GUIDE 
 
 T O 
 
 CLASSICAL LEARNING: 
 
 O R, 
 
 POLYMETIS ABRIDGED. 
 
 CONTAINING, 
 
 I. By Way of Introduction, 
 the Characters of the Latin 
 Poets and their Works. 
 The Rife, Growth, and Fall 
 of the polite arts among 
 the Romans. The Ufeful- 
 nefs of Antiques towards 
 explaining the Classics. 
 A true Idea of the Al- 
 legories of the Anti- 
 en ts, and of their whole 
 Scheme of Machinery, or 
 
 Interposition of the 
 Gods ; with Remarks on the 
 Defeds of our beft Allegorifts 
 and Artifts for Want of fuch 
 an Idea. 
 
 II. An Inquiry concerning 
 the Agreement between the 
 Works of the Roman Po- 
 ets and the Remains of 
 the an tien t Artists, in 
 order to illuftrate them mu- 
 tually from one another. 
 
 Being a WORK abfolutely necefiary, not only for 
 the right Understanding of the Classics, 
 but alfo for forming in young Minds a true 
 Taste for the Beauties of POETRY, 
 SCULPTURE, and PAINTING. 
 
 The FOURTH EDITION. 
 
 Uluftrated with Twenty-eight Prints from original 
 A n t i qjj e s, and more particularly 
 adapted to the Ufe of 
 SCHOOLS and ACADEMIES. 
 
 By N. T I N D A L, Tranfiator of R A P I N. 
 
 LONDON: 
 Printed for J. Dodsley, in Pall-MalL 
 
 MDCCLXXYII, 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 MR. SPENCE is the firft who may 
 be faid to have joined the ftudy 
 of the antiques to that of criticism \ 
 The refult of this junction was his elabo- 
 rate Inquiry concerning the Agreement be- 
 tween the works of the Roman poets and 
 the remains of the antient artists, in 
 order to illuftrate them from one an- 
 other ; and to that end he has collected 
 no lefs than 3000 paflages from the La* 
 tin poets and others, relating to the alle- 
 gorical beings received as deities among 
 the Romans. 
 
 The following meets are a complete a- 
 bridgement of this excellent treafure of 
 claftical learning ; the nature of the work 
 
 * This connexion, though fpoken of in general 
 both by antients and moderns, has not been han- 
 dled, in particular, by any writer, except Mr. 
 Addifon, in his Treatife on medals, who made 
 but a very fmall progrefs in it. 
 
 A 2 being 
 
PREFACE, 
 being fuch, that by omitting the quota- 
 rations, (which the young ftudent may 
 eafily turn to,) and retaining only the re- 
 ferences, all the reft may be reduced to 
 a frmill pocket- volume. 
 
 As there has never been any thing of 
 this kind publifhed before, the abridger, 
 (who then had but lately happened to 
 light on Polymetis,) was furpriled that no 
 one fliould have thought of epitomizing 
 a work fo very capable of it, and of which 
 a compendium could not but be extremely 
 ufeful for fchools and academies. For the 
 defcriptions and expreflions in the Roman 
 poets having never been fo carefully com- 
 pared with the noble remains of the old 
 artifts, there had not been any authentic 
 reprefentations of the figures, attributes, 
 drefs, attitudes, and other appearances of 
 the Roman deities b . And how neceffary 
 
 b The figures of the Roman deities and the re- 
 prefentations of the moral beings have generally 
 fomething to diftinguifh them. Thefe marks are 
 called figna in Latin, and attributes by our artifts; 
 fuch as Neptune's trident, the ivy-crown of Bac- 
 chus, the laurel one of Apollo. So Juftice is 
 diilinguifhed by her equal balance, Honefty by a 
 tranfparent veil, Modelty by a veil, &c. See 
 p. xxvi. 
 
 towards 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 towards the underftanding of the clafiic s 
 an exact knowledge of thefe things is for 
 a fchool-boy, evidently appears from the 
 allufions to them in almoft every line of 
 the Latin poets. Neither had it ever been 
 attempted to mew the real intent and de- 
 fign of the allegories of the antients, and 
 the true nature of their machinery or inter- 
 pofition of the Gods ; tho' without a right 
 notion of thefe, it is impoflible for the 
 young ftudent (or indeed any body elfe) 
 ever to have a true fenfe of the beauties of 
 the polite arts. 
 
 Now in this Abridgement the appear- 
 ances of the Roman deities are accurately 
 defcribed, and the real intent of the alle- 
 gories and machinery of the antients is 
 clearly fet forth ; and therefore in thefe 
 refpects it is undoubtedly preferable to any 
 fchool-book of the kind hitherto publimed. 
 For, 
 
 What an advantage mud it be for the 
 youths at fchool to fet out with a right no- 
 tion of thefe things ? how inftru&ive to 
 have a true idea of that fimplicity, plain- 
 nefs, and propriety of the antient allego- 
 ries, by which they are characterized, and 
 A3 to 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 to be acquainted with the true nature of the 
 machinery of the antients, that it was built 
 upon the univerfal belief in thofe days that 
 man could do nothing of himfelf, but was 
 actuated in every thing by the direction of 
 fome god or other, and that, in confe- 
 quence of this fingle principle, a proper 
 deity might be introduced to help on any 
 fact in which he was fuppofed to be parti- 
 cularly concerned. 
 
 When thus taught, the young ftudent 
 will fee not only our artifts but our poets, 
 for want of a true idea of the antient alle- 
 gories and machinery, grofsly defective in 
 their allegorical representations he will 
 fee them guilty of multiplicity, impropri- 
 ety, and oblcurity, and often reprefenting 
 perfons and things with fomething incon- 
 fiftent with their nature ; he will fee the great 
 Rubens himfelf, fo famous for allegories, 
 painting Hope with her anchor on her 
 moulder •, a lady with a fhip on her head ; 
 Justice grafping a bundle of flames, with 
 her fcales in the fame hand c . — He will fee 
 even the divine Raphael reprefenting A- 
 
 c See the author's remarks on the cieling at 
 Whitehall and the Luxemburg gallery in the ap- 
 pendix. 
 
 policy 
 
P R E F A C E. 
 polio, in his famous ParnaiTus, playing 
 on a modern riddle. — He will fee, in 
 Spenfer's Fairy Queen, (the work of our 
 beft allegorift,) many inftances of his mix- 
 ing Heathenifm and Chriftianity together; 
 of his mifreprefenting the ancient allego- 
 ries, and of his own being too compli- 
 cated or over-done, and ftretched to an 
 extravagant degree. — He will fee Dryden, 
 one of our beft tranflators, without any au- 
 thority, mifreprefenting, in his tranflation 
 of Virgil, the perfons, attributes, drefs, and 
 actions of the allegorical beings ; as Peace 
 with wings — Proteus with grey hair — 
 Cybele drawn by tygers, inftead of her 
 lions. — He will fee him fall into the mo ft 
 vulgar notions of the antient machinery, 
 from his being unacquainted with the real 
 defign of it, and the principle on which it 
 was founded. 
 
 If then our beft artifts, allegorifts, and 
 tranflators, are fo defective in their alle- 
 gorical fubjects, for want of a clear idea of 
 the antient allegories and machinery, how 
 necefiary is it that our youths at fchool 
 mould be made acquainted, as early as 
 pofllble, with a right notion of thefe 
 5 things f 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 things ! by which means a folid founda- 
 tion would be laid in their young minds 
 for understanding the claflks for acquir- 
 ing a true tafte for the beauties of poetry, 
 painting, and fculpture and for enabling 
 them to judge of the excellencies and 
 defecls of our allegorifts, tranflators, and 
 artifts. 
 
 For thefe purpofes this abridgement is 
 offered to all thofe who are concerned in 
 the education of youth : being the flrft 
 and only attempt (as hath been obferved) 
 towards giving a true idea of the allego- 
 ries and machinery of the antients, and an 
 accurate and authentic defcription of the 
 figures, attributes, and other appearances 
 of the allegorical and moral beings received 
 as deities among the Romans. 
 
 In the courfe of this inquiry an account 
 is given of a great number of the mo ft no- 
 ted pictures, ftatues, gems, and medals, at 
 Rome, Florence, &c. and not a few good 
 fubjects are recommended to our modern 
 artifts and painters from the defcriptions i 
 in the old poets. There are alfo occafional 
 hints at fome of the refemblances between 
 the religion profeffed of old at Rome, and 
 that which is pradifed there now, with a 
 
 general 
 
PREFACE, 
 general notion of the pagan religion as pro-> 
 feiTed by the heathen world, and other cu- 
 rious particulars. 
 
 As the two former editions were de- 
 figned for all perfons in general, and as 
 this edition is adapted, in particular, for 
 the ufe of fchools, it was thought proper to 
 make the following alterations. 
 
 1. Such paiTages in the introduction as 
 were deemed not to relate fo immediately 
 to fchool-education, are omitted or con- 
 tracted. 
 
 2. The Inquiry itfelf is enlarged and il- 
 luftrated with 28 prints, taken from original 
 antiques. 
 
 3. Several paflfages from the claflks re- 
 ferred to in the notes are inferted in the ap- 
 pendix, by way of fpecimen, for the fchool- 
 boy to follow. 
 
 4. The judicious remarks on the defects 
 of our modern artifts, allegorifts, and 
 tranOators, are thrown into the appendix, 
 as they are fitter to be read after the peru- 
 fal of the Inquiry than before. Thefe re- 
 marks are of great ufe towards forming a 
 right judgement of the allegorical represen- 
 tations 
 
PREFACE, 
 tations of our artifls and poets and will 
 be very ferviceable to the young ftudents 
 in many refpedts, particularly the remarks 
 on Dryden's tranflation of Virgil, if the 
 fcholar compares the paffages referred to 
 with the original. 
 
 ERRATUM. 
 P. ix. 1. 1 8. for received r^weavc^ 
 
A LIST of the ANTIQUES, and 
 where they are placed and explained. 
 
 th I. The Frontifpiece. 
 Jupiter, in the Verofpi-palace at Rome, p. i. 
 
 PI. II. facing p. 6. 
 
 1. Jupiter Capitolinus, from a medal of 
 Vitellius, p. 5, 6. 
 
 2. The Winged Fulmen, on a fhield on 
 the Antonine and Trajan pillars, p. 7. 
 
 PI. III. p. 16. 
 Venus of Medici. 
 
 PL IV. p. 23. 
 
 1. Mars Gradivus, a Cornelian at Flo- 
 rence, p. 23. 
 
 2. Mars defcending on Rhea Sylvia, a medal 
 of Antoninus Pius, p. 23. . 
 
 PI. V. p. 26. 
 Apollo Belvidere. 
 
 PI. VI. p. 37. 
 
 1. Diana Triformis, from Montfaucon., 
 Vol. 1. pi. 90. p. 37. 
 
 2. Mercury flying, as in the Vatican manu- 
 fcript, p. 38. 
 
 PI. VII. p. 43. 
 Farnese Hercules. 
 
 PI. VIII. p. 66. 
 
 1. Heads of Bacchus, on a tree, a Cor- 
 nelian of MafFei, p. 55. 
 
 2. Castor and Pollux, a medal in Oife- 
 lius, p. 60. 
 
 3. Prudence, a medal of Gordianus Afri- 
 canus, p. 64, 
 
 4. Justice, 
 
LIST of the ANTIQUES. 
 
 4. Justice, a medal of Galba, p. 64. 
 
 5. Fortitude, a medal of Adrian, p. 64. 
 
 6. Temperance, a medal in the Pifani col- 
 lection, p. 67. 
 
 PI. IX. p. 112. 
 
 1. Mercury's fword, or harpe', a cornelian 
 at Florence, p. 38. 
 
 2. Hercules and Antaeus, in the palace of 
 Pitti at Florence, p. 50. 
 
 3. Janus, a medal of Antoninus Pius, in 
 Bartoli, p. 112. . 
 
 4. A God of winds, a relievo in the Capito- 
 linegallwy, p. 119. 
 
 PI. X. p. 132. 
 
 1. Juno drawn by peacocks, from a medal, 
 p. 122. 
 
 2. Fame, a little brafs flatue at Florence, 
 p. 126. 
 
 3. Neptune, a medal of Adrian, p. 129. 
 
 4. Venus Marina, a relievo in the Mattei- 
 palace at Rome, p. 132. 
 
 PL XT. p. 153. 
 Atlas fupporting a globe, in the Farnefe pa- 
 lace at Rome. 
 
 PI. XII. p. 180. 
 
 1. The God of Sleep, or Somnus, a ftatue 
 of Maffei's, p. 166. 
 
 2. Sisyphus, Tantalus, and Ixion, a re- 
 lievo in the Barbarini palace at Rome, p. 180. 
 
 PI. XIII. p. 181. 
 The Farnefe Celestial Globe. 
 
POLYMETIS 
 
 ABRIDGED: 
 
 O R 
 
 An I N QJJ I R Y concerning the 
 Agreement between the Works 
 of the Roman Poets, and the 
 Remains of the Antient 
 Artists, 
 
 THE 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 TH E principal defign of the author 
 in this Inquiry was, to compare 
 the defcriptions and expreflions in 
 the Latin poets any way relating to 
 the Roman deities, with the allegorical repre- 
 fentations of the fame by the painters and fculp- 
 tors, in their pictures, ftatues, medals and gems, 
 B in 
 
[ ii 1 
 
 in order to illuflrate them mutually from one 
 another. a 
 
 As the author has confined himfclf to the 
 Roman poets only ; and as there is a great deal 
 of difference in the authority of a poet near the 
 fecond Punic war and one of the Auguftan age, 
 he has prefixed to his Inquiry, in order to fettle 
 the credit which ought to be given to each poet, 
 an account of the rife, growth and decline 
 of poetry, painting and fculpture among the 
 Romans, wherein he gives the characters of the 
 Latin poets and their works, from Ennius down 
 to Juvenal. 
 
 SECT. I. 
 
 The Growth and Decline of Poetry among 
 the ROMANS. 
 
 THERE are three ages of the Latin poetry. 
 The firft age may be dated, as it was by the 
 Romans themfelves, from the time of 
 
 a The author took the pains to read over all the R.oman poets, 
 from the fragments of Livius Andronicus, to the fatires of Juve- 
 nal} and to mark down the moft ftriking paftages relating to the 
 allegorical beings received as deities among the Romans, He alfo 
 Increafed his ftock of quotations from feveral profe-writers, from 
 Varro down to Macrobius. 
 
 LIVIUS. 
 
[ Hi ] 
 
 LIVIUS ANDRONICUS. 
 
 Livius was the firft Latin poet of whom there 
 are any remains. 
 
 The firft kind of poetry that met with any 
 fuccefs among the Romans, was that for the 
 ftage. They were very religious, and ftage-plays 
 in thofe days made no inconfiderable part in their 
 public devotions. Livius's firft play (and it was 
 the firft written play that ever appeared at Rome, 
 whence Horace perhaps calls him fcriptor, 3. ii. 
 ep. i. v. 61.) was acled in the 514th year from 
 the building of the city ; fo long was it before 
 poetry had made any progrefs among the Romans. 
 Livius is noted for the firft, rather than for a 
 good poet, and was the only one for the ftage til! 
 Naevius arofe. 
 
 N £ V I U S, ENNIUS. 
 
 Njevius, befides his plays, ventured upon a 
 historical poem on the firft Carthaginian war, in 
 which he is faid to have ferved. 
 
 Ennius followed his fteps in this as well as in 
 the dramatic way. He celebrated the victories of 
 Scipio Africanus (Hor. 1. iv. od. 8.) and com- 
 pofed the annals of Rome in heroic verfe 3 and 
 died at the 12th book in his 67th year. 
 
 Theie 
 
[ » 3- 
 
 Thefe three were actors as well as poets, and 
 feem rather to have wrote whatever was wanted 
 for the ftage, than to have confulted their own 
 genius. 
 
 After the fecond Punic war and the conquefts 
 in Greece, the Roman dramatic poets began to 
 act with more judgment. They had the benefit 
 of the excellent Greek patterns, and formed 
 themfelves on thofe models. Hor. 1. ii, cp. I, 
 v. 163. 
 
 PLAUTUS. C/ECILIUS. 
 Plautus was the firft that confulted his own 
 genius, and confined hinfelf to comedy, for 
 which he was fitted by nature. Indeed his comedy 
 is of a ruder kind, his jefts are often rough, and 
 his wit coarfe j but there is a ffrength and fpirit 
 in him that makes him read with pleafure. 
 
 Cjecilius followed his example in confulting 
 his own genius, but improved their comedy fo 
 much beyond him, that Cicero (Brut. c. 74.) 
 . counts him the belt perhaps of all their comic 
 writers. But this was not for his language, but 
 for the dignity of his characters, or the ftrength 
 of his fentiments; 
 
 TERENCE. A F R A N I U 5. 
 
 Terence firft appeared when Caecilius was in 
 high reputation. It is feen by his plays to what 
 exactnefs and elegance the Roman comedy was 
 
 arrived 
 
[ v I 
 
 arrived in his time. There is a beautiful fimpli- 
 city throughout all his works : his fpeakers fay 
 juft what they fhould fay, and no more. The 
 {lory is always going on, and goes on juft as it 
 ought. The Roman language in his hands feems 
 to be almoft a hundred years forwarder than the 
 times he lived in. His moft ufual method, it 
 feems, was to take his plans and characters from 
 the Greek comic poets, efpecially from Menan- 
 der. 
 
 Afranius was regarded even in the Auguftari 
 age as the moft exact imitator of Menander. He 
 owns he had no reftraint in copying him or any 
 other Greek comic poet, wherever they fet him 
 a good example. His ftories and perfons were 
 Roman, as Terence's were Grecian. This was 
 deemed fo material a point that it made two dif- 
 ferent forts of comedy. Thofe on a Greek ftory 
 (wherein Terence excelled) were called p alii at a y 
 and thofe on a Roman, togata ; wherein Afra- 
 nius was unrivalled, and therefore the lofs of his 
 works is greatly to be lamented. 
 
 P A C U V I U S. ACCIUS. 
 
 Pacuvius, a cotemporary of Terence, and 
 Accius of Afranius, about the fame time, car- 
 ried tragedy as far towards pci feci ion as it ever 
 arrived in Roman hands* It is remarkable in 
 Pacuvius that he was alraoft as eminent for paint- 
 ing as for poetry. Plin. 1. 35. c. 4, 
 
 G 3 Accius 
 
t vi ] 
 
 Accius began to publifh when Pacuvius was 
 leaving off. His language was not fo fine, nor his 
 verfes fo well turned, as his predeceflbr's. 
 
 L U C I L I U S. 
 
 For more than a hundred years, the ftage was 
 aimed the fole province of the Roman poets, but 
 afterwards fatire, a new fpecies of poetry, 
 fprung up, the produce of the old comedy. En- 
 nius and others had attempted it j but it was fo 
 altered and improved by Lucilius, by the lights 
 he borrowed from the old Athenian comedy, 
 that he was called the inventor of it. Hor. 1. i. 
 fat. 4. v. 7. 
 
 LUCRETIUS. 
 
 Lucretius not long after joined poetry to 
 philofophy : where his fubjeel: gives him leave, he 
 difcovers a great deal of fpirit, and in all his di- 
 gressions he appears to have been of a more poetical 
 turn than Virgil himfelf ; which is partly owned in 
 the fine compliment Virgil pays him in his 
 Georgics, Geo. ii. v. 492. His fubjedt often 
 forces him to go on heavily for an hundred lines 
 together : but wherever he breaks out, he breaks 
 out like lightning from a cloud, all at once, 
 with force and brightnefs. 
 
 CATULLUS. 
 
[ vii ] 
 
 CATULLUS. 
 
 Catullus and Lucretius wrote when letters 
 in general began to flourifh at Rome much more 
 than ever they had done. Catullus began to fhew 
 the Romans the excellence of the Greek Lyric 
 poets. He was admired in all the different ways 
 of writing he attempted. His odes perhaps are 
 the leaft valuable parts of his works. The fatiri- 
 cal Itrokes in his epigrams are very fevere, and 
 his defcriptions in his idylliums very piclurefque. 
 He paints ftrongly, but with more force than 
 elegance. 
 
 Of thefe the firft age of the Roman poetry 
 may be faid to confift ; an age more remarkable 
 for ftrength than for refinement in writing. All 
 that remains of this period are the twenty plays 
 of Plautus and the fix of Terence, the philofo- 
 phical poem of Lucretius, and the poems of Ca- 
 tullus. Of all the reft there is nothing left but 
 fuch paflages as are quoted by the antient writers, 
 and particularly by Cicero, in whofe time it was 
 the fafhion to cry up the old poets. Horace, in 
 his epiftle to Auguftus, combated this high no- 
 tion of the antients as a vulgar error, and his 
 character of them feems a little too fevere. 
 
 The fecond, or flour ifting age of the Roman 
 poetry, begins with the reign of Augustus, who 
 encouraged the improvement of all the polite arts 
 and elegances of life. He had a mimfter too, 
 B 4 Maecenas, 
 
I v ™ J 
 
 Maecenas, who admitted the beft poets into a 
 very great mare of friend (hip and intimacy' with 
 him. In the head of this lift ftands 
 
 VIRGIL. 
 
 Virgil foon grew the moft applauded writer 
 for genteel paftorals b ; then publifhed the moft 
 beautiful and correct poem on agriculture that 
 ever was penned in the Roman language; and 
 laft of all, he undertook the /£neid, a poem 
 that has been highly applauded in all ages, from 
 its firft appearance to this day; and though- 
 left unfinimed, has been reckoned as much fu- 
 perior to all other epic poems among the Romans, 
 as Homer's is among the Greeks. It preferves to 
 us more of the religion of the Romans than all 
 the other Latin poets, except Ovid ; and gives 
 us the forms and appearances of their deities as 
 ftrongly, as if v;e had fo many pictures of them 
 drawn by the bdt hands, in the Auguftan age. c 
 
 The 
 
 t> All paftoral writers may be divided into two clafTes, the 
 rural and the ruftic ; or, if you will, the genteel and the homely.. 
 See Hor. 1. i. fat. 10. v. 45. where molle feems to be meant of the 
 fweetnefs of Virgil's verification in his paftorals, as facetut denotes 
 the genteelnefs. 
 
 e There are two celebrated old manufcript Virgils in the 
 Vatican library at Rome, with paintings in them, relating to fome 
 of the moft remarkable paffages. The more antient of the two 
 is generally thought to be of Conftantine's time, by the learned 
 in the ages of manufcripts; but as the pi&ures are evidently of 
 
 too. 
 
[ ix ] 
 
 The ftrength of his imagination, as to this 
 particular, has been commended by fome of 
 the an dents thcmfelves, though in general that 
 is not his character, To much asexa&nefs. He was 
 certainly the molt correct poet even of his time, 
 and it is as certain that there is but little of inven- 
 tion (much lefs than perhaps is imagined) in his 
 iEneid. Almoft all the little facts in it are built 
 on hiflory ; and even as to particular lines, no one 
 perhaps ever borrowed more from the former poets, 
 inferting often whole verfes from Ennius and 
 others. He minded not the obfoletenefs of their 
 fly le, for he was particularly fond of their old 
 language, and, doubtlefs, inferted more anti- 
 quated words than can now be difcovered. Judg- 
 ment is his ciftinguifliing character; whatever 
 he borrowed he had the fkill to make his own, 
 by fo artfully receiving it into his work, that it 
 looks all of a piece. d 
 
 HORACE. 
 
 Horace was firft recommended to Maecenas by 
 Virgil. No man was fitter for a court where wit 
 was fo particularly encouraged, than Horace,, 
 who had himfelf a great deal, and was well ac- 
 B 5 quainted- 
 
 too good a manner for that age, they are fuppofed, by the Left 
 judges, to have been copied' from fome others of the moft flouriih- 
 ing ages. Our author, therefore, has not fcrupled to make ufe of 
 rhefe pictures in the courfe of his work. 
 
 d Our author has largely proved that the Mr.eid is a political 
 poem in fupport of the new monarchical government undec 
 Auguftus. See Pclym. p. 18. 
 
[ X ] 
 
 quainted with mankind. He has been generally 
 moft celebrated for his Lyric poems, in which he 
 far excelled all the Roman poets, and rivalled the 
 Greek, which feems to be the height of his am- 
 bition. He is alfo famous for refining fatire, and 
 bringing it from the coarfenefs and harfhnefs of 
 Lucilius, to that genteel eafy manner which per- 
 haps none but he in all ages fmce has ever pof- 
 feffed. As the antients fay nothing of his epifties, 
 poffibly they palled under the fame name, perhaps 
 that of fermoncs. They are generally written in 
 a ffyle approaching to that of converfation, and 
 are fo much alike, that feveral of the fatires 
 might as well be called epifties, as feveral of his 
 epifties have the fpirit of fatire in them. In thefe 
 epifties and fatires it is that he {hews his ex- 
 cellent talent for critieifm, efpecially in his 
 long 'epiftle to Augustus, and in that to Pifo, 
 commonly called his Art of Poetry. They abound 
 in ftrokes, which fhew his great knowledge oi 
 mankind, and. in that pleafing way of teaching 
 philofcpiiv, of laughing away vice, of in- 
 fmuating virtue. They may ferve, as much as 
 ajmoft any writings, to make men wifer and 
 better. He was in general an honeft man him- 
 felf 3 without one ill-natured vice about him. 
 
 TIBULLUS. PROPER TIUS. 
 
 In the fame court flourifhed Tibullus, who 
 is kindly mentioned by Horace, 1. i. od. 33. 1. i. 
 cp. 4. He was deemed by their belt judges, and 
 
C xi 1 
 
 is, the moft exact and beautiful writer of love- 
 verfes and elegies among the Romans. His 
 compliment on MelTala (the only poem he wrote 
 of elegiac verfe) plainly fhews, he was neither 
 defigned for heroics nor panegyrics. Elegance is 
 his<diftingui(hing character, and if his fubjedt will 
 never let him be fublime, his judgment keeps him 
 from being faulty. 
 
 His rival and cotemporary Propertius (who, 
 even in their better ages of judging, was, it feems, 
 preferred before him) followed too many different 
 models. Hence it appears that it was the cuftom 
 of the Romans to fet fome Greek pattern or other 
 before them. Had Propertius fixed upon any 
 one, he might perhaps have fucceeded better. 
 
 OVID. 
 
 The next of the elegiac writers is Ovid. He 
 is more loofe and incorrect than either of the 
 other two. As Propertius followed too many maf- 
 ters, Ovid endeavoured to fhine in too many 
 kinds of writing at the fame time. Befides, he 
 had a redundant genius, which he almoft always 
 chofe rather to indulge than reftrain. He excels 
 moft in his Fafti ; then in his Love-elegies; next 
 in his Epiftles, and laftly in his Metamorphofis. As 
 for the verfes after his banifhment, he has quite 
 loft his fpirit in them. Nor does his genius ever fhine 
 out after that fatal ftroke, though we may dif- 
 cover fome difference in his manner, after it came 
 B 6 to 
 
r *s ] 
 
 to fit a little lighter upon him. His love of being 
 witty had forfaken him, though it grew upon him 
 when leaft becoming, in his old age ; for his Me- 
 tamorphofis (which was the laft poem he wrote at 
 Rome) has more inflances of falfe wit than per- 
 haps all his former writings put together. 
 His tranfitions from one ftory to another, for 
 which he is fo much cried up, are by Quin- 
 tillian rather excufed than commended : we have 
 a confiderable lofs in the latter half of his Fafti, 
 and in his Medea, which is much applauded. 
 
 P H JE D R U S. 
 
 Though Phjedrus did not appear till the reign 
 of Tiberius, he deferves to be reckoned among 
 thofe of the Auguftan age. He profefiedly follows 
 JEfop in his fables, and declares that he keeps in 
 his manner, even where the fubjecl is of his own 
 invention. By this it appears that iEfop's way 
 of telling flories was fhort and plain ; for Pha?- 
 drus's diftinguifhing beauty is conci.ien.efs and 
 iimplicity. 
 
 MANILIU S. 
 
 There are fo many pafiages in Manilius 
 which relate to his own times, and which all 
 have a regard to the. Auguflan age, that he is at 
 prefent reckoned of that age, though no one antient 
 writer fpeaks of any fuch poet about thofe times. 
 The ftrongeft. argument in his favour is, that his 
 treatife of aflronomy agrees exa&ly in many 
 
 particulars 
 
[ xiii 1 
 
 particulars with the antient cekftial globe in the 
 Farnefe palace at Rome e . 
 
 There is nothing remains to us of this flourifhing 
 age of poetry befide what has been mentioned, ex- 
 cept the garden poem of Columella, the little 
 hunting-piece of Gratius, and perhaps an elegy 
 or two of Gallus. Thefe are but fmall remains 
 of an age wherein poetry was fo well cultivated and 
 followed by very great numbers : as for the others, 
 we only hear of their names in. Ovid, Virgil, and 
 Horace. 
 
 The third age, or the decline of the Roman 
 poetry, may be dated from the latter part of Au- 
 guftus's reign. It certainly fell very much under 
 Tiberius, and was wholly changed under Caligula. 
 Inftead of the fenfible, chaflc, and manly way 
 of writing in the former age, there now rofe up an 
 affectation of mining in every thing they faid ; and 
 their poetry was quite loll: in high flights and. 
 obfcuiity. 
 
 e TJus glebe was found in the ruins, of antient Rome, and is 
 nowln the. Farnefe palace. It is fupported cn the fhoulders of 
 an Atlas. The antiquity of it appears from hence, that Aries, or 
 the Ram, is placed in its proper fign near the equinox, whereas in 
 tbe modern globes it is removed into the fign of Taurus more 
 than 30 degrees from the. equinoctial point 5 confequently it is 
 at lead 2000 years old. By this a clear idea of the recefiion of 
 the equinox is plainly exhibited to the view, one degree in jz 
 years, according to Sir Ifaac Newton. 
 
 LUCAN, 
 
L U C A N. P E R S I U S. 
 
 Luc an and Persius, in Nero's reign, may 
 ferve for examples, one of the fweliing, and the 
 other of the obfcure ftyle, then in vogue. Lucan 
 in general runs too much into bombaft ; in his 
 calm hours he is very wife, but he is often in his 
 rants, and never more fo than when he is in 
 battles and ftorms. Inftancesof this, are Ccefar's 
 croffing the feas in a fmull veflel, 1. 5. the 
 battle of Pharfalia, L 7. and the fea- tight off 
 Marfeilles, 1. 3. What he has been alwa)s, and 
 ever will be, admired for, are his many philofo- 
 phical pafTages, and his generous fentiments, par- 
 ticularly on the love of liberty and contempt of 
 death. Indeed, his fentences are more folid than 
 could be expected from fo young an author (being 
 but twenty-fix years old when put to death by 
 Nero) had he wanted fuch an uncle as Seneca, and 
 fuch a mailer as Cornutus. 
 
 Persius was a fchool-fellow with Lucan, un- 
 der Cornutus, and, like him, bred more a phi- 
 lofopher than a poet. He has the character of a 
 good man, but fcarce deferves the name of a 
 good writer, but in the moral fenfe of the word : 
 for his writings are virtuous, but not very poeti- 
 cal. His great fault is obfcurity, v/hich by fome 
 is excufed or palliated from the danger of the 
 times he lived in. This may hold as to fome 
 pafTages, where he fpeaks of the emperor or the 
 
 ftatc ; 
 
[ ** ] 
 
 ftate ; but he feems in the general courfe of his, 
 fatires to be naturally fond of obfcurity. 
 
 Such was the Roman poetry under Nero. His 
 three fucceflbrs had (hort tumultuous reigns. 
 But from Vefpafian to the Antonines poetry re- 
 vived once more among the Remans ; not that 
 there were very good poets even now, but they 
 were better at lead than they had been under 
 Nero. This period produced three epic poets. 
 
 SILIUS. STATIUS. FLACCUS. 
 
 Silius, as if frightened at Lucan's high flights, 
 fcarce ever attempts to foar throughout his whole 
 poem on the fecond Punic war. It is plain how- 
 ever, though low, and if he has but little poeti- 
 cal fire, he is free from the affeclation, bombarl 5 
 and obfcurity of his immediate predecefTors. 
 
 Statius had more fpirit, with lefs prudence: 
 for his Thebaid is ill-conducled and hardly well 
 written. His Achilleid, by the little we have of 
 it, would probably have been a better poem, had 
 he lived to finifh it. His defcription of Achil- 
 Jes's behaviour at the feaft, made by Lycomedes 
 for the Grecian ambafladbrs, and fome other 
 parts of it, read more pleafingly than any part of 
 • the Thebaid, Achil. ii. 67 — 131. As he did not 
 finifh the Achilleid, he may deferve more reputa- 
 tion as a mifcellaneous, than as an epic, writer • 
 for the odes and other verfes in his Sylvse are not 
 fo faulty as his Thebaid. The chief faults in 
 
 his 
 
f xvi ] 
 
 his Sylvas proceeded from in correct nefs and h after, 
 and in his Thebaid, from over-correclnefs. He 
 (hews his bad judgment in preferring Lucan even 
 to Homer and Virgil. 
 
 Valerius Flaccus wrote a little before Sta- 
 tius. He died young, having fmiflied but feven 
 books of his Argonautics and part of the eighth, 
 in which the Argonauts are left on the fea 
 returning homewards. He is, by the critical 
 editors of his works, placed next Virgil, and with 
 good reafon : for he feems to have more fire 
 than Silius, and to be more correct than Statius.. 
 He imitates Virgil's language much better than 
 cither, and his plan or ftory is lefs confufed than 
 the Thebaid.. 
 
 As to the dramatic writers of this time, ws 
 have only ten tragedies, under the name of 
 Seneca, though they are probably the work of 
 different hands. They have been attributed to 
 authors as far diftant as the reigns of Auo-uftus 
 and Trajan. But without injury to any of 
 them, they may be fuppofed to have been ail 
 written in the third age, under the decline of the 
 Roman poetry. 
 
 MARTIAL. 
 
 Martial lived under Domitian and Nerva, 
 who deals only in epigrams, the lowed: kind of 
 poetry. If a friend died, he made an epitaph : 
 
 if 
 
[ xvii J 
 
 ir a ftatue was erected, he was applied to for air 
 inlcription. Thefe were the common offices of his 
 mufe. If he ftruck a fault, he marked it down 
 in a few lines and if he had a mind to pleafe a 
 friend or a patron, his ftyle was turned to pa- 
 negyric ; and thefe were his higheft employments. 
 However, he was a good writer in his way, and 
 wrote with dignity on higher oceafions. 
 
 JUVENAL. 
 
 Juvenal comes after all that have been men- 
 tioned, and writes with a greater fpirit of poetry 
 than any of them. He has fcarce any thing of 
 Horace's genteelnefs, yet is not without humour. 
 He is the mod fevere of all. the fatirifts, and in- 
 deed he flafhes too much like an angry execu- 
 tioner : but the depravity of the times, and the 
 vices then in fafhion, may often excufe his rage. 
 However his fatires have a great deal of fpirit in 
 them, and fhew a ftrong hatred of vice,, with fome 
 very fine and high fentiments of virtue. They 
 are indeed fo animated, that no poem of that age 
 can be read with near fo much pleafure as his 
 fatires. 
 
 Juvenal may be well called the laft of the 
 Roman poets. After his time poetry continued 
 declining more and more, to the time of Conftan- 
 tine, when all the arts were fo far loft, that the 
 Romans then had fcarce any thing to diiKnguifb 
 them from the Barbarians. 
 
 There: 
 
[ xviii ] 
 
 There are therefore but three ages of the 
 Roman poetry that can carry any weight in 
 the following inquiry. The firft age, frcrn the 
 Punic war to Auguftus, is more remarkable for 
 ftrength than beauty in writing. The fecond, cr 
 Auguftan age, is famous both for beauty and 
 ftrength. And the third, from Nero to the death 
 of Adrian, endeavoured after beauty more than 
 ftrength, and ran into afTeelation. In a word, 
 their poetry in its youth was ftrong and nervous, 
 in its middle age, manly and polite, in its latter 
 days, it grew tawdry and feeble. 
 
 What has been faid is equally applicable, not 
 only to the Grecian, but to the poetry of all the 
 modern nations. In each, the beginnings of 
 their poetry have been rude, but ftrong : in their 
 beft ages, they have had the trueft tafte of fim- 
 plicity ; not fo rude and naked, but modeftly 
 adorned, and well dreft - } and when they came to 
 fall, they have always run into affectation, by 
 endeavouring to make an appearance above their 
 ftrength : fuch has been the courfe of poetry in 
 Italy, France, and England. The cafe upon 
 examination will be found much the fame 
 With regard to the other polite arts, painting and 
 fculpture. 
 
 SECT. 
 
SECT. II. 
 
 The Growth and Decline of the Polite 
 Arts among the ROMANS. 
 
 T T was not till the fecond Punic war, that the 
 Romans acquired a tafte for the arts and ele- 
 gancies of life. For though in the firft Punic 
 war they had conquered Sicily, and taken feveral 
 cities in the eaftern part of Italy, which were 
 inhabited by Grecian colonies, and adorned 
 with excellent pictures and ftatues, they had 
 hitherto looked upon them with fo carelefs an 
 eye that they were not touched with their beauty. 
 This infenfibility remained till after the fecond 
 Punic war had fome time been entered into, as ap- 
 pears from the behaviour of Fabius Maximus when 
 he had taken Tarentum. He ordered the money 
 and plate to be fent to Rome, but the pictures 
 and ftatues, with which that city abounded, he 
 left behind as things of no value. 
 
 Marcellus had indeed a year or two befcre 
 acted very differently at the taking of Syracufe ; 
 for he fent all the pictures and ftatues to Rome, 
 in order (as he had ufed to declare) to in- 
 troduce a tafte for the fine arts among hie country- 
 men. 
 
 This difference in thefe two great generals oc- 
 cafioned two parties in Rome. But Marcellus's 
 party prevailed and from this point of time may 
 
 be 
 
[ X* 1 
 
 be dated the introduction of arts into Rome, Li v. 
 L 25. c. 40. The tafte for them increafed very 
 faft among the Romans ; and their generals, in 
 their feveral conquers, feemed to ftrive who 
 jfhould bring away the moft pictures, to fet ofF 
 their triumphs, and adorn the city. The elder 
 Scipio from Spain and Africa, Flaminius from 
 Greece, and efpecially iEmilius from Macedo- 
 nia, brought in very great numbers of fculptured 
 vafes and fratues. Scipio the younger not many 
 years after deftroyed Carthage, and transferred to 
 Rome the chief ornaments of that city. The 
 fame year A^ummius facked Corinth, one of the 
 principal refervoirs of the fineft works of art, 
 and carried off fuch quantities, that he alone is 
 faid to have filled Rome with piclures and ftatues. 
 Sylla, befides many others, made vaft additions to 
 them, by his taking of Athens, and by his con- 
 quers in Afia. Scaurus brought to Rome all th« 
 piclures of Slcyon, one of the moft eminent 
 fchools of Greece for painting. 
 
 Thefe acquifitions were carried on by the 
 governors of the conquered provinces, whofe ra- 
 pacioufnefs is fet in a ftrong light by Juvenal, fat* 
 8. v. 87. The i^diles, when they exhibited their 
 games, adorned their theatres with (latues and 
 pictures brought or borrowed all over Greece* 
 
 From thefe public methods of drawing the 
 works of the antient artifts into Italy, it grew 
 to be a part of private luxury, to adorn their 
 
 houfes 
 
[ xxi ] 
 
 houfes and gardens with the pictures and ftatues 
 that could be procured out of Greece and Afia. 
 Julius Caefar was a great collector, and as fond 
 of gems as Auguflus was of Corinthian vafes. 
 
 This may be called the firft age of the flourifli- 
 ing of the polite arts, or rather the age in which 
 they were introduced ; for in general there was 
 rather a love than any great tafte for their beauties. 
 The encouragement given by Auguftus to all the 
 arts afforded leifure to complete the fine works 
 collected in the age before, and to perfect the 
 tafte of the elegancies of life : fo that under Au- 
 guftus may be reckoned the fecond, and moft 
 perfect age of fculpture and painting, as well as 
 of poetry. 
 
 The arts, on the death of Auguftus, fufYered a 
 great change ; but not fo great as eloquence and 
 poetry. Their growth was checked by the four 
 reign of Tiberius j and the vanity and tyranny of 
 the following times gave the finifhmg ftroke to 
 all the polite arts, efpecialiy to painting. The 
 feries of good emperors after Domitian gave fome 
 life to the arts ; but after the Antonines they de- 
 clined very faft ; and by the time of the thirty 
 tyrants were fo fallen as never to rife again, under 
 any future emperor. 
 
 * Thus it appears that the Roman poetry and 
 the other arts, in the firft age, gradually grew up 
 together, that in the fecond, or Auguftan age, 
 
 they 
 
[ xxii ] 
 
 they were at the higheft perfection : that in the 
 third, from Tiberius to Galienus, they both de- 
 clined, then revived a little, and at laft funk 
 entirely together. 
 
 In comparing therefore the defcriptions of the 
 poets with the works of art, all the poets after 
 the Antonines are omitted, and the inquiry is 
 confined to the three great ages. 
 
 The poets of the firft age, and efpecially 
 towards the beginning, were but little acquainted 
 with the arts : and confequently are but of little 
 authority. Ennius has the moft piclurefque 
 #rokes of any of them : but he was a great imi- 
 tator of foreign poets, and his defcriptions proba- 
 bly are more taken from his reading than from 
 any great tafte or knowledge in the things them- 
 felves. Befides, the appearances, drefs and attri- 
 butes of the imaginary beings were not fo well 
 fettled among the Romans in his time as they 
 came to be afterwards. Paffages therefore from 
 him and his contemporaries fhould be very 
 fparingly ufed, and rather to iiluftrate what is 
 confirmed by greater authorities, than to build any 
 novelty on theirs ; for they fometimes differ con- 
 fiderably from the Auguftan writers, who are on 
 all accounts to be moft depended upon, and efpe- 
 cially Virgil. His iEneid mult be the ftandard 
 in this fort of inquiries. His tafte and judgment 
 and exaclnefs give him the pre-eminence over 
 all the poets of the age he lived in. Ovid's 
 
 authority 
 
 5 
 
[ xxiii J 
 
 authority is but of a mixed kind ; the luxuriance 
 of his fancy, and the incorreclnefs of his way of 
 writing, make what he fays more doubtful and 
 uncertain. The poets of the third age have a 
 middle kind of authority ; greater than the writers 
 of the firfl age, but lcfs than the Auguftan, as 
 much better acquainted with the works of art 
 than the former, and much lefs exact than the 
 latter. Silius, perhaps, may be allowed the greateft 
 authority of any of his age, for his carefulnefs 
 and particular love of the arts, as Lucan's heat 
 and Statius's inexactnefs may render them lefs 
 fit to be depended upon than fome others who 
 wrote in {he decline of poetry, and of the arts at 
 Rome. 
 
 SECT. III. 
 
 The ufe of thefe Inquiries in general, and of 
 this in particular. 
 
 HP H E ufefulnefs of antiques towards explain- 
 ing the claffics appears from the reafon 
 of the thing. The works of the old artifts and 
 poets muft naturally throw mutual light on each 
 other. As they were both converfant in the fame 
 fort of knowledge, fell much into the fame way 
 of thinking, and were often employed on the 
 very fame fubjecls, they muft of courfe be the 
 belt explainers of one another. 
 
 The 
 
[ xx iv ] 
 
 The difficulties which occur in reading the ~ 
 •claflics arife either from our not knowing in what 
 fenfe fuch a word was formerly ufed : or elfe from 
 our ignorance of fome cuftom, opinion, or thing, 
 that was then familiarly known* In the firfl: 
 cafe, therefore, a commentator fliould endeavour 
 to determine the meaning of the word in queftion, 
 by confulting how it is ufed by the fame author 
 in other places, where the meaning of it may 
 be more evident ; or by any other of the fame 
 country, and (as near as may be) of the fame time. 
 In the fecond cafe, the thing, cuftom, or opinion 
 hinted at, fnould be fubjoined in as few words 
 as is confiftent with clearnefs. To this antiques, 
 if well applied, might be of very great fervice : 
 for the figures of the things themfelves fpeak 
 to the eyes, and are lefs equivocal, and more ex- 
 preflive than the cleared language cart be f . 
 
 As to the explaining of the antiques in their turn 
 from the claffics, though the affillancc in this 
 cafe is not fo great as in the former, yet it is the 
 
 f Our author obferves here, that we have very great treafures 
 ©f all forts for this purpcfe, ftored up by Agcflini, Bartoli, Maffei, 
 Grarvius, and Montfaucon, but that they have hitherto been 
 like treafures hidden under ground. The applying of them to 
 their proper ufes is the thing that (lamps a value on them, and 
 makes them more current among us. 
 
 Agreeably to our author's obfervation, Mr. Sandby has lately 
 publifhed elegant editions of Virgil, Horace, Terence,, and Juvenal, 
 embellilhed with prints of fuch antiques, as ferve to illullrate and 
 explain the paffages they refer to. 
 
 -2 beft 
 
[ XXV ] 
 
 beft and almoft only afliftance we can have \ for 
 how mould we at all underftand the greater part 
 of the remains of the antient artifts, if it were 
 not for what we are told by the antient authors I 
 This would hold very often as to fmgle figures, 
 but it is much ftronger as to groupes and hiftori- 
 cal or fabulous pieces, whether in paintings, in 
 marble, or in gems. In that fine groupe, for in- 
 ftance, now in the Belvedere, (which has been 
 called the nobleft work of art in the world) we 
 fhould be (truck with the beauty of the defign, 
 and the expreffion of pain in the father; of dread 
 in one of the fons, and the languifhment in the 
 other ; but we fhould not know it to be Laocoon 
 without the help of what Virgil and one or two 
 - more of the Latin poets have faid on that fubjeel:. 
 A thoufand inftances might be given of the fame 
 nature, but the cafe is too clear to need any 
 more. 
 
 What has been faid of the mutual ufe of the re- 
 mains of the old artifts and the claflic writers, to- 
 wards explaining one another, is meant in ge- 
 neral, and on any fubject, whether relating to 
 their religion, their hiftory, their arts, or man- 
 ners of living; in fhort, to every thing known or 
 prac"tifed among them ; and fo would include 
 all their authors too, indifferently, whether in 
 prole or in verfe. The prefent inquiry is not fo 
 extenfive ; for it is confined only to fuch things 
 as relate to the allegorical beings received among 
 C the 
 
[ xxvi ] 
 
 the Romans; a large fubjeft indeed in itfelf, and 
 perhaps one half of the whole. Let us proceed 
 therefore to confider what particular ufes might be 
 made of this part, considered fcparatcly and by 
 itfelf. 
 
 The allegories of the antients, where they are 
 well fettled and known, might be of very great 
 fervice to our modern artifls and poets in general. 
 The reafon of this is founded on the clearnefs 
 and fimplicity ufually to be met with in the an- 
 tient allegories, and the confufion and darknefs 
 but too common in the modern. 
 
 The allegorical reprefentations of the an- 
 tients exprefs what they mean directly and eafily, 
 and often by a fingle circumltance. Thus, for 
 
 inftance, the moral beings are reprefented 
 
 Prudence (who is to guide) is marked out by a 
 rule in her hand. — Juftice, (who is to weigh 
 things) by her equal balance. — Temperance, 
 (who is to reftrain) by a bridle.- — Fortitude (who 
 is to act) by a fword. Thefe and the like marks 
 are fettled and obvious : they point out the cha- 
 racter of the perfon they belong to in a more eafy 
 and rtrong manner, than a multiplicity of marks 
 for each could ever have done. 
 
 As propriety and fimplicity are the diftinguim- 
 ing charter of the antient artifts, fo multipli- 
 city and impropriety may almoft be deemed the 
 diftinguilhing character of the modern, in their 
 5 allegorical 
 
[ xxvii ] 
 
 allegorical figures, which are frequently fo ob- 
 fcure and far-fetched, that it can hardly be 
 known what they mean, and by their manifold 
 marks are often mere complicated riddles. Sur- 
 prifmg inftances of this might be given ; but the 
 more abfurd and the more ridiculous they are, 
 the Uronger it will appear of how much ufe it 
 would be to the artiils, now to fludy and follow 
 the antients in this particular more than they 
 have hitherto done. It is obfervablc, that upon 
 the revival of painting and ftatuary, the greateft 
 improvements were made by perfons who the 
 moft ftrictly imitated the remains of the antient 
 artifts : thus Raphael and Michael Angelo, for 
 example, advanced painting and fculpture more 
 by that means in twenty years than all the artifts 
 in Italy together had done in two hundred years 
 before them. 
 
 The ftudy of antiques is no lefs necefTary for 
 our poets, in order to form their ideas as to the 
 allegorical beings, they may have occafion to in- 
 troduce in their poems. Indeed allegory is on a 
 worfe footing with our poets than it is with our 
 artifts. For our poets feem as yet to have 
 formed no fettled fcheme at all for their alle- 
 gories, and therefore take up with the broken 
 ideas that occur to their minds from what they 
 have read in the antients, or elfe from fome ir- 
 regular phantoms of their own, juft as chance or 
 fancy leads them. Hence is that jumble of 
 C 2 Chriftianity 
 
[ xxviii ] 
 
 Chriftianity and heathenifm, which makes uf 
 fee fometimes a pagan deity in one line, and an 
 angel in the next ; a fault from which the great 
 Milton himfelf is not always free. 
 
 When an allegory is going to be introduced, 
 thefe three things fhould be obferved. Firft, it 
 fhould be confidered whether the thing is fit to be 
 reprefented as a perfon or not. Secondly, if it is 
 to be reprefented as a human perfonage, it fhould 
 not be reprefented with any thing inconfiftent 
 with the human form or nature. Thirdly, when 
 it is reprefented as a man, it fhould not be made 
 to perform any a&ion which no man in his fenfes 
 would do. 
 
 How much our allegorical poets have erred 
 againft thefe three maxims will plainly appear to 
 any one who perufes Spenfer's Fairy Queen, the 
 moft celebrated work of our very beft allegorift. 
 Though his invention is one of the richeft and 
 moft beautiful that perhaps ever was, yet his alle- 
 gories are not always well invented; or when 
 they are, they are not well marked out, and are 
 fometimes even lame. Hence it may be reafon- 
 ably concluded, from the fault of fo great a man, 
 that it would be extremely ufeful for our poets in 
 general to follow the plan of allegory as fettled 
 \>y the antients, till a better is eftablifhed. At 
 leaft it is abfolutcly neceflary to our tranflators to 
 be thoroughly acquainted with the antient alle- 
 gories. And yet, it is to be feared, our tranfla- 
 tors 
 
[ xxix ] 
 
 tors have been almoft as incurious and unknow- 
 ing as our original writers. For inftance, Dry- 
 den in his famous tranflation of Virgil, in fome 
 of the allegorical perfons in the original, mifre- 
 prefents their attributes and drefs, and in others 
 their actions and attitudes. The beft of our 
 poets have been apt fometimes to mix the natural 
 and allegorical ways of fpeaking together. This 
 is very blameable in any poet, but is inexcufable 
 in a tranflator, who has no right to reprefent his 
 author confufed where he is clear : yet Dryden 
 has (as well as others) taken this liberty. 
 
 But the chief caufe of the defects and mis- 
 takes, both in our authors and tranflators, is, 
 the want of a true idea of the real intent of the 
 allegories ufed by the antients, and of a right no- 
 tion of their fcheme of machinery in general. 
 The opinion of the old poets feems to have 
 been, that every thing in the moral, as well as 
 the natural world, was carried on by the direction 
 of the Supreme Being ? . This univerfal prin- 
 ciple of action they confidered as divided into fo 
 many feveral perfonages as they had occafion for 
 
 g Virgil, in the beginning of his /Eneid. fays every thing 
 that happened to his hero was ni fuperum ; and Homer fays the 
 quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon (and all its direful 
 confequences) was by the will of Jove. Cicero, when he fays, 
 «* Reafon obliges us to own that every tiling is done by fate, 1 ' 
 means juft the fame by that word as Homer dees by A/oc 
 and Virgil by his Vi fuperum : Fatum eft quod dii fantur, vel 
 quod Jupiter fatur. De Div. i. 55. 
 
 C 3 caufes. 
 
[ XXX ] 
 
 caufes. Hence every part of the creation was, 
 by them, filled with deities, and no action was 
 performed without the help of fome god ; for fo 
 they called every power fuperior to man. Thefe 
 deities are, by the belt of the antient poets, and 
 the greatefl patterns for writing that ever were, 
 perpetually introduced h . Homer hardly does any 
 thing without them ; and as for Virgil, he has 
 employrd machinery (or fupernatural caufes) fo 
 much, that almoil the whole courfe of his iEncid 
 is carried on by the intervention of the gods, as 
 will appear by a tranfient view of the firft book. If 
 ./Eneas meets with a ftorrn, it is i^Eolus who raifes 
 it at Juno's requeft — If the fea grows calm again, 
 it is by Neptune's command — If JEneas lands in 
 Africa, and is to be kindly received at Carthage, 
 it is Mercury who is lent by Jupiter to foften the 
 minds of the people and their queen towards him 
 — If he efcapes all danger in pairing through an 
 inhofpitable country, it is Venus who protects 
 him, by fhrouding him in a cloud — If Dido falls 
 in love with him, though me is not old, and he 
 very handfome, yet muft Cupid, in difguife, lie 
 on her breaft, and infufe the foft paflion — In this 
 
 h Horace, indeed, fpeaks (in his Art of Poetry, v. 155—192) 
 agamft a too free introduction cf the gods 5 but he means cn the 
 jftagej for in epic poems they were introduced perpetually, and 
 without referve, by the very beft of the antient poets. Petronius 
 (c. 4S.) tells us, that a good epic poet mould carry on the whole 
 adion of his poem by the help of what we call the machinery. 
 This principle feems to be much the fame as cur vulgar notion of 
 a particular providence, 
 
 manner 
 
[ xxxi ] 
 
 manner the whole ftory is full of machinery, or 
 carried on by the interpofition of the gods. 
 
 Our modern poets feem not to have had any 
 right notion of the antient fcheme of machinery, 
 till the middle of the laft century ; and, even 
 now, very imperfect ideas. As they had not the 
 fame general plan, nor the fame doctrines to go 
 upon, they committed feveral errors about it, 
 both in their own practice, and in their fenti- 
 ments of the antients, which continue, in a great 
 degree, to this day* The chief of thefe errors 
 were, firft, that machinery was ufed by the poets 
 only for ornament, or to make a poem look more 
 ftrange and furprizing : feccndly, that the poets 
 were too apt to introduce machinery (or fuper- 
 natural caufes) where they could not naturally 
 account for events ; whereas, in the works of 
 the antients, nature and machinery generally go 
 hand in hand, and ferve chiefly to manifeft each 
 other. Thus, in the ftorm above-mentioned, 
 imaginary beings are introduced ; but they are 
 only fuch as are proper for the part ailigned them, 
 and appear only to carry on the true order of na- 
 tural effects. The god of the winds, at the re- 
 queft of the goddefs of the air, lets loofe his tur- 
 bulent fubjecls, and the fea is inftantly in a tu- 
 mult. The god of the fea appears to make it 
 calm again. There feems to be no other differ- 
 ence in this, and the natural account of the thing, 
 than if one fliould fay, that all the parts of mat- 
 C 4 ter 
 
[ xxxii ] 
 
 ter tend towards each other ; and another fhould 
 fay, that they are impelled towards each other by 
 fome fpiritual power. The effects are juft the 
 fame ; only in one cafe matter is confidered as 
 acting, and in the other as acted upon. 
 
 In a word, the whole myftery of the antient 
 machinery feems to be this : what the vulgar be- 
 lieved to be done by the will of the gods, the 
 poets defcribed as performed by a viiible interpo- 
 fition of a deity. When a god is thus introduced 
 in a poem, to help on a fact, with which he is 
 fuppofed to be particularly concerned, the machi- 
 nery may then be faid to be eafy and obvious; 
 and when the god is the moft proper for the oc- 
 cafion, it may be faid to be well adapted. For 
 infhnce, it was fuppofed among the Romans, 
 that /Eneas came to Italy by the will of heaven 
 declared in oracles and prophecies. This fuppo- 
 fition Virgil realizes. The will of heaven is Ju- 
 piter giving his orders : and the declaration of it 
 to ./Eneas is expreffed by Mercury (the ufual 
 mefTenger) coming down to him, and giving him 
 the orders he had from Jupiter. This machinery 
 is both obvious and well adapted; and likewife 
 well timed, when ./Eneas was in moft danger of 
 quitting his defign of going to Italy. Thus the 
 vulgar among the Romans believed that Romu- 
 lus was the fon of Mars, and received among 
 the gods on account of his birth and warlike ex- 
 ploits. The poets therefore fay, that Mars de- « 
 
 feended 
 
[ xxxiii ] 
 
 (tended in bis chariot, and carried up Romulus 
 with him to heaven. They both fay the fame 
 thing, only the poetical way of expreHing it is 
 more perfonal, beautiful, and defcriptive, thaa 
 the profe one. This is generally the cafe in the 
 machinery of the antients ; and as they fuppofed 
 that man could do nothing of himfelf, but was 
 actuated in every thing by the direction of hea- 
 ven, their poets, on that fingle principle, might 
 fairly introduce fome proper deity as aflifting in 
 any action, wherever they thought it would fervc 
 either to ftrengthen or beautify the narration. 
 
 The deities of the Romans were very nume* 
 rous j for whatever was able to do good or harm 
 to man, was immediately looked on as a fuperior 
 power, which in their language was the fame as 
 a deity K Hence it was that they had fuch a 
 multitude of gods, that their temples were better 
 peopled with ftatues, than their cities with men- 
 But, numerous as they were, our author has re- 
 duced them to order, and clafTed them in .the 
 following manner : 
 
 I Their vuigar religion, as indeed that of the heathens in 
 general, was a fort of Manicheifm. Both the Romans and 
 •Greeks had their good and bad gods. See a remarkable paf- 
 fage in Pliny, Nat. Hill. 1. ii. c. 7. Valerius Maximus, fpeak- 
 ing of the geddefs of diftempers, gives the reafon for worshipping 
 bad gods as well as good. They prayed to the good for bleffmgs, 
 and to the bad to avert evils, 1. ii. c. 5. There were no lefs 
 than three temples at Rome to the goddefs Febris, or Fever. 
 
 c 5 book: 
 
[ XXX2V ] 
 
 BOOK I. The twelve great celeftial deities, 
 Jupiter, Juno, Minerva ; Neptune, Ve- 
 nus, Mars, Vulcan, and Vesta ; Apollo, 
 Diana, Ceres, and Mercury. 
 
 BOOK II. The fix heroes, fuppofcd by 
 the Romans to have been received into the 
 higher heavens, Hercules, Bacchus, iEscu- 
 aapius, Romulus, Castor, and Pollux. 
 
 BOOK III. The moral deities, who pre- 
 fided over the virtues of men and the conduit of 
 human life. 
 
 BOOK IV. The constellations, pla- 
 nets, times, and seasons. 
 
 BOOK V. The beings fuppofed to inhabit 
 the air. 
 
 BOOK VI. The deities of the waters. 
 
 BOOK VII. The deities of the earth. 
 
 BOOK VIII. The deities and inhabi- 
 tants of the lower world. 
 
 POLYMETIS 
 
POLYMETIS 
 
 ABRIDGED: 
 
 O R 
 
 An IN QJJ IRY concerning the 
 Agreement between the Work s 
 of the Roman Poets, and the 
 Remains of the Antient 
 Artists. 
 
 BOOK I. 
 
 Of the TWELVE great CELESTIAL, 
 DEITIES. 
 
 CHAP. L 
 * JUPITER, JUNO, and MINERVA. 
 
