais (4). The tiue Meaning of the Fable of Niobe is this ; it fignihed the Annual I'nnundation of Rgy.pt. The Af¬ front flic offered to Latonn was a Symbol to denote the Nwceflity Hie laid that People under of retreating to the higher Grounds. The fourteen Children of Niobe are the fourteen Cubits, that marked the In- creafe of the -Nile (5), Apollo and Diana killing them with their Arrows, reprefent Labour and Induftry, with the Afllftance of the Sun’s warm Influence, over¬ coming thefe Difficulties, after the Retreat of the Flood. Ntobe's being turned to a Stone, was owing to an Equivocation. The Continuance of Niobe was the Prefervation of Egypt. But the Word Selau, which fignified Safety, by a fmall Alteration (Selaiv) exprefTed a Stone. Thus Niobe became a real Perfon inetamorphofed to a Rock. Apollo refembled his Father Jupiter, in his great Propenfity to Love. He fpent fome Time with Venus in the Hie of F.hodes, and during their Interview it is Laid the Sky rained Gold, and the Earth was covered with Lillies and Rofes His mofi celebrated Amour was with Daphne (the Daughter of the River PeneusJ, a Virgin of 7 heffaly, who was herfelf prepofTefTed in Favour of Leucippus, a Youth of her own Age. Apollo, to be revenged on his Rival, put it in his Head to difguife himfelf amongll the Virgins who went a Bathing, who difeovering the Deceit, /tabbed him. After this the God purfued Daphne , who flying to preferve her Chaflity, was, on her Intreaties to the Gods, changed into a Laurel (6), whofe Leaves Apollo • immediately confecrated to bind his Temples, and made that Tree the Reward of Poetry. (4) Ovid, Book VI. 1. 310. (0 The Statue of Nile in the Tuilleries at Paris , has fou tildren placed by it, to denote thefe Cubits. (6) Ovid, Boos I. 1. 556. - £ ra fP* n g empty Praife He patch'd at Love, andfill'd kis Arms with Bays, Walle D 3 The 78 Fabulous HISTORY of The Nymph Bolina , rather than yield to his Suit, threw herielf into the Sea, for which he rendered her immortal: Nor was he more fuccefsful in his Courtlhipof the Nymph Cajfalia , who vanilhed from him in the Form of a Fountain, which was afterwards lacred to the Mules (7) He debauched Leucotboe> Daughter of Qrcbamus, King of Babylon , in the Shape of her Mother Eurynome . Clytia her Siller, jealous of her Happinefs, dil'covered the Amour to their Fa¬ ther, who ordered Leucothoe to be buried alive. Her Lover, in Pity to her Fate, poured Nedtar on the Grave, which turned the Body into the Tree, which weeps the Gum called Frankincenfe. He then aban¬ doned Clytia , who pined away, continually looking on the Sun, till /lie became the Heliotrope or Sun Flower (8). Of the Children of Apollo , we ftiall fpeak more at large in the following Section. Apollo had a great Variety of Names, either taken from his principal Attiibutes, or the chief Places where he was worfhipped. He was called the Healer , from his enlivening Warmth and cheering Influence, and Pcean, (9), from the peflilentiai Heats j to fignify the Former, the Ancients placed the Graces in his Right Hand, and for the Latter a Bow and Arrows in his Left: No mitts, or the Shepherd, from his fertilizing the Earth, and thence fuftainmg the Animal Creation ; Delius (10), from his rendering all Things maflifed ; Pythius, from his Viflory over Python $ Lycius, Phce - bus y and Phaneta , from his Purity and Splendor. The principal Places where he was worfhipped were Chryfus , Fen edos , Smyntha, Cylla, Cyrrha , Pair a a, Clarosy Cynthiusy Aboetiy a City in Lycta, at Miletus, and amongil: the Mceonians, from all which Places he was denominated. He had an Oracle and Temple at Frgyra, near which were two remarkable Fountains, (7) Thence called Cajlalian Sifters, (8) 0 nid 9 Book IV. 20$. (‘9) ’A7ro tS iralsiv ra$ ema? (10) ’A'rc'o ttu TTttvra iroisiv* called The Heathen Gcds. 79 called the Palm and the Olive, on Account of the Sweetnefs and Traniparency of the Water. He had an Oracle at Delos , for fix Months in the Summer Seafon, which for the Reft of the Year was removed to Pa tarn in Lycia , and thefe Removals were made with great Solemnity. Hut his moft celebrated Tem¬ ple was at Delphosy the Original of which was thus: Apollo being in (hunted in the Art of Divination by Pan the Son of jupiter y and the Nymph Thymbris, went to-this Oracle, where at that Time Themis gave her Anfwers; hut the Serpent Python hindering him from approaching the Oracle, he flew it, and fo took Pol- leliion of it. His Temple here in Procefs of Time, became fo frequented, that it was called the Oracle of the Earthy and all the Nations and Princes in the World vied with each other in their Munificence to it. Cr&fus, King of Lydia , gave at one Time a thou- fand Talents of Gold to make an Altar there, befides Prefents 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 de¬ livered by a Virgin Priefiefs (1) called Pythia, or Pbee~ has t placed on a Tripos (a), or Stool with three Feet, called alfo Cortina, from the Skin of the Python with which it was covered. It is uncertain after what Manner thel'e Oracles were delivered, though Cicero fuppofes the Pythonefs was infpired, or rather intoxi¬ cated by certain Vapours which afcended from the Cave. In Italy , Apollo had a celebrated Shrine at Mount Soracle , wheie his Priefts were fo remarkable lor Sandlity that they could walk on burning Coals unhurt, The Romans ere&ed to him many Temples. After the Battle 0 i Act ium, which decided the Fate of the World, and fecured the Empire to Augujlusy this* Prince not only built him a Chapel on that Promon¬ tory, ancl renewed the foleinn Games to him, but foon (\) Some fay that the Pythonefs being once debauched, the Oracles were afterwards delivered by an old Woman in the Drefs of a young Maid. (2) Authors vary as to the Tripos, fome making it 3 Veil'd in which the Pritttefs bathed. D 4. after So Fabulous STORY alter railed a moll magnificent Temple to him on Mo hies. Fa l m R owe', the w Parian M over the i I he Gates weie of Ivory extjuifitcly Solar Chariot and Hort iffy Gold. The Portico com a d a nobl e ry of Greek and Lai in A VV Li¬ the of the God by intings, and a Stau Scopas % attended a gantic Figure in Brats fifty Feet high, in the A E t- four brazen Cows, reprefenting the Daughter f Prcetus King m he Arg that Form for prefuming to rival J befe Statues were wrought by Myron who were changed Beauty Fhe ufual Sacrifices to Apollo, were Lambs , Bulls and Oxen, The A lacred to him were the IVolf, from his Acutenefs of Sight; the Crow, from her Augury, or foretelling the W n e fs Rife he Swan, from vining its own Death ; the Hawk, from its Bold- Flight ; and the Cock , from its foretelling h*s The Grafsbopper was alfo reckoned agreeable to him on Account of his Mufick, Of Trees, the Laurel, Palm, Olive , and Juniper were moft in E(- teem with him. All young Men, when their Beards grew, confecrated their Locks in his Temple, as the Virgins did theirs in the Temple of Diana r l he four great Attributes of Apollo were Divina¬ tion, Healing, Mufick , and Archery ; all which ma« nifeltly refer to the Sun. Light difpelling Darkrjefs is a tlrong Emblem of Truth dilfipating Ignorance ; what conduces more to Life and Health than the Solar Warmth, or can there be a jutter Symbol of the Plane¬ tary Harmony than Apollo's (3) Lyre ? As his laid to have dellroyed the Monfier Pytho h Rays dry up the noxious Moifiure, which is pernici Pla Vegetation and Fruitfulnefs The Perfians, who had a high Veneration for this adored it, and the Light proceeding from it, by the Names of Mi t hr a and Orafim the Egyp (3) The feven Strings of which are fgid to reprefent the feven Planets. tians The II E A V iien Go D 8 z turns by thale of Ofiris and Onts ; and from thei r Antiquities, let us now (celc (bine ill u il i at ion of the lit;th and Adventures of Apolio. '1 he 1 /is , which pointed out the Neomenia or monthly Feftival before their annual Inundation, was the fymbolical Figure of a Creature with the upper Part of a Woman, and the hinder of a Lizard placed in a reclining Poflure. This they called Leto (4), and ufed it to (ignify to the People the Neceflity of laying in the Provifions of Olives , parched Corn, and fucli other Kinds of dry Food, for their Subfillence, during the Flood. Now when the Waters of the Nile de- creafed time enough to allow them a Month, before the Entrance of the Sun into Sagittarius, the Egyp~ tian Fanner was fin e of Leifure enough to furvey and fow his Ground, and of remaining in abfolute Secu¬ rity till Harvelt. 'Phis Conquefl of the Nile was re- prelented by an Orus , or Image, armed with Arrows, and fuhduing the Monfler Python. This they called O;es (5), or Apollo (6). The Figure of J/is above- mentioned, they alfo (tiled Deione , or Diana (6), and they put in her Hind the Shmil, a Bird which with them was the Emblem of Security (8). the Ph rent chins into Thefe Emblems carried 1 Greece , gave Rife to all the Fable of Latona perfecu- ted by the Python , and flying to Delos in the Form of a Quail, where me boie Orus and Deione , cox Apollo and Diana. Thus (as on former GccaHons) the.Hie- rogiyphiclvs only defigned to point out the regular Feltivals, and to indiuit the People in what ithey were to do, became in .the End the Objedls of a fenfe- Ids and gre L Idolatry. # • % Whe n Tyre was befieged by Alexander the Cili zens bound, the Sta'ue of Apollo with Chains of Gold 9 (4) From Leto , or Letoah, a Lizard. (A From Mores, the Defiroyer or Waller. (6) Apollo fignifics the fame. (7) From Dei , fufficiency, comer. Deione , Abundance. (8) Solace in the Fhan-cian fignif.es Security, as al’o a Quails ■ hence they ufed the Quail to fignify the Thing. The Latin ■■ Words Sains, and Salvo ace derived from hence. but 82 Fabulous HISTORY of but when that Conqueror took the Place, he releafed the Deity who thence obtained the Name of Pbilax - andrus, or the Friend of Alexander. At Rhodes , where he was worfhippec! in a peculiar Manner, there was a Coloflal Image of him at the Mouth of the Har¬ bour feventy Cubits high (9). Phoebus (10) was very diiferentiy reprefented in dif¬ ferent Countries and Times, according to the Cha¬ racter he affirmed. To depiCt the Solar Light, the Perfians ufed a Figure with the Head of a Lion, co¬ vered with a Tiara, in the Perfean Garb, and hold¬ ing a mad Bull by the Horns, a Symbol plainly of Egyptian Original. The latter People expreffed him fometimes by a Circle with Rays ; at other Times by a Sceptre with an Eye over it: But their great Em¬ blem of the Solar Light, as diftinguifhed from the Oib itfelf, was the golden Seraph , or fiery flying Ser¬ pent (1). The Hicropolitans fhewed him with a point¬ ed Beard, thereby exprefling the llrong Emiflion of his Rays downward 5 over his Hehd was a Balket of Gold, refprefenting the ethereal Height: He had a Breaft-Plate on, and in his Right Hand held a Spear, on the Summit of which flood the Image of Victory (fo that Mars is but one of his Attributes) ; this be- fpoke him irrefiftible and ruling ail Things: In his Left-Hand was a Flower, imitating the vegetable Creation nouriflied, matured, and continued by hi^ Beams: Around his Shoulders he wore a Veft de- Gorgons and Snakes; this takes in Miner• it is expreffed the Virtue and Vigour of the Solar Warmth, enlivening the Apprehenfion and promoting Wifdom; whence alfo he is with great Propriety the Prefident of the Mufes: Clofe by were the expanded Wings of the Eagle reprefenting the /Ether , ftretched out from him, as from its proper % (9) We {hall (peak of this hereafter. (10) From Pheiips the Source, and ob the Overflowing, or the Source of the Inundation, the Egyptians exprefling the annual Ex¬ ec fs of the Nile by with a River proceeding from its Mouth. (1) Vide Macrob. Saturn. 1 . 