into beasts and made â—aves to Cybele for profaning her temple 4. Here we have the picture of a whore who runnes swiftly in the broad way that leadeth to destruction if any thing stay her course it is wise counsell and admonition for wisdom is presented by gold It is she that kils the Boars that is wanton and unruly youths wounding both their bodies souls and estates and therefore hath a sharp spear to draw water out of rocks because many who at first were senselesse like stones being deepely wounded with remorse for their former folly and stupidity fall to râ—pentance to weeping and lamenting considering what they have lost and as Atalanta defiled Cybeles temple so doth a whore pollute her body which is the Temple of the Holy Ghost so doth the whoremaster make his body all one with the body of an harlot and so both degenerate from humanity and participate of the cruelty and lasciviousnesse of Lions and by this meanes become miserable slaves and drudges to Cybele mother earth that is to all earthly affections and lusts 5. As Atalantas course was interrupted by golden apples so is the course of Justice oftentimes stopped with golden bribes 6. Here we see that one sinne draweth after it another worse then the former fornication begetteth profanesse and profanesse cruelty and miserable servitude to earthly lusts 7. Let us with Atalanta run the race that is set before us and wound the boare of our wanton lusts and draw water from our rocky hearts let us take heed that the golden apples of worldly pleasure and profit which Hippomenes the Devill slings in our way may not hinder our course commit not spirituall fornication with him in the temple of Cybele lest God in his just anger make our condition worse then the condition of the brute and savage beasts ATLAS WAs the son of Japetus and brother of Prometheus or as others say he was begotten of heaven and the day if this was not another Atlas he was King of Mauriâ—ania and had a garden where grew golden apples he was turned into a mountain by Perseus Jupiters son upon the sight of Gorgons head because he refused to lodge him The INTERPRETER 1. ATlas was said to be transformed into a mountaine either because he was confined to that hill being driven from his own country by Perseus or else bâ—cause he delighted to be upon that hill or because he called it by his owne name 2 Atlas is the name of an high hill which for the height thereof being higher then the clouds was said to support heaven and to be begotten of heaven day because of the continiall light on the top of it as being never obscured with mists clouds and vapours 3. This is the name of him who first found out the knowledge of Astronomy and invented the Spheare which some think was Henoch and for this knowledge was said to support heaven 4. This is the name of a king in Mauritania who perhaps from the bignesse and strength of his body was called a mountain and was said to have a garden of golden apples because of the plenty of golden mines in his Kingdom 5. God is the true Atlas by whose Word and power the world is sustained that mountain on which wee may securely rest who onely hath golden apples and true riches to bestow on us 6. The Church is the true Atlas a supporter of a kingdome the childe of heaven the hill on which God will rest on which there is continuall light and day a rock against which hell-gates cannot prevaile where is the garden of golden apples the Word and Sacraments 7. A King is the Atlas of his Common-wealth both for strength and greatnesse there is the day and light of knowledge in him which the people cannot see Prometheus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Providence is his brother by the meanes of his knowledge and providence the Kingdome is supported and his gardens are filled with golden apples that is his treasures with mony 8. Hee deserves not to be called a man but a monster who will not be hospitable for homo ab humanitate and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jupiter is the god of hospitality who puâ—â—isheth the violation of it 9. As Perseus the son of Jupiter sought lodging from Atlas but could have none and therefore turned him into a senselesse hill So Christ the Son of god knocks at the dore of our hearts whom if we refuse to let in we shew our selves to be more senselesse and stupid then the hill Atlas AURORA THe daughter of Hyperion and Thia or as others wâ—â—â—e oâ— Tâ—tâ—â— and the Earth the sister of Sol and Luna drawn in a chariot sometimes with foure horses sometimes with two onely shee uâ—eth to leave her husband Tithonus with her son Meâ—â—non abed in Delos shee made old Tithonus young again by means of herbs and physick The INTERPRETER 1. AVrora was said to be the mother of Lucifer and of the windes because at certain times the star of Venus is seen in the morning and then shee is named Phosphorus or Lucifer and at sometimes in the evening then shee is called Hespeâ—us Vesper Vesperugo Aurora is said to be the mother of the windes because after a calm in the night the windes rise with the morning as attendant upon the Sun by whose heat and light they are begot if winds be vapours or if they be nothing else but the motions of the air then they may be called the daughters of Aurora for thâ— Sun with his heat and