petia, and Phoebe, and alfo Cycnus his friend, immoderately bewailed his death on the banks of the river; and by the pity of the gods, his fifters were changed into poplar-trees, and his friend Cycnus into a fwan.

CHAP. XXIX.

OF MERCURY.

MERCURY, fon of Jupiter and Maia, daugh

ter of Atlas, was the god of eloquence and merchandize, and meffenger of the gods.

He is represented as a young man, with chearful countenance, an honest look and lively eyes; fair, without paint, with winged fhoes and hat, and holding in his hand a winged rod, bound about with two ferpents.

He had many remarkable qualities, on account of which they worshipped him as a god. He is faid to have invented letters and the use of them. He excelled in eloquence and the faculty of speaking; and therefore was accounted the god of rhetoric and oratory.

In the art of thieving he far exceeded all the fharpers that ever have been, and is, therefore, named the Prince of tricking. The very day in which he was born, he ftole away the cows of King Admetus, though attended by Apollo himfelf; who, while he complained of the theft, and bent his bow with an intent of revenge, found himself robbed of his quiver and arrows also.

He was a wonderful mafter at making peace, and pacified not only mortals, but also the gods themselves, when they quarrelled. This faculty is fignified by the rod which he holds in his hand.

His chief offices were, to carry the commands of Jupiter, to attend persons when dying, to unloose their fouls from the chains of the body, and ufher them into the world of fpirits; likewife to revive, and replace into new bodies, ofe that had already completed their time in the Elyfian fields.

CHA P. XXX.

OF MARS AND BACCHUS.

MARS was the fon of Jupiter and Juno. He

He

is the god of armies and war, fierce in aspect, ftern in countenance, and terrible in drefs. fits in a chariot drawn by two horses, which are driven by a distracted woman. He is covered with armour, and brandifhes a fpear in his right hand. Sometimes he is represented fitting on horseback, formidable with his whip and spear, with a cock at his feet, the emblem of watchfulness.

His fervants are Fear and Terror. Difcord alfo goes before in a tattered garment, and Glamour and Anger follow him.

Bellona, goddefs of war, is the companion and wife of Mars. She prepares for him his chariot and hoffes when he goes to battle.

BACCHUS, the fon of Jupiter and Semele, as soon as he was born, was committed to the care of Silenus and the Nymphs to be brought up; and, in reward for their fervice, the Nymphs were received into heaven, and there changed into ftars, called the Hyades.

Bacchus

Bacchus has a red face, fwoln cheeks, and prominent belly. He appears difpirited with luxury, and intoxicated with wine. He is crowned with ivy and vine-leaves, and in his hand holds a thyrfus for a fceptre. His chariot is drawn fometimes by tygers and lions, fometimes by lynxes and panthers. A drunken band of Satyrs, Demons, and Nymphs prefiding over the wine-preffes, fairies of the fountains, and priesteffes attend him as his guard, and old Silenus, riding on an afs, brings up the rear.

Bacchus first planted the vine and drank the juice of the grape. The tillage of the ground, and making of honey are also attributed to him.

He is called Liber, and Lyaus; because wine frees the mind from cares, and those who have drank plentifully speak too often whatever comes into their minds.

MIN

CHA P. XXXI.

OF MINERVA AND VENUS.

[INERVA, or Pallas, the goddess of wisdom, war, arts, and sciences, was the daughter of Jupiter. Vulcan struck his forehead with a ham

mer, and, after three months, he brought forth Minerva.

She was called Minerva, as fome fay, from the threats of her ftern and fierce look. Inftead of a woman's drefs, fhe is arrayed in armour; wears a golden head-piece, and on it glittering crests; a brazen coat of mail covers her breast; fhe bran dishes a lance in her right hand, and in her left holds a fhield, whereon is painted the grifly head of Medufa, one of the Gorgons, rough and formidable with fnakes.

"Upon the head of this goddess there was an olive crown, which is the symbol of peace; either be caufe war is only made that peace may follow; or because she taught men the use of that tree.

The cock and the owl are facred to Minerva ; the first being expressive of courage and watchfulnefs, and the latter the emblem of caution and forefight.

Her birth from Jupiter's head, is most certainly an emblem that all human arts and sciences are the production of the mind of man, directed by fuperior wisdom.

VENUS, the daughter of Jupiter and Dione, is the goddess of beauty, neatnefs, and chearfulnefs,

She