of mens lives the youngest held the distaff and did draw the thred the seeond in age did wind it about the Spindle and the third old and decrepit did cut it off and this was followed with the immediate death of the person living Assoon as the Souls were arrived in Hell they did go to give an account of their lives before Minos Rhadamantus and Aeacus their Judges who had in their keeping the fatal Chest where the names of all the living upon Earth were contained out of it was drawn every mans name when he was arrived at the end of his dayes The Gods had intrusted these men with this Office because during their lives they had been very just in their Judgments Here we must not forget what is related of Aeacus when the plague had carried away all the Inhabitants of the Isle of Egine where he was King he obtained of Jupiter the favour that all the Ants should be changed into men that the Island might be again filled with Inhabitants they were therefore called Myrmidones The truth is they were thus named because they did mightily apply themselves in the improvement of the ground as the Ants they were allwayes stirring it up When these infernal Judges had pronounced their sentence against the wicked Souls they were cast headlong by the furies into the bottom of the Tartare a dreadfull place designed for their punishment There were to be seen the Gyants and the Titans in the midst of the flames loaden with huge mountains to hinder them from rising again And Tantalus that was ready to perish with hunger and thirst encompassed with the abundance of all sorts of dainties There was also Salmoneus the King of â—lide who had bin struck dead with Jupiters thunderbolts because he had the impudency to counterfeit and play the God upon a Bridge of Brass causing his Chariot to run over it that it might yeild a noise like that of the Thunder In his conrse he did cast on every side flaming Torches to represent the Lightning and such of the spectators upon whom they did unhappily fall were cruelly murdered by him In this place were also the Danaides or the Belides so named from Belus their Grandfather they were the Daughters of Danaus from whom the Greeks have taken their name Danai This Danaus was forced to marry them to the sons of Egyptus his Brother they were equal in number for Egyptus had fifty Sons for the fifty Daughters of Danaus But these wretched Creatures cutt their Husbands throats the first night that they came together only one excepted therefore they were condemned in Hell to fill up with Water a Tunn without a bottom which they could never effect because at the same time that they did poure in as much did run out Here was also one Sysiphus a famous Robber forced to heave up a great stone with his Shoulder to the top of a Mountain when he was almost come to the end of his labour it did fall again to the bottom so that he was constrained to be allwayesbegining Ixion was here tyed about a Wheele that did continually move He was condemned to this punishment because he had been so bold as to seek a too familiar acquaintance with Juno Jupiter to be better informed of his intentions presented unto him a Cloud in Juno's likeness of whom he begot the Centauri half Men and halfe Horses All the Men that had lived an honourable life and all those that had ended their appointed time in the Tartare were conducted into the Elisian Feilds Places that did abound with all manner of delights and satisfactions But at the end of a certain number of years they did return into the World again to live in other Bodies and that the Souls might not retain any remembrance of these Elysian Feilds they did drink of the River Lethe that had the virtue of causing them to forget all the things past It is very remarkable that the Papists do follow in their descriptions and fancies of Hell and of its suburbs the Heathens or Romans their predecessors who with the Empire of the World have left them many of their groundless opinions and strange superstitions as the former did imagine several apartments under ground and subterraneous places so the latter do maintain divers retreats of the soul after Death The Purgatorie of the Poets described by Virgil is the same as that of these mistaken Christians Pluto was the God of Hell and of Riches he had two keys in his hand and was attended by a dreadfull train by Cerberus with three heads by the furies the Paucae c. * he had upon his head a Helmet that did render him invisible and all those that did ware it by this is intimated the safety men finde in the grave His sacrifices were performed in the night and the Tree that was dedicated to him was the Cypress He was a blinde God that did not love to see any light therefore the Poets say that he is mightily afraid when the Earth doth quake and let in the day into Hell Charon the sonn of Erebus of the night was his Ferry-man to convey the Souls of the deceased unto him he was greedy of mony therefore he would let none pass without a peice of Silver which the Souls were wont to carry betweene their lipps those that were not dead or unburied were never admitted into this mans boat Yet Aeneas by his Piety Hercules and Theseus by their valor and Orpheus by his musick obtained the priviledge of viewing Hell and of passing to and fro in old Charons ferry boat Cerberus was an ill shap't and a cruel mastif begot of Typhon and Echidna Hercules had the strength to drag him from under ground and bring him to see the light of the Sun when he was upon Earth it is reported that he vomitted on the ground and immediately a new herb sprung forth called Aconitum wolfes bane In these lower Regions of the Earth were several strange Goddesses Nox the night was she that had the greatest command and that was one of the most remarkable she was held to be the Mother of Love of Deceit of Old-Age of Death of Sleep of Dreams of Complaint of Feare and of Darkness The Cock was offerred in sacrifice to her she was painted with black hair with a Garland of Poppies about her head and her Chariot was draw'n with black Horses and in her Arms a white boy signifying Sleep and a black one intimating Death both taking their rest The harpies were strange sorts of Birds painted with womens Faces Dragons Tailes and Eagles Talons they are sometimes called Furiae Striges and Lamiae They were said to suck in the night the blood of Infants there were three in number Aello Ocypete and Celaeno They were very troublesome at publick Feasts in the night and especially to blind Peneus but Calais and Zetis the two Children of Boreas and Orythea had pity of the old man having therefore