1, 17. pifled with qja, and by Center; 8 > The Heathen God s. Center: At his Feet were three female Figures en circled by a Serapb y that in the midft being the Em' blem of the Earth riling in Beauty from th~ iV/I ‘ v,n ‘ Mid ft o Nature and C.onfufion (the other two) by the Err.ana tion of his Lights iigniHed by the Seraph ox Dragon. Under the Character of the Sun, Apollo- was de piCted in a Chariot drawn four Horfes, whole Names the Poets have taken Care to give us a& well as thofe of Pluto, The Poets feigned each Night r*ha£ he went to reft with Thetis in the Ocean, and that the next Morning the Hours got ready his Horfes for; him to renew his Courfe (fee Cambray’s Telemaque for a Pi&ure), and unbarred the Gates of Day. It is no Wonder they have been laviili on a Subject, which affords fuch extenfive Room for the Imagination to difplay itfeif, as the Beauties of the Sun-rifing. When; repiefented as Liber Pater (2), he bore a Shield to* iliew his Protection of Mankind. At other Times he was drawn as a heat diets Youth, his Locks di {Levelled,* 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 0 publick Sign or Sy feek for the Origin of this F The pofed by the Egyj> in blies, to wain the People to mark the their Alien Depth of the Inundation, in order to Ploughing accordingly, was the Figure of a M regu the a D G g Head cariying Pol ith Serp (led round it, to which they gave the Names of Anubis (5) 7b a a ( 6 ) s nd Mfculap f In procefs of Ti * they made Ufe of this Reprefentation for a real King who by the Stud of his Subjects Thu Phyfick fought the Prefervation Dog and the Serp be came the Charadteiifticks of JEfculapius amongft the Ramans and Greeks , who were entirely Strangers to ig’rsal Meaning of thefe Hieroglvphicks or Warner. Anub Hannobeach , whLh in Theenician fignifies the Barker ( The Word Rayant, fignifies the Dog. Ai/h Man, and Calepb^ Dog, comes Mfcaleph the Man-Dog, or JEJculapius JEfculap 86 Fabulous HISTORY of JEfculapius had, by his Wife Epione, two Sons,, Machaon and Podalirius, both fkilled in Surgery, and who are mentioned by Homer at the Siege of Troy , and were very ferviceable to the Greeks. He had alfo two Daughters, calied Hygicea and Jnfo. This # Deity is represented in different Attitudes. At Epidaurus his Statue was of Gold and Ivory (8)* feated on a Throne of the fame Materials, hi Orpheus-, and Hercules were ail his Scho¬ lars. Some fay he was (lain by the latter for lidiculing him • but if Orpheus (as others affirm) lived a hun¬ dred 7 ears before Hercules , it is rather probable that Linus was the Difciple of Orpheus. However this be v (9) This probably gave Rife to the Fable of his making Rocks and Forefts move to his Lyre, (10) From Oreph , Occiput, or the back Part of (he Head. (1) From Eri , a Lion ; and Daca , tamed, is formed Eridaca , Eurydice , or the Lion tamed* /. e . the Violence or Rage of the Inundation overcome. Linns Fabulous H I OR Y the Origin of the World, the Cotrrf( go Linus wrote of the Sun and Moon, aTid the Produ&ion of An After all, tians y which fonated. ISr V. tuju ujc i luuucuon or Animals Linus was only a'Symbol of the Egyp Greeks mg to Luflo At the End of Autumn or Harveft Egyptians fell to their Night-work of per- the Cloth Linus raking Linen during the Night Arijiceus was t gin Nymph, w and uie Figure then expofed was called fitting up or watching nd denoted Son of Apollo led Cvrene a Vi and whom he full fell in Love accompany him in Hunting w on encounter a Lion, ceived his Educatio him to extrad Oil fr Cheele, and Butter he e re He was born in Lybia. from the Nymphs, who taught make Honey, Oli and cated Mankind ; all which Arts he communi* On this Account he was regarded as a rura| Deity. From Africa he paffed into Sardi- travelled into Thrace , Ties, We and Sicily, from where Bacchus initiated him in his Myfl have already mentioned how his Palfion occafioned the Death of Eurydicey to revenge which the Wood Nymphs deftroyed his Bee-Hives. Concerned at thij Lofs he advifed with his Father. it her, and was told by the Oracle, to facrifice Bulls to appeafe her Shade ; and ha¬ ving followed this Advice, the Bees which iliued from their Carcafles fully fuppiied the Damages he had fuf- tained (4). He died near Mount H the Graces, and the Syre ns. T HESE celebrated GoddefTes, the Mu fee , were the Daughters of Jupiter and Mnemofyne , though fome think them born of Calus Their Num¬ ber at firft was only three or four (5), but Homer and Hefiod have fixed it at Mine (6), which it has never fince exceeded. They were born on Mount Pierus , and educated by the Nymph Eupbeme. They had many Appellations common to them all, as Pierides from the Place of their Birth ; Heliconides , from Mount Helicon mBceotia • Parnafjides, from the Hill of Parnajfus in Phocis ; Citherides from Mount Cither on* a Place they much frequented ; Aonides , from Aonia ; Hippnranides , Agannipides, and Caftali- des y fiom different Fountains confecrated to them, or to which they were fuppofed to refort. In general they were the tutelar GoddefTes of all facred Feftivals and Banquets, and the PatronefTes of all polite and ufeful Arts. They fupported Virtue in Diftrefs, and preferved worthy Actions from Oblivion. Homer calls them the Miftreffes and Correftrejfes of Manners (7). With regard to the Sciences, thefe (e^Mneme, Aede, Melete , that is, Memory , Singing, and Meditation, to which fome add Thelxiope, ( 6 ) Some afiign as a Reafon for this, that when the Citizens of Sicyon dire&ed three fk Iful Statuaries, to make each three S.a* tues of the three Mufes, they were all fo well executed, that the y. did not know which to chufe, but ere&ed all the Nine, and that lleftod only gave them Names. (7) Hence old Bards and Poets were in fuch high Efleem, that w hen Agamemnon went to the Si.ge of Troy, he left one with Clytetnnejh'a, to keep her faithful, and Egifihus could not corrupt her, till he had deftroyed this Counfeilor. Sifters The Heathen Gods. particular Province or Dep 93 Sillers had each a though Poetry Teemed more immediately under their ted Protection Calliope (To called Trom the Siveetnefs of her ) preTided over Rhetorick -, and was reckoned the full of the Nine Sillers. Clio, the Second (8), was the Mufe of Hiftory, and takes her Name from immortalizing the Ac- flie record Erato (9), was the Patronefs of elegiac, or amorcu Poetry, and the Inventrefs of Dancing (10) I 'Thalia belonged Comedy, and whatt was g a } : amiable, and pleafant. Euterpe , (named Trom her Love of Harmonv had the Care oT r f geo y Melpomene, (To fly led Trom the Dignity and Excel lency of her Song) was the Guardian MuTe of Lyri and Epic Poetry (1). Terpfichore was the ProteCbefs of Mufick, particu lariy the Flute (2). The Chorus of the ancient Dram was her Provi which Tome add Logick Fo Polyhymnia (3) belonged tha Harmony of Voice and Geflure, which gives a Perfection to Ora tory and Poetry, and which flows from juft Semi menfs and a good Memory. Urania was e Mufe hofe Care e* tended m divine or celeftial Subjects, fuch as the Hymns Praife of the Gods, the Motions of the heavenly Bo¬ dies, and whatever regarded Philofcphy or Aftrono my (4). . •The Mufes, tho’ mies to Love (5). Calliope and Terpftchore yielding faid to be Virgins , were no Ene- have already taken Notice of We Addreftes of (8) From KXs#* Glory (9), fiom Love (10), fr. m 0 a 7 vAgj>j, to flourifh or revive (1), fiom fxgXog 7 toUiv, to make a Concert or Symphony; (a) TE£7rstvTOi? to delight in Chorufes. (3) From 7 ro\ui; and /uveta, a great Memory. (4) From ypav(&>. Heaven. (5) The Virginity or Chaftity of the Mufes, is a Point de¬ puted by the ancient Wiiters, though the Majority inclines in their Favour. Apollo. that he hat! the Courage, or Vanity to contend (6) with the Mules ; but being overcome, they not only punifhed him with the Lois of Sight and Memory, but caufed Jupiter to call him into Hell, to expiate his Impiety. The Muf'es were reprefented crowned with Flowers, or Wreaths ot Palm, each holding lome Inftrument or Token ot the Science or Art over which the pretided. They were depicted as young, and the Bird lacred to them was the Swan (7). To trace the Origin of thefe fabulous Deities, it is necelfary to obferve, that the nine emblematical Fi¬ gures, which were exhibited among the Egyptians^ to denote the nine Months, during which that Coun¬ try was freed from the Inundation, had each lome In- itrument, or Symbol, peculiar to the Bufinefs of the Months, as a Pair of Compares, a Flute,,a Malk, a Tiumpet, &c. All thefe Images were purely hiero- glyphical, to point out to the People what they were to do, and to afeertain their Ufe, they were called the nine Mufes (8). The Greeks , who adopted this Groups of Emblems as fo many real Divinities, took (6) 'Tbatnyris wrote a Poem on the Wars of the Gods with the Titans, which exceeded eveiy Thing that had appeared of the Kind before. (7) Perhaps becaufe it was confecrated to their Mailer Apollo . (8) From the Word Moje , that is, laved or difengaged from the Waters ; whence the Name of Mofes given to the Hebr. no Lawgiver, fo near did the Phoenician and Egyptian Languages agree, with feme fmali Difference of Pronunciation only, made two diftin& Tongues. Care 1 The Heathen Gods. Care to give each a particular Name, failed to the In- liniments they bore, and which threw a new Difguife over the 1 rut I The Graces placed in the 1 alfo Attendants of the Mujt thu’ of Venus (9) Some make ihe Daughters of Jupiter and Eurynome , others of Bacchus and Venus, T hey were lin and Euphrofy Na relative to (10) two, 1 Lacedemonians and Atbeni /.iglaia , Lb a ir Naiuie knew but whom hey g Eteocles , King of the Orel different Appellations (t), • menians . was the lirlt who erected a Temple to them* Vegafus was a winged Ilorfe poduced by the Blood which fell from Medufas Head, when (lie was killed by Perjtus. He flew to Mount Helicon , the Scat of the Mufesy where, with a Stroke of his Hoof, he opened a Fountain called Hippocretie, or the Iiorfes Spring ( 2 ) 4 " The unravelling thefe Figures, will convince us how juftly they belong to this Atticle, as they com¬ plete its Illuftration. Near the nine female Figures, which betokened the dry Seafon, were placed three others representing the three Months of Inundation, and were drawn (ometiines fwathed, as incapable of ufmg their Hands and Feet. Thefe were called Cha¬ ri tout (3), or the Divorce. I he Refembiance of this Word to the Greek Charites , which fignifiea Thankfgivings or Favours, gave Rife to the P'able of the Graces , or three GoddelTes preflding over Bene¬ fits and outward Charms. (9) I chufe to place them here on account of the Explanation of the Fable under one View. (10) Aglaia, or Honefty, to (hew that Benefits fliould be be¬ llowed freely : Thalia , or flourifhing, fo denote that the Senfe of Kindnefs ought never to die ; and Euphrsjyne \ or Chearful- nefs, to fignify that Favours Ihould be conferred and received with mutual Fleafure. (1) The Spartan Graces were Clito and Phaena \ thofe of Athens , Auro and Hegetno (a) Fons Cahallinus. See Perjius , Satyr I. (3) From Charaty to divide, comes Charitout the Separation of Commerce. Yet, « 9& Fabulous HISTORY of Yet, as during the Inundation, all Parts could not be fo fully fupplied, but that i'ome Commerce was neceftary, they had Recourfe to frnall Barks, to fail fiom one City to the other. Now the emblematical Figure of a Sh ip or VefTel, in Egypt and Phoenicia , was a winged Horfe (4b by which Name the Inhabi¬ tants of Cadiz , a Phoenician Colony, called their Veflels. Now if the Mufes and Graces are the God- defTes which prehde over Arts and Gratitude, this Emblem becomes unintelligible. But if we take the nine Mufes for the Months of A&ionand Indufiry, and the three Graces for the three Months of Inundation and Reft, the winged Ho;fe, or Boat with Saiis, is a true ^ Picture of the End of Navigation, and the Return of rural Toils. To this Figure the Egyptians gave the Name of Pegafus (5), expreftive of its true Meaning. All thefe Images tranfplanted to Greece , became the Source of endlefs Confufion and Fable. ♦ By the Latin and Greek Poets, the Graces are re- prefented as beautiful young Virgins, naked, or but very (lightly cloathed (6), and