doubt knâ—w how to distinguish betwixt folly and malice Notwithstanding these smooth evasions Nicocrates fully pâ—llest of the truth gave her up into the hands of his mother to be tormented who as she is before charactered being harsh and mercilesse woman left nothing â—unâ—tâ—â—â—pted that torture could devise to wrest from her a capitall confession 〈…〉 with wondrous patience and constancy enduring whatsâ—ever the beldam could inflict up in her Culbia grew as weary in punishing as she in suffâ—â—ing insomuch that Nicocrates was in some sort perswaded of her innocency and commanded her release seeming sorrowfull for the torments she had endured so that his former loâ—e conquering his suspition he began to study a new reconcilement and excusing his too much credulousnesse renued his ancient familiarity and custome But she not forgetting her former rocks and strapadoes now bâ—gan to meâ—itate upon his death another way she had a daughter of exquisite feature and the Tyrant had a brother called Leander a wild headed young man and apt for any innovation or haiâ—-brain'd attempt she wrought 〈◊〉 far with her and so inwardly with him that by the consent of the King 〈…〉 was concluded betwixt them All these things â—â—lling out according to her wishes her daughter by the mothers instigation wrought so far upon his rashnedâ— in private and the mother gave him such incouragement with all that putting him in hope to enjoy the soveraignty 〈…〉 they perswaded him to supplant his brother This took such prosperous effect that he suborned a 〈…〉 who attending his opportunity 〈…〉 not with this contented 〈…〉 the whole family of the 〈…〉 her Countrie from all 〈…〉 the Citizens against 〈◊〉 for the murder of her King and second husband dâ—awing him into the 〈◊〉 of that publike hate that 〈◊〉 was forced to flie as a traitor and â—aâ—â—â—icide neither was she satisfied whilst he yet lived therefore by her wit and policy and the industry of one Anabas he was at length subtilly surprised by which the City received her pristine liberty and freedome For which the people would have done her divine honors as to a goddesse which she utterly refused They next proceeded to justice upon the delinquents where Calbia was judged to the fire and burnt alive and Leander to be sowed in a sack and so cast into the sea both which executions were accordingly performed The people then once againe assembled and prostrated themselves before her jointly beseeching her either to take upon her the primacy and chiefe government or at least to be a gracious assistant to the Magistrates and Princes with her directions and counsell both which she utterly refused betaking her selfe to a solitary and retired life spending the rest of her age in spinning weaving and the like womanish chares amongst her handmaids Many of the Iones by reason of a discord that fell betwixt them and the sons of of Neleus were forced to leave the City Miletum where they before inhabited and were driven to plant a new Colony in Manus betwixt which Cities there was a perpetuall jar and enmity insomuch that from a private quarrell it grew to a publike war yet nor in that violence but that upon certain festivall daies there was free recourse betwixt the Citizens of the one and the other to be present at the sacred solemnities There was amongst these of the City of Minus one of a Noble family whose name was Pythes his wife was called Japigia and his daughter Pyeria He when the great Feast celebrated to Diana called Nelaim of the opposite family was kept sent thither his wife and daughter intreating the Milesians to suffer them to participate of their solemnities which was granted at which enterview Phrigius the chiefe of the sons of Neleus a man post potent in the City grew enamoured on Pyeria and in couâ—ting her desired her to demand what curtesie soever the City or his power could yeeld and it should be instantly granted to which he answered That nothing could be more acceptable unto her then that the 〈◊〉 might have more often and peaceable recourse into their City By which he apprehended that she desired no more then a cessation of arms and that peace might be established betwixt the two Cities which by their marriage was accordingly effected and Pyeria ever after honoured for the motion Insomuch that it grew to a Proverb All the Milesian women desiring to be no better beloved of their husbands then Pyeria was of her Phrigius Aspasia being the daughter of Hermotimus Phocencis her mother dying of her in childbirth was by her fathers care brought up though meanly yet modestly and growing towards understanding she had many dreams as presages of her future fortunes namely that succeeding times should afford her a husband faire good and rich In this interim she was troubled with an unseemly swelling of the chin so great that it grew almost