A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans

ALPHA

is likewise the first Letter of the Greek Alphabet, which in Composition denotes sometimes Privation, and comes from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 without; sometimes Augmentation, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

much; and sometimes Union, from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to∣gether. It was used for the most part for a Let∣ter of Order to denote the First, and of Num∣ber to signifie One; but when it was a Nume∣ral Letter, a little Stroke or an Acute Accent was drawn above it thus 'A, to distinguish it from the A which was a Letter of Order.

Alpha and Omega in the Divine Writings sig∣nifie the Beginning and the End, and therefore the Hi••••oglyphic of God is marked with these two Letters, A and Ω, as if you should say, that God is the Beginning and End of all things; and so God himself says in the Revelations, I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. Thus Virgil having a mind to bestow a singular Encomium upon Augustus, by an Excess of Flat∣tery, tells him,

A te principium, tibi definet.

☧ These three Characters were anciently en∣graven upon the Tombs of the Catholicks, to distinguish them from the Arrians: for the Name of JESUS CHRIST was signified, as he himself says in the Gospel, by these two Letters, A which is the first of the Greek Al∣phabet, and Ω which is the last of it; Ege sum Alpha & Omega, principium & finis: and from hence he proves that he was truly God as well as his Father, which the Arrians deny'd. They are also to be met with in the Letters Patents of Christian Princes, and on the Collars of Slaves.

Alpha mark'd with a spiritus asper, and an acute Accent A, is also used for the Pro∣nouns ea and sua, in Homer and others: but with a spiritus asper and a circumflex Accent 〈◊〉〈◊〉, it signifies the same with 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ubi, as may be seen in the Poet Theocritus. Alpha with a spiritus lenis and a circumflex Accent A^•, is an Interjection of one who is in some trouble, which moves him to complain or admire; but when it is doubled with a spiritus lenis and a circumflex Ac∣cent, it is an Interjection of one who is in a mighty Consternation, being under some great Affliction; if it be doubled and mark'd with a spiritus lenis and a grave Accent A^•, it is an Inter∣jection of one who is transported with Joy, or the agreeable Surprise of something very plea∣sant.

ABA••, is a Greek Word, from whose Ge∣nitive 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Latins have formed their Word Abacus, which has many Significations: for it signifies sometimes an ABC, sometimes a Table of Numbers for casting up Accompts, which was of Brass, and called by the Ancients The Table of Pythagoras. It signified also the Fi∣gures of Numbers, and the Arithmetical Cha∣racters, which were drawn upon a Table co∣ver'd with Dust or small Sand, according to the Testimony of Martianus Capella, and of Per∣sius in Sat. 1. ver. 131.

Nec qui Abac•• numeros & secto in pulvere mot••••. Scit resesse vnfer.—

It signifies also a Cupboard, which the Italians call Credenza, upon which were plac'd in order the Pots, Glasses, and the Dessert of a Feast, viz. the Salads and Sweet-meats, and on which the Carver cut out the several sorts of Meat, and serv'd up some part of them in Plates to each of the Guests. In Vitruvius, and all those who have treated of Architecture, Abacus is nothing else but the four-squar'd Table which makes the Capital at the top of a Column, and which, in the Corinthian Order of work, repre∣sents that kind of Square Tile which covers a Basket or Pannier when it seems encompass'd with Leaves, but in the Corinthian Composite, or the Modern Ionick Order, which was taken from the Temple of Concord, and other anci∣ent Temples, it was dug and cut inwards.

AB-ADDIR (a Term of Mythology) is the Name of a Stone which Saturn swallow'd, according to the Fable, instead of Jupiter: for he knowing that the Fates had decreed he should be dethroned by one of his Children, eat them all up to preserve himself from them, till such time as Ops his Wife put a trick upon him, and made him swallow this Stone instead of Jupiter whom she had a mind to save. Pris∣cian and Isidore in their Glosses make mention of it, and Papias testifies that this word does some∣times signifie a God. And indeed, since that Ab-addir is as much as to say Pater magnificas, Therefore,

AB-ADDIRES is the Name of certain Gods. St. Austin, writing to Maximas of Me∣daura, says, that the Carthaginians had some Gods call'd Ab-addires, whose Priests were na∣med' E••ccaddires: In Sacerdotibus E••ccaddires, & in Numinibus Ab-addires. Thus the Gods Ab-addires of the Carthaginians, were without doubt those whom the Greeks and Latins sometimes called, Magnos, petentes, selectos Deos.

Building in Vitruvlus l. 8. c. 2. The Rhodians being vanquish'd by Queen Artemisia the Wife of Mausolus, the Story says, that she erected a Trophy in the City of Rhodes with two Statues of Brass, whereof one represented Rhodes, and the other was her own Image, which imprin∣ted on the Front of that which represented the City the Marks of Slavery. A long time after the Rhodians, who scrupled the demolish∣ing of these Statues, because it was not lawful to destroy such Statues as were dedicated in any place, consulted how they might hinder the View of them, by raising a very high Buil∣ding round about them, after the manner of the Greeks, who call'd it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

them. The Lawyers do put a great difference between the words Fures and Abactores; for the former, say they, are those who steal only a Sheep or two, whereas the Abactores are those who carry off a whole Flock, or the greatest part of it.

ABOMINANTES,

(a Term of Exe∣cration) Those who abhor any bad Presage, and pray the Gods to prevent its falling upon their Heads. They made use of certain Latin Ex∣pressions frequent in the Comic-Poets and o∣thers, Quod Dii omen avertant; quod ego abomi∣nor; procul omen abesto; procul sit omen; procul haec avertant fata. Quod Dii prohibeant; Dii me∣liora; Dii melius: & Dii melius duint, for dent. Which God forbid, which I pray the Gods to remove far from us, and to turn away from falling upon our Heads; which Mischief may it never come upon us; which may the Gods preserve us from.

of the Balots into the Urn, according as their Judgment was, either for absolving or condem∣ning the Party accus'd. If the accus'd was condemn'd, the Judg gave his sentence in these words, Videtur facisse: The Crime is proved, he is attainted and convicted of it; and con∣cluded his Sentence in these Words, I lict••••, liga ad palu••••, expedi virgas, when the Criminal was not condemn'd to death; But if the Crime was capital, then he used these words, I Lictor, colliga manus, capus ••b••••bito, inselici arbari sus∣pendito, lege age. Go Lis••••r, seize the Criminal, cover his Face, and hang him up, by vertue of the Sentence now pronounc'd against him: But if the Person accus'd happen'd to be Ab∣solv'd, the Judg pronounc'd Sentence upon him thus, Videtur 〈◊〉〈◊〉 facisse, or Nihil in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dam∣nationis dignum invenio, or, Non invenio in eo cau∣sam; which Expression was us'd by Pilate, be∣ing a Roman, in his Answer to the Jews, who had a mind to force him to put Jesus to death, whom he had declar'd to be innocent.

Virgil calls mollis, because it is soft, and with∣out Prickles. The Greek Sculptors adorn'd their Works with the Figure of the latter, as the Gothic did with that of the former, which bears Prickles; which they represented not on∣ly in their Capitals, but also in their other Or∣naments. The occasion of their so doing, ac∣cording to the relation of Vitravins, was this, A young Woman in Corinth happening to dye when she was just upon the point of Marriage, her Nurse laid upon her Tomb, in a Casket, some Vessels which she had priz'd in her life-time; and because they lay open to the Wea∣ther, to preserve them from wasting too fast, she cover'd the Casket with a Tile: But this happening by chance to lye upon the root of an Acanthus, it so happen'd that in the Spring-time, when the Leaves began to shoot forth, the Casket which lay upon the mid∣dle of the root, was encompass'd with the Leaves of the Plant growing up about the sides of it, till meeting with the Tile that cover'd it at top, their extremities were forci∣bly bent into spiral Lines, like a Skrew. Cal∣limachus, the Sculptor, passing by this Tomb, observ'd how the growing Leaves encompass'd this Casket, and represented the manner of it in those Pillars which he afterwards made at Corinth.

and their ninth hour of the day was our three a Clock in the Afternoon.

ACCIPITER,

any Bird of Prey in ge∣neral, as an Hawk, &c. Ovid informs us, that an Hawk was a Bird of ill Omen, because it was very carnivorous,

Odimus accipitrem quia semper vivit in armis.

Souldiers to chuse for Emperour a Man of Pro∣bity, probum; all on a sudden they made a great Noise with confus'd Voices, which pro∣claimed Probus to be Emperour, Probe Impera∣tor, Dii te servent. These Acclamations were also us'd at Shows in the Theatres when they pleased the People's Humour, as it happen'd at the new Comedy of Pacuvius, Qui clamores saepè totâ caveâ exauditi sunt in M. Pacuvii nova fabu a; The like Acclamations were often heard over all the Pit, when the new Play of Pacuvius was acted.

As the Romans were accustom'd to make these Acclamations to testifie their Joy and signifie their Satisfaction, so they were also sometimes us'd in Imprecations, to express their Indigna∣tion, as they did after the Death of the Empe∣rour Commodus; Let this Enemy of his Coun∣try, cry'd they, be despoil'd of all Honour, let this Parricide, this Gladiator be cut in pie∣ces in the place where Gladiators are laid up, when slain or wounded: Hosti patriae honores de∣trahantur, parricida, gladiator in spoliario lanie∣tur, &c.

came attended with his Neighbours and Friends who were concerned for him, and threw them∣selves at the feet of the Magistrates and People to beg favour for him in case he were found guilty. If the Accused refus'd to appear, he was summoned with the Sound of a Trumpet before his House or Castle, and after the time allow'd was expir'd, he was condemn'd for Con∣tumacy. The Accuser had two hours wherein to speak against the Accused, and three hours were granted to the Accused to make his De∣fence, which was measured by an Hour-glass of Water, called Clepsydra, of which I shall give an account in its proper place; which made a Greek Orator say to the Judg, when he had a mind to signifie to him the Goodness of his Cause, That he would bestow part of his Water on his Adversary, i. e. of his Time, which the Lex Pompeia, made by Pompey in his third Consul∣ship, allowed him for his Defence. If the Ac∣cused was found guilty, Sentence was pro∣nounced against him in these words, Videtur fecisse, i. e. he is attainted and convicted of having committed the Crime: If, on the contrary, he was found not guilty, he was then declared in∣nocent in these terms, Videtur non fecisse, i. e. he is cleared from all Suspicion of Guilt. All these Circumstances which were observed in Accu∣sations, are related by Cicero and Tacitus. But if it appeared by the Event, that the Accuser was a Calumniator, i. e. that he had falsly ac∣cused the other Party; or that he was a Pre∣varicator, i. e. that he had betray'd his Cause, to make way for the Criminal to escape and ob∣tain Absolution; or at least, that he had de∣sisted from and given over Prosecution with∣out the Leave of the Magistrate or the Prince, and without a lawful Cause, then he was sen∣tenced by the Magistrate to suffer the same Pu∣nishment which the guilty Person deserv'd.

the Fertility of that Earth which was enrich'd for a long time after by the fat slime it left be∣hind.

Virgil takes the Waters of the River Achelous for Water in general, in this Verse in the first Book of his Georgicks,

Poculaque inventis Acheloia miscuit uvis.

Which gives sufficient ground to suppose, that Scaliger did not without reason affirm, That the Latin word Aqua came from a word like it in the antient Greek Language, from which the River Achelous took its name, viz. Aqua and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, lavare. Maximus Tyrius the Philosopher mentions also a Contest between this River and Hercules, who pluck'd off from it one Horn, whereof the Nymphs made the Horn of Plenty, having fill'd it with Fruits and Flowers. Ser∣vius explaining this Verse of Virgil,

Corniger Hesperidum fluvius regnator aquarum.

says, That the Floods were painted with Horns because of their winding Course, which twines about the Land like a Serpent. Thus the Ri∣ver Achelous was represented with Horns as well as the Po, whereof Virgil speaks. Diodorus Siculus gives an account how this River falling down at first from Mount Pindus, ran over the Rocks and made a great Devastation in the Country, whereupon Hercules opened a more large and united Channel, and so well water'd one Field with it that it became very fruitful. This is the Meaning of the Fable, and what Ovid has express'd in describing the Horn of Plenty,

Dum tenet, infregit: truncâque à fronte revellit. Naïades hoc pomis & odore flore repletum Sacrarunt, divesque meo bona copia cornu est. Metamorph. lib. 9.

with some Arms; Achilles, tho under his Dis∣guise, never concern'd himself about the Trin∣kets, but presently seized upon the Arms, and thereby discover'd himself, and follow'd Ulysses to the War of Troy. Thetis his Mother seeing this fatal Necessity, obtain'd of Vulcan a Suit of Armour for him, so excellently temper'd that it was impenetrable. He signalized himself at the Siege of Troy by many brave Exploits; but out of indignation against Agamemnon for rob∣bing him of his Mistress Briseis, he retir'd from the Grecian Camp, and laid down his Arms, which he would never take up again till the Death of his Friend Patroclus, who was kill'd by Hector, which did so sensibly touch him, that he return'd to the Camp, and reveng'd the death of his Friend upon Hector, by killing him and dragging his dead Body about the Walls of Troy; but he, falling in love with Polixine the Daughter of Priam, and having demanded her for his Wife, was treacherously slain by Paris with an Arrow shot at his Heel, which was the only place of his Body wherein he was mortal. Divine Honours were decreed to him after his Death to be performed upon his Tomb, and in obedience to the Oracle of Dodona, the Thes∣salians offer'd there every year a Sacrifice of two Bulls, one white and the other black, which they brought from their own Country, whither also they took care to bring Wood from Mount Pelion, and Water from the River Specchius, to∣gether with Garlands made of Flowers, which were called immortal because they never faded. Philostratus on the Picture of Achilles, and Quin∣tus Calaber in lib. 3 of his Paralipomena, do not agree to all the Circumstances in the History of Achilles here related. The common Opinion is, That he was educated in the Island of Scyro with the Daughters of King Lycomedes, which is the Sentiment of Hyginus. But Philostratus thinks that he was sent by his Father against the Island of Scyro, to revenge the Death of Theseus, whom Lycomedes had cruelly put to death. Pausanias in his Attica is of the same Opinion, for he tells us, That Scyro was taken by Achilles, as well as the King Lycomedes. Quin∣tus Calaber maintains that Apollo kill'd Achilles with an Arrow; Apollo, says he, being angry at the insolent Answer which Achilles gave him, drew a Bow and shot him in the Heel with an Arrow, of which Wound he died: And Hyginus tells us, that Apollo, to give him this Wound, assumed the shape of Paris.

It makes the Eyes water very much, oppresses the Stomach, causes frequent breaking of wind backwards. Nevertheless the Antients us'd it as a Medicin against the biting of a Scorpion, the burning heat whereof, the bare touch of Wolvesbane did presently extinguish.

thinks that it must only be us'd in speaking of Sicily, as these two Authors did.

were advanced to any Dignity, were not thus to be summoned into Court without desiring express leave of the Magistrate by a Petition, as we have remarked before. Afterwards this manner of proceeding was changed, and that other introduced of summoning the Party by a Sergeant and a Writ, per Libellum, which they call in Law Libellum Conventionis, a Writ of Sum∣mons. This Writ was to contain the Preten∣sions of the Prosecutor, that the other Party being made acquainted with them, might ei∣ther resolve to satisfie them, or else come pre∣par'd to defend himself. And so the Summons was to express the Cause of Action, i. e. to contain the Complaint of the Prosecutor, which they called edere Actionem.

