(1) YOu Nuptiall Powers] The Nuptiall Powers were these; Iupiter and Iuno, whom they sti­led Iovem Adultum, and Iunonem Adultam, in regard (as conceived) that it was not lawfull for any one to marry, nisi Adulta Aetate, as likewise [...], and [...], i. e. Nuptialls by the Greeks, because (as Sca­liger sayes) Humanae vitae Perpetuatio Nuptiarum Merito perficeretur. The Perpetuation of humane life was the effect or benefit of Marriage. The Goddesse Suada Nup­tiare Consiliatrix, Diana President of Houshold Affaires, called at these Ceremonies Cinxia (a Title likewise given to Iuno) of the Girdle or Zone of the Bride, which being unloosed by the Bridgroome, was her Votive or Offering; Genius, so called quasi Generis Nostri Parens, Neptune cal­led Genethliacus, Ut cui liberorum quaerendorum Cura Venus Geriturae Domina, Hymen (of whom in the Annotations upon the following Chorus) And (to omit divers others ad­ded to the Catalogue by the Romans)

(2) Lucina, Guardian of the Geniall bed, &c.] Being the same with Diana, called likewise Illythia, President, chiefe Assistant at Womens Labours, in regard that her Mo­ther was delivered of her without Paine, the Etymology of Lucina, Ovid would thus derive.

(3) The Geniall bed was called as Scaliger supposes à Generando, or as others, quia in honorem Genii sternebatur, it was by the Greekes called [...] in regard it was co­vered over with a vaile. Vid. Scal. Poet. l. 3.

(4) And thou who Typhis taught] Pallas or Minerva, of whom see more in the Annotations upon the Chorus to the Second Act.

Typhis was the Pylot of Argos in the Expedition to Colchos, instructed by Minerva, de quo vide ibid.

(5) To guide the first Ship, &c.] Argos, (according to the Poets) the first Ship that ever sail'd the Seas, and by them plac'd in the Heavens, as the Merit of her Adven­tures. Embelish'd with 26 glittering Starres.

(6) Dread Soveraigne of the Seas] Neptune; who by the Greekes is sometimes called [...] of the noyse and roaring of the Seas, resembling the bellowing of a Bull, which Beast they usually offered to him in Sacrifice.

[Page 57](7) Three-formed Hecate] Hecate the same with the Moone, so called (as some conceive) for that shee was ap­peased with Hecatombs, or that she caused the unburied to wander a hundred yeares, or for the multiplicitie of her In­dowments and vertues, or for the Centuple increase of Fruit, a Secret by her taught, and received from her Mother; said to be triple-form'd, in regard in Heav'n she is called Luna, on Earth Diana, in Hell Proserpina; See more in the Annotations upon the fourth Act, Scene the second.

(8) Yee Furies dread, &c.] The Furies are fained to be the Daughters of Erebus and Night, in number three, their Names Megera, Tysiphone, and Alecto, the Hellish Execu­tioners of Coelestiall vengeance, arm'd with flaming Brands, and Snakie Whips. The haires of their heads being Ser­pents (if wee beleeve the Poets) the first that so describ'd them (as Pausanias in Atticis witnesses,) was the Poet Aeschylus.

(9) Phoebus the Radiant Author of our Race] Aeeta the Father of Medea was the Sonne of Apollo, begotten on Persa the Daughter of Neptune: Who was Medeas Mo­ther is not certainely knowne: Since they reckon Iayia, Ephire, Hecate, Eurylite, Neaera, Asterodia and Antiope, the most generall received is Hecate. Vid. Schol. Apolon. in l. 3.

(10) Corynth whose small Land, &c.] Corynth was sea­ted upon the Neck of Land or Isthmos, joyning Peloponessus to Achaia, parting the Egaean and Ionian Seas. What Me­dea here threatens in her fury, was once really attempted to have beene effected as Pausanias writes, by designe, viz. to have made an Island of Peloponessus: The Isthmos being but the Remainder of the unfinished Worke, left unperfe­cted in that death prevented the undertaker; The Marks and Tracts of the designe being apparent in his dayes.

[Page 58](11) The Ills once Colchos, &c.] Colchos (now called Mengrelia) was the supposed Country of Medea, bounded on the North with part of Sarmatia, on the West with so much of the Euxine Sea, as extends from the River Corax, to the mouth of the River Phasis, on the South with part of Cappadocia, and on the East with Iberra. Ptol. l. 4. Cosm. where Med [...]a betray'd her Fathers Kingdome, made Iason Master of the Golden Fleece and her selfe, and slew her Brother Absyrtus, whose Limbs she cut in pieces, and scat­tered abroad, so to retard her pursuing Father, whilst he ga­thered together the dispersed Members.

On the CHORUS.

(12) You Gods, &c. These Princely Nuptialls, &c. Whilst all due Rites, &c.] It was the manner of the Antients at Nuptialls, to begin per Auspicia & Sacra, and Invocation of the Deieties, to whom they offered a lock of the Brides haire, tanquum Primitias; It was the Custome likewise for the People, at the Inauguration or Marriages of Princes to stand by, and favere linguâ, i. e. to abstaine from evill words, and to offer up their Vowes and Acclamations as the Omen of their future felicitie. And (as Del Rius conjectures) to begin the Celebration of the Nuptiall Solemnities in these words, Quod bonum, foelix, faustum, fortuna tum (que) sit.

(13) First to those Powers that thunder fling] Meaning Iupiter and Pluto; As also the rest of the Deieties. For they likewise had their Thunder, yet such as they at first re­ceiv'd from Iupiter. And with this difference: First, the lighting or Thunder which they darted, was of Colour ei­ther white, or black. That of Iupiters Ruddy. Theirs a­gaine was dull and heavy, and serv'd onely to punish; Iupi­ters Propitious, and sent to admonish. I find, that of Iupi­ters [Page 59] Thunder there were three sorts; The first small, and monitory; The second bigger, and breaking forth with a loud noyse, sent by Iove by the Generall Advice, and upon the Votes of the Parliament of Gods. The last was grea­ter then the two first, and atttended with consuming Fire, which was sent by Iupiter when in his Privy Counsell he determin'd, upon some urgent occasion, to reverse any ge­nerall Decree, or Act established by the rest of the Gods. The Romans (as Pliny testifies, l. 2.) held, that but two of all the Deieties us'd to thunder, viz. Iupiter, and Pluto, the first by day, the last by night. Unto these Deieties in gene­rall, they usually offered a White Bull in sacrifice at Nupti­alls, (yet it was the opinion of some of the Antients, that it was a thing Piacular to offer a Bull to Iupiter) as likewise, perticularly to

(14) Thee O Lucina, &c.] (the same with Iuno as some will, as others the daughters of Iuno, Cui vincla I [...] ­galia curae) a white Heifer; but in the sacrifice they threw the Gall behind the Altar in signe futurae inter Conjugas tranquilitatis, the other Parts of the Beast were burnt.

(15) To her who Mars his bloody hands, &c. Shall fall a gentler Sacrifice] The Goddesse Venus; to whom they of­fered, a bowle of Wine and Frankincense; or Concord, or Peace, the Conciliatrix of Differences, and Mother of Plen­tie, signified by her still replenishing Horne. Alluding to the Story of the Amalthaean Goat, which being Nurse to Iupiter, and having broken one of her engaged Hornes in a Ticket, the same was by Amalthea a Nymph (who ow'd the Goat) taken up, and fil'd with various sorts of Fruits and Flowers, and brought to the Infant Iupiter to smell on, of which benefit Iupiter being afterwards min [...]ful, granted this Boone to the Nymph, that whatever she should aske, [...]should immediately spring from that Horne, called from thence Coruucopiae. vid. Ovid. 5. Fastor.

[Page 60](16) And thou who these Solemnities, &c. Thy head with Roses Crown'd] Hymen (A pleasant search it were, to search for the Derivation of his Name; to which, Scaliger in the third of his Poet. will direct you) is here crown'd with Roses, ( Catullus crownes him with sweet Margerum) the reason why I find not; onely this I read, that the Rose was a flower dedicated to Venus, and sprung (as Poets faine) from her blood, some Philosophers likewise were of opi­nion, that the colour and odour of the Rose proceeded from the Influence of her Planet, whose Colour and Prickles may perhaps allude to the Blushes and the Smarts of wounded Lovers; Capella likewise termes the Wreaths or Garlands usually worne at Nuptialls, Conscia Veneris Serta.

Of Hymen, see more toward the end of this Chorus.

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Hesperus; the same with Lucifer, a Starre consecrate to Venus, and beloved of her;

Supposed to be one and the same Starre, Lucifer being taken for the Globe or body thereof, and Venus for that Power, (in the Metaphysicks called the Intelligence) by which the Rotation of it's Orbe is perpetuated, Scal. l. 5. [Page 61] Poet. usually invoked at Nuptialls to bring on the Evening, the time wherein the Bridall Solemnities were performed. Of which likewise thus Claudian.

(18) 'Mong the Cecropian Dames, &c.] Attick, or Athenian Virgins; from Cecrops the first King of Attica, who founded and built the Tower or Castle of Athens; hence it came that the Athenians were call'd Cecropians, and the Region of Attica, Cecropia. He was contemporary with Moses (as Eusebius writes) and flourished about the year of the World, 3645. & before the Flood of Doucali [...]n. He was said to be by-form'd, and to have the shape of a man above, and of a Dragon beneath. In regard of his Wisedome and Fortitude, or in that he was skil'd in two Languages, the Egyptian and Greeke, or as Iustin reports, Quia primus Mar [...]m Foeminae Matrimonio junxit.