to a deformity being a sorrow to the father and almost a heart-break to the daughter Hermotimus carefull of her health presents her malady to the Physitian who was willing to undertake the patient but withall proposed too great a summe for the cure the one replying The demand is above my strength the other answered Then is the cure above my skill and so departed This discouragement from a Tumour without grew to a Corrasive within as much tormented with the despair of her recoveries as the violence of the disease In this anxiety of thoughts and agony of paine being much perplexed she gave her selfe to all abstinence and forbare to eat till on a time gentle slumber stealing upon her there appeared to her a Turtle which was instantly transhapt into a woman most beautifull who drawing more neer bids her take courage and be of comfort and forgetting the Physitians with all their drugs unguents and emplasters only to apply to the place then grieved Rose leaves dried to powder and not to doubt of her present recovery and having thus said upon the instant vanisht Aspasia awaking and by this vision much comforted applied to her face such things as she was taught in short time all swelling was taken away and she restored to her pristine beauty with such an addition of comelinesse that those with whom she before was held but equall she in the eies of all men might now claim over them a just precedence for she is thus described Her hair somewhat yellow and from her temples naturally curling her eies big and clear her nose somewhat but most becommingly hooked her ears short her skin white and soft her cheeks seeming to lodge the sweet blushes of the Rose for which cause the Phocenses call'd her from an infant Milto her lips red her teeth then snow more white her feet without all fault her voice so sweet and ravishing that when she spake she would put you in mind of what you have read of the Syrens From all effeminate curiosities she studied to alienate her selfe these being commonly the superfluities of wealth
having learned certaing problems and aenigmas of the muses disposed her selfe in the mountaine Phycaeus The riddle that she proposed to the Thebans was this What creature is that which hath one distinguishable voice that first walkes upon four next two and lastly upon three feet and the more legs it hath is the lesse able to walk The strict conditions of this monster were these that so often as he demanded the solution of this question till it was punctually resolved he had power to chuse out any of the people where he best liked whom he presently devoured but they had this comfort from the Oracle That this Aenigma should be no sooner opened and reconciled with truth but they should be freed from this misery and the monster himselfe should be destroied The last that was devoured was Aemon son to King Creon who fearing lest the like sad fate might extend it selfe to the rest of his issue caused proclamation to be made That whosoever could expound this riddle should marry Jocasta the wife of the dead King Laius and be peaceably invested in the Kingdome this no sooner came to the ears of Oedipus but he undertook it and resolved it thus This creature saith he is man who of all other hath only a distinct voice he is born four footed as in his infancy crawling upon his feet and hands who growing stronger erects himselfe and walkes upon two only but growing decrepit and old he is fitly said to move upon three as using the help of his staffe This solution was no sooner published but Sphinx cast herselfe headlong from the top of that high Promontory and so perished and Oedipus by marrying the Queen was with a generall suffrage instated in the Kingdome He begot of her â—wo sons and two daughters Eâ—eocles and Polâ—nâ—ces Ismâ—ne and Antigone though some write that Oedipus had these children by Rurigenia the daughter of Hyperphantes These former circumstances after some years no sooner came to light but Jocasta in despair strangled her selfe Oedipus having torn out his eies was by the people expulsed Thebes cursing at his departure his children for suffering him to undergo that injury his daughter Antigone lead him as far as to Colonus a place in Attica where there is a grove celebrated to the Eumenides and there remained till he was removed thence by Theseus and soon after died And these are the best fruits that can grow from so abominable a root Of the miserable end of his incestuous issue he that would be further satisfied let him read Sophocles Apollodorus and others Oâ— him Tyresias thus prophesied Neque hic laetabitur Calibus eventis suis nam factus c. No comfort in his fortunes he shall find He now sees clearly must at length be blind And beg that 's now a rich man who shall stray Through forrein Countries for his doubtfull way Still gripping with his staffe The