 JUPITER, 
 
 THE diftinguifhing character of Jupitep/s 
 perfon, in all the reprefentations of him 
 by the poets and artifts, is majefty - 3 and every 
 C 6 thing 
 
[ 2 J 
 
 thing about him carries dignity and authority 
 with it. His look is meant to ftrike, fometimes 
 with terror, and fometimes with gratitude, but 
 always with reJpe£L This would have appeared 
 more ftrongly, had fome of the nobler flatues of 
 Jupiter, particularly that of Jupiter Olympius, 
 made by Phidias of Athens, remained to our 
 days ; for that was reckoned the mafter- piece of 
 the greateft ftatuary that ever lived ; and thofe 
 who beheld it were ftruck with the greatnefs of 
 the ideas. The ftatue of Jupiter in the Verofpi- 
 palace at Rome, though it is one of the beft we 
 have, falls very fhort even of the idea we can 
 form by the help of the antient poets. PI. i. n. i. 
 However, it is eafily known to be Jupiter,, by 
 the dignity of his look, by the fulnefs of his hair 
 about his face, by his venerable beard % by his 
 
 fceptre, 
 
 a Phidias being afked how he could conceive that air of di- 
 vinity which he had exprefied in Jupiter's face, replied, he had 
 copied it from Homer's celebrated defcription of him, (Macrob. 
 Sat. 1. v. c. 14. Val. Max. mem. 1. Hi. c. 7.) Now all the 
 perfonal ftrokes in that defcription relate to the hair, the eye- 
 brows, and the beard : and indeed to thefe it is that the beft 
 heads of Jupiter owe moft of their dignity ; for though we have 
 now a mean opinion of beards, yet all over the eaft a full beard 
 ftill carries the idea of majefty along with it $ and the Grecians- 
 had a mare of this oriental notion, as may be feen in their bufts 
 of Jupiter, and the heads of kings on Greek medals. But the 
 Romans, though they held beards in great efteern, even as far 
 down as the facking of Rome by the Gauls, (Liv. 1. v. c. 41.) 
 yet in their better ages, held thern in contempt, and fpeak difre- 
 i'j-eclfully of their bearded forefathers. Ovid. Art. Am. u 
 
 v. 108. 
 
[ 3 I 
 
 fccptre, the mark cf command in his left hand, 
 and by the fulmen in his right; but it is not fo 
 eafy to know what Jupiter this ftatue is defigned 
 to reprefent. For though Cicero obferves there 
 were feveral Jupiters, yet he does not fay how 
 they are to be diftinguimed from one another. 
 As this is a point which may often occur, it witt 
 be proper briefly to explain it.. 
 
 The old Romans, as well as the reft of the 
 heathens, were expert at making diftinclions by 
 names, where, according to their own notions, 
 there was no difference in the things. The 
 thinking part of them believed that there was but 
 ene great Being, who made, preferved, and> 
 actuated all. things b . When they confideredi 
 
 him 
 
 v. icS. Faft. ii. v. 2&. Juv* fat. xvi. v. 32. Hor. 1. iii 
 fat. iii. v. 35. 17. 1. i. fat. ii. v. 134. They were worn only 
 by poor philofophers, and by thofe who were under difgrace or. 
 misfortune. For this reafon Virgil, in copying Homer's famous 
 defcription of Jupiter, has omitted all the picturefque ftrokes on 
 the beard, hair, and eye-brows 5 for which Macrobius cenfures 
 him, and Scaliger extols him. The matter might have been 
 compounded between them, by allowing that Virgil's defcription 
 was the propereft among the Romans, and Home: 's the nobleft 
 among the Greeks. 
 
 b The heathens in general believed, 1. That there v/as but 
 one fupreme God ; ana 2. That there were many inferior Gods, 
 who acted under the Supreme, and to whom was committed the 
 government 01 tne feveral regions of the- earth, as co fo many tu- 
 telary deities. This might be illuftrated from the doclrine o: ihe 
 Roman Catholics- who affert the unity of God, though they 
 worfhip a great number of divi, as minilters and difpenfers of 
 fcleffings under the one God. 
 
 That 
 
[ 4 ] 
 
 him as influencing the affairs of the world in 
 different manners, they gave him as many dif- 
 ferent names ; and hence came all their variety 
 of nominal gods. When he thundered, they 
 called him Jupiter ; when he calmed the feas, 
 Neptune j when he guided their councils, it 
 was Minerva ; and when he gave them ftrength 
 in battle, it was Mars. This was their firft 
 great diftintlion without a difference. They 
 afterwards carried it farther, by ufing different 
 reprefentations of thefe nominal gods, and at 
 laft came to confider them (vulgarly at leaft) as 
 fo many different perfons. In time, as diirincl: 
 acts and characters were attributed even to each 
 of them, and as their figures of each were mul- 
 tiplied and varied in different places, they came 
 by degrees to confider each of them too in dif- 
 ferent views, and this was their fecond dis- 
 tinction without a difference. The Jupiter, for 
 inftance, when fhowering down bleffings, was 
 called the Kind Jupiter, and when punifhing, 
 the Terrible Jupiter. There was one Jupiter for 
 Europe, and another for Africa c . In a word, 
 he had temples and different characters almoft 
 
 That the old Romans believed there was but one fupreme God, 
 our author proves from the concurrent teftimony of Varro, 
 Cicero, Pliny, and Seneca, who may be deemed the chief fathers 
 of the old Latin church, PoL p. 49. 
 
 c Hence Silius, fpeaking of the league between Scipio and 
 Syphax, fays, 1. xvi. 264. 
 
 Cornigerumque Jovem, Tarpeiumque ore vocemus. 
 
 every 
 
[ 5 J 
 
 every where d . At Carthage he was called Am- 
 nion ; in Egypt, Serapis ; at Athens the Great 
 Jupiter was the Olympian Jupiter ; and at 
 Rome the Greateft Jupiter was the Capitoline. 
 
 This premifed, we fhall proceed to the dif- 
 ferent characters under which Jupiter was repre- 
 fented among the Romans : thefe were chiefly 
 as follows. 
 
 The Capitoline Jupiter was the great 
 guardian of the Romans, who was, according 
 to a very early and ftrong notion among them, to 
 
 d There was fcarce a town or hamlet in Italy that had not a 
 Jupiter of their own, with peculiar diflinclions. Thus, the 
 Jupiter Anxur, or of Terracina, is represented young and beard- 
 lefs, with rays round his head like Apollo, Mont. i. pi. 22 . 
 Thefe local deities are very feldom defcribed by the pcets, who 
 feem to have made it a rule to follow the national ideas in repre. 
 fenting a deity. What is here faid is applicable to the other 
 deities, as Juno, Minerva, Apollo, Diana, and the reft ; each of 
 whom had a great variety of names, according to the different 
 characters afcribed to them. Thus, before the reformation, the 
 fame abfurdities were praclifed in our country, as they ftill are 
 among the catholics. The virgin Mary had (as fhe now has in 
 Italy) in every town, village, church, and chapel, ftatues with 
 different names and representations, according to the place fhe 
 was in, and the character fhe bore. Though there was but one 
 virgin Mary, yet one figure of her was deemed more venerable 
 than another. Many devout people gave large prefents to the 
 virgin at Winchefter, who would have grudged the fmalleft of- 
 fering to the virgin of Walfingham. Thus the inhabitants of 
 Rome now go every year to pay their devotions to the ftatue of 
 the virgin at Loreito, though they have other ftatues of her neas? 
 their own doors. 
 
 give 
 
[ 6 J 
 
 give them the empire of the world. They cal- 
 led him the Beft and Greateft Jupiter e . He was 
 reprefented (as he appears on a medal of Vitcl- 
 lius) in his chief temple on the Capitoline hill, 
 fitting on a curule chair. In his right-hand he 
 grafps his fulmen, and in his other hand he holds 
 his fceptre, as the king and father (which ac- 
 tually fignined the fame thing) of all beings. 
 But it was neither his fceptre, nor even his 
 fulmen, that fhewed the fuperiority of Jupiter fo 
 much as that air of majefty which the antient 
 artifts endeavoured to exprefs in his countenance, 
 PI. I. n. 2. 
 
 It muft here be obferved that the antient fceptres 
 were not fhort ornamented things, like the mo- 
 dern ones, but were generally plain, and as long 
 as, or longer than, Jupiter himfelf. Hence Ovid 
 defer ibes Jupiter as leaning on his fceptre, which 
 would have been abfurd, had it been no, longer 
 than ours. f 
 
 The 
 
 e Cicero fays he was optimus (the beft) for his goodnefs, and. 
 maximus (the greater!:) for his power. Orat. pro domo fui. The 
 fame infeription is on the medals. Our author, things Optimjs 
 Maximus was ufed as a furname, like Auguftus to thefecond em- 
 peror. 
 
 f Met. i. v. 178. Indeed the feeptres of king:, in the earlier 
 ages of the world were no other than Walking ftaffs, from whence 
 they had their name. Latinus's fceptre was a young tree, with 
 the branches Gripped off. /En. xii. v. 210. 1 hough the fceptre 
 in the hand of the Vtrofpi -Jupiter feems to be only a truncheon, 
 
 it 
 
[ 7 3 
 
 The fulmen in the hand 'of Jupiter was a 
 fort of hieroglyphic, and had three different mean- 
 ings according to the three ways in which it 
 was reprefented K The full way is a wreath 
 of flames in a conical fnape, like what we call the 
 thunder-Rone or bolt. This was adapted to Ju- 
 piter when mild and calm, and was held down in 
 his hand. — The fecond way is the fame figure, 
 with two tranfverfe darts of lightening, and fome- 
 times with wings on each fide of it, to denote 
 fwiftnefs. This was given to Jupiter when pu- 
 nifhing h . — The third way is a handful of flames, 
 
 which' 
 
 It is probably the remains of a long fceptre. Our author takes 
 this ftatue to be the Capitoline Jupiter. 
 
 g The meaning of the v/ord fulmen is diftinclly fixed by the 
 ancient writers. Thus Pliny (Nat. Hift. 1. ii. c. 43.) fays, 
 « If the vapour ftruggles in the cloud, it is [tonitru] thunder, 
 " if it breaks forth in flames, it is [fulmen] lightening : if it 
 " fhoots among the clouds, it is fulgetra." When therefore the 
 v/ord fulmen is tranflated thunder (as we are generally taught to 
 do) the beauty of feveral paffages is apt to be loft 5 as the ful- 
 mina -verborum of Cicero, and the duo fulm'ma belli of Virgil, 
 whofe meaning is largely explained by Luc. 1. i. v. 157. This 
 fimile is one of the beft in all the Pharfalia. Thus Pope, fpeak- 
 ing of the earl of Peterborough, 
 
 ——He, whofe lightening pierc'd th' Iberian lines. 
 
 h The thundering legion bore the winged fulmen on their 
 fliield, which fpread all over the fhield, as appears by the Anto- 
 nine pillars, and as it is defcribed by Flaccus, Argon, vi. v. 56. 
 pi. i, n. 3. This fulmen agrees with the epithets trifidum and 
 trifulcum (three-forked,) Met. ii. v. 325, 849. There is a 
 figure of Jupiter in Buonaroti's collection at Florence, holding 
 up the throe-foiked bolt as juft ready to dart it at fome guilty 
 
 wretch ; 
 
[ 8 ] 
 
 which Jopiter held up when inflicting fome exem- 
 plary punifhment. 
 
 Among the other different characters of Jupi- 
 ter were thofe of the Mild and the Terrible. 
 
 The Mild Jupiter appears fas on a gem 
 at Florence) with a mixture of dignity and eafe 
 in his face, th;«t ferine and fweeter kind of ma- 
 jefty which Virgil giv.s him, when receiving 
 Venus with fo much paternal tendernefs in the 
 nrft iEneid, ver. 256. 
 
 The Terrible Jupiter was reprefented 
 in his fratues, in every particular, different from 
 thofe of the Mild. Thefe were generally of 
 white ma:.ble, as the others were of black. The 
 Mild is fitting with an air of tranquility ; the 
 Terrible is ftanding, and more or lefs dis- 
 turbed : the face of the Mild is ferene, of the 
 other angry or cloudy : the hair of the one is 
 compofed, in the other fo difcompofed as to fall 
 down half way the forehead. 
 
 The artifrs took care never to reprefent Jupi- 
 ter fo angry, but that he ftill retains his majefty, 
 which too much paffion would deftroy \ 
 
 wretch ; but with the conical fulmen lying under his feet, as of 
 no ufe in cafes of feverity. 
 
 i Horace, copying perhaps fome bad figure of an angry Ju- 
 piter, reprefents him with bloated cheeks, Her. I. i, fat. 1. 
 v. 21. Such a bad figure is feen in Montfaucon, Ovid ufes in- 
 tumu'u of Juno, Fall. vi» 488. and of Jupiter himfelf, Faft. U» 
 
 The 
 
[ 9 3 
 
 The Jupiter To nans is reprcfented on 
 medals and gems, as holding up the triple-forked 
 fulmen, and {landing in a chariot whirled on by 
 four horfes. The potts defcribe him in the fame 
 manner, as (landing, and thundering with his 
 rapid horfes k . 
 
 The Jupiter Fulminans and the Ju- 
 piter FuLGUi: ator feem to be much the 
 fame. The Fulminans may be confidered 
 as the difpenfer of the lightenings which dart from 
 the clouds ; and the other of the fulgetra, or 
 leiTer lightenings, which fhoot along the clouds, 
 like the aurora borealis 
 
 The 
 
 k The antlents had a firange notion that the nc!fe of thunder 
 was caufed by the rattling of Jupiter's chariot and horfes, as he 
 drove them over the fuppofed brazen arch of heaven, whilfl he 
 himfelf threw the fulmen out of his hand, which darts, at the 
 fame time, out of the clouds beneath the arch. This explains 
 the ftory of Salmoneus, who built a bridge of brafs to imitate 
 Jupiter Tonans, Virg. /En. vi. v. 591. Ovid. Deian. Here, 
 v. 28. Hor. i. od. 34. v. 8. Aha dextera fignifies ivub vnlifted 
 band, and altus means fianding, when applied to Jupiter himfelf. 
 Ovid fays (Faft. iii. v. 49a.) Jupiter obtained the prerogative of 
 difpenfmg the fulmen for his conquering the giants with it. On a 
 gem at Florence he is feen driving his chariot againft one of the 
 giants, and grafping the fulmen, as ready to dart it at his head. 
 
 1 The fulmen, of whatever fhape it was, confifted chiefly of fire, 
 and is often called fo by the poets. Some expreffions relating to 
 it feem to have been taken from fome antient paintings, Met. ii. 
 v. 249. 325. Hor. i. od. 2. v. 4. Vir. Geo. i. v. 329. Flacc. 
 Arg. lib. vi. v. 56. The expreffions here of corqfeus, rubens, and 
 rutilus, refer to that gleam of light caft by lightening on the ob- 
 jects 
 
[ 10 ] 
 
 The Jupiter Pluvius will be largely con- 
 fidered among the deities of the air. 
 
 JUNO. 
 
 Juno had likewife various characters among 
 the Romans. 
 
 The juno Matron a was the favorite one of 
 all. She is feen in ftatues and gems in a long 
 robe, covering her from head to foot, as the 
 Roman matrons dreffed themillvcs, out of a prin- 
 ciple of decency m . 
 
 This Juno was called indifferently Juno Ma- 
 trona y ov Juno Romana, which two names figni- 
 fied the fame things, as gens togata fignified the 
 Roman people n . 
 
 jecls near it, and are very piclurefque, as well as feveral other 
 expreffions which might be taken from ftatues or pictures. See 
 Ovid, iii. el. 3. v. 10. Hor. iii. od. 3. v. 6. 
 
 ™ This prevailed fo far, that it was fcandalous for a married 
 woman to have any part uncovered but her face, Ovid, de Arte 
 Am. i. v. 32. Hor. i. fat. 2. v. 30. 95. 99. The figures of 
 the Roman emprefTes (as a compliment paid them) were often 
 formed on their medals, and in their ftatues, under this character 
 of Juno. Such is the pretty ftatue of Sabina at the Villa Mattai 
 at Rome. 
 
 n This obfervation explains a paffage in Horace, otherwife v 
 liable to be mifunderftood. In fetting the gods in array again ft 
 the giants, he mentions Juno under the name of Matrona, which 
 would have been the moft improper : But in this light it is a 
 compliment to the Juno Romana. It is as if he had faid, it was 
 the Roman Juno, the great patronefs of her country, who af- 
 fifted to fupport the empire of heaven againft its moft formidable 
 enemies. L. iii. od. 4. v. 64. 
 
 On 
 
[ * \ 
 
 On the contrary, the J i i :•: o Regina and the 
 Juno Monet a are always in a fine and more 
 magnificent drcls 0 
 
 The face of the Mild Juno is gentle, and 
 more good humoured than ufual. It has the 
 fame air with which me appears on a Greek 
 medal, {landing in a chariot drawn by peacocks. 
 Thh idea, which was alfo received by the poets, 
 will be farther confidered among the deities of the 
 air. 
 
 The 
 
 0 Juno Moneta was fo called from mor.endo, fhe having ad- 
 moniihed her prieft to atone for an earthquake by the facrirlce of 
 a pregnant fow. Her temple ftood in the capitol, wherein was 
 placed the fiandard Roman foot, hence cailed pes monetatis. It 
 was probably burnt down with the capitol j for Pliny fpeaks of a 
 brazen dog deftroyed in it. 
 
 Virgil's defcripticn of Juno's arms and war-chariot, in his firfl 
 ^Eneid, and her warlike figure in the fecond, which feem incon- 
 fiftent with her eftablimed characters, may be accounted for by 
 confidering that he fpeaks, in the firft place, of the Carthaginian 
 Juno j and, in the other, of the Juno Aigiva, who was wor- 
 fhipped .under that name, even in Italy, Ovid. iii. el. 13. Hele- 
 r.us ordered the Romans to wcrfhip Juno, which they did 5 and, 
 in time, fhe came to prefer them to her moft favorite nations, 
 Virg. /En. ii. v. 433. Ovid. Faft. vl. 45. 48. There was, in- 
 deed, a Juno Sofpita, who, in fome family medals, appears in a 
 !j| ' war-chariot, and with a fpear in her hand. But though fhe was 
 fo well known as to be frequently feen in dreams, in all her ac- 
 coutrements, yet Virgil could not, in his defcription, have an eye 
 to her, as there is not a line in any Roman poet defcriptive of her, 
 being only a local goddefs, and worfhipped chiefly at Lanuvium, 
 Cic. de nat. deor. L. i. Silius, 1. viii. v. 362, 1. 13. v. 365. 
 Ovid. Fail. ii. v. 61. 
 
 3 
 
[ 12 ] 
 
 The mod obvious character of Juno, and that 
 which we are apt to imbibe the inoft early from 
 Homer and Virgil, is that of an imperious wife. 
 They reprefent her oftener fcolding than carefling 
 her hufband p . As this goddefs was confidered 
 as the patronefs of marriage, their reprefenting 
 her under fo faife and difagreeable a light is 
 fomething ftrange. 
 
 MINERVA. 
 
 Minerva i is reprefented as a beauty, but of 
 the feverer kind, and without the graces and 
 
 foftnefies 
 
 p In the tenth y^Eneid, (v. 6c — 95.) even in a council of the 
 gods, her behaviour is either fuJlen, or angry and indecent. Jn 
 a relievo at Turin Hie feems to be reprefented in this fcene. 
 
 q Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, are often joined together by 
 the Roman authors, as well as in antient inferiptions, and the 
 works of the artifts. They were deemed the guardians of the 
 empire. They were invoked by name, and the reft in general. 
 Thus Cicero in many places, Te, Jupiter Maxime ! — teque, 
 Juno Regina ! — teque Minerva — caeterique dii deaeque immor- 
 tales. — The fame diftinc"tion is frequent in Livy, 1. iii. c. 17. 
 1. vi. c. 16. They are often reprefented together on gems and 
 medals, and fometimes by proxy, as on a medal of Antoninus — 
 the owl for Minerva, an eagle for Jupiter, and a peacock for ^ 
 Juno. It muft have been the higheft compliment to the em- 
 perors to reprefent them on the reverfe of their medals ; it was 
 directly calling them guardian gods of the empire, Ovid. Faft. iv. 
 v. ult. 1 heir fhrines were placed together in the great temple of 
 Jupiter on the Capitoline-hill, where they had been placed before 
 by Tarquinius Prifcus in one chapel In the old capitol, called from 
 
 thence 
 
[ >3 ] 
 
 foftnelTes of Venus. Dignity, and a becoming 
 air, firmnefs, and compofure, with juft features, 
 and a certain mafculine frernntfs, make the dif- 
 tinguifhing character of her face r . Her drefs 
 and attributes are adapted to her character. 
 She has a helmet on her head, and a plume nod- 
 ding formidably in the air. In her right-hand 
 fhe makes a fpear, and in her left grafps a fhield, 
 with the head of the dying Medufa upon it. 
 The fame figure, with all its terrors and beau- 
 ties, is alio on her breaft-plate s ; and fometimes 
 fhe heifelf has ferpents about her bofom and 
 fhoulders c . 
 
 thence the chief temple or capitol, and not from the head of one 
 Tolus, as the ftory goes. Var. de ling. Lat. 1. iv. 
 
 r Hence her heads are fo like thofe of Alexander the Great, 
 that they have been taken for his. There is in Montfaucon 
 (1. pi. 84.) a whole plate of thefe mafculine heads, one of 
 which is very like Lewis XIV. Cupid (in Lucian) tells his mo- 
 ther he is always afraid to approach Minerva, fhe looks fo like a 
 man. 
 
 8 This head of Medufa is fometimes moft beautiful, and fome- 
 times n;oft mocking. In the Strozzi-Medufa at Rome her look 
 is dead, but with a beauty that death itfelf cannot extinguifh. The 
 poets fpeak of the beauties and horrors of Medufa's face, and alfo 
 of her ferpents ; particularly two with their tails twined together 
 'under her chin, and theW heads reared over her forehead. She 
 is thus repiefeiued, with eyes convulfed, on a jafper at Florence. 
 See Ovid. Met iv. v. 793. Luc. ix. v. 680. Virg. JEn. viii. 
 v. 437, 438. Ovid ex Pont. iii. El. i. v. 124. 
 
 t Statius defcrrbes them as fometimes quiet, and at other times 
 as enraged, Theb. 1. xii. v. 6*9. 1. 8. v. 519. 
 
 The 
 
G H ] 
 
 The poets agree with the artifts. They fpeak 
 of her as very beautiful, but defcribe her as more 
 terrible. They call her handfome or graceful, 
 but give her the titles of virago, the flern and 
 dark-coloured goddefs " ; and mention not only 
 a certain threatening turn in her eyes; but the 
 very colour too, it feems, was adapted to the 
 character of terror w . 
 
 It was common among the Romans to transfer 
 the diftinguifhing attributes of their deities to the 
 ftatues of their emperors x . This flattery was 
 
 u Torva et Flava, Stat. Theb. ii. v. 238. Ovid. Faft. vl. 
 v. 652. Art. Am. ii. v. 238. 
 
 ■w Minerva, as making her appearance firft in Africa, has a 
 great deal of the Moor in her complexion, with a light-coloured 
 eye, which muft fhew it the ftronger. She is called Trironia, 
 which is the fame as Maura. Hence Juvenal (fat. xii. v. 4.) calls 
 her the African goddefs, Luc. ix. v. 354. No poet of the Au- 
 guftan age has touched oft this particular colour of her eyes, though 
 the Greeks gave her ore of her molt famous titles from thence, 
 yxavwrtc. Virgil, (Mn. ii. v. 175.) afcribes a fiery motion 
 to the eyes of the Palladium, the little tutelar deity of Minerva, 
 which was kept fo carefully, firft at Troy, and afterwards at 
 Rome) wl en brought into the Grecian camp by Diomedes. The 
 Palladium is feen on gems, with a fhield in one hand, and afpear 
 in the other. 
 
 x If one called Augufhis his god, it was little more in v. 
 thofe days than faying, that emperor was his patron (Virg. 
 eel. i. v. 6.) but to put tbe iulmen in the hand of his ftatue was 
 calling him the governor of all the world. Augufhis loved to be 
 reprefented like Apollo, as Marc Antony affected the attributes 
 cf Hercules. 
 
 carried 
 
[ is ] 
 
 carried by the old artifts in no point fo far as in 
 the Gorgon's head on Minerva's breaft-plate. All 
 the ^emperors were fond of this badge of wif- 
 dom y . 
 
 A breaft-plate with the Medufa's head, when 
 worn by a deity, was called iEgis. Minerva's 
 fhield had the fame device and name, and feems 
 to have been appropriated to herfelf and Jupiter, 
 and ufed by them when they thundered. It is 
 certain, Minerva is reprefented as dealing out the 
 fulmen of Jupiter, as well as Juno, which makes 
 it probable that all three were confidered by the 
 Romans as one and the fame deity, under different 
 names z . 
 
 y There might be made a fcries of Roman emperors from Au° 
 guftus to Galienus, with this attribute on their breaft-plates, ex- 
 cept, perhaps, two or three, of whom fcarce any figures remain. 
 The ftrongeft for the dying call of the eyes, is on the bufi of Nero 
 at Florence, and anfwers to Virgil's fine defcription, JEn/iii. v. 438. 
 There is another on a Domitian alluded to by Martial, 7. ep. 1. 
 
 z The name of Jupiter might fignify the Supreme Goodnefs j 
 of Minerva, the Supreme Wifdom j and of Juno, the Supreme 
 Power, Jntell. Syft. i. c. 4. Though the poets often reprefent 
 Juno and Minerva dealing out thunder, the artifts do not : there 
 is no antique of Juno with the Fulmen and fcarce any of Minerva 
 «»cept on the medal of Domitian. 
 
 D 
 
 CHAP, 
 
[ 16 ] 
 
 CHAP, m 
 
 NEP T U NE, VENUS, M A R S, 
 VULCAN, and VEST A. 
 
 *jVT E P T U N E, as having a feat in the fu- 
 ■** preme council of the gods, is often fpoken 
 ©f in the higheft heavens, but will be conlider- 
 cd, in his proper character, among the water- 
 deities. 
 
 VENUS. 
 
 VenuS is reprefented with one of the prettieft> 
 -as Minerva is fbmetimes with one of the hand- 
 fGmeft,, faces, that can be conceived. 
 
 Her look, as reprefented by the artifts and 
 poets, has all the taking airs, wantonnefTes, and 
 graces they could give it. Her fhape is the moft 
 exacl imaginable, all foft and full of tendernefs i 
 the finenefs of her fkin, and the beauties of her 
 complexion, were fo exquifite, that it required 
 the utmoft fkill of Apelles to exprefs them. Her 
 eyes were either wanton^ or quick, or languish- 
 ing, or infolent, according to the occafion ; and y 
 her face and air agreed with them a . She is fre- 
 quently 
 
 a The poets are fuller, as to the eyes, than any ftatue or pic- 
 ture can be. The fculptors can only give the proportion of things, 
 and one fingle attitude in a ftatue. The painter can do the fame, 
 and add the natural colours j and by the help of lights and fhades, 
 s can t 
 
E 17 ] 
 
 quendy defcribed too as having a treacherous 
 fmile on her face. But, however fhe appears, 
 or whatever (he is doing, every thing about her 
 is graceful, bewitching, and charming b . 
 
 •can throw things Into proper diftances. The poets can defcribe a3 
 •that, and can farther put the figure into a fucceffion of different 
 •motions in the fame defcription. This mull give the poet an ad- 
 vantage in defcribing the quick and uncertain motions of Venus's 
 eyes, and occafions the meeting with expreffions which cannot be 
 explained from ftatues or paintings. Such the epithet pata> which 
 refers, perhaps, to a certain turn of Venus's eye, and her catch- 
 ing it away again the moment fhe is obferved, Ovid. Art. Am. ii. 
 v. 657. Si pata eft, Veneri fimilis, fi fiava Minerva. Her 
 eyes are well defcribed by Silius, De Bell. Pun. 1. xv. 27. 
 
 *> Venus, in -all attitudes, is graceful, but in no one more than 
 in that of the Venus of Medici j where, if fhe is not really mo- 
 deft, fhe at leaft, counterfeits modefty extremely well. This at- 
 titude might be defcribed in two verfes of Ovid. Art. Am. ii. r. 
 614, 615. This ftatue, as to the fhape, will ever be theftandard 
 of all female beauty and foftnefs. Ker breads are fmall, diftincl, 
 and delicate, to the higheft degree. Her waift is not reprefented 
 as ftinted by art, but as exaelly proportioned by nature to all the 
 other parts of her body. Her legs are neat and fender, the fmall 
 of them is finely rounded, and her very feet are little, pretty, and 
 white. The general tendernefs, elegance, and fine proportions of 
 her whole make feem to take a great deal from the beauty of her 
 face, or the head is really (as has been fufpe£ted) not of the fame 
 artift who made the body. Some have fancied that there are three 
 \ different paffions expreffed in the air of the head, in which the face 
 is a little turned away from you. At your nYft approaching her, 
 averfion appears in her look ; move one ftep or two, and fhe has 
 a compliance in it ; and one ftep more ' the right turns it into a 
 little infulting fmile, as having made fure of you : but our author 
 •could not find out this malicious fmile, though he often viewed 
 the ftatue on purpofe. PI. 1. n. 4. 
 
 D 2 Befides 
 
I 18 ] 
 
 Befides the infldious fmile, in fome figures* 
 Venus is reprefented in others fmiling, and in a 
 wheedling pofture. Such, probably, was the 
 figures of .the Venus Erycina, called by Horace 
 Erycina Ridens c ; and fuch was the defign on 
 the medal of Aurelius, in which Venus is beg- 
 ging fome favour of Mars d . 
 
 Venus is alfo frequently reprefented as the ge- 
 nius of indolence, lying in a languid pofture 
 on a bed, and generally attended by Cupids to 
 execute her orders e . On an antient fepulchral 
 lamp (he is yet more indolent j as not only her- 
 
 c Hor. i. od. 2. v. 33. Such alfo was the Venus Appias, a 
 ftatue of whom flood near die forum, where die lawyers pleaded, 
 often alluded to by Ovid. Art. Am. i. v. 83. 1. iiu v. 452. P>.em» 
 Am. v. 66®. 
 
 * This was inferibed to Veneri Viclrici, as fure of carrying her 
 point. Thus alfo in a ftatue at Florence, Venus holds one of her 
 hands ro nd Mars's neck, and the other on his breaft ; and feems 
 enticing him to grant her requeft. PI. I. n. 5. She is reprefented 
 in this manner with others, as well as with Mars, Virg. JEn. viii. 
 v. 394. In a relievo at Turin Venus is .careffing Jupiter in the 
 fame manner as fhe dees Mars in the Florentine ftatue. 
 
 e Some of thefe figures, pombly, were originally meant for the 
 godded DeuVia, who might mere eafily be miftaken for a Venus 
 than for a Cupid, as fhe was apt to be among the antients them- 
 felves, Ovid. Ag*» i. ei. v. 32. Stat. iv. Sylv. 6. Ihis Venus 
 appears in one of the fineft coloured pi cluies left us by theantients. 
 It is in the Earbaiir i palace at Rome. The air of the head may 
 be >mrared with Guido% and the colouring with Titian's. The 
 loft part, rcftorcd by Mai utta (though a noted painter) i'erves to 
 co honour to the paintings of the antients. Venus is defcribed 
 by Statius as in this picture, L i. Sylv. v. 56. 
 
 felf, 
 
[ 19- ] 
 
 feff, but the Cupids about her are all faft afleep f . 
 This was a juft character, Indolence being the 
 mother of love, in a moral fenfe, as Venus is of 
 the Cupid in the allegorical fenfe s. 
 
 Venus, by the poets of the third age, is re- 
 prefented under a quite contrary character, as 
 the goddefs of Jealoufy, or the furious Venus h . 
 Statius alfo fpeaks of a Venus Improba, or bad 
 Venus ; which, if it be not the fame with the 
 furious Venus, there is another character which 
 will fuit it very well, the vitious Venus. Her 
 infidelities to her hufband have been ftrongly 
 marked out from the earliefr. ages. The poets, 
 in particular, have never fpared her; and often 
 fpeak of the public fhame fhe was brought to by 
 her amours with Mars *. 
 
 D 3 The 
 
 T As this was found in a fepulchre, it pro! .ably related to feme 
 fine lady bur'.ed there with her children. Death' being fo like fleep, 
 at firft, that it has been generally compared to it. 
 
 g See Ovid. R.em. Am. v. 143. 
 
 h Flaccus and Statius, in their account of the women of Lem- 
 
 nos killing their hufbands, at the inftigation of Venus, dcfcribe 
 her like a fury in black robes, and armed, with a torch, a fword, 
 and with ferpents, the attributes of the furies, Flac. Arg. ii. v. 106. 
 2c8. Stat. Theb. v. v. 69. 14c. 158. 2C3. It is viable here how 
 much Flaccus exceeds Statius. Fie calls Venus, v;ry properly, M<h> 
 vore':a avjux, and gives her the ufual attendant of Mars, when he 
 is going on any great expedition. 
 
 i There is a pretty gem at Florence, on which they are caught 
 in a net, juit as Ovid defn'.ocs it, Art. Am. !;. v. 59c Met. 
 jv. v. iHS. 'On a relievo in the Adrni/anda, Vcnus's hands are 
 
 chained 
 
[ 20 ] 
 
 The attendants of Venus were the Cupii>8, 
 -the Nymphs, and the Graces. The Cupids 
 were fuppofed to be numerous k ; but there were 
 two moft remarkable, one of which caufed love^ 
 and the other made it ceafe. Hence Venus is 
 called the mother of the two Cupids 
 
 The Cupid is generally reprefented as a 
 child of feven or eight years old, almofl always 
 naked, handfome, inclining to plumpnefs, and 
 lometimes a little idle and fly. His hair is loft 
 and fine, and fometimes drefTed up. His wings 
 ornamental, as well as ufeful, and probably in 
 paintings were of divers colours. His quiver* 
 
 « ];.i!ned infiead cf a net 5, but Scl, as the difcoverer, is r-epreftnted 
 in riT3 chariot, agiee.ibly ta what Ovid fays. Never perhaps was a 
 ftciy lb often told. It feems to have been one of the mcft com- 
 mon fubje&s for an old kind of romances in fafliion much earlier 
 than any mentioned by Huetius. The fubjecl: of this and the like 
 Tories are called dukia, both by Virgil and Propertius, Georg. iv* 
 347- 
 
 k In this fenfe Venus is called Dukium Mater Cupidinu*), 
 Hor. iv. Od. 1. v. 5. and Tenerorum Mater Amcrum, Ovid. Am. 
 iii. el. 15. v. 1. Flac. Arg. vi. v. 457. Stat. iii. Sylv. 4. v. 30. 
 
 1 Ovid part. iv. v. i. Hippol. aft. i. chor. The two Cupids 
 with the dolphin at the foot of the Venus de Medicis, are fup- 
 pofed to be thefe, and are now called by the antiquarians at Florence, 
 £ros and Anteros. Ovid calls the laft Lethsus Amor ; and Ci- 4 4 
 cero, Anteros. Montfaucon (occafioned by the name of the ar- 
 tift) has given an old man for Anteros. Ovid fpeaks of this very 
 Cupid as a boy, Rem. Am. v. 576. it muft be obferved, that 
 Anteros did net create averfion } for love and averfion were fup- 
 pofed to proceed from different arrows of the fame Cupid, Ovid* 
 Rem. Am. v. 5 54^ Met. i. v. 474. Cic. de oat. deor. 
 
 bow, 
 
 1 
 
[ 21 ] 
 
 bow, and darts, are continually mentioned to this 
 day. The poets give him fometimes a lighted 
 torch, and arrows tinged with fire m . 
 
 The poets and artifts reprefent their Cupids ei- 
 ther as playful or as powerful. Hence in gems 
 and other pieces, they are feen in fome little di- 
 verfiorc, as driving a hoop, playing at quoits, 
 and wreftling or fighting in jeft ; but more efpe- 
 cially as catching and tormenting butterflies : but 
 this may be brought as an inMance of Cupid's 
 power over the beings of the air n . 
 
 Kis power over the other elements is varioufly 
 exprefied : over the earth, by riding on a lion 
 with a lyre in his hand, and the favage feeming 
 to liften : over the fea, by being feated on a doi- 
 
 « In a ftatue at the Venere near Turin, he appears as a youth 
 of leventeen, as he does in Raphael's Cupid and Pfyche. See /En. 
 i. v. 682. Met. x. v. 517. Ovid. ex. Pont. iii. ep. 3. v. i6» 
 Ovid. Am. i. ei. ic. v. 16. Rem. Am. v. 40. ' t co. 702. Ker. 
 ep. ii. v. 4c. Art. Am. i. v. 22; Hor. ii. cel. S. v. 16. Oftav, 
 Aft. ii. fc. 2. 
 
 » The fame Creek word, Pfychi, fienifies a butterfly and the 
 &mU Hence a butterfly was ufed by the Cret.l: artifts for an em- 
 blem of the (6V] ; and Cupid fondling or burning a butterfly, is the 
 feme as his cart fling pfyche or the foul. Indeed for almoft all 
 the ways Cupid is feen playing with buuerflkj, fome parallel may 
 be found in the 1 epi tfentations of Cupid ir.ci I-Tyche. Thus in one 
 Sntique, Cupid is diawn in a triumphal car by two Pfyches, ir* 
 another, by two butterflies. By this m'ght fce meant his power 
 •ver the Leings cf the air, of which the car ii an emblem. 
 
 D 4 phin \ 
 
[ m ] 
 
 phin : and in heaven, by breaking the fu linen, or 
 fiery bolt of Jupiter •. 
 
 Cupid was fo conftant an attendant on Vcnus^ 
 that he may be almoft reckoned as one of her at- 
 tributes. — Her other chief attendants are the 
 Graces and Nymphs. The Graces are almoft 
 always reprefented naked, like three beautiful 
 lifters, and connected together ; and the Nymphs 
 are fpoken of only in general terms as beautiful 
 women with loofe robes. The Roman poets take 
 notice of all thefe particulars. Horace fpeaks of 
 the Graces and Nymphs dancing with Venus at 
 their head. Ovid defcribes the Nymphs with the 
 Horse in the garden of Flora, and Statius p em- 
 ploys them with Cupid to fprinkle flowers on a 
 new married couple °. Mars 
 
 0 Sometimes Cupid is riding; on a centaur, who has his hands 
 tied behind him ; fometimes on a chimera, &c. to mow that 
 Love conquers the fiercest mongers. Neptune's dominion over 
 the fea is alfo denoted by a dolphin in his hand. And fo was Cu- 
 pid's fometimes according to an old defcription under one of his 
 fiatues, which our author faw in a Frankfort edition of Theo- 
 critus. 
 
 p Statius feems to defciibe the graces as a woman with three 
 pair of hands, 1. iii. Sylv. 4. 
 
 q See Hor. i. od. 32. v. 10. i. od. 4. v. 6. iii. cd. 19. v. 17. 
 ibid. od. 21. v. 22. i. od. 4. v. 7. iv. od. 7. v. 7. Ov. Fall. V. 
 v. 219 — 22c Stat. 1. i. Sylv. 2. v. 21. Thefe defcriptions, had 
 they been copied by a Raphael or Guido, would have inade very 
 pretty pictures. There is a painting, in Mead's collection, of 
 three Nymphs dancing hand in hand. Seneca fpeaks of the Graces 
 agreeably to the figures of thefe three Nymphs, Sen. de Ben. u 
 
 c 3. 
 
L 23 ] 
 
 MARS. 
 
 Mars is always reprefented with his ufual 
 attributes, his helmet and fpear, which he does 
 not quit, even when he is going on his amours* 
 PI. 1. n. 5. He had feveral, of which his amour 
 with Rhea was one of the moft celebrated among 
 the Romans. In a relievo (belonging to the Mcl- 
 lini family at Rome) relating to the birth of Ro- 
 mulus, Mars is defcended, and moving towards 
 Rhea, who lies afleep. On the reverfe of the 
 medal of Antoninus, he is reprefented as fuf- 
 pended in the air, juft over the veil al virgin. PI. 
 1. n. 6 r . 
 
 There is no relievo of Mars going to war; 
 but this is pompoufly defcribed by the poets, 
 who give him a number of attendants, adapted 
 to the god of {laughter, or (as it is more hand- 
 fomely ftyled) of the art of war s . 
 
 D 5 VULCAN. 
 
 c. 3. See Longus, I, in Statius feems to allude to a new way 
 of reprefenting the Graces under the figure of a woman with three 
 pair of hands, 1. iii. Sylv, 3.. v. 83. 
 
 r By this medal Mr. Addifon explained Juvenal's expreffon 
 pendenth dei, (Sat. xi. v. 107.) which had been firangely mifun- 
 derftood ; one would have it to be perdenth ; another, that Mats 
 is faid to be pendtntis, becaufe the fhield on which he was figured 
 hung on the moulder ; but the medal fhows the-true meaning to 
 be fujpended in the air. Hence appears the ufcfulncfs of antiques 
 towards explaining the poets. Our author, has introduced here his 
 ingenious explanation of a relievo in the court of the Mattei-pa- 
 lace, which has puzzled all the antiquarians. See Polymetis, p. 79, 
 
 • Thefe descriptions are fo picturefque, that it was dcubtlefs a 
 Aibjecl yery common aifo among the ariifls, Vir. /En. xinv. 337. 
 
 Stat^< 
 
[ 24 J 
 
 VULCAN. 
 
 Vulcan is dcfcribed by the poets as a mere 
 mortal blackfmith, only with the addition of his 
 being lame. They reprefent him as black, and 
 hardened from the forge, with a fiery red face 
 whilft at work, and tired, and heated after it l . 
 
 This poor god is always the fubje& of pity 
 or ridicule. lie is the grand cuckold of hea- 
 ven, and his lamenefs fcrves to divert the 
 gods u . 
 
 VESTA. 
 
 It is doubtful whether Vesta has any ftatue 
 Ovid, indeed, fpeaks of an image of her,, but ai> 
 
 Stat. Thcb. iii. v. 431. Mars Gradivus appears on a Cornelian 
 at Florence with his helmet and fpear, and a trophy on his flioulder. 
 
 * Some of the defcriptions of his look feem to have been copied 
 from antient paintings. See Stat. iii. Sylv. 1. v. 133. 1. i. Sylv. 
 5. v. 8. Theb. v. v. 31. The few figures of Vulcan agree with 
 the poets, except a relievo at Paris, where he is fitting, with fome 
 dignity, with Fauns inftead of the Cyclops. But this feems to be 
 a modern invention. It was reckoned an excellence in one of his 
 beft ftatues, that his lamenefs was concealed, but not grofsly, Val, 
 Max.viii. c. 11. By fitting he lofes his chief attribute, Vir. JEn t 
 viii. v. 415. Ovid. Met. iv. 175. 
 
 0 Flaccus has defcribed him after his fall from heaven. He has 
 juft recovered himfelf, and is hobbling on by the help of fome good 
 people of Lemnos, who found him in his difhefs, Flac. Arg. ii. 
 v. 93. Venus nrmicked his lamenefs to divert Mars, Ovid, de 
 Art. Am. ii. v. 57s. See Minutius Felix ridiculing the heathen 
 gods, where Vulcan ftands firft, c. xxi, 
 
 ter wards 
 
f *s J 
 
 terwards owns his miftake w . The figures called 
 her's have nothing which would not be as proper 
 for a veftal virgin. Even thofe on medals in- 
 fcribed with her name, may fignify only one of 
 the veftals, and, perhaps, are only reprefentations 
 of her by proxy x . 
 
 Numa (who introduced the worfhip of Vefta 
 and the eternal fire) admitted of no ftatues as 
 helps or objects to devotion. The doclrine of 
 the Brachmans, and the precepts of Zoroafter, 
 (who allowed of no vifible objects of worfhip 
 but fire) were known to Pythagoras, and, by 
 him, are faid to be imparted to Numa, who 
 feems to have obferved them in the ceremonies 
 he appointed for Vefta y . 
 
 w Cvid. Faft. HI. v. 46. 1. vl.. v, 298. It may be obferved that 
 Ovid ufes the word feruntur. There were fome ftories in the Ro~ 
 man mythology which were reckoned as certain, and others as 
 doubtful. The doubtful ones are ufhered in by the poets with ut 
 fertur, ut fama eft, ut perhibent, more particularly by Lucrctius, ; 
 Virgil and Ovid. 
 
 x Figures on forne medals, are called Vefta ; but the fame, orr 
 others, are called Veftals j fo both may be fo. One, infcribed: 
 Vefta, is facriflcing, which agrees with the prieftefs, but not with 
 the goddefs herfelf. 
 
 y See Hook's Rom. Hift. i. p. 125. The temple cf Vefta is 
 remarkable for its architecture. The pointed Abacus mows it to 
 be Greek, a ftrong preemption of its antiquity, being the only ex- 
 ample of that kind n)w at Rome. It is probably older than the 
 Pantheon ; for according to Pliny there feems to be no marble? 
 temple at Rome above 60 years older than that building. 
 
 C H A P.. 
 
1 26 ] 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 APOLLO, DIANA, CERES, and 
 M ERCURY. 
 
 APOLLO.. 
 
 HP HE ftatues and heads of Apollo are al- 
 ways to be diftinguimed by the beauty of 
 the face, which has an air of divinity not to be 
 conceived without the help of the art id. lie 
 is handfomer than Mercury, and not fo effemi- 
 nate as Bacchus, who is his rival for beauty a . 
 His features are extremely fine, and his limbs 
 exactly proportioned, with as much foftnefs as 
 is confident with flrength. He is always young 
 and beardlefs ; and his long beautiful hair, when 
 unconfined, falls in natural eafy waves all down 
 his fhoulders, and ibmetimes over his brealr. l \ 
 
 There 
 
 a The heroes or princes are generally compared by the poets 
 for beauty to one of thefe, and chiefly to Apollo, Mait. vi. ep. 
 29. Met. viii. v. 31. Flac. Arg. ii. c. 492. /En. iv. v. 150. Met. 
 iii. v. 421. Ovid. Am. i. el. 14. v. 32. Stat. Achil. i. v. 166. 
 
 b Nothing was deemed by the Remans more efiential to the 
 beauty of a young perfon, than a fine long head of hair. Juv. Sat. 
 iii. v. 186. Hor. iv. od. 10. v. 3. Id. iii. od. 19. v. 27. /En. i. 
 v. 590. The hair is one of the diflinguifhing thing* in the heads 
 vf Apollo in old gems, and often too in his ftatues, particulaily in 
 a fine one at Florence, which the modern artifts have endeavoured 
 to change into a Prometheus. The Romans had a cuftom of cut- 
 ting their hair fhert, about the age of fevenuen, and of keeping 
 
[ 27 J 
 
 There is a grace refulting from the whole, which' 
 it would be in vain to defcribs to any one who 
 has not feen the Apollo Belvidere. 
 
 - The poets, whofe imaginations mull have 
 been raifed both by paintings and ftatues, formed 
 the higheiT ideas of Apollo's beauty. Virgil 
 calls him the beautiful, and Tib.ullus the well-- 
 fhaped, god c . 
 
 The 
 
 itfcfo ever after. Hence the poets give to Apollo the titles of crhri- 
 tus -and intonfus, which was the fame as if they had faid he was 
 always young, Met. i. v. 564, Hor. iv. od. v, 26. 1. iii. od, 4. 
 v. 62. Hor. epod. 15. v. ie. /En. ix. v. 633. Her. i. od. 21. v. 2. 
 Met. xii. v. 5Sr. On account of the hair, a Bacchus is apt to be 
 (■•r-'.cn &fr Apollo, Mart. i. ep. 125. Tibul. i. eh 4. v. 33. Met. . 
 iii. v. 421. 
 
 « JEn t iii.'.v. 129. Tibul. ii. el. 3. v^ .u.. Tibullus (l/itf. . 
 el. 4.) lias a fall defcripticn of li Is perfon, in which feveral flrokes 
 ftitm to be taken from celebrated pictures, particularly the • 
 beautiful . blufh of a new married bride. Pliny,, fpeaking of 
 Echion's beft pieces, mentions one on. this fubject (Nat. . Hift. 1. 
 3|% c. ic] from which, perhaps, the famous picture on the fame 
 lubject at x the Aldrobandine palace at Rome is copied, as the 
 air of the new bride in it is remarkably modeit. 
 
 Our author thinks there was, in the eld pictures of Apollo, a . 
 certain brightnsfs beaming from his eyes, and diffufed all over his 
 face, jufb as the principal figure is all luminous in Correggio's fa- 
 mous Nativity, and in Raphael's Transfiguration. He conjec- 
 tures this from the poets fpeaking fo often of the brightnefs of A- 
 pollo's face, and the beaming fplendor of his eyes, Stat. Achil. 
 ii. v. 164. Catul. de At. v> 40. Met. iv. v. 193. 231. Met. ii. 
 v. 40 — 5c. 
 
 He was confirmed in this conjecture by an inconceivable piece pf 
 vanity in the emperor Auguftus. His h.ce, as appears from me- 
 dals 
 
[ 28 ] 
 
 The various characters of Apollo among the 
 Romans were thefe : 
 
 The Apollo Venator, who prefided over 
 the chafe, is represented fn the nobleft ftatue in 
 the world, the Apollo Belvidere ; where he is 
 drefled rather too fine for his character. His hair 
 is collected together a little above his forehead. 
 His chlamys, which is only fattened with a gem 
 ©ver his breaft, falls loofely down his back, and 
 is toffed over his arm. On his feet is a fort of 
 the fine bufkins anciently ufed for hunting. All 
 the reft of his body is naked. He holds, his bow 
 in his hand, as if he had juft fhot off ail ar- 
 row d . 
 
 The 
 
 dais and other figurss, Is what the Romans called the Apollineart 
 face (Mart. vi. ep. 29.) Nature, perhaps, had given him fome re- 
 femblance of Apollo, and the artifts and poets took care to repre- 
 fent him more like than he really was (Ovid, de Art. Am. i. v. 
 214. /En. iv. v. 14c. Virg. eel. iv. v. ic.) Suetonius (in Aug. e. 
 94.) fays, hewa« really very beautiful, and that he was believed to 
 be indeed the fon of Apollo. That he gave into this flattery is too 
 plain j for, at an infamous fealt (in which he and free of his cour- 
 tiers reprefented the great gods, and as many ladies the fix god- 
 deffes) he himfelf was dreffed with the attributes of Apollo : and, 
 what is more, he affected to have it fuppofed that his eyes beamed' 
 forth brightnefs like Apollo's ; 3nd was mightily pleafed, when he 
 looked fully upon any body, if they held down their eyes, as when 
 the fun glares too ftrcng upon them. This vanity helps to explain 
 a paffage in Virgil, in his reprefentation of the battle of Aclium. 
 /En. viii. v. 67S. Sec alfo iv. v. 150. and i. v. 591. andPioper- 
 tius, 1. vi. el. 6. v. 30. 
 
 <1 He may be thus far adorned as Apollo, fo often defcribed by 
 the poets, quitting Lycia, his hunting feat, to go to Deles, where 
 he appeared in more flats, and much as Virgil describes him, where 
 
 he 
 
r 29 j 
 
 The Musical Apollo prefided over 
 poetry and the mufes. He is called either Vates 
 or Lyriftes mafic and poetry in the earlieft ages 
 making but one profeliion. Sometimes he is 
 naked, with his hair collected over his forehead,, 
 with his lyre in one hand, and his pleclrum in. 
 the other, and fometimes, in particular, leaning 
 on a rock. At other times he is drefTed in a long 
 lobe, with his hair all flowing down at full 
 length, and crowned with laurel, the diftinguifh- 
 ing habit of this Apollo c . 
 
 he compares /Eneas (when going a-hunting) to this God. Whe- 
 ther Virgil, in his companion, had this ftatue in his eye or not, 
 they both relate to the Apollo Venator, dre?!fed finer than ufual, 
 and both in the ppet, and in the marble, he is reprefented as the 
 fiandard of beauty. This beauty and his motion are the two prin- 
 cipal points aimed at by Virgil, and the chief things that ftrike 
 ©ne in viewing the Apollo Belvidere, /En. iv. v, 150. Max. Tyr* 
 Diflert. 72. Stat. Achil. t: i. v. 166. 
 
 « The poets, efpecially of the Auguftine age, are very full in 
 •their defcripticns of him, Propert. iii. el. 3. v. 14. Ovid, de Art 
 Am. ii. v. ac.6. Id. iii. v. 142. Id. i. el. 8. v. 6c. Met. xi. v, 
 169. Tibul. iii. el. 4. v. 42. 91. In thisdrefs Apollo is fuppofed 
 to appear at the feafts of Jupiter, particularly at the folemn one 
 after the defeat of Saturn j under which character he may he 
 called the feftal Apollo, Tibul. L ii. ei. 5. v. 10. Thus too the 
 poets, ©r muficians of old, were dreifed when they fung to the lyre 
 at the table of princes, as lopas was at Dido's feaff, Cythara cri- 
 nitus lopas perfonat aurata — Mm i. v. 741. Iopas is here fiyled' 
 Crinilus, which implies his being drefied like the Feftal Apolio. 
 Had Mr. Addifon been aware of this, he could not have called Cri- 
 nitus here " an epithet quite foreign to the purpofe. - " A flrong 
 inftance of the ufe of being acquainted with the ancient cuftoms of 
 the Romans, and appearances of their gods, on fuch and fuch oc- 
 casions, towards understanding the poeti. See Difc. on ancient and 
 modern learning, p. 6. 
 
 As 
 
[ 3° ] . 
 
 As to the Muses, it is remarkable, that the 
 poets fay but little of them in a defcriptive way, 
 though they invoke them fo often, and are fo 
 much obliged to them. Where they do fpeak of 
 them, it is generally fomething in relation to 
 themfelves f . They were a frequent ornament 
 for libraries of old, , and are often feen, and very 
 properly, on the tombs,- either of poets, or phi- 
 lofophers, or muficians, or aftronomcrs. On thefe 
 you may meet with all the nine mufes, with 
 fome deity, particularly Apollo, in the midft of 
 them A. 
 
 The 
 
 f Thus Statius defcribes the mufes mourning over a dead poor, 
 in fiience, Theb. vii. v. 554. See alfo Stat. ii. Sylv. 7. v. 38. . 
 Hor. iv. od. 3. v. 2. 
 
 g There is a relievo on a farcophagus in the Capitoline gallery in 
 Rome, in which the nine mufes are reprefented ; by the help of 
 which, and Aufonius's defctiption of them (Idyl. 20 ) our author 
 has attempted to diftinguiffi them from cne another, which has at- 
 ways been very difficult. The order of them feems to be quite ar- 
 bitrary, as appears by the different ranging of the n by Hc>odcti:s, 
 (who has annexed their names to the nine bocks of his hiftory) 
 and by Aufonius, as well as in all the relievos now to be met with. 
 In the relievo above-mentioned^ they are placed and difb'nguifhed 
 in the following manner : 
 
 Clio is fhft, and diftinguifhed by the roll, or book, in her < 
 hand, or with the longer, bolder pipe (Hor. i. od. 12, v. 2.) Her . 
 office was to celebrate the adions of departed heroes, though Sta-. t 
 tius makes her defcend to tower offices from the old notion that 
 every thing penned in hexameters was an epic poem, Stat. i. Sylv. . 
 a. v, JO, 
 
 Til AL I A 
 
C 31 1 
 
 The Act 1 an Apollo was much cele- 
 brated, efpecially in the Auguftan age, as hav- 
 ing 
 
 Thalia was the mufe of comedy and paftorals (Virg. eel. 
 vi. v. a.) and is diftinguifhed by her comic mafic in her hand, and 
 her paftcral creek, 
 
 Terpsichore has- noth : ng to diftinguifh her. Aufcn'us 
 gives her the Cithara. On die medals of the Pomponian family,, 
 three mufes have ftringed inftruments in their hands, but we do not 
 know them from one another ; and are ufed to call the Cithara, 
 Barbiton, and Teftudo, by the name of Lyres. Thefe three rnufcs 
 are in the relievo the third (which the author calls Terpfichore) 
 and the fifth and feventh, which appear to be Erato and Polyhym- 
 lia j though that cannot be determined, till the names and (hape 
 >f the ftringed infiruments come to be better known. 
 
 Euterpe prefided over the mufic played on two pipes [tibia'] 
 it once, as in the remarks before Terence's plays. By thefe pipes 
 he is diftinguifhed, though fometimes file holds the fiftula, or ca- 
 ami, in her hands, and is fo defcribed by Aufonius, Hor, i. od. 1. 
 • 33- 
 
 Erato, who prefided over the amorous kinds of poetry, 
 -> genteelly dreffed, looks pretty, though thoughtful.. She is re- 
 refented penfive, or elfe full of gaiety, as fhe appears on gems 5 
 oth which characters, though oppofite, fait well with lovers, 
 nd, confequently, with their patrcnefs. Ovid invokes her with 
 luch propriety in his Art of Love (I. ii. v. 16.) ; and in his Fafti 
 ir April, the lover's month among the Pvomans, he calls it the 
 nonth of Erato. Faft. i. v. 1. 16. 246. 349. 14. 196. But Vir- 
 il feems to invoke her improperly before a fcene of battles, un- 
 fs it was becaufe the war was caufed by a woman, JEn. vii. v. 
 5- 
 
 Calliope is called by Ovid (Met. v. v. 340.) the chief 
 thernufesj and by Horace, P.egina, as fkilful on all inftru- 
 
 ents. 1. iii. cd. 4. v. 4. The tables in her hand mark. her du- 
 
 iigui filing character, which was to note down the worthy actions 
 the living. 1 he books of old were like the rolis in the offices 
 
 r old records: and the form we now ufe for books, was then- 
 only 
 
[ 3* J 
 
 Ing aflifted Auguftus in his engagement with 
 Antony h . His appearance and drefs feem to have 
 been partly of the Apollo Venator, and partly of 
 the Lyriftes. At lead the poets in general gave 
 him a bow in his hand *. But in a ftatue after- 
 wards made by the famous Scopas, and placed in 
 a temple in Auguftus's palace, (hence called the 
 Apollo Palatinus) he was reprefented folcly un- 
 
 cnly ufed for tablets [puglllares] or pocket books, called by Ca- 
 tullus pugWcria, and by Aufonius pugillar bipatens. 
 
 Polyhymnia is diftinguifhed by fome ftringed inftrument in 
 her hand, perhaps what the Romans called the Barbiton, which 
 we have no name for, Hor. i. od. i. v. 34. 
 
 Urania prefided over agronomy, and is diftinguifned by the 
 celeftial globe at her feet, and the radius in her hand, JEn. vi. v. 
 £51. In fiatues, the globe is fometimes in her hand, and fome- 
 times placed on a column before her, Stat. Theb. viii. v. 554. 
 
 Melpomene was ths mufe of the ftage, and prefided over all 
 melancholy fubje&s, as well as tragedies. Hor, 'it. od. 24. v. 4. 
 1. iii. od. 30. v. ult. She is diftinguifhed by her mafk on her 
 head, which is fometimes placed fo far backward, that it has 
 been miftaken for a fecond face, as may be feen in Montfaucon 
 i. pi. 59. 
 
 His ftatue ftocd on the promontory of A&ium, or Leucate, 
 on a place called the Lover's Leap (Ovid. Her. ep. 1%. v. 170.) 
 and was vifible a good way at fea, and revered by the mariners 
 (Virg. JEn. ii. v. 275.) to which Auguftus is faid to addrefs his 
 devotions before the battle of AdHum. 
 
 * Petr. v. 115. JEn. viii. v. 706. Propert. iv. el. 6. v. 57. 68. 
 This confufion of attributes, though very uncommon, is found in 
 other figures of this god, Plin. Nat. Hift. 1. 34. c 8. Our author 
 defcribes here a moft puzzling ftatue at Turin, Polym. p. 94- 
 
 der 
 
[ 33 1 
 
 efcr the character of the Apollo Lyriftes k , and 1*3 
 10 defcribed by the poets. They fpeak of him 
 as in his flowing robe, and playing on the lyre, 
 a*id even as quitting his bow 
 
 The representation of Apollo, as prefiding over 
 the fun will be confidered among the planets. 
 
 The Apollo Medic us is often mention- 
 ed by the poets ; and there is very frequently the 
 ferpent at the feet of his ftatucs, as the emblem 
 of the god of health. In thefe figures he has ge- 
 nerally an eafy mild look, and the ferpent lies 
 fleeping or quiet by him. Had this ferpent been 
 the python, as the Italian antiquaries would 
 have it to be, his features would have been all 
 fevere and terrible, as in the following cha- 
 racter •". 
 
