caue where Nature sits the soules of men seeme to flutter and houer ouer her head which importeth the infinite numbers of men that are euerie day created bringing then with them their soules and for that they appeare to flie directly ouer the bosome of Eternitie it meaneth that whosoeuer attaines vnto that excellencie of perfection must first enter his aspiring steps by the means of Nature and for that cause she is placed at the dore or portall The aged man which there sits deuiding and parting the starres may be called God not that hee is old for time ouer him loseth her vertue and worketh no effect who of himselfe is perpetuall and euer-liuing but that the auncients heretofore haue pleased so defigure him and because he effecteth all things by infinite wisdome ruling and commanding all creatures whatsoeuer by his vnspeakeable power they therefore attribute vnto him old age wherein is commonly found more wisdome grauitie and experience than in youth Thus farre Boccace reporteth not touching any thing at all the explication of the ages and worlds which followed in that his description in that indeed they were not so enigmaticall but euery one might easily admit the conceiuing knowledge of so familiar intendements Therefore now wee will proceed beginning with the Image or Statue of Saturnus according as it hath beene by the Auncients heretofore composed Saturne SAturne being expulsed heauen by Iupiter as histories record and throwne downe from thence into this middle region after many daies sailing vpon the sea at the length hee ariued in Italie where hee liued manie yeares with Ianus then king of that part of the Countrey where Rome afterwards was built but poorely and meanely he liued as indeed all the people in those times did as hauing vnfound out the vse of tilling and planting whereby corne and other fruits of the earth might suppeditate their wants of necessarie food and victuall The vse of which things they now learned from Saturne who painfully instructed them in the perfect knowledge of the nature of each soile and how and by what industrious meanes of art any ground fruitlesse of it self by nature might become fertile and rich This learned and powerfull skill of Saturne Ianus infinitely admired insomuch as manifesting his gratefulnesse for so be hoofefull and commodious a good turne receaued he communicated part of his kingdome for him to liue vpon affording him many other princely and respectiue regards And further commanded his people that when he died they should with all reuerence honour him as a god a thing easily embraced by the ignorant Heathen in those daies who in that they had receiued so vnexpected a benefite from his meanes willinglie condiscended to ascribe and attribute vnto him all godlike reuerence and deuout adoration as men indeed vnto whome the sole and eternall God had not ministred the Key of vnderstanding that their close-shut hearts liuing in the darke caue of ignorance might therewith bee opened and vnlocked for the admittance of the true acknowledgment of his sacred deitie but they onely worshipped him for their god who by his humane knowledge had found out some new means either for the earths better increase or other like profit that were most auaileable for their labour-lesse and sluggish liuing And therefore they willingly adored Saturne as a mightie and puissant god dedicating vnto him manie sumptuous Statues and temples And him in his Statue they framed with a hooke or syth in his hand demonstrating thereby as they meant it the inuention of tilling of the ground because with that the corne once recouering his maturitie is cut downe Other writers there are that would haue him signifie Tyme as that with his sythe he should measure and proportionise the length of Time and therewith to decurtate and cut away all things contained therein Those also would haue him to be in the shape of a very aged man as one who began from beginning of the world holding in his hand a child which by peecemeales hee seemes greedily to deuour importing the reuenge hee tooke being banished heauen by his owne children those which escapt the furious gulfe of his maw were onely foure Iupiter Iuno Pluto and Neptune which intend the foure elements Fire Aire earth and Water which are not perishable by the all-cutting sickle of deuouring time Martianus Capella depictures him holding in his right hand a Serpent with the end of her taile in her mouth still turning round with a heauie and dead slow pace and he hath his temples redemyted with a greene wreath which seemeth still to flourish his haire of his head and his beard all milke white looking like one of many yeares withering and declining and yet manifesting that it is in his power to rebecome youthfull fresh and blooming The wreath on his head imports the beginning or spring of the yeare his haire and beard the snowie approch of churlish Winter the slownesse of the serpents paces the sluggish reuolution of that planet which as it is of all the greatest so it asketh longest time for his circular circumference and in that from this plannet proceed dolorous and dismall effects they shape him to be old louring sorrowing hardfauonred and sluggish his nature being cold drie and melancholie The same Martianus sayth That the nuptials of Mercurie and Philologia when she had searched and perviewed each corner of the higher and lower heauens shee found Saturne sitting with great solitude in an extream cold mansion all frozen couered with yse and snow wearing on his head a helmet on which was liuely depictured three heads the one of a Serpent the other of a Lyon and the third of a Boare which three by many constructions may