(19) The Virgins of the Wallesse Towne, &c.] Spartan Virgins; That Town being unwalled: The reason whereof being ask'd Agesilaus, he answered that Armed Citizens, and at Concord and Unitie among themselves, were the best defence of a Towne, whose safetie he said consisted not in Bulwarkes or Trenches, but in the Valour and united Resolution of the Inhabitants. It is at this day held and for­tified by the Turkes, being a Sanziackship, and by them cal­led Mizithra.

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Taygetus is a Mountaine of Laconiae, neare to, and over­looking Sparta; On whose Top, the Virgins of that Towne and Country were wont to sport themselves in Wrestling, Races, and other manly Exercises, [...] nudis femonibus (as Pelus in Euripides his Andromack taxes them.) Which Custome Plutarke writes had it's Originall from Lycurgus his Institution. They used likewise Solemne Dances and Songs, in which they recited the Praises of Bacchus and Venus: First practiz'd among themselves one­ly (as Scaliger observes 1. Poet.) afterward in the Com­pany of Youngmen, with whom they performed these kind of Exercises naked; commended by Plato in his Re­publique, as a thing fit to be practiz'd by Women of all sorts and Ages.

(21) And those their limbs in Dirce lave] Meaning the Theban Virgins, Dirce being a Fountaine in B [...]otia neare Thebes, sacred to the Muses; with whom likewise our Au­thor may seeme [...]acitly to compare Creusa.

(22) Or in Alphaeus Sacred Wave.] Alphaeus is a River of Arcadia running along by Elis and Pisa, called here Sa­cred, either in that as the Antients supposed, no River but was thought to containe a Deietie, (and therefore by the Poets called the Sonnes of Gods) or that the Elean Games were performed to this River, as to a God and friend of Iupiter; with whose Water alone it was lawfull to wash and cleanse the Altar of Olympick Iove, famous for the memoriz'd love 'twixt him and Ar [...]thusa. Of which see Ovid. Metam. l. 5.

(23) The Aesonian Youth, &c.] Iason; the Sonne of [Page 63] Aeson, the Sonne of Cretaeus, the Sonne of Aeolus, who was his Mother is not certainly knowne. Some say Theog­nis, other Polyphemes, some Eteoclymenes, and others Alcy­mides. Vid. Apoll. Schol.

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Bacchus was so called from the howling vociferation which the Bacchae or Frowes, brought by him from con­quer'd India, made. Said to be alwayes young, in that he had the Lookes of a Youth or Boy; and alwayes reputed, inter Formosissimos. Drawne by yoaked Tygers, a kind of Beast of an untamed Feritie; the Hieroglyphick, Emollitae, Ferociae.

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Apollo, who gave Oracles by the Tripod, which was a Seat or Stoole of three feet, made of Gold or Brasse; On which the Priest being seated, was inspired with the Spirit of Divination, and gave Answers. The Epithets of As­pera and Ferox are often given by the Poets to Diana; which though they may seeme in the opinion of some un­suitable, and not fitly applyed to such a Deietie; yet in re­spect of her obstinate Vow of Perpetuall Virginitie, there be those that thinke she justly deserv'd them.

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Castor and Pollux were feigned to be begotten by Iupi­ter [Page 64] in the likenesse of a Swan, on Laeda; who conceiving, brought forth, or (if I may as properly say it) layd two Eggs, of one came Hellena, of the other Castor and Pollux. Fained to be borne of Eggs, in regard, (as Athenaeus sayes) by [...], which in the Greeke signifies an Egge, was under­stood likewise an upper Roome or Chamber. Whence, (they being born in the upper Part of the House) the Fable may seem to spring. Pollux, (as Castor at Horse-man-ship) was famous at the Game or Exercise of the Sledge or Cestus. In which Exercise at the first Originall they en­countred one another with stroakes of bare fists onely; Af­terward for the defence of the Hand there was added a Lo­ra or Thong fastned at the Elbow and shoulder; to which Lora likewise, called Cestus or Cingulum (whence the Ex­ercise tooke Denomination) was [...]owed a weightie Piece of Iron or Lead; In which cruell Past-time they not sel­dome endangered the dashing out of one anothers Brains, and therefore they usually wore a Helmet or Cap of de­fence, especially for their eares: All the Art in this, was to avoid the blowes, not by running back, but by the dexte­rous motion of the Body. Scaliger seemes to deride the opinion of those who make this Cestus to be a Staffe wound about with the Lora and Plummet of Lead hung at the end. Vid. S [...]al. l. 1. Poet.

(27) So fade the Pleiads, &c.] The Pleiads are said by some to be the Daughters of Lycurgus, who ruled in the Island of Naxos; who, for that they were the Nurses of Bacchus, were said to be constellated by Iupiter. They were seven in Number, their Names Celano, Sterope, Me­rope, Alcynoe, Maita, Taygeta, and Electra, which last (as Aratus sayes) is scarce to be seene; And for that reason by some thought to be so called, others fable that for shame she obscures her selfe, for as much as all the rest of her Sisters [Page 65] were married to Gods, and she alone had a Mortall to her husband. Proclus Diadochus upon Hesiod, reports them to be the Daughters of Atlas, begotten on the Nymph Pleione, from whence they are said to take their Denomination; who conceives them to be no other then the assisting An­gells or Intelligences of the Seaven Spheares, Allotting Ce­laeno to the Sphere of Saturne, S [...]erope to Iupiters, Merope to that of Mars, Aclynoe to the Sphere of Venus, Maia to Mercuries, Taygeta to the Moons, and Electra to the Suns; their Scituation, according to Ovid in Phaenomenis, and Ser­vius in Virgil, ante genua tauri.

Pliny places them in Cauda Tauri, reprehended by Ioseph Scaliger in his Manilian Annotations, since the Bull is but halfe body'd, his upper parts (as Ovid sayes) onely appear­ring, as cut off in the middle, about which Caesure the Plei­ades are seated: So called, either from their pluralitie, or from the Greeke which signifies to saile, in regard that upon their rising was the Season for Navigation, as in the Latine Vergiliae, from the Vernall Season, the time wherein they arise. Plin. l. 2. c. 41.

(28) Phaenician Dye] Purple or Scarlet, the best being that of Tyre a Citie of Phaenicia, near which the Scarlet-fish [...] taken, that yeelds that dye. See Salmuthius upon Panci­ [...]llus, de rebus Perditis & nuprimè Inventis.

(29) From Phasis horrid Bed] Medea was called Phasis, Colchis of the River Phasis and Region of Colchos, as [Page 66] being by some conceived to be there borne, though Pinda­rus in the thirteenth Ode of his Olympicks, seemes to make Corinth the Countrey of Medea, and not Colchos, yet so may she justly be called in regard that her Father Aeeta lea­ving his Principalitie of Corinth, or exchanging it for Col­chos, there raigned.

(30) Faire Issue of the God of Wi [...]e] Hymen was said to be the Sonne of Bacchus and Venus ( Catullus makes the Muse Urania his Mother, and [...]ome, Apollo his Father.) The same with the Greekes (sayes Scaliger) as Thalassius with the Romans. By the Indians (as Boccace in Geneolog. Deor. writes) stil'd the God of the Night. Of all the Deieties chiefly invoked at Nuptialls. Lactanti [...]s reports that Hy­men was a beautifull Youth of Athens, who (for the love of a young Virgin, in the habit of one disguised, performing the Eleusinian Rites, was with divers other Maids of that Citie taken and carryed away by Pyrats, and by them (sup­posing him a Maid) lodg'd with his Mistresse. Who, when the Pyrats were asleepe, cut their throats, and then running before to Athens, told the Parents of the Maids, that if a­mongst the rest they would assure him of her whom he af­fected, he would restore their Daughters. Which being granted him, and the Marriage proving fortunate, it grew into a Custome afterward at Nuptialls to invoke the name of Hymen. Of whom, and of his severall Duties, it will not be amisse as a Corollary to adde what is elegantly sung by Martianus Capella in these following Verses;

[Page 68](31) 'Tis time to light thy carved Pine] After the Nup­tiall Supper was ended, and the Dances done; the Pronuba, (which was usually the Mother of the Bride) taking the Bride by the hand led her to the Geniall Bed, though others will have this to be done by Youths, the nearest of Kinne of the Fathers or Mothers side. Before them (according to the manner of the Greekes) went a Youth in a long Robe representing the Person of Hymen, bearing a Torch of Pine or White-thorn by Pliny reported to be held omniū Auspica­tissima. After followed two others (according to the man­ner of the Romans) bearing a Distaffe and Spindle (after the Custome of the Greekes) a Sive or Boulter, and a Pestle and Morter, signifying how the Bride was to employ her future time. And with these Ceremonies brought to the Bride Chamber, she was there by the Bridegroome unvai­led. Vid. Plutarch. in Romulo. Scal. Scal. Poet. l. 3.

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This Verse I have thus rendred, though contrary to the sense of Delrius, (who would have excute, which Irender put out, or shake out, to tosse or make to blaze) as being induc'd by the more plausible Interpretation of M. Farnaby. Who con­ceives it was the Office of Hymen at Nuptialls to extinguish the Bridall Taper, as well as light it. I find it was the Cu­stome likewise before the Torches were put out, for the Pronuba to light the Nuptiall Lampe, which was to be kept constantly burning by Night, and that done, all the Tapers were extinguished; Which, that they were not layd under the Bed, or reserv'd to light a Funerall Pile, was most Re­ligiously observed. Scal. l. 3. Poet.

[Page 69](33) And the Fessennine Youths doe sing, &c.] It was the Custome at Marriages (among the Ancients) the Bride, and Bridegroome being entred into Bed, and the Doores of the Chamber being locked, to Sing an Epithalamium full of Lascivious Wantonnesse, and not to be questioned Licen­ciousnesse (as the Verses immediately before going intimate) that while that was Sung, Compressae Virginis Clamor non au­diretur. To which end they strowed Nuts likewise to be trod on. Though there be a better reason rendred for it, to wit, That the married Couple should renounce and abandon all Childish Sports, and Vanities of Youth. These Verses, as the Youths that Sung them, were called Fescennine from Fesce [...] ­num a Towne of Etruria, from whence they first came; or as others will, in regard that Facinum a [...]cere putabantur. They were held to drive away ill Luck or Witchery, or the conceived Revenge which Nemesis might take for too great Praises usually given to the Married paire in the Epithalamium or Marriage Song, and therefore these Fescennine Youths and Derisory Verses were added to the Musick.