 Apollo the Tormentor was fo called 
 from a ftatue, reprefenting him fleaing Marfyas 
 alive with his own hands. The figures relating 
 to Marfyas were very common, and there are Itill 
 remaining enough to (hew the whole feries of tire 
 
 k Auguflus built a temple on the fpot to the A£tf an Apollo, 
 and afterwards another within his palace, where Scopas's noble 
 ifcatue was placed, Paterc. c. ii. v. 81. Suet, in Aug. c. 29. 
 
 1 Kor. Car. Sa?c. v. 34. Propert. ii. el. 31. v. 16. 1. 4. el. G. 
 v. 70. His figure therefore muft have made much the fame ap- 
 pearance as the Adtian Apollo on the medal of Auguflus, where 
 he appears in the long robe, but flung back loofe, with the lyre 
 and plectrum. 
 
 m Ovid. Rem. Am. v. 706. 76. Met. i. 524. JEn. xll. v, 
 4c6. Prop. iv. el, 6. v. 35. Stat. Theb. i. v. 712,. 
 
 flory 
 
[ 34 J 
 
 flory in all its different periods, which are all Je- 
 fcribed in the poets, and are fome of them fo 
 horrid as not to be read without pain n . 
 
 Apollo, no doubt, had the fame avenging air 
 in the representations of the ftory of Niobe. She 
 had highly incenfed Latona, who defired her two 
 children, Apollo and Diana, to avenge the af- 
 front offered to her. They grant her requcft, 
 and flay all Niobe's children, feven fons and fe- 
 ven daughters. Ovid is very full in the account 
 of this affair. He reprefents thefe deities with 
 their bows, performing this piece of vengeance,, 
 and tells us how and where each fon was 
 wounded °* 
 
 n Ke appears on a gem In the Maffimi collection, ordering 
 Marfyas to be rlead, with a face that makes one almoft tremble 
 to look upon it. See Stat. Theb. iv. v. 1S6, Fafh vi. v. 708. 
 Met. vi. v. 386. 391. There was a ftatue in the Forum near die 
 feat of judgment, alluded to by the poets, Mart. n. ep, 64. Hor, 
 i. fat. 6. v. 121. Juv. Sat. ix. v. 4. 
 
 0 There Was a fine relievo on one of the folding doors to the 
 temple of Apollo' PaJatinus, Propert. ii. el. 31. v. 14. and another 
 fpoken of by Pliny, Nat. Hi ft. 1. 36. c. 5. There is a noble col- 
 lection of detached figures .in the Mediccan gardens, reprefenting 
 Niobe and her children about the beginning of the aclion. A- 
 mong the fons theie is a figure, which our author thinks is meant 
 for Amphion, being too old for one of his fons. His attitude a- 1 
 grees with Juvenal's defcription of him in Sat. vi. v. 173. who 
 fuppofes him prefent. Thefe figures are fully d'_fcribed, with 
 judicious remarks, in Pclymeti.i, p. 98. Eefides this fdecl fet 
 (which were dug up near the Porta di San. Giovanni, and pur- 
 chafed by the Grand Duke) there are fingle figures of Niche's 
 fons in feveral colleftions at Rome. See^ Ovid. Met. vi. v. 217 
 —3*3- 
 
 Apollo 
 
[ 35 ] 
 
 Apollo and Diana were confidered as the ih- 
 fliclers of plagues, and all fudden deaths; and 
 are faid to difcharge arrows on thefe occafions p » 
 The wounds, arrows, and deities, were fome- 
 times vifibie, and fometimes not. Ovid fpeaks 
 of the wounds as vifibie on the brothers, and as 
 invifible on the fitters. The deities, by his ac- 
 count were invifible too, even to the fufferers 
 themfelves q . 
 
 DIANA. 
 
 The Diana Venatrix, or the gcddefs of 
 the chace, is of all Diana's characters the mo ft 
 known. She prcfidcd over the woods, and de- 
 lighted in hunting. She is often reprefented as 
 running, with her vefi flying back, though fhort- 
 ened, and girt about her. She is tall of ftature, 
 and her face, though very handfome, is fome- 
 thing manly. Her legs are bare, weli-fhaped, 
 and very ftrong. Her feet are fometimes bare 
 too, and fometimes adorned with bufkins, worn 
 by the huntrefTes of old. She has a quiver on 
 her ihouldtr, and holds either a javelin, or a 
 
 p Hence, perhaps, a perfon who dies fuddenly (cn the road, or 
 the like) is fliil laid, in (Iverai nations, to be Sun-Jiruck. Thus 
 the French, coup de jjwf/Vj and the Italian, cclpo de fole. This 
 » was an early notion among the Romans. See Ennius in Alcm*e- 
 ©ne, and Adlius in Erigone. 
 
 q Apollo as the inflicler of plagues, is fometimes defcribed as in 
 Homer, when fending a peftilence to the Grecian camp, furround- 
 ed with clouds; or, as Horace (i. od. 2. v. 31.) tranfiates Ho- 
 mer's words, " with clouds wrapped about his moulders." Thus 
 both he and Diana are defcribed by Ovid. Statius has followed 
 the fame idea, Theb. i. v, 631. 
 
 bow, 
 
 3 
 
r 36 ] 
 
 bow, in her right hand. Thus {he appears in 
 fome of her ftatues, and in the descriptions of the 
 poets, who often, by a fingle epithet, bring the 
 idea of her whole figure to the mind 
 
 The ftatues of this Diana were frequent in 
 woods, where (he was reprefented as hunting, or 
 bathing, or refting herfelf. It was on one of 
 thefe occafions that Aclason had the misfortune 
 to fee her fo fatally to himfelf. The ftory is told 
 in little on a gem (in MafTei's collection) and 
 more largely by Ovid in verfe, and by Apuleius 
 in profe 3 . 
 
 Diana prefiding over the moon will be treat- 
 ed of among the planets. 
 
 The Diana Triformis (called alfo Hecate 
 or Trivia) is reprefented with three heads and 
 
 t Ovid. Her. ep, 4. v. 4c. Ovid. i. el. 1. v. 12. Faft. ii. v. 
 156. Art* Am. iii. v. 144.. 1. iii. el. 2. v. 32. Virg. Eel. vii. 
 v. 32. 
 
 s Both the gem and Ovid reprefent the nymphs as huddled 
 round the goddefs to hide her ; but, as Ovid ohferves, it was 
 partly in vain, as fhe was fo much taller than the nymphs, which 
 is frequently marked by the poets. This was finely cxpreffed in 
 the famous picture of this goddefs by Apelles, who (Pliny fays, 
 Nat. Hift. b. 35. c. to.) formed his idea of it from Homer's de- 
 fcription, and even furpnffee his original. Virgil has imitated 
 the fame defcription, Aln. i. v. 502. Odyf. 3. v. 10S. What 
 pleafure would it be to compare the copies of Apelles and Virgil with 
 fo great a matter as Homer ! Apuleius's defcription is very remark- 
 able. See Afin. Aur. ii. Statius (Theb. 4. v. 433.) gives a 
 pretty defcription of her as rearing herfelf, which would make a 
 $ood picture or fiatue. Set Ovid. Met. iii. v. 188, 
 
 three 
 
[ 37 1 
 
 three bodies She is frequently invoked hi en- 
 chantments, as being the infernal Diana, and 
 appears more like a fury than a celeftial goddefs, 
 with the inftruments of terror in her hands, and 
 grafping cords or fwords, or ferpents, or flaming 
 torches. PI. 2. n. 2. 
 
 There are other lefs diftinguifhed characters of 
 this goddefs, one of which feems to have been 
 ufually overlooked, and may be called the Celes- 
 tial Diana, not as to her power in the hea- 
 vens, but as to the appearance fhe makes in the 
 great council of the gods. She is larger, and 
 'irefled in a full and long robe, though fhe ftili 
 retains- her bow, and the quiver on her fhoul- 
 der 
 
 CERES. 
 
 Ceres, the goddefs of agriculture, is repre- 
 fented by the artifts and poets with her head 
 crowned either with corn or poppies, and her 
 robes fall down to her feet* She feems to have 
 been a beauty of the brunette kind ; and her 
 drefs was well adapted to her complexion. The 
 only objection to her beauty is, that her breafts, 
 
 t Trivia is only ah accidental name, from her ftatues ftanding 
 where three ways met, Ovid. Faft. i. v. 142. Her. ep. 12. v. 
 79. Met. vii, v. 194. Hor. iii. od. 22. v, 4. JEn. iv. v. 511. 
 
 u She is defcribed by Statius much like this. Achil. i. v. 348, 
 This defcription tallies with a ftatue at the Lord Leicester's, in 
 London. Cicero defcribes a flatue much like this, which belong- 
 ed once to Scipio Africanus, Orat. iv. in Ver* 
 
 in 
 
[ 3§ ] 
 
 In moft figures, are reprefented very large. This 
 Ovid omits, but it is mentioned by the earlier 
 poets w . 
 
 MERCURY. 
 The chief character of Mercury is that of 
 Jupiter's mefTenger. His make is young, airy, 
 and light, all proper for fwiftnefs. His limbs 
 are finely turned, and he yields to none but 
 Apollo and Bacchus in beauty x . His diftin- 
 guiming attributes are his petafus, or winged 
 cap : the talaria, or wings for his feet ; and the 
 caduceus, or wand, with two ferpents about it y . 
 
 w Ovid. Met. vi. v. 118. Id. iii. el. 10. v. 3. Faft. iv. v. 424. 
 62c. Met. viii. v. 7S1. Faft. iv. v. 616. Lucr. iv. v. 1158. Vir- 
 gil defcribes Ceres as regarding the hufbandman from heaven, and 
 bleffing his work ; of which there is a piclure ill the Vatican ma- 
 nufcript, Geo. i. v. 96. 
 
 x The poets give the fame Idea of him, Ovid. Met. ii. v. Si 8. 
 731. Hor. i. od. z. v. 43. A T n. iv. 579. 
 
 Y The cap is like the common cap of the fervantsof old. The 
 wings might he taken off, and there are fometimes only two fea- 
 thers ftuck in it, (Phut. Preface to Amphitryon). Hence, per- 
 haps, the cuflorri of Roman meffengers, fticking a feather in their 
 cap, which was fometimes put into the letcer itfelf, as a mark of 
 difpatch, juv. Stat,, iv. v. 1^9. The wings for the feet might 
 alfo be taken oft". In a figure in the Juftinian gallery, Cupid is 
 putting the wings to Mercury's ieet. The Caduceus too is fome- 
 times reprefei ted with wings. V irgil de^ribes MerCury thus e- 
 quipped when fentto /Eneas by Jupiter, J£n. i v. v. 251. See Stat. 
 Theb. i. v. 311. Bt is thus reprefented in the Vatican manu- 
 fcript, with the chlamys floating behind him in the air. PI. 2. n. 
 3. By the flying back of the drapery, the artifts generally mark . 
 the motion of a perfon going on fwiitly, Ovid. Met. i. v. 529. The 
 poets give him the chlamys as part cf his drefs, Met. ii. v. 736. 
 Stat. Tilth. 7. v. 39. 
 
 To 
 
t 39 ] 
 
 To thefe is added his harpe, or long fword, with 
 a particular hook behind it. PI. 3. n. 1. The de- 
 fcriptive epithets given by the poets agree with 
 the old figures of it x . 
 
 Mercury had alfo a general power given him 
 by Jupiter, of conducting fouls to their proper 
 place, and of re-conducling them up again upon 
 occafion. Horace (1. iii. od. 11.) gives an ex- 
 traordinary account of Mercury's defcending to 
 Ore us, and caufing a ceflation of fufferings there. 
 
 In the fame ode Horace fpeaks of Mercury as 
 a wonderful mufician, and reprefents him with a 
 lyre, of which he was faid to be the inventor a . 
 
 * Luc. ix. v. 663. 678. (Here fome read lunatl for bamat't, 
 not knowing any thing of the hamus, or hook) Met. iv. v. 
 665. 719. 726. 
 
 a Mercury, after ftealing fome bulls from Apollo, retired to a 
 cave, at the entrance of which he found a tortoife. He killed 
 it, and diverting himfelf with the fhell, was pleafed with the 
 found it yielded j whereupon cutting thongs out of the hides he 
 had ftolen, he faftened them to the fhell, and played upon them. 
 By this legend it appears, that the mofl antient lyres were made 
 of the fhell of a tortoife, which is confirmed by the particular 
 Roman lyre, called teftudo. The mofl remarkable one is in the 
 Montalti gardens, which not only fhews the whole belly of the 
 tortoife, and part of what the firings were attached to, but has 
 two horns above like a bull's, with firings round their bottoms 
 like thongs. As the tortoife is an amphibious-creature, it may 
 be called pifcis, or fera. This ferves to clear a difficult paffage 
 in Statius, and another in Horace, Stat. i. Sylv. 5. v. 5. Hor. 
 iv. od. 3. v. 20. See a riddle on the teftudo being called a beaft, 
 a fifh, and a harp, in Sympofius. /£nig. xix. v. 2«» 
 
 E 
 
 He 
 
[ 40 ] 
 
 He is likewife defcribed by the poets as the god 
 of ingenuity and thieving b . Thefe two cha- 
 racters are joined by Ovid and Horace c . 
 
 Mercury prefided alfo over the merchants and 
 tradefmen d . This Mercantile Mercury, as 
 the difpenfer of gain, is reprefented with the 
 attribute of a purfe in his hand, and with his 
 winged cap on his head, which, in the language 
 of the ftatuaries, is as much as to fay, " If you 
 " take not gain when offered, it will fly away, 
 " and, perhaps, for ever c ." The poets have 
 the fame idea of Mercury, and inform us, that 
 it was a common fubject for pictures, as well as 
 other works f . 
 
 Mercury, though the patron of robbers, was 
 fuppofed, however, to prefide over the high- 
 
 * Hor. i. cd. jo. v. 12. Met. xi. v. 315. Plaut. Prol. to Am- 
 phit. 
 
 « Ovid calls him the inventor of the lyre, and the god of thieves, 
 in the fame place, Faft. v. v. 104. So does Horace i. od. ie, v. 
 *, 7« 
 
 * From thence he is faid to have his name, Mercurius a Mer- 
 cibus dictus, Feft. Pomp. 1. i« The Romans called thofe who, 
 thrived in bufmefs, Viri Mercuriales. 
 
 « In a gem, Mercury is giving up his purfe to Fortune; in a 
 painting (in Mead's collection) he offers it to Minerva, who takes 
 only a little out of it, as if good luck had more to do with it than 
 good fenfe. In another gem, he offers it to a veiled lady like 
 Pudickia, who ftrenuoufly refufes it. 
 
 f Hor. ii. fat. 3. v. 67. Perf. vi. v, 63* 
 
 roads. 
 
[ 4i ] 
 
 roads. The ftatues of this Mercury are of that 
 odd terminal (hape, fo much in vogue in the beft 
 ages of antiquity, Thefe old Termini were fome- 
 times without, but oftner with, bufts, or half 
 figures of fome deity on them ; and thofe of Mer- 
 cury fo much more frequently than any other, 
 that the Greeks gave them their general name 
 from this god s . 
 
 g 'Uffxti is ufed in Greek for any terminal figures in general. 
 There is an allufion in Juvenal which would ftrike us more 
 ftrongly, were we ufed to fee thefe terminal Mercuries as com- 
 monly as the Romans were of old. The fatire turns upon this 
 aflertion, that where there is no virtue, there cannot be any no- 
 bility. Virtue among the Romans was, " a man's exerting 
 himfelf in the fervice of his country or friends:" fo that the 
 comparing a man to a figure without arms or legs, muft give the 
 £rongeft idea of his being the moft ufdefs of mortals. See Sat. 
 viii. v. 1—67. 
 
 £ a BOOK 
 
[ 4* ] 
 
 BOOK II. 
 
 The Jix HEROES fuppofed by the Romans 
 to have been received into the higher Heavens. 
 
 HERCULES, BACCHUS, .AESCULA- 
 PIUS, ROMULUS, CASTOR, and 
 POLLUX. 
 
 HP HOUGH there were great numbers of heroes 
 that were fuppofed to have been received in- 
 to fome part or other of the heavens, either as ftars, 
 themfelves, or as inhabiting or prefiding over ftars, 
 and might very well be all confidered as divini- 
 ties by the antient Romans, there were but fix 
 of a fuperior order, who as fuch were fuppofed to 
 be admitted into the community of the twelve 
 great gods, namely, Hercules, Bacchus, iEfcu- 
 Japius, Ramulus, Caftor, and Pollux a . 
 
 * Our author fays he ufed to confound thefe with the common 
 heroes fuppofed to have been deified of old, till he obferved that 
 the Roman poets, when fpeaking of men who made the nobleft 
 appearance upon earth, and were therefore received into the 
 higher heavens, always inftance in fome or other of thefe fix, 
 Hor. ii. ep. i. v. 17. Id. iii. od. 3. v. 16. /En. vi. v. 806. and v. 
 13c. (where pauci feems to be the fix) Sil. xv. v. 83. He ob- 
 ferved the fame in the profe-writers, Plin. Nat. Hift. vii. c. 26. 
 Cic. de nat. deor. ii. But his chief authority is a quotation by 
 Cicero from the laws of the twelve tables, where thefe fix are 
 named as received into heaven for their me; it, and ordered to be 
 worihipped, tab. xi. c. 4. Cic. de leg. 2. 
 
 HERCULES 
 
[ 43 3 
 
 HERCULES. 
 
 Hercules was pointed out by the antient 
 heathens, as their great exemplar of virtue. 
 And, indeed, as their idea of virtue confifted 
 chiefly in feeking and undergoing fatigues with 
 patience and fteadinefs for the benefit of man- 
 kind, they could fcarce have chofen a fitter per- 
 fon, the courfe of whofe life was almoft wholly 
 taken ^up with labouring for the good of his fel- 
 low creatures, 
 
 The Farnefe Hercules (one of the moft cele- 
 brated ftatues) reprefents him as refting after the 
 laft of his twelve moft noted labours. He is 
 leaning on his club, and holding the apples of 
 the Hefperides in his hand. He is all formed to 
 exprefs ftrength. The breadth of his moulders, 
 the fpacioufnefs of his cheft, the vaftnefs of his 
 fize, and the firmnefs of his mufcles, ftiow more 
 force and refinance in his make than was ever 
 found in the moft famous gladiator, or boxer, of 
 old All thefe particulars are marked out alfo 
 by the poets b . PI. 2. n. 4. 
 
 E 3 The 
 
 t> JE-n. vi. v. S02. Hor. iii. od. 3. v. 9. Her. Fur. A&. 3. 
 Sc. 2. v. 625. Fjac. ii. v. 491. Her. Oet. Ad. 3. Sc. 2. v. 827. 
 Stat. Theb. vi. v. 849. Horace has been fuppcfed to allude to 
 this particular ftatue in the exprerfion, inviEl'i membra Glyconit 
 (1. i. ep. i. v. 31.) As the name of Glycon, on the bafe, fhcws 
 him to be the maker, this ftatue might be called, for diftin&ion 
 fake, the .Hercules Glyconis. If fo,. Horace mi^ht well call it 
 
 the- 
 
E 44 I 
 
 The chief attribute of Hercules, or the dif- 
 tinguifhing character of his figures, is his in- 
 comparable flrength. His other attributes are 
 his lion's (kin, his club, and his bow. The lion's 
 fkin is fometimes fo put on, that the head and 
 jaws of the lion appear over his head c . 
 
 To avoid confufion, the adventures of Her- 
 cules may be placed in the following order : 
 i. Such as are previous to his twelve celebrated 
 labours. 2. The twelve labours themfelves. 
 3. His voluntary exploits, which he undertook, 
 of himfelf. 
 
 I. His firft exploit was ftrangling two ferpents 
 fent to deftroy him in his cradle, when he was 
 but half an hour old. The artifls have fhown 
 a great deal of fancy in the various ways of re- 
 prefenting this ftory, which are all touched upon 
 by the poets d . 
 
 Another 
 
 the Glycon In verfe. The epithet of iaviffut too would be much 
 more proper, when applied to the Farnefe Hercules, than to a 
 gladiator of the name of Glycon, as the commentators fuppofcit. 
 
 e This was a fort of military drefs among the Roman fol- 
 diers, as may be feen on the Trajan and Antonine pillars, and is 
 taken notice of by the poets, JEn. xi. v. 68#. JEn. vii. v. 609. 
 Stat. Theb. i. v. 487. Flac. i. v. 155. Stat. iii. Sylv. i. v. 36.. 
 and Lucian 1. i. 
 
 d Sometimes he has a fmlle on his face, as it pleafed with the 
 colours and motions of the ferpents. Sometimes he looks con- 
 cerned for having killed them. Sometimes the fleadinefs and 
 ftrong gripe of the infant are exprefled. On a gem, his nurfe is 
 
 introduced, 
 
[ 45 3 
 
 Another of his youthful exploits was killing 
 a vaft lion in a vale near his native city Thebes. 
 Hercules is defcribed by the poets, in his con- 
 quefts of lions, two ways, either as fqueezing 
 them to death (as in his earlier engagements) or 
 tearing their jaws afunder. The firft way was 
 very awkward, and it expofed him all the while 
 both to their fangs and claws, as appears in the 
 figures that reprefent it c . 
 
 II. The Twelve Labours, fo termed by way 
 of eminence, and which he was to perform by 
 the malignity of Juno, and the fatality of his 
 birth, are more eafily to be fixed by the artifls 
 than by the poets, who, indeed, agree as to the 
 
 introduced, with his twin-brother Euriftheus in her arms, (he 
 quite frightened, and he not regarding her, Her. fur. Adt. ii. fc. 
 i. v. 219. Stat. 3. Syl. i. v. 48. Mart. 1. 14. ep. 177. PI. Am- 
 phit. Act. v. fc. i. v. 46 — 67. What is flill more extraordinary, 
 there are exploits afcribed to Hercules before he was born of Ale- 
 rr.ena. Though he was born not long before the Trojan war, he 
 is made to affift the gods in the giants war, JEn. 8. v. 298. and 
 feme talk cf a tradition in heaven that the gods could never con- 
 quer the giants without the help of a m:.n, Macr. Sat. 1. c. 2©. 
 'i his perhaps is one of the moft myfterious points in the heathen 
 m/thciogy. 
 
 e Stat. Theb. i. v. 487. Stat. 4. Syl. 6. v. 41. Her. fur. 
 A6t. i. fc. 1 ■ v. 225. Stat. Theb. iv. v. 828. and vi. v. 271. 
 273. Sil. iii. v. 34. There is a figure in the capitol of Hercules 
 very young, and yet with a lion's fkin over his head, which 
 ferves to juftiiy feveral modern artifts, as well as fome eminent 
 painters, who have been thought to give Hercules this drefs too 
 early, for v/ant of confulering that he had acquired fuch a fpoiJ 
 before lie flew the. Clcnaran lion. 
 
 E 4 number., 
 
[ 46 J 
 
 number, but ufually fo blend his ordinary and 
 extraordinary labours together, that it is impof- 
 fible for them to know one from the other f . 
 It is from fome ancient relievos that we learn 
 what the twelve were, though as to the particu- 
 lar order of them the relievos themfelves dif- 
 agree. The following order is taken from a re- 
 lievo on an altar, which ftood by the gate of Al- 
 bano, but has been lately removed to the Capi- 
 toline gallery g . 
 
 1. The flrft labour is Hercules's engagement 
 with the Cleonaean lion. He is reprefented kill- 
 ing the monfter, by tearing his jaws afunder, 
 juft as Silius fays this action was wrought on the 
 folding doors of Hercules's temple at Gades in. 
 Spain. 
 
 2. The fecond is the conquer! of the Hydra, 
 the moft difficult tafk of all. The old artifts 
 differ in the reprefentations of the Hydra. Some- 
 times it is a ferpent branched out into feveral 
 others ; and fomaimes a human head, defcend- 
 
 f Mart. ix. ep. 102. Ovid. ix. v. 180. Sil. iii. v. 44. JEn. 
 viii. v. 257. Her. fur. Act. 2. fc. 1. 
 
 S This altar having ferved for a common feat, has fuffered fo 
 mucl'i, that the three rirft labours are here fupplied from other 
 antiques. This relievo differs in the order from another at the 
 Villa Cafali at Rome. Aufonius, in an infeription, probably for 
 fome relievo, has named and ranged the whole twelve. One 
 Hilafius, an old grammarian, has done the fame, though in a 
 different manner. He begins with a miftake, by calling it the 
 Tsumaean lion. 
 
 ing, 
 
[ 47 1 
 
 ihg, lefs and lefs, in Terpentine folds, and with 
 ferpents upon it inftead of hair h . 
 
 3. The third is the Erymanthian boar. Her- 
 cules is reprefented as having tolled the monfter 
 over his moulder, and carrying him away in tri- 
 umph. Nothing defcriptive of this is in any Ro- 
 man poet V 
 
 4. The fourth is the wild flag, faid, by the 
 poets, to have been of a prodigious fize, and to 
 have had brazen feet. Hercules, in the relievo, 
 is kneeling upon him, and holding him by the 
 horns. 
 
 5. The fifth is the Stymphalides. The birds 
 are fuppofed to be fo high, that they were not 
 exprefied by the artift, only Hercules is feen 
 mooting with his bow up into the air, and one 
 of the birds lying dead on the ground. They 
 are expreffed on gems as flying too, but then 
 Hercules is kneeling, to allow the great diftance. 
 between him and the birds. 
 
 * The poets feem to fpeak of both, though they have been 
 generally undeiftood only of the former. As any one of thefe 
 ferpents heads was faid to be double upon being cut off, the num* 
 ber of heads muft have been at the choice of the artift. The 
 poets carry it fometimes as far as a hundred, Met. ix. v. 72. Hor. 
 ii. ep. i. v. 11. iv. od. 4. v. 62. JEn. viii. v. 300. JEn. vii. v. 
 638. Her. Oet. A€t. 4. fc. 2. v. 1293. 
 
 i Except Martial alludes to it, 1. ix. ep. 102. v. 6. Thefe 
 three labours, being effaced on the relievo, are taken, the two 
 ftrft, from a gem at Florence, and the third from a gem at 
 Paris. 
 
 E 5 6. The 
 
[ 48 ] 
 
 6. The fixth labour is cleanfing of Augeas s s 
 flables. He is reprefented as retting after it, and 
 fitting on a bafket, with a dung fork in his hand. 
 This was too difgraceful to be taken notice of by 
 the poets. 
 
 7. The feventh is the Cretan bull. He is re- 
 prefented as having flung the bull over his lhoul- 
 ders, with as much eafe as he did the boar. Ovid 
 makes him hold the bull by the horns, as he did 
 the flag. 
 
 8. The eighth labour is his killing Diomedes 
 and his horfes, whom he ufed to feed with the 
 flefh of his fubje&s. There are antiques, in 
 which the wretches are reprefented as flung alive 
 into the manger k . 
 
 9. The ninth is his conqueft of Geryon, wh© 
 is generally reprefented with three bodies l . 
 Though he was a giant, he looks in the relievo 
 a? a boy, perhaps to make Hercules look the 
 taller. 
 
 10. The tenth is the conqueft of the Ama- 
 zon. He is generally, as here, reprefented tak- 
 ing off her zone, and is fo defcribed by the 
 poets m . 
 
 * Sil. iii. v. 196. 38. 
 
 1 JEn. viii. v. 203. **. v. 289. Her. ii. ©d. 14. v. 8, Met. ix. 
 v. 185, Lucr. v. v. 28. /En. vi. v. 285. 
 
 ■> Met. ix. v. 185. Mart. ix. ep. icz. 
 
 -i 11. The 
 
[ 49 3 
 
 11. The eleventh is his dragging up Cerberus 
 from the infernal regions. In the relievo, and 
 other works, he is reprefented as dragging Cer- 
 berus after him ; but the poets have defcribed 
 Cerberus as trembling, dreading the light, draw- 
 ing back, and turning away his eyes, to avoid the 
 pain of beholding it n . 
 
 12. The twelfth, and laft labour, is his kill- 
 ing the ferpent, and gaining the golden fruit in 
 the gardens of the Hefperides. He is reprefented 
 here with an erect air -> and a look of fatisfaclion, 
 as having finimed all the orders of Euriftheus*. 
 
 IIL Of the voluntary labours of Hercules : 
 one of the mod remarkable was his combat with 
 the vail giant Antaeus, a fon of the earth, as all 
 giants were fuppofed to be. Hercules, who tra- 
 velled every where to rid the world of monfters, 
 went to feek him in Africa, and had a long com- 
 bat with him. Their way qf fighting was a 
 mixture of wreftling and boxing. Hercules foiled 
 his antagonift feveral times ; but as often as he 
 fell on his mother earth, fhe inftantly fupplied 
 
 » All this is exprelTed in fo pidhirefque a manner by Virgil 
 and Ovid, that they feem to have borrowed fome ilrokes from a 
 celebrated pi&ure in their times, SEn. vi. v. 395, Met. vii, y. 
 413. 
 
 • In many antiques the ferpent is twining round the tree as 
 he is defcribed by Lucan, who gives the fulleft account of this 
 affair, Luc. ix. v. 367. and in fome you have the nymphs them- 
 fdves, who had the care of this celebrated tree. 
 
 E 6 him 
 
r 5° ] 
 
 him with frefli ftrength. Hercules,, at length,, 
 finding out the myftery, grafped him in his arms, 
 and preiled him to death p . 
 
 There is no antique of their ftruggling on the 
 ground ; but the latter part of the combat, or 
 the viclory over Antaeus, was reprefented fre- 
 quently in ftatues of old**; and it is ftill not un- 
 common on gems and medals, as well as in fta- 
 tues. The large ftatue of this at Florence re- 
 prefents Hercules's fteadinefs whilft he is preiTing 
 Antaeus to death ; and Antaeus as far fpent, and 
 faintly endeavouring to rid himfelf from the knot,, 
 in which Hercules grafps him round the middle 1 . 
 PI. 3. n. 2. As 
 
 p Lucan defcribes the battle at large, particularly the two 
 chief points, his ftruggling with him in vain on the ground, and' 
 his preffing him to death in the air, Luc. iv. 652. 633. 
 
 S Martial fpeaks of one properly placed in the Circus, Mart. 
 1. 14. ep. 48. As the area of the amphitheatres was called arena, 
 fo the area of the circufes was called pulvis : and as arena was 
 ufed for the whole amphitheatre, fo was pulvis for the whole cir- 
 cus. Thus Stat. 5. Sylv. 2. v. 26. 124. Theb. x. v. 501. Met. 
 y'ri. v. C41. Hence pulvis Antaei in Martial's diftich feems to 
 mean that part of the circus where the figures of Hercules and 
 Antaeus ftcod. 
 
 r This is very like the figure on medals, and, perhaps, all were 
 copied from Polycletus's famous ftatue at Rome, in Pliny's time, 
 Nat. Hift. 1. 34. c. 8. It agrees very well with Lucan's defcrip- 
 tion towards the end of it, Luc. iv. v. 653. Ovid (from fome 
 other figures perhaps) makes Hercules hold this vaft giant under 
 his left arm, whilft he ftrangles him with his right hand, Her. 
 ep. ix. v. 98. There is a little groupe at Florence, where the 
 figures of Anticus and Hercules are engaged, and Minerva (land- 
 ing 
 
As Hercules freed Africa from this deftroyer, 
 fo he put an end to the robberies of Cacus in 
 Italy. Virgil gives an ample account of this 
 exploit in his eighth iEneid. On fome ancient, 
 gems, Cacus is feen in the act of dealing Her- 
 cules's oxen, and dragging them into his cave 
 by their tails, juft as the ftory is told by Virgil : 
 and on a medal of Antoninus Pius, Gacus lies 
 dead at his feet, and the country people preffing 
 to kifs his hand as their deliverer. There is no 
 gem, medal, or marble, yet found, reprefenting 
 the combat itfelf ; and no wonder, fince it is a 
 fubjecl: more proper for painters than fculptors, 
 and of paintings there is but a fmall {hare that 
 remains to us s . 
 
 If 
 
 ing by, as if Hercules conquered by policy, as well as by ftrength. 
 Though fome make Minerva a ccnftant attendant on Hercules 
 (Stat. Theb. viii. v. 512. 1. 12. v. 584.) yet the artifts did noir 
 make her fo in any other exploit. Juvenal exclaiming againft> 
 the extravagance of flatterers, gives an inftance in their compar- 
 ing a long taper neck to the fhort thick neck of Hercules, whilft 
 he isprerTmg Antaeus, fat. iii. v. 89. 
 
 » Virgil and Ovid differ in their accounts. Ovid makes Her- 
 cules dafh out Cacus's brains with his club ; whereas Virgil fays 
 exprefsly, he fqueezed him to death, /£n. viii. v. 261. Faft. i. 
 v. 576, Virgil feems to be the more exa&; for when Hercules 
 found out Cacus, he plunges into his cave, which was all dark, 
 and full of fmoke 5 confequently his club could be of no ufe. He 
 therefore rufhes on, and meeting Cacus, lays hold of him with 
 one hand, and throttles him with the other. Both Virgil and 
 Juvenal fay, that Hercules dragged him out of his cave by the 
 feet, and feem to refer to fome known picture, or ftatue of this 
 
 part 
 
E 5* ] 
 
 If thefe, and many other exploits t attributed 
 to Hercules, be confidered, one would think his 
 whole life had been fpent in hardfhips, from his 
 birth to his agonies on mount Oeta. This laft 
 fcene of his glorious life is fully defcribed by 
 Ovid, who, after giving an account of his fuf- 
 ferings, defcribes his affumption into heaven, and 
 takes notice of his perfonage as enlarged, and 
 rendered more auguft u . 
 
 This famous hero had «very great faults, as 
 well as very great virtues. He was a flave to 
 Women ; he drank as immeafurably as he fought 
 
 part of the flory, in which Cacus feems to have made an ignomi- 
 nious figure, J&n. viii. v. 267. Juv. fat. v. v. 127. 
 
 In the Sampieri palace at Bologna, there are three ceilings 
 painted by the three Caraches, on one of which is the ftory of 
 Cacus, to whom is given a human body, with the head of a beaft, 
 peffibly from fome antique ; for Virgil calls Cacus a moniter, 
 and half-man and half-beaft, JEn. viii. v. 194. 198. 267. 
 
 t Such as his bearing the heavens, Met. ix. v. 198. His con- 
 quering the Centaurs, JBa>. viii. v. 294. His killing Bufiris, 
 Met. ix. v. 183. Mart. ix. ep. ic2. His taking feveral cities in 
 Europe and Afia, JEn, viii. v. 29«. 
 
 0 Met. ix. v. 168. This is whilft labouring under the tor- 
 ments of the poifoned fhirt. After lie had made his funeral pile, 
 and laid down on it, he is quite compefed, ibid. v. 238. Silius 
 mentions a fine relievo of him on the funeral pik, iii. v. 43, 
 and Pliny fpeaks of a celebrated flatue of Hercules in torments at 
 Rome, Plin. 1. 34. c. 8. There is now a very fine one in the 
 Barbarini palace, of a high Greek tafte, the face of which ex- 
 preffes the agonies he fuffered. Pliny mentions a famous picture 
 in his time of his afiumption, in the portico oi Octavia. Ovid's 
 account tallies exactly with Pliny's. 
 
 courage- 
 
[ 53 J 
 
 •ourageoufly. He is fometimes defcribed as 
 tranfported with pafTion, and fometimes as 
 cringing with fear. But this was in his mad 
 fits, when he killed his friends, and dafhed out 
 his children's brains ; after which monftrous 
 actions, he fell into a deep gloomy melancholy x . 
 Under all thefe bad characters he is reprefented 
 by the artifts as well as by the poets 
 
 Since 
 
 x The chief fcene cf his effeminacies was in Afia, whilft he 
 lived with Omphale queen of Lydia. He attended her like a flave 
 with her umbrella. He holds the women's work-bafkets for 
 them, and even fits down to fpin himfelf. He is fcolded for 
 working fo awkwardly, and throws himfelf at their feet, to beg 
 they would not lafh him. See Ovid. Faft. ii. v. 325. 312, Her. 
 ep. ix. v. 72. 74. 82. Stat. iii. Sylv. i. v. 43. 
 
 y Hercules, demeaned by his amours, is often to be met with. 
 The Cupids are reprefented by taking away his club, and his mif- 
 treffes are dreffed up in his lion's fkin, or himfelf in their cloaths. 
 There is a ftatue of him (in the Farnefe palace) with Omphale 
 (as is fuppofed) in which he is dreffed in a woman's gown, with 
 a fpindle in his hand. 
 
 The drunken Hercules is no uncommon figure ftilL Accord- 
 ing to Statius, he was invoked (in the frequent leclifterniums 
 made to him by the Romans) under this character. A friend of 
 Statius had a little figure of this god, which he put upon the 
 table whenever any gaiety was carrying on. The figure held a 
 cyathus in one hand, and his club in the other, with a good-na- 
 tured mild loek, as inviting others to be as well pleafed as him- 
 felf. Stat. 4. Sylv. 6. v. 58. This figure is remarkable for hav- 
 ing run through a feries of the higheft fortunes of any upon re- 
 cord. It was a Hercules in miniature., of brafs, caft by the fa- 
 mous Lyfippus. Before it came to Status's friend, it had belong- 
 ed to Sylla ; before aim, to Hannibal, and was b;~> fellow-travel- 
 ler into Italy, as before that it had accompanied Alexander the 
 
 • Great 
 
f 54 I 
 
 Since fo many of thefe faults and meannefles 
 are recorded of Hercules by the antients, it 
 feems a wonder how they came to give him the 
 foremoft place among the very few heroes, who 
 by their virtues were received in the higheft 
 heavens z . 
 
 BACCHUS. 
 
 Bacchus is defcribed by the ahtient writers 
 and poets as a very great warrior. They fay, he 
 traverfed a great part of the world, and made con- 
 fiderable conquefts in India. From thefe great 
 atchievements it is that he got a place in the 
 higheft heavens a . He is faid to be the inventor 
 of triumphs. He is very often feen in old re- 
 lievos in a triumphal car, attended by a fantaftic 
 fet of women, fauns and fatyrs, and generally 
 
 Great in all his expeditions. It was not a foot high, fo portable 
 enough. This hiftory of it is given by Statius at large, Stat. . 
 4. Silv. 3. v. 38, 39. 74. 88. Hercules is reprefented much in 
 the fame manner on an ancient gem by Admen, at the Verofpi 
 at Rome, which our author thinks was copied from this very, 
 figure. See Polym. p. 116. n. 71. 
 
 a Lucian introduces ^feulapius difputing the right of prece- 
 dence with Hercules, on account of thefe faults. 
 
 a Hor. i. od. 12. v. 21. JEn. vi. v. 805. Met. iv. v. 21. Faft. 
 iii. v. 729. Hence too he was filled Liber Pater, or Bacchus-, 
 the great Prince j a fenfe in which Pater is u fed. Curtiusfays 
 the greateft compliment his flatterers could pay Alexander the 
 Great was, to fay he exceeded Bacchus and Hercules, 1. viii. c, . 
 18. Hor. iii. od. 3. v. 16. Bacchus's expedition into India was 
 before the Thcban war. See Stat. Theb. vii. v. 567. 
 
 • • with 
 
C 55 1 
 
 with elephants, lions, or tygers, and other Indian 
 wild beafts. 
 
 Bacchus, however, is always reprefented by the 
 beft artifts, with a face as young as, and per- 
 haps more beautiful and effeminate than, ever 
 man had. The poets agree with the artifts, and 
 fpeak as exprefsly of his sternal youth as of 
 Apollo's, to whom he was reckoned equal (or at 
 leaft next) for his beauty, and for the length and 
 flow of his hair b . 
 
 b Ovid. F2& ill v. 774. Tfb. i. ei. 4. v. 37. Met. uf. 
 v. 607. ib. iv. v. 20. The heads of Apollo and Bacchus were 
 fo like, they could hardly be known from one another, without 
 fome other attribute, only in their beft figures Apollo's face is 
 the more majeftic, and Bacchus's the mere charming, Tib. i. el. 
 4. v. 38. Met. iii. v. 421. Mart. iv. ep. 45. v. 8. Virgil (Geo* 
 ii. v. 392.) fpeaks of little heads of Bacchus hung up by the coun- 
 trymen on trees, from a notion that his regard gave fertility to the 
 grounds. This obfeure paffage is clearly explained by a gem at 
 Florence, on which there are heads on a tree looking every way, 
 PI. 2. n. 5. The poets generally attribute horns to Bacchus 
 (to fhew he was the fon of Jupiter Ammon) which are feldom 
 feen in his ftatues. This, our author thinks, was owing to the 
 ignorance of the antiquaries abroad, who, feeing the horns, take 
 it for a faun, and then add fome attribute of a faun to the figure. 
 Their fmallnefs too makes them liable to be hid by the crown of 
 grapes or ivy. Be this as it will, it is ftrange this attribute mould 
 be fo frequent in the poets, and fo uncommon in ftatues, Ovid. 
 Faft. iii. v. 750. Her. ep. xv. v. 24. Ovid. Art. Am. i. v. 232. 
 ib. iii. v. 348. Stat. Theb. ix. v. 436. Flac. ii. v. 272. Stat.. 
 Theb. vii. v. 151. Sometimes the horns were gilded, Hor. ii. 
 od. 19. v. 30. Stat. 3. Sylv. 3. v. 62. Ariadne fell in love with 
 him for his horns, Faft. iii. v. 500. From thefe horns Bacchus 
 was called Bicernifer. Ovid, Her. ep. 13. v. 33. 
 
 The 
 
[ 56 ] 
 
 The moft ufual attributes of Bacchus are his 
 Thyrfus, his vine and ivy crowns, his Syrma or 
 long triumphal robe, his Hebris or Faun's flcin, 
 his Cothurni or bufkins. Thefe are all defcribed 
 by the poets, who mention alfo fometimes a 
 Mitra, and fometimes wreaths of flowers on his 
 head c . 
 
 The cantharus, calathus, or fcyphus in the 
 hand of Bacchus, and the tyger at the feet of his 
 flatues, feem equally to relate to this character of 
 the god of wine and jollity d . Under this joyous 
 
 c The thyrfus, Met. III. v. 667. Vine and ivy crowns, Hor. 
 iii. od. 25. v. ult. iv. od. 8. v. ult. Stat. Theb. v. v. 265. Faft. 
 vi. v. 483. Hrs fyrma, Met. iii. v. 556. Her. Fur. ii. fc. 
 3. v. 475. His hebris, Stat. i. Sylv. 2. v. 227. His cothurni, 
 Virg. Geo. ii. v. 8. His mitra and wreaths, Hippol. Act. ii. 
 chor. v. 755. 8co. Oed. Aft. ii. chor. v. 415. 
 
 «l He is faid to have firft introduced the vine into Europe, 
 which he might bring with him after his conqueft of India, where 
 it naturally grew, and particularly about Nyfa, a place peculiarly 
 facred to Bacchus. Hence the ancients gave him the character 
 of the God of Drinking. But it is uncommon to fee him dsuak 
 in his old ftatues, and more fo, to find him dtfcrlbcd in that con- 
 dition by the old poets. Ovid reprefents him as pretending to be 
 drunk, rather than being really fo, Met. iii. v. 6c 9. The mo- 
 dern ideas of Bacchus feem to be a mixture of the old characters 
 of Bacchus and Silenus together. The youth of Bacchus is join- 
 ed to the fottimnefs of Silenus, and inftead of an afs, he is ufually 
 fet aftride on a tun. So that from the nneft Ihapt and face, he 
 is brought by our painters and ftatuaries, to a fat jolly boy, half 
 drunk, and as fuch has ftole into the works of our pcets. Horat* 
 calls him the modeft, the joyous god, Kor. i. od. 27. v. 4. ki. iv. 
 od. 15. and once, fpeaking of him as the caufe of di unkennel*, 
 he calls him immodeft, Epod. xi. v. 21. 
 
 character 
 
[ 57 3 
 
 character he was confidered of old as the infpirer 
 of poets. They often fpeak of Bacchus and 
 Apollo as their joint infpirers. Their ParnafTus 
 rofe with two fummits, one was called Nyfa, fa- 
 cred to Bacchus ; and the other Cyrrha, facred 
 to Apollo j and the Roman poets feem to have 
 worn the ivy crown of Bacchus, even more than 
 the laurel crown of Apollo e . 
 
 & S C U L A F I U & 
 
 iEscuLAPius, or the god cf health, was 
 brought to Rome by the order of Apollo, when 
 a peftilence raged in the city, and ever after con- 
 fidcred as their preferver. He came to them un- 
 der the fliape of a ferpent, and has a larger one 
 than ordinary always by his figures, to diihnguifh 
 it from the other ferpents, which are the com- 
 mon attributes of the deities prefiding over 
 
 «" This ferves to explain fome relievos where Bacchus is at- 
 tended by the nine mufes, much better than thsy have hitherto 
 been. The mufes are the propereft attendants of Bacchus under this 
 chara&er, as Cupid is of Venus. Ovid. 1. i. el. 3. v. 12. Id. de 
 Art. Am. iii. v. 348. Stat. 5. Sylv. 3. v, 7. Id. i. Sylv. 5. v. 
 3. Luc. i. v. 66. Juv. Sat. 7. v. 65. Hor. i. ep. 19. v. 4. The 
 ivy crown is often mentioned as worn by the poets, Virg. Eel. 
 viii. v. 13. Id. Eel. vii. v. 25. Hor. i. ep. 3. v. 25. Juv. Sat. 
 vii. v. 25. Ovid, de Art. Am. iii. v. 411. Ovid, de Trift. i. el, 
 6. v. 3. and it is plain they wore thefe ivy crowns 2s figns of be- 
 ing infpired by Bacchus. Mart. i. Ep. 77. v. 7. The laurel 
 crown belonged properly to warriors (Met. i. v. 561.) but, per- 
 haps, were given fometimes to epic poets. Statius fpeaks of his 
 having both, Stat. 5. Sylv. 3, v. 9. 115, 
 
 health 9 
 
[ 58 J 
 
 health f . In a ftatue in the Maflimi palace at 
 Rome, he is drefied in the habit of the old phyfi- 
 cians, and has the mild look mentioned by Ovid, 
 and obfervable in our modern phyficians. His 
 face refembles the Mild Jupiter. As the phyfi- 
 cians were furgeons too of old, his right arm is 
 bare, as ready for an operation. In his left he 
 holds his flick, with the ferpent twifted about it. 
 Thefe particulars are all marked by the poets, 
 efpecially by Ovid, in his account of the firft in- 
 troduction of <£fculapius into Rome*. 
 
 ROMULUS. 
 
 As the Romans thought they Could not do 
 too much honour to their founder, they made 
 Romulus the fon of that god, who muft have 
 been the moft refpe&ed in the firft ages of their 
 military ftate h . He is fometimes reprefented fo 
 
 like 
 
 ' The ferpent was the mark of thofe deities, becaufe much ufed 
 by the antient phyficians in their prefcriptions, Faft. vi. v. 752. 
 Stat. i. Sylv. 4. v. 102. Plin. Nat. Hift- 29. c. 4. 
 
 g JEn. xii. v. 4C2. Stat. i. Sylv. 4. v. 108. Stat. iiJ. Sylv. 4. ' 
 V. *5. Met. xv. v. 662. 
 
 * The ftory of his birth feems to be a part of the vulgar reli- 
 gion only, and not of that of the wife. Livy fpeaks llightiy of 
 it firft, but afterwards throws in an exprefilon for the vulgar, 
 Liv. 1. i. c. 8. 15. Horace gives it a fide ftroke foo, !. i. fat. 
 2. v. 126. The whole ftory of his birth is reprefented on a relievo 
 at the. Villa Mellini in Rome, It is divided into four compar- 
 
 timents. 
 
L 59 3 
 
 like his father, that it is difficult to diftinguiih 
 their figures afunder. On a medal of Antoninus 
 Pius he appears like Mars Gradivus, with a fpear 
 in one hand, and a trophy on his fhoulder in the 
 other. It is very likely that feveral of the figures 
 of Mars, with a trophy fo placed, belong rather 
 to Romulus, who was the inventor of trophies 
 among the Romans. The poets fpeak of his 
 lhaking his arms on his fhoulder, call him Armi- 
 fer, and fay he carries the glory of his father 
 Mars in the divine air of his countenance \ 
 
 The ftory of his deification is well known 
 from the Roman hiftorians. There is no figure 
 of it known to our author ; but the poets are 
 very particular in their account of it. They fay 
 he was carried up to heaven in the chariot of 
 Mars. He appeared more auguft, and was clad 
 
 timents. In the firft, Mars is going to Rhea as /he is fleeping by 
 the Tiber. In the fecond, me is fitting with her twins in her lap, 
 whilft Amulius feems to be upbraiding her. In the third, the 
 two infants are expofed on the banks of the river ; and the fourth 
 reprefents them as cherifhed by the wolf, whilft Fauftulus ftands 
 furprifed at their ftrange fituation. This work is' but indifferent. 
 However, the particulars of it are to be met with in other works 
 t of better ages. The defcent of Mars to Rhea is not uncommon^ 
 and the infants, Romulus and Remus, luckled by the wolf, are 
 very common on medals, gems, and ftatues. In fome of thefe 
 the wolf appears juft as Virgil has defcribed her, which is one in- 
 ftance out of many of Virgil's borrowing ftrokes from the poets 
 of the firft ages, /En. viii. v. 634. En. An. 1. i. Ovid feems 
 to have copied him. Faft. ii. v. 419. 
 
 j Stat. 5. Sylv. 2. v, 129. Sil. 16. v. 76. /En. vi. v. 780. 
 
 in 
 
r 60 j 
 
 in the trabea, a robe of ftate, which implies an 
 €cclefiaftical, as well as a fecular dignity, and 
 confequently fometimes with his lituus, or augu- 
 ral ftaff, in his hand k . 
 
 CASTOR and POLLUX. 
 
 Castor and Pollux were received among 
 the hero gods by the Greeks, and from them by 
 the Romans, who had particular obligations to 
 thefe deities, and therefore were very willing td 
 retain them in that high ftation l . Their ftatues 
 were common of old, and were placed, in parti- 
 cular, before the temple of Jupiter Tonans. 
 Their figures in marble, and on family-medals 
 (which are to be met with very often) are ex- 
 actly alike. They have each a chlamys, and yet 
 are almoft naked. Each has a flar over his head. 
 Each has his horfe of the fame colour, and his 
 
 k Hor. iii. od. 3. v. 16. Faft. ii. v. 496. Met. xiv. v. Sao. 
 Faft. ii. v. 5«2. Faft. i. v. 375. Cicero calls itRomuli lituus, 
 and Virgil lituus quirinalis. Cic. de div. 1. yEn. vii. v. 187. 
 The lituus ufually attends the heads of Julius Caefar in gems 
 and medals, as a mark of his being, like Romulus, high-prieft 
 and king. 
 
 1 They affifted the Romans at the lake of Regilla, and brought 
 the news of ^milius's decifive victory to Rome, the very day it 
 was obtained. See Liv. 1. ii. c. 20. and xiv. c. 6. Minucius 
 Felix laughs at thefe legends j and they are ridiculed by CoCta, the 
 Academic, Min. Fel. p. 43. Cic. de nat. deor. 1. 2. 
 
 fpear, 
 
[ 6i ] 
 
 fpear, helJ in the fame pofture. In a word, 
 each has the fame make, look, and features* 
 In the defcriptions too of the poets, never were 
 twins more alike m . PI. 2. n. 6. 
 
 m Ovid. Met. viii. v. 375. Stat. Theb. v. 440. Apollo, In 
 lAician, begs Mercury to tell him -how to know one from the 
 other. 
 
 BOOK 
 
C 62 ] 
 
 BOOK III. 
 
 The MORAL DEITIES; or, the 
 DEITIES who prejided over the virtues 
 of men, and the condudt of human life. 
 
 ^THE Romans were enjoined in the laws of 
 the twelve tables, to erecl: altars in honour 
 of thofe moral bejngs, by whofe aid mortals 
 obtained a place in the heavens a . Thefe dei- 
 ties were fuppofed, of old, to infpire men with 
 fome particular virtue, or to beftow thofe things 
 which tend to glory or happinefs, or to prefide 
 over the conduct and events of human life. The 
 poets are very fparing in their defcriptions of thefe 
 moral beings ; they fpeak of them indeed as per- 
 fons, but fay little of their attributes or drefs, or 
 the appearances they make. The artifts are 
 much fuller on this head. There is fcarce a 
 
 a The law runs thus : Eos qui coeleftes femper habiti, colun- 
 <to, et olios quos endo coelo nanita coilocaverunt, Herculem, &c. 
 aft olla propter quae datur homini adfcenfus in cesium, mentem, 
 virtutem, fidem, &c. eorumque iauclum dtlubra funto, Tab. 11, 
 c. 4. Cic. de leg. 1. 2.. c. 8. 
 
 virtue 
 
[ &3 1 
 
 virtue or hlelTing of life but what is reprefented on 
 the medals of the emperors b . 
 
 Moral philosophy is reprefented on a far- 
 * cophagus in the Capitoline-gallery % leaning on 
 a column, with a mild and ferene air, and giv- 
 ing inftruc~tions to Socrates. She looks kindly 
 while (he inftrucls, and nothing of the fallen or 
 fevere appears in her face. She is drefTed in a robe 
 of dignity d , and is called (in a fragment of Afra- 
 nius) the daughter of Experience and Memory., 
 
 Prudence (or good sense) was received very 
 early as a goddefs, and had temples dedicated to 
 her, particularly on the Capitoline-hill e . On a 
 medal of Gordianus, the is reprefented with a 
 
 l» Thefe figures were put on the reverfes out of flattery, and 
 often on thofe of a Nero or a Domitian, with the diftinguiming 
 mark S. C. (fenatus confultum) to ihew it was a piece of nation- 
 al flattery. 
 
 c In the front of the relievo are the nine mufes, and at the 
 other end, Homer converting with his rnufe. 
 
 d From a line in Caecilius, fhe feems to have been fometimes 
 reprefented in a meaner garb, perhaps in allufion to the poverty 
 of her followers the philofophers. 
 
 . c She is called alfo Providentia, but when they ufed it for di- 
 vine providence, the ufual infeription on medals is, Providen- 
 tia Deorum, when for human prudence, Providentia 
 Cesar is. Mens, or mens bona (good fenfe) is fometimes ufed 
 for the fame, Cic. de nat. deo. 1. ii. Liv. 1. xxii, c. 9. ic. Pe- 
 tronius calls Poverty the fifter of Mens bona : and Ovid defcribes 
 her following Cupid's chariot with her hands tied behind her, as 
 his flave, Am. 1. i. el. 2. v. 32. 
 
 F rule 
 
[ 64 ] 
 
 rule (or meafure) in her hand, and a globe at her 
 feet, to (how not only that the emperor, by his 
 prudence, kept the world in order, but that the 
 affairs of human life are by her regulated as they 
 ought to be. PI. 2. n. 7. 
 
 Justice (or rather Equity) is reprefented on 
 a medal of Galba with a pair of fcales in her 
 hands, held exactly, even. Her flight to heaven, 
 when the world grew vile and corrupt, is defcrib- 
 ed by Virgil, but more fully by Aratus in one of 
 his fineft digrellions. There is nothing defcrip- 
 tive of her perfon, except a pafTage in Petronius, 
 who, upon the breaking out of the civil wars, 
 defcribes her as difcompofed, with her hair all 
 loofe and difordered f . PI. 2. n. 8. 
 
 Fortitude (on a common medal of Adrian) 
 is reprefented with an erect air, refting on a fpear 
 with one hand, and holding her fword in the 
 other. She has a globe under her feet, to fhow 
 that by her the Romans were to conquer the 
 world. From their military turn, they gave 
 Fortitude the name of Virtus, or the Virtue, by 
 way of excellence, by which they underftood 
 not only military courage, but a firmnefs of mind, t 
 and love of action; a fteady readinefs to do good, 
 and a patient indurance of all evil g . PI. 2. n. 9. 
 
 Virtus 
 
 * Virg. Geo. ii. v. 474. Arat. p*/r. v. 97. Petr. v. 253. 
 
 8 Our author obferves, the temper of a people is fometimes 
 difcoverablc from their ufage of words. Thus the French call 
 
 civility 
 
[ 6s ] 
 
 Virtus is fpoken of perfonally, both in verfe 
 and profe. She had feveral temples at Rome, 
 with reprefentations in them of her. Though 
 thefe may be all loft, her figure is common on 
 the medals of the emperors h . On thefe fhe is 
 drefTed like an Amazon. She is fometimes in a 
 coat of mail, or a fhort fuccinct veft, with her 
 legs bare like the Roman foldiers. She has a 
 manly face and air, and generally grafps a fword 
 or fpear in her hand. Her drefs {hows her readi- 
 nefs for action, and her look a firmnefs not to be 
 conquered by difficulties or dangers 1 . 
 
 F 2 Temperance 
 
 civility or polite behaviour, Honnetete : a down right behaviour 
 is by us vulgarly called, honefty ; and the women among us ftiil 
 call chaftity by the name of virtue. 
 
 Cicero fpeaks of Virtus and Fortitudo as the fame thing, and 
 that it includes a love of action, Tufc. quseft. f. ii. p. 392. 1, v. 
 p. ,501. de nat. deor. 1. 1. p. 23. The belt definition of Virtus 
 feems to be St. Paul's, «< A patient continuance in weil-doing, ,> 
 Rom. ii. 7. Hor. iii. od. 24. v. 44. 
 
 h Our author thinks her figure more common than is imagin- 
 ed, and that in the Admiranda, what Bartcli takes to be the 
 genius of Rome, is this goddefsj as where me is giving the globe 
 to M. Aurelius, and where in the old triumphal arches publifh- 
 ed by the fame author) fhe is guiding Titus's chariot, and con- 
 ducting Adrian home. 
 
 i The difficulties attending the dictates cf the goddefs Virtue 
 (or of a virtuous life) were ftrongly exprelfed in the antient em- 
 blem of a perfon climbing up a fteep rocky mountain, and meet- 
 ing many obftacles in his way : but, when at the top, finding him- 
 felf in a delicious country, with every pleafing objeft about him, 
 Hor. 1. iii. od. 24. v, 44. Ovid, de Art. Am. ii. v. 537. Id. Her, 
 ep, xx. v. 41. There can be ho virtue without choice, It is, as 
 
 • Cicero 
 
[ 66 ] 
 
 Temperance was fuppofed to infpire men 
 with a refolution of curbing their difnes and 
 
 appetites. 
 
 Cicero fays, the going through troubles and difficulties out of 
 judgment and choice. The poets feem to make the chara&er of 
 Virtus too rigid, Luc. vi. v. 254. Stat. Theb. x. v. 646. vii. v. 
 53. They generally oppofe Virtus to Voluptas, and talk of the 
 two different paths of life. The path of Virtue is described as 
 leading through difficulties and troubles to glory and happinefs, 
 and the path of pleafure as leading through gaieties and enjoy- 
 ments, to mifery and difhonour, Juv. fat. x. v. 364. The nrfl, 
 they fay, notwithstanding the hard/hips attending it, is to be 
 chofen for the fake of the end. As the determining this choice 
 is the mod important thing to every man, we find it fhadewed 
 forth by the poets and moralifts of all ages. Pythagoras ufed to 
 point out the paths of life, in a hieroglyphical way, by the make 
 of the Greek letter Upfilon T. The generality, he fays, took 
 the broad road to the left, and the virtuous, the narrow line to the 
 right. Cebes has given more at large an excellent picture of hu- 
 man life. Silius introduces a choice, where he is fpeaking of 
 Scipio Africanus, the greateft man Rome ever bred. He makes 
 Virtus and Voluptas appear to young Scipio, whilft he is rumi- 
 nating whether he fhould fling himfelf into the war, or retire 
 into the country. He hears their fpeeches, is determined by Vir- 
 tus, and purfues a courfe of good and great aft-ions. The poet's 
 defcription would make an admirable piclure. See Sil. xv. v. 
 130. This choice is plainly taken from that of Hercules in Xe- 
 nophon, one of the nobleft leffons of antiquity, and of which 
 our author has given a tranflation in Polymetis, p. 157. Thefe 
 choices are much more common than has been imagined. Thus 
 the ftories of Ulyffes and Circe, and of the fame hero and the 
 Syrens, were of this kind. Horace feems to allude to both, 1. i. 
 od. 17. v. 2®. and 1. i. ep. 2. v. 26. The choice, or judgment 
 of Paris feems to be the Afiatic way of telling the fame ftory. 
 The goddeifes of V.'ifdom, Pleafure, and Power, plead before Paris 
 In his youth : he prefers Pleafure, to his own and his coun- 
 try's, deduction, Ovid, Her, ep. xvl. v. 83. Lucian, in his firft 
 5 book, 
 
[ 67 ] 
 
 appetites. Though the figure of this goddefs 
 does not appear on any Roman medal, yet it is 
 plain, from feveral expreffions in the Roman 
 writers, that the goddefs Temperantia was 
 reprefented with the attribute of a bridle in her 
 hand k . PL 2. n. 10. 
 