having Wings on their Feet. They are alfo joined Hand in Hand, to de¬ note their Unity. The Syrens were the Daughters of Acbelous. Their lower Parts were like Fifties, and their upper like Women ; but they were fo fkilled in Muiick, that they infnared ail who heard them to Peftru&ion. Prefuming to contend with the Mufes , they v/e:e van- quiflied and ftripped at once of their Feathers and •Voices, as a Punidinient for their Folly. The Egyptians fometimes reprefented the three Months of Inundation by Figures half Female and half Filli, to denote to the Inhabitants their living in the miuft of the Waters. One of thefe Images bore ► (4) Straho Geograph. Lib. II. p. 99. Edit. Reg. Tans. (5) From Pag to ceafe, and Sus a Ship, Pegajus , or the Cef- fation of Navigation. (6} Solutts Gratis Zonis. Ode xxx. . ’Junftssque Nymphis Gra'ne decentes Alterno terram quatiunt Pede . Horace, Lib. 1 Ode iv. 5. in ! The Heathen Gods. 97 in her Hand the Siftrum , or Egyptian Lyre, to fhew the general Joy at the Floods arriving to its due Height, which was the Affurance of a lucceeding Year of Plenty. To thefe Symbols they gave the Name of Syrens (7), exprelfive of their real Meaning. The Phoenicians , who carried them into Greece , re- prefented them as real Perfons, and the Greeks and Romans had too ftrong a Tatle for the Fabulous, not to embellifli the Story (8). CHAP. XXXII. O/Diana, Luna, sr Kecate. AVING treated of the God of Wit and Har mony ith h now come to his Twin Siller Diana Offspring and Train, let us Chafiiry, and the Daughter of Her Father. Jupitet Goddefs of nd Latona. Virginity, bellow pointed her Qu at her Requeft, granted her perpe of a Bow and Af Wood ar>- a nd ailigned her a Guard of Nymphs to nd Forefls (9) tend her («o) S the Pa Rritomartis a Huntrefs-N'yinpl of Hunting thus d Net being on Day en the wild Boar was ap proa'ching her, vowed a Temple to Diana , and fo was preferved. Hence Diana had the Name j>f Dic- , and fay that Britomartis , whom Diana favoured on account tynna. Others relate the Story different!) of her Paffion for the Chafe g from Mi h er Lover, fell into the Sea, and was by her made a God defs. The Adventures of Diana make a pretty confidera ble Figure in poetical Hiltoiy, ai the Virtue of this Goddefs, if very levere. lerve fhew that iolable, was alfo Atfceon experienced this Truth to his (7) From Slur, a Hymn, and ranan to ling. (8) Hence our imaginary Form of the Mermaid. (9) Montium Cujios nemorumque Virgo. Horat. Lib. HI. (10) Sixty Nymphs, called Oceaninee , and twenty of the Af.er. E Coll. 98 Coft Fabulous HISTORY He was a young Prince Son of Arijlaeus and Autonoe , the Daughter of Cadmus, King of Thebes. As he was paffionately fond of the Sport, he had the Misfortune one Day to difcover Diana bathing with her Nymphs. TheGoddefs incenfed at the Jnuufion, changed him into a Stag - 9 fo that his own Dogs', miftaking him for their Game, purfued and tore him to Pieces. Ovid has wrought up this tore him to Piece Scene with great Art and Imagination (1) The Truth of Fable is faid to be as follows A doe on was a Man of Arcadia a great Lover of and Dogs and Hunting, and by keeping many Dog fpending his Time in hunting on the Mountains, he ely negledted his domeftic AfFa and being brought to Ruin, was generally called the wretched Adceon , who was devoured by his own Dogs. Meleager was another unhappy Victim of her Re- fentinent, and the more fo as his Punifhment was ow¬ ing to no Crime of his own. Oeneus his Father, King of ALtolia 9 in offering Sacrifices to the rural Deities, had forgot Diana. The Goddefs was not of a Cha¬ racter to put up with fuch a NegleCt. She fent a huge wild Boar into the Fields of Caledon , who laid every Thing wafte before him. Meleager , with Tbefeus and the Virgin Atalanta, undertook to encounter it. The Virgin gave the Monfter the fir ft Wound, and Mele - ager y who killed it, prefented her the Skin, which his Uncles took from her, for which he flew them. Althaea his Mother, hearing her two Brothers had periftied in this Quarrel, took an uncommon Re enge She remembered at the Birth of her Son, the Fates had own Billet into the Chamber, with an Alfurance the Boy would live, as that remained unconfumed. The Mother had till now carefully faved a Pledge on which fo much depended ; but in- Ipired by herprefent Fury, fhe threw it in the Flames, and Meleager inftantly feized with a confuming Dif- cafe expired as foon as it was b His Sifters (1) OviJj Lib. III. 131. who The Heathen o d s. 99 s who exceflively mourned bis Death, were turned i Hen-Turkies. Ovid has not forgot to embellifli Collection with this Story (2). Others relate the Story of Meleager thus : Diana had, to avenge herfeif of Oeneus, raifeda War be¬ tween the Cureies and Mtolians. Meleager, who fought at the Head of his Father’s Troops, had al¬ ways the Advantage, till killing two of his Mother’s Brothers, his Mother Althaea loaded him with fu Imprecations, that he retired from the Field. Cureies upon this advanced, and attacked the Capital of JEtolia . In vain Oeneus prefles his Son to arm ves and his Wife and repel the Foe his Mother forg him. He is inflexible till Cleop falls at his Feet, and reprefents their mutual Danger. Touched at this, he calls for his Armour , iflues to the Fight, and repels the Enemy. Nor was Diana lefs rigorous to her own Sex. Chi- one the Daughter of Daedalion , being carefled both by Apollo and Mercury, bore Twins, Phil a mo n the Son of Apollo, a famous Muflcian, and Aiitolicus the Son of Mercury , a fkilTui Juggler or Che Mother was fo imprudent to boatl of her Sha prefer the Honour of being Miflrefs at. and Mode.fty of Diana , which fhe afcribed Deities, Want of Beauty: For Goddefs pierced her Tongue with an Arrow, and deprived her of Power of future Boafting or Calumny. The River Alpheus fell violently enamoured of Diana , and having no courfe to Force The where Hie amufed herfeif fome Art Succefs, had Re- to the Letrint, Dancing, and with difguifed herfeif and her Nymphs, that Alpheus no longer knew them. For this, thefe Peo¬ ple ereCled a Temple to her. During the Chace one Day, Diana accidentally fliot Cenchrius » Son of Nymph Pry who be (2) Ovid, Lib. VIII. 7,61. * IOO Fabulous HISTORY of wailed Iran fo much that flie was turned into a Foun tain. Diana had a great Variety of Na die was called Cynthia and Delia , from the Place of her Birth Artemis , on account of her Honour ami Mod'efty Sp Arcadians , /lie was named Orrhoft By \irtans, Orthia. % Greece and Italy Her Tempi and by the were ma ny both but the mad canfiderable was E theft j •a tl by Cteftpb s, where die was herd in the higheft Venera- The Plan: of this magnificent Edifice was laid Ye v . W orld Ah x a n de bon , and the Structure of it employed for s, the a hi eft Architedls* and Statuaries in the It was fet on Fire by Erefiratus, on the Day the Great came into the World but was foori rebuilt with equal Splendor under Dinocrates who alfo built the City of Alexandria . The Sacrifice offered to Diana were the firft Fruits^dfthe Earth, Ox Rams, and white Hinds ho Or Vidtim were lame times devoted to her in Greece , as we find in the Cafe of Iphigenia. Her Feftival, was on the Ides of Auguft, after which Time all Hunting was prohibited, Diana was reprefented of an uncommon high Sta- her Hair difhevelled Bow in her Hand, and Quiver at her Back, a Deer-Skin faftened to her Breaft the Father of Canaan y fhould do Honour tp this Figure, and apply it to their Purpofes : For it is more than probable that, be¬ ing fo near at hand, he might be greatly afllfting to his Brother Mizraim in the Settlement of that Coun¬ try ; belides the Conlideration of their After-Obliga¬ tions to his Defcendant the Pkcenician> who is alfo Called the JEgyptian , Hercules . CHAP. XXXIV. Of Venus. T HE next Deity that offers, is that powerful Goddefs whofe Influence is acknowledged by Gods and Men. Cicero mentions four of this Name (6); but the Venus generally known is Ihe who is fabled to have fprung from the Froth or Fermen¬ tation raifed by the Genitals of Saturn , when cut off by his Son Jupiter , and thrown into the Sea. Hence Ihe gained the Name of Aphrodite (7). As foon as bom /lie was laid in a beautiful Conch or Shell, em- belii/hed with Pearl, and by gentle Zephyrs wafted to the Ifle of Cythera in the JEgean Sea, from whence Ihe failed to Cyprus, which ihe reached in April. Here, as foon as fhe landed, Flowers rofe beneath her Feet, the Hours received her, and braided her Hair with golden Fillets, after which fhe was by them wafted to Heaven. Her Charms appeared fo attrac¬ tive in the AfTembly of the Gods, that fcarce one of them but what delired her in Marriage. Vulcan , by the Advice of Jupiter , put Poppy in her Ned a r , and, by intoxicating her, gained PofTeffion. Few of the Deities have been fo extenlively wor- Ihipped, or under a greater Variety of Names. She 9 * (6) The 1 ft the Daughter of Caelum % the id the Venus Aphro -f dita ; the 3d born of Jupiter and Dione y and the Wife or Vulcan and the 4th AJlarts , or the Syrian Venus , the Miftrefs of Adonis. (7) From ’Atyfo Froth, tho’ feme derive it from afgatvsiv to run mad, becaule all Love is Infatuation or Frenzy. was ic8 Fabulous HISTORY of was called Cytberea , Fapbia , Cypria , Erycina> Italia, Acidalia , from the Places where fhe was in a particu¬ lar Manner adored. Other Appellations were given her from her principal Attributes. She was Ityled Vidrix (8), to denote her refiitlefs Sway over the Mind ; Amic< 7, from her being propitious to Lovers ; Apaturia , from the Deceit and Inconftancy of her VMaries ; RiJens, from her Love of Mirth and Laugh¬ ter (9) ; Hortenfisy from her influencing the Vegeta¬ tion of Plants and Flowers ; Marina , from her being born of the Sea ; Mdanis , from her delighting in nocturnal (1 o) Amours ; Meretrix , from the Profti- tution of her Votaries ; and Genetrix , from her pre¬ siding over the Propagation of Mankind. The Epi¬ thet of Migonithy was given her from her Power in the Management of Love (1). and that of Murcia and Myrtceay on account of the Myrtle confecrated to her. She v/as named V erticffrdia. from her Power of chang¬ ing the Heart ; for which Reafon the Greeks ftyled heY Eth c-po^ia. The Spartans called her Venus Armata, becaufe when befleged by the Meffeniansy their Wives unknown to their Hulbauds, Tailed the Siege. The Romans alfo termed her Barbata, becaufe when a Dileafe had feized the Women, in which they loft all theft Hair, on their Prayers to Venus it grew again. A Temple was dedicated to her by the Appel¬ lation of Cafva j becaufe when the Gauls inverted the Capitol the Women offered their Hair "to make Ropes for the Engines She had alfo the Ephhet of Chiaciha (2), from her Image being erected in the Place wheie the Peace was concluded between the Romans and Sabines . # _ * E) Under this Character fhe is rerrefented leaning on a Shield, ami carrying Victory in her Right Hand, and a Scepter in her I»eft. At other Times with a Helmet, and the Apple of Pans in her Hand. (9) Horace , Lib. I, Ode 2, Sive tu mavis Erycipa ridens, fo Homer calls her 7, or the Laughter-loving 2j)ueen. (fo)From (x*\a.q, black, becaufe Lover's chufe the Night, (1) From Vy vv V> to m * x or mingle ; fo Hirgi 1 y • - Mixta Deo Mulier. (1) From Cluo to fight. Let The Heathen Gods. 109 Let us now enquire a little into the Actions afcribed to this Goddefs. Her conjugal Behaviour we fhall fee under the Article Vulcan, and find it was none of the mod edifying. Her Amours were numerous. Not to mention Apollo , Neptune , Mars and Mercury, who all boafted of her Favours (3). She had eEneas (4) by Ancbifes, but her principal Favourite was Adonis the Son of Cynaras, King of Cyprus and Myrrha , and a Youth of inconipaiable Beauty, unfortunately in Hunt¬ ing, killed by a wild Boar. Venus, who flew to his Aililtance, received a Prick in her Foot with a Thorn, and the Blood which dropped from it produced the Damaik Rofe (5) ; but coming too late to fave him, flie