midst of the flames to be burned and consumed to ashes with him Evadne the Daughter of Iphys did love her Husband Capaneus so tenderly that she resolved to accompany him in death It is the custom of the Indians in Asia to this day to sacrifice and bury the dearest Wives of Princes with them for they believe the immortality of the Soul they send therefore such persons as have been dear unto them to serve them in another world and keep them company The Heathens did believe that Charon would never suffer such to pass into rest into the Elysian fields until their bodies or Reliques were buried in the earth In such a case they did fancy that the Souls were tossed up and down during the space of a hundred years upon the banks of the River Acheron over which they were to pass into Hell in Charons Boat as Virgil observes 6. Aeneid when Aeneas descended into Hell for the Sybil informs him of a wandring multitude of Souls Haec omnis quam cernis inops inhumataque turba est Portitor ille Charon hi quos vehit unda sepulti Nec ripas datur horrendas nec rauca fluenta Transportare prius quam sedibus ossa quierunt Centum errant annos volitantque haec littora circum Tum demum admissi stagna exoptata revisunt It was therefore esteemed a cruelty beyond expression to deny to the dead a burial for this cause all great Commanders were very careful after a battel to inter the bodies of their Souldiers that had lost their lives in their quarrels as we read in the Commentaries of Caesar and in Livius And Curtius observes how Alexander did encourage his men to fight for him after the Battel at the River Granicus by causing the Dead to be buried with solemnity and pomp and their Images to be erected as eternal Memorials of their Valour CHAP. XI Of Tantalus and of Pelops his Son VVHiles the Thebans and the men of Argos were at variance Tantalus and his Posterity were afflicted with many sensible evils The horrid impiety of this Prince was the cause of them for as he was one of the Sons of Jupiter the Gods at a certain time passing over the World did him the honour to lodge with him in his Palace Being therefore obliged to treat them at supper he caused the members of his Son Pelops to be cut in pieces and to be prepared for them to eat that he might try whether they would perceive it and whether they were really Gods Ceres was deceived at first for being extreme hungry she eat up one of the shoulders but the rest of the company did abominate this cruel Feast therefore in compassion of the young Prince they restored him to life again for Mercurius went down into Hell to fetch from thence his Soul and all his members were restored to him and established in their right place only in lieu of his shoulder which had been eaten they gave one of Ivory which had the virtue of healing all manner of diseases But Tantalus was punisht for his cruelty he was condemned to Hell to be there tortured with a continual appetite of hunger and thirst in the midst of waters and the plenty of all varieties that did fly from him when he did endeavour to catch at them as we have already said in the first Book His Daughter Niobe perisht also miserably because of her vanity and pride for having a great number of children she did prefer her self to Latona therefore Apollo and Diana destroyed all her Children with Arrows except one named Cloris which affliction cast her into a Consumption so that the regret and displeasure did dry her up From hence the Poets have taken occasion to say that she was changed into a Rock Pelops left Phrygia and departed into Greece to go to the Kingdom of Elis where he fell in love with Hippodamia the Daughter of Oenomaüs But this King having understood by the Oracles that his Son-in-law should be one day cause of his death he would never venture to give his Daughter to any man but upon this condition that he should first overcome him in a Chariot-Race or loose his life Pelops was not frighted with the danger therefore he undertook to run and that he might not miss of his purpose he won the Coach-man of Oenomaüs named Myrtilus with many golden promises and oblig'd him to disorder the Axle-tree of the Chariot in such a manner that it broke in the middle of the course The poor Oenomaüs fell to the ground and killed himself After his death Pelops took the Government of the Kingdom with his Daughter Hippodamia and in a short time he grew to be one of the most Illustrious Princes of his Age. From him the Peloponessus called now Morea is so named Nevertheless he was very unhappy in his Children Atreus and Thyestes although Agamemnon and Menelaus the Sons of Atreus were the most famous men of that time But these particulars we may take notice of in the following Chapters Tantalus the Son of Jupiter and of the Nymph Plote or as some say the Son of Aethon was married to Anthemoissa the Daughter of Lycus and as some do relate to Euryanissa the fair Daughter of Taygetes one of the Pleiades He had two Sons Broteas and Pelops and an only Girl called Niobe He is noted for his indiscretion in discourse for he revealed all the secrets of the Gods and for his unseasonable curiosity that moved him to an inhumane act massacred his own Son Pelops who was restored to life again and instead of a shoulder of flesh eaten by Ceres the Gods bestowed upon him an Ivory shoulder In remembrance of this favour all the Race of Pelops did bear an Ivory shoulder blazoned in their Coat of Arms. But Tantalus was sent down to Hell to be punisht with want and with the fear of a falling Rock that was placed over his head besides the Eumenides did continually wait upon him to disturb his quiet with their grim looks and fearful bawlings This intimates the grievous and troublesome estate of a Conscience wounded with a crying sin The Furies of Hell cannot be more unpleasant and their company bring more torment than a Soul awakened with the sense of a crime Pelops his Son is said to be a great Favourite of the Gods because he did excel in beauty and had served some of them in presenting unto them the Cup at a Supper therefore they restored him to life and when he desired Hippodamia in Marriage Neptunus furnisht him with four brave Horses and a Chariot to run for his Mistress with her cruel Father He was m re happy than the former Wiers by the treachery of Myrtilus the Coachman of Aenomaus for this Varlet being corrupted by the promises of Hippodamia who desired passionately Pelops for her Husband and by the perswasions of Pelops himself he betrayed his Masters life for which he was cursed by Oenomaus
