Montaign is very necessary not only as half-witted men use to report how many yards the Church of Sancta Rotonda is in length or breadth or what rich Garments costly Stockings or Garters such a great Lady weareth or as some do nicely to dispute how much longer or broader the face of Nero is which they have seen in some old ruines of Italy than that which is made for him in other old Monuments elsewhere But they should principally observe and be able to make a certain relation of the Humours and Fashions of those Countries they have seen that they may the better know how to correct their own Wits by those of others Certainly nothing can be more pleasant or profitable than to behold variety of new Objects and to propose to ones self the diversity of so many other mens Lives Humours and Customs As it is more pleasant to Travel up and down ones own Country than always to remain in ones own Parish so is the pleasure no less heightned in Travelling into other Countries for which purpose he that can shelter himself under the protection of an Embassador as one of his Retinue will Travel the safest cheapest and have more respect shew'd him upon all occasions Concerning this subject see those two admirable discourses in the Lord Bacon's Essays and Mr. Osborn's Advice to his Son 3 Rhetorick is nothing else but an Artificial help call'd by some the Mystery of Flattery by others downright Lying whereby they endeavour what they cannot gain by Truth to effect by the flourishing varnishes of fine Languagâ—â— in so much that Pliny reports of Carneades that whilst he discours'd it was hard to discern what was true and what not Whether Rhetorick be an Art or no remains to this day a dispute amongst the Learned Socrates in Plato demonstrates it to be neither an Art nor a Science but a certain kind of Subtlety neither noble nor honest but low illiberal and servile Flattery which made the Lacedemonians altogether refuse it believing that the speech of good men ought to proceed from sincerity of Heart and not from the hypocrisie of studied Artifice The first who ever taught or wrote of Rhetorick were Thisias Coraces and Gorgias however there were many others among the Ancients who through the strength of their natural parts became very famous for Eloquence whereof the chief were these Antiphon Isocrates Demosthenes Aeschines Lysias Demades Cicero Marcus Seneca Petronius Arbiter Hermogenes Quintilianus Lucianus Aelianus Aristides Symmachus c. The force of Eloquence may be proved by sundry Examples whereof this one may suffice concerning Hegesias the Cyrenian who representing the miseries of this Life made so deep an impression upon the hearts of his Auditors that many of them cast away their own Lives voluntarily in so much that King Ptolomy aâ— Valerius informs us forbad him to dispute any longer upon that subject We read that Thucydides being ask'd by Archidamus King of Sparta whether he or Pericles was the best Wrestler made answer Your question Sir is very hard to be decided for if in wrestling with him I give him a fall with his fair words he perswadeth those that saw him on the ground that he never fell and so getteth the Victory Ariston doth wisely define Rhetorick to be a Science to perswade the common people wherefore if we observe it succeeds so much no where as in Commonwealths and those Governments wherein the ignorant vulgar people have had the greatest Power like that of Athens Rhodes and Rome in which places few arrived to any Grandeur without Eloquence Pompey Caesar Crassus Lucullâ—s Lentulus Metellus have taken their Rise from hence However it was found by experience that these Orators were very pernicious to the Government in so much that that most wise Roman Marcus Caâ—â— prohibited those three Athenian Orators Carneades Critholaus and Diogenes to be admitted to publick Audience in the City being men endued with such acuteness of wit and eloquence of speech that they could with great ease make evil good and good evil For this reason Cicero was at Rome call'd King because he ruled and guided the Senate which way he pleas'd by his Orations For my own part I confess my self to be a great enemy to all long formal Speeches which seldom have wit or fancy sufficient to make amends for the tediousness of the Discourse For Brevity is always good be it or be it not understood Hudib We read in Dion Cassius of an Orator who was allow'd two hours to plead in behalf of a Prisoner his Clyent whereof the first hour he spent in lamenting his want of time to plead in such a Cause the second hour he spent in his Exordium ad captandam benevolentiam and so the time being expired before he came to the merits of the Cause the Council was suffer'd to speak no longer and his Clyent fairly hang'd Most of these Orators do so much study words that they little at all regard either sence or matter Nor can any thing be more insipid and impertinent than such a Sir Formal Trifle who is at best but the stately figure of a Fool The most eloquent of these Discourses are like our Syllabubs little else but froth Whenever I hear any Author of a Book or Orator spend much time in complaining of his own weakness I always take him at his word and so listen no more to what he says Rhetorick presents all things by a false light when like the magnifying Glass it makes small things appear great When I hear a Physician thunder out his Terms of Art I always suppose him an ignorant Quack however it gives them a Reputation with Women which made Pliny observe that Physicians get their Living by Rhetorick Montaign says That Rhetorick is little better than a Chamber-maids Tittle-tattle when like fine Cloaths upon a Monkey Orators do generally endeavour to repair the deformity of a bad Cause with multiplicity of words This Art of Rhetorick saith Diodorus was first invented by Mercury however Aristotle declares that Empedocles was the first Author of it 4 Aegis See my Notes upon the foregoing Chapter 5 Tyana call'd heretofore Thoanau a City of Cappadocia lying almost in the middle between Caesarea and Tarsus This place is chiefly famous for the Birth of Apollonius from whence he is call'd Tyaneius Ostendit adhuc Tyaneius illic Incola de Medio vicinâ—s corpore Truncos Ovid Metam 8. 6 Cappadocia so call'd from the River Cappadox is a spacious Countrey in Asia the Less otherwise named Leucâ—syria Amasia or Genech and anciently Moga This Countrey is exposed to the Euxine-Sea between Galatia and Armenia also to the Confines of Cilicia being separated by the Mountain Taurus wherein the most eminent Cities were Trapezus Comana Pontica Comana Cappadociae and since Amasea Caesarea Tyana and Sebaste or Satala This Countrey was ever esteem'd famous for its Breed of Horses Terra ejus ante alias Nutrix Equorum as both Solinus and Isidore
his Father he removed his Master to Aegas a City not far distant from Tarsus where was not only a fit accommodation for the study of Philosophy but also such exercises as were suitable to Youth together with the Temple of 3 Aesculapius wherein Aesculapius himself did sometimes appear unto men He there came acquainted with divers Sects of Philosophers having the conversation of Platonists Chrysippeans and Peripateticks He likewise made an inspection into the Doctrine of Epicurus thinking that even that was not to be despised But for the Pythagoreans he had little or no opportunity to learn their abstruse Tenents in that his Tutor was not very studious of that kind of Discipline nor cared much to conform the Actions of his Life thereunto for totally resigning up himself to Gluttony and Lust he rather seem'd to frame his Life after the prescript of Epicurus his name was Euxenus of 4 Heraclea in 5 Pontus As for the Opinions of Pythagoras he 6 knew them no otherwise then Birds do the sentences which they have learn'd from men sometimes uttering such like expressions as these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God save you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God speed you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may Iupiter be favourable to you c. not knowing what they say nor apt for converse with men but only taught a certain modulation of the Tongue Wherefore as young Eagles when first taught to fly by their Parents dare not stir far from their sides but when they are grown strong of wing do oftentimes fly higher than their Parents especially if they perceive them to he given to their belly and stooping after their prey even so Apollonius whilst he was a Child submitted to the government of Euxenus but when he was once arrived to 16 years of age he fell in love with a Pythagorical course of life being wing'd for an higher flight by some better Master Nevertheless he câ—ased not to express his love to Euxenus but having begg'd of his Father an House in the Suburbs accommodated with pleasant Gardens and Fountains he bestow'd it upon him saying Live thou after thine own 7 humour but for me I will conform to the Institution of Pythagoras Euxenus perceiving him to be of so great Spirit asked him how he would begin such a course of Life to whom Apollonius answer'd He would begin as Physicians used to do who having first purged the Entrails prevent some from falling into diseases and cure others that are already fallen into them And having said this he began to abstain from eating the flesh of living Creatures as being impure and stupifying to the understanding Wherefore he fed only on Fruits and Herbs saying that such meats were pure which the Earth did afford unto men He was also of opinion that Wine was a pure kind of drink as proceeding from a mild Plant yet nevertheless he esteem'd it an enemy to the settled state of the mind in respect that it sometimes disturb'd the Air of the Soul Illustrations on Chap. 5. 1 TArsus a City in Cilicia now called Terassa Hama or Hamsa Long. 60. Lat. 38. is at this day possess'd by the Turks and esteem'd to be the capital City of all Cilicia or Caramania Strabo lib. 15. it is pleasantly situated amongst spacious Fields and water'd with the River Cydnus Solinus reports that it was built by Perseus the Son of Danae saying Matrem Vrbium habet Tarson quam Danais proles nobilissima Perseus locavit Solin cap. 14. from whence sings Lucan lib. 4. Deseritur Taâ—rique nemus Perseaque Tarsos Others as Athenaeus lib. 12. will have this City to be founded by Sardanapalus and that it was so express'd in the inscription on his Tomb-stone in these words Anchialen Tharsam uno die à Sardanapalo conditas Strabo called it the Mother of Cities from the great Learning which flourish'd therein surpassing as well Athens as Alexandria In this place resided many great and famous Philosophers of the Sect of the Stoicks as Antipater Archelas Nestor and the two Athenodoruâ—'s Nor is it less famous for being the Country of St. Paul as he mentions of himself when speaking to the Tribune he says Acts 21.39 I am a man which am a Iew of Tarsus a City of Cilicia a Citizen of no mean City As also for that famous Council which was held in it under the Emperor Valent mention'd in Sozom. Hist. Ecclesiast lib. 6. ch 12. This City for its Antiquity was freed from the Roman yoke Now concerning its Name some think it was called Tarsus from the dryness of its Soyl 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying siccare or because that those parts were first freed from the Waters after Noah's Floud Besides this Tarsus of Cilicia there were many other Towns bore the same Name whereof one was situated in Spain near the River Betis and two miles distant from Corduba being built by the Phaenicians who Traded into those parts Strabo lib. 3. Polybius lib. 3. it was to this City many think that Solomon sent his Vessels with those of Hyram as it is written 2 Chron. 9.21 For the Kings ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram once every three years came the ships of Tarshish bringing Gold and Silver Ivory and Apes and Peacocks Hesychius will have Tarsus to be a City of Syria Ptolomy that there is one of that name in Hungary and Strabo that there is a River so called in Trâ—as Also Arrianus that there is a Promontory named Tharsus in Persia. 2 Cydnus a River in Cilicia now called Carasu which issuing out of the Mountain Taurus runneth through the City Tarsus Quintus Curtius lib. 3. speaking of this River Cydnus saith That it is most famous not so much for its greatness as for the clearness of its Water which from its original Fountain runneth clearly thorow all the Country without any other River mixing with it to disturb the pureness of the Stream for which cause it remaineth always clear and cold by reason of the Woods that do shadow all the Banks This River as Vitruvius writes is famous for curing the Gout Cydnum podagrae mederi docet cruribus eo mersis Vitruv. 8.3 however Alexander the Great had like to have received his death from it who as both Curtius and Iustin write when he arrived at Tarsus being much delighted with the pleasantness of the River Cydnus having unbuckled his Armour and being cover'd with sweat and dust he cast himself into the River which was extremely cold whereupon immediately so great a numbness and chilness invaded every Joynt that being speechless his danger boaded nothing less than present death However by the assistance of one of his Physicians whose name was Philip Alexander was recover'd to his health again Iust. lib. 11. Curt. lib. 3. Solinus writes that this River took its name from its whiteness and clearness Quicquid candidum est inquit Cydnum gentili linguâ Syri dicunt Dionys. vers 868. Tibul. lib. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Aspendus is reckon'd by Ptolomy amongst the Mediterranean Cities of Pamphylia and by him said to be far distant from the Sea lib. 5. ch 5. Also Strabo affirms it to be 60 stadia distant from the Sea lib. 14. Nevertheless Montanus thinks that it is a Town hanging over the Sea from that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that being situated on a Hill it might overlook the Sea and yet be some distance from it Mela 1.13 Now Aspendus has the prospect of that Sea wherein happen'd the great Engagement of the Athenians under the Convoy of Admiral Cimon against the Medos and Persians mention'd in the first Book of Thucyd. As also by Dionysius 9. Eurymedon a River that rises out of the Mountain Taurus and runs thorow the middle of Pamphylia Melâ— Wherefore Ptolomy errs in placing the City Aspendus remote from the River Eurymedon as he doth in his Tables 10 Tiberius's Statues It is no doubt saith Polyd Virgil. lib. 1 ch 5 but that in the Infancy of Government men did highly advance their first Kings honour and praises when either for their wonderful courage and virtue or to flatter the condition of their dignity or for some special benefit from them receiv'd they magnified them as Gods erecting Images to them and taking pleasure in beholding the same Macrobius writes that Hercules was the first inventer of Statues or Images Lactantius attributes them to Prometheus and Diodorus to the Aethiopians or Aegyptians Rachel when her Husband fled out of Mesopotamia from his Father-in-Law Laban did steal away her Fathers Gods or Statues And some think that men took occasion from God to make Images who willing to shew to the gross wits of men some representation of himself took on him the shape of men and appear'd to Abraham and Iacob from whence men receiv'd the manner of making Images of God to keep him fresh in their memory Thus Spurius Cassius in Rome erected the Image of Ceres in Brass Afterwards the Statues of Men were made to excite others to Noble enterprizes And for that cause the Athenians set up the Images of Hermodius and Aristogiton who slew and expulsed the Tyrants Leontinus Gorgias made himself an Image of pure Gold without any hollowness and erected it at Delphos in the 78 th Olympiad Likewise Pharnaces caused one to be made of Silver like himself which Pompey in his Triumph removed In Italy M. Atilius Glabrio erected the first Statue of Gold on Horse-back in remembrance of his Father There were also Images made of Brass Ivory Wood and Marble See more at large of this Subject in Pliny's Natur. Hist. lib. 34. The manner of the Romans was to set up their Images cover'd but the Graecians form'd them all naked These Statues of Tyberius mention'd by Philostratus might be those which Tacitus speaks of in the 14th Book of his Annals ch 8. as also in the 3d. Book of his An. ch 8. where it is said That every wicked Fellow if he could but catch hold on Caesar's Image might freely and without punishment injure honest men c. At first there was no Statues nor Pictures in the Christian Church but they crept in by little and little and men made private Images of the Cross of Christ and him upon it after the Example of Moses who set up the brazen Serpent as also of Agbarus Duke of the Edissenians who sent a Painter to draw the Image of our Saviour Christ but not being able to behold the brightness of his Face Christ laid a Napkin thereon wherein by his divine Power he printed the resemblance of his Visage and so sent it by the Painter to the Duke Polyd. Virg. lib. 6. ch 10. We also read that St. Luke had the Image of the Virgin Mary in a painted Table But Images were never publickly receiv'd and worshipped in the Church till about the year 630. in the sixth Council held at Constantinople by the Command of Constantine and Iustinian the 2d his Son it was so decreed 11 Olympia a City near the Hill Olympus wherein Iupiter Olympius had his Temple it is now call'd Langanico or Stauri as Castaldus writes and not far distant from Elis and Pisa two Cities of Greece This City was famous for its Celebration of the Olympick Games every fifth year Strabo tells us that it was anciently called Arpina lib. 8. CHAP. XII How Apollonius's time of Silence being expired he went to Antioch Also concerning the Temple of Apollo-Daphnaeus and of Daphne and the great concourse of the Assyrians that followed him Likewise his Precepts to his Disciples and what they were to do the whole day AFter this the time of his Silence being expired he came to 1 Antioch sirnamed the Great and there entred into the Temple of 2 Apollo-Daphnaeus to whom the Assyrians apply the Arcadian Fable asserting that Daphne the Daughter of the River Ladon was born there for there is indeed a River with them called Ladon and they revere the Laurel in commemoration as they say of the Virgin Daphne Also Cypress Trees of an immense heighth stand round about the Temple and the Countrey yieldeth pleasant and gentle Springs of Water wherein they report Apollo uses to bathe himself The Earth of that place yields also a Grove of Cypress Trees in memory as they say of 3 Cyparissus an Assyrian Youth and truly the beauty of the Tree gives credit to the Metamorphosis But perhaps I may seem to recite too youthful Stories whilst I mention these 4 Fables which nevertheless I do not for the Fables sake but in order to my following Discourse Now Apollonius observing the Temple to be pleasâ—nt but without any discipline being inhabited by men half barbarous said Oh Apollo change these dumb men into Trees that they may at least make a noise like the Cypresses Furthermore observing the Springs how quietly they ran without making any manner of noise he said The silence of this place is such as it doth not permit so much as the Springs to speak And when he beheld 5 Ladon he said Not only thy Daughter Oh Ladon is changed into another form but also thou thy self in that of a Greek and Arcadian thou art become a Barbarian After this when he minded to discourse with them he refused the rude and disorderly manners of the Inhabitants saying That he had need of Men and not of Clowns Yet nevertheless if he saw any civil persons and such as were of good behaviour he admitted them into his Conversation He dwelt amongst the Priests and at Sun-rising perform'd certain Religious Rites in private which he communicated only to those who had exercised four years silence with him But afterwards if he happen'd to be in any Greek City where the Religious Rites were made publick he would discourse Philosophically with the Priests of the Temples concerning the Gods and correct what errors he found amongst them But if he came into any barbarous City that had peculiar Manners of their own he always enquired