signifie the effect of Time but in that it is by the Authors themselues but sleightly approued we will wade no further in it And yet Macrobius toucheth it very neerely when hee describes him with a Lyons head a Dogs head and a Wolfes head intending by the Lyons head the time present which duly placed betweene that past and that to come preuaileth most and is of greatest force or discouering thereby the stormie troubles of mans life by the rough vnpleasing and grim aspect of the Lyon by that of the Dog is meant the present time who alwaies fawnes on vs and by whose alluring delights we are drawne vnto vaine and vncertain hopes The Wolues head signifies the time past by his greedie deuouring what ere he finds leauing no memorie behind of what hee catcheth within his clawes Astarte the daughter of Celum and wife and sister of Saturne made for her husband a princely helmet which had foure eies two before and two behind which continually shut themselues slept by turns so that two alwaies were open and vpon his shoulders were likewise made foure wings two of them volant and two couchant which signified that although he slept he alwaies waked and flying continued fixe and permanent vnclouding hereby the nature of
of corne about her head The summer sits in her all-parching heat And Autumne dy ' de with iuice of grapes downepoures A world of new-made wine of purest red Next whom as placed all in due arow Sits grim-fac'd winter couerd all with snow These Stations are many times thus intellected by the Spring is meant Venus the Summer signifies Ceres Autumne challengeth Bacchus and for the Winter wee oftentimes vnderstand Vulcan sometimes the winds with Eolus their commaunder because from these proceed those tempestuous stormes which are commonly predominant in that season Vnder the feet of lanus is oftentimes placed twelue altars meaning thereby the moneths of the yeare or signes of the Zodiake which the sunne yearely in his expedition doth circulate There was found in Rome a Statue dedicated vnto Ianus which had as it might seeme foure dores and vnderneath foure columnes which vnderpropped and supported the weightie heauinesse of the Image in euery one of which columnes were set foure seuerall shels of fish wherein were intersected the twelue months with greatest curiousnesse of art delimated and filed And let this suffice for the Statues of Ianus progressing to the Images and Pictures dedicated to the Sunne for that he seemes to be the graund patrone of all Times and that all things whatsoeuer haue their being and increase through his vertues and motions Apollo THe error that so possessed the vnsetled and wauering thoughts of the auncients beleeuing that there were many and diuerse gods proceeded from the opinion that they then carried of wise-appearing and learned-seeming men in those daies who with their pleasing deliuerie of things supposed to bee reuealed vnto them brought and seduced the people into such a setled beleefe of those their absurdities as long after it continued ere they could free their intangled conceits from such their bewitching ensnarements for they onely seeking from what originall cause the birth and encrease of things vpon the earth might arise wholly ignorant of the true conceiuement thereof as men guided only by others opinions and common natures reasons and therfore not able to aduance their cogitations to the imbracement of the true cause indeed being the inuisible and euer-liuing God some of them iudged the elements to be the cheefe and efficient workers of what the earth yeelded forth and produced Neither did all of them attribute this vnto al the elements together but some only gaue the cause of such increase to the vertues of the water some to fire some to the aire and many also to the earth Whervpon the Poets as Aristotle saith being the first that chaunted forth the powers of such their gods induced the sillie and soon-persuaded people to thinke that there were then in efficient power many and diuers By reason whereof and vpon such surmises they called Neptune or Oceanus the father of the gods and the mother of them Vesta or Ops the wife of Saturne whome likewise they entearmed Lagrand Madre vnderstanding thereby the earth in that from her as from the originall proceed al increases whatsoeuer and this was generally the opinion of the Arcadians Thales Milesius ascribed the cause of such generation of things vnto the vertues of the water and so diuerse others were of diuerse and seuerall opinions and in the end they brought the vulgars to beleeue likewise that the Sunne the Moone and the Starres were the only causes of such encrease on the earth whereupon it issued that they were afterwards regarded and worshipped as gods hauing Altars Statues and Temples consecrated vnto them And yet generally with the Assyrians this persuasion preuailed not For say they we may well erect Temples and Images to many other gods but vnto those whose true shapes wee may continually behold with our eies it shall bee very purposelesse yet notwithstanding saith Macrobius because some in those daies affirme the sonne and Iupiter to be all one in one part of Assyria there was found a Statue made and erected of the Sonne all gloriously beautified and polished with gold in the forme of a young man without a beard who stretching out his armes held in the right hand a coachmans whip and in the left a thunderbolt with certaine eares of corne shewing therby the powers both of Sol and Iupiter And because that of all the celestiall bodies hee carrieth greatest force in the creation of terrene things the ancients through him vnderstand many times many of their gods as his vertues natures