light moves the air Aurora or the morning bâ—ing nothing else but the first appearing of the Suns light and so perhaps aura a breath or winde may be derived from Aurora 2. Aurora is the daughter of Hâ—periâ—n which signifieth to goe above for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is from above that wee have the light of the Sun and every other good thing even from the Father of lights her mother is Thia for it is by divine gift wee enjoy light and nothing doth more lively represent the Divinity then the light as Dionys. Areopagit sheweth at large Shee is the daughter of Titan that is the Sun who is the fountain of light and of the Earth because the light of the morning seems to arise out of the earth 3. The leaving of her husband abed with her son is only to shew that all puts of the earth doe not enjoy the morning at one time but when it is morning with us it is evening with those of the remotâ—st East-countries from us whom shee leaves abed when shee riseth on us and leaves us abed when shee riseth on them for all parts are East and West and all people may be called her husbands and sons for shee loves all and shines on all and by â—â—r absence leaves them all abed by turns 4. Her chariot signifieth her motion the purple and rose-colour doe paint out the colours that wee see in the morning in the air caused by
bodies hee was pâ—inted sometimes like a childe sometimes like a man because in the winter the dayes are short and his heat weak but in summer his heat is strong and dayes are long hee is clothed with the spotted skin of a Deer to shew his swiftnesse and multitude of starres with which hee seems to be covered at night the travels of Bacchus do shew the motion of the Sun 7. Originall sin like Bacchus reeceived life by the death of Eva who for her disobedience was struck with the thunder of Gods wrath and it hath been fomented by Adams thigh that is by generation this unruly evill hath travelled farther then Bacchus did and hath an attendance of worse beasts then Tygers Panthers c. to wit of teâ—rours and of an evill conscience and actuall sins it hath subdued all mankind and as Bacchus turning himself unto a Lion made all the mariners in the ship wherein he was carried leap into the sea so this sin turned us all out of Paradise into the sea of this world 8. Christ is the true Diomsius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde of God the internall word of the Father born of a woman without mans help as the Graecians fable their Bacchus to be and yet they give credit to their figment and not unto our truth hee is Liber who makes us onely free the great King who hath subdued all Nations whose Diadem is glory Hee hath killed Amphisbaena the divell the two headed Serpent his two stings are sinne and death with the one hee hath wounded our soules with the other our bodies hee triumpheth over all his foes his body was torn with thorns nailes and whips and went down to hell but hee revived and rose again he is the true friend of wisdome and learning and who hath given to us a more comfortable wine then the wine of the grape that wine which wee shall drink new with him in his kingdom his lips were truely annointed with honey grace was diffused in them and never man spake as hee did he is that Lion of the Tribe of Judah who hath overcome the Giants and the Pirats who would have bound him that is the wicked Angels and Tyrants of this world hee is still young as not subject now to mortality BELIDES THese were the fifty daughters of Danaus the son of Belus who killed their husbands all in one night by the perswasion of their father except Hypermnestra who saved her husband Lyncius these daughters for their murther are continually in hell drawing water in a sieve which is never full The INTERPRETER 1. HEre wee may see that incestuous marriages are unfortunate and the end of them for the most part fearfull for Danaus and Egyptus were brothers the fifty daughters of Danaus married with the fifty sons of Egyptus too neer an affinity and against the law of nature 2. Whereas these women murthered their owne husbands wee see how little trust is to be given to many of that sex and that there is no security here nor confidence if the friends of our own bosome prove treacherous 3. Our mother Eva for murthering her husband with the forbidden fruit hath this punishment imposed on her and all her children that they are still drawing water in a sieve which will never be filled that is still toyling and labouring for that which will never fill and content them the covetous man is still drawing riches the ambitious man honours the voluptuous man pleasures the learned man is still labouring for knowledge and yet they are never full but the more they draw the more they desire the drunkard is still drawing liquor but his body like a sieve is never full there be also sieves that we are still filling but never full unthankfull people on whom whatsoever good turn wee bestow is lost hollow-hearted people to whom we can commit no secret but pleni rimarum being full of chinks and holes they transmit all prodigall sonnes for whom carefull parents are still drawing but these sieves let all run out and sooner then the parents could put in Preachers and School-masters have to do with sieves whose