 Pietas, as the goddefs of devotion, is re- 
 prefented as veiled, and cafting incenfe on an 
 altar K T he poets fpeak of her ferene face and 
 modeft air, and defcribe her as drefTed in white, 
 the colour of innocence, and therefore moft pro- 
 per for devotion m . 
 
 F 3 She 
 
 book, tells this fiery -in the moft piclurefque manner. Solo- 
 mon's choice may be alfo an inftance of this way of inftrudtion. 
 
 Thefe choices were fo familiar, that the poets often allude to 
 them in other things btfides a virtuous or a vinous life. So Per- 
 fius, of churing between Avaritia and Luxuria, and Ovid, in his 
 doubt whether he mould write elegies or tragedies. Perf. fat. v. 
 v. 132. Ovid. 1. ik, el. 2. This whole elegy is flung into the 
 manner of the antient choices. 
 
 k Thus, fraenaie animum ; iras fraenare : fo Horace, animum 
 fraenis compefce. And, fpeaking of any thing exceffive, they ufe 
 the words efTraenus, effnenatus, [unbridled] . Cicero fpeaksof all 
 the cardinal virtues in a perfonal manner. See the who'e paffage, 
 * in Tufc. quaeft. 1. iii. His definitions fay the fame thing that a 
 bridle does in a figure. 
 
 1 The Romans, in their folemn devotions, covered their heads 
 with a long veil. Ovid. Faft. 1. iii. v. 364. Lucr. V. v. 1198. 
 The veftal virgins were therefore always veiled. 
 
 » Stat. Theb. xi. v. 460, 494. Silius invokes this goddefs" 
 to wipe away the tears from the face of a good man in trouble. 
 A gocd hint for a painter now, who was to draw a perfon under 
 
 aflU&ion 
 
[ 68 ] 
 
 She is alfo reprefented as productive of the 
 good and virtuous offices of life. Thus inftead 
 of an altar, fhe has fometimes the attribute of a 
 ftork; and then fignifies the duty of children to- 
 wards their parents, or the affectionate behaviour 
 of parents to their children. There are figures 
 of her with one, two, and fometimes three chil- 
 dren, before her, like our figures of Chanty, 
 which may fignify, in general, that our love of 
 God is beft (hown in our good deeds to one ano- 
 ther. 
 
 Fides, or the goddefs of honesty, or fi- 
 delity, is reprefented with an erect open air, 
 and clad in a thin tranfparent drefs. The poets 
 call her blamelefs and incorrupt, and the com- 
 panion and fitter of Juftice. They reprefent her 
 as grey-headed and very old ; but this cannot be 
 feen in her figures, as they are only on medals n . 
 
 Pudicitia, the goddefs of chastity, or 
 modesty (chiefly relating to the marriage-bed) 
 is reprefented like a Roman matron, with a veil 
 
 affli&iop for the lofs of an affe&icnate parent. See Stat. L ili. 
 Sylv. 3. v. 7. 
 
 n Her. 1. i. cd. 35. v. 22. od. 18. v. ult. od. 24^ v. 7. Sil. ii. 
 v. 484. ./En. i. v. 293. When they promifed any thing of old, 
 they gave their hand upon it (as we do now) and therefore me is 
 reprefented as giving her hand, and fometimes only two hands 
 conjoined, Val. Max. I. vi. c. 6. Sola Fides feems to mean 
 downright houefty, tiv t i. c. 21, 
 
 and 
 
[ h 1 
 
 and long robe. She is fpoken of perfonally ever* 
 in profe °. 
 
 Clementina, or the goddefs of clemency, is 
 diftinguifhed, in her ftatues and in the pcets, 
 by the mildnefs of her countenance. She has 
 in her hand an olive branch, as a mark of her 
 peaceful and gentle temper p . 
 
 Thefe are the chief of the moral beings. Next 
 to thefe corne thofe beings, who were fu ppofed 
 to be the givers of the blessings of life ; 
 fuch were the following : 
 
 Felicitas, or the goddefs of happiness, is 
 reprefented with the caduceus of Mercury in one 
 hand, and the cornucopia in the other, as em- 
 blems of peace and plenty, the two chief ingre- 
 dients ©f happinefs q . — Health is diftinguifhed 
 by her ferpent. Little is faid of her, as fo large 
 
 Q Juvenal fays humoroufly, " She was once upon earth, but 
 " has quitted it ever fmce Jupiter had a beard." Stat. vi. v. 16. 
 See Val. Max. 1. vi. c. i. There was one ftatue of this goddefs 
 only for the ladies of quality to worflu'p, and others for the wo- 
 • men of lower rank, Liv. 1. x. c, 23. 
 
 p It is a queftion whetker me was admitted as a goddefs in the 
 » earlier and more warlike ages of the ftate. The fulleft palfage about 
 her is in Statius, who fpeaks of an altar to her, not at Rome, 
 but at Athens, where Mifericordia [mercy] was made a goddefs, 
 out, perhaps, was not received as fuch by the Romans at all. See 
 Stat. Theb. xii. v. 492. Quint. Inftit. Orat. 1. v. c. 12. 
 
 q Horace fpeaks of her under the name of Fauftitas, and hints 
 that fhe chufes to dwell in the country rather than in cities, 1. iv» 
 od. 5. v. 18. 1. i. ep. 1. v. 3. Perf, Sat. v, v. ?2, 
 
 F 4 a fhare 
 
[ 70 ] 
 
 a fliarc of her honour is given to iEfculapius. — 
 Lirerty is charadterifed by her cap and wand, 
 bo:h which refer to the cuftoms ufed by the Ro- 
 mans in letting their flaves free. Both thefe 
 badges are alluded to by the poets, but they ne- 
 ver defcribe the goddefs herfelf r . — Serenity 
 looks firm and eafy : Hie refts on a column with one 
 hand, and holds a fceptre in the other. It is flie 
 who rules the mind in the fteadieft and belt man- 
 ner. — Chearfulness is diftinguifhed by a fprig 
 of myrtle (the plant of Venus the goddefs of gaiety) 
 and a cornucopia. We may be eafy under want, 
 but plenty makes us chearful. This goddefs is feen 
 on medals with a palm-branch, and fometimes 
 with two or three children about her, to denote 
 the happinefs of the married or unmarried ftate. — 
 Jo vi alt y holds a wreath of flowers in her hand, 
 generally ufed in feftivals, and which were ftrong 
 emblems of the fhort duration of fuch pleafures \ 
 
 Spes, the goddefs of Hope, is reprefented 
 landing, with a rofe bin', juft opening, in her 
 hand r . Hope is the great foftner of the dif- 
 
 * The cap was a mark of liberty ufed on all occafions, Val. » 
 Max. V. c. 2. 1. viii. c. 6. 
 
 « The tliree laft are called by the Romans TrattqmVuat, HUa- 
 r'itaty and Latitia, They are not defer ibed by the poets. 
 
 t This representation is as juft as it is pretty. Had the flower 
 been full blown, it would have been too much for this goddefs, 
 and were it quite doled up, it would not be enough. It is there- 
 lore only opening. 
 
 trefTes 
 
[ 7i I 
 
 t relies of life, and was left at the bottom of 
 Pandora's box, as the only refuge againft all the 
 evils which were let loofe into the world. — Se- 
 curity is fitting, and refting her head againft 
 her hand, in an eafy and carelefs pofture. Pro- 
 bably file was reprefented fometimes as leaning 
 againft a column. Horace (1. i. od. 35. v. 14.) 
 feems to allude to this attribute, though neither 
 he nor any other poet fay any thing defcriptive of 
 her perfon. —Concord and Peace, the givers 
 of amity and good-will, the fir ft between people 
 under the fame prince, and the other between 
 different nations, are reprefented with a mild 
 countenance, and crowned with laurel. Con- 
 cord (on a gem of Gordianus) holds two cornu- 
 copias, implying perhaps that agreement often 
 doubles the advantages we receive. Peace is 
 diftinguifhed by her joint emblems, the olive- 
 branch and caduceus ; and fometimes has corn in 
 her hands, and fruits in her lap u . — Plenty 
 (called Copia by the poets, and Abundantia 
 on medals) is feated on a chair, like the com- 
 
 h Ovid, Faft. i. v. 712. ibid. vi. v. 92. Tibul. I. i. el. 10. 
 • v. 7C. The author of Medea gives a llcetch for a picture of peace, 
 tying the hands of Mars behind him, Med. Aft. i. chor. v. 66. 
 In the temple of Janus, of old, was a reprefentation of War or 
 Difcord, and of Peace ; and the fhutting the gates in the time of 
 peace, feems to have been as much to keep this goddels from go- 
 ing out, as to hinder Difcord from getting loofe, Fait. i. v 281. 
 
 mon 
 
C 72 I . 
 
 mon Roman chairs, only the fides are wrought 
 into cornucopias, to denote her character w , 
 
 Victory is reprefented with wings, and al- 
 moft in the attitude of flying, with her robe as 
 carried back with the wind. She holds in her 
 hand, as the reward of great conquerors, a lau- 
 rel-crown which, with the palm-branch and a 
 trophy, were her general attributes. Her wings 
 and robe are defcribed as white. She is fometimes 
 hovering between two armies engaged, as doubt- 
 ful which fide tochufe; and fometimes {landing 
 fixed to the army flie is refolved to favour x . 
 
 Honos or Glory is the only male deity among 
 the moral beings. He and Victory are the at- 
 tendants of Virtus. He holds a fpear in his 
 light hand, and treads on a globe, like Fortitude, 
 
 w Hor. Car. Saec. v. 60. Her. 1, i. ep. 12. v. 20. 1. i. od. 17. 
 v. 16. Fafl. V. v. 128. Met. ix. v. 88. There is another god- 
 defs of this i'ert on medals (particularly on one of Antoninus Pius) 
 called An nona : fhe has corn in her hand, and the beak of a 
 fhip by her, probably to (how fome temporary fupply of corn by 
 lea, when Rome was in want of it. 
 
 x Hor. 1. iv. cd. 3. v. 9. SIX. xv. v. 99. Met. viii. v. 13. De 
 Art. Am. ii. v. 54c. Vidlory is reprefented as drawn by two 
 horfes, particularly in the Roman family medals, which had their 
 name from her. There was a picture at Rome, in which (he was 
 afcending vo heaven in a chariot drawn with 'four horfes, as (he < 
 appears on the Antonine pillar carrying up her hero thither. The 
 trophy was a proper mark for her at Rome, as thcie was one or 
 mo: e before the door of every officer who had gained any advan- 
 tage over their enemies. Plin. Nat. Hift. 33. c 3. and c. xo. 
 1. 35. c. l. Her. 1. i. cd. r, v- 6. 
 
 and 
 
f 73 3 
 
 and probably for the fame reafon. The artifls 
 give him a grave fteady look y . 
 
 Providence is reprefented as refting on her 
 fceptre with one hand, and pointing downward 
 with the other to a globe at her feet, to denote 
 her governing of all things here below z . Pro- 
 vidence is not fpoken of perfonally by any of the 
 Latin poets of the three good ages ; nor, though 
 Prudentia and Providentia had much the fame 
 meaning, is there any defcription of this goddefs ? 
 under that name, any more than the other. 
 
 From the different forts of ignorance that have 
 prevailed in different ages, there were other dei- 
 ties, befides Providence, fuppofed to direct the 
 world, and guide the actions of man, fuch as 
 Necessity, the Destinies, Geniuses, and 
 Fortune. 
 
 y Probably that he might not appear too much elevated and 
 like vain-glory. For the fame reafon perhaps he was called Ho- 
 nos, and not Gloria, becaufe the latter was ufed fometimes in a 
 bad, as well as in a good fenfe, Her. ii. ep. i. v. 178. Sil. xv. v. 
 08. There is no figure of Gloria among the antiques. Flaccus 
 gives a fine image of her, Argon, i. v. 78. 
 
 2 Though the old Romans fuppofed Providence to prefide ever 
 the univerfe, they feem to have followed the great rule of reafon- 
 • ing only from what they knew. They experienced the influence 
 of Providence in the ftation allotted them, and therefore repre- 
 fented her with the glebe of the earth at her feet, Cic. de divin. 1. 
 c. 51. On a medal of Pertinax, this goddefs irands in an ereel, 
 noble pofture, with her hands lifted up, as if me had juft thrown 
 a terreftrial globe (which is over her) into the air, and was laying, 
 " Remain thou fixed in that point or perhaps it might be a 
 reprefentation of the projeclile force, as we call it, fjrice the mo- 
 tion of die earth was believed of old. 
 
 F 6 The 
 
•[ 74 ] 
 
 The heathens of old fuppofed every thing to 
 be fixed, not only the happy, but the unfortu- 
 nate events in life. Thefe eternal decrees of what 
 every one was to do or fuffer were reprefented by 
 orders written on tables of brafs kept by the 
 Parc^ or Destinies ; one of whom, and fome- 
 times all three, were fuppofed to fpin out the 
 thread of life, chequered unequally with two 
 colours, with more of white or more of black, ac- 
 cording as each man was to have a greater fhare 
 of happinefs or unhappinefs. This notion was 
 borrowed from the Greeks by the Romans, though 
 it was capable of undermining all the virtues, and 
 particularly their great favorite Induflry. Proba- 
 bly there was no perfonal reprefentation of Fate 
 among the Romans, but it feems with them to 
 have included every thing fpoken by Jupiter. If 
 this were the cafe, Fate will fignify only the 
 words or decrees of Juprter, and the Deflinies 
 will be the perfons to put them in execution *. 
 
 Necessity is (though Fate was not) re- 
 prefented as a perfon. In a ftatuein Montfaucon, 
 fhe holds in her right hand a clavis trabalis, or 
 one of thofe vaft nails or pins that faflened 
 the beams of brafs in the ftrono-eft buildings. 
 This (with her other attributes mentioned by 
 
 a Fatum eft quod Jupiter fatur. According to the old theo- 
 logy, what Jupiter faid or decreed, snull be accomplished by the 
 jtiiniiTry of the deftini.es. 
 
 Horace) 
 
[ 75 ] 
 
 Horace) was ufed as emblems of firmncfs :ini 
 ftabiiity b . 
 
 The three destinies (as hath been faid) were 
 deemed the difpenfers of the eternal decrees of 
 Jupiter, and were all fuppofed to fpin the parti- 
 coloured thread of each man's life. They are 
 reprefented on a medal of Dioclefian, each with 
 a diftaff in her hand, and feveral expreflions of 
 the poets refer to the fame idea c . 
 
 The figures of thefe goddefTes are very un- 
 common. The belt defcription of them is in Ca- 
 tullus. It is a perfect picture. They are extreme- 
 ly old, and dreffed in long robes, which are 
 
 b See Hor. 1. i. od. 35. v. 20. Ke mentions the clavi 
 trabales, of which there is one (that was ufed in Agrippa's 
 portico to the rotunda) full kept at Florence as a curiofity. It 
 weighs near fifty pounds— The Cunei (here mentioned alfo) were 
 ufed to make things clofer and firmer : Hence cuneo fignifies to 
 join or faften in buildings as one joint or flone is coquetted into 
 another. The F.omans ufed no cement: in their nobleft buildings. 
 The ftones were very large, and often faftened together with 
 cramping irons, and lead poured into the inteiftices. This an- 
 fwers to the uncus andliquidum plumbum mentioned in this paf- 
 fage. The uncus might be ftyled feverus, as ufed fomecimes in 
 executions ; but it may mean fomething equivalent to our cramp- 
 ing irons. By manu ahena, Horace feems to allude to the brazen 
 flatue of Neceffity carried in proceffion to the goddefs of Fortune, 
 to whom the ode is addreffed. Brafs and adamant were always 
 ufed to exprefs the moft durable things. Horace elfewhere fays 
 her clavi were of adamant, 1. iii. od. 24. v. 8. 
 
 c Mart. 1. iv. ep. 54. Vir. Eel. iv. v. 47. Ovid, ad Liv. v. 
 364. Id. 1. ii. el. 6, v. 46. Their n-imes are Clo.ho, Lachefis, 
 and Atropos» 
 
 whue 3 
 
[ 76 J 
 
 white, and edged at the bottom with purple, 
 They have rcfe-coloured veils on their heads, 
 fattened with white vittae or rubans d . 
 
 The Genii were a fort of divinities that vrere 
 fuppofed conftantly to attend e ^ Ingle perfon 
 from his birtja to his death, and t begin to exift 
 with thofe they were to attend, and to ceafe to 
 exift when they died. The geniufes of the wo- 
 men were called Junones e . Thefe genii feem to 
 fee nothing elfe but the particular temper of each 
 perfon made into a deity; and as a man's temper 
 is in a great meafure the caufe of his happinefs 
 or mifery, each genius was fuppofed to fhare in 
 all the enjoyments and fufFerings of the perfon ha 
 attended. Hence the expreflions of indulging or 
 defrauding your genius f . A man's temper, fay 
 the antients, is the chief' former of his good or 
 bad fortune; and therefore his genius may be faid 
 to prefide over- every man's life*. The poets 
 
 fay 
 
 d They are reprefented as fplnning, and at the fame time fmg- 
 ing the fortunes of Achilles at Peleus's wedding. The poet 
 gives the form of one of their fongs divided into ftanzas, which 
 feem to be fung by turns, all joining in the laft line, which is the 
 fame in each ftanza, and to which Virgil feems to allude, Eel. 
 iv. v. 47. See Catullus de nupt. Pelei, 62. v. 319. 
 
 e Plin. Nat. Hifl. 1. 2. c. 7. The women fwore by their Junos 
 as their lovers did fomerimes, Tib, 1. iv. el. 13. v. 16. which 
 fhevvs the lorce of aline in Juvenal, fat. ii. v. 98. 
 
 f Perf. fat. V. v. 151. Ter. Phorm. aft. i. fc. 1. 
 
 g Thefe ideas will partly explain three cf the moft difficult 
 lines in Horace, 1, ii. ep. 2. v. 1S9, He clofe?> them with fay- 
 ing, 
 
[ 77 ] 
 
 fay nothing of the drefs or attributes of thefe 
 deities, but in fome antiques and on medals, they 
 are dreffed like the perfons oyer whom they 
 prefide h . 
 
 Fortune was alfo thought to direcl the events 
 of human life. She was looked upon by the wife 
 as an ufurper, and as fuch placed in heaven only 
 by the populace, who applied to her at laft in all 
 their wants. At the fame time fhe was repre- 
 fented by the poets as a divinity that could not 
 deferve much refpecV. 
 
 ing, Vultu mutaMlis ater et albus ; which may fignify no more 
 than that your genius looks pleafed or difpleafed, according as 
 things go well or ill with you. Thus Hannibal's genius came 
 fmiling to him, to incite him to go into Italy; and Brutus's look- 
 ed frowning upon him before the battle of Philippi. 
 
 k Thus the genius of a veftal, in an antient ftatue, is in the 
 habit of that order ; and on a medal of Julia Mammzea, the 
 genius is in the drefs of the Roman empreffes, holding the em- 
 blem of Spes (or a rofe-bud) in one hand, and of Virtus in-the 
 other, to fignify that the genius of that emprefs was the defence 
 and hope of the empire. Thefe compliments by the artifis are 
 not to be regarded, frnce even the genius of Nero on his medal 
 is reprefented with an altar, patera, and cornucopia, as marks of 
 tnat emperor's piety, and of the piety and prcfperity of his reign. 
 
 1 Juv. fat. x. v. ult. They fpeak of her as blind, Ovid, ad 
 Liv. v. 374. inconftent, Hor. 1. i. od. 54. v. 26. unjuft, Stat, 
 Theb. xii. v. 505. as delighting in mifchief, Hor. 1. Hi. od. 29. 
 v. 51. Cybele (on an antient gem publifhed by Gorlaeus) turns 
 away her head from Fortune, in the attitude of rejecting her. See 
 Plin. I. ii. c. 7. 
 
 Fortune 
 
[ 73 I 
 
 Fortune is reprefcnted fometimes with wings 
 and a wheel by her k , to fhow her inconftancy, 
 and fometimes with a wheel only, to fhow me 
 prefided over the expeditions of the emperors and 
 their happy return. She is then called on medals 
 Fortuna redux. Her ufual attributes are the cor- 
 nucopia, as the giver of riches, and the rudder in 
 her hand, often reftcd on a globe, as dire&refs of 
 all worldly affairs. 
 
 The incoherences in this goddefs's character 
 caufed feveral diftinctions. The Romans had a 
 Good and Bad, a Conftant and Incor.ftant, For- 
 tune. The Bona Fortuna, according to Ho- 
 race, is drefied in a rich habit, and the Mala 
 Fortuna in a poor one : the Conftant Fortune, 
 or Fortuna Manens, is without wings, and fit- 
 ting in a (lately poll lire. She has a horfe, as an 
 animal of fwifmefs, which fhe holds by the bri- 
 dle. The Inconftant Fortune is winged as ready 
 to fly away. Horace fpeaks of both as deferving 
 the favour of one, and as being above the power 
 of the other l . 
 
 The old Romans have talked of the ftatucs of 
 their deities, as turning their faces to them, if 
 they attended to their prayers, and from them, if 
 
 k Ovid alone reprefents her {landing on a wheel, and Liv. v. 
 52. She is never represented fo by the ai tills. 
 
 JPlin. xxxvi. c. 5. 1. ii. c. 7, Hor. L i. od, 35* v, 24. 1. iii. 
 od. 29. v. 56. 
 
 they 
 
[ 79 ] 
 
 they did not. Hence Fortune had the title of 
 Fortuna Refpiciens m . 
 
 The Fortune worfhipped at Antium feems to 
 have been of the moft exalted character among 
 the Romans. In a folemn proceflion to her ho- 
 nour (alluded to by Horace) the ftatue of Necef- 
 fity was carried before her, and after her thofe 
 of Hope and Fidelity. Every thing fhe decrees 
 is as fixed as fate, and fhe has two of the moft 
 confiderable virtues as attendants in her train n . 
 
 m Stat. Theb. i. v. 662, Virgil fays the fame of Liberty, Eel. 
 i. v. 28. Livy fpeaks of a Fortuna Vertens, whofe figure turn- 
 ed its head from you, Liv, 1, ix. c. 17. Juvenal (fat. vi. 605.) al- 
 ludes to a ftatue, reprefenting Fortune as a patronefs of infants 
 expofed in the ftreets. She held a naked child tendeily in her 
 arms, and looked kindly upon it. In this pafTage improba relates 
 not to Fortune, but to the lady, who having no children of her 
 own, wickedly brought fuppofititious ones into the family. There 
 is a Tufcan figure of her mentioned by Buonaroti. Auguftini has 
 a gem of her, and calls it Dea Rumilia, whofe proper character 
 is that of fuckling children. Ruma in old Latin flgnifies a brtfaft. 
 Hence perhaps the fig-tree, under which Romulus and Remus 
 were nurfed, might be called ficus ruminalis. 
 
 n The ancient (as well as the modern) Romans, dealt much 
 in proceffions, wherein they carried their gods with great pomp to 
 fome fixed place, and then back again to their fhrines. See Hor. 
 I. i. cd. 35. v. 2,2. At Prasnefte Fortune was alfo highly wor- 
 fliipped. Statius (1. i. fylv. 3. v. Bo.) fpeaks of feveral Fortunes 
 there, and calls them Pvxntd'iux Sorores ; but what their cha- 
 racters were, is no more known than thofe of the three Fortunes 
 mentioned by Vitruvius, 1. iii. c. 1. There were feveral others, 
 as the Fortis Fortuna, the Fortuna Romana, the Fortuna Virilis, 
 and the Fortuna Muliebris. The Fortuna Romana is mentioned 
 
 by 
 
[ 8o ] 
 
 by Lucan In a verfr, from wliich we learn either that Pompey's 
 head was put on the ftatue, or the ftatue was made to refemble 
 Pcmpey\s air and features, to denote he was their Good Fortune, 
 Luc. viii. v. 686. This compliment grew fo common afterwards, 
 that numbers of the ftatues which pafs for deities at prefent, are 
 nothing elfe but emperors or empreffes in mafquerade. 
 
 The temple of Fertuna Virilis, from the poornefs of the ma- 
 terials and fiyle of the architecture, is luppofed to be one of the 
 moft ancient buildings new remaining in Rome. 
 
 BOOK 
 
[ 8i ] 
 
 BOOK IV. 
 
 The CONSTELLATIONS, PLANETS, 
 TIMES, and SEASONS. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 The CONSTELLATIONS*. 
 
 HPHOUGH the Roman poets do not, like 
 Manilius, profefTedly treat of the conftel- 
 lations, yet they allude to them fo often and fo 
 
 particularly, 
 
 » The idea of the mofl confiderable men among the old Ro- 
 mans was (like that of Plato and Socrates) that after their de- 
 ceafe, they were translated to fome ftar or conftellation. Inter 
 £idpra relatus was a common expreffion. They believed that Per- 
 feus, Chiron, and others, were a&uaily placed among the ftars, 
 and it was the ufual compliment of the poets to the emperors, to 
 fay, they would have a place there when they departed this life. 
 -The antients had fome notion of the flars being a fort of worlds 
 fpread about the great expanfe, and that each conftellation had its 
 * prefiding intelligence. It did not fignify whether this intelligence 
 (and much lefs his diftrift) was of this or that particular fhape. 
 It might be as well of the form of an inanimate being as of a hu- 
 man body. Its being bounded by lines that make a lyre, or a 
 fliip, or an altar, is no obje&ion to its being an intelligence or 
 governed by one. Hence all thofe ftrange figures that are faid to 
 be in the heavens, and are placed on the globes. There are many 
 parages in the poets which are not to be rightly underftood, with- 
 out this idea of the liars being animals or animated beings, as. 
 
 Cicero. 
 
C 8* ] 
 
 particularly 11 , that there is no undemanding their 
 pcems, without feme knowledge of the figures of 
 them on the antient glebes c . 
 
 Our author, therefore, has confidered each 
 figure apart on the Farnefe globe, together with 
 what the poets have faid in relation to any of 
 them. To this end he made ufe of a drawing 
 of the two hemifpheres ; a copy of which is pre- 
 fixed to this chapter. 
 
 Though the ftars were thought by the antients 
 to be innumerable, yet the conftellations on their 
 
 Cicero calls them. Vir. Geo. ii. v. 342. Met. 1. v. 75. Stat. I. 
 iii. Sylv. 2. v. 15. Theb. viii. v. 274. Plautus introduces Arc- 
 turns to fpeak the prologue to his Rudens. 
 
 t> Virgil in his Georgics, and Ovid in his Fafu, even make it 
 part of their proportion, Geo. i. v. 2. 207. Faft. i. v. 2. Ma- 
 nilius treats not only of the figures of the ccnftcllations, and their 
 bearing to each other, but the effecls they have on the temper 
 and fortunes of thofe who are born under fuch or fuch conftella- 
 tion, which is fo far of ufe, as he fits his predictions to the figure 
 or air of the conftellation he fpeaks of. Thus, becaufe Cepheus 
 looks fevere, thofe (fays he) who are born under him will be cen- 
 forious. And fo of. the reft. 
 
 c This is become frill more neceffary at prefent j for we have 
 not only been unaffifted by thefe ancient figures, but have been 
 milled by the modern ones : for though the conftellations on both c 
 globes are pretty much the fame, yet either their characters or 
 drefs, or air or attributes, have been changed in almoft every one 
 of them j as will eafily appear, by comparing the figures on the 
 Farnefe-globe (the only ancient one perhaps in the world) with 
 the rep refer tations on the beft of our modern ones. This has 
 been fo little regarded, that even fome celebrated Mathematici- 
 ans told our author, they always imagined there was not any dif- 
 ference at all. Quint. Inft. 1. iv. c. 4. 
 
 globes 
 
[ 8; 5 ] 
 
 globes were under fifty. Of thefe the Farnefe 
 globe (though much injured hy time or its 
 keepers) has preferved to us above forty. The 
 principal lines, as the arct:c and antarctic circles, 
 the tropics, the aequator, and zodiac, and confe- 
 quently ihc five zones-, are marked out on this 
 globe, but without anv ftars. To avoid the con- 
 fufion that fo many figures may be apt to give, 
 the conftellations to the north, of the zodiac are 
 firft confidered ; then thofe on the zodiac itfelf ; 
 and laftiy thofe to the fouth of the zodiac. 
 
 Draco, or the great serpent, by the 
 northern pole, fp reads itfelf into both hemifpheres. 
 This part of the globe is fo much damaged (by 
 a great hollow in the top of it) that all his folds 
 and windings cannot be traced. But according 
 to the poets, he fhould roll between, as well as 
 round, the two Bears d . 
 
 The Arcti, or Bears, are (by the fame ac- 
 cident) loft on the Farnefe globe. Helice, or 
 the greater Bear, had it's tail towards the head 
 of Cynofura, or the lefler Bear. Before the dif- 
 covery of the compafs, thefe were the great di- 
 rectors in navigation e . 
 
 Bootes was behind the greater Bear, or 
 Charles's wain (fo called from the Roman Plau- 
 
 d Stat. Theb. v. v. 550. Virg. Geo. i. v. 245. Ovid. Met. 
 iii. v. 45. Man. i. v. 307. 
 
 * Aratus, v. 49 — 54. Man, i. v. 302. Ovid. Faft- iii. v. 
 ic8, 
 
 ftra) 
 
C 84 ] 
 
 ftra) and appears in the acl of driving it on. 
 He is drefTed like a countryman, in a ftiort tunic, 
 with his legs and arms bare, and the pedum paf- 
 torale in his right hand. Ar&urus was on his 
 bread f . 
 
 Corona, or Ariadne's crown, at Bootes's 
 right hand, is a wreath of flowers and leaves 
 fattened with a ribband, and makes fuch a circu- 
 lar appearance in the heavens, though it is turn- 
 ed to a Gothic crown on our globes s . 
 
 Engonasis, or Ingeniculus, is fo called 
 from his kneeling, the reafon of which was un- 
 known in the times of Manilius, and even of 
 Aratus. Avienus will have it to be Hercules al- 
 moft tired with his long fight with the ferpent 
 that kept the garden of the Hefperides ; in me- 
 mory of which Jupiter placed his figure in the 
 heavens, with his heel bruifing the great ferpent's 
 head. He is quite naked h . 
 
 Ophiuchus or Serpentarius, is alfo naked, 
 and holds another ferpent in his hands. Manilius 
 fpeaks of him and the ferpent as fighting together, 
 and that fo equally, that the combat muft laft for 
 ever. The old globe is not fo pi&urefque ; • for , 
 
 f Avien. v. 104. 262. 271. Man. i. v. 317.. Id. V. v. 20. 
 
 g Man. i. v. 323. Met. viii. v. 182. Gemmae, when ufed of 
 this conftellation, fhould be taken in the natural fenfe, as figni- 
 fying buds or leaves. Man. V. v. 269. 
 
 Man. i. v. 315. Arat. v. 65. Avien. v. 193, 
 
 the 
 
C 85 3 
 
 the ferpent in his hands feems rather to threaten 
 Bootes than the perfon who holds it K 
 
 The figure of Lyra fhows that the lyra and 
 teftudo of old were the fame, for the bottom 
 part of it confifts of the entire (hell of a tortoife. 
 It has only fix firings, but there is a fpace for a 
 feventh, which feems to be defaced, or perhaps 
 was omitted in memory of the Pleiad that has 
 difappeared ; for it had feven at nrft, in allufion 
 to the number of the Pleiades k . 
 
 Aquila, juft under Lyra, is defcribed as fly- 
 ing with the fulmen in his talons ; whereas here 
 he is without it, and {landing in a quiet pofture *, 
 His head is in the other hemifphere, near the 
 Dolphin. 
 
 The figure of the Dolphin is fpoken of as 
 very aptly marked out by the difpofition of its 
 ftars m . From an expreilion in Manilius, it may 
 be inferred, that the Dolphin on the antient 
 painted globes was of a dark colour. On fuch 
 
 > Man. i. v. 336. 
 
 k Faft. v. v. 106. Manilius fpeaks of its cornua or horns, 
 which have been accounted for, Man. i. v. 325. 
 
 1 There was doubtlefs fome difference in the antient as well as 
 in the modern globes, and this is a very great inftance of it. Faft. 
 vi. v. 196. Man. i. v. 345. Id. V. v. 484. 
 
 » Man. V. v. 412. Faft. ii. V. 79. 
 
 a ground, 
 
[ 86 J 
 
 a ground, the ftars (when reprefented) muft have 
 appeared to great advantage". 
 
 Cygnus, or the swan, both here and by the 
 poets, is reprefented in the attitude of flying. 
 Before the left wing is a line, almoft worn out in 
 the Farnefe globe, which may be the Sagitta, as 
 it is faid to be juft by Cygnus. All that is ob- 
 ferved of fo plain a figure, is, that it was marked 
 out by the ftars contained in it \ 
 
 The five next conftellations all relate to one 
 another. Pegasus, or the flying horfe, on which 
 Perfeus rode, is defcribed, as he is here, in a ra- 
 pid flying pofture, though there is but half his 
 figure. His mane is defcribed by Avienus, like 
 the manes of the two fine horfes on Monte- Ca- 
 vallo at Rome p. 
 
 Andromeda extends her arms, and is de- 
 fcribed as chained to a rock even in the heavens 
 with grief and fear exprefled in her face ; and is 
 remarked as turning from her barbarous mother, 
 as on the globe 
 
 n The expreflion is Czeruleus. Nothing is more perplexing 
 than the Latin names of colours. It is plain from many inftances, 
 that caeruleus was ufed for fome dark colour. Virg. Geo, i. v. 
 453. JEn. lil. v. 395. 
 
 9 Man. i. 341. 343. Id. V. v. 25. Avien. v. 635, 692. 
 
 t Man. V, v. 24. Id. i. v. 350. Avien. v. 473. 487, 
 
 .,*"Man. i. v. 358. Avien. v. 467.' Cic. de nat. deo. ii. c. 49. 
 
 Perseus 
 
[ 87 ] 
 
 Perseus holds his fword in one hand, with 
 the head of Medufa in the other, which agrees 
 with the poetical accounts ; only there mould be 
 a hook on his fword, which perhaps is effaced r . 
 
 Cassiopeia, the mother of Andromeda, is feat- 
 ed on the arctic circle, and reprefented with a 
 difturbed air, as Cepheus her father is with a 
 fevere one. They retain the fame character in 
 the heavens as they had upon earth s . 
 
 The Deltoton, or Triangle, is quite 
 effaced, or was omitted. It was not capable of 
 any poetical defcription. It is faid to lie in the 
 fpace between Andromeda, Perfeus, and Aries, 
 which fpace is of a triangular form l . 
 
 Ericthonius, or Heniochus, commonly 
 called Auriga, or the Charioteer, appears without 
 his chariot, though in the port u re of driving one. 
 In his right hand he holds his whip, as in his 
 left were the Haedi and Capella, which he held 
 before his breaft, and therefore are not feen, as 
 his back is turned towards us. Probably in fome 
 ancient globes his chariot was reprefented too u . 
 
 r Met. iv. v. 665. Luc. ix. v. 62c. Man. V. v. 21. 
 s Man. i. v. 355. Man. V. v. 446. 
 t Avien. v. 537. Man. i. v. 354. 
 
 u Man. V. v. 20. Id. i. v. 362. Avien. v. 411. 414. Man. i. 
 v. IC4. 
 
 G Thefe 
 
£ 88 ] 
 
 Thefe are all the northern conftellations on the 
 globe. The figns of the zodiac are next to be 
 confidered. 
 
 Cancer, according to Manilius, was repre- 
 fented without eyes ; fo that what is fcen on the 
 globe is only the focket for them. The figures 
 were generally reprefented on the anticnt globes 
 as alive and in action ; for which reafon Cancer, 
 when painted, was of a black colour, though the 
 moderns paint him red, as if boiled w . 
 
 Leo is defcribed as furious and roaring, and 
 is reprefented fo on the globe. He is faid to be 
 the Nemean lion flain by Hercules x . 
 
 Virgo has ears of corn in her hand, with the 
 virgin's attribute, the zone. She is fo defcribed 
 by Manilius, who fays, her look is chafte and 
 fevere ; but as her back is towards us this is not 
 feen. She is moft ufually reprefented with wings, 
 and the corn in her hand in the painted globes 
 was coloured as very ripe y . 
 
 w Man. u. v. 260. Id. Iv. v. 530. 534. There is an odd ob- 
 long figure juft above Cancer, which our author did not know 
 what to make of. 
 
 x Met. ii. v. 81. Man. iv. v. 537. Id. V. v. 2c6. 
 
 y Man. iv. v. 191. Jd. V. v. 271, Avien. v. 335. 4$. 285. 
 On a gem at Florence, her face is turned towards us. Manilius 
 does but juft touch upon her leaving the earth after the golden 
 ag< , ( f which Aratus made the moft pleafing digrelTion in his 
 whole poem, Man. iv. v. 542. 
 
 Libra, 
 
[ 8 9 ] 
 
 Libra, or the Balance, is faid to have 
 been originally held up by the Scorpius, who ex- 
 tended his claws beyond it's limits for that pur- 
 pofe, but that a little before Auguftus's death 
 Scorpius was made to contract his claws j and a 
 new figure (probably of Auguftus himfelf) was 
 introduced to hold the balance. On the Farnefe 
 globe it is held by Scorpius, which fhews it's 
 antiquity. In feveral medals it is held by a man 
 fuppofed to be Auguftus z . 
 
 Maniiius alludes to both thefe ways of hold- 
 ing the balance. The old poets agree in its be- 
 ing held up (though the moderns reprefent it 
 without any fupporter) and with both fcales 
 exactly even, which feems to refer to the equality 
 of the day and night when the fun enters this 
 fign K 
 
 z The aftrcnomers of old were at a lofs how to have the ba- 
 lance fupported, and were obliged to make Scorpius take up the 
 fpace of two figns. On the other hand, it was properer for Au- 
 guftus than for Scorpius to hold it ; for befides the compliment to 
 him for holding the balance of the affairs of the world, Libra wrs 
 the very fign that was faid to prefide over Italy, and fo Auguftus, 
 in holding it, would be fuppofed the guardian angel of his country 
 after his deceafe. Perhaps the hint of placing Auguftus there was 
 taken from Virgil's compliment of this kind to that emperor, Geo. 
 i. v. 35. Man. iv. v. 774. It was ufual to compliment the em- 
 perors with a place among the cancellations, Luc. i. v. 68. Stat. 
 Theb. i. v. 51. Flac. Arg. i. v. 20. 
 
 » Man. iii. v. 332. Id. iv. v. 203* Id. ii. v. Id, ii, v« 
 
 529. Faft. iv. v. 384. 
 
 G 2 Scorpius, 
 
r 9° ] 
 
 Scorpius, according to the poets, was drawn 
 by the painters of a dark venomous colour, and 
 :his tail pointed and raifed, as preparing to ftrike. 
 Thcfe defcriptions in the poets agree with the 
 figure on the globe, as far as they can agree with 
 the bare figure of a thing ; and no doubt they 
 have added the colourings to it with the fame 
 juftnefs, as being equally acquainted with the 
 works of the painters as of the itatuaries b . 
 
 Arcitenens, or Sagittarius, is repre- 
 sented like a Satyr c . He holds his bowasjuft 
 -ready to (hoot an arrow aimed at the tail of 
 Scorpius. The artifts, in procefs of time, fub- 
 fntuted a centaur in the room of the fatyr (as ap- 
 pears from feveral gems and medals) and the poets 
 followed that idea even about the Auguftine age. 
 Lucan exprefly calls him Chiron, who feems 
 rather to prefide over the conftellation properly 
 ■called Centaurus. Manilius was in the fame 
 error, and mentions fome drapery, though both 
 ,are naked on the globe.. He marks very frrong- 
 ly the feverity of his look, which appears alfo in 
 his figure d . 
 
 *> Met. il. v. 20c. Fafl. iv. v. 162. Met. ii. v. 83. Luc. ix. 
 v. 132. 
 
 c Suppofed to be Pan, who, afiifting Jupiter againft the giants, 
 put them, by the ftrange noife he made, into (what has ever 
 lince been called) a Panic fright. See Eratoft. de Sider. Art. 27. 
 
 « Man, i. v, 27c. Luc. vi. v. 394. Man. iv. v. 561. 467. 
 
 Capricorn 
 
r 9' i 
 
 Capricorn is hid, all but the head, by the 
 globe refting on Atlas's fhojulders. The teft of . 
 his figure might be fupplied from gems or medals, 
 particularly from a medal of Aurjuttus Cffefar, 
 where he is reprefented with the fore part like a- 
 goat, and ending in a fifli e . 
 
 Aquarius appears like a beautiful fine- fh aped 
 youth, as reprefenting Ganymedes, Jupiter's 
 cup-bearer. Fie holds the cup or little urn in 
 his hand inclined downward, and is always pour- 
 ing out of it, a t s the fource of a river running 
 from his feet over a large part of the globe. 
 Thefe particulars are well marked out by the 
 poets f . 
 
 Pisces, or the Fishes, are dcfcribed by Ma- 
 nilius as under water, in the river that flows 
 from Aquarius. The poets mark both their 
 places exactly, and their being turned different 
 ways ; and fpeak of them rather in a more pic- 
 turefque manner than they appear on the globe. 
 
 e Hence Capricorn is called by Manilius, Ambiguus, ii. V» 
 232. and Biforrais, 3. v. 257. This medal is a very plain proof 
 of the hieroglyphical language amongA the artiAs of old. On 
 one fide is the head of AuguAus ; on the other, Capricorn (the 
 fign he was born under), and beneath that is a rudder (the con- 
 Aant mark of rule) and a globe. So that the medal fays, as in • 
 fo many words, " AuguAus was born to rule the world," Suet, 
 in Aug. c. 94. 
 
 f FaA. ii. v. 455. FaA. i. v. 652. Man. iv. v. 797. Avien, 
 v. 549. Man. iv. v, 261. Id. ii. v. 233. 492, 
 
 G 3 Ovid 
 
r r- ] 
 
 Ovid gives a very pretty account how they came 
 to be received into the heavens g . 
 
 Aries, or the Ram, turns his head backward, 
 as Manilius obferves, from whom it appears alfo 
 that he was painted of a gold colour, and very 
 properly, as this was the very Ram To famous 
 for his golden fleece ; and the fame alfo that car- 
 ried Helle over the fea, and gave her name to a 
 noted part of it h . 
 
 Taurus, or the Bull, famous for carrying 
 Europa over the fame element, and giving a 
 name to our part of the world, is described by 
 the poets as he appears on the globe. His head 
 is turned from the courfe of the fun, and he nfes 
 backwards. He is reprefented only in part, with 
 his neck bending downward, and his knee yet 
 more bent. On fome gems is feen his j^mole 
 figure, butting with his head, and tearing up 
 the ground with his feet. From a difficult paf- 
 fage in Virgil, we find that Taurus was repre- 
 fented on the coloured globes with gilded horns, 
 and all the reft white, agreeably to the poetical 
 defcriptions of Europa's bull, and like the bulls 
 that were facrificed to Jupiter Maximus *. 
 
 Gemini, 
 
 g Man. i. v. 273. Avien. v. 545. Man. ii. v. 164. Fait. ii. 
 472. Man. iv. v. 579. 
 
 h The Hellefpont, Men. iv. v. 506. Id. ii. v. 212. Id. t. v. 
 265. Luc. iv. v. 57. Faft. iii. v. 876. 
 
 i Man. ii. v. 199. Id. i. v. 264. Id. V. v. 142. Id. iv. 522. 
 Fall. iv. v. id. Man. ii. v. 259. W. i. jjfa. Vir. Geo. i. v. 
 
 2JS. 
 
t 93 J 
 
 Gemini, or the Twins, are defcribed by 
 Manilius as naked, young, and beautiful, with 
 their arms interweaved, juft as they appear on the 
 globe. Ovid makes them to be Caftor and Pol- 
 lux ; but as thefe are always Teen both together, 
 that cannot be reconciled with their taking their 
 place alternately in the higher heavens, unlefs 
 the Twins were conlidered only as memorial^ 
 like the real Hercules k . 
 
 Thefe are the twelve (igns of the zodiac; the 
 fouthern conitellations are as follow : 
 
 ArGo is the 'famous Ship that carried Jafon 
 and the Argonauts to Colchis to fetch the golden 
 fleece, and is faid to be the fir ft that was ever 
 built. It is reprefented as failing on \ though 
 but half of it appears. There are no figures oa 
 it befides a Viclory and a Triton" 1 . 
 
 218. See this paffage in Virgil explained at large, Polym. p. 
 173. n. Si. 
 
 k Man. ii. v. 162. 661. 440. 163. Fafl. V. v. 694. 700. 715. 
 —720. 
 
 1 This is feen by the oars, and is fo defcribed by the poets? 
 Man. V. v. 13. 37. 
 
 m Flaccus finely defcribes the marriage-feaft of Peleus and 
 Thetis, as painted on one fide of it, and the combat between tlie 
 Centaurs and the Lapithae on the other. This could not be, for 
 Peleus was not married till after the #up was made, Flac Argciu 
 i. v. 129 — 14S. 
 
 HYDRUSy 
 
[ 94 1 
 
 Hydrus, or the Water-Serpent, was 
 (Manilius fays) very well marked out with ftars ; 
 but this does not appear, becaufe the Farnefe 
 globe (the only ancient one as yet known) has 
 no ftars. The fituation of Hydrus is defcribed 
 by Avienus as it is on the Farnefe-globe n . 
 
 Crater, or the Cup, reds on the back of 
 the Hydrus towards the middle. It is fhaped like 
 the little urns which the ancients ufed to drink 
 out of, and are feen in the hand of Bacchus in 
 flatues and relievos. This too is faid to be mark- 
 ed out by it's flars °. 
 
 Corvus, or the Crow, is perched on the 
 back of the ferpent, and bending down as peck- 
 ing at it. Nothing more is obferved of it by the 
 poets p. 
 
 Ckntaurus is juft under the ferpent's tail. 
 His look is mild, as being the philofophical Chi- 
 ron, the great mailer of the rules of equity and 
 juftice, and the inftruclor of Hercules, as well as 
 of Achilles. He is reprefented as coming from 
 the chace with a young lionefs in his hand, 
 which is held by him (as a facrifice) toward the 
 altar before him 
 
 Ara 
 
 n Man. i. v. 406. Avien. v. 890. 
 
 0 Aviefl. v. 898. Man. V. v. 235. Id. i. v. 4*8. 
 
 p Avien. v. 90c. 
 
 S Avien. v. 889. The poets obferve, that the upper or hu- 
 man part is roughened by degrees, and extremely well united with 
 
 the 
 
r 95 ] 
 
 Ara is faid by Manilius to be the altar en 
 which Jupiter offered facrifkes for fuccefs againft 
 the giants r . He reprefents it as with lighted'" 
 coals on it, and the frankincenfe as flaming up 
 but nothing of this appears on the globe. 
 
 Next to Ara is a wreath like Ariadne's, only 
 larger, and without a ribband. As it is not menti- 
 oned by the antients, there is no gueiling what it 
 means. . 
 
 Piscis Notius, or the southern fish, 
 whofe place fhould be under Aquarius, and near 
 Geius, is loft by the globe refting in that part on. 
 Atlas's fiioulder s . 
 
 C£Tus,.or the sea-monster that was to have 
 deftroyed Andromeda, is well represented fwim- 
 ming along the water that flows from Aquarius's 
 urn, with great fcales on his bread:, his mouth- 
 open and threatening, and his tail wreathed, jufb 
 as he is defenbed by Manilius r . 
 
 the equine part a little below his brealt ; as in the two fine fi- 
 gures in the Villa Adriani at Home, Man. i. v. 403. Avian. v„ 
 S83. 886. Faft. V. .v. 414. 
 
 ' Man. V. v. 335. This feems to fhow, that in the old hca- - 
 % tfeen fcheme Jupiter himfelf was fuppofed to be only a fubftituted ' 
 ruler, who in. his dangers applied for afihtance to the rfeal Supreme, i 
 that prelided over him and the univerfe. The j oet here raifes 
 the pritfts- of old as much as he depreffes Jupiter. Under this , 
 Lonnellation (fays he) fifall be born priefts or deputy-gods, ibid>. , 
 vv 342. Man. i^v.411, 355. 
 
 s Avien. v. 825. Man, i. v. 429, 
 
 « Man. i„.Y. 427. Id. V. v. 15, . 
 
 G 5 ' FiUME% ? 
 
[ 96 ] 
 
 Flumin, or the River (fuppofed originally to 
 be the Nile, but turned by the Romans into Eri- 
 danus, or the Po) wanders feveral ways. The 
 chief tiling to be obferved is, that it is very wind- 
 ing and irregular, which is marked by the poets 
 as well as by the ar tiffs u . 
 
 Orion* kneels on one knee a little beyond Ce- 
 tus. His face is in profile; he holds out his 
 arms, and fhould perhaps grafp a fword in his 
 right hand. But that part is indiftinct, and the 
 poets differ about it. Something like a dagger 
 hangs by his left fide, which agrees better with 
 Manilius and Avienus's account of his fword 
 than what Ovid fays w . 
 
 Procyon, or Orion's dog, rifes before Sirius, 
 and it is thence that he has his name x . 
 
 Sirius, or Canicula (commonly called the 
 Do^ ilai ) who has fo terrible a character in the 
 o d poets, and whofe influence is fo dreaded at this 
 day at Rome, was re pre fen ted by the old painters 
 with a malign and dark look, and fometimes as 
 breathing flames like the Chimera. As a marlc 
 of his being fo hot and fiery, he is feen on the 
 globe with feyeraj odd rays about his head. He « 
 is defcribed as running vehemently after Lepus 5 . 
 
 * Avien. v. 797. 803. 778. Man. i.v. 273. 43c. Id. V-.V, 14. 
 
 w Man. i. v. 26. 578. Faft. iv. v. 3S8. MuU xiii. v. 294. 
 Met. via. v. 207. Man. i.v, 381. -Avien. v. 722. 
 
 * Procyctifiguifies ante cams, Man..V, v, 207. 
 
 who 
 
wHo appears as running from him, and is there- 
 fore called fwift, as well as Sirius is by Virgil, 
 even when fpeaking of him as a conftellation K 
 
 Thus, of the forty-two great conftellations in 
 the catalogue of Eratofthenes, we find all on the 
 Farnefe-globe, except the Arcli ajid the Pifcis 
 Notius. As for the Hyades, Pleiades, and Arc- 
 turus (fo famous in antiquity) they were not 
 reckoned primary, but only fecondary conftella- 
 tions, contained, the two firft in Taurus, and the 
 other in Bootes. The Pleiades might po/Tibly be 
 reprefented perfonally on fome antient globes.. 
 Virgil mentions one of them in that manner, and; 
 others fpeak of them as a diffiiiSt conftellation z .. 
 
 y See Manilius V. v. 2e8 — 217. and Avienus 733, to 742^ 
 Our author theught the epithet rapidus (ufed here by Virgil) im- 
 proper, before he confidered the. attribute, given to Sirius, Vir,. 
 Geo. iv. v. 426. Man. i. v. 402. 
 
 a Geo. iv. v. 234. Supposing- they were all' reprefented perfo-- 
 nally in Taurus, it might be in a very little compals ; as Pyrrhus 
 wore the nine mufes in a ring. Manilius may refer even to their 
 being reprefented all on Taurus in miniature, 1. iv. v. 522. Flac- 
 cus fpeaks of all of them perfonally. Argon. V. v. 416. See, 
 Aratus, v. 255. and Eratoflhenes's Confteliat;ons,.No. 23. What 
 vaft globes the ancients had, may be learned from. an aftronomi- 
 cal inftrument formerly at Rome, to which one of the. largeft obe- 
 lilks ferved only for a gnomon. Plin. t. 36. c. 9. 10. This is. 
 inert uiualiy fuppofed to be a dial, though it feems- more likely 
 to have ferved for a meridian line by the expreffions ufed by Pliny.. 
 They feem alfo to have Orreries. There is one defcribed! 
 
 C 6 b# 
 
[ 9§ 1 
 
 I which fe "ve ! for a luitre in the temple of Phoebus fup- 
 • /... itatue of Atlas. The Planets and Conftellations 
 eprefeote^ on it ali in their proper courfes, to enlighten the 
 dome. Argon. 5. v. 416. The celebrated fphere of Archi- 
 me des vas a work of this nature according to Claudian's known 
 epigram upon it, which is as follows : 
 
 Jupiter in parvo cum cerneret asthera vitro, 
 
 RJfit ; et ad Superos talia dicla dedit. 
 Huccine mortalis progrefTa potentia curae ? 
 
 jam mens in fragili luditur orbe labor. 
 Jura poli, rerumquc fidem, legefque deorum 
 
 Ecce Syracufius tranftulit arte fenex. 
 Inc' ufus variis famulatur fpiritus aftris, 
 
 Et vivum certis motibus urget opus. 
 Percurrit propriam mentitus fignifer annum, 
 
 Et fimulnta novo Cynthia mcnfe redit. 
 Jamque fuum volvens audax induftria mundus 
 
 Gaudet 5 et humana fidera mente regit. 
 Quid falfo infcntem tonitru Salmonea miror I 
 
 /Emula naturse parva reperta manus. 
 
 1 O CgK 
 
[ 99 3 
 
 BOOK IV. 
 
 CHAP. IT. 
 
 The Planets 3 , Times, and Seasons*. 
 
 QATURN, the moll remote of the Planets^ 
 ^ is defcribed by the poets as very old and de- 
 crepid, with fetters on his feet, to denote the 
 flownefs of his motion, and a pruning-hook ia 
 his hand, from a tradition, that, after his being 
 dethroned by Jupiter, he took refuge in Italy, 
 and introduced there feveral parts of agriculture, 
 particularly the art of pruning and managing the 
 vines b . In his character of prefiding over time 3 , 
 he has wings on his fhoulders, as well as fhackles. 
 
 a, In the outer round of a gem (in Baron Stofche's collection, 
 at Florence) are the feven planets in chariots ; Saturn is drawn 
 by two ferpents 5 Jupiter by two eagles ; Mars by two horfes, 
 and Sol by four j Venus by two coves ; Mercury by two cocks j 
 and Luna by two flags. In the next round are the twelve ngns o£\ 
 the zodiac \ and m the centre is a perfon playing on two pipes, to 
 fignify the harmony of the univerfe, or what we vulgarly call 
 the mufic of the fpheres. This is reckoned a great curiofity. 
 
 b Faft. iii. v. 796. Tib. ii* el. 5. v. ic. /En. vii. v. 180. . 
 Juv. Stat. xiii. v. 39. Geo. ii. v. 407.. His ftutues were un- 
 fettered during his great feaft the Saturnalia, Stat, i* Sylv. 6. v. 
 7. Falx feems to have fignified a pruning-hook or fickle : an . 
 inftrument of war $ the harpc- ; and a fcythe, Propert. iv. el. a. 
 Ovid calls Saturn Deus falcifer, Faft. i. 234.. 
 
 on, 
 
f 100 ] 
 
 on his feet c . He is never defcribed as driving a 
 chariot. 
 
 Jupiter, as prefiding over a planet, is re- 
 prefented only as in a chariot and pair, though 
 on all other occafions he is drawn by four horfes. 
 The poets fay little or nothing of his planetary 
 character, as deeming it derogatory to his ho- 
 nour. 
 
 Mars is diftinclly mentioned as guiding a 
 planet, and as drawn by two horfes. In this 
 character he appears much like the god of war. 
 His ftar is defcribed as red and fiery, and himfelf 
 as impetuous in his courfe' 1 . 
 
 Venus is as mild as Mars is outrageous. Her 
 liar had various names and offices affigned to 
 it. When confidered as a planet, it is directed 
 by Venus drawn by doves ; bur, when it is 
 confidered as the morning or evening ftar, it is- 
 directed by a youth, called Lucifer, or Phos- 
 phorus,, and fometimes Hesperus, for the 
 evening-ftar. Others change his horfe, and not 
 his name, giving him a white one for the morn- 
 ing, and a black one for the evening. Though 
 
 c To denote that tune may feem fwift or flow, according to 
 men's fituation or thoughts. The Greeks call him X^oye?, 
 ■which fignifies time. Our modern painters feem to have bor- 
 rowed their idea of time from the old figures of Saturn, only they 
 have turned the pruning^hook into a fcythe. On a gem in Ago- 
 iiirii, he has wings and fetters, and leans on his pruning-hook. 
 
 * Faft. ii. v. Ztf.. 
 
[ ioi J 
 
 he is called the brighteft (tar in the heavens, yet 
 he is defcribed with a gloomy look on melan- 
 choly occafions. His office was to call Aurora, 
 and he had the privilege of fetting the laft of all 
 the flars. He is not feen on either of his 
 horfes in any antique, but always appears either 
 before the chariot of the fun, with a torch, as 
 Lucifer, or before the chariot of the moon, with- 
 out a torch, as Hefperus c . 
 
 Mercury, as guiding a planet, is defcribed 
 by Lucan (1. i. v. 663.) as fwift in his motion. 
 It has been obferved, that Mercury's make in 
 general feemed to be all defigned for lightnefs and 
 difpatch, an idea perhaps borrowed from his 
 planetary character. He appears often in antiques 
 as drawn by two cocks, as the mark of vigilance 
 and alertnefs- 
 
 DiANA y among her various offices in the 
 heavens, upon earth, and in hell, had the di- 
 rection of the planet of Luna, or the Moon. 
 She is often reprefented on relievos, gems, and. 
 medals, with a lunar crown or crefcent on her 
 
 e This ftar has four names among us, and had almoft twice 
 as many among the Romans. It may be called Venus, Phof- 
 phorus, Lucifer, Hefperus, Vefperus, Vefper, and Vefperago. 
 Thefe names are reducible to its three characters as a planet, or 
 as the morning and evening ltar. Met. xiv. v. 598. /En. vi. v. 
 193. Met. xv. v. 190. Faft. ii. v. 312. Stat. Theb. vi. y. 241. 
 Met. xi. v. 272. Ovid. 1. ii. el. 11. v. 56., Ovid (before Julius 
 CaefaV's death) Met. xv. v. 790. Met. xi. v. 571. Met. iv. v* 
 CtQ. Met. xi. v. 296. 
 
 forehead. 
 
[ 102 ] 
 
 forehead, and as drawn by ftags or does, but 
 commonly by horfes. The poets (peak of her 
 chariot, and of her two horfes as perfectly white f . 
 
 It is this Diana who is faid to have fallen in 
 love with Endymion. If the occafion of her 
 love be confidered, it may perhaps appear to 
 have been a philofophical amour, or platonic love, 
 and fo might not interfere with her character cf 
 chaftity. However that be, fhe is often feen 
 on relievos defcending to a fhepherd afleep, with 
 a veil over her head g . 
 
 Apollo (or rather Sol) is fpoken of by the 
 poets more than all the reft of the planets put- 
 together. They defcribe his face as fhining, and' 
 mark that particular brightnefs (before-mention- 
 ed) beaming from his eyes. They often talk 
 of the corona radiata (or crown of twelve rays) 
 on his head, and reprefent him as (landing in 
 his chariot drawn- by four horfes, with a whip, 
 
 f Propert.iii. eL2o..Y. 18. Hence Horace calls her Regha 
 Bictrnis, Carm. Sacc. v. 35. Stat. Theb. i. v. 338. Fafh V. 
 v. 16. iv. v. 372. Rem. Am. 1. v. 258. On a gem at Florence • 
 the is drawn by two heifers, a particular not taken notice of by 
 the poets of the good ages. 
 