and effects are many Wherupon it grew that they framed him in so diuers and seuerall shapes But leauing such their opinions to themselues wee will now speake of him as he is Apollo Sol and Phebus which three I doe make all one him therefore the auncients as I haue already said shaped with a very youthfull countenance beardlesse and young-yeard Alciatus speaking of that youthfulnesse which the ancients then framed and set downe in the shape of a beauteous Nimph with her apparell exquisitely well wouen excelling in curious worke of foliature hauing her temples bound about and instrophiated with sweet-smelling garlands resembling much the goddesse Flora depainteth there among such workes of youthfulnesse the true forme of Apollo and Bacchus as vnto which two it did onely belong to bee alwaies young Whereof Tibullus likewise speaking among other his descriptions thus sayth Bacchus alone and Phebus aye are young Though both of them haue beards both white and long Where Tibullus depainteth Apollo with a bread though Macrobius and generally all others set him downe otherwise as Dionisius the Tyrant of Syracusa likewise approueth when he taking occasion to discouer the sharpenesse of his conceited ieasts with great furie pulled away the beard from the picture of Esculapius saying That it was very inconuenient and incongruent that the father should be beardlesse and the sonne to haue one so wondrous huge and exceeding long for that indeed it is read that Esculapius was the sonne of Apollo Many that haue depictuted the shape of Apollo make him holding in his hand a Harpe with seuen strings agreeing in number with the planets of the heauens which mouing with a due destinction yeeld forth a pleasing harmonie Macrobius sayth That the sunne continually standeth amidst the planets commanding them to hasten or enslacke their reuolutions in manner as in efficient vigor and strength they receiue from him their vertues and operations And for this cause likewise the auncients called him the head or guide of the Muses which likewise were framed like vnto young virgines of beauteous and youthfull aspect habited as wandering and siluane Nimphs with diuerse-shaped instruments in their hands melodiously and with a soule-rauishing touch continually playing and from these all the liberall sciences acknowledge their being whereupon they were entearmed the daughters of Iupiter and Memoria as instantly becomming skilfull and perfect in what they vndertake to learne They were impalled with coronets composed of sundry-shaped flowers and leaues to which were
the Moone was reuerenced and adored vnder diuers and seuerall names so likewise did they then erect and dedicat vnto her Statues Altars and Images of diuers and seuerall formes for that with some she was called Diana with others Proserpina with others Hecate with other some Lucina and in Aegypt generally entearmed Isis And according vnto such the propertie of her names they so ascribed vnto her would they expresse her proportion of bodie her habit her natures vertues and effects And therefore according to the description of Propertius shee was depictured in the shape and due resemblance of a young and pleasantlooking virgine of most amourous and beauteous aspect hauing on either side of her forehead two small glistering hornes newly peeping forth and that she is most gloriously drawne through the aire in a purple coloured coach by two furious and swift-paced horses the one being of a sad and darkish colour the other beautifull and white which according to Boccace entendeth her powerfull operations as well in the day as in the night Festus Pompeius writeth That her charriot is drawne by a Mule comparing her being cold of nature to the barrennesse and sterrillitie of that beast and as her selfe giueth no light or splendour of her selfe but borroweth such her brightnesse of her brother Phoebus so the Mule neuer engendreth by any of her owne kind but by asses horses and other like beastes There are also who depicture the chariot of the Moone drawne by two white bullockes as Claudianus when he speaketh of that great search and enquiry which Ceres made for the finding out of her rauished daughter It is read that in many places of Aegypt they reuerenced the Image of a bullocke with wonderfull zeale and veneration which they cut out and depainted of a sad colour hauing one of his flanckes bespotted with diuers white stars and on his head were placed two such sharpe hornes as the Moone seemeth to carrie in her cheefest waine and lights imperfection And in those places they offered great Sacrifices vnto her vpon the seuenth day after any child was born and brought into the world as in token of their gratefulnesse and thanksgiuing for the safe deliuerie of such new-borne infant for from the moisture and humiditie of the Moone say they the woman receiueth speedier deliuerance and the child easier euacation And for these causes would they oftentimes inuoke her gracious assistance entearming her the most mightie mercifull and most sacred Lucina Marcus Tullius writing against Verres describeth there a Statue or Picture of Diana which he brought from out a temple in Cicilia and he saith that it was of a wondrous heigth and huge demension hauing the whole bodie circumcinct with a thin vaile or couerture the face of it of a most youthfull and virgineall aspect holding in her right hand a liuely burning torch and in her left an yuorie bow with a quiuer of siluer-headed arrows hanging at her back The torch or firebrand as Pausanias sayth signifieth that brightnesse and day-resembling splendor which she so graciously affordeth to the vncertaine steps of forren-nationed