changed him into the Flower Anemone , which ftill retains a Crimfon Colour (6). After this fhe obtained of Proferpine, that Adonis fliould continue fix Months with her on Earth, and fix Months remain in the lower Regions. The moil: remarkable Adventure of Venus , was her famous Contelt with Juno and Minerva for Beau¬ ty. At the Marriage of Pelens and Thetis, the God¬ defs Difcord refenting her not being invited,’ threw a golden 'Apple amongll the Company with this Infcrip- tion. Let it he given to the fairejl (7). The Compe¬ titors for this Prize, were the three Deities above- mentioned. Jupiter referred them to Parts , youngeit Soi> to Priamus, King of Troy, who then kept his Father’s Flocks on Mount Ida . Before- him the Goddefles appeared, as moll fay, naked. Juno of- (3) By Apollo fhe had Eljlryon- and five Sons; by Neptune , Eryx, and Meligunis a Daughter; by Mars, Timor, and Pallor ; and by Mercury , Hermaphroditus. (4) She immortalized JEneas , by purifying and anointing his B dy with ambrolial Elfence, and the Romans deified him by the Name of Jndiges. We have ieveral ancient Infcriptions, Deo Indigeti. (5) Ovid, Lib. X. 505. . (6) S irne mythologize this Story, to fignify by .Adonis the Sun, who during the Summer Signs, refides with Mentis on the Earth, and during the Winter with Proferpine, The Wild Boar which killed him is the Cold. 1. ( 7 ) Detur Pulchncri . fered no Fabulous HISTORY of fered him Empire or Power $ Minerva Wifdom ; and Venus endeavoured to bribe him with, the Promife of the Fair eft Woman in the World, Fatally for himfelf and Family, the Shepherd was more fufcep- tible of Love, than of Ambition or Virtue, and de¬ cided the Point in favour of Venus . The Goddefs rewarded him with Helen (8), whom he carried off from her Hufband Menelaus\ Krng of Sparta , and the Rape gave Rife to that formidable A/fociation of the Greek Princes, which ended in the Definition of his Family, and the Ruin of Troy. Venusy however propitious fhe was to Lovers, was very fevere to fuch as offended her. She changed the Women of Amathus in Cyprus , into Oxen for their Cruelty. The Prop&tides, who denied her Divinity, grew fo fhamelefsly impudent, that they were faid to be hardened into Stones (9). Hippomenes and Atalan- tay were another Infiance of her Refentment 5 for after fhe had affifted him to gain the Virgin, on their Negledt to pay her the due Offerings, /he infatuated them fo, that they lay together in the Temple of Cybeley who, for that Profanation, turned them into Lions (to). Nor was /lie lefs favourable to her Votaries. Pyg¬ malion, a famous Statuary, from a Notion of the In¬ conveniences of Marriage, *refolved to live fingle,, He had, however, formed a beautiful Image of a Virgin, in Ivory, with which he fell foo deeply ena¬ moured, that he treated it as a real Miftrefs, and continually folicited Venus , by Prayers and Sacrifices, to animate his beloved Statue. His Wifhes were granted, and by this enlivened Beauty he had a Son called Paphos , who gave his Name to the City of Pa¬ phos , in Cyprus (1). (8) Such Helen was, and and the Tortoife was deftgned to fhew, that Women fhould not go much abroad, but attend their dorneflic Affairs. reprefented The Heathen Gods ”3 reprefented her riding on a He-Goat, and Praxiteles wrought her Statue at Cnidos , of white Marble, half opening her Lips and fmiling. Apelles drew her as jull emerged from, the Sea, and preffing the Water out of her Hair, a Piece that was reckoned ble. It were endlefs to mention the Variety of Atti¬ tudes in which Ihe is reprefented in Antique Gems and Medals (8); (binetimes Ihe is cloathed in Purple, glittering with Gems, her Head crowned with Roles, Swans, Doves, or and drawn in her Ivory Car, parrows. At others Ihe is reprefented Handing with S the Graces attending her ; but in ail Pofitions Cupid her Son is her infeparable Companion. I ihali only add, that the Statue called the Medicean Venus, is the bed Figure of her which Time has preferved. CHAP. XXXV. Of the Attendants o/Ve NUS, viz, Cupid, Hymen, and the Ho r m, or Hours . B EFORE we clofe the Article of Venus , it is necelfary to give fome Account of the Deities who were ufufilly Train, aud form¬ ed a Part of that State in which ihe ufually ap¬ peared. The firft of thefe is Cupid. Some make him one of the molt ancient of the Deities, and fay he had no Parent ; but fucceeded immediately after Chaos. O- tliers report, that Nox, or Night\ produced an Egg, which having hatched under her fable Wings, brought forth Cipid , or Love, who with golden Pinions im¬ mediately Hew through ther’whole World (9). But the common Opinion is, -that Cupid was the Son of # ♦ (8) See a great Number of thefe in Mr. Ogle's Antiquities, il« lufbated by ancient Gems; a Wcik, which it is a great Lofs to the Publick, that ingenious and worthy Gentleman did not live to finiili. (9) Otheis make him the Son of Pints, the God of Counfel, who being drunk, begot him on Pent a the Ooddefs of Poverty. Oihers the Sen of Cains and Terra,, and feme of Zephyr us and Mars 114 Fabulous HISTORY of Mars and Venus and the Favourite Child of his Mother, who without his Aid, as fhe confeffes in Virgil , could do little Execution. Indeed the Poets, when they invoke th’e Mother, feldom fail to make their joint AddrdTes to the Son (10). Perhaps this Confcioufnefs of his own Importance, rendered this little Divinity fo arrogant, that on many Occasions he Forgets his filial Duty. This Cupid, belonged to the Venus Pandemos , or Popularis , and was called Ante - ros , or Lujl, But the Antients mention another Cupid , Son of Jupiter and Venus } of a nobler Character, whofe De¬ light it was to raife refined Sentiments of Love and Virtue, whereas the other infpired bafe and impure Defires. His Name was Eros , or true Love. Eros bore a golden Dart, which caufed real Joy and Af¬ fection $ Anteros a leaden Arrow, which raifed a flee¬ ting Pallion, ending in Satiety and Difguft. Cupid was represented ulually naked, to (how that Love has nothing of its own. He is armed with a Bow and Quiver full of Darts, to fhow his Power of the Mind; and crowned with Rofes, to iliew the de¬ lightful but tranfitory Pleafures he beftows. Some¬ times he is depicted hlind y to denote that Love fees no Faults in the ObjeCt 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, N to exprefs how much the Succefs of Lovers depends on that inconflant Goddefs. He is always drawn with Wings, to typify, that nothing is more fleeting than the Paffion he exites. The Egyptian Horus , which attended the terreftrial IJis y or the Venus Popularis , or Pandemos , was, ac¬ cording to the Cuftom of the A homenice, reprefented with different Attributes, fometimes with the Wings of the Etejian Wind, at others, with the Club of Her¬ cules (i ),the Arrows of Apollo , fitting on a Lion, driving (io) See Horace , Lib. I. Ode xxx. & Pafllm. (1) There is a Gem in Mr. Ogle anfwering this Defcription. a Buil, The Heathen Gods. 115 a Bull, tying a Ram, or having a large FifH in his Nets. Thefe Signs of the different Seafons 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 , thefe cond Attendant of Venus, was the God of Marriage, and the Son of Bacchus and that God- defs (2). He is faid to have been 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 Sacri¬ fices to him ; as alio to the Goddefs of Concord. He was invoked in the nuptial Ceremony (3) in a particu¬ lar Manner. This God was reprefented of a fair Complexion, crowned with Amaricus , or the Herb Sweet Marjo¬ ram, and robed in a Veil of Saffron Colour (reprefen- tative of the Bridal Blufhes) with a Torch lighted in his Hand, becaufe the Bride was carried always Home by a Torch-Light. Every one knows it was a conftant Cufiom of the oriental Nations, on the Wedding-Day, to attend the Bridegroom and Bride with Torches and Lamps. The Chorus on thefe Occafions was Hu ! Humeneh! Here he comes ! This is the Fefti'val (4) / The Figure exhi¬ bited on this Occafion in Egypt , was a young Man bearing a Lamp or Torch, placed near the female Figure, which denoted the Day of the Month fixed for the Ceremony. The Graces , who alway attended Venus , have been already defcribed with the Mufes under the Article of Apollo. The Hor^e or Hours, were the Daughters of Jupi* ter and Themis , and the Harbingers of Apollo. They were alfo the Nurfes of Venus, as well as her Dreffers, and made a necelfary Part of her Train. (2) Hymen is thought to be the Son of the Goddefs Venus U- rania or celeftial Venus, ( 3 ) They repeated often the Words, 0 Hymen! 0 Hymens. (cpa , fhe to Ptocris , and by her it was given to Cephalus her Hufband, and by Jupiter after turned to a Stone. k In The Heathen Gods. i i 7 In fhort, Vulcan was the general Armourer of the Gods. He made Bacchus a golden Crown to prefent Ariadne , a Chariot for the Sun, and another for Mars. At the Reqtieff of Thetis, he fabricated the divine Armour of Achilles, whole Shield is id beautifully dc» feribed by Homer (»o) $ as alfo the invincible Armour of A'.neas, at the Intrcaty of Venus . To conclude, with an Inftance of his Skill this Way, in Revenge for his Mother Juno's Unkindnefs, he prefented her a golden Chair, managed by ldch unletn Springs, that when fhe fat down in it ihe was not able to move, till (lie was forced to beg her Deliverance from him. Vulcan , like the reit of the (rods, had feveral Names or Appellations: He was called Lemnius, from the I lie of Lemnos confecrated to him ; Mulciher,. or MuV cifer , from his Art of foftening Steel and Iron. By the Greeks, Hephaijlos, from his delighting in Flames, or Fire ; and JEtneus and Ltpareus, from the Places fuppofed to be his Forges (1). As to his Woriliip, he had an Altar in common with Prometheus (2), and was one of the Gods who pr£ tided over Marriage, becaufe he firfi; introduced the Ufe of Torches at the Nuptial Rites. It was cuftomary with many Nations, after Vidtory, 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 /Etna, guarded by Dogs, who had the Difcernment to dif- tinguifh his Votaries, to tear the Vicious and fawn upon the Virtuous, The proper Sacrifice to this Deity was a Lion, to denote the refdilefs Fury of Fire. His Feftiv.ils were different : At thole called Protervia (amongfl the Ro¬ mans) they ran about with lighted Torches. The Vul- cania were celebrated by throwing living Animals into the Fire. The Lamp a lophoria were Races performed to his Honour, where the Contention was to carry lighted (10) See Iliad, Lib. 18. ( 1) On Account of the Vilcanoes and fiery Eruptions there. (2) Prometheus firfi invented" Fire, FuLan the Ufe of it, in making Arms and Uteufils. Torches 118 Fabulous HISTORY of Torches to the Goal ; but whoever overtook the Perfon before him, had the Privilege of delivering him his Torch to carry, arid to retire with Honour. Vulcan, however difagreeable his Perfon was, was fenfible of Love : His firft Paflion was for Minerva 9 and he had Jupiter's Confent to make his Addreffes to her ; but his Courtlhip was too ill-placed to be fuc- cefsful. He was more fortunate in his Suit to Venus , though he had no great Reafon to boaft his Lot. The Goddefs was too great a Beauty to be conftant, and Vulcan too difagreeable to be happy. She chofe Mars for her Gallant, and the Intrigue for fome Time went on fwirnmingly. As Apollo , or the Sun , had a Friend- ftiip for the Hufband, Mars was particularly fearful of his difcovering the Affair, and therefore fet a Boy called Alettryon , or Gallus , to warn him and his fair Miftrefs of the Sun’s Approach. The Centinel un¬ luckily fell aflee^p, and fo the Sun faw them together, and let Vulcan prefently into the Secret. The Biack- fmith 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 ex- pofed to the Ridicule of the Gods, till releafed at the Interceflion of Neptune. Mars , to puniih Aledryon for his Negledt, changed him into a Cock, who to atone for his Fault, by his crowing, gives conftant Notice of the Sun-rife (3). This Deity, as the God of Fire, was