as well for its vicinity with their new acquests as for the beauty and magnificence of the Place It is at present under the Dominion of the Sophy of Persia being now call'd Châ—s and the Countrey round about it Chusistan or as Marcus Paulus the Venetian hath it Curdistan It hath been subject to the Kings of Persia ever since Apollonius's time In all ancient Writers Susa and Ecbatan are ever mention'd together for that the Persian Kings have ever resided at Susa all the Winters and at Ecbatan all the Summers So Xenoph. Cyrop lib. 8. Strabo lib. 15. Plutarch de Exil Athenae lib. 12. Eustath in Dionys. Aristid in Orat. de Roma This Place hath ever been famous for Archers Armantur Susa sagittis Prop. lib. 2. as also for Magicians since it appears both in Daniel Herodotus and Plutarch that the most eminent in that Science were ever to be found in this Court both under Nebuchodonozor Baltazar Cambyses Artaxerxes and Alexander the Great and that with them the Kings consulted in all arduous Cases 9 Ninus or Niniveh and now call'd Mosul was an ancient City built by Ninus the Son of Nimrod or Belus Of this see lib. 1. ch 3. 10 Io the Daughter of Inachus having little Horns ready to shoot out on both sides her forehead Io or Isis a Goddess of the Aegyptians was as the Poets inform us the Daughter of Inachus also a professed Whore and yet the Priest of Iuno She perswaded Iupiter to yield to her Lust but Iuno's jealousie pursuing after her Husband found them together Iupiter in the form of a Cloud and Ino in the form of a white Cow for Iupiter had transform'd as well her as himself that he might not be suspected of his Wife who nevertheless discover'd his subtlety Wherefore she begg'd the Cow of Iupiter who being afraid by his refusal to discover the intrigue granted her Iuno which she presently committed to the custody of Argus with his hundred eyes where she continued in much misery and persecution until Mercury was sent from Iupiter to deliver her who playing Argus asleep with his Musick intended to steal away the counterfeit Cow but an unlucky Boy named Hierax giving notice to Argus awaked him as the other was departing with his prize Whereupon Mercury seeing no remedy but that he must either neglect Iupiter's Command or kill Argus he took up a great Stone and knock'd him dead upon the place also changed Hierax into a Hawk for his ill office Iuno was not a little displeas'd at the loss of her faithful Servant therefore she transform'd him into a Peacock which yet retains the number of his Eyes in his Feathers Also she sent some Creatures to vex Isis in so much that she became mad and ran up and down the World swimming over the Seas into Ionia unto which she left her Name as also to the Sea that bounds that Countrey At last she return'd back to Egypt where she married Osiris her Son by Iupiter was called Epaphus After her death she was adored by the Egyptians her Hair being preserv'd as a sacred Relique in her Temple at Memphis She was honour'd as the Goddess of Weather and Navigation Her Statue was as 't is here mention'd with Horns on a Cows head or as others say a Dogs head unto which Ovid alludes calling her Latrator Anubis The Romans had a great veneration for this Goddess notwithstanding they banish'd her because her Priests had consented to defile her Temple with Whoredoms as you may read in Iosephus but afterwards she was admitted again Her Priests were initiated with Bloud and Water they had their Heads and their Beards shaven and did all wear white linen Garments At the entry into her Temple was the Statue of a Sphynx to signifie that she was a mysterious Goddess for her sake the Egyptians did keep iâ— a corner of her Temple a white Cow which when it died they did all mourn as for a Prince until another was substituted in its room See Ovid's Metam lib. 1. Nat. Com. lib. 8. This Fable hath an Historical allusion unto Argus that old and prudent Argive King who was slain by Mercury in hopes to succeed him and when banish'd for that fact by the Greeks fled into Egypt But Allegorically in that skill and industry is more available in Husbandry than the influence of the Stars the Cow wandring through many Regions is the propagation of that knowledge and in that Egypt exceeds all other Countreys in the richness and fertility of its soyl Io is there feign'd to recover her own Figure Others have wrested this Fable to Morality That Iupiter the mind of man falling from Heaven and joyning with Io the Body in a Cloud is turn'd into a Beast as forgetful of its own original and captivated by his vices but when of more maturity in age and judgment Mercury is sent to kill Argus in that Reason bridles and subdues the exorbitancies of the Affections and then Iuno is said to let loose her Furies which are the stings of Conscience As for Inachus the Father of Io he was the first that ever reign'd in Argos and being accidentally drown'd in Carmanor that River was afterwards called by his Name 11 Likewise how many Languages are spoken by the Barbarians such as the Armenian Median Persian and Cadusian Mr. Leigh in his Religion and Learning divides all Languages into Oriental and Occidental 1. Oriental which contains the Hebrew Chaldee Samaritan Syriack Arabick Aethiopick Persian Armenian and Coptick 2. Occidental which also comprehends the Greek Latin Spanish French Italian German English and Slavonick which is spoken very generally And of all these the three principal or learned Languages are the Hebrew Greek and Latine The Oriental Tongues are all except the Aethiopick and Armenian written and read from the right hand to the left Also the Graecians did at first write forward and backward from whence arose that phrase Literas exarare and Linea are called Versus Now to treat of all these Languages separately we will begin with the Oriental and of them first with the Hebrew because it is esteem'd not only the most ancient but was also the most pure without any mixture or corruption whereas there is no other Language which had not certain words derived and corrupted from the Hebrew and others as we shall shew hereafter The Hebrew Language was the first most ancient and only Language before the building of the Tower of Babel for which presumption as Iosephus and others write God sent a confusion of Tongues among the Workmen so as rendred them unable to proceed in their Work Wherefore the Nation and Language of Israel borrow their Name Hebrew from Heber whose Son was called Peleg Division relating to the Division of Babel And this I take to be a more probable account than that of Arias Montanus who derives the Name of Hebrews from Abraham as if they were call'd Hebraei quasi Abrahaei The same Author likewise telleth us that
the most valiant Warrier in the Grecian Army that fought against the Trojans He for anger that the Judges had conferr'd Achilles's Armour upon Vlysses and not upon himself grew mad as Philostratus here mentions when having slain many Sheep and Oxen in his mad Fits he at last slew himself and as is feign'd was turn'd into a Flower of his Name dict 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. à Lugendo Sophocl 2 Timomachus a famous Painter of Greece Contemporary with Iulius Caesar. This Timomachus drew the Picture of Medea and Ajax which Iulius Caesar bought of him for 80 Talents and afterwards dedicated it to the Temple of Venus See Athen. lib. 14. 3 Vulcan was said to be the Son of Iupiter and Iuno and that when Iupiter saw how ill-shaped and ugly he was to behold at his first coming into the World he kickt him down from Heaven so that the poor Babe fell upon the Earth and broke one of his Legs whereof he ever after halted Homer saith that he was cast down into Lemnos an Island on the Aegaean Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iliad 1. vers 590. That he was sometime Resident in Lemnos Cicero writes in his Nat. Deor. where speaking of the several Vulcans he saith Vulcani item complâ—res Primus Coelo natus cujus in tutela Athenas antiqui Historici esse voluerunt Secundus Nilo natus Opas ut Aegyptii appellant quem Custodem esse Aegypti volunt Tertius ex tertio Iove Iunone qui Lemni fabricae tradiâ—ur praefuisse Quartus Maenalio natus qui tenuit Insulas prope Siciliam quae Vulcaniâ— nominantur Lucian in his Dialogue de Sacrific makes merry with this Story of Vulcan's being kickt out of Heaven Apollodorus saith that Iupiter kickt him down from Heaven because he offer'd to rescue his Mother Iuno out of Iupiter's hands Others feign that he was thrown out of Heaven for his Deformity He was educated by Eurynome the Daughter of Oceanus and Thetis he is said to be the God of Fire the Master of the Cyclops and chief Thunderbolt-maker in Ordinary to Iupiter He made Hermione's Bracelet Ariadne's Crown the Chariâ—â— of the Sun the Armour of Achilles and Aeneas c. He would have married Minerva but she refusing him he took to Wife Venus whom having caught in Bed with Mars he threw a Net over them and exposed them to the publick view of all the rest of the Gods Now as these things made him be thought most skilful in the Blacksmith's Trade and gave a reputation to his Forge above all others so likewise as Diodorus writes another Accident more strange attributed to him the invention of Fire for saith he some of the Egyptian Priests do hold for certain that Vulcan the inventer of Fire reigned first in Egypt and for the benefit ensuing was made Commander over the Egyptians which was thus A Tree on the Mountains of Egypt being set on fire by Lightning from Heaven in the Winter-time the flame thereof caught hold on the neighbouring Woods which fell likewise a burning whereat Vulcan rejoyced in regard of the heat which it yielded but perceiving the fire begin to fail he added fresh matter unto it by which means the fire being continued he called many other men to see it as a thing by him found out and invented Diod. Sic. lib. 1. ch 2. Again Diodorus lib. 5. writes that by Vulcan as they say was invented the fabrication of Iron Brass Gold Silver and all other Metals which receive the operation of Fire as also the universal use thereof as imploy'd by Artificers and others whence the Masters of these Arts offer up their Prayers and sacred Rites to this God chiefly and by these as by all others Vulcan is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fire and having by this means given a great benefit to the common Life of men he is consecrated to immortal memory and honour Diod. lib. 5. Now because Tubal-Cain is said to be Gen. 4.22 an Instructer of every Artificer in Iron and Brass c. hence Bochart in Pref. to his Phal will have Vulcan and Tubal-Cain to be the same and that the Character given us here of Tubal-Cain agrees exactly with Sanchoniathon's Character of Vulcan See Bochart Can. lib. 2. cap. 2. 4 Represented in Homer Concerning Homer several things may be consider'd His Name Person Countrey and Parents the Age wherein he lived his Life and Death and Writings with the various Censures that pass'd upon him First then As to his Appellation or Name of Homer he was so called saith Nepos in libris Chronic. from his Blindness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Ionian Language signifying blind by the Figure Metathesis nevertheless Plutarch gives us another account of his Name Homerus viz. that the Lydians in Smyrna being infested with the Aeolians so as they thought to leave the City and being all summon'd to march by a Herald at Arms Homer who was then but a Child cryed out that he would also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sequi from whence saith Plutarch he receiv'd the Name of Homer But his proper Name was Melesigenes from the River Meletes near which some think he was born though others have call'd him Meonides as supposing him to be descended from Maeone In the next place For his Person Countrey and Parents whereof to begin with his Person Spondanus saith His Statue teacheth what the Person of Homer was which Cedrenus thus describeth before it was consumed with fire at Constantinople There stood saith he the Statue of Homer as he was in his old age thoughtful and musing with his Hands folded beneath his Bosom his Beard untrimm'd and hanging down the Hair of his Head in like manner thin on both sides before his Face with Age and Cares of the World wrinckled and austere his Nose proportion'd to his other parts his Eyes fix'd or turn'd up to his Eye-brows like one blind as 't is reported he was though not born blind which saith Velleius Paterc he that imagines must be blind of all Senses himself upon his under-Coat he was attired with a loose Robe and at the Base beneath his Feet hung a Chain of Brass Another famous Statue of his saith Lucian in Encom Demosth. stood in the Temple of Ptolomy on the upper hand of his own Statue which is also mention'd by Aelian lib. 13. ch 22. who says that Ptolemaeus Philopatâ—r having built a Temple to Homer erected a fair Image of him and placed about that Image those seven Cities which contended for his Birth according to these lines of the Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septem Vrbes certant de stirpe insignis Homeri Smyrna Rhodus Colophon Salamin Chius Argos Athenae Neither did only these seven lay claim unto him but three times seven if we may credit either Plutarch or Suidas amongst which Rome is very urgent that he may bâ—â—ccounted hers
the 70th Olympiad at Clazomenae in the 20th year of his Age at the time of Xerxes Expedition into Greece he travell'd to Athens there to study Philosophy where he continued 30 years partly under the instruction of Anaximenes He relinquish'd his Patrimony and Estate converting himself from civil Affairs to the knowledge of Things Cicero Tusc. Quest. 5. Suidas affirms that he left his Grounds to be eaten up by Sheep and Camels and that therefore Apollonius Tyanaeus said he read Philosophy to Beasts rather than to Men. Plato derides him for quitting his Estate Hipp. mai But Laertius reports he assign'd it to his Friends whereupon being by them accused of Improvidence why answer'd he do not you take care of it One reproving him for taking no care of his Countrey wrong me not said he my greatest care is my Countrey pointing to the Heavens Another asking for what end he was born he answer'd to contemplate the Sun Moon and Heavens Laertius So eminent was Anaxagoras in natural Philosophy that they honour'd him with the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mind as being the first that added that principle to Matter He first held the order and manner of all things to be directed by the power and reason of a Spirit infinite Plutarch in the Life of Nicias says that Anaxagoras first found out the Lunary Eclipse It was his opinion of God says Polyd. Virg. that he was Infinita mens quae per seipsam movetur Many eminent Persons were the Scholars and Auditors of Anaxagoras viz. Pericles Son of Xantippus Archelaus Son of Apollodorus Euripides Son of Muesarchus Socrates Son of Sophroniscus and some amongst these mention Democritus After having lived 30 years at Athens he went to Lampsacum where he dwelt 22 years more and then died Laertius and Clemens tell us he was the first Philosopher that ever put forth a Book The Inhabitants of Lampsacum buried him magnificently with this Epitaph which Mr. Stanly thus translates out of Laertius Here lyes who through the truest paths did pass O' th' World caelestial Anaxagoras 4 Pliny 5.58 tells that the Graecians celebrate Anaxagoras the Clazomenian for that he foretold by his Learning and Science in the 2d year of the 78th Olympiad on what day a stone would fall from the Sun which happen'd in the day-time in Thrace at the River Agos which stone says he is at this day shewn about the bigness of a Beam of an adust colour Plutarch tells us that this stone was in his time not only shewn but reverenced by the Peleponesians For the time of its fall the most certain account is given us by that Marble of Arundel-House graven about the 129th Olympiad which says that it fell in the 4th year of the 77th Olympiad when Theagenides was Archon Aristotle gives us but a very slender account hereof saying that it was a stone snatch'd up by the Wind and fell down again in the day-time However Plutarch in the Life of Lysander presents us with a large Relation of it Charimander undoubtedly meant this stone when in his Book of Comets he saith that Anaxagoras observ'd in the Heavens a great and unaccustomed Light of the bigness of a huge Pillar and that it shined for many days Senec. quaest 7.5 5 Aegos potamos i. e. Caprae fluvius Anglicè Goatsbrook At the entrance into this River the Athenian Fleet was taken by Lysander Pliny as I said before mentions this to be the place where Anaxagoras's stone fell from the Sun 6 Elea a City of Greece lying near the Hellespont wherein Zeno the Philosopher was born There is another City of this Name in that part of Italy which was called Lucania 7 Delphos a City of Phocis in Greece now call'd Salona and Castri Ortel seated on Parnassus where the Temple of Apollo stood But of this see more in the Index 8 Aegyptus the Countrey of Egypt so call'd from Aegyptus the Brother of Danaus that slew him and reign'd there 68 years Egypt is scituated in Asia however Ptolomy places it in Africa It is bounded on the East with the Red Sea on the West with Cyrene on the North with the Mediterranean and on the South with Habassia Long. 58. Lat. 30. It is by Mela divided into two parts the upper call'd heretofore Thebais and now Sahid the lower call'd Delta Egypt call'd by the Hebrews Misraim and Chus hath ever been famous for the invention of Arts and Learning from whose Fountain Homer Pythagoras Solon Musaeus Plato Democritus Apollonius and many others enrich'd themselves and their Countreys all with Egyptian Knowledge For which reason as Crinitus writes Egypt was ever honour'd with the Name of Terrarum parens or as Macrobius sometimes calls her Artium matrem Saturn 1.15 Many and great Disputes have there been amongst the Learned concerning the Antiquity of this People Some with Iosephus Bochartus and others make the Israelites more ancient than them others as with Apion Manetho c. prefer the Aegyptians and say that the Israelites receiv'd their Learning from Egypt which to me seems most probable by what I gather out of such ancient Historians which write neither for favour nor affection neither ought any Iewish or Egyptian Testimony to be taken in this matter since as our Saviour says If I bear record of my self my record is vain However for your further satisfaction in this point I refer you â—o that modern excellent Treatise call'd Cronicus Canon Aegyptiacus written by the Learned Sir Iohn Marsham This Country is famous for its fertility occasion'd by the River Nile which supplies that want of Commerce which other Nations enjoy Terra suis contenta bonis non indiga mercis Aut Iovis in solo tanta est fiducia Nilo Lucan 9 India is a name now applied to all far distant Countries not only in the extreme limits of Asia as the Ancients describe it but even to all America through the errour of Columbus and his Comrades who at their first arrival in the Western World mistook and thought that they had met with Ophir and the Indian Regions of the East But the Ancients comprehended under this name a huge Tract of Land no less in the Judgment of Alexander's Followers in his Eastern Invasions than the third part of the Earth Ctesias accounted it one half of Asia Yea a great part of Africa is also comprehended under that name So Turnebus in his Adversaria says that not only the Bactrians and Parthians are call'd by that name in Virgil but also Thebes Ammons Temple and Aethiopia are placed in India by Higinus But to limit India more properly Dionysius bounds it with Caucasus and the Red Sea Indus and Ganges Dion Afer And to this purpose speaks Ovid Qua cingitur India Gange Ptolomy and other Geographers did usually divide India by the River Ganges into two parts one on this side Ganges and the other beyond The Indies are commonly now distinguish'd by the names of East and West the East