brother he And father of his children both shall be His mothers son and husband first strike dead His father and adulterate next his bed Crithaeis SHE was wife to one Phaemius a schoolmaster and mother to Homer Prince of the Greek Poets Ephorus of Coma in a book intiteled the Cumaean Negotiation leaves her story thus related Atelles Maeones and Dius three brothers were born in Cuma Dius being much indebted was forced to remove thence into Ascra a village of Boeotia and there of his wife Pâ—cemedâ— he begot Hesiodus Atelles in his own Country dying a naturall death committed the pupillage of his daughter Crithaeis to his brother Maeones but comming to ripe growth she being by him vitiated and proving with child both fearing the punishment due to such an offence she was conferred upon Phaemius to whom she was soon after married and walking one day out of the City to bath her selfe in the river Miletus she was by the stood side delivered of young Homer and of the name thereof called him Mâ—lesigines But after losing his sight he was called Homer for such of the Cumaeans and Ionians are called Omouroi Aristotle he writes contrary to Ephorus that what time Neleus the son of Codrus was President in Ionia of the Collony there then newly planted a beautifull Virgin of this Nation was forced and deâ—â—oured by one of the Genius's which used â—o dance with the Muses who after remâ—ved to a place called Aegina and meeting with certain forragers and robbers that made sundry incursions into the Country she was by them surprized and brought to Smyrna who presented her to Meonides a companion to the King of the Lydians he at the first sight inamoured of her beauty took her to wife who after sporting her selfe by the banks of Milâ—rus brought forth Homer and instantly expired And since we had occasion to speak of his mother let it not seem altogether impertinent to proceed a little of the son who by reason of his being hurried in his childhood from one place to another and ignorant both of his Country and parents went to the Oracle to be resolved concerning them both as also his future fortunes who returned him this doubtfull answer Foelâ—x miser ad sortemes quia natus utramque Perquiris patrians matris tibi non patris câ—â—tat c. Happy and wretched both must be thy fate That of thy Country dost desire to heare Known is thy 〈◊〉 clime thy father 's not An Island in the sea to Creet not neer Nor yet far â—ss in which thou shalt expire When 〈◊〉 a riddle shalt to thee propose Whose dark Aenigma thou canst not acquire A double Fate thy life hath thou shalt lose Thine eies yet shall thy lofty Muse ascend And in thy death thou life have without end In his later daies he was present at Thebes at their great feast called Saturnalia and from thence comming to Ius and sitting on a stone by the water port there landed some fishermen whom Homer asked what they had taken but they having got nothing that day but for want of other work only lousing themselves thus merily answered him Non capta afferimus fuerant quae capta relictis We bring with us those that we could not find But all that we could catch we lâ—ft behind Meaning that all such vermine as they could catch they cast away but what they could not take they brought along Which riddle when Homer could not unfold it is said that for very griefe he ended his life This unmatchable Poet whom no man regarded in his life yet when his works were better considered of after his death he had that honour that seven famous Cities contended about the place of his birth every one of them appropriating it unto themselves Pindarus the Poet makes question whether he were of Chius or Smyrna Simonides affirms him to be of Chius Antimachus and Nicander of Colophon Aristotle the Philosopher to be of Ius Ephorus the Historiographer that he was of Cuma Some have been of opinion that he was born in Salamine
part of it may at this day be seen as an antient Monument in the Castle of Dover Saturn made Money of Brasse with inscriptions thereon but Numa was the first that coined Silver and caused his name to be engraven thereon for which it still retains the name in the Roman Tongue and is called Nummus Aspasia was a Milesian Damosel and the beloved oâ— Pericles she was abundantly skilled in Philosophicall studies she was likewise a fluent Rhetorician Plutarchus in Pericles Socrates imitated her in his Facultas Politica as likewise Dâ—otima whom he blushed not to call his Tutresse and Instructresse Of Lasthenea Mantinea Axiothaea and Phliasia Plato's scholers in Philosophy I have before given a short Character Themiste was the wife of Leonteius Lampsucenus and with her husband was the frequent Auditor of Epicurus of whom Lactantius saith That save her none of the Ancient Philosophers ever instructed any woman in that study save that one Themiste Arete was