reprefented varioufly in different Nations. The Egyptians de- pi died him proceeding out of an Egg placed in the Mouth of Jupiter , to denote the radical or natural Heat diffufed through all created Beings. Some Hif- torians make him one of the firft Egyptian Kings, who for his Goodnefs was deified $ and add, that King Menes erected a noble Temple to him at Thebes , with a Coloffal Statue feventy-five Feet high. The Phoe¬ nicians adored him by the Name of Cry for, and thought him the Author and Caufe of Lightning, and all fiery Exhalations. Some Writers confound him (3) See Ovid, Lib. IV. 167. The Heathen Gods. 119 with the Tubal Cain of Scripture. In ancient Gems and Medals of the Greeks and Romans , he is figured as a lame, deformed, and fqualid Man, working at the Anvil, and uiually attended by his Men the Cyclops , or by fome God or Goddefs who comes to afk his Af« fiftance. To examine into the Ground of this Fable, we muff have once more Recourfe to the Egyptian Antiquities. The Horus of the Egyptians was the moll: mutable Fi¬ gure on Earth ; for he aflcmed Shapes fuitable to all Seafbns of Time, and Ranks of People : To direct the Hu (band men, he wore a rural Drefs. By a Change of Attributes, he became the Inftrudtor of the Smiths and other Artificers, whofe Inftruments he appeared adorned with. This Horus of the Smiths had aHiort or lame Leg to fignify, that Agriculture or Hufbandry halts without the Alliftance of the Han- dicraft or mechanic Arts. In this Apparatus he was called Mulciber (4), Hephaifios (5), and Vulcan (6), all which Names the Greeks and Romans adopted with the Figure , which as ufual they converted from a Symbol to a God. Now as this Horus was removed from the Side of the beautiful IJis (or the Venus Pan¬ demos') to make Room for the martial Horus # expofed in Time of War, it occafioned the Jeff of the Aflilt- ants, and gave Rife to the Fable of Vulcaris being fupplanted in his Wife’s Affections by the God of IVar. * (4) From Malac , to direct and manage; and Ber or Beer , a Cave or Mine, comes Mulciber , the King of the Mines or Forges. (5) From Aph , Father, and Efto Fir^ is form’d Ephaifto y or Hephejlion , the Father of Fire. (6) From fVo/l y to work, and Canan. to haflen, comes EVol- catiy or Work finifhed. » CHAP. 120 Fabulous HISTORY #/ T HOUGH Vulcan had no Iffue by Venus , yet he had a pretty numerous Offspring. We have already mentioned his Paflion for Minerva: This Goddefs coming one Day to befpeak fome Armour of him, he attempted to ravifli her, and in the Struggle his Seed fell on the Ground, and produced the Mon¬ ger Erichthonius (7). Minerva nourished him in her Thigh, and afterwards gave him to be nurfed by A- glaurosy Pandrofus and Herfe , but with a ftridt Caution not to look in the Cradle or Coffer which held him. The fifft and lad: negle&ing this Advice ran mad. Erichtbonus being born with deformed, or as fome fay, Serpentine Legs, was the frrft InventoT of Cha¬ riots to ride in. He was the 4th King of Athens , and a Prince of great Juftice and Equity. Cacus y another Son of Vulcan , was of a different Character. He was a notorious Robber, and received Jiis Name from his confummate Villany (g). He fixed himfelf upon Mount Aventine , and from thence infefted all Italy with his Depredations; bur having ftolen fome Oxen from Hercules , he dragged them back¬ wards to his Cave (9), that the Robbery might not be difcovered by the Track. Hercules , however, pafling that Way, heard the lowing of his Cattle, broke open the Doors, and feizing the Wretch put him to Death. A third Son of Vulcan , C&cucus (10), fo called from his little Eyes, refembled his Brother Cacus , and lived by Prey. It is faid his Mother fitting by the Fire, a Spark flew into her Lap, upon which ihe conceived. Others fay fome Shepherds found him in the Fire as feon as born. He founded the City Prcenejie, (7) Derived from and ^Gov^>, or Earth and Contention. (8) From j bad or wicked. (9) Virgil has given a fine Defcription of this Cave, but he makes him but half a Man. See ^neid VIII. 194. (10) It is thought the noble Roman Family of Cescilii derive their Name from hirn. See Virgil. ^Eneid X. 544, and /Eneid VII. 680. I 21 The Heathen Gods. By his Wife Aglaia , one of the Graces , Vulcan had feveral Sons, as Ardalus , the Inventor of the Pipe, called Tibia, Brotbeus , who being deformed like his Father, deltroyed himfelf in the Fire, to avoid the Reproaches he met with. JBtbiops> who gave his Name to the /Ethiopians , before called /Ethereans y Olenus the Founder of a City of his own Name in Bceotia, /Egyptus f rom whom Egypt was called, Albion^ Pertphenusy Morgion , Acus> and feveral others. H A P. XXXVIIL Of the Cyclops and Po- lvphemus.TOS H E Cyclops were the Sons of Neptune and Am - phitrite. The principal were Brontes , Sleropes 9 and Pyracmon , though their whole Number was above a Hundred. They were the Journeymen of Vulcan. It is faid, as foon as they were born Jupiter threw them into Tartarus , but that they were delivered at the Interceflion ot'Tellus, and became the Aflill* ants of our God. They had each but one Eye (i) 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 lyrinthe with fuch malTy Stones, that the fmallefi; required two Yoke of Oxen to draw it. The Dealers in Mythology fay, that the Cyclops fignify the Vapours raifed in the Air, which occalion Thunder and Lightning. With thefe we may clafs Polyphemus , though he was the Son of Neptune , having like the Cyclops but one Eye ; but of lb gigantick a Stature, that his very’ Afpe£t was terrible. His Abode was in Sicily , wheie he furprized Ulyffes and his Companions, of whom he devoured three ; but Ulyffes making him drunk blinded him with a Firebrand, and fo elcaped with the ( i) From KuxX<^ Circuius, and Ocului , that is the one-c /1 Men. re IF * 122 Fabulous HISTORY of reit. Vi.'Jl hath given us a fine De/cription of this Ssene (2). CHAP. XXXIX. Of Mi nerves or Pallas. W E come next to Minerva, or Pallas , one of the moft diftinguifiied of the Dii Majores, as bein? the Goddefs of Sciences and Wifdoni. Cicero o mentions five (3) of this Name ; but the moft confi- derstble was the Daughter of Jupiter 9 not by an y in¬ famous Amour, nor even by the conjugal Bed, but the Child of his Brain. It is faid her Father feeing Juno barren, through Grief, ftruck his Forehead, and three Months after came forth Minerva (4). On the Day of her Nativity it rained Gold at Rhodes (5). Her firft Appearance on Earth was in Libya, where behold¬ ing her own Beauty in the Lake Triton, /lie from thence gained the Name of Tritonis (6). (z) See Virgil JEneid, Lib. Ill 610 , but the whole Defcrip- tion, thV admirable, is too long to be copied here. (3) The 1 ft the Mother of Apollo , or Latona ; the 2d produced .from the Nile . and worfhipped at Sais in Egypt-, the 3d the Child of Jupiter's Brain; the 4th the Daughter of Jupiter and Corypha , who invented Chariots with four ^Wheels ; and the 3th the Child of Pallas whom Hie killed, becaufe he attempted her Chaftiiy ( 4 ) b is faid Vulcan was the Midwife, by cleaving his Skull with a Hatchet; but that feeing an armed Virago come out in- ftead oF a Child, he ran away. Others report, that when Jupiter Iwallowed 1Metis, one of his Wives, he was with Child of Pallas. (5) Hence the Rhodians were the firft who worfliipped her, as Claudian remarks". Auratos Rhodiis imhres , nafeente Minerva Induxijfe Jovem ferunt. Some fay it was becaufe (he taught them the Art of making Cc- lojfal Statues. (6) An annual Ceremony was performed at this Lake by the Virgins , who in diftintt Bodies attacked each other with various Weapons. The firft that fell was efteemed not a Maid, and thrown into the Lake ; but fhe who received moft Wounds was carried off in Triumph. She The Heathen Gobs. 123 She had behde feveral other Appellations amongft the Greeks and Romans. She was called Pallas from the brandirtiing her Spear in War. Athena , becaufe fhe was born full grown, and never fuclded ; whence alfo die obtained the Name of Ametrofs , or Mother- lefs. The Ep*ithet of Partbenis , or the Virgin, was given; her on account of her perpetual Chaftity ; that of Ergatis, or the Workwoman, for her Excellency in Spinning and Weaving ; Muftca y from her invent¬ ing the Pipe; Pylotisy becaute her Image was fet up in the Gates • and Glaucopis, or green-ey’d, becau-le her Eyes were of that Call (7), hke thole of the Owi. Miner*va was the Goddefs of War, Wifdom and Arts, fuch as Weaving, the making Oil, Mufick, elpe- ciaily the Pipe (8) ; of building Cattles^ over which flie prefided ; and, in fhort, was the Patron ‘ of all thofe Sciences, which render Men ufeful to Socierv * J and themfeives, and intitle them to the Efteem of W U Pofterhy. We have already had occafion to obferve how this Goddefs vowed a perpetual Virginity, and in what Manner fhe rejedled the Addreffes of Vulcan. She was indeed very delicate on this Point, for ihe de¬ prived Tirefias of his Sight, becaufe he accidentally faw her bathing in the Fountain of Helicon • but at the Interceflion of his Mother Charicley /lie relented fo far, that to compenfate his Lofs, Ihe endued him with the Gift of Prophecy (9). Nor was die lefs fe- vere to Medufa , who being raviflied by Neptune in her Temple, fhe revenged the Sacrilege, by turning her Locks into Snakes, and caufing all who beheld her af¬ ter to be changed into Stones. She was equally jealous of her Superiority in the Arts Ihe invented. Arachne y a Lyhian Princefs, the \ (7) Yet Homer and all the Poets call her the blue-ey'd Maid. See Pope. (8) It is fuid, feeing her Cheeks refleSed in the Water as (lie played, fhe threw away the. Pipe with this Expreflion } 'That Mufick tvai too dear if pur chafed at the Expence of Beauty, (9) Ovid relates tne Story of Tirefas very differently; for which lee Metamorph Lib. III. 316, F 2 Daughter 12 4 Fabulous II ISTORY of Daughter ot Idwott, had the Piefumption to challenge her at Spinning. The Folly coll: her dear ; for Mi - nerva itruck her with the Spindle on the Forehead, for which attempting to hang herfelf through Defpair, the Goddcfs turned ner into a Spider, in which Shape ihe (till exercifes the Profeflion ihe lo much hoalted (to). The Reader may confult Ovid, if he would fee this Story let in a beautiful Light As Conduct is oppofite, in military Adairs, to bru¬ tal Valour, lb Minerva is always by the Potts placed in Contrail to Mats. Thus we fee Homer makes her fide with the Greeks in the Trojan War, while the other Deity takes the Part of the Enemy. The Sue- cefs is anfwerable to this Difpofiiion (i), and we fee Prudence a$d Dilcipline victorious over Valour with¬ out Counfel, and Force under no Direction. One of the mod remarkable of Minerva's Adven¬ tures, w'as her Cornell with Neptune, of which No¬ tice has been taken under the Article of that Deity. When Cecrops founded Athens, it was agreed, that whoever of thefe two Deities fhould produce the moll beneficial Gift to Mankind, (liould give Name to the new City. Neptune with a Stroke of his Trident formed a fJorJ'e ; Pallas caufed an Olive to fpring from the Ground, and carried the Prize. The Meaning of this Fable was' to .point out, that Agriculture was to a riling Colony of more Importance than Navigation. Minerva was highly honoured, and had feverai Temples both in Greece and Italy. The Athenians , who always had a particular Devotion to her, as the ’Patronels of their City, in the fiourifhfng State of their Republick, erected a magnificent Temple to her by the Name of Parthems, or the Virgin-GodJej's, in which they .placed her Statue of Gold and Ivory thir¬ ty-nine.Feet high, wrought by the Hands of Phidias. She had a -ftately Temple at Rvme on Mount Aven~ tine , where her Feftival called Mi ner valid or Quin- quatria, was celebrated for live Days fucceflively (to) See OviJ, Lib. VL r. (i) Ste the Preface to Mr. Pope *s Homer, The II i: a r H E N O D S. 125 in the Month of March: She had fometimes her Al¬ tars in common w Vu lc w >y 'Hie iifual