to honour God and such are Prayers and Thanksgiving First Prayers for not the Carvers when they made Images were thought to make them Gods but the people that pray'd to them And so sings the Poet Mart. lib. 8. Epig. 23. Qui fingit sacros auro vel marmore vultus Non facit ille Deos qui rogat ille facit 'T is not the Workman nor the precious Wood But 't is the Worshipper that makes the God Secondly Thanksgiving which differeth from Prayer in divine Worship no otherwise than that Prayers procede and Thanks succeed the Benefit the end both of the one and the other being to acknowledg God for Author of all Benefits as well past as future However I cannot but prefer Thanksgiving above Prayer for that every man would serve his own turn by Prayer if he could but few are so generous to give thanks when their turns are served In giving thanks I serve God in praying I serve my self therefore of the ten Cripples nine prayed and the tenth praised God and him our Saviour regarded most To this purpose Cyrus told his Father Cambyses That he shall more easily obtain any thing of the Gods who doth not fawn upon them in distress but in prosperity calls most upon them Xenoph. lib. 1. ch 8. The Heathens together with their Sacrifices made use of solemn forms of Prayer for the invoking those Gods whom the Priests intended to propitiate These Seneca calls Sacrificae preces This custom was general not only among the Romans and Greeks but the Eâ—yptians themselves as Diod. Sicul. relates In some Countreys the praise of the present King or Magistrate was set forth but this was not ordinarily used Iamblicus saith that Prayers were not the least part of Sacrifices since by them the Sacra were fulfill'd and perfected And in another place he writes that nothing can be done in the Worship of God ritè auspicatò without Prayers and Supplications Plato in Alcib That the most sumptuous Sacrifices that could be made were not so acceptable to the Gods as Supplications offer'd with a pious Soul The word precari which more properly than orare signifies to pray is yet taken in an ambiguous sence for unless the Preces be limited with either bonae or malae it is not easie to know in what sence they are taken therefore the ancient Iews were used to say Bonas preces precamur The bonae preces were address'd in a most solemn manner to Iupiter optimus maximus and the Dii Deaeque immortales The malae preces or Curses were used in night-Sacrifices to Pluto and the Dii inferi for that Imprecations or Curses were used against Enemies in Prayer may appear even from David's Psalms where much mischief is wish'd to his Enemies Put to shame that wish c. Psal. 42.14 The Ancients when they came to pray to their Gods presented themselves Capite obvoluto or their heads cover'd with woollen and an Olive-branch in their hands casting themselves down at the feet of the Image of that God to whom they address'd their Prayers and Vows Petitioners both to the Gods and Men used to go with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Garlands about their necks or green Boughs in their hands to beget respect and amuse the beholders as the Scholiast on Sophocles observes In those Boughs they put Wooll as we do Silk in Posies and so called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vittatas laureas The Wooll was not tyed and so fasten'd to the Boughs but only wreath'd and wrapped up in them from whence it may be Aethea in the Tragedy of the Theban Women Petitioners v. 31. called it The Tye without a Knot The Italians likewise used such Boughs for Virgil says Iamque oratores aderant ex urbe Latina Velati ramis oleae veniamque rogantes Also Livy speaks of the like practice of the people of Rhodes their Boughs were either of Laurel or Olive Vittatae Laurus supâ—â—icis arbor Olivae Stat. Theb. l. 12. for the Laurel was a sign of prevailing and the Olive of peace and good will as Lactantius says Per quam pax petitur supplicando Now the custom was with these Boughs if they were doubtful of prevailing to touch the Knee of the Statue of the God It is said by Pindar in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that when they desired the parties consent they touched the Head to have it annuere when his help his Hand and when success the Knee Their usual gesture in praying was to hold up their arms towards Heaven as you may see it in Eurip. Helen v. 1200. and to rest their hands as far as they could upon their Wrists according to that of Eschylus where he says of Prometheus that though the Gods had tyed him fast to the Hill his stomach was so great that he said he scorn'd to submit or pray manibus supinis with bended hands like Women and Children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Another custom when they presented themselves before their Gods was that as they saluted and adored them turning their bodies to and fro sometimes to the right hand and sometimes to the left they prostrated themselves when putting their right hand to their mouths they kiss'd it and afterwards sate down Quò me vortam nescio Si Deos salutas dextro vorsum censeo Plaut in Curculi Now sometimes if they obtain'd a Request which was of consequence you should have them relate it to the Priest of the Temple to be registred or write it down in a Table and leave it behind them for a Testimony In the ancient Prayers of the Romans Ianus and Vesta were first preferr'd as Fabius Pictor hath it because they first taught the Religious use of Corn and Wine and as they were first used in Sacrifices so they had the first place though not the chiefest which was ever reserved for Iupiter optimus maximus After them the several other Gods had their particular Carmina Precationes addressed to them and some Priests for that purpose appointed to say or sing them in a certain Tone like our Te Deum in the Cathedral Churches whilst others stood by to assist them At the same time another commanded the people Favere Linguis or to be silent whilst the Tibicen or Musician play'd by fits on the Pipe Furthermore Prayers to the Gods were used not only in Temples but also at Sepulchers the words of them being for the most part barbarous and obsolete thereby to seem the more mysterious although some Prayers may be found fitted to the present occasion and deliver'd in good language In some Countreys much clamour and loud speaking was used when they called upon their Gods which we see Elias wisely derided in the Priests of Baal The Poets used to say that Prayers were the Daughters of Iupiter but lame because they did not always obtain what they desired There are hardly any forms of publick Prayer made by their Priests extant and if any they are too obscure to be
see Faces that if you examine them part by part you shall find never a good feature and yet all together agreeable enough That is the best part of Beauty which a Picture cannot express Aristole speaking of Beauty saith That Dominion appertaineth to those that are beautiful that they are most venerable next unto the Godâ— themselves and that all who are not blind are touched with it Cyrus Alexander and Câ—sar those great Commanders have made much use thereof in their greatest Affairs yea even Scipio the best of them all Fair and Good are near Neighbours and express'd by the self-same words both in Greek and in the Scriptures Many great Philosophers have attained to their Wisdom by the assistance of their Beauty Bacon's Essays and Charron of Wisd. Deformed persons are generally even with Nature and as Nature hath doneill by them so do they by Nature being for the most part void of natural affection Certainly there is a consent between the Body and the Mind and where Nature erreth in the one she ventureth in the other Vbi peccat in uno periclitatur in altero Deformed persons saith the Lord Bacon chiefly endeavour to free themselves from scorn which must be done either by vertue or malice therefore let us not wonder if there have been persons eminent not only for Beauty but also for Deformity that yet have been both eminent for Vertue Augustus Caesar Titus Vespasian Philip le belle of France Edward the 4th of England Alcibiades of Athens and Ismael the Sophy of Persia were all high great Spirits and yet the most beautiful men of their Times On the contrary Tamerlain Agesilaus Zanger the Son of Solyman Aesop Gasca President of Peru Socrates and Crasus all men remarkable for their Deformity and yet were no less eminent for their extraordinary Vertue Wherefore I cannot but condemn that Law of Aristotle as barbarous and unjust who thinking all lame and deformed Children not worth the rearing ordained them to be exposed and destroyed For as Senecâ— saith Ex casa vir c. An eminent man may come out of a poor Cottage and a beautiful high Mind out of a low and deformed Body It 's true a crooked Body is often inhabited by a crooked Mind and because they are not good enough to be esteem'd in this World they for that reason promise themselves happiness in the next making Lameness Crookedness Squinting great red Nose Pimples or Carbuncles to be infallible marks of Election or divine Grace Deformed enough to be a Saint They owe their Vertue to Necessity and as an ugly Face is an Antidote to anothers Venery so is it a Call to their own Chastity In a great Wit Deformity is an advantage to his Rising for in ancient Times as well as at this present in some Countreys Kings were used to put great confidence in Eunuchs because they being envious towards all are more obnoxious and officious towards one The first distinction which is thought to have been amongst men and the first consideration that gave pre-eminence to some over others 't is very probable was the advantage of Beauty as the Poet seems to hint agros divisere atque dâ—dere Pro facie cujusque viribus ingenioque Nam facies multum valuit viresque vigebant Lucret. lib. 5. The Aethiopians and Indians saith Aristotle in choosing of their Kings and Magistrates had special regard to the Beauty and Talness of their persons for that it breedeth a respect in his Followers and a fear in all his Enemies to behold a proper handsom man walking at the head of his Army Ipse inter primos praestanti corpore Turnus Vertitur arma teâ—ons toto vertice suprà est Virg. Aen. lib. 7. The chief Vice whereof the Beautiful are guilty is Pride Sequitur superbia formam as vainly esteeming themselves upon the meer liberality of Nature which nothing but the Addresses Courtship and Admiration of others make them understand in themselves However methinks this vain-glory should cease when they consider Simia quam similis turpissima bestia nobis Ennius Cic. Nat. Deor. lib. 1. But if any Countrey under Heaven may boast of this natural Endowment I may without vanity say 't is England whose Court is never without a Cleopatra equal for Beauty to Anthony's Egyptian Queen 2 Tarsus a City in Cilicia now called Terassa Hama and Hamsa Long. 60. lat 38. 3 Aesculapius the God of Physick and feigned to be the Son of Apollo 4 The Gods entertain such as are vertuous without an Advocate This shows that the most wise and honest amongst the Heathens opposed the Doctrine of a Mediator betwixt God and Man for they wanting the Light of our Gospel and being altogether ignorant of our blessed Intercessor Christ Jesus might perhaps oppose the Mediatorship of all others for these Reasons First Thinking it unnecessary Misericordia Dei being sufficiens Iustitiae suae Secondly God must have appointed this Mediator and so was really reconciled to the World before And that thirdly a Mediator derogates from the infinite Mercy of God equally as an Image doth from his Spirituality and Infinity Now these Reasons prevailed with many of the wisest of the Heatheâ—s but for the vulgar and generality of those who were subject to the Idolatry of their Priests they believed otherwise of this matter and swallow'd without chewing those pills of Faith which were accommodated to the Sentiments of Mankind Thus therefore besides their particular and Topical Deities they moreover acknowledged one supream God not Iupiter of Crete but the Father of Gods and Men. Only they said that this supream God being of so high a Nature and there being other intermediate Beings betwixt God and Mankind they were to address themselves to them as Mediators to carry up their prayers and bring down his blessings so as the opinion of a Mediator was the foundation of the Heathens Idolatry they not being able to go to the Fountain of Good it self And thus we see this invocation of Saints which is now peculiar to the Church of Rome was no other than an old Relick of the Heathen Idolatry and taken from their invocation of Daemons who as St. Augustine says are Interpreters and Messengers between God and Men that hence they might carry our Petitions and thence bring us down supplies because those Daemons excel us mâ—n in merits Aug. Civit. Dei lib. 8. ch 22. Thus also do the Papists urge the merits of the Saints in their Prayers as in the Prayer of St. Andrew it is thus Oh Lord let the holy Prayer of B. Andrew make our Sacrifice pleasing to thee that being solemnly exhibited to his Honour it may be acceptable by his merits through our Lord c. in Festo S. Andreae But for the Heathens invocation of their Daemons hear what Plato says of it God is not approached by men but all the commerce between him and them is perform'd by the mediation of Daemons who are Reporters and Carriers from Men
whereat the King being amazed enquired of him the reason why he did so To whom Simonides replied Because the more he consider'd of the thing the more obscure and intricate it appeared to him De Natura Deor. lib. 1.42 Caâ— Steph. Edit Now the great veneration that Simonides had for God might perhaps procure him that great share in his providence which it appears by these two Stories he had One time Simonides being at supper with Scopas at Cranon a City of Thessaly news was brought him that two young men were at the door earnestly desiring to speak with him whereupon going to the Gate he found no body there but in the mean time the Roof of the Dining-room fell down and kill'd Scopas with all his other Guests So beloved of the immortal Gods was Simonides to be preserv'd from so eminent a danger as Valer. Max. well observes lib. 1. ch 8. de Miraculis Another time Simonides having been a Voyage at Sea and newly come on shore he found the dead Body of a man lying unburied whereupon out of charity he buried it and was by the same Body admonish'd that night in a Dream not to set sail the next day which he giving credit to stay'd ashore but those that went to Sea were all cast away Whereof being informed he was not a little glad that he had committed his life to the security of a Dream rather than to the mercy of the Sea and being mindful of the benefit receiv'd eterniz'd the memory of the dead person in a living Poem c. Val. Max. lib. 1. ch 7. and Cicero Divin lib. 1.52 Simonides offering to teach Themistocles the Art of Memory he refused it saying He had more need of forgetfulness than memory for that he remembred what he would not but could not forget what he would Another time Simonides having requested of Themistocles a thing that was unjust for him to grant Themistocles told him That no man could be a good Musician that plays without time nor a good Magistrate that governs without Law Simonides used to say That a man's Reputation is the last thing that 's buried of him unless we speak of such whose Honour and Vertue die before themselves Plut. Mor. Simonides being ancient and disabled from all other carnal and corporeal pleasures by reason of his years he entertain'd one still which fed and maintain'd his old age and that was the delight which he took in getting and hoarding up money wherefore he is reproach'd for Covetousness as we see in Plutarch Mor de Senect He was a great lover of Silence being used to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he had often repented of his speech but never of his silence Cael. Rhod. lib. 13 ch 5 Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 35. ch 11. speaks of a famous Painter of this Name who acquired great reputation by drawing two Pictures the one of Agatharrus the famous Racer the other of the Goddess of Memory called Mnemosyne 4 Pamphylia a Countrey in Asia the less on the East-side of Cilicia by the Mountain Taurus It is called by Pliny Monsopia by Girava Settalia by Thevet Zina and by Nigrus Caraman The ancient Poets often mention it Hunc quoque perque novem timuit Pamphylia messes Stat. lib. 1. Also Lucan Pamphylia Puppi Occurrit Tellus lib. 8. There is also Pamphylia a City of Media Stephan 5 Cilicia a Countrey of Asia the less bounded on the West with Pamphylia on the East with Syria on the North with the Mountain Taurus and on the South divided from Cappadocia by the Cilician Sea At this day it is commonly called Caramania or Caramanta and not Turcomania as Ortelius writes It is divided into two parts Campestris and Trachea that is the plain and the rocky In this Countrey St. Paul was born The Inhabitants are much inclined to Lying and Stealing from whence the Proverb comes Cilix non facile verum dicit Scituated for Long. 69. Lat. 37. Clim 4. This place abounds much with Saffron as you may learn from the Poets Et cum scena croco Cilici perfusa recens est Lucret. lib. 2. Quotve â—erat dicam terra Cilissa crocos Ovid in Ibin The Cilicians being eminent for Pyracy were overcome by Pompey and afterwards made use of by him in his Sea-Fights against Caesar. Itque Cilix justa non jam pirata carinâ Lucan lib. 3. Arias Montanus saith that Cilicia was by the Hebrews called Chalab And Stephanus conjectures from Herodotus that the Inhabitants of this Countrey were heretofore call'd Achâ—ians The derivation of its Name Cilicia was taken from the Hebrew Challekim or Challukim i. e. Lapidibus for that the Countrey is full of Stones Hinc Cilicis Tauri saxosa cacumina vitet Sil. Ital. lib. 13. Heretofore it was one of the most wealthy Provinces belonging to the Roman Empire and eminent for its Proconsul Cicero 6 Come to their right mind at the sight of any grave person That the gravest Bird is an Owl and the gravest Beast is an Ass was the observation of a great modern Wit hereby ridiculing Formality and Gravity in men as if Gravity was an essential qualification both for Knave and Fool 't is the Ceremony of the Face as all other Equipage and Ceremony is the Gravity of the Body and peculiar as well to Offices and Imployments as to men Gravity in a Prince consists of his Crown his Robes his Guards his Presence-Chamber his Councils Officers Ministers of State Retinue c. In a Nobleman 't is his Title his Coronet gilt-Coach fine Cloaths numerous Pages Lacquies c. In a Lawyer 't is his Robes either of black or scarlet his Coif his under-Officers c. In a Clergy-man 't is his Surplice black Scarf or Lawn Sleeves his Clerk or Lecturer and saying Awmen with a laudable voice In a General 't is his great Scarf hanging at his back-side his Commanders Staff his under-Officers his Drums Trumpets Colours rich Furniture of his Horse c. Also for Places the Gravity of a Court consists in the many Accesses to it the several Centries Guard-Chambers Chairs of State Chambers of Presence c. Courts of Judicature In the high Throne whereon the Judges and Justices sit above the rest of the people in the Bar whereat the Prisoners hold up their hands in the Cryer Tip-staves Gaoler under-Officers c. Churches In the high gloomy painted Windows Altars richly furnish'd with Plate as great silver Chalices and Candlesticks in Organs in long Wax Tapers a fine Ring of Bells c. These are the several kinds of Gravity which influence the silly vulgar people into an awful veneration and obedience though being the greatest part of the World Mankind may in effect be said to be govern'd by Rare Shows Sir Formal Trifle with his little Hat sitting on one side his short Hair short Band great Ears short black Cloath-Cloak bobbing at his tail stroking his Gloves through his hands betwixt his Fore-finger and his Thumb