(1) ANd thus could Jason cause Medea grieve!] The Name of Iason as Pindarus intimates in [...] Py­thicor. seemes to be derived à Sanando, [...] in the Greeke signifying Sanitie, who, by reason that in his younger yeares he was brought up under Chyron, and by him instructed in Chyrurgery and Physick, was called Iason sive Sanator.

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The Golden Fleece, brought to Colchos by Phryxus. The Fa­ble of which is this: [...]hryxus and his Sister Helle, flying from the Cruelty of their Father Athamas, exasperated by his wife their Step-mother Ino. (For they were the Children of re­pudiated Nephele) were by their Mother furnished with a Ram, whose Fleece was of Gold which she had from Mer­cury. Mounted upon which, they were carried through the Aire, when they came to the Sea running 'twixt Sigaeum and Chaersonessus, Affrighted Helle fell from his back into the Sea, which from her tooke it's Name. Phryxus not with­standing, safely arriv'd at Cholcos, and there in Memoriall sacrific'd the Ram to Iupiter of that called Phryxius, and hung the Fleece in the Grove of Mars, which was after­ward kept (as they fabled) by a sleeplesse Dragon. Vid. Natal. Com. Mythol. l 6. Tacitus reports in the sixth Booke of his Annalls, that among the Colchians no man durst sacri­fice a Ram, because (as he sayes) Phryxus was once carried [Page 71] upon one, be it, that that Ram was a beast or a Ship bearing that Enfigne. This Fleece Iason by the helpe of Medea made his Prize. Vid. Ovid. Met. & Apoll. l. 4. l. 7.

(3) Think on old Pelias boyling o're the Fire, &c.] Pelias was King of Thessaly, which he by Power kept, though the right thereof belong'd to his Nephew Iason: Medea therefore to bee reveng'd of him for the injury done her husband, comming to Pelias his Court who was now very aged, pretends that she would restore his Youth, as he had done old Aesons her husbands Father, and perswaded his Credulous daughters to cut in Pieces his aged Limbs, and to boyl them in a Caldron of Water which she had pre­pared; which when the daughters had done, she leaves them guiltie of Particide and frustrate of their pious hopes, and by flight avoid their vengeance.

(4) Malea shall amaze, &c.] Malea is a Promontory of Laconia, on the South of P [...]loponessus, so called from Ma­leus one of the Argive Kings. By Ptolomy it is called O­mignaton, extending fiftie miles into the Sea; no small hin­drance to the Marriner sayling along those Coasts.

(5) The Colchians hate thee] The Subjects of her Fa­ther Aeëta, and Inhabitants of Colchos; These as Amianus, l. 12. and Strabo l. 11. conjecture, originally sprung from the Aegyptians, ovid. Vadianum in Pompon. Melam.

(z) Pelasgian Royaltie] Pelasgia was commonly taken for all Greece, but more particularly for Thessaly and Angia; so called from Pelasgus, the Sonne of Neptune, or Inachus, here applyed to the Corinthian Monarchy.

(5) What Phasis in his winding Armes, &c.] Phasis is the greatest River of Cholchos, taking his rise from the Mountaines called Moschii (adjoyning to a part of the Mountaine Caucasus, dividing Cholchos from Iberia) and falling into the Euxine Sea, at this day called Fassa.

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The Scythian Pontus is that Sea, which beginning from the Thracian Bosphorus or straits of Constantinople, extends in a large Plaine of Waters, knowne by severall Names, by the Graecians called the Euxine Sea, or (as Ovid sayes) more fitly termed Axenos, of the Inhospitalie of the Inhabi­tants along those Coasts, or because so infested by Pyrats; by the Turks at this day called the Black Sea. And by our Author the Scythian Pontus, whose Waters are here said to be fresh with the Admistion of Rivers falling into them, The like is reported thereof by Pl [...]ny, which may well be in regard of the neighbouring Palus Maeotis running into it by the Straits of Bosphorus Cimmerius, The River Tanais, and divers other great Rivers discharging their fresh Streames likewise into the same. It is observed by Naturallists, that the Northerne Seas are lesse Salt then the Southerne: For, whereas the saltnesse of the Sea is conceived to spring from a terrestriall addust matter, mixing with the Waters, when by the Sunne-beames the thinner and fresher parts of the Water are exhaled, and the grosser and lower are left to suffer adustion; It followes, that the Rayes of the Sunne be­ing weaker towards the North, the Exhalations should be lesse, and so cons [...]quently the Saltnesse. Vid. Paul. Merulae. Dissertation do Maribus.

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Thermedon is a River of Cappadocia in the greater Asia, neare which the Amazons were said to live, Inhabiting (as I [Page 73] conceive here is to be meant) so much of that Part of Cap­padocia, by Ptolomy called Pontus Polemoniacus, as is inclu­ded betweene the said River and the Euxine Sea. These Warre-like Women voluntarily divorc'd themselves from the Societie of men, or rather expell'd them, never marry­ing, onely once every yeare for Propagation of their Race admitting of the Company of men. The Male Children, (when they were delivered) they sent away to their Fa­thers; The Female they brought up, searing their right Brests (whence they tooke their Denomination) that they might not hinder their Shooting. Of their Originall, vide Isidorum. l. 11.

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Lynceus is reported to be the most quick-sighted of men, who from the Top of Taygetus is said clearly to survay all Peloponessus, and to discover Castor and Pollux lying hid in a hollow tree, with his sharp fight to pierce through the bodies of Oakes, to penetrate the Earth, and Globe of the Moone as Pliny sayes, l. 2. Nat. Hist. c. 7. And as Plutarch writes, to dis­cerne Ships from Sicily, weighing Anchor in some Parts of Africk, being no lesse then 1500 Stadia. Though all Mathe­maticians deny any visible object upon Earth or at Sea to be discerned the tenth part of such a distance, adde beside the Gibbositie or convexitie of the Sea or Earth, which in so great a distance must needs intercept the sight. (If any thing yet might be said to hinder the penetrating sight of Lynce­us.) But the Fable of his wonderfull Perspicacitie seemes to arise from his cunning in finding out of Gold Mines, which he discovered with such certaintie, that thereupon the ignorant vulgar reported he could see into the Bowels of [Page 74] the Earth. See Hygin. de Poet. Fabul. l. 1. Here our Author seemes to adhere to the Opinion of the Stoicks and Piato­nists, who will have Vision to be by Emission of Radii or Beames, from the sight to the Object; oppugned by the Peripatetticks, and the best Masters of the Opticks; who say. That Vision is by Radii extrinsecally flowing from the visible Object to the sight, the Object being illuminated by the light, and the Radii, or light proceeding from that illu­minated Body striking the Eye; whose Radii extending in forme of a Pyramid, whose Vertex or Point is in the Eye, and Basis in the thing visible. Vid. quae Alhaz. c. 5. l. 1. As like­wise, what that Ornament of our Nation and Learning, the Viscount of S. Albons sayes of Vision in his Natur. Hist. p. 65. 72. 144. &c.

(9) And all the Minyae] People of Thessaly, so called of Orcomenus a River of that Countrey formerly called Minyëus, supposed to be the Sonne of Neptune: Or as Apollonius writes, l. 5. from the Daughters of Minyas; (perhaps after the manner of the Carians, who, as Herodotus report, took their Names from their Mothers; The Minyae were likewise of Baeotia, called Minyae Orchomenii (as some will) from Minyas, and Orchomenus his Sonne, inha­biting the Citie of Orcomenus from him so called. But the Minyae, properly so termed, were those dwelling about Iolcos.

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The Antients made severall Parts of man, the Seates of severall morall Vertues, and Vices; assigning modest shame­facenesse to the Fore-head, the contrary vice to the Mouth, Irrision and Sagacitie to the Nose, Judgement to the Eare, Pride and disdaine to the Eye-browes, Pittie to the [Page 75] Knees, which Suppliants us'd, when they made their re­quests with Reverence to touch and imbrace. The hand was the Pledge of Faith, as Cicero sayes in the second of his Phillipp. [ Those hands which were the Pledges of Faith, are now violated with perfidious Wickednesse] Which in the Act of Promise, or Paction, was held forth and touched by the Suppliant; the reason (as Varro gives it) in that the Authoritie of the Antients consisted in the Power and strength of the hand. Plutarch reports, That the Flamins were wont to performe divine Rites, Manu ad digitos in­ [...], symbolically signifying, That Faith is inviolably to be kept, and that the hand was it's consecrated Seat.

Upon the CHORUS.

(11)

This suits with that of Horace, Illi Robur & as triplex, &c. to which may be applyed the Answer of Carfilides, Who being asked his Opinion what he thought of the Sea, and Sea­men; answered, That there was nothing more treacherous then the first, and that the others were it's Comrades.

(12)

Alluding perhaps to that Apothegme of Anacharsis (in Laertius) That the distance betwixt death and those in a ship at Sea, was no more then the thicknesse of the Barke; Of which thus Iuvenall:

(13) The stormy Hyad's] A Constellation as Aratus writes of seven, according to Proclus of six, & as Hesiod will, of five Stars in the fore-head of the Bull, whose rise and set was the Cause of Storms and Tempests. These were the daughters of Atlas, who so excessively bewail'd the death of their Bro­ther Hyas, torne in pieces by a Lyon, that from him they tooke their Denomination, and by the Commiserating Gods were converted into Stars. Vid. Higyn Astronom. Poet.

