[Footnote 8: This whole Passage is a manifest Burlesque on the Invocations with which the Ancients began their Poems. Not very different is that Sneer at the Beginning of the Metamorphosis,
---- Dii, caeptis, (NAM VOS MUTASTIS ET ILLAS)
Adspirate ----
But the strongest Piece of Burlesque of this kind is the Invocation to Venus at the Beginning of Lucretius: For what can be more so than a solemn Application to a Deity for her Assistance in a Work, the professed Intention of which is to expose the Belief of any Deity at all; and more particularly of any Concern which such superior Beings might be supposed to take in the Affairs of Men. For my own part, I must confess, I cannot perceive that graceful Air of Enthusiasm which a noble Author observes in the Invocation of the Antients; many of them indeed seem to have been too apparently in jest, to endeavour to impose on their Readers, and in reality to apply to the Muses with less Devotion than our modern Poets, many of whom perhaps believe as much in those Deities as in any other.]
[Footnote 14: The Original, rendered as literally as possible, is as follows: Walk at your ease under the Pompeian_ Shade, when the Sun enters the Herculean Lion; or where the Mother hath added her Benefactions to those of her Son; a work rich in foreign Marble: Nor avoid that Portico adorned with ancient Pictures, which is called Livia, from the Name of its Founder: nor that adorned by the Statues of the Belides, who attempted the Lives of their unfortunate Cousins; and where you see the cruel Father standing with his drawn Sword: Nor pass by the Temple of Venus and her lamented_ Adonis; nor omit the Seventh-Day Festivals of the Jews; nor the Egyptian_ Temples of the Linnen-clad Heifer: She makes many Women to be that which she herself was to Jupiter._
To explain these several Particulars to an English Reader, it must be known, that the Portico's in Rome were the publick Walks; and here Persons of both Sexes used to assemble. Among these was one built by Pompey. The second Portico mentioned, is by the best Commentators understood of the Octavian, which was built by Octavia, Sister to Augustus, and Mother to Marcellus; and this adjoined to a Temple built by the same Marcellus. The third Portico was built by Livia the Wife of Augustus, and called from her Name. The fourth, where the Picture of the Belides was, is to be understood of the Portico of Apollo Palatinus, in which were the Statues of the fifty Daughters of Danaus and Grandaughters of Belus. These being married to the fifty Sons of their Uncle AEgyptus, every one, by her Father's Command, slew her husband on the first Night, save only Hypermnestra. For this they were punished in the lower World, by being obliged to fill a Barrel full of Holes with Water. Scaliger and others have here made a mistake, supposing the Picture of the Belides was here hung up: But the contrary appears by many Authorities, particularly by this in Qv. Trist. 3.
_Signa peregrinis ubi sunt alterna columnis,
Belides, & stricto barbarus ense pater._
It appears that the Number of Pillars was equalled by the Number of Statues. 5thly, The Temple of Venus, in which she was worshipped, together with Adonis, after the Assyrian manner. This Adonis was the Son of Cinyras King of Cyprus, begotten by him on his own Daughter Myrrha. The Fame of his Beauty, and the Passion which Venus bore towards him, are well known. 6thly, The Jewish Synagogues. The Jews having been encouraged by Julius Caesar, were very numerous in Rome at that time; and the Strangeness and Pomp of their Ceremonies inviting the Curiosity of the Roman Ladies, their Synagogues became famous Places of Intrigue. 7. The Temple of Isis. This Goddess, when a Woman, was called Io. She was the Daughter of Inachus; and being beloved by Jupiter, was by him, to preserve her from his Wife's Jealousy, turned into a Heifer, Juno suspecting the Fact, obtained this Heifer of her Husband, and set Argus to watch over her. Jupiter wanting to visit his old Friend, sent Mercury to kill Argus; in revenge of which, Juno ordered a Gad-Bee to sting the poor Heifer; which thereupon growing mad, ran to Egypt, where she was again restored to the Shape of a Woman, and married to Osiris. The Feast of Isis was celebrated in Rome ten Days together by the Women, and was a time of Carnival among them.]
it was opened. This Medea afterwards, on account of the same Anger with Jason, tore to pieces her two Sons which she had bore to him.]
Preceptor of that young Hero.]
[Footnote 45: Cydippe was a beautiful virgin of the island of Delos. She was celebrating the Rites of Diana when she was seen by Acontius, who falling in love with her, and not daring openly to declare his Passion, contrived to drop an Apple at her Feet, in which were inclosed these two Lines:
I swear to you by the mystical Rites of Diana_, That I will attend you as a Companion, and become your Bride._
Cydippe took up the Apple and read the Lines; by repeating which words they became her own; and she was ignorantly betrothed to her Lover: For it was a Law, that whatever any persons said in Diana's Temple, they were obliged to perform.]