Vift offered her w a Met IVhii Heifer never yoked. The Animals facred to her were Coe h Owl, and the Baftltjh We muff not here omit the Palladium (2), or that :r c d Statue which fell down from Heaven. and w.i s preferved in Troy »>» the City dept Me ro ff Treafurc on whofe Safety that Diomedes and Ulyjjes found' and the City was foon after taken and deffroyed (3). However, it is certain that /E brought either this or another of the fame Kind him into Italy, and depofited it at Lav * wi from whence it was removed to Rome, and placed in the Temple of Vejla. When this Edifice was confumed by fire, Metellus a noble Roman, ruffled in and brought it otF, though with the Lofs of his Eye3, in Recoin - pence for which heroic A6tion, he had the Privilege of coming to the Senate in a Chariot, that the Honour might in fome Degree allay the Senfe of his Mis for tune. The Romans indeed icent, r< of their Trojan De garded the Palladium in the fame Light wi their Anceffors, and thought, the Security and Du- lation of their Empire were annexed to the Pofleflipn of this Guardian Image. Come we next to enquire into the mythological Birth j nd Origin of this fabled Goddefs , who new or Drefs Goddefs other than the Egyptian Ifis under Form, and the fame with the Pales , of the Sabines (4). The Athenians, who were an Egyptian Colony from Sais 9 followed the Cuffoms of Authors differ Wood this Palladium , feme making adding, it could move its Ey fhake the Scythians to the Proj compofed of the Bones of Pelop it of Spear. I old by Some aflfert it was a Counterfeit Palladium the Greek Ge¬ nerals ft (»1 e away, an‘d that JEncas laved the true One. Others make two Palladiums. (4) To whofe Honour the Feafts called Palilia were celebrated. Now this Word is manif’eftly of Egyptian Derivation, being taken from Pdlel, to govern the City \ whence corner Pel dab, the rub- lick Order. their 126 Fabulous HISTORY of iheir Anceftors, by particularly applying themfelves to railing Flax for Linen Cloth, and the Cultivation of the Olive (5). Now the Figure worfliipped at Sals, as prefiding over thefe Arts, was a Female in compleat Armour. This, as Diodorus tells us, was becaufe the Inhabitants of this Dynajly , were both the bell Hulbandmen and Soldiers in Egypt. In the Hand of this Image they placed a Shield with a Full Moon de¬ picted on it, furrounded by Serpents, the Emblems of Life and Happinefs. And at the Feet of this Sym- bol they placed an Ovul, to fliew it was a noCturnal Sacrifice. To this they gave the Name of Medufa (<5), expreflive of what Hie was defigned to reprefent. The Greeks who were ignorant of the true Meaning of all this, did not think fit to put fuch a favourable Senfe on the Head of Medufa , which feemed to them an ObjeCt of Horror, and opened a fine Field for poetical Imagination. The prelling of the Olives did indeed turn Fruit into Stones, in a literal Senfe ; hence they made the JEgis or Shield of Minerva petrify all who beheld it. Jo remind the People of the Importance of their Linen Manufactory, the Egyptians expofed in their Fdtivals 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 (7). Now there are antient 'Figures of Fallas extant, which correfpond with this Idea (8). What (bill 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 (9) ufed in their Looms. Near this Figure, which was to warn the Inhabitants of the Approach of the Weaving or Win- ter-Seafon, they placed another of an InfeCt, whofe (<) The City of Sais derived its Name from this Tree, Zaith or Sais iignifying the Olive. (6) From Difb, to prei's, comes Medujha or Medufa the Pref» fing. See If a i a h xxv. 10. (7) From Majtevrdy a Weaver’s Loom. (8) In the Colle&ion of Prints ma-’e by M De Crszat. (9) A'fond, Linen Thread. See Proverbs vii. i< 5 . The Heathen God s. i rf Induftry fee ms to have given Rife to this Art, and to which they gave the Name of (io), to de¬ note its Application. Ail thefe Emblems tranfplanted to Greece, by the Genius of that People, fond of the marvellous, were converted into real Objects, and in¬ deed afforded Room enough for the Imagination of their Pqets to invent the Fable of the Transforma¬ tion of Arachne into a Spider. Minerva, by the Poets and Sculptors, is ufually re- prefented in a (binding Attitude completely armed, with.a compofed but Imiling Countenance, bearing a golden Breait-plate, a Spear, in her.Right Hand, and her terrible /Egis in her Left, having on it the Head ufa entwined with Snakes. Her Helmet was of ufualjy entwined with Olives, to denote Peace is the End of War, or rather becaufe that Tree was facred to her. See her Pi&ure in Camhray s Telemaaue . At her Feet is generally placed the Ovul, or the Cock; the former being the Emblem of IVifdom, the latter of IVar. M ars was the Son of Juno alone, who being chagrined that Jupiter ffiould bear Minerva without her Help, to be even with him confulted Flora , who (hewed her a Flower in the Olenian Fields, on touching of which (he conceived, and became the Mother of this dreadful Deity (i). Fhero , or Fierce- nefs, was his Nurfe, and he received his Education amongft the Scythians, the mod barbarous Nation in the World, amongft whom he was adored in a parti¬ cular Manner, though they acknowledged no other God. . This Deity had different Appellations. The Greeks called him Ares (2), either from the Deftrudtion he (jo) From Arach , to make Linen Cloth. (i) Others make him the Son oi 'Jupiter and Juno, or of Ju - piier and EVyr. (t) Either from a-'s iv, to kill, or frorn a> to keep Silence. F 4 caufcs, 128 Fabulous HISTORY of caufes, or the Silence and Vigilance obferved in War. He had the Names of GradRvus from his Majellick Port • of Ehtirinus, when on the Defenfive, or at Kelt. By the ancient Latins he was (tiled Salifuhfulus , or the Dancer, from the Uncertainty that attends all martial Enterprizes. Mars was the God of War y and. in high Venera¬ tion with the Romans , both on Account of his being the Father of Romulus their Founder, and becaufe their own Genius always inclined to Conqueft. Numa 9 r hough other wife a pacific Piince, having implored the - Gods, during a great Pedilence, received a (mall Brafs , Buckler, called Ancile, from Heaven, which the \ Nymph Egeria advifed him to keep with the utmoft ; Care, the Fate of the Roman People and Empire de- • pending on its Coniervation. To fecu:e lo valuable a Pledge, Nutna caufed eleven more Shields of the lame Form to be made, and intruded the Care of thete to an Order of Prieds he inftituted, called Salii, of the Prieds of Mars> in whofe Temple the twelve .Ancilia were depofited. The Number of thefe Prieits was alfo twelve, chofen out of the nobieft Fa¬ milies, who on the id of March annually, the Fedivai of Mars , carried the Ancilia with great Ceremony found the City, clashing their Bucklers, and finging Hymns to the Gods, in which they were joined by a Chorus of Virgins chofen to alfid on this Occafion, and drelTed like themfeives. This Fedivai was con¬ cluded with a grand Supper (3). Augufius erected a magnificent Temple to Mars at Rome y by the Title of Ultor , which he vowed to him, when he implored his Adiftance againft the Murder¬ ers of Julius Co’far . The Vidfcims facrificed to him were the Wolf for its Fiercenefs, the Horfe on ac count of its Ufefulnefs in War, the Woodpecker and Vulture for their Ravenoufnefs $ the Cock for his Vi¬ gilance. He was crowned with Grafs , becaufe it grows in Cities depopulated by War, and thicked in Places moiftened with human Blood. 1 {3) Called Ccsna Saliaris. The Heath en s to The Hiftory of Mars furnifhes new Adventures. We have already related his Amour with Venus, by whom he had Hermione , contracted to Orejies , and af¬ terwards married to Pyrrhus King of Ep By the Nymph Biji reigned Mars had Tereus, who v Thrace , and married Progne the Daught of Pandion , King of Athens. This Princefs had a Sifter called Philomela , a great Beauty and bein^ defirous to lee her, fhe requefted her Hulband to go to Athens and bring her Sifter, with her Father’s Per- million, to her. Tereus , by the* Way, fell in Love with his Charge, and on her rejecting his Solicitations, ravilhed her, cut out her Tongue, and enclofed her ftrong Tower, pretending to his Wife fhe died the Journey In Condition the unhappy Princefs found Means to embroider her Story, and fend it to her Sifter, who trsnfported with Rage, contrived how Firft fhe brought her Sifter and to revenge the Injury Home privately ; next fhe killed her Son Ity fei ved up his Fleih to his Father for Supper: After he had eat it, fhe expofed the Head, and told him what fhe had done $ Tereus, mad with Fury, purfued the S.fter who in their Flight became formed Progne r to a Swallow^ and Philomela A.O a Nightingale ltys wa the Gods changed to a Pheafi and Tereus himfelt into a Lapwing Ovid has (4) given us this Story with his ufuai Embeliifhments. Mars married a Wife called Nerio,. or Ner.ione (q). Tongue fignifies Valour or the Principal of w in the Sabine Strength. He had feveral Child whom were By this, who gave his Name to Bithy Thrax, from whom Thrace was fo called ; JEn nmaus Af:a laph Biji Tnidus, Pylus, Euenus , Calyd Stfymon , Parthenopaus ) &c This Neptune Gods for the Murder Deity /having killed Halit othus the Son of was indicted before the Aftembly of the , as well as for the Crime -of.de 1 * - (4) See Ovid Lib. VI. 4t 3. fO Hence the Claud/an Family at Reine are.fard to derive the Sirname of Nero, r * # • banching t 3 0 Fa butt us HISTORY of bauching AUippe , Sifter to the Deceafed. Twelve Gods were preient, of whom fix were for acquitting him ; fo that by the Cufiom of the Court, when the Voices were equal, the favourable Side carrying it, he came off. Some fav this Trial was in the famous Areopagus , or Hill of Mars , at Athens , a Court, which in fucceeding Time gained the higheft Repu¬ tation, for the Juftice and Impartiality of its Proceed¬ ings (6). Mars was neither invulnerable nor invincible ; for we find him in Homer both wounded and purfued by Diomedes , but then it muft be confide?ed that Homer was fo good a Patriot, that he always affects to dif- grace the Gods, who took the Trojan' s Part. Mars , whatever his Appeaiance.be, was of Egyp¬ tian Original. This Nation was divided into three Cialfes, the Priefts, the Hufbrtndmen, and the Artifi¬ cers ; of thefe the firft were by their Profeffion ex¬ empt from War, and the laft reckoned too mean to be employed in Defence of the State ; fo that their Mi¬ litia was wholly taken from the fecond Body. We have already obferved, that in the Sacrifices which pre¬ ceded their military Expeditions, their Ifis appeared in a warlike Drefs, and gave Rife to the Greek Pallas, or Minerva. The Horus which accompanied this Fi¬ gure, was alfo equipped with this Helmet and Buck¬ ler, and called by the Name of Rarits (7), or the formidable. The Syrians foftened this Wo d to Hazis (8) the Greeks changed it to Ares ; the Gats Is pro¬ nounced it Hefus; and th e>Romans, and Sabines , IVa- rets or Mars . Thus the military Horus of the Egyp¬ tians became perfonified and made the God of Com¬ bats or War.. # # a 9 (6) Thefe Judges were ch,fen out of Perfons of the rmfl; blamelei's Characters. They fiffered no verbal Pleadings before them, 1 a falfe Eloquence might varnifh a bad Caufe; and all thei. Sentences were given in Writing, and delivered in the Dark. (7) From Harits, violent or enraged. See Jsbxv. %o. (8) Hazis, (Syr), the terrible in War,. Pfalvi. xxiv. 8. The Syrians alfo called him Ah Guerotk* or the Father of Combats; whence the Romans borrowed their Gradivus Rater, Mars The He a then Gods. 13 i Mars is ufually defcribed in a Chariot drawn by fu¬ rious Ho.ifes, compleatly armed, and extending his Spear with the one Hand, while with the other H ind he grafps a Sword embrued in Blood. His Afpect i$ fierce and favage. Sometimes Difcord is reprefented as preceding his Car, while Clamour, Fear , and Ter¬ ror appear in his Train. Virgil has given a Dcfciip- tion of this God pretty much agreeable to this Idea (9). Bellona h ufai\\\y jeckpned the Sifter of Mars, tho’ fonte call her both his Sifter and Wife. As her In- « • * » , 1 1 clinations were equally cruel and favage, Hie toO;k a Pleafure in fharing his Dangers, and is cpinqionly, der pifted as driving his Chariot with a bloody. Whip in her Hand. Appius Claudius built her a Temple at Rome , where in her Sacrifices called Bellonaria , her 9 i * f # Pjiefis ufe,d to flafli themfelves with Knives. Juft op- pofite flood the Columna Bellica , a Pillar from whence the Herald threw a Spear, when W$r was proclaimed again.fi: any Nation. She is faid to be the Invcntrefa of the Needle (10), from whence fhe took her Name. This Goddefs is reprefented fomeijmes holding a lighted Torch or Brand, at others with a Trumpet, her Hair compofed of Snakes clotted with Gore, and her Garments fiained with Blood, in a furious and ' * ^ * » t tii drafted Attitude. I > 1 ■ CHAP, XL. O/Cerea. \ . * I T may not be improper now to pafs to fofter Pic¬ tures, whole Agreeablenefs may ferye as a Contraft to the fironger Images jufi difplayed. As Plenty and Abundance repair the VVafie and Havock of W'ar, we fhail next to Mars introduce Ceres, a Divinity friendly and beneficent to Mankind. • This Goddefj was the Daughter of Saturn and RJjea. Sicily, Attica, Crete, , and Egypt, claim the Honour of her Birth, each Country producing it§ , {9) Virgil, neid VIH. (10) From a Needle. - * . • j P-eafon?, t 3 2 Fabulous HISTORY of Reafons, though the firft has the general Suffrage. 