 S By this a" line in Flaccus becomes not only clear, but very 
 tlefcriptive too of her appearance, Argon, viii. v. 31. Probably 
 this fable might be meant originally of the eclipfes of the moon j 
 if- fo, her veil would be the moft figniftcant part of her drefs. 
 See Gatullui-de coroa Beren. 64. v. 6, 
 
[ 103 1 
 
 or a flambeau, in his hand h . They often men- 
 tion his chariot, and hint at the fmallnefs of 
 it. The harnefs feems to have been rofe-co- 
 loured, and ftudded with precious ftones, and 
 the chariot itfelf of gold. They tell us the 
 number, names, and even the colour of his 
 horfes, which 'are defcribed as full of life and 
 fire, and breathing quick as they run along. His 
 courfe is faid to lie between two fixed points ; 
 the firft hair" is all up-hill, and the lad all 
 down-hill. He fets out from the eaftern, and 
 drives into the weltern fea, where he is fup- 
 pofed to pafs the nights in the palace of Ocea- 
 nus. He is imagines daily to drive his chariot 
 over a tranfparent (or cryftal) arch in the heavens, 
 on which appear the tracks of his wheels as on a 
 common road upon earth *. 
 
 All 
 
 *> Met. I!, v. 50. 231. Met. iv. v. 193. Ovid. ep. iv. v, 
 159. /En. xii. v. 164. Juv. Sat. xiii. v. 78. Stat. Theb. i. 
 v. 28. Ovid. ep. viii. v. 105. Met. ii. v. 152. Flac. V. v. 
 414. Met. iiv v 399. Stat. Achill. ii. v. 289. The artifts 
 repreTent him with each, and for the moft part naked 5 fo that 
 Flaccus dreeing him in a coat of mail, with the figns of the zodi- 
 ac wrought on it, and tied round him with a rainbow, is perhaps 
 ' his own fancy, or poflibly may be copied from fome antient pic- 
 ture, Flac. iv. v. 95. 
 
 i Hor. Carm. Saec. v. 10. Sil. xvi. v. 232. Hor. iii. od. 6". 
 v. 44. Met. ii. v. lie. Stat. Theb. iii. v. 4*4* Met. ii. v. 
 154. Flac. V. v. 413. Faft. ii. v. 72. Ovid. 1. ii. el. 1. v\ 
 24. The meaning of furpureus is not fettled. It is ufed of fire, 
 fwans, and fnow ; fo that it may not differ fo much from niveus 
 as may be thought, Met. ii. v. Sy . 120. Stat. Achill. i. v. 436. 
 
 Fail, 
 
[ 104 ] 
 
 ' All the parts of duration, from the greater! 
 to the leaft, were reprefented as perfons by the 
 artifts and poets. Ovid (Met. 2. v. 30.) defcribes 
 thern all as attendants on Sol. 
 
 Eternity indeed is not fpoken of as perfon- 
 ally by the poets, unlefs they meant this goddefs 
 by the name of Hebe, or eternal youth ; but 
 fhe is varioufly reprefented by the artifts k . Some- 
 times 
 
 Fail, iv. v. 372. Vir. Geo. Iii. v. 85. 360. Met. II. v. 64* 
 Met. vi. v. 487. Stat. Achiil. ii. v. 17. Met. ii. v. 258. ALr& 
 xii. v. 115. Met. xv. v. 419. flin. xi. v. 914. Stat. Theb. 
 viii. 273. Met. ii. v. 133. The courfe of Sol is frequently re- 
 prefented in the fame manner by the artifts. He appears labour- 
 ing up hill, or defcending eafily down. Sometimes the zodiac is 
 over him, which falls in ufually with his head, to mark not only 
 the month, but the particular part of the month, when any event 
 happened, it was a common compliment to their emperors to 
 place them in the zodiac, and even in the chariot of Sol himfelfj 
 and in fome figures of this kind, they might mark out the time of 
 the year when fuch an emperor died, by the part of the zodiac 
 with which they had made him coincide. Where Phcebus's own 
 head falls in with any fign, it was probably meant to mark out 
 the time of the year, as minutely as Ovid does, De Art. Am. u 
 v. 68. Ib. iii. 388. 
 
 k On a medal of M. Aurelius, Eternity, with a lighted flam- 
 beau in her hand, is carrying his emprefs to heaven. On the 
 bafe of a remarkable relievo at Rome, Eternity is reprefented as 
 a male, naked, and with expanded wings : it is a very noble fi- 
 gure. In his left hand is a ccleftral globe with a ferpent winding 
 about it, a very old and fignificant emblem of Eternity, efpecially 
 when the tail come^ round to the mouth. Plis eyes are lifted up 
 towards heaven, whither he is carrying M. Aurelius and his con- 
 foi ( ! and on each fide of them appears an eagle flying towards 
 the eaft, the fymbol of deification. At the bottom of the bafe 
 
 on. 
 
[ io 5 J 
 
 times flic has the head of Sol in one hand, and 
 of Luna in the other (which feems to anfwer 
 to our faying, <c as long as the fun and moon 
 " endure") and fometimes Ihe is fitting on a 
 globe, alluding perhaps to the heathen notion 
 of the eternity of the world. Sometimes fhe is 
 reprefented by an elephant, or in a chariot drawn 
 by an elephant, as a long-lived creature - 3 fome- 
 times by a phoenix, or with one, as continually 
 renewed. She appears too with a veil, to fhow 
 fhe is impenetrable. 
 
 The Magnus Annus, or the Great Pla- 
 tonic Year, was a period of many thoufands 
 of years, when all the heavenly bodies, as well 
 as all things on earth, would be jjaft as they 
 were at the creation K This revolution of fo 
 
 on the left hand is the genius (as fuppofed) of Monte Citorio 
 (where the relievo ftood) refting his head againft an obelifk with 
 a ball on the top of it : and on the right is the genius of Rome 
 looking upwards, and holding up her hand as admiring or praying. 
 The Romans, in the attitude of praying, held up the palm > of 
 their hands open, as they do now in Africa. See JEn. i. v. 930 
 (of /fcneas praying) Ibid. ii. v. 6S8. (of Anchifes). 
 
 1 This period, according to Caffini, is 24800 years ; accord- 
 ing to Tycho Brache, 25S16; and, according to Ricciolus, 25920. 
 The conlequence of this renovation of the world would be the 
 return of the golden age 5 and therefore the higheft compliment 
 a poet could pay an emperor was to fay, «« The great period would 
 " be compleated under his reign." The notion of a renovation 
 of the world after a certain period was common among the philo- 
 sophers and roundly aflerted by the Stoics and Platonifts without 
 giving any arguments for it. See Burnet's Theor. B. 4. ch. 3. 
 
 many 
 
[ I0& ■] 
 
 many ages is rcprefented with fome of the attri- 
 butes of eternity itfelf. On a gem of Adrian 
 at Florence, he appears with a fine look and 
 long loofe robe. He holds his right hand up- 
 wards, and has the globe and phcenix in his 
 left. He is inclofed by an oval (not circular) 
 ring, to mow the great round of time over which 
 he prefides m . 
 
 The Sjecula, or Centuries, are mention- 
 ed fometimes personally by the poets, but they 
 do not appear in any of the works of the ar- 
 tifts. 
 
 The Four Ages, or Gradations, of the 
 life of man, infancy, youth, manhood, and old 
 age, are not all fpoken of as perfons by the poets 
 of the better ages. They feem to have divided 
 the life of man into youth (which was carried on 
 to forty-five) and old-age, which may claim all 
 the reft. Of both thefe they fpeak as perfonages 
 and deities". 
 
 The Anni, or Years, are defcribed as per- 
 fons, with a certain gliding and fiient motion, 
 
 ra The infcription of Tcrr.porum "Rejlaurath, fo frequent on me- 
 dals, and that of Saculum u4ureum, on this, had much the fame 
 meaning with Virgil's fine compliment in his famous Eclogue to 
 Pollio. 
 
 n Met. vii. v. 241. Art. Am. 1. ii. v. 6-0. Met. xiv. v. 
 14.3. Hor. Epod. viii. v. 3. Our author here explains a curious 
 antient painting (found at the v ilia Corfini near Rome) 9s re- 
 lating to the four ages of man, Pclym. p. 19c 
 
 There 
 
[ io 7 ] 
 
 There are fome expreiTions which feem to imply, 
 that Annus was reprefented with more dignity, 
 and as moving along (fiiently though fwiftly) in 
 a chariot °. 
 
 The Seasons are all reprefented as perfons, 
 both by artifts and poets p . 
 
 Ver is a youth marked out generally by the 
 coronet of flowers on his head, or the bafket of 
 flowers in his hand. JEstas is crowned with 
 corn, or holds a fickle in his hand. Autumnus 
 is ufually diftinguifhed by his crown of different 
 fruits ; and Hyems by his crown of reeds, by 
 the birds in his hand, or the beaft at his feet; 
 and by his being cloathed when the others are 
 naked q . 
 
 The 
 
 ° Art. Am. iii. v. 62. Cohim. de cult. hort. v. 16c. Faft. 
 iii. v. 44. Stat. iii. Sylv. i. v. 136. Ovid. I. i. el. 8. v. 50. 
 
 Some critics have changed here, out of ignorance, annus into amnis, 
 and equis into aquis. 
 
 p They are often feen all together on relievos, medals and gems. 
 Thus, on a medal of Commodus, they appear moving over a ce- 
 leftial globe, which lies by the goddefs Tellus. The artifts, as 
 well as the poets, have fometimes an eye to the four ages of life 
 ; <i their reprefentaticns of the feafons. See Ovid, Met. xv. 213. 
 where Ver is infantile and tender j ZEftas young and fprightly j 
 Autumnus, mature and manly ; and Hyems, old and decrepid. 
 
 q Met. ii. v. 27, 28. Hor. Epod. ii. v. 18. We may learn 
 feveral ways of the artifts reprefenting the feafons from the poets, 
 which appear not in the works we have. Autumnus was perhaps 
 reprefented fonattimes as pouring fruit from his lap ; fometimes 
 holding a vine-branch with ripe grapes on it in his hand. At o- 
 7 ther 
 
' [ io8 ] 
 
 The Months are fpoken of perfonally by the 
 poets, and particularly December is defcribed 
 in a drunken attitude'. 
 
 Dies, or the Day, was looked on as a divinity, 
 and reprefented fometimes like Sol, in a chariot*. 
 
 Nox, 
 
 ther times he was painted, as all ftalncd from the vintage, and 
 with grey hairs and a wan look. Hyems as old and decrepid 
 fhould be either quite bald, or only with a few grey hairs, his look 
 fhould be rough, melancholy, and fevere. He is flow in his mo- 
 tions and fhivers as he gees. He has icicles on his garments and 
 hoar froft on his head. His retreat in the warmer months was to- 
 wards the north pole, and Virgil defcribes Sol (perhaps from fome 
 pidture or relievo) as driving him out of the fight of men into 
 fome dark gloomy cave. See the following paffages, Virg. Geo. 
 ii. v. 521. Ovid, ex pont. 1. iii. ep. i. v. 13. Colum. de cult, 
 hart. v. 44. Met. ii. v. 29. Met. xv. v. 211, 213. Stat. 1. ii. 
 Sylv. i. v. 217. Met. xv. v. 212. Hor. 1. iv. od. 7. v. 12. 
 Met. xv. v. 212. Met. ii. v. 30. Faft. iii. v. 235. Stat. 1. iv. 
 Sylv. v. v. 6. Virg. Geo. iv. v. 32. Bruma and hyems differ 
 thus : hyems fignifies the three whole winter months, bruma 
 only the fhorteft day or winter folftice. Hence December is 
 called the month of Bruma, Faft. i. v. 164. Mart. 1. viii. ep. 41. 
 Id. vii. ep. 95. Id. iii. ep. 38. Lucretius's defcription of the 
 Seafons is one of his fineft paffages, and feems to have been co- 
 pied from fome antient proceffion. Not one of his allegories is 
 conducted fo regularly as this, which makes it probable he did not 
 invent, but copy it, Lucr. V. v. 746. Algus here feems to fig- 
 nify extreme cold, or fhivering with cold, reprefented as a perfon— 
 Crepitans ac dentibus Algus. 
 
 r The Saturnalia were then celebrated, Stat. 1. iii. Sylv. 1. v. 
 19. Id. Sylv. vi. v. 7. 
 
 s Plaut. Bacchid. ad. ii. fc. 3. Met. ii. v. 25. Faft. V. v. 
 550. Faft, vi. v. 772. There was an early diftinclion of the 
 
 civil 
 
[ i°9 ] 
 
 Nox, or the Night, is more diftin<£Hy menti- 
 oned in a perfonal character. She is crowned with 
 poppies, and perhaps fometimes with flars. Her 
 appearance has fomething venerable and majeftic ; 
 the has large dark wings, and a long robe. She is 
 reprefented as riding in a chariot drawn by two 
 black horfes, and every part of her ftage is de- 
 fcribed by fomepoet or other 
 
 The beginning of day-break was probably cha- 
 racterifed under the perfon of Phosphorus ; as 
 the time from thence to fun-rifing belonged to 
 Aurora, or the Morning, who is varioufly de- 
 fcribed, though without confunon. If we may 
 judge by the poets, her complexion was fuited by 
 the painters to the occafion. It was fometimes 
 of a lively red, fometimes pale, and fometimes 
 more or lefs brown, according to the fort of 
 morning they intended to reprefent. Her fkin 
 (in their more beautiful pictures) fhould be co- 
 loured like that of Venus Marina by Apelles, with 
 fomething not unlike the humid caft, for which 
 
 civil day from midnight to midnight, and the natural day from 
 fun-rife to fun-fet, Plin. Nat. Hift. 1. ii. c. 49. Virgil, fpeaking 
 of the civil day, calls it oriens, a name not ufed much in his time, 
 byt which he chofe as more proper than fol, or even dies, would 
 have been, JEn. V. v. 740. 
 
 t Faft. iv. v. 660. Met. xv. v. 31. 73. Man. V. v. 60. 
 JE.n. viii. v. 369. Sil. xv. v. 285. Stat. Theb. ii. v. 528. Stat. 
 Theb. iii. v. 33. JEn. V. v. 721. Met* iv. v. 92. ./En. V. 
 v. 837. Hor. ii. fat. 6. v. ioi. Stat. Theb. iii. v. 2. 33. 
 Met. ii. v. 143. Tib. ii. el. 1. v. 90. The Egyptians called 
 Nox the moft antient of the gods. 
 
 7 that 
 
[ »e ] 
 
 that picture was fo remarkable. Her robe fhould 
 be of a pale bright yellow, and (he fhould have 
 in her hand either a whip or a torch. Her cha- 
 riot fhould be of a fine rofe colour with pearls 
 of dew upon it, and the horfes cream coloured 
 or ftrawberry u . 
 
 Hesperus, or the Evening, is the fame with 
 Phofphorus, or Lucifer, only with different attri- 
 butes. The poets, as has been faid, give him a 
 black horfe as Hefperus, and as Phofphorus a 
 white one. The artifts diftinguifh him by a torch 
 when he is the fore-runner of Sol w . 
 
 The Horje, or Hours, are reprefented by the 
 poets in fine coloured or embroidered robes, glid- 
 
 u See the following pnffages, Ovid. Art. Am. iii. v. 84. Met. 
 vii. v. 705. Vir. Geo. i. v. 447. Stat. Theb. vi. v. 27. Faft. 
 
 iii. v. 404. Ovid. 1. i. el. 13. v. 2. 10. Manus purpurea here 
 anfwers to the Greek pofofciiflvhos. Ovid, in fpeaking perfonally 
 of Aurora, calls her Rofcida (Confol. ad Liv. v. 2S2.) Even 
 her "hair too, like Venus's, might be painted dropping, Faft. iii. 
 v. 404. Stat. Theb. ii. v. 136. De Art. Am. iii. v. 1S0. Fail. 
 
 iv. v. 714. That iutta fignifies a pale yellow, or fulphur-colour, 
 is plain from Ovid, Met. xv. v. 351. Stat. J. v. Sylv. 4. v. 10. 
 Faft. iv. v. 944. Faft. V. v. 160. JEn. vii. v. 26. ALn. xii. 
 
 v. 77. Ovid. 1. i. el. 13. v. 2. Faft. iv. v. 712. Met. vii. v. c 
 704. Met. xv. v. 191. Met. ii. v. 145. This goddefs feems to 
 have been reprefented as driving Nox and Somnus from her pre- 
 tence (Stat. Theb. vi. v. 27.) and chacing the conftellaticns out 
 of heaven (Stat. Theb. viii. v. 274.) The laft feems to be a ridi- 
 culous fubjeel for a picture, as the other might be a fine one. 
 
 v Cic. de nat. deo, 1. ii. p. 37. Faft. ii. v. 312. Met. xv. 
 v. 190. 
 
 ing 
 
[ III ] 
 
 ing on with a quick and eafy motion as they appear 
 in Guido's Aurora, Ovid mentions them as 
 (landing at equal diftances about the throne of 
 Sol. Others make them attend that deity at his 
 fetting out, or at his coming in. Ail agree in 
 deicribing them as attendants on Sol ; and 
 therefore it was that fome of them were always 
 fhtioned with Janus at the gate of heaven, as 
 ready to accompany the chariot of Sol In his daily 
 eourfe x . 
 
 Janus prefuled over the gates of heaven, and 
 was therefore reprefented fometimcs with a flarF 
 in one hand, and a key in the other. When 
 fupplications were made to any god, Janus was 
 firft invoked, becaufe it is he who was to give 
 accefs to the prayers, even to Jupiter y . He was 
 conlidered as the rnoft ancient of beings, and as 
 
 x Faft. V. v. Stat. TheV. iii. v. 41*. Met. ii. v. 119. 
 
 This gliding motion is attributed to all the deit es prefiding over 
 any part of time, Ovid, de Art. Am. iii. v. 65. Met. ii. v. 26. 
 Fl.xc. iv. v. 94. Stat- Theb. iii. v. 414. There is a known re- 
 lievo at Rome, (published by Bartcli in his Admiranda) the 
 figures wh.reof have been taken only for fo many iad;es dancing 
 ^or their own diverfien 5 but our author takes them to be the 
 Horse, from their pof.tion r.r.d attitudes. Their hands are mu- 
 tually joined, tl.ey are placed in a ftrait line 5 fome feem coming 
 towards you, and ether* going from you, and they ftand it equal 
 diH:arces 5 all which agrees with the manner in which the hours 
 flic u Id be reprefented. 
 
 >' Fait. i. v. 125, Macrcb. Saturn, t. i. c. 9. Faft. i. v. 96. 
 Juv. iac. si. v. 393. 
 
 H comprehending 
 
[ m J 
 
 comprehending the whole univerfe. In the 
 Saltan verfes he had the title of the God of 
 Gods K 
 
 Janus is diftin guifbed by his double form. He 
 had fometimes two, and fometimes four bodies, 
 given him. His bulls, or two heads, are very 
 
 * Poffibly in their molt fecret mythology, t!iey might mean 
 Space by this deity. An cpen arch, or an opening, was called 
 | anus j as the opening to a houfe was named Janua. As this 
 /hews his relation to Space, fo his including ail things /hows his 
 relation to infinite fpace. His repitfenting Space may account 
 for the epithet Jundtiins, Juno among the Romans fighi lying the 
 air. His name Patulrius might relate to the fame idea, Macr. 
 Sat. 1. i. 9. 
 
 a Hence he is called Geminus j and hence Statius, in a moft 
 ridiculous defctiption. makes Janus lift up all his hands, and 
 ipeak with both his mouths at onse, Stat. iv. Sylv. i. v. 20. 
 3 here is a bull of Janus Quadriformis on a bridge at Rome, from 
 whence the place is called Quaffe Cufite. In fome figures of 
 him on medals, he has but one body with four heads. Under 
 this fort of figure, which looks every way, they meant perhaps 
 to exprefs his prefiding over Space ; as his figures with two 
 faces, one looking backward, and the other forward, might de- 
 note his prefiding over Time, Mart. 1. vjii. ep. 8. As the be- 
 ginning of the year was under the difpofition of Janus, fo the 
 entrance into the confulfhip was of courfe under his proteclicri. 
 This is frequenciy alluded to by the poets. Hence he has in 
 fome figures the confuhr fafces in his hands. Claudian, in his 
 defcription of a venerable old perfonage in his cave of eternity, 
 whether he means Janus or Time, has given him attributes, which 
 the poets of the allowed ages had no idea of. See the whole re- 
 markable paiiage, De laud. Stil. ii. v. 457. 
 
 common 5 
 
[ "3 ] 
 
 common efpedarty on the medals which have 
 the double head of Janus on one fide, and part 
 of a (hip on the other \ His feees in all the an- 
 tiques are both alike, and both old ; and yet force 
 moderns, even in Italy, give Janns a young and 
 an old face, exprefsly contrary to what Ovid 
 fays. 
 
 Janus's prefiding over peace and war has n6 
 relation to his mythological character as the god 
 of fpacc or time ; but was wholly founded upon 
 an old Roman legend c . 
 
 b Thefe were fo very - lei, that hi- Ovid's time the figures- were 
 almoiT worn out with age, Faft. i. v. 235. Their numbers now 
 make them not valued. Was there but one Left, it would cioubtlefs 
 be deemed as great a treafure as an Otho ; efpecially as they are ft* 
 much talked of by the petti, from whom it may be proved, that 
 the Roman children played with them at beads or /7.//J, as cur's 
 do now at crrjs or pile, Macrob. Saturn. 1. i. c. 7. 
 
 c As the Romans were engaged with the Sablnes near one of 
 their g:-tes, the soldiers left to guard the city, fhut up the gate 
 for fear oi the woric. The gate immediately opened again of it- 
 feif. This was repeated (Several limes. Mean while there came 
 a fudden alarm, that the Romans were entirely defeated. The 
 guard, fcized with a panic, ftcd away, leaving the gate wide 
 open. Scon a; tor fome Sal-ire troops advancing, hafxnod to the 
 gate, when lo ! a fudden deed of water i:Tued out of janus's tem- 
 ple, and rulhing on through the gate, overwhelmed them ail. 
 As a memorial, the gate was called jamiaiis j and in all their 
 wars the gales of janus's temple were left cpen, for the god to 
 come out the more eaiily to their alTiftance, This cuftom of 
 opening the ga:es in war, and fhutting them in peace, probably 
 gave the Etonians t!ie thoughts <.i placing in janus's temple the 
 it % ' ftatuc» 
 
[ "4 ] 
 
 ftatuts of peace and war ; as that gave the poets the idea of war 
 being confined, and peace itemed by Janus, who other wife would 
 hive had nothing to do with them. This legend was probably 
 believed by the- vulgar, like thofe of the Roman catholics, but 
 the wifer fort, particularly Virgil, was of another opinion, as 
 appears from the much earlier account he gives of this matter, 
 /En. vii. v. 601 — 622. See Macrob. Saturn. 1. i. c, 9. 
 
 BOOK 
 
[ H5 ] 
 
 BOOK V. 
 
 The BEINGS fuppofid to inhabit the AIR. 
 
 AS the figures of the winds are very fcarce, 
 even in luly a , recourfe is here had to the 
 Greek reprefen tat ions of the wind-deities, in 
 the famous temple at Athens b . 
 
 Thefe deities are all flying on, hut with more 
 or lefs fwiftnefs, according to the different effects 
 each wind has in thofe parts.-— I. Solanus, or 
 the east-wind, holds feveral forts of fruits in 
 
 a One or two appear on fome relievos of the fall of Photon. 
 The four capital ones were found (about two centuries ago) m 
 digging to lay the foundation of St. Lorenzo in Lucina, which, 
 by the careleflhefs of the monks, are entirely left. The only good 
 one is in the Capitoiine-gallery. • 
 
 b The antients (as Vitruvius cbferves 1. i. c. 2.) with great pro- 
 priety adapted the temples, to the character of the deities, to 
 whom they were dedicated. The temple of Venus was to be 
 • beautiful, and Juno's majeftical j Hercules looked beft in one o.' 
 the Doric order, which would have been improper for a Zephyr. 
 The tower of the winds at Athens (fo much talked of by travel- 
 lers) was a beautiful octagon. Cn the top of it flood a marble 
 pyramid, with a brazen triton on the point of it, holding a 
 fwitch in his right hand, wherewith, as he turned about, he 
 pointed at the wind then blowing. r J he tower remains entire, the 
 weather-cock excepted. On each fide is a figure, extremely 
 well carved, of a wind, reprefenting the nature of that wind for 
 which it is deligned. 
 
 H 3 his 
 
£ ] 
 
 his lap; mofl of which (if not all) were of fo- 
 reign growth, and brought to Greece from the 
 eaft. — 2. Eurus, or the south east, is fly- 
 ing on rather mere irr petuoully, as appears by the 
 agitation of his garments. — 3. Auster, or the 
 s^uth-wind, ant!, — 4. Africus, or the souths 
 west. Thefe are all reprefenrcd as young, larger 
 than the life, and bending forward, — 5. Ze- 
 phyrus, or the western wind, is a beauti- 
 ful youth, almoft naked, and gliding on with 
 the gentlerr. motion, with a little bafket of fpring- 
 flo.wer^ in his hand. — 6. Cor us, or the north- 
 WEbT, is etderly, and with a beard. He is cfrefled 
 fo as to defend him againft the cold, and pours 
 water from a vafe in his hand. — 7. Septentrio, 
 or the north- wind, refeniMes Corus in age and 
 drefs, but has no vafe, and as more afFecled with 
 the cold he holds up his mantle before his nofe 
 and mouth. — 8. Aquilo, or the north-east, 
 is elderly too. He holds a plate of olives in 
 his hands, which grow in great plenty about 
 Athens. 
 
 The Romans, in Pliny's time, chiefly followed 
 this divifion of the winds, with a farther fub- ( 
 divifion into twelve c . but the mo ft ancient, and 
 which was fallowed by the Roman poets, was 
 the divifion into four. There are others indeed 
 mentioned, but thefe four deities of the winds 
 are conflicted by them as the chief of all the 
 reft. 
 
 « Plin. Nut. Hift. I. ii. c. 47. 
 
 1. Eurus, 
 
t "7 J 
 
 t. Eurus, or the genius of the east-wind 
 prcfided over all the eaftern quarter of the hea- 
 vens. By one defcription, he looks as delighted ; 
 and in another, he is playful, or wanton. He is 
 fometimes impetuous, and fometimes difordered 
 with the ftorm he has been driving along the lea. 
 From fomc exprefiions he fcems to have been re- 
 prefented on horfeback, or perhaps in a chariot 
 whirling through the air d . 
 
 2. Auster, or Notus, the genius of the 
 SDPTK-WIND, was the chief director of the fouth. 
 He is defcribed as large, and old, with grey hair ; 
 of a gloomy countenance, with clouds about his 
 head, and as the difper.fer of heavy fnowers and 
 great rains. He has d-Ufky wings, and a full dark 
 robe e . 
 
 d M«t. i. v. 66. JEn, ii. v. 417. Ovid. Her. Ep. if. v, 44. 
 Hor. 1. iv. od. 4. v. 44. Flac. Afg. i. v. 613. In tquh f:g- 
 nifies a perfon's being in a chariot 5 and fo may tqu'iare toe. 
 Equ\ feems to imply the fame ; when ufed of the winds. See 
 Flac. Arg. i. v. 611. and /En. ii. v. 417. 
 
 e Met. i. v. 268. Oyid means his robe here by the word Jit: us, 
 which fignifies a flowing robe. Kence jinus fiaentes, Ain. i, v. 32®. 
 Volumina is ufed for a large robe, Stat. 1 heb. i. v. 352. Vireil 
 feems to allude to the glocmincfo of his countenance when he 
 fays, S^uld cog'uet famidus euflcr, Geo. i. v. 462. Some com- 
 mentators (never considering the wind to a perianal character) 
 are for changing ccghet into co>at or c catitot, -without the leaft 
 authority. See ftveral defciiptioiib of Aufter, Vir. Geo. iii. v. 
 279. Flac. Arg. i. v. 612. Juv. Sat. V. v. 101. Thefe feem to 
 alhidc to fome paintings of old, oi are at leaft good hints for a 
 pidtur:: now. 
 
 H 4 3. Zephyr us,. 
 
T "8 ] 
 
 Zephyrus, or the west-wind, prefidcd 
 over the weft, and is the mildeft of all the wind- 
 deities. His perform character is youth and 
 gentlenefs. Ovid defcrioes him, with the Zephyrs 
 his attendants, as talcing ctc of the flowers that 
 adorned the earth in the golden age. Lucretius, 
 in his proceiiion of the feafons, makes Zephyrus 
 and Flora joint attendants of the fpring ; and 
 Ovid defcribes his falling in love with Flora, 
 which ended in a marriage f . 
 
 4. Boreas, or the north-wind, directed 
 the north, and was the rougheil of them all. 
 From the coidnefs of the climate over which he 
 prefided, he is called c< the fhivcring tyrant.'* 
 Ovid fays he is aim oft: always rough, and in a 
 palEon j and defcribes him in the account of his 
 rape on Oritbya, as hardening fnow and difpen- 
 fing hail-ftones ; as one great caufe of lightening 
 and thunder, and the fole caufe of earthquakes. 
 He fays that he moves on, encompafifed with dark 
 clouds in the heavens, and in a thick cloud of duft 
 over the earth g . 
 
 f Flac. Arg. i. v. 6i~. Met. i. v. icS. Lncr. V. v. 736. 
 Faft. V. v. 212. 
 
 S Met. vi. v. 71 1. 6S6. jcj. This defcription of the charac- 
 ters of the four principal deities of the winds would make a good 
 contraft in a piclure. Eurus mould be of a lively and brifk air — 
 Aufter, gloomy and aged— Zephyru?, young and charming — 
 Bcreas, old and angry. 
 
 Of 
 
E "9 I 
 
 Of the other four winds, in the divifion of 
 eight, Solanus is not mentioned by the Roman 
 poets, who feem to have given up his place 
 entirely to Eurus. Africus, or the fouth-weft, 
 is defcribed as having dark wings, and Corus, or 
 the north-weft, as fpreading out his dufky pinions, 
 and driving on a ftbrm of fnow againft Hannibal 
 in his pafiage over the Alps. Ovid fpeaks of 
 Hyems as trembling at the prefence of Aquila, or 
 the north-eart h . 
 
 Thefe wind deities were all brothers, fons of 
 Aflraeus, the elder brother of Saturn, by Au- 
 rora. Though the poets generally reprefent 
 them with wing$, in the few remains of the artifts 
 they i.a\e ibmctirnes none. Their ufual manner 
 of blowing was not by diverting their faces fo as 
 our modern painters and fculptors imagine. They 
 are defcribed with fLbra or wreathed trumpets to 
 blow with, not unlike the twilled fhelis of the 
 7'ritons j . 
 
 Befides the general attributes of wings and 
 flabra, the particular deities of the winds had 
 
 k Sil. xii. v. 6i3. Sil. ill. v. 524. Cvid, Ibis, v. 201. 
 
 i Faft. V. v. 203. Met. i. v. 60. They are winged on a Sar- 
 cophagus, reprefenting the fall of Phaton in the Boivbcfe <r,\r~ 
 dens, and without wings on the ara ventcrum in the Cr.pit.Jine 
 gallery ;it Rome. '1 ) ;e attribute of the Fiabruni is .hinted at by 
 Ybme of the poets and exprefiy fpcktr: of by others, Met. i. 
 v. 59. Propcrt. 1. ii. el. 27. v. 12. Luc/, vi. v. 417. Petion. 
 p. 2^9. 
 
 H 5 ethers, ' 
 
[ i*o ] 
 
 others, according to their refpective characters ; 
 fuch as the little vafe, or water- pot, which, in the 
 hand of a wind-deicy, denoted the rain he brought 
 with him. Auft'er probably (like the Athenian 
 Corus) was fo reprefented k . 
 
 The AuRiE, or AIR-nymphs, are marked 
 out by the veil which they hold in their hands 
 and which flutters arch-wife over their heads'. 
 
 k Stat. Theb. i. v. 352. The fmaHnefs of the vafe dees not 
 hinder it's fignify'ng heavy fhowers : for Aquarius (who was ft p- 
 pofed to be the caufe of the heavy rains about the winrer-fclrtice) 
 has fuch an one on the Farnefe- globe, Her. 1. i. Sat, i. v. 36. 
 Vir. Geo. i. v. 211. This vafe perhaps is the fame with the 
 Reman ureeut x \ notwjthAandipg the fmaJintfs erf which, Petro- 
 nius ufes the exprefficn. Nimbus urceat'm detumcm, for a violent 
 fhower. The vafe only fhows that the rain poured down, not 
 in drops, but in a continued fiKeam. It is probable there v. tr« 
 many ethers under each of thefe principal winds, who had their 
 name from their chief, and fome who were dHtinguifhed with 
 particular names, fuch as Vulturnus, and the Etefis, or gentler 
 fcrt of northern gales, i*En. iii. v. 12c. Geo, ii. v. 339. ^En. 
 i. v. 52. Gee. ii. v. 334. Lucr. V. v. 74/}. 741. Hor. 1. iv. od. 
 12. v. 4. ry comparing Lucretius and Horace together, the 
 Itefian or Thracian gales might blow about the clofe of the 
 fpring. Cicero, in fpeaking of the Etefian gales, ufes expreffions 
 which would be fcarce juftifiable, unlefs grounded on the winds 
 being reprefented as perfons among the Romans. See Cic. 1. xfu ( 
 ep. 25. 
 
 1 That the Romans ufed the word aura perfonally, is evi- 
 dent from Pliny, nat. hlft. 1. xxxvi. c. 5. where he fpeaks 
 of the ftatues of the two Aura; j and from the ftory of Cephaius 
 and I J rocris : for, if Aura had not fignified a young lady, as 
 weil as a gentle breeze, Cephalus's faying, Aura vent, could not 
 have made Precris jealous, Met. vii. v. 823. Our word air fig- 
 nifies the element, and never a perfon— Sylph means always a 
 j>erfon — Zephyr is ufed for both, 
 
 7 Though 
 
L m J 
 
 Though thefe deities are not to be found in any 
 ftatues, they are very often to be met with in 
 the paintings of the antients, and efpecially on 
 cielings, the propereft place for them m . There 
 is no great variety in the characters of thefe 
 nymphs. They are all light and airy, generally 
 with long robes, and in the attitude of flying, 
 fome with, and fome without, wings. They 
 flutter about as diverting themfelves in the light 
 and pleafing element afligned to them. In fliort, 
 they are all fo many Sylphs, fportive happy- 
 beings in themfelves, and well-wifhers to man- 
 kind n . 
 
 H 6 Over 
 
 ■ 1 here were a great many drawings of them in Dr. Mead's 
 coilefticn, which were taken by Bartoli on the fpot, as the 
 paintings were difcovered. 
 
 a From what is faid here and elfewhere* one may learn, that 
 the Romans madf perfens of ideas and things, which we have 
 not been ufed to'confider in that light. In thje prefent cafe, be- 
 fides the number of winds, and of breezes, which are turned into 
 gods and godderTes, they had other fuppofed inhabitants of the 
 air. The winds, in their fcheme, were capable of having fens 
 and daughters; (Met. \\. v. 713.) and who can determine how 
 far their families might run on ? Every cloud might be a goddefs ; 
 which would account for Juno's cheating Jxion, as the fuppofing 
 Aura a pe;fon, does for the jealoufy of Procris. Bad weather, 
 as well as good, were divinities 5 and ther« were fet forms of 
 prayer even to tempefts. Dark and damp weather, frolt, cold,, 
 and heat, are fpoken of as perfons. ^'.n. Iii. v. 120. Cic. de 
 nat. deor. 1. iii. p. 7c. Flacc. Arg. i. v. 6:4. Lucr. V. v. 745. 
 746. 740. Ariflophanes introduces the clouds as perfens, or 
 
 (.loud- 
 
[ 122 ] 
 
 Over all thefe inhabitants of the air, proper 
 rulers were placed by the poets. Over the rougher 
 winds prefided ./Eolus, who appears not in any 
 gem, medal, relievo, or picture, of the anti- 
 ents. They defcribe him of an angry temper, 
 ami rough look, fitting in a vaft cave, with 
 his fubjecls fettered, or chained down about him. 
 Thefe he was fuppofed to let out for a ftorm, and 
 to fhut them up again after it °. 
 
 Juno prefided over the air ; and in that cha- 
 racter {he is rcprefented on a Greek medal, in a 
 light car drawn by peacocks p . The Aurae, or 
 air nymphs, may very well be fuppofed to be her 
 fubjecls 
 
 cloud-nymphs, one of which was mother to Phryxus and Helie. 
 Met. xi. v. 195. Thunder and lightning were reprefented as 
 perfons by the bert Greek painters, Plin. 1. xxxv. c. ic. 
 
 ° Ovid, Ker. Ep. xi. v. 15. JEn \. v. 57. Flac. Arg. i. 
 ver. 597. 610. 654. /En. i. v. 81. 140. Juvenal, in his fa- 
 tire againft Xerxes, fays, he was a greater tyrant than JE lus ; 
 for, not content with whipping Corus and Eurus, he fettered 
 their presiding gcd, Sat. x. v. 182. 
 
 P She appears on the medal as al;ncfr naked, whereas the Ro- < 
 mans dreffed her like their own matrons. It is obfervable, that 
 the epithet of xtux.uKtv®' given to Juno by Homer, is never imi- 
 tated by any Latin pcets. 
 
 q When, therefore, Virgil makes her fpeak of the fourteen 
 nymphs, her chofen attendants, they were, probably, fo many 
 Aura*, efpecially as fhe offers one of them for a wife to /Eclus. 
 An. i. v. 75. 
 
 Jupiter 
 
[ "3 1 
 
 Tu piter is almoft as well known for being a 
 chief ruler of the air, as for being the hufband of 
 Juno. His province was to direct the rains, the 
 thunders and lightenings. The figures of Jupi- 
 ter, as difpenfing thunder and lightening, have 
 already been confidered. 
 
 The Jupiter Pluvius, or the difpenfer of 
 rain, is no where rcprefented, except on a medal 
 (where he is feated in the clouds, holding up his 
 right hand, and pouring down a ftream of hail 
 and rain from it on the earth, while his fulmen 
 is held down in his left) and on the Trajan and 
 Antonine pillars. On this laft, as well as on the 
 medal, he appears with an elderly and fedate 
 look ; and holds out his arms almoft in a ftraight 
 line each way. The wings given him on the 
 pillar relate to the original and principal cha- 
 racter of Jupiter, of prefiding over the air. His 
 hair and beard are all fpread down by the rain, 
 which defcends in a fheet from him, and falls for 
 the refrefhment of the Romans, whilft their ene- 
 mies are reprefented as {truck with the lighten- 
 ings, and lying dead before them r . 
 
 There 
 
 t This reprefentation was in memory of the great deliverance 
 of M. Aurelius, in a battle with the Marcomani. The Romans 
 being almoft fpent with heat and thirft, and cn the point of being 
 defeated, on a fudden the flcy was overcaft, and a violent mower 
 fell, which greatly refreihed the Romans ; at the fame time 
 that the lightenings (which feemed to point at their enemies 
 breafts) helped to intimidate and defeat them. This had fo 
 
 much* 
 
[ "4 ] 
 
 There was fcarce any character of Jupiter that 
 
 was more capable of giving fublime ideas to the 
 artift than this of the Jupiter Pluvius. For though 
 on the medal and Antonine pillar, he is all calm 
 and ftill, yet on the Trajan he appears much 
 more agitated; and the Roman poets (whofe 
 works are counter-parts to thofe of the artifts) 
 net only fpeak of Jupiter as defcending in violent 
 {bowers, but as all ruffled too with the winds 
 
 that 
 
 much the air of a miracle, that it has been challenged as fuch 
 both by Chriftian and heathen writers. 
 
 This Jupiter Pluvius may help to explain a pafTage of Lucan, 
 {peaking of the power of the Theflalian witches, — nelulai nlm- 
 Icfque joluth eieettffkft cUfnh : where he meant to defcribe them net 
 only with their hair loefe, but as pouring the mowers from it, as 
 Jupiter is reprefented, Lucan, h vi. -',69. 
 
 That Jupiter often affified their armies by fudden ftorms of rain 
 was a notion early received by the Romans . Livy mentions two in* 
 fiances, one in the 284th. \ear cf the city (1. ii. cap. 62.) and another 
 againft Hannibal, when he had drawn up his army before the 
 gates of Rome. This, by the hiftorians, was reckoned fuper- 
 natural. Livy, 1. xxvi. cap. 11. Flcr. 1. ii. cap. 9. SiltuS af- 
 fcribes it to Jupiter Capitciirus, Sil. xii. v. 625. Bclidcs the 
 figure of Jupiter in his chief temple there was another, on the 
 cutfide of it, on the tcp of the dome, (landing in his chariot, 
 and, probably, with the fulmen in his hand. Siiius makes him 
 difchargc this at Hannibal, as Flcius feems to make the ftorm 
 come from the fame quarter. By what icllows in Siiius, this 
 figure held the i^gis in his left hand; Siiius, xii. v. 725. This 
 was one of the oldefl ftatues in Rome, and was hrft made of 
 earth, but was afterwards caft in feme richer metal. Plin. nat, 
 hi ft. L xxxv. c:.p. ia. Liv. 1. x. cap. 23, 
 
[ I2 5 1 
 
 tliat ufually attend them s . Silius writes quite 
 into poetry, when he is treating this fubjecl: : and 
 one of the fineft paffages in the iEneid relates to 
 the fame. It is where Evander is pointing out 
 the Gapitoltne-hil] to iEneas, which Virgil fup- 
 pofes Jupiter to have chofen for his peculiar refi- 
 dence, before his temple, or even Rome, was 
 built. The poet defcribes his appearance there 
 in all the majefty of clouds and darknefs l . 
 
 Iris, or the genius of the rain-bow, was 
 reckoned the daughter of Thaumas, or admira- 
 tion The poets fpeak of her .both as hand- 
 fomc, and as finely drefied. They make her the 
 mefTenger of Juno, as Triton was of Neptune, 
 
 OF 
 
 » Virg. Geo. i. v. 413. Hor. 1. \. od. 16. v. 12. /En. ix. 
 v. 671. 
 
 t JEn. viii. v. 354. ""See Milt. Par. Loft. ii. ver. 268. Deuter. 
 iv. 11. See Pfal. xviii. v. 7— 11. where the majefty of darknefs 
 is rnoft fublimely exprefled. Indeed the idea of darknefs is, in 
 itfelf, exceedingly fit for majefty. There is fcarce any thing of a 
 more folemn and venerable turn than the profound ftillnefs of 
 midnight. And this, probably, was yet more ftriking to the 
 heathens of old, fcr they (befides what they naturally felt, as 
 well as we) looked upon daiknefs as one of the moil antient and: 
 refpeclabl* of ail their deities. Several nations held Nox and 
 Chaos to be the cldeft of their gods. Virg. Geo., iv. v. 347, 
 Faft. i. v. 455. Ovid. Ibis, v. 73. 
 
 m Met. xii. v. 303. The pcets call her Tbaumantis, ansf 
 Tbaumantia Virgo, quia (fays Cicero) fpeciem habet adrnirabilern* 
 De nat, deor. jii, p. 7c, 
 
[ 126 ] 
 
 or Mercury of Jupiter. She has wings to fhow 
 her difpatch. She is largely defcribed by Statius 
 with a zone, which has all the beautiful colours 
 we fo much admire in the rainbow w . 
 
 The goddefs Fame is defcribed by the poets 
 as winged, and hurrying on with a bufy motion. 
 Virgil makes her a growing figure ; a thing be- 
 yond the power of painting or fculpture to ex- 
 prefs, and which is even hard to conceive x . He 
 gives her a great many eyes, ears, tongues, and 
 mouths, fo may well call her (as he does) a hor- 
 rid goddefs, and a monfler. Statius drefTes her 
 in a robe, wrought all over with murders, bat- 
 tles, and fieges. Ovid defcribes her court and 
 attendants. He places her palace in the middle 
 of the world, between heaven and earth, where 
 
 me 
 
 w JEr\. ix. v. 5. 15. Met. i. v. 27c. Stat. Th«b, x. v. S3, 
 123. She is reprefented in the Vatican VrrgH in the attitude of 
 flying to deliver a meffage from Juno to Turn us. She has a 
 glory round her head, is furrounded with clouds, with a veil 
 which fhe holds in each hand, and which circles over her head, 
 as emblems of her bow, and of her being an inhabitant of the 
 air. 
 
 x See JEn. iv. 1-7. 1S0. Ib. ix. v. 474. Stat. Theb. ii. 
 v. 209. There are but two irftanees, betides this, of growing 
 figures. They are both in Virgil ; cne relates to Tifiphone 
 (Geo, Hi. v. 553.) and the other to Alc&o ; where he fays, " as 
 « that fury looked at TurtlUS, htr face gr;<w larger arj larger 
 JEn. vii. v. 448. This is, perhaps, the greatetf inftance of ima- 
 gination in all his works. There is a little brafs ftatue of Fame 
 at Florence, with its wings fpread out, the upper part of which 
 is ftudded with eyes. 
 
 7 
 
[ 127 ] 
 
 fhe fees all that pafies therein. Virgil fays (he 
 flies about by night, and fits on her palace, or 
 other eminence, by day K 
 
 7 JEn. iv. v. 183. It is likely fome low painters of old (like 
 fome moderns) reprefented Fame with eyes and ears all over her 
 body, even to her fingers' ends ; for which Lutian fe^ms to ri- 
 dicule them, T. ii. p. 765. /En. iv. v. 195. 181. Stat. The!:, 
 iii. v. 431. Fame is here reprefented as running on before the 
 chariot of Mars, which is driven by Bellcna. Thcb. vif, v. 73. 
 Met. xii. 55. 61. 43 t. /En. iv. v. 187. Mars (as all the great 
 warriors of old) had one to dri\e, that he himfdf may be at full 
 liberty to fight. 
 
 BOOK 
 
[ 128 ] 
 
 BOOK VI. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 The DEITIES of the WATERS. 
 
 f | H H E different ranks fettled among the an- 
 cients for the water-deities have not been 
 put in fo clear a light as they might eafiJy have 
 been. They may be all dlfpofed in the following 
 manner: i. Oceanus and Tethys as governors of 
 the whole world of waters ; and Neptune and 
 Amphytrite as rulers of tHc Mediterranean, or 
 inland, feas, with the Venus Marina. 2. Tri- 
 ton, Proteus, and Glaucus. 3. The progeny 
 of Oceanus, as Nereus, Doris, and all the 
 Oceanitides. 4. The Neptunines, or Neptune's 
 descendants. 5, The Nereids, or defcendants of 
 Nereus. 6. The adventitious or made gods, fuch 
 as Ino, Pala^mon, and the like. 
 
 Oceanus and his wi r e Tethys, the rulers of , 
 the watery world, are both fpoken of by the poets; 
 but they fay little that is defcriptive of them 2 . 
 There is no figure of Tethys ; but Oceanus 
 probably is represented on farcophagufes, where- 
 
 a Virg. Geo. iv. ver. 3S2. Catull. ad Gel!. 85. ver. 6. Virg. 
 Geo. i. vtr. 31. Faft. V. ver. %%. Met. ii. ver, 513. 
 
 ever 
 
[ ] 
 
 ever Tell us and a water deity are oppofcd to one 
 another, and on relievos, where the tour elements 
 are exprefTed by perfons. 
 
 Neptune, on a common medal of Adrian, is 
 {landing, as he was generally reprefented, with 
 his trident in his right-hand. This was his pe- 
 culiar fceptre, and Teems to be ufeJ by him chiefly 
 to rouze up the waves : but he femetimes laid it 
 afide, when he was to appeafe them, though he 
 refumed it on occasion b . He holds a dolphin in 
 his left hand, and refts one of his feet on part of 
 a ihip, to (how he pre fides over the inland feas, 
 more particularly over the Mediterranean, which 
 was the great and alrnoft only fcene for navigation 
 among the Greeks and Romans. His afpeel: is 
 majeftic and ferene (as it is in all his good figures) 
 and is fo defcribed by Virgil, even when he is 
 reprefented as in a paflion c . • 
 
 The poets have generally delighted in deferr- 
 ing Neptune as paffing over the calm furface of 
 
 the 
 
 b Met. vi. ver. 77. Flacc. Arg. i. ver. 680. Met. xii. ver. 
 580. The trident is called triplex caff-is, and Neptune himfelf 
 Triden/ijer. Met. xii. \er. 594. viii. 595. Met. i. ver. 331. 
 Virgil makes him (hake Troy to its foundation with his trident, 
 /T.n. ii. ver. 612. and Ovid fays, that with the firoke of it, 
 the waters of the earth were let loofe for the general deluge. 
 Met. i. ver. 284. 
 
 c See V2I. Max. Mem. Kb. viii. cap. 11. Met. viii. ver. 604. 
 /En. i. ver. 127. Juvenal (fat. xiii. ver. 81.) calls him Pater 
 Mgeii becaufe his chief refidence was in a cave in the port of 
 r i *naios in that fca* Stat. 1 heo ii. \er. 47. 
 
[ 13° 3 
 
 the waters, in his chariot, drawn by fca-horfes, 
 with a Triton fometimes on each fide, as guiding 
 thoie that draw the chariot d . 
 
 Amphitrite, the wife of Neptune, is no 
 where exprefsly defcribed, as a perfon, by the 
 poets ; neither is there any undoubted f.gure of 
 her, though fhe feems to be reprefented fometimes 
 with Neptune in his chariot 6 . 
 
 The Venus marina, or Sea-Venus, called 
 by the Greeks, Venus Anaduomene, ought to 
 be placed in the highf.fi elafs of the deities of 
 the lea, in refpeel to her more exalted character 
 when confidered among the great cekftial deities. 
 The moft celebrated picture in ail antiquity 
 was that of this Goddefs, by Apelles f . Though 
 
 d The fine original defcription is in Homer, from whence 
 VirgU and Statius have copied it. JEn. i. v. 155. Stat. Achil. 
 i. v. 60. The make of the fea-horfe, as defcribed by Virgil, is 
 frequent on gems and relievos. Stat. Theb. ii. v. 47. Id. V. v. 
 708. Flac. Arg. i. 68c. 
 
 c There is a paffage in Ovid in which it is doubtful whether he 
 (peaks perfonally or literally of her, Met. i. ver. 14. As to her 
 figure, fee Muf. Fior. vol. ii. pi. xlviii. 4. 
 
 f He is faid, in drawing it, to have ufed for his model Cam- 
 pafpe, his favourite miftrefs, who was given him fo generoufly by 
 Alexander the Great. Plin. I. 8c. c. 30. This picture came 
 afterwards to the Romans, and was probably, for fome time, in 
 the noble collection in the palace of Auguftus (Ovid. Trift. ii. 
 v. 521.) though placed afterwards by him, in the temple dedi- 
 cated to his predcccflcr Julkis Cafar. It was quite decayed in 
 Pliny's time. 
 
 the 
 
[ «3> ] 
 
 the original has been fo long loft, fcveral ftrokes 
 copied from it, are to he feeii in the Roman 
 writer's who enjoyed a fight of it, and have mark- 
 ed out Tome of its beauties. In them file appears 
 as juft born from the fea, complete at once in her 
 form, with all her beauties frefti about her, and 
 with her body as frill wet and humid from the 
 waves which produced her 
 
 Venus is feen more frequently under the cha- 
 racter of the Venus Marina than under any other h . 
 The moil famous Venus of Medici is not only- 
 formed as juft come out of ihe water, but has a 
 dolphin at her feet, to determine what Venus me 
 is. There is another beautiful figure of her, on 
 
 g Some of thefe paffages are fo flrong that they might have 
 helped a Raphael or a Corregdo to have reftored this loft 
 beauty of Apelles to the world. Perhaps "Titian had thoroughly 
 confidered feme of them before he drew his beautiful Venus now 
 in the collection of the duke Cf Orleans, at Paris. From thefe 
 paffages it appears, i. That tin's venus fhould be without dra- 
 pery. Ovid, Aer. Epift. 7. v. 6c. Faft. iv. v. 143. 2. That 
 her hair (the fineft poffible) fhould be very wet, and her body 
 humid and mining. Ovid, ex Pont. 1. iv. ep. i. v. 30. id. Am. 
 L i. el. 14. v. 34. Id. Trift. 1. i. v 528. 3. That the colour- 
 ing might have been borrowed from Tibullus's Apcllo (Tibul. 1. 
 iii. el. iv. v. 34.) had not Cicero given fo ftrc-ng an idea of it in 
 this picture itfelf. Cic. de nat. deor. 1. i. p. 16. In the coiiecKon 
 of Greek epigrams, there are feveral relating to Apelles's Venus, 
 two of which fpeak of her holding up her hair, and the water 
 flowing from it. 
 
 h The figures reprefenting her as juft coming from bathing, 
 as well as many others, ought, probably, to be ranked under 
 this head. 
 
 a relievo. 
 
[ r 
 
 a relievo in the M-attei palace, where (he fits in a 
 graceful pofturc, cn a (bell held up by two TrU 
 tons. She holds up her long hair in each of her 
 hands, from which the water di'lills into the 
 {hell, and from thence into a baton below*; 
 
 This goddefs {Vorns to retain her dignity as a 
 celeflial deity, even when flie is represented as a 
 deity of the waters. She has two fea gods of ex- 
 alted degree to attend her, whofe office fhews 
 their inferiority, as their looks fnew the ir refpeel 
 and admiration. 
 
 Of thefe fea-gods and Tritons there were Se- 
 veral, but one chief over all, diftinguifhed as the 
 meflenger of Neptune, as Mercury was of Jupi- 
 ter, and Iris of Juno. Triton is reprefented 
 both by the artifts and poets, with his upper part 
 human, and his lower like a fifli \ He often ap- 
 pears with his wreathed trumpet in his hand, 
 with which he was fuppofed to convene all the wa- 
 
 * This idea was in all refpefts extremely proper in a fountain- 
 ftatue. It may heUe be oLferved how" much the r.nt.ents excelled 
 the moderns in the jufmefs and Simplicity of their ideas for toxin- _ 
 tain flatues. Statius feems to allude to fuch a Venus in tw o hrcs 
 which are not weii underftcod without it. Stat. 1. i. Sviv. 2. v. rife. 
 
 i Stat. L iii. SylY, 3. v. 84, He fecms to have riven him 
 fcales, even on his human part. 'Where this was done wirh" judge- 
 ment, there was room 10 fnew great art in making it difficult ta 
 diftir.guifh where die brutal part ended, or whus the human be- 
 gan. Iviet. i. v. 334. /lin. X. v. 212. 
 
 ter 
 
Tl.X.pa.JS2. 
 
L *33 1 
 
 ter deities, when the ir monarch wanted their af- 
 firmance or coun&l. It was fometimes a real fheU, 
 and fometimes formed of filver or other metal. 
 With his trumpet he gave the fignal to all the 
 rivers to retire into their channels after the 
 deluge k . 
 
 Proteus, as well as Triton, was by Neptune 
 advanced to a high charge. His diftinguiihing 
 character was the power of changing his form ; 
 a character more manageable by the poets (who 
 could defcribe him in all his various fhapes, with 
 the tranfition from one to another) than by the 
 artifts, who could mow him only in his own 
 form, or fome one alone of all his transmuta- 
 tions. Virgil, of all the poets, has defcribed him 
 the moft fully. He gives the character of his 
 perfon, and the defcription of his cave, with his 
 fea-herds about him. He reprefents him as tend- 
 ing them on fhore ; as plunging himfelf into the 
 fea ; and as riding over the furface of it. He 
 marks cut, briefly indeed, but in a very picturefque 
 manner, the whole feries of the tranfmutation of 
 this changeable deity K 
 
 GlaucitSj 
 
 k At a naumachia, in the time of Claudius, juft as the ad- 
 verfe fleets were re?.dy for battle, a filver Triton, prepared for 
 the purpofe, role fiukleniy cui of the water, and blew his trum- 
 pet, as a fignal to engage. Suet, in Claud, cap. 21. Met. i. v. 
 331—342. 
 
 I 5 v.ex, Geo. iv. v. 438. — Cteruleus, v. 386. Glaucis 
 tculhy v. 451. Geo. iv. v. 418 — 422. v. 430. 431. v. 433— * 
 
 436. 
 
[ 134 ] 
 
 Glaucus, wWfi <)!■• a f.fhcrman became a 
 fea-rr: 1 , and the rrfore rfTight he Seemed an ad- 
 ventitious goc! ordy, is, however, cit fcribc cl more 
 particularly than the Tea tie i tics uk^lly are. He 
 is diftingui fried by the uncommon length of his 
 hair, and the crown of ceeds on his head" 1 . 
 Paterculus is even more explicit than the poets, 
 in a parage relating to Munatius Plancus, who, 
 to ingratiate himftlf with AugM.irus, fubmitted to 
 great mcannefl'es. " Amongft other things (fays 
 the hulorian) he danced the character of Glaucus 
 on the public flage " For this purpofe he was 
 ftrippcd naked, y.'is flcin was painted of fca-green, 
 and his head cohered with a chaplet of reeds ; then 
 dragging a long fifh's tail after him, he danced 
 the Glaucus on his knees n . 
 
 Nereus, 
 
 436. v. 528. 529. v. 3S6. 3S7. v. 4cS. Two pafi?.res fcera 
 to have been copied by Vfrgil from feme antieht painting, one 
 relates to the manner of Cyrene's placing Ariftae us and herfelf to 
 furprife Prcteus, Geo. iv. v. s/z.\. The ether is the fl range 
 turn in bis eyes, Whilft lie is between anger and compliance! 
 which Jecms not only to agiee with the ccnteft in his mind, but 
 to fuit his character as a prophet, Ceo. iv. v. 4152. Our auihcr 
 has met with no figures cf Proteus, or of Glaucus. 
 
 m Met. iii. v. 91 -, c, 63 . 
 
 n Paterc. 1. ii. c. S5. This fifh-dance is not unlike our 
 dumb fhows, or the dances now uicd in Italy, wherein a cha- 
 ihIt, or whole ftory, is reprefented in a d t .nce. But tiie 
 thing that gives th.e moft perfect idea of thefe antient dafcees, 
 is in a patfage in Longus's Paftcral Romance, which the reader 
 may fee towards the end of his fecond book. Virgil fpeaks 
 of the Satyr-dance, eel. V. v. 73. In a little i^antl between two 
 
 pecpie, 
 
[ iS ] 
 
 Nereus, Doris, and her fitters the O'CEAtfr- 
 tides, are fometimes mentioned by the poets, 
 but without any diftinclion. Virgil fecms, in 
 fpeaking of two of them, to drefs them differently 
 from the Neptunines and Nereids n . 
 
 Thetis was one of the fea nymphs, called by 
 the poets Neptunines, as defcendants of Nep- 
 tune j it was therefore the greater honour for Pe- 
 leus to obtain her in marriage. He was one of 
 the Argonauts, and when all the fea nymphs, 
 charmed With the novelty of the fight, came to 
 gaze on the Argo (fuppofed to be the firft ftiip 
 that ever ventured on the fea) Thetis was among 
 them, and fixed her chief regards on PeJeus ; it 
 is, therefore, with great propriety that FJaccus 
 names her as one who haftencd to the relief of 
 the fhip, when firft in diftrefs. Catullus relates 
 their marriage at large ; and Flaccus gives a pic- 
 ture of her when going to be married, and of 
 the marriage-feaft, which was honoured with the 
 prefence of the chief deities of the fea p. 
 
 I The 
 
 t people, Horace fays, one cf them begs the other (of a large auk- 
 ward make) " to dance the Cyclops, 1 ' Hor. 1. i. Sat. V. v. 63, 
 Plancus is mentioned more than once by Horace in his Odes, 
 •and his monument mates a conhdeiabie figure to this day on a 
 hill near Gaeta. 
 
 c Virg. Geo. V. v. 342. 
 
