dreadful image of a City surprised by an Enemy Virgil represents the burning of Troy in verse but Nero caused it to appear more lively in the burning of Rome which he kindled for this purpose The poor Inhabitants of this unhappy City had no good Quarter granted them When Priamus their Prince with his Sons were cruelly murdered without any respect to their qualities and age and in the holiest places Hecuba outlived all these calamaties of her people and was transported into Greece where Ulysses whose life she had spared caused her to be stoned to death but her Ghost haunted and disturb'd him for this great ingratitude The Poets say that she was metamorphised into a Bitch that barks continually because in her life she never ceast from bawling and cursing the Greeks who had butchered all her Relations Some say that she was drowned in the Sea not far from Oeuboea therefore it was called Cynaeum because she was said to be transformed into a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Barking Dog Helena returned with her Husband to Sparta where she lived until he died She being afterwards banisht by the Sons of Menelaus fled to Rhodes to Queen Polixena her old acquaintance who suffered her to be hang'd on a Tree for her infamous and wicked life CHAP. XVIII Of the Adventures of Agamemnon and of Orestes his Son after the Siege of Troy WHen Agamemnon was returned from the Wars with the Crowns and Laurels of his Victories he found more dangerous enemies at home than abroad For his Wife Clytemnestra who had shamefully dishonoured herself by incest with Aegistus in the absence of her husband help'd to ensnare and murder him as we have seen in the twelfth Chapter of this books Cassandra who came with Agamemnon from Troy forewarned him of the danger and during the Voyage did continually advertise him of the misfortune that waited for him at home But this Prophetess who had received from Apollo the gift of prophesying the things to come was never credited because she had offended this god by her unfaithful dealing therefore he punish'd her with this disgrace that no body should believe what she said but rather the contrary Orestes did mightily concern himself for the massacre of his Father therefore in revenge of this inhumanity he put Aegistus and his mother Clytemnestra the Actors of it to death and although he did seem to have just cause to proceed in this manner the Furies that is the remorsc of Conscience did continually torment him and disturb his thoughts representing unto him the foulnesse of a Sons crime who stob'd his own Mother He could no longer endure this torment of his mind when he went to consult the Oracle who inform'd him that the only remedy to his troubled Conscience was to undertake a Voyage as far as Scythia Taurica to the Temple of Diana and to steal from thence the Statue of the goddess and to bring it into Greece According to this advice he went with his Dear Friend Pylades the Son of King Strophius who had alwayes lived with him and run the same dangers and espoused the same quarrels Pylades continued his kindness to him in this occasion and expressed it by venturing with him in this Voyage The Law of the Countrey did condemn all Strangers who were found within the borders of the Province to be sacrificed upon the Altar of Diana unto whom nothing but humane Victimes were offered Orestes and Pylades were taken and presented to Thoas the High Priest who commanded there as a Sovereign Prince He condemned but one of the two to death which caused a hot dispute between Orestes and Pylades for either of them was willing to lay down his life to save his friend's The lot fell upon Orestes therefore he was given to the keeping of Iphigenia who was the She-Priest of Diana But it happened that she quickly knew and acknowledged her brother Afterwards they resolved both to run away and to free themselves from the eminent peril by killing the inhumane Butcher Thoas which they found an opportunity to accomplish at the same time Pylades came to them and all three together fled away with speed with the Statue of Diana which they hid in a bundle of Sticks therefore she was afterwards named Diana fascelis In this manner Orestes returned happily again into Greece having freed himself from the Furies that did disturbe him and he took upon him the Government of his fathers Kingdom building many Cities and perticularly Oresta in Thracia which is now named Adrianople When Agamemnon departed with his Army to Troy he left with his Wife Clytemnestra an excellent Poet and Musician to divert her amorous and melancholick thoughts while this Poet remained in her service Aegystus the Son of Thyestes mentioned in Chapter 12th could never have any accesse unto her nor power to entice her to his lust therefore he kil'd first the Musician and then he quickly prevail'd in his wicked design He lived with her until Agamemnon was returned from Troy Then his wife agreed with Aegistus to kill him A Feast was prepared to receive him with more joy but as he was stepping out of a bath she caused a shirt to be prepared for him that was sowed up at the Neck and Arms When he was putting it on she cut him over the pate with a great Hatchet and kill'd Cassandra with the same whiles Aegistus was destroying the other Guests the Friends of Agamemnon who had been invited to this bloody Banquet Some say that Clytemnestra was informed by a malicious Fellow Oeax that her husband was bringing with him a Rival therefore she consented to his death with Aegistus Electra her Daughter saved Orestes and sent him to her Vnckle Strophius who was married to her Aunt Astrioche the Sister of Agamemnon in Beotia where he lived until he found an opportunity of revenging his Fathers death by killing the Murderers Aegistus and his own Mother For that purpose he came with his intimate Friend Pylades in a disguise to Mycenes where Clytemnestra dwelt feigning himself to be a Traveller come from Beotia with the certain news of the death of Orestes Aegistus received them for that cause with much joy because he was apprehensive of the courage and displeasure of Orestes These disguised Travellers took their time and kill'd both Aegistus and Clytemnestra for which deed they were both apprehended and sent to Prison but the Inhabitants sâ—t them at liberty for Agamemnons sake Orestes was afterwards tormented with Furies for the unnatural massacre of his Mother to deliver himself from them he went to fetch Diana out of Scythia where he killed the High-Priest Thoas and after his return he caused his friend to take his dear Sister Electra to Wife and he was married to Hermione the Daughter of Helena for whom he stob'd Pyrrhus the Son of Achilles who had taken her by force He was afterwards a very happy Prince and succeeded his
him to never discover unto any body the place where his ashes were buried He delivered unto him then his Arrows coloured with the blood of the Hydra But when the Grecians were preparing for an expedition against Troy the Oracle gave out that the City was not to be taken unless they carried with them the Ashes and Arrows of Hercules This forced him to discover the place where they were hid and that he might not violate his Oath he shewed where they lay with his feet which were punished afterwards for it for in his voyage to Troy one of these Arrows wounded his foot that had been the instrument of his perfidy so grievously that it corrupted and yielded such a stink that he became unsufferable to his company therefore he was left behind in the Isle of Lemnos Nevertheless because the Greeks did imagine that it was not possible to obtain any success without the Arrows of Hercules that were in his keeping they sent Vlysses back to bring him to the Siege and afterwards he was perfectly healed by Macaon that famous Physitian who was the Son of Esculapius There hath been no King nor other person since the beginning of the World that hath rendred his name more famous than Hercules f r he was not only known in Greece in Italy and Spain but in Egypt as Herodotus and in France and Germany as Caesar do inform us These following particulars may be further added to his former History for the intelligence of the Poets and Ancient Writers Jupiter when he laid with his Mother spent three nights which he caused to be joyned together to beget him his body and stature was answerable to the pains and power of his Father for it is reported that he was four Cubits and a foot high and had three ranks of teeth in his mouth out of his eyes sparkles of fire and light did sometimes proceed He had a Sister married to Polyphemus mentioned by Homer in his Odyssea his Brother was Iphiclus of whom it is related that he was so light that he could run over the ears of standing â—orn without any prejudice to them When Hercules came to years of understanding he was put in the tuition of several Masters that did excel in many Arts and Sciences to learn under them the things that were required to make him accomplished He was taught by a Shepherd by birth a Scythian named Tentares to handle the Spear and Dart Lucius a Son of Apollo taught him the Rudiments of Learning and because he had chastised him with a Rod Hercules killed him when he came to be of Age From Eumolpus he learnt the Art of playing upon Instruments of Musick Chiron gave him an insight into Astrology and Harpolicus made him understand the other Sciences that were necessary to accomplish a man of his Birth and Valor He was scarce eighteen years of Age when Eurystheus imployed him in most difficult Enterprises The first was when he killed that dreadful Lyon fallen from the Moon that did spoil the Country round about the Forrest of Nemea he discharged against the wild Beast all his Arrows but to little purpose and then encountred it with his Club only in his hand but the skin was so tuff and hard that no weapon could enter it which as soon as Hercules perceived it he caught hold of the raging Lyon and tore him in pieces with his hands Ever after he delighted to wear the skin of this Lyon and in his imitation all Heroes have skins of Lyons or of wild beasts upon their Bucklers The Poets speak of three Lyons killed by Hercules of Helicon of Lesbos and Nemea Thespius King of Boeotia soon heard of his valour and strength therefore he sent for him to make tryal of his ability This King had fifty Daughters and never a Son he imagined that it might be a great support to him to have Grand-children by them of extraordinary qualities For that intent he imploys Hercules after a costly banquet to get them with-child and it is reported that he did his business so well that they did all conceive so many Sons in one night Creon King of Thebs bestowed upon him his Daughter in reward of his good service for he had delivered him and his Country from all subjection to Erginus whom he kill'd with most part of his Army when he went to consult the Oracle and expiate his crimes of murdering his Wife and Children The Pythia the Woman-Priest of Apollo sirnamed him Hercules whereas he was before called Alcides They say that Eurystheus that set him awork was so jealous of Hercules that at last he would never suffer him to enter into the gates of the City but by Copreus his Herald did signifie unto him his pleasure In his Travels he was kindly entertained by several persons especially by Pholuâ— who brought forth unto him his best Wine and greatest dainties but it happened that then his house was beset by the Centaurs whom Hercules put to flight killing great numbers of them Afterwards he cleansed the Stables of Augias