'In her Youth fhe was fo'beautiful, that her Brother Ju¬ piter fell in Love with her, by whom fhe had Profer -■ pine. Neptune next enjoyed her, but the Fruit of this Amour is controverted, fome making it a Daughter, called Him , others a Horfe, called Arion. Indeed as this laft Deity careffed her in that Form, the latter Opinion feems beft founded. However 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 (i). At laft Pan difcovered her Retreat, and informed J’upiter^ who by the Intercellion of the Parcce % or Fates, appealed her, and prevailed on her to return to the World. For fome Time fhe took up her Abode in Corcyra y from whence fhe removed to Sicily , where the Mis¬ fortune befel her of the Rape of Proferpine her Daugh¬ ter, 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 Satisfaction, /Tie lighted her Torches at Mount /Etna, and mounting her Car drawn by winged Dragons, fet out in Search of her beloved Daughter. As her Adventures in this Journey were pretty remarkable, we ihall mention them in their Order. Her firfl Stop was at Athens , where being hofpira- b!y received by Celeus , fhe in return taught him to fow Corn, and nourifhed his Son Triptolemus with celeftial Milk by Day, at Night covering him with Fire, to render him immortal. Cdeus out of Cu- riofity difcovering this laft Particular, was fo affright¬ ed, that he cried out and revealed it himfeif, on which the Goddefs killed him. As to his Son, Ceres lent him her Chariot, and fent him through the World to inftruCt Mankind in the Art of Agriculture. i (i) Becaufe during her Abflnce the Earth produced no Cora <&r Fruits. Site 'The Heathen Gods. She was next entertained by Hypothoon and Meg, *33 ra (2) his Wife, who fet Wine before her, which flie refined, as unlui table to her mournful Condition * but fhe prepared herfelf a Drink from an Infufion of Meal or Corn, which fhe afterwards ufed. Iambe (3), Attendant of Meg ufed divert the God defs with Stories and Jefts, which fhe repeated in a certain Kind of Verfe. It happened^ during a Sa¬ crifice made her here, that Abas , Son to Meganira, derided the Ceremony, and ufed the Goddeis with opprobrious Language, whereupon fprinkling him with a certain Mixture flie held in her Cup, he became a Newt or Water Lizard. Erifuhton alfo for cutting down a Grove confeciated to her, was punifhed with fuch an infatiable Hunger, that nothing could fatisfy him, but he was forced to gnaw his own Flefh. Fiom thence Ceres palled into Lycia , where being thirfty, and defiring to drink Spring, the Cio nly hindered her, but fullied and dillurbed the Water, reviling her for her Misfortune pon which flie turned them into Frogs. Thefe Frogs, though already punifhed for affronting his Sifter, had the Folly fk Jupiter to grant them a King. He fent them a Frog whom they rejected, and defned another upon which the God fent them a Water Serpent, 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 c Crip - tolemusy and his Brother Eubuleus ; but rhe moft Part agree in giving the Honour of it to the Nymph Are- tbufa (a Fountain in Sicily ) (4), who flying the Pur- fuit of the River Alpbeus y law this Goddefs in the In¬ fernal Regions. We have but one Amour of Ceres recorded. Find** ing Jafoti the Son* of Jupiter and Eledra afleep in a (a) "Hypothoon was the Son of Neptune and Afope. (3) Tiie Daughter of Pan and Echo , and the Inventrefs of Iambic Verfe. (4) The Daughter of Nereus and Daris, and a Companion of Diana. * Field Field newly ploughed up, (he acquainted him with her Pafilon, and bore him Plutvs the God of Riches; but Jove incenled to fee his Son become his Rival, killed him with a Thundeiboit. ♦ Ceres had feveral Names ; ilie was called Magna Dea , or the Great Goddefs, from her Bounty in lup- porting Mankind; Melaina> from her black Cloath- ing ; Euchl&a, from her Verdure ; Alma, Altrix , and from her nouri/hing and impregnating all Seeds and Vegetables, and being as it w.ere the com¬ mon Mother of the World. The Arcadians , by Way of Excellence, flyled her Dejpoina, or the Lady. She was alfo honoured with the peculiar Epithet o fTbef- mophoris, or the Legiflatrefs, becaufe Hufbondry hrft taught the Ufe of Land-maiks, and the Value of Ground, the Source of all Pioperty and Law. It mull be owned this Goddefs was not undeferv- ing the highelt 'Pities given her, confi'dered as the Dmty who firft taught Men to plow and fow, to reap and houfe their Com, to yoke Oxen, to make B.ead, to cultivate all Sorts of Pulle and Garden (luff (except Beans) though fome make Bacchus the fir It Inventor of Agriculture. She alfo inflmdted Mankind to fix Limits or Boundaries, to ascertain their Poffeflions. There was none of the cclefiial Ajfembly, to whom more Lien in Sacrifices were inftituted than to Ceres. The Place where ilie was principally worfhipped, was at EleufiSy where her Rites were performed In the molt foie inn and myfleiious Manner. They were ce¬ lebrated only once in five Years; all the Matrons ini¬ tiated, were to vow a perpetual Chafirity. At the Commencement of the Fellival, a Feali was kept for feveral Days, during which, Wine was banifihed the Altars. After this the Proceffion began, which con¬ fined in the Carriage of the facred Balkets or Canifters, in one of which was jnelofcd a Child, with a golden Seraph, a Van, Grains, Cakes, &c. The Reprefen- tation of the Myiteries, during which a profound Si¬ lence (5) was to be obferved, concluded thus : After (5) It was Death to fpeak, or to reveal what pafied in thefe rel’gious Rites. a horrid a honid Darknds, Thunder, Lightning, and what¬ ever is moll awfui in Nature, fucceeded a calm and bright Illumination, which difcovered four Perfons fpl.nd idly habited. The full was called the Hiero phani , or the Expounder of facred Things, and repre- lented the Demiurgus , or Supreme Being: The Second bore a Tench, and fignified Qfiris ; the Third flood near the Altar, and fignihed Ifts ; the Fourth, whom they called the Holy MeJJenger , peifonated Mer¬ cury (6). To theie Rites none were admitted but Perldns of the hrft Character, for Probity or Emi¬ nence. Only the Prieds were differed to fee the Sta¬ tue of the Goddefs. All the Affembly ufed lighted Torches, and the Solemnity concluded with Games, in which the Vidors were crowned with Ears of Barley. According to Herodotus , thefe Rites were brought om Egypt to Greece , by the Daughters of Danaus . Others fay, that Eumolpus the Son ot Triptolemus and Driope , transferred them from EleufisXo Athens. The Thefraophoria, or leffer Feitivals of Ceres, were celebrated annually at Argos , and in many Points re- fembled the Eleuftnian lViyfteries, though they fell /hurt of them very much in the Dignity and Grandeur of the Celebration. Memmius the ^j£dHe firfl introduced thefe Rites into Rome by the Title of Cerealia (y). None were admitted to the Sacrifices guilty of any Crime j fo that when Nero attempted it, the Roman Matrons ex¬ going into Mourning, a Banquet and publick prelfed their Refentmen., This Feftival was clofed Horfe Races. The Amharvalia were Feafts celebrated the Roman Hufbandmen in Spiing, to render Ceres propi (6) The whole Purport ef this Reprefentation, was dtfigned to allegorize the defolate St2te of Mankind after the Flood, and fhew (he Benefits of Agriculture and Iridufiry. (y) This appears from a M(dal of this Magiftrate, cn which is the Effigies of Cares holding in one Hand three Ears of Corn; in the other a Torch, and with her left Foot treading on a Ser¬ pent. ' tious, 136 Fabulous HISTORY of tious, by luftrating their Fields. Each Mafter of a Fa¬ mily furnifhed a Victim with an Oaken Wreath round its Neck, which he led thrice round his Ground, fol¬ lowed by his Family finging Hymns, and dancing in Honour of the Goddefs, The Offerings ufed in the Luftration where Milk and new Wine. At the Clofe of the Harveft there was a fecond Feftival in which the Goddefs was presented with the firft Fruits of the Seafon, and an Entertainment provided for the Rela¬ tions 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 an 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 Sacrifices to this Goddefs were a Sow with Pig, or a Ram. The Garlands ufed by her in her Sacrifices were of Myrtle or Rapeweed : but Flowers were pro¬ hibited, becaufe Proferpine was loft as /he 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 us now endeavour to find fome Explanation of this Hiftory of Ceres. If we have Recourfe to our former Key, we fhall find the Ceres of Sicily and Eleujis , or of Rome and Greece , is no other than the Egyptian Ifts, brought by the Phoenicians into thole Countries. The very Name of Myftery (8) given to the Eleufmian Rites, /hews they are of Egyptian Origin. The IJts , which appeared at the Feaft apr pointed for the Commemoration of the State of Man¬ kind after the Flood, bore the Name of Ceres (9), fuit- able to her Intention. She was figured in Mourning, and with a Torch, to denote the Grief fhe felt for the Lofs of Perfeph'one (10) her favourite Daughter, and ( 8 ) From Miftor , a Veil or Covering. (9) From Cerets , Diflolution or Overthrow, Jeremiah xlvi. 20. (10) From Peri, Fruit or Coro, and Saphau loft, comes Per*- fopbeneh) or the Corn loft. the The Heathen Gods. 137 the Pains flie was at to recover her. The Poppies with which this IJts was crowned, fignified the Joy Men received at the firft abundant Crop (1). Tr ip to- lemus was only the Attendant Horns (2), bearing in his Hand the Handle of a Plough, and Celens his Father, was no more than (3) the Name of the Tools ufed in forming this ufeftil Inlirument of Agricultu.e. Eumolpus expreffed (4) the Regulation or Formation of the People to Induftry and Tillage ; and Profer- pina or Perfophoneh being found again, was a lively Symbol of tiie Recovery of Corn alinoft loft in the Deluge, and its Cultivation with Succefs. Thus the Emblems, almoft quite fimple, of the moft important Event which ever happened in the World, became, when traniplanted to Greece and Rome , the Sources of the moft ridiculous Fable and groffeft Idolatry. Ceres was ufually reprefented of a tall rnajeftick Stature, fair Complexion, languifhing Eyes, and yel¬ low or flaxen Hair 5 her Head crowned with Poppies, or Ears of Corn, her Breads full and fwelling, hold¬ ing in her Right-Hand a Bunch of the fame Materials with her Garland, and in her Left a lighted 'Porch. When in a Car or Chariot, fhe is drawn by winged Dragons, or Lions. CHAP. XLI. Of Bacchus. S Corn and Wjne are