therefore we are to look upon many of the Fables of the Gods as mysterious discoveries of the Estate of the Devils amongst themselves when they speak of Marriages and Alliances between them they do then shew unto us some real Truths with a condescention to our weak Capacities and to our manner of expression I will not venture to particularise any of these Mysteries nor offer to interpret things of which we have but strong conjectures and a probable opinion I shall only say that the Dispositions of these several Devils are clearly manifest in their manner of Worship in the Sacrifices that they did require and in the things ascribed to their tuition Jupiter the Emperor of Heaven is the chief and the most powerful of all the Devils stiled in holy Writ the Prince of the Air and by the Poets he is called Olympius because he delights in the highest places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because he hath so many Legions of wicked Angels at his command Martius because he did encourage War Blood-shed amongst Men. Hospitalis Aristaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and other good names were given unto him to signifie some remains of Virtue and Goodness which are yet in this Prince of Darkness Juno his Wife as I conceive is another Devil far inferior in power and authority related to him in a manner proper to their spiritual Beings fierce and cruel an encourager of Pride and wantoness whereof the Peacock dedicated to this Goddess was an Emblem Apollo seems to be a Devil excelling in Beauty Knowledge and Wisdom the rest of his Comrades Neptunus is some Spirit that delights in Ship-wracks and amongst the Storms and Billows of the raging Sea therefore he is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Commander of the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Famous in the Sea and the Epithetes proper to this Element are ascribed to him as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Pluto is some infernal Fiend that is ashamed to behold the Light therefore the rest of the Devils have assigned unto him Hell or the concavities of the Earth for his abode Mars the God of War encourageth the effusion of Blood This intimates his cruelty and tyrannical disposition I could run over the rest of the Gods worshipped by the Pagans but this general intimation may sufficiently discover unto the judicious Reader the other truths of the Fables I think that this may be another reason of the frequent Relations between the Heathen Gods that are all allied one to another If they had not been discovered unto us in this manner the Devil could not have recommended the foul practice of those Vices which are described in their stories for as the miscarriages of our lives do depend upon our relations to one another or to God our Creator The Devil could not have proposed a perfect example of those actions nor encouraged us to the imitation of them if he had not invented the same Relations between the Apostate Angels as are between Men. Therefore these stories of the Heathen Gods are not only a real declaration of certain secrets concerning the estate of the evil Spirits and the works of Nature but many of them are ingenious Fables contrived by the Devil and delivered to the Poets to discredit Virtue and cause Vice to raign with authority amongst Men for when the Divinities whom they did worship were guilty of such misdemeanors when such as had power to punish were the grand abettors and protectors of their vicious actions they could neither think it a shameful nor a dangerous thing to obey their suggestions and follow their Examples By this means the Enemy of Man-kind did labour to destroy the works of God and to deface the beautiful Image of our Creator imprinted in our Souls with all manner of Vices The Devils did admit into their Society and to their Divine Honors many brave Souls when they were departed on t of the world Our Learned Jesuite hath here given an account of these Fables with the ordinary interpretation in some places where they relate to Nature and to its Mysteries And because he had omitted several things tending to the understanding of the Poets I have supplyed what was wanting in him The other Treatises will be no less useful to the same purpose for several Ancient Authors do make frequent allusions to the Roman Antiquities and to the Hieroglyphicks of Egypt Therefore without the knowledge of these things many thousand passages of the Poets and Historians are as obscure as unknown paths to the blind Some of these things have been already collected in English I confess but how and in what manner I leave to the Readers judgement In this Work I have endeavoured to render these Poetical stories and this Scholastick kinde of Learning fit for the perusal of judicious men as well as of young students Some things are related in a different manner according to different Opinions of the best Authors Vale. M. D. These Books are to be sold by Moses Pitt at the White Hart in Little Britain Folio CAssandra the fam'd Romance 1667. Brigg's Logarithms Francisci Suarez Metaphysica Quarto Dr. John Pell's Introduction to Algebra Translated out of High-Dutch into English by Thomas Branker M. A. Also a Table of odd Numbers less than 100000 shewing those that are Incomposits and resolving the rest into their Factors and Coefficients 1668. Nich. Mercatoris Logarithmo-Technia five Methodus construendi Logarithmos 1668. Jacobi Gregorii Exercitationes Geometricae 1668. Dr. John Wallis Opera Mechanica pars prima secunda 1670. Pars tertia now in the Press Banister's Works of Chyrurgery Hugh Broughton's Consent of Scripture Snellii Typis Batavus Lugd. Bat. 1624. Observat Hussiacae Petrus Paaw de Ossibus Amstelreod 1633. A Letter from a Gentleman of the Lord Howard's Retinue to his Friend in London Dated at Fez Novemb. 1669. Wherein he gives a full Relation of the most remarkable Passages in their Voyage thither and of the present State of the Countreys under the power of Taffaletta Emperor of Morocco With a brief account of the Merchandizing Commodities of Africa as also the Manners Customs of the People there Lex Talionis five vindiciae Pharmacopoeorum Or A Short Reply to Dr. Merret's Book and others written against the Apothecaries wherein may be discovered the Frauds and Abuses committed by Doctors professing and practising Pharmacy Octavo A Discourse of Local Motion undertaking to Demonstrate the Laws of Motion and withal to prove that of the seven Rules delivered by Mr. Des-Cartes on this Subject he hath mistaken Six Englished out of French 1671. The History of the late Revolution of the Empire of the Great Mogul together with the most considerable pasiages for five years following in that Empire To which is added a Letter to the Lord Colbert touching the extent of Indostan the Corculation of the Gold-nd Silver of the World at last swallowed up there As also the Riches Forces and Justice of the same and the