ADDICTIO,

a Judgment for deliver∣ing the Goods of the Debtor into the hands of his Creditor, when he had not satisfied him according to the Sentence of the Praetor, who condemn'd him to pay the Debt: for then the Judg, by a second Sentence, deliver'd over him and all his Family into the hands of his Creditor.

does only transfer the Mysteries of the Sun to the Corn, which is a Symbol of it. St. Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, relates at large, in his Commentaries upon Isaiah, the History or Fable of the Greek Poets about Adonis; That Ginarus being passionately enamour'd with the Charms of his Daughter Myrrha, had a Son by her of ex∣traordinary Beauty, called Adonis, with whom the lascivious Venus fell in love; but Mars, being jealous of her, transformed himself into a Boar, and kill'd Adonis at a Hunting Chaco. Whereupon Ve∣nus descended into Hell to fetch him back again, but Proserpina would not release him: Yet at last, being mov'd with Compassion for her Tears, they a∣greed together, that each of them should enjoy him alternatively for one half of the Year. This is the occasion of the Grief and Joy that appear at the Fe∣stivals of Adonis. This Father adds, That it was this sort of Uncleanness which the Jews imita∣ted, of which Ezekiel speaks when he says, the Women lamented Thammus, which is Adonis, Expouitur autem Thammus, Adonis; And that the Letters and Messengers mentioned by Isaiah, are nothing else but the Letters and Messengers which the Cities of Egypt sent interchangeably to one another, to give notice that Adonis was found again: Quòd ubi illae faminae Veneris amicae, una cum Epistols vaganisse••, perinde ac si repertus fuisset à Venere Adonis, luctum ponebant.

at the end the Name of the Family from which they were descended; or the Sirname of their private Family, with this difference nevertheless, says Lipsius, that if they us'd this Sirname, they made an Adjective of it: As for instance, M. Junius Brutus being adopted by Q. Servilius Caepio Agalo, he assum'd all these Names, and retain'd only the Sirname of his own Family, calling himself Q. Servilius Caepio Agalo Brutus. Octavius, on the contrary, retain'd the Name of his House, and chang'd it into an Adjective, calling himself C. Julius Caesar Octavianus, which yet did not hinder but they might retain the Sirname which they had assum'd, as Atticus did, who being adopted by Q. Caecilius, was Sir∣nam'd Q. Caecilius Pomponianus Atticus, or acquire a new one by their brave Exploits, as Octavius did, who was afterwards sirnam'd Augustus. 'Tis with reference to this Rule of Adoption, that we must understand what Suetonius says of Tiberius, That be being adopted by M. Gallius, a Senator, took possession of his Goods, but would not assume his Name, because he was a contrary Party to Augustus. Tacitus, Lib. XV. Cap. 8. of his Annals, tells us of the feign'd Adoptions which were condemn'd by the Se∣nate: A pernicious Custom, says he, was intro∣duc'd, of making many feign'd Adoptions, when the time drew near of chusing Magistrates, and dividing the Provinces among them by Lot; for when they had obtain'd their Offices and Employments, they emanci∣pated those whom they had adopted: Whereupon the Persons aggriev'd came and made their complaint to the Senate, alledging the Law of Nature, and the trouble of Education against these short and fraudu∣lent Adoptions: And therefore it was ordain'd, That for the future no regard should be had to these Adop∣tions, either in Offices or in Successions to an Inheritance.

same thing;

When we adore the Gods, says he, we carry our Hand to our Mouth, and we turn round about the Altar,

In adorando dextram ad osculum referimus, totumque corpus cir∣cumagimus.

To prostrate themselves at the feet of the Altars.

God forbid that any one should adore me, by prostrating himself before me;

Dii pro∣hibeant ut quisquam ingenuorum pedibus meis oscu∣lum figat.

ADSERERE

aliquem manu, To set one at liberty, To give him his liberty. It was one of the antient ways of granting liberty to Slaves, To take him by the hand and say, Hunc manu assero, or Liberali causâ manu assere, & as∣sero manu in libertatem, I declare him free.

ADVOCATI,

those who in antient times petitioned at Rome, that they might assist at Trials with their Presence and Authority, and provide the Expences of the Law for those who were to plead a Cause, which were called Ora∣tores.

depriv'd of Inhabitants, pray'd to Jupiter, that he would turn an heap of Ants into so many Men; which Jupiter granted him, and these Men were called Myrmidons, because 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies an Ant; and the Isle was call'd Egina, as we learn from Pausanias in his Corin∣thiaca. Aeacus had for his Sons Peleus who was the Father of Achilles, and Telamon the Father of Ajax. Lucian, in his Dialogue Of Mourning, speaking of Hell, At first after your Descent, you meet with a Gate of Adamant, which is kept by Aeacus, the Cousin-german' of Pluto. And in an∣other place he brings him in saying, That he return'd from thence for fear lest some Death should escape him. This is certain, that he makes him one of the Porters of Hell, in company with Cerberus, who was a Dog with three Heads. Yet Ovid, lib. 13. Metamorph. makes him one of the Judges of Hell, together with Minos and Rha∣damanthus, upon the account of his Wisdom and Integrity,

Aeacus huic pater est, qui Jura silentibus illic Reddit.

credunt, quorum domus tantum patet, quantum Cincinnati rura patuerunt. Seneca adds, That they built Courts as large as Towns, and Houses as high as Mountains. Ovid informs us, That Vedeius Pollio having left, as a Legacy by his Last Will, to Augustus, a very magnificent and sumptuous House; this wise Prince, who then discharg'd the Office of Censor, thought that the excessive Magnifi∣cence of this stately House was a bad Example, and therefore caus'd it to be demolished. After this Livia built in the same place a Temple, which she dedicated to Conjugal Concord. We scarce read any thing else in the Historians and Poets but Invectives against the Houses of the Grandees of Rome, which had coop'd up the Country Farmers within a very narrow com∣pass, which took up whole Countries, and en∣closed Canals of Water, round and four-squa∣red, of very large extent upon the great Lakes of Italy; whereas in former times, the Houses of private Men were small, and the Republick great, all sumptuous Buildings were reserv'd for the publick Conveniencies of Cities, or the Adorning of Temples. This is what Horace tells us in these Verses,

Iam pauca aratro jugera regia Males relinquunt: undique latins Extenta visentur Lucrino Stagna lacu, platanusque coelebs Evincet ulmos.—Non it a Romuli Praescriptum, & intensi Catonis Auspiciis, veterumque norma. Privatus illis census erat brevis: Commune magnum—oppida publico Sumtu jubentes, & Deorum Templa nove decorare saxo. Od. 15. lib. 11.

This Poet elsewhere blames one of his Friends, who had reason to apprehend the approach of Death, and yet was still projecting to build Works of Marble; The his whole Thoughts ought to be employ'd upon Death and the Grave, yet the Earth was not large enough for his Designs, and he undertook to turn back the Sea, to make may for his Buildings; he drove away his Neighbours, whose Lands were added to his own, instead of thinking in how few days he himself should be laid in a Grave, which would take up no more room than those he had driven away from their Possessions. The same Com∣plaints we may make at this day, of the great∣est part of the Grandees, who enlarge their own Lands at the expence of private Men:

Non ebur, neque aureum Meâ renides in domo lacunar— Tu secanda marmora Lacas sub ipsum funus: & sepulcri Immemor struis domos: Marisque Baiis obstrepentis urges Summovere littora, Parúen locuples centinente ripa. Quid quod usque proximos Revellis agri terminos? & ultra Limites clientium Salis avarus?— —Quid ultrà tendis? Aequa tellas Pauperi recluditur, Regumque pueris, &c. Od. 18. lib. 11.

should be built in due proportion, and in a streight Line, without suffering any of them to jet forth beyond the work, into the Streets and publick Places. And it was chiefly upon the account of this part of their Office that they were called Aediles, according to the Opi∣nion of Varro, Aedilis qui sacras Aedes & priva∣tas procuraret, dictus. In the second place, they took care of the Streets, the High-ways and publick places, of keeping up the Bridges and Banks, of cleansing the Streets and Sinks, and lastly, of providing for Aquaeducts and publick Works, about which they made Edicts called Aeditiones, Aedilitia. Thirdly, the taking care of Weights and Measures was part also of their Duty; they destroy'd false Weights and Mea∣sures, and laid great Fines on those that used them; they confiscated Commodities which were found to be decay'd, and threw such as were naught into the River Tiber: which made Plautus say in his Rudens,

It's solet Neptunus, quamvis fastidiosus Aedi∣lis est, Si quae improbae sunt merces, jactat omens.

Alluding, without doubt, to this part of the Aediles Office. In the fourth place, they had the Oversight of the Victuals for the City and Provisions for the Army: they set a price up∣on them, and took care that no Monopoly should be made to burden the Publick: they permitted no Usury in Commerce, and when they discover'd any Usurers, they summoned them to appear before the Tribunes, that they might be punished, as Titus Livius informs us, They took cognizance of Debauches that were usual in Taverns, and forbad the selling of any extravagant Delicacies, according to the Testi∣mony of Suetonius, in the Life of Tiberius, l. 34. They punish'd debaucht Women, and such as play'd in Gaming Houses. They kept the Orders of the People, which were lock'd up in the Temple of Ceres. And Polybius relates, that the Treaty of Peace between the Carthagi∣nias and the Romans was intrusted with the Aediles, who plac'd it in the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus. Twas one part of their Office to review Comedies and other pieces of Wit, they also were obliged to grant to the Peo∣ple, at their own Expence, magnificent Sports, such as those of the Circus, and of the Goddess Flora; and because they were once excused from doing it, this gave occasion to the Crea∣tion of the Aediles Curules, of whom I shall next speak.

The Aediles of the People being arrived to so high a pitch of Honour, by so many consi∣derable Offices; the Patricians or Sons of the Senators, had a mind to have a share in them, and to this purpose a favourable Occasion pre∣sented it self: for the Tribunes having obtain'd a Consulship for the People, and the Patricians a Praetor of their own Order, the Senate thought fit, for appeasing all Differences on both sides, that publick Thanks should be given to the Gods by Sacrifices and magnifi∣cent Games, which they order'd the Aediles to grant: But they excusing themselves upon the account of the great Expence they were forced to be at; the Patricians said, they were ready, for the Honour and Service of the Gods, to be at the Expence, if they would admit them to the Office of the Aediles. Whereupon their Offers were received, and M. Furius Camillus, being then Dictator, nam'd to the People, by order of the Senate, two Patricians who were created Aediles Curules, in the year 385, or 388 from the Building of Rome. The two first Patrician Aediles were Cornelius Quintus Capitolinus and P. Cornelius Scipio, according to the relation of Titus Livius, in the beginning of his seventh Book. These Aediles were called Majores and Curules, because they had the Privelege to be carried in a Chair of State which was adorn'd with Ivory, and to sit upon it in a Chariot, when they gave Audience; whereas the other Aediles sat only upon Benches, as the Tribunes and Questors did. They had also the Privilege, according to Asconius Pediaenus, of wearing the Garment called Praetexta adorn'd with Purple, and of having Lictors walk before them with Bundles of Rods, as Apuleius says; but Aulus Gellius seems to contradict him, when he re∣marks, that the Aediles never punish'd any Person, nor beat him with Rods; which may be understood of the Aediles of the People and not of these superiour ones. The chief Office of the Aediles Curules was to look after the Ce∣lebration of the great Roman Sports, to be at the charge of Plays, and the Shows of Gladia∣tors to the People; the publick Farms and Fines, which were allow'd to defray the Ex∣pence of them, being but a small matter, they chose many times to make no use of them, to the end they might the more insinuate them∣selves into the Favour of the People by this Disinterestedness and Liberality, and by that means be the more easily promoted to other Offices of the Republick. They had a share in all the other Offices of the Plebeian Aediles, whereof we have already spoken. Above all, they took care that no new Religious Worship should be introduc'd either into publick or pri∣vate Assemblies, nor any new Doctrine taught without the Order of the Pontifices, and of this they were bound to inform the Senate. They were careful also, at least under the Emperors, to prevent the publishing of any ill Book, and when any such appear'd, they order'd it to be burnt, after they had examin'd it, and con∣demn'd it as pernicious to the State. Labienus

publish'd some Books of this sort, according to the Relation of Seneca, Libros Labieni per Ae∣diles cremandos censuere Patres.

Aediles Cereales, the Aediles that presided over the Corn, were also appointed and taken out of the Order of the Patricions by Julius Caesar, to supervise the Corn. 'Tis probable that these two last were created only to ease the four former, who were oppress'd with a multitude of Business. There were also Aediles in muni∣cipal Cities, like those at Rome.

It was also so call'd from Aegina the Daughter of Asopus, King of Baeotia, by whom Jupiter, in a Disguise of Fire, had two Sons call'd Aeacus and Rhadamanthus.

to Calvisius, and in the year 717. from the Building of Rome.

Laomedon, and from Laomedon, Priam, the last King of Troy. Assaracus married his Grand-Daughter Clytidora, the Daughter of Laomedon, by whom he had Capys, and Capys had Anchises, the Father of Aeneas by the Nymph Nais; and Anchises had Aeneas by the Goddess Venus. Whe∣ther it were that the Perfections of the Mother of Aeneas caus'd the Name of the Goddess of the Graces to be given unto her, or that Anchises had a mind to conceal her true Name, and in∣vented this Fable to render his Son the more venerable, or that he thought thereby to raise the Value of his own Merits; I say, whatever was the cause of it, this is certain, that no o∣ther Name of the Mother of Aeneas is to be met with, but that of Venus. From hence it appears, that Virgil had reason to call Aeneas a Dardanian; for besides that he descended from Dardanus, there was also occasion to call him so, because his Fathers ordinary abode was in Dardania. Upon the first noise of the Descent upon the Greeks, Aeneas threw himself into Troy to defend it. Dyctis Cretensis expresly accuses him of giving the Palladium to Diomedes, and betraying the City. Titus Livius does not accūse him of Treachery, but he is of opinion, that the Greeks treated him favourably, as well as Ante∣nor, because these two Princes were for Peace, and for restoring Helena, who was the cause of that War to her Husband Menelaus. Sabellicus having re∣jected the Opinion of Dio, advances another of his own: Aeneas, says he, not being able to perswade the Trojans to Peace, and being otherwise discontented, treated secretly with the Greeks, and let them in by one of the Gates of the City, upon which was the figure of a Horse. This gave occa∣sion to the Fiction of a Wooden Horse, which is mention'd by Homer, and after him by Virgil. Dionysius Halicarnassaeus, on the contrary, af∣firms, That Aeneas made extraordinary Efforts to defend Troy and the Palace of King Priam; that he seeing himself abandon'd, the Citadel forc'd, and Priam kill'd, retir'd, with all his Family, and those who escap'd death at the sacking of the City, to Mount Ida, by the favour of the Night, while the Enemy was busie in taking the Spoil; that then he built many Ships with the Trees he found upon that Mountain, and after he had equip'd 'em with Ne∣cessaries, he embarqu'd with the rest of the Trojans upon the Hellespont, and made his first Descent into a Peninsula of Thracia, call'd Pellena, where he built a City of his own Name. From thence he sail'd to Delos, and from Delos to Cythera, from Cy∣thera to Zacintha, from Zacintha to Leucada, from Leucada to Ictium, from Ictium to Ambra∣cia. After this he coasted along the Sea-side, and cast Anchor at Buthrota, from whence he transported himself to Dodona, and there having consulted the Oracle, he was confirm'd in his design of going into Italy; whereupon he reimbarqu'd, and steer'd his course towards Sicily, and made a Descent upon Laurentum, after he had pass'd through many Dangers at Sea, which proceeded from the Hatred of the implacable Juno. After he landed in the Coun∣try, he discover'd in it many Springs of Water, and perceiv'd a Sow in a Wood, with Thirty small Boar-Pigs, as the Oracle of Dodona had foretold to him:

Littoreis ingens inventa sub Ilicibus sus Triginta capitum foetus enixa jacebit, Alba solo recubant, albi circum ubera nati: Is locus urbis erit.— Aen. l. 3. v. 390. & seq.