memory can retain nothing of that they learn 4. Let us take heed of sin which hath a virgins face but is secretly armed with a dagger to wound us 5. Children must not obey their parents in that which is evill left they be punished in Gods just judgements BELLEROPHON HEe being falsely accused by Antaea the wife of Praetus for offering violence to heâ— was sent with Letters by Praetus to Jobâ—tes his father-in-law to be killed by him who being unwilling to kill him himself sent him against the people Solymi Chimaera and Amazons who by the help of the winged horse Pegasus which Neptune sent to him overcame them all afterward offering to ride up to heaven was by Jupiter thrown downe The INTERPRETER 1. THe Poets by the fictions of Bellerophon riding in the air upon a winged horse of Phryxâ—us riding on a ramme over the sea of Daedalus flying in the air of Phaeton riding in the chariot of Phoebus of Endymion with whom the Moon was in love by these fictions I say they did encourage men to vertuous actions and to sublime and heavenly cogitations 2. Here wee see the malice of a whore in the wife of Praetus who not attaining her fleshly desire of Bellerophon goeth about by false accusations to undoe him 3. Here all men in authority are taught not to be too rash in giving credit to accusations though their owne wives be the accusers 4. Bellerophon was a good Navigator who in the swift ship called Pegasus pursuing the Lycian Tyrant who in the ship called Chimaera on whose snout was the image of a Lion on the poop a Dragon in the middle a Goat had done much mischiefe gave occasion to this fiction 5. Bellerophon is an Aâ—tronomer who finding out the qualities and effects of the Starres was said to ride up to heaven but when they fail in their predictions as oftentimes they doe then their horse Pegasus may be said to sling them down 6. They that search too much into the secrets of Predestination are like Bellerophon they climb so high till at last they are overthrown in their imaginations Caelum ipsum petiâ—us stultitia 7. Bellerophon may be the Sun who by the help of swift Pegasus that is the winde which Neptune the sea affords doth overcome Chimaera that is the pestilentiall air and drives away infectious mists 8. A wise man is Bellerophon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who encountring with difficulties joyneth with prudence the courage of an horse and celerity of a winged horse by which means Alexander became such a conquerour 9. By the example of Bellerophon beware of pride which will spoile all good actions in us and at last will give us a fall 10. Mark here that God is the miraculous preserver of innocencie a cleer conscience will at last overcome all false accusations and like Pegasus carry
Io was turned into a cow by Jupiter and delivered to Juno so many men by gods permission degenerate into beastly affections and are made llâ—ves to Juno that is to there wealth and are made subject to many-eyed Argus that is to watching and continuall cares untill Merâ—ury that is the preaching of Gods word kill these cares and beastiall affections then the stinging Bee of their guiltie conscience drives them to repentance and so they receive their old shape again and become more wise and holy then before and by repentance and holinesse are made though not gods yet the sons of God 11. To Isis was dedicated the garland of corne cares which garland was in cheifest esteem among the Romans her preists were cloathed in white linnen and had their beards and heads shaved as Tertullian shews in lib. de Spectac They were also initiated by water and blood and used to worship her in the forme of a dogs head which by Virgil Acn. 8. is called Latrator Anubis All these may signifie the qualities and effects of the Moon for in the night time when shee shines the harvest people worke hardest in hot countryes when they cannot work by day therefore the garlands of corn cars were dedicated to her the white linnen represented the Moons white colour the shavings of the hairs away shewed the smoothnesseof the Moon for shee looks not so rugged with beams as the Sun the initiation by water and blood may represent her white and red colours which shee hath for shee is red in the horizon white in the meridian or it may shew the pâ—wer shâ—e hath over waters and the blood of living creatures the dog and goose were thought fittâ—st creatures to be dedicated to her because these are most watchfull in the night the time of the Moons dominion 12. Isis so called by the Egyptians and Io by the Greeks was clothed in white as Apulaeus sheweth lib. 11. sometimes in red and somtimes in a black garmentâ— by which they intimated that the Moon looked white in cleer weather but red against wind Vento semper â—uber aurea Phoebe her black garment was to represent her duskie colour after the change and in her eclipse 13. The Egyptians placed the image of Sphynx in the porch of Isis temple partly to shew that the mysteries of religion were not to be devulgâ—d among the vulgar but enigmatically and partly to shew that the causes oâ— the variations and many motions of the Moon are nor knowne to us no more then the riddles of Spbynx were to the vulgar people JANUS HEe was the fâ—â—st King of Italie he received Saâ—â—rne when he fled fâ—om his