the wife of Aristippus the Philosopher and attained to that perfection of knowledge that she instructed her son in all the liberall Arts by whose industry he grew to be a famous professor He was called Aristippus and she surnamed Cyrenaica She followed the opinions of that Aristippus who was father to Socrates She after the death of her father erected a School of Philosophy where she commonly read to a full and frequent Auditory Genebria was a woman of Verona she lived in the time of Pius the second Bishop of Rome Her works purchased for her a name immortal She composed many smooth and eloquent Epistles polished both with high conceits and judgement she pronounced with a sharp and loud voice a becomming gesture and a facundious suavity Agallis Corcyrua was illustrious in the Art of Grammar Caelius ascribes unto her the first invention of the play at Ball. Leontium was a Grecian Damosel whom Gallius cals a strumpet she was so well seen in Philosophicall contemplations that she feared not to write a worthy book against the much worthy Theophrastus Plin. in Prolog Nat. Hist Cicero lib. de Natur. Deorum Dama the daughter of Pythagoras imitated the steps of her father as likewise his wife Theano her husband the mother and the daughter both proving excellent scholars Laert. Themistoclea the sister of Pythagoras was so practised a studient that in many of his works as he himselfe confesseth he hath implored her advice and judgement Istrina Queen of Scythia and wife to King Aripithes instructed her son Sythes in the Greek Tongue as witnesseth Herodotus Plutarch in Pericte saith That Thargelia was a woman whom Philosophy solely illustrated as likewise Hyparchia Greca Laert. Cornelia was the wife of Africanus and mother to the noble family of the Gracchi who left behind her certain Epistles most elaborately learned From her as from a fountain 〈◊〉 the innate eloquence of her children therefore Quintil. thus saith of her We are much bound to the Mother or Matron Cornelis for the eloquence of the Gracchi whose 〈…〉 learning in her exquisite Epistles she hath bequeathed to posterity The same Author speaking of the daughters of Laelius and Quint. Hortensius useth these words The daughters of Laelius is said in her phrase to have refined and excelled the eloquence of her father but the daughter of Q. Hortensius to have exceeded her Sex in honor So likewise the facundity of the two Lyciniaes flowed hereditarily from their Father L. Crassus as the two daughters of Mutia inherited the learning of either parent Fulvia the wife of M. Antonius was not instructed in womanish cares and offices but as Volater lib. 16. Antrop reports of her rather to direct Magistracies and govern Empires she was first the wife of Curio Statius Papinius was happy in a wife called Claudia excellent in all manner of learning Amalasuntha Queen of the Ostrogoths the daughter of Theodoricus King of those Ostrogoths in Italy was elaborately practised in the Greek and Latin Tongues she spake distinctly all the barbarous languages that were used in the Eastern Empires Fulgos lib. 8. cap. 7. Zenobia as Volateran speaks from Pollio was Queen of the Palmirians who after the death of Odenatus governed the Kingdome of Syria under the Roman Empire she was nominated amongst the thirty Tyrants and usurped in the time of Gallenus but after being vanquished in battel by the Emperor Aurelianus was led in triumph through Rome but by the clemency of that Prince she was granted a free Pallace scituate by the river of Tyber where she moderately and temperately demeaned her selfe she is reported to be of that chastity that she never enterteined her husband in the familiar society of her bed but for issues sake and procreation of children but not from the time that she found her conception till her delivery she used to be adored after the majestick state and reverence done to the great Sophies of Persia Being called to the hearing of any publick Oration she still appeared with her head armed and her helmet on in a purple mantle buckled upen her with rich jems she was of a clear and shril voice magnanimous and haughty in all her undertakings most expert in the Aegyptian and Greek Tongues and not without merit numbred amongst the most learned and wisest Queens Besides divers other works she composed the Orientall and Alexandrian History Hermolaus and Timolus her two sons in all manner of disciplines she liberally instructed of whose deaths it is not certain whether they died by the course of nature or by the violent hand of the Emperor Olympia Fulvia Morata was the ornament and glory of our later times the daughter of Fulv. Moratus Montuanus who was tutor in the Arts to Anna Pâ—ince of Ferrara she was the wife of Andreas Gunthlerus a famous Physitian in Germany she writ many and elaborate works in either tongue at length in