King Latinus and the Rutuli being alarm'd at the arrival of these new Guests, came forth to fight 'em, and drive 'em out of their Country: But the Latines having suffer'd many Losses, and Turnus being overcome by Aeneas in a Duel, at last a Peace was concluded, by the Marriage of Lavinia to Aeneas, who built a City call'd Lavinium, from the Name of his Wife. This for the present united the Aborigines and Trojans under the common Name of Latines, in Ho∣nour of his Father-in-Law Latinus. (This has no relation at all to the Etymology of Latium, à latendo, in which there is some reference to the Prophecies of Numbers of Daniel, which are justifi'd by the Event.) Aeneas was kill'd in a Battel against the Rutuli, on the Banks of the River Numicus; and because he did not ap∣pear again after this Fight, this gave occasion to the common Report that he was carried up into Heaven, tho' 'tis much more probable, that he fell into the River when he was fighting, and was detain'd at the bottom by the weight of his Armour: Nevertheless, a little Temple was built to him with this Inscription, Patri Dei indigeti, qui; Numici amnis undas temperat. And here it may be observ'd, that the King∣dom of Latium seems rather to have given Name to Latinus, than that this King should give his Name to this Kingdom; for Latium was before Latinus, who reign'd 43 Years over the Latines. S. Austin has abridg'd the History of Aeneas, Lib. 8. De Civ. Dei, cap. 19. After the sacking of Troy, Aeneas came into Italy with Twenty Ships, which carried thither the surviving Trojans. Latinus was then King of it, but after his death Aeneas reign'd Three Years in Italy: Because his Body did not appear after his death, the Latins made a God of him. Homer makes Aeneas appear very glorious among the great Heroes of his Iliads, and says, That the Trojans reverenc'd him as a God. The younger Philostratus, in his Heroicks, equals him with Hector for his size and Mien, but says, that he surpass'd him in Virtue and good Sense; and that the Trojans call'd Hector their Arm, and Aeneas their Head. 'Tis agreed among all these Authors, that Ae∣neas came into Italy under the Reign of Latinus

the Son of Faunus; but the difficulty is, to know what Year he came, of which Titus Li∣vius, and many others say nothing. Dionysius Halicarnassaus thinks, that it was in the Forty Fifth Olympaid; Cassiodorus in the Twenty Fifth; and Vigenere in the Twentieth; inso∣much that 'tis difficult to determin in a matter so much contested; yet there is some reason to believe, that Aeneas landed in Italy in the Thirty Fourth Year of the Reign of Latinus.

Aequtmelil stultitiae pirna comprobata est. Titus Livius relates the Story at large, Book IV. Dec. 1.

on the account of the Diversity of places and Alteration of Trade: Yet the most common way was to pay the Twentieth, sometimes the Fortieth or the Fiftieth part, the least that ever was paid was the Hundreth, and the highest was the Eighth part. Foreign Commodities, which serv'd only for Luxury and Delicacy, paid the greatest Tax: But we must distinguish betwixt this Duty and what was paid as Tol-Money at Bridges and Gates, since they were Two different things. The Officers and Ma∣gistrates of the Common-wealth paid nothing for the Carriage of Goods which were for their own use. There was also, another Revenue, which was no less considerable than the former, which was rais'd from Mines of Gold and Sil∣ver, and other Metals, as also from Marshes and Salt-pits.

All this may give us a general view, wherein the Revenues of the Roman Common-wealth con∣sisted, which serv'd to maintain all publick Of∣fices and Expences under the popular State, and whereof a great part was return'd into the pub∣lick Treasury: But when the Government was chang'd by Civil Wars, which consum'd the Revenues and exhausted the Treasury, and the Supreme Power was vested in the Caesars, this was the occasion of a new Expence for main∣taining the Princes Family and his Officers; and therefore Augustus made a Partition of all the Revenues we have now mention'd, allow∣ing one part of it to the People, and reserving the other to himself: From whence there arose Two sorts of Treasuries, one for the People, which was call'd Aerarium publicum, and ano∣ther for the Prince, which was call'd Fiscus, the Exchequer, whereof we shall speak in its proper place. And so Authors do commonly put a difference between Aerarium and Fiscus; as Suetonius, who in the Life of Vespasian, says of that Prince, Necessitate compulsus, summâ aera∣rii fiscique inopiâ: Yet there are some who con∣found these two words, because the Prince did equally dispose of 'em both, although they were divided for preserving some Memory of their antient Liberty.

At the beginning of their Conquests under a popular State, there was no other Method for raising them but this; the People of Rome ha∣ving made both the Persons and Estates of the Conquer'd tributary to 'em, after the manner we have already declar'd, sent into each Pro∣vince a Governour, who was call'd Proconsul, Praetor, or Pro-Praetor, because he exercis'd in that Province the Office und Authority of a Roman Consul and Praetor, with whom was joyn'd another Magistrate, who was a kind of Treasurer, whom they call'd Quaestor, who levy'd the publick Revenues: These Two Magistrates having under 'em a Company of Archers and Guards, made use of 'em as Mi∣nisters for executing Justice and levying of Taxes, which were laid up in a Chest, out of which they took what was necessary for the Governors and military Men, and for all pub∣lick Affairs, and then sent the remainder to Rome, to be kept in the publick Treasury, which was in the Temple of Saturn under the Care of a Quaestor, whom they call'd Praefectus aerarii, the Treasurer; and out of this Treasury was taken whatever was necessary for the publick Buildings, for Games and Shows, for the Maintenance of their Armies by Sea and Land, and for the Reception of Ambassadors from foreign Nations.

This first Custom of gathering Taxes by the Quaestors did not last always: for a new way was introduc'd of Letting out all the publick Revenues in each Province to private Men, who farm'd them commonly for five years at a certain Sum, payable every four Months, for which they gave good and sufficient Security. Nevertheless the Governors and Quaestors of Pro∣vinces were not changed; they still gave Au∣thority to these Farmers, had the Oversight of them in levying the Taxes, and determin'd all Differences that arose about them; they took care also that the Farmers should pay the full Value of their Leases, notwithstanding any Deficiencies that might happen, which they run the risque of. Of these Farmers Compa∣nies were made, whereof some were Farmers for one kind of Tribute; and others for ano∣ther; some were Farmers of the twentieth, the tenth, the eighth, some of the hundredth part, and of the other Taxes before-mention'd, and were therefore call'd Octavarii, Decimarii, Vigesimarii, &c. Those who farm'd the Ga∣thering of the Tribute were call'd Manicipes, Redemptores vectigalium, and Publicani; this last Name, which at first was honourable, accor∣ding to the testimony of Cicero, in his Oration for Manlius, became afterwards very odious, for their Harshness and Injustice in exacting upon the People; insomuch that Nero was ful∣ly resolv'd to abolish them, and had done it, if he had not been hindred by the Remon∣strances of the Senate; but he oblig'd them to set up Writing-Tables in their Places of meet∣ing, to specifie what Tribute was to be paid for each thing.

This way of Farming the Publick Revenues lasted a long while under the Emperours, and from hence it comes to pass, that in the Law-Books and chiefly in Pandects, there is a Title De Publicanis, or Of Men of Business. But after the Seat of the Empire was translated to Constan∣tinople, this Method of collecting the Tribute was wholly chang'd for that which follows, viz. Every year towards the End of Summer,

those who had the supreme Administration of Affairs under the Prince, drew up a general Accompt of all that was to be impos'd and le∣vy'd upon the People, and after they had sha∣red this among the Praefectures or Provinces, and stated the particular Sum which each Pro∣vince was to pay, they sent Commissions, which they call'd Delegationes, to the four Lieu∣tenant-Generals of the Empire, who were cal∣led Praefecti Praetorio, among whom it was di∣vided; but they had under them many Pro∣vinces, and each Province had its own peculiar Governour. These Lieutenant-Generals ha∣ving received that Accompt which belonged to their share of the Empire, sent particular Commissions to each Governour of a Province, and he sent them to the Municipal Magistrates in each City, call'd Decuriones, who in each City made a kind of Corporation, or Municipal Senate, and took care of the Affairs of that City. These Magistrates, whom we may after a sort compare to our Mayors, Sheriffs, Aldermen, Common-councilmen and Judges of the City, were bound, upon receiving the Tax which was to be imposed, to name some Persons of their Corporation, who were to lay it equally upon each particular Person, upon which ac∣count they were call'd Peraequatores or Discus∣sores; and after this was done, the Publick No∣tary or Town-Clerk enter'd down every Man's Name in a Roll, and the particular Sum he was to pay; which was afterward's publish'd, that every one might know what he was rated at, and what he must pay to the Collectors, who were call'd Susceptores. The Sums of Money which were rais'd by these Taxes, were first employ'd to pay off those who bore any Office in the Province, and the Remainder was sent to Rome, to be kept in the publick Treasury, which was under the Care of a Treasurer, who in the times of the first Emperours was call'd Praefectus Aerarii, and after Constantine's time, Comes sacrarum largitionum; or else it was put into the Prince's Privy-Purse, and intrusted in his hands, who took care of it, and was call'd Comes Rei Privatae. The Treasurer sent into the Provinces one of his Officers, who was to press the sending of the Money, and a month after another Officer, who was call'd Compulsor; and both of these were maintain'd at the Expence of the Governour.

These were the ordinary ways that were us'd in the Roman Empire for leavying the Taxes which were laid upon Persons and Lands into conquer'd Provinces: But as for the Customs upom Goods imported or exported, these were collected, by those that farm'd them, at the Sea Ports, or the Gates by which they enter'd into or went out of a City, according to the Tax which was laid on them.

transposition of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. After this manner Cicero explains the Fable of Juno; Aer, ut Stoici dispu∣tant, interjectus inter mare & caelum, Junonis no∣mine consecratur, quae est soror & conjux Jovis, quod ei similitudo est aetheris, & cum eo summa con∣junctio. From whence we may see the reason of the Affinity and Marriage between Jupiter and Juno, i. e. between the Heaven and the Air, and also plainly understand that other Fa∣ble of Homer, That Jupiter hang'd Juno in a Chain, having Two-Anvils which were fa∣sten'd to his Feet, which signifies nothing but the dependance that the Air has upon the Hea∣ven, and which the Sea and Land have upon the Air.

Diseases. The most antient Aesculapius a∣mongst the Greeks was not born till a thousand Years after him of the Egyptians. S. Clemens Alexandrinus reckons his Apotheosis, as well as Hercules's to be Fifty Three Years after the ta∣king of Troy, which agrees very well with Homer, who speaks of Machaon, the Son of Aesculapius, among those who were at the Siege of Troy: And to him Diodorus Siculus refers what Cicero said, That he was Thunder-struck. This Historian, to set forth the admirable Knowledg of this excellent Physician, relates, as History what probably is nothing but an ingenious Fable, viz. That he rais'd Hippolytus from the dead by his Medicines. Pluto com∣plain'd of this to Jupiter, who struck Aescula∣pius with a Thunder-bolt: Apollo reveng'd his Death upon the Cyclopes, who made his Thunder-bolts, and kill'd them with his Arrows: Jupi∣ter punish'd Apollo by condemning him to feed Admetus's Flocks. Pliny affirms, that there was no other knowledg of Physick at the Siege of Troy, but only to cure Wounds, and after that; it was neglected until the Peloponnesian War; for then it was that Hippocrates, as 'tis said, compos'd his Treatises of Physick from the In∣scriptions in the Temple of Aesculapius, where Persons were oblig'd by a Law to set down all the Remedies which the sick had us'd with suc∣cess for their Cure. He adds, That the an∣tient Romans rejected all Physicians, and there∣fore the Temple of Aesculapius was plac'd with∣out the City; tho 'tis more probable to think, that it was rather done to signifie, that the Country-Air is purer and better for recovery of Health.

The reason why the Romans built a Temple to Aesculapius, in an Island of the Tiber, near to Rome, as it is related by Aurelius Victor, in his Book of Illustrious Men, was, The Romans, says he, at a time when the Plague rag'd at Rome, and the places round about it, consulted the Oracle, which gave them this Answer, That if they would be freed from it, they should fetch the God Aes∣culapius from Epidaurus: Whereupon they sent thi∣ther Ten Deputies, the chief whereof was Quintus Ogulnius, who arriving at the City, went imme∣diately to pay their Respects and Adorations to Aes∣culapius; but at the same time, while they were admiring his Statue, which was of extraordinary bigness, they saw a great Serpent come out of a Vault near the Idol, which imprinted upon the minds of all Men a profound Veneration, rather than any Terror: It pass'd through the midst of the City across the Streets, and went directly to the Ship that waited for the Romans, where it posted it self in the Cabin of Ogulnius. The Romans being astonish'd at this sudden and happy success of their Voyage, sail'd away presently to carry off the God, and arriv'd safe at the Port of Antium, where they made some stay, during which time the Serpent crawl'd a-shoar, and went into a neighbouring Temple dedicated to Aesculapius: Some days after it return'd to the Ship again, and continu'd there till the Ship in its course arriv'd at the Tiber: But when they were come overagainst Rome, this sacred Serpent quitted the Ship, and retir'd into a neighbouring Island, where the Romans took care to build a Temple for it; and then immediately the Plague ceased.

Pausanias relates a Story something like this in his Corinthiaca, where he tells us, That Ni∣cagora the Mother of Agasicles, and Wife of Echetion, brought along with her from Epidau∣rus Aesculapius, under the figure of a living Ser∣pent, in a Litter drawn with two Mules, as far as the City of Sicyona, where she was born. Philostratus adds, That he had read somewhere, that this Serpent was formerly kept by Aescu∣lapius, under Mount Pelion, when he was a young Man.

Lucian, in his Dialogue, entituled Alexander, or The false Prophet, discovers to us what gave occasion to represent Aesculapius under the fi∣gure of a Serpent. He says then, That the false Prophet Alexander, having associated himself with a Byzantine Analist, call'd Cocconas, they went together into Bithynia, where they observ'd that great Serpents were kept so tame, that they suck'd the Breasts of Women, and playd with Children without doing them any hurt: (from whence doubtless comes the Fable of Olympius, who is said to lye in Bed with a Serpent.) They bought therefore one of the largest and fairest of 'em, (which is the Source and Original of the Serpent of Aesculapius,) and made choice of Paphlagonia, where the Spirits of Men are more dull and supersti∣tious, as a fit place to set up for cheating the People, and venting their Impostures. Alexander there∣fore having a long head of Hair well comb'd, and clad in a Cloak of purple strip'd with white, which was couer'd over with a Surplice, holding in his hand a Faulchion, like Perseus, from whom he said he was descended by the Mothers side, hid some Plates of Brass in an old Temple of Apollo, which is at Calcedonia, and wrote upon them, That Aes∣culapius would quickly come with his Father Apollo, to settle his abode in this place: But withal, he so order'd the matter by his Tricks, that these Plates should be found out, and presently the News of them was spread over all Pontus and Bi∣thynia; insomuch, that the Inhabitants decreed a Temple to be built for these Gods, and begun to dig the Foundations of it. Our Prophet transported him∣self in the Night-time to the place where they were digging the Foundations of the Temple, and having found there some Spring, or at least some Rain-water, he hid in it a Birds Egg, wherein he had inclos'd a very little Serpent which was newly hatch'd: The next day, very early in the morning, he came into the Market-place stark naked, having only a gilded

Girdle about him to cover his Nakedness; and hold∣ing his Faulchion in his hand, he mounted upon an Altar, and began to hold forth to the People, saying, That this place was happy, for being honour'd with the Birth of a God: At these words the whole City, which had flock'd together to see this Sight, became very attentive, and fell a-making Vows, and saying Prayers, while he was pronouncing some barbarous words in the Jewish or Phoenitian Language. After this, he ran to the place where he had hid his Birds Egg, and going into the Water, he fell a-singing the Praises of Apollo and Aesculapius, and invited the latter to descend, and shew himself visibly among Men: At the speaking of these words he dip'd a Cup into the Water, and drew out of it that mysterious Egg which held a God in∣closed in it, and while he had it in his hand, he told the People, That it contain'd Aesculapius: The People being very attentive to behold this won∣derful Mystery, he broke the Egg, and out came the little Serpent that was lodg'd in it, which twin'd round about his Fingers: And immediately the Air was fill'd with Shouts of Joy, which were intermix'd with Blessings and Praises; one desired Health of the God, and another Honour and Riches. In the mean time our Impostor return'd to his Lodging very joyful, holding in his hand Aesculapius born of an Egg, and not of a Crow, (as was said of him in former times, who was the Son of Coronis, which signi∣fies a Crow) and he shut himself up in the House with him, until the God was become a great one; and one day when all Paphlagonia came flocking about him, he sate upon a Bed in his Prophetick Habit, and holding that Serpent in his Bosom which he had brought from Macedonia, he shew'd him to the People folding about his Neck, and drawing af∣ter him a long Tail, so prodigious was his bigness.