sonne Jupiter and leaâ—ned of him the aâ—t of â—usbandry and coyning of mony wâ—iâ—h had on the one side the picture of the ship in which Saturne was â—â—ought to â—taliâ— and on the otâ—er a head with two faces To shew his gratitude to Saturne he â—â—stowed the one halfe of his kingdom upoâ— him The INTERPRETER JAnus is thought to be the same with Noah for he is so called from the hebrew Jain wine because he taught â—en to plant vineyards and is said to have two faces beâ—ause he saw two worlds one before an other aftâ—r the stood he was also a Law-giver and lived in the golden age of the world and the first that taught navigation as the ship on his coine shâ—weth 2. Macrobius by Janus understâ—nds the Sun therefore the Gentiles made him the keeper of the four doors of heaven to wit the Eastâ—rn and Spring out of which hee seems to come and the Western and Winter into which hee seems to goe when hee moves from us They gave him two faces because the Sun seeth as wll backward as forward and they put in one of his hands a Scepter in the other a Key to shew both his dominion over the world and that by his light hee openeth it in the morning and shuts it up again in the evening 3. Janus is said to be the first that taught men religion to build temples to offer sacrifice and prayers therefore perhaps they made him the god of gates and doors to shew that râ—ligion is the door of heaven and prayer the key to let us in and as they made hiâ— the god of doors so they make him to be the same that Porâ—unus the god of sea portâ— and harbours to teach us as I suppose that prayer is the safâ—st harbour to an afflicted conscience and the best porter or door-keeper of our houses so that without this Janitor wâ— should neither go out nor in Hierom tells us Egredienâ— de â—ospitio a'met oratio regredientibus de platea occurraâ— oratio So that this one porter is better then all the door-keeping gods amongst the Romans to wit Janus the god oâ— gates Forulus of dores Limentius of thresholds and Caâ—â— or Cardinea the Nymph or goddesse of hinges 4. Janâ—â— married with Carne the goddesse of bowels this may verâ— fitly as I think teach us that prayer or devotion must bâ— jâ—yned with the works of mercy for if prayer be the key doubtlesse mercy is the lock and without thâ—se two weâ— can hâ—ve no accesse into heaven What is prayer withouâ— bowels of mercy but like a key without a lock or liâ—â— Janus without Carne 5. Janus his two faces may signâ— fâ— the two chiefe sâ—asons of the yeer to wit the Sprinâ— and the Winter therefore one of the faces looked younâ— and cheerfull the other old and sad or they signifie the two kinds of life which hee lived the one â—ude the other civill or the knowledge and providence of Princes for not onely must they be skilfull in the Histories of times past but also thâ—y must have a forecast and eye unto the things that may or shall come to passe they must have for their companions Anâ—â—voria and Postvorta as the old gods had 6. Sometimes Janus had but two faces sometimes foure by this thâ—y signified that the world which was represented by Janus had foure parts but two chiefe to wiâ— the East and West or that the year had four seasons whereof the Summer and Winter were the two principall But S. Austin laughs at them who gave him so many faces and but one power faâ—iem duplam sed potestatem dimidiam De Civil Dei lib. 7. cap. 7. â—or they made him onely the god of initiation but they made another god for termination which was called Terminus but wee are taught that the true God who by his power gave the world its beginning will by the same power dissolve and finish it so that hee alone is to the world both Janus and Terminus the Alpha and Omega of all things 7. Many men are like Janus with two faces one towards heaven another towards earth with a youthfull and smiling countenance they look upon the world but with a sowre face upon heavenly things Such men are not fit for heaven for they cannot serve two masters neither must they look back
quickly vanisheth Divitiarum Et formae gloria fluxa fragilis Aen. 1. and whereas the learned Poet makes Juno petitioning Aeolus to send out the winds against Aenaeas hee shews that the wind is something else then the bare moving of the air and that it is an exhalation raised out of the earth and waters without which the air could not be so violently moved 7. Juno was the goddesse of marriage therefore called Pronuba and jugalis from jugum or the yoke that was put over the new married couple There was at Rome an altar dedicated to Juno juga in the street called Jugarius because at this altar they were joyned and here their feet were fettered whence the Poet calls marriage Vinela jugalia but because they thought her power not sufficient they joyned an help to her whom they called Hymen and the god of marriage in one hand hee bare a torch in the other a red vail called flammeum with which the bride was covered to hide her blushing these two might signifie the two properties that ought to be in women to wit fervent love represented by the torch and modestie shadowed out in the vail and it is observable that when the parties who were to be married offered sacrifice to Juno they flung away the gall behind the altar to shew that in marriage there ought to