the year of our Lord 1555 in the month of October being of the age of twenty nine years she died of Hedelburgh Saint Helena may amongst these be here aptly registred for thus Stow Harding Fabian and all our modern Chroniclers report of her Constantius a great Roman Consul was sent into Britain to demand the tribute due unto Rome immediately after whose arivall before he could receive an answer of his Embassie Coil who was then King died therefore the Britains the better to establish their peace dealt with the Roman Embassador to take to wife Helena the daughter of the late deceased King a young Lady of an attractive beauty adorned with rare gifts and endowments of the Mind namely Learning and Vertue the motion was no sooner made but accepted so that Constantius having received the Brittish tribute returned with his new Bride to Rome and was after by the Senate constituted chiefe Ruler of this Kingdome After twenty years quiet and peacefull government which was thought her wisedome Constantius died and was buried at York in his time was Sâ— Albon married at Verolam since called St. Albons as John
am loath to dwel too long in the Proem I will now give you their names with a particular of their works who have been in many or most of these eminent Poetriae Or Women Poets OF the Sybils the Muses Priests and Prophetesses included amongst those whom we called Vates I have already spoken at large I now proceed to others Theano Locrensis was so called as born in the City of Locâ—is she writ Hyms and Lyrick Songs she was also a musicall Poetesse such as were called Melicae There was a second of that name the wife of Pythagoras a Poetesse besides a third called Thuria or Metapontina daughter of the Poet Lycophron a Pythagorist and wife of Caristius or Brantinus Crotoniata Teste Suida Nicostrata was otherwise called Carmentis skilful both in the Greek and Latine Dialect of a quick and nimble wit and conversant in divers kinds of Learning Sulpitia lived in the time of the Emperor Domitianus her husbands name was Galenus or Gadenus with whom she lived in most conjoined wedlock for the space of fifteen years Some fragments of her Poetry I have read inserted amongst the Works of Ausonius Of her Martial in one of his Epigram lib. 10. thus writes Oh molles tibi quindecim Calene Quos cum Sulpitia tua jugales Indulsit Deus peregit annos c. O those soft fifteen yeers so sweetly past Which thou Calenus with Sulpitia hast In jugall consociety no doubt A time by the gods favoured and pickt out O every Night nay Hour mark'd by thy hand With some rich stone fetch'd from the Indian strand What wars what combats have betwixt you been But to your Bed and Lamp not known or seen Of any Happy Bed and Tapers grace Made of sweet Oils whose smoak perfumes the place Thrice five yeers thou hast liv'd Calenuâ— thus Reckoning by that account thine Age to us So to compute thy yeers is thy great'st pride No longer to have liv'd then with thy Bride Were Atropos at thy entreats content To give thee back one day so sweetly spent Thou at a higher rate wouldst prize that one Then four times Nestors Age to live alone This Epigram hath expressed the love of Calenus to Sulpitia the husband to the wife but in 35 of the same book her pious Love chast Muse and Beauty the same Author hath most elegantly illustrated his words be these Omnes Sulpitiam legant puellae Vno quae cupiunt viro pâ—acere Omnes Sulpitiam legant mariti Vnae qua cupâ—unt placere nuptae c. All women 〈◊〉 Sulpitia such as can In their desires betake them to one man All husbands read Sulpitia such whose life Can be contented with one single wife She never spake of mad Medeas sin Nor why Thyestes Banquet was serv'd in It never with her pure thoughts could agree A Scilla or a Biblis there could be Save chast and pious Loves she did not write Yet mixt with modest pleasures and delight Her Verses who shall read and read again And sift them well shall find them without slain Such were the words divine Egeria spake The wife of Nâ—ma when she did betake Her self to solitude Had Sâ—pho been Tutor'd by her her Poems read and seen More chast sh ' had been with greater Art endu'd Or had rude Phaon these together view'd And both their beauties well observ'd and noted He that left her had on Sulpitia doted c. Seneca speaks of one Michaele a she Centaur who in an â—legant Poem instructed the Thessalians in the Remedy of Love whom Ovid in his Remedium Amorâ—s is said to have imitated Aristophanes as also Suidas speak of one Charixâ—na the Author of many excellent works amongst others she writ a Poem called Crumata Caelius lib. 8. cap. 1 speaks of Musaeâ— an Epigrammaâ—ist in which kind she was eminent besides she composed sundry Lyricks Textor remembers us of one Moeroe who besides her other works is most celebraâ—ed for a Hymn to Neptune Manto was the