(13) Th' Olenian Goats bright Starre, &c.] The A­malthaean Goat, fained by Poets to be the Nurse of Iupiter, so called from Olenum a Towne of Achaia, neere which she gave him suck. For which benefit she was afterwards by Iupiter translated among the Stars; of her we have spo­ken already in the Annotations upon the first Chorus.

(14)

Bootes is otherwise called Arctophylax; whose first name, as Manilius sayes, is given him in that

He seemes with goad t'incite his yoaked Steeres.

The Northerne Waine consists of seven Starres in the Constellation of the greater Beare, (which is in all made up of 24) foure of which, on the side of the Beare making by their Postures the Forme of a Quadrangle, are called the Waine the three on her Taile (if a Beare may be said to have one) the Oxen; Neare which Bootes being plac'd, is stil'd the Waggoner or Driver; called here lazy, in regard of his slow Motion, by reason of his Vicinitie to the Pole.

(15) The Pine of Thessaly, &c.] Argos; built of Thessa­lian Pines, Thessaly being a Region of Greece, abounding in Mountaines and Woods; of Argos see more after.

(16) Argos selfe was then struck mute] Argos was said to be indu'd with voice, and more then that, with Prophecy; being by Valerius Flaccus in the first of his Argonauticks, called Fa [...]idicam ratem, but more peculiarly the Mid-Mast of the Ship, which was placed by Pallas her selfe, and cut from the Dodonaean Oake which gave Oracles.

(16)

These are two Rocks in the Mouth of the Straits of the Thracian Bosphorus called Cyanae and Symplegades. The first name given them in regard of their black Colour; and the other in that as the Poets faign'd they justly against one ano­ther [Page 78] with violent concursions. The ground of that Fictionari­sing, for that, to the Saylor in regard of their neer distance & the Motion of the Ship and Sea, they seemd now to part, and then againe to close. Or as I [...]remias Hoelzinus in his Notes upon Apol. l. 2. vers. 608. writes, In that the broken Rocks ly­ing in the Sea, in a manner close up the narrow straits, or in regard of Pyarts possessing both sides of the passage and obstructing the same, untill overcome by Iason.

(18)

Scylla, the Daughter of Ph [...]rcui: the Cause and manner of whose transmutation you may read in the 14 Booke of Ovid's Metamorphosis, converted into a Rock in the Sici­lian Sea, neare to the Promontory of Pelorus, so faigned ac­cording to Salust, in that afarre off it represents to the Be­holders the Shape or Forme of a Woman, whose barking Dogs hemming her Waste are no other then the roaring Waves dashing against it.

(19) Th' Ausonian Maine] The Italian Sea; running a­long the Coast of Italy, so called from Auson the Sonne of Ulysses and Calypso. The Sicilians ( as Strabo reports, lib. 2.) were wont to say of this Sea that it alone was sweet, when as all others were salt; not truely, but jestingly, in regard of the sweet Cates and delicacies usually transported to them by this Sea.

(20)

The Reader may perchance thinke it strange to find two severall Names apply'd to one Instrument, being here termed a Lyre, and but immediately before a Lute. Yet I may as well [Page 79] varyin the English, as the Author himself in the Original, first calling it Lyram, & then Cytharam. The better therfore to in­forme the Ordinary Reader, He may take Notice; That the Words Lyra, Cythara, Testudo, Chelys, are by the Poets usu­ally applyed to one and the same Instrument. The three first first so used by Statius in the first of his Achilleids, and the tenth booke of his Thebais: Yet are they severall Instru­ments. The Lyra (according to Pausanias) being the In­vention of Mercury, and the Cythara of Apollo. The In­vention and forme of Mercuries Lyra, is thus describ'd by Lucian (in Dialog [...] Apoll. and Vulcani.) Mercury having found a dead Tortoyse, made an Instrument thereof, applying to the hollow shell, a Neck extending with two Hornes; glu­ing Reeds, and over them straning a Cover, as the Belly of the Instrument, and to that fastning a Bridge, and seven strings. From this (as Ioseph Scaliger observes in his Learn­ed Annotations upon Manilius) proceeded the Cythara or Chelys, likewise called [...], which is no other then the Lyre of Mercury reformed; for whereas that had two Necks, this had but one, in whose Top, Pegs were placed for the Winding up of the Strings, the very same with our Lute at this day. And as from the Entyre Lyra proceeded the Chelys or Lute, so from a Part therrof came the Latter Lyra usually attributed to Arion, Apollo, and Hercules, which is no other then the Lyra of Mercury with the Testude or Back taken away and is in fashion like to two Ss opposed, and an I transvers'd, thus. SS play'd upon both with the Ple­ctrumor Quil, and fingers alone. Sometimes with both hands, as in our Harpe, though Venantius Fortunatus by him cited make the Harpe and Lyra to be two different Instru­ments.

This Lute or Lyre of Orpheus (which Scaliger will have to be after the Forme of Mercuries) is constellated for it's admirable Effects; studded with Nine Starrs here called Pi [...]rian, in that it was given him by his Mother the Muse Calliope. Of which thus Manilius.

(21)

The Syrens are said to be the Daughters of the River [Page 81] Achellous, and the Muse Calliope, Eur [...]pides in Helena makes them the Daughters of Tellus, (or as same will, of Terpsicho­re, as others of Melpomen [...], or Sterope) They were in number three, their names Parthenope, Lygia, Leucosia, of whom, one played on the Lyre, another on a Pipe, and the third was excellent at singing. Virgins above, and Fishes be­neath, once winged, but in a Contention with the Muses o­vercome, they were by them unplum'd. Their manner was with their Musick to allure the Mariners, to stay and listen, to them, and having by their Melody charm'd them asleepe, to devoure them; Of whom, thus Claudian.

They were twice overcome, once by Orpheus as is here intimated, and againe by Ulysses, (if yet, he may not rather be said, not to be vanquished by them, then to have over­come them.) Our Orpheus his way of victory was the more noble; who, (whereas Ulysses onely stopp'd his Eares not to heare their Songs) chanting aloud the Praises of the Gods, did with his voice drowne their pernicious Me­lody.

(22)

Perhaps alluding to that Adage, Ignis, Mare, Mulier, tria malae, Of which see Erasmus Adag [...] 8. Centure 2. Euripi [...] brings in Medea, giving no better a Character of her Sex, (and yet perhaps too good for her) then this,

(23) Araxis, &c.] Is a river of the greater Armenia taking his beginning from Fountaines neare the Mountaine Peri­ardes, [Page 83] from whence, as Ptolomy describes it) running East­ward almost as farre as the Ca [...]pian Mountaines, and then turning Northward with two divided streames, discharges one into the Hyrcanian or Caspian sea, and mingles the o­ther with the River Cyrus or Thyras, falling likewise into the same Sea.

(24) Albis and Rhine, &c.] Albis is a River of Germa­ny taking his beginning in the County of the Hermunduri in the antient Province of Rhaetia, in times past (as Taeitus sayes in his Book de Moribus Germaniae) a famous River and well knowne, now onely heard of. At this day called the Elbe.

Rhine or the Rhene is the most celebrated River of Ger­many, the Westerne Boundure of that Countrey, having his beginning (according to the fore-named Author) on the top of the inaccessible Rhaetian Alpes; [...] whence running with a Course winding somewhat Westward, hee at length falleth into the North or German Ocean.

(25)

Not a little doe the Spaniards glory in this Prophecy of Seneca; as pointing forth the discovery of America by them first found out. Sanè non vana, si de Hispanis Hispanus, sayes Delrius, Nor is it lesse admired by some of our owne Countrey-men: I cannot but wonder at th [...]t bold Prophecy of Seneca, say [...]s Doctor Hackwel (Apolog. &c.) yet my Lord Bacon in his Essay of Prophesies seems not to allow of this for one. See Plato in Phoedone de Orbe incogn [...]o, & Aelian in his various History de Colloquio midae & Silen [...]. l. 3. c. 18. But particularly concerning this Prophesie of Seneca, see [Page 84] Abrahamus Ortelus in his Mappe of the West-Indies.

Concerning Thule there is no small difference among Authors. The Poets generally in their Expressions us'd it for a place farre remote, and beyond which there was no knowne land. Pliny makes it to bee an Island six dayes saile from Britaine Northward; some have made it to be an Island in Britaine, and others Britaine it selfe so called. Strabo confesses the Story of Thule to be most obscure; And Petrarch, l. 3. Epist. 1, having said much, though no­thing positively, concludes at last thus, Vt nihil [...] videatur occultior ipsa Insula, quam veritas. Mercator makes it to be Izland, and Ortelius will have it to bee Tylemarke, a Tract of Norway. Our English Pausanias (the learned Cambden) supposes it, (and most probably) to be Shetland or Hethland, an Island in the Scottish Seas, lying betweene Norway and Scotland, and under the Dominion of the latter; which his Conjecture he strengthens by the Authority of Pucerus who (in his Booke de d mensione Terrae) sayes that by Sea-men it is cald Thylensel. To this, adding the site of the Island agreeable to that wherin Ptolomy places it, he assures himselfe certainely to have found Thule, and pronounces the matter to be at an end and questionlesse. Which opinion of his the much-knowing Selden seemes likewise to ap­prove of in his Mare Clausum. l. 2. c. 1. p. 121. The name of this Island Suidas derives from Thules a King of Aegypt; Isidore from the Sunne; and some from the Saxon Word Tell, which signifies a Limit, as if it were a Bound of the North and West. Vide Cambden de Insulis Britanius. p. 8, [...].