This Truth is also confirm'd by many Me∣dals coin'd by the Emperors and the People, upon which Aesculapius is represented like a great Serpent. The First is the Reverse of a Brass Medal of Antoninus Pius, coin'd by the Inhabitants of Aboniteichos, whose Tail made many Foldings, and which without doubt was the Figure of that of Alexander the Impostor, since these two words are added to it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Glycon of the Aboniteichites, i. e. the Inhabitants of that City of Paphlagonia which is call'd Aboniteichos, or the Castle of Abonus. By this Medal we learn, that the true Name which Alexander gave to Aesculapius, when he return'd to the World under the form of a Serpent, was Glycon, which comes from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is as much as to say, Sweet and beneficial to Man∣kind.

We have seen also this God represented in the Medals of the Nicomedians, having the Bo∣dy of a Serpent and the Head of a Man, with this Inscription upon a Marble CNEUS GNAVIUS. Philonimus consecrated this Marble in testimony of his Thankfulness to Aesculapius the Conserver and Preserver of Man∣kind, and to Health, which the Greeks call Hygia, and the Latines, Salus, which they say was the Daughter of Aesculapius: She is there represent∣ed as giving him something to eat or drink, and holding in her Left-hand a lighted Torch.

We have also a Medal of Antoninus Pius, whereon is engraven Two Serpents, with the Name of Aboniteichites, whereof the one is bi∣ting the Head of the other, to signifie that Apollo, the God of Physick, communicated his Knowledg to his Son Aesculapius; and also a Medal of the same Emperor, which represents the Arrival of Aesculapius at Rome in an Island of the Tiber, under the shape of a Serpent, as Aurelius Victor has inform'd us.

The first Inventer of Physick, according to the opinion of the Greeks and Romans, was Apollo, the Father of Aesculapius, as we learn from Ovid, in these Verses, wherein he brings in Apollo thus speaking,

Inventum Medicina meum est, opiferque per orbem. Dicor, & herbarum est subjecta potentia nobis. Metam. l. 1. v. 521.

And thus the first God which Hippocrates taught his Scholars to swear by, was Apollo the Physi∣cian; and then after that they swore by Aescu∣lapius, Hygia, and Panacaea. Yet Hyginus, the enfranchis'd Slave says, that Apollo was only the Inventer of Medicines for the Eyes, and that Chiron was the Author of Chirurgery, and Aesculapius of that sort of Physick which is call'd the Clinica, i. e. which teaches how to visit and treat the sick which are confin'd to their Bed; tho Lucian tells us, that he set up an Apothecaries Shop at Pergamus; but this looks like a piece of Railery of this Satyrist.

There are also antient Medals of Brass and Silver, done by the Family of the Acilii, with the Head of Aesculapius crown'd with a Laurel on one side, either because he was the Son of Apollo, to whom that Tree was consecrated, or because it supplies Medicines for the Cure of Wounds.

Albricius describes Aesculapius in the habit of a Physician, with a long Beard of massy Gold, which Dionysius, the Tyrant of Syracuse, took away from him, alledging in Railery, that it did not become the Son to be represented with a Beard, since his Father Apollo, who was much older than he, had none. In this figure Aescu∣lapius holds his Beard with his right-hand, as if he were in a profound study, and in his left-hand a Staff, about which a Serpent is twi∣ning; the Serpent intimates to us that Diseases with respect to Physicians, are like a Serpent which casts off its old Skin, because Physicians are to free the Sick from Diseases and Infirm∣ties,

and make them healthful and vigorous: another reason why this Animal is consecrated to the God of Physick, is, because the Serpent being the Emblem of Prudence, it signifies, that this Virtue is more especially requisite for a Physician. Pliny thinks that the Serpent was dedicated to Aesculapius, because there are some Salts extracted from this Animal, which are Ingredients in many Medicines that are neces∣sary for the Preservation of Life: the Staff was likewise given to him to signifie that those persons who are raised up from a sick Bed, had need manage themselves well to prevent a Re∣lapse, or rather because Physick is the Comfort and Staff of Life; this Staff had Knots in it, to signifie the Difficulty of this Art, and that it was not easie to cure Diseases.

The Money of the Pelopounesians was stampt with a Snail, which gave occasion to that Pro∣verb, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The Snail surpasses Wisdom and Vertue, which is as much as to say, All things are procur'd by Money.

Philip, the Father of Alexander the Great, caus'd pieces of Gold to be made, which bore his own Image and Name. Plautus mentions them in his Bacchides; Ducentos nummos auros Philippeos probos dabin'?

The Cyzicenians who liv'd in Bithynia caus'd pieces of Silver to be coin'd of a very fine Metal, wheron was engraven the Goddess Cy∣bele on one side, and on the Reverse was a Lion.

But it does most clearly appear, That among the Romans, Servius Tullus their King was the first who caus'd Brass-Money to be coin'd, for in former times they used Brass in the Lump of a Pound-weight, which was call'd Aes grave, as Pliny assures us, Servius rex primus signavit as, antea rudi uses Romae Timaeus tradit. The first Money therefore that the Romans us'd was made of Brass, about the year 180 from the Building of Rome: It was stampt with a Sheep, or, according to Varro, with an Ox; from whence comes the word Pecunia to signifie Sil∣ver: tho some think that the word comes from the Leather-Money which Numa caus'd to be made, ex assibus scorteis.

Nevertheless Plutarch mentions a Money more antient, which Saturn caus'd to be stampt, having on one side his own figure, and on the other a Ship; that he might leave to Posterity a Monument of his Flight, and Arrival in Italy on Ship-board.

Macrobius says, It was Janus who caus'd this Money to be stampt in honour of Saturn, which Ovid confirms in these Verses,

At bona posteritus puppim formavit in aere Hospitis adventum testificata Dei.

Whether it were Saturn or Janus that coin'd this Money signifies little; nevertheless it makes it evident that Servius Tullus was not the first who coined Brass-Money, unless they mean that he was the first who stamp'd Figures of Animals on it, and gave it a Currency throughout Italy.

Aurelius Victor mentions a certain Game a∣mongst the Romans, by tossing up a piece of Janus's Money, saying Navi an Dii? which will you have, a God or a Ship? because it had the Head of a God represented on one side, and a Ship on the other, (like our Cross or Pile.)

Yet the pieces of Copper-Money, which were made in a Mass of a pound-weight, were not used of a long time: for the first Pay that the Roman Legions received, was of this Mo∣ney, according to Titus Livius; also Pecuniary Mulcts were paid in this sort of Coin.

But, according to the Fasti Capitolini, in the year 485, and five years before the first Punick War, under the Consulship of Q. Fabius Maxi∣mus Pictor and L. Quintius Gulo, certain Silver pieces were coin'd which were called Denarii, because they were of the value of ten Asses; Argentum signatum, says Pliny, anno Urbis qua∣dringentesimo octogesimo qainto, quinque annis ante primum bellum Panicum.

This is the Sum of what hath been hitherto said of the Roman Money. In the time of Nu∣ma the Romans used Leather-Money, Nummis scorteis; and for two hundred years after, Copper always in a Mass of a pound-weight. Servius Tullus, their sixth King coined pieces of a less value, which he call'd Trientes and Qua∣drantes, these had the Figure of a Ship stampt upon them: He also coin'd other kinds, which he called Sextantes, and Ʋnciales, or Ʋnciaria Stips. These are all the sorts which were cur∣rant among the Romans all this time.

There were also several small sorts of Leaden Money, according to Martial, lib. 10. epigr. 74.

Centum merebor plumbeos die teto.

Silver pieces were not coined till the year 485. viz. the Denarius, which was ten Asses in value; the Semidenarius, call'd Quinarius, or five Asses; the fourth part of the Denarius, call'd Sesterti∣um; and lastly, the Teruncius. All these sorts of Money were Silver, stampt on one side with a Woman's Head, which represented Rome, and on the other with a X, or a V, or some other Letter to signifie the Value. Upon some of them was stampt the Images of Caster and Pollux, two Roman Gods. There were other kinds also, on which was represented Victory on foot crowning a Trophy with Garlands, seated on a Triumphal Chariot, holding out Garlands, ready to crown the Victorious. Fe∣stus and Titus Livius call them, Nummi Victorati, Bigati, Quadrigati.

In the latter Ages of the Commonwealth, the Masters of the Mint caus'd the Heads of such Persons as were famous either in War or Peace, with a Representation of their great Actions to be stampt on pieces of Money.

Pieces of Gold called Nummi aurei, were not used in Commerce, till the Consulship of Clau∣dius Nero and Livius Salinator, which was in the year 546, after the Building of Rome, and sixty two years after these pieces of Silver began to be currant: they weighed two drams and an half.

Per as & libram, or Aere & librâ, were Phra∣ses used among the Romans in selling by weight and ballance.

Their Adoptions, Obligations, Exportations, Pay∣ments, Sales, and Purchases, were made in Cop∣per, by guess and weight, as we shall shew un∣der Denarii aperti.

AES,

this Word also signifies a Bell, with which the Romans us'd to give notice that the Publick Baths were open, or going to be shut; as we may learn from that of Martial, lib. 14. epigr. 163.

Redde pilam, sonat ae•• thermarum.

The two following Ages, viz. the Brass and Iron, degenerated yet more, and run into all sorts of Crimes and Vices.

Tertia post illas successit ahenea proles Saevior ingeniis, &c, Victa jacet pietas, terras Astraea reliquit.

The Golden Age, or Age of Innocence, if we may believe the Poets, was common to many Nations; for Ovid saith, that in the times of Janus and Saturn the Italians enjoy'd the Company of the Gods, and liv'd in Inno∣cence, Justice, Peace, and all other Advanta∣ges of the Golden Age; this he speaks in lib. 1. Fastorum. The Golden Age was then in Italy, when Saturn and Janus reigned there.

Virgil has taken notice but of two Ages, one before the Reign of Jupiter, the other after: for it was in the Reign of Jupiter that Men be∣gan to divide and till the ground. 'Twas then that Jupiter condemn'd Men to a hard and la∣borious Life, and forc'd them to invent Arts.

Seneca follows the same Method, distin∣guishing the two Ages of Men into just and happy, and unjust and unhappy, viz. the Gol∣den and the Iron Age.

Hesiod lived many Ages before these Latin Poets, and made this Distinction of Ages before them. He describes the three first much like those of Ovid. He also calls them the Golden, Silver and Steel Ages; the fourth he makes an Age of Justice and Valour. This fourth Age of Hesiod may be computed about the time of Noah, when there was a Restauration of Ju∣stice. This is not the only Point in which Hesiod hits upon the Truth; for he has plainly discover'd that it was Woman by whom all E∣vil entred into the World: Sed Mulier manibus magnum operculum cum dimovisset, dispersit, homi∣nibus autem immisit curas, v. 92. This is the Description he gives of Pandora, who was the first Woman made by the hand of God. This was that Pandora who open'd the Fatal Box of Evils which over-spread the Earth, in which Hesiod is follow'd by the other Poets; as Pau∣sanias observes.

The Life of every Man is likewise divided into Four Ages, or Four different Times of which 'tis made up, viz. Infancy, which con∣tinues till the Fourteenth Year; Youth, to Twenty Four; Manhood, to Sixty; and Old Age, to the end of our Life.

The Age or Term of Life at which a Man was qualified for Offices, war differently ap∣pointed in the Common-wealth of Rome, and under the Emperors. A Man ought to be at least Seventeen years old to be Soldier. None could obtain a Quaestorship till the Age of Twenty Seven. They would not allow any to be Tribunur Plebis till Thirty Years old. None could be an Aedile before he was Thirty seven Years old. Nor a Praetor or Consul till Forty. These fix'd Times could not be dispens'd with, especially under the Emperors.

Tacitus teaches us, that at first they had no respect to Age, even in bestowing their great∣est Dignities, and he mentions young Men who were Dictators and Consuls. It does not appear that those Ages were settled till the Year 373. under the Consulship of Posthumius Albinus and C. Calpurnius Piso, when Julius the Tribune made a Law, as Titus Livius relates, which ascertain'd the Age for all Offices.

AETHON,

the Name of one of the Four Horses of the Sun; the First is call'd Pyrois, i. e. Red, because the Sun, when it ascends above our Horizon, being overspread with Vapors from the Earth, appears red; the Second is Eous, i. e. Shining or Bright, because the Sun being mounted up, and having dispers'd the Vapors, appears clear and bright; Aethon is the Third, which signifies Burning, as the Sun is at Noon, when it is in the middle of its course, and when it scorches us with its Heat and Fire; the Fourth is call'd Phlegon, Russet∣colour'd, as the Sun is when it sets.

AGENORA,

the Goddess Agenora, who makes us active, and to whom the Romans built a Temple upon Mount Aventine.

opinions about the Occasion of this Feast. Varro will have it so call'd from a Ceremony used in all Sacrifices, where the Priest being ready to offer Sacrifice, asks the Sacrificer, Agon' which was used then for Agamne? Shall I strike? Festus derives this Word ei∣ther from Agonia, which signifies a Sacrifice, which they led to the Altar, ab agendo, from whence these sorts of Ministers were call'd Agones; or from the God Agonius, the God of Action; or from Agones, which signifie Moun∣tains, and so the Agonalia were Sacrifices which were offer'd upon a Mountain. Indeed the Mount Quirinalis was called Agonus, and the Colline-Gate which led thither Porta Agonensis, which the same Festus will have so call'd from the Games which were celebrated without that Gate in Honour of Apollo, near the Temple of Venus Erycina; where the Cirque of Flaminius was overflow'd by the Tiber.

But it is more probable, that this Feast was called Agonalia, from the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies Sports and Combats which were us'd in Greece, in imitation of those which Her∣cules appointed at Elis first, and consecrated to Jupiter, as these Verses of Ovid shew, Lib. I. Fastorum, v. 359.

Fas etiam fieri selitis aetate priorum Nomina de Ludis Graeca tulisse diem, Et prius antiquus dicebat, Agonia, sermo Veraque judicio est ultima causa meo.

There are Two Feasts celebrated at Rome of the same Name, one upon April 21. which falls on the day of the Palilia, on which the Buil∣ding of Rome is commemorated; and the other on December 11. according to Festus.

The Tribunes of the People, being angry at the Opposition of the Senate drew up many Accusations against the Patricians and Noble∣men before the People, and caused many of them to be fined and banish'd, which so much provok'd the Cousuls, that they caused Genutius the Tribune to be stab'd: this Assassination raised a great Tumult in Rome, and stir'd up the People to revenge, till the Consul Sempro∣nius was condemned to pay a large Fine.

Lastly, In the year 320 from the Building of Rome, Mutius Scaevola put Tiberius Gracchus, the Tribune of the People, in mind to have the Agrarian Law established against the Will of the Senate, Nobles and Rich Commons. Octa∣vius, his Partner, being rich, was not of the same mind, and opposed the Law. Grac∣chus, seeing that, accused him before the Peo∣ple of Prevarication and Unfaithfulness in his Office, and caused him to be depos'd with Dis∣grace. This Obstacle being remov'd, the A∣grarian Law passed, and Commissioners were appointed to divide the Lands.

was making a Speech to the People, with a surprising terrible Pain, of which soon after he died.

Tempest and Thunder as real as his own were vain. Fire from Heaven consum'd his Palace; the Lake, in the middle of which it was built, flowed extraordinarily, and contributed to the Destruction of his Family. He reigned nine∣teen years.

Their Women are common to ten or twelve, but their Children belong to those who married them.

