ever, to counteract the effects of the sting, they anoint the place with oil, in which a bruised scorpion has been steeped. Asp, a little serpent, whose bite is deadly. and Amphisbæna dire A serpent which seems to have two heads, and goes both ways. 525 Cerastes korn'd, 525 A reptile of Africa, which naturalists have mentioned in all ages, not only on account of the malignancy of its poison, but also of its medicinal virtues, claims our particular attention. It is from thirteen to fourteen inches in length; its head is triangular and flat, and in the upper jaw has two canine teeth, hollow and crooked inward, and of a remarkable fine polish. Under these teeth is contained the bag or reservoir of poison, which, considering the size of the reptile, is very copious, and appears like a drop of laudanum. Immediately after the cerastes has bitten any creature, the power of doing farther injury is not destroyed, but lessened. Hydrus and Elops drear Hydrus, a water serpent. The bite of the water or sea snake has been considered harmless. 526 And Dipsas not so thick swarm'd once the soil Bedropt with blood of Gorgon The Dipsas, or thirst serpent, which is to be found in many parts of Africa, is three quarters of a yard in length, and has a broad neck and sable back. The bite of this reptile causes an immediate inflammation, which is speedily followed by an unextinguishable thirst, unless some anti 527 dote be applied. It is said by Mythologists, Ophiusa 528 529 The serpent island, because it is much infested with serpents, of which there are three, two in the Mediterranean, and one in the Propontis near Constantinople. but still greatest he the midst, Now Dragon grown, Satan transformed to that shape. larger than whom the sun Python, a serpent sprung from the mud and stagnated waters which abounded on the surface of the earth after the deluge of Deucalion, so much celebrated in ancient history, is supposed to have happened 1503 years B. C. Apollo attacked the monster and killed him; in commemoration of which was instituted the Pythian Games. sat thicker than the snaky locks That curl'd Megaera; One of the three furies. They were ropresented with a grim and frightful aspect, with a black and stained garment, and serpents wreathing round their heads instead of hair. They held a burning torch in one hand, and a whip of scorpions in the other, and were always attended by terror, rage, paleness and death. In the infernal regions they were seated around Pluto's throne, as the ministers of his vengeance. 562 Near that bituminous lake where Sodom flam'd of Their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes gall, their clusters are bitter. Deut. xxxii. 32. 580 And fabled how the serpent, whom they call'd Ophion with Eurynome. A serpent said to have sprung out of the teeth of the serpent which was slain by Cadmus, and therefore became one of his companions; others say he was one of the Titans, the husband of Eurynome. 582 Of high Olympus Mount Olympus was the spot where Jupiter has always been supposed by the poets to have held his court. The true description of Olympus is, that it is a mountain of Macedonia, covered with grottos and woods, with an elevation of a mile or a mile and a half, which is considerably less than that of Mount Etna, or the Alps. 583 588 thence by Saturn driven And Ops, ere yet Dictæan Jove was born. Saturn, the emblem of Time, who is said to have been king of Italy. Some writers suppose Saturn to have been the same as Noah; Ops, a daughter of Coelus and Terra, the same as the Rhea of the Greeks, who married Saturn, and became the mother of Jupiter. Tatius built her a temple at Rome. She is generally represented as a matron, with her right hand opened, as if offering assistance to the helpless, and holding a loaf in her hand. Her festivals were called Opalia. behind her Death Close following pall for pall, not mounted yet And I looked, and behold a pale horse; and his name that sat on him was Death, and hell followed him; and power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Rev. vi. 8. (See West's beautiful picture of Death on the Pale Horse). 616 See with what heat these dogs For without are dogs. Rev. xxii. 15. But without are the unclean, who merit no better a name than that of dogs, as they debase their rational faculties to the service of vicious actions, and with them must be ranked too, every one who loveth and maketh a lie, who forges falsehood, and practises it, or acts in any allowed contradiction to the great eternal rule of truth and rectitude. Say, why was man so eminently rais'd To chase each partial purpose from his breast; And I heard a sound which was as the voice of a great multitude, and loud as the voice of many waters, when the waves of the sea are in a violent agitation, and like the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Hallelujah for the Lord God Almighty, the Omnipotent Jehovah, who is the Author and support of universal nature, reigneth, and is about to exalt his kingdom among men to more visible splendour than it has ever yet worn. Rev. xix. 643 Just are thy ways And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God |