pilgrimes and disconsolate trauellers the sharpe pointed arrowes meane those dolourous fits and passions that women feele at their childs deliuerance which in this point is appropriated vnto her as she is Lucina Among the Poets Diana is called the goddesse of hunting and imperiall gouernesse of pleasant groues shrub-bearing hils and christal-faced fountaines giuen vnto her as some hold for that in the heauens she neuer keepeth any direct course but wanders and stragles from that true and perfect circuit which the sunne alwaies obserueth as likewise hunters in the chase and pursuit of their game leaue the most accustomed and trodden paths posting through vncouth thickets and way-lesse passage and they depicture her in the habit of a young nimph with her bow ready bent in her hand a quiuer of arrowes hanging at one side of her and to the other is fast tied a most swiftfooted greyhound with a coller about his necke set and inchased with many rich stones of infinite value and after her follow a troope of siluan virgines and light-paced huntresses whose habites and aspects I remember to be by some thus described Early one morne old Tithons spouse arose And raisd young Phebus from his quiet rest Drawing the certaines that did then disclose Him fast twixt Thetis armes whom he lou'd best He when he heard the summons of the day After some sweet repast streight stole away Scarce was he mounted on his glorious car When thwart th'ambitious hils and lowly plaine Scouring a pace you might perceiue a far A troupe of Amazons to post amaine But when they neerer came vnto your view You might discerne Diana and her crue A carelesse crue of young-year'd Nimphs despising The ioyous pleasures and delights of loue Wasting their daies in rurall sports deuising Which know no other nor will other proue Wing'd with desire to ouertake the chace Away they fling with vnresisted pace Some haue their haire disheuel'd hanging downe Like to the suns small streames or new gold wires Some on their heade doe weare a flowry crowne Gracing the same with many curious tires But in their hot pursute they loose such graces Which makes more beautie beautifie their faces Their neckes and purple-vained armes are bare And from their yuorie shoulders to the knee A silken vesture o're their skin they weare Through which a greedie eie would quickly see Close to their bodies is the same ingerted With girdles in the which are flowers inserted Ech in their hand a siluer bow doth hold With well-stor'd quiuers hanging at their backes Whose arrowes being spent they may be bold To borrow freely so that none ere lackes They neuer need be niggards of their store For at their idle times they make them more Sometimes when hottest they pursue their chases You may perceiue how fast the sweat distilleth In hasty-running streames adowne their faces Like seuen-fold Nilus when she prowdly swelleth For from the time that first Hyperion burneth They cease not till the widowed night returneth And in that swartish and estranged hue Causd by th'abundance of such blubbred heate They looke like youthfull men at the first view So are their beauties ouer-drownd with sweate Thus are those nimble skipping Nimphs displaid That vse t'attend that Goddesse Queene and Maid And thus much touching the description of those virgines which are said to accompanie that woods-delighting goddesse in her sports of hunting Pausanias writeth That the bow in which Diana her selfe vseth to shoot is made of the saddest coloured Ebonie cleane contrarie to the opinion of Ouid who directly describeth it to be of the purest gold and hee further writeth that her chariot is drawne by two white Hinds as Claudianus likewise affirmeth when hee sayth Downe from the steepest clouds-o're-peering mountaines Drawne in a chariot by two winged hinds Posts the commandresse of the groues and
vnto her doe vnshadow that for riches wealth honour and aduancements men vndertake armes and are conuersant in the greatest dangers of the warres And shee is also oftentimes pictured with a scepter in her hand to shew that shee hath the bestowing of gouernments authorities kingdomes as likewise shee promised Paris vpon such his censure of beautie betweene the three goddesses Vnto her also is dedicated among the auncients the Peacocke as the bird cheefly appropriated vnto her as that men are so drawne and allured with the desire of riches to the possession and embracement thereof as the diuerse-coloured feathers of this bird enticeth the beholders eyes more and more to view to gase vpon them And Boccace speaking of the progenie of the gods saith there That men of mightie reuenues treasures and possessions are alluded to this bird as that they are prowd insolent desirous to ouer-rule all men and well pleased to be soothed vp and flattered in such their thrasonicall humours and ouer-arrogant haughtinesse desirous to be praised extolled whether iustly or vndeseruedly it matters not of which sort of people as in those times of Boccace so I doe not thinke also but in these daies many of them may be easily found out Among the auncients it is deliuered that the messenger of Iuno is called Iris by which name also the Rainebow many times is vnderstood and that shee was the daughter of Thaumante which signifieth admiration insomuch as the strange varietie of the colours thereof possesseth the beholders minds with a continuing wonder and admiring continuation And shee is apparrelled in loose vestures for the more nimblenesse and dispatch of the goddesses affaires and negotiations who besides this messenger had also fourteene other nimphs continually awaiting vpon her prest and readie to performe all dutious seruices