but being deprived of the reward promised by this ungrateful King he sack'd his Country and out of the spoils he erected Trophies of his Victory and instituted the Olympick Games ordering them to be celebrated every five years in honour of Jupiter Eurystheus sought all occasions to destroy him therefore he commanded him to bring unto him the Girdle of Hypolite Queen of the Amazons that he might give it to his Daughter Admeta He conquerrd all the Country of the Amazons and in his return with Theseus he freed Hesione from the fury of the Sea-Monster unto which she was exposed by her Father as we have already said but this Traytor refusing to give to Hercules the recompence that he had promised lost both his life and Kingdom Hercules after these exploits punisht Tmolus and Telegonus the Sons of Proteus because they did inhumanely kill all the strangers that they did overcome in wrestling and Sarpedon the impious Son of Neptunus received also from him a worthy reward of his former cruelties Hercules performed many other worthy Acts for he passed through Lybia Egypt Palestine Cilicia and Asia minor destroying all eminent Robbers and petty Tyrants that made use of their power to oppress the rest of mankind Thus he put to death Cygnus the Son of Mars Zetes and Calais the Sons of Boreas he vanquished the cruel people called Cercopes that dwelt in Asia minor he destroyed the Gyants that marched against him that proceeded from the blood of the Lyon of Nemea and many other Monsters of cruelty he humbled in the dust CHAP. III. Of Theseus THeseus was the Son of Aegeus King of Athens who gave his name to the Aegean Sea He did live in the time of Hercules and was nearly related to him therefore he was often a Companion of his Adventures and a perfect follower of his generosity after that he had escaped from the snares of his Mother-in-law Medea
attributed unto him and by the famous persons that were said to Be his Sons First He was taken for the Sun and in this Quality he had the name of Pboebus given to him that is by interpretation The Light of the Living It is true that some do differ in their relations concerning the Sun and say that his Father was one of the Titans named Hyperion from whence it is that he is called Titan. They have imagined that he rides upon a glorious Chariot that every night he goes down to rest in the Ocean until the next day when the Hours do prepare him his Horses to begin again his course He did seem to delight in the Isle of Rhodez more than any other part of the World for this reason because as Solinus doth report there is no day never so dark nor clouded but the Sun appears to the Inhabitants there Besides they say that in this Island he begat his Daughter Rhodia He sent down in it showres of Gold and caused on his Birth-day Roses to open and spread The Rhodians did dedicate unto him that famous Colossus of Brass of 800 feet in height and of a proportionable bigness which was broken down by the Sarazens that took the Island in the year of our Lord 684. When it was beat in pieces they loaded above 900 Camels with it This was esteemed one of the seven Wonders of the World Amongst the most famous places where Apollo did give Oracles Delphos was one of the chief In it was a glorious Temple or Fabrick enriched with innumerable gifts which came from every corner In it was a Woman Priest named Poebas otherwise Pithia or Pythanissa that received the Enthusiasme sitting upon a little Table supported with three feet it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Cortina because it was covered with the skin of the Serpent Python This God was also esteemed the Inventer of Musick he flead the Satyre Marsias alive because he was so impudent and daring as to challenge him to sing The Muses that were Daughters of Jupiter and of Mnemosyne were committed to his tuition their names were Calliope Clio Erato Thalia Melpomene Therpsicore Euterpe Polymnia or Polyhymnia and Vrania They had several names according to the several places where they did dwell Sometimes they were called Pierides because of the Forrest Pieris in Macedonia where they were said to be born sometimes Heliconiades from the Mountain Helicon which is nigh to their beloved Parnassus from whence also they were named Parnassides and Cytherides from the Mountain Cytheron Castalides and Aganippides from two noted Fountains that were consecrated unto them These Muses by the assistance of Apollo invented Musick Their chief Office was to be present at the solemn Festivals and Sacred Banquets and there to sing the praises of the famous men that they might encourage others to undertake glorious actions They were esteemed for their Chastity which they did profess so much that when Admis the Favorite of Venus offered to stir up in them some inclinations of Love they fell upon him and put him to death The Children of Apollo were many besides that Rhodia mentioned before He had Atha the Father of Medea King of Colchos unto whom was committed the Golden Fleece by Phrixus the Son of Athamas King of Thebes when he fled with his Sister from the fury of his Step-mother as you shall see in the eleventh Chapter Apollo had another Daughter named Pasiphae married to Minos King of Crete and who became at last enamoured with a Bull by whom she had the Monster called Minotaure Phaeton was also his Son This young Gallant had an ambitious fancy to govern the Chariot of the Sun and to give light to the World for one day But not knowing the right way through the middle of the Air and wanting strength to rule the winged Horses that ran so swiftly he set the Heaven and part of the Earth in a flame For which cause Jupiter being offended kill'd him with his Thunderbolts and cast him head-long into the River of Padus in Italy that is otherwise called Eridanus where his Sisters afflicted with his misfortune were changed into Poplar-trees and their Tears into Amber as the Poets say After this Conflagration there happened an Universal Deluge when Deucalion the Son of Prometheus was King of Thessaly for the waters were so great as they say that all living Creatures were destroyed only Deucalion and Pyrrha his Wife were forced for the safety of their lives to seek a retreat upon the top of Mount Parnassus When the Waters were abated and that they saw themselves alone in the World they requested the Gods to create some other men to keep them company or to deprive them of their lives Themis the Goddess of Justice sent them word that their desire might be accomplished if they did but cast behind them the bones of their Grandmother They presently imagined that this Grandmother was the Earth therefore according to this order they gathered up the stones and cast them over their backs Those that were cast by Deucalion were turned into men and those that came from Pyrrha became women By this Stony Generation all the Earth hath been fill'd This Deluge and another that happened in the time of Ogyges King of Thebes are the most remarkable in the writings of the Poets This Deucalion is commended for his Piety and Justice and is said to have built the first Temple for the worship of God It is plain by the circumstances mentioned in the Poets that this Fable is borrowed from the truth of the Scripture from the History of Noah who saved himself and his family from the universal Deluge by Gods appointment Nicolaus Damascenus and Berosus Chaldeus two of the ancientest Historians do mention this Deluge with some difference from the Scripture Moreover they say That the Ark in which mankind was saved did continue till their daies upon Mount Barin in Armenia where it was worshipped as well in requital of that good service that it had rendred as because of those Diseases that it did cure and the miracles that it did work Abidenus relates the same Story with some change of Names This is an infallible a argument to prove the Truth of this Story seeing so many persons that did live at such a distance one from another that they had scarce any correspondency between themselves but none with the Possessors of Moses writings do all agree in one Relation From hence it may be easily proved That they had this and all their other Stories that are agreeable to those of Moses from the Tradition of their Forefathers as Moses had his Apollo was one of the most gentile Gods of the Heathens of whom they do not relate such filthy Stories as of the others He was the God of Wisdom Physick Musick Learning and Arching He was represented as a young man without a Beard and Rayes of light about his Head in one
here forget the God Aeolus for his Empire was upon the Waves of the Sea he was the God of the Winds who dwelt in one of the Islands next unto Sicily where he kept the Winds close prisoners giving them liberty when he thought it convenient Besides all these there were certain Monsters that did dwell near the Sea and that did terrifie the Marriners In the Straits of Sicily were Scylla and Charybdis they say that this Charybdis was a Woman of a savage Nature that did run upon all passengers to rob them When she had stoln the Oxen of Hercules Jupiter kill'd her with his Thunderbolts afterwards he turned her into a furious Monster and cast her into a Gulf that bears her name Scylla was the Daughter of Nisus King of the Megariens she fell in love with Minos King of Candia and for his sake she betrayed her own Father For when Minos made War upon the Megariens because the Inhabitants of the Country had cruelly put to death his Son Androgeos and when he held the chief City Megara besieged Scylla during the Siege did often walk upon the Walls to recreate her self with the harmonious sounds that the stones did give for when Apollo did build this City he did often leave his Harp upon the stones and by this means he granted unto them the virtue that when they should be toucht they should yield a most delightful sound This young Princess seeing Minos from this place she began to entertain a kindness for him which perswaded her to deliver the City unto him upon condition that he should yield unto her desire and lust The business did depend only upon a hair of a Purple colour which was in the head of Nisus for whiles he did keep it he could not be overcome therefore when he was asleep she cut it off This Treason was not unprofitable to Minos but he could not abide a Daughter guilty of so much cruelty against her Father therefore he caused her to be thrown headlong into a Gulf of the Sea under the Promontory or Cape that is against that of Charybdis There she became a most horrible Monster for all her lower parts from the Girdle downwards changed themselves into dogs of several shapes that did continually bark there Others there are that relate this Story otherwise for Ovidius tells us how Scylla was metamorphosed into a Lark and Nisus into a Hawk that did persecute her continually for her Treason These do say that this was another Scylla that the Witch Circe changed into this Monster in a fit of jealousie because Glaucus had less love and kindness for her than for Scylla We shall see in the nineteenth Chap. of the next Book who this Scylla was The Sirens did also inhabit upon these Coasts of Sicily their upper part was like fair Virgins and their lower did represent the tail and body of a great Fish They did sing such melodious tunes that the Passengers were charmed and drawn to them but it was to the end that they might destroy them therefore they do very well typifie unto us unlawful Lust for its pleasures and allurements will infallibly bring us to an unhappy end unless we imitate the