first sent to enquire of these Daphnean Oracles what his success should be who return'd him this Answer That the Bones of one Babylas a Bishop and other Christian Martyrs being interr'd amongst them their Divining power was ceased whereupon Iulian commanded the Christians to remove them which saith Theodoret was accordingly done with a most solemn Procession and singing of Psalms making this the burthen of each Verse Confounded be all they that worship graven Images whereat Iulian being enraged began his Persecution against the Christians Nicephorus lib. 16.23 17.14 speaketh of the continuance of this Daphnean Grove honour'd with Buildings and Speâ—tacles by Mammianus and Chosroes Apollo's Image placed therein was made of Wood cover'd over with Gold Theodosiâ—s forbad the cutting of any of those Cypresses This place had many Names Iulian called it the Habitation of the Daphnean God Claudian Apollineum Nemus and Sacra Tempe Dionysius Optima Tempe and sometime it is called Constantiniana Daphne 3 Cyparissus an Assyrian Youth is feign'd to be the Son of Telephus and Inhabitant of Caea one of the Cycladian Islands the Fable of him is at large described by Ovid in his Metamorphos lib. 10. Affuit huic Turbae metas imitata Cupressus Nunc Arbor puer ante c. How Cyparissus was a lovely young Boy and Favourite of Apollo who killing by chance a Stag pined away with sorrow and desiring the Gods that he might remain a perpetual mourner was transformed into that Funeral Tree He is feign'd to have been beloved of Apollo for that he was studious in Poetry and because the Cypress Tree being cut down or Lopt as Man by the Sythe of Death re-flourisheth no more it was therefore used at Funerals yet only at the Exequies of the more Noble Urns were also wrought of the same to enclose the Bones of them who died for the Publick good thinking it preserved them from putrefaction The branches they stuck at the doors of the deceased lest any ignorantly entring should be polluted with the dead Body according to the Levitical Law wherefore Pliny writes that the Cypress is consecrated to Pluto lib. 16. ch 33. 4 Fables The Antiquities of the first Age were buried in oblivion and silence which silence was succeeded by Poetical Fables and those Fables supplanted by the Records we now enjoy So that the mysteries and secrets of Antiquity were distinguish'd and separated from the evidence of future times by the Veil of Fiction which interposed it self between those things which perished and those which are extant If we seriously reflect upon the mendacity of Greece we shall find that a considerable part of the Ancient times was by the Greeks themselves term'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is made up of Fables And surely the fabulous inclination of those days was greater than any since which swarm'd so with Fables and from such slender grounds took hints from Fictions poysoning the World ever after wherein how far they amplified may be drawn from Palephatus his Book of Fabulous Narrations That Fable of Orpheus who by the melody of his Musick drew Woods and Trees to follow him was rais'd saith Dr. Brown Vulg. Err. lib. 1 ch 6. upon a slender foundation for there were a crew of mad women retired into a Mountain from whence being pacified by his Musick they descended with boughs in their hands which gave sufficient occasion for those Fabulous times to celebrate the Magick of Orpheus's Harp as having power to attract the senseless Trees about it That Medea the famous Sorceress could renew Youth and make old men young again was nothing else but that from the knowledge of Simples she had a Receipt to make white Hair black and reduce again old Heads into the Tincture of Youth The Fable of Gerion and Cerberus with three Heads was this Gerion was of the City Tricarinia that is of three Heads and Cerberus of the same place was one of his Dogs who running into a Cave upon pursuit of his Masters Oxen Hercules by force drew him out of that place from whence they affirm'd that Hercules descended into Hell ' and brought up Cerberus into the Land of the Living Upon the like occasion was rais'd the figment of Briareus who dwelling in a City called Hecatonchiria they reported him to have an hundred hands They gave wings to Dedalus because he stealing out of a window from Minos sailed away with his Son Icarus who steering his course wisely escaped but his Son carrying too high a Sail was drown'd That Nioâ—e weeping over her Children was turn'd into a Stone is nothing else but that during her life she erected over their Sepulchres a Marble Stone of her own When Acteon had ruined his Estate with Dogs and the prodigal Attendants of Hunting they made a solemn story of it how he was devoured by his own Hounds and upon the like grounds was raised the Anthropophagie of Diomedes his Horses Also upon such a slender foundation was erected the Fable of the Minotaur for one Taurus a Servant of Minoâ— got his Mistress Pasiphae with Child from whence the Infant was named Minotaurus and Pasiphae accused of admitting conjunction with a Bull which gave a hint of depravity to Domitian to act the Fable in reality In like manner Diodorus presents us with such another Nativity of that famous Fable of Charon who being no other but the common Ferryman of Egypt that wasted over the dead bodies from Memphis was made by the Greeks to be the Ferryman of Hell and many solemn Stories rais'd of him Likewise that the generation of Castor and Helena was out of an Egg because they were born and educated in an upper room according to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which with the Lacedemonians had the same signification That Romulus and Rhemus were suckled by a Woolf because Acca Laureâ—tius Nursing them and she being an infamous Strumpet was called in derision Lupa Lupanaria amongst the Romans signifying Brothel-houses and Lupa a Strumpet And many more of the like nature could I instance quas nunc prescribere longum est The learned Herbert Baron of Cherbury saith the original of Fables was this That the several Countries and Ages having their several Gods and the people to magnifie their own raising Lyes on one anothers Gods feign'd them to be guilty of Rapes Murthers Frauds c. instancing particular Stories of them which were afterwards deliver'd to posterity by the Greek and Roman Poets Wherefore to furnish men with a right opinion of the Gods as also purge Divinity from all these absurd Notions Romulus did in his time order a publick Reformation of Religion as Dion Halicarnass writes lib. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. quae ita vertit interpres Caeterum fabulas de ipsis Graecis a majoribus traditâ—s probra eorum continentes ac crimina imprâ—â—a censuit inutilesque ac indecentes ac ne probis quidem viris dignas nedum Diis supâ—ris repudiat isque his omnibus
to relate what he did amongst the Barbarians Now although my Relation doth hasten towards more great and admirable Subjects yet not so as to neglect these two things First The Fortitude of Apollonius in travelling through 8 barbarous Nations that were addicted to Robbery and unsubdued by the Romans and secondly His Wisdom in that after the manner of the Arabians he came to understand the several Voices of living Creatures for this he learned of the Arabians who understand and practise it the best of any also it is yet common to the Arabians to hearken to the Voice of Birds as foretelling whatsoever Oracles can This Converse with irrational Creatures they gain by eating some say the Heart others say the Liver of Dragons Illustrations on Chap. 14. 1 MEsopotamia a large Countrey of Asia limited on the East with the River Tigris on the West with the River Euphrates on the South with Babylon and on the North with Caucasus It is call'd Mesopotamia as Philostratus here observes from its situation between the two Rivers Tigris and Euphrates By the Hebrews it is called Aram Naharaim i. e. Syria fluviorum duorum Heretofore it was named Seleucia as Pliny informs us lib. 6. Olivarius saith it is at present known by the Name of Halapia though others call it Apamia some Adiabene and some Azamia Arrianus names the Inhabitants of this Countrey Incolas inter amnes lib. 3. Cicero says that the River Euphrates makes it very fertil Natur. Deor. lib. 6. 2 Publican a Farmer of publick Rents or Revenues belonging to the Crown such as we call an Excise-man 3 Tigris is a River in Asia so call'd from the swiftness of its current alluding to the swift flight of a Dart or Arrow which in the Median Tongue was call'd Tigrin viz. Sagittae Strabo Geogr. lib. 11. It runs with such an impetuous and speedy current thorow the Lake Arethusa that neither the Waters nor the Fish mingle with those of the Lake It runs into a hole on the side of the Mountain Taurus and rising out again on the other side of the Mountain continues its course till running into Mesopotamia it there divides it self into two branches whereof one evacuates into the Persian Gulph and the other into Euphrates For its Original Iustin and Solinus derive it from the Armenian Mountains But of this see Iustin lib. 42. Solin ch 40. Lucan lib. 3. verse 256. Boetius de Consol. lib. 5. Arrianus lib. 7. de Exped Alex. writes that this River was heretofore called Sylax Eustathius and Plutarch Sollax Arrias Montanus say the Hebrews name it Hidekel Iosephus calls it Diglath and Pliny Pasitigris But at this day Castaldus saith it is known by the Name Tegil 4 Euphrates a famous River of Mesopotamia arising as saith Strabo out of Niphates a Hill in Armenia this is one of the Rivers that cometh out of Paradise and passeth through Babylon I conceive it takes this Name Euphrates from the Arabick Tongue wherein Pharata signifies inundare to overflow Some will have its Name from the Hebrews Hu-perah Gen. 11.14 Boetius will have it that Tigris and Euphrates have both but one head Tigris Euphrates uno se fonte resolvunt This River far exceeds Tigris in magnitude Strabo lib. 2. As well Lucan as Cicero takes notice how much this River conduces to the fertility of Mesopotamia Sparsus in agros Fertilis Euphrates Phariae vice fungitur undae Lucan lib. 3. Of this River you may see a description at large in Pliny Nat. Hist. lib. 5. ch 24. Also in Strabo lib. 16. There was a famous Philosopher of this Name who lived under the Emperor Adrian till being troubled with some grievous Disease which rendred his life burthensom he with the Emperor's consent did voluntarily by a mornings draught of Hemlock pass into the other World 5 Taurus the most famous Mountain of Asia which beginning at the Indian Sea stretches out its two arms Northward and Southward also Westward to the Aegean Sea In which manner extending it self through many Countreys it receives in each a several Name Thus in Cilicia it is call'd Taurus Taurusque Cilix Ovid Met. 2. in Lycia Cragus in Pamphylia Coracesius and Sarpedon in the Lesser Armenia Antitaurus in the Greater Armenia Moschicus and Pariedus in Mesopotamia Chaboras in Syria Amanus in the Confines of Mesopotamia and Armenia Niphates or Gordiaeus in Colchos Coraxicus in Iberia and Albania Caucasus in Media Zagrus in the Confines of the farther Assyria Orontes Iasonius Coronus and Choatras in Parthia Paracoathras in Carmania Strongylos in Bactria Paropamisus in Scythia Imaus between Scythia and India Emodus all which were in general by the Greeks call'd Ceraunios in the Word of God it was called Ararat So that we see this Mountain through each Countrey it ran receiv'd a new Name However Q. Curtius seems to make Taurus and Caucasus two distinct Mountains Taurus especially in Cilicia is at this day called Cambel Bacras and Giulich 6 Armenia so call'd as Strabo affirms lib. 11. from the Name of one of Iason's Companions which followed him in his Navigation out of Harmenia a City of Thessaly or as others say from Aram the Son of Sem is a Countrey of Asia divided into two parts the Greater and the Lesser The greater hath a part of Cappadocia and Euphraâ—es on the West Mesopotamia on the South Colchis Iberia and Albania on the North the Caspian Sea and Media on the East Part of this greater Armenia is now call'd Turcomania and the other part contain'd in Georgia Ptolomy reckoneth many principal Mountains in it as the Moschici Paryarges or Pariedri Vdacespes Antitaurus Abos and the Gordaei which the Chaldaean Paraphrast calleth Kardu Quintus Curtius Cordai and Berosus Cordyaei On these Hills it is said the Ark rested and Haithon one of the same Countrey calleth this Mountain Arath little differing from the Scripture Appellation Ararat Now for the lesser Armenia which is call'd Prima it is divided from the greater or Turcomania by Euphrates on the East it hath on the West Cappadociae on the South Cilicia and part of Syria on the North the Pontick Islands It was sometimes reckon'd a part of Cappadocia till the Armenians by their Invasions and Colonies alter'd the Name The Armenian Countrey being conquer'd in the year of our Lord 1515. by Selimus the first was annext to the Ottoman Empire and subjected to its Tyranny The Armenians are now much dispers'd all over the Turks Dominions through the encouragement of Traffick and Commerce to which they are much addicted As for their Constitutions the Men are naturally of healthy strong and robustious Bodies their Countenances commonly grave their Features well proportion'd but of a melancholy and Saturnine Air On the contrary their Women are generally ill-shaped long-nosed and not one of a thousand so much as commonly handsom The men are in their Humours covetous and sordid to a high degree heady obstinate and hardly to be perswaded to any thing of
Reason being in most things of a dull and stupid Apprehension except in Merchandize and matters of gain wherein they understand nothing but their advantage The Turks give them the Name of Bokegees and the Iews esteem them to have been of the ancient Rac◠of the Amalekites being a people whom they envy because they will not easily be cheated Many ascribe their heaviness of Complexion to the Air of their Countrey which is imprison'd in the vast Mulberry Woods as also thicken'd by the Vapours of their Fens and Marshes and Winds from the Caspian Sea together with the ungrateful steams arising from the Cauldrons wherein they boyl their Silk-worms As for the Rites and Ceremonies of this Church whilst subjected to the Roman Empire they were the same with the Grecian maintaining the same Doctrine and acknowledging the Patriarch of Constantinople for the Head of their Church till afterwards Differences arising in Government have divided them both in Doctrine and Discipline The Armenian Church as Mr. Ricaut informs us is at present govern'd by four Patriarchs whereof the chiefest resides at Etchmeasin in Persia the second at Sis in Armenia minor the third at Canshahar and the fourth at Achtamar for those Armenian Patriarchs which remain at Constantinople are only titular made to please the Turks As for the Doctrine of the Armenian Church they allow and accept of the Articles of Faith in the Council of Nice they also make use of the Apostles Creed Notwithstanding they have made a Creed or confession of Faith of their own which is as follows I confess that I believe with all my heart in God the Father uncreated and not begotten and that God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost were from all eternity the Son begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeds only from the Father I believe in God the Son increated and begotten from eternity The Father is eternal the Son is eternal and equal to the Father whatsoever the Father contains the Son contains I believe in the Holy Ghost which was from eternity not begotten of the Father but proceeding three Persons but one God Such as the Son is to the Deity such is the Holy Ghost I believe in the holy Trinity not three Gods but one God one in Will in Government and in Judgment Creator both of visible and invisible I believe in the holy Church in the remission of sins and the communion of Saints I believe that of those three Persons one was begotten of the Father before all eternity but descended in time from Heaven unto Mary of whom he took bloud and was form'd in her Womb where the Deity was mix'd with the Humanity without spot or blemish He patiently remain'd in the Womb of Mary nine months and was afterwards born as Man with Soul Intellect Judgment and Body having but one Body and one Countenance and of this mixture or union resulted one composition of Person God was made Man without any change in himself born without humane Generation his Mother remaining still a Virgin And as none knows his Eternity so none can conceive his Being or Essence for as he was Jesus Christ from all eternity so he is to day and shall be for ever I believe in Jesus Christ who convers'd in this World and after thirty years was baptized according to his own good will and pleasure his Father bearing witness of him and