and seruiceable duties as Virgil affirmeth when he sayth that shee promised vnto Eolus the fairest most beautifull of all her handmaids if he would let loose his then imprisoned winds to the dispersing and scattering of Aeneas fleet then bound for the coasts of Italie And these are said to bee the causes of the changes and alterations of the aire making it sometimes faire sometimes tempestuous rainie and cloudie and some other times sending down haile snow thunder and lightening Martianus depainting Iuno sitting in a lower chaire vnder Iupiter thus describes her She hath her head sayth he inuested and couered with a thinne white vaile on the top whereof is seated a stately coronet inchased adorned with many most precious and rare-found Iewels as the Heliotrope the Smarald Iacynth and Scythis with manie other of more vnknowne vertues and wonder-worthie operations her inward vestures are composed of some maruellous subtle substance reflecting with a most starre-like glister appearing as it had beene made of glassie tinsell ouer it depended a mantle or vpper couerture of a sad darkish colour yet yeelding forth as it were a secret-shining lustre and beautie her shoes were of a most obscure and gloomie colour as signifying the sable countenance which suddaine wonder the afflicted and waue-tossed sea men tooke as an assured token of insuing safetie as it afterwards fell out Whereupon it came to passe that alwaies afterwards that starre was inuocated and called vpon by distressed Mariners as Seneca and Pliny likewise report That the appearance of that star foretelleth serenitie of weather and peaceable calmes And because this star is seated in the aire and so Iuno her selfe many times taken for the aire it pleased Apuleius as I haue alreadie written as he tooke it by tradition from the auncients to accompany this goddesse with those two brothers Castor and Pollux It is found with Pausanias that in a certaine place of Beotia there was a temple dedicated vnto Iuno in the which was erected her Statue of a wondrous heigth and extension and it had to name as the Italian giueth it Giunone sposa The reason of such name may be this Iuno on a certaine time vpon some occasions displeased and discontented with Iupiter in a great choller and furious rage departed from him and went away euen to the furthest parts of Eubea he willing to pacifie and calme such the conceaued anger of his wife asked aduise of Citheron then lord of that Countrey how she might be won called home and reclaimed hee presently aduised him that hee forthwith should cause to bee built an Image or picture of the wood of an Oke in the due likenesse and proportion of a yong virgine and couering it ouer with some nuptiall vestments should procure the same cunningly to be caried along with him to the place where marriages were then vsed to bee solemnised that by such meanes it might bee blased abroad how a new marriage was intended and the old spouse for euer reiected and forsaken Iupiter liking of this new-deuised plot instantly proceeded to the execution thereof And in the end when all matters were readie and hee himselfe going with this picture in great solemnitie to the accustomed place of marriages Iuno vnderstanding thereof suddenly approched and fearing indeed to bee now cast off for euer in great anger and iealousie violently tore away the garments of the supposed bride and finding it to bee a counterfeit Image and a deuise made onely to reduce her to her old husband conuerted such her displeasure into new liking fancie and at this conceited ieast infinitely reioiced Afterwards among the auncients this day was in remembrance of the reuniting of Iupiter and Iuno held and obserued in great solemnization This fable Eusebius reporteth to bee by Plutarch thus vnclouded The discord sayth hee which so arose betweene Iupiter Iuno is nothing else but the distemperature and strugling contention of the elements from whence issueth the destruction death and ouerthrow of all things whatsoeuer as by their quietnesse concordance agreement they are produced and conserued if therefore Iuno which is as much as a watrish moist and windie nature in such their striuing and disagreements ouermaister and subiect Iupiter there ensue most wonderfull flouds and rainie wetnesse on the earth as once happened in the Countrey of Beotia being all ouercouered and drowned with the superabundance of such flouds and waters till by the reuniting and knitting together of the old kindnesse betweene Iupiter and his spouse the waters decreased shruncke away and dissipated themselues into seuerall armes of the sea which indeed fell out euen vpon that verie instant when Iuno pluckt away those cloths so inuested vpon the Image and discouered the substance and bodie of an Oke of which tree also it is written that it was the first of all others that sprouted forth of the earth after the departure of the vniuersall deluge and inundation of the whole world and which as Hesiodus sayth then brought vnto mankind manifold and sundrie profites and conueniences as that by the fruits thereof men in those daies liued and receaued nutriment