 P Catul. de nupt. Pel. 62. v. 29. Met. xii. V.J94. C^ul. 
 taupf. Pel. lxii. v. iS. Flac. Ai$. 1. v. 658. See Poem 62. de 
 
 nnptiis 
 
£ i^t] 
 
 The Nereids were all called fitters, as be- 
 ing of the family of Nereus and Doris. Their 
 faces, though alike, were different enough to be 
 diftinguim-ed from one another. The names of 
 fomc of them are known ; as Doto and Galatea ; 
 but the attributes given them by the poets are fo 
 uniform, that we can only fay of a relievo, or 
 picture, that it is a Nereid-piece in general. 
 
 The defcriptions too of them, in the poets, 
 are of a general nature. They reprefent them 
 as parting the water with their arms, and floating 
 on the furface of it with their long hair : fome- 
 times rifmg abov« the water to admire a ftraiige 
 fight : fometimes, as bulled in aflifting mips, and 
 conducting them into their ports ; and fometimes 
 
 as 
 
 nuptils Pel. Flac. Arg. i. v. 139. She had a veil over her face, 
 as the brides had of old. Luc. ii. v. 361. Faft. iii. v. 690. Juv. 
 Sat. x. v. 355. The reprefentation of this marriage in Mont- 
 faucon's collection is a modern invention, vol. i. pi. 107. On 
 a gem at Florence, fhe has a helmet in one "hand, and a 
 coat of mail in the other, and is called the mother of Achiiks, 
 to whom fhe feems to be carrying the arms fhe had provided 
 him. She is in a long veft, and not naked, as the fea-nymphs 
 nfually are; but the feet are not quite hid, the beauties of 
 which are perpetually mentioned in Homer by the epithet 
 AfW}Vr\fa e*T/j, ;md not forgot by Ovid, Ep. Ker. ac. v. 6c, 
 Th»8 was a part much more obferved of eld than with us. 
 Their feet were not conceded as our's are. Hor. iv. od. i. v. :.j 
 3vid. Am, 1, Hi. v. 7, 
 
I *37 i 
 
 as fitting on rocks, and telling flories, chiefly of 
 the amours of the gods 
 
 As for the habitations of thefe fea-deities-, the 
 nntients teem to have imagined, that all the whole 
 fea refted on a fort of arch work, under which 
 tvas an ample fpace for that purpofe. This fpace 
 might be divided into places for the ruling deities > 
 and into grottos and caves for the reft r . 
 
 The habitations of the river deities, and their 
 attendants, were, in the fame manner, fuppofed 
 to be under water, and generally near the head 
 of each river. If there was any grotto, the fi- 
 gure of the presiding deity was placed in it, with 
 his urn, and the water gufhing out Of it. Their 
 temples were alfo built near the fources s -. The 
 
 ^ Stat. 1. iii. Sylv. 2. v. 34. Met. xii. v. 94. Met. ii. v. 
 14. JEn. ix. v. 103. Met. xiii. v. 743. Met. xiii. v. 399. 
 Stat. 1. iii. Sylv. 2. v. 1S. Met. ii. v. 12. Kor. 1. iii. od. 2S. 
 v. ic. The fubjedl of thefe froffei are called du!aa i and canere 
 is ufed for the manner of telling them. 
 
 r Cic. Tuf. Queft. 1. V. The palace of Oceanus, is exprefsly 
 mentioned, fometimes on fhore, and fonvetimes under the 
 fea, Stat. Theb. viii. v. 273. Stat. Achil. ii. v. 17. Met. xv. 
 v. 419. So the habitations of the Nymphs are defcribed by Vir- 
 , gil, JEn. iv. 1 63. and of Nereus and Doris, and their nume- 
 rous family, Stat. ii. Sylv. 2. j6. Thefe deities had a full power 
 ever the waters, and could fufpend them in the air, when they 
 pleafcd. Geo. iv. v. 362. Met. 1. iii. el. 6. v. 44. So on a gem 
 Nfeptune is beneath the water, which is fufpended in an arcU over 
 his head. 
 
 » Statius fpeaks of the fource of a river, and the habitation 
 of it's god, as the fame thing. Stat. Theb- iv. y. S32. Plin. cjp. 
 1. viii. ep. 8. 
 
 1 2 poets 
 
1 138 ] 
 
 jgjoets fpeak of .thefe grottos of the river gods, 
 and defcribe fome of them, particularly that of 
 Pen e us c . 
 
 Of all .the river gods, Tiberinus,, or the re- 
 siding deity of the Tiber, is the mod: celebrated 
 among the poets.. In a ftatue at the Belvidere, 
 Jie appears reclined, and leaning on his urn, as 
 the figures cf the river gods generally do Me 
 is crowned wich fruits and flowers, ajid has a ve- 
 nerable Jocjc, as hesd cf all the rivers of the 
 •province through which he leads his waters into 
 the Juit by him lies the wolf fuckling 
 
 t Statius, describing a water grotto in "V-opifcus's gardens, 
 at Tivoli, hints at feveral noted ones. Stat. 1. i. Sylv. 3. v. 
 jgj%. Egeria's grotto was men? celebrated th<.n Tiber's itfejf. 
 Xiv. f. i. c. zi. Fad:, iii. v. 276. Ovid. 1. iii. ej. 3. v. 7. Ovid 
 xfet&ibes the grotto of Achilous, and of Peneus. Met. iii. v. 
 563. Met. i. v. 5S1. Horace fpeaks of that of Albunea, 1. i. 
 od. 7. v. 12. where refonantis refers to the hollownefs of the 
 ground. The completed defcription is that of the palace of 
 Cyrene, in Virgil, Geo. iv. v. 334. 351. 362. 375. Hence it is 
 ^lain, -that there were three forts of habitations for the rhreY- 
 ,^od;. Grottos by the river near theicuree, as Eccria's ; others 
 ynder ground, for fubterraneous waters, as Albur.ea's 5 and 
 others under the waters, as the palace of Cyrene. 
 
 U The antients, in this particular, acted with more 
 propriety than has been cnmmoniy ob&rvedl. They not only 
 viocked each element with proper beings, hut aKo adapted the 
 appearance, and pofture of them, to their refpeelive elements. 
 Thus, as water .ftrivss to krp it's ievpi, the river deities aie 
 more or lefs reclined. 
 
 > Pvid. ad Liv. v. 17.4. Jilxi, viu, v, 77. 
 
 the 
 
[ J39 J 
 
 tfie twin-brothers Romulus and Remus. He 
 was fometimcs reprefented too with horns, w 
 known emblem of power, and which might de- 
 note his prcfiding over feveral llreams, as his title' 
 of Pater did his Majefty x . The poets even tell* 
 us the colour of his fkin r his hair, and his robes,, - 
 They defcribe him too on particular occalioivs^ 
 (as whan amazed at fome unufual incident, or 
 when under an uncommon' con'cern) in a very 
 piiturefque manner >'. 
 
 The NiLiT (in a noble mini of black marble* 
 now in the Vatican) is known by His large cor- 
 nucopia, by the Sphynx couched under him,-, 
 and by the fixteen little children playing about^ 
 him % . The water flows- down from under ' h'is- 
 
 * Virgil calls him Cornigtr, Mn. vi'fi. v. 77. Flaccus gives 
 horns to all the greater river gods. Argon, i. y, jc6. Ibid, 
 viii. v. 187. The horns may be often hid by the large crown 
 of reeds and flowers, and fo may not appear, 
 
 y JEn, viii. v. 64, /En. viii. v. 34. /En, ix. v. J25. Ovid, 
 ad Liv. v, 122, 
 
 The Cornucopia is given here with tho greateft proprie- 
 ty } for the Nile is the abfolute caufe of the great fertility of ' 
 lower /Egypt, as it fuppiies it both with foil and moifture. He 
 was their Jupiter Pluvius, or chief river god ; and thence called 
 Egyptian Jupiter. Tibul. 1. i. el. 7. v. 26. The Sphynx al- 
 ludes either to the famous ftatue on the plain of 1 Memphis, or 
 to the myftic knowkdge fo much cultivated in /Egypt. Stat. 
 Theb. i. v. 66. The fixteen children reprefented the feveral 
 
 rihngs of the river every year, as far as to fixteen cubits, Plin. 1. 
 
 36. c. 7. The ftatues are faid to be of black marble in al- 
 
 lufion to the Nile Y coming from Ethiopia, Addif. Trav. p. 059. 
 
 Virg. Geo. vi. v. 293. 
 
 I 3 robe r 
 
C H° ] 
 
 *obe, which conceals his urn, to denote that the 
 head of this river was not difcovered by the an- 
 cients*. Virgil, in his account of iEneas's fhield, 
 /jefcribes the Xlile of a vaft ilze, and with a mix- 
 ture of fright and concern in his face, fpreading 
 his robe, and inviting the defeated fleet of Cleo- 
 patra to the inmoft recefies of his ftream b . 
 
 The Tigris, in the Agoftini-colledlion, is 
 diftinguimed by the Tiger, on which he refts his 
 right arm. The Euphrates, in a relievo, on 
 the Confcantine pillar, is marked out by thepalm- 
 V. ranch in his hand. Thefe rivers are faid to 
 fpnng from the fame fource. Ovid fpeaks of them 
 
 parried in li triumphs together c ." 
 
 The Danube, on a medal of Trajan, and 
 the Rhine, on another of Drufus, are repre- 
 sented as fitting, each with his urn, and each 
 with dignity ; only the Danube is diftinguifhed 
 by a large veil floating over his head d . 
 
 a In fome modern flatues his head is quite hid under his robe 
 for the tarns, rtjafon, Ho:, iv. od. 14. v. 4c. Met. ii. v. 
 
 b /En. viii. v. 713. The whole pafliige is as juft as it is 
 great. 
 
 c They appear together on a medal *>f Trajan, where the 
 genius 01 Mesopotamia is kneeling at the emperor's feet. Ovid, 
 de Art. Am. i. v. 225. Luc. iii. v. 257. 
 
 4 He appears alfo on Trajan's pillar, from the waift upward, 
 85 riling out of the ftream, to fupport the bridge of boats ; 
 
 contrary te Virgil's defcriptic-n of the Araxes, Jiin. viii. 
 v. 728. 
 
 There 
 
[ *4' ] 
 
 There is nothing in the poets faid personally of 
 the Danube. Ovid, though he often mentions 
 the Danube, has nothing defcriptive of his per- 
 fon. The Rhine is defcribed, fometimes, as con- 
 quered by the Romans, all ruffled and wounded;, 
 fometimes in the low (late of a captive ; fome- 
 rfmes as yielding, and fometimes as received hro 
 favour e . 
 
 Eridanus, or the Po, the king of the rivers 
 of Italy, is reprefented in a fmall figure at Rome 
 with the head of a bull, and the other parts human ; 
 a thing peculiar to this, and, perhaps, to the 
 river Aufidus f . One w.iy wherein the Romans 
 fhewed their devotion, or particular JT>gar4 tr> 
 the river gods-, was, by gilding their horns. 
 This fact will fet fome lines in Virgil, concerning 
 Eridanus, in a very clear light, which, otherwife, 
 perhaps, might appear ridiculous to molt of his 
 readers g . 
 
 I 4* Several 
 
 e Ovid. de.Trirt. 1. iv. cl. z. v. 42. Statw I. ii. Sylv. i. v. 5*,. 
 Faft. i. v. 286. Met. 1. x. ep. 7. Mart. 1. x. ep. 7. 
 
 f Vir. Geo. i. v. 482, The bull's head was given him becaufe 
 his fource was from Mount Vefo, th« higheft of the Alpes Tau- 
 rine. Horace calls Aufidus, Tauriformis, either from his 
 ftatue's having the head of a bull, or his whole fhapc refcmbling 
 a bull. Hor. iv. od. 14. v. 25. 
 
 S The lines are, Geo. iv. v. 371. 
 
 Et gemina auratus taurino cornua vultu, 
 Eridanus ; quo non alius per pinguia culta 
 In mare nurpureuin viotemior effluit amnis. • 
 
[ 1 4a ] 
 
 Several other rivers of Italy are mentioned in 
 a peculiar manner by the Roman poets h , particu- 
 larly Curtius and Egeria. Curtius,, after 
 devoting his own life for the fafety of his country, 
 by plunging into the caverns of the earth, was 
 fuppofed to become the prefiding deity of the little 
 lake, on the fpot where he performed the action. 
 It is juft befide the Via Sacra, and {till bears his 
 name \ Statius defcribes him as fuch. He fpeaks 
 of his wreath of oak, that fort of crown which, 
 was given to thofe who faved the life of a citizen, 
 and which belonged, much morejuftly, to thofe 
 who had faved the ftate. Hence this wreath waa, 
 out of flattery, given to molt, of the emperors on 
 their medals ; and there was one which was 
 ufually hung up at the entrance of their palace k . 
 
 The having a bull's head, and the cuftom of gilding- the 
 horns, illuftrate the nrft of thefe lines. The word v'.clentitr 
 in the laft line, is not to be underftood abfolutely, (for many 
 rivers are more rapid than the Po) but in reference to the words 
 ftt pingula cult a j as if Virgil had faid, " No river runs, 
 ** more fwiftiy through rich and level lands, into the fea, thaa 
 * the Po." 
 
 h Such as the Mincius. /En. x. v. 206. Geo. iii. v. 15. 
 The Anio, Stat. 1. i. Sylv. 3. v. 73. The Abula, Stat. j. 
 Sylv. 3. v. 75. The Numicius, Met. xiv. v. 599. Faft, Ljj, 
 
 64S. Vulturous, Stat. U iv.. Sylv. 3. v.. 71. 
 
 i He appears in this a&ion on a fine relievo at the villa 
 Borghefe ; and, on fome gems, with flames iffuing out of the 
 vaft opening into which he plunged, armed, and on horfeback. 
 Liv. 1. vii. c. 6. 
 
 * Stat. 1. fylv. 1. v. 7c. JEn. vi. v. 771. Faft. i.. v. 614. 
 
 Curti US 
 
[ H3 I 
 
 Curtius wore it, as the preferver of his country-; 
 and Egeria, as the giver of good laws, deferved 
 fomething of the fame character. All we can 
 learn of her is from Ovid's : defcription of her. 
 According to him, her figure fhould be reclined, 
 and in a melancholy pojVure ; as refting on her 
 hand, and- {heading tears ; for he reprefents her 
 as lying at the foot of a hill* and lamenting the 
 lofs of Numa j where Diana, out of companion, 
 turned her into a fountain, and made her the pre- 
 fiding genius over- it 
 
 Several of the famous rivers of Greece are 
 perfonally described in the Roman poets j but- 
 there are no remains of the a: tilts to confront with- 
 thofe defer iptions. Peneus was the principal 
 river of Greece, juft as the Thames is with us^ 
 Hence it was, that they fuppofed that all rivers 
 had their rife near the head of the Peneus. Gvid 
 defcribes the great cafeade he makes on his 
 Hluing out of mount Piadusj and his grotto ce- 
 neath it,.moKe diftincUy than the appearance o£ 
 the god himfelf. Inachus is dtferibed as quite 
 reclined j and as fitting, and leaning agairrft a 
 
 l Met. v. 551. Ovid's e'eftripnen agrees with the place 
 now called Egcria v s grotto, near Rome, where lies an old fta- 
 tue, whivh is faid to be-her's, but it is much defaced, Juvenal 
 (in Sat. 3. v. ao.) complains of their fpoiling part of the na- 
 tural beauties of this grotto by adorning it with marble; There 
 is now in it a ftone table, placed there in the time of Charles V. 
 when that emperor had the curicfity to dine where Numa ufed 
 
 receive his laws. 
 
 I bank* 
 
[ Iff I 
 
 lank, holding his urn Hoping, and pouring the 
 waters out of it. Achelous is diftinguiftied aa 
 having loft one of his horns, but, as hiding that 
 dcfc£t with his crown of reeds. A full picture of 
 Ismenos is drawn by Statius, from whofe de- 
 scription one might form a very bold idea fof 
 a fountain ftatue; as likewife from Ovid's de- 
 fcription of Acis, after the Cyclops had crufhed 
 him to death with the fragment of a rock. He re- 
 prefents the Cyelops as aftonifhed y to fee new- 
 created reeds growing through all the places where, 
 the rock was fplit r and to hear the waters gurg- 
 ling within, as they rofe up to the top, and then- 
 falling down on every fide of the broken rock 
 and, at laft, to behold a youth rife breaft-high 
 above thofe waters, exactly like Acis, only with? 
 the additional dignity of a river god,, juft then, 
 conferred upon him by the influence of his dear 
 Galatea, m . 
 
 Every river god was attended with goddefles of 
 an inferior nature,, called Naiads, of whom 
 fcarceany thing, in particular, is faid by the poets. 
 They defcribe them with long bright hair flow* 
 
 »• Virg. Geo. Iv. v.. 3 63 — 369.. Met. i. v. 5$]. Flac. . Argon. 
 V. v» 210. Stat. Theb. ii. v. 218. Id. I. vi. v. 275. Stat. Thebv. 
 iv. v. 160. Met. ix..v. joo. Stat. Theb. ix. v. 415. 140. 421.- 
 482. Met. xiii. v 896. Oiir.author thinks, that the figure of 
 Acis and hisYock would make a better fountain-flcry than Lato- 
 na's revenge on the frogs, or Apollo's reception by the Ntreids, 
 in the gardens of Vei failles. 
 
[145 ] 
 
 ing down their (boulders ; and, as having a fhin*- 
 ing humid look, with a fine fhape, and well- 
 tin ::C limbs. Their robes, if any (for they are 
 tifuadly naked,) are of a greenifh colour, with 
 lighter or darker fhades, and fo transparent as to 
 (how the finenefs of their ildn and (hape. They 
 have fometimes flying veils (on the ancient gems) 
 over their heads, like the Aurae,. or Sylphs. Ovid 
 drcfles them with great variety, as they are at- 
 tending at a feaft. This was, indeed, their ufuai 
 employment; for they feem to have refided, as f#- 
 many domeftics, in the palaces of the water gods ; 
 where they are faid to work, and tell ftories, and; 
 then to come and - wait, at; table h 
 
 " Met. xiv. v. 332. Virgil names fixteerr of them in the a- 
 partment of Cyrenc only, in the palace of Peneus. Geo. iv» 
 v> 336 — 34©. and v. 343—345. Ovid fpeaks of a hundred, 
 at leaft, in the Anio. Ovici. ]. iii. el. 6. v. 64. They had: 
 often a name from the. river they belonged to, as l"tber'widcs 9 . ! 
 Faft. ii. ver. 597. Ifmenides, Stat. Theb. Jx. v. 319. See Virg. 
 Geo. iv. v. 247. Stat. 1. fylv. 5. v. 18. Faft. iv. v. 597.. 
 Flaccus (Argon, iii. v. 526.) introduces them hunting with the 
 wood-nymphs, and diefles them in green, ^n. xii. v. 889. 
 Virgil fpeaks here of Juturna, fifter of Turnus. See her flory ir» 
 Ovid. Faft. ii. v. 585— -6c0. Faft. i. v. 410. Virg. Geo. iv. v» 
 334. 349. 379, Met. viii» v. 572. 
 
 1-6 
 
 b 0,0 at 
 
t 146 ] 
 
 BOOK VII. 
 
 Tkt DEITIES of the EAR T ff. 
 
 *TP H E goddefs Nature appears in a ftatua 
 with great fimplicity ; her robes fall down- 
 to her feet, partly for dignity, and partly to fhow 
 how much htr ways are concealed ; and fhe has a 
 hafket of fruits on her head, as the caufe of plenty 
 and the producer of all things. She is feldom 
 mentioned perfonally by the poets ; and there is 
 only one picture of. her in any of their works,, 
 and that is in Statius, who, fpeaking of the 
 giants wars,, finely reprefents her as alrnoit breath- 
 lefs for fear, and with her eyes- fixed oih Jupiter ? . 
 as. confiding folely in his afliftance. a . 
 
 Cybele (who was ufually fiippofed to prefide 
 over the earth, and has therefore generally a. 
 crown of turrets on her head) is reprefcnttd on a 
 medal, as fitting, with a libn on each fide of the 
 chair, and. with a pine- branch in her hand. The 
 poets and artifls give her fornetimes a charict, 
 
 a Stat. Achil, n. v. 4S9. The great Diana of the Ephefians, 
 probably, reprefented this goddefs, as appears from the various 
 fymbols on her figures, as the fun, moon, and ftars, all forts cf. 
 animals, and a rujnber of breafts, to fhew that fhe produces 
 ;;nd nourifhcs all things, 
 
 drawn 
 
E W J 
 
 drawn by lions-, in which Ovid defcribes her as 
 defcending from the heavens to the earth b . 
 
 Tellus, or the Genius of the earth, is al- 
 ways reprefented in a reclining poflure, like the 
 river gods. The only confiderable defcription^ 
 relating to this goddefs, is- in Ovid's account of 
 the fall of Phaeton c . Tellus is fometimes repre- 
 fented with a globe (or- orbis terrarum) in her 
 hand ; and fometimes the orbis (or world) itfel£ 
 is perfonized, as on a medal of Galienus, where 
 he appears under the figure of a naked man, 
 kneeling, on one knee, and the Emperor giving 
 him his hand to raife him up. 
 
 The three great divifions of the world, 
 Europe, Asia, and Africa, were reprefented 
 
 k JEn. iii. v. 113. Mn. x. v. 253. Lucr. 11. v. 6*9. Met. 
 xiv. v. 540. Cybele was a goddefs of the higheft dignity and' 
 worfhip in the religion of the old Romans, by whom fhe is 
 called Dotr.ina, Mater, Maier cuhrix, Alma mater. deum i Santla 
 deum ginttrix. Our. author obferves here. the. great refembtence 
 in thefe tides to thofc given to the. Virgin Mary now. 
 
 c Met. ii. v. 278-^303. Ovid has here fo often mixed the 
 allegory and reality together, that it is difficult to difiingsiih, where : 
 he fpe »ks of Tellus as an element, and where, as a geddefs. 
 Dryden, in his Hind and Panther, is juftiy complained of by 
 Prior for this fort of mixed allegory. Ovid is more guilty of'' 
 this fault than all the poets of the three good ages put together. 
 The figures of Tdlus are often to be met with in gems,. whe,re 
 Sol is fetting out in his chariot j and on Sarcophagufes, where 
 Tellus and Oceanus are often in the front, to fignify that the 
 dpad perfon was returned to the firfl elements, . 
 
 as 
 
[ i-48 ]. 
 
 as- perfons by the artifts; and are fpoken of as 
 fuch by the poets j — though but feldom by thofe 
 of the better ages. 
 
 Europe is taken- to be often rcprcfented under 
 the figure of Europa on her bull. This is a common) 
 Subject with the old artifts ; and the flory is told 
 no lefs than three times by Ovid.. On a gem of 
 Agoftini's, the bull is walking on the water, as^ 
 on dry land a particular not mentioned by 
 Ovid d . 
 
 Asia,, on a medal: of Adrian,, flands on the 
 roftrum of a {hip, with a rudder in one hand, to 
 denote that the greateft improvements of naviga- 
 tion came from thence (efpecially from Tyre and. 
 Sidon) and a ferpent in the other; by which may 
 be meant, that the art of phyfic came from the 
 fame quarter. The figures of Afia are very un- 
 common V 
 
 Africa, on a medal of Adrian, is reprefented 
 fitting, and leaning her arm on a bafket of flow- 
 ers. She has her ufual elephant-helmet (fo often 
 mentioned by Claudian) and a lion by her. The 
 figures of Africa are common both on medals and 
 gems. She has fometimes a fcorpion in her hand,, 
 or an elephant at her feet. Oxen, and very often 
 
 4 Faft. V. v. 605. Met. ii. v. 87c. Met. vi. v. 103. 
 
 e She appears as in deep dirtrefs, on a gem (in Stofche's col- 
 lection) reprefenting Hector, dragged behind Achillea chariot, 
 and on a fine relievo at the Villa Medici. 
 
 corn,, 
 
r *49 1 
 
 corn, are ufed as her attributes, to denote the fer- 
 tility and plenty of that part of Africa known then 
 to the Romans,, the Lower iEgypt, and the fea- 
 coafts towards the Mediterranean. 
 
 Several kingdoms and provinces appear fre- 
 quently as perfons on medals, all as kdies, though, 
 each with fome drftinguilhing mark or attribute. 
 The poets of the better ages mention them per- 
 fbnally, though very flightly ; but the lower 
 poets defcribe them at large, particularly Clau- 
 dian f . Even Italy is not mentioned as- a per- 
 son in all Virgil's works, nor in any of his con- 
 temporaries. Lucan, indeed r in the next age,, 
 defcribes Italy in a diftrefled melancholy attitude,,, 
 diffuading Csefar from paffing the Rubicon ; and 
 fpeaks of her being crowned with turrets, juft as 
 flie appears on a medal of Antoninus Pius g . Ita- 
 lia is reprefented there in a remarkable manner as 
 feated on a celeftial gjobe,. which (hews that the 
 Romans arrogated to themfelves not only the do- 
 minion of the world, but that of the univerfe. 
 Ovid defcribes Ger mania fometimes as kneel- 
 ing, or fitting, in a dejected manner, at the feet of 
 her conqueror,, and fometimes as recovering her- 
 
 f There are feveral inftances of this in Claudian's panegyric 
 on Stilicho, 1. i. ltaiyj, v. 262-. Spain, 228. France, 240. 
 Britain, 247. 
 
 g- Luc. i. v. 189. The Roman matrons appeared juft fo 
 when they lamented thedeceafe of their hufbands, or beft friends. 
 Met. xiii. v. 689. JEn. x, v. 38. Thdr arms were bare as. 
 '*e!l as their breafts. 
 
 felf 
 
E x-5P T 
 
 felf ujader the mildnefs of the Roman govern^ 
 ment ; and this, indeed, was a general way oi 
 r.eprefenting the conquered provinces on medals h * 
 The figures of the Provinces arc difficult to be 
 met with in the Auguft;-.n age. As the fucceed- 
 ing emperors added any new province to the em- 
 pire, the artifts began to compliment' them with 
 a figure of it on their medals. This, though 
 done fparingly at firft, grew arlaft'to be a cuftom. 
 
 What is faid cf Provinces holds equally of 
 Cities. Any perfonal ftrokes about them are 
 very uncommon in the good ages, but frequent 
 enough in the lower,, as in Ciaudian and Au- 
 fonius., 
 
 Rome indeed has more defcriptive lines orr 
 her, in the poets of the beft ages, than all the- 
 reft put together. She is- reprefented on a medal 
 of Nero (as {he frequently is by the artifts) fit- 
 tino* on a heap of arms, with a fword in one* 
 hand, and- the goddefs Victory (fometimes with 
 a globe), in the. other. Her look and pofrure- 
 
 1» Ovid, Trift. 1. iv. el. 2. v. a. 44. Faft. i. v. 646. The 
 conquered provinces appear on the medals almolt always either as 
 <kprefled under one emperor, or railed up. by the hand of another. 
 It was a conilant .opinion among the Romans, that they were* 
 defigned by heaven to fubdue the whole earth. /En. i. v. 285. 
 /En. vii. v. iei. /En, vi, v. 854. Livy makes it as old as 
 Romulus's tim^ 
 
 denotes 
 
[ 1» J 
 
 denote dignity, as her attributes do the conqueif 
 •f the worlds by her atchievements. in war L 
 
 Ovid defcribes the Genius of Rome lying at 
 the feet of Brennus, when the capitol was taken 
 by the Gauls, as the conquered provinces appear 
 at the feet of the emperors. She is defcribed by 
 Silius with as crown of turrets on her head. In 
 her figures fhe appears in a helmet ; but the- other 
 is fo proper for the deities of cities,, that, veFy 
 probably, fhe was fometimes repiefented with it 
 too by the ar tin's k * 
 
 Alexandria appears on medals and gems. 
 On a medal of Adrian fhe is marked out ? . like 
 
 l Accordingly the poets call her the martial city 5 the eternal 
 city } the miftrefs of all cities, and goddeft over all nations. 
 JEn. I, v, 277. Tibul. 1, ii. el. 5. v. 24. Hor. 1. iv. od. 14. v, 44. 
 Mart. ii. ep. 8. Their notion that they were to become matters 
 of the world, mows with how much more propriety the globe 
 (emblem of univerfal monarchy) was given as an attribute to 
 Rome, than it is now to the ftatues of each petty prince, or to 
 the rulers of particular kingdoms. 
 
 J«- Faft. vi.. v. 360. Ovid fays, her face was like Auguftas's, 
 as it feems, indeed, to be on fome medals. Ex Pont. t. ii. ef. 
 8. v. 20. Sil. 1,. iv. v. 411. The appearance of this goddefs is 
 generally fo warlike, that fome knowing antiquarians miftake 
 the goddefs Virtue for her : As particularly Mellon has done in 
 fpeaking of the moft celebrated relievos in the Admiranda, and 
 on the triumphal arches. The figures he calls Roma in thefo are 
 drefled partly like an amazon ; «ne of the breafts is bare, and 
 the garments fall only to the knee, buikins half way up the.- leg, 
 a helmet on the head, a. fword in one. hand, and a globe in. the 
 other, the. attributes of Virtus. 
 
 Africa^ 
 
[ »5 2 I 
 
 Africa, with the attributes of plenty. She has 
 corn and vines about her, which are very proper, 
 as (he was the granary of Rome'. 
 
 Not only cities were reprefcnted as pcrfons, but 
 -every houfe had its presiding deities. Thefe wc*e 
 *>f two forts, their Penates who were the pro- 
 tectors of the matters of families, their wives- 
 and children; and their Lares, who probably 
 were fuppofed to prefide over houfe-keeping, the 
 fcrvants, and domeftic affairs. Of the Penates- 
 little defcriptive is faid in the poctb a ; the Lares 
 are deferibed as they appear on a fepulchral lamp, 
 (in Bartoli) in fhort, fuccind habits, to flhow 
 their rcadinefs to ferve, and with a fort of Conm* 
 copia on their heads, as a fignal of hofpitality n - 
 
 1 Hor. 1. iv. od. 14. v. 36. The figures of the deities of chiefs 
 were very common of old, and were carried in triumphs. Ovid. 
 Art. Am.. {. i. v. 226. but are fcarce now. There are fome oil 
 medals, but are not even nam^d, at leaft not. personally, by any 
 Roman poqt. 
 
 *n Our author takes thefe houfhold geds to have been nothing 
 elfe but the fouls of their departed anceftors. Virgil is more ex- 
 "prefs about them than any. other poet.. He fpeaksofthem as fome 
 of yEneas's anceftors. /En. iii. v. 147 — 176. They are figured 
 HO where but in a pi&ure in the Vatican Virgil. There were 
 public Penates, who were the. guardians of the ftate, as the others, 
 were of families, Liv. I. V. cap. 52. .and I. iii. cap. 17. 
 
 ft Faft. ii. v. 654. Pcrf. 1. V. v. 31. The geniufes, fuppofed: 
 to attend each perfon from his birth to his grave, were fometimes 
 placed with the Lares. They were fometimes reprelented with a- 
 dog at their feet. See Faft. V. v. 146, 
 
 The 
 
r »53 1 
 
 The very mountains and rocks were turned 
 into perfons °. Gardens, lawns, fields, vine- 
 yards, groves, and forefts, were all affigned to 
 their particular deities, and filled with imaginary 
 inhabitants. 
 
 Atlas, probably, was ufually reprefented by 
 the antient artifts (as well as the modern) fup- 
 porting a globe; for in that attitude the old poets 
 molt commonly fpeak of him. Ovid and Virgil 
 defcribe him in a perfonal ftyleP, 
 
 c The gertiufes of mountains were (like thofe of cities) car- 
 ried in triumphs. Art. Am. i. v. 221% Tiift. iv. el. 2. v. 37. 
 And the figures of them, in the remains of the artifts, are more 
 frequent than has been generally imagined. 
 
 P ./En. iv. v. 247. Met. vi. 1. 175. /En. vlll. v. 137. 
 Faft. V. v. 169. The fceming contrarieties in thefe paffagea 
 are reconciled by the Famefe Atlas, in which figure he fupports 
 the globe of the heavens with Iris head, neck, and ifroulders. 
 Met. iv. v. 661. JEn. iv. v. 251. From what Virgilfays here,, 
 a good idea may be formed for a fountain ftone. Flaecus defcribes 
 Atlas as ftanding in the midft of waters, fupporting an armillary 
 globe, with the planets making their proper rounds in it. Arg. 
 V. v. 416. 
 
 Our author explains here the fine mcdici-relievo, containing 
 the famous judgment of Paris in one part of it, and in the othtr 
 Jupiter decreeing the deftru&ion of Troy. This relievo, though, 
 fo very fine, has never been pubiimed or explained before. Sec 
 Polym. p. 246. The fcene of thefe tranficlions may be fuppofed 
 on mount Ida, of which the poets do not fpeak perfonally, un- 
 lefs Virgil be underftood in that manner, where he mentions the> 
 figures of the fore-pait of /kneas's fhip. JEn. x. v. 58. 
 
 TMOX.US. 
 
[ *54* J 
 
 Tmolus is dcfcribed by Ovid fitting as judge- 
 Between Apollo and Pan, whether the pipe or 
 }yre were the finer instrument. He was crowned 
 with oak only, having taken away the other 
 branches that were about his head. His head, 
 on a Greek medal, is crowned with vine- branches, 
 which agrees with the character of the mountain 
 he prelides over 9- 
 
 Among the mountain-deities there were Tome 
 that were females, as Rhodope, who, on a medal 
 of Antoninus Pius, appears fitting, and aim oft 
 naked. Thefe deities muft have been represented 
 in ftatues of a large fize, and, no doubt, there 
 were vaft colofleal figures of this Rhodope, and 
 the other mountain-goddeffes r * 
 
 SCYtLA, 
 
 ^ Met, %\, v, 159. Virgil fpeaks of Tmolus in a manner that 
 cannot be underftood literally of a mountain, but is very proper if 
 taken perfonally, Geo. ii. v. 98. Met. xi. v. 87. It was called 
 originally Timolus. Plin., v. cap. 29. 
 
 r Hence the known fable of the mountain in labour will not be 
 fo prepofterous as it is commonly imagined. For, to fuppofe one 
 of thefe gigantic ladies in labour, and, after vaft pangs, to pro- 
 duce fuch a final) animal as a moufe, was no inconfiftent thought, 
 but well fitted for true ridicule. See Pha-drus, L. iv. fab. 21. 
 where ilk probably was originally ilia, and changed by fome ig- 
 norant tranferiber. 
 
 The large fize of the mountain -deities will alfo accoant for 
 feveral fimilies cf the poets, wherein they compare their heroes 
 to mountains, which cannot be underftood literally, but will ba 
 
 mora- 
 
"Scylla, turned into a rock, appears on a me- 
 dial (in Oifelius) (truck in honour of Pompey, 
 with the upper part as a woman, but as ending 
 in two fifh-tails, "between which are three dogs. 
 The poets mention thefe dogs as part of her 
 Form, but without this medal it would have been 
 hard to guefs the manner of it *. 
 
 Charybdis, on a medal of the Vatican family, 
 appears much in the fame manner, only fhe has 
 no dogs. They are both fpoken of by Silius as 
 perfons l . 
 
 Flora, or the goddefs of gardens, was origi- 
 nally a field nymph, and called Chloris. In a 
 flatue at Florence flie is almoft naked, and is dif- 
 
 more juft, and more poetical, if underftood perfonally. JEn. xii. 
 v. 703. There is a fcarce modern ftatue of Father Apenninus by 
 John de Bologna, at Florence, above fixty feet high, if it flood 
 up. The antients, doubtlefs, had mountain-figures much larger 
 than tills. An artift propofed to Alexander the Great, to 
 form the mountain of Atlas into a ftatue, with a city in one hand 
 and a river in the other. 
 
 s Propert. I. iv. el. 1. v. 40. Virg. eel. 6. v. 7S. Ovid*. Am. 
 1. iii. el. 12, v. 22. This is one inftance of the few wherein the 
 Auguftan poets contradict themfelves. Ovid (Met. viii. v. 150.) 
 and Virgil (Geo. i. v. 4C4.) fpeak of Scylla being turned into a 
 bird, 
 
 t Sil. 1. xiv. v. 476. Silhss feems here to have an eye to 
 
 his favourite Virgil, though he is fpeaking of a poet long before 
 his time, whom he calls Daphnis, and in fpeaking of whom he 
 issms-to try to give his ftyle a paftoral turn. 
 
 tinguiftied 
 
C 156 ] 
 
 tmguifhed by the little nofegay which (he holds 
 up in her hand as plea fed with it's beauties. 
 Sometimes {he is crowned too with flowers, and 
 fometimes has a chaplet of them in her hands. 
 She has only a light veil, but in the famous Far* 
 nefe figure of her fhe is fuller drefied. Her robe 
 was of as many colours as the flowers with which 
 /he was ufually adorned. Ovid gives a delight- 
 ful defcription of her garden, with the Horse ga- 
 thering flowers, and the Graces making garlands 
 of them u , 
 
 Pomona, and her lover Vertumnus, prefided 
 over plantations and fruit-trees. On medals (in 
 Gorlseus) they are both reprefented with the at- 
 tribute of a pruning-hook in their right hands ; 
 and Pomona has befides a branch in her left. She 
 was of the clafs antiently called Harnadry- 
 
 u Faft. V. v. 360. Fart. V. v. 2eo. This garden of 
 Flora feems to have been the paradife in the Roman mythology. 
 The traces of paradife were derived to the Romans from the 
 Creeks. Among them this idea was fliadowed out by the gardens 
 of Alcinous. In Africa they had the gardens of the Hefperides j 
 and in the Eaft, the Horti Adonis. The term Horti Adonides 
 was ufed by the antients for gardens of pleafure. Plin. 1. xv. 
 c 4 . 
 
 The gardens in the Auguftan age might be nothing more 
 than the natural face of the country, aflifted a little by art, ac- 
 cording to the garden defcribed by Virgil, Geo. iv. v. j 3S. The 
 pidture in the Vatican Virgil of this garden anfwers the defcrip- 
 tion exaclly. 
 
 2 ades. 
 
[ '57 ] 
 
 adcs w . Pliny, even in profe, introduces this goi- 
 ters perfonally, and makes her fpeak in praife 
 of her fruits over which fhe preflded *. 
 
 Priapus had alfo a fhare in prefiding over 
 gardens, his bufinefs being to drive away the birds r 
 and guard the fruit from thieves. He had there- 
 fore a pruning-ho®k too in his hands, and fome- 
 times a Jap-full of flowers. He had fometimes no 
 hands, and then was a mere log, as Martial hu- 
 moroufly calls him K In a very imraoileft book,. 
 
 a proper 
 
 w Met. xiv. v. 628. The Hamadryads are now taken to be 
 nymphs vitally annexed to trees — - and the old fcholiafts make 
 them a fet of aymphs coeval with certain oaks, or, at leaft, fa- 
 ted to perifh with them ; but the Roman poets ufe the word ra- 
 ther-as a character of the nymphs in general, than as the name 
 of a particular clafs. Vir. eel. x. v. 64. Faft. ii. v. 156. Met* 
 i. v. 695. The Hamadryad mentioned here by Ovid was a Naiad 
 or water nymph. Now thefe were fuch frequent companions of 
 the Dryads, or wood-nymphs^ that Virgil calls them fitters. Geo. 
 iv. v. 3S2. In fpeaking of nymphs, as prefiding over, or united 
 with trees, the Naiads, under thefe characters, are as freely men- 
 tioned as Dryads. Faft. iv. v. 232. Stat. 1. i. Sylv. 3. v. 63. 
 The notion of nymphs, or intellectual beings annexed to trees, 
 made the ftory of Erifichton in Ovid, and of Polydorus in Virgil, 
 more natural to their readers at that time, than to us now. It 
 will alfo account for their worfhipping of trees. Liv. I. iii. c. 25. 
 
 x Plin. Nat. Hift. xxiii. in proem. There feems, according to 
 Horace, to be feveral inferior Vertumnufes, as there were inferior 
 Pans and Faunufes. Hor. I. ii. Sat. 7. v. 14. 
 
 y Hor. 1. i. Sat. 3. v. 7. Virg. Geo. iv. v. in. .Mart. J, 
 vYu ep. 41. What Horace fays of him contains one of the fe- 
 vereft ftrokes againft the wor/hip of idols in general, 1. i. Sat. 2. 
 
 V3» 
 
[ t S 8 ] 
 
 a proper offering is made to this god ; and, in- 
 deed, fome other pieces of devotion were paid to 
 him, no lefs obfcene than the god himfelf 7 . 
 
 Ceres, the goddefs of corn fields, has been 
 •oonfidered among the twelve great celeftial dei- 
 ties. The Romans had their bad gods, as well as 
 their good ones ; and fo they had a deity to caufe 
 the ruft in corn, as well as to make it flourifh. 
 This goddefs, under the name of Robigo, is very 
 gravely mentioned by Ovid a . 
 
 Bacchus, who prefided over vineyards, and 
 Diana, who ranged the foreits, have alfo been 
 confidered. 
 
 Sylvanus prefided over woods, and the 
 fruits that grow there, and has therefore (on a 
 fcpulchral lamp in Bartoli) a lap-full of fruit : 
 his pruning-hook in one hand, and a young cy- 
 prefs-tree in the other, which is mentioned by 
 
 v. 3. The poets in general feem to have looked upon Priapus as 
 a ridiculous god. 
 
 ^ Infamous books of pictures (in the collection of infcriptions) 
 ( under the figures cf this god. Priap. Carm. Part 3. This 
 piece is, by the editors, afcribed to Virgil, without any founda- 
 tion. Theft pictures were like the modern ones mentioned by 
 Vafari, in his lives of the painters. Part iii. p. 307. 
 
 a Fall. iv. v. 9c 1 — 94a. where is the whole prayer of th* 
 prieft. They had alfo a god Rubious, as well as this goddefs. 
 The Rubigalia were inftitutedby Numa, Plin. Nat. Hift. 1. xviii. 
 cap. 29. Var. de ling. Lat. 5. 3. and are ridiculed by the fa- 
 thers, St. Auiiin, Terrullian, and Lactantius, 
 
 z Virgil 
 
[ 159 J 
 
 Virgil as a difiinguifhiag attribute. He defcribcs 
 him as crowned with wild flowers, and as presid- 
 ing over the corn fields, as well as- the woods b . 
 
 The Fauns, a fort of woodland-dertie?, 
 ranged over the country, but delighted chiefly 
 in vineyards. They are reprefentcd even eating 
 grapes out of Bacchus's hands ; and appear ge- 
 nerally as his attendants in Bacchanal -feafts and 
 procellions. The Fauns were partly of the fr- 
 tyr-kind, as may be feen by their Ihort tails, little 
 horns, and pointed ears. They have all the 
 agility and playfulnefs of the fatyrs, but not their 
 favage form and lewdnefs c . 
 
 The chief pafiion, as well of the Fauns as of 
 the fatyrs, was for the nymphs, though both had 
 females of their own kind. The poets have little 
 or -nothing defcriptive of the perfons or attributes 
 of the Fauns, though the Nymphs and Faunt 
 were fo common a fubjeft with the antient 
 artifts. 
 
 * Geo. i. v. 20. Eel. x. v. 35. /En. viii. v. 601. Virgil 
 fpeaks often of the vines and corn together, as they were planted, 
 Eel. i. v. 75. Geo. iv. v. 332. At this day rows of olive-trees, 
 mulberries, elms, and vines, are planted fo near together in the 
 corn-fields, that the whole vale of Lombardy looks at a diitance 
 like one continued wood. 
 
 c The famous Faun at Florence is dancing, with fome muficaf 
 inftruments in his hands, ufed at the feaft of Bacchus. And a 
 Faunefs, on a gem, in Agoftini, fhews pleafantnefs, one of their 
 principal characters. 
 
 K The 
 
[ i6o ] 
 
 The chief character of the Satyrs, or Pans, 
 is their Iafcivioufnefs ; from which the great god 
 Pan himfelf is not wholly exempt d . His figures 
 are ufually naked, to exprefs agility. Silius fpeaks 
 of his bounding from rock to rock, and gives the 
 fulled defcription of him of any Roman poet. 
 He crowns him with pine-branches, and fhades 
 his forehead with them. He gives him a doe's 
 Ikin over his left (houlder, and a pedum in his 
 right hand ; and reprefents him in feveral very 
 pidturcfque attitudes e . 
 
 A The poets, 'by one epithet, exprefs both the agility and 
 playfulnefs of the Satyrs, La/civi futyr). Lafctvus fignifies 
 cither playful or lewd, as Wanton does in Englh'h. It is ufed 
 of Cupid often to figmTy his nimblenefs, and fometimes fo too 
 of the Satyrs. Both Fauns and Satyrs were fond of the Nymphs, 
 nay, evenofthewatercr.es. Hor. 1. iii. cd. i£« v. u Stat, i. 
 S)lv. 5. v. 18. The Satyrs were all called Pans, Colum. V. 
 427. Their Iafcivioufnefs is but too ftrongly expreffed in the 
 iamous Satyr (fuppofed to be Pan himfelf) in the Lodovician 
 gardens, inftru&ing a youth to play on the fhepherd's reed. 
 
 e See the whole defcription of Pan in Silius, 1. xiii. v. 347. 
 This account of Pan is introduced where the pc et is fpeaking of 
 the Roman army approaching Capua, to deftroy it, after Hanni- 
 bal had left Italy. Jupiter (fays the poet) moved with the dif- 
 trefs of the Capuans, fends Pan to foften their incenfed enemies, 
 which he effe&ually did. Silius, on this cccafion, calls Pan the 
 Mild God, or the infpirer of Mildnefs. Sil. xiii. v. 32c. There 
 is a terminal figure at Florence which they call Pan, whofe 
 face agrees with this chara&er. Fie has a goat on his moulder, 
 and a little milking veflfel in his right hand. This is the Pan, 
 .perhaps, invoked by Virgil, Geo. i. v. iS. 
 
 Pan 
 
[ i6i ] 
 
 Pan is well known under the formidable cha- 
 racter of the infpirer of fudden frights and fears, 
 efpecially of fuch as happened in an army without 
 any real foundation, and are to this day called 
 Panic fears f . Thefe caufelefs alarms are defer ibed 
 by the Roman poets ; and the artifts, agreeably to 
 what they fay, give him fometkhes a face more 
 terrible than that of Mars hirnfelf^. 
 
 f Pan is defcribed as playing a thoufand little tricks, as fright- 
 ening the cattle, and the like. Flac. iii. v. 56. He was fup- 
 pofed, as well as the Fauns, to give frightful dreams. Flin. xxv, 
 c. 4. and 1. xxx. c. 10. 
 
 g Flac. iii. v. 54. The horrors cittfed by Pan, are particularly 
 defcribed in Longus's little romance, which our author thinks, 
 from the natural eafe and simplicity of his ftyle, was of a higher 
 age than about the end of the fourth century, and older than He- 
 liodorus. The Athenians had a ftotue of Pan, with a trophy on 
 his moulders, like the figures of Mars, he having often afhftcd 
 them in their wars, efpecially at the battle of Marathon. This 
 appears from two inferiptions in the collection of Greek epigrams. 
 Pan's face appears fo terrible, on a gem in the Strosssi^colleftion, 
 that, probably, it was from fome of thefe terrible representations 
 of Pan, that our modern artifts have borrowed the idea cf a devil. 
 This conjecture is the more probable, as the antients always gave 
 Pan a tail, hcrr.s, and cloven feet iike a goat, in which fhape the 
 devil is moft ufually faid to appear. Pan, by Ovid, is called the 
 Goatijb God. Met. xiv. v. 515. Smicatoer Pan, 
 
 BOOK 
 
£ x62 3 
 
 BOOK VIII. 
 
 The Deities and Inhabitants of the Lower 
 World, 
 
 "T7 I R G I L, of all the poets, as well Greek 
 * as Latin, hath given the mbft regular, and 
 the moft complete account of the fubterraneous 
 •world a . 
 
 The whole imaginary world beneath the fur- 
 face of the earth b which we call Hcil (though 
 according to the antients it was the receptacle of 
 all departed perfons, of the good as well as of the 
 bad) is divided by Virgil into five parts, i. The 
 previous region, or entrance. 2. The region of 
 waters, or the hateful paflage. 3. Erebus, or the 
 
 a Silius fets Virgil's account of hell on a level with the prin- 
 cipal lubjec"t of his Alne'id, and feems to mfimrate that he had 
 defcribed all the parts of it in as exa£r order before he faw it, as 
 'he could have done after he was an inhabitant of it. Sib xiii. v. 
 791. 
 
 The antients formerly considered the earth as a vaft plain, 
 ar.d hell as fpread out at an equal depth, all ui.der the furface 
 of it. Hence they had paffages that were fuppofed to lead di- 
 refHy to hell, in every country, as the lakes of A vermis and Am- 
 fan&us for Italy. Cic. Tufc. Quae ft. 1. i. p. 565. " It is in- 
 " different to ine (fays Anaxajcras) where you bury me, for my 
 *< journey to the other world will be juft the (am£ v Cic. Tufc. 
 <2uaeft. J. i. 
 
 7 gloomy 
 
gloomy region. 4. Tartarus, or the region of 
 torments. 5. Elyfium, or the region of blifsr 
 
 I. The previous recion, or entrance into 
 hell, is flocked with two forts of beings. Firft,. 
 with thofe which make the real mifery of man- 
 kind upon earth, fuch as war, difcord, labour, 
 grief, cares, diftempers, and old age : fecondly, 
 with the terrors of fancy, and all the tnoft frightful 
 creatures of our imagination, as Gorgons, Har- 
 pies, Chimseras, and the like e . 
 
 In this region Virgil places death, and his re- 
 lation fleep. The figures of Mors, or death y 
 are very uncommon. The mo ft remarkable is a 
 little brafs ftatue at Florence of a fkeleton, fitting 
 on the ground, and refting one of his hands on 
 
 c JEn. vi. v. 274 to 281. and v. 285 to 2S9. The pictures 
 in the Vatican Virgil are here referred to, becaufe the figures of 
 the evils of life are hardly to be met with elfewhere. As for ths 
 virtues (as we have feen) they are all to be found on the medals of 
 the emperors, by way of compliment. But no artirt ever ven- 
 tured to place a vicious or hurtful being on the medal of an em- 
 peror, though ever fo monftrous. Indeed, a groupe of fuch be- 
 ings appears no where but in the Vatican pictures ; and there 
 they have no diftingui filing marks 5 though Virgil's epithets 
 might have furnifhed the artifts with iur.ts how to diltinguifh them* 
 The evils of life are represented by eight naked ladies in a lir.e^ 
 two of which are fitting upon baie rocks, and may be the Cura 
 Virgil (peaks of. The- Curie aie mentioned perfonally by others, 
 Hor. h ii. od. 16. v. 12. 24. Lucr. ii. v. 47. Hor. 1. iii. cd^ 
 ii v. 40. The rift of the picture rcprefents the Harpies, &c. 
 
 a long, 
 
[ KM 3 
 
 a long \irn d . Mors probably was common in 
 pictures, bccaufe (he is fo frequently mentioned 
 in a defcriptive manner by the poets, who make 
 a diftinction between Lethum and Mors, not to 
 be exprefTed in our language, and hardly to be 
 conceived c . 
 
 The poets defcribe Mors, as ravenous, trea- 
 cherous, and furious ; and as roving about open 
 mouthed, and ready to fwallow up all that come 
 
 <* Neither death nor flcep appear in the Vatican pictures. 
 Death is banifhed from medals for the reafons before-mentioned, 
 &nd from feals and rings, perhaps, as a bad omen. The evil be- 
 irgs are ?lmoft as uncommon in the defcription of the poet*. 
 The moft remarkable are, of party rage, /£n. i. v. 292,— of 
 c'ifcord, JEn. vi. v. 278. and viii. v. 702.—- of envy and hunger, 
 Met. vi.v. 775. and viii. v. 799.— -and the groupes of evil be- 
 ings, Met. i. v. 130. Stat. Theb. iv. v. 661. Stat. Arg. ii. v, 
 205. Petr. v. 254 to 263. See Val. Max. 1. ii. cap. 6. 1. ix. 
 czp. 2. and vi. proem, and Lucian's defcription of a piclure 
 which was drawn by Apclles the Ephefian, after having been like 
 to lofe his head, by a falfe accufation at the court of Ptolemy 
 Philopater. The imaginary beings reprefented in this picture were 
 Calumny, Ignorance, Falfhood, Sufpicion, Envy, Treachery, Re- 
 pentance, and Truth. Lucian T. ii, p. 204. Ed. Blaeu. 
 
 • Petr. v. 263. Perhaps by lethum was meant the general 
 fource of mortality rending in Orcus 5 and by Mors, or Mortcs, 
 the immediate caufe of each inftance of mortality. That the 
 poets had fcveral Deaths is plain ficm Statius (1. ii. Sylv. 7. v. 
 131. Theb. viii. v. 24.) He deferibes a Mors like *^uies, 1. v. 
 Syiv. 3. v. 261. fpeaking of his father who died of a lethargy. 
 He defcribes another Mors (perhaps the chief ) as giving in her 
 tale of Ghofts to -the rulers of the lower world. Theb. iv. v. 529. 
 He foeaks of her as like to be confined from doing mifchief m~% 
 dark prifon, 1. v. Sylv. 1. v. 16%, 
 
 in 
 
[ "65 ] 
 
 in her way. They give her black robes and 
 dark wings, and make her often of an enormous 
 fize f . 
 
 As the antients had more gloomy notions of 
 death than we have, their defcriptions, fometimcs,. 
 are more frightful and difmal. Thev defer ibe 
 her as coming and thundering at the doors of 
 mortals, to demand the debt they owe her; fome- 
 times as approaching their bed-fides, and fome- 
 times purfuing her prey, or as hovering in the 
 air, and ready to feize it. Mors is alfo reprefent- 
 cd like the gladiators called Retiares, purfuing 
 men with a net, as catching and dragging them to 
 their tombs ; or as furrounding perfons, like the 
 hunters of old, with her toils, and as encompaffing 
 them on every ftde s . But the molt pi&urefque 
 K 4 description 
 
 t From the epithets Pallida and Lurlda (pale and wan) /he 
 feems to have been reprefented with a face and meagre hody.. The 
 dead pale colour of her cheeks feems to be meant by Mors exani- 
 mis in Lucretius, vi. v. 127 1. Id. V. v. 222. Her. Fur. AcT. 
 2. Chor. Oedip. Acl. i. Chor. Stat. Theb. viii. v. 378. The 
 idea of death's fwallowing every thing comes naturally enough from 
 the old notion of the place of the dead. Sil. xiii. v. 53c. 845. 
 Ovid ad Liv. v. 360. Hor. 1. ii. Sat. 1. v. 58. Statius in a pef- 
 tilence gives her a fword. Theb. i. v. 633. But there is ho 
 ether inrtance of it. 
 
 g Phzedr. I. 3v. epil. Hor. L 1. od. 4. v. 14. The exprefficn 
 of knocking at the door is ufed of Proferpina and Bellona,, 
 Ovid. Her. ep. 21. v. 46. Stat. Theb. viii. v. 349. Lucr. iii,, 
 v. 492. Her. L iii. od. 2. v. 16. Ovid, ad Liv. v. 361. 
 Stat. Theb. viii. v. 378. Met. vii. v. 581. Her. 1. iii. od. 24.. 
 v. 9. Ovid. Am, iii. el. 9. v. 38. This way of hunting, by. 
 
 indjimg.; 
 
r 166 ] 
 
 «lefcription of this deity, is where Statius rrpre- 
 fents her by the bed-fide of a youth in the flower 
 of his age, attended by envy and vengeance. 
 Thefe horrid deities fhew great friendship to one 
 another in the execution of their purpofe, and 
 vengeance in particular feems, by the account, 
 to take the net out of death's hand, and to per- 
 form her office for her. 
 
 Lethum is defcribed, in general, much in 
 the fame manner as Mors. The poets give him 
 a robe, but mention his arms being exerted out 
 of it, as reaching his prey. He is faid to be 
 nearly related to Somnus. Fiaccus calls them 
 brothers l . 
 
 Somnus, or sleep, feems to be placed, by 
 Virgil, in the previous region, for his relation to 
 Lethum, though Ovid and Statius give him a 
 palace on our earth. He is represented, gene- 
 rally, by the artifts, as a foft youth, ftretched 
 out at his eafe on a couch, refting his head on a 
 lion's (kin (and fometimes on a lion, as in a 
 
 inclcfing a great number of bsafts, is very diftin&ly defcribed by 
 Statius. Achil. i. v. 466. Plutarch fpcaks of toils twelve miles 
 in length, in Vit. Alex. Stat. 1. V. Sylv. f. v. 156. This cuf- 
 tom came from the Eaft, where it is ftill ^raclifed. See Pfalm 
 c;<vi. v. 3. Ihe fnaieb of death compared me round about. 
 
 h Vengeance is here called Rhamnufia, by Statius, who, in 
 the heathen fcheme feems to be much the fame with Nemefis, or 
 divine vengeance. Stat. 1. ii. Sylv. 6. v. 79. 
 
 » Flac. ii. v. 2,07. Stat. Theb. V. v. 199. Flac. viii. v. 74. 
 
 (latue 
 
C 167 J 
 
 ftatue in MafFei) with one arm cither a little, 
 over or under his head, and the other hanging, 
 down negligently by the fide of the couch,, with, 
 poppies in it, or a horn full of poppy-juice. Fie 
 is often winged, and fo like Cupid as to have 
 been frequently taken for one,- notwithftanding t 
 the lizard at his feet, the proper attribute o£ 
 Somnus, as it fleeps half the year k . 
 
 The poets are very full and particular in their dc~ 
 fcriptions of the God Somnus. They femetimes 
 fpeak of him as large, to denote his great power, 
 which is lignificd too by his rcfting on a lion; 
 He is generally defcrihed juft as he appears in the 
 Maffei- ftatue, young, loft, placid, and re firing- 
 on a lion,. The poets fpeak often of his wings, 
 and of their being bkek, as mcil proper for 
 the god who chiefly rul?s- by night. For the 
 feme reafon his figures are of ebony, bafalt, or 
 dark-coloured marble- l . Such is the fine frstue 
 at Florence,, which holds a horn in his hand fo 
 Bemifsly that the poppy juice is running out of 
 
 k /En. vi. v. 27S. The Irssard is not mentioned by the pcet?> 
 asnd might be ufed by the a:tu! merely, for diflin&ion* though ti » 
 poppy feems fufneient for that pur} ofe, except in feme few pieces, 
 where the. diftmguiCiing attributes of both are blended together* 
 In that cafe thefe may be Cupids under the character of Soranus* 
 
 1 Flac. Arg. via. v. 73, £fc,t..V. Sylv. 4. v. 1. ©via. Arti- 
 Am, ii. v.. 546. Met. xi. v. 623. Stat. Tiisb. x. v. ic3. Meti 
 
 xi. v. 649. Virgil calls Sornnus, wirged, Orbfocr'u and et!tt\ 
 
 vi. v. 701. JSHi V. v. 862. Tibul. ii. d. 1. v. uk r Iviet,. 
 
 xii. v,.6i2». 
 
1 168 ] 
 
 it m . Somnus is fuppofed to communicate fiecp 
 to mortals, by pouring out of his horn on them ; 
 by touching them with his virga (which the 
 poets Torn: times gave him) or by gently patting 
 by their bed-fide. When he gave troubled fleep, 
 or tumultuous dreams, he mixed water, from forae 
 infernal river, with his poppy-juice 11 . 
 
 Stati us defcribes Somnus more frequently than 
 any other poet. He repreftnts him as (landing 
 on the higheft point in the moon's courfe, and 
 hovering down from thence with his wings fpread 
 over the earth, juft at midnight. He fpeaks of fe- 
 veral relievos, in each of which this god was joined 
 with proper companions. In the firft, he was- 
 with Voluptas, as the goddefs of feafts ; in 
 the fecond, v/ith hard labour, reprefented as 
 tired, and inclined to reft ; in the third, with 
 Bacchus; and in the fourth, with the god of love °. 
 