said This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and the Holy Ghost in form of a Dove descended upon him he was tempted of the Devil and overcame was preached to the Gentiles was troubled in his Body being wearied enduring hunger and thirst was crucified with his own will died corporally and yet was alive as God was buried and his Deity was mixed with him in the Grave his Soul descended into Hell and was always accompanied with his Deity he preach'd to the Souls in Hell whom after he had releas'd he arose again the third day and appear'd to his Apostles I believe that our Lord Jesus Christ did with his Body ascend into Heaven and sits at the right hand of God and that with the same Body by the determination of his Father he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead and that all shall rise again such as have done good shall go into Life eternal and such as have done evil into everlasting Fire This is the sum of the Armenian Faith which they teach their young Children and Scholars also is repeated by them in the same manner as our Apostles Creed is in our Divine Service But he that would read more of their Fasts Feasts Ceremonies Penances c. let him peruse that late excellent Treatise call'd The present State of the Armenian Church written by the ingenious Mr. Paul Ricaut who conversed sometime amongst them 7 Arabia is called by the Hebrews Arab wherefore some derive the Name Arabia from the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arabah which signifies a Desert for that Arabia is full of Deserts Others ascribe the Name to Arabus the Son of Apollo and Babylonia Some will have it that Homer call'd the Arabians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. nigros But of this see Strabo and Magnum Etymologicum Arabia is a very large Countrey of Asia lying between two Bays or Gulfs of the Sea the Persian on the East and that which from hence is call'd the Arabian on the West on the South is the Ocean and on the North is Syria and Euphrates it confines on Iudaea on the one hand and Aegypt on the other Now Arabia is commonly divided into three parts Petraea Deserta and Faelix And the forged Berosus of Annius telleth that Ianus Pater sent one Sabus into Arabia Faelix Arabus into Arabia Deserta and Petreius into Petraea all Nephews of Cham or rather Sons of Annius his Brain Arabia Faelix call'd at this day by some Aimon but by the Turks Gemen or Giamen comprehends the Southerly parts of Arabia and receiv'd the Epithet Faelix from its fertility Arabia Petraea call'd by Pliny and Strabo Nabathae but now at this day Barraah or Bengaucal receiv'd the Name of Petraea as saith Arrias Mont. from Petra the Seat Royal afterwards call'd Arach of Aretas the Arabian King Lastly Arabia Deserta now known by the Name of Beriara was so call'd from the nature of the place being in great part without Inhabitants by reason of the barrenness of the Soyl as is also great part of that which is call'd Petraea Of this read at large in Purchas his Pilgrimage lib. 3. ch 1. This Countrey is famous for rich odoriferous Spices and Unguents Arabia odorum fertilitate nobilis Regio says Curtius lib. 5. Likewise all the ancient Poets express the same 8 Barbarous Nations that were unsubdued by the Romans For the Romans professing themselves to be the only Masters of Humanity did as we may find by their Historians esteem all
people barbarous that were not subject to their Empire And so likewise did the Greeks for when King Pyrrhus came into Italy after he had survey'd the discipline of the Army which the Romans had sent against him I know not said he what barbarous men these are but the conduct of their Army is nothing barbarous The like also said the Graecians of that which Flaminius sent into their Countrey But nothing could be more arrogant or more unjust than this They are savage and barbarous as we call those Fruits wild which Nature of her self and of her ordinary progress hath produced whereas those natural productions which we by our Arts and devices have alter'd might more justly deserve that term of Barbarous Corn Wine and Oyl are wanting to this ground With which our Countreys fruitfully abound As if this infant World yet unarray'd Naked and bare in Natures Lap were laid No useful Arts have yet found footing here But all untaught and salvage does appear As we by Art unteach what Nature wrought So all their Customs are by Nature taught There Nature spreads her fruitful sweetness round Breaths on the Air and broods upon the Ground There Days and Nights the only Seasons be The Sun no Climate does so gladly see When forc'd from thence to see our Parts he mourns Takes little Iourneys and makes quick returns Mr. Dryden These Nations therefore seem barbarous to me because they have receiv'd little improvement from Humane wit whereas if we rightly consider'd it they ought the more to be valued as being so much the nearer to their pure original Nature without any allay of Art or Custom Nature is the work of the Almighty and Art the work of Man so at most but Natures Bastard We have by our inventions so much overcharg'd the beauties and riches of Nature that we have in a manner choak'd her Et veniunt hederae sponte sua melius Surgit in solis formosior arbutus antris Et volucres nulla dulcius arte canunt Propert. lib. 1. El. 2.10 Ivies spring better of their own accord Grounds unmanur'd much fairer Trees afford And Birds untaught much sweeter Notes record All our Wit or Art says Montaign cannot so much as represent the contexture beauty and use of the least Birds Nest or Spiders Web. On the other side those words that import Lying Falshood Treason Dissimulations Covetousness Envy Detraction and Pardon were never heard of amongst them Hos Natura modos primum dedit Whilst we detract from others we flatter and dissemble with our selves and whilst we condemn them for eating men that are dead we forget how much worse it is to crucifie torment and roast men alive which the Spaniards have done under the name of Christians So that to me this Calumny seems to be grounded rather upon envy than any thing else as we often see it in private Families where if one Brother hath more wit or sense than the rest the others shall presently conspire together against him thinking to repair their own folly or weakness by traducing him with Lyes and slanders of debauchery wickedness and intemperance Nor can weak Truth his Reputation save The Fools will all agree to call him Knave Sat. against Man In him the smallest Trip is adjudged a Stumble the least Mote a Beam and if upon any extraordinary accident he be guilty of the least act of intemperance they shall record it to all posterity as if they boasted of that equality of understanding which they had with him when he was in drink and they sober for Fools are drunk by Nature Again if he never so strictly keeps and observes the Moral part of the Christian Law and omits but the least point of the Ceremonial he shall presently be decryed for an Atheist when in the mean while they who so accuse him lending their outward man to the Church and their inward to the Devil covet lye back-bite censure envy detract and violate the most sacred Oaths Vows and Contracts made before God and man when yet notwithstanding by the help of reading a few Psalms and Chapters or repeating daily a few Prayers they think they have expiated all their other failings which at the most they will allow to be only Sins of infirmity The word Atheist is now used as heretofore the word Barbarous was all persons differing in Opinions Customs or Manners being then term'd Barbarians as now Atheists 9 He came to understand the several Voices of living Creatures as that best of Satyrs Hudibras speaks of Squire Ralphâ— He understood the speech of Birds As well as they themselves do words Could tell what subâ—lest Parrots mean That speak and think contrary clean What member 't is of whom they talk When they cry Rope and Walk Knave walk Canto 1. Pliny lib. 10. ch 49. amongst other fabulous Narrations tells us of a vain report that Dragons taught Melampus by licking his Ears to understand the language of Birds Also Democritus mentioneth certain Birds of whose bloud mingled together and suffer'd to corrupt there is engendred a Serpent which whosoever eateth shall understand the speech of Birds Porphyrius lib. 3 de Abstinentia writes that if you will give credit to Antiquity there have been and were in his time several that understood the languages of Birds and Beasts as amongst the Ancients Melampus and Tyresias Also he says that a Friend of his had a Boy who understood the speech of Birds that the Arabians understood the language of Crows and the Tyrrhenians the language of Eagles Now that Apollonius had this gift not only Philostratus but also Porphyry Eunapius and others affirm Likewise if you observe his gift of Tongues and other Miracles I see no reason why you should doubt of this Faith being like a piece of blank Paper whereon you may write as well one Miracle as another 10 It is yet common to the Arabians to hearken to the voice of Birds as foretelling whatsoever Oracles can which Converse with irrational Creatures they gain by eating some say the Heart others say the Liver of Dragons Those Princes and Commonwealths says the most wise Florentine who would keep their Government entire and incorrupt must above all things have a care of Religion and its Ceremonies to preserve them in due veneration and that not only in the beginning of a Government as Numa did whereby he reduced a martial and fierce people to civil obedience but also in any Government establish'd for that Irreligion introduces Luxury and Luxury Destruction Whatsoever therefore occurs that may any way be extended to the advanâ—age and reputation of the Religion establisht how uncertain or frivolous soever it may seem in it self yet by all means it is to be propagated and encouraged by prudent Magistrates this course having been observed by wise men has produced the opinion of Miracles which are celebrated even in those Religions that are false for let their Original be as idle as they please a wise Prince will be sure to
the fatal hour Again if I knew I should dye at such a Relations House this might terrifie me from visiting him for fear of making his Habitation my Sepulchre So that the All wise disposer of all things who doth nothing in vain hath for the good of mankind conceal'd this prescience from us 3 Eretrians were the Inhabitants of Eretria which was a famous City of Euboea They are said to take their name from Eretrius the Son of Phaeton Herodotus lib. 6. speaking of these Eretrians says that Datys and Artaphernes being arrived in Asia took these Eretrians Prisoners and sent them away captive to Susa for that they had exasperated Darius in making War upon him wiâ—â—out any provocation where being presented before Darius he planted them at Anderica in Cissia about 210 furlongs distant from Susa. 4 By Darius This Darius was the Son of Hystaspes who got the Crown of Persia by the Neighing of his Horse at Sun-rising for his Groom Oebares having the Night before let his Horse cover a Mare at that place the Horse was no sooner brought thither the next morning but he immediately fell a Neighing in remembrance of his past pleasure and by that means won his Master the Crown after the death of Cambyses He married Atossa the Daughter of Cyrus for the strengthning of his Title He recover'd Rebellious Babylon by a Stratagem of Zopyrus one of his Noblemen who cutting off his own Lips and Nose and miserably disfiguring himself got in with the Babylonians to be their Leader against the Tyrant his Master who as he pretended had so martyr'd him which done he betray'd to his Master Darius After this he march'd against the Scythians who in derision presented him with a Bird a Frog a Mouse and Five Arrows which by Hieroglyphical interpretation signified that if the Persians did not speedily depart from them flying as Birds in the Air or ducking themselves as Frogs in a Marsh or creeping as Mice into Holes then they should have their Arrows in their sides to send them packing which was soon done with shame Upon his being defeated by the Scythians the Greeks rebell'd against him and were subdued which encouraging him to think of conquering all Greece and thereupon marching with 600000 men against it he was shamefully overthrown by Miltiades the Athenian who brought but 10000 against him in the Field of Marathon and register'd as Plutarch saith by almost 300 Historians In this Fight Themistocles the Athenian gave sufficient proofs of his valour wherein also one Cyneris a common Souldier was so fierce that when both his hands were cut off he fasten'd his Teeth upon a flying Ship of the Persians as if he meant to stay it Afterwards Darius thinking to repair this ignominious loss the Rebellion of the Aethiopians and quarrel between his Sons for the Succession brought him to his end for Artabazanes his eldest Son claimed it as Heir but in regard he was born whilst his Father was but a Subject the younger Son Xerxes carried away the Crown he being Grandchild to Cyrus by Atossa Of this Prince you may read at large in Herodotus lib. 3 4 5 6. also in Iustin lib. 1 2. in Valerius Maximus Aelian and others He began his Reign An. Mund. 3431. 5 Euboea an Isle in the Aegean Sea on the side of Europe over against Chios it is sever'd from Achaia by a little Euripus by the Ancients it was sometimes called Macra Macris Chalcis Chalcodontis Aesopis Oche Ellopia and by Homer Abantis and the Inhabitants Abantes It is now called Negropontâ— or Egriponte and by the Turks who won it from the Venetians An. Chr. 1470. Egribos and Eunya 6 Clazâ—menian Sophist so called from Clazomenae a City of Ionia in Asia built by Paralus it was afterwards called Gryna it lies near Smyrna This Clazomenae was the Country of Anaxagoras it borders upon Colophon 7 Sophist a Sophism is a cunning evading Argument or Oration in Logick it is when the form of a Syllogism is not legally framed or false matter introduced under colour of Truth whence a Sophist is in plain English but a subtle Caviller in words Thus we read that Protagoras the Disciple of Zeno as also of Democritus wanting Solidity endeavour'd to be Subtle and coming short of a Philosopher set up for a Sophist 8 Nomades were a certain people of Scythia Europaea said to be descended from those that follow'd Hercules in his Expedition into Spain Salust They were called Nomades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is à pascendo in that they spent their time chiefly in feeding Cattel and lying amongst them Dionys. vers 186. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Also Virgil mentions the same Aen. lib. 4. 8. They are also thought to be people nigh Polonia and Russia as likewise of Numidia in Africk otherwise called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Numida Also people of Asia by the Caspian Sea now call'd Daae and Parni 9 Caphareus a high Mountain of Euboea towards Hellespont by which place the Greeks Navy were sore afflicted for the death of Palamedes Son of Nauplius King of that place who was slain by Vlysses Homer Odys 4.11 and Ovid Met. lib. 14. represent to us a famous Shipwrack which the Grecian Navy suffer'd in their return from Troy Euboicae cautes ultorque Caphareus Virg. Aen. 11. 10 Forum So call'd by the Romans was a Market-place or Common Hall wherein they kept their Courts of Judicature 11 Xerxes This Xerxes was the Son of Darius Hystaspes who in the third year of the third Olympiad succeeded his Father to the Crown and was the 4 th King of the Empire drawing his Title thereunto from Cyrus his Grandfather by the side of his Mother Atossa Now his Father Darius having at the time of his death prepared all things in readiness for a War with the Aegyptians his Son Xerxes had nothing left to do but to begin his March wherefore his first Expedition was against the rebellious Aegyptians who had revolted from his Father wherein proving successful he returns and makes that great Feast mention'd in the Book of Esther who becomes his Queen in place of Vasthi His second Undertaking was to revenge his Fathers Quarrel upon Greece against which he is said to have led the most numerous Army that ever was yet heard of consisting as Herodotus writes of 1700000 Foot and 80000 Horse besides Camels and Chariots Diodorus writes of 800000 Foot Trogus Iustin and Orosius mention 1000000 in all also 1207 Ships of War all which numerous Army was entertain'd by one Pythius at Sardis who besides presented Xerxes himself with 2000 Talents in Silver and in Gold four millions Now having from Sardis sent into Greece to demand Earth and Water in token of subjection he afterwards march'd from thence with his Forces making Mount Athos an Island for the convenient passage of his Fleet also passing his Army over the Hellespont by a Bridge of Boats which Bridge happening one time to be broken by