in token of peace and amity It is thought that Mercurius is the discourse which interprets our mind and thoughts it flies as he did for there is nothing more quick and speedy than the discourse which hath the power of gaining and uniting hearts Another of his Offices was to shew the ways and to guide the deceased Souls into hell therefore the Poets do say that none can die until Mercurius comes with his Rod to break the tye that unites the soul to the body When these souls have passed many years in the Elysean Fields and after that they have drunk of the River Lethe as we shall see in the following Chapters the same Mercurius by the virtue of his Rod doth cause them to pass into other bodies to live again according to the judgment of those that believe the Metempsycosis He invented the Lute and a kind of Harp which he presented to Apollo He was also the God of Eloquence it did serve him mightily in his Embassies and Negotiations He was also the God of Thieves because he had been a very subtil Thief himself as may appear by what he did to Apollo when he fed the sheep of King Admetus for he stole from him a great many and was not discovered by any but only by the Shepherd Battus who was changed afterwards into a Rock by Mercurius because he did reveal him notwithstanding his promise to the contrary Mercurius had one Son by the Goddess Venus his Sister who was named Hermaphrodite This Child happened to meet with the Nymph Salmacis at a Fountain the Gods at her earnest request made of both their bodies but One in such a manner that both Sexes were conserved entire By this the Poets do give us to understand the union that should be between married persons they ought to be but one body and one heart Some say that this Mercurius made Daedalus so excellent an Architect and taught him so many rare inventions that they rendred him famous all over the World This Daedalus left the City of Athens to offer his service to King Minos in the Isle of Crete or Candia where he built the Labyrinth with so much art and with so many windings that those that did enter in could scarce get out again He was shut into it himself with his Son Icarus because he had offended the King but he made wings for himself and his Son to fly through the air out of prison All things succeeded well to him but for Icarus because he ventured too near the Sun notwithstanding the admonition of his experienced Father the Wax that did unite his Wings to his shoulders melted by the heat of the beams and he fell into the Sea which since bears his Name Mercurius was admired for his nimbleness which he expressed in several occasions when he stole from Mars his Sword from Vulcan a pair of Tongs from Apollo his Arrows and his Beasts from Venus her girdle and from Neptunus his Trident He had also undertaken to convey away the Thunderbolts of Jupiter but the fear of his displeasure hindred him He was much reverenced by the Egyptians who did worship him in the Image of a Dog called Anubis and by the Gauls who did cause several men to bleed at his Altars It is reported of him that he taught the Arts and Sciences in Egypt It is probable that the famous Trismegistus who flourished in the first Ages of the World was worshipped under this name of Mercurius As he was the God of Eloquence they did consecrate unto him Tongues His Statue was usually placed in the Market therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was painted with yellow hair and a purse in his hand to intimate the advantage we may expect by diligence and learning Mercurius was also the God of Merchants of Shepherds and of Dreams the Egyptians received from him their Arts and Sciences and therefore they did honour him more than other people he was painted with the characters of an ingenious man because that they prove very ingenious that are born when the Star of Mercurius g verns He was named Cyllenicus from the Mountain Cyllene where he was bred and born and Camillus which signifies an Officer his Statues was placed in the ways unto which they did offer their first fruits he and Minerva were worshipped in one Temple together the Greeks placed his Image over the door of their houses because as he was the God of Thieves he was best able to protect the house from their violence His Image was sometimes made as that of Hercules Gallicus mentioned by Caesar out of whose mouth came forth chains of gold which were joyned to the ears of several little men that stood at his feet This expresseth the power of Eloquence that enslaves and governs the Auditors and makes men more able to command than strength and valour CHAP. IX Of Venus VVE have already mentioned her birth in the first Chapter but the other Poets do tell us that she was the Daughter of Jupiter and of the Goddess Dione She was the Goddess of Love and Pleasures because of her extraordinary beauty Her Chariot was drag'd only by Swans and Pidgeons lascivious birds and the places where she was most adored were Amathus Cythera and Paphos pleasant Mountains in the Island of Cyprus She had several children Hymeneus the God of Marriages was one of her Sons and the three Charities or Graces were her Daughters that kept her company She was also the Mother of the two Cupiâ—'s Gods of Love the one was honest the other was the God of unlawful and carnal pleasures he had wings upon his back and a Quiver full of sharp and burning Arrows by which he did enflame and heat the hearts The infamous Priapus mentioned in Holy Writ did also acknowledge her for his Mother Unto this God no other beast was offered but the Ass Aeneas so often mentioned in the Latin Poets was another of the Sons of Venus and although this shameful Divinity was like a Bitch prostituted to every one she had the God Vulcan for her Husband of whom she never had any Children In the City of Rome several Temples were built to Venus There was one to Venus Erycina where was the Statue of Amor Laetheus dipping his Arrows in a River another to Venus Libitina where the Vrns and Coffins of the most considerable of Rome were placed and kept Another to Venus Verticordia who was also called Dea Viriplaca where the Women did appear with their Husbands when there was and difference between them to find some way of reconciliation After the ceremonies appointed for that good office they did return to their home with that satisfaction that they did seek there were several other Images and Names of Venus There was in Rome Venus Calvata with a bald pate Venus Barbata with a long beard falling down to her Navel Venus Cloacina or Cluacina In Greece the Lacedemonians erected a Statue to '