(1) ON Pindus snowy Top, or Nysa's Crowne] Pindus is a Mountaine upon the Borders of Thessaly neare Thrace: Nysa, when alone without any other Attribute, (for there are ten Places, Cities, and others of that Name) is taken for a Citie of India, seated at the foot of the Mountaine called Meros, (mentioned by Quintus Curtius in the 8th Booke of his History) in a Cave in which Bac­ [...]hus was said to be nurst. The Scholiast of Apollonius makes it (as our Author here) a Mountaine (of India.) Del­rius yet disassents from him, and conceives that he confounds Nysa with Meros, and would have it to be one of the Tops of P [...]rnassus: Pindus and Nysa were places consecrate to Bac [...]hus, where his Frantick Solemnities were us'd to be ce­lebrated.

(2) With a Lymphatick Rage possest] Those were said to be Lymphatick, who, having by chance espyed some Nymph or wat'ry Deietie in the River, were by them for that discovery dispossest of their Sences. Or else so called, (as conjectured) in that, from the abundance and superflui­tie of the Braines moisture, proceeded their distraction. As Lunatick, in regard that the Moone is predominant over the humours.

(3) The undrench'd Arctos turnes] By Arctos is meant the Constellation of the Northerne Beare, as likewise the Artick Circle, in which that Constellation is included, cal­led Arctos, as well as Arcticus. Of which see Ioseph Sca­liger [Page 86] his Learned Annotations upon Manilius, p. 75. in l. 1. seu Sphaer. The reason of that Epithite undrench'd, you shall find in the Annotations upon the fourth Act.

(4) Scylla's or Charybdis Caves] Of Scylla wee have already spoken: Charibdis was faigned to be an old greedy Hag, slaine by Hercules for stealing away his Oxen, and cast into Sea antiently called Euripus Taurominitanus, running 'twixt Sicily and Italy, at this day by the Italians called Garo faro. ( Vid. Paul. Merulae dissertac. de Mar.) Others [...]aigne that she was by Iupiter strooke dead with Thunder, and converted into a Rock in that Sea bearing her name. Con­cerning whom that noted Adage is in every mans Mouth, I [...]cidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Charybdim. Which yet, (as Sanctius upon Alciat, notes) is not rightly understood by those, who apply it to such as avoiding a small mischiefe fall into a Greater, but is meant by the Contrary; Scylla be­ing a lesser Evill then Charybdis, and therefore Cyrce in Ho­mer advices Ulysses to steere his Course rather neare Scylla then Charybdis.

(5)

Typhaeus was one of the Gyants that invaded the Hea­vens, struck downe by Iupiter with Thunder; over whom, (according to Pindarus and Ovid) Aetna, (according to Homer and Virgill) In [...]rime, Iovis Imperiis imposta.—

(6) Nor wrathfull Euxine Seas by Corus force, &c.] Of the Euxi [...]e Sea wee have already spoken. Corus according to the opinion of some, is a Westerne wind blowing to­ward the North; so likewise Luean makes it 5 Phars. though the Censurer of him, and all Poets reprehend him for it, who will have it to arise (and rightly) from a Point of [Page 87] the North, and from thence directly bowing Southward. Vid. ejus Poet. l. 5 seu Critic.

(7) Shall wee for small Jolcos make?] Iolcos was the Birth Place of Iason, called likewise Larissa (as Pomponiu's Mela testifies, l. 2.) which gave a Title to Achilles, who by Virgill is stiled Larissaeus. The place, as Pindarus in his fourth Pyth. writes, from whence Iason with his Argonan­ticks first set sayle for Colchos.

(8) Thessalian Tempe] Tempe was a most celebrated Grove of Thessaly, and sacred to the Muses: Aelian, who at large descrbes this place in his various Histories, l. 3. c. 1. writes, that the victors in the Pythian Games were us'd to becrown'd with the Laurell of this Grove in Memoriall of Apollo, who, after he had slaine Python, was there crown'd with a Wreath of Bayes; an Altar being afterwards erect­ed to him in the Place where it was done.

(9)

Our Author seemes to follow the opinion of those who will have the Nuptialls of Iason and Medea performed at Sea. Apollonius will have them celebrated in the Island Cor­cyra; Some at Byzantium, others in Colchis, and with the Privitie of Aeëta; Valerius Flaccus makes them to be be­gun in the Island Peuce, and interrupted by the comming of of Absyrtus.

(9)

Meant by the Easterne Scythians; Scythia by Geogra­phers being divided into Scythia Europaea, and Asietica; [Page 88] Scythia, Europaea, (concerning which see Pomponius Mela, l. 2. and Pliny l. 4.) extends from the Banke of Tanais, Pa­lus Maeotis, and the sh [...]ares of the Euxine Sea, to the mouth of Ister. Asiatica, beginning from the limits of the opposite shores towards the East, as farre as the Seres on the North bounded with the Ocean, on the South stretching to the Mountaine Taurus, on the West to Cappadocia and Ar­menia. (Though those Countries were likewise under the Subjection of the Scythians.) Ptolomy (l. 6. Cosm.) divides this Scythia Asiatica, into Scythia intra Imaum Montem, and Scythia extra Imaum Montem. That, intra Imaum, he terminates on the West by Sarmatià Asiatica, on the East by the Mountaine Ima [...]s, on the South by the Nations be­yond the Caspian or Hyrcanian Sea, and on the North by the Land called by him terra incognita; That Extra Imaum, hath on the East the People called Seres, on the North ter­ra incognita, on the South India extra Gangem, and on the West Scythia interior. Both of these are properly called Scythia,

(10) Phaebus with Sysiphus his Nephews joyne] Mean­ing the Issue of Medea, Daughter of Aeëta, Son of Phae­bus, with the Off-spring of Crensa, Daughter of Ceron, Sonne of Sysiphus.

Upon the CHORUS.

(11) When Ister like a Torrent r [...]w'ld] Ister is a part of Danubius, or the Danow, a famous River of Germany, which, (as Pomponius Mela sayes) Maintaining his course along while through divers Lands, is called Danubius, after by the Inhabitants of the Countries through which it passes Ister. Ptolomy more particularly tells us, That when Danubi­us is come as farre as the Citie of Accium (a Citie of the [Page 89] Lower Mysia, neare the Confines of Dacia, in the 47 de­gree, and of Northerne latitude;) It loses it's name, and from thence, untill it falls into the Sea is called Ister. Which having receiv'd into it threescore Navigable Rivers falls at length into the Euxine Sea, with as many streames as Ni­lus into the Aegyptian. It arises not farre from the Hercy­nian Wood from a cleare Spring, now inclosed within the Castle of Donaweschingen, a House of the Counts of Fur­st [...]nbergue. (Thuilius) of all the Rivers of Europ (as pliny sayes) alone maintaining a continued course East­ward. Vid. Plin. l. 4. c. 2. and 12.

(12) Not Rhodanus with rapid course] Rhodanus or the Rh [...]ane, is a River of Gallia Narbonensis arising from the Grison Alpes, and from thence, as it were, compassing the Country with his winding streames, falls at length into the Galliek or Massilian Sea.

(13) Not Haemus when the Suns hot Beames] Haemus is a Mountaine of Thrace, upon the Borders of Mysia inferior by [...] reported to be of that eminent Height, that a man from the Top thereof might behold both Egaean and Ionian Seas; though Strabo seemes not to allow of this for a truth. This mightie Mountaine (if wee beleeve the Po­ets) was once a man, and the neighbouring Mountaine [...], his Sister, of whose Transformation see Ovid's Me­tam. l. 6.

(14) The sacred Grove which Pelion crown'd, &c.] Pe­lion is a most noted Mountaine of Thessaly; in a Cave or Grot, in which, Peleus marrying The [...]is entertain'd (as the Poets Fable) and feasted all the Gods. ( Vid. Claudian. de Nuptiis Honor. & Mar. and Euripides in Iphigenia.) From whence a great part of the Timber that built Argos, was feld, and taken.

(15) To an unskilfull Pylot, &c.] Who this should be [Page 90] that succeeded Typhis in the Pylot-ship of Argos is not a­greed on; some say An [...]aeus, others Euphemus, but the most generally receiv'd opinion is, that it was Ergynus the Sonne of Neptune, afterwards slaine by Hercules.

(16) ' Mongst unknowne Ghosts lies tomb'd in sand] Ty­phis on a sudden as he held the Helme fell dead, and was buried in Mariandinum a famous Cave in Bythinia Acheru­sia, but whether before he came to Colchos or in the Return is not knowne. Vid. Apollonii Scholiasten. l. 2.

(17) He from the Vocall Muse that springs] Orpheus; Who by generall consent of the ancients, was held to be the Sonne of Phaebus, begotten on the Muse Calliope. de Orpheo vide Vic. Com. Santi. Albam. de Sapientia veter. c. 11. cui Ti­tulus Orpheus sive Philosophia. & Iereniam Hoelzlinum in Prolegomenis ad Apollonium. p. 33. & F [...]lgent. Mytholog.

(18) Dragg'd unto Haebrus streaming head] Haebrus is a River of Thrace, famous for the memoriz'd Tragedy of Orpheus, into which the furious Bacchanalls after they [...]ad torne his body in Pieces threw his head, it is now called Meritza.

(18) Alcides Boreas Issue slew, &] Calais and Zetes, the Sonne of Boreas were slaine by Hercules in the Island T [...]nos, who, (as Apollonius hath it in the first of his Argo­nauticks) in Memoriall thereof erected upon their Sepul­chre two Pillars, the one whereof was said to move at the blowing of the North Wind. The Cause of their death (as I find collected by the Scholiast of Apollonius) is variously delivered. Some say, the reason of it was, in they that diswaded the Returne of Argos into Mysia to take in Hercules; some say, that Hercules did it to revenge the injury he had recei­ved from their Father Boreas in the Island of Cos, where he distrest him with a storme; Others, in that they conten­ded with Hercules about the Dividend of the Guifts given [Page 91] by Iason among the Argonauticks; and some for that, ha­ving received Hercules as their Guest, they treacherously conspir'd his Death.