Conspiracy to assist the Persians against their own Country was forced to save his Life by flying into Persia where by Artaxerxes Longimanus the then King he was honourably receiv'd and bountifully entertain'd having three Cities given him one for Bread another for Wine and a third for Victuals to which some add two more for Cloaths and Linen and that afterwards he died a natural death at Magnesia However others write that Themistocles being unable to perform his promise to the King of conquering Greece which by this time had Cimon and many other experienced Captains amongst them poysoned himself for grief But of this see more in Plutarch Cornelius Nepos Thucydides and Valerius Maximus Now for as much as in this Chapter and elsewhere in this Book are written the Lives of some of the Persian and Grecian Monarchs it may not be improper to give you a compendious Account of the Succession of the four Monarchies which although I design for a distinct Treatise hereafter by it self in a general Body of History if Life Health and Peace will permit me may nevertheless at this time prove usefull to such as read the foregoing part of this Chapter Know then that History is the Commemoration of things past with the due Circumstances of Time and Place in distinct Distances Intervals Periods or Dynasties by lineal Descents for the more ready help of Memory and Application And this as the learned Prideaux observes may be divided into Either 1. Ecclesiastical 2. Political 3. Of Successions in States Countreys or Families 4. Of Professions as the Lives of famous men in any Faculty 5. Natural as that of Pliny the Lord Bacon's Natural History c. 6. Various such as we have from Valerius Maximus Plutarch and Aelian Or 7. Vain Legendary or Fabulous such as are comprehended under the Name of Romances But of these the two first being only to my purpose at this time I shall not trouble you with the other five First For Ecclesiastical History that insisteth chiefly on Church-matters and hath precedency before others in respect of its Antiquity Dignity and pretended Certainty Now that is generally reckoned after this manner Beginning 1. From the Creation to the end of the Flood 1657 years 2. From the Flood to the calling of Abraham 367 years 3. From the calling of Abraham to the Israelites departing out of Aegypt 430 years 4. From the Aegyptians coming out of Aegypt to the building of Solomon's Temple 480 years 5. From the building Solomon's Temple to the erecting of the second Temple by Zorobabel 497 years 6. From the building Zorobabel's second Temple to the Nativity of our Saviour Christ 529 years 7. From the Nativity of our Saviour to this present time 1680 years Secondly To Ecclesiastical History thus briefly comprehended Political in the same method succeeds treating of Civil Matters in Kingdoms States or Commonwealths and this is according to prophane Chronology carried along in these Periods Beginning 1. From Nimrod or rather Belus to Cyrus 2. From Cyrus to Alexander the Great 3. From Alexander the Great to Iulius Caesar and the fourth Monarchy beginning 4. From Iulius Caesar to Constantine the Great in whom it ended For thus Historians have ever divided the Series of prophane Story into these four Empires called the Assyrian the Persian the Grecian and the Roman As for the first of these viz. the Assyrian Monarchy it was first begun by Nimrod and destroy'd by Cyrus as for what passed before the beginning of this Empire we have no other account but in sacred Writ wherewith since every one either is or ought to be already acquainted I shall take no further notice of it in this place We read therefore that after the Division of the Earth Nimrod the Son of Chush and Nephew of Cham fixed his Seat at Babel and therein first began that Kingdom or Empire which was call'd by some the Babylonian from Babel the place of the King's Court or Residence by others the Chaldaan from the Countrey Chaldaea wherein the City Babylon was seated and by others the Assyrian from Ashur the Son of Sem who is call'd by prophane Authors Niâ—us and whom Iustin out of Trogus would have to be the first Founder of this Empire as also the first King that made War upon his Neighbours Iustin lib. 1. Now as this Monarchy was at first instituted by Nimrod or Belus which from Iulius Africanâ—s and the best Authors I find to be the same so was it enlarged by Ninus and his Wife Semiramis in whose time it was at the height of glory and grandeur for afterwards by reason of the effeminacy of its Princes it declined till by the ruine and fall of that Monster Sardanapalus who was Mars ad opus Veneris Martis ad arma Venus the Empire became divided between those two Rebels Arbaces and Belâ—chus in whose Successions it lasted till by the death of Belshazzar last King of the Babylonians and of Darius last King of the Mâ—des the whole Empire was again united and so descended upon Cyrus the Great who began the second Empire of the Medes and Persians This first Empire began in the year of the World 1788. it lasted 1646 years and was subverted or translated into Persia in the year of the World 3434. Now the several Races and Successions of Kings that govern'd this first Assyrian Monarchy are as followeth I. Familia Beli. 1. Nimrod or Belus 2. Ninus 3. His Wife Semiramis 4. Ninâ—as or Ninus the II. 5. Arius of whom together with these that follow there is little known till we come to Sardâ—â—â—palus 6. Araliâ—s 7. Balâ—â—â— the I 8. Armatrites 9. Belachus the I. 10. Baleus the II. 11. Altadas 12. Mamitus 13. Mancaleus 14. Shaerus 15. Maâ—â—elus 16. Sparetus 17. Ascaâ—â—des 18. Aâ—yntas 19. Belochâ—s the II. 20. Bellopares 21. Lamprides 22. Sosares 23. Lamparâ—s 24. Pâ—nnias 25. Sâ—sarmus 26. Mitreus 27. Tauâ—anâ—s 28. Teutaeus 29. Tiâ—aeus 30. Dâ—â—â—ilus 31. Eâ—paâ—â—s 32. Lâ—â—sthenes 33. Pyrithidias 34. Ophraâ—â—â—s 35. Ophragaâ—â—â—s 36. Ascrazapeâ— 37. Sardanapalus after whose death the Empire was divided between Arbaces and Belochus Arbaces enjoy'd the Government of the Medes and Belochus of the Assyrians their Successions were are as followeth 1. Arbaces 2. Mandauces 3. Sosarmus 4. Artycas 5. Arbianes 6. Arsaeos or Deioces 7. Phraortes 8. Cyaxares And 9. Astyages the Father of Darius Medus 1. Phul-Belochus 2. Tiglat-Philassar 3. Salmanassar 4. Sennacherib 5. Assar-Haddon 6. Merodach 7. Ben-Merodach 8. Nabopalassar 9. Nabuchodonosor 10. Evil-Merodach And 11. Belsazar For Astyages and Belsazar gave a period to this first Monarchy whereof Cyrus became sole Monarch Now concerning this second Monarchy some will have it that Darius Medus the Son of Astyages began it and that Cyrus Astyages his Grandson by his Daughter Mandana did enlarge and perfect it for that they being both Kings one of Media and the other of Persia when joyning their Forces together they overthrew Belsazar Darius thereupon annex'd Babylon to his part of
daily Experience inform us of the truth thereof When Sultan Achmet who lived but in the year of our Lord 1613. had 3000 Concubines and Virgins listed in his Venereal Service Purchase's Pilgrimage page 290. Nay in those Countreys the Wives are not all offended at the Rivals of their Bed for as custom hath taken off the shame so also hath it extinguish'd their anger Thus we read in holy Writ that Leah Rachel Sarah and Iacob's Wives brought their fairest Maiden-servants unto their Husbands Beds also Livia seconded the lustful Appetites of her Husband Augustus even to her own prejudice and Stratonica wife of King Deiotarus did not only accommodate the King with a handsom Maiden but also enroll'd the said Concubine for one of the Ladies of her Bed-chamber educating her Children and using all means possible to have them succeed in his Thronâ— of so base a Spirit was Queen Stratonica Again Princes have been as often ruined by their Wives as by their Concubines Thus Livia is infamous for the poysoning of her Husband Roxalana Solyman's Wife was the destruction of that renowned Prince Sultan Mustapha and otherwise troubled his House and Succession Edward the Second of England his Queen had the principal hand in the deposing and murther of her Husband Now this kind of danger is then chiefly to be fear'd when the Wives have Plots either for the raising of their own Children or for the promoting of their own new Religion or else when they be Advowtresses of all which her differing from her Husband in Religion whether she be Wife or Concubine renders her the most dangerous for then she looking upon him as out of the reach of God's mercy can think nothing an injury to his person or a loss to his Estate if her ghostly Fathers are pleas'd but to encourage her Lastly Upon another account Women have many times been the destruction of States Nam fuit ante Helenam Cunnus teterrima Belli Causa Horat. Lib. 1. Sat. 3. Paris his Robbery committed upon the Body of the fair Helena Wife to Menelaus was the original cause of that fierce War between the Greeks and Trojans the Rape of Lucreece lost the Tarquins their Government the Attempt upon Virginia was the ruine of the Decem-viri the same arm'd Pausanias against Philip of Macedon and many other Subjects against many other Princes in so much that Aristotle in his Politicks imputes the abomination of Tyranny to the injuries they do to people on the account of Women either by Debauchments Violences or Adulteries and this he delivers the rather for that no one Vice reigns more amongst Princes than this of Venery Semiramis is said to have had conjunction with a Horse and Pericles to have begun the Peleponesian War for the sake of Aspasia the Socratick Curtezan Iuda the Iewish Patriarch was a Fornicator and Sampson one of the Judges of the people of God married two Harlots Solomon the wisest King of the Iews kept whole Troops of Curtezans Sardanapalus that great Assyrian Monarch lost his Kingdom for a spinning-Wheel and a Whore Iulius Caesar the Dictator was called the Man of Women Mark Anthony was ruined by Cleopatra and Thalestris Queen of the Amazons march'd 35 days Journey through strange Countreys only to request Alexander the Great to lye with her which having obtain'd she returned home again well satisfied Much such another was Ioan Queen of Naples of fresher memory as also Pope Ioan which though denied by modern Papists I find confirm'd in some Books I have now by me that were both written and printed before the Reformation as for instance Polycronicon and another old great Chronicle entituled Chronicon Chronicorum Again Queen Pasiphae was another Example of Lasciviousness Heliogabalus much advanced the Art of Bawdery and Domitian is reported to have acted Sodomy with a Bull. And many other great persons were there whom History mentions that forsook their noble Enterprizes for the Snares of Love as did Mithridates in Pontus Hannibal at Capuâ— Caesar in Alexandria Demetrius â—n Greece and Anthony in Egypt Hercules ceas'd from his Labours for Iole's sake Achilles hid himself from the Battel for Love of Briseis Circe stays Vlysses Claudius dies in Prison for Love of a Virgin Caesar is detain'd by Cleopatra and the same Woman ruined Anthony For being false to their Beds Clytemnestra Olympia Laodicea Beronica and two Queens of France called Fregiogunda and Blanch as also Ioan Queen of Naples all slew their Husbands And for the very same reason Medea Progne Ariadne Althea and Heristilla changing their maternal Love into Hatred were every one the cause and plotters of their Sons Deaths 3 Nay if he be not a very Coward he will kill himself c. All things are importuned to kill themselves and that not only by Nature which perfects them but also by Art and Education which perfects her Plants quickned and inhabited by the most unworthy Soul which therefore neither will nor work affect an end a perfection a death this they spend their Spirits to attain this attain'd they languish and wither And by how much more they are by man's Industry warm'd cherish'd and pamper'd so much the more early they climb to this perfection and this death And if amongst men not to defend be to kill what a hainous self-murder is it not to defend it self This defence because Beasts neglect they kill themselves in as much as they exceed us in Number Strength and lawless Liberty yea of Horses and other Beasts they that inherit most courage by being bâ—ed of gallantest Parents and by artificial Nursing are better'd will run to their own Deaths neither solicited by Spurs which they need not nor by Honour which they apprehend not If then the Valiant kill himself who can excuse the Coward Or how shall man be free from this since the first man taught us this except we cannot kill our selves because he kill'd us all Yet lest something should repair this common Ruine we daily kill our Bodies with Surfets and our Minds with Anguishes Of our Powers Remembring kills our Memory of Affections Lusting our Lust of Vertues Giving kills Liberality And if these kill themselves they do it in their best and supream perfection for after perfection immediately follows excess which changing the Natures and the Names makes them not the same things If then the best things kill themselves soonest for no Affection endures and all things labour to this perfection all travel to their own death yea the frame of the whole World if it were possible for God to be idle yet because it began must die Then in this Idleness imagined in God what could kill the World but it self since out of it nothing is Donn's Paradoxes The two chief Objections against self-Homicide are the Law of God commanded in the Scriptures and the Law of Nature which obliges every man to self-Preservation As for the first of these I refer you to that excellent Treatise entituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
was expired which is not yet pass'd for 't is now but a year and four months with us nevertheless could we now get away from hence it would do well But the King answer'd Apollonius will not dismiss us before the end of the eighth month for you see that he is full of Courtesie and Humanity too good to reign over Barbarians But when he was resolv'd to depart and the King had given him leave so to do Apollonius call'd to mind the Gifts which hitherto he had forborn to receive until he had gotten Friends in that Countrey wherefore going to the King he said to him Best of Kings I have hitherto bestow'd no Benefit on my Host also I owe a Reward to the Magicians wherefore my Request is that you would be mindful of them and for my sake take care of them being wise men and full of good will towards you The King being exceedingly well pleas'd said unto him You shall see these men to morrow made marks of Emulation and greatly rewarded moreover in as much as you your self have need of none of my Riches permit at least that these men pointing to those about Damis may receive something of my Wealth even what they will But when they also turn'd away at this word Apollonius answer'd Do you see Oh King my Hands both how many they are and how like one another However said the King take a Guide to direct you in your Iourney and 5 Camels whereon you may ride for the way is too long to travel it all on foot Let this be done Oh King answer'd Apollonius as you command for they report that the way cannot be passed over by any who doth not so ride also this Creature is easie to be provided for and fed where there is but little Forrage I suppose likewise that we must provide Water and carry it in Bottles as men do Wine for three days Iourney said the King the Countrey is without Water but after that there is great plenty of Rivers and Springs I conceive it best for you to travel over Caucasus for that Countrey is fertile and affordeth good Accommodation Now when the King asked him what Present he would bring him from thence Apollonius answer'd It should be a pleasing one for if said he my Converse with the men of that Countrey improve my Wisdom I shall return to you far better than I leave you Whereupon the King embracing him said unto him Go on your way for this Present will be great Illustrations on Chap. 24. 1 COâ—temn even Death it self c. It is worthy the observing saith the Lord Bacon that there is no Passion in the Mind of man so weak but that it masters the fear of Death Revenge triumphs over Death Lâ—ve slights it Honour aspireth to it Grief flyeth to it and Fear pre-occupateth it Nay we read that after the Emperor Otho had slain himself Pity which is the tenderest of Affections provoked many to die out of meer compassion to their Soveraign Moreover Seneca adds Niceness and Sâ—tiety saying that a man would die though he were neither valiant nor miserable only upon a wearisomness to do the same thing so often over and over Hence it is that the Approaches of Death make so little alteration in good Spirits that they appear to be the same men to the very last instant Thus Augustus Caesar died in a Complement Livia conjugii nostri memor vive vale Tiberius in Dissimulation as Tacitus saith of him Iam Tiberium vires corpus non dissimulatio deserebant Vespasian in a Jest sitting upon a Stool Vt puto Deus fio Galba with a Sentence Feri si ex re sit Populi Romani holding forth his Neck Septimius Severus in Dispatch Adeste si quid mihi restat agendum c. Bac. Ess. Again many vulgar persons are seen to bear Deaths intermixt with Shame and Torments with an undaunted assurance some through stubbornness and some through simplicity who without any visible alteration take leave of their Friends and settle their domestick Concerns but an hour before they die sometimes singing jesting or laughing and sometimes drinking to their Acquaintance with their very last breath even as unconcern'd as Socrates himself could be One saith Montaign when he was led to the Gallows desired it might not be through such a Street for fear a Merchant should arrest him for an old Debt Another wish'd the Hangman not to touch his Throat because he was ticklish Another answer'd his Confessor who promis'd him he should sup that night with our Saviour in Heaven Go thither your self to Supper for I use to fast at nights Another calling for Drink upon the Gibbet and the Hangman drinking first said he would not drink after him for fear he should take the Pox of him Another seeing the people running before him to the place of Execution told 'em they need not make such haste for that there would be no sport till he came Another being upon the Ladder ready to be turn'd off a lame Weneh came and offer'd to save his Life by marrying him but he perceiving her Lameness cryed out Away away good Hangman make an end of thy Business she limps And many other Stories of the like nature I could here produce to shew with how little Concern some men look Death in the face Quoties non modo Ductores c. How often saith Tully have not only our Commanders but also our whole Armies run violently on to an undoubted Death Tusc. Qu. lib. 1. Pyrrho being in a violent Storm at Sea made those that were timorous ashamed of themselves by shewing them a Hog that was on board the Vessel what little Concern he had for the Storm What cause have we then to boast of our Reason if it only robs us of our Tranquility and Courage making us more fearful and unhappy than Pyrrbo's Hog Mont. Ess. Death is a debt due to Nature our Lives are borrow'd and must be restored What is it makes Death so irksom to us when Sleep the image of Death is so pleasant Is it the parting with a rotten Carcass that is hardly one hour free from trouble sickness or pain Is it the leaving that which we shall not need our Estates Is it the loss of Conversation such as bely'd you betray'd you abus'd you and deceiv'd you Is it the fear of pain or the fear of what shall become of you hereafter If it be the fear of pain and that you esteem of Death only as you do of drawing a Tooth Emori nolo sed me esse mortuum nihil estimo wish it were out yet fear to have it drawn then take this for your comfort Si gravis brevis si longus levis Cic. de fin lib. 2. You shall read saith the Lord Bacon in some of the Friers Books of Mortification that a man should think with himself what the pain is if he have but his Fingers end crushed or tortured and thereby imagine