condition that he would revenge the massacre of her Brother Whiles he was in the War for that purpose amorous Jupiter gave a visit to Alcmena in the shape of Amphitryon and that he might enjoy the satisfaction of her company longer without discovery he made the Night to continue longer than any other Alemeni was then big with Iphiclus she did nevertheless conceive Hercules from Jupiters acquaintance and was brought to bed of both of them together Although Amphitryon was not the Father of Hercules he is by the Poets called Amphitrymiades At that time Sthelenus King of Mycene was in great hopes of obtaining speedily a Son afterwards called Eurystheus Jupiter took an oath that he that should be born first of him or Hercules should be King and have an absolute command over the other which when Juno the sworn Enemy of all her Husbands Concubines and of the Children that were born of them had accidentally heard she caused Eurystheus to come forth of his Mothers Womb at the end of seven moneths and by that means procured unto him the Scepter with the Sovereign Command Some say that Juno solicited earnestly by Pallas was reconciled to Hercules and that in testimony of her good will and amity she gave him to suck of her own milk by that means it hapned that the Little Hercules having spilt some of the Milk out of his mouth he whited all that part of the Sky that we call the Milken Way This kindness was but feigned to satisfie the request of Pallas for a while after when he was yet in the Cradle she sent two dreadful Serpents to devour him which did not answer her expectation for the Child without any shew of fear caught them in his hands and tore them in pieces When he was come to Age Eurystheus exposed him to all manner of dangers to cause him to perish So that once he took a resolution to obey him no longer but the Oracle informed him that it was the Will of the Gods that he should pass twelve times more through dangers in obedience to the Commands of this Tyrant These are named the Twelve Adventures of Hercules The first was when he was ordered to destroy a great Lyon of the Forrest of Nemea that was fallen from the Globe of the Moon and that did spoil all the Country round about The people had often cast Darts and Arrows at him but his skin could not be pierced Hercules pursued him and drove him into a Cave where he seised upon him and strangled him Afterwards he always did wear the skin of this Lyon about him as the Trophy of his Victory Some say that this is the Lyon that was placed amongst the twelve Signs of the Zodiack He was sent next to the Lake of Lerna near Argos to encounter with the Hydra a notable Serpent of a strange Nature for it had seven heads when one was cut off many others did immediately burst forth so that it was not possible to overcome this Monster unless all his Heads were cut off at one time and the rest of his body destroyed by Fire and Sword which was executed by Hercules About that time a wild Boar of an extraordinary bigness whose residence was upon Mount Erymanthus in Arcadia did destroy all the Neighbouring Fields Hercules drag'd him alive to Eurystheus who was almost frighted out of his Wits when he beheld him In the fourth place he got hold of the Stag of the Mountain Menalus whose feet were of brass and horns of gold when he had pursued it a whole year He put to flight the Birds of the Lake Stymphalus that were so numerous and of such a prodigious greatness that they did darken the Air and hinder the Sun from shining upon men when they did fly over them Besides they did often take up some and carry them away to devour them These Encounters were not worthy to be compared with his Combat against the Amazons they were women of Scythia dwelling upon the Coasts of the Hircanian Sea who having followed their Husbands in the War and seeing them all cut off by the Enemies near the River of Thermodon in Cappadocia they resolved to mannage the War themselves and not to suffer any Husband nor any man to have any Command either in the Kingdome or in their Armies They went amongst their Neighbours to fetch from them Children the Males they did destroy and brought up none but the Daughters whose right Pap they did burn in their infancy that they might be more ready to handle the Bow and Arrows and other weapons They behaved themselves gallantly in the Siege of Trâ—y in the leading of Penthesilea But these warlike women were forced to yield to the valour of Hercules who being accompanied by Theseus went against them according to the command of Eurystheus He took their Queen Hippolyte that was married to Theseus This seventh Adventure as Virgilius informs us was to cleanse the Stables of Augias King of Elis in them thousands of Oxen had been nourished every day so that the dung by a long continuance was mightily encreased and did fill the Air with infection Hercules therefore turned the currant of the River Alpheus from its ordinary course and caused it to pass thorough the Stables Thus he carried away all the filth in a day according to his bargain But Augias was not grateful to him for his pains for he denied him the tenth part of the Oxen that were kept there This caused his death and the loss of all his goods Afterwards Hercules went and seiz'd upon a Bull that did breath nothing but fire and flame which Neptunus had sent into Greece to punish some disgraces and affronts that he had received from that Country He passed from thence into Thracia where he caused the King Diomedes to endure in his own person that which he made others suffer for he gave all the strangers that he could catch in his Kingdome to his Horses to be devoured by them Hercules served Busiris King of Egypt in the same manner because he was so cruel to all strangers as to cut their throats upon the Altars of Jupiter that he might cloak his cruelty with a gaudy pretence of Piety Likewise Geryon King of Spain who was reported to have three bodies because he did command three Kingdomes was no less cruel than the former he did feed some Oxen that he highly esteemed as Diomedes did his Horses and to keep them he had a Dog with three heads and a Dragon with seven When Hercules was sent thither by Eurystheus he treated him as he had formerly done Diomedes Now this Geryon who had three Heads and three Bodies and but one Soul to move them was not like King Herilus mentioned by Virgil in the eighth Book of the Aeneids who had three Souls in one Body so that he could not die by one or two deaths he was to be kill'd three times before he could be dispatcht Another Adventure of Hercules was