example of Vlysses who commanded his men to stop their ears with Wax and caused himself to be bound fast to the Mast of his Ship when he passed by in these Seas that the Sirens might not prevail upon him This craftiness of Vlysses did not a little vex them for they hoped to obtain him and his Company for their prey The Heathens did say that Oceanus was the beginning and first principle of all things he had a numerous Posterity Hesiodus numbers three thousand Daughters besides Sons Prometheus was his intimate friend and he did many good offices to the Gods he brought up and nourished Juno Nereus was his Son who had about sixty Daughters that waited upon Neptunus his habitation was in the Aegean Sea Hercules went to know from him where he should find the Golden Apples When Ino had craftily made away all the Children of Nephele except two she caused the Oracle to demand one of them as a Sacrifice to Jupiter which forced them both to fly away Athamas her Husband was so incensed at her cruelty that he took her Son Learchus and cut off his head then Ino in hast caught hold of Melicerta and cast her self with him into the Sea He was called Palemon or Portunus God of the Harbours In some places of Greece Children were offered in Sacrifice to him The Sirens are noted for their folly and cruelty These are the Names of the chief of them Aglaope Pisinoe Thelxiope Molpe Alagophonos Leucosia Ligea Parthenope The last gave her name to the famous City of Italy Naples anciently called Parthenope They did sing upon several Instruments of Musick and very well insomuch that they did challenge the Muses themselves by the perswasion of Juno In the Island of Crete was the meeting where the poor Sirens were shamefully overcome by the Nine Sisters who took from them their Wings made of them Crowns which they all wore except one who was esteemed the Mother of the Sirens and therefore it did become her not to triumph at the shame of her Daughters Their dwelling was between Italy and Sicily all the Passengers are said to have perished there but Orpheus who with the sound of his Harp did overcome the noise of the Sirens voices Ulysses had the happiness to pass also without any harm it is said that they were so much grieved at the escape of this last that they cast themselves headlong into the Sea and since they have never been seen CHAP. XII Of the Divinities of the Earth CYbele that we mentioned in the second Chap. as the Mother of the Gods is also the Goddess of the Earth therefore she was painted sitting and crowned with Towns and about her abundance of Animals and Trees The Shepherds did own her for their Goddess amongst them she was named Magna Pales Pan was eminent amongst the Gods of the Fields he was Son of Mercurius that had taken the form of a Goat to beget him therefore his Beard and his Feet were like a Goats with horns upon his head He was called Sylvanus although Virgilius seems to be of another mind He was the beloved of the Nymphs that did put themselves under his protection and did dance at the sound of his pipe The Arcadians did honour him as their God offering unto him Sacrifices of Milk and Honey The Romans also in the moneth of February did dedicate to him certain Feastival daies called Lupercalia from the place Lupercal that was consecrated to his worship by Evander and where Remus and Romulus were afterwards nourished by a Wolf Picus the K. of the Latin people had a Son named Faunus that was also a famous God of the Fields he invented many things necessary for Husbandmen He was lookt upon as the Father of the other Fauni and of
the Satyrs who did all wear horns upon their heads and had Goats feet When these Satyrs became old they were called Sileti they were great Tiplers of Wine The chief and the ancientest of them brought up and tutored Bacchus in his Infancy he was always seen riding upon an Ass This Animal became famous in India when Bacchus made War against the Indians for when it began to bray the Elephants of the Enemies were frighted and disordered which was the cause of the Victory In reward of this good service Bacchus promoted this Ass amongst the Stars near the Crab. Cybele was originally of Phrygia the Daughter of Menoe an ancient King of that Country she was cast into a Wood and there left to be devoured by the Wild Beasts upon some distast that her Father had taken against her Mother A Shepherd happily finding her brought her to his home and there caused her to be bred up as his Child She quickly grew famous when she came to years of understanding because of her extraordinary beauty and skill in Musick and in the curing of Infants diseases which caused the King to acknowledge her for his Daughter and to grant unto her a Train better befitting her Birth She afterwards became amorous of Atys a young man of the Country who because he could not have the liberty to marry her he got her with-child Atys was condemned for it to die and Cybele for grief became mad so that she left her Fathers Court and ran up and down the Country with a Pipe and Drum in her hand After her death when the Phrygians were afflicted with scarcity of corn and divers diseases the Oracle gave them this advice as a remedy to their evils to worship Cybele as a Goddess She was not well known amongst the Romans until Hannibal was in the bowels of Italy with his Army The Senate being frighted with several prodigious accidents that happened at that time sent to consult the Books of the Sybile where they found that the strangers might be driven out of Italy if Mater Idaea did come to Rome This obliged them to send Embassadors to Attalus King of Phrygia to beg from him the Statue of this Goddess which was of stone in the Town of Pesinunte They brought it to Rome and all the Dames of the City went out as far as the mouth of Tyber to welcome her The next year a Temple was erected for her her Priests were Phrygians called Corybantes they had over them one called Archi Gallus an Eunuch as most of them were therefore called Semiviri Phryges They did perform her solemnity with a furious noise of Drums of beating of Brass and of Musical Instruments The Corybantes are Jupiters Life-guard because they brought him up The Pine Tree and Box were consecrated to this Goddess Pan was the God of Mountains and Sheep also of Huntsmen he loved Eccho of whom he had a Daughter called Irynges He was also beloved of Luna his Sacrifices were performed in a deep Cave scituate in the middle of a thick Wood they were wont to offer unto him Milk and Honey in Shepherds Dishes he was painted with a stick in one hand and a Pipe in the other with a long Beard and horns of a great length upon his head and with Goats feet Faunus was also a God of the Field all the Apparitions in the Woods and all the voices were attributed to him CHAP. XIII Of the Infernal Gods IF we speak of Hell according to the manner of the ancient Poets we must represent it as a large subterraneous place whither the Souls are conveyed when they go out of their bodies The God that commands there is Pluto Brother of Jupiter and Neptunus his Wife is Proserpina the Daughter of Ceres he was constrained to steal her for he had been refused of all the Goddesses because of his ill-looks and of the darkness of his Kingdom Several Rivers do encompass it which we must all pass before we can enter into it Acheron is the first Styx the second this River did run round Hell nine times Victory was his daughter she was favourable to Jupiter in the War of the Giants Therefore by her means he attained to so great a credit that the Gods having sworn by his waters it was not lawful for them to act contrary to their engagements When they did they were depriv'd of the Nectar and of their Divinity one hundred years compleat The Styx did rise out of a Fountain of Arcadia whereof the waters are venomous and of such a strange nature that there is no metal that can keep them Nothing but the hallow of an Ass or of a Mules Hoof can retain this piercing water The third River of Hell was the Cocytes which did swell only with Tears The fourth was Phlegeton whereof the waters boil Charon the Ferry-man did offer his assistance and his Boat to carry over all that did come from this Upper World He did shew as little respect to the Lords to the Grandees and to the Princes as to the meanest Slaves because Death doth bring all men to an equality They whose bodies had not been buried did wait many years upon the Banks of the River before they could be admitted to passe with the rest At the descent from the Boat they met Cerberus a great Dog with three heads instead of hair he was covered all over with Serpents He did keep the entry of Hell in such a manner that he did suffer all to enter but none to go out Within was a dreadfull night esteemed a Goddess the eldest daughters of Chaos and the Mother of several Monsters that did beseige this unhappy place for besides Envy Grief Poverty Care Labour Diseases Cruelty Despaire here were to be seen Death and his kinsman sleep The latter was honoured as a favourable God unto men because of the rest that he procures unto us one of his Officers was Morpheus the God of Dreams who had the cunning and Art of taking all sorts of shapes There were also the Harpyes condemned to perpetual darkness and the Chimera that did vomit fire and flame her head was like a Lyons her middle like a Goat and her tail did resemble that of a furious Dragon In these subterraneous places was the abode of the furies called otherwise Dirae or Eumenidae their names were Tisiphone Megera and Alecto they were armed with flaming Torches out of their mouth proceeded a filthy froth a signe of their raging humor their eyes did sparkle as the lightning and their head instead of hair was adorned with long and dreadfull Vipers In the Palace of Pluto the three sisters named Parcoe Clatho Lachesis and Atropas did dwell These were the fatal Goddesses or the Destinies that did appoint unto every one the several adventures of his Life what they had decreed according to the Judgment of the Gods could not be altered they were more especially busied in handling the thred and disposing of the course