The servile Tameness of this Creature is so great that when their Masters load them they will like the Subjects of France bow themselves and stoop down to the very ground with their knees patiently enduring to take up their Burden Again The Horse and the Camel are at great enmity in so much that with his very sight and strong smell the Horse is terrified wherefore Cyrus being excell'd by the Babylonians in Cavalry used this stratagem of the Camels Lastly Our fine Stuffs as Grogeram and Chamblet are made of Camels Hair as some affirm also there is a courser hairy Cloth to be made of the worst of this Hair such as was that Garment worn by Iohn the Baptist in the Wilderness But concerning the Nature of this Beast see more in Pliny lib. 8. ch 18. as also in Gesner's History of Animals This Creature is much used and esteemed of amongst the Turks as being the only Beast imploy'd by them in their Pilgrimages to Mecca The End of the First Book of Philostratus THE SECOND BOOK OF PHILOSTRATUS Concerning the LIFE of APOLLONIUS the Tyanaean CHAP. I. Of Armenia Cilicia Pamphylia Caria and of the height of Mount Caucasus and Mycale Likewise of Taurus India Scythia Meotis and Pontus How great the compass of Caucasus is That Panthers delight in Spices Of a golden Chain found in the Neck of a Panther Whence Nyseus is so called ABout Summer time they departed thence riding together with the Guide who was the King's Stable-groom of his Camels They were plentifully furnish'd by the King with all things which they wanted likewise the Inhabitants of the several Countreys gave them kind Entertainment for the Camel that went foremost bearing a golden Boss on his Forehead gave notice to such as met them that the King sent some one of his Friends When they were arrived at 1 Caucasus they say that they smelt a sweet odour breathing from the Countrey This Mountain we may call the beginning of Taurus which runneth through Armenia Cilicia Pamphylia even to 2 Mycale which ending at the Sea where the Carians inhabit may be accounted the end of Caucasus and not the beginning as some would have it The heighth of Mycale is not very great but the tops of Caucasus mount up to so high a pitch that the Sun seemeth to be cleft by them With the other part of Taurus it viz. Caucasus encompasseth also that part of Scythia which bordereth on India lying on the 3 Meotis and having Pontus on the left hand for the length of about 2000 furlongs and so far stretcheth the Elbow of Caucasus But that which is said that on our side Taurus is extended through Armenia which thing hath sometimes not been believ'd is apparent from the Panthers which I have known to be taken in that part of Pamphylia that produceth Spices for they delight in Odours and smelling them at a great distance they come out of Armenia through the Mountains after the tears of Storax when the Winds blow from that quarter and the Trees distil their Gum. I have also heard that there was a Panther taken in Pamphylia with a gold Chain about his Neck whereon was written in Armenian Letters ARSACES the King to the Nisean God For Arsaces at that time was King in Armenia he as I suppose having seen that Panther consecrated it to Bacchus for the bigness of the Beast for the Indians call Bacchus Nyseus from a place in their Countrey call'd Nysa the same Appellation is also given him by all the Eastern people That Beast which I spake of did for a while converse with men suffering her self to be handled and stroked but when the Spring was come and she stirr'd up with a desire of Copulation she withdrew into the Mountains to meet with a Male having the same ornament upon her And she was afterwards taken in the lower part of Taurus being as we have said allured by the odour of the Spices But Caucasus bounding India and Media descendeth with another Elbow to the Red-Sea Illustrations on Chap. 1. 1 CAucasus a famous Mountain in the North part of Asia leading from Scythia to India it is at this day call'd by some Garamas by others Cocas and Cochias and by others Albsor or Adazar It lyes between the Euxine and Caspian Seas is situated above Iberia and Albania on the North-side also is part of the Mountain Taurus 2 Mycale a Town and Mountain of Caria or rather of Ionia 3 Moeotis a dead Lake in the Countrey of Scythia into which runneth the River Tanais which divideth Europe from Asia It is call'd at this day Mardelle Zabacche 4 Panthers this Animal takes its Name from its Nature for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies cruel and fierce For the colour of this Beast Pliny lib. 8. ch 17. tells us that the ground of the Panther's skin is white enamell'd all over with little black spots like eyes They differ little from a Leopard some think there is no difference between them but in Sex In Greek the general Name is Panther the special Names Pordalis and Pordalis Pordalis is taken for the Male and Pardalis for the Female And in Latin it is call'd Pardus and Panthera where it must be again observ'd that Pardus signifieth the Male and Panthera the Female Neither indeed is the difference between the Leopard and Panther only in Sex but rather in respect of a mixt and simple Generation for there is no Leopard or Libbard but such as is begotten between the Lion and the Panther or the Panther and the Lioness This Beast hath a sweet Breath and is very fierce and wild in so much that some have therefore call'd him the Dog-Wolf and yet being full he is gentle enough He sleepeth three days saith Munster and after the third day he washeth himself and cryeth out when with a sweet savour that cometh from his Breath he gathereth the wild Beasts together being led by the smell and then saith Pliny doth he hide his Head very cunningly lest his looks should affright them whereupon whilst they gaze upon him he catcheth his prey amongst them Now the Reason why these Beasts have such a sweet Breath I take to be in regard that they are so much delighted with all kind of Spices and dainty aromatical Trees in so much that as some affirm they will go many hundred miles in the season of the year out of one Countrey to another and all for the love they bear to the Spices But above all their chief delight is in the Gum of Camphory watching that Tree very carefully to the end they may preserve it for their own use 5 Storax is thus described by Pliny lib. 12. ch 25. Storax Calamita saith he comes out of that part of Syria which above Phaenicia confronts and borders next to Iury namely Gabala Marathus and the Mount Casius in Seleucia The Tree that yieldeth this Gum or Liquor is also named Styrax and very much resembles a Quince-tree It hath at
rude or barbarous And so speaks the Prophet Isaiah of the Medes and Persians ordain'd for the laying waste of Iudeâ— Giants shall come and execute my fury upon you So that if we rest in this Interpretation there is no necessity we should conceive these Giants to have exceeded other men in stature Of the same opinion is St. Chrysostome who says Gigantes à Scriptura diâ—i opinor non inusitatum hominum genus aut insolitam formam sed Heroas viros fortes bellicosos However that some few men there have been of a prodigious stature cannot be deny'd such in the Times of Abraham Moses Ioshua and David are registred under the Names of Rephaimâ— Zuzims Zanzummins Emims and Anakims Also the Prophet Amos found among the Amorites men of Giant-like stature whose heighth is compared to the Cedars and their strength to Oâ—ks Such also were Og the King of Basan and Goliah the Philistin of Gah The like hath been found in all succeeding Ages Florus lib. 3. ch 3. mentions a Giant named Theutâ—bocchus King of the Teutones in Germany vanquish'd by Marius the Roman Consul about 150 years before Christ as a spectacle full of Wonder being of so excessive an height that he appear'd above the Trophies themselves when they were carried on the tops of Spears Pliny tells us that during the Reign of the Emperor Claudâ—us was brought out of Arabia to Rome a mighty man named Gabbara who was nine foot and nine inches high There were likewise in the time of Augustus Caesar two other named Pusiâ— and Secondilla higher than Gabbara by half a foot whose Bodies were preserv'd and kept for a Wonder within the Salustian Gardens Maximinus the Emperor as Iulius Capitolinus affirms exceeded eight foot and Andronicus Comninus ten as Nicetas writes Melchior Nunnez in his Letters of China reports in the chief City call'd Pagvin the Porters are fifteen foot high In the West-Indies in the Region of Chica near the mouth of the Streights Ortelius describes a people whom he terms Pentagones from their huge stature being ordinarily seven foot and an half high whence their Countrey is known by the Name of the Land of Giants Of this Subject see more in Hackinit's and Smith's Voyages and Pureas's Pilgrims as also in Hakwil's Provid of God 5 Five Cubits A Cubit is commonly held to be the length of the Arm from the Elbow to the end of the middle Finger or after the Anatomists to the Wrist of the Hand Of this sâ—e all Authors that treat of the Weights and Measures used among the Ancients 6 Mimas a Mountain of Ionia call'd at this day Capo Stillari it is situate near the City Colophon and over against the Isle Chius 7 Thales the Milesian Son of Examius and Cleobulina was the first Founder of ancient Philosophy in Greece He was born at Miletus the chief City of Ioniâ— in the 35th Olympiad as Laertius informs us out of Apollodorus yet others make him to be not a Milesian but Phaenician by birth Tâ—ste Euseb. lib. 10. prâ—par ch 2. and Hornius Histor. Philos. l. 3. ch 12. Pliny lib. 2. says that he lived in the time of Alyattis and Cicero lib. 1. de Divinat tells us that he lived under Asâ—yâ—ges both of which Relations agree in as much as these two Kings wag'd War each against other as Vossius de Philosoph sectis lib. 2. ch 5. Hyginus in his Poetico Astronomico treating of the lesser Bear speaks thus Thales who made diligent search into these things and first call'd this lesser Bear Arctos was by Nation a Phaenician as Herodotus says which well agrees with these words of Herodotus Halicarnass 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This was the opinion of Thales the Milesian by his Ancestors a Phaenician i. e. He himself was born at Miletus but his Ancestors were Phaenicians So Vâ—ssius de Histor. Graec. l. 3. That Thales was of a Phaenician Extract is also affirm'd by Diâ—genes Laertius and Suidas So in like manner Vossius de Philosoph Sect. lib. 2. ch 1. says that Thales who founded the Iâ—nick Philosophy drew his Original from the Phaenicians whither he travell'd from Phaenicia to Miletus with Neleus and there was made a Citizen of that place Some say that Thales travell'd into Phaenicia and brought from thence his knowledge of Astronomy particularly his Observations of the Cynosura or lesser Bear as Pliny lib. 5. ch 17. That Thales travell'd into Asia and Aegypt to inform himself in the Oriental Wisdom he himself affirms in his Epistle to Pherecydes Laert. lib. 1. That the Grecian or Ionick Philosophy owes its Original to Thales is generally confess'd for he travelling into the Oriental Parts first brought into Greece Natural Philosophy the Mathematicks Geometry Arithmetick Astronomy and Astrology whereupon was conferred on him that swelling Title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The wise man About which time the same Title was conferred on six others for their more than ordinary skill in Moral Philosophy and Politicks viz. on Chilo the Lacedemonian Pittacus the Mitylenian Bias the Prienean Cleobulus the Lindian Periander the Corinthian and Solon the Athenian who with Thales made up the seven wise men of Greece of whom see Diogenes Laertius The Wisdom of these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was for the most part Moral tending to the government of humane Conversation which they wrapped up in certain short Aphorisms or Sentences as appears by Quintilian l. 5. ch 11. These Sentences that they might have the greater Authority and seem to be derived from God rather than from men were ascribed to no certain Author Whence that famous Sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nosce teipsum was ascribed by some to Chilo by others to Thales Concerning Thales Apuleius 18. Flor. gives this honourable Character Thales the Milesian of those seven wise men mention'd will easily be granted to have the pre-eminence as being the first inventer of Geometry amongst the Greeks the most certain finder out of the nature of things and the most skilful contemplator of the Stars by small Lines he found out the greatest things the Circumferences of Times the Flâ—tus or blowings of Winds the Meatus or small passages of the Stars the miraculous sounds of Thunder the oblique courses of the Stars the annual Returns or Solâ—tices of the Sun the Increases of the new Moon and Decreases of the old also the Obstacles which cause the Eclipse He likewise in his old age found a divine account of the Sun how often i. e. by how many degrees the Sun by its magnitude did measure the Circle it passed thorow thus Apuleius See more of the same in August de Civit. Dei lib. 8. ch 2. and Lud. Viâ—es Now to come to the particulars of Thales's Philosophy 1. In his disquisition of the natural Causes of things he conceiv'd Water to be the first principle of all natural Bodies whereof they consist and into which they resolve see Stobaeus placit Philosoph 2. He
Nymphs and some say to Ceres to be educated by them who in reward of their good service were receiv'd up into Heaven and there changed into Stars now called Hyades Ora micant Tauri septem radiantia Flammis Navita quas Hyadas Graius ab imbre vocat Pars Bacchum nutrisse putat pars credidit esse Tethyos has neptes Oceanique senis Ovid. lib. 5. Fastor When Bacchus came to be of age he passed through greatest part of the World and made War upon the Indians whom he overcame and in their Countrey built the City Nisa here mention'd by Philostratus He is said to be the first that introduced the custom of Triumphing at which time he wore a golden Diadem about his head his Chariot was drawn by Tygers his Habit was the skin of a Deer and his Scepter was a small Lance adorn'd with branches of Ivy and Vine-leaves He invented the use of Wine which he gave to the Indians to drink who at first imagined he had given them poyson because it made them both mad and drunk They did at first frequently sacrifice men unto him but since his Expedition into India he was content with other Sacrifices such as Asses and Goats to signifie that those who are given to Wine become as sottish as Asses and as lascivious as Goats Sine Cerere Bacchâ— frigâ—â— Venus Bacchus was brought up with the Nymphs which teacheth us that we must mix Water with our Wine He never had other Priests but Satyrs and Women because the latter had follow'd him in great companies throughout his Travels crying singing and dancing after him in so much that they were called Bacchanales Mimallones Lenae Bassarides Thyades and Menades Names that express fury and madness The greatest Solemnities perform'd in honour of this God were celebrated every three years and call'd therefore Trieteria or Orgya from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a transport of anger because the mad Women cloathed themselves with the skins of Tygers Panthers c. when with their Hair hanging about their ears they ran over the Mountains holding lighted Torches in their hands and crying out aloud Eu hoe Evan eu hoe Bacche which is Good Son a Name given him by Iupiter when in the War with the Giants this Bacchus in the form of a Lion ran violently upon the first and tore him in pieces Bacchus was usually painted riding on a Tyger having in one hand a bunch of Grapes in the other a cup full of Wine with a Mitre on his head an ornament proper to Women or with a bald pate which signifies the effâ—ct of the excess of Wine He wore sometimes a Sickle in one hand a Pitcher in the other and a garland of Roses on his head He did always appear young because Wine moderately taken purifies the Bloud and preserves the Body in a youthful strength and colour His Temple was next to Minerva's to express how useful Wine is to revive the Spirits and enable our Fancy to invent for which reason the Heathens did sacrifice to him the quick-sighted Dragon The chattering Pye was also sacred to Bacchus because Wine doth cause us to prattle more than is convenient his Sacrifices were usually perform'd in the evening and at night Also it is reported of him that he carried a Torch before Proserpina when she was led to be married to Pluto the infernal God Iuno could never endure the sight of him wherefore she labour'd to drive him out of Heaven and to banish him from all society he fled from her fury and as he was reposing himself under a Tree a Serpent named Ambisbaena bit him but he kill'd it with a Vine branch which is a mortal poyson to some Serpents Iuno continued her hatred for him because he was her Husband's Bastard until she cast him into a Fit of madness which made him undertake an Expedition against the Indians and over-run all the Eastern Countreys Lusus was his Companion from whom Portugal is called Lusitania The truth of this Fable is that Liber otherwise call'd Dionysius Bacchus or Osiris by the Egyptians was a King of Nysa a City in Arabia Faelix who taught his people and the Inhabitants of the adjoyning Countreys many useful Arts as the ordering of the Vine and the preserving of Bees He establish'd several good Laws and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He perswaded the people to sacrifice to their Gods for the which he was much honour'd by all civil Nations The Grecians establisht several Festival days in honour of him the chief are their Trieteria kept every three years in remembrance of his Indian Expedition perform'd in that space of time also their Apaturia their Phallica and their Lenaea in the beginning of the Spring for his blessing upon their Vines This latter Festival was named Orgya because his Proselytes did express in it nothing but fury and madness although this Name is sometimes taken for all his other Festivals The Romans had appointed the Ascolia in honour of Bacchus at which time they carried the Statues of this God about their Vineyards as the Papists do beyond Sea their Host or the Priest's God about their fields that he might bless the Fruits of the Earth Afterwards the Procession of Bacchus did return to his Altar where raising the consecrated Victim on the top of a Lance they did burn it to the honour of Bacchus then taking his Statues and Images they hung them on high Trees imagining that they would contribute to the increase of their Grapes and Vines This Festival is called the Festival of God and was celebrated about the month of May. Tit. Livius lib. 39. relates a strange Story of the Festivals of Bacchus in Rome introduced by a Fortune-teller of Greece that three times in a year the Women of all qualities did meet in a Grove called Simila and there acted all sorts of Villany those that appear'd most reserved were sacrificed to Bacchus when that the cryes of the murder'd and ravish'd Creatures might not be heard they did howl sing and run up and down with lighted Torches but the Senate being acquainted with these night-meetings and filthy unclean practices banish'd them out of Italy and punished severely the promoters of them Now the Beasts that were dedicated to Bacchus were the Goats and the Dragons the Egyptians offer'd Sows The Trees consecrated to him were the Ivy-tree the Oak the Fig the Vine the Smilax and the Fir-tree It was the custom that all those who sacrificed to Bacchus did approach the Altars with a Branch or Grown of one of those Trees in their hands which they offer'd unto him Bacchâ—s was sometimes seen with a Garland of Daffâ—dil or Narcissus about his head His Priests as I said before were Women painted in frightful shapes with Snakes for their Girdles and Serpents twisted about their Hair to represent their Cruelty This God did as the Poets tell us punish all those persons who neglected or opposed his Worship