(19)

Periclimenus, who by the guift of his Father Neptune could change himselfe into sundry shapes, slaine by Hercu­les after he had transform'd himselfe into an Eagle.

(20)— Forc'd the Stygian Sound] Hercules as the Poets faigne descended into Hell on this occasion. Theseus and Perithous attempting to steale thence Proserpina, were by Pl [...]to taken Prisoners. Whose Rescue Hercules under­tooke and by force perform'd, and dragg'd from thence Cer­berus. Vid. Ovid. Met. l. 9.

(20)

Nessus, attempting to ravish Deianira, after he had trans­ported her over the River Evenus, was by Hercules (yet on this side the River) shot through with one of his poyson­ous Arrowes; He, to be reveng'd of Hercules, cunningly before he dyes, insinuates into Deianira, That a shirt dipt in his Blood, and sent to her Husband to be put on, would re­claime his love from others, and regaine his languishing Affe­ction towards her. Which advice she beleeving presently puts in execution, and sends a shirt dipt in his Blood, (not thinking of the poyson mixing withit) to her Husband, which, (when he had put it on) cleaving to his flesh, con­sum'd him with burning Tortures; He in this Agony causes [Page 92] a funerall Pile to be built on the Mountaine O Eta in Thessa­ly, and laying himselfe thereon, commanded the same to be fired, and so burnt himselfe alive. Vid. Ovid. Met. l. 9.

(21) A Boare Ancaeus life, &c.] Ancaeus was one of those who adventured with Meleager in the hunting of the Chalidonian Boare, by whom he was slaine. Vid. Ovid. Met. l. 8. Of whom likewise it is said, that a Boare breaking into a Vineyard where he was drinking, and now about to put the Cup to his lips, slew him, from whence came the Proverb, Multa cadunt inter Calicem suprema (que) Labra.

(22)

Meleager having slaine the Calydonian Boare, presented his Head to Atalanta (a beautifull young Nymph, who first wounded him, and whom he affected) which Meleagers Unckles ( Toxeus and Plexippus) envying at, tooke from Atalanta the spoile, at which the inraged Lover slew them both; The Newes whereof is brought to Althaea, Melea­gers Mother, who to revenge her Brothers deaths, throwes her Sonnes fatall Brand, (the Fable of which see in the 8th Book of Ovid. Met.) into the Fire, together with which his life consum'd.

(23) The Boy by Hercules unfound, &c.] Hylas, the Son of Theodomas; a Youth beloved of Hercules, who being sent into Mysia, to fetch fresh water from the River Asca­nius, was drown'd in the same; or, as faigned, Rapt away by the Nymphs of the Flood; in search of whom, Hercu­les and Polyphemus, went

The following Verses, in the Originall, beginning Id­monem quamvis, &c. in the end of this Chorus, as likewise three others immediately following this Verse- ignotas jacet inter umbras. In the middle thereof, I have omitted, as be­ing by Heinsius and some latter Critticks justly censured to be none of Seneca's, in that they savour of many Illiterate absurdities, and confound times and Stories. Conceiving it an Injustice to charge upon Seneca the defects of a Poet­aster.

(1) WHat ever Poisons Libya's scalding s [...]nds, &c.] Libya is a Country of Africa, taken sometimes for all Africa, that part thereof which borders upon Aegypt be­ing fertile though a desert, in poysonous simples, and vene­mous Serpents, which (as Ovid faignes in 4. Met.) first sprung from the drops of Blood falling from Medusa's Head newly di [...]ected, as the same was transported by winged Perseus over that Region, or as others, from the Blood of the slaine Gyants; But Naturalists more truely report, that those Countries which are infested with too much heat or cold, are ever fruitfull in such hurtfull Productions.

(2) What Taurus, &c.] Taurus is a Mountaine of Asia, or rather a continued Ridge of Mountaines linked toge­ther, and running from the Mountaines Scord [...]sci, and the Borders of Cappadocia, unto the uttermost Bounds of Cilicia.

(3)

This was that Dragon which was slaine by Cadmus in B [...]otia, when he was sent by Agenor in search of his Sister, Made a Constellation, consisting of one and thirtie Starres, and placed betweene the two Beares, which, with his si­newy f [...]exures, he seemes to infold, the lesser with his head [Page 95] and Neck, the greater with his Taile. By the one of which it is said, the Achaians, by the other the Sydonians were us'd to sayle. Of which likewise Ovid.

(4) His griping Hands let Ophiucus loose] Ophiucus is a Constellation consisting of 17 Starres (as the Scholiast of Aratus writes) so called, in that in his hand he seemes to hold or graspe a Serpent (which is likewise made up of 30 Sarres) conceived to be Aesculapius, Hercules, or Prome­theus, converted into that Constellation, commonly called Serpentarius. Vid. Hygini Poeticon Astronomicon.

(5) Python that durst assaile two Heavenly Powers] Py­thon was sent by envious Iuno as a Plague to pursue Latona, when great with Child of Phaebus and Diana, and after­wards was slaine by young Apollo.

(6) Hydra with all those Serpents, &c.] Hydra was a Serpent, faigned to have many Heads which Hercules in­countring with: And cutting off some of her heads, in the roome of each of those cut off, sprung two more, multiply­ing by their owne Ruine; the growth of which, Hercules at last, by cauterising the wound, prevented, and so slew this Monster, which was afterwards made a Celestiall sign, being a Southerne Constellation, extending his head to­wards the signe called the Great Dog, or Sirius, his middle under the Lyon, and his Taile toward the Centaure or Chi­ron. Vid. Arat. Scholiast.

[Page 96](7) Whatever on impervious Eryx growes] Eryx is á Mountaine of Sicilia, so called from Eryx the Sonne of Bu­tos and Venus sacred to her, of which she was called Eryci­na. At this day it is called Monte di Trapani, as being not farre from Drepanum, now called Trapani, and betwixt that and Panormus, now called Palermo.

(8) What Caucasus stain'd with Promethean blood] Can­casus is a Mountaine of Scythia, beginning from the Moun­taine Corax, and with one Ridge parting Colchos from Ibe­ria, with the other Iberia from Albania, and so running to the Ceraunian Mountaines. To this Hill was Prometheus, as the Poets fabled, bound for stealing fire from Heaven. Of whom see more hereafter.

(9) The Warlike Medes.] There be some, who would charge our Author with an Anacronisme, in that he brings in Medea's Nurse speaking of the Medes; who, as they would have it, tooke their Denomination from Medius the Sonne of Medea by Aegeus; but the Name of Media is more antient, being so called from Madai the Sonne of Ia­phet, who as Sleyden writes, was sent thither by Nimrod to plant, about 150 yeares after the Flood, where he layd the Foundations of that antient Empire called after his owne Name. Vid. Iosephi Antiquit. Iudaic. l. 1.

(10) What flying Parthians use] Parthia is a Country of Asia, bounded, as Ptolomy describes it, on the West by a part of Media, on the North by Hircania, on the East by Aria, on the South by Carmenia deserta. Whose Inhabitants for their manner of Fight were Notorious, who in a coun­terfeited flight discharged their Arrowes backward upon their pursuing Enemies.

(11) The Wealthy Arab] Those of Arabia faelix, Ara­bia being divided into three Portion; viz. Petrea, Deserta, and Faelix. Arabia Petrea is on the West bounded with part [Page 97] of Syria, on the North with Palestina, India, & part likewise of Syria, on the South Sinu Arabico Interiori, on the East part­ly by Arabia faelix, partly by Aarbia deserta: The last of which, on the North is terminated by Mesopotamia, along the River Euphrates, [...]on the East by Babilonia, and part of the Persian Gulfe, on the South by Mountaines running a­long the Borders of Arabia felix, on the West by part of Syria and Arabia Petrea. Arabia faelix hath on the North Arabia Petrea, and Deserta, and part of the Persian Gulfe: On the West Sinus Arabicus, on the South the Red Sea, and on the East part of the Persian Gulfe, as farre as the Pro­montory Sagarus. Vid. Ptol. l. 5. Cosm.

(12) and (13)

The Sweves are a People of Germany, who although (as Tacitus reports de moribus Germaniae) they are by one ge­nerall Name called Suevi, yet are they not one Nation. Of these the most antient and noble (as he sayes) were the Semnones, who accounted themselves as the head of the S [...]evians. The Posteritie of these, inhabited that Northerne Tract of Germany, which is at this day called Swaben. Peu­cerus is of opinion, that the Swedes and these were one Na­tion, there being but one letters difference in their names; but others thinke otherwise, and most make them the off­spring of the Suiones, or Sueones, the antient Inhabitants of that Land, which is at this day called Swethland, and not of the Suevi, or those of Swaben. Hercynia is the most cele­brated Forrest of Germany (if not of the World) of which thus Pliny: In the Forrest of Hercynia, there are mightie Oakes which seeme to be untouched with the Injury of time, of [Page 98] equall Birth and Age with the World, with the encountring of whose spreading Roots whole Hills are lifted up; And when they runne above ground, writhing themselves into such Arches, that Troops of Horse may passe under them. Seated (according to Ptolomy) in the very midd'st between Gabri­ta Sylva, and the Sarmacian Mountaines.

(14) Aemonian Athos] Athos is a mountaine and Pro­montory of Thessaly, called Aemonian, Aemonia being a name of Thessaly deriv'd from Aemon the sonne of Duca­lion, as Thessaly from Thessalus the sonne of the said Aemon, at first called Pyrrhaea, from Pyrrha the wife of Deuca­lion.

(15) Pangaeus Top,] Pangaeus is a Promontory of Thrace, respecting Macedonia. So Pliny makes it. Others a Moun­taine of Macedonia neare to the City of Philippi. Orteli­us sayes it was likewise called Pieria, and antiently Carma­nius.