the Hide after a fast of 24 hours and three daies abstinence from Wine Without this preparation no answer could be expected It will not be amiss in this place to say something concerning Dreams Macrobius mentions five sorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Vision 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a discovery of something between sleeping and waking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a suggestion cast into our fancy called by Cicero Visum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinary Dream 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine Apparition or Revelation in our sleep such as were the dreams of the Prophets and of Joseph the Husband of the Virgin Mary and of the Mages of the East of whom it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This expression is often used in Scripture to signifie Gods appearing to his servants in Dreams The Aegyptians and Romans had a particular regard to Dreams The Learned of the former did esteem the Soul in a profound sleep better able to judge of all affairs and to foresee the intricate events of the time to come We find that many other people as the Caldeans and Persisians did judge some Dreams worthy of observation and of the serious exposition of the wise men therefore they had persons appointed amongst them whose imployment was to discover the design and intention of dreams It is certain that they do not always deserve our neglect seeing that they have been a means of conveying unto men part of the holy Oracles As we are not therefore to be so superstitious as to apprehend every idle fancy that is raised in us in our sleep I would not have a judicious Christian reckon all Dreams as frivolous and useless productions of our brain but rather I would advise every one seriously to examine all exraordinary Dreams and to make a good improvement of them for there is no dream whether it proceeds from God the holy Angels the Devils or our selves but from it we may gather instruction comfort or advice in our affairs It is certain that the Heathens have received many extraordinary benefits from Dreams Augustus the Emperour escaped from the fury of the Army of Brutus that forced his men out of his Camp by the preadmonition of his Physitian Artorius who was forewarned of the danger in a Dream And if his Father Julius had listned to the dream of his Lady Calphurnia he had never felt in his â—reast the swords of his Assassins that day in the Senate Experience as well as the judgment f the ancient Fathers of the Church inform â—s that Dreams are sometimes Ideas of Truth â—irred up in our fancy by Spirits for the Soul then more free from all sensual impressions nd is fitter to converse with beings of the same ature as it self Aristotle takes notice that before a Child attains to four years of Age he is not capable of dreams It seems that this ability doth accompany our reason and such as are not actively rational cannot receive any impressions by dreams This worthy Philosopher further observes that such as seldome have any dreams have more reason to mind them for he esteems them either very propitious or the fatal Omens of an approaching disease or of a certain death It seems the Devil did appear and give Oracles in dreams to those that did consult him Hom. 2. Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Virgil speaking of Faunus who held the same esteem and office in Italy as Amphiaraus in Greece tells us that the King of the Latins Centum lanigeras mactabat rite bidentes Atque harum effultus tergo stratisque jacâ—bat Velleribus subita ex alto vox reddita luco I shall not insist upon this digression only we may be certain that in our deep sleep our Soul is better able to entertain Spirits and receive from them information for it was at such times that Amphiaraus and the other dreaming Gods did appear to their Worshippers CHAP. X. Of Antigone and of some passages that happened after the War of Thebs CReon freely resigned the Kingdom to Oedipus and his Heirs but when he saw them dead he reassumed again the Supreme Authority and governed in Thebs as before As soon as he was proclaimed King he commanded expresly that none should offer to bury the body of Polynices because he had been so impious as to bring an Army of Enemies against his own Country therefore he condemned his Carkass to be devoured of the dogs and of the Fowls of the Air. But Antigone the Sister of this unhappy Prince stole secretly away out of the City to bury him in the night When the King heard of it he was highly incensed but not knowing who had done this act of humanity he gave order that the Body should be pull'd out of the grave and again cast to the mercy of the Wild Beasts She nevertheless was resolved once more to hazard her life and venture to bury her dead Brother but it happened that she was surprized in the attempt by the Souldiers that had been appointed to watch near the Body The King therefore in his fury commanded her to be buried alive in the Earth which punishment she prevented by strangling her self This rigorous proceeding of Creon occasioned much unhappiness and sorrow to his Family for at the same time his Son Hemon who entirely loved Antigone and who was ready to espouse her thrust himself through with his Sword resolving to accompany her into another World and Euridices the Wife of Creon when she saw her Son dead in the extremity of her grief she killed her self also to be delivered of the pain of so great an affliction This was the Subject of one of the Tragedies of Sophocles in which his fancy and expressions were so happy that the Athenians bestowed upon him as a reward the Government of Samos When the Army of Argos fled away they left all the fields round about Thebs covered with the dead bodies of their Companions which was a lamentable sight especially because they did believe that the Souls of these wretched Creatures were to languish a long while upon the brim of hell before they could be admitted into Charons Boat if their bones did remain unburied upon the earth For this cause Adrastus was perswaded to dispatch Embassadors to Creon to pray him to suffer this last duty to be paid to the Dead but he could never be entreated by him Therefore Adrastus being not able to make War upon him he desired Theseus that was then King of Athens to lead an Army against him and to force him to suffer the Dead to be buried which he did only the Body of Capaneus that had been struck with the Thunder and cursed because of his horrid blasphemies was cast aside and burnt alone by his Wife Evadne who expressed in this occasion her excessive love for him for she trim'd her self in her most gaudy and rich apparel and then cast her self into the
