CHAP. XLIII.

OF THE MUSES, GRACES, AND OTHER INFERIOR

THE

GODDESSES.

HE MUSES, daughters of Jupiter and Mnemofyne, goddefs of memory, were the reputed goddeffes of the feveral arts and fciences, and prefided over the feafts and folemnities of the gods.

They were the companions of Apollo, and lived with him chiefly on the hills of Parnaffus, Helicon, and Pindus. The Hippocrene, and other fountains at the foot of Parnassus, were facred to them, as were also the palm-tree and the laurel. They are reprefented young and very handfome, and are nine in number.

Their names are, CLIO, CALLIOPE, ERATO, THALIA, MELPOMENE, TERPSICHORE, EUTERPE, POLYHYMNIA, and URANIA.

Clio prefides over history, and is faid to be the inventress of the lute. Calliope, fo called from the fweetness of her voice, prefides over eloquence and heroic poetry. Erato, or the Lovely, prefides over lyric poetry. Thalia is the goddess of comedy; Melpomene, of tragedy; and Terpsichore, or the Jovial, of dancing. Euterpe is fo called, because she im

parts joy. She invented the flute, and prefided over the mufic. She is alfo faid to be the patroness of logic. Polyhymnia is fo called from her multiplicity of fongs. She is faid to excel in memory, and is the goddess of the ode. Urania, or the celeftial mufe, prefided over divine presy; and is said to be the inventrefs of aftronomy.

The Mufes are diftinguifhed by mafks, lyres, garlands, globes, and other emblems, expreffive of their different offices or accomplishments.

Pegafus, the famous horfe of ancient fable, was an attendant on Apollo and the Muses. He inhabited the mountains of Parnaffus and Helicon. It is faid that he fprung from the blood of Medufa, killed by Perfeus; and he is represented by the poets with wings to his fides, expreffive of the flights and elevation of the mind in poetry. When Perfeus ftruck off the head of Medufa, the horfe Pegafus ftruck the ground with his foot; upon which, at the bottom of the hill, a fountain arofe named Hippocrene. This fountain was facred to Apollo and the Muses.

The GRACES, called alfo Charites, were three fifters, daughters of Jupiter and Eurynome, or Venus. The first was named Aglaia from her chearfulness ; the fecond Thalia, from her perpetual verdure, and the third Euphrofyne, from delight.

They were

compa

companions of the Muses and Mercury, and attendants on Venus. They are reprefented with pleafing countenances, and without garments, to denote that our actions fhould be free and candid, not covered over with diffimulation or deceit. A chain binds their arms together, to exprefs that the link of love and harmony should be united and unbroken.

THEMIS, ASTREA, and NEMESIS, were three goddeffes: the firft of law and peace; the second of justice; and the third, a rewarder of virtue, and punisher of vice.

CHAP. XLIV.

OF THE EGYPTIAN DEITIES..

OSIRIS, Apis, and Serapis, are different names of one and the fame deity, fon of Jupiter by Niobe, and husband to Ifis.

Their fon ORUS was deemed, by the Egyptians, the Protector of the River Nile, the Averter of Evils, Governor of the World, and the Author of Plenty.

These deities of the Ægyptians were held in the greatest veneration. Temples were erected, and divine

E 4

divine honours paid to Osiris under the figure of an ox; and the priesteffes of Ifis facrificed to that goddefs under different fhapes, according to the purposes for which they were intended.

As fable is faid to take its origin from the Ægyptians, it will appear, from their intercourfe with the Jews, long refident in Egypt, that a mixture of true religion and error increased that falfe worship, which first prevailed in that country, and afterwards spread into Rome, and the more distant parts of the world.

Thefe gods of the Egyptians were worshipped under various names and characters, according to the prevailing opinion of different countries, or some other incident. Thus, according to Herodotus, Ofiris and Bacchus are the fame; and fis is faid to be the fame with the Roman Cybele, Ceres, Minerva, and Luna. Orus alfo was the fymbol of light, and was figured as a winged boy. He was named the Hermes of the Greeks, and the Apollo and Cupid of the Romans.

CHAP.

CHAP. XLV.

OF THE PANTHEON.

BOTH in Egypt and Rome, each deity had a

temple, where the most folemn facrifices were

made to them, according to the prevailing notion of their power and influence.

The worship of thefe gods fo far prevailed among the Romans, that they erected to their honour a public edifice, named the PANTHEON, in which, a's a general repofitory, were placed the ftatues of their feveral deities, with their refpective fymbols. Jupiter was diftinguished by a thunder-bolt; Juno by a crown; Mars by a helmet; Apollo, or the Sun, by his beams; Diana, or the Moon, by a crefcent; Ceres by a cornucopia, or horn of plenty, or an ear of corn; Cupid by a bundle of arrows; Mercury by the wings on his feet, and a caduceus, or wand, in his hand; Bacchus by the ivy; Venus" by the beauty of her perfon; and the reft had the like distinguishing characters placed above their statues, or in their hands, according to the received opinion of the people, or the ingenuity of the artift.