daughter of Tyresia the Propheresse of her the famous City Mantua took name she was not only a Poetesse but famous for her Dâ—vinations for by the entrails of beasts she could foretel things to come Textor Cornisicia was the sister of the Poet Cornisicius and famous for many excellent Epigrams Luccia 〈◊〉 as Pliny reports of her was a writer of Comedies in which practice she continued no lesse then an hundred years Amongst the Poets Cassandra the Propheâ—esse daughter to â—riam and Hecuba is also numbred 〈◊〉 Hermonaicus 〈◊〉 Camelion saith writes of a Poetesse called Megalostrate beloved of the Poet Alâ—mon he that first devised the amatorious Verse in which was expressed all lascivious intemperance which some attribute to Thamyris as their first inventor she Amatores vel ipsis colloquiis ad se trahere potuit i. She with her very discourse could attract lovers she was tearmed Flava Megalostrate Athenae lib. 13 cap. 16. Polla Argentaria was wife to the famous Poet Lucan and hath a merited place in this Catalogue of whom Martial thus speaks Haec est illa dies quae magni conscia partus Lucanum populis tibi Polla dedit This day of that great birth made conscious is Which gave him to the world and made thee his She was reputed to be of that excellent learning that she assisted her husband in the three first books entituled Pharsalia Her Stasius lib. 2. Sylv. thus remembers Haeâ— Castae titulum decusque Polla She likewise writ excellent Epigrams As much as Statius of her Plin. Secundus speaks of his wife Calphurnia Fulgos lib. 8. cap 3. Aspasia Milesia the beloved of Pericles as she was otherwise learned she is likewise numbred amongst the Poet some of whose Verses are remembred by Athenaeus Hedyle was the mother of Hedylogus Samius who by the same Athenaeus lib. 4. Dypnoph hath allotted him a place amongst the Poets she was the daughter of Moschina Attica that writ lambicks This Hedyle composed a Poem inscribed Scylla she made another called The Loves of Glaucus Sosipatra as Eugapius Volaterran relates was a woman practised in many kinds of Disciplines and so excellent in all her studies that she was said to be educated by the gods Thymele was a Poetesse that first introduced Dances into the Scene which the Greeks from her call Dumelin i. The place which is only free for the Actors Of her Martial thus speaks Quae Thymele spectas derisoremque Latinum Suidas writes That Thymele was an Altar frequently used in the Theaters which from her borrowed the name Hildegardis Moguntina was eminent both for Learning and Piety insomuch that from her very child-hood she seemed inspired from above Eugenius the third in the Council held at Tryer where Doctor Bernard was then present approved her Works she flourished in the yeare of Grace 1188. Of Clitagora Lacedemonia Aristophanes speaks much but Stravo in Homerica Iliade more of Hesteia Alexandria Avyle writ Epigrams against Themistocles with verses upon Birds which are read unto
this day Myrtis Authedonia in a Poem expressed the death of the Damosel Ochne who had been before the destruction of the Heroe Ennostus Praxilla Siconia flourished in the 32 Olympiad whom Antipater Thessatus give the first place unto amongst the nine Lyrick Poets She writ Dithycambi and a Work which was called by her Metrum Praxillium She called Adonis from Hell to demand of him what was most beautiful in Heaven who answered The Sun the Moon Figs Apples Cucumbers That and such like was the Subject of her Poem of which grew a proverb against Lunaticks and mad men every such was called Praxilla's Adonis Nossis the Poetresse was the composer of Greek Epigrams and is by Antipater numbred with Praxilla amongst the Lyricks Myro Bizantia she writ Elegies and such as the Greeks call Melae or Musical Poems she is said to be the mother of Homer and reckoned one of the seven Pleiades the daughters of Atlas she was the wife of Andromachus an illustrious Philosopher Pamphilus her Statue was erected which as Facianus witnesseth was made by Cephisiodotus Damophila was the wife of the Philosopher she was a friend to Sapho and lover whom in all her Poems she strived to imitate Her Hymns were sung at the sacrifices which were celebrated to Diana Pergaea after the manner of the Aetolians and Pamphilians She writ moreover certain books which she titled Libri Amatorii Of Minerva c. MInerva the daughter of Jupiter was for no other reason numbred amongst the gods but for her excellency and cunning in Poetry and other good arts of which she is said to be the first inventresse From her the ancient Athenians have borrowed the immortality of their name Next her we reckon the Corinnas There were three of that name The first called Corinna Thebana or Tanagraea she was the daughter of Archelodorus and Procratia and scholler to Myrtâ—s she in severall contentions five sundry times