Tacitus, in the Life of Agricola, gives us this Character of England; It is the biggest Isle which is yet known: it has Germany on the East, Spain on the West, Gallia on the South, and the Main O∣cean, which has no Bounds, on the North. Fabius and Titus Livius, the two most eloquent of our Hi∣storians, as well antient as modern, have compared it to a long Buckler, or the Head of an Ax, because the hither side is of that figure. It was not known till our time that 'twas an Isle, after a Tour was made about the Northern Coast of it, where there are discover'd other Isles at a further distance called the Orcades, and Island it self, which a perpetual Winter keeps from our View. The Original of the Inhabitants is not known, whether they are Indige∣nae or Strangers. The Scots have Hair and a Sta∣ture like the Germans. Those who dwell on the side next Spain, have frizled Hair, and are of a Tawny Colour. The rest are like the Gauls, to whom they are Neighbours.

The Sky is always thick and cloudy, but the Cold is never very fierce: the Days are longer than in France, but the Night is very clear, especially about the extreme parts of the Isle, where there is but little distance between the End of one day and the Begin∣ning of the next; some say, that in a clear and se∣rene Sky, they do not wholly lose their Light, but it seems to turn about above the Horizon; so that, properly speaking, they never see the Sun either rise or set. They have neither Vines nor Olive-teees, nor other Fruit-trees which grow in hot Countries, altho otherwise it is very Fruitful: their Fruits come out early, but are a long time in ripening, for want of Heat, and by reason of the abundance of their Moi∣sture.

ALCMENA,

the Daughter of Electryo, and Lysidicae, whose Father was Pelops, and Mo∣ther Hippodamia, she married Amphitryo her Co∣sin-German, upon condition that he should re∣venge the Death of her Brother, which the Theleboans, a People of Aetolia had kill'd. While Amphitryo was employ'd against them, Jupiter, who was in Love with Alcmena, took the shape of Amphitryo, and lay with her a whole Night, which he made as long as Three, having com∣manded the Night and Sleep, by the Media∣tion of Mercury, not to leave Men for that time, and by this Conjunction Alcmena became the Mother of Hercules. Lucian has related this Fable in his Dialogue between Mercury and the Sun, which we shall set down here entire:

Phoebus. Jupiter says you must not drive to day to morrow, nor the next day, but keep with∣in; that during that time there may be one en∣tire Night; bid the Hours unharness their Hor∣ses, and do you put out your Light, and repose your self a while.

Sun.

You bring me very strange News, Mercury; I do not know that I have in the least drove beyond my just limits, or disturb'd the Mountains; why then is he so angry with me, to make the Night thrice as long as the day?

Mercury.

Not in the least, this is not to be for a continuance, he only now desires that this Night may be long on his own account.

Sun.

Pray, where is he? From whence sent he you on this Errand?

Mercury.

From Beotia Phaebus, he is with Amphitryo's Wife, whom he is enamour'd with, and now enjoys.

Sun.

And will not one Night be suf∣ficient?

Mercury.

No, for he intends to get a great and warlike Hero, and this is impossi∣ble to be done in one Night.

Sun.

Let him go on with success; but we had no such do∣ings in Saturu's time; he never defil'd Rhea's Bed, nor left Heaven to fleep at Thebes, but Day was then Day, and Night had only its proportion of hours, and nothing was strange and out of due course, nor did he ever med∣dle with mortal Woman; but now for the sake of this Wretch, all things must be in∣verted; my Horses will grow unmanageable for want of working, the way will become difficult to travel in, and Men must live in dismal Darkness; thus must they sleep for the Amours of Jove, till he perfect this mighty Champion you talk of.

Mercury.

No more words, Phaebus, lest it prove prejudicial to you. I must make haste to Luna and Somnus, and tell 'em what Jupiter's Orders are, that she may re∣tard her Motion; and that he do not leave Men, that they may not perceive that the Night was so long.

This is the reason why Lycophron calls. Hercu∣les the Lyon of Three Nights. Alcmena having gone her time, first brought forth Iphyclus, which she had conceived by her Husband Am∣phitryo. But jeajous Juno hindred her when she was about to bring forth Hercules, which she had conceiv'd by Jupiter; for she birb'd Lucina, the Goddess of Child-bearing, that instead of assisting her, she, on the contrary should ob∣struct her, by making certain Figures with her Fingers. Pansanias, in his Baeotrice, says, That Juno sent the Pharmacides or Sorcereresses into the Chamber of Alcmena in the time of her Travail, to hinder her by their Enchant∣ments: But Jupiter dispell'd all their Charms, by declaring himself from Heaven by Thun∣der, in favour of his Son, and reconcil'd Am∣phitryon and Alcmena, who were fall'n out.

Alcmena dyed in her return from Argos to Thebes, as Pausanius says, on the Confines of Megara. There was a Dispute between the the Heraclites about her Burial, some desiring that her Body should be carryed to Argos, and others to Thebes; but the Oracle of Apollo at Delphos ordered, that her Tomb should be made in Megora.

and white Feathers. The smallest of them sing com∣monly among the Reeds. They breed about the mid∣dle of December. Their Nests are round, in the form of a large Bowl, having only a little Hole to go in at.

send nor receive Love-Letters or Billet-Douxes, insomuch that Adultery is seldom found among so great a People: they allow not second Marri∣age, and a Woman takes an Husband to be uni∣ted to her, as one Body and one Soul. 'Tis an odious thing among 'em to destroy a Child in the Womb or hinder Conception; every one is brought up in his own Family, without any o∣ther Nurse than his own Mother. There are few People that take more pleasure in entertaining Strangers; 'tis a Crime for any Man to shut his House against them, whosoever they be: When any one comes to their Houses, the Ma∣ster of it gives him whatever he has, and when he has nothing left, he will carry him to his Neighbour, who receives him with the same Respect and Freedom. They drink Beer, for no Vines grow in their Country. Their Food is very plain, wild Fruits, Milk curdled, and Venison, and they live without Dainties and Expence. They have but one sort of pub∣lick Show, their young Men dance naked on the points of Spears and Javelins. They do not divide the Year into Four parts, as other Nations. The Autumn is as little known as the Fruits of it. Their Funerals are without any Pomp or Magnificence, they only burn the Bodies of some Persons of Quality with a particular sort of Wood, putting nothing upon the Pile but their Arms, and sometimes the Horse of the deceas'd without Perfumes or Garments; their Graves are made of Turfs, and they contemn the Costliness of our Tombs. In fine, they are great Drinkers, and very great Gamesters, insomuch that they will play away themselves after they have lost all their Goods.

They celebrate in old Verses, of which all their History is compos'd, a God born in their Land, called Tuisco, and his Son, Man, who were the first Inhabitants of the Country. Caesar speaking of the Germans in his Sixth Book, De Bello Gallico, tells us, That they have nei∣ther Priests nor Sacrifices, and own no Deity but such as they see and feel the Effects of, as the Sun, the Moon, and the Fire; and that War and Hunting were their only Exercises.

conquer'd all the Provinces as far as Cilicia, and vanquisht Darius, King of Persia. Lastly, not to mention Tyre or Arbella, he subdu'd Asia, as far as the Indies, and then the Indies themselves, making the Ocean the Bounds of his Empire. He dyed at Babylon of Poyson, or a Feaver, be∣ing 32 years of Age, having reign'd Twelve Years. He was liberal and magnificent, and lov'd Glory and Learning. He is accus'd of Cruelty to his Friends who had not Complai∣sance enough to flatter him, and believe him the Son of Jupiter. He kill'd Clitus because he would not approve that he should use the Customs of those he had conquer'd, nor that he should be ador'd as a God: Yet 'tis said, that Aristobulus, one of his Captains, reading to him, as he was sailing upon Hydaspes, a Relation he had written of his Battel with Porus, in which he flatter'd him very much; Alexander threw the Book into the Water, and told him, that he ought to do so, because he was so base-spirited to attribute false Actions to Alexander, as if he had done no real ones. In like manner he re∣primanded an Architect, who would have cut Mount Athos after his likeness, and make him to hold a City in one Hand, and pour a River out with the other. He would not meddle with Darius's Wife, and took care of his Mo∣ther and Children.

in the year from the Building of Rome 365. This Loss was more felt, and prejudicial to the Romans, as Cicero says, than the sacking of Rome by the same Gauls; Majores nostri funestio∣rem diem esse voluerunt Alliensis pugna, quàm urbis captae.

ALTHAEA,

the Wife of Aeneas King of Calydonia. She reveng'd the Death of her Bre∣thren by the Death of her own Son Meleager, burning the Log of Wood which was to pro∣long his Life, as long as it lasted and was not consum'd by Fire.

Philostratus, in his Picture of Neoptolemus, re∣lates, that they which sail upon the Euxine Sea do affirm, That along that Coast, between the Rivers Thermodon and Phasis, there are Amazons, which say, they are descended of Mars, who busie themselves wholly in Warlike matters, as to draw a Bow, and ride on Horses; they will not permit a Man to live among them, but when they desire to have any Children, they go to seek out Men among their Neigh∣bours, and when they bring forth Boys, they cause them to be gelt, but their Daughters they bring up to warlike Affairs, feeding them with the Milk of Cattle, and Dew which falls in the form of Honey upon the Reeds in their Marshes.

The chief Expeditions of the Amazons were the War which they made against King Priamus, the Assistance they brought him at the Siege of Troy, and their Invasion of Attica, to re∣venge themselves of Theseus who had taken a∣way Antiope. As for their Expedition into the Isle of Achilles, at the mouth of the Danube, it is a Fiction of Philostratus, which no ways re∣dounds to their Honour, because they shew'd themselves very cruel there. 'Tis true Philo∣stratus is not the only Man that has represented the Amazons as wicked, for Apollonius describes them as Salvages, that have neither Faith nor Law.

The Monuments which preserve the Memo∣ry of these Warlike Women are, the City of Thermiscira, the Metropolis of their State, situ∣ate in Cappadocia, near a River well known by the Name of Thermodon: the City of Ephesus and Temple of Diana are two Works of their hands. Dionysius Afer says, that they built another Temple to Diana upon the Stump of a young Elm. The Cities of Smyrna, Thyatira, Cuma and Magnesia are commonly thought to be founded by them. Apollonius will have it, that they consecrated the Temples even in the A∣reopagus, and in the Territories of Lacedaemo∣nia.

The Statue of Diana at Ephesus was adorned with Paps, because the Amazons consecrated those to her which they cut off.

It appears, by some Medals, that the Ama∣zons wore Garments like Men, but by others they seem cloth'd after the usual manner of their Sex.

The ingenious Mr. Pet•••• has written a Trea∣tise which contains things very learned and cu∣rious about these Heroines, as about their Se∣pulchres, the Reasons why the Names which they bear are all Greek, and the Chronology of their History, which may be consulted.

domo, familiaeque meae, mactus hoc fercto.

Ferctum Jovi moveto & mactato sic: Jupiter, te hoc fercto obmovendo bonas preces precor uti sies vo∣lens propitius mihi, &c.

Postea Jano vinum dato sic: Jane Pater, uti te struem commovendo bonat preces benè precatus sum, ejusdem rei ergo, macte vino inferio esto.

Postea Jovi sit: Jupiter, macte sercto esto: ma∣cte vino inferio esto.

We find likewise that this Ceremony was perform'd by the Master of the Family, ac∣company'd with his Children and Servants, every one of them being crowned with Oaken Leaves, as well as the Sacrifice, which they led three times round the Lands and Vineyards, singing Hymns to his honour: after which they sacrific'd to him sweet Wine with Honey and Milk; as we may see by the Verses of Vir∣gil, Georg. lib. 1.

This manner of Procession was always us'd in the Country, were they had no Arval Priests as at Rome.

the Altars of the Gods, that he would never be at peace with Rome.

it is, that Orpheus will have it, that Love has the Keys of Heaven Gates, and so he represents him, as holding them in his Hands. 'Tis Love or Cupid, says Lucian, that conquers all the Gods, and Venus herself, who is his Mother. He can do nothing with Pallas, nor the Muses, nor dares to attack Diana, but he fears not Jupiter or his Thunderbolts. He is painted in the form of a beautiful Child with Wings, and a Fillet over his Eyes, who carries a Quiver upon his Shoul∣ders, holding a Bow and Arrows in one hand, and in the other a lighted Torch.

The Wings which are given to Cupid denote his Levity and Inconstancy: A Bow and Qui∣ver full of Arrows are attributed to him, be∣cause he wounds the Hearts of Lovers: He is painted blind, because nothing is more blind than Love.

Love is call'd by the Greeks 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from the earnest solicitation which Lovers make one to the other. They also call 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Mutual Love, which they make a God, and affirm him to be the Son of Mars and Venus, as Cicero tells us, Lib. 3. De Nat. Deor. whom they my∣stically represent with two Torches lighted, joyned and tyed together. Pausanias, in his Eliaca, makes mention of a Statue of Cupid and Anteros, who strives to snatch a Palm-Branch which the other holds in his hand. And Por∣phyrius, the Philosopher, has left us a Fable up∣on this Subject; That Venus perceiving that lit∣tle Cupid did not thrive, and that he fell into a languishing condition, went to ask Advice about it of the Goddess Themis, who answerd her, That he had need of an Anteros, or mutual Love to relieve him; whereupon, a little time after, Venus conceived Anteros, and he was scarce born, but Cupid ap∣parently grew, and became more beautiful every day. The Athenians, says Pausanias, erected an Altar to the God Anteros, upon the account of a cer∣tain Milesian, who was much lov'd by Timago∣ras. This last being desirous to give some proofs of his Love, cast himself headlong from a Rock, and kill'd himself; at which the Milesian was so troubled, that he also cast himself down after him, which made the A∣thenians worship the Ghost of Timagoras, under the Name of Anteros, as a Revenger of the too great Rigour of the person lov'd toward the Lover. Some also call him Anteros, who dis∣engages unhappy Lovers from that Love which cannot find a sutable return. Dido seems to allude to this in Aeneid. Lib. IV. v. 478.

Invent, Germana, viam, gratare sorori Quae mihi reddat cum, vel eo me solvat a∣mantem.

Est propè Collinam templum venerabile portam Est illic Lethaus Amor qui pectora sanat. Inque suas gelidam lampadas addit aquam. In Remed. Amoris.

Some have had recourse to Magicians and Charms, to make 'em love. Lucian brings in an Harlot named Melissa, who desired Bacchis to bring some Magician to her, who gave Phil∣tres to cause Love, and allure Lovers. She tells her, That she knew a Syrian Woman, who made a Lover return to her again, after Four Months absence, by an Enchantment which she then declar'd to her. She shall hang, says she, the Calces or Sandals of the Lover upon a Peg, and shall put upon them some Perfumes, then she shall cast some Salt into the Fire, pronouncing thy Name and his; then drawing a Magical Look∣ing Glass out of her Bosom, she shall turn every way, muttering several words with a low voice.

We meet also with other Enchantments set down in Theocritus's Pharmaceutria, in Virgil and Juvenal. Josephus also, the Jewish Historian, testifies, that Moses having learn'd the Aegyptian Philosophy, made Rings for Lovers and For∣getfulness, as also did King Solomon against Witchcraft.

Whatever Effects these Love-Potions might have, what Ovid tells us is more probable, That Beauty, and something else, not to be men∣tion'd, are the only Philtres, which engage any Man to love.

Fallitur Aemonias siquis decurrit ad artes; Datque quod à teneri fronte revellit equi. Non facient, ut vivat amor, Medeides herbae, Mixtaque cum magicis Marsa venena sonis. Phasias Aesonidem, Circe tenuisset Ulyssem. Si modò servari carmine posset amor. Nec data profuerint pallentia philtra puellis Philtra nocent animis, vimque furoris habent. Sit procul omne nefas: Ut ameris, amabilis esto; Quod tibi non facies, solave forma dabit. Art. Amand. Lib. II. v. 99.

alive in the Earth, with his Chariot, as he was retreating.

Philostratus gives this account of Amphiaraus, in his Second Book of the Life of Apollonius; Amphiaraus, the Son of Oecleus, at his return from Thebes, was swallow'd up in the Earth. He had an Oracle in Attica, whither he sent the Dreams of those who came to consult him about their Affairs; but above all things they must be 24 hours without Meat or Drink and Three days entire without the use of Wine.