(16) These Tygris nourish'd] Tygris is a River arising in the greater Armenia from a cleare spring in a plaine ground, whence running and passing through the lake Are­thusa, he meetes with the Mountaine Taurus in his way; at the foot whereof in a Cave he sinkes under ground, and ari­ses againe on the other side of the mountaine, from whence maintaining his course through Thospita Palus, he waters a great part of Asia; and at length with two divided streams, fals into the Persian Golfe; a river of a most swift and violent Current, whence it takes its name; which in the Persian Tongue signifies an Arrow. Now called Tigill.

(17) The fam [...]d Hydaspes] Hydaspes is a River of India, arising from the Mountaine [...]aus, and falling into the great River Indus, celebrated for the Treasure of his streames.

(18) And Baetis whence it's land a name did get.] Baetis (now by the Spaniards called Gua [...]al quivir) is a River of [Page 99] Spaine, running through that part thereof which in ancient times was called Hispania Baetica from the River, now, Granado; discharging his Streames into the Spanish O­cean.

(19) Birds of inauspicious flight.] In the Originall it is obscaenas aves, referring to the nature of the Fowles, as the Kite, Jay, Night-Raven, &c. (as followes) which were A­ves inauspicatae. And so the version may passe.

(20) Darke Chaos, &c.] Chaos by the Poets is diversly taken; sometimes for the Aire, sometimes (as here, and in the beginning of the first Act, is meant) for the Infernall Mansion. Properly for that confused Mas [...]e, out of which, this Mundaine Fabrick, by the Act of Love, was educ'd, call'd by the Platonists the undigested World. Some Philo­sophers (though otherwise famous) have dream't that this Chaos was companion with Demogorgon, and assistant to him, to the end that if at any time he should have an intent to pro­duce Creatures, he m [...]ght not want mat [...]er. As if hee, that could give forme to divers things, could not as well produce matter to informe. Boccace Geneolog. Deorum.

(21) Where sooty Dis resides] Dis with the Latines was the same as Pluto with the Greeks, so call'd (as Cicero intimates in his second Book De Natura Deorum) from the opulency and treasure of the earth, as from which all things take their originall, and into which at l [...]st they are againe re­solved; And therefore (as he sayes) Omnis vis terrena at­que Natura, Diti Patri dicata est. And may be the same (for ought I know) with the Demogorgon of the Hermeticall Philosophers.

[Page 100](22)

Ixion attempting to force the Chastity of Iuno, Iupi­ter substituted a Cloud in her likenesse; of which, hee was reported to beget the Centaures; when afterward boasting that he had knowne the Queene of the Gods, he was for that struck downe to Hell with a Thunder-bolt, and con­tinually turned about upon a restlesse wheele; to which he was bound fast with Snakes.

(23) And Tantalus sup free the fleeting Wave.] Tantalus either for that when he feasted the Gods, he set before them the limbes of his Sonne Pelops, (in a most inhumane man­ner) as part of the Banquet, or else in that being admitted to the Councell of the Celestialls he revealed their secrets, was thrust into Hell, and set up to the Chin in the River Eridanus, where thirsting, and hungry, he vainly catches at the flying streames, and dangling fruit which avoids his reach.

(24) Let Sysiphus his Torments finde no ease.] Sysiphus was the Sonne of Aeolus, and Father of Creon, and there­fore Medea wishes a continuation of his Torments, who in­festing Attica with Robberies, was at last slaine by Theseus, and feigned in Hell to rowle a weighty stone up a steep Hill, which still when at the top tumbles downe againe upon him.

(25)

These were the fifty daughters of Danaus, who of their. Grandfather B [...]lus were called Belides; these by the appoint­ment [Page 101] of their Father slew their Husbands the sons of their Uncle Aegyptus, the first night they lay with them, (and therefore here especially call'd upon by Medea) for which they are said to be punished in Hell by pouring of Water in­to a vessell full of holes, which they drew up likewise with Buckets pierced or bored through in the same manner.

(26) Drench'd both the Beares in the forbidden Deep.] The greater Beare called Holice, and the lesser Cynosura are two Constellations included within the Artick Circle, into which the Poets feigned Calysto, and her sonne Arcas were by the favour of Iupiter converted: which Iuno maligning intreated Tethys and Oceanus that they would not suffer them (as other starres) to set in their Waters. (It being the opinion of the Ancients, that the setting stars did descend into the Sea) upon which her request, they were interdi­cted the Ocean; yet by Medea (as she here boalts) notwith­standing drench'd in the forbidden Waves, Vid. Ovid. Metam. l. 2.

(27)

With a Wreath of Serpents the Witch Erictho Crownes her selfe in Lucan. l. 6. The number Nine by the Pythagori­ [...]ns was held sacred, and the perfectest of all Numbers, as consisting of three Ternaries, each of which is divided into three Unities, and therefore in holy Ceremonies (as in Ma­gicke Rites) the ancients superstitiously conceived that the Deity was affected with its imparitie. Of the Magicall ver­tue of Arithmeticall or Musicall Numbers, see Del Rio, Dis­quisic. Magic. l. 1. c. 2. Qu [...]sp. 2.

[Page 102](28)

Of Typhaeus we have spoken already, here said to have biform'd Limbes, in that the Giants that warr'd against the Gods (of whom Typhaeus was one) were feign'd to have the feet of Dragons. Pindarus in 4. Olym calls Typhon [...] i. e. Centicipitem, hundred-headed.

(29)

He siod makes the Harpies to bee but two in number; Virgil three. Their names Aello, Ocypete, and Caeleno, feig­ned to be winged, with Virgins faces, and Vultures clawes; the Mythologie of which, see in Gyraldus his Syntagma 6 Deorum & Natal. Comes l. 7. c. 6. These were chac'd away from Phineus the old, blinde and needy King of Paph­lagonia by Calais and Zetes the Sonnes of Boreas, who were said to have wings, (the Fable of which read in the seventh of Ovids Metamorphosis) Propter nimiam veloci­tatem corum qui ad Boream habitant; and for that reason, or their Celerity in Execution of designes may seeme to bee invited by the Argonauticks in the expedition to Colchos. Nor doe the names given to those youths unaptly suit with the Sonnes of the Winde, Zetes being so called [...] quod nimium flet, & Calais ut qui [...] quia leniter flet. Tretzes in lycophron.

[Page 103](30)

The Stymphalides were filthy Fowles, feeding upon mans flesh, taking their name from a Lake in Arcadia; these Her­cules chac'd away with the sound of a Brazen Instrument, made by Vulcan, and given him by Pallas; here said to bee slaine by his poysonous Arrowes. Pausanias in Arcadicis re­ports that in the Deserts of Arabia, there were such kinde of Fowles no lesse terrible to Travellers then Lyons or Leo­pards, who with their Beake would strike through Armour; from whence they found a meanes afterward to take them by inventing a kinde of Coverture for the body, through which when the Fowle had strooke their Beaks, they were there as in a Ginne detayned.

(31) The Altars sound, &c.] This was a signe of He­cates approach (among witches) and answering of their Magicall Invocations, which was alwayes attended with Earth-quakes, and the horrid noise of howling-Dogs. See after what is said at the number 44.

(32) See Trivia's whirling Carre, &c.] Trivia is a name of Hecate, or Diana, of whom wee have already spoken: so called either in regard of her Triple Course under the Zodiack, according to her Height, Latitude or Longitude, or else in that she ia said to be President over Crosse Wayes or [...]; The Patronesse of Witches; whose Chariot de­scending was another Signe likewise of the Concession of their requests. Vide Ovid. Met. l. 7. de Medea.

(2 [...]) Vext with Thesalian charmes, &c.] Thessaly was a Countrey famous (or rather infamous) for Inchantments and Magick Arts; insomuch as Pliny notes, lib. 30. c. 1. That the generall practice of those Arts in that Countrey, [Page 104] gave a more peculiar Name or Title to Magick, being stiled Ars Thessalica.

(34)

That the antients were tooke with feare and terrour, at the Eclipse of the Moone is apparent in History, to omit o­thers, I shall onely give one memorable Instance out of Cor­nelius Tacitus in the first of his Annalls, which for the good effect it wrought is worthy the reciting: In the Rebellion stirred up by Perceanius and Vib [...]lenus, against Blesus Lieu­tenant Generall of the Legions in Pannonia, in the begin­ning of Tyberius his Raigne, when the Souldiers were in the Height of their disorder, and menaced the greatest out­rage. The Moone on a sudden began to be Eclipsed, which the Souldiers (ignorant of the Cause) construed as a Pre­sage of present Ill-Luck, and comparing their Attempts to the Eclipse, were of Opinion, that their successe should be prosperous, if the Goddesse should become bright againe. Whereupon they began with Trumpets, Cornets, and other Brazen Instruments, to make a loud Noyse; now sad, now joyfull, as the Moone appeared cleare or darke: but when the Clouds rising, tooke from them the fight of the Moone, supposing she had beene hid in darknesse, and utterly lost her light, they began to lament, complaining that that porten­ded their labours should have no End, and that the Gods turn'd their Faces from their Wickednesse. Whereupon Caesar Drusus, who was sent by the Emperour to appease them, and whom in a hostile manner they had invironed in the Campe, thinking it fit to make his Advantage of their Fears, so wrought that he composed the Sedition, and cau­sed the Ring-leaders to be put to death. A Rebellion happily ended!

[Page 105](35)

Dictynna is one of the names of Diana, so called as some conceive, in that she first invented Toyles and Nets for hun­ting; or as others thinke, aslum'd by her in memoriall of the Nymph Britomart, her belov d fellow Huntresse, who fly­ing from the Pursuit of her Lover Minos, to avoyd his Sur­prise leapt into the Sea, and fell into a fish-Net, whence she was call'd Dictynna, and by that name after worshipped as a Goddesse, which Diana likewise in memory of her, vouch­safed to make one of her Attributes.