Primitive Church and many worthy men since who have abhorred this abuse that is crept in amongst Christians Claudius Clemens Bishop of Auxere in France opposed the Pope and would not suffer Images in his Diocess Leo Isaurus Constantine Nicephorus Leo Armenus Michael Balbus and Theophilus the Emperors of the East have been branded with Excommunications from Rome because they would not subscribe to this horrid Idolatry And a Greek Historian informs us that when Frederick I. the Emperour who led his Army to the conquest of the Holy Land entred into Armenia the Christians of those parts d d lovingly receive them because the worship of Images was not admitted amongstthem as amongst other Northern People I could here muster up an Army of the most excellent men of all ages who have detested this grievous abuse that renders Christians ridiculous to Mahumetans We do not deny a civil respect to the Pictures and Images of the Dead but to make them or their Prototypes share in any part of that Honour only due unto God is an extravagancy that we ought to abominate Besides Our Jesuite is grosly mistaken when he saith that the Images of Saints worshiped or unto whom men do kneel are not Idols because they are representations of real things The LXX and St. Paul are not of his judgement for they call many real things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idols the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is composed of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Face and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to serve and in all the Greek writers it is taken for the Images unto whom we pay respect and service Nevertheless St. Paul saith that the Idol is nothing I conceive he borrows this expression from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a thing without form or an insignificant thing the LXX upon the 1 Sam. 12. 21. have rendred it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they call there and in many other passages â—dols of the Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things that have no being which relates rather to Images than to the Originals The Images therefore of the Heathens had no being that is no real being as they imagined them to have no power no virtue no Soul nor motion they were things void of life and action They were but Wood Stone or Metal that could neither hear nor deliver us and are not the Images of the Saints of the same kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things without Soul things void of sense and understanding What qualities do the Papists fancy in them that do cause them to excel the Idols of the Heathens But if our Jesuit will needs apply this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the originals of the Images I am afraid the Saints will be found included in this expression I will fay nothing of many that are now adored in Rome who were never in being unless in the fancy of some dreaming Monk or of a religious Romancer It is certain that the Saints as they are represented unto us are not in being the Bodies have been consumed long ago into ashes Their Souls are at rest but unable to hear our Prayers and groans or to yield unto us any comfort To what purpose therefore do we make our adresses to these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or worship those that are not able to receive our respects or make any returns Is it not better according to Gods express command to humble our selves unto him who is every where and in our need call upon his mercy who hath promised to hear us for Christ his sake CHAP. II. Of the Edifices and Temples dedicated to the Heathen Gods THe Pagans did commonly boast of seaven stately structures that were named the seaven wonders of the world The first was the Wall of Babylon and the pleasant Gardens which Queen Semiramis planted About this Work 3 hundred thousand men were continually imployd for many years The second was the Labyrinth of Egypt described by Herodotus in which 16 large apartments oâ— suâ—ptuous Pallaces were built to equal the 16 Governments or Provinces of Egypt There were in it so many wayes and artificial walks that it was no easy matter to find the way out again Dedalus took his model upon this to build his Labyrinth in the Isle of Crete The third wonder of the world was the Pyramides of Egypt which were of a prodigious height six hundred thousand men were buisy in the buildin gone of them during the space of twenty years as was commonly reported The next was the Mausolaeum of Caria which Q. Artemisia built as a Sepulchre for her deceased Husband Mausolaeus she enricht it with so many rare ornaments that it was esteemed one of the greatest wonders of the world All Monuments of this kind have since been called Mausolaea This Queen did love her Husband so much that besides this Edisice which she erected for him she caused the ashes of his consumed body to be put into a cup of Wine and swallowed them to give him a lodging next to her heart The Colossus of Rhodes which we have already mentioned was reckoned amongst these wonders of the world The sixth was the Statue of Jnpiter Olymp made by Phidias of a hundred and fifty Cubits high The head was of pure Gold but the body was of Brass But the greatest wonder and incomparable work was the Temple of Ephesus dedicated to Diana A hundred and twenty large Pillars were to be seen there every one of them had been the sole enterprise and work of a King who was resolved to make his Piety and Magnificence appear upon his Pillar The Temples all over the world were also stately I shall not offer to number them It is sufficient to know that the Princes and the Nations did imploy their Riches and ingenious inventions of Architecture only in the building of Temples to their Gods In which there were always to be seen three Altars The first at the entry where the Victims were offered and burnt The second in the middle and the third at the end of the Temple in the inclosure called Adytum and Sacrarium or Secreta and Penetralia Upon these two last only Perfumes and sweet scents were usually burnt In this place Beds and Cusheons were commonly placed called therefore Lectisternia and Pulvinaria that the People might sit and lean upon them in the Feasts that were there dedicated to the Gods The Officers of this Ceremony were named Epulones And as these Gods were but of an inanimate substance of wood or stone c they could neither eat nor drink as Daniel proved to the King of Babylon in the Temple of Belus so that all these rare dishes of Meat that were offered did turn to the advantage of these wretched Ministers who did feed instead of their Gods upon the Dainties that were consecrated for their service In this last Chapter these following particulars of the Wonders of the World are omitted