 All 
 
 » This circumftance is hinted at by the poets (Stat. Theb. x» 
 V. 111.) wJio often fpeak of his horn, Stat. Theb. vi. v. 27. Id. 
 ji. v.. 1.1-5. anc * y< v - : 99* This idea is lb ufual in Statius's The- 
 baid, that it may help to coirecl a line which is. fcarce Latin, 
 by altering curru into cornu. '1 heb. xii. v. 307. 
 
 n The virga might be only the poppy on the flalk, Stat. I. 
 V. Sylv. 4. v. nit. Sil. x. v. 357. What Silius calls virga, Vir- 
 gil calls tames. Ain. V. v. 855. And he calls the poppy let baa 
 papavera, and leihao prrfufa pa paver a Sonne. Geo. iv. V. 545. 
 Geo. i. v. 78. Siar. 'i htb. V. v. 199. Sil. x. v. 358. Silius 
 Lei e calls him celer, v/hicht feems wrong, as he is generally de- 
 icribed indolent and inactive. V» htn he is ( ailed vcluuis, it 
 Bieans svinged. Ovid's h> a very beautiful defuiption. Met. 
 y.\, v. 649. 
 
 * Sut. AchiL I. i. v. 621, Sttt, Thdb, X, V, 124. This 
 
 would 
 
p >6 9 r 
 
 All thefe fine images are in Statius's defcrip- 
 tion of the palace of Sleep, which is a full one, 
 and feems to be borrowed from Ovid's, which is 
 ftill fuller. Statius places it in the unknown 
 parts of ^Ethiopia, and Ovid in Italy, near the. 
 lake Avernus. Somnus's attendants before the 
 gates were, Reft, Eafe, Indolence, Silence, and 
 Oblivion ; and within were a vaft multitude of 
 dreams, in different fhapes and attitudes. Over 
 thefe, Ovid fays, prefided the three chiefs, who 
 infpire dreams into great perfons only; Mor- 
 phaeus, fuch as relate to men ; Phobsetoi*, fuch as- 
 relate to animals; and Phantafos, fuch as relate 
 to inanimate things. They had each their par- 
 ticular legions to infpire dreams into the common 
 people. Thefe are ail fpoken of perfonally by 
 the poets; but. it does not appear that there 
 is a fingle figure in the works of the artifh re- 
 lating to thefe things p . 
 
 would be a pretty fubjedl for a -painter now. Statius places him 
 likewife with the mild Mors. Theb. x. v. 105. 
 
 P See Stat. Theb. x. v. 84. to 117. and Ovid. Met. xi. v. 592. 
 to 645. Stat. Thab. x. v. S8. Met. xi. v. 596,. Virgjfs de- 
 scription of the deicent .to hell near Avernus, agrees with Ovid's,- 
 JEn. vi. v. 271. Stat. Theb.. x. v. 92. Met. xi. v. 633 to 
 645. The inferior Dreams are reckoned by Tibulius among the 
 attendants of the chariot of Nox, and are faid to be black. 
 Statius describes them flicking againft the pillars and walls in. 
 the palace of Somnus, like bats, to which Homer compares , the. 
 Spirits in Ades. Tib. ii. el. 1. v. ult. Stat. Theb. x. v. $15. 
 Vaga here helps to explain ineerto in Tibulius. They are.de- 
 fenced as wavering in their motion ; as all the beings relating t© 
 time are faid to glide, on in an even and lilent motion. . 
 
 & 6 As 
 
As for the fecond fort of inhabitants in fche 
 previous region, the terrors of the fancy, 
 there is little to be faid. The poets, though they 
 realized even Death, Sleep, and Dreams, and 
 worfhipped them in the vulgar religion, always 
 confidered the others as exifring. no where but in 
 the imaginations of men q . 
 
 II. The fecond divifion of hell is the region 
 of stvx, or the hateful passage. The 
 imaginary perfons of this part are the fouls of the 
 departed, who are palling,, or fuing for a parage, 
 4>ver that river r . 
 
 The fole governor here is Charon, whom 
 Virgil d J'cribes as flrong, and in all the vigour 
 ©f old age, as meanly clad, with a large rough. 
 
 ^ Ovid reckons them amonj the things he could never believe. 
 Trift. 1. iv. el. 7. v. 20. Cic. de nat. deor. 1. ii. In the Vatican 
 picture, appears the Chima-ra, with her mixed form, and breath- 
 ing fire. (Kor. 1. i. od. 27. v. ult. Lucr. V. v. 903. /Cn. vii.. 
 v. 786.) Two Centaurs, a male and a ftmale ; (Lucian describes 
 a pid'ture of a. whole family of Centaurs by the famous Zeuxis, 
 Tom. i. p. 579.) The Hydra, with it's maky head : and Ceryon,. 
 with his three human heads. (JEn. vi. v. 2S9. JEn. viii. v. 
 202. Kor. 1. ii. od. 14. v. 2.) Briareus, with many hands; 
 ikylla, hah f.uh and half human ; a Harpy, half human ar;d 
 half bird. '1 hefe anfwer all that. Virgil mentions, except the 
 Gorgon, JEn. vi. v. 225.. 
 
 * JEn. vi. v. 306. The fouls of the unburied were not fuffer- 
 td to pafs the Styx till after a hundred years. This was taught to- 
 promote the funeral rites, which were inftituted by the legiflator 
 t6 prevent pnvate murders; Div, Leg. b. ii. fe£t 4. 
 
 beard,. 
 
[ '7i ] 
 
 beard, and matted grey hair, and with his eyes- 
 fixed and fiery. This defcription agrees with 
 the figures we have of him s . 
 
 III. The third divifion, Erebus, or the 
 gloomy region, which begins on the other 
 fide of the Styx r , is fubdivided into five diftricls. 
 The firft is the receptacle, or limbo of infants. — 
 The fecond,. for fuch as had been put to death 
 without caufe. — The third,, for fuch fuicides as 
 were held excufable by the Romans : a melan- 
 choly region amidft marines formed by the over- 
 flowings of the river Styx. — The fourth, the 
 fields of mourning, full of dark groves, for thofe 
 who died for love. — The fifth and laft, for de- 
 parted warriors u . 
 
 At 
 
 s /En. vi. w 295 to 316. ./En. vi. v. 304. Charon, on a 
 fepulchral lamp in Bartcli, is receiving a Ghoft, and in a relievo, 
 in the Barbarini palace, is landing Ghofts on the Ihore of Ades, 
 in the picture in the Vatican Virgil, Styx is reprefented as a tor- 
 rent pouring down a precipice, and rowling along the boundaries 
 cf Ades. 
 
 t In each of the three divisions, on the other fide of Styx (which, 
 perhaps, were comprehended under the name cf Ades, as all 
 five might be under the name cf Orcus) was a. judge, JVlinos for 
 Erebus, Rhadamanthus for Tartarus, and /Eacus for EJyfiurn, 
 Pluto and Proferpina had their palace at the entrance of the road 
 to the Elynan fields, and prcfided over the whole fubterranean 
 world. /En. vi. v. 432. 5.C7. 542. Hor. 1. ii. od. 13. v. 23. 
 
 » /En. vi. v. 427. 430. 434 — 439. 441. 477. Virgil mows, 
 that this divifion was called Erebus, in his account of Orpheus'* 
 *dca;t. Compare Geo, iv. v, 471 and 478. See too . v. 481.. 
 
 Erebus 
 
r «72 1 
 
 At the entrance to Erebus {lands Cerberus, to 
 prevent any one's coming in who ought not to 
 be admitted. He is. tiefcribed (as in the picture, 
 of the Vatican Virgil) with three heads, and as 
 many necks encompafied with ferpents, and from 
 thence called by Ovid the Mcdufean monfter w . 
 
 IV. The 
 
 Erebus may poffibly be fometimes ufed for the fubterranean world 
 in general. The picture in the Vatican Virgil has only the be- 
 ginning of the third divifion. Immediately behind Cerberus are 
 fome infants, and juft over him is Minos, who adjudges each 
 ghoft to the place in which he is to ref;de. He is fitting in the 
 attitude of a judge. By him is the urn, ufed of old' when giving 
 fentence. A line of fpirits ftand before him waiting his fen- 
 tence; and behind him is one, who, in going to the place allot- 
 ted him, feems to meet with an old friend, who takes him by 
 the hand. Minos's urn always turned out the right mark. Stat.. 
 Thsb. viii. v. 105. Statius defcribes Minos and /Eacus fining in 
 judgment as affiftants to Pluto, but it muft have been only occa- 
 iionaiiy. Theb. viii. v. 28. Minos is there fpoken of as good- 
 natured. 
 
 w ^En. vi. v. 412. Hor. 1. Hi. od. 11. v. 2c. Met. x. v. 22.. 
 Horace (1. ii. od. 13. v. 36.) gives him an hundred heads, double 
 the number given by Heficd. Be^. 312. Jn the Vatican picture 
 Cerberus mows a fnarling fort, of fctisfacticn at Orpheus's mufic, 
 and feems angry at being pleafed. This picture has but one ©f the 
 five diftrifts, the reft being loft. Had they been better preferved 
 we fnoula doubtlefs have feen Dido, and feveral Grecian and 
 Trojan warriors, as defer) bed by Virgil. 
 
 It is remarked, that as all mankind may be divided into the 
 good, bad, and indifferent, Ades is laid out by Virgil into 
 three divifjons — Eiyfium for the good — Tartarus for the bad 
 —and for thofe who may be faid to be neither, Erebus ; fuch 
 as infants, innocent fufferers, and the. reft affigned to this region. 
 7 Jtfenippjjs's 
 
[ »73 ] 
 
 IV. The fourth divifion, Tartarus, or the 
 regions of torments, begins where the road 
 through the cliftricl of Erebus branches into two; 
 one to the right hand, leading to Elyfium, and 
 the other to the left, leading to Tartarus. Ac- 
 cording to Virgil this region begins with a city 
 encompafled with a river of fire, and guarded by- 
 one of the chiefs of the furies. Within this city 
 was a vaft deep pit, in which the tortures were 
 fuppofed to be performed. In this horrid part, 
 Virgil places fuch fouls as have been impious 
 towards the gods, and fuch as have been vile or 
 mifchievous among men. Thofe particularly 
 who hated their brethren, ufed their parents ill, 
 or cheated their dependents, who made no ufe of 
 their riches, who committed inceft or adultery, 
 rebellious fubjeds or knavifh fervants, defpifers 
 of juftice, or betrayers of their country; and who 
 make and unmake laws, not for the public good s 
 but to inrich themfelves*. 
 
 In 
 
 Menippus's account cf hell, in Luciaa, agrses. in thefe particu- 
 lars with Virgil's. Lucian, torn. i. p. 332. ii. 301. [The reafon 
 why new-born infants were placed in Erebus (which feems unjuft) 
 is faid to be in order to fecure infancy, and give a check to the 
 barbarous cuftom of expofing children, which prevailed every, 
 where except in ^gypt, where it was forbid by a law. By the 
 faijly condemned* Virgilis fuppofed to mean the faljly judged,, allud- 
 ing to the cuftom of fitting in judgment, and paffing fentence 
 upon every man at his deceafe j which fentence, if wrong, was 
 to be rectified in the other world. See the origin of the cuftom 
 in Plato's Gorgias. Div. Leg. b. ii. feci:. 4.] 
 
 * /Env vi. v. 549. to 566. The imphu: t /En. vL v. 580. 
 to 607. and the u»juft x v. 608, to 614. It is plain Virgil had 
 
 this 
 
[ 174 J 
 
 In this region rcliued alio thole infernal deities 
 the Furies, who attend either to inflict or ag- 
 gravate the torments. The defcriptions of them 
 are much more common in the poets than in the 
 remains of the artifts. The poets fpeak of great 
 numbers not only for the feveral regions of Or- 
 cus, but as wandering about the earth to tempt 
 or puniih the wicked, and fometimes as attending 
 on Jupiter in heaven itfelf. Thefe goddefles (for 
 fo they are ilyled) were looked upon as the dif- 
 penfers of the divine vengeance, the punifhers 
 of wicked actions, here and hereafter, and the in~ 
 ihclers of terrors, wars, and ptftilence 
 
 As the poets, in difpofmg the lower world 
 feem to have been fond of throwing things into 
 
 this diftinftion in his thoughts, from his not mixing them at all 
 one with another ; and even expreffes it in the exclamation, v. 
 620. As /Eneas did not enter into Tartarus, the. pifture re* 
 prefents only the city. The Sibyl relates the reft, that Rhada- 
 manthus refided there, and that there were in it much more, 
 terrible monfters than in the previous region ; that it ended in a 
 gulph twice as far below the earth as the heavens are above it,, 
 where the wicked were tormented. JEn. vi. v. 558. 577. 580. 
 
 y JEt\. vi. v. 571. Virgil gives them apartments in the pre- 
 vious region. Ibid. v. 28c. And Statius fpcaks of them as 
 ftanding rcund Pluto's throne, t hcb. iv. v. 527. where he calls 
 them minifters of Pluto's cruelty. JEn. viii. v. 701. JEr\> xii. v. 
 852. JEn. vii. v. 409. Cotta fpeaks of a temple to the furies, 
 Cic. de nat. deor. 1. iii. p. 69. where i: is faid, Fur'ue due funt, 
 fb ttulat fices t credo, tt vinJices fac'inoium tt Jcelcrh. There is part' 
 of a prayer to them in Lucilius, Sat 1. iv. They were worfhipped 
 at Athens by the title of It/iAvctt Q(a.i y Lucianj torn. ii. p. 215. 
 They were uied as inftruments in the punifhment of Pentheus, 
 Oedipus, Oreftcs, &c, 
 
 triads 5 
 
[ i75 J 
 
 triads z , fo they have made three chiefs over all 
 the other Furies, Tifiphone, Aleclo, and Megaera, 
 who were fuppofed to exceed ail the reft in cruelty 
 and malice, and are called, by way of eminence, 
 The Furies, or The Dirae. They were all three 
 fifters, born at one birth of the goddefs Night. 
 They are defcribed as of a large fize, and terrible 
 to behold. They have a dark funeral robe bound 
 round them with ferpents, and vipers about their 
 heads. They, fometimes, too, hold vipers in 
 their hands, and fometimes whips or torches, all 
 as inftruments of punifhment. The poets fpeak 
 of them as tormenting the wicked, or hurrying 
 them into mifchief $ and on forne occasions as at- 
 tending on the throne of Jupiter, and as {landing 
 round the feat of Pluto, and as waiting at the gate 
 of Tartarus a . 
 
 The vipers round the head of Tisiphone are 
 reprefented by the poets, fometimes as like fer- 
 pents intermixed with the air, and fometimes as 
 
 z Ades Itfelf is divided into three region?, Erebus, Tartarus, 
 andElyfium; and is governed by three judges, Minos, Rhada- 
 manthus, and y£acus 5 and watered with three rivers, Achercn, 
 Cocytus, and Phlegethon, with other triads of lsfs note. 
 
 a /En* xii. v. 848. Lucan. i. v. 574. 577. Flae. iii. v. 54. 
 They are old. Met. iv. v. 474. fqualid, Med. Aft. i. Sc. i. v. 
 14. tneogre t Again. Aft. iii Chor. v. 7. 59. f>a'e, Virg. Geo. 
 iii. 153. iv. 483. Ovid. Ibis, v. 78. /En. vi. 575. Though 
 the figures of the Furies are very uncommon, yet they are gene- 
 rally introduced in the relievos of the death of Meleager, as en«. 
 couraging Althaea to burn the fatal brand on which her fon's life 
 depended. Ovid makes Althsea invoke the Furies. Met. viii. 
 v. 483. 
 
 ferpents 
 
[ 1 76 ] 
 
 ferpents growing from her head inftead of air. As 
 fhe is one of the chief of the infernal executioners, 
 her robe is defcribed dropping with frefh blood, 
 and ftiffwith human gore, and fattened round her 
 with ferpents inftead of a girdle, as file has fome- 
 times vipers twifted round her arms inftead of 
 bracelets. They give her fometimes a torch in her 
 hand frefh from the torture, and ftill wet with 
 blood, and fometimes a ferpent in one hand, and 
 a torch in the other ; and fometimes ferpents in 
 both. Here, fhe is {baking her horrid head of 
 hair to rouze up all the vipers about it, and there, 
 running on, with the air of a Bacchanal, to in- 
 cite men to deeds of blood and fury. Here urging 
 on the torments of the condemned, and there 
 whirling her torch, and exulting in the mifchief 
 fhe has done. Here (he is reprefented as a growing 
 figure, and there as fetting out with all her at- 
 tendants b . 
 
 Alecto, 
 
 i See all thefe particulars, Stat. Theb. 1. v. 91. Met. iv. 
 v. 495. 483. Stat. Theb. i. ver. 111. Met. iv. v. 51a. 490. 
 Stat. Theb. i. v. 113. Ibid. vii. v. 466. Stat. Theb. vii. ver. 
 467. ./En. vi. v. 571. Met. iv. v. 510. 484. As a growing 
 figure^ sEn. vii. 448. Virgil is defcribing her as bringing a 
 peftilence upon the earth, where the allegory and the reality 
 anfwer exadtly to each ether. ./En. Geo. iii. v. 554. There is 
 a legend in Flaccus concerning Tiilphone, as remarkable as it is 
 uncommon, wherein fhe endeavours to hinder 16 from landing in 
 ./Egypt, but is defeated by Nilus. The poet fays, the Fury's 
 torches lay fcattered in one place, and her avenging fcourge in 
 another; feveral of her vipers were torn from her head, and fhe 
 herfelf preffed down into the fand-bank, iron* whence fhe funk 
 
 w 
 
[ 177 ] 
 
 Alecto, her fitter, feems to have been yet 
 more terrible than herfelf. She is defcribed much 
 in the fame manner, with vipers about her head, 
 and about her very wings, and is armed with vi- 
 pers, fcourges, and torches, as appears from the 
 fineft defcription of a Fury that was ever penned c . 
 
 Megjera, 
 
 to hell, wounded and vanquifhed. See the whole {lory (Flac. iv. 
 v. 413.) from which (as Flaccus obferves) the Thracian Bofphe- 
 ius> or Bosporus, acquired it's name. 
 
 e /En. vii. v. 329. 450. 561. 347. 451. This defcription 
 is one of the noblefi parts in all Virgil's works, JEn. vii. v. 
 32410571. Juno, to deftroy the good underflandiug between 
 the Trojans and Latians, raifes Aledto from Tartarus, who, 
 teceiving her orders, inftantly flies to the queen of Latium, and 
 darts one of her ferpents into her bofom. This produces in her, 
 firft melanxhoJy and complaints, then rage, and at laft open 
 atl9 of violence. From her Ale&o flies to Turnus, and at 
 midnight appears to him in his fleep under the form of a priefiefs 
 of Juno, and tries in a fpeech to incite him to raife tfoops a- 
 gainfl JEneas and his allies. Turnus at firft treats her as a falfe 
 prophetefs, at which flie in a rage affumes her own fliape, with 
 all it's terrors about it. Her face grew larger and larger every 
 inftantj her eye-balls became like flames of fire, and her 
 fnakes rofe about her head in all their fury. She then bids 
 him obferve who me is ; the difpenfer of wars and deftru£Hon, 
 darting, at the fame time, her burning torch againft his breaft. 
 Turnus ftarts with the fright out of his fieep, calls aloud for arms, 
 dxcites the people, and breathes nothiiag but flaughter. From 
 him Aleclo rlies, and raifes a quarrel between a party of Tro- 
 jans and fome Latians ; and when fhe faw them fufficiently pro- 
 voked, me herfelf founded the onfet to battle. The infernal 
 blaft made the woods tremble, and was heard for a vaft com- 
 pafs round about. She flies thenee to heaven, tells Juno her 
 commands were obeyed, and wants to do more milchief. Juno 
 
 fays, 
 
1 178 ] 
 
 Mec^era, the lad of the three horrid fiflers, 
 called the DiRiE, has ferpents on her head, and 
 two diftinguifhed ones over her forehead, as her 
 fiflers have; and, like them, is reprefented with 
 torches. The pnets fpeak much lefs of her than 
 of the others. There is but one description of 
 her that would make a good picture. It is in 
 Virgil, where he is fpeaking of the punifhment of 
 the Lapithse, who are placed round a table plen- 
 tifully fet out, with a loofe rock hanging over 
 their heads, and the Fury clofe by to watch and 
 threaten them, the moment they offer to taftc 
 any of the tempting things fet before them d . 
 
 Such are the chiefs of the executioners employ- 
 ed to torment the impious and the unjust, 
 
 fays, it is enough, and bids her return to Tartarus. On which 
 fhe flies down, and plunges hcrfelf into a horrid iuiphureous lake 
 in the vale of Amfanclus, fuppofed to be a vent of the river A- 
 cheron, that furrounds the city of Rhadamanthus, and fo muft 
 lead Aledo directly to her ufual abode. 
 
 Amfanclus, by the antients and moderns, is placed in the 
 kingdom of Naples, between Trevicum and Acheronti a. Here a 
 temple was built to Mephitis (Plin. Nat. 1. iii. c. 93.) as the god 
 of peftilential fmells. Hence this place is called to this day Ne- 
 fanto (a corruption of Amfanclus) and Muff.to, and agrees witk 
 Virgil's defcriptior, fee Polym. p. 276. As no poet fpeaks of a 
 horn as one of Aleclo's attributes, our author thinks it was ufed 
 here only occafionally. 
 
 d Her. Oet. Act. iii. fc. 2. Thyeft. Act. ii. fc. 1. JEr\. vi. v. 
 6*7. Virgil calls her Max ma, by which, ccnfideiing her fiflers 
 characters, is meant a chief, not the chief. That it is Megaera 
 Virgil means is plain flora SfcUius, '1 l.eb. vi. v. 715. 
 
 into 
 
[ '79 3 _ 
 
 Into which the inhabitants of Tartarus fcem to be 
 divided by Virgil. 
 
 The moft impious are the rebel giants, 
 who, after their defeat, were caft down to Tar- 
 tarus, to receive the punifbment due to their 
 enormous crimes. The poets, in fpeaking of 
 thefe monfters, fay, they had fnakes inftead of 
 legs. This is explained by the works of the ar- 
 tifts, in which (as on a gem at Florence) they are 
 often reprefented going off at the thighs into 
 two vail ferpents e . 
 
 Virgil fpeaks of the vaft variety of tortures in 
 Tartarus, but names very few. The punifhments 
 are very uncommon too in the remains of the 
 artifts. In a fine relievo at the Villa Borghefe, 
 Tityos is lying on his back, and a vulture plung- 
 
 e Thefe giants were not fo eafily conquered as might be ex- 
 peeled, or fome poets have defcribed that affair as attended with 
 more difficulty than they ought. See Ovid, Met. V. v. 32©. 
 where he fays one of the Pierides raifes the achievements of the 
 giants, and extenuates the actions of the gcds. Faft. V. v. 37. 
 Lucr. ix. v. 656. Met. L v. 184. See Macrcb. Sat. 1. i. c. 20. 
 where they are fuppofed to be impious atheifts. 
 
 Typhaeus is diftinguifhed by the poets as one of the chief lead- 
 ers. Met. V. v. 326. Horace mentions him firrt in his account 
 of the battle, and names forne more, Mimas, Porphyrion, Rhae- 
 cus, and Enceladus, 1. iii. od. 4. v. 61. Virgil adds, Cceus and 
 lapetus, Geo. i. v. 283. and /Egeon. /En. x. v. 568. with the 
 two fons of Aloeus, /En. vi. v. 589. Ovid fays Gyges and 
 Typhon were concerned in the affair — Faft. iv. v. 592. Faft. ii, 
 v. 461. 
 
 ing 
 
[ i8o ] 
 
 ing his beak into his fide, as Virgil defcribcs it. 
 In another in the Barbarini palace, are the tor- 
 tures of Tantalus, Sifyphus, and Ixion. 
 
 Tantalus is reprefcnted as hanging over the 
 waters, which are always flowing through his 
 hand, and gliding from him. Difappointmcnt 
 and a fort of ftupidity, at being fo perpetually 
 baulked, appear in his face. From fome fuch 
 representation Horace compares the tortures of a 
 Mifer to thofe of Tantalus. He feems alfo to 
 have been reprefented as Handing under a tree, 
 with ripe fruits hanging juft before his mouth, 
 which when he attempts to take, moved away 
 out of his reach ; and fometimes with a great 
 ftone over his head, juft ready to fall upon him f . 
 
 Sisyphus isfeen, as Ovid defcribes him, bend- 
 ing under the weight of a vaft {tone. Lucretius 
 makes him only an emblem of the ambitious, as 
 Horace does Tantalus of the covetous s. 
 
 Ixion (condemned for impiety and ingratitude) 
 appears as fixed to his wheel, which hurries him 
 
 f JEn. vi. v. 627. 60c. Hor. 1. i. Sat.i. v. 71. Lucr. 1. n. 
 v. 1097. Sut. Theb. vi. v. 281. Met. \v. v. 458. Lucr. iii. 
 v. 994. Cic. Tufc. Quaeft. 1. iv. p. 460. 
 
 g Homer's fme defcription of him agrees with the more com- 
 mon way of puniftiment, as rolling up a great ftone againft the 
 fide of a ileep mountain, which always rolls down before he can 
 fix it on the top, Met. xiii. v. 26. Met. iv. v. 459. Lucr. iii. 
 v. 1015. 
 
 round 
 
[ i8i ] 
 
 round in one perpetual whirl. In this manner he 
 is defcribed by the poets h . 
 
 V. The fifth divifion, Elysium, or the re- 
 gion of eliss, is the habitation of thofe who 
 died for their country; thofe of pure lives; in- 
 ventors of arts ; and all who have done good to 
 mankind. Virgil does not fpeak of any particular 
 diftri&s, but fuppofes that all have the liberty 
 of going where they pleafe in that delightful re- 
 gion. He only mentions the vale of Lethe, or 
 Focgetfulnefs, as appropriated to any particular 
 ufe. Here, according to the Platonifts, and other 
 philofophers, the fouls which had gone through 
 fome periods of their trials, were immerfed in a 
 river which gives name to the vale, in order to be 
 put into new bodies, and to fill up the courfe of 
 their probation in our world *. 
 
 The antient, as well as the modern, poets, ne- 
 ver failed more in any thing than in making a 
 heaven. Virgil's ideas, though preferable to 
 Homer's, are ftill very mean. The perfons in 
 his Elyfium are, fome dancing, others engaged in 
 what they moft delighted in whilft on earth. 
 Thus Orpheus, for inftance, is playing on his 
 lyre. He fpeaks alfo of delightful groves, and a 
 
 h Met. iv. v. 461. Stat. Theb. viii. v. 51. Geo. iv. v. 484, 
 Geo. iii. v. 39. Our author thinks that angues here fhould be 
 erbes, which agrees with Ixion's punifhment, whereas angues does 
 not. See Polym. p. 280. 
 
 i JEn, vi. v. 660. 675. 679* 703. 7491 
 
 cafcade 
 
[ ,82 ] 
 
 cafcade of water. But taking in all he fays, his 
 defcription of Elyfium, and the pfcafures enjoyed 
 there, are fo very low, that it feems almoft to be 
 borrowed, from the manner in which the com- 
 mon people at Rome pafled their holy days on the 
 banks of the Tyber k . 
 
 /Eacus, the proper judge of Elyfium, is nei- 
 ther defcribed by the poets, nor reprefented by the 
 artift. But Pluto and Proserpina are common 
 fubjecls with both. Their palace flood where the 
 three great roads of Ades meet, near the centre 
 of their dominions. There is a great refemblance 
 in the faces of the three brothers, Jupiter, Nep- 
 tune, and Pluto, which appears in their feveral 
 figures (and is certainly well preferved by Ra- 
 phael, in his feaft of the gods, on the marriage 
 of Cupid and Pfyche) only the look of Jupiter is 
 the moft ferene and majeftic, and Pluto's the moft 
 fullen and fevere. The poets make the fame dif- 
 tin&ioR. Statius calls Pluto the Black Jupiter, 
 and his complecliou (as well as is veil) fhouJd be 
 dark and terrible. He is fometimes called Dis, 
 as Proferpine is named Perfephone *. 
 
 From 
 
 k Compare the defcription of a holiday by Ovid. Faft. iii. 
 v. 540. and of the joys of Elyfium by Virgil, Ain. vi. v. 647. 
 This Holiday was kept on the ides of March in honour of Anna 
 Perenna, then a faint, but formerly an eld cake woman at Rome. 
 The beft defcription of a heaven is in Pindar, Glymp. od. 2. 
 
 1 In one of the pieces of painting difcovered about the end 
 •f the laft century, is an old burial-place of the Naffonian fa- 
 mily, 
 
[ >83 ] 
 
 From the little the poets fay of Proferpina's 
 pcrfon, it may be inferred, that {he was of a 
 brown complexion. Though Pluto made her 
 the partner of his throne, it was a great while 
 before fhe could forgive the violence he had of- 
 fered her, or forget the delightful vales of Enna, 
 where fhe ufed to be lb happy with her nymphs. 
 Of this Ovid gives a very pretty and very pic* 
 turefque dcfcripticn. There was a gloom which 
 hung over her lace for a long time, and which 
 perhaps was never worn away. Statius found 
 out a melancholy employment for her too j which 
 was to keep a fort of regifter of the dead, and to 
 mark down all who mould be added to that num- 
 ber. He gives her another and more agreeable 
 office. He fays, when any remarkably good 
 wife dies, Proferpina orders the fpirits of the 
 belt women to walk in procefiion to welcome 
 her to Elyfmm, and to ftrcw all the way with 
 flowers "'. 
 
 mily, Pluto and Proferpina are fitting on thrones, whilft Mer- 
 cury is introducing the ghoft of a young woman, who feems in- 
 timidated at Pluto's item lock. Behind ftands her mother, wait- 
 ing to conduct her back to feme grove in Elyfium. Pluto holds 
 a fecptre in his hand, (Mot. V. v. 42c.; and hath a veil over his 
 head, which Claudian calls vubes, as the lighter veil of the air 
 and water nymphs was called mmius. Claud, de rapt. Prof. Stat. 
 Theb. iv. v. 475. Iheb. ii. v. 5c. Stat. Theb. xii. v. 273. 
 Luc. i. v. 577. Faft. iv. v. 44. Met. V, v. 470. 
 
 » Hor. 1. ii. od. 13. v. 21. Fie calls hec furva, Faft. iv. v. 
 525. Met. V. v. 508. 
 
 L Our 
 
[ i«4 ] 
 
 Our author concludes here his inquiry con- 
 cerning the agreement between the works of the 
 Roman poets, and the remains of the ancient 
 artifts. He has laid down, in his laft dialogue, 
 a plan for carrying on this agreement with re- 
 fpect to many other fubjecls, which he thought 
 might be of fervice towards explaining the daf- 
 fies : fuch as the amours of the gods, and of 
 their offspring, the heroes — fabulous actions 
 relating to famous men not properly heroes — 
 things remarkable, relating to the hiftory, re- 
 ligion, military affairs, arts and fciences, &c. of 
 the Romans. In all thefe fubjecls the poets and 
 artifts would be found to give mutual light to 
 one another. And if fuch an extenfive inquiry 
 fliould be made alfo into the Greek writers, the 
 whole would be a more ufeful and a more com- 
 plete body of antiquities than any yet publifhed, 
 and withal would be lefs voluminous than the 
 fingle collections of Graevius, Gronovius, or 
 Montfaucon \ 
 
 » It is remarked of Montfaucon, that his defign Is too wide, 
 he having taken in all he could find, of whatever age or coun- 
 try, down to the reign of Theodofius the younger. Nor has he 
 executed his deiign fo regularly as it mould be , he has mixed 
 Tufcan deities with Roman ; Gallic figures with Syrian ; JE~ 
 gyptian with Athenian. This breeds confufion, and multiplies 
 the attributes of every god. As they are there, the poets do 
 not agree with the artifts, nor the artifts with the poets, in 
 their refpeftive representations. See the fingle article of Ju- 
 piter, vol. j. p. 44, 48, 49, 50. 
 
 A N 
 
[ lis 1 
 
 A N 
 
 APPENDIX, 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 Sect. L Some of the Passages referred to 
 in the Inquiry, with a few additional Notes. 
 
 Sect. II. Instances of the Defects of the 
 modern Artists and Poets in Allegorical 
 
 Subjects. 
 
 S E C T. I. 
 OAge iii. Though the firft age of the Roman po- 
 etry is dated from Livius, it is certain (not to 
 mention the fongs of triumph in Romulus's time, 
 Liv. 1. 3. c 29.) there was fomething of poetry 
 under Numa, who pretended to converfe with 
 the Mufes, as well as with Egeria ; and Horace 
 (lib. ii. ep. 1.) calls the Saltan verfes^ Numa's 
 verfes — Jam Saliare Numa carmen. Pythagoras 
 (who gave a tindture of poetry to the Romans) 
 and his followers, like our druids, delivered moft 
 of their precepts in verfe. Indeed in that and 
 the next ages the Roman poetry was of a re- 
 ligious kind : their very prayers were poetical, 
 Horace, 1. 2. ep. 1. Carmine dii fuperi pla- 
 <antur 9 carmine manes. They had likewife 
 prophetic or /acred writers, who wrote in verfe. 
 Thefe were fo numerous, that there were 
 -above 2000 volumes even in Auguftus's time, 
 who ordered moft of them to be burnt, referv- 
 h 2 ing 
 
[ 186 ] 
 
 ing only the cl oice of the books of the fibyls. 
 Horace items to allude to them, 3. ii. ep. i. v. 26. 
 — Ann?] a volumina vatum. T hough the authors 
 are called vat{S % and their works carmina, that 
 does not imply they were ail poetry. Carmen 
 often fignifies a charm, particularly in Pliny, 
 J. 28. c. 2. Perhaps folemn forms, prophecies, 
 charms, were at firft in verfe, and thence car- 
 jheh] cantarc, decantarc, might be ufed even 
 when they v/ere written in profe. The old Ro- 
 mans had alfo a kind of plays derived from what 
 they had feen of the Tufran actors fent for to 
 Rome to expiate a plague. See Livy, 1. 7. c. 2. 
 Hcftcr, he fays, fignifying a player in Tufcan, 
 hijh'io came to be ufed iriftead of ludio. To thefe 
 may be added the jetting dialogues at their vin- 
 fag€ feafts, (Hor. 1. 2. ep. 1. v. 139.) and thofe 
 poets who fang, like our bards, at the tables of 
 the rich, the achievements of their anceftors. 
 Cic. Tulc. Qu*ft. 1. 1. p. 289. Val. Max. 
 1. 2. ci. The Fefcennine poetry, mentioned 
 by Livv and Horace, was probably a fort of dia- 
 logues. Hor. 1. 2. ep. 1. v. 154. All thefe, with 
 their works, are loft, Livius being the firft Ro- 
 man poet of whom any thing remains. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Ad noftrum tempus Livi fa iptorh ab asvo. 
 Kor. 1. 2. ep. 1. v. 63. page iii. 
 
 Et port Punica bella quietus, quaeiere ccepit 
 Quid Sophowle, et Thefpis et >Efchylus utile ferrent. 
 Her, 1. 2. ep. 1. v. 164. p. iv. 
 
 Felix 
 
[ m ] 
 
 Felix qui potuit rerum cogncfcere, caufa$, &c* 
 Geo. 2. v. 492. p. vi. 
 
 . mcile atque facetum 
 
 Virgillo annuerant gaudentes rure Cama-na;* 
 Hor. 1. 1. fat. 10. v. 44. p. viii. 
 
 BOOK I. CHAP. I. 
 
 Tr'ijlna flam ma. 
 
 , ■ Cui dextra trt\ulch 
 
 Ignibus armata eft. Met. 2. v. 849, 325. p. 7, 
 
 Vultu, quo ccelum tempeftatefque fe;enat, 
 
 Ofciila libavit natae. J&n, 1. v. 256. p. 8. 
 
 Demens qui nimbos et non imitabile fulmea 
 /lire et cornipedum pulfu firnuiabat equorum. 
 JEn. 6. v. 591. p g. 
 
 ■ - Rapidis qui tonat altus equis, p, 9, 
 
 In vos aha Jovis dextera fulmen habet. 
 
 Ovid. 1. 3. el. 3. v. 10. p. 9. 
 Matronae prceter faciem nil cernere pofiis. 
 
 Ovid, de Art. Am. 1. 1. v. 31. p. 10. 
 /Egidaque horriferam, turbatas Palladis arma, 
 Certatim fquamis ferpentum auroque prolibantj 
 Connexofque anguei ; ipfamque in peilore divje 
 Gorgcna, defefto vertentem lumina collo. 
 ^En. 3. v. 438. p. 15. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 Ipfa Venus pubem, quoties velamina ponit, 
 Protegitur lasva femiredUifra rnanu. 
 Ovid. Art. Am. 2. v. 614. p. 17. 
 Turpe vir et mulier,. junfti modo, protinu-s hoAes> 
 Non illas lites Ap'/iat ipfe prubat. 
 Rem. Am. v. 66e. p. 18. 
 Otia fi tollas, periere Cupidinis arcus* 
 Rem. Am, v. 143. p. 19. 
 
 L 3, Ac 
 
 r 
 
( 
 
 [ '88 ] 
 
 Ac nudam effigiem clypeo fulgentis et hafta, 
 Fendtntifque Dei, perituro oftenderet hofti. 
 Juv. fat. ii. v. 107. p. 23. 
 
 Hinc Auguftus agens Italos in praelia Caefar— - 
 Stans celfa in puppi : geminas cui tempora flammat 
 Laeta vomunt j patriumque aperitur vertice fidus. 
 Mn. 8. v. 678. p. 2,8. 
 
 Qualis ubi hybernam Lyciam Xanthiquc fluenta 
 Deferit, ac Delum maternam invifit Apollo, 
 Jnftauratque choros j — — 
 lpfe jogis Cynthi graditur, mollique fluentem 
 Fronde premit crinem fingens, atquc implicat auro. 
 Tela fonant humeri;. — —-/En. 9. v. 150. p. 29. 
 
 -■■ Cithara crinitus Ibpas 
 Perfonat aurata. — ■ ■ ■ JEn, 1. v. 741. p. 29. 
 
 ■ '■ * Nec Polyhymnia 
 
 Lefboum refugit tendere Barbiton, 
 
 Hor. 1. 1. od. v. 34. p. 32. 
 
 llox et Leucatae nimbofa cacumina montis, 
 £t founidatus nautis aperitur Apollo. 
 
 JE.n. 3. v. 275. p. 32. 
 . ■ ■ ■ Fora litibus omnia fervent. 
 Ipfe potefl fieri Marfya caufidicus. 
 
 Mart. 1. 2. ep. 64. p. 34. 
 
 Ora vides Hecates in tres vertentia partes, 
 Servet et in terras compita feda vias. 
 
 Faft. 1. v. 142. p. 36. 
 
 .. Tanquam diverfis partibus orbis 
 
 Anxia praecipiti venifiet epiftola pinna. 
 
 Juv. fat. 4. v. 149. p. 38. 
 
 O teiludinis aureae 
 Dulcem quae ftrepitum, Pieri, temperes ! 
 
 0 mutii quoque pifcibus 
 Donatura cygni, fi libeat, fonum.— Hor. 1. 4. od. 3. p. 39. 
 Tu quoque muta feme, volucer Tegeaee, Jonoree 
 Terga premas. - ■ Stat. 1. i. Sylv. 5. v. 8. p. 39. 
 
 Without 
 
[ i8g } 
 
 Without this legend of Mercury it would be difficult to have 
 an idea of a fmgirtg jifh, or a mufical beaji* 
 
 , At tu 
 
 Nil nifi Cecropides, truncoque fimillimus Hermse. 
 Nullo quippe alio vincis difcrimine, quam quod 
 111! marmoreum caput eft, tua vivit imago, 
 Juv. fat. 8. v. 55. p. 41* 
 
 BOOK IL 
 
 n .. , ■ . Pauci, quos sequus amavit 
 Jupiter, aut ardens evexit ad sethera virtus. 
 J&n. 6. v. 130. p. 42. 
 
 Nec quia defperes invidti membra Glyconis : 
 Nodofa corpus notis prohibere podagra.. 
 
 Hor. 1. 1. ep. 1. v. 33. p. 43. 
 
 Addidit Arcadio terga leonis afro.) 
 
 Mart. 1. 9. ep. 102. p. 47. 
 
 Haec rapit Antaei velox in f ulcere Draucus, 
 Grandia qui vano colla labore facit. 
 Mart. 1. 14. ep. 18. p. 50. 
 
 Acer equus quondam, magnaeque in fuhere fama?. 
 Met. 7. v. 541. p. 50. 
 
 Et te, Bacche, vocant per carmina lata, tibique 
 Ofcilla ex alta fufpendunt mollia pinu. 
 Hinc omnis largo pubefcit vinea foetu ; 
 Complentur vallefque cava, faltufque profundi, 
 Et quaecunque deus circum caput egit honeftum. 
 Geo. 2. v. 392. p. 55. 
 
 Honejius, when applied to a perfon or figure, fignified ieauti- 
 ful. Dryden, prejudiced by modern figures, tranflates it 
 jovial. 
 
 Lituo pulcher, trabeaque Quirinus. 
 Faft. 6. y. 375. p. 60. 
 
 BOOK 
 
[ i 9 o ] 
 
 BOOK III. 
 
 J\le* i bona dicetur, manibus pr ft terga revinttis, 
 Ovid. Amor. J. i. el. i. v. 32. p. 63. 
 
 "Et tibi quae Samios diduxit litera ramos 
 Surgentem dextro monftravit lin.ite cailem. 
 Feri". fat. 3. v. 82. p. 66, 67. 
 
 Conftitit, atq^ue caput mveo velatus ami&u, 
 Jam bene diis notas fultuiit ilie manus. 
 Faft. 1. 3. v. 364. (ol Numa,) p. 67. 
 
 lnjuiiofo ne pece proruas 
 
 Stantem coiumnam. Kor. I. !• od. 35. p. 72. 
 
 Quein tulit ad fcenam wrt*f> gloria curru. 
 Hor. i. 2. ep. r. v. 177. p. 73. 
 
 Te Temper anteit f*va n.cejirar, 
 
 C>az>os trahalu et ctitueot rr u-nu 
 Geftana ahena \ ncc ,tierus 
 Uncus aheft,. liquid.m.que plumbum. 
 Hor. 1. 1. od. 35. v. 16. p. 75. 
 
 Hie per lancta tuoe Junonu numina juro ! 
 
 Tibul. i. 4. el. 13. v. 16. p. 76. 
 Et per yur.wm, domino jurante, miniftrp. 
 
 Juv. fat. 2. v. c.9. p. 761. 
 
 Scit Genius, natale comes qui temperat aftrum, 
 Naturae deus humanae, niortalis in unum- 
 Quodque caput, vultu mutabilis, aL-us ttater. 
 Hor. J. 2. ep. 2. v. 1S7. p. 76, 77. 
 
 . Stat. Fortupa 'urffrka noctu, 
 
 Arridens nudis infantihus. 
 
 juv. fat. 6. v. 6c 5. p. 79. 
 
 Hac facie, Fortuna tibi tttmatta placeba*. 
 Luc. I. i. v. C06. p. l'o. 
 
 BOOK. 
 
[ 19' J 
 
 BOOK IV. 
 
 Turn mihi ccerultui fupra caput aftitit imber, 
 Noftcm hiememque ferens. — JEn. 3. v. 195. p. 8(r. 
 Anne novum tardis fidus te menfibus addas, 
 Qua locus Erigonen inter Chelafque fequentes 
 Panditur : ipfe tibi jam brachia contrahit ardent 
 Scorpius, et cceli jufia plus parte rcliqv.it. 
 Vir. Geo. 1. v. 35. p. S9. 
 
 ■ ■ Milio venit annua cura, 
 
 Candidus suratis aperit cum cornibus annum 
 Taurus, et ayerfo cedens canis occidit aflro. 
 
 The original reading was ad-verfc, according to the befl MSS* 
 then cam 1 is the genitive cafe, and adverfum a ft rum is that con- 
 ftellation; but aver jam afimm means Taurus. ■ — Vir> Geo. i» 
 v. 218. p. 92. 
 
 Subfequitur rapiJe ccnterta canicuia curfu : 
 Cum rafiiuif torrens, fuientes Sirius Indos 
 
 Ardebat ccelo. Geo. 4. v. 426. p. 97. 
 
 Cceruleus et vultum fefrugine Luciftr atra 
 Sparfus erat. — Before Csefar's death. 
 Met. 15. v. 79c. p. ici. 
 
 ■ Velatis ccrnibus et jam 
 
 Luna venit. Plac. Arg. 8. v. 33. p. rc2» 
 
 Gemmea purpureii cum juja d'ernet equis. 
 Faft. 2. v. 72. p. 103. 
 
 Carolina fanguinea? deducunt ccrnua lunse, 
 Et revocant nines* fclis euntis equcs. 
 
 Ovid. 1. 2. eL 1. v. 24. p. 103. 
 Cum Sol Herculei terga LtWn adit. 
 Ovid, de Art. Am. r. v. 68. p. 104. 
 
 - Dupiices tendens ad fydcra palmas. 
 
 [Praying.] /En. 1. v. 93. p. 125. 
 
 ■ Culer admiffis labitur annus equis. 
 
 [Amnis aquis.J Ovid.l. 1. el. 8. v. 50. p. 107. 
 
 L 5 Ei urn* 
 
C 192 ] 
 
 Brurna novl prima eft, veterifque novlfiima foils- 
 Faft. 1. v. 164. p. 108. 
 
 « Torquet medios nox humida curfus ; 
 Et me fevus equis Orient afflavit anhelis. 
 /En. 5. v. 740. p. 109. 
 
 Rofcida purpurea fupprime lora manu. 
 Ovid. 1. 1. el. 13. v. 10. p. 1 10. 
 
 Memnonis in rofeis lutea mater equis. 
 Faft. 4. v. 714. p. no. 
 
 Luteaque exiguis arefcunt fulpbura flammis,. 
 
 Met. 15. v. 351. p. no. 
 Praefideo foribus cceli, cura mitibus horis.. 
 
 Faft. 1. v. 125. p. in. 
 
 Me tenens dextra baculutn, clsvemquc fmiftra*. 
 Bina repens oculis obtuiit ora meis. 
 Faft. {. v. 56.. p. in. 
 
 Principium des, Jane, lieet velocibus-annis, 
 Et revoees vultu fsecula longa tuo. 
 
 Mart. 1. 8. ep. 8. p. 112. 
 Ante quod eft in me, poftque, videtur idem, 
 
 Faft. 1. v. 114. p. 113,. 
 
 BOOK V. 
 
 Per Siculas equitavit aquas. 
 
 Hor. 1. 4. od. 4. v. 44. p. 117. 
 Confiigunt Zephyrufque Notufque, et laetus Eois 
 Eurus equis. JEn+.z. v. 417. p. 117. 
 
 hi Rorant penna?que.yz»»/que. 
 
 Met. i. v. 268. p. 117. 
 Chloris eram quae Flora, vocor, &c 
 Faft. 5. v. 212. p. 118. 
 
 Fervefcunt graviter fpirantibus incita flabris^ 
 Lucr. 6. v. 427. p. 119. 
 
 Hinc ad Tarpeium, &c, — Mn. 8„ v. 354. p. 125 
 3 
 
f *93 ] 
 
 Sic rofeo Tliaumantias ore locuta eft. 
 JEn. 9. v. 5. p. 126. 
 
 Parva metu primo, mox fefe attollit in auras* 
 JEti. 4. v. 176. p. 126. 
 
 No&e volat coell medio terrseque per umbram, 
 Stridens ; nec dulci declinat lumina fomno : 
 Luce fedet cuftos, aut fummi culmine te&i, 
 Turribus aut akis. — JEn. 4. v. 117, p. 127, 
 
 BOOK VI. 
 
 Hasc et cceruleis mecum confurgere digna 
 Fludlibus, et noftra potuit confidere concha. 
 [Sptken by Venus of Violant\lla.~\ 
 Stat. 1. Sylv. 2. v. 118. p. 13a. 
 
 Juvenem in latebris, averrtim a lumine, nymph?. 
 Gollocat : ipfa procul, nebulis obfcura, refiftit. - 
 Geo. 4. v. 40S. p. 134. 
 
 Ardentes oculos intorlit lumine glauco 5 
 Et graviter frendens fie fatis ora refolvit. 
 Geo. 4. v. 524. p. 134, 
 
 Saltantes fatyros imitabitur Alphefibceus. 
 Vir. eel. 5. v. 73. p. 134. 
 
 Paftorem faltaret uti Cyclopa, rogabat. 
 Hor. fat*. 5. v. 63. p, 135. 
 
 Glioque et Beroe foror, Oceanitides ambxe, ? 
 Ambas auro, piclis incinctae pellibus ambae, ; 
 Geo. 4. v. 342. p. 135. 
 Et Thetidi quales vix reor efle pedes. 
 Ovid. Ep. Her. 20. v. 60. p. 136. 
 
 Anna tegens vultus, ut nova nupta, fuos#. 
 Faft. 3. v. 690. p. 136. 
 
 "Et can ere antrqui dulc'ia furta Jovis. 
 Proper. i\ el. 25. v. 20. p. j 37. See p. 20* 
 
[ 194 ] 
 
 Quam dotflttS Albuneu: rcfonantis. 
 Hor. 1. i. od. 7. v. 13. p. 138. 
 Hie eft Euphrates, praecin&us arundine frontem : 
 Cui coma dependet ccerula, Tigris erit. 
 Ovid. Ait. Am. 1. v. 231. p. 14c. 
 
 E O O K VII. 
 
 Stabat anhela metu, foluni Natura Tonantem 
 Kefpiciens.^ Star. Achil. v. 489. p. 146. 
 
 Effufeeque comas et apert^ pedlcra matres 
 
 Significant Juftum. 
 
 Met. 13. v. 609. p. 149. 
 Qua? loca 3 qui mentes, quaeve ferantur aqua. 
 Ovid. Art. Am. 1. v. 220. p. "155. 
 — Quantus Atlas, aut quantus Eryx, aut ipfecorufcis 
 Cum prcmit ilicibus qusntus, gaudetque nivali 
 Venice fe attoUens pater Apenninus ad aura&. 
 
 Alv\. 16. v. 7C3. p. 155. 
 Vettumnis quotquot funt, natus iniquis. 
 
 Hor. 1. 2. fat. 7. v. 14. p. 157. 
 Clim fruicus erara riculnu >, inutile lignum, 
 Cum faber iiaertus fcamnum faccrttne rnapum, 
 
 Maluit effe deum : deus inde ego. 
 
 Hor. 1. 2. fut. 1. v. 5. p. 157. 
 Et teneram a radice ferens, Sylvane, cupreiTem, 
 Gee. 3. v. 2c. p. 159. 
 
 BOOK VIII. 
 
 - — i Primis in faucibus Orci 
 
 Lucius et ultiices pol'uere cubilia curee, 
 Pallentcfque habitant morbi, triftifque fstictfus, 
 Et metus i et malefuad?. fames, ac turpi's tgefias j 
 Terribiks vifu format. — JEn. 6. v. 277. p. 163. 
 
 Curas, laqueata circum 
 
 Tedla volantes — Hor. 1. 2. od. 16. v. 12. p. 163. 
 Non mcttis laqueis c:<pedies caput. Hor. 1. 3. od. 24. v. $• 
 Tt&t perhaps is -what Catullus means by the whirl of death. 
 Ctrte ego te in medio verfantem turbine Jethi 
 Eripui. — Catul. Nupt-. Pel, v. 150. p. 16$. 
 
 7 Foftque 
 
[ 195 J 
 
 Peftque venit tacitus, fulvis circumdatus alis, 
 Somnus.— Tibul. 2. ei. 1. v. ult. p. 167. 
 Hunc quoque, qui curru madidas tibi pronus habena* 
 Ducit, in Aonids vigilis demitte foporem. 
 Stat. Theb. 12. v. 307. p. i63. 
 Comu berty injiead cf curru, would perhaps ccrreSi a mifi*ke of 
 a tranjcr'iber or editor* 
 
 Saevit et in lucem, Stygiis emifla tenebris, 
 Pallida Tifiphone : morbos agit ante, metumque, 
 Inque dies avidum furgens caput alum effert. 
 
 Geo. 3. v. 554. p. 176. 
 Invidia infelix Furias amnemque feverum 
 Cocyti metuet, tortofque Ixionis crbes t 
 Immanemque rotairu — Geo. 3. v. 39. p. 181. 
 P. viii. !, ic. Though left ur.fir.iped, 8cc. The plain eft proof 
 of this is the many breaks, or hemiftics, in the /Eneid itfelf 5. 
 which are to be found in no other finished Latin poem, nor in 
 any other of Virgil's works. The firfl fix books are reckoned, 
 much more correct than the fix laft* 
 
 P. 3x. 1. 2c. Rcctmviended by Virgil, &c. Modefty and good- 
 nature were the chief beauties of Virgil's private character. He 
 thought humbly cf himfelf, and handfomely of others, and was 
 ready to fhew his regard for merit, even where it might feem to 
 clafh with his own. He was the firft that introduced Horace to 
 Maecenas, between whom there grew up fo high a degree of 
 friendship as is very uncommon between a firfi minifier and a poet, 
 or indeed between any two friends, though more on a level j for 
 there is reafon to think that Horace haflened himfelf out of this 
 world, to accompany his great friend in the next : and therefore 
 what he fays in an ode, when Maecenas was extremely ill, feems 
 to be too ferious for a poetical rhodomontade : Minus, ibimus uteun- 
 que pr&cedts, fufrewd cerpere iter cem'ues parati, L 2. od. 17. Ac- 
 cordingly Horace dies about three weeks after him, and orders 
 his remains to be buried clofe by Maecenas's. 
 
 Page. xix. It ivas not till after, &c. Rome, as well as the 
 inhabitants, was in the beginning rude and unadorned. 
 Their houfes were only a covering againft the weather, and 
 tljence called tea a, as the roofs were termed cvlmlr.a, from being 
 
 of 
 
[ 196 ] 
 
 of ftraw. It was long before the houfes or temples had any or- 
 naments. The king's palace was a thatched houfe : 
 Romuleoque recens horrebat regia culmo. 
 
 JEn. viii. v. 654. 
 ,Quai fuerit noftri 11 quaeris regia nati, 
 Afpice de canna ftraminibufque domum. 
 Ovid. Faft. I 3. v. 183. 
 
 The ftatues of the gods were of earthen ware. Faft. 1. i. v. zcn 
 Juv. fat. ii. v. 117. The chief ornaments, both of their houfes 
 and their temples, were their trophies, the trunks of trees loaded 
 with the arms taken in war. The patricians only at rlrfl were 
 allowed the privileges of trophies, but the plebeians came after- 
 wards to have a fliare in this honour, to which fome rights were 
 annexed. It was not lawful to remove them, unlefs on extra- 
 ordinary occanons, as after the battle of Cannae. Things re- 
 mained much in this ftate till the fecond Punic war. J£n. ii. 
 v.. 85. v. 11— 17. • 
 
 P. xxiii. 1. 8. Alt the poets are omitted after, &c. The omi/Mon 
 of Claudian feems only to be regretted by our author, who, the' 
 he wrote when the true knowledge of the artifts was no mors, 
 and the true tafte of poetry was ftrangely corrupted, far excelled 
 the poets that were long before, and long after him. 
 
 P. 6. King and Father, &c. Pater is often ufed in the Roman 
 authors for governour, chief, or. gnat prince. Thus of Jupiter, 
 Hominum deumque pater. So Liber pater. — Pater tineas — - 
 Pater Tiberinus — Pater Apenninua. This fenfe might poffibly 
 have been attached to the word pater ever fince the patriarchal 
 form of government. 
 
 P. 162, n. (*) After he was an inhabitant. If the notion of 
 the author of the Divine Legation (vol. I. p. 210.) be true, that 
 the fixth JEneld is nothing elfe but a defcription cf /Eneas's initia- 
 tion into the Eleufinian myfteries, (where, among other spec- 
 tacles, were, exhibited the fcenes of heaven, hell, elyfium, 
 &c.) well might Virgil defcribe them in an exaft order, having 
 been himfelf initiated. 
 
 P. 171. The third divifion, Erebus, &c. The. derivation of 
 the words Erekus and Tartarus, according to the critics in that 
 fort of knowledge^ agrees with Virt u s defcription of them $ for 
 Erebus, or the ghomy region, is derived from a Hebrew word ilg- 
 Difying night, or obfeurity ; and Tartarus from Tupurlct, tor 
 d'Jiurb, or torment. 
 
 APPEND I X«. 
 
f 197 ] 
 
 APPENDIX. SECT. IL 
 AS the author's judicious remarks on the 
 
 DEFECTS of the MODERN ARTISTS and 
 
 poets in their allegorical representa- 
 tions are more proper for the young fcholar's 
 confideration after the perufal of the Inquiry 
 than before, they are placed here by way of fup- 
 plement to the introduction, in order to 
 fhew how ufeful the fludy of the antiques, 
 and how neceflary a true idea of the alle^ 
 ©ories of the antients, and of their machi- 
 nery or interposition of the gods, are, not 
 only to the youths at school,, but to all thofe 
 who defire to have a true tafte for the beauties 
 ©f poetry, painting, and sculpture. 
 
 The DEFECTS of the MO DE RN^ 
 ARTISTS. 
 
 Various ihftances of multiplicity, impropri* 
 cty,. and obfcurity, in the allegorical figures, 
 may be given even from the gardens of Ver— 
 failles, and the collections in Rome itielf; but 
 the greater!: number of puzzling,.,, fanciful, and 
 unnatural allegories are to be found in Ripa's 
 Iconologia, publifned* by him fet Rome in 1603, 
 to direct our modern artifts in allegorical fub- 
 jecls ; and which has been deemed fo good a 
 model,, that it has been traailated from the Ita- 
 lian 
 
r , 9 8 ] 
 
 lian into no lefs than feven different languages, 
 Amongft his odd figures, Flattery is reprefented 
 by a woman with a flute in her hand, and a 
 ftag at her feet ; becaufe, fay fome, flags Jove 
 muftc fo as to fuffer themfelves to be taken if 
 you play to them on a flute — Beauty, by a 
 naked lady, with a globe and companies in her 
 hand, and her head in a cloud ; becaufe the 
 true idea of beauty is very hard to be conceived — 
 Liberty, with a cat at her feet; becaufe a cat 
 loves liberty — Sincerity, with her heart in her 
 band — Terror, with a lion's head — Caprice, 
 by a man with his bellows and fpurs ; becaufe 
 the capricious fometimes blow up people's vir- 
 tues, and at other times frrike at their vices — 
 The Holy Catholic Faith, by a lady with a 
 heart in her hand, and a lighted candle Handing 
 upon the heart ; becaufe faith enlightens the 
 mind — Corpulency holds a crab in his hand -> 
 becaufe crabs grow fat at the increafe of the 
 
 moon. — All thefe are furely inftances of 
 
 improper and unnatural allegories, and very unfit 
 for patterns to our artifh a . 
 
 There 
 
 * There are many more of the like kind ; as, Fraud, by a 
 woman with two different faces and heads, with two hearts in 
 cne hand and a mafic in the other, and with a fcorpion's tiil and 
 an eagle's legs — Judgement, by an old man fitting on a rain- 
 bow, becaufe judgement is the refult of much experience — 
 Perfuaficn, with a tcngue on the top of her hand — and Piety, 
 with flames on her's. — When virtues or vices are reprefented 
 as perfons, they ought not to be reprefented under circumflances 
 incoofiftcnt with the nature of human bodies 3 fuch. is fire, cn 
 
 any 
 
[ *99 J 
 
 There is another famous book confining of 
 allegorical pictures, and called Horace's Em- 
 blemsy becaufe taken from his works. It was 
 defigned by Otho Venius, a celebrated painter 3 
 born at Leyden in 1556. He ftudied at Ant- 
 werp, and was the famous Rubens's matter, 
 Notwithftanding this, his patterns are almolt as 
 full of faults as Ripa's, though of a diiierent 
 kind. Ripa's fancies are generally defective as 
 far-fetched and obfcure ; whereas Venius's em- 
 blems are commonly too literal and trifling. If 
 Horace fays, Mifce Jiultitiam confil'iis brevem, 
 Venius reprefents Folly as a fhort child. For, 
 virtus eft vitium fugere, there are feven or eight 
 Vices purfuing Virtue. — For, dominum vehet^ a 
 man richly drefl'ed is riding upon the back of a 
 poor man crawling on all four. , To thefe many- 
 more may be added, as too literal and frivolous* 
 As to his allegorizing in fingle figures, to ex- 
 prefs fuch and fuch a pafiion, though he is not 
 fo ridiculous as Ripa, yet he falls very far {hort 
 of the jufinefs and propriety of the antients. 
 For inftance, Pride is difringuifhed by a peacock 
 over her head — Envy is eating a part of her 
 heart — Poverty with a cabbage — Labour 
 with an ox's head on his back — Fear, with a 
 hare (landing on his flioulders. — This fuffrces 
 
 any part of the body, without its being affe&ed by it. Thus 
 Religion (in Ripa) carries a flaming fire in the palm of her hand j 
 and Herefy has flames coming out of her mouth. This fault is 
 very frequent to be met with* 
 
 to 
 
[ 200 ] 
 
 to fhew his puerility in fome cafes, and his in- 
 expreffivenefs in others. In fome of his imaginary 
 beings, as Virtue, Wifdom, Love, Hope, Piety, 
 &c. he is much more exact : but then it is owing 
 generally to his borrowing the figures from the 
 antient ftatues and medals. 
 