Of the beating of Kettles, Basons, and other Brazen Vessells used by the Antients when the Moone was Eclip­sed (which they did to drowne the Charmes of Witches, that the Moon might not heare them, and so be drawne from her Spheare as they suppos'd) I shall not need to speake, be­ing a thing so generally knowne, a Custome continued a­mong the Turks to this day; yet I cannot but adde, and wonder at, what Ioseph Scaliger in his Annotations upon Manilius, reports out of Bonincontrius, an Antient Com­mentator upon the same Poet: Who affirmes, That in a Towne of Italy where he liv'd (within these two Centu­ries of yeares) he saw the same Peece of Paganisme [...] upon the like Occasion.

(36) [And here our Author cannot be excused of an Ana [...]ronisme, since Corinthian Brasse in Medea's time, was of no more value then any other, untill (as Pliny writes, l. 34. c. 1.) The Citie of Corinth being taken and burnt by the Romans in the 156 Olympiall, and 607 yeares after the buil­ding of the Citie of Rome, divers Brazen Statua's being melted, with other Vessells of Gold and Silver in that gene­rall [Page 106] Conflagration, and mixing together, from thence arose that celebrated vaine of Brasse, so much esteem'd of by the Romans, that, (as our fore-cited Author reports) they held it to be in value, ante argentum, ac penè etiam ante Anrum.

(37)

It was the manner of the Antient Witches to offer their [...]ellish Sacrifices on an Altar of Turfe, digging a Trench a­bout it (which they commonly did with their Nailes) and therein to poure the blood of a Black Lamb, for, Nigra Tri­formi Hostia mactatur Deae—sayes Silius Ital. l. 1. Medea, to make her Sacrifice more horrid, empties her own vaines (as in the following Verses) to supply that divellish Ceremony. But of the manner of these Sacrifices, heare Apollonius, l. 3. Argonautic [...]n.

(38)

The Lamiae of antient times used to burne Lights in their Nefandous Mysteries, observed likewise by those of latter times, in whose Conventions (as Delrius reports) Ignis ac­census erat ut plurimùm Teter & horridus; Nor would any Torch or Brand serve them so well in their infernall Rites, as that which was snatch'd from a Funerall Pile. Remigius in his second Booke of Daemonolatreia, c. 3. relates a most Prodigious story of two moderne Witches, who having digged up two buried Carcases, and burnt them to Ashes all but the right Arme of one of them; made thereof a Torch to give light to their Acts of darknesse; The fingers ends of the dissected Arme all the while they were about their de­villish Work burning with a blew and Sulphury flame: Which when the flame, (their Ceremonies done) was ex­tinguished, remain'd notwithstanding intire, and as if un­touch'd by the fire.

[Page 108](39) To thee our head We tosse with neck bow'd, &c.] The Gestures, and Actions which were used by the antient Witches in their Ceremonies, Adorandi gratia were most preposterous, perpetuated by the Maintainers of their ab­horred Arts at this day; who in their Conventions, when they adore the Devill President of their meeting, doe it as Del Rius reports, l. 2. Q. 16. with their back towards him, not bowing their heads downward, but tossing them up, and reclining them backward, so that their Chins respect the Heavens.

(40) That thus O Persis, &c. Hecate; so called, being the Daughter of Perseus, and Neece of Iupiter; or as some will, the Daughter of Iupiter and Asteria. Bacchylides saies, she was— [...]. Daughter of Torch-bearing, large bosom'd Night.

(41)

Of Prometheus being bound to the Mountaine Caucasus, where an Eagle still tir'd upon his Liver we have in part al­ready spoken, a Fable sufficiently knowne, yet was he at length by Iupiter releast from thence, though the God to save his oath caus'd one of his fingers to be bound with a hoope or Ring of Iron made of a peece of his Chain, and in it a stone taken from the Mountain to which he was bound. From hence (as Pliny writes in the Proem of his 38 booke) came the Custome of wearing Rings, in memory of Prome­thens, at the first made of Iron, and so along time worn by the Romans afterward of gold. Vid. Salmuth. Pancir. l. 1.

(42) The Triple-shap'd Chimaera &c.] Chimaera by Ful­gentius, is thus described: A Monster of a triple forme, the fore-parts representing a Lyon, the midst a Goat, and the [Page 109] hinder parts a Dragon. Solinus writes that the Chimera was not a Beast but a Mountaine of Lycia, ejecting flames from the top thereof, neare which Lyons were wont to har­bour; in the midst were fields in which Goats us'd to feed, and the bottome was infested with Serpents. Lycophrons Pa­raphrastes sayes otherwise, who makes Chimera to be a wo­man of that name, the Daughter of Amisodarns Governour of Lycia, who with her two Brothers Drace and Leo, having seiz'd upon certaine Straits or Passages, spoyl'd and slew all that travelled that way. These 3 in that they joyn'd together unanimously to the Ruine of others, gave occasion of the Fable of this triple-shap'd Monster, as the usuall ordering of their Forces, the positure of their shapes. For in the Front, or Van, Leo still fought, in the midst or battell, Chimera, and in the Reare Draco. Bellerophon having vanquished these in fight, was therefore faigned to have slaine this Monster. Vid. Plut. in l. de Virtutibus Mulier de Bollerophonte et Chimaera.

(43) Medusa's Gall, &c.] Medusa was the daughter of Phorcus, who had besides her two other Daughters, their names were Euriale and Sthenio, these inhabited the Islands called Dorcades in the Aethiopick Sea opposite to Hesperi­des; they were said to have but one eye in common amongst them, Snaky Tresses, Tuskes like Boares, Brazen hands, and Golden wings. Some say they were all of admirable & equall form, and beauty, & on whom who ever looked, were strook with admiration, and stupisying astonishment; from whence sprung the Fable, that the sight of them converted men into Stones. Called Gorgons (as some think) of their nimblenesse and agility. There be who report (if this be not the greater Fiction) that in Libya there is a kinde of Beast call'd a Gor­gon, not much unlike to a Sheep, his head shaggy with haire hanging over his eyes, when shaking his haire from his eyes, and erecting his head, hee kills those that see him, with his [Page 110] very look. The haire of Medusa (which was once her greatest ornament) was by Pallas converted into Snakes, as a punishment inflicted upon her for suffering her selfe to be abused by Neptune in her Temple: Her Snake-hair'd­head was afterward cut off by Perseus, and by him in the Constellation is held forth, called the Devills head, and Ca­put Algol. Vid. Ovid. Met. l. 3. & 4. Natal. Comet, l. 7. c. 12.

(44) Our Prayers are heard; thrice Hecat' bark'd aloud]

Thrice with sad flames her sacred fires she show'd.]

Medea's Prayers are ratified by the barking of Hecate, and her Hell-hounds, (for no better attendance doe the Poets al­low her then a company of howling Curres, one of the sig­nalls of her approach, which is thus exprest by Virgil l. 6. Aeneidos.

As likewise by Fulguration, and the sad light of her In­fernall Fires, which was another token of her comming. Yet the Poets make the unusuall and suddaine splendor of Flames to be a generall signall of the Advention of any of the Deities as well as of her. For so Claudian l. 1. de Rap. Pr [...]s designes the approach of Phaebus: So likewise in his fourth of his Metam. Ovid ushers the comming of Bac­chus, and Plautus in Amphytrione the appearance of Iupiter

(45) Bloudy Maenas] Meant by Medea, hurrying up and downe like a frantick Bacchanall.

(46) Through Ganges Forrest.] Some Forrests of India neare Ganges, the greatest River of that Countrey, which it divides in the midd'st, taking his rise from the Scythian Mountaines, the Northerne Boundures of India.

(1)

OF the number of Niobe's Children there be severall re­ports, Homer reckons but seven (sons and daughters) Euripides foureteen, Sappho eighteen, Bacchilides and Pin­darus twenty; others say they were but three in all. Tzetzes yet reckons seven sons and seven daughters by their names; viz. the sons Sypilus, Agenor, Phaedimus. Ismenes, Euphytus, Tantalus, Damasicthon. The Daughters Neaera, Cleodoxe, Astioche, Phacta, Pelopia, Eugige, and Chloris. Of the death of her and her children, and her conversion into Marble, see Ovid's Metam. l. 6. Pausanias de Arcadicis. Palaephatus de non credendis fabulis.

(2)

This said, s [...]e kills one of her Children, as a Sacrifice to her Brothers Ghost. Alciat hath a pretty Embleme taken from Archias the Greek Poet, upon the Statue of Medea killing her Children, in whose Bosome a Bird built her nest.

Yet Aelian in the fifth Book of his Various Histories, ca. 21.) seemes to assoile her of the murder of her children; there be some (sayes he) who report that the rumour con­cerning Medea is false, and that not she but the Corinthians made away her children, that Tragicall Fable owing its ori­ginall to Euripides, who at the request of the Corinthians, transferr'd the murder of the Children from them to their Mother; Truth in processe of time giving place to Fiction; who sayes further, that it was a common fame in his dayes, that the Corinthians us'd to offer Expiatory Sacrifices as a Tribut to the Ghosts of the slaine Children.

(3)

From Corinth, drawne by her winged Dragons, Medea flies to Athens, where she married Aegeus, and had by him a sonne called Medus; whom likewise afterward, (attemp­ting to poison his Sonne Theseus, that so the Kingdome of Athens might descend to her Sonne Medus, and being dete­cted) she leaves, and by flight returnes to Colchos, which (her Father being dead) she recovered, and (as Symonides writes) the Kingdome of Corinth likewise: who though in her life so wicked, yet after her death was by the Colchians ho­noured with Divine Rites, who Dedicated a Temple to her Memory, into which, in regard of Iasons Ingratitude) no men were permitted to enter.