to put into the possession of Eurystheus certain Golden Apples belonging to Juno that were in the custody of some Nymphs Hesperides Daughters of Hesperus the Brother of Atlas But before that any could come to them a great Dragon that was at the entry of the Garden where they did grow was to be first overcome He found a means to accomplish this Enterprise also Some say that he made use of Atlas who went to gather them in the mean whiles he took upon him the others burden and bore up the Heavens with his shoulders The last injunction that he received from Eurystheus was to fetch from Hell the Dog Cerberus from whence he brought also Theseus that was gone down to keep company to his dear friend Pirithous These glorious actions made Hercules to be dreadful to King Eurystheus and to all the other Princes of the World Afterwards there was no Monsters nor Tyrant known but he undertook to destroy them Thus he put to death Busiris the Son of Neptunus who did lay Embuscado's to take strangers that he might massacre them upon his Altars Thus he killed Cacus who had three Heads the Son of Vulcanus mentioned in the Aeneids because he was a notable Robber that did spoil and destroy all that came near the Mount Aventin From thence he went to the Mount Caucasus where he delivered Prometheus and kill'd the Eagle that did devour his Liver as we have already noted in the former Book Chap. 3. Hercules had also an encounter with Antaeus the Son of the Earth who was of a prodigious bigness and who did commit all manner of cruelties This was very remarkable of him that as often as he did fall and touch the Earth so often he did receive a fresh supply of strength which when Hercules did perceive he lifted him up from the ground and in his Arms prest the breath out of his body But as Hercules was big and had a great body a small matter was not sufficient to nourish him One day when he was a hungry walking in the Fields he met Theodamas tilling the ground from whom he snatcht one of his Oxen that he laid upon his shoulders and devoured every bit of him before Theodamas who in the mean whiles did load him with imprecations and curses in his fury From hence was derived the custom of that Country to offer unto Hercules an Oxe in Sacrifice with all manner of reproaches He made also a journey into Spain where he separated the two Mountains Calpe and Abyla to let in the main Ocean into the Land by the Straits of Gibraltar These two Mountains scituate one against another Calpe in Spain and Abyla in Mauritania do appear afar off as two Pillars they are said to be the Pillars of Hercules where he did engrave these words Non plus ultra as if that were the last confines of the world beyond which he could not inlarge his Dominions In all his Conquests he made use of no other weapon but a Club of an Olive Tree which at last he dedicated to Mercurius the God of Eloquence whose virtue he did acknowledge to be more profitable than the power of Arms. Juno was inwardly grieved to see him purchase so much glory therefore she sought an opportunity of destroying him or at least of creating unto him some mischief whiles he was in his journey to Hell She perswaded Lycus banished from Thebs to surprize this City in his absence and to kill Creon the King with all his Sons He had in it taken Megara the Wife of Hercules and Daughter of Creon and was going to force her to his lust when Hercules returned from Hell and kill'd Lycus with all his Associates This was no small disgrace to Juno who was resolved to revenge it therefore she caused Hercules to enter into such a fury that he killed his Wife and Children Afterwards he became so much afflicted for this deed when his anger was appeased that he resolved to destroy himself if he had not been hindered by the prayers and tears of Amphitryon and Theseus But this famous man after so many brave actions and after that he had overcome all things by his valour he became a Slave to Women and to the affections that he did entertain for them Omphalis Queen of Lydia was one of those that did possess him so much that he changed his Club into spinning instruments he cloathed himself with the garments of a Damosel and served this Princess in the quality of a Maid of Honour Afterwards he became amorous of Deianira for whom he was to fight with Achelous the Son of Thetys But the latter being sensible of his own weakness did encounter with him in several shapes changing himself now into a Serpent anon into a Bull Whiles he thus appeared to Hercules he caught hold of one of his horns and tore it up by the root which made him so ashamed that ever since he hath remained in the form of a River that bears his Name The Naiades his Daughters being extremely afflicted at this disgrace received by their Father they offered the Horn of Plenty which Jupiter had bestowed upon them to redeem that of their Father for we must understand that when Jupiter was an Infant he was nourished with the Milk of a certain She-goat named Amalthea by some Nymphs that tended him Afterwards he requited their kindness in this manner the Goat he advanced amongst the Stars and gave to the Nymphs one of her horns with this rare virtue annexed to it of being able to procure unto them all the things that they should wish for therefore they named it the Horn of Abundance or of Plenty Hercules returned Conquerour with Deianira but he was stopt at the Ford of a River where Nessus the Centaur offered his service to him to carry Deianira behind him on the other side As soon as the Traytor was there landed he would have abused her had not Hercules pierced him speedily with an Arrow which when he did feel that it had struck him to the heart and that he was ready to expire he resolved to revenge himself in this manner he gave his garment dropping with his blood to Deianira perswading her that if her Husband did wear it but once he would never have love for other Women The silly creature believes him therefore she sent it to him by Lychas his man when he was sacrificing upon Mount Oeta But it fell not out as she had imagined for as soon as he had put on this Coat the blood of Nessus that was a most powerful poyson caused so great a burning all over his body that in despair he cast himself into a flaming pile of Wood and was there consumed to ashes The Servitor Lychas was drown'd in the Sea where he was changed into a Rock and Deianira for grief killed her self with a blow of her Husbands Club. But Hercules before he died did oblige Philoctete the Son of Pean his companion and friend to swear unto
that he that should take it up might end his daies by cruelty Marsyas the Satyr the Son of Hyagnis a great favourite of Cybele found it and first made use of it in the publick sacrifices of this Goddess for that reason it did always continue afterwards in her solemnities But this Marsyas became so proud and self-conceited for this invention that he challeng'd Apollo upon this condition that he that could make the most pleasant Musick should have power over his Antagonist Apollo was the Victor therefore â—e hang'd Marsyas upon a Tree and pull'd his skin over his ears Some drops of his blood hapned to fall into the River that did run hard by and therefore from him it was named Marsyas It did run through the City Caelenae taken by Alexander the Great Qua celer rect is descendens Marsya ripis Errantem Maeandron adit mixtusque refertur For Orpheus he was a Thracian born as some say of Apollo and Calliope as others of Eagrus aud the Muse Polymnia He was an excellent Philosopher and the first that recommended a solitary life and abstinence from flesh Mercurius gave him his Harp with which he performed wonders He was the first that introdueed the Bacchanalia in Greece called by some for that cause Sacra Orphica Horace in arte Poet tells us that Sylvestres homines sacer interpresq Deorum Caedibus victu faedo deterruit Orpheus Dictus ab hoc lenire Tigres rabidosque leones Dictus c. He was the first that in Thracia caused men to live under Laws and Government and called them from their rude and beastly life to a more gentile and handsome CHAP. VI. Of Jason and the Argonauts PElias King of Thessaly was careful to train up Jason his Nephew in his sight from his Infancy because he had taken notice in him of an extraordinary courage which had cast some jealousie and suspition of him into his mind When therefore he came to Age he sought how he might be delivered of him and of his apprehensions together for that cause he sent him to the Conquest of the Golden Fleece as to an enterprise from which he could never according to his judgment return alive We have already mentioned how Aetha King of Colchos had got this Treasure into his possession and laid it up safe in a Wood consecrated to Mars appointing for a guard certain strange Bulls that had feet of Brass and that did cast out of their Nostrils fearful flames of fire He appointed also a dreadful Dragon of a prodigious bigness accompanied with armed men that sprung up from the teeth of this Dragon that had been sowed in the Earth Jason in order to this expedition commanded a brave ship to be built by one named Argus from him it was called Argos the wood of it had been cut out of the Forrest of Dodone whose Trees were wont to give Oracles therefore this Ship did retain the faculty of speaking In this Voyage it was often heard A great number of the most Illustrious Worthies of Greece went aboard to accompany Jason and share with him in the glory of this undertaking they named themselves Argonauts Hercules was one also Theseus Castor and Pollux Orpheus Tiphys Lynceus and a great many more Tiphys did govern the Helm Lynceus who had excellent eyes was imployed to discover the banks of Sand and the dangerous Rocks hid under water to the end that they might decline them Orpheus with his Musick did pleasantly remove from them the tediousness and moderate the grievances of the Voyage only the company of Hercules was troublesome for he was so heavy that the Vessel was sometimes ready to sink and he did spend a prodigious quantity of Victuals besides he did frequently break his Oars but there happened a misfortune that delivered them from the inconveniencies of his company He had brought with him a young Boy whom he loved called Hylas when therefore the Ship was run ashoâ—r he sent him to seek some fresh water to appease his violent thirst but the Lad fell into the Fountain where he was drawing water This gave occasion to the Fable that the Nymphs had stoln him away At this unhappy accident Hercules left the Company and the Ship to seek him out From hence it is that the people of that Country established Feastivals to be kept every year during which they were wont to wander about the Mountains often calling for Hylas These Argonauts met with some misfortunes in this expedition and several difficult passages They were to go between the Simplegades that are otherwise called the Cyanean Rocks scituate beyond the Bosphore of Thracia at the entrance of the Black Sea or the Pont Euxin They did seem to joyn afar off and open when they were coming to the passage At last they arrived in Colchos From the beginning Jason contracted friendship with the Princess Medea the Kings Daughter who was an expert Magician She for his sake caused a dead sleep to fall upon all the Monsters that did keep the Golden Fleece by her devillish Enchantments so that Jason had by that means the liberty to take it Immediately after Jason fled away with Medea whom he married but being pursued by Aetha the Father she cut in pieces Absyrthus her little Brother that she had brought with her dispersing and leaving his members at a distance in the way that his Father might busie himself in gathering them up and give them more leasure to escape When they were come as far as Thessaly Medea undertook to cure her Father-in-law Aeson of his old Age By the virtue of her Magick Art she restored unto him his youthful appearance and strength and that she might take vengeance of the hatred that Pelias did bear unto them she perswaded his Daughters to try the same experiment upon him for he was extreme old and decrepit According to her directions they cut him to pieces and boiled them in a Kettle with certain Herbs which she had delivered unto them But these wretched Daughters seeing it impossible to recover their Father again by that means were mightily afflicted and grieved that they had been so absurd as to murder him upon such unlikely hopes All this time Medea did live with Jason in a perfect amity and correspondency having had by him two dainty Children But at last when Jason arrived at Corinth in the Court of King Creon he fell in love with the Princess Creusa his Daughter with whom he married forgetting the obligations and favours that he had received from Medea She was resolved to revenge her self therefore dissembling her dissatisfaction she seem'd to approve of the Match and sent a Box full of Jewels and of such precious things to the Bride as a Token of her love but it was all bewitcht in such a manner that when it was opened a strange flame burst out of it which consumed suddenly the Kings Palace to ashes with the Bride and her aged
