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and of the gods who presided over it, as Apollo and Esculapius. Serpents were anciently worshipped in Egypt and many other parts of the world. Many of the heathens thought there was something divine in the nature of serpents; and, that deities, or good genii, who were made use of, as the instruments of delivering and honouring those that were the peculiar favourites of the gods, often appeared in that shape: hence idols were often made with serpents near them; and there have been astonishing instances of religious worship paid to that kind of animal.

nor to which transform'd Ammonian Jove, or Capitoline was seen,

Capitoline, a sir-name of Jupiter, from his temple on the mount of that name. Ammonian or Hammonian; that is, of Ham, the son of Noah, who had Africa for his share. In the hot sandy deserts of Lybia, a temple and oracle were erected to his memory, which the Greeks called Jupiter Hammon.

309 He with Olympias,

A town in Peleponnesus, where Jupiter had a temple, with a celebrated statue fifty cubits high, reckoned one of the wonders of the world. Olympic games were celebrated in its neighbour

hood.

510 Scipio the height of Rome.

The

Scipio, a branch of the Cornelian family at Rome. His speech to the Romans:

On this day, tribunes and Roman citizens, I gained a signal victory in Africa, over Hannibal and the Carthagenians. Since, then, such a day

ought to be free from strife and litigation, I shall immediately go from hence to the capitol, to pay my adorations to the highest Jove, to Juno, Minerva, and the other deities who preside over the sacred citadal; and I shall return them thanks, that, both on this day and many times beside, they have inspired me with the ability of doing essential service to the republic. Let such of you too, as have leisure, accompany me; and pray the gods, that you may ever have leaders like myself. For, as from the term of seventeen years to the decline of life, you have always outgone my age, by the honours conferred on me, so I have anticipated your honours by my actions. LIVY. 522 Than at Circean call the herd disguis'd

Now dropp'd our anchors in the Ænean bay,
Where Circe dwelt, the daughter of the day;
Her mother Perse, of old Ocean's strain,
Thus from the sun descended and the main
Goddess and queen, to whom the pow'rs belong,
Of dreadful magic and commanding song.
Spent and o'erwhelm'd, two days and nights roll'd

on,

;

And now the third succeeding morning shone,
I climb'd a cliff, with spear and sword in hand,
Whose ridge o'erlook'd a shady length of land;
To learn if aught of mortal works appear,
Or cheerful voice of mortal strike the ear.
From the high point I mark'd, in distant view,
A stream of curling smoke ascending blue,
And spiry tops, the tufted trees above,
of Circe's palace bosom'd in the grove.

Thither to haste, the region to explore,

Was first my thought; but, speeding back to

shore,

I deem'd it best to visit first my crew.

}

We know not here what land before us lies,
Or to what quarter now we turn our eyes,
Or where the sun shall set, or where shall rise.
Alas! from yonder promontory's brow,
I view'd the coast, a region flat and low,
An isle incircled with the boundless flood;
A length of thickets and entangled wood.
Some smoke I saw amid the forest rise,
And all around it only seas and skies.
With broken hearts my sad companions stood,
Mindful of Cyclops and his human food,
And horrid Læstrigons, the men of blood;
In equal parts I straight divide my band,
And name a chief each party to command;
I led the one, and, of the other side,
Appointed brave Eurylochus the guide;
Then in the brazen helm the lots we throw,
And fortune casts Eurylochus to go:
He march'd with twice eleven in his train :
Pensive they march, and pensive we remain.
The palace in a woody vale they found,
High rais'd of stone; a shady space around,
Where mountain wolves and brindled lions roam,
(By magic tam'd) familiar to the dome.

With gentle blandishment our men they meet,
And wag their tails and fawning lick their feet.
Now on the threshold of the dome they stood,
And heard a voice resounding thro' the wood.

Plac'd at her loom within, the goddess sung:
The vaulted roof and solid pavement rung:
O'er the fair web the rising figures shine:
Immortal labour, worthy hands divine.
Polites to the rest the question mov'd,
(A gallant leader, and a man I lov'd,)
What voice celestial, chaunting to the loom,
Or nymph or goddess, echoes from the room?
Say, shall we seek access? With that they call;
And wide unfold the portals of the hall.
The goddess, rising, asks her guests to stay,
Who blindly follow where she leadsthe way.
Eurylochus, alone of all the band,
Suspecting fraud, more prudently remain❜d.
Milk newly press'd, the sacred flour of wheat,
And honey fresh, and Pramnan wines they treat:
But venom'd was the bread and mix'd the bowl,
With drugs of force to darken all the soul:
Soon in the luscious feast themselves they lost,
And drank oblivion of their native coast.
Instant her circling wand the goddess waves
To hogs transform'd them, and the sty receives.
Still curst with sense, their minds remain alone,
And their own voice affrights them when they
groan.

Eurylochus, with pensive steps and slow,
Aghast returns: the messenger of woe.

Ulysses, against his friends advice, persists in going to the palace of Circe: he meets Hermes, who gives him an antidote to the magic of the enchantress: he eats and drinks in safety, to her confusion.

Why sits Ulysses, silent and apart,

Some hoard of grief close harbour'd at his heart?
Untouch'd before thee stand the cates divine,
And unregarded laughs the rosy wine.

I answer'd: Goddess, humane is thy breast,
By justice sway'd, by tender pity prest;
Ill fits it me, whose friends are sunk to beasts,
To quaff thy bowls, or riot in thy feasts.

Me wouldst thou please? for them thy cares employ,

And them to me restore, and me to joy.

With that we parted: in her potent hand
She bore the virtue of the magic wand.
Then hast'ning to the sties sets wide the door,
Urg'd forth, and drove the bristly herd before;
Unwieldy, out they rush'd, with general cry,
Enormous beasts dishonest to the eye.

They saw, they knew me, and, with eager pace,
Clung to their master in a long embrace:
Sad, pleasing sight! with tears each eye ran o'er,
E'en Circe wept, her adamantine heart

Felt pity enter, and sustain'd her part.
Son of Laertes, (then the queen began)
Oh, much enduring, much experienced man!
Haste to thy vessel, on the sea-beat shore,
Unload thy treasures, and thy galley moor:
Then bring thy friends, secure from future harms,
And in our grottoes stow thy spoils and arms.
She said: obedient to her high command,
I quit the place, and hasten to the strand.
My sad companions on the beach I found,
Their wistful eyes in floods of sorrow drown'd.

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