for if they offer to touch this kind of Leaf they are deprived of some of their Sences as if they were bewitched This Bird is of an excellent disposition the young ones do help the old and furnish them with Food when they are not able to provide it for themselves therefore in Hebrew David calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 104. 17. from the Root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy or Goodness because this Bird is of such a compassionate and merciful Nature as to support the weakness of their Parents This good Bird shames the ill dispositions of Man-kind There are also many remarkable things related of the Cranes when any of their company do fall into disgrace they all fall upon it as the common People are woâ—t in every Nation for they will strive to injure him whose unhappiness is to have an ill Report therefore this Bird was the Hieroglyphick of Democracie The vulture signifies Mercy for the Naturalists do say that she never seeks any Prey nor flies from her Nest until the young ones come to a handsom bigness in the mean while she nourishes them with her blood which she causeth them to suck out of her Thighs and Breast The Eagle was the Hieroglyphick of Prosoerity of Majesty of a Noble Mind and of Liberality Munsterus saith that the Eagle freely gives of its Plenty to the rest of the Birds that come round about it when it hath any thing to spare The Owl is an ominous Bird the Hieroglyphick of Death and of unhappiness of a wicked Tyrant or of an Hypocrite that hates to be seen in the light of the Sun nevertheless when the Owl is perceived flying the Augures have observed that this was a sign of Victory and of Prosperity The Soothsayers did never look upon the Goose as a happy Bird because of its importune and unpleasant cry the Egyptians did thereby express a vain Babbler or a silly Poet. A Quail was the Hieroglyphick of Impiety because they say that this Bird doth furiously chatter and torment her self as if she were offended when the cressent of the Moon first appears The Ostrich did signifie Justice because most of her feathers are of an equal lenghth A Bat a Man raised from the dust to an undeserved degree of Honour Anâ— because these kind of Creatures do assist one another and stick close together when they apprehend any danger they are represented together to intimate mutual love and friendship which should oblige us to give succour to one another It is reported of the Lapwing that it is a great devourer of Grapes therefore many times it is giddy but Nature hath taught unto it a secret to remedy and prevent the mischief when it perceives some Operation of the violent Grapes in its Brain it seeks an Herb called Capillus veneris and by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which hath the virtue to stop the working of the Wine and keep the vapours from the brain The Bees have amongst them a most ingenious Commonwealth and a good Government for they are all obedient to their chief Commander and never do revolt against his Authority They do submit to his Sentence obey his Commands follow his motion and leading therefore they do represent a Kingdom â—ubject to their lawful Sovereign The Ephemeres are Creatures its live a day and therefore they are excellent Hieroglyphicks of the shortness of our Lives The Dolphin hath obtained amongst Men the Honour to signifie the King or Emperour of the Sea because they say that this Fish is kind to our Nature and because it is so swift in swimming and so grateful to Benefactors The Head of Man signifies sound Judgement and Wisdom His Hair cut off violent grief or Bondage if growing Liberty Baldness and gray Hairs are marks of old Age. The Fore-head is the seat of Pride and of impudency The Eye wide open was the Hieroglyphick of Wisdom of Justice It is the seat of Contempt of Love and the discoverer of the passions of the Soul The Nose is a mark of the nimbleness of our apprehension and of the excellency of our understanding The Mouth is the Hieroglyphick of modesty the Heart of sincerity the Shoulders of strength the washed hands of Inocency the right hand of Power of Fidelity and of favour The Knees are to express Humility the Hat freedom a Crown Dignity a Scepter Power a Buckler Defence an Arrow speed a Spear War or Valour a pair of Ballance Equity a Sword Revenge or Cruelty a fitting posture intimates Security a Chariot Honour a Ship Help in need an Ankor Hope the Caduceus Truce Peace and agreement Chaisnes Bondage a Key Security and freeedom of egress and ingress The Palm and the Lawrel are Emblems of Victory and of deserved Honour the Myrtle of Pleasure the Cedar of Eterniâ—y the Oak of Strength the Olive-tree of Fruitfulness the Vine-tree of Delight and Joy the Lilly of Beauty the Globe of Perfection a Pyramide of the nature of the Soul of Man c. CHAP. IV. Of some few notable Observations of several places of the World and of Animals PHilost speaks of a Water named Asbamaea aqua which is sweet and pleasant to such as are honest and faithful but dangerous to all wicked and unfaithful Persons for if these last offer to drink of it they will fall into a sudden distemper The Lake Asphaltites in Judaea is pestilentious the Vapours that rise out of it are so deadly that they will not suffer any Bird to flie over alive nor endure any living creaâ— in the water In Epirus there is a Fountain whereof the Water hath the virtue to extinguish a lighted Torch and light it again if it be dipt in the Water The River Sabbatius which is in Syria is very remarkable because on the Sabbath day the Stream doth remain still without moving one way or the other but during the six days of the week it runs with as much rapidity as other Rivers Plinius mentions it lib. 31 cap. 2. Aristotle tells us of a Fountain in Sicilia which did kill all the Birds that were cast into it but did cause the other Animals to re-return to life when they were expiring The Fountain of the Sun mentioned by Herodotus in Africa did yield water of a different temper according to the motion of the Sun in the Firmament at Noon it was cold and sweet but at Night it was hot and bitter Virgo Aqua or the Virgins Stream had a pleasant and an excellent virtue upon Maids whose unhappiness it was to forget themselves and loose their Virginity If they did wash their Bodies in this water they did recover again the stollen Jewel and become as perfect Virgins as before Strabo speaks of the Woods of Juno and of Diana which were upon the Confines of Dalmatia That all the Wilde Beasts that did enter into them became came and mild and did loose their fierce and