Father in it Jason in his fury went to seek Medea to be revenged of her for this cruelty She waited for him on the top of a high Tower from whence she reproach'd him with his ungratitude and before his eyes massacred two Children that she had by him She then took her flight towards Athens being supported by two strong and fearful Dragons in the Air. When she was arrived into this City she became the Wife of King Aegeus by whom she had Medus But when she ventur'd to poyson Theseus she was forced to fly away for her life with her Son Medus and to retreat into that part of Asia called from him Media In this last Chapter the most noted persons are Medea Jason the Argonauts and Creon of whom the Poets do relate these following stories Medea was a renowned Witch the Daughter of Aeta and Idya or as Ovid names her Mother of Ipsea She was the Grand-child of Sol she was tutored and made acquainted with the secrets of her devillish Art by Hecate who taught her how to perform wonderful things by her Spells and Enchantments she was able to transport woods from one place to another to cause the currant of the Rivers to turn back towards their source to bring down the Moon and the other Stars upon the Earth and to give life to the Dead The expedition of the Argonauts and her affection for Jason rendered her famous or rather infamous for his sake she consented to betray her Fathers and Countries interest by her means he seized upon the Golden Fleece and when Aeta intended to revenge himself of the Argonauts by their deaths in a Banquet unto which they were all invited Medea discovered the Plot to Jason who thought it high time to sail away with his Prize and Medea Before her departure she committed a most inhumane act in killing her only Brother and casting his Members in the way for her Father to gather up She was no less cruel afterwards to Pelias the King who hearing a false report of the miscarriage of the Argonauts abused the friends of Jason and treated his Kindred barbarously At the return of the Ship into a Bay of Thessaly near the City Jolaus Jason understanding all that had happened entreats his Companions to assist him but because they were not able to encounter with a Kingdom Medea undertook to punish Pelias with her Enchantments She makes a Statue of Diana with it she lands and hastens into the City having taken the disguize of an old Woman At her entrance she proclaims in the streets that she did bring the Image of Diana from the Northern Countries requiring the people to receive it with respect unto her words she added Miracles to perswade them to believe So that when she saw the King and people at her devotion she revealed unto the Princes Daughters that she was commanded by Diana to restore to their Father his former youthful strength and appearance To oblige them more easily to believe the possibility of this action she dismembred before them an old Ram and then by witchcraft turned it into a young Lamb. They being thus perswaded to try the same experiment upon their Father kill'd him and by that means punisht him for his cruelty and gave an opportunity to the Argonauts to seize upon the empty Throne Acastus the Son of Pelias reigned in his stead but his wretched Daughters were married to the Argonauts Admetus took Alcestes who only had not consented to the cruelty committed upon her Father Amphinome was married to Andraemon Asteropea and Autonoe were given to other Husbands After this Medea lived quietly with Jason until he became enamoured with Creusa or Glauca the Kings Daughter She revenged her self of this affront for she sent a Box or as some say a Crown shut up in a Box to the Bride anointed with a strange compound called Naphtha which as soon as she had toucht the Air round about her inflamed with the Kings Palace about her ears Jason was the Son of Aeson and Polymedes descended by his Father from Aeolus the God of Winds When the Oracle had informed his Vncle Pelias that one of his Kinsmen should put him to death and that he should have an eye upon Jason he sought to destroy him but he escaped to Chiron the Centaur where he was a Student in Physick Afterwards he was sent to recover the Golden Fleece that did belong to his Family He and the other Worthies of Greece did run many dangers in this expedition they were to pass between the Simplegades Rocks that are in a continual motion they let go a Pidgeon before they would venture through with their Ship and although this Bird flies with a wonderful swiftness her tail was catcht between the Rocks nevertheless the wind blew them through with little damage to their Vessel They landed in several places by the way and relieved Phineus an old Fellow that was troubled with the Harpies for the two Children of Boreas that were in this expedition made them fly away and leave the blind Phineus to eat his meat in quiet When Jason was returned he dedicated bis Ship to Neptunus It was afterwards preserved many years and the breaches that time did make were repaired as Noahs Ark and the Ship of Theseus All these Argonauts did live in the daies of Othoniel and Gedeon Judges of Israel about 2500 years after the World was created CHAP. VII Of Cadmus and of the City of Thebs VVHen Jupiter ravisht Europa the Daughter of Agenor King of the Phaenicians as we have said in the third Chapter of the first Book this Prince sent his Son to seek her out into many places of the World with a Command to never appear before him until he had found her But Cadmus after many tedious voyages could never learn what was become of her therefore he went to consult the Oracle of Apollo in Delphos to know what was best for him to do The answer was that a Cow some say an Oxe should meet him and that he was to follow the directions of this Beast to build a City and settle his habitation He met the Oxe in a Province of Greece called from thence Boeotia And that in a business of so great a concern he might obtain the assistance of Heaven he resolved first to offer the wearied beast in sacrifice to the Goddess Minerva In order to this Religious performance he dispatches his followers to the next Fountain named Dirce to fetch from thence water but it happened that a fearful Dragon surprized them there unawares and devoured them alive Minerva advised him immediately to destroy this Dragon and to sow the Teeth of his head in the Earth which when he had done several Companies of armed men sprung up out of this seed but they could not suffer one another therefore they destroyed themselves only five were remaining that offered their assistance to Cadmus in building a City to
when he was ready to expire It happened afterwards as he had desired Myrtilus for a supposed crime was cast headlong from a high Râ—ck into the Sea and left his name to the place Thus the perfidious Myrtilus was rewarded by th se who did owe unto him their lives and satisfactions for it is usual to see Treasons in request but Traytors were never beloved nor trusted by any That Roman Damosel that betrayed a gate of Rome to the Sabins was buried alive under their Bucklers by them who did detest her crime although they did receive an advantage by it Bajazet and Tamerlane did commonly execute Traytors and hang them up with their rewards The Poets say that this Oenomaus was so cruel as to kill twelve or thirteen young Gallants that came to seek his Daughter in Marriage for when he had ünhappily overcomâ— them in the Race he did dispatch them out of his sight without mercy In running it was his custome to throw at them his Lance and kill them and that he might sooner overtake them he did oblige them to carry â—ith them his Daughter Hippodamia in the Chariot Pelops was more happy than the rest therefore the River Alpheus came out of his currant to crown him with Lawrels after his Victory His Sister was Niobe she espoused Amphion and of him had ten Sons some say seven and as many Daughters but because she was so vain-glorious as to say Cur calitur Latona per aras Numen adhuc sine thuie meum est c. And Quoquo modo audetis gâ—niâ—am Titanida Coeo Latonam praeferre mihi She was deprived of all her Children the Men being massacred by Apollo and the Maids by Diana who left only Cloris alive Some say that her grief caused her to cast her self into the Sea from a Rock that did bear her name upon the Coast of Greece Ovid calls her Mygdonia because of her Image that did stand in the Town of Sipylus in the Mount Mygdonia Nâ—nc quoque Mygdonia flebilis astat humo CHAP. XII Of Atreus and Thyestes THese two Brethren have given occasion to many Tragedies which proceeded from an irreconcilable hatred that they did bear to one another For Thyestes having no other intent but to vex Atreus defiled his Bed with Adultery and Incest and then saved himself out of his reach And Atreus surprized the sons of Thyestes and got them all into his power Then he sent unto him to invite him to a Feast as if they had been to end all their differences and reconcile themselves together Thyestes perswaded with the desire of seeing his Children came readily to the Feast But when they were both risen from the Table Atreus shewed unto him the sad Spectacle of their hands and heads chopt off telling him also at the same time that he had fed at supper only upon their flesh The Poets say that the Sun was eclipsed and did return back towards its rising that it might not behold such a detestable cruelty But as one Crime draws after it another it happened that Aegistus the Bastard Son of Thyestes who was reckoned amongst the Dead because he had been cast away in a Wood satisfied his Fathers vengeance by spilling the blood of Atreus This Aegistus was so named because he had been brought up and nourished by Goats He having therefore espoused his Fathers quarrel he massacred Agamemnon the Son of Atreus at his return from the Siege of Troy by the assistance of his Wife Clytemnestra who had been perswaded to consent to the murder of her Husband We shall in another place take notice how Orestes revenged the death of his Father Agamemnon in killing Aegistus and Clytemnestra his own Mother because she had been so perfidious and wicked as to imbrue her hands in her Husbands blood The hatred of these two Brothers caused many horrid Villanies to be committed by them and their Children Thyestes to displease and affront his Brother Atreus debaucht his Wife Aerope of whom he had two Bastards Tantalus and Plistenes When Atreus came to understand who was their Father he caused them to be roasted and given to Thyestes to eat at a great banquet unto which he was invited He found some way to escape out of it and his Brothers power and so departed to King Thesprotus and from him he went to Sicyone where he had placed his Daughter Pelopia He found her sacrificing to Minerva and dancing about her Altar but it happened that she had stained her cloaths with the blood of the Victim therefore in the night she went do vn to a River alone to wash them Her Father Thyestes followed her and got her with-child but she secretly convey'd his Sword away About that time â—t grievous Famine afflicted the Country which the Sooth-sayers imputed to the cruelty of Atreus advising him to be reconciled to his Brother He hearkned to their counsel therefore he went to seek him out in the Kingdom of Thesprotus but meeting there with Pelopia whom he thought to be the Kings Daughter he desired her in marriage and brought