the nobleft Gifts of Na¬ ture, fo it is no Wonder, in the Progrefs of Idolatry, if they became deified, and had their Altars. It is therefore no unnatural Tranfition, if from Ceres we pafs to Bacchus, (1) Bobo fign:fied a double Chop, and is alfo the Name for the Poppy. ( 2 ) From Paraph to break, and < Yelem a Furrow, comes Triptclem ? or the Aft of Ploughing. (3) Celtus , from Celt, a Tool or VefTel. Virgea pr&terea Celei •vilifque fupellex. Virg. Geo. (4) From Wam , People, and Alap, to learn is derived Eu* molep or Eumolpus y i. e, the People regulated or inftrufted. This Fabulous HI STORY 138 This Deity was the Son of Jupiter and Semele (as has been obferved in the Article of Jupiter) and was born at Thebes. Cicero mentions five (5) of the Name. It is faid the Nymphs took Care of his Edu- though fome afcribe this Office to the three ers to the Naiades. Mercury alter this Hours : oth carried him into Eubce Macris the ght Arijleus (6), who anointed his Lips with Honey of but Juno incenfed red finding ProteCtio her, baniihed him thence 1 fo Pi Macris fled nd with him into the Country of the Phoenicia nouriflied him in a Cave. Others fay, that Cadmus Father to Semele, difcovering her Crime, put her and the Child into a wooden Ark. which was led to Oreatat a Town of Lac the Tides where Semele being found dead, was buried with great Pomp, and the Infant nurfed by Ino in a Cave. During this Perfec and an Amphijb being tired in his Flight, he fell afleep or two-headtd Serpent, of the he moil pcifonous Kind, bit his Leg 5 Tut awaking ftruck it with a Vine Twig, and that killed In his Infancy Tyrrhenian Merchants found deep on the Snore, and attempted carry h away but fuddenly he transformed himfelf into monftrous Shapes j at the fame Time their Malls were encompafled with Fines, and their Oars with Ivy, tire Sea, Homer and ftruck with Madnefs, rhey jumped into the God changed into Dolph has made this the $ubje£t of one of his Hy Bacchus . during the Giants W diftinguiflied himfelf greatly by his Valour in the Form of a Lion while Jupiter , to encourage his Son ufed Word Euhoe y which became afterwards frequently ufed in his Sacrifices. Others fay, that in this Rebellion the Titans cut our Deity to Pieces; but that Pallas took The firfl: Son of Jupiter and Broprptne \ the fcd the Egyp~ ttan Bacchus , the Son of Nile , who killed Nyja ; the 3d the S n 0 - Capri us ^ who reigned in Apa ; the 4th the Son of Jupiter and Lun<*\ and the gth born of Nifus and "Tkione. {6) Others fay Mercury carried him to Nyja, a City of At~a~ bia 9 near Egypt. Us The Heathen Gods. 139 his Heart, while yet panting, and carried it to her Father, who colledied the Limbs and re-animated the Body, after it had dept three Nights with Pro- fir pine (7). The 1110ft memorable Exploit of Bacchus was his Expedition to India , which employed him three Years. He let out from Egypt, where he left Mercurius Trifmegijius to aflift his Wife in Quality of Co-Regent, and appointed Hercules his Viceroy. Buftris he con- ftituted Prefident of Phatnicia, and Antaeus of Lybia, after which he marched with a prodigious Army, car¬ rying with him Triplolemus and Maro, to teach Man- kind the Arts of Tillage and planting the Vine. His firft Prqgrefs was Weftward (8), and during his Cpurfe he was joined by Pan and Lufus, who gave their Names to different Paits of Iberia. Altering his Views, he returned through Ethiopia , where the Satyrs and Mufis increafed his Army, and from thence eroding the Red Sea, he penetrated through Afia to the re¬ mote il Parts of India , in the Mountains of which Country, near the Source of the Ganges he eredted two Pillars, to /hew that he had vifited the utmoft Limits to the habitable World (9). After this, re¬ turning Home with Glory, he made a triumphant Entry into Thebes, offered Part of his Spoils to Jupi¬ ter , and facrificed to him the richeft Spices of the Eaft. He then applied himfelf folely to Affairs of Government, to reform Abufes, enadt good Laws, and confult the Happinefs of his People, for which he not only obtained the Title of the taw-giver, by Way of Excellence, but was deified after Death. (7) The Mythologifts fay, that this is to denote the Cuttings of Vines will grow* but that they will be three Years before they come to bear, ($) Pan gave his Name to Spain , or Hifparfia , Lufus , to Lujt- tania, or Portugal, (9) In his Return he built Nyfi, and other Cities, and paffing the Hcliefpoat he came into 'Thrace , where he left Maro , who founded the t City Mareneea. To MaceHo he *>ave th.e Country irom him called Macedonia y and left Triptolemus in Attica to infhuct the People, Juno having ftruck him with Madnefs, he had be¬ fore this wandered through Part of the World. Pro¬ teus, King of Egypt , was the firfl who received him kindly. He next went to Cybella in Phrygia , where being expiated by Rhea, he was initiated in theMyfe- ries o £ Cybele. Lycurgus , King of the Edoni , near the River Strymon , affronted him in this Journey, for which Bacchus deprived him of his Reafon ; fo that when he thought to prune his Vines, he cut off the Legs at his Son Dryas and his own. By Command of the Oracle, his Subjects imprifbned him, and he was torn in Pieces by wild Horfes. It is eafy to fee how inconfiftent thefe Accounts of the fame Perfon # are, and that the A6tions of different Bacchufes are afcribed ro one. We have two other Inftances recorded of the Re- fentment of this Deity. Alcithoe a Theban Lady de¬ rided his Priefteffes, and was transformed into a Bat $ Pentbeus the Son of Echion and Agave , for ridiculing his Solemnities (called Orgia ), was torn in Pieces by his owm Mother and Sillers (to), who in their Mad- neis took him for a wild Boar The favourite Wife of Bacchus was Ariadne , whom he found in the 1 fie of Naxos , abandoned by Thefeus, he loved her fo paflionately, that he placed the Crown fire wore as a Conftellation in the Skies. By her he had Staphilus, 1 hyoneus, Hymen&us. &c. Ciffusy a Youth whom he gready efteemed, fport- ing with the Satyrs, was accidentally killed. Bacchus changed him into the Plant Ivy, which became in a peculiar Manner confederated to his Worfhip. Silenus, another of his Favourites, wandering from his Maf* ter came to Midas , King of Phrygia , at whole Court he was well received. To require this Favour, Bac~ chus promifed to grant whatever he requeued. The Monarch, whofe ruling Paflion was Avarice, defired all he touched might be turned to Gold ; but he foon felt the Inconveniency of having his Wifh granted, when he found his Meat and Drink converted into, (10) Ovid, Lib. II. 5.3o. The Heathen Gods. 141 Metal. He therefore pray'd the God to recall his Bounty, and releafe him from his Mifery. He was commanded to waili in the River Paflolus, which from that Time had Golden Sands (1). Bacchus had a great Variety of Names ; he was called Dionyftus (3), from his Father's Lamenefs, while he carried him in his Thigh : The Appellation of B if or mis was given him, becaufe he fometimes was reprefented as old, fometimes as young ; that of J 5 W- fasus, from his inventing the Wine-prefs (4)5 that of Bromius, from the crackling of Fire heard when Se¬ me ie perifhed by the Lightning of Jupiter ; that of Bimater, from his having two Mothers, or being twice born. The Greeks ftyled him Bugenes , or born of an Ox, becaufe he was drawn with Homs; and for the fame Realon the Latins called him faurifor - mis. He was named Daemon bonus , becaufe in all Feafts the laft Glafs was drank to his Honour. Evv«, to unloofe or fet free. Mount Mount Nyfa, he gained the Epithet of Nifveus , as al- fo that of Thyoneus, from Fhyo, his Nurfe ; and that of Friumphus, from his being the firlt who inltituted \Triumphs. The principal Feftivals of Bacchus Were the Ofco- phoria, inltituted by the Phoenicians. The Treiteri- ca ( 3 ) celebrated in Remembrance of hrs three Years Expedition to India. The Epilaiiea were Games ap¬ pointed at the Time of Vintage, in which they con¬ tended who Ihotikl tread out molt Muft or Wine, and fung Hymns to the Deity. The Athenians obferved . a certain Feafi called Apaturia ; as alfo others called Afcolia and Ambrofia. Thefe latter were celebrated in January , the Months facred to Bacchus ; the Ro¬ mans called them Brumalia, and kept them in Februa¬ ry and Auguji (9); but the molt conliderable, of the Romans , with regard to this God, were the Baccha¬ nalia, Dionyfia or Orgia , folemnized at Mid-dav in February , by Women only at firft ; but afterwards by both Sexes. Thefe Rites were attended with inch abominable Ex cedes and Wickednefs, that the Senate abolifhed them by a publick Decree (10). The Victims, agreeable to Bacchus , were the Goat and the Swine, becaufe thefe Animals were dellrudtive to the Vines', the Dragon , and the Pye on Account of its chattering. The Trees and Plants ufed in his Garlands were the Ivy, the Fir, the Oak , and the Herb Rapevoeed; as’ alfo the Flower Daffodil or Nar- ciffus. Bacchus was the God of Mirth, Wine, and good Cheer, and as fuch the Poets have not been fparing in his Praifes. On all Occalions of Pl'eafure and fbci- al Joy they never failed to invoke his Prefence, and to thank him for the Bleflings he bellowed. To him tbeynfcribed the Forgetfulnefs of their Cares, and the fofc Tranfports of mutual Frieridihip and chearful (8) Virgil, Alneid IV. 303. (9) See Ccel Rhodog, Lib. XVII. cap. 5. (10) See Horace, Book II. Ode XIX, wholly confecraied to his Praife. Con ‘The Heathen Gods. *43 Converfation. It would be endlefs to repeat the Compliments paid him by the Greek and Latin Poets, who, for the mod Part, were hearty Devotees to his Worfliip. Bacchus , by the Poets and Painters, is reprefented corpulent Youth (i) naked with a ruddy Face wanton Look, and effe Ai r. He is crowned with Ivy and Vine Leaves, and bears in his Hand Tbyrfi drawn fo (*) rcled wilh the fame, by Lions, at other Hi Car is Tyg Leopards, or Panthers, and furrounded by a Band of Saty Foil and Mcenades, or Wood Nymph and old Silenus riding on an Afs » in frantick to clofe the mad Procedion, appear: w carry fo fat and jovial a Comp was fcarcely able But on the great Sarcophagus ot his Grace the Duke of Beaufort , at Badminton, he is exprefled as on a Tvsrer. and habited in a young Man mounted long Robe. He holds a Thyrfus in one Hand, and with the other pours Wine into a Horn H Foot re its upon a Balket. His Attendants are the Seafon: properly reprefented and intermingled with Fauns Genie See To arrive at the true Original of this fabled Deity, we mu ft once more revilit Egypt, the Mother-Country of the Gods, were he was indeed no than the Ojiris of that People. Whence fprung another Bac¬ chus, diftinguifhed from him, as will piefently appear. We have already had fufficient Occafton, to remark how their Horus changed his Name and Attributes Op ording to the Seafons, and the Circumftances ons he was intended to dire6t. To comme- the antient State of Mankind, he appeared un¬ der the Symbol of a Child, with a Seraph by his Side, and afTumed the Name ot Ben-Semele (3). This Was (1) Bacchus was fometimes depicted as s Beard, as at Elis in Greece, and it was only old Man with a en he had Horns given him •, fometimes he was cloathed with a Tyger’s Skin. (2,) The Thyrfus wa-s a wooden Javelin with an Iron Head (3) Ben-S^mele, or the Child of the Reprefentation. 144 Fabulous HISTORY of an Image of the Weaknefs and Imperfe&ion of Hus¬ bandry after the Deluge. The Greeks , who knew no¬ thing of the true Meaning of the Figure, called it the Son of SemeUy and to heighten its Honour, made Jupiter his Father, or according to the Eafiern Style (4), produced him out of his Thigh. They even embel- lifhed the Story with all the marvellous Circumftances of his Mother’s Death, and fo effe&uaily compleated the Fable. Let us add to this, that in all the antient Forms of Invocation to the Supreme Being, they ufed the Ex- preffions afterwards appropriated to Bacchus , fuch as io Teromhe (5)/ io Bacche (6) t or to Baccoth ! Jeho -