Pausanias, in his Attica, speaks of a Temple consecrated to him; At the going out of the City Oropus, upon the Sea-Coasts, about 12 Furlongs from thence, there stands the Temple of Amphia∣raus, who flying from Thebes, was swallowed up with his Chariot. Others say, that it was not in that place, but in the way that leads from Thebes to Chalcis. Nevertheless, 'tis evident that Amphiaraus was first deifi'd by the Oropians, and afterwards the Greeks decreed him divine Ho∣nours. His Statue was made of white Marble, with an Altar, of which only the third part is dedicated to him, and the rest to other Gods. Near to this Temple there is a Fountain call'd the Temple of Amphiaraus, out of which 'tis said he came when he was plac'd among the number of the Gods. None were permitted to wash or purify in that Fountain, but when they had an Answer from the Oracle, or found their trouble remov'd; then they cast some pieces of Silver or Gold into the Fountain. Jopho of Gnossus, one of the Interpreters of Am∣phiaraus's Oracles, publish'd them in Hexame∣ter Verse, which brought the People to his Temple.

Amphiaraus, after he was deifi'd, instituted the way of fore-telling things to come, by Dreams; and they that came to consult his Oracle, must first sacrifice to him, as to a God, and then observe the other Ceremonies pre∣scribed. They sacrificed a Sheep, and after they have flead it, they spread the Skin upon the ground, and slept upon it, expecting a Re∣solution of what they asked, which he gave them in a Dream.

The same Author, in his Corinthiaca, tells us also, That in the City of the Phliasium, behind the great Market, there is an House which is called the Prophecying or Divining-place, where Amphiaraus having watch'd one Night, began to fore-tell things to come.

Plutarch, speaking of the Oracle of Amphia∣rans, says, That in the time of Xerxes, a Servant was sent to consult it concerning Mardonius. This Servant being asleep in the Temple, dreamt that an Officer of the Temple chid him much, and beat him, and at last flung a great Stone at his head, because he would not go out. This Dream prov'd true; for Mardonius was slain by the Lieutenant of the King of Lacedaemon, having receiv'd a Blow with a Stone upon his head, of which he dyed. This is al∣most all that Antiquity has left us about Am∣phiaraus and his Oracles.

the Daughter of Tantalus, he had by her Seven Sons, and Seven Daughters, of which their Mother was so proud, that she preferred her∣self before Latona, the Mother of Apollo and Diana, for which she lost all her Children, ex∣cept Cloris, they being slain by Apollo's and Diana's Darts. Amphion, to revenge himself, attemp∣ted to destroy Apollo's Temple; but that God slew him, and punish'd him in Hell with the loss of his Sight and Harp.

Amphion receiv'd his Harp of Mercury, who was the Inventer of it, as Apollo speaks in Lu∣cian; He made (says that God to Vulcan) an In∣strument of a Tortoise-Shell, on which he play'd so excellently, so that he made me jealous, who am the God of Harmony.

And after he had shewn it to Apollo, and the Muses, as Pausanias says, he made a Present of it to Amphion: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

AMPHITRYO,

a Theban Prince, the Son of Alcaeus and Laonoma, the Daughter of Gunaeus, according to Pausanias in his Arcadica. He marry'd Alcmena of whom the Story is famous for the Birth of Twins, whereof one was nam'd Hercules, who was the Son of Jupiter, and was surnamed Alcides, either from his Grand-father Alcaeus, or else from the Greek Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies Strength or Valour, because of his extraordinary Strength, by which he subdu'd so many huge Monsters, and clear'd the Earth of them. See Alcmena.

his Love; and of her Aeneas, the Trojan Prince, was born, who in the Destruction of Troy sav'd him from the flames, carrying him upon his shoulders. He dy'd at Drepanum, and his Son celebrated anniversary Games in ho∣nour of him, of which Virgil speaks in his fifth Book.

Looks of the Monster, who come to devour her, and the amorous Courage of the Hero. See how he held up his Buckler against the Monster, which turned him into stone by the force of Medusa's Look, whilst he gave him a full Blow upon his Head with a Back∣sword.

The History of Andromeda may be compar'd to that of Iphigenia. Andromeda being expos'd to a Sea-monster, to expiate for the Pride of her Mo∣ther, who prefer'd her own Beauty before that of the Nymphs, she was deliver'd from it by Perseus, who marry'd her after he had slain the Monster. This Perseus is nothing else but an Horseman, accor∣ding to the signification of the Hebrew word Pha∣ras, Equus. The place where Andromeda was ex∣pos'd is Joppa, or Japha, upon the Coasts of Phoenicia, as Pliny says, In quo vinculorum Andro∣medae vestigia ostendunt.

The same Author assures us, that the prodi∣gious Bones of this Fish to which Andromeda was expos'd, were carry'd by Scaurus of Joppa to Rome; Belluae, cui dicebatur fuisse exposita Andro∣mede, ossae Romae apportata ex oppido Judaeae Joppe, ostendit inter reliqua miracula in aedilitate suâ M. Scanrus. 'Tis evident that it was some Whale, taken at Joppa, whose Skeleton Scaurus shew'd at Rome; and that he might make his new Story more plausible, he set it off with the old Fable of Andromeda. Vossius is of opinion that this Sea-monster to whom Andromeda was ex∣pos'd, and from whom Perseus deliver'd her, was nothing else but a Ship, or the Captain of a Ship, who had such a Monster for his Flag, and courted Andromeda, to marry her.

ANGUIS,

a Serpent, which was an ill Omen in Marriages, as we may see by those Verses of Terence in his Phormio, He will say that lately there happen'd to him ill Omens, a Serpent fell from the Tiles through a Gutter. The God Aesculapius is ordinarily represented under the figure of a Serpent, because he came from Epidaurus to Rome in that shape.

The earnest desire of Fame is a secret proof of the inward belief of the Souls Immortality; for Men would never have taken so much pains to have eterniz'd their Name and Memo∣ry, if the Soul had been mortal: So Horace tells us, That he should not dye entirely, but that the greatest part of himself would survive af∣ter death.

Non omnis moriar, multaque pars mei Vitabit Libitinam.—

Parte tamen meliore mei super alta perennis Astra ferar.

Cicero, in his Oration for the Poet Archias, explains the Immortality, so much celebrated by the Poets; he assures us, that it was the Opinion of wise Men, That immortal Glory, the love of which was so ardent in Man, sup∣poses immortal Life, which could tast the Sweetness of that Glory. This learned Man treats upon this Subject in his Tusculan Questions, and observes there, that their very Burials, Funeral-Elegies, the Examples of those who have devoted themselves to Death for the Good of their Country, the Love of Glory, wherewith Men are so inspir'd, and lastly, all that is said or believed of Hell, and all that is read concerning it in the Poets, are evident Proofs of the Immortality of Souls, and of the Belief that all Men have of it, and explaining the reason which induc'd Men to describe Hell after the manner that the Poets had re∣presented it; he says, 'twas because they thought Souls immortal, and not being able to apprehend any thing but what is material; they had describ'd Souls, and the Punishment of Hell, by corporial Representations; as we may learn by Homer, and other Poets.

Euripides, in his Deification of Castor, Pollux, and Helena, tells us, That the Soul of Man, after Death, hath no Enjoyment of this sensitive Life, but hath always the same Understanding, and goes to take up its abode in Heaven, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

Herodotus assures us, That the Egyptians were the first who deliver'd the Doctrine of the Souls Immortality.

Plato tells us, That after Death, our Souls are conducted by a Genius, who the Poets say is Mercury, to the place where they shall be judged; and that they receive Punishments or Rewards proportionably to the good or evil they have done in their Lives. Quemlibet mo∣rientem cujusque Genius 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, quem vivens sortitus fuerat, in locum quendam ducit, ubi omnes judicari oportet. Judicantar & qui honestè, justè & sanctè vixerunt; & qui non, & qui mediocriter.

of which the two former seem to be something fabulous, viz. That the Gods, at the beginning, being assaulted by a rout of wicked Men, con∣ceal'd themselves under the Form of these Ani∣mals, and ever since they had honour'd them. Secondly, That the Egyptians having been often vanquish'd by their Enemies, at length became victorious, after they set up the Figures of these Animals for their Standards. Thirdly, That all these Animals were extremely useful for the preservation of their Goods and Lives.

Plutarch tells us, That we ought to interpret all these Fables in a pious and philosophical sense, piè & philosophicè: That if the Egyptians did honour Mercury under the Name of a Dog, 'twas because of the Watchfulness of that Creature.

There was nothing so lewd as the Worship of the Goat, which they call'd Mendes; the Greeks, Pan; and the Latines, Faunus and Silva∣nus. The Sileni and Satyrs related to this. The Figures of these Deities were yet more immodest and impure than the Animals them∣selves; for they were the original, as I may say, of the Priapus of the Greeks. All these Idolaters protested nevertheless, That their in∣tention was by these Symbols, to honour the Fruitfulness of Nature, that continually pro∣duced an infinite number of Beasts, many of which are Masterpieces of the Fecundity of the divine Power.

Some think that the greatest part of these Transformations of the Egyptian Gods into A∣nimals, or the divers ways of representing 'em under the Figures of these several Animals, arose from nothing else but some Allusions of the Names to a more antient Language; for Bochartus observes, that if Isis were changed into a Swallow, as Plutarch says, 'twas because that Sis in the Hebrew. Tongue signifies a Swal∣low: If Anubis were painted with a Dog's Head, 'twas because Nobach signifies to bark: If Apis was worshipped in the shape of an Ox, 'twas because Abbir signifies an Ox: If Jupiter chang'd himself into a Ram, 'twas because El, which is the Name of God, signifies also a Ram: If Osiris, or Bacchus be changed into a Goat, 'tis because Seir signifies a Goat: If Diana be changed into a Cat, 'tis because, in the Egyp∣tian Language, Bubastis signifies a Cat, and that's the Name of Diana: Venus is chang'd in∣to a Fish, because Atergatis come near to Dag, a Fish: Lastly, Juno, or Astarte, takes the figure of a Cow, because Hastaroth signifies Herds of Oxen.

'Tis not to be doubted, but from the time of Moses, the Egyptians worshipped their Gods under the figure of Animals, since Moses him∣self answers, That the Israelites could not of∣fer a solemn Sacrifice in Egypt, lest they should expose themselves to be stoned by the Egyptians, whose Gods they must sacrifice to the true God.

Offices of State. Eighteen Years was required for one to be made a Roman Knight; and Twenty five to obtain a Consulship; and so for other Offices. The Romans took this Law from the Athenians.

But afterwards the Senators wore them of Gold, as also the Knights, to distinguish them∣selves from the common People; as they were known from Senators by a Robe woven with Gold, and by their large Buttons. This hap∣pen'd about the Second Punick or Carthaginian-War.

We read in Appian of Alexandria, that only Colonels in an Army had a Right to wear Gold Rings, which they used as a Mark of Nobility.

It is true, that in the Disorder and Confusion of Civil-Wars, the People, and Soldiers took the liberty to wear 'em, as also Women-Slaves, and those who were made free, which obliged the Consuls, C. Asinius Pollio and C. Antistius, un∣der the Emperor Tiberius, to make an Order for∣bidding the Common-People to wear Gold Rings, at least those whose Father, or Grand-father by the Fathers side, had not a Revenue of 400 great Sesterces with a right to take place in the Fourteenth Ascent of the Theatre, which was granted to the Roman Knights when they were present at those Shows.

It is also true, that from the time of the Em∣peror Commodus, the Slaves made free were ho∣noured with a Gold Ring.

Aurelius Victor says, That the infamous Ma∣crinus, the Son of an enfranchis'd Slave, re∣ceiv'd a Gold Ring, and was thereby equall'd to the Knights, as these Verses of the Poet Statius shew:

Mutavitque genus, laevâque ignobile ferrum Exuit, & celso natorum aequavit honori.

They affected to wear 'em of an extraordi∣nary weight; I have seen some that weighed Four Pistoles and a half of Gold; which puts me in mind of what Juvenal says wittily in his Seventh Satyr, That no body will give 200 Pieces to an Orator to plead his Cause, although he be as eloquent as Cicero, unless they see an extraordinary great Ring shining on his Finger:

—Ciceroni nemo ducentos Nunc dederit nummos, nisi fulserit annulus ingens. Satyr. VII. v. 139.

Pliny tells us, That in his time the Excess was so great, that it seem'd to him, as though every one would be valu'd only by the Number and Weight of his Gold Rings, with which they loaded rather than adorned their Fingers. This is the same that Se∣neca, the Philosopher, says, Oneramus annulis di∣gitos, & m omni articulo gemma disponitur.

These Rings were often adorned with Bea∣zels made of the same Matter, or precious Stones graved several ways.

Under the Emperor Claudius, Seals were or∣dered to be made of the same Metals, and not of precious Stones. The several sorts of Engravings which were set in the Beazels of Rings made the Seals, which we name Annuli Signatorii, or Sigillatorii, with which they seal'd their Letters, which they impress'd upon their Records; as also in their Houses upon their Cellars, where they kept their Provisions.

They seal'd their Letters, as we do at this day, saving, that instead of Silk they used Thread or Flax, with which they wrapt about the Letter on the outside, and then laying upon it a sort of soft Clay or Wax, they stampt the figure of their Seal upon it, after they had a little softened it with Spittle. Cicero has de∣scrib'd the manner of it to us in his Third Ora∣tion against Catiline; Tabellas proferri jussimus, quae à quoque dicebantur datae; primùm oftendimus Cethege, signum cognovit, nos linum incidimus, legi∣mus: We caused the Letters to be brough:, shew'd 'em to Cethegus, who acknowledg'd the Seal, we cut the Thread, and read them.

Plautus has describ'd the same thing to us more elegantly in his Bacchides: Cedo tu ceram, & linum, actutum age, obliga ob signa citò: Give me the Wax, and Thred, quickly; bind up the Let∣ter, and seal it: This Flax was call'd Vinculum Epistolae; and Juvenal calls the Impression of the Seal upon the Wax, that was softened with Spittle, Gemma Uda.

They seal'd their Contracts in the same man∣ner, as also their Wills; for as soon as the Witnesses had heard the Will read, it was seal'd in their presence, and they fix'd Three Labels to it, upon which they put Wax, and set their Seals. This was decreed by the Se∣nate, in the time of Nero, as Suetonius relates. It was likewise necessary, when a Will was opened, that either all the Witnesses, or at least most of 'em, should be present, to own their Seals: Tabellae testamenti aperiuntur hoc mo∣do, ut testes vel maxima pars eorum adhibeantur, qui signaverint testamentum, ut ita agnitis signis, rupto lino, aperiatur & recitetur. Jul. Paul.

These Seals were also made use of to seal their Cellars and Pantries, where they kept Provisions for their Families; for Plautus brings in a Mistris of a House, who was going to visit her Neighbour, thus speaking in his Comedy, entituled Casina, Obsignate cellas, referte annulum ad me; And the same Poet brings in a Slave complaining of his Master for sealing the Salt-Box, for fear he should take any Salt; Isti parci promi qui salinum servis ob∣signant cum sale.

was of Gold, set thick with small Stars of Iron. Isidore, after Pliny, teaches, That the Slaves co∣ver'd their Iron Rings with Gold. These Samo∣thracian Rings may be said to be Talismans, of which the Iron was wrought under some Con∣stellation. Such also were those Rings which Solomon taught Men to make, as Josephus says, which would drive away Devils: and those hollow Rings of Artemidorus, which inclos'd in 'em some supernatural and divine Virtue. The People of the Isle of Samothrace much addicted themselves to the study of the Secrets of Nature, and Pythagoras taught them a sort of Philoso∣phy which he call'd Divine, and is the same with the Talismans, or Rings made under a certain Constellation. The Gods of Samothrace were those who presided over the Talismans. Tertul∣lian mentions three Altars, dedicated to three sorts of Deities, Magnis, Potentibus, Valentibus; and adds, 'Tis credible that these were the Gods of Samo∣thrace, who were potent for the Execution of difficult Designs, and who presided over great Undertakings. Varro calls them Divi Potentes, and supposes 'em to be Heaven and Earth.

they either follow the Course of the Sun, or of the Moon, or of both.