in so much that Appion the Grammarian invoked his Ghost to come forth from the dead and declare which was his Countrey that so the Controversie might be ended Concerning his Countrey and Age there is so great variation amongst Authors that no Question about Antiquity seems more difficult to be resolved Some make him a Native of Aeolia and say that he was born about 168 years after the Siege of Troy Aristotle in 3. de Poetic affirms he was born in the Isle of Io Michael Glycas places him under Solomon's Reign but Cedrenus saith that he lived under both Solomon and David as also that the Destruction of Troy happen'd under Saul Nevertheless that Book of Homer's Life which follows the ninth Muse of Herodotus and whether composed by him or no is very ancient makes the Labour of those men very ridiculous who even at this day pretend to so much certainty of Homer's Countrey which was not then known But of this Leo Allatius hath written a distinct Treatise Neither is there less uncertainty concerning his Parentage Aristotle affiâ—ms he was begot in the Isle of Io by a Genius on the Body of a Virgin of that Isle who being quick with Child for shame of the deed retired into a Place call'd Aegina and there being seiz'd on by Thieves was brought to Smyrna to Maeon King of the Lydians who for her Beauty married her after which she walking near the Floud Meletes being on that shoar overtaken with the Throws of her Delivery she brought forth Homer and instantly died the Infant was receiv'd by Maeon and brought up as his own tiâ—l he himself likewise died Alex. Paphius saith Eustathius makes Homer to be born of Egyptian Parents Dmasagoras being his Father and Aetbra his Mother also that his Nurse was a certain Prophetess and the Daughter of Oris one of Isis's Priests from whose Breasts Honey often flow'd in the Mouth of the Infant after which in the night he is reported to utter nine several Notes or Voices of Birds viz. of a Swallow a Peacock a Dove a Crow a Partridge a Wren a Stare a Blackbird and a Nightingale also that being a little Boy he was found playing in his Bed with nine Doves Others make him the Son of Maeona and Ornithus and others the Off-spring of some Nymph as Gyraldus writes Hist. Poet. Dial. 2. But the opinion of many is that he was born of Critheis Daughter of Melanopus and Omyris who after her Father and Mothers death was left to a Friend of her Fathers at Cuma who finding she was with Child sent her away in high displeasure to a Friends House near the River Meles where at a Feast among other young Women she was deliver'd of a Son whose Name she call'd Melesigenes from the Place where he was born That Critheis went with her Son to Ismenias and from thence to Smyrna where she dressed Wooll to get a Livelyhood for her self and her Son at which Place the Schoolmaster Phemius falling in Love with her married her and took her Son into the School who by his sharpness of Wit surpass'd all the other Scholars in Wisdom and Learning in so much that upon the death of his Master Homer succeeded him in teaching the same School whereby he acquired great Reputation for his Learning not only at Smyrna but all the Countreys round about for the Merchants that did frequent Smyrna with Corn spread abroad his Fame in all Parts where they came But above all one Mentes Master of â— Leucadian Ship took so great a kindness for him that he perswaded him to leave his School and travel with him which he did and was plentifully maintain'd by Mentes throughout their Travels Their first Voyage was to Spain from thence to Italy and from Italy through several Countreys till at last they arrived at Ithaca where a violent Rheum falling into Homer's Eyes prevented his farther progress so that Mentes was fain to leave him with a Friend of his called Mentor a person of great Honour and Riches in Ithaca where Homer learn'd the principal Matters relating to Vlysses's Life but Mentes the next year returning back the same way and finding Homer recover'd of his Eyes took him along with him in his Travels passing through many Countreys till they arrived at Colophon where relapsing into his old Distemper he quite lost the use of his Eyes after which he addicted himself to Poetry when being poor he return'd back again to Smyrna expecting to find better Entertainment there whereof being disappointed he removed from thence to Cuma in which passage he rested at a Town called New-wall where repeating some of his Veâ—ses one Tichiâ— a Leather-seller took such delight to hear them that he entertain'd him kindly a long time Afterwards he proceeded on his Journey to Cuma where he was so well receiv'd that some of his Friends in the Senate did propose to have a Maintenance settled on him for Life though others opposed the rewarding so great a man Some will have it that at this Place he first receiv'd the Name of Homer Now being denied Relief at Cuma he removed from thence to Phocaea where lived one Thestorides a Schoolmaster who invited him to live with him by which means Thestorides procured some of his Verses which he afterwards taught as his own at Chios Whereupon Homer hearing how Thestorides had abused him immediately followed him to Chios and by the way falling into discourse with a Shepherd who was keeping his Master's Sheep the Shepherd was so taken with Homer that he reliev'd him and carried him to his Master where he lived some time and taught his Children till being impatient to discover Thestorides his Cheat he went to Chios which Place Thestorides left when he heard of Homer's coming who tarried there some time taught a School grew rich married and had two Daughters whereof one died young and the other he married to the Shepherd's Master that entertain'd him at Bollisus When he grew old he left Chios and went to Samos where he remain'd some time singing of Verses at Feasts and at new-Moons at great mens Houses From Samos he was going to Athens but as some say fell sick at Ios where dying he was buried on the Sea-shoar And long after when his Poems had gotten â—n universal Applause the people of Ios built him a Sepulchre with this Epitaph upon it â—s saith Suidas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hac sacrum terra caput occultatâ—r Homeri Qui canere Heroum praestantia facta solebat Melancthon Or rather as Gyraldus renders it Sacrum hic terra caput divinum claudit Homerum Herâ—um atque virum cecinit qui fortia facta Hist. Poet. Dial. 2. This is the most rational account of his Death and not that he pined away upon the Riddle of the Fishermen as others would have it and so saith Herodotus or whoever it was that wrote that Book de Vita Homeri Ex hac aegritudine inquit extremum
lib. 3. ch 4. Herodotus Pliny Solinus and our Philostratus say that these Walls of Babylon were 480 Furlongs in compass being situate in a large four-square Plain environ'd with a broad and deep Ditch full of Water Strabo saith the compass of the Wall was 380 Furlongs and Curtius will have it but 358. whereof only 90 Furlongs inhabited and the rest allotted to Husbandry Again Concerning the thickness and heighth of the Walls they also disagree The first Authors affirm the heighth 200 Cubits and the thickness 50. and they which say least cut off but half that sum so that well might Aristotle esteem it rather a Countrey than a City being of such greatness that some part of it was taken three days by the Enemy before the other heard of it Lyranus out of Ierom upon Esay affirmeth that the four-squares thereof contained 16 miles apiece wherein every man had his Vineyard and Garden to his degree wherewith to maintain his Family in time of Siege The Fortress or principal Tower belonging to this Wall was saith he that which had been built by the Sons of Noah and not without cause was it reckon'd among the Wonders of the World It had an 100 brazen Gates and 250 Towers This Bridge which Philostratus mentions was 5 Furlongs in length The Walls were made of Brick and Asphaltum a shiny kind of Pitch which that Countrey yieldeth She built two Palaces which might serve both for Ornament and Defence one in the West which environed 60 Furlongs with high Brick Walls within that a less and within that also a less Circuit which containeth the Tower These were wrought sumptuously with Images of Beasts wherein also was the game and hunting of Beasts display'd this had three Gates The other in the East on the other side the River contain'd but 30 Furlongs In the midst of the City she erected a Temple to Iupiter Belus saith Herodot lib. 2. with brazen Gates and four-square which was in his time remaining each square containing two Furlongs in the midst whereof is a solid Tower of the heighth and thickness of a Furlong upon this another and so one higher than another eight in number In the highest Tower is a Chappel and therein a fair Bed cover'd and a Table of Gold without any Image Neither as the Chaldaean Priests affirm doth any abide here in the night but one Woman whom this God Belus shall appoint and she I presume a very handsom one because his Priests had the custody of her some say the God himself used to lye there which Report I conceive was given out only to make way for such another Story as was that of Paulina in the Temple of Isis recorded by Iosephus and which I shall mention hereafter at large where if she was modest they lay with her in the dark and heightned her fancy with the conceit that 't was God Belus himself had gotten her Maidenhead and if she happen'd to conceive her spurious Issue was honour'd with the title of a young Iupiter But to proceed Diodorus affirms that in regard of the exceeding heighth of this Temple the Chaldaeans used thereon to make their Observations of the Stars He also addeth that Semiramis placed on the top thereof three golden Statues one of Iupiter 40 foot long weighing a 1000 Babylonian Talents till his time remaining another of Ops weighing as much sitting in a golden Throne with two Lions at her feet and just by her side many huge Serpents of Silver each of 30 Talents the third Image was of Iuno standing in weight 800 Talents her right hand held the Head of a Serpent and her left a Scepter of Stone To all these was in common one Table of Gold 40 foot long in breadth 12. in weight 50 Talents also two standing Cups of 30 Talents and two Vessels for Perfumes of like value likewise three other Vessels of Gold whereof one dedicated to Iupiter weigh'd 1200 Babylonian Talents all which Riches the Persian Kings took away when they conquer'd Babylon Of this see more in Herodot lib. 2. Pliny lib. 6. ch 26. Solin ch 60. Diodor Sic. lib. 3. ch 4. Strab. lib. 16. Quint. Curtius lib. 5. Aristot. Polit. lib. 3. ch 2. Daniel 4. 2 A Woman of the Median Race who this Woman was is already expounded by Herodotus when speaking of the Kings of Babylon he saith there were many Kings who contributed to the adorning of Babylon both in its Walls and Temples and amongst them two eminent Women whereof the first was called Semiramis who reign'd five Ages before Nitocris the other and from a Level raised a most magnificent and stupendious Wall which encompassing the City round did very much preserve it from those frequent Inundations of Water wherewith it was before infested Herod lib. 1. Likewise Ovid confirms the same saying Coctilibus Muris cinxisse Semiramis urbem Concerning the Original of Semiramis Historians vary Reineccius in his Syntagmate Herâ—ico p. 47 will have her to be the Daughter of Sem. But Diodorus Siculus writes that she was born at Ascalon a Town in Syria and presents us lib. 3. ch 2. with this Fable of her Original There is saith he in Syria a City named Ascalon and not far from it runs a Lake well stored with Fish near unto which stands the Temple of the Goddess Derceto who having the Face of a Woman is all over her Body like a Fish the occasion whereof is by the Inhabitants fabulously related to be thus viz. that Venus meeting one day with this Goddess Derceto made her fall in Love with a beautiful young man that sacrificed unto her who begot on her a Daughter but the Goddess asham'd of her misfortune banish'd the Father from her sight and exposed the Child in a desart place full of Rocks and Birds of whom by divine providence the Child was nourish'd Yet however the Mother being conscious to her self of what she had done went and drown'd her self in the Lake where she was metamorphosed into a Fish for which very reason the Assyrians have says Diodorus even to our time abstain'd from eating those kind of Fishes adoring them as Gods Furthermore they tell another miraculous Narration viz. that the Birds sustaining the Child on their wings fed her with Curds which they stole from the Shepherds adjoyning Cottages and that when the Child was a year old in regard that she then stood in need of more substantial meat they nourish'd her with Cheese taken from the same Cottages which the Shepherds having discover'd by the continual pecking of their Cheeses they soon found out the Child which they had educated amongst them and afterwards for her exceâ—lent beauty presented her to Simma the King 's Superintendent over the Shepherds of that Province who having no Children of his own with great care educated her as his own Daughter calling her Semiramis after the name of those Birds which had fed her and which in the Syrian Tongue are so called and were from that time
adored by the Inhabitants of that Countrey as so many Gods And this saith Diodorus is the account which Fables give of Semiramis's Birth which as Sabellicus observes very much resembles the Fictions which Posterity invented of Cyrus and Romulus not to mention the true and sacred Narrative of Moses Now Semiramis surpassing all other Virgins in beauty and being then marriageable Menon the Governour of Syria who had been sent by the King to take an account of his Cattel and residing at Simma's House fell in Love with her and married her then carrying her back with him to the City of Niniveh he there had two Sons by her Iapetes and Idaspes Now her beauty did so totally influence Menon that wholly resigning up himself to Semiramis he would do nothing without her advice But Fortune who envies nothing so much as the happiness of Lovers would not permit them long to enjoy this mutual and calm satisfaction for the Prince is engaged in the Fields of Mars and the Subject must not lye sleeping at home in the Embraces of Venus King Ninus is storming the City Bactria and Menon his Officer must no longer absent himself from the Camp Therefore leaving Venus for Mars his Semiramis for the War Menon posts away to the King who was then besieging Bactria where he had not continued long but impatient of his Wifes absence he sends for Semiramis to accompany him in the Camp Thereupon she being a most prudent Woman and endued with more courage than is usually found in that Sex making use of this opportunity of shewing her extraordinary vertue undertakes the Journey in obedience to her Husband notwithstanding it was long and tedious But to render it the less difficult she attires her self in such a Garment as she might pass either for Man or Woman upon occasion and which would not only protect her from the heat of the Weather but was withall so light as it could no ways incommode her in case of any Action which Habit was so generally approved of that first the Medes and afterwards the Persians when they possest the Asiatick Empire did for a long time use no other than this Semirian Garment Now in this Dress she arrived incognito at the Assyrian Camp where having observ'd the posture of the Siege as also the situation of the City she discover'd that the Castle naturally strong and difficult of access was therefore neglected and unprovided of men for its Guard the Bactrians at that time being wholly imploy'd in defending the Outworks of the City which the Assyrians only assaulted as looking upon the Castle impregnable Whereupon Semiramis having privately made this observation selects out of the whole Army a Detachment of such men as were best skill'd in climbing up steep Rocks and Mountains who with much difficulty ascending up thorow the rough and narrow passages made themselves Masters of one part of the Castle when to amaze the Enemy she makes a dreadful noise withall giving notice to the Besiegers that the Castle was taken whereat the Besieged within were so terrified that evacuating themselves they abandoned the defence of the Town and attempted nothing more but the saving of their own Lives by flight The City thus taken and Semiramis discover'd all persons were in admiration of her heroick Vertue and Beauty in so much that King Ninus himself who is call'd in the Scripture Ashur falling desperately in Love with her did first by fair means require her Husband Menon to resign up his Wife to him which he refusing to do the King at length threatned him with the loss of both his Eyes to prevent which Torture Menon desiring of Evils to choose the least did with his own hands strangle himself Hereupon the King married his Widow Semiramis by whom he had one Son called Ninus the second or Ninyas and soon after died leaving the Government both of his Son and Kingdom to Semiramis There are various Reports concerning this Ninus's Death for some with Orosius and Reusnerus will have it that he died of a Wound receiv'd by a Dart in the Bactrian War but Diodorus tells us that the Athenians and other Historians affirm that Semiramis presuming upon the influence of her Beauty requested Ninus that she might be invested with the Royal Robes and rule absolutely but for five days whereunto he assenting she after having made experiment of the Fidelity and Obedience of some of her Guards commands them to imprison the King her Husband which immediately they perform'd and by this means she assumed the Government of the Empire Herewith likewise both Aelian and Plutarch agree differing only in these Circumstances that whereas Diodorus saith she imprison'd him they affirm that she kill'd him also whereas Diodorus and Aelian write that she requested to rule five days Plutarch says her petition was but for one day Now for Semiramis's Government after her Husband's Death Iustin gives us this Account of it That Ninus himself being slain and his Son Ninus but young Semiramis not daring to commit the Government of so great an Empire to a Boy nor openly to exercise the Command of it her self so many and so powerful Nations being scarcely obedient to a Man would be much less to a Woman did counterfeit her self to be the Son instead of the Wife of Ninus and a Boy instead of a Woman They were both of a middle Stature their Voice but soft their Complexion and Features of Face as likewise the Lineaments of their Bodies were alike both in Mother and Son she therefore with Rayment cover'd her Arms and Thighs putting a Tire on her Head and that she might not seem to conceal any thing by her new Habit she commanded the people all to be cloath'd in the same Attire which that whole Nation have ever since observ'd having thus counterfeited her Sex she was believ'd to be a young Man After this she made her self famous by great Atchievements by the magnificence whereof when she thought shâ— had overcome all Envy she confess'd who she was and whom she had counterfeited neither did this detract from the dignity of her Government but rather increas'd her admiration that a Woman not only surpass'd her own Sex but also the bravest of Men in Vertue She builded Babylon as I shew'd before and being not contented to defend the bounds of the Empire obtain'd by her Husband she not only made an addition to the same of all Aethiopia but also carried the War into India which besides her self and Alexander the Great never any invaded At last when she desired to lye with her own Son she was kill'd by him Thus far Iustin lib. 1. Arrianus and others allow her a more honourable death and say that marching against the Indians with an Army of 3000000 Infantry and 50000 Cavalry besides 100000 Chariots she was overthrown by Stanrobates upon the Banks of Indus and there slain or as some will have it turn'd into a Dove Venus's Bird whence the Babylonians ever after carried a