her to his home where she was delivered of Aegistus And because he was her Fathers Bastard she desired that he might be cast away and that he might not live to reproach unto her her shame But Atreus not knowing the mystery caused him to be sâ—erâ—tly nourished with Agamemnon and Menelaus his children It happened that in process of time Atreus having surprized Thyestes consulting the Oracle of Apollo how to revenge himself be sent unto him Aegistus to kill him but the Father dise vered the Son by the Sword that his Daughter had stole from him near the River and then stuck it into his Bowels with a command to revenge his death which was done by Aegistus for he kill'd Atreus whiles he was sacrificing and rejoycing at the death of his Brother The Poets 〈◊〉 inform us of the first cause of these Tragedies and fatal discords They say it was because Pelops offered to drown Myrtilus the Son of Mercurius therefore this God in revenge kindled such flames of wrath and enmity in the breasts of his Sons that they ceased not till they were both destroyed with all their Generation CHAP. XIII Of the Kings of Troy THe City of Troy hath been heretofore one of the most famous of Asia minor as well for its largeness and riches as for that Renowned War which it n annag'd against the Army of Greece It was scituate in Phrygia which is a Province stretching it self upon the Coast of the Aegean Sea near unto the Hellespont called now the River of Constantineple over against the Câ—eâ—sâ—nâ—sus of Thracia and the Island Tenedos which was not far distant from it The River Soamander that proceeds from the Mount Ida did run by the walls to joyn with the waters of the River Sim is both together do empty themselves into the Sea near the Promontory called Sigeum The
rest satisfied with the enjoyment of the pleasures of the Court Therefore he caused a Fleet of twenty Ships to be made ready to sail into Greece and to demand his Aunt Hesione carried away by Hercules and married to Telamon But his design was rather upon Helena the Sister of Castor and Pollux mentioned in the fourth Chapter and who had been given in Marriage to Menelaus King of Sparta a City in the Peloponnesus He set sail and landed at Sparta where Menelaus perswaded by the intrigues Venus who had put Paris upon this enterprise received him with all expressions of kindness and civility And when his affairs did require his presence in Crete he left him at his Palace in his absence But the affection of this King was requited with a most notable Treason for Paris having secretly made friendship with Helena when he saw such a favourable opportunity he departed with her into Asia and carried her to Troy although Herodotus saith the contrary But Dares and Dictys two Writers of that time who were present at the Siege of Troy do confirm this Relation King Priam was glad of this action not only because of the hard usage that he had received from the Greeks during his captivity amongst them and because they had cruelly spoiled this City in the Reign of his Father Laomedon but also because he did hope by this means to recover out of their hands his Sister Hesione It was the custom of the Heathens when any strange accident did happen to consult the Oracles and to enquire from them what to do When Priam understood his Wives dream he sent also to take advice from the Oracle who informed him that the Child would be the cause of the Countries ruine To prevent this mischief he was designed for the slaughter as soon as he should come into the world but Providence and his Mothers compassion saved him and sent him to Mount Ida to the Kings Shepherd where he was brought up as his Son He proved as valiant as he was handsome but vice overcame his generous disposition He had two sons by Aenone a Nympb of Mount Ida Daphnis and Ideas who were as obscure as their Father was famons He was at first Renowned for his Justice and civil behaviour but the pleasures of the Court and the sudden change of his condition altered his temper and carriage so that when Menelaus had received him with all expressions of kindness he rewarded him with ungratitude he debaucht his Queen rifled his Palace plundered the City of Argos and carried all away Captive with Helena and with her two Ladies of Honour Ethra and Pisadia The Greeks did revenge this affront and unjustice by a most bloody War in which almoâ—t all the Children of Priam were kill'd and Paris also was mortally wounded by Philoctetes with the venomous Arrows of Hercules which had been dipt in the blood of the Hydra in a single fight Oenone his first Wife laboured to cure him but all her endeavours were in vain After his death she had so much love for her unfaithful Husband as to cast her self in the flames which did consume his Body CHAP. XV. Of the Grecians Preparations against Troy AGamemnon the King of Mycene a Kingdom of the Peloponesus near Argos was mightily concerned for the disgrace of Menelaus because as we have said in the twelfth Chapter they were Brethren the sons of Atreus therefore they were named Atreiâ— This was the cause that oblig'd him to acquaint the Princes of Greece with this notable affront which all the Nations had received They all agreed to consult about this business in two general Assemblies which were to meet in Sparta and in Argos It was there resolv'd that they should join all their forces together under the leading of Agamemnon to revenge this disgrace and that they should oblige themselves solemnly by Oath not to forsake the war until the men of Troy would submit to Reason Some of them were unwilling to ingage themselves in this war Vlysses the Son of â—â—ertes and King of 〈◊〉 and of Dulichia two small Islands of the Ionian Sea was one of them He could scarce forsake his Dear Wife Penclope of whom he had a Son named Telemachus His tender affection for her was a tie sufficient to keep him at home For that reason he did counterfeit a Mad man ane did joyn two ridiculous creatures to a plow driving them upon the Sea-shore which he had sown with salt instead of corn But as he was both brave and wise in feats of war the Grecians would not depart without him Therefore Palamedes undertook to discover his Knavery by means of his young Son whom he had got out of the hands of Penclope for he laid him down in the way by which the plow was to pass when Vlysses perceiv'd it he turn'd a little aside for fear of touching the Babe by this means Palamedes discovered that he was mad but in appearance out of a design therefore he was forc'd to take another resolution Afterwards in the heat of the Siege of Troy he reveng'd himself upon Palamedes for this discovery producing supposed Letters from Priam against him to perswade the Greeks that he had a design to betray the Army therefore he was stoned by the Souldiers There was no small difficulty to get also Achilles the Son of Peleus and of the Goddesse Thetis The Destinies had publish't that Troy could never be taken without the assistance of this invincible Captain from his Infancy Thesis had put him in the hands of Patrocles his friend and kinsman that he might study under Chiron the Centaure a most accomplished person not only in Physick and in Musick but also in all other Sciences and Arts required to render a man fit for great undertakings Instead of milk and other ordinary food he did suffer him to eat nothing but the marrow of Lyons and of wild Beasts that the courage and strength of these Animals might by that means be nourished in him from hence it is according to the judgment of some that he is named Achilles because being fed in this manner without any common diet he had no Children Afterwards Thesis carried him into Hell to dip him in the River Styx that he might be invulnerable all over his body except his heel which she held in her hand and which was not dipt with all this precaution she could not be freed from apprehension when the Greek Princes were to meet at the Rendezvous of the Army Therefore she sent him to the Court of King Lycomides in the habit of a Girl whiles he did there live as a young Lady he fell in love with the fair Deianira of whom he had a Son named Pyrrhus or Neoptolemus notwithstanding Vlisses found him out for when he came to the Palace of Lycomedes carrying with him several pretty things for the young Ladies of the Court he had amongst them beautiful Armes of which Achilles being led
prevail upon them Afterwards they escaped through the Gulphs of Scylla and Charibdis and arrived at Sicily Where they met with Phaetusa the Daughter of the Sun who was there watching over the consecrated Cattel of her Father Vlysses following the advice of Circe gave a strict Order to his men not to offer to touch them But for want of other food they stole some of the Oxen of the Sun when Vlysses was a sleep This action cost them dear for the pieces of meat which they had cut off did give such grievous shrieks when they were laid upon the coals that they were frighted and run all away to their Ship to hide themselves Afterwards when they were at Sea their Ship sunk under them so that they were all drowned only Vlysses saved himself upon a piece of the broken Ship and arrived after much ado to the Island Ogygia to the Nymph Calypso who received him very kindly entertained him many years and at last prepared a Ship to transport him into his own Island But Neptunus to revenge himself for the losse of his Son Polyphemus's eye broke also this Ship in pieces so that he was almost lost without any hopes of saving himself if the Nymph Leucothoa had not provided him with aplank upon which he did swim to the Island of the Pâ—â—acks which is at the entry of the Gulfe of Venice and now named Corcyra or Corfou Nauâ—â—ae the Daughter of Arcinouâ— the King of the Island found him all naked upon the Sea shore and having given unto him a cloak to cover him she conducted him to the Queen her Mother Vlysses was known there by certain marks which were upon his body Therefore the King and the Court received him accoring to his quality and his worth After a short abode in that place to refresh himself and recover his Spirits which he had spent in his dangers he gave unto him a Ship which carried him happily and safe unto the Island of Ithaca This was the twentieth year of his wives expectation of him She had heen all this while in continual torment of mind and in an earnest longing to see him again Some had endeavoured to perswade her that he was perisht at Sea Which news caused many young Lords to wo her and seek her in marriage very seriously But she did preserve such a faithful love for her husband which was entertained by the hopes of his return that she would never give unto them any answer and that she might put them off she undertook the making of a piece of cloath promising to declare her resolution when this work was finisht but to delay it the longer she did undo at night whatsoever she had made up in the day In the mean while Vlisses was troubled how to discover himself with the safety of his person and re-enter into possession of his own for he did justly fear to be slain by those who were Suiters to his wife Minerva advised him in this occasion to disguise himself and in the habit of a poor Country fellow to make himself known first to Telemachus his Son and to one of the old Officers of his house which when he had performed with their assistance he put to death all those of whom he was jealous and so entred again into the possession of his Estate and Kingdom But after all this his mind could not be in rest because Tiresias the Soothsayer had informed