The Hebrews had two sorts of Years, the Secular or Natural Year, and the Sacred or Ec∣clesiastical.

The Secular had respect to the Civil Go∣vernment for buying and selling, and began at the Autumnal Aequinox, in the month called Tisri, which answers to our September, because they believed that God created the World at that time.

The Sacred Year had reference to their Reli∣gion, and began at the Vernal Aequinox, in the month called Nisan, which answers to our A∣pril, at which time they kept their Passover.

The Aegyptians, Chaldaeans and Assyrians were the first that measur'd their Year by the Course of the Sun, and they thought at first, that the Solar Year had 360 days only, which they di∣vided into twelve months containing thirty days each; at the end of which, as we may conjecture by the Story which Plutarch relates concerning Rhea and Saturn, Mercury added five days, which he called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. Added, by which means the year became 365 days long, without counting the six hours or there∣abouts, by which the Solar Year exceeds that number of days, and which, making one day in four years, is the cause that Thot, i. e. the Aegyptian year has no determin'd and fix'd place in any part of the Solar Year, which it anticipates one day every four years, and one month in 120 years, running through its whole Course in the space of 1440 years; after which it returns to the same point from which it first began.

This way of reckoning the Years has been a long time in use among the Aegyptians, till, af∣ter the defeat of Mark Anthony by Augustus at the Battel of Actium, their Country was made a Province of the Roman Empire, and they were forced to submit to the Laws of the Conque∣rours and their Computation of years, which was the Julian, keeping only the Names of the months, which answer'd after such a manner to the Roman Months, that their Thot, the first day of the Year, always happen'd upon the 29th. of August; whence it comes to pass that the first day of the Aegyptian Year, which is al∣so call'd the Coptick Year, is four whole months and three days before the Kalends of January, which is the first day of the Roman Year.

The Persians count their Years as the Aegyp∣tians do, ever since Cambyses became Master of Aegypt. For having ransack'd the Sepulchre of Simandius, he found a Circle of 365 Cubits round, every Cubit representing a day of the year, which was graven and mark'd by the rising and setting of the fix'd Stars, which made them fix their year to 365 days, without mentioning the hours. Quintus Curtius tells us, that the Persians adore the Sun, and have an holy Fire, kindled by its Rays, to be carry'd before their King, who is follow'd by 365 young Lords, cloath'd with yellow Robes, to represent the 365 days of the Year.

The Arabians, Saracens, and Turks, at this day reckon their Year by the Course of the Moon, making it to consist of twelve Moons, whereof some have thirty, and some twenty nine days, alternatively one after the other, which make all together but 354 days; so that the Duration of time being less than the Solar Year by about eleven days, it follows, that their Month Muharran, which they count for their first place in the whole Course of the Solar Year, which it precedes 11 days every year, and more than a month in 3 years; so that in less than thirty four years it runs through all the season of the Solar Year, and returns to the Point from which it first be∣gan.

And since the exact time of the 12 Moons, besides the 354 whole days, is about 8 hours and 48 minutes, which make 11 days in 30 years, they are forc'd to add 11 days extraor∣dinary in 30 years; which they do by means of a Cycle of 30 years invented by the Arabi∣ans, in which there are 19 years with 354 days only, and 11 intercalary, or Embolismical, which have every one 355 days; and these are they wherein the number of hours and mi∣nutes, which are Surplus to the whole days in every year, is found to be more than half a day, such as 2, 5, 7, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21, 24, 26, and 29, by which means they fill up all the Inequalities that can happen.

The Greeks consider the Motions of the Sun and Moon in their Year, and as they suppos'd in antient times, that the Moons Course was exactly 30 days, they made their Year to con∣sist of 12 Moons, and by consequence of 360 days; but quickly perceiving their error, they took out 6 days, to bring it to the Lunar Year of 354 days, which being less than the Solar Year by 11 days, they found it convenient, for reconciling the Inequalities in the Motions of these two Luminaries, to insert at the end of every second year an intercalary month of 22 days, which they call'd, upon that account, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, id est, a Month added, or inser∣ted.

They understood afterwards, that the 6 hours they had omitted, which yet are a part of the time of the Solar Year above the 365 days, and make one whole day in four years, were the cause that their Year anticipated the true Solar Year one day at the end of four years; which oblig'd them to change their In∣tercalation, and put it off to the fourth year:

and then leaving only 354 days to the 3 first, under the name of the Common Year, they reckon'd 399 days to the fourth, by the addi∣tion or intercalation of one month and an half, consisting of 40 days, arising from the 11 days by which every Solar Year exceeds the Lunar, being four times counted, and the day which arises from the adding of the six hours in four years.

And to render the Intercalation more re∣markable, they made a noble Consecration of it by instituting the Olympick Games, in the time of Iphitas, at which all Greece met toge∣ther every fourth year, and hence came the Computation of time by Olympiads, every one of which consisted of four years, and are so fa∣mous in History.

Nevertheless they found at last, that this space of four years did not rectifie all the Irre∣gularities that happen'd in the Courses of the Sun and Moon, which oblig'd them to double 'em, and make a Revolution of 8 years, and because they were not hereby yet fully satis∣fy'd, they introduc'd another of 11 years.

Notwithstanding this, the Athenians did not receive such satisfaction as they hop'd for by this last Period of 11 years, but they had still remain'd in a perpetual Confusion, had not one of their Citizens, nam'd Meto, an Astro∣nomer of very profound Judgment, at last dis∣cover'd, that all these different Changes which happen'd betwixt the two Motions of the Sun and Moon would be accommodated by a Pe∣riod made up of the two former of 8 and 11 years, i. e. in the space of 19 years, after which those Stars return again to the same place where they were at first.

This Period of XIX. Years of Meto, was ordinarily call'd The Enneadecas eterais, and was receiv'd with so great Applause among the A∣thenians, that they would have it written in large Characters of Gold, and set up in a pub∣lick Place, which gave it the Name of the Gol∣den Number, and the use of it became common not only in Greece but also among the Jews, who made use of it to regulate their years, afterwards among the Romans, and lastly, a∣mong the Christians.

The Athenians began their Year at the New-Moon after the Summer Solstice, in the Month call'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. between the months of June and July. All the Magistrates, says Plu∣to, must meet in the same Temple the day before the Kalends of the Summer Solstice, when the New-year begins.

Some made their Year to consist only of three Months, others of four, as we read in Macrobius his first Book of his Saturnalia, Chap. 12.

The Carians and Acharnanians made their Year to consist of six months, and Justin tells us, That they reckon'd but fifteen days to their Month.

The Romans had three sorts of Years; 1. That of Romulus, which contain'd but ten months, beginning with March, whence it comes that December is call'd the last Month. 2. Of Numa, which corrected the gross Mi∣stake of Romulus, and added two months to the year, viz. January and February, making it to consist of 355 days only, which makes 12 Lunar months. 3. Of Julius Caesar, who dis∣covering a further Error in the Calculation, viz. That there were ten days more than Numa reckon'd, made a Year of 365 compleat days, and reserving the six hours to the end of four years, made a whole day of 'em, which he inserted before the 6th of the Calends of March; so that in that year they counted the 6th of the Calends twice, Bis sexto Calendas, whence came the word Bissextile; and the year had 366 days, and was call'd Bissextile. And this way of com∣putation has continued to our time, and from its Author is named the Julian Year.

Now the 10 days which Caesar added to the year were thus distributed, to January, August, and December, each of 'em two; to April, June, September, and November, each of 'em one.

But because in these latter times there is still an Errour found in this Calculation, and the Equinoxes insensibly go back from the point where Julius Caesar had fix'd them, they have found out, that the year had not just 365 days and six hours, but wanted about 11 minutes, which in 131 years, make the Aequioxes go back about a day; for an hour having 60 such minutes, a day must have 1440, which being divided by 11 make 130 and 10 over, so that the Aequinoxes were come back to the tenth of March. For which reason in the year 1582 Pope Gregory XIII, to reform this Error, caus'd 10 days to be taken from the Year, to bring the Aequinoxes to the 21 of March, and the 22, and 23 of September, and to prevent the like for the future, he order'd, that since 131 thrice counted make 393, i. e. almost 400 years, this matter should be regulated by Centuries, to make the account more easie and compleat, so that in 400 years, the Bissextile of 3 years should come to 100 Bissextiles. And this is that which is call'd The Gregorian Year.

The Jews count their years by weeks, and call the seventh Sabbatical, in which they were not allow'd to plow their Ground, and were oblig'd to set all their Bond-Servants at liberty. They had also their Year of Jubilee and Release, which was every 50 years, or according to o∣thers every 49 years, so that every year of Ju∣bilee was also Subbatical, but yet more famous than others, and then all Possessions, and what∣ever

else had been alienated, return'd to its first Owner.

The Greeks counted their years by Olympiads, of which every one contain'd the space of four whole and compleat years. These Olympiads took their Names from the Olympick Games, which were celebrated near the City of Pisa, otherwise call'd Olympia in Peloponnesus, from whence they were call'd Olympicks. These years were also called Iphitus's, because Iphitus first appointed them, or' at least reviv'd that Solemnity.

The Romans counted by Lustra, of which every one is 4 compleat years, or the beginning of the fifth. This word comes from Luo, which sig∣nifies to pay, because at the beginning of every fifth year they paid the Tribute impos'd on them by the Censors. They also counted their Year by a Nail, which they fix'd in a Wall of the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus.

The Year is divided into four Parts or Sea∣sons, viz. Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The Aegyptians divided it but into three Parts, Spring, Summer, and Autumn, allotting to each Season four months. They represented the Spring by a Rose, the Summer by an Ear of Corn, and the Autumn by Grapes and other Fruits. Nonnius, at the end of his Lib. 11. of his Dionysinca, describes the four Seasons of the year thus, The Seasons, saith he, appear to the Eye of the Colour of a Rose; the Daugh∣ters of the inconstent Year come into the House of their Father. The Winter casts a seeble Ray, hav∣ing her Face and Hair cover'd with Snow, and her Breast with Hoar-Frost, her Teeth chatter and all her Body is rough-coated with Cold. The Spring, crowned with Roses, sends forth a sweet Smell, and makes Garlands of Flowers for Venus and Adonis. The Summer holds in one hand a Sickle, and in the other Ears of Corn. And lastly, the Autumn ap∣pears crowned with Vine Branches, loaden with Grapes, and carrying in her hands a Basket of Fruits.

The Greeks begin to count the Years from the Creation of the World, on the first of Sep∣tember.

At Rome there are two ways of reckoning the Year; one begins at Christmass, because of the Nativity of our Saviour, and the No∣taries of Rome use this Date, setting to their Deeds à Nativitate: and the other at March, because of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, this is the Reason that the Popes Bulls are thus da∣ted, Anno Incarnationis.

The antient French Historians began the year at the Death of St. Martin, who dy'd in the year of Christ 401, or 402. They began not in France to reckon the year from January till 1564, by virtue of an Ordinance of Charles IX, King of France, for before they began the day next after Easter, about the twenty fifth of March.

they made the Companions of Providence.

one that was truly worthy to govern so great an Empire. This Emperor was compard to Numa, and indeed they had a very great resem∣blance one to the other, both as to their Minds and the Lineaments of their Face. He caus'd the Temple of Augustus, which was much ruin∣ed, to be rebuilt, and rais'd a new one to his Predecessor Adrian, who adopted him. He dyed in the Seventieth Year of his Age, and was as much lamented, as if he had been a very young Man; and 'twas observ'd, that he gave up the Ghost as if he had been in a sleep, Hea∣ven recompensing the sweetness of his Life by the easiness of his Death. He govern'd the Em∣pire Twenty two Years and Seven Months, or Twenty four Years, according to others.

Picture, He painted a Prince with great Ears, as Midas is only drawn, sitting upon a Throne atten∣ded with Suspicion and Ignorance, reaching out his Hand to Calumny, who was coming towards him with a fiery Countenance; she held in her Left Hand a Torch, aad with her other dragg'd a young innocent Child by the Hair; before her went Envy with a pale Face and blear Eyes, accompanyed with Fraud and Deceit, which dressed and adorn'd Ca∣lumny, to make her appear more agreeable; after them came Repentance, under the Figure of a Lady clad in Mourning, with her Clothes all torn, who turn'd her Head towards Truth, being full of Sorrow and Shame.

He also drew the Picture of Alexander in the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, under the Figure of a Jupiter, holding a Thunderbolt in his Hand, who seems to be issuing out of the Picture, as well as the Thunderbolt. Pliny says, he had Twenty. Talents of Gold for this rare piece.

He has left us the Lines which he drew at Protogenes's House, which are so very fine, that they seem to grow invisible; but this did not gain him so much Reputation and Esteem as his Venus proceeding from the Sea, although that Picture was never finish'd by reason of his Death.

It was also ordained, That whosoever should call him a Man should be punish'd with death; and Varro adds, That all the Statues of Isis and Serapis had a Finger upon their Lips to signifie this Prohibition. As to the Ox which Egypt kept so tenderly in honour of him, out of a strange superstitious Humour, because they worship'd it only while alive, and not when it was in the Coffin, they call'd it Apis and not Serapis. When the Ox died, another was sub∣stituted in his room, having the same Marks with the former, which pass'd for a great Mi∣racle; but certainly it was not difficult for Evil Spirits, who took pleasure in deceiving this People, to represent to a Cow, when she went to Bull, an Ox having the same Marks with the former; as Jacob made the Goats and Sheep of the same colours, by placing speckled Rods before the Eyes of the Dams, at the time of Conception.

The Author of the Book de Mirabilibus Scri∣pturae, which is among the Works of St. Austin, affirms, That the Egyptians erected the figure of an Ox near the Scpulchre of Joseph. Suidas says the same thing, viz. That Apis was the Symbol of Joseph, or of some other rich Person, who had furnished the Egyptians with Corn in the time of a great Famine; and that a Temple was built to him after his death, wherein an Ox was kept, as being the resemblance of an Husbandman, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. There is a very great Agreement between Joseph and this Symbol, for 'tis very well known, that Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's Dream by the Power of Divine Wisdom, and that he took the seven fat Kine to be signs of the Fruitfulness of the Land. Now, 'tis hardly to be imagin'd, but this miraclous Prediction of seven Years of Plenty, and seven of Famine, and the Preser∣vation of Egypt by laying up great Quantities of Corn, must inspire the Egyptians with a great Veneration for Joseph; and it was impossible but the great Opinion they had of him must, in process of time, degenerate into Superstiti∣on, in a People who had so strong an Inclina∣tion to it. In fine, Trogus Pompeius, or his E∣pitomizer Justin, says, That considering the Vene∣ration that Nation had for Joseph, 'twas impossible that they, who made all their Benefactors Gods and Demigods, should not give him Divine Honours.

The Name of Apis agrees very well to Joseph, for since the Egyptian Tongue must needs have a great affinity with that of the Canaanites or He∣brews, Apis may be derived from the Hebrew word Ab, which signifies a Father, from whence we have the word Avus. Now, Joseph was truly a Father to Egypt, and therefore Pharaoh caused him to be proclaimed every where with this Epithet Abrec, which signifies Pater Tanet, i. e. a Tender Father.