boâ—e away the Palm from Pindarus Prince of the Lyrick Pâ—ets she moreover published five books of Epigrams of her Propertius speaks The second was called Corinna Thespia she is much celebrated in the books of the ancient Poets especially by Statius The third lived in the time of Augustus and was to Ovid much endeared but of her wantonnesse than her Muse there is more memory extant I come to speak next of Erinna who was sirnamed Teia or as some wil have it Telia of the Island Telos not far distant from Gnidon she flourished in the time of Dion of Syracusa and published an excellent Poem in the Dorick Tongue comprized in three hundred Verses besides divers other Epigrams her stile was said to come neer the majesty of Homers she died when she was but nineteen yeers of age Damophila was a Greek Poetesse and the wife of Pamphilus she was Cousin-german and companion with Sapho Lyrica Poâ—tria she writ many Poems that were called Poemata Amatoria because their argument was meerly of love one Poem she writ in the praise of Diana for so much Theophrastus in the life of Apollonius remembers of her Hyppatia was a woman of Alexandria the daughter of Theon the Geometrician and wife to Isidorus the Philosopher she flourished in the time of the Emperor Arcadius she writ certain books of Astronomy and was froquent in divers kind of Poetry she purchased her selfe much fame for her learning insomuch that she engrossed a great confluence of Auditors in the City of Alexandria where she professed Suidas apud Volaterran Sapho ELianus affirms her to be the daughter of Scamandroniâ—â— Plato of Ariston Suidas and other Greek writers deliver to us that there were two of that name the one called â—rixia a much celebrated Poetesse who flourished in the time of the Poet Alcaeus of Pittachus and Tarquinius Priscus who first devised the use of the Lyre or Harp with a quil some give her the honor to be the inventor of the Lyrick verse the other was called Sapho Mitelaena long after her who was a singer and a strumpet she published â—ny rare and famous Poems amongst the Greeks and therefore had the honor to be called the tenth Muse the reason why she fell in love with Phaon Pliny attributes to the vertue of an herb but Baptista Egnatius a later writer and exquisite both in the Greek and Latin tongues in tranâ—ferring this fable from the originall into the Roman tongue as likewise others of his opinion conclude that Phaoâ— was of the profession of such as get their living by transporting passengers from one side of a river unto another a plain Ferry-man and that it hapned upon a time that Venus comming to the place where he kept his passage without demanding any hire he gave â—ot free transportage not knowing to whom it was he did that courtesie no way suspecting she had been a goddesse This Venus took so gratefully that she thought to requite his freenesse with a bounty far transcending the value of his painâ— She therefore gave him an alabaster box ful of a most pretious unguent teaching him how to apply it with which he no sooner annointed his face but he instantly became of all moâ—â—â—ll creatures the most beautifull of whom the Leâ—bian damosels grew enamoured but especially he was ardently and most affectionately beloved of Sapho Saphon having occasion to passe from Lesbos into Sicily she was tortured in soul for his absence intimating that it was done in despight or disgrace of her first purposed to cast her selfe from Leucate a high promontory in Epyre down into the Sea which she after did yet before she would attempt it she first in an Epistle thought by all the allurements of a womans wit to call him back again into his Country which Ovid in her behalfe most feelingly hath exprest And since it lies so fiâ—ly in my way for the opening of the History I thus give it English Ecquid ut aspecta est c. Is it possible as soon as thou shalt see My character thou know'st it comes from me 〈…〉 not reading of the authors name Couldst thou have known from whom this short work came Perhaps thou maist demand Why in this vain I court thee that profâ—sse the Lyrick strain My love 's to be bewept and that 's the reason No Barbit number suits this tragick season I burn as doth the corn-fields set on fire When the rough East winds still blow high and higher Now Phaon the Typhoean fields are thine But greater flames then Aetnas are now mine No true 〈◊〉 numbers flow from hence The empty work of a distracted sense The Pâ—rhian girle nor the Methimman lasse Now please me not the Lesbians who surpasse Vâ—le's Amithon vile Cidno too the fair So Atthis that did once appear most rare And hundreds more with whom my sins not small Wretch thou alone enjoy'st the loves of all Thou hast a face and youth fit for play Oh tempting face that didst mine eies betray Take Phoebus Faith upon thee and his bow And from