him that one of his Sons should one day kill him Therefore to prevent this mischance his resolution was to forsake the world and to retire himself into some desolate and solitary place there to end his dayes in peace About that time Telegonus one of his Sons by Circe came to his City and Pallace of Ithaca to pay unto him his respects and as he was striving to enter there hapened a great tumult because some did stop him from going in farther as a person that was not known Vlysses at that instant stept out and Telegonus not knowing him ran him through with his lance which was headed with the veâ—emous back bone of a Seâ—fish Of this wound he afterwards died CHAP. XX. Of the Adventures of Aeneas VVHen the men of Troy saw their City in a flame and their native country Spoilt they were forced to seek their fortunes elsewhere Some of them with the Henetes a people of Paphlagonia followed Antenor a worthy Captain of Troy Others put themselves under the conduct of Francus otherwise named Francion the Son of Hector as some do relate But the greatest part of the Inhabitants ranged themselves under the banners of Aeneas the Son of Anchises and of the goddess Venus as we have already said in the beginning of the 13 Chapter He was married to Creusa one of the Daughters of King Priamus Antenor with his Fleet sailed into the Adriatick Sea called now the Gulfe of Venice where the Henetes who came with him laid the foundations of the famous City of Venice Antenor entered farther into the land and built the City of Padova named by the Latines Patavium Francus marched as far as the River of Rhine and afterwards passed into Gallia amongst the Gauls who have borrowed from him their name Francois Aeneas gathered together as many as he could save out of the burning of Troy where he lost his Wife Creusa carrying away his aged Father Anchises upon his shoulders with his domestick Gods and leading his little Son Ascanius by the hand In this manner he marched as far as Antandrum a City of Phrygia not far distant from the Mountain of Ida where his Fleet of twenty Ships was prepared and ready to set sail when he was embarked with his people he bended his course to wards the coast of Thracia where he had a design to settle and build a City But he was diverted from it by fearful outcryes that were heard in the place where Polydorus had been murdered and buried by Polymnestor the treacherous and perfididious King of the Country as we have already taken notice in the former Chapter From thence he departed and sailed as far as Creta with a design to settle himself there but a furious pestilence gave him such bad entertainment in this Place that he was forced to flie away his domestick gods did then warn him in a Dream that he should proceed towards Italy and that there he should settle and make his conquests Assoon as he had commanded his Sails to be hoised up a furious storm drives him and his Fleet on shore on the Islands called Strophades where the Harpyes a cruel and strange sort of Birds did mightily persecute him and his people Afterwards he sailed along the Coast of Epirus where he happily did meet with Andromache Hector's wife who had been espoused afterwards to â—yrrus when he passed into Greece But he having divorced her gave her in marriage to Helenus with part of the Country of Epirus where he made him a Sovereign Prince After that Aeneas had been kindly
Jupiter into Nyniphs of the Sea at the request of the goddesse Cybele who had received them into her protection By this means the Trojans were forced to suffer many great evils and were reduced to many extremities But Aeneas came happily to their aid with a strong party of Tyrrhenians and Venus his Mother did maintain their interest with Jupiter against the rage and endeavours of Juno Besides she caused Vulcan to make such strong and sound Arms for Aeneas as did render him invincible in all encounters and entertain in his Soul a warlike and noble disposition for in his buckler were described all the glorious deeds and adventures of his successors in a most artificial and divine manner In this war a great deal of blood was shed on both sides Aeneas was never so much concerned as at the death of Nisus of Euryalus and afterwards of Pallas Evanders Son But he â—â—venged their deaths by the slaughter of the King Mezentius of Lausus his Son and of many others Camilla the Queen of the Volsci did mightily encourage and strengthen the Army of Turnus It is reported of her that she was as generous as a Lion and was so light footed that she did scarce touch the ground in running but an unhappy blow of a Lance took away her life in the heat of the fight Her fall did astonish all the Army of Turnus In this encounter Aeneas was wounded with an arrow but Venus did then apply the Herb Ditany so seasonably to his wound that it was cured in an instant Afterwards he did so effectually encourage his men that Turnus seeing no other remedy to his Affairs and Hopes that were almost lost he challenged him to fight in a single Combat to put an end by that means to their differences Aeneas was very joyful of this proposition therefore he encounters him hand to hand lays him upon the ground kills him After this victory he was married to Lavinia and took possession of the Kingdom of the Latineâ— He built and fortified the City of Lavinium which was not far distant from Laurentum Julus Ascanius his son succeeded him in this Kingdom and built the City of Alba sirnamed Longa because of its scituation the Inhabitants were called Albani that City was the Metropolis of the Latine people until the reign of Romulus who laid the foundations of the City of Rome and conquered all the Countrey round about it Tullius Hostilius the third King of the Romans pul'd down and leveled to the ground the walls of the city of Alba so that afterwards there remained no signs of it Before we finish this Story we must take notice that the truth is mingled with many fables for it is certain that Virgilius relates the adventures of Dido only as a pleasant fiction to adorn his Poem for Dido did live and Carthage was built two or three hundred years after the ruine of Troy CHAP. XXI Of several other famous Men frequently named in the Heathen Writers and not mentioned by Gautruchius I Wonder that in the last Chapter our learned Jesuit hath not mentioned a faithful companion of Aeneas who loved him so tenderly that he could never be separated from him but by death this name was Achates In all estates he did stick close to him and did accompany him in his greatest dangers therefore he is styled Fidus Achates by Virgil. Aristeus the Son of Apollo and of the Nymph Cyrene the Daughter of Peneus taught the use of honey and of oyl He was a famous Shepheard in his time a great admirer of the Nymph Eurydice whom he pursued to have taken but she ran away and was unfortunately wounded to death by a serpent in her flight therefore her comrades sought revenge upon Aristeus for her death by destroying his Bees in which he did delight The truth is he was a pious man and a great favorite of Jupiter from whom he obtained the Etesian winds to cool the immoderate heat of the summer Sun and to prevent the mischiefs which the Dog-star would cause in the hot Countreys without these favourable blasts Asopus was the Son of Jupiter who nevertheless committed incest with his Daughter Aegina for he ravisht her in the form of a flame of fire Their Father Asopus did hasten to her assistance but to little purpose for she proved with child of Aeacus and Jupiter for his impudency to offer to oppose him struck him dead with his thunder-bolts What lascivious what shameless gods did the Heathens adore the greatest promoters of incest of murder of villany c. Now this Asopus was a River not far from Thebs or rather a Prince who left his name to that River He had another Daughter named Plataea whom Jupiter pretended to advance into Junos place only to oblige her to seek his favour and be reconciled to him Canopus was the Pilot of the Ship which brought Menelaüs back towards Greece when a storm had forced him on the coast of Egypt after the ruine 〈◊〉 roy This Canopus went on shore and was â—tung to death by a Serpent but afterwards the Egyptian Priests having performed a seeming miracle with his statue they caused him to be worshiped as a god and gave his name to one of the stars of the firmament and to a famous Town of Egypt And hence it is that this Kingdom is called Terra Canopi and the people Gens Canopi His image was worshipped by the Egyptians although it was made as a dwarf with a great belly with short legs and a crooked neck Cephalus was married to Procris the Daughter of Hyphilus King of Athens Aiâ—rora was so fond of him that she carried him away with her but he would never consent to her lust because he kept for his wife an unparalleld constancy which caused her to send him home in a disguise to be an eye witness of his wifes ingratitude and unworthiness of his faithful love for he surprized her in dishonesty therefore he divorced her but he was afterwards reconciled to her again She grew in time as jealous of him because he was wont to rise betimes and recreate himself in the woods in hunting She followed him at last and hid her self in a bush to see if she could discover any female sex come near him When he in the pursuance of his sport saw a creature moving in the thicket he imagined it to be a wilde beast therefore he discharged out of his bowe a coupâ—â— of arrows and struck his unhappy wife 〈◊〉 he heart Erichtheus the Son of Pandion an Egyptian born settled in the Province of Attica in Greece and taught the ruder sort of people many things belonging to the worship of the gods He instituted the famous festival of Athens called Sacra Eleusina in honour of Proserpina as some do say The Athenians having chosen him their King Eumolpus Neptune's Son made war upon him but Erichtheus killed him for which cause this god was mightily offended and