Apollo were one and the same Person, accor∣ding to the following Fable, 'Tis said therefore that Jupiter having heard the Complaint which the Infernal Spirits made against the Physician Aes∣culapius, the Son of Apollo, who cured the Sick with his Medicines, and even raised the Dead to Life again, as he did Hippolytus, (which depopu∣lated Pluto's Kingdom) destroy'd him with a Thun∣derbolt: Apollo being irritated against Jupiter, reveng'd it upon the Cyclops, who made the Thun∣derbolt, and kill'd them with his Arrows: for this Action Apollo was driven out of Heaven, and forced for a Livelyhood, says Lucian, to hire himself out to Admetus in Thessaly, as a Shep∣herd to look after his Flocks; and afterwards in Phrygia to Laomedon, in the company of Nep∣tune, where they passed their miserable time in making of Bricks, wherewith they built the Walls of Troy, and were so unfortunate as never to be paid for their Labour. From hence it appears that he was call'd Nomion from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies a Shepherd. The Fable also relates of him, That Mercury, soon after he was born, stole the Flock of Admetus from him, by playing upon an Instrument made of Tortoise-shell; but when Apollo would have shot an Arrow at him, he found that he had also rob'd him of his Bow and Arrows, at which the God fell a laughing, as Horace tells us in these Verses,

Te, boves olim nisi reddidisses Per dolum amotas, puerum minaci Voce dum terret, viduus pharetrâ Risit Apollo. Carm. Lib. 1. Od. 10.

I intend not in this place to treat of any other Apollo but him who was the Son of Jupi∣ter and Latona, who was brought to bed of him and Diana in the Isle of Delos, according to the most common opinion, tho Tacitus is of another mind, when he tells us, How the Ephe∣sians in former times represented to the Senate, that Apollo and Diana were not born in the Isle of De∣los, as ignorant People believe, and for proof of this, he says, they shew'd at that time a consecrated River and Forest in their Country, where Latona, being big with these Deities was happily deliver'd; that the Olive-tree on which she lean'd in the pains of her Travail was still remaining after so many A∣ges; that the River was called Cenchris, and the Forest Ortygia; and that Apollo retir'd to this place when he fled from the Wrath of Jupiter, after the slaughter of the Cyclopes. Plutarch, in the Life of Pelopidas, thinks that Apollo was born in the City of Tegyra, where there were two Fountains, one of which was called the Palm, and the other the Olive, with a Mountain cal∣led Delos. But whatsoever was the place of his Birth, 'tis certain that the Antients believ'd Apollo to be the Inventer and God of Harmony, as he himself boasts to Daphne, who despised his Courtship,

—Per me concordant carmina nervis.

In the second place they made him the God of Physick and Botany, which consist in knowing the Virtue of Plants; and this was the opinion both of the Greeks and Romans, upon which ac∣count Ovid brings him in speaking thus,

Inventum medicina meum est, epiferque per orbem Dicor, & herbarum subject a potentia nobis. Metam. lib. 1.

Thus Hippocrates order'd his Disciples to swear by Apollo the God of Medicine; yet Hyginus makes Apollo to be only the Inventer of Medi∣cines relating to the Eyes, such as our Oculists profess to know. M. Falvius Nebilior being Censor in the year 574, built a Temple to him under the Title of The God of Medicine; and the Falisci instituted Sacrifices for him, and a Soci∣ety of Priests upon Mount Soracte, where his Priests have been seen to walk unhurt upon burning Coals, for a proof of their Sanctity, and of the Protection they receive from this God, as Virgil tells us,

Summe Deûm, & sancti custos Seractis Apollo, Quem primi colimus, cui pineas ardor ace••vo Pascitur, & medium freti pietate per ignem Cultores mulid premimus vestigia pra••••. Aeneid. lib. 11. v. 785.

In the third place, the Invention of Bows and Arrows is attributed to him, and therefore he is made the God of Archers who shoot out of the Long-Bow, or the Cross-Bow. He kil∣led the Serpent Python with his Arrows, from whence he was surnamed the Pythian: And obliged the Greeks to institute the Pythian Games in honour of him, of which I shall speak here∣after.

Instituit sacros celebri certamine ludos, Pythla de domita serpentis nomine dictos. Ovid. Metam. lib. 1.

He was accounted the God of Musick, and of Poetry, and was always painted with his Harp when he was in their Company. The Poets commonly invoke him when they begin their Poems, to the end he may inspire them, and enable them to sing the Praises of Gods and Men in suitable Strains.

Antiquity also believ'd him to be a Prophet, who foretold things to come, and deliver'd Oracles to Cities and Private Persons who con∣sulted him with Water, Incense and the Tripod, about their Undertaking: And when he was about to deliver his Oracles, says Lucian, the Colour of his Face chang'd, his Hair stood on end, his Throat swell'd, his Eyes roll'd about, and his Body trem∣bled; at last he open'd his sacred Mouth and pro∣phesied.

The places which were most famous for his Oracles, were Delos, Claros, Tenedos, Cyrtha and

Patara, and from these places he was surnam'd Delian, Clarian, &c. He deliver'd Oracles at Delos during the six Months of Summer, and at Patara in Lycia, during the six Months of Winter: the Delians therefore, fancying that he return'd to Delos at the beginning of Sum∣mer, came all to welcom him there with the Sound of Musical Instruments, dancing and playing antick Tricks, as Virgil has observ'd in these Verses,

Qualis ubi hybernam Lyciam, Xanthique flu∣enta Descrit, ac Delum maternam invisit Apollo, Instauratque cheros, &c. Aeneid. lib. 4. v. 143.

The Greeks called this Solemnity 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and the Removing of the God 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

At Delos there was an Altar in his Temple, which pass'd for an extraordinary piece of Art, it was made of little pieces of Horn, so exactly join'd together, that they seem'd all to be but one entire piece. It was call'd Ara Apollinis, and Ara Cornea. Martial mentions it in his Book of Shows,

Nec Triviae templo molles laudentur honores. Dissimuletque deum cornibus ara frequens. Epigr. 1. v. 3.

He had also a Temple at Claros, a little City in the Territory of Colophona, where there was also a Mountain and a Grove dedicated to the Clarian Apollo. This is represented to us in a Greek Medal of the Emperour Trebonian, in which there is the Picture of the Emperour on one side, and on the Reverse a Temple stand∣ing upon four Pillars; over the fore-part of the Gate Apollo sits holding a Harp in his hand, and under the Stairs of the Temple, these Letters are to be read TO KOINON 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Corporation of the Ionians. Under these Let∣ters is an Ox to be seen at the foot of an Altar, and round about it there are thirteen Persons placed in a Semicircle who lift up their hands on high, with this Inscription under the sides of the Medal, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. Under Claudius Aristion, a Priest of the Ionian Colepho∣nians. This last Word discovers to us, that the Colophonians stamp'd this Medal, for their City was one of the most famous in all Ionia; and that which chiefly render'd it famous was the Temple of Clarian Apollo, which, next to that of Ephesus, was the most considerable in all Ionia: altho it was never finished, as we learn from Pausanias in his Achaica, yet it was very famous for the Oracles which Apollo gave there. It was not built in Colophon it self, but in Claros a little City belonging to the Territory of Co∣lophon.

The most celebrated and the richest of all the Temples which Greece erected to this God, was that at Delphos: all the Nations of the Earth vy'd with one another in sending rich Presents thither, and People came from all parts to consult this God there. Croesus sent thither Ingots of Gold to build an Altar in that Temple: and Phalaris, the Tyrant of Agrigen∣tum, made a Present to it of a brazen Bull, which was a Masterpiece of Art, and a Testi∣mony of his Piety.

The Romans likewise made many Altars, and built many Temples to him at Rome, and in other Cities of the Empire; but the most famous of them all was that which Augustus built upon Mount Palatine, after the Victory of Actium which he obtain'd over Anthony and Cleopatra Queen of Egypt; from whence Apollo was called by the Names of Apollo Palatinus, Actiacus, and Navalis: for this Prince could not satisfie himself with building to this God (to whom he had address'd himself before the Fight) a Chappel upon the Promontory of A∣ctium, with Games and Sacrifices in honour to him; but he had a mind to give yet more sig∣nal and remarkable demonstrations of his Piety, by erecting stately Temples to him in the Capi∣tal City of the Empire, whose Structure and Magnificence is almost incredible. It was built of the Marble of Claros, with divers Or∣naments within and without of richer Mate∣rials: There you might see a spatious Portico for the holding a Library of Greek and Latin Authors: Upon the Walls of this Temple was painted the History of Danaus's fifty Daughters on one side, and on the other Equestrian Sta∣tues of the Children of Egypt: In the place be∣fore the Temple there were four Cows of Brass, done by the hand of Myron, and there∣fore called Armenta Mironis, which represented the Daughters of Pretus the King of Argos, who were chang'd into Cows, because they were counted more beautiful than Juno, or rather

because this Change of 'em was made in their own imagination by a black Melancholy, whereof Melampus cur'd 'em with one Dose of Hellebore, according to the Relation of Pliny. In the same place grew a Laurel-Tree, which was of the same Age with Augustus, and had been planted before the Palace of that Prince. The Gates of this Temple were of Ivory, en∣rich'd with many Basso-relievo's, which repre∣sented the Gaules when they threw themselves head-long from the top of the Capitol, and the Fourteen Daughters of Niobe the Daughter of Tantalus, who perish'd miserably through the Pride of their Mother, who had provok'd the Wrath of Apollo and Latona against her.

In the Frontispiece there appear'd a Chariot of the Sun of massie Gold, whose Figure was crown'd with Rays, which darted so much Fire, and so vigorous a Light, that they were taken for the true Rays of that Star. Within the Temple was plac'd the Statue of the God made of Marble, done by the hand of Scopas, an excellent Statuary; together with another Giant-like Statue made of Brass, being Fifty foot high. There also was to be seen a Can∣dlestick in the shape of a Tree, on whose Bran∣ches the Fruit hang'd, which were like so ma∣ny sparkling Lamps; and on these Branches the Poets hung their Poems which they of∣fer'd up to Apollo, as Horace tells us, Ep. 3. l. 1.

—Et tangere vitet Scripta, Palatinus quaecunque recepit Apollo.

The same Poet in Compliment to Augustus, in∣vites him to examin these Poems, and consider whether they were worthy of Apollo;

—Si minus Apolline dignum Vis complere libris, & vatibus addere calcar. Horat. lib. 2. ep. 1.

Augustus caus'd also an Image of the same God to be made of Silver, which wore Sandals up∣on its Feet; and for this reason he was call'd Apollo Sandapilarius, or rather because this Sta∣tue was plac'd at Rome, in Sandapilario vico.

The Greeks represented Apollo as young and beardless, having Hair dishevel'd, and flying up, as it were, with a blast of Wind, carry∣ing upon his Back a Quiver furnish'd with Ar∣rows, and holding a Bow in his Hand, as we see in the Medals of Nero, where he is drawn crown'd with Laurel, having his Quiver upon his Shoulder, and the Star of Phoebus by his side, with these Greek words, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. e. Apollo the Saviour.

We have also other Medals whereon he is represented, sometimes holding a Harp in one Hand, and a Branch of Laurel in the other; and sometimes clothed with a long Robe, ha∣ving a Harp in one Hand, and in the other a Cup, which is the Emblem of his Divinity. There is yet remaining an antient Figure of Jasper, on which the Tripod of Apollo is to be seen, and the Crow which was consecrated to him, having at his Feet a Harp on one side, and on the other a Branch of Laurel. The Emperor Gallienus, after his Expedition in the East, caus'd him to be represented in the shape of a Centaur, holding in one Hand his Harp, and in the other a Globe, with this Device, Apollini comiti. Probus made him appear like a Charioteer, mounted upon a Chariot crown'd with Rays, who holds the Reins of his Four Horses, with these words, Soli invicto. The other Emperor, as Constantius, Aurelian, and Crispus, stamp'd an Image of him upon their Money, which shew'd the Figure of a clear Sun, crown'd with Rays, holding in the Right Hand a Globe, and in the Left a Whip, with this Device, Soli invicto comiti; which signifies, that they had vanquish'd and subdu'd many Provinces by the Assistance of Apollo, or the Sun.

Lucian in his Dea Syria informs us, that there si a Temple in that Country, where the Statue of Apollo has a Beard, and appears to be of per∣fect Age, and not like a young Man, as he is usually represented; because, say they, this is an Imperfection: His statue there has also this peculiar to it, that it is clothed, whereas all the other Statues of this God are not. In this Temple Apollo delivers his Oracles himself, whereas in other places it is done by his Priests. When he has a mind to fore-tell any thing, he shakes himself, then the Priests take him up upon their Shoulders, and if they do not, he moves of himself and sweats: When they hold him, he leads them whither he will, and guides them as a Coachman does his Horses, turning here and there, and going from one place to another: As soon as the High-Priest asks him what he has a mind to know, if the thing dis∣pleases him, he goes backward, if not, he goes forward. Thus they divine what his Will is; and they do nothing either in publick or pri∣vate until they have first consulted him; and he foretells the Change of Times and Seasons, and even Death it self.

Among Animals, the Wolf, the Raven, the Crow, the Cigale [the Cicada of the Antients, a flying Insect like a Grashopper] the Cock, and the Spar-Hawk; as also the Laurel, and Olive-Tree, among Trees, were consecrated to him by the Antients.

Apollo was esteem'd a God different from the Sun; for the latter was suppos'd to be the Son of Hyperion, one of the Titans, from whence he was call'd Hyperione natus, and Titania proles; whereas Apollo was the Son of Jupiter and Latona; nevertheless they are frequently confounded.

Vossius thinks that the Jubal mentioned in Holy Scripture was Apollo, to whom the Pagans attributed the Invention and Honour of Vo∣cal and Instrumental Musick. Bochart has ob∣served that the Isle of Delos, where Apollo was born, takes its name from Dahal, i. e. Terror Deus; that the name of Mount Cynthus, where Latona was brought to bed, is deriv'd from Chanat, i. e. in lucem edere. This Fable then of Apollo comes originally from the East, and Apollo is an Egyptian God, according to Pausa∣nias, who relates that a Senator call'd Antoninus built at Epidaurus a Temple to Apollo and Aescu∣lapius, Egyptian Gods; for of [the four Apollo's mentioned by Cicero, the three latter were cer∣tainly of Greek original, but the most antient was he of Egypt.

Lactantius proves that Apollo was no more than a mere Man; and that he was like other Men, not only in his Birth but in his Crimes, which tho the Fable did not invent, yet could not conceal.

Vossius further tells us, That the Fable of the Raven sent by Apollo, is plainly copied from the History of the Raven sent by Noah; for as the Raven, sent to discover whether the Wa∣ters of the Deluge were gone off from the Face of the Earth, did not return again into the Ark; so the Poets feign'd, that Apollo having sent a Raven to fetch Water, this lazy and un∣faithful Bird rested on a Fig-tree, and waited till the Figs were ripe, to eat them, as Ovid tells us.

Bochart remarks, with great probability, that the Fable of the Serpent Python kill'd by Apollo, took its original from Phoenicia, because the Name of Python or Pethon in the Hebrew Tongue signifies a Serpent, and from thence Apollo was call'd Pythian.

—Oetaeas spernite stammas. Omnia qui vicit, vincet, quos cernitis, ignes: Nec nisi maternâ Volcanum parte potentem Sentiet. Aeternum est, à me quad traxit, & expers Atque immune necis, nullû{que} domabile flammâ. Idque ego defunctum terrâ, coelestibus oris Accipiam, &c. Metam. l. 9. v. 250.

In another place of the same Poet, Venus de∣sires of Jupiter the Deification of Aeneas:

—Quamvis parvum, des, optime, Numen; Dummodo des aliquod. Satis est inamabile reg∣num Aspexisse semel, stygios semel isse per amnes. Assensere Dei. ibid. l. 14. v. 489.

The Meaning of the Poet is, That Aeneas having made a Descent into Hell, out of Piety and Religion, in his Life-time, it was not just that he should descend thither again after his Death. The Expiation of his Mortality was made, not by Fire, but by Water, and for this end a Com∣mission was granted to the River Numicius, which wash'd away the stains of his Mortality:

Hunc jubet Aeneae quaecunque obnoxia morti, Abluere; & tacito deferre sub aequora cursu. Corniger exequitur Veneris mandata; suisque Quicquid in Aenea fuerat mortale, repurgat, Et respergit aquis; pars optima restitit illi. Lustratum genitrix divino corpus odore Unxit, & ambrosiâ cum dulci nectare mixtâ Contigit os, fecitque Deum. ibid. v. 500.