that indeed we passe this life with miseries aduersities and laments He is described old and yet exceeding strong for that Time neuer looseth his strength or vertue by the ouer-ruuning of yeares and hee is apparrelled with a blacke and most noisome stinking mantle which hangeth loosely ouer his shoulders whose smel nothing is almost able to endure al which signifieth that while men are here in this world subiect to time we neuer respect the glorie of the celestiall habitations only deuoting our selues to the riches wealth and pleasures of this world which indeed are most vile filthie and stincking compared to those ioious and happie blessings of heauen whereunto wee should wholly addict our selues and direct our studies endeuouring by all endeuours to acquire purchase the same vnto vs but wee are so couered ouer inuested with this cloake and vaile of mortalitie and mundane affections that wee are carried away blindfolded into a thousand miserable and disordinate desires For the canckred rust of effeminate desires hath so deepely eaten into this our yron age as notwithstanding the infinite labourious endeauours of many artificiall workemen haue most largely extended yet est tali rubigine tincta vt oleū opera perdiderunt Who euer assaied the varnishing thereof For such an irradicable habite hath it attained vnto that as the pestiferous shirt wherein the treble nighted brood was enwrapped effused a venomous contagion which did incorporate it selfe into the flesh fretted the sinnewes and festered into the marrow so this en-eating yron mole wherewith the insensate os-pring of this time is attainted admitteth a remedilesse infection that staineth the christalline purifie of our minds dooth eneruate the contexed ground of our sences onely wee herein differ from him that the poyson wherewith hee was infected wrought in him such torment as hee instantly sought a remedie but perceauing it so deepely rooted that otherwise he could not bee thereof dispatched hee sacrificed himselfe in a fire whose ascending flames mounted him vp to the heauens whereas contrariwise wee as entoxicat with Circaean drugs and lulled asleepe by the villainous deceits of the sweet-seeming delights wherwith wee are besotted seeke by all meanes possible to pamper and feed vp our humourous conceits and loath death for nothing so much as wee thereby are depriued and dispossessed of our pleasures which wee willingly would neuer forsake from whence while wee draw backeward with all our forces still clinging to our foule desires wee are by the weight of wickednesse throwne downe headlong and precipitated into hell And thus much shall suffice for the descriptions and expositions necessarie in this Treatise Mercurie IT hath beene alreadie largely declared that among the Ancients manie yea infinite numbers of gods were held and worshipped in most strange and supersticious adoration of which as many of them had many places and charges to take care of protect and gouerne so likewise they were to vndertake many functions offices and duties By reason whereof it proceeded that also they had so many names titles and degrees appropriated vnto them which is the cause that the Ancients oftentimes shape forth engraue the effigies and forme of one god in diuerse and seuerall fashions according as they were at that time to shew forth the qualitie nature and condition of such their then presented deitie and working vertue By meanes whereof because vnto Mercurie of whome we now entreat they attributed these natures as that hee sometimes was taken to be the god and patron of gaine and profit sometime of eloquence and sometime also of theft subtiltie and deceit they haue depainted him now in this shape and now in that forme and alwaies diuersly but the truest draught and similitude of his portraiture is wherein hee is depictured and set forth as the messenger of the gods of which office also there were two sorts held and obserued among the gods the one was executed by Mercurie and the other by Iris betweene both which all the embassages and errants dispatched wheresoeuer were done and performed onely this difference there was that Iris more particularly attended vpon Iuno and was for the most part commanded by her onely vnlesse when the gods among themselues had intended to afflict mortals with pestilences wars or some other all ruinating mischeefes then was Iris commonly imployed in these fatall messages And about other matters of sports meetings marriages or pleasant affaires Mercurie was solelie vsed and commaun The Auncients therefore depictured his forme in she likenesse shape of a yong man without a beard with two small wings infixed on the tops of his eares his bodie almost all naked saue that from his shoulpers depended a thinne vaile which winded compassed about all his bodie in his right hand hee held a golden purse and in his left his Caducaeus or Snakie staffe behind him was depictured a liuely Cocke and with wings also on his heeles with the Aegyptians his staffe was thus described Hee hath say they in one of his hands a slender white wand about the which two serpents doe annodate and entwine themselues whose heads doe meet together euen iust at the top thereof as their tailes also doe meet at the lower end and the one of them is a male the other female And this depicturance with them was called Concordia or Signum pacis Whereupon afterwards it grew that Embassadours and great parsonages employed in matters of state carried alwaies in their hands such like staffe and were also called Caduceators Many who would haue depictured the portraiture of Peace haue taken and set downe this for the verie same adioining vnto it some certaine branches of the Oliue tree Wherevpon it is written by Virgil that Aeneas sending certain Embassadours to the king of the Latines caused them all to bee crowned with greene Oliue branches Statius also sayth That when Tidaeus went to demand of Etheocles the kingdome of Thebes in the name of Polinices hee held in his hand an Oliue branch as a token of a peaceful Embassador And that when he could not obtaine his request and demand he violently threw it frō him on the ground and in a furious manner stampt vpon it with his feet as the signe of a most fatall and bloudie warre which afterward was prosecuted accordingly But now hauing taken this occasion to speak of the Oliue branch it shall not be much digression somwhat to touch the Statues of Concordia or Peace who according as Aristofanes deliuereth was framed in the shape of a young woman holding betweene her armes the infant Pluto taken sometimes for the god of Riches in that by Peace they are acquired and conserued and by warres wasted and consumed And this Peace was by the Ancients held to be a very speciall and louing friend to the goddesse Ceres from which two proceed the encreases of fruits and corne all other nutriments whatsoeuer And Tibullus thus speaking of her sayth All-plenteous faire and well-disposed