be no gall or bitternesse 8. I finde that Juno had her education from the hours and was nourished by the Ocean and Thetis or as some say the sea-Nymphs to shew that Navigation and Time or opportunity beget riches or that the airy exhalations are begot of and nourished by moisture 9. As Juno signifieth the air Vnlcan was her son because the fire is begot of air oftentimes But as Juno signifieth wealth Mars was her son for wealth begets quarrels pride and warres But as Juno was the goddesse of marriage Hebe was her daughter because in our youâ—â— and vigour wee are fittest for marriage 10. Juno's temple was open roofed and by Numa's law no whoâ—e must enter into it to shew that marriage must not be performed in dark corners but publickly and that marriage ought to be honourable among all men and the bed undefiled 11. Juno shed her milk rather then shee would be nurse to Hercules of which milk the Poets â—eign lilies received their whitenesse and the milkie way in heaven called Galaxia had its originall thence which as Aristotle 1. Meteor c. 8. tels us is a bright whitenesse proceeding from the beams of the lesseâ— starres reslected on a cleer cloud others hold it to be no Meteor but however Juno in this may paint out unto us wanton mothers who will rather lose and spill the milk which nature hath given them then nurse their own children which the wildest beasts will not doe 12. Juno was said to have the government of kingdoms because wealth commands and rules all things that is able to make a maid the wise and sister of Jupiter therefore not without cause was shee so much adored and called upon by maids that were to marry under the names of Imerduca Domiduca Vnxia Ciâ—xia for it is wealth that can bring in and bring home anoint and gird the maid with a wedding girdle and without that shee may sit long enough without house ointment or husband but if shee be rich shee shall not want a Jupiter to woo her who will rather abuse himself to take on him the shape of a cuckow then misse her ' Shee is Populonia the goddesse of the common people and Curetis the souldiers goddesse for wealth is that they fight for this is the rich mans Soticena or Sâ—spitatrix or Opipena that is his saviour and helper but as Juno was a weak help to others who could not help her selfe when Hercules wounded her so riches will prove such helps in the end when the dying wretch shall say to his bags Miserable Comforters are ye all JUPITER HEe was the son of Saturne and Ops and was born in Creta at the same birth with Juno and was brought up on mount Ida by the Curetes privatly â—or fear his father should find him who was devouring his own children but afterward be drove his father out of his kingdom and divided the world with his two brothers Neptune and Pluto be toke heaven for himself the sea fell to Neptune hell to Pluto be used to change himself into many shapes and took â—nno his own sister to wife The INTERPRETER 1. JUpiter is so called quasi juvant pater because he is a helping father and Diespiter the father of the day and in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from life for it is he that gives life to all things by this name they understood that divine power by which all things are moved and preserved as may be seen in the Epithets given to him by Virgil and the other poets as also by the descriptions of him in Orpheus and others and by the ancient pictures which they made of him for they placed him in a throne to shew his immutabilitie they crowned him to shew his authoritie they clothed him with garments representing light and Rimes of fire and all besparkled with Starrs to show his heavenly nature and divine glory they put a pair of globes in one hand the one of amber the other of gold to signifie that both the globes of heaven and earth are in his power in the other hand there is a violl or citron intimating that he is the cause of that admirable harmony that is in the world his throne is covered with a garment of peacocks tailes to signifie his providence and omniscience he hath the look of an ancient man because he is the ancient of dayes his sandals or shoos are green and he treads upon Neptunes Trident to shew that sea and land are subject to him They paint him sometimes with the thunder in his hand to show that he is the punisher of impietie sometime they paint him with a scepter in one hand and a circle in the other signifying that he is that great King who rules the world for which cause they place the eagle by him who is the king of birds they give him sometimes the image of victorie in his hand because conquests and victories are from him sometimes they make all his upper parts naked his lower parts clothed to shew that he discovers himself to the Angels and blessed souls which he doth not to us mortalls who see nothing of him but his lower parts and these clothed because here wee see him onely in his effects and works and some of his attribuâ—â—â— but obscurely and in a dark speech as the Apostle faith 〈◊〉 Celtae or ancient Galles worshiped Jupiter under the shape of an oake and so the Romans used to crown Jupiters image with oaken leaves to shew that he who gave being to all things doth also feed them for akorns were the first food of the old world And for the same cause was he worshiped