de patrio cognomine primus Dixisti populos magna ditâ—one Sabinos Tages was a God of the Hetrurians in Italy of whom Ovid thus speaks Lib. 15. Metamorph. Indigenae dixere Tagem qui primus Hetruscam Edocuit gentem casusque aperire futuros He was a pretended Child of Jupiter he taught the rude people of Hetruria several Arts and Sciences therefore they worshipped his memory and his Statues Albunea was a Goddess inhabiting near the source of the River Tiber adored in that part of Italy as Feronia and Marica were Hunc fauno Nympha genitum Laurente Marica Palicus was a God of Sicily Antinous the great Favourite of the Emperour Adrian was worshipped in Bithynia Bessus was a God of Greece Caelestus or Vranus of Africa I should be too prolix if I should name all the Gods of the Heathens worshipped in every corner of the World What hath been said will be sufficient for the understanding of the Heathen Authors CHAP. XXIII Of some few famous Women of Antiquity THe Famous Queens of Antiquity were these Alceste the Wife of King Admetus she freely gave her life to save her Husband from death Semiramis that warlike Queen of Assyria that enlarged the bounds of the Empire and built Babylon Thomiris Queen of Scythia overcame Cyrus and caused his head to be chopt off and cast into a bag full of blood with this rereproach Satia te sanguine quem sitisti Cleopater was a notable Queen of Egypt the Curtisan of Antonius overcome by Augustus in a Sea-fight She caused two Serpents to sting her to death when she saw that she could not oppose the power of the Romans who were resolved to lead her in Triumph Zenobia was a Queen of Armenia the Wife of Radamistus driven out of his Kingdom by Tiridates mentioned in Cor Tacit. Amalasuntha was a Queen of the Goths Esther of the Persians Irene a Famous Empress of Constantinople who lived in the daies of Charlemaign and governed the Eastern Empire Odatis was a Famous Princess the only Child and Heiress of Homartes King of part of Bactria When she was fought in Marriage she refused all that came unto her and was resolved to bestow her self upon a strange Prince whom she had seen in a dream and fancied so much that she could not be quiet until she had dispatched away messengers to him to fetch him into her Fathers Court. Olympias the Wife of Philip and Mother of Alexander the Great was remarkable for her courage and bold spirit she freely offered her brest to the weapons of the Souldiers who had been sent to murder her Caesara a noted Empress of Persia caused her Husband and all his Army to become Christians and mediated an agreement between the Sophy and the Emperour of Constantinople Julia the Empress was famous for her Whoredomes at Rome as Messalina the Wife of Claudius Caesar was afterwards Amongst the Amazons these were the most noted Queens Marthesia Lampedo Orythia Menalippe Hyppolite Penthesilea of whom Virgil speaks in the Relation of the Worthies of Troy Ducit Amazonidum lunatis agmina peltis Penthesilea furens mediisque in millibus ardet Helena the Mother of Constantine was an excellent Princess who did mightily eucourage the affairs of Christianity in the beginning of the Universal Conversion from Paganisme These are the names of other noted Women of all Ages Sapho did excel in all manner of Learning in Greece but especially in Poetry She invented a kind of Verse which is called from her Saphick Cyborea was the Mother of Judas Iscariot Canace was the Daughter of Aeolus She is infamous for the incest which she committed with her Brother 〈◊〉 Myrrha the Daughter of Cynaras King of Cyprus lay with her Father by the means of a Nurse when he was drunk She proved with-child by this incestuous marriage of the beautiful Adonis but when her Father understood her wickedness he sought to destroy her but she nevertheless saved her self in Arabia where she was changed into the Myrrh-tree Lucrece was a Noble woman of Rome who was ravisht by the Son of Tarquinius and then killed her self exhorting the Romans to revenge her death Arria a Roman Lady was married to Paetus who fell into the Emperour Tiberius's disgrace so that he was falsly accused and wrongfully condemned to die When his loving Wife saw him in this condition she advised him to dispatch himself but he discovering an unwillingness to be his own Executioner she snatcht the Sword out of his hand and shew'd him what to do by thrusting it into her own bowels with this exclamation Paete non dolet Death is not painful Martial hath thought her worthy of an Epigram Casta suo gladium cum traderet Arria Paeto Quem dedit visceribus traxer at ipsa suis Si qua fides vulnus quod feci non dolet inquit Sed quod tu facies hoc mihi Paete dolet Pompeia Paulina was resolved also to accompany her Husband Seneca who waâ— condemned to die by Nero. Faustina the Wife of Marcus the Emperour was in love with a Feneer and could not be cured until he was kill'd and until she had drunk a draught of his hot blood She was the Mother of Antoninus Comâ—dus who loved so much the bloody sports of Fencing in the Amphitheatre Zantippe the Wife of Socrates is noted for a Scold she was continually tormenting him with railings In Greece Lais of Corinth Phryne of Beâ—tia Rhodope of Egypt Pythonica of Athens Aspasia of Natolia Danae of Ephesus Julia of Rome Thais who went with the Army of Alexander into Persia Lamia of Athens Methra of Thessaly Caelia Cyrene Lesbia Manilia and Phaebe of Rome and many more were Famous Courtisans Das Cattis das Germanis das Coelia Dacis Nee Cilicum spernis Cappadocumque toros CHAP. XXIV Of the Truth shadowed out in the Fabulous Stories according to the Opinion of Gautruchius TRuth is as the Sun it destroys and drives away all darkness of Falâ—hood and of mistakes Nevertheless many of these Fables are derived from the Truth and have been intended to set it forth Therefore the Heathens did say that Caelus was the Father of Saturnus the God of Time because Coelum Heaven did measure and limit out Time unto us by its continual motions And because Time doth run from us very fast and because it doth give a being and destroys all things that appear in Nature and that nothing is able to resist its power Therefore this God Saturnus is represented as an old Senior with wings upon his shoulders and with a Sythe in his hand cutting down all that is before him He is represented swallowing his own Children with hard stones because Time eats and consumes the most durable substances The Heathens did paint Janus with two Faces to express the Wisdom of a brave Prince who is to judge of the events of the time to come from his former experience of the time past that
Father in the Government of the Kingdom of Argos Now this Thoas mentioned in the last Chapter minds me of a strange and pleasant Story mentioned by the Poets The Women of the Island Lemnos in the Archipelagus did forbear their accustomed sacrifices to Venus who was so highly incensed against them for this contempt and neglect that she caused them to be loathsome to their Husband so that they divorced them and were married to others of Greece they who were thus slighted and put away plotted the death and massacre of all the men of the Island which they brought to pass only Hypsiphile sent away her Father Thoas who landed afterwards in Scythia and became the High-Priest in the Temple of Diana The Argonauts about that time in their Voyage to Colchos landed at Lemnos where they were requested by the women during their stay to performe the Office of their murthered Husbands They were as kind as the others desired therefore from them did proceed a new Generation which peopled the Island CHAP. XIX Of the Adventures of Ulysses after the Siege of Troy WHen Vlysses had endured the inconveniencies of a long Siege of ten years he had yet to suffer and run the dangers of as long a Voyage that could not be finished before the end of ten years more As soon as he was come out into the main a furious Tempest drives him on the Thracian Shoar in the City of the Ciconians where he lost Hecuba as some do say for this Queen understood there how her Son in law Polymnestor the King of Thracia unto whom she had sent her little Son Polydorus with her richest jewels in the first beginning of the war had cruely put him to death and buried him near the Sea to enrich himself with the entrusted goods therefore she resolved to visit him before she proceeded further and that she might draw him to her with less difficulty she thought it her best way to pretend ignorance of his perfidious dealing and to send privately word to him that she had something more very precious to commit to his keeping but as soon as she saw him she flew in his face and put out his eyes At last when she could no longer endure the miserable estate unto which she was reduced she murdered herself Ovid saith that she was stoned by the Thracians because she had pluckâ— out the eyes of their Prince Afterwards she was metamorphosed into a Dog Vlysses was grieved for the losse and death of this Great Princesse whom he esteemed more than all that he had brought from Troy but this was the least displeasure that he was to receive for first instead of sailing towards Ithaca the violent winds forced him into Africa where he arrived in the country of the Lotophagoi so named from a certain fruit called Lâ—tos which is so pleasant to the taste and of such a strange vertue that as soon as his men had tasted of it they lost the desire of returning home to their friends so that he was forced to oblige them by violence to repair to their Ships again He had no sooner set sail from thence but a sudden storm carried him into Sicily where he fell into the hands of Polyphemus the most noted of all the Cyclops mentioned in the Chapter of Neptunus At his first arrival Polyphemus eat up six of his men and promised to do him the kindness to reserve him for the last morsel But he found a way to prevent the others cruelty and his own mischief by overcoming him first with wineâ— and then by putting out the eye that was fixed in his forehead Afterwards he escaped and fled to the god Aeolus who received him with all civilities and gave him as a present all the winds the Zephyrus only excepted They were there kept in great and large Tuns that they might not fly out nor oppose him in his return homewards But the men of Vlysses out of curiosity opened these Tuns to peep and see what was within by that means the winds escaped out so that when he spread his sails they tost him up and down and forced him back again to the shore of the Islands of Aeolus who would not receive him again nor grant unto him any other favour therefore he was constrained by the violence of the weather to land upon the coast of the Lestrigones near that place where now is scituate the Haven of Cajeta There was a kind of Antropophages a cruel people who did inhabit there Their Kings name was Antiphates he ceased upon some of Vlysses his men and devoured them destroying all the Ships of the Fleet only that excepted where Vlysses was aboard This cruelty caused him to sail away with all speed to a little Island where Circe the daughter of the Sun and Queen of a King of the Sarmates did make her abode Some do ascribe to this woman the invention of inchantments and of poisons which she did give to her Subjects and others She did not spare her own husband that she might reign alone without controul Therefore her Subjects sought to destroy her and obliged her to fly for her life to a little Island near the Dukedom of Tuscany in Italy When Vlysses was arrived he sent up into the land some of his men to discover what place it was but this Magician gave them a drink as it were out of kindness to refresh them and transform'd them by it into Hogs and other sort of Creatures Onely Eurylochus of this Company who had not tasted of her enchanted drink escaped away to acquaint Vlysses with this strange metamorphosis Vlysses was mightily astonished at the newes Therefore he resolved to go in person and seek out the Witch Mercurius fnrnished him with a certain herb called Moly with which the gods do use to preserve themselves from poison and witchcraft Being thus provided he went unto her with his naked sword in his hand and forced her to restore his men to their former shapes which she did Afterwards they contracted such strict amity together that she bore unto him many children of whom Thelegonus was the Eldest Whiles he stayed with Circe he went down into Hell by her assistance to consult the Oracles of the dead where he met Elpenor one of his men kill'd by a fall in a drunken fit since his depart from Circe He saw also there the Souls of his Mother Anticlea and of Tiresias the Sooth-sayer having sufficiently informed himself from them concerning his destinies and of the things that should happen nnto him he returned to Circe to take shipping again in pursuance of his Voyage We have taken notice in the former book in the 11 Chapter how he shun'd the charms of the Syrens when he sailed by the Island where thy made their abode by causing himself to be bound fast to the mast of the Ship and all his men to have their ears stopt with wax for fear that the pleasant harmony of the Syrens should