marriages and holie wedlockes of which likewise it is written that Himeneus Iuno are the protectors rulers But according to the works of nature which vnder this name are indeed diuersly vnderstood Venus doth signifie that secret hiddē vertue by which all creatures whatsoeuer are drawne with association effectuating thereby the art of generation whervpon Macrobius saith that from Venus is brought the desire and humor of carnall lusts and voluptuousnes which afterward taking root more deeply conduceth vnto a true accomplishment therof Some that haue written of these naturall causes haue affirmed that Venus Iuno Luna Proserpina haue ben al one retaining only different names and titles in that many effects and issues proceeding from them haue ben diuers and seuerall But leauing these opinions let vs now enter into the Images Pictures made and composed of her It is written with Philo an Hebrew author of great antiquitie that this Venus was born and ingendred of the froth of the sea taking force and vertue of the priuities of Celum which his son Saturn cut off threw down therin and her statue is framed in the shape of a most beautiful and amorous yong woman which seemed also to stand vpright in the midst of a huge shell of a fish which was drawn by two other most vgly strāge fishes as Ouid at large noteth it who also saith that vnto her was consecrated the Island of Ciprus especially in it the city of Paphos standing by the sea side for that she was seen and discouered vpon hir first apparance out of the sea to go on land on that part of the country by reason wherof the people therabouts adore and worship hir with great zeale veneration and erected and dedicated vnto her a most rich and stately temple very gorgeous and costly Pausanias saith that Venus is drawne in a coach through the airie passages with two white Doues as Apuleius also affirmeth being birds of all others most agreeable and pleasing vnto her are called the birds of Venus for it is written indeed that they are most abundantly inclined to procreation that almost at all times of the year they ingender increase and bring forth their young of whome it is obserued that vpon their first association and coupling together they do kisse one another and as it were embrace and friendly intertain their acquaintance and friendship alluded to the fashions and customes of amorous louers in their first salutes and times of daliance Eleanus writeth that these birds are so cōsecrated vnto Venus for that saith he it is read that on a certain mountain of Sicilia called Erice were kept and obserued certain daies as holy daies and times of pastime and disport the which the Sicilians tearmes The daies of passage insomuch as the Indians report that Venus passed and took hir iorney in those daies from thence into Libia at which time not one doue was seene to remain behind in the country as attending accompanying the goddesse in hir voiage which being performed and ended they al returned and came back again vnto their old haunts and accustomed places as before whervpon after that certain solemnities and rites were on that mountaine kept and celebrated Horace and Virgil affirme that the chariot of Venus is drawn by two white Swans wherof Statius also maketh mention saying that those kind of birds are most mild innocent and harmelesse and therfore giuen vnto Venus or that their harmonious pleasant notes which they sing a litle before the approch of death are compared to the amorous delightful discourses and conferences of louers which commonly afterward proue turn into sorrow misery or death With the Grecians the image picture of this goddesse was set forth naked without cloths as Praxitiles also an excellent ingrauer in the Island of Guidos composed it meaning therby that al venerous licentious people are by such their inordinat lust like beasts depriued of sence left as it were naked and despoiled of reason and the cloths garments of vnderstanding oftentimes also stripped and wasted of their pristine former riches and goods And this picture there framed in that Isle of Guidos was wrought and cut out by the same Praxitiles with such exquisit art deepe-knowledged skil that the desire of the veiw and sight therof drew and allured many passengers and voiagers by sea to saile to Ciprus to satisfie their eies of what their eares so highly had heard commended The ancients vsed to dedicat vnto this goddesse many plants flowers among the which specially were the roses whose fragrant and sweet odor is resembled vnto the pleasing delights outward faire shews and colours of loue in that they are of that blushing and rubicund colour and that they can hardly bee pluckt without their pricks and molesting mens fingers they are likened vnto luxurious people such as giue thēselues ouer to the vnbridled affections of carnality for that such vnlawful foule desires are sildome effectuated without shame blushing that there accompanieth