 Rubens is one of the moft famous of our 
 modern painters for allegorical figures, and 
 perhaps dealt in them the more for being Ve- 
 nius's fcholar. His character as a colourift is 
 unqueftionable ; and in the parts wherein he. 
 excels he is fecond to none : but as to his man- 
 ner of treating allegories, he would have fuc- 
 ceeded better, had he been more regular in his 
 imitations of the antients. 
 
 His tafle in allegories plainly appears in a 
 large work, (all defigned by himfelf, and pub- 
 limed by Gevartius) confuting of a great va- 
 riety of prints, moft of which abound chiefly 
 in imaginary figures. It was occafioned by 
 the entry of Ferdinand into Antwerp, in 
 1635. Amongft many others are the follow- 
 ing inftances, which will ferve to (hew his mif- 
 reprefentations of the allegorical perfonages of 
 the antients, and his invention of others in an 
 improper or confufed light : A mean ftaring A- 
 pollo, in a chariot drawn by two horfes only — 
 Diana dreft like Vefta, with the fulmen in her 
 
 hand Time, with an hour-glafs on his 
 
 head - s and Hope,, with her anchor upon her 
 
 moulder 
 
[ 201 ] 
 
 fhoulder * Here a lady, with a fhip failing 
 along the palm of her hand -> and there another, 
 with a fhip on her head ■ ■ Two Fames, each 
 with two trumpets ; one of them with a tyger 
 in her lap, and the other with an eagle at her 
 
 feet His winds, with cheeks ready to 
 
 burft Providence, with one face before, 
 
 and another behind It may indeed be faid 
 
 in his excufe, that the work was executed in 
 hafte. But are there not the fame faults in two 
 of his moft ftudied performances, the cieling in 
 the Banqueting-houfe at Whitehall, and his 
 pictures in the Luxemburg-gallery at Paris \ 
 In thefe it is feen, that Rubens's character is 
 colouring, (which appears here in its higheft 
 perfection,) and not allegorizing : for as to the 
 latter, there are feveral faults even in the moft 
 excellent works of that great mafter ; fome of 
 which are pointed out in the note below b . 
 
 Dominichino, 
 
 b In the farther fquare of this cieling are two ladies, fup- 
 pofed to be Righteoufnefs and Peace, embracing each other, 
 though one has no attribute to diftinguifh her, and Peace 
 only a very general one. — In the hither fquare, two of 
 the three imaginary ladies, holding two crowns over the 
 head of the young prince, are alfo without any attribute, 
 though faid to be the geniufes of England and Scotland.— 
 — In the middle great oval (or the apotheofis) there are 
 two Virtues with improper fymbols ; Piety, with a fire on an 
 altar, very near her breaft, and Juftice, grafping a bundle of 
 flames, with her fcales in the fame hand. — In one of the fide 
 pannels Cupids are conducting a triumphal car drawn by wild 
 lions f and, in the other, the like car, drawn by a ram and a 
 
 beas 
 
[ 202 ] 
 
 Dominichino, one of the moft exacl matters 
 in the beft of all the fchools in Italy, and who is 
 
 as 
 
 bear.— The figures in the four corner ovals are defigned for the 
 four cardinal virtues, and are the moft faulty of all. Thefe 
 ought not to be reprefented by deputies, but to appear for them- 
 felves j whereas Temperance only is feen in her own form. 
 The other three are figured under different deities, and thofe not 
 well chofen. Apollo ftands for Prudence, Minerva for Juftice, 
 and Hercules for Fortitude : though the laft is obvious, the 
 other two are not fo. Their attitudes alfo are faulty. Apollo 
 fits on Avarice ; Temperance treads on Rapacioufnefs j Hercu- 
 les kneels on a fnake-headed lady, perhaps Envy j and Mi- 
 nerva neither fits, ftands, nor kneels, upon a naked perfon not 
 to be guefTed at : Apollo has a horn of plenty in his hand, but 
 the reafon why is not known. Notwithftanding thefe alle- 
 gorical faults, it is one of the fineft paintings in the world, as 
 to the colouring and judicious management of the light and 
 fhades, and deferves the higheft regard. Were it in Italy, tra- 
 vellers would go an hundred miles out of their way to fee it. who 
 perhaps now have never feen it at all . 
 
 The faults remarked in the Luxemburg gallery are, i. The 
 allegorical figures of the antients are mifreprefented. The 
 three Deflinies, in the firfl place,, are all young plump ladies— 
 the Juno Lucina almoffc naked— and Mercury with a beard.— 
 a. His own are too fanciful or ill exprefied. Such are, Juno 
 and Cupid, placing each a couple of doves on a globe, to denote 
 the mildnefs of the queen's government— -Time bringing up 
 Truth in his arms, to reconcile the Queen and her fon.— Thus, 
 Envy, Ignorance, and Defamation, in one piece, and Fidelity, 
 Juftice, Piety, and Fortitude, in another, are ill-expreffen j 
 the firft, as having fcarce any diflinguifhing marks, and the 
 others as being too coarfly marked, with badges to each, as 
 they are rowing the queen-mother and young king in a barge.— - 
 3. They are introduced in an improper manner: Victory la- 
 menting the death of Henry IV. with a trophy exalted— Fame 
 wringing her hands, and holding a palm branch — The two 
 Fames, each with two trumpets — Eacchus careffing Ceres a. 
 
 little 
 
[ ] 
 
 as much to be ac'mired for his jufrnefs and cor- 
 reclnefs, as any modern painter, except Raphael, 
 in his allegorical representations is far inferior to 
 the antients. Of this his celebrated paintings of 
 the four cardinal virtues in the Jefuits' church at 
 Rome may ferve as an inftance. In thefe repre- 
 fentations he exprefles lefs, by endeavouring toex- 
 prefs too much c . 
 
 little too familiarly in a council of the geds— The queen mother 
 in council with Mercury and two cardinals — Hymen ftanding by 
 Mary of Medici, whi ft cardinal Aldobrandini is officiating before 
 the high altar, on which are reprefented alfo two of the moft fa- 
 cred figures. — Had due attention been given t© thefe and other 
 particulars,the publishers of this celebrated work of Rubens would 
 net have chofen his talent for allegory, as the higheft point of 
 merit of that excellent painter. 
 
 e Prudence is painted as fupported by Time with a looking- 
 glafs in her hand (to fhew fhe is produced by Experience and 
 Reflexion) and by her a boy holding a dove and a ferpent (figni- 
 fying, perhaps, that the Jefuits who employed him are wife as 
 ferpents, and harmlefs as doves.) — Juftice cannot hold the fcales 
 for the fceptre fhe has in her hand. There are three little angels 
 or Cupids about her, with a crown, the fcales, and the fafces ; 
 and herfelf is fupported (but why is not known) by Charity- 
 Fortitude is with a fword and fnield, fupported by a man with 
 a dart in his hand and a lion ; on her right hand is the Jefuits' 
 motto {the Society of Jefus) and on her left a column, not erect— 
 Temperance has a bit in her right, and a palm-branch in her 
 left hand ; a camel on one fide, and two boys with pitchers 
 (perhaps as pouring water into wine) on the other, and fhe is 
 fupported by Chaftity. — By comparing Dominichino's manner 
 of expreffing thofe virtues with the representations of them in 
 p. xxvi. of the introduction, fome idea may be formed of the 
 fuperior excellence of the antient artifts in things of this nature, 
 and of that fimplicity which generally runs through, all their 
 defigna. 
 
 What 
 
[ 204 ] 
 
 What is here faid of one of the mod judicious 
 Italian painters, may be faid of all the reft, and 
 even of the divine Raphael himfelf, who is not 
 without his faults in the allegorical part of his 
 works. Indeed, he is not fo profufe as Rubens 
 in his allegories, and generally founds them upon 
 the hiftorical popifh legends, as appears from his 
 works in general, and particularly from his fine 
 paintings in the apartments of the Vatican, com- 
 monly called Raphael's chambers, where fcarce 
 any thing of the allegorical kind is feen in his 
 hiftorical pieces. What there is, appears to be 
 plain and juft : fuch are the little angels hold- 
 ing up a crofs in the air, whilft Conftantine ha- 
 rangues his foldiers ; and St. Peter and St. Paul 
 appearing in the air againft Attila. However, 
 Raphael fometimes falls fhort of the antient fim- 
 plicity ; and, in thefe very apartments, the four 
 cardinal virtues are not exprefted fo clearly as 
 they were commonly of old. He has painted 
 Fortitude fitting, (which feems to be wrong,) 
 refting her hand on the head of a lion — and 
 Prudence with a woman's face before, and a 
 man's behind ; a Cupid holding up a looking- 
 glafs, in which her fore-face is reflected ; the 
 Gorgon's head on her breaft, and another Cu- 
 pid ftanding by her with a flaming lamp. As 
 this errs againft fimplicity, there is another piece 
 that errs againft propriety. In his famous Par- 
 naflus you fee Apollo playing on a modern fid- 
 dle i but one mufe only with a lyre, unlike the 
 
 antient 
 
[ 205 3 
 
 antient ones, and the other mufes not well 
 diftinguifhed, particularly the two theatrical 
 ones, who have both the fame fort of mafk, of 
 a modern make, and different from the antient 
 perfonas. 
 
 As thefe inftances plainly fhew how defective 
 our beft artifts are in their allegorical fubjects, 
 for want of a more regular and clofer imitation 
 of the antients ; it will alfo be found, upon exa- 
 mination, that our poets, for the fame reafon, 
 are no lefs faulty in their allegories and ma- 
 chinery. Proofs of this fhall be given from 
 Spenfer's Fairy Queen, the moft celebrated 
 work of our beft allegorift. 
 
 The DEFECTS of our modern POETS 
 in their Allegories, inftanced from 
 Spenser's FAIRY QUEEN. 
 
 Spenser's faults, in relation to his allego- 
 ries, may be all reduced to three general 
 heads : 
 
 I. He mixes heathenifm with Chriftianity. 
 A ftrong inftance of this is in his fhort view of 
 the infernal regions, where he fpeaks of Tan- 
 talus and Jupiter, and of Pilate and Chrift, al- 
 moft in the fame breath d . 
 
 II. He often mifreprefents the allegorical fto- 
 ries and perfons of the antients, not following 
 them fo exactly as he might. Thus he fpeaks 
 of /Efculapius as in eternal torments. He intro- 
 
 <* B, ii. canto 7. ft. 62. 
 
 duces 
 
[ 206 ] 
 
 duces a company of Satyrs (whofe diftinguifhing 
 character is luft) to fave a lady from a rape ; and 
 makes Sylvanus the god of the Satyrs, and gives 
 him an ivy-girdle without any authority 6 . With 
 the fame liberty he defcribes the morning with 
 purple hair — the Syrens as half fifh — and 
 Bacchus as fat — Clio as wife to Apollo, and 
 Cupid as brother to the Graces f . In his mar- 
 riage of the Thames and Medway, he makes O- 
 rion a water-god, and adds feveral deities as at- 
 tendants on Neptune, which were never regarded 
 as fuch by the antients ? . 
 
 III. In the allegories of his own invention 
 (though his invention is one of the richefl and 
 moft beautiful that perhaps ever was) he not 
 only falls fhort of the antient fimplicity and pro- 
 priety, but runs into thoughts unworthy fo great 
 a genius, which fhews what faults the greater!: 
 allegorift may commit, whilft the manner of alle- 
 gorizing is fo un fettled and irregular as it was in 
 his, and is (till in our times. 
 
 e B. i. canto 5. ft. 40 — 43. Ib. canto 6. ft. 6—19. Ib. ft. 15. 
 Ib. ft. 19. 
 
 f B. v. cant. 10. ft. 16. b. ii. cant. 12. ft. 31. The Syrens are 
 common in antiques, and never reprefented with a ftm-tail, but 
 with the upper part human, and the lower like birds. See Ovid. 
 Metam. V. v. 553. The moderns, by fome miftake, have turned 
 their lower part into fifh. Bacchus being made fat is another 
 mifreprefentation very common among the modern artifts, and 
 from them has ftolen into the works of the poets, b. iii. cant. I. 
 ft. 51. b. i. cant. 11. ft. 5. b. ii. cant. S. it. 6. 
 
 C B. ii. cant. 2. ft. 46. b. iv. cant. 1 1. ft. 15. 
 
 Some 
 
[ 207 ] 
 
 Some of his allegories are too complicated or 
 over-clone. Such are his reprefentations of 
 Difcord and Pride. Scandal's mouth is as 
 large as a peck with a thoufand tongues in it, 
 of dogs, cats, tygcrs, men, and ferpents h . He 
 makes Difcord hear double and look two ways ; 
 he fplits her tongue, and even her heart, in 
 two, and makes her act contrarily with her 
 hands, and walk forward with one foot and 
 backward with the other. This duplicity is 
 prepofteroufly carried too far *. Pride appears in 
 a high chariot, drawn by fix different creatures, 
 each carrying a Vice as a poftillion, and driven 
 by Satan as charioteer. Idlenefs on an afs : 
 Gluttony on a hog : Lechery on a goat: Ava- 
 rice on a camel laden with gold : Envy eating a 
 toad on a wolf : and Wrath with a firebrand on 
 a lion. The account of thefe vices is admi- 
 rable ; but the manner of characterizing Pride is 
 too complex, and, in fome refpe&s, is improper,, 
 as it is redundant in others k . 
 
 Not to mention his affixing nafty ideas to fome 
 of his characters l , his allegories are fometimes 
 ftretched to fuch a degree, that they appear ra- 
 ther extravagant than great ; and fometimes, 
 but not often, fo minute, that the object de- 
 ft B. vi. cant. 12. ft. 26. 27. 
 i B. iv. cant.i. ft, 29. 
 k B. i. cant. 4. 18 — 36. 
 Such is his defcription of Error, in b. i. cant. 1. ft. 2<?. 
 
 M fcribed 
 
r 2cs ] 
 
 fcrlbed becomes ridiculous, in (lead of" being ad- 
 mirable. For inilance ; the dragon killed by 
 the knight of the red-crols has a tail three fur- 
 longs in length ; the blood gufhes from* the 
 wound like a mill-itream, and his roar is as loud 
 as a hundred lions m . 
 
 His allegories are not always well-invented. 
 It has before been obferved, that when allego- 
 ries are going to be introduced, it fhould be 
 -c.onfidered, in the Rift place, whether the thing 
 is fit to be reprefented as a perfon, or not. — 
 2dly, If it is fit to be reprefented as fuch, it 
 jhould not be reprefented with any thing in- 
 confident with the human form or nature. — 
 And, 3dly, it fhould not be made to perform 
 any action which no man in his fenfes would do. 
 
 Spenfer has erred againft the lirft of thefe rules 
 in feveral inftances, particularly in turning the 
 human body into a caftle ; the tongue into the 
 porter ; and the teeth into thirty-two warders 
 drefi'ed in white". He has erred againft the fe- 
 cond rule, in reprefenting Bribery as a woman 
 with golden hands and filver feet : and againft 
 the third, where he defcribes Defire as hold- 
 
 m B. 1. cant. n. It. n. 22. 37. 
 
 n See at the end of the fecond canto of the firft book feveral 
 other the like inftances : as Appetite being the marfhal of the 
 hall : Digeftion the kitchen : Stomach the caldron : the Lungs 
 the bellows : Conco&ion the cook j and the fink Tort Efqui- 
 line. 
 
t 2C 9 ] 
 
 ing coals of fire in her hands, and blowing them 
 up into a flame °. 
 
 When his allegories are well invented, they 
 are not well marked out. Thus Doubt is re- 
 prefented as walking with a flafF fhrinking under 
 
 him Hope with a holy-water fprinkler — ~— 
 
 Dillimulation is twilling two clues of filk toge- 
 ther Grief with a pair of pincers and 
 
 Pleafure with a humble-bee in a phial ?. . 
 
 To thefe might be added many more as fanciful 
 as thofe of Ripa or Venius, and fome that arc 
 even ridiculous % 
 
 Had Spenfer formed his allegories on the plan 
 of the antient poets and artifts, as much as he 
 did from Ariofto, he would have followed na- 
 ture more clofely, and not have wandered fo 
 
 9 B. v. cant. 2. ft. 10. and b. iii. cant. 12. ft. 9. 
 p B. iii. cant. 12. ft> ic. 13. 14. 16. 18. 
 
 q Such is the procefllon of the Months and Seafons, where 
 February is in a waggon drawn by two fifties — May riding 
 on Caftor and Pollux— .June on a crab — 0&ober on a feor- 
 pion — and November on a cent.\ur. This procelfion feems 
 10 be taken from fo low a tlung as our old pageants, much 
 in vogue in Spenfcr's time. No lefs ridiculous are likev.i.e, 
 Danger with hatred, murder, trcafon, on his back — Ignorance 
 moving with the back part of his head foremoft — the Sor- 
 rowful Lady with a bottle for her tears, and a bag for her 
 repentance, both running cut as faft as file puts them in— • 
 a vaft giant fhrinking into an empty form, like a bladder — the 
 horfes of night foaming tar — Remorfe nipping St. George's 
 heart. See canto ii. of Mutability, ft. 43. 34. 35. 39, 40. 
 and b. iv. ft. 16. 17. 20. b. i. cant. 3. ft. ji. b. vi. cant, 8. 
 ft. 24. b. 1, cant. 5. ft. 28. b. i. cant. 10. ft. 27. 
 
 M 2 often 
 
[ 210 J 
 
 often into fcich flrange and inconfiftent imagina- 
 tions r . But if it is neo.flary for our allegorifts 
 to be acquainted with the antient plan of alle- 
 gory, it is more fo for thofe who undertake to 
 tranfiate the old poets, and give us their thoughts 
 in our own language. Yet it is to be feared our 
 tranfktors have been almoft as incurious and un- 
 knowing in this point, as our original writers 
 have ufually been. 
 
 In proof of this, {hall be produced one of our 
 molt celebrated tranfiators, who will afford an 
 inftance how faulty our beft tranfiators are, in 
 representing the allegories of the antients. 
 Dryden's Virgil is, in the main, an excellent 
 tranflation ; but, upon examination, it will be 
 found very deficient as to the allegorical fub- 
 
 The DEFECTS of our TRANSLATORS 
 of the antient POETS, in relation to al- 
 legorical fubjecls, inftanced from DRY- 
 DEN's TRANSLATION of VIRGIL. 
 
 In Dryden's tranllation of Virgil there is fo 
 much fpirit, that it reads rather like an original 
 than a Iranfiation. This makes us go on with 
 fo much pleafure, that the faults are fcarce 
 minded. However, faults there are j but they 
 
 r Our author believes that he confidered the Orlando Furiofo as 
 a poem wholly ferious, though it was certainly written partly in 
 jell ; and that this led him now and then to fay things very ridi- 
 culous, where he meant to be very ferious. 
 
 arc 
 
[ 211 ] 
 
 are of fuch a kind as have been hitherto un- 
 known to critic ifmj are fuch as all our poets 
 have been guilty of, and relate to things that have 
 never been con fide red fo regularly as they ought. 
 They are therefore to be deemed faults of the 
 times rather than defects of Dryden ; for exactnefs 
 in things of this nature has hardly been required, 
 as yet, among us ; though, upon a nearer in- 
 fpe£tion, it will perhaps be thought proper that 
 they mould be a little more confidered even by our 
 belt writers. 
 
 In the firfl place, the pcrfor.agcs, drefs, and 
 attributes of the allegorical pcrfons in Virgil are 
 fometimes mifreprefented in the traniLtion. 
 Thus Bacchus is defcribed with a jovial face, 
 inftead of that fine beauty which was his cha- 
 racleriitic among the antients s . Proteus with 
 grey hair l . — — T he goddefs of peace with 
 wings ". . The Minotaur with his lower 
 
 8 This miftake was partly owing to Dryden's being prejudiced 
 by our modern figures of Bacchus, and partly from his not know- 
 ing the true meaning of konejlus, which adually fignined beautiful, 
 when applied toaperfonege or figure, Vir. Geo. ii. v. 392. Dryd. 
 v. 540. 
 
 i The fea deities are reprefented with cceruleanor dark coloured 
 hair. So Ovid fpeaks of Proteus, Fart. i. v. 3. Virgil mentions 
 no colour, Geo. iv. v. 516. Dryd. v. 766. 
 
 « Virgil fays nothing of wings, nor was Peace ever reprefented 
 with any fuch thing. Wings iignify uncertainty and flight, 
 whereas Peace was a goddefs whom all defired to flay with them, 
 The defigner of the Oxford Almanack for the year 1764 gave his, 
 figure of Peace this improper attribute of wings. JE.n. iv. v. 520.. 
 Dryd. v. 762. 
 
 M 3 part* 
 
[ 212 ] 
 
 parts brutal, and his upper part human w . — ■ — 
 
 Aurora with a faffron dreamer in her hand x . . 
 
 Cybele drawn by Bacchus's tygers, inftead of 
 
 her own lions y . Neptune with a Gothic 
 
 mace 2 . Janus with a bunch of keys 2 . 
 
 All thefe, and many more, without any au- 
 thority from Virgil, and contrary to the repre- 
 fentations of thefe beings in the works of the 
 ancients. 
 
 II. As Dryden in fome places gives the deities 
 attributes that do not belong to them, fo he mif- 
 reprcfents their actions and attitudes in others. 
 Thus, where Virgil fpeaks of Tifiphone as fit- 
 ting alone, the transition reprefents her as a 
 ghoil walking at the head of others b . ■■ ■ 
 Inftead of Juno's flying to the earth, Dryden 
 makes her defcend to hell c . He defcribes 
 
 This is juft contrary to the ancient figures which have a 
 bull's head, and are human below. Virgil only fays biformh, 
 .Kn. vi. v. 25. Dryd. v. 37. 
 
 x Dryden here feems to admit a mixture of allegory and 
 reality together, while Virgil is free both fn.m the ftreamer and 
 mixture. /£n. vii. v. 26. Dryd. v. 35. He ctferibts alio the 
 Bacchanals with fiaes in their hands, /En. vii. v. 581. Dryd. 
 v. 803. 
 
 y x. v. 253. Dryd. v. 356. 
 
 * JEd. »• v - 6* 2 - Dryd. v. 829. 
 
 a Janus is reprefented by the antients with a key in one 
 Land, and a long ftstf in the other. Ovid. Fail. 1. v. 99. 
 /£n. vii. v. 1S1. Dryd. v. 246. 
 
 t» Virg. JEn. vi. v. 575. Dryd. v. 777. 
 
 c /En. vii. v. 323. Dryd. v, 450. 
 
 Sabinus 
 
C 2*3 3 
 
 Sabinus as abfurdly refting his head on a little 
 pruning-hook d . 
 
 III. Our bed poets have been apt fometimes to 
 mix the natural and allegorical ways of (peaking 
 together ; which is very wrong in an author 1 , 
 but much more Co in a translator, who can cer- 
 tainly have no. right to ufe mixed allegories, 
 where the original is free from them : yet Dry- 
 den has taken this liberty, as well as others ; 
 fuch as introducing the allegorical ilyle where 
 Virgil has not, and on. tiling it where he has. 
 Such is his idea of the morning-ftar (baking 
 dew from his hair, and Xanthus as (landing on 
 a heap of his own waters e . Deucalion's 
 hurling his mother's entrails over the w T orld ; 
 and Vulcan's riding with loofened reins f . The 
 
 d Contrary to the original, and to the reafon of the thing; 
 for a painter or ftatuary would he reckoned to want judgment 
 who mould reprefent a figure as refiing its head on a pruning- 
 hook 3 and nothing can be good in a poetical defcription which- 
 would appear abfurd in a flatue or picture. ^En. vii. v. 179. 
 Dryd. 249. Virgil only lays (uh imagine, (fpeaking of the fta- 
 tues of Janus, Saturn, and Sabinus,) which may fignify that 
 the pruning-hook lay at his feet, or was partly hid under th& 
 drapery. 
 
 e Inftances of mixed m etaphors in Diyden, where are no fuch 
 in Virgil. ALn. viii. v. 591. Diyd. 781. JEn> V. v. Sc8. 
 Dryd. 1056. 
 
 ( Dryden is allegorical, where Virgil is literal. Geo. i. v. 
 62. Dryd. 94. ^En. V. v. 663. Dryd. S65. Immifiis ha- 
 benis, here means only without rcjiraint, and Vulcanus is ufed 
 for fire,, as Eacchus for wine, or Ceres fox. corn, 
 
 M 4.. calmnefs- 
 
[ 214 J 
 
 ealmnefs of Tiber in the eighth ^neid, and the 
 ftorm of hail in the ninth g . 
 
 IV. The want of a fufficient knowledge of 
 the particular characters, rank, and dignity of 
 the allegorical perfonages, makes Dryden, fome- 
 times-, vary from his original, and carries him, 
 in fome inftances, fo far as quite to deftroy the 
 character he is fpeaking of. Virgil defcribes 
 the face of Neptune as ferene, at the very time 
 that he ftrongly refents the liberty taken by 
 /EoJus, in railing a ftorm ; but Dryden turns 
 this ferenity into anger and rage \ Hence he 
 thinks it prefumption in Minerva to throw Ju- 
 piter's thunder-bolts 1 , and calls Iris a mifchiev- 
 
 ous 
 
 % Dryden is literal? where Virgil is allegorical, JEn. viii. 
 v. 89. Dryd. 120. Virgil himfelf feems here to have fome- 
 thing of the mixed metaphor, which the antients are mod 
 wpt to fall into when fpeaking of rivers and river-gods, JEw. 
 ix. v. 671. Dryd. 913. This is meant to anfwer the noble 
 agitated image of the Jupiter Pluvius chfperfmg ftorms and 
 tcmpefls. 
 
 *» ALn.i.w 127. 131. 141. Dryd. v. 189. 202. The fame 
 fort of fault is committed as to the character of Hercules, in the 
 affair of Cacus, where his rage is aggravated, and his appearance 
 deneaned, when it mould rather have been touched more 
 flighty, though, perhaps, there is too much of this in Virgil 
 lihrifelf, but net fo much as in Dryden. JEn. viii. v. 221. 231. 
 2c$. Dryd. 286. 306. 342. The laft particular is great in Vir- 
 gil, and little in Dryden. 
 
 i /En. i. v. 43. Dryd. 63. Minerva and Juno only were 
 Icoked upen of old as fharing with Jupiter in the power cf 
 difpenfing his thunderbolts. For want cf knowing this, 
 Dryden makes Venus thunder, without authority from Vir- 
 
 0, 
 
[ 2*5 ] 
 
 ous goddefs with terrors on her brow k , amf 
 Somnus (the moft pleafing of the deities) a 
 traitor-god and devil \. 
 
 Dryden is apt to fall into faults of this kind' 1 
 on many other oceafions, from not guarding a- 
 gainft vulgar and low expreflions, unworthy of 
 his fubje£l m . This, perhaps, proceeded from 
 
 his 
 
 gil, JEn. \ 'nt. v. 529. Dryd- 699. The augurs of old gave fome- 
 times the power of carting forth lightenings to all the twelve great 
 gods in an inferior fenfe j but "Virgil, it is imagined, does not 
 fpeak here of Venus's cafiing foith lightening, much lefs of her 
 thundering. The p adage is difficult enough, and, as fuch, moft. 
 of the commentators quite pafs it by. Hie Aurora Borealis which 
 appeared in Europe in the year 1716, would have, accounted- 
 for that darting brightnefs, that rufhing of the heavens, the. 
 ftrange noifes, and the fancied figures ol arms mentioned here, 
 by Virgil, and which were talked of- at die time oi ti^at pheno- 
 menon. 
 
 k Mn. V. ver, 61?. 648. Dryd. 8e3- 844. 
 1 JEn. V. v. 841. 861. Dryd. 1097, ri2e. 
 
 m He fpeaks of Bacchus's honeft face, (fee note ifij and o£ 
 the jolly Autumn which Virgil calls, pampintus, or, crowned, 
 with vine-leaves, Geo. ii. v. 5. Dryd. v. 9. He calls Juno- 
 the buxom bride of Jupiter, Geo. ii. v. 327. Dryd. 447, 
 This is fpoken by Virgil (in the proper fenfe) of the lower- 
 air, and is one inftance out of many of his following tha 
 ftyle of the poets of the rirfl age, who fay, that Jupiter is the 
 feme with the aether, or middle air. Hence they ufed to call 
 the aether by the name of, pater, or, pater aether. Ermius in 
 
 . Thyeft. in Chryfe. Luc. i. v. 251. Dryden alfo calls Cy- 
 bele the grandam goddefs [Mn. ix. 83. Dryd. v. 95),. and 
 Calks of Juno's failing on the winds (./En. xii. 16c. Dryd. 243.), 
 and Apollo beitriding the clouds, (./En. ijs. 640. Dryd,. 875.) 
 
 , See alfo his flcvenly defcription of Aurora (Gso. i>. 447.., 
 Dryd. v,. 596,} and his ftrange one of Taurus (Geo, i, v. 21 3,. 
 
 M" 5. Diyd.. 
 
t «6 ] 
 
 his writing in a greater hurry than ufual ; as did 
 alfo his taking fometimes one perfon, or thing, 
 for another. Thus Tellus, in the tranilation, 
 is mentioned inftead of Vefta ». — Ate inftead of 
 Tifiphone °.~ Scorpius inftead of Pifcis p . 
 
 V. But 
 
 Dryd. 308.) Compare alfo his tranflation with the original in 
 Geo. ii. v. 8. Dryd. v. 12. /£n. ix. v. 716. Dryd. 972. 
 JEn. xii. v. 8S6. Dryd. 1283. 
 
 n Geo. i. v. 499. Dryd. 670. Vefta in the old mytho- 
 logy was taken fometimes for Tellus; but fhe is here repre- 
 sented as the goddefs to whom the perpetual fire was kept up, 
 and in whofe temple was depofitcd the palladium, or pledge, 
 of the Pvoman empire over the world. In this paffage there 
 is another miftake of perfons, and a very grcfs one. Virgil, 
 by the dii patrii, here means the great triad of deities firft 
 received all over the eaft ; and afterwards fucceffively in Greece 
 and Italy. Thefe the antient writers (from Herodotus down 
 to Macrobius) ufuaily call by the title of Q«o* ts-urpao:, 
 or dii patrii. Very various are the opinions who thefe three 
 gods were that were fo revered in the eaft, efpecially in Samo- 
 thrace : but amcng the Romans the three deities received as the 
 three fupreme were evidently Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva ; 
 and therefore Virgil adds the word indigetes, to fix it to the 
 8iot itaATfuot, or the three fupreme gods received as fuch in 
 his own country. Indigttes here is much the fame as noffri 
 in Juvenal, (fat. iii. 145.) where he is fpeaking of thefe deities. 
 They are therefore no left pcrfonages than Jupiter, Juno, and 
 Minerva, whom Dryden repreftnts Virgil as calling 
 * Kome-born deities, of mortal birth.' 
 
 • /En. x. v. 761. Dryd. 1080. 
 
 t Geo. iv. v. 235. Dryd. 340. Thus, from the fame 
 hurry and impetuofity, he fpeaks of Nereids inftead of Naiads, 
 [/En. i. v. 172. Dryd. v. 236.) and water nymphs inftead of 
 nymphs of the air [JEn* i. v. 77. Dryd. v. in.) He turns the 
 mountain Niphates into a river-god (Geo. iii. v. 30. Dryd. 
 v. 47.) This, it fecms, was objected to Dryden as a fault in 
 
 his 
 
[ 2I 7 j 
 
 V. Bur the great and fundamental defect of 
 Dryden is his being unacquainted with the real* 
 defign of the allegories ufed by the ancients 9 , 
 and, indeed, with their fcheme of machinery 
 in general. Had Dryden viewed thefe things hi 
 a true light, and as they are fet forth in the 
 Introduction, he would not have fallen into the- 
 moft vulgar and miftaken notions of machinery. 
 He would have feen that Virgil introduced the 
 gods, not (as he fays) ufelefsly, or merely to 
 adorn his poem, or in excufe of what is not 
 well accounted for otherwife ; but with pro- 
 priety, and in confequence of the general o- 
 pinion, that no aclion was performed without 
 the alitftanee of fon^.e deity ; an opinion re- 
 ceived (or at leaft talked of) by many of their 
 philosophers as well as poets, to whom it was 
 more particularly fervieeable, and therefore fa 
 frequently appears in their works : for Dryden* 
 therefore, to fpeak in fo flighting and con- 
 temptuous a manner of their machinery, or in- 
 terpolation of the gods,, as he does in his dedi- 
 cation to the iEneid, fhews how much he was 
 miftaken,. and how little he knew of the real 
 defign of the machinery of the antients *. 
 
 Had 
 
 his own time — The three bodies of Geryon he makes- threer 
 lives (/En. viii. v. 203. Dryd. v. 26S.) and where Vir- 
 gil fpeaks at moft but of eighteen water-nymphs, Dryden has 
 jncreafed them to fifty. Sec the note to his ti ambition, Geo, iv> 
 v. 477. 
 
 «T Ke calls Virgil's machinery, ufelefs, bungling, and often. 
 Serving to gjv.e a colour of probability to. thingi otherwife mere* 
 M 6 dibk., 
 
[ «8 ] 
 
 Had Dryden reflected on our doctrine of a par- 
 ticular providence, he .would have found it much 
 the fame with the principle of the antients, that 
 man is actuated in every thing by the direction 
 of heaven; and therefore if fome great genius 
 fhould hereafter introduce and eftablim a new 
 fcheme of machinery, confifting of good and 
 bad angels, or of any imaginary beings, by 
 whatever names he might pleafe to call them : 
 our poets would have as full fcope for introduc- 
 ing them, whenever they pleafed, on the doc- 
 trine of a particular providence, as the old poets 
 had for introducing their gods, from the doctrine 
 of Fate, or the will of Jove, interfering in all 
 things. 
 
 Such a fcheme might be formed with more eafc 
 than is commonly imagined. The readied and 
 beft way would be to adapt the characters and re- 
 
 prefentations 
 
 eiible. — What need, fays lie, of interefting fo many gods In Aiif- 
 taeus's recovery of the bees ? — Might not Palinurus, without a 
 miracle, fall afleep and drop into the fea, when, over- wearied 
 with watching ? In fpeaking of Jupiter's, weighing the fates of 
 /Eneas and Turnus, he fays this machine is enly ornamental, 
 and the fuccefs of the duel had been the fame without it.— On 
 Mercury's being fent to haften /Eneas from Carthage, he thus, 
 exclaims : * Oh ! hew convenient is a machine in an heroic pcem ! 
 ' This of Mercury is plainly one j and Virgil was conftrained to 
 ufe it here, or the honefty of his hero would be ill defended."— 
 With what reafon this is faid, may be fecn page xxxii. So great 
 an enemy was 1 e to machinery, that one of his reafons for ex- 
 cluding Milton from his firft epic poets, is, for having mors, 
 machining perfons in his posm than human. 
 
[ 2. 9 J 
 
 prefentatbns already received from the antients> 
 in all cafes where they might be eafily and na- 
 turally transferred into the fcheme. Thus the 
 goddefs of peace might be called the meiTenger 
 of peace; and Apollo, inflicting plagues, might 
 be turned into a deftroying angel. In the doc- 
 trine of angels, as it already ftands, a full fup- 
 ply for the adminiitering of any happinefs or 
 mifery that can befal mankind, might be found, 
 efpecially if the fchoolmen are confulted, who 
 have fettled all the evangelical hierarchies, de- 
 grees, and offices. The very name of angel^ 
 in cur fenfe of the word, is much the fame 
 with that of a god in the language of the hea- 
 thens, and our idea of a devil falls in very much 
 with their notion of a fury : fo that mucrt 
 might be done by only fbifting the names, and 
 retaining the old characters and reprefentations. 
 By thefe means the fchemer would be fupplied 
 with a great number of characters and appear- 
 ances ready made to his hands, generally well 
 known, and formed at firft with much fim- 
 plicity and great expreffivenefs. He would have 
 nothing to do but to invent new ones of a like 
 kind where it was neceffary, and cifcard the old 
 ones when improper or incompatible with his 
 fcheme : but in the application of it particular 
 care fhould be taken to be uniform, and never 
 to mix one name of the gods of the heathens 
 with the names of the minilters of blefiings and 
 7 vengeance. 
 
[ 220 ] 
 
 vengeance ufed in our facred writings, as the: 
 great Milton himfelf has done more than once. 
 
 Thus, if any one was to form a new fcheme 
 for allegories in poetry, Mr. Spence's Inquiry 
 might be Hill very ufeful to him. However, 
 till fuch a thing happens, our poets mould fol- 
 low the old fcheme as uniformly as they mould a 
 new one, when once received. Had our modern 
 authors and artifts obferved this rule, they would 
 have avoided many' of the improprieties, ab- 
 furdities, and miftakes, they have been {hewn 
 to commit. From their defetSts therefore we 
 may infer the necefHty of having an exacl know- 
 ledge of the figures and appearances of the hea- 
 then deities, and a right notion of the intent 
 of the allegories and machinery of the antients, 
 towards underftanding the claffics and acquiring 
 a true tafte of the beauties of poetry, painting, 
 and fculpture. 
 
 This appendix fnall be clofed with our au- 
 thor's opinion, that the iEneid is a political 
 poem, in fupport of the new eftablifhment. 
 Virgil is faid to have begun his poem the very 
 year Auguftus was free from his great rival An- 
 thony : the government was to be wholly in 
 him, and he was in every thing, but the name, 
 a king. This monarchical form of govern- 
 ment muft naturally be apt to difpleafe the peo- 
 ple, and Virgil ft ems to have laid the plan of 
 his poem to reconcile them to it. He -rakes ad- 
 vantage 
 
[ 221 ] 
 
 vantage of fome old prophefies of their having 
 the empire of the whole world. He weaves 
 this in with tne moft probable account of their 
 origin, their defcent from the Trojans. Vir- 
 gil fnews c that iEneas was called into their 
 
 * country by the exprefs order of the gods — 
 c That he was made king of it by the will of 
 
 * heaven, and by all the human rights that 
 6 could be — That there was an uninterrupted 
 
 * fucceftion of kings from him to Romulus — 
 
 * That his heirs were to reign there for ever 
 
 ' and that the Romans under them were to ob- 
 
 * tain the monarchy of the world — That Ju« 
 
 * lius Caefar was of this race, and that Au- 
 6 guftus was his fole heir The natural re- 
 
 * fult of all this is, that the promifes made to> 
 4 the Roman people, through this race, termi- 
 
 * nating in Auguftus, the Romans, if they 
 
 * would obey the gods and be matters of the 
 
 * world, mufl yield obedience to the new efta- 
 
 * blifhment under that prince.' Hence it is 
 plain enough that the two great points aimed 
 at by Virgil were, to maintain their old religious 
 tenets, and to fjpport the new form of govern- 
 ment in the family of the Caefars - y and there- 
 fore the iEneid may very well be confidered as 
 a religious and political work. To fpeak plain- 
 ly : Virgil wrote in the fervice of the new u- 
 furpation on the ftate - 3 and all that can be faid 
 in his vindication, is, that the temper and bent 
 of their conititution at that time were luch, that 
 
 7 the 
 
[ 222 ] 
 
 the reins of the government mull: have fallen into- 
 the hands of fome one perfon or another, who 
 might poiTibly be lefs indulgent- than Auguftus 
 was at that time r . 
 
 t The parages relating to the above particulars are chiefly 
 thefe : 
 
 I. ^Eneas was called by the exprefs will of the gods. This is 
 marked very ftrongly all the firft part of the /Eneid. The very 
 night Troy is burnt, he is ordered to go and buiid a city in Italy 
 by the ghofts of Heclor and Creufa, JEn. 2. CafTandra had fere- 
 told the fame often to his father before, JEn. 3. 185. 
 
 Nunc repeto hac generi portendere debita noftro : 
 Et foepe Hefperiam, faepe Jtala regna vecare. 
 .Apcllo orders the fame, JEn.. 3. 98. and his demeftic gods more 
 exprefsiy, JEn. 3. 17c. 
 
 Mutandss fedes. Ncn haec tibi litora fuafit 
 Delius aut Gretas juffit conf.dere Apollo. 
 Eft locus Hefperiam Graii c^gnomine dicunt.-— 
 Hae nobis propria fedes. Ilinc Dardanus au&or, &c. 
 The fame orders are given to him whilft at Garthage by his fa- 
 ther's ghoft, JEn. 4. 351. and laftly by Mercury from Jove 
 himfelf. 
 
 Quid ftruis, aut qua fpe Lybicis teris otia terris ? 
 Afcanium furgentem et fpes haredis Iiiii 
 Refpice : cui regnutf) Italiae Romanaque tellus 
 Debentur.— -^En. 4. 278. 
 
 II. tineas was marie king by all human right!. By hereditary 
 right from Dardanus and Jafius, ^Eo. 3. 108. — By right of con- 
 queft, JEn. 12. 1. — By marriage with the enly daughter of king 
 Latinus, /En. 12. 937. and 7. 50. 
 
 III. A r . unintet rupted fuccejfott cf k'tr.gs from him to Romulus. 
 /Eneas fucceeds Latinus. JEn. 1. 165. liilus fucceeds /Eneas, 
 JEn. 1. 269. his iT.cc (therefore called the Trcjan line, JEn. 1. 
 273.) reign for the next 30© years; then follows Romulus* 
 JEn. 1. 276. ftill of that race, as grandfonof /Eneas Sylvius* 
 
[ 22 3 3 
 
 Romulus AfTaraci * quern fanguinis Ilia mater 
 . Educet. — /En. 6. 780. * Grandfather of Aticbtfeu 
 i^neas, Latinus, and the kings before him, refided in old La- 
 rium, /En. 7. 38. and 1. 265. lulus removed the royal feat to 
 Alba, /En. 1. 271. where it continued till Romulus transferred 
 it to Rome. So that this continued luccefnon is intimated too 
 by Virgil even in the propofition of his poem, where every thing 
 that is faid ought to be of the greateft weight. Armavirumque 
 cano, &c. 
 
 IV. That ./Eneas was to reign there for ever. Homer had faid 
 (11. T. 308.) that /Eneas and his defendants fhould be princes 
 for ever, or, in the eaftern ftile, from generation to generation : 
 N»v «Ti cT» Aivituo Ctn Tpceieraiv stvx^ti, 
 Kit* 7rntJt( ttcliJ'oov. 
 That this prophecy was much infifled on by Auguftus and his 
 favourers, appears from the early care that was taken to alter 
 the reading from Tpaio-o-iv to TrctVTirriv. Agreeably to which, 
 Virgil, in inferting this prophecy, fays the Trojan race, or family 
 ef ./Eneas, fhould reign in Italy, and obtain univerfal empire: 
 Hie domus /Eneje cunctis dominabitur oris, 
 Et nati natorum, &qui nafcenturab illis. 
 He ufes the fame expreffion even proverbially, JEn. 3. 97* 
 Dum domus JEnex capitoli immobile faxum 
 Accolet, imperiumque pater Romanus habebit. 
 There are feveral other paffages to the fame purpofe. 
 Externi veniunt generi, qui fanguine noftrum 
 Nomen in aftra feient : qucrumque ab ftirpe nepotes 
 Omnia fub pedibus, qua fol utrumque recurrens 
 Afpicit Oceanum, vertique regique videbunt. 
 Fauftus's oracle to Latinus, /En. 7, 10 1. 1. 285. 
 
 V. Julius Casfar ivas of this race. JEn. 1. 288. 
 Nafcetur pulchra Trojanus origine Csefar 
 Imperium Oceano, famam qui terminet aftris j 
 Julius, a magno demiffum nomen liilo. 
 
 ■ Genus qui ducis Olympo, 
 
 Projice tela prior, fanguis meus. 
 
 Anchifes of Julius Caefar, /En. 6. S36. 
 
 Several 
 
[ 22 4 ] 
 
 Several Roman writers (peak of this high defcent of Julius 
 Cfefar. Suetonius mentions a funeral c ration made by Julius 
 Carfar over one of his relations, in which were thefe words : 
 n Amita? me.r, Juliae, maten.uir. genus ab regibus ortum $ pa- 
 * ( ternum cum diis immortalibus conjuncnim eft. Nam ab 
 " Anco Martio funt ie-?;es, quo nomine fuit mater ; a Venere, 
 <{ Julii : cujus gentis familia ncftra eft." Suet, in Julio, c. 6. 
 
 VI. Auguftas ivas bis ht'tr. His uncle Julius adopted him for 
 his fon and made him his heir. Suet, in Aug. c. 8. 
 
 Pope, (in his note, II. 20. 355.) from Neptune's prophecy, 
 that .tineas ftruld re<gn ever the Trojans for ever, infers, that 
 ^neas never failed to Italy. For Homer, who lived but 250 
 years after the deftrutYion of Troy, would not have made fuch a 
 prophecy, had he not known that /Eneas remained at Troy and 
 reigned there, and his defcendants after him. To this it may be 
 replied, that, by the Trojans are meant ./Eneas's followers, who 
 went to Latium with him, and from whom the Romans were 
 defcended, according to the opinion of their beft hiftorians. 
 
 Our author concludes with obferving, that as odd a fcheme as 
 Virgil's may feem now, it is fcarce fo odd as the fcheme of thofe 
 among us, who perfuaded thsmfelves that an abfolute obedience 
 was due to our kings, on their fuppofed defcent from fome un- 
 known patriarch : which odd notion had its effect with many, 
 and feems not to have quite loft its influence even in our remem- 
 brance. See Ftor's Patriarchal Scheme, with L$cke\ Confuta- 
 tion of it. 
 
 INDEX. 
 
I N 
 
 D E X. 
 
 A. 
 
 A CTIUS, p. v. 
 
 Ades, 171, Note (t) 
 
 175- 
 
 jEacus, 162, 171. 
 
 iEfculapius, 57. 
 
 Afranius. p. iv. 
 
 Africa, 148. 
 
 Ages : of man, 106. 
 
 Allegories, and alle- 
 gorical reprefentati- 
 ons. The antient ar- 
 tifls exact in adapting 
 the characters, and e- 
 ven the very poftures 
 and colour of their fi- 
 gures, to the things 
 fignified by them, 
 138, n. (u) : — point 
 out the thing clearly, 
 and often by a fmgle 
 circumflance, p. xxvi. 
 — Propriety and fim- 
 plicity their general 
 character, ibid. — De- 
 fects of the modern 
 artiits and authors in- 
 ftanced from Ripa, 
 
 198. from Venius, 
 
 199. in Rubens him- 
 felf, 201. from even 
 Raphael, 204. from 
 Spencer, 205. from 
 Dryden, 210. See 
 
 Machinery. Rules to 
 be obferved when go- 
 ing to be introduced, 
 p. 208. 
 
 A'lfiis fometimes relates 
 to the attitude of a 
 perfon or £gure, 9, 
 n. (k). 
 
 Apcllo, 26, 102, 
 
 Arts, their growth and 
 fall among the Ro- 
 mans, p. xix. 
 
 Afia, 148. 
 
 Auguftus, his vanity, 27* 
 
 note (i) 89, 91. 
 Aura?, air- nymphs, or 
 
 fylphs, 120. 
 Aurora, 109. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bacchus, p. 54. 
 Bruma, its true mean- 
 ing, 108, n. (q). 
 
 C. 
 
 Cacus, 51. 
 Cscilius, p. iv. 
 Cceruleus. See colours. 
 Cares, (Curae,) i63,n. (c). 
 Carmina, can tare, ) 86. 
 Caftor and Pollux, 60. 
 Catullus, p. vii. 
 Centaurs, 170. n. (q). 
 Cerberus, 49, 172. 
 Ceres, 37, 158. 
 
 Charon,. 
 
I N D 
 
 Charon, 170. 
 
 Choice between a vir- 
 tuous and a vicious 
 life, 66. n. (i). 
 
 Cities perfoni^ed, 150. 
 
 Colours, the Latin names 
 hard to be afcertain- 
 ed, 86. (n). 103. n. 
 (i). 
 
 CoiUtellacions, 81. 
 Corr.ua of a lyre, 39, 
 
 n. (a). 
 Crimtus, a fignificant 
 
 epithet, 27, n. (b). 
 
 29, n. (o). 
 Cupid, 20. 
 Cybele, 146. 
 
 D. 
 
 Dancing of characters or 
 llories, 134. 
 
 Death. See Mors. 
 
 Deities. — Moral dei- 
 ties, 62. — The dei- 
 ties of the air, 115 
 -—of the waters, 128 
 —of the earth, 146. 
 The deities and inha- 
 bitants of the lower 
 world, 162 — Bad, as 
 well as good ; and why, 
 p. xxxiii. n. (i). 
 
 Deftinies. See Parcas. 
 
 Diana, 35. 
 
 Dii pairii, 216. n. (0). 
 Dirse. See Furies. 
 
 E. 
 
 Elyfium, 181. 
 
 E , X. 
 
 Ennius, p. iii. 
 Erebus, 171. 
 Eumenides. See Furies. 
 Europe, 148. 
 
 F. 
 
 Falx, its various fenfes, 
 
 i3i> n. (b). 
 Fama, 126. 
 Fata. See Parcae. 
 Fatum, p. xxix. 74. 
 Fauns, 153, 
 
 Fides : Sola Fides, 68, 
 
 n. (n). 
 Flabrum, a peculiar 
 
 fenfe of the word, 
 
 119. 
 Flaccus, p. xv. 
 Flora, 155. Her garden 
 
 the Paradife of the 
 
 Romans, 156, n. (u). 
 Formofus, (beautiful.) 
 
 Pulcher, (well-fhaped,) 
 
 27. 
 
 Fortune, 77 — 80. 
 Fulmen, 7. 
 
 Furies, 174. — The Di- 
 rae, three chiefs, Ale&o, 
 Megsera, and Tifi- 
 phone, 175. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gemma, (a bud, or leaf,) 
 its natural fignirication, 
 84, n. (g). 
 
 Genius, 76. 
 
 Giants, 179. 
 
 Glaucus, 134. 
 
 Gorgon. See Medufa. 
 
 Gratiae, 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Gratis, 20. 
 Growing figures, 126. 
 
 H. 
 
 Hamadrvades, 157, n. 
 
 (w). 
 Hecate, 36. 
 Hercules, 43. 
 Hefperus, 110. 
 Honeftus, (beautiful,) 
 
 211. 
 Horace, p. ix. 
 
 I. 
 
 Janus, in. 
 Iris, 124. 
 Juno, 11. 122. 
 Junones 76. 
 Jupiter, 1 — 10, 100. 
 Jupiter Pluvius, 1 23. 
 Juvenal, p. xvii. 
 Ixion, i3o. 
 
 L. 
 
 Lares, 152. 
 Lethum, 166. 
 Livius Andronicus, p. 
 iii. 
 
 Lucan, p. xix. 
 Lucifer, no. 
 Lucilius, p. vi. 
 Lucretius, p. vi. 
 Luna. 101. 
 
 Luteus, what colour, 1 10. 
 
 n. (u). 
 Lyre, why called Teftudo, 
 
 39, n. (u). 
 
 M. 
 
 Machinery, true idea of 
 
 it, p. xxix. 
 Manilius, p. xxii. 
 Mars, 23, 100. 
 Marfyas, 33. 
 Martial, p. xvi. 
 Medufa^ three different 
 
 characters of her face, 
 
 Mercury, 38. 
 
 Minerva, 12. 
 
 Minos, 171, 172. n. (u). 
 
 Montfaucon not fo care- 
 ful and exact as he 
 ought, 184, n. (m). 
 
 Morpheus, 169. 
 
 Mors, 163. 
 
 Mountains, their geniufes, 
 Mufes, 30. 
 
 N. 
 
 Nxvius, p. iii. 
 Naiades, 144. 
 Nature, 146. 
 Nemefis, 169, n. (h). 
 Nephele ; cloud-nymphs^ 
 
 I2i, n. (n)« 
 Neptune, 129. 
 Nereids, 136. 
 Niobe, 34. 
 Nox, 109. 
 
 Nubes, and Nimbus 
 (Ovid) 183. 
 
 O. 
 
 Oceanus, 128. 
 Optimus Maximus, 6. 
 
 Orbis, 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Orbis, 147. 
 Orcus, 171, n. (t). 
 Oriens, (the civil day,) 
 
 108, n. (s). 
 Orpheus, 181. 
 Ovid, p. xi. 
 
 P. 
 
 Pacuvius, p, v. 
 
 Partus, the meaning of 
 the word, 17, n. (a). 
 
 Painters, fome good fub- 
 jecls recommended to 
 the modern ones from 
 defcriptions in the old 
 poets. Venus Anaduo- 
 mene, 131, n. (g.) 
 Aurora fetting out, 
 
 109. driving away 
 Nox and Somnus, 1 10, 
 n. (u.) Cerberus drag- 
 ged up by Hercules, 
 49. The Deftinies, 
 75. The Furies in 
 general, 175, 176, 
 177, 178. Nature 
 looking on Jupiter, 
 146. Piety wiping 
 away the tears from 
 the face of a good 
 man, 67, n. (m). Pro- 
 ceflion of the Seafons, 
 107. Somnus, 1 65, 
 168. Vengeance em- 
 bracing Death, 166. 
 South - wind, 117. 
 North-wind, 1 18. Con- 
 trail: of the four chief 
 winds, 118, n. (g.) 
 
 Palladium, 14, n\ (w.) 
 Pan, 160. 
 Panic fear, 161, 
 Parcae ; Clotho, La- 
 
 chefis, and Atropos, 
 
 75- 
 
 Pater ufed for lord, or 
 governor, from the old 
 patriarchal fcheme 54, 
 n.'(a). 
 
 Penates, great and lefs, 
 152, n. (m). 
 
 Perfius, p. xiv. 
 
 Phaedrus, p. xii. 
 
 Phofphorus. See Lu- 
 cifer. 
 
 Planets, 99. 
 
 Plautus, p. iv. 
 
 Pluto, 1S2. 
 
 Poetry, painting, and 
 fculpture, compared 
 16, n. (a). The rife 
 growth, and fall, of 
 poetry, p. ii. 
 
 Pomona, 156. 
 
 Propertius, p. x. 
 
 Proferpina, 182. 
 
 Proteus, 133. 
 
 Providentia, 63, n. (e). 
 
 7$; 
 
 Provinces and kingdoms 
 
 perfonized, 149. 
 Pfvche (the foul) 21, n. 
 
 (n). 
 
 Pulvis ufed for the Cir- 
 cus, as Arena for the 
 amphitheatre, 50, n. 
 
 (q)- 
 
I N D 
 
 E X. 
 
 Quirinus. See Romulus. 
 R. 
 
 Religion of the old Ro- 
 mans, 3. Refemblances 
 between the present 
 and the old reli-ion at 
 Rome, 5. n, (c). 79, 
 n. (n). 147, n. (b). 
 
 Rhadamanthus, r; 1. 174, 
 n. (x). 
 
 Rhamnufia, 166, n. (h). 
 
 Rivers perfonized, 138. 
 
 Robigo and Rubigus, 
 158. 
 
 Rome, 150. 
 
 Romulus, 58. 
 
 S. 
 
 Saturn, 99. 
 Satyrs, 160. 
 
 Sceptrum, the true idea 
 of it of old, 6. 
 
 Sculptors. The Greek 
 and Roman artifts ufed 
 a fort of rational hie- 
 roglyphics, or ex- 
 prefled their fenti- 
 ments by the figure 
 of things, whether a- 
 nimate, inanimate, or 
 imaginary. Thus Ac- 
 tivity by a ihort 
 
 drefs, 6^, 152. 
 
 Uncertainty 
 
 by wings, z 1 1 . — The 
 Characters of per- 
 
 fons : fometimes by 
 attitudes, 6, 11,. 78, 
 147, 172. and fome- 
 times by the materials 
 or colours, 8, 7^, 1 39, 
 167. Digni- 
 ty of a perfon by 
 
 long robes, 146. 
 
 The Roman Empe- 
 rors called the Hope, 
 joy, Security, &c. of 
 their fubjects by the fi- 
 gures on the reveife 
 of their medals, iz 3 
 17, 163. — Equali- 
 ty of day and night 
 by an even balance, 
 84. — Eternity by 
 a ferpent holding his 
 tail in his mouth, 124, 
 
 n. (n). — Hope 
 
 by a bud, 70. — The 
 Power of Love by 
 Cupids riding on a 
 lion ; a dolphin break- 
 ing the fuimen of Ju- 
 piter, 21, 22. — The 
 Persons of the 
 Gods by their attri- 
 butes, pref. n. (b). 
 Piety by an altar, or 
 by facrificing, 77. — 
 Plenty by a cornu- 
 copia, 72. — A Pre- 
 server of his people 
 by an oaken crown, 142. 
 — The firrrnefs of a 
 Promise by two hands 
 joined, 68.— Time, 
 the 
 
INDEX. 
 
 the fwiftnefs or flow- 
 nefs of it, by Saturn's 
 wings or fetters, 100, 
 n. (c). — The particu- 
 lar time of the year 
 by the zodiac or gems 
 and Sol's head coin- 
 ciding with fiich part 
 of it, 124. — A VIR- 
 TUOUS Liie, its dif- 
 ficulties by a fteep af- 
 cent up a- fcraggy 
 mountain, 65, n. (1). 
 The Wisdom of any 
 action by reprefeniing 
 the Goddefs of Wif- 
 dom as prefent at the 
 action, 50, n. (r.) 
 
 Seafons, 107. 
 
 Seneca, his tragedies, p. 
 xii. 
 
 Silius Italicus, p. xv. 
 Sinus ufed for drapery, 
 
 or a flowing robe, 127, 
 ;n, (o). 
 Sifyphus, 275. 
 Somnus, 166. 
 Stars, notions of the an- 
 
 tients about them, 81, 
 
 n.(a). 
 Statius, p. xv. 
 Statues ; good fubjecls 
 
 for fountain - flames, 
 
 144, &c. 
 Sylvanus, 158. 
 
 T. 
 
 Tantalus, 160. 
 
 Tartarus, 173. 
 Tellus, 147. 
 Terence, p. iv. 
 Tethys, 128. 
 Theology of the Romans, 
 
 3- . • 
 
 Thetis, 135. 
 
 Tibullus, p. x. 
 
 Triton, 132. 
 
 Trophies : the trunks of 
 trees with the arms ta- 
 ken in war ; allowed 
 only to particulars at 
 firft, but afterwards to 
 plebeians, 196. 
 
 V. 
 
 Vates, 186. 
 Venus, 16, 130. 
 Vertumnus, 156. 
 Veita, 24. 
 
 Vices and bad qualities 
 feldom perfonized, and 
 why,- 163. n. (c). 
 
 Victoria, 72. 
 
 Virgil, p. viii. MS. viii. 
 
 Virtus, the idea of it a- 
 mong the Romans, 41, 
 64 — How reprefented, 
 
 65. 
 
 Virtues, the four cardinal 
 
 ones, 65. 
 Volucris fometimes means 
 
 winged, 167, n. (1). 
 Vulcan, 24. 
 
 W. 
 
 Winds, 1 15—120. 
 
 FINIS.