and conioineth with them dolors afflictions paines greefes horrors and a polluted conscience or els they are so compared for that the color delicat hue of these roses is soon faded perished dccaied as the beuties of women as also the delights pleasures therof sudainly fall away and are consumed But concerning these roses the Poets do inuēt that at the first they were of a milke white colour grew verie pale and discoloured vntil Venus on a certain time hauing intelligence that Mars for some iealousie conceaued had complotted determined a deuise to haue murdered her sweethart Adonis and she in great hast and rage running to preuent disanull the intended mischeef greeuously prickt hir foot on the stalks of these flowers of which wound sending forth abundance of bloud they were presently turned into that fresh colour which now at this time they do retaine It is read with Pausanias that Marcellus erected and dedicated a most sumptuous temple vnto this goddes Venus which he caused to be built two miles off from Rome that those kind of humors wanton pleasures ought to bee remoted a farre off from the minds and thoughts of all chast virgines of Rome Lactantius writeth that the Lacedemonians framed composed the Image of Venus all armed like a warrior holding in one hand a speare and in the other a shield or target which depicturance they deuised in regard of a certain ouerthrow which the women of that coūtry gaue vnto their enemy the people of Messenia and with successe they supposed to haue proceeded from the power and assistance of Venus as inspiring into those womans hearts manly courages stontnesse and resolutions In memory whereof they alwaies afterward reputed Venus to be of most forcible power and mightinesse in arms and after that beleefe reuerenced adored and worshipped hir Concerning which depicturance and setting forth of the statue of Venus Ausonius in a certain Epigram made by him to that purpose saith that Pallas was most wonderfully incenst and mightily stomacked such description set out in that maner and that she presently fel into great contention and quarrell with Venus for allowing it so to be done that she of her self any way should seem therby to take vpon her any martiall performances or exploits derogating and detracting from her honor dignity and worthinesse In which Epigram also Ausonius declareth how prowdly and gallantly Venus answered her thereunto as that she wondered and stood amased how Pallas durst now be so rash bold ouer-hardie as to accuse or braue her therein considering that she stood then all armed and had much more aduantage against her than she had vpon the mountain Ida wherein likewise by the verdict of Paris she vtterly then confounded and ouerthrew her mightinesse and made hir depart away ashamed angry and discontented All which argumentation striuing controuersies the same authour most exquisitely there hath set down and depainted And thus far only in this treatise shal be progressed as not aduenturing to displease the modest in capitulating such ouer-wanton and too lascious expositions and meanings which the Auncients made and vnderstood of the natures qualities properties and conditions of this their goddesse Venus FINIS Cornelius Tacitus Licurgus Lactantius Varro Porphirius Lactantius Eusebius Plinie Lucullus Suetonius Lambridius Suetonius Titus Liuius Alexander Afrodiseus Salust Plato Porphirius Porphirius Plutarch Plato Lactantius Tibullus Plinie Boccace Trismegist Claudius Boccace Martianus Capella Martianus Macrobius Eusebius Macrobius Macrobius Plinie Marcus Tullius and Marcobius Plutarch Aristotle Thales Milesius Macrobius Alciatus Tibullus Macrobius Homer Martianus Pausanias Homer Eusebius Diodorus Sycula Apulcius Herodotus Lactantius Pausania Homer Lucianus Macrobius Porphirius Macrobius Martianus Capella Pausanias Martianus Eusebius Homer Virgil. Propertius Boccace Festus Pompeius Marcus Tullius Pausanias Pausanias Ouid. Claudianus Eusebius Seruius Apulcius Martianus Apuleius Herodotus Ambrosius Orpheus Iustine Siluius Italicus Seruius Boccace Seruius Macrobius Ausonius Gallus Plato Plinie Plutarch Herodotus Porphirius Eusebius Suida Martianus Plutarch Pausanias Eschylus Plutarch Homer Virgil. Homer Boccace Boccace Virgil. Martianus Seneca Plinie Pausanias Plutarch Tertullian Homer Martianus Varro Varro Solinus Isiodorus Cornelius Tacitus Festus Pompeius Aristotle Diodorus Fornutus Orpheus Hesiodus Lucianus Seruius Philostratus Solinus Macrobius Plinie Alexander Neapolitanus Philostratus Ouid. Boccace Homer Plato Thales Milesius Strabo Statius Virgil. Plato Martianus Boccace Euripides Virgil. Suida and Fauorinus Dyon Homer Boccace Virgil. Statius Aristofanes Tibullus Homes Apuleius Martianus Capella Lucianus Philostratus Fulgentius Pausanias Philostratus Ouid. Homer Statius Pausanias Pausanias Macrobius Martianus Apuleius Diodorus Siculus Licofrones Statius Pausanias Virgil. Aristotle Homer Homer Pausanias Hipocrates Lucianus Zenophon Alciatus Volupia the goddesse of pleasures Plinie Martianus Plato Alexander Neapolitanus Elianus Marcus Varro Plutarch Elianus Statius Virgil. Isiodorus Herodotus Statius Petronius Ariosto Philostratus Iaques de Bergamus Galen Plinie Plato Apuleius Paniasis Plinie Anachrases Macrobius Diodorus Siculus Musonius Theopompus Pausanias Diodoros Siculus Plutarch Eustathius Philostratus Catullus Alexander Neapolitanus Pausanias Lactantius The daughters of Clymene and sisters of Phaeton Eccho Martianus Amianus Marcellinus Macrobius Pausanias Aulus Gellius Pausanias Lucianus Alexander Neapolitanus Liuie Spartianus Liuie Plutarch Cebes Socrates